Chapter 104: Traversing Again the Buddha's Path
At the Primal Spirit stage, Yuan Dasheng needed to increase his spirituality until it reached ten levels of completion.
Ten levels represented a qualitative transformation!
Upon achieving this, spirituality would regenerate on its own, becoming endless. Otherwise, the more spirituality one used, the more it would diminish, which was highly disadvantageous.
Yuan Dasheng was in this exact situation.
Originally possessing eight levels of spirituality, after some losses, he was left with only 7.9 levels, unable to recover on his own.
Unless, one day, he reached ten levels of spirituality and underwent a qualitative transformation, only then would he be able to recover by himself.
After reading this jade slip, Ning Zhuo's first thought was: "Choosing Yuan Dasheng's corpse was indeed the correct choice."
"According to the information given by the Lava Immortal Palace, choosing any corpse would only result in obtaining a Spiritual Resonance-level mechanism. This is merely the first stage of the Necromancer phase."
"But by using Yuan Dasheng's corpse, I obtained the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, whose spirituality surpassed seven stages, reaching the Primal Spirit stage."
Previously, Ning Zhuo knew that the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, had excellent quality, but after reading *On Spirits*, he finally understood the extent of its superiority.
"So how can spirituality be increased?"
This tome, *On Spirits*, did not contain any relevant information.
"Perhaps it does, but it hasn't been made accessible to me."
"I'm an outsider, and being able to see this *On Spirits* from the Zhou family is already thanks to the collaboration of the three families!"
Although *On Spirits* did not provide detailed methods, it did connect to some related history.
In the cultivation world, there once was a demonic sect that was highly prominent, shaking the world with its power. It was called the Burial Spirit Sect.
This sect had a technique known as the *Three Lives Spirit Sacrifice Grand Method*.
The so-called Three Lives did not refer to three lives, but to the concept of 'Three Lives Creating All Things'.
The true meaning was to create all things through the Three Lives, sacrifice, and seek spirituality! They would bury all things under heaven and earth, refine them through sacrifice, and obtain spirituality.
The Burial Spirit Sect used this technique, slaughtering countless lives, acquiring vast amounts of spirituality, and mass-producing spirit treasures, thereby strengthening the sect's power.
Countless righteous sects, evil factions, and even other demonic sects recognized the threat of the Burial Spirit Sect and rose to attack, causing this superpower that endangered the entire cultivation world to be annihilated.
"*Three Lives Spirit Sacrifice Grand Method.*"
When Ning Zhuo read this, he suddenly thought of a reward in the Lava Immortal Palace.
After passing the three tests of the Buddhist Sect, he would receive a reward.
He thus obtained the Phantom True Lotus Seed.
The rewards were many, and he remembered very clearly that one of them was a technique called the *Fire Burial Prajna Spirit-Resolving Sutra*.
"This might just be the secret method for increasing spirituality!"
Ning Zhuo thought to himself.
His guess was not without basis.
He had evidence.
Previously, when he ventured through the first test of the Buddhist Sect and selected a corpse from the coffin, he received some related information.
One piece of information was: "Choose one, send it to the cremation furnace, and obtain a Spiritual Resonance mechanism creation."
Cremation could yield a Spiritual Resonance mechanism creation.
These two clues directly linked to the *Fire Burial Prajna Spirit-Resolving Sutra*.
"Next time I venture into the Lava Immortal Palace, I'll choose this reward to see!"
Ning Zhuo had a feeling in his heart, making him believe that this was indeed the correct choice.
However, venturing into the Lava Immortal Palace would not be easy.
This was a different time and situation.
Now, Ning Zhuo had four Ning family cultivators guarding him, and they weren't the same four people all the time.
They would take turns every so often.
If Ning Zhuo entered the Immortal Palace with his soul, the chances of being discovered would greatly increase.
He was also worried about one thing—if he entered the Immortal Palace and encountered the three family geniuses or Meng Chong, what would he do?
As for Meng Chong's situation, he couldn't fully investigate it.
The three family geniuses all had Ning family talismans protecting them, so if they wanted to enter the Immortal Palace with their souls, they only needed to remove the talismans.
This was entirely unpredictable.
"There are two possible approaches!"
