Just as the Ascension Conference was about to begin, the death toll in Huang Sand City suddenly reached a peak, but within a few days it sharply dropped back to the starting point.
The Daoist temples seemed to be seizing the opportunity to cultivate Ze People, though it was unclear for what purpose.
Even the Self-Consumption Realm used Liu Chuan's name to recruit several Daoist boys.
Ren Qing, although only responsible for Yellow Crane Temple, still had to make three or four trips a day to the mass grave, and even ran into other monks performing rites of deliverance.
Fortunately, the temples soon restrained themselves somewhat.
In his spare time, Ren Qing mainly focused on stabilizing his split soul.
Ever since the split soul transformed into a Ze Person, aside from everything else, his abilities related to The Blindless Method had indeed improved, becoming smoother.
Moreover, it had provided no small help for progress in Binding the Yin God. For the first time in the Yin Runner Realm, Ren Qing could visibly perceive his speed of improvement.
Once he broke through to Merging the Yin God, he could consider constructing a spell with the Lord of Absolute Darkness as its core. At that time, his strength would see a great leap.
As for The Taotie Method, it would have to be put off for now.
Ren Qing could not help but feel his lifespan was insufficient, so he began to plan for taking control of the Ghost Market, already having some rough ideas in mind.
But he was also considering that since he would be leaving Huang Sand City soon, there was no need to increase variables. Everything should be carried out steadily.
Ren Qing stayed reclusive, while the waters of Huang Sand City grew ever more turbid.
Perhaps due to the existence of certain rules, the Daoist temples did not erupt into conflict, but only focused on recruiting Daoist boys and teaching them the Water Marsh Method.
Ren Qing truly could not understand, Ze People such as Huanghe Immortal had already completed Five Qi Facing the Origin, so why was there any need for fake Ze People?
And the construction of the stone platform buried dozens of bones.
Not long after, Huanghe Immortal impatiently began the Ascension Conference.
The ground suddenly trembled.
The many Gobi people devoutly looked toward Yellow Crane Temple.
A huge stone platform slowly rose, upon which faint traces of birdsong and fragrant flowers could be glimpsed, with celestial maidens dancing in accompaniment, and celestial cranes flying in circles.
They knelt down on the ground, continuously muttering words of reverence for Huanghe Immortal, some even smashing their foreheads until blood streamed down.
As tens of thousands moved in unison, Ren Qing silently transformed into a ghostly shadow, slipping through the interconnected shadows of the buildings.
He glanced at the stone platform in the sky. What his Double Pupils saw was entirely different from what the naked eye could see.
Trees pieced together from human bones stood at the center of the stone platform. On the branches hung a few bloody birds, while skeletal celestial maidens dangled, swaying in the wind.
With Huanghe Immortal arranging it this way, it was difficult for Ren Qing not to suspect his mental state.
"Respectfully sending Huanghezi to ascend as an immortal."
The chanting arose.
Then came the gathering of a hundred immortals.
Ze People from various temples flew toward the stone platform, immortal aura scattering in all directions, turning the once barren and boundless marshlands into something like a celestial realm.
The rocky peaks on both sides of the Gobi sprouted green vegetation. Looking closely, one could even spot a few monkeys playing among them.
Ren Qing immediately understood why Ze People were called "Immortals."
The abilities of Ze People were similar to illusions, altering the environment through consciousness.
Under the effect of dozens of Ze People, even Ren Qing was almost deceived. Fortunately, the Immortal in the Mirror was also skilled in illusions.
The common folk watched, utterly entranced, even wishing to climb onto the Gobi themselves.
Even if the illusory realms displayed by Ze People could be seen everywhere in Xiangxiang, the Marshlands were, after all, a place where all living creatures had perished.
Ren Qing did not find Liu Chuan's figure. He guessed Liu Chuan lacked the wit to participate in the Ascension Conference, and perhaps might use this to survive.
He came to the gates of Huang Sand City but did not immediately rush toward the sandstorm.
