Ji He quietly walked forward, and Lu Yin followed in the same silence. He just listened to the voice as he moved along.
He looked ahead. At the end of the water prison, someone was bound by chains, sitting cross-legged. At times he laughed loudly, and at other times he cursed. He looked utterly deranged as he glanced around everywhere. He was able to see all that happened below Baiquan Mountain.
This sourcebox array essentially created another world layered over the real one. The people inside were able to see the outside clearly, but those outside could not see inside, or even hear it.
No one knew how long this man had been imprisoned here for. It seemed he had something to say about everyone who visited Baiquan Mountain. He talked about how many times each person had visited and why they could not succeed. Unfortunately, those who were outside could not hear the man.
But he also seemed to take pleasure in it.
Ji He led Lu Yin to stand in front of the man. The cage remained between them as they watched in silence.
The man continued to shout and yell at those beneath Baiquan Mountain, but no one heard him. Suddenly, he lifted his head to look at Ji He and lunged for the man, trying to grab him. Chains bound the prisoner’s limbs, and they jangled with a harsh, grating sound. "Lower the difficulty for me! Lower the difficulty!"
Ji He calmly looked at the man. "Why should it be lowered?"
"These idiots cannot do it."
"What does their failure have to do with me? When I accept a disciple, must I accept even idiots?"
"No... When they cannot do it, I feel awful. Look at that kid. He has come 172 times. How sincere. Even I am moved. Are you not moved?"
Ji He sneered. "Don’t say 172 times. Even if he comes 10,000 times, as long as he cannot do it, I will not accept him. Rang Yu, since when are you so easily moved?"
Lu Yin looked at him. So he’s Rang Yu?
Rang Yu stared at Ji He. "Fine, don’t accept him, but at least eliminate his enemies for him."
Ji He remained indifferent. "That has nothing to do with me."
"Help a little! Watching this makes me anxious."
"It has nothing to do with me."
Rang Yu raged. "You cultivators of the Path of Dispassion have no humanity at all."
Ji He smiled. "Are you also not a cultivator of the Path of Dispassion?"
Rang Yu froze. He blinked, confused. "Me, the Path of Dispassion?"
Ji He said nothing.
Rang Yu looked away. He looked down at his hands, muttering to himself, "Me, the Path of Dispassion? The Path of Dispassion... Am I also following the Path of Dispassion?
"Yes, I am following the Path of Dispassion. Yes! The Path of Dispassion! Why should I care about him? Die! Die! All of you die! What does it have to do with me? Hahahaha. It is good if they all die. This bunch of idiots are useless, hahahaha!"
Lu Yin watched quietly. This man was insane. He had been imprisoned for far too long, and his personality had most likely split.
Ji He flatly stated, "This man’s name is Rang Yu. He lived during the era of the Nine Ramparts."
Lu Yin trembled. "The era of the Nine Ramparts?"
Ji He looked at Lu Yin. "Do you not want to learn about Jiu Wen? You can ask him."
Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed as he looked back at Rang Yu. "When was he imprisoned?"
"Not long after the end of the Nine Ramparts era, after this megaverse grew calm."
Lu Yin's gaze tightened. That was an awfully long time. Had the man really been imprisoned since then?
"Why?"
"He committed a monstrous crime. Do not pity him, as he deserves to die. You do not have much time. Ask quickly."
"If I ask, will he respond?"
"As long as your question is about Jiu Wen."
Lu Yin stared at Ji He intensely for a moment, and then turned back to Rang Yu. He was about to speak, but then paused and looked over at Ji He. "Why are you still here?"
Ji He froze. "What do you mean?"
"Please step outside."
"Ask your questions."
"If you are here, it will be hard for me to ask."
Ji He gave Lu Yin a strange look. "Everything that you want to know, I already know. What is there to avoid? Not only that, but this concerns Jiu Wen. It is a matter of our Crimson Starshade. I have even less reason to leave."
Seeing that Ji He refused to leave, Lu Yin felt troubled. If Ji He did not go, how could he investigate this man with karma? Ji He could certainly sense karma.
Lu Yin could not force Ji He to leave. The more that he insisted, the less willing Ji He would be to leave. Helpless, he looked at Rang Yu. "Some questions require technique. With you here, I cannot perform it, but that doesn’t matter. Stay if you want."
After speaking, Lu Yin took two steps forward and stared at Rang Yu. "Hey, do you remember me?"
Ji He's eye twitched. Has this man met Rang Yu before?
Rang Yu lifted his head to look at Lu Yin. The man’s stare was intense.
Lu Yin met that gaze.
"I've seen you," Rangyu mentioned.
Ji He frowned. Has he truly met Rang Yu? How is that possible? Has he lived since the Nine Ramparts era to the present?
Lu Yin's expression grew solemn. "I succeeded. I am not an idiot."
Rang Yu grinned. "Indeed, you are not an idiot. You are much better than that idiot beside you."