A Will Eternal

As Bai Xiaochun strutted along, the captain and guards of Squad 9 hurried along beside him, their eyes shining with reverence and awe.

In the cultivation world, people always respected the powerful. It was almost like a natural law. However, in Devil Penitentiary, there was an additional law, and that was to respect inquisitors!

Inquisitors were the ultimate representations of wealth and status!

In the past, Zhao Feng had been quite popular as the inquisitor of Squad 9, and had been treated with incredible respect by the captain. The inquisitors of all squads were treated similarly.

But now, everyone could tell that Bai Xiaochun was an incredible inquisitor; even Zhao Feng was convinced. Therefore, it was only natural for everyone’s passions to be aroused.

“Brother Bai is actually a top master!”

“Hahaha! Sorry for the misunderstanding earlier, Brother Bai. But let’s forget about that. From now on, we’re brothers!”

“With such abilities as an inquisitor, Brother Bai, you can soar to the highest heights in Devil Penitentiary!”

Zhao Feng’s previous hostility was long gone, replaced by awe and reverence. “Squad 9 has struck gold! With Brother Bai, we’re all going to have the best of the best.”

Earlier, there was no way Bai Xiaochun could have imagined that getting Old Devil Zhou to talk would result in having everyone suddenly fall in love with him. The realization that he was completely outstanding caused him to sigh in his heart. No matter where he went, he ended up shining like a treasure, and he couldn’t stop that fact from causing his eyes to glitter brightly.

“I'm simply too outstanding,” he thought. “How could I be this outstanding? Even I have no choice but to admire myself.” Although he enjoyed reveling in his success, he was also the type of person who knew how to treat others smoothly. Clearing his throat, he began to laugh and chat with the other guards.

Slapping his chest proudly, he said, “Ah, that was nothing. From now on, our Squad 9 is going to be one big family! We’re all brothers!”

Such talk continued as he and Squad 9 made their way out of the cellblock.

That very day, the captain sent some of the guards outside of Giant Ghost City to the spot that Old Devil Zhou had confessed was the location of his hidden treasure. Sure enough, there was an immortal's cave hidden by a magical technique, within which lay Old Devil Zhou’s life savings, which was subsequently brought back to Devil Penitentiary.

Soon, Squad 9 was having a meeting in the captain’s quarters, in which they split up all of Old Devil Zhou’s treasure. Bai Xiaochun got the largest share of all, a soulhoarding pagoda filled with countless vengeful souls and more than a thousand portions of mid-grade soul medicine. Even Bai Xiaochun gasped at the sight of all the treasure.

“This Old Devil Zhou was totally rich!” he thought. At that point, the captain waved his sleeve, sending jugs of fine liquor out to all the guards.

Laughing, the captain raised his jug up and then loudly declared, “This is all thanks to Brother Bai Hao’s hard work, everyone. Come, come, let’s drink to him!”

The other guards laughed and raised their jugs to Bai Xiaochun. They had all benefited greatly just now, and from the way their eyes shone when they looked at him, it was almost as if they were looking at the endless treasure they would surely get in the days to come.

Flicking his sleeve, Bai Xiaochun raised his jug. “Brothers, I'm new to Devil Penitentiary, and still don’t know all the rules. Please, I hope you can forgive me for any faux pas I might make.

“By the way, some of the rumors which have been spreading about me are quite painful, and I’d rather not discuss them. In any case, you’re my family now, and going forward, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we all have a wonderful life. Please, allow me to drink to you!” Bai Xiaochun was very impressed with how wonderful his words were as he took a long drink.

The fact that he seemed so pure and fair, and even delicate to some degree, seemed somewhat disparate with his bold words. However, that simply provoked a cheer from the other guards, who then laughed as they drank deeply from their alcohol jugs.

Even as they lowered their jugs, it was possible to see that their relationship had improved vastly. Bai Xiaochun was now one of them, and all of them were laughing loudly as they addressed each other as brothers.

Even the captain did so. Clasping Bai Xiaochun warmly on the shoulder, he said, “The reason we treated you so ambivalently before was because of those rumors. Everyone said that you were vicious, with no toleration of filial piety. However, those rumors were clearly false. Brother Bai Hao, you are just our type of person. Furthermore, you obviously have great potential as an inquisitor. Coming to Devil Penitentiary was definitely the right decision. Who cares about some crappy Bai Clan? From now on, if the Bai Clan dares to show their face here, we brothers will show them a thing or two!”

