After the Great Dao Died

Chen Lingxi’s heart suddenly tightened, but his face remained impassive. He simply lowered his eyes, staying silent for a moment before finally asking, ”Emperor Daye, if I agree, what then?”

The two clusters of golden flames in Emperor Daye’s eyes drifted slowly. He stayed quiet for a few breaths before he finally spoke.

He reached out, and the ancient mirror flew into his palm as if it had a mind of its own.

”If you are willing to send your three souls and seven physical spirits into this mirror, I will also enter it with mine.

”The mirror is divided into yin and yang sides. It can accommodate two sets of souls simultaneously without them interfering with each other.”

He rested the ancient mirror in his palm and raised his head, gazing out at the churning sea of clouds beyond the volcanic crater.

Reflected in those burning golden eyes was the resplendent river of stars high in the firmament, along with a trace of poorly concealed hope.

”Once both our souls have entered the mirror, I will hurl this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror into the turbulent currents of the void.

”Let alone stepping into the void turbulence, if an ordinary cultivator stood at its edge for even a moment, they would be torn to shreds by the terrifying power within.

”But this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror is a Cauldron Vessel Fragment. Even amidst the void turbulence, it will not suffer the slightest damage.

”A Cauldron Vessel possesses an inherent immortal nature. Even as a fragment, the void turbulence cannot grind it away.”

Chen Lingxi listened quietly, the two clusters of pale golden lightning dancing faintly in his eyes.

He pondered for a moment before looking up, his gaze falling on the ancient dark-golden mirror in Emperor Daye’s palm. ”Does Emperor Daye have a method,” he asked, ”that would allow the three souls and seven physical spirits inside the mirror to control the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror, letting it navigate the void turbulence?”

Emperor Daye shook his head slightly.

He still maintained his unhurried demeanor, but Chen Lingxi could see a fleeting trace of helplessness in the subtly shifting golden flames of his eyes.

”I have no such method.

”Once the souls enter the mirror, they can only endure; they cannot control the mirror itself.

”Once the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror enters the void turbulence, it can only drift with the waves and follow the current. Whether it finds a way out depends entirely on the will of heaven.”

Chen Lingxi’s breath hitched slightly as he listened.

He stayed silent for several breaths before speaking again. ”So, Emperor Daye wishes to abandon his physical body and send his three souls and seven physical spirits to reside within this Cauldron Vessel Fragment, letting it drift through the void turbulence?

”If fortune arrives, this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror might drift into some secret grotto-heaven realm, or perhaps into the vast Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

”When that happens, the souls inside the mirror will see the light of day once more?”

”Exactly.” Emperor Daye nodded slightly.

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flashed. ”The souls endure within... but is it eternal?”

He had hit the nail on the head, striking at the crucial point.

Emperor Daye slowly shook his head.

Chen Lingxi instantly understood.

The Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror did indeed hide a sliver of hope for survival.

Yet buried within that sliver of hope were many unpredictable dangers.

It meant abandoning the physical body, sending the three souls and seven physical spirits into the mirror, and drifting aimlessly through the void turbulence.

If luck favored them, the treasure mirror might drift into a secret grotto-heaven realm or the Great Xuanzhuo Realm and be picked up by someone with weak cultivation. When they opened the mirror and released the souls within, Emperor Daye could seize the opportunity to take over their body and gain a new life.

But if luck was against them, the mirror might drift into a dead end or get trapped in some crevice of the void turbulence. As time passed, the mirror might not decay, but the souls inside would never survive such an endless span of years.

One day, the three souls and seven physical spirits would completely dissipate in that endless wait.

There was indeed a sliver of hope in this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror, but it came with immense peril.

Having thought this through, Chen Lingxi looked up, meeting Emperor Daye’s gaze directly, and asked frankly, ”Since that is the case, why would Emperor Daye share this sliver of hope hidden within the treasure with me?”

