"No. The warden is right. It's already very good." Even if the prison guard had a good idea, he didn't dare to speak up. If he did, he would definitely suffer a terrible fate.
"Okay. In that case, let's go." The two walked into the cell together, quickly arriving at the very back, outside Li Yang's extremely cruel and abusive dark cell—a tiny, torture chamber. It was a cell only a few square meters in size, less than 1.6 meters high, with no windows, made entirely of reinforced steel. The door was tightly shut. Once inside, one couldn't stand or lie down; at most, one could only sit. There was no light whatsoever, and even the air was only slightly better at first, becoming increasingly thinner. This was inherently a place of solitary confinement and torture. Now, Li Yang was locked inside. The guards were initially very curious, wanting to see how the man who had tortured so many others survived in this dark cell. They were waiting for him to break down and scream after a few days. But after three or four days of anxious waiting, even someone like Li Yang would have gone mad after that. However, after three or four days, they saw no strange signs. They opened the door and saw Li Yang meditating, seemingly in a state of deep concentration. He wouldn't touch his food or drink water every day. This shocked all the prison guards and spurred them on. They were filled with rage; they were determined to see him break down. They locked the cell door again, ready to fight Li Yang to the death. But to their utter disappointment, seven days later, Li Yang remained seated, showing no unusual behavior whatsoever. He was as calm as a Buddha statue. The prison guards were truly astonished.
Chapter 978: Terrified and limp
"Is this person even human?" a prison guard exclaimed in alarm.
"I don't know. How can anyone survive here for seven days without eating or drinking, without moving an inch? I doubt they're even human!" another prison guard said with a look of disbelief.
“Why don’t you just have a dead person? Go and see if he’s dead or not,” another prison guard suggested.
“Go ahead,” the prison guard naturally refused.
"I'm not going. What if it bites me after it doesn't die?" the prison guard said in a panic.
"What are you doing?" Wang Chui, a prison guard standing next to the warden, glared and scolded. Upon seeing the warden arrive, the guards panicked, shrugging their shoulders like startled rabbits and standing huddled together like obedient quails, respectfully welcoming the warden's arrival.
"Make way, make way! What kind of scene is this!" The warden waved his hand, shoving aside several prison guards, and stepped forward himself. Suddenly seeing Li Yang, who sat like a stone Buddha in the small, dark room, he was startled, his expression changing slightly. He exclaimed in shock, "What happened to him? Who locked him up here?"
The prison guards were all stunned. Who would dare lock someone in this cage so easily if the warden hadn't given the order? But no one dared to say it; that would be suicide. Everyone shut up. The warden realized his mistake after speaking, but as the leader, he wouldn't admit it. He coughed and said, "Whoever did it, it's absolutely forbidden to do it again. Get the person out!"
Wang Chui immediately signaled the two prison guards to get to work. The guards breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that the warden might be ruthless and one of them would be made a scapegoat, which would be a terrible injustice. They quickly slipped into the small dark room to carry Li Yang out. Although they were a little scared, their fear was insignificant compared to their livelihoods.
But suddenly, they froze, exchanging glances and seeing the terror on each other's faces. Even with their combined strength, they couldn't move Li Yang. "Let's all pull together, I'll count to three," Wang Chui said, his brow furrowed, having also noticed the problem. "Okay..." The guards who had started to move immediately agreed, grabbing various parts of Li Yang's body, especially where they could apply force. As Wang Chui counted "one, two, three," everyone strained together. Li Yang remained unmoved.
Everyone was shocked, their faces changing drastically, and they kept swallowing hard. They all saw the terror on each other's faces. "Are you all looking for death? If you don't want to work here, get out of here! You can't even lift one person!" Wang Chui roared angrily, pointing at their noses and cursing.
"We tried our best, we used every ounce of strength we had, but we just couldn't lift it!"
"Yeah, I used all my strength, but I just couldn't lift it..."
