After the Great Dao Died

In the King of the East’s Traveling Palace, Chen Lingxi sat quietly on the King of the East’s throne. His eyes were heavy and focused as he stared at the strand of precious qi floating before him.

His heart was still filled with astonishment.

As the figure with the most formidable cultivation and the greatest popular support among Great Li’s nineteen rebel kings... Xiao Changlv’s Profound-Entering Essence Blood surprisingly concealed Emperor Daye’s Dao Origin.

This strand of Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi was enough to prove that Xiao Changlv was actually an avatar of Emperor Daye.

’To think Xiao Changlv is Emperor Daye’s avatar. It’s truly inconceivable.’

Chen Lingxi narrowed his eyes in thought, but soon felt something was amiss.

’Come to think of it, this Evil-Severing Heavenly King didn’t act like Emperor Daye’s avatar at all. Even when I went to see him today, he told me a king cannot be humiliated, and analyzed with me why Emperor Daye would allow the world to fall into chaos.’

’If he were Emperor Daye’s avatar, why would he tell me such things?’

As Chen Lingxi thought to this point, another possibility surfaced in his mind.

’This strand of Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi created three souls and seven physical spirits out of the void, which is equivalent to creating another independent person.’

’This person is, ultimately, the avatar of this precious qi’s owner.’

’But if the owner of the precious qi deliberately concealed the truth, he could allow these three souls and seven physical spirits to cultivate and grow independently.’

’What’s more, Emperor Daye holds a Cauldron Vessel in his hands that can rewrite the memories of others.’

Thinking of this, Chen Lingxi knew this was highly likely the truth.

’Therefore, even now, Xiao Changlv himself doesn’t know he is Emperor Daye’s avatar. He genuinely believes he is a hero resisting the Great Li’s tyranny, the Evil-Severing Heavenly King revered by the masses.’

’He wants to return a world free of war to the heavens and the earth, and let the common people live in peace.’

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath. Deep down, he found Emperor Daye’s methods to be somewhat... terrifying.

’So... why would Emperor Daye do this?’

Chen Lingxi tilted his head in thought. ’He used his precious qi to create the Xiao Changlv avatar, making him the Evil-Severing Heavenly King to command an army of three hundred thousand, rising in rebellion from that bitter and desolate land to carve a path straight into the heartland of Great Li.’

’Then came the numerous rebel kings rising up in response. Although they were never under Xiao Changlv’s command, they rebelled against Great Li’s rule from all directions.’

’In just a few short years, who knows how many have died.’

Dead people...

A flash of inspiration suddenly pierced Chen Lingxi’s mind.

’Emperor Daye connected the great rivers and mountains across the world, going on to construct forty-nine canals, causing thirty million commoners to die from the labor.’

’This threw the world into chaos, and the most direct consequence was that a hundred million more died in the flames of war.’

’While it might not yet be Nine Out of Ten Houses Empty, it has still forged an unimaginable blood debt.’

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath.

’I once heard that Ying Chi, the one who died by my hands and was highly likely a fake Crown Prince, sacrificed ordinary commoners in Jingji Province to cultivate his divine abilities.’

’And the majority of this fake Crown Prince’s memories were fabricated by Emperor Daye.’

’If that’s the case... then does Emperor Daye... also possess this kind of divine ability that sacrifices the lives of living beings?’

Even though Chen Lingxi’s cultivation had already reached the Tenth Floor Realm, he still swallowed hard at this moment.

’Just what kind of divine ability, spell, or treasure could be worth Emperor Daye sacrificing the lives of over a hundred million of his subjects?’

For a moment, Chen Lingxi simply couldn’t wrap his head around it.

But soon after, he felt his hypothesis might be incorrect.

’If Emperor Daye merely wanted to kill people, rather than inciting internal strife within Great Li’s borders and letting the nineteen rebel kings ravage the Central Plains, he might as well have rallied his armies to wage war in all directions.’

’He could have incorporated the many minor nations of this vast world, and even Great Li’s neighboring country, Great Zhou, entirely into his territory.’

’By doing so, he could have even earned the title of a wise, territory-expanding monarch. Why go through all this trouble?’

The number of experts under Emperor Daye’s command was unknown. Just the cultivators whose memories he had altered, alongside Yuan Yuan, the Marquis in Purple, Marquis Fengshan, and General Qi Lian, would be enough to easily flatten the world and bring it entirely under Great Li’s dominion.

