After the Great Dao Died

Chan Zhaofu came from an incredibly noble background, and that Dragon Essence was exceptionally wondrous. With the Entwining Dragon Palace’s various treasures at his disposal, acquiring a Cauldron Vessel should not have been difficult.

Yet he cared so deeply about that one specific Cauldron Vessel Opportunity...

Just what kind of Cauldron Vessel was it to warrant a Great Luo Heavenly Immortal going to such great lengths to prepare for it?

Thoughts surged through Chen Lingxi’s mind, and for a moment, an indescribable premonition faintly surfaced within him.

Right then, his expression suddenly shifted. He cast a strand of divine sense into his Vast Void Pouch.

Deep within the Vast Void Pouch, the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree he had obtained from the Weiji Grotto-Heaven—which had remained dormant for the past two years—now faintly glowed with a profoundly mysterious radiance.

Among the twisted, dragon-like branches of its ancient trunk, a brand-new Dao-Absorbing Fruit hung quietly in the air!

The fruit was roughly the size of a fist and entirely dark gold. Complex, profound patterns covered its surface, faintly exuding an extremely ancient aura.

”This is...”

Chen Lingxi stared at the fruit, a bright glint suddenly flashing in his eyes.

He had obtained two Dao-Absorbing Fruits before this.

The first had been completely empty, requiring the qi essence of a Cauldron Vessel’s master to be infused into it. Chen Lingxi had once infused Emperor Daye’s qi essence to obtain the profound mechanism of the [Delusion-Weaving Golden Eyes] Cauldron Vessel.

The second fruit had been the same. He had absorbed True Person Xiangshu’s [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze Qi Essence] into it, and he had yet to use that Dao-Absorbing Fruit.

But this new Dao-Absorbing Fruit was entirely different from the previous two.

Chen Lingxi looked closer. The wondrous aura flowing across the fruit’s surface crisscrossed in intricate patterns, carrying a mysterious spirit that faintly revealed countless profound Dao rhymes.

The aura contained within it was exceedingly ancient and completely unfamiliar.

It was as if this fruit did not need to be nurtured by the qi essence of a Cauldron Vessel’s master. Instead, it had independently gathered the profound mechanism of some Cauldron Vessel from the vast void of heaven and earth, quietly condensing it within!

”How strange.”

Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow, suddenly recalling a few words Emperor Daye had once told him.

The Dao-Absorbing Fruits borne by this tree were not all identical.

Some were merely empty shells into which one could infuse a Cauldron Vessel’s spiritual mechanism.

Others possessed a strand of a Cauldron Vessel’s profound mechanism from the very day they sprouted.

”A random Cauldron Vessel’s power?”

Chen Lingxi looked at the fruit, feeling an indescribable sense of anticipation.

He slowly turned his palm, and the dark gold fruit fell gently from the branch.

The fruit landed in his hand. It felt slightly cool to the touch and carried no weight at all, merely exuding a slow, ancient aura from its surface.

Chen Lingxi clearly sensed that the instant the ancient aura washed over him, the Origin Supplementation progress on the line of slowly flowing golden tadpole characters within his Divine Chamber surged from ninety-six percent!

Ninety-eight percent, one hundred percent... It pushed the previously incomplete Origin Supplementation gauge straight to perfection in one fell swoop.

Ninety-eight percent, ninety-nine percent, one hundred percent!

Chen Lingxi’s heart skipped a beat.

”The Absolute Perception Divine Ability is perfected?”

He stared at the newly perfected Origin Supplementation progress, a faint smile slowly surfacing on his lips.

The Absolute Perception Divine Ability’s Origin Supplementation was truly complete. It was finally usable.

”Perfect timing.”

His thoughts surging, Chen Lingxi held the fruit up to examine it closely once more.

’A Dao-Absorbing Fruit naturally containing a Cauldron Vessel’s profound mechanism is indeed far more precious than an empty shell. At the very least, it filled in three percent of my Origin Supplementation progress.’

’If I could get a few more Dao-Absorbing Fruits like this, wouldn’t that mean I’d never have to waste vast amounts of time on the Absolute Perception Origin Supplementation again?’

’I wonder what kind of Cauldron Vessel power is hidden inside this Dao-Absorbing Fruit?’

Chen Lingxi immediately focused on sensing the Dao-Absorbing Fruit, instantly feeling a torrent of killing power surging within it.

”A Killing Power Cauldron Vessel?”

He continued to probe it, but after a long while, his brow furrowed.

”This Cauldron Vessel seems to be related to the Dao of killing formations... but I don’t know how to set up killing formations. It seems the profound mechanisms of these Cauldron Vessels truly are random.”

He thought for a moment before carefully putting the Dao-Absorbing Fruit away.

”Fortunately, I still have a lot of Great Encompassing Profound Qi. I can exchange it for an opportunity related to the Dao of killing formations.”

Chen Lingxi was still deep in thought.

Right at this moment...

High in the heavens above, another profound light suddenly descended.

This profound light was entirely different from the golden light that had just descended from the Great Encompassing Heaven into the depths of the Dragon-Revering Sect.

