After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi was in seclusion cultivating the Great Divine Ability Thunder Prison Heaven, while this Grotto-Heaven plunged entirely into a battle among experts.

On the Celestial Ranking, the placements below the top five shifted frequently.

Many sects and immortal clans from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm dispatched new experts here, intent on fighting for the Immortal Slough.

These experts clashed, launching offensives and dismantling each other’s Great Ferrying Arrays.

For a time in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven, mortals witnessed these immortal battles, and numerous mortal settlements were wiped out as a consequence.

Two years passed quietly in this manner.

Carrying a knapsack and wiping away sweat, Xi Lan ventured into these myriad mountains. Guided by a faint, almost imperceptible trace of qi, she scaled the desolate peaks.

In her early twenties, she was in the prime of her youth.

Amid the barren wilderness, her extraordinarily beautiful face resembled a magnolia blooming in ruins, entirely out of place among the jagged rocks and withered vines.

She was exceptionally beautiful. Slender but not frail, with her back as straight as a young pine and a waist narrow enough to encircle with two hands, she wore a pale cyan dress that brought out a natural charm akin to a lotus rising clear from the water.

She had been walking through these mountains for three days.

The rations in her knapsack were long gone, and her waterskin was empty; she could only scoop crisp spring water from the ravines to quench her thirst and forage for wild fruit to stave off hunger.

After three days of trekking, fresh scratches marred her thinly calloused hands, and the mountain rocks had left several dark bruises on her ankles.

Yet not a trace of exhaustion showed on her pretty face. Instead, she carried an irrepressible hope, her eyes and brows brimming with unconcealed joy.

She looked like a young girl about to reunite with someone she hadn’t seen in ages, her heart and gaze full of eager excitement.

She untied the half-empty waterskin from her waist and tilted her head back to drink.

Only a little water remained. She took a tiny sip to moisten her lips before hanging it back on her waist.

”Almost there, almost there. The trace of qi is getting closer,” she muttered.

Saying this, she looked up toward the cloud-shrouded peak.

The mountain was incredibly high and steep. Above its midpoint, the mist hung as thick as a physical veil, completely obscuring the summit.

She tilted her head and stared for a moment. Then, she wrinkled her nose and let out a soft hmph toward the peak, as if she were sulking with the mountain or urging herself forward.

Unconsciously, she revealed a touch of naive charm.

’Is that... immortal really here? I wonder if my dreams actually count for anything,’ she thought.

Ever since that man awakened her with a single tap of his finger in her father’s estate, she had constantly thought of the immortal.

”If I find the immortal and ask him to take me as his disciple, will I be able to see the world from my dreams?” She tilted her head, anticipation shining in her eyes.

That magnificent world, so entirely different from the mortal realm...

It was truly too beautiful.

Because of this, after five years, Xi Lan could no longer suppress the hope in her heart. She had set out three months ago, following the dreams of the past two years and that faint trace of qi to embark on a journey to find the immortal.

Standing beside a bluestone now, she gazed up at the peak hidden in the clouds, the eager excitement in her eyes growing even stronger.

She shielded her brow from the glaring sunlight, squinting as she peered into the deepest part of the fog.

The clouds churned like gray ocean waves, obscuring everything from sight.

”It’s right there,” she murmured, then broke into a run, following the rugged mountain path toward the peak.

She ran for a while, but as the path grew steeper and the jagged scree thickened, she was forced to slow her pace.

Looking at her shoes, she noticed a small hole had worn through the tip, exposing a pale toe.

She wrinkled her nose and crouched down, poking the hole with her fingertip. Looking back up at the clouded peak, she sighed. ”These shoes probably won’t last until the summit. If I end up standing barefoot in front of the immortal...”

She trailed off and suddenly paused, a very faint blush rising to her cheeks.

Xi Lan quickly shook her head, tossing aside those messy thoughts.

After resting for a moment, she stood back up. Just as she was about to resume her climb, she suddenly noticed the sky above her flare with blinding light.

The dense clouds that had blotted out the sun were ripped open down the middle as if by a massive, invisible hand, revealing the crystal-clear azure sky beyond.

In that azure sky, two figures stood upon the clouds.

Spiritual light swirled around the two figures. Dressed in luxurious robes and radiating a majestic aura, they simply stood there, yet an indescribable, overwhelming pressure crashed down from above.

Xi Lan lifted her head, her watery, shimmering eyes looking toward the clouds.

