Chapter 8: Sudden Suspicion Appears
Xuanjing was momentarily at a loss for words, thinking to himself: Indeed, among those fallen soldiers, there are no corpses of the enemy. The assailants were ruthless and precise, certainly not easy opponents. If this fellow truly had such strong support, he would have likely captured all of us by now
Cang Ying said: "Having served in the military for many years, I am quite accustomed to dealing with such situations. If there is a chance to escape, even if I travel light, this pack must never be left behind."
After a while of conversation among the crowd, they gradually fell silent. The flames crackled and burned, further enhancing the tranquility and desolation of the place, leaving one feeling unsettled.
She turned around and conveyed the message that she would rest here. Zhao Sheng let out a cheer and joyfully rolled onto the grass, looking like a lively little kitten
Princess Jiu nodded upon hearing this and smiled gently, saying: "This little child is indeed eloquent. Such military attire is certainly far superior to the usual garb of wandering heroes. However, you two have been greatly deceived; this style is actually the military uniform of the Southern Song army. If our soldiers from the Han Kingdom were to see you, it would be difficult to explain, and you would likely be taken to prison."
Li Linhong thought to himself: Although His Majesty holds a noble status, he is still, after all, a child at heart. Alas, Old Li is incompetent and ineffective in his duties; it is truly difficult for him to suffer alongside us here.
Suddenly, he saw a black shadow flowing down the mountain like ink, gathering on the ground into a pool of water. The pool stirred and bubbled, and after a moment, a figure rose up.
Xuanjing, with no hint of guilt, said lightly: "That is indeed my fault, I have wronged you, my friends. At this moment, I am filled with shame and have nowhere to hide, I hope both of you will forgive me"
The Cangying and Li Linhong were left speechless, wanting to defend themselves, but Cangying's mind was a complete muddle. Li Linhong also could not comprehend Cangying's actions, and in that instant, the two were stunned on the spot, unable to utter a single word
She had previously suffered from the bitter experience of the hawk and had been troubled by it, feeling both fear and resentment towards him. However, the Mongolians hold great respect for heroes and brave men, and since he had saved her before, she felt indebted to him. Moreover, at this moment, everyone was united, working together and sharing both hardships and successes, so she decided to put aside past grievances, engage in small talk, and look for opportunities to converse with him
He fixed his gaze on the face of the eagle and said word by word: "It is intricately connected to our experiences in the valley."
Xuanjing said: "Although we were besieged at that time, if I had insisted on breaking through, it would not have been impossible to achieve. Moreover, with this young master Li's exceptional swordsmanship, if we join forces, we would have a great chance of escaping from this predicament. The reason you returned was to observe the situation and adapt accordingly."
Li Linhong could not help but exclaim: "Old Daoist, did you not previously say that it was these Kazakh brothers who committed the crime?"
The eagle thought resentfully: These Mongolian Tartars are overbearing and tyrannical; even if I do not wear a military uniform, you will still capture me without fail when you act arrogantly.
The hawk whispered, "This monster does not eat people, but if we anger it, we may all perish here."
He paused for a moment and then said: "The assailant is either numerous and launches a sudden attack, or employs cunning schemes and traps. However, regardless of the method, this person is ruthless and merciless, akin to a ghost or monster, and is highly likely to be targeting the princess."
The Cangying and Li Linhong exchanged a glance, thinking that the princess had grown suspicious, and for a moment did not know how to respond. Zhao Sheng suddenly said: "These two brothers of mine are my bodyguards. They bought two sets of modified military uniforms on the Lufu Road, claiming that military uniforms are sturdy and durable. They had previously served in the military, but have now returned to civilian life."
Princess Jiu nodded slightly, pondering carefully, her voice trembling a bit as she said: "Did you not say that there are people in this valley who are deliberately plotting to trap us all here to die?"
The falcon said indignantly: "The three of us followed the caravan to the northern border, only to encounter that group of fierce Mongolians, who killed all our companions and pursued the three of us relentlessly. I urged Brother Li to run ahead, intending to divert those Mongolian beasts by myself. However, my horse stumbled, throwing me to the ground, and I hit my head on the ground, losing consciousness. When I woke up, all those Mongolians were already dead."
The gaze of the Xuanjing slowly swept across the faces of the crowd, and he said: "When I arrived, I saw that the ground was covered with corpses. I also discovered two sets of hoof prints beside the bodies, indicating a hurried departure, as if they were fleeing. I suspect that the riders on those two horses must know the truth behind this tragedy"
Princess Jiuhe's delicate body trembled, her face turned pale with fear, yet she resolutely suppressed her terror and remained silent.
Xuanjing stood up and walked to a distance of one zhang in front of the Cangying, extending his palm and addressing the Cangying: "Gentlemen, who exactly brought us here, and what is your purpose?"
The hawk glanced silently to both sides, only to see Li Shuxiu's hesitant expression, indecisive, while Xuanjing exuded a fierce killing intent, his gaze stern. Yet, no one noticed the arrival of the crow
Zhao Sheng exclaimed: "Are the monsters those hyenas?"
The Cangying and Li Linhong stepped back a few paces, revealing expressions of anger. Cangying thought: This old Taoist has exceptional martial arts skills; facing him directly, I have no confidence at all.
The crow quietly approached him and whispered in his ear: "Tell them what I have said, and it should suffice to deceive them."
The eagle's body trembled as it raised its head, lifting Zhao Sheng and loudly declaring: "Everyone, do not move; this is a monster from the valley"
Li Shuxiu looked around and saw that the road ahead was obscured by the shadows of the mountains. For a moment, she was at a loss. Then she noticed the flowers and grass in the area, the beautiful scenery, and the tranquility of the place. She softly said to Lap: "Brother Lap, let us rest here. The mountains can shield us from the dust, and the grass is soft, making it comfortable to sleep. If we continue to push ourselves to travel, we may not find such a suitable place again. After dark, there may be dangers."
