After the Great Dao Died

”There’s no Great Sage by that name?” Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow.

”The Great Sage born from the Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven is known as Great Sage Luo Yuan,” the Credit Peddler said. ”Beyond that, I cannot say too much.

”Please remember this transaction, fellow Daoist. If you truly manage to leave this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven and avoid entering the Realm-Refining Furnace, do not forget the deal between us.

”Once you obtain that treasure, I will naturally come find you.”

Chen Lingxi slowly nodded, knowing the Credit Peddler wouldn’t speak further.

But in his mind, he was still pondering this Great Sage Luo Yuan.

’This grotto-heaven really is extraordinary,’ he thought. ’Even though its spiritual qi is extremely thin, it hasn’t just produced many treasures and attracted various fortunate encounters—it even gave birth to a Great Sage.’

Chen Lingxi didn’t know what the title of ”Great Sage” signified, nor what the Immortal Capital war the Credit Peddler had mentioned was about.

But he understood one thing: any figure capable of changing a True Lord’s mind had to be incredibly powerful.

’So where is this Great Sage’s avatar?’Chen Lingxi circulated the Cloud Soaring Technique, mounting the mist. He soared through the void like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the dense fog.

The evening glow was gradually fading. Distant, dark-gold sunset light fell across him as he streaked straight south, trailing a long wake through the glowing sky. Even as he flew, his mind continued to race.

Over a dozen breaths of time later, a gleam suddenly flashed in his eyes.

’Great Sage Luo Yuan... could he be connected to that profound river in the Ancestral Mountain?’

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

That profound river in the Ancestral Mountain wasn’t a physical entity; it seemed formed from an illusion.

Having been summoned by it, Chen Lingxi had witnessed the river’s mystery and Daoist profundity with his own eyes.

’My cultivation isn’t considered weak anymore,’ he thought. ’I’ve also seen the strongest person in this world—Emperor Daye.’

’I’ve also seen many extraordinary fortunate encounters within this grotto-heaven.’

’Like the Cauldron Vessels, or the Immortal Slough.’

’Thinking about it carefully, whether it’s a Cauldron Vessel or the Immortal Slough, even though they contain Daoist profundities, they ultimately can’t live up to the title of Great Sage. Only that river could.’

His eyes burned bright. He felt as if he had grasped a few minute clues.

He continued speculating inwardly, ’If that river really is the Great Sage born in this grotto-heaven! He once called out to me, letting me see two Liu Changles within its swirling waters.’

’I just don’t know what kind of secrets are hidden within those two Liu Changles.’

’And what is their relationship with that river?’

While lost in thought, Chen Lingxi looked up at the sky.

Up in the void, two brilliantly radiant mirrors hung high. At this moment, even the heavy clouds couldn’t obscure their light.

Blazing heat and pure cold—two entirely different types of radiance cascaded down, illuminating the world in brilliant white.

But this brilliant white could only be seen by Chen Lingxi.

He had already made up his mind. Once this use of Absolute Perception ended, he would personally go see the Liu Changle in Xuanhuo Temple and ask about his mysterious dreams to see if he could glean anything.

’But before that, I still need to make a trip to the Heavenly Gate Sea.’

He was currently inside the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber, which still had eight or nine days before it shattered.

Naturally, Chen Lingxi wouldn’t waste this Absolute Perception Divine Ability that he had worked so hard to perfect.

’I already know that beneath Xuanji Island in the Heavenly Gate Sea, not only is there a Daoist platform seal imprisoning a Dao Foundation grand divine ability, but even that complete Cauldron Vessel is also in the Heavenly Gate Sea. And right now... although the profound spiritual light power from that mysterious middle-aged man has mostly disappeared from my body,

’It can still elevate my strength several times over!

’Before this mighty power completely dissipates, I can go to the Heavenly Gate Sea and see whether the complete Cauldron Vessel and that Daoist platform seal are truly there.’

Chen Lingxi’s ambitions were not small, and a fierce light flickered in his eyes.