She saw the two figures riding the clouds!

”Im... immortals?” Xi Lan looked up.

However, they weren’t the person she had spent days searching for, but two unfamiliar immortals.

Spiritual light swirled around the two figures. Dressed in luxurious robes and radiating a majestic aura, they simply stood there, yet an indescribable, overwhelming pressure crashed down upon the earth.

Her breath hitched. Her knees went weak, and she could barely remain standing.

Yet she stubbornly forced herself upright, tilting her face to watch the two men.

Just then, one of the cultivators, a man with a cold and stern face, lowered his head. His gaze fell directly upon her.

His calm eyes held a hint of bewilderment.

These two cultivators were from the Que Star Xi Family.

One was Xi Yuan, and the other was Xi Ming, who had only risen to prominence over the past year.

”The person the clan ordered us to capture is this seemingly ordinary woman?” Xi Ming asked, perplexed.

Beside him, Xi Yuan spoke softly, ”The elders in the clan naturally have their reasons. We just need to do as we are told.”

Then, Xi Yuan reached out and grasped at the air!

With that single grasp, the world changed color.

The spiritual qi around the cultivator roared to life. His spiritual light abruptly exploded outward, forming a spiritual qi handprint that descended directly toward Xi Lan’s head.

Xi Lan couldn’t even react, standing blankly in place.

The handprint fell too fast. Before a thought could even form in her mind, it was less than three zhang above her head.

The intense pressure forced her to collapse to the ground.

Right at that moment, a bolt of lightning thundered from the depths of the mountain.

Immediately following it, a bolt of golden lightning shot into the sky, tearing straight out from the mountain’s belly and piercing the heavens.

Under the impact of that lightning, the massive spiritual qi handprint—which had been inches away—was instantly reduced to a wisp of blue smoke, dissipating entirely.

The pressure on Xi Lan’s body vanished, and she finally snapped back to her senses.

”Those two immortals... were trying to kill me?”

Gasping for breath, cold sweat pouring down her forehead, she looked up toward the source of the lightning.

Up in the clouds, Xi Yuan and Xi Ming immediately went on guard.

Spiritual qi erupted from Xi Yuan’s body, and his aura surged violently.

’This bolt of lightning actually shattered my spell so easily. Whoever is coming is absolutely no ordinary figure,’ he thought.

Xi Ming’s reaction was even more decisive.

Almost the exact instant the lightning exploded, he formed a hand seal.

The five fingers of his right hand fluttered through the void like butterflies. As spiritual light flickered at his fingertips, countless dense array patterns materialized in the air. They expanded outward, transforming into a massive cage that shrouded ten li of the surrounding void!

[Heaven-Connecting Void-Refining Great Array]!

Simultaneously, Xi Ming formed another hand seal with his left hand, chanting under his breath.

As spiritual light pulsed at his fingertips, a myriad of intricate array patterns manifested in the void. Centered on the spot where the lightning had erupted, he laid down a second great array covering a hundred zhang.

This great array took the shape of the Nine Palaces, its patterns glowing dark red. An incredibly bizarre sealing power spread from within it, completely locking down all spiritual essence and qi within the formation.

It was a [Spirit-Sealing Great Array].

Two great arrays operated simultaneously—one to trap the enemy, the other to seal the spirit. In a single move, Xi Ming had cast a net from the sky and a snare from the earth, revealing his profoundly deep mastery of array formations.

This Xi Ming was actually an array cultivator.

A flash of approval crossed Xi Yuan’s eyes. His gaze pierced through the lingering lightning and landed on the depths of the mountain.

From within the belly of the mountain, a figure slowly walked out.

The man was dressed in a dark black robe that fluttered gently in the wind.

His face was serene, his sharpness entirely concealed, yet he naturally exuded a chilling aura that warned anyone against underestimating him.

As he stepped out from the mountain’s core, an indescribably terrifying pressure spread from him, blanketing the sky and earth.

Xi Yuan’s expression suddenly turned grave.

”Chen Lingxi,” Xi Yuan spoke slowly, calling out the newcomer’s name.

Hearing this, the array patterns in Xi Ming’s eyes swirled even faster.

He too had seen this name on the Celestial Ranking. At the time, Chen Lingxi was ranked a lofty fourteenth, having slain the Dao Platform avatar of Daoist Huotuo of the Calamity Sea while only at the Twelfth Floor of Qi Circulation.

