After the Great Dao Died

The clash on Cuojin Mountain between Chen Lingxi and the heir to the King of the East had caused too great a commotion; it had long since alerted the various factions within the city.

After dealing with the heir, Chen Lingxi did not leave immediately.

He stood quietly atop the heavenly boat, letting his divine sense sweep outward like a tidal wave.

He sensed the martial artists creeping over from Yuanjiang Prefecture. With a few flicks of his fingers, azure sword beams as fine as silk thread shot silently from the Profound-Pointing Sword Furnace, weaving through the night...

He finished off those tails.

This gave Lin Longyue time to escape.

He watched the staggering figure of the Marquis Manor’s young miss vanish into the depths of the night before finally withdrawing his gaze.

He turned around. With a thought, the Lustrous White Heavenly Boat beneath his feet silently pivoted, transforming into a streak of glowing white light that pierced the clouds and flew straight for Lunan Province.

The heavenly boat was incredibly fast.

Before long, Chen Lingxi reached the Nanju Twelve Mountains within the borders of Lunan Province.The heavenly boat descended soundlessly. Chen Lingxi stepped down from the prow and, with a sweep of his sleeve, stored the vessel in his Vast Void Pouch.

Chen Lingxi walked into a mountain cave he had visited a few times before and sat cross-legged. ’This place isn’t too far from Yuanjiang Prefecture, only a little over four hundred li. It’s a moderate distance. I will peacefully enter seclusion here and refine the Host Star fortune. Once Absolute Perception reaches perfection, I’ll go find the Credit Peddler and then decide whether to head to Qinghua Province.’

As he pondered, his divine sense sank into the Divine Chamber, his gaze fixing on the words ”Vision Roaming” amidst the chamber’s clouds.

When he first stepped onto the Qi Circulation 7th Floor, the Vision Roaming divine ability had undergone a divine transformation.

A third line had appeared.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze swept over the names in the first two lines. The first was his own name, and the second was Lin Suri.

It was precisely by using Vision Roaming on Lin Suri that he had managed to climb from a dying medicine slave to his current heights.

However, he already knew most of Lin Suri’s secrets.

His cultivation had also surpassed Lin Suri’s.

Using Vision Roaming on Lin Suri again would still reveal some information, but it would no longer be nearly as helpful.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze fell on that blank third line, his thoughts racing.

’For this next slot, who should I use Vision Roaming on?’

His thoughts flowed, recalling a few matters. Within the Imperial Capital’s Imperial Palace, people were hunting for out-of-domain figures, dead or alive. Merely handing them over to the palace would yield a reward.

The high officials and nobles in the imperial court referred to this practice as offering treasures.

Then there was that Immortal Slough...

He suddenly took out the Host Star Stone.

The name ”Rong Chun” on its surface had long since faded, replaced by a faint, almost imperceptible layer of starlight.

’Rong Chun is dead, but there are even more powerful existences within that imperial palace.’

’Over these past few years, Emperor Daye has been senselessly tyrannical, recklessly expanding the canals and driving many rebel kings to rise up.’

’Now I know that those canals are actually constructing an unprecedented grand array of spiritual qi...’

Chen Lingxi narrowed his eyes, his mind churning with thoughts.

’Using the mountains and rivers as an array... such a massive undertaking is absolutely not something a mere mortal emperor could set up!’

’I wonder, who exactly laid down this grand array?’

Chen Lingxi spun theory after theory. Had Emperor Daye been possessed like Lin Suri?

Or perhaps Emperor Daye was being controlled by an even stronger cultivator, acting as a mere puppet?

Chen Lingxi’s gaze grew brighter and brighter, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.

An idea suddenly sprang to mind.

’If I want to learn the secrets behind this, the best method is to use Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye.’

Using Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye would reveal those secrets, as well as exactly how many experts were hidden within the imperial palace.

Chen Lingxi thought it over carefully...

’Rong Chun is dead. She used Mirror Listening to harm my parents, making her my enemy. Killing her constitutes my revenge.’

’But Emperor Daye...’

A trace of killing intent surfaced in Chen Lingxi’s eyes.

’If Emperor Daye is truly being threatened by other truth-seeking cultivators, or if he is simply being deceived, then I can judge him later. But if that bastard is really like Lin Suri, his body long since possessed and stolen, then I will settle the score with him.’

As he thought this, he recalled his experiences over the past few years. From the dying medicine slave in the reverse-facing room to a Qi Circulation 8th Floor cultivator capable of striking down a Nine Revolutions heir, he was no longer that official bondservant just trying to survive.

Since he possessed cultivation, he had to act according to his heart.

’Once I exact my deep revenge and sever my mortal ties, I will be free of all burdens. I’ll first seek survival, and then the path to immortality.’

He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing those thoughts.

