I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 264 Old Taoist
"How should I address you, sir?"

After entering the prison, Chen Ming asked the name of the first-rank purple-robed official.

"Tang Shouzhen," the man said casually, "Don't be so formal, if you don't mind, just call me Brother Tang."

"This is terrible—"

"You look down on me?" Tang Shouzhen feigned anger.

Seeing that he had said that, Chen Ming naturally agreed, "Brother Tang."

Tang Shouzhen smiled with satisfaction. "That's more like it, Brother Gu. Before I met you, I had already heard about you. At only twenty years old, you had already reached the second rank and even killed three first-rank cultivators. To have accomplished such a world-shaking feat is truly admirable."

"Brother, you flatter me."

"Haha, Brother Gu, you have a bright future ahead of you. I might need your help in the future."

So that's what they were planning.

Chen Ming thought to himself, "You're destined to waste your time."

At the Ghost Festival banquet twenty days later, he will either break free from the Gu family's control, be imprisoned by the Gu family, or be secretly killed.

Anyway, there won't be anyone named Gu Xianyu anymore.

However, Tang Shouzhen's willingness to humble himself and befriend him is a good thing for him, making things easier for him.

As the two walked and talked, the prison guards they encountered all bowed to Tang Shouzhen without asking him anything, which showed that he was of high status.

Chen Ming casually asked, "Brother, I heard that this Heavenly Prison has nine levels in total, is that true?"

"Actually, I don't know either."

"Huh? Even the eldest brother doesn't know?"

"It is said that this Heavenly Prison was built during the Longevity Immortal Dynasty. The Longevity Emperor conquered several immortal palaces and imprisoned the captured immortals in the various levels of the Heavenly Prison. Unfortunately, the Longevity Immortal Dynasty collapsed eight thousand years ago. Only the first five levels of this Heavenly Prison can be opened. The method to open the last four levels has long been lost."

"I see."

Chen Ming was surprised to learn that this heavenly prison had such a long history. He then asked, "Could it be that there are really immortals in the immortal abode?"

"Of course there is, but only after reaching the Divine Treasury Realm will one have the opportunity to enter the Immortal Abode. I don't know if I'll ever have such an opportunity in my lifetime, to enter the Immortal Abode and witness the demeanor of the immortals," Tang Shouzhen said with a longing expression.

Chen Ming felt that the so-called "immortals" in this world weren't very impressive, since they could be captured by a mortal emperor, which showed that their strength wasn't that great.

As they spoke, the two arrived at the door leading to the third floor.

The first level of the imperial prison held ordinary prisoners.

The second level was used to imprison officials of the third and second ranks.

The third floor is where the first-class item is kept.

The fourth level is where powerful individuals at the Divine Treasure Realm are imprisoned.

As for the fifth floor, even Tang Shouzhen didn't know. In any case, the door to the fifth floor had never been opened since he came to the Heavenly Prison.

……

"Come to me."

As Tang Shouzhen spoke, he took out a seal from his bosom. The seal lit up and flew to the gate on its own, merging into it.

Suddenly, the thick door opened silently, revealing a dark passage.

Tang Shouzhen retrieved the seal and explained, "This seal can only be used twice, once in and once out, and then it's useless. If you want to come in again tomorrow, you'll have to apply to Lord Lei, which is quite troublesome."

Chen Ming said gratefully, "I see. I didn't expect it to be so troublesome. Thank you so much, brother."

"You're my brother, so there's no need for such formalities. Come on in."

Tang Shouzhen spoke as if he were already a close friend.

Upon entering the third level, Chen Ming felt extremely oppressed. His divine sense was suppressed within his Niwan Palace by an invisible force, and his cultivation level seemed to have regressed to the third rank, which he found very uncomfortable.

Seeing his distressed expression, Tang Shouzhen smiled and said, "The third level is an independent space with its own rules. Here, divine sense is restricted. Therefore, no matter how strong a First-Rank cultivator is, he cannot cause any trouble here."

"Now, on this third floor, there are thirty-seven prisoners. I don't even have the authority to interrogate eighteen of them. As for the other nineteen, you can choose any one of them."

Chen Ming nodded to indicate that he understood.

Those eighteen people were so-called "political prisoners," and not just anyone could interrogate them.

He said, "Brother, you know this place best, so please recommend someone."

Tang Shouzhen said, "Okay."

So Tang Shouzhen summoned the jailers and began to interrogate the prisoners on that floor one by one.

The top-tier experts imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison are all of considerable importance. They are either notorious bandits or powerful warlords.

Unfortunately, after being imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, it was like a tiger having its claws pulled out or an eagle having its wings broken; it could only endure the humiliation from Chen Ming, a junior of the second rank.

Unable to use his divine sense and sealed by the Dragon-Sealing Needles for a long time, his strength was often less than one or two tenths of what it was. How could he possibly be a match for Chen Ming?
In particular, after Chen Ming upgraded "The Lone Goose of Heaven and Earth" to the sixth level, he made up for the biggest shortcoming.

Of course, this also used up almost all the experience points he had accumulated over the past few days.

