Chapter 450

"Talent market? How can a prison be a talent market?" Ai Miaomiao's large, strict eyes were filled with confusion.

Zhao Xing did not answer again, and slowly entered the Ice Star Prison along the boundary wall passage.

The vast majority of criminals locked in the Primordial World's Ice Star Prison were once members of the Primordial World!

Because of qi deviation, they accidentally killed many people; or they went too far while conducting research, causing huge losses to the Red Star Empire; or they caused major casualties while commanding wars...

In short, this is a group of special prisoners.

They all once had privileges, but the things they did exceeded the scope of their privilege pardons, yet their crimes were not enough to warrant death. They could not be released, nor could they be executed, but their sentences were all very long, and many were imprisoned indefinitely.

After passing through the boundary wall passage, a pure white cube appeared in front of the two.

When Zhao Xing and Ai Miaomiao appeared, a smiling pattern appeared on the side facing them.

"Greetings, Emperor Zifang." Zhao Xing and Ai Miaomiao bowed in unison toward the cube.

The pure white cube is another manifestation of the Great Expansion Divine Soldier.

Like Chen Jiu, its name is related to the time of day.

The Zishi series of Dao Soldier Souls are adept at containment.

Emperor Zifang also usually presents himself as a pure white cube.

"Please present your decree," the pure white cube emitted a gentle female voice.

"Senior Sister," Zhao Xing looked at Ai Miaomiao; their decree was specially approved by Emperor Wudu.

"Oh no, I forgot to bring it; it's on my other clone!" Ai Miaomiao's expression changed.

"Without a decree, you are trespassing and will face five thousand years of imprisonment." The pure white cube instantly turned red, and the smiling face also turned into an angry expression.

"Damn it, Senior Sister, what are you doing?" Zhao Xing was stunned. You can forget something like this? You are too unreliable.

"Hurry and have your clone send it over!"

"But that clone of mine has already left the Primordial World and is on its way to the west."

"You are truly incredible..."

Just then, a sly smile suddenly appeared on Ai Miaomiao's panicked face, and she quickly pulled a small purple-black cube from her bosom:

"Ding-ding~ I didn't forget!"

"I fooled you, Junior Brother! Hahaha!"

Zhao Xing: "......"

Are you crazy? Damn it!

Master Zhao really wanted to curse right now, because he truly believed Ai Miaomiao was the type of person who could forget to bring the decree. Remembering the years of friendship between Ai Miaomiao and Wei Lan in delivering medicine, Zhao Xing resisted the urge to punch her.

"Senior Sister, you win. Junior Brother was really scared by you just now. If you really hadn't brought it, my main body would have been locked up for five thousand years..."

Ai Miaomiao pressed the small cube into the pure white cube, and it was quickly spat back out.

"Verification failed."

Ai Miaomiao looked distressed: "Oh dear, I seem to have taken the wrong one."

Zhao Xing: "??"

Are you playing with me?

"Senior Sister, don't mess around, hurry and take it out..."

Ai Miaomiao suddenly switched back to a smiling face: "I'm fooling you, I brought it!"

After saying that, she took out another cube and pressed it in.

"Verification passed." The cube turned from red to white, switched back to a smiling face, and spat out the decree.

Zhao Xing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He was afraid Ai Miaomiao would do it a third time, so he took the decree first.

"Senior Sister, let me keep it."

Ai Miaomiao smiled: "Junior Brother, you are really timid."

"Hehe," Zhao Xing replied with a 'hehe'.

The pure white cube split into a sphere and followed the two as a guide.

"What you are seeing is Ice Star Prison No. 391, where all those imprisoned are in the Life-Death Dao Domain Realm."

"The Western Hemisphere is all criminals who have signed a Life-Death Dharma Contract, voluntarily accepting any high-risk spell experiments."

"According to the decree, you can choose ten people to cultivate with, but it is limited to within the boundary star; you cannot take them out."

"Remember, the risk is two-way; you may be injured by the criminals."

Zhao Xing nodded to indicate he understood the rules.

The Benwo Sect is already crazy enough, and the criminals locked in the Primordial World's Ice Star Prison are even crazier among the crazy.

Some criminals signed a Life-Death Dharma Contract when they were sober, voluntarily becoming spell consumables for the Empire to make up for their own crimes, and at the same time, it is also a chance for themselves.

Once they break through and become Reincarnation Realm beings, they can basically recover their sanity.

Then they can be released and use other ways to make up for their faults by performing meritorious service while wearing their crimes.

