Longevity by Grinding Skills

During the time when the Celestial Demons ran rampant, Ancestral Master Chunyang once used the Nine Heavens Thunder Technique to defeat eighteen Demons in a row.

Even more legendary are the three stances of the "Pure Yang Sword Technique," said to have been left behind by the Ancestral Master before his ascension after one hundred days. To this day, it remains the Taoist Sect’s Ultimate Skill. Its True Intent only manifests every 60 years in the Purple Qi East Pavilion on Qingwei Mountain.

Only those who have cultivated the Pure Yang Qi Skill to the realm of Perfection have a chance to even come into contact with it.

Xu Yunfan subconsciously touched a silk scroll tucked inside his robes.

When he left the mountain, Bi Yuan had stuffed it into his hands, saying it was the follow-up Cultivation Technique to the Pure Yang Qi Skill. It contained three sword techniques.

"Did Ancestral Master Chunyang truly ascend?"

Hearing Xu Yunfan’s question, Bi Sheng rubbed the Ancient Scroll. "The legend of Ancestral Master Chunyang’s ascension..."

A meaningful arc formed at the corner of his mouth. "Your Master, Bi Yuan, has always scoffed at it, believing it to be nothing more than a legend fabricated by the Taoist Sect to intimidate others."

"Then why would you risk so much to acquire this Profound Celestial Treasure Talisman, Uncle-Master?"

Xu Yunfan knew his uncle-master wouldn’t do something for no reason.

"It’s only been three years since the Earth Veins began exuding Spiritual Qi, but this resurgence has already moved up the Celestial Demon invasion from three hundred years in the future to right now... It’s a crisis, as we can’t hold out until the Spiritual Qi subsides again. But it’s also an opportunity, albeit one that offers almost no chance of survival."

As he spoke, a complex expression appeared on Bi Sheng’s face.

"But this Treasure Talisman contains the only Dharma Gate in the world that can use Spiritual Qi to cultivate True Qi, even if it’s just the most rudimentary Qi Condensation Technique. The Profound Celestial Treasure Talisman is a true Qi Condensation Spell. With the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi available, it can allow even someone utterly weak to cultivate True Qi."

Xu Yunfan’s expression trembled slightly. "Is this an Immortal Technique?"

"Yes, and no."

Bi Sheng shook his head slightly. "After many years of research, the Taoist Sect concluded that this is merely a Qi Condensation Technique, not true Qi Cultivation. It took the Taoist Sect two hundred years to see through it. This is nothing but a Qi Condensation Technique the Celestial Demons use to cultivate their Blood Food. The reason your Master wants the original now must be because of some new discovery... It’s a case of taking a shot in the dark."

After a pause, Bi Sheng said in a low voice, "Memorize its contents for now."

The bells of a patrolling Profound Armor Guard sounded from outside the window. Bi Sheng pinched his fingers together, calculating the time.

"At 3:45 AM, Cui Yu will come to retrieve the Treasure Talisman."

He glanced at the Sky-Sundering Cloud-Piercing Bow slung across Xu Yunfan’s back, its radiance concealed. "You are now carrying two Divine Weapons from the Sword Burial Abyss. In Jade Capital City, you’re a walking target. Showing yourself is just baiting your enemies. Wait until after the martial examination begins to reveal yourself."

Xu Yunfan asked in surprise, "Do you really want me to participate in the martial examination?"

"Your age is suitable," Bi Sheng tossed out, then added, "Besides, this is a necessary step... Your Master has likely gathered several Supreme Elders to open a Magic Altar."

Xu Yunfan knew, of course, that this ritual was meant to help him rapidly break through his martial arts bottleneck and enter the Ninth Realm. If not for the resurgence of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, which allowed the Taoist Sect to use a Secret Technique to open a Magic Altar and manipulate the Earth Veins, such an astonishing feat would be impossible.

Thinking of this, Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but sigh. "The Great Zhou of today is truly a dish served on a platter, for any and all to devour."

Bi Sheng snorted coldly. "And you’re complaining after getting such a good deal... Only through this trial can the Great Zhou rise from its ashes. And perhaps only then can your Junior Brother, Haomiao, reclaim the dragon throne and reunite the world."

Over the next few days, Xu Yunfan quickly committed the Qi Eating Skill recorded in the Profound Celestial Treasure Talisman to memory before setting it aside.

He then threw his entire Heart and Spirit into cultivating the Ten Extremes Martial Arts.

On the Exotic Beast Hide left by Dugu Jiu, ten types of Powerful Qi were depicted like ten Qiu Longs coiled around the muscles, flesh, bones, and organs of the human body. They encompassed the entire body, and one stream of Powerful Qi even showed the Profound Gate Acupoint and Mental Transformation.