In Ren Qing's eyes, since Huanghe Immortal had yet to appear, it was not the best time to leave, lest things backfire.
He hid for half an hour before at last someone walked out of Yellow Crane Temple.
Huanghe Immortal's appearance had undergone a shocking change. A head the size of a fist had grown on the right side of his neck, with a human face upon it.
The human face faintly bore the likeness of Li Yaoyang, seemingly still retaining consciousness.
In order to resist the Supernatural Remnant, Huanghe Immortal had become utterly deranged, killing a kneeling welcoming Daoist monk casually as he walked.
Ren Qing suddenly realized that the Guishi Realm required the digestion of three kinds of Supernatural Remnants, and in the end a Ze Person should have four heads.
"Could it be the cutting of three corpses? That's far too bizarre."
When the great cultivator first created the Water Marsh Method, though he had not considered advancing to the Yang God Realm, he still harbored ambition, thus making the Guishi Realm attempt to compensate for its flaws.
When a Ze Person digested a Supernatural Remnant, they could naturally obtain part of its abilities.
For instance, Huanghe Immortal, if he digested Li Yaoyang, the immortal aura should transform into massive swarms of insects, terrifying in the extreme.
But the limitations of the Water Marsh Method remained.
The Supernatural Remnant within a Ze Person's body would become a dead object, and thus their potential would be consumed.
Of course, for Ren Qing this was not without benefit. If the three corpses cut away by his split soul were all Supernatural Remnants of Double Pupils wielders, stacked layer upon layer, he would surely undergo a complete metamorphosis.
Ren Qing narrowed his eyes at Huanghe Immortal, suddenly seeing through Li Yaoyang's intentions.
He had actually split his three souls and seven spirits into ten parts, distributing them within Huanghe Immortal's three flowers, five qi, and one corpse, while his most important heavenly soul still guarded the Supernatural Remnant.
Ren Qing had previously told Li Yaoyang the detailed information about the Water Marsh Method, and Li Yaoyang had indeed found a way to respond.
It was just uncertain what the outcome would be.
But no matter what, Li Yaoyang was in a weak position. If he wanted to turn the tables, he had to take desperate risks.
Huanghe Immortal shook his robe sleeves, flicking the horsetail whisk in his hand with force.
His body floated up toward the stone platform in mid-air. Even the White Dragon Immortal, no matter how senior, had to make way for him.
However, because of the turmoil of the Supernatural Remnant, Huanghe Immortal's aura was extremely unstable, causing changes in the surrounding illusion.
Large swarms of locusts landed on the vegetation, quickly devouring the greenery until nothing remained, returning the Gobi to its original desolation.
"Hehehehehe..."
Huanghe Immortal landed on the stone platform, dozens of Ze People's gazes turning toward him in unison.
Qingfeng Immortal appeared as a girl of eighteen or nineteen years, her eyes locked onto Huanghe Immortal.
Then, in a calm tone, she said: "This way of becoming an immortal does not feel as profound as I imagined."
"Crack crack crack... you do not understand... only by becoming an immortal... can one transcend... everything."
As Huanghe Immortal spoke, his tone constantly shifted, sometimes becoming Li Yaoyang's voice, extremely bizarre.
From the lotus-shaped mouthpart on his forehead even spurted blood.
White Dragon Immortal's appearance was that of a man in his early thirties.
He spoke coldly: "Huanghezi, you must Ascend. Once at Qingxu Palace, there will be no worldly pleasures..."
The five human faces across White Dragon Immortal's body licked their lips. Though he did not want to ascend to Qingxu Palace, he still longed to glimpse the Supernatural Remnant.
"What meaning does this world... have? Is Huang Sand City not just... a prison."
Huanghe Immortal's smile was sickly, and blood poured out again. A Supernatural Remnant of the Ghost Envoy Realm was not so easy to deal with.
White Dragon Immortal could not help but take half a step forward, his breathing growing heavier.
Even though Qingxu Palace had set down rules for Huang Sand City, including that Ze People were not allowed to slaughter each other, he was still tempted.
