Chapter 1052: A Hidden Opportunity in the Gloomy Prison
Within the private world of Transmitter Zhou, nearly everyone was a sole survivor, the last remnants of clans slaughtered to extinction. Individuals like You Chisong, whose family was still intact, were a rare exception.
They all knew You Chisong's story—how he loathed his family so much he would have gladly dragged them all to the grave with him.
Still, with the lives of everyone at stake, Transmitter Zhou's followers remained wary of him.
Their caution was evident: someone kept an eye on You Chisong at all times, never leaving him alone. He didn't know the secret technique to open the passage to their private world; he was always escorted in and out. He was barred from any critical missions, assigned only the most trivial tasks to begin with...
Despite this discriminatory treatment, You Chisong never uttered a word of complaint.
He worked diligently and without protest.
His dedication did not go unnoticed, and slowly, the others began to soften their stance toward him.
Then came the day he was finally given the chance to participate in one of the organization's true missions.
"This senior was once a Transmitter himself. However, his unyielding and righteous nature offended many of his peers. Five hundred years ago, when Senior Zhou left the council, the others seized the opportunity to turn on him, and he was cast into the Gloomy Prison."
"The Alliance's Gloomy Prison is located within a spatial rift in the Central Four Prefectures. It holds the most vicious criminals in the Alliance's history. For various special reasons, these prisoners still hold some value to the Alliance, so instead of being executed, they are merely imprisoned and watched over."
"The Gloomy Prison is heavily guarded, but Senior Zhou has already arranged for a contact on the inside. All we need to do is disguise ourselves as cultivators from the Alliance headquarters, present a transfer order, and escort our target out."
"Many of the Tianxuan Mirror's functions are damaged, which has also disrupted communication between the Gloomy Prison and Alliance headquarters. We must seize this rare opportunity before a new verification system can be established."
...
When the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance summons a prisoner from the Gloomy Prison for interrogation, protocol dictates using three ten-man squads traveling in formation.
You Chisong was chosen as a member of the mission team. He was taught the key points of the impersonation and instructed in the genuine prisoner escort formation.
After half a day of practice, their impersonation was nearly flawless.
"The circumstances within the Gloomy Prison are unique. Senior Zhou cannot go in person, so this time, we are on our own."
"The mission is dangerous, and failure is a real possibility. Be prepared to sacrifice yourselves at a moment's notice. If we are exposed, you must immediately release the seals on your souls to prevent capture and soul-searching. It is better to be utterly annihilated, body and soul, than to let the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance obtain even a shred of information!"
"If anyone has second thoughts or is unwilling, you may withdraw now."
A long moment passed, but no one spoke.
And so, the plan was set.
Once the mission began, they would have to leave the small world. They would carry nothing that could identify them, which meant Li Fan would lose his spiritual connection to the group.
However, at the very beginning of his surveillance, Li Fan had infiltrated the You family estate and secured a drop of You Chisong's lifeblood essence.
Through this connection, Li Fan was still able to faintly track You Chisong's location.
He trailed them discreetly.
The thirty-cultivator squad was clad in black robes Li Fan knew all too well. Even the aura they exuded was identical to that of the Alliance's orthodox enforcers—cold and menacing.
"Transmitter Zhou is certainly resourceful."
He trailed them all the way to a deep valley at the border of the Alliance's Central Four Prefectures.
White clouds swirled below, obscuring the valley floor from view.
The leading cultivator produced a jade seal and projected a beam of white light down into the chasm.
The sea of clouds parted instantly, and without a moment's hesitation, the squad descended in a single, orderly file.
Li Fan did not follow, choosing instead to observe from a distance.
From the depths of the valley, from within the so-called Gloomy Prison, he could faintly sense a dangerous presence.
His goal wasn't a prison break. He only needed to wait for them to complete their mission.
The mission seemed to be proceeding with unusual smoothness.
A few hours later, the sealed cloud sea parted once more.
The thirty-man squad emerged, a silver-haired elder held securely in their midst.
At first, everything appeared normal.
But soon, their pace quickened into a desperate flight.
"Once we're clear of the rift's influence, open the passage to the small world immediately!"
The leader of the squad transmitted the order, struggling to contain his excitement.
The silver-haired Transmitter they had rescued, however, showed no emotional response to his liberation.
His eyes remained tightly shut, utterly indifferent to the world around him.
The situation was too urgent for explanations. The group simply continued their frantic escape, bringing the old man with them.
When they finally reached a safe location, they prepared to open the passage to their private world.
"Who's there?"
Just then, the leader's gaze snapped toward Li Fan's position as he bellowed the question.
At the same time, a brilliant white sword light erupted, slashing toward Li Fan in an instant.
His comrades reacted instantly, unleashing their full power without reservation. A torrent of brilliant energy and an array of techniques slammed toward Li Fan.
To their horror, however, every attack vanished as if it were a clay ox sinking into the sea—absorbed and gone without a trace the moment it neared their foe.
They failed to make even the slightest ripple.
"Just who are you?" the leader demanded, his expression grim.
Li Fan slowly revealed himself, ignoring the man's question.
Instead, he looked directly at the silver-haired elder and announced in a clear voice, "Senior, do not be deceived by them. They are merely pretending to be followers of Transmitter Zhou. This entire rescue is a charade, staged solely to win your trust."
"The real Transmitter Zhou is already dead!"
Upon hearing Li Fan's words, the dozens of cultivators escorting the elder all trembled violently.
Their feigned, menacing aura vanished, replaced by a palpable sense of panic and confusion.
"You..." The leader couldn't hide the shock in his voice.
But he recovered quickly and turned to the elder, desperate to explain.
"Senior, don't be deceived by this man! I have Senior Zhou's token as proof!" he exclaimed, producing a red knotted cord to verify his identity.
Faced with this standoff between two opposing claims, the silver-haired elder, who had been a passive observer until now, finally opened his eyes.
He glanced at the red cord and snorted disdainfully. "Some token..."
"This isn't the first time you've tried such a clumsy trick. Did you really think I would fall for it?"
"If Zhou had truly sent you, why wouldn't she come herself?"
The leader of the squad was struck speechless, not having anticipated this line of reasoning from the elder.
The elder then turned to size up Li Fan before shaking his head slightly. "And you, boy... you hardly look like one of the righteous sort."
"Zhou would never take someone like you under her wing..."
The elder mused aloud, "So, both sides are impostors?"
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