After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi stepped through the moonlight and returned to the West Courtyard Servant Quarters.

Once inside his room, the Concealed Edge Method slowly retracted within him. The thin, resilient barrier wrapping his spiritual qi loosened inch by inch. The streak of azure qi in his dantian, like a living creature imprisoned for far too long, finally gained its freedom, stretching out through his meridians to circulate at a languid pace.

He let out a long breath, his taut nerves finally relaxing a fraction.

After changing clothes, Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged, repeatedly combing through everything he had seen and heard tonight in the East King Palace on Cuojin Mountain—every single event, every single word.

Wu Mohe’s words surfaced in his mind.

”Lin Suri comes from Daoxia Academy’s Chipuo Courtyard. He studies under Jinque True Person Jing Shijue, and this True Person holds a cauldron artifact like the Tribulation-Viewing Pool.”

Previously, he could only guess at Lin Suri’s origins, but tonight he had finally obtained concrete proof.

”Golden Portal.”

Chen Lingxi silently repeated the term in his mind.

He recalled what Crown Prince Ying Chi had said in the Eastern Hall during Thorough Awakening’s simulation.”Seeking the Dao Foundation, the foundation of the Golden Portal.”

When he heard it back then, he only felt the terms were obscure and strange, but now he was gradually beginning to grasp their meaning.

Dao Foundation came first, and Golden Portal followed.

He then remembered what Ying Chi had said when mentioning the academy’s Daoist Master.

”The academy’s Daoist Master is a grand cultivator at the Golden Elixir stage. He has proven his position as a True Lord and wields the Golden Elixir cauldron artifact, the Heaven-Stabilizing Brush, which can determine a person’s destiny. Rumor has it that on the day he breaks through his seclusion, it is highly likely he will ascend to Nascent Infant, take up the Profound Seat, and become a Profound Lord.”

Qi Circulation, Dao Foundation, Golden Portal, Golden Elixir, Nascent Infant.

These five terms surfaced sequentially in his mind.

He was currently only at the Qi Circulation 3rd Floor, and the streak of azure qi in his body was no thicker than a baby’s arm, yet he had been able to drive the Purple True Precious Qi to kill the bearded man at Silver Bone Consummation in a single strike.

Even though he had taken advantage of the Dragon Roar Technique’s preemptive suppression, and even though the Purple True Precious Qi was peerlessly sharp in its own right, the sheer dominance of his Qi Circulation cultivation was undeniable.

If the Qi Circulation 3rd Floor was already this extraordinary...

What about Lin Suri?

Chen Lingxi closed his eyes, recalling everything he had witnessed through his Vision Wander.

He had seen Lin Suri draw a bow and condense a golden arrow, firing a shot into the clouds until it vanished without a trace. He had seen him use spiritual qi to activate the incense burners, trapping the Purple True Precious Qi inside to refine it day and night until it was entirely devoured. He had even seen him floating three zhang in the air, robes snapping in the wind, looking exactly like a living god on earth.

That kind of terrifying might was far beyond what he could currently fathom.

Furthermore, Lin Suri had exchanged twenty years of his lifespan with the Time Candle for a Spiritual Amber, obtaining the opportunity to break through to the sixth floor.

Lin Suri obtained the Spiritual Amber and has been refining it for quite some time. I’m afraid he has already ascended from the fifth floor to the sixth by now.

Chen Lingxi estimated inwardly.

The Qi Circulation 6th Floor—drawing a bow to shoot the stars, possessing such tyrannical power.

The martial arts of this world are also extraordinary, but compared to the path of immortal cultivation, their upper limit is unimaginably lower.

The path of martial arts: Iron Body, Bronze-Red, Silver Bone, Golden Body, Jade Qi, Nine Revolutions, Entering Profound.

Thinking back on it now, the bolt of lightning Lu Baizhong used to kill me in the Perceiving Clear Divine Ability’s vision was truly, unreasonably formidable. For Lin Suri to be able to clash with him, his combat prowess is definitely no lower than Lu Baizhong’s. He tried comparing them in his mind. So Lin Suri’s combat power is even greater than Zhao Qinglou’s or Zhao Yong’s.

Zhao Qinglou was at Golden Body Great Completion. His whole body radiated dazzling golden light like a great sun, and the chimes of his golden bell rang deep and distant. He had likely already forged the Purple-Gold Wheel.

Zhao Yong was also a figure at the Golden Body realm, capable of refining vitality into threads and transmitting his voice in secret, hiding his true depths well within the Baosu Marquis Residence.

But compared to Lin Suri, they were like fireflies before the bright moon.

At the Qi Circulation 6th Floor, Lin Suri can most likely match a Jade Qi expert, or perhaps even a Nine Revolutions expert.

Chen Lingxi formed a definitive conclusion in his heart.

He then thought of Crown Prince Ying Chi, Lu Baizhong, and the cultivator surnamed Chao.

These people all have lineages in the Great World. Ying Chi came from the Southern Heaven Region, Lu Baizhong’s origin is unknown, and Lin Suri speculated that the cultivator surnamed Chao came from the Chiyun Relay Station.

