Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 548: Chapter 548: Celestial-Eroding Netherworld Talisman, Sun-Moon Profound Pivot Refinement

Xu Yunfan presented True Monarch Qing Yuan’s Decree. A flash of blood-red light pulsed from the bone tablet, and the massive, seemingly heavy stone gate slid silently apart, revealing a deep, dark passage within.

The walls on both sides of the passage were embedded with faintly burning skull lanterns. Their flames gave off a pale, phosphorescent light, causing shadows to dance and twist grotesquely.

The air was thick with the rich scent of old books and the musty smell of age, mixed with the faint stench of blood and an indescribable echo, like the whispers of souls.

"..."

Xu Yunfan let out a breath. He couldn’t help but frown at his surroundings.

As he stepped into the true repository area, the space suddenly opened up before him.

The vast space seemed endless. Countless towering bookshelves stood like a forest, reaching up to a chaotic ceiling formed by light twisted by Magical Power.

The shelves were not filled entirely with paper books or Jade Scrolls.

There were Magic Array Atlases stitched from human skin, Talisman Scrolls made from polished skulls engraved with Demon Text, and living Runes sealed within transparent Crystal Pillars, constantly shifting their forms.

Xu Yunfan was long past being surprised by such sights.

The founding principle of the Primordial Sect was its inclusivity; the arts of demons, ghosts, the Dao, and fiends all had a place here.

He presented the Decree to the Guardian Steward of the Scripture Pavilion.

The old man’s murky eyes glanced at the Decree, then took a long, hard look at Xu Yunfan. His shriveled lips moved without a sound as he made a guiding gesture with one hand, seemingly pointing toward a certain area.

Xu Yunfan gave a slight nod, and his Divine Thought spread out like a tidal wave.

His objective was clear.

A Secret Technique capable of scrambling Celestial Secrets and concealing the threads of karma.

A Protective True Technique to strengthen his physical form and compensate for his insufficient body cultivation.

If he had possessed a Secret Technique to obscure karma and Celestial Secrets back then, he could have simply killed Liuu Yunhua and been done with it, free of any other concerns.

Searching for a Heavenly Secret Skill proved to be time-consuming.

These types of Secret Techniques were especially precious and rare, even in a Demon Sect, and most existed only as fragments or incomplete Dharma Gates.

The majority were hoarded by Golden Core True Monarchs, to be given out as rewards.

But the Primordial Sect was, after all, an ancient Sect with a legacy spanning more than one hundred thousand years; it possessed a considerable number of Heavenly Secret Skills.

He avoided the sinister Dharma Gates that demanded exorbitant prices like sacrificing one’s lifespan or offering living beings as blood sacrifices. After a long and careful search, in an inconspicuous corner near the shadows of the chaotic ceiling, he finally found a scroll made from the faded hide of some unknown Star Beast.

When he unrolled the Scroll, the silvery-white script shimmered like the fragments of a nebula, recording the summary of a Secret Technique called the "Celestial-Eroding Netherworld Talisman."

This technique was neither offensive nor defensive; it specialized in obscuring, disrupting, and eroding the threads of divination, confusing perception, and distorting karmic links.

Although it was extremely difficult to cultivate and prone to attracting heavenly retribution—practitioners were liable to be struck by lightning—it also placed extremely high demands on the caster’s own foundation, which perfectly suited Xu Yunfan’s current needs.

’To be fair, my aptitude is quite good.’

Besides, getting struck by lightning during Cultivation would be a perfect opportunity to channel the Thunderbolt to temper his Dharma Body, which would in turn nourish his Divine Soul.

He immersed his Divine Sense in the scroll, feeling its profound and abstruse aura—one that seemed capable of devouring the very trajectories of Celestial Secrets. His mind was made up.

"This is the one."

As for a True Technique for body strengthening and Horizontal Training, finding one was a relatively simpler matter.

The Scripture Pavilion housed a great many such Dharma Gates, and Xu Yunfan’s objective was exceptionally clear.

He needed nothing flashy, no ancillary Divine Techniques—only something extremely focused on tempering and defending the physical body and the Divine Soul itself.

He filtered out the unorthodox Cultivation Techniques that relied on Evil Qi for Body Refining, required fusion with special Exotic Beast bloodlines, or even demanded the consumption and refinement of a Treasure Ore into one’s body. At last, he zeroed in on a shelf formed from several massive, interlocking ribs and found an inky-black Jade Scroll imprisoned within a fist-sized, transparent Crystal Core.

Carved on the surface of the Jade Scroll were four simple characters in ancient seal script.

