After the Great Dao died

Chapter 84 Que Xing Xi Yu

The cave was dimly lit, with only a small patch of hazy sunlight filtering through a crack in the rock ceiling.

Chen Lingxi stared at the Xi family member before her, who had lost an arm and a leg and whose Qi Sea was broken. Her eyes were calm, showing neither pleasure nor pity.

Xi Mu lay on the cold bluestone ground. The wound at the severed limb had been sealed by Chen Lingyi Ling and was no longer bleeding, but the excruciating pain could not be suppressed no matter what.

His lips were dry and cracked, his eyes were sunken, and his once handsome face was now unrecognizable, like an empty shell that had lost most of its vitality.

"How long until True Monarch Xi refines this grotto-heaven using the Transformation Furnace?"

Chen Lingxi asked.

Xi Mu was silent for a moment: "When the cauldron hidden in this cave is discovered—it will finally find its home—"

He paused, his chest heaving violently, before continuing, "When the many surviving disciples from various sects return to the Great World, the True Lord will refine the cave heavens and forge a Great Xuanjin Palace for Uncle Hengsu."

Chen Lingxi's brows twitched slightly.

Da, Xuanjin Tower.

He had heard this term once from Lin Suri. In the evolution of Chejue, when Lin Suri mentioned the True Lord of the Xi family refining the cave heaven, he also said that he "forged the Great Xuanjin Palace for Xi Hengsu, the most outstanding disciple of the clan".

At that time, he only recognized the words "Golden Palace" but did not know why the words "Great" and "Mysterious" were added before "Golden Palace".

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "What is the Great Xuanjin Palace?"

Xi Mu probably never expected that Chen Lingxi would ask such questions.

A very subtle hint of doubt flashed in his dull eyes.

But this doubt was quickly overshadowed by his own situation.

He dared not refuse to answer.

"The Great Golden Palace and the Profound Golden Palace are the highest grades of Golden Palaces for cultivators," Xi Mu's voice was still hoarse. "They are worlds apart from ordinary Golden Palaces."

"Just as a cultivator's possession of spiritual apertures is crucial for their future cultivation," he continued. "Once one obtains the Great Golden Palace, if one's Dao heart remains intact and there are no injuries that damage one's foundation, one will surely attain a mid-stage Golden Palace cultivation level."

His voice echoed in the dark cave: "If one obtains the Xuanjinque, one will surely gain the cultivation level of the late stage of the Golden Palace."

As he spoke, the faint light in his dull eyes shone even brighter.

"They only need to follow the steps, and their spiritual practice will naturally progress."

His voice echoed in the cave, lingering for a long time: "Ordinary cultivators go through countless hardships to forge the Golden Palace, and every step they take afterward requires their full strength. The slightest carelessness will shatter their Dao heart, damage their foundation, and cause all their previous efforts to be in vain. But those who have obtained the Great Golden Palace or the Profound Golden Palace only need to cultivate step by step to naturally step into the middle and late stages of the Golden Palace."

"This is an extraordinary opportunity compared to ordinary palaces."

Chen Lingxi listened quietly, remaining expressionless, and then asked, "In that case, have the hidden artifacts within this cave already revealed themselves?"

Xi Mu shook his head slightly and said, "No one has found any trace of the cauldron yet."

He said this in a calm tone.

Chen Lingxi remained silent, staring directly at Xi Mu.

The cave suddenly fell silent.

Xi Mu felt Chen Lingxi's gaze fall on him.

The gaze wasn't sharp or piercing; it was just a calm, indifferent look at him, as if he were a lifeless ornament.

But it was precisely this indifferent gaze that made Xi Mu feel an ever-growing chill in her heart.

Several breaths passed.

Chen Lingxi suddenly squatted down.

A bluish-green, sharp light emanated from his fingertips.

Green Edge Technique.

His fingers slowly reached towards his lower abdomen, the wisp of blue light at his fingertips flickering uncertainly.

Xi Mu's pupils contracted slightly.

The wisp of green light pierced straight towards his damaged Qi Sea.

The Azure Edge Technique entered Xi Mu's body, traveling down along Xi Mu's remaining meridians, directly piercing the already damaged Qi Sea.

If one were to fall into that sea of ​​qi, it would shatter instantly, not merely be broken.