Now, two years later, the aura radiating from this man was infinitely deeper and more robust than before. He had clearly stepped into the Dao Platform Realm, and his foundation was solidly forged far beyond the ordinary.

Standing at the mountainside, Chen Lingxi looked up. His gaze swept over Xi Yuan and Xi Ming hovering in the clouds before dropping to Xi Lan, who was still gasping for air near the bluestone not far away.

His eyebrows drew together in a slight frown.

’This Xi Lan... why was she able to find my location?’ he thought.

At that moment, Xi Lan also saw him.

Her pretty face revealed a look of pleasant surprise.

Chen Lingxi retracted his gaze and refocused on Xi Yuan and Xi Ming.

A faint smile touched the corners of Xi Ming’s mouth.

”Daoist Friend Chen, once my Heaven-Connecting Void-Refining Great Array is set, the void within the array is under my complete control.

Every flow of spiritual essence and every shift in qi inside the formation cannot escape my senses.

You have successfully forged your Dao Platform, Daoist Friend, yet you have not cultivated a Profound Root...”

”I suppose this counts as a pleasant surprise...”

Before Xi Ming could even finish speaking...

Chen Lingxi took a step forward!

His entire aura detonated at that very moment. Bolts of lightning surged out from his body like a tidal wave, condensing into a dazzling, resplendent halo of thunder around him.

Lightning patterns swirled across the halo. With every flash, an incredibly pure and overbearing thunder Dao charm radiated from it.

In the very next instant!

Chen Lingxi clenched his right hand in the void. The churning pale gold lightning around him frantically converged into his palm, as all rivers run into the sea.

The lightning spun and compressed in his grip, transforming in the blink of an eye into a longsword forged entirely of thunder!

”Hm? Chen Lingxi’s comprehension of the thunder Dao is actually this profound,” Xi Ming murmured.

Xi Ming’s expression shifted slightly, astonished by the sheer intensity of Chen Lingxi’s aura.

But then he remembered that he and Xi Yuan were both here.

’Why would two Dao Platform avatars fear a native of this Grotto-Heaven?’

Meanwhile, Xi Yuan had already made his move!

His spiritual qi surged out wildly. Golden light flared around his body as he condensed a divine ability!

[Palace Golden Body]!

At the same time, he grasped the void with his right hand, and countless wind-like sword lights radiated from his fingertips!

[Lofty Peak Great Wind Sword Light]!

Two utterly extraordinary divine abilities operated simultaneously.

Xi Yuan thrust his palm forward, and the myriad sword lights shot toward Chen Lingxi like a torrential cyan rain!

Simultaneously, Xi Ming activated the Heaven-Connecting Void-Refining Great Array.

Hexagonal runes across the array lit up in unison. Pillars of light shot into the sky, intertwining in the void. In a flash, they formed a massive cage of spiritual light that descended on Chen Lingxi from all directions.

His hands danced rapidly. Streaks of array patterns flew from his fingertips like a torrential downpour, sinking into the [Spirit-Sealing Great Array].

Both great arrays were pushed to their absolute limits. Spiritual light and runes wove together into a net from the sky and a snare from the earth, intended to suppress and slay Chen Lingxi.

Standing amidst the two arrays, facing the sky full of wind blades and overwhelming array patterns, Chen Lingxi simply lifted his eyelids, a very faint trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

”Is that it?” he muttered to himself.

Before his words even faded, the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform inside his body slowly began to spin.

As the Dao Platform rotated, an indescribably heavy wave of spiritual qi surged out from it!

The treasure sword forged of lightning in Chen Lingxi’s hand flew up, transforming into the [Thunder-Wielding Heavenly King Sword] as it tore across the sky!

It smashed into the two great arrays!

Xi Ming’s expression changed drastically. His hands flew in a blur, launching hand seals into the two great arrays like a torrential storm.

This strike from the Thunder-Wielding Heavenly King Sword Light was simply too sharp and far too blinding. As the lightning surged, it immediately tore a rift into the array.

Chen Lingxi casually stepped out of the twin arrays, the lightning around him exploding in intensity once more.

The sky full of great wind sword lights crashed into the lightning surrounding him, instantly disintegrating into nothingness!

Immediately after, Chen Lingxi flicked his finger.

The Wondrous State Cyan Edge Method transformed into a jade-green sword light, slashing straight down at Xi Yuan!

Xi Yuan’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. He pushed the Palace Golden Body to its absolute limit, the golden light around him flaring wildly as he forcefully withstood the strike from the Cyan Edge Method.

