Chapter 557: Wait for me!

Inside the tent, silence fell for a moment.

Everyone looked at Tuan Tuan.

Xiao Ningxun was the first to react: "Going to the Western Regions?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "Right! Aren't we still missing six keys?"

Feng Zhou was delighted: "Great! As long as we have that Wu Jin Mud, I can make the remaining keys! That's truly a treasure!"

Xiao Ningxun said: "Indeed, to restore the remaining keys, we must find more Wu Jin Mud."

Xiao Ningchen frowned slightly: "But the Western Regions are huge—where should we look?"

Tuan Tuan tilted her head: "Second Brother, when I went looking for those treasures before, I didn't know where they were either—we'll just look once we get there!"

"Uh." Xiao Ningchen choked.

Xiao Ningyuan smiled: "Tuan Tuan makes sense, Third Brother, what do you think?"

Xiao Ningxun lowered her head in thought: "Since Kang An's father possesses this Wu Jin Mud, he must be no ordinary person."

"Could it be that only he knows of this in the world? Perhaps Kang An still has clansmen; he's just too young to know."

Xiao Erdao said: "Even if Kang An has no clansmen, that band of thieves must still be around, right?"

"By following the vine we can still dig up something."

Xiao Ningchen slapped his thigh: "Exactly! No matter who it is, let's drag that beast out first! Such an ungrateful wicked person doesn't deserve to live in this world!"

"Yes! We must go on this trip to the Western Regions!"

Everyone chattered excitedly, growing more enthusiastic, and all voiced their agreement.

Tuan Tuan's little head bobbed like a chick pecking grain: "Mm-hmm! Yes yes yes!"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his daughter's little appearance and couldn't help laughing: "Come on, let's go see Kang An."

The group walked into Xue Tong's tent.

Xiao Yuanhang cupped his fists toward Xue Tong: "Thank you for your hard work, Old Valley Master."

Xue Tong sat at the table fiddling with herbs, not looking up: "Cut the formalities."

"Whether I've worked hard or not has little to do with you; I'm doing this for my disciple's sake."

Xiao Yuanhang smiled, not annoyed: "That's only natural."

Tuan Tuan slipped from her father's embrace, ran to Xue Tong's side, and grabbed his arm: "Master is the best!"

Xue Tong raised his hand and rubbed her head: "Good girl."

Kang An, seeing so many people enter together, hurriedly got off the bed and stood helplessly to the side.

Tuan Tuan let go of Xue Tong, walked up to him, and said: "Xiao An'an, your Wu Jin Mud is really amazing—it fixed one key!"

Kang An smiled; being able to help Tuan Tuan was great.

Tuan Tuan took his hand: "I'll accompany you back to the Western Regions, okay?"

Kang An froze.

"Return?" he murmured, repeating it, then lowered his head: "No... Father, Mother..."

"That's why we have to go back!"

Tuan Tuan looked at him earnestly: "I'll help you! Let's go find that scoundrel together and avenge your parents!"

"By the way, let's also find some more Wu Jin Mud to finish the remaining keys!"

Kang An lifted his head, his blue eyes flashing with light: "How, to search?"

Tuan Tuan couldn't explain clearly at once; her little face fell and she pouted.

Xue Tong drawled: "My disciple doesn't know; does that mean I, as his master, can't help?"

Everyone turned to look at him in unison.

Xue Tong set down the herbs in his hand, took out a jade pendant from his bosom, and placed it on the table.

"When I was young I went to the Western Regions and once saved a person's life."

"At that time he was still a half-grown child, being hunted, his life hanging by a thread."

"I spent three months pulling him back from the gates of hell; he said his name was Wei Chi Ming, a member of the Yutian Kingdom royal family."

"This is his token to me, disciple; take it to find him. If he dares not to help you, I'll go and cripple him with a single needle."

Everyone: "......"

Xiao Ningyuan muttered quietly: "Really, it's best not to offend anyone, especially a doctor."

Xiao Ningchen gave him a punch, Xiao Ningxun's lips twitched slightly—such a temperamental Divine Doctor, yet his sister has him well in hand; still, Tuan Tuan is the most formidable.

Tuan Tuan had already run over, hugging Xue Tong's arm and shaking it: "Master is truly great! Thank you, Master!"

Xue Tong coughed: "Besides, after all these years I don't know how he is now. But since he is of noble status, if you go inquire, are you still afraid you won't find him?"

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan kept nodding: "Master, you're absolutely right!"

She returned to Kang An's side: "Xiao An'an, we'll leave tomorrow! Once we reach the Western Regions, where do you want to go?"

Kang An's eyes gleamed; he walked to the table, added water, ground ink, lifted the brush, and wrote in one fluid motion.

Everyone gathered around the table.

Kang An took out a sheet of paper, lifted his brush, and wrote: "I want to go home."

Everyone's hearts trembled; no one expected that the first place Kang An wanted to go was his former land of sorrow.

Xiao Ningxun softly asked: "Kang An, you want to go home—is there still some unfinished business there?"

Kang An wrote: "When I left, because I was too frightened, I only kowtowed to Father and Mother then ran away."

"I have always regretted it; I want to return to bury them, to let them rest in peace."

Tuan Tuan, hearing Third Brother read this, felt sad: "Xiao An'an, your parents won't blame you—you were only six back then!"

"Yes," Xiao Ningyuan patted Kang An's shoulder, "even if you could have thought of it back then, you lacked the strength to do so—don't blame yourself for that."

Kang An's eyes glimmered with tears, and he lifted his brush to write: "Thank you."

Xue Tong sighed: "All the suffering folk in the world are so kind! Being a filial good child, fine, I, an old man, will accompany you on a journey!"

Xiao Yuanhang was overjoyed; having a token is certainly good, but it can't compare to Xue Tong himself appearing in person.

He solemnly clasped his fists: "If Old Valley Master Xue is willing to go, this journey is already half accomplished. Thank you, Old Valley Master!"

Tuan Tuan happily leapt into Master's arms, wriggling her little body continuously: "Master, you're so kind!"

Kang An also stood up: "Thank you, thank you."

The three brothers spoke in unison: "I'll go with Tuan Tuan!"

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at his sons: "Chen Er, stay; Xiao Ningyuan and Xun Er, go."

The two brothers replied in unison: "Yes!"

Xiao Yuanhang instructed: "The Western Regions are dotted with small states, far more complicated than Zhongyuan."

"After you go, observe and listen more in everything, and use our customs less to impose on others."

"When trouble arises, don't be impatient; protect your sister and Kang An, finish the matter and return, and avoid any extra complications."

"Son, you needn't."

Early the next morning, Lu Qi and Xiao Ningyuan, along with five guards, rode horses, while Xiao Er drove the carriage.

Xiao Ningxun carried Tuan Tuan and Kang An into the carriage, then helped Xue Tong onto it, and only then squeezed himself in.

Tuan Tuan stuck her little head out of the carriage window and waved goodbye: "Father, mother! We'll be back soon! Wait for us!"

Xiao Yuanhang embraced his wife, smiled, and nodded.

The party set off toward the Western Regions.