: Qi Deviation

"Let me see, let me see!" Sun Lingtong was very curious.

Ning Zhuo told him that the Fetal Breath Spirit Boat couldn't be burned for now, and instead of cremating it, he had obtained a cultivation technique from it, which surprised Sun Lingtong quite a bit.

After witnessing the technique being activated within the flames, Sun Lingtong exclaimed, "From the information we got at the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, this Fetal Breath Spirit Boat is a treasure that has been passed down through many generations."

"Who would have thought that after falling into your hands, it actually revealed the complete cultivation technique."

"This technique is really powerful. If one actively cultivates it successfully, it's as if everyone can temporarily enter a fetal breath state, which greatly enhances physical cultivation, combat, and more."

"You've been quite lucky lately, kid."

Sun Lingtong viewed Ning Zhuo in a new light.

He then asked, "What are you planning to do next?"

Ning Zhuo stood beside him, stopping the cremation of the Prajna Liberation Spirit Sutra and gradually extinguishing the flames. Frowning, he looked troubled as he gazed at the intact Fetal Breath Spirit Boat. "I'm thinking about whether to return to the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect and use the Spirit Concealing Willow to comprehend this 'Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method.'"

After his failure, Ning Zhuo had tried to comprehend the technique himself.

However, this technique was a genuine body cultivation method. His advanced Five Elements realm was of no help here; he could only rely on his own experience and knowledge to learn, understand, and comprehend it.

This made progress far too slow!

If there were a teacher who practiced this technique to guide him, that would work too.

But the Fetal Breath Spirit Boat was clearly an ancient treasure, and it was unknown how the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect obtained it or passed it down.

As for the "Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method," based on Ning Zhuo's research, he guessed it probably wasn't the latest method. It should be older than the Three Sects' Upper Methods but much newer than the Five Viscera Temple Spirit God Technique.

Sun Lingtong looked at Ning Zhuo in surprise and blurted out, "The Spirit Concealing Willow has been through so much already; I doubt it can support you in comprehending this technique, right?"

"Last time, you nearly exhausted it to death. It just barely survived, and if you misuse its power like that again, you might end up killing it for good."

"After all, neither of us can strictly control the Spirit Concealing Willow or manage the extent of its assistance."

Ning Zhuo sighed deeply, his expression darkening. "That's what worries me too, boss."

After discussing further, they decided to stick to their original plan and continue their journey. In the meantime, Ning Zhuo would rely on his own abilities to comprehend the technique.

Sun Lingtong would help as well.

As for the Spirit Concealing Willow, they would let it rest and recover. In the future, if Ning Zhuo hit a wall or encountered a bottleneck in comprehending the technique, he could ride the Ten Thousand Li Roaming Dragon back to the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect and seek its assistance.

"The Spirit Concealing Willow is in a weak state right now. Even if I go back now and use it to comprehend the technique, I'd only make a little progress."

"It needs intermittent rest to preserve its vitality."

"That would make comprehending the technique stop-and-go, full of bumps and obstacles."

"Instead, it's better to let it rest and recover fully first. Then, I can use it to comprehend the technique. That would undoubtedly be more efficient!"

Having made up his mind, Ning Zhuo entrusted the Ten Thousand Li Roaming Dragon to Sun Lingtong and devoted all his efforts to painstakingly studying the "Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method."

Although this unexpected turn of events had brought him tangible gains, deep down, he wasn't happy about it.

What scripture or technique could compare to healing the Buddhist Physician, Meng Yaoyin?

Now, even though he had cleverly obtained the Fetal Breath Spirit Boat, he was stuck because of this technique, unable to burn the boat.

"If I had known this earlier, why would I have wasted so much time at the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect?"

"Mother, your child has let you down!"

With these thoughts, he approached comprehending the "Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method" with some resentment and anger.

Once, while reading a passage that said, "When first learning breath regulation, one must imagine the qi exiting from the navel and entering from the navel, regulating it to be extremely fine," he suddenly followed his thoughts and began regulating his breath.

He tried hard to hold his breath, attempting to breathe through his navel, counting to eighty-one. However, his qi ran wild inside his body, uncontrollable.

A sharp pain shot through his abdomen. Ning Zhuo felt the qi inside him like runaway horses, charging in all directions.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, but he stubbornly refused to give up, gritting his teeth and forcing the cultivation, trying to channel the qi into his dantian. Yet, instead of obeying, the qi became even more violent, as if trying to tear his body apart.

His face gradually turned pale, his lips purple. The qi inside him felt like an invisible net, tightly wrapping around him. He tried to exhale through his mouth and nose but found his breath blocked, unable to breathe smoothly!

"Ah!" he cried out as the rampaging qi inside him finally erupted.

Ning Zhuo felt a sharp pain in his chest, and then a mouthful of blood gushed out, staining the ground in front of him.

His body trembled violently, out of control at that moment, as if all strength had been drained from him, and he collapsed to the floor.

Ning Zhuo's vision blurred, and his consciousness faded. He heard a roaring in his ears, as if everything in the world was receding from him.

