Longevity by Grinding Skills

He instinctively opened his mouth to protest, but swallowed the words before they could escape.

’This man is a Golden Core True Monarch. He must be here because a trace of aura leaked out when I was refining the Taiyin Immortal Golden Nature.’

’Or perhaps, True Monarch Qing Yuan has been secretly monitoring everyone since we left the Celestial Realm.’

’That bastard!’

’He doesn’t even trust the Foundation Establishment Daoist Masters of his own Sect, using us as bait for his schemes.’

Xu Yunfan let out a soft breath.

’For a being of his stature to call me out, it couldn’t be a mere guess.’

’It must have been some kind of irrefutable deduction or the result of a Secret Technique.’

More importantly, the fact that True Monarch Qing Yuan would appear in person to expose this secret made his objective blindingly obvious.

True or not, he had to confirm it for himself, and that process couldn’t be stopped by mere words.

’Whether I can’t produce the Dao Fruit or refuse to hand it over after being caught, the outcome will be the same.’

"Hand over that Taiyin Dao Fruit,"

True Monarch Qing Yuan’s voice remained level, yet it carried an irresistible celestial authority. It cut clearly through the air, each word hammering into Xu Yunfan’s heart.

"I will not hold the matter of you stealing the Dao Fruit against you. After all, it is something of a tradition in our Primordial Sect, and you seem to have grasped its essence quite well. Rest assured, I will not treat you unfairly. Bring it out, and you will be handsomely rewarded."

The corner of Xu Yunfan’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Deep within his Dantian Qi Sea, the three dormant strands of Golden Core Sword Intent from Ancestral Master Chunyang were already like a fully drawn bow, ready to be loosed at a moment’s notice.

This was the source of his confidence, the reason he hadn’t immediately used the Divine Soul Exchange technique to swap places with his clone.

At the same time, he mustered all his willpower to resist the crushing spiritual pressure that came from a Golden Core’s presence. He spoke slowly, his voice tinged with hoarseness.

"I wonder, True Monarch, what reward could you possibly offer that would rival a Dao Fruit?"

Though it sounded like a question, it was, in fact, an act of quiet defiance.

True Monarch Qing Yuan was somewhat surprised. He couldn’t understand why Xu Yunfan was still trying to stall for time.

’What could he possibly do against a Golden Core True Monarch?’

’Trying to buy time to muster the courage and strength to flip the table?’

"Heh."

Upon hearing this, a smile spread across True Monarch Qing Yuan’s face, as if he had already seen through Xu Yunfan’s intentions. His eyes held a flicker of amusement.

Smurfing in the newbie village sometimes gave one this feeling—the thrill of a cat toying with a mouse, wanting to see just how much its prey would struggle against absolute power.

Those who obtained a Dao Fruit were already at the apex of power in the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm, second only to the few Daoist Lords who had already ascended to a higher dimension.

Even among the myriad World Heavens, they were considered top-tier.

"I have in my possession an ancient, lost treasure of thunder: the World-Defining Thunder Shock Marrow."

He stared directly into Xu Yunfan’s eyes, his words cold.

"This item is enough to induce that Dao Fruit—the Divine Sky Yuqing of the Nine Heavens Profound Vault—which has lain dormant for a thousand years, to grant you its favor ahead of schedule! It will spare you a century of performing the necessary rituals and the arduous task of subjugating demons!"

This generous reward struck at the very heart of Xu Yunfan’s future path to attaining a Daoist Golden Core.

Xu Yunfan’s eyes flashed. ’These Golden Core True Monarchs really are fabulously wealthy,’ he thought. ’To think he could just pull out something like this.’

The Divine Sky Nine Heavens True Scripture mentioned this item. Refining it would grant a natural affinity for the Fruit Position, sparing one the arduous meditation needed to conjure an Anomaly. As long as one forged an Immortal Golden Nature, using the World-Defining Thunder Shock Marrow as a catalyst would guarantee the manifestation of this Supreme Dao Fruit—one that ranked in the top ten of the one hundred and eight Dao Fruits of the Heavenly Spirits and Earth Evil.

