As Though the Great Sage Had Awakened

Chen Lingxi watched intently.

At that moment, a slight smile appeared on the lips of Emperor Daye.

He suddenly snapped his fingers.

A golden stream of Dao Origin flew out from his fingertip.

The mist swirls within the deep palace, revealing the woman from the Lotus Pool Prefecture bound by chains.

The woman was chained to chains engraved with runes, her aura weak and her face pale.

When Emperor Daye's Dao Origin entered her brow, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Take a look," Emperor Daye's voice, aged yet calm, echoed in the empty palace, "Take a look at the origins of these people."

The woman raised her head, her gaze piercing through the Void, landing on the Mirror Listening images, and stared at them for a long time.

After a moment, she spoke in a low voice.

"The Myriad Saints Sect, the Jiao Demon Palace, and that fisherwoman seems to come from the Candleflame Star..."

One after another, illustrious names came out of her mouth.

At that very moment, the Sight-Roaming shattered.

Chen Lingxi opened her eyes.

His gaze was intense, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly turned his palm over.

In his palm, a wisp of Treasure Qi, as black as ink yet exuding a mysterious aura, suddenly appeared.

It is precisely that [Myriad-Nurturing Dao Lotus Qi].

For this Treasure Qi to fully mature and give rise to the three souls and seven spirits, the required spiritual energy is extremely abundant.

"When this Treasure Qi matures, it must be applied to the Life-Devouring Method."

A gleam shone in Chen Lingxi's eyes.

The Life-Devouring Method absorbs a vast amount of impurities in spiritual energy, leaving only a fraction of it intact. Using it for one's own cultivation is like a drop in the ocean.

However, this Myriad-Nurturing Dao Lotus Qi accepts all comers, devouring all those impure and flawed spiritual energies and transforming them into nutrients for its own growth.

He was originally worried about where to find enough spiritual energy to nurture this Treasure Qi.

After all, there are very few cultivators in this Qi-Less Grotto-Heaven, and even fewer that he can kill and devour.

"Now that these powerful figures from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm have arrived, they have become the resources for this Treasure Qi."

"This is a golden opportunity." Chen Lingxi thought to himself, "Among the many powerful figures who have already arrived in the Mirror-Listening Cauldron, all of them are circulating their spiritual energy, but none of them have cultivated Dao Origin."

When these powerful avatars from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm descend, they will likely set up formations just like Lin Suri initially, connecting with the Great Xuanzhuo Realm to attract more and stronger avatars.

"Given time, when an avatar at the Dao Foundation Realm descends, it will be extremely difficult for me to make a move."

"We must strike first before they gain a firm foothold."

He immediately stood up, walked out of the Eastern King Palace, stood on the summit of Inlaid Gold Mountain, and put his hands behind his back.

A gust of wind swept in from afar, blowing his long, tied-up hair.

In the distance, the sea of clouds surged. Chen Lingxi her eyes, concentrated, and pondered carefully.

His thoughts finally settled on the black-robed figure that had descended upon Heqing Prefecture.

"Cultivators from the Myriad Saints Sect..."

Chen Lingxi recalled that among those Mirror Listening, the one with the most flamboyant aura and the most undisguised killing intent was this person.

"Let's begin in Heqing Prefecture."

Without further hesitation, Chen Lingxi silently activated his Cloud Cloud-Riding Method.

A cloud of mist gathered beneath his feet, and beneath it, numerous bolts of lightning flashed.

The cloud carried his figure soaring into the sky, like a pale golden meteor shooting against the current, breaking through layers of clouds and mist, and flying swiftly towards Heqing Prefecture.

The wind howled, and the mountains and rivers rushed past beneath our feet.

Heqing Prefecture is located in the Great Li, and was originally a prosperous place.

This area has a dense network of waterways and fertile fields, producing abundant rice and silk, and is known as the "granary of Southwest China".

However, after the rebel king Demon Lord Zhang raised his army, this place became a battlefield, causing immense suffering and displacement of the people.

Several years ago, Demon Lord Zhang army to capture Qiu Zhu Prefecture and turned Heqing Prefecture into his base.

The Qiu Zhu Prefecture at this moment is no longer the prosperous place it once was.

Several sections of the city wall's battlements have collapsed and have not been repaired.

The city gates were wide open, the gate panels long gone, leaving only an empty doorway, like the gaping maw of a giant beast.

The streets and alleys in the city were desolate and dilapidated, and most of the shops on both sides were closed. The few that were open were only occupied by a few emaciated shop assistants sitting on the doorsteps, lost in thought.

A few scattered people huddled in a corner of the street, their clothes tattered, their faces withered, and their eyes filled with numbness, like a group of walking corpses.

In the center of the city, most of the original government office has been demolished and replaced by a majestic high platform.

The platform was built entirely of huge stones, the surface of which was covered with dense, strange patterns.

