Ren Qing naturally could not possibly consume fifty years of lifespan.
To him now, every single year of lifespan was extremely precious. After all, the closer one got to a thousand years, the slower the efficiency of lifespan extension became.
Fortunately, there was still temporary lifespan...
Ren Qing closed his eyes, then revealed a satisfied smile. After the divided soul died once again, his temporary lifespan increased by over a hundred years.
Can consume fifty years of lifespan, exempt the cost to master it. He silently confirmed it, then felt numbing, tingling pain spread from his brain, left lung, and heart, as his blood flow sped up.
According to common sense, cultivating Dao Dao Dao would result in being parasitized by three Heavenly Dao Worms. However, Ren Qing did not use Heavenly Dao Eggs to enter the path, so relying on the information stream should not cause Heavenly Dao Worms to appear out of thin air.
When Heavenly Daozi originally created this method, he was already at the Yang Spirit realm. Otherwise, cultivators of the same realm simply could not supply the nutrition required by Heavenly Dao Worms.
As for whether this technique was something Heavenly Daozi comprehended in a late-life epiphany, Ren Qing was skeptical.
It seemed more like the Heavenly Dao Worms, in order to squeeze the Yang Spirit realm cultivators within the sect dry, forcibly implanted it into Heavenly Daozi through certain means, or temporarily enhanced his comprehension.
After a few breaths, a mustard-seed space the size of a fist appeared at Ren Qing's heart.
Inside was a space similar to that formed by storage artifacts. Unlike the Taotie Method, it was not obviously composed of flesh and blood, and instead appeared relatively normal.
The mustard-seed space was controlled by the brain, and spells were cast through the left lung. At the Qi Refining stage, there was still no sign of it transforming into the Wuwei Daoist Grounds.
Just as he thought the advancement had ended, the Heavenly Dao Worms within the ghost shadow became active, and Nether Yuan also showed signs of upheaval.
Immediately after, the Heavenly Dao Worm shed a thin layer of insect skin, and its head actually split into four, appearing inexplicably eerie.
Ren Qing's mouth twitched.
If he cultivated a few more Heavenly Dao methods, wouldn't the Heavenly Dao Worm turn into a nine-headed insect?
Immediately afterward, his consciousness arrived at the Mud Pellet Palace, where he had the aberrant tree of Eternal Shackles entwine the Tree Seedling symbolizing Dao Dao Dao, in order to determine primacy and subordination.
Because the disparity in realms between the techniques was simply too great, Dao Dao Dao offered no resistance at all and fell into becoming a subsidiary of Eternal Shackles.
The mustard-seed space within his heart followed along and merged into Eternal Shackles.
As a result, Eternal Shackles showed no reaction at all. Only the expansion speed of the boundless aberrant transformation seemed to increase slightly.
The three withered statues of Dao Ancestors in the prison area still stood there, unmoved by Dao Dao Dao.
Ren Qing continued to summon the information stream. His lifespan did not increase because of Dao Dao Dao.
Whether to advance to Dao-Leading Person, will consume fifty-five years of lifespan.
"Dao-Leading Person?"
Ren Qing immediately reacted. It seemed the Heavenly Dao Worms had increased comprehension, allowing Heavenly Daozi to comprehend Dao Dao Dao.
Dao Dao Dao differed slightly from traditional Heavenly Dao methods, as it combined characteristics of Restraint Officer methods.
The method used to enter and exit the Wuwei Daoist Grounds, "Dao births Dao," was clearly derived from Dao Dao Dao.
Heavenly Daozi likely believed he could rely on Dao Dao Dao to find a way to break free from the Heavenly Dao Worms, but unfortunately, even his own thoughts had been interfered with.
No wonder he was driven to desperation and cultivated the Beast-Pen Method in the end.
Ren Qing exhausted all of his temporary lifespan. Dao Dao Dao advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, yet it still did not increase his lifespan.
The next realm of Dao Dao Dao appeared before his eyes.
Whether to advance to Snail-Shell Daoist Grounds, will consume seventy years of lifespan.
Ren Qing canceled the information stream and then looked toward Eternal Shackles. The latter showed no changes in any aspect, as if Dao Dao Dao were completely useless.
But then his expression became slightly subtle.
