After the Great Dao Died

An incredibly vast surge of Celestial Ranking Spiritual Energy descended from the sky.

This spiritual energy was several times heavier and more profound than when he held the eleventh rank. Like a plunging torrent, it pierced straight through Chen Lingxi’s crown from the heavens, flooding his limbs and bones before converging into the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform.

Atop the Dao Platform, the Thunder Prison Profound Root trembled madly, greedily devouring the surging spiritual energy.

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged on the ice field, wreathed in lightning as he kept his eyes closed to refine the energy.

Nourished by such vast spiritual energy, the Thunder Prison Profound Root actually showed faint signs of sprouting branches and leaves.

Over ten days later, Chen Lingxi slowly opened his eyes.

”The Dao Origin within the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform has grown much thicker. Although the profound root hasn’t directly grown into a tree, it has still made significant progress, and the Dao Origin is far more profound,” he murmured.

What surprised him even more was that within the Divine Chamber, the restoration progress of the Absolute Perception Divine Ability had remarkably jumped from ninety-three percent to one hundred percent.

Absolute Perception was ready.

Meanwhile, the Method of Life Devouring consumed the spiritual energy of the Golden Crown Demon Lord, dropping it into Chen Lingxi’s Plundering Dragon Dao Platform for the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi to slowly devour.

”My Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi has devoured the spiritual energy of many experts, and it is finally nearing maturity,” he murmured.

As Chen Lingxi pondered, he suddenly felt a stir in his heart and took out the Three Profounds Mirror.

On the Three Profounds Mirror, the black profound light symbolizing Zhao Duanxuan was rapidly approaching.

”Zhao Duanxuan is coming to find me.”

Chen Lingxi’s expression remained unchanged. He rode the clouds and flew swiftly toward the Volcano Immortal Pivot.

When he arrived a thousand li away from the Volcano Immortal Pivot, Chen Lingxi took a deep breath...

He activated the [Absolute Perception] divine ability!

Instantly, everything around him shattered and then reassembled. Two bright mirrors hung high in the sky, scattering countless rays of light that illuminated the world.

This was the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber!

Chen Lingxi took another deep breath and continued toward the Volcano Immortal Pivot!

The Volcano Immortal Pivot remained the same as before.

Thick smoke billowed, and magma churned.

What differed from before was that the terrifying heartbeat had vanished, and Xiao Changlv’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

Emperor Daye, Ying Xian, sat cross-legged on the rocky platform at the edge of the crater. He still maintained the appearance of an old man with white hair and a dragon robe, the two clusters of golden flames slowly dancing in his eyes.

Chen Lingxi arrived on a cloud, landing on the rock platform and giving a slight cupped-fist salute to Emperor Daye.

Emperor Daye slowly turned around. The golden flames in his eyes lingered on Chen Lingxi, carrying a hint of a smile.

”Ascending to sixth on the Celestial Ranking, with a sturdy Profound Root and profound Dao Origin. Your cultivation has advanced once again,” the Emperor said.

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged on the platform across from Emperor Daye, getting straight to the point. ”Emperor Daye, I have come for the matter of the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror.”

Emperor Daye nodded slightly. With a flip of his hand, the dark-golden ancient mirror rested in his palm.

Runes flowed across the ancient mirror, exuding an incredibly profound, primordial Dao rhythm.

He opened his other hand, and a Jade Precept Book radiating a rich Dao Foundation rhythm hovered above his palm.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze shifted back and forth between the two items. He took a deep breath, sat facing Emperor Daye, and began to sign the Jade Precept Book word by word.

The clauses on the Jade Precept Book were complex and rigorous.

The most important clause among them clearly stated...

[If, after a hundred years, this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror still cannot find a way out of the void turbulence, Emperor Daye Ying Xian’s three souls and seven physical spirits may devour Chen Lingxi’s three souls and seven physical spirits as nourishment to prolong his own existence.

When that time comes, Chen Lingxi must absolutely not resist.]

Aside from that, it also set terms regarding the Immortal Slough.

Chen Lingxi remained silent and reached out his hand. A wisp of Dao Origin surged from the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform, transforming into a pale golden spiritual light that slowly carved his name onto the Dao Foundation Jade Precept Book.

Chen Lingxi.

The Dao Foundation Jade Precept Book was indeed different from the Jade Precept Book of Qi Circulation.

The moment Chen Lingxi’s name fell upon it, an indescribably boundless, primordial pressure descended from the void.

He felt the surrounding heaven and earth suddenly dim at that moment.

An incredibly pure, divine majesty manifested, one that made it impossible to muster even the slightest thought of defiance.

’This Jade Precept Book is actually so profound.’

Chen Lingxi marveled inwardly.

At the same time, two words naturally reflected in Chen Lingxi’s mind.

