Immortal Creation.

Chapter 680 Water Burial for Merit Accumulation
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 gloomy heavens and could not stay there any longer. Returning to the mortal realm and staying in the damp, dark swamps was the best option.

Firstly, this was originally the homeland of the Qingjiao Army, providing a solid foundation for survival. Secondly, the Qing family members within the Qingjiao Army were all ghost-people; living in the sunlight was anything but comfortable for them. They preferred and adapted to environments like damp, dark swamps.

With the divine contract signed, Qingjiao Army gained the recognition of the City Lord of Baizhi City, eliminating potential threats and allowing them to stay here in peace to continue their lives and cultivation.

Ning Zhuo summoned Jiao Ma's biological father and the leader currently elected by the Qing family, and asked them to arrange for their respective families to recuperate.

The Qingjiao Army also contained a large number of ghosts.

These ghosts were all turned against Qing Chi on the battlefield using the military strategy of Qian Tong Gui. It would be a great pity to lose them, and killing them would be an even greater waste.

Fortunately, Luo Si, a Nascent Soul level ghost general, had already joined the group, so Ning Zhuo entrusted him with the task of reorganizing the ghosts.

Qingchi remains unconscious.

Ning Zhuo, Luo Si, and Sun Lingtong discussed the matter to no avail. None of the three of them were skilled in medicine, but they all guessed that it was likely related to the national treasure, the Nether Dragon Scissors.

Ning Zhuo possessed the Seal of the Lord of the Forgotten River, but he had not refined it.

The Nether Dragon Scissors were also a national treasure, yet Qing Chi refined them for his own use. The domineering power of the Azure Flame left Ning Zhuo and the others speechless with astonishment.

Qing Chi was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so forcibly refining a national treasure like the Nether Dragon Scissors naturally placed a great burden on him.

Her blood burned, transforming into raging blue flames that scorched the Nether Dragon Scissors.

The Nether Dragon Scissors have only been initially forged; there is still a long way to go before they are completely subdued.

If it were a normal human, Qingchi would have died long ago. But within the body of the Ghost Clan, life energy and death energy each account for half, so Qingyan can not only heal but also kill; it is a power that unifies life and death.

Her current state is like that of a python that has swallowed an elephant and is lying on the ground unable to move, trying its best to digest the huge object in its belly.

Ning Zhuo carefully examined Qing Chi's condition with his divine sense and found that it was developing in a positive direction, albeit very slowly.

After all, the Nether Dragon Scissors had no support left, and the longer it went on, the weaker it became.

Ning Zhuo's job was to take care of Qing Chi every now and then, replenishing her body and soul with nutrients to support the size and heat of the Azure Flame within her.

With the current stable environment, achieving this is not difficult at all.

Ning Zhuo, still injured, began to study the "Water Burial and Accumulation of Virtue Sutra".

"The highest good is like water, which benefits all things without contention. Burial is not a work of destruction, but rather a pivot of harmony, guiding the imbalance and correcting the excess, returning to the center. With water as the medium, it connects the yin and yang, purifying the turbid and transforming it into the pure, circulating endlessly. Thus, accumulated virtue is like a river flowing into the sea, continuously and naturally forming..."

"The four virtues of water are: first, gentleness, bending and straightening without obstruction, winding around rocks and flowing through hills; second, tolerance, distinguishing between turbid and clear water, remaining undisturbed by floating and sinking, neither rejecting nor welcoming; third, constancy, dripping into caves and streams flowing into ravines, diligently and persistently; and fourth, purity, washing away dust and reflecting images, returning to its original clarity and emptiness, revealing the heart of heaven..."

Ning Zhuo's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and all sorts of thoughts in his mind burst like bubbles. Occasionally, a lightning-fast thought would flash across the sky above his dantian.

He was so engrossed in the Taoist scripture that he forgot about time. It wasn't until a day and a night later that he seemed to awaken and break free from his immersive state.

Ning Zhuo looked exhausted. After quickly eating some spiritual food, he fell asleep immediately.

After a good night's sleep and taking some healing pills, he continued to immerse himself in reading the "Water Burial and Accumulation of Virtue Sutra".

This scripture contains only a few hundred words, similar to the Prajna Paramita Sutra on Cremation, both being profound in their concise language and containing the principles of Tao and reason.

Ning Zhuo relied on his profound understanding of water-based techniques and made rapid progress in the early stages.

By the third day of his comprehension, he was confident that he could successfully apply this Taoist scripture.

After adjusting his state slightly, he ordered his men to set up a process in the festival camp, piling up the remains of ghosts.

Ning Zhuo arrived in front of the pile of ghost corpses, made hand seals, and performed the Water Burial and Accumulation of Virtue Sutra.

A mist suddenly appeared out of nowhere, quickly spreading and covering the entire pile of ghostly corpses. Then, drops of dew condensed, some slowly drifting down from the mist, while others appeared inside and on the surface of the ghostly corpses.

Ning Zhuo swung his arms, drawing a Tai Chi symbol in front of him with his left and right fingers.

At the same time, he increased the flow of his magic, and the water mist immediately boiled, continuously dissolving the ghost's corpse.

