Chapter 609: Something Guarding

Xiao Ningyuan ran out of breath, bent over and gasped heavily, and his head ached at the words: "Huh? Leaving again?"

Xiao Ningxun glanced at his sister and Kang An, then at the crowd before him, and understood a few things.

"Wait a moment," he patted Kang An's shoulder, "Don't be impatient; your father and mother have been gone for years, it's only natural they ask a few questions."

He stepped up to the elder, clasped his fists and said, "Elder, his name is Kang An. He didn't know his own origins, only after reading his father's letter did he learn of you."

The elder examined Xiao Ningxun a few times, then looked at the followers behind him and asked, "Who are you?"

Xiao Ningxun gave no answer, turned to Kang An and said, "Take out your father's letter and show the elder; then he'll understand."

Kang An wiped the tears from his face and pulled his father's letter from his bosom.

He looked up at Tuan Tuan, took her hand, and together they walked to the elder and handed him the letter.

Then he turned and, with Tuan Tuan, walked behind Xiao Ningxun, his small spine standing straight.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly smoothed his back, "Don't rush, Xiao An'an. If after reading the letter he's still like this, we'll leave and go back to Xibei!"

Kang An nodded, and his heart settled.

Old Valley Master once said, wherever there are people who treat me sincerely, that is my home.

You may not recognize me, but I still have Tuan Tuan!

Xiao Ningxun spread his arms, turned his hands behind to shield the two youngsters, and patted them.

Xiao Er, Lu Qi, and two guards came over and stood behind them.

The young masters had said, Kang An is from Ning Prince's Mansion; no one dares to bully him!

Xiao Ningyuan watched the two opposing groups as if in standoff, sighed, "Had I known it would be like this, I wouldn't have come; I'm exhausted."

The elder unfurled the sheepskin paper, and his hands trembled instantly: "It's Ai Zezi's handwriting!"

He examined each character carefully, and his eyes gradually grew wet.

He read it over and over, then turned and handed the letter to the tribesmen behind him: "Everyone, take a look."

Then, in a soft voice, he said, "Kang An, I am your grandfather Ke Re Mu. Come, let me have a good look at you."

Kang An cautiously observed the crowd behind him.

The tribesmen glanced around, fell silent, and slowly lowered their heads.

Only then did Kang An step before Ke Re Mu and gently called, "Baba Yi."

Ke Re Mu pulled him into his arms, tears streaming: "Ah! My dear grandson! Heaven has blessed me, I have a grandson!"

Kang An nestled in his embrace, grasped his large hand and placed it on the bundle at his chest: "Father's and mother's ashes, I've carried them back, Baba Yi."

Having said that, he burst into loud sobbing.

He wept out all the pain and grievance of losing his parents overnight, wandering two years in Shazhoubao, being beaten, being treated as a mute and bullied…

Ke Re Mu's one hand gently patted him, the other stroked the bundle, and tears dripped onto his hair tips.

Tuan Tuan watched and her own tears fell as well.

Xiao Ningxun hurriedly bent down and scooped her into his arms: "Good girl, this is a good thing, don't cry."

Tuan Tuan pouted, "I just can't help it!"

Xiao Ningxun held his sister tightly: "Alright, we don't blame Tuan Tuan; the tears ran out on their own, right?"

"Mm!"

The giants quietly watched the scene, then raised their voices in skyward roars.

After a moment, once their cries faded, Ke Re Mu sobbed softly for a while, as if telling them it was all right.

The giants turned and were about to depart.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly slipped from her brother's arms onto the ground and ran to Xiao Dandan's feet: "Xiao Dandan! Are you leaving?"

Xiao Dandan cradled her to his face, gently brushing his long facial hair against her.

Tuan Tuan hugged his big face: "You've also found family! I'm so happy!"

"From now on stay with them, don't run off again!"

Kang An turned and shouted at Xiao Dandan, "Xiao Dandan! Thank you!"

Xiao Dandan nodded, his gentle gaze falling on the two youngsters, then brushed Tuan Tuan, gently set her down on the ground, turned and strode away with the giants.

Ke Re Mu wiped the tears from Kang An's face, took his hand: "Thank you all for bringing my grandson back, please follow me."

The party followed him into a stone house.

Inside, the stone house was very clean yet unusually simple; Ke Re Mu invited everyone to sit and personally poured each of them a cup of water.

