After the Great Dao Died

As soon as these words were spoken, the courtyard fell dead silent.

Lin Longyue’s expression shifted slightly, her gaze snapping toward Commandery Princess Yunhe.

The two groggy ”companions” exchanged dismayed glances.

The smile on Commandery Princess Yunhe’s face finally faded a fraction.

She frowned, a cold glint flashing in her phoenix eyes.

Chu Linzi sat motionless, still holding her wine cup.

Jiang Runian and Liu Yuqing, however, drastically changed expressions!

Jiang Runian surged to his feet. With a sharp snap, he unfurled his folding fan, the painted ink plum blossom swaying slightly in the candlelight.

”Just who are you to spout such nonsense here!” he rebuked.

Chen Lingxi ignored him.Reaching out, he picked up the celadon wine bottle from the table, pulled the stopper, and poured himself a cup of wine.

The liquid spilled into the cup, ringing out with a faint, crisp splash.

He then lifted the cup and took a slow sip, his movements unhurried, as if he were drinking alone in his own study.

”Yang Zhuri also committed these demonic acts,” he said, setting the cup down. His gaze swept over everyone present. ”I cut off his head.”

He paused, his eyes turning intensely cold and sharp. ”Seeing you all feast here today, a sudden killing intent arose in my heart.”

”Killing intent?”

Liu Yuqing’s face instantly turned freezing cold.

She stood up, the aura around her erupting with a boom!

A ray of golden light laced with blood vitality burst from deep within her bones, illuminating her flesh until it was nearly transparent. From afar, she looked like a jade statue forged of pure gold standing in the candlelight, radiating a brilliance impossible to look at directly.

The intensity of that golden light and the heaviness of her blood vitality clearly marked her as a figure at Golden Body Great Completion!

”Instead of suppressing this killing intent, you came to see us.” Her voice was as cold as ice. ”Are you looking for death!”

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Runian beside her let out a cold snort, his entire body also erupting in blinding golden light.

The chime of a golden bell rang out from within his body. Amidst that resonant toll, a faintly visible golden wheel rose behind his back and slowly began to rotate—it was the Purple Gold Wheel, which could only be condensed after achieving Golden Body Great Completion!

Purple light flowed and golden bells rang in unison. In the blink of an eye, his imposing aura climbed to its absolute peak.

With blazing killing intent in his eyes, Jiang Runian glared straight at Chen Lingxi!

Chu Linzi remained silent.

She set her wine cup down and looked up, her heroic, imposing eyes locking onto Chen Lingxi.

Commandery Princess Yunhe finally stopped smiling.

She shook her head slightly, and golden light surged around her body.

That golden light seeped from the depths of her bones, even heavier and denser than that of Liu Yuqing and Jiang Runian, faintly showing signs of condensing into a Golden Astral!

The Golden Astral was the hallmark of Golden Body Consummation, placing her just one step away from entering the legendary Jade Qi Realm.

At the same time, the zither-playing woman not far away also stood up.

This woman appeared quite young, seemingly around thirty years old, and possessed a rather beautiful face.

She set aside her ancient zither and slowly walked out from behind the zither stand. With every step, a fierce golden light radiated from her body.

The solidity of that golden light was several degrees thicker than Commandery Princess Yunhe’s. She was shockingly another figure at Golden Body Consummation!

Commandery Princess Yunhe looked up at Chen Lingxi. The smile had completely vanished from her phoenix eyes, leaving only a bottomless abyss of icy cold.

”To be able to kill Yang Zhuri and slaughter everyone in his villa, you can be considered a top-tier expert.”

”But this is not Qingjiang Villa.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the people in the courtyard.

”Right now, there are three at Golden Body Consummation and two at Golden Body Great Completion here.” She shook her head slightly, her tone unhurried. ”Sir, it would be best for you to retreat. I will simply pretend that today’s events never happened.”

As she spoke, Chu Linzi set down her wine cup. The moment the cup touched the table, golden light abruptly shone from the depths of her bones.

That golden light was heavy and vast, having clearly condensed into a Golden Astral. She, too, was at Golden Body Consummation!

Five Golden Body experts—three at Consummation and two at Great Completion. Even if placed in the entirety of Jingji Province, this was a force that would command respect.

