64: Chapter 64 The Emperor Bestows the Law, and Lotus Blossoms from Karmic Fire!

Deep within the great hall, a man in a Dragon robe stood with his hands behind his back.

Chen Ran hovered in mid-air, transformed into an incorporeal phantom, observing the scene before him.

Jiang Wang's gaze did not look toward Chen Ran in the Void Realm; instead, he stared directly at the rolling night sky outside the great hall. The imperial pressure on his body was as heavy as a mountain; merely by standing there, the surrounding air almost solidified.

"Red Lotus Karmic Fire, burning through the eight wildernesses..."

Jiang Wang suddenly spoke, his voice low but striking heavily against Chen Ran's ears.

This was not an ordinary memory projection; it was more like a remnant of a teaching left by a supreme expert at the source of the Cultivation Technique.

"The world thinks Karmic Fire is an art of slaughter, a Demonic Path evil technique that burns one's life to exchange for power."

Jiang Wang slowly raised his right hand.

A cluster of dark red flames danced in his palm.

There was no violent heat wave, no acrid smell of burning. The fire was crystal clear, and layer upon layer of petals unfurled within the flames, resembling a Red Lotus in full bloom.

"Slaughter is merely the surface. Karmic Fire blooming as a lotus, endless and continuous, is the true Dao."

Jiang Wang clenched his palm, and the flames rolled back into his body.

A flash of realization crossed Chen Ran's eyes.

Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately followed Jiang Wang's movements, mobilizing the Red Lotus True Qi within his body.

The originally violent and unruly fire energy rampaged through his Meridians, even causing his Meridians to tighten in waves.

But as he changed his cultivation route, that manic fire power began to constrict.

The True Qi settled, gathered, and flowed back.

Wisps of dark red Qi energy followed his extraordinary Meridians back to his Dantian, then emerged from the Dantian to disperse into his limbs and bones.

One contraction, one expansion, like a lotus opening and closing.

The explosive True Qi, which previously diminished with every use, had now formed a perfect cycle within his body.

This was the true effect of the royal secret technique; what he had been Cultivating before was at best a basic version.

And this upgraded version made his Meridians tougher and his True Qi increasingly solid compared to the original foundation.

Chen Ran could even feel that as long as this cycle remained unbroken, his endurance would increase exponentially.

Jiang Wang's figure paced inside the hall.

While stabilizing his Realm, Chen Ran carefully scrutinized this last emperor of the previous dynasty.

He did not know much about this emperor of the previous dynasty, having only seen his portrait a few times.

Now, observing him closely, he couldn't see through him.

With his current Grade 5 vision, he was completely unable to fathom Jiang Wang's depth. The other party's body was like a bottomless abyss; even a trace of the aura he revealed was more terrifying than any Martial Artist he had ever seen.

An expert of this level was at the very least in the Upper Three Grades, perhaps even higher.

Just then, the image of the great hall suddenly began to distort.

The scene shook violently, and the dome of the great hall collapsed with a roar. Chen Ran only felt his vision go black, and his entire being was forcibly thrown out by a massive force.

...

The night was deep. The wind in the courtyard blew through the treetops, bringing down a few withered leaves.

Chen Ran suddenly opened his eyes, and an aura burst forth from his body.

He first glanced at his panel and, as expected, discovered some differences; it seemed an extra line of text had appeared above the original name.

[Cultivation Technique: Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture → Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture (Ultimate)]

"Good heavens, so there's an ultimate evolution."

Chen Ran sighed inwardly. Jiang Mengli, sitting opposite him, was staring at him intensely, her hand holding chopsticks frozen in mid-air, her eyes filled with shock and suspicion.

He had just exited from the memory, and the aura on his body had not yet had time to fully recede.

As the legitimate Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, Jiang Mengli knew the ins and outs of the "Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture" better than anyone else.

Although this Cultivation Technique was passed down by the royal family, it was extremely difficult to enter, and practicing it to a deep level would cause a backlash, requiring immense concentration and talent.

Yet, in just the short time of half a cup of tea, the fire aura on Chen Ran had changed.

That manic, violent, and dangerous aura had vanished completely, replaced by a long-lasting, bottomless stability.

He had actually crossed that life-and-death threshold that had trapped countless who Cultivate.

"What did you... just do?" Jiang Mengli couldn't help but ask.

Chen Ran glanced at her and casually picked up the teacup on the table for a sip.

"Eating, Cultivating..."

