Chapter 320: Stone Workshop

Duan Rong slid down a short iron cable from the mountain peak where the Weapon Workshop was located and landed on the mountain peak where the Stone Workshop stood.

Duan Rong jumped off the iron cable and walked along the mountain path for a distance before hearing faint laughter and chatter coming from the dense forest not far away.

Duan Rong turned his body, stepped on the jagged mountain rocks, and ducked into the dense forest, walking toward the direction of the voices.

Stepping on the rustling fallen leaves, Duan Rong arrived beside a stream and saw, not far upstream, several figures in colorful attire squatting by the water with wooden basins and handkerchiefs, washing the dust and sweat from their faces.

Duan Rong walked over slowly, bowed respectfully, and said, "May I ask, senior sisters, how does one get to the Stone Workshop?"

Those few people had been splashing water and playing while washing up; seeing Duan Rong appear by the stream, they quieted down. Now, seeing Duan Rong walk closer and inquire with a bow, they all fixed their gazes on him.

Duan Rong was wearing a green Daoist robe; although he was dark-skinned, his features were decent, and his hair was tied up quite neatly.

One of them smiled and replied, "Follow the stream upward, walk to where the stream bends, then walk straight east for several yards, and you will see it."

After thanking them, Duan Rong followed the stream toward the upper reaches.

Walking to a large blue stone, he saw the stream turn and flow downward beside the large rock.

Duan Rong stood still by the large blue stone, turned his feet, and walked behind it, following the dense forest for several yards until the view suddenly opened up before him.

This place was a space carved out within a fairly large mountain hollow.

On the stone walls of the mountain hollow, there were many stone caves of various sizes.

This area of the mountain hollow was enclosed by a wooden fence about three yards high. Duan Rong walked to the entrance of the wooden fence, where an old woman was guarding the gate, tending to a furnace and boiling something.

Duan Rong's nose twitched; he smelled a medicinal scent.

Duan Rong presented his Sect Cloud Token; the old woman only glanced at it twice before letting him in.

Duan Rong walked along the mountain hollow and, before long, stopped not far from a cave, having already seen Xiao Yu's back.

On the platform at the mouth of the cave, Xiao Yu was sitting before a Stone Table, clutching a carving knife and sculpting the stone blank before her.

Duan Rong softened his footsteps as he walked over, but Xiao Yu still alertly turned her head, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. When she saw that the person was Duan Rong, she was slightly stunned, then her face relaxed into a smile, and she said, "Why are you here? Why are you sneaking around while walking?"

Duan Rong sat down on the stool opposite Xiao Yu and laughed, "I saw you were very focused. I was afraid of disturbing you!"

Only then did Duan Rong fix his gaze on Xiao Yu, seeing a layer of fine sweat on her forehead and a smudge of black ash on her face.

Seeing Duan Rong staring at her, Xiao Yu could not help but blush.

Duan Rong noticed Xiao Yu's reaction and felt a bit awkward; he turned the stone blank Xiao Yu was carving and began to examine it carefully.

The stone blank was not very large, only about a foot or so.

The body of the blank had just taken on the outline of a person, but the face was still a blur.

Looking at where Xiao Yu had just applied the knife, it was precisely the folds of the clothing on the stone sculpture's shoulder.

Seeing that the clothing folds were carved with such precision, Duan Rong sighed, "Your work is a bit too delicate."

Xiao Yu rolled her eyes at Duan Rong and said, "This is far from passing. I have to carve out these clothing folds bit by bit. This is a grueling, meticulous job; otherwise, why would everyone working here be a girl?"

Only then did Duan Rong remember the few female disciples he had encountered by the stream. Duan Rong looked up and around, discovering only a few scattered figures sitting at various cave entrances.

Duan Rong said, "Why are only you few people working here?"

Xiao Yu said, "The seniors finished their work long ago and left. Those few are just like me, newcomers, guarding this place to practice!"

Hearing this, Duan Rong nodded and picked up the carving knife that Xiao Yu had just placed on the Stone Table.

Looking at the somewhat crude carving knife in his hand, he thought to himself, "Spirit Reader."

Following this, a set of data appeared before Duan Rong's eyes.

Artifact: Stone Statue Carving Knife

Spirit Artifact Tier: Unranked

Devour Requirement: None

Devour Effect: Knife Skill Dexterity Primary Level

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he thought, "Devour!"

Just as the data panel floating before his eyes flickered and dissipated, Xiao Yu snatched the carving knife away and said, "Wait for me a moment; I need to hurry and finish today's task. Otherwise, tomorrow, that senior sister who is guiding me will give me the cold shoulder again."

