Longevity by Grinding Skills

Strictly speaking, throughout the Aitela Continent, the Divine Spirits of the Natural Pantheon mostly occupied regions with relatively harsh environments. The lands suitable for life and propagation were largely held by the Human Race, the Beast Race, and the Elf Race.

Humanoid races like the Barbarian Race were mostly driven out of the temperate and suitable environments due to their small populations, forced to survive on the harsh ice plains.

"Tatus."

Rockman’s voice, like grinding glaciers, echoed directly in Xu Yunfan’s ears as he regarded him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Your aura is mixed with an unfamiliar fluctuation.

And your Subordinate God... he seems to possess investigative authority. I recall there was a Lower-Rank God in the Wilderness West Field whose entire authority was investigation?"

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

His gaze seemed to pierce through Xu Yunfan’s disguise, a hint of an enigmatic expression in his eyes.

But Xu Yunfan was certain that Rockman hadn’t seen through his disguise.

Thanks to the information from Delis and the other Weak Gods, he had already grasped the underlying logic of this world’s Cultivation System.

With the Triple Cause and Effect Secret Technique to protect him and the Thunderous Divine Format for cover, the persona of Tatus he had manifested was perfectly genuine.

Xu Yunfan bowed slightly. "Your esteemed Excellency, Rockman. The day before yesterday, I was attacked by a group of believers of an Outer Realm Evil God calling themselves ’Star Fall.’ My Divine Country was damaged. Fortunately, my new Subordinate God used his investigative authority to help me lock onto the enemy leader. Though the victory was hard-won, I was tainted with some of the Alien God’s aura, which I will need time to purify."

He deliberately triggered a trace of residual combat fluctuations within his Thunderous Divine Format, mixing it with a hint of the Star Spirit Banner’s unique, profound aura.

The icy mist on the throne churned slightly, and a cold, subtle fluctuation swept over Xu Yunfan’s entire body, lingering for a moment on his disguised Thunderous Divine Format and the Star Spirit Banner hidden in his sleeve.

At that very moment, Zhang Ziyang was operating his Investigation Divine Format at full power, perfectly merging all trace of his existence into the fluctuations of the Thunderous Divine Format while simultaneously tracing the path of Rockman’s scan.

After a long moment, the ice-needle-like fluctuation slowly withdrew.

It was a Divine Spirit’s investigative technique. However, since this God of Frost Winter’s domain was ice and cold, he was not a specialist in detection, and Xu Yunfan showed no trace of abnormality.

Rockman’s voice betrayed no emotion.

"Outer Realm Evil Gods, Star Fall? Hmph. More of those rats from the gutters.

Tatus, remember your duty. The Thunderbolt of the Northern Plains must answer to the will of Frost Winter.

Watch over your territory. If there is any anomaly, report it immediately. Your new Subordinate God..."

From within the icy mist, a gaze seemed to fall upon Xu Yunfan, who met it calmly.

"...is somewhat interesting. You are dismissed."

The formless pressure vanished abruptly.

Xu Yunfan bowed once more, maintaining the deferential posture appropriate for Tatus.

Suddenly, he looked up.

"Are you the only Upper-Rank God in the Frosty North Plains?"

Rockman was puzzled. Although displeased by the rudeness, he still subconsciously responded that the Frosty North Plains were his domain.

From the throne shrouded in icy mist, Rockman’s voice rang out: "The Frosty North Plains are, of course, my domain. I would naturally not let other Upper-Rank Gods encroach upon it."

The invisible network of Law trembled slightly with his words. Through the pantheon’s contract of fealty, Xu Yunfan could clearly sense that he was not lying.

The entire Northern Plains’ authority over frost was firmly tied to the throne.

And in the Frosty North Plains, there was indeed only one Upper-Rank God—him.

’Just a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.’

"Then that simplifies things."

The corners of Xu Yunfan’s lips curled up, and the deferential posture he had faked as Tatus instantly vanished.

He straightened up, his Profound Daoist Robe stirring without a wind. The blue and white thunder patterns of the Thunder God on his brow disintegrated inch by inch, revealing his true, profound eyes.

