Xuan Yuanjue looked at Shen Li's outstretched hand in mid - air. The corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched up, but he forced it back down. He wanted to refuse, yet was afraid that Shen Li would really withdraw his hand. With a hint of hesitation on his face, he said, "Fine then! This prince will just endure it for a while!"
Shen Li freed one hand to support Xuan Yuanjue's uninjured arm. He exerted force with his feet, activated his light - foot technique, and flew straight up from the cave opening.
This time, as soon as they landed steadily on the ground, Xuan Yuanjue withdrew his arm from Shen Li's grasp. Facing Shen Li's inquiring gaze, he didn't explain but turned his head awkwardly to the side, looking elsewhere.
"Which way should we go?" Shen Li looked around and asked.
"Just go down the mountain! Don't you want to leave this place?"
Hearing this, Shen Li looked up at Xuan Yuanjue. "Going down the mountain directly, aren't you afraid others will ask questions, Your Highness?"
Xuan Yuanjue said nonchalantly, "Let them ask! I was drugged. I had no strength in my body, and all my martial arts skills and inner strength were lost. If it weren't for Xuan Shu's protection, I would have lost my life!"
Shen Li looked at him with a smile. Although what Xuan Yuanjue said was true, it didn't conform to the rules. No courtier, after escaping danger, would not mention the matters of the princes or care about their lives.
"Didn't you all stay together before? Now that the princes haven't returned, and you go back safe and sound by yourself, many people will surely have suspicions!"
"Humph! Suspicions? The three princes had an accident at the same time. It's not just our Prince Li's Mansion that will be suspected. If we talk about suspicions, our Prince Li's Mansion may not be as suspected as the Second Prince. Besides, they won't die at all. They're probably being well - entertained and treated as honored guests!"
Xuan Yuanjue's nonchalant tone was really annoying.
"Tsk tsk tsk!" Shen Li shook his head and joked, looking at Xuan Yuanjue, "I didn't expect the esteemed heir of Prince Li to be like this!"
"Humph! We're just about the same! Little thing, don't act so high - and - mighty!"
"Cough cough! Alright then! Let's go!" Shen Li didn't seem to have any intention of looking for the Fourth Prince and Shen Miao at all. This happened to please Xuan Yuanjue.
On their way down the mountain, they didn't choose the path on the windward slope in front but walked along the leeward side all the way. However, the terrain here was not suitable for hiding their figures, and they could easily be exposed.
As Shen Li and Xuan Yuanjue were walking down the mountain, when they had only covered about a quarter of the way, Xuan Yuanjue slowly slowed down his pace until he stopped in his tracks.
At first, Shen Li didn't notice, but based on his years of martial arts experience, he felt a subtle and ominous change in the surrounding atmosphere.
"What are you still standing there for? Waiting for this prince to invite you out?" Xuan Yuanjue stood there, showing no seriousness in the face of a powerful enemy. Instead, there was a hint of nonchalance and disregard.
"The heir of Prince Li is truly extraordinary! We wouldn't dare to trouble Your Highness!" The voice seemed to come from afar and also seemed to be right above them, making it impossible to tell the speaker's position.
But the next moment, a black - clothed man wearing a blood - red iron mask descended from the sky, followed closely by thirty or forty black - clothed men.
"Oh? It's you again? I don't know if I should say we're fated or I'm just unlucky to meet you again!"
The black - clothed men standing opposite Shen Li lined up in an arc, semi - encircling Shen Li and the others. The masked black - clothed man stood in the middle of the group, with his hands behind his back.
"Naturally, I have some fate with Your Highness! I wonder if Your Highness will come with me willingly or if we should fight a few more rounds?" The black - clothed man seemed very confident in himself, and his words were full of arrogance.
"Hehe! Haven't you already captured the others? Aren't the three princes of the Dongling Kingdom enough? Do you need to take me to make up the number?" Even in this life - and - death situation, Xuan Yuanjue's tone remained as nonchalant as ever.
"Your Highness is joking! We just want to take Your Highness to a place to have tea and have a chat. As long as Your Highness cooperates, we will never harm you!"
"Tea sounds good! This prince is just thirsty! Lead the way!" After saying that, Xuan Yuanjue put his hands behind his back and walked forward leisurely.
"Your Highness, this way please!" The masked black - clothed man really made a gesture of invitation and stepped aside, allowing Xuan Yuanjue to go first.
Just like this, Xuan Yuanjue, Shen Li, and Xuan Shu were escorted forward by more than thirty black - clothed men.
Throughout the process, Shen Li remained relaxed. He forced himself to suppress the urge to knock these people down. There was no way. They were in the open while the enemies were in the dark, and there were too many of them. There might even be some hidden ones. Even if they resisted, they would probably be captured. So it was better to surrender for the time being, preserve their strength, and wait for reinforcements.
Sure enough, on their way down the mountain, they met several more groups of black - clothed men one after another. They also met the Fourth Prince, Shen Miao, the Seventh Prince, and the Tenth Prince, who were being escorted just like them.
However, their situations were much more miserable than Shen Li and Xuan Yuanjue's. Shen Miao always loved to be clean, but now her clothes were stained with patches of mud and green grass juice. Her hairpins were nowhere to be found, and only a jade hairpin was left, slanting on her head.
Although Xiao Hanzhi's clothes were also dirty, he always held his back straight and his head high, showing no sign of being a hostage.
But Shen Li felt a bit of gratified pride. In his two lifetimes, this was the first time he had seen Xiao Hanzhi so embarrassed. Such a proud man like Xiao Hanzhi would never have thought that he would end up in such a situation one day.
The Seventh Prince, Xiao Jinnan, and the Tenth Prince, Xiao Luochi, were also disheveled, but as princes of the Dongling Kingdom, they still didn't lower their heads. Fortunately, the black - clothed men didn't make things too difficult for them.
When Xiao Hanzhi passed by Xuan Yuanjue and Shen Li, he turned his head and frowned at Shen Li, as if asking why Shen Li was here, or why there were no reinforcements.
Shen Li pretended not to see Xiao Hanzhi and ignored him.
As for Shen Miao, who was behind Xiao Hanzhi, when she saw Shen Li, she opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but then closed it and said nothing.
Even if she didn't say anything, Shen Li knew what she meant. She probably blamed Shen Li for coming alone and not bringing more people to rescue them.
Just like with Xiao Hanzhi, Shen Li chose to ignore Shen Miao. He turned his head and looked elsewhere, pretending not to see her.