After the Great Dao Died

Just as Chen Lingxi was reading through the [Dragon-Stripping Dao-Transforming One Qi True Incantation]...

Within the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, in a certain sea region inside the Dragon-Revering Sect Territory.

A mysterious aura quietly awakened.

Deep within that mysterious sea, no light could remain; every trace of aura seemed to be entirely devoured.

All the seawater completely evaporated.

An area ten thousand li across turned into an expanse of nothingness.

Right within that nothingness, an eye with a vertical pupil, enveloped in deep yellow, slowly opened!

That eye seemed to contain the flickering of divine abilities and an unimaginably terrifying qi mechanism. Various profound dao mysteries flowed within it, and various profound rules were born and destroyed inside.

It seemed to sense something.

A ray of radiance shone from this massive vertical pupil.

Within that radiance, a scale sparkled brightly.

Suspended in the void, the scale acted like a mirror, reflecting an astonishing scene.

In that reflection, countless tiny, vortex-like projections of light were swirling.

They looked like... world after world.

The scale then projected a world, which vanished shortly after.

In the next instant, another world appeared...

The scale flashed, illuminating one world after another.

And that massive vertical pupil seemed to be searching for something.

—

Chen Lingxi headed straight for Qinghua Province and opened up a cave mansion deep within its mountains.

Inside the cave mansion, Chen Lingxi laid down the second layer of the Pure Wondrous Qi Pivot Array. An area of a hundred li was covered by the Concealment Spiritual Array within this formation.

At the same time, the residual spiritual qi in this hundred-li area surged madly toward the cave mansion.

’Now that the Killing Power Cauldron Vessel Fragment is in my hands,’

’With the Enemy-Slaughtering Spirit Wall, there should be no one in this Grotto-Heaven who is my match, aside from Emperor Daye.’

’Unless Lin Suri’s profound grand array is fully constructed, or more people arrive from the Under-Dao Academy.’

’Since there are no other opportunities left, I will go into secluded cultivation here in Qinghua Province.’

Chen Lingxi made up his mind.

His talent was extraordinary now. He carried numerous treasures with him, and he possessed divine abilities and methods that urgently needed to be cultivated.

Going into seclusion as soon as possible to fully transform these foundations into his own realm and cultivation base was the proper path.

Chen Lingxi reached out his hand.

A Gold-Swallowing Toad appeared in his grasp.

This golden toad statue was incredibly lifelike, reflecting layers of flowing light beneath the daylight.

Chen Lingxi then fed all the useless magical treasures he had accumulated over the past few years to this golden toad.

At the same time, his divine sense entered the golden toad.

After just one short day, six golden pills were already hovering before Chen Lingxi’s eyes.

’Three spiritual qi pills, three body-tempering pills.’

’That should be enough for me to cultivate the True Edict of Approaching the Dao.’

Chen Lingxi did not hesitate. In his mind, the incomparably profound methods of the True Edict of Approaching the Dao surged past.

The massive amount of information constantly rose and fell in his thoughts.

A sharp light gleamed in Chen Lingxi’s eyes.

’The True Edict of Approaching the Dao... is a divine ability for physical cultivation...’

He swallowed a pill in one gulp. Surging vital essence immediately erupted from the pill, filling Chen Lingxi’s limbs and bones.

’The True Edict of Approaching the Dao First Level Realm is the [Palace Knocking] Realm.’

’Initially knocking on the profound gates, opening up divine soil within the chaos.’

Chen Lingxi murmured in his heart, then closed his eyes to visualize and construct the first Inner Divine Palace within his body!

At the same time, Chen Lingxi’s physical body, which had already achieved the Nine Revolutions Realm, began to undergo brand-new changes.

Within his skin, muscles, fascia, and internal organs, heavy blood qi slowly flowed, circulating through every inch of his flesh and every piece of bone.

As Chen Lingxi visualized the Inner Divine Palace, he vaguely sensed a crude palace being constructed near his heart, using his physical vital essence and spiritual qi as bricks and tiles.

