Chapter 1366 — The Entrance to the Great Hall
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Of such things, Wei Zhao was sure Elder Yu knew little enough himself; the old man was half-informed and fond of showing off what scraps he had. But the ancient sects should know far more about spirit beasts — it was only that someone at Wei Zhao's level had no way to reach the ancient sects at all.
The passage leading to the underground palace was rugged and winding, but with the danger gone, the party moved along smoothly, and in only about a day's time they came to its end.
At the end of the passage stood a square palace. The main hall was enormous, large enough to hold a football pitch, and within it were only a few pillars that rose from floor to ceiling, apparently the load-bearing columns that held the whole structure up. Beyond those, there was no other furnishing at all.
And on the palace's stone walls hung countless ever-burning lamps. Once they came this far, everyone felt as though a veil had been lifted — out of darkness and into light — and the searchlight in Old Hei's hand was rendered useless. Though the lamps were not especially bright, they were no different from ordinary indoor electric lights.
At the sight, Wei Zhao marveled inwardly, sighing in secret admiration for those master craftsmen who could devise something so exquisite. Ever-burning lamps — this ancient tomb had stood for hundreds, perhaps a thousand years, yet the flames had never gone out. Truly, there was something wondrous in it!
But Old Hei and Yu Xiaoke seemed to take it as a matter of course, so Wei Zhao, Qiu Lingshan, and Chen Yuxuan naturally could not show too much astonishment.
"So this is the underground palace? Why is there nothing here? And these lamps — why have they burned on without ever going out?" Elder Yu was an outsider to such matters, and once he arrived he found himself thoroughly baffled.
"Elder Yu, this is not the underground palace — only the entrance hall to it!" Old Hei hurried to explain. "Next, we must search here for the true entrance to the underground palace. As for those ever-burning lamps, they are common enough in the finest ancient tombs. They are said to be made from the fat of merfolk."
"Oh? So that is how it is. Then what are we waiting for? You look for the entrance, and I will take down one of these ever-burning lamps to study it."
"You mustn't!" Old Hei hurried to stop him. "Elder Yu, these ever-burning lamps cannot be snuffed out or removed as one pleases. It could trigger some mechanism and trap us all down here!"
"Hmph! I was merely speaking. This sort of junk is common enough in the hidden families!" Cut off by Old Hei, Elder Yu felt a sudden irritation, yet he would not admit fault, and so he began to spout nonsense.
At Elder Yu's conceit, Old Hei gave an awkward smile, but he did not dare say more.
"Lady Yan, what do you make of the entrance to the underground palace?" Old Hei turned and asked Yu Xiaoke.
"There are many baffling pictures on the palace walls. Perhaps the gate to the underground palace lies hidden in the secret of those pictures. Let us split up and search," Yu Xiaoke said after sweeping her gaze once around the great hall.
"Very well. We will all split up — that will be faster." Old Hei nodded. "But if anyone finds a mechanism, don't act rashly."
"Naturally," Yu Xiaoke said with a nod.
That said, Old Hei and Yu Xiaoke began their search, and even Elder Yu joined in. Elder Yu was anxious too — he wanted to enter the underground palace quickly, find those treasures, finish his task quickly, and return to the hidden Yu family.
But Wei Zhao did not move. He still stood at the very center of the hall.
As for Wei Zhao's unsociability, Old Hei did not dare to interfere, and Elder Yu could not be bothered, lest he bring humiliation on himself — so they simply let Wei Zhao stand in the middle of the great hall.