Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

The oppressive and somber atmosphere in the camp had largely dissipated.

Zhao He and Chen Mu followed Ning Che out, both with joy on their faces. Zhao He said excitedly, "The calamity is finally over! My family won't have to suffer anymore!"

He and Ning Che both came from villages outside the city, so Ning Che could certainly understand his excitement.

But Ning Che did not show any joy.

While the calamity has indeed ended, his tribulations have likely only just begun.

He was like a mole cricket caught in a spider's web, only able to sense the threads tightening, but completely unaware of how the spider was tightening them behind the scenes.

The Frost Flower Technique of Calamity, Lin Caiwei, Zhao Bantou, and perhaps more to come...

In this completely unequal confrontation, his fate seems already foreseeable.

He closed his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and went to the library.

He still has two hundred merits left, and there are some shortcomings he needs to address.

His strength was clearly inferior to Hu Shan's; his level of 8.5 was rather awkward. In terms of swordsmanship, he was probably no match for Hu Shan. He was able to win that battle because of the adaptability he had honed through hundreds of life-and-death experiences in his previous life.

For example, a sword technique that truly suits him, another trump card or killing move, or a secret method that can temporarily enhance his strength. These would be crucial aids when facing powerful enemies.

Unfortunately, two hundred merits were not a lot, and given his preference for quality over quantity, he could only choose one or two in the end.

With Zhao Yunshuo's help, Ning Che found a total of four spells that were suitable for him.

Firstly, swordsmanship, specifically the Great Snow Blade.

Unfortunately, the library did not have a sword technique with the Yin attribute that was most suitable for him. He had no choice but to settle for an ice attribute technique, which should be compatible with the magic power enhanced by the Calamity Frost Flower Technique.

This technique ranks eighth and costs one hundred merit points. It incorporates the idea of ​​a mountain covered in snow into the swordplay. As the sword technique is executed, a cold current will be generated, accumulating and thickening until it eventually erupts like an avalanche, with considerable power.

The downside is that it puts a bit too much of a strain on Ning Che's mana.

Secondly, the killing move, Frost Feather.

This technique is ranked seventh grade and costs two hundred merit points. It can directly freeze the opponent, and if the opportunity is seized properly, it can definitely be the deciding factor in victory. The drawback is that it is less effective against demons with strong bodies or martial artists who cultivate body techniques.

Thirdly, the Burst Secret Technique offers two options.

A desperate, all-or-nothing energy-exploding technique to maximize the power of a single strike. Or a tower-climbing technique that overdraws one's vital energy to forcibly elevate one's cultivation level.

Both are classic secret techniques, and because they both increase power proportionally, it's hard to say what their grade is. The former costs 100 merit points, and the latter costs 200 merit points.

Ning Che did not hesitate for long.

His weakness in swordsmanship is of course the most pressing issue. With this Great Snow Blade, he will have many more tactical options.

So he exchanged the documents, copied them, and returned to the barracks to study them.

Learning is simpler than copying; he understood it after reading it once, and got the hang of it after a little practice.

The Great Snow Blade technique doesn't have many levels of mastery; once you've mastered it, you've mastered it. You can continue to refine it through countless trials until you reach perfection, but there won't be any qualitative change.

After mastering the technique, Ning Che originally intended to test its power again at the martial arts arena.

But Zhong Hongyao was already outside, waiting for him.

Although she arrived early, Ning Che naturally couldn't keep her waiting, so he quickly gathered everyone and headed to Sanxianlou.

After the drought ended, these businesses clearly entered their peak season. The streets were bustling with ordinary people and cultivators, teeming with life.

The Sanxianlou restaurant was bustling with activity in the afternoon, with every table packed. They even added extra seats outside, but it still wasn't enough.

Fortunately, they had already reserved a table, so they didn't have to stand in front of the counter to drink like some people did.

Five people sat around a table.

Zhong Hongyao, dressed in a striking blue outfit, sat calmly at the table, waiting for the dishes to be served.

Lin Ye sat there with an air of nonchalance, and without any hesitation, ordered the shopkeeper to bring out the wine first. He poured himself a bowl and drank it all by himself.

Zhao He and Chen Mu were reserved and wary, frequently glancing at Ning Che.

Ning Che sat in the main seat, his expression calm. He remained silent, yet he was the center of attention.

