Longevity by Grinding Skills

The pillar of thunderlight trembled violently, runes flickering across its surface, but it forcefully withstood the furious blow without shattering.

"How is this possible?!"

Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva’s face was filled with disbelief. He was, after all, a Golden Core level cultivator holding a Bodhisattva Venerable Position, yet he couldn’t even break the defense of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?

’Is someone helping him in secret?’

Xu Yunfan’s face was pale. He let out a long breath, sensing the Moon Wheel Treasure Mirror inside him, and glanced at the Celestial Empress within the Star Spirit Banner, whose soul was on the verge of scattering.

’Celestial Empress, I’m afraid I have to put you through this. Once you endure this attack, you can rest and recuperate.’

The Celestial Empress was incapable of speech at this moment.

If she could actually speak, she would have refused to take the hit for Xu Yunfan a million times over.

In fact, if not for the Star Spirit Banner having been refined into Xu Yunfan’s Lifebound Magical Treasure—meaning if Xu Yunfan died, the banner would detonate along with him—she would have had no choice but to bite the bullet and block the attack to save her own life.

After all, she was naturally compatible with the Moon Wheel Treasure Mirror, and by temporarily merging with it, she could unleash the power of a Golden Core cultivator for a single strike.

Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva’s expression flickered, but he hesitated no longer. Just as he was about to strike again, a heaven-propping pillar suddenly appeared before him.

Looking up, he saw the glazed, treasured light around Wukong’s body surge. Where the fragments of his cracked Stone Embryo peeled away, the Vajra Glazed Ming King Dao Foundation manifested, solid and real. His Eight-armed Wrathful Dharma Aspect was wreathed in True Martial Demon Suppression Evil Qi, and he held the Bloodstained Vajra Pestle.

This was the appearance of a Golden Core True Monarch, transformed into the Fighting King Buddha after being baptized by the Fruit Position.

Wukong said calmly, "If you wish to harm my master, you will have to step over my dead body."

Seeing all his efforts for the Zizai King Buddha Fruit Position come to nothing, with Wukong instead becoming the greatest beneficiary and now even obstructing him, Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva laughed in extreme anger.

"You dare act so arrogantly just after reaching Golden Core? Today, I will teach you that even among Golden Cores, there is a world of difference!"

With that, his Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect thundered through a series of seals. Glazed Buddha Light, carrying the residual might of the King Buddha Fruit Position, shot straight toward Wukong.

Wukong’s eight arms trembled in unison as golden light burst forth. The Prison Suppressing Ming King Grotto Heaven Embryo and the phantom of the Buddha Country clashed madly. As the Bloodstained Vajra Pestle came crashing down, the void itself shattered.

Xu Yunfan glanced at the battle, and his Heart and Spirit calmed slightly.

With Wukong holding off Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva, all he needed to do was stall for time. Once his breakthrough was complete, the outcome would be decided.

Unfortunately, the Divine Sky Dao Fruit had been forced into hiding by Pure Yang True Monarch’s previous attack, and the time it now took to re-manifest and coalesce was not short.

At this moment, ninety-nine Purple Gold Divine Dragons within his Dantian were holding a phantom Golden Core in their mouths, and the pillar of lightning descending from the Divine Sky Dao Fruit in the dome above contracted with a BOOM.

He only needed to lift the Grotto Heaven Embryo and smash it into the Dao Fruit, and his Golden Core would be formed.

"Destroy the Ten Thousand Laws, bear the weight of the heavens!"

Xu Yunfan’s Magical Power surged. As the thunderlight completely receded, a purple-gold divine radiance flowed across his body.

The resplendent, phantom Golden Core, which contained the embryo of an endless Thunder World, was slowly being lifted by him toward the coalescing Divine Sky Dao Fruit above.

---

Meanwhile, the chilling sword light a Celestial Pivot Peak Elder had been brewing descended like the nine-heavens’ milky way, carrying a cold that could freeze the Divine Soul as it slashed toward Han Shi on the peak.

"Insolence!"

From the peak of Ancestral Master Chunyang, a cold snort exploded like a clap of thunder.

A Colorless Sword Light, so pure it seemed capable of severing all worldly shackles, shot out second but arrived first, striking the chilling sword light precisely at its weakest point.

CRACK!

The Celestial Pivot Peak Elder’s sword light shattered on impact! His face went pale, and he stumbled back several steps, his eyes filled with terror.

"Sect Leader!"

Then, the aura of a Sword Dao Venerable suddenly surged forth.

