Sacred Ancestor Road.
A convoy of several hundred people wound its way through a long tunnel, blades and bows at their sides, carts and horses rolling in a glittering stream.
"We're on the Heavenly Stairway!"
Lu Qi, walking at the very front, was the first to step out of the tunnel. Looking at the road spiraling upward ahead, the dark-skinned, rough-featured middle-aged man let out a low roar.
As an experienced guide, he had led merchant caravans back and forth along this route dozens of times.
Yet every time he passed this Heavenly Stairway, his heart would hang in his throat and he would tread with utmost caution.
Over the centuries, Sacred Ancestor Road had continuously expanded, branching out into countless forks and side paths.
And the underground world was not made up of nothing but earth and rock. There were vast numbers of underground rivers, Cave Dwellings, caverns, and even subterranean gorges!
During the excavation of Sacred Ancestor Road, such underground rivers and Cave Dwellings were always encountered. Some could be bypassed, while others could only be forced through.
The Heavenly Stairway ahead was one such case.
This Heavenly Stairway twisted and coiled for more than a dozen li. The path was narrow, rugged, and uneven, making it exceedingly difficult to traverse.
More importantly, if the caravan came under attack on the Heavenly Stairway, it would surely be caught between advance and retreat, with the possibility of total annihilation.
The destination of the caravan Lu Qi led this time was Red Cliff City. Recently, bandits had been frequently active in the regions surrounding Red Cliff City. Rumor had it that caravans had been attacked there and suffered devastating losses.
According to Lu Qi's own judgment, they should not have headed into the dangerous area until the bandits had been