vstars Chapter 58 The Shadows of the Southern Slope: A Probing Move
Chapter 58 The Shadows of the Southern Slope: A Probing Move
After leaving Qingyun County, the road changed noticeably.
The once relatively smooth official road gradually narrowed, with more pebbles and an undulating surface. The trees on both sides grew denser, and the sunlight was broken up by the canopy, falling sparsely on the ground like incomplete patches of light.
The team's pace unconsciously slowed down.
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Li Xuan rode at the very front.
He didn't turn around, but he could clearly feel the change in the team's rhythm—
The sound of hooves became softer, the guards' breathing became more labored, and even the sound of wheels rolling was deliberately suppressed.
This change was not brought about by orders.
It's instinct.
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He reached out and gently tugged on the reins, slowing the horse's pace slightly.
His gaze swept forward.
The woods grew denser not far ahead.
The wind stopped.
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"The forest on the south slope is ahead."
Chen He's voice came from behind him.
He had already moved closer, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist, his knuckles slightly white.
"One of the places most prone to accidents."
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Li Xuan nodded.
Are you nervous?
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Chen He was stunned for a moment.
It seems they didn't expect to be asked so directly.
He paused for a moment before whispering:
"It's not nervousness."
"It's... a habit."
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When he said this, he didn't look at Li Xuan, but kept staring into the depths of the forest.
It looked like they were looking for something.
It also seems like they're guarding against something.
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Li Xuan did not ask any further questions.
She simply followed his gaze and glanced at the woods.
The shadows of the trees overlapped.
It was almost too quiet.
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rear.
Li Yuanshan sat next to the second car, holding an account book in his arms and glancing around every now and then.
He didn't say anything, but his fingers were already unconsciously tapping the corner of the account book.
One at a time.
The rhythm is a bit off.
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"Stop knocking."
One of the guards couldn't help but speak up.
"It gave me the creeps."
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Li Yuanshan paused in his movements.
He looked down at his hands.
That's when I realized what I was doing.
He coughed, withdrew his hand, and said, feigning composure:
"I'm just... settling accounts."
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The guard was speechless.
"You haven't even looked at your ledgers."
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Li Yuanshan's lips twitched.
He didn't reply.
She just quietly hugged the account book a little tighter.
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He knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart.
I'm not afraid.
only--
Not used to it.
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In Qingyun County, he was the manager and the person in charge.
But outside that area.
He is a—
A person who needs someone to protect them.
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This feeling made him a little uncomfortable.
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The group continued forward.
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The wind suddenly stirred.
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It's not very obvious.
But Li Xuan's eyes darkened slightly.
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He raised his hand.
He didn't speak.
It was just a very light gesture.
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Chen He saw it immediately.
My whole body tensed up instantly.
He didn't call for a stop, he just waved his hand behind him.
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The guards behind immediately spread out half a step.
The formation changed silently.
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Li Yuanshan hadn't reacted yet.
I just felt that the atmosphere suddenly changed.
He looked up and his heart skipped a beat.
"What's wrong?"
He asked the question instinctively.
His voice was kept very low.
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No one answered.
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This silence is more unsettling than an answer.
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Li Yuanshan's throat moved.
He stopped talking.
He simply moved his body a little closer to the car.
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In front.
The edge of the woods.
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Li Xuan's gaze lingered on one spot.
There is a broken branch there.
The position is incorrect.
The break is too fresh.
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He didn't stop immediately.
Instead, he took two more steps forward.
Then he spoke softly:
"Come out."
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The sound wasn't loud.
But in the woods, it appeared exceptionally clear.
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no respond.
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Only the sound of the wind.
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Li Yuanshan's heart suddenly raced.
He instinctively gripped the short knife at his waist.
My palms are a little damp.
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"Is nobody here...?"
He was about to speak.
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Whoosh!
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A dark figure darted out from the forest!
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Not one.
There are three.
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Extremely fast!
Charge straight towards the middle of the line!
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"Enemy attack!"
Chen He let out a low shout and charged forward!
A flash of light!
Stand in the front!
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Clang!
Weapons clashed!
Sparks explode!
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The dark figure was forced back half a step.
Only after landing did I see clearly—
He was a masked monk.
Its aura is not weak.
Qi Refining Level 3.
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The other two have already closed in on the beast-drawn carriage!
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Li Yuanshan's face turned pale instantly.
"Coming for me?!"
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He instinctively took a step back.
I slipped and almost fell.
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"Don't panic!"
A guard caught him.