However, the moments of sobriety are very short; in most cases, they are insane.

If they were to kill Zhao Xing and Ai Miaomiao while insane, it would be a death in vain.

Because the punishments for these people have already reached the limit; it is impossible to continue punishing them.

"Yo, more living people."

The two people and one sphere had just flown to the Western Hemisphere region of the boundary star when they saw seven ice mountains below. On each blue ice mountain was a green giant; the giants had eight arms, all of which were picking at their feet.

"This is..." Ai Miaomiao was suspicious and uncertain, because the seven giants below were extremely ugly in appearance; whether viewed from a physical angle or from the angle of Qi, they were very disgusting.

Their backs had many abscesses, oozing green juice, and then two hands on the back of one person would pop them, and then the pus would be sucked into their mouths, and they would incidentally suck their fingers—using the hand that had just been picking their feet.

Zhao Xing looked at the sphere, and light projected onto it, forming text:

【Prisoner No. 9462, Name (Hidden)】

【Formerly a Coral-level 7 member of the Primordial World, fell into insanity due to studying the Straw Man Method, completely tearing his soul apart, to the point where he cannot distinguish his own self.】

【Crime: After falling into qi deviation, he began to secretly kill other cultivators. He was discovered after secretly killing 530 trillion people, among whom 130 million were citizens of the Empire. The death list includes

his Dao companion and family members.】

【Imprisoned indefinitely.】

【Has signed a Life-Death Dharma Contract, voluntarily accepting any experiment.】

"Truly terrifying," Ai Miaomiao looked at the number 530 trillion, unable to help but feel shocked. "He actually killed so many people before being discovered, and even killed all his own family members. Why not execute him?"

"Past lessons are the guide for the future," Zhao Xing said: "This person is a Coral-level member who committed crimes due to qi deviation while cultivating. He is not sober. If he were sober, he would have been killed long ago."

"Keeping him for spell research, to figure out why such things happen, can also provide experience for those who cultivate such spells later."

"Truly pitiful," Ai Miaomiao said: "Even if he breaks through to the Reincarnation Realm and recovers his sanity, seeing that his family and Dao companion all died at his own hands, he will probably go crazy again."

Zhao Xing did not dwell on this question, but asked Emperor Zifang: "Emperor, where is the main body of Prisoner No. 9462?"

The sphere's light flickered, pulling up a more detailed file: 【Unable to distinguish, or rather, every clone of No. 9462 is the main body.】

【The Life-Death Dharma Contract was signed when one of the clones appeared briefly sober; the other six did not agree.】

"So that's how it is; even the Primordial World cannot distinguish his clones from his main body," Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised.

Being able to cultivate to this degree in the Life-Death Dao Domain Realm can be considered unique.

This person must not have been a nobody before, but after falling into qi deviation, all information must have been erased.

"Get lost!" The seven giants below began to fight over a piece of foot skin.

The seven giants were scattered into more small clones, like liquid.

Zhao Xing felt somewhat sorrowful and shook his head as he left.

Although he also had the hidden danger of clones, Qing Qing Yu Zi had given him a soul secret method from the Divine Temple, so he didn't need to worry for now. His main purpose for this trip was to cultivate the Seed Method; he wouldn't study the Straw Man Clone Method for the time being.

"Let's go."

Stopping and going along the way, Zhao Xing saw all kinds of prisoners; some were insane, while others remained sober.

Without exception, they were all in the Life-Death Dao Domain Realm and had all once been Coral-level members.

Finally, Zhao Xing stopped in front of a mountain that towered into the clouds.

The reason for stopping was simple, because this person was constantly rolling a spherical mountain rock up the mountain. The mountain was rugged and uneven; after he pushed it to the top, the giant rock would roll down again.

And he would run back down the mountain to continue pushing the sphere up the mountain.

【Number 5241】

【Profession: Mechanism Array Master】

【Formerly a Coral-level 8 member of the Primordial World. While executing a mission at the Aogu Border Pass, without approval, he privately fused with a forbidden object and set up an unknown array. After the array failed, it backfired, causing the deaths of 127 teammates in the Life-Death Dao Domain Realm.】

【Imprisoned indefinitely.】

【Has signed a Life-Death Dharma Contract, voluntarily accepting any experiment.】

"Aogu Border Pass, it seems it is him," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

After observing for a few days, he said to the pure white sphere beside him: "Emperor, I want to choose him as the subject for my 'Thunder Seed Method' cultivation."

