Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 440: Chapter 440: Enter the Banner

One must refine and connect the Twelve Main Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, one by one, until the Dantian Qi Sea is as dense as mercury and the meridians are as wide as the surging Celestial River.

An ordinary Cultivator practicing this technique would often have to spend decades of painstaking refinement just to purify the True Essence in their body and transform it into Magical Power.

However, Xu Yunfan had the Attribute Panel, which allowed him to skip the most time-consuming purification process.

His Magical Power was already pure and flawless, so he didn’t need to go through the same painstaking, repetitive refinement as other Cultivators.

This allowed him to focus more of his energy on opening his meridians and acupoints, greatly accelerating his Cultivation progress.

Furthermore, because the Hundred Bone Profundity Technique had reshaped his meridians, they were already innately unobstructed. All he had to do was refine his acupoints.

He was now at the Early-Stage of Foundation Establishment, still a long way from the Perfection stage.

’An Immortal Dao Cultivator can’t advance by relying on arduous cultivation alone.’

Xu Yunfan toyed with the Profound Vault Thunder Bead in his hand.

’The Attribute Panel has the ability to make any progress permanent, ensuring I never go astray in my Cultivation. But if I rely solely on secluded, arduous training, it would probably still take a century to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection.’

At this thought, he couldn’t help but glance at the most recent Cultivation notification on his Attribute Panel.

It was a Skill Level increase notification that had popped up six days ago while he was cultivating the True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture.

But when he looked at the Skill Bar, the Skill Level for the True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture hadn’t increased by a single point.

Xu Yunfan figured the increase in Skill Level must have been a fraction of a point.

He recalled the methods for Breaking Realms recorded in the *True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture*: one could either find the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Qi to temper the body or gather the Earth Evil Essence of the Seventy-Two Earth Evil for Washing Marrow.

These Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects usually grew in treacherous, remote lands, and one had to seek them out in person.

’Once I’ve advanced my Cultivation a bit further, I’ll consider venturing out to look for opportunities.’

Xu Yunfan’s gaze shifted toward the entrance of his immortal’s cave. He was now cultivating the True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture, following the path of the Divine Martial Realm. A spot for an Innate Golden Nature was vacant in this realm, and he feared that the moment he traveled outside, he would attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

’Do I really attract that much jealousy and hatred?’

Xu Yunfan looked to the heavens and let out a long sigh. ’In the end, it’s just because I’m too exceptional. To not be envied is to be mediocre.’

’The path of Cultivation is one you must ultimately fight for and forge yourself.’

Coming back to his senses, he thought, ’Looks like I need to take care of this first.’

Xu Yunfan took out the Jade Scroll that recorded the *Wansheng Sword Transformation Technique*.

This technique was based on the principle of "All Swords Return to the Sect" and required nurturing a strand of Lifebound Sword Qi within the Dantian.

Yuu Congling, who had been quiet for a long time, couldn’t help but speak up when she saw Xu Yunfan preparing to cultivate the *Wansheng Sword Transformation Technique*.

"Have you thought this through? If you really learn this, the Wansheng Sword Sect will hunt you down the moment you use it."

Xu Yunfan chuckled. "With my identity as a Demon, won’t I be a public enemy the moment I step outside anyway?"

Yuu Congling’s voice faltered. After a moment of silence, her tone became accusatory. "You’ve already succeeded in your Foundation Establishment. Why haven’t you set me free?"

Xu Yunfan’s expression was cold. With a light wave of his sleeve, the Black Banner floated between them, stirring without a breeze.

Yin Qi coiled around the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. The faint images of countless twisted faces writhed across its surface. Although it lacked any Blood Evil Qi, black smoke still billowed and churned upon it.

"Enter the banner."

Xu Yunfan’s voice was as calm as still water, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

"You treacherous scoundrel!"

Yuu Congling flew into a rage, her voice so shrill it could pierce eardrums. "I helped you in the Divine Martial Realm, and now you’re going to refine me into your banner?!"

A torrent of curses rained down like a storm. "I treated you with such sincerity, yet you’re this heartless and ungrateful!"

"The Primordial Demon Sect is truly full of nothing but despicable, shameless scoundrels!"

"If I’d known this would happen, I should have killed you with my own sword!"

