However, Jin Bing seemed to remember something and forcibly suppressed his bestial urges.
Ren Qing didn't notice this at all, and even if he had; he probably wouldn't have cared.
The stream of information indicated that mastering the "Eight Extremities Leg Technique" would only cost him five days of his lifespan.
It seemed like a good deal, but without much hesitation, he chose to give it up.
In Ren Qing's eyes, the so-called Eight Extremities Leg Technique was like a shoddy version of a magical art. Moreover, there was no information about advancement, meaning it had no potential.
After practicing it, the only benefit would be slightly more strength than an ordinary person, but the physical mutations in the legs were far too obvious, it was simply not worth it.
However, from the cultivation technique's information, he could deduce that Chen Yongxing had long been using his own leg meat to nurture disciples. Back then, he probably hadn't yet reached the point of losing control.
Ren Qing glanced at Jin Bing out of the corner of his eye and remained silent.
Time passed slowly until footsteps echoed outside the training hall, followed by the familiar voice of Chen Lihua:
"It's almost time for dinner."
Everyone was instantly roused.
Ren Qing clearly noticed Jin Bing swallowing hard before putting on a fearful expression and saying, "Only one more person can be chosen."
"I'll go."
A dark-skinned man resolutely stepped forward, even adding gratefully, "Senior Brother Jin, thank you for taking care of me these past two days."
But Jin Bing's malicious gaze turned toward Ren Qing, already considering how to intervene and take him away.
At that moment, Ren Qing strode decisively to the door.
Jin Bing couldn't help but reveal a look of delight, his mind consumed by a craving for flesh, as if he wanted to devour Ren Qing alive on the spot.
The dark-skinned man was about to say something when Jin Bing shot him a cold glance, instantly making him feel as if he'd fallen into an icy abyss.
"Shut up."
Jin Bing walked out of the training hall, leaving the remaining five in bewildered silence.
Chen Lihua remained expressionless as she led Ren Qing deeper into the martial hall.
The narrow corridor had no candlelight, making it extremely dark. But thanks to his night vision, Ren Qing could make out many easily overlooked details-
Like the scratch marks of fingernails on the walls, bloodstains from dragged corpses on the floor, and even a few fragments of human bones.
The bones had already weathered, meaning they had been there for at least several years.
Chen Lihua opened a wooden door at the end of the hallway, revealing a spacious hall filled with martial disciples.
Their terrifying gazes locked onto Ren Qing.
But Ren Qing remained unfazed. He casually found a seat and sat down, noticing a large oil pot in the center of the hall. A playful smile crept onto his lips.
"Please wait a moment, fellow disciples."
Chen Lihua turned and left the hall.
Firewood was added to the oil pot, heating it up, while some disciples sharpened their knives. Jin Bing stayed close to Ren Qing, not letting him out of his sight.
Before long, Chen Lihua returned, followed by several disciples carrying Chen Yongxing's bed on their shoulders.
Chen Yongxing struggled to sit up, but his limbs were tightly bound, leaving him helpless as he was placed beside the oil pot.
Even though Ren Qing had expected something like this, he still found it absurd. But then again, Chen Yongxing was no saint either.
The saying "he who digs a pit will fall into it himself" fit perfectly.
Chen Lihua turned and said, "If you survive what comes next, you can join the martial hall and walk the path of martial arts with us."
Jin Bing wanted to object, but Ren Qing had already walked up to the bed on his own.
From his angle, Chen Yongxing could barely see Ren Qing's half-open eyes; but the rotating double pupils were clearly linked to some kind of magical art.
His face twisted in shock as he tried to warn Chen Lihua, but no words came out.
Ren Qing had already pieced together the whole story based on the information he'd gathered.
Chen Yongxing had likely been preparing for his death years ago. His biggest concern was what would happen to the anomalous object after he died.
Although it should have been reclaimed by the Blood Dog Gang, Chen Yongxing wanted to pass it on to his disciples instead.
But even if one mastered a magical art by consuming an anomalous object, that didn't mean there were no risks.
So Chen Yongxing took a different approach, secretly feeding his disciples his own leg meat to help them adapt to the mutations.
But anomalous objects eroded sanity, and ordinary people couldn't resist. Before long, they started going mad.
Chen Yongxing still didn't give up. He fed his leg meat to new recruits, killed them, and then had his disciples eat their flesh.
He believed this extra step would reduce the side effects, but he was wrong; their minds were still being warped.
When the disciples discovered the truth about the "medicine catalyst," they didn't understand the nature of anomalous objects in the No-Man's Realm, so they resorted to killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
Ren Qing asked curiously, "Chen Lihua, when did you all realize that Chen Yongxing's flesh was the medicine catalyst?"
The moment he spoke, more than a dozen murderous gazes locked onto him, accompanied by heavy, ragged breathing.
Ren Qing continued, "I'm guessing it was a few months ago, right? Otherwise, it would've been hard to drug Chen Yongxing into silent submission."
Chen Lihua took several steps back. Beside her, Jin Bing could no longer hold back, eager to incite the disciples to attack together.
"We can't let him go! We must eat his flesh and drink his blood-"
Ren Qing yanked the blanket off Chen Yongxing, exposing his legs.
His right leg had already been stripped of most of its flesh, leaving behind only a rotten, stinking skeleton.
The left leg was still relatively intact, allowing Ren Qing to examine it closely.
At first glance, it looked normal, but the skin was gray and rough, covered in deep wrinkles like trenches.
It reminded Ren Qing of elephant hide, it was probably a branch of the Divine Leg Sutra, with only minor mutations.
Jin Bing could no longer restrain himself and charged forward.
Despite his muscular legs, his movements were surprisingly light. He approached from a blind spot, silent as a shadow.
Confident that Ren Qing wouldn't notice, Jin Bing raised his right leg and aimed a vicious kick at Ren Qing's head.
He could already picture the brain matter splattering, his face twisted with excitement.
But suddenly, his expression froze in shock.
Ren Qing had somehow shifted to the side, his cold eyes locking onto Jin Bing, sending a chill down his spine.
Jin Bing's kick missed completely, and then-
Snap!
A sharp pain shot through his supporting left leg, sending him crashing to the ground.
Ren Qing bent down, wrapped an arm around Jin Bing's neck, and squeezed.
The sound of crushing bones echoed.
"I've been sick of you for a while now, why are you still pretending?"
Jin Bing's eyes bulged wide as his life faded. The surrounding disciples scattered like frightened birds.
Chen Yongxing let out a strange gurgling noise; whether he was trying to protect his disciples or attack Ren Qing, no one could tell.
Stimulated by the Divine Leg Sutra, he actually managed to move, but the last of his lifespan burned away in the process.
Yet it was useless.
Ren Qing drew his large sword and swung.
Thud.
Chen Yongxing's head rolled to the ground, his expression oddly relieved.
Ren Qing sighed.
"What a hassle… Now I have to figure out how to escape when I'm not even strong enough."