After the Great Dao Died

Beneath her shyness, Xi Lan still found the youth before her breathtakingly handsome.

He was entirely different from every other youth she had seen in her eighteen years of life.

A miraculous, flowing light seemed to circulate over his jade-like face. Flickering faintly in the dim candlelight, it was as clear and distant as moonlight shining upon still water.

Xi Lan had truly never seen anyone like him.

For a moment, she simply lay there in bed, looking up at Chen Lingxi through her bashfulness.

Her newly awakened eyes, still tinged with a bleary haze, reflected his handsome face—and the faint, pulsing golden lightning deep within his pupils.

She felt as though a pebble had been tossed into the tranquil lake of her mind, sending ripples spreading outward layer by layer. Even she could not explain exactly what this feeling was.

A blush crept across Xi Lan’s face, bringing a touch of maidenly shyness to her brow. Given her innate, striking beauty, she resembled a magnolia bud just waiting to bloom. Though not yet fully opened, it already possessed an elegant and unearthly charm.

To any onlooker, her demeanor painted a breathtakingly beautiful scene. It was as if an exquisite portrait of a court lady had suddenly sprung to life, the fairy within awakening with a tender, spring-like grace in her eyes.

Chen Lingxi was also somewhat surprised.He tilted his head slightly, his gaze lingering on Xi Lan’s face. A fleeting hint of astonishment flashed through his calm, water-like eyes.

But that surprise vanished in an instant. He withdrew the finger resting against Xi Lan’s forehead, and the lingering spiritual light on his fingertip retracted back into his body. ”Lan’er!”

Tears welled up in Xi Ninghe’s eyes as he rushed forward.

He had been standing stiffly in place this entire time, not daring to breathe loudly for fear of disturbing the immortal’s spell.

Now that he saw his daughter truly open her eyes, he could hold back no longer. He rushed to the bedside in a few strides and leaned over. His trembling hands reached out to hold hers, but he did not dare apply any force, leaving them hovering in midair.

This dignified prefect who judged cases and passed sentences in the halls of Lunan Prefecture now looked just like an ordinary peasant father. Tears filled his eyes, and it took him a long while before he managed to squeeze out the words: ”Lan’er... Lan’er, you are finally awake...”

The prefect’s wife, who had been sleeping by the bed, also woke up at this moment.

She had stayed up too many days and nights caring for her daughter. Finally collapsing from exhaustion, she had taken a quick nap on the edge of the bed.

When she saw Xi Lan resting with her eyes open, a radiant hope immediately ignited within her previously deathly pale gaze.

”Lan... Lan’er...”

Now fully awake, the prefect’s wife was so overwhelmed with joyous surprise that she could not speak.

Tears burst from her eyes like water breaching a dam.

”Mother...” Seeing her parents in such a state, Xi Lan faintly realized that her slumber must have lasted a very, very long time. Meanwhile, Xi Ninghe stood up, turned to face the young man standing quietly to the side, straightened his robes, and bowed respectfully.

”Immortal... you saved my daughter’s life. Even if I were to toil like a beast of burden for the rest of my days, I could not repay this immense debt of gratitude...”

Chen Lingxi paid no mind to Xi Ninghe’s grateful words.

The Method of Qi Observation continued to circulate slowly within his eyes, magnifying every single thread of energy inside Xi Lan’s body to its absolute limit.

He looked at Xi Lan with a hint of curiosity.

The profundity of this spiritual mechanism was something even Chen Lingxi, with his Qi Circulation 9th Floor cultivation and vast experience, found quite astonishing.

’Is this person also a Truth Seeker?’ Chen Lingxi was a little surprised, but he felt that did not quite seem to be the case.

He had met many Truth Seekers, but he had never seen such a profound spiritual energy phenomenon on any of them as he saw on Xi Lan.

