After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi’s burning gaze met Wu Mohe’s eyes.

Wu Mohe listened in silence. After a few breaths, a faint smile returned to his lips.

”The Killing Power Cauldron Vessel is precious. Having refined the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi, your cultivation must have already reached the Eighth Floor. Naturally, you wouldn’t give up such an opportunity.

”I hadn’t finished speaking, yet you grew anxious.”

He suddenly flicked his sleeve.

A stream of spiritual light swirled out, transforming into a brilliantly glowing golden toad artifact.

”Fellow Daoist, I also have a Cauldron Vessel Fragment in my possession, named the Gold-Swallowing Toad.

”All rare treasures in the world can fall into the mouth of this Gold-Swallowing Toad Cauldron Vessel.

”Once the Gold-Swallowing Toad ingests a rare treasure, it spits out extremely precious pills. The Qi-Gathering Pills you took earlier were produced by this very toad.”

Chen Lingxi looked at the Gold-Swallowing Toad with some surprise.Wu Mohe smiled. ”The agreement in the Jade Precept Book was for you to act on my behalf once.

”But in the struggle for a Cauldron Vessel, striking just once is far from enough. I am willing to offer this Gold-Swallowing Toad as payment in exchange for your assistance.

”Help me seize the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel.

”Once the matter is settled, I can gift you a second-grade artifact.”

Chen Lingxi remained impassive and silent.

Beneath the obscuring mist, Wu Mohe’s face subtly furrowed.

He thought for a moment before adding, ”I also have an Eighth Floor cultivator under my command.

”The reason I want to strike a deal with you is so you can join forces with my subordinate and help me block that Que Shixing, Xi Yu.

”You killed Xi Yuan and have already forged a deep blood feud with Xi Yu. Since she is coming to fight for the Cauldron Vessel, she will definitely try to kill you.

”You have to deal with her anyway, so why not join hands with me?”

Chen Lingxi probed, ”Fellow Daoist, your cultivation is unfathomable. Are you truly afraid of Xi Yu?”

Wu Mohe shook his head. ”In terms of realm, Xi Yu is not my equal.”

Chen Lingxi had a sudden realization. Wu Mohe continued, ”It is just that a genius cultivator from such a prestigious clan has profound foundations and a deep comprehension of spells and divine abilities.

”If I fight her, I cannot cut her down instantly, and I will inevitably be bogged down.

”Among the Great Zhou cultivators, there is also an extraordinary expert coming here. I must compete with him for the Cauldron Vessel, leaving me no time to look after you and Xi Yu.

”So I thought to strike a deal with you.”

At this, his tone turned cold. ”I know you are formidable, having seized the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi within Ancestral Mountain.

”But... in the Vast Grotto-Heaven alone, there are already several cultivators who have reached the Heaven-Facing Realm!

”In the fight for the Cauldron Vessel, both I and that Great Zhou expert are Heaven-Facing figures.”

”If you refuse... you will be unable to snatch the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel from our hands, and you might even throw your life away in vain.

”Rather than that, it would be better to join forces with me and earn my Gold-Swallowing Toad!”

’The Heaven-Facing Realm...’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flashed. ”No wonder you were unwilling when we last met, when I tried to use the secret of the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi as an exchange.

”So it was because your cultivation is so profound that you looked down on a wisp of Mother Qi?” Wu Mohe shook his head. ”Mother Qi is unquestionably precious to a cultivator in the Heaven-Facing Realm.

”I coveted it deeply as well, but at the time, I was bogged down with trivial matters and plotting for another serendipitous encounter.

”I simply had no time to worry about the Mother Qi.”

”Fellow Daoist, are you willing to agree?” he asked Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi lightly flicked a finger. The Jade Precept Book snapped shut and fell into his hand.

”Although the Gold-Swallowing Toad is extremely precious, it still falls far short when compared to the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel.

”Moreover... since you are willing to give up this Gold-Swallowing Toad, it likely proves that the residual mighty power left in this Cauldron Vessel Fragment has already diminished.

