I, who was turned into a woman by the Jade Maiden Master, want to rebel against the Heavenly Gang.

If we think about the situation in a better light...

If the "battle royale" game in the Crimson Moon Prison had a time limit, then aside from the Gu King, those who rely on elixirs to prolong their lives, don't engage in dual cultivation, and can avoid natural disasters should be able to survive to the end and become... the King of Survival.

Qin Rufeng could only proceed according to the second assumption. Obtaining elixirs and incense did not seem to pose a significant challenge for her.

However, judging from Li Qingshi's condition just now, it can be inferred that the effectiveness of the pills will decrease over time. Initially, she took about one pill a day, but it's estimated that she'll need to take one every few minutes later. This will significantly increase her demand for the pills.

The giant bird of calamity can be dodged. Then there's just one more thing to avoid: the Tide Surge. If we can avoid the Tide Surge, we might actually be able to survive until the end.

Qin Rufeng has not taken any pills yet. She is relying entirely on the entropy energy within her body to suppress the erosion of the red smoke.

Even so, she still needed to collect the pills. Besides Li Qingshi needing them, she herself wasn't safe either.

Presumably, all those pills were made together, so it's not that the pills' efficacy is declining, but rather that the infection from the red smoke is becoming increasingly severe. Whether the entropy energy can still suppress it in the future remains to be seen.

Qin Rufeng spent the entire afternoon searching for medicinal pills. However, she couldn't find any pills or incense sticks outside. She could only kill the red-eyed people and search their bodies.

However, it's rare to find them on red-eyed people. After killing many red-eyed people all afternoon, I only found three pills.

This illustrates one thing... many people have run out of their elixirs. Once they've consumed four, without receiving new elixirs to replenish their supplies, they will inevitably mutate.

Li Qingshi had already finished her four pills, but fortunately Qin Rufeng had quite a few left in stock.

In the blink of an eye, darkness fell. The bells rang again, and the prison doors opened one after another…

However, at that moment, they heard the sound of tides rising from the bottom of the ravine.

"The sound of waves surges, and the primordial tide rises." The primordial tide foretold on the bamboo slips is coming!

Qin Rufeng stood on the floating island and looked down into the deep ravine. He saw that the dark water was beginning to churn violently, and the roar of the waves was like the thunder of ten thousand horses, shaking the earth and mountains.

It seemed a great flood was indeed imminent, but Qin Rufeng felt it might be more than that. The destructive power of the giant bird of natural disaster was truly formidable, so the surging waves that formed a parallel in the poem should not be merely a simple flood.

After all, it would be a huge joke if a cultivator were to drown. And Qin Rufeng, as someone with a water-based spiritual root, could even transform into water himself.

There must be something else! If giant birds can build nests on the top of stalagmites, it's not surprising that some kind of monster is hiding in this dark abyss.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Qin Rufeng seemed to see countless glowing, twisting, and writhing things beneath the dark surface of the water...

"I'm already imprisoned, so I'll just have to live as long as I can." It seems I'll have to hide in jail after all.

Qin Rufeng then led Li Qingshi into a cell. However, a strange thing happened... the cell door wouldn't close!

She then walked out of the cell, the door remaining open and motionless. All the surrounding cell doors were also frozen. The others were equally perplexed.

Is this cheating? It's way too blatant!

No! It's the sound of the tide! The sound of the tide is masking the sound of the bell, so the prison door is malfunctioning.

The bell rang before the tide, so the prison doors opened as usual. Then came the roar of the waves, the enormous sound drowning out the bell, so did the doors malfunction?

Chapter 108 Cocoon

Thinking this through, Qin Rufeng no longer hesitated and pulled Li Qingshi up to the upper level. The tide below had already surged up and submerged the lower-level cells in the blink of an eye.

The survivors fled the water, climbing upwards towards the stalagmites and floating islands. Large numbers of red-eyed people floated on the dark water. Like floating corpses and water ghosts, they would drag anyone who was even slightly slow to leave the water's surface.

Not only that, countless fluorescent tentacles also emerged from the water with the surging waves.

The surging tide was like a black, indescribable, living thing; its rapidly elongating fluorescent tentacles resembled living mycelium, sending chills down one's spine.

Compared to such a vast body of water, these tentacles don't appear particularly thick. Nor do they resemble the curled, sucker-like structure of an octopus.