Xiao Yu carved for a while, but noticing Duan Rong sitting there staring at her, a thought crossed her mind, and a rosy flush flew onto her face again.

Xiao Yu chided, "You keep looking like that... it's distracting me!"

Duan Rong laughed, "I'm sitting here waiting for you. If you won't let me look, what should I do?"

Xiao Yu said, "Turn around and sit; wait until I'm done carving, then turn back."

Duan Rong smiled helplessly. "Fine, I'll close my eyes. That should be acceptable, right?"

Duan Rong really sat there and closed his eyes. By closing his eyes like this, he could just happen to digest the Spirit Tool.

Xiao Yu looked at Duan Rong, who sat with his eyes closed in the gentle breeze, and smiled slightly, love flowing in her eyes.

"Keep them closed! Don't open them, I'm watching you!"

Xiao Yu grinned, took the carving knife, and focused on the folds on the shoulder of the stone blank.

Xiao Yu carved a few strokes, glancing at Duan Rong from time to time; seeing that he kept his eyes closed the whole time, she felt happy in her heart and thought to herself: What a silly guy!

After a while, Duan Rong suddenly opened his eyes.

He looked at the knife technique Xiao Yu was using to carve the stone sculpture, shook his head slightly, and said, "That's not how you do it."

Hearing this, Xiao Yu was instantly angry and said, "Who told you to open your eyes?"

Duan Rong went to grab the carving knife in Xiao Yu's hand but was swatted away by her.

Duan Rong said, "I'll demonstrate for you."

"You know how?"

"Of course." Duan Rong said, "It's the same principle as painting."

Xiao Yu looked at Duan Rong with suspicious eyes, but she still loosened her grip, letting Duan Rong take the carving knife.

Duan Rong turned the stone blank to the middle, facing the cave so that both of them could see. He looked at Xiao Yu and said, "Watch carefully! Look! It's like this... when carving, only the wrist uses force; the elbow does not move..."

Seeing Duan Rong suddenly make a stroke that carved a long way, shaving off a large piece of stone, Xiao Yu's expression changed instantly. Just as she was about to stop him, she heard Duan Rong say, "... Lines have a flow... don't carve bit by bit; first hook out the entire outline, then refine it bit by bit... like this... like this..."

"The more you are constrained and cautious, the worse you will carve... because the lines you carve that way are broken, lacking a flowing, stream-like momentum..."

Seeing that Duan Rong had carved an entire fold in such a short time, Xiao Yu's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"This is even better than what my senior sister carved!"

Xiao Yu gradually moved her eyes away from the stone statue, staring only at Duan Rong; deep within her pupils, a certain brilliance danced.

Duan Rong noticed Xiao Yu's gaze, tapped the stone statue with the carving knife in his hand, and barked, "Look here!"

Xiao Yu blushed, then continued to look at the carving knife in Duan Rong's hand.

Duan Rong carefully demonstrated it for Xiao Yu once, then let her try it a few times herself.

Duan Rong instructed her attentively from the side; Xiao Yu was naturally bright and clever, and Duan Rong taught her hand-in-hand without holding anything back.

Coupled with the fact that she had already mastered the basic carving techniques over the past two days, it wasn't long before Xiao Yu had a breakthrough; at the very least, she let go of her inhibitions and dared to carve out the large outline on the stone statue in one stroke.

Even if there were slight errors, they could be repaired bit by bit later on.

Seeing that she had also completed a fold, Xiao Yu immediately beamed and said, "This looks much better than the original! I reckon I'll give my senior sister a fright tomorrow!"

The two were focused on carving the stone statue, and without realizing it, twilight had descended upon the mountain hollow.

Fires were lit at many of the cave entrances, and the fragrance of food wafted over in waves.

Xiao Yu placed the stone statue under the Stone Table, looked up, and smiled, "Alright, the task for today has been over-fulfilled."

Duan Rong looked left and right and said, "Aren't you going to keep me for a meal?"

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered, and she said, "I live in that cave over there."

The two walked together through the deep twilight of the mountain hollow and arrived beside a cave entrance. This cave entrance was somewhat secluded, and just by looking at the entrance, one could tell it was much smaller than the cave where they had just been carving the stone statue.

Duan Rong glanced at the cave entrance and said, "You go ahead and build the fire. I'll go out and hunt some game."

Just as Xiao Yu was about to say something, Duan Rong had already turned and walked into the twilight.

Xiao Yu watched Duan Rong's back in the twilight, her eyes slightly moist.

For the past two days, she had been busy from morning until night, and by the time she returned to the cave, she was exhausted, merely eating some dry biscuits before lying down.

Today was the earliest she had finished work.

Not long after, Duan Rong walked back.

He was carrying two wild rabbits.

