Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

When they returned to the barracks, Zhao He was undergoing arduous training.

Seeing that he had brought back another book, Chen Mu asked curiously, "Won't you bite off more than you can chew when you learn so many spells?"

Ning Che shook his head: "Come and take a look, everyone. This isn't magic; it's data. And it's very likely the place we're going to the day after tomorrow."

The spells copied from the library are restricted by a blood pact signed by each guardian before they take up their post, preventing them from being circulated among themselves. This book, however, has no such restrictions and can be studied together.

The three sat around a table, occasionally exchanging words.

The sunlight then quietly slipped away between the pages of the book.

Time flies, and the reorganization is complete.

The sacrifice of the mountain guardians was nothing short of tragic.

The official document was issued and posted on every notice board in the camp. The paper was snow-white, the seals were bright red, and the largest and most eye-catching item was the list of the fallen.

...Hu Yu, Da Niu, Zhao Yanran, Zhong Siqi, Lin Dayou...

Ning Che's gaze swept over the dead bodies; there were probably more than twenty people dead, including four squad leaders and one sergeant. These gaps would be filled gradually in the future.

Zhong Siqi's name was also there, written in ink, just like the other fallen soldiers. He paused on that name for a moment, then looked away.

Then came the personnel changes and zoning shifts between teams. Crowds formed layer upon layer, mostly there to watch. Some squeezed through the crowd with bright eyes, while others emerged looking ashen.

Unsurprisingly, Ning Che's team was to guard the rat swamp.

He recalled the characteristics of the rat swamp:

As its name suggests, the Rat Marsh is a swamp teeming with rats. These rats are a very special breed, excellent swimmers, and can even hold their breath in the swamp for several hours while moving freely.

Among them are rat demons, with records of encountering an eighth-rank rat demon. Each also possesses unique, terrain-specific spells, making them exceptionally difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, the rat swamp also harbors several spiritual creatures that appear from time to time, and these are quite valuable. Obtaining even one or two would be a small fortune, enough to exchange for a few spirit stones for cultivation…

Ning Che was making plans in his mind as he went to the Personnel Hall to queue up for the handover.

The queue moved forward slowly, with hushed whispers around them.

Some people spoke of him, saying that being exiled to such a dangerous place as the Rat Swamp was tantamount to sending him to his death. Their words were tinged with schadenfreude, and they did not shy away from it, which drew the attention of everyone.

Ning Che listened without responding, remaining calm and focused on practicing the Moon Rabbit Breathing Technique.

After a long while, it was finally his turn.

The deacon handed him a thick stack of documents, a simple map, and an iron plaque, saying in a flat tone: "The garrison at Rat Swamp will rotate monthly. Basic medicine and other supplies have been prepared, but we don't have enough food and water, so we'll have to find a place nearby."

Once the Star Team responds, you can receive the corresponding compensation—Please accept this order and depart today.

Ning Che accepted it without hesitation.

"Star, receive the order."

As they stepped out of the Personnel Hall, Zhao He and Chen Mu were already waiting outside.

"Brother Xing, that rat swamp is no place for humans." Zhao He's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he had thought of something, and a look of fear crossed his face.

"It's alright." Ning Che said in a low voice as they walked, "It may be dangerous, but we can act freely. You guys pack your things first, and call Lin Ye and Zhong Hongyao to wait for me at the place where you get the carriages."

The two agreed. Ning Che went back to the barracks first, packed his things in a few minutes, and then went straight out of the mountain.

He first went to a nearby shop to buy a piece of braised pork. The shopkeeper already recognized him. But seeing his uniform, he knew that he was an "elder" among the mountain guards, so he didn't dare to talk to him casually.

Soon, Ning Che left the shop and headed to the inn.

The paper lanterns under the eaves of the inn were lit even during the day. The innkeeper sat at the counter, idly flipping through an old book. Ning Che glanced at it; it was a popular storybook from a few years ago called "The Extraordinary Hero and the Righteous Knight."

The original owner of this body also loved reading this book.

Ning Che suppressed the sudden surge of memories, and without disturbing the shopkeeper who was reading, went up to the second floor via the side staircase.

Lin Caiwei was in the innermost room. He knocked twice. The door opened.

The room was dark, with the windows closed, and Lin Caiwei stood in the shadows by the door. She was barefoot, her pale skin contrasting sharply with the dark wooden floor. She wore a plain-colored blouse with sleeves that were long enough to cover the back of her hands.

She looked up at Ning Che with her dark eyes, her tone flat and even: "Uncle."

Ning Che handed her the braised meat wrapped in paper: "I'm going to the Rat Swamp."

She took it without looking at the meat in her hand: "Is it far?"

Ning Che thought for a moment: "It's not that far."

She nodded, then picked up the braised pork, took a couple of bites, and asked, "Will Uncle come back?"

"Yes, but we'll have to figure out a way to deal with your meals during this time."

"Should I go too?"

"You can't go. I'll leave you some money; go buy something yourself, okay?"

She nodded obediently without asking why.

Ning Che left behind ten gold coins, which should be enough for her to eat whatever kind of meat she wanted.

He got up and left.

Lin Caiwei stood at the door, holding the half-eaten braised meat in her arms, watching Ning Che until he disappeared.

Ning Che walked down the stairs.

The reason for not letting Lin Caiwei go was simple: he had no idea what Mu Qingming's plans were, and he didn't have enough understanding or confidence in this deity.

Having her around is like having a ticking time bomb. In a dangerous place like the Rat Swamp, any accident could easily endanger the entire team.

The shopkeeper was still reading. Ning Che walked through the lobby, pushed open the door, and headed straight for the mountains.

The four of them had already gathered and were waiting for him.

He stepped forward to verify the seal, took the carriage and horses, and casually asked what kind of horses they were.

Only then did they realize that this horse was indeed an extraordinary breed, called the Azure Wind Horse, a breed carefully selected by the Great Xia Dynasty. It possessed the bloodline of a great demon and could travel a thousand miles in a day and eight hundred miles at night.

Before setting off, Ning Che had asked to find another driver, but Chen Mu refused.

He volunteered to drive the carriage, and he did a fairly good job. Everyone was a little surprised, and after asking, they learned that he already knew how to ride a horse, and after returning home last time, he took some time to practice and quickly mastered how to drive a carriage.

Ning Che smiled and offered a few words of praise before getting into the car to continue his cultivation.

The group took their seats and headed west.

The journey took two full days.

The further we went, the lower the terrain became, the sparser the trees became, the muddier the ground became, and the fog gradually became more frequent and thicker, carrying a strange smell that made our noses feel dry.

They arrived on the evening of the second day. As everyone got off the bus, the ten suns fell in different directions, their crimson petals covering the sky.

An endless black swamp stretched out before me.

The silt churned, the black water stagnated, and decaying aquatic plants floated on the surface. There was little sound, except for the occasional popping of bubbles, which sounded particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

Ning Che stopped, and everyone else stopped as well.

He stood at the front of the group, his gaze sweeping across the swamp, when suddenly the Daoist talisman sensed something.

Beneath the surface of the water, in the silt, something was opening its eyes.

Those were pale green, extremely fine, like needle-like specks of light.

One pair, ten pairs, a hundred pairs, millions of pairs!