The elevator platform descended steadily into the depths until it finally came to a halt at the lowest level of the Shackling Prison. The instant the doors parted, an overwhelming wave of deathly silence and bone-chilling dampness washed over them. It was the kind of ancient cold that had lingered untouched for thousands of years, heavy and oppressive, as though the very air itself carried the weight of forgotten sins and sealed-away horrors.
Through the surveillance feeds, Kanzaki finally laid eyes upon the figure that existed only in the forbidden histories of the Xianzhou. This was no longer a man. What crouched in the center of the dimly lit cell was a grotesque, mutated mass of flesh, a being that had long since abandoned any trace of humanity.
Several pairs of withered, membranous wings drooped lifelessly from its back, reduced to nothing more than tattered remnants clinging to exposed skeletal frames. Sharp, forest-white bone spurs jutted out chaotically from every joint, piercing through the skin in a nightmarish tangle. Long strands of hair, dry and brittle like withered grass, covered most of its body, giving it the eerie appearance of an algal fossil that had been submerged in eternal darkness for millennia. The sheer suffocating aura radiating from the creature made the air feel thick and difficult to breathe.
Kanzaki withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Teng Xiao beside him. The former general's expression was grave. With a slight nod, Teng Xiao stepped toward the console and began inputting dozens of complex secret codes in swift succession. A series of heavy, dull mechanical clicks echoed through the chamber as every audio surveillance device monitoring the area was systematically shut down. Then, with a low groan, the massive cell door slowly swung open.
Kanzaki stepped inside without hesitation. The moment he crossed the threshold, the heavy door sealed shut behind him, cutting off all connection with the outside world. Inside the dimly lit cell, there was only him and the monstrous prisoner.
He wasted no time on pointless pleasantries. His voice rang out clearly in the empty space.
"I have a patient who has been in a coma for several years now. Her vital signs continue to weaken at a strangely steady rate."
There was no response. The lump of flesh remained completely motionless, as if it were nothing more than an inanimate object.
Kanzaki's expression did not change in the slightest. He continued calmly.
"The inner organ within her body is constantly plundering her physical energy just to sustain its own vitality… much like an Abomination of Abundance parasitizing its host and endlessly draining away the seven emotions and six desires."
He paused for a moment before asking directly.
"You, who once held the title of Ghost Doctor of the Xianzhou, surely know the root cause of this condition?"
One minute passed. Then two. Kanzaki waited patiently, his face expressionless, as though he were certain the other party would eventually respond.
Outside the cell, Teng Xiao and a group of Judges watched the surveillance feeds with rapt attention. They dared not miss even the slightest movement. For thousands of years, no one within the Alliance had ever held a conversation with a Primus Immortus. Although Kanzaki carried the Marshal's protection, they still had to ensure that nothing unexpected occurred.
After what felt like an eternity, a harsh, tooth-aching grinding sound suddenly filled the cell—the sound of bone scraping against the cold floor.
The Primus Immortus moved.
From beneath the tangled mess of hair, a pair of cloudy yet strangely piercing eyes slowly opened. Upon closer inspection, the right eye contained three pupils while the left held two. It was a sight that sent an instinctive chill down the spine.
The Primus Immortus did not speak right away. Instead, he scrutinized Kanzaki from head to toe in a brazen, appraising manner, as if examining a rare and valuable specimen. His gaze felt like hooks attempting to peel away skin and peer directly into the soul.
"Tsk, tsk tsk…"
A dry, hoarse voice finally broke the silence.
"The people of the Xianzhou all call me a madman. Yet I never expected the juniors of this era to be just as insane as I am."
The Primus Immortus let out a low, eerie laugh, causing the bone spurs along his back to tremble slightly.
"Forcibly seizing a forbidden object and embedding it into a mortal body… To think you can still stand here without being dragged away by those old traditionalists to be thrown into an alchemy furnace. How interesting."
Kanzaki remained completely expressionless, choosing to ignore the provocation entirely.
Finding the lack of reaction dull, the Primus Immortus stopped laughing and spoke indifferently.
"That is a Heavenly Deficiency known as Dan-deficiency. Once it has entered an irreversible stage of depletion, it will naturally begin consuming the host's physical energy to maintain its own vitality and ensure survival."
"Could you explain it in more detail?"
"Hehehe… I see you have mastered the ancient acupuncture techniques of the Xianzhou. Your attainments in the field must run quite deep. Even if you do not know the exact details, you should already have some conjectures of your own."