Moreover, once Truth Seekers awakened their memories, most became cold and indifferent. Seeking the Dao and reaching the pinnacle was their sole objective; everything else was meaningless. They certainly would not act as dazed and innocent as Xi Lan.

Of course.

It could not be ruled out that Xi Lan was just hiding her true nature.

By now, Xi Lan had also noticed Chen Lingxi’s gaze. She did not dare meet the eyes of this youth she found so incredibly handsome. Lowering her brow, she stared down at her hands resting on the brocade quilt, her ten fingers subconsciously twisting the corner of the blanket.

But her father’s grateful words still echoed in her mind.

’Im... Immortal?’

’Just like in my dreams?’

For a moment, Xi Lan seemed to be at a total loss.

But then she felt that it would not be surprising if someone this good-looking actually was an immortal.

Chen Lingxi, however, narrowed his eyes as thoughts raced through his mind.

He could faintly detect the gleam in Xi Lan’s eyes.

’It seems I underestimated my own looks,’ Chen Lingxi thought to himself.

Ideas flashed through his mind.

Soon after, his gaze sharpened again under the Method of Qi Observation.

He could clearly see the thread of spiritual qi wrapped around Xi Lan’s wrist. It extended from her wrist, passed through the walls of the house, and plunged straight into a sprawling mansion courtyard in the distance.

Chen Lingxi retracted his gaze, already formulating a plan.

Xi Ninghe was so overjoyed that he completely lost the air of a high-ranking official.

He thanked Chen Lingxi profusely and was about to ask him about the cause of Xi Lan’s coma.

But right at that moment...

Chen Lingxi clearly sensed that thread trembling slightly.

’There must be a Truth Seeker in Lunan Prefecture as well. This thread of spiritual qi is probably the work of that Truth Seeker trying to steal the spiritual mechanism within Xi Lan,’ Chen Lingxi murmured internally.

’These Truth Seekers probably haven’t realized that the spiritual mechanism within Xi Lan is a twin to her very existence. If one is damaged, the other suffers. It is completely impossible for anyone else to seize it.’

That spiritual mechanism had long since fused with Xi Lan’s life force. The two depended on each other, sharing both glory and ruin.

If someone forcibly extracted the spiritual mechanism, it would wither and dissipate upon losing its host, and Xi Lan’s life would inevitably perish right along with it.

He shook his head. Then he saw the prefect’s wife lower her head to kiss her daughter.

Suddenly, a flood of memories surged up in his mind. He recalled when he lived in Liujie Alley before he was five. Madam Xi had been younger then, with a gentle disposition and excellent needlework skills. She would often sit beneath the willow tree in their courtyard with his mother, chatting about everyday life while they sewed.

Those memories were incredibly clear, so vivid they felt like they had happened yesterday.

He could even remember the clothes Madam Xi had worn.

While he played with Xi Yu, Madam Xi would carry a bamboo basket holding two bowls of piping hot food whenever mealtime rolled around, chasing after them to feed the two children.

One bite for Xi Yu, one bite for Chen Lingxi.

These memories were remarkably sharp.

At this thought, an idea suddenly formed in Chen Lingxi’s mind. ’Even though Xi Yu is a reincarnator and a member of the Que Star Xi Family—destined to be my enemy...’

’Strictly speaking, she is no longer the Xi Yu of the past.’

’In her heart, this Xi family of Lunan Prefecture probably has nothing to do with her anymore.’

’Since that is the case... I will simply treat this as helping out an old acquaintance.’

Thinking this, he made his decision.

Right before everyone’s eyes, Chen Lingxi raised his head, his gaze locked straight toward that sprawling mansion in the west of the city. Then, he spoke softly, ”Come... see me!”

The Dragon Roar Technique circulated silently within Chen Lingxi’s sea of qi. As the abundant spiritual liquid surged within his core, a deep, domineering, and innately majestic dragon roar rose from it.

