Chapter 680: Water Burial and Merit
After signing the alliance with the Lord of Baizhi City, the entire Qingjiao Army breathed a sigh of relief.
Their situation is actually very bad.
In the underworld, this army was hated by the dark sky and could not stay there. Returning to the world of the living, staying in the dark and wet swamp was the best option.
Firstly, this was the home of the Qing Jiao Army, providing ample living space. Secondly, the Qing Clan within the Qing Jiao Army were all ghosts, and living in the sun was not comfortable for them at all. They preferred and adapted to environments like the dark, damp, and humid swamp.
After the divine contract was signed, the Qingjiao Army gained the recognition of the Lord of Baizhi City, eliminated the hidden dangers, and was able to stay here and continue to live and practice with peace of mind.
Ning Zhuo called Jiao Ma's biological father and the leader currently nominated by the Qing family, and asked them to be responsible for arranging the rest and recuperation of their respective families.
There are also a large number of ghosts mixed in the Qingjiao army.
These ghosts were directly instigated by Qing Chi using Qian Tonggui's military tactics on the battlefield. It would be a pity to throw them away, and it would be a waste to kill them.
It just so happened that Luo Si, the Yuanying-level ghost general, had joined in, so Ning Zhuo gave him the task of reorganizing the ghosts.
Qingchi is still in a coma.
Ning Zhuo, Luo Si and Sun Lingtong discussed the matter but to no avail. None of the three of them were good at medicine, but they all guessed that this might be related to the national weapon, the Dark Dragon Shears.
Ning Zhuo had the seal of the Lord of Wangchuan in his hand, but he had not refined it.
The Dark Dragon Shears were also a national weapon, but Qing Chi refined them for his own use. Ning Zhuo and the others were secretly astonished by Qing Yan's overwhelming power.
Qing Chi was only at the foundation-building stage, so it was naturally a huge burden for him to force himself to refine a national weapon like the Nether Dragon Shears.
The blood in her body burned, turning into a blazing green flame that burned the Dark Dragon Shears.
The Dark Dragon Shears have only been initially refined, and there is still some distance before they can be completely subdued.
If it were a normal human, Qing Chi would have died long ago. But the ghost people's bodies are half-life and half-death. Qing Yan can not only heal but also kill. It is a unified force of life and death.
Her current state is like a python that has swallowed an elephant and is lying on the ground unable to move, trying its best to digest the giant in its stomach.
Ning Zhuo used his spiritual sense to investigate carefully and found that Qing Chi's condition was developing in a good direction, but it was very slow.
After all, the Dark Dragon Shears no longer had any support, and the longer the time went on, the weaker it became.
What Ning Zhuo had to do was to take care of Qing Chi every once in a while and provide nutrition to her body and soul to support the size and heat of the Qing flame in her body.
Now that the environment is stable, it is not difficult at all to do this.
Ning Zhuo, still with injuries on his body, began to comprehend the "Water Burial Chonghe Ji De Sutra".
"The highest good is like water, benefiting all things without contention. Burial is not a work of destruction, but rather the key to harmony, guiding deviations and correcting excesses, restoring the center. With water as its medium, it connects the negative and positive, carrying the turbid and transforming it into the pure, circulating endlessly. Therefore, accumulating virtue is like a river flowing into the sea, uninterrupted and naturally fulfilling itself..."
"Water has four virtues: the first is softness, allowing it to bend and straighten, weaving around rocks and through hills without hindrance or stagnation; the second is tolerance, allowing it to distinguish between turbid and clear water, remaining unperturbed by ups and downs, neither rejecting nor welcoming; the third is constancy, dripping through rocks and trickling down valleys, working diligently as if it were always there; the fourth is purity, washing away dust and reflecting reflections, returning to its original emptiness and clarity, revealing the heart of heaven..."
Ning Zhuo's brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and all kinds of thoughts in his mind burst like bubbles. Occasionally, a lightning-like thought would flash across the sky above his dantian in his mind.