The dark red patterns resembled equally eerie bloodstains, exuding a stench of blood that sent chills down one's spine.

The entire platform resembled a giant altar.

At this moment, a rosewood throne was prominently displayed on the high platform.

The throne was exquisitely carved, with a five-clawed golden dragon carved on the back. The dragon's head was raised high and its eyes were wide open, giving it a rather imposing appearance. It was probably Demon Lord Zhang to be made for him.

But at this moment, a person was leaning against the throne.

This person is not Demon Lord Zhang.

He was dressed in a long black robe, his face was pale, and his high cheekbones and thin, knife-cut lips gave his face an indescribable sinister and mean look.

He leaned back on the throne, one hand supporting his chin, the other resting on the armrest, his thumb and middle finger holding something he was playing with.

His lips curled slightly, carrying a lazy smile, but the coldness in his eyes sent chills down one's spine.

His aura was calm and still, seemingly without any sign of spiritual energy leaking out, as if he were just an ordinary mortal.

Beneath that seemingly calm atmosphere, however, lurked a strong, nauseating stench of blood.

It was as if he himself had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

This person was none other than the Myriad Saints Sect cultivator who descended from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

In this Cave Heaven, he called himself the "Demon Sage."

Below the high platform, a person knelt on the ground.

It was none other than the rebel king Demon Lord Zhang.

Once upon a time, Demon Lord Zhang was also a powerful and influential figure.

He was born with superhuman strength, possessing the ability to uproot mountains and lift cauldrons from a young age, and was famous in his hometown for fighting tigers and killing bears when he was young.

Later, he was taught a method of cultivating Qi and Blood, and from then on he soared to great heights. In just over thirty years old, he had already entered the Mystic Entry Realm, and his Qi and Blood were as refined as mercury. He could shatter mountains and rivers with his fists and crack the earth with his feet.

He was a very prominent figure in the Great Li Kingdom.

He commanded 80,000 troops, occupied three prefectures, ruled as the sovereign, and was known as the Heaven-Pacifying King. His subordinates were numerous and powerful, and even the Great Li Court dared not underestimate him.

But in front of this Demon Sage, he didn't even have the courage to raise his head.

"Demon Lord Zhang."

The Demon Sage spoke, his voice sounding extremely young.

Demon Lord Zhang trembled all over.

"Your subordinate is here."

"I have a question for you," the Demon Sage said lazily, "How are the preparations for the altar progressing?"

Demon Lord Zhang reported, "Reporting to the Demon Sage, the altar is ready and is located in the training ground west of the city."

Everything has been arranged according to your instructions; the array's core, base, and patterns are flawless. I have ordered men to guard it day and night, and dare not slacken in the slightest."

"Hmm." The Demon Sage slowly rose from his throne.

He walked to the edge of the platform, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked down at the Qiu Zhu Prefecture below.

It was dusk, and the setting sun hung behind the western mountains, its afterglow bathing the entire city in a dark gold hue.

Sparse wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys in the city, blown askew by the evening breeze, and vanished into the twilight in an instant.

He gazed at the lifeless city for a long time, then suddenly asked, "How many people are in Qiu Zhu Prefecture?"

Without hesitation, Demon Lord Zhang replied, "Reporting to the Demon Sage, the registered households in Qiu Zhu Prefecture total 320,000 households, with a population of 1,320,000."

The Demon Sage nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

That's enough to form a battle formation.

"Not bad," he said softly, his tone tinged with approval. "One million three hundred and twenty thousand...that's enough."

Demon Lord Zhang knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe, his hair standing on end.

At this very moment--

In the distance, the once calm sea of clouds suddenly began to churn.

A wisp of cloud drifted in from the horizon.

Beneath the clouds, faint flashes of lightning could be seen.

Pale golden arcs of electricity danced and leaped through the clouds, occasionally bursting into a blinding flash of light that bathed half the sky in a dazzling gold.

The Demon Sage suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He raised his head and looked at the thundercloud that was rapidly approaching from afar, a look of extreme surprise flashing in his eyes.

Amidst the surprise, there was also a hint of amusement in his smile.

It's like a fierce tiger strolling through the forest, suddenly seeing a clueless rabbit leaping right towards it.

The Demon Sage's smile deepened as he sat back on the dragon throne, one hand supporting his chin, gazing at the distant horizon.

At this moment, Demon Lord Zhang also looked up and gazed into the Void.

He was, after all, a martial artist at the Mystic Entry Realm. Although he groveled before the Demon Sage like an ant, his courage and demeanor were ultimately beyond the reach of ordinary people.

He stood up, took a deep breath, and his Qi and Blood, which had Mystic Entry Realm, surged through his body, causing a burst of Qi and Blood to appear in his eyes.

It is indeed [Mystic Eyes].

He looked up at the thundercloud.

Demon Lord Zhang stared intently at the scene and saw that the clouds and mist had been parted.

