Chapter 408

Chapter 408 – Against One Person – Heavenly Net (2)

As if struck directly by a cannonball, the large ship carrying numerous people swayed greatly and broken wooden planks scattered in all directions.

"Oh my!"

"What is this?"

On the swaying ship, people rolled around on the deck. For them, it was like being struck by lightning out of the blue.

Bang Jin-bo and the Namgung brothers didn't show such unseemly behavior since they had learned martial arts. They maintained their balance admirably and looked toward where Dam Ho had been standing.

Their eyes instantly widened greatly.

The bow of the ship had disappeared without a trace. Like a cow with its head cut off, the ship with its bow blown away was swaying dangerously.

Where the bow had been, an enormous arrow was embedded. The arrow had struck directly and blown away the bow.

"Brother!"

Relief momentarily appeared on Bang Jin-bo's face. Because Dam Ho was standing tall on the large arrow embedded in the bow.

"Jin-bo!"

"Yes! Brother!"

"As soon as we reach shore, take the children and horses and get away from here."

"Pardon? But…"

"Do as I say."

"Understood."

At Dam Ho's words, Bang Jin-bo nodded without objection.

"Take Black Ghost too."

"But…"

"You'll need it. Get out of Anhui Province and wait for me."

"Understood."

Bang Jin-bo went down to the lower deck where the horses were with the Namgung brothers. Dam Ho's eyes narrowed.

He felt killing intent.

It wasn't the killing intent carelessly emanated by novices. It was frighteningly refined killing intent accompanied by intense concentration.

The distance between the ship Dam Ho was on and the riverbank was over a hundred zhang. To accurately shoot such a large arrow from such a distance – it was truly unimaginable archery skill.

He could feel the killing intent from across the river sweeping over the ship. The widely spread killing intent gathered to one point. Directed precisely at Dam Ho.

Thwoom!

At that moment the air rippled. The archer across the river had shot another arrow.

Dam Ho moved.

The arrow was aimed at him. If he waited to confirm with his eyes before moving, it would be too late. He had to trust his instincts.

Crash!

The moment Dam Ho leaped into the air, the familiar large arrow embedded itself where he had been standing. The deck exploded and wooden fragments scattered everywhere, obscuring vision.

Thunk!

At that moment, a small arrow the length of a child's palm embedded itself in Dam Ho's shoulder. The entire small arrow was buried in Dam Ho's flesh, leaving only the fletching visible.

Dam Ho's pupils wavered.

Not because of pain. Because he hadn't sensed any sign before the arrow struck.

Whine!

A chilling sound of air being cut belatedly echoed.

The arrow had flown faster than sound.

A small arrow the length of a child's palm flying faster than sound – he had never heard of such a strange weapon existing.

Swish!

Another giant arrow came flying. Just by its size alone, it was an arrow with power that surpassed ordinary siege weapons. But Dam Ho knew. This wasn't the real thing.

Crash!

The giant arrow struck the ship once more, causing it to sway greatly. At that moment, Dam Ho moved to the side.

Thunk!

By a hair's breadth, the familiar small arrow embedded where he had been. The arrow embedded deeply in the deck with only its fletching showing trembled.

There was no sound, no sign.

Like an owl targeting prey in darkness, the small arrow came aiming for his throat.

He hadn't noticed by seeing with his eyes or hearing with his ears. He had dodged by a hair's breadth relying purely on instinct.

Dam Ho's eyes narrowed.

It was ultra-long-distance sniping across the river. And naturally, the target was Dam Ho.

The unknown enemy hidden in the bushes across the river was shooting arrows aimed at Dam Ho.

Meanwhile, the captain and crew operating the ship were in chaos as the bow was severely damaged.

"The ship is taking on water."

"Hurry and plug it up."

The crew were running here and there to stop the water, and the passengers were just screaming in shock.

The captain urged the crew.

"Hurry and drive the ship to shore. If we're late, the whole thing might sink."

