Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

The moonlight, like a pillar, crashed down, as if the tentacles of heaven had precisely reached into the human world.

Mu Qingming's movements were incredibly fast, like a wisp of smoke, without alerting anyone. Every step he took landed precisely on the path Ning Che had already traversed, without the slightest deviation.

That was the only way out Ning Che had calculated, and also the shortcut to the treasure.

In just a few breaths, he crossed the raging energy turbulence and appeared behind Ning Che.

"Commander Xing," Mu Qingming's voice carried a hint of barely suppressed laughter, "I really have to thank you."

He had calculated everything and was about to reap the rewards of victory.

He didn't care whether Ning Che could do it or not.

If Ning Che fails, he suffers no loss; instead, he can blame Ning Che. If Ning Che truly activates the formation, his goal will naturally be achieved.

It felt really good to reap the benefits without lifting a finger. Just thinking about what he was going to do next made him unable to suppress the smile on his face.

But the next moment, his expression suddenly changed.

Inside the formation, in that open space, only hanging chains and dried bloodstains remained.

What he needs is no longer here.

But how could that be?

The grand formation was only just activated!

He could barely maintain his composure, and after a moment, he asked, "Where is the demon suppressed inside?"

Ning Che turned to the side, as if he wanted to answer.

But the next moment, the ground began to shake violently. The stone bricks beneath Ning Che's feet cracked, and countless fissures spread outwards from the center of the seal in all directions, like a giant mouth opening.

"Refund! Refund all of them!"

At the edge of the pit, Shi Bingzhu's roar was half-dampened by the sound of cracking. He grabbed a stunned mountain guardian beside him, unleashed his magic, and flung the man backward.

Shi Zhongyu stood guard in the Kun position, her broadsword diagonally plunged into the ground, its earthy yellow light flowing, firmly stabilizing the array base beneath her feet. Her expression remained unchanged, but the veins on her forehead were bulging.

The consequences of reversing the formation were far more severe than Ning Che had anticipated.

The pillar of moonlight slammed into the center of the seal, and the power that had been suppressed for countless years was unleashed the moment the seal reversed, surging outwards in an uncontrollable manner.

It's not a demon; there really are no living creatures inside.

But the remaining power is still terrifying.

The tremors from deep underground grew more and more intense, and the stone bricks at the bottom of the pit began to collapse in large pieces, revealing the dark void below.

Ning Che stood on the edge of the collapse, with only two intact stone bricks remaining beneath his feet. His magical power was mostly depleted, but the Six Ears Listening to the Moon was still operating, its buzzing sound filling his head.

But he did not back down.

Because he still has one last step to take.

The withered demon bone trembled in his hand, and faint threads of light seeped out from the honeycomb-like pores on its surface. These threads of light were neither magic power nor elemental power, but something far more ancient.

The Six Ears Listen to the Moon transform those light threads into sound.

Scripture.

Complete, undamaged scriptures.

Previously, he had only heard fragments from the withered demon bones because the sealing array was still in operation, and the power of the array suppressed the inheritance within the bones. Now that the seal has reversed and the suppression has disappeared, the true essence has surfaced.

This was his true purpose in breaking the formation.

It wasn't to open that empty cage, but to fully release the inheritance sealed and suppressed within the withered demon bones.

The seemingly strange steps he had laid out beforehand—filling the ravines with bluestone, infusing the runes with frost and dew, and reversing the Li Fire hexagram—were not merely to reverse the seal. Rather, they were to create a brief, specific vacuum of elemental energy during the reversal process.

Only in this vacuum zone can the inheritance within the withered demon bones be fully revealed.

All of this was planned out during his second phase of "perception" with his eyes closed.

The last few syllables of the scripture flooded his mind, connecting with the previous content to form a complete cultivation technique. Ning Che didn't know the name of this technique, nor what would happen after practicing it, but he had memorized it word for word.

enough.

He withdrew his Six Ears Listening to the Moon, and the withered demon bone instantly transformed back into a lifeless object devoid of any magical power.

The stone bricks underfoot broke.

As Ning Che fell, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed his wrist.

It is Mu Qingming.

The person who had been standing behind him, ready to pick fruit, instead of taking advantage of the chaos when the ground collapsed, pulled him out.

Ning Che was carried upwards, the sound of falling rocks filling his ears, along with Mu Qingming's unusually steady breathing.

The two landed on the edge of the pit.

"Watch your step." Mu Qingming released his hand, his tone as concerned as a good superior.

