Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 368: Chapter 368: Wansheng Sword Transformation

’You have successfully slain a cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer.’

Glancing at the message that floated into view, Xu Yunfan’s eyelids drooped slightly as he slowly raised his palm.

In the morning light, his skin took on a crystalline, almost transparent texture. Faint ripples of pale gold True Qi flowed between his ten fingers.

The Martial Arts Celestial Eye activated at his will. A vertical eye opened on his brow, allowing him to clearly see the Ten Extremes True Qi surging through the meridians beneath his skin.

This was no longer the mist-like True Qi of an ordinary Ninth Realm Martial Artist, but a torrent that was almost completely liquefied.

According to the Primordial Sect’s realm divisions revealed by Nether Spring, and referencing the cultivation standards of the Heart Sutra of Nirvana Dust, he was indeed standing at a delicate threshold.

After being repeatedly devoured and purified, his Ten Extremes True Qi had already surpassed the Qi Refining Stage standard of "Condensing Liquid into Mercury," reaching the Perfection state of "Mercury Paste Shines."

Although its quality was inferior to the True Essence of Immortal Dao Qi Cultivation, the sheer vastness of his Ten Extremes True Qi could have easily overwhelmed someone like Nether Spring, who was at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer.

As for his Divine Soul Traits, the predictive ability of his Martial Arts Celestial Eye was undoubtedly the "Divine Thought Prototype" recorded in the scriptures of the Primordial Sect.

His only shortcoming was the lack of the "Foundation Establishment Dao Rhyme" needed to connect with heaven and earth.

His current state was like a peerless sword that had yet to be given its edge.

Xu Yunfan suddenly formed a sword with his fingers. A wisp of True Qi shot into the air, leaving a scorching mark that lingered for three full breaths before fading.

According to the Heart Sutra of Nirvana Dust, this was "True Essence Retention," an ability exclusive to a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master. A sufficiently powerful Daoist Master could leave a mark that would not fade for several years.

Although his mark only lasted for three breaths, it was still far beyond what any Qi Refining Stage disciple could accomplish.

’Half-Step Foundation Establishment...’

’There are still three days. That should be more than enough time...’

According to Nether Spring, disciples of the Primordial Demon Sect would descend upon the Divine Martial Realm Heaven in three days, and a life-or-death battle would inevitably ensue.

With the True Qi he now possessed, never mind weaker opponents like Nether Spring—even disciples at Qi Cultivation Great Perfection would likely covet him greatly.

He needed to find another way to raise his strength even further.

Xu Yunfan collected his thoughts and, with a single step, headed toward the Martial Arts Tower deep within the Great Zhou Imperial Court.

The Martial Arts Tower was as majestic as a sword piercing the sky. The Bronze Bells hanging from its nine-tiered eaves chimed without any wind.

The moment Xu Yunfan stepped over the threshold, a vast wave of Literary Qi washed over him, causing his Ten Extremes True Qi to automatically circulate and protect his body.

Lifting his gaze, he saw a thirty-three-zhang-high dome, beneath which millions of books were densely packed into shelves, forming a constantly rotating, three-dimensional library.

Dugu Jiu stood before a golden-silk nanmu shelf in the "Weapons" section, his gaunt fingers gently stroking the yellowed pages of the *True Understanding of Sword Dao*.

At that moment, the Celestial Sword Grandmaster was completely absorbed, his sword-like eyebrows sometimes furrowing as if encountering a profound puzzle, and at other times relaxing as if glimpsing the true essence of the Dao. A look of boyish fascination appeared on his weathered face.

"What a pity..."

He suddenly sighed, his knuckles repeatedly rubbing the Chapter titled "Sword Intent Profound." "If I had seen this book back when I forged my Celestial Sword, my Celestial Sword Intent would have been at least three degrees more refined."

His voice was a mixture of regret and amazement.

In the past, he had prided himself on his unparalleled mastery of the Sword Dao and dismissed the Martial Arts of the Imperial Court as mundane. Who would have thought that the Martial Arts Tower held so many true insights that pointed directly to the Great Dao?

Xu Yunfan didn’t disturb him, instead standing quietly three zhang away. The vertical mark on his brow began to glow with a faint crimson light.

His Martial Arts Celestial Eye unleashed a tangible golden light that swept across the layers of bookshelves.

Formless Sword Technique, Ninefold Ascension Step, Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill...

