Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 371 - Disappointed

The two walked into the courtyard after the gate opened. Jian Xing'er looked a little shy, and unlike her mature self in the Abyssal Underground World, she showed a different demeanor after seeing Liu Wuxie again.

"Senior sister, why have you come?" Liu Wuxie didn't invite her into the room, but they sat on a stone bench outside.

"I have to meet someone in the city. Junior brother, can you accompany me?" Jian Xing'er hesitated in her tone, keeping her head down because she was afraid Liu Wuxie might refuse her.

Originally intending to go alone, she found herself inexplicably at Heavenly Trigram Peak and in Liu Wuxie's courtyard.

Liu Wuxie frowned upon hearing that. He had just made a breakthrough and didn't want to go anywhere. Moreover, the Hou Clan would certainly send experts to kill him after he had killed Hou Chi. However, since this was a request from Jian Xing'er, Liu Wuxie couldn’t refuse.

"When do we leave?" Liu Wuxie agreed after a brief hesitation. He knew hiding in the sect wasn't a solution, and the Hou Clan's influence would soon extend into the sect.

After all, there were many Hou Clan's disciples in the sect, and they would come for him sooner or later. Instead of hiding in his courtyard, it was better to face them openly.

One needed to follow their heart in the path of cultivation, or their dao heart would shatter.

"It's getting late, so let's meet at the foot of the mountain tomorrow morning," Jian Xing'er said, leaving the courtyard, embarrassed to stay with Liu Wuxie.

They had only stayed together in the Abyssal Underground World due to circumstances, and they were on missions. However, after returning to the sect, being seen together could cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

Liu Wuxie had nothing more to say, and Jian Xing'er had already left. He muttered, "Who is she meeting in the city?"

But he soon shook his head and returned to his room to rest. Twelve days had passed outside, and he had spent one hundred and twenty days in the cultivation chamber. Thus, he naturally felt somewhat fatigued.

Cultivation required a balance of work and rest. But just when he was about to lie on the bed, footsteps could be heard from outside. It was surprisingly quick; someone had come looking for him right after he returned, much faster than he had anticipated.

Reluctantly, Liu Wuxie emerged to find Luo Qiu entering and closing the gate behind him. He had intended to arrive earlier but refrained from joining Jian Xing'er. Only after she had departed did he decide to enter.

"Luo Qiu, you finally came!" Liu Wuxie's eyes fixed on Luo Qiu's face.

Luo Qiu had refrained from retaliating back in the Mission Hall, biding his time. He had waited patiently for seven days until Liu Wuxie finally emerged from seclusion.

"You know why I'm here. I don't want to waste time, so hand over half of your points," Luo Qiu stated bluntly, not wasting any words.

"Are you sure you want my points?" Liu Wuxie and Luo Qiu were the only ones in the courtyard; no one would know even if the latter died.

Liu Wuxie had killed Su Ji, and he wouldn't mind killing Luo Qiu as well. Su Ji had died because he had threatened him, and even the sect couldn't punish him for it. He would only be punished if he killed without a reason.

"I know you're capable of defeating those in the ninth-level True Core Realm, and ordinary people aren't your match," Luo Qiu said calmly, aware of Liu Wuxie's strength.

"You still dared to come!" Liu Wuxie sneered, incredulous that Luo Qiu would confront him despite knowing his strength. It seemed Luo Qiu had a death wish.

"I forgot to tell you that I reached the Heavenly Dipper Realm a month ago, and I've been hiding my true strength," Luo Qiu revealed, releasing his full power in the Heavenly Dipper Realm.

Liu Wuxie hadn't expected Luo Qiu to hide his strength so deeply and only disclosed his cultivation in the Quasi-Heavenly Dipper Realm to others. But he had already reached the Heavenly Dipper Realm.

"So what?" Liu Wuxie had already noticed it in Mission Hall but had yet to expose Luo Qiu.

"Liu Wuxie, stop wasting time. We both know the gap between the True Core Realm and the Heavenly Dipper Realm, and it is insurmountable. Hand over your points!" Luo Qiu took a step forward, releasing his aura without restraints. He knew he had to finish this quickly if someone else was in the surroundings.

"You talk a lot. Come if you're going to attack. Don't waste my time," Liu Wuxie replied impatiently. He didn't want to waste time on Luo Qiu.

"I'll fulfill your death wish since you're courting death!" Luo Qiu was enraged and unleashed his aura in the Heavenly Dipper Realm. Liu Wuxie's disdainful attitude had successfully angered him.

With that, Luo Qiu struck Liu Wuxie with an overwhelming force. He had spent the past month tempering his cultivation in the Heavenly Dipper Realm; even those close to him were unaware of it. Today was the first time he unleashed it.

"A mere fly in the first-level Heavenly Dipper Realm dares to jump around in front of me? I'll show you the meaning of death!" Liu Wuxie didn't bother moving and allowed Luo Qiu's palm to arrive. But right before Luo Qiu's strike was about to reach, he raised his right hand.

Luo Qiu's voice was abruptly cut off, with Liu Wuxie grabbing him by the neck, immobilizing him. Luo Qiu's aura in the Heavenly Dipper Realm posed no threat to Liu Wuxie, akin to an infant wielding a knife against an adult. But before Liu Wuxie, Luo Qiu couldn't even be considered an infant; he was more like an ant.

