Chapter 447: Longevity Skill

The Scripture Pavilion was the place Lu Yang spent the most time, second only to Tianmen Peak.

While most cultivation methods were compiled by predecessors, Lu Yang's was one he wrote himself. To create his own method, he resided in the Scripture Pavilion, extensively reading various texts. He synthesized the strengths of countless schools into a single entity, ultimately crafting the astonishing "Mind-Illuminating True Self Art."

While engrossed in his research, he vaguely recalled a spell that had something to do with eternal life. He hadn't paid much attention to it then, merely glancing over it quickly. As he was only in the Golden Core stage, full of youth and vitality, the prospect of facing lifespan limitations seemed incredibly distant.

"Fairy, do you know any spells or cultivation methods for achieving eternal life?" As an immortal, even if you don't practice them yourself, you should at least be aware of a few, right?

The Undying Fairy let out a 'hmm' from her throat, pondering seriously. "I don't know any for eternal life, but I'm familiar with spells that burn lifespan to temporarily boost combat power. I used them a few times before I ascended."

Lu Yang figured that for the Undying Fairy to resort to such a spell, the situation must have been dire. Seeing her nonchalant expression, he decided not to press for details about what had happened.

"What about after you became an immortal?"

"There's no need after becoming an immortal. Think about it: a Half-Immortal definitely can't defeat an Immortal, and an Immortal's only true opponent is another Immortal. Since an Immortal's lifespan is infinite, if two Immortals both burn their lifespans during a battle, what's the difference from not burning anything at all?"

Lu Yang realized she had a point. Immortal battles should primarily rely on their respective Dao Fruits.

"While burning lifespan is pointless, self-detonation is still incredibly powerful." The Undying Fairy chuckled. An Immortal's self-detonation is powerful enough to engulf an entire galaxy, or even a wider area, creating a world-shattering force. Its might is truly evident. And her Dao Fruit was perfectly suited for self-detonation. Unlike Immortals like Ying Tianxian, who would be finished after a single self-detonation, she was different. She could instantly revive and continue detonating repeatedly, without even a pause, unable to stop unless told to.

Lu Yang stared at the Undying Fairy with a peculiar expression. It was his first time hearing of such a thing as continuous self-detonation. The Undying Dao Fruit truly was terrifying. Who wouldn't be afraid if faced with such a fighting style?

The person and the ghost arrived at the Scripture Pavilion. Senior Sister Zhou Lulu was on duty there today. Senior Sister Zhou was engrossed in her book, a few strands of dark, lustrous hair framing her exquisite face. From afar, she appeared like a beautiful painting, exuding an aura of serene tranquility. If the Undying Fairy could acquire even a fraction of that demeanor, it would significantly elevate her standing in Lu Yang's eyes.

"Senior Sister Zhou, it's been a while," Lu Yang greeted with a smile. When he first joined the Wen Dao Sect, this Senior Sister Zhou had provided him with a great deal of assistance. Upon his initial entry into the sect, he had been first dizzied by the scent of a senior brother's pills, then subjected to baths in boiling water by the Eldest Senior Sister, and spent entire days carrying jars and squeezing tofu to hone his skills. In contrast, Senior Sister Zhou's advice—like which books offered quick mastery, which were essential for outdoor excursions, or that weapons in the cafeteria were cheaper than those in the mission hall—felt particularly invaluable.

Zhou Lulu was reading intently. Hearing Lu Yang's greeting, she let out a soft gasp, instinctively covering half her face with her book, her eyes darting away.

"Oh, it's Junior Brother Lu."

Lu Yang looked at Senior Sister Zhou with a hint of helplessness, careful not to speak too loudly lest he startled her. Senior Sister Zhou was the daughter of Fifth Elder Zhou Xin, possessing an absurdly powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivation. During exchanges with the Five Elements Sect, she was the primary force among their Nascent Soul cultivators, and the participating Five Elements Sect cultivators suffered terribly at her hands. If he were to fight Senior Sister Zhou, he would be completely outmatched and unilaterally crushed. It was merely that Senior Sister Zhou was too timid, even afraid to speak. Considering her personality, he might even be able to defeat Senior Sister Zhou by using an Invincible Pill.