The pile of ghostly corpses gradually decreased.

During this process, specks of merit light, like faint fireflies, drifted out and entered Ning Zhuo's body.

The whole process lasted half an hour before Ning Zhuo finally cleaned up the pile of ghostly corpses in front of him.

Luo Si and Sun Lingtong watched the whole thing.

Sun Lingtong asked curiously: How does it feel to have merit enter your body?
Ning Zhu shook his head, indicating that he felt nothing at all.

Luo Si said that this was left behind by the old man with gray bones, and was specially passed down to Ning Zhuo, so it must be extraordinary. This was only the first time he had used it, but with accumulated experience in the future, he would surely benefit greatly.

Ning Zhuo frowned slightly: "But to bury the ashes of the senior in water, I'm afraid this level is not enough."

Sun Lingtong secretly comforted him: "Xiao Zhuo, 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 before going to the River of Oblivion in the underworld to give the old man with ashes a water burial, this arrangement must be feasible!"

"Next, you will learn and practice at the same time, constantly practicing and deepening your understanding."

"I'll help you too."

This was something that the Buddhist physician Meng Yaoyin had specifically instructed Ning Zhuo to do as soon as possible.

After completing the water burial of the elderly man, Ning Zhuo needed to rush to the headquarters of the Wanxiang Sect.

Although there is still some time before the Flying Cloud Conference officially begins, Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin left a message for Ning Zhuo, telling him that the sooner the better.

Before "flying clouds", it is best to "rise clouds" first.

Ning Zhuo was a good child and naturally listened to his mother.

He returned to the commander's tent, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and carefully contemplated the matter. He had many profound feelings, but he couldn't grasp them.

Ning Zhuo continued to study the "Water Burial and Accumulation of Virtue Sutra," and indeed felt a greater sense of clarity than before.

"Sigh, if only Lingyin Liu were here with me." Ning Zhuo began to miss his precious treasure.

Unfortunately, he now has to hurry back to the Kingdom of Nandou, which is a long way off.

If you make a round trip, you'll likely miss most of the Feiyun Conference.

Ning Zhuo learned and practiced simultaneously, deepening his understanding.

Sun Lingtong also helped him comprehend the matter and secretly communicated with Ning Zhuo.

"...Burial is not about burying the body, but about returning the vital energy to the void; rebellion is not about being rebellious, but about blending with the world. Dew dries and the mirror is clear, reflecting the emptiness itself; virtue is like clouds and water, leaving no trace as it passes over the mountains..."

When the two discussed this part, Sun Lingtong shared her understanding: "This is the essence of harmony, which lies in being without intention or attachment: forced burial harms harmony, and forced accumulation damages truth."

Ning Zhuo suddenly felt a glimmer of inspiration. Sun Lingtong's words sparked a series of ideas in him, and he immediately grasped the meaning, which deepened his understanding of the Water Burial Sutra and the Accumulation of Virtue Sutra by several times.

Two days later, he stood before the pile of ghostly corpses and once again performed the Water Burial and Accumulated Virtue Sutra.

This time, the mist quickly spread, and the dew condensed into rain. Under the drizzling rain, the pile of ghostly corpses disappeared completely in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Merit, like wisps of smoke, intermittently seeped into Ning Zhuo's body.

Luo Si witnessed this and praised Ning Zhuo for his rapid progress. Ning Zhuo also praised him, saying that his recent training of the ghost soldiers had yielded immediate results.

It's not easy!
It should be noted that these ghosts are all powerful beings who survived several major battles. In particular, there are many ghost kings among them, painstakingly raised and cultivated by the Hundred Ghost Mother.

Two more days passed.

A group of ghosts were tightly packed together, bound together in a ball.

Ning Zhuo stood in front of them, his hands joined together like swords, drawing a Tai Chi symbol on his chest.

As soon as he activated the Water Burial and Accumulation of Virtue Sutra, clouds and mist rose into the sky, transforming into heavy rain clouds, followed by a torrential downpour that drenched and melted countless ghosts.

Rainwater gradually formed puddles on the ground. The puddles rippled continuously, and if they were deeper, they would resemble small waves.

These ghosts were all alive, yet they were forcibly buried in water, a process that took only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

A vast amount of merit, like countless threads, converged into Ning Zhuo's body. Ning Zhuo, however, used his divine sense to transfer these threads of merit to Sun Lingtong and Luo Si.

A moment later, Ning Zhuo exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly withdrew from his stance as his clothes fluttered.

He turned 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 summoned Jiao Ma's father and the Qing family representative, instructing them to guard the camp well, not to go out at will, and to wait patiently for their return.

The three traveled lightly, diving deep into the Netherworld River, and entered the underworld once more.

Upon entering, they encountered an underwater whirlpool. After some struggle, the three of them finally managed to escape.

Knowing full well that they were hated by the Yintian, they rushed to the nearest Wangchuan River without stopping after leaving the Mingjiao River.

Along the way, they encountered one disaster after another.

By the time they reached the River of Oblivion, two days had passed, and they were all covered in dust and dirt.

