After the Great Dao Died

True Lord Heaven-Grafting!

Heaven-Grafting Ladder!

Chen Lingxi silently committed the two names to memory.

Candlelight flickered inside the eastern hall. Ambergris smoke flowed like a stream across the mutton-fat jade floor tiles.

The crown prince stood with his hands behind his back before a landscape painting. With his back to the bronze lamp, he looked like a jade statue enshrined in the dark.

Chen Lingxi stood in the hall with his hands at his sides, his expression unchanged.

The crown prince suddenly turned around. His gaze fell on Chen Lingxi. Spiritual qi finally flowed through his eyes, and a vortex faintly spun in the depths of his pupils.

”Your spiritual qi cultivation doesn’t show at all,” he said. ”Had you not deliberately revealed that trace of spiritual qi, I suspect I still wouldn’t have recognized you as a Qi Circulation cultivator.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chen Lingxi once more.

”I fear only a cultivator of the upper three floors could see through such a concealment method.”Chen Lingxi immediately understood. ’This crown prince is probably still wary of me. Although I revealed a wisp of Qi Circulation 3rd Floor spiritual qi, because the Concealed Edge Method hid my qi earlier... he definitely thinks I am still hiding my true cultivation.’

’If so, that works out perfectly.’

With that in mind, he met the crown prince’s gaze and replied, ”It is merely a breath-concealing method passed down by the Academy. It is no profound technique.”

The crown prince did not press the issue, his tone abruptly shifting. ”We came here for nothing more than to obtain the cauldron inheritance and seek an opportunity for a Dao Foundation or even the Golden Portal! Since you have concealed your identity in the Baosu Marquis Residence, I imagine you already know—this perilous land has its own experts.”

”Among these local experts, there is no lack of figures who can match those of the upper three floors.”

His tone remained flat, but a faint trace of apprehension flashed through his eyes. ”I once encountered a swordsman. Although he did not cultivate qi, his blade arts were overwhelmingly strong, capable of cleaving mountains and shattering peaks.”

Chen Lingxi nodded, saying naturally, ”I also encountered a young figure with surging vitality and astonishing physical strength. He called himself General Zhiling, and he was peerlessly powerful despite only cultivating vitality.”

”If we run into such figures and are careless, we could capsize in a gutter. Let alone the cauldron, the Dao Foundation, or the Golden Portal, our very lives would be threatened.”

The crown prince did not reply, offering only a slight nod.

Chen Lingxi took a step, clasping his hands behind his back.

”Why don’t we pool our resources?” His gaze fell on the crown prince’s face. ”To better handle the killing tribulations here, increase our chances of seeking the truth and the cauldron, and ultimately attain great freedom.”

The crown prince did not answer immediately.

He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the landscape painting, gazing at the massive ink wash piece on the wall. After a few breaths, he slowly spoke. ”And what can you offer me?”

The corners of Chen Lingxi’s mouth rose slightly. ”Your Highness has just arrived in Yuanjiang Prefecture. Do you know that a great opportunity is hidden within it?”

”A great opportunity?” The crown prince raised an eyebrow.

Chen Lingxi remained silent, simply looking at the crown prince and waiting for him to speak.

The crown prince pondered for a few breaths. ”The spiritual flow here is severed, and spiritual qi is extremely scarce. Fortunately, Ehai secured a good background for me, and I lack no items brimming with spiritual qi. Would you be interested?”

Items brimming with spiritual qi?

To the crown prince’s surprise, Chen Lingxi shook his head.

”The Academy has also prepared opportunities for me. I do not lack spiritual qi.” A trace of helplessness flashed across his face. ”It is just that my memories are currently blurred, and I cannot recall many offensive arts.”

”I am willing to trade an opportunity for a major killing art from Your Highness.”

Hearing this, the crown prince started slightly before laughing.

”What is so difficult about that?” he said dismissively. ”I possess the Dragon Roar Technique, derived by a senior cultivator who listened to a dragon’s cry.”

