Que Star Xi Yu

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

Chen Lingxi stared at the Xi Family scion before her, who had lost an arm and a leg and Qi Sea was shattered. 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 with spiritual energy by Chen Lingxi, and the bleeding had stopped, but the excruciating pain could not be suppressed.

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

"How long until True Lord Xi Family refines this Cave Heaven using the World-Refining Furnace?"

Chen Lingxi asked.

Xi Mu was silent for a moment. "When the Cauldron Vessel hidden in this Cave Heaven 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 Heaven and forge a Great Mysterious Golden Grotto for Uncle Hengsu."

Chen Lingxi's brows twitched slightly.

Da, Mysterious Golden Grotto.

He had heard this term once from Lin Suri. In the Total Perception Evolution, when Lin Suri mentioned the True Lord of the True Lord Xi Family refining the Cave Heaven, he also said that he "forged the Great Xi Hengsu, the most outstanding disciple of Mysterious Golden Grotto clan".

At that time, he only recognized the words "Golden Grotto," but he didn't know why the words "Great" and "Mysterious" were added before "Golden Grotto."

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "What is the Great Mysterious Golden Grotto?"

Xi Mu probably never expected Chen Lingxi to ask such questions.

A very subtle hint of doubt flickered in his dull, lifeless eyes.

But this doubt was quickly overshadowed by his own circumstances.

He dared not refuse to answer.

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

"Just like whether Qi Circulation Realm cultivator possesses Spirit Aperture or not, it is crucial for their future cultivation." He continued, "If one obtains the Great Golden Grotto and their Dao heart remains intact, and if there are no injuries that damage their foundation, they will surely attain a Mid-Stage Golden Grotto cultivation level."

His voice echoed in the dark cave, "If one obtains the Mysterious Golden Grotto, one will surely gain the cultivation level of the Late-Stage Golden Grotto."

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

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

His voice echoed through the cave, its lingering sound lingering long afterward, "Ordinary cultivators endure countless hardships to forge their Golden Grotto, and every step they take afterward requires their utmost effort. The slightest carelessness can shatter their Dao heart, damage their foundation, and render all their previous efforts futile. But those who have obtained the Great Golden Grotto or the Mysterious Golden Grotto only need to cultivate step by step to naturally step into the Mid-Stage Golden Grotto and Late-Stage Golden Grotto."

"For an ordinary Golden Grotto, this is an extraordinary fortuitous opportunity."

Chen Lingxi listened quietly, remaining expressionless, and then asked, "In that case, have the hidden Cauldron Vessel in this Cave Heaven already revealed themselves?"

Xi Mu shook his head slightly and said, "No one has yet found a single clue about the Cauldron Vessel."

He said this in a calm tone.

Chen Lingxi remained silent, simply staring straight at Xi Mu.

The cave 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.

Azure Edge Method.

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 Method 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 Qi Sea, Qi Sea would shatter instantly, not merely be broken.

Xi Mu's body trembled violently.

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 dispatched two Mystic Entry Realm experts to the Heaven Gate 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 Qi Sea.

"This talisman most likely records the location of the Cauldron Vessel."

Emperor Daye?

Chen Ling nodded gently.

The Azure Edge Method 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.

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

But he never showed any mercy.

Because exchanging a witness for a prisoner is far less efficient and cleaner than killing and robbing someone.

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

Now it's his turn.

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

Even if the chances are slim... he'll still give it a try...

He didn'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 Cave Heaven? And how will you return once Cave Heaven 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 Cave Heaven.

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 World, but rather a being of this Qi-Less Realm?"

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

A few breaths passed.

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

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

If this person is truly a native being of this Qi-Less Realm, yet has managed to cultivate to the Fourth Floor of Qi Circulation... then this person must possess an extraordinary fortuitous opportunity.

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

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

"Only..."

"After traversing the Rebirth Pool, our lives and foundations will be damaged. If we do not obtain the Cauldron Vessel, we will find it difficult to establish Dao Foundation Realm and will never regain our freedom."

Chen Lingxi's heart stirred.

Rebirth Pool.

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 Cave Heaven, 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 Vessel, returning to the Great World, and regaining their freedom.

That is why Lin Suri was willing to trade twenty years of his lifespan for the Candle of Time in exchange for a piece of Spirit Amber to break through the Qi Circulation Sixth Floor.

That is why the cultivator surnamed Chao used the Candle of Time Fragment he possessed as bait, and was willing to reveal the sect's Secret Method in order to join forces with Lin Suri to compete for the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi.

This is why Lu Baizhong is so arrogant and regards human life as worthless, because in the eyes of those cultivators from the Great World, the native creatures of this Qi-Less Realm are nothing more than ants.