"Everyone, please have a taste; this is water from Tuman Lake, drinking it can prolong life."

Xiao Ningxun took a sip; it had no odd taste: "Tuman Lake?"

Ke Re Mu nodded: "Indeed, Tuman means Mist Lake; the white mist you saw is from that lake."

He embraced Kang An: "What exactly happened to him? Who killed my son?"

Xiao Ningxun sighed: "It's a long story."

He recounted how he met Kang An, how he brought him back to Xibei Daying, how they returned to the Western Regions to bury his parents…

Tuan Tuan hummed, "Honestly, Xiao An'an has suffered so much, and you just now treated him like that!"

Ke Re Mu looked at her: "Little girl, we were at fault earlier; you were so kind to him, and your Master even cured his illness. I truly should thank you."

Kang An lifted his head: "Baba Yi, Tuan Tuan's father needs a few pieces of Wu Jin Mud, can you provide them?"

Ke Re Mu took a raw stone from his bosom and handed it to Tuan Tuan: "I only have this one."

Tuan Tuan took it, her complexion brightened: "Oh, thank you!"

"But one piece isn't enough; we have eight things to connect!"

"Then we must go to Tuman Lake."

Xiao Ningyuan was startled: "That Mist Lake? The raw Wu Jin Mud is actually in the lake?"

Keremu nodded: "This was originally our tribe's greatest secret, but since Kang An has already told you all, I don't need to keep anything hidden from you anymore."

In front of White Mountain is Camel Bell Ridge, and behind it is Snow Mountain.

"Snow Mountain?" Xiao Ningyuan was shocked, "In that case, this place is sandwiched between two completely different types of mountainous terrain?"

Exactly, this mountain valley lies deep within it; water from Snow Mountain flows down and gathers into Tuman Lake, and the raw stone of Wu Jin Mud was discovered by our ancestors by chance at the lakeside.

There is hardly any wind in the valley; the snowmelt is icy cold, yet inside the valley it is warm, so only the areas near the lakeside are shrouded in white mist year-round.

This place has white mist as a barrier, and also has long-term coexistence with Sharden, making it our people's secluded dwelling.

Xiao Ningxun understood: "So that's how it is; this too is fate."

Keremu stroked Kang An's head: "Fate? Indeed. But in this world, things are always a mix of blessing and calamity, hard to distinguish."

Wu Jin Mud is known to everyone in the Western Regions, becoming an object of contention for militarists.

Our family once flourished because of Wu Jin Mud, but in the end we also retreated here because of Wu Jin Mud.

The purpose is to let Wu Jin Mud become a legend, never to appear before the eyes of the world again.

Unfortunately, even so, there are still people constantly probing and coveting it; otherwise, my son would not have died a tragic death.

Kang An lowered his head; if his father and mother were also here now, how wonderful that would be!

Tuan Tuan hurriedly said: "Xiao An'an, you've found your grandfather, haven't you? From now on, no one will dare bully you here."

She fixed her gaze on Keremu: "Old grandfather, am I right? If you can't protect him, I'll take him back to my home."

Keremu laughed: "Don't worry, little lady; I am the chief of the clan. If I can't even protect my own grandson, this old body of mine isn't worth keeping."

Tuan Tuan then finally relaxed: "Great! Let's go to that lake; Dad is still waiting for us to return."

Keremu stood up: "Alright, follow me."

The group followed him out of the stone house and onto the path they had come by.

Soon, the white mist reappeared; Keremu led Kang An at the front: "Stay close, this place is extremely easy to get lost in; don't fall behind."

Xiao Er scooped up Tuan Tuan in one arm; the group followed the grandfather and grandson for the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, when a huge lake finally came into view.

Tuan Tuan exclaimed in amazement: "Wow! Is this a lake? It's so huge!"

Xiao Ningyuan was also shocked: "This is called a lake? It ought to be called a sea! The sea I saw when I ran my trading business was no bigger than this."

Xiao Ningxun asked: "Old sir, where is the raw stone of Wu Jin Mud? Is it in the lake?"

Keremu nodded.

Xiao Ningyuan looked around: "But there's neither a boat nor any equipment for dredging here!"

Keremu shook his head: "No need to dredge."

"There is something guarding that raw stone in the lake, so I don't even know if we can get it."