After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi took out the Great Divine Ability spirit jade and slowly extended his divine sense into it.

Engraved on the spiritual wall was the [Heavenly Statute Edict] method. Every word shone like a pearl and gleamed like gold, naturally exuding a majestic, solemn aura.

But this Great Divine Ability was simply too profound.

The Heavenly Statute Edict commanded the law with a single word, requesting a heavenly statute directly from the Great Dao.

Once that heavenly statute descended, it could seal all things and lock away all laws with unimaginable might.

However, the greater its power, the harder it was to cultivate.

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged deep within the Water Curtain Cave, carefully studying the method of the Heavenly Statute Edict.

He considered his comprehension and aptitude to be quite exceptional among the younger generation of the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, yet he still could not grasp the rudiments of this Heavenly Statute Edict.

A month quietly slipped by.

After a month, Chen Lingxi opened his eyes and shook his head slightly.

”With my current comprehension... it’s simply too difficult to comprehend the Heavenly Statute Edict in a short time,” he muttered, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

He lowered his head in thought, then suddenly remembered something.

There was a Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll inside the true dragon statue at the Dragon-Revering Main Sect!

’I was in too much of a hurry last time and didn’t get to witness the profound mysteries of the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll,’ Chen Lingxi thought, his eyes gradually brightening.

The Celestial Ranking was an extraordinary cauldron vessel, seemingly covering thousands of secret realms and grotto-heavens, shrouding the entire Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

When Chen Lingxi was in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven, he had relied on the Celestial Ranking’s spiritual energy to save an unknown number of years of cultivation.

And now... the Dragon-Revering Sect’s Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll was right in front of him.

’Why don’t I seize this opportunity and see if it can help me cultivate the Heavenly Statute Edict?’

With this thought, the spark of enlightenment in his mind blazed like a prairie fire.

Chen Lingxi immediately got up and went to find Yuan Lingyu.

Yuan Lingyu was in secluded cultivation.

Her divine sense flowed in front of her cave dwelling, sensing a visitor.

If it were anyone else, she definitely would have ignored them.

But when she sensed it was Chen Lingxi, a look of pleasant surprise surfaced on her elegant face.

She withdrew her energy and stood up, dispelling the thick mist lingering in front of the cave dwelling to welcome him.

”Senior Brother, you’re out of seclusion?” she asked, stepping forward with a bright smile. Her eyes curved into crescents, and her voice carried a hint of joy. ”I went looking for you a few days ago, but I saw Dao Origin flowing outside your cave and didn’t dare disturb you.”

Chen Lingxi nodded and walked into the cave dwelling with her.

Yuan Lingyu’s cave dwelling was elegantly decorated. A few landscape paintings hung on the walls, and a small bronze burner sat on the desk, wafting a faint spiritual incense.

She personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Lingxi before sitting opposite him, her eyes watching as she waited for him to speak.

Chen Lingxi did not stand on ceremony and asked directly, ”Junior Sister, what exactly is the origin of the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll at the Dragon-Revering Main Sect? And how does one claim the opportunities upon it?”

Hearing this, Yuan Lingyu put down her teacup and said seriously, ”Senior Brother, you might not know this, but the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll was manifested by the profound and mighty power of the [Celestial Ranking] cauldron vessel. It is extremely extraordinary. It holds four profound rankings, corresponding to the stages from Early Dao Foundation to Dao Foundation Perfection. Any Dao Foundation cultivator destined to make the list receives a gift of spiritual energy from the celestial ranking. That spiritual energy refines the Dao Platform, nourishes the Profound Root, and enhances comprehension and innate talent far beyond what ordinary breathing exercises can achieve.”

”Four profound rankings...” Chen Lingxi mused, suddenly feeling a bit doubtful. ”Then do Golden Palace figures, or even Golden Core figures, not enter the immortal roll?”

