Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 475: Chapter 475: A Sense of Crisis

Upon returning to Cold Crow Pass, Xu Yunfan stood atop the Profound Nether Pavilion, looking down at the bustling marketplace below. Aided by the Profound Nether Seven Evils Formation, he used his Divine Sense to carefully scan the area. Once he confirmed there were no major issues, just the usual petty schemes unfolding in the shadows, he paid it no further attention.

Those who could become Cultivators were no fools. As long as he didn’t give pointless orders, all he had to do was focus on collecting taxes.

His first priority was to enter seclusion.

Although his breakthrough to the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm had come naturally, the intense toll of refining the Beidou Purple Micro Celestial Spirit, which involved repeatedly shattering and reforging his Dharma Body and meridians, meant he still needed time to fully settle and stabilize his cultivation.

Although a Realm achieved via the Attribute Panel was permanently secured...

After reaching Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, he had already grasped all its intricacies. However, knowing he was being secretly watched, he certainly couldn’t act like it.

He still had to go through the motions.

Xu Yunfan sat cross-legged at the hub of the Spirit Gathering Array, the *True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture* slowly circulating within him. In his Dantian, his four Divine Techniques revolved like celestial bodies, with the core technique, Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi, driving the cycle. A stream of pure Magical Power surged endlessly, nourishing his Dharma Body and thoroughly integrating the trace of Star Glaze quality from the Emperor Star Gang Fiend into every fiber of his being.

The faint, clear purple glow unique to the Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi flowed through his body, continuously grinding down and absorbing the lingering traces of the Power of the Robbing Fiend, which in turn nourished his Dao Foundation.

Although his vision wasn’t being spammed with Skill Level notifications, Xu Yunfan could clearly sense his foundation becoming unprecedentedly deep and solid—far stronger than that of an ordinary Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Moreover, the Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi provided him with immense benefits; the Divine Technique could more than double all of his base attributes.

That was a truly terrifying figure.

It was truly worthy of the name Divine Technique and worthy of its origin as the Beidou Purple Micro Gang Sha from beyond the stars.

At least in the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm, with a Divine Technique like Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi as his trump card, if he claimed to be second, anyone who dared to call themselves first would have to get past his fists.

Of course, while he put on a show of stabilizing his Cultivation, he did not neglect another pressing matter.

The resource deficit.

Refining the Cloud Scripture Incarnation, Han Shi, had consumed the vast trove of precious materials he had embezzled and accumulated at Cold Crow Pass over the years. The cost had far exceeded his expectations.

Cold Crow Pass was located on the border of the Northern Continent, looking out toward the Wansheng Sword Sect and the Puchen Pure Land. It was a nexus where the resources of all three powers converged, and the annual "Customs Duty" and specialty goods taxes that passed through were quite substantial.

Moreover, since Xu Yunfan had taken office, he had instituted a dazzling array of taxes. If a tax on air weren’t so utterly outrageous, he would have been tempted to establish one.

Although the taxes were numerous, Xu Yunfan ultimately kept them within a certain limit, which was why trade in the Cold Crow Pass marketplace continued to flourish.

After all, no matter how many times you harvest the leeks, you have to give them space to grow back.

After coming out of seclusion for the first time, Xu Yunfan used his custodial duties as a pretext to quietly get involved in the inspection and inventory of the pass’s resource warehouse.

He was meticulous and his methods were seasoned. Under pretexts like "repairing the garrison’s Array" and "reinforcing the cross-realm passage," he "lawfully" requisitioned fifteen years’ worth of collected Spirit Stones. He also took a few inconspicuous Magical Artifacts from the warehouse that contained pure Golden Iron Qi, suitable as materials for the *Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture*. With these, he quietly filled the massive hole left by refining his incarnation.

This process took a full five years. During that time, he remained a recluse, appearing only to handle official business in order to avoid any unexpected complications.

As a result, when it came time to submit the sect’s tribute, he was just barely able to make up the required amount.

One day, while Xu Yunfan was organizing recent warehouse accounts in a side hall of the stone palace, a Spiritual Pressure as heavy as a mountain—dense and pure—suddenly enveloped all of Cold Crow Pass.

All the low-level Cultivators within the pass were scared into silence.

