Compared with the front, the vegetation on the leeward slope is obviously much sparser, mostly some shorter trees. Standing on a high place, one can easily see the surrounding area clearly.
The soil here is obviously much drier than in the front. Shen Li chose a relatively tall tree and stood on the top. Her gaze swept across the area within sight and found that the terrain here was too flat to hide easily.
No wonder those black - clothed men were searching on the windward slope in the front. This place must have been searched by them once.
Shen Li didn't give up. Everyone thought that the windward slope in the front, with its lush branches and leaves and complex terrain, was convenient for hiding, while this slope seemed to be visible at a glance and was not suitable for hiding. She always felt that with Xuan Yuanjue's usual way of doing things, he often did the opposite.
Sure enough, Shen Li found a pit in a sunken area of the terrain. Although the entrance of the pit seemed to be well - covered, Shen Li still noticed it.
She lifted the grass on it, observed it for a while, and then slowly got in. This pit seemed to be quite old and the interior was relatively solid. When Shen Li stepped on it, not much soil fell.
Shen Li went down about three or four meters before her feet suddenly felt loose and she landed safely. After standing still, Shen Li lit the fire - starter she carried with her and continued to walk inside.
The deeper she walked, the more Shen Li felt that this was not a simple underground pit. It could easily accommodate her to pass through, the light was not dim, and what she originally thought were just some earth on the surrounding walls turned out to be fixed by gravel after she touched it.
Obviously, this place was not naturally formed. It was man - made.
As Shen Li walked inside, she found that the light in front suddenly brightened. Even compared with the outside, it didn't seem dark. After walking a few steps, she felt that the place in front suddenly opened up. It was no longer a long and narrow passage but a nearly circular and spacious inner chamber.
"Don't move!" As soon as Shen Li stepped one foot in, she felt a chill on her neck. A sword was placed on it.
Shen Li didn't move her body, but her eyes turned to the right side of her body.
"Miss Shen!" With a tone full of surprise, as soon as Xuan Shu saw clearly who it was, he immediately put away his sword.
Shen Li wasn't too surprised to see Xuan Shu. She just asked in a flat tone, "Where's your master?"
Hearing Shen Li ask about Xuan Yuanjue, Xuan Shu immediately showed a worried look on his face. "Miss Shen, please go and have a look at our young master! He's injured!"
"Where is he now? Take me there!"
"Okay, it's just over here!" Xuan Shu immediately walked in front to lead the way.
Following behind him, Shen Li saw that he was limping when walking, and even his hands were shaking. The sword in his hand seemed to be about to fall.
"Are you injured?"
"It's nothing serious. I just got poisoned by the Soft - Power Powder. I can't use my internal strength." It seemed that the sword he used to threaten Shen Li just now had exhausted all his strength. Now Xuan Shu's whole body was weak, with no strength in his hands and feet, and even his voice was a bit weak.
Following Xuan Shu, Shen Li passed through the circular hall. The reason why the circular hall was so bright was that there was an open sky above it, and the surrounding walls were built with hard rocks.
There was also a small pool inside, with four or five lotus plants and several brightly - colored fish swimming in it. In addition, there was a long corridor and a small bridge.
It was just like a small private garden courtyard.
Seeing Shen Li looking at this place, Xuan Shu explained to her, "At that time, the young master was injured and there were people chasing us later. By chance, I found this cave and brought the young master in. Unexpectedly, after coming in, I found that this place was not at all like a simply - formed cave. The layout here was very delicate and clean."
"It seems that someone lived here!"
Shen Li withdrew her gaze, nodded and said, "Have you found anything left by the original owner here, such as ornaments, clothes, or books and calligraphy?"
"Yes. There are several rooms behind. There is a study and several bedrooms among them. I've checked them, but I didn't find anything."
Xuan Shu lowered his head apologetically, feeling that he hadn't been of much help.
Following Xuan Shu, Shen Li passed through the hall and saw a row of rooms appearing behind. The doors of these rooms all looked exactly the same.
Xuan Shu led Shen Li straight into the third room. "Our young master is here."
Opening the door, Shen Li saw Xuan Yuanjue lying on the bed in the room. He looked pale, and his white clothes were a bit messy.
Only when Shen Li got closer did she see that his right shoulder was a large patch of red. The blood had soaked through his white clothes. Although Xuan Shu had bandaged it a little and stopped the bleeding, he still looked weaker than usual.
Shen Li sat in front of Xuan Yuanjue's bed. Looking at Xuan Yuanjue frowning tightly, she just reached out her hand to check his injury. Before her hand touched his shoulder, it was tightly held by his left hand that he had lifted up. At the same time, Xuan Yuanjue's eyes also opened instantly!
"You're awake? Then let go!"
Xuan Yuanjue seemed not to be fully awake yet. Although his eyes were open, his gaze was a bit dull when he looked at Shen Li. But after just a moment's pause, Xuan Yuanjue let go of his hand.
"Sorry!"
Shen Li withdrew the hand that was held by him, rubbed her wrist that was pinched painfully by him, and complained a little, "Your vigilance is still so high even when you're asleep!"
"Why did you come?"
Xuan Yuanjue struggled to get up. Shen Li originally wanted to watch coldly, but seeing that his left hand only supported his body a little and he frowned in pain, she finally couldn't bear it and said, "You're injured. Don't you know it? Why don't you just stay still? If you can't get up, won't you ask someone for help? Why do you have to be so stubborn!"
"You clearly saw that I was injured, but you didn't help me either." There seemed to be a bit of grievance in Xuan Yuanjue's tone.
Shen Li ignored him, and he just sat quietly on the bed without saying a word.
"I just met a group of black - clothed men outside. I heard that they were going to set the mountain on fire to force you out! How's your body now? Can you hold on until we escape?"
"So, you came to save me?" Xuan Yuanjue seemed not to understand the key point in Shen Li's words at all. His focus was on something else.
"What? Do you want to be trapped here and be roasted into a suckling pig?"
"Hehe, little thing, you're getting more and more naughty. You're scolding me as a pig in disguise!" Xuan Yuanjue's originally pale and weak face regained vitality because of this smile. Coupled with his pale and bloodless lips, this man actually had a different kind of weak beauty compared with before.