Chapter 219: Heavenly Decline

Emperor Daye struck before his voice even faded!

Ying Xian, Emperor Daye, spread his arms. Instantly, the great mountains, vast rivers, and sprawling landscapes of this heaven and earth exuded a profound aura, linking together into a terrifying grand formation!

Standing within this formation, Emperor Daye's presence grew incomparably imposing once more!

With a flip of his palm, he struck downward.

Heaven-Seizing Seal!

The phantom of the great river stretching across the sky beneath Luan Shu's seat suddenly surged, then abruptly stagnated.

Luan Shu's expression shifted slightly. He flicked his whisk repeatedly, pouring torrents of Ehai Dao Origin into the river phantom like a bursting dam in an attempt to stabilize the crumbling waters.

But Emperor Daye's Heavenly Decline Law was too overbearing.

The instant the pale gray mist touched the river phantom, the incredibly condensed Ehai Dao Origin began to age and disintegrate in a bizarre manner.

The river's waters shifted from deep black to pale gray, and then from pale gray into nothingness.

The churning waves upon its surface grew smaller and weaker until they finally stilled entirely, turning into a pool of dead water.

The distorted human faces bobbing within the water dissipated into the mist one after another, vanishing before they could even let out a single wail.

In just a few breaths of time, the great river phantom spanning the sky completely dried up and scattered under the pale gray mist's erosion. Only a few faint wisps of white vapor remained, which were quickly blown into absolute nothingness by the mist.

Luan Shu let out a muffled groan. The black lotus platform beneath him trembled violently, nearly throwing him off.

At this moment, Bai Lingze also made his move!

He pushed the sonic waves of the Hymn of the Divine Being around him to their absolute limit. The golden sound waves surged toward Emperor Daye like a golden ocean.

The hymn grew high and impassioned, as if thousands of divine beings were simultaneously chanting an ancient, majestic war song.

The war song transformed into profound truths and a tangible suppressive force that pressed down upon Emperor Daye from all directions.

However...

When Bai Lingze's Longevity Bridge Divine Ability clashed with Emperor Daye's Heavenly Decline Law, the sonic waves of the Hymn of the Divine Being actually began to twist and deform in a bizarre fashion.

Under the erosion of the Heavenly Decline Law's mist, the hymn that had originally contained profound truths devolved into chaotic noise.

The essence of the Heavenly Decline Law lay in "disorder."

It forced all orderly things to decay from order into chaos.

Under such chaos...

Countless golden sonic runes began to collide and cancel each other out.

The sound waves that should have struck Emperor Daye crashed into one another mid-air and gradually faded away.

The spiritual qi that Bai Lingze had injected into the sound waves rapidly weakened amidst this turmoil, ultimately vanishing into nothingness.

Bai Lingze's pupils shrank slightly, and a look of genuine gravity filled his eyes.

Meanwhile, the incomparably tyrannical Yu Jiangwei wasn't faring any better.

Her two Substitute Dao Bodies were similarly shrouded by the pale gray mist.

The Substitute Dao Body on the left wielded a longsword of mist and was just about to slash a beam of sword light at Emperor Daye. Yet, the moment the sword light took shape, the spiritual qi within her body began to disintegrate bizarrely.

Her highly condensed Dao Origin crumbled and faded inch by inch, as if eroded from the inside by some unseen force.

The Substitute Dao Body on the right suffered the exact same fate.

The protective mist around her body grew increasingly thin and dim under the pale gray mist's corrosion.

She tried to push her internal Dao Origin to resist the erosion, but the moment her Dao Origin circulated, it began to uncontrollably fall apart and scatter.

'The Heavenly Decline Law isn't considered an overly powerful offensive divine ability, yet it displays such terrifying might in Emperor Daye's hands,' Yu Jiangwei sighed inwardly.

Meanwhile, Emperor Daye stood amid the churning pale gray mist. The profound, majestic fluctuations of Dao Origin around him still rolled like tidal waves. He lowered his head and gazed into the void, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

At this moment!

Emperor Daye looked down from on high, watching these four peerless Dao Foundation experts!

He raised his right hand, and another surge of the Heavenly Decline Law's mist flooded toward Daoist Zhuxu.

Daoist Zhuxu's expression changed drastically as he pushed his nine-tiered sacrificial altar to its very limit.

But the Heavenly Decline Law's mist was simply too domineering. The dark red runes on the altar disintegrated inch by inch under its erosion, and the altar itself began to shake violently, looking as if it would collapse at any second.

Right then, Emperor Daye suddenly took a step forward.

As his foot fell, the void beneath him exploded with a deafening boom. Golden Dao Origin poured madly into the hundred-mile expanse of pale gray mist like floodwaters breaking a dam.

The fog abruptly swelled and pounced on all four Dao Foundation cultivators at once.

Luan Shu's great river divine ability had completely scattered, and the black lotus platform beneath him had been corroded by the Heavenly Decline Law's mist until it was riddled with holes.