Reaching the Wondrous State, the Dragon Roar Technique was profoundly mystical. It drifted out silently, turning ethereal in the blink of an eye as it passed through buildings and alleys, crossing vast distances...

Falling into the ears of the cultivator in that great mansion, it exploded like a crack of thunder.

The other three people in the room were still bewildered.

They only saw the immortal’s lips move slightly, as if he had said something, but they heard no sound at all.

Xi Ninghe was just about to ask a question, and Xi Lan was sneaking another peek at the young man, while the prefect’s wife still held her daughter’s hand, completely oblivious to what had just occurred.

At that moment, a wisp of black smoke suddenly drifted into the courtyard and began to take shape. In just a few breaths, it outlined a human silhouette.

The silhouette grew increasingly solid and distinct until it finally transformed into a living, breathing person.

”This... this...” Seeing such a scene, Xi Ninghe and his wife were momentarily rendered speechless with shock.

No matter how much of the world they had seen, they had never witnessed someone materializing from thin air out of smoke.

Xi Ninghe subconsciously shielded his wife and daughter behind him. As for Xi Lan, memories of her dreams gradually flooded her mind...

She seemed to have seen such bizarre sights in her dreams. In those dreams, heaven and earth were inverted, the sun and moon shone together, and countless strange-looking immortals flew across the clouds. Some rode immortal cranes, some flew on flying swords, and others stepped on five-colored auspicious clouds.

The abilities of those immortals were exactly the same as the man before her, all conjuring unimaginable things out of thin air.

She had originally thought it was nothing more than an absurd dream, but seeing this play out right before her eyes, she suddenly realized that the dream... perhaps was not entirely just a dream.

”He’s an immortal too...” Xi Ninghe muttered to himself, finding the sight completely unbelievable.

At this moment, the figure finally became clear, revealing his face.

He wore a small black velvet cap and a long, dark robe.

His face looked rather ordinary, but his eyes were incredibly bizarre—they had no pupils.

Chen Lingxi recognized this person. It was actually Chao Feiye, the original owner of the Time Candle Fragment.

Arriving as smoke, this eerie cultivator wore a look of terror upon seeing Chen Lingxi.

Almost the exact instant he clearly saw Chen Lingxi’s face, he lowered his head.

Not daring to meet those eyes glowing with golden lightning, he bowed deeply to Chen Lingxi. ”Greetings, Exalted Cultivator Chen...” His tone was respectful to the extreme.

He had also entered Ancestral Mountain, scheming to seize the opportunity of the Mother Qi.

Yet he had never imagined that the news of the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi appearing would reach so many powerful figures. Most of those who came to fight for it were far stronger than him.

He had originally struck a deal with Lin Suri, believing he could move safely through Ancestral Mountain using Lin Suri’s connections. But later... Lin Suri encountered endless fortuitous encounters, effortlessly breaking through to the Qi Circulation 7th Floor and leaving him far behind.

Naturally, he lost the qualifications to partner with Lin Suri.

During the events at Ancestral Mountain, Chao Feiye felt most fortunate to have given the Time Candle to Lin Suri, forging a good karmic tie.

It allowed him to be saved by Lin Suri during a disaster in Ancestral Mountain.

And he... having witnessed the battle for the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi, naturally knew that Chen Lingxi had killed Imperial Consort Chun and Lu Baizhong. He had even watched Chen Lingxi fly off on a boat and capture the Qi Circulation 8th Floor cultivator Xi Yuan alive!

How could he dare be anything but respectful to such a figure?

Just like right now, Chao Feiye stayed bowed in greeting. Until Chen Lingxi spoke, he did not even dare straighten his back.

Xi Ninghe stared blankly at the scene.

This black-clad immortal could materialize from the void—a feat well worthy of being called an ”immortal technique.” Yet now, this ”immortal” was bowing and scraping before the young immortal, too afraid to even breathe loudly.