That golden light had been vast and overwhelming, cascading down from the nine heavens like a grand blessing!

In contrast, this profound light materialized out of thin air from the very peaks of the sea of clouds. It pierced through the sky, broke through the thin layer of spiritual mist on Slumbering Deer Peak, and shot straight toward the Water Curtain Cave.

The profound light moved with extreme speed. In the blink of an eye, it tore through the cascading thousand-foot water curtain of the waterfall, shot into the cave, and suddenly coalesced three feet in front of Chen Lingxi.

The light condensed into a physical object.

It was a command token.

The token was roughly the size of a palm and emanated a heavy, oppressive aura.

In the very center of its front face, several patterns were engraved with extremely ancient brushstrokes.

These patterns entwined and connected with one another, ultimately forming a coiled dragon insignia at its perfectly round center.

Chen Lingxi’s gaze fell upon the token, and through that single glance, a wondrous, profound mechanism silently slipped into his Sea of Consciousness.

He immediately understood the meaning behind that dragon insignia.

It was the word: [Commander].

Chen Lingxi slightly narrowed his eyes.

”Commander?”

The moment that word surfaced in his mind, a strand of divine sense suddenly projected outward from the token.

The divine sense slowly surged from deep within the token like a rising tide, coalescing in the empty air into a hazy yet stern human silhouette.

In a flash!

A young man now stood at the entrance of the Water Curtain Cave. He had a tall, slender build and wore the standard Daoist robes of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak. A dark, heavy longsword hung at his waist.

The blade remained sheathed, yet a continuous, peerlessly sharp sword qi lingered outside the scabbard, pulsing inward and outward in perfect rhythm with the man’s breathing!

It rolled endlessly, much like a mighty, surging river.

Chen Lingxi’s expression shifted slightly.

”Qi Chuan.”

He recognized the person before him.

It was the Second Profound Ranking Head of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak—the very man Chan Zhaofu had personally appointed as the Nine Palaces Commander during his Vision Roaming just moments ago.

Right now.

The avatar stood at the entrance to the Water Curtain Cave, looking down his nose at Chen Lingxi inside. He offered no bow or greeting, merely watching him in silence.

Then, he slowly spoke. His voice was clear and carried an absolute, unquestionable pressure.

”The Nine Palaces Commander issues a decree.”

”Chanlong Servant Chen Lingxi is ordered to take this token and immediately proceed to the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak to seek an audience with the Nine Palaces Commander.”

As his voice faded, the token drifted through the air, stopping three feet right in front of Chen Lingxi!

Chen Lingxi furrowed his brow.

Looking at the avatar standing quietly at the cave’s entrance, he suddenly felt an indescribable sense of absurdity.

He slowly shook his head.

”The Nine Palaces Commander must be mistaken. I never promised that Great Luo Heavenly Immortal that I would become a Chanlong Servant.”

As he spoke, he gently brushed aside the hovering token and turned to head deeper into the cave.

Chen Lingxi naturally had no desire to entertain this baffling summons.

Seeing Chen Lingxi completely unmoved and unwilling to accept the order, Qi Chuan’s avatar frowned.

He then slowly walked down from the air and touched down right in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

His eyes swept slowly over Chen Lingxi before he spoke again.

”From this day forth, you and I are colleagues. Both of us answer to the Entwining Dragon Palace.”

He paused, then added, ”The Entwining Dragon Palace is one of the Dragon Palaces through which the Great Encompassing Heaven governs the Nine Quarters.

”For anyone within the Nine Quarters whose name is recorded by the Entwining Dragon Palace, their life and death, their advance and retreat, their service and their seclusion—everything is dictated by the orders of the Entwining Dragon Palace.”

”Martial Uncle... you must not disregard the orders of the Entwining Dragon Palace.”

”Otherwise, when disaster strikes, it will not be something a few people like us can bear.”

As Qi Chuan spoke, his gaze was exceptionally calm, but his tone was far from polite.

Even though he had addressed Chen Lingxi as ”Martial Uncle,” the words carried not a shred of respect when they left his lips.

Instead, it sounded as if the Second Profound Ranking Head of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak was condescendingly instructing a subordinate.

Hearing the underlying meaning in Qi Chuan’s words, Chen Lingxi frowned.

Yet he did not lose his temper. He simply sent a strand of his divine sense into the avatar’s Sea of Consciousness, clearly and concisely recounting the misunderstanding that had taken place in the Dragon-Revering Main Hall two years prior, word for word.

”That is how it happened,” he spoke softly. ”I never agreed to this matter.”

After Qi Chuan heard this...

He simply gave a slight shake of his head.

”Martial Uncle must be joking.”

”Since when does a Chanlong Servant have the right to choose yes or no?”

His voice remained completely calm.

Chen Lingxi’s expression did not change.

But his mind raced with thoughts.

’Qi Chuan did not come here today just for official business.’

’The Entwining Dragon Palace established its rules and appointed the Nine Palaces Commander...’

’If this Qi Chuan from the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak was merely under orders to deliver a summons, why would he personally send a divine sense avatar? Why would he waste his breath like this?’

