Chapter 104: Buddha, Ferry Me Across Once More

At the primate stage, Yuan Dasheng needed to cultivate his spirit until it reached full perfection.

Tenfold completion represented a qualitative transformation!

Once achieved, the spirit could regenerate itself endlessly. Otherwise, it would be a losing game—using spirit would mean losing it with no way to replenish.

Yuan Dasheng was exactly in this predicament.

Originally possessing eighty percent spiritual essence, after depletion, only seventy-nine percent remained, insufficient for self-recovery.

Unless one day it reached the full tenfold spirit, triggering the qualitative change, only then could it begin to self-heal.

After reading this jade scroll, Ning Zhuo’s first thought was, “Choosing Yuan Dasheng’s corpse was undoubtedly the right decision.”

“According to the information from the Lava Immortal Palace, selecting any corpse would only yield a spiritual resonance-level mechanism. That’s merely the first phase of the Dead Spirit stage.”

“But I used Yuan Dasheng’s corpse and obtained the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng, whose spirit leapt across seven stages to reach the Spirit Long phase.”

Ning Zhuo had known the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng was of exceptional quality, but only after reading the Treatise on Spirituality did he truly grasp its superiority.

“How does one increase spiritual essence, then?”

The Treatise on Spirituality contained no instructions on this matter.

“Perhaps it does, but the knowledge isn’t open to me.”

“As an outsider, being able to see this Zhou family classic was already a privilege granted by the alliance of the three great families.”

Though lacking detailed methods, the Treatise continued with related historical accounts.

In the cultivation world, there once thrived a notorious demonic sect, the Spirit Burial Sect, whose power shook the heavens.

They possessed a spell called the Three-Life Spirit Sacrifice Technique.

“Three-Life” didn’t mean three separate lives but derived from the phrase “Three Lives Give Birth to All Things.”

Its true meaning was to sacrifice all things born of the Three Lives to summon spiritual essence! By burying the myriad creatures of heaven and earth and refining them, they obtained spirit.

Using this technique, the Spirit Burial Sect slaughtered thousands, amassing vast spiritual energy, mass-producing spiritual treasures, and magnifying their power.

Countless righteous and evil factions, as well as other demonic sects, recognized the threat they posed and united to annihilate this superpower that endangered the entire cultivation realm.

The Three-Life Spirit Sacrifice Technique.

At this moment, Ning Zhuo suddenly recalled a reward from the Lava Immortal Palace.

After passing through the three trials of the Buddhist Sect, he had received a reward.

He obtained the Illusory True Lotus Seed.

There were many rewards, and he clearly remembered one was a spell titled the Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Sutra.

“Perhaps this is the secret method to increase spiritual essence!” Ning Zhuo thought.

His guess was not baseless.

Previously, when he ventured through the first trial of the Buddhist Sect and selected a corpse in the coffin, he received relevant information.

One message read: “Choose one, send it to the furnace for cremation, and obtain a spiritual resonance mechanism artifact.”

Cremation could yield spiritual resonance mechanism artifacts.

These two clues directly connected with the Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Sutra.

“Next time I venture into the Lava Immortal Palace, I’ll choose this reward and see!”

A strong intuition told Ning Zhuo this was the right choice.

However, venturing into the Lava Immortal Palace was no easy feat.

Circumstances changed with time.

Currently, Ning Zhuo was guarded by four Ning family cultivators, none fixed; they rotated shifts periodically.

If Ning Zhuo’s soul entered the palace, the chance of discovery would greatly increase.

He also worried—what if he encountered the three family prodigies or Meng Chong inside?

He couldn’t ascertain Meng Chong’s situation clearly.

All three family prodigies bore protective Ning talismans. To infiltrate the palace soulfully, one would just need to remove these talismans.

This made precise calculation impossible.

“There are two routes!”

“One: I have someone outside remotely command Yuan Dasheng to break deep into the palace. It is my mechanism creation, essentially part of me.”

