The Library in the Oil Painting

Bang!

Crack!

Bang!

Crack!

Amid the sounds of splintering wood, Jiang Qiao wielded his axe and smashed the pulpit inside the Sacred Altar to pieces. A framed oil painting immediately fell out.

"Hm?"

Jiang Qiao's eyes flashed.

"Why was there an oil painting hidden in this pulpit?"

After entering the castle, he had seen plenty of oil paintings on the walls. They depicted evil spirits or humans whom the castle's owner had once subdued. Through some form of supernatural binding, they had been turned into the castle's guards, tasked with dealing with new intruders.

However...

As he made his way down through the castle and entered the dungeon, there were virtually no more oil paintings on the walls.

This church lay in the deepest part of the castle.

Its style was classical and lavish. Sculptures stood everywhere, antiques and artworks filled the space, and crystals adorned the entire magnificent interior. These three elements blended seamlessly, making the church ornate yet beautifully arranged.

Every detail was perfectly judged, lending a touch of elegance to its opulence.

Yet...

Strangely enough...

Not a single painting could be seen in such a magnificent church.

Jiang Qiao had not noticed this before.

Only after finding an oil painting inside the pulpit did he finally realize that these paintings might hold some deeper significance. They were not simply paintings connected to a supernatural space.

He picked up the oil painting and examined it closely.

The frame was dark red, its paint chipped and peeling, with mold already beginning to grow on it. It looked quite old and had clearly received almost no regular maintenance.

The oil painting depicted a library, with all manner of books scattered haphazardly across the shelves on either side.

The library's background was shrouded in darkness.

The whole painting had a gloomy,