’While using Absolute Perception, I have absolutely no need to fear death. And now I also have the Enemy-Slaughtering Spirit Wall on me. If I can seize that Daoist platform seal or snatch the complete Cauldron Vessel, I can use the profundity of Absolute Perception to bring either the seal or the Cauldron Vessel back to reality!’

Thinking of this, a faint smile appeared on his lips. Yet on second thought, he felt a bit puzzled.

’The various Cauldron Vessels possess their own mystical Daoist profundities. Their power is so vast they can comprehend Yin and Yang, connect with creation, and even turn reality into illusion. They are so profound that cultivators can’t comprehend them at all.’

’A complete Cauldron Vessel seems entirely unique... but if I use the Absolute Perception Divine Ability to bring a Cauldron Vessel out from the Divine Chamber, what will happen then?’

He was quite curious.

Thus, he traveled on, heading straight for the southern seas.

The further south he went, the more dilapidated the cities became. Along the way, many disaster victims were fleeing.

Emperor Daye’s oppressive taxation had provoked numerous rebel kings to rise up in arms against him. Amidst the chaos, many local militias and displaced refugees had turned to banditry.

But how many of those rebel kings genuinely wanted to find a way out for the common people?

The rebel kings had raised armies, and the massive expenses of those armies ultimately fell upon the shoulders of ordinary citizens.

As a result, after years of civil war within Great Li, the lives of the people only worsened day by day.

Along the way, Chen Lingxi wiped out a few bandit strongholds and eradicated several groups of rebel stragglers, crossing over a dozen prefectures until he reached South Sea Prefecture.

Although he was in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber and everything he did would eventually shatter, unable to leave the slightest impact on the real world...

His cultivation emphasized following his true heart. When he encountered bandits and rogue armies, he would casually erase them just to keep his thoughts clear and unhindered.

However, he absolutely refused to waste too much time on such mundane matters.

’This entire grotto-heaven is going to be refined by the furnace,’ he thought. ’When that time comes, the billion living souls in this grotto-heaven will all become nourishment in the Realm-Refining Furnace for Xi Hengsu, that genius of the Que Star Xi Family, to forge the Great Profound Golden Palace.’

With these speculations running through his mind, Chen Lingxi rapidly flew toward the South Sea.

Flying over a thousand li out from the South Sea and crossing several massive islands, he finally arrived at the Heavenly Gate Sea.

It was called the Heavenly Gate Sea because it was densely dotted with islands. Looking down from the void, these scattered islets seemed to form the pillars, archway, and courtyard of a heavenly gate, earning it the name. Not caring if he shocked anyone, Chen Lingxi descended from the clouds onto a passing merchant ship and ordered the crew to point out the direction to Xuanji Island.

Once he knew Xuanji Island’s location, he didn’t delay. His physical body sank into the ocean as spiritual qi vortexes erupted around him, and he shot toward the depths of the seabed like a marine fish.

As early as the Qi Circulation 6th Floor, Qi Circulation cultivators could seal their pores and remain untainted by dust. Gliding through the sea was naturally no difficult task.

Although the seawater’s pressure was heavy, for someone with Chen Lingxi’s physique and cultivation, it posed no threat at all.

Thus, Chen Lingxi sank all the way down to a depth of three thousand zhang, heading straight for Xuanji Island.

The underwater scenery was magnificent, but Chen Lingxi had no time to admire it. Once he was within twenty li of Xuanji Island, he activated the Method of Qi Observation and peered straight ahead.

Only to see—

Directly above Xuanji Island, billowing blood energy flowed unceasingly, surging freely over the ocean surface like crashing waves.

Two terrifying auras parted the seawater, shining with dazzling brilliance.

At the same time, an extremely dense ripple of spiritual qi could faintly be seen restricted within a hundred-zhang radius. If Chen Lingxi hadn’t practiced the Method of Qi Observation, he wouldn’t have been able to detect this terrifying spiritual qi fluctuation at all!

’Things are going smoothly.’

A faint smile appeared on Chen Lingxi’s lips. But on second thought, within this grotto-heaven, the Great Li Imperial Court was undoubtedly the most powerful faction.

