Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Ten Years

Relying on the precise control afforded by his Attribute Panel and an inhuman will honed through countless point allocations, Xu Yunfan forcefully guided the berserk Power of Thunder and Fire to circulate along the pathways of the *Divine Sky Nine Heavens Profound Vault Undying True Scripture*.

The Star Geng Metal formed his skeleton, the Nine Heavens Thunder Fire acted as fuel, and the Eight Sceneries Cloud Qi served as the tempering Melting Furnace. The three elements formed a profound balance and cycle within his body.

After an indeterminate amount of time, when the last glimmer of light from the Thunder-Attracting Array Disc on the Grotto’s ceiling died out, the rampaging Thunder Power finally subsided.

The violet Thunder Patterns around Xu Yunfan’s body slowly receded. A faint golden shimmer flowed across his skin before vanishing completely. He looked even more gaunt and reserved than before. In the depths of his slowly opening eyes, however, a sharp, divine glint—one that seemed capable of piercing through anything—would occasionally flash past.

He exhaled a breath of Dirt Qi. The breath carried with it faint, crackling sparks of electricity that distorted the very air before him.

He glanced at the information prompt in his vision.

[You have achieved initial mastery of the Divine Sky Nine Heavens Profound Vault Undying True Scripture.]

"Finally, I’ve reached the initial stage. This is no technique for humans."

Even with his placid state of mind, Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but feel a ripple of emotion.

’Achieving initial mastery of this True Scripture was far more difficult than with the *Profound Capital Eight Sceneries Celestial Refining Creation Cloud Scripture*. If not for the Linn Character Technique and the Attribute Panel, I would have never succeeded.’

’I have no idea how that Divine Sky Nine Heavens True Monarch managed to cultivate this back then. He was simply a monster.’

’But in comparison, Ancestral Master Chunyang seems even more monstrous. He actually managed to obliterate the Divine Sky Nine Heavens True Monarch with just three sword strikes.’

He settled his mind. Now that he had achieved initial mastery, the next step was a long-term grind, optimizing with the Attribute Panel and stacking Skill Level.

Xu Yunfan fully composed himself. His original body remained hidden in this Grotto, cultivating the *Divine Sky Nine Heavens Profound Vault Undying True Scripture* as his primary Fundamental Technique, supplemented by the *Wansheng Sword Technique* to comprehend Sword Intent. Meanwhile, he dedicated a portion of his Heart and Spirit to continuously monitor his clone’s activities in the Eastern Wilderness.

「Nearly ten years passed in the blink of an eye.」

「Within the Grotto at Cold Crow Pass.」

Xu Yunfan sat cross-legged, his aura as profound and still as an abyss.

Beneath his skin, nine layers of thunder light flickered in and out of existence. Each flicker seemed to cause a slight tremor in the surrounding space.

His bones were like jade, glowing with a subdued violet-gold luster. Between his organs, a miniature abyss of thunderbolts seemed to be slowly rotating. His blood rushed through his veins, containing starlike specks of searing, fiery power.

This was the external Manifestation of having cultivated the *Divine Sky Nine Heavens Profound Vault Undying True Scripture* to the realm of Great Success, a sign of its profound power.

Ten years of arduous cultivation, fueled by countless resources from Cold Crow Pass and optimized by the heaven-defying Attribute Panel, had finally brought this incredibly profound Cultivation Technique to the Great Success Realm. The terrifying strength of his physical body was now far beyond what an ordinary Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could compare to.

His Cultivation had also naturally progressed to the peak of the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment realm.

All that was left was to perform Qi Collection, form his Inner Scenic Cave Heaven, and then step into the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment realm.

’The Great Success Realm... peak Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment... This means I’ll only enter the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment realm when the True Scripture reaches Perfection. After that, by pushing it to its ultimate peak, I can achieve the Great Daoist Master Realm.’

’My foundation is set,’ Xu Yunfan thought. ’The next step is to move toward the Divine Sky Nine Heavens Fruit Position by gradually condensing Divine Techniques and constructing the Rituals.’

Such progress would have been considered staggering, even for the original Divine Sky Nine Heavens True Monarch.

But for him, this was just the beginning.

As for Cold Crow Pass, which he was assigned to guard, it was nothing more than a place for Xu Yunfan to farm resources.

Over the past decade, everyone at Cold Crow Pass, from top to bottom, had more or less figured out the temperament of their new Guardian Envoy.

