Chapter 189: Underground Prison

It seemed the Seven-Color Sect members had been given quite a rough time last night. I smiled inwardly, then shifted my gaze back to the big guy.

After speaking, he dragged his exhausted body back to his room. Chen Chen, who was right beside me in the courtyard, was still half-asleep. Once the big guy left, Chen Chen went straight back to bed.

I glanced over at the neighboring quarters. Seeing no one around, I retreated to my own room as well. Counting today, I had been in the Seven-Color Sect for four days.

There was still plenty of time left before the one-month deadline, so I was in no rush. As long as my murder of Cao Xin remained undiscovered, I could continue to lurk here indefinitely.

Back in my room, I lay on the bed with a trace of fatigue, staring blankly at the ceiling.

I cast a glance at Chen Chen, who was fast asleep again, and decided to go out and observe the situation myself. If the commotion wasn't too severe, I might just make my move in the next few days.

My only concern was a misstep, as the elders in the Seven-Color Sect were extremely powerful and I was no match for them. Therefore, I had to devise a foolproof plan.

Once I stepped outside, the warm sunlight shone directly onto my face. Although the weather was fine, my mood was the exact opposite.

Along the way, I didn't encounter a single soul. When I passed the spot where I had killed Cao Xin, I noticed no one in the vicinity paid any attention to the area.

"Good..."

I muttered faintly, then continued my slow walk toward the square.

The incident had caused quite a stir; practically all the disciples were resting in their rooms and classes were suspended, though a few scattered figures could still be seen in the square.

The higher-ups had only declared that there were no classes today, but they hadn't forbidden people from strolling around. Thus, a few others were out walking just like me.

Deliberately avoiding them to steer clear of any trouble, I walked straight into the dining hall.

It was already long past mealtime, so there were very few people inside, though the back kitchen was still bustling with activity, likely preparing for lunch.

Come to think of it, the Seven-Color Sect really cared about their food. The dishes changed every day, and they were always made with highly nourishing ingredients.

Take yesterday, for instance: braised pork ribs and stewed chicken with mushrooms. Today's fare surely wouldn't be any worse. After all, having stayed here for so many days, I noticed that every single meal was different.

I casually scooped some food onto a plate, walked over to a secluded corner, and sat down to eat while mulling over my plan.

Right now, I still had no idea what was inside the Seven-Color Hall, nor whether the treasure there was truly the sect's sacred artifact.

Acting rashly under such circumstances would undoubtedly be dangerous. I needed to find a safe way to sneak inside first before searching for the treasure.

Easier said than done. Based on my observation, the entrance was guarded every single day. The moment I tried to force my way in, reinforcements would surely rush to the scene.

However, the guards weren't there every single second. Last time, the entrance had been completely deserted. If not for someone unexpectedly bursting in like a bolt from the blue, I might have actually gotten inside and taken it.

If that was the case, I would need to observe more closely to figure out when there were no guards on duty.

As for the prison, I had learned from the well-informed chubby guy that it was located right beneath the Law Enforcement Hall. I knew where the Law Enforcement Hall was and had even been there before, but I had never noticed any path leading downward.

The Law Enforcement Hall was generally used for interrogating prisoners and was normally left un-manned, with guards assigned only when dealing with major criminals.

Therefore, I needed to check it out as soon as I finished eating. Any scrap of information would be immensely useful to me.

With this in mind, I wolfed down my food in a few hurried bites, left the dining hall, and headed toward the Law Enforcement Hall.

The place was situated fairly close to the main gate, yet almost no one paid attention to it, as the Law Enforcement Hall was merely a two-story building whose interior decoration was inferior even to the disciples' dormitories.

Halfway there, a sound suddenly came from behind me. I tilted my head slightly to look back and saw a group of people approaching.

"Hurry up and search! If my daughter isn't found today, none of you will hear the end of it!"

It turned out to be Elder Cao leading a group of elders and instructors. Every single one of them wore a dejected expression, likely from sheer exhaustion.

It seemed they had found absolutely nothing since last night. Their fruitless search had left Elder Cao in a terrible state, weeping tears of despair.

I let out a snicker, turned around, and resumed my leisurely stroll toward the Law Enforcement Hall.

These fools were simply too stupid, searching only on the surface. But even if they scoured those forests, what good would it do? No one had seen that I was the one who did it!

Seeing them in such a state gave me peace of mind, bringing an inexplicable joy that prompted me to hum a little tune.

"You are the most beautiful cloud in my sky... Let me keep you in my heart..."

Before long, I reached the grand entrance of the Law Enforcement Hall. A plaque hung above the gate, the characters on it somewhat faded.

Yet, one could still discern the three vigorous strokes of the words: "Law Enforcement Hall."

I glanced around and, seeing no one, stepped inside. The ground floor was essentially a reception area open to outsiders.

To go up to the second floor, however, seemed to require certain permissions; ordinary disciples certainly weren't allowed, though I had no intention of going up there anyway.

Not only was there a large hall on the ground floor, but there was also a door on the left side, leading to places unknown to me.

Curiosity drove me to take a look. What if it led directly to the underground prison?

At this hour, the Law Enforcement Hall should be deserted. I had heard there was another elder stationed here, but he too had likely been summoned to search for Cao Xin.

The lighting in this small corridor was poor, but fortunately, a few oil lamps hung along the walls, barely allowing me to make out the path.

The corridor wasn't long. After a dozen meters, I reached a small room. On the wall of this small room were two buttons—one pointing down, the other pointing up...

Wasn't this obviously the entrance to the prison? It even had an elevator; quite high-tech.

I reached out and pressed the down button. The doors slowly closed, and I could immediately feel the elevator descending.

The distance was quite substantial. After descending for about a minute, the elevator slowly began to decelerate. While it was in operation, the cables above emitted a creaking sound, as if they might snap at any moment.

When the elevator finally came to a complete halt, the doors slowly slid open. What greeted my eyes was a row of iron cages bathed in dim light.

I could barely make out the appearances of the prisoners inside, and they didn't react at all upon seeing a stranger enter.

Furthermore, two Spirit Lotus realm guards stood at the entrance. Both were clad in heavy armor, grasping long spears in their hands with sabers tucked at their waists.

"You! What kind of person are you?!"

Seeing a stranger descend, the two of them instantly raised their spears and aimed them at me.

"Ah... Big brothers, I accidentally wandered in here."

As I spoke, I handed over my Seven-Color Sect disciple token. They glanced at it briefly, tossed it back to me, and barked in unison:

"Get lost! Unauthorized entry is forbidden here!"

Hearing this, I had no choice but to head back up, enduring another one-minute elevator ride.

Once I returned to the surface, a thought struck me: the two guards down there were both at the first grade of the Spirit Lotus realm. Given my current strength, killing them would be as easy as flipping my hand.