"You may; he is sober, you can go down directly." The sphere shot out a laser, opening the boundary surrounding the mountain.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing dropped down directly. As for Ai Miaomiao, she had long since selected a prisoner to cultivate with.

"5241, I am Zhao Xing, a Coral-level member of the Primordial World. I want you to cooperate with me in cultivating a spell."

Boom~ The giant rock rolled down, revealing the man on the top of the mountain. His upper body was bare, revealing bronze-colored skin.

There was no hair on his head, but there were several strange and incomplete

magic power runes.

His fingers, however, were slender and snow-white, even very delicate.

"Oh, go ahead," the man didn't have much of a reaction, just answered calmly.

Zhao Xing nodded and then began to cast the spell.

The Seed Method is also known as the Demon Seed Method; in other countries, it is considered a forbidden spell category.

Cultivating it requires using many living people as practice subjects, and the higher their intelligence, the better.

The prisoners locked here are very hard to kill; even if they just stand there and let you hit them, they might not die, so they can be said to be excellent experimental subjects.

"Shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo~" Five vines with sharp thorns emerged from Zhao Xing's body, piercing into the other's Baihui, Zhongji, Qihai, Guanyuan, Tianzong, and Bingfeng points.

The vines pierced through the other's shoulder blades, stabbing into the crown of his head and abdomen. The other person didn't make a sound, like a dead man.

"It might be a little painful next," Zhao Xing reminded him.

The other person still had no reaction; it was unknown whether he didn't care or looked down on Zhao Xing's cultivation realm.

Judging from his aura, Zhao Xing was only in the third realm of the Origin. By common sense, a Life-Death Dao Domain Realm expert would be very hard to kill even if they stood still and let an Origin Realm expert slaughter them.

"Jilin Transformation Technique!"

Zhao Xing's mind stirred, and the vine thorns in his body suddenly split, dividing into 1,000 tiny sharp thorns, and then into ten thousand...

When the time reached the third day, nine-tenths of this person's body was almost under Zhao Xing's control.

He could make him move however he wanted.

"Hum~"

The Origin projection unfolded, and a seedling appeared beside the man.

It was the Imperial-level seedling gifted to Zhao Xing by Emperor Wudu--the Seven-Domain True Spirit Bamboo.

"Boom~"

The rocks exploded, and a deep pit appeared under the man's feet. He was then buried by the rubble, revealing only his head, which was engraved with magic power runes.

"Yin-Yang Boundary, rise!"

Zhao Xing formed a hemispherical barrier, wrapping the mountain rocks, 5241, and the Seven-Domain True Spirit Bamboo inside.

It formed a space without spiritual energy.

The Seven-Domain True Spirit Bamboo instantly became withered and listless.

Although it is an Imperial-level troop type, once its supply of spiritual energy is cut off, the fragile seedling is easily affected.

"Jishuang Transformation!"

At this moment, the vine thorns in 5241's body suddenly vibrated.

A large amount of spiritual energy was extracted from his body to nourish the Seven-Domain True Spirit Bamboo.

Three days later, under the nourishment of a large amount of spiritual energy, the surrounding mountain rocks had turned into fertile black soil.

【You cultivated the Jilei Transformation Technique and gained 1 point of proficiency.】

【You cultivated the Jilei Transformation Technique and gained 1 point of proficiency.】

Half a year later, the plants on the mountain increased; flowers, grass, and trees were all complete, and a pastoral scene appeared on the barren hillside.

"Wrong," Zhao Xing looked at the motionless panel and stopped moving. "I keep failing to extract the 'Seed' from his body, but rather the magic power he cultivated."

Spiritual energy transforms into magic power; 5241 is equivalent to a massive reservoir of spiritual energy.

It is enough to nourish the growth of many seedlings, but this is not the effect Zhao Xing wants.

"The reason the Thunder Seed Method is called the Demon Seed Method is because it extracts the 'Need' of the target, which is something life inherently possesses, not the spiritual energy cultivated, and certainly not magic power. This method is for dealing with extreme environments. Suppose there is no spiritual energy around; even capturing a bunch of weak mortals can catalyze a large amount of spiritual energy to nourish the growth of plant life."

"Through plant life conversion, flowering and bearing fruit, I can then

absorb the spiritual energy that can be used for cultivation by eating the fruit."

In Qi theory, the definitions of 'Need' and 'Spirit' are different. Zhao Xing found that his cultivation quickly hit a bottleneck.

It was mainly very difficult to capture the 'Need' within a life form, and it was easy to mistakenly think one had succeeded in cultivation.

