After the Great Dao Died

”Steal the spiritual perception of heaven and earth, extract the spiritual opportunities of past and present.”

...

Absolute Perception shattered. Chen Lingxi snapped his eyes open.

He still sat cross-legged atop the barren peak a thousand li from the Volcano Immortal Pivot. Deep night surrounded him. Heavenly winds howled from afar, snapping his black robes wildly.

There was no moon, and the starlight was dim. Everything was exactly as it had been before he stepped into the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber.

Yet his eyes held no trace of his previous composure or anticipation—only a bottomless gloom.

”For the Great Sage’s true body to descend, he actually has to devour the grotto-heaven...”

He took a deep breath.

His consciousness swept the Divine Chamber; he had already brought that Immortal Slough out with him.

Chen Lingxi’s mind stirred. He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

Resting in his palms was a pale golden arm.

A size larger than an ordinary person’s, it was entirely pale gold, radiating a boundlessly ancient and profoundly mysterious Dao charm.

The power contained within the Immortal Slough was unimaginably terrifying.

Its vital essence flowed slowly over him. The pale golden brilliance draped his body like a thin veil, warm and bright, illuminating his pale face until it seemed entirely devoid of blood.

”What use is there in obtaining such a treasure?”

”Even if the Immortal Slough is in my hands, could I really rely on it to become a True Monarch and grasp a chance at survival?”

Chen Lingxi sighed.

In the past, obtaining such a supreme treasure would have sent him wild with joy.

After all, this Immortal Slough was a supreme treasure that even a behemoth like the Under-Dao Academy dreamed of. The vital essence it contained was boundlessly vast, enough to make his cultivation advance by leaps and bounds in a short time.

But at this moment, looking at the Immortal Slough’s arm in his hands, his eyes held not the slightest hint of joy—only a bottomless daze.

”I’ve obtained the Immortal Slough... but this Weiji Grotto-Heaven still cannot avoid collapsing. It cannot avoid destruction.”

The apocalyptic scenes he had witnessed in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber still lingered in his mind, refusing to fade.

The profound Dao charm illuminated by the Four Great Immortal Pivots, the massive black hole formed from their convergence in the void, and the Luoyuan Long River surging forth from eternity...

And the Great Sage’s true body devouring the entire grotto-heaven...

The awakening of the Great Sage’s true body couldn’t stop the True Monarch of the Que Star Xi Family from refining the grotto-heaven; instead, it devoured the grotto-heaven itself.

The grotto-heaven would collapse, reducing all things to ash, and every living being would merge into that vast long river.

And he, Chen Lingxi, was nothing more than an ant who managed to hold on for two or three more breaths in that apocalyptic torrent.

’If so, where is my sliver of survival?’ he asked himself. The gloomy light in his eyes shifted slowly, but he couldn’t find an answer.

The mountain wind howled past, whipping his robes and his unbound hair.

The starlight in the night sky was dim, much like his current state of mind—entirely devoid of light.

He sat alone on the barren mountain for a very, very long time.

From the depths of the night until dawn, and from dawn until the sun hung high in the sky.

The great sun hung clearly in the vault of heaven, casting down warm light, but he only felt freezing cold all over.

True Monarch.

Great Sage.

These two words were like two formless mountains pressing down on his heart, suffocating him.

’Whether True Monarch or Great Sage, to lower cultivators like us, they are like living immortals and gods, standing high above.’

’Refining a grotto-heaven or devouring a grotto-heaven is to them no different from refining a treasure or swallowing a pill.’

’The lives of the billions upon billions of living beings in this grotto-heaven are nothing but dust to them, not even worth a second glance.’

’How could lower cultivators like us ever have a chance to resist?’ he mused, his tone full of self-mockery.

But that desolation lasted only a moment before being burned to ash by the twin flames of fury that suddenly ignited in his eyes.

He snapped his head up, the anger in his eyes burning hotter than ever.

How could he possibly resign himself to this?