You have defeated a level 97 opponent and gained 95,000 experience points.

You have defeated a level 98 opponent and gained 100,000 experience points.

You have defeated a level 99 opponent and gained 105,000 experience points.

……

Chen Ming had defeated eighteen first-rank masters in a row, feeling a great sense of accomplishment and gaining nearly two million experience points.

He was eager to try, "Brother, have someone bring up the last one." Tang Shouzhen had witnessed firsthand how he defeated one first-rank expert after another, and was greatly shocked.

It should be understood that the temperament, martial arts skills, and experience of a first-grade expert are far superior to those of a young man who has just advanced to the second grade. At first, he was somewhat inclined to watch the spectacle unfold.

Unexpectedly, this kid's strength is truly astonishing. His swordsmanship is almost on par with my own. His movement technique is also unbelievable, appearing and disappearing like a ghost.

This young man also possesses an astonishing intuition, as if he could foresee the future. Several times, he has relied on this intuition to evade the killing moves of those top-tier experts.

Tang Shouzhen was on tenterhooks watching him, never expecting that he could dodge in advance, which was truly amazing.

Despite having just broken through to the second rank, given the strength he has demonstrated, there are probably few people in the second rank who can rival him.

Are young people these days really that strong?

Tang Shouzhen swallowed silently, and only after hearing his words did he seem to wake from a dream, saying, "I'm afraid this last person can't be promoted."

"Oh? Is there any inconvenience?"

"Brother, just follow me."

Tang Shouzhen said.

If calling him "brother" before was somewhat motivated by self-interest, now it finally felt more genuine. He truly acknowledged that he was worthy of being called a brother.

Chen Ming followed him to the outside of a cell. Looking inside, he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, motionless and lifeless.

At first glance, it looks like a dead person.

Tang Shouzhen said, "This person is a cultivator, with strength equivalent to a first-rank martial artist. He was imprisoned here fifty-seven years ago. Since then, he has been like this, silent, motionless, neither eating nor drinking, like a corpse. However, every few years, people from the Celestial Master's Mansion will come to see him and say that he has only entered a state of suspended animation and has not actually died. So, he has been imprisoned like this ever since."

Chen Ming was astonished.

Fifty-seven years without eating or drinking, and he still hasn't died. This cultivator's methods are truly bizarre. Martial artists certainly couldn't do that.

Just then, he felt the tortoise shell in his arms move.

Suddenly, the old man in the cell opened his eyes and looked at him with a strange smile on his face.

"Fuck!"

Chen Ming was startled by this scene, thinking that the old man had come back to life.

"What's wrong, bro?"

Tang Shouzhen looked at him strangely.

"he--"

Chen Ming noticed that he didn't seem to have seen the old man open his eyes just now. Upon closer inspection, the old man in the prison remained unchanged, as if what he had just seen was just his illusion.

A thought struck him, but he didn't mention what had just happened. "I just remembered I have an important appointment. I almost forgot. Brother, could you please see me out?"

"Haha, I thought it was something serious. Let's go."

……

Tang Shouzhen had just seen Chen Ming off when someone reported that the cultivator on the third floor was dead and his body had turned to ashes.

He hurriedly reported to his superiors and, after receiving a new token, returned to the third floor. Looking inside, he saw that the cultivator who had sat in the prison for fifty-seven years was gone, and where he had been was a pile of ashes.

"How could someone suddenly die when they were perfectly healthy?"

Tang Shouzhen was puzzled. He suddenly remembered Gu Xianyu's strange behavior outside the door earlier and couldn't help but feel uneasy.

However, before leaving, he glanced inside again, and the old man was still perfectly fine.

Probably just a coincidence.

He thought to himself, and immediately ordered someone to invite people from the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Professional matters should naturally be handled by professionals.

Soon, the Celestial Master's Mansion sent someone over, including the current Celestial Master's chief disciple, which shows how much importance the Celestial Master's Mansion attaches to this matter.

The senior disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion quickly confirmed the old man's death and then hurried away.

Therefore, the prison crossed out the old man's name.

……

After Chen Ming was released from the prison, he boarded the carriage sent by the Gu family, but he couldn't forget the scene in the prison and felt uneasy.

He reached out and grasped the tortoise shell in his arms, wondering, "What exactly just happened?"

After thinking for a while, I still couldn't figure it out.

He returned to the Duke of Jingguo's mansion as usual, went to his room, took out the visualization diagram, and began to cultivate.

Before we knew it, night had fallen.

In a state between dreaming and waking, Chen Ming was pulled into a strange space by a peculiar force.

When he came to his senses and opened his eyes, he saw a stone chamber and a kind-looking Taoist priest sitting in front of him, who smiled and said, "This humble Taoist priest, Wang Chenzi, greets young friend."

It really is that old man!

Chen Ming recognized the old Taoist priest at a glance; he was the cultivator who had been imprisoned in that cell on the third floor for fifty-seven years. He hadn't expected him to escape.

This is the end of the calf.

He calmly said, "Senior, what is your purpose in bringing me to this place?"

(End of this chapter)