Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Xuankong Mountain

The view before Xu Yunfan’s eyes suddenly opened up.

Before him hung a towering, bluish-black mountain, suspended inverted above a sea of clouds. Its surface was covered in naturally formed silver patterns, like Talismans carved by some work of Celestial Craftsmanship.

Seven waterfalls of ice cascaded from the summit, only to be torn apart mid-fall by the Gang Wind, transforming into a dense mist of Spiritual Qi that shrouded the entire mountain in an iridescent glow.

The remnants of Han White Jade Steps snaked up the mountainside, leading toward a cluster of long-collapsed palace halls.

Gilded, coiling dragon patterns were still visible on the broken beams and pillars. A fractured stele jutted from the scorched earth, on which one could faintly discern the word "Taixu."

What shook Xu Yunfan to his core were three vast, boundless auras at the mountain’s foot. They descended like celestial chasms, blanketing the entire Xuankong Mountain in an invisible, oppressive might.

The first aura was like the rising of a great sun—brilliant and scorching, it illuminated the sea of clouds for countless miles.

Within that scorching light, nine golden suns seemed to bob and weave, each one containing the terrifying power to incinerate mountains and boil oceans. Space itself twisted where it passed, and even the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was scorched into streams of crimson fire.

The mere aura it radiated melted winding gullies of lava into the mountain rock, as if an ancient Golden Crow had swept across the mortal world.

The second aura was like an ancient Buddha holding a flower—it appeared gentle, yet was as heavy as a mountain.

Countless golden Sanskrit characters flickered in and out of existence, flowing through the void. Each character that fell carved a 卍-shaped impression a hundred zhang deep into the very air.

More terrifying still were the apparitions of Brahma Flowers bobbing in the air. As their seemingly delicate petals drifted down, they crushed the entire cliff face below, causing it to collapse with a thunderous roar. The collapse revealed a core of rock that had been transmuted into a glazed, glass-like substance by the Buddha Light.

The most astonishing of the three was an ethereal wisp of Pure Qi. It seemed faint and thin, yet it held infinite profundities.

The Pure Qi, like smoke and mist, manifested thousands of illusory Immortal Palaces as it flowed. Within each palace sat a Daoist wearing feathered robes and a starry crown—some played zithers, some played Go, some observed the stars, and others practiced Alchemy.

Wherever the Pure Qi passed, mountain rocks spontaneously reassembled into exquisite jade platforms. Withered trees experienced a revival, their branches turning to jade. Even the howling Gang Wind congealed into melodious, immortal music.

Even more miraculously, illusory white cranes would occasionally fly through the Pure Qi. With each beat of their wings, they left profound Dao Patterns in the void, which combed the surrounding chaotic Spiritual Qi into orderly strands.

Where the three auras converged, space itself constantly evolved and restructured. One moment, it would transform into a Melting Furnace that could incinerate the heavens; the next, a Pure Land echoing with Buddhist Chanting; the next, a sprawl of starry, immortal Grotto Heavens.

The three forces were in direct opposition, vying for dominance. Yet, they were also wary of one another and held back, creating a strange, tense equilibrium.

"Golden Core!"

Xu Yunfan’s mind reeled, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"Golden Core True Monarchs!!"

He nearly held his breath. It was only when the True Martial Celestial Spirit and Demon-Suppressing Earth Fiend within him began to circulate on their own that the qi and blood in his body slowly began to flow again.

The power of the Golden Core True Monarchs in this world was far beyond his comprehension. This was no longer a Realm achievable by human effort, but something close to a direct Manifestation of the Celestial Dao!

Pure Yang True Monarch’s nine golden suns incinerating the heavens and boiling the seas... Miaodi Bodhisattva’s Brahma Flower apparitions suppressing all Ten Thousand Laws... True Monarch Qingyuan’s Immortal Palace Pure Qi creating a world unto itself...

Where the three auras clashed, the Spiritual Mechanism was thrown into chaos. The elements collapsed in on themselves, and a primeval power, like that which sunders heavens and creates worlds, raged.

It was simply inconceivable.

’How could this be so different from the descriptions of Golden Core Realm cultivators in the novels from his past life?’

’The Golden Cores of this world were already comparable to the True Immortals described in the web novels of his past life.’

’In some of the less epic web novels, this was probably the level of Cultivation only a Celestial Immortal would possess.’

As Xu Yunfan was calming the complex emotions in his heart, Chu Chengnan’s voice rang in his Divine Sense.

