Longevity by Grinding Skills

Chapter 402: Chapter 402: The Demon Sect’s Specialty

He pushed open the long-sealed wooden door, and daylight poured in.

Xu Yunfan squinted, his gaze fixed on the towering Scripture Pavilion in the distance.

The path of cultivation was long, and it was wise to dabble in all sorts of skills, from crafting elixirs and artifacts to talismans and arrays.

After all, in a Demon Sect that devoured people whole, an extra skill meant an extra chance at survival.

With the Attribute Panel at his disposal, not pursuing cultivation would be an absolute waste.

His original profession had been blacksmithing, and since the armor and weapons he wore needed modification, he was naturally more focused on Artifact Refining.

He hesitated no longer.

Xu Yunfan climbed the bluestone steps. Halfway up Hundred Desires Peak, a grayish-black building stood nestled against the mountain. Bronze Bells hung from its upturned eaves, tolling mournfully in the wind.

The Scripture Pavilion of Hundred Desires Peak, like those of the other peaks, was where disciples went to consult Cultivation Technique Manuals.

But compared to the solemn and dignified Scripture Pavilions of other sects, this one had its outer walls covered in dark red vines, making it look as if it had been drenched in blood from a distance.

In front of the Scripture Pavilion was a small platform paved with mottled bluestone slabs. A few stubborn weeds grew in the cracks between them.

The scene was utterly desolate and lifeless. Hardly any disciples ever came here.

Xu Yunfan found this a bit strange.

’Logically, the Scripture Pavilion should be one of the main gathering places for disciples in a Sect.’

The fact that there wasn’t a single soul in sight truly surprised him.

As Xu Yunfan approached, he saw that the main door was carved with complex array patterns, from which a faint Spiritual Light flowed.

Just as he reached out to push the door, the array on it flared with a red light, blocking his path.

"New here?"

A lazy voice drifted over from the side.

Xu Yunfan turned to see a young man in gray disciple robes leaning against a doorpost, fiddling with a Jade Token in his hand. "It costs three hundred Contribution Points to enter the Scripture Pavilion."

Xu Yunfan’s brow furrowed. "That expensive?"

The sentry disciple scoffed. "Too expensive? You can always go to the Scripture Pavilions on the other peaks."

He sized up Xu Yunfan, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "But for a disciple from another peak to enter their Scripture Pavilion, the Contribution Point cost is doubled."

Xu Yunfan fell silent for a moment, then took out his Identity Jade Token. "I’ll pay."

The sentry disciple took the Jade Token and swiped it lightly against the array next to the door. Three hundred Contribution Points instantly vanished from the token.

He tossed the Jade Token back to Xu Yunfan with a knowing smile. "Be my guest."

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, Xu Yunfan stepped into the Scripture Pavilion.

The scene he had imagined—mountains of manuals and piles of Jade Scrolls—was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he was greeted by an empty hall. Only a few lonely bookshelves stood there, holding a pitifully small number of texts.

"This..."

Xu Yunfan froze on the spot, a surge of anger at being deceived welling up inside him.

’Three hundred Contribution Points is a small fortune for an Outer Disciple! It could be exchanged for a good number of cultivation Elixirs or used to buy plenty of materials, and all I got for it was this empty shell?’

He finally understood the sentry disciple’s strange expression from before. The man had clearly been waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Xu Yunfan recalled what he had seen and heard on Hundred Desires Peak over the past few days. The other disciples always looked at newcomers with a playful, expectant gaze. Thinking back, they were probably just waiting to see the newcomers’ reactions to being scammed.

"Of course..."

’Every last one of these people is an animal.’

Xu Yunfan gave a bitter laugh and shook his head.

These were the rules of the Primordial Sect. Even if you knew it was a trap, you had to walk right into it.

The senior disciples seemed to relish the malicious pleasure of harming others for no personal gain. As long as they could watch someone else suffer a loss, they were satisfied.

He slowly walked to the nearest bookshelf and casually picked up a manual.

The cover read *Hundred Desires Heart Scripture Introduction*. He opened it to find that only the first three pages had any content; the rest were blank.

’This is acceptable?’

Xu Yunfan was so angry he almost laughed out loud.

He put down the "manual" and checked a few others. It was more of the same: either the content was incomplete, or they were just miscellaneous, unimportant notes.

They were obviously just there to fill the shelves—useless, irrelevant books. There were even a few volumes of *Uncle Liu*!

Xu Yunfan put the book down, his face expressionless.

’When I’m strong enough, I’ll definitely smash this entire Hundred Desires Peak to bits.’

In a corner of the hall were a few Jade Scrolls. Xu Yunfan picked one up and infused his Divine Sense into it. He found that it recorded a Dual Cultivation Technique called the *Art of Joyful Union*, but the crucial parts had been deliberately erased.

’They even hide the key cultivation methods for such a low-level technique.’

’Absolutely shameless!’

’No wonder the disciples of Hundred Desires Peak are all so...’

Xu Yunfan thought of the strange looks his fellow disciples had given him.

Aside from the one Cultivation Scripture received upon entry—the Hundred Desires Devouring Essence Technique—everything else had to be exchanged for Contribution Points. And the Scripture Pavilion had clearly scammed many people.

It would be a miracle if cultivators raised in this environment didn’t end up psychologically twisted.

He walked to the window and looked out at the distant mountains through the mottled lattice.

The buildings on the other peaks were faintly visible. Among them, there was surely another Scripture Pavilion, and he imagined the situation there wasn’t much better.

The Primordial Sect truly lived up to its nickname, the Primordial Demon Sect. Everyone was an animal, every place was a pitfall, and every step was a snare. The slightest carelessness would lead you right into a trap.

Just as Xu Yunfan was about to leave, he suddenly noticed an inconspicuous little door in the corner.

He went over and gave it a push, only to find it locked and similarly protected by an array.

’Another fee for this part?’

Xu Yunfan was already all too familiar with the Primordial Sect’s schemes.

He glanced around and, sure enough, found a small stone stele next to the door. Carved on it were the words: "Inner Chamber Access: Five Hundred Contribution Points per Hour."

’They’re really bleeding people dry...’

Xu Yunfan’s eye twitched. He was almost certain that even if he spent another five hundred Contribution Points to go inside, it would be exactly the same as the outer hall. If they had even a shred of conscience, the most they’d have in there would be a copy of the Hundred Desires Devouring Essence Technique.

In a place like the Primordial Sect, it was impossible to obtain real Cultivation Technique Manuals without paying a price.

Rather than waste time in the Scripture Pavilion, it would be better to spend Contribution Points at the Sect’s exchange hall.

This was another characteristic of the Primordial Sect’s disciples: after scamming you, they always left a faint glimmer of a way out, allowing you to see a sliver of hope in your despair, just enough to keep you walking down the brutal path of cultivation.

After all, if they truly treated all disciples as mere consumables, who would be left to truly serve the Primordial Demon Sect?

They had to cultivate some real talent eventually.

When he walked out of the Scripture Pavilion, the sentry disciple was still there. Seeing Xu Yunfan emerge, he gave him that same knowing smile. "How was the haul?"

Xu Yunfan didn’t answer. He just gave the disciple a calm look before turning to leave.