Ren Qing could feel that after the split soul was sealed inside the earthen jar, his mist-like body gradually dissolved, becoming part of the liquor.
The Pustule Old Daoist must have mastered the Wine God Technique while alive, which caused his blood to mutate into liquor, requiring large amounts of liquor to replenish it.
And the earthen jar was in fact connected with the ground, the liquor seeping into the Pustule Old Daoist's body, thereby maintaining the life force on the verge of vanishing.
His suspicion was correct, the Pustule Old Daoist had not completely died, and might even still retain a remnant soul.
The entire ecology of the Ze Immortal was based on the Pustule Old Daoist.
However, the brewing method of Qingxu Temple itself was far too inefficient, so occasionally it was still necessary to use the Wine God Technique to induce the Gobi people into cultivation.
Everything was directed by this remnant body.
Ren Qing did not destroy the split soul, in case it survived, perhaps he could get closer to the deepest secrets of Qingxu Temple.
His guess regarding the Pustule Old Daoist's identity had already begun to take shape.
After Ren Qing's consciousness returned to his main body, he first inspected the sand boat to ensure nothing was amiss, then went to the warehouse gate and knocked.
Sha Shanzi opened the door with some doubt, and upon seeing Ren Qing's serious expression, could not help but shudder.
"Immortal, what is it?"
"Sha Shanzi, there are some things I want to ask you, answer truthfully."
"You speak..."
Sha Shanzi swallowed saliva, his arm holding the door frame trembling slightly, fearful that because of his ignorance he might anger Ren Qing.
He had thought Ren Qing was going to test him on details of the Wind and Sand Method, but unexpectedly the other said: "When you official-appointed Daoists take the imperial examinations, there should be questions about Huang Sand City, right?"
Sha Shanzi nodded: "Immortal, indeed so."
"Speak of the changes in the desert all along."
"It seems there haven't been any changes..."
Sha Shanzi's head was full of fog, not knowing what meaning lay in this.
Ren Qing patiently explained strange phenomena that had appeared in the marsh, such as the temperature difference between day and night, or the Ze Sand that could mutate the lungs.
What might seem ordinary food in the eyes of the Gobi people, everywhere revealed strangeness.
Sha Shanzi scratched his head and said: "According to the government office's records, Huang Sand City has been like this for several hundred years, further back is unknown."
Huang Sand City lacked paper, recording on stone inevitably wore away, so there was not much information about history.
"Do you know the residence of the immortals above the clouds?"
"En."
"Replying to Immortal, it used to be called Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace, it should have existed for several hundred years, until after immortals descended it was renamed Immortal Dwelling."
Ren Qing seized on the blind spot in Sha Shanzi's words, could not help but ask: "Exactly when did the Ze Immortal appear?"
"About a hundred years ago."
Sha Shanzi scratched his head, somewhat guilty as he said: "Immortal, the means for Huang Sand City to record writing are limited."
"No matter, you continue cultivating."
After Ren Qing finished speaking he walked toward the deck, then suddenly halted to add: "Remember to clean up the husky's dog shit."
"Isn't it a wolf..."
Sha Shanzi poked his head into the corridor, indeed smelled a faint stench.
The husky at that sight proactively came over, its expression extremely provoking, showing that over this period its intelligence had clearly increased.
Ren Qing leaned on the ship's rail looking at the desert scenery, countless thoughts arising in his heart.
Actually he had already faintly guessed the identity of the Pustule Old Daoist earlier, but it was simply too shocking, he did not dare believe it.
First it could be confirmed, the Pustule Old Daoist's cultivation in life had definitely reached the Heavenly Abomination Realm, otherwise he could not have created the Water Marsh Method.
Ren Qing even suspected the entire marsh was formed because of the Pustule Old Daoist, after all Song Zongwu had once said similar words.
After a Restraint Officer cultivates to the Heavenly Abomination Realm, the Supernatural Remnant will completely merge with the body; at that time death does not form a forbidden zone, only then does one count as attaining the Dao.