With a pale face, he repeatedly flicked his whisk, trying to protect himself with his remaining Ehai Dao Origin. But under the mist's assault, that Dao Origin was like a cup of water for a cartload of burning firewood; it was utterly useless.

Bai Lingze's Longevity Bridge Divine Ability had completely fallen into disarray. The previously orderly golden ocean of sound waves had turned into chaotic turbulence.

He gritted his teeth and circulated his remaining Dao Origin to stabilize his crumbling divine ability. However, the Heavenly Decline Law's mist clung to his technique like maggots to a rotting bone. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't shake it off.

Yu Jiangwei's two Substitute Dao Bodies had begun to blur. The pale gray mist endlessly gnawed at her spiritual qi, making it harder and harder to sustain her avatars.

She merged the two Substitute Dao Bodies together and pushed her remaining internal Dao Origin, attempting to break out of the mist's confinement with her strongest offensive. Yet the Heavenly Decline Law trapped her securely, acting like an invisible cage.

Daoist Zhuxu was in the most wretched state of all.

His nine-tiered sacrificial altar had collapsed entirely, and the Spiritual Tablet enshrined at its peak had crumbled to dust under the mist's erosion.

He himself was forced into a continuous retreat by the fog. His face was deathly pale, and the Dao Origin fluctuations around his body had weakened to the extreme.

Bai Lingze furrowed his brow and looked up at the void.

'If this were an ordinary cultivator at the middle stage of the Dao Foundation, they would never be this powerful... It is as if Emperor Daye is being amplified by some formation. His offensive power is unimaginable!' Bai Lingze muttered to himself.

'A Qi-Depleted Grotto-Heaven, an abandoned land completely dried of spiritual essence... how could it produce such a figure...'

He shook his head, then turned to look toward another part of the horizon. Golden light surged and thunder rumbled over there, as if a mighty expert was approaching.

"So be it... It is better for someone like this to die here, lest he truly seizes that sliver of survival!"

—

Chen Lingxi and the others were still standing on the mountain peak.

He stood at the summit, looking at Nanche Prefecture City which had been completely swallowed by the pale gray mist, his eyes filled with astonishment.

'So this is the middle stage of the Dao Foundation...' Chen Lingxi murmured in his heart, the light in his eyes flickering.

Just then, he suddenly felt something. Sending a wisp of divine sense into his Vast Void Pouch, he took out the Three Profounds Mirror.

On the surface of the Three Profounds Mirror, the black mystic light representing Zhao Duanxuan was hurtling in their direction at an unimaginable speed.

The speed was simply too fast, like a bolt of black lightning.

At that pace, it wouldn't take long at all before Zhao Duanxuan descended upon Nanche Prefecture City.

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath.

"Zhao Duanxuan's aura is at its peak. If we stay here and Emperor Daye retreats, I'll inevitably become a target."

The group immediately departed, retreating thousands of miles away.

Only after crossing a thousand miles did they begin to travel on clouds.

At that moment, they suddenly sensed something and turned their heads simultaneously, looking back toward Nanche Prefecture.

In the distant void, a beam of golden light abruptly flared, rising with a rumble from the edge of the horizon like a true sun.

The pressure contained within that golden light was not the least bit inferior to the terrifying aura Emperor Daye had just displayed. In fact, it was faintly even stronger.

The Method of Qi Observation circulated in Chen Lingxi's eyes as he peered across the vast distance toward the source of the blazing golden light.

He vaguely perceived Zhao Duanxuan's presence.

So terrifying, so profound.

The power contained within that presence was so vast and boundless that even from a thousand miles away, it made the spiritual qi in his Qi Sea surge involuntarily.

'First on the Celestial Ranking... truly living up to his reputation,' Chen Lingxi murmured in his mind. 'It seems this projection avatar of Zhao Duanxuan definitely possesses cultivation at the middle stage of the Dao Foundation as well.'

With this thought, the Azure Cloud mingled with pale golden lightning beneath his feet exploded with power, carrying him even further across the horizon.

They flew for several more hours.

The terrifying fluctuations of presence coming from the direction of Nanche Prefecture in the distance finally began to subside.

The hundred-mile expanse of pale gray mist had vanished at some point, and the great battle between those Dao Foundation experts had presumably come to an end.

Daoist Shu Rong, Chi Jianshu, caught up with the group and lowered her escape light ahead of them, landing on the summit of a barren mountain.

Chen Lingxi and the others closely followed suit, bringing down their clouds to land on the peak.

They each found a spot to sit cross-legged, closing their eyes to regulate their breathing and recover the spiritual qi expended during their rapid flight.

Chen Lingxi sat cross-legged on a protruding rock. He closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and circulated the Six Qi True Method.

The rolling spiritual qi within his Qi Sea flowed slowly like a great river, washing away the exhaustion of their long flight bit by bit.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes.

Daoist Shu Rong, Chi Jianshu, stood not far from him, her crimson robes fluttering gently in the wind.

She stood at the edge of the summit with her hands clasped behind her back, gazing toward Nanche Prefecture, lost in thought.