The River of Oblivion flows mightily, its roar seemingly carrying the sobs of countless departed souls.

With a serious expression, Ning Zhuo took out the remains of the old man with gray bones and pushed him into the river.

Ning Zhuo then guided the incantation, causing water vapor to billow from his sleeves and accumulate in mid-air to form rain clouds. A torrential downpour fell upon the river, melting the remains of the old man with the ashes.

A chilling wind suddenly rose from the river, its chilling force biting and blowing fiercely toward Ning Zhuo.

Luo Si and Sun Lingtong were already prepared and immediately took action to defeat the yin wind.

After the cold wind, dark clouds rolled in, and bolts of lightning crashed down.

Sun Lingtong ducked back, leaving Luo Si to take his place. He secretly clicked his tongue in amazement: the old man buried in water seemed to have aroused even deeper and greater hatred from Yin Tian, ​​and the disaster he unleashed was much stronger than what the Qingjiao Army had encountered during their retreat!

Ning Zhuo traced the yin-yang symbol with his hands, and the rain stirred the water, creating wave after wave.

Countless waves covered the old man with gray bones, causing the melting speed to increase several times over.

Clusters of merit, like carp, flew onto Ning Zhuo's body and then dissipated.

Ning Zhuo used his divine sense to control the 60% of the carp's merit, which bypassed him and flew to Luo Si and Sun Lingtong, merging into them. It was like filling a hole; it didn't accumulate but dissipated into nothingness.

The ashes of the old man crumbled inch by inch, and wisps of blue smoke rose gracefully into the sky, which even the rain could not cover.

Finally, the ashes of the elderly man disappeared completely, and the water burial was successfully completed!
Ning Zhuo closed his eyes slightly, stood by the Wangchuan River, and focused all his energy on chasing the inspiration in his mind.

After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them like lightning.

He gained a lot from this experience of burying the ashes of an elderly person at sea.

He turned to look at Luo Si and Sun Lingtong: "I have figured out Senior Gray Bone's intention."

"He is the one who plotted behind the scenes, one of the murderers who ruined the long-term plan of the Lord of Wangchuan. Therefore, like us, he is also hated by the Heavenly Court of the Underworld."

“Now, I am giving him a water burial here, which is doing justice on behalf of Heaven, and has gained the approval of the underworld and the merit of the underworld.”

“In this way, the aversion we feel is offset by these merits.”

"In the future, the more merit we accumulate, the less aversion we will feel. Sooner or later, our aversion will turn into a positive one, and we may even gain favor from the underworld!"

This good news only made Ross miss the old man with gray bones even more.

He sighed deeply, gazing at the surging river: "Even on his deathbed, Senior Gray Bone was still looking after us. He didn't hesitate to use his own corpse to maximize its value and help us!"

The three of them bowed deeply to the surface of the River of Oblivion without prior arrangement.

The return journey was much easier than before, with fewer than 30% of the accidents and disasters that occurred.

Ross pondered, "It seems that from now on, we need to do something for Cloudy Day to atone for our sins."

Sun Ning and the other person nodded at the same time.

This is very necessary.

In her message on the jade slip, Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin had already made arrangements for the Qingjiao Army.

If the Qingjiao Army wants to continue to develop, besides expanding its army, it must go to the underworld to train its troops!

Although crossing the Nether River would lead directly into the territory of their mortal enemy, the Lord of the River of Oblivion, the River of Oblivion would be preoccupied with countering the fierce offensive of the Ghost Fire Underworld, making it difficult to spare the resources to annihilate this small army.

Moreover, the stronghold of the Qingjiao Army is located in the hideout of the seventh paper doll army.

This was a location arranged by the scholar Xuan Su; it was extremely secluded.

Upon returning to the sacrificial camp, Ning Zhuo received some good news—Qing Chi had awakened!
“But…” The Qing family cultivator looked sorrowful and slowly shook his head.

Knowing Qing Chi's condition, Ning Zhuo quickly asked, "What does she remember?"

The Qing family cultivator shook his head again, his tone heavy: "The clan leader remembers nothing."

Ning Zhuo remained silent for a moment.

In silence, the three arrived at the tent. Lifting the tent flap, they saw the girl Qingchi leaning against a corner, wielding a wooden stick as a sword, hacking and slashing with all her might, shouting loudly to drive away anyone who dared to approach her.

The surrounding cultivators were all trying to persuade her to calm down, but the demon girl was very stubborn, which gave everyone a headache.

A boy with a large head appeared.

Qing Chi's expression changed instantly. She stared at Ning Zhuo with an unprecedented gentleness in her eyes: "Who... are you? Why do I feel so close to you?"

Guilt lingered in Ning Zhuo's heart. He sighed deeply, gazed at Qing Chi, and said gently, "Don't be afraid, it's me."

Ning Zhuo opened his mouth slightly, wanting to introduce himself, but he was too weak to make a sound.

For a fleeting moment, he wanted to tell Qingchi that his name was Jiao Ma.

But in the end, he gritted his teeth and faced Qing Chi directly: "Hello, Qing Chi."

“I am Ning Zhuo.”

(End of this chapter)