Chapter 4

While chatting and laughing, he also noticed that although the weeds were overgrown, it was clear that this was a wilderness path trodden by many.

The poor rural village was unlike the city, where even the most dilapidated places had at least paved cement roads. In the countryside, especially in impoverished areas, many paths were muddy trails formed by people walking.

Just as Lu Xun said, there were originally no paths in the world, but as more people walked, paths were formed.

Tan Xiao could clearly identify that the path under his feet was one such trail, trodden by people over the years. To prevent the mud and slipping during rainy days, it was also scattered with pebbles.

This confirmed his guess about the location of Lvyuan Town.

Even if he hadn't thought of the firelight, following this path would likely lead him to Lvyuan Town.

The night was deep and cold, but due to his nervousness and the rush of adrenaline from walking, the energy in his body burned, and despite wearing only a shirt, Tan Xiao no longer felt the chill as much as before.

Because of the pitch-black surroundings, he could see nothing and had to rely on the feeling under his feet to move forward. Tan Xiao's pace was not fast.

But it wasn't slow either. His anxious heart urged him to quicken his steps, and the flickering lights in the distance seemed to tell him that his goal was ahead.

Step by step, he moved steadily forward, ready for any sudden situations.

However, after some time, he felt he had walked a considerable distance, and his legs were slightly sore. The surroundings remained eerily quiet and cold, and the flickering lights still seemed far away, as if he hadn't gotten any closer to his goal.

"What's going on?! Could it be a ghost wall?!" Tan Xiao suddenly recalled the stories the elders told him when he was a child.

When a person is bewitched by a ghost, they can't move forward no matter how they walk. Their eyes may seem normal, but their mind is already obscured. What they see is not the real scene. They appear to be moving forward, but in fact, they are always circling in the same place—this is a ghost wall!

His heart shuddered, and he recalled the story of the ghost wall. Tan Xiao stopped, then used his foot to dig into the ground, scraping away the soil and pebbles to make a small pit as a marker.

After making the mark, he focused his mind and attention and carefully slowed his pace to continue walking.

After walking for a while, Tan Xiao stopped again, stretched out his foot to probe, and found a small pit right next to his heel!

His brows furrowed deeply, and Tan Xiao quickly recalled the methods the elders had told him to deal with a ghost wall.

"Xiao Xiao, if you encounter a ghost wall, pick up a stone and throw it behind you, shouting, 'Mount Tai lends its strength, the great stone of Mount Tai stands here, strike!' This will work."

"The stone of Mount Tai is a mountain god. Before such a great deity, a small ghost would be too frightened to act, and would be scared away."

The voice of Grandma Li, who had passed away many years ago, seemed to echo in his ears. Without hesitation, Tan Xiao bent down to pick up a stone.

Although he didn't know if Grandma Li's method would work, it was the only option he had.

The wilderness path was covered with pebbles, so picking up a couple was not a problem.

However, when Tan Xiao bent down to feel the ground, it was cold and smooth, like ice, and there were no pebbles to be found. It felt like a decayed old wooden board, not a rugged, muddy path!

"Trouble! This ghost is very fierce!" He muttered to himself and instinctively looked down at the ground.

The night was very dark, and Tan Xiao couldn't see anything. Looking down, he saw only deep darkness. Suddenly, a cold chill rose from his feet, and Tan Xiao shivered uncontrollably!

"Bad! I must find a way to break the ghost wall, or it will be disastrous!" His heart raced, and he felt a sense of foreboding.

At this moment, Tan Xiao remembered that he had a few stones in his pocket, which he had intended to use as weapons!

"Thank goodness!" He sighed in relief, quickly reaching into his pocket and pulling out a fist-sized pebble.

Standing firm, Tan Xiao threw the stone behind him, and as soon as he heard it hit the ground, he shouted, "Mount Tai lends its strength, the great stone of Mount Tai stands here, strike!!"

As he finished speaking, a piercing, cold scream echoed, and Tan Xiao felt something around him being torn apart by an unknown force.

Focusing his eyes on the dark surroundings, although he still couldn't see anything, Tan Xiao felt that his eyes were now seeing the real world, unobscured.

"Hurry up! I'm probably being watched by something unclean. Although I scared it off for now, it will likely come back soon. I'll be safe once I reach Lvyuan Town."

Tan Xiao didn't dare to be careless and hurried along, walking much faster than before.

This time, Tan Xiao could clearly see that the firelight was getting closer, although it was still a distance away!

However, as he had expected, a cold aura soon enveloped him again, and he felt as if something was trying to blind him!

Without hesitation, he took out another stone and repeated the process. After another eerie scream, everything returned to calm!

This time, after breaking the ghost wall, Tan Xiao quickly bent down and picked up a handful of pebbles from the ground.

As he moved forward, the unclean entity seemed to be following him, constantly纠缠 (entangling) him. Tan Xiao continued to use the power of Mount Tai to protect himself, and gradually, he was getting closer to the source of the firelight!

From a distance, at this moment, Tan Xiao could even see a well-lit town in the distance!

The entire town was illuminated by the bright flames of burning torches!

"Almost there!" Tan Xiao felt a surge of joy!

However, at this moment, the unclean entity seemed to become agitated and angry!

"Whoosh! Whoosh!!"

A mournful, cold wind suddenly rose behind Tan Xiao, and he could even hear the low, mournful cries of ghosts in his ears!

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