Chapter 563: What Does That Person Look Like?

Tuan Tuan's little head kept nodding: "Exactly! We can't let that bad guy go! But, where should we find him?"

Xiao Ningxun asked: "Kang An, you remember his face, think carefully, does his face have anything unusual? Scars, moles, or something like that?"

"Could you please describe his facial features in detail?"

Kang An carefully recalled for a moment, then shook his head.

Xiao Ningxun comforted: "No problem, we'll think of another way."

Xiao Ningyuan frowned: "An ordinary face is hard to find, in a sea of people, especially in a place like the Western Regions, where a headscarf wraps and one plunges into the crowd—no one can recognize anyone."

Kang An tightly held his parents' ashes, silently lowering his head.

Xiao Er patted him: "Don't rush, as long as that person is still alive, they can't stay hidden forever; we'll definitely find them."

Tuan Tuan tugged at Third Brother's sleeve: "Third Brother, I'm hungry."

Xiao Ningxun was startled; yeah, we've been going through all this for so long, and my sister still hasn't eaten anything: "Let's go, we'll go down the mountain first, then discuss slowly when we get back."

The group mounted their horses and returned to the carriage at the foot of the mountain.

Xue Tong had already been waiting impatiently: "Why did you take so long?"

He looked at Kang An: "Why are your eyes swollen like peaches?"

Tuan Tuan climbed into his lap and chattered, recounting what had happened.

Xue Tong looked at Kang An: "Extend your hand."

Kang An, looking bewildered, extended his hand to him.

Xue Tong grabbed it and felt his pulse.

After a moment, Xue Tong nodded: "It's fine; after this incident, I was worried your blood flow would get worse, but unexpectedly it's actually much better than before."

"Once we find a place to settle, I'll continue giving you acupuncture; with your current condition, your speech will improve even more later."

Tears glistened in Kang An's eyes as he nodded: "Thanks, thanks."

Xiao Ningxun smiled: "Tuan Tuan is hungry; let's hurry to find a place to eat first."

Xue Tong glared at him: "How did you let my disciple go hungry? And you're her older brother!"

Xiao Ningxun knew this Divine Doctor's temperament, and hastily bowed: "It's my oversight; I didn't expect to delay this long."

"Hmph," Xue Tong pulled out a paper packet from his pocket, opened it, took out the steamed buns inside, and handed them to Tuan Tuan: "Good, eat a few bites quickly."

"Thank you, Master! Master, don't be angry, don't blame Third Brother!" Tuan Tuan took it, broke it into pieces, first gave a piece to Kang An: "Xiao An'an, eat quickly."

Tuan Tuan is really good! Kang An took it and showed his first smile of the day.

Tuan Tuan then handed the rest to Xue Tong, the older brothers, Xiao Er, and Lu Qi.

Everyone hurriedly waved their hands: "You two are young and can't stand hunger; we're fine, we can eat later after we find a place to settle."

Xiao Ningyuan looked around: "Where should we go?"

Tuan Tuan, cheeks bulging from eating, said: "Let's go to the town at the foot of the mountain! Xiao An'an didn't say there's a town at the foot of the mountain?"

"Around here, you have to walk a long time just to see someone selling food; aren't you all starving?"

Xiao Ningxun rubbed his sister's head: "Tuan Tuan is really smart!"

He looked at Kang An: "Kang An, do you remember how to get to the town at the foot of the mountain?"

Kang An nodded.

Soon, the group arrived at the town at the foot of the mountain.

It really was a small town, with only about a hundred houses, one main street, and everything else were small lanes.

The group settled in the town's only inn.

The next day, Tuan Tuan pulled Kang An's hand: "Xiao An'an, are you familiar with this place?"

Kang An nodded: "Sure, come."

"Great! Let's go, shall we take a stroll?"

"Yeah."

Xue Tong furrowed his brows: "Come back early, I still need to give him acupuncture!"

Tuan Tuan tugged Kang An and ran outside: "Got it, Master!"

