Chapter 363: Comprehending Dao Under the Tree
After bidding farewell to Lin Shanshan, Ning Zhuo returned to the cave dwelling on Xiao Zheng Peak.
He first took out the prayer mat, sat cross-legged, and began his daily routine of cultivating his techniques.
He was currently in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, cultivating three techniques simultaneously. He needed to meditate, breathe, and refine his blood energy. Therefore, the time he spent on accumulating these techniques each day was about three times that of others.
He also had to undergo special training daily to improve his martial skills.
There were also various external affairs to attend to, such as inspecting the herb fields on the mountain and negotiating with the Myriad Medicine Sect to discuss major cooperation matters. Moreover, he had recently taken the initiative to challenge Chang Yan, a demon cultivator ranked higher than him.
His schedule was extremely tight, as if every minute and second counted, and he meticulously accounted for every bit of time.
Even so, there were still many tasks he couldn’t complete.
For instance, when it came to mechanism-related training, the time he could squeeze out each day to practice his control techniques was only as brief as the time it took to drink a cup of tea.
And the matter of designing a mechanical body for Meng Yahu had been postponed repeatedly, with not even a start made yet.
Ning Zhuo wished he could split himself in half to manage everything.
Time was simply too scarce!
"Now, I have to add another task—comprehending the Dao diagrams."
After finishing his cultivation, Ning Zhuo took out three diagrams.
"Hopefully, I can gain something from them."
Ning Zhuo first glanced at the three diagrams. They were the 'Old Tree Coiling Roots Diagram,' the 'Listening to Waves at Night in the Mountains Diagram,' and the 'Peeking at the Sky Under the Tree Diagram.'
He had already learned from Lin Shanshan about the "solutions" to these diagrams—they each corresponded to specific Wood Element spells.
He chose the first diagram, which was relatively simpler, and attempted to comprehend it.
Ning Zhuo stared intently at the diagram, his expression focused.
Soon, his mind became completely immersed in the diagram, no longer disturbed by the outside world.
He observed every detail of the roots, and his gaze followed their twists and turns. His thoughts also expanded with the shape of the roots, carefully sensing every interwoven part of the roots and every entwined vine.
Gradually, he began to trace a natural rhythm.
Ning Zhuo’s breathing became steady and deep, his body slightly leaning forward, as if he wanted to step into the world within the diagram.
His heart grew increasingly tranquil, and he sensed the profound meaning contained within the diagram.
However, just as his mind and spirit were about to resonate with it, a strong sense of hunger suddenly struck him, shattering his state of comprehension.
He reacted, opening his eyes.
It turned out that, unconsciously, he had closed his eyes. Even though his gaze was no longer on the diagram, his spiritual sense had still deeply penetrated the Dao comprehension diagram.
Ning Zhuo's stomach growled, and a strong sense of exhaustion and weakness followed.
He realized that the "brief moment" he thought had passed was merely an illusion—he had been in that state for a full three hours.
Even though he had taken a fasting pill, his body still couldn’t handle the energy expenditure.
At the same time, in his upper dantian's spiritual sea, his divine sense was completely depleted, and his mental strength had also plummeted to its lowest point.
Comprehending the Dao through the diagram was a huge drain on his mental faculties. The toll on his spirit and divine sense was even more terrifying.
"So this is what it feels like to comprehend the Dao diagram?" Ning Zhuo was both exhausted and excited.
This was the first time he had entered such a state, and he found it quite novel.
In addition, he was pleasantly surprised and satisfied. After all, he had been worried earlier that he wouldn’t be able to comprehend the Wood Element Dao diagram.
It seemed that, although he wasn’t particularly talented in the ice element, he had a remarkable ability to comprehend the wood element.
Ning Zhuo took these insights and shared them with Sun Lingtong.
Sun Lingtong said, "Entering the state of Dao comprehension on the first try is actually quite rare. Xiao Zhuo, if you keep developing your wood element cultivation, you'll have a promising future."
Ning Zhuo replied, "Boss, you should give it a try too. After all, these diagrams are borrowed, and we’ll have to return them once the time limit is up."
Sun Lingtong was interested and agreed, "You go ahead and enter the 'Wanli Dragon' mechanism. I'll keep watch for you first."
Ning Zhuo entered the mechanism dragon.
He first ate and drank some spirit food, then took a short nap to adjust his condition.
Afterward, he went to the storage cabin and retrieved a willow tree.
The willow tree had been dug up with its roots locked in a large clump of soil, standing upright on the floor.
Ning Zhuo took out his prayer mat and sat directly under the tree.
The willow tree held a hidden mystery, full of vitality. Its yellow-green twigs and evergreen leaves were like a thin layer of jade, translucent and almost transparent.
It was the Spirit-Hiding Willow!
Ning Zhuo sat under the tree, the willow's fragrance as soothing as sandalwood or orchids, refreshing and serene, calming his mind.
Before he even adjusted his state, he already felt refreshed, his worries dissipating, and his divine sense becoming active, with wisdom bubbling forth.
"What a good tree," Ning Zhuo thought with anticipation as he took out the 'Old Tree Coiling Roots Diagram' and began to comprehend it.
In an instant, it was as if he had stepped into the world of the painting.
Barefoot, he stood atop the vines and roots, feeling the rough texture, the twists and turns, and the restrained power and vitality of the roots.
The Spirit-Hiding Willow sensed Ning Zhuo's comprehension and swayed without wind. Its leaves fell naturally, drifting around Ning Zhuo, slowly turning into green points of light that quickly dissipated.
