After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi examined the Taotie Urn.

’I was wary of the one-soul price the Taotie Urn demanded before, but since I am in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber now, I might as well try.’

He fed a wisp of spiritual qi into the Taotie Urn.

The moment the spiritual qi entered the vessel, the Ghost Mask patterns on its surface seemed to come alive. The fangs of every Ghost Mask trembled, emitting a faint buzzing.

An ancient aura erupted from the urn’s mouth. Immensely dense and heavy, it carried an indescribable sense of destiny—as if a creature that had slumbered inside for countless years had suddenly awakened.

The ancient aura surged, condensed, and shifted inside the urn, ultimately forming a bizarre female face.

The face hovered above the mouth of the urn. Though woven entirely from countless fine motes of black light, its features were perfectly distinct.

It stared coldly at Chen Lingxi. Its eyes held no emotion, only a condescending, almost apathetic scrutiny.

Then it spoke. Its voice was shockingly deep, every word exploding inside Chen Lingxi’s skull: ”Sacrifice one soul, and you may obtain the Life Devouring Divine Ability!”

This was the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber.Even if he died in this chamber, it would not matter. It was only one soul; there was no harm in trying.

Chen Lingxi did not hesitate. ”I ask the Venerable Cauldron to bestow the Life Devouring Divine Ability!”

Instantly, the mysterious aura radiating from the Venerable Cauldron poured out, rushing toward Chen Lingxi like water from a burst dam.

The thick, heavy aura crashed down over his head.

Chen Lingxi’s mind went completely blank, followed by a torrent of miraculous information flooding into his brain.

The volume of information was oceanic.

The cultivation methods, circulation secrets, bottlenecks, and taboos of the Life Devouring Divine Ability were forced into him all at once.

Chen Lingxi frowned.

The information was too complex. Even though he had reached the Qi Circulation 6th Floor and had begun to form a divine sense, his head throbbed unbearably, as if something were trying to tear its way out from the inside.

The torrent of knowledge lasted for about the time it took an incense stick to burn before finally easing.

The motes of black light making up the Venerable Cauldron scattered like a receding tide, ultimately transforming into a faint wisp of black smoke that sank back into the Taotie Urn.

The Venerable Cauldron had dissipated; the trade was complete. Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged on the bluestone, rubbing his temples. Only after the swelling pain faded somewhat did he focus his mind to examine the newly acquired divine ability.

His frown deepened as he reviewed it.

’The Life Devouring Divine Ability is indeed profound.’

The method detailed how, after killing an enemy, one could use a specific spiritual qi circulation technique to devour their lingering spiritual qi and life force before it scattered, converting it for personal use.

If cultivated to a profound level, it could even drain an opponent’s entire reserve of spiritual qi in an instant. It was incredibly tyrannical.

’But... this divine ability art seems a bit strange.’

Studying it closely, he vaguely realized that this divine ability could not be executed using only his own spiritual qi like other arts.

’Circulating the Life Devouring Divine Ability seems to require borrowing the power of a certain mysterious entity.’

Chen Lingxi faintly sensed that this power was formless and intangible, yet it truly existed at the core bottleneck of the divine ability. It was like an unlatched door—with just a gentle push, an endless stream of power would surge from behind it.

But what lay behind that door was not the natural, profound power of the Great Dao of heaven and earth. It was a concrete, mysterious entity.

Chen Lingxi could not explain this sudden realization, but he perceived it clearly.

’It seems this divine ability art truly does borrow the mighty power of that mysterious entity.’ He pondered for a moment, suddenly recalling Xu Qingru’s words.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze fell on the Taotie Urn. ’Perhaps the master of this Taotie Urn still exists within the Greater World.’

’He willingly scattered these Cauldron Vessel Fragments across various realms to trade with cultivators in numerous Grotto-Heavens and secret realms.’

He sketched the outline of the Taotie Urn’s master in his mind.

’This being must be incredibly powerful. By scattering Cauldron Vessel Fragments across ten thousand worlds, he devours the power of sacrifices to aid his own cultivation. And this Life Devouring Divine Ability draws upon the power of this master of the Cauldron Vessel.’

Once this thought arose, it felt entirely logical.

Xu Qingru and Jiang Xing had relied on the Life Devouring Divine Ability to eke out an existence in this Grotto-Heaven for many years. But for every person they killed and every wisp of qi they devoured, a significant portion must have fallen into the pockets of the Cauldron Vessel’s master.