If it weren't for the panel's corroboration, Zhao Xing probably wouldn't have even entered the door yet.

"I can only drain 5241's spiritual energy first to eliminate the interference."

Doing so would inevitably be painful. Zhao Xing took a look, and the other person was still completely unresponsive.

Except for the one sentence he said at the very beginning, there was no further communication.

"It will take at least 50 years to drain his magic power; this person's foundation is too profound," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

In the Dao Domain Realm, magic power can be described as vast and boundless, not to mention that the other person was also a genius-level figure.

Even if he wasn't in the same league as Du Yun, he was still among the top ten in the Primordial Assembly.

"5241, please release your magic power outside your body. Don't worry, I won't harm your life," Zhao Xing said.

The other person still didn't respond, but he quickly cooperated, and a large number of magic power runes floated out.

They were like three-dimensional characters, with many lines flowing on them, as if an array was in operation.

If each magic power rune were thrown into a low-level boundary star with a spiritual energy index of about 10, it would immediately cause the spiritual energy index to rise to over 100.

If given enough time, it could even cause this low-level boundary star to transform into a medium-level boundary star.

The foundation of a genius-level Life-Death Dao Domain Realm expert is just that terrifying.

If he were placed in the original Profound Yellow World, one corpse of this person would be enough to support dozens of ascending dynasties.

"108 runes, a total of 108 magic power runes, truly formidable. It really is him," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Now, if he were to crush the other's 108 magic power runes, he would fall in cultivation realm.

He might fall to the Origin Realm, or even the Ascension Realm.

"Aren't you worried about becoming a cripple?" Zhao Xing couldn't help but ask.

"It doesn't matter; it wouldn't matter even if I died," the bald man spoke for the first time. "The Origin Realm can shake my life essence; you must be a very powerful genius of the Primordial World."

"Being able to be of help to your cultivation, let alone being crippled, even dying at your hands can be considered a kind of atonement."

Listening to his words, Zhao Xing couldn't help but think of the other's file.

"Accidentally killing more than a hundred teammates, there must have been friends with whom he had deep ties."

"He keeps pushing the rock, doing this kind of useless work; he is probably punishing himself in this way," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"5241 was the first place in the Mechanism Array Master division of the Primordial Assembly two eras ago; his name is Fan Daoyou."

"The Empire's punishment after he made a mistake wasn't originally this severe; it was he himself who insisted on entering the Ice Star Prison to be punished."

"Now, his master still comes to visit him from time to time, so I really can't let him die." Zhao Xing remembered that Fan Daoyou would break through to the Reincarnation Realm and be released from prison not long after, and would be sent to the wilderness for development. This person's array talent was unique, especially adept at cracking arrays from the Mesozoic Baiyue Era, and he soon became world-famous.

Of course, he is currently just a criminal who killed his teammates due to arrogance, with no intention of leaving prison.

Time passed, and Zhao Xing's cultivation in the Ice Star Prison reached its ninth year.

"Boom~"

Zhao Xing retracted the Five-Finger Mountain, revealing Fan Daoyou, who was being pressed underneath. At this time, he was already on his last breath, with no spiritual energy left, and his life fluctuations were like a candle in the wind, as if he could pass away at any moment.

"Go!"

Zhao Xing pushed the 108 magic power runes in the sky and sent them back into Fan Daoyou's body.

The other's aura quickly became robust.

"Swish~" Zhao Xing landed at the bottom of the pit and helped Fan Daoyou up.

"Fellow Daoist, my cultivation has come to a temporary end. Thank you for your cooperation."

"My life is cheap; you don't need to feel guilty," Fan Daoyou now occasionally answered some of Zhao Xing's questions and said a few words.

"No, I must make it clear to you, Fellow Daoist," Zhao Xing said. "The method I cultivate is the Demon Seed Method. It seems like it didn't cause damage to you, but in reality, it damages longevity. You have lost a lot of your lifespan during these ten years."

"I know," Fan Daoyou mocked himself: "I was the one who studied forbidden spells and killed so many people; how could I not know about the Si Nong's Seed Method?"

"Spiritual energy wasn't consumed, but your Seven-Domain True Spirit Bamboo grew, so what was consumed was the 'Need' that I, a sinner, was born with."

Fan Daoyou twisted his fingers:

"But I don't care, and you don't need to worry about my master making things difficult for you."

"You are the rare one who treats me like a human; others who come in look at me, Fan Daoyou, as if they are looking at an object."

