Chapter 580 - 243: Tathagata

Chen Qing carried out his patrol, confirming that every cell was intact and secure.

The entire process was eerily quiet. There were no roars or curses to be heard, as if all the stone cells were empty.

’Though the Evil Qi here is sinister, it’s also a form of tempering for those who practice Body Refining Hard Skills.’

After completing his patrol, Chen Qing sat down cross-legged near the entrance to the first level.

As the Evil Qi surged toward him, Chen Qing activated the Eight Extremes Vajra Body technique within him.

Instantly, his blood and qi began to boil, turning his body into a veritable worldly crucible. The moment the Evil Qi touched him, it was devoured and refined.

Around noon, a Servant Disciple carrying a food container came down. He gave Chen Qing a fist-and-palm salute, then silently walked from cell to cell, passing meals through the small openings at the bottom of the stone doors.

About an hour later, someone else would come to collect the bowls and utensils.

The entire process was methodical and orderly.

Chen Qing observed dispassionately, pondering to himself, ’The people imprisoned here must be important. If they were common criminals or otherwise useless, the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect would have just killed them. Why go to all the trouble of locking them up and even providing daily meals?’

’Instead of killing them, the Sect is expending resources to keep them alive. There are only two possibilities: one, they’re being kept alive for a reason, perhaps to squeeze something out of them; two, they’re people who can’t be killed...’

Over the next several hours, Chen Qing didn’t see the Master of the Seven Sufferings again.

As evening fell, footsteps once again echoed from the outer corridor. They were far more steady and powerful than those of the Servant Disciple who had delivered the meals.

Soon, a young man dressed in the robes of an Inner Sect Disciple walked in. His aura marked him as a Late-stage Astral Force cultivator. He was followed by two other disciples, who were escorting a prisoner.

The prisoner’s hair was a disheveled mess, and their clothes were torn. With their head lowered, it was impossible to make out their face.

Chen Qing stepped forward, a questioning look in his eyes.

When the leading disciple saw Chen Qing, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He quickly offered a fist-and-palm salute. "You must be Brother Chen Qing. I am Cheng Jiazhang of the Law Enforcement Peak. I never expected that the one taking over Junior Martial Uncle Guo’s watch today would be you, Brother Chen."

Of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s thirty-six peaks, any peak outside the nine of the Inner Sect was considered an Outer Peak. Among the Outer Twenty-Seven Peaks, the Law Enforcement Peak, which was responsible for the Sect’s laws, arrests, and interrogations, held a particularly high status.

Chen Qing’s battle with Han Xiong had drawn many spectators, so his reputation and strength were already widely known. As an elite disciple of the Law Enforcement Peak, Cheng Jiazhang naturally recognized this True Successor Candidate who had recently risen to prominence.

"Junior Brother Cheng."

Chen Qing gave a slight nod in return, his gaze then shifting to the prisoner behind Cheng. "And who is this?"

Cheng Jiazhang stepped slightly to the side and answered with a serious expression, "This is Inner Sect Disciple Yang Tong. He joined our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect thirteen years ago. His record has always been unremarkable. Who would have thought he was a spy with ulterior motives? He leaked the essential secrets of several of our Sect’s Martial Arts and was only captured recently. The bastard’s lips are sealed tight. Even after using certain... methods, we’ve only managed to pry a little information from him."

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing took a closer look at Yang Tong.

Despite his wretched appearance, his frame still revealed a solid foundation in the Martial Arts. To have remained hidden within the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect for thirteen years before being discovered, his mental fortitude and abilities were clearly far from ordinary.

"A spy? Have you found out which faction sent him?"

"He insists he was sent by the Taiyi Upper Sect, but as for whether that’s true, or any of the specific details, we can’t jump to conclusions just yet."

Cheng Jiazhang’s tone was cautious. "After all, he could be deliberately trying to muddy the waters and frame another party. We’ll have to wait for the Elders on the Peak to reconfirm everything before we can reach a final verdict."

Chen Qing nodded in understanding.

On the surface, the Six Great Upper Sects appeared harmonious, jointly maintaining order in the Great Yan Empire. But underneath, undercurrents were surely stirring, and it was only normal for them to plant spies within each other’s ranks.

A spy who could remain hidden for more than a decade must have been entrusted with a critical mission. The Cultivation Techniques he leaked, the secrets he might have uncovered, and the true plot of the faction behind him—all of it required a thorough investigation by the Law Enforcement Peak.

He then asked, "Are spies and traitors like him usually held here on the first level?"

"That’s correct."

Cheng Jiazhang knew that Chen Qing was new and likely unfamiliar with the rules and prisoner classifications of Prison Peak, so he patiently explained, "The Black Water Abyss Prison descends level by level, and the danger posed by the inmates varies accordingly. This first level is mainly for spies and traitors like Yang Tong, as well as some... captured experts from the Infinite Demon Sect. Since this is your first time on duty, Brother Chen, you must be careful. Although a Secret Technique has been used to control their Dantian Meridians and seal their Cultivation, the Demon Sect’s methods are treacherous, and spies can have hidden trump cards. It’s not unheard of for them to possess techniques that can muddle one’s Heart and Spirit or other insidious tricks. You should be careful. Don’t get too close to the stone doors for extended periods, especially the food-delivery slot."

"Alright, I understand. Thank you for the warning, Junior Brother Cheng." Chen Qing nodded, committing the information to memory.

Cheng Jiazhang then ordered his subordinates to open the heavy stone door of an empty cell. With a dull, scraping sound, the door ground open.

The two law enforcement disciples shoved Yang Tong inside and quickly shut the stone door.

With the transfer complete, Cheng Jiazhang saluted Chen Qing again. "Brother Chen, he’s in your hands now. We must return to report, so we’ll take our leave."

"Take care, Junior Brother."

After seeing off Cheng Jiazhang and his party, the first level of the Black Water Abyss Prison returned to its previous deathly silence.

Chen Qing’s gaze swept over the stone door that had just closed, then moved slowly toward the other cells deeper in the circular chamber.

’A spy from the Taiyi Upper Sect... experts from the Infinite Demon Sect...’

Chen Qing mused to himself, sensing that beneath the seemingly calm surface of Prison Peak lay countless hidden secrets and brewing storms.