This is the first time I've ever heard of a dual-mode general talisman—it's like carrying a poison doctor with you, absolutely top-tier!

Big Charles asked excitedly, "Why are you an 'hermit'?"

Samuel Grant sighed, "My father lost Jingzhou. Even though our lord treats my family as before, the other courtiers actually have their opinions, and the common people gossip behind our backs. I feel terrible, so I simply hid my identity and came to Southern Shu, learning the local arts of witchcraft and medicine. You can try switching modes."

So that's how it is. After all, Guan Yu was a defeated general. After the fall of Shu Han, he was only worshipped as a vengeful spirit in Jingzhou folk rituals, and it wasn't until the Sui dynasty centuries later that he was officially honored again. Later Shu posthumously honored Zhuge Liang and Zhang Fei, but not Guan Yu. Zhao Kuangyin of the Northern Song even removed Guan Yu from the Temple of Martial Saints for being a defeated general. Guan Yu's family was not as glorious as players might imagine.

Time to switch modes!

In the next moment, the golden talisman's flames dimmed, turning into rolling dark green fire. The image of the blue-robed heroine transformed into a masked, black-robed figure with a wide cloak and a bamboo hat, carrying a bamboo basket on her back. Two large bamboo tubes stuck out of the basket, with gourds and a banana-leaf fan hanging outside. The name of the general talisman suddenly changed to "Gu San Gu"!

Big Charles was overjoyed!

Looking across the Three Kingdoms, who would know of a character called Gu San Gu? No one would ever associate this look with Guan Yinping! This could save so much trouble!

You have to know, my current situation isn't like Lü Bu marrying Diao Chan, but more like Wu Da marrying Jin Lian. How many jealous, crazy big shots would come to me for Guan Yinping's strategy? Not to mention, Chicken Bro is now the boss of Yongchang City, and he would absolutely—

That's right, as soon as I get the general talisman, he'll definitely force me to hand over the strategy. Even if I tell him the strategy is "spend all your fortune and don't fear death," would he believe it? He'd probably kill me!

Big Charles asked urgently, "Miss Guan San, I want to get stronger right away. Is there a place suitable for me to quickly train?"

Samuel Grant replied with satisfaction, "Very good. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, when many poisonous insects become weak and gather together to avoid the yang energy—it's the perfect time to catch them all in one net. And as yin reaches its peak, yang is born; as yang reaches its peak, yin is born. There's a Ten Thousand Gu Cave beneath my Pure Yang Secret Realm. Do you dare to go?"

A leveling map! And it's clearly a holiday bonus event!

Big Charles didn't hesitate: "I'll go! I wasn't even afraid of dying just now."

Samuel Grant said solemnly, "Then take a rooster with you. Roosters are pure yang creatures, fond of eating poisonous insects, and can find the hiding places of powerful ones. If it eats a particularly evil insect, it might gain a blessing and become a spirit beast, at which point it can recognize you as its master. Remember, at the hour of You (5–7 pm), the poisonous insects will regain their strength. You must leave the cave by then, and I'll bring you up."

A spirit beast! Even the pet is prepared! But it seems there's not much time.

Big Charles felt even more urgency: "I'll give it my all!"

……

Behind the farm was a narrow, dark, and gloomy well. The old wooden pulley and bucket swayed in the cold wind at the wellhead, while several fat hens pecked at something nearby.

This was nothing like the grand, dark scene I imagined!

Big Charles felt his skin crawl as he looked: "This is the Ten Thousand Gu Cave?"

Samuel Grant nodded, "Yes. It was originally an underground karst cave, but drought dried it up, making it the perfect hiding place for poisonous insects. The terrain is complex and interwoven. You'll go down in this rope bucket. Use the talisman's flames for light. For ordinary swarms, use the Gu San Gu mode, but ammo is limited and needs to be replenished. Get familiar with it, and she'll answer your basic questions."

So the bamboo tubes and gourds in the basket are weapons and ammo? Comparable to Zhuge Liang's fire beasts for pacifying the south—high-end!

Big Charles couldn't wait to see the power of the general talisman.

So Big Charles wrapped his mouth and nose with a sweat cloth, hugged the rooster in one arm, and held onto the rope bucket with the other as he descended into the well. Soon, he could no longer see the narrow patch of sky above.

The green flames of the general talisman became Big Charles's only light.

Then Big Charles saw the well walls covered in white spider silk, and palm-sized spiders!

Big Charles's scalp tingled as he imagined countless spiders burying him alive...

Then Big Charles descended into a mass of cold, dark mist, and even through the sweat cloth, he could smell the stench.

—System prompt: Warning! You have entered the demonic realm: Ten Thousand Gu Cave.

Big Charles's heart trembled. It was actually a demonic realm!

According to this world's classification, celestial realms are high-difficulty, friendly dungeons with big rewards; secret realms are neutral, hidden quest dungeons; demonic realms are hostile dungeons with high-level monsters—normally, entering one is suicide! And with the holiday restriction, you have to leave before the hour of You, so does that mean the real trial is after dark?

—General talisman Gu San Gu prompt: Large quantities of insect oil materials detected. You can collect them to refine insect fire oil.

It really gives prompts!

Big Charles looked down and saw a sea of green below, with an overwhelming stench. Countless wriggling insects covered the ground—there wasn't even a place to step!

Damn!

To say I'm not afraid of death—Big Charles was determined! But even if I really wanted to die, it wouldn't be by jumping into a cesspit or an insect pit. This kind of disgust makes it impossible to even want to die!