Chapter 76: Stone Hidden Weapon

"By the way, Helmaster," Mang Gu asked before leaving, "you left last time without paying for the meal. Do you still owe for it, or would you like to settle up now?"

Lu Yang quickly stopped Mang Gu: "Silence! We are practitioners of the demonic path; dining and dashing is our right. Is the Helmaster really the type to pay for his meals, like some good-natured fool?"

Meng Jingzhou chimed in, "Exactly! The Helmaster said he was treating us, not that he would pay the bill. How can you not even tell the difference?"

Helmaster Chu: "..."

He had to admit that when it came to cornering someone, he was no match for these three.

Gritting his teeth and suppressing the urge to kill, he tossed a gold ingot to Mang Gu. "Keep the change. Now, all three of you, get out!"

Mang Gu looked bewildered. He was simply asking for the money, but why did the way Brother Lu and Brother Meng speak sound so strange? It was as if they were helping him, yet also helping the Helmaster.

By the time the three left, it was late at night. Lu Yang looked up at the brilliant starry sky and sighed.

"Who would have thought that the stars in the sky are all fake? Unbelievable, truly unbelievable."

Meng Jingzhou scratched his head. "It's not that unbelievable, is it? My grandfather always told me that he'd give me anything I wanted, even if it was a star from the sky. When I was about seven or eight, I pointed at a star and said I wanted that one."

"My grandfather then went into space and came back with a fingernail-sized speck of light, which he placed in my hand, saying it was the star. Coincidentally, a star was indeed missing from the night sky."

"I gestured to my grandfather, explaining that stars should be very big, much larger than our courtyard, not so small. My grandfather just smiled mysteriously and said stars *were* that small."

"What happened then?" Lu Yang asked with interest.

"Later? Later, people from the Ministry of Justice showed up. It seemed like a high-ranking official, who accused my grandfather of stealing natural resources and told him to return the star. My grandfather gave the speck of light back, and a star reappeared in the empty spot in the night sky."

"At the time, I felt something was off, but I couldn't figure out what it was. As time passed, I forgot about it. Only after talking about it today did I realize that what I held in my hand back then truly was a star."

"Truly, the Meng family is something else; their childhood experiences are so different from ours." Lu Yang shook his head, wondering what he was doing when he was a child.

He remembered. As a child, he would recall his pre-transmigration experiences, reciting ancient poems like, "A high tower, hundreds of feet tall, one can pick stars with a hand. Dare not speak too loudly, for fear of startling the heavenly beings."

As a child, he could only pick stars in poetry, while Meng Jingzhou could literally pick stars. That was the difference.

Lately, Lu Yang had even considered writing a book to make money, something like *The Wandering Earth*. However, in this world's setting, it probably wouldn't be planetary engines propelling Earth, but rather mighty cultivators pushing it.

The three stopped thinking about stars and continents. Such matters were too far-fetched for them; with their cultivation levels, let alone moving stars, even moving large rocks was difficult.

"Let's get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll visit our fellow sect members in prison."

The three yawned. At the Foundation Establishment stage, meditation could substitute for sleep, with the same restorative effect, but the three preferred to sleep.

Meditation? They'd consider that at the Golden Core stage.

Early in the morning, Lu Yang found Constable Wei. After Lu Yang explained his purpose, Constable Wei readily approved the request slip, allowing Lu Yang to visit the prison.

As soon as he stepped into the prison, Lu Yang felt his spiritual energy being suppressed, unable to be mobilized in the slightest, and his body became sluggish.

"Is this the Spirit Sealing Array Constable Wei mentioned?" Lu Yang was surprised, never imagining the array would be as formidable as Constable Wei had described.

When Constable Wei approved Lu Yang's slip, he had warned him to be mindful of the Spirit Sealing Array in the prison. It was a formation specifically designed for cultivators. Within the array's range, cultivators' cultivation was suppressed, rendering them unable to use any spells. This was to prevent cultivators from breaking in or escaping.

The prison's Spirit Sealing Array was of a high level; even Golden Core stage cultivators would be restricted by it, without exception.

Lu Yang arrived just as the prison guards were changing shifts.

The day-shift guard yawned, tears welling up, looking drowsy as if he hadn't fully woken up.

The night-shift guard, who was about to go off duty, was in good spirits and teased, "Old Zhou, aren't you usually the most energetic? Why are you so sleepy today? You didn't do anything shady last night, did you?"

Old Zhou opened his mouth wide and let out a huge yawn before replying, "Lately, I don't know why, but I just can't seem to get enough sleep. It's hard to get up in the morning. It's not just me; my wife is the same. I even washed my face when I got here, and I'm still tired."

The night-shift guard chuckled, "You must have been up to something last night and didn't get good rest. Look at me, I'm not tired at all."

Old Zhou pouted, "You're a cultivator; you're different from me."

The night-shift guard waved his hand dismissively. "I'm only at the first level of Qi Condensation; it's hard to say if I'll ever even reach the second level in this life. What kind of cultivator is that?"

According to prison rules, day-shift guards were mortals, while night-shift guards were cultivators at the first level of Qi Condensation. Cultivators at this level could ensure they weren't sleepy or negligent during the night.

Cultivators were reluctant to be suppressed by the Spirit Sealing Array, making them like mortals. However, having only first-level Qi Condensation guards inside the prison was clearly insufficient, so hidden sentinels—also cultivators—were stationed outside the prison to stand watch.

After the shift change, Lu Yang found Old Zhou with his slip.

Old Zhou glanced at Lu Yang, conducted a body search, and finding that he had brought nothing but a lunchbox, let him pass.

Chi Xulong, a notorious rogue demonic cultivator who had made a name for himself in nearby counties, believed that after joining the demonic sect, he would achieve great things, conquer territory, and become a local emperor.

Even now, deeply imprisoned, his ambition remained unshaken.

Since he was in prison, he would first become the prison boss!

The first hurdle he faced was his inability to intimidate others.

He was confined in a cell that even Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't break, with no weapons at hand. The inmates in the neighboring cells were merciless with their insults and taunts, making Chi Xulong's teeth itch with frustration.

Just then, his cellmate, Shen Jinyi, came up with an idea. He put a small stone in his mouth, then spat it out with a "pfft," sending it flying like a bullet. Its power was astonishing, and hitting someone with it would undoubtedly be devastating.

As an assassin, Shen Jinyi was skilled at using various objects as hidden weapons.

"We are brothers in misfortune; now more than ever, we must cooperate sincerely and brave this together!" Shen Jinyi declared righteously. "If you learn this move of mine, you'll be invincible in prison. We'll dominate this place together!"

Chi Xulong was greatly encouraged. He worked tirelessly, from dawn till dusk, diligently learning to launch stone projectiles with his mouth.

Unfortunately, Chi Xulong lacked the talent; despite his brute strength, he never managed to master it.

"You need to do it like this: build up air in your mouth, then quickly spit it out with a 'pfft'!" Shen Jinyi demonstrated, trying hard to teach Chi Xulong.

"I know, it's just a 'pfft'," Chi Xulong said, a little impatiently.

"No, no, you're puckering your lips too little. Like this."

"Like this?"

Lu Yang stood outside the cell, watching Chi Xulong and Shen Jinyi pucker their lips at each other, wondering if he should interrupt to remind them that such a sight could easily be misinterpreted.

First, he should record it with a memory sphere.