Chapter 1221: Unexpected

Any system, after enduring the passage of time, invariably forms a rigid framework supported by its core branches. Within this framework, unless an individual possesses extraordinary power, they must abide by its rules, making it extremely difficult to challenge those established branches. After all, the branches that constitute this framework are themselves composed of powerful individuals. They have often accumulated power over dozens, hundreds, or even more generations, becoming influential forces and integral parts of the system's rules.

In the Fifth Star Ring, the eleven Heavens Beyond Heaven represent the eleven largest branches. Within these Heavens Beyond Heaven, numerous faction-like powers exist, serving as both protectors and beneficiaries of their respective Heavens Beyond Heaven, while also being integral parts of the branches. They are like colossal whirlpools, radiating an immense attractive force that influences all beings and things throughout the Fifth Star Ring. Thus, what could an ordinary cultivator possibly do to challenge them?

Therefore, after Zhou Zhengli cleared his throat, the words spoken by this group were like extremely sharp divine spells, falling upon the world and settling deep within the minds of the jailers. It was like meteorites plunging into the sea! Every single sentence sent a shockwave through their hearts. Coupled with the light from their tokens, the non-human jailers here felt immense waves rising within them, one after another, eventually culminating in a storm.

Such a background, such a lineup... A sense of powerlessness simultaneously rose in the hearts of the two wardens. They realized that this group was clearly a bunch of privileged scions! Moreover, they were privileged scions whose cultivation and aptitude surpassed the ordinary. Generally speaking, such individuals were mostly ascended cultivators from the Immortal Capital! In the Immortal Capital, though seemingly only a few major orthodox sects exist, it is in reality a den of dragons and snakes. As a seedbed, all Heavens Beyond Heaven maintain overt or covert arrangements within it. Even if some are not immediately noticed, once they naturally mature and leave the Immortal Capital, they will immediately attract the attention of various factions, who will then approach and recruit them.

The two wardens understood this deep down. But what puzzled them was... Even ascended cultivators are usually dispersed and would not appear so concentrated, let alone as a single small team. Yet now... As the two wardens looked at the people before them, their sense of powerlessness intensified. In terms of combat power, they clearly couldn't compare. As for their background, it went without saying.

“And they are also Resource Commissioners...” The two felt bitter.

Meanwhile, Xinghuanzi had already led dozens of ascended cultivators, bursting first into the prison inside the statue to begin this mission. Then, Xie Lingzi, Yuanshan Su, and Qianjun Biyi also spread out, some alone and others with companions, entering the prison through different entrances. Li Mengtu was among them. Their assigned areas were distinct, and their division of labor was clear.

As for those who remained outside, there were only about a dozen people. Xu Qing naturally didn't need to go in personally, and after some thought, Zhou Zhengli also chose to stay by his side. As for Seaweed... it also didn't enter the prison. It coiled around the outside of the prison statue, replacing its original defenses, radiating its immense pressure, and assisting everyone with its divine sense to make the exploration of the prison more comprehensive.

This familiar scene, observed by the jailers and the two wardens, gave them the impression that this group had clearly done this before. Indeed, after their experiences in the Hun Tian Universe, Xu Qing and his group had developed a certain degree of tacit understanding in their cooperation.

At this moment, seeing that the others had already entered the prison, Xu Qing simply sat down cross-legged, cultivating his spiritual power while contemplating how to handle the aftermath of this incident. Such actions would naturally provoke a backlash, and accountability would surely follow. As for ways to respond, though there were several options, the simplest among them was actually to find the Nine-Colored Ice.

“However,” Xu Qing thought, “now that they have all revealed their backgrounds, I am no longer solely responsible for this matter; it was a collective decision.” Xu Qing pondered.

Time slowly passed like this. Zhou Zhengli was also meditating, and the dozen or so ascended cultivators who hadn't entered the prison beside him were also sitting cross-legged, though they occasionally opened their eyes, their gaze fixed on the prison entrance. Clearly, they also wanted to go in. But according to the plan, someone always had to remain outside, so they would proceed in batches.