The princess of Jiu and her entourage also took their seats. Tian De looked around at the scenery and smiled, saying: "Brother Li has chosen a good place."
Xuanjing suddenly asked: "Princess, do you remember when those hyenas appeared, the mountain wall behind us suddenly sealed off, trapping us in this maze-like valley?"
Fortunately, apart from Zhao Sheng and the princess, everyone else either possessed exceptional skills or was accustomed to marching, thus they did not move slowly. Li Shuxiu led the group, referring to the map, and within three hours, they covered more than ten miles, arriving at an open grassy area surrounded by mountains on all sides
Li Linhong shook his hand repeatedly and shouted recklessly: "You old Taoist, spewing blood at us. If we had such great abilities, how could we be trapped in this valley with you?"
Xuanjing took a deep breath and said, "I am deeply concerned that you two may pose a threat to the county princess. I would like to request that you bind yourselves. Once we find the treasure, if everyone is safe and sound, I will naturally release you both."
At that moment, a muffled sigh suddenly came from behind the crowd, a sound akin to the beating of war drums, reminiscent of a military horn being sounded, causing a buzzing sensation in everyone's ears
As the crowd proceeded along the valley, they beheld a desolate landscape surrounding them, with deep forests and hidden cliffs. The path was strewn with uneven and rocky debris, making the journey quite arduous.
Xuanjing let out a cold laugh and said, "Do not speak nonsense; it must be that you have hidden accomplices, leading those soldiers into an ambush to slaughter them all"
Cang Ying said: "After I met up with Brother Li and the others, I remembered that a few years ago I had come here with the army and accidentally stumbled into this hidden canyon. I intended to lead them here to rest. Unexpectedly, we were suddenly pursued by you. In a moment of panic, I rushed into this mountain wall, not realizing that you had followed me in as well. If I wanted to lead you into a trap, I would never use such a foolish method."
Xuanjing said with a smile: "Both sides have suffered losses, yet you three have not incurred any damage. Your strategy of sitting back and watching the tigers fight is indeed insidious and ruthless"
The princess of Jiuhe suddenly asked, "These two military gentlemen are not wearing the uniforms of my Han Kingdom. I wonder where you two enlisted and fought in battle."
Upon reaching this point, I felt a deep sense of self-pity and resentment, wishing I could slap myself hard across the face
Li Shuxiu smiled faintly, yet her heart was filled with sorrow, secretly thinking: If you truly listened to me in everything, I cannot imagine how joyful I would be
The hawk saw suspicion in his eyes and became flustered, his mind instantly in a state of confusion, only thinking: Yes, when this old Taoist arrived, I was probably still unconscious. Those two hoofprints may have been left by my horse and Brother Li's steed; this old Taoist is quite perceptive, able to deduce even this.
Xuanjing stared at the eagle, his gaze piercing as if he intended to see through the eagle's thoughts. The eagle felt a deep unease, its eyes darting about, and it simply lowered its head. After pondering for a moment, Xuanjing sighed and slowly walked back to the side of the princess
Xuanjing further stated: "Your Highness, in order to escort you out of the palace for leisure, His Majesty has dispatched over 100 soldiers to lead the way for you. However, before they could even meet, these brave warriors have all perished in the desert. I believe it is the handiwork of the villains in this valley."
The inner strength of the Xuanjing is profound, with keen senses. With a slight focus, he begins to probe the surroundings, only hearing the gusts of wild wind blowing through the valley, yet feeling no chill in this place. He nods slightly, sits cross-legged, and begins to cultivate his energy through breathing exercises.
Upon hearing this, everyone could not help but exclaim in surprise. Li Shuxiu asked, "Brother Cangying, why have you brought us here"
At this moment, Lap had already regained his composure. Upon hearing her speak, he quickly nodded and said, "Whatever Brother Li says, I shall do. You really do not need to ask me about everything; you can make your own decisions."
Li Shuxiu thought carefully about the situation at that time and realized that what Cangying said was not false. He charged extremely fast, and if it were not for his own steed being exceptionally swift, he would never have been able to keep up with him. Thus, he spoke gently: "Daoist Xuanjing, I fear you have wronged Brother Cangying. We are deeply trapped in this valley and should unite, working together as one, without harboring mutual suspicions"
He sighed deeply and said, "Indeed, I have once entered this labyrinth."
Xuanjing said: "Indeed. We have inadvertently stumbled into this valley, which may have aroused someone's vigilance. He has activated the mechanism to trap us, and it is likely that he never intended to let us leave alive. He will certainly not let this matter rest easily"
The eagle became anxious and shouted, "If we had malicious intent, why would I return to save you?"
The Eagle took out a flint from his backpack, chopped wood from the surrounding trees, and skillfully built a fire on the ground. Li Shuxiu praised, "Brother Eagle, if it weren't for your quick eyes and swift hands, still carrying your backpack, and being well-prepared within it, I fear this night would indeed be quite difficult to endure."
Li Shuxiu was also taken aback upon hearing this, and then thought: Indeed, it was the Cangying brothers who led us into this valley, and the mirage is so lifelike, indistinguishable from the surrounding rocks. How could he easily see through it? If he stumbled upon it by chance, that would truly be too coincidental.
He thought to himself: What is the crow here for?
The eagle said, "If I had such means, how could you people still speak to me in this manner"
Li Shuxiu murmured, saying: "But he did not anticipate that we could escape the pursuit of those hyenas. Perhaps. Perhaps he is setting up the remaining traps."