Sun and Moon Profound Pivot

As he extended his Divine Sense into it, a desolate and majestic True Intent washed over him—the intent to draw upon the power of heaven and earth, Yin and Yang, and the sun and moon to temper one’s very body.

The core of this True Scripture lay in visualizing the alternating cycles of the Sun, Moon, and Star Power, transforming it into the Power of the Profound Pivot to guide Circulation Essence Energy in scouring one’s body.

By day, it guided the Great Sun Fierce Yang Essence Qi to scorch and forge skin, fascia, muscles, and bones, making them as tough as Divine Iron.

By night, it channeled Taiyin Moonlight, merging it with the All Heaven Starlight to saturate the organs and marrow, imbuing them with starlight until they became as resilient as Profound Jade.

At the stage of Great Success, Yin and Yang would be in harmony, dragon and tiger would converge, and one’s body could become like a Vajra. Containing a universe within, one would have the strength to uproot mountains and rivers, capable of clashing head-on with Magical Treasures without sustaining damage.

It followed the grand and open path of ultimate purity, aiming directly at the very foundation of the physical body.

It lacked the myriad transformations of the Xuantu Cloud Qi and wasn’t as brutal as the Divine Sky Scripture, which required channeling Thunder Fire and Geng Metal Evil Qi. Its strength, however, lay in its solid, pure, and vast foundation, which perfectly complemented his current offensive focus on the Divine Sky Scripture and the Xuantu Cloud Qi. His Yin Yang Separation and Reunion True Scripture would also provide a synergistic boost.

’One to obscure the heavens, the other to temper the body. Excellent.’

This trip was not in vain.

Both of these Secret Techniques could be considered top-tier. It was only within the Three Sects that one could find them; if techniques of this caliber were to appear in the outside world, their discovery would incite a ruthless, bloody struggle.

Only a select few could ever join the Three Sects; the vast majority of cultivators belonged to ordinary sects, and Loose Cultivators were even more common.

If not for the Primordial Sect’s ancient heritage, he would have had no way of learning these two Secret Techniques.

Without hesitation, Xu Yunfan used his Divine Thought as a guide, infused it with the power of the True Monarch’s Decree, and carefully retrieved the Star Beast Hide Scroll of the "Celestial-Eroding Netherworld Talisman" and the Ink Jade Crystal Core containing the "Sun and Moon Profound Pivot" from their restrictive seals.

The process appeared placid, but a low hum echoed from the depths of the Scripture Pavilion, as if some kind of Rule had been triggered, interfacing with the True Monarch’s Decree to verify his identity.

His selections made, Xu Yunfan turned to leave.

The place made him deeply uncomfortable. The Blood Demon was a twisted individual; if he happened to run into him, a fight would be unavoidable.

The Scripture Pavilion was as deep as an abyss, the light flickering and uncertain. Only the faint TAP, TAP of his boot soles on the cold, seemingly blood-soaked stone slabs echoed through the vast emptiness.

Just as he was about to step out of the passage lit by flickering Ghost Fire, a figure with an air of effortless cheer emerged from between another row of forest-like shelves, appearing before him at just the right moment.

The newcomer wore fine robes and a Jade Belt. His features were handsome, and he carried himself with the calm, well-rounded disposition of someone long accustomed to a position of authority. Yet, beneath that polish, one could faintly sense an unnerving desire for control.

It was Li Wei, a cultivator at Late-Stage Foundation Establishment and Nearing Perfection. He was the Direct Disciple of True Monarch Pu Du and a capable aide to the current Sect Leader of the Primordial Sect, Celestial Derivation Daoist Master.

The powerful aura he emanated leaked no hint of pressure. With his Self God held in check, he appeared peaceful and reserved.

"Peak Master Xu, fancy meeting you here."

Li Wei beamed as he cupped his hands in greeting. "I sensed the abyss-deep Thunderbolt aura of the Divine Sky Peak Master from a great distance. I was just thinking of finding some time to pay you a visit. I never expected to have the good fortune of running into you here.

Peak Master Xu, you’ve been in seclusion for years. It seems your Daoist Cultivation has advanced tremendously—your aura has grown even more profound and vast. This is truly a blessing for our Primordial Sect!"

His words were filled with warmth and compliments.

Xu Yunfan was instantly on guard, but he had no choice but to stop. The natural, open smile on his face remained unchanged as he cupped his hands in return.

"Ah, Senior Brother Li. You flatter me, you truly do!

It was merely a sliver of progress, hardly worthy of your generous words. As someone who acts on behalf of the Sect Leader, you must be incredibly busy. The honor of this meeting is all mine."

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