After the Great Dao Died

The woman stared fixedly at Emperor Daye, her long hair fluttering and her eyes cold and clear.

The golden flames dancing in Emperor Daye’s eyes settled on her as well.

She continued to look at him. A few breaths passed before a mocking smile touched the corners of her mouth.

”You seem to have aged again,” the woman from Lotus Pool Manor said. ”Because you forcibly cultivated the Profound Brightness Reverent Splendor Dao’s Age-Dial Reversal divine ability without the aid of a Dao Foundation spiritual object, you are now reduced to hiding in this palace, lingering on your last breath.

”You hope this Dao Foundation great divine ability will reach complete perfection, allowing you to return to your prime.

”What a pity... No matter how you struggle, the outcome of this world is already set.”

”Even if you find that Immortal Slough, even if you form such a massive spiritual qi formation, even if you sacrifice the lives of hundreds of millions of living beings, you will never escape this world.”

As her words fell, a hint of vindictive pleasure slipped into her tone.

”I achieved my Dao Foundation in Lotus Pool Manor, but because I coveted that Cauldron Vessel, I fell into this grotto-heaven. This is the tribulation fated for my life.

”And you... Ying Xian... I must admit, among the native figures of this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven, no one is as remarkable as you.”You plundered Cauldron Vessels and captured cultivators of the Qi Circulation and Truth-Seeking realms to cultivate your own divine abilities. You even mastered a great divine ability like Age-Dial Reversal without the aid of a Dao Foundation spiritual object.

”Now you plot and scheme, wanting to completely break free of this world and seek the path of longevity. But what a pity... In the eyes of a True Monarch, no matter how exhaustively you scheme, you will ultimately be reduced to nothing but a pile of tribulation ash...” Chen Lingxi took a deep breath, listening in silence.

’This... Emperor Daye, Ying Xian, is actually a native of this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven, just like me?’

Chen Lingxi found it entirely unbelievable!

’A native person actually managed to cultivate a great Dao Foundation divine ability... Mastering a Dao Foundation great divine ability proves he has already stepped into the Dao Foundation realm!’

’Stepping into the Dao Foundation realm in this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven?’

His thoughts stalled. For a moment, he couldn’t quite believe it.

The most important reason he was able to reach the Qi Circulation 9th Floor and reap so many fortunate encounters in just two or three short years was because he possessed the fortunate encounter of the Divine Chamber!

The two divine abilities, Vision Roaming and Absolute Perception, had helped him seize those opportunities and step onto the path of cultivation.

But this Emperor Daye...

’Does he have a cheat too?’

Chen Lingxi muttered inwardly.

’Furthermore, what kind of ability is this Dao Foundation great divine ability, Age-Dial Reversal? How is it different from an ordinary divine ability?’ None of this information was recorded in the Six Qi True Method, leaving Chen Lingxi deeply puzzled for the time being.

The woman continued speaking, vainly attempting to shake Emperor Daye’s Dao heart.

But Emperor Daye remained seated on his imperial throne. His elderly body, draped in expansive robes, appeared increasingly frail and gaunt.

Resting his right cheek on a withered hand, he simply gazed at the cultivator from Lotus Pool Manor from afar.

The woman fell silent for a moment. Then, with a cold scoff, she turned her head to look outside the palace.

She also seemed to see the mystical grand formation outside the resplendent palace, constructed from densely packed threads of spiritual qi.

”You want to nurture a Dao Foundation spiritual object to cultivate the Heavenly Decline Law of the Shangshe Ruanle Dao, step into the Dao Foundation Middle Stage, and extend your life while neutralizing the disaster brought on by Age-Dial Reversal. But you never considered...

”That Immortal Slough will inevitably invite disaster.

”Ying Xian! The Immortal Slough is an incredibly precious treasure. You absolutely cannot hide it from the Que Star Xi Family, nor even the entire Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

”When the time comes, you will know... what a terrifying catastrophe it is when a mortal grotto-heaven nurturing a supreme treasure welcomes the descending projections of numerous experts from the upper sects.”

”Even if you are lucky enough not to die, the Que Star Xi Family’s Realm-Refining Furnace will still be waiting for you.”

...The woman chattered endlessly, but her words genuinely affected Emperor Daye’s Dao heart. The leaping golden flames in his eyes suddenly grew chaotic, and he furrowed his brow slightly.

Right at that moment, she abruptly looked at Emperor Daye. Two beams of golden light shot from her eyes, colliding directly with his gaze.

