Chapter 0004: Ritual Candles

The production of ritual candles is not complicated; it only requires mixing the prepared materials in a certain proportion and then pouring them into a mold to shape them. Even without a mold, it is possible to shape them by hand. For ritual candles, the quality of the materials used in the production is the key factor affecting the quality of the candles. Depending on the quality of the materials used, the effects of the produced ritual candles can vary significantly.

This is the alternative method that Chen Yu thought of. Corpse oil refers to the fat that oozes out in an oily form when a body is in a state of advanced decomposition. Corpse oil can be observed on a body that has not been handled for several days during the summer. A body from which corpse oil has oozed appears as if it has been soaked in oil. However, it is not stated that corpse oil must be collected from a human body; animal carcasses can be used as a substitute. In Japan, the seafood market discards a large amount of unsold bycatch every day, especially during the summer. As long as a small amount is collected and left for a short period, corpse oil can naturally be obtained. Of course, the smell is very unpleasant

Although the materials for making ritual candles are not particularly complex and are not difficult to find, corpse wax and corpse oil are not items he can obtain. After all, in a modern legal society, a corpse is unlikely to reach the stage where corpse wax is produced without being discovered, and it would then be sent for cremation or burial. He has no means to acquire these items

For ordinary people, night is a time for rest. After a busy day, the vast majority have finished their personal hygiene early and lie down in their warm beds, sweetly entering the realm of dreams

Given Chen Yu's current abilities and level, it is evidently impossible for him to construct a dark canopy that obscures the sky. Not to mention the resources required for such an endeavor, the mere impact of covering the sky, in this era filled with satellites, would likely be detected by the satellites that are constantly monitoring the Earth within less than twenty-four hours

Eliminating these extraneous thoughts from his mind, Chen Yu took out the mold and the materials he had prepared earlier, and began his work for the evening. He needed to create a ceremonial candle tonight.

Although they are mages who specialize in necromancy, necromancers, like normal mages, can substitute meditation for sleep and do not feel fatigued due to lack of sleep

And the alternative chosen by Chen Yu and - Tu - Shu is ... ... paraffin

He carefully extracted the oil-soaked hair from a can filled with a fishy odor using long tweezers and placed it into a glass dish that had already been prepared. He hurriedly covered it with a lid and only dared to breathe after resealing it properly. However, even though it had only been opened for a short while, the air in the room was still permeated with a very unpleasant smell of dead fish and rotten shrimp

Therefore, Chen Yu also thought of using other materials as substitutes

Although the materials cannot be described as particularly evil, they are certainly not acceptable or understandable to the average person. It is precisely because the materials used in necromancy predominantly exhibit this style that even necromancers with good intentions find it difficult to be accepted by mainstream society, forcing them to remain hidden in the shadows

In ancient legends and myths, spirits have always feared sunlight. Whenever the sun rises during the day, all spirits must hide in the shadows to avoid being scorched by the sun's intense rays, or even being burned to death

Ritual candles are specially crafted candles that are not intended for illumination but rather for attracting spirits. Although ritual candles emit light when lit, this light primarily serves to greatly attract spirits. Furthermore, when ritual candles burn, they release a scent that is irresistible to spirits, drawing them unconsciously towards the candle.

Indeed, there is only a limited amount of corpse oil... How pitiful it is that a single corpse yields so little oil. To avoid detection, one can only collect a small amount from each corpse. Although this small accumulation can eventually build up like grains of sand into a tower, it is still far from sufficient.

According to the methods recorded in the "Comprehensive Necromancy Spellbook of the Multiverse," a standard ritual candle requires a mixture of corpse wax and cat ashes as the primary materials, supplemented with grave moss, corpse grass, and soil from graves. The wick should be made from hair of the deceased that has been soaked in corpse oil, and if a skull cap can be used as the candle holder, the effect will be even better

In reality, this is indeed the case. Within the definition of necromancy, the sun is a conglomerate of positive energy. The light it emits possesses immense destructive power against various undead creatures and spirits. Even the most powerful high-level undead beings are affected; their strength is diminished under sunlight. Only truly top-tier undead beings have the ability to disregard the sun.

As for the hair of the deceased that has been soaked in corpse oil from https://mhetushu.com, Chen Yu, as a student of the Medical Department of Dongda University, is familiar with some channels through which he can obtain the hair of the deceased. This is not something he lacks, and the hair of the living can also serve as a substitute.

Although the materials were significantly inferior, after conducting experiments, Chen Yu successfully produced ritual candles using paraffin. Of course, the results were indeed much less impressive, but in Chen Yu's view, having something usable was already quite good

Even with Chen Yu, it is impossible to place a corpse in his own home and wait for it to produce corpse wax, so he can only use other materials as a substitute

Originally, he intended to use beeswax, a natural product; however, it is regrettable that in a place like Tokyo, obtaining natural beeswax is not an easy task. In contrast, paraffin, which can be industrially produced and mass-produced, is quite readily available, so Chen Yu naturally chose to use paraffin

After opening the window to let in some air and dissipate the odor, Chen Yu used a small crucible to melt the paraffin that had been buried in the grave for a month. He then poured in various crushed materials, infused with necromantic magic according to the production requirements, and stirred them together. Once mixed evenly, he poured the mixture into a mold, inserted a wick made from the hair of the deceased, and waited for the wax to solidify. After removing it from the mold, he lit it, and it emitted a green flame. A ritual candle was thus completed.

For necromancers, ritual candles are primarily used in various summoning rituals or more specialized spell ceremonies, serving as essential and important tools within the rituals. This is akin to how incense and candles are indispensable for ancient Chinese Taoist priests when conducting ceremonies.

It is precisely for this reason that necromancers conduct their research on necromantic spells mostly at night or during rainy days, as this helps to eliminate the interference of the positive energy emitted by the sun on their spells. Among necromantic spells, there are also those that create a dark canopy to obscure the sky, thereby establishing an environment conducive to the existence of the undead

As for the other materials, obtaining the cat's ashes is not particularly difficult; although it can be somewhat troublesome, with a bit of expenditure, one can acquire such items. In fact, Chen Yu used high-quality ashes from a black cat, which can be considered top-grade. As for the moss from the grave, corpse grass, and soil from the grave mound, these are not so hard to obtain for Chen Yu, who lives next to a cemetery in his rented apartment; he can simply collect them from the cemetery at night.

However, for necromancers, night is the time when they begin their work