"Some people even deliberately torture me, doing things that have nothing to do with cultivation."

"You are different; you have been very respectful to me from beginning to end."

Zhao Xing bowed, no longer continuing this topic, and instead

asked: "Fellow Daoist, you have been here for two eras. The outside world has undergone great changes; why not go out and take a look?"

"With your ability, Fellow Daoist, if you wanted to step out of the Life-Death Pass, it should be as easy as turning over your hand."

"Your master, Emperor Jin Dongyan Jue, and many others should be looking forward to you going out."

Fan Daoyou did not answer. Zhao Xing knew that his ten-year fate with Fan Daoyou could only go this far. To say more would be overstepping.

"Fellow Daoist, I have spoken too much," Zhao Xing bowed and said, "Please don't take it to heart."

"Ten years of cultivation, benefited greatly. I hope there will be a chance to drink and talk happily with you in the future. Take care."

After bowing, Zhao Xing flew into the sky and left the barrier.

Watching Zhao Xing's departing back, Fan Daoyou muttered: "My heart is uneasy, how dare I seek freedom..."

After coming out of the Ice Star Prison, Zhao Xing returned to Coral City. Ai Miaomiao had long since returned, because she had gained nothing in the Ice Star Prison.

She hadn't even entered the door of the Thunder Seed Method, which shows that this spell is not something an ordinary person can easily learn.

"The Thunder Seed Method is complete. Now my Hunyuan World has also reached

5 boundary-origin units, accommodating three thousand sets of troop types. The preparatory work is also almost done."

There were still twenty years left in the stipulated time, but Zhao Xing had already decided to set off immediately.

If the main body doesn't reach outside the pass, many things cannot get on the right track.

For example, if the Great Zhou wants to explore outside the pass, if he, the Sea-Pass Envoy, doesn't reach the destination, his authority won't take effect, and it would be impossible to make things convenient for the Great Zhou.

"It's time to set off."

"The main body is expected to arrive at Jiachen Pass No. 14 in three years and five months."

In the vast starry sky, a boundary boat was traveling at high speed in the void river.

"The Emperor has left the Primordial World? Congratulations, Emperor; the day you return to your peak is one step closer," said the Thousand-Phantom Tree, who had transformed into the appearance of a tender young boy.

Zhao Xing said: "Qianhuan, we had an agreement that you would protect my Dao for five hundred thousand years and then I would set you free. Now I want to set you free early; what do you think?"

The Thousand-Phantom Tree was anxious: "Emperor, how can that be? We agreed on five hundred thousand years, and I've only stayed for four thousand; why are you letting me go?"

Zhao Xing said: "You said back then that your lifespan wasn't long, so I thought, letting you go early would allow you to go and impact the Reincarnation Realm."

The Thousand-Phantom Tree's leaves shook, as if shaking its head: "Emperor, I can live a long time; I can still live for seven eras!"

Seeing the Thousand-Phantom Tree's appearance of desperately clinging to his thigh, Zhao Xing laughed.

"Alright then, you can continue to follow."

"Thank you, Emperor!"

When he first came to the Primordial World, he had nothing. The most valuable thing he had on him was a Life-Death Dao Domain Realm Thousand-Phantom Tree.

Now that the Thousand-Phantom Tree was begging to follow him, Zhao Xing went along with its wish.

Recalling the Thousand-Phantom Tree, Zhao Xing picked up the Star Mirror and took a look, unable to help but sigh: "Trees beg people, and people also beg people."

"My main body just left the Primordial World, and immediately many people have come looking for me."

It's easy to refuse others, but the first communication request Zhao Xing saw was from the Lord of Beihe.

"Zhao Xing, congratulations on becoming a Sea-Pass Envoy," the first sentence after the Lord of Beihe's phantom appeared was to congratulate Zhao Xing.

"Thank you, Lord," Zhao Xing bowed slightly, "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Lord's cultivation."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on the Lord of Beihe's face.

To be honest, Zhao Xing is so famous now that he was very worried Zhao Xing wouldn't give him face, and it might even result in a situation of returning a hundred steamed buns.

If it really came to that, the Lord of Beihe would have no way to deal with it.

However, Zhao Xing's current attitude made him feel slightly relieved.

"Zhao Xing, you have your own ability to be where you are today," the Lord of Beihe said: "I didn't want to disturb you, but the Beihe Army has encountered some trouble, and I can't get away, so I wanted to ask you, this Sea-Pass Envoy, for a favor."