Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 874 - Deathmatch

Their confidence stemmed from their cultivation. The other three were veteran disciples with strength close to the pinnacle of the True Profound Realm.

No wonder they dared to act arrogant and stir trouble on the Heavenly Gate Peak.

That was mainly because they felt superior as disciples of the Myriad Phase Cavern, which caused them to look down on other disciples.

However, they had no idea how insignificant they were in Liu Wuxie’s eyes. He had already killed someone at the third-level Spirit Profound Realm while at the second-level True Profound Realm.

Now that he had reached the third-level True Profound Realm, obtaining the divine dragon's laws and the Divine Dragon Phantom, his combat strength had increased more than tenfold.

The five moved with trained precision, forming a battle formation around Liu Wuxie, sealing off any escape routes.

"Let's go! Kill him while Elder Madman isn't around!" The three veteran disciples were well aware of Elder Madman's terror. As long as Liu Wuxie died, even Elder Madman would not be able to do anything to them, as Liu Wuxie was already dead.

Zuo Wen charged ahead, unleashing piercing sword auras, and a violent storm swept toward Liu Wuxie.

As expected of a prodigy. If he were given a few more years, it wouldn't be an issue for him to surpass the veteran disciples.

Facing the joint assault of five powerful opponents, Liu Wuxie stood unmoved at the center of Heavenly Gate Peak, his grip steady on the Heretic Blade.

A chilling calm surrounded him. They had arrived just in time for him to test the Golden Flame Strike.

"Die!" With a single, decisive motion, Liu Wuxie swung the Heretic Blade downward, unleashing a sudden eruption of blade rays. He didn't even have to resort to using a Dao technique against those in the high levels of the True Profound Realm.

Zuo Wen was taking the lead. He immediately sensed the danger and quickly retreated.

However, Liu Wuxie's blade aura sliced through the air effortlessly and appeared before Zuo Wen. Before the word "die" had even fully left Liu Wuxie’s lips, Zuo Wen’s body froze, completely immobilized.

With a loud crack, Zuo Wen exploded into a bloody mist that hovered above the Heavenly Gate Platform.

The scene was bloody, and no trace of Zuo Wen remained. He was completely obliterated.

This left the four stunned in place, forgetting to strike. Liu Wuxie swept his cold, sharp, and piercing gaze across them. His terrifying stare made the four shudder as they stepped back involuntarily. They were intimidated by how Zuo Wen was killed in one strike.

"Run!" They knew they couldn't kill someone at the high levels of the True Profound Realm in one strike like that, and their first instinct was to flee. They turned into four streaks of light and vanished, fleeing down the mountain.

"Hmph. It won't be easy to leave!" Liu Wuxie sneered. How could he allow them to leave? He wouldn't let them leak out today's events.

They had seen him practicing Soaring Dragon earlier, and he would face Qi Yang in two days. The Soaring Dragon could give him an upper hand by surprising his opponent.

Liu Wuxie tapped his fingers and executed the Frost Dao Art that manifested into four arrows.

The fleeing figures were frozen in mid-air and fell into the depths of the valley before they could let out a scream.

After killing them, Liu Wuxie turned his attention back to cultivation. The Golden Flame Strike, Frost Dao Art, Soaring Dragon, and Soul Forging Art—he kept on practicing until he had a good hang of each technique.

He still needed time to temper his cultivation after making a breakthrough.

"It's too simple. It would be great to comprehend five elements or spatial energy."

The next day, Liu Wuxie was vexed. Each of his martial techniques was formidable, but the opponents he would face in the future would be equally formidable. There was a possibility of them having comprehended dozens of Dao techniques, making his victory difficult.

He was determined to grasp the five elements and spatial energy, two formidable techniques that ranked first among the three thousand Dao techniques.

The Frost Dao Art had an obvious flaw. It worked fine against weaker opponents, but it would barely be enough against genuine experts.

He gave up cultivating and sat on the platform to comprehend space. It required slow comprehension, and if he could find a manual to cultivate it, it would shorten his comprehension time.

Many Dao techniques had been lost to time, scattered across the world—hidden in forgotten corners, buried deep underground, or sealed within ancient tombs.

Space was like flowing water coursing through Liu Wuxie's body, allowing him to sense the subtle changes. Though he couldn't comprehend the Great Divine Spatial Art, he had gained a basic understanding of spatial techniques, laying a solid foundation for the future.

He could now use basic spatial techniques to hinder his enemy's speed.

.....

On the third day, Astral Moon Valley was packed with spectators. It was the place where disciples settled their feuds, and today was no exception.

News had spread like wildfire—Qi Yang had challenged Liu Wuxie to a deathmatch. With tensions running high, countless disciples had arrived well in advance, all eager to secure the best vantage points for what promised to be a legendary duel.

Liu Wuxie had spent the three days on the Heavenly Gate Platform.

By dawn on the fourth day, Liu Wuxie opened his eyes, and two icy beams shot into the sky, causing the surrounding space to tremble. After three days of cultivation, he had reached the third-level True Profound Realm's pinnacle and was familiar with the Soaring Dragon.

The Golden Flame Strike had grown fiercer, and the Frost Dao Art had become even more refined. Once unleashed, he could freeze everything within a radius of a thousand meters.

There was also a subtle change to the Soul Forging Art. Liu Wuxie realized his primordial spirit had given birth to a hint of spirituality. But there were no side effects as it enhanced his comprehension ability.

