Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 477: Chapter 477: Cultivation

Let’s just call it a chain.

This so-called "chain" was actually a taboo art, one that deceived the Celestial Dao and stole destiny.

The essence of the Grotto Heaven Grafting technique was to use a Secret Technique to deceive the Celestial Dao, forcefully stealing the Root Origin Qi of a Small Thousand World and grafting it onto one’s own Dao Foundation.

This technique was exceptionally dangerous. The slightest misstep would trigger a backlash from the World Heaven, with consequences ranging from the destruction of one’s Dao Foundation to the complete annihilation of one’s Divine Soul.

However, success was akin to plundering creation itself, claiming a world’s Power of Origin as one’s own to form a Grotto Heaven Embryo.

Following the method Bai Yue had taught him, Xu Yunfan channeled the power of the four Divine Techniques within his body. He relied primarily on the Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi to temper his Divine Sense, slowly condensing the illusory chain that pulsed with a bizarre energy.

Each act of condensation was like igniting an intangible Yin Fire deep within his Divine Soul, bringing a sharp, stinging pain.

On his Attribute Panel, the numbers indicating his Skill Level and comprehension of this technique ticked up, slowly but surely. Each increase granted him new insights, allowing him to continuously correct the minute flaws in the construct he was building with his Divine Thought.

And those flaws were the very same lethal traps that Bai Yue had deliberately left in the version of the technique he had taught.

’It’s working!’

Xu Yunfan felt a wave of relief and reassurance wash over him.

’Thank goodness for the Attribute Panel. Without it, I really would have been screwed.’

Xu Yunfan carefully channeled his True Martial Magical Power, fusing an imperceptible trace of Cloud Scroll Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi to build a vortex structure around the outer layer of his Dao Foundation.

The process was like walking on thin ice; the slightest mistake could damage his Dao Foundation.

Had any other Daoist Master attempted this, the process might have taken decades. But in Xu Yunfan’s view, the panel’s cursor acted like the most precise of scalpels, helping him avoid the several dangerous points in Bai Yue’s method that would cause the vortex to become unstable or even collapse entirely.

Once the Grotto Heaven Embryo stabilized and the initial grafting succeeded, the Root Origin Qi would enter the body. A Secret Technique was then required to bind and refine it, guiding it to form a "Grotto Heaven Embryo"—a structure existing between the virtual and the real—around his core Divine Technique.

At that point, he would truly step into the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment, with the Perfection stage within reach.

Once his Grotto Heaven Embryo was fully formed, he could then manifest a Grotto Heaven and achieve the Golden Core Dao.

This was the final and most perilous step of the grafting technique.

Xu Yunfan didn’t rush to put it into practice, instead running simulations in his Sea of Consciousness.

In every simulation, he saw via the panel that if he completed the final "stabilization" step using the specific combination of Spells taught by Bai Yue, the seemingly harmless incantation would instantly detonate, turning the Root Origin Qi he had painstakingly absorbed—along with his very Divine Soul—into "fertilizer" for the Divine Martial Realm.

After cultivating late into the night, Xu Yunfan finished strengthening his Divine Soul through Meditation with the Linn Character Technique, finally letting out a long breath.

He couldn’t help but pinch the bridge of his nose.

’In the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm, the paths to advancement are largely controlled by True Monarchs. The True Martial Demon Suppressing Scripture I cultivate has a vacant Fruit Position in the Divine Martial Realm, but it’s highly likely that True Monarch Qing Yuan left it vacant on purpose.’

’He’s waiting for someone to claim that Fruit Position, just so he can pluck it for himself.’

’But he’s already a Golden Core True Monarch. What would he even do with more Fruit Positions?’

Xu Yunfan mulled it over for a long time before finally shaking his head.

’I won’t know for sure until I reach that level.’

Meanwhile, his cultivation of the Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture became nothing short of frenzied.

Taking advantage of his position at Cold Crow Pass and the resources he had gathered, Xu Yunfan began an endless cycle of Artifact Refining.

