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墨書 Inktalez
After listening to Qianwen's whispers, You Long quietly understood her thoughts. Seeing that You Long had grasped her meaning, Qianwen shifted her attention to Meng Jiang.
"The Convention is approaching, and security is especially important. Your safety is crucial for everyone in the Trial Ground. If you need anything, feel free to speak up," Qianwen said, lifting her gaze and noticing that Meng Jiang's confidence was not as strong as it should be.
"Commander, I think I should have a special talk with Lan An," Meng Jiang began. Qianwen recognized some old issues but did not interrupt him; instead, she encouraged him to continue.
Lan An was not originally from the Trial Ground, a fact that the young Lan An was unaware of during his childhood. As a result, he had grown up with the reputation of being an orphan. Compared to the children from other prominent families or those who came to register from the streets, Lan An had developed a certain sensitivity that he carried with him to this day.
"I'm worried this issue might affect his recent state. Moreover, Lan An has been reclusive lately, often disappearing during roll calls. At such a critical moment, this is not a good sign," Meng Jiang expressed concern. Although he had secured the Trial Ground's entrances and exits, he had no assurance of how this child would behave.
Qianwen stood up calmly with her teacup in hand. "For now, prepare for the worst. If necessary, be ready to take decisive action. But remember, keep it low-key."
Hearing this, Meng Jiang trembled slightly; this was not the Qianwen he knew. Was she really suggesting sending her own student to prison? This dilemma troubled Meng Jiang greatly. Why did this restless student have to create such trouble at this critical juncture?
"Commander, we need to find someone urgently. I will handle this matter as quickly as possible." Meng Jiang immediately reaffirmed his determination. Qianwen did not pursue the issue further but simply reminded him to be wary of external matters at this time. She then picked up a letter marked "Vitality" and tossed it onto Meng Jiang's desk.
"The Prey Plan!" Meng Jiang exclaimed in shock, realizing that the rough movements reported by his informants matched the contents of the letter almost perfectly. Could it be...?
"If you've figured out how to handle it, there's no need to discuss it further—just go and take care of it," Qianwen instructed without allowing Meng Jiang to speak again. After a brief silence from Meng Jiang, she sent him off.
At that moment, Ziyuan returned and reported on personnel exclusions while placing the list of individuals who had petitioned for Xing Han alongside those who had previously left the Trial Ground and other relevant documents on Qianwen's desk.
"Commander, those who petitioned for Xing Han have been rearranged in designated areas. Most of them are retired heroes who haven't involved themselves in current affairs for years and won't form any alliances with these individuals. The paperwork for those leaving has been completed by Meng Jiang and they are being sent out in batches from the Trial Ground. The remaining matters have been documented for your review," Ziyuan quickly summarized her progress and awaited Qianwen's orders.
Qianwen smiled slightly. "We need to keep things low-key right now, but we still have work to do. It will rely on you and You Long."
Ziyuan looked at You Long in confusion; You Long remained silent, signaling Ziyuan to wait for orders.
"Before the Convention, the children's mental states may fluctuate; we need to discuss some matters with them so they don't feel pressured—after all, achievements are not the only measure of a person's worth," Qianwen explained regarding Lan An and advised Ziyuan to guide and support Meng Jiang carefully while ensuring they did not leave the Trial Ground or its protective barriers.
Then Qianwen summoned You Long and whispered something mysterious before sending both of them off to carry out their tasks.
Ziyuan had heard some rumors about Lan An; back when she was training under Shen Ju, Lan An was already working alongside female Taiji heroes in the Tea Garden, planting tea and studying.
"This child is quite reliable; why has he suddenly changed like this?" Ziyuan asked You Long with a puzzled expression.
"Meng Jiang has already started investigating; once he returns, we'll know what’s going on," You Long replied nonchalantly, seemingly unwilling to get involved further in the matter, leaving Ziyuan unable to say more.
Meanwhile, in the cold cave of Wangliang Mountain, Long Shan was delightedly admiring his new invention: the Dust Return Mirror and Array Cube.
This device could teleport personnel from their side to designated locations arranged by the Array Cube. Moreover, if any hero approached for more than fifteen minutes, they would be forcibly driven away by Evil Thought. Now there was no need for any major actions outside the mountain; they could launch an attack on the Trial Ground.
"It’s still reliable development from Long Shan; however, where is your lamb? Without a lamb, what good are these inventions?" Gui Mei remarked skeptically despite being impressed by the towering mirror; without someone who could enter the Trial Ground, Long Shan's efforts seemed futile.
"Don't worry! If there are no sheep, how can wolves exist? Besides, our good friend is indeed a sheep; this will help find new lambs—perhaps even an exceptional one!" Long Shan replied confidently since Shan Qing had informed him about Lan An's situation and would assist in bringing the lamb into place.
Gui Mei seemed unaware of this private transaction and looked incredulously at Long Shan's unusual confidence today. "In military matters, there are no empty promises; buddy, you better weigh your words carefully and not make rash commitments."
Facing the warning, Long Shan scoffed, "My lord, when have I ever been untrustworthy? The lamb will find its own way here, or perhaps it is beneath my feet."
