I Can Devour Spirits

Duan Rong slid down a short iron chain from the mountaintop of the Weapon Workshop and landed on the peak where the Stone Workshop was located.

He jumped off the iron chain, walked along the mountain path for a while, and then heard faint laughter coming from a nearby dense forest.

Duan Rong turned his body, stepping onto the rocky mountain terrain, and entered the forest, heading in the direction of the sound.

Treading on the rustling fallen leaves, he walked to the edge of a stream and saw, not far upstream, several bright figures crouching by the stream with wooden basins and cloths, washing away the dust and sweat from their faces.

Duan Rong approached slowly and respectfully bowed, asking, ”May I ask, senior sisters, how do I get to the Stone Workshop?”

Those people were washing up and playfully splashing water. When Duan Rong appeared by the stream, they quieted down. As he drew near and bowed to inquire, they all fixed their gaze on Duan Rong.

Duan Rong was wearing a blue Daoist robe. Though his complexion was dark, his features were fairly regular, and his hair was tied up neatly.

One of them, with a smiling gaze, replied, ”Just follow the stream upstream. When you reach the stream’s bend, go straight east for several meters, and you’ll see it.”

After thanking them, Duan Rong made his way upstream along the stream.

When he reached a large green stone, he saw the stream turn downward beside it.

Duan Rong stopped by the green stone, turned his step, walked behind the large stone, and followed the dense forest for several meters, and then the view opened up before him.

This place was a spacious hollow in the mountains.

The stone walls of the hollow had many large and small caves.

This hollow in the mountain was surrounded by a wooden fence about three meters high. Duan Rong walked to the gate, where an old woman stood by a pot, cooking something.

Duan Rong’s nose twitched as he caught a whiff of a medicinal scent.

He showed his Sect Cloud Scroll, and the old woman took just a glance before letting him in.

Duan Rong walked along the hollow, and soon, not far from one of the caves, he stopped. He had already seen the back of Xiao Yu.

At the platform at the cave entrance, Xiao Yu was sitting by a stone table, holding a carving knife, and sculpting the stone embryo in front of her.

Duan Rong walked over quietly, but Xiao Yu, alert, turned her head. With a slight frown, she saw it was Duan Rong, paused briefly, and then smiled, saying, ”Why are you here? Sneaking around like that?”

Duan Rong sat on a bench opposite Xiao Yu and laughed, ”I saw you were very focused. I didn’t want to disturb you!”

It was only then that Duan Rong focused on Xiao Yu. He saw sweat beading on her forehead and a smear of black ash on her face.

Seeing Duan Rong staring at her, Xiao Yu blushed.

Noticing Xiao Yu’s reaction, Duan Rong suddenly felt a bit awkward. He turned the stone embryo Xiao Yu was carving and started examining it carefully.

The stone embryo wasn’t very large, only about a foot or so.

The embryonic form barely had a human outline, and the face was still vague.

Looking at where Xiao Yu had been carving, it was the folds of the garment on the statue’s shoulder.

Seeing the detail in the garment’s folds, Duan Rong commented, ”Your work is incredibly detailed.”

Xiao Yu glanced at Duan Rong, saying, ”This is far from finished. I need to carve out each fold thoroughly. This is a painstakingly detailed job, which is why all the workers here are young girls.”

Duan Rong recalled the female disciples he had met by the stream. He looked around and saw only a few scattered figures sitting by the cave entrances.

Duan Rong asked, ”Why are only a few of you working here?”

Xiao Yu replied, ”The old ones finished and left long ago. Those few are like me, new and here to practice.”

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong nodded and picked up a carving knife that Xiao Yu had set on the stone table.

Looking at the somewhat simple carving knife, Duan Rong thought to himself, ”Read Artifact Spirit.”

With this thought, a set of data appeared in front of Duan Rong’s eyes.

Artifact: Stone Statue Carving Knife

Artifact Spirit Tier: Not Classified

Devouring Requirements: None

Devouring Effect: Beginner Sword Skill Dexterity

Duan Rong’s eyes moved as he thought, ”Devour!”

As the floating data panel wavered and dispersed, Xiao Yu swiftly grabbed the carving knife, saying, ”Wait a moment. I need to hurry and finish today’s task. Otherwise, the senior sister guiding me might give me the cold shoulder again tomorrow.”

Xiao Yu carved for a while and noticed Duan Rong watching her intently. Her heart stirred, and her face flushed again with a playful red.

Xiao Yu snapped, ”You’re distracting me by just sitting there and staring...”

Duan Rong laughed, ”I’m just sitting here waiting for you. If I can’t look, what should I do?”

Xiao Yu suggested, ”Turn around and sit until I finish carving, then turn back.”

Duan Rong chuckled helplessly, ”Alright, I’ll close my eyes. Is that okay?”

Duan Rong actually sat there and closed his eyes, just in time to digest the Artifact Spirit.

Watching Duan Rong sit with his eyes closed in the gentle breeze, Xiao Yu smiled, and her eyes sparkled with affection.

”Keep them closed! Don’t open them, I’m watching you!”

Grinning, Xiao Yu focused on the folds of the stone embryo’s shoulder with her carving knife.

As Xiao Yu carved a few strokes, she occasionally glanced at Duan Rong. Seeing him sitting with his eyes closed, she felt a warm delight and thought to herself: Silly!

After a while, Duan Rong suddenly opened his eyes.

He observed Xiao Yu’s carving technique on the stone sculpture and shook his head slightly, saying, ”That’s not the right way to do it.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yu immediately became annoyed, ”Who told you to open your eyes?”