After the Great Dao Died

Inside Water Curtain Cave, Chen Lingxi continued his cultivation.

Upon his Dao Foundation, the Thunder Prison Profound Root remained lush and leafy, with Weiji Thunder Radiance flowing deeply along its leaf veins.

To its side, a jagged, mottled jade-colored Profound Root quietly sprouted its first budding branch from the depths of his Dao Foundation.

Meanwhile, the Dao Origin within Chen Lingxi’s Dragon-Stripping Dao continued to grow, becoming increasingly dense.

’The Dao Foundation Middle Stage is already in sight.’

Excitement surged in his chest.

On his cultivation journey thus far, he had used the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi to open his Spiritual Aperture, nourished his dao with an Immortal Slough, and refined his aptitude and strengthened his foundation by assimilating two streams of Celestial Ranking Spiritual Energy.

He had reached this point through a mix of luck, serendipitous encounters, and seizing every advantage through his Absolute Perception Deduction.

By the conventional logic of the cultivation world, an Early Dao Foundation cultivator usually needed over a century of accumulation to step into the Dao Foundation Middle Stage.

Even disciples born into noble sects or immortal clans—with elders gathering spiritual materials, preparing resources, and opening cave dwellings for them—typically spent decades to achieve it.

Yet less than ten years had passed since Chen Lingxi entered the Great Xuanzhuo Realm and settled on Slumbering Deer Peak.

”I really am a genius,” Chen Lingxi boasted to himself, glancing down at the Dharmic Robe he wore.

His thoughts flickered as his spiritual sense dipped into his Vast Void Pouch, where two new garments lay.

One was entirely silver-white, its material fine, dense, and supple, without a single crease where it folded. Bathed in the sliver of sunlight streaming through the cave entrance, a faint aquamarine sheen shimmered over its pearlescent surface.

The other featured a deep black base adorned with gold patterns. The gold was perfectly balanced—neither too bold nor too faint—clinging to the dark fabric to trace out flowing, cloud-like patterns.

These were the two spirit robes Yuan Lingyu had tailored for him.

”Junior Martial Sister truly treats me with utmost sincerity,” Chen Lingxi muttered to himself.

Even though he knew this genuine affection stemmed from True Person Xiangshu’s Cauldron Vessel, the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, Yuan Lingyu wasn’t faking her emotions.

She truly viewed him as her direct senior martial brother.

”It doesn’t feel right to constantly accept her favors,” Chen Lingxi said, standing up. He recalled the opportunities related to the Heavenly Calamity Method that he had exchanged from the Great Encompassing Heaven-Observing Mirror during his Absolute Perception Deduction.

[There are two Heavenly Calamity Method opportunities within a radius of one million li.]

[First: Three thousand li east of the Dragon-Revering Territory lies a Yinghuo Moon-Reflecting Mushroom.]

[Second: Within the Dragon-Revering Territory, inside Falling Disaster Valley under the jurisdiction of Yang Awakening Upper Peak, exists Disaster Energy Stone Marrow.]

”Two opportunities...” Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered.

Now that he had successfully cultivated his second Great Divine Ability, and with no pressing matters on or off Slumbering Deer Peak for the time being, it was the perfect time to seek out these two opportunities for his Junior Martial Sister.

He slowly stood up, parted the water curtain, and stepped out of his cave dwelling.

Outside, the daylight was blindingly bright.

Three massive suns hung high in different corners of the sky, illuminating the sea of clouds around Slumbering Deer Peak until it was crystal clear. A faint layer of golden haze spilled down from the boundless radiance of the illusory divine deer.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, Chen Lingxi gazed out over the Dragon-Revering Sect Two Hundred Peaks.

The distant mountains clustered tightly together, while the sea of clouds coiled like a dragon.

”This Dragon-Revering Sect truly is magnificent,” he said, shaking his head. Cloud vapor coalesced beneath his feet, transforming into a faint wisp of thunder radiance as he soared into the sky.

—

Illuminating Sword Profound Peak.