Several prison guards immediately began explaining with long faces. The warden, who was standing to the side, also noticed something strange, and his expression turned grim. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and he pointed at Wang Chui, saying, "You, you go!" Wang Chui almost cried. Me? What bad luck! But he dared not disobey his boss's orders. Gritting his teeth, he had no choice but to go.
"You lot, listen to my command and pull together!" Wang Chui said fiercely.
"Okay." "No problem." "We'll do as you say." Several prison guards immediately nodded in agreement. They surrounded Li Yang and began to pull. But they failed again; no matter how much Wang Chui shouted, they couldn't move Li Yang. This time, everyone was shocked, staring at Li Yang in horror, not knowing what had happened.
"Warden, what should we do about this?" Wang asked the warden, trembling.
"How the hell should I know? Didn't you suggest giving him a good place to stay? Now that's happened, you're responsible to the end, hurry up and think of a solution!" The warden yelled, kicking Wang Chui in the backside. Wang Chui was on the verge of tears. He really had to be the bad guy all along, getting no benefits whatsoever. What kind of situation was this? This was going to be terrible!
"I..." Just as Wang Chui was at his wit's end, not knowing what to do, the warden's phone suddenly rang. The warden, in a fit of rage, grabbed the phone and yelled, "Who the hell is this?"
"Zhou the Bald! Who the hell are you calling a jerk?" The voice on the phone was even louder and more offensive than his. Zhou Bohe, nicknamed "Zhou the Bald," shrank back, grabbed the phone, and hurriedly checked who was calling. Seeing the file containing a death sentence, cold sweat poured down his forehead. He swallowed hard, his face almost contorted with rage. Who was this but the newly appointed Public Security Bureau Chief, Lin Feng? "I'm so sorry, I really didn't know it was you calling. I was on the toilet, and I couldn't go, so I was really angry. Please forgive me, it's all my fault," Zhou Bohe apologized hastily. Lin Feng continued cursing, "Why don't you just die of holding it in, you son of a bitch! Enough with the nonsense, is Li Yang locked up with you?"
"Huh? Yes, yes, yes!" Zhou the Bald was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. This was truly a ticking time bomb. Five million gone, and his rice bowl was about to be smashed. The changes in his life were too drastic! Heaven and hell didn't come so quickly, did they? "Release him immediately! Someone will be there with the paperwork right away. Li Yang has already had his sentence overturned by the High Court; he's been acquitted. The perpetrator, Zuo Tengfei, has been arrested and is in the provincial capital's heavy-duty prison." Lin Feng's words shocked everyone around him, their jaws practically dropping to the floor. Things had changed too quickly; he felt his mind couldn't process it, couldn't think straight. How could this be? He'd been sentenced to over twenty years, and he'd be out in the blink of an eye? The other party had become a serious criminal?
"Yes, yes, yes, I'll go to the door to greet him right away and let him out immediately!" Zhou Weihe agreed without the slightest hesitation. Lin Feng was still not satisfied and snorted, "If I find you've lost weight when you come back, I'll fire you!" "Huh? No, no. You're fine. You haven't lost weight!" Zhou Weihe said in a panic. But there was only the dial tone of a disconnected phone. Lin Feng was too lazy to waste any more words with him.
The surroundings seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon, losing all their energy. If Wang Chui hadn't reacted quickly and grabbed his hands, he would have collapsed to the ground. "Warden, what's wrong? What's wrong? Hang in there! Don't give up until the very end!"
Wang Chui helped Zhou He up while earnestly persuading him.
"Yes, yes, you're right. We can't give up until the very last moment." Zhou He exhaled, shaking off his fat and his sparse hair falling loosely, looking quite disheveled.
"Come with me right now, let's go. To the door!" Zhou Weihe shouted, pulling Wang Chui along. Wang Chui asked, puzzled, "Why to the door?" "To pick someone up!" Zhou Weihe roared.
