Longevity by Grinding Skills-Chapter 65: Better to Worship Yourself Than Heaven and Earth

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Better to Worship Yourself Than Heaven and Earth

To his greater surprise, the world before him seemed more vivid and bright than ever before.

It was like a veil had been lifted, revealing the world in its true, vibrant colors.

Xu Yunfan subconsciously pressed his temples. The skin his fingertips touched was trembling slightly.

The drifting paths of moss spores on the steps before the ancient Buddha Hall, the writhing frequency of an earthworm beneath the ground, the hairline cracks inside the bronze bell on the eaves’ corner.

These details, which normally required deliberate focus to capture, now flooded his consciousness like a torrential downpour.

At this moment, countless memories of his Cultivation suddenly manifested in his mind.

He saw himself living in a hut on a mountain peak for ten years. Every day at 3:00 AM, he would stand on a sheer cliff to watch the sea of clouds surge and recede, hoping to comprehend the world’s impression upon his own heart and achieve a spiritual transformation.

Whether the scorching sun peeled his skin or the deep winter frost formed an Ice Armor on his eyelashes, Xu Yunfan never broke the posture of the Linn Character Seal. This lasted until one day, as the rising sun pierced the clouds and stained the sea of clouds gold, a sudden enlightenment dawned within him.

Immediately, he slowly rose, shook the heavy dust from his tattered clothes, and walked down the mountain, one step at a time.

The memory fragment suddenly switched to a snow-covered summit.

He crushed thousand-year-old profound ice with his bare feet, each step leaving a mark like a Blood Lotus.

In the Gang Wind layer, at an altitude of three thousand feet, he unfastened his fur coat to face the biting wind, letting the Ice Crystals slice his skin. He did this only to comprehend the True Intent of the Linn Character Technique: ’a body and mind pure as a newborn’s, luminous both within and without.’

The final image froze on the moment he climbed to the legendary Cloud-top Celestial Palace.

After decades of practicing the Linn Character Technique, he finally broke the shackles on his heart. Attaining clarity both within and without, he at last saw the Innate Divine Being seated reverently inside the Celestial Palace.

This Venerable God’s body was wreathed in churning mists of Immortal Light, its form blurry and indistinct. As his Spiritual Power gradually withered, the god finally moved, taking a step and walking down from its divine dais.

The surrounding mists of Immortal Light exploded within the divine palace like a rainbow at dawn.

Xu Yunfan was shocked to see that this Venerable God’s face was identical to his own.

In reality, Xu Yunfan’s pupils trembled slightly as enlightenment dawned in his heart.

’Worshipping heaven and earth is no match for the piety of worshipping oneself.’

The presences that had once pressured him now vanished without a trace, replaced by an unprecedented sense of peace and serenity.

The sound of the wind, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves—all entered his ears with incomparable clarity.

He could feel the breeze on his skin and even distinguish the subtle differences between various scents in the air.

His emotions were like the water in a well, calm and without a single ripple.

His calmness was absolute, as if he were devoid of emotion. His entire body was under perfect control. Not a single iota of energy was wasted in his every move.

At this moment, he achieved complete mastery over all the strength in his body.

He carefully sensed it. This state, similar to Super Sensing, was depleting his Spiritual Power every second and could not be sustained for long.

Once his Spiritual Power ran dry, continuing to maintain this state would very likely cause his Divine Soul to collapse.

’Three breaths at most.’

Seeing the streak of golden light shooting across the sky, the old monk’s expression grew excited. No longer looking frail and ancient, he stood tall and bowed deeply.

"Powerful Awakening Bodhisattva above, the Spiritual Sense has arrived!"

Xu Yunfan no longer hesitated. His toes shattered the stone tile beneath him as his figure shot backward, instantly disappearing into the nearby forest, where he climbed an old pine tree and fell silent.

As the streak of golden light descended, Xu Yunfan finally got a clear look. It was a mace!

