The Secret Way of Immortality

Chapter 99: Opening a Shop to Sell...

Ren Qing briefly reorganized his spells.

The Mortise had already begun to slow down, hovering above a certain fleshy plain, receiving Zhang Mu's soul.

Zhang Mu's situation was much better than Zhou Mei's. He had been stuck in the Half-Corpse Realm for over a decade, only choosing to advance when he was confident enough.

The mission in Eight Character Village showed that even when trapped in the illusion of a strange object, he could quickly break free.

Zhang Mu sat cross-legged on the Mortise's back. Over half an hour passed, during which his skin constantly emitted sizzling sounds.

The Black Arm Technique was primarily based on poison, making it far more dangerous than the Divine Foot Scripture, but Zhang Mu controlled it with ease.

Even with large burns all over his body, he firmly maintained his original intention.

The Mortise nodded inwardly.

If Ren Qing gave him the feeling of extraordinary talent, Zhang Mu represented the stability of the mediocre.

The moment Zhang Mu opened his eyes, his missing right arm quickly grew back, soon forming a purple-skinned arm.

However, after advancing to the Ghost Envoy Realm, his arm constantly seeped out poisonous smoke, likely a drawback of the technique.

After Ren Qing stepped forward to inquire, he learned that the Black Arm Technique would accumulate a large amount of poison when advancing to the Ghost Envoy Realm, but the body's tolerance was limited.

That was why his right arm was discharging poisonous mist.

Zhang Mu said helplessly, "It seems I have to go into seclusion to control the poison, otherwise I can only stay away from towns."

The Mortise reminded him, "You can go to the Ghost Market to find suitable materials to forge a magic tool to restrain the poison produced by your right arm."

Zhang Mu said gratefully, "That is indeed a good idea, thank you, Senior Mortise."

Ren Qing's mind stirred, and he asked, "Are the magic tools used by Jailers difficult to refine?"

Although he couldn't be sure about opening a shop in the Ghost Market yet, he still had to find a way to make a living, otherwise how would he earn lifespan?

The Mortise patiently explained, "Actually, it's not difficult. Most magic tools are to compensate for the flaws of spells."

"However, it requires processing materials, for example, the flames produced by spells also require meticulous handling..."

The Mortise spoke at length about refining tools, and the more Ren Qing listened, the more he felt it was possible.

Not to mention flames, the Mirror Image could transform into anything, and the Foresight of the Double Pupil gave him control over his body.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have mastered the techniques of mining in Camelback Mountain so quickly.

The Mortise continued, "There is a material in the Great Dream Pavilion called Poison Toad Skin, which can absorb poison. You can wrap it around your arm."

"But if you use this material as the main component and combine it with Flesh Stone, the forged magic tool will have the characteristic of merging into the skin."

Zhang Mu nodded thoughtfully in gratitude.

The Mortise simply explained, "There are also a small number of magic tools that are meant to strengthen spells, but magic tools are external objects after all, and should not be relied on too much."

"Of course, except for natal magic tools, and some spells will generate spellcasting organs. Your arm can also be considered one of them."

Ren Qing couldn't help but ask, "Does the Jailer Hall have cultivators who forge magic tools?"

The Mortise replied, "Most Jailers choose to refine them themselves, or simply ignore the flaws brought about by spells."

Ren Qing then fell into deep thought, and then tentatively said, "Brother Zhang Mu, actually, I am very interested in refining tools."

Zhang Mu opened his mouth in surprise. A genius like Ren Qing should focus on cultivation, why would he want to master refining tools?

Ren Qing opened his palm, and the flames danced erratically.

Then he took out the Dragon Serpent Spine.

This natal magic tool was still a pale bone, but somehow it had more blood streaks, looking like a real spine.

The Mortise praised, "Ren Qing's natal magic tool is really good. It would take at least three years for others to nurture it."

Zhang Mu nodded in agreement. The two agreed to meet when the next Ghost Market opened, and then discuss how to refine tools.

Just as they were talking, the Mortise had arrived at the Skin Area.

Ren Qing and the others stopped talking, always feeling that Lin Cheng was being forced onto the stage, and the probability of success was too low.

Lin Cheng's soul returned to his body, and it was obvious that he had not absorbed much soul aura, barely maintaining his sanity.

The amber that sealed the Silver Snake cracked into pieces, and the mutation frantically eroded him.

Lin Cheng could only barely maintain consciousness. The snake body twisted constantly, showing no sign of transforming into a human form, but instead becoming more and more like a beast.

Ren Qing thought that Lin Cheng had no possibility of advancing, but the other party was more tenacious than he imagined.

Even transformed into a five-meter-long deformed giant python, he still retained some sanity, and even the Mortise couldn't help but marvel.

Compared to Ren Qing's brief advancement process, Lin Cheng lasted a full two hours, which can only be described as a narrow escape from death.

When everything finally calmed down, Lin Cheng was like someone who had been skinned.

He lay on the Mortise's back, panting heavily, and then the snake body began to shed its skin.

A moment later, the half-human, half-snake Lin Cheng crawled out. It could be seen that even snake slough could not completely eliminate the erosion of mutation.

He first thanked Ren Qing and the others, and then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes to recuperate.

The Mortise hesitated to speak when he saw this, and Ren Qing also noticed the clue.

Lin Cheng's aura could not be considered the Ghost Envoy Realm at all. In this way, how could he survive the three Strange Changes?

Everyone was silent.

The Mortise spread its wings and flew towards the exit of the Underworld Land. In any case, at least three of the five Half-Corpse Realm cultivators successfully advanced.

This was already good in the Jailer Hall, just enough to replenish the lost personnel.

They soon returned to the junction of the stomach wall ribs.

The Mortise then left, and Lin Cheng was also taken away by Zhang Qiu.

After Ren Qing bid farewell to Zhang Mu, he chose to continue to retreat in the Fire Worker Hall to stabilize his cultivation.

Independent cultivation was not as harmless as consuming lifespan. He had to patiently visualize the Eyeless Technique to avoid accidents.

However, Ren Qing had not been stable for a few days when Song Zongwu came to his door.

Ren Qing thought that Song Zongwu was here to see him advance to the Ghost Envoy Realm, but he didn't expect it to be related to the mission arranged by the Jailer Hall.

Song Zongwu said faintly, "The Jailers will be transferred to perform the mission in a while, and the imperial examination matters will be handed over to you."

"Me?"

Ren Qing was a little surprised. Didn't the Jailer Hall's missions guarantee multiple cultivators?

"You will help the government maintain order, mainly to prevent accidents."

After Song Zongwu finished speaking, he turned around to leave, and Ren Qing curiously stopped him.

"Senior Song, is the Jailer Hall's mission related to the Land?"

Song Zongwu hesitated for a few breaths and said, "The Land is trying to seize the strange object of the Winter Worm Mantra, and the Jailer Hall will naturally take action."

The Winter Worm Mantra must be related to the Summer Grass Mantra, and it is likely that the Jailer Hall took the initiative to give it to the Land.

Ren Qing wanted to ask a few more questions, but he decisively closed his mouth in Song Zongwu's gaze.

Winter worm summer grass refers to a kind of fungus that parasitizes insects, absorbs nutrients, and grows into plants after breaking out of the body.

I don't know what use it is to accommodate strange objects in this body.

Ren Qing then mentioned the ability of the Twin Nightmare Demons, and said that he wanted to go to the Ghost Market to open a shop by using Dream Walking.

He thought that Song Zongwu would consider it for a moment, but he didn't expect him to agree quickly and planned to personally ask the Great Dream Master.