The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron
Chapter 1804 - 1901: Imprisoned for 2,000 Years

Chapter 1804: Chapter 1901: Imprisoned for 2,000 Years

"Did Yan Zixu teach you the method to open the array? Then demonstrate it here, and I’ll see if what you say is true." Director Dongfang said coldly.

Fang Lin immediately demonstrated the method to open the array, and upon seeing it, Director Dongfang and the experts guarding the Book Collection Tower fell silent.

"It seems like Yan Zixu indeed taught this method to this boy." Director Dongfang said, his tone slightly complex.

Ouyang Han promptly said, "Since Lin Erdan was instigated by Yan Zixu to commit this mistake, the punishment for Lin Erdan should be lenient."

"Hall Master Ouyang, regardless of whether Lin Erdan was instigated by Yan Zixu or not, he still committed a grave mistake, leniency is not warranted." Yan Xizheng spoke up.

Ouyang Han furrowed her brows, "Lin Erdan is a disciple that Yan Zixu took in outside, and our Pill Saint Palace is indebted to Yan Zixu. Moreover, I permitted Lin Erdan to enter the Book Collection Tower. If there is blame, I, Ouyang Han, am also at fault."

Yan Xizheng looked at Ouyang Han somewhat helplessly, her protective nature flaring up again. Though what she said seemed reasonable, it appeared more like she was stubbornly trying to exonerate Lin Erdan.

Director Dongfang did not speak, avoiding confrontation with Ouyang Han, and even his gaze at Fang Lin carried a sense of contemplation.

"How to decide is a matter for our Law Enforcement Hall, Hall Master Ouyang, please remain calm." Yan Xizheng uttered a word, then looked at Director Dongfang.

The elder director knew Yan Xizheng was seeking his opinion and said, "Lin Erdan has indeed made a mistake, but there are understandable reasons. Furthermore, our Pill Saint Palace is truly indebted to Yan Zixu. I hope Hall Master Yan can be lenient."

Ouyang Han glanced at the old fellow somewhat surprised, not expecting him to speak on Lin Erdan’s behalf. However, upon reflection, it seemed that Yan Zixu and this Director Dongfang were old acquaintances, likely not taking issue due to that relationship.

Yan Xizheng nodded, "In that case, Lin Erdan will be imprisoned in the Sinking Abyss for two thousand years and stripped of his status as a disciple of the Pill Saint Palace."

Upon hearing this result, Ouyang Han could not accept it and wanted to fight for Fang Lin once more, but Yan Xizheng didn’t give her a chance to speak. He waved his hand, and the Law Enforcement Hall members escorted Fang Lin away.

"Two thousand years is excessively long!" It wasn’t until Fang Lin was taken away that Ouyang Han spoke.

Yan Xizheng wore a solemn expression, "The second floor of the Book Collection Tower is our Pill Saint Palace’s forbidden area, strictly prohibited for any disciple to enter. Lin Erdan not only snuck in but also attempted to steal our Pill Saint Palace’s secret texts. If it weren’t for my knowledge that the Pill Saint Palace owes Yan Zixu, I would have surely abolished his cultivation and expelled him!"

Ouyang Han clenched her teeth, knowing that no matter what she said, she couldn’t change the result, and thus turned to leave.

Director Dongfang also sighed, leading the few experts of the Book Collection Tower away from the Law Enforcement Hall.

···

The incident of Fang Lin sneaking into the second floor of the Book Collection Tower didn’t spread, hardly anyone knew about it even within the White Phoenix Hall. The matter was dealt with very discreetly, and both the Law Enforcement Hall and the Maplewood Alchemy Court intended to cover it up. Thus, other than those present on the day, no one else knew.

Of course, the removal of Lin Erdan’s name from the White Phoenix Hall disciple registry did attract some attention and curiosity. However, no one dared to inquire from Ouyang Han. It was obvious to any observer that Ouyang Han had been in a foul mood recently; anyone asking her such things would likely bring bad luck.

Gradually, Lin Erdan was forgotten by most, and even if remembered, it was merely occasional mention.

The Sinking Abyss is a place in the Pill Saint Palace specifically used to imprison disciples who violate the codes, as well as some Poison Pill Masters captured by the Pill Saint Palace, all confined within the Sinking Abyss.

Since the establishment of the Law Enforcement Hall, the Sinking Abyss has existed in the Pill Saint Palace, even longtime residents of the palace are unclear on how many are imprisoned in the Sinking Abyss.

The so-called Abyss is in fact merely a dungeon, heavily shielded by arrays, akin to a genuine abyss.

The greater the offense, the deeper the imprisonment. Fang Lin’s crime is relatively severe; trespassing into forbidden grounds in the Pill Saint Palace has always been treated as a serious crime, consistently punished harshly. Fang Lin was already considered lenient by not having his cultivation abolished and being expelled.

Yet even for leniency, Fang Lin was punished to be held in the Sinking Abyss for two thousand years, a sentence truly difficult for Fang Lin to accept.

Two thousand years is long enough for too many things to occur; being imprisoned in the Sinking Abyss for such a length of time would render one unable to do anything.

At this moment, Fang Lin was held in the twelfth level of the Array Prison within the Sinking Abyss, with relatively good treatment, at least in a single room, not mixed with others.

Moreover, on the entire twelfth level of the Array Prison, Fang Lin was the only one present, making it exceedingly quiet.

If someone of weak will were confined here for two thousand years, the whole person would likely go insane.

Fang Lin sat cross-legged, able to keep calm somewhat, but his heart was tumultuous. Had it not been for retaining his rationality, Fang Lin would truly have attempted to break out.

"If I’m truly imprisoned here for two thousand years, it will be too late for everything." Fang Lin thought to himself.

Not to mention what might occur outside during these two thousand years, the longer he remained detained here, the more unforeseeable events might unfold in future generations.

Fang Lin’s greatest fear was reemerging, only to find this era and future generations extinguished and gone.

If that day truly arrived, even if Fang Lin still lived, he would be like a wandering ghost, with nowhere to go and no one to care about.

That feeling of being the lone survivor in a world extinguished, Fang Lin could hardly bear to imagine it, he found it unbearably terrifying.

"Two thousand years, am I really to squander two thousand years of time here?" Fang Lin thought bitterly. Even if he wished to gamble on breaking out forcefully, it would be incredibly difficult to actualize, as this place’s layer upon layer arrays had barred all escape, with no one ever breaking out, not to mention the strong guardians of the Pill Saint Palace watching over this place. Even if Fang Lin wanted to break out forcibly, he’d have to face those strong guardians; leaving aside his difficulty in harming them, defeating them was an entirely different challenge.

After deliberating, Fang Lin did his best to suppress his inner impatience. Though he couldn’t accept such a long sentence, if he could swiftly advance to Immortal cultivation, and exert every ounce of his effort, perhaps he could break out. As for the consequences it might provoke, Fang Lin no longer cared.

ps: Second update, continuing the writing. Remember to vote and recommend!