Chapter 348: Where Geniuses Are Imprisoned
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Mo Wuji placed the full moon key into the red full moon gate’s keyhole. A light, crisp sound rang, and the red full moon gate started to open automatically. Before the full moon key could fall on the ground, Mo Wuji grabbed it in his hand.
In front of him, was a small courtyard, and in the center of the courtyard was a small patch of land. However, there weren't any forms of spiritual plants growing on that land; that land seemed to have been barren and wasted for a long time. In the center of the barren land, was a stone path, the stone path led to a pavilion, behind the pavilion was a house.
Mo Wuji was just about to go take a look when suddenly the door closed behind him. Seeing that there was still the full moon shaped keyhole, Mo Wuji did not care too much about it. He could just open the gate again later.
Mo Wuji walked across the stone path and arrived at the pavilion. After entering the pavilion, Mo Wuji discovered that there was a corpse lying at the side.
This was different from those prison cells where the corpses had disappeared; this corpse was actually considered quite complete. Its skeleton still emitted a slight gold luster. Clearly, this corpse’s cultivation was not simple. It might actually have been an Earthly Immortal expert.
Mo Wuji bent down and examined the corpse carefully. The corpse didn't have any sort of storage ring or treasure.
Cautiously turning the corpse over, Mo Wuji discovered that the bones at the back of the corpse had turned black. It seems like the person had been back stabbed, and he had been stabbed with a poisoned knife.
Circumventing the corpse, Mo Wuji walked into the house.
Compared to the stone houses in the other prison cells, this house was much bigger. It looked like there were two room, and there was even a guest reception room.
In the center of the guest reception room, there was a tea table. On the tea table, there was a teapot and some jade cups. From the looks of it, Mo Wuji could tell that they have been displayed there and had not been touched for many years.
The first room was unlatched. Mo Wuji swept his spiritual will inwards and found that there was another corpse within.
Ascertaining that there wasn't any form of danger, Mo Wuji swiftly opened the door and went on. Indeed, there was a corpse behind the door. This corpse was facing downwards. The silk brocade clothing on him had yet to decay. In his hand, was a brush, but the brush had gone dry and the brush tips had already fallen off.
Once again, Mo Wuji flipped the corpse around. At the center of the corpse's forehead, was an entire patch of black. Ostensibly, this person had died under the same hands as the person outside, and they had died under the same poison.
The brush in this person's hand was actually an actual writing brush, and not some sort of magic treasure. Moreover, seeing that his fatal wound was actually at his forehead, it meant that this person wasn't guarding against the person who was right in front of him.
To be without guard, there were two possibilities. One, the two had an extremely close relationship, so this person trusted the other. Two, the difference in their statuses was extremely wide, so in this person's eyes, the other wouldn't even dare to kill him.
It was exactly the same as the previous corpse; this fella didn't have a ring on him.
Mo Wuji was a little speechless, and started to search more detailedly. If the two rings were still here, there might have been precious treasures which are better than what's found in an Earthly Immortal's ring.
Mo Wuji started to size up the room. The room was roughly the area of 20 squares. At all four sides, there were many books; these books were arranged very neatly.
At one angle of the room, there was a writing table. On the writing table, there were some manuscripts. By the side of the manuscripts, was a set of shackles. Mo Wuji slowly walked over; he was worried that these manuscripts were too old, and even a slight breeze would cause them to crumble.
Mo Wuji slowly approached the manuscripts and pinched it with his hands. He found that these paper was made from some unknown material, it was actually extremely tough, and it did not show any traces of erosion from time.
Could a prisoner have been brought in here? Then that prisoner suddenly erupted and killed the prison warden?
This possibility was highly likely, but Mo Wuji felt that it should not be the case. Even if the prisoner had been brought in here, the prison warden should not have completely let down his alertness, and allow that person to stab him right in the forehead.
Mo Wuji picked up the topmost paper. On it, was a simple poem. It could be seen that this warden was a poem enthusiast.
The second and third pieces of paper, on the other hand, were filled with some messy drawings. Mo Wuji wasn't able to discern them.
Placing these papers down, Mo Wuji bent down and picked up a piece of paper from the floor. Mo Wuji was instantly engrossed with its contents.
"Meng Yinsan, Red Lightning Star earth-type cultivator. Yong Ying 845 Calendar, Year 3111, 14th day of the 6th month, ascended to the Heavenly Immortal Stage. On the same day, he entered Yong Ying’s 11th Prison, Half Moon Prison Room 31.
Honest personality; Five Star Genius. Ever since he started cultivation, he took 196 years to ascend to the Heavenly Immortal Stage.
During his time in Half Moon Prison, Meng Yinsan performed extremely well. He was well-behaved and not rebellious. On Yong Ying 845 Calendar, Year 3224, 2nd day of the 7th month, he formed a blood oath, forever willing…"
The writing abruptly stopped here. Thereafter, something sudden seemed to have taken place.
Mo Wuji held the paper in his hand, and looked towards the table and position of the seats. Instantly, the scene of the murder appeared in his mind. The warden was sitting on the chair, while Meng Yinsan was sitting across the table.