In the next instant, a slight smile broke across Emperor Daye’s face.

The woman’s eyes suddenly went vacant. Her breathing turned chaotic, and an expression of pure agony warped her face.

”You are already in my trap. Stop struggling.”

Emperor Daye flicked his sleeve. The painful expression vanished from the woman’s face, and her eyes turned hollow again before fluttering shut as she fell back into a deep slumber.

At that moment, Emperor Daye stood up. He walked shakily out of the palace and looked up into the distant void.

Golden light flashed from his eyes, piercing through a patch of clouds and mist in the void!

Through Emperor Daye’s perspective, Chen Lingxi saw a flower!

The flower was jade-green and had three leaves.

One leaf was tiny and a tender, vibrant green, looking as though it had just sprouted.

The second leaf was much larger and dark green. The veins on it were distinct, appearing fully mature. The third leaf was withered and yellow, as if it was on the verge of dying off.

It shimmered with a profound spiritual light, emitting waves of radiance that marked it as something entirely extraordinary.

Countless threads of spiritual qi flowed out from the grand formation, weaving together over this spiritual flower. Billowing spiritual qi poured into it, sustaining its life force.

As Emperor Daye gazed at the spiritual flower, a look of intense, naked yearning leaked from his eyes.

Chen Lingxi had also heard everything the woman from Lotus Pool Manor had just said.

He pondered silently.

’Emperor Daye has already mastered his first Dao Foundation great divine ability, which is the so-called Age-Dial Reversal of the Profound Brightness Reverent Splendor Dao! But this Dao Foundation great divine ability still requires a Dao Foundation divine ability spiritual object for supplementary cultivation, otherwise it will likely breed disaster.’

’Perhaps it’s because of this disaster that Emperor Daye has become so aged, unable to step outside the area covered by this spiritual qi grand formation.’

’Even using his divine ability to save the Marquis of Purple Garments and Yuan Yuan from my hands damaged his vitality, making him even older.’

’And now, Emperor Daye is preparing to cultivate a second Dao Foundation great divine ability to step into the Dao Foundation Middle Stage.’

’The thing slowly incubating in the void must be the divine ability spiritual object required to cultivate that second Dao Foundation great divine ability!’

Chen Lingxi broke away from Vision Roaming, a glint of light shining in his eyes. ’Shangshe Ruanle Dao... Heavenly Decline Law...’

Profound Brightness Reverent Splendor Dao, Age-Dial Reversal!

Shangshe Ruanle Dao, Heavenly Decline Law!

At this moment, Chen Lingxi didn’t know what ”Profound Brightness Reverent Splendor” meant, nor what ”Shangshe Ruanle” was.

Nor did he know what profound mysteries the so-called Age-Dial Reversal and Heavenly Decline Law contained.

But he did know...

Dao Foundation figures were true high-level cultivators!

Achieving the Dao Foundation, cultivating great divine abilities, forming profound roots, and transforming spiritual qi into Dao essence—this put them worlds apart from Qi Circulation cultivators!

’I am about to reach the Heaven-Facing Three Floors soon. I should also prepare to forge my Dao Foundation.’

Chen Lingxi’s thoughts whirled. ’To forge a Dao Foundation, the Dao Foundation great divine abilities are the most crucial.’

’And mastering a Dao Foundation great divine ability requires Dao Foundation divine ability spiritual objects...’

’But right now, I have absolutely no understanding of the Dao Foundation realm or these so-called Dao Foundation great divine abilities. How can I even talk about forging a Dao Foundation? It seems I need to find a way to learn more about the Dao Foundation realm.’

As he thought of this, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck his mind.

’Wait...’

’That’s not right...’

Chen Lingxi suddenly stood up, frowning deeply.

’I still remember when my cultivation was low, I summoned the Candle of Time Cauldron Venerable in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber, wanting to trade my own lifespan for the True Formulas of the Six Qi True Method.’

’At that time, the Candle of Time Cauldron Venerable told me that the Six Qi True Method was a secret transmission of the Pool Soul Courtyard, a method that leads directly to the Dao Foundation...’

In his mind, the True Formulas of the Six Qi True Method flowed past like a rushing river.

’But the True Formulas of the Six Qi True Method I exchanged from the Credit Peddler contained no records of Dao Foundation methods. It stopped abruptly at the Heaven-Facing Twelfth Floor.’

’Is it because the Credit Peddler doesn’t have the Dao Foundation portion of the Six Qi True Method?’

