The Gas in the Stone

Under the scorching midday sun, the flames blaze fiercely.

At noon the next day, the sun was blazing, and the entire border region was distorted by the heat.

Occasionally, a lizard would emerge from the sand and gravel, but the ground was so hot that it would quickly disappear into the desolate Gobi Desert.

This made a figure stand out conspicuously on the vast yellow earth.

Shen Gui walked back to Yujia Village, holding a ball of vital energy in his hand.

A wisp of multicolored gas was locked within the vital energy.

The gas was faint, so fine that it was almost invisible, and it was gradually dissipating.

Shen Gui looked at it for a while and said, "Let's call you 'ethereal' for now."

The name isn't really accurate, and the colorful gas is hardly ethereal or otherworldly; when it lands in your palm, it carries a cold, defiant air.

This item is in the Ghost Face Token and also in the Stone Pendant.

Shen Gui named it "Immortal Aura" purely for the sake of having something to remember it by.

Before leaving the mountain last night, the Ghost Mask Token had already shattered, and Shen Gui took the opportunity to extract the last wisp of immortal energy from the token.

However, this thing seems to be rejected by heaven and earth.

Shen Gui has come this far, and despite sealing his vital energy several times, he has been unable to stop the loss of his vital energy.

The primordial energy of heaven and earth can surround them, but cannot consume or retain them, as if they are on a higher level than the primordial energy.

At this moment, the wisp of immortal energy in his palm spun around once and then disappeared into the hot air without a trace.

Shen Gui withdrew his hand and took out the stone pendant from his chest.

The stone pendant had four cracks, two of which have now healed.

There was no trace of breakage at the point where the two wounds had healed, and colorful wisps of silk flowed slowly inside.

The iridescent light clings tightly to the stone, as if it were growing out of the stone itself, without any ostentation.

Compared to the immortal energy within the Ghost Mask Token, both have the same origin, but their destinations differ.

There is a root on one side.

One side was simply forced to drink it.

Thinking of this, Shen Gui couldn't help but wonder if the Ghost Clan in Bei Che had the means to manipulate immortal energy? Was this method left behind by Bai Xingjian, or something else?

Shen Gui stopped and closed his eyes.

Following the forbidden patterns left deep within Nie Chenzhou's soul.

According to his senses, Nie Chenzhou had already left Beiyang Prefecture and was still rushing north.

Through the Soul Restriction Technique, Shen Gui could determine Nie Chenzhou's approximate location and, with a single thought, cause his soul to dissipate.

But even the most sophisticated soul-sealing techniques can only achieve this much.

Therefore, at this time, being close yet far becomes very important.

The location of the Soul Forbidden Zone and its connection to life and death.

We still need it for the news.

Shen Gui touched the green beans in his sleeve and continued forward.

Two hours later, the earthen walls of Yujia Village appeared at the end of the Gobi Desert.

On the big rock at the entrance of the village, there was a toad lying on the ground.

Zhaoyue spread its four paws out, its belly pressed against the stone surface, so hot that its tongue drooped out, and its eyes were still gazing into the distance.

"Why are you leaving it out in the sun?" Shen Gui appeared in a flash.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Zhaoyue braced herself with her front paws and almost jumped up.

After recognizing the person, it quickly lay back down, pretending to be very busy.

"Young master, didn't you say I was about to break through? I'm absorbing the essence of the sun and moon."

"Did you get it?"

"Soon."

Zhaoyue paused for a moment, then said, "Just a little bit more."

Shen Gui glanced at the scorching sun on his head, then at the toad that was almost sunburned red: "Then you continue."

Shen Gui stepped over the bluestone and walked towards the village.

There was a brief silence, followed by an urgent cry: "Young master, wait for me!"

Zhaoyue leaped down from the rock and caught up in a few steps.

It stood upright, its hands behind its head: "The rest can wait until tomorrow. Cultivation can't be rushed."

Yujia Village is very busy, even busier than the last time I visited.

Several charcoal kilns in the outer courtyard were shut down, but piles of stones were scattered on the ground.

Several men squatted on the ground taking measurements, while a dozen or so wooden boards covered with the word "charcoal" were placed against the wall. They argued heatedly, their faces red with anger.

As soon as Zhaoyue entered the village, she was immediately surrounded by children.

"Brother Zhaoyue, you really haven't been abandoned? I already told my mom that if no one wants you, you can come and get me."

"Pah, pah, pah, shut your mouth."

Zhaoyue rushed into the group of children and joined them.

Shen Gui ignored it, walked through the outer courtyard, and met Yu Qingxiang under an old jujube tree.

In front of the old man was a low table, on which were piled furnace records and several cracked test bricks.

His eyes were bluish, and his sleeves were covered in black ash, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

Seeing Shen Gui approach, Yu Qingxiang stood up, leaning on his bamboo cane.

"The senior is back."

"Speak while seated."

The two sat down under the tree.

Yu Qingxiang glanced into the distance and saw Zhaoyue bragging among several children.

The old man couldn't help but laugh and said, "This little demon has been lying at the village entrance ever since you left. It's hot in the Gobi Desert, so I let it in, but it said it's better to stay outside so you can see it as soon as you come back, lest you walk past it and forget about it here."

Shen Gui looked over upon hearing this.

As if sensing his gaze, Zhaoyue immediately turned her head and whistled.

Shen Gui withdrew his gaze and went straight to the point: "What does the Yu family want?"

Yu Qingxiang was taken aback: "What makes you say that, senior?"

"Though it's so close, it's a world apart; we can't take it for nothing."

"It was the ancestral master's dying wish to forge weapons for our predecessors."

Yu Qingxiang waved his hand, "We are just reconnecting the scattered skills of each branch and following the path of our ancestor to complete the last few steps. If we really want to settle accounts, it is the Yu family that is repaying the debt to our ancestor. How could we ask our seniors for anything?"