Jiang Mengli felt a tightness in her chest, blocked by this response. She looked at Chen Ran's calm expression, gritted her teeth, and slammed her chopsticks onto the table.

Chen Ran ignored her mood, set down the teacup, and said in a flat voice:

"The capital has not been completely peaceful these past few days; Six Doors and the Demon Suppression Division are arresting people all over the streets. From tomorrow on, stay honestly in this courtyard and go nowhere."

Jiang Mengli's face turned cold: "Are you putting me under house arrest?"

"Think what you want." Chen Ran stood up. "If you go out now, you will either be skinned by the Demon Suppression Division or thrown back into the dungeon. Staying here is good for both of us."

He didn't explain further. Bringing Jiang Mengli out of the dungeon was inherently a continuation of the suppression scope.

He wanted to see if keeping this special Demonic woman by his side would cause his so-called "participation level" to continue to increase.

He would just treat it as carrying an experience baby with him; no reason not to use it.

Jiang Mengli stared at Chen Ran's back, clenched her fists, but ultimately did not refute him.

She knew very well that she had no choice now. Moreover, she had not even recovered her own cultivation base.

...

Three days later. On the main road outside the dungeon.

Chen Ran had changed into a brand-new Demon Suppression Division black uniform with red patterns, with the internal affairs squad's copper badge hanging at his waist, walking unhurriedly along the corridor.

Liu Mingyu walked half a step behind him, whispering something.

"Brother Chen, please this way."

When passing the junction of the Jia Ward cells, two jailers who were moving torture instruments stopped their actions from afar, actively retreated to the wall, and made way with smiles on their faces.

Chen Ran nodded slightly and walked past with a normal expression.

Walking further inside, the attitudes of those around him had almost completely changed.

Previously in the Cell Block D, although everyone would call him "Brother Chen" or "Brother Chen," it was mostly because of his seniority and fast promotion.

Now it was different. Some would come up with freshly brewed hot tea, and others would rush to open the heavy iron gates. Every person who greeted him had a tone of cautious flattery.

Liu Mingyu saw this from the side and chimed in with a smile: "Official members are different from those ordinary jailers who are still in the observation period struggling to get by. You have really settled into this role now."

Chen Ran nodded without responding. He knew it clearly in his heart.

These jailers were not respecting him, Chen Ran; they were respecting this uniform and his status as an official member of the Demon Suppression Division. Once he took off this uniform, this group of people would turn their faces faster than flipping a book.

The cold and damp air rushed toward him, and the familiar smell of mold entered his nostrils again.

The Cell Block D area had arrived.

Chen Ran skillfully picked up the wooden bucket placed in the corner and walked to Niu Hong's cell.

"Time to eat." He picked up an iron spoon and tapped the wooden trough.

Niu Hong sat cross-legged on the pile of hay, the wild aura on his body having calmed down quite a bit. He opened his eyes, glanced at Chen Ran, said nothing, moved over, grabbed a steamed bun, and started gnawing on it.

Liu Mingyu was helping to check the roster on the side and said casually: "The dungeon has been surprisingly quiet these past two days; ever since the trouble that night, the prisoners have all been as obedient as quails."

Chen Ran put down the wooden bucket and straightened up.

"You go ahead and keep an eye on the handover; I'll go to the cells further inside to verify the situation."

"Alright, you go ahead." Liu Mingyu was now very submissive to Chen Ran and, without a word of nonsense, turned and left immediately.

Soon, only Chen Ran was left in the corridor. He picked up the windproof lantern hanging on the wall, turned around, stepped on the stone path, and walked straight toward the deepest part of the dungeon.

As an official member, the area he could explore now was much wider than before.

...

The further in he walked, the dimmer the light became. The torches on the walls became sparse, and the air was filled with a nauseating, fishy stench.

Completely different from the atmosphere outside where jailers rushed to curry favor, here it was as quiet as a grave.

Chen Ran's footsteps echoed in the corridor.

A series of faint, strange noises came from the darkness ahead.

It was like some kind of hard arthropod rubbing against the stone slab, or like countless flexible silk threads pulling against each other. Accompanying this eerie sound, a cold, bone-chilling Demonic Qi seeped out through the door cracks.

Chen Ran stopped. The candlelight flickered, illuminating the heavy iron door ahead covered in runes.

He looked up, staring quietly into the depths of the cell. The depths of the cell began to shake violently, chains clattered and rattled, and a scarlet gaze shot out from within.