Adding spirituality to other items was something Ning Zhuo had experience with.
The spiritual nature of Yuan Dasheng, Qi Bai, and Ning Xie had all been enhanced through the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra.
He consumed the relics they left behind in life and used the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra to enhance their spirituality.
The effect was obvious, convenient, and efficient.
"However, the spirituality used for these two talismans came from the natural world."
"Unlike Yuan Dasheng and the others, who were human and had frequently used items in life that served as fuel for cremation."
"If I had to approach it from this angle, I would need to find the places where this spirituality once existed. There, burn mountains and rivers?"
Ning Zhuo, upon calculating to this point, felt a bit off.
He had no confidence in it at all.
He knew the reason: "I only know how to use the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra."
"I know that it works, but I don't understand why."
From Ning Zhuo's perspective, the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra was essentially a tool.
It consumed mana and relevant relics to exchange for the corresponding spirituality.
For example, this cultivation technique was akin to a crossbow.
Ning Zhuo could use a crossbow, knowing that pulling the trigger would shoot an object.
But he didn't understand the principles behind the crossbow.
Only when he grasped the principles could he modify it—turning a crossbow into a ballista, or altering the arrow to fly further and more accurately.
"I need to understand the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra."
"This might be a long process, and a vast project."
"I'll have to wait until I have time in the future."
In his current situation, Ning Zhuo definitely had no way to implement it.
He had to seize every second for cultivation.
Previously, when he practiced the Five Elements Generating Arts, he practiced until reaching a stage of proficient instinct and then decisively paused.
Because he could not predict the outcomes of the next stage of training or control the precise time required.
The external pressure on Ning Zhuo was simply too great!
His current situation was like an egg wedged between boulders.
The outcome of an egg hitting a rock was foreseeable.
Ning Zhuo struggled to survive in the crevices of the four major forces and sought to break through the encirclement—reaching the ultimate place of victory: the throne of the Magma Fairy Palace!
Ning Zhuo knew he needed to carefully consider where to spend each and every second for the most correct, safest, and highest expected outcome.
Quite possibly, a wrong choice could lead to his defeat and even death in the near future!
"If in the future, I thoroughly understand the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra."
"Even if this cultivation technique can't enhance natural spirituality, I can make improvements."
"I could create a new cultivation technique based on it to help the Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman and the Mysterious Ice Purifying Snow Talisman enhance their spirituality."
Soon, Ning Zhuo left the Ning Family Clan Land.
He didn't return to his residence but immediately took a carriage to the Complete Book Pavilion.
There, he decisively sold the subsequent techniques of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art that he had just obtained to the Complete Book Pavilion.
He earned a substantial amount of reward.
Since he didn't have any books he wanted to exchange for the time being, Ning Zhuo didn't spend this reward for now.
After leaving the Complete Book Pavilion, he sent someone to invite Zhou Zeshen and Zheng Jian to a banquet.
In a private room of a tavern, he directly took out two jade slips and handed them to the two of them.
The jade slips recorded the subsequent techniques of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art, but only the beginning part of the technique.
After scanning the jade slips, both Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen showed expressions of shock.
Zheng Jian said in disbelief: "Could this really be the follow-up technique of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art?"
Ning Zhuo smiled slightly and calmly admitted.
He told the two that this time, leading the Ning's Renovation Team, he had a significant success in exploring the Magma Fairy Palace!
Not only did they luckily repel the Mechanical Monkey, but they also reached the second Dao Gate.
"As long as you touch the Dao Gate, you will receive the next technique."
"Now, I want to sell these techniques to you two."
Zhou Zeshen and Zheng Jian exchanged a glance.
Zhou Zeshen was the first to react.
"Of course, that's possible!"
"Brother Ning, you could have secretly cultivated to establish an advantage for the Ning Family."
"But instead, you are selling it to us at the first opportunity."
"I will remember this favor, Zhou Zeshen."
Ning Zhuo chuckled: "I also have my self-interests."
"Both of you know I progress rapidly with this technique, seeming to have talent and physique greatly suited for it."
"Next, I will definitely enter seclusion to practice diligently, striving to reach the peak of the sixth layer soon."
"Only then can I push open the second Dao Gate."
"Not long ago, the news leaked from the City Lord's Mansion, everyone knows—Meng Chong and others are also practicing diligently."
"Now that we have this subsequent technique, we should seize the time and perhaps catch up with them."
"Honestly, I am very curious about the ranking rewards."
"Maybe this time, someone from our three families can climb onto the Magma Fairy Palace's rankings."
Ning Zhuo's words greatly stirred Zhou Zeshen's and Zheng Jian's competitive spirits.
Their desire to purchase the subsequent technique surged suddenly.
Zheng Jian said directly: "Brother Ning, putting the big picture first and voluntarily selling us the key follow-up technique, such high righteousness, is incomparable to someone like Ning Xiaohui!"
"I wonder what Brother Ning wants in exchange?"
"Is it related to refining the Golden Core level Mechanical Monkey?"
Ning Zhuo shook his head slightly.
He clarified once again: "Regarding the Mechanical Monkey, I increasingly think I made a mistake, moving too fast!"
"It's causing a detrimental impact now."
