On the Cliff Path (4)
The air-splitting whistle sounded right behind his back.
Song Hyeon swung his sword without even turning his head.
The Wall Cloud Sword Art—the secret technique of the Azure Escort Bureau that had been instrumental in crushing the Henan underworld forces and establishing his dominance—exploded forth.
Shoooo...
The sword mist of the Wall Cloud Sword Art enveloped Song Hyeon like a thick fog.
Clang, clang, clank!
The incoming hidden weapons bounced off the sword mist and flew away.
Yet despite successfully defending against the sudden assault, Song Hyeon furrowed his brow.
'These aren't ordinary hidden weapons.'
The ear-piercing metallic screech.
The heavy impact reverberating through his fingers gripping the sword.
What the Underground Hall warriors had fired weren't needle-like darts, but something larger and more powerful.
In the meantime, the rope slithered across the ground like a snake and slid down under the cliff face.
Song Hyeon leaned precariously over the edge of the cliff and peered below.
Through the thick fog, he could faintly make out the falling figure of the Shaolin monk Jin-mun.
Fortunately, at least Jin-mun wasn't plummeting straight down. Since he'd been crossing on the rope, he hadn't built up full falling speed yet.
He was arcing forward in a parabola, gradually drawing closer to the opposite cliff face.
The cliff was slick with moss, but tufts of grass and tree roots protruded here and there. With any luck, he might grab onto one.
Song Hyeon turned his head. The Underground Hall warriors had already retreated, keeping their distance.
They were bracing to fire again.
That's when Wang Yi Sam jumped between Song Hyeon and the warriors, demanding answers.
"What the hell's going on? Didn't those Underground Hall bastards just let go of the rope?"
Another whistling sound sliced through the air.
Song Hyeon slammed his palm onto Wang Yi Sam's crown, shoving him down, and flattened himself to the ground. He shouted,
"Hidden weapons!"
Shoooosh!
Wang Yi Sam started to ask why, but flinched as the fierce whistle grazed past his head, ducking low in shock.
The real problem was Joo Eun-ri. With Song Hyeon and Wang Yi Sam down, the projectiles were heading straight for her.
But against all worry, Joo Eun-ri evaded them spectacularly.
The instant the weapons flew at her, she rooted her feet and arched her body backward until her back touched the ground horizontally.
A flawless Iron Plate Bridge technique.
The projectiles merely sliced a few strands of her flying hair before missing their mark and embedding into the cliff wall behind her.
Thud, thud, thud!
"What the hell's with the sudden hidden weapon barrage?"
"Not just any—those are crossbow bolts."
Wang Yi Sam blinked in confusion, and Song Hyeon answered flatly.
Then he spotted the Underground Hall warriors aiming again. But this time, not at him—at the opposite cliff face.
'Seo Baek...!'
The far side where Shaolin monk Jin-mun had been was distant and shrouded in thick fog, making it hard to aim a crossbow accurately.
Which meant... the warriors were targeting Seo Baek as he leaped across the chasm.
Song Hyeon yanked a bolt from the cliff floor and hurled it back at them.
Whoosh. Thunk!
"Aaaargh!"
The bolt streaked like lightning, piercing one warrior's eye. He screamed, rolling across the cliff before tumbling into the abyss.
But taking out one changed nothing. The others had already fired at where Seo Baek would be.
Shoooosh!
Soon, sharp metallic clashes rang out from the fog. Clang, clang, clank!
"What was that sound?"
"Seo Baek batting away the volley with his sword."
"That's our junior for ya!"
Wang Yi Sam whooped excitedly.
But he swallowed hard only after catching Song Hyeon's icy glare, realizing the gravity.
"Seo Baek was crossing toward us."
"What?"
"He deflected bolts mid-air. The momentum from his leap would've been killed by those incoming from the fog."
"Th-then, don't tell me..."
"He's fallen."
Song Hyeon's voice was cold as ice, sending chills down Wang Yi Sam's spine.
Gripping his Azure Edge Sword, Song Hyeon poised to deflect any bolts, calculating rapidly.
'Four firing simultaneously—each Underground Hall warrior has four bolts.'
The Underground Hall search party numbered thirty-two in total.
They'd fired three volleys of four bolts each—twelve bolts total.
Unlike bows, crossbows took time to reload after each shot. The twelve who'd just fired were out of commission for now.
'Twenty still loaded.'
If they fired in groups of four, that made five volleys possible.
That would actually be a favor. Deflecting twenty bolts was no big deal.
But if Gil Sang-baek ordered a mass salvo?
Song Hyeon was confident he could handle it.
'The problem is Wang Yi Sam.'
Joo Eun-ri's martial arts and lightness skill were first-rate; she'd survive at least.
Wang Yi Sam, though... he'd end up like a porcupine under a bolt shower.
'Can I cut down all thirty-two—no, thirty-one now—before they fire?'
In pure swordplay, Song Hyeon feared no Underground Hall rabble.
But charging into auto-firing crossbows? Even a master would take heavy wounds.
Moreover, they were on a narrow cliff ridge—limited space to dodge, fog obscuring vision, forced to react to sound alone...
