Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Sinners, state your names. If you have not served your sentence and dare to appear in front of the Prison Warden…”
“Hahaha! You’ll know the consequences!”
Jiang Li and the others arrived before the bronze door and were about to break out and enter the underground palace.
A burly figure who was ten feet long, had a leopard head, round eyes, and tiger whiskers stood in front of them and spoke in a thunderous voice.
He was sitting behind a long table, wearing a red official uniform that did not suit his style. He held a wine jar in one hand and could not bear to part with it.
Seeing that someone was coming, the Prison Warden of Fengdu City came over and reluctantly picked up a vermilion wolf hair brush on the table and pretended to be working in front of a heavy book.
Jiang Li was not a person who judged a book by its cover, but just looking at him, being able to recognize more than ten common words was considered impressive.
“Quickly come forward! If you’re disturbing me for nothing, don’t blame me for using you to brew wine!”
The warden slapped the mud seal on the wine jar, then raised it and poured it into his mouth.
However, everyone clearly saw that several wailing faces appeared in the clear liquid.
It seemed that this warden really knew how to brew wine using humans.
Due to the fact that there was an evil ghost blocking the way in this dungeon, Old Ghost had never really come here. He had only obtained general information through some methods. He did not know the background of this Warden who had suddenly appeared.
His gaze turned, and he took a step back. His hand reached behind a cultivator beside him and pushed forward.
The cultivator took two steps forward, his expression immediately becoming furious and terrified.
He was furious because Old Ghost had betrayed him without a word, but he was terrified because after he was pushed out of the crowd, his figure was fixed on the spot by an unknown force.
“Oh, you first? Tell me your name, your birthplace, what crime did you commit? How long have you been in prison? Do you regret it?”
The warden casually tapped the pen in his hand on the table and stared at the cultivator below.
“My… My name is Li Yu. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s others who are falsely accusing me. Warden, please investigate!”
This person’s reaction was not slow. When he saw that he was unable to move, it was impossible for his so-called companions behind him to save him.
He followed the words of the warden and replied.
“Oh, you’re innocent?”
The warden casually flipped through the booklet in his hand without any intention of searching according to the name.
This made Li Yu, who had been pushed out to probe the danger, heave a sigh of relief. The names of these outsiders clearly could not appear on the list.
“Yes, yes, yes! Lord, I’m innocent!”
The Prison Warden seemed to be as stupid as he looked. He nodded and believed the other party.
“Since you’re innocent, I should let you go. How about this? Drink this bowl of wine and think of it as me sending you off.”
The warden took out a clay bowl from somewhere and poured a full bowl of transparent wine before pushing it in front of Li Yu.
The strong fragrance of wine spread out. Those who knew wine would know that this was a top-grade brew that was hard to come by in a hundred years.
Chen Yu’s hands also relaxed and he recovered his mobility.
Looking at the ghost face churning in the bowl from time to time, Li Yu naturally did not want to drink it.
“This… Lord Warden, I can’t handle alcohol, so I shouldn’t waste your good wine.”
He tried to refuse, but the other party was clearly not so easy-going.
“How dare you not drink the wine that I poured? Hmph! Coward, I’ll lock you up for another hundred years!”
If he did not drink it, he would suffer. Li Yu’s expression turned bitter, but he recalled that the person in front of him had also drunk this kind of wine. This should not be a poisonous thing, right?
After hesitating for a moment, he reached out and picked up the wine bowl.
“Lord, I’ll drink. I’ll drink.”
As he spoke, he tentatively took a small sip. However, as soon as his lips touched the bowl, the wine in the bowl seemed to come alive and instantly surged into his mouth.
The person immediately began to sway. More than ten completely different faces strangely appeared on his face. After a few breaths, he collapsed.
Then, more liquid flowed out from his seven orifices. In the liquid, there was a ghost face that was identical to his own.
When the warden saw this, he happily took out another jar and stored the liquid that flowed out.
“Your sins have yet to be cleansed, yet you still dare to drink my Soul Dissolution Liquor. You really don’t know what death feels like. Hahaha, I am blessed to have a new drink.”
“Who’s next? Come up quickly!”
It turned out that this burly and seemingly unintelligent Prison Warden also had his own methods.
He did not need to identify good and evil himself, nor did he care to check the booklet in his hand. He only had one criteria for judging.
