Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 678 - Cultivators from the Central Plains

After five days of traveling, the scenery finally opened up. It felt as though they had entered into a whole new world.

"Based on the geography, we should be close to the Central Plains, where the laws are the strongest," Ji Qiu said, pointing ahead as he explained to Liu Wuxie.

The Heavenly Nether Battlefield was located at the heart of the True Martial Continent and was formed through countless years of warfare.

The area where Liu Wuxie had entered was closer to the Southern Province, but now they were approaching the Central Plains. Liu Wuxie had already sensed the strength of the laws here. It would consume more true essence if he flew.

"Someone's coming!" Tang Hong whispered.

Aside from deathguards, other humans posed a significant threat in the Heavenly Nether Battlefield. After all, betrayal and robbing were the norm. In this place, it was the survival of the strongest.

Liu Wuxie halted his conversation with Ji Qiu and turned to look in the distance. He saw several figures approaching rapidly.

"They're so fast!" Ji Qiu exclaimed inwardly. Ever since they had stepped in there, their speed had decreased due to the laws, and every step felt as though their feet were encased in lead.

"They've been here longer than us, and they've already adapted to the laws. We will also adapt if we stay for a few more days," Liu Wuxie explained. This was akin to a gravity chamber. The pressure might initially feel insurmountable, but the body would gradually acclimate to it with time. They also needed time to adapt to the changes in the laws.

Ji Qiu nodded and found sense in what Liu Wuxie said.

In just five breaths, three figures had landed ten meters away from them.

"It looks like we're all in luck today to run into a female cultivator," one of the men said as he shamelessly scanned Tang Hong.

Their actions enraged Ji Qiu. While Tang Hong wasn't a peerless beauty, her beauty still made her stand out. After all, women gradually became more beautiful as they cultivated.

Female cultivators were a rare sight in the Heavenly Nether Battlefield, a realm overwhelmingly dominated by men. Depraved and desperate, many of these men saw any woman who ventured into the battlefield as an easy target.

"You two can get lost. Leave the woman behind," said the man in the center, pointing at Liu Wuxie and Ji Qiu.

However, neither Liu Wuxie nor Ji Qiu moved.

The three were all in the pinnacle of the Astral River Realm, while Ji Qiu and Tang Hong were only in the eighth level of the Astral River Realm. It was naturally impossible for them to fend off the trio.

"What do you want?" Ji Qiu proclaimed as he took a step forward to protect his wife. He wouldn't let these people defile his wife.

"Isn't it obvious? Lend us your wife for us to use as entertainment," the man in the middle said, lecherously laughing as he approached.

Liu Wuxie's expression remained unreadable as he silently observed the situation unfold. From the start, the trio had dismissed him entirely, deeming him insignificant due to his cultivation being only at the fourth level of the Astral River Realm. To them, someone with his level of power entering the Heavenly Nether Battlefield was no different than seeking his own death.

"You've gone too far!" Ji Qiu retrieved his longsword and took on a battle stance. Tang Hong also retrieved her weapon and stood beside her husband.

"The two of you wish to confront us? I forgot to tell you that we're from the Central Plains. In this place, the laws work in our favor," the man on the right sneered, wanting to make the couple give up resisting.

This place was closer to the Central Plains, so they were more familiar with the laws here than anyone else.

Ji Qiu's face became ugly upon hearing that the trio were from the Central Plains. Everyone knew that the Central Plains was the strongest region in the True Martial Continent, while the cultivation systems in the other regions were fragmented and less developed.

In terms of overall strength, even the four regions combined couldn't compete with the Central Plains.

The laws in the Central Plains were complete. As a result, cultivators from the Central Plains were stronger, and cultivators from the other regions were no match for them if they were in the same cultivation. Thus, the trio's arrogance made sense since they came from the Central Plains.

Liu Wuxie began to look at the trio with interest. When his Ghost Eye penetrated their bodies, he realized that their energies were brimming. Despite all of them being in the Astral River Realm, the laws in their bodies were only slightly lesser than his, which shocked him.

After all, the Astral River Realm laws within Bai Yuan were only a tenth as complete as his own. However, the laws governing these three individuals were slightly closer to his level. Though they were currently only in the Astral River Realm, Liu Wuxie couldn’t help but wonder how formidable they would become if they ever advanced to the Nascent Transformation Realm.

"We can hand over our resources if that's what you want. We hope you can let us go," Ji Qiu said. His tone had changed upon learning that they were from the Central Plains. He even offered them resources to spare their lives.

