After the Great Dao died

Chapter 60 Thorough Awakening

Chen Lingxi slowly poured his spiritual energy into the stone that resembled a flying knife.

The spiritual energy emerged from the dantian, traveled along the meridians of the right arm, and penetrated the stone body through the palm.

A very faint light appeared on the surface of the stone. The light was so weak that it only flashed for a moment before disappearing.

The spiritual energy sank like a stone into the sea, showing no further reaction.

Chen Lingxi frowned, then channeled some of her spiritual energy into the energy again.

The stone trembled slightly, and the faint light shone for a moment. Then, the spiritual energy vanished silently into the depths of the stone, disappearing without a trace.

He tried seven or eight times, and each time he got the same result.

The stone was like a ferocious beast that could never be satisfied, swallowing up all the spiritual energy he transferred in, yet refusing to reveal even the slightest bit of its divine power.

Chen Lingxi withdrew her hand and looked down at the stone in her palm.

"It seems my spiritual energy is too weak to activate it."

He had a sudden realization.

This stone is no ordinary object.

"When I step into the fourth floor of the Qi Circulation Hall, I wonder if I will be able to discover its secrets."

He held the stone in his palm, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Then, with a slight thought, the stone disappeared from his palm and entered his Qiankun bag.

I sat cross-legged and let my consciousness sink into my mind.

In the void of the divine chamber, the line of golden tadpole-shaped characters was clearly visible—【Progress of Thorough Enlightenment and Yuan Replenishment: 95.1%】.

Less than five points short.

He opened his eyes, took out a Qi and Blood Pill from his Qiankun Bag, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it with warm water.

Once the elixir entered the abdomen, it transformed into a warm current of energy that flowed slowly through the meridians.

The spiritual energy in the pill was too little; he could barely feel the growth of the azure energy in his dantian.

However, he did not neglect his cultivation because of this. Moreover, cultivation could make up for the progress of his enlightenment.

After several months of cultivation, Chen Lingxi had already reached a conclusion in his heart.

"The replenishment of vital energy in the Thorough Enlightenment Divine Power is unrelated to spiritual energy, but rather to the increase in cultivation level."

Simply absorbing spiritual energy will not replenish your progress; only when your current cultivation level increases can you replenish your essence.

"Without Liu Changle and the mysterious stone, I'm afraid I would have to wait until I reached the fourth level of Qi cultivation to complete my Qi replenishment."

He made some mental calculations, then suppressed these thoughts, stopped thinking about them, took another pill, and closed his eyes to refine it.

His breathing was long and deep, with his chest and abdomen rising and falling like waves, and his spiritual energy flowing slowly within him.

Silent all night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Lingxi got up.

He changed into a clean indigo short-sleeved shirt, picked up a bamboo basket, and went to the back garden to pick flowers.

Chen Lingxi picked a few early-blooming osmanthus branches in the garden, broke off a few bamboo branches, added a few red leaves, carefully arranged them in a plain ceramic vase, tied it with a thin hemp rope, and carried it to the east hall of the west courtyard.

Along the way, there were many more servants coming and going than usual.

Some were carrying timber toward the east courtyard, some were carrying silk and satin and running quickly, and some were carrying tables and screens, sweating profusely from exhaustion.

Several people who looked like managers stood under the veranda, holding booklets in their hands, counting and gesturing as they spoke, each one louder than the last.

"Hurry, hurry! These curtains are to be hung in the main hall, and the pattern must be perfect!"

"Move those kumquat trees to the east gate and arrange them neatly, make sure they're not crooked!"

"Bring out that set of rosewood table and chairs from the storeroom. Be careful; if you damage a corner, you'll be held responsible!"

In the direction of the east courtyard, several scaffolding structures have been erected, and craftsmen are climbing ladders to replace roof tiles. The sounds of hammering and knocking are carried far away in the morning breeze.

"Consort Chun will be visiting the Marquis of Baosu's residence in December."

Chen Lingxi silently recited the name in her heart, a faint hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.

There are rumors among the people that Consort Chun used the art of listening with a mirror to control all the officials. From the highest ministers to the lowest clerks in the county, no one was not afraid of her.

The emperor was easily swayed and readily obeyed her advice. Although she did not have the title of empress, she was in fact second only to the emperor and above all others.

With such a status, one must have skilled bodyguards by one's side.

Moreover, in a letter Lin Su-ri wrote to Wu Mo-he while on a boat on the river, he mentioned something.

"The precious mirror in the hands of the Imperial Concubine is also a fragment of a tripod vessel."

Fragments of a bronze tripod.