Seeing this, Lin Longyue and the other young figures were utterly astonished!

Especially Lin Longyue—it was as if thunder had detonated in her mind.

She had been acquainted with Commandery Princess Yunhe for over a year, yet she had never once seen her reveal the slightest hint of knowing martial arts.

She had always assumed that Commandery Princess Yunhe was simply a pampered noble lady of the imperial clan, completely powerless and needing to rely on guards for protection at all times.

But right now, this princess had erupted with such terrifying golden light, and the heaviness of her aura unmistakably marked her as being at Golden Body Consummation!

And then there was Chu Linzi.

She had competed against Chu Linzi for all these years, clashing both openly and in secret countless times.

She had always believed that Chu Linzi was merely at Silver Bone Advanced Mastery, or at most, peak consummation of that realm.

But right now—

A Golden Body Consummation and Golden Body Great Completion barely in their early twenties?

Lin Longyue dared not think further. She only felt that this world was far too absurd. After cultivating for many years and receiving the aid of a Wind-Riding Pill, she had barely stepped into Silver Bone Advanced Mastery, and she had already prided herself on having extraordinary aptitude.

Yet compared to these people now, her meager achievements were like fireflies compared to the bright moon—they amounted to nothing at all.

But even facing so many powerful martial artists, Chen Lingxi’s expression remained completely unchanged.

He raised his wine cup, took another sip, then set it down and gave Lin Longyue a glance.

”Do you know what they are doing?”

”They are devouring your Precious Body, just as demons divide and eat human flesh, each taking their share of the benefits.”

He paused. His gaze swept across Commandery Princess Yunhe, Chu Linzi, Jiang Runian, and Liu Yuqing, a freezing smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

”It is precisely because of this that they have achieved such cultivation.”

”Having cultivated in this manner for so long, they are no longer willing to bear even the slightest risk.” His gaze fell back upon Lin Longyue’s face, his eyes devoid of any ripples. ”I came here today, and instead of wanting to kill me, they actually wish to let me leave.”

Lin Longyue stood frozen on the spot, looking as if she had been struck by lightning.

She abruptly turned her head to look at Commandery Princess Yunhe, her eyes filled with sheer disbelief.

Commandery Princess Yunhe’s expression instantly changed.

She blurted out, ”Stop—!”

But before she could finish speaking, Chen Lingxi suddenly spoke.

His lips parted slightly, spitting out two words.

”Shut up!”

The Dragon Roar Technique was instantly activated!

They were just two words, but in Commandery Princess Yunhe’s ears, they detonated like thunder, sounding exactly like a true dragon that had been startled awake and let out a resounding roar!

That dragon roar pierced her eardrums and poured straight into her brain, violently shaking the blood vitality throughout her entire body. The rest of her words choked in her throat, unable to form a single syllable!

In this moment, Chen Lingxi’s single Dragon Roar suppressed everyone present.

The auras of the five Golden Body figures in the courtyard stagnated simultaneously. The two groggy young figures were sent trembling all over by this light shout, one of them slipping straight off their chair and crashing to the ground.

Meanwhile, Chen Lingxi slowly finished a cup of wine and set the cup back on the table.

A murderous intent suddenly surged in his eyes. It was like a volcano that had been suppressed for an unknown number of years finally erupting in a thunderous explosion.

”I have long wanted to kill you all.”

He spoke softly.

Then, he suddenly flicked his finger—

The movement was incredibly light and casual, as if he were just brushing a tiny fallen petal off his robes.

But at the exact moment he flicked his finger, streaks of mist surged into existence out of thin air within the garden.

The mist appeared entirely without warning, so thick it nearly took physical form. Threads of cyan-gray mist frantically churned and spun through the air, expanding outward, and in the blink of an eye, blanketed the entire garden!

From the mist, a slender figure slowly walked out.

As the figure emerged from the fog, his steps were unhurried, as though he were crossing into this place from another world.

He wore a long, moon-white robe, and his face was exceedingly handsome—so handsome that he didn’t look like a living person at all, but rather a jade statue enshrined within a glazed pavilion.

However, his complexion was exceptionally pale, and his eyes were hollow and lifeless, though a faint spiritual light flowed deep within his pupils.