It seemed his control over Eternal Shackles had become more thorough, or rather...
With a single thought, the flow of time within Eternal Shackles slowed, while the temperature rose by two or three degrees, carrying a hint of early summer.
"So this is Dao Dao Dao's true ability, formulating the rules of a small world..."
Ren Qing could not help but test it several times with great interest.
For vegetation, mountains, and rocks, the slight temperature difference was not obvious, but the various demon cultivator tribes clearly sensed the change.
The demon cultivators had long since learned from Han Li that they would gradually head to the outside world in the future, leaving behind what they saw as a land of paradise.
Those demon cultivators who harbored resistance could not help but kneel to the ground, repeatedly kowtowing, believing it to be the anger of immortals and gods at their disrespect.
After a moment passed, as Ren Qing's consciousness returned to his body, the temperature change disappeared as well.
Overall, Dao Dao Dao at the Foundation Establishment stage could influence only a very small and extremely limited range, but its future potential was extraordinary.
Eternal Shackles at the Yin Messenger realm merely made day and night distinct within the small world, and of course there were temperature changes resembling winter and summer.
But to have obvious alternation of the four seasons, and even the appearance of various solar terms one by one, it would probably require Dao Dao Dao to reach the Golden Core stage.
It was very likely that upon reaching the Yang Spirit realm, Dao Dao Dao could refine artifacts containing bizarre rules, similar to the Dao Ancestor statues.
One could say that Dao Dao Dao perfectly made up for the shortcomings of the stomach world. Even the Meat and Wine Taoist probably could not achieve such a degree.
Ren Qing forcibly suppressed the urge to continue advancing Dao Dao Dao, and continued to close his eyes to visualize techniques.
At the same time, he checked his own information stream.
[Lifespan: eight hundred and seventy-five years]
[Techniques:Shadowless Ghost (Human Skin Book, Bone Armor Technique, Netherworld Method, Dragon-Serpent Spine),
Shadowless Yin Demon (Ghost God Beneath the Skin, Immortal Within the Bone, Netherworld Immortal Body, Jiaolong Shei Qiu)]
[Divine Ability: Dragon Roar Within the Casket]
[Eyeless Method (Dream Butterfly Method, Dream Demon Art, Six Ailments Method)]
[Darkest Demon Lord (Three Inches of the Mortal World, True Person of Demonic Dreams, Scattered Ailment Plague Lord)]
[Aberrant Transformations: Dream Seed, Soul Garment, Dream Vessel, Butterfly Molt, Butterfly Affection, Messenger, Dark Light, Recollection, Layered Dreams, Disaster-Dispelling Method (Immortal in the Mirror, Storyteller), Aberrant Belly Hidden Gate (Aberrant Mirror Mutual Birth, Storyteller)]
[Aberrant Transformations: Hunger Resistance, Thirst Resistance, Slaughter Resistance, Thoughtlessness
The Taotie Method (Food-Consuming Immortal Technique, Wine God Technique, Dao Dao Dao), Eternal Shackles (Fuel King in the Furnace, Wine River Within the Body, Dao-Leading Person), Jailer, Boundless, Waning Moon, Forging Furnace, Kindling Sun, Remaining Embers, Peach Wine, Wine Ore, Wine Cloud]
Time gradually passed.
As Ren Qing's lifespan drew closer and closer to a thousand years, restlessness inevitably arose in his heart.
After all, that was a realm countless cultivators could never touch in their entire lives, and within the Restraint Officers' Hall it represented cultivation sufficient to reach the heavens.
Fortunately, Ren Qing was not a frog at the bottom of a well. After coming into contact with Earth Immortals and Buddhist techniques, he also knew that the Yang Spirit realm was merely the first step onto the journey.
It was still far from "longevity."
He glanced at Eternal Shackles. Each demon cultivator tribe was left with only the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. It seemed Han Li had already taken all the rest to the outside world.
The construction of Wuwei City had entered the proper track. With demon cultivators, such strong and sturdy cultivators, present, the inner city walls were completed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Each individual stone brick was itself an artifact; one could imagine how formidable the walls built from them were.
All cultivators of the Restraint Officers' Hall worked day and night refining stone bricks. Even Shuize and Xiangxiang were doing the same.
