Ren Qing opened his eyes and mentally reviewed his cultivation techniques once more.
Zhun had already begun slowing his speed, hovering over a section of the Flesh Plain while guiding Zhang Mu's soul back into his body.
Zhang Mu's condition was far better than Zhou Mei's. He had been stuck at the Half-Corpse Realm for over a decade and only chose to break through after gaining full confidence.
From the mission in Bazi Village, it was evident, though also caught in the illusion of a Supernatural Remnant, Zhang Mu had escaped it rather quickly.
Zhang Mu sat cross-legged on Zhun's back. Over the span of half an hour, his skin continuously emitted sizzling sounds.
The Black Arm Method was fundamentally toxin-based, making it far more dangerous than the Divine Leg Sutra, but Zhang Mu handled it with ease.
Even with large swaths of burns all over his body, he still held firmly onto his core.
Zhun nodded quietly to himself.
If Ren Qing gave him the sense of raw talent, then Zhang Mu was the embodiment of solid, step-by-step stability.
As soon as Zhang Mu opened his eyes, his missing right arm quickly regrew, forming a purplish arm.
However, after advancing to the Ghost Envoy Realm, that arm continuously emitted poisonous smoke, likely a side effect of his cultivation technique.
After Ren Qing inquired, he learned that after advancing, the Black Arm Method could store large amounts of toxins, but the body's capacity to contain them was limited.
Hence the poisonous mist leaking from his right arm.
Zhang Mu said helplessly, "Seems like I'll have to enter seclusion to control the toxins, otherwise I'll have to stay away from people."
Zhun reminded him, "You can go to the Ghost Market to find suitable materials to forge a magic artifact to bind the toxins from your right arm."
Zhang Mu gratefully replied, "That's definitely a solution, thank you, Senior Zhun."
Ren Qing suddenly asked, "Is it difficult to forge the kind of magic artifacts used by Restraint Officers?"
Though he hadn't yet decided to open a shop in the Ghost Market, he needed to figure out a way to make a living, he couldn't rely on nothing to earn lifespan.
Zhun patiently explained, "Actually, it's not difficult. Most magic artifacts exist to compensate for the flaws of cultivation techniques."
"But specific materials need to be processed with the right techniques, fire, for instance, requires a great deal of finesse…"
Zhun went on at length about the ins and outs of artifact crafting, and the more Ren Qing listened, the more intrigued he became.
Fire? Mirror-Faced could conjure any form of it. And with Double Pupils' predictive ability, his body control was beyond sharp.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have mastered mining techniques on Humpback Mountain so quickly.
Zhun continued, "There's a material called Poison Toad Skin sold in Great Dream Pavilion. It can absorb toxins, wrap it around the arm and that's it."
"But if you use that as the base and fuse it with Flesh Stone, the artifact will be able to meld into the skin."
Zhang Mu nodded thoughtfully, expressing thanks.
Zhun decided to clarify, "Some minor artifacts are designed to boost techniques, but artifacts are external tools, you shouldn't rely too heavily on them."
"Of course, lifebound artifacts are an exception. Also, some techniques generate specialized casting organs, your arm is one of them."
Ren Qing couldn't help but ask, "Are there any cultivators in the Restraint Officers' Hall who specialize in forging artifacts?"
Zhun replied, "Most Restraint Officers either make their own or just ignore the flaws their techniques bring."
Ren Qing fell silent for a moment, then probed, "Brother Zhang Mu, I've always had a keen interest in artifact forging."
Zhang Mu opened his mouth wide in surprise. Someone as talented as Ren Qing should focus solely on cultivation, why bother with crafting?
Ren Qing opened his palm, flames danced wildly, shifting form at will.
Then he took out Dragon-Snake Spine. The lifebound weapon still had a pale bone texture, but now faint traces of blood threaded through it, making it look like a real spine.
Zhun gave a brief nod of praise, "Ren Qing's lifebound weapon is quite good, most would need at least three years to nurture one to that level."
Zhang Mu agreed readily and the two of them agreed to meet again at the next Ghost Market to further discuss forging methods.
While they were talking, Zhun had arrived at the Skin Region.
Ren Qing and Zhang Mu both fell silent, Lin Cheng felt like someone forced onto the stage. His odds of successful advancement were slim.
Lin Cheng's soul returned to his body. It was clear he hadn't absorbed much soul energy, barely enough to maintain lucidity.
The amber that had sealed the silver snake shattered, and the mutation surged violently.
Lin Cheng could barely stay conscious; his serpentine body twisted constantly, showing no signs of reverting to a human form, instead, he seemed to be becoming more beast-like.
Ren Qing initially thought Lin Cheng stood no chance, but the man proved more resilient than expected.
Even as a five-meter-tall malformed python, he retained a sliver of reason, even Zhun couldn't help but be impressed.
Unlike Ren Qing's quick ascension, Lin Cheng's process lasted over two hours, it could only be described as a brush with death.
When it was all over, Lin Cheng looked as if he had been skinned alive.
He lay panting on Zhun's back, and his snake form began to shed.
Moments later, a half-man, half-snake Lin Cheng emerged. Even the Snake Molting couldn't fully resist the mutation's corrosion.
He first thanked Ren Qing and the others, then sat cross-legged with his eyes closed to recover.
Zhun hesitated but said nothing. Ren Qing noticed something odd too.
Lin Cheng's aura wasn't even at the Ghost Envoy level, how could he possibly survive three rounds of mutation?
The group fell into silence.
Zhun spread his wings and flew toward the exit of the Nether Feather. Regardless, of the five Half-Corpse Realm cultivators, three had successfully ascended.
That was considered a decent outcome for the Restraint Officers' Hall, enough to replenish their depleted ranks.
They soon returned to the Restraint Officers' Hall.
Zhun left immediately, and Zhang Qiu took Lin Cheng away.
Ren Qing said farewell to Zhang Mu and chose to continue cultivating in seclusion at the Corpse Burners' Hall to solidify his new realm.
Self-cultivation wasn't as safe as trading lifespan for advancement, he had to carefully meditate on the Blindless Method to avoid mishaps.
But Ren Qing had barely settled in when Song Zongwu came knocking.
Ren Qing had thought Song Zongwu had come to check on his progress in becoming a Ghost Envoy. But surprisingly, it was related to a mission from the Restraint Officers' Hall.
Song Zongwu said calmly, "Some Restraint Officers will be reassigned for a mission soon. You'll take over handling the civil exam matters."
"Just me?"
Ren Qing was a bit surprised. Aren't most Restraint Officers' missions carried out in teams?
"You're to assist the yamen in maintaining order, primarily to prevent any unexpected incidents."
After saying that, Song Zongwu turned to leave, but Ren Qing stopped him out of curiosity.
"Senior Song, is the Restraint Officers' Hall's mission related to the Tudi?"
Song Zongwu hesitated a few moments before saying, "The Tudi tried to seize the Supernatural Remnant of the Winter Insect Formula. Naturally, the Restraint Officers' Hall must respond."
The Winter Insect Formula was definitely related to the Summer Grass Formula, most likely it was the Hall who gave it to the Tudi in the first place.
Ren Qing wanted to ask more, but shut his mouth under Song Zongwu's sharp gaze.
Cordyceps is a fungus that parasitizes insects, drawing nutrients before sprouting from the host's body.
It was unclear what function such a vessel had for a Supernatural Remnant.
Ren Qing then brought up Twin Nightmare Ghosts and proposed the idea of entering dreams to open a shop in the Ghost Market.
He thought Song Zongwu would take time to consider, but to his surprise, he immediately agreed, and even planned to personally ask the Great Dream True Person.