The moment this person appeared, everyone in the courtyard felt an indescribable sense of oppression wash over them.

That oppression did not stem from physical blood vitality, but rather from a more profound, far loftier power. It was like an invisible mountain crashing down from the heavens, pressing against the tops of their heads and making it almost impossible to breathe.

The crowd was alarmed and bewildered, completely unsure of where this person had come from.

Jiang Runian was the first to let his face darken. However, he was a figure at Golden Body Great Completion, protected by the Purple Gold Wheel. How could he be frightened by a person in the mist?

Shouting explosively, his Golden Fluid Vital Blood erupted with a boom. He stomped his foot, shattering the bluestone floor tiles inch by inch.

His right hand formed a palm, the purple-gold light along the edge condensing to its absolute limit as he unleashed the Heaven-Calling Hand!

Where his palm wind swept past, the air was squeezed into streaks of white. His entire body became like a golden afterimage as he lunged toward Chen Lingxi!

Lin Longyue’s expression drastically changed.

The might of that palm was so great that even standing several zhang away, she could feel the scorching wind it generated. If that strike landed solidly, even the Golden Body Astral Canopy of a Golden Body expert would be smashed to pieces.

Yet Chen Lingxi remained unmoving like a mountain, still leisurely drinking his wine.

Commandery Princess Yunhe, Chu Linzi, Liu Yuqing, and that female zither player did not remain idle either.

They were all figures who had experienced grand scenes and deeply understood the principle of striking first to gain the upper hand.

With a single glance, it was obvious that the person in the mist was no ordinary figure. If they allowed him to join forces with that Ghost-Faced General, their chances of survival today would be exceedingly grim.

Commandery Princess Yunhe moved, the Golden Astral around her body condensing until it was virtually solid. It transformed into a pale golden stream that shot straight for the figure in the mist.

Chu Linzi drew her blade from its sheath, the blade light flashing like a sudden silver moon as she slashed in the same direction.

Liu Yuqing thrust both hands out, her ten fingers rapidly flicking to fire several streaks of golden light like a torrential downpour.

As for the female zither player, she plucked the empty air with both hands, as if strumming the strings of an invisible instrument.

For a time, the courtyard shone with brilliant gold, and blood vitality surged like a raging tide.

With five Golden Body figures attacking simultaneously, the sheer might of their assault was enough to instantly rout an ordinary army formation.

But the figure in the mist made his move.

His action was extremely simple.

He merely raised his right hand and pressed down lightly on the empty air.

With that single press, the world changed color.

The mist within a radius of dozens of zhang instantly began to violently churn, as if it were being ruthlessly stirred by a massive, invisible hand.

In the blink of an eye, the churning mist condensed into countless freezing ice arrows. Every single one was fully three chi long, and a cluster of incredibly cold ice flame had materialized at each arrowhead.

Those ice arrows hung densely in the air, resembling an inverted forest of ice crystals. Their chilling glint bathed the entire garden in a ghastly, pale light.

Then—

The ice arrows launched in a synchronized volley!

The speed was so fast it was simply inconceivable.

Before Jiang Runian’s Heaven-Calling Hand could even reach Chen Lingxi, an ice arrow pierced straight through his Purple Gold Wheel.

That indestructible golden wheel was like paper before the ice arrow, silently shattering to pieces.

The ice arrow drove forward, burying itself into his chest and bursting out through his back. It brought with it a spray of bloody mist, firmly pinning him to the artificial rockery behind him.

Liu Yuqing’s ten streaks of golden light were intercepted mid-air by three ice arrows at the same time and smashed to powder. Another ice arrow shot in from the side, stabbing directly into her neck.

Her beautiful, alluring eyes went wide, and she was never able to utter another word!

The female zither player rapidly plucked the empty air with her fingers, sending blasts of blood vitality detonating outward in all directions, causing the incoming ice arrows to stall for a brief fraction of a second.

But the figure in the mist only raised his left hand and gave the air a gentle squeeze. The air around the zither player abruptly solidified, as if an invisible giant hand had seized her and viciously crushed its grip!

Crack.

Bones shattered!

She collapsed violently to the ground!

Lin Longyue was still sitting in her original spot, her entire body rigid like a stone statue.