“Two: I enter the palace with Zheng Jian and others to explore, depending on Zhou Zesheng’s cultivation progress.”

Previously, the group had agreed at the Compassionate Youth Garden to wait until Zhou Zesheng reached the peak of the third floor before jointly exploring the palace.

Ning Zhuo thought the second route was better.

On leaving the Zhou family’s treasure book tower, he asked a nearby cultivator about Zhou Zesheng’s cultivation level.

“Currently, he is in the late third floor,” the Zhou family cultivator replied.

Ning Zhuo frowned.

The Zhou cultivator, protective of his clan, quickly added, “Friend Ning Zhuo, you must understand, our Zhou Zesheng possesses supreme talent, like water accumulating into a deep abyss.”

“As the saying goes, soil accumulated forms mountains, bringing forth wind and rain; water gathered forms deep abysses, where dragons are born. Such talent requires constant accumulation of water-elemental power daily, ultimately achieving great accomplishments and immense strength.”

“Therefore, Zhou Zesheng accumulates magical power slowly in his early stages, requiring more resources, time, and patience than others!”

“But with loss comes gain; Zhou Zesheng will surely make a breakthrough in the later stages.”

Ning Zhuo nodded slightly, “How much longer approximately?”

The Zhou cultivator smiled wryly, “Friend Ning Zhuo, don’t trouble me; why not ask Zhou Zesheng yourself?”

Ning Zhuo went to Zhou Zesheng to inquire directly.

Given his current status, reputation, and relations with the three family prodigies, it was easy.

He received Zhou’s personal reply: “At most seven days.”

“That timeframe is acceptable,” Ning Zhuo thought.

If he forced the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng to act alone without his involvement, even if it passed the trial, it would suffer severe spirit loss.

Currently, Ning Zhuo’s research into Yuan Dasheng’s mechanical body was insufficient, and the restoration difficulty within the Lava Immortal Palace was high.

His greatest concern was that using the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng under such intense conditions would cause its spirit to decline again.

Moreover, the extent of this decline was predictable and would surely be much greater than when Yuan Dasheng fought Meng Chong.

However, upon returning home and resuming daily cultivation, he made a chilling discovery.

The Buddha Heart Demon Seal in his divine sea had reactivated once.

Although only once, the timing coincided precisely with his decision to wait for Zhou Zesheng after contemplation at the Zhou family.

“Low destiny causes confusion and delirium.”

“But the Buddha Heart Demon Seal suppresses destiny’s influence, helping me cross over as a Buddha, ensuring my clarity.”

Using this logic in reverse, Ning Zhuo realized his decision to wait was influenced by fate’s delusion.

“In that case, doesn’t it mean the first option is actually the correct choice?”

Ning Zhuo fell into deep thought.

“According to Volume One of the Treatise on Destiny, before I completely defeat Meng Chong in our battle, our destinies are locked in fierce competition.”

“So, my destiny is inferior to the combined three families, leading to a moment of confusion?”

Ning Zhuo was startled.

“Yes, I am currently racing against time.”

“Why should I delay seven days for Zhou Zesheng without reason?”

Immediately, Ning Zhuo made a decision—to deploy the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng and undertake the trial himself.

He concealed himself within the cultivation chamber of his bedroom and activated the Floating Cloud Cloth.

First, he retrieved the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng.

The teleportation light circle engulfed Yuan Dasheng, transporting it silently.

Ning Zhuo then activated the “Trial Disciple” mark, entering the palace soulfully while bringing in the Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng.

Only by doing this could it count as a completely new attempt.

As before, he appeared in Room One.

Ning Zhuo touched the first door briefly, then withdrew, returning his soul to his body.

The Golden Blood Battle Ape: Dasheng took his place, touched the first door, received the reward, and pushed the door open.

The next moment, Yuan Dasheng saw Zhou Zhu and Zhou Zesheng.

End of chapter…