Talisman Soldiers Self-Awareness, Mirage Shadow Projection

I didn't expect the Patrol Mountain Hall to move so fast this time.

Early in the morning, the chief of the Patrol Mountain Hall, Ren Yuan, arrived here.

"Speak," Ren Yuan said, sitting in Sheng Fuwu's room. The spoiled food on the table had been cleared away. "How did Sheng Fuwu disappear?"

As he spoke, Ren Yuan's eyes sharpened, and he looked indifferently at Tang Long. "Tell me the truth, or you know the consequences."

Sheng Fuwu was, after all, a chief of the Dahe Gang, a Body Refining martial artist, and a core member of a gang. He couldn't just disappear without reason.

"Yes."

There was nothing to hide. Tang Long recounted the entire incident in detail.

"Black Tide?" Ren Yuan's expression changed when he heard that they encountered the Black Tide before capturing Muyang. The Black Tide, a law-type monster, was a truly unsolvable existence for them.

He shook his head. When he learned that Sheng Fuwu had set a trap for the three of them, and all three returned alive while Sheng Fuwu did not.

His face was a picture of astonishment.

"If what you say is true, then Sheng Fuwu was truly unlucky."

"Chief Ren, do you need me to call Jiang Yan over for questioning?" Tang Long asked.

"No need. If I call him, his account won't differ from yours."

"Yes," Tang Long replied softly.

Just then!

Creak!

The door opened, and a young woman, about eighteen or nineteen years old, walked in. She looked impatient and complained to Ren Yuan, "Brother, it's so boring here. Hurry up and finish your chores, then take me around."

Seeing the young woman enter, Tang Long lowered his head, stared at his teacup, and remained silent.

Ren Yuan had brought another person with him besides himself, and that was the young woman before them.

"Ahem." Ren Yuan looked at the young woman with a stern face, but his tone was somewhat doting. "How can important gang matters be called chores?"

"After I'm done, I'll take you around."

"Hmph! By the time you're done, I'll be bored to death. Besides practicing and busy with gang missions, what else do you do?"

"If you don't take me, I'll go by myself."

With that, the young woman turned and ran out on her own.

"Chief, won't that be a bit unsafe?" Tang Long asked worriedly as the young woman ran off so directly.

"It's fine." Ren Yuan waved his hand. "My little sister is just throwing a tantrum. She knows her limits."

Outside the door, as the young woman stepped out, the impatient expression on her face vanished. Her eyes held curiosity and caution as she began to wander around the village. She had always lived in Guihua City, and while this rural scenery was ordinary, she rarely saw it.

At noon, Jiang Yan arrived at the plaza, his stomach empty. He scooped a large bowl of porridge, grabbed a large piece of dried meat and pickles, and two steamed buns. When he looked up, he saw Meng Sheng and Ying Cong also there, so he walked over.

As he approached, he suddenly noticed that the two were secretly glancing in a certain direction while eating.

Following their gaze, Jiang Yan looked.

A young woman was holding a large bowl and slurping her porridge.

"I never thought a beautiful woman like that could make such loud slurping noises."

"About the same as us."

The two of them whispered, the young woman's face was flushed, and her figure was graceful.

Jiang Yan glanced at her and then stopped paying attention. Based on some common tropes, such a woman was a point of conflict; one shouldn't even get close.

Gulp, gulp. She opened her mouth wide and drank half a bowl of porridge in one go, pinching small pieces of pickles, dried meat, and buns, eating them in a few bites, and then finishing the last half bowl of porridge.

After finishing lunch, Jiang Yan prepared to return and familiarize himself with the External Cultivation he had just mastered.

At this moment, the great carp, Talisman Soldiers, suddenly vibrated. Its entire dark body seemed to be coated in gold powder, and a layer of golden light shot up from the Talisman Soldiers into the sky, then spread outwards in all directions.

In just a few moments, a visible golden shield enveloped the entire Yuyang Village.

Many people's expressions changed drastically upon seeing this.

"What is this?"

Jiang Yan looked up. The golden shield seemed substantial, and in his vision, the sky was all gold.

"This is the Talisman Soldiers' sensing. Once it encounters a monster that even the Talisman Soldiers cannot resist, the Talisman Soldiers will activate with all their might," Tang Long said, also having arrived at the plaza.

"Talisman Soldiers' sensing?" Jiang Yan murmured to himself, his expression becoming solemn.

He knew that the last time the Talisman Soldiers' sensing occurred, a Ranked Monster had invaded Yuyang Village. That time, the patrol team suffered heavy casualties.

The world fell silent. After a while, wisps of demonic aurora appeared, like strands of colorful ribbons. They were beautiful yet terrifying, like the arrival of a ferocious beast, instilling a sense of endless dread.

High up in the sky, a woman in a black dress holding a sword appeared. Her clothes were layered and simple, inlaid with specks of silver light, like the silver moon in the night sky. Her face was hazy, covered by a faint layer of clear light, but it could still be seen that she was a beautiful woman.

When Jiang Yan saw this woman, he felt as if he was frozen in place. His left arm seemed to be enveloped by an indescribable coldness. Affected by this chill, his entire body seemed to be immobilized, unable to move.

He was absolutely certain in his heart that this was an incomparably powerful Monster!

A few breaths later, the woman vanished, and the aurora in the sky disappeared.

The Great Carp Talisman Soldiers also fell silent, and the golden shield dispersed.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Jiang Yan's body trembled slightly, "What is this? What is this?"

"This is Mirage Shadow!" Shan Renhu walked over. He had just noticed Jiang Yan's body trembling and came to support him.

"Mirage Shadow is a projection of a powerful Monster or martial artist. Don't think that just because we saw the woman clearly, she was close to us. In reality, she was very far away."

"Even a projection should be incredibly far away."

"Can a projection affect the sensing of Talisman Soldiers? How powerful must its true form be?" Jiang Yan asked himself silently.

Shan Renhu patted Jiang Yan's shoulder, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Yan shook his head, "I'm fine."

"Good, that's good."

At this moment, Tang Long walked over with the young girl who had been eating ravenously. He said to Jiang Yan, "Jiang Yan, Chief Ren has arrived at Yuyang Village and wishes to see you."

"Mm, alright." Jiang Yan hadn't expected Patrol Mountain Hall to move so quickly. However, he remained outwardly calm, his emotions undisturbed.

The three of them walked back to Tang Long's room together. Upon entering, Ren Yuan was already drinking tea, seemingly waiting for him.

Jiang Yan stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "This humble one is Jiang Yan, greetings, Chief."

Ren Yuan also sized up Jiang Yan carefully. He had messy black hair, sharp sword-like eyebrows, and star-like eyes – a truly handsome appearance.

"Brother Jiang, no need for such formalities. My name is Ren Yuan, Chief of Patrol Mountain Hall. You sensed Qi a few days ago and advanced to become a martial artist. I've called you here to issue your identification token and martial skills."

With that, he took out a dark iron plate. Jiang Yan's name was engraved on the front, and on the back were six simple characters: Junior Officer of Patrol Mountain Hall.

He handed it to Jiang Yan. Seeing Jiang Yan examining it from side to side, he smiled, "An identification token is something you get when your strength reaches a certain level. You can look at it again later. This time, I've brought three martial skills, and you can choose one."

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