Yuan Lingyu shook her head. ”It is not that they don’t enter the immortal roll, but rather they don’t enter the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll. The Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll is limited solely to the Dragon-Revering Territory. Rumor has it... a Celestial Ranking hangs high above the entire Land of Nine Palaces, and even the Great Xuanzhuo Realm. Perhaps the stronger figures are on that broader immortal ranking.”

Hearing her say this, Chen Lingxi’s heart stirred.

He had originally thought the Celestial Ranking only manifested in a few secret realms and grotto-heavens, or perhaps in a limited territory. He never expected it to cover such a vast area.

If a Celestial Ranking hung high over the entire Land of Nine Palaces, and even the Great Xuanzhuo Realm...

He was just about to ask more when he noticed Yuan Lingyu’s eyes suddenly shift.

She looked around, as if afraid someone might overhear.

She quietly leaned closer to Chen Lingxi, lowering her voice as her divine sense flowed out and echoed softly by his ear, ”Senior Brother, I once had a cauldron vessel fragment named the [Karma-Knowing Cicada]. That fragment was quite extraordinary. It could randomly perceive certain secrets and warn me with a cicada’s chirp! Before it completely dissipated, it told me...”

She paused slightly, her voice growing even softer.

”Great Encompassing Heaven is going to integrate the Land of Nine Palaces. They will hang an opportunity cauldron vessel high above it, and a Mystic Monarch of the Mystic Throne will suppress the region. This will connect all opportunities across the entire Land of Nine Palaces, forcing all sects, profound gates, and immortal clans to compete and advance together...”

At this point, her gaze suddenly turned toward the Dragon-Revering Main Sect, an indescribable light flashing through her clear eyes.

”Perhaps...” she whispered, ”those two immortals from Great Encompassing Heaven came here exactly for this!”

The cave dwelling momentarily fell silent.

Chen Lingxi was greatly astonished. Although he had not been in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm for long and had never even left the Dragon-Revering Territory, back in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven he had already learned that the Land of Nine Palaces was immensely vast, containing an untold number of profound gates and immortal clans.

Even colossal entities like the Dragon-Revering Sect were not in the minority.

Thunder Pool, Calamity Sea, Southern Heaven Region, Under-Dao Academy, Zhuran Star, Que Star, Jade Platform... numerous factions stood as equals within this Land of Nine Palaces, their territories stretching to an unfathomable extent.

Many tyrannical cultivators dwelled among them, and Dao Foundation cultivators went without saying.

Figures at the Golden Palace realm, and even genuine True Monarchs, were by no means rare.

For Great Encompassing Heaven to integrate such a vast territory into one and have a Mystic Monarch oversee it—this level of ambition was simply massive.

Across this expansive region, numerous factions stood intertwined, fighting, snatching opportunities, clashing, and refusing to submit to one another. Yet, Great Encompassing Heaven could suppress so many profound gates, immortal clans, and experts. From this alone... it was evident just how formidable Great Encompassing Heaven truly was.

’If this really came from a cauldron vessel fragment, it probably isn’t false. Moreover, Junior Sister Lingyu wouldn’t lie to me,’ Chen Lingxi sighed inwardly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

If things were truly as Yuan Lingyu said, the numerous profound gates and immortal clans across the entire Land of Nine Palaces would connect their opportunities and form one massive entity. Although this meant crueler competition, it also signaled even more extraordinary encounters.

’Since this upheaval is coming to the Land of Nine Palaces, I should prepare early and raise my strength to the Dao Foundation Middle Stage as soon as possible.’

Thinking this, Chen Lingxi asked, ”Junior Sister Lingyu, I once defeated Lian Sheng, who is ranked on the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll. Yet, the roll didn’t manifest, nor did my name appear on it. How exactly can cultivators like us get our names on the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll?”