This palace consisted of merely a single room and a single hall!

But the moment he visualized this Inner Divine Palace, his body suddenly began to change.

The constantly flowing blood qi gradually began to merge into Chen Lingxi’s body.

Merging into every one of his pores, every cell, every inch of bone and sinew, and every piece of flesh.

Even his internal organs began to absorb this blood qi.

At the same time, the dense spiritual qi in Chen Lingxi’s Qi Sea flowed over, washing through everything inside his body.

Chen Lingxi could clearly sense his physical body constantly strengthening as an indescribable power began to fill it.

And this... was not the end.

’The Palace Knocking Realm... requires not just establishing the Inner Divine Palace, but also consecrating an inner deity within it.’

As Chen Lingxi’s thoughts reached this point, the figure of Great Sage Yaotian immediately surfaced in his mind.

[Great Sage Yaotian Approaching the Dao Diagram]...

This blurry visualization diagram appeared just like that in Chen Lingxi’s mind.

This Approaching the Dao Diagram was incomplete and extremely blurry. It contained only a vague silhouette of Great Sage Yaotian’s back.

But even so!

When Chen Lingxi used this Approaching the Dao Diagram to visualize Great Sage Yaotian, in that instant...

Chen Lingxi vaguely saw an indomitable figure sitting cross-legged, his form incomparably massive.

Stars faintly revolved around his indistinct head.

The breath he exhaled transformed into rings of fire that forcefully severed the void.

An unimaginable presence flowed out just like that.

’This Great Sage Yaotian... just what kind of figure is he?’

’Just a mere blurry view of his back can actually produce such a phenomenon.’

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath, doing his best to completely visualize this blurry figure.

He visualized Great Sage Yaotian.

Prompted by the many profound mysteries of the True Edict of Approaching the Dao, his physical strength grew increasingly tyrannical. Immeasurable, indescribable vital essence roamed through his body, transforming it at an extremely fast pace.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Chen Lingxi remained seated upright in the cave mansion.

The spiritual qi drawn in by the array was like a long river. It flowed right into Chen Lingxi’s body, where it was thoroughly digested by the True Edict of Approaching the Dao.

Only at this moment did Chen Lingxi suddenly open his eyes.

”Invite the deity into the palace!”

In an instant!

The Great Sage Yaotian he had visualized in his mind vanished in the blink of an eye, descending into the Inner Divine Palace at his heart.

On the high platform of that crude palace, an inner deity sat cross-legged, its aura blazing.

The inner deity breathed!

It absorbed the impurities from Chen Lingxi’s body and exhaled vital essence, thoroughly transforming Chen Lingxi’s physical form just like this...

Several months quietly passed by.

Until early morning on this day, the grand sun rose, casting radiant light that fell upon the mountain ranges.

Chen Lingxi finally opened his eyes, letting out a breath.

This wisp of breath, however, did not contain the slightest trace of foul air.

”The True Edict of Approaching the Dao First Level has been successfully cultivated.”

A glint of brilliance flashed through Chen Lingxi’s eyes as he lightly clenched his fist.

Instantly, the cave mansion seemed to tremble slightly.

”Such tyrannical strength... I fear it’s not inferior to even the Marquis in Purple.”

A smile surfaced on Chen Lingxi’s lips.

’I am now likely a body cultivator, as recorded in the Six Qi True Method.’

’Moreover, because of the profundity of the True Edict of Approaching the Dao, I am even more formidable than many body cultivators at the same realm.’

While pondering, Chen Lingxi perceived his own Inner Divine Palace.

Great Sage Yaotian sat peacefully within it, still continuously inhaling and exhaling to transform his body.

’To a certain extent, with this True Edict of Approaching the Dao, as long as I live long enough, my physical body will naturally become stronger and stronger.’

’However, relying solely on Great Sage Yaotian’s breathing to increase my physical strength is too slow.’