Gui Mei stopped pressing the issue, but at this moment, to enter the Trial Ground, he still had to rely on this seemingly inconspicuous fellow. Moreover, since the last encounter, Shan Qing had vanished without a trace. For some reason, Divine Fall seemed to stir whenever he took action, which frustrated Gui Mei.
Ran Xing was equally annoyed. Just before landing, he unleashed his Vitality to cushion his fall, preventing himself from becoming a pile of flesh. With the dim light filtering through the cave entrance, he felt along the walls and unexpectedly discovered something that could ignite a fire. As he struck a spark, he found a stone tablet standing prominently before him.
"The Tomb of Xia Dengshan: Brotherly kindness and brotherly days; the rivers and lakes may never meet again..." A long poem was intricately carved into the tombstone.
Wait a minute, that person claimed to be Xia Dengshan. How could there be a tombstone for Xia Dengshan here? Could it be that he was not Xia Dengshan?
Ran Xing immediately understood something and pointed at the cave entrance, cursing loudly.
"Imposter! You deceive the world and engage in trickery, using the name of the deceased without any shame!" No matter how much Ran Xing shouted, there was no response from above. After a long while, he finally heard the man’s impatient voice.
"What’s wrong? Just realizing it now? But don’t make your hat too big; once you come up, everything will be revealed! If you can’t make it up here, don’t worry; my companions will keep you company for the night!" After saying this, the man who called himself Xia Dengshan leisurely went off to sleep.
Though Ran Xing found this mocking tone unbearable, he had no choice but to swallow his anger. It seemed that to uncover the truth, he would need to demonstrate some skills.
The deep pit appeared to be about a hundred meters deep, with a platform roughly ten paces wide in the middle—likely where that man's so-called companions resided. Looking up from this place revealed a massive object emitting a glow similar to Vitality. Beneath the torchlight lay what seemed to be an abandoned workbench; it appeared that Xia Dengshan and others had attempted to escape from here more than once in the past.
On the workbench sat a sensing cube and a yellowed piece of paper covered in dense writing.
"To act with malice causes this object to descend; conversely, with good intentions it will rise. If one’s heart lacks measure, it may stop halfway; if one has goodwill, this object will soar upwards; otherwise, it will fall. A measured heart allows for heights and depths as desired; an evil heart without bounds or forgetfulness leads to a plunge into the abyss."
Ran Xing stared at this convoluted and lengthy text for a moment without any idea of what to do next. He could only attempt to correspond Vitality with Evil Thought.
Suddenly, something seemed to obstruct his legs beneath the torchlight. Upon closer inspection, he discovered it was a statue. Ran Xing quickly propped up the statue and made sure to clean it off.
What an unexpected find! But it couldn’t speak—what help could it provide?
Ran Xing let out a light sigh as he carefully examined the statue before him. It appeared to be a person dressed in luxurious garments and fur, wearing long boots and leather pants, with flowing hair that radiated vitality, exuding an air of authority and a hint of a roguish charm.
"Kid, you finally made it!" Suddenly, a strange voice startled Ran Xing, causing him to jerk his head up and scan the surroundings for the source of the sound.
"No need to look around; I'm right behind you. Just check the statue behind you," the voice beckoned, drawing Ran Xing's attention back to the statue.
Indeed, it was the statue that was speaking, and Ran Xing was still trying to comprehend what was happening.
"Impossible! How can a statue talk?" Ran Xing exclaimed in disbelief, having never witnessed such a peculiar sight in his life.
"I am exactly who you are looking for—Nian Yueye. Have you heard of Xia Dengshan?" the statue continued to inquire, noticing that Ran Xing was still in shock.
Seeing that Ran Xing remained silent, the statue continued its tale. It explained how it had been patrolling this area when it encountered soldiers chasing after someone named Xia Dengshan. It had intervened to help but, like Ran Xing, had fallen victim to a trick and ended up here. The statue had been forced to leave its mark and was subsequently transformed into stone by Xia Dengshan's cunning methods. It had been like this for some time now.
"What? Even a Taiji hero can miscalculate in the world?" Ran Xing seemed to find humor in the situation and mocked his mentor, Nian Yueye.
However, recalling that he too had been defeated by this person made it hard for him to laugh wholeheartedly.
Looking at the statue and the note beside it, Ran Xing decided to take a moment to relax and have a good chat with the petrified Nian Yueye. At least he now had a kindred spirit in this desolate place; regardless of whether it was real or not, having someone to strategize with was far better than being stuck here helplessly staring into space.
Meanwhile, outside, under the full moon and blooming flowers, it was autumn in the courtyard of the Luo Yue Family. Luo Yue was recovering quickly from her injuries and could now jog to the dining hall or practice in the yard. She gazed out of the window, wondering about Ran Xing's training progress.
In just over a week, they would be participating in the trials. You better not fall behind!
Holding her handmade doll resembling Ran Xing, Luo Yue issued a warning while mimicking a nod with the doll. With that thought settled, she laid down with her doll in hand and slowly drifted off to sleep.
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