"But no matter what, if we want to leave this place, we probably really do have to wait until this war is over."
"And it should have something to do with this talisman."
Sheng Nian waved the gold-and-red ancient talisman in his hand.
"Mm."
Song Yan nodded and took out his own. "I've met this great general of the Qin Kingdom."
Sheng Nian glanced at it, first startled, then smiling. "You've killed quite a few people."
Indeed he had.
Song Yan's ancient talisman had already turned black.
"General Bai said that gathering a thousand merit points would earn a reward."
As for what that reward was, explaining it to Sheng Nian would be troublesome. After some thought, Song Yan decided against it.
"Oh? There's such a thing?"
Sheng Nian gave a soft murmur of surprise. "I didn't know that. I've been observing the changes in the ancient talismans the others hold and haven't made a move yet."
"Merit accumulates very slowly if you just kill enemy officers."
"There are only so many Foundation Establishment defenders in Daming Pass. Even killing every last one of them would only earn a few hundred."
Song Yan shook his head. "I wonder whether killing cultivators from the other two kingdoms who carry ancient talismans would let us seize their merit."
Sheng Nian pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked toward the distant pass where the storm gathered.
"Are you here to capture Daming Pass too?"
"That's right." Song Yan put away the ancient talisman. "Once the fighting up ahead truly reaches fever pitch, this place will be the key to turning the tide."
Of course, he knew nothing of military strategy. He was merely parroting what Deputy General Luo Zheng had said.
"How do you plan to do it? Daming Pass's wind-and-lightning formation isn't