Many people noticed the sudden flash of light. All of them were stunned

"What's that? Are there meteors in this dark space?"

"No idea. What an odd phenomenon. It can't be some new secret emerging from the castle, right?"

"It felt like someone had appeared. Has the owner of the Castle of Darkness appeared?"

"Let's go take a look at the ancient keep. Maybe this will be an opportunity."

...

With the appearance of that flash of light, many disciples started heading toward the central keep. But when they approached, a large number of dark bats flew out, forcing them to withdraw. Even Xiao Xie was forced to retreat, cutting a sorry figure doing so.

"Darkstorm, what is that exactly?" Xiao Xie asked his black qilin.

"Feels like a human, but the flash had been too fast, so I hadn't sensed it clearly either," answered the black qilin.

Looks like this Castle of Darkness is hiding a massive secret, thought Xiao Xie.

The inside of the gloomy central keep did not look as imposing as its outside appearance. It was spacious and empty, with only a massive dark bat specter within. Numerous bloody runes trailed the walls of the hall, seemingly sealing something evil within.

At the middle of the hall was a depression on the ground, where the bloody runes converged. The numerous dark bats only stayed outside the hall. None dared to enter, as if this was the residence of their ruler. Without the permission of their ruler, they couldn't enter.

Suddenly, a human figure appeared, causing the dark bats to start screeching. The dark bats screeched madly, wanting to charge into the hall yet lacking the courage to do so. The human figure was none other than Xiang Shaoyun. He had activated his chakram in the space of endless darkness to split space apart, bringing him to a location unknown to him.

In the hall, he studied his surroundings, and a look of joy covered his face. "Haha, I have finally escaped that damn place!"

Right after he said that, the bloody runes in the hall suddenly started flowing and emanating a thick stench of blood. A massive sense of crisis struck Xiang Shaoyun, causing his hair to stand on end. Without any hesitation, he charged out of the hall. But as soon as he moved, a dense power bound him, and it even dragged him to the depression at the hall's center.

Whoosh!

In a flash, Xiang Shaoyun vanished.

The next moment, he found himself crashing into the ground, and he hissed in pain from the fall. He maintained his clarity and started studying his surroundings. He found that he had arrived within a basement filled with dark bat corpses. Their shriveled appearance made it obvious these bats had been drained to death.

"What damnable place is this?" Xiang Shaoyun cursed.

"Kid, you came here without knowing what this place is? Interesting," a hoarse voice rang out.

The sudden emergence of the voice gave Xiang Shaoyun a jump.

"Who? Who's there?" Xiang Shaoyun cried out in alarm.

He scanned his surroundings. The place was completely dark, but that posed no issue for Xiang Shaoyun, who had night vision. He could see a shriveled figure sitting cross-legged at a certain corner of the room.

It was obvious that the figure had a big skeletal frame, as even in such a shriveled state, he still looked big. His hair drooped down his face, covering it and revealing only a pair of eyes pulsing with crimson radiance. Upon further observation, Xiang Shaoyun found that this person was shackled by nine thick chains. His four limbs, his head, his waist, and other vital parts were all locked by the chains.

This is yet another prison? Xiang Shaoyun exclaimed inwardly.

This sight reminded him of his meeting with Devouring Ghost. In fact, it was incredibly similar. The only difference was that this body still contained vitality within it, unlike Devouring Ghost's, which was completely dead.

"L-lord, hello. This kid has entered by mistake and has disturbed your peace. I shall leave immediately!" Xiang Shaoyun said as he started running.

A person like that was extremely dangerous. He would not dare to bet on his luck here. Unfortunately, since that person had dragged him in here, it was unlikely that he would allow him to leave. An indescribable power confined Xiang Shaoyun's body, making it hard for him to even budge.

"Lord, just spare this kid. My father is 80 years old, my little sister is 19 years old, and both need my care. Please show me kindness..." Xiang Shaoyun started pleading. It was not like he had other options. This person was too scary.

Xiang Shaoyun would be perfectly content so long as he could preserve his life. He did not wish to die in such a manner.

"Enough, cut the nonsense. If I had wanted to kill you, you would be dead by now," said the prisoner.

Xiang Shaoyun immediately shut his mouth, waiting for the prisoner to say more.

"Every 100 years, the Dragon Phoenix Academy will let a batch of disciples come in here. But not one of the disciples has been able to make it this far. You are the first. So can they fulfill their promise and free me, the Scarlet Flame Monarch?" the prisoner muttered in excitement. But he soon sighed, "Look at the tiny strength you have. It's just wishful thinking. Those hypocrites. How hateful!"

The prisoner seemed to be in an unstable emotion, his yells resounding in the room endlessly. Xiang Shaoyun felt like his eardrums were going to burst apart even as his blood stirred, putting him in intense torture. Hands around his ears, he flailed about on the ground, feeling like his organs were going to explode. He then fainted. When he regained consciousness, he found himself hurting everywhere. Words couldn't express his current torturous pain.

"I should still be alive," Xiang Shaoyun muttered as he refined a drop of emperor-grade spring liquid to nourish his injuries.

"Since you're still alive, have a chat with me. It has been 10,000 years since I last spoke to anyone. I'm going mad having only those bats for company," the prisoner's voice rang out. "Do you have any liquor on you? Offer some up to this monarch."

Xiang Shaoyun clambered up to his feet and offered a jar of liquor.

Bracing himself, Xiang Shaoyun asked, "Are you really the Scarlet Flame Monarch of the Five Skyslaying Generals under Overlord Xiang?"