Chen Lingxi remained perplexed. He pondered for a long time until he finally stood up, stepped outside the King of the East’s Traveling Palace, and gazed at the distant great mountains and rivers.

’It’s that exceedingly profound grand formation.’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered as a possibility suddenly struck him.

’Emperor Daye laid down such an extraordinary formation within Great Li’s borders long ago... This is the only thing that makes Great Li different from other nations.’

’So... even if it’s slaughter and sacrifice, the key still lies within this formation.’

He furrowed his brows tightly. The Method of Qi Observation circulated in his eyes as he looked toward the distant Yuanjiang River and Zhuzhao River.

There was no formation core here. Even with Chen Lingxi’s Method of Qi Observation, he couldn’t see any difference in the Yuanjiang River and Zhuzhao River.

’Even if I can’t see the hidden tricks of this formation, my guess shouldn’t be far off the mark. Otherwise, Emperor Daye’s actions simply defy logic.’

’To think such a ruthless figure is actually trapped within this tiny Grotto-Heaven.’

Deep wariness revealed itself in Chen Lingxi’s eyes. ’I must guard against this man at all times. Otherwise, it is highly likely I will become nothing but fuel on Emperor Daye’s path of cultivation.’

He lowered his head in thought for a moment before turning and heading back into the King of the East’s Traveling Palace.

He immediately cast Vision Roaming on Emperor Daye.

Emperor Daye was in secluded cultivation healing his injuries, so all Chen Lingxi saw was pitch-black darkness.

Only then did he withdraw his Vision Roaming and calmly sit cross-legged within the palace.

’With the Six Qi True Method, I can refine this residual strand of Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi...’

’If there is enough worldly spiritual qi, perhaps this strand of precious qi can also generate three souls and seven physical spirits, creating an avatar for me.’

’This... can also be considered a great fortuitous encounter.’

Streams of spiritual qi circulated around Chen Lingxi’s body. The abundant spiritual qi lingered in the void before descending like a radiant glow upon that precious qi.

The pitch-black Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi, enveloped by Chen Lingxi’s spiritual qi, slowly began to melt.

The deeper his spiritual qi penetrated this precious qi, the more he felt its profundity.

’This kind of precious qi is not only profound but also extremely difficult to obtain.’

’If Xiao Changlv hadn’t willingly given me this drop of essence blood, no one could have forcibly taken it from him.’

’Moreover... if they didn’t know Xiao Changlv had this kind of precious qi in his body, why would cultivators with extraordinary cultivation covet his essence blood?’

Chen Lingxi silently rejoiced at his own good fortune as he continuously refined the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi.

’The Six Qi True Method allows one to gather six qi for cultivation.’

’This strand of Marvelous Lotus Qi is perfect to serve as my fourth qi.’

He peacefully refined the precious qi. The streak of pure black upon it grew increasingly immaculate, and the abundant spiritual essence radiating from it was slowly gathered into Chen Lingxi’s own qi sea.

Time quietly slipped by, and over a month passed.

Chen Lingxi had already extracted the majority of this strand of Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi.

At the same time, Chen Lingxi was feeling somewhat troubled.

’Even if I completely extract this strand of the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi and let this precious qi take root in my qi sea...’

’If I want to rely on this precious qi to create three souls and seven physical spirits, I’m afraid it won’t be easy.’

’I still need to let this precious qi devour massive amounts of spiritual qi and spiritual essence.’

He shook his head at the thought.

He could faintly sense that the spiritual qi and essence required by the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi was truly terrifying.

’I’m afraid that even a dozen Gold-Swallowing Toads digesting the pills from the Crown Prince’s Beast-Fighting Palace wouldn’t be enough to allow this strand of precious qi to forge three souls and seven physical spirits.’

’But there’s no rush either,’ Chen Lingxi murmured to himself. ’Within this Grotto-Heaven, there is absolutely not enough spiritual qi and spiritual essence for me to cultivate three souls and seven physical spirits.’

’Even if I did manage to forge them, these three souls and seven physical spirits probably wouldn’t be of much use to me right now.’

’If I can truly survive, leave the Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven, and head to the Great World, then I can make plans for it.’

With this thought, he continued his qi extraction.

Several days later, as Chen Lingxi gained a deeper understanding of the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi, a few ideas began taking shape in his mind.

’Come to think of it, the spiritual qi required by this strand of precious qi doesn’t need to be too clean, nor does it need to be as pure as the spiritual qi I usually use for cultivation...’

’Even spiritual qi and essence that is extremely difficult to refine and full of impurities can be supplied to it.’