The path to enlightenment is fraught with oppression; what's killing a few ants compared to that?

After digesting these words, Chen Lingxi asked, "If beings from the Qi-Less Realm wish to leave this Cave 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 Heavenward Third Floor Ascension Realm, can communicate with the Rebirth Pool Rebirth Pool and directly enter the Great World when it descends."

Heavenward Third Floor?

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

The Twelve Levels of Qi Circulation into three lower floors, three middle floors, and Upper Three Floors. The Heavenward Third Floor represent the Qi Circulation Pinnacle.

Heavenward Third Floor!

"Though distant and uncertain, it is not without hope."

The Cave Heaven is about to be refined.

He was a nobody, and even though he felt sorry for the living beings in the world, he could only treat the True Lord as if they were natural disasters. He used the Cauldron Vessel to refine the Cave Heaven, which was like a natural disaster descending upon the world.

Let alone the fact that he was just a minor Qi Circulation Realm cultivator, even if he had cultivated to the Dao Foundation Realm or the Golden Grotto, he would still be no match for the legendary Golden Core True Lord.

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

This is the truth he realized after being in a daze in the Inverted Room and after his memories of Earth were restored.

He was neither a compassionate saint nor a righteous hero.

He was just a person who wanted to survive, a person 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 Heavenward Third Floor before the Cauldron Vessel belongs to someone else, you can leave this Cave 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. How could I possibly lie to you about something like this?"

Chen Lingxi 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 Credit Peddler.

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

The restriction was extremely ingenious. When Chen Lingxi's spiritual energy fell into it, it was as if he had fallen into the deep sea. It was pitch black all around, and his senses were compressed to the extreme. He could only vaguely sense that there seemed to be something in the bag, but he could not see what it was or take it out.

"That's quite strange."

Chen Lingxi activated the Azure Edge Method 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 Xi Family, the fruits of many years of cultivation, and the numerous treasures painstakingly collected in this Qi-Less Realm —all of it must now belong to this humble being from the Qi-Less Realm before him.

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 Qi Sea, he finally let go of his clenched teeth.

He knew he had no choice but to open it.

So, he endured the excruciating pain and raised one finger, the tip of which still held a very faint trace of spiritual energy.

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

But this single wisp of spiritual energy, when it landed on the silver thread knot at the Hongdong Bag, acted like a key 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.

The bag contained only about seven or eight items, all carefully sealed in jade boxes, stone boxes, and wooden cases.

Chen Lingxi first took out all the jade boxes, stone boxes, and wooden cases 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 it to take a closer look.

He simply put them all into his Universe Bag, raised his head, and his gaze returned to Xi Mu.

Having lost his treasure, Xi Mu lay there dejectedly, his lifeless eyes staring at the cave ceiling, motionless, 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 Cave Heaven?"

Xi coughed a few times.

"Our Xi Family are the masters of this Cave Heaven, and compared to other sects, we can send two more people into this Cave Heaven."

"One person was born into the Feng Mountain Xi Family, and his name was Xi Yuan."

"The other person comes from the Luyang Xi Family..."

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

Xi Yu, from the Luyang Xi Family.

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

The Luyang Xi Family, Xi Yu... Back when the Chen Family lived in Willow Street Alley, the youngest daughter of the Xi Family next door, the little girl who always followed him around calling "Brother Lingxi" when she was young...

Willow Street Alley, cobblestone 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 make sense of them.

Xi Yu 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 Yu's memory had not returned at the beginning, and she was still that innocent and naive little girl from Willow Street Alley.

Later, her memories returned, and she remembered that she was a member of the Xi Family Que Ten Stars, and that she had come to this Cave Heaven for a purpose.

Truth-Seeking Realm Cauldron-Seizing Realm.

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 Qi Circulation Realm, and recently went into seclusion. When she emerges, she will likely have reached the Ninth Floor of Qi Circulation! At that time, she will be only one step away from the Heavenward Third Floor."

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

She might be even stronger than Consort Chun.

Ninth Floor of Qi Circulation.

The peak of the Upper Three Floors is just one step away from the Heavenward Third Floor.

One more step forward, and you'll reach the Heavenward Third Floor.

Even the likes of Lin Suri, Lu Baizhong, and Ying Chi were not allowed to ascend to the Upper Three Floors.

Perhaps within this Cave Heaven, among the many young cultivators from various great worlds who come here Truth-Seeking Realm Cauldron-Seizing Realm the pinnacle, she has already reached the highest level.

Her proximity to the Heavenward Third Floor 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.