”Even if it fell into my hands, the pills it produces would be of limited help to me.”

”Even if that weren’t the case,” Chen Lingxi said, shaking his head, ”the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel Fragment involves the future struggles for Cauldron Vessels.

”Forgive me... I cannot make this trade with you.”

Mist surged over Wu Mohe’s face, obscuring his expression. Chen Lingxi paused slightly, then continued, ”But during the fight for the Cauldron Vessel, if you are in need, I will strike once on your behalf.

”To fulfill our agreement.”

Wu Mohe remained silent, but the spiritual light on his body slowly began to dissipate.

Just then, Chen Lingxi called out to stop him with a smile. ”Fellow Daoist, I have a dragon qi talisman here, drawn by Xi Yu.

”Although its grade isn’t high, you can probably catch a glimpse of Xi Yu’s talisman methods from it.”

He flicked a finger.

The dragon qi talisman instantly hovered in the air. The runes upon it interlinked in overlapping layers, exuding a profound and mysterious spiritual light.

”I am willing to exchange this talisman for the background of that Great Zhou cultivator.”

Wu Mohe thought for a moment. ”This person is named Shi Hong! In this lifetime, he is the Fuguang King of the Great Zhou!

”He is different from us. He is a pure body cultivator.

”He has refined all his spiritual qi into his flesh. Having practiced several physical tempering methods, his body is incredibly strong and utterly terrifying.

”Chen Lingxi, I know you took the Ancestral Mountain Maternal Qi, and I suspect you have already reached the Eighth Floor perfection stage. But if you encounter him, your only option is to flee.

”Otherwise, if he catches you, your entire spiritual qi cultivation will likely be devoured by him, turning into fuel for his own cultivation.”

Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow.

”A devouring method?”

The Method of Life Devouring from the Taotie Urn immediately sprang to his mind.

As Wu Mohe finished speaking, a stream of divine sense flowed over. A wealth of information regarding this Shi Hong poured into Chen Lingxi’s mind like bubbling spring water.

Chen Lingxi instantly learned of several divine abilities possessed by this Great Zhou body cultivator.

However, the information was still lacking in detail.

This was only normal. After all, Wu Mohe probably didn’t know much about the Great Zhou cultivator either.

”Since that is the case, I will trouble you to send this dragon qi talisman to the Hanging Moon Winehouse in Yuanjiang Prefecture.”

”The next time we meet, we might cross blades in our fight for the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel Fragment.”

”I know your foundations are deep, but at the Qi Circulation 8th Floor realm, you really shouldn’t be so stubborn.” Wu Mohe’s figure slowly dissipated.

Chen Lingxi’s expression remained unchanged.

’This Wu Mohe doesn’t know that I’ve already stepped into the Ninth Floor realm...’

’However... this battle for the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel will absolutely not be that easy.’

’Nowadays, in this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven, many experts have already been taken to the imperial palace by Emperor Daye.’

’Even so, there is still Wu Mohe, as well as Heaven-Facing figures like Shi Hong of the Great Zhou.’

’These two probably don’t know yet... that a mere Heaven-Facing Tenth Floor cultivator is not considered a true expert to Emperor Daye at all.’

Leaving aside the unfathomable depths of Emperor Daye’s power, among his numerous corpses lay the bodies of Heaven-Facing Tenth Floor figures.

Just taking the King of the East, Yuan Yuan, and that white-haired, purple-clad marquis he saw when using Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye into account, two Heaven-Facing Tenth Floor cultivators were absolutely not enough.

’I also need to be on guard against the Imperial Court’s experts.’

Chen Lingxi pondered silently before taking out the Delayed Light Flying Dagger.

The flying dagger appeared plain and unadorned; only the bizarre hourglass upon it swirled with spiritual light. ’I just wonder how long it will take for this Cauldron Vessel to appear.’

’If I have another two or three months, the Purple True Treasure Vase in the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace will be fully augmented.’

