Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 995 - 484: Lord of the Immortal Prison, Prison Elder (Part 2)

"Luckily, young friend, you've now taken on the role of the new prison guard, which eases a considerable amount of burden for this old man."

The Prison Elder grinned, appearing genuinely satisfied.

"Senior, I noticed my Immortal Prison Order shows me as a Ninth Grade Prison Guard—what exactly does that signify?"

Jiang Fan held nothing back and voiced his questions one after another.

"Ah, the Ninth Grade Prison Guard represents the most basic rank among prison guards, granting only the minimal authority within the Immortal Prison Hall."

"Yet, by steadily finishing the missions from the Immortal Prison Hall and accumulating the relevant Contribution Points."

"Your rank as a prison guard can steadily rise."

"Ultimately, you could ascend to the position of the new Lord of the Immortal Prison, reaping the utmost rewards in this place."

The Prison Elder provided the explanation.

Lord of the Immortal Prison?!

Jiang Fan narrowed his gaze; this was undoubtedly a massive allure.

Even though this was merely a fragment of the Immortal Prison, it remained a Secret Realm World originating from the Immortal Realm.

No one could truly grasp the extent of Immortal Realm treasures hidden within.

Should someone manage to fully command this Immortal Prison, the gains would be beyond comprehension.

Forget other matters; simply the Immortal Stones distributed by the Immortal Prison Hall alone would exceed the wildest dreams of myriad cultivators.

Without question, this represented an enormous wealth, one that could even tempt an Immortal.

Still, claiming the title of Lord of the Immortal Prison was likely far more challenging than it seemed.

"I imagine becoming the Lord of the Immortal Prison isn't quite as straightforward as it appears, is it?"

Jiang Fan drew in a deep breath before he commented.

"Of course, it's far from straightforward."

"Not to speak of reaching the Lord of the Immortal Prison, even advancing a single prison guard rank demands a vast quantity of Contribution Points."

"In truth, the Contribution Points required to attain the Lord of the Immortal Prison are staggeringly huge, often spanning endless years of effort."

"That said, with you being the sole presence in the entire Immortal Prison Hall at present, facing no rivals whatsoever."

"There's indeed a real chance for you to rise to Lord of the Immortal Prison."

"And should you fail to become the true Lord of the Immortal Prison but simply remain a prison guard."

"I believe your cultivation would still reap substantial advantages."

"Would you care to take on the next prison guard mission?"

The Prison Elder offered a subtle smile.

It was evident he understood that the young cultivator standing before him wasn't one to be easily fooled, though that made little difference.

For the Immortal Prison Hall housed a vast array of treasures from the Immortal Realm.

Even handing over a single piece would ignite fervor among Mortal Cultivators.

In pursuit of such treasures from the Immortal Prison Hall, the other party might well throw everything into the effort.

"Mission? What kind of mission?"

Jiang Fan inquired with evident curiosity.

"Given that your cultivation stands at merely the Seventh-Layer Divinity Transformation, numerous missions remain beyond your reach."

"Thus, I'm limited to assigning you minor missions."

"As it happens, Gouwu Mountain is facing a slight issue."

"Over the passage of time, the seal there has weakened, resulting in certain fissures on the mountain's barrier."

"Should this persist, the Demons confined within could break free."

"Therefore, carry this prison bead to that location."

"Your mission boils down to arriving at Gouwu Mountain and placing this bead within."

"Once accomplished, the seal will mend itself automatically."

"This mission is straightforward, wouldn't you say?"

"By fulfilling it successfully, you'll gain some Contribution Points and choose treasures from the treasury."

The Prison Elder remarked with a knowing half-smile, proceeding to assign the mission to Jiang Fan.

Boom~~

In that instant, a stream of information rapidly surged into the core of Jiang Fan’s mind.

"The marvel of destiny rests in its unpredictability; you can never discern if the individual in front of you holds benevolent or malevolent intent. As the proverb goes, ’the heart’s depths remain veiled,’ and deception permeates every nook of existence."

What remains unknown to you is that the Prison Elder you face isn't the genuine Artifact Spirit of the Immortal Prison Hall, but rather a sly intruder who has seized the nest by consuming the original Artifact Spirit and merging with it."

Yet, he too is confined by the Immortal Prison Hall, forbidden from departing, and restrained by the Hall’s might, rendering him powerless to strike at you, the Ninth Grade prison guard. Had that not been the case, your demise would have come the very moment you stepped into the Immortal Prison Hall."