Chen Lingxi stood up, walked to Daoist Shu Rong's side, and offered her a bow.

"Senior."

Daoist Shu Rong tilted her head slightly and glanced at him, a trace of approval flashing in her eyes. "Chen Lingxi, you came to our aid this time, slew Daoist Huotuo, and saved my martial nephew Suri and the others. Our Pool Soul Courtyard will remember this favor."

Chen Lingxi shook his head and said, "You flatter me, Senior. The Under-Dao Academy sought a Great Divine Ability for me and negotiated with the Xi Family on my behalf. I would never forget such a debt of gratitude. Today's matters were simply my duty."

Hearing this, Daoist Shu Rong looked at Chen Lingxi carefully before suddenly saying, "Chen Lingxi... if you truly manage to escape with your life, you can come to our Under-Dao Academy. I will personally ask the Chi Soul Master to have the Pool Soul Courtyard grant you asylum."

Chen Lingxi silently committed her words to memory. After thanking Daoist Shu Rong, he cupped his hands toward Lin Suri, Jiang Xiu, and Wei Qingran.

"Everyone, since the matter here is resolved, I will take my leave."

Lin Suri stood up and walked over to Chen Lingxi. His gaze lingered on him for a moment before he spoke, "Brother Chen, the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and the Thunder Prison Spirit Branch will fully descend soon. I will send you a message when the time comes."

Chen Lingxi nodded and gave Lin Suri a solemn bow. "Many thanks, Dao Brother."

With that, he didn't linger any longer. The Azure Cloud swirling with pale golden lightning beneath his feet activated silently, lifting his figure into the sky. He transformed into a streak of pale golden light and sped off into the distance.

He rode the clouds for thousands of miles, eventually arriving deep within a barren mountain range inside the Great Zhou territory.

The mountains weren't high, but they were extremely remote; there were no signs of human life for hundreds of miles around.

He found a hidden cave on the mountainside and sat down cross-legged inside.

Instead of beginning his cultivation immediately, Chen Lingxi looked up at the void.

He saw the Celestial Ranking in the void. Amidst the swirling purple qi, the rankings had changed once again.

Emperor Daye had become second.

Yu Jiangwei was now third...

'Emperor Daye was so tyrannical, yet he still couldn't surpass Zhao Duanxuan?' Chen Lingxi was greatly puzzled.

But on second thought, Zhao Duanxuan was a figure from the Que Star Xi Family, and this grotto-heaven belonged to the Que Star Xi Family.

'...Perhaps the Que Star Xi Family has other profound methods capable of projecting an expert like Zhao Duanxuan.'

Chen Lingxi shook his head slightly, closed his eyes to focus, and sank a wisp of his consciousness into the Divine Chamber deep within his mind.

In the void of the Divine Chamber, the thick fog churned as usual.

Those few lines of golden tadpole-like text still hung high in the void, emitting a warm and bright luster.

Chen Lingxi's consciousness fell upon the column for Vision Roaming. With a thought, he activated the Vision Roaming Divine Ability.

His perspective abruptly elevated at this moment.

It was as if he had broken free from the shackles of his physical body, transforming into an invisible bird that soared into the sky. He crossed mountains and rivers, passed over the towering palace walls of the Great Zhou Imperial City, and descended straight into the depths of the imperial palace.

His vision finally locked onto that familiar side hall.

Inside the hall, Ying Xian, Emperor Daye, was sitting cross-legged on a woven mat.

The profound and boundless fluctuations of Dao Origin around him had vanished, and he had returned to his usual appearance as an elderly man.

Although he looked much younger than before, he still couldn't be considered in his prime.

Beneath his seemingly calm exterior, a trace of exhaustion faintly showed through, and his breathing was extremely erratic.

'It seems Zhao Duanxuan's methods are truly extraordinary. Emperor Daye actually suffered a loss at his hands,' Chen Lingxi guessed inwardly, continuing to watch.

Not far in front of Emperor Daye, right in the center of the hall, hung two figures tightly bound by a golden restriction.

Those two figures were none other than Luan Shu and Daoist Zhuxu.

These two Dao Foundation avatars from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm were actually firmly restrained within a golden cage by Emperor Daye using some profound restriction, completely unable to move.

The restriction was extremely bizarre. It coiled around their bodies like countless fine golden threads, securely locking down their Dao Origin, divine sense, and even all the life force within their avatars.

Under such a restriction, the two avatars were actually unable to disperse on their own and could only remain helplessly trapped within that tiny space.

Emperor Daye sat cross-legged in front of the two avatars, his gaze burning bright.

The two clusters of golden flames in his eyes were slowly dancing. As they flickered, countless tiny runes faintly flowed within them, exhaling an indescribable ancient aura.

It was precisely the complete Cauldron Vessel, the [Delusion-Weaving Golden Eyes].

Emperor Daye stared unblinkingly at Luan Shu and Daoist Zhuxu suspended in mid-air with those eyes burning with golden flames, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

Chen Lingxi's thoughts focused.

'What is Emperor Daye... planning to do with these two Dao Foundation avatars?'