Chapter 130

Climbing Hundred Ghost Mountain presented difficulties different from ascending one of the Five Great Mountains like Mount Hua.

Although the Central Plains’ Five Great Mountains had rugged terrain, paths had formed from pilgrims and disciples of sects traveling them.

Large sects like Shaolin, Mount Heng, and Wudang even kept disciples assigned to maintain those routes.

But Hundred Ghost Mountain was not like that. Quite the opposite.

Even though the terrain wasn’t extremely steep, there were no traces of human traffic, so the paths were very rough.

After about half a season of climbing, the External Protection Troops members fully understood why those who entered Hundred Ghost Mountain got lost and disappeared.

The paths were, quite frankly, a nightmare.

“Huff, huff… Hey, wait a moment. Are we really going to find the lodge by going this way? It feels like we’re heading into increasingly uninhabited areas.”

“Normally the path to the Hundred Ghost Mountain Lodge circles around the mountain’s outskirts. Right now we’re cutting across Hundred Ghost Mountain, so the path is rough.”

“Uh, how much farther?”

“We haven’t even reached half.”

“Ugh!”

The External Protection Troops members all sighed in unison.

After going a bit further, a descent began and the dense vegetation that had blocked the way disappeared.

Yang Gwan-wol and Ha Do-yeop, who had been clearing plants with hatchets and machetes to open the way, finally caught their breath.

But their reaction became insignificant as a massive gorge soon appeared.

“……”

Yang Gwan-wol looked up at the rock cliffs rising endlessly.

And the opposite cliff, pressed so close it seemed to touch the other.

The narrow rocky path, only wide enough for one person, looked less like a gorge and more like a long scar carved into the bedrock.

“You can’t be serious—this is the path?”

“Cutting across here is the shortcut.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just go back?”

“To do that you’d have to retrace the entire route we’ve come.”

They had cut through about three hours of undergrowth on Hundred Ghost Mountain.

They had no confidence in going back, but even less in traversing such a rocky gorge.

“Is there no way up? Going through below like this feels like we’ll be crushed by falling rocks.”

“You can climb up.”

“Oh! Where to?”

“If you have the confidence to climb dozens of meters of cliff with your bare hands, then that’s where.”

“……”

That meant they couldn’t climb up.

Kriik! Kriik!

“Just now, I thought I heard something like a person’s voice from inside that gorge?”

“It’s the sound of wind blowing through the narrow cracks of the gorge. Because that sound resembles the wails of the ghost this place is named Ghost Song Gorge. The deeper you go, the stronger the wind sound becomes.”

“For some reason I feel less and less like going in…”

“It’s an ominous place. If we have to go anyway, how about using lightness skill to break through quickly?”

“That’s not possible. The gorge is narrow and unstable; if we run carelessly we could be buried by rockfalls. We must walk as carefully and slowly as possible. Oh, and one more thing: do not make loud noises inside the gorge. If the birds of prey nesting above are startled and move, they may dislodge rock piles below.”

“How long is the gorge?”

“About one hundred meters.”

Hearing that, Yang Gwan-wol understood why nobody entered Hundred Ghost Mountain.

“Gwan-wol, stop whining. Or do you want to go back by yourself?”

“No, but it’s too dangerous…”

“Didn’t I repeatedly tell you before departure that Hundred Ghost Mountain is a dangerous place? Who told you to come along then?”

“I didn’t want to come—Yeon Mujin forced me to come, didn’t he!”

—Shiiikkkkk

Vroooom!

Yang Gwan-wol’s shout echoed through Ghost Song Gorge.

Then.

Rumble!

The cliffs shaken by the echoes crumbled and spat rock dust into the gorge.

The others shot reproachful looks at Yang Gwan-wol.

“Deputy captain, please speak more quietly.”

“Are you trying to bury us all?”

Yeon Mujin clicked his tongue softly.

“Go.”

Yeon Mujin stepped into the Ghost Song Gorge first without hesitation.

With the hall leader moving forward, the External Protection Troops members had no choice.

The External Protection Troops members entered Ghost Song Gorge in a long line, with Bukgung Yoon between them.

A terrifying blade-like wind blew through Ghost Song Gorge.

Moreover, there was no way to avoid the falling rock dust from above—if something fell, they were simply going to be showered with it.

Dust and grit choked their throats, made their eyes sting, and irritated their noses.

But they endured it. They didn’t dare sneeze—who knew what might happen if they did.

However, those were not the worst parts about crossing Ghost Song Gorge.

Kiiik! Kyaaaak!

Screams that could not be mistaken for wind sounds amplified along the gorge, ringing in their heads with deafening noise.

At first it was bearable, but after a short while it felt like their eardrums were being torn, then their heads grew dizzy and their stomachs churned.

They truly felt they understood why this place was called Ghost Song Gorge.

Hwan Bija covered his ears and felt a secret satisfaction watching the External Protection Troops members suffer.

Though he hadn’t told them, real ghosts lived in Ghost Song Gorge.

The shrieking sounds of the gorge were not merely wind noise.

Ordinary people who had no experience dealing with spirits would find the Ghost Song Gorge unbearable at first hearing.

He and A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan and the Lord of the Ghost Valley Manor were used to it. They had come and gone from Hundred Ghost Mountain countless times.

In general, ghosts are beings driven by curiosity.

When they see a living person they always want to tease and torment them.

For now the sounds only resemble wind, but the deeper into the gorge they went, the worse the ghosts’ pranks would become.

To Hwan Bija’s eyes, pale shapes drifting above the External Protection Troops’ heads were clearly visible.

