After the Great Dao died

Chapter 53 You want to die too?

Footsteps could be heard outside the main hall.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, their crisp sound echoing through the empty hall as they trod on the lapis lazuli bricks.

The bearded man paused.

The scholar put down the wine pot.

Wang Chu's gaze suddenly turned towards the direction of the palace gate.

On the bearded man's body, the silver marrow and blood surged suddenly, a layer of silvery-white light appeared under his skin and flesh, and the silver marrow deep in his bones surged, emitting a low hum.

The aura of the Silver Bone Perfection was released without reservation, causing the surrounding air to slightly sink.

The scholar, however, sat upright before the fire, motionless.

However, golden light emanated from his body.

The golden light was extremely faint, seeping from deep within his bones, making his skin and flesh almost transparent. From a distance, he looked like a Buddha statue cast in pure gold, sitting regally beside a campfire, dazzling and impossible to look at directly.

Golden Body!

Footsteps echoed through the empty hall. Chen Lingxi stepped across the threshold and entered the hall.

The firelight fell on him, casting a clear contrast between light and shadow on his black clothes. The half-faced, fanged demon mask gleamed with a cold, eerie light in the firelight, and the shadow of the fangs cast on his jaw made him look like a real demon baring his fangs.

He had a long sword at his waist, stood tall, and strode out with an extraordinary air about him.

The eyes of the three people in the hall fell on him at the same time.

Wang Chu's pupils contracted slightly.

The bearded man squinted, his eyes wary.

The scholar frowned, for he could not see through this man.

There was not a trace of blood or qi flowing in this person's body.

Standing there, he was like an ordinary person, his aura was dim, his body temperature was not noticeable, and even his heartbeat was almost inaudible.

But if he were just an ordinary person, how could he have bypassed his senses and entered the main hall?

The bearded man spoke first, letting out a cold laugh, his voice rough: "Another one hiding his true identity, a lackey of the imperial court?"

The scholar remained seated cross-legged before the campfire, motionless.

Chen Lingxi met the gazes of the group and stepped into the hall, standing by the campfire.

He glanced at the heart roasting over the campfire, then at the blood- and oil-stained iron skewer in the bearded man's hand.

Then, he turned his gaze to the scholar and asked, "May I have some wine?"

He spoke casually, as if asking something perfectly ordinary.

The scholar was slightly taken aback.

The man with the thick beard was also taken aback for a moment.

They clearly hadn't expected that this uninvited guest, who had been hiding his face, would utter such a sentence as his first words.

The scholar looked at Chen Lingxi for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Fine wine and heroic figures, what's wrong with that?"

He picked up a wine jug beside him, waved it at Chen Lingxi, then turned to Wang Chu, who was standing at the entrance of the hall, and said, "My friend, why don't we have a drink together?"

The pale golden light emanating from him did not diminish; instead, it shone even brighter.

Golden light swirled around him, like a thin layer of armor, dimming the light of the campfire.

His gaze fell on Wang Chu, and though he didn't speak, his meaning was clear.

Wang Chu felt a chill run down his spine.

Having seen the world in the Marquis's mansion, how could she not see the meaning in the scholar's eyes?

He was suspicious of her.

The man in black arrived suddenly and silently, without even the two Maha envoys noticing beforehand.

The scholar became suspicious, wondering if she had led the way or if she had leaked the information.

She gritted her teeth gently, knowing that she couldn't leave now.

Now that things have come to this, if she insists on leaving, it will only increase suspicion.

With this scholar's Golden Body Realm cultivation, keeping her here would be a matter of a snap of his fingers.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and walked back to the campfire, where she sat down cross-legged.

She came from a humble background, and her ability to climb to the position of steward in the Marquis's mansion was not solely due to her looks.

If she hadn't had the courage, she would have been devoured by those cannibalistic schemes long ago, leaving not even bones behind.

The four people sat down.

Chen Lingxi sat down next to the bearded man.

The bearded man glanced at him sideways, snorted, but said nothing, only lowering his head to continue turning the meat on the skewers.

The scholar handed over the wine pot.

"This is a fine wine stored in this palace by the Eastern King," the scholar said with a smile, his tone relaxed, as if he were entertaining a distinguished guest who had come from afar. "My friend, why don't you give it a try?"

Chen Lingxi took the wine pot and uncorked it.