Xiao Yu had already started the fire, and Duan Rong had already cleaned the two wild rabbits in the nearby forest stream.

The two of them each skewered one and began to roast them over the firewood.

Soon the wild rabbits were roasted, and Xiao Yu roasted two more biscuits.

Both of them ate until they were very full; Xiao Yu brought over a gourd, which contained clear water she had fetched by the stream.

She drank a few mouthfuls and then handed it to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong took a few mouthfuls of clear water from the mouth of the gourd.

After the two finished eating, they sat by the fire at the cave entrance, looking at the pitch-black night and the bright stars in the sky, and began to chat.

Xiao Yu's heart was overflowing with a faint sense of happiness.

Over the past two days, her emotions had actually been very suppressed.

Suddenly leaving home and family, she had come into these great mountains. Every day she labored hard and still had to watch the expressions of those in charge.

Her heart was somewhat lost. She didn't know what this so-called Sect Registered Disciple was actually for.

Duan Rong suddenly opened his inner lapel, took out that brass-carved anklet, handed it to Xiao Yu, and smiled, "A little trinket for you."

Xiao Yu looked at the ring in Duan Rong's hand, which was emitting a quiet, faint light under the illumination of the fire; her heart trembled, and she took it, bringing it close to the firelight to examine it carefully.

Xiao Yu smiled, "Where did you get this?"

Duan Rong answered truthfully, "I went to see Ximen Kankan this afternoon. I dug it out from a pile of broken weapons. I thought it looked quite nice, so I cleaned it up, thinking of giving it to you. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Xiao Yu had already seen that there was still faint verdigris remaining in the carved patterns, but she had also seen that Duan Rong had just taken it out from his inner lapel with such caution.

Xiao Yu said, "How could I mind! You bring me something that others didn't want. Do you even know how to give gifts?"

Although Xiao Yu said this, her mouth was constantly brimming with a smile.

Duan Rong said, "Fine, then let's just throw it away."

As Duan Rong said this, he reached out to grab the ring from Xiao Yu's hand.

Xiao Yu immediately twisted away, clutched the ring tightly, and said, "What are you doing? This thing is mine now!"

As Xiao Yu said this, she took off one shoe and sock and put the ring on her ankle.

Xiao Yu lifted that foot slightly, examined it by the firelight, nudged Duan Rong with a smile, and said, "How is it? Does it look good?"

"It looks good."

Duan Rong's gaze hadn't looked at the anklet at all; from beginning to end, he had been staring at Xiao Yu's smooth and tender jade-like foot.

Duan Rong suddenly shivered, remembering what Ximen Kankan had said in that dark cave.

"I don't actually have this fetish, do I?"

"No way! I am seriously normal."

Xiao Yu hadn't noticed the change in Duan Rong's expression at all; hearing Duan Rong say it looked good, she also examined it with satisfaction before putting her shoe and sock back on.

The two continued to chat at the cave entrance, talking until they brought up matters in Xiangu County, mentioning Zhu Xiaoqi and Elder Xiao. Xiao Yu also asked about the relationship between Duan Rong and the Ximen Family. Duan Rong then told Xiao Yu how he had met Ximen Kankan, picking out what he could say.

Some things made Xiao Yu laugh out loud.

Unconsciously, the two were already sitting together, and Xiao Yu's head was already leaning on Duan Rong's shoulder.

As the two talked, they fell silent, and for a long time, neither spoke.

But in the atmosphere, there was not a trace of awkwardness.

They could clearly feel each other's presence.

Their souls were naturally merging at this moment. It was very quiet, without a single distracting thought.

They stayed like that for a long time.

The pile of firewood beside them had burned out; there were no flames left, only a clump of glowing red ashes.

The mountain hollow was silent, with only a few scattered caves still glowing with faint firelight.

Duan Rong said, "I should go."

Xiao Yu gave a hum, rubbed her face against Duan Rong's shoulder, but she did not get up.

The two stayed for a while longer, then Duan Rong suddenly stood up and said, "I'm leaving."

Xiao Yu sat there hugging her knees, sniffled, and looked up at Duan Rong without speaking.

The two gazed at each other in the darkness.

Duan Rong could clearly feel that something was surging in their hearts.

He lowered his head and kissed Xiao Yu's forehead.

Xiao Yu did not move; her body was tense, and her heart was churning like a tsunami.

Duan Rong turned and walked into the darkness.

Xiao Yu watched Duan Rong's figure gradually dissolve into the darkness, and her heart also sank bit by bit...

But after a while, Duan Rong suddenly turned back.

Xiao Yu looked at Duan Rong, who had walked back, and smiled, "Why are you back again?"

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he said, "I'm afraid of the dark!"

