When Ning Zhuo was tracing, he felt as if the space was producing ripples.
"These pressings are all related to the void ripple patterns. These designs can enhance resistance to spells."
At the final summary stage, Ning Zhuo looked at the complete Thousand-layered Scale Talisman on the talisman paper.
Unlike the previous Burning Blood Rushing Talisman, the runes on this Demon Talisman were precise, orderly, complex, and full of a sense of order and solidity.
The layered diamond-shaped runes, combined with the triple rings at the talisman heart, revealed an intent of "thousands of layers to unload force, resistant to myriad spells," which was something Ning Zhuo hadn’t touched upon during his previous research.
He used Mana to ignite the talisman paper, and unsurprisingly, he encountered a second failure.
But he didn’t suffer any backlash.
This is the advantage of using talismans.
The talisman itself would bear the consequences of the backlash due to spell failure, rather than the cultivator.
After consecutively tracing two Demon Talismans, Ning Zhuo closed his eyes to meditate and began to rest.
He felt dizzy and mentally drained, his spirit and energy hugely depleted, his mind and body exhausted.
"The consumption from using the Ideograph Brush for tracing is much greater than I imagined."
"My physical body and soul foundation exceed most Foundation Establishment Cultivators. If I can’t withstand it, others might only trace one Demon Talisman before needing rest."
"However, the effect of tracing is really good!"
"My understanding of Demon Talismans directly surpasses my previous research combined with Lingtong."
But once Ning Zhuo tried to articulate it, he couldn’t organize the words.
This is the intent.
Information difficult to completely convey in language or text.
Only comprehensible through intent, hard to communicate!
True masters can explain it simply, but countless subtleties are often lost in the expression.
A moment later, Ning Zhuo recovered back to peak condition.
He attempted the tracing once more.
This time, it was no longer tiger skin, but he pulled out a Jade Slip from his Storage Waist Belt—Ice Carving Secret Scripture.
This is a Technique Classic gifted to Ning Zhuo by Ning Jiufan, explaining the Ice Carving Mechanism Technique, which is Ning Jiufan’s main cultivation focus.
Ning Zhuo had read it several times before and knew this Ice Sculpture Mechanism Book was unconventional, with distinctive features.
All ice sculptures involved carving on a large single piece of material, forming an integrated whole, rather than assembling between standard mechanical components.
Therefore, wanting to sculpt your desired form requires mastery of the carving skill, one of the Cultivation Hundred Skills.
Especially Inner Carving Skill, which requires engraving all array patterns and talismans on the inner walls of the ice sculpture.
Ning Zhuo was relatively weak in carving skills.
Thus, he only regarded this classical text as a reference book and hadn’t deeply explored it.
During his travels, he indeed had no time to attend to such details.
This tracing mainly tests the limits and evaluates the impact of comprehending intent under extreme conditions.
Ning Zhuo traced meticulously until he nearly couldn’t withstand it, his soul weakened, the entire Divine Sea sparse, and subsequent thoughts generated with difficulty.
He only traced over a tenth of the entire classic.
Yet Ning Zhuo felt a deeper understanding of carving skills, mechanical techniques, and the Ice Element!
But the extent of this benefit was hard for Ning Zhuo to assess.
After a second rest, Ning Zhuo proactively contacted Sun Lingtong: "Lingtong, there’s good news!"
He told Sun Lingtong about Wen Ruanyu’s letter, his participation in Chu Xuangu’s Feiyun mini-test, subsequent transaction intentions with Kong Ran and Bai Jiyun, and more.
Sun Lingtong felt genuinely pleased and also helped Ning Zhuo with strategic planning.
"Little Zhuo, your direction is correct. Confucianism is the school most adept at learning."
"If you want more benefits, you can also leverage the Luoshu Book Pages and Spirit Hidden Willow."
"You can also purchase some elixirs and talismans to assist you. For example, Wisdom Spring Eruption Powder, Enlightenment Spirit Tea, Heart Mirror Dustless Talisman, and Sudden Enlightenment Bodhi Incense."
"If Kong Ran trades successfully with you, perhaps surrounding Early Wisdom, innate talent might assist you in epiphany and rapid learning!"
