Wild cultivation begins with wielding the Taiyin talisman.

With Shi Ying's explanation, Ning Che finally gained a basic understanding of the moon in this world.

If not mentioned alongside the sun, it is rarely called "moon" directly. People mostly refer to it as "Taiyin" or "Demon Lord," these two names corresponding to its supreme position of ruling over all yin and controlling all demons in the world.

Because he was a demon lord, the related laws naturally became demonic laws. In addition, the Great Xia Emperor had swept across the world and established the Great Xia dynasty with the Sun Law, so he was even more wary of demonic laws that were incompatible with the Sun Law and suppressed them. As a result, people who practiced this law were almost nowhere to be seen.

If it were some minor lineage, subjected to such targeting, it would likely be extinguished quickly. But the Demon Lord hangs high in the heavens, unaffected by human will. Even facing a powerful figure like the Great Xia Ancestor, who stands at the pinnacle of humanity, and with the combined strength of the entire nation, his power would not be extinguished.

To this day, whenever the moon rises in the sky, all things of the yin nature become active. And according to legend, the reason why demons can gain sentience is because they are enlightened by the "Emperor's Dew" sent down by this demon lord.

Upon hearing this, Ning Che's expression shifted, and he asked, "What effects would occur if a person used this Emperor's Elixir?"

Shi Ying shook her head: "Perhaps it is a powerful demon lord who forbids us from seeing it. Even in the city, the Emperor's Dew is just a legend."

She paused, then spoke about what Ning Che cared about most—his cultivation method.

"This method seems to be the talismanic method of Taoism. The talismanic method ranks first among the orthodox methods of Taoism and is the most representative of Taoism. It can be used to capture spirits and command generals, and to evolve all kinds of methods. When practiced to a high level, it can even command heaven and earth."

However, this method requires a Dao talisman bestowed by a patriarch or other powerful being, which serves as the seed of the Great Dao. Compared to spiritual objects, it is easier to find and begin with, but as one's cultivation deepens, one may easily become controlled by others. Furthermore, the Great Xia considers this an ominous and demonic phenomenon; if it were to appear before the people, it would inevitably bring disaster.

Ning Che pondered for a moment upon hearing this and asked, "Then can I switch to another technique, or cultivate other techniques concurrently, and only use them in critical situations? Would that make things easier?"

"It is indeed effective, but it is very difficult." Shi Ying explained, "Without some unique spells, abandoning one's fundamental method might damage one's marrow sea. And if one cultivates both, there will inevitably be conflicts between the cultivation methods, which will not only be twice the effort for half the result, but may also lead to incompatibility of the Dao foundation, thus cutting off the path ahead."

"Since that's the case, then I'd like to see just how ominous this Taiyin is." Ning Che didn't hesitate, his tone resolute: "Presumably, once your cultivation reaches a higher level, you'll find a way. Now, please teach me this method. If I succeed, I will surely repay you."

After saying this, Ning Che was about to get up and bow when Shi Ying stopped him, saying, "I only know a little about this, not as much as you do in detail. I can't really teach you, but let's just consider it an exchange of ideas."

He was not one to stand on ceremony, and assuming that Shi Ying was probably the same, he did not stand on ceremony and sat down opposite Shi Ying again.

Shi Ying got straight to the point: "As far as I know, although the Great Xia has implemented the Nine Ranks system throughout the world, Taoism is one of the forces that does not use this nine-rank division. They use the realm of talismanic arts as a reference to divide practitioners into four levels, namely Taoist, Feathered Scholar, Dharma Master, and High Priest."

These four realms correspond roughly to the nine-rank system of the Great Xia Dynasty as follows: Daoist corresponds to the ninth to eighth ranks, Feathered Scholar corresponds to the seventh to sixth ranks, Dharma Master corresponds to the fifth to fourth ranks, and High-ranking Priest corresponds to the third rank and above.

The so-called Daoist is someone who has entered the Dao, meaning they have entered the Daoist path and can use Daoist talismans to circulate magical power and perform extraordinary means, completely different from ordinary people. Now that you have seen the divine in meditation and obtained the Taiyin Daoist talisman, you have already entered the realm of Daoists, and are roughly on the same level as us.