Chapter 979: Granny, Successor
"Yes, yes!" Wang Chui dared not flinch and followed the others away. The remaining prison guards stared dumbfounded at their retreating figures. What were they going to do with Li Yang? If he couldn't be moved out, was he supposed to stay in that solitary confinement cell indefinitely? Weren't they supposed to make him more comfortable? If someone saw him, wouldn't they be in big trouble?
When they reached the prison gate, the guards on the watchtower aimed their guns and shouted, "Who's there? Stop! Give me your number!" A bright red Volvo sedan roared down the main road. The license plate was ordinary, the car was ordinary in price, but its speed was anything but. It sped along like a runaway horse, ignoring the shouts from the guard tower, heading straight for the gate as if it would crash into it.
Hearing the guard's shouts from the watchtower, everyone around him nearly jumped out of their skin. "My darling, don't shoot! Hold back!" Wang Chui, much more alert than him, yelled, "Don't shoot! Damn it!" The guard glanced back and saw the warden and Wang Chui rushing towards them like the wind. His heart skipped a beat; he knew important figures had arrived. His tense nerves relaxed. He had also been tense. Although the rule was that anyone approaching the prison without cause and ignoring warnings could be shot, did he dare? A gunshot and a bullet leaving the barrel would mean endless trouble! Thankfully, the shouts stopped, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Those around him glanced at Wang Chui with admiration, ignoring their heavy breathing; such strenuous activity, affecting their nearly 200-pound bodies, was tantamount to slow suicide. "Open, open the door..." he said, barely able to catch his breath, rolling his eyes at Wang Chui. Wang Chui had already taken the key from the guard and opened the gate. The bright red Volvo was parked outside the iron gate; as soon as the gate opened, it spewed in, spraying everyone around them, including Wang Chui, with dust.
The Volvo screeched to a halt, the door slammed open, and a tall, beautiful woman stepped out. She immediately cried out in a fit of rage, "Where's Li Yang? Where have you locked him up?" Her voice was filled with anxiety and tears. The other driver's side door opened as well, and another stunningly beautiful woman, with ethereal beauty and exquisite features, stepped out. Her expression was calm and composed as she gently advised, "Qingmei, don't be so agitated. It's best to find the right person!"
Reminded by her, Gao Qingmei rushed forward and grabbed Zhou Weihe by the collar, almost lifting him up. Zhou Weihe's legs trembled in fright. How could a girl have such strength? It was too domineering! "Where is Li Yang?" Gao Qingmei's eyes were like knives, and the sharp edge made Zhou Weihe shudder.
“Yes, it’s inside!” Zhou He said, trembling slightly.
"Hmph!" Gao Qingmei snorted coldly, tossed him aside, and kicked him in the knee. A loud thud was heard, and everyone gasped, clutching their knees and collapsing to the ground, covered in cold sweat, feeling as if their calves didn't belong to them. The pain was excruciating. "Warden, are you alright?" Wang Chui rushed to help him up. A fragrant aroma wafted over, and Ye Ziyan stood before them, pulling out a piece of paper from somewhere. It was a certificate of acquittal issued by the Provincial Public Security Bureau, the large, bright red seal almost blinding those around them, and the signature of Director Guan Handong was unmistakably genuine. A jolt went through him; he inwardly cursed himself. He had offended someone terribly. His life was over.
After presenting the official documents, Ye Ziyan was filled with curiosity. She had recently returned to the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. That day, in the capital, she had accepted her aunt's suggestion to become a disciple and entered the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. Her aunt, Ye Xiulan, had led her into the Jade Pool Immortal Palace, where she finally learned its location. Although she was still somewhat confused and didn't know how she had suddenly found herself in a fairyland filled with ethereal energy and magnificent palaces, she knew its approximate location was still in the southwest of the Celestial Empire.