Lu Yang noticed that the book Senior Sister Zhou was reading was titled "108 Hammer Methods." While it seemed quite out of character for her, it perfectly aligned with her true identity.

"Are you here to study in the Scripture Pavilion?" Senior Sister Zhou asked, gathering her courage, hoping to find a way to assist him.

"I'm looking for a spell related to extending one's lifespan." Lu Yang didn't elaborate on the situation; Emperor Xia's lifespan issue could trigger widespread repercussions, and the fewer people who knew, the better.

"A spell for extending lifespan, let me see... Is it the 'Evergreen Eternal Art,' which allows one to transform into a tree, take root in the earth, and calmly observe the shifting world?"

"Or perhaps the 'Turtle Longevity Method,' which extends life by mimicking the actions of a turtle?"

"Neither of those, it seems." Lu Yang found both unfamiliar and they didn't match the spell he recalled.

"Then I don't know," Zhou Lulu gently shook her head. She hadn't read all the books in the Scripture Pavilion either. The books in the Scripture Pavilion were as vast as the ocean; only Old Tao, the retired Pavilion Guardian, was likely to have read them all.

Lu Yang thanked Senior Sister Zhou and stepped into the Scripture Pavilion. Zhou Lulu watched Lu Yang's retreating back. Seeing that he had no intention of turning around, she finally relaxed and boldly returned to her book, quickly immersing herself in her own private world.

Many senior brothers and sisters chose to study in the Scripture Pavilion, delving into spells and cultivation methods to refine and adapt them to better suit themselves. However, there were also those stubborn senior brothers and sisters who, despite a spell not suiting them, stubbornly insisted on learning it anyway.

Lu Yang had heard that several years ago, a senior brother who loved money specifically borrowed the "Stone-to-Gold Art" from the Scripture Pavilion. This senior brother diligently cultivated, poking stones daily, meditating for enlightenment, nurturing his mind and body, studying the spell's principles, and seeking advice wherever he could. He tirelessly repeated this routine, never slacking off for a single day. Finally, after a full cycle of seasons, perseverance paid off. He didn't master the intended spell, but instead learned the One-Finger Zen technique. Upon mastering it, a single finger could cleave mountains, shatter the earth, and create a bloody hole with a mere poke, proving terrifyingly powerful and capable of being used as a trump card.

It was hardly surprising that the senior brother couldn't learn it. The "Stone-to-Gold Art" involved the decomposition and reorganization of a substance's internal structure, a feat of extreme difficulty that most people couldn't master. Even if one couldn't formally learn such a spell, alternative methods existed. One senior sister famously molded stones into diamonds, not through magical fluctuations, but purely with immense grip strength—a feat that became a popular topic of conversation within the Wen Dao Sect for quite some time.

Bypassing the senior brothers and sisters engrossed in their studies, Lu Yang followed his memory to a corner of the Scripture Pavilion, where he squatted down to search. The books were coated in a layer of dust, clearly untouched by cleaners for a long time. The Scripture Pavilion was vast, and with so many books, it was normal for some to be forgotten over time. For instance, on his very first visit to the Scripture Pavilion, Lu Yang had discovered the forbidden book "Dragon-Phoenix Transformation."

"I remember it being right here?"

"Found it!" Lu Yang's eyes lit up. He pulled a book from a crevice; its title was ancient and majestic, yet simple and clear: "The Art of Longevity."

"I knew I hadn't remembered incorrectly," Lu Yang said with a hint of excitement. The Scripture Pavilion truly lived up to its reputation as a treasure trove, containing even legendary spells like this one.

"There's actually a spell like this?" The Undying Fairy exclaimed in wonder. "This is quite a valuable find." While she had no use for it, Lu Yang certainly would in the future.