His eyes were open, but they were extremely dim, plunging him into endless darkness. Silence surrounded him, with only his own weak, panting breaths echoing.

Although the qi inside him had settled, the pain was intense and heavy, as if countless blades were cutting and piercing every part of his body.

The agony nearly made him pass out.

"Hold on... must... hold on." Ning Zhuo forced himself to stay alert.

He knew very well that he needed to take pills and heal as soon as possible. If he failed and delayed even a little, his injuries would worsen drastically, and the cost of healing later would be much greater.

But he couldn't move at all; he had no strength left.

His vision regained a bit of light but remained quite blurry.

The dizziness grew stronger!

Just as he was about to lose consciousness completely, a figure he knew all too well, one he felt deeply close to, entered his field of view.

"B-boss." He spoke, his voice extremely faint.

Sun Lingtong was horrified. Suddenly, his heart raced in the dragon-head cabin, and he felt something was wrong. He quickly thought, trying to find the source of his unease.

He immediately checked the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit in the clam pearl and found it was still dormant.

"Xiao Zhuo!"

Sun Lingtong called out and decisively left the dragon-head cabin, rushing to the cultivation chamber.

As soon as the door opened, he saw Ning Zhuo collapsed on the floor.

The blood in front of Ning Zhuo, along with his ashen face and drenched body, pained Sun Lingtong greatly.

Sun Lingtong immediately acted, checking Ning Zhuo's condition, taking out pills, and channeling法力 to help him digest the medicine's effects.

Ning Zhuo felt immensely relieved and fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, a day and a night had passed.

He felt much better!

Although his body was still weak, the severe pain had mostly subsided. His head still felt dizzy, making him light-headed when he got up to walk, but it was far better than during his qi deviation.

"Boss." Ning Zhuo slowly made his way to the dragon-head cabin.

Sun Lingtong had already noticed Ning Zhuo as soon as he left his living quarters and entered the corridor.

When Ning Zhuo opened the door and entered the dragon-head cabin, Sun Lingtong didn't even turn around, just snorted coldly.

"Boss, I was wrong." Ning Zhuo walked up behind Sun Lingtong, smiling awkwardly and bowing his head in apology.

Only then did Sun Lingtong turn around, his brow furrowed, face stern, and scolded sharply.

"Xiao Zhuo, you fool, you actually tried cultivating the 'Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method'?"

"This time, you fell hard, and it serves you right!"

"The feeling of qi deviation is the best reminder for you."

"You've already cultivated the Demon-Stained Blood Tendon Technique and built your lower dantian, yet you still attempt to practice other techniques?"

"This is something even novice Qi Refining cultivators know well, and you made such a mistake!"

Ning Zhuo scratched his head. "Thinking back, it's unbelievable. I got too absorbed in comprehending the 'Heaven-Born, Earth-Nurtured Fetal Breath Great Method' and unconsciously tried to practice it."

"When I hit a snag, I should have stopped, but I was in a bad mood, feeling frustrated, and tried to force it."

"I recovered so quickly this time thanks to you stepping in to help in time, boss! Boss, you're really the best."

Instead of being pleased by the praise, Sun Lingtong got even angrier. He floated up, made a small fist, and gave Ning Zhuo's head a solid thump.

"You brat, still grinning like an idiot!"

"You're confined for seven days to reflect on your mistakes. No cultivation during that time."

Ning Zhuo's face instantly paled. "Boss, what about my daily practices?" he cried out.

Sun Lingtong frowned deeply, his cheeks flushing with anger. Hands on his hips, he shouted sternly, "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Understood, understood!" Ning Zhuo quickly replied.

"Get out, go to your confinement." Sun Lingtong pointed toward the cabin.

Dejected and gloomy, Ning Zhuo bid farewell to Sun Lingtong and left the dragon-head cabin.

Sun Lingtong watched through the imagery as Ning Zhuo walked down the corridor and entered his living cabin, then let out a long sigh, thinking to himself, "Xiao Zhuo..."

Only then did Sun Lingtong show deep concern.

He understood Ning Zhuo's current state all too well!

Seeing Ning Zhuo like this reminded Sun Lingtong of his former self.

There was a time when his master had disappeared mysteriously in the Lava Immortal Palace. Even though Sun Lingtong was only at the Qi Refining stage, he repeatedly ventured deep into the Fire Persimmon Mountain, entering the Lava Immortal Palace time and again, risking his life each time to explore.

Didn't he know he was taking risks?

Didn't he know that his master was probably already beyond help?

Looking back on his past, Sun Lingtong realized that such seemingly simple and clear questions weren't so clear to him back then.

Because all he could think about was finding his master. Even if reason told him there was little hope, he pushed that realization to the farthest corner of his mind.

For a long time, the belief in finding his master drove Sun Lingtong to keep moving forward,不顾自身安危.

Now, Ning Zhuo's situation was so similar to his own back then!

"So, how did I manage to move on myself?"

(End of )