Everyone laughed heartily. Then, Zhao Feng clasped his alcohol jug in his hands and gave a deep, sincere bow.

Bai Xiaochun was very moved. In fact, he even threw off his outer garment and set a foot atop one of the alcohol jugs in a heroic pose. [1]

“Thank you, my brothers!” he said loudly. “From now on, all of you are my big bros!”

Zhao Feng raised his alcohol jug and said, “Brother Bai, I treated you poorly before. Let me drink to you!” He drank deeply, and once again bowed to Bai Xiaochun. “There’s no way I could have the face to continue to serve as Squad 9’s inquisitor. Brother Bai, please, I beg of you to take over the position!”

The other guards shot to their feet and voiced similar thoughts.

“That’s right, Brother Bai Hao. Why don’t you be Squad 9’s inquisitor!?”

“With your potential, you’ll surely become the most famous inquisitor in Devil Penitentiary!”

Even the captain joined in. Bai Xiaochun’s heart pulsed with happiness at being so popular. After a bit more time went by, he decided to ask some questions about inquisitors.

Zhao Feng looked at Bai Xiaochun with praise in his eyes as he offered an introduction.“Most of the prisoners in Devil Penitentiary can’t be soulsearched. That’s why we have inquisitors, whose job it is to formally interrogate the prisoners. Only people with incredible skills in interrogation can become inquisitors.

“Each of the four main cellblocks in Devil Penitentiary has a highly respected inquisitor, whose standing is second only to that of a deputy warden. Because of the darkness which fills their hearts, they are known as dark inquisitors! In addition to the four great dark inquisitors, each of the squads in the four cellblocks all have their own inquisitor.

“Old Devil Zhou was a nut that none of the inquisitors in Cellblock D have been able to crack. In fact, even the dark inquisitor from Squad 1 failed with him. Now that you've succeeded, Brother Bai Hao, that means you have the potential to become a dark inquisitor!”

Bai Xiaochun blinked in surprise at this new information about Devil Penitentiary. Then he thought about Old Devil Zhou, and how many vengeful souls he had earned because of him, and his heart began to pound.

“I still need that last deva soul,” he thought. “Until I get it, my cultivation will be stuck at a standstill. For now, the best way to keep my poor little life safe is to use the power of magical items.... In that case, flame conjuring is still going to be very important, and in turn, that means that I need to have a lot of souls....”

With those thoughts on his mind, Bai Xiaochun cleared his throat, waved his hand, and said, “Well, since you all insist, then I guess I might as well agree to be your inquisitor.”

The guards cheered, and unanimously raised their alcohol jugs in a toast.

Then someone suggested that they should start visiting some of the most tight-lipped of the prisoners, people who had never revealed the location of their hidden treasures.

“With Brother Bai here, we’re all going to be rich! Brother Bai, did you know that in Cellblock D, there are over a hundred prisoners who have never talked!?”

“That's right! All of those prisoners have tightly-kept secrets. If we can get them to talk, we could probably get as much out of each one as we just got from Old Devil Zhou!” As the conversation progressed along this line, the guards began to look over at Bai Xiaochun with pounding hearts.

Even the captain was obviously getting excited. Slapping his chest, he said, “Brother Bai, I can go talk things out with the captain of Squad 10, and get him to agree to let us take their patrol duty this time around.”

Bai Xiaochun was trembling with excitement at having suddenly become so important. Sticking his chin up, he said, “Very well. Since that’s what you wish, my brothers, then let’s do it right now. I refuse to believe that these prisoners can keep their mouths closed around me!”

The excitement in the eyes of the guards couldn’t have been more evident. The captain laughed heartily, and then rushed over in the direction of Squad 10. When he returned, he waved his sleeve and said, “They agreed! We have Squad 10’s patrol duty!”

1. The alcohol jugs referenced here are most likely these kind. They can come as small as a hand or as large as a person, and can be drunk from directly. Presumably the ones they are using here are rather large, making it possible to put your foot on top of one and strike a dramatic pose.