After the Great Dao Died

With this thought in mind, Chen Lingxi delayed no further.

After bidding farewell to Elder Mo, he went to collect his extensive rations as head disciple, then soared into the clouds.

He rode the clouds away, descending from Yang Awakening Main Peak.

The rushing wind howled in his ears, and the sea of clouds churned like ocean waves beneath his feet.

He sped along, crossing several mountain peaks and leaving Yang Awakening Main Peak further and further behind.

Just then, he frowned.

In the distance, a figure stood atop a mountain summit.

The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes snapping fiercely in the wind.

His back was to Chen Lingxi as he faced the churning sea of clouds.

Yet from that figure, Chen Lingxi sensed an incredibly surging fluctuation of Dao Origin.

The fluctuation was deep and vast, like an abyss or an ocean. The man stood upon the summit like an invisible mountain, his presence so oppressive that even the surrounding clouds stagnated.

Chen Lingxi narrowed his eyes slightly.

He recognized the man immediately.

Earlier in the main hall, one of the three elders had been an exceedingly young man with a dark, predatory expression.

The other two had addressed him as Elder Liu.

This man was undoubtedly Elder Liu Zhi.

’Trouble is here,’ Chen Lingxi thought.

Right at that moment, the figure on the summit slowly turned his head.

It was quite a handsome young face, but the predatory coldness emanating from his eyes contrasted sharply with his features.

His gaze pierced through the layers of clouds, landing directly on Chen Lingxi.

Knowing he couldn’t avoid the encounter, Chen Lingxi dropped his Cloud Soaring Technique.

The clouds slowly dissipated beneath his feet as he alighted on the summit, standing dozens of paces away from Elder Liu Zhi.

He adjusted his robes and bowed to the elder.

”Daoist Zhiling greets Elder Liu.”

To Chen Lingxi’s surprise...

Elder Liu Zhi didn’t reply; he simply flicked a finger.

A beam of spiritual light shot from his fingertip, coming to rest in midair.

As the light faded, a spiritual mushroom hovered in front of Chen Lingxi.

The mushroom was about a chi long and deep purple all over, with a layer of gentle spiritual light flowing across its cap.

The light was exceedingly soft and faint, yet an incredibly profound spiritual qi diffused from it like an inexhaustible spiritual spring.

Only then did Liu Zhi speak.

”Since you have joined my Yang Awakening Upper Peak, the matter with Cyan Pool Peak is void.”

”If the deed is undone, the reward cannot be kept,” he said. ”Take this Clear Origin Mushroom back and return it to Cyan Pool Peak.”

Hearing this, Chen Lingxi was slightly taken aback.

He originally thought Elder Liu Zhi was waiting here to make trouble for him, never expecting it to be for this reason.

”This disciple accepts your command,” he replied, reaching out to take the Clear Origin Mushroom.

Elder Liu Zhi said no more.

He simply turned around and summoned a streak of profound light.

The light moved at extreme speed. One moment he was on the mountain summit, and the next he was a tiny speck of light at the edge of the horizon, vanishing into the depths of the sea of clouds in the blink of an eye.

Chen Lingxi stood on the summit, still holding the Clear Origin Mushroom in his hands.

He was somewhat surprised.

He had thought Elder Liu Zhi wanted to stir up trouble for him. Unexpectedly, the man simply passed on his message, delivered the spiritual mushroom, and left with decisive swiftness.

He shook his head and stored the Clear Origin Mushroom in his Chaos Pouch.

Then, he felt somewhat rueful.

’To think it would go this smoothly,’ he mused. ’In that case, I ended up wasting this Absolute Perception Deduction.’

He looked up at the sky.

The two bright mirrors still hung high above, radiating a brilliance that only he could see.

Chen Lingxi shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside for the time being.

He turned around and flew in the direction of Guanri Peak.

Guanri Peak.

Chen Lingxi lowered his cloud and landed before the mountain gate.

Compared to Yang Awakening Upper Peak, Guanri Peak was like a thatched hut next to a grand palace.

The mountain’s elevation was low, and its halls appeared quite dilapidated.

The moment he stepped through the mountain gate, he alerted the disciples on the peak.

Before long, Cheng Shiyan, Zhu Qingjian, and the others came out to welcome him.

”Senior Zhiling!” Cheng Shiyan bowed, walking at the forefront.

Chen Lingxi nodded.

Hua Liuli widened her bright, large eyes. ”Senior! Did Yang Awakening Upper Peak make things difficult for you?”

Chen Lingxi shook his head. ”They did not.”

”Then...” Ning Ya probed hesitantly. ”What about the matter with Cyan Pool Peak?”