Xiao Yu smiled and rolled her eyes at Duan Rong.

She understood that Duan Rong did not want to leave.

Xiao Yu got up and led Duan Rong into the cave.

Xiao Yu lit the Candle Lamp on the Stone Table and placed it beside the stone bed deep in the cave.

Xiao Yu set down the Candle Lamp, turned back, and looked at Duan Rong with a shy expression.

Duan Rong looked at the area around the stone bed deep in the cave with a look of astonishment.

He saw that the stone bed was surrounded by four stone statues.

Three were embedded in the walls, and one stood right by the side of the bed, about half a person's height.

The reason Duan Rong was astonished was that these four stone statues were the idols of the Four Great Wisdom Kings that construct the Mandala in the Womb Treasury Sutra.

Duan Rong's eyes shifted, and he looked at the shy Xiao Yu and asked, "Where did these stone statues come from?"

Xiao Yu looked around at the stone statues surrounding the stone bed and knew why Duan Rong was astonished; she had also felt it was strange when she first saw these stone statues surrounding the stone bed.

Xiao Yu said, "I'm not sure, they were here when I arrived."

A thoughtful look appeared in Duan Rong's eyes, and he asked, "Is the stone statue you carved today one of these four?"

Xiao Yu nodded, pointed to the stone statue standing by the side of the bed, and said, "It's this one."

Duan Rong looked at that stone statue, and his eyelids twitched.

That was the Vajra Yaksha Wisdom King!

Duan Rong walked around the stone bed once.

He discovered that the orientation of these stone statues was also correct.

In other words, it was very likely that these stone statues were not stone masons practicing their craft, but someone practicing the Womb Treasury Sutra inside this cave.

Who exactly was this person?

Duan Rong's brows were tightly locked, and a look of deep contemplation flowed in his eyes.

Xiao Yu had by now noticed that Duan Rong seemed very interested in those stone statues.

She looked at Duan Rong and asked, "Is there a problem with these stone statues?"

Duan Rong pulled his thoughts back from deep contemplation, looked at Xiao Yu, and said, "No... no problem."

Xiao Yu rolled her eyes at Duan Rong and chided, "Then why are you acting so jumpy and neurotic?"

Duan Rong said, "Let's get some rest early."

Xiao Yu gave a soft hum like a mosquito and blew out the Candle Lamp.

The two lay down on the stone bed.

Xiao Yu slept on her side, with her back to Duan Rong.

In the darkness, Duan Rong's hand suddenly reached out to wrap around Xiao Yu's waist.

Xiao Yu was startled and immediately grabbed Duan Rong's hand with hers, not letting it move.

Duan Rong said in the darkness, "Xiao Yu, turn over and sleep."

"What for?!" In the pitch-black depths of the cave, Xiao Yu's face was already burning red.

Just then, Duan Rong suddenly wrapped his arms around Xiao Yu's shoulders and turned her over into his embrace.

Xiao Yu struggled a few times, but her heart had jumped into her throat, and Duan Rong's elbows were like iron hoops.

Xiao Yu finally stopped moving and lay on Duan Rong's chest.

She bit her lip, having secretly made up her mind that if Duan Rong made any further moves, she would absolutely not comply!

But Duan Rong only lightly held her shoulders, lying quietly in the darkness.

Not long after, Xiao Yu realized that Duan Rong had fallen asleep.

Her tense heart finally relaxed.

And in that very instant, she was suddenly enveloped by happiness... Lying on Duan Rong, she could hear his heartbeat, and that heartbeat made her feel very peaceful...

In a state of peace and happiness, Xiao Yu gradually fell asleep...

It is unknown how much time passed, but in the darkness, Xiao Yu slowly woke up.

Duan Rong was gently placing her on the bed, and then he quietly got off the bed himself.

Xiao Yu let Duan Rong place her down; she saw that the cave entrance was pitch black, but she knew this was the darkest hour before dawn, and before long, the sky would brighten.

Duan Rong placed Xiao Yu down, and in the darkness, he gently kissed her forehead.

Unconsciously, a tear slid from the corner of Xiao Yu's eye...

Duan Rong seemed to stand by the bedside for a moment before turning and walking toward the outside of the cave.

Xiao Yu listened to Duan Rong's footsteps as they faded within the cave, then she sat up, got out of bed, and walked to the cave entrance.

She stood at the cave entrance, watching a blurred shadow moving slowly in the dark mountain hollow...

Xiao Yu fixed her gaze on that shadow; even though it was in the pitch-black darkness, she knew it was Duan Rong.

Xiao Yu watched as that shadow disappeared completely into the darkness, and without her knowing when, two lines of clear tears had already streamed down her face...

(End of chapter)