Chapter Thirty-One: Captured

“What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly.” Lin Fan frowned, utterly perplexed. This was clearly a situation of certain death—how could it suddenly become an unparalleled opportunity?

But Prison Heaven seemed resolute, refusing to speak further. No matter how Lin Fan called out, there was no response.

A deafening roar split the air. The old man from the Ghost Domain was unstoppable; his withered hand finally landed on Lin Fan’s shoulder.

“Let me see what tricks you still have up your sleeve.”

A vortex appeared in the old man’s palm—this was the technique of “Heaven in the Palm.” Against such power, no one weaker than him could possibly escape.

Lin Fan’s strength erupted—galaxies hung upside down, fireworks blazed in the void, and three enormous mammoths loomed across the heavens. The visions were terrifying, but at this moment, they seemed all the more powerless.

The old man’s hand seemed weak, but its true might was unparalleled. With the suppression of his Dao laws, Lin Fan’s abilities were useless. After all, he had yet to reach the Vein-Condensing stage; the gap between them was immeasurable.

“So be it. There’s nowhere to run anyway, and I doubt Prison Heaven would deceive me. I’ll see what plot this old ghost is weaving.”

Lin Fan’s temperament was exceptional, and with some confidence in his heart, he felt little panic even when captured. If all else failed, he could forcibly draw energy from the jade talisman without relying on Prison Heaven’s strength.

Yet doing so would waste much of the energy, which made him feel a pang of regret.

“You’re not without merit, knowing when not to resist. Otherwise, you’d just be in for a world of pain. A wise man submits to the times.”

The old man’s arrogant voice rang out as he seized Lin Fan and soared into the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

“Has the young hero been captured?”

After a long while, the people of Greenwood City finally returned to their senses. They emerged onto the streets, gazing up at the sky, but neither Lin Fan nor the old ghost were anywhere to be seen.

“It’s all our fault. If not for us, the young hero would surely have escaped—at the very least, he wouldn’t have gotten involved in a battle with that demon. No, we must report this to the powerhouses of Celestial Capital Gate.”

The crowd exchanged uncertain glances but finally reached a decision: to abandon the defense of Greenwood City and seek help from outside.

At that moment, a dark cloud drifted in from the distance, vast beyond reckoning, stretching for hundreds of miles.

“Hmm? Didn’t expect to find some fresh blood here. Not that it matters, but a little snack wouldn’t hurt. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted human flesh and blood.”

It was a minotaur demon, thirty feet tall, horns jutting high into the sky, flying straight toward Ancient Scarlet City.

A colossal demonic hand descended with unimaginable force—even the old man from the Ghost Domain at the Vein-Condensing stage was not a fraction as strong. This minotaur was incredibly powerful, likely a lord of the Heavenly Human stage.

With a thunderous crash, the heavens and earth shattered. The people of Greenwood City didn’t even have time to feel fear before they were crushed to death. Such was the means of a demon overlord—irresistible, swift as thunder.

How pitiful for the people of Greenwood City, who had intended to seek help for Lin Fan, only to be annihilated before they could even leave the city. Truly, misfortune dogged their steps.

If Lin Fan knew what had unfolded here, he would surely feel a pang of pity, but more than that, gratitude. Had his battle with the old ghost lasted a moment longer, he’d have been seized by the minotaur demon, his life snuffed out, his very flesh devoured.

After destroying Greenwood City, the minotaur demon sped away, disappearing over the horizon. The tens of thousands of lives in that little city were nothing to him—just a brief interlude, unworthy of his concern.

“Where exactly are you taking me? If you mean to kill me, just do it. Why play these ghostly tricks?”

Lin Fan snorted coldly. The scenery before his eyes blurred with speed; he only knew they were heading north, drawing ever farther from Ancient Scarlet City in the west.

“Neither life nor death will come easily to you. In time, you’ll understand the meaning of those words. Don’t try anything foolish—at your current level, if I let you go, you’d be a smear of flesh on the ground in an instant.”

The old ghost’s laugh was cold, his murderous intent apparent, but his eyes shone with greed and a barely concealed excitement.

With his cultivation stalled, his lifespan had become his greatest shackle. If he could not take another step forward, he would perish within ten years. Lin Fan’s appearance might be the solution to this predicament, granting him another hundred years of life—how could he not be elated?

Hearing the old ghost’s words, Lin Fan appeared cowed and fell silent. In truth, he was already conversing with Prison Heaven.

“Why didn’t you let me draw on the power of the jade talisman earlier? And you spoke of some great fortune—what exactly did you mean?”

Lin Fan was rather irritated. Had Prison Heaven cooperated, he wouldn’t have been captured. If the latter didn’t explain himself, Lin Fan would never forgive him.

“How should I put it? But if I don’t make myself clear, you’ll never let it go. Very well, listen closely.”

Prison Heaven’s voice emerged, calm and unaffected by Lin Fan’s anger.

“That little fellow carries a demonic aura—meaning he has likely acquired some means from the demon race. From his words, I suspect he’s planning to use powerful vital energy to force a breakthrough, advancing to the second layer of the Vein-Condensing stage and extending his life by a century. Do you understand what potent vital energy means?”

Given Prison Heaven’s status, calling the old ghost “little fellow” was no exaggeration.

“The power of vital energy? You mean—?”

Lin Fan was quick of mind, and Prison Heaven’s explanation was clear. He instantly grasped the hidden scheme.

The old ghost’s massacre of cultivators in Greenwood City was likely to gather vital energy for his breakthrough. Conversely, Lin Fan himself needed potent vital energy to break through to the eighth level of the Flesh Body stage.

“Exactly—snatch the food from the tiger’s jaws, if you have the guts.”

Prison Heaven’s tone was mocking, waiting for Lin Fan’s reply.

“What’s the big deal? Snatching food from a tiger’s mouth—if I can break through to the eighth level of the Flesh Body stage, my strength will soar. Even if I can’t defeat the old ghost, escaping will be no problem. Fortune favors the bold.”

Lin Fan didn’t hesitate long. The arrow was already nocked; he might as well seize the opportunity.

“Haha! Your vision is still too small—thinking only of escape? With your talent, if you break through to the eighth level, the sky and sea will open before you. You could even slay that little fellow outright and refine him into a Dao Pill. If fortune smiles, you might reach the ninth level in one leap, and with the Dao laws, ascend to the tenth—becoming the strongest beneath the Vein-Condensing stage. Isn’t that the true great fortune?”

Prison Heaven’s voice was brash and domineering, his words stoking Lin Fan’s spirit. Great fortune—what was great fortune? This was it!