Chapter 362: Hiding in the Prison Cell Should Be Safe

After the lightning tribulation, Venerable Catastrophe was left barely alive, his entire body charred black, resembling a corpse.

"Damn it, how could you, a Body Integration cultivator, encounter such a powerful lightning tribulation!"

Vice-Sect Master Shi didn't reply, thinking to himself, 'A lightning tribulation worth a billion spirit stones – how could its power not be immense?'

Having already experienced a lightning tribulation once, Vice-Sect Master Shi was fully prepared. The charred Vice-Sect Master Shi was like a statue. A faint 'crack' sound was heard as his skin split open, and he peeled it away, emerging completely renewed.

"Beginner Cicada Molting Technique?" Venerable Catastrophe recognized the method.

Vice-Sect Master Shi glanced at him, said nothing, and swallowed a medicinal pill, which made Venerable Catastrophe incredibly envious. The Beginner Cicada Molting Technique only allowed him to keep his body clean; the depleted state from enduring the lightning tribulation still required medicinal pills for recovery.

Venerable Catastrophe wanted to snatch the pills, but his body was in such an extreme state that merely being able to move was a testament to his strong foundation, let alone fighting for pills. Vice-Sect Master Shi refined the medicinal power of the pill and sneered at Venerable Catastrophe.

"I finally tried to go straight and build something, only for you ancient cultivators to ruin it. Now that you've fallen into my hands, consider yourself unlucky!"

Vice-Sect Master Shi threw aside all notions of divine abilities and spells, punching and kicking Venerable Catastrophe to vent his fury. "May you be cut a thousand times! You blocked my path to wealth! Do you really think cultivators of this era are easy to bully! If I don't beat you so badly your own mother can't recognize you, then my name isn't Shi!"

Venerable Catastrophe was beaten black and blue; not a single bone in his body was intact, and his groin was a particular focus of the assault. Vice-Sect Master Shi gave a shake of his right hand, and an arm-thick iron chain dropped out. He bound Venerable Catastrophe tightly and carried him off like a pig.

"No, this won't do, I can't let him take me!" Venerable Catastrophe realized Vice-Sect Master Shi was a ruthless individual; going with him would mean certain death! He had to escape! He bit the tip of his tongue, spat out a mouthful of vital blood, and his body transformed into a wisp of green smoke. He broke free from the chains, tore open a spatial rift, and vanished.

"Burning his lifespan!" Vice-Sect Master Shi's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Venerable Catastrophe to be so ruthless. His chains could bind both body and soul, and in Venerable Catastrophe's current state, he couldn't have escaped without burning several millennia of his lifespan.

"That's pretty ruthless. How many years do you have left after burning all that?"

Faced with Venerable Catastrophe's technique, Vice-Sect Master Shi was helpless. "Fine, if he ran, he ran. I'll just find other ancient cultivators to get my revenge."

Venerable Catastrophe was still fleeing for his life. After this encounter, it would be difficult for him to gain an advantage in the Great Era's struggle.

"My approach was flawed. The lunatic who underwent the lightning tribulation earlier was someone I encountered when I tried to hide in a deserted area. This time, I'll hide in a city!" He promptly changed his strategy and headed for the nearest city.

"Great雁 County, what a fitting name. 'Wild geese flying south, a comeback' – it perfectly describes my current situation!" For caution, he used his divine sense to scan Great雁 County. "It appears to be a prosperous city, and the county magistrate is only at the Soul Transformation stage. Perfect for hiding!"

Venerable Catastrophe smiled faintly. A prosperous city and a weak county magistrate – it was simply the perfect place! Heaven helps me!

After burning his lifespan, his cultivation realm had dropped again, falling to the early Body Integration stage, almost failing to maintain the Body Integration realm entirely. Due to the unique nature of the Void Refinement stage, cultivators at the Body Integration stage would bypass it and directly fall to the Soul Transformation stage.