Xi Mu's body trembled suddenly.

If his Qi Sea shatters, his path of cultivation will be completely severed.

For a cultivator, a shattered Qi Sea is more terrifying than death.

Fear flashed in Xi Mu's eyes.

"It is said—" His lips turned pale: "It is said that Emperor Daye sent two Xuan-level experts to Tianmen Sea, where they found a talisman."

He spoke extremely quickly, as if afraid that if he spoke too slowly, the wisp of green light would pierce through his dantian.

"This talisman most likely records the location of the cauldron."

Emperor Daye?

Chen Ling nodded gently.

The Azure Edge Technique dissipated.

"If you fall into my hands, you still have a chance to live," he said softly. "But if you utter even the slightest lie, I will kill you immediately."

Xi Mu's expression was gloomy.

He lay on the bluestone floor, gazing silently at the jagged stalactites on the cave ceiling.

He knew that the chances of a cultivator surviving if they fell into the hands of other cultivators were extremely slim.

He himself had killed many cultivators.

Before they died, those people begged for mercy, promised all sorts of benefits, and even used the names of their elders to intimidate him.

But he never showed any mercy.

Because exchanging a prisoner for a life is far less straightforward and cleaner than killing and robbing.

There are no future troubles, and you can take all the treasures on the other party for yourself. Why not?

Now it's his turn.

He became the lamb to the slaughter, how could he possibly survive?

Even if it seems hopeless, he will still give it a try.

He doesn't want to die.

A look of resignation crossed Xi Mu's eyes.

"If that's the case—what else would you like to know?"

Chen Lingxi pondered for a moment, then asked, "How did you come to this grotto-heaven? And how will you return once it is destroyed?"

He had already gleaned some clues from the words and actions of Lin Suri, Wu Mohe, Ying Chi, and others.

They did not come here in their true forms, but rather through some form of reincarnation, possession, or disguise to reach this grotto.

But when he asked those questions, Xi Mu suddenly realized what he meant.

He looked up at Chen Lingxi, his ashen eyes filled with disbelief.

His tone suddenly rose: "Are you not a being of the Great Heaven and Earth, but rather a being of this Qiless Realm?"

Chen Lingxi did not answer, but just quietly looked at Xi Mu.

A few breaths passed.

A flicker of fear suddenly flashed in Xi Mu's eyes.

The fear wasn't from Chen Lingxi's gaze, but from his sudden realization of an even more terrifying fact.

If this person is truly a native being of this boundless realm, yet has managed to cultivate to the fourth level—then this person must possess an extraordinary destiny.

This opportunity was so powerful that it even surpassed the inheritance he, a member of the Xi family, possessed, and the few talismans and magical artifacts that had already been looted from him.

"We came here by borrowing the Heavenly Pool of Rebirth to be reborn into the celestial realm." He replied, "When we return, the Pool of Rebirth will also guide us."

"only----"

"When we pass through the Pool of Rebirth, our lives and foundations are damaged. If we do not obtain the necessary vessel, we will find it difficult to establish a foundation for the Dao and will never regain our freedom."

Chen Lingxi's heart stirred.

Pond of Rebirth.

He had never heard of this name before, but Xi Mu's tone didn't sound like he was lying.

Both life and foundation are damaged.

Confined within this grotto, they were forced to transform into children, wasting their lives, enduring long winters and summers, and bearing the trials of more than twenty years, all for the sake of finding the cauldron, returning to the world, and regaining their freedom.

That is why Lin Su Ri was willing to trade twenty years of his lifespan for the Time Candle in exchange for a piece of Spirit Amber to break through the sixth floor.

That is why the cultivator surnamed Chao used the fragments of the Time Candle he possessed as bait, and was willing to reveal the sect's secret techniques in order to join forces with Lin Suri to compete for the ancestral mountain's mother energy.

That is why Lu Baizhong is so arrogant and regards human life as worthless, because in the eyes of those cultivators from the Great World, these boundless native creatures are nothing more than ants.

The path to enlightenment is oppressive; what's killing a few ants?

After digesting these words, Chen Lingxi asked, "If beings from the Qiless Realm wish to leave this grotto-heaven, what should they do?"