He was so immersed in this Taoist scripture that he forgot about time. Only after a day and a night did he seem to wake up and come out of his immersed state.
Ning Zhuo looked tired. He quickly ate some spiritual food and fell asleep.
After a good sleep and taking some healing pills, he continued to read the "Water Burial Chonghe Ji De Sutra".
The entire scripture has only a few hundred words, and is not much different from the Cremation Prajna Sutra. Both contain profound meanings and contain the Tao and principles.
Ning Zhuo relied on his profound water realm and made rapid progress in the early stages.
By the third day of contemplation, I was confident that I could successfully practice this Taoist scripture.
After adjusting his state slightly, he ordered people to make arrangements in the sacrificial camp and pile up the corpses of some ghosts.
Ning Zhuo came to the pile of ghost corpses, pinched his fingers, and performed the Water Burial Chonghe Ji De Sutra.
Suddenly, mist appeared out of thin air, spreading rapidly to cover the entire pile of ghost corpses. Then, drops of dew condensed, some slowly drifting down from the mist, while others appeared inside and on the surface of the ghost corpses.
Ning Zhuo shook his arms and drew a Tai Chi pattern in front of him with his left and right fingers.
At the same time, he increased the infusion of his magic power, and the water mist suddenly boiled up, continuously dissolving the corpse of the ghost.
The pile of ghost corpses gradually decreased.
During this process, bits of merit light floated out like faint fireflies and poured into Ning Zhuo's body.
The whole process lasted for half an hour before Ning Zhuo finally cleaned up the pile of ghost corpses in front of him.
Luo Si and Sun Lingtong watched the whole process.
Sun Lingtong asked curiously: How does it feel when merit enters your body?
Ning Zhuo shook his head, indicating that he felt nothing at all.
Luo Si said that this was a legacy left by the Gray Bone Elder, specifically passed down to Ning Zhuo, and must be extraordinary. This was only the first time he had used it, and with time, he would surely benefit greatly.
Ning Zhuo frowned slightly: "But if we want to bury Senior Huigu in water, I'm afraid this level is not enough."
Sun Lingtong secretly comforted him, "Xiaozhuo, don't worry. Since your mother specifically left a message in the jade slip, asking you to first obtain these ghosts to test your skills, and then go to the underworld to bury the ashes of the old man by the Forgetful River, this arrangement must be feasible!"
"Next, you just learn and practice, keep practicing, and keep deepening your understanding."
"I'll help you too."
This was something that Buddhist doctor Meng Yaoyin specifically instructed Ning Zhuo to do, and he needed to get it done as soon as possible.
After completing the task of burying the old man's ashes in water, Ning Zhuo had to rush to the headquarters of the Wanxiang Sect without stopping.
Although there is still some time before the Feiyun Conference officially starts, Buddhist doctor Meng Yaoyin left a message for Ning Zhuo, telling him that the sooner he goes, the better.
It is best to "raise clouds" before "flying clouds".
Ning Zhuo is a good boy and naturally listens to his mother.
He returned to the commander's tent, closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, thinking carefully. He had many mysterious feelings, but he couldn't grasp them.
Ning Zhuo continued to comprehend the "Water Burial Chonghe Jide Sutra", and indeed he felt a little clearer than before.
"Oh, it would be great if Lingyin Liu was here with me." Ning Zhuo began to miss his beloved.
Unfortunately, now it is too far for him to go back to Nandou Kingdom.
If I make a round trip, I will probably miss most of the Feiyun Conference.
Ning Zhuo learns and practices at the same time, and his understanding deepens.
Sun Lingtong also helped him to comprehend and communicated with Ning Zhuo secretly.