[Great Azure Father].

[Immortal Monarch].

’Great Azure Father?’

’Immortal Monarch?’

These two words abruptly thrust their way into Chen Lingxi’s sea of consciousness.

He had never heard the name ”Great Azure Father,” nor had he ever seen the title ”Immortal Monarch” in any ancient records.

Yet for some reason, the moment these two words surfaced, he instantly understood what terrifying entities they represented.

It was a supreme majesty that surpassed True Lords and transcended Mystic Monarchs.

Perhaps all Jade Precept Books in the world, regardless of their rank, were backed by the shadow of that Great Azure Father, that Immortal Monarch.

’An Immortal Monarch... is perhaps the supreme existence in the cultivation world.’

He took a deep breath, suppressing his churning thoughts.

Regardless, the Jade Precept Book was complete, bound by divine retribution.

His agreement with Emperor Daye was as if engraved upon the Great Dao of heaven and earth—unalterable and undeniable.

’Fortunately, we are inside the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber.’

Chen Lingxi looked up at the two bright mirrors.

Seeing Chen Lingxi sign the Dao Foundation Jade Precept Book, Emperor Daye smiled slightly as the golden flames slowly danced in his eyes.

He did not hesitate. With a flick of his finger, the Immortal Slough abruptly appeared before Chen Lingxi.

The pale golden arm hovered in the void, exuding an incredibly ancient and profound primordial Dao rhythm.

Merely hanging there caused the surrounding void to warp slightly, halting the churning magma.

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath and reached out his hand. A streak of Dao Origin flowed out, sinking into the Immortal Slough.

Instantly, billowing essence energy from the Immortal Slough poured into Chen Lingxi’s body.

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered.

’I still need to persuade Emperor Daye to let me take this Immortal Slough to trigger the Four Great Immortal Pivots.’

His thoughts shifted. Lightning suddenly flashed in his eyes, and his expression turned incomparably solemn.

An indescribable Great Sage aura emanated from his body, echoing the primordial Dao rhythm exuded by the Immortal Slough from afar.

At the same time, a crystal-clear drop of river water silently hovered at the center of his brow.

The water drop was like a transparent jewel embedded in his glabella, radiating the incredibly ancient and profound Dao rhythm of Great Sage Luoyuan.

Genuine astonishment appeared on Emperor Daye Ying Xian’s consistently calm face.

His golden-flame-lit eyes fixed intently on the drop of water at Chen Lingxi’s brow.

He could clearly sense that the Dao rhythm contained within this single drop of water was identical to the roaring Luoyuan Long River deep within Ancestral Mountain. They shared the exact same origin, but this drop was even older and far more pure!

He took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and asked, ”What is this?”

Chen Lingxi remained silent for a moment. His lightning-filled eyes slowly turned to look at Emperor Daye.

He suddenly spoke, ”I once told you, Emperor Daye, that because of a drop of Luoyuan River Water, I brushed aside the leaf blinding my eyes and stepped onto the path of cultivation.

”This is that very drop of water... Emperor Daye! With my Immortal Slough’s spiritual energy, hidden mysteries now circulate once more within this drop of river water.”

Hearing this, the two clusters of golden flames in Emperor Daye’s eyes leaped violently. ”I would like to hear the details,” he said deeply.

Chen Lingxi raised his head, meeting Emperor Daye’s gaze. ”Emperor Daye, do you know what an Immortal Pivot is?”

Emperor Daye’s expression shifted slightly. His eyes, burning with golden flames, stared fixedly at Chen Lingxi.

Without waiting for an answer, Chen Lingxi continued, ”This Weiji Grotto-Heaven is the Dao arena of Great Sage Luoyuan.

”Great Sage Luoyuan once left behind Four Great Immortal Pivots within this Dao arena.

”You and I need only distribute the essence of this river water into the Four Great Immortal Pivots, and we can summon the Great Sage’s true body!”

Emperor Daye’s pupils suddenly shrank.

”There are four Immortal Pivots?”

His eyes flickered as he looked up at the magma within this mysterious volcano.

Turning back to look at Chen Lingxi, he asked, ”And where might these Four Great Immortal Pivots be?”

Chen Lingxi stood up, the two clusters of lightning slowly swirling in his eyes.

He did not answer directly.

”Placing the three souls and seven physical spirits into the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror is certainly a path to survival, but there are too many uncertainties.

”Daoist Friend, I already know where the Four Great Immortal Pivots are. Why don’t we... drop the river water essence into the Immortal Pivots and see exactly what the Great Sage’s true body is?”

Emperor Daye took a deep breath, looking down at the Dao Foundation Jade Precept Book in his hand.

’My agreement with Chen Lingxi has already been engraved upon the Great Dao of the void. Even if he wanted to go back on his word, it is absolutely impossible.’