"The Xuankong Mountain Blessed Land... Years ago, the Taixu Sword Sect failed in its attempt at collective ascension, and its sect gates fell into the void. Now it has reappeared, landing right at the border between three powers. The True Monarchs of my Primordial Sect, the Bodhi Pure Land, and the Wansheng Sword Sect are all vying to control Xuankong Mountain’s Mountain Seal."

He paused for a moment. "See those three auras? They’re the markers left by the Wansheng Sword Sect’s Pure Yang True Monarch, the Puchen Pure Land’s Miaodi Bodhisattva, and our Saint Sect’s True Monarch Qingyuan. For now, the Golden Core True Monarchs cannot easily intervene, and Foundation Establishment Daoist Masters are unable to enter. We can only send Qi Cultivation disciples in to retrieve the Mountain Seal. If you can acquire it, you will be greatly rewarded."

The moment his voice fell, the cloud layer shattered. Three colossal Dharma Aspects, reaching from the heavens to the earth, stood in the void like jade pillars supporting the sky.

The figure to the east carried a Gilded Sword Box on his back, with nine golden suns circling his form. The scorching light evaporated the sea of clouds for a hundred li in every direction. It was none other than the Wansheng Sword Sect’s Pure Yang True Monarch.

His Dharma Aspect was immense, and with every rotation of the golden suns, distorted coronal patterns were scorched into the void, as if nine miniature suns stood guard over this Sword Dao Venerable.

To the west, a Bhikkhuni stood upon a Thousand-leaf Lotus Platform. The seven-layered halo of Buddha Light behind her head solidified into a tangible Golden Body Dharma Aspect.

The Dharma Aspect was over a thousand zhang tall. From the Eight-Treasure Glazed Tower it held in its palm, billions of yingluo cascaded down, each Treasure Bead reflecting three thousand Brahma Worlds. It was, without a doubt, Miaodi Bodhisattva of the Puchen Pure Land.

And in the northern sky, True Monarch Qingyuan’s Dharma Aspect was the most wondrous of all.

His form flickered between real and illusory, the Pure Qi around him transforming into thousands of ethereal Immortal Palaces. From the eaves of each palace hung Wind Chimes condensed from starlight.

The Dharma Aspect held a Mountain and River Cauldron, from which surged a torrent of Earth Evil Pure Qi. Wherever this qi passed, even the collapsed cliffs rose back into place, displaying an inscrutable power capable of overturning heaven and earth.

The mere presence of the three stationary Dharma Aspects made the entire Xuankong Mountain groan as if unable to bear the Spiritual Pressure.

The remnants of the ancient Mountain Protection Array were disintegrating, crumbling into nothingness at a rate visible to the naked eye.

As the protective remnants of the Xuankong Mountain Blessed Land’s array completely failed under the corrosive pressure of the three True Monarchs’ auras, Daoist Master Hundred Peaks said in a low voice, "Go in. Don’t hold back. Just seize the Mountain Seal."

Xu Yunfan understood. He immediately leaped into the air, his body transforming into a streak of azure light that shot toward Xuankong Mountain.

As he flew through the air, his eyes flickered. Below True Monarch Qingyuan’s Dharma Aspect, dozens of dark Escape Lights shot through the sea of clouds, streaking across the sky like meteors.

’Disciples of the Primordial Sect.’

’Looks like the Primordial Sect isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket,’ he thought. ’Or perhaps, I only represent Daoist Master Hundred Peaks’ faction.’

Although those Primordial Sect Qi Cultivation disciples had yet to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, each one’s aura was as dense as mercury, and their bodies were wreathed in multicolored energies.

There was a sinister youth steering a White Bone Flying Boat, a bewitching woman treading upon a Blood Lotus, and even a group of seven Black-robed Cultivators moving in formation, their combined auras coalescing into a ferocious Demon Aspect in the air.

"Blood Evil Peak, Hundred Desires Peak, Seven Kills Peak..."

Chu Chengnan’s voice echoed in his Divine Sense, tinged with a cold laugh. "Looks like every branch has sent out the prized Qi Cultivation disciples they’ve been keeping under wraps."

Before his words had even faded, a blinding golden light erupted from the west. Eighteen barefoot monks came tearing through the sky, treading on golden lotus platforms.

The Skull Beads hanging from their necks clattered, and each step they took left a 卍-shaped Buddha Seal upon the sea of clouds.

They were the "Wrathful Vajras," a famed group serving under Miaodi Bodhisattva of the Puchen Pure Land.

"Those bald donkeys are certainly impatient. You lot just have to show up everywhere."

Suddenly, Xu Yunfan’s Martial Arts Celestial Eye sensed an incredibly sharp aura, causing the vertical pupil on his forehead to twitch.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!