Ren Qing carefully thought about how to obtain the Wine God Technique without exposing himself.
And beside the Sand River, more and more Daoists gathered, soon reaching twenty to thirty people.
The entire Huang Sand City probably had just over a hundred officially-appointed Daoists. If the Huangsha Daoist Assembly continued to grow, it was inevitable that trouble would arise.
Ren Qing could also perceive that among the Daoists there were already people with ulterior motives, likely the authorities attempting to interfere.
But in their eyes there was all a fanaticism, as if they had been brainwashed by the Huangsha Daoist Assembly.
At this moment, footsteps came from inside the flat house, and an aged voice sounded: "Cough, cough, cough, everyone has waited long."
"Long time no see, Daoist Chenfeng."
"Daoist Chenfeng, safe and well."
"Daoist Chenfeng, it seems your cultivation has made progress again."
The Daoists greeted respectfully.
Ren Qing had not yet turned his head, but he sensed Daoist Chenfeng's qi was extremely weak, his lifespan was likely already near exhaustion, ready to die at any time.
Inside Daoist Chenfeng's body, the lungs trembled irregularly, features had grown upon them, currently controlling the body to speak and move.
Ren Qing lowered his head. The development of the matter seemed to become increasingly absurd.
How exactly had Chaoyangzi managed it, turning himself into another's internal organ? Such a hidden method was indeed seamless.
Ren Qing quietly walked forward, seeming to converse, but in truth to touch Daoist Chenfeng, then summoned out the flow of information.
[Liu Chen Feng]
[Age: Forty-eight]
[Lifespan: Seventy-three days]
[Technique: Qi Refining Method]
Apart from Daoist Chenfeng's information, indeed another person appeared.
[Chaoyangzi]
[Age: Thirty-nine]
[Lifespan: One hundred and thirty days]
[Technique: Wine God Technique (incomplete)]
Ren Qing performed a technique, the spiritual light at his fingertip disappearing without a trace.
The Heavenly Dao Dream Seed entered Daoist Chenfeng's body, quickly fusing with the lung that Chaoyangzi had transformed into, the latter not realizing at all.
Ren Qing checked Chaoyangzi's state, finding that half of his three souls and seven spirits had already dissipated.
Chaoyangzi appeared calm, mumbling endlessly about how to collect wine, but his mind was already filled with the desire for immortality.
He was about to lose control, a deviation of qi about to happen.
Ren Qing tried to search Chaoyangzi's memory for the Wine God Technique, but his soul was extremely unstable, the slightest carelessness would cause it to scatter to nothing.
He could only take it slowly, anyway, time was abundant.
As evening came, the temperature dropped sharply, the time for the Huangsha Daoist Assembly began.
Daoist Chenfeng, leaning on a cane, walked into the flat house, the rest quickly followed.
A bonfire was lit, the material being sun-dried insect skins, extremely expensive in Huang Sand City, ordinary Daoist temples could not bear to use it.
Ren Qing looked around.
The room was usually for storing miscellaneous goods, clear marks of items dragged on the walls and floor, evidently requisitioned temporarily.
In the middle was a huge stone table, enough for twenty to thirty people to sit around.
Food made of insect meat was placed upon the table, giving off bursts of fragrance, but everyone's attention was on Daoist Chenfeng.
Daoist Chenfeng said: "Fellow Daoists, no need to stand, please sit."
Tu Qingzi quickly responded: "The Huangsha Daoist Assembly is originally a place to exchange Daoist arts, there is no need to be too formal, just be at ease."
Only then did everyone move toward the stone table.
But in arranging seats, confusion arose, senior Daoists wanting to seize positions, the atmosphere slightly tense.
Daoist Chenfeng saw this, though did not speak, but in his heart grew displeased.
He extended his aged, weak arm and pointed at one person, within, Chaoyangzi let out a mad laugh, a flash of technique qi passing.
Bang!
That person exploded into minced flesh, blood spattering every corner of the room.
After brief panic, the Daoists quickly sat down.
For a moment the room was dead silent.
Daoist Chenfeng nodded in satisfaction, then again released spell qi, flesh and blood floated up, transforming into wine.
The wine hovered as raindrops in midair.
Then scattered down.
The Daoists scrambled to open their mouths to receive the wine, when the lungs absorbed the wine, the Qi Refining Method naturally advanced and broke through.
They began discussing how to conceal the Daoist's cause of death, and before long had already thought up excuses to fool the authorities.
Officially-appointed Daoists were already equivalent to officials, nearly half the power of the authorities.
It seemed Chaoyangzi was using such brutal means to buy hearts, even if an incident occurred, there was still Daoist Chenfeng to take the blame.
Daoist Chenfeng probably did not even realize he was being controlled by internal organs.
After casting his spell, Chaoyangzi became somewhat weak, no longer controlling Daoist Chenfeng, closing his eyes to rest.
The Heavenly Dao Dream Seed took the opportunity to pry into his memory, leaving as little trace as possible.
Ren Qing mainly feared the Wine God Technique involved too much, he had already prepared a retreat.
Daoist Chenfeng took out a worn Daoist scripture, opening it, and said: "Presumably fellow Daoists in past assemblies all gained much…"
He began long-winded speech, mostly citing examples from the scripture, unconsciously boasting the Qi Refining Method as marvelous.
The Daoists listened fascinated, but Ren Qing frowned.
Chaoyangzi indeed had tampering, according to his memory, the Wine God Technique was bestowed by an immortal in a dream one day.
When he awoke, the memory of the Wine God Technique was unforgettable.