"One is to have someone remotely control Yuan Dasheng to storm into the depths of the Immortal Palace. As it is my mechanism creation, it can be considered part of me."
"Two is to explore the palace with Zheng Jian and others, which depends on Zhou Zhenshen's cultivation progress."
Previously, Ning Zhuo and the others had agreed at the Kindergarten for Benevolence that once Zhou Zhenshen reached the peak of the third layer, they would all venture into the Immortal Palace together.
Ning Zhuo thought about it and felt that the second approach was better.
When he left the Zhou family's treasure library, he inquired about Zhou Zhenshen's current cultivation level.
"Do you know what level fellow Daoist Zhou Zhenshen has reached in his cultivation?" he asked one of the Zhou family cultivators.
"Currently, he is still in the late stage of the third layer," the Zhou family cultivator replied.
Ning Zhuo frowned slightly.
The Zhou family cultivator, out of a desire to defend his family, immediately explained, "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, you should know that our family's Zhou Zhenshen has superior talent, like water accumulating to form a deep abyss."
"As the saying goes, 'accumulating earth forms a mountain, wind and rain arise from it; accumulating water forms a deep abyss, and dragons are born from it.' This kind of talent requires continuous accumulation of water element power, ultimately achieving a far-reaching momentum and displaying immense power."
"Therefore, our family's Zhou Zhenshen accumulates power more slowly in the early stages of cultivation, needing more resources, time, and patience than others!"
"But where there is loss, there is gain. In the later stages, Zhou Zhenshen will surely experience a breakthrough in his cultivation."
Ning Zhuo nodded slightly, "Then how much longer will it take?"
The Zhou family cultivator smiled wryly, "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, please don't make it difficult for me. Why not ask Zhou Zhenshen himself?"
Ning Zhuo then went to find Zhou Zhenshen and inquired directly.
Given his current status, reputation, and relationship with the three family geniuses, he was able to do so easily.
He received Zhou Zhenshen's personal response: "It will take at most seven days!"
"This time frame is acceptable!" Ning Zhuo thought to himself.
If he forcibly relied solely on the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, without personally taking action, even if Yuan Dasheng managed to pass the tests, it would suffer significant damage.
Currently, Ning Zhuo's research on Yuan Dasheng's mechanism body was not deep enough, and repairing it within the Lava Immortal Palace would be very difficult.
What Ning Zhuo feared most was that such high-intensity use of the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, would cause its spirituality to decline once again.
And the extent of the decline could be estimated—it would certainly be much greater than when Yuan Dasheng fought Meng Chong.
However, after he returned home and began his daily cultivation, he made a startling discovery.
He found that the Buddha Heart Demon Seal in his Divine Sea had reactivated once again.
Although it was only once, the timing was right after he had thought about waiting for Zhou Zhenshen while at the Zhou family.
"Low fortune can cause one's mind to be clouded."
"But the Buddha Heart Demon Seal can suppress fate, turning oneself into a Buddha, thus ensuring my clarity of mind."
Following this line of reasoning, Ning Zhuo immediately realized that his decision to wait had been influenced by fate.
"If that's the case, doesn't it mean that the first option is the correct one?"
Ning Zhuo fell into deep thought.
"According to *On Fate: Volume One*, when Meng Chong and I are competing against each other, until one of us achieves a decisive victory, our fortunes will continue to fiercely oppose each other."
"So, my fortune is not as strong as the combined forces of the three families, which led to this moment of clouded judgment?"
Ning Zhuo realized with a shock.
"Yes, I'm racing against time."
"Why should I delay for seven days because of Zhou Zhenshen?"
Immediately, Ning Zhuo made a decision—to use the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, to break through the tests.
He hid in the cultivation chamber within his bedroom and activated the Floating Cloud Cloth.
First, he took out the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng.
The teleportation ring fluctuated, successfully transporting Yuan Dasheng. The entire process was silent.
Ning Zhuo then activated the 'Trial Disciple' mark, entered the Immortal Palace with his soul, and simultaneously brought in the Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng.
Only by doing so would this count as a completely new challenge.
As before, he appeared in Room One.
Ning Zhuo did not even touch the first door and immediately withdrew, returning his soul to his body.
The Gold-Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, replaced 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 Zhenshen.