They look like tender bean sprouts or delicate climbing vines. They are about the thickness of a human arm. They emit a pale yellow fluorescence, so their translucent inner cavity can be vaguely seen.

It looks like a transparent latex tube with a spherical black spur at the top. Overall, it resembles a snail's tentacle. While the tentacle tube is translucent, the spur is jet black.

These things are no pushovers!

Not far away, a female cultivator, whose movements were hampered by the appearance of her nascent soul, had one of her legs grabbed by the tentacle pillar.

The spherical column head appeared viscous and unusually soft and changeable. After grasping the nun's leg, it instantly transformed into a long cylindrical shape, encasing her calf like a boot and quickly wrapping around her thigh.

The female cultivator quickly threw out a talisman. With a loud "BOOM!", the talisman exploded at the base of the pillar, causing the tentacles to shake violently.

The attack seemed to be effective. However, due to the violent shaking, it collided with another tentacle nearby. The tentacle's head reacted quickly, immediately enveloping the female cultivator's head.

The spherical head, resembling black asphalt or latex, was incredibly soft and elastic. It tightened around the nun's head, clearly revealing her facial features. Her mouth was open, and even her eyelids and eyeballs were visible.

The female cultivator threw out two talismans, one above and one below. The lower talisman hit its mark precisely, severing the tentacle. However, the talisman on the one with the head covered was completely invisible and missed.

The nun immediately summoned a sharp sword and slashed upwards. Although she severed the tentacles, she did not remove the gelatinous hood from her head.

She fell immediately, and before she could regain her balance, she was caught by another tentacle.

The spherical head of the tentacle instantly transformed into a bowl shape, causing the female cultivator's waist to collapse and sink into it. The head gripped her hips and buttocks, quickly folding her body in half and engulfing it.

The female cultivator was soon left with only her hands and feet exposed, helplessly pleading for help. Qin Rufeng immediately unleashed the invisible sword energy of [Ambush from Ten Sides].

However, she was hesitant to act rashly and could only sever the tentacles, avoiding damage to the pillar enveloping the female cultivator. As a result, the female cultivator, with her head and feet folded in half, still couldn't escape.

Qin Rufeng wanted to make another move, but another tentacle rushed ahead and swallowed the female cultivator whole. It was just like a pack of hungry wolves devouring a helpless lamb.

Not only that, Qin Rufeng and Li Qingshi were also surrounded by countless tentacles, as if they were locked in a cage of vines.

She discovered that many of the tentacles had already swallowed their prey. The clothes of the swallowed monks had been dissolved by the cavities inside the tentacles.

Despite its soft appearance, the cultivators swallowed by this thing had their limbs twisted and bones shattered. Their bodies were rolled into balls, bulging and encased within the translucent cavity of the tentacles... you could even see their expressions of agony. The scene was cruel and horrific.

Facing the tentacles attacking from all sides, Qin Rufeng swiftly cut through the chaos with a Thousand Snowflakes technique. Then, he immediately activated his Fire Phoenix Wings, rapidly increasing altitude with Li Qingshi.

These tentacles can be severed, but they cannot be killed. After being severed, they will grow a new head from the cut.

These things are ubiquitous, and their numbers increase as they get closer to the water's surface. Almost every cell has several tentacles reaching inside.

Once the prey is captured, it is quickly dragged out of the cell. Other tentacles swarm to it, and some victims are even torn apart by five horses, a truly gruesome sight.

As Qin Rufeng continued to fly upwards, he discovered that the number of surviving cultivators around him was dwindling. Those who remained were either highly skilled in cultivation or adept at movement techniques.

However, being able to run doesn't mean you're safe. Because you've reached a relatively high position, a massive swarm of red insects has appeared out of nowhere, covering the sky and earth. It's like the scene on the first day when someone tried to escape through the courtyard.

This is simply leaving no way for people to survive...

Although the incense kept the insects away, their buzzing and whimpering were still quite annoying.

Wait, the buzzing of the insects... how could it possibly drown out the sound of the tide? Qin Rufeng suddenly realized that the sound of the tide had subsided. She quickly looked down and found that the water had stopped rising.

Although the water level has stopped rising, those tentacles can extend a long distance above the water surface and still pose a significant threat.

Qin Rufeng looked up at the bright moon in the sky above the courtyard and estimated the time in his mind... It should have been long past the usual time for the clock to strike, but the prison doors were still open.