No matter what, elevating his strength quickly was the most crucial task. Any plans required power as a foundation. If his strength was lacking, he would remain helpless even if he uncovered a mountain of secrets.

’Furthermore, Commandery Princess Yunhe and the heir of the King of the East both died by my hands. The King of the East must absolutely despise me. A battle between us is inevitable.’

’And that King of the East is in the Entering Profound realm.’

He had witnessed that earth-shattering battle between Xiao Changlv and Yuan Yuan.

The combat strength of those two likely rivaled the Heaven-Facing Three Floors.

’In the Realm of Nine Revolutions, vital blood is condensed and compressed nine times. With each compression, the vital blood becomes much more tyrannical. And between the minor, major, and perfection stages of the Nine Revolutions, the difference in combat strength is like heaven and earth.’

’Since I easily crushed the heir of the King of the East who was at the minor stage, my combat strength should be invincible within the Nine Revolutions realm.’

’Once I refine the Host Star fortune, my combat strength should be able to match ordinary Entering Profound figures,’ Chen Lingxi silently estimated.

’As for vital blood experts, I’ve seen Xiao Changlv and Yuan Yuan. The combat strength of those two is utterly terrifying. Just watching from afar that day, their world-destroying might made my mind tremble...’

Chen Lingxi knew perfectly well that even if he refined the Host Star fortune, he absolutely couldn’t defeat them. The gap between them was still too vast.

’Entering Profound...’

The Seven Forms of Halting Weapons method he cultivated, which had been completed by the Time Candle, could only take him to Nine Transformations Perfection.

Going any higher, just how tyrannical that rumored Entering Profound realm truly was, or how one was supposed to cultivate it, he had absolutely no idea.

Just how much combat strength did the Entering Profound King of the East possess, and what level of the Entering Profound realm were Xiao Changlv and Yuan Yuan at...

’Are Entering Profound figures really this tyrannical?’ He felt a wave of doubt in his heart. ’Is there truly such a massive gap between Nine Revolutions and Entering Profound?’

He thought about it, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

’Perhaps above Entering Profound, there’s an even more formidable vital blood martial path?’

The present was nothing like the past for Chen Lingxi; he now possessed profound insight and understanding regarding the path of cultivation.

This vital blood martial path was simply the path of body cultivation recorded in the Six Qi True Method. By tempering and polishing the body, nourishing it with heavenly materials and earthly treasures to produce dense vital blood, and then circulating it with profound arts, one could generate terrifying might.

’If someone in this world could gather enough heavenly materials and earthly treasures and swallow them daily for cultivation, then their vital blood cultivation could naturally become stronger than Entering Profound—perhaps even far stronger.’

Thinking up to this point, he suddenly understood something.

’The Emperor of Great Li possesses exactly this kind of authority. With countless experts under his command, wouldn’t gathering heavenly materials and earthly treasures be completely effortless?’

’Even if he didn’t use them himself, bestowing them upon his subordinate experts would be more than enough to nurture terrifying Entering Profound figures like Yuan Yuan.’

’Therefore, the emergence of an existence like Yuan Yuan from the imperial palace isn’t actually strange at all.’

’For this reason, I must use Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye to see exactly what secrets he is hiding.’

Chen Lingxi finally made up his mind.

He was just about to exit the Divine Chamber when he suddenly thought of another person.

’There’s also my good friend...’

’Liu Changle.’

Chen Lingxi’s thoughts flickered. From that strange long river vortex on Ancestral Mountain, he had already seen the secrets hidden upon Liu Changle.

’It is highly likely that Liu Changle is simultaneously living in this grotto-heaven and in the Greater World.’

’Of these two Liu Changles, when one wakes, the other slumbers. It’s like the alternating cycle of the sun and moon, rising and falling without interfering with each other, yet both belonging to the same soul.’

’I wonder if I use Vision Roaming on the Liu Changle in this grotto-heaven, whether I would be able to observe the other Liu Changle in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.’

’If that’s truly possible, it would be equivalent to having a window to peer into the Greater World.’

Reaching this thought, Chen Lingxi couldn’t help but feel some anticipation.

In the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, spiritual qi was as abundant as fog. Three massive suns hung in the sky, immortal cranes sang in unison among the mountains, and palaces floated within the sea of clouds. Such mystical and magnificent wonders far surpassed this world.

If he could use Vision Roaming on the Liu Changle in the Greater World, he could uncover more of the Greater World’s secrets and learn exactly what kind of scene the Great Xuanzhuo Realm presented.

To his Dao path, this would undoubtedly be an immense boon.

As Chen Lingxi pondered this, the light in his eyes burned even brighter.

’However, before that, I still need to resolve the crisis at hand and seek out fortune with even more extraordinary strength.’

