[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s":3,"chapter-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-231":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Immortal Through Martial Path, I Who Cannot Die Shall Ultimately Be Invincible",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2325449,4549,"Chapter 231: Tianlaomiao Has Its Own Rules","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-231",231,"\u003Cp>The fugitive surnamed Zhang registered his name as Zhang Daohe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the name is real or fake doesn’t matter; what matters is that he is Zhang Daohe, and Zhang Daohe is him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou took on this hot potato and was in a foul mood. But Shi Hong, that smug bastard, swaggered over to mock him. Chen Guanlou wouldn’t tolerate it—he pulled out his debt-collection tactic: “Hong Tou, before you clock out today, make sure you hand over the money. Otherwise, I’ll report you to Officer Niu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Hong’s face darkened instantly. “Chen Tou, what are you implying? Everyone else can owe money, but not me, is that it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou looked at him with a half-smile. “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. Got a problem with it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you going to say? If I don’t see the money before you clock out, you explain it yourself to Officer Niu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Hong’s cell block was full of bad debts. Rumor had it he ran private businesses and embezzled public funds. As long as Shi Hong didn’t provoke him, Chen Guanlou would happily turn a blind eye. But apparently, too much leniency had gone to his head. If so, then no more leniency. Otherwise, everyone would start pushing their luck, thinking he was an easy target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped past Shi Hong, he could even see the anger puffing from his nostrils. Wanting to laugh at him? First weigh your own worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ordered the jailers: “Lock the prisoner in the innermost cell. Isolate him from all other inmates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jin asked: “The innermost cell hasn’t been occupied in ages. It’s so cold this weather…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think he’ll die? Don’t worry—he won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A second-rank martial cultivator doesn’t die so easily. Besides, Chen Guanlou could tell Zhang Daohe had no intention of dying—he wanted a heroic martyrdom, to be executed publicly and preach his doctrine and faith before the masses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So insane!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So deranged!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After locking the prisoner away, everyone sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou stood before the cell door and said solemnly: “I don’t care who you were or what you did before. Now you’re in Tianlaomiao, you follow Tianlaomiao’s rules. My rule is simple: obey. Disobey, and I’ll make you wish you were dead. Also, by regulation, six hundred taels—no less, no more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Daohe had initially dismissed Chen Guanlou, but upon hearing the demand for silver, his expression flickered slightly. “I have no money. But I can give you an address—you go collect it yourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou laughed. “Fine. Give me the address.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was Zhang Daohe’s turn to hesitate. The other’s agreement came too easily. He must know Zhang Daohe was a White Lotus follower—the address would likely connect to the sect. Why agree so fast? Was he trying to extract White Lotus hideouts from him, hoping to earn merit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Daohe snorted coldly. “A lowly jailer dares to take on arrest duties? How presumptuous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou sneered. “Zhang Daohe, the Six Ministries care about your White Lotus status—I don’t. Whether you’re a cultist or not, if you don’t pay, you go hungry three times a day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you starve me to death, how will you explain it to your superiors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou burst out laughing. “Zhang Daohe, don’t you understand your situation yet? This is Tianlaomiao. One or two deaths here mean nothing. Ask around—how many inmates die every month? So you’re White Lotus? In Tianlaomiao, everyone’s treated the same!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The most deserving of death are corrupt officials. Next come jailers like you—greedy, wicked, and vile. This truth is undeniable. You extort me today—do you fear I’ll have my followers cut off your head tonight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re threatening me?” Chen Guanlou laughed. “Even third-rank officials who enter Tianlaomiao dare not speak to us jailers like this. How bold you are!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the man—fascinating. He looked like a common street thug, yet his words and bearing clearly belonged to someone long accustomed to power, flattery, and unable to bear dissent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Zhang Daohe isn’t a high-ranking White Lotus leader, I’ll gouge out my own eyes and eat them for dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Six Ministries’ elite clearly misjudged him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t believe you’d dare kill me,” Zhang Daohe said confidently, proud of his White Lotus status. He knew the Six Ministries needed him alive to claim merit—he wouldn’t die. As long as he lived, there was still a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou chuckled. He wouldn’t let Zhang Daohe die—he’d make him wish he were dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, starve him for a few days. Then, send someone from the torture chamber to apply a little “encouragement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he doesn’t enter the torture chamber, as long as no blood is spilled, the Six Ministries have no grounds to complain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short: Tianlaomiao has its own rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Fugui offered advice: “Chen Tou, why not have the medic prescribe something like Softening Powder, then slip in a few ruffians? One night’s work, and Zhang will beg to pay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of people did he have under him? How could they even think of such a scheme?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his hand. “We follow the righteous path. No crooked ways. No back alleys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Fugui scratched his head. “Chen Tou, what’s the righteous path?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianlaomiao has no righteous path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou fell silent, at a loss for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He covered his face, reflected for three seconds, then returned to normal and waved his hand. “Enough talk. Get back to work. Have the laborers pick out two ragged quilts and send them to Zhang. Even if he’s going to freeze, let him wait ten days or more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Fugui ran off. Xiao Jin came up again, nagging: “Chen Tou, cultists are already a hot potato, and now we get no money—this is pure wasted labor. The Six Ministries ordered us to watch him closely. What counts as ‘closely’? Feed him well, but that costs money. The kitchen crew won’t cooperate unless they see silver. How do we handle this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using public funds to subsidize him? Everyone would resent it. The remaining public funds are saved for year-end bonuses. That’s everyone’s money. Spending it on Zhang Daohe is like stealing their bonuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Robbing someone of their money is like killing their parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jailers were seething with resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Six Ministries arresting White Lotus cultists? Pure meddling. That’s the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s job—why are they stealing it? Even if they claim credit later, it has nothing to do with us jailers. We still have to pay to care for the prisoner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how you calculate it, it’s a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the jailers, the White Lotus cultist looked more repulsive by the minute. Better to lock up a few corrupt officials—they cooperate, pay quickly, cause less trouble, and no one tries to break them out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The White Lotus cultist had nothing—except a stubborn mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse, no one knew how long he’d be held. The Six Ministries gave no timeline. Said it was for bait—but what if this “fishing” lasts a year or more? Tianlaomiao would go bankrupt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least set a deadline. Then we could grit our teeth and endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou glared at Xiao Jin. “Why so many complaints? You’ve only had full meals for a few days, and already you’re refusing this and that. Manage your men. As for the money—I’ll find a way. I won’t touch the public funds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jin immediately relaxed—he’d been waiting for that exact sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grinned broadly. “I knew Chen Tou’s wit was unmatched—you’d find a solution. Everyone was overthinking, underestimating you. It’s just silver, right? A few rounds of ‘packages’ down the line, and I bet Zhang Daohe won’t dare refuse to pay. The White Lotus’s reputation for amassing wealth? Even I’ve heard of it in Tianlaomiao.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1298,"2026-06-20T17:39:59.050Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","65ba75a1b9c9507844058406e5a5c4f684c7d7b830155f43aca936d449d8b250","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-232","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-230",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-cover.jpg"]