His eyes brightened slightly. ’In that case, the Method of Life Devouring I acquired from the Taotie Urn is quite suitable for this precious qi!’

After Chen Lingxi modified the Method of Life Devouring, it no longer required Venerable Cauldron’s profound and mighty power. However, its might had been greatly reduced, making it almost completely incapable of removing the impurities from others’ spiritual qi and essence.

Every time Chen Lingxi devoured someone else’s spiritual essence, ninety-nine percent of it had to be completely purged, leaving only one percent usable.

But this Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi would accept all comers.

’Since that’s the case, theoretically, as long as I have enough enemies, I can use the Method of Life Devouring to completely feed this Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi and forcefully nurture three souls and seven physical spirits out of it.’

’It’s just a pity that this is the Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven. Moreover, because Emperor Daye tightly controls the world, those reincarnated Seekers of Truth are actually nothing more than cultivation fuel in his eyes.’

’These figures have absolutely no chance to grow.’

’Even if I killed them all, it wouldn’t be enough to bring the precious qi to full completion.’

’Those projection avatars of the Under-Dao Academy experts are indeed extraordinary, but setting aside whether their spiritual essence can even be devoured by me... even if they could, two Under-Dao Academy projection avatars still wouldn’t be enough.’

Not to mention...

Chen Lingxi was not a homicidal demon who killed without blinking.

Lin Suri was on good terms with him, and the Under-Dao Academy might even make a move on his behalf once more in the future.

Furthermore, Chen Lingxi harbored his own selfish motives.

The Under-Dao Academy was a True Monarch-level profound sect! They seemed to have as many as six Golden Palace True Persons, and even a Golden Core True Monarch who wielded the Heaven-Determining Brush Cauldron Vessel, capable of affirming the Dao paths of others.

’If I truly can go to the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, I could use my connection with Lin Suri to join the Under-Dao Academy.’

’Having a True Monarch figure for protection is always better than struggling out there all alone.’

In truth, the path of cultivation was often not much different from the mortal path.

Sometimes, it relied on background and connections. Stubbornly enduring all alone yielded no benefit.

’For now, I’ll focus on refining this precious qi. As for forging three souls and seven physical spirits, that can wait for later.’

Having made up his mind, Chen Lingxi peacefully continued gathering qi in the King of the East’s Traveling Palace.

A few more days passed.

After his routine Vision Roaming observation of Lin Suri and Emperor Daye, Chen Lingxi stood up and walked out of the traveling palace. The Method of Qi Observation circulated in his eyes as he gazed far off into Yuanjiang Prefecture.

”Huh...”

Chen Lingxi suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise, a hint of joy appearing on his face.

”Changle is awake.”

He didn’t delay. He immediately descended the mountain and headed straight for Yuanjiang Prefecture.

It was still that Xuanhuo Temple, constructed from illusions.

Inside Xuanhuo Temple, Liu Changle was sitting on the steps of the main hall, resting his chin on his hand. He looked somewhat desolate.

Chen Lingxi arrived riding the clouds. He landed in front of the temple and knocked gently on the door.

Liu Changle seemed too deeply lost in thought to hear it.

Chen Lingxi pushed the door open and entered. It wasn’t until the latch on the old wooden doors creaked that Liu Changle finally looked up.

He looked toward the entrance. Upon seeing the black-clad Chen Lingxi, a bit of light finally returned to his face.

”Lingxi!” Liu Changle stood up. ”You came to see me?”

Chen Lingxi smiled and nodded.

He saw the pleasant surprise in Liu Changle’s eyes and the joy on the face of the brother who had shared his hardships.

Yet, a sudden wave of melancholy washed over his heart.

’Changle is the river water avatar of Great Sage Luoyuan. If Great Sage Luoyuan fully awakens, who knows if Changle will still exist in this world.’

For a moment, Chen Lingxi actually felt a reluctance to revive the avatar of Great Sage Luoyuan.

Liu Changle brought Chen Lingxi back to his own room.

This time, he didn’t bring up his master again, nor did he mention the spells his master had imparted to him.

”When I was sleeping yesterday, I actually dreamed of you,” Liu Changle said as he poured tea for Chen Lingxi. ”I hazily saw you come to my bedside to check on me, and then you left.”

Chen Lingxi was slightly surprised. He thought for a moment, but didn’t elaborate, merely nodding.

Liu Changle pushed the teacup on the table toward Chen Lingxi.

”Lingxi, did I sleep for a long time?” he asked, suddenly staring at him.

