I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 556 - 556 555 Hiking Trail_1

Chapter 556: 555 Hiking Trail_1 Chapter 556: 555 Hiking Trail_1 “Is there anything particular about this mountain trail?”

Lu Ban activated True Sight and looked over.

The forest itself was quite ordinary, but there seemed to be something off about the road—the Pollution was spreading on the bricks and stones, seeping into the surrounding humus-rich ground.

The Pollution appeared to be flowing down from the mountain’s peak, and it was unclear what lay at the end of the road.

“Although our abilities will surely vary here, there are still a few rules that are best adhered to.”

He Chong said, and after some thought, he decided to list them all.

“Firstly, on the mountain trail, do not believe anything anyone you meet says, and any attempt to make you leave this path is dangerous.”

“Secondly, the number of steps on the mountain trail is precisely one thousand—not one more, not one less. If you reach your destination before one thousand steps, continue walking. If you haven’t reached your destination after one thousand steps, stop and wait.”

“Lastly, do not look back.”

Lu Ban silently took note.

“By telling me so much, aren’t you afraid I will be the first to arrive?”

He asked in return.

“…As long as it’s not someone like Dai Yuanyang becoming the Mysterious Monarch, the rest doesn’t matter much.”

He Chong answered.

“Then why don’t you just strip him of his qualifications directly?”

Lu Ban asked further.

“He is one of the Nine Streams, a member of the Zhai Xing Sect; according to the Rules, we have no right to do so unless someone from the Dai Family expels him themselves.”

Du Ming explained.

“If he’s not following the rules, there’s no need for you to be so rigid either. Besides, who knows if he’ll trip you up from behind, bringing harm to you all.”

Lu Ban felt that, according to modern thinking, this was the time to say you broke the rules first, so it’s only right and proper for me to clean up after you, rather than let the rule-breaker stay.

“Do you think last night, with all of us present, if we really wanted to, Dai Yuanyang would have been able to walk out of Jiangcheng Theatre?”

Du Ming asked back.

“Killing him, making it look like an accident, eliminating that guy; apart from us who were present, no one would know. Do you think doing so would be no issue?”

Lu Ban did not answer.

In the minds of those Chosen by Gods, such actions were, in fact, justified.

“Indeed, if we really did it, outsiders wouldn’t know. But there are always some things one must not betray—a clear conscience.”

Du Ming also pointed upward.

Lu Ban looked up, only to see a lush greenery.

“There are divine watchers three feet above our heads; mortals act, the heavens watch, one can’t escape it.”

He Chong added a sentence.

“For those of us with unique skills, if we don’t have a measure or a ruler in our hearts, it’s easy to stray from the path. You are still young; consider this advice from your elders.”

He then pointed to the mountain trail again.

“You go ahead, we will follow. Remember, do not look back.”

Lu Ban glanced down at the mountain base, where there seemed to be a small village with smoke curling from chimneys—most likely the original location of Abandoned Capital Town. He also glanced towards the riverside. He couldn’t see clearly and didn’t know whether the amusement park was there or not.

He looked once more at Du Ming and He Chong, then he began to ascend the steps.

Without glancing back, Lu Ban only felt an eerie Silence behind him.

His True Sight was fixed ahead, where the Pollution was growing denser.

A thousand steps normally take just over twenty minutes—not too long.

Lu Ban counted the steps in his heart and watched the path ahead.

The Silence all around was unnerving.

Under normal circumstances, the mountain wouldn’t be quiet; there would be the calls of birds and insects. But now, in this verdant thicket, not a sound could be heard—just an unsettling quiet.

Soon, Lu Ban noticed that even the sound of his own footsteps had disappeared. He felt as if he weren’t stepping on stone steps, but rather on some soft matter, like the decayed and spongy corpse of some creature.

He looked down and saw the blue-grey bricks under his feet, not soft mud or something even more disgusting and terrifying.

However, in the hazy reflection from those bricks, it seemed that a dark shadow lingered behind him.

It was like… a person!

Lu Ban saw the unnatural shadow moving on the bricks and stones before it quickly disappeared from view, he looked up ahead, the road seemed to have grown even longer.

A fog appeared to rise around him, the air becoming sticky and humid, that moist, hot air seeped into his clothes, soon drenching them, the damp fabric clinging to his skin, making him as uncomfortable as could be.

Suddenly, Lu Ban felt an unusual sound coming from behind.

On this silent mountain path, any slight sound was impossible to escape the capture of one’s ears.

The sound was like breathing, accompanied by the light footsteps, little by little, little by little, little by little they drew closer to Lu Ban.

Huh——

Lu Ban could even feel it, that breath close at hand, traveling through the space, blowing onto his back, bringing with it a whooshing chill.

He stopped in his tracks.

“Why have you stopped?”

From behind, a clear voice rang out, asking Lu Ban with a hint of playful banter.

“No need to look back, I mean you no harm.”

The voice moved from behind Lu Ban, making its way to his side.

Lu Ban glanced over and saw it was Tang Que, the only female among the Inheritors of the Ninth River, wearing a dark cheongsam.

“Mr. He told me not to trust anyone.”

Lu Ban was candid.

“Haha, indeed, I haven’t planned on trusting you either.”

Tang Que appeared cheerful compared to her cold exterior, a forthright personality that was rare among women in this era.

“Did He Chong and Du Ming ask you to come up ahead?”

Tang Que asked again as she walked alongside Lu Ban, glimpsing his expression through the corner of her eyes which seemed quite composed.

“Yes.”

Lu Ban nodded his head, while droplets of murky sweat dripped from his hands.

This sweat had been dripping continuously from Lu Ban’s body since a while ago, he appeared to be sweating profusely.

In reality, this sweat was all Lu Ban.

Lu Ban was using “Melting” to drop parts of himself onto the mountain path.

Behind him, a drop of sweat took on the shape of Lu Ban’s face as it looked forward.

At Lu Ban’s side, there was no sign of Tang Que at all!

It was like Lu Ban was walking forward shoulder to shoulder with the air itself.

He thought for a moment and let another drop of sweat turn back.

The next instant, that drop of sweat evaporated, disappearing without a trace.

Moments later, the same drop of sweat appeared at the foot of the mountain, quickly drying up under the sunlight.

“If you look back, you’ll be sent down the mountain?”

Lu Ban asked softly.

“That’s the most common.”

Tang Que seemed to find Lu Ban rather interesting, offering an explanation.

“Actually, what happens after turning back is never certain, some people end up back at the base of the mountain to start over, some disappear without a trace, never to appear in the world of men again.”

“Is it that dangerous?”

Lu Ban meant that such a dangerous task in the contest for the Mysterious Monarch seemed a bit too much.

Like a sports meet, they generally wouldn’t include such life-threatening events, as they purely result in infighting.

“There’s no need to worry, the position of the Mysterious Monarch is not something ordinary people can hold, it’s better for those without a firm resolve to return home sooner.”

Tang Que was unconcerned.

“Why does Miss Tang want to be the Mysterious Monarch?”

Lu Ban asked again.

He heard the woman beside him take a sharp breath.