Liu Wuxie lifted Luo Qiu off the ground, allowing the latter's legs to flail around in the air with his true essence sealed, rendering him helpless.

"You thought I didn't know you were hiding your true cultivation? Let me enlighten you: I personally vanquished every abyssal devil whose head I delivered to the Mission Hall. I can effortlessly send fourth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm experts flying with a single blow, and I've even slain two sixth-grade abyssal devils. Yet, a nobody like you dares to challenge me?!" Liu Wuxie's words cut through the air as he revealed these truths to Luo Qiu, as the latter was soon going to be a dead man.

Luo Qiu was so frightened by Liu Wuxie’s revelation that he wet his pants. He was only in the first level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm, and even someone in the fourth level couldn't rival Liu Wuxie.

After so many days of seclusion, Liu Wuxie's strength must've significantly improved. Even those in the sixth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm were no match for Liu Wuxie.

"Liu Wuxie, I was wrong. Please spare me! I guarantee I'll be your loyal lackey in the future," Luo Qiu pleaded in fear. He could still speak even with his true essence sealed.

"Spare you?" Liu Wuxie sneered. "I already spared you once in the Mission Hall by crippling Wang Tie with one punch. Yet, you didn't give up, and this is your punishment."

Liu Wuxie exerted force with his hand and snapped Luo Qiu's neck. The latter's corpse began to wither rapidly, with the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron absorbing his energy. When flames blazed, Luo Qiu's skin, which was the only proof of his existence, vanished.

With that, Luo Qiu had completely vanished from the world, leaving no trace. Even if the sect investigated, they wouldn't find anything.

After dealing with Luo Qiu, Liu Wuxie returned to his room. The night passed peacefully because all the outer disciples were preparing for the competition, and they had no time to pursue Liu Wuxie.

Due to the swift dissemination of news about Liu Wuxie's confrontation with Su Ji, even those in the True Core Realm hesitated to pursue him, fearing the consequences.

On an unnamed small peak, an elder stood, flanked by two kneeling youths: Han Xing and Kong Yan.

"Tell me, what transpired? What befell your cultivations?" Elder Wu Yang's unease had grown over the past days as he had lost connection with the array flag he had painstakingly refined. Today, he cut short his seclusion to seek out his two prized disciples.

But upon seeing their wretched state, Elder Wu Yang was enraged. Han Xing and Kong Yan looked like defeated dogs with their cultivation gone. They were just two cripples now.

"Master, we failed and brought shame to your name." Kong Yan kowtowed with blood dripping from his forehead. As for Han Xing, he knelt by the side and said nothing.

Han Xing knew Liu Wuxie wasn't at fault because they wouldn't be in this state if they hadn't coveted his points. But Kong Yan didn't understand it, and hatred filled his chest.

"Tell me, who crippled your cultivations?" Elder Wu Yang's face was grim. He was an elite elder, and he had high hopes for his two disciples. So how could he not be enraged to see them lose their cultivation?

The two smiled bitterly and were too embarrassed to say anything. What were they going to say? Two inner disciples and disciples of an elite elder had lost to an outer disciple? However, they didn't dare conceal anything, with Kong Yan recounting the night's events.

Elder Wu Yang fell silent upon hearing that his two prized disciples had lost to an outer disciple, and he didn't let anger cloud his judgment.

"Are you certain he defeated you in a contest of spiritual arrays and not through some other means?" Elder Wu Yang sought clarification. A defeat in spiritual arrays would be acceptable, but any underhanded tactics from Liu Wuxie would not be tolerated.

"Master, that boy is cunning and must've used some despicable means. Please avenge us!" Kong Yan pleaded, desperate for revenge.

"Han Xing, explain why you and Kong Yan initiated a battle of spiritual arrays with him without cause," Elder Wu Yang asked, knowing his disciples' tendencies well. Aware of Kong Yan's tendency to embellish, he turned to Han Xing for a clearer account.

Han Xing had no choice but to recount everything truthfully. Upon hearing that his two disciples had coveted Liu Wuxie's points, Elder Wu Yang was enraged. He stomped his feet and glared at his two disciples with disappointment and fury.

"Master, we were wrong to attempt to rob his points, but he crippled our cultivation. This is akin to slapping your face, so how can we let it go?" Kong Yan said ferociously, clutching Elder Wu Yang's leg.

"Hmph, I'm curious to see who he is. You two stand up. I'll get the sect master to refine a Spirit Continuance Pill to help you two repair your dantians." Elder Wu Yang got the two to stand up, and he naturally wouldn't let this matter go so easily.

If he didn't stand up for his disciples who were crippled, it would dishearten them.

"Thank you, Master!" The two knelt again at the mention of the Spirit Continuance Pill. This pill, capable of repairing dantians, could only be refined by those in the True Profound Realm. However, Spirit Continuance Pills were exceedingly rare, and few dared to refine them.

Even for a true disciple with a damaged dantian, obtaining a Spirit Continuance Pill would demand an exorbitant price. The two disciples naturally had no entitlement to such a valuable resource, given its immense cost and scarcity.

Furthermore, even if their dantians were repaired, their cultivation would still be inferior to others.

Elder Wu Yang valued their talent in spiritual arrays, and their martial strength was secondary.