’With that Purple True Treasure Vase in hand, combined with this Delayed Light Flying Dagger, I should have the strength to fight against a Tenth Floor expert.’

’For now, I will just wait peacefully...’

Time flew by, and three months passed.

Feeling somewhat settled, Chen Lingxi returned to the Nanju Twelve Mountains and brought back the Purple True Treasure Vase.

’The Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace is highly likely to have something fishy about it, so this Purple True Treasure Vase cannot be fully trusted either.’

’However, since I’m going to fight for the Cauldron Vessel, I must utilize all of my foundations.’

Chen Lingxi poured his spiritual qi into the Purple True Treasure Vase.

Streams of dense purple qi brewed within the vase.

Waves of extremely sharp power coiled inside it.

’This Purple True Treasure Vase was already quite extraordinary to begin with. Now that the Crown Prince, Ying Chi, has used the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace to augment it several times, it has become peerlessly powerful.’ Joy filled Chen Lingxi’s heart, and an uncontrollable smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

His divine sense and spiritual qi cascaded into the Purple True Treasure Vase, roaming through the formations inside as he slowly began to refine it.

His spiritual qi continuously navigated the formations in this manner, breaking through the barriers within. He repeated this process for an unknown number of hours.

Only when Chen Lingxi nudged his thoughts did the Purple True Treasure Vase slowly levitate in the air.

Only then did Chen Lingxi let out a long breath of turbid air.

His intent shifted subtly.

A trace of purple qi suddenly drifted out from the treasure vase, resembling a purple snake that had just awakened from a deep slumber.

’Just a single wisp of purple qi is already incredibly sharp. If all the purple qi within the Purple True Treasure Vase were to erupt outward...’

’It would definitely be like a purple waterfall, enough to drown a cultivator at the Qi Circulation Tenth Floor.’

Chen Lingxi wasn’t surprised by the might of the Purple True Treasure Vase.

He recalled when the Crown Prince had wielded the Purple True Treasure Vase to counter Xiao Zhushan’s assassination attempt on Mount Cuojin.

With the Crown Prince’s Qi Circulation 6th Floor cultivation, he had still forced Xiao Zhushan to draw his saber to intercept it, even though that purple qi was ultimately shattered by Xiao Zhushan.

But Chen Lingxi was not the Crown Prince. His cultivation was far more formidable, and he could now fully unleash the might of the Purple True Treasure Vase.

Furthermore, compared to back then, the current Purple True Treasure Vase had also grown significantly stronger.

The smile on Chen Lingxi’s lips never faded as he sank his focus back into the Divine Chamber within his mind.

Inside the Divine Chamber, the cloud qi churned just as always.

Tadpole-like script etched in golden light hung high above the cloud qi, radiating brilliance.

Chen Lingxi’s consciousness landed on the words Absolute Perception, where he saw a small line of text appended to it.

Essence Replenishment Progress: 62%.

The smile vanished from Chen Lingxi’s lips, and his brows furrowed.

’Even after absorbing the mystical power from the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace, the next use of Absolute Perception is still a long way off.’

’It seems I won’t be able to rely on Absolute Perception Deduction for this battle over the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel. I will need to be extra careful.’

’Fortunately, my combat strength is no longer ordinary.’ Reaching this thought, he stopped dwelling on it. He sat down cross-legged and resumed the technique of Vision Roaming.

His consciousness followed that wisp of smoke from the Divine Chamber out of the King of the East’s Traveling Palace, descending straight toward the towering Imperial Capital far in the distance.

Deep inside the imperial palace, Emperor Daye was still in secluded cultivation.

Chen Lingxi gained nothing from this Vision Roaming.

Thus, Chen Lingxi shifted his consciousness again, tentatively attempting to use Vision Roaming on Lin Suri, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.

Ever since Lin Suri left Yuanjiang Prefecture, his whereabouts had been unknown, taking him beyond the coverage of the Vision Roaming Divine Ability.