’But was True Monarch Qing Yuan really that kind?’

Naturally, Xu Yunfan didn’t believe it for a second.

After all, once a cultivator reached the Golden Core Realm, every step of advancement required refining more Dao Fruits compatible with their own nature.

True Monarch Qing Yuan cultivated the Qiankun Pure Qi Mysterious Dao True Skill, which involved refining Immortal Palace Pure Qi.

This Divine Sky Yuqing Dao Fruit would be of immense benefit to Qing Yuan as well. With this Supreme Dao Fruit, he might be able to break through to the Mid-Stage Golden Core Realm. This would stabilize his Grotto Heaven and allow him to truly achieve longevity.

’However...’

"What if..."

Xu Yunfan feigned a dry throat, each word rasping out as if scraped from rust, making the decision sound excruciatingly difficult.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"...I don’t hand it over?"

"You don’t?"

The smile on True Monarch Qing Yuan’s lips widened instantly, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing. But deep within his eyes lay a coldness like a frigid pool, and his words were a final sentence.

"Then you will be utterly annihilated, body and soul. Don’t even dream of entering the cycle of Reincarnation.

That pathetic wisp of Immortal Golden Nature inside you has yet to even take form. With a single thought, a single glance, I can wipe you from existence."

It was basically a case of "one look and you’re dead."

The power of a Golden Core True Monarch over a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was just that absolute.

In martial arts, it might be possible to defeat an opponent of a higher rank. But in cultivation, the further one progressed, each minor realm advancement was like ascending to a new heaven.

Even now, at the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, Xu Yunfan could have easily taken on three of his former self from when he was at the Mid-Stage.

Xu Yunfan let out a long breath.

His previously tense body relaxed slightly.

He looked at True Monarch Qing Yuan’s impassive face, his mind racing.

’If a True Monarch from the Wansheng Sword Sect were standing here,’ he thought, ’I might have some room to negotiate, banking on the honor of a Righteous Dao Sect and the reputation of Ancestral Master Chunyang. I could trust them to keep their word, at least to some extent.’

’But who was he facing now?’

’A Golden Core True Monarch of the Primordial Sect—a sect known throughout the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm for its ruthless schemes, for stopping at nothing to achieve its goals. A True Monarch from the sect people called the Primordial Demon Sect.’

’Killing me to silence me would be the most logical choice, ensuring no one ever found out.’

’Otherwise, if word got out that an esteemed Golden Core True Monarch had coveted and stolen an opportunity from a mere Foundation Establishment disciple, what would become of the Primordial Sect’s reputation?’

’Besides, True Monarch Qing Yuan is essentially stealing this prize from under True Monarch Pu Du’s nose. If I were to leak that information, it would be disastrous for Qing Yuan.’

’I’m already a loose end.’

’My complete and utter death is the only ideal outcome for him.’

’Besides, spouting lies is standard procedure for the Primordial Sect.’

The curve of Xu Yunfan’s lips slowly became more distinct. It was no longer a forced pretense but now held a hint of strange mockery.

He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping nonchalantly over the sky above the eastern seas. The Cloud Qi there was a chaotic mess, churned by some higher power. The karmic threads of fate were a tangled, chaotic knot, like countless strands of silk that had been violently ripped and tied together. Even the discerning eye of a Golden Core True Monarch would struggle to unravel its source anytime soon.

Xu Yunfan suddenly laughed. The sound was jarring in the deathly still air, filled with an almost eager anticipation.

"It seems you’ve come here personally behind True Monarch Pu Du’s back, haven’t you, True Monarch?

Tsk, tsk. While he’s busy carving up the Celestial Emperor Dao Fruit and can’t be bothered with anything else, you make your move in secret, throwing the East Sea’s Celestial Secret into chaos. What a brilliant scheme, True Monarch.

This karmic chaos is so profound that even you can’t quickly unravel it. Isn’t that your own doing, True Monarch?"

He had directly exposed the secrecy of True Monarch Qing Yuan’s actions and the reasoning behind his timing.

True Monarch Qing Yuan’s eyes were fathomless, betraying no emotion.