”So you’re the cultivator lurking in Lunan Prefecture,” Chen Lingxi said. As he spoke, a silent thread of divine sense drifted over and landed in Chao Feiye’s grasp.

Chao Feiye blanked for a moment before processing the information in the divine sense. He hastily replied, ”I didn’t realize this spiritual mechanism was so impossible to claim. Now that the Exalted Cultivator has enlightened me, and since the Exalted Cultivator is an old acquaintance of the Xi family, I naturally will harbor no further covetous thoughts.

Please... I beg the Exalted Cultivator’s forgiveness...”

Chen Lingxi sent out another stream of divine sense.

Chao Feiye instantly looked as if he had received a royal pardon. He bowed to Chen Lingxi once more. ”With the Exalted Cultivator gracing this place, I am willing to fulfill the duties of a host.”

Chen Lingxi simply shook his head slightly.

”I will take my leave.”

Chao Feiye did not dare say another word. As he straightened his back, the black smoke surged around him once again. In just a few breaths, he and the smoke completely dissipated into the night breeze.

’Immortals also have ranks of superiority... The one before us is an Exalted Cultivator...’ Xi Ninghe murmured in his heart.

He was filled with extreme reverence for Chen Lingxi. Involuntarily, he took another step back, not daring to stand too close for fear his breathing might disturb the immortal’s peace.

At this moment, Chen Lingxi looked back toward Xi Lan. The Method of Qi Observation was still slowly circulating in his eyes.

That jade-green spiritual mechanism was still silently roaming through her meridians. With every cycle, it devoured a fraction of her essence, qi, and spirit, then fed it back to reform her meridians and bones.

Such a bizarre spiritual mechanism exuded an unimaginably profound aura.

Thoughts surged in Chen Lingxi’s mind again. ’If this Xi Lan cultivated Qi Circulation, her aptitude would likely be extraordinary. If I took her as a disciple and taught her meticulously, she would definitely become...’

Then, he suddenly frowned and could not help but stare deeply at Xi Lan.

’What’s going on?’

He abruptly realized that he had just entertained the thought of ”taking her as a disciple.”

’Something’s not right.’

’I know perfectly well that the Que Star Xi Family is about to refine this grotto-heaven. If I don’t find a way out, I will inevitably become a wronged soul trapped inside the realm essence within that Realm-Refining Furnace. So why am I having thoughts of taking on a disciple right now?’

Taking a disciple...

This kind of thought had never occurred to Chen Lingxi before.

Since beginning his cultivation in this life, he had grown used to acting alone and had never considered taking on any disciples. Why, at this exact moment, did he have the urge to take Xi Lan as his student?

As he thought about it, his frown deepened.

His gaze fell onto the prefect’s wife again.

’Thinking about it carefully, I was only five when I left Liujie Alley. I only vaguely recall playing with Xi Yu... Aside from that, I can barely remember Xi Ninghe and the prefect’s wife. Yet just a moment ago, the image of the prefect’s wife feeding me and Xi Yu flooded my mind, so clear that it was like...’

Chen Lingxi could not help taking a deep breath as he locked his eyes straight onto Xi Lan.

Being stared at so directly, Xi Lan lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze. The blush that had faded slightly crept back onto her cheeks.

Xi Lan kept her head down, too shy to look at him.

Still immersed in the joy of his daughter’s awakening and his awe of the immortal Chen Lingxi, Xi Ninghe repeatedly invited Chen Lingxi to the East Hall for tea.

But Chen Lingxi remained rooted to the spot.

He ignored Xi Ninghe’s invitations, simply standing there.

’I was supposed to leave Lunan Prefecture right after grabbing the imperial decree, yet I vaguely spotted the flash of that spiritual mechanism from within this backyard. But that mechanism was hidden incredibly deep inside Xi Lan’s body—how could I have discovered it so easily?’

