Chapter Thirty-Two: Madness Beyond Reason

“This, this…” Lin Fan was utterly shocked, his heart surging with tidal waves. He had never imagined Prison Heaven harbored such intentions.

“What’s so surprising? Your vision is far too narrow. But that’s no real issue. The world is as vast as your heart dares to imagine. There’s nothing impossible—only things you don’t dare to dream of.”

Prison Heaven gave a cold laugh, clearly dissatisfied with Lin Fan’s reaction.

“Very well, I’ll fight for it. If I succeed, I’ll leap from the carp’s gate to the dragon’s realm.”

Lin Fan forced himself to stay calm, determined to risk it all. Prison Heaven’s words were simply too tempting, few could resist.

“That’s more like it. If you don’t strive, when will you reach the Condensing Veins stage? Know this: only when you step into Condensing Veins does your journey truly begin. I’ll let you in on a secret—if that little fellow hadn’t left just now, you all might have been devoured by someone else.”

Prison Heaven’s tone was mocking; he had already sensed the arrival of the Minotaur Demon.

“What do you mean?” Lin Fan was confused, unable to grasp what had happened.

“A demon at the Celestial Human stage appeared—likely a terrifyingly powerful Minotaur demon. Had you delayed, your lives would have been forfeit.”

Prison Heaven spoke calmly, but to Lin Fan, it was as shocking as a bolt from the blue.

The strength of a Minotaur demon at the Celestial Human stage was common knowledge—even among the senior ranks of the Heaven Capital Sect, few could match such a foe. Meeting one meant certain death.

“What about the people of Greenwood City? Humans and demons are sworn enemies—if they cross paths…”

Lin Fan did not finish, but he already guessed the outcome.

“You can barely protect yourself—do you wish to play the benevolent hero? Human strength has its limits. Unless you step into the Celestial Human stage and return to save them, stow away your childish pity. Only strength enables you to help others.”

Prison Heaven snorted coldly, his voice icy and devoid of emotion.

Lin Fan shook his head. In truth, he understood Prison Heaven’s words all too well. In the end, he sighed helplessly, lamenting the chaotic times.

At that moment, the Ghost Domain elder began to slow down. In the distance, a towering mountain appeared. Lin Fan pondered—the place was about a hundred miles from Greenwood City.

“Boy, if you have any final wishes, I might be able to grant them.”

The Ghost Domain elder’s voice was razor-sharp, like a blade slicing through the air, chilling to the bone.

“I wish you would die.”

Playing his part to perfection, Lin Fan had already devised a plan, but he could not let the Ghost Domain elder see through him.

“Haha, don’t even dream of it. Not only will I live, I will thrive—and even step into the second level of the Condensing Veins stage.”

The elder paid Lin Fan no mind. He halted, landing on a flat patch atop the mountain.

Without any visible action, a massive cave appeared before Lin Fan. The elder gave a wicked smile, then strode into the cave.

A rush of heat hit Lin Fan, making him shudder violently. It felt as if some enormous furnace in the depths was roasting the entire cavern.

Besides the heat, the cave reeked with a powerful stench of blood—only the carnage of mountains of corpses and seas of blood could produce such an odor. A few bodies could never account for it.

“What is this place?” Lin Fan was disgusted. If his guess was correct, nearly all the cultivators from Greenwood City had been captured here by the Ghost Domain, and most likely slaughtered with none surviving.

“This is my secret stronghold—not even the Ghost Prince knows of it. Perhaps you’ve already deduced it: all the cultivators from Greenwood City, as well as those left behind by the Ghost Domain, save for myself and that previous fellow, are here. Don’t be impatient; you’ll see them soon enough.”

The elder’s voice was eerie and chilling.

Suddenly, Lin Fan froze, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Before him lay a vast pool, about thirty feet long and twenty feet wide, its depth unfathomable. Ordinarily, a pool would be nothing remarkable, but Lin Fan was overcome with a nameless revulsion, nearly unable to keep from vomiting.

The enormous pool brimmed with crimson liquid, gleaming faintly—blood, and not just any blood, but that of cultivators. The nauseating stench was emanating from here.

Above the blood pool floated severed arms, legs, and heads—countless faces twisted in terror still fresh, proof they had died only recently. Otherwise, they would have long decayed to bone.

What is cruelty? This is cruelty! What is madness? This is madness!

A surge of unprecedented fury filled Lin Fan’s heart; he felt he might explode. How could such a cruel being exist in the world? So many lives snuffed out, their bodies hacked to pieces.

“You seem quite angry.”

The Ghost Domain elder made a curious noise, surprised by Lin Fan’s expression.

“What grudge did these people bear against you? Why kill them?”

Lin Fan turned to the elder, his demeanor calm, betraying nothing of his thoughts.

“Haha, I don’t know what to say to you. Just because they hold no grudge against me, should I spare them? Heaven and earth are impartial, treating myriad creatures as straw dogs; the sage is impartial, treating the people as straw dogs. I am one who has reached the Condensing Veins stage—why not slaughter a few ants for my own advancement? Am I not worth more than these ants? Truly laughable.”

The elder sneered and continued.

“I wish to refine their blood and flesh to break through. Their remains alone are insufficient—I need a catalyst: either the blood and flesh of someone at the Condensing Veins stage, or a prodigy with extraordinary talent. I had already given up, but you happened to appear. What luck!”

At this, the elder burst into laughter, his whole body trembling.

“No need to mourn the dead—you’ll join them soon enough, haha!”

The elder waved his hands, and a three-legged cauldron flew forth, its bronze body glowing with an eerie light—a treasure!

Before Lin Fan’s amazed eyes, the cauldron’s lid was lifted, unleashing a terrifying suction. The distant blood pool quaked, then poured entirely into the cauldron.

“You’re next! I wonder what effects refining you into a pill will yield—I can hardly wait. Let me offer you some advice: the world is treacherous, survival is uncertain, and chaos reigns. Only by safeguarding oneself can one endure. But it’s a pity—you have no future.”

With a sweep of his hand, Lin Fan was lifted bodily and flung into the cauldron. The lid slammed shut, and the cauldron hovered in midair, humming with resonance.

The elder’s face was radiant with excitement. He began to weave divine sigils with his hands, and soon the cauldron spun in place, shrouded in dazzling radiance. A fragrant aroma drifted through the air.