After the Great Dao Died

After sending the message, Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged and quietly awaited Lin Suri’s reply.

After about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, the jade pendant at his waist glowed faintly, and a strand of divine sense transmission dropped into his Sea of Consciousness.

It was Lin Suri’s voice.

”Daoist Brother Chen, the Thunder Prison Spirit Branch and the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall have both descended. They are right here in the Ning Country Capital.

You may come collect them at any time.”

Chen Lingxi opened his eyes, a flash of joy in his gaze.

He did not delay any further. Rising to his feet, he walked out of the barren mountain cave.

Beneath his feet, the Azure Cloud, laced with pale golden lightning, silently activated. It carried him into the sky, transforming into a brilliant thunderous rainbow as he sped away.

The wind howled past his ears, and the mountains and rivers below rapidly blurred backward.

He flew until he reached the Ning Country Capital.

Lin Suri and the others were waiting inside one of its manors.

Chen Lingxi lowered his cloud from a distance as a show of courtesy.

He walked into the city, passing through a few fairly bustling streets before arriving at the manor.

Outside the gates, Lin Suri was already waiting in person.

He maintained his usual calm and unhurried demeanor, dressed in a dark brocade robe with a jade belt clasped around his waist, his hair crown perfectly neat.

A rare smile appeared on his exceptionally pale face, and he cupped his hands toward Chen Lingxi from afar.

”Daoist Brother Chen, I trust you have been well.”

Chen Lingxi returned the salute and smiled. ”Thank you for the long wait, Daoist Brother.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Suri stepped aside and led Chen Lingxi into the manor.

The estate was not large, consisting of only three courtyards, but Daoist Shu Rong had personally laid down restrictions.

These restrictions drew upon starlight and were incredibly profound. Without the owner’s permission, other cultivators could not dream of barging in.

The two crossed the front courtyard and arrived at a secluded quiet room in the back.

The room was small and simply furnished. A red sandalwood desk sat in the center, and upon it rested two items.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze fell upon the desk, locking onto those two items, and his breath slightly hitched.

The first item was a spiritual wall.

It was about a foot long and entirely pale purple, with countless fine, dense lightning patterns faintly circulating across its surface.

These lightning patterns roamed across the jade like living creatures. As they flowed, minuscule arcs of electricity leaped from the lines.

The moment the spiritual wall entered his sight, Chen Lingxi felt a deeply profound and incredibly overbearing Dao rhyme of thunder wash over him.

This Dao rhyme contained some indescribable supreme principle of heaven and earth, as if a god of thunder were sealed within.

”This is the Thunder Pool Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall. It records the [Thunder Prison Heaven] Great Divine Ability. This Great Divine Ability belongs to the Supreme Brilliance Extreme Jade Dao and follows the path of thunder!”

Lin Suri spoke from the side, ”This is a secret inheritance of the Thunder Pool. It gathers the profound lightning of heaven and earth to forge a thunder prison. Even compared to the many Dao Foundation Great Divine Abilities of my Under-Dao Academy, this Thunder Prison Heaven ranks among the very best in pure killing power.”

Chen Lingxi nodded, but his gaze had already shifted to the second item.

The second item was a tree branch.

It was roughly three feet long and pitch black all over, looking completely unremarkable—like a piece of charred wood that had been struck by lightning and fire countless times.

Yet beneath that seemingly scorched bark, countless tiny sparks of lightning were faintly flowing.

These flashes of lightning wandered slowly through the inside of the branch like tiny roaming dragons. With every movement, an incredibly pure and dense essence of thunder wafted out.

What shocked Chen Lingxi even more was that the Dao rhyme of thunder contained within this branch was identical to the Dao rhyme inside the Thunder Prison Heaven Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall, sharing the exact same root and origin.

”This Thunder Prison Spirit Branch,” Lin Suri continued to explain, ”is the divine ability spiritual item required to cultivate the Thunder Prison Heaven Great Divine Ability.

It comes from a ten-thousand-year lightning-struck wood.

That tree endured the bombardment of heavenly thunder for who knows how many years without falling. It had long since integrated the Great Dao of Thunder into every branch and leaf. Furthermore, it contains a type of profound lightning known as [Metal-Expelling Lightning].

”Using this spirit branch as a guide, you can draw out that [Metal-Expelling Lightning] to form a thunder prison, thus successfully cultivating the Thunder Prison Heaven Great Divine Ability!”

As Chen Lingxi listened, his gaze darted back and forth between the two treasures. The burning light in his eyes grew brighter and more intense.

