Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 657: Danger From Above

A few hardy bushes grew near the rocks, and water dripped steadily from a crack in the stone wall nearby, forming a shallow puddle. It was not paradise, but for a mortal horse in these mountains, it was as good a chance as any.

He didn't tie the horse, letting it free since there was no use keeping it restrained when Han Yu won't be here.

"This is the best spot I can give you." Han Yu patted the animal's back. The horse flicked its ears and lowered its head, sniffing the grass. It had no idea what was happening.

Han Yu looked at it for a long moment, then spoke softly.

"If you are still alive when I return, I will make sure you live comfortably for the rest of your life. If not, then your fate was sealed the moment you were born without spirit veins."

The horse did not understand a word and simply began eating.

Han Yu shook his head.

"It is almost insulting how peaceful you are."

There was no time to linger.

He turned around and walked back to the fork in the road. Once he reached it, he took out his halberd and placed it under his feet. A faint surge of Qi lifted him smoothly upward. He rode the halberd into the sky, climbing the steep mountain face with ease.

Within a minute he reached the top, landing lightly on the narrow ridge. He dismissed the halberd and continued forward on foot.

This path was far more dangerous than the lower one. The cliff dropped straight down on one side and jagged rocks towered on the other. In many places, the footpath was so narrow that even a grown man had to press his shoulder against the cold stone wall and move step by careful step.

Han Yu could have flown the whole distance, but he refused to waste unnecessary Qi. The Middle Ring was not a place to be careless. Danger lurked behind every boulder and along every gust of wind.

"Five hours should be enough," he murmured.

And indeed, with his core condensation realm speed and balance, he traversed the cliffside route far faster than the ten hours a regular cultivator or a mortal would need. The winds whistled past his ears and tugged at his cloak. The world below seemed unnervingly far away.

By the fifth hour, he reached the final stretch. The path widened, and the mountain wall curved outward, forming a natural platform. From here he could walk down into the valley that marked the end of the shortcut.

Just as he stepped forward, he heard something.

A faint whistle at first. Then a sharper sound. Then an accelerating whoosh.

Han Yu's eyes widened.

Something powerful and fast was coming from behind him.

WHOOSH

He ducked instinctively.

SCREEEE

A blur of black and white tore through the air above him. A piercing screech followed, vibrating his bones.

Han Yu spun around and finally saw it fully.

A massive bird with a wingspan of three meters. White beak sharp enough to pierce stone. Black talons like hooked spears. Feathers layered in alternating stripes of black and white.

"Cliff Drop Falcon," Han Yu said aloud.

These beasts were infamous in the Harrow Mountains. They hid themselves against the winds and dropped onto their prey with terrifying speed. Hunters feared them more than wolves. Even cultivators avoided them unless they were strong enough to fight in the air.

Han Yu stepped back, but realized there was nowhere to retreat. Only a foot of ground separated him from the drop.

The falcon circled high above him. Its cry echoed through the mountains.

SCREECH.

It dived again.

Han Yu lunged sideways along the stone wall, hugging it tightly. The falcon passed so close he felt the wind from its wings slam against him. It turned sharply, grazing the mountain surface with a shower of sparks from its talons.

It rose again, beating its wings strongly. The downdraft shook the dust off the ridge.

Han Yu gritted his teeth. There was no proper foothold here. If he jumped onto his halberd, the bird would strike faster than he could stabilize himself. And if he slipped even a little, that would be the end.

The falcon screeched again and folded its wings tightly against its body, beginning another dive. It accelerated rapidly. The air hissed. Its talons opened wide, ready to rip through flesh and bone.

Han Yu barely managed to roll along the cliff, scraping his shoulder against rock. One talon clipped his outer fur robe and tore a long gash through the fabric.

The bird swooped upward again.

Han Yu's eyes sharpened.

He dodged twice. Maybe three times. The ridge would end soon. There would be no place left to move. He needed to end this now.

The falcon positioned itself in the air for another strike.

Han Yu steadied his breathing. His muscles tightened.

"Come on then," he whispered.

The beast dived.

Han Yu waited.

Five meters.

Three meters.

One meter.

Now.

He flicked his finger.

A tiny strand of Soul Qi shot out. Almost invisible. Almost weightless.

The Soul Needle struck the falcon square in the forehead.

The effect was immediate.

The bird stiffened. Its wings froze mid beat. Its eyes widened in shock.

Its body lost all control.

THUD

Han Yu dropped flat against the rocks as the massive bird slammed into the mountain wall beside him with a sickening crunch. Feathers exploded outward. Dust rose.

Before the falcon could fall, Han Yu lunged.

He drove his halberd through the bird's chest. The steel pierced flesh and bone with ease. The falcon let out one last weak screech before its voice faded into a gurgle.

Han Yu stamped down on its neck. The bones snapped cleanly beneath his heel.

Silence settled across the ridge.

Feathers floated down around him like drifting snow.

Han Yu pulled the halberd out and wiped the blade clean on the bird's feathers.

"You should have picked a better target," he muttered.