They had already crossed more than half the river. If they rashly turned the bow now, the ship would sink before reaching the riverbank.

"Just who on earth?"

Fear appeared in the captain's eyes.

In such captain's eyes, the back of Dam Ho standing alone in the middle of the deck came into view.

Swish!

A large arrow was flying toward Dam Ho again.

***

"Not bad."

A cold smile bloomed on Go Seol-cheon's lips.

In his eyes, he could see the large ship swaying precariously far away on the river. More precisely, he caught sight of the black-robed man standing alone tall on the ship.

Though it was too distant to confirm with the naked eye, his eyesight superior to a hawk's was accurately capturing the man in black robes.

"Fist Demon!"

He was precisely Dam Ho.

Dam Ho no longer dodged the giant arrows.

He struck head-on at the arrow that flew right up to his face.

Crash!

The arrowhead the size of a child's head collided with Dam Ho's fist in mid-air. Sparks flew from the steel arrowhead filled with internal energy, then it exploded. From the aftermath, Dam Ho's body was pushed back, but he still looked unharmed.

"Hahaha! That crazy bastard!"

Go Seol-cheon momentarily forgot about shooting small arrows and burst into laughter.

The giant arrow shot at Dam Ho wasn't fired by human strength. It was shot by the large mechanical crossbow in front of him.

It was an object that couldn't even be fired without bowstrings made by twisting whale sinew, dragon hide, heavenly silkworm thread, and numerous gears and springs.

Originally developed as a siege weapon, it wasn't a weapon for individuals to use. Only someone with Go Seol-cheon's level of internal energy, archery skills, and superhuman strength could barely pull the bowstring – it was an object among objects.

Dam Ho had neutralized with one punch an arrow with enough destructive power to penetrate thick castle walls. That absurd sight rather made Go Seol-cheon laugh.

"What an amazing fellow. No wonder two of the Thirteen Branch leaders died at his hands. Hehehe!"

Go Seol-cheon's epithet was Blood Bow Death God, master of Blood Light Stream, one of the Demon Cult's Thirteen Branches.

Blood Light Stream was unusually a sect that specialized in archery. Originally, martial artists of the martial world greatly looked down on archery. They thought ambushes from long distances rather than fighting directly body-to-body went against the martial spirit.

Therefore, martial artists who practiced archery in the martial world were looked down upon and became objects of wariness. But the Demon Cult was different. Rather, they recognized the strategic value of bows and concentrated on fostering them.

The representative sect was precisely Blood Light Stream.

Blood Light Stream collected not only Central Plains archery and bows, but all archery and bows existing in the world.

The mechanical crossbow he fired was brought from the Western Regions, and the Goryeo (Korean) bow that shot small arrows was brought with difficulty from far-off Haedong.

He particularly liked the Korean bow and small arrows brought from Haedong. Though small in size, their power was far superior to any great bow.

If one was a master of martial arts, they could dodge by listening to arrow trajectories and air-cutting sounds alone. But small arrows made this impossible.

They were too small to confirm with the naked eye, and their speed was faster than sound, so the air-cutting sound only echoed after impact. That's why he favored using small arrows. Most masters were dealt with at the small arrow stage. But Dam Ho was different.

After allowing the first strike, he never got hit by a small arrow again and dodged them all. The small arrows had become useless.

"Not bad."

Go Seol-cheon strapped the small Korean bow to his back and took out a different bow. It was a great bow as tall as an adult.

The great bow named Heaven Kill Bow was a divine weapon passed down through generations to masters of Blood Light Stream.

The fact that Go Seol-cheon had taken out the Heaven Kill Bow was itself proof he had decided to fight seriously.

He had come here because of Nam Hyeon-so's request for support. Until encountering Dam Ho, he hadn't looked favorably on being mobilized for the heavenly net.

No matter how great Dam Ho was, he thought he could hunt him with one arrow shot from long distance. But now he clearly realized what a miscalculation that was.

Tremble!

His body shook.