He narrowed his eyes, recalling another set of words from Wu Mohe.

”This Grotto-Heaven is not a qi-bearing realm. Now that it is exposed to the wider world, you should know the fate of this Grotto-Heaven and the living creatures within it.

”Since they are destined to die eventually, what does it matter if it happens sooner or later?”

When he heard those words at the time, his expression had remained impassive, but his heart had been a churning sea.

Recalling it again now, shock and suspicion still lingered in his mind!

Grotto-Heaven.

He whispered the word softly.

The world he lived in contained the Great Li Empire, the Great Zhou Empire, dozens of minor nations, countless islands, and hundreds of millions of living beings.

Yet from Wu Mohe’s mouth, this was nothing more than a Grotto-Heaven.

A Grotto-Heaven exposed to the wider world, where its inhabitants were ”destined to die eventually.”

”Roughly a billion people... all going to die?”

He murmured to himself, his voice carrying a trace of disbelief.

Outside the window, the moonlight had dimmed at some point. A cloud passed before the moon, swallowing the shadows of the old locust trees outside the courtyard for a moment before spitting them back out.

Chen Lingxi sat in the darkness for a moment, then suddenly shook his head.

He remembered Wu Mohe’s tone when he said those words.

It hadn’t been intimidation or a threat—it was only calm.

As if the survival of a Grotto-Heaven and the lives of a billion people were barely worth mentioning.

They don’t care.

Chen Lingxi understood in his heart.

Wu Mohe didn’t care, Lin Suri didn’t care, and Ying Chi didn’t care.

These cultivators from the Great World came to this Grotto-Heaven seeking truth, cauldron artifacts, and serendipity. Their goals were spiritual apertures, Dao Foundations, Golden Portals, Golden Elixirs, and Nascent Infants.

The life or death of the Grotto-Heaven’s natives was entirely excluded from their considerations.

Those truth-seekers all have backing. They might be able to leave this Grotto-Heaven, but I...

Chen Lingxi’s mind was a chaotic swirl of thoughts.

When the Grotto-Heaven was destroyed, what would he do?

He had no lineage, no backing, and no true mantra. Even his Qi Circulation method had been stolen through secret observation.

If he wanted to live, what could he rely on?

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment, then sank his consciousness into the Divine Chamber space.

The Divine Chamber was shrouded in thick mist, with tadpole-like text fluttering through the void.

[Thorough Awakening Essence Replenishment Progress: 12.6%]

The essence replenishment progress for Thorough Awakening is too slow.

He closed his eyes in thought.

Vision Wander and Thorough Awakening—these two divine abilities were his greatest sources of confidence.

Vision Wander had allowed him to spy on Lin Suri’s whereabouts, cultivation, and schemes. It had let him steal the Six Qi True Art from that breathing method, and had revealed the secrets of the Purple True Precious Qi, the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi, and the cauldron artifact fragments.

Thorough Awakening had allowed him to simulate the future, gaining the Azure Edge and Concealed Edge Methods, acquiring the Cosmos Bag, and obtaining the Dragon Roar Technique from the Crown Prince.

How can I speed up Thorough Awakening’s essence replenishment?

Chen Lingxi instantly thought of the Beast-Fighting Palace.

Touching and using treasures like cauldron artifacts—like the Beast-Fighting Palace, for instance—seems to drastically increase the replenishment progress.

Right! There’s also that willow tree.

He recalled the absurdly thick willow tree in Liujie Alley.

That day, when he touched the willow tree, the Perceiving Clear Divine Ability’s essence replenishment had leapt from four percent to fifty-two percent.

He had been greatly astonished at the time, but because he didn’t know its background, he hadn’t rashly used his spiritual qi to probe deeper.

Looking back on it now, that willow tree was absolutely no ordinary object.

Could that willow tree also be a cauldron artifact fragment?

Chen Lingxi guessed inwardly.

If it truly was a cauldron artifact fragment, then touching it to accelerate the Perceiving Clear Divine Ability’s essence replenishment made perfect sense.

In the Beast-Fighting Palace, he had sacrificed his spiritual qi and blood to the cauldron artifact’s human face, pushing his replenishment progress from ninety-nine percent to one hundred percent. The Perceiving Clear Divine Ability had transformed as a result, gaining the new capacity to ”Steal Spiritual Opportunity.”

If that willow in Liujie Alley really was a cauldron artifact fragment, he might gain something by paying another visit and carefully probing it with spiritual qi.

Excitement welled up in Chen Lingxi’s heart, to the point that he even stood up.

However, a few breaths later, he slowly sat back down.

But what if it isn’t?

He remembered the rumors of plague surrounding Liujie Alley, and the eerie reality that anyone who moved in died of illness within a year.

If it’s an evil object, rashly probing it with spiritual qi will likely bring harm upon myself instead.

He weighed his options inwardly.

Although he was pressed for time, he couldn’t afford to lose his composure.

Outlander cultivators like Lin Suri, Ying Chi, and Lu Baizhong were still in Yuanjiang Prefecture, still scheming for the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi and the cauldron artifact fragments. This proved the Grotto-Heaven wasn’t at the point of collapse just yet.

