162: Chapter 163: The Sutra of Withering and Flourishing

The Scripture Pavilion had a Formation for identity verification. Lu Ming, holding his Guest Elder token, passed without any obstruction and quickly arrived at the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

The view here was extremely expansive. Looking around, a massive jade stele stood in the center of the hall.

Numerous Jade Slips encircled it like stars, dazzling the eyes.

However, there was no need to check them one by one; one only needed to use Divine Sense to view the information of many Spells within the stele.

Once a selection was made, the corresponding Cultivation Technique Jade Slip would be provided.

Lu Ming, familiar with the process, approached the stele, extended his Divine Sense, and immersed it within the stele. A flood of intricate information instantly appeared in Lu Ming's mind.

Among them were Cultivation Techniques, secret arts, and even some irrelevant Cultivation Legacies.

【Spiritual Rain Sword Art: Second-tier Low Grade. Casting the Spell allows the condensation of spiritual rain, which promotes the growth of spiritual plants and objects. It is also an offensive Spell that can condense rain into swords.】

“Spiritual plant farmer, tilling and watering fields, cultivating flowers and planting grass, working from sunrise to sunset…”

“I have no fortune to enjoy such a blessing; I’ll leave this good fortune to others.”

【Earth Evasion Dark Light: Second-tier Evasion Spell. The caster can hide underground, travel through the earth, and instantly cover a thousand meters.】

“With the existence of Startling Swan, there’s no need to learn this at all.”

Lu Ming estimated that among those of the same stage, no one could match his speed with a life-draining evasion technique like Startling Swan.

【Glazed Golden Body: Body Cultivator Cultivation Technique, Second-tier Low Grade. Cultivating to Major Achievement allows for the Glazed Vajra Body, integrating offense and defense.】

“It’s quite good, but unfortunately, this isn't my target this time.”

Lu Ming was also quite envious of Body Cultivator Cultivation Techniques. The <<Savage Beast Technique>> he had practiced before was no longer suitable for him, and he also needed a new Body Refining Cultivation Technique.

However, he hadn't forgotten his objective this time; that was what he truly needed!

The Cultivation Techniques recorded in the stele were countless, and their number was astonishing.

There were not only conventional Spells but also sword arts, saber techniques, and so on, used in conjunction with Magical Artifacts.

Lu Ming quickly browsed through many varied Spells, Spell Arts, and secret arts.

Finally, his gaze locked onto a particular Cultivation Technique.

【Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture: Second-tier Top Grade Cultivation Technique, cultivatable up to Foundation Establishment Perfection.】

This was a top-tier wood-attribute Cultivation Technique. Although the description was brief, Lu Ming knew this Cultivation Technique was not that simple.

Because his <<Reverse Flourishing and Wither>> originated from a secret art within the <<Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture>>.

Moreover, what Lu Ming was interested in was not this Cultivation Technique itself, but another Spell included within it.

Within the ‘Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture’, besides life-draining, explosive secret arts like ‘Reverse Flourishing and Wither’, there was also a Spell called ‘Transcending Calamity Dark Light’.

‘Transcending Calamity’ originally meant eliminating calamities in one's destiny, but this method had the implication of resolving calamities by oneself.

Commonly known as: suicide!

Because to cast this art, one needed to sacrifice one's own Lifespan as the foundation, condensing one's essence, Qi, and spirit into a Transcending Calamity Dark Light.

Unlike ordinary Spells, this Divine Ability directly affected the opponent's Lifespan and ignored defensive measures.

Since it hadn't been exchanged yet, the description was not detailed, but a glimpse was enough to pique Lu Ming's interest.

Now that he had found it, Lu Ming no longer hesitated.

With a thought from his Divine Sense, the corresponding contribution points on his Guest Elder token were automatically deducted.

At the same time, an item flew out from among the numerous Jade Slips encircling like stars, landing directly in front of Lu Ming.

He grabbed it, then placed the Jade Slip against his brow.

Instantly, the Cultivation method of the <<Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture>> appeared in his mind.

“Indeed, it’s not that simple…”

Lu Ming murmured to himself, his expression somewhat solemn.

