: Buddha's Guidance Once More

At the Primate Spirit stage, Yuan Dasheng needed to increase his spirituality until it reached full perfection at ten parts.

Ten parts represented a qualitative transformation!

Once achieved, spirituality would self-regenerate, becoming endless and self-sustaining. Otherwise, spirituality would deplete with use, never recovering—a significant disadvantage.

Yuan Dasheng was in such a situation.

Originally at eight parts spirituality, after depletion, only seven-point-nine parts remained, unable to restore itself.

Unless one day, it reached ten parts spirituality and underwent that qualitative transformation. Only then could it begin to self-regenerate!

After reading the jade slip, Ning Zhuo's first thought was: "Choosing Yuan Dasheng's corpse was indeed the correct decision."

"According to the information from the Molten Immortal Palace, selecting any other corpse would only yield a spiritual resonance-level construct. That’s merely the first stage of the Spirit Death phase."

"But by using Yuan Dasheng’s corpse, the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng I obtained has surpassed seven stages of spirituality, reaching the Primate Spirit phase."

Previously, Ning Zhuo knew the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng was of superior quality. Now, after reading "On Spirituality," he truly understood just how superior it was!

"So, how does one increase spirituality?"

The treasured text "On Spirituality" did not contain any related content.

"Perhaps it does, but it’s just not accessible to me."

"As an outsider, I was only able to see this Zhou family text thanks to the alliance of the three families."

Although "On Spirituality" lacked detailed methods, it did record related history.

In the cultivation world, there was once a demonic sect renowned and feared across the land—the Burial Spirit Sect.

This sect possessed a technique called the Triple Life Spirit Sacrifice Art.

The term "Triple Life" didn’t refer to three lives but derived from the concept "Three births give rise to all things."

Its true meaning was: Three births give rise to all things; sacrifice to seek spirit. Bury all things of heaven and earth, sacrifice and refine them to obtain spirituality.

The Burial Spirit Sect used this technique to slaughter countless beings, amassing vast spirituality, mass-producing spiritual treasures, and strengthening their sect’s power.

Countless righteous paths, evil factions, and even other demonic sects recognized the threat posed by the Burial Spirit Sect. They united to attack, obliterating this superpower that endangered the entire cultivation world.

"Triple Life Spirit Sacrifice Art…" When Ning Zhuo read this, he suddenly recalled one of the rewards from the Molten Immortal Palace.

After passing the Buddhist Three Trials, he would receive rewards.

He had thus obtained the Illusory Truth Lotus Seed. There were many rewards, and he remembered clearly one of them was a technique called the "Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra."

"This might be the secret method to increase spirituality," Ning Zhuo thought.

His speculation wasn’t baseless.

He had evidence.

Previously, when he challenged the first Buddhist trial and selected a corpse from the coffin, he received related information. One piece of information stated—"Choose one, cremate it in the furnace, and obtain a spiritual resonance construct."

Cremation…

Could obtain a spiritual resonance construct…

These two clues directly connected to the "Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra."

"Next time I challenge the Molten Immortal Palace, I’ll choose this reward and see," Ning Zhuo thought, feeling that this should be the correct choice!

However, challenging the Molten Immortal Palace wasn’t easy.

Times had changed.

Ning Zhuo now had four Ning family cultivators guarding him, and they weren’t fixed individuals. They rotated shifts periodically.

If Ning Zhuo’s soul entered the Immortal Palace, the risk of being discovered would greatly increase.

He was also worried about another point—what if he encountered the geniuses of the three families or Meng Chong inside the palace?

He couldn’t ascertain Meng Chong’s situation.

The geniuses of the three families all had Ning family talismans protecting them. To enter the Immortal Palace with their souls, they merely needed to remove the talismans. This was completely unpredictable!

"There are two ways."

"First, I stay outside the palace and remotely control Yuan Dasheng, sending him deep into the Immortal Palace. As my construct, he counts as part of me."

"Second, explore the palace together with Zheng Jian and the others. This depends on Zhou Zeshen’s cultivation progress."

