Chapter 76: Perils of Dangerous Path
"By the way, why did no one name this path?" as they walked through the area, Ryker couldn't help but ask.
"I'm not sure but I think no one wants to make this place known to anyone. Giving a name might indicate that there might be treasures in the area. Better set the area as a forbidden place let the path be forgotten," Solance answered, looking warily at the path in front of them.
Frankly speaking, if Solance hadn't told him the danger of the path, he might thought it to be a safe path, the vegetation looked like it was regularly maintained, and the dirt road even looked like it was constantly cleared of any leaves and debris.
"Yeah, everyone who used this path before thought that too, but by the time they reached the end, only less than 10 people made it out alive," Solance suddenly said, looking at his face as he said it.
"I read your face, your thought was completely understandable. If I'm not the young master of my family, I wouldn't have known this info," he said, before starting to walk faster.
Ryker followed him. He also looked around, while he didn't know what triggered it, his instinct kept screaming of danger. If not for the fact they needed to get to the capital as quickly as they could, he would have suggested any other path.
Unfortunately, any other paths would likely have Uru Family's servants watching them by now so he could only take the dangerous path. He followed the young master, unaware of the dark cloud that remained hidden from their sight.
-x-
They decided to make a camp. Considering they had entered the path in the late evening, they decided to rest for the night before getting away from the path as quickly as possible.
"To think one day I would have to use this deadly path. Huh, Uru Family, I'm going to get my father trimmed you until you have no wools left," Solance cursed the Uru, a perfectly reasonable reaction in Ryker's humble opinion.
After all, he had some grudges against the Uru Family too. And the Tol Family. Having the Hal Family by his side, even if they offer meager support, would still be beneficial.
"How long will it take to go through the path?" Ryker asked, Solance never telling him about it.
"I'm not sure. The previous expeditions spent most of the time marching and it took them 2 to 3 days. If we run at full speed, we might get past in one day," he answered, his expression telling him he was unsure of the answer himself.
Ryjer sighed. 'Spending time with a guy friend in a ghost path that claimed many lives. Truly a delightful part of his traveling time,' he thought sarcastically.
They have a quick dinner before going to sleep. As they fell into deep slumber, they didn't notice the dark cloud encircling them, slowly shrouding them before disappearing, as if it never existed in the first place.
-x-
When Ryker woke up, he quickly prepared a quick breakfast. To his surprise, Solance still didn't wake up. He headed towards the young master's sleeping spot before shaking him.
"Wake up, sleepy head," he called him out, the young master opened his eyes as he heard the call.
"Please, I'm tired," Solance told Ryker, but the other man didn't pay attention, his eyes looking at the red-shot eyes, different from the blue eyes Solance had.
"Oh no," he muttered, his expression turned to horror. He put his hands on Solance's forehead, his fear confirmed.
"Not good, the path got you," he told him urgently, making the sleepy Solance wake up in shock before he tried to stand up. Keyword: tried.
"Ugh," he grumbled, Ryker, catching him. He looked worriedly at the young master, carrying him to where he put the pot.
He fed the young master, hoping in vain it could at least reduce the fever even though he knew that it wouldn't do anything. Thankfully, the young master could still eat, but his body remained weak.
"To think I get the illness of the path," Solance said bitterly, his body too weak but his mouth working perfectly fine. That told Ryker he would be okay.
"Is there any cure?" He asked, not sure what to do if there was none.
"The only possible way to cure it, at least from speculation is to get to the end of the path, though I'm not sure if it is the truth or not," Solance answered, his body weak from the fever.
"In that case, we should get out of here as soon as we can," he said, carrying the other man, piggyback style.
"Hmm," the other man didn't answer, letting himself be carried by Ryker. Ryker quickly sprinted through the path, though to his shock, his body also started to feel fatigued. Thankfully, it was not as severe as Solance so he could still move.
He thought about what could cause this feeling and why the vegetation wasn't affected. 'Unless it did,' he thought in shock, stopping his movement as he came to a scary conclusion.
"Ryker?" Solance called out, surprised why his friend didn't move.
"Solance, what is the chance the master that died here practiced multiple paths? Like Law of Death, Lore of Soul, and Lore of Illusion," he suddenly asked, though Solance's eyes widened when he heard the third path.
"You think-" "Only one way to find out," he stopped Solance from talking before using a technique he learned from the Illuminating Light Mantra, Luminous Clearance. The Technique is not useful in a fight except if the opponent uses an illusion. He had learned it to combat such an opponent. To think its first usage is in the middle of nowhere.
The light seemed to cause the surroundings to ripple. The air around began to ripple it ripped open like something tore through it. The surroundings slowly changed, the area around them soon covered in dark clouds, and the trees and grasses turned an eerie gray.
To see the entire area around them change so much makes the two to have horrified looks on their faces. Realizing the danger he was in, Ryker used both the Luminous Clearance and Purifying Aether Technique, one to clear the illusion, another to clear the aura of death by purifying it.
Seeing the cloud around them dissipate, Ryker quickly did the smart and sane thing by booking out of the scary place, running as fast as he could. Solance, unable to move, quickly supported his friend by yelling some very encouraging things.
"Run boy run, or we going to die!"
"Faster, don't you know the meaning of faster! It means going more fast!"
"I've seen a turtle move faster than you, and it's already dead!"
The fact that Ryker didn't throw him to the cloud spoke of the patient he has. The two quickly reach the end of the path, Ryker quickly going to a large tree before putting the young master down, catching his breath.
He thanks his parents for the useful art they had given to him and make another vow to practice it more. As he catches his breath, he heard a whisper in the wind.
"Will anyone pass my trials and claim my inheritance?"
Weekly Power Status
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