"No, this realm is fraught with unknown dangers, its reality uncertain. Should these silver ants scatter, even my Star Dao Seed might not be enough to shield—"

Zong Shou pondered briefly, then abandoned the thought of using the Sacred Fire Silver Ants for exploration.

In truth, he had already encountered considerable peril on the sixth and seventh layers.

It was only thanks to Zong Shou's seventy-nine Instant Space Dragon Pills that these silver ants managed to escape and remain unharmed.

Within this prison, the nature of the restrictive arts and any hidden mechanisms remained unknown.

The very inmates imprisoned here were enough to instill deep apprehension.

According to Lu Wubing, within the Lu family, only those who committed the most heinous crimes, or unforgivable transgressions against the clan, were confined here.

It stood to reason that the number of powerful experts among them was far from small.

Zong Shou first tentatively stepped toward the high heavens. Here, it was as calm as before.

"There is no primordial magnetic force, nor any restraints around. In other words, this place does not forbid soaring through the void—"

However, though physical restraints were absent, the spiritual energy was extremely dense, and the laws and Daos governing the space were intricately strict, admitting no flaw to exploit.

Put another way, in his other worlds, he could traverse tens of li in an instant. Here, the distance was at most ten li.

As for the Instant Space Dragon Pills, they were likely limited to mere hundred-li displacements now.

Furthermore, this Nether Power was excessively concentrated. It clung like maggots to the bone, threads winding around the soul.

Zong Shou frowned, and the four-foot blood-colored sharp edge slid out from his sleeve.

In an instant, countless forces of death and shadow converged, gathering upon the sword.

Around him, for ten thousand zhang, it seemed a vast, surging Yin River flowed.

This was the Nether River Omen of Death Sword. Since this dark, deathly aura would not dissipate or be chased away, he might as well turn it to his own use.

Controlling this Nether Power, he moved forward effortlessly. After about half an incense stick's time, Zong Shou paused in surprise.

In the distance, he saw a neat row of over a dozen iron racks, towering a thousand zhang high, standing afar.

Within these racks, several human figures were faintly visible, impaled.

Using the Instant Space Dragon Pills, Zong Shou flashed over, and his eyes filled with shock.

The individuals locked and pinned to these crucifix-like iron racks were all cultivators at the Divine Realm!

Two of them had clearly reached the peak of the Divine Realm.

Suddenly, clarity dawned in his mind. He had wondered why, if the rumored exit existed on the ninth layer, the sinners above the Divine Realm of the Lu family were cast into the eighth layer of the death prison. Wouldn't it be far easier for them to break through to the ninth layer?

Only now did he realize that these people were no longer left to roam; they were chained and sealed, deprived of freedom.

Observing the iron racks again, it was clear they were continuously draining the true essence and vital blood of these cultivators from the Divine Realm, channeling it elsewhere.

It was subtly the branch end of a colossal spiritual formation—

"Could it be that the restriction array of the Nine Absolutes Death Prison is actually sustained by drawing on the true essence and vital blood of these Divine Realm cultivators?"

He paused to reconsider. Such a massive array would be difficult to support even with several hundred Divine Realm experts.

These individuals must only be supplementary—

Most of the Divine Realm cultivators on those dozen-plus racks were gasping for breath, incredibly weak. They glanced towards the approaching Zong Shou, then immediately closed their eyes, paying him no mind.

However, one powerfully built man with a rugged appearance and tangled beard and hair looked Zong Shou up and down with surprise, then let out a hearty laugh.

"Strange! Strange! I, the Old Man, have been trapped in this Eighth Layer Nether Prison for several hundred years and never seen anyone break in. Yet, in the last two years, I’ve seen several new faces. This little fellow, not even forty years old, with cultivation only at the Immortal Realm, can actually descend here. Have the six Azure Thunder Eagles outside finally all been roasted and eaten?"

He seemed to be talking to himself, yet also speaking to the Divine Realm cultivators on the surrounding racks, but no one responded.

Zong Shou was quite interested in this man.

However, at this moment, he was desperately eager to find the whereabouts of Lu Hanyan and Zong Weiran.

Shaking his head, he prepared to leave. Then, a subtle thought halted his escape light.

"Senior, do you know Lu Hanyan?"

"Lu Hanyan?"

The rugged man was momentarily stunned, then smiled: "I know a little. The daughter of the current Burning Sky Saint Emperor, right? The little princess of the Burning Sky Lu family? But her current situation is not good—"

Zong Shou's eyes flashed, and he pressed further: "Then Senior, do you know where she is now?"

A Divine Realm peak expert’s divine sense could envelop a world spanning ten thousand li. Even here in the death prison, despite limitations, it should reach several thousand li. Coupled with untold mysterious divine abilities, this person might know Lu Hanyan's current location.

"Naturally—"

The man instinctively started to answer, then his gaze flickered with confusion before he shook his head.

"Not entirely clear. Within this Eighth Layer Death Prison, there is nothing Wu Yazi does not know. I remember the girl's name, but I uniquely do not know her current whereabouts. Perhaps she has already been transferred to the Ninth Layer."

The Ninth Layer?

Zong Shou's heart sank, turning ice-cold. How could she have been moved to the Ninth Layer?

If that were true, what should he do?

He had struggled just handling the Azure Thunder Eagles on the eighth layer.

He had no idea what the strength of the guard at the entrance to the ninth layer was—late Divine Realm, or peak Divine Realm?

Then he tried to comfort himself. If this person didn't know, it didn't necessarily mean his mother had been moved to the Ninth Layer Death Prison.

He vaguely felt that something was amiss, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.

Wu Yazi’s eyes also showed a hint of doubt. Then, disregarding it, he smiled at Zong Shou: "Although you are only in the Immortal Realm, I observe your Jade Marrow Immortal Body, your bones exuding pure energy. This physical body alone is no less than the Divine Realm. Since you managed to enter the Eighth Layer, your skill must be considerable. However, to enter the Ninth Layer, I fear you might be insufficient. Why not release me, Wu Yazi, and I can guide you down. I just wonder if you possess the necessary ability?"

As soon as he spoke, the other cultivators on the iron racks opened their eyes and looked toward Zong Shou.

Zong Shou's expression remained calm, completely unmoved by the words. He continued to ask: "Then, Senior, have you ever heard the name Zong Weiran? Where is he now, among those who have broken into this nether prison in recent years?"

Hearing this, Wu Yazi immediately burst into thunderous laughter: "Of course I know, but you must release me first before I can tell you!"

Zong Shou let out a light snort and meticulously examined the iron rack seals.

In his previous life, he had also spent considerable time delving into the Way of Formations, seeking opportunities for a breakthrough in cultivation.

But after arriving in this life, his progress was too rapid, and maintaining the stability of his own Dao foundation consumed all his energy, so he completely set aside that skill to focus on his primary path.

However, in the path of cultivation, mastering one discipline allows one to understand all others.

Achieving the pinnacle in one discipline naturally allows for tangential insights.

Upon this inspection, he realized that the seal was indeed troublesome.

Not only was it difficult for the Divine Realm cultivators on the iron racks to break the prohibition, but it would be exceptionally hard for an outsider to rescue them as well.