I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 357 - 357 356. Twisted Mask of Pain_1

Chapter 357: 356. [Twisted Mask of Pain]_1 Chapter 357: 356. [Twisted Mask of Pain]_1 [Twisted Mask of Pain]

[Unidentified]

[Identification Price: 100 Silence Points]

Lu Ban spent 100 Silence Points to identify the mask.

The wound-covered, startling mask became even more twisted.

Lu Ban saw that the description relating to this mask also became blurred and twisted, then quickly turned into text he could understand.

[Twisted Mask of Pain]

[Mutation]

[Remains of someone from a Foreign Domain contaminated and deceased, a perfect mask]

[The air in Misty City contains deadly toxins, and its people have evolved bodies suitable for survival under the long-term effects of Corrosion]

[When this grey mist merges with the Pollution from other domains, it gives birth to an even stronger force]

[Wear it, and you will become one of the Misty City people]

[“Be careful not to cough out some part of your insides; you know what I’m talking about!”]

“Misty City?”

Lu Ban came across a new term, which seems to be the name of the domain where the Bandaged People reside.

Assuming that the original inhabitants of these foreign domains were all humans, then it was clear that these domains must have experienced more severe Pollution leading to human Mutation.

This gave Lu Ban two revelations.

First was that the Evil God polluting these worlds might not be the same individual, they may reign over different Foreign Domains.

The second revelation was that even after being contaminated, humans could still maintain a form of civilized existence.

“So there are different levels of Pollution, and the interaction between different domains represents the process of Pollution infiltration.”

Since so far, Lu Ban had not seen any substance capable of removing Pollution, he could use this as a basis to deduce the first Principle of Pollution among many Foreign Domains: Pollution is irreversible. All Pollution only deepens over time; it never diminishes.

The entire Foreign Domain would be in a state of continuous contamination.

When a domain with a high level of Pollution comes into contact with one with a lower level, the Pollution flows into the less-contaminated domain, causing Mutation.

Therefore, one must actively contaminate their own domain to ensure that they are not severely harmed during the contact between domains.

The ability of a civilization to adapt to Pollution is the primary indicator of whether it can survive within it.

Lu Ban picked up the mask and decided to try it on.

After all, it was free.

However, to prevent a repeat of the previous situation where he lost consciousness and missed a delicious breakfast and lunch, Lu Ban went out into the courtyard under the sun.

There were no other people in the yard; it was still early, and the Shrine Maidens were probably doing their morning lessons.

He stretched his body, loosened his muscles, and put on the mask.

As the mask touched Lu Ban’s face, it suddenly sprouted some black, sticky tentacles.

These tentacles, located at the edge of the mask, stuck to his face and immediately burrowed into his skin like stitches in a wound.

Lu Ban felt as if his skin was being torn apart as the grass tried to break through his skin, a natural reflex. Lu Ban suppressed this slightly, and the mask fit snugly against his face without any discomfort.

Centered around the mask, grey mist spread, enveloping and covering Lu Ban’s body.

He felt himself becoming light as air, undergoing some sort of metamorphosis.

Raising his hand, Lu Ban saw that his body had turned into a pale grey mist, entwined with mottled bandages.

As long as Lu Ban wished, he could turn into smoke, moving freely, entering sealed rooms through tiny cracks, or even inhabiting human bodies.

“Similar to Feng Yu?”

Lu Ban felt this state was somewhat like the time when Feng Yu had entered his body.

As for the bandages, they were an extension of his body, or perhaps parts with less sensation, like fingernails.

Lu Ban could use bandages to tentatively probe things before confirming they were harmless and then making contact with his misty body.

Perhaps this was the operation the Bandaged People adopted when facing Pollution.

Experiencing an unprecedented strange state, Lu Ban’s brain suddenly exploded with a buzz.

It was resentment from the Corruption, madness from the species of the Bandaged People, and the wrath of that individual Chosen by Gods, all entwined together, causing Lu Ban’s body to lose stability, constantly contracting and expanding like a violently breathing cloud.

Bang——

With a booming sound, Lu Ban dissipated completely.

He transformed into a sparse cloud of mist, spreading through the entire courtyard.

This sparse state made his consciousness also become diluted, hard to concentrate.

At this time, a Shrine Maiden walked into the courtyard.

Behind her were two companions, namely Amber.

Looking much more dignified and steady, she came to the doorway of the house, called out a few times, but received no reply.

“Could he have gone down the mountain?”

The Shrine Maiden behind her wondered.

“Why is there so much ash in this yard, it’s gotten my clothes dirty.”

The other Shrine Maiden, looking at the ash-covered courtyard, as if hit by a dust storm, covered her nose.

At this moment, they were unaware that Lu Ban was here.

Through the mist, he could sense everything about these Shrine Maidens, everything inside their bodies; he could tell that one of the Shrine Maidens accompanying Amber had a knee injury, and the other had liver damage.

Out of courtesy, Lu Ban gave Amber a quick health check.

Very healthy, just a bit underdeveloped.

He initially wanted to try hard to solidify himself with his consciousness but then thought better of it; what if he suddenly appeared, Amber might just burn him alive, mistaking him for one of the Bandaged People.

The survival instinct kept Lu Ban in his current state, just waiting for Amber to leave.

Amber did not find Lu Ban and left a note behind before departing with the Shrine Maidens.

Lu Ban was about to condense into human form when he felt someone else come into the yard.

“Why are there so many visitors today?”

As he pondered, he sensed the newcomer.

It wasn’t human.

A woman in a red and white Witch Costume appeared in the courtyard; she had deep black hair, pale skin, and faint cherry blossom-colored eyes.

She stood there, fixating on the note Amber had left behind.

Lu Ban, in his smoky state, enveloped her, then discovered that she did not breathe.

Lu Ban could only try to let the smoke enter her body proactively.

However, the moment Lu Ban made the attempt, a shudder coursed through his entire body, followed quickly by the sensation that he was ablaze.

This was no metaphor.

He truly caught fire.

Pale fire ignited where the mist and the woman touched, and a kaleidoscope of blackness brewed within those flames.

Lu Ban felt intense pain as if a thousand needles were thrust into his palm’s center and then placed over a fire.

He immediately withdrew, distancing himself from the woman.

As for the part burned by the Pure Fire, that clump of smoke was discarded by Lu Ban, falling to the ground, quickly extinguishing.

Tearing the mask off his face, Lu Ban realized the woman had already disappeared.

Various parts of his body began to grow grass again; under the sunlight, these fresh greens thrived vigorously.