”Cultivate the Dragon Roar, and your voice will mimic a dragon’s roar, intimidating incoming foes. If cultivated to the Exquisite stage, combined with a cultivation base in the upper three floors, a single shout will strike like thunder—enough to suppress and kill ordinary cultivators. It is a truly wondrous method!”

Chen Lingxi’s eyes revealed his confusion. ”Exquisite stage?”

If this were reality, he would not have asked so much. The more he asked, the more flaws he would inevitably reveal.

But since he was in Thorough Awakening right now, he probed a bit further.

The crown prince glanced at him and replied, ”There are four stages of progress in cultivating spells and arts.”

”Initial Perception, Subtle, Exquisite, and Profound! The Exquisite stage means you have thoroughly investigated the ultimate principles of the art, resulting in tyrannical power.”

Chen Lingxi nodded in realization.

The hall was quiet for a moment.

The candle wick crackled, and the ambergris smoke slowly drifted between them.

The crown prince silently watched him, the light in his eyes steady, as if waiting for something.

Chen Lingxi had originally intended to continue discussing their transaction, but a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind.

He then said casually, ”I have already laid my cards on the table with Your Highness...”

”It is just that you claim to be a disciple of Ehai. My memories are hazy and I cannot recall Ehai, but the method you used to channel spiritual qi into your eyes just now reminded me of another place.”

He paused slightly, his eyes serious. ”Since we are pooling our resources, both sides must treat each other with sincerity. If Your Highness is hiding something, it will only make me uneasy.”

The crown prince’s expression shifted slightly as he carefully scrutinized Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi met the crown prince’s gaze with calm, open eyes.

A few breaths later, a slight smile appeared on the crown prince’s face.

”Coming here to seek the truth, one has to be on guard.” The crown prince stepped forward, walking to Chen Lingxi’s side. ”Since you have seen through my origins, I need not say more.”

Chen Lingxi strolled through the eastern hall, his steps unhurried, as if walking in his own backyard.

He spoke with feigned casualty, his tone carrying a touch of nonchalance. ”Why doesn’t Your Highness speak plainly, so I can see if my judgment is correct.”

”I have made a fool of myself in front of you. I am indeed not a disciple of Ehai,” the crown prince chuckled. ”Instead, I inherit my teachings from the Southern Azure Region. Does this answer match your guess?”

Southern Azure Region...

Chen Lingxi nodded lightly, his expression impassive, but he committed the name to memory.

This probe seemed to have worked.

The likelihood of the crown prince hailing from the Southern Azure Region was extremely high.

Accordingly, Chen Lingxi’s tone seemed a bit more sincere. ”Since you and I have an agreement, there will certainly be more than one transaction. If we are always on guard and unwilling to give ground, how can we truly pool our resources?”

”The opportunity I spoke of lies in the words ’spiritual aperture’!”

”A spiritual aperture opportunity is about to appear in Yuanjiang Prefecture.” Chen Lingxi enunciated every word. ”I wonder if it is worth the Dragon Roar Technique?”

Spiritual aperture!

The moment those words dropped, the crown prince’s eyes lit up.

He did not say anything else.

He simply reached into his robes and produced a jade pendant.

The pendant was only about an inch square. It was entirely translucent white, the jade warm and smooth, gleaming with a faint, cold light in the candlelight.

Spiritual qi flowed around the crown prince’s fingertips, threading into the jade. The pendant lit up, shifting from translucent white to pale cyan, then from pale cyan to deep emerald, finally settling into a heavy, almost ink-black green.

He handed the jade pendant to Chen Lingxi.

”My sect’s wondrous Dragon Roar method is inside.” He paused, his gaze landing on Chen Lingxi’s face. ”I get the secret, and you get this jade pendant.”

Chen Lingxi took the jade pendant. The moment his fingertips touched its surface, he felt a cooling sensation seep into his meridians.