An endless torrent of information flooded his Sea of Consciousness. But under the power of his Martial Arts Divine Technique, the Celestial Eye, this data was processed at incredible speed, as if by a modern microchip, allowing him to quickly discern the level of these Martial Arts.

The Martial Arts were decent, but they couldn’t be considered top-tier. They were merely passable. With his current Martial Arts Realm, he stood at a superior vantage point; a single glance was enough to grasp their general principles.

Without further hesitation, he started up the stairs.

As Xu Yunfan stepped onto the Spiral Jade Steps of the seventh floor, his expression flickered. He suddenly sidestepped, dodging a streak of black light.

The ambushing old eunuch’s five fingers were curved like hooks, his nails coated with "Yama’s Smile," a poison potent enough to kill even a Ninth Realm Grandmaster. Yet, his grasp met only empty air.

"I didn’t expect the Martial Arts Tower to still have a guard. You’re quite the loyal dog, even after the Great Zhou has fallen," Xu Yunfan said calmly, but his Ten Extremes True Qi was already swirling into a vortex.

As he spoke, he glanced through the window toward Jade Capital City, beyond the Imperial City, and could faintly hear the earth-shattering cries of battle.

With the Empress dead, Li Haomiao and his followers had naturally received the news and seized the opportunity to make their move.

At that same moment, the old eunuch was horrified to find his Netherworld True Qi leaking out of his body uncontrollably. His wrinkled face began to shrivel at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Three breaths later, the old eunuch collapsed, reduced to a skeleton loosely wrapped in a sheet of human skin.

Xu Yunfan didn’t even spare the body a glance. The Ten Extremes True Qi around him grew a bit denser as he continued to the top floor, walking straight toward a Zitan wood desk at the tower’s pinnacle.

On it lay a tome made of a material that was neither gold nor jade. The three ancient seal script characters on the cover made Xu Yunfan’s eyes twitch.

*Wansheng Sword Transformation*!

’As I thought,’ he mused. ’Since the Great Zhou Imperial Court collected the Celestial Demon Remains, they would have certainly collected its corresponding Cultivation Technique as well.’

Having been founded nearly a thousand years ago, the Great Zhou definitely knew many secrets.

The moment Xu Yunfan’s fingertips touched *Wansheng Sword Transformation*, the long-dormant Extreme Dao Relic Shell suddenly trembled. Yuu Congling’s cold, clear voice echoed directly in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Eh?!"

’You’re awake?’

Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow. He subconsciously scanned the Extreme Dao Relic Shell with his Martial Arts Celestial Eye and discovered that a Sword Intent was inexplicably rising within it, slowly reviving like a Dragon Raising Its Head.

Yuu Congling’s illusory figure manifested before Xu Yunfan, her plain white robes fluttering without a breeze. "The aura of a Sword Manual of the Same Sect triggered me."

She stared at the ancient script on the cover, her tone turning frigid. "This is one of the Ultimate Skills of the Wansheng Sword Sect from the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm. Some idiot from my sect must have snuck it into this World Heaven and left it behind after they died."

’So Yuu Congling is a disciple of the Wansheng Sword Sect?’

’I’ll have to grab a disciple from the Primordial Sect and interrogate them when I get the chance. Otherwise, I’m completely in the dark about all this.’

Xu Yunfan rubbed the pad of his finger along the edge of the pages, which felt as sharp as a sword’s edge. "Sounds troublesome?"

"Anyone who is not a disciple of the Sword Sect and holds this manual..."

Yuu Congling gave a rare, cold laugh. "...will be implanted with the ’Riding Yellow Sword Seal.’ Then, no matter where you flee, the Wansheng Sword Sect will hunt you down until both your body and soul are annihilated."

She deliberately paused, wanting to see a look of fear on this arrogant martial artist’s face. After all, this rogue had made her extremely uncomfortable during their martial arts practice in the dreamscape.

"I see."

Xu Yunfan suddenly chuckled and, under Yuu Congling’s shocked, constricting gaze, opened the book to the first page without the slightest hesitation.

"You!"

Yuu Congling’s illusory figure flickered violently.

The instant the page was turned, three streaks of profound yellow Sword Qi shot out from the paper. But as they reached Xu Yunfan’s brow, they were met by the nigh-immeasurable Ten Extremes True Qi that emerged from his Martial Arts Celestial Eye and were instantly ground to dust.