The commotion at Si Bu Hall was considerable, causing the Government Constables in the Government Office to gather, but they were all dispersed by the Forbidden Guard.
When Ren Qing woke up, it was already the next morning.
He felt a chill all over, his clothes soaked through with damp dew.
Looking around, Ren Qing realized he was in a familiar, dilapidated temple, and his expression immediately stiffened.
Ren Qing turned to look toward the center of the temple. A four-armed, six-eyed idol sat cross-legged, with thick clouds of dust swirling around it.
Not daring to cause a disturbance, he waited obediently to the side.
About four hours later, Song Zongwu's cultivation session ended. He then slowly descended from the Lotus Throne.
"Greetings, Elder Song."
Song Zongwu patted Ren Qing's shoulder and said, "Are you interested in joining the Forbidden Guard? I can be your sponsor."
"My strength is truly limited, Elder Song."
Ren Qing steeled himself and refused. 'I was originally planning to lie low until I reached the Ghost Envoy Realm. Of course, if Song Zongwu were to insist, I wouldn't have a choice.'
Song Zongwu waved his hand dismissively, then asked with curiosity, "Besides the Human Skin Book, you've mastered another Magic Technique, haven't you? Has it reached the Half-Corpse Realm?"
"That's right."
Ren Qing knew he couldn't hide it from Song Zongwu, so he readily admitted it.
'After all, there were plenty of signs of a fight in the room. Even though the intrusion of that muscle giant had obscured some of the evidence, it didn't mean nothing could be detected.'
He decided to simply reveal his Double Pupils, using them to ensure his Divine Sutra remained hidden. 'If people think I'm connected to the Blood Dog Gang, I'll be stained with a reputation I can never wash away.'
'And if the Blood Dog Gang found out I've mastered the Divine Sutra to the Half-Corpse Realm, they'd surely make a move against me. The trouble would be endless.'
Song Zongwu was inwardly astonished.
'I never took Ren Qing seriously before, but now I see he's exceptionally gifted.'
'Back in the Prison, Ren Qing must have only just entered the Martial Artist Realm; the changes in his pupils weren't obvious then.'
'But how much time has passed? He's already reached the Half-Corpse Realm. Could his constitution be a perfect match for this Magic Technique?'
Song Zongwu asked, his voice deceptively calm, "Which Magic Technique gave you those Double Pupils?"
Ren Qing froze for a second before it dawned on him.
'Even Song Zongwu doesn't recognize these Double Pupils. That must mean not many people cultivate the No-Eyes Technique. It might even mean that the mutation path for a Repeater is completely unheard of.'
'It's entirely possible, when I think about it.'
'Many Magic Techniques have strict prerequisites, so the number of Cultivators who've mastered them throughout history is likely small. As a result, not all of their potential mutation branches have been discovered.'
Ren Qing replied vaguely, "I'm not sure myself. I came across a nameless Magic Technique by chance."
"..."
The corner of Song Zongwu's mouth twitched. If anyone had told him before that someone could stumble their way into the Half-Corpse Realm on their own, he would have thought it was utter nonsense.
The risks of cultivation are ever-present; the slightest misstep can lead to utter annihilation.
"You're very lucky. When you break through with a Magic Technique, you will likely face a tribulation. They contain a great horror, which is said to be an intangible influence from the technique's original creator."
"The higher the Realm, the more careful you must be when breaking through."
What Song Zongwu didn't say was that luck is also a form of talent—in fact, it's a huge factor.
Ren Qing had never heard of tribulations before, but he was already mostly convinced.
'No wonder! Even after I've cultivated a Magic Technique to the stage of Minor Success, the amount of Lifespan the Information Flow needs to consume for an advancement is always a fixed amount.'
'So the Information Flow also eliminates the calamities that come with breaking through to a new Realm.'
Ren Qing probed cautiously, "Is there a conflict between autonomous cultivation and devouring a Mysterious Object?"
Song Zongwu's opinion of Ren Qing had risen considerably, so he explained with exceptional patience—far more than what was recorded in the *Grass Hall Travelogue*.