Located beneath the Dragon-Revering Main Sect, this peak was towering and impossibly steep. It resembled a vertical cliff face sheerly carved by time, stabbing straight into the heavens from the sea of clouds.

A dense shroud of cloud vapor coiled around its midsection year-round. This wasn’t ordinary mist; sword intent subtly surged within it, sharp enough to slice the void into fragments.

Yet even on an inner peak perpetually engulfed in sword aura, there existed an incredibly secluded cave dwelling. Carved into the shaded side of a cliff halfway up the mountain, it boasted extraordinary spiritual energy. Even on Illuminating Sword Profound Peak, it was an exceptionally rare and precious place for cultivation.

Inside the cave.

A young man sitting cross-legged slowly opened his eyes.

It was the Second Profound Ranking Head of Illuminating Sword Profound Peak, Qi Chuan.

He sat atop a square block of black stone, a faint trace of swirling sword intent still lingering in his eyes.

He slowly turned his palm upward.

A Bamboo Slip Cauldron Vessel materialized out of thin air in his grasp.

The bamboo slip was about two fingers long. Its surface was as dark and smooth as jade, with a faint, imperceptibly fine stream of ancient aura continuously circulating across it.

This was his Cauldron Vessel, the Anger-Devouring Bamboo Husk.

Qi Chuan cast his gaze downward. Along the body of the bamboo slip, a faint name drifted, flickering in and out of sight.

Yuan Zhiling.

The three characters shot forth rays of golden light, slowly illuminating the surrounding ancient aura.

”To think that this person’s name would still shine so brightly upon my Cauldron Vessel,” Qi Chuan muttered to himself. ”He must be hiding many secrets. If I can truly devour his life-and-death anger, I might just be able to break through this final bottleneck before me.”

But...

Qi Chuan furrowed his brows slightly.

”I humiliated him several times on Southern Brightness Peak, yet he never grew angry.

”Besides, the petty anger of minor squabbles isn’t enough for me to fully obtain the Cauldron Vessel’s fortune... It has to be... life-and-death anger.”

Qi Chuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

By now, he had successfully cultivated three Great Divine Abilities. Two Profound Roots had long since settled upon his Dao Foundation, and his third Great Divine Ability was fully mastered.

If a third Profound Root also landed on his Dao Foundation, he could step into the Dao Foundation Late Stage, the Third Profound Realm.

”The opportunity for a breakthrough is right in front of me, yet it remains out of reach,” Qi Chuan scoffed coldly.

Before his thoughts could even settle, his expression shifted subtly as he sensed something.

”Hm?” With a flick of his sleeve, a Cauldron Vessel Fragment materialized from within.

This particular Cauldron Vessel Fragment was incredibly bizarre.

It was roughly three inches tall and entirely dark cyan. Bereft of any engraved runes, it looked like a strange stone that had been polished hundreds of millions of times.

Yet, when Qi Chuan channeled his Dao Origin into it, the fragment began to spin slowly in the void. An ancient aura flowed from it, cloaking the entire cave dwelling in a serene, profound stillness.

Following that, a faint phantom suddenly surfaced above the fragment.

The phantom wasn’t particularly solid—just a hazy silhouette—but Qi Chuan could tell at a glance that it was a strange beast.

It resembled a mix between an ox and a tiger.

It had the body of an ox, the head of a tiger, and a hook-like solitary horn jutting high from the center of its forehead, curving just enough to point back toward its spine.

But the most striking feature lay right in the center of its forehead.

Bizarrely, a third eye rested there.

The third eye was tightly shut, its eyelid as dark and deep as an abyss. Intensely intricate patterns grew across it, intertwining and linking together like an ancient talisman branded onto the forehead of some primordial mighty figure.

Upon seeing this, Qi Chuan instantly understood.

This Cauldron Vessel Fragment of his was named [Eye Origin Beast Pupil].

The sovereign of this Cauldron Vessel fed on ”sight.”

