Chapter 279: Senior Brother, Are You Awake?

Chen Lingxi pondered this, his face betraying nothing.

Anyone else would likely have noticed nothing amiss.

The memories altered by the cauldron vessel were flawless, and the emotions welling up from within felt so natural and genuine—as if the True Person standing before him truly had given him a second lease on life.

An ordinary cultivator, no matter how high their cultivation, would be completely blinded by these memories and emotions. They would spend the rest of their lives in a daze, celebrating their great fortune at finding such a benevolent master.

But Chen Lingxi was different.

The Divine Chamber possessed its own profound wonders, allowing him to clearly distinguish true memories from false ones.

Just then, True Person Xiangshu suddenly flicked his sleeve.

A Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and a Divine Ability Wondrous Object materialized, floating in the air.

Spiritual light rippled across the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall, revealing the faint ebb and flow of numerous profound patterns. The Divine Ability Wondrous Object was a palm-sized ancient cauldron radiating an incredibly rich Dao charm.

"Since you have attained the Wondrous Fruit and perfected the early Dao Foundation stage, you should now step into the mid Dao Foundation stage and become a pillar of my Lumian Peak."

The swirling clouds gathered around True Person Xiangshu once more, obscuring his face.

His voice emerged from behind the clouds, as gentle as ever: "Cultivate this Great Divine Ability, and see if you can step into the mid Dao Foundation stage within thirty years to make it in time for the Nine Quarters Gathering."

Chen Lingxi maintained his composure despite the joy welling in his heart. He accepted the two treasures and took his leave.

He rode the clouds away from Lumian Peak's main peak, flying for a thousand li.

The astral winds howled, and the sea of clouds churned.

Standing atop the clouds, Chen Lingxi was just pondering the details of his meeting with True Person Xiangshu when he suddenly spotted a figure waiting for him on a distant cloud—a man dressed in white, wearing a longsword at his waist and exuding a deep, steady aura.

The man stood upon the clouds, his white robes snapping in the wind, the longsword at his waist gleaming with a cold light beneath the sun. His steady aura immediately marked him as a highly accomplished cultivator.

'Eldest Senior Brother, Shen Xiu'an...' Chen Lingxi thought, raising a slight eyebrow.

He recognized the man.

In those fabricated memories, this was precisely the man who had saved him when he was heavily injured and on the brink of death—Shen Xiu'an, the eldest disciple of Lumian Peak.

After a brief thought, he also stepped onto the cloud and bowed in greeting to Shen Xiu'an.

Shen Xiu'an's face was uncommonly heroic. Seeing Chen Lingxi, he suddenly frowned. He looked Chen Lingxi up and down, his quiet eyes revealing a measure of concern and solemnity.

"You have already cultivated to the Wondrous Fruit realm. How could your state of mind falter and your control over the lightning slip just from cultivating the Thunder Prison Divine Ability? Someone must be plotting against you!"

Shen Xiu'an's eyes were full of worry. With a flick of his finger, a streak of sword qi suddenly shot forward, hovering right in front of Chen Lingxi. The sword qi was cohesive and unyielding, its sharp edge completely concealed, yet it pulsed with an incredibly pure sword intent. It was clearly no ordinary item.

"Keep this Sword Talisman on you. If you encounter any danger, you can activate it." Shen Xiu'an's voice came from behind the sword qi, his tone entirely earnest. "The Sword Talisman can slay a mid Dao Foundation cultivator. The moment you activate it, I will know your location and come to protect you."

Chen Lingxi looked at the Sword Talisman hovering before his eyes, then looked up at Shen Xiu'an.

Shen Xiu'an's tone was entirely earnest, his eyes revealing tangible concern. He looked exactly like a true older brother fearing for his junior martial brother's safety.

Chen Lingxi was even more surprised.

He vaguely realized that neither this Eldest Senior Brother Shen Xiu'an nor Junior Martial Sister Yuan Lingyu were acting; they were completely genuine with him. The warmth in Yuan Lingyu's eyes and the worry in Shen Xiu'an's gaze were so real, as if they truly were his martial siblings, truly treating him as their closest kin.

Chen Lingxi suddenly thought of a possibility.

'It seems I am not the only one affected by this cauldron vessel. The memories of these so-called martial siblings have been altered by it as well,' he murmured in his heart.

If that were true, then everything made sense.

The "Senior Brother Zhiling" in Yuan Lingyu's memories, and the "Junior Brother Zhiling" in Shen Xiu'an's, were likely woven by the cauldron vessel as well. In their eyes, he really was Zhiling—the man who hailed from Sun Observation Peak, who was rescued by Shen Xiu'an, and who was taken in as a disciple by True Person Xiangshu.