The other Ze People, seeing this, took the initiative to form factions, gradually splitting into three groups, with Qingfeng Immortal leading the largest neutral faction.
"Ugh."
At this moment Huanghe Immortal let out a muffled groan, the turmoil of the Supernatural Remnant in his body growing even fiercer.
"Huanghezi, may fortune be with you."
Seeing this, White Dragon Immortal made no further moves, instead watching Huanghe Immortal with a strange expression, constantly making mocking clicking sounds with his mouth.
But then he could no longer laugh.
Huanghe Immortal's situation suddenly eased, and it was obvious his expression was no longer so dazed, gradually returning to cold resentment.
Once clear-headed, he threatened: "Bailongzi, you too can choose to ascend. Qingxu Temple surely has a place for you."
White Dragon Immortal said no more, standing with hands behind his back.
Huanghe Immortal showed a wild smile, closing his eyes tightly as if sensing the surge of cultivation, gradually heading toward attaining immortality.
But Ren Qing sensed something was off. Li Yaoyang's soul was indeed diminishing, but it seemed to be voluntary.
From his distance he could not see clearly, only that the three souls and seven spirits were fighting within Huanghe Immortal's body.
The situation resembled refining gu...
The souls devoured each other to preserve a thread of life for themselves. As for the result, it depended on Li Yaoyang's fate.
Huanghe Immortal floated toward the clouds. Cutting three corpses required gradual effort, but he no longer had patience, wishing to ascend to Qingxu Palace as quickly as possible.
Qingxu Palace gradually appeared, the Pustule Daoist faintly visible.
All the Ze People were guided by the power of Ascension. Spiritual light rose from within the temples, three or four dozen Ze People following along.
Most were newly born Ze People of recent days.
No wonder the temples had so aggressively recruited Daoist boys, it was so they could take the place of White Dragon Immortal and others in ascending to Qingxu Palace.
Even the split soul within Ren Qing's Niwan Palace sensed a mysterious force pulling.
Ren Qing's expression grew hesitant.
Logically speaking, he could use his split soul to investigate Qingxu Palace. At worst he would lose some lifespan needed for advancing to the Other-Consumption Realm, hardly a real loss.
But before Ren Qing could think further, the agitation of his split soul disappeared.
The Daoist gate above the Pustule Daoist's head opened, and those Ze People surged in, used to supplement the ants feeding the aphids.
Ren Qing stepped into the sandstorm, the wind slapping his body with crackling force.
Fortunately, on the outer edge of the sandstorm, with his cultivation he could barely endure it.
Ren Qing turned back to look.
It was his first time seeing Qingxu Palace manifest into physical form. Unable to resist, under the cover of the wind and sand, he affixed three Dream Seeds to his forehead.
The Pustule Daoist still showed no sign of life, but the strange face on the back of his head was somewhat active, though appearing in pain.
The strange face's mouth split open into a chrysanthemum-like orifice, from which torrents of water poured forth.
The water vaporized in moments, with stones mixed in falling like rain.
The Ze People swarmed to carry the stones upward, intending to add bricks to the Daoist temple.
Ren Qing's eyelids twitched wildly.
His split soul immediately entered the Wuwei Daoist Altar, where indeed a new crack had appeared in the pond, and the water level was dropping further.
From the water quality and the damaged pond walls it was clear, the Wuwei Daoist Altar was actually connected to the Heavenly Dao Worm of Qingxu Temple.
Good heavens, the Heavenly Dao Worm on the Pustule Daoist's body was actually Heavenly Daozi's.
Heavenly Daozi, because of cultivating the Beast Pen Method, had his body destroyed. Wuwei Monastery was likely attached inside the Heavenly Dao Worm's body.
Could it be that the Pustule Daoist was Heavenly Daozi?
Impossible, the two were definitely not the same person.
The Heavenly Dao Worm should be something raised by a certain cultivator...
Wait, was Qingxu Temple raising a Heavenly Dao Worm, or was it Heavenly Daozi within Wuwei Monastery, about to transform into the Supreme Heavenly Demon?