Those who could drink the Soul Dissolution Liquor and remain fine were either good people or ghosts. Those who died after drinking the wine could be used to brew more wine for him.
At this moment, the cultivators standing at the side finally understood that if they wanted to pass through this warden, they had to drink the bowl of wine of unknown origin.
According to the warden, as long as he had sinned and his sin had not dissipated, the Soul Dissolution Liquor would be a terrifying poison that could melt souls.
Even Jiang Li did not dare to say that he had not done anything wrong since he started cultivating. What were the other rogue cultivators like?
Letting them drink this was no different from courting death.
They exchanged glances. With Old Ghost leading the way, they suddenly attacked. Ten spell rays shot towards the burly man in front of them.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!
It was as if someone had secretly farted here. The ten rays of light did not cause any effect and disappeared in the air.
Jiang Li knew that the reason for this situation was probably the Fengdu Prison they were in.
This was because his Yin Burial Coffin also had the effect of obliterating attacks.
The warden was not angry. He waved his hand and brought the ten people who attacked to the front of the table.
He casually placed ten more wine bowls on the table, indicating that they could start eating.
“Don’t even think about escaping or snatching it. Today, each of you has a bowl of wine to drink.”
“What? You don’t want to drink? You can get someone to replace you.”
The warden sneered. In his hands, not many could escape unscathed.
“Prison Warden, I enjoy fine wine myself. Why don’t you give me a bowl too?”
At this moment, Jiang Li took the initiative to walk forward with a smile and asked the warden for the Soul Dissolution Liquor.
Jiang Li’s actions surprised the other party. After being here for so many years, there were very few people who could drink the Soul Dissolution Liquor without collapsing, and there were even fewer who took the initiative to ask him for it.
However, he was merely surprised. It was the same for everyone as long as they drank the Soul Dissolution Liquor.
“What a pretentious kid.”
He had no reason to refuse. He took out another bowl and filled it for the sword cultivator clone.
“Everyone, what are you waiting for? Enjoy this good wine!”
Jiang Li smiled, and then he controlled his clone to pick up the bowl of wine and drink it all.
As the fragrant wine entered his stomach, the sword cultivator clone first frowned and smacked his lips. After a moment, he sighed and exhaled.
“Good wine! Give me another bowl!”
Prison Warden: ???
The cultivators were speechless.
This guy was not following the script.
“You… actually didn’t fall?”
The warden looked at Jiang Li in surprise and bewilderment. This person could actually drink his Soul Dissolution Liquor.
“No, you must have cheated. Kid, do you dare to drink another bowl?”
Ever since he died, he had been working here. He had been working for hundreds of years, and there were only ten people and ghosts who could be open and unafraid of the Soul Dissolution Liquor.
Such a thing had not happened in decades. This burly warden was clearly suspicious. He was more willing to believe that Jiang Li had used some method to cheat.
Again, he had to watch this guy swallow the wine.
However, Jiang Li only smiled and decisively pushed his wine bowl forward.
“It’s rare to see such good wine, I can’t ask for more.”
The wine bowl was filled again.
After Jiang Li controlled his clone to pick it up, he poured it into his mouth again without any hesitation.
The hot wine flowed down his throat and into his stomach. It was already burning like a ball of fire.
When the clone’s Liquor Fire Sword Song was stimulated by the spiritual wine, it circulated at high speed as if it had gone crazy. To be honest, he had never tasted a spiritual wine of this level.
His cultivation level, which had only just reached the Void Core realm, rose at an exaggerated speed. The Void Core in his body also became more and more condensed.
To cultivators of the Liquor Fire Sword Song, high-grade spiritual wine was much more useful than spirit pills. He had a feeling that as long as he drank another two bowls of wine, his clone would be able to refine the True Core on the spot!
However, the main characteristic of the Soul Dissolution Liquor was naturally soul dissolution.
As the smell of alcohol rose, more than ten wailing ghost faces appeared and followed the smell to the clone’s consciousness.
The dozen or so evil spirits would shock the soul. Once a cultivator had any evil thoughts, they would take advantage of the situation and enter from the inside. It was enough to kill a cultivator’s soul.
Not to mention Core Formation cultivators, even Nascent Soul cultivators did not dare to rashly attempt it.
