Chapter 77: The Dragon Prison Well (5)

Hanhai Temple, Dragon Prison Well

After Ma Liang left through the passage, he appeared directly beside the Dragon Prison Well. It was unclear how much time had passed outside, but now the sky was filled with stars and not a single spirit investigator was around. Yet, Ma Liang could sense the power of magnetic energy surrounding the temple, presumably to prevent the monsters beneath the Dragon Prison Well from escaping.

He made no commotion and moved with extreme caution. With these three gray-covered books in hand, as long as he found a buyer, he would not have to worry about resources for the foreseeable future.

"I can't stay in Huaguo anymore! Hao Yun may be dead, but that spirit investigator is still alive—what a stroke of tough luck!" Ma Liang cursed inwardly, plotting to leave Huaguo as soon as possible. With his treasures, he was confident he would be welcomed elsewhere; even the world beneath the Dragon Prison Well could serve as his bargaining chip.

Under cover of night, he quietly slipped out of Hanhai Temple and left Yanjing City. The spirit investigators paid him little mind, their main job being to guard against the ghosts below, not to track the movements of Awakened individuals.

Thus, Huaguo unwittingly let a traitor slip through their fingers!

Three days later, the gravely wounded Zhang Yuan finally emerged from the world beneath the Dragon Prison Well. Upon his return, he immediately reported the theft of the gray-covered books and Ma Liang's ambush, causing an uproar.

Ma Liang, however, was already beyond pursuit. By leaving three days earlier, he had reached Meidadu, becoming an esteemed guest there. Before Huaguo could issue an international warrant, Ma Liang had already renounced his citizenship at lightning speed.

Simultaneously, Meidadu released a statement: Ma Liang was now a member of their parliament. As for the underground world of the Dragon Prison Well, they declared it a joint discovery, proposing collaboration to avoid damaging bilateral relations.

This shameless act, along with the matter of the Dragon Prison Well, immediately drew global attention. In response, Huaguo posted a red warrant for Ma Liang on their official website, branding him a traitor.

Huaguo publicly announced their determination to eliminate him at any cost. They also expressed deep sympathy and condolences for Meidadu, whose cities along the northern coastline remained plagued by anomalies.

Meidadu’s reputation for failing to protect its citizens but excelling at land grabs became a worldwide joke.

Meanwhile, within Huaguo, preparations were underway to explore the newly discovered world beneath the Dragon Prison Well.

One team was tasked with selecting candidates to enter the new world; another focused on treating Zhang Yuan. Despite the backlash of magnetic energy that had crippled his legs and caused a series of complications, top physicians managed to begin his rapid recovery.

As Zhang Yuan awoke, Huaguo gradually learned of resentful energy undetectable by magnetic means, anomalies that did not actively attack humans, and the gray-covered books containing inner energy cultivation methods.

Analysis by the research institute of the two gray books Zhang Yuan handed over showed that, with sufficient gray books as reference material, they might be able to develop their own method of magnetic energy cultivation—eliminating the need for laborious practice in the magnetic chambers.

Meidadu’s counterpart to the research institute reached a similar conclusion. However, with the Dragon Prison Well located within Huaguo’s borders, talk of joint development was pure fantasy. Unable to take advantage, Meidadu began rallying other nations to pressure Huaguo.

With international affairs growing ever more complicated due to the Dragon Prison Well, two weeks had passed since Wu Zui entered the magnetic energy enhancement chamber. The time he had agreed upon with Xiao Keyan for their emergence had arrived, and both had successfully reached the four-star level thanks to their immersion training.

A moment worth celebrating! (*￣︶￣)

Yanjing City, Bureau of Detective Investigations

After reaching four stars in the magnetic energy chamber and consolidating his progress, Wu Zui was no longer there—He Ping had taken him away.

Beneath a dazzling sky, a palace-shaped magical artifact drifted through the void. This was He Ping’s place of business; he often conducted trades here with powerful figures from various worlds—it was, in effect, his lair.

On either side of the entrance stood two glassy jade pillars, each inscribed with a gilded couplet, exuding an air of extravagant opulence.

The first line: "Commerce connects all worlds, reversing fate for all things."
The second: "The Way can reach the divine, my will is the will of Heaven."

Wu Zui gazed at the jade pillars and their golden inscriptions, unable to suppress a sigh at He Ping’s wealth.

Noticing Wu Zui’s attention, He Ping sighed and pointed at the word "Heaven" in the couplet. "In my youth, I was reckless; just this one word entangled me in endless karma. We struggle against fate itself, but if our will becomes Heaven's will, how can we struggle against ourselves?"

Wu Zui didn’t fully understand and chose not to pursue the topic. Instead, he asked directly, "Why did you bring me here?"

