C54 The Corpse

The old man's response caught me off guard. He explained, "That's because the deity of Yin Spirit Mountain was originally a wolf. Young man, you've surely heard of the Horse Immortal."

"Of course," I replied. "The Taoist priests from Mao Mountain in the south and the disciples from the north are renowned... So, the Mountain God is the Wolf Immortal who ascended to Immortality?" I realized with sudden clarity.

The old man nodded, "Our Mountain God Master is akin to the esteemed Wolf Patriarch among the Immortals, tasked with guarding Yin Spirit Mountain. There are many tales about our Mountain God Master, but I'll share them with you another time. It's midnight, and you look exhausted. Best to get some rest now."

I let out a yawn, my previously taut nerves relaxing, and fatigue washed over me once again.

Though I was curious about the Mountain God Master's lore, it was unrelated to my own history, so I refrained from further questions and quickly drifted off to sleep in my bed.

Deaf Zhang and I slept in until the following noon. Luckily, we hadn't intended to act during daylight, or we would have jeopardized our plans.

We had pinpointed the Evil Taoist's location and decided to locate the cave at dusk, then wait for nightfall to act, ensuring a foolproof operation.

After lunch, the old man, serving as our Mountain Protecting Craftsman guide, led us on a shortcut over a large mountain to our ultimate goal, Hundred Ghost Slope.

Having the old man with us was a stroke of luck; without his guidance, we surely would have lost our way in the expansive wilderness.

From the peak opposite Hundred Ghost Slope, the old man gestured and informed us, "Look, there in the southwest is your destination, Hundred Ghost Slope. Next to it, the mountaintop is the infamous Ghost Gate."

"That... that's Hundred Ghost Slope..." I exclaimed, stunned by the sight. It stood in stark contrast to the lush, undulating greenery of the surrounding mountains—a barren mound resembling a massive grave.

Indeed, Hundred Ghost Slope was a mass grave, having accumulated countless bodies since the Ming and Qing dynasties. Had they not been eroded by the elements, they might well have formed a mountain of their own.

Upon witnessing the scene at Hundred Ghost Slope, the old man seemed to be haunted by the terrifying images from fifteen years prior. He exhaled deeply and instructed us, "Just follow the path down the mountain. You remember the way you came, don't you? If you can't find your way back, light a fire at the mountain peak. I'll see it and come to find you."

I nodded in acknowledgment. The Mountain Protecting Craftsman Old Master turned and left. Glancing at Deaf Zhang, I said, "Mr. Ergou, could you check with the ghosts one more time to confirm if the Evil Taoist is still in the cave?"

Deaf Zhang nodded, closed his eyes, and concentrated intently.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and pointed to a cave on Hundred Ghost Slope, saying, "Yes... Yes, the Evil Taoist is there. He's barely clinging to life, having spent the last few days fasting and recuperating in the cave without venturing out."

"That's a relief. There's no way the Evil Taoist can escape now, right?" I remarked.

"Absolutely not. That cave is a dead end. We'll trap him like a turtle in a jar," Deaf Zhang replied with glee.

"Mr. Ergou, it's 'catching the turtle in the jar,' and there's something even more important: let's stick to sign language as much as possible and keep quiet," I said with a wry smile, hoping to avoid a repeat of our last blunder.

Deaf Zhang chuckled and scratched his head, "Don't worry, I won't let you down this time!"

Once prepared, we descended the mountain and reached Hundred Ghost Slope as dusk fell and the sky blushed with a crimson hue. A mist began to envelop the mountainside.

The moment we set foot on Hundred Ghost Slope, the light seemed to fade, and the air grew significantly colder. If it was autumn outside, then inside Hundred Ghost Slope, it felt like winter—as if stepping onto the slope transported us to another world.

Climbing Hundred Ghost Slope stirred a tumult of emotions within me, not only because it was my birthplace, but also because the ground was strewn with skeletal remains.

While the centuries-old corpses had mostly disintegrated into dust, those from fifteen years ago were still discernible, reduced to mere bones without a trace of flesh. Only on a few well-preserved bodies could one still see strands of hair and remnants of tattered clothing.

I'm uncertain whether the pregnant woman was my biological mother or if I'm now standing over her skeletal remains...

Looking at the bleached bones, I could still discern signs of a ferocious battle. Some skulls had been cleaved in two by sharp weapons, some ribs were discolored, black and purple, and some bones had been snapped with brute force.

What really transpired on the fifteenth night of the lunar month? Did the gates to the netherworld swing open once more? Were the masters from the supernatural world engaged in a deadly conflict with one another, or were they united in fighting off malevolent spirits or external foes?

Is it possible that there were absolutely no survivors from that event?

Lost in my thoughts, Deaf Zhang suddenly tapped me, gesturing towards the front and then to a massive boulder nearby.

Raising my eyes, I realized we had unwittingly reached the entrance to the cave where the Evil Taoist was concealed. Deaf Zhang and I quickly took cover behind the boulder.

I pulled a telescope from my backpack and peered into the cave. Just then, a beam of the setting sun illuminated the interior, and I caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure within.