They had obtained the Life Devouring Divine Ability and believed they had secured a Cauldron Vessel’s legacy, but in reality, they had likely been reduced to a net cast far and wide by that mighty figure, plundering resources for him across ten thousand worlds!

’It seems this Cauldron Vessel Fragment cannot be fully trusted either!’

Chen Lingxi mused for a moment, a sudden thought occurring to him. ’I wonder, if I am outside this Divine Chamber and have not sacrificed a soul, can I still borrow the power of that mysterious entity to cast this divine ability?’

The moment the idea popped up, he could not suppress it.

He carefully recalled the Life Devouring Divine Ability method he had just forcefully memorized. He discovered that while the divine ability was intricate, it was not entirely impossible to bypass the constraints of the Cauldron Vessel’s master. If he extracted only the spiritual qi circulation technique and drove it using his own spiritual qi as a foundation, he might still be able to unleash a fraction of the Life Devouring Divine Ability’s effects. The only issue was that its power would be vastly reduced.

His mind made up, he did not dwell on it further and focused entirely on burning the profound methods of the divine ability into his memory.

’I am still in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber now. It will not be too late to figure it out once I return to reality.’

After firmly memorizing the Life Devouring Divine Ability method, Chen Lingxi retrieved the wooden box from his Vast Void Pouch. Opening the lid, he took out the Twenty-Four Mystic Beads one by one and laid them out in front of him.

These beads glowed with a dim golden light in the dark cave. He picked one up, slowly channeled a wisp of spiritual qi into it, and began to refine it.

This refinement was different from the probing injection he had performed earlier.

Using his spiritual qi as a guide, he meticulously traced every pattern on the bead’s surface, letting the qi seep into the flow of those lines one by one.

Although the Twenty-Four Mystic Beads were replicas, the formations within them were still exceptionally exquisite.

He spent several hours refining them sequentially. By the time the twenty-third Mystic Bead was successfully refined, he suddenly felt a strange resonance spring up among the twenty-four beads.

It was as if someone had plucked twenty-four lute strings at the exact same moment. Twenty-four humming sounds converged into a deep, resonant trill that echoed endlessly throughout the cave.

The twenty-four Mystic Beads lit up simultaneously. The patterns on their surfaces came to life, flowing madly within the golden light.

Chen Lingxi immediately felt an intense aura pervading from them. The aura was so potent, and its might so strong, that it resembled a long-suppressed blazing sun finally breaking free from its restraints to radiate a blinding, majestic brilliance. He hurriedly withdrew his spiritual qi. The light on the Twenty-Four Mystic Beads receded like a tide, returning to their original dull golden appearance in the blink of an eye.

He let out a long breath of stale air, a glint of pleasant surprise lighting up in his eyes.

’The power of these Underworld Lord’s Demon-Breaking Twenty-Four Mystic Beads is even stronger than I expected.’

He placed the Twenty-Four Mystic Beads back into the wooden box one by one, carefully closed the lid, and stored it away in his Vast Void Pouch.

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath and pulled a few more items from his Vast Void Pouch.

A Xi Yu Talisman.

A Profound-Pointing Sword Furnace.

A Dragon Qi Treasure Talisman.

Furthermore, since the Gold-Slaughtering Precious Saber had been severed by Luo Ran’s sword strike, he took out the long saber he had obtained from the Jade Qi Minor Completion martial artist at Mount Qiaoji.

The blade of this saber was exceedingly long and broad. It was over two fingers wider than a standard goose-feather saber. The spine was as thick as a knuckle, yet its edge was as thin as a cicada’s wing.

’This saber is truly worthy of a Jade Qi expert. It is much sharper and sturdier than the Gold-Slaughtering Precious Saber, though I have no idea what materials or methods were used to forge it.’

’However, the Gold-Slaughtering Precious Saber was once blessed by the Cauldron Vessel Fragment of the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace, giving it many spiritual qualities and abilities. Meanwhile, this long saber is nothing more than a mundane weapon.’

’Still, it’s enough for an emergency.’

He lined the items up in a row in front of him, his gaze burning.

’These are my foundation.’

’Whether I can fight for the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi will depend on these treasures.’

Just like that, another day passed.

On this day, Chen Lingxi’s eyes abruptly snapped open.

With a flicker of thought, he deployed the Vision Roaming Divine Ability.

Originally, the Vision Roaming Divine Ability could not be used inside the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber.

However, after he stepped onto the Qi Circulation 6th Floor, the Absolute Perception Divine Ability had undergone a miraculous transformation, bringing about this bizarre change.

