Chapter 14: Life Prison

The howling wind carried a strange flapping sound from a piece of paper stuck in a crack in the ground. The man with the umbrella tilted his head to look, and the paper flew out, swirling in front of him for his inspection.

It was a 'Third-Grade Immobilization Talisman' paper, and the tear in its magical inscription showed it had been used.

After he looked, the talisman paper flew back by itself, lodging itself once more in the crack in the stone.

The man with the umbrella continued to walk, pausing to observe. He passed numerous corpses and weapons before finally stopping in front of Qi Ziru.

The talisman and black cloth pouch clutched in the corpse's hand also automatically floated free. After rotating briefly in front of the man, the pouch's opening suddenly loosened, and enlarged skeletal structures flew out. They danced in the sky above the wilderness, then repeatedly pieced themselves together to form a bone dragon several tens of feet long.

The bone dragon seemed to come alive. After shaking its head and wagging its tail in the air, its ferocious, serpentine head flew towards the man with the umbrella on the ground. It stopped just before reaching him, allowing him to observe it.

The man looked puzzled. After a long moment, the bone dragon began to move again, diving headfirst into the small black cloth pouch. In an instant, it shrunk and disappeared, sliding entirely into the bag.

The man reached for the pouch, but just as his fingertips were about to touch it, he paused. His eyes flickered slightly, and he withdrew his hand, abandoning the idea of taking it.

Immediately, the pouch's opening tightened, and the bag, along with the talisman, automatically reinserted itself into Qi Ziru's hand.

Meanwhile, the man with the umbrella suddenly vanished into thin air, reappearing moments later at the entrance of the mine tunnel in the valley.

From the entrance, he could see that the mine had already collapsed, making further entry unnecessary. He raised his hand, making a grasping gesture towards the opening. Ripples in the void spread into the tunnel, penetrating the crevices in the collapsed stones.

A moment later, he waved his sleeve, withdrew his hand, and no longer lingered. Like a phantom, he ascended into the sky, instantly disappearing into the distance, leaving only the clear moonlight behind.

The Land of Exile is home to twelve cities. The city closest to East Jiuyuan is named Zhixu City.

The twelve cities vary in design. Under the night sky, Zhixu City was not large; it even appeared somewhat rudimentary, certainly fitting the atmosphere of the Land of Exile. However, a central palace within the city boasted ornate beauty with carved beams and painted pillars, exuding an extraordinary presence.

Armored soldiers stood on the city walls, holding halberds and spears, and the two characters "Zhixu" on the city gate looked solemn and imposing.

Late at night, the city gates remained open. Inside and outside the city, under the moonlight, people still came and went. Some arrived empty-handed, others carried heavy loads. Most came to exchange for "merits" they had accumulated, while some sought survival supplies.

There was only one shop within the city, or rather, across all twelve cities in the Land of Exile. It was the only establishment permitted to conduct business, and it was called Bowang Tower.

Within the city, except for a designated area managed by Bowang Tower, all other zones were closed to the public. Consequently, people entering the city gathered and dispersed primarily within the Bowang Tower area. Only those who had accumulated enough "merits" to leave the Land of Exile were granted the opportunity to access other areas.

Outsiders wishing to enter the Land of Exile also had to pass through these cities, and the entry requirements were very strict.

At this moment, an outsider was temporarily staying in a private wing room within the city.

Inside the room, luminous pearls provided bright light. The furnishings were simple yet refined. The guest was a rather attractive woman, whose air of aloof elegance seemed to emanate from her very being. Dressed in luxurious silk robes, with her jade ornaments jingling softly, she slowly paced back and forth in the small space, deep in thought.

The woman was visiting, there to see her brother and son.

Her brother and son were none other than Qi Ziru and Shen Youkun. Her name was Qi Yueru.

Under normal circumstances, visits were not permitted here, but some individuals always managed to obtain special permission.

Even for approved visits, outsiders were not allowed to stay long. Her arrival, timed precisely when the dragon bones in the mine were about to be unearthed, indicated a subtly managed visit.

Sudden footsteps from outside made her stop and listen intently. Soon, a knock sounded at the door.

Qi Yueru immediately replied, "Come in."

The door opened, and a man with a brocade belt around his waist entered. He had a stern expression, staring at the woman, then looking back outside the door, clearly taking extra precautions.

The patterns on his waist belt were significant, indicating his rank in the Heavenly Court's hierarchy.

Qi Yueru immediately curtsied with a smile. "City Lord, you honor us with your presence. Have my son and the others been summoned?"

When visiting here, one could not simply leave the city to find prisoners. There were strict restrictions on movement, and casual contact with others was forbidden; one could only wait for the prisoners to be brought.

The man was indeed Ba Yingshan, the City Lord of Zhixu. He lowered his voice, asking with an accusatory tone, "Tell me honestly, what exactly is your Qi family up to in the Land of Exile?"

Qi Yueru chuckled and shook her head. "That question is a bit much, don't you think?"

Ba Yingshan took a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress his anger, and changed his line of questioning. "Did you cause some trouble in East Jiuyuan?"

Qi Yueru replied with a faint smile, "You're not a child; you should know what questions not to ask. Knowing too much won't benefit you."

Ba Yingshan was clearly exasperated. He grabbed her wrist, pulling forcefully, and growled in a low voice, "Just tell me if you caused trouble in East Jiuyuan, or else if something happens later, you won't escape either!"

Qi Yueru, who was wincing in pain and about to pull her hand away, froze. Hearing the underlying meaning in his words, she immediately asked with a serious expression, "What's going on?"

