Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 426: Chapter 426: Qi Connection, Dao Contenders

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks’ expression grew uncharacteristically solemn. "A Daoist title is no laughing matter. It is the beginning of one’s quest for Longevity. Once, a Daoist Master in the Saint Sect had his three hundred years of hard cultivation ruined in an instant because his title clashed with his fate."

He offered a rare, kind reminder, "Junior Brother, your Daoist title concerns your future path. It is tied to your destiny in the unseen world, so you must be cautious."

Xu Yunfan naturally understood what he meant. A Daoist title could not be too grand, nor could it be too humble.

If it was too grand, one couldn’t bear its weight. If it was too humble, one couldn’t advance. A middle ground was necessary.

Xu Yunfan pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Then let it be True Martial."

The moment Xu Yunfan’s voice fell, monstrous waves suddenly surged within his Purple Mansion.

The Divine Martial Dao Foundation he had condensed within his body suddenly trembled.

He clearly perceived a golden chain that stretched across heaven and earth descending from the void, now coiling around his Dao Foundation like a living creature.

’Fuck!’

Even with Xu Yunfan’s composure, his expression couldn’t help but change slightly at this moment.

’I really didn’t expect the title ’True Martial’ to carry such a heavy causal burden. If I had known, I would have just picked ’Divine Martial’.’

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks was watching Xu Yunfan’s ever-changing expression from the side. Just as he was about to speak, a Communication Talisman in his sleeve suddenly ignited on its own. His face changed slightly. "True Monarch Qing Yuan is summoning me for a discussion."

Before leaving in a hurry, he turned back and added, "Oh, right. The Celestial Dao of the Divine Martial Realm rejects Foundation Establishment Cultivators. If you want to descend to the Lower Realm, Junior Brother, you might want to try the ’Turtle Breath Concealing God Technique’ from the *True Martial Demon Suppression Scripture*."

Xu Yunfan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the back of Daoist Master Hundred Peaks departing in a streak of Escape Light.

’Why would that guy know I want to go to the Divine Martial Realm?’

As if sensing his words had caused a misunderstanding, Daoist Master Hundred Peaks dispersed his Escape Light, turned back, and said with a smile, "Junior Brother, don’t overthink it. I’ve read through the *True Martial Demon Suppression Scripture* before. It’s just that entering the Dao through martial arts is too difficult, the causal burden is heavy, and it’s been noticed by several True Monarchs. Moreover, it’s deeply connected to the Divine Martial Realm. In the future, if you want to cultivate a Grotto Heaven, basing it on the Divine Martial Realm would naturally be the most suitable choice."

For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to attain the Golden Core Dao, they must use their own Dao Foundation as a Furnace Cauldron to smelt a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.

Once the Grotto Heaven reaches Perfection, it can lift one beyond the shackles of the mortal world, allowing them to use this immortal foundation to seek Longevity. Only when the Grotto Heaven and the Dao Foundation are perfectly integrated can one capture the elusive Innate Golden Nature that roams the world, and forge an indestructible Golden Core Dao Fruit that can withstand countless tribulations.

This point was also explained in the *True Martial Demon Suppression Scripture*.

It’s just that a Grotto Heaven is hard to find, and the Golden Nature is even more profound and mysterious.

If it were that easy, the entire Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm would likely have long been overflowing with True Monarchs.

Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow and cupped his hands. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother."

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks waved his hand dismissively.

"I’m off."

Once Bai Yue’s figure vanished, Xu Yunfan immediately formed a hand seal and unfurled his Black Tortoise Dharma Aspect.

He used his Divine Sense for Introspection and discovered an additional thread of karmic connection deep within his Purple Mansion.

Xu Yunfan’s grip on his sword suddenly tightened. The resonance coming from the True Martial Sword sent a violent tremor through his heart.

As the Turtle Shell Pattern on the sword’s body resonated with his Black Tortoise Dharma Aspect, an unfamiliar yet powerful aura emerged, weaving itself into the unseen fabric of fate.

’Besides myself, there’s someone else in this world who has forged a Divine Martial Dao Foundation and also stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm.’

’That crafty Bai Yue...’

Xu Yunfan sneered, but found no further words to say.

’If you want to survive in the Primordial Sect, let alone be valued by a True Monarch, you naturally need to prove your own worth. Otherwise, how could you be rewarded with such a Magical Treasure?’

’This is clearly a plot to kill someone with a borrowed knife. The karmic connection I feel must be with a competitor vying for that Divine Martial Fruit Position.’

’This is a battle for the Dao!’

Xu Yunfan lowered his gaze.

After a long moment, he finally looked up, his gaze turning to the west.

That was the location of the Puchen Pure Land.

