Chapter 00255: Inspecting the Prison Cells
# Inspecting the Prison Cells
Chapter 255
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 255: Inspecting the Prison Cells
May 6, 2022
Guang Li's residence wasn’t far from the Forbidden Immortal Bureau, less than a hundred miles away.
For a Profound Immortal, this distance was practically a few steps.
Lan Xiaobu scanned the area with his divine sense.
There were quite a few people living here, and the layout of their dwellings was similar, with each household having its own courtyard.
At the outermost edge of this area, a third-grade defensive immortal array and a third-grade spirit-gathering immortal array had been set up.
Given that the spiritual energy here was already decent, the addition of a spirit-gathering array made it a fairly good place to live.
Guang Li's courtyard was located at the edge of the defensive array.
As Lan Xiaobu entered, he noticed a patch of low-grade immortal spirit grass, mostly first-grade, which wasn’t particularly valuable and seemed more for decorative purposes.
"Brother Xiaobu, the left side is where I live, and the right side is where my daughter stays, though she rarely comes back. You can choose any of the side rooms," Guang Li briefly introduced his residence and handed Lan Xiaobu a jade token to activate the array.
The protective array around Guang Li's courtyard was similar to the outer defensive array, also a third-grade immortal array.
Lan Xiaobu scanned the surrounding courtyards with his divine sense and noticed that not many had third-grade arrays.
Most were second-grade, and some even had first-grade arrays.
Lan Xiaobu chose a side room and said, "Brother Li, go ahead and study the body-refining technique. I have some experience with body refining, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
Jian Xuanming had already rushed off to study the body-refining technique, and although Guang Li was eager as well, he made sure to settle Lan Xiaobu first before returning.
As an immortal officer, having a stronger physical body would provide greater security in life.
"Haha, Xiaobu, you know me well. I’ll go study the body-refining technique now. Tomorrow, you can head to the Forbidden Immortal Bureau on your own. Xuanming and I just completed a mission, so we have a few days off," Guang Li said without standing on ceremony.
After a quick greeting, he immediately entered his room to start cultivating the Undying Technique.
Lan Xiaobu reorganized the defensive restrictions in his room, setting up a concealed fifth-grade defensive immortal array.
With his current mastery of array formations, unless a seventh-grade array master came by, no one would be able to detect what kind of array he had set up.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet learned void array patterns.
If he had, even a seventh-grade array master wouldn’t be able to figure out his setup.
After finishing the defensive array, Lan Xiaobu left his residence.
He still wasn’t sure if the Mysterious Profound Immortal Domain was part of the Five Realms Immortal World.
Since it wasn’t appropriate to ask Guang Li or Jian Xuanming, he decided to wait until he was more familiar with the area before visiting a market to find out.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t cultivate on his first night.
The Cosmic Dimension Matrix had already constructed a complete version of the Heavenly Pivot Transformation.
Whether it affected the original version or not, Lan Xiaobu didn’t care.
He had already carved a new Heavenly Pivot Transformation within the Cosmic Dimension Matrix.
The next morning, Guang Li was still in seclusion.
Knowing that Guang Li had a few days off, Lan Xiaobu headed to the Forbidden Immortal Bureau alone.
As soon as he arrived, Lan Xiaobu noticed that the atmosphere was different from the day before.
Many immortal officers were walking out with serious expressions, quickly summoning their flying ships and departing.
Lan Xiaobu knew he had his own office, so he was about to head there when a third-grade immortal officer called out to him, "Lan Xiaobu, new here?"
The third-grade immortal officer had already noticed the Forbidden Immortal Bureau badge on Lan Xiaobu’s waist.
"Yes, greetings, Officer Gongliang," Lan Xiaobu replied, also noticing the other’s badge.
The third-grade immortal officer, Gongliang Ye, looked malnourished—tall but as thin as a stick.
"First, go inspect the prison cells, then come to me to receive an external mission," Gongliang Ye instructed.
Although Lan Xiaobu had just arrived, Guang Li and Jian Xuanming had already informed him of some basic rules.
Newcomers weren’t supposed to take on external missions for the first three months.
Before Lan Xiaobu could mention this, Gongliang Ye added, "The Forbidden Immortal Bureau has been extremely busy lately. As you can see, we’re short on manpower, so the three-month rule has to be waived. Not just you, but many officers on break are being called back for external missions."
Lan Xiaobu hesitated but didn’t argue further.
Since he wasn’t planning to stay here for just a day or two, there was no need to make things difficult with his superiors.
...
The entrance to the underground prison was still guarded by two immortal guards.
Their status was lower than that of immortal officers, and they were usually stationed at entrances or assigned to low-level tasks by officers.
Lan Xiaobu flashed his badge and entered the underground prison.
