Chapter 174: Cormorant Fishing (3)
Chapter 173 – Cormorant Fishing (3)
“Aaaack!”
“Th-They moved! The clay soldiers are alive!”
“Aaaaargh!”
Instantly, it became a scene of absolute chaos.
As the elite martial artists fell into confusion, Yo Chung roared.
“What is going on? Gasp!”
Yo Chung inhaled sharply and bumped into someone behind him as he backed away.
Feeling a chill run down his spine, he quickly rolled away to dodge.
Rumble!
Surprisingly, was the clay soldier not attacking him?
“H-How is the clay soldier…?”
“Damn it! These things are moving! Everyone, be careful!”
“Clay soldiers are alive and moving! Does this make any sense?”
Roars close to complaints erupted, but there were hundreds of clay soldiers launching a fierce assault right now.
Clang! Claaang!
“Everyone, focus! If we cannot survive fighting these clay soldiers, this place will become our grave!”
Yo Chung roared furiously and cut off the arm of a clay soldier thrusting a spear toward him.
Thud!
Once the clay soldier’s arm fell off, it crumbled away like dirt dust.
Seeing that, Yo Chung gnashed his teeth.
“What on earth is this trickery!”
The Red Crone, who had just ripped off the head of a clay soldier with her fingers, shouted in a shrill voice.
“You haven’t forgotten that Madan Valley is here, have you?”
“Ah…!”
“Even if they were originally clay soldiers, there is no telling what those Demonic Cult bastards would have done!”
Thud! Th-Thud!
The Red Crone gnashed her teeth and repeatedly thrust her blade-like fingers forward.
Her ten fingers were buried deep into the chest and abdomen of a clay soldier.
However, instead of feeling pain, the clay soldier stared at the Red Crone blankly and threw a punch.
Shoooosh!
“A mere doll!”
Slash!
As the Red Crone’s ten fingers sliced diagonally, the clay soldier’s body was torn to shreds.
Crumble…!
Between the clay soldier that crumbled like a sandcastle, a bright yellow Hanji paper was revealed.
“Indeed… is it a Soul-Summoning Talisman?”
“A Soul-Summoning Talisman! Those wicked Demonic Cult bastards used the Great Soul-Summoning Art!”
Yo Chung, who was continuously brandishing his sword, ground his teeth.
In short, the Great Soul-Summoning Art was a great art of the Demonic Cult that summoned the soul of a deceased person into the body of a doll or something similar.
Young Master Jade Flute, who was continuously cutting down the rushing clay soldiers with his fan, smiled bitterly.
“I thought it was lost long ago… but as expected, the Demonic Cult was hiding the Great Soul-Summoning Art.”
“Hmph! Even so, they are now ruined Demonic Cult bastards, so they will not be able to do such wicked things anymore!”
“By the way, if we fight in the middle like this, we will get exhausted first. How about we form a square formation and move slowly for now?”
“Damn it! There really are a sickeningly large number of them! Let us form a square formation as the Young Master said!”
The unorthodox martial artists moved slowly, backing each other and establishing a basic square formation.
“Let us take turns and clear the way slowly! Otherwise, we will be buried and crushed under the piles of dirt!”
“It seems giving orders has become a habit for you. Just do your part well. Do not make a nuisance of yourself by getting a hole in your head for no reason.”
Yo Chung laughed coldly at the Red Crone’s sharp response and swung his sword.
Slash!
“Yes, come at me! This seat will give your souls rest!”
* * *
Shoo-shoo-shoosh!
Hundreds of fine needles brushed over the cadets’ heads.
When Paeng Su-hyeok tried to raise his head, Cheol-un cried out in a low voice.
“Not yet!”
“Urgh.”
As Paeng Su-hyeok lay flat on the ground again, sure enough, did dozens of long spears not suddenly pop out from the side wall?
Clang!
Swish…!
If they had raised their heads without thinking, a couple of holes would have been pierced in their heads.
“It is fine now.”
Cheol-un spit out the words and slowly stood up.
The other cadets also stood up and brushed the dirt and dust off their bodies.
