Within the incomparably bustling Dream City, cultivators wielding magical artifacts could be seen everywhere, along with demon-kind transformed into all kinds of beast forms.
Making Dream City resemble the Heavenly Court of legends.
In comparison, Wuwei City was much quieter. Only the dao children newly initiated into Wuwei Daoist Temple were reciting dao scriptures within it.
As large numbers of civilians from the Longevity Forbidden Zone poured into Dream City, its area unknowingly underwent five expansions. It was now equivalent to ten Sanxiang Cities in size, clearly showing the might of controlling the Dream Nation.
Traffic flowed endlessly through the interconnected streets.
Because the flow of time between the Longevity Forbidden Zone and the outside world was slightly different, the nights of the two worlds were mostly staggered.
Therefore, the cultivators arriving through entering dreams would not gather together, causing the city's prosperity to continue day and night alike. It could truly be called a "city that never sleeps".
The architecture of Dream City clearly displayed the styles of various regions, yet they were blended together extremely appropriately.
The types of shops were even more dazzling. The most common were magical artifacts and medicinal pills, further divided into things like magical robes, flying swords, beast pills... everything was available.
Even Li Tiangang could not help but feel dazed while in Dream City.
One must know that the former Restraint Officers' Hall was merely composed of several dozen Restraint Officers. How could it compare to the current scene? Its potential was unimaginable.
Deep within the streets of Dream City stood some relatively remote shops, usually used by cultivators as personal warehouses.
Among them, however, was an extremely inconspicuous coffin shop.
The coffin shop was not large, and even the signboard was crude. The locust tree before the door was hung with strings of copper coins.
As the cold wind blew past, the copper coins collided and produced crisp sounds.
A rather young demon-kind man crossed the streets, finally finding this seemingly ordinary coffin shop, and could not help muttering to himself.
"Why did Clan Leader Teng Ning tell me to come here to buy coffins? Bringing them back will be such a hassle."
He slowly walked to the front of the shop and knocked. An aged voice came from inside.
"Come in."
The demon-kind hurriedly pushed open the door and entered the shop, immediately frightened by the scene before him, his expression frozen in terror.
Within the spacious shop, thick tree trunks were neatly arranged, being cut into wooden boards of identical length and width by the shop assistants.
Coffin Elder sat with his legs crossed, lying near a corner while smoking dry tobacco.
What shocked the demon-kind the most was why the assistants within the coffin shop were revived corpses one after another, making him unable to resist feeling his scalp go numb.
This differed from those cultivators affected by the Dead Man's Forbidden Zone.
Cultivators at most counted as half-human Half-Corpse. If their realm reached the Ghost Envoy realm level, even the traces of corpse transformation would become relatively minor.
Quite a few alchemists had already refined medicinal pills that increased vitality. The materials came from resources produced within the giant Corpse Buddha's bladder.
As a result, the issue of corpse transformation no longer troubled the cultivators within the intestines and stomach.
But the assistants within the coffin shop were genuine zombies, immediately causing the demon-kind to feel retreat in his heart, wanting to leave this place.
The zombies' flesh was rotten, and elongated fangs grew from their mouths. Their eyes glowed red, and they emitted a foul rotten stench.
Coffin Elder coughed and reminded him, "The coffins are over there. Put down the blood crystals and you can leave."
"Ah? O-okay..."
The demon-kind's face turned pale as he took out blood crystals. He did not even have time to select a coffin, grabbing one and quickly leaving the shop.
Soon, his trace disappeared.
Coffin Elder paid no attention to this. His gaze swept over the zombies working meticulously, and some satisfaction was immediately revealed in his eyes.
Originally, when Ren Qing wanted to hand the zombies over to him, Coffin Elder had actually refused.
Coffin Elder had experienced too many things in the first half of his life, having long seen through the warmth and coldness of human society. He no longer wanted to become involved in the rise and fall of the Restraint Officers' Hall.
He chose to remain in Dream City and continue running the coffin shop, only occasionally taking on a few apprentices.
However, the coffin shop's reputation had spread quite deeply within the Restraint Officers' Hall, and this was thanks to Han Li visiting Coffin Elder from time to time.
Each time, Han Li would conveniently help sell coffins as well. Since the quality was excellent and only lacked sales channels, business improved quite a bit from the repeated exchanges.
One must know that Coffin Elder's artifact refinement skill truly was not very high. Even now, he had not mastered Moon Patterns.
But his familiarity with refining coffins had reached perfection through practice, and the quality far surpassed ordinary coffins. They could preserve corpses from decay for long periods while maintaining a constant temperature.
The several zombies brought by Ren Qing just happened to resolve Coffin Elder's urgent shortage of manpower.
At first, Coffin Elder did not seriously teach the zombies coffin-making. But who could have expected that the latter had already mastered rudimentary coffin-making techniques beforehand?
The zombies merely stood to the side and watched, yet they already understood the general process of Coffin Elder's coffin-making.
This caused Coffin Elder to involuntarily think of Ren Qing. The latter had displayed excellent talent in coffin-making back then, and had now even advanced into the Yang God realm.
Seeing this, he wholeheartedly taught the zombies, even imparting portions of artifact refinement methods.
Naturally, the zombies did not disappoint Coffin Elder. After all, the Restraint Officers' Hall could not find anyone older than them. Even lying flat all day absorbing yin qi had accumulated enough experience.
After mastering the coffin-making methods unique to the Restraint Officers' Hall, they applied them by analogy within Corpse City.
When Tian Fang and several other zombies refined the improved coffins, many stubborn Hairy Zombies immediately changed their minds, though they still did not believe in any dream immortals.
Ren Qing estimated that after enough new coffins were produced to replace the several thousand zombies underground, the zombies would definitely head toward the deepest part of Corpse City.
