A ghost mask over my face, I entered the Heavenly Man Realm (38k)

Hexi.

Mount Kun!

This mountain stood not far from Taikang City, the most prosperous city in Hexi.

Mount Kun towered high and majestic!

As a natural barrier, it blocked all the cold air sweeping down from the north. On its northern slopes, padded clothing was needed to fend off the chill.

South of Mount Kun, spring was warm and flowers bloomed.

The mountain was also a natural military stronghold. If North Wind wished to advance south into Great Qing's Hexi, it had to pass through this barrier.

Yet its mountain paths were as treacherous as a ladder to heaven hanging upside down. Only one winding plank road clung to cliffs soaring ten thousand fathoms high. Marching through here was arduous for men and horses alike, and the losses of provisions and baggage were even greater. The gains simply could not offset the costs.

Before an army even reached Hexi, its expenses along the road would already have become astronomical.

More loss than gain!

For many years, North Wind had chosen other routes, either through Hulao Pass or across Fengling Crossing.

Anything to avoid Mount Kun's perils.

As the old saying went, "The road through Mount Kun is hard, harder than climbing to the blue heavens."

It captured all the mountain's treachery.

In recent years, however, one man had burst onto the scene, forcing North Wind to reconsider the perilous passage through Mount Kun!

Faced with the Lu Family Army and Lu Chen, they would rather face Mount Kun.

At Mount Kun's southern foot lay the vast lands of Hexi.

Apart from a few low hills scattered at the mountain's base, the peaks gradually faded away, giving way to an expansive plain.

Those so-called hills were really just little earthen rises.

Three riders stood atop one such hill.

From afar, they