“Damn it, this is annoying. Was it not supposed to be safe if we went this way? Why are there so many trap mechanisms?”
When Paeng Su-hyeok grumbled, Cheol-un glanced at him and spoke.
“At least this way is the safe path. By now, chaos must have broken out up there.”
“What chaos?”
“They must be fighting the clay soldiers with their lives on the line by now.”
“Clay soldiers?”
Paeng Su-hyeok tilted his head with an understanding-free expression, but Cheol-un omitted any further explanation.
Namgung Cheon tapped Paeng Su-hyeok on the back and walked past.
“Come on, let us go. It is convenient to have a guide, is it not? Well, it is also fun because there is a fool who strains himself to open a door that will not even open.”
“Hey, hey! If that bastard had spoken a bit earlier…!”
“Anyone could tell. That pulling the chain would open the door.”
As Namgung Cheon walked away with a shrug of his shoulders, Paeng Su-hyeok huffed repeatedly with a flushed face.
“Tch! If you had told me earlier, would I have wasted my strength like that? Honestly, Baek Mu-geuk, you did not know either, did you?”
“I was going to pull the chain.”
“Do not lie!”
“It is true.”
As Baek Mu-geuk replied indifferently and passed by, Paeng Su-hyeok smacked Cheol-un on the back of his head for no reason.
Smack!
“Argh! W-What?”
“Is this not all because of you? You should have told me in advance when I stepped forward to open the stone door.”
“Hmph! Who would have known? When the chain was hanging there so obviously, that someone would ignorantly strain himself to open it with brute force!”
“W-What, you bastard? Do you also think I am an easy target?”
As Paeng Su-hyeok suddenly snatched and pulled the chain, Cheol-un, whose neck was choked, rolled on the floor while groaning.
Late to the scene, Yu Hyeon stepped in to stop them.
“He will die at this rate.”
“Get out of the way! He does not do much anyway, does he? I am going to kill him!”
“Calm down.”
As Yu Hyeon coaxed him with a gentle smile, Paeng Su-hyeok barely calmed his excitement and smacked Cheol-un on the back of his head again.
Smack!
“Ugh!”
“When on earth is the king’s chamber coming out? Why is this tomb so wide!”
“W-We are almost there.”
Cheol-un panted and gnashed his teeth inwardly.
‘These dog-like bastards…! How on earth did I end up getting caught by such cadets…!’
His gaze turned to Namgung Cheon.
Everything was because of that Namgung Cheon.
He could not rashly touch that guy. Was it because he felt some unknown sense of incompatibility?
Even though he was clearly a young cadet, the presence of a veteran martial artist who possessed shrewd experience could be felt.
Namgung Cheon, whose eyes met his, tugged the chain.
“What are you doing? Why are you not getting up?”
“Now, once we climb the stairs, it is the end.”
“That is the best news I have heard today.”
Cheol-un, who barely stood up, stumbled and began to climb the stairs.
Namgung Cheon followed behind him, still looking around.
Certainly, the royal tomb was wide and deep.
If they had not used the cormorant strategy, it would have been quite difficult to navigate all these complex paths and enter the king’s chamber.
Looking at it that way, they were just grateful to the cormorant who appeared at the right place and time.
“Thank you, cormorant.”
As he expressed his gratitude, Cheol-un spun around with eyes full of distrust.
“W-What?”
“What?”
“Why suddenly say such a thing…”
“You throw a fit even when someone thanks you.”
“Because that is strange! Are you… trying to kill me once we arrive at the king’s chamber?”
Hmm? Come to think of it, he had not thought that far ahead.
As Namgung Cheon rolled his eyes as if contemplating, Cheol-un shouted with a pale face.
“How could you do that! I guided you safely!”
“Why are you making a fuss? I have not even answered yet.”
“Otherwise, there is no way you would suddenly say thank you or whatever!”
“This bastard is condemning my pure intentions in that way. Honestly, I did not think about what to do with you after arriving. But after hearing your words, I am contemplating a bit.”
“That…”
Cheol-un’s face turned white.