Xu Yunfan sat cross-legged, his abdomen rumbling like thunder.

Celestial Spirit Force was as fierce as lightning, Earth Evil Force was as long and flowing as water, and Profound Yin Force was bone-chillingly cold... Each type of Powerful Qi corresponded to a specific cycle of organs and acupoints.

The most shocking was the tenth, the Mixed Element Force, which required forcibly merging the previous nine types of Powerful Qi at their intersections. The slightest mistake would cause one’s body to explode.

’No wonder Dugu Jiu called this a Martial Dao that forges a hundred techniques into one...’

It truly did forge a hundred techniques, but the method was so abnormal. If it weren’t for the fact that mastering it would encompass all kinds of Ultimate Skills—and that the Attribute Panel certified it—Xu Yunfan wouldn’t have wanted to touch it at all.

Xu Yunfan stared at a notification that popped up on the Attribute Panel, indicating an increase in Skill Level.

An ordinary Martial Artist would need ten years of hard work just to grasp the workings of a single type of Powerful Qi. Yet at this moment, ten three-dimensional meridian models were simultaneously displayed in his Sea of Consciousness. The Nine Luminaries Force coursed through his flesh like a galloping stallion, while the Yijing Marrow Cleansing Power seeped along his bones like a trickling stream. Even the flow within the most minute blood vessels was included.

Without the Attribute Panel, Xu Yunfan truly would have been unable to accomplish this.

The Nine Luminaries Swallowing Qi Technique, Dragon Tiger Celestial Spirits, Pure Yang Qi, Yijing Marrow Cleansing—Powerful Qi cultivated from these top-tier Ultimate Skills began to continuously condense within his body.

At 3:00 AM on the third day, Xu Yunfan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood laced with ice shards, his eyes quickly scanning a notification that appeared in his vision.

’You are cultivating the Ten Extremes Martial Arts. You seem to have found some key points. Skill Level +1.’

’...’

As his Skill Level deepened, his memories regarding the cultivation of Ten Extremes Martial Arts also grew more profound. He discovered that the true secret of the Ten Extremes Martial Arts was not in practicing the ten forces separately, but in the dynamic balance formed with the Mixed Element Force—cultivated via the Empty Clarity Sword Washing Technique—as the pivot.

’You have reached the beginner level of the Ten Extremes Martial Arts.’

The instant the ten types of Powerful Qi in Xu Yunfan’s body formed a perfect cycle under the command of the Mixed Element Force, a beginner-level notification swiftly appeared on the Attribute Panel.

He only had time to glance at it before a dense, clear sound, like the ringing of Jade Chimes, suddenly erupted from his bones.

The ten streams of Powerful Qi, which had been roaming separately, now converged like a Hundred Rivers Return to the Sea, condensing into a single drop of chaotic-colored Qi Force at his navel. This was the unique "Mixed Element True Seed" of the Ten Extremes Martial Arts.

Once the True Seed formed, the Ten Extremes were achieved.

As large currents of warmth from the system infused his body, his spinal column erupted with the crisp sound of metal striking stone, one vertebra after another. A jade-like luster spread from his spine to his limbs and bones.

Thunder Dao Patterns, sketched out by the Yijing Marrow Cleansing Power, appeared on the surface of his ribs. Each breath triggered a resonance in his chest, shaking the green bricks of the Quiet Chamber until dust fell from them.

After the metallic marrow fluid seeped into his bone marrow, it actually formed honeycomb-like air chambers within his bones. This was the sign that the Jade Marrow Golden Bone, as recorded in the Ten Extremes Martial Arts, was beginning to form.

His Great Tendons twanged like bowstrings. His muscle fibers rapidly split and reorganized under the wash of the warm current. Scale-like crystals appeared in his subcutaneous tissue, making his Horizontal Body Training even more terrifying.

When Xu Yunfan tried to bend his elbow, his bicep contracted on its own into a perfect, streamlined arc, as if it were a piece of Refined Steel that had been hammered and tempered a thousand times.

Next, the sound of his heartbeat boomed like a war drum, pumping blood mixed with Powerful Qi throughout his body.

At this point, the Powerful Qi began to merge into his kidneys, and it slowly adhered to the surface of his liver as well.

This was the stage where the internal organs began to gradually withstand the Powerful Qi.

Xu Yunfan was naturally overjoyed to see this. For an ordinary Martial Artist to merge Powerful Qi with their organs, it would take years of patient effort, bit by bit, allowing the five organs to gradually adapt and strengthen. Once adapted, the Powerful Qi, influenced by the Five Elements of the organs, would transform into Gang Force. Only then would they be considered to have truly entered the Organ Cultivation Realm.