Chen Lingxi silently recited these four words in her heart, her brows furrowing slightly.

He had seen two fragments of bronze vessels: the Candle of Time and the Palace of Fighting Beasts.

Each one possesses incredible power, and each one contains a supreme being who can make trades with cultivators, exchanging lifespan, life, and various other costs for treasures, spiritual energy, and opportunities.

If the precious mirror in Consort Chun's hand was also a fragment of a bronze vessel...

"Could she also be from the Great World?"

The thought flashed through his mind.

He didn't think any further.

He never forgot the hatred for his parents.

On that day at the execution ground, my father, Chen Yanzhi, knelt on the yellow mud ground. The executioner's blade fell, and his head rolled far away. Blood gushed from his chest cavity, staining the yellow mud ground a dark red.

The mother followed closely behind.

He has been reduced to a government slave, and without the opportunity to practice Qi, he may never be able to rise above his former status.

All of this was thanks to Consort Chun.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the stale air that had risen to his chest.

"Let's get the Qi Gathering Pill first, and then we'll talk about it when we enter the fourth floor of the Qi Circulation Realm."

-

Time flies, and more than ten days have passed in the blink of an eye.

The end of September slipped away quietly after a few autumn rains, and October was just around the corner.

These days, Chen Ling stays indoors all day, practicing boxing during the day, taking pills at night, and constantly practicing breathing exercises.

The growth of spiritual energy was extremely slow, but for Chen Lingxi... the most important gain was...

The replenishment progress is complete!

Inside the shrine, a line of tadpole-like characters appeared in the void.

[Supernatural Power: Thorough Awakening (Ready)]

Chen Lingxi let out a long breath.

He stood up and estimated the time.

"There are still three days until the agreement with Wu Mohe."

Chen Lingxi's eyes were calm, but his thoughts were slightly stirred.

"Complete enlightenment".

Inside the sacred chamber, the clouds and mist parted, revealing two bright mirrors.

The two bright mirrors suddenly lit up, casting down dazzling beams of light that shone on his body, which was now focused on his consciousness, enveloping him in a golden and white radiance.

The void shattered.

The light and shadow are distorted.

The scene before his eyes began to blur, spin, and recombine.

When everything quieted down, he stood in the servants' quarters of the temple, with two precious mirrors hanging high in the sky outside the window.

The awakening has begun.

In the sky, two precious mirrors hung high like the sun and moon.

After washing up for a while and letting the slight dizziness subside, Chen Ling made some plans in her mind.

This moment of enlightenment can serve as a prelude to his journey to his true form three days later.

With this in mind, he quietly pushed open the door and left the courtyard. He channeled the Hidden Edge Technique into his body to its fullest extent, completely concealing his aura, and left the Baosu Marquis's residence without a sound.

The long street was bustling with pedestrians, and no one noticed the thin, faint-skinned young man.

Chen Lingxi walked south along the long street and soon arrived at the Yuanjiang River.

The river water was thinner in the autumn, revealing large areas of gray-white riverbed.

He walked along the willow-lined embankment for a while, found the three-arched stone bridge where Lin Su had sunk into the candle of time, and jumped into the river.

Fifteen minutes later, he emerged from the water.

"It seems that the Time Candle has already been taken by Lin Suri or Lu Baizhong."

He stood on the riverbank and shook his head slightly.

He had anticipated this.

In the evolution of Chejue, Lu Baizhong appeared because he was lured there by Lin Suri using the Time Candle as bait.

Now that the two have fought several battles, the whereabouts of the Time Candle will naturally no longer remain here.

He wrung out the water from his clothes, made a brief plan, but did not intend to go to Willow Street to explore that strange willow tree.

"The willow tree is mysterious. I am currently in the state of complete enlightenment. If I rashly go to investigate, I cannot guarantee that I will not encounter any danger."

"If I die here, Chejue will shatter, not only wasting one of my supernatural powers, but I won't be able to take anything back with me. Moreover, the trip to Cuojin Mountain cannot be neglected."

He suppressed the thought in his mind.

"I will first go to Cuojin Mountain to keep my appointment with Wu Mohe."

After we get down the mountain, we'll stop by Willow Street Lane on the way.

Having made up his mind, he didn't delay any longer. He found a secluded alley, took out the black robe and the ghost mask with blue face and fangs, and put them on.

He activated the Concealed Edge Technique to its fullest extent, reducing his aura to almost nothing.

He thus concealed his true intentions and left the city gate, heading towards Cuojin Mountain along the official road.

He arrived three days earlier than the agreed date.

He had already thought this through before taking action in person.