It seems that it was indeed affected by the sound of the tide. Now that there is no sound at all, will the prison door still move?

Thinking of this, Qin Rufeng spotted a cell, grabbed Li Qingshi, and rushed inside.

As soon as they entered, the cell door slammed shut. The tentacles rammed against the door as if hitting an invisible wall, unable to move forward even an inch.

It seems I was right; the cell door wasn't completely broken.

However, before Qin Rufeng could even breathe a sigh of relief, he keenly sensed movement behind him.

She turned around and saw only darkness. It was night, and the moonlight only illuminated a small area near the cell door. But the cell was deep inside, and she could hear rustling sounds and the sound of someone breathing.

Qin Rufeng, his hand resting on the hilt of the Hidden Dragon Sword, said in a calm and composed tone, "Would the fellow Daoist inside be willing to show himself?"

A moment later, a woman's laughter came from inside, "Hahaha, Sister Liu. We meet again."

Suddenly, someone inside turned on a crystal lamp. The white light instantly illuminated the entire cell. The cell was deep, like a long-necked bottle. A long corridor led from the cell door to a relatively spacious area inside.

The person who just spoke was Jiang Chun. Besides her, there was Lu Baichuan and five or six other members of the sycophantic group. There were far fewer of them than before, and the one who had been injured by Qin Rufeng was nowhere to be seen.

Some of these people were standing, some were sitting. Lu Baichuan, Liuqiu Er Er Yi San IV Ba (8) Si, and two other sycophantic members were all "Horse Face" Dharma Forms. Two women who cultivated the Xuan Ying were sandwiched like minced meat among the bodies of these blood-gushing, muscular beasts.

Besides them, deep inside the prison cells, large areas were covered with... cocoons.

Chapter 109 Mysterious Infant Female Cultivator

Those cocoons looked like the eggshells of some alien creature.

It has a distinct spherical shell, about half the height of a person. The surface is brown, smooth but covered with ridges and veins, like the chitinous shell of an insect.

About two-thirds of the cocoon is exposed. The lower third, which is in contact with the ground, is wrapped with a large amount of blood-red cocoon silk.

The cocoon corresponds to the third line of the third bamboo slip, which is...

"The cocoon is safe. But please make sure the cocoon is intact and still. If the cocoon moves, escape immediately!"

“The cocoon is extremely dangerous. But as long as you don’t move, you can stay safe.”

Based on this information, the cocoon's so-called safety only applies when it's still. So, when the cocoon starts to throb, does it mean something is about to hatch?

Besides these cocoons, the depths of the cell were also piled with corpses... some of which seemed to still be moving and not completely dead.

They were covered with blooming flowers, fiery red and delicate, resembling the red spider lily.

This flower was first seen on the nun who was impaled and executed by the Red Moon Cult, but now it can be seen everywhere.

Corpses and dying people were scattered everywhere, and even some red-eyed people had these "red spider lilies" growing on them. Blood-red insects could grow from the flowers.

I never imagined there would be so many of them in the prison...

Jiang Chun seemed to see through Qin Rufeng's thoughts and said with a smile, "This is one of the insect nests. There are many such insect nests in the upper cells."

So that explains why so many insects fly out as you get closer to the upper levels.

It seems Jiang Chun knows quite a lot. Qin Rufeng decided to try and get some information out of her, so he asked, "What kind of insect is this?"

Jiang Chun didn't hide anything and said with a smile, "These are called tick bees. They not only suck human blood but also absorb spiritual energy. Although they are fire-attribute, after sucking human blood, they will also acquire some of the spiritual root attributes of the person they have fed on, making them difficult to guard against."

As she spoke, Jiang Chun lightly waved her hand, and a swarm of ticks and wasps took flight. She really could control them…

What's going on? Can cultivating the Mystic Infant Technique control these ticks and wasps? It seems even the red-eyed man obeys her commands.

Qin Rufeng saw the Crimson Moon Sect's motives more and more clearly... Even if they didn't cultivate the Nascent Soul stage, weren't all these red-eyed people just servants at their beck and call? Just like those demonic cultivation sects that summon souls, refine corpses, and create puppets.

The entire cell was filled with flying insects, buzzing and whimpering incessantly. Qin Rufeng, however, remained calm with the incense burner in hand.