Xi Mu's eyes remained calm, his expression and tone unchanged as he replied, "Ordinary people, even those who cultivate to the third level of the Heavenly Ascension Realm, can communicate with the Pool of Rebirth when it descends, and directly enter the Great World."

The third floor of Chaotian?

A look of joy flashed in Chen Lingxi's eyes, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

The twelve floors are the lower three floors, the middle three floors, and the upper three floors. The three floors facing the sky are the ultimate realm.

Third floor of Chaotian!

"Though it is far away and uncertain, it is not without a chance."

The grotto is about to be refined.

He was a nobody, and even though he felt sorry for the creatures of heaven and earth, he could only treat the True Lords as if they were natural disasters. He used the cauldron to refine the cave heaven, which was like a natural disaster descending upon the world.

Let alone the fact that he is just a nobody, even if he cultivates to the Dao Foundation or Golden Palace, he is still no match for the legendary Golden Core True Monarch.

If one's strength is insufficient, then one should wisely protect oneself.

This is the truth he realized after he was in a daze in the back room and his memories of Earth were restored.

He was neither a compassionate saint nor a chivalrous hero.

He was just someone who wanted to survive, someone who wanted to find a way to live amidst this natural disaster and the many cultivators from the great world.

"In that case, as long as you cultivate to the third level of the Ascending Heaven Realm before the cauldron is given to someone else, you can leave this grotto-heaven."

As Chen Lingxi pondered this, she glanced at Xi Mu and noticed that his expression was too calm, somewhat different from the terrified look he had just displayed.

He frowned slightly and asked softly, "Are you lying to me?"

Xi Mu was slightly taken aback, then gave a bitter smile.

"Now that I'm in your hands, my life and death are entirely in your hands, so why would I lie to you about something like this?"

Chen Lingxi nodded slightly, relieved.

He sat cross-legged and then took out the small bag he had taken from Xi Mu.

The bag was about the size of a palm, dark gray in color, and made of seemingly ordinary materials, yet it had a very peculiar feel to it.

Chen Lingxi probed it with his spiritual energy and immediately knew it was extraordinary.

The moment his spiritual energy touched the silver knot at the bag's opening, he felt a very faint resistance coming from the knot, as if an invisible film was blocking the bag's opening, repelling all his spiritual energy.

This should also be the "Hongdong bag" mentioned by the peddler.

However, it seems that there are restrictions engraved on this Hongdong bag.

The restriction was extremely ingenious. When Chen Lingxi's spirit fell into it, it was as if she had fallen into the deep sea. It was pitch black all around, and her senses were compressed to the extreme. She could only vaguely sense that there seemed to be something in the bag, but no matter what she did, she could not see what it was or take it out.

"That's quite strange."

Chen Ling activated the Azure Edge Cleansing Technique once more, landing it on Xi Mu's Qi Sea.

The wisp of green light was as thin as a silkworm thread, emitting an extremely faint hissing sound.

"Open it."

Chen Lingxi spoke indifferently.

Xi Mu gritted his teeth, a deep sense of humiliation flashing in his ashen eyes.

The accumulation of a member of the Xi family, the fruits of many years of cultivation, and the numerous treasures painstakingly collected in this boundless realm, are now all to be given to this humble being from the realm of nothingness.

How could he possibly tolerate this?

But when his gaze fell on Chen Lingxi's indifferent face and the wisp of green light hovering above his dantian, he finally loosened his clenched teeth.

He knew he had no choice but to open it.

So he struggled through the excruciating pain, raised a finger, and a faint trace of life remained on the fingertip.

That spiritual energy was so weak, as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

But when this single wisp of spirit landed on the silver thread knot at the opening of the Hongdong bag, it was like a key being inserted into a lock.

The silver thread knot loosened silently.

Chen Lingxi probed the spiritual energy into the bag, and this time it flowed smoothly without hindrance.

His spiritual energy swept across the space in the bag, like an invisible hand taking stock of the spoils; nothing escaped his perception.

There weren't many items in the bag, about seven or eight, all carefully sealed in jade boxes, stone boxes, and wooden cases.

Chen Lingxi first took out all the jade boxes, stone boxes, and wooden boxes of various sizes and arranged them neatly in two rows in front of her.

There were three jade boxes, two stone boxes, and one wooden box in total.