”This treasure mirror just so happens to be able to accommodate two sets of three souls and seven physical spirits. Is that not perfect? I learned from the river illusion of Great Sage Luoyuan that—”

Chen Lingxi’s gaze fell upon Xiao Changlv to the side. ”Emperor Daye’s clone also possesses three souls and seven physical spirits.”

Emperor Daye’s expression remained unchanged. He shook his head and said, ”If two sets of three souls and seven physical spirits share the same origin, the mirror can only accommodate one.

”Both sets of three souls and seven physical spirits are myself, Ying Xian.

”Just like the three souls and seven physical spirits created by the Myriad Breeding Dao-Seeding Marvelous Lotus Qi, even though they cultivate and grow independently, they are ultimately still a part of me.

”It is for this very reason that I give you the qualification to house your soul within the Cauldron Vessel.”

Chen Lingxi stared at Emperor Daye.

Emperor Daye wanted to place one set of his three souls and seven physical spirits into the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror, letting it drift through the void turbulence.

Meanwhile, his other set of three souls and seven physical spirits would remain in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven to see if there were any other chances of survival.

”Well?” Emperor Daye asked, seeing Chen Lingxi deep in thought.

Chen Lingxi thought for a moment before suddenly looking up to ask, ”But I don’t understand why the Sage would give such a chance of survival to me?”

Emperor Daye slowly turned around, his eyes burning with golden flames looking straight at Chen Lingxi. ”Chen Lingxi, you and I are both natives of this Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

”Once one steps onto the path of cultivation, everything from the past becomes trivial. Whether it is blood relations or old friendships, all of it turns into fleeting illusions, decaying in an instant.

”But you are different... You have also stepped into the Dao Foundation Realm and are my Daoist friend.

”If by some stroke of luck we both manage to reach the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, we could verify our insights together and climb to even greater heights!

”It is for this very reason that I am sharing this sliver of hope within the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror with you.”

Emperor Daye’s tone was incredibly earnest, his gaze locked directly on Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi, however, seemed entirely unmoved. He looked up, meeting Emperor Daye’s eyes. ”Then tell me... what price must I pay to enter the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror?”

Their gazes clashed.

A faint smile touched the corners of Emperor Daye’s lips. ”When offered a chance at life like this, there is naturally a price to pay.

”That price is...

”If this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror safely drifts into another secret grotto-heaven realm and we both attain a new life, then you won’t need to pay anything.

”But if this Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror gets caught flowing through the void turbulence and fails to find a way out for a prolonged time, my soul will devour your soul so that mine may catch its breath.”

Emperor Daye’s tone was as candid as ever. ”If you want to seize this chance at survival, you must sign a Dao Foundation Jade Precept Book with me.”

He reached out his hand, and with a flip of his palm, a Jade Precept Book appeared.

That Jade Precept Book was completely different from the Jade Precept Book of Qi Circulation Chen Lingxi had seen before. The ancient Daoist charm contained within it was far deeper and much older.

Emperor Daye appeared magnanimous and composed. Holding the Jade Precept Book just like that, he fixed his gaze on Chen Lingxi.

He was certain that Chen Lingxi would agree.

Because Chen Lingxi, just like him, was someone struggling bitterly to survive in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

People like them would never let a single sliver of hope slip by.

Chen Lingxi stayed silent for a moment before giving a slight nod. ”Since Emperor Daye intends it so, I naturally will not refuse. However... I also have one request.”

Emperor Daye raised an eyebrow slightly. ”Speak.”

”I am ranked eleventh on the Celestial Ranking. Although I have stepped into the Dao Foundation Realm, my Dao Platform is newly formed and my Profound Root is still tender. My soul is far less solid and condensed than yours, Daoist friend.

”If I could use the opportunity of the Immortal Slough to elevate my cultivation, my three souls and seven physical spirits might survive for a longer time inside the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror... preventing them from withering and rotting away on the journey!

”Is my Daoist friend willing to grant me this?”

Emperor Daye lowered his head in thought.

’Since things have come to this, with my three souls and seven physical spirits entering the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror, I cannot take anything with me other than the Delusion-Weaving Golden Eyes, which is a complete Cauldron Vessel.’