Ba Yingshan made no attempt to conceal anything. "The Prison Inspector has arrived. He said something happened in East Jiuyuan, with many deaths, and specified the location as the ravine area south of East Jiuyuan, ordering me to personally lead people to the scene for inspection. In this wretched place, fighting and killing are common, and no one cares. When has it ever alarmed the Prison Inspector enough for him to personally issue orders? Whatever happened, you'd better tell me clearly and quickly. If it's too late, no one can cover for you."

Hearing him pinpoint the location of the incident, Qi Yueru's heart pounded with alarm. She urgently asked, "How would the Prison Inspector pay attention to such a desolate, out-of-the-way place?"

Ba Yingshan laughed, enraged. "You're asking me? I should be asking you! What exactly did you do to attract the Prison Inspector's attention? Explain it quickly; I'm about to leave, and I don't have time for delays."

Qi Yueru yanked her arm free from his grasp and whispered, "Don't concern yourself with what happened. As I said before, don't ask what you shouldn't. I need to go to the site of the incident immediately. Arrange for my departure at once."

Ba Yingshan was stunned. "Are you mad? What kind of place is this? Outsiders are not allowed to leave the city without authorization, or they violate heavenly laws! If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Qi Yueru's temper flared. "I don't care. You must send me out. This is your territory; I know you'll find a way."

She had already realized that something might have gone wrong with her son and brother's mission. Otherwise, how would the Prison Inspector know about a covert operation?

The thought that something might have happened to her son made her heart ache with worry. And her own brother was involved, coupled with the responsibility of her mission. She couldn't help but go to confirm.

Ba Yingshan was agitated and furious; he truly wanted to strangle the woman. He glanced outside the door, not daring to speak loudly, and gritted his teeth as he fiercely reminded her, "Do you know who is in the city? Do you know who the Prison Inspector usually accompanies? That 'Jailer' is in the palace building right now! I don't have the audacity to pull strings right under his nose!"

Upon hearing the words "Jailer," Qi Yueru's face also changed dramatically, her alarm impossible to conceal.

The term "Jailer" might sound unimpressive, but it was merely a nickname. In reality, it referred to the supreme ruler of this Land of Exile.

Perhaps to local inhabitants like Shi Chun, the Land of Exile seemed insignificant, a place of no consequence. Yet, in the eyes of cultivators, it was an utterly terrifying place.

If one considers it from a different perspective, the terrifying authority of this place becomes clear.

The official name of the Land of Exile was "Living Prison." Its counterpart, another great prison, was called "Dead Prison," which was none other than the Hell or Underworld known to mortals!

Hell was universally known because it targeted all people, while the Living Prison specifically targeted cultivators.

The Dead Prison was for the deceased; the Living Prison was for the living.

The phrase "better dead than alive" could vividly describe the fate of those cast into the Living Prison. Not everyone had it as easy as Shen Youkun; such cases were, after all, extremely rare.

Qi Yueru had never seen what the "Jailer" looked like. She had heard that after being banished to this place, he always carried an umbrella, using it whenever he went out, regardless of wind or rain.

Legend had it that when asked why, his reply was: "I will not be condescended to by Heaven. If they wish to see me, they must come face-to-face!"

How could a legendary figure like that be defied by Qi Yueru? Yet, she bore heavy responsibilities and was deeply worried about her son. She had no choice but to set aside her fear and say, "City Lord Ba, you must help, whether you want to or not. This isn't just helping me; it's helping you. I'm going to the scene to clean things up. If there's anything amiss at the site and it implicates you, you won't be able to escape. Once I've handled everything, it will be simpler for you to go. Don't you agree?"

"You..." Ba Yingshan, beside himself with rage, pointed at her nose. Her words were tantamount to admitting that the matter was indeed connected to her side.

But what could he do? In the end, he flung his sleeve and left.

Soon, Qi Yueru, having shed all feminine attire and now dressed in a black robe with a veiled head, successfully exited the city.

Once far from the city and out of sight of prying eyes, she dared to fly directly through the air.

Zhixu City was, after all, very close to East Jiuyuan. It didn't take her long to reach the vicinity of the incident. She didn't dare approach directly, instead circling stealthily to investigate.

Before she even found the mine entrance, she collapsed to the ground, burying her face and wailing.

While investigating, she first discovered bodies, then found those of her son and brother among them. Both had been decapitated. Unable to accept this reality, yet daring not to cry loudly, she muffled her sobs, truly appearing heartbroken.

Eventually, she faced the reality and dared not linger. Ba Yingshan had given her little time; he and his men would arrive soon.

After calming down, she noticed the Qiankun bag clutched in her brother's hand. She immediately pulled it into her own hand to examine it. After seeing its contents, she couldn't help but let out a choked sob. She realized the objective had been secured, and that her brother and son had been killed *after* completing their mission. Why had this happened? They had already succeeded!

She wiped her tears repeatedly, but they kept flowing. With the situation unclear, she dared not retrieve the bodies of her two closest kin. She put away the Qiankun bag and turned to leave.

A cold wind blew into her face, and she suddenly stopped. Her sorrow vanished instantly as she slowly lowered her head to look at the Qiankun bag in her hand. She realized a crucial problem: if they were dead, why was such a treasure still here? And how would the Prison Inspector know something had happened in this place?

At this thought, she nearly broke out in a cold sweat. Someone was likely waiting at the exit of the Land of Exile for this item. If she dared to leave with it, she might never be able to escape.