’Currently, using Vision Roaming on Liu Changle would offer little help to my cultivation or my present situation. It won’t be too late to observe him once the next Vision Roaming slot opens up.’

’Moreover, Xi Mu had heard that Emperor Daye reportedly dispatched two Entering Profound figures to the Heavenly Gate Sea, where they found a talisman. This talisman most likely records the location of the true Cauldron Vessel.’

’Using Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye first might also let me find traces of the Cauldron Vessel.’

Chen Lingxi thought to himself, ’However, Vision Roaming slots are precious. I’ll test out the candidate for this Vision Roaming session using Absolute Perception first.’

’Let’s see if I can gain anything from it.’

With his mind made up, Chen Lingxi stopped overthinking and officially entered seclusion.

’Time to refine the Host Star fortune!’

He rested the Host Star Stone in his palm and channeled a strand of spiritual qi into it. A layer of warm starlight abruptly flared to life on the pitch-black surface!

An ancient aura burst forth from the stone, filling the entire cave in the blink of an eye.

He took a deep breath and suspended the Host Star Stone before his chest. Closing his eyes to focus his mind, he circulated the Six Qi True Method and began refining the Cauldron Vessel fortune held within the stone.

Spiritual qi surged from his sea of qi, transforming into dense azure threads that wrapped around the Host Star Stone layer by layer. Then, peeling away layer by layer, it drew out the dense clump of spiritual fortune sealed within the stone thread by thread, guiding it along his meridians and into his sea of qi.

In the blink of an eye, a month quietly slipped away!

Throughout this month, Chen Lingxi sat perfectly still cross-legged in the cave. Completely oblivious to the sun rising and the moon setting outside, to the wind, frost, rain, and snow, he simply refined the Host Star fortune day after day.

The Host Star fortune was utterly extraordinary—incredibly dense and heavy, like a vast ocean that had been sealed away for eons. Now that he had opened the floodgates, it surged out with a booming roar, endless and boundless.

Having refined the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi, Chen Lingxi’s cultivation was already past the initial stage of the Eighth Floor. Though his accumulation of spiritual qi hadn’t quite pushed the Eighth Floor to perfection, it was still considered exceptionally profound.

Now, as he refined this Cauldron Vessel fortune, the more he refined, the more astonished he became.

’The spiritual qi fortune inside this Host Star Stone is much deeper than I imagined.’

Chen Lingxi marveled.

The rolling spiritual fortune frantically flooded into his sea of qi like water from a burst dam, forcing it to continuously expand.

The spiritual qi churned, growing heavier, denser, and far more condensed.

Steeped in this majestic spiritual fortune, the three strands of precious qi within his sea of qi leaped with joy. They pulsed with radiance, greedily devouring the incoming spiritual energy to continuously strengthen themselves.

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flashed.

’I originally thought that refining this Host Star fortune would, at most, push me to the perfection stage of the Eighth Floor. But from the looks of it now, the sheer majesty of the spiritual fortune in this Host Star Stone far exceeds my estimates...’

’If I can completely refine it, I will definitely break through to the perfection of the Eighth Floor in one fell swoop, and perhaps even shatter the barrier to the Qi Circulation 9th Floor!’ He rejoiced internally, though he also felt a faint sense of regret.

’It’s just a pity that this Host Star Stone fragment can only be used once before it dissipates. The residual mighty power of the Cauldron Vessel within it will be utterly exhausted, turning to ash and returning to the heavens and earth.’

’If I could use it a few more times, that would be perfect.’

Chen Lingxi sighed, his understanding of the words ”Cauldron Vessel” growing much deeper.

’The fortune I gained was merely from slaying Rong Chun at the Qi Circulation 8th Floor, and the Host Star Stone is just a Cauldron Vessel Fragment. To think that consuming the fortune condensed from her death would yield such mystical power...’

As he refined the Host Star’s spiritual fortune, he pondered in his heart.

’If it were a complete Host Star Stone, what kind of effects and might would it possess?’

He recalled the Time Candle that could exchange lifespan for spiritual qi techniques; the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace that could offer lives as sacrifices in exchange for fortune to strengthen treasures; and the Taotie Urn that could devour a cultivator’s soul and convert it into one’s own cultivation.

The more he thought about it, the more shaken he felt.

’Could it be that the complete Host Star Stone allows its owner to designate Fated Stars at any time? By simply carving a name onto the stone, that person becomes a Fated Star. And when that Fated Star falls, regardless of whether the owner kills them personally or they die by another’s hand, the owner can reap massive fortune from it?’

’If that’s true, wouldn’t that mean possessing a supreme treasure capable of endlessly plundering fortune?’

’All one would have to do is continually mark Fated Stars and wait for them to fall, thereby unceasingly gaining Cauldron Vessel fortune and elevating their own cultivation.’ Just thinking about it made Chen Lingxi realize that such an effect was truly unimaginably miraculous and utterly baffling.