Whoever it marked would find their tracks and whereabouts utterly impossible to hide.

Qi Chuan had plucked the little martial uncle’s aura back on Southern Brightness Peak and used this Eye Origin Beast Pupil to mark him.

These past few days, the little martial uncle had remained cultivating on Slumbering Deer Peak.

The reason the ancient aura of the Eye Origin Beast Pupil suddenly surged just now was because that little martial uncle from Slumbering Deer Peak had finally left the mountain’s borders.

Qi Chuan slowly raised his head, gazing out at the ceaselessly churning sea of clouds beyond his cave. A smile crept onto his lips.

”Very well.” He slowly raised his right hand, bringing two fingers together to form an exceedingly simple spiritual talisman, and then flicked it forward.

The spiritual talisman shot from his fingertips and enveloped the Eye Origin Beast Pupil Cauldron Vessel Fragment. Transforming into a streak of flowing light, it rocketed up through the roiling sea of clouds, soared over the summit of Illuminating Sword Profound Peak, cut through the fragmented mists of sword intent, and flew straight toward the north of the Dragon-Revering Sect.

—

North of the Dragon-Revering Main Sect.

Deep within the sea of clouds sat an Upper Peak.

This mountain was named [Sandalwood Cloud Peak]. Its main summit was towering, and its midsection was cloaked year-round in a thick, undissipating spiritual mist.

Halfway up the peak lay an incredibly tranquil dojo.

Within the dojo, a female cultivator sat cross-legged.

It was unknown how many days she had been sitting there in silence.

A pale cyan robe embroidered with cloud patterns draped softly around her. Fine spiritual runes flowed across the fabric, locking her entire aura within three feet of her body.

She had a cold, ethereal beauty, her features picturesque, yet her expression was remarkably indifferent.

She was Lord Xiuyun, a disciple of the Sandalwood Cloud Peak Lineage.

She habitually stayed in secluded cultivation, rarely wandering around the Dragon-Revering Sect.

Even disciples from her own peak would typically only catch a glimpse of her once every few months.

But in this moment, her eyes suddenly snapped open.

A streak of silver-white light, encasing the Eye Origin Beast Pupil Cauldron Vessel Fragment, tore through the sky from the south of the sect and gently landed before her.

Lord Xiuyun did not stand. She merely raised her right hand and plucked the streak of light out of the void.

The moment her fingers closed around the strange beast Cauldron Vessel Fragment, its ancient aura began to circulate. Then, from amidst that serene, profound energy, a remarkably faint phantom slowly illuminated.

The phantom hovered in place for no more than a breath before dissolving into a wisp of aura that darted straight toward the east of the Dragon-Revering Territory.

Lord Xiuyun cast her eyes downward to watch it.

”East of the Dragon-Revering Territory,” she murmured. ”Fine. I’ll use this to repay my debt to Qi Chuan.”

She slowly stood up.

She said no more and did not hesitate.

Tucking the Cauldron Vessel Fragment into her sleeve, she stepped out of her cave dwelling. She transformed into a streak of cloud vapor and departed Sandalwood Cloud Peak, heading toward the east of the Dragon-Revering Territory.

—

Naturally, Chen Lingxi had no idea that a tracking mechanism was already trailing him, despite having left Slumbering Deer Peak barely half a day ago.

Right now, he was soaring upon the clouds over the rolling sea of mist. Faint thunder radiance crackled beneath his feet and his robes whipped in the wind as he sped toward the distant Falling Disaster Valley.

Chen Lingxi was no stranger to the mountains and rivers of Yang Awakening Upper Peak.

He had traveled alongside Wang Chenchuan once before, and had also traversed the sea of clouds across the Yang Awakening domain alongside True Person Yujun.

Back then, he had only been at the Early Dao Foundation stage. Returning now, his cultivation had advanced and his aura had grown substantially deeper, making his impressions of the place entirely different.

He traveled steadily west, crossing several mountains and passing through patches of spiritual mist.