Their joy and their worry were completely real, welling up from the bottom of their hearts.

Because their memories had also been overwritten.

The trace of strange sentiment in Chen Lingxi's heart became increasingly clear in this moment.

He looked at this Eldest Senior Brother who genuinely feared for his safety, and then at the Sword Talisman hovering before his eyes that could slay a mid Dao Foundation cultivator. For a moment, he did not know what to think.

While lost in thought, he reached out to accept the Sword Talisman.

Suddenly!

The two bright mirrors in the sky abruptly shattered!

The twin mirrors that hung high in the firmament—one blazing gold like the sun, the other gleaming silver like the moon!

At this moment, both mirrors shattered simultaneously with a boom, turning into countless motes of light that drifted down like falling snow.

Everything in the void fractured in sequence.

The distant mountains, the sea of clouds, the phantom of the divine deer, Lumian Peak... and even the Sword Talisman hovering in front of Shen Xiu'an.

In an instant, it all crumbled layer by layer, dissipating into nothingness.

Ten days of Absolute Perception vanished just like that.

This was the first time Chen Lingxi had stayed in the Absolute Perception Divine Chamber for a full ten days, and the very first time he left Absolute Perception because the deduction time limit had expired!

"Steal the spiritual perception of heaven and earth, pluck the spiritual essence of past and present."

A chant appeared in Chen Lingxi's mind.

The various items brought forth by this Absolute Perception Deduction hung like phantoms in the cloudy void of the Divine Chamber.

The surging clouds rolled like waves, shrouding the entire Divine Chamber in a hazy mist.

The phantoms of the numerous treasures hung there, flickering in and out of sight. They were like the moon reflected in water or flowers in a mirror—illusory and intangible.

Chen Lingxi sent his consciousness into the clouds for a closer look.

He saw the spiritual essence of the cauldron vessel that hung high above Yang Awakening Upper Peak.

He also saw the Great Divine Ability Spiritual Wall and the Divine Ability Wondrous Object gifted by True Person Xiangshu at Lumian Peak.

There was also the Sword Talisman gifted to him by Senior Brother Shen Xiu'an.

Each of these treasures was extraordinary.

Yet Chen Lingxi did not hesitate.

With a shift of his thoughts, his gaze landed on a specific patch of clouds. The treasure nestled within was precisely the spiritual essence of True Person Xiangshu's cauldron vessel, [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze]!

The spiritual essence of the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze had transformed into a dense cluster of purple qi, hovering deep within the clouds.

As the purple qi churned, it looked like a patch of evening twilight trapped within a tiny space. Its colors shifted endlessly, one moment as dark as ink, the next as pale as smoke. Countless intricate patterns roamed faintly through the qi like tiny purple serpents, exuding a heart-palpitating, ancient aura.

Chen Lingxi reached out and grasped the cluster of purple qi.

The purple qi was warm in his hand, yet icy to the touch, as if he were holding a handful of purple jade dredged from a frozen, ancient abyss.

Gripping the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, his mind settled slightly.

'With the spiritual essence of this cauldron vessel, I can rely on the [Dao-Absorbing Fruit] to devour the essence of the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, allowing me to retain a shred of clarity within the might of True Person Xiangshu's cauldron vessel,' he thought.

The spiritual essence of the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze flowed over his palm as he wrapped it in the power of the Divine Chamber, sealing it within the clouds.

In the very next instant!

Everything completely shattered!

Chen Lingxi's consciousness returned, and he saw Wang Chenchuan standing upon a flying shuttle ahead of him.

They had just departed from Sun Observation Peak, and he was about to follow Wang Chenchuan to Yang Awakening Upper Peak. It was precisely on that Yang Awakening Upper Peak that he had fallen into the might of the Yang Awakening Peak Master's cauldron vessel, thereby exposing the location of the Immortal Slough.

As Wang Chenchuan and Chen Lingxi traveled through the void, Chen Lingxi carefully recalled everything he had encountered during the Absolute Perception Deduction.

'The moment the Yang Awakening Peak Master used his cauldron vessel to uncover my Immortal Slough opportunity, Chu Yichan of the Dragon-Revering Sect's main sect and True Person Yujun arrived to investigate the Profound Wondrous Dao Mechanism,' Chen Lingxi pondered carefully.

Chu Yichan carried a saber on her back. Her saber intent was like a vast sea, and her cultivation was unfathomable.

As for True Person Yujun, she was a true Golden Palace True Person; her every movement warped the surrounding void.

