C64 The Pass That Was Suspended in the Air

Upon hearing the elderly gentleman speak, my interest was piqued, and I eagerly made my way to the cliff at the mountain's summit, just behind the rubble and directly in front of the ghost gate.

The first thing that caught my eye was the mountain peak's unique geological formation. The cliff unfolded in a concave shape, forming a complete arc.

I surmised that Shen Zhenyi, the sect master of the Dragon Gate Sect, must have chosen this site for the ghost gate due to the mountain's extraordinary topography.

Throughout my journey, I had envisioned the ghost gate numerous times, but I never imagined that the one Shen Zhenyi constructed would be suspended in midair!

"Alas, it's such a shame that the floating ghost gate was destroyed two hundred years ago by three Heavenly Masters, leaving behind nothing but these surrounding iron chains and the ruins below," the old man lamented as he gazed down the mountain.

"Indeed, if the ghost gate had been preserved intact to this day, it would have astounded the entire world!" I exclaimed with excitement.

Although the floating ghost gate was no longer there, the remaining iron chains on the cliff's edge made it easy to picture the once magnificent and imposing structure.

Peering down at the rubble at the base of the cliff, the old bricks and tiles hinted at the grand scale of the ghost gate in its heyday.

As I gazed across at the opposite hills, my thoughts drifted back to the late Ming Dynasty. I envisioned tens of thousands of Qing army troops preparing for battle, and a general atop a towering horse brandishing a long spear, pointing towards the mountain summit.

I imagined Shen Zhenyi and thirty-six Taoist priests reciting incantations and pointing their swords towards the heavens. Suddenly, a blood-red moon hung in the sky, the gates of hell swung wide open, and legions of malevolent spirits decimated the vast army, leaving no survivors...

Deeply moved, I asked the old man, "Grandfather, was this enormous ghost gate really held together by just these hundreds of iron chains? How was that possible?"

The old man chuckled, took a draw from his dry pipe, and replied, "If I knew the secret, I would have built myself a floating house long ago. Well, we've seen enough. Let's head back quickly, or you won't be able to leave before nightfall."

"Yes, yes, Changsheng, your brother Ergou is feeling a bit queasy from the height. Let's head back quickly," Deaf Zhang said, gripping my arm with a look of distress. His nervousness made him stutter as he spoke.

We retraced our steps to where we had started. Confronted with the ruins, my curiosity got the better of me, and I began to turn over a few bricks, hoping to uncover something of value. Imagine the fortune if I came across a Talisman or an ancient sword!

The elder chuckled and advised, "Changsheng, save your energy. I've combed through these ruins for years and found nothing but bricks and tiles. If there were any treasures, they were spirited away two centuries ago."

Acknowledging his point with a smile, I was about to leave when a well-preserved wall caught my eye amidst the rubble. It stood out, unscathed by time or destruction.

Drawn to it, I noticed characters resembling runes etched into the stone. "Grandfather, what do these inscriptions mean?" I inquired.

With a contemplative stance, the old man replied, "These are verses from the Tao Te Ching: 'The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of ten thousand things...'"

"The Tao Te Ching?" I echoed, puzzled.

"Exactly. Shen Zhenyi likely left this Taoist scripture here in hopes that the Ming Emperor would govern by its principles, cultivating virtue as the core and ruling with the wisdom of inner sage and outer king," he elaborated with enthusiasm.

"Grandfather, you're truly learned, a man of great knowledge and talent. And your wild chicken stew is even more delicious," Deaf Zhang chimed in, grinning broadly.

The old man, flattered by the compliment, responded with a smile, "I grew up listening to the tales of Yin Spirit Mountain from my elders, which sparked my interest in Taoist philosophy and our national history. I enjoy delving into these subjects whenever I can."

The two were deep in conversation, clearly enjoying themselves, but I was taken aback. I couldn't help but ask again, "But how can you be so certain that these bizarre inscriptions are truly from the Tao Te Ching?"

"Bizarre inscriptions? These are just ordinary, standard script characters. Ergou, take a look for yourself. Do you recognize any of them?" the elder addressed Deaf Zhang.

Deaf Zhang stepped closer and, to my astonishment, began reciting the opening verses of the Tao Te Ching. I was so startled that I rubbed my eyes and looked back at the wall, but all I could see were the same odd symbols.

Could it be...