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Er stood up and followed.

The two little ones held hands, walking down the main street, Tuan Tuan curiously looking left and right.

The street is very short; soon they reached the end.

At the end stood a wooden-framed shed, its frame crooked, its roof covered with thick felt.

The shed wasn't big; inside there was only an iron anvil, several hammers of various sizes, and in the corner lay some rusty iron pieces, all covered in dust.

Kang An stood at the shed's doorway, motionless.

Tuan Tuan was puzzled: "Xiao An'an, do you know this place?"

Kang An nodded, let go of Tuan Tuan, and stepped inside.

Xiao Ningxun's heart stirred: Could this be Kang An's father's blacksmith shop?

Kang An looked around, reached out, lightly touched the iron anvil, then picked up a small hammer and weighed it in his hand.

Dust sifted down; he gripped the hammer tightly, pressed it to his chest, and lowered his head.

Xiao Ningxun picked up Tuan Tuan and patted her back.

Tuan Tuan also understood: "Third Brother, this is Xiao An'an's father's place, right?"

Xiao Ningxun nodded and said softly: "Let him take a good look."

Beside the shed was a small food pit, its mouth exhaling a faint warmth.

A middle-aged man walked out of the house, holding a wooden basin, and headed toward the food pit.

He lifted his eyes and glanced toward the shed, froze for a moment, stepped closer and examined carefully: "Kang An? Is that you?"

Kang An raised his head: "Ah, uncle."

The man put the wooden basin on the ground, scanned him from head to toe, his face full of surprise: "Really, you little brat! You're back!"

"Where are your father and mother? How come visiting relatives took so long?"

He looked around, a doubtful expression on his face: "Didn't they come back with you?"

Kang An slowly lowered his head.

The man patted Kang An's shoulder: "What's wrong? After two years apart, your temperament has completely changed? You used to chatter nonstop all day."

Xiao Er stepped forward and cupped his fists: "Sir, have you been doing business here all along?"

The man nodded: "Yes! Kang An has been playing in this shed with his father since he was little; I've watched him grow up."

Xiao Ningxun took over the conversation: "May I ask, sir, how did you learn they went to visit relatives?"

The man chuckled: "That year, his family didn't show up for several days; I thought they were sick, so I baked a few hot cakes and went up the mountain to take a look at his house."

Kang An suddenly lifted his head.

"'Just as I reached the door, a man came out, saying he was a relative, that the elder in the family was seriously ill, and had specially come to ask them to return and see him.'"

"'I left the cakes there,' he sighed, 'Who would have thought that this departure would last two years?'"

Xiao Ningxun's heart stirred; Kang An's father had never mentioned to anyone that he possessed Wu Jin Mud in his hand—how did that person find him?

Could it be that they were searching everywhere for a blacksmith, then investigating each one?

He smiled and asked: "Sir, two years ago, did anyone come asking about the blacksmith?"

The middle-aged man scratched his head: "Yes! Now that you mention it, I really remember."

"'Not long before I went, a fellow came to buy cakes from me and asked, 'Who is the best blacksmith in White Stone Town?'"

"'I said there's no need to ask—of course it's Kang the Blacksmith.'"

"'But that day happened to be this kid's sixth birthday; Kang the Blacksmith dotes on his son, so he didn't come to the stall all day.'"

"'So I told him to come back tomorrow.'"

Kang An clenched his fists, his chest heaving, his eyes almost blazing with fire.

Tuan Tuan slipped down from his brother's embrace, ran up to him, and took his hand.

Xiao Ningxun smiled: "Sir, do you still remember whether that person came again afterward?"

The man thought carefully: "No, indeed not; at that time he said he had an urgent job and asked where Kang the Blacksmith's family lived."

"'I gave him directions, telling him to follow the road up the mountain and he would be able to find them.'"

"'I don't know if he found them, but after that he never came back.'"

Xiao Ningxun's voice tightened a few degrees: "Do you still remember what that person looked like?"