The Mysterious Dungeon: A Survival Guide to the Twelve Talismans

Looking around the one-kilometer-long area, there was no vegetation whatsoever, let alone firewood.

“Miss, I saw a lot of firewood piled up in that tower earlier. Why don’t we go and ask that person for some?” Uncle An suggested.

“Okay, let’s go buy some. We can offer a higher price.” Li Wan’er nodded and said.

Uncle An responded and quickly went to the door, knocking again.

"What is it?" Zhou An opened the door and looked at Uncle An's face.

“Young Master Zhou, our convoy wants to cook a meal, but there is no firewood within a kilometer radius.”

“So we want to buy some firewood, and we’ll pay three times the price.” Uncle An held up three fingers.

"Buying firewood? Heh." Zhou An chuckled.

Upon seeing this, Uncle An frowned slightly, seemingly thinking that Zhou An wanted to raise the price.

He was about to speak when Zhou An spoke first: "I can give you firewood for free."

"However, I grew up in a nearby village and have never been outside. I'm very curious about the outside world. Can you tell me about it?"

Uncle An was stunned when he heard this. He really didn't expect the request to be so simple.

“Of course.” Uncle An smiled.

Uncle An quickly called over several men, who then carried a lot of firewood out of the house.

“Young Master Zhou, my young lady invites you to dine with us. If there’s anything you’d like to know, she’ll tell you.” Uncle An approached Zhou An once again.

"It is my great honor." Zhou An smiled slightly and followed Uncle An out.

Before long, Zhou An arrived at a tent.

I must say, this tent is quite luxurious, with tables, chairs, beds, and everything else you could need.

Even the floor was covered with a carpet.

Soon, only Li Wan'er and Zhou An, along with a maid who was responsible for pouring tea, remained in the tent.

"Young Master Zhou, please have some tea." Li Wan'er gestured for him to have some.

Zhou An picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Miss Li, aren't you afraid I'll lose my animalistic instincts by inviting me into the tent like this?"

Suddenly, a burst of laughter came from the side; it was the maid who was pouring tea.

Li Wan'er immediately looked at the maid.

"Miss, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it." Ah Yue quickly apologized.

Li Wan'er withdrew her gaze and looked at Zhou An with a slight smile: "Young Master Zhou, although I am just a woman, I have also practiced martial arts and am a martial artist in the Bone Refining Realm."

"I observe that Young Master Zhou's internal energy and blood are not strong, only at the level of an ordinary person. I can easily defeat you with both hands."

Zhou An didn't take it seriously at all, but his heart stirred.

The martial artist has reached the Bone Refining Realm; it seems that the cultivation system in this world is martial arts.

"Martial artist? What's that? I hope you can tell me, Miss." Zhou An asked curiously.

Li Wan'er immediately said, "Martial artists are based on cultivating their own qi and blood. They cultivate qi and blood techniques. Once they can sense their own qi and blood, they can become martial artists."

Li Wan'er immediately informed Zhou An about the matter concerning martial arts.

However, he only mentioned the four realms.

These are respectively the Body Tempering Realm, Bone Refining Realm, Meridian Opening Realm, and True Essence Realm.

Li Wan'er was too lazy to talk to Zhou An about going up further.

However, it has also been briefly mentioned that high-level martial artists possess immense power, capable of moving mountains and filling seas.

Zhou An guessed that it probably corresponded to the strange strength levels one through nine.

Zhou An then subtly inquired about his location, country, and the various factions around him.

Li Wan'er did not refuse and answered Zhou An's questions one by one.

This place belongs to Xiaoyuan Village, under the jurisdiction of Yuanling County, Yuanzhou Prefecture, Great Xia Kingdom.

The watchtower was built on the border to ward off the darkness and was the last line of defense.

However, for some reason, many watchtowers were destroyed, and only this last tower remains on this border.

It was about to be destroyed not long afterward, but Zhou An came and restored the tower to its original appearance.

Most importantly, that desolate land was originally part of the Great Xia Kingdom.

Unfortunately, it has already fallen.

Or rather, one-third of the Great Xia Kingdom's territory has been transformed into an eternal wasteland.

Places shrouded in darkness are called the Eternal Night Wasteland.

At this time, Zhou An also gained some understanding of the Great Xia Kingdom and the Eternal Night Continent.

"Young Master Zhou, I have answered so many of your questions. I wonder if you could answer some of my questions as well?"

Li Wan'er looked calmly at Zhou An.

"Oh? What would Miss Li like to ask?" Zhou An said with a faint smile.

"Although this is the first time our Li family caravan has traveled this route, we have done our research."

"Of the five watchtowers in this area, four have been destroyed, and the remaining one has lost its fire and its runes are severely worn."

"But now, this watchtower is brand new, and the fire burns so fiercely."

“More importantly, the tower keeper should at least be a martial artist at the Meridian Opening Realm, while you seem to be just an ordinary person,” Li Wan’er said casually.

Upon hearing this, Zhou An laughed: "I didn't expect Miss Li to be able to notice this."

"However, how do you know I'm just an ordinary person?"

Li Wan'er said, "I thought you were hiding your strength before, but you asked me so many questions, and you also showed doubt when I talked about things related to martial arts."

"I am now certain that you are just an ordinary person who has never been exposed to martial arts."

Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the tent became heavy.

Zhou An chuckled lightly: "Miss Li is indeed clever, but you are wrong about one thing, which is that I have indeed been hiding my strength."

"Oh?" Li Wan'er raised an eyebrow, and the next moment, she made her move.

A flash of cold light appeared in an instant, and Li Wan'er leaned forward, almost touching Zhou An.

Li Wan'er gripped the dagger in her right hand and easily plunged it into Zhou An's neck.

"Ugh!" Zhou An let out a muffled sound, his pupils shrinking slightly.

A sharp pain shot through my neck.

His tools were sealed, including the Mutual Bracelet.

Without the Bracelet of Insensitivity, Zhou An could only endure the pain.

However, Zhou An had been through so much, so he could still bear this pain.

Li Wan'er stared at Zhou An in shock, and even more incredulously watched as her dagger plunged into Zhou An's neck.

She instinctively drew her dagger, then stammered, "You...you're really just an ordinary person?"

Seeing Zhou An's unwavering confidence, Li Wan'er knew she had guessed wrong; Zhou An had indeed been hiding his true strength.

So the moment the other party opened his mouth, she immediately made a move, wanting to test Zhou An's strength.

But he never expected that he could pierce Zhou An's neck so easily.

Zhou An was also in a bit of a predicament, because he hadn't expected Li Wan'er to make a move so directly.

However, in terms of strength and other aspects, he is indeed just an ordinary person.

Naturally, he couldn't escape Li Wan'er's attacks.

The next second, a flash of white light appeared on Zhou An's neck, and the wound disappeared instantly without even a drop of blood.

“Miss Li, what do you mean by attacking me so suddenly and without warning?” Zhou An’s face turned cold, and he stared intently at Li Wan’er.

“You…your injuries…” Li Wan’er was shocked again.

Because she discovered that Zhou An, who should have died, was actually still alive, and the wound on his neck had healed instantly.

The maid, A-Yue, standing to the side also looked on in disbelief.

Zhou An remained silent, simply looking at Li Wan'er.

"It was Wan'er's rudeness, please punish me, senior." Li Wan'er immediately stood up and bowed deeply.

The ability to heal even fatal wounds instantly is definitely the skill of a high-level martial artist.

The most powerful martial artist in the Li family is only at the fourth level of the True Essence Realm, and even True Essence Realm martial artists cannot achieve such a feat.

Even martial artists above the True Essence Realm, at the fifth level, have never been heard of possessing such an ability.

Only a seventh-level Martial King can regenerate a severed limb in an instant.

At this moment, Li Wan'er had already recognized Zhou An as a reclusive master of the Martial King level.

“Punishment? Heh.” Zhou An chuckled again.

"Pour the tea," Zhou An said calmly.

A-Yue was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly started pouring tea in a flurry.

“I’ll do it,” Li Wan’er immediately stopped her, and then took the teapot from A Yue’s hand.

"Senior, Wan'er will pour you tea." Li Wan'er immediately knelt down to the side and began to pour tea for Zhou An.

Zhou An took a sip of the tea that Li Wan'er had poured, and then slowly said, "You may be spared the death penalty, but you can't escape punishment. What can you offer to buy your life?"

Upon hearing this, both Li Wan'er and A Yue trembled.

"Miss, Miss, I smell blood."

"Is there a problem inside?" Uncle An came to the outside of the tent.

Several guards followed behind him.

They were all at the second level of strength, especially Guard Liu, who was the leader of the caravan's escort this time and whose strength was at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm.

"It's alright, Uncle An, you can all leave now," Li Wan'er said softly.

"Yes, Miss." Upon hearing this, Uncle An realized something was wrong, but he didn't say anything more and led his men away.

"The senior is a reclusive master, while our Li family caravan's value is only 50,000 taels."

"I really can't think of anything that could move you, senior. Please enlighten me," Li Wan'er said, taking a deep breath and asking respectfully.

“I’m somewhat interested in the cultivation method you practice,” Zhou An said after a moment’s thought.

Zhou An's only interest was in cultivation techniques.

It just so happens that Li Wan'er is the eldest daughter of the Li family's merchant caravan, so she must have cultivated the best cultivation techniques of the Li family.

Chapter 112 The Second Watchtower

Li Wan'er's expression froze: "Senior... do you want our Li family's cultivation techniques?"

"What? Do you have a problem with this?" Zhou An looked at Li Wan'er indifferently.

"No...no, it's just that our Li family's cultivation techniques are only at the upper level of the Yellow Rank. How could they possibly meet the standards of a senior like you?" Li Wan'er was somewhat hesitant to look Zhou An in the eye at this moment.

Zhou An remained silent, only looking at Li Wan'er.

Li Wan'er trembled instantly and quickly said, "Senior, I am willing to offer the Xuan-level cultivation technique that I am escorting this time."

Upon hearing this, Zhou An was somewhat surprised.

He smiled; he truly hadn't expected such an unexpected surprise.

He really only wanted Li Wan'er's cultivation method.

Unexpectedly, the Li family caravan was also escorting a profound-level martial arts technique this time.

Heaven and earth, black and yellow, should be classified according to this hierarchy.

Li Wan'er felt that Zhou An was very strong, so how could he possibly be interested in their Li family's martial arts techniques?