The treacherous cliff was not merely a physical challenge, but a gauntlet of dangers encountered during the ascent. This sheer precipice tested not only a person's endurance and willpower, but also their ability to adapt in the face of peril.
"Xiao Qin, when do we continue climbing?" Qi Hong asked, after resting and stretching his limbs.
"Shan Yun, are you rested?"
Shan Yun nodded and stood up.
Xiao Man produced a small porcelain bottle, dispensed three pills, one for each of them. "Hold them in your mouth, don't swallow."
"What's this for?"
"The next stretch has various plants between the cliffs, most are poisonous. These are antidotes," Xiao Man fashioned two grappling hooks, adding to her existing one, making a total of three. "We must climb this section as quickly as possible, using the grappling hooks' strength. We must find secure anchor points."
"Understood."
"You all know how to use grappling hooks, right?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll lead the way, you two follow." Xiao Man activated the mechanism, and the grappling hook shot out, embedding itself in the cliff face. She tested its strength, then engaged the retraction mechanism. She soared upwards, landing precisely on a pre-selected foothold. Then, she retrieved the hook and repeated the process. Shan Yun and Qi Hong followed suit. The three successfully navigated the poisonous flora zone, with Xiao Man even collecting a few medicinal herbs.
They had initially expected to scale the cliff in a single day, but after three days of climbing and enduring countless dangers, the summit remained out of sight.
"From here on, it's all up to us," Xiao Man said calmly. "I haven't been up there either, so I don't know what dangers or traps might lie ahead. Be prepared."
After three days of climbing, Shan Yun and Qi Hong were both weary. Yet, the cliff offered no place to truly rest. They knew the precipice was difficult, but the reality far surpassed their imagination. Had it not been for Xiao Man's foresight in scouting ahead, they might not have even crossed the crosswind section, becoming just more bleached bones at the cliff's base.
"Xiao Qin, can we make it to the top?" Qi Hong asked Xiao Man, his confidence wavering. Even with Xiao Man's help, they were all but exhausted.
"Do you think you can climb it?" Xiao Man countered, and before Qi Hong could answer, she continued, "I believe we can make it."
Qi Hong, who had been lacking conviction, felt a surge of courage as he witnessed Xiao Man's unwavering confidence. "I believe we can too!"
The three pressed on, hand in hand. After another three days, braving innumerable perils, they finally saw the summit on the seventh day.
"Little Yun, look quickly, we're at the top!" Qi Hong exclaimed, pointing upwards. The cliff no longer seemed endless. Their arduous efforts were finally nearing their conclusion.
Shan Yun wiped the sweat from her brow, her face alight with joy. The end was truly in sight; they would soon reach the summit.
"Steady now, don't rush. The closer you get to the end, the less you can afford to be careless," Xiao Man cautioned them, urging them to temper their excitement. "We can celebrate once we're up."
"Xiao Qin, can't you be happy seeing the mountaintop?" Qi Hong asked joyfully, accelerating his climb. The summit was the goal, and he was determined to be the first to conquer this colossal cliff.
"Qi Hong, don't be impulsive. The closer you get to the summit, the more dangerous it becomes..." Xiao Man's warning was cut short as Qi Hong scrambled forward with all his might. Because the three were tied together by a rope, his frantic ascent caused the other two to sway precariously. Shan Yun nearly lost her footing and fell.
Xiao Man reacted decisively, cutting the rope connecting them to Qi Hong. Freed from their constraint, Qi Hong moved like a nimble ape, his eyes fixed on the coveted prize, like a monkey spotting its favorite banana.
"Xiao Qin, he..."
"I understand," Xiao Man interrupted. "After climbing for so many days, finally seeing the summit, his excitement is understandable. We don't need to rush; we'll take our time."
Shan Yun nodded and followed Xiao Man, climbing steadily. Even though the summit was within reach, and Qi Hong above was cheering them on, urging them to hurry, Shan Yun remained steadfastly by Xiao Man's side. She trusted Xiao Man implicitly. If Xiao Man wasn't rushing, there was surely a reason. Compared to Qi Hong, whom she had known since childhood, she preferred to follow Xiao Man.
Xiao Man looked upwards and saw Qi Hong disappear over the summit. A strange glint flashed in her eyes as she continued to climb towards the top with Shan Yun.
"Qi Hong disappeared as soon as he reached the summit. Could he have been blinded by the treasures and abandoned us?" Shan Yun grumbled, seeing Qi Hong ignore them after reaching the top. They were from the same clan, and they had climbed this immense cliff together. Without Xiao Man, they wouldn't have made it this far. Yet, after reaching the top, Qi Hong vanished without offering any assistance, revealing his callous nature.
Xiao Man remained silent. As they neared the summit, she signaled Shan Yun to approach her and then untied the rope. "We're very close to the summit now. I'll toss you up first."
"It's such a short distance, I can climb it myself. If you toss me, without a solid anchor, I might fall. The summit is just ahead, we can climb slowly," Shan Yun disagreed. On this precipice, they could barely maintain their own balance; how could they have the strength to throw her up? She had already been a burden to Xiao Man on the journey, and Shan Yun didn't want to cause her more trouble.
Xiao Man smiled. "In that case, I'll go up first to assess the situation. You climb up slowly."
"Alright."
Xiao Man gauged the distance, shot out her grappling hook, and using its momentum, she soared into the air, tracing an elegant arc before landing steadily on the summit.
"Xiao Qin, be careful!"
Xiao Man's figure blurred as she dodged an incoming attack. She seized the assailant's arm and twisted it sharply. A sickening crack echoed, followed by a deafening scream. A man clutched his broken arm, writhing on the ground.
Xiao Man finally had an opportunity to survey the world atop the mountain. Qi Hong was pinned to the ground by two men. One man had his foot on Qi Hong's head. The man glanced at his injured subordinate, then at Xiao Man.
"Kid, you've got good skills. Come work for me."
"And if I refuse?" Xiao Man asked calmly.
The man drew his saber and pressed it against Qi Hong's neck. "Then you can only collect your friend's corpse."