Xu Yunfan turned a deaf ear to her curses. He formed a finger seal, and a ghastly wind suddenly erupted from the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

The Black Banner opened like a great maw, and a powerful suction brutally ripped Yuu Congling’s remnant soul from the vessel it inhabited.

"Xu Yunfan! May you die a horrible death!"

Yuu Congling’s shriek was filled with venomous hatred. "I curse you to fall forever into the Sea of Suffering of Reincarnation! May you be reborn as a pig or a dog for ten thousand lifetimes, and may you never..."

Before she could finish, her soul was completely sucked into the banner.

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner trembled violently a few times before finally growing still.

Xu Yunfan lightly stroked the surface of the banner, feeling the boost in Spiritual Power from the newly captured Yin Soul.

He immersed his consciousness into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. Inside, Yin Qi swirled, and countless resentful souls wandered and wailed amidst a gray fog.

Yuu Congling’s Spirit Body had already reformed, retaining the same appearance she had in life—chilly, yet stunningly beautiful.

When she saw the Manifestation of Xu Yunfan’s Divine Sense, her eyes widened in fury, looking as if they might spit fire.

"Xu Yunfan! You despicable scoundrel!"

Yuu Congling shrieked, her voice echoing within the banner’s inner space.

She tried to lunge at him but was bound by the banner’s restrictions, able only to stand in place and grind her teeth in rage.

Xu Yunfan watched her coldly and said flatly, "Now that you’re in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, your life and death are no longer yours to decide."

Seeing that Yuu Congling was about to curse again, a ghastly wind whipped up inside the banner, and countless tendrils of Black Qi coiled around her Spirit Body like chains.

She struggled in agony but couldn’t break free in the slightest.

"You...!"

Yuu Congling tried to curse again, but Xu Yunfan simply raised his hand and waved it. Instantly, thunder roared within the banner, and a bolt of cyan lightning struck her Spirit Body, making her let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Remember, in here, you live if I say you live, and you die if I say you die."

Xu Yunfan felt no pity. ’This woman killed me ruthlessly in the dream world. If not for the Attribute Panel, my consciousness would have dissipated long ago.’

"Your soul is remarkably pure. Even though you’re not at the Foundation Establishment realm, if you wish to retain your consciousness, you will obediently serve as the Main Soul of this Ten Thousand Souls Banner."

Yuu Congling slumped to the ground, her eyes filled with rage, but she dared not utter another insolent word.

She finally understood. Having entered the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, she was now nothing more than a plaything in his hands. Her life and death depended entirely on a single thought from Xu Yunfan.

With that, he reinserted the Ten Thousand Souls Banner into the Xun Position and closed his eyes to resume his meditation.

He formed a sword-finger and, following the instructions on the Jade Scroll, compressed his True Essence into a silken thread, slowly tracing the shape of a sword within his Dantian.

After three sleepless days and nights, he finally condensed a strand of faint, cyan Sword Qi as thin as a strand of hair.

Just as the Sword Qi was about to fully form, the unexpected happened!

The strand of Sword Qi suddenly grew violent, threatening to burst out of his body.

Xu Yunfan hastily formed a hand seal, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

At the critical moment, the Profound Vault Thunder Bead placed in the Li Position suddenly erupted with a brilliant cyan light. A dragon-shaped bolt of lightning shot into his Dantian, firmly locking down the restless Sword Qi.

’So that’s how it is...’

Xu Yunfan had a sudden realization. No wonder he hadn’t received a system notification about his Skill Level increasing.

The True Monarch had bestowed the Profound Vault Thunder Bead upon him precisely to help him cultivate the *Green Dragon Thunder Pearl Locking Tribulation and Calming Fortune Technique*.

This technique required the Thunder Bead as a catalyst to merge Thunder Power with his own Essence, Qi, and Spirit. He had to cultivate the *Green Dragon Thunder Pearl Locking Tribulation and Calming Fortune Technique* first, before moving on to the *Wansheng Sword Transformation Technique*.

He immediately changed his approach, taking the Thunder Bead and placing it in his palm.

The bead was cool to the touch. The phantom of the Cyan Dragon within it seemed to sense something, suddenly raising its head and letting out a long, silent cry.

Following the method the True Monarch had taught him, Xu Yunfan slowly extended his Divine Sense into the Thunder Bead.

BOOM!

The moment his Divine Sense touched the surface of the Thunder Bead, the world began to spin.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a roiling sea of lightning.

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