However, when these dozen evil spirits entered the clone’s consciousness, what greeted them were nine black and white Ghost Lantern Cold Flames.
Jiang Li had never seen anything that was formed from souls that was not countered by the Ghost Lantern Cold Flame.
Nine cold flames swept out a flaming tornado, burning away the evil ghosts in moments.
After the evil spirits were burned away, they turned into ashes that fell. That was the end of the sinful life of countless ferocious ghosts in this prison.
The ashes of sin fluttered and landed in the clone’s consciousness. Not only did they not pollute it, but they were absorbed and sent to the main body, turning into nutrients for the Bodhisattva Heart Sutra.
This bowl of Soul Dissolution Liquor could actually benefit both the clone and the main body at the same time. Wasn’t it worthy of the word “good wine”?
Jiang Li opened his eyes reluctantly and pushed the bowl forward.
“Prison Warden, for a good friend a thousand toasts are too few. How about another bowl?”
The warden’s large eyes widened, but he actually did not dare look Jiang Li in the eye. He hugged the wine jar and hid it behind him.
“There’s no more, there’s no more. Even if you drink this Soul Dissolution Liquor normally, you’ll still be drunk for three days. Kid, your alcohol tolerance is actually not inferior to mine. Go out, go out! Don’t come back!”
“There’s also you guys. Hurry up and drink!”
What… He was actually so stingy?
The reason why the warden was willing to let the prisoners drink was because they could not withstand it. After drinking it and shattering their souls, the liquor would flow back and increase in volume.
However, when it came to Jiang Li, there would not even be a drop left. How could he be willing to waste it?
He waved his hand and opened the bronze door behind him a crack, gesturing for Jiang Li to leave quickly.
However, Jiang Li looked at the remaining ten bowls of Soul Dissolution Liquor on the table and was unwilling to leave just like that.
“I see. Lord Warden is also a sentimental person. I believe you won’t lower yourself to my level. I’ll drink their wine in their place.”
“Everyone, do any of you want me to drink on your behalf?”
The warden had just said that he could drink on their behalf, so he naturally placed his gaze on the wine bowls.
Although he spoke politely, he rubbed his thumb and index finger together repeatedly. It was obvious that he needed some compensation.
“Brother, you seem to like drinking this Soul Dissolution Liquor. I happen to not be able to hold my liquor well. We’re all in this together. Why don’t I give you this bowl of wine?”
A cultivator spoke up to test him. He wanted to use the fact that everyone was together to make Jiang Li sacrifice himself and help them.
However, Jiang Li acted as if he did not hear it and completely ignored him.
“Then, friend, I’ll give you three high-grade Yellow-rank Qi Recovery Pills.”
That person still did not give up, and the others spoke out in succession. It was as if they had the advantage in numbers, and Jiang Li would be committing a heinous crime if he did not listen to them.
“You all think so? Then I have to thank everyone.”
Jiang Li suddenly smiled and looked at the so-called group.
“Unfortunately, I’m a little selfish. Since you all think so, let’s meet again if we’re fated to in the future.”
Compared to taking advantage of others, Jiang Li hated it when others took advantage of him.
Without any hesitation, he turned around and walked towards the bronze door.
The warden was overjoyed. He was really afraid that Jiang Li would help them drink all the wine. Because according to the rules of the dungeon, it was really not easy for him to stop them.
“Wait, Brother, I have a Profound-rank flying sword here. If you don’t mind, please take it first.”
In the end, it was Old Ghost who was rich and imposing, and he directly took out a flying sword and threw it to Jiang Li, causing him to barely stop in his tracks.
After checking, the ownership mark had already been removed. The quality was not bad too.
Jiang Li was very straightforward. After casually placing his mark on the flying sword, he stepped forward and drank the wine in front of the other party.
After the wine in the bowl was emptied, the binding on Old Ghost was also removed. He heaved a sigh of relief. He had finally passed the Warden’s test.
“Everyone, if you still want my help, you have three choices. One, give me a thank-you gift that’s not inferior to this flying sword. Two, hand over your storage artifacts. Three, eat this pill and obey me in the future.”
When they were surrounded by the ghosts earlier, Jiang Li had already selflessly sacrificed himself once. It could be said that he had done his part.
Now, this group of ingrates wanted him to help for nothing? Impossible..