Ning Che took two steps back and steadied himself. He looked down at his wrist; Mu Qingming's grip was strong, leaving a red mark.

Mu Qingming didn't explain why he saved him. No explanation was needed. Ning Che knew perfectly well—this man had other plans and still needed him. A dead man was of no use.

Mu Qingming's gaze fell on the withered demon bone in Ning Che's left hand.

Ning Che handed him the withered demon bone and the token together.

"The seal is broken, there's nothing inside, just this."

Mu Qingming caught the withered demon bone, ran his fingertip across its surface, and infused it with a wisp of magic power to examine it. There was no reaction whatsoever. Just a lifeless fragment.

He tried several more times, but the withered demon bone remained silent, like an ordinary stone.

Mu Qingming looked up at Ning Che, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Ning Che's expression showed no sign of guilt, because he was telling the truth. There was indeed nothing inside the seal; the withered demon bone was truly an empty shell. As for what had been added to his mind, that was none of Mu Qingming's concern.

"What a pity." Mu Qingming put the withered demon bone into his sleeve and sighed.

His gaze passed over Ning Che and fell upon the still-collapsed pit. Mud and rocks surged, and the place where the seal once stood was being swallowed up by the earth once more.

Then, he looked around at the messy scene and suddenly laughed.

"The West Mountain lair has been destroyed. Although we didn't obtain any valuable magical artifacts, we did discover and deal with an ancient sealed relic, which is a meritorious deed." His tone softened again. "Commander Xing, you've worked hard. I will make a note of it in my report when we get back."

Ning Che simply clasped his hands in a fist salute and said nothing more.

-

On the way back, the three of them ran side by side.

Shi Zhongyu walked on the far left. Her broadsword was already sheathed, but her magic power was obviously depleted, and her pace was much slower than when she came.

Shi Bingzhu walked in the middle, remaining silent the whole way.

He only spoke after he was fifty miles from Xishan and had confirmed that no one was following him.

"What exactly happened at the bottom of the pit just now?"

Shi Bingzhu lowered his voice, his eyebrows furrowed together. He walked to Ning Che's left, taking short, deliberate steps, clearly not wanting the topic to be blown away by the night breeze.

"Nothing much, we just came out," Ning Che replied casually.

"How is that possible?" Shi Bingzhu looked completely incredulous.

"When Mu Qingming went in, his eyes were almost bloodshot, and when he came out, his face was the same color as the bottom of a pot. You're telling me there's nothing inside—then what was that aura of despair just now? That energy turbulence, do you think I don't have eyes?"

Shi Zhongyu didn't speak, but he took half a step closer and listened intently.

Ning Che didn't stop and continued to explain, "There are indeed no living creatures or magical artifacts inside. I have no idea why he brought me here."

"We don't know what kind of monster was originally being suppressed. Mu Qingming seems to know something about it. Maybe that thing is very important to him, which is why he reacted so strongly. But it's strange, when we went in, only the chains were still hanging there."

"I don't know how the formation, which was perfectly fine, could have so easily vanished, suppressing something that was just gone. Perhaps it's been too long and has completely rotted away?"

Shi Bingzhu stared at the back of his head with a mixture of disbelief and skepticism, trying to glean something from the young man's gait. But Ning Che walked steadily, his breathing perfectly in sync.

Shi Zhongyu was very dissatisfied with this answer: "Mu Qingming went to great lengths, personally overseeing things at Xishan, and you're telling me he just wanted an empty pit?"

"Miss Shi," Ning Che turned his head to look at her, "do you think Mu Qingming knows everything?"

Shi Zhongyu was taken aback.

Ning Che withdrew his gaze and continued on his way: "Who can predict these things? Isn't it normal for plans to fail due to unexpected events?"

He didn't continue.

Shi Zhongyu didn't refute anymore; she pursed her lips, clearly still digesting the information.

Shi Bingzhu walked silently for about ten steps, the image of the bottom of the pit replaying in his mind.

The way Mu Qingming rushed into the formation—that urgency wasn't feigned. A cultivator whose cultivation far surpassed everyone else present almost strayed off course, indicating that his mind was in turmoil.

The shock of arriving at the center of the formation, and the fact that it took him two or three breaths to come to his senses, was not an act.

It matches. It matches perfectly.

"But that feeling of despair..." He was still unwilling to give up.

"It might be the last resentment of a demon soul as it dissipated."