Fortunately, Chaoyangzi obtained the Wine God Technique already seven or eight years ago, showing it was unrelated to Ren Qing's arrival, this was reassuring.
Moreover, Chaoyangzi's soul showed no abnormalities, theoretically eliminating him would not alert the one behind.
But better to let things develop for now.
Ren Qing carefully looked at the Wine God Technique in memory, then copied it onto the wall of the Prison Within the Abdomen, without viewing it in detail.
The information flow surged.
[Wine God Technique]
[Created by Meat and Wine Taoist, requires cooking thirty-six types of wine using men, women, old, and young as ingredients, only by drinking in combination can it be cultivated.]
His heart was ecstatic, obtaining the Wine God Technique was even simpler than imagined.
Ren Qing suppressed stray thoughts, without waiting to learn follow-up information of the Wine God Technique, his consciousness left the Prison Within the Abdomen, preparing to withdraw the Heavenly Dao Dream Seed.
But as he looked at Daoist Chenfeng's endless speech, suddenly a thought arose in his heart.
If the one behind was for spreading the Wine God Technique, then even if Chaoyangzi died, still they could entrust dreams to the Gobi people in Huang Sand City.
But the Wine God Technique required drinking thirty-six wines, the Qi Refining Method became the key.
Although Daoist temples indeed had means to turn lungs into wine, it was secret, impossible for outsiders to know.
So it could be foreseen, Chaoyangzi's crooked Qi Refining Method would inevitably spread, otherwise no one could cultivate the Wine God Technique.
Ren Qing's split soul went to the Dao Ancestor statue in the Prison Within the Abdomen, using the ability to fabricate techniques to alter the Qi Refining Method.
Daoist Chenfeng and Daoists discussed problems encountered in Qi Refining Method cultivation, none noticed Ren Qing silently thinking in the corner.
Several hours later.
Ren Qing opened his eyes, a trace of fatigue in his gaze.
[Wind and Sand Qi Refining Method]
[Created by Ren Qing, after cultivation the lungs manifest Liquor Transformation, blood gradually mixed with sand, and flesh throughout the body becomes extremely delicious.]
He could not stop the Gobi people from cultivating the Qi Refining Method, but with this, he could simultaneously lay the foundation of the Wind and Sand Method.
Otherwise, when the Restraint Officers' Hall took over the entire marsh, they would find all Gobi people had become lung-mutated old, weak, sick, and disabled.
Even if Chaoyangzi wished to alter the Wind and Sand Qi Refining Method, he must do so upon this foundation, unable to escape its root.
Ren Qing once more controlled the Heavenly Dao Dream Seed, altering Chaoyangzi's memory.
The Wind and Sand Qi Refining Method and the original were nearly the same, not taking long to complete.
Daoist Chenfeng belatedly reacted, speaking strangely: "The subsequent content of the Qi Refining Method, I shall tell you all, please listen clearly."
He spoke slowly, occasionally pausing, as if realizing the Wind and Sand Qi Refining Method, his aura incomparably profound.
It could be seen Chaoyangzi could subtly influence Daoist Chenfeng.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
No one could know whether they were the prey completing the loop.
The many Daoists unconsciously held their breath, some even writing madly, the Huangsha Daoist Assembly atmosphere reaching a climax.
When Daoist Chenfeng recited the Wind and Sand Qi Refining Method three times, it was nearly dawn, they awakened as from a dream.
"Wait some days and gather again, disperse for now."
Daoist Chenfeng coughed several times, then leaning on a cane walked toward the city, lungs faintly twisting in pain, nearly unable to breathe.
In Ren Qing's view, with Daoist Chenfeng's state he could not last a few days, Chaoyangzi must grasp the Wine God Technique within this time.
He silently left the Sand River.
Ren Qing did not plan to participate in the Huangsha Daoist Assembly again, just to see how matters would develop.
But he hesitated on whether to cultivate the Wine God Technique, feeling once he grasped it he might be passively drawn into the scheme, best to wait.
But he could view the Wine God Technique through information flow, to deduce the intentions of the one behind, finding a way to respond.
Of course, at worst, just flee directly.
Ren Qing had just returned to his courtyard and was about to enter, when suddenly his expression grew solemn, quickly rushing toward the city gate.
Within the sandstorm, a familiar qi was approaching.
He had only gone a few meters when from Yellow Crane Temple within the city came a furious shout, dreamlike immortal qi radiating out.
"Whence comes this otherworldly evil demon?!!"
A Ze elder stood atop the city wall, expression greedy.
Huanghe Immortal among the Ze was of the oldest seniority, for unknown reasons never chose Ascension, his cultivation trapped at the Other-Consumption Realm.
Those large Daoist temples also stirred, as if some Ze wanted to intervene.
Huanghe Immortal took out a horsetail whisk, upon his body numerous five-colored human faces, with sinister expressions, eerie laughter sounded from them.
The city went silent, but secretly dozens of gazes fixed upon the sandstorm.
Only to see countless black insects shuttling within the sandstorm, beaten thinner and thinner by wind and sand, soon only a few remained.
Ren Qing took a long breath.
How could Li Yaoyang have come to Huang Sand City, even if his power increased when mutation went out of control, he still could not pass the sandstorm's blockade?
Ren Qing helplessly covered his face.
It must have been the stone house he left at the storm's eye, giving Li Yaoyang the chance to rest and recover.
Huanghe Immortal could not help but laugh loudly, in his hand appeared a jade gourd.
He opened the mouth of the vessel, sucking the black insects that Li Yaoyang had transformed into inside.
"Otherworldly evil demon, nothing to fear!"