Namgung Cheon pulled the chain and growled in a low voice.
“Stop glaring and walk quickly. If a cormorant does not hunt, I have no choice but to kill it.”
“You are going to kill me anyway even after I hunt!”
“That is a dog. You are a cormorant.”
“It is the same thing!”
“It is different. A dog is a four-legged beast, and a cormorant is a winged bird.”
“Are you seriously calling that…”
“Now, now, quiet down and walk. Unless you want your neck torn here.”
“…!”
Cheol-un ground his teeth, but could not argue further and climbed the stairs.
As Namgung Cheon followed him again, Yu Hyeon quietly approached.
“It will certainly be a problem.”
“Huh? What?”
“Whether to keep him alive or not when we arrive at the king’s chamber.”
“Mmm. Still, he is a faithful cormorant, so it is a bit of a pity to kill him.”
“But since he could become a future trouble, would it not be better to eliminate him?”
“…”
Namgung Cheon opened his mouth wide and looked at Yu Hyeon again.
“You are a really scary guy, are you not?”
“Pardon? Ah, I just… wanted to avoid danger…”
“Chills. Was your appearance of exuding the air of a Daoist until now all fake? Unbelievable. Chills.”
As Namgung Cheon walked away shuddering, Yu Hyeon stared blankly at his back.
Just then, Baek Mu-geuk tapped his shoulder and passed by.
“Harsh guy.”
“I am really glad you are on our side.”
Even Paeng Su-hyeok muttered in a low voice and passed by.
‘Am I… the only trash again?’
As the cadets continued to climb the stairs, a large cavern finally appeared again.
The moment Cheol-un, who was walking ahead, passed the middle of the cavern, he suddenly shouted.
“Fine needles ahead!”
Swish!
The cadets lowered their heads all at once and lay flat on the floor.
In that instant,
Patpat!
“Ah!”
Did Cheol-un not suddenly dash forward?
Namgung Cheon, who had lost the chain, was briefly bewildered before realizing he had been tricked and sprang up.
“Look at this impudent bastard. How dare you trick me?”
“Aaaah! You are going to kill me anyway, are you not? I cannot just die like this!”
Cheol-un fled desperately, but with his neck bound by the chain, it was originally impossible to match Namgung Cheon’s lightfoot technique.
Namgung Cheon, who crossed the air, kicked Cheol-un on his back.
Thud!
Roll!
After rolling on the floor for a long time, Cheol-un stumbled to his feet.
Namgung Cheon, who approached and grabbed the chain, pulled it tight while infusing it with internal energy.
His breath was choked, and it felt so stinging as if his skin would tear at any moment.
“Argh…!”
“Where do you think you are playing tricks? Do you want to die?”
“Cough, if I am destined to die anyway, should I not at least struggle!”
“Yu Hyeon! Because of you, the cormorant is not listening!”
“Hmm. If so, how about making him realize that there are various kinds of death? For example, telling him that if he behaves like this, we can kill him by tearing his neck very slowly…”
“…”
“…”
As the cadets all stared with their mouths open, Yu Hyeon also shrugged his shoulders as if he had given up.
Cheol-un shed tears and poured out curses.
“You son of a bitch! You are not from the Mount Hua Sect, are you? You are the most vicious bastard! Even if I die, I will become a vengeful ghost and…”
Smack!
Namgung Cheon smacked Cheol-un on the back of his head and growled.
“Stop talking nonsense and open the door.”
“Ugh.”
Cheol-un had no choice but to walk forward and pull the chain of the stone door.
Clatter. Clank!
Finally, the sound of the bolt opening from the other side of the door was heard, and the heavy stone door slowly began to open.
Finally, the king’s chamber was revealed!
The expressions of the cadets brightened up.
“Wow!”
“Is it all gold?”
The king’s chamber was entirely covered in gold.
Golden candlesticks, golden coffins lining the walls, a golden dais, and golden sculptures decorated various places.
And a brilliant coffin placed in the middle of the chamber!
Namgung Cheon smirked.
“Found it. Madan Valley.”