Not a shred of color remained on her face.

It was only because she had watched Commandery Princess Yunhe get both her arms severed by a blade of ice and crash into a pool of blood.

And she had seen Chu Linzi’s long blade shatter inch by inch, the metal shards clattering onto the ground!

Five Golden Body experts. In the blink of an eye, three were dead, and two were severely injured.

And the figure in the mist had not even moved his feet.

He had simply raised his hands, pressed down lightly twice, and squeezed once. Just like crushing a few insignificant ants, he had completely decimated the courtyard full of top-tier martial artists.

Chen Lingxi set his wine cup down and stood up.

He walked over to Chu Linzi and looked down at the prefect’s daughter.

She lay sprawled on the ground. The Golden Body Astral Canopy around her had been completely shattered, and her Purple Gold Wheel was dull and devoid of light.

Her right arm had been cleaved clean off at the shoulder by a blade of ice. Fresh blood gushed out, dying her black martial arts robes a dark, morbid red.

Her lips trembled. Her heroic, imposing eyes now held nothing but sheer terror.

Chen Lingxi didn’t say a word. He merely lifted his right foot and stomped down.

A very heavy, muffled thud echoed out.

Blood and gore splattered.

Everything fell utterly silent.

Lin Longyue tightly shut her eyes.

Chen Lingxi ignored the corpses. Using his spiritual qi to seize Commandery Princess Yunhe, he hoisted her up from the ground.

Both of Commandery Princess Yunhe’s arms were severed, and her blood flowed like a fountain.

She forced her eyes open, staring at that green, fanged ghost mask, and managed to squeeze out a few broken words.

”I... I am a trusted aide of the Immortal Crown Prince...” Her voice was hoarse. ”And I am the daughter of the King of the East. My royal father is an Entering Profound figure... You... you cannot kill me...”

Chen Lingxi only felt somewhat annoyed.

Carrying Commandery Princess Yunhe, he passed through the moon gate, walked along the veranda, and arrived beside the pool of blood in the backyard.

The disorderly pile of corpses still lay by the edge of the pool. The cuts on their wrists were no longer bleeding, leaving only patches of dark red bloodstains coagulated on the stone slabs.

The pool water still rippled with a faint emerald hue, and the layer of white mist on its surface continued to slowly swirl, as if nothing had ever happened.

Chen Lingxi tossed Commandery Princess Yunhe onto the side of the pool.

She crashed onto the bluestone slabs, the fresh blood from her severed arms dragging out two long bloody streaks across the ground.

”You... you cannot...” Her voice grew weaker and weaker, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Chen Lingxi stared down at her. Suddenly lowering his head, he reached up and slowly removed the ghost mask from his face.

Beneath the ghost mask was a young face.

This face was rather handsome, possessing a quiet, reserved bearing, and an aura of steady composure between the brows that completely defied his age.

But to Commandery Princess Yunhe, it was like the most terrifying thing in the entire world!

”You—”

Commandery Princess Yunhe’s face turned deathly pale.

Commandery Princess Yunhe had seen this face many times before!

She had called him a ”servant” countless times!

In the West Courtyard East Hall, she had nonchalantly ordered Sun Ninghu to break one of his legs.

In the main hall of the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace, she had sat lazily in her chair, watching as he was driven into the arena like a beast gladiator.

In the back garden of Marquis Baosu’s Manor, she had received flower arrangements from him many times, praising him with a casual, ”This servant’s skills are quite good.”

But now, this servant—he had actually become a demon god who could ruthlessly slaughter them all just by casually dispatching a single subordinate!

”Commandery Princess Yunhe,” Chen Lingxi finally spoke.

Commandery Princess Yunhe’s pupils violently contracted.

She stared at that familiar face, her body beginning to violently shudder. That trembling was not due to the pain; rather, it was born from a profound, bone-deep terror.

”Spare me...”

”You are going to die today,” Chen Lingxi said, looking down with calm eyes. ”Even if the Crown Prince came here himself, he could not save you.”

He raised his hand.

A wisp of hazy cyan sharpness seeped from his fingertips, pulsing erratically in the daylight and slicing the surrounding air into countless fine white lines.

The Cyan Edge Method.