Among them, Xiao San'er's forging shop contributed the most, mass-producing artifacts that were then sent to all corners of the city.
From any perspective, Wuwei City was a settlement far beyond imagination.
Just by looking up, one could see hundreds or even thousands of cultivators traversing the skies on flying swords, while the streets below were filled with all manner of rare treasures and exotic beasts.
Many Restraint Officers from Xiangxiang would be stunned by the grandeur of Wuwei City, sighing inwardly, "Could this be the legendary immortal city?"
The people of Jingzhou had blind confidence in Wuwei City. Especially those children who had never experienced drastic upheavals, they simply did not believe there was any threat outside capable of breaching the sturdy walls.
But in reality, including Ren Qing, the Yin Messenger realm cultivators all lacked any real sense of security.
From the plans being formulated, one could see that preparations for escape were made at all times. Even the sand ships for evacuating Xiangxiang were already poised to depart.
Ren Qing released soul-butterfly projections and discovered that the demon cultivators had barely integrated into Wuwei City.
He no longer hesitated, immediately controlling the dream markets to merge with one another, combining the demon market with the three markets, thereby accelerating lifespan-extension efficiency.
Of course, Ren Qing also imposed certain restrictions: demon beasts were unable to go to the other markets.
However, it was strange.
Demon beasts such as Hu Wen would usually come to the demon market at fixed times to submit resources, but recently, the number of participants had been steadily decreasing.
Ren Qing did not pay them much attention, only knowing it was due to heavenly-demonized aberrant creatures.
The dream market shook.
The streets of the demon market gradually manifested. Each shop carried a rough tribal style, with signboards decorated using beast teeth and shattered bones.
Cultivators from the other markets were stunned for a few breaths, after which the atmosphere grew heated.
Most people chose to immediately head for the demon market. A smaller portion contacted relatives and friends in the outside world, urging them to enter dreams and come as soon as possible.
An extremely exaggerated scene appeared within Wuwei City.
Cultivators rushed back to their residences to enter dreams. Some even, relying on the fact that their possessions were stored in their stomach worlds, directly lay down in street corners.
They were so anxious mainly because the ghost market already had daily limited items such as Peach Wine, and they were afraid of missing their opportunity.
Teng Ning and the other demon cultivators exchanged glances, their faces mixed with tears and sweat.
At the moment the demon market opened, they regained the qualification to enter and exit the dream market. But their excitement stemmed more from being able to see their long-missed family members.
Even if their consciousness could not leave the dream market, their relatives within the tribes were able to freely enter and exit the demon market.
At present, the demon market only had a Great Dream Pavilion; the rest were all simple shops.
Cultivators were initially somewhat disappointed, but soon noticed that the materials sold by the Great Dream Pavilion in the demon market were all unique resources.
For example, "Ghost Wolf Blood", after consumption, it accelerated the cultivation speed of wolf-type beast transformation techniques, and could temporarily transform one into a Ghost Wolf.
Or "Marsh Sand Granules", cultivators who mastered wind-and-sand techniques could consume them to heal injuries, without the risk of excessive aberrant transformation or loss of control.
As for those shops, they were left for cultivators to rent. The prices were not particularly high, but required cultivators to possess a specific skill.
This was to prevent shops from being maliciously hoarded and affecting lifespan growth.
Under large-scale consumption by cultivators, Ren Qing felt a long-lost surge in lifespan. In just a few breaths, it had already exceeded nine hundred years.
However, just as he stared at the information stream, he suddenly discovered several demon beasts hiding in a corner of the demon market, seemingly discussing something.
Ren Qing listened curiously for a moment, and his expression turned somewhat stunned.
Due to the appearance of heavenly-demonized aberrant creatures, the Bottomless Pit had completely fallen, and the toad demon beasts inside were trapped there, unable to escape.
Hu Wen understood that if he simply waited for death, the demon sect he had established would fall apart.
So he planned to gather the members of the demon sect and head to the Bottomless Pit for rescue. If it turned out to be too dangerous inside, they would at least put on a show.
Ren Qing glanced at his lifespan. With his breakthrough to the Yang Spirit realm imminent, otherwise he might have considered intervening in the Bottomless Pit to subdue some demon beasts.