Chen Lingxi paused slightly, then nodded.

”It seems you slept for several months.”

Liu Changle’s face showed no surprise, only a deepening sense of sorrow.

”Yeah, I feel like I’ve slept for a long, long time.”

Liu Changle sighed, suddenly looking directly at Chen Lingxi. ”Do you believe there is another you beyond this heaven and earth?”

A strange glint flashed through Chen Lingxi’s eyes as he quietly listened to Liu Changle speak.

”I had a very, very long dream.” Liu Changle lowered his head, staring at the cup in front of him. ”I dreamed of a wonderful place.

”There were flocks of immortal cranes, rolling ranges of immortal mountains, and extremely abundant spiritual qi. There were even three suns in the sky.

”And I... I turned into a very, very powerful cultivator.”

”But among those rolling mountains, there were many who were stronger than me. It wasn’t a pure wonderland. There were still life-and-death struggles, and the strong still preyed upon the weak. It felt like if I relaxed for even a moment, I would die.”

At this point, Liu Changle tilted his head slightly, the sorrow in his eyes growing even heavier.

”I dreamed that someone severely injured me. The person who hurt me came from Huangyao Peak, supposedly a figure who had ascended some Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll. He was much stronger than me.”

Chen Lingxi listened in silence.

Sun Observation Peak, Huangyao Peak, the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll...

These were all things Chen Lingxi was extremely familiar with. During Absolute Perception, he had once used Vision Roaming on Liu Changle, seeing that wonderland and those three great suns.

At that time, the middle-aged Liu Changle on Sun Observation Peak seemed to be facing a crisis. He had hurried across the Fenglong Peaks to seek an audience with a junior named [Shi Xi], only to be stopped at the foot of the mountain.

And today...

The Liu Changle inside the Grotto-Heaven had also dreamed of these things.

”I don’t think it was a dream.” Liu Changle sighed. ”In order to protect my heavily injured body, Martial Nephew Cheng’s qi sea was damaged. From the looks of it, he has no hope of cultivating a Profound Root ever again.

”And Martial Nephew Zhu caught the eye of that figure from the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll, who demanded her by name to serve him.

”Otherwise, Sun Observation Peak will be annihilated.”

”Tell me... why are there so many wicked people among these immortals?”

Chen Lingxi lowered his head in thought for a moment before speaking, ”The Dao Struggle is the most cruel. Perhaps the world you dreamed of is equally a place where a hundred ghosts clash and ten thousand demons fight.

”A land overflowing with spiritual qi and flocks of immortal cranes might not be a peaceful place at all.”

Liu Changle appeared extremely worried. He continued sighing as he spoke to Chen Lingxi, ”In the dream, I told my martial nephews... that their master was already in secluded death cultivation and was about to cultivate a second Profound Root.

”But in reality, my senior brother in the dream had already gone missing, his whereabouts completely unknown.”

”Just as you said, Lingxi... in a place where a hundred ghosts clash and ten thousand demons fight, my senior brother might not have simply gone missing. He might have been murdered by some ghost or some demon.

”But I didn’t dare tell them the truth...”

Liu Changle heaved another sigh.

”In my dream, right up until the very end, it seemed I couldn’t save Sun Observation Peak. I was heavily injured and dying. Of my entire cultivation, only a sliver of Dao Origin and a single Dao Platform remained.”

”What... what am I supposed to do?”

’It seems Liu Changle’s months-long slumber was because the other Liu Changle in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm met with an accident.’

Chen Lingxi thought this to himself.

He really wanted to comfort Liu Changle, but seeing the genuine emotion on his face, he realized Liu Changle truly held deep feelings for Sun Observation Peak.

Perhaps he had inherited the feelings of the Liu Changle in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

With him worrying to this extent, ordinary words of comfort would probably be useless.

He was just pondering how to make Liu Changle feel a little better when he saw Liu Changle suddenly look at him again.

”Lingxi.” Liu Changle looked directly into Chen Lingxi’s eyes and suddenly said, ”After having this grand dream, my soul seems to have grown much stronger.

”I saw your Sea of Consciousness. I saw your robust divine sense.

”I also sensed your qi sea, and I sensed your spiritual qi.”

”You... are indeed different.”

Liu Changle’s gaze was calm yet resolute. He stared at Chen Lingxi, and rather than even the slightest trace of probing, his eyes were filled with deep trust.

”Lingxi... how about I send you out of this Grotto-Heaven?”