Even those Truth-Seeking reincarnators would be dragged back to the palace by Emperor Daye, their bellies sliced open to plunder their memories.

And within the imperial palace, there were numerous experts.

Just the purple-robed Marquis and Yuan Yuan alone could defeat all the Truth-Seeking reincarnators.

Not to mention Emperor Daye, who had unbelievably ascended to the Dao Foundation Realm right inside this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven.

’Thinking about it carefully, the Great Li Imperial Court doesn’t need to guard against anything at all... perhaps only those experts from the Under-Dao Academy coming through the Myriad Realms Projection could pose a threat to Emperor Daye.’

’However... now they also have me.’

Chen Lingxi’s burning gaze locked onto those two surging currents of blood energy and terrifying auras!

He had already seen one of them before while using Vision Roaming.

It was none other than Marquis Fengshan, who had gone to the imperial palace to report on the Dao Foundation divine ability inscription to Emperor Daye!

Separated by a vast distance and the deep ocean, Chen Lingxi naturally couldn’t see Marquis Fengshan’s face.

But the aura he radiated and his terrifying blood energy fluctuations remained fresh in Chen Lingxi’s memory. As his consciousness settled on the other aura and observed it carefully, a look of surprise crossed his face.

’So this is General Qi Lian...’

This Dao Foundation divine ability inscription was guarded by General Qi Lian and Marquis Fengshan.

Marquis Fengshan cultivated blood energy, so the spiritual qi on his body was unapparent.

But this General Qi Lian’s spiritual qi was incredibly dense, billowing intensely.

Various profound mysteries even flowed within that spiritual qi, so wondrous they were hard to describe.

Chen Lingxi was immensely astonished.

’General Qi Lian really is a cultivator, and his cultivation... aside from Emperor Daye, I’m afraid he’s more powerful than any cultivator I’ve ever seen.’

Back during his Vision Roaming, when Marquis Fengshan mentioned that General Qi Lian had injected his divine sense into the Dao Foundation divine ability inscription, Chen Lingxi had known that this general was definitely a Qi Circulation figure.

But he never expected this person’s cultivation to be so tyrannical.

’The Qi Circulation Eleventh Floor condenses the three flowers of essence, qi, and spirit. His physical body, Sea of Consciousness, and qi sea are unprecedentedly powerful.’

’With the profound mysteries of the three flowers, how incredibly strong is he? General Qi Lian’s combat power is absolutely on par with, if not greater than, Yuan Yuan’s.’

’And then there’s Marquis Fengshan...’

Chen Lingxi looked toward that terrifying blood energy.

Amidst the permeating blood energy, billowing auras flowed. The blood energy stood like a heavenly pillar supporting the sky, utterly profound.

This man’s physical body was particularly striking. Under Chen Lingxi’s Method of Qi Observation, it resembled a blazing sun. Even separated by the surging seawater, Chen Lingxi could feel its scorching heat.

’This must be a Twelfth Profound martial artist.’

Chen Lingxi marveled at the Imperial Court’s formidable strength.

He had originally thought that figures like the purple-robed Marquis and Yuan Yuan were already among the Imperial Court’s strongest.

He never imagined that Marquis Fengshan and General Qi Lian would be so much stronger than those two.

’I wonder who is stronger: Marquis Fengshan and Qi Lian, or Xiao Changlv?’

Chen Lingxi sighed inwardly, yet no fear showed on his face.

He circulated the Six Qi True Method, letting spiritual qi quietly flow through his qi sea. Within that qi sea, the spiritual light granted by the mysterious middle-aged man flickered faintly, much weaker than it had been during the battle for the cauldron.

’My power has faded significantly. If I were to face the purple-robed Marquis or Yuan Yuan now, I absolutely couldn’t beat them.’

’Let alone fighting two against one.’

’However...’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes shone bright. ’Since these two are guarding the Dao Foundation divine ability inscription, I just need to harvest a wisp of their aura, and I can defeat them!’