Chapter 1881 — 1881: Rescuing Kulas(2)

The Immortal Confinement Dungeon lived up to its name. Its interior was as oppressive as the worst prisons—dark and suffocating, with damp stone walls that trapped the stench of decay. The air was thick with the foul mix of sweat, blood, and something more sinister, a scent that spoke of countless souls who had suffered within its depths.

The lowest floor was even worse. Though it held the fewest prisoners, the air was thick with the overwhelming stench of blood and rotting flesh, so pungent that it nearly made Ren Xia gag. The walls seemed to breathe with the agony of those who had long perished here, and every step forward felt like wading deeper into a place forsaken by time and mercy.

That feeling of despair only grew stronger as they moved past the cells, their eyes falling upon the prisoners within. Each one was shackled to the cold stone walls, their bodies stripped bare, stripped of dignity. But what was most harrowing was that none of them even looked human anymore. Their skin was a grotesque tapestry of black, blue, and red—evidence of relentless beatings and unspeakable torture. Most of them were also missing limbs. Some missed only one or two, but a few didn't have any limbs at all.

Although Ren Xia had heard rumors about the Immortal Confinement Dungeon being a cruel place, she could've never imagined it was in such a condition. As for Tian Yang, he wasn't surprised, but he was full of disgust and anger.

'Kulas has been trapped in this hell for over fifty years? Even if I save him… he might not be the same Kulas I once knew.'

Tian Yang clenched his jaw, his fists tightening as a wave of unease washed over him. He had to be prepared for the worst—for the possibility that the man he sought to rescue was no longer the one he remembered.

However, even if Kulas was an entirely different individual, he still wanted to save him.

'If only I had arrived sooner…' he sighed inwardly.

When they reached a certain cell, Ren Xia suddenly stopped to look at the individual inside, her eyes raised in a puzzled manner.

Seeing this, the guard said, "Since this is the Madam's first time coming to the lowest floor, you probably don't even recognize him."

"What are you talking about?" Ren Xia looked at the guard with a questioning expression.

The guard smiled and said, "Don't be too surprised to hear this, but that's Kulas."

"What?!" Ren Xia exclaimed in a shocked voice.

"Kulas?"

Tian Yang's eyes also widened with shock after hearing this.

Neither Ren Xia nor Tian Yang recognized Kulas at first until the guard pointed him out. But they couldn't be blamed for their failure to recognize him. The man before them bore no resemblance to the Kulas they once knew. However, it wasn't the scars of torture that made Kulas unrecognizable. The man who was once a handsome young man had undergone a transformation beyond comprehension. He had become massive—so colossal that even while kneeling, he stood as tall as a building, his body towering over them, far beyond the size of any normal human.

"T-that's Kulas? What happened to him?" Ren Xia asked out of curiosity.

"We don't know what exactly caused his transformation, but we believe it's due to a technique he'd acquired from Han Zexian's Tomb since the Immortal Might Clan denied having such a technique," said the guard.

Ren Xia swallowed nervously. She turned to look at Tian Yang, who was staring at Kulas without blinking.

"Well, what are you going to do now?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" The guard thought Ren Xia was speaking to him.

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you," she snapped at him.

"W-what?" The guard could only stand there with a dazed look on his face as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"Release me," Tian Yang said a moment later.

Ren Xia nodded and removed his handcuffs.

"W-what are you doing, Madam Ren?!" Shocked by her actions, the guard jumped back and instinctively drew his weapon.

After being released from his handcuffs, Tian Yang retrieved a recovery pill and consumed it, healing all of the injuries on his body.

He then shifted his gaze to the now-alert guard, his eyes sharp and overwhelming. In a cold, threatening tone, he commanded, "Open Kulas' cell."

"Who are you?! Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" the guard roared as he released his cultivation at the Divine Master realm.

In response, Tian Yang exuded his Immortal Ascension cultivation, forcing the guard onto his knees with just presence alone.

"I will not ask you again," Tian Yang said, his voice ice-cold as he unsheathed his sword. "If you do not release him, I will kill you and open the cell myself."

The guard's already pale face drained of what little color remained, turning as white as a corpse. He was painfully aware of his predicament—before Tian Yang, he was nothing more than an ant, utterly powerless to resist. Yet, obeying Tian Yang's demand was no better. The Nine Immortal Clans would undoubtedly dispose of him for his betrayal.

No matter what he chose, death awaited him.

In the end, the guard made his choice. If death was inevitable, he would rather take his chances with the Nine Immortal Clans than face certain execution at this very moment. With trembling hands, he stepped forward and, without another word, unlocked Kulas' cell.

Tian Yang removed his disguise and approached Kulas, who had his head down and appeared to be asleep.

"Ahem."

Tian Yang quickly cleared his throat, steadying himself before speaking in a calm voice, "Brother Kulas, it's me, Tian Yang. I'm here to rescue you."

His words hung in the air, met with nothing but silence.

Let alone speak a word, Kulas didn't even bother to lift his head to look at Tian Yang, almost as if he wasn't conscious.

However, Tian Yang was certain that Kulas was awake and decided to try again.