"She is herself, and you are you."

Shen Gui's attitude was resolute.

Yu Qingxiang opened his mouth.

He wanted to say that the Yu family was blessed by their ancestor and that doing these things was only right, but when he met Shen Gui's gaze, he swallowed those words back.

The old man picked up the charcoal pencil, twirled it between his fingers twice, thought for a long time, and then put it down.

"What do I want... I can't really say right now."

Shen Gui waited.

Yu Qingxiang said, "We are short of money, but not to the point of starvation; fame and weapons are out of the question, as our ancestral precepts still weigh us down."

He scratched his messy hair: "How about we leave it as is?"

Shen Gui was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

The character "余" is very good.

It's not a matter of settling accounts, nor is it about collecting debts.

The rest is that there are still days ahead, and there is still hope for life.

What we didn't finish saying today, we can say later; what we didn't collect today, we can meet again in the future.

Seeing that Shen Gui agreed, Yu Qingxiang also breathed a sigh of relief.

He was genuinely afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would ruin the sense of propriety that had been passed down through generations of the Yu family.

The Yu family has survived to this day not because they are bold, but because they know what they can take and what they cannot, and they know that loyalty and friendship are more important than money.

The two sat for a while.

Yu Qingxiang then brought up the matter of the ancestral furnace.

"That old furnace was successfully restarted."

He pointed towards the furnace room, "We just realized that the underground fire veins have changed. We can't just copy the old fire control methods anymore, and the air vents also need to be changed. Last night, I led people to build three layers of protection underground, otherwise, if the fire goes astray one day, half the village will be destroyed."

He spoke bitterly, but his eyes shone brightly.

"And that time you suppressed the fire, a few old guys in the village watched all night. They said they couldn't borrow your skills, but they could figure out some tricks and techniques. It'll keep our Yu Family Village busy for years."

Shen Gui flipped through two pages of the furnace manual and nodded slightly.

The Yu family's cultivation level wasn't high, but their blacksmithing skills were truly superb. Their summary wasn't quite up to par, but it wasn't off-topic either.

Shen Gui closed the booklet and put it back in its place: "Ask me if you don't understand."

This time, Yu Qingxiang didn't refuse, and the two chatted for a while longer before a woman's voice came from the village entrance.

"You've only been back a short time! Your hands are still burning up, what's the rush to get to the city!"

Shen Gui looked over.

Yu Fu led Xuanma, with an old bundle hanging on his back and his right hand wrapped in thick cloth, through which the medicine seeped.

His wife stood beside him, holding their youngest son in her arms, while their older daughter clung tightly to the reins.

Yu Fu's face fell: "The shop can't be closed for too long. Our Yu family can't ruin our reputation in business."

The daughter looked up and asked, "Dad, doesn't your hand hurt?"

Yu Fu hid his hands behind his back. "It doesn't hurt."

The child's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

"Nonsense!" Yu Qingxiang's face darkened, and he strode closer.

"Clan leader, I'm not being stubborn, but Xuanma needs to calculate the silver every day. The hundred sects in the city are almost booked, and there are many people coming and going. If we don't open the door soon, the old customers will all leave."

"You can still hold a hammer with that hand?"

Yu Qingxiang cursed.

Yu Fu still wanted to argue.

Shen Gui walked up to him and said, "Stay and rest for a while."

Yu Fu was taken aback: "Senior, what about the shop over there..."

Shen Gui: "The key is with me."

Yu Fu didn't react in time.

Shen Gui then said, "I'll stay at the shop for a few more days."

Yu Fu panicked: "How can this be? Who is this senior? How can he be allowed to manage the Yu family's shop?"

"It has nothing to do with identity." Shen Gui glanced at Yu Qingxiang.

The latter understood immediately and snatched the reins from Yu Fu's hand: "Alright, you stay here to recover from your injuries."

Yu Fu wanted to say something, but his wife first pulled the bundle off his shoulder: "The elders and the village chief have both spoken, hurry back and recover from your injuries."

Yu Fu looked at his family, then at his own hands, and finally lowered his head.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, senior."

Shen Gui did not respond to the trouble, but simply took the reins of the black horse.

Zhaoyue had heard the commotion long ago and darted over in a flash, already carrying her small bundle on her back.

The bundle wasn't big, but it was bulging, and who knows how much stuff was inside.

Shen Gui looked at it and asked, "What are you hiding?"

Zhaoyue tilted the bundle upwards.

"Dried food, steamed buns, the pickled vegetables Aunt Fish gave me, and the children's wishes."

It thought for a moment, then added quietly, "And here's a new pair of socks for you."

Shen Gui looked at it.

Zhaoyue immediately explained, "I didn't buy them, Aunt Yu made them. She said your shoes are new, so you need to change your socks too, otherwise they'll rub your feet."

Shen Gui nodded: "Let's go."

Zhaoyue immediately puffed out her chest and waved her claws at the villagers.

"I've gone to town to look after the shops. I'll bring you some candy when I get back."

The children shouted, "Two packs, please!"

"It depends on my mood."

Zhaoyue jumped to Xuanma's side, and the two of them, one human and one demon, led the horse out of the village, their long shadows stretched behind them by the sun.

Yu Qingxiang stood at the village entrance and did not say thank you again.

Shen Gui took a few steps and heard him call out from behind, "Senior Shen, it's alright if there's no business. Just think of it as going to the city to enjoy the scenery."

Shen Gui didn't turn around, he just raised his hand.

Zhaoyue imitated her, raising her paw slightly and walking with her toes pointing outwards, her head swaying as she went.

The Gobi wind blows from afar, carrying the scent of warm earth and the aroma of cooking smoke from the village.