Previously, at the Ciyou Garden, Ning Zhuo and the others had agreed that once Zhou Zeshen reached the peak of the third layer, they would join hands to explore the Immortal Palace again.

After some thought, Ning Zhuo felt the second way was better.

When he left the Zhou family’s Scripture Pavilion, he asked the cultivator beside him, "I wonder how far along Fellow Daoist Zhou Zeshen is in his cultivation?"

"He’s currently at the late stage of the third layer," the Zhou family cultivator replied.

Ning Zhuo frowned.

Out of a desire to defend his family, the Zhou family cultivator immediately explained, "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo should know that our clan’s Zhou Zeshen possesses the superior innate talent 'Water Accumulates into an Abyss.'"

"As the saying goes, 'Accumulate earth to form a mountain, and wind and rain will arise; accumulate water to form an abyss, and dragons will be born.' This talent requires continuous accumulation of water-element power over time, eventually achieving the momentum of an abyss, displaying immense power."

"Because of this, in the early stages of cultivation, Zhou Zeshen’s accumulation of spiritual power is slower than others, requiring more resources, time, and patience."

"But where there is loss, there is gain! Zhou Zeshen will inevitably experience a leap in cultivation in the later stages!"

Ning Zhuo nodded slightly, "So, roughly how much longer?"

The Zhou family cultivator smiled wryly, "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, don’t make it difficult for me. Why not ask our clan’s Zhou Zeshen directly?"

Ning Zhuo then went to find Zhou Zeshen and asked him personally.

Given his current status, reputation, and relationship with the geniuses of the three families, he easily managed to get Zhou Zeshen’s personal answer—

"At most, seven days."

"This timeframe is still acceptable," Ning Zhuo thought.

If he forced it and only used the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng without participating himself, even if Yuan Dasheng passed the trials, he would suffer severe damage.

Currently, Ning Zhuo’s research into Yuan Dasheng’s construct body wasn’t deep enough, and repairing Yuan Dasheng inside the Molten Immortal Palace was also very difficult.

What Ning Zhuo worried about most was that using the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng so intensively might cause its spirituality to drop again.

And the extent of the drop could be easily estimated—it would certainly be much greater than when Yuan Dasheng fought Meng Chong!

However, after returning home and beginning his daily cultivation, he made a startling discovery.

He found that the Buddha’s Heart Demon Seal in his divine sea had activated again.

Although only once, the timing coincided exactly with when he was at the Zhou family, after thinking it over, deciding to wait for Zhou Zeshen!

"Low fortune can cloud one’s mind and wisdom."

"But the Buddha’s Heart Demon Seal can suppress fortune, guiding oneself to become a Buddha, thus ensuring mental clarity."

Reasoning backwards from this, Ning Zhuo immediately realized that his decision to wait was a result of being deluded by fortune.

"If so, doesn’t that mean the first option was actually the correct one?" Ning Zhuo fell into deep thought.

"According to 'Theory of Fortune · Volume One,' Meng Chong and I are locked in a struggle. Until one side completely wins, our fortunes are fiercely depleting each other."

"So, my fortune is inferior to the combined fortune of the three families, which led to that moment of delusion?"

Ning Zhuo was shocked.

"Yes, I’m racing against time right now!"

"Why delay for seven days because of Zhou Zeshen?"

Immediately, Ning Zhuo made a decision—use the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng to challenge the trials!

He hid in the cultivation chamber within his bedroom and activated the Floating Cloud Handkerchief.

First, he took out the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng.

The teleportation ring shimmered, successfully transporting Yuan Dasheng out. The entire process was completely silent.

Ning Zhuo then activated the "Trial Disciple" mark, sending his soul into the Immortal Palace, while bringing the Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng along with him.

Only by doing this would it count as a new attempt at the trials.

As before, he appeared in Room One.

Ning Zhuo didn’t even touch the first door, immediately leaving and returning his soul to his body.

The Golden Blood Battle Ape · Dasheng, replacing him, touched the first door, received the reward, and then pushed the door open.

In the next moment, Yuan Dasheng saw Zhou Zhu and Zhou Zeshen!

(End of )