Demon-Slaying Stone

The Demon-Slaying Stone

The Demon-Slaying Stone. Legend has it that the hero Gatanbai heard that a huge serpent had appeared in the A'xian Valley, biting people and harming livestock, preventing locals from going to the hot springs for healing. So he sought out the serpent and battled it fiercely—forty-nine rounds of combat with no victor. They fought for another three days and nights, driving the serpent into a frenzy as it dodged and retreated, unable to hold its ground. Gatanbai then leapt onto a massive rock, and before the serpent could coil itself firmly, he raised his sword and struck mightily, cleaving both the serpent and the rock in two.

To this day, the split rock remains by the road leading to the A'xian Hot Springs, and it is known as the "Demon-Slaying Stone."