He had struggled bitterly in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven for so long. He had clawed his way up step by step from a dying medicine slave to where he was today—forging the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform, planting the Thunder Prison Profound Root, and ascending to the Dao Foundation Realm. He had even defeated a noble cultivator like Bai Lingze and claimed sixth place on the Celestial Ranking.

He had thought dawn was right before his eyes. He had thought Great Sage Luoyuan’s incarnation was his sliver of survival.

”But in the end, it’s still a dead end.”

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the fury in his heart and forcing himself to calm down.

The Hidden Edge Method circulated within his body, firmly locking the boundless aura emitted by the Immortal Slough within a three-zhang radius so not a single trace leaked out.

He lowered his head and looked at the Immortal Slough’s arm in his hands. The twin clusters of lightning danced slowly in his eyes as his thoughts raced.

’The Immortal Slough is in my hands now.’

’If I hand this over to the Under-Dao Academy, given the character of Daoist Shu Rong and Daoist Brother Lin, I might be able to exchange it for their protection.’

’Even Daoist Yaoguang once promised to take me as a disciple.’

’If I can join the Under-Dao Academy and use a True Monarch-level behemoth like the Dao Palace as my patron, even the Que Star Xi Family would have to weigh the consequences before touching me.’

He planned this out in his mind, but his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

’But if I do that, there will be many hidden troubles.’

’For the Dao Palace to protect me means falling out entirely with the Que Star Xi Family.’

’That True Monarch of the Xi Family has paid such a massive price for this grotto-heaven and that Realm Essence...’

’Moreover, I can’t shake the feeling that the True Monarch refining the grotto-heaven isn’t purely for the Realm Essence... But this is also a good thing. If the True Monarch of the Xi Family is after an even more secretive opportunity, then a pawn like me and that imperfect Realm Essence probably won’t matter as much.’

’However... I don’t know if this Dao Palace can be trusted, or if they would be willing to make an enemy of a True Monarch for the sake of the Immortal Slough.’

’It seems rather unlikely.’

’Even though I’m on good terms with Daoist Brother Lin, the Dao Palace isn’t his alone.’

’Daoist Shu Rong and Daoist Yaoguang might value me, but above them are the Masters of the Six Courtyards and that supreme Dao Teacher.’

’When such big shots weigh the pros and cons, the weight of a True Monarch is obviously incredibly heavy.’

He shook his head, pushing the thought down for the moment as another figure surfaced in his mind.

Liu Changle.

His good friend—his fellow sufferer who had been a slave alongside him in that dark and damp reverse-facing room.

Liu Changle had once told him that he wanted to ferry him over to the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

Liu Changle’s other soul was cultivating on the Dragon-Revering Sect’s Sun Observation Peak. Even though his cultivation had fallen, he was still a genuine Dao Foundation cultivator.

If Liu Changle was willing to use his own Dao Platform as a beacon and his Profound Root as a bridge, it was indeed possible to ferry him from the Weiji Grotto-Heaven into the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

’But if that happens, the Que Star Xi Family definitely won’t let the matter rest.’

’That True Monarch is refining an entire grotto-heaven; how could he tolerate a fish slipping through the net to roam free outside?’

’When the time comes, not only will I die, but I will also drag down Liu Changle and the Dragon-Revering Sect’s Sun Observation Peak that he cares so deeply about. Even in death, I wouldn’t be able to absolve myself of the blame.’

As Chen Lingxi thought to this point, the lightning in his eyes dimmed a bit further.

Both paths had major problems.

He remained silent for a long time, then suddenly raised his hand.

The Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi slowly floated in his palm.

That stream of precious qi, pitch-black as ink, slithered slowly across his palm like a tiny black snake, radiating a profoundly bizarre Dao charm.

Chen Lingxi stared at this precious qi in silence for a long time.

’That Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror in Emperor Daye’s hands can hold two sets of three souls and seven physical spirits.’

’Xiao Changlv’s clone, created by his own Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi, has already taken one slot. There is still one left.’

’If I use this precious qi to forge another set of three souls and seven physical spirits, I can negotiate terms with Emperor Daye and place this brand new soul into that treasure mirror as well.’

