Back in the summer of 2024, when Black Myth: Wukong first dropped, I found myself hopelessly lost in the desolate beauty of the Yellow Wind Ridge. Chapter 2 was already a sprawling sandstorm of secrets, but nothing prepared me for that pitiful voice echoing from the rocks. “Help… please, someone help me…” it moaned, echoing through the canyon just beyond the Squall’s Hideout Shrine. I nearly jumped off a cliff trying to find him—literally. Turns out, you have to descend into a rocky crevice just to the left of the shrine, taking a bit of fall damage if you’re impatient like me. And there he was, a face fused into the stone, looking more like a geology experiment gone wrong than a trapped traveler.

He looked so helpless, eyes wide, voice trembling as he explained the curse afflicting these caves—men turning into rock guais, a whole ecosystem of petrified despair. He pleaded for me to investigate a strange disturbance nearby. My hero complex kicked in immediately. “Don’t worry,” I probably said out loud, “I’ll get you out of there.” Oh, sweet naive me. The quest was simple enough: head to the Rockrest Shrine, locate the source of the transformation, and bring back whatever was causing it. Easy peasy, right?

I fast-traveled to Rockrest and immediately spotted a cave entrance on the left, its mouth yawning open like a stone beast waiting to swallow me whole. Inside, a sharp right and a steep upward trail led me into a cavernous chamber dominated by a colossal glowing statue—the Mother of Stones. She knelt there, bowing, surrounded by lesser rock guais that chittered and shuffled around her like protective children. The fight was less a boss battle and more a noisy family brawl. I popped my A Pluck of Many spell, spawning a crowd of clones that kept the minions busy while I chipped away at the big lady herself. She barely fought back; it was almost sad, this massive silent deity crumbling under my staff. Slightly tragic, really.

With the boss defeated, I scooped up the Stone Essence, a shimmering key item that pulsed with a dull, rocky light. I also took a little detour along the left-hand path of the cave, snatching a set of Buddha eyes from a stone head. Pure collectible instinct, but hey, those eyeballs come in handy later. Backtracking through the same dusty tunnels, I felt a giddy sense of accomplishment. I was the savior of the day! The man in stone would be so grateful. I even imagined him breaking free, dusting himself off, maybe offering me a rare weapon or a secret scroll. Again, so naive.

He did rise from the ground when I handed him the essence. The stone cracked, the earth trembled, and for a brief moment he looked utterly majestic. Then he opened his mouth. "Finally," he barked, brushing past me. "Took you long enough, you furless monkey." Um, excuse me? He then proceeded to insult my appearance, my combat skills, and my general existence. The gratitude I’d expected curdled into a sour, grumbling rudeness. I stood there, staff in hand, watching this literal rock of a man transform from a victim into a Grade-A jerk.

Well, you can probably guess what happened next. I don’t tolerate disrespect, especially from a sentient pebble who just got a free rescue. The battle that followed was less a fight and more a therapeutic spanking. He danced around, hurling boulders and snide comments, but a few well-timed dodges and an immobilize spell shut him up fast. Smacking him down felt deeply satisfying—every hit was a tiny piece of payback for my wounded pride. When he finally crumbled, I stood over him, breathless and grinning.

And then, the weirdest thing happened. He didn’t disappear or drop some bitter remnant. Instead, he—well, he learned his lesson. The defeat unlocked the Azure Dust transformation spell, which turns you into a rock guai immune to the Four Bane effects. It’s hilariously fun to use, stomping around as a walking disaster. But even better, the Man in Stone didn’t stay angry. He set up shop right there, becoming a permanent vendor. Rest at any shrine and return, and what do you know—he’s now a humble merchant peddling some genuinely useful items, including the precious Sobering Stone you need for that drunken pig quest later. A strange redemption arc for a rock with a rotten attitude.

Two years later, I still chuckle when I pass by his little crevice. It’s one of those perfectly bizarre Wukong moments that reminds you never to trust a guy trapped in a boulder. The labyrinthine design of Chapter 2, with its hidden caves and convoluted shrine paths, somehow makes this tiny side quest feel like a grand adventure in itself. If you’re tackling Yellow Wind Ridge for the first time, do yourself a favor: help the man in stone, endure his insults, beat him senseless, and then shake his hand when he becomes a shopkeeper. It’s weirdly poetic. And while you’re at it, grab those Buddha eyes, because this game never wastes a good secret.