He didn't open them to take a closer look, but simply put them all into his Qiankun bag, then raised his head and his gaze fell back on Xi Mu.

Having lost his treasure, Xi Mu lay there dejectedly, his gray eyes staring motionlessly at the cave ceiling, as if the last vestige of life had been drained from him.

Chen Lingxi looked at him, then suddenly remembered something and asked again.

"Among the Xi family members, besides you, has anyone else entered this grotto-heaven?"

Xi coughed a few times.

"My Xi family are the masters of this grotto-heaven. Compared to other sects, we can send two more people into this grotto-heaven. There are also two more people in the grotto-heaven."

""

"One person was born into the Xi family of Fengshan, and his name was Xi Yuan."

"The other person comes from the Xi family of Luyang—"

"His name is Xi Yu, and he is the strongest among the three of us—"

Xi Yu, from the Xi family of Luyang.

When this name reached Chen Lingxi's ears, it was like a pebble thrown into still water.

Xi Yu, from the Xi family of Luyang—the youngest daughter of the Xi family next door when the Chen family lived in Liujie Lane, the little girl who always followed him around calling "Brother Lingxi" when she was young—

Willow Street, bluestone steps, two people huddled together watching the snow in winter, and barefoot splashing in the puddles in summer—

Later, the Xi family rose to prominence and made a name for themselves by presenting a treasure. As a result, Xi's father was demoted to Luyang to serve as the prefect.

The two families had been on good terms for many years, exchanging letters frequently, and there were even rumors in the capital that the Chen and Xi families were going to be united by marriage.

Xi Yu?

Chen Lingxi's expression changed slightly.

His gaze shifted from Xi Mu to the churning sea of ​​clouds outside the cave.

The sea of ​​clouds surged slowly in the cold winter wind, just like the thoughts that were coming one after another in his mind at this moment, layer upon layer, and he couldn't sort them out.

Xi Yu'er used to pester him, and she was also very enthusiastic towards him when she was young, often writing him letters.

But then one day, Xi Yu suddenly disappeared without a trace, and there was no news of her since.

The Chen family was raided and wiped out, while the Xi family suddenly gained merit by presenting a treasure and were demoted to Luyang, where the father of the Xi family became the head of the prefecture.

All of this, now that I think about it, must be because Xi Yuchu's memory had not returned at the beginning, and she was still that innocent and naive little girl from Liujie Lane.

Later, her memory returned, and she remembered that she was a member of the Xi family of Que Shixing and that she had come to this grotto-heaven for a purpose.

Seeking truth and striving for the ultimate.

In that case, those childhood friendships, those letters from their youth, and those marriages that the elders of both families jokingly talked about all became trivial matters in her eyes, not worth mentioning.

Chen Lingxi raised her head, looked at Xi Mu again, and asked, "What is Xi Yu's cultivation level?"

Xi Mu replied, "She has already reached the eighth floor, and recently she has gone into seclusion. When she emerges from seclusion, she will likely reach the ninth floor! At that time, she will be only one step away from the third floor of the Heavenly Tower."

Chen Lingxi couldn't help but take a deep breath.

She might be even stronger than Consort Chun.

Go to the ninth floor.

The peak of the third floor is just one step away from the third floor of Chaotian.

One more step forward and you'll reach the third floor of Chaotian.

Lin Suri, Lu Baizhong, Ying Chi, and others were not even allowed to ascend to the third floor.

Perhaps within this grotto-heaven, among the many young cultivators from various great worlds who come here seeking truth and striving for the pinnacle, she has already reached the highest level.

Her proximity to the third floor of Chaotian Tower indicates that she has a much stronger chance of winning the cauldron than others.

Chen Lingxi withdrew her gaze from the sea of ​​clouds outside the cave and returned it to Xi Mu.

His expression had returned to its usual calm.

"Xi Yu—" He silently repeated the name in his heart, then suppressed it deep into his memory and stopped thinking about it.

P.S.: There was an impromptu meeting at noon today, so the calibration was a little late. Sorry.

Yesterday, I was ten votes short of reaching one hundred monthly votes, but after thinking about it, I decided to add an extra chapter. Firstly, to apologize for the late update, and secondly, not to disappoint the readers who voted.

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