Longevity by Grinding Skills

As Xu Yunfan sorted and put away his spoils of war, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

If he had obtained these treasures through normal means, it probably would have taken ten years of bitter effort.

He hefted the cloth bag containing the Blood Marrow Crystals, his gaze sweeping over the few lingering wisps of aura in the distance. He suddenly thought that it wouldn’t be so bad if a few more "Treasure Delivery Boys" like Li Baichuan came along.

’A peaceful life doesn’t seem so great after all,’ he mused. ’It’s too austere. Without fortuitous encounters, progress in Cultivation grinds to a halt.’

’What a pity...’

Xu Yunfan sighed internally. After this battle, the other Foundation Establishment Daoist Masters in the Primordial Sect would definitely not stick their necks out so easily. No one wanted to be the bird that sticks its head out, only to be shot down. If they couldn’t crush him in one fell swoop, they certainly wouldn’t test him again.

Xu Yunfan was certain that if those Foundation Establishment Daoist Masters still coveted his Divine Martial Dao Foundation, they would likely hold back and cook up something major for him in the end.

At this thought, Xu Yunfan’s brow furrowed slightly. A sense of foreboding washed over him.

But then he couldn’t help but wonder what secret was hidden within the True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture he cultivated and the Divine Martial Dao Foundation it created. Why was it so alluring to others?

The question puzzled Xu Yunfan.

After much deliberation, he decided to head to Hundred Peaks Mount to ask Daoist Master Hundred Peaks for clarification.

「Half a month later.」

When Xu Yunfan arrived at Hundred Peaks Mount on his Escape Light, the Purple Copper Bell at the summit was striking its third chime.

He had just landed on the plaza paved with Cyan Jade when he saw Daoist Master Hundred Peaks standing with his hands behind his back beside a stone table under a Thousand-Year-Old Dragon Blood Pine. A Star Map flowed across the table’s surface; he was actually deducing the Celestial Secret.

"You’ve come at the right time, Junior Brother."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks didn’t even look up. A Jade Talisman flew from his sleeve and hovered before Xu Yunfan. "The Guardian Envoy of Cold Crow Pass underwent Soldier Resolution and reincarnated yesterday."

’Soldier Resolution?’

The abrupt statement made Xu Yunfan’s pupils contract.

To put it nicely, it was Soldier Resolution. To put it bluntly, he was killed and had no choice but to enter Reincarnation.

When he had killed Li Baichuan, his Divine Soul had been relatively stable, so perhaps he could awaken his Innate Wisdom within the Sea of Suffering Reincarnation and walk the path of Cultivation once more.

’Cold Crow Pass.’

That was a deadly borderland where the Primordial Sect, the Puchen Pure Land, and the Wansheng Sword Sect were locked in a tripartite stalemate.

During the last great worldly tribulation, the Three Sects made a pact there, designating a ten-thousand-li radius as a buffer zone.

Ostensibly, it was to prevent conflicts from escalating. In reality, it was a hunting ground tacitly agreed upon by the three powers.

Killing for treasure there was beyond the reach of even the Sect’s rules.

Xu Yunfan took the Jade Talisman and probed it with his Heart and Spirit. What he saw made his heart sink.

The scene that appeared within the Jade Talisman confirmed his suspicions. On a shattered city wall, several corpses in Primordial Sect robes were being corroded by a black mist.

The most shocking sight was the corpse of a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator in the center.

His Skull had been neatly sliced off and his brain matter was gone—the signature technique of the Puchen Pure Land’s "Bone Marrow Extraction and Refining Buddha."

If the refinement was successful, the Puchen Pure Land might produce another Great Arhat.

"So the True Monarch’s intention is..."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks finally looked up, a flash of surprise in his eyes. "You’re already close to Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment?"

Xu Yunfan’s expression remained unchanged. "I recently had some insights while comprehending the True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture, which allowed me to take a step forward."

In Immortal Cultivation, every step forward is won through hardship.

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks said admiringly, "Junior Brother, you are truly a genius who entered the Dao through martial arts. It’s only been a little over a decade since you reached Foundation Establishment, and you’re already approaching the Middle Stage. With that in mind, I am no longer worried about this matter."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks flicked his sleeve, unfurling a map. His fingertip tapped on a flashing, blood-red dot in the northwest corner.

