Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Transmigrated into a Prison Guard! Purification Tripod
’I can’t believe it. I was eating hotpot and singing, and just like that, I transmigrated.’
Su Bai stared at his reflection in the mirror, his expression dazed.
He looked to be about seventeen, with red lips and white teeth—the very image of a handsome youth.
The key thing was, he was even a little handsome.
But he was wearing a black, flat-topped cap and a coarse, long robe of black and red.
He wore black trousers, tall boots, and a Token at his waist.
Carved onto the Token was a distinct "D."
And tattooed on his chest was a large character: "Prison"!
This was the classic image of an ancient Prison Guard!
’Great Xia Dynasty... Prison Guard... Hiss...’
Su Bai rubbed his throbbing temples.
Fragmented memories surfaced in his mind.
As he struggled to process the memories, he gradually came to understand his situation.
He was now in the Great Xia Dynasty.
The Great Xia Dynasty’s territory was vast and boundless.
And his current identity was a D-level Prison Guard in the Great Xia Prison.
This was because his predecessor, a fellow also named Su Bai, had taken on a godfather.
That godfather was a Prison Chief, so he had gotten by pretty well in the prison.
In the Great Xia Prison, a Prison Guard’s status wasn’t high, but it was a stable job.
It came with a fixed income, considered a good ’iron rice bowl’!
But strangely, that Prison Chief godfather had died a horrible death in the prison not long ago!
To this day, there was still no official explanation for the incident.
What made Su Bai even more restless and uneasy was that something was very wrong with this world!
In this world, Martial Artists fought amongst themselves, and Demon Fiends ran rampant, wreaking havoc!
’In my predecessor’s memories, over a dozen Prison Guards have died in the prison in the last two years alone...’
’There are even rumors that six years ago, a Great Elder from a Demon Sect with profound cultivation came to storm the prison...’
’That year, blood and bone nearly flooded the entire prison...’
Su Bai had only briefly reviewed the memories in his mind, but his face had already turned pale!
Such a magical, terrifying world!
He was just an ordinary person, unremarkable, with no Martial Arts Cultivation whatsoever.
How was he supposed to survive?
And even if he were lucky enough to avoid these major disasters,
the Great Xia Prison constantly held dangerous criminals, Demon Fiends, and all sorts of bloodthirsty Demons.
Could anyone feel safe spending year after year with creatures like these?
Moreover, the prison environment was abysmal. It was permeated by a murderous aura, haunted by demonic energy that disturbed the Heart Spirit, and choked with damp, oppressive yin energy!
’Staying in this kind of environment for too long, without powerful Cultivation to protect you, you wouldn’t last for long...’
’I remember hearing that many Prison Guards retire in their twenties... or early thirties!’
’A few years later, they die of illness!’
One of his former colleagues was a prime example.
The man was a bit older than him, in his late twenties.
He had worked in the prison for nearly eight years, always diligent and cautious, and had survived many great calamities.
He had planned to work for another two years, save up some money, and then retire. But...
Due to prolonged exposure to the demonic energy, his body was severely drained, his foundation was greatly damaged, and he had become frail and weak.
Three months ago, the man fell ill and never recovered.
In the end, he breathed his last!
I heard he had a cousin, but she had unfortunately married someone far away long ago.
When he died, there was no one to even collect his body!
It was Su Bai who arranged his funeral.
It wasn’t that Su Bai was particularly kind-hearted; it was because Su Bai was also alone in the world.
Seeing his old colleague’s miserable death, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared sorrow, like a fox mourning a rabbit.
’My predecessor was originally a refugee who had fled disaster. His body was already weak, but because he was reasonably good-looking, he was taken a fancy to by that ’godfather of convenience’ and recruited as a Prison Guard.’
’But over the past two years, under the assault of the demonic energy, his body has grown weaker and weaker...’
’Last night, he died of illness in his sleep, and I got to take his place.’
Su Bai muttered to himself, his brow furrowed as he stared at this body.
’This body already has a poor constitution. If I keep this job for a few more years, I probably won’t even make it to retirement...’
’I’ll just end up dead!’
At this, Su Bai finally understood.
He understood why being a Prison Guard was an ’iron rice bowl’!
A profession this arduous, one where you constantly face life-and-death trials.
How many people would be willing to do it?
This ’rice bowl’, how could it not be f*cking ’iron’?
Thinking of this, Su Bai’s heart sank.
With his memories from his past life, the thought of quitting on the spot and running for the hills flashed through his mind.
But it was just a thought. If he really did that,
it would be like lighting a lamp in the outhouse—courting death!