The Thunder Prison Heaven Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall.

The Thunder Prison Spirit Branch.

”These two items are the key to my stepping into the Dao Foundation Realm.”

With them, he could begin cultivating that Great Divine Ability.

If successful, he would turn this Great Divine Ability into his first Profound Root, plant it into the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform, and fully step into the Dao Foundation Realm, transforming his spiritual qi into true Dao Origin.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

He slowly reached out his hand.

The two items fell into his grasp—one warm, one cool; one heavy, one light.

The Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall felt warm and smooth like jade, while the Thunder Prison Spirit Branch was bone-chillingly cold.

Clutching the two treasures tightly, he raised his head. With a burning gaze, he looked directly at Lin Suri and bowed solemnly.

”Thank you, Daoist Brother, and please pass my thanks to Senior Shu Rong and Senior Mingzhu. Chen Lingxi will engrave this kindness in his heart.”

Lin Suri waved his hand, his smile remaining. ”Brother Chen, you have saved my life multiple times. Furthermore, you struck down Daoist Huotuo right here in the Nanche Prefecture City, preserving this Great Ferrying Array. You have shown equal kindness to my Under-Dao Academy.

”These two items are simply returning the favor. There is no need to take it to heart.”

Chen Lingxi straightened up and carefully stored the two treasures into his Vast Void Pouch.

He fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, ”Daoist Brother, during that battle in Nanche Prefecture, Emperor Daye faced off against Zhao Duanxuan and advanced to second place on the Celestial Ranking... Was he no match for Zhao Duanxuan? Did Senior Shu Rong say anything?”

Hearing this, Lin Suri’s smile slowly faded, a trace of gravity flashing in his eyes.

”Emperor Daye is absolutely no ordinary Dao Foundation Middle Stage cultivator. It seems he even borrowed the profound, mighty power of this Grotto-Heaven!

He used his Heavenly Decline Law Great Divine Ability to blanket an area of a hundred miles, completely trapping Luan Shu, Daoist Zhuxu, Bai Lingze, and Yu Jiangwei inside.

Luan Shu’s Great River Divine Ability was entirely eroded by the Heavenly Decline Law, and his avatar nearly collapsed.

Daoist Zhuxu’s Deity Reverence Altar Great Divine Ability was also shattered by Emperor Daye, and that Nine-Tiered Sacrificial Altar thoroughly crumbled.

”While Bai Lingze’s divine ability was strong, under the erosion of the Heavenly Decline Law, it also fell into a predicament of collapsing order. However, according to my martial aunt, Bai Lingze’s [Immortal Elucidation Dao] Great Divine Ability still holds further profundities, though she doesn’t know why he never deployed them.”

He paused before continuing, ”Of the four, only Yu Jiangwei managed to carve out a bloody path through the hundred miles of Heavenly Decline Law fog, relying on her Dao Substitution Body Great Divine Ability.

”Although her two Substitute Dao Bodies also suffered heavy damage, she ultimately didn’t end up captured alive by Emperor Daye like Luan Shu and Daoist Zhuxu did. She retreated safely.”

Chen Lingxi listened quietly, the light in his eyes flickering uncertainly.

Lin Suri continued, ”Zhao Duanxuan arrived a little late.

By the time he descended, Emperor Daye had already captured Luan Shu and Daoist Zhuxu.

Zhao Duanxuan clashed head-on with Emperor Daye once. The shockwaves of that single collision completely leveled Nanche Prefecture City.

”Afterward, Emperor Daye took the two captured Dao Foundation avatars and drove that Nine-Dragon War Chariot through the air, departing the scene.”

As Lin Suri spoke up to this point, a hint of admiration suddenly flashed in his eyes.

”That Zhao Duanxuan is an outer-surname elder of the Que Star Xi Family, and... arriving as a mere projection, his combat strength, for some unknown reason, is vastly superior to the projections of powerhouses in his same realm. Even as tyrannical as Emperor Daye was, he still fell into a disadvantage during his clash with Zhao Duanxuan.”

Lin Suri paused here.

Chen Lingxi couldn’t help but frown and ask, ”Since that’s the case, Zhao Duanxuan traveled thousands of miles to Nanche Prefecture just to clash head-on with Emperor Daye once, and then he didn’t pursue him?”

Lin Suri shook his head. ”He didn’t. Martial Aunt Shu Rong doesn’t know the reason either.

Perhaps he felt pursuit would be fruitless, or maybe he was wary of the might of Emperor Daye’s Mountains and Rivers Great Array.