Just as they frequently glanced at the entrance, and the local jailers and the two wardens' expressions grew increasingly grim, a figure suddenly flew out from one of the entrances. The one who appeared was not a cultivator from Xu Qing's team, but one of the non-human jailers from this place. After appearing, he immediately knelt before the two wardens and spoke in a low voice.

“Sirs,” he said, “they... after entering the prison, they indeed initially put on a facade of searching, but after seeing the imprisoned deities... they began to interrogate the deities, and under the guise of interrogation, they extracted origin essence. Now, dozens of imprisoned deities have had their origin cores collapse.” The jailer hesitated. “If this continues...”

Hearing this, the two wardens’ expressions grew even fouler. They then looked up, gazing at Xu Qing and the others. The elder among them spoke in a deep voice. “Fellow Daoist, this is the private prison of the Seventeen Clans of Lingguang Heaven Beyond Heaven. Although it falls under jurisdiction, such blatant plundering will certainly be investigated!” He continued, “Furthermore, we have guarded this place for many years and know its inner workings intimately. There is absolutely no so-called prison break or rebellion. Your excuse for such blatant exploitation is far too clumsy!”

Xu Qing remained silent. This excuse had, in fact, been improvised by Zhou Zhengli. As for the other ascended cultivators who remained outside, none of them were easily fazed; having come here precisely for origin essence, their expressions were all normal. As for Zhou Zhengli, his expression turned solemn, and he nodded gravely. “What the two sirs say makes sense,” he stated. “My teammates’ actions are indeed a bit rough. I will go dissuade them now.” He continued, “Fellow Daoists, I’ll trouble you to go down and oversee them a bit.”

As Zhou Zhengli spoke, he looked at the ascended cultivators who had long been impatiently waiting outside. Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned solemn, and they all rose to their feet. “Precisely what we should do!”

“It is indeed excessive!”

“We shall go dissuade them immediately!”

With these words, the dozen or so ascended cultivators immediately flew out, heading straight for the prison entrance. How could the two wardens not see through this act? Their anger intensified, but they also knew their combat power was insufficient. So, after exchanging glances, they both saw resolution in each other's eyes.

“These people are utterly reckless!” one thought. “This matter must be reported with the strongest condemnation!”

“The Resource Department has offended many people in the past,” the other thought, “but this time, their actions have gone too far!”

“For this matter, you should unite with the Seventeen Sovereigns and report it together to the Lingguang Immortal Palace. I will seek out other parties and report it to the Nine Shores Immortal Palace. Even if this group has deep backgrounds, such actions must be punished!”

After reaching a mutual decision, the two wardens immediately took out their jade slips and began recording.

Meanwhile, the extraction continued. Inside the prison, with the influx of numerous ascended cultivators, the scope of origin essence extraction grew wider and wider. The jailers here were completely unable to stop them. After all, the formations here were designed for deities and had little effect on cultivators... especially human cultivators.

However, at this moment, in the deeper levels of the prison, an area that Xinghuanzi and the others had not yet reached, unusual energy permeated, and divine talismans shimmered all around, making the place seem isolated. All that could be seen was a dense fog. And deep within the fog, a terrifying altar stood prominently! The altar's material was astonishingly composed of deity bones, and upon it sat four twisted figures, cross-legged. Strange bodies, swaying tentacles, and the fluctuations of divine power secretly radiated from their entire beings.

“Our plan is extremely secretive,” one of the deities spoke through divine thoughts. “The lower races here have been blind for a long time, not detecting a single thing...”

“Even those two human Quasi-Immortals had hidden thoughts planted in them by the Lord, blinding their perception as well.”

“So... how could we have been detected by outsiders?!”

The four deities spoke, their divine voices reverberating within each other's divine authority. “This time, those external humans should not have completely detected us, but rather have grown suspicious!”

“Therefore, they haven't found this place yet, but their search area is extending deeper and deeper.”

“Indeed, my divine sense outside has sensed many of our kin whose origins are being squeezed dry by interrogation.”