He remained holed up in his Grotto within the Guardian Mansion year-round, paying almost no attention to the mundane affairs of the pass, acting completely detached from it all.

The gates of the Guardian Mansion were always shut. Aside from necessary administrative handovers and resource deliveries, few people were ever able to disturb his quiet cultivation.

This nearly laissez-faire style of governance inevitably led some to feel contempt or to think they could get away with things at first.

However, the lax atmosphere brought about by this apparent neglect of management was shattered when a certain Foundation Establishment Daoist Master from the Wansheng Sword Sect arrived at Cold Crow Pass. His arrival sent a massive shock through all those who were secretly watching or itching to make a move.

This Daoist Master from the Sword Sect arrived with the illustrious status of a direct disciple of the Sect, his aura aggressive and his intentions unclear.

Perhaps he was there to call the new Guardian to account, or perhaps to test his true strength.

When he first arrived on his sword, its light was sharp and cutting, its edge pointed directly at the core of the Guardian Mansion. His attitude was arrogant, and he treated the pass’s regulations as if they were nothing, clearly holding the reclusive Guardian Envoy in contempt.

’Xu Yunfan guessed it was probably because Ancestral Master Chunyang had sent him out of the Wansheng Sword Sect, causing dissatisfaction among the factions of other True Monarchs in the Sword Sect. Since it wasn’t convenient for a True Monarch to act personally, a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master was the natural choice.’

’In all the world, who in the same Realm could defeat a Sword Cultivator one-on-one?’

However, in the very instant that the Sword Cultivator’s Sword Momentum locked onto its target, a sudden change occurred.

The long-tranquil skies above Cold Crow Pass abruptly darkened. It wasn’t the coming of night, but rather the instantaneous formation of vast, ink-black thunderclouds. Incomparably thick, they covered the entire pass, pressing down with the weight of lead and iron, as if about to fall.

From deep within the clouds, muffled thunder rolled. Great, thick serpents of violet-white lightning writhed madly in the blackness, emitting an aura of destruction so terrifying that even Foundation Establishment Cultivators would feel their hearts pound and their scalps tingle in fear.

The sky-piercing aura of the Wansheng Sword Sect’s Foundation Establishment Daoist Master was instantly crushed by this magnificent heavenly might. His sharp sword light dimmed and receded abruptly, suppressed by the sky-filling thunder tribulation.

He looked up in horror, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

He saw, at the core of the thick black clouds, countless blinding Divine Sky Thunderbolts, like awakened primordial thunder dragons. Their locked-on auras were firmly fixed upon him, ready to strike at any moment.

BOOM!

CRACKLE!!

The Daoist Master from the Sword Sect was given no time to react. Xu Yunfan didn’t even make an appearance.

The next moment, hundreds upon thousands of Divine Sky Thunderbolts roared in fury, transforming into violent pillars of light that tore through the heavens. They rained down upon the Sword Cultivator in a brutal, precise, indiscriminate bombardment.

It wasn’t just one or two bolts, but hundreds, even thousands, of violet-white electric dragons, each filled with the will of Destruction, bombarding him relentlessly.

The light of the thunder was blinding, and the roar echoed in all directions.

The cultivators within the pass, regardless of their Cultivation level, were all struck pale and silent as cicadas in winter by this heaven-shaking, earth-moving spectacle.

The very Earth Veins of Cold Crow Pass trembled slightly under the furious Thunder Power.

Even with his profound foundation and sharp Sword Technique, the Foundation Establishment Daoist Master from the Wansheng Sword Sect was caught completely off guard. He hastily activated a Protective Treasure and tried to parry with his Flying Sword. But he was still battered into a sorry state by the dense, waterfall-like barrage of immensely powerful Divine Sky Thunderbolts. The light from his Protective Treasure flickered rapidly before shattering inch by inch. His Flying Sword let out a mournful cry. In the end, he could only rely on a precious life-saving item gifted by his Sect to withstand the assault.

He let out a series of sharp cries from within the sea of thunder, then, casting aside all face, transformed into a dim streak of sword light. He frantically broke through the thunder curtain’s blockade like a beaten dog, fleeing the vicinity of Cold Crow Pass at top speed without a single look back.

By the time his figure vanished over the horizon, his robes were charred black and his aura was in disarray. He had clearly suffered a considerable loss.

This feast of thunderbolts had come as quickly as it went.

The thick thunderclouds, like a form of Celestial Punishment, slowly dispersed after driving away the uninvited guest, as if they had never been there at all.

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