His consciousness followed a wisp of smoke, drifting out of the cave, sweeping over the vast mountain forests, and floating into the Baosu Marquis Residence he was all too familiar with, landing squarely in the South Courtyard East Hall.

Then, he saw Lin Suri. Lin Suri was currently holding a treasure in his hands.

It appeared to be a command medallion. Carved onto it was a fierce tiger descending a mountain, its four claws like hooks, its tail like a whip, and every strand of fur distinctly etched.

Even though it was an inanimate carving, a savage aura surged directly from it. It was wreathed in dense spiritual energy—clearly an extraordinary item.

From Chen Lingxi’s perspective, Lin Suri gripped the medallion in his palm, closed his eyes in concentration, and slowly injected a stream of spiritual qi into it.

The spiritual qi acted like a thin, faint azure silk thread, seeping from his fingertips and landing on the medallion.

At that moment, the tiger pattern on the medallion lit up. From its head to its tail, from its claws to its back, a faint, soft layer of golden light slowly circulated along the lines.

In an instant, the medallion blazed with golden radiance.

Lin Suri stood up tall and fastened the medallion to his waist.

He was already very fair-skinned, and his brow always carried a composure unsuited to his age. Now, with the fierce tiger medallion hanging from his waist, his overall bearing shifted dramatically.

Awe-inspiring majesty was added to that restrained composure. He looked like a divine general commanding thousands of troops and horses, exuding an intimidating presence without anger, his bearing astonishing.

’This treasure truly is extraordinary.’

Seeing it clearly through the Vision Roaming perspective, Chen Lingxi clicked his tongue in silent amazement. ’This Lin Suri possesses incredible fortune as well. I have no idea where he acquired such a treasure this time, but just the aura radiating from this medallion is overwhelmingly powerful.’

Just as Chen Lingxi was marveling at the sight, a jade sword appeared in Lin Suri’s grasp with a flip of his hand.

The jade sword was only two feet long, its blade as narrow as a chive leaf. It was entirely translucent white, with faint and delicate patterns subtly flowing across its surface.

Those patterns were not complicated; just a few sparse strokes sketched out the outline of an immortal crane spreading its wings, ready to take flight.

Calling it a precious sword meant for slaying enemies was a stretch; it looked more like a ritual artifact, akin to the tokens kings, marquises, generals, and ministers would wear at their waists during grand sacrificial ceremonies to display their status.

Lin Suri hung the jade sword at his waist as well, his gaze falling upon the distant Ancestral Mountain.

A faint glimmer flashed through his deep, well-like eyes. He then raised his right hand, bringing his middle and index fingers together like a sword, and a pale, soft golden light ignited at his fingertips.

He slowly swept those two fingers across his eyes. His movements were light and unhurried, like a painter lightly tracing the outline of a picture in the air before setting brush to rice paper.

Instantly, his eyes shone with golden light.

Through Lin Suri’s perspective, the heaven and earth before Chen Lingxi’s eyes drastically changed shape.

Lin Suri’s line of sight flew past the landscape until it landed on the distant Ancestral Mountain! ’The Ancestral Mountain really has undergone a change!’

Relying on Lin Suri’s spell art, Chen Lingxi saw a burst of dense spiritual energy shooting into the sky from all around the Ancestral Mountain. It was like an invisible signal fire piercing straight into the clouds from deep within the mountain’s belly, dyeing half the sky a faint azure hue.

The intensity of that spiritual energy was dozens of times thicker than in Chen Lingxi’s cave dwelling, even with the Pure Wondrous Qi Pivot Array set up!

Yet before this, spiritual energy had barely existed on the Ancestral Mountain at all!

Following closely, an unimaginable aura suddenly erupted.

At first, it was only a faint, minuscule wisp, but in the blink of an eye, it violently surged forth like a ruptured dam!

It was as if a volcano that had slumbered since antiquity had finally awakened at this very moment, spewing out the spiritual mechanisms it had accumulated over countless years all at once.

The aura was terrifying. It was so dreadful that even viewing it through Vision Roaming caused Chen Lingxi’s mind to tremble, and the spiritual pool within his qi sea began to churn involuntarily.

However, the aura vanished just as quickly as it had arrived. It dissipated without a trace in a split second, as if it had never existed.

Chen Lingxi’s heart jolted violently.

’Was that terrifying wave of qi just now the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi?’

At the same time, Lin Suri tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping across Yuanjiang Prefecture. Through Lin Suri’s perspective, Chen Lingxi took in all the movements happening throughout Yuanjiang Prefecture at this exact moment.

He saw a colossal, sharp thunderous sword intent soaring into the sky from within Yuanjiang Prefecture!

