[System Prompt]: You have discovered Heroes' Prison, Experience Points +100
Huang Yi turned his head to examine the environment around him. He was in a huge stone chamber resembling a torture room, with a magic lamp flickering dimly above him. The surrounding walls were built from massive stones, each several meters high. The stones were stained with blood and hung with a variety of huge torture instruments including iron hooks, ropes, and spikes. Shreds of flesh clung to them, and flies buzzed greedily, feasting on the bloody remnants, while a heavy, rotten stench filled the air.
The only path in the entire stone chamber was a corridor on the left, leading underground to depths unseen, swallowed by endless darkness. From the depths of that darkness came faint roars, casting the stone chamber in an eerily terrifying light.
Huang Yi scrutinized his surroundings carefully, and soon found a line of small characters on one of the stone walls—
Heroes' Prison, established by the Death God during the Primeval Era, incarcerates criminals seized by the Death God's Temple from the five eras of Eternal Ancient, Primordial, Remote Ancient, Ancient, and Recent Ancients, renowned throughout the Pantheon for its long-standing history.
From this brief description, it was clear that Heroes' Prison was no simple place. The criminals within had connections to the Death God, so their powers were undoubtedly formidable. Huang Yi, however, was merely a Level 1 novice. To kill any of these criminals with his own strength was impossible; he could only accomplish it in some other way.
Huang Yi sized himself up. He was dressed in common cloth without any weapons, save for a ring on the index finger of his right hand.
He touched the ring and immediately perceived a small space within; it seemed to be a storage ring intended for storing items, but it was currently empty, devoid of anything.
Just then, a majestic voice resounded between heaven and earth:
"[System Announcement]: Chinese player [Dao Feng] is the first to complete the First Transformation, awarded 1000 Public Prestige Points and has earned the [Unique Achievement]—[First of the First Transformation], China National Honor Value +1."
Now, the most progressed players had already completed their First Transformation, whereas Huang Yi had just entered this place, lagging far behind others. However, he wasn't concerned. Levels could be caught up with later. His most pressing matter was to complete the Rare Quest, get in touch with Mr. Huang Sha, and strive for his freedom.
He turned to look at the deep, secret passageway and stepped forward into it.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle"—Huang Yi's footsteps echoed down the dark corridor, traveling towards an unknown distance, towards cells that had existed since the Eternal Era. From within the darkness, roars intermittently pierced through, as if some powerful entities were venting something, giving the atmosphere of Heroes' Prison a suffocating quality.
Huang Yi remained vigilant of his surroundings, but the light was too dim to see the details; he could only occasionally detect bats flying overhead and rodents slithering by, creating a chilling and terrifying scene.
After walking for a few minutes, there was finally some light ahead as magic lamps started to appear on the walls of the corridor. The scene in the passage changed as well, with huge cells on either side of the corridor, each towering dozens of meters high, secured by giant iron doors covered in dust and spiderwebs, leaving only a half-meter-wide crack.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" At that moment, a rhythmic sound came from one of the cells nearby, resembling the sound of wind blowing.
Huang Yi slowed down and peeked through the crack in the door of that cell. It was very dark inside, and he could only make out a fur-covered wall that seemed to be rhythmically heaving as if it were alive!
Taking a few steps closer, Huang Yi realized that what he thought was a wall was actually a leg—and it was so large that it appeared to be a wall!
He followed the massive leg with his gaze upwards and saw in the depths of the dark cell, a towering demon shadow tens of meters tall. It had fearsome horns and was firmly chained by huge locks. The demon shadow seemed to be sleeping, its colossal form rising and falling rhythmically, with soft snoring sounds that were like gusts of wind, exerting an incomparable sense of oppression.
The iron door of the cell was inlaid with an iron plaque that briefly introduced the criminal inside:
Werewolf Bane (Level 128, No. 8723)
A notorious powerful being from the Recent Ancients, captured for slaying thirteen skeleton dragons belonging to the Eighth Marshal, Ers, of the Death God's Temple during the Chaos War, and sentenced to life imprisonment for his monstrous crimes.
Just then, the demon beast seemed to sense Huang Yi's presence, suddenly opening its eyes. A flash of chilling light seemed to sweep through the entire dungeon. The demon beast's eyes were a ghastly green, staring eerily at Huang Yi and sending shivers down one's spine.
Several mice and small snakes were startled and hurriedly scurried out from the door gap, scattering in all directions. One snake was slower than the others, and the creature's shadow extended a long tongue lightning-fast, wrapping it around the snake like a whip and pulling it into its mouth. It chewed slowly, emitting a sound that was horrifically spine-chilling.
Huang Yi continued walking forward, looking at the introductions of various criminals...
Harbinger of Doomsday, Lucifer (Level 172, No. 2780)
From the Ancient Times, he arrived amidst the flames of doomsday and was captured for burning alive thirty-five Messengers from Hell of the Death God's Temple, sentenced to life imprisonment for his monstrous crimes.
Time-Space Hunter, Gangfeng (Level 143, No. 7221)
From the Ancient Times, one of the top ten Demon Hunters in the time-space lair, captured for illegally hunting thirty-three hellhounds raised by the fifth elder of the Death God's Temple, sentenced to life imprisonment!
Wilderness Poet Feite (Level 155, No. 4750)
From the Recent Ancients, one of the well-known bards who snuck into the back garden of the Death God's Temple and stole souls of the undead, captured and sentenced to life imprisonment!
Void Walker Kassadin (Level 154, No. 4770)
From the Recent Ancients, a powerful being from an unknown void who was captured for strangling three Undead Guards of the Death God's Temple, sentenced to life imprisonment!
...
Along the way were huge cells, each containing giant demon beasts, whose true forms were hard to discern, with only a fierce silhouette vaguely visible, inducing terror in anyone who saw them. These demon beasts were all powerful beings, the weakest being above Level 100, and without exception, they had all offended the power of the "Death God's Temple."
The Death God's Temple, as the name implies, must be the force under the command of the Death God. With the Death God being such a renowned deity, his influence was naturally vast. Some of these criminals had been captured for merely slight offenses against the Death God's Temple and were consigned to life imprisonment here, enduring endless torture in a world devoid of light.
However, having read through so many criminal introductions, Huang Yi had not seen one who directly offended the Death God himself. He guessed their powers were too weak, not nearly enough to offend the Death God himself.
As Huang Yi walked on, he wandered for a long while. Heroes' Prison was vast, with countless pathways, as if it were a massive labyrinthine kingdom. Despite walking for a long time, Huang Yi could not find his way out; in fact, he had lost his bearings even more.
As he walked, suddenly, Huang Yi paused, fixing his gaze on the introduction plaque of the cell in front of him.