However, he did not linger in the Scripture Pavilion, planning to return and study it carefully.

After receiving all the Cultivation content information of the <<Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture>>, he released the Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip automatically returned to its original place.

However, as he was about to exit the main hall, Lu Ming was stopped by Jiang Lai.

“Fellow Daoist, please make a Dao Oath that you will not transmit this Cultivation Technique to others. Violators will be plagued by Heart Demons, have their Dao path severed, and the Immortal City Law Enforcement Team will pursue corresponding responsibilities.”

Jiang Lai said to Lu Ming with a serious expression.

Lu Ming heard this and was not pretentious.

Making an oath, was it? He was best at that!

Besides, he wouldn't spread it anyway.

The Cultivation Techniques and secret arts practiced by Cultivators were inherently private and generally not spoken aloud.

So, after Lu Ming made the Dao Oath under the witness of the elder Jiang Lai, he left the Scripture Pavilion.

Watching Lu Ming's departing figure, a profound look appeared in Jiang Lai's sunken eye sockets.

“Another Cultivator attempting to Cultivate this method. Isn’t living well enough?”

The elder muttered to himself.

He had guarded the Scripture Pavilion for many years, during which he had seen many Cultivators attracted by this method, but none had succeeded in Cultivating it.

They ended up wasting a lot of years in vain before realizing that Cultivation was hopeless, and then they still had to obediently return to exchange for another Cultivation Technique.

However, this only allowed for returns; don't even think about getting the contribution points back.

If you want to exchange Cultivation Techniques, go earn enough contribution points first!

...In the Immortal Cave.

“One year flourishing, one year withering; transcending calamity to escape death and illness!”

Lu Ming, who was comprehending the ‘Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture’, suddenly opened his eyes.

It was pretty much as he expected. Although this was a top-tier Cultivation Technique, to Cultivate the ‘Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture’, besides taking time, the fastest Cultivation method was to Cultivate by sacrificing Lifespan.

Especially the Cultivation conditions for that ‘Transcending Calamity Dark Light’ were extremely harsh!

Because Cultivating the ‘Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture’ for one year constituted one grand circulation, only then could the Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Qi be condensed within the body.

And to construct the Divine Ability Seal and successfully Cultivate ‘Transcending Calamity Dark Light’, sacrificing Lifespan was undoubtedly a shortcut.

That’s right, this ‘Transcending Calamity Dark Light’ was not a Spell, but a Divine Ability!

One must know that only those in the Golden Core Stage could condense Divine Abilities, and there was a qualitative difference between Divine Abilities and Dao Arts.

And this Divine Ability could be said to be the most powerful means after Cultivating the ‘Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture’.

Its effect was also extremely overbearing, directly reducing the opponent's Lifespan.

However, this method had significant drawbacks; calling it mutual destruction would be an exaggeration.

To cast this Spell, one must harm oneself before harming others.

Among those of the same stage, it required ten years of one's own Lifespan to reduce the opponent's Lifespan by one year.

Crossing stages was even more exaggerated; the Lifespan backlash would increase by hundreds of times.

Every ten years of one's own Lifespan could barely shave off ten-odd days of the opponent's Lifespan.

Even though Cultivators had long Lifespans, they couldn't endure such torment; it was completely not worth the gain.

The most crucial point was that this Divine Ability could not be Cultivated by anyone who was not a Golden Core True Person!

“No wonder I felt something was missing, as if this wasn't the Complete Manual.”

Lu Ming had reason to suspect that this <<Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture>> was not actually the Complete Manual.

Otherwise, such an overpowered method would not be openly displayed here.

If someone were to learn it, even a Golden Core True Person would be extremely wary!

Even if the cost of casting this art was high, there were always some Cultivators who weren't afraid of death and might want to drag a Golden Core True Person down with them before dying.

And these old fellows, the higher their Cultivation, the more they feared death; how could they bring out such a Cultivation Technique that threatened them?

He figured there must be subsequent Cultivation Techniques, but he didn't know if they were hidden or simply didn't exist.