Yuan Lingyu patiently explained, ”Although Senior Brother joined Slumbering Deer Peak earlier than I did, you have always been in secluded cultivation... I’m a bit more restless, so I asked around with a few senior brothers and happen to know about this. For Dao Foundation cultivators like us, getting on the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll is actually quite simple. You just need to go before the true dragon statue and invoke the Celestial Ranking! The Celestial Ranking has its own spirit and profound mysteries. When a cultivator invokes the ranking, the cauldron vessel’s Dao mysteries will tear open the void and project an avatar. You only need to fight that projection. Once a result is determined, you will know whether you can make the list and exactly where you will rank!”

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered. This was somewhat different from the Celestial Ranking in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

For the Celestial Ranking in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven, one only needed to challenge the experts on the list and defeat them to make the ranking and seize their spiritual energy. This Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll, however, seemed even simpler.

”There’s no time to lose.” Chen Lingxi narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up, bowing to Yuan Lingyu.

”Junior Sister, I plan to make a trip to the Dragon-Revering Main Sect right now and see if I can obtain the Celestial Ranking’s spiritual energy.”

Yuan Lingyu clapped her hands and smiled. ”Senior Brother, you defeated Lian Sheng, who ranked sixth on the First Profound Ranking. If you go to claim the Celestial Ranking’s spiritual energy, it will naturally be in the bag.”

Chen Lingxi was just about to leave when he noticed the expectation in Yuan Lingyu’s eyes. He thought for a moment and simply invited her, ”Junior Sister, if you have time, you can come with me. We can treat it as a leisurely trip.”

Yuan Lingyu was pleasantly surprised and quickly stood up.

The two of them summoned clouds and flew toward the Dragon-Revering Main Sect.

Along the way, Yuan Lingyu was quite delighted. When they passed a bamboo grove, she suddenly smiled as beautifully as a blooming flower. ”Senior Brother, do you remember our first meeting in the Yaoyue Bamboo Grove? You were forging a treasure there, and I happened to fall into the grove. If you hadn’t saved me, I’m afraid I would have died there. It’s precisely because you brought me back to Slumbering Deer Peak that I was able to become Master’s disciple.”

Chen Lingxi nodded lightly, remaining silent.

In his heart, however, he sighed.

’True Person Xiangshu’s cauldron vessel, the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, is indeed extraordinary. It can weave countless memories for the disciples of Slumbering Deer Peak. Junior Sister Lingyu probably never dreamed that this so-called life-saving grace is nothing more than an experience fabricated by the cauldron vessel.’

Seeing that Chen Lingxi did not answer, Yuan Lingyu did not mind. She merely gazed at the bamboo grove, her eyes turning increasingly tender.

The two of them traveled quickly, flying over mountains, numerous rivers, and an expansive ocean, before finally arriving at the Dragon-Revering Main Sect.

The Dragon-Revering Main Sect was incomparably vast. Seas of clouds churned, and spiritual energy filled the air.

The spiritual energy on Slumbering Deer Peak was already dense enough to yield twice the result with half the effort during cultivation, yet the concentration of spiritual energy here at the Dragon-Revering Main Sect surpassed even that.

Chen Lingxi had been here a few times, and every time he sensed such dense spiritual energy fluctuations, he felt astonished.

’With such rich spiritual energy, even a mortal living here could probably live to be a hundred and fifty. If Emperor Daye Ying Xian were here and set up his Mountains and Rivers Great Array, given the same hundred years, it would likely be enough for him to cultivate to the Golden Palace realm.’ Chen Lingxi sighed inwardly. As his thoughts reached this point, Emperor Daye naturally came to mind.

’Emperor Daye is in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven, while I am here in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm. Perhaps if I cultivate here for a hundred years, my cultivation base will surpass his.’

His eyes flickered as he looked toward the true dragon statue in the distance.

The statue was magnificently grand, its scales and claws meticulously detailed and gleaming with brilliant golden light.

Its two dragon horns were like peaks piercing the void, and its dragon whiskers drifted along with the clouds. If one did not look closely, they might actually mistake it for a living true dragon.