’And the stronger Chen Lingxi’s cultivation becomes, the better it is for me.’

’When the time comes, if my three souls and seven physical spirits truly have to devour his, I will be able to obtain an even purer and more solid power.’

His thoughts reaching this point, he finally looked up and said, ”That is fine, but... you possess many methods, Daoist friend, so you will need to sign the Jade Precept Book with me in advance.

”The matter of the Immortal Slough must also be listed as a condition within the Jade Precept Book.”

Chen Lingxi rejoiced inwardly, but his face betrayed nothing.

He lowered his head, feigning thought, the two clusters of lightning in his eyes dancing slowly.

After a long while, he looked up, revealing just the right amount of hesitation on his face, and spoke slowly, ”Daoist friend, I still have a few unresolved worldly ties in this Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

”Once I have settled those trivial matters, I will return here to find you and sign the Jade Precept Book...

”After that, I will not leave this volcano again, and will focus on cultivating myself with the Immortal Slough.”

As he reached this point in his words, his gaze fell back onto the Spirit-Placing Treasure Mirror, an appropriate flicker of hope flashing through his eyes.

Hearing this, Emperor Daye stayed silent for a moment before finally giving a slow nod.

”Very well. Go on, then. I will wait for you here in this Volcano Immortal Pivot.

”Just do not forget that time waits for no one.”

Chen Lingxi said no more. He cupped his hands slightly toward Emperor Daye, turned around, and silently urged the Azure Cloud swirling with pale golden lightning beneath his feet. It carried his figure as he shot into the sky, tearing through the churning thick smoke and magma to head straight into the high heavens.

Riding the clouds and mist, he flew rapidly in the direction of Yuanjiang Prefecture.

Mountains and rivers blurred backward beneath him, and the heavenly wind howled in his ears.

Sitting cross-legged at the head of the cloud, his face was calm, revealing no emotion.

By nightfall, the towering silhouette of Cuojin Mountain was already visible in the distance.

Chen Lingxi brought the cloud down before the King of the East’s Traveling Palace and strode into the cavernous hall. He sat cross-legged on the red sandalwood throne, closed his eyes, and sank a sliver of divine sense into his Divine Chamber.

In the void of the Divine Chamber, the thick fog churned as usual.

The glowing golden tadpole characters suspended high in the void were drifting slowly, breathing in and out a warm, bright radiance.

One line of text clearly read: [Absolute Perception Origin Supplementation Progress: 93%].

’Counting the Abyssal Heaven Spiritual Sword, I have acquired twelve new spiritual artifacts and treasures.’

’Yet among them, only four treasures have provided me with a massive amount of Absolute Perception Origin Supplementation progress.’

’Namely, that Ancient Pill, the Cloud-Compiled Heavenly Scroll, the Tide-Summoning Horn, and the Ancient Sword Remnant Frost.’

’Not even the Abyssal Heaven Spiritual Sword provided me with any supplementation progress...’

Chen Lingxi’s eyes flickered.

’The Absolute Perception Origin Supplementation progress has already surpassed ninety percent; I am only missing seven percent.’

’It seems I will have to make up for this seven percent through cultivation... but if I do, it will take at least another few months of bitter effort.’

Thoughts raced through Chen Lingxi’s mind.

A few months was not long, but with this Weiji Grotto-Heaven facing imminent peril, every single day was incredibly precious.

Chen Lingxi raised his head, looking toward the Purple Qi Celestial Ranking standing majestically in the firmament above.

On that Celestial Ranking, his name was still suspended in the eleventh position, its purple light flowing and gleaming brightly.

’I will use the Celestial Ranking Spiritual Energy to make up the seven percent progress!’

’Upon my next Absolute Perception, I will scheme for the Immortal Slough, attain the Wondrous Fruit, and then see if using the Luoyuan River Water to mark the Four Great Immortal Pivots will truly draw out the true body of Great Sage Luoyuan!’