Yet today, as soon as his intent shifted, he felt that the wisp of smoke in the Divine Chamber suddenly found its mark.

His perspective pierced through heavy layers of clouds and mist, landing on a wasteland he had never seen before.

Lin Suri was currently walking back slowly from the edge of that wasteland.

He maintained his usual calm and unhurried demeanor. He wore a dark silk robe with a jade belt cinched at his waist, his hair crown completely immaculate.

His aura had also grown deeper and heavier.

As the spiritual qi circulated around his body, a dense and heavy spiritual qi faintly flowed out. ’Qi Circulation 8th Floor.’

’Furthermore, his spirit is vigorous and his foundations are solid. It’s definitely not as simple as having just entered the Eighth Floor.’

Chen Lingxi didn’t feel surprised.

Lin Suri’s foundations were profound, and it was highly likely that his aptitude was far superior to even Xi Yu’s.

The only reason this man’s cultivation had fallen behind was that his time in this world had been too short.

If he had arrived in this Grotto-Heaven at the same time as figures like Xi Yu, he would have likely stepped into the Heaven-Facing Realm long ago.

’However, it can be considered lucky for this Lin Suri. If he had stepped into the Heaven-Facing Realm early on, he would have very likely been targeted by Emperor Daye and taken into that imperial palace.’

Chen Lingxi gave a slight shake of his head, but suddenly saw Lin Suri look up.

A flash of spiritual light crossed his eyes.

Immediately after, through Lin Suri’s perspective, Chen Lingxi clearly saw a formation slowly taking shape in the void not far above Lin Suri’s head!

Streams of profound golden spiritual qi spread out in all directions from Lin Suri’s body.

They intertwined and echoed each other in the void, ultimately constructing an extremely complex formation diagram. That formation diagram was no more than a zhang in radius; as its spiritual light manifested, it resembled a mirror.

At this moment, numerous scenes were reflected within that spiritual light mirror.

Chen Lingxi focused his gaze and saw suspended mountains, resplendent palaces, and a place that looked like an immortal wonderland.

Chen Lingxi had already seen such scenes before through his Vision Roaming.

’Is this mirror reflecting the Under-Dao Academy?’

Chen Lingxi was somewhat astonished.

In the next instant, he saw several blurry figures sitting cross-legged atop a mountain peak inside the mirror.

Mist wrapped around their bodies.

Astonishing spirit and spiritual momentum surged from them, peerlessly powerful.

That aura was far too strong; it felt as though just a leaked trace of it could easily suppress Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi’s expression shifted slightly.

He suddenly recalled a Cauldron Vessel he had only ever heard of: the Myriad Realms Projection!

Lin Suri’s Martial Aunt in Red had once said that the moment they discovered the serendipity of the Immortal Slough, they would borrow the Myriad Realms Projection.

They would project the experts of the Pool Soul Courtyard to descend into this Grotto-Heaven to fight for the opportunity of the Immortal Slough.

’This faintly discernible mirror of spiritual light is likely connected to that Myriad Realms Projection.’

Chen Lingxi instantly understood. Lin Suri had been missing for so long because he was likely plotting and laying down this formation, using it to receive the descent of those Under-Dao Academy experts into the Grotto-Heaven!

’Looking at it, this formation is probably already complete.’

’I just don’t know exactly when these Under-Dao Academy experts will project themselves over.’

He suddenly recalled Xi Yuan’s earlier words.

If there was a Dao Foundation cultivator in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm willing to use their Dao Platform Profound Root to receive him...

...he would be able to leave this Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven.

’The descent of the Under-Dao Academy experts can probably be considered an opportunity for me as well.’

’I just don’t know... when exactly these Under-Dao Academy cultivators will descend.’ His eyes flickered, landing on the Zhuzhao Riverbank.

The river’s current was rapid, rolling and surging, with killing power permeating from within it.

’That works out too. With experts coming, I can also... fish in troubled waters.’