Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 698 - Resolved to Die

The elderly man was none other than the Hou Clan's grand elder. He couldn't find a chance to take revenge against Liu Wuxie, but Chen Ran had visited the Hou Clan with a sinister plan a few days ago. The Azure Crimson Gate had also sent a few elders over to help the Hou Clan capture Liu Wuxie's family members to threaten him.

The Hou Clan had initially rejected the suggestion, but the Azure Crimson Gate had sent an influential elder who promised to support the Hou Clan if the plan succeeded.

As a second-tier sect, there was no way the Hou Clan could contend with the Azure Crimson Gate. In addition to Liu Wuxie's current status in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, killing him would be akin to stirring the hornet's nest to annihilate the Hou Clan.

But their courage grew with the Azure Crimson Gate's assurance. Though the Azure Crimson Gate didn't obtain a good result in this Ten Grand Ceremony, its overall strength remained unaffected.

A middle-aged man stood before the Hou Clan's grand elder. He was Prince Yong Xian, who had fled into the cultivation world in the past. However, he had long discarded his title as a prince and used his full name.

"It's certain. I have verified the information, and we can force Liu Wuxie to comply once we capture his in-laws," Prince Yong Xian said with a malicious glint. If not for Liu Wuxie, he would've become the supreme ruler of the Great Yan Dynasty, wielding supreme power.

Liu Wuxie had ruined his plan, reducing him to a fugitive who had to go into hiding for two years. He had been preparing for two years for this day, scheming and allying those who had a grudge against Liu Wuxie.

However, his progress was slow. The Hou Clan had failed repeatedly while many of the Azure Crimson Gate disciples were butchered by Liu Wuxie.

Back during the stone-betting event in Serene City, he had been merely an inconspicuous, low-ranked disciple, which was why Liu Wuxie hadn’t noticed him at the time.

"Let's hurry up. I heard Liu Wuxie isn't in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and no one knows where he is. There's a possibility he might be in the mundane world." They had set off a few days ago and were ahead of Liu Wuxie. They were unaware of Liu Wuxie's accomplishment of killing an elder in the Nascent Transformation Realm.

If they knew Liu Wuxie had killed Grandmaster Hai, who was in the Nascent Transformation Realm, they would've fled in horror.

......

Liu Wuxie was also feeling uneasy on the warship. He placed over a dozen high-grade spirit stones into the spiritual array to significantly increase the warship's speed.

"Wuxie, this will ruin the warship!" Fan Zhen said, feeling a heartache. A warship like this was priceless, not to mention it wasn't a