”He merely hovered in the sky above Nanche Prefecture for a moment before leaving as well.”

Chen Lingxi remained silent for a long time.

Regardless, Emperor Daye’s battle record this time was still admirable.

Emperor Daye had fought four opponents alone, captured two, forced back two, and retreated completely unscathed after clashing directly with Zhao Duanxuan. Such a battle record, placed within any Grotto-Heaven, was enough to be called legendary.

He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing these chaotic thoughts.

”Daoist Brother, I wish to find a secluded place to enter seclusion and cultivate this Great Divine Ability... Please take care of yourself.”

Lin Suri thought for a moment, then said, ”Cultivating a Great Divine Ability relies heavily on one’s own comprehension, and equally on serendipity.

I know your talent is extraordinary, Daoist Brother Chen, and your comprehension is one in ten thousand. But if you are to enter seclusion and cultivate a Great Divine Ability, I’m afraid you might still need some sort of threshold-crossing opportunity... The Supreme Brilliance Extreme Jade Dao is a path of thunder. If there were a place covered in lightning, cultivating this Dao might be somewhat easier.

”It’s just a pity that there seems to be no such place within this Weiji Grotto-Heaven.”

Chen Lingxi nodded and cupped his hands toward Lin Suri. ”Since that’s the case, I will take my leave.”

Lin Suri also returned the salute. ”Take care, Brother Chen.”

Chen Lingxi did not linger any longer and turned around.

His figure transformed into a streak of cloud energy and sped away.

Along the way, he sat cross-legged atop his cloud, sinking his divine sense into the Vast Void Pouch to repeatedly examine the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and the Thunder Prison Spirit Branch.

He had already sent his divine sense into the Chixuan Thunder method within the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and skimmed through it once.

The method was incredibly complex and profoundly esoteric.

Thunder Prison Heaven used the profound lightning of heaven and earth as a prison, and one’s own Qi Sea as a thunder pool, refining that streak of profound lightning into a thunder prison.

Within the thunder prison, the master of the prison would naturally be extraordinary. It was a Great Divine Ability with extreme killing power.

Even more miraculously, once this Great Divine Ability was successfully cultivated, planted into the Dao Platform, and transformed into a Profound Root, that root would autonomously absorb the thunder essence of heaven and earth, constantly tempering the cultivator’s physical body and spiritual qi.

At that time, every movement of the cultivator would carry the might of heavenly thunder. Even the most ordinary spell, under the augmentation of that Profound Root, could unleash terrifying killing power far surpassing others in the same realm.

’A killing Great Divine Ability isn’t as mysterious and esoteric as other Great Divine Abilities, but it is simple, direct, and possesses formidable lethal power.’

As Chen Lingxi’s thoughts reached this point, he could not help but sigh internally.

’Speaking of which, Daoist Brother Lin and Daoist Shu Rong have really looked after me quite a bit. Knowing that I cultivate the Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture and possess some understanding of the Dao of Thunder, they specially sought out this kind of killing divine ability for me.’

’I only needed to wait safely within this Weiji Grotto-Heaven, yet who knows how many favors the Pool Soul Courtyard had to pull, and how much effort they expended.’

Chen Lingxi pondered as he flew on his cloud.

A long time passed before he finally saw numerous soaring mountains.

One of the mountains was particularly steep and treacherous. Its main peak looked like a broken sword thrust upside down into the earth. Not a blade of grass grew on its cliff faces, which were completely covered in jagged black rocks.

Everything from the mountainside up was shrouded in thick clouds and mist.

Chen Lingxi lowered his cloud and found a natural cave.

Pushing aside the vines, he stepped inside.

The cave was quite spacious.

”This is actually a good place,” Chen Lingxi said, nodding in satisfaction.

He sat cross-legged on a flat bluestone in the center of the cave. Taking the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and the Thunder Prison Spirit Branch out from his Vast Void Pouch, he carefully placed them on the ground in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, he stared intently at these two treasures with burning eyes for a long, long time.

’I will cultivate the Thunder Prison Heaven Great Divine Ability here. Besides that... I must also use Vision Roaming constantly to see what exactly Emperor Daye intends to do with those two Dao Foundation avatars.’

’Once I successfully cultivate the Great Divine Ability and plant the Profound Root, I can ascend to the Dao Foundation!’

’When the time comes... while doing my best to ensure my own safety, I will ask Emperor Daye to place the Immortal Slough into the Ancestral Mountain.’

’To see if it can awaken the avatar of Great Sage Luoyuan!’

’All to fight for a sliver of a chance at survival!’