’This way, my main soul will remain in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven to continue searching for a way out, while that clone soul drifts through the void turbulence along with the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror.’

’If my luck holds, the treasure mirror might drift into some secret grotto-heaven realm, or even reach the Great Xuanzhuo Realm. Then, that clone soul of mine can seize a body and be reborn.’

’When that time comes, even though I’ll have lost my physical body, the Plundering Dragon Dao Platform, and the Thunder Prison Profound Root, I will at least still be alive.’

’As long as I’m alive, anything is possible.’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered, a plan already forming in his mind.

’Having just this one way out isn’t enough. I need to make twofold preparations.’

He raised his eyes, his gaze landing on the Immortal Slough.

’I now possess the Immortal Slough; this is my greatest bargaining chip.’

’With the Immortal Slough, I have the qualifications to negotiate terms with the Under-Dao Academy.’

Thinking up to this point, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked up at the churning sea of clouds in the vault of heaven.

He gazed at that sea of clouds in silence for a long time, then suddenly let out a cold snort.

’I wonder who is stronger, that True Monarch or the Great Sage’s true body?’

’If the two of them were to clash, what would be the result?’

Chen Lingxi suddenly wondered. A ruthless determination swelled in his heart, and murderous intent abruptly flared in his eyes.

’True Monarch, Great Sage... since you both want this grotto-heaven to die, I’ll give you an opportunity.’

Thinking of this, the heavy gloom that had accumulated in Chen Lingxi’s heart for so long finally dispersed a little.

He carefully tucked the Immortal Slough’s arm into his Vast Void Pouch. Then, using the Hidden Edge Method, he cloaked it layer upon layer, ensuring that not a shred of its aura would leak. Only then did he cast Vision Roaming on Lin Suri to pinpoint his location.

A few breaths later.

Chen Lingxi stood up and activated the Cloud Soaring Technique. The misty clouds lifted his body into the sky, and he shot off toward Lin Suri’s location.

Lin Suri and the others were no longer in the Ning Country Capital.

They had relocated to a place called Emerald Screen Mountain in Lunan Province.

Emerald Screen Mountain wasn’t particularly tall, but it was incredibly tranquil. The mountain was covered in lush emerald bamboo that rustled whenever the wind blew; it was truly a rare haven of peace.

Chen Lingxi brought his cloud down before Emerald Screen Mountain. From afar, he spotted a few bamboo huts half-hidden within a bamboo grove halfway up the mountain. In front of those huts stood a figure in crimson robes, her hands clasped behind her back. It was Daoist Shu Rong, Chi Jianshu.

She looked the same as always—strikingly beautiful with a graceful, elegant bearing.

Standing before the emerald bamboo, the deep and vast fluctuations of her Dao Origin were entirely restrained within her body. From the outside, she looked like an ordinary woman in red. Only the starlight occasionally swirling in the depths of her eyes betrayed her true cultivation.

Riding his cloud over, Chen Lingxi cupped his hands in a distant salute to Daoist Shu Rong.

Daoist Shu Rong stepped forward personally to receive him. With a slight nod and a faint smile on her face, she stepped aside and guided him into the bamboo hut.

The furnishings inside the bamboo hut were incredibly spartan: just a single bamboo desk and a few bamboo stools.

Lin Suri was sitting cross-legged behind the bamboo desk with his eyes closed in meditation. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes. Upon seeing Chen Lingxi, a genuine smile broke out across his exceptionally pale face.

Jiang Xiu and Wei Qingran were both present as well. Seeing Chen Lingxi enter, they both stood up to greet him.

After they exchanged a few pleasantries, Daoist Shu Rong cut straight to the chase. ”Chen Lingxi, do you have urgent business here?”

The starlight in her deep eyes glinted slightly; she had clearly already sensed that something was off.

Chen Lingxi fell silent for a moment before raising his head. Suddenly, he asked, ”Senior, I have indeed come to ask for guidance on a certain matter.

”Between the Immortal Slough and the Realm Essence capable of forging the Great Profound Golden Palace, which of the two is more precious?”