The bull-horned cultivator's technique allowed bone armor coverage across his body, which he clearly hadn't displayed outside the Restraint Officers' Hall.
This indicated it could be freely retracted.
Ren Qing couldn't help but grow interested..
Though it reduced some flexibility in combat, such a technique could prove invaluable in specific situations.
Having an extra trump card could never hurt.
Moreover, techniques all had multiple mutation paths, perhaps one would suit him perfectly.
The bull-horned cultivator tensed, his expression turning wary: "I'm Sun Yishan. If you want meat to restore energy, check the Knot Cave for that guy."
As he spoke, he swallowed the final finger segment.
Sun Yishan said almost intoxicated: "Cultivator flesh tastes most exquisite, especially this mutated hand inheriting snake meat's tenderness."
Ren Qing's expression turned peculiar: "Lin Cheng?"
Sensing hostility, Sun Yishan sobered up: "Don't know any Lin Cheng."
Ren Qing said coldly: "Among those who came, only Lin Cheng practiced the Snake Molting Method."
Sun Yishan hastily explained: "I didn't kill him! Check the Knot Cave, he's probably still alive."
"Lin Cheng was my beloved and cherished friend, we were closer than blood brothers..."
Ren Qing stepped forward, slowly unsheathing his great miaodao, its chilling aura palpable.
Cornered, Sun Yishan's meek expression suddenly twisted into something vicious, eyes bloodshot.
"I know you've got Restraint Officer backing, that's why nobody touches you."
His body swelled to three meters, the bone armor now covered by an ox-hide layer.
"But no Restraint Officers enter during selection. And what if I did kill Lin Cheng?!"
His shrill laughter accompanied pendulum-like fist swings.
Yet instead of retreating, Ren Qing's expression grew more inscrutable.
"You didn't kill Lin Cheng, you feared Restraint Officer contingencies on him, so you left him to die."
The laughter cut off abruptly.
"But thanks for reminding me."
Silver-white wolf fur sprouted across Ren Qing's body as he quickly surpassed two meters in height, his muscles becoming streamlined.
Sun Yishan's face paled. Without pondering how Ren Qing knew the Divine Leg Sutra, he desperately swung downward.
Bang!!!
Flying flesh fragments were just floor debris.
Ren Qing had vanished.
He nimbly leaped midair, fully transforming, his thickened right arm easily wielding the great miaodao single-handedly.
Sun Yishan realized something was wrong.
Then Ren Qing's voice came from above: "Beef neck has fine texture, balanced fat and lean, dry yet substantial."
A heavy foot stomped Sun Yishan's shoulder as blade light flashed across his neck.
Stunned, he touched the three-inch-deep wound bleeding profusely.
The blade had perfectly slipped between armor plates, whether by luck or skill.
Panicked, Sun Yishan spun wildly, but Ren Qing exploited his blind spots.
Even knowing one solid hit could cripple Ren Qing, his dual techniques made him too cumbersome.
"Beef tenderloin has less fat, it's renowned for exquisite flavor."
"Tenderloin...?"
Sun Yishan's face flushed crimson with humiliation, only able to counter based on Ren Qing's meat commentary.
Gritting teeth, he swung backward fiercely.
Whoosh!!!
A wolf head appeared upside-down as the great miaodao blocked Sun Yishan's fist while Ren Qing's clawed finger slashed downward.
Howling from back pain, Sun Yishan roared:
"REN QING!!! Your 'beloved brother' is still in the Knot Cave! Don't you fear the acid dissolving him?!"
"Good point, I should finish this quickly."
Ren Qing narrowed his eyes, mainly concerned other cultivators might arrive.
Two strikes had acclimated him to the werewolf form, it was sufficient against Sun Yishan despite imperfect control.
Sun Yishan's beastly instincts sensed murderous intent, his gaze darting toward the dark cave.
He desperately charged toward it, hoping to use Lin Cheng as leverage.
Suddenly, silence fell behind him.
Turning, he saw Ren Qing sheathing his blade, squatting slightly to gather strength.
Hesitating, Sun Yishan wondered if it had all been bluster.
A blade-wind gusted as Ren Qing's strike crossed meters instantly.
Sun Yishan inwardly rejoiced:
"My armor's toughness can't be breached..."
Neck-searing pain followed as a plate fell off, revealing bleeding muscle.
Ren Qing said disappointedly: "This bone armor technique underwhelms me."
"What?"
As Sun Yishan froze, another strike completely peeled his armor off, absorbed by Avici Hell.
"Why kill me...?"
Sheathing his blade, Ren Qing sent Sun Yishan's head flying.
The corpse produced two Supernatural Remnants.
The Ox Strength technique was likely obtained through Remnant consumption, hence the physical mutations, while the bone armor resulted from personal cultivation.
[Ox Strength]
[Created by the Bull Demon. Practitioners must place premature infants inside cow wombs for three years while feeding the cows potent herbs. Mastery transforms the body into half-human, half-ox.]
[Bone Armor Technique]
[Inscribed on nameless bones. Practitioners' skeletons gradually fracture, requiring six complete breaks to master.]
Though the Bone Armor Technique's conditions seemed simple, complete bone fractures left one defenseless against fatal accidents.
The information stream revealed Sun Yishan had followed the Bone Armor Bearer path among possible mutations.
Hesitating briefly as the Supernatural Remnants neared the devouring maw, Ren Qing spent a year's worth of lifespan.
The technique might not be overly useful, but at least it had no side effects.
Bone-grinding sounds quickly erupted.
Ren Qing felt his spine realign as he grew slightly taller.
The pain vanished quickly, perhaps his four techniques enhanced his adaptability.
Not bothering to check the Bone Armor Technique details yet, Ren Qing reverted to his human form and headed toward the Knot Cave.
A mutilated figure stubbornly crawled out of it.
He'd forgotten to interrogate Sun Yishan about leaving the Restraint Officers' Hall.