The Secret Way of Immortality

The commotion from the Si Bu Study was significant, naturally attracting the attention of the yamen's constables, but they were all dispersed by the forbidden soldiers.

When Ren Qing woke up, it was already the next morning.

He felt cold all over, his clothes soaked with damp dew.

Looking around, Ren Qing found himself in a familiar dilapidated temple, and his expression immediately stiffened.

Ren Qing turned his head to look at the center of the temple, where a four-armed, six-eyed statue of a deity sat cross-legged, surrounded by swirling dust.

He didn't dare disturb it and waited patiently by the side.

After about two hours, Song Zongwu's practice finally ended, and he slowly walked down from the lotus throne.

"Greetings, Senior Song."

Song Zongwu patted Ren Qing on the shoulder and said, "Are you interested in joining the forbidden soldiers? I can be your guide."

"Senior Song, my strength is indeed limited."

Ren Qing refused with a stiff face. Originally, he had planned to bide his time until he reached the Ghost Envoy realm, but of course, if Song Zongwu insisted, there was nothing he could do.

Song Zongwu waved his hand dismissively, then asked curiously, "Besides the Human Skin Book, you should have mastered other techniques, right? Have you reached the level of a Half-Corpse?"

"Indeed."

Ren Qing knew he couldn't hide it from Song Zongwu, so he readily admitted it.

After all, there were many traces of fighting left in the room. Even if some were obscured by the intrusion of the Muscle Giant, it didn't mean they couldn't be detected.

He simply revealed the double pupils in his eyes to ensure that the Divine Foot Sutra would not be exposed. If he were mistaken for being connected to the Bloodhound Gang, he would never be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

And if the Bloodhound Gang learned that Ren Qing had mastered the Divine Foot Sutra at the Half-Corpse realm, they would definitely attack him, creating endless troubles.

Song Zongwu's heart was filled with surprise.

He had not taken Ren Qing seriously before, but now he found that the other party could be considered exceptionally talented.

When he was in prison, Ren Qing should have just entered the Martial Human realm, and the changes in his pupils were not obvious.

But how long has it been now? He has already reached the Half-Corpse realm. Could it be that his physique is perfectly suited to the technique?

Song Zongwu asked seemingly calmly, "Where does your double pupil come from? Which technique is it from?"

Ren Qing couldn't help but be stunned, then he realized.

Even Song Zongwu couldn't recognize the double pupils, which meant that there were not many people who practiced the No-Eye Method, and even the direction of mutation for double-pupil holders was unprecedented.

Thinking about it, that was indeed possible.

Many techniques have harsh prerequisites, and throughout history, there may be very few cultivators who have mastered them, so the mutation branches may not all have been discovered.

Ren Qing replied vaguely, "I don't know either. It's an unnamed technique I obtained by chance."

"..."

The corners of Song Zongwu's mouth twitched slightly. If he had learned before that someone could independently explore and step into the Half-Corpse realm, he would only think it was nonsense.

Because the risks of cultivation are everywhere, and a slight carelessness can lead to death and the dissipation of one's cultivation.

"Your luck is not bad. When a technique breaks through, it is very likely to encounter a tribulation, which contains great terror, said to be the intangible influence of the founder of the original technique."

"The higher the realm, the more careful you must be when breaking through."

Song Zongwu had another sentence he didn't say, which was that luck is also part of talent, and even luck accounts for a very large factor.

Ren Qing had never heard of the saying of tribulation, but he already believed most of it in his heart.

No wonder even if he cultivated the technique to a small success, the lifespan required to advance through the information stream was always constant.

So the role of the information stream is also to eliminate the tribulations when breaking through the realm.

Ren Qing carefully probed, "Is there a conflict between independent cultivation and devouring strange objects?"

Song Zongwu thought highly of Ren Qing, so he explained with particular patience, far more than what was recorded in "Notes from the Thatched Cottage."

"Let me give you an example..."

"Like mastering techniques by relying on the strange object of the Human Skin Book, then breaking through to the Half-Corpse realm requires any one of the strange objects of a Skinner, Leather Refiner, or Herder.

And if a Skinner wants to break through, they need the strange object of a 'Substitute Bone Demon'. Devouring different mutation paths is a dead end."

Song Zongwu said earnestly, "On the surface, it seems that devouring strange objects is a shortcut, but in reality, it is a road of no return."

The higher the realm of the strange object, the higher the intelligence. Even if it can be completely controlled, the degree of mutation cannot be controlled.

This uncontrollable mutation can even spread to all parts of the body, including every piece of flesh and blood and bones.

Thereby causing independent cultivation to become difficult, because there is no room for the technique to continue to develop throughout the body.

Simply put, the foundation is drained.

"You still have room. In the future, focus on the Double Pupil technique. As for the Human Skin Book, don't even think about advancing it, even if you get the corresponding strange object."

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Ren Qing felt that if there was no one to guide him, he would definitely not know how he died if he cultivated techniques under normal circumstances.

He couldn't help but ask curiously, "I usually use wooden sticks to beat my body, and I can clearly feel my skin becoming tougher. Is this the effect of the Human Skin Book?"

Song Zongwu didn't think much about it: "Each mutation direction has its own different cultivation methods. If you hone your skin, you will gradually move closer to the Leather Refiner."

"The Skinner relies on stripping off their own skin and regrowing it, while the Herder is even more bizarre. It is said that they can turn living people into livestock."

Ren Qing nodded.

He roughly understood the mutation branches of the Human Skin Book. The Leather Refiner is actually more like the Iron Shirt Skill, which is the most normal.

This couldn't help but make Ren Qing's heart itch, and he had the idea of advancing the Human Skin Book.

Song Zongwu said regrettably, "Because of the Human Skin Book, you can't cultivate any techniques related to the body. You can choose a third technique related to the internal organs."

He didn't know that Ren Qing's Human Skin Book was mastered through the information stream, and in fact, it didn't affect it.

Ren Qing continued to ask many questions he encountered in cultivation, and only stopped when the midday sun set.

Song Zongwu also told Ren Qing about the general situation of the Disaster Elimination Forbidden Zone.

During this period, although Song Zongwu did not mention joining the forbidden soldiers again, he repeatedly hinted that he could teach him techniques related to the internal organs.

Under the temptation of benefits, Ren Qing adhered to his original intention and resolutely refused all techniques, but Song Zongwu still saw through his little thoughts.

Song Zongwu couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Even if you master techniques, what can you do? Does Sanxiang City still have to rely on a small fireworker like you?"

Ren Qing's expression was a little awkward: "Then thank you, Senior Song."

Song Zongwu paused: "Besides, this time the Disaster Elimination Forbidden Zone will have to dispatch constables, and the stewards of each street can't escape."

Ren Qing wanted to refuse unwillingly, but he heard Song Zongwu continue to say: "Don't worry, it's just sealing off the surroundings. We won't enter it without absolute certainty."

Ren Qing had no choice but to nod: "About when will we go to the Disaster Elimination Forbidden Zone?"

"Within ten days. This matter can't be delayed. Fortunately, it's not dangerous for the constables."

After Song Zongwu finished speaking, he planned to leave. Before he left, he reminded: "Find some time to look through the saber techniques and martial arts. They will be of some use."

"Senior Song, I always feel like something is missing from the techniques?"

Song Zongwu did not choose to answer directly.

"You can also try to cultivate the Human Skin Book in the direction of the Leather Refiner. Although you can't break through the realm, you can at least enhance your strength."