The three young men began to retreat, ready to run away when Leo said, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. Here is some money for you, just answer a few questions.”
As he spoke, Leo took out over a thousand dollars from his wallet and handed it over.
Though they were terrified of Leo’s power, the lure of money overcame their fear.
One of them snatched the bills from Leo’s hand and cautiously asked, “Ask your questions. We’ll tell you what we know. But if we don’t know, you can’t take the money back.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t take it back. Have there been any strange strangers around here recently, especially at night?”
The three youths thought carefully. One of them replied, “This place is usually deserted, but I’ve heard that some mysterious people have been seen outside the forest to the east at night.”
“Do you know who they are?” Leo’s eyes lit up.
“No idea,” the three men suddenly looked frightened. “No one dares to enter that forest.”
“Why?”
“There are ghosts there. Anyone who goes in never comes out alive. For years, it’s been a forbidden place.”
“The elders say that the figures seen near the forest are ghosts. So, no one dares to go there.”
“Tell me where this forest is.”
Another young man shook his head. “Sir, we’re not trying to scare you, but you really can’t go there. You won’t come back. You should just go home.”
“No, I must go. Tell me how to get there.”
“Alright, leave the village and walk four or five miles along the mountain path, then head north for about a mile. You’ll find a forest called Ghosthead Ridge. That’s the place.”
Leo nodded and strode forward.
By noon, Leo reached a vast and eerie mountain ridge.
He sensed a faint evil aura enveloping the area known as Ghosthead Ridge.
After a brief rest, Leo continued to explore the rugged and sinister forest.
Halfway up the mountain, feeling tired, he scanned the area with his spiritual sense but found no valuable clues.
“Where could the target be?” Leo was frustrated.
He had no choice but to keep searching.
As dusk fell, Leo was too tired to continue and sat down near a rock.
After resting for a while, it was completely dark. The howling mountain wind began to rage through the forest.
Leo felt cold as he was lightly dressed.
It seemed he would have to camp out here again. He started searching the forest for a suitable cave.
At that moment, his keen spiritual sense detected a faint evil presence.
Leo focused his mind and quietly moved towards the source of the evil aura.
Soon he saw a figure. Due to the lack of paths on Ghosthead Ridge, filled with thorns and rocks, the person was stumbling.
Suddenly, the figure disappeared from sight.
Upon closer inspection, Leo saw that the person had tripped and was cursing as he got up.
In the dim light, the person turned on a flashlight and continued walking, soon approaching Leo’s hiding spot.
By the flashlight’s glow, Leo saw the man’s face clearly.
He was around forty years old, dressed in peculiar clothes, short but very sturdy.
At first glance, he seemed like an ordinary person, but Leo’s spiritual sense detected an evil aura from him.
It seemed this man was a member of the Curse Sorcery Clan.
Locking onto him with his spiritual sense, Leo quietly followed.
The howling wind and dark sky masked Leo’s silent steps, making it impossible for the man to notice he was being tailed.
After about ten minutes, Leo was led to a large rock on the west side of Ghosthead Ridge.
Leo quickly hid and scanned the area with his flashlight.
There was nothing unusual except for a pile of rocks; not even a cave was in sight.
Just as he wondered what the man was up to, he heard the sound of water hitting rocks.
Leo cursed silently; the man was urinating against the wind without worrying about wetting his pants.
After relieving himself, the man pulled up his pants and continued on his way, muttering strange words occasionally.
Five or six minutes later, he stopped at a small hill.
Leo prayed silently that this time it wasn’t for another bodily function.
Peeking out, he saw the man place his flashlight on the ground and kneel down to pray.
Leo couldn’t understand this scene. In this desolate place with no buildings or caves nearby, what was he doing?
The man’s muttered prayers grew louder as his body trembled as if possessed.
What kind of ritual was this?
Suddenly, he let out a strange cry and pressed his palm against a rock face.
A strong gray light shot from his palm, causing the small hill to tremble.
Then, the rock split in two, revealing a passage about two or three meters wide.
The man grabbed his flashlight and walked into the passage.
As soon as he entered, strange noises echoed from within as oil lamps on the walls lit up automatically, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Leo watched in amazement as the split rock quickly merged back together, restoring its original form.
Emerging from his hiding spot, Leo approached the rock face.
He used a Fireball Talisman for light.
The rock wall bore a faint mural depicting an eerie pattern painted in crimson hues.
Leo recalled that the man’s palm had struck where the pattern was located.
Mimicking him, Leo struck the pattern with his palm.
The rock emitted a dull thud from his palm strike but remained unmoved.
Clearly, that wasn’t the right method.
No matter; he’d use Earth Concealment Technique to enter directly.
Using Earth Concealment Technique, Leo’s figure vanished but reappeared instantly at the same spot.
“There’s an anti-Earth Concealment Technique barrier!” Leo was astonished.
He struck again with his palm while injecting powerful spiritual energy into the mysterious pattern.
As spiritual energy flowed in, the pattern glowed and emitted a blood-red light curtain.
With a trembling noise similar to before, the rock split in two at the pattern’s center, revealing a dark passage.