I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

Xi raised her head, refusing to look into Bai Zhou's burning eyes.

"This is, after all, my duty, and I cannot stand idly by."

"Yes, sir, you are very kind."

"...long-winded."

They don't listen to anyone at all.

Xi lay down on the straw mat, closing her eyes as if preparing to rest.

"Then please rest, sir."

As the surroundings quieted down, Xi was considering whether or not to take a nap when a blanket was placed on her.

Well, now that I've remembered, I can't get up. I might as well take a nap.

She didn't know how long she had been dozing with her eyes closed, but when Xi regained consciousness, the two of them had already set off again.

Bai Zhou was humming a cheerful tune, seemingly in a very good mood.

The two tadpoles imitated each other, emitting low humming sounds as background noise.

It's so noisy.

When Xi opened her eyes, she saw a clear sky.

It seems to be a chain reaction caused by that rain; now there are many more clouds in the sky, which has also slightly lowered the temperature of the extremely hot weather.

The cool breeze feels quite comfortable.

I wish I could have some more ice cream.

Xi suddenly remembered the ice cream she used to eat in the capital city; it was icy cold and had a sweet, milky flavor.

Come to think of it, the kid seems to have mentioned that his hometown is the capital city?

So, if I return to the capital city in the future, will I be able to run into him somewhere in the capital?

By then, he should have grown up a lot, and his appearance would have changed a lot. I just don't know if his personality will have changed, or if he will still be the same as he is now.

I wonder if he'll still remember me...

Ha! If he dares to forget, she'll throw that brat into the painting and let Zizai teach him a lesson!

but……

Xi looked up slightly, gazing at that small figure.

If he forgets... I... can't disturb his life either...

Returning to the Stone from Another Mountain (Part 44)

【Tashan Town】

It is only a hundred miles away from Yongning, and it usually only takes one or two days to reach.

But today, even daylight cannot move forward a single step.

"how so……"

Ten meters further east from the town of Tashan, the view before you and behind you seems like another world.

Despite the heat behind us, vibrant colors still lingered, radiating life.

And ahead... it had completely turned into a grayish-yellow wasteland.

The earth is no longer flat as it once was; the soil, dehydrated, has cracked into fragments of all sizes, with deep fissures scattered everywhere.

The trees had long since lost their green color, withered and huddled on the ground, their roots stretching deep downwards, trying to find a life-saving source of water.

The mountains everywhere were burned to a bare state, leaving only blackened, broken charcoal and charred corpses scattered on the ground.

The stone demon followed closely behind, stretching out its form freely everywhere.

The town of Tashan has restricted the entry and exit of people; only exit is allowed, but no entry is permitted.

The messenger of the natural disaster, Luper, who had come from Yongning, was covered in dust and dirt as he recounted the details of the disaster to the people who remained in his mountain town.

"This is a once-in-a-century drought. Even though we prepared three months in advance, we only realized how terrible it was after it happened."

"This scorching fire rose from the land of Shandong and Henan, and traveled westward all the way to Yongning."

"The land is barren for thousands of miles... there are countless refugees... perhaps it will continue to devour the land of the Great Yan, and other towns may also fall."

"But you need not be afraid! You need not worry!"

"The mountain king has already submitted a memorial to the imperial court, and reinforcements are on their way."

"We'll pull through..."

He didn't listen any further during the day. He carried the bamboo box back to the inn.

Because of the impending natural disaster, the guesthouses in Heshan Town were very deserted.

"Sir, I'm back."

Having witnessed that hellish scene, Bai Zhou could no longer laugh, and even his voice became much hoarse.

"You've seen it?"

Xi stood by the window, gazing into the distance.

"Um... sir, we can't go any further down the road."

Not only because the roads were blocked, but also because Ah Yao would be seriously injured if he tried to force his way through such a place.

"..."

Xi turned around, looked at the dejected Bai Zhou, and frowned in dissatisfaction.

"Do you still want to go to Yongning?"

“…I need to go, sir.”

During the day, I raise my head to look towards the sunset.

"But how do we get there..."

A thousand miles east of Heshan Town has become a natural disaster inferno, filled with violent Originium energy. If you rush in without proper protection, your chances of survival are only 30%, and of the remaining 30%, there is a 25% chance that you will live a painful life as an infected person.

The Beasts could only run on the ground, in a place full of Originium and with broken ground, and they would get hurt if they were not careful.

"If you want to go, then we'll go."

"Mo Liang is not just A Yao."

Xi took out the ink-and-ghost painting, and the ink-and-ghosts hidden inside appeared one by one.

Its name is "Covering the Eyes".

Covered eyes, green head and white body, black hair and no claws.

Unlike the four-legged A-Yao, the Zhemu is a flying Mo Liang. It can quickly traverse large areas of land.

"but."

Xi stared at the daylight.

What are you going to Yongning for?

She asked the question that had been hidden in her heart for a long time.

What is it about Yongning that would make a little devil risk another natural disaster to break in?

"Sir, my second uncle is waiting for me in Yongning. My father's remains are buried there. I need to go find them."

Daytime's answer did not bring Xi any joy.

Second Uncle... is that the second uncle who broke the kid's horn and kicked him out of the house?

And a father?

Isn't Xiao Gui's hometown Shen Du? Why are his father's remains in Yong Ning?

but……

If we just send him there, that should be fine, right?

"Then let's go."

"Sir... thank you!"

Rubbing his eyes, Bai Zhou rushed over with teary eyes.

Xi pushed Bai Zhou's forehead away in disgust, not wanting him to get his tears on his clothes.

"Then, let's go."

The reluctant radishes and greens, along with the vehicles and other miscellaneous items, were all drawn back into the painting, and Xi released a blindfold.

But... I glanced at the slender body with its eyes covered.

"Sir, this... really can be sat on... Wow!"

Bai Zhou was struggling with how to sit on the blindfold when Xi pulled him up.

"Waaah!"

Like a white rainbow piercing the sun, the blue blindfold carried the two across the road, skimming low in the sky.

"Sir—! It's too high—too high!"

During the day, he closed his eyes and clung tightly to the sunset in front of him, not daring to look at the scenery below.

"Song...tsk."

Xi Gang wanted to reprimand Bai Zhou and tell him to let go, but then she thought about the current situation and Bai Zhou's weaknesses, changed her words, and finally just snorted.

■

【Tashan Town】

"This……"

The three figures who had been following Bai Ri were stunned as they watched the blue light pierce the sky.