"Hmph." Lin Ye spoke first, "Two newcomers who can't even take care of themselves, do they deserve to sit here?"

Zhao He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Who are you talking about? If it weren't for Brother Xing, you would have already lost control and died in Black Rock Village. What right do you have to look down on people?"

"Do I need his protection?" Lin Ye's murderous aura surged, and the hilt of his sword trembled. "I only regret that I cannot kill Mu Qingming with my own hands. Unlike some people, I can only swallow my anger and let others bully me."

"you--"

"Enough." Zhong Hongyao frowned, her voice as cold as ice. "If you want to argue, go outside. A bunch of rabble, when gathered together, are nothing more than targets to be slaughtered."

Ning Che raised his hand and gently tapped the table.

A soft sound. All sound ceased.

"A mob." Ning Che repeated these four words, his gaze sweeping over everyone at the table. "Zhao He is hot-blooded, easily impulsive and prone to causing trouble. Chen Mu is calm, but too restrained and yielding. Lin Ye is fierce and brave, blinded by hatred. Hong Yao, you come from a prestigious family and are skilled in magic, yet you are arrogant and self-centered, disdaining to stand shoulder to shoulder with others."

He pointed out everyone's shortcomings one by one. No one refuted him.

"Why does Mu Qingming dare to suppress us so arbitrarily? It's not because of his high cultivation level. It's because we are fighting our own battles, a disorganized mess. He attacked Zhao He and Chen Mu, and no one came to his aid. He forced Hu Shan to a duel, and no one dared to stop him. If he were to attack me, Lin Ye, or the Zhong family one day—who among you could remain unscathed?"

Lin Ye gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his murderous aura gradually fading. Zhao He slumped into his seat, his face filled with shame. Chen Mu raised his eyes, a glimmer of light appearing in them. Zhong Hongyao's fingertips stopped, and for the first time, a ripple of emotion stirred in her usually cold eyes.

"The sinister forces of Blackrock Village, the traps set in the camp, and the reorganization in three days—all are dead ends. Going it alone will only lead to certain death," Ning Che said calmly. "Only by banding together can we survive. I, Ning Che, hereby promise: I will protect those under my command, without deceiving, abandoning, or sacrificing them."

He looked at the crowd.

"To live together, to die together."

Zhao He roared first, "Live together, die together." Chen Mu nodded emphatically. Lin Ye remained silent for a moment, then sheathed his sword. Zhong Hongyao sighed softly and finally nodded.

Five hearts were bound together for the first time.

After a few rounds of drinks, the initial awkwardness gradually dissipated. Ning Che sat quietly at his table, his ears wide open—across the street from the restaurant, he could hear two people breathing. Not the breathing of other diners, but the kind that was deliberately suppressed. Those two people had been there ever since they sat down.

Mu Qingming's eyeliner.

What made his heart tighten even more was a faint tremor emanating from the Taiyin spiritual energy within his dantian. It was a Yin Sha resonance originating from the same source as that of the withered ghost Lin Caiwei. The little girl at the inn far outside the mountains seemed to have sensed his presence and was gazing towards the direction of Sanxianlou from several miles away.

Ning Che's fingertips tightened slightly. Outside the window, dusk was settling in. A pale, ghostly figure silently swept across the eaves of the restaurant, without a sound.

By the time the drinking session ended, it was already dark. The five men left the Sanxian Restaurant. Lin Ye walked in front, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Zhao He and Chen Mu followed side by side behind Ning Che. Zhong Hongyao brought up the rear, her medicine chest slung over her shoulder. The two men across the street were no longer there. But Ning Che knew they would come back.

Back in the barracks, Zhao He and Chen Mu wisely remained silent, each finding a corner to sit cross-legged and meditate. The room returned to quiet. Ning Che sat alone on the edge of the bed, a wooden box beside his pillow. The lid was slightly opened, revealing the last remaining Yuan Stone lying quietly inside. He gazed at it for a long time.

Outside the window, the lights in the camp went out one by one.

At the same moment, in the torture chamber in the backyard of the military law department, Hu Shan lay prone on a couch. His right knee was wrapped in hemp bandage, and the caning marks on his back had scabbed over, gleaming a dark red under the oil lamp. In front of him lay a piece of paper, the ink already dry. Only one line of text was written on the paper.

He folded the paper and tucked it under his pillow. The oil lamp flickered and then went out.

Outside the window, the night was deep.