Patrol Mountain Hall

Jiang Yan and Ren Tao approached.

One could see a youth with delicate, feminine features speaking in a cold voice, though his volume was low enough that one had to be close to hear him clearly.

"The Dahe Gang certainly won't provide everyone with cultivation techniques and resources for nothing; there is no reward without effort."

Everyone understood this logic; just as in the mining area, one only received pay after hard labor, so to practice martial arts and change one's destiny, one had to follow the rules of the Dahe Gang.

It was just that they didn't know what price they would have to pay, a thought that lingered quietly in everyone's minds.

However, they would soon find out, as they were all facing a choice.

The Dahe Gang was highly efficient, completing the testing in less than two hours.

Those without the aptitude for martial arts were led away by their respective squad leaders, while a middle-aged man with a dark face stood on a stone platform and began to state the conditions of the Dahe Gang.

First, upon joining the Dahe Gang, the gang would provide cultivation techniques and martial arts skills at the Martial Apprentice level for everyone to practice.

Second, new recruits would join the Patrol Mountain Guard to patrol the villages at the foot of the mountain and ensure their safety.

The crowd looked at one another; joining the Dahe Gang was a given, as that was the only way to obtain the techniques.

As for joining the Patrol Mountain Guard, it didn't seem like something impossible to refuse, after all, the Dahe Gang shouldn't be in the business of feeding idlers.

Mingled in the crowd, Jiang Yan's eyes flickered. He was thinking deeply; while the Dahe Gang was not a tyrannical force, they would not let people practice their gang techniques for free. His gaze turned solemn...

Joining the Patrol Mountain Guard must be dangerous.

Connecting this to the victim who had died in such a miserable state after being possessed by a Sha yesterday, a dark premonition suddenly arose in his heart.

He continued to listen, but the dark-faced man only spoke of the Dahe Gang's rules and regulations, mentioning the duties of the Patrol Mountain Guard only in passing.

Unsurprisingly, everyone present chose to join the Dahe Gang.

It wasn't that no one guessed that joining the Patrol Mountain Guard might be dangerous, but the ability to practice martial arts was a crucial turning point in their lives—an opportunity no one was willing to give up.

In the afternoon, in a small village at the foot of the mining mountain.

This small village had formed spontaneously, inhabited by Dahe Gang members and the families of the miners.

Everyone generally called it Iron Mine Village.

With a "creak," Jiang Yan pushed open the wooden door. He had already changed into clean clothes, and a sense of vigor now showed between his brows.

At the same time, the door directly in front of him opened, and a youth dressed similarly to him stepped out.

The two exchanged a glance but did not speak, standing quietly in front of their respective rooms.

The sound of doors opening echoed incessantly in their ears, and a quarter of an hour later, the large courtyard was filled with people.

This was a building similar to a quadrangle courtyard, with a large yard in the center and cramped single rooms surrounding it.

After descending from the mine, everyone had been arranged to stay here, and the Dahe Gang disciples had left after telling them to rest there temporarily.

Shortly after, someone distributed daily necessities according to the rooms and informed them that the hall master of the Patrol Mountain Hall would come in the afternoon, warning everyone not to wander around.

Before long, footsteps sounded, and a lean young man walked in, followed by two middle-aged men.

Everyone could tell that this young man held a higher status.

Indeed, the young man spoke first, his voice somewhat cold: "Welcome to the Patrol Mountain Hall. The Patrol Mountain Guard offers high pay, and it is relatively easy to earn merit and be promoted. With merit, you will lack neither money, grain, nor techniques..."

The young Patrol Mountain Hall master's voice was indifferent, yet he described the Patrol Mountain Hall as the best place to be within the Dahe Gang.

Techniques, money, and grain seemed within easy reach; although they didn't know how much of his words were true, the confusion everyone felt about the future dissipated somewhat.

Some people already wore involuntary smiles on their faces, as if they could already see a bright future ahead.

At the end of his speech, the young man instructed: "As for the specific rules of our Patrol Mountain Hall, Tang Long and Fei Shan will introduce them to you now."

He glanced at the two middle-aged men beside him, said nothing more, and turned to stride away.

As soon as the young man left, the two middle-aged men, who had been slightly hunched, immediately straightened up.

Tang Long was a man with large eyes but no eyebrows, giving him an unapproachable air.

Tang Long stepped forward, his voice booming: "Brothers, this humble one is Tang Long. The brother beside me is Fei Shan. We currently serve as small team leaders in the Patrol Mountain Hall and have the trust of the hall master. From now on, you are all members of our patrol squad..."

Fei Shan, standing beside him, also spoke up: "It is getting late today, so the two of us will train you on the specific duties of the Patrol Mountain Guard tomorrow, and we will also impart the introductory martial arts techniques to you then. For now, pack your things; we need to reach Yuyang Village before dark to rest for the night. That will be our permanent base from now on."

Another round of commotion ensued as everyone picked up their simple luggage and followed the two team leaders toward the foot of the mountain.

Although they didn't know why the Dahe Gang's Patrol Mountain Hall would send the Patrol Mountain Guard to protect the villages at the foot of the mountain, it wasn't something they needed to consider right now; they would find out eventually.

Walking from the mine to Iron Mine Village, and then from Iron Mine Village toward Yuyang Village, they gradually moved away from the deep, dark mine tunnels. Even as the sun dipped lower and the sky slowly darkened, everyone felt an involuntary sense of relief.

They didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but surely, it couldn't be worse than wearing thin clothes and digging for ore in the mine tunnels.

As everyone thought this, they didn't expect that once the sky turned dark, Tang Long and his companion would suddenly quicken their pace, appearing quite anxious.

They were puzzled, but that didn't stop them from following closely.

The sun had set, leaving only a faint glimmer of light on the horizon.

As they reached the middle of the mountain and continued downward, Jiang Yan suddenly felt a chill. Looking around, he discovered that the surroundings had already turned dark; if one stared too long into the darkness, an involuntary sense of fearful trembling would arise.

Withdrawing his gaze, he saw that Tang Long ahead had raised a glowing object high. It was not a torch, but a wooden staff with a pale yellow talisman paper stuck to it, which was currently emitting a bright yellow light.

At the rear of the group, Fei Shan followed suit, one behind the other.

At this moment, Tang Long's voice rang out, sounding rather stern, "Brothers, we have reached the wilderness. You must stay close to me and try your best not to step off the Talisman Path. If anyone gets lost, I will have no choice but to abandon them."

His tone was grave and indifferent.

Not a single person in the group made a sound; clearly, they had all taken his words to heart.

The miners of the Dahe Gang mining area were all people who had come from afar seeking a living; most had been unable to survive and were forced to leave their homes, while some had even fled here after their settlements were overrun by anomalies.

None of them were strangers to the Talisman Path beneath their feet. The Talisman Path was laid down by the Imperial Court using immense manpower and resources to ensure circulation between regions, and it possessed a certain ability to suppress anomalies.

They had all arrived at the mining area by following these very paths.

Yet in the wilderness, especially at night, even the Talisman Path was extremely dangerous.

Jiang Yan stepped onto the Talisman Path and stomped hard; the texture was solid, though it was a bit narrow.

He had been in this world for over a month now, and he had already grasped many of the basic commonalities.

At this moment, as he walked quickly along the Talisman Path, he observed the surrounding environment with a mixture of wonder and caution.

Furthermore, he inadvertently moved closer to Tang Long. In his mind, to be a minor leader in the Patrol Mountain Hall, Tang Long must certainly possess real skill.

By staying by his side, even if they encountered danger, it was highly likely he could turn a crisis into safety.