At the same time, a long spear was thrust out horizontally, blocking the front of the vehicle!
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boom!
A man in black ran straight into the gun barrel!
But they didn't retreat!
He swung the blade down with a backhand strike!
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The guards gritted their teeth and held on!
The ground sank right under our feet!
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Li Yuanshan stood at the back, breathing rapidly.
He wanted to move.
But my legs are a bit unresponsive.
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"Move!"
He cursed himself inwardly.
"You're not useless!"
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Just then—
A figure swept past from the side!
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Li Xuan.
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He did not rush to the front.
Instead, it cuts directly to the flank!
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the goal--
The third person.
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The man had just circled around to the back of the car, preparing to make his move.
Suddenly, I felt a chill down my spine.
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He turned around abruptly.
All I could see was a finger shadow.
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Too fast.
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Aoki (青木) is the finger.
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call out!
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The spiritual energy was directly applied to his shoulder joint!
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Snapped!
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The man's entire arm instantly lost its strength!
The knife hadn't even fallen yet when it slipped from his hand!
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A flicker of fear crossed his eyes.
"you--"
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He hadn't finished speaking.
Li Xuan was already close.
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One kick!
Kick him directly in the side of his knee!
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boom!
The man lost his balance and fell heavily to his knees!
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Li Xuan did not stop.
A backhand slap.
It struck him on the back of the neck.
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The person immediately fainted.
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The whole process took less than two breaths.
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Li Xuan turned his head.
He looked at the other two.
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that moment.
The air in the woods seemed to stand still for a moment.
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The man who was fighting Chen He felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
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"retreat!"
He suddenly uttered a low growl.
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The other person hardly hesitated.
Get out of there immediately!
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The two retreated simultaneously!
Extremely fast!
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Chen He did not pursue.
It just stayed in the same place.
His breathing became shallow and deep.
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Li Xuan did not move.
I just watched them disappear into the woods.
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Quiet.
It fell again.
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Li Yuanshan then realized what was happening.
My legs went weak and I sat down right next to the car.
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"That scared me to death..."
He was panting, his face still pale.
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He glanced at the man who had been knocked unconscious on the ground.
He then looked at Li Xuan.
My feelings suddenly became complicated.
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Just a moment ago.
He was genuinely panicked.
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And Li Xuan—
There was no chaos from beginning to end.
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Even their movements seemed to be planned out.
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"You knew someone was there all along?"
He couldn't help but ask.
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Li Xuan walked over and glanced down at the person on the ground.
"I don't know."
"I think it should be."
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Li Yuanshan was stunned for a moment.
"You can even call that?"
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Li Xuan offered no explanation.
He simply reached out and pulled off the man's mask.
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An unfamiliar face.
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Chen He also came over, squatted down, and checked it.
His brows furrowed slightly.
"Not from Black Wind Ridge."
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"A rogue cultivator."
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Li Xuan nodded.
"Testing the waters."
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Chen He looked up at him.
"Is someone watching us?"
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Li Xuan did not answer directly.
Instead, he looked into the depths of the forest.
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"Those two people from earlier."
"I'm not here to fight to the death."
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"I came to see."
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Chen He fell silent.
He noticed it too.
If the opponent misses their first attack, retreat.
There was no entanglement.
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This is not a robbery.
Yes--
To get a preliminary understanding.
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Li Yuanshan understood at this point.
His face became even uglier.
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"Will they come again...?"
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Li Xuan stood up.
He patted the dust off his sleeves.
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"meeting."
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He spoke calmly.
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"and--"
He looked at the woods ahead.
His gaze was slightly cold.
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"Next time, it won't be this light."
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The air fell silent again.
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Li Yuanshan swallowed hard.
Suddenly I felt a little regretful.
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It's not that I regret coming out.
But -
I'm starting to realize it.
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Their move.
We've really stepped out of the safety zone.
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Chen He stood up.
The formation was rearranged.
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"Keep going."
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His voice regained its composure.
But his hand never left the hilt of the knife.
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The group moved forward again.
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This time.
No one is relaxing anymore.
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Lian Liyuanshan.
They stopped looking around.
They just followed the car closely.
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He kept his head down.
But in my heart I was thinking about something—
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"after……"
How many more times will I walk this road?
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No one answered.
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But he knew.
There will be plenty of answers.
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In front.
The woods gradually thinned out.
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The sunlight fell again.
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But everyone understands.
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That last moment.
This is just the beginning.
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The real road.
It's still to come.
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Chapter Fifty-Eight (The End)