"Destiny offers you guidance."

"Destiny Hint One: The mission he proposes is a snare, appearing basic yet truly a path to certain doom. For Gouwu Mountain seals a Fallen Demon Taotie of unfathomable strength. Venturing near Gouwu Mountain would lead to immediate consumption by the Fallen Taotie, just as countless prior prison guards have perished at its claws."

In the past, the Immortal Prison Hall has witnessed the emergence of various prison guards, but alas, they all fell to the Prison Elder’s schemes via diverse missions, leaving you as the only Ninth Grade prison guard."

Nevertheless, as a Ninth Grade prison guard, you possess the privilege to decline missions, since the sly one is shackled by regulations and unable to inflict harm upon you."

"Destiny Hint Two: In reality, turning down this mission isn't the optimal choice, for a Ninth Grade prison guard may refuse only thrice; on the fourth assignment, acceptance becomes mandatory, or the Immortal Prison Hall will eliminate you."

As a result, even rejecting the Gouwu Mountain mission won't save you, for the sly one will merely devise even deadlier missions, ensuring your downfall in the process and preventing any fresh prison guards from arising in the Immortal Prison Hall."

"Thus, your wisest course remains accepting the Gouwu Mountain mission, since agreement doesn't demand immediate action. This mission endures for up to a hundred years."

You may undertake it at any point within that century, allowing you to postpone entirely and wait a full century before proceeding."

This approach renders it improbable for more perilous missions to be thrust upon you to engineer your demise, given your prior acceptance of a hazardous one."

"Destiny Hint Three: Deeper mysteries lurk within the Immortal Prison Hall, such as the Quiet Chamber reserved for prison guards’ cultivation—perhaps exploring this chamber could swiftly boost your cultivation and propel you toward Refining Void. Upon reaching Refining Void, fulfilling this mission turns far more feasible."

As this information flooded in, Jiang Fan’s eyes widened sharply while shock rippled through his heart.

In truth, he had suspected the Prison Elder of harboring odd traits for some time, never anticipating it to be a sly entity that had overtaken the Immortal Prison Hall in an attempt to claim the nest.

Thankfully, the Immortal Prison Hall’s power proved overwhelmingly formidable. Despite the sly one’s integration as the Artifact Spirit, it couldn't act freely; otherwise, death would have claimed him upon entry.

It came as no surprise, then, that he stood as the lone Ninth Grade prison guard across the entire Immortal Prison.

Across eons spanning billions of years, numerous cultivators must have obtained the Immortal Prison Order and risen as Ninth Grade prison guards.

Regrettably, these cultivators failed to pierce the Prison Elder’s disguised nature and met their end at his hands.

This chain of events caused the Immortal Prison to languish in isolation.

Should this pattern endure, the domain might fully succumb to the sly one’s grasp.

"Young friend, is something amiss? Are you reluctant to undertake this mission?"

"If that's the case, I have additional missions available for your selection?"

The Prison Elder pressed, displaying a hint of impatience.

"Senior, with a mission this easy, naturally, I'm eager to take it on."

Jiang Fan replied.

"Haha, I was certain I hadn't misjudged you, young friend."

"So, I entrust this to you, and I hope you'll make your way to Gouwu Mountain promptly to wrap it up."

A pleased grin spread across the Prison Elder’s features upon hearing this.

Boom~~

Right away, the Immortal Prison Order in Jiang Fan’s possession vibrated, delivering a segment of data—the mission details: "Task: Travel to Gouwu Mountain and restore the seal on Gouwu Mountain (Unfinished)"

It was plain that acceptance alone triggered the Immortal Prison Hall to formalize a mission.

Refusal meant no mission would be assigned, as a Ninth Grade prison guard, he retained some measure of authority.

"Many thanks, Senior."

"That said, rushing off to Gouwu Mountain isn't necessary just yet."

"In the end, it's only a minor mission."

"My cultivation feels rather insufficient right now, so I need to strengthen it some."

"Does the Immortal Prison Hall offer any spots to aid in boosting my cultivation?"

Jiang Fan blinked innocently, adopting an utterly earnest expression.

The Prison Elder paused in surprise at this, unprepared for the human cultivator to raise such a demand out of nowhere, but he concealed any inner turmoil and answered warmly instead: "Oh, a place like that does exist—it's the Quiet Chamber for prison guards’ cultivation; you may enter to practice, where the efficiency is no less than fivefold compared to the outer world, serving as one of the perks for a Ninth Grade prison guard."