Chen Lingxi and Yuan Lingyu arrived in front of the true dragon statue together. Looking closely, they saw that the statue’s eyes were tightly shut.

It had been the same during Chen Lingxi’s previous visits.

”Senior Brother, the cauldron vessel has a spirit. Cultivators must offer it their respects,” Yuan Lingyu whispered softly by Chen Lingxi’s ear.

Chen Lingxi gave a slight nod. He suddenly circulated his Dao Origin and slowly bowed toward the true dragon statue.

In an instant, a breeze suddenly swept through the world. The long wind blew away the clouds and mist in front of the statue, revealing an astonishing scene!

The true dragon statue had opened its eyes at some unknown point. The golden radiance blazed like two suns hanging high in the void, and the flowing light seemed to materialize as it shuttled through the clouds, suspended high above.

Following that, it formed a golden screen of light spanning a hundred zhang in length and width.

Upon the golden screen of light, ripples of Dao Origin fluctuations appeared one after another.

These Dao Origin fluctuations were all extraordinary in their own right. One surged like fire, as if trying to scorch the heavens and the earth.

Another arched like a rainbow of sword qi, incomparably sharp, seemingly ready to tear the void apart.

Yet another felt as heavy and thick as the earth itself, as though containing an astonishing, mighty power!

Chen Lingxi looked straight ahead and spotted an extremely familiar ripple among the numerous Dao Origin fluctuations.

That particular Dao Origin fluctuation was like a cloud, ethereal and elusive, yet seemingly carrying a vitality of its own, capable of tracing out extraordinary Dao mysteries.

’This looks like Lian Sheng’s Dao Origin.’

Chen Lingxi instantly understood.

Unlike the Celestial Ranking in the Weiji Grotto-Heaven, this Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll didn’t list cultivators’ names on it; instead, it retained their Dao Origin.

By leaving their Dao Origin on the immortal roll, a cultivator was essentially leaving their name, signaling their intent to seize the ranking’s spiritual energy.

’In that case, I don’t have to worry about exposing my true name,’ Chen Lingxi thought, feeling relieved.

Beside him, Yuan Lingyu pointed at the three highest strands of Dao Origin on the hundred-zhang Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll.

”Senior Brother, look at that fire-like Dao Origin,” Yuan Lingyu said with reverence. ”That Dao Origin belongs to [Zhu Mi] from Southern Brightness Peak. Cultivating the [Brightness Fusion Art] Great Divine Ability, he is the most tyrannical figure among our Dragon-Revering Sect’s First Profound cultivators. He even fought a Dao Foundation Middle Stage cultivator to a standstill for three days without losing.”

Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow slightly.

The difference between the Dao Foundation Middle Stage and the Early Dao Foundation seemed like just a single step, but the true gap in realm was immeasurable, and the disparity in Dao Origin was simply unimaginable.

Even with incomparably profound foundations and extraordinary opportunities, an Early Dao Foundation cultivator would normally find it impossible to contend with a Second Profound cultivator at the Dao Foundation Middle Stage.

For Zhu Mi to hold out against a Dao Foundation Middle Stage cultivator for three days spoke volumes about his strength and incredibly vast Dao Origin.

’With such power, no wonder he ranks first on the First Profound Ranking,’ Chen Lingxi thought to himself.

Yuan Lingyu was about to continue her explanation.

Suddenly, several strands of Dao Origin on the immortal roll erupted with brilliant golden light, manifesting into multiple human silhouettes.

At that moment, golden light radiated from the hundred-zhang immortal roll as ten figures stood atop it, looking down at Chen Lingxi!

Chen Lingxi looked up and saw that the sixth strand of Dao Origin had morphed into the exact likeness of Lian Sheng, who was also staring back at him.

He instantly understood.

’This Dao Origin immortal roll can manifest human forms to observe the latecomers who challenge the ranking.’