'No matter how fast Chu Yichan is, she couldn't have crossed over a hundred thousand li in the blink of an eye to arrive at Yang Awakening Upper Peak.' Chen Lingxi's thoughts raced. 'Therefore... Chu Yichan did not come for the Immortal Slough. To the Dragon-Revering Sect, the Immortal Slough is merely an unexpected bonus.'

'What exactly is... the Profound Wondrous Dao Mechanism?'

Standing in the void, Chen Lingxi let the astral winds sweep past his robes, his thoughts growing clearer.

The Immortal Slough was an item brought out from an Absolute Perception Deduction, and any treasure obtained that way could be stored by Chen Lingxi inside the Divine Chamber.

The Divine Chamber was incredibly profound; not even Great Sage Luoyuan or the True Monarchs of the Que Star Xi Family had ever seen through it.

Naturally, the Dragon-Revering Sect would not be able to detect the Immortal Slough on him either.

'So this Profound Wondrous Dao Mechanism is tied to me?' Chen Lingxi frowned slightly, then took a deep breath.

Since the Dragon-Revering Sect already had its eyes on him.

Given the foundation of such a colossus, a mere early Dao Foundation cultivator like himself couldn't possibly escape the Dragon-Revering territory even if he tried.

The Dragon-Revering Sect spanned thousands of miles, its mountain-protecting grand formation stretching endlessly. With a Golden Palace True Person presiding over it, a lowly Dao Foundation cultivator like him would find it difficult to escape even if he grew wings.

'And in that Absolute Perception Deduction, the Golden Palace realm True Person Xiangshu used the [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze] to weave memories for me, leading to me joining Lumian Peak.'

'Now that I have the spiritual essence of the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, I can rely on the Dao-Absorbing Fruit to retain a sliver of clarity within the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, preventing me from losing my memories entirely.'

'In that case, since I cannot escape, I might as well not try.'

Having reached this conclusion, Chen Lingxi immediately sent a strand of divine sense into his Vast Void Pouch.

The Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree lay peacefully within the Vast Void Pouch, and beside it rested a Dao-Absorbing Fruit.

The Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree looked incredibly ancient, its trunk gnarled like a dragon and its branches and leaves flourishing. It rested quietly in the pouch, radiating a warm, archaic aura.

Chen Lingxi had previously acquired two Dao-Absorbing Fruits. The first one had been used on Emperor Daye's cauldron vessel, the [Delusion-Weaving Golden Eyes].

The other one had been acquired not long ago, slightly before he obtained the [Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree] cauldron vessel itself, but he had simply never found an opportunity to use it.

He never expected it to become a life-saving treasure today.

'Moreover... during the Absolute Perception Deduction, when I fell into Lumian Peak, this complete Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree cauldron vessel was still in my Vast Void Pouch.'

'Could it be that after I fell unconscious, True Person Xiangshu did not search my Vast Void Pouch?' Chen Lingxi raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Logically speaking, after falling into True Person Xiangshu's hands and having his memories woven by the Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, the True Person should have thoroughly searched him from head to toe.

His Vast Void Pouch and the many treasures on his person should have all ended up in the True Person's hands.

Yet the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree was still there.

A sense of helplessness soon followed in his heart.

Ever since he stepped into the Great Xuanzhuo Realm and went into seclusion to cultivate, he had wanted to refine this complete Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree cauldron vessel. He wanted to cultivate with the cauldron in hand and become a true cauldron vessel cultivator!

Cauldron vessels possessed their own wonders. Once refined and bound to a cultivator, others would not even have the chance to covet them.

If the cultivator died, the cauldron vessel would shatter into fragments, scattering across the Great Xuanzhuo Realm and its numerous secret realms and grotto-heavens.

Yet, for some unknown reason, Chen Lingxi was still completely unable to refine the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree, leaving a lingering fear in his heart that others might discover the cauldron vessel's existence.

He had tried several times to channel his Dao Origin into the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree.

The moment the Dao Origin entered the tree, it was like a stone sinking into the sea—vanishing silently into the depths of the trunk without stirring a single ripple.

Because of this, the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree remained safely tucked away in his pouch, completely unmoving.

It was as if some impenetrable restriction was hidden deep within its archaic trunk, completely beyond his reach.

'Regardless, True Person Xiangshu never took the Dao-Capturing Ancient Tree during the Absolute Perception Deduction, so I don't need to worry too much.' Chen Lingxi was plagued with doubts, but secretly felt relieved.

Shaking his head, he pushed the matter aside. His divine sense wrapped around the spiritual essence of the [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze] cauldron vessel and directed it into the Dao-Absorbing Fruit.