As he channeled a strand of spiritual qi into the jade, a massive amount of information immediately burst forth, flooding his mind!

Chen Lingxi calmly tucked the jade pendant away.

”A wisp of Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi is about to emerge in Yuanjiang Prefecture.” He looked up at the crown prince. ”There are also qi cultivators in the prefecture glaring at it like tigers watching their prey.”

”Obtaining this maternal qi can nourish a spiritual aperture! And with a spiritual aperture, one has a greater chance of obtaining the cauldron, cultivating the Three Floors of Heaven-Facing, and attaining great freedom.”

”Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi?” The crown prince’s gaze finally turned toward the Ancestral Mountain.

In an instant, he seemed to realize something, thinking to himself, ’It seems there really is a secret to the Ancestral Mountain! I have visited Yuanjiang Prefecture twice and saw the mountain shrouded in thick, bizarre fog, yet I never paid it any mind.’

’It was as if... this mountain was never there to begin with! Only after Chen Lingxi pointed it out did I realize how extraordinary it is.’

The crown prince turned back to look at Chen Lingxi, his eyes different from before.

”A spiritual aperture opportunity.” He muttered the words softly, his tone carrying an irrepressible sigh. ”Such an opportunity is indeed worth planning for carefully.”

He clasped his hands behind his back again and paced through the eastern hall.

After a dozen steps, the crown prince finally looked up at Chen Lingxi. ”Why not join forces with me?”

Chen Lingxi nodded. ”The spiritual aperture opportunity is a matter of great importance. I fear it would be extremely difficult for one person alone to seize the maternal qi.”

”Joining forces with you is naturally wonderful.”

The crown prince seemed quite delighted to receive news of this opportunity, and traces of a smile finally appeared on his handsome face.

”In that case, we will meet again when the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi emerges.

Should you need anything, simply send a message in the name of the Baosu Marquis Residence.”

Chen Lingxi agreed and glanced outside the eastern hall.

The crown prince understood and summoned a eunuch waiting outside. ”See our guest out.”

Chen Lingxi departed.

The crown prince stood in front of the landscape painting, unmoving.

A few breaths passed.

He suddenly turned around, walked to the desk, picked up a purple-hair brush from the pen rack, and spread out a piece of gold-flecked paper.

He saturated the brush tip with ink, hovered it over the paper, and paused.

Then, he brought the brush down.

His handwriting was not neat; it could even be called somewhat scribbled. Every stroke carried an urgent, unquestionable force that pierced through the paper, the ink bleeding onto the gold-flecked sheet.

”Assassinate the beast fighter, Chen Lingxi.”

The brief command was finished.

He placed the brush back on the rack, picked up the paper, folded it twice, and called out.

”Someone come.”

The hall doors were pushed open a crack, and another young eunuch walked in silently. He kept his hands at his sides and his head lowered, not daring to look around.

The crown prince handed the gold-flecked paper over.

”Deliver this to Eunuch Zhuo.”

The young eunuch received it with both hands, bowed as he backed out of the hall, and vanished down the deep corridor with footsteps as light as the wind.

The hall doors swung shut once more.

The crown prince stood in the center of the hall with his hands behind his back, staring at the landscape painting on the wall, motionless for a long time.

The candlelight cast his shadow onto the white jade tiles, stretching it incredibly long and faint.

’This man does not remember any killing arts...’

’And there is only one wisp of Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi. It is not enough to share with others.’

’His cultivation is unknown, and with Eunuch Zhuo here, it is the perfect opportunity to assassinate a qi cultivator. Even if we fail to kill him, we can at least test his strength.’

’Those who seek the truth must have secret treasures on them.’

His thoughts swirled, the two vortexes in his eyes slowly spinning.

’If I obtain them, my cultivation will surely advance, and I will be extremely likely to ascend another floor!’

’I also need to investigate why this man is lying low in the Baosu Marquis Residence, even going so far as to disguise himself as a domestic slave. Just what is his goal?’