Chapter 465: Lighting the Candle

Chapter 465: Lighting the Candle

By the time Chu Liang returned to Mount Shu, it was already evening.

The first thing he did upon returning to Mount Shu was to send a flying-crane message to the Noblemen's Hall and the Great Astral Sect to check on everyone's safety. Although he had opened a breach before leaving to allow Wei Lang to send a message out, he didn't know if the demon would fly into a rage and start a killing spree.

If an eighth-realm being was intent on killing, it would be extremely difficult for even another eighth-realm being to ensure everyone's safety.

He then made his way to the Hall of Weapons to see Wen Yulong.

"Senior Brother Chu."

"Junior Brother Wen."

They exchanged slight nods of greeting. They knew each other so well that they could often sense what the other was thinking. As soon as Chu Liang arrived, Wen Yulong knew there was new work to be done.

"Can you take a look at this enchanted tool for me?" Chu Liang asked as he pulled out the Demon-Binding Rope.

As one of the first enchanted tools he had acquired, the Demon-Binding Rope had always been Chu Liang's weapon of choice for capturing thieves and subduing demons. The tortoise-shell bondage method of the Demon-Binding Rope not only physically restrained the enemy but also crushed them psychologically.

It could be called an essential tool for home and travel.

Unfortunately, as his cultivation level increased, the effectiveness of the Demon-Binding Rope began to wane.

First, its release speed was no longer fast enough to catch enemies off guard. Second, even if it succeeded in restraining someone, those with higher cultivation levels could easily break free.

This was a challenge every cultivator had to face. The enchanted tools they had relied on could no longer keep pace with their increasing cultivation levels, forcing them to give up on the old ones and acquire new ones.

Typically, they would repair these tools and pass them down to the next generation of cultivators as a legacy item.

However, the Demon-Binding Rope was not the type of tool that seemed appropriate to pass on to the next generation.

When he acquired this Scarlet Venom Silk today, he suddenly had an idea. Perhaps he could enhance his old enchanted tool and make them effective enough to be used in future battles.

Wen Yulong just happened to be an expert in this field.

Any enchanted tool that has been in his hands would receive a significant "enhancement."

"I want to enhance this tool by incorporating this material. Is that possible?" Chu Liang placed the Demon-Binding Rope and the Scarlet Venom Silk on the table and added, "Just a reminder: it's poisonous."

"Let me take a look." Wen Yulong carefully examined the two items for a moment, then frowned and said, "Why didn't you come earlier?"

"Huh?" Chu Liang couldn't help but ask, "What's the matter?"

"My shift ends now," Wen Yulong replied with a grin.

Oh, so I'm holding you up from leaving after work. Chu Liang thought as he heaved a sigh of relief. He thought that there was something wrong with the Demon-Binding Rope.

After a moment, Wen Yulong looked up and said, "The inscriptions on this enchanted tool are quite intricate, and this silk contains a potent paralyzing poison. Combining the two would definitely make for a valuable enhancement. I already have a few ideas in mind."

"Just stick to your simplest idea," Chu Liang quickly suggested. The daring ideas Wen Yulong came up with were not something he could handle.

"Leave it to me. Don't worry," Wen Yulong said confidently.

Only those who originally resided in the depths of the Deep Pool of Dreams—the remnants of the former dynasty, the people of the Kingdom of the Dream Immortal—witnessed the collapse of their world.

It was unknown as to whether the Kingdom of the Dream Immortal still exists.

Deep down, Chu Liang wished that the tranquil paradise could exist forever. Even if it was merely a dream, it provided a glimpse of fantasy in the world.

After reading the two letters, Chu Liang finally felt at ease.

Right now, his plan was to go to the Myriad Poison Mountain and the Demon Spider Forest to hunt some venomous creatures for Wen Yulong to enhance the Demon-Binding Rope.

However, before that...

He had one more thing to do.

Chu Liang left Mount Shu overnight, setting off once again for the Southern Bastion Mountain. As he passed Bombax River, he took the opportunity to slay the wine-jar monster.

Once that was done, he continued his journey, feeling satisfied.

By the time he arrived at Southern Bastion Mountain, it was already late at night. Instead of heading toward the Deep Pool of Dreams, he flew in the opposite direction, flying close to the ground to avoid waking any large evil beings that might be hidden among the peaks.

At last, with dawn breaking on the horizon, he arrived at his destination. It was an incredibly serene deep pool. The water was like a flawless mirror, perfectly still, as if it had been crafted and set in place.

Splash.

Chu Liang unhesitatingly leaped into the water.

The bone-chilling coldness of the pool made even his strong physique shudder. This pool was anything but ordinary. As he circulated his foundational qi to warm himself, he dove straight to the bottom of the pool.

There, he discovered a dark cave hidden beneath the water, covered by aquatic plants, revealing almost no trace of its entrance. After searching meticulously for a while, he finally located the entrance among the foliage.

With both hands, he pushed aside the water plants and stepped inside.

To his surprise, the cave felt warm. As he ventured deeper, it gradually dried up, and by the time he reached the innermost part of the cave, there was no sign of water at all.

At the end of the cave, there lay a jade coffin.

It appeared almost transparent, glowing softly in the darkness. Inside, a small figure dressed in bright yellow could be seen faintly.

It was the jade coffin containing the young emperor of the previous dynasty!

It had somehow ended up here, a hundred li away from the Deep Pool of Dreams.

But Chu Liang was not surprised at all. Clearly, he had come all the way here for this jade coffin.

He quickly approached the jade coffin, ready to open it, when a sudden thought made him step back a few paces.

He then lit a candle in the southeast corner of the cave. Only after the flame flickered to life did he move forward once more.

As the saying went, humans light candles, while ghosts extinguish flames.[1]

Only after that did he open the coffin.

1. This refers to the practice in tomb raiding where one should light a candle in the southeast corner of the tomb chamber. If the candle suddenly extinguishes, it means that the tomb's owner is displeased with what you are taking. At this point, you should return the item to its original place, bow three times, and exit the tomb to ensure your safety. ☜