NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 66: Reaching the Prison
Wen Ran could feel his head spin rapidly as the mysterious force slammed into him. In that instant, a system screen popped up before his eyes, revealing a new line that had not been there before, appearing next to the status window.
[Upgrading...]
His face betrayed his surprise, but from the side, nobody could notice anything suspicious. They all assumed his expression was a natural reaction to the stone tablet breaking.
What does "upgrading" mean? Wen Ran's mind raced, but no matter how hard he tried, the system was still unfamiliar to him. All he knew was that he had made a mistake.
Suddenly, the air around Wen Ran's body seemed to solidify, or at least that's how it felt. No matter how much he tried to struggle, he couldn't move a single muscle. Even breathing became difficult.
The vice sect master pointed his index finger at Wen Ran, his eyes bloodshot and filled with pure rage. He could barely contain himself from killing Wen Ran, but if not for the sect master, he would have executed him on the spot.
"Brat... you..." The veins in his head almost seemed to burst as he glared at Wen Ran, but soon, his lips curled into an evil smile. This was his chance to get rid of this youngster, and he wouldn't fail to seize it.
The vice sect master moved his finger, and Wen Ran's feet left the ground. His body began to levitate, flying towards the middle-aged man.
"Let me go!" Wen Ran gritted through his teeth, his temper flaring. It wasn't even his fault that this useless thing had broken.
The few remaining people who were still standing—those who had brought Wen Ran to the sect—exchanged fearful glances. They knew they had messed up. This teenager would likely cost them dearly, and they all nodded their heads before dropping to their knees.
"Vice sect master, we are sorry, this is our fault, we made an error in our judgment and brought this vile demon to our sect. Please punish us as you please, but don't kick us out!" The three of them bowed deeply, begging the middle-aged man to spare them. Little did they know that the man didn't care about them; if not for their little show just now, he would have forgotten about the trio. But since they offered themselves up to him, he would use them to deliver some punishment to Wen Ran.
The man looked at Wen Ran and smiled wildly. "Good, good, good," he said three times, pleased with the inner disciples. "You three will have a job to do for me, and after that, I will forgive your sins."
The trio was pleased, bowing deeply to the man again. They looked like dogs waiting for their master to give them a bone. This sight made Wen Ran want to puke. He lost the little respect he had for these people, though he never put them in his eyes in the first place.
"Very good, the three of you have a very important task," the vice sect master looked Wen Ran deep in the eyes, searching for fear, but all he found was rebellion and pride. It pissed him off.
"The three of you will take him to the prison and... give him a proper welcome, if you know what I mean." A vile smile decorated his face as he reveled in the thought of torturing Wen Ran. He wanted to see fear in the youth's eyes, but all he saw was defiance. Still, he swore to himself that one day, Wen Ran would crawl on his knees and beg for mercy.
"That's..." The trio wanted to protest, but when the vice sect master's furious eyes met theirs, they jumped to their feet and grabbed Wen Ran, suppressing him with their cultivation levels. All three were above the spirit flow stage, and Wen Ran was still sealed by the vice sect master's technique.
At that moment, Wen Ran swore to himself that these four people would die by his hands. He never forgot humiliation, and for this, he would make them beg for death.
"We will take care of him," the young woman said, and with that, the bald man hoisted Wen Ran over his shoulder. Those standing outside could only watch in silent pity.
"Such a talent, but he's already caused so much trouble," was a common sentiment shared among the onlookers. The talent hall grew quiet, and Wen Ran watched the building slowly fade from view.
The trio quickly made their way to the edge of the sect city, where a river flowed and a massive waterfall cascaded down from the towering mountains. As they moved deeper, they entered a secluded area—one forbidden to all but those with the highest authority. Even they had to tread carefully. A vast cave system stretched beneath the mountain, and they walked slowly, the air heavy with the weight of the situation. Wen Ran remained silent the entire way, as did the trio. They all knew this was not the time for words.
Eventually, the young woman broke the silence as they reached the dungeons. "Don't hold this against us, junior brother. It's all your fault," she said, her voice calm and detached. She didn't truly fear that Wen Ran would take revenge. With the gravity of his situation, she figured he would never leave this prison.
Wen Ran said nothing, choosing to ignore her. He knew that, soon, he would most likely be beaten to a pulp, so he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable. The vice sect master's words from earlier were clear—this was the beginning of a long, painful ordeal. He turned his gaze to the other prisoners in the darkness of their cells. There were a few cultivators locked behind thick steel bars, some chained, likely stronger ones. Others curled up in the corners, broken and crushed by their time here. It was a grim sight.
Soon, the trio reached an empty cage, and Wen Ran felt his body leave the rock-solid shoulder of the bald man. A sharp pain shot through his back as he was slammed against the wall. His eyes flared with rage, but mentally, he knew he had to endure for now. He had to suffer a little before he could find a way to escape.