“But if this continues, them finding this place is inevitable!”

“So, should we... observe silently, or... act prematurely?!”

The four deities fell silent. After a long moment, their divine voices resumed. “But the Lord has not fully returned yet. Currently, there is only a faint pull. We are also not ready. If we act prematurely, even if the Lord returns, he will be in a weakened state.”

“But if we don't act prematurely, we might even lose the chance for his return.”

“We have prepared for many years... what went wrong, and how were we detected?!”

The four deities fell silent once more. Indeed, this sudden external search caught them off guard. They had also heard the human talk of prison breaks and rebellion during their interrogations. Thus, waves of unease stirred within each of them. Because if they could have a little more time and proceed according to plan, everything would be foolproof. At that time, not only would the Lord be able to arrive, but they could also use the stellar gravitational pull from the Lord's return to relocate out of the Fifth Star Ring. But now...

“Further deliberation on this matter is meaningless. I agree to act prematurely!”

“I second the motion!”

Golden light shone from the four deities, and as their divine voices merged, they reached an agreement. They then simultaneously acted, pressing down on the altar. In the next instant, the altar rumbled, and a terrifying power suddenly erupted from within it, forming a golden storm that surged upwards, abruptly spreading towards the prison above.

At this moment, in the middle section of the prison, Xinghuanzi and the others were extracting essence from a dying deity, on the verge of completely draining it. But just then, a thunderous roar erupted within the prison, and unusual energy permeated it in an instant, plunging the entire prison world into darkness. Low growls followed. Deities were rebelling!

Xinghuanzi immediately noticed, was momentarily stunned, and then his expression instantly turned solemn. His perception spread out, sweeping in all directions, seeing pillars of golden light shooting up into the sky and surging auras of revival!

“A rebellion is truly happening?” Xinghuanzi's mind was shaken, finding it somewhat inconceivable. But he also knew the seriousness of the matter, so he immediately told those beside him to go out and report it.

An incense stick's time later. On the statue housing the deity prison, the two wardens were still recording, preparing to report to Heaven Beyond Heaven to punish Xu Qing and the others. Meanwhile, Xu Qing sat cross-legged with closed eyes. But in the next instant, his eyes suddenly opened, showing a hint of doubt, and he looked down.

Almost at the moment Xu Qing looked, two figures simultaneously flew out from the entrance: one a jailer, the other an ascended cultivator. Their movements were similar; after flying out, they both headed straight for their respective factions, and upon approaching, their solemn voices resonated.

“Sirs,” they both exclaimed, “there genuinely is a deity prison break below!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed, and he instinctively turned to look at Zhou Zhengli. Zhou Zhengli also froze. And the surrounding jailers who had been seething with anger at Xu Qing and his group were now also stunned. Their minds buzzed with shock.

As for the two wardens, their minds were churning as if thunder had exploded. They immediately stopped recording on their jade slips, cold sweat instantly streamed down their foreheads, and disbelief rose in their hearts. There really was a prison break!

Before they could react, the ground suddenly shook violently, and pillars of golden light pierced through the surface, shooting up into the sky. Unusual energy, at this moment, also intensified. The two wardens, their breathing ragged, instinctively looked at Xu Qing. All their previous dissatisfaction and anger had now vanished. The fact was, they were all too aware of the severe implications of a deity prison break for themselves.

“Sirs!” The two, anxious in their hearts, spoke simultaneously.

Even if they didn't fully believe the purpose of Xu Qing and his group's arrival, now that it had become a reality, whether they believed it or not no longer mattered. What mattered was how to resolve it!

Xu Qing's gaze deepened, and he slowly rose from his cross-legged position. His cultivation, at this moment, fully erupted, forming a world-shaking pressure that surged towards the golden light and unusual energy emanating from the statue, suddenly suppressing them. The statue rumbled. At the same time, Xu Qing's voice, at that instant, issued forth in a deep tone.

“This prison, we are temporarily taking over!”

“Zhou Zhengli, notify everyone: all hands... immediately suppress the rebellious, escaped deities!”