He used Low-tier Ore from the storeroom and fragments of discarded Magical Artifacts as his materials, even going out to purchase more with his own Spirit Stones.

He even put out the word that he would perform Artifact Refining for a fee.

People were skeptical at first, but that changed when Zhou Lu, hoping to curry favor with his superior, offered up his own materials. When he walked away overjoyed with a top-tier Magical Artifact, the Cultivators of Cold Crow Pass went into a frenzy.

Never mind Qi Refining Stage cultivators; even Daoist Masters who had just reached Foundation Establishment usually only wielded top-tier Magical Artifacts at best.

Thus, a steady stream of people came seeking his services. The fact that Xu Yunfan didn’t care about their backgrounds particularly attracted numerous Loose Cultivators.

"..."

"Kan Gold Cloud Qi!"

With a low cry, Xu Yunfan’s fingers formed a spell sign. A wisp of pale blue Cloud Qi, suffused with a sharp Metal Qi, flowed from his sleeve and enveloped a piece of Profound Iron Ore.

The panel’s interface lit up. Like a precision scalpel, the stream of Metal Qi permeated the ore along the optimal path guided by the panel.

With a SIZZLE, the ore’s impurities were rapidly stripped away, leaving only the purest Geng Metal Essence.

’Your Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi Skill Level +1.’

Xu Yunfan glanced at the notification that appeared in his field of view, then paid it no further mind.

He had grown used to it over the past several days.

"Li Fire Cloud Qi!"

A red light flared as True Flame flowed forth, melting the essence and molding it. The embryonic form of a small Li Fire Shield appeared.

The Cloud Qi etched simple Fire Runes within it.

"Xunfeng Cloud Qi... Gen Mountain Cloud Qi..."

All eight types of Cloud Qi were deployed in succession.

He was only refining the lowest-tier Magical Artifacts, or even just Half-Finished Talisman Embryos. He wasn’t aiming for power, but rather, with the panel’s aid, to complete each piece with maximum efficiency and material utilization, frantically racking up successful refinements.

With each successful refinement, his Skill Level in the Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture increased by one point.

If he were to refine a Magical Treasure, the Skill Level increase would be many times greater.

Naturally, Xu Yunfan deliberately suppressed his level of skill, only ever displaying the ability to refine Magical Artifacts and carefully avoiding anything at the Magical Treasure Level.

The ability to refine Magical Artifacts versus Magical Treasures, while seemingly separated by just one step, were in fact worlds apart.

Magical Artifacts only required a superficial application of Spiritual Materials; anyone with a basic understanding of the Artifact Refining Dao, some talent, and practical experience could create them.

Magical Treasures, on the other hand, required one to smelt worldly spiritual essence and inscribe them with Dao Principles and Runes—a feat only a true Master Artifact Refiner could accomplish.

If he ever displayed the ability to refine Magical Treasures, he would undoubtedly attract special attention from the upper echelons of the Primordial Sect, perhaps even alerting True Monarch Qing Yuan himself.

At that point, his position as the Guardian Envoy of Cold Crow Pass would likely be out of his hands.

He would either be forcibly conscripted as a Sect Artifact Refiner, spending his days and nights refining Magical Treasures for others.

Or, the origins of his Artifact Refining techniques would be scrutinized, risking the exposure of the Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture’s secrets.

Neither outcome was one he could afford.

Therefore, Xu Yunfan always kept his Artifact Refining skill at a "skilled, but not yet a master" level. This way, he would neither be scorned for shoddy craftsmanship nor attract disaster for being overly proficient.

In the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm, hiding one’s true strength was sometimes more important than showing it off.

For the next fifteen years, Xu Yunfan buried himself in his cultivation day and night. A side chamber in his stone hall became his Artifact Refining workshop. Mountains of ores and Spiritual Materials were consumed. In return, the Skill Level bar for the Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture on his Attribute Panel visibly soared. More importantly, his control over the Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi became exquisitely precise, as natural as moving his own limbs.

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