No imagined pulpy texture awaited him; the fruit was like a condensed orb of pure energy.
It melted the moment it entered his mouth, transforming into a warm, magnificent green torrent that instantly surged into his limbs and bones.
“Ugh!”
Fan Zhuo groaned. He immediately sat cross-legged and guided this massive surge of life energy, using it to wash over his mental world.
The originally shimmering holy power lake began to expand at a visible rate under the influx of this energy.
The sakura tree by the lakeside and the purple vines at the bottom of the lake seemed to receive unprecedented nourishment. They became more solid and full of vitality, greedily absorbing this pure life force.
He felt his strength mounting a fierce assault toward a brand-new bottleneck.
However, just as his power was climbing steadily and was about to touch that new barrier, an extremely distant yet incredibly clear consciousness broke into his perception without warning.
It was a… a mixture of arrogance, fury, and bone-piercing chill — Dragon-tongue.
“…Again, that fruit…”
The voice seemed to come from beneath a 10,000-year-old glacier; every syllable carried a chill capable of freezing the soul.
Fan Zhuo’s heart skipped a beat, and the holy power throughout his body instantly stagnated.
The source of this aura…
This direction…
It was Prison cell C-01!
The special prison housing the S-class monster, the Frost Dragon Princess!
Was she disturbed by the energy surge from when he absorbed the fruit just now?
Before he could think further, that icy consciousness came again. This time, it carried a command that brooked no refusal.
“Bug… crawl over… and see me.”
Fan Zhuo’s entire body stiffened. His limbs and bones, which had just relaxed from absorbing the fruit of the mother tree, were instantly permeated by a bone-piercing chill.
This consciousness didn’t arrive through his ears. Instead, it was like a cold steel needle piercing into his brain without warning, carrying an absolute authority.
‘Not possible… I’m absorbing the fruit in this suite, and the commotion can still reach that “can”?’
‘Is the “warden-level” soundproofing and energy shielding really as flimsy as paper in the face of Dragon Might?’
“Do you not… understand my words?”
The Dragon-tongue carried a hint of clear anger. Fan Zhuo felt the surrounding air temperature drop by several degrees. Even the surface of the steaming grilled meat Baitu had just brought out seemed to be covered in a fine layer of white frost.
Every syllable was like a heavy hammer, smashing ruthlessly into Fan Zhuo’s mental world.
A trace of cold sweat broke out on Fan Zhuo’s forehead.
Should he go, or not?
Reason told him that S-class monsters, especially those of the Dragon Race, were absolutely among the most dangerous existences in this Prison.
With his current strength, he was likely no different from an ant in front of her.
Yet the irresistible sense of command in that consciousness made him realize clearly that if he didn’t go, the consequences might be even more severe.
He remembered Old John’s description. This Dragon Princess had been transferred from Zone A because… she had caused too much of a ruckus in Zone A.
A ruthless character who could cause trouble right under Hecate’s nose… As a mere assistant to the warden, he had better not challenge her patience lightly.
“Baitu.” Fan Zhuo stood up, his face regaining its composure.
“Yes, Master.”
“I need to head out for a bit to patrol Zone C… Lock the door and don’t go anywhere, understood?”
“Yes.” Baitu bowed slightly without any unnecessary questions. She simply watched Fan Zhuo quietly, a trace of worry flashing in her azure electronic eyes.
Fan Zhuo walked out of the suite. The heavy door slowly closed behind him, completely sealing away that sense of warmth and coziness.
He exhaled a long breath, which turned into a cloud of white mist in the cold air.
Ever since he had been targeted by the Frost Dragon Princess, the temperature of everything around him had begun to drop.
The circular corridor of Zone C appeared exceptionally silent in the middle of the night. Only the soft glow from the magic lamps on the walls cast his shadow long against the floor.
He immediately headed toward C-01, organizing his thoughts as he went.
Why had this Dragon Princess targeted him?
Was it merely because of the energy surge when he absorbed the fruit? Or had she sensed the “uniqueness” of his soul from the first time he passed by C-01?
He recalled the fierce impact of the Dragon Might when he passed by C-01 during the day.
At the time, he thought it was just an indiscriminate warning. Looking at it now, perhaps that was… a test.
“Five breaths… remain.” The cold voice rang in his mind like a death-knell pendulum.
Fan Zhuo no longer hesitated. He quickened his pace and walked straight toward the black archway located in the deepest part of Zone C, which seemed completely out of place with the rest of the area.
Cell C-01.
Unlike other cells, it didn’t have an alloy door structure embedded in the wall. Instead, it was a standalone, massive black archway.
The archway was constructed from an unknown obsidian, its surface inscribed with countless flowing silver runes.
Just by approaching, Fan Zhuo could feel a bone-piercing chill seeping out from deep within the archway. A thin layer of frost had even formed on the metal floor beneath his feet.
“Three breaths.” The voice grew even colder, carrying a hint of impatience.
Fan Zhuo took a deep breath. Without further delay, he stepped into the deep, black archway.
Passing through the archway revealed a dark corridor approximately 10 meters long.
The walls, ceiling, and floor of the corridor were entirely covered in those silver, shimmering runes, making it look like a tunnel of light composed of symbols.
The sealing power permeating this place was more than ten times denser than outside. Fan Zhuo felt as if he were walking through viscous mercury; every step was exceptionally heavy.
At the end of the corridor, a massive black cube with sides exceeding 20 meters floated quietly in mid-air.
This was the “can” Old John had mentioned.
An ancient relic used to imprison angels.
The surface of the cube was as smooth as a mirror, yet it lacked any reflection. It was a pure black that seemed to swallow everything.
Only the crisscrossing silver rune chains on the surface proved what kind of terrifying existence was imprisoned within.
In the direct front of the cube was a large black door that merged seamlessly with the walls. There was no handle or keyhole, only a tiny observation window just large enough for one person to observe through.
“Enter.”
The icy voice rang out. The black door, which seemed completely integrated with the cube, slid inward soundlessly, revealing a pitch-black entrance.
‘She can actually… open the door herself? This is a prison said to be capable of imprisoning angels!’
Suddenly, Fan Zhuo felt his heart skip a beat, and then… his vision went dark.
But a second later, he opened his eyes and realized he had already walked to the edge of the door.
Turning his head, Fan Zhuo could see his “body” still standing in the original spot.
‘Is this… a spirit form?’
Before he could hesitate, the Dragon Might locked onto him — a force strong enough to freeze the soul — nearly caused his entire being to shatter on the spot.
Fan Zhuo could only steel himself and step into that bottomless darkness.
The door closed silently behind him.
What met Fan Zhuo’s eyes was not total darkness, but a world shrouded in a faint, eerie blue light.
This wasn’t a prison cell.
It was a vast, impossibly large independent space completely ruled by ice and snow.
Colossal ice crystals hung from the ceiling like an inverted forest. The ground was covered in a thick layer of eternal snow that crunched underfoot.
The air was cold and pure. Every breath felt like swallowing cold blades, causing a faint ache in his lungs.
At the very center of this world of ice and snow, a massive and magnificent throne carved from 10,000-year-old profound ice stood tall.
Upon the throne, a figure leaned back, resting her chin on one hand. With a gaze that treated him like a mere insect, she looked down at him indifferently.
Frost Dragon Princess, Ignis.