Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 999 - 486: Heaven-Transforming Armor Talisman, Absolute Defense (Part 2)

"Rather than allowing the Prison Elder to surprise you, it's wiser to exit the Immortal Prison Hall on your own. Remember, after departing, the Prison Elder won't be able to harm you right away."

"Fate Tip Two: Alternatively, you could keep cultivating in the Basic Quiet Chamber, yet the restless Prison Elder will employ his special rights to kick you out by force. That would surely lead to your demise, so think it over well."

As this knowledge hit him, Jiang Fan's brows knitted together, caught off guard by the turn of events.

He'd figured he could stick around in this Cultivation Quiet Chamber longer, but it turned out the Prison Elder was set on stirring up problems. Clearly, his foe wouldn't grant him endless hours for practice.

Still, having trained hard for more than six months and boosted his level to the Eighth-Layer Divinity Transformation, he felt pretty content.

Swoosh!

With that in mind, Jiang Fan quickly stabilized his progress, pushed open the door, and stepped out from the quiet chamber.

"Ah, so you've wrapped up your session?"

The moment he emerged, the Prison Elder's form popped up right before Jiang Fan, his voice calm and measured.

But thanks to the Fate Tip, Jiang Fan understood this eerie presence had grown a tad restless already, or else it wouldn't have appeared precisely when he exited.

It was obvious the Fate Tip arrived right on cue, perfectly timed as always.

"Senior, I've come out of seclusion, and my cultivation has advanced a great deal."

"That's why I'm ready to take on the mission now."

"Which way leads to Gouwu Mountain?"

Jiang Fan got straight to the point.

Upon hearing this, the Prison Elder felt delighted, his earlier impatience easing since he'd worried this young man's retreat was stretching out too much.

The fellow might drag it on for another five or ten years; it lacked the tolerance to wait that long.

That's why, not long ago, it had resolved to yank him out with its powers and send him straight to Gouwu Mountain if he lingered any further in the chamber.

Yet, wielding that authority came at a steep cost.

It demanded a real payment from it.

This made it pause, wondering if the effort was justified.

Now, though, with the young man stepping up to begin the task willingly, it spared itself the hassle.

Such thoughts softened its voice: "Good, it seems you've steeled yourself at last. Getting to Gouwu Mountain is straightforward: draw on the Immortal Prison Hall's energy to transport you close by.

When you arrive at Gouwu Mountain, I'm sure you'll wrap up the task in no time. Returning is simple too—just trigger the Immortal Prison Order's power, and it'll whisk you back to the Immortal Prison Hall instantly."

It explained how the Immortal Prison Hall functioned like a grand teleportation hub at the heart of this Immortal Prison.

No matter the Immortal Prison's endless expanse, the Hall's might enabled swift travel anywhere.

With those words, the Prison Elder passed a prison orb to Jiang Fan, a vital tool for the assignment.

Lacking it, finishing the mission would prove impossible.

"Senior, is the Immortal Prison home to numerous mighty demons?"

Jiang Fan accepted the prison orb and probed further, eager to learn more about the Immortal Prison.

Knowing its details was key to dodging all sorts of hazards.

A single slip could spell a gruesome end amid those threats.

What a regrettable loss that would be.

"Naturally, back in its heyday, the Immortal Prison contained untold numbers of formidable demons, including Demon Gods, all locked away."

"Even in its current weakened state, those Demon Gods remain confined deep in the mountains."

"Each peak visible in the Immortal Prison might hold a fearsome Demon God beneath it."

"No need to fret, however."

"The Immortal Prison's seals bind them completely, making any breakout all but unthinkable."

Feeling cheerful, the Prison Elder graciously shared these insights with Jiang Fan.

In its view, this young man was doomed to die shortly, so revealing a few Immortal Prison mysteries hardly mattered. It was mere chatter for someone on the brink.

This was also the reason it yearned to dominate the Immortal Prison Hall entirely.

Gaining total control would let it free those trapped Demon Gods.

Such beings would unleash utter devastation.

Regrettably, mastering the Immortal Prison Hall's full command was a monumental challenge.

Despite hiding inside for countless eons, its advances crept along slowly.

But after investing so much time, it refused to let anyone interfere with its scheme.

"Understood."

"Senior, if you would, please transport me close to Gouwu Mountain."

"I'd like to finish the mission soon and claim those contribution points."

Jiang Fan gave a nod, aware that this Immortal Prison brimmed with hidden truths, and so far, he'd only scratched the surface.

No problem; in due course, he'd reveal every mystery. Patience was all it took.

"Very well, your eagerness to go suits me fine. I'll dispatch you there immediately."

The Prison Elder beamed with approval.

It waved a hand, touching Jiang Fan lightly.

Boom~~

An immense void force wrapped around Jiang Fan at once, bathing him in a brilliant light.

In a flash, Jiang Fan disappeared from his spot, shifted away from the Immortal Prison Hall.

When he next took in his environment, he saw he'd departed that enigmatic structure long ago.

Before him loomed a colossal, grand range of peaks in vibrant hues.

The range glittered with abundant, unique ores.

From a distance, it seemed to span hundreds of thousands of li.

Far from a single ridge, it was a vast, limitless chain of mountains.

From the range's core, thick demonic energy seeped out; the heavens were shrouded in perpetual black clouds, thick enough to block all light, amid chilling demonic howls.

Fearsome storms raged across, as though a Demon God exhaled fiercely.

Gale winds, sharp as blades, tore at the earth, carving endless gashes.

Every gust birthed natural cyclones.

Such might could wipe out hordes of advanced cultivators—a true catastrophe from nature.

"This must be Gouwu Mountain? What a peril-filled range it is."

Seeing it all, Jiang Fan's eyes widened, his spirit profoundly stirred.

Though he'd never set foot here, the dangers radiating from the mountains were plain.

No spot for a simple Divinity Transformation expert to charge into blindly.

Rushing in would leave him dead without question.

Luckily, entering was never his plan.

His previous statements had only been to fool the Prison Elder.

Outside the Immortal Prison Hall, the Prison Elder held no sway over him.

He could act as he pleased, leaving the other powerless to stop him.

Thus, Jiang Fan focused his mind, summoning a clone right away and giving it the Immortal Prison Order to conceal for now.

He suspected the Prison Elder might have meddled with the Immortal Prison Order, perhaps to track his actions. Stashing it away served as a smart safeguard against trouble.

Boom~~

Right then, the skies tore apart, exposing a dark void.

Out of that void tumbled a demon the size of a hill, radiating horrifying pressure and aura, its source a mystery.

It plummeted directly, crashing hard onto Gouwu Mountain.

"What's this?"

"Did some demon just get hurled in from beyond?"

Jiang Fan's mind raced, the idea popping up unbidden.

He recalled how the Great Xuan Dynasty treated the Ice Prison as a trash heap, a spot to dump tough-to-control undying demons now and then.

Usually, these intruders didn't threaten the Ice Prison much, as the Immortal Prison's forces handled them fast. But he hadn't anticipated bumping into an external undying demon so soon.

Bang!

In that moment, Gouwu Mountain transformed wildly, filled with bone-chilling cries that rattled the skies, the void trembling with surging waves.