The Gilded Mace, wrapped in golden fire, crashed to the ground, landing in the temple courtyard with a thunderous impact.

BOOM!

The moment the bricks and stones shattered, the bronze bell on the ancient temple’s dome exploded into dust.

In the nearby forest, Xu Yunfan—who had now exited the state of the Linn Character Seal—felt his pupils shrink. He stared at the massive crater the Gilded Mace had smashed into the courtyard.

The earth and stone in the courtyard churned like rolling waves, revealing a dense layer of ghastly White Bone beneath.

The bones were embedded in the dirt, their countless empty eye sockets seeming to stare blankly at the sky. The sheer number was chilling, making the entire courtyard look like a giant graveyard.

’Such a quantity... there must be tens of thousands in this vast courtyard.’

’The Blood Sacrifice Technique!’

Xu Yunfan stared intently at the Gilded Mace in the crater, which was still emitting a faint golden glow. A look of realization flashed in his eyes.

Xu Yunfan’s heart grew cold. He had heard Lv Yi mention before that Divine Weapons have spirits, do not distinguish between good and evil, and are particularly fond of feeding on human vitality. If their Evil Qi is not dispelled in time, a Divine Weapon that has killed too many will turn into a cursed weapon.

This Gilded Mace was said to be the personal Divine Weapon of a great general from a previous dynasty. Its being drawn here was surely related to the human burials beneath this Powerful Awakening Bodhisattva hall.

’But... does that Powerful Awakening Bodhisattva truly possess sentience?’

’The Earth Dragon Flipping Over deep within Jiyun Mountain must have been its doing as well.’

In the courtyard, the old monk staggered to his feet, dusted himself off, and walked to a meditation cushion below the altar in the Buddha Hall. He fell to his knees and shouted.

"We welcome the Bodhisattva to assume its place! We welcome the Bodhisattva to assume its place!"

As soon as his voice fell, the Bodhisattva statue on the divine altar suddenly developed countless fine cracks. Black mist billowed out from the fissures, churning as it filled the entire Buddha Hall. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The old monk was engulfed by the mist, but far from showing any fear, his expression grew even more fanatical.

He raised his hands high, his voice like a beast’s roar, "I beseech the Bodhisattva to descend upon me and grant me immortality!"

Instantly, the black mist in the Buddha Hall seemed to have scented Blood Food, and it began to frantically drill into the old monk’s body.

At that moment, five black shadows burst forth from different directions.

From the eastern eaves, a Martial Artist appeared. He was built like an iron tower, yet as agile as an old ape. His arms hung past his knees, and his toes were more than twice the length of a normal person’s, as nimble as hands.

He stood nearly ten feet tall, his arms corded with bulging muscle. The Profound Iron Bracelets on his forearms gleamed with strange patterns in the moonlight. He charged forward like a meteor, easily smashing through high walls as if they were made of paper, and then strode into the courtyard.

From the direction of the western wall, a red-haired, burly man vaulted over and entered.

With every step he took, the bluestone bricks beneath his feet shattered like thin spring ice.

With every movement, his red hair danced wildly like burning flames. The hair on his body flickered like tiny wisps of fire, emanating an intense heat.

Another person emerged from the shadow of a broken pillar. His figure was as black as ink, seeming to vanish if you looked away for a moment. A Chain Blade shot from his sleeve like a striking viper as he swung his arms.

Looking up, a one-armed Swordsman was standing on the roof, though no one knew when he had gotten there.

On the northern wall, a woman holding a Jade Flute and dressed in a silver palace gown landed as lightly as if she were walking on air. Her willow-like brows knitted together, and she let out a cold snort.

"You heretical deviant. Worshipping a wild god in a vain attempt to achieve immortality? I’d say you’re tired of living."

The ape-like Martial Artist’s expression was grim. He said coldly, "Hmph. Today, this Divine Weapon will be mine!"

With that, he immediately strode toward the crater, intending to be the first to jump in and seize the Divine Weapon.