C51 The Truth of His Life

"Young man, Yin Spirit Mountain may seem like a desolate place now, but back in the late Ming Dynasty, it was a highly contested strategic location. To the west of Yin Spirit Mountain lies a pass known as Ghost Gate Pass, constructed by a renowned Taoist priest," the old man explained.

"Ghost Gate Pass? That's a chilling name," I said with a smile.

"Indeed, the Heaven Gate Pass in Guangxi is also referred to as Ghost Gate Pass due to its towering cliffs and treacherous terrain. However, our Ghost Gate Pass here at Yin Spirit Mountain is unique. It's a true Ghost Gate Pass, where a single defender could hold off an army of thousands," the old man said, his tone growing more solemn and his words laden with significance.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I asked eagerly, "Grandfather, can you tell me more about what happened?"

"Do you know who the Taoist priest responsible for building this Ghost Gate Pass was? He was Shen Zhenyi, the Sect Master of the Dragon Gate Sect. During the decline of Daoism in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Dragon Gate Sect experienced a resurgence, largely due to Shen Zhenyi, a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. With only thirty-six Taoists, he managed to hold off thirty thousand of the Qing army's finest soldiers," the old man recounted with enthusiasm.

"How did Shen Zhenyi accomplish such a feat?" I asked, amazed.

"Legend has it that on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, Shen Zhenyi opened the gates of the Underworld and unleashed evil spirits to repel the Qing army's invasion. That night, almost no one on Yin Spirit Mountain survived. Afterwards, all thirty-six Taoists perished, and Shen Zhenyi's whereabouts became unknown," the old man narrated.

I listened intently, captivated by the tales, though they were shrouded in mystery and legend, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction. I couldn't help but ask, "Grandfather, do you believe these stories are true?"

"I'm not certain, but the remnants of the Ghost Gate Pass are still there, albeit half-collapsed, leaving only ruins behind. If you're curious, I can take you to see it tomorrow," the old man offered. I nodded eagerly, my curiosity nearly causing me to forget why I had come here in the first place.

I then inquired further, "Grandfather, is the Ghost Gate Pass built on Hundred Ghost Slope? Surely the name of Hundred Ghost Slope isn't tied to the legend of the ghost gate unleashing evil spirits, is it?"

The old man shook his head and took a few puffs of his pipe before saying to me, "No, it's said that although evil spirits were released at that time, they were all subdued by the disciples of the Dragon Gate Sect. The gate to the Underworld was sealed by thirty-six Taoist priests, who paid with their lives."

"How did Hundred Ghost Slope come to be?" I inquired with curiosity.

Taking a sip of water, the old man continued his story. "This occurred during the Qing Dynasty. A Taoist priest, for reasons unknown, once again opened the gate to the Underworld, unleashing many evil spirits. Thankfully, the three Heavenly Masters from Dragon Tiger Mountain, Mao Mountain, and the Dragon Gate Sect arrived in time. They sealed the Ghost Gate entrance and vanquished some of the more formidable evil spirits. Yet, some lesser ghosts slipped through the net and hid in the corners of Yin Spirit Mountain. Ever since, every night, the entire mountain is shrouded in fog, with wandering spirits so prevalent it's nearly become a second Underworld."

"Did those Heavenly Masters and Taoists just let it be? They allowed Yin Spirit Mountain to be overrun by spirits?" I questioned.

With a bitter smile, the old man shook his head and replied, "Young man, do you realize the vastness of Yin Spirit Mountain? It's a network of over ten large mountains, stretching across more than two hundred kilometers! Even the most powerful Heavenly Masters and Taoists must search on foot, while the Yin Spirits move freely. They may not defeat the Taoists, but they can certainly evade them. Eventually, the Heavenly Masters and Taoists spent a decade creating a Magic Array at the base of the mountain to prevent the spirits from descending. They were confined to the mountain, left to fade away on their own. For centuries since, nothing unusual has occurred, and life has slowly returned to the area below, with a village even being established."

"So that's the story. But if Yin Spirit Mountain is now safe, why was the village we saw on our way here deserted?" I asked, puzzled.

At the mention of this, the old man's previously relaxed demeanor turned increasingly tense and fearful...

He took a few drags of his cigarette before he began to speak slowly, "That's because over a decade ago, something utterly bizarre and earth-shattering occurred. Maybe it's because I experienced it firsthand, but I believe that incident was even more eerie and horrifying than the two times the Gates of Hell swung wide open during the Ming and Qing dynasties!"

"More than ten years ago..." I felt a profound shock. Wasn't it around that time that my foster father found me among the corpses on Hundred Ghost Slope?