'Direct confrontation's impossible right now.'
Countless thoughts flashed through Song Hyeon's mind in an instant shorter than a blink.
Decision made, he acted like lightning.
'Retreat first. Rescue the two.'
Priority: Confirm Seo Baek and Jin-mun's safety.
Song Hyeon grabbed the dazed Wang Yi Sam's collar, leaped away, and sent a sound transmission to Joo Eun-ri.
"Joo maiden, Dunjap Art."
The Underground Hall warriors advanced step by step, crossbows trained forward.
Thick fog cloaked the cliffs; anything beyond thirty feet was invisible.
Suddenly, shadows flickered in the mist.
"Fire."
Gil Sang-baek gave the order.
Four warriors per group loosed their bolts as before.
Shoooosh. Thunk, thunk, thunk!
The bolts should've hit flesh, but the impacts sounded wrong—like striking rock.
"Advance and find them."
"Understood."
The next loaded group took point, the rest following.
About thirty feet in, a lead warrior spotted bolts embedded in the ground and reported.
"All bolts missed."
"What? You idiots!"
Gil Sang-baek glared at the firing squad, then stepped forward.
One glance at the floor and he understood. The four bolts had shredded a paper talisman inscribed with red script.
Gang Pyo saw it too. "Talismans."
"One of them's a sorcerer. Damn it..."
The shadows in the fog had been illusions from the talisman.
"Not that bushy-bearded brute. Maybe the sharp-eyed one?"
"I think it's the woman."
"Acting all haughty like some nobleman's daughter, but a black panther hiding her claws."
A scout returned from ahead. "They've gone down to the cliff path where it ends. Send pursuers?"
"Let them go."
Gil Sang-baek waved dismissively. Gang Pyo questioned.
"But if they report to the Murim Alliance..."
"How? We cut the rope bridge to the other side."
"..."
Gang Pyo fell silent, caught off-guard.
"Or you think they'll take the path to Shaolin? You know what's below."
"With revenant hordes blanketing Song Mountain, nowhere to go."
"Exactly. They have two futures: Wander the cliffs starving... or descend, get swarmed by revenants, and join them."
"Right. And that kid said he was heading to Shaolin. He's no threat, but any sprout of strength for the Alliance must be uprooted early."
"Wise words."
Gil Sang-baek and Gang Pyo exchanged cruel smiles.
Two spies who'd crossed via rope approached, bowing.
"Orders to isolate Shaolin from the Central Plains murim."
"Already underway. No rope bridge means no scouts or messengers for a while."
"What of the Hall Lord?"
Gil Sang-baek sliced his hand across his throat.
"A guest who won't return."
"You've finally seized power, Vice Hall Lord."
The gaunt spy grinned. The obese one chimed in.
"Vice Hall Lord? Time to hail the new Hall Lord!"
"Right. Congratulations on taking the Underground Hall, Hall Lord."
"Saving us and dropping the Shaolin monk—Sun Tzu-level strategy."
"Sun Tzu? Flattery overboard."
Gil Sang-baek stroked his beard, smirking smugly at the sycophancy.
He then commanded his men.
"All back to the Hall. Seal the entrance and bolster guards—they might survive."
"Understood!"
Gil Sang-baek and the warriors turned to withdraw.
But he paused, asking the spies,
"Wait. Where's the other one?"
"Who?"
"The refugee who crossed with you."
"Oh, the dull-eyed guy? He was over there..."
The spies trailed off, turning.
The man who'd been blankly staring at the cliff with vacant eyes had vanished without a trace.
* * *
Song Hyeon's group used Joo Eun-ri's talisman to deceive the Underground Hall, buying time before fleeing to the opposite side.
The cliff soon ended, revealing the descending cliff path stairs. They hurried down.
The steep slope didn't last long. It led to where the rope bridge had once connected to the far cliff.
Now, only remnants remained—two lonely iron stakes embedded in the rock where the ropes had been tied.
Song Hyeon checked for pursuers, but heard none.
The group finally caught their breath.
But relief was fleeting; unease gnawed deeper.
They'd fled, abandoning Seo Baek to the abyss.
Especially for the straightforward Wang Yi Sam, guilt etched plainly on his face.
His strength drained, he dropped to his knees.
"Junior..."
Lost in despair, he suddenly sprang up, roaring,
"I'll avenge my junior, no matter what!"
He whirled toward the path to climb back.
Song Hyeon blocked him, hand on his shoulder.
Click.
"Stop."
"What? No way! I won't rest till I chew out those Underground Hall bastards' livers..."
Wang Yi Sam tried to shake him off—but realized he was frozen solid.
Not acupoint-struck, just a hand on his shoulder. How?
Worse was the chilling cold in Song Hyeon's eyes.
"Rash moves now, and if you die like a dog, how heartbroken would your junior be later?"
"...!"
Wang Yi Sam clung to a sliver of hope. "Then... you mean he didn't die?"
"Yes."
Song Hyeon nodded firmly, eyes steely.
"I guarantee it. Seo Baek is alive."