"Luck is always on my side!" He infiltrated Great雁 County, pondering where would be the most suitable place to hide and recover his cultivation. "I can restore my cultivation by devouring others' life force. The process should ideally be undisturbed, and I need a desolate, lifeless place!"

Venerable Catastrophe thought of a brilliant spot. "The prison!"

Prisoners in a jail had the fewest rights; no one would care if something unexpected happened to them. He transformed into a thick smoke and slipped into the prison. As soon as he entered, he heard two people arguing.

"I already told you, this law isn't used that way. Is there something wrong with your head?"

"Nonsense! I formulated this law myself; how could I not know how to use it?"

"Just because you formulated it means you understand it? Yunzhi was raised by me, and even *I* don't know how strong she is now!"

"Bullshit!"

"You're the one spouting bullshit."

Daoist Buyu was arguing with the Minister of Justice. The once elegant and amiable Minister of Justice was becoming increasingly irritable. "Wait a moment." Daoist Buyu raised a hand, sensing something amiss. "Who's there!"

"Such a strong scent of blood!" The Minister of Justice was quite surprised. He had dealt with many vicious criminals, but none had a bloodlust as potent as Venerable Catastrophe's. Demonic cultivators, wary of righteous path's strength, possessed secret arts to conceal their bloodlust. However, Venerable Catastrophe had no such concept; in the Great Yu era, the amount of bloodlust was irrelevant and sometimes even a symbol of honor.

"Heh heh, to think you two youngsters could discover me. You have some skill. In that case, become my nourishment!" Venerable Catastrophe assumed his carelessness had leaked his aura, but it was a minor issue; he had his ways to control these two! He couldn't deal with others, but surely he could handle these two prisoners?

A sinister, terrifying light suddenly flashed, and evil energy swirled in the confined space, creating a black-hole-like force. Silent screams echoed in the air, seemingly from an endless abyss. "Become my servants!"

The Minister of Justice decisively struck out, an invisible golden hand palm-striking the thick smoke away. Venerable Catastrophe tumbled to the ground, and the sinister light, evil energy, and silent screams all vanished. "What nonsense, daring to flaunt such tricks before me."

Venerable Catastrophe lay on the ground, unable to recover. How did he fall?

"A demonic cultivator, seize him!" Daoist Buyu made his move. His sword heart pulsed, and thousands of sword qi circulated, vast and continuous, filling the entire space. Venerable Catastrophe couldn't even tear open space to escape! Daoist Buyu, being accustomed to fleeing himself, knew exactly how to deal with those who frequently escaped. It was as if only Yunzhi's intervention could truly imprison him; anyone else wouldn't be confident.

Venerable Catastrophe was speechless. For a long time, Venerable Catastrophe remained silent. He didn't even know what expression to make to convey his feelings. What was going on? Why were such powerful individuals imprisoned in a jail? They were even stronger than that lunatic who underwent the lightning tribulation earlier! There were no restrictions in this prison either. What were they doing confined here? Did they find the jail warm in winter and cool in summer?

"Who is this guy?" The Minister of Justice had never seen someone so suicidal.

"Who knows? He's definitely no good. Probably some ancient cultivator who hasn't seen much of the world, got injured, and ran into the prison to recover. Let's capture him first; this counts as a great deed for us, and we might get our sentences reduced!" Daoist Buyu exclaimed excitedly. He was sitting in prison, and merit came knocking!

Hearing Daoist Buyu's words, the Minister of Justice also became excited.

Yunzhi had been following Venerable Catastrophe all along. Seeing this scene, she sighed slightly. It was impossible to expect Venerable Catastrophe to return to his lair now. There was nothing to be done; Venerable Catastrophe's luck was simply terrible. First, he encountered Old Ma and got kicked twice, then he underwent the lightning tribulation with Vice-Sect Master Shi, and afterward, he ran straight into Great雁 County prison, where her master and the Minister of Justice were confined. He was captured by two peak Body Integration cultivators. Surviving all this was truly a miracle. Yunzhi had never seen anyone so unlucky.

It would be better to take him back for interrogation and torture.