However, the thunder Dao charm contained within the sword light was far too tyrannical. Although the Palace Golden Body didn’t shatter, the slash caused it to tremble violently, dimming the golden light by a significant margin.

Xi Yuan let out a muffled grunt. His body was sent drifting backward for several dozen zhang before he barely stabilized himself, the wariness in his eyes growing even deeper!

’In just two short years, without even being a ferried avatar, Chen Lingxi’s strength has actually improved this much?’

’With a foundation like this, I’m afraid Xi Ming’s and my avatars are simply no match for him.’

Thoughts raced through Xi Yuan’s mind.

He gritted his teeth and clasped his hands in front of him. The heart of this avatar began to beat fiercely.

It was as if a spirit artifact had been embedded within the heart.

At this moment, the spirit artifact flashed with radiance, erupting with its power!

A glint flashed in his eyes. An incredibly bizarre spiritual essence spread out from his body, turning into an invisible ripple that swept straight toward Chen Lingxi.

Wherever the ripple passed, it was as if all vitality had been drained from the void. Even the floating dust froze in place.

A Dao Foundation Great Divine Ability!

[Death Imprisonment Art]!

Xi Yuan’s avatar had not formed a Profound Root, meaning it was insufficient to execute such a Dao Foundation Great Divine Ability.

Were it not for the Void-Holding Spiritual Artifact embedded in his heart, casting this [Death Imprisonment Art] would have been utterly impossible.

Even so, the power of this Great Divine Ability was vastly diminished.

’Even if it is, this should still be enough to suppress Chen Lingxi!’

[Death Imprisonment Art]!

Once struck by this divine ability, an enemy’s life force would be entirely locked down. Their spiritual qi would stagnate, and their blood and qi would cease to flow. It was like being imprisoned in an invisible cage, left entirely at the mercy of others.

However...

Xi Yuan had clearly underestimated the current Chen Lingxi.

The instant the ripple of the Death Imprisonment Art touched the layer of lightning around Chen Lingxi, it melted away into nothingness!

Chen Lingxi’s expression shifted slightly, and his aura became considerably more chaotic.

But at that very moment, Chen Lingxi delivered a backhanded sword strike. The Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture Heavenly Drum Sword Light cut across the sky like a silk banner, slashing straight toward Xi Yuan’s waist.

In his haste, Xi Yuan once again activated the Palace Golden Body to endure the blow. This time, the Palace Golden Body could no longer hold out. Under the impact of the sword light, it shattered inch by inch, sending golden light spraying like rain.

Xi Yuan was sent flying backward by the slash!

Xi Ming’s face was now pale, his own aura just as chaotic.

Yet he had still taken advantage of the moment the Death Imprisonment Art was cast to lay down a brand-new killing array beneath Chen Lingxi’s feet.

This killing array took the shape of the Eight Trigrams, its patterns glowing dark gold. An incredibly terrifying aura of slaughter erupted toward the sky—it was the [Seven-Star Killing Array].

Countless killing intents surged out from the array like a torrential downpour, rushing toward Chen Lingxi from every direction.

Chen Lingxi merely glanced down and gave a light squeeze with his right hand. The lightning halo swirling around him suddenly expanded.

Countless fine bolts of pale golden lightning poured out from the halo like spirit snakes, lunging at the overwhelming killing intents.

In just a few short breaths, the sky full of killing intents was devoured entirely by the lightning!

Another bolt of lightning struck Xi Ming, blasting him down into the mountain!

Chen Lingxi sheathed his sword and stood tall, turning around.

He looked at Xi Yuan up in the clouds.

”So powerful... You cultivated a Great Divine Ability. Have you already condensed a Profound Root?” Xi Yuan asked, taking a deep breath.

Chen Lingxi strode forward, clouds naturally generating beneath his feet.

He arrived in front of Xi Yuan and suddenly asked, ”Why does the Xi Family want to capture her?”

Xi Yuan blanked for a moment. He then followed Chen Lingxi’s gaze, looking at Xi Lan, who was still huddled by the bluestone.

Xi Yuan did not answer.

Perhaps knowing that this avatar could no longer maintain its existence, Xi Yuan took a deep breath, and his figure rapidly began to dissipate.

Chen Lingxi shook his head. The Longevity Bridge roared into action, shattering the avatars of both Xi Yuan and Xi Ming.