Regarding the prospects Sun Lingtong painted, Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but feel excited: "The elixirs and talismans listed by Lingtong are all rare treasures, with hefty costs."
"The Ideograph Brush in the Cultivation World amounts to only tens of thousands of pieces. Each requires disaster tribulation to be refined."
"Spirit Hidden Willow is also a rare spirit plant at any rate."
"Early Wisdom Talent needs no mention; it is one in ten thousand!"
"Even if incomplete, the Luoshu Book Pages are Taoist Artifacts."
"Combining these elements will surely accelerate my learning speed tremendously! But I can’t judge precisely how much it will elevate."
In any case, the future looks bright!
Ning Zhuo took out a brush case.
This was the Yunhan Resting Brush Case, approximately one foot and two inches long, four inches wide, and two inches thick, overall rectangular, flat.
Its rounded corners seemed to echo the orbit of stars, devoid of sharpness, fully displaying warmth and inclusiveness.
Just a gentle push could slide the case’s lid to another direction. The opening process was very smooth, without any noise. When closed, it was tightly sealed, leaving only a thin ray of light like a thread of the Heavenly River.
The Ideograph Brush’s pen shaft no longer gleamed with jade light and appeared quite dim.
Ning Zhuo placed the Ideograph Brush into the brush case to let it recuperate and recover for a while.
Ning Zhuo began his daily cultivation.
As usual, he focused on physical cultivation, comprehending Demon-infused Bloodline Technique as the two main tasks.
His physical foundation steadily improved with the aid of the Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat.
However, the rate of comprehending Demon-infused Bloodline Technique remained poor.
"If only I could obtain the true scripture of the Demon-infused Bloodline Technique, then I wouldn’t have these troubles," Ning Zhuo sighed.
The three elders left true scriptures of each cultivation technique in the Lava Fairy Palace.
The true intent from these scriptures was genuine! So, three true scriptures equal three true scriptures.
Even without the Ideograph Brush, ordinary cultivators merely need to touch them to receive true intent nourishment, causing the realm of all three techniques to soar!
"These three true scriptures were originally hidden in the Buddhist Physician, Demon General, and Daoist Master’s bodies."
"The true scripture of the Demon-infused Bloodline Technique accidentally became material refined by Yuan Dasheng."
"My mother resides within the Buddhist Physician. I haven’t discovered the true scripture of the Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique there either."
"As for the true scripture within the Daoist Master’s body of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art... I honestly don’t need it much."
Ning Zhuo was highly profound in the Five Elements Realm.
His bottleneck was with the Demon Skill!
"I’m really not suited for cultivating Demon Skills."
"When will the Red Flower Dharma Image be broken? Maybe I can interrogate Lin You for the Demon Heart Technique as an important reference."
As time passed, it reached midnight.
Ning Zhuo finished his cultivation comprehension, feeling somewhat distressed and unable to sleep for a while.
He resolved to create ice blocks and try sculpting himself.
Failure, failure, failure...
A string of failures led him into reflection: "Even though I received the intent, the reality is far from my envisaged standards!"
"Overestimating my eyes while underestimating my hands. I still need plenty of practice to gain practical experience, achieving genuinely effective progress in skill."
At this thought, inspiration suddenly flashed in Ning Zhuo’s mind.
It seemed there was a very crucial point...
But just then, the Cave Mansion token slightly trembled, sending information of an attack.
Ning Zhuo’s thoughts were interrupted, inevitably intrigued: "How can my rented Cave Mansion within Myriad Images Sect be under attack?"
Upon checking, he found the attack was very weak, caused by a Mechanical Puppet.
Inside the Mechanical Puppet, there was a letter from Ban Ji.
In his letter, Ban Ji straightforwardly suggested sparring with Ning Zhuo, the winner could choose a prize from the loser as a reward.
"Who’s Ban Ji?" Ning Zhuo felt puzzled.
"Someone, investigate his background for me." Ning Zhuo summoned the old chef and instructed him.
Upon further reflection, Ning Zhuo couldn’t find the previous fleeting inspiration.
"Ban Ji has thwarted me!"
Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, birthing a touch of distaste, yet also a premonition.
This Ban Ji seemingly holds significant importance for him.
If ignored, it might hinder his development within the Myriad Images Sect.