As Ning Zhuo "stood" within the Dao diagram, his body underwent a mysterious transformation, gradually growing taller and rising, turning into a tree. Countless vines sprouted from his body, slowly and swiftly extending outward.
These roots and vines intertwined with the original roots and vines, wrapping around each other, soft yet firm, and containing boundless power within their coils.
At this moment, brilliant flashes of spiritual light frequently appeared in Ning Zhuo's upper dantian.
He commanded the vines to extend and retract continuously, controlling them as effortlessly as if they were his own limbs.
The great tree before him was his best teacher. He imitated it, learned from it, and made himself one with nature. Thus, power erupted from the intertwining, displaying both the flexibility of the vines and the toughness of the roots.
He had fully comprehended it!
Wood Element Spell—Root Vine Entanglement.
Ning Zhuo abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze shining brightly.
Looking again at the 'Old Tree Coiling Roots Diagram,' it was now crystal clear, devoid of any hidden mysteries.
"Only a little more than an hour passed?"
Ning Zhuo calculated the time—it was incredibly short. And the insights he gained were at least dozens of times greater than his previous attempts.
"Moreover, my condition is still quite good. I haven’t hit rock bottom, and at least I’m not hungry, with about thirty percent of my divine sense remaining."
Ning Zhuo patted his stomach, then looked up at the Spirit-Hiding Willow beside him.
"What a good tree, what a wonderful tree!" he exclaimed sincerely.
At the same time, he keenly noticed that one of the willow branches had become completely bare, its leaves all fallen, and the branch itself had withered, turning yellow and shriveled as if it had lost its moisture.
After a short rest, Ning Zhuo took out the second diagram—the 'Listening to Waves at Night in the Mountains Diagram.'
On a steep cliff stood a simple wooden house.
The window facing the cliff was open, and a cultivator leaned against the window, seemingly either cultivating through breathing exercises, meditating with eyes closed, or listening attentively.
It was already deep into the night, and the mountains outside the window were shrouded in darkness, vast and profound.
Only the faint light from the room illuminated a warm corner.
The mountain wind howled, causing the lamp flame to flicker, and the cultivator’s robes to sway. Though the light could not reach far, near the small wooden house, the shadows of pine trees swayed in the wind, with the outlines of the branches faintly visible.
Further out, occupying eighty percent of the painting, was pure darkness.
Yet the deep darkness was not monotonous. If one observed carefully, they could see faint, enormous arcs within the darkness, like waves, connecting the heavens and earth, stretching across the landscape.
The 'Listening to Waves at Night in the Mountains Diagram!'
Naturally, what was being "listened" to was not the sound of waves but the sound of the wind blowing through the pines.
Under the Spirit-Hiding Willow, Ning Zhuo focused his mind and once again immersed himself into the painting.
He became the figure in the painting, leaning against the wooden window, eyes half-closed, with only the endless sound of the waves in his ears.
The waves roared fiercely like a mighty tide at times, while at other times they were as gentle as fine rain. Such an overwhelming vitality, such grand natural power!
After about an hour, Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes, still carrying a trace of awe in his gaze
.
He had comprehended the 'Listening to Waves at Night in the Mountains Diagram.'
Without stopping, he took out the third diagram.
The 'Peeking at the Sky Under the Tree Diagram!'
The painting was filled with dense branches and leaves, layers upon layers of foliage forming an impenetrable green canopy, almost completely blocking out the clear sky.
Lying on the grass and looking up, one could only barely catch glimpses of the blue sky through the gaps in the leaves.
The blue sky was clear, yet only tiny fragments of it could be seen through the gaps in the leaves. Here, the trees, branches, and leaves formed the entire world, isolated from the outside, self-contained.
Ning Zhuo stood within the painting, feeling the distance from the outside world, feeling the isolation.
That tiny bit of blue sky only served to highlight the enclosed world of the forest.
However, he was not a prisoner but the master of this forest, the king, the ruler, the god!
After about two hours, Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes, showing signs of exhaustion once again.
The 'Peeking at the Sky Under the Tree Diagram' was the most difficult and profound of the three, yet he had also comprehended it!
Ning Zhuo had mastered three new Wood Element spells. Because he had directly grasped the profound meanings through the Dao comprehension diagrams, he had saved a considerable amount of time and effort in refining these spells.
"With just these three spells, if I face Han Zhou again, I’ll be able to prevent him from getting close!"
Ning Zhuo’s combat power had soared, and his confidence increased along with it. He was now eagerly looking forward to his upcoming battle with Chang Yan.
"Boss, boss, it's your turn now."
"The Spirit-Hiding Willow is really helpful. I comprehended three spells in a row, and it was much easier than trying to comprehend them on my own."
Ning Zhuo called out to Sun Lingtong, eager to share his joy.
Sun Lingtong chuckled, "Alright, I’ll give it a try too!"
Ning Zhuo left the mechanism dragon and continued cultivating.
In the following days, he kept up with his special martial training with Lin Shanshan.
His progress was rapid, achieving a balanced offense and defense, with his attacks comprising nearly fifty percent of his actions.
Lin Shanshan praised Ning Zhuo’s comprehension while also asking him about his progress with the Dao comprehension diagrams.
Ning Zhuo replied that he had already made great strides in comprehending the 'Old Tree Coiling Roots Diagram,' but had yet to fully delve into the other two.
Upon hearing this, Lin Shanshan’s face lit up with joy. "In just a day, you’ve already made such progress. Young Master Ning Zhuo, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you."
(End of this chapter)