Chapter 382: Tasting Bitter Water

Ning Zhuo shook his head: "Not quite appropriate. Many people now know that I have these needs. If these cultivation treasures were stolen, they would be the first to suspect me."

Sun Lingtong shrugged: "Then I'll just wipe out their entire treasury in one go, won't that work?"

Ning Zhuo sighed deeply: "Stealing under the nose of a Nascent Soul-level cultivator carries a really high risk."

"But if there is truly no other way, we can only do that."

"Forget it, let's not talk about this for now. Boss, please guard me."

Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly: "Little Zhuo, go ahead and contemplate, I'm watching over you."

Ning Zhuo then walked forward a few steps, arriving under the Spirit-Hidden Willow.

The Spirit-Hidden Willow seemed to sense Ning Zhuo and once again brushed its branches against Ning Zhuo's face a few times.

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly, feeling the Spirit-Hidden Willow's welcome: "Willow tree, oh willow tree, have you missed me after not seeing me for a few days?"

"This time I still need to borrow your power to help me taste the bitter water."

"Only when I become stronger can I provide you with a better environment."

Sun Lingtong giggled: "Little brother, you're quite funny too. Talking to a willow tree. Hurry up and drink the water."

Ning Zhuo turned back and looked at Sun Lingtong: "Boss, the first time I saw this willow tree, I felt very close to it. I can't help but communicate with it."

"Perhaps it's because I practice the Fire Burial Prajna Spirit-Resolving Scripture, making me feel more and more that all things have spirituality. For something like the Spirit-Hidden Willow, which can enlighten our wisdom, its spirituality should be even greater."

"It's just that it has no mouth or nose, so it cannot speak or gesture."

"To be honest, every time I talk to it like this, my mood involuntarily calms down."

Sun Lingtong shrugged: "That's not bad either; consider it your personal method for adjusting your state of contemplation, Little Zhuo."

Ning Zhuo stopped talking, took out a meditation cushion, and sat down cross-legged.

He took out the small jade bottle again, which contained a small amount of bitter water.

Ning Zhuo adjusted his breathing for a moment, bringing his state to perfection; his heart-lake was calm, like an ancient well without ripples, and his mind was clear.

Ning Zhuo pulled out the bottle stopper and slowly poured the bitter water into his mouth.

As soon as the bitter water entered his mouth, Ning Zhuo felt a bitterness that was hard to describe!

This bitterness was not limited to the sense of taste; it struck deep into his soul. His throat burned, and his soul was emitting unbearable wails.

As the bitter water slid down his throat, it seemed to turn into a cold current, rapidly spreading through his body. Ning Zhuo felt a chill spreading rapidly from his stomach to his limbs, bringing him a coldness and trembling he had never experienced before.

His heartbeat accelerated rapidly, cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and his body couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Various sins began to emerge in his mind, along with the people he had once hurt or owed, and the various mistakes he had once committed.

The Three Ghosts of the Huang Family, Ning Zhanji, Ning Ji, Ning Ze, Ning Xiaohui, Zhu Xuanji, Meng Chong, Black Wind Tiger Demon, Deputy Mountain Fox God, Lin Shanshan...

The memories were so clear, every detail vivid, leaving him unable to avoid or escape.

Whispers and weeping sounds began to reach his ears; those were the voices he had once ignored, the regret and guilt deep within his heart speaking out.

An invisible pressure enveloped his entire body, as if countless hands were pulling at his soul, trying to drag him into an endless abyss of sin.

Seeing Ning Zhuo drink the bitter water, his face twisted, his expression extremely painful, and tears quickly flowed from his tightly closed eyes.

Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth, only daring to call out in his heart: "Little Zhuo!"

He was extremely worried, his fists clenched, but he could only be anxious, unable to help.

But the next moment, he heard Ning Zhuo emit a cold snort.

Under the Spirit-Hidden Willow, the white-clad youth's expression was as cold as ice, the previous pain and distortion seemingly suppressed by solid ice.

Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze incomparably firm.

He sneered in his heart: "All things in heaven and earth naturally compete! The path of cultivation seems vast, and the hundred arts of cultivation seem numerous, but in reality, there is only one path."

"That is the path of competing for victory!"

"Whether it is the righteous path, the evil path, or the demonic path, one must first speak of strength. Only when one has sufficient strength will others be kind to me and speak of rules and reason with me in a pleasant manner."

"If I had sufficient strength, I could have saved my mother back at Fire Persimmon Mountain; why would I need to run around like this now?"

"Only by strengthening my power is the prerequisite and foundation. How can mere bitter water shake my will!"

"Only by moving forward, ignoring minor details, and constantly competing for victory is the way for me, Ning Zhuo, to accomplish things!"

People are different.

Facing hardship and poverty, everyone's feelings, choices, and expressions are also different.

Some people will draw strength from hardship and difficulties, constantly strengthening their own power. They never shake their will, believing that everything is just a temporary difficulty. As long as they are determined, even the greatest problems are just a test in life.

Although Ning Zhuo was only a sixteen-year-old youth, his growth experience had been incomparably oppressive. He had been criticized and treated poorly, he needed to disguise himself at all times, he had to endure his mother's distance, he had to undergo tests under Sun Lingtong's guidance, and he had to rack his brains to figure out how to deal with Jin Dan-level and Nascent Soul-level opponents.

And he himself was only at the mere Qi Refining stage!

Bitter Cold Scripture...