"…"Burial is not about burying the body, but returning the Qi to the vastness of the universe; rebellion is not about conflict, but about blending with the light and the dust. Dew dries up like a mirror, the emptiness and brightness reflect itself; virtue is like clouds and water, passing through the mountains without leaving a trace…"
When the two discussed this passage, Sun Lingtong expressed his own understanding: "This is the true essence of harmony, which lies in being free from attachment and without attachment. Forced burial harms harmony, and forced accumulation damages true essence."
Ning Zhuo's eyes suddenly brightened. Sun Lingtong's words triggered his inspiration and he understood everything at once. His understanding of the Water Burial Chong and the Sutra of Accumulating Virtue suddenly deepened by several times.
Two days later, he stood in front of the pile of ghost corpses and performed the Water Burial Chonghe Ji De Sutra again.
This time, the mist quickly spread, and the dew condensed into rain. Under the drizzle, the pile of ghost corpses disappeared completely in just an incense stick of time.
Merits were like wisps of smoke, intermittently entering Ning Zhuo's body.
Luo Si witnessed this and praised Ning Zhuo for his rapid progress.
Ning Zhuo also praised him for his recent training of the ghost soldiers, with immediate results.
This is not easy!
You have to know that these ghosts are all strong survivors after several major battles. In particular, there are many ghost kings who were painstakingly raised and cultivated by the Mother of Hundred Ghosts.
Two more days passed.
A group of ghosts were huddled together, tied into a ball.
Ning Zhuo stood in front of them, with his hands together and his fingers like swords, drawing a Tai Chi pattern on his chest.
As soon as he activated the Water Burial Chonghe Ji De Sutra, clouds and mist immediately rose into the sky and turned into heavy rain clouds. Then heavy rain poured down, melting countless ghosts.
The rain gradually formed puddles on the ground, creating ripples. If the water was deeper, it would even form small waves.
These ghosts were all alive, and they were buried in water, which only took a cup of tea.
A large amount of merits gathered into Ning Zhuo's body like silk threads. However, Ning Zhuo used his spiritual consciousness to gather the merits like silk threads into Sun Lingtong and Luo Si.
After a moment, Ning Zhuo exhaled lightly, and slowly stopped while his clothes fluttered.
He turned around to look at Sun Lingtong and Luo Si who were watching from the sidelines and said to them, "It's time to return to the underworld."
Ning Zhuo called Jiao Ma's father and the representative of the Qing family, and told them to guard the camp well, not to go out at will, and wait for their return.
The three of them traveled light, dived deep into the Dark Dragon River, and entered the underworld again.
As soon as they entered, they encountered a whirlpool at the bottom of the river. After a lot of struggle, the three of them finally got out.
They knew very well that they were hated by Yintian, so after leaving the Mingjiao River, they rushed to the nearest Wangchuan without stopping.
Along the way, they encountered disasters one after another.
By the time they reached Wangchuan, two days had already passed and everyone was covered in dust and dirt.
The waters of the Forgotten River surged, and the sound of the waves seemed to be mixed with the sobs of billions of dead souls.
Ning Zhuo's face was serious. He took out the corpse of the old man with gray bones and pushed him into the river.
Ning Zhuo pointed his finger at the incantation, and mist swirled out from his sleeves, gathering in the air to form rain clouds. Heavy rain poured down on the river, melting the old man's corpse.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew up from the river, blowing towards Ning Zhuo fiercely, making him feel dizzy and bone-chilling.
Luo Si and Sun Lingtong were already prepared and took action immediately to defeat the dark wind.
After the gloomy wind, dark clouds rolled in and thunderbolts fell one after another.
Sun Lingtong ducked, leaving Luo Si to shoulder the responsibility. He was inwardly astonished: the watery burial of the old man seemed to have aroused even greater hatred from Yin Tian, the disaster unleashed was far more severe than the one encountered by the Qingjiao Army during their retreat!
Ning Zhuo drew the trajectory of the yin and yang fish with his hands, and the rain drove the water, forming waves.
Countless waves covered the gray-bone old man's body, causing his melting speed to increase several times.