"Cut the crap and leave! Otherwise, all of you will die here!" The man in the center snapped, releasing his powerful aura at Liu Wuxie's trio.

Ji Qiu stumbled backward under the pressure. The trio were too strong for the couple to withstand.

On the contrary, Liu Wuxie remained unmoved, standing as steady as a mountain, which finally caused the three strangers to turn their attention to him and take him seriously. It was surprising that Liu Wuxie could withstand the aura they gave off.

"Brat, who the hell are you?" The man in the middle probed. Only prodigies from the Central Plains could disregard their aura, and they began to wonder if Liu Wuxie also came from the Central Plains.

"That's not important. Leave if you don't want to die," Liu Wuxie replied. He didn’t like how they bullied the weak.

However, his words only served to enrage them further.

"You dare speak to me in this manner? You're dead!" The man in the middle was called Du Yuan.

"Why waste time with them? We can kill them before enjoying that beauty," said the two men beside Du Yuan. As they spoke, they approached Liu Wuxie's group of three.

"Brother Liu, find a chance to run," Ji Qiu let out a wry smile. He was already prepared to fight to the death. They refused to yield, and death was fine as long as they were together.

Their response left Liu Wuxie satisfied. At least they didn't think of abandoning him to escape.

"All of you will die!" The man on the right swung his longsword down at Liu Wuxie, which instantly appeared three inches away from the latter, unleashing his strongest attack.

"Brother Liu, watch out!" Ji Qiu yelled and wanted to intervene.

Right at this moment, the Heretic Blade descended. The Heretic Blade might’ve seemed ineffective against the thousand-year deathguard, but it was more than sufficient against humans. The Heretic Blade released an eerie glint that was impossible to track.

The attacking man’s expression shifted as he finally recognized the danger emanating from Liu Wuxie's blade. Despite the sturdier laws in this region, the blade aura effortlessly tore through the air resistance, surging toward him with lethal precision.

When many wanted to react against Liu Wuxie's attack, the Heretic Blade's trajectory changed again, and it was too late for him to respond. He exploded into shreds, and his remains scattered across the ground. The process barely took half a breath, and everything took place so quickly that no one could react in time.

"He's dead?" Du Yuan muttered in shock.

The remaining man froze in disbelief, unable to process the brutal efficiency with which his companion had been slain. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You dare kill my brother?!" Du Yuan roared, and he unleashed his attacks. The other man also joined in to attack Liu Wuxie.

"Hong'er, let's assist Brother Liu!" Ji Qiu called out, planning to join the fight with his wife.

But before the couple could enter the fray, a cold ray pierced through the other man, leaving Du Yuan alone. The Heretic Blade also danced like a phantom in Liu Wuxie's hand, dissolving Du Yuan's attacks.

Du Yuan would be dead if Liu Wuxie wanted to kill him. The reason why Liu Wuxie spared him was because he wanted to extract information from him.

Seeing how Liu Wuxie killed two of his companions with one strike each, Du Yuan was finally afraid as he prepared to flee. But he was soon immobilized with the Demonic Purgatory Chains wrapped around his legs.

"Who the hell are you?!" Du Yuan was finally afraid. Though he couldn't see what it was, he could sense a chain wrapping around his body. There were spikes on the chains, and they would burrow into his flesh the more he struggled, and the pain was unbearable.

"Answer my questions, and perhaps I will grant you a painless death," Liu Wuxie said as he approached Du Yuan, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"Brat, do you know who I am? Release me at once!" Du Yuan continued to struggle, but the pain only made him scream out loud.

"How stubborn!" Liu Wuxie replied coldly as he injected a threat of ice-element energy into Du Yuan's body.

Du Yuan screamed, and this scene made Ji Qiu and Tang Hong smile bitterly as they exchanged looks. They didn't expect Liu Wuxie to be so powerful.

Du Yuan's will was finally broken under the immense pain of his meridians being torn apart.

"I-I'll answer anything!" he whimpered. He only hoped Liu Wuxie could spare his life.

"Have you seen this person before?" Liu Wuxie took out Mu Yueying's portrait.

Du Yuan didn't dare defy Liu Wuxie. He looked at the portrait with a flicker of recognition on his face, which didn’t go unnoticed by Liu Wuxie, who captured all his expressions.

"I think I've seen her somewhere, but I can’t remember exactly where," Du Yuan admitted, his tone laced with uncertainty. His words rang true—he clearly had some recollection of the woman in the portrait, though the specifics eluded him.

"You'd better think carefully," Liu Wuxie said. His eyes shone brightly when he finally received news of Mu Yueying.