The sword intent was so radiant that it stung the eyes even from an extreme distance.

At the spot where the sword intent shot upward, Lu Baizhong stood dressed entirely in white, stepping on a sword of thunder. His entire figure shot toward the Ancestral Mountain like a pale golden bolt of lightning.

His robes whipped in the wind and the sword light blazed fiercely; in the blink of an eye, he had already turned into a tiny speck of light at the end of the horizon.

Over a dozen other auras also blossomed from the mountains, rivers, relay stations, and other places outside Yuanjiang Prefecture, all of them heading toward the Ancestral Mountain.

These auras were of varying strengths. Some had spiritual qi churning like boiling water, while others had vital blood qi rising like signal smoke. They each deployed their own methods—some traveling through the air, some gliding low over the ground, and others turning into streaks of bloody light that tore through the sky—all heading in the exact same direction.

The Ancestral Mountain!

’Hm? There’s actually an army unit too!’

Chen Lingxi was slightly surprised. ’They came from the Capital!’

Wherever Lin Suri directed his gaze, there was a squad of about three hundred soldiers with blazing vital blood qi. Shockingly, every single one of them possessed a Silver Bone cultivation base.

’Three hundred Silver Bone experts—this is no ordinary number.’ Chen Lingxi clicked his tongue in wonder.

A martial artist at the Silver Bone Realm was more than qualified to serve as a battalion commander in the Great Li Army. Three hundred Silver Bone experts gathered together constituted a terrifying force capable of turning the tide of battle if placed on a battlefield.

Furthermore, each of these three hundred Silver Bone experts carried a large banner strapped to their backs.

The banners were about a person’s height, and the dark red fabric appeared to be made from an unknown beast’s hide.

Countless intricate patterns were drawn across the surfaces, faintly forming an incredibly exquisite formation array.

Moreover...

Spiritual energy was actually circulating on these banners. As the energy flowed across the three hundred banners, a white glow manifested in the void, linking them together as if forming one complete, massive array.

At the head of this grand array was a young general.

The young general had a burly physique and a cold, stern face. He too carried a large banner on his back, but his was several times larger than those of the ordinary soldiers, and the patterns on it were even more complex and exquisite.

He sat on horseback in front of the three hundred Silver Bone experts. The aura surrounding him was soul-stirring. He was like a heavy sword that had yet to be unsheathed—though its sharp edge was not fully exposed, that deep, weighty presence crashed out like a physical wave.

He led these three hundred Silver Bone experts galloping down the official road. The footsteps of the three hundred men were perfectly synchronized, as if they were moving as a single entity.

’The emergence of the Mother Qi has actually drawn out so many powerful experts. But unexpectedly, the Crown Prince, Ying Chi, is nowhere to be seen.’

Up in the sky, clouds and mist roiled, as if other experts were spying from atop the clouds.

Amidst the surging clouds, a few silhouettes could vaguely be seen drifting in and out of sight, though they could not be clearly discerned.

Right at this moment, a swell of clouds and mist shifted over the Ancestral Mountain.

The clouds and mist arrived without any warning. It was as if an invisible giant hand had ruthlessly stirred the peak of the Ancestral Mountain, causing layers upon layers of thick fog to rise from the mountainside, completely enveloping the entire mountain.

The fog was incredibly dense—so thick that it seemed like a solid gray wall stacked up layer by layer, tightly wrapping every inch of rock and every blade of grass on the Ancestral Mountain.

Even Lin Suri’s far-sight divine ability was completely unable to pierce through this dense fog.

Lin Suri took a deep breath.

The golden light in his eyes slowly withdrew. No emotion could be seen on his remarkably pale face; only an extremely faint trace of solemnity flickered across his brow.

He adjusted the fierce tiger medallion and the two-foot jade sword at his waist. Thus equipped, he strode boldly out of the East Hall.

Once out of the East Hall, he did not stop. His figure blurred, transforming into a streak of pale golden light that shot out of the Marquis Manor and sprinted out of the city.

His speed was too fast—so fast that ordinary eyesight could only catch a very faint, thin golden afterimage cutting through the air. He then vaulted over the city wall, the spiritual qi under his feet erupting. His entire body soared through the air like a great Kunpeng spreading its wings, heading straight for the Ancestral Mountain!

Chen Lingxi also took a deep breath!

The battle for the Mother Qi was officially beginning!

And now, by relying on the marvels of Absolute Perception and Vision Roaming, along with his own few foundational treasures, he was going to play the yellowbird waiting behind the mantis!