Chapter 245: Murals

Chapter 245: Murals

Wen Ying had his first taste of the status he had achieved in the demon world. Most of the time he spent in Lucifer Demon Academy, and most of the demons he interacted with were from the academy, so he didn't have a clear sense of hierarchy.

Now, he was surrounded by hundreds of uniformed, muscular demon soldiers. Even if they were all low-ranking demons, their combined presence was intimidating.

As an intern judge appointed by the Demon King, Wen Ying only dealt with some loosely organized demonic subordinates, so he hadn't realized the extent of his power.

Strictly speaking, he was both a rich second-generation heir and a celebrity child, with a father in business and a mother who was a famous screenwriter and director. However, due to his poor health since childhood, his parents deliberately kept him away from the media spotlight. As a result, Wen Ying's upbringing was similar to that of children from wealthy families, with his only extravagance being food and in-game purchases.

Now, even his slightest actions would attract media attention.

A subtle shift occurred in his mindset; every step he took felt weighty, and his already straight back became even more erect.

Putting aside his mixed-blood identity and the exorcists from the Church who associated with the extremist faction, Wen Ying felt that his current life was wonderful.

Regarding the extremist faction, there were those with taller statures to deal with any impending collapse. Suddenly, Wen Ying's anxiety dissipated.

Perseus sensed Wen Ying's sudden surge of joy and looked questioningly at the grand entrance before them. He examined it carefully but sensed nothing, so he asked, "Why does this door make you suddenly happy?" As he gazed at it, he felt a subtle repulsion, an unease he disliked.

Wen Ying snapped back to reality. "Hm?"

Perseus realized his mistake and decided to keep quiet.

Wen Ying probed further, "What did you just say?"

Essence crossed his arms and stood with an exaggerated slouch that would have earned him scolding from any mother. Leaning playfully towards Wen Ying, he said with a teasing smile, "It seems like this door brings you happiness."

"Oh?" Wen Ying turned to Perseus, who stood coldly with an aura of brooding danger.

"Attention everyone! We're about to open the door now. Camera team, get ready!" Guo Desheng announced through a megaphone.

He dared not call out to others, as there were many important figures present, such as the academy's Dean, Chang Mufeng, and the leader of the country's Church Knights, Xiao Fengkan.

The filming crew was their own people, and the site still maintained its secrecy. Outsiders only knew that ancient ruins had been discovered here. Most ordinary folks believed they were excavating the tomb of some dynasty.

Secrecy was only maintained for the public, Wen Ying mused inwardly. The disaster response department in Tailor City was as leaky as a sieve when it came to guarding against those who truly needed to be watched.

The door of the underground palace appeared to be made of bronze, just as Guo Desheng had described – it was adorned with an image of a mirror that seemed to have angelic wings in its center, splitting across the two doors symmetrically.

Aside from that, there were other engravings on the massive door, though their meaning was indiscernible.

The stone tablet by the entrance stood about the height of a person. With only a few lines of text etched onto such a grand monument, it declared the identity of the underground palace's owner and warned that only descendants could unlock the core chamber.

The exorcists focused their magical energies into a keyhole-like groove on the door. Soon, a glowing stream of magic flowed from the groove, spreading across the entire door along intricate patterns.

When the flow of magic covered the entire door, it let out a dull thud, causing the ground to tremble. The door slowly creaked open.

Everyone stood on high alert, prepared for any magical traps within.

After a brief silence, some began to move, cautiously stepping inside in groups.

Wen Ying stood among the demons, and as he saw people entering, his feet instinctively started to follow. However, when he reached the entrance, he suddenly realized no demon was accompanying him. He turned back, puzzled, and indeed, none of them had moved. They all remained standing where they were, their expressions off.

"Is something wrong?" Guo Desheng noticed the odd behavior of the demons and jogged over to inquire.

Wen Ying shook his head and walked back, asking, "What happened to you all?"

"It contains the power of laws," Lan Jiaying said, haunted by past traumas, his gaze darkening. "We can't enter."

Boros: "Don't you feel anything?"

Koroy: "You're their descendant, so you weren't targeted, right? I envy you. It must be soothing not to feel that overwhelming sense of being singled out."

Muershi remarked, "Your lineage is indeed very convenient."

Wu Shaluo: "What a trap."

Wen Ying turned around and said, "I'll go in and see what's there. I'll tell you when I come out."

At that moment, the demons sensed an immense malevolence and frustration. The targeted law pressure was icy and relentless, yet Wen Ying's effortless figure clearly demonstrated the law's favoritism.

It was utterly absurd. Many demons were tempted to give Wen Ying a good beating.

Wen Ying was in high spirits. This time was different from the last. Previously, he was the only one not targeted by the law, but he had to fight multiple opponents alone. This time, being spared the targeting meant he held the exclusive right to enter.

He enjoyed this special treatment from the law.

However, the power of the laws here prevented Beros and the others from entering, indicating that an angel was indeed buried here, hence the abundance of law energy.