"In fact, I merely borrowed the strength of the three families to forge the shell and skeleton of the Mechanical Monkey. It is still a long way from being fully functional."
"Right now, what I desire more are resources useful for my own cultivation."
"Especially items that can purify mana!"
Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen, upon hearing this, both fell into contemplation.
Zheng Jian clapped his hands: "That can be arranged; my family has a magic artifact specifically for purifying mana, which I can sell to Brother Ning."
Zhou Zeshen, however, thought deeply.
"According to Ning Zhuo's description, when he reached the second Dao Gate, he wasn't alone; there were other Ning Family members."
"I don't have to buy the follow-up technique from Ning Zhuo; maybe I can start with other members."
"Forget it, it's unnecessary."
Zhou Zeshen quickly realized: Ning Zhuo and he were of the same type, both full of schemes.
"Ning Zhuo must have instructed the Renovation Team members to strictly keep the follow-up technique a secret."
"Doing so might not succeed."
"Even if it did, it would antagonize Ning Zhuo."
"Obviously, maintaining a good relationship with Ning Zhuo is more important."
Zhou Zeshen's mind raced with thoughts and quickly said: "Our family can send several formation masters to configure arrays specifically for Brother Ning's residence."
"Brother Ning can use the arrays to purify mana, very efficiently."
Ning Zhuo had long planned how to utilize the subsequent technique of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art.
Within a day, he sold this technique in four places.
Maximizing his own profits by eating a fish four times.
"As Meng Chong continues to challenge the barriers, the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art is bound to stay a secret."
This is unlike the Demon-infused Bloodline Technique or the Spirit Communication Technique, where Ning Zhuo raised stone walls to block it out, keeping everyone in the dark.
If Ning Zhuo didn't sell it, the City Lord's Mansion would leak it out.
Now, the techniques from the fourth to the sixth layer of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art were at their most valuable.
Ning Zhuo took advantage of the opportunity to sell them, indeed fetching a good price!
He traded for the cultivation resources he desperately needed to purify mana.
Ning Zhuo, being from a branch lineage of the Ning Family, was not favored by the main lineage. Without background or backing, he had to rely on his own hands to seize and scheme for better and faster cultivation.
Not long after Ning Zhuo returned to his residence, a family messenger brought him the Mysterious Ice Purifying Snow Talisman.
This talisman was entirely white, like top-quality silk.
When Ning Zhuo touched it, he felt a slight chill.
The runes on the talisman were smooth and sharp, carrying the unique personal style of the talisman master.
Ning Zhuo vaguely sensed that the talisman master who created this talisman had profound accomplishments in talisman crafting. But he couldn't see to what extent at a glance.
Ning Zhuo placed the talisman on his palm.
After a while, a thin layer of glow enveloped the surface of the talisman.
Within this glow, the temperature of the air dropped, quickly condensing into small snowflakes.
Each snowflake was extremely tiny, like mosquitoes, crystal-clear.
"Indeed it has spirituality!"
Ning Zhuo had created many spiritual mechanisms using the Cremation Prajna Spirit Liberation Sutra. He was quite familiar with this feeling of spirituality.
Ning Zhuo began his cultivation.
He used the Mysterious Ice Purifying Snow Talisman to freeze himself in ice.
When the ice melted, Ning Zhuo could hardly contain his joy.
The effects of the Mysterious Ice Purifying Snow Talisman were astonishing, far exceeding Ning Zhuo's upper estimate. The Dragon Tornado Magic Artifact was nothing compared to it.
"Using it to purify the three Dantians, and assisting with other methods, I can completely purify myself in about seven days, eradicating all alien Qi."
"The only drawback is its limited spirituality. Each use consumes spirituality!"
"And I only have fifteen uses."
Although Ning Zhuo had temporary usage rights, the Ning Family Clan Leader had strictly regulated it to prevent Ning Zhuo from overusing and depleting the talisman's spirituality.
Ning Zhuo thought of the Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman.
After using the Mysterious Ice Purifying Snow Talisman, he could infer the efficacy of the Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman.
"No wonder Ning Xiaohui could rise quickly and reach the third layer of Qi Refinement back then."
"I'll press for it tomorrow."
"The Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman should no longer remain in Ning Xiaohui's hands!"
Though Ning Zhuo might not need it himself, he wanted to show urgency.
Furthermore, taking the Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman from Ning Xiaohui would significantly weaken a rival.
The former Ning Zhuo was merely a marginal figure of a branch lineage. When he asked Ning Xiaoren for the Flowing Clouds and Streaming Water Talisman, Ning Xiaoren sneered: "Foolish dreamer!"
Now, with his strategies and maneuvers amidst the rivalry of the four major forces, Ning Zhuo had risen to high ranks.
Even the Ning Family Main Line's Ning Xiaohui had to offer treasures to him voluntarily.
Now his reputation was even discussed by the Golden Core-level patriarchs.
Where others sought the Magma Fairy Palace, the legacy of the Three Ancestral Masters, Ning Zhuo used the Magma Fairy Palace to play off major forces, extracting countless cultivation resources from them for himself.
Without the resources and wealth of other forces, how could Ning Zhuo have advanced so rapidly?