"You..."

Just as Rockman was about to speak, a flash of unease struck him, and his vision was abruptly filled.

Without any warning, Xu Yunfan’s figure tore through the spatial distance, crossing to the front of the throne in a single step.

The hazy ice mist shrouding Rockman, like a fragile veil, was easily pierced by a hand wreathed in Purple Gold Thunder Patterns.

That hand precisely seized his neck, which was covered by the Ice Crystal Divine Robe, and an immense power far beyond the comprehension of the Aitira Pantheon erupted.

BOOM!

The deep-blue profound-ice throne shattered under the immense force.

Rockman didn’t even have time to mobilize the Power of Laws from his Eternal Freeze Royal Court before his divine body was brutally lifted from the throne’s wreckage, his feet dangling in the air.

As Xu Yunfan’s five fingers closed, his Talent Divine Technique, the Arctic Purple Star Suppressing Evil Qi, activated. A vast suppressive force, like an invisible shackle, instantly locked down the surging Frost Winter Divine Power within his body. Even the will in the core of his Divine Format was forcibly imprisoned, his thoughts nearly freezing solid.

This was the Human and God Suppression Technique.

Xu Yunfan’s eyes were ice-cold. His free left hand shot out like lightning, his fingertip tracing dark and insidious runic patterns.

The Celestial-Eroding Netherworld Talisman.

The moment his fingertip touched Rockman’s brow, countless Heaven-Eroding Talismans, as fine as hairs and capable of twisting Cause and Effect, burrowed into his Divine Soul Origin.

They were not destructive. Instead, like the most venomous parasites, they silently wrapped themselves around the Cause and Effect Lines at the foundation of Rockman’s existence, forming a lethal restriction hidden within the void.

If any Divine Spirit of this realm were to use a Cause and Effect investigation or attempt to transmit any anomalies to the outside world, the Talismans would instantly backlash, annihilating his Divine Soul.

Only when Xu Yunfan released his grip did Rockman stagger and fall amidst the shards of Ice Crystals, his frozen thoughts beginning to turn once more.

The icy mist dissipated completely, revealing a handsome, divine face twisted in horror.

The power that had invaded his divine body in that split second was both savage and pure, carrying an aura of Rules completely alien to this world’s Divine Dao System. It had instantly dismantled his vast Divine Power as an Upper-Rank God.

The logic by which that power operated was utterly incompatible with the Aitira World’s system of Divine Power, which was built upon the authority of Divine Formats and Faith Desire Force.

"Outer Heaven Demon!"

Rockman’s voice was hoarse, filled with unprecedented shock, anger, and fear. He instantly understood Xu Yunfan’s true identity.

This was no Tatus merely tainted by an Alien God’s aura, but a terrifying existence that had completely stolen his station and was now extending its demonic claws toward the Lord of Frostwinter.

The icicles hanging from the royal court’s dome cracked and broke from his violently fluctuating emotions, shattering on the icy floor with crisp tinkling sounds, just like his own heart on the verge of collapse.

’Is this fucking human? His strength is so much higher than mine, and he still pulls a sneak attack.’

’So fucking shameless!’

"Correct, but too late."

Xu Yunfan looked down on him. The Star Spirit Banner in his sleeve flashed with a faint light and then faded, confirming that the restriction had been perfectly imprinted.

"From this moment on, the Thunderbolt of the Northern Plains will still answer to Frost Winter, but the will of Frost Winter must bend to mine."

His words were calm, yet they carried an unquestionable sense of control.

’I can’t kill Rockman yet. If I make a move on him, the Main God of the Natural Pantheon will likely turn its attention here.’

’After all, as an Upper-Rank God, he’s considered noteworthy even in the system of the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm—someone who would catch the eye of a True Monarch.’

Rockman, of course, knew why Xu Yunfan hadn’t killed him.

He was filled with despair. Fallen from his throne, he lowered his noble head.

A miserable life was better than a noble death.

Having been a god for so long, having lived for so many ages, no one was willing to die unless faced with the most extreme circumstances.