"The duty of guarding Cold Crow Pass comes once every hundred years, and it is now our True Monarch Qing Yuan’s lineage’s turn."

Seeing Xu Yunfan staring at the map in silence, he explained further, "When the Three Sects made their pact, they established a rule: the Guardian Envoy must be a disciple with an Undeveloped Core. After all, if a Golden Core Daoist Master were permanently stationed at the border, it could easily trigger a resonance between Grotto Heavens. Once True Flame is drawn, it’s hard to hold back."

A thought struck Xu Yunfan, and he told Daoist Master Hundred Peaks about his battle with Li Baichuan a while ago.

It was an open secret, but not something that could be discussed publicly.

"So, Li Baichuan..."

"It was just someone trying to eliminate a competitor in advance."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks sneered. "According to past tradition, if you can kill disciples from the other two sects during your watch, all the spoils of war belong to you."

He specifically emphasized the words "spoils of war." "When the last Guardian Envoy returned, he brought back three Bodhi Seeds and half a Sword Manual."

’Too bad he was forced into Soldier Resolution halfway through,’ Xu Yunfan thought.

’If you’re too brazen, you become everyone’s target.’

Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but mock silently.

"Senior Brother, are you saying..."

Xu Yunfan’s expression was a little strange. "This post is actually a lucrative one?"

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks chuckled softly. "Whether it’s lucrative or not depends on whether the hand holding the sword is steady enough."

As he spoke, he pointed to the Immortal Peaks hanging in the sky. "The first three junior brothers who refused the summons tried to betray the Sect. They’ve already been... dealt with."

A chill ran down Xu Yunfan’s spine. He naturally understood that Daoist Master Hundred Peaks’ words were meant for him.

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks said meaningfully, "Our Martial Uncle often says that fortune favors the bold. The cowardly who cling to life, even if they reincarnate a hundred times and awaken their Innate Wisdom in every life, can never attain the Gold Position and become a True Monarch. They will only grow weaker with each lifetime."

Xu Yunfan had already made his decision. Since he had boarded True Monarch Qing Yuan’s ship, he would naturally see the journey through to the end.

In other words, the great ship was still sailing steadily. There was no reason to jump ship yet.

"You just need to depart within ten years."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks flicked a Jade Talisman over to him. "There are still twenty-seven Steward Disciples at the pass. That’s enough for you to build a team. This is your command token."

Seeing Xu Yunfan accept the Jade Talisman without hesitation, a smile finally appeared on his face. "I knew you were a man who understands, Junior Brother."

Xu Yunfan rubbed the word "Zhenyue" on the Tiger Talisman, recalling the Cyan Dragon Thunder Bead that True Monarch Qing Yuan had bestowed upon him five years ago.

That bead had now completely fused with his body.

Having accepted another’s gifts, you become indebted to them.

In the Cultivation Realm, karma is cyclical. Today was the day to repay that debt.

"Do you have any other questions, Junior Brother?"

Seeing his expression, Daoist Master Hundred Peaks waved his hand and set up a sound-insulating barrier.

Xu Yunfan immediately took out Li Baichuan’s Storage Bag. "This man trespassed on the mountain a while ago, repeatedly claiming he wanted to extract my Arctic Demon Vibration Qi."

He briefly explained the course of the battle, emphasizing that his opponent seemed to be acting under someone’s orders.

"Just a fool from Blood Evil Peak. Nothing to worry about. It’s of no consequence."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks sneered. "No wonder the Celestial Secret has been in chaos recently, and my deductions have been unclear. It seems someone is getting impatient."

Hearing Xu Yunfan’s confusion, he pondered for a moment, then suddenly pressed two fingers to Xu Yunfan’s brow. "Watch closely! Don’t resist."

Xu Yunfan did as he was told, accepting the information transmitted by Daoist Master Hundred Peaks.

Instantly, a magnificent panorama exploded into view within his Sea of Divine Consciousness.

Beneath a vast, starry firmament, countless bubble-like Grotto Heaven Worlds rose and fell.

Some bubbles were only the size of a fist, the mountains and rivers within them warped and twisted. Others were as large as houses, already showing signs of a sun and moon in rotation.

And in the center of the panorama, three colossal Grotto Heavens, each comparable to a mountain range, were crushing against one another. They were the foundational Grotto Heavens of the Primordial Sect, the Puchen Pure Land, and the Wansheng Sword Sect!