"Next, you should learn and practice simultaneously, continually honing your understanding."
"I’ll assist you as well."
This was specifically instructed by Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin, requiring Ning Zhuo to complete it promptly.
Once the water burial for the Grey Bone Elder was handled, Ning Zhuo needed to swiftly head to the headquarters of the Myriad Images Sect.
Though there was some time before the official start of the Feiyun Conference, Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin left a message for Ning Zhuo, advising him that the sooner he went, the better.
"Before ’Feiyun,’ it’s best to first ’stimulate the clouds.’
Ning Zhuo was a well-behaved child, naturally listening to his mother’s words.
He returned to the main command tent, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, carefully experiencing it, feeling many mysterious sensations, yet unable to grasp them.
Ning Zhuo continued to comprehend the "Water Burial Peace and Virtue Scripture," indeed feeling more clarity than before.
"Alas, if only the Spirit Hidden Willow were by my side," Ning Zhuo began yearning for his treasured possession.
Unfortunately now, he had to rush back to the Southern Bean Country, and the journey was quite long.
A round trip, and he might miss most of the Feiyun Conference.
Ning Zhuo practiced and learned simultaneously, deepening his enlightenment.
Sun Lingtong also aided him in understanding, engaging in secret exchanges with Ning Zhuo.
"...’A burial that isn’t a burial of form, Qi returning to the Great Void; A conflict that isn’t a conflict, harmonizing the light and blending into the dust. Dew evaporates the mirror, clarity shines; Virtue resembling clouds and water, passes without a trace...’"
When they reached this section of discussion, Sun Lingtong expressed her understanding: "This is the true essence of harmony, in being without thoughts and attachments: forcible burial harms harmony, forcible accumulation undermines truth."
Ning Zhuo felt a sudden enlightenment; Sun Lingtong’s words sparked continuous inspiration, instantly deepening his understanding of the "Water Burial Peace and Virtue Scripture" by several levels.
Two days later, he stood before a pile of ghostly corpses, once again performing the "Water Burial Peace and Virtue Scripture."
This time, the mist rapidly spread, dew gathered into rain. Under the drizzling rain, the pile of ghostly corpses completely disappeared within 30 minutes.
The merit seeped into Ning Zhuo’s body like strands of smoke, intermittently absorbed.
Luo Si witnessed it, praising Ning Zhuo’s rapid progress.
Ning Zhuo also praised him for his recent training of the ghost soldiers, showing immediate and effective results.
This was no easy feat!
These ghostly beings were the powerful survivors continuously filtered through several great arrays, among them many ghost kings painstakingly nurtured and trained by the Hundred Ghost Old Mother.
Another two days passed.
A batch of ghostly beings huddled together, tightly bound.
Ning Zhuo stood before them, hands joined as swords, drawing a Taiji pattern on his chest.
As soon as he activated the "Water Burial Peace and Virtue Scripture," clouds rose, turning into heavy rain clouds, then torrential rain poured down, dissolving countless ghosts.
Rainwater gradually pooled on the ground, ripples forming, and if it were deeper, it would take on the form of small waves.
These ghosts were alive, forcibly water-buried, yet it only took the time for a cup of tea.
A vast amount of merit, like threads, gathered into Ning Zhuo’s body. Ning Zhuo used his Divine Sense to guide the thread-like merit, channeling it to Sun Lingtong and Luo Si.
A moment later, Ning Zhuo exhaled a foul breath, his robes fluttering as he slowly withdrew his stance.
He turned to the onlookers Sun Lingtong and Luo Si, saying, "It’s time to return to the Netherworld."
Ning Zhuo summoned Jiao Ma’s biological father and a Qing Family representative, instructing them to guard the camp well, not to venture out casually, and wait for their return with peace of mind.
The three traveled lightly, diving deep into the Netherworld River, re-entering the Netherworld.
Just as they entered, they encountered bottom whirlpools, only escaping after much struggle.
They knew well of the resentment Yin Heaven held against them, so upon leaving the Netherworld River, they hastily made their way toward the nearest Wangchuan.
Along the way, they encountered disaster after disaster.
By the time they reached Wangchuan, it had taken them two whole days, and they were all worn and weary.
The waters of the Wangchuan surged, the sound of waves carrying the lament of countless lost souls.
Ning Zhuo, with a solemn expression, took out the bones of the Grey Bone Elder, and pushed them into the river.
Ning Zhuo formed a gesture with his fingers, mist rolled out from his sleeves, gathering midair into rain clouds. Heavy rain poured down onto the river, dissolving the Grey Bone Elder’s bones.
A sudden cold wind arose on the river’s surface, fiercely blowing towards Ning Zhuo.