In an instant, the Dao-Absorbing Fruit dissipated into a stream of Profound Qi. It enveloped the cauldron vessel's spiritual essence and followed his divine sense straight into his Dao Platform and Sea of Consciousness.

Suddenly!

A flash of purple haze flared in Chen Lingxi's eyes!

He immediately suppressed it.

The purple haze had flickered deep within his pupils like a purple rainbow pressed at the bottom of a well, showing itself for only the briefest instant before sinking back into the deep pool.

He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the path the cauldron vessel's spiritual essence traced as it roamed through his Sea of Consciousness.

'The might of a cauldron vessel is truly profound.'

'With this Fate-Deducing Purple Haze, I can see through the purple haze's illusions... and even use the [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze]'s cauldron vessel might once.'

'This will be my reliance when heading to the Dragon-Revering Sect.'

Having reached this thought, Chen Lingxi followed Wang Chenchuan straight to Yang Awakening Upper Peak.

The scenery of Yang Awakening Upper Peak was magnificent, and a miniature sun hung high overhead.

Suspended above the peak, it burned with brilliant white flames, shrouding the entire mountain in blinding golden light.

'That is the cauldron vessel!'

He knew that this very sun was the cauldron vessel that would expose his Immortal Slough, and in the Absolute Perception Deduction... he had already fallen under its might by this point.

Many of the sights from here on were illusions.

Within this illusion, Chen Lingxi looked up at the sun cauldron vessel and whispered silently in his heart, 'I just need to hold out within this cauldron vessel's illusion until Chu Yichan of the Dragon-Revering main sect comes looking for me.'

As Chen Lingxi pondered, he once again saw the Yang Awakening Peak Master return with a captured flood dragon in hand. He entered the main hall and saw the Peak Master battle the beast. He saw Elders Mo Ge and Liu Zhi, and subsequently, he became the chief disciple of Yang Awakening Upper Peak and returned to Sun Observation Peak.

But this time, he merely cultivated peacefully on Sun Observation Peak. He never took out the Immortal Slough, nor did he expose the slightest hint of his foundation.

He spent over a month on Sun Observation Peak this way.

He knew all of this was an illusion. Yet it felt incredibly real—within the illusion, Cyan Pool Peak even sent envoys to pay their respects and offer several treasures as an apology.

The envoy from Cyan Pool Peak was completely servile, his face plastered with a wide smile as he presented several glowing treasures and spoke endless flattery.

It was as if having a Yang Awakening chief disciple presiding over Sun Observation Peak truly suppressed those covetous eyes.

Until this day.

The sun beat down, and Chen Lingxi was still sitting cross-legged in cultivation on Sun Observation Peak.

A booming voice crashed down from above.

"The main sect has issued an order. I have come to retrieve the [Profound Wondrous Dao Mechanism]."

Chen Lingxi opened his eyes, only to see everything around him suddenly shatter.

He was back in the void above Yang Awakening Upper Peak. Wang Chenchuan was still right in front of him, and high in the void, the Yang Awakening Upper Peak Master stood atop the clouds, holding a flood dragon...

And then.

He saw Chu Yichan again!

But this time... because there was no Immortal Slough secret, Chu Yichan arrived with her saber on her back but said nothing. She certainly did not report to the main sect and request True Person Yujun's presence.

She merely flicked her finger!

A Great Divine Ability crashed down!

Chen Lingxi felt the world spin wildly, his consciousness growing blurry.

It was as if he were plummeting into a bottomless abyss, surrounded only by endless darkness and howling winds.

...

When his consciousness returned, he suddenly realized he was inside a purple haze.

The purple haze blotted out the sky, wrapping his entire body in a thick, dense purple mist.

The purple haze churned like waves, its colors shifting endlessly—one moment as dark as ink, the next as pale as smoke. Countless intricate patterns roamed faintly through the haze like tiny purple serpents, exuding a heart-palpitating, ancient aura.

Chen Lingxi's eyes flickered.

'The Fate-Deducing Purple Haze!'

He murmured these words silently in his heart, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the [Fate-Deducing Purple Haze] might brought by the Dao-Absorbing Fruit was actively circulating, keeping him impeccably clear-headed.

Many of the illusions woven by the cauldron vessel quietly faded away in this moment.

Sun Observation Peak, Yellow Luminary Peak, Changle, Lumian Peak, Shen Xiu'an, Master...

All of these things were branded into Chen Lingxi's mind. He watched it all with cold detachment until the purple haze completely dissipated...

And then...

He heard a voice cry out in pleasant surprise.

"Senior Brother, are you awake?"