Xu Yunfan felt a chill in his heart. He set down the ledger and looked up.

The light at the doorway dimmed, and a handsome young Daoist in an ochre robe stood in the hall, a smile on his face.

Though not tall, he possessed a dignified and imposing air, like a calm abyss or a towering mountain. It was Daoist Master Hundred Peaks, the very person who had inducted him to serve under True Monarch Qing Yuan and assigned him the mission involving the Grotto Heaven Grafting Technique.

Although the Vast Magical Power of his Foundation Establishment Perfection Realm was contained and not overtly displayed, it still made the air in the hall seem to stagnate.

"Yunfan greets you, Senior Brother!"

Xu Yunfan shot to his feet, his face showing a perfect look that was thirty percent surprise and seventy percent delight. He hurried forward and bowed deeply. "Senior Brother Chu, your visit to Cold Crow Pass brings splendor to this desolate place! I was unable to greet you from afar, please forgive me."

His tone was sincere, his movements were flawless, and he was overflowing with emotion.

An unknowing observer would have thought Xu Yunfan had just been reunited with his dearest, long-lost kin.

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks stroked his beard and smiled. His gaze, like warm, ancient jade, swept over Xu Yunfan, and a flicker of imperceptible satisfaction passed through his eyes. "Hehe, Junior Brother, no need for such ceremony. You’ve worked hard guarding this place for over a decade. This is the frontier of the Northern Continent, after all, bordering both the Wansheng Sword Sect and the Puchen Pure Land. It would be a real headache if some brainless Sword Madman decided to come cause trouble."

The Wansheng Sword Sect was a Sword Cultivation Sect, a place where the Sword Dao of the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm converged. Those who pursued the way of the sword to its extreme were inherently obsessive, a trait necessary to nurture a Sword Embryo.

He paused, his smile softening. "My Divine Thought just swept over you, and I observed that your aura is harmonious and condensed. Its edge is restrained, yet it feels as deep as an abyss. It seems your trip to the Divine Martial Realm was quite fruitful, allowing you to break through the barrier and reach the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm in one fell swoop! Wonderful! The True Monarch truly had a discerning eye when he arranged for you to temper your Dao Heart here. With progress like this, you are truly one of the top prodigies of our sect’s younger generation."

This praise was heartfelt; the speed of Xu Yunfan’s Cultivation progress had truly exceeded his expectations.

Xu Yunfan quickly bowed his head, a look of "shame" on his face. "Senior Brother, you flatter me. I was merely fortunate enough to encounter an opportunity in the Divine Martial Realm and used its momentum to break through. Without the Sect’s nurturing, and without you, Senior Brother, arranging for me to be stationed at Cold Crow Pass where I could obtain some resources, I fear I would still be languishing in the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm. How could I have what I have today? This meager accomplishment is hardly worthy of the word ’prodigy.’ I owe everything to the Sect’s profound heritage, the True Monarch’s beneficence, and your support, Senior Brother."

His words were earnest, attributing all the credit to the Sect, to Daoist Master Hundred Peaks, and most of all, to True Monarch Qing Yuan.

Daoist Master Hundred Peaks was clearly pleased by this humble speech, and his smile widened. "Mm, neither arrogant nor impatient. Your Dao Heart is steady. Excellent. Since you have already stabilized your Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm and your foundation is so solid..."

His tone shifted, growing more solemn. "It is time to put the matter of condensing your own Grotto Heaven on the agenda. That Divine Martial Small World Heaven is the perfect tool to help you complete this most crucial step of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

How goes your comprehension of the ’Grotto Heaven Grafting Technique’ I previously taught you? Are there any parts that you find difficult to understand?"

’Is he here to check my homework?’

’No, he’s here to rush me into practicing the Grotto Heaven Grafting Technique.’

’Daoist Master Hundred Peaks must be here on True Monarch Qing Yuan’s orders.’

’Why the sudden urgency?’

Alarm bells rang in Xu Yunfan’s mind, but his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he immediately adopted a look of gratitude mixed with the confusion of someone facing a difficult problem. "Senior Brother, the Divine Art you bestowed is incredibly profound and mysterious. I have studied it day and night without daring to slack off. It’s just..."

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