Luo Si and Sun Lingtong had been prepared, immediately acting to fend off this cold wind.
After the cold wind, dark clouds rolled, with bolts of lightning crashing down.
Sun Lingtong ducked, leaving Luo Si to bear the brunt. Secretly he lamented: The water burial of the Grey Bone Elder seemed to have incited even stronger disdain from Yin Heaven, unleashing greater calamities than those encountered during the Qing Jiao Army’s retreat!
Ning Zhuo traced the path of the Yin Yang Double Fish with his hands, the rain driving the water to form wave upon wave.
Countless sprays washed over the Grey Bone Elder’s body, accelerating his dissolution by several times.
Clusters of merit, like carp, flew towards Ning Zhuo’s body, then vanished directly.
Ning Zhuo used his Divine Sense to control, allowing sixty percent of the carp-like merit to bypass him, and flow into Luo Si and Sun Lingtong, merging within, which seemed like filling a void, rather than being stored, it dissipated into nothingness.
The Grey Bone Elder’s bones crumbled inch by inch, curling green smoke rose, unable to be hidden by the rain.
Eventually, the Grey Bone Elder completely vanished, this water burial achieved perfection!
Ning Zhuo slightly closed his eyes, standing by the banks of the Wangchuan River, fully pursuing the spirit light in his mind.
After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of lightning-like sharpness in his gaze.
This water burial of the Grey Bone Elder greatly benefitted him.
He turned to Luo Si and Sun Lingtong: "I have comprehended the intentions of Elder Grey Bone."
"He was the mastermind behind, one of the culprits who sabotaged Lord of Wangchuan’s century-long grand plan, thus, like us, despised by Netherworld’s Heaven."
"Now, by water-burying him, I have served justice on behalf of Heaven, gaining the recognition of Heaven and the virtue of the Netherworld."
"As a result, the disdain upon us has been offset by this virtue."
"In the future, the more virtue we accumulate, the less disdain we bear, sooner or later transforming from negative to positive, possibly even earning the favor of Yin Heaven!"
This good news only made Luo Si more nostalgic for the Grey Bone Elder.
He sighed deeply, gazing upon the turbulent river: "Even before his death, Elder Grey Bone looked after us. He spared no effort in using his body, maximizing its value, to help us!"
The three bowed deeply in unison towards the Wangchuan River’s surface.
The return journey was much easier than before, the occurrences of mishaps and disasters were less than a third of prior experiences.
Luo Si pondered: "Looks like in the future, we’ll have to do things for Yin Heaven, atone for our sins with good deeds."
Sun Ning nodded simultaneously.
This was indeed necessary.
Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin had left instructions on a Jade Slip, arranging matters for the Qing Jiao Army.
The Qing Jiao Army had to continue developing, not only expanding but also drilling forces by venturing into the Netherworld!
Although passing through the Netherworld River directly led to the territory of the adversarial Lord of Wangchuan. But in the coming time, the Wangchuan Underworld would be fully engaged in resisting the fierce offensive from the Ghost Fire Underworld, making it hard to spare the effort to eliminate this small army.
Moreover, the Qing Jiao Army’s stronghold was located at the hideout of the seventh Paperman Army.
This location was arranged by the mysterious scholar, very hidden.
Upon returning to the Festival Camp, Ning Zhuo received good news—Qing Chi was awake!
"It’s just..." The Qing Family cultivator showed a mournful expression, shaking his head slowly.
Ning Zhuo knew Qing Chi’s condition and hurriedly asked, "Does she remember anything?"
The Qing Family cultivator shook his head again, his tone heavy: "The Clan Leader remembers nothing."
Ning Zhuo fell into silence.
In the silence, the three entered the tent, lifting the curtain, witnessing the young girl Qing Chi in the corner, holding a wooden stick as though it were a sharp sword, fiercely slashing, loudly scolding to drive away anyone daring to approach her.
The surrounding cultivators were persuading her to calm down, but the Ghost People Clan girl was stubborn, giving everyone a headache.
Then the boy who made headaches appeared.
Qing Chi’s expression changed dramatically, she stared blankly at Ning Zhuo, showing a previously unseen gentle expression: "Who... are you? Why do you feel so familiar to me?"
Guilt lingered in Ning Zhuo’s heart, he sighed deeply, gazing at Qing Chi, and gently said: "Do not fear, it’s me."
Ning Zhuo slightly opened his mouth, wanting to introduce himself, yet struggled to make a sound.
For a moment, he wanted to tell Qing Chi that his name was Jiao Ma.
But ultimately, he steeled himself to face Qing Chi: "Hello, Qing Chi."
"I am—Ning Zhuo."