Jiang Chun continued, "The red powder in the Crimson Moon Fairy's incense burner is also an insect. It's just a much smaller kind of insect called the Crimson Moon Insect, which is completely invisible to the naked eye."

"Red Moon Fairy? Red Moon Insect?" Qin Rufeng thought to himself, this was just as he had guessed. That jailer-like woman was indeed a member of the Red Moon Cult. He just hadn't expected that the red smoke and dust was also an insect... Well, it made sense that she was an insect.

"Is it parasitic?" Qin Rufeng asked.

“That’s right,” Jiang Chun said. “If the host is strong and healthy with an intact body, then after being parasitized, if they don’t engage in dual cultivation or use pills to maintain their health, they will become a Crimson Moon Blood Slave.”

Qin Rufeng: "Is he the kind of person who's red-eyed?"

Jiang Chun nodded. "The red eyes are due to bloodshot eyes. The host's blood nourishes the Crimson Moon Worms, which makes them bloodthirsty and they will suck the blood of living people."

"Those tiny, invisible Crimson Moon Worms devour each other within the host's body, like a process of poisoning. In the end, only one will emerge victorious, and then the Blood Slave will transform into a cocoon."

So that's how it is? Qin Rufeng frowned as he looked at the cocoons that were still relatively quiet for the time being.

Jiang Chun continued, "If the host is already dying or their body is badly damaged, the Red Moon Worm will not spin a cocoon but will instead bloom a Red Moon Flower on the host's body, from which ticks will emerge."

"Of course, there are also cases in between. Some blood slaves will also have Crimson Moon Flowers bloom on their bodies, and they will also be trapped in their own cocoons. But in the end, they will still become insect nests."

As Jiang Chun spoke, she punctured a cocoon lying on the ground, which was covered with a lot of silk threads. Sure enough, a swarm of ticks and wasps flew out of it.

Qin Rufeng's expression was grave, and he asked Jiang Chun in a low voice, "How did you find out about these things?"

“An opportunity.” A meaningful smile appeared on Jiang Chun’s face.

Qin Rufeng knew she wouldn't reveal it easily, so he didn't ask any further. Jiang Chun also turned around and looked at the pile drivers behind her.

Lu Baichuan, the man with the horse-faced Dharma image, was covered in bulging veins and sweating profusely. He stood with his legs slightly apart, and his horse's hooves pounded heavily on the ground, turning a corpse and the Crimson Moon Flower into red mud.

The swarming ticks didn't attack him; instead, they headed towards Qin Rufeng. Fortunately, there were still enough incense pills; Li Qingshi even added another one to ensure the incense would continue burning.

Lu Baichuan clenched his fists and raised his arms, striking a pose of muscular physique. His tall, dark body was muscular and defined, like a black iron statue. His powerful biceps were like iron hammers, and his broad chest muscles resembled armor protecting his breastplate.

Lu Baichuan roared and lifted the kneeling female cultivator up. The female cultivator was already only exhaling and not inhaling, like a wet garment hanging on a clothesline or a puppet with broken strings, her limbs hanging limply at her sides.

Jiang Chun kept repeating...

"The precious manual, 'Severing Jade Melody,' opens the central limit, severing the strings of a zither and shattering Kunlun stone. It urges the grains to ripen and fill the uterus, thus obtaining true essence. Consuming it will make one's cultivation advance by a thousand miles a day."

Then she cruelly disemboweled and devoured the Xuan Ying once again.

After killing two female cultivators who had reached the Nascent Soul stage and absorbing their cultivation gains, Jiang Chun sat down to meditate and regulate her breathing again. Her complexion was rosy, and her body was enveloped in a red light. Her cultivation level could be felt to have significantly improved.

Qin Rufeng was also meditating and regulating his breathing, with Li Qingshi standing beside him carrying an incense burner.

Ru Feng knew she couldn't act rashly; she was constantly calculating what to do once the fight began. After all, the space was too small, and she had no way to dodge but to fight head-on.

Logically, he should have used Weak Water Sinking Sand to "slow down the entire group" first. However, the cell was protected by a magic array, and Qin Rufeng wasn't sure if he could turn the ground into quicksand.

So it seems best to first unleash the Fire Phoenix Wings to prevent the opponent from getting close, and then use spells like Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix and Flowing Ice Rain that can attack a wide area to suppress the opponent.