"Sit," He Ping gestured with one hand, then got to the point. "Your world is about to enter an era of cultivation. I hope you won’t follow any existing path, but instead forge one of your own."

Wu Zui frowned in mild confusion. "Why? You must know that creating one’s own path is incredibly difficult. In the martial arts alone, those who succeed become grandmasters—how much harder is it in cultivation?"

He Ping sighed again. "A certain Swordmaster has already stumbled at this point. Any method created by others is tailored to their world. If we cultivate such methods, entangling ourselves in their karma, one day we’ll have to pay the price."

"Stumbled? Was it serious?" Wu Zui pressed further, hearing for the first time about other Swordmasters.

"His foundation was destroyed. At best, he lost all his cultivation and will need at least ten thousand years to recover. At worst, he won't return this cycle, delaying our counterattack once again," He Ping replied straightforwardly.

Wu Zui was inwardly shaken—he hadn’t expected the struggle against the Dao itself to begin even at the level of cultivation methods.

"Alright, I’ll do my best," Wu Zui agreed reluctantly.

During their last conversation, Wu Zui had already gleaned some truths from He Ping. If the Dao is destroyed, all living things across the myriad worlds will perish except for the seven Swordmasters. In any case, after 129,600 years, the end would be the same.

Even if He Ping wasn’t lying, Wu Zui had no desire to be caught in the struggle between He Ping and the Dao. But now, the storm seemed to be drawing him in regardless.

"If you still have doubts, you can modify the methods from your world into something similar in form but fundamentally different. That will still have some impact on the future, but it shouldn’t be too severe."

A gleam flashed in He Ping’s eyes as he employed a mind-reading technique to sense Wu Zui’s thoughts.

"I will. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave," Wu Zui said, rising.

"Farewell," He Ping replied, seeing him off.

A crimson light flashed, and the Heart-Seeking Sword carried Wu Zui back to his world.

…

Yanjing City, Underground Magnetic Energy Enhancement Chamber

Wu Zui’s figure reappeared, plunging straight into the clear waters of the pool.

With a splash, water flew everywhere.

"Can’t even return to the exact spot—how unreliable!" Wu Zui grumbled inwardly about the Heart-Seeking Sword, unaware of how much power it had expended to bring him here.

"Forge my own path... Similar in form but not in spirit… What a headache!"

Muttering to himself, Wu Zui donned the magnetic energy protective suit he’d prepared earlier. He couldn’t help but wonder what form this world’s cultivation system would eventually take. Would it be like Daoist exorcism and demon-slaying, or would ghosts become pets?

Shaking his head to dispel such fanciful notions, he left the chamber. Xiao Keyan, already outside and pouting, had been waiting for half an hour past their agreed meeting time, puzzled over what was taking Wu Zui so long.

Spotting him, Xiao Keyan waved her right hand. "Over here, Master! Hurry up!"

Wu Zui smiled wryly and quickened his pace.

This disciple is truly spoiled.

"Master, Master! Big news!" Xiao Keyan exclaimed, thrusting her spirit investigator phone less than a centimeter from Wu Zui’s face.

He pushed the phone back and finally saw the headline: "New World Discovered in Dragon Prison Well: Bureau of Investigation summons all three-star and above off-duty spirit investigators to explore the new world."

Below the bold, capitalized headline was a list of rewards and benefits.

"You’re short on points?" Wu Zui asked, making it clear he had no intention of going.

Lately, he felt his luck had soured.

He’d taken a ghost marriage assignment with only two three-star ghosts, only to encounter maniacs from the Purification Society. Then, at Sheng Shi Tian Cinema, what should have been an ordinary three-star ghost turned into a city-destroying calamity. If he went to the Dragon Prison Well, he’d probably end up eaten by some malevolent dragon.

"Not really, but…" Xiao Keyan started.

Before she could finish, Wu Zui cut her off. "If you’re not, then let’s skip the new world. We’ve got a mess waiting in Binhai City—let’s get back there."

All the best restaurants in Binhai have been destroyed. No good food, and still having to hunt ghosts—life is hard...

As she thought this, Xiao Keyan couldn’t help but pout.

"If we don’t go now, when the Director arrives, you’ll end up a house-trained Awakened in Yanjing," Wu Zui teased upon seeing her pout.

Imagining being locked up at home by her father, unable to go out and fight like a spirit investigator, and forced to soak in magnetic energy every day, only to be useless in a real fight—Xiao Keyan immediately shook her head.

This city is terrifying. Why did I ever suggest we come here?

Wu Zui’s words left her questioning her life choices...

"Let’s hurry back, Master!" she pleaded desperately, realizing she really didn’t want to stay. The new world of the Dragon Prison Well could stay far away, and she never wanted to set foot in Yanjing again!