It was none other than Li Guang Ranyan Red Sun True Monarch of Celestial Pivot Peak.

"Pure Yang, you’ve gone too far."

Red Sun True Monarch’s expression was grim. Lv Chunyang’s intervention had broken the rules.

But the other man’s Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivation made him dare not act.

He wanted to join forces with the other True Monarchs of Sword Dao to suppress him, but they were not of one mind; each had their own considerations.

For a moment, no one was the first to speak.

"Let him complete his breakthrough."

Lv Chunyang’s calm voice echoed among the peaks of the Wansheng Sword Sect, carrying an undeniable pressure.

"The Cangming Dao Fruit has sensed him. This is Heaven’s Will. If he fails to complete his breakthrough, then so be it."

An invisible pressure enveloped the area, instantly suppressing the restless Sword Intents.

Li Guang Ranyan Red Sun True Monarch said, bracing himself, "The Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm cannot withstand so many Golden Core Realm True Monarchs. If their numbers become too great, I fear the Celestial Dao will send down a calamity, and the foundations of our power may not be preserved."

Lv Chunyang said flatly, "No matter how much the great calamity is postponed, it will come sooner or later. That being the case, we might as well have a few more True Monarchs."

Red Sun True Monarch said nothing more. Lv Chunyang had made his stance clear, and to continue arguing would be undignified.

If he did, Lv Chunyang would surely make him see things his way, and not so pleasantly.

Red Sun True Monarch couldn’t help but sigh.

’The Boundary Sea is endless, and the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm is not the only power in existence.’

Clone Han Shi turned a deaf ear to all of this. Under the protection of Ancestral Master Chunyang, Xu Yunfan focused most of his Heart and Spirit on the Cangming Nine Abyss Dao Fruit.

The phantom of the Celestial Sword Seat trembled wildly in his Sea of Consciousness. The Furious Wave Sword Intent turned from illusion to reality, as if it would drag the entire sky into the Abyss of the Ruins.

The will descending from the Cangming Dao Fruit also grew heavier. A pillar of profound black light, formed from deep seawater and an endless dark vortex, descended with a BOOM, completely enveloping Han Shi.

---

「Over the Eastern Wilderness.」

With a single punch, Wisdom Sun shattered the Sea-Crossing Purple Gold Rod. Infinite Buddha Light transformed into Purifying Light and blasted Wukong away.

Having just entered the Golden Core Realm, he was ultimately no match for a veteran Golden Core cultivator.

What’s more, Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva was already at the Mid-Stage Golden Core.

It was truly remarkable that Wukong had managed to hold on for so long.

Xu Yunfan sighed. ’It seems Wukong will have to be sacrificed.’

’A pity.’

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

But on second thought, Xu Yunfan’s eyes suddenly lit up.

’I wonder how many Star Monarch positions a fallen Golden Core True Monarch is worth inside the Star Spirit Banner.’

Wisdom Sun turned his head and looked at Xu Yunfan.

"Xu Yunfan! Did you really think I can’t do anything to you?!"

He pressed his palms together. A "Wan" Buddha Seal lit up on his brow. Behind him, the Great Sun Glaze Dao Fruit manifested, humming and vibrating as a terrifying Buddha Power—even grander than before, as if it would incinerate all life—began to gather.

The power of the entire Puchen Pure Land was converging on him.

Seeing this, Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but let out a breath. His eyes were deep and showed little fear.

Just at this critical moment, Wukong suddenly appeared in front of him.

Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva’s pupils shrank. He saw Wukong’s Eight-armed Wrathful Dharma Aspect abruptly contract as Dark Gold Blood Thunder, wrapped around the Bloodstained Vajra Pestle, tore through the Glazed Buddha Light and slammed directly into the core of Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva’s Thousand Hands Dharma Aspect.

The Stone Monkey’s cracked body erupted with countless dark-gold fissures. The Fighting King Buddha’s Golden Core, in the center of his chest, transformed into a black hole that devoured all light.

BOOM!!!

The full power of the Fighting King Buddha’s self-detonating Golden Core was unleashed.

The sky above the Eastern Wilderness shattered like a pane of glazed glass struck by a great hammer, instantly covered in a web of black cracks.

A shrieking Gang Wind swept across the land, turning mountains and rocks to dust wherever it passed.

Wisdom Sun Bodhisattva’s Thousand Hands Dharma Aspect was annihilated inch by inch, and spiderweb cracks exploded across his Glazed Golden Body.

Pale golden Buddha’s Blood gushed from his seven orifices, and the lotus platform beneath his feet shattered into a sky full of light motes.