Chapter 7: The Hyoid Bone, the Thatched Hut, and a Restless Mind

The hyoid bone—this thing grows in the throat, blocking human speech.

Except for humans, most other living creatures in the world are born with it.

The hyoid bone is formless and intangible, with no specific shape; even if you cut open the throat, you still cannot see it.

It is like the true qi within a cultivator’s body—though it certainly exists, if you dissect a person, you will not find it inside.

There is no shortage of creatures in the world who understand human nature and can comprehend human speech, but because of the hyoid bone, they cannot speak. Only a few, like parrots and mynas, are exceptions.

However, monsters who have cultivated abilities can use their magic to wash over it day and night, gradually refining it. Once they succeed, they can speak human language. But such monsters, having achieved magical power, are usually quite formidable.

Yet the shanxiao’s magic was not yet formed; it was merely a spirit creature, not even qualifying as a true monster.

Its hyoid bone was shattered, which was related to that earlier blow.

Just now, Brian Carter’s strike did not shatter the shanxiao’s throat bone, but instead broke its hyoid bone.

“How strange.”

Brian Carter was quite surprised in his heart. He himself had no magical power—how could he strike at that innate hyoid bone, which exists between the real and the unreal?

Even some monsters with considerable magic cannot refine the hyoid bone in a single day; it takes persistent effort, day and night.

The shanxiao seemed to care a great deal about the iron rod.

But this iron rod, though taken from within the Immortal Palace, was not some kind of treasure.

It was something Senior Carter had tossed into the junk room. Later, when a fire-poking stick was needed, Senior Carter took it out, treating it as nothing more than a piece of junk.

If it had any remarkable quality, it was that under the immortal fire, it was not destroyed and could still remain cool and comfortable to the touch.

Judging from this, the iron rod’s material might be extraordinary, but since it was thrown into the junk room, it could not be anything truly valuable.

Brian Carter always believed that the iron rod’s ability to withstand the burning of immortal fire was due to Senior Carter casting a spell on it.

He carried it with him, but never regarded it as anything important—just that, after using it for so long, he was used to it, and it served as a means of self-defense. Carrying it was also his last lingering thought of the Purple Cloud Palace in the heavens.

How could this iron rod have shattered the shanxiao’s hyoid bone?

“Could it be that, after being used to stoke the fire under the immortal furnace for so long, it absorbed some of the immortal fire’s aura?”

He could not figure it out for the moment, but he tended to believe it was due to the aura of the immortal furnace’s flames.

Brian Carter held Little Grace in his arms, walking along the mountain path. He turned his head slightly to glance at the shanxiao a zhang away.

The shanxiao hung its head, appearing very quiet, even somewhat timid.

Since its hyoid bone was broken, it could speak a little, but not fluently. Judging by its appearance—quiet and well-behaved, a complete change from its previous viciousness—it probably believed Brian Carter truly possessed great skill and thus wished to seek the Way.

In any case, this was a good outcome.

But Brian Carter still kept his guard up, remaining cautious.

Although most monsters are straightforward and, once subdued, remain loyal and upright, the shanxiao kind is very similar to humans, and thus their temperaments vary greatly. Among them are many cunning and deceitful types, as treacherous as wolves.

...

The thatched hut stood atop the mountain peak.

The peak was not high, and few living creatures ever came and went.

Brian Carter carried Grace Foster to the front of the hut, called out first but received no response, then circled to the window and looked inside, discovering that it was still empty.

“Forgive my intrusion.”

He pushed open the hut and entered.

The shanxiao followed closely behind and shut the door.

The hut was not spacious. If the shanxiao made a move, there would be little room to maneuver, so Brian Carter gripped the long knife at his waist just a bit tighter.

“Go rest over there.”

Brian Carter pointed to a corner and said, “After dawn tomorrow, come with me to return this little girl, and then I’ll teach you the method of nurturing true qi.”

The shanxiao’s voice was hoarse and low. Its mouth moved before it managed to utter a sound in response.

After that, Brian Carter placed Grace Foster in another corner.

He searched around the hut for a while before finally finding a candle.

Soon, a dim yellow glow lit up the hut.

“What’s this...”

Brian Carter suddenly noticed a small table nearby, with water boiling on it. The water was still bubbling, steam curling upward.

There were two teacups; one had already been drunk, the other was still full, clearly untouched.

The fragrance of tea filled the air, pure and refreshing.

Strangely, before he lit the candle, he hadn’t noticed it at all, but as soon as he saw the tea, the aroma became apparent.

Brian Carter had just fought the shanxiao for quite a while and was utterly exhausted. Suddenly feeling parched and famished, he drank the full cup of tea in one gulp.

It tasted fresh at first, astringent, then sweet.

His mind immediately became much clearer.

“Tea is known to refresh and nourish the spirit, but how could this one cup have such a remarkable effect?”

Brian Carter was rather surprised, but recalling that there were fierce beasts in these mountains, yet someone could build a hut and live here, it must be a hermit, so he let it go.

He thought for a moment, took out some loose silver from his person, and placed it on the tea table as payment for the tea.

“No one was here before noon, but now someone has boiled water and made tea. Could it be that the elder returned just now?”

Brian Carter looked around. There was no dust here, nor any sense of desolation. It seemed someone still lived here.

“Hopefully, I won’t be blamed.”

...

Late at night.

The candlelight had already gone out.