Han Zhou clearly stated that this is a scripture for drawing strength from bitter cold to strengthen oneself and eventually achieve self-salvation.

Haven't Ning Zhuo's sixteen years been a constant process of self-salvation?

Han Zhou was quite correct about one thing—Ning Zhuo was very well-suited to the true meaning of the Bitter Cold Scripture.

The protection of the Buddha Heart Demon Seal was only superficial. Ning Zhuo's true nature was exactly this!

Let me be poor and humble, let the external enemies be like mountains and heavens, it is still hard to suppress my will, hard to urge my intent.

Just treat all this as a whetstone, as a quagmire for a hidden dragon waiting to rise.

A sharp sword is forged from tempering; the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold!

So-called bitter cold is nothing but a gift of life.

And this bitter water, if tasted carefully, seems to have a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.

Ning Zhuo not only stabilized his mood but further tempered his will through this.

The true meaning contained in the bitter water flowed in his heart like a rolling river.

Frost Fist, Old Cold Leg, Suffering Body, Selling Bitter Labor, Pouring Bitter Water... various martial arts were mastered by Ning Zhuo, and he quickly grasped their essence.

Once the essence was grasped, he applied it to himself, and it became natural, without any barriers!

When Ning Zhuo stood up after finishing his contemplation, Sun Lingtong immediately walked up to ask about his condition.

Ning Zhuo's eyes shone, his temperament had undergone a transformation, his whole person was brand new, and his spirit was high: "Boss, I'm doing great now."

He turned to look at the Spirit-Hidden Willow.

On the Spirit-Hidden Willow, only half a willow branch showed signs of withering.

The difficulty of bitter water lies not in contemplation, but in how to withstand the questioning and impact on the soul, how to stabilize the will, and how to smooth out all negative emotions.

Sun Lingtong looked at Ning Zhuo and said with some surprise: "I also feel that you seem to have changed."

"How does the bitter water taste?"

Ning Zhuo was about to answer, but Sun Lingtong immediately reached out to stop him: "Don't say it, I'll taste it myself. Hehehe!"

"I'm so looking forward to it." Sun Lingtong rubbed his hands, his eyes squinting with a smile.

"Boss, I'll guard you." Ning Zhuo left the meditation cushion and gave the spot to Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong drank the bitter water, and his face also changed drastically.

"Boss, hold on!" Ning Zhuo secretly cheered him on.

Sun Lingtong did not disappoint him and soon calmed his expression.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes, looking disappointed: "Little brother, this Han Zhou is not honest; he is plotting against you!"

"These martial arts themselves need to be built on the foundation of the Suffering Body."

"Frost Fist, Old Cold Leg, etc., all require bitter cold qi to radiate from the inside out. First, inflict pain on yourself, then deal with the enemy."

"The more the Suffering Body is struck, the stronger it becomes. But neither you nor I have bitter cold qi, unless we specialize in the Bitter Cold Scripture, to have such magic power and true qi."

Ning Zhuo nodded: "That is so."

"What I practice with the Five Elements Qi Law is Five Elements magic power. It is impossible to let Five Elements magic power penetrate into the body and into every joint. This would greatly damage my physical body; although it can increase the power of fists and kicks, it is not worth it."

"But Boss, you seem to have forgotten that I practice three techniques simultaneously. Five Elements magic power is only in the Qi Sea; my Essence Sea has the essence blood power of the Demonic-Dyed Blood Tendon Technique."

Sun Lingtong slapped his head: "Haha, I forgot about that. Who told you to always use Five Elements magic power to fight enemies recently."

Ning Zhuo smiled.

He had already mastered the essence of the Bitter Cold Scripture's martial arts and conceived various martial arts that fit the Demonic-Dyed Blood Tendon Technique, just waiting to practice secretly and give others a surprise one day.

Small Dispute Peak, martial arts arena.

Ning Zhuo arrived as agreed to meet Han Zhou.

As soon as they met, Han Zhou asked if he had drunk the bitter water.

Ning Zhuo said he had drunk a sip and had gained some insights, and asked for his guidance today.

Han Zhou, with a look of surprise, began to spar with Ning Zhuo.

Although Ning Zhuo did not reveal any martial arts, he had better ways to deal with Han Zhou's Frost Fist, Old Cold Leg, and even the Suffering Body, changing from his previous disheveled state to becoming quite calm.

After the sparring ended, Han Zhou said in surprise: "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, you have mastered my various martial arts. It seems that drinking the bitter water has been of great benefit to you!"

Ning Zhuo smiled: "This is thanks to you, Brother, for being generous and taking the initiative to gift it to me."

Han Zhou carefully observed Ning Zhuo's expression and appearance, seeing his spirit shining brightly, and felt even more amazed, waving his hand on the surface: "It is you who are qualified to use such things."

"Many cultivators, don't look at their strong combat power and high cultivation base, are actually not worthy of using this bitter water."

"I am now convinced that you, Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, not only have extraordinary comprehension but also a surprisingly firm will."

Ning Zhuo was humble for a few words and took out two Enlightenment Diagrams.

They were exactly the Frost-Lingering Diagram and the Proud Snow Diagram.

"Brother Han Zhou, you gifted me bitter water previously, so I should have a return."

"These two Enlightenment Diagrams come from my Ning family and are two ice and snow spells, which can be lent to you for contemplation."

"I also have quite a lot of understanding of the Bitter Cold Scripture. Using bitter cold magic power to urge ice and snow spells is also quite effective."

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment before reaching out to slowly take the two diagrams.