At that time, he could follow along and completely figure out the situation of Corpse City.
"Alright, stop."
Coffin Elder received Ren Qing's information. His expression froze slightly for several breaths before he said, "You may leave now. This place no longer restricts you. Seek your own opportunities."
Tian Fang and Lu Liang looked at each other, suddenly appearing extremely at a loss.
After a long while, Tian Fang softly opened his mouth and said, "Lu Liang, come with me. The rest of you remain in the shop."
For safety's sake, Tian Fang chose to bring Lu Liang. Most of the remaining zombies were only at the White Zombie realm, with comparatively rigid intelligence.
The reason only he himself was a Hairy Zombie was because there were actually very few zombies willing to come to the Immortal's Dream to seek a method of liberation.
The passage of several thousand years had long made them accustomed to maintaining the status quo. Even though Cold Poison caused pain to body and soul, they did not wish to break the balance.
The two zombies immediately bade farewell to Coffin Elder and left the cramped shop.
Walking through the bustling streets, they both appeared somewhat out of place. Their hearts were also filled with confusion, not knowing where they should go.
The cries of street vendors rose and fell without end.
Tian Fang noticed that the vendors sold magical artifacts and medicinal pills. Although they appeared extremely profound, the surrounding cultivators strangely disdained them.
They spoke of things like having only an outer shell, lacking artifact spirits, and similar remarks.
The two zombies wandered around Dream City for several days in succession, yet still failed to find any destination.
Only after overhearing outside a teahouse that there was a place within Dream City called the "Great Dream Technique Pavilion", where immortal scriptures were stored, did the two zombies finally head there.
As a result, they easily walked into the shop.
The moment they stepped into the Great Dream Technique Pavilion, they saw a figure formed from light and shadow, emitting chaotic auras throughout its body.
Among them was even mixed a trace of corpse qi.
"Immortal Venerable above."
Lu Liang possessed a utilitarian disposition, and immediately knelt to the ground, heavily kowtowing.
"Immortal Venerable above." Tian Fang followed suit.
The gazes of the two zombies were filled with fervor. However, compared to Tian Fang, who was determined to escape Corpse City, Lu Liang considered himself more.
Ren Qing's consciousness descended into the Great Dream Technique Pavilion, skillfully lifting the two up.
"Enter my immortal sect and you shall receive teachings. If there are doubts in your hearts, then speak."
"This disciple is willing."
"This disciple is willing."
"We are yamen runners of Melting Fire City, responsible for handling corpses..."
The two zombies addressed themselves as disciples, and immediately sold out the entirety of Corpse City, anxiously blurting out detailed information.
Ren Qing felt somewhat speechless.
Back when he taught Tang Sheng, the latter had only represented himself, without revealing even the slightest intention regarding Heaven Above Heaven.
Clearly, regardless of how old zombies became, their thoughts truly remained relatively simple. They fundamentally could not hide matters, making them quite suitable as tool workers.
Ren Qing learned a secret from their mouths regarding that Yang God realm zombie.
A thousand years ago, there truly had been a Hairy Zombie extremely close to the Yang God realm. Later, due to flesh collapse, it had been buried deep underground beneath the city.
"There should be quite a few buried Hairy Zombies, right?"
Ren Qing immediately felt puzzled. Why would Lu Liang determine the other party was special because of this? After all, there were thousands of Hairy Zombies underground.
The two zombies immediately became hesitant and evasive. Only after repeated questioning did he obtain the reason.
Because it was said that the Hairy Zombie had already found a method to avoid the defects of the Corpse Refinement Method. However, opposed by the other zombies, it ultimately chose to seal itself underground.
Within only a few years, even its corpse could no longer be found.
Ren Qing estimated that Corpse City's movement was caused by that zombie deeply buried underground, though its purpose remained difficult to understand.
He did not believe any zombie could perfect the defects of the Corpse Refinement Method. Without abundant experience regarding spells, even a thousand years would make it impossible.
The two zombies informed Ren Qing of the Corpse Refinement Method without reservation. Ren Qing pretended to ponder for a moment before opening his mouth and saying,
"The defects in your Corpse Refinement Method are numerous, but I have already completed it..."
He pointed at the foreheads of the two zombies, pouring the perfected Corpse Refinement Method into their souls, along with the contents of the Year-Year Technique.
Immediately afterward, Ren Qing's consciousness returned to his main body, leaving behind the stunned two zombies.
Tian Fang continuously muttered to himself. Solutions to the drawbacks encountered by Hairy Zombies could all be found within the Corpse Refinement Method taught by the Immortal Venerable.
He impatiently woke up, wanting to inform the other zombies of the spell.
Lu Liang, meanwhile, became intoxicated by the profundity of the Year-Year Technique. Then he flipped through the books within the Great Dream Technique Pavilion, developing delight toward all kinds of spells.
It was just that he was not a member of the Restraint Officers' Hall, and possessed no blood crystals to exchange for spells.
Lu Liang desperately wished to join the Restraint Officers' Hall and remain forever within Dream City, instead of staying in the lifeless land of white bones.
Of the two zombies, one became a guide traitor, while the other became a preacher. Their division of labor was extremely clear.
Ren Qing did not even need to pay much attention before the title "Lord of the Dream Market" was already being spread within Corpse City, revered as an immortal god.
Seeing this, he began drawing even more zombies into Dream City, though most were White Zombies.
Although zombies could not accept important tasks, they could complete miscellaneous ordinary tasks, such as guarding alchemy furnaces, fueling artifact-refining flames, running errands, and transporting goods.
Ren Qing once again increased the flow of time within the stomach world to the absolute limit, using it to prepare for advancing into the No-Birth Immortal.