’No wonder a complete Cauldron Vessel would attract so many reincarnators.’

Cultivators who possessed Cauldron Vessels genuinely had more opportunities, greater potential, and far broader paths of the Dao compared to ordinary cultivators.

’The profound mysteries of a Cauldron Vessel are truly extraordinary.’

The Host Star Stone could designate a Fated Star, allowing one to reap massive fortune upon slaying them.

The Time Candle could accept lifespan as a sacrifice in exchange for spiritual qi methods and divine abilities.

Mirror Listening could divine the future to pursue good fortune and avoid disaster.

The Taotie Urn could allow one to practice Life Devouring, making murder identical to cultivation.

These treasures were merely what Lin Suri, Ying Chi, and others referred to as ordinary Cauldron Vessels, yet they were already this extraordinary, this mystical, and this unimaginable.

Not to mention the rumored Heaven-Determining Brush, which could decide a person’s Dao path with a single word; the Realm-Refining Furnace, which could smelt an entire grotto-heaven into world essence; or the Tribulation-Viewing Pool, which could illuminate a massive future calamity for a cultivator.

’Aspiring to the cauldrons, aspiring to the cauldrons!’

Chen Lingxi’s gaze hardened. ’I wonder just what kind of astonishing Cauldron Vessel is hidden within this grotto-heaven? With such a world-shaking fortune inside this realm, I absolutely must fight for it.’ The desire to compete surged fiercely in his heart. He had to accumulate foundation and elevate his cultivation so that when the Cauldron Vessel finally emerged, he could clash against those figures from the Greater World. Only then could he seize that sliver of survival and escape this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven before it was refined away.

Reaching this conclusion, Chen Lingxi settled his mind and resumed his secluded meditation.

Time flowed silently outside the cave.

It wasn’t until another month had passed that he finally exhausted the spiritual fortune within the Host Star Stone. The pitch-black stone crumbled soundlessly into fine ash in his palm.

Only then did he slowly open his eyes.

Qi Circulation 9th Floor...

The spiritual pool within his sea of qi had expanded to several times its size at the Eighth Floor. The spiritual liquid was as clear as jade and bottomlessly deep. Every single drop had been condensed to the absolute limit, far heavier, denser, and purer than when he was at the Eighth Floor!

Under the scouring rush of this majestic spiritual fortune, the 108 crucial apertures across his entire body burst wide open. The speed at which they absorbed the spiritual fortune of heaven and earth was many times faster than before.

Backed by the Ninth Floor realm, the terrifying aspect of his Spiritual Aperture Aptitude became even more apparent. With every breath, rolling spiritual qi was forcibly seized from the surrounding environment and drawn into his sea of qi!

But the true profundity of the Qi Circulation 9th Floor lay in two core mysteries: Dharma Deduction and Divine Sense Manifestation.

The mystery of Dharma Deduction meant that he could deduce myriad methods within his Sea of Consciousness, vastly accelerating the time needed to cultivate spells, formations, and the like.

With a slight thought from Chen Lingxi, the methodology for the Longevity Bridge divine ability began to deduce itself within his Sea of Consciousness. Threads of intricate information were continuously comprehended by his divine sense.

’I can deduce methods without even going into secluded meditation... although the speed is significantly slower.’

A smile appeared at the corners of Chen Lingxi’s mouth.

The so-called Divine Sense Manifestation was an even more extraordinary mystery.

At the Eighth Floor, his divine sense was already solid, but he still needed the aid of spells or divine abilities to attack another’s divine sense.

But now that he had stepped into the Ninth Floor and been bestowed the mystery of Divine Sense Manifestation, his divine sense had condensed to a brand-new level.

By relying purely on Divine Sense Manifestation, he didn’t even need any spells to shape his divine sense into a sharp weapon or treasure, allowing him to strike directly at an enemy’s divine sense and soul!

This method of attack was formless and intangible, making it impossible to defend against. Compared to flashy, large-scale spells, it was far more insidious and much more lethal.

’It might not be a big deal against cultivators, but against martial artists, manifesting my divine sense lets me attack their souls directly without even needing to expend spiritual qi...’

Chen Lingxi perceived his own dense spiritual fortune and his two brand-new mysteries. After a long while, he sat upright once more.

Reaching out his hand, the Thunder Radiance Treasure Sword fell into his grasp. Lightning flowed across the blade, radiating a menacing killing intent.

’I will dedicate myself entirely to comprehending the Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture and the Longevity Bridge divine ability. Once these two methods are mastered, I’ll go search for an item handled by Emperor Daye, and use it to... employ Vision Roaming on him!’

’Let’s see exactly what secrets are hiding in the imperial palace!’