’He deliberately projected his divine sense from the token just now to form an avatar.’

’This Qi Chuan... holds some grudge against Slumbering Deer Peak.’

’He came today specifically intending to humiliate me.’

Realizing this, Chen Lingxi’s gaze grew even calmer.

’However... the dragon insignia on the token, the aura of the Entwining Dragon Palace command within his divine sense, and that ”Nine Palaces Commander issues a decree” didn’t seem faked. It seems all of that is true.’

’And this list of Chanlong Servants is probably real as well.’

’Otherwise, even if Qi Chuan is the Second Profound Ranking Head of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak, and even if the sword at his waist is incredibly sharp and overbearing, he would never have the guts to forge a list out of thin air, brave True Person Xiangshu’s prestige, and wave around a fake Entwining Dragon Palace decree just to openly find trouble with me.’

’Where did things go wrong...’

’But regardless...’

As Chen Lingxi reached this thought, he slowly lifted his head.

At that exact moment, the Dao Origin surging through the Dragon-Stripping Dao within his body trembled in unison.

Weiji Thunder Radiance surged across the Thunder Prison Profound Root, and the Wondrous Fruit nestled among its branches suddenly lit up.

The formless aura around him, which had always been restrained by the Hidden Edge Method, was forced open by a power from within. It soundlessly leaked a trace of an extremely sharp and overbearing edge into the air in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

Chen Lingxi didn’t waste another word.

He cycled his Dao Origin, and in the space before the Water Curtain Cave—which had already been fractured by Qi Chuan’s sword qi—a speck of pale gold lightning suddenly sparked!

And just like that, the Thunder Prison Heaven unfurled!

The next instant, that speck of lightning erupted, transforming into a sky full of roiling thunder. Like thousands of pale gold thunder dragons breaking free from their shackles, they dyed the entire sky a blinding, resplendent gold in a single breath!

In the deepest depths of the Thunder Prison Heaven, the [Immortal Smiting Thunder Pool] had fully formed.

The thunder pool was only a few dozen feet wide, yet the killing intent contained within it was refined to the absolute limit.

Wave after wave of immortal-smiting tribulation qi churned endlessly inside the pool, grinding and intertwining. Every friction sparked countless fine arcs of lightning that scorched the air, making it crackle violently.

Above the Thunder Prison, a vertical eye abruptly materialized out of thin air.

The eye was composed entirely of Weiji Thunder Radiance. The moment it opened, all the lightning within the Thunder Prison flared with blistering intensity, like an eye of thunder opening in the heavens to peer down upon all creation.

Qi Chuan’s divine sense avatar shifted slightly. The moment the Thunder Prison Heaven unfurled, the calmness in his eyes tightened into something much sharper.

But he was the Second Profound Ranking Head of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak. Even if this was just a divine sense avatar, he didn’t retreat a single step when faced with this sudden, descending thunder prison!

He reached out his right hand, gently sweeping it over the hilt of the dark, heavy longsword at his waist.

The sword remained sheathed.

However, the endless stream of sword intent flowing around him suddenly retracted.

The sword intent within ten feet of him collapsed entirely, condensing within his palm to form a sword aura as thin as a cicada’s wing and unparalleled in sharpness.

Faint white light flowed across the blade of aura. The white light was unlike ordinary sword qi; instead, it looked as though the most pristine, frigid light from thousands of miles of clear sky had been compressed onto that thin blade.

This was the sword intent of the Illuminating Sword Profound Peak.

”How bold,” Chen Lingxi snorted coldly!

The Thunder Prison sank slightly beneath his feet.

The sky full of lightning surged from around him toward the avatar like a tidal wave. Thunder dragons writhed and lightning arcs crisscrossed, instantly swallowing the avatar from all directions.

At the same exact moment, Chen Lingxi raised his right hand and gently pointed his finger toward the space between the avatar’s brows.

The Palace-Knocking Finger!

The finger light was incomparably overbearing!

Qi Chuan’s divine sense avatar raised his right hand, sweeping that thin blade of sword aura across his front.

In that split second, the cicada-wing-thin aura flared with light. The white radiance upon it flashed, transforming into a sweeping, frigid sword mark that slashed straight toward Chen Lingxi’s finger light.

The sword mark and finger light slammed together in mid-air.

All the clouds, water vapor, and sword-fractured air beneath the sky instantly blasted outward in every direction. It left a perfectly clean, empty vacuum in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

In that exact moment, the sword mark was forcefully pierced straight through the middle by Chen Lingxi’s finger light!

The lingering force carried on without losing momentum, piercing directly into the center of Qi Chuan’s divine sense avatar’s brow.

The avatar’s body jolted slightly!

Following that, the human silhouette made of divine sense began melting and dissipating inch by inch, starting from the space between its brows.

Standing in place, Chen Lingxi slowly drew back his right hand.

Qi Chuan’s avatar abruptly shattered!

”You come to Slumbering Deer Peak to act so insolently, wanting to humiliate this low-cultivation Martial Uncle of yours? How laughable.”