’Furthermore, my Six Qi True Method seems vastly different from the dharma method Lin Suri cultivates.’

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath. There was no doubt that the Six Qi True Method Lin Suri practiced was extremely orthodox.

The Six Qi True Method also included the Method of Qi Observation!

’Back then, my cultivation was much weaker than Lin Suri’s.’

’Yet I was able to use the Six Qi True Method to see through the mystical Profound Qi inside Lin Longyue’s body. Now, that Profound Qi has become an indispensable aid to me.’

’It is incredibly precious.’

’I saw through it, but Lin Suri didn’t.’

’And then there’s the Black Banner in Xuantong Observatory at Marquis Baosu’s Manor... Lin Suri remained completely oblivious to it. Why is that?’

Chen Lingxi puzzled over it but couldn’t find an answer.

’I am on good terms with Lin Suri now, and I’ve saved his life.’

’Next time I see him, I might as well find an excuse to ask him and see what secrets are hidden in all this.’

Unable to figure it out, Chen Lingxi stopped wasting time on it.

He slowly stood up... ’Since the Imperial Court knows my whereabouts because of the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace, I can safely head to Ancestral Mountain now and meet with the Credit Peddler.’

’I’ll go find him and ask about this... life force of the grotto-heaven!’

Chen Lingxi immediately set off, traversing through the clouds and mist straight toward Ancestral Mountain.

Ancestral Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, yet utterly devoid of life, as if it were a land of death.

At the usual spot, Chen Lingxi spotted the rock the Credit Peddler used as a hiding place.

It was a familiar place to Chen Lingxi, since he had seen the Credit Peddler there many times through his Absolute Perception divine sense.

But for the Credit Peddler, this was his first time seeing Chen Lingxi in person.

Chen Lingxi didn’t bother feigning surprise. After all, most of the people seeking truth and inquiring about the cauldrons here knew of the Credit Peddler’s existence.

So, before the Credit Peddler could speak, he bowed and smiled. ”Please use your divination arts, Peddler, and calculate what I wish to exchange with you.”

The Credit Peddler pinched his fingers to calculate, then abruptly frowned. ”Strange, how strange! I vaguely deduce that you want to ask me something, yet I also see your path ahead shrouded in mist, as if your future is unknown, or as if you bear great karma on your shoulders.”

Chen Lingxi was just about to ask further.

The Credit Peddler’s expression abruptly changed, and he waved his hand. ”I caught a glimpse of heavenly secrets within that mist. As for the sliver of life you seek to ask me about, I cannot answer you at this time.”

Greatly puzzled, Chen Lingxi shifted his eyes and asked, ”Could it be you fear the Que Star Xi Family’s True Monarch will direct his wrath at you?”

The Credit Peddler rolled his eyes and kept shaking his head, but remained entirely silent.

Chen Lingxi pressed him with a few more questions, but the Credit Peddler acted like a mute, shaking his head like a rattle-drum.

’As expected, it won’t be this easy...’

Chen Lingxi sighed, understanding he couldn’t rush this matter. He was just about to try and coax a Dao Foundation method out of the Peddler when the Peddler pinched his fingers to calculate again, a touch of clarity appearing in his eyes.

”Strange, strange. There is another variable.”

The Credit Peddler looked up at Chen Lingxi, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

He smiled and said, ”I calculate that in the future, you will possess a treasure I need. How about we use that treasure as an exchange, and I’ll tell you a secret?”

”A secret?” Chen Lingxi shook his head. ”I don’t want to hear any secrets...”

As he spoke, he noticed the unusually serious look in the Credit Peddler’s eyes. Suddenly understanding something, he agreed to it, just as he had done during his past Absolute Perception sessions.

The Credit Peddler coughed and cleared his throat. ”Heaven and earth naturally harbor a sliver of life force, and the same is true for grotto-heavens. This Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven in particular once nurtured a highly profound treasure. The treasure gained sentience and transformed into a Great Sage of a region.

”Later, during the Great War of the Immortal Capital, that Great Sage was heavily wounded and fell into a deep slumber, yet a projection of his still remains in this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven!”

”A Great Sage?”

Chen Lingxi suddenly recalled the True Decree of Audience with the Dao he had just acquired and couldn’t help but ask the Peddler, ”Could it be the Great Sage Yaotian?”

”Great Sage Yaotian?”

The Credit Peddler thought for a moment, then frowned again and said, ”It seems there is no Great Sage by that name.”