Seeing that it was late and the surroundings were gradually darkening, Xu Qingtong said to Feizhu, "Xizi, is there anywhere clean on this island? I want to rest here for the night!"
Xizi rolled his eyes and transmitted through his mind, "Master, follow me!"
With that, Xizi scuttled swiftly toward the foot of the mountain. Xu Qingtong followed Feizhu, and after walking for a short while, they reached a natural cave.
The cave was over twenty feet high, with several large trees screening most of its entrance. Unknown ores studded its stone walls, flickering with light that brightened and dimmed.
Xu Qingtong entered the cave and examined the ores on the walls. Though quite learned, he did not recognize them.
"Xizi, can you dig these ores out?" Xu Qingtong asked.
Xizi climbed onto the wall and swung his two front claws, quickly digging out a piece.
Xu Qingtong took the ore and turned it over in his hands for a while. Then he drew the Star Plucker Sword and struck it, shattering the ore with a crack.
"It looks like ordinary ore. I thought I'd stumbled on a treasure!"
Xu Qingtong found a clean spot and sat cross-legged, preparing to meditate and rest. Xizi, however, would not settle down and kept climbing up and down inside the cave. Finally, he crouched on a rock and stared wide-eyed at Xu Qingtong. "Master, there's something strange about this rock!"
Hearing this, Xu Qingtong stood and walked over to Xizi, carefully examining the rock beneath him.
He studied it for a long time but could find nothing special about it. It looked no different from an ordinary rock.
As Xu Qingtong puzzled over this, he suddenly saw Xizi raise his rake-toothed forelimbs and strike the rock.
Thump-humm! A deep, heavy sound rang out.