I once heard that after a Taoist enters the Tao, they must practice the Tao. For example, if one cultivates the fire element, their actions must conform to the virtue of fire. Otherwise, their actions will conflict with the Tao, and the obstacles in their cultivation will be exceptionally difficult. Unfortunately, the Taiyin practice is almost extinct nowadays, and I don't know how you, Taiyin, can be considered to be practiced.

You should also be careful about the timing of your cultivation: Your Taiyin is in conflict with the Taiyang. If you are too impatient and try to refine the moonlight before the ten days of the Six Dragons have passed, it may cause problems.

Furthermore, like ordinary talismans, Daoist talismans can be activated with spiritual power or magical energy, either to bless the user or to cast spells, making them quite mysterious. Legend has it that in some extremely prestigious lineages, both effects can be combined.

"Spell!"

Ning Che felt a burning desire, but now was not the time to try. He tried to recall what the Six Dragons meant, but found it to be very complicated. The original owner of this body didn't understand it either, only knowing that after ten days, the Six Dragons meant nightfall.

"Is it something like the concept of the sun setting?" Ning Che didn't think the question was important, so he put aside his wandering thoughts and asked instead, "Then what do 'Taoist priest,' 'mage,' and 'high-ranking priest' mean?"

"The book says that Taoist priests can fly through the heavens and earth; sorcerers can create magic with a single thought; and high-ranking priests are even more powerful and influential, some of whom have already reached the pinnacle of humanity." Shi Ying said, then sighed softly, "Unfortunately, I have never even met a Taoist priest."

"Sister Shi Ying is so amazing, I'm sure I'll get to meet her someday." Ning Che smiled and casually complimented her, then asked, "Is there anything else I should be careful about?"

Shi Ying said seriously, "And another thing is that you must never take such risks. Even if you can win ten or a hundred times, you only have one life after all. Many failures can be overcome in one go."

Seeing this, Ning Che also stopped smiling and nodded seriously: "I'll remember."

This situation came suddenly, catching him completely off guard, and he was forced to take a risk. His entry into the Dao was also a matter of chance. If he were to become careless because of this, it would only be a matter of time before he capsized in the ditch.

His mind raced, and another question popped into his head: "If I encounter other cultivators in the future, how will I know just how strong they are?"

Shi Ying pondered for a moment, then shook her head and said, "It's difficult. At most, you can guess a level by using some spells that judge cultivation. But some cultivators' spells are unpredictable. Even if your cultivation is much higher than theirs, you can easily fall into their trap if you don't deal with it properly."

Ning Che understood. The different realms that Shi Ying mentioned each had their own mysteries, which meant that everyone had their own area of ​​expertise.

While the risk of unexpected setbacks is unavoidable, it is not without its advantages: as long as one understands one's own strengths and uses them to attack the enemy's weaknesses, even when facing an opponent with significantly higher cultivation, one may still have a fighting chance.

Looking into Ning Che's eyes, Shi Ying seemed to see what he was thinking and warned him again: "It's not that powerful cultivators haven't died at the hands of unknown juniors. Those who are good at swimming often drown. It's certainly gratifying that you have entered the Dao, but that's why you should not underestimate the cultivators in the world."

Ning Che reiterated his assurances, bid farewell to Shi Ying, and got up to leave.

As the saying goes, true knowledge can be conveyed in a single sentence. Although Ning Che only talked with Shi Ying for about ten minutes, he felt that he had benefited a lot.

But I feel like I've forgotten something...

As evening approached, he patted his head, deciding to stop thinking about it and suppress his excitement before setting off to find Shi Xiujuan.

But after circling the village twice, he still couldn't find it. Just as he was about to go into the village to take another look, he heard a mournful bird cry from the path leading to the woods on the east side of the village.

Ning Che turned his head and saw Zhao Di running back from outside the village, covered in dust. Behind her, the treetops rustled, and several birds of prey with wingspans of over a meter and metallic feathers were swooping down.

He had seen this bird before, and even killed one with his own hands—it was the Iron-feathered Finch!

The village chief's words flashed through Ning Che's mind, and he charged forward without hesitation.