But the corpse of a Heavenly Abomination Realm cultivator conceals a small world.
Grand Duke Taisui was the best example, one single fungal spore was enough to proliferate into a fungal forest.
Ren Qing took in a breath of cold air, secretly murmuring: "Could it really be Meat and Wine Taoist..."
A Heavenly Abomination Realm who had mastered the Wine God Technique, and the Water Marsh Method he created was also derived from the Food-Consuming Immortal Technique, no matter how one looked it resembled Meat and Wine Taoist.
Ren Qing was not shocked that Meat and Wine Taoist had died.
But because of the manner of Meat and Wine Taoist's death.
Although Meat and Wine Taoist wore a Daoist robe, it was obvious he had no lower body.
Most likely the stomach world formed from the Taotie Method and Food-Consuming Immortal Technique had, after his death, been taken away together with his lower body by some existence.
Meat and Wine Taoist, as a top-tier powerhouse of the Restraint Officer Method, had actually died in such a stifled manner...
Ren Qing also indirectly guessed why Heavenly Daozi had inexplicably appeared in the marsh, feeling that the latter was rather unlucky.
Heavenly Daozi had dealings with the Restraint Officers' Hall, he knew the approximate location of Xiangxiang.
After the destruction of Wuwei Monastery, Heavenly Daozi must have intended to go to Xiangxiang, to continue the severed Dao lineage.
In the end Heavenly Daozi, when crossing the marsh, was intercepted by Meat and Wine Taoist, and finally ended up as an "aphid."
But Meat and Wine Taoist very likely only had a tiny trace of consciousness remaining in his corpse, which caused the hidden danger of a Supreme Heavenly Demon to be left behind.
Ren Qing shook his head.
After he revealed his cultivation of the Yin Runner Realm upon returning to the camp, his authority within the Restraint Officers' Hall would certainly increase, and he could then attempt to report the information.
But he would have to conceal part of it, since it involved the flow of information.
Ren Qing steadied his mind, for now the situation in Xiangxiang should still be controllable, but over time it was inevitable that contact with outside powers would occur.
Preparations had to be made in advance.
He needed more lifespan, to reach Merging the Yin God as soon as possible, and after determining several core techniques, turn all others into auxiliary.
Ren Qing walked back into the cabin, continuing to visualize and cultivate the Blindless Method.
He quickly immersed himself into seclusion, and by the time he came back to his senses several days had passed, during which the sand boat had never once stopped.
The sand boat was also sailing faster and faster, the friction even making the bottom of the boat begin to heat up.
When the speed somewhat lessened, the Restraint Officer camp faintly appeared in the distance.
Against the backdrop of the hills, the towering city wall was like a giant ancient tree, with the watchtowers on its top like branches sprouting forth.
Ren Qing stretched lazily, stood on the deck looking afar, a smile could not help but appear on his face.
It seemed the Restraint Officers' Hall wanted to use city walls to block the wind and sand, then bring Xiangxiang's timber into the marsh, thereby improving the camp's environment.
Unfortunately the harshness of the marsh far exceeded expectations, just the temperature difference of day and night made it unfit for plant growth, even with the aid of techniques.
Ren Qing saw that on the walls of the camp there were quite a few Restraint Officers patrolling, from time to time even pouring clear water on the bricks to cool them, so that the walls would not crack.
He decided to display the might of the sand boat artifact, and slapped the ship's pillar hard.
The keel squirmed slightly like a living thing, the wind power stored in the sails began to brew, making the surrounding air twist.
Boom!!!
The sand boat soared into the sky, the sand dunes ahead all smashed apart.
What originally took several hours of travel was now compressed to less than half an hour.
The Restraint Officers on the wall at first did not realize, but within moments the sand boat had already approached the camp, the commotion growing louder.
Huang Ziwan was lazily lying in the shade, occasionally gulping down clear water.