It seems like Meng Yinsan was a good actor. He had promised to swear a blood oath to pledge his loyalty to this allegiance, so this prison warden was extremely trusting of Meng Yinsan. He even helped Meng Yinsan open the shackles, and casually left the shackles on the table. At the same time, he record down the information.
Just as this warden was recording down Meng Yinsan’s information, Meng Yinsan suddenly attacked and killed this warden.
Perhaps the actual process was much more complicated than his conjecture, but Mo Wuji’s understanding of this Half Moon Prison seemed to have deepened.
Firstly, to be locked in this Half Moon Prison, one must first be an extreme genius. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have qualified to be locked in here. As for what Meng Yinsan’s classification of "Five Star Genius", Mo Wuji wasn’t very clear. But if that fella could ascend into the Heavenly Immortal Stage in over 190 days, he definitely wasn’t a simple fella.
Under the watchful eye of the Half Moon Prison Warden, he honestly stayed for 100 over years, before he made this sudden strike. One could see how tolerant he was. As for that record of his honest personality, Mo Wuji did not believe a half bit of it. Meng Yinsan could be so tolerant, then suddenly made a move to kill the prison warden; how was he an honest person?
Moreover, if this Half Moon Prison Warden was in charge of all these geniuses, he wouldn’t be any worse himself. This Meng Yinsan must have spent the 100 over years he spent here to secretly practise and bide his time. Thereafter, he made use of the time when he was about to pledge his blood oath to suddenly erupt.
Who was the owner of this Half Moon Prison? To actually lock up so many Heavenly Immortal geniuses. What about Heavenly Immortals who weren’t geniuses?
Mo Wuji thought about the broken void that Xu Chihuang mentioned previously. Perhaps that might have been what happened when an Earthly Immortal ascended to a Heavenly Immortal.
If that was the case, then after one became a Heavenly Immortal and entered the broken void, he would be welcomed by the Half Moon Prison. No, that’s not right. The Half Moon Prison was just one of the many prisons. Moreover, to enter into Half Moon Prison, one must first be an exceptional genius.
Mo Wuji walked to one of the books by the side and casually flipped to the first page. "Liu Chengyi, Ring Abyss Star metal-type cultivator, Six Star Genius. Yong Ying 844 Calendar, Year 8721, 21th day of the 11th month, ascended to the Heavenly Immortal Stage. On the same day, he entered Yong Ying’s 11th Prison, Half Moon Prison Room 19. Stubborn personality…" The back was further detailed information on Liu Changyi, even what cultivation technique he used was recorded within.
Placing this book down, Mo Wuji fetched a second book. The contents on the first page was around the same. "Jin Dai, Clear Mill Star water-type cultivator, Five Star Genius. Yong Ying 845 Calendar, Year 321, 13th day of the 1st month ascended to the Heavenly Immortal Stage. On the same day, he entered Yong Ying’s 11th Prison. He didn’t express any words of joy. On the same year, the 24th day of the 9th month, he died…"
Mo Wuji continued to flip through ten over books; they were all of similar records. If the cultivator died early, then the book would be thinner. If the cultivator died after a long time, the book would be thicker.
There were so many of such books. Clearly, many people had perished here.
"Ye Li, Earth Star wood-type cultivator, Four Star Genius. Yong Ying 844 Calendar, Year 7690, 3rd day of the 4th month ascended into the Heavenly Immortal Stage. On the same day, he entered Yong Ying’s 11th Prison, Half Moon Prison Room 13. Mischievous personality…"
When Mo Wuji saw this page, his heart started racing. Could this Earth Star be Earth? Unfortunately, the later pages recorded what happened to Ye Li within Half Moon Prison, and didn’t touch anything about Earth. Mo Wuji also guessed that it might not be Earth. On Earth, spiritual energy was sparse. It was hard to cultivate even with a cultivation technique, much less ascend through the void.
Even though these books weren’t treasures, Mo Wuji still lifted his hand and swept everything into his storage ring. There were many detailed contents which he still wanted to slowly see when he had the time.
Mo Wuji then kept the shackles before leaving this room and entering the next one.
Just as Mo Wuji reached the entrance of the other room, a dazzling white light shone from within. At this instant, Mo Wuji discovered that this room was actually the central hub. Mo Wuji was knowledgeable on arrays, and from that light, he knew that someone was actually refining this place.
Ostensibly, this Half Moon Prison was a magic treasure. It was probably a treasure which even exceeded supreme-grade spiritual equipment. Unfortunately, the place to refine the Half Moon Prison wasn’t here. He also didn’t know who was the fella with the f*cking luck to actually find the place to refine the Half Moon Prison.
No matter who it was, it wasn’t his friend. The moment that person refines the Half Moon Prison, then he would be screwed. The first thing Mo Wuji did was to immediately flee.
However, he immediately recalled that if he leaves Half Moon Prison now, he would be sending himself to his death.
Luckily, Mo Wuji understood arrays and runes, and from the central hub of the Half Moon Prison, he could understand a few of its rules. Even though he could not stop the refinement of the Half Moon Prison, he could spread this information to everyone else here.
There were so many people here, and refining the Half Moon Prison wasn’t something that could be done within one to two days. If that fella that was secretly refining the Half Moon Prison gets discovered, that fella would be screwed.