Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

"That's right! Brother Xing is right!" Although Zhao He's face was pale and he still looked shaken, he took a step forward and shouted loudly, as if he was encouraging someone.

Old Qian glared at Zhao He, then looked at Ning Che, his lips moving as if he wanted to persuade him again.

But when he met Ning Che's gaze, he knew he couldn't persuade the boy.

It's not just doctors who have a benevolent heart; how can he be the only one to have such merit?

In the end, all the words turned into a heavy sigh.

Old Qian turned around and strode towards the medicine cabinet.

"I knew I couldn't dissuade you." He muttered to himself as he deftly rummaged through the medicine packet:

"That disease looks like it's definitely related to rats, most likely infected by evil spirits. Remember, never touch the rotting flesh, and don't wander into any rat holes. Take this plague-repelling powder with you, and light it when you enter the village; it might help."

Also, these packets of medicine are for clearing heat and stopping bleeding; take them for emergencies. And this—"

He pulled out a palm-sized black porcelain bottle and shoved it into Ning Che's hand without a word. As soon as the stopper was opened, an extremely pungent medicinal smell wafted out.

"This poison-repelling pill, passed down from our ancestors, can block most common demonic poisons. Use it once a day. You all stay here and take one! If you really can't take it, come back right away. Don't try to tough it out, understand?"

"understood."

Ning Che didn't waste any words and swallowed a pill. The spicy pill slid down his throat, and a warm current instantly spread throughout his body, suppressing the faint, putrid smell in the air.

"I'm going to report to the mountain guards' stronghold and ask if they have any spare manpower." Ning Che turned and walked out, instructing Zhao He without looking back, "Go and get a carriage and a driver."

"I've learned to ride a horse," Zhao He suddenly said.

Ning Che was a little surprised, but he didn't ask any questions and immediately changed his plans: "Then we don't need a driver. Just arrange for a carriage to wait for me."

Old Qian watched Ning Che's figure disappear around the street corner, then looked back at the young man groaning in pain in the shed, shook his head, and turned to the apprentice, shouting, "Wrap up the rest of the plague-dispelling powder! Also, get two jars of the best wound medicine and give them to them!"

Zhao He also swallowed the antidote pill, took the items, and went to get the car.

When Ning Che arrived at the Guardian's outpost in the south of the city, the middle-aged cultivator on duty was hunched over his desk organizing documents. Upon seeing the bronze badge at Ning Che's waist, he immediately stood up, cupped his hands in a very polite manner—everyone knew that this Star Captain with the missing right arm was a favorite of Deputy Commander Yu, and even Commander Mu had to personally praise him.

"Captain Xing, what brings you here? Weren't you on vacation recovering from your injury?"

"There's been a problem in Liutang Village, someone died, I'm here to report it," Ning Che said succinctly. "Do you have any spare manpower? Come with me."

The middle-aged cultivator looked troubled and spread his hands: "I'm really sorry, but most of the team's manpower was transferred away by Commander Mu yesterday to patrol the West Mountain. He said that there have been frequent monster activities there recently. Now I'm the only one left in the stronghold to watch the stall, and I can't leave."

Ning Che frowned slightly.

Xishan is a hundred miles away from Liutang Village. Even if someone were sent to fetch them now, it would take half a day to go back and forth, and they wouldn't be able to catch up in time. Why did Mu Qingming have to transfer people away at this time? Was it a coincidence or intentional? He didn't ask any more questions. There was no evidence for this, and it would be useless to say anything.

"Alright, then record the situation, noting that Liutang Village is plagued by a rat demon, its poison is spreading, and support is urgently needed."

"Alright, I'll write it down right away." The middle-aged cultivator immediately picked up his pen. "By the way, not long ago, a villager, who seemed to be walking by, was also concerned about this matter. You can ask him about it."

He pointed to a bench in the corner of the outpost.

The villager who brought the news is still here.

He was a farmer in his forties, his clothes covered in mud, his face sallow, sitting on a stool with bloodshot eyes. He had probably repeated the story many times, and his voice was hoarse.

Ning Che walked over and sat down opposite him.

"Describe your symptoms."

The villager looked up at him, then at his empty right sleeve, his gaze hesitant.

"I am the mountain guardian. Speak."

The villager swallowed hard, his voice hoarse: "First, I had a fever, my whole body was burning hot, like it was on fire. Then blisters appeared on my body, like water blisters, which would burst at the slightest touch. After they burst, my skin rotted, rotted so badly... rotted so badly I couldn't even look human anymore."

How fast?

"It happened so fast it was terrifying. They started having a fever the night before, and by the next morning they were blistered. By evening, their skin had rotted through. This morning, three people died. There are seven or eight more people who have started having a fever."

From fever to skin rotting within a day. Ning Che quickly reviewed the symptoms he knew. Ordinary plagues couldn't happen this fast, and even in a world rich in spiritual energy, ordinary germs couldn't move at this speed.

"What unusual things had the first person to develop symptoms come into contact with before?"

The villagers thought for a moment and said, "A few days ago, the granary at the east end of the village was infested with rats, and a lot of the grain was eaten. We all went to clean the rat holes together. The first few people to get sick were those who went to clean the rat holes."

鼠。

Ning Che's gaze darkened.

How big is the rat?

"No...it's not big, it's just ordinary—" The villager suddenly stopped, as if remembering something, "No, there was one that was really big, about the size of a cat. Zhang San tried to hit it, but that thing ran incredibly fast and disappeared into a tunnel in an instant."

Ning Che stood up.

He had the guard record the situation, while he took Zhao He and left the city.

Liutang Village wasn't far; with Ning Che's current walking speed, half an hour would be enough. Zhao He followed behind, barely managing to keep up by jogging.

"Brother Xing, do you think it's a demon?"

"What do you think a mouse as big as a cat is?"

Zhao He fell silent.

As we approached the village entrance, a foul, fishy smell wafted over.

It wasn't the smell of a dead person. Ning Che had a keen sense of smell; it was a very peculiar fishy odor, mixed with the pungent stench of some animal secretions. He subtly activated his Six Ears Listening to the Moon.

The sounds from afar spread out in layers.

There were cries and low groans coming from the village, and someone was burning something. Further away, underground, there were faint rustling sounds, subtle and dense, like countless tiny claws digging in the soil.

a lot of.

Ning Che slowed his pace.

"What's wrong?" Zhao He asked.

"There's something underground," Ning Che said calmly. "A lot."

Zhao He's face turned pale.

Upon entering the village, the situation was even worse than Ning Che had anticipated.

The three bodies had been covered with straw mats and laid out in the open space at the village entrance. An old woman knelt beside them, weeping silently. Several stronger villagers stood around with hoes and sickles, their expressions a mixture of fear and anger, unsure of where to direct their attacks.

Upon seeing Ning Che's attire, these people felt as if they had found a lifeline, their spirits immediately lifted, and they rushed over in a flurry.