Chen Lingxi glanced at him and said, ”I have officially joined Yang Awakening Upper Peak. From now on, Guanri Peak shouldn’t face any more harassment.”

Hearing this, everyone froze in surprise.

”Does that mean we can still cultivate here at Guanri Peak?” Hua Liuli took a deep breath.

Chen Lingxi gave a slight nod, then looked at Zhu Qingjian.

”Zhu Qingjian,” he said, ”write a letter to Cyan Pool Peak. Tell them I have brought the Clear Origin Mushroom back to Guanri Peak. Have them come and get it.”

”As to whether they dare to come fetch it, that is their problem.”

...

After a long bout of excitement, the ever-steady Cheng Shiyan dismissed the crowd and led Chen Lingxi to the rear hall.

”Senior may rest here.”

”If you have any needs, simply send me a divine sense transmission.”

Cheng Shiyan bowed respectfully and took his leave.

Chen Lingxi watched Cheng Shiyan exit the rear hall before sitting down in the room.

He closed his eyes to focus his mind, regulating his breathing for a moment.

At this point, only a little over a day had passed in the Absolute Perception Deduction.

’What a waste of this Absolute Perception Deduction.’

As he pondered, he had a sudden idea.

’Why don’t I head to the Dragon-Revering Main Sect and take a look at the Dragon Transformation Immortal Roll?’

It was said that the immortal roll was engraved with the names of the most extraordinary youths among the Dragon-Revering Peaks.

If one could ascend that roll, they would gain all sorts of mystical opportunities, much like the Celestial Ranking within the Weiji Grotto-Heaven.

With this thought in mind, Chen Lingxi delayed no further.

’Hurried travel over the past consecutive days has consumed a great deal of Dao Origin. The journey to the Dragon-Revering Sect is vast; I must replenish my Dao Origin first.’

Thinking this, he sat cross-legged on the bed. With a slight shift in thought, he quietly circulated the Hidden Edge Method.

An invisible barrier of spiritual qi spread out from his body, centering on the room and sealing off the surrounding ten zhang.

From then on, not a single trace of aura or fluctuation of spiritual qi within those ten zhang would leak out.

Only after finishing this did he flip his palm.

A dense, swirling aura surged out wildly.

The aura was incredibly rich and exceedingly pure, filling the entire room in the blink of an eye.

The peerlessly precious spiritual essence of the Immortal Slough permeated the room.

The spiritual essence was so dense that it resembled a tangible mist. Within that fog, countless fine golden runes faintly drifted about, each one radiating an indescribable, profound Dao charm.

[Immortal Slough].

Chen Lingxi gazed at the Immortal Slough with calm eyes, then closed them and circulated the Dragon-Stripping Dao-Transforming One Qi True Incantation.

The spiritual essence of the Immortal Slough surged toward him like water from a burst dam, endlessly converging into his body through his breath and his pores.

As the spiritual essence entered his body, it felt like a scalding hot spring flowing over a parched riverbed, gradually replenishing the Dao Origin he had expended over his days of hurried travel.

Just as he was about to immerse himself in cultivation...

Suddenly, an unexpected turn of events occurred!

Then, the sky grew dazzlingly bright!

It was as if a true sun had come crashing down from the firmament, right outside the room!

The light was so intensely bright that Chen Lingxi couldn’t help but open his eyes.

He looked up.

Then, his breath caught in his throat.

Suspended in the sky outside the window was a small sun!

The sun hovered right above Guanri Peak, its entirety burning with blazing white flames. The light surged endlessly, illuminating the entire mountain peak in a radiant glow.

Within that sun, a human figure was faintly visible.

The figure had a robust physique, his robes snapping wildly within the blazing flames.

His features were obscured by the blazing white light, leaving only a vague silhouette and, upon that silhouette, a faintly upturned mouth.

The figure was smiling.

Chen Lingxi’s pupils contracted sharply.

”Yang Awakening Peak Master!”

He clearly saw that the figure’s gaze was locked directly onto the Immortal Slough in front of him.

”Immortal Slough!”

”A mere loose cultivator, yet you possess such a profound Dao artifact!”

In the very next instant...

The surrounding scenery completely shattered, plunging Chen Lingxi into absolute darkness.

When he awoke once more, he saw that he was still standing at Yang Awakening Upper Peak, following behind Wang Chenchuan in the empty void, standing beneath that small sun.

The sun’s brilliance flowed with an ancient aura.

And beneath that sun, the Yang Awakening Peak Master, gripping a flood dragon in his hand, fixed his sharply radiant gaze squarely on Chen Lingxi.

”Immortal Slough!”

”Truly a great opportunity!”