He was extremely unaccustomed to the marsh environment, but as one of the few Ghost Envoy Realm members of the Restraint Officers' Hall who had mastered poison techniques, he had no choice but to come.
Huang Ziwan cursed under his breath, full of complaints about the marsh.
He had thought he could meet Ren Qing here, but did not expect the other to have gone into seclusion, did he really think breaking through the Yin Runner Realm was that easy?
Just then, he heard the startled cries of the Restraint Officers.
Huang Ziwan could not help but get up and walk to the edge of the wall, shading his eyes from the sun as he looked toward the boundless desert, and his mouth immediately fell open.
There was a sand boat riding the wind and breaking the waves.
Compared to the other Restraint Officers, Huang Ziwan at a glance recognized the ghost wolf figurehead, clearly it was related to Ren Qing.
Speaking of such an artifact, just how much blood crystal had it cost...
Li Tiangang and Song Zongwu also came up onto the wall, and upon seeing the terror of the sand boat artifact, looked at each other in astonishment and began discussing.
If the Restraint Officers' Hall could equip large numbers of them, travel to and from Xiangxiang would be compressed to about two days.
Then they could attempt to explore deeper into the marsh, even that rumored Yang God Realm forbidden zone, but how would Ren Qing have it?
Li Tiangang even began to suspect that Great Dream True Person was perhaps Ren Qing's blood relative, otherwise how could he have been completely unaware?
Song Zongwu actually knew the truth, but at this moment also began to harbor doubts.
Could a sand boat artifact be refined by someone only at Ghost Envoy Realm? Could it really be that he had advanced...
The sand boat crossed the final hill, quickly stopping before the city wall, displaying its might to the fullest.
Ren Qing no longer intended to hide the matter of artifact refining, even preparing to use the sand boat artifact as an exchange, to obtain the Butterfly Dream Technique.
After Li Tiangang confirmed it was indeed Ren Qing, he said to the surrounding Restraint Officers: "Disperse, don't crowd here."
The Restraint Officers after hearing quickly walked away, while Huang Ziwan stared greedily at the sand boat, only when Li Tiangang's gaze swept over did he grin sheepishly and leave.
Ren Qing brought Sha Shanzi down from the deck, the sand boat then being taken into the Prison Within the Abdomen.
"Immortal..."
Sha Shanzi could not help but be somewhat nervous, constantly tidying his Daoist robe, attempting to leave a good impression on the many immortals.
Ren Qing grabbed Sha Shanzi's collar, tapped his feet on the ground and leaped up.
The several-dozen-meter city wall was like nothing.
Ren Qing did not conceal further, the double pupils in his eyes interlacing and rotating, the aura of Yin Runner Realm plainly revealed.
In the distance the Restraint Officers swallowed saliva, discussing what sort of figure had broken through to Yin Runner Realm, while Huang Ziwan had already fallen into a petrified state.
Sha Shanzi looked at those strange-shaped Restraint Officers, and his face instantly turned pale.
He found that those immortals able to maintain a basically human form were very few.
One after another looked like the strange beasts recorded in Daoist classics of Mountains and Seas, extremely hideous, as if at any time ready to eat human bone marrow.
Especially Song Zongwu with six eyes and four arms, if one said he was a Yama King of the underworld he would believe it.
Li Tiangang, realizing Ren Qing had reached Yin Runner Realm, was absent-minded for a few breaths, then forcibly pressed down the shock in his heart, turning his head to size up Sha Shanzi.
He could see that Sha Shanzi's appearance was different from the people of Xiangxiang, not a result of mutation.
Could it be that in the deadly marsh, there really were people able to survive?
Li Tiangang unhesitatingly cast a technique, drawing several pages of paper from within Sha Shanzi's head, making the latter's scalp go numb.
Song Zongwu patted Ren Qing's shoulder and asked: "The advancement went smoothly?"
"Quite smoothly, I..."
"I know you have matters to discuss, but since it concerns the marsh, then all Yin Runner Realm must be gathered, even Great Dream True Person must be contacted."