Seeing that only the Demon Mirror could enter and that it was the key, the exorcists felt a sense of relief and joy.

Although a Demon Mirror was also buried here, the more significant presence was that of the angel. They were not too keen on demons entering the resting place of angels.

Ironically, they themselves couldn't enter, which was a delightful surprise.

The explorers were officially from the Disaster Department, but in reality, there were three parties involved: the Disaster Department, the Church, and the Association. The Church was particularly exclusive, so when Wen Ying followed the majority, he noticed two distinct groups, one larger and one smaller.

The smaller group wore light armor, which seemed out of place in this era, as if they had traveled through time or broken through the barrier between two-dimensional and three-dimensional worlds.

Wen Ying glanced at them a few times. Clothes made the man, and the knights from the Church's team were quite charismatic, tall and robust, with an indescribable feeling of transcending dimensions.

On the other hand, the exorcists from the Association mostly wore the Disaster Department's uniforms, giving off a modern vibe.

After passing through the bronze gate, they entered a seemingly endless corridor paved with aureolin tiles. The walls were adorned with murals, and as they stepped in, candles on both sides of the stone walls lit up automatically. There were also glowing crystals on the ceiling every few meters.

The person responsible for photography followed the group, capturing the luxurious and dreamy corridor on camera.

The group mainly focused on observing the murals, moving at a leisurely pace.

Wen Ying examined the murals on both sides attentively. These paintings didn't depict significant historical events but rather key moments in the love story between the Mirror Demon and the angel.

From the Mirror Demon's arrival in the human world to their encounter with the angel.

Wen Ying finally understood how they had come together. Reality was indeed more bizarre than fiction. The Mirror Demon had fallen in love with the angel at first sight, and the angel had reciprocated those feelings.

Seeing this mural, everyone fell into an even deeper silence.

Although the murals narrated their romantic history, they also documented the backdrop of those times. The first defeat of the demonic army, their retreat, and so on, all the way to the end.

In the end, everyone observed more meticulously than before, and Wen Ying was no exception, with her eyes wide open, fearful of missing any details.

The timeline depicted here had reached the late stages of the war between the human and demon realms. The demonic army, led by a few humans who had once been angels, was forced into a series of defeats. With the assistance of the laws, the demons began to retreat back to the human world.

Some of the few demons who had lived among humans chose to endure the suppression of the laws and remain, while others left directly. The Mirror Demon chose to stay, while their descendants, the powerful Mirror Demons, opted to follow the demonic army back to the demon realm.

What Wen Ying was searching for was information about who knew about their affairs at that time. However, this seemed insignificant to them, as it wasn't recorded. Only their initial discovery by each other's races was documented.

The first demon to notice their presence was the Demon Witch Fairy. When Wen Ying spotted them, he approached curiously, studying the mural. The Demon Witch Fairy in the painting didn't seem to be female? After pondering over it for a while, he gave up on the speculation and moved on to the next image.

Exiting the corridor adorned with murals, they arrived in a spacious chamber that resembled a garden. There was also a transparent octagonal pavilion inside, furnished with tables, chairs, and porcelain.

"Be on guard."

Everyone cast wind-based spells around themselves to prevent the pungent aroma of the magical plants in the hall from reaching them.

"This is... a Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng!"

"This is a Reality-Shattering Fruit!"

"Goodness, Twin Butterfly Flowers!"

They were astounded by the magical plants growing here.

Wen Ying surveyed the area, took out a box for storing magical plants from his platinum ring, and calmly crouched down to begin picking them.

A knight from the Church saw this and hesitantly said to Wen Ying, "Shouldn't we refrain from picking these..."

"No damage to the stems – I'm simply harvesting ripe fruits," Wen Ying said with a casual tone and unhurried movements. "Technically, all of this belongs to me."

The others: "…"

Xiao Fengkan's lips twitched. "Not quite. If you count it that way, it's only half…" His heart sank as he saw the demon in the magic mirror flash a bright smile. "Half is fine too."

He had spoken too soon…

Wen Ying put the collection box back into his platinum ring and stopped picking any more fruits. Instead, he took out his phone and snapped pictures of every corner here.

"I've documented them. I'll come back later to harvest more."

The people around him: "…"

Xiao Fengkan felt aggrieved. He wasn't usually this foolish; why was he acting so stupid today?

After leaving a few exorcists behind to document these rare magical plants, the majority continued on their journey.

There were four passages in the garden. Each group took a different path, and Wen Ying chose the one nearest to the transparent room. This passage led to another door made of bronze.

Guardian sculptures lined the passageway, and Wen Ying was taken aback. Had they already reached the so-called core chamber? Was the mausoleum where the Angel and the Mirror Demon slumbered really this small?

Guo Desheng noticed Wen Ying's confusion and explained, "There's ample space behind the other three corridors, but only here does a door appear directly. It's uncertain if this is the chamber referred to in the stone tablet."