Inspecting the prison cells was part of an immortal officer’s duties.
Any abnormalities had to be reported immediately.
The underground prison was protected by a sixth-grade immortal confinement array.
Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would find it difficult to escape from such a place.
Since it was a prison, the spiritual energy had long been drained, leaving behind a foul stench.
The first cell held a disoriented old man who didn’t look like a criminal.
However, Lan Xiaobu knew this wasn’t his concern.
He simply followed the procedure, inspecting each cell one by one.
The outer cells held less important prisoners, while the inner cells housed more significant ones, many of whom were locked with individual restrictions.
"Roar!" As Lan Xiaobu reached the middle section, a fierce-looking man suddenly rushed to the cell door and roared at him.
To the man’s surprise, Lan Xiaobu didn’t even flinch.
He continued walking forward calmly.
"Oh? The new kid’s got some guts," the fierce man remarked in surprise.
Lan Xiaobu ignored him.
He had already noticed a divine sense mark being placed on him.
This surprised him.
According to the rules of the Forbidden Immortal Bureau, those entering the prison were supposed to have their divine sense and sea of consciousness sealed.
Yet, this man had managed to place a mark on him, treating it like a prank.
If it weren’t for Lan Xiaobu’s seventh-level Soul Tempering Technique and his near-seventh-grade array mastery, even a late-stage Great Yi Immortal or a Great Zhi Immortal might not have detected the mark.
Lan Xiaobu pretended not to notice and walked toward the corner of the prison, where he saw a familiar face.
It was the woman Guang Li and Jian Xuanming had captured.
Since Lan Xiaobu had first seen her until now, she hadn’t spoken a word.
Lan Xiaobu approached not to talk to her but because he noticed something unusual about her condition.
Although Lan Xiaobu was only a late-stage Golden Immortal, his sea of consciousness was exceptionally strong.
After breaking through to the seventh level of the Soul Tempering Technique, his divine sense could rival that of a Great Yi Immortal.
He also sensed slight spatial fluctuations around the woman.
Lan Xiaobu stopped outside her cell, his divine sense openly scanning her.
A prisoner with sealed spiritual bones was still causing spatial disturbances? This prison was full of talented individuals.
Lan Xiaobu quickly identified the issue.
The chains binding the woman’s spiritual bones showed signs of burning, and the burns were hidden beneath her skin.
She must have a flame, which she was using to try and burn through the chains.
However, she was cautious, burning the part of the chain beneath her skin to avoid detection.
Ninety-nine percent of immortal officers inspecting the cells wouldn’t have noticed this.
Unfortunately for her, she had run into Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu happened to possess the Primal Eternal Flame.
Otherwise, even if he had detected the spatial fluctuations, he might not have realized she was using a flame to burn the chains.
The residual aura of the flame’s burn was something only someone with a flame would notice.
Lan Xiaobu smiled but didn’t expose her, just as he hadn’t exposed the fierce man who had marked him.
In truth, Lan Xiaobu had no intention of reporting this.
First, he didn’t know the details of her case, and second, he wasn’t here to climb the ranks or seek wealth.
This woman had already been captured and brought to the Forbidden Immortal Bureau’s prison, and Guang Li and Jian Xuanming had received credit for it.
If she escaped now, the blame wouldn’t fall on them.
As Lan Xiaobu turned to continue his inspection, a faint voice reached his ears, "I’ve been wrongfully accused, and I know where to find something that can make an immortal flame undergo nirvana."
Lan Xiaobu’s heart stirred, but he didn’t stop walking.
He marveled at the woman’s keen observation.
She must have realized he had discovered her secret and suspected he might also possess a flame, hence her gamble.
From Lan Xiaobu’s perspective, she had no choice but to take the risk.
She didn’t know he had no intention of reporting her.
If he had, she would have been finished.
When his divine sense had touched the burned part of the chain, she must have sensed it.
Only someone with an immortal flame would detect the fleeting aura of a flame’s burn.
Lan Xiaobu was indeed interested in something that could make an immortal flame undergo nirvana.
His flame was only at the second level and hadn’t undergone nirvana.
The Fire Origin Stone alone wasn’t enough to make the Primal Eternal Flame undergo nirvana.
However, a flame could still advance to the ninth level without undergoing nirvana, though it would be a full level weaker than a flame that had undergone nirvana.
Nirvana didn’t have to occur at the first level; it could happen at any level from one to nine.
The woman’s claim that she knew where to find something for flame nirvana was a gamble, betting on Lan Xiaobu’s interest.
Lan Xiaobu was indeed interested, but he knew the prison was heavily monitored, so he didn’t respond.
Still, her words had an effect.
Lan Xiaobu decided to look into her case when he returned.
(That’s all for today’s update.
Goodnight, friends!)
(End of Chapter)