If Chejue's progress was not yet complete, he originally planned to come to Cuojin Mountain three days in advance under the pretext of going out to buy wild flowers. He would then use the Concealed Edge Technique to hide in the shadows and see if any of Wu Mohe's powerful subordinates had arrived early to set up an ambush.

Wu Mohe's cultivation level is unfathomable, and his methods are even more unpredictable.

He has to be careful.

Even though this is the Realm of Enlightenment, he still needs to be careful. After all, the Willow of Immortality has not yet been explored. If he dies, it would be a waste of an opportunity to achieve enlightenment.

As the sun set, Chen Lingxi had already arrived outside the Eastern Palace of the King of Cuojin Mountain.

The majestic palace was built against the mountain, and its mottled vermilion walls appeared even more somber in the twilight.

He didn't approach, but hid far away behind a grove of low pines, sat cross-legged, and activated his Concealed Edge Technique to its fullest extent, becoming one with the grove of pines like a moss-covered stone.

He waited quietly like that.

The mountain wind blows down from above, carrying the scent of pine needles and earth, mixed with the desolate feeling of late autumn vegetation that is not yet withered.

A few crows that had returned late landed on a withered branch in the distance, cawed twice, and then fell silent.

This wait lasted all night, and then another whole day.

On the first day, no one came.

The next day, no one came again. Chen Lingxi remained motionless, only slightly stretching his stiff limbs late at night before continuing his lurking.

On the third day, just as dusk was about to fall, footsteps finally echoed along the mountain path.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, and they echoed crisply as they trod on the rocks.

Chen Lingxi peered through the gaps in the pine forest and saw a scholar dressed in a blue robe with a short sword at his waist walking alone up the mountain path.

He carried a wine jug in his hand and drank as he walked.

It was on that day, during the evolution of Chejue, that the Maha Messenger Scholar, who summoned the incarnation of Wu Maha, was summoned by blood.

Chen Lingxi did not appear immediately.

He remained hidden behind the dwarf pine, pushing his senses to the limit to carefully investigate the surrounding movements.

The scholar entered the palace, lit a bonfire in the main hall, sat cross-legged, and drank alone while waiting.

Chen Ling squinted, her gaze piercing through the gaps in the pine forest to fall on the faint glow of the campfire in the palace.

Continue to lie low.

Another whole night has passed.

According to the timeline, Chen Lingxi has already broken her promise.

The scholar sat alone by the fire and drank half a pot of wine.

He didn't look around or show the slightest impatience; he was like a very patient angler, quietly waiting for his catch.

Until the early morning of the fourth day, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The scholar finally stood up and poured the remaining wine onto the campfire. The flames hissed out, leaving a plume of smoke.

He dusted off his robes, glanced towards the direction outside the palace gate, frowned slightly, waited a moment, and finally sighed.

"I suppose they won't be coming."

He shook his head, and then, all alone, turned and walked down the mountain.

Chen Lingxi remained motionless.

Using the Concealed Edge Technique, he silently infiltrated the palace and searched the main hall, side halls, backyard, and corner rooms one by one.

There was no ambush inside the hall.

The bodies of the silver-armored guards in the side hall were long gone, presumably discovered and disposed of by the authorities.

Perhaps this month, due to the murder case in the Eastern King's Palace, there was still a lot of turmoil in the government office, but in the end, things returned to calm.

In any case, the entire palace was empty, without a single living person in sight.

So Chen Lingxi also went down the mountain.

The scholar walked alone to the foot of the mountain, his steps unhurried, and headed west along the riverbank.

Chen Lingxi followed him at a distance, traveling for about three miles.

There was nothing unusual.

Chen Lingxi stood still for a moment, then his figure flashed and disappeared into the reeds on the riverbank.

After another cup of tea's time, at the fork in the road leading to Cuojin Mountain, the branch of a large tree suddenly swayed slightly at the intersection where the scholar had just passed.

Chen Lingxi emerged from the tree canopy.

His black robes fluttered in the wind, and his ghostly face was cold and menacing.

The scholar was walking under the tree when he heard the noise. He looked up, and when he saw who it was, his wariness turned into awe.

He quickly straightened his clothes and bowed deeply to the ground respectfully.

"I have met General Zhiling."

Chen Lingxi nodded slightly, then floated down from the treetop and stood a few steps in front of the scholar.

The scholar straightened up without saying a word, reached into his robe, took out a jade slip, and presented it with both hands.

The jade slip was no bigger than the palm of my hand, pure white, with a warm and smooth texture, and gleamed with a faint, cold light in the morning light.

"This is what my king ordered me to bring to the general!"