’I saw Xi Lan, and as if possessed, I used spiritual qi to wake her up. I was about to leave, but then that exceedingly clear memory flooded my mind, leading me to summon Chao Feiye. And now, I even developed the desire to take Xi Lan as my disciple.’ Chen Lingxi’s eyelids twitched. It all felt completely surreal.

’It’s as if something is deliberately guiding me, even tampering with my memories.’

His divine sense was condensed, and with the True Intent profundities of the Qi Circulation 9th Floor protecting him, logically speaking, his mind should not be easily influenced by external things.

Yet all the events today—starting from when he ”unintentionally” detected Xi Lan’s spiritual mechanism from the clouds, to when he ”instinctively” descended, to those abruptly surfacing childhood memories, and even the urge to ”take a disciple” just now...

Everything seemed too coincidental, too abrupt.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Lingxi continued to stare deeply at Xi Lan.

He pushed the Qi Circulation 9th Floor’s Method of Qi Observation to its absolute limit.

Seven or eight breaths of time passed.

’I can’t see through it. Aside from that spiritual mechanism, there’s absolutely nothing strange about Xi Lan.’

’Since I can’t see through it, it proves my cultivation is still far from sufficient to get to the bottom of this.’

’In that case, I shouldn’t let my curiosity run wild. I need to get away as quickly as possible.’

He warned himself internally. Since he couldn’t discern the strangeness surrounding Xi Lan, he would simply stop looking. That was the safest approach.

Having made up his mind, he prepared to leave.

But on second thought, he muttered internally, ’It’s also possible that I’m being paranoid. Xi Lan’s aptitude is so outstanding; if I could take her as a disciple...’

Chen Lingxi’s thought came to a screeching halt. A wave of bone-chilling horror and disbelief washed over him.

Almost without hesitation, he ripped his gaze away from Xi Lan. Using divine sense transmission, he carefully left a single instruction with Xi Ninghe.

Then... mist surged around Chen Lingxi, and he vanished into the night.

He disappeared without a trace.

The three people in the room looked at one another, feeling that everything they had experienced tonight was like a dream.

”He’s leaving just like that?” Xi Lan felt a little wistful. ”I don’t even know the immortal’s name.”

She gazed out the window at the pitch-black night, her mind still dwelling on the man’s final silhouette as he departed.

Meanwhile, in the void, Chen Lingxi rode away on the clouds, thinking to himself, ’It seems the secrets of heaven and earth are countless.’

He had previously felt that his Qi Circulation 9th Floor cultivation was quite formidable. Aside from the few Entering Profound figures and that mysterious existence deep in the imperial palace, no one in this grotto-heaven could rival him. Yet today, just by looking at Xi Lan a few extra times, he had almost been manipulated by an inexplicable power into making a decision contrary to his own will.

’How many more people are there in this world like Xi Lan—seemingly ordinary, but hiding profound secrets?’

Thinking this, he flew out of Lunan Prefecture.

He did not land in the Nanju Twelve Mountains again. Instead, he used the Hidden Edge Method to conceal his aura and quietly headed for Yuanjiang Prefecture.

Many thoughts continued to flow through his mind along the way, and the more he thought, the more suspicious it all felt.

He could even remember how, when Madam Xi smiled back then, the right corner of her mouth would curve up slightly higher than the left, revealing a tiny canine tooth.

He also remembered that she always wore a lotus-pink jacket with several orchids embroidered on the cuffs.

Those orchids were stitched with silver thread, gleaming faintly under the sunlight.

Chen Lingxi sneered.

’How could a five-year-old child remember such details?’

’It seems something is influencing my decisions, even affecting my memories.’

Chen Lingxi narrowed his eyes. ’Could it be some kind of Cauldron Vessel?’ He pondered for a long time but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Shaking his head, he suppressed those thoughts for the time being.

Regardless, he had secured the imperial decree tonight, so the purpose of his trip had been accomplished.

As for the matter with Xi Lan, he would put it aside for now and deal with it later.