In this era, the Emperor of Great Xia held absolute authority; his power was boundless. For a job assigned by him,
you had to do it, whether you wanted to or not!
Quit your post today, and you’ll be in a cell tomorrow.
The day after that, people would be attending your funeral feast!
This was a dark joke they told amongst the Prison Guards in private.
’Quitting is definitely not an option. In that case...’
Su Bai’s mind raced, and he sighed in realization.
’The only way is to practice martial arts and strengthen my body!’
Cultivate the Martial Dao! Strengthen my Physique!
That way, I can naturally extend my lifespan.
And cultivating the Martial Dao can also suppress the evil energy and protect my body.
’My ’godfather of convenience’ once said,’
’that if your Martial Arts Cultivation reaches a certain level, you can become immune to evil energy and impervious to all illnesses!’
’Living for over a century would also be a simple matter.’
’Besides, if I have strength, I’ll have a chance of survival even if chaos breaks out in the prison in the future.’
But at this thought, Su Bai could only smile bitterly.
Cultivating the Martial Dao was easier said than done.
He was just a lowly Prison Guard; he had almost no opportunity to even come into contact with the Martial Dao.
On top of that, he had an Innate deficiency and a weak constitution. His foundation was poor to begin with, giving him even less of a chance to cultivate the Martial Dao.
’When first starting to cultivate the Martial Dao, unless you’re a genius, you need a teacher to guide you...’
’But I’m just a Prison Guard with no backing. What master of the Martial Dao would stoop to coming to a prison to teach a mere guard?’
Su Bai let out a self-deprecating laugh and hung his head with a sigh.
BANG!
Just as Su Bai’s Heart Spirit was fraught with worry,
the iron door to his quarters was shoved open!
Seeing the person who entered, Su Bai finally remembered.
It was time for assembly, and he was supposed to be there!
The man was about thirty years old and wore a Prison Guard uniform of better quality than Su Bai’s.
A bright Level A Token hung from his waist. He was powerfully built, with a square jaw and a solemn expression.
"Uncle Da!"
Su Bai didn’t show any fear; instead, he called out with a degree of familiarity.
Uncle Da, whose real name was Li Da, had been a subordinate of his ’godfather of convenience’.
Since joining the prison, Su Bai had always worked under Li Da.
"I saw you were late for assembly, so I came to check on you."
"If there’s nothing wrong, hurry up and get to the assembly!"
Li Da glanced at him and urged him on.
The new Prison Chief was here today; they couldn’t afford to be careless.
Su Bai quickly followed Li Da out the door.
The two of them walked down a dark, damp corridor.
Su Bai’s boots splashed in the blackish-red, somewhat foul-smelling puddles on the ground.
SPLASH! SPLASH!
A short while later.
Su Bai followed Li Da to the assembly area.
The new Prison Chief didn’t make things difficult for the guards who arrived late.
He also understood how hard the Prison Guards’ work was.
But the day’s tasks still had to be assigned.
A man in a blue robe stood beside him, holding a brown book in his right hand.
After the roll call, the new Prison Chief began assigning tasks in an orderly fashion.
"Li Da!"
Soon after, the somewhat portly new Prison Chief rubbed his eyes.
He personally walked over to Li Da and gave him his assignment.
Once the task was assigned, Li Da led Su Bai away to complete their duties for the day.
The two arrived at a rather remote iron chamber.
The chamber’s interior was covered in dark red stains and mottled with rust.
It was an abandoned cell.
Li Da told Su Bai to wait in the cell while he went to take care of something.
A few moments later, Li Da returned.
He was carrying a heavily wounded, near-death prisoner dressed in a blood-soaked uniform.
This man was dragged in by Li Da.
He was casually tossed at Su Bai’s feet!
’Tsk... This is just too brutal!’
By the light of the wall torch, Su Bai could clearly see the man’s horrific state.
His four limbs had been severed, his eyes had been gouged out, his tongue had been cut, and his ears were gone. Even his crotch was a mangled mess.
There wasn’t a single uninjured spot on his entire body!
"Here."
"Take this man to Cell Block C, number thirteen."
Li Da tossed a rust-stained Copper Key to Su Bai and gave his order.
Drawing on his predecessor’s memories, Su Bai knew the routine well.
He lifted the dying prisoner.
A nauseating, coppery stench assaulted his nostrils!
Forcing down his nausea, Su Bai gripped the prisoner’s shoulder!
He began to drag him forward.
On the way.
Su Bai was suddenly struck by a powerful wave of dizziness.
And then.
A Black Tripod, wrapped in crimson iron chains!
Appeared before his eyes!