"I would still like to hear the full explanation."
The three pupils in the Primus Immortus's right eye shifted slightly. The corners of his withered mouth curled upward into a faint arc as he continued.
"I have only encountered one such case before. Dan-deficiency is a Heavenly Deficiency that afflicts a very small number of Xianzhou Long-lived Species from birth."
"A flawless inner organ will continuously supply the energy of immortality. However, a heaven-deficient inner organ is fundamentally different…"
"If we compare a flawless inner organ to a precious jade flask… where even a single remaining drop of nectar can be nurtured and regenerated endlessly, never running dry…"
"Then a heaven-deficient inner organ is a jade flask that, from the moment of birth, contains only a fixed amount of nectar."
"Once that nectar is completely consumed, it naturally requires something else to replenish it."
As these words sank in, Kanzaki's gaze gradually turned ice-cold. His fists clenched tightly, knuckles cracking audibly. So… the true culprit behind Jingliu's prolonged coma was actually him. No wonder her father, Yu Huai, had always remarked that Jingliu possessed a frail constitution. It had been a warning sign… an alarm triggered by her body being pushed far beyond its limits for far too long. What was being squandered so recklessly in the present would eventually have to be repaid in full.
Noticing the shift in Kanzaki's reaction, a flash of realization appeared in the Primus Immortus's cloudy eyes.
"Generally speaking, even with a heaven-deficient inner organ, it should still provide a Xianzhou Long-lived Species with roughly a thousand years of energy."
"Only a prolonged state of extreme overexertion will trigger the symptoms of Dan-deficiency. Under normal circumstances, it would have little to no impact on daily life."
"However, because of the mara, very few individuals ever manage to cross that thousand-year threshold. A rare condition like Dan-deficiency truly occurs in only one out of ten billion people… and that is no exaggeration."
"Should I say your luck is exceptionally good… or ridiculously bad? Tsk…"
"How can it be radically cured?" Kanzaki asked, completely ignoring the mockery.
"Why ask me for the answer?"
The Primus Immortus smiled lazily. His cloudy gaze peered at Kanzaki through the messy strands of hair, the corners of his mouth curving into a meaningful arc.
"You are someone who has dabbled in the forbidden arts. Surely, you can think of a radical cure yourself… can't you?"
"I look forward to the choice you will make… and even more so to whether you will end up becoming my cellmate here in the not-too-distant future."
Kanzaki remained silent. His fingers moved slightly as a jar of wine materialized in his hand.
"The title of Ghost Doctor is well-deserved. I hope you enjoy this jar of Worry-forgetting Plum Blossom Brew."
He tossed the wine jar toward the Primus Immortus, then glanced toward the surveillance camera, signaling for the cell door to be opened.
"Hahaha! Good wine! A fine Worry-forgetting, and a fine junior indeed. I look forward more and more to seeing your ultimate fate."
The Primus Immortus's loud laughter echoed throughout the cell.
Just as Kanzaki was about to leave, he paused mid-step and turned his head slightly.
"Before that day comes… if there is any leeway, I will have someone inform you."
"I can sleep for eons… There are many things I lack, but time is the one thing I have in abundance."
The heavy cell door closed completely once more, as though it had never been opened.
The entire conversation between the two had naturally been overheard by everyone waiting outside.
Kanzaki had actually brought a jar of wine for the Primus Immortus?
The onlookers could not understand the Marshal's deeper intentions. Could it be that these two were old acquaintances?
As for the Primus Immortus's ominous words about looking forward to Kanzaki's final end, most simply dismissed them as the ramblings of a madman and paid them little mind.
After all, the final end for any person of the Xianzhou was limited to only a handful of possibilities.
Kanzaki did not linger. He quickly departed from the Shackling Prison together with Teng Xiao.
"When will you be leaving the Luofu?" Teng Xiao asked as they stood above the Scalegorge Waterscape.
"Now," Kanzaki replied.
"Is it truly that urgent? I am the Luofu General now, after all. When old friends meet, won't you at least give me the chance to show some proper hospitality?"
"Very well. But Teng Xiao, there is something I need to ask of you."
"Go ahead."
"You heard everything just now. In the future… on the day I die, please inform the Primus Immortus of exactly how I met my end."
"The reason?" Teng Xiao raised an eyebrow, visibly confused.
"Just a special agreement," Kanzaki answered calmly.
An agreement between those who walked a similar path…