148: Path of Faith

Chapter 146: The Path of Faith

He wasn't sure where he was.

He only knew it was a dark forest,

The lush canopy overhead and the thick, swirling mist in the air completely blocked out the sunlight.

This prevented Arthur from seeing his surroundings clearly.

Was he dead? He asked himself, but quickly gave up on delving deeper into the matter.

Regardless of whether he was dead or alive at this moment, he now had only one goal—to find the Wolf Pack.

Giant trees towered all around, their thick trunks so massive that even six or seven people linking arms probably couldn't encircle them.

The trunks were covered in rough, gnarled bark, and the deep furrows cast shadows upon each other, cleverly camouflaging the trees' immense forms.

The ground beneath the trees was covered in tangled thorns and bushes.

They were incredibly tough, yet twisted in all directions, their thorny branches pulling at each other, like a group of mischievous children playing at the feet of giants, trying to snatch more space and sunlight.

The soil where the bushes and giant trees rooted was dark and fertile.

Arthur subconsciously grabbed a handful of dirt; he smelled the scent of life, the scent of death, and something else.

He was familiar with the smells of life and death, but he didn't understand why there was such a strong, pervasive sense of decay.

The wind blew through the forest, carrying sounds like a low, indistinct, and chaotic whisper.

Arthur grabbed his scepter and holy book and walked deeper into the forest.

He didn't know how long he had walked; here, time seemed to have lost its meaning.

The forest path disappeared and broke off, thorns spreading densely across the ground like dead men's hands.

Arthur could only follow a faint light.

Fortunately, whenever he approached the thorns, they would automatically retract as if alive.

It was as if, to them, he was like a plague or poison.

He suddenly arrived at the foot of a small mountain, its summit already bathed in sunlight, like a bright lamp illuminating all journeys.

Arthur took a deep breath and began to climb the desolate slope, step by step.

A five-colored leopard blocked his path.

It slowly rose, letting out a seductive growl, its large eyes fixed on the uninvited guest.

Arthur wanted to avoid it, but it wouldn't back down, circling him instead.

By this time, dawn had broken, and the sun was rising from the east along with the beautiful stars.

The sunlight dispersed the layers of mist, and at the top of the slope, Arthur saw a temple.

Perhaps that was his destination.

However, one wave had not settled before another rose.

A lion stood halfway up the mountain, letting out a roar, and charged almost directly at Arthur.

It was terribly hungry, its head held high, constantly snorting.

At the same time, a jackal appeared at Arthur's side.

It seemed to have just had a full meal, its body covered in various bones.

These three beasts stared at Arthur while also wary of each other, fearing that this intruder would fall into the hands of any one of them.

Arthur stepped back, trying to put some distance between himself and these beasts.

However, a hissing sound from behind stopped him.

A venomous snake hidden in the grass cut off his retreat.

The three beasts closed in, pushing Arthur towards the venomous snake.

Just as Arthur was retreating, a person appeared on the mountain.

Silhouetted against the light, Arthur could only see his outline.

The person watched silently, not saying a word.

Arthur wasn't sure if this person was friend or foe, and he couldn't bother with him, grabbing his scepter and striking at the closest leopard.

The leopard skillfully leaped away, and the lion took the opportunity to try and pounce on Arthur, but was knocked aside by the jackal.

The venomous snake, meanwhile, raised its body, quietly waiting for its prey.

“Pass through them.”

A voice came from the mountain; the newcomer spoke his first words.

The voice was faint, as if unused for a long time.

Arthur gave a bitter laugh and replied, “No matter what you are, a ghost or a real person.

“You must see what I am facing.

“These four beasts are fighting over me, but if I try to escape, they will surely attack me together.”

“You are using the wrong method,” the person said again. “You cannot drive them away.”

Arthur pondered for a moment and lowered his guard.

At this moment, he only had a robe, a scepter, and a holy book.

He had tried to use magic, but he couldn't cast any spells at all.

If these four beasts wanted to kill him, he would have no chance of winning.

So, he gave up resisting and simply continued to climb upward with composure.

The four beasts tried to block him, but Arthur soon realized they were just bluffing.

The lion roared at him, the leopard circled him, the jackal tried to bite with its fangs, and the snake quietly followed behind him, flicking its tongue.

Just as he couldn't harm these beasts, they couldn't harm him either.

Arthur finally reached the mountain ridge.

He looked up at the figure clad in a dark green robe and asked, “Who are you?”

The person replied, “That is not important.

“What is important is that you are being tested.”

Arthur turned to look at the four beasts; they dared not approach, only letting out unwilling growls.

“Then, are you the Wolf Pack? The avatar of the demigod?” Arthur asked again.

The green-robed person did not answer the question, only saying, “Find the correct path, God's Envoy.

“The answer you seek is not here.”

Arthur looked out at the temple on the mountaintop, a magnificent structure.

It had an elegant dome made of white stone, supported by marble columns beneath it.

He could only see that much from here.

Previously, he had to clear his own path through the forest, but now, there was a clean path before him, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes and tree trunks.

The path wound forward, and at its end, there should be that temple.

Arthur was about to continue forward but stopped again.

He squatted down and picked up some dirt from the path.

Unlike the previous soil, the dirt on this path had no scent.

Something was off, he thought.

He was in a forest and wilderness, so there should naturally be scents of life and death, just like the dark forest he had passed through earlier.

Although that forest held a faint, nauseating smell, a stench that wasn't from natural decay or rot.

That smell was more pungent, more unsettling.

It was the corruption of negative energy, something discordant and twisted.

Something that shouldn't be here, or even exist at all.

The beasts behind him roared, as if urging him forward.

Arthur asked the green-robed person, “This isn't the correct path.

“It's nothing, just an illusion.”

The green-robed person replied, “Follow your faith.”

Arthur slowly exhaled; patience was one of his few virtues.

He understood that not only was the demigod hiding, but evil forces were also constantly misleading his path forward.

He left the path, and the four beasts surrounded him again.

Arthur ignored them; when his feet touched the earth again, he found a familiar sensation.

He walked along the ridge to the other side and soon saw a lush forest.

He quickened his pace, knowing he had found the correct path.