Because his gaze met Dam Ho's.

There was still over seventy zhang of river water between him and Dam Ho. Not only ordinary people but even masters who had learned martial arts couldn't easily leap that distance and confirm the opponent's face. Yet Dam Ho was precisely staring at the bushes where Go Seol-cheon was hiding.

The killing intent in Dam Ho's pitch-black pupils was transmitted to him through the air.

Dam Ho brought his hand to the shoulder where the small arrow was embedded. But the small arrow was deeply embedded with only the fletching showing and couldn't be grasped. It was impossible to extract it like this.

Go Seol-cheon mocked Dam Ho.

"Hehe! It's useless. Small arrows can't be pulled out so easily."

That's when it happened.

Suddenly Dam Ho pressed the fletching of the small arrow hard with his right index finger. Then the small arrow burrowed even deeper. Rather than pulling it out when he should, he was pushing it deeper in.

Slice!

The sharp small arrow's head cut through flesh and burrowed even deeper. Though he must feel terrible pain, Dam Ho didn't even blink. His gaze remained fixed on Go Seol-cheon.

"Wh-what?"

Pop!

At that moment the small arrow broke through Dam Ho's shoulder blade and revealed itself. It had penetrated his shoulder. Dam Ho stopped pushing the small arrow and brought his hand behind his shoulder.

He grasped the small arrow's head. Dam Ho pulled the small arrow as is.

Scrape!

Finally the small arrow completely revealed itself. Though flesh came out attached to the arrowhead and blood shot up like a fountain, Dam Ho didn't let out a single groan.

The small arrow crumpled in Dam Ho's hand. The small arrow that had lost its original form rolled on the deck.

Thump!

Go Seol-cheon's heart pounded greatly.

This was the first time he faced such an opponent.

His blood was boiling.

The competitive spirit and fighting will buried deep in his chest were baring their teeth. Dam Ho's actions and gaze had stimulated him.

"Yes! It should be at least this level. Only then is it worth my coming here."

Go Seol-cheon put strength into the hand gripping the Heaven Kill Bow.

He was delighted to finally meet an opponent worthy of using the Heaven Kill Bow.

He raised his hand. Then Blood Light Stream martial artists revealed themselves from throughout the bushes.

While Blade Stream, another of the Thirteen Branches, continued through single succession, the Blood Light Stream he led always maintained a hundred members.

All hundred were excellent archers like Go Seol-cheon.

"Begin hunting the Fist Demon. Drive him to the promised place."

"Yes sir!"

The archers simultaneously nocked arrows to their bowstrings.

Two hundred eyes and a hundred arrows aimed at the ship Dam Ho was riding.

The bows curved like full moons, then simultaneously spat out arrows.

Swish!

Over a hundred arrows flew toward the ship at once.

Without even checking the results, the archers instantly nocked arrows to their bowstrings. It was truly incredible rapid fire.

They rapidly fired five arrows in succession.

"Argh!"

"S-save me!"

The ship instantly became a scene of carnage. Passengers who couldn't take shelter in cabins in time were struck by arrows and fell, and sharp arrows were densely embedded like a porcupine on the deck. But none of the numerous arrows struck Dam Ho.

At his feet lay dozens of arrows scattered. The arrowhead tips were bluntly deformed as if beaten with hammers.

Dozens more arrows flew toward Dam Ho. But Dam Ho didn't dodge. He stared at the arrows flying straight at him.

Dozens of arrows struck his body in an instant.

Ting ting ting!

But the arrows bounced off or lost power and fell to the floor the moment they hit his body.

Hum!

Dam Ho's body was resonating.

The shield of ultra-vibration energy had unfolded. Unless they were small arrows, penetrating his shield was impossible.

The ship he rode was more than half submerged in water. But it was steadily approaching shore, albeit at slow speed.

Thud!

Finally the ship reached shore. And Dam Ho disembarked from the ship.

He felt a net of killing intent.

Heavenly net – Dam Ho stepped into it.