The Soul Forging Art belonged to the Spirit Clan, and there was a natural deviation for Liu Wuxie to cultivate it as a human. For now, he didn't know whether this was good or bad.

Even so, Liu Wuxie trusted the Feather Emperor. If the Feather Emperor had passed this technique to him, it was unlikely to be harmful. After all, he still needed Liu Wuxie to deliver the Earth-Binding Chains, a sacred relic of the Spirit Clan, back to its rightful home.

His physique had also been strengthened. Even without using any true essence, he was confident he could kill someone at the high levels of the True Profound Realm in one strike.

The first divine gate was also opened with an endless supply of divine force.

If Liu Wuxie could obtain more Divine Fruits, he could strengthen his divine force and give birth to a divine seed in his body.

Standing on the platform, he turned to look at the Astral Moon Valley. His figure turned into a divine dragon, flying from the platform to the valley.

.....

Meanwhile, a crowd gathered at the Astral Moon Valley.

Qi Yang had arrived early and was at the valley's center, overlooking everyone.

"Where is Liu Wuxie? Isn't it already time for the duel?" Many disciples were growing impatient. They had been eagerly waiting for two hours to see the spectacle.

"Don't tell me he got scared and ran away!" The White Dragon Gate disciples said, prompting a burst of laughter from the crowd.

Almost everyone thought that Liu Wuxie was too afraid to show up.

Liu Feng and Liu Xin'er were among the crowd, their faces filled with worry.

Over the past few days, they had been immersed in training, refining the spirit-grade martial techniques Liu Wuxie had given them. Their strength had undergone a remarkable transformation.

Liu Feng, having reached the pinnacle of the True Profound Realm, had skyrocketed thousands of rankings, earning him over five hundred points in the academy.

The discussions in the surroundings grew louder as no one was optimistic about Liu Wuxie. Though he had killed Ning Hai, he was no different from a mere ant before someone at the Spirit Profound Realm.

It wasn't until the afternoon that a streak of light flew over, and Liu Wuxie landed firmly before Qi Yang. There was no set time for the duel, and no one could find fault with him even if he arrived at dusk.

However, challenges were typically held in the morning, as no one wanted their foe to live for another minute.

Upon landing, Liu Wuxie's cultivation only appeared seemingly ordinary at the seventh-level Nascent Transformation Realm.

Yet, a sharp and chilling aura radiated from him, sending an unspoken pressure through the crowd. His gaze alone was piercing, so intense that no one dared to meet his eyes.

"Liu Wuxie, I thought you wouldn't have the guts to come!" Qi Yang sneered.

His appearance, however, took Liu Wuxie by surprise.

Liu Wuxie had expected someone cruel and narrow-minded, a man whose ruthlessness matched his actions—especially since Qi Yang had dominated the spiritual field for three years without remorse.

However, Qi Yang’s handsome and composed demeanor didn’t fit the image Liu Wuxie had envisioned. A reminder that appearances could be deceiving.

"I had no intention of seeking you out," Liu Wuxie said coldly. "The matter of the spiritual field is long over. But since you insist on courting death, I’ll grant your wish." His words carried no emotion, no hesitation—as though he had already pronounced Qi Yang’s death sentence.

The crowd reacted with a collective gasp. Though Qi Yang wasn't ranked at the top among holy sons, he couldn't be underestimated. Yet, someone only at the Nascent Transformation Realm dared to challenge him.

Qi Yang was infuriated by Liu Wuxie's arrogance.

"You have successfully enraged me. I was initially planning to give you a swift death, but I have changed my mind. I plan to torture you and make you die a slow death," Qi Yang growled.

The atmosphere in the valley turned cold. Qi Yang stood at the fourth level of the Spirit Profound Realm, having gained significant benefits from his recent training expedition. His return had been marked by a breakthrough, further solidifying his strength.

"Where did this brat get the nerve to speak to Qi Yang in this manner? He must be tired of living!" Liu Wuxie's words shocked the crowd gathered around them.

"He’s insane! No sane man would dare say such words!" another disciple whispered.

"Not necessarily true. He went to the Martial Pavilion three days ago to pick a spirit-grade martial technique. So, he cannot be underestimated."

It was well known that Liu Wuxie had visited the Martial Pavilion.

"I heard from the deacon inside that Liu Wuxie flipped through all the books on the third floor, but he didn't pick any technique."

Gossip began to spread quickly as some had already heard of Liu Wuxie's action in the Martial Pavilion, drawing an outburst of laughter.

Only Liu Xin'er remained emotionless. She knew that Liu Wuxie possessed a photographic memory as he had displayed it in the Liu Clan by spending three days reading all the books in the Book Collection Pavilion.

"He's too arrogant. Let's hope Qi Yang teaches him a lesson!" Tales of Liu Wuxie were constantly being dug out. His achievement of killing Ning Hai and earning eight thousand points made everyone burn with envy, hoping they could charge over and steal his points.

The atmosphere leaned heavily in Qi Yang's favor, and no one supported Liu Wuxie even if they weren't on Qi Yang's side.

Many disciples at the Spirit Profound Realm were among the crowd. After all, Qi Yang had a decent status in the White Dragon Peak, and it was normal for his challenge to attract them.

"Make your move!" Liu Wuxie didn't want to waste any more time. Once Qi Yang was dead, he would return to the Liu Clan and then use the teleportation array to head back to the Southern Province.

As the Ten Grand Assembly approached, he worried about the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's safety. His friends, family, and sworn brother were all there, and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to them.