Balls of merit, like carp, flew onto Ning Zhuo's body and then dissipated directly.
Ning Zhuo controlled the situation with his spiritual consciousness, and 60% of the carp's merits bypassed him and flew to Luo Si and Sun Lingtong, merging into them. It was like filling a pit, not being stored, but dissipating into nothingness.
The bones of the old man crumbled into pieces, and wisps of green smoke rose into the sky, which even the rain could not cover.
In the end, the old man with ashes disappeared completely, and the water burial was a complete success!
Ning Zhuo closed his eyes slightly, stood by the Wangchuan River, and tried his best to chase the flash of inspiration in his mind.
After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.
This water burial of the old man's ashes brought him great benefits.
He turned to look at Luo Si and Sun Lingtong: "I have understood Senior Huigu's intention."
"He was the one who plotted behind the scenes and was one of the murderers who destroyed the Lord of Wangchuan's century-long plan. Therefore, like us, he is also hated by the underworld and heaven."
"Now, I am burying him here, but I am doing justice for the heavens, and I have gained the approval of the underworld and the merits of the underworld."
"In this way, the hatred in us will be offset by these merits."
"From now on, the more merits you accumulate, the less we will hate you. Sooner or later, your negative will turn into a positive, and you may even gain the favor of the cloudy sky!"
This good news made Ross miss the old man Gray Bones even more.
He sighed deeply, gazing at the roaring river. "Even before his death, Senior Gray Bone still cared for us. He even used his own body to its fullest value to help us!"
The three of them, without prior agreement, bowed deeply to the surface of the Forgotten River.
The return journey was much easier than before, and the number of accidents and disasters was less than 30% of before.
Luo Si pondered: "It seems that from now on, we need to do something for Yin Tian and make amends for our crimes."
Sun Ning and the other person nodded at the same time.
This is very necessary.
Buddhist doctor Meng Yaoyin had already arranged the Qingjiao Army in the message on the jade slip.
In order for the Qingjiao Army to continue to develop, in addition to expanding its military, it must go to the underworld to train troops!
Although they had directly entered the territory of their mortal enemy, the Lord of Wangchuan Mansion, by passing through the Dark Dragon River, Wangchuan Mansion would have to fully defend against the fierce offensive of the Ghost Fire Mansion during the following period, making it difficult for them to spare the energy to annihilate this small army.
Moreover, the Qingjiao Army’s stronghold is located in the hiding place of the seventh paper man army.
This is the place arranged by Scholar Xuansu, it is very secretive.
As soon as he returned to the sacrificial military camp, Ning Zhuo received good news - Qing Chi woke up!
"It's just..." The cultivator from the Qing family showed a sad look on his face and shook his head slowly.
Ning Zhuo knew Qing Chi's condition and asked hurriedly, "What does she remember?"
The Qing family cultivator shook his head again, his tone heavy: "The clan leader doesn't remember anything."
Ning Zhuo was silent for a while.
In silence, the three of them came to the tent, opened the curtain, and saw the girl Qing Chi leaning against the corner with her back, holding a wooden stick as a sword, chopping hard and shouting loudly, driving away anyone who dared to approach her.
The monks around her were all urging her to calm down, but the ghost girl was very stubborn, which made everyone feel troubled.
The boy with a big head appeared.
Qing Chi's expression suddenly changed. She looked at Ning Zhuo infatuatedly, showing an unprecedented gentleness: "Who... are you? Why do I feel so kind?"
Guilt lingered in Ning Zhu's heart. He sighed deeply, stared at Qing Chi, and said softly, "Don't be afraid, it's me."
Ning Zhuo opened his mouth slightly, wanting to introduce himself, but he was unable to speak.
For a moment, he wanted to tell Qing Chi that his name was Jiao Ma.
But in the end, he gritted his teeth and faced Qing Chi: "Hello, Qing Chi."
"I am—Ning Zhuo."
(End of this chapter)
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