’And I have already placed the three souls and seven physical spirits of my Myriad Breeding incarnation into the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror. I have no more lingering worries.’

’There is no harm in letting him try.’

’If the Great Sage’s true body truly descends and Weiji Grotto-Heaven is spared from being refined, I can seize that chance of survival to leave calmly.

If something goes wrong, I will simply toss this treasure mirror into the void turbulence.’

Reaching this point in his thoughts, Emperor Daye gave a slight nod.

But he immediately added, ”To avoid drawing the covetous eyes of a projected expert like Zhao Duanxuan, and just to be safe, I will hold onto the Immortal Slough in your hands, Daoist Friend.

”Once you return safely, you can cultivate with the Immortal Slough. This will guarantee nothing goes wrong.”

Chen Lingxi, however, shook his head. Lightning flashed in his eyes, and his tone was utterly candid.

”You are unaware, Daoist Friend, but without the Immortal Slough’s Dao rhythm, I cannot sense the profound spiritual energy within this Luoyuan River Water at all.

”It is precisely because of this Immortal Slough that I know the Four Great Immortal Pivots exist in this Grotto-Heaven, and that they can be used as a medium to awaken Great Sage Luoyuan’s true body and prompt its descent.

”If I part with this Immortal Slough, I will be completely unable to trigger the essence inside this drop of water.”

As he spoke, he suddenly drew out a wisp of the Immortal Slough’s aura and infused it into that drop of Luoyuan River Water. From it, he pulled out an incredibly faint and minute golden thread, letting it fall into the volcano’s magma.

The moment the Immortal Slough’s energy entered the magma, the churning molten rock abruptly halted.

Invisible ripples radiated silently in all directions, centered on where the energy had landed.

Everything around them seemed to change, yet at the same time, nothing seemed to change at all.

”Of the Four Great Immortal Pivots, this volcano is one of them,” Chen Lingxi murmured.

Emperor Daye remained silent for a moment before finally being convinced. ”Since that is the case, I will act as your Dao protector. I will accompany you to the Four Great Immortal Pivots to ensure your absolute safety.”

With a sweep of his sleeve, the surrounding magma parted on its own, revealing a passage leading outside.

Chen Lingxi naturally had no objections.

One after the other, the two stepped across the churning magma and walked out of the Volcano Immortal Pivot.

Chen Lingxi led the way.

As Emperor Daye swept his sleeve, a rainbow light spread beneath their feet like a long seven-colored bridge. It carried Chen Lingxi and Emperor Daye high into the sky, speeding toward the Storm Immortal Pivot in the high heavens and the Lake Immortal Pivot on an isolated overseas island.

They rode the clouds and mist all the way, passing through a vast sea of clouds spanning an unknown number of thousands of li.

Within the Storm Immortal Pivot, Chen Lingxi drew upon a drop of Luoyuan River Water and dripped it into the churning Weiji lightning.

The moment the water entered the lightning, the entire Storm Immortal Pivot seemed to ignite. Lightning surged wildly, fierce winds howled, and a torrential downpour fell.

Some ancient Dao rhythm deep within the Immortal Pivot had been triggered.

Within the Lake Immortal Pivot, Chen Lingxi drew upon the river water essence, dripping it into the center of the mirror-calm lake.

A dazzling emerald radiance suddenly lit up from the depths of the lake center. The light shot into the sky, reflecting the entire lake into a blinding emerald hue.

As the lake water churned, countless incredibly ancient characters could be faintly seen slowly swirling at the bottom, absorbing and emitting a life-force Dao rhythm that made one’s heart palpitate.

Emperor Daye stood to the side, taking in all these strange phenomena.

Faced with these successive phenomena, the initial skepticism in his heart finally dissolved into genuine anticipation.

Finally, they arrived back at Ancestral Mountain, stepping into its dense mist.

Chen Lingxi and Emperor Daye exchanged a glance. He drew upon the river water’s spiritual energy and injected it into Ancestral Mountain’s mist.

Instantly, the Four Great Immortal Pivots simultaneously projected a profound Dao rhythm.

At that moment, the profound Dao rhythms projected by the Four Great Immortal Pivots lit up to the absolute extreme.

The four pillars of light shot upward, piercing straight through the clouds.

Wherever the pillars of light passed, the sea of clouds evaporated, the heavenly winds collapsed, and even the stars swayed.

The four entirely different powers of the Immortal Pivots resonated madly in that instant. Like four harp strings plucked at exactly the same time, they released a magnificent harmonious chime that defied all description.

That harmonious sound pierced through the void, cutting through every obstacle in the Grotto-Heaven as it spread toward the unknowable depths of nothingness.

Chen Lingxi and Emperor Daye both took a deep breath and looked at each other.

”Is the Great Sage’s true body actually descending?”