Ning Che shrugged: "I didn't feel it, but anyone trapped to death would be filled with resentment, especially since what was being suppressed there must have been an extremely powerful demon king. It's normal for the resentment to linger for so long."

Shi Bingzhu still felt something was off, but he didn't investigate further.

Because if you delve deeper, it becomes clear that he doesn't trust Ning Che. Once trust starts to waver, it can never be restored to its original value.

That night, Ning Che proved too much with his actions. He was such a valuable young man that even if he had some unrevealed plans, it was certainly not worth turning a friend into an enemy for that.

He sighed.

"No matter what, the best outcome is that everyone came back safe and sound. Mu Qingming suffered such a huge loss, he'll definitely try to make amends later—be careful when you get back, don't give him any ammunition."

"Um."

Ning Che responded, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, which lasted for less than half a breath before disappearing.

The three people's footsteps echoed on the mountain path, and no one spoke again, each lost in their own thoughts.

Sometimes, the best answer is not to ask.

Shi Zhongyu suddenly laughed.

It wasn't a sneer, it wasn't a perfunctory laugh, it wasn't the polite, curving smile that the eldest daughter of the Shi family usually wore. She genuinely laughed, a slight sound escaping her throat, even the corners of her eyes curving down.

"You're much more interesting than I thought."

Ning Che didn't respond; he didn't feel honored by it.

Shi Zhongyu didn't expect him to chime in.

The three of them resumed their journey.

A night wind swept in from the valley, making clothes flutter loudly. The moon hung in the sky, dimmer than when they arrived, as if its essence had been drained away by the previous beam of light.

Ning Che ran in the lead, his stride relaxed, his breath long and even. The Moon Rabbit Breathing Technique circulated automatically through his meridians, gradually transforming the physical exertion from running into nourishment for his cultivation. The wonder of this method lay in this: while others' journeys were purely a matter of exhaustion, his journeys were a mobile training ground.

Deep in his mind, the complete scripture remained quietly, not a single word missing.

No rush. One must eat one bite at a time. He still has plenty of time to digest this big fish.

Shi Zhongyu's voice came from behind him, very low, meant for Shi Bingzhu alone. But the night was too quiet, and the wind was blowing directly on Ning Che, so every word was clearly heard.

"If I'm going to get married in the future, I want to find someone like that."

Shi Bingzhu snorted and didn't respond.

Ning Che's ears burned, but he pretended not to hear anything and quickened his pace.

But that wasn't what Shi Bingzhu was thinking.

He was thinking of Mu Qingming.

Let's review this game from the beginning—let Ning Che break through the formation without hindering or interfering, and only make our move to enter after the formation is activated. If it's truly empty inside, and if what's taken is just a useless piece of dead bone, then all of Mu Qingming's efforts tonight will only result in a joke.

A joke.

Would Mu Qingming allow himself to become a joke?

Shi Bingzhu felt increasingly uneasy. This man never did anything that would result in a loss.

He had been operating in Blackwater City for many years, and every move he made was carefully planned. He transferred Zhong Hongyao away, diverted various forces, and personally guarded West Mountain—even if there was really nothing inside, he would definitely find a way to make up for it elsewhere.

But where will he find compensation?

From Ning Che? Or from all the participants tonight?

A thought popped into Shi Bingzhu's head, and he shuddered.

Or is it that this whole thing at Xishan was just a prelude from beginning to end?

He looked up at Ning Che's retreating figure ahead. The young man ran steadily, his back straight, his steps carrying a composure that didn't belong to an eighth-grade cultivator.

Shi Bingzhu suddenly realized that he might have underestimated not only Ning Che, but also Mu Qingming.

The power struggle between these two individuals has probably only just begun.

The outline of the city wall appeared as a dark line on the horizon, the sky tinged with a grayish-white from its deep blue. Dawn was approaching.

A few lights were sparsely lit in the mountain garrison. Two soldiers on night duty at the garrison gate were dozing off against the gateposts. They straightened up when they heard footsteps, rubbed their eyes to identify the person, and then raised their hands to let him pass.

"You've worked hard." Shi Bingzhu greeted the soldiers with a smile.

They were flattered and straightened their posture, replying, "Chief Shi, you've worked hard too."

After a brief exchange, the three headed straight for Yu Congrong's study. Along the way, they could see people coming out of the camp, either going to training or walking outside, their destinations unknown.

Everything was calm and normal.

But how long this calm will last—no one knows for sure.