After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi followed Liu Zhu through the West Courtyard’s moon gate, stepping onto the bluestone path that led to the East Hall.

A July morning breeze drifted through the garden, carrying the fragrance of early-blooming pond lotuses mingled with the damp, sun-warmed scent of the grassy banks.

At the doors of the East Hall, Liu Zhu stopped and stepped aside, gesturing for him to go in.

Chen Lingxi stepped over the threshold.

People were already inside.

Lin Longyue sat in the seat of honor. Today she wore a moon-white jacket embroidered with clouds beneath a silver-white gauze robe. Her hair was pinned with a single white magnolia hairpin—an arrangement so plain it bordered on austere.

County Princess Yunhe sat to her right. Dressed in a pale yellow jacket, she maintained her usual lazy posture, resting her chin on one hand while the other pinched a piece of osmanthus cake she was slowly eating.

Two maids stood silently behind her, their eyes lowered.

As expected, County Princess Yunhe is here too.

Chen Lingxi wasn’t surprised. The county princess probably spent more time here at the Baosu Marquis Residence than at her own Yuanjiang palace.His gaze swept over her and suddenly paused.

Months of cultivation had significantly sharpened his five senses.

At this moment, he clearly caught the rhythm of County Princess Yunhe’s breathing—it was entirely different from an ordinary person’s.

Instead of a normal inhalation and exhalation, her breathing involved a minuscule, almost imperceptible suction.

With every breath she drew, a faint trace of spiritual energy circulated in her throat. The energy was colorless and formless; if he hadn’t reached the Qi Circulation 3rd Floor and vastly improved his perception, he would never have noticed it.

But what truly shocked Chen Lingxi was...

That spiritual energy wasn’t being drawn from heaven and earth. It was coming from Lin Longyue.

He saw it clearly.

As Lin Longyue sat there, her vitality circulated naturally, her foundation in the Silver Bone Realm as deep as an abyss.

Yet, from that circulating vitality, a thread of breath was drawn away by some unseen force, drifting out silently to merge into County Princess Yunhe’s breath.

County Princess Yunhe held a mouthful of spiritual energy, absorbed that wisp of vitality, and slowly swallowed it. A faint look of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.

The expression vanished in a flash. If Chen Lingxi hadn’t been paying close attention, he would have missed it entirely.

A slight chill ran through Chen Lingxi’s heart, but his face remained impassive. He stepped into the center of the hall and bowed. ”Chen Lingxi greets the County Princess. Greets the Miss.”

Lin Longyue waved a hand, gesturing for him to rise.

”Chen Lingxi,” she began. ”The Crown Prince has returned to Yuanjiang and is hosting a banquet at the Beast-Fighting Palace on Mangyang Mountain. He has invited all the young talents of Yuanjiang Prefecture.”

She paused and took a sip of tea.

”Chu Linzi, the daughter of the provincial governor, will also be there.”

”I have provided you with cultivation resources several times. I allowed you to leave the manor monthly to purchase medicinal herbs, and granted you access to the texts in the Library Pavilion.” Her gaze fell back on Chen Lingxi. Her tone was flat, yet it carried an inescapable pressure. ”Now is the time for you to prove your worth. Are you ready?”

”Prove my worth?”

Hearing this, Chen Lingxi felt confused, but his face showed just the right amount of respect and gratitude.

”Miss, I have cultivated for several months without daring to slack off for a moment,” he replied evenly, neither too fast nor too slow. ”I have now reached Minor Mastery of the Bronze-Red Realm, and my Mountain-Collapsing Force has also seen minor success.

If Miss has an order, I will give it my all. I won’t disappoint you.”

Minor Mastery of the Bronze-Red Realm.

This was a realm he had intentionally claimed to lower expectations.

Concealed by the Concealed Edge Method, his initial foray into the Silver Bone Realm remained masked. His bodily vitality was far from fully converting into silver marrow vitality and still contained copper fire vitality. The aura he outwardly projected truly only reached the Bronze-Red level.

”Minor Mastery of the Bronze-Red Realm.” Lin Longyue raised an eyebrow, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her lips. ”To go from the Iron Body to Minor Mastery of the Bronze-Red Realm in just a few months is indeed extraordinary.”

She stood up, clasping her hands behind her back, and paced a few steps.

County Princess Yunhe remained seated, her chin resting on her hand. Her gaze circled over Chen Lingxi, the smile on her lips deepening slightly.

That look made Chen Lingxi somewhat uncomfortable.

It was as if she had spotted an amusing toy, or was calculating how to use him.

He lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze.

Lin Longyue paced a few more steps through the hall before abruptly stopping with a cold snort.

”When it comes to background, Chu Linzi is far beneath me,” she said, an irrepressible chill in her voice. ”But she thinks she can suppress me just because she has attached herself to the Crown Prince.”

She turned around to look at Chen Lingxi, a cold light flickering in her eyes.