He still had time. He needed to proceed steadily, unable to afford acting hastily and risking unknown dangers.

Chen Lingxi gathered his thoughts and began his breathing exercises to cultivate.

The night deepened, and all grew quiet.

—

For the next few days, Chen Lingxi didn’t step a foot outside his door.

By day, he practiced his saber arts; by night, he took ordinary vitality pills and cultivated his breathing without pause.

His daily Vision Wander sessions were, of course, absolutely unwavering.

On this day, through Vision Wander, Chen Lingxi saw Lin Suri sitting cross-legged in meditation, still resting the Spiritual Amber bestowed by the Time Candle in his palm.

This Spiritual Amber has shrunk considerably. It’s only the size of a peanut now. I’m afraid it will be completely exhausted in a matter of days.

The Vision Wander shattered. He pondered inwardly, a hint of worry creeping into his eyes as his gaze fell upon the incense burner on his desk.

By now, he could confirm that Lin Suri was using these incense burners as mediums to extract spiritual energy from the Cocoon of Heaven and Earth.

The many incense burners within the Baosu Marquis Residence formed some kind of array formation when combined.

And he himself had been using the spiritual energy within this array to cultivate.

When my Qi Circulation cultivation was still weak, the spiritual energy required for my breathing exercises wasn’t much. The sliver I took from the array was so minuscule that Lin Suri wouldn’t have noticed.

Later, as my cultivation grew stronger, Lin Suri was busy absorbing the spiritual energy from the Spiritual Amber and didn’t pay attention to the decrease in the array’s gathered spiritual energy.

Chen Lingxi frowned slightly.

Now that he had reached the Qi Circulation 3rd Floor, his spiritual qi was robust, and the spiritual energy he needed for his daily cultivation was countless times greater than before.

If he continued to rely on the spiritual energy in the Baosu Marquis Residence to cultivate, he would sooner or later be discovered once Lin Suri used up the Spiritual Amber.

I can’t rely on the Marquis Residence’s spiritual energy for my breathing cultivation anymore.

Chen Lingxi made his decision. I still have a fair amount of silver on hand. If I buy more pills, I can hold out for a while. If I can successfully get my hands on a Qi-Gathering Pill, I won’t have to worry about spiritual energy for the near future.

Reaching this point in his thoughts, Chen Lingxi immediately took out his banknotes, counted out eight hundred taels, and changed into a fine set of clothes he had purchased. Holding a folding fan, he looked just like a dashing young nobleman.

He pushed the door open and headed out, avoiding the servants along the way. The Concealed Edge Method circulated within him, wrapping his aura tightly as he quietly slipped out of the residence.

He left at dusk, but it was already deep into the night when he returned.

Eight hundred taels of silver seems like a massive fortune, but once it touches upon cultivation, it really doesn’t last.

Chen Lingxi sighed emotionally as he looked at the numerous medicine bottles arranged on his desk.

There were over ten bottles in total—the results of him concealing his aura and running to more than a dozen apothecaries across the entire city.

With so many pills, if I were an ordinary vitality cultivator, the accumulated pill toxins would likely damage my foundation.

But this is exactly the wonder of spiritual qi. It can purge the pill toxins and negative impurities, absorb the vitality nutrients, and extract the faint traces of spiritual energy within them.

While buying the medicine, a minor incident had occurred.

The staff at two of the apothecaries, seeing that he was an unfamiliar face spending lavishly, had actually sent people to secretly tail him.

Who knew what they were planning to do.

Having witnessed Wu Mohe’s mysteries and learned a fraction of the Grotto-Heaven’s secrets, Chen Lingxi had lost all interest in such mundane, mortal disputes. He simply shook off his tailers and returned to the Baosu Marquis Residence.

Swallowing pills, practicing his arts.

Two or three days later, the Marquis Residence gradually grew busy.

Various pieces of news came pouring in.

Rumor had it that the Imperial Noble Consort would be leaving the palace for a tour in the dead of winter during the twelfth month, seeking a change of pace to admire the snow.

Yuanjiang Prefecture was prominently listed on her touring route.

Furthermore, rumors suggested that the Noble Consort had no intention of staying at the official prefecture residence, but rather planned to stay at the Baosu Marquis Residence.

The Baosu Marquis Residence was the estate of a hereditary marquis, and it yielded nothing even when compared to the manors of many princes and nobles in the capital.

The eastern courtyard had sat empty for a long time, and Lin Longyue ordered it to be completely renovated.

Roof tiles were repaired, pillars repainted, draperies replaced, and new furnishings arranged. The curios and calligraphy scrolls bought from the capital alone filled several large carriages.

The West Courtyard was also affected, with an endless stream of craftsmen, buyers, and stewards coming and going.

Chen Lingxi cultivated in peace, not overly affected by the commotion.

That was until one day at noon, when Liu Zhu came knocking on his door.

”The Young Miss sent a message. She wants you to go to Young Master Yang’s Qingjiang Villa.”