"Don't rush to ask about the exact location of the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. Telling you wouldn't help; you wouldn't understand anyway. You'll naturally know when your cultivation level reaches a certain point. However, once you leave, if you wish to return to the Jade Pool Immortal Palace, simply crush this jade slip, and your master will know your request and bring you into the palace. Otherwise, the Jade Pool Immortal Palace holds a transcendent position and involves great importance. It cannot be easily revealed. Your cultivation level is too low, and your strength too weak to handle many difficulties. Once people know you are a disciple of the Jade Pool Immortal Palace, they will inevitably pressure you to ask about the palace's location. You won't know and won't answer. If you can't bear it any longer, crush the jade slip, and your master will appear to save you."
However, now that you've entered the palace, you're a third-generation disciple of the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. You should already know many things. The previous palace master, the first palace master of the Jade Pool Immortal Palace, had been absent from the palace for hundreds of years. Back then, all the immortals on Earth ascended to the Immortal Realm, leaving the Jade Pool Immortal Palace lineage to be managed by the palace master alone. Because of his outstanding talent, and with the advantages of the Jade Pool Immortal Palace's immortal herbs, medicines, and celestial realm, Master entered the Earth Immortal realm in five hundred years.
However, since reaching the Earth Immortal realm, no matter how hard the Palace Master tried, his cultivation level could not be improved further. The Palace Master always dreamed of entering the Immortal Realm to pursue the supreme Dao, but he could not make any progress. Finally, the Palace Master resolutely left the palace and entered the Xuan Yin Cave, the rift between the mortal and demonic realms, seeking an opportunity to help him break through to the Earth Immortal realm. However, the Xuan Yin Cave was a place even Celestial Immortals feared. The Palace Master's departure lasted for hundreds of years without a trace.
"Fortunately, the time has come. I have accepted you as my disciple, and the guardian immortal of Yaochi Immortal Palace is about to be born. Even if the palace master does not come, it will not affect the overall situation." Ye Xiulan said with endless regret.
"The Palace Master has entered the Xuan Yin Cave?" Even with Ye Ziyan's composure, she was still shocked. This shows how terrifying the Xuan Yin Cave is.
"That's right. Actually, what the people outside don't know is that the Palace Master uses an alias when she travels outside, called Hua Mandie, and claims to be a rogue cultivator, without any sect or faction. It's said that she's also had quite a few entanglements with some powerful cultivators. I'm afraid the Palace Master will have a lot of headaches. After all, she's single-mindedly devoted to the Dao and has no interest in romantic relationships whatsoever," Ye Xiulan said with a slight smile.
"So, all these years, Master, you've been managing everything in the palace by yourself?" Ye Ziyan asked.
"No. It's all the nanny who takes care of me. How old am I? I'm only in my early forties. The nanny is over five hundred years old. She's the Palace Master's personal maid. She also received the Palace Master's true teachings and has a very high cultivation level, at the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation. Back then, she was the one who took me as her disciple in place of the Palace Master and then brought me into the palace. I'll take you to see her now," Ye Xiulan said with a slight smile.
"Hmm," Ye Ziyan followed Ye Xiulan inside. Before her eyes were solid white mist, winding courtyards and corridors, cranes flying about—it was truly a fairyland. "Xiulan, have you brought the next palace master?" A clear and cold voice came, and Ye Ziyan felt a blur before her eyes. A beautiful and aloof woman appeared in front of her, her eyes fixed on Ye Ziyan like lightning.
"Granny, I've brought you here," Ye Xiulan said with a smile. The woman stared at Ye Ziyan and nodded slightly, finally revealing a smile as she said, "Back then, I received a divination and observed the stars at night, learning that a new palace master had been born. I rushed down the mountain to find her. But I was too hasty and ended up bringing you into the palace. However, you weren't the chosen one. I didn't expect that I had found the wrong person and had gone down the mountain a little too early. The true successor to the palace master is your niece."
Chapter 980: The Great Guardian God