The Paper Flower Heart Lamp was also called the Paper Life Lamp.
Like my Half Gate Yin Yang, it was a means of protecting myself and staying alive.
Once lit, it burned my life force as fuel.
Its light blazed brightly, protecting those around it from the harm of lascivious, evil ghosts.
Xiao Ran now used his own essence, energy, and spirit as fuel. With one breath, he lit dozens of paper flowers, immediately surrounding everyone with their light.
Though they could no longer hear anything, the light enveloping them made them feel much more secure.
As the treasure ship sailed completely into the core of Zuowangxu, a suffocating, deathly silence suddenly descended upon everyone.
The air grew thick as glue. A gray, deathly presence carrying the scent of decay and dust spread silently, like countless icy tentacles winding around and seeping into everyone aboard.
It felt as if a thousand-pound burden pressed down on their souls; even breathing became difficult.
Yet beneath the lights above their heads, though everyone felt terribly uncomfortable, that was all it was: discomfort.
They looked ahead. It was completely black, so black that they couldn't see anything. Time, space, direction, even matter itself seemed to have lost all meaning here.
Just then, a sudden change occurred!
The dozens of paper lamps surrounding them began to shake violently without warning!
It was as if countless invisible hands were tearing and squeezing them. Their flames flickered, bright one moment like candles guttering in the wind, dim the next, nearly going out.
At the same time, countless distracting thoughts arose in Xiao Ran's mind. He worried about how his Jingqi Pavilion was doing, then thought of his grandfather and the others. In the next instant, his heart tightened, and he couldn't help thinking of her.
Gao Yuting!