After about a day had passed, Chen Lingxi arrived at an incredibly secluded and profound location.

It was a deep valley nestled amidst a cluster of peaks.

A thick layer of miasma blanketed the valley year-round. From afar, the entire gorge looked like a colossal beast lurking among the mountains, staring out with a half-open, aquamarine eye.

This was Falling Disaster Valley.

Chen Lingxi gently guided his cloud downward, touching down just outside the valley’s entrance.

He wasn’t in a rush to enter. First, he employed the Method of Qi Observation, peering through the aquamarine miasma into the depths of the valley.

Deep at the very bottom of the gorge, there indeed lay a remarkably fine and obscure spiritual trace.

That spiritual energy slowly seeped out from a subterranean earth vein somewhere at the base of the valley. It snaked its way up along the crevices in the rocks, eventually coalescing into a tiny wisp of muddy substance atop a moss-covered boulder.

The Disaster Energy Stone Marrow.

Chen Lingxi slowly withdrew his gaze and took a step forward.

The moment his foot crossed the threshold into the valley, the heavy aquamarine miasma surged toward him from all directions as if it were alive.

Chen Lingxi didn’t try to dodge. Instead, the thunder radiance around his body burst forth.

A layer of pale golden lightning materialized out of thin air around him, barricading the aquamarine miasma three feet away.

The moment the miasma touched the thunder radiance, it dissolved silently, like ice meeting red-hot charcoal.

He slowed his pace, making his way deeper down.

Down at the bottom of the valley, the miasma was as thick as woven fabric, swallowing up all light and color.

Right at the exact moment he reached the deepest part of the valley—

An incredibly fierce and malevolent aura violently spiked from deep within the roiling miasma.

Chen Lingxi’s footsteps paused for a fraction of a second.

The next instant, the demonic beast hiding in the miasma lunged ferociously from the depths.

The beast’s scales were as black as ink. It had a frame like an ox, with legs like thick pillars and several bone spikes protruding along its spine.

Yet, its head resembled that of a serpent. An intensely dense vortex of disaster energy swirled on its forehead, and fangs gleamed inside its gaping, bloodthirsty maw.

Chen Lingxi’s expression remained calm.

With a metallic ringing, the Abyssal Heaven Spiritual Sword at his waist leaped from its scabbard.

The residual patterns of the hundred restrictions upon its blade lit up simultaneously. Sword intent erupted into the sky from its edge, cleaving a neat line straight through the churning aquamarine miasma.

The Jade Tiger Rebellious Sea Sword Light instantly spewed from the Abyssal Heaven Spiritual Sword, transforming into a cyan-gold sword rainbow that stretched across the valley floor. It slashed head-on toward the demonic beast.

The beast let out a low roar. The disaster energy vortex on its forehead suddenly spun rapidly, sucking in all the surrounding miasma. It then spewed a murky beam of disaster light from its maw to meet the sword light head-on.

The sword light and the disaster light collided violently in the void.

The cyan-gold sword rainbow cleanly cleaved the aquamarine disaster light down the middle, splitting it in two before causing it to crumble inch by inch.

Undiminished in momentum, the sword rainbow pierced straight through the center of the beast’s forehead and blasted cleanly out its back.

A muffled boom echoed throughout the base of the valley.

The beast’s massive body stiffened violently under the strike. The disaster energy vortex on its forehead abruptly extinguished, and its colossal frame crashed heavily out of the air.

Chen Lingxi returned his sword to its sheath.

”With my second Profound Root, my Dao Origin is much denser and the Jade Tiger Sword Light is significantly stronger,” he said with a satisfied nod. Stepping forward, he walked up to the moss-covered rock.

Upon the stone, that wisp of Disaster Energy Stone Marrow quietly flowed.

Chen Lingxi brought out a Jade Bottle. Using his Dao Origin as a guide, he slowly swept the marrow off the rock and collected every last drop into the bottle. The wisp of marrow churned slightly inside the jade vessel before gradually settling down.

Chen Lingxi sealed the Jade Bottle and stored it inside his Vast Void Pouch.

”The first is done,” he murmured. ”The second is three thousand li east of the Dragon-Revering Territory.”

Not lingering any longer in the valley, he immediately took to the clouds and sped east.

The Dragon-Revering Territory was overwhelmingly vast.

From the Dragon-Revering Main Sect, where ancient true dragon statues hung suspended, one had to travel east across a hundred thousand mountains, past one hundred and eighty subordinate cities, and over endless stretches of rivers and plains before finally reaching that desolate, uninhabited border region.

Chen Lingxi traveled east without pause.

The speed of the Wondrous State Cloud Soaring Technique was already quite fast. As he hurried along, the mountains and rivers below him rushed backward like flowing water.

The sea of clouds churned past his sides, birds darted beneath him, and the clusters of peaks sank inch by inch from his field of vision.

The sheer size of the Dragon-Revering Territory was unfathomable.

Chen Lingxi lost track of how many days he flew, stopping only when the mountains and rivers began to take on a rough, jagged appearance.

Vegetation grew sparse, the earth veins felt crude and chaotic, and spiritual energy was no longer as omnipresent as it was near the Fenglong Peaks.

Chen Lingxi slowly lowered his cloud.

He stood at the edge of the barren plains and looked up.

At the very end of the wasteland, an extremely tall, solitary mountain thrust up from the desolate earth.

The entire peak was a dark, bloody red. Not a single tree or blade of grass grew upon it. It looked like a dark red iron pillar that had been forged in fire for ten thousand years, piercing straight up toward the heavens.

And right above Solitary Mountain, deep within the boundless sky, a single star hung high, casting down its reflection.

This star was incredibly small as it dangled in the firmament above. It was the color of ancient bronze, its light as feeble as a dying lamp.

A dark red halo ringed it, washing over the mountain and faintly coaxing out a wisp of starlight from among the rocks.

”Is that the Yinghuo Moon-Reflecting Mushroom?” Chen Lingxi muttered as he slowly flew closer. He could clearly sense an overpowering aura of slaughter radiating wildly from that star, completely shrouding Solitary Mountain!

Hung high in the void like the ancient Yinghuo star, it spewed a ferocious aura of slaughter that struck fear into anyone who felt it.

Chen Lingxi, however, wasn’t the least bit afraid.

Thunder radiance slowly bloomed around him.

A layer of pale golden lightning manifested out of thin air, forming a barrier that repelled the drifting aura of slaughter a full ten feet away.

He stepped forward.

The moment his foot landed, the cloud vapor beneath him sank, and the lightning crackling around him surged with intensity. Upon the Dragon-Stripping Dao within him, the Thunder Prison Profound Root shuddered violently, and Weiji Thunder Radiance spewed endlessly from its depths!

Upon colliding with the Weiji Thunder Radiance, the fierce aura of slaughter crumbled inch by inch, as if it had run into its natural predator.

Wielding the lightning to forge a path, Chen Lingxi took step after step, ascending straight to the summit of Solitary Mountain.

Atop the summit of Solitary Mountain.

”Right here,” Chen Lingxi said, a faint smile touching his lips.

He looked down to see a single spiritual herb resting there.

It was barely a foot long, with a stalk that looked like solid silver. Several leaves grew from each node, shimmering with a layer of silvery-white radiance.

It was the Yinghuo Moon-Reflecting Mushroom.

Chen Lingxi gently plucked the Yinghuo Moon-Reflecting Mushroom from amidst the bluestone and stowed it in his pouch.

”The second is done too,” he noted. ”That went smoothly... Mostly because I primarily cultivate the Thunder Prison, meaning the fierce slaughter aura of Yinghuo can’t do a thing to me.”

He stepped onto his cloud, taking to the sky to fly out of the domain shrouded by the ominous star.

Just then, the cloud vapor beneath Chen Lingxi’s feet abruptly stalled.

He snapped his head up, staring toward the distant sky.

’Someone’s here?’