Even if the ghosts’ mischief intensified, there was no worry about harm coming to the Ghost Valley Manor’s family.

He was a ‘God’ of Herculean Might, a spirit-controller—a Ghost Spirit Taoist who dealt with ghosts.

‘Captain of the External Protection Troops, why don’t you experience the ghosts’ pranks once?’

Wasn’t this the very definition of cleaning one’s nose without touching it?

The deeper they entered Ghost Song Gorge, the fiercer the wind roared through the gorge and the harsher the flying dust became.

And at some point, unfamiliar sounds began to mix with the wind.

—Huh, heh heh, hehehehehe.

“What is that sound?”

The first to notice that sound, amusingly, was Bukgung Yoon.

“Yeon captain, don’t you hear something?”

“I hear it.”

“It doesn’t sound like mere wind.”

“That’s right.”

“You mean that’s wind noise?”

“No, the manor lord’s right.”

“……?”

“It’s not wind noise.”

Yeon Mujin pushed Bukgung Yoon’s head down firmly.

“Lower your head and lower your voice. Do not give any sign that you’ve noticed their presence.”

“‘They’? Is someone up there?”

“There are ghosts.”

At the word ‘ghosts’, the External Protection Troops members turned pale.

Without being told, they all bowed their heads so low their chins touched their chests and whispered.

“Is that really the sound of ghosts?”

“I thought it was just wind blowing?”

“Shh, keep quiet.”

At Yu Se-gwang’s words, everyone fell silent at once.

Then whispering voices rode the wind and could be heard.

—A human! A human. A living person we haven’t seen in ages!

—You came into the ghosts’ domain of your own feet—your life must not be precious to you.

—How shall we torment them?

Small voices squeezing through the blade-like wind were distinct.

Whether it was their imagination or not, the wind filling the gorge seemed to be turning into laughter.

The External Protection Troops members were covered in goosebumps from ear to neck, unable to speak, their eyes downcast.

Yeon Mujin’s low voice spread among the people.

“Shh.”

The External Protection Troops members bowed their heads like they were walking on a blade and hurried through Ghost Song Gorge.

Even as they did, the ghosts’ whispers did not cease.

The more the people tried to ignore them, the worse the ghosts’ pranks became.

Ssshhhh!

At times the blade wind howled fearsomely,

Thud thud thud!

It would strike the gorge and scatter rock dust.

Kyaaa!

It would unleash shrieks and torment the people.

Especially Yeon Mujin at the front drew the most attention from the ghosts.

Hwan Bija, following him from behind, thought to himself.

Isn’t this about the time he should stop?

Isn’t this about the time he should slump down in place?

Even from far behind, the ghosts’ screams echoing in the gorge were clear to him.

It would be almost impossible to remain sane at the very front—especially for someone entering Hundred Ghost Mountain for the first time!

But Yeon Mujin did not stop and kept moving forward.

The ghosts’ fixation grew worse, now flickering before Yeon Mujin’s eyes and taunting him.

However, Yeon Mujin did not yield.

What was there to fear from mere ghosts? He had lived a life scarier than any spirit.

Ghosts like to see the reactions of the living.

The more frightened and startled they are, the more the ghosts enjoy it.

During his time at Ghost Valley Manor, Yeon Mujin had dealt with such ghosts countless times.

‘Keep pranking and messing with me. If the living don’t frighten you, what is there to fear from the dead?’

But someone reached their limit before Yeon Mujin did.

A tug.

Yeon Mujin felt his sleeve being tugged.

Turning back, he saw Bukgung Yoon clutching his sleeve and staggering.

Her ears were bright red and her face was deathly pale.

It was from having heard the ghosts’ wails too much.

‘Oh dear.’

Yeon Mujin narrowed his eyes and looked toward the opposite side of the gorge.

They had walked about sixty feet; they still had forty feet to go before safely crossing Ghost Song Gorge.

But at this rate, Bukgung Yoon would collapse before they crossed the gorge.

‘Can we run and get out of here?’

Even if Bukgung Yoon could be carried out, the remaining people would be a problem.

If they tried to sprint through in one go, the ghosts would scream even louder to prevent the living from leaving.

In the worst case, the ghosts might cause the gorge to collapse and bury the rest alive.

Resolute, Yeon Mujin placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

With his remaining left hand he wrapped around Bukgung Yoon’s hand.

“Manor Lord.”

“Yes, Captain Yeon.”

“Do not worry. I will handle this.”

“…Yes?”

Chaeng!

Yeon Mujin drew his sword and shouted into Ghost Song Gorge.

“You damned ghosts, shut up! Our Manor Lord says you’re noisy!”

Wails! Wails! Wails! Wails! Wails—!

For an instant, silence fell.

The External Protection Troops members, A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan, and the ghosts of Ghost Song Gorge alike.

They all stared at Yeon Mujin stunned. To Hwan Bija’s eyes, the ghosts looked plainly surprised.

Even the wind seemed to stop, startled by Yeon Mujin’s shout.

In the perfect stillness of Ghost Song Gorge, the ghosts’ voices could be heard clearly.

—Did he just say that to us?

From the empty air where nothing could be seen, a voice was heard clearly.

“Yes, I said it to you—the earthbound spirits trapped in this narrow gorge.”

Yeon Mujin was now even hurling insults at the ghosts.

Before the ghosts of Ghost Song Gorge could respond, Yeon Mujin spoke to them first.

“Until we cross this gorge, make no sound. If you do…”

If not?

“I will destroy this gorge you dwell in.”