A rich aroma of wine wafted over, not overpowering but rather extremely mellow. Once it entered the nose, it felt like a thin thread, seeping into the chest and abdomen, bringing a warm sensation.

He tilted his head back and took a sip.

The wine is smooth and mellow on the palate, and at first you won't notice anything unusual. But after swallowing, a warm current rises from your throat, flows down your esophagus, into your stomach, and then spreads from your stomach to your limbs and bones.

"It is indeed fine wine," he remarked.

The bearded man, engrossed in eating meat, suddenly looked up, his gaze falling on Chen Lingxi. He said in a gruff voice, "After drinking, you should state your background."

He said this in a tone that was not particularly harsh, and even somewhat nonchalant.

But his eyes narrowed, silver light swirling in his pupils. He had already activated the perfected Frost Hearing ability of his Silver Bone, taking in every subtle sound of Chen Lingxi's breathing, heartbeat, and blood flow.

Chen Lingxi did not answer.

His gaze fell on the iron skewers, on the several charred hearts, and on the corners of his mouth, which were covered in blood and grease.

He looked at it for a few moments, then suddenly shook his head.

"This Eastern King plundered the people's wealth to build this magnificent palace." He spoke, his voice not loud, but every word clear: "Within the palace, there are evil spirits that eat human flesh, not the flesh of the powerful and noble, but the flesh of the pitiful servants."

His gaze shifted from the iron skewer to the bearded face, his eyes calm: "This devil still keeps talking about the people's hard-earned money, how interesting."

The man with the thick beard suddenly changed his expression.

"What did you say?" His voice was as rough as thunder, and his silver marrow blood surged through his body. A silver light flashed deep within his bones, making his skin and flesh appear silvery white.

But just as he finished speaking...

"snort!"

Chen Lingxi suddenly snorted coldly.

That cold snort was extremely soft, bursting from his throat, low, deep, and lingering.

then……

It was like a giant dragon that had been sleeping in the abyss being awakened, letting out a dissatisfied roar!

The Dragon's Roar Technique!

The moment the voice reached the bearded man's ears, his blood and energy suddenly stagnated.

It was as if a galloping horse had suddenly been reined in, causing his blood and qi to come to an abrupt halt in his meridians, neither advancing nor retreating, neither going up nor down, causing a churning sensation in his chest and abdomen.

His body stiffened slightly.

In that very instant—

A beam of purple light burst forth from Chen Lingxi's mouth.

The purple light was as fine as cow's hair, yet so bright that it was blinding.

It burst forth from between Chen Lingxi's lips and teeth, so close that his beard didn't even have time to blink.

The purple light tore through the air, leaving countless fine cracks.

Then it disappeared into the space between the eyebrows of the beard.

laugh!

A very soft and delicate sound, like a needle piercing a ripe fruit.

A hole the size of a finger appeared between his eyebrows.

His eyes were still open, the pupils reflecting the flickering light of the campfire.

The aura emanating from his body instantly turned deathly still.

His body swayed.

Then, like a mountain collapsing, it crashed to the ground.

The iron skewer slipped from his hand and rolled to the side of the campfire, scattering the charred hearts on the ground, steaming in the firelight.

The hall fell silent.

The scholar's hand froze in mid-air.

He remained in the posture of handing over the wine pot, his five fingers slightly spread, the spout facing outwards.

His gaze fell on the bearded corpse, then slowly moved toward Chen Lingxi.

The next moment!

Golden light suddenly burst forth from his body.

The golden light, as intense as the sun, burst forth from the depths of his bones, making his skin and flesh almost transparent. His entire being resembled a Buddha statue cast in pure gold, dazzling and impossible to look at directly.

The light of the campfire paled in comparison to his, the flames were dimmed by the golden light, and even the temperature in the hall suddenly rose a few degrees.

"Golden Body".

Chen Lingxi remained calm and composed.

The scholar's right hand was already on the hilt of the short sword at his waist.

The sword was not drawn, yet the chilling killing intent permeated the hall as if it were a tangible force, making the air feel somewhat stagnant.

Chen Lingxi sat motionless by the campfire.

His mask, bathed in golden light, gleamed with a chilling blue hue, and the shadows of his fangs were cast on his jaw, making him appear like a true demon baring his fangs.

His gaze fell on the scholar.

Then he spoke.

His voice was soft, his tone flat, and even somewhat nonchalant.

"What, you want to die too?"