Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

After their leader fell, the wild boar herd finally learned the meaning of fear.

They grumbled and turned to flee in panic. Soon after, the Ironfeathered Sparrows also flew away—thus ended the first beast tide. More than a full-scale attack, it was a probing attack.

The wind, carrying the scent of blood and decay, swept past the village entrance. The barricades had been knocked askew, revealing a huge gap large enough for wild boars to pass through.

Broken spears, blood-stained pebbles, and the carcass of wild boars lay scattered across the ground. The hunters' tense backs suddenly slumped; some leaned on their spears, panting heavily, while others collapsed to the ground, their relief at surviving the ordeal mingled with lingering fear.

Ning Che sheathed his sword, the blood from its blade dripping onto the scorched yellow earth, spreading out in dark red spots. He ignored the monster carcasses on the ground, his gaze immediately falling on Shi Gu, who was being supported by Shi Yong.

The two white wisps that the old man had just shot out were as sharp as swords drawn from their sheaths, but now, as he supported Shi Yong's arm, his knuckles turned white, and the color drained from his already aged face, leaving only an abnormal crimson on his cheekbones. He suppressed a muffled cough, which he swallowed back.

"Village Chief!" Ning Che stepped forward quickly, about to ask a question, but was stopped by the old man raising his hand.

Shi Gu waved his hand, his voice still steady, but his breathing was much weaker than usual: "It's nothing, it's an old problem, I won't die anytime soon."

He glanced at the mess on the ground and ordered the hunters who were gathering around him in a deep voice, "Fugui, take two men and take the injured brothers to Shiying. The rest of you, repair the chevaux-de-frise first, and collect the monster corpses to divide among yourselves. If you can't finish them, give the rest to the other villagers."

Everyone agreed in unison and immediately got to work.

Shi Yong helped Shi Gu walk toward a nearby house, with Ning Che following closely behind. Before he could even enter the courtyard, Shi Gu suddenly bent over and coughed up a mouthful of dark brown blood.

Ning Che's expression changed, and he took a step to the side, completely blocking the doorway together with Shi Yong. He straightened his back and his sharp eyes swept across both sides of the alleyway. Only after confirming that no one was watching did he relax slightly, but he still did not move his body from blocking the door.

"Village Chief!" Shi Yong's expression was sorrowful, but he was not surprised, clearly having expected it. He freed one hand and gently patted Shi Gu's back to help the old man catch his breath, his fingertips trembling slightly.

Ishigani's breathing was rapid, his chest heaving violently. It took him a while to calm down. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, leaned against the mottled mud wall, and his cloudy gaze fell on Ning Che, carrying a hint of scrutiny and a weighty sense of entrustment: "You still don't know how I ended up like this, do you?"

Ning Che nodded, asking no further questions, and quietly waited for the old man to continue. He knew very well that Shi Gu's willingness to reveal a secret he had kept hidden for so many years was not just empty talk.

Shi Gu finally straightened up and looked around the empty main room. Shi Yong immediately said, "This is the room of Erzhu from the hunting team. He injured his leg and should be receiving treatment from the shaman. His daughter, Daya, is also there keeping watch. There's no one in the room."

"When you see him, say hello to him," Shi Gu instructed, then looked at Ning Che again, his tone becoming more serious, "Come, I'll take you somewhere."

Ning Che's expression became even more serious, and he nodded in agreement.

The three avoided the villagers coming and going, and slowly made their way along the path to the village chief's residence in the center of the village. Upon entering the bedroom, Ning Che realized that the village chief's residence was even more simple than that of ordinary villagers.

The room contained only a hard wooden bed, a set of polished wooden tables and chairs, and not even a wardrobe. A few changes of coarse cloth clothes were neatly hung on wooden wedges on the wall.

Shi Gu walked to the desk, his withered fingers rummaging through the stacks of animal hides and bamboo slips for a moment before finally pulling out a thread-bound silk book. The cover of the silk book was yellowed and brittle, and the edges were worn smooth, clearly an old item that had been read and handled for many years.

He gently placed the silk scroll on the table, tapped the cover with his fingertip, and looked at Ning Che: "You know, I was once an eighth-grade cultivator who had opened my dantian and qi palace. Thirty years ago, at the Shi family's main residence in Feihu City, I was trying to break through to the seventh-grade realm."

But at the crucial moment of my breakthrough, someone plotted against me. Not only did it cause my failure, but it also damaged my lung's metal essence, causing my cultivation level to plummet to the ninth rank, leaving me with a lifelong, incurable ailment.

The old man's voice was somber, carrying the resentment and hatred that had been suppressed for thirty years.

"To this day, I still don't know who tampered with my pills. However, I think it was probably someone from the main branch of the Shi family." Shi Gu said, patting the silk scroll in front of him, and continued:

"This is the 'Lung Gold Sword Qi' that I obtained by chance years ago, and the spell I just used is this one. Once mastered, this sword qi is incomparably sharp, excellent for breaking armor, slaying demons, and injuring enemies. If you are willing to help me investigate the true culprit who harmed me back then, I can give it to you."

Ning Che's gaze fell on the silk scroll, and a slight thought crossed his mind: "Is it just about finding the real culprit?"

"Years ago, I would have said help me get revenge." This old man, who had ruled the village for decades and was always imposing without ever getting angry, now spoke with the slowness of an old man: "Now, even just finding out the real culprit is no less valuable than the magic I taught you."

He paused, then met Ning Che's gaze: "So, this matter is... my plea to you."

Ning Che thought about his own shortcomings, Shi Gu's teachings to him, and the oath of the Five Heroes of Shizhu to uphold justice.

He nodded: "Okay."

Shi Yong silently left the room.

Shi Gu held the silk scroll and explained to Ning Che how to circulate his magic power and what kind of artistic conception to comprehend. A whole string of words that Ning Che couldn't understand came crashing down on him.

Ning Che had to interrupt Shi Gu, and the two checked the spellboard, only to discover that Ning Che had never learned magic. Helpless, Shi Gu had to start from the basics, and it took quite a while for Ning Che to understand what magic was.

Generally speaking, casting spells requires three conditions: First, the nature of the spell must be correct. In a broad sense, the nature of the spell is a supernatural attribute that all extraordinary things possess; in a narrow sense, it refers to the nature of magical power.

The nature of magical power must be compatible with the spell, or at least not conflict with it. For example, if someone cultivates fire-based techniques, their magical nature is inclined towards fire. If they were asked to use water-based spells, not only would they be unable to cast them, but they would also likely suffer a backlash, harming themselves.

Then, you need the intention, which is the mind that corresponds to the spell. For example, the famous fireball spell requires the user's intention to be fervent in order to unleash its full power. If the user is disheartened, they probably won't be able to cast it.

The final and most complex step is to construct the correct structure using magical power. One must strictly follow the spell's requirements, disassembling and reshaping the magical power within the body step by step to build the necessary structure. In this way, a spell is formed and ready to be cast.