Then, he saw someone.

The man was tall and slender with a handsome face, and appeared to be in his early twenties.

He was dressed in a dark robe, which fluttered in the strong winds high above, outlining the solid yet not bulky figure beneath it.

His face was like jade, and his brows exuded a composure and calmness beyond his years, like a famous sword hidden in its sheath, its sharpness not revealed, yet possessing a chilling aura that no one dared to underestimate.

What made Demon Lord Zhang tremble the most was the pale golden lightning that surrounded this person.

The lightning was not particularly intense; rather, it was extremely restrained, like a thin veil wrapped around the person.

Within the lightning, countless tiny arcs of electricity leaped and flowed, each arc evaporating the surrounding clouds and mist within several feet.

This person stood atop the clouds, his aura as solid and imposing as a mountain, like a deity emerging from Thunder Pool.

Demon Lord Zhang stared intently at the figure, his pupils suddenly contracting.

"Chen Lingxi!"

Demon Lord Zhang naturally recognized this person.

More than two years ago, he and Xiao Zhushan went to intercept and kill Crown Prince Ying Chi, and that's when he met this person.

At that time, in Demon Lord Zhang's eyes, Chen Lingxi was just a not particularly powerful outsider.

But now, this person stands above the clouds, like a great sun hanging overhead, as if thunder is about to strike, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

In just two or three years, how could Chen Lingxi have become so strong?

Demon Lord Zhang couldn't help but swallow hard.

When the Demon Sage heard Demon Lord Zhang out this person's name, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

He narrowed his eyes, a dark light swirling within them, the two points of blood-red light at the bottom of his pupils growing ever brighter, as he tried to discern the cultivation level of the newcomer.

He possessed a detection technique called "Blood-Eyed Qi-Observation Art." With his blood-red eyes, he could clearly see the depth of a cultivator's Qi Sea, the amount of spiritual Qi, and the strength of their physical body!

But when he looked at the young man above the clouds with his blood-red eyes, he found that the man's aura was dark and unclear. The spiritual energy in his Qi Sea and the Qi and Blood and qi in his body were all covered by an extremely mysterious barrier, just like looking at the moon in the water through a thick fog, hazy and indistinct.

I simply cannot fathom the depth of this person's abilities.

"This is getting interesting," the Demon Sage muttered to himself, the amused smile in his eyes deepening.

He was about to speak and demand...

Chen Lingxi took a step forward.

With each step he took, pale golden lightning exploded beneath his feet.

Lightning condensed into an invisible staircase beneath his feet, carrying him step by step toward the high platform.

His robes fluttered in the wind, his long hair danced wildly, and the invisible aura emanating from him, though concealed by the Concealed Edge Method, still pressed down on the high platform in an overwhelming manner.

The Demon Sage frowned slightly.

He couldn't see through the young man's cultivation level, but he vaguely sensed an aura that made him quite uncomfortable.

There was an aura of unassailable majesty within it, as if an ancient Great Sage had awakened from slumber and was coldly looking down at him.

He didn't like this feeling.

"Who exactly is this person? He's surrounded by flashes of lightning and sharp Sword Qi. Could he be someone from the Thunder Pool?"

Just as he was about to ask a question, he saw Chen Lingxi suddenly move.

Without uttering a single wasted word, he took a step forward, and the Void beneath his feet shattered with a deafening roar.

A Longevity Bridge spanning the sky suddenly appeared beneath his feet.

The Longevity Bridge was constructed entirely of highly refined spiritual light, and its surface was covered with complex and ancient runes, emanating a deep and profound spiritual light!

It was like a true dragon that had been suppressed for a long time finally breaking free of its restraints, carrying terrifying power that could destroy the world, and crashing fiercely into the high platform!

At the same time, within the simple Inner Divine Palace inside Chen Lingxi's body, the phantom of the Great Heaven-Inviting Great Sage, sitting cross-legged on the high platform, suddenly opened its eyes.

Those eyes were as deep as an abyss, with stars faintly moving within them, as if connected to an indescribable ancient universe.

The moment the Great Sage opened his eyes, an indescribable and terrifying essence burst forth from his Inner Divine Palace, surging wildly into Chen Lingxi's limbs and bones like a flood bursting its banks.

An unimaginable aura emanated from Chen Lingxi!

At this moment, he was like a true god descending to the mortal world.

The Demon Sage's previously languid expression suddenly froze on his face.

He felt that the young man's aura had suddenly changed at that moment.

It was like a famous sword that had been hidden for many years finally being drawn, its light soaring into the sky, blinding people.

Even more terrifying was the fact that the aura contained a terrifying pressure that caused his Qi and Blood and spiritual energy to stagnate.

He saw as if he were seeing a true Great Sage awakening from an eternal slumber, opening his eyes that held the brilliance of stars, coldly looking down at him.