Chapter 24: Shadows in the Gorge
The wind howled through the jagged cliffs of the Fallen Star Gorge, carrying with it the distant echoes of unknown beasts lurking within its depths. The terrain was treacherous, steep walls flanking a narrow, winding path that led further into the gorge. A place forsaken by most, it was the perfect battleground for Bai Yuan's counterattack.
He moved swiftly along the rocky path, Ling Xi and Feng Yao close behind. The moonlight barely penetrated the heavy fog that clung to the chasm like a ghostly shroud.
"We're being followed," Ling Xi whispered, her sharp senses picking up the presence of unseen pursuers.
Bai Yuan nodded. "Good. Let them think they have the advantage."
Feng Yao smirked, his fingers dancing along the hilt of his saber. "You really are something else, Bai Yuan. Most people would run from assassins. You're leading them into a trap."
"They underestimated me once. I won't let them make that mistake again."
As they reached a widening in the gorge, Bai Yuan halted and turned to face the darkness behind them. The air was thick with killing intent, and shadows flickered among the craggy rocks. Then, in a blur of movement, the Black Veil Assassins emerged from their concealment, their blades gleaming with poisoned intent.
"You should have died in the ruins, Bai Yuan," one of them sneered, his voice laced with arrogance.
Bai Yuan cracked his neck. "You should have stayed hidden."
Without warning, he activated his nanobots. A surge of energy coursed through his meridians as his cultivation flared, his aura erupting with newfound strength. The assassins hesitated for a fraction of a second—a fatal mistake.
With a burst of speed, Bai Yuan lunged. His sword sliced through the air, severing the nearest assassin's weapon before cutting deep into his shoulder. Ling Xi moved in tandem, her daggers flashing like twin vipers as she took down two more enemies with fluid precision.
Feng Yao laughed as he met his opponents head-on, his saber carving a path of destruction through the battlefield. "You should have brought more men!" he taunted.
The assassins quickly realized they had walked into a slaughterhouse. Their formation broke, panic setting in as Bai Yuan led a relentless assault. His movements were like flowing water, his strikes both graceful and deadly. The nanobots within him enhanced his reactions, his strength, and his awareness of every minute detail in the battle.
One assassin, realizing the hopelessness of the fight, attempted to flee. Bai Yuan's eyes flickered coldly as he extended his palm. A silver thread of energy shot forward, wrapping around the man's throat. With a single thought, the thread constricted, silencing the assassin forever.
In mere moments, the battlefield fell silent once more. The corpses of the Black Veil agents lay strewn across the gorge, their blood staining the cracked earth beneath them.
Ling Xi exhaled, wiping her blades clean. "Whoever is behind this won't stop coming."
Bai Yuan sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. "Then we'll make them regret trying."
Feng Yao chuckled, stepping over a fallen enemy. "What now?"
Bai Yuan turned his gaze toward the deeper parts of the gorge. "We keep moving. The real enemy is still in the shadows."
As the trio disappeared into the mist, the night whispered of bloodshed yet to come.