"For example..."
"If you master the Magic Technique from the Human Skin Book, then to break through to the Half-Corpse Realm, you must use a Mysterious Object of either the Skin Peeler, Skin Refiner, or Herder type.
And a Skin Peeler, in order to break through, requires the Mysterious Object of a Substitute Death Bone Demon. To consume something from a different mutation path leads only to death."
Song Zongwu said with great gravity, "On the surface, devouring a Mysterious Object might seem like a shortcut, but in truth, it is a road of no return."
The higher the Realm of a Mysterious Object, the greater its Spiritual Wisdom. Even if you can fully master it, the degree of your mutation becomes uncontrollable.
This uncontrollable mutation can spread to every part of your body, down to every last piece of flesh and bone.
As a result, autonomous cultivation becomes nearly impossible, because your entire body is left with no room for the Magic Technique to develop further.
Simply put, your foundation is completely drained.
"You still have room to maneuver. From now on, focus on your Heavy Pupil Technique. As for the Human Skin Book, don't even think about advancing it further, not even if you get your hands on the right Mysterious Object."
'Ren Qing felt that without a guide, anyone who tried to cultivate a Magic Technique normally wouldn't even know what hit them.'
He couldn't resist asking, "I've been hitting my body with a wooden stick every day, and I can definitely feel my skin getting tougher. Is that because of the Human Skin Book?"
Song Zongwu didn't think much of it. "Every mutation path has a different Cultivation Method. If you temper your skin, you will gradually move toward the path of a Skin Refiner over time."
"The Skin Peeler relies on flaying their own skin and letting it regrow. The Herder is even more grotesque; it's said they can turn living people into livestock."
Ren Qing nodded.
'He was starting to understand the mutation branches of the Human Skin Book. The Skin Refiner was basically like the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Shirt—the most normal of the paths.'
This couldn't help but tempt Ren Qing, sparking the idea of advancing his Human Skin Book.
Song Zongwu said regretfully, "Because of the Human Skin Book, you won't be able to cultivate any other Magic Techniques that involve the physical body. For your third technique, you could choose one related to the internal organs."
Little did he know that Ren Qing had mastered the Human Skin Book via the Information Flow, so it actually didn't affect him in that way.
Ren Qing continued to ask about many of the problems he'd encountered in his cultivation, and they didn't stop until the midday sun gave way to dusk.
Song Zongwu also gave Ren Qing a general overview of the Disaster Mitigation Forbidden Area.
During their conversation, Song Zongwu never mentioned joining the Forbidden Guard again, but he did hint several times that he could teach Ren Qing a Magic Technique related to the internal organs.
Tempted by the offer, Ren Qing still held true to his cautious nature and firmly refused any more Magic Techniques, but Song Zongwu saw right through his calculations.
Song Zongwu couldn't help but chide him with a laugh, "So what if you master a Magic Technique? Does Sanxiang City really need to rely on a mere Fireworker like you?"
Ren Qing looked a little awkward. "In that case, my thanks, Elder Song."
Song Zongwu paused for a moment. "Besides, we have to dispatch Government Constables for this trip to the Disaster Mitigation Forbidden Area. None of the Stewards from the various streets can get out of it."
Ren Qing, still unwilling to give in, tried to refuse, but Song Zongwu continued, "Don't worry. You'll only be part of the perimeter lockdown. We won't go in unless we are absolutely sure."
Ren Qing could only nod. "Roughly when are we heading to the Disaster Mitigation Forbidden Area?"
"Within ten days. This can't be delayed. Fortunately, it's not particularly dangerous for the Government Constables."
With that, Song Zongwu prepared to leave. As he was going, he added, "When you have a moment, go look up some Swordsmanship Martial Arts. It'll be somewhat useful."
"Elder Song, I always feel like there's something missing from the Cultivation Techniques."
Song Zongwu chose not to answer directly.
"You can also try cultivating your Human Skin Book toward the Skin Refiner path. Even though you won't be able to break through to a new Realm that way, you can at least increase your strength."