Above the Great Dao

Chapter 1279 601: The Backer of the East Heavenly Palace

Jiang Guo was issued a set of armor, a sword box, and a cultivation technique as a Heavenly Soldier. He also received a month's salary, used it to repay Chen Shi for the boat fare, and felt at ease, thinking, "Since I've become a Heavenly Soldier, I should work diligently and risk my life for the Heavenly Soldier Camp."

After all, it's said that one must deliver on promises once they have accepted another's wealth.

Since he accepted the Heavenly Soldier Camp's money, he thought of repaying the camp. However, King Li hadn't given him a chance to repay, almost as if they had already fallen in battle, and they were not given any tasks to participate in.

Jiang Guo, having no tasks to undertake, focused his entire mind on cultivation, hoping for an early breakthrough to become a True Immortal.

Chen Shi, on the other hand, enjoyed his leisure, and on the second day after returning to the Heavenly Court, he arrived outside the Heavenly Prison.

Seeing the familiar place again, this was the first time Chen Shi had the chance to properly observe the Heavenly Prison.

The Heavenly Prison was located southeast in the Heavenly Court, next to the Six Ministries and the Three Divisions under Wenchang. The outer layer was a forest of dragon pillars, with each pillar wrapped by Jiao Longs that had crossed the Heavenly Tribulation, ferocious and menacing, exuding evil qi.

Some of these Jiao Longs carried blood evil qi, dense as blood, with aggrieved souls wandering within, occasionally breaking through the bloody qi, swirling and dancing around the pillars. Clearly, these Jiao Longs had consumed numerous people, some of whom were Great Cultivators or achieved Demons through cultivation.

Moving past the forest of dragon pillars, one could see the enormous Hua Gai above the Heavenly Prison, extremely magnificent. It seemed incorporeal, made up of various ominous auras, covering a thousand miles of space. Beneath the Hua Gai resided the most powerful gods of the Heavenly Court like the Calamity God, Plague God, Decaying God, and Sweeping Star God, each with their Divine Palaces, commanding eight hundred deities, all fierce and frightening.

Any would-be rescuer entering under the Hua Gai would be beset by various bad luck, having their cultivation greatly diminished, and would be captured before even entering the Heavenly Prison.

As for the prisoners within the Heavenly Prison, they were endowed with all kinds of misfortunes, doomed to extreme bad luck, naturally unable to escape the prison.

Under the Hua Gai was a colossal Earth Yin Prison Cage, like a column with an eight hundred mile diameter, extending from the Heavenly Court down into the deep earth below, gathering yin energy, evil qi, and ominous auras from between heaven and earth.

On either side of the Earth Yin Prison Cage were immensely large Bi'an beasts, lying on top of the cage.

These Bi'an, each thousands of miles long, had robust bodies and wild, dominant auras, being Ancient Giant Beasts with Divine Office, tasked with guarding the Heavenly Prison.

The strength of these two gigantic beasts was beyond Chen Shi's ability to perceive, yet just a wisp of their aura seemed enough to suppress his entire cultivation.

Chen Shi arrived outside the Heavenly Prison, where the Heavenly Soldier Camp, called the Prison Guards, under the Ministry of Justice's office, was stationed to guard it.

Seeing Chen Shi, the Prison Guards greeted him with smiles and approached, saying, "Mr. Chen, you are indeed a rare visitor."

Knowing Chen Shi had acquaintances in the palace, they dared not be negligent, and said, "Since Mr. Chen's last visit, we've missed you dearly!" "After you left, Mr. Chen, the prison seemed much dimmer!" "You must come more often, sir!"

"Just treat it like your own home!"

One of the Prison Guards considerately offered an Exorcism God Talisman, folded into a talisman treasure, for Chen Shi to hang at his waist, saying, "The gods above our heads are formidable; without talisman protection, it's tough to endure."

Chen Shi thanked them and said, "Dao brothers, not long ago, the two prisoners sent here, Chu Xiangxiu and the land deity of Feng'an County, are they held here?"

Immediately, a Prison Guard checked the records and replied, "They were sent here. These two are the principal offenders in the Mud Bodhisattva case, with an auspicious date set for them to be sent to the Immortal Slaying Stage and God Execution Platform for execution."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "I'd like to see them. Could I ask for some special treatment?"

The Prison Guards looked at each other in bewilderment.

One of them, gathering courage, asked, "Mr. Chen, are you ordered by any authority, do you have written instructions..."

Before he finished speaking, he received a jab to the abdomen, and another older guard smiled and said, "If Mr. Chen wants to see, of course, we can arrange it. Bring Mr. Chen into the Heavenly Prison!"

Chen Shi expressed his gratitude, following the Guard over a long bridge to the entrance of the Earth Yin Prison Cage, entering the Heavenly Prison.

Behind them, the older Guard chided, "He was sentenced to death here last time, yet was bailed out. Why ask him for written instructions? Just let him in."

The interior of the Heavenly Prison was exceedingly vast, with countless cells like honeycombs, each holding a prisoner.

Many Bi'an of various sizes were crawling on the surrounding walls, resembling giant geckos, roaming and patrolling the prison.

"He's back again! I can smell the stench of his crimes!" observed a Bi'an, looking at Chen Shi.

Other Bi'an also looked, one showing an eager expression, "Has he committed a crime again? Is he here to be executed this time?"

The other Bi'an also showed anticipation, all looking at Chen Shi in unison.

After a short while, Chen Shi arrived at the cell holding Chu Xiangxiu.

Chu Xiangxiu was wearing shackles on his hands and feet, locking his cultivation and divine skills, unable to use even his Outer Dao practices.

He had changed into a prisoner's uniform, sitting motionless in the corner of the cage, seemingly in meditation.

Chen Shi cleared his throat softly, startling him awake, and smiled, "Does Daoist Chu have any last wishes?"

Chu Xiangxiu awoke and got up to pay his respects, saying, "I have yet to thank Mr. Chen for the rescue in Feng'an County. I hope for forgiveness."

He bowed deeply.

Chen Shi entered the cell, the various sealings of this cell appearing as nothing, not hindering him in the slightest.

Chen Shi helped him up, saying, "I saved you from Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva's hand, but also captured you and threw you in the Heavenly Prison. Why thank me?"

Chu Xiangxiu was quite surprised at Chen Shi's ability to freely enter and exit the cell but did not ask, saying, "If I had fallen into Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva's hands, I would have been forcibly converted, entering the Buddhist fold, repaying grace with enmity, worse than death. Thus, the grace of your rescue, Dao friend, spared my integrity from being compromised."