’I still need to actively transform my body using my own spiritual qi and Dao Origin.’

Besides that...

In Chen Lingxi’s mind, the methods for the Palace Knocking Realm of the True Edict of Approaching the Dao flashed by, page by page.

The [Palace Knocking] Realm, establishing the Inner Divine Palace, consecrating Great Sage Yaotian, and acquiring a few mysteries.

Chen Lingxi thus acquired the inner deity mystery of Great Sage Yaotian.

’I have already acquired the [Great Sage Breathing] mystery, which can constantly elevate my physical cultivation.’

’Once I step into the Heaven-Facing Tenth Floor, I can use the Tenth Floor spiritual qi to transform myself and obtain a second mystery.’

His thoughts reaching this point, Chen Lingxi stood up and walked out of the cave mansion.

Time flowed leisurely; over the span of several months, that wisp of spiritual light within Chen Lingxi’s body had long since faded away entirely.

However, the insights into divine abilities that Chen Lingxi had digested under the blessing of that spiritual light could never dissipate.

As Chen Lingxi mounted the clouds and mist, circulating the Cloud Soaring Technique, a bolt of lightning flashed. Amidst the cloud qi, Chen Lingxi headed straight toward Lunan Prefecture.

On the Nanju Twelve Mountains, Chen Lingxi had still hidden many things.

While soaring on the clouds, Chen Lingxi recalled his own spells and divine abilities.

’Benefiting from the spiritual light blessing of that mysterious figure, many of my divine abilities and spells have already stepped into the Wondrous State.’

’The Hidden Edge Method, Cyan Edge Method, Heaven-Seizing Seal, Longevity Bridge, Cloud Soaring Technique... all have advanced to the Sublime realm.’

At this moment, Chen Lingxi’s foundation was profound beyond compare.

For five types of divine abilities and cultivation methods to step into the Wondrous State was something an ordinary cultivator would absolutely never dare to hope for.

Even if these five divine abilities were not considered rare or precious and could only be counted as ordinary.

Yet even ordinary divine abilities and spells, once they stepped into the Sublime realm, their might would inevitably skyrocket.

They could not be underestimated.

’Besides that... relying on that spiritual light, I have already gained many insights into the Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture, which was originally at the Subtle Realm. Although I am still some distance away from the Sublime realm, it is no longer out of reach.’

His thoughts reaching this point, Chen Lingxi could not help but sigh in his heart.

’Spells are ultimately divided into high and low.’

’The grade of this Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture is extremely high. The might of the Twelve Chimes of the Heavenly Drum alone at the Subtle Realm is quite extraordinary, far stronger than the Longevity Bridge and the Heaven-Seizing Seal.’

’If I cultivate it to the Wondrous State and manage to grasp the Jade Tiger Rebellious Sea Sword Light, I wonder just how powerful it will be.’

Chen Lingxi’s thoughts flowed. ’However, the more powerful the spell or divine ability, the harder it is to cultivate and understand its profound mysteries. Even with the blessing of that spiritual light, I was unable to comprehend the Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture up to the Wondrous State. From this alone, one can see how extraordinary this sword scripture is.’

’The Six Qi True Method mentioned that cultivation methods and divine abilities in the cultivation world are all divided into grades.’

’I wonder what grade of a spell or divine ability this Thunder-Concealing Sword Scripture belongs to.’

’And then there are those Dao Foundation Great Divine Abilities...’

Heaven-Human Thought, Age-Dial Reversal, Heavenly Decline Law!

Limitless Epiphyllum Momentum, Profound Brightness Reverent Splendor, Shangshe Ruanle!

’I wonder what exactly all of these Dao Foundation Great Divine Abilities represent.’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered. ’Perhaps there are detailed records in that Dragon-Stripping Dao-Transforming One Qi True Incantation. It’s just a pity that I still can’t understand it right now.’

’Since that’s the case... I’ll need to find someone to ask about it in detail.’