-----------------

「Puchen Pure Land, True Martial Demon Suppression Temple.」

Amidst the humming drone of a Golden Bell, the Demon-Subduing Arhat’s eyes snapped open.

Beneath him, the gilded lotus platform silently cracked in three places, while the Seven Treasures Glazed Cup offered before the Buddha shattered without a breath of wind.

"My Dharma Platform... my Magic Subduing Platform has been shaken..."

The Arhat’s face contorted. No longer able to maintain his Pure Buddha Heart, he shot to his feet, veins bulging on his forehead as he flew into a rage.

"Someone has successfully achieved Foundation Establishment through the *True Martial Demon Suppression Scripture*!"

Under the pull of the connected auras, he subconsciously looked in the direction from which the disturbance originated. There, a Cause and Effect Line so thick it made the corner of his eye twitch was now heavily draped over him.

"A Demon Child from the Primordial Sect..."

The Demon-Subduing Arhat, the hulking monk whose Dharma name was "Breaking the Barrier," crushed the Prayer Beads in his hand. His bare-chested physique was immense, like a small mountain, his muscles piled up like stacked rocks, an incredibly striking sight.

Breaking the Barrier’s expression was incredibly grim. He had cultivated bitterly for 270 years, experienced three lifetimes of Reincarnation, and even supplemented his training with the *Vajra Subduing Demons Scripture* in his quest for the Divine Martial True Intent of True Martial Demon Subduing. Only then, with the enlightenment of Miaodi Bodhisattva, had he managed to forge this "Arhat Dharma Platform."

He had thought that the Divine Martial Daoist Master had perished long ago, leaving him as the only one in the world who had cultivated the True Martial Dao Foundation. He never imagined that those Demons from the Primordial Demon Sect would actually push someone forward to challenge him.

The panicked footsteps of Novice Monks could be heard from outside the hall, but they were thrown back thirty feet by a Gang Wind stirred up by the Magical Power erupting from his body.

The Demon-Subduing Arhat used Introspection to look into his Purple Mansion. He saw the illusory image of a tortoise and snake coiled upon his Dharma Platform trembling violently, every single scale seeming to cheer for the strengthening of the True Martial Technique Lineage.

"What a Divine Martial heritage! What a Primordial Demon Sect! To think they still had a copy of this True Scripture."

He laughed in extreme anger, and bloody lines appeared on the Vajra Pestle Seal on his forehead.

Back then, to obtain this wisp of True Martial True Intent, he had personally reincarnated into the Divine Martial Realm, all for that single strand of unanchored, free-floating Golden Nature.

Now, some Demon Cultivator who had just entered Foundation Establishment had popped up out of nowhere. How could he not be furious?

Just as Breaking the Barrier’s mind was in turmoil and murderous intent surged within him, the revered statue of Miaodi Bodhisattva behind the altar slowly looked down, gazing at the man below whose muscles writhed like snakes.

Miaodi Bodhisattva’s voice echoed in the hall, "Foolish child, since you have seen the cause and effect, why not face it directly?"

"Bodhisattva, please understand!"

He dropped to his knees abruptly, burying his face and shouting, "That junior from the Primordial Demon Sect is only relying on the Pure Source Old Demon’s backing! If we allow him to grow powerful, our Pure Land’s ’Eight Celestial Dragons Plan’ will surely suffer a backlash!"

The illusory figure of Miaodi Bodhisattva looked down from the lotus platform, picking up a Brahma Flower between his fingertips. "Foolish child, do you remember the *Diamond Sutra* states, ’Let the mind arise without abiding anywhere’? You have become attached to appearances."

"Back then, when the Divine Martial one drank the blood of seventeen, I delivered the seventeen demonic bodies from their suffering."

"Every sip and every bite is preordained."

The Bodhisattva gently stroked the flower’s reflection. "When the Divine Martial one slew an Arhat of our Pure Land, I used the Vajra Wisdom Sword to deliver his demonic body. Coiled within the serpent pattern on that Sword Guard is the Lengyan Spell, chanted day and night by the Eight Celestial Dragons."

"The Eight Celestial Dragons have been coiled within the True Martial Sword in his hand for a thousand years."

The Demon-Subduing Arhat trembled violently, and the Vajra Pestle Seal on his forehead blazed with brilliant light.

Seeing this, the Bodhisattva chuckled and flicked the Brahma Flower into his brow. "Since the Bodhi seed has been planted, the Bodhi fruit shall be reaped. ’True Martial’ is to take refuge. ’Demon Subduing’ is to subdue one’s own heart."

The Bodhisattva continued, "Go. Since that Demon Child has taken the Daoist title ’True Martial,’ he should learn that in Buddhism, those two words mean ’to take refuge’."

Breaking the Barrier buried his head and said, "Yes, Bodhisattva. I understand. I will go at once!"

(Two more Chapters to come, still writing.)

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