Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Palace of Eternal Joy

Even though Liu Chen’s description was vague and brief, it was enough to leave the middle-aged Luo An deeply moved, his eyes rimmed with obvious redness. He muttered indistinct words under his breath, so quietly that Liu Chen could not make out what he was saying.

But Luo An managed to restrain his emotions and, after understanding the final question Liu Chen posed, he pondered for a moment before responding, “Each village has one of these bronze oil lamps, but if it’s quantity you want, the Old Dragon King Temple has the most. I went there a few years back—not sure exactly how many, but I estimated there were about a hundred, which should be enough for your purposes. However, the Old Dragon King Temple has temple keepers, Taoist priests with supernatural abilities. I’m not sure if they’ll let you in.”

Listening carefully to Luo An’s words, Liu Chen felt a surge of delight upon hearing that the Old Dragon King Temple held over a hundred bronze oil lamps. As for the mention of Taoist priests with supernatural abilities, Liu Chen paid it little heed; he doubted that such temple keepers could conceal a true immortal.

“Since those priests are dedicated to comforting restless spirits, I trust they’ll be reasonable and won’t bar my way. But I’m not familiar with this area of Xin City. Where exactly is this Old Dragon King Temple, and how should I get there?”

Smiling, Liu Chen thanked Luo An and asked for directions, preparing to set out immediately.

“It’s not far from here,” Luo An replied, clearly well-acquainted with the route. “Go southwest for three li and you’ll reach the Xin River. Follow it south for over ten li, and you’ll see the Old Dragon King Temple. Though, it’s now called the Palace of Eternal Joy. You’ll recognize it by the plaque when you arrive.”

Luo An mapped out the route to the Palace of Eternal Joy succinctly, as someone who had traveled it many times.

“The Palace of Eternal Joy—how interesting. Naming a place for mourning the dead as a palace of eternal happiness. Are they implying that after death, one can find everlasting joy?”

Upon hearing the temple’s name, Liu Chen pondered for a moment, finding the choice somewhat meaningful, and murmured to himself.

Yet he did not dwell further on the name. After confirming the route, Liu Chen bid farewell and prepared to leave.

“One more thing—if you want to avoid the calamity of war, leave as soon as possible. Don’t delay. I estimate that the scouts will reach your village in half a day at most.”

Just before departing, Liu Chen felt it best to warn Luo An. Judging by the marching speed he had observed with Zhao Qian’s group, they would reach this area by noon tomorrow at the latest, and their scouts would arrive half a day earlier. If Luo An waited until dawn to leave, his hopes of escaping the vortex of war might be dashed.

“Ah, I see. Thank you, sir, for the warning. I’ll arrange for the villagers to head into the mountains tonight!”

Upon hearing Liu Chen’s words, Luo An immediately sensed the gravity of the situation and decided to lead everyone into the mountains at once.

Seeing Luo An’s decisiveness, Liu Chen felt his warning had not been given in vain. He smiled, then set off down the road.

“May you have a smooth journey—”

With Liu Chen’s pace quickening, he covered a great distance in just a few breaths. As he was nearly out of Luo An’s sight, he heard a voice from behind. Pausing briefly, Liu Chen felt his spirits lift.

Wind swept beneath his feet, and soon the Xin River appeared before his eyes. After a brief orientation, Liu Chen followed the river south, heading toward the Palace of Eternal Joy.

The waning moon had just risen, casting stillness over the land, broken only by the constant rush of water. As Liu Chen sped along, a sense of freedom blossomed within him, washing away much of the gloom that had plagued him since his transformation into a zombie.

Alas, for Liu Chen, the ten li journey was far too short. In about a quarter of an hour, he could already see, from afar, the Palace of Eternal Joy standing quietly by the riverbank.

At this hour, the palace was nearly deserted and exceptionally tranquil, save for a single spot where bright light flickered—most likely the place where the hundred bronze oil lamps were kept.

Seeing his goal appear so readily before him, Liu Chen felt fortune was on his side and bounded forward, closing the distance in a few swift steps.

Yet, after circling the palace walls twice, Liu Chen sensed a deep, mysterious aura enveloping the Palace of Eternal Joy, like a seamless cover that left no gaps.

Strangely, though he could distinctly feel this aura, when Liu Chen opened his spiritual eyes, he saw nothing unusual; everything appeared perfectly normal.

This disparity left Liu Chen uneasy. After some thought, he tried channeling the Netherworld Flame through his eyes and scanned his surroundings, but nothing changed.

“Could it be my senses are mistaken?”

After repeated probing failed to reveal the source of the mysterious aura, Liu Chen began to doubt his own perceptions. He observed the palace for nearly an hour, growing impatient, and finally decided to ignore the aura and enter the palace directly.

“Huh, why did that aura vanish after I entered?”

The moment Liu Chen vaulted over the palace wall, the aura he had sensed so clearly from outside vanished without a trace. Confused, he tried leaving again, only to feel the mysterious presence return.

After several such attempts, Liu Chen concluded that the inside and outside of the palace wall were like two separate worlds. The strangeness of this phenomenon made him even more cautious.

Unable to comprehend what was happening, Liu Chen considered retreating; risking his life for a bit of power hardly seemed worthwhile. Yet, another part of him remembered that, as a zombie, he had already endured the most terrifying death. If he continued to shrink back from challenges, it would be cowardly indeed. He resolved to venture in and see for himself.

These two conflicting thoughts battled within him, but in the end, the urge for adventure won out, compelling Liu Chen to delve deeper into the Palace of Eternal Joy.

Still, caution was necessary. Abandoning his earlier plan to rush straight toward the lights, Liu Chen decided to circle the palace wall and observe the layout, so he would be better prepared should anything occur.

With careful steps, he circled the palace, covering four or five li, and gradually formed a thorough understanding of its arrangement.