”I will defeat her in front of the Crown Prince, no matter what it takes.”

County Princess Yunhe set down her osmanthus cake, took a handkerchief from her maid to wipe her fingers, and finally spoke in a leisurely drawl.

”This servant in your manor certainly has some aptitude, but he started cultivating far too late.” She shot Chen Lingxi a meaningful look. ”I just wonder if he’ll actually be able to prove his worth when facing the ferocious beasts under Chu Linzi’s command at the Beast-Fighting Palace.”

Having said her piece, County Princess Yunhe stood up and gave Lin Longyue a slight nod.

”I will head out first. I’ll see you at Mangyang Mountain.”

With that, she took her two maids and strolled out of the East Hall.

Lin Longyue watched her figure disappear beyond the moon gate, her expression fading slightly.

”Liu Que,” she called out.

The West Courtyard steward, Liu Que, hurried in from outside and bowed his head, awaiting orders.

”Prepare the carriages,” Lin Longyue ordered evenly as she set down her teacup. ”We leave in the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.”

Liu Que bowed in acknowledgment and withdrew.

Lin Longyue smoothed her robes and shifted her gaze to Chen Lingxi.

”Go prepare yourself as well. Change into clean clothes; don’t cause the Baosu Marquis Residence to lose face.”

Chen Lingxi bowed. ”Yes.”

—

Outside the side gate of the residence, the carriages were ready.

There were two Green-Curtained Carriages drawn by tall, sturdy horses. Their coats were sleek and shiny, and their hooves had been wrapped in cloth, producing only dull, muffled thuds on the bluestones.

Lin Longyue boarded the first carriage, and the curtains were lowered, hiding her completely from view.

Chen Lingxi got into the second carriage with two other young martial artists.

He had seen both of them before. They were disciples of the West Courtyard’s Martial Arts Hall; one was named Zheng Qingya, the other Zhou Xian.

Zheng Qingya had initially been chosen by Jiang Yuan. He’d thought his position was locked in, never expecting Chen Lingxi to emerge halfway through and have Jiang Yuan publicly declare that Chen Lingxi’s aptitude was superior.

Months had passed since then. Zheng Qingya didn’t show it on his face, but he likely hadn’t forgotten.

Right now, he sat across from Chen Lingxi, staring at him with tightly pursed lips and saying nothing.

Zhou Xian, however, was much more relaxed. After boarding, he gave Chen Lingxi a brief nod, leaned against the carriage wall, and closed his eyes to rest.

The carriages slowly set off, their wheels rumbling over the bluestone slabs.

Chen Lingxi closed his eyes as well, silently regulating his breathing in time with the carriage’s swaying.

Once they left the city, the road grew uneven and bumpy.

He opened his eyes and lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside.

Vast farmlands stretched along both sides of the official road. The rice plants had already sprouted ears, tinged with yellow amid the green, their heavy heads drooping downward.

Rolling mountains rose and fell in the distance, faintly visible through the thin summer morning mist.

The carriages traveled west for the better part of an hour before turning onto a side road.

This path steadily climbed, transitioning from dirt to gravel that crunched under the wheels.

Mangyang Mountain.

The mountain wasn’t tall, but it was incredibly steep. From a distance, it resembled a giant crouching sheep, hence the name Mangyang.

Its summit was broad and flat, housing a palace built specifically for the Crown Prince’s leisure during his stays.

At the base of the mountain road lay a checkpoint. Dozens of armored soldiers stood holding halberds, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The carriage stopped as a soldier approached to inspect them.

Liu Que jumped down from the driver’s seat, handed over a token, and murmured a few words.

The soldier nodded and waved them through.

The carriages continued their ascent.

After about fifteen minutes, the mountain road suddenly opened up to reveal a flat hillside.

Chen Lingxi lifted the curtain to look out.

To his surprise, someone was sitting on the slope.

A man sat cross-legged on a jutting rock, facing east with his eyes closed in meditation.

He wore golden armor. His hair and beard were completely white, yet his face was as rosy as a baby’s, devoid of a single wrinkle.

His vitality circulated endlessly around him, but it felt chaotic and profound; its true depth was impossible to gauge.

Silver Bone? Golden Body?

Neither.

As Chen Lingxi’s gaze rested on the man, he sensed that the man’s vitality wasn’t surging outward, nor was it being forcefully suppressed inward. Instead, it circulated slowly through his body in a bizarre rhythm.

It was like a great river—calm and unrippled on the surface, but surging with a torrential force down below.

A thought suddenly sprang to his mind—this man’s cultivation might exceed even the Golden Body Realm.

Could it be the rumored Jade Qi Realm?

The carriage drove past him, but the old man never opened his eyes, as if entirely unaware of their presence.

Chen Lingxi dropped the curtain and withdrew his gaze.

They traveled for the time it took to drink another cup of tea before the carriages finally came to a halt.

Chen Lingxi threw back the curtain and stepped out.

Before him stood a towering palace with vermilion walls and golden tiles. Its sweeping eaves and upturned corners gleamed brilliantly in the afternoon sun.

The main gates were wide open, flanked by two rows of soldiers in silver armor and helmets. They held long lances and stood completely motionless.

Liu Que led them in through a side gate. They passed through several courtyards before arriving at a vast plaza.

At the far end of the plaza stood a grand hall. Its doors were open, and the shadowy figures of people could be seen milling inside.

Chen Lingxi followed Lin Longyue into the hall.

The interior was incredibly spacious, with a high, vaulted ceiling and resplendent golden decor.

The floor was paved with solid lapis lazuli bricks, polished so smoothly they could reflect a person’s image.

Massive brocade curtains hung from the four walls, embroidered with dragons and clouds that cast a deep, dark luster in the candlelight.

Many people were already seated inside.

More than ten chairs were arranged on each side. The men and women sitting in them were all dressed in fine silks and luxurious robes, exuding extraordinary auras.

County Princess Yunhe sat in the first chair on the right, maintaining her lazy posture as she slowly sipped from a cup of tea. Seeing Lin Longyue enter, she gave a slight nod in greeting.

Lin Longyue took the third chair on the left, with Liu Que standing at attention behind her.

An attendant led Chen Lingxi, Zheng Qingya, and Zhou Xian to the side of the hall. Over thirty people were already standing there. They were all youths in varying styles of dress, their expressions ranging from nervous to indifferent.

Chen Lingxi stepped into the crowd, quietly observing his surroundings.

A woman sat in the second chair on the left.

She looked to be around twenty years old and was exceptionally tall, her back as straight as a spear.

She wore a tight black martial outfit covered by a scarlet cloak. A long saber hung from her waist; its scabbard was a dark, solid color without any ornate carvings.

She was the provincial governor’s daughter, Chu Linzi.

She shot a sidelong glance that landed on Chen Lingxi, a flash of surprise crossing her face.

”He advanced again?”

”It seems I wasn’t mistaken about him.”

Three young men stood behind her. They were all dressed in short, tight-fitting martial attire, with bulging muscles and deep, heavy breathing.

The three stared straight ahead, standing as straight as spears. Their vitality vaguely leaked outward—all three were unmistakably at the Bronze-Red Realm.

Chu Linzi was speaking in a low voice to a young man sitting in the first seat on the left.

The man was about twenty-two or twenty-three, and exceptionally handsome. His face was as flawless as jade and his lips were naturally red. His peach-blossom eyes curved slightly upward, exuding a natural charm whenever he looked around.

He wore a moon-white brocade robe secured by a white jade belt, and a jade crown sat atop his head. His entire demeanor was a notch above almost everyone else present.

Chen Lingxi’s heart stirred slightly as his gaze landed on the man.

He heard someone call out to him—”Brother Zhuri.”

The Chen family had once been an official family as well, and Chen Lingxi himself had earned a scholarly title in his younger years.

Naturally, he had heard this man’s name before.

He was the son of General Chiri: Yang Zhuri.

Yang Zhuri wasn’t just General Chiri’s only son; he was also a famous man of culture in the capital.

He was skilled in flower arrangement and excelled in horseback archery. He was proficient in all forms of poetry and literature, making him the dream man of countless young maidens.

Seeming to sense Chen Lingxi’s gaze, Yang Zhuri turned his head slightly and glanced at him.

The look was incredibly indifferent, as if he were merely looking at an insignificant decoration. He immediately withdrew his gaze and resumed his conversation with Chu Linzi.

Below County Princess Yunhe sat seven or eight others, both men and women. They all hailed from prestigious families, clad in luxurious clothes and carrying themselves with extraordinary grace.

Their gazes frequently swept over the thirty-odd youths standing at the side of the hall, their eyes holding an undisguised look of scrutiny and disdain.

Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow as realization suddenly dawned on him.

Beast fighting.

Lin Longyue had called this the ”Beast-Fighting Palace.”

Standing at the edge of the hall, lined up alongside those thirty others, he was like a piece of merchandise waiting for a price, offered up for the inspection of the nobles in their seats.

The nobles looked at them exactly as they would look at fighting cocks, fighting dogs, or fighting crickets—inspecting their teeth, muscles, and spirit, calculating how many rounds they could last in the ring and how much face they could win for their masters.

How humiliating was this?

Chen Lingxi lowered his eyes, suppressing the surging emotions and revealing absolutely nothing on his face.

The Concealed Edge Method circulated within his body, wrapping even tighter around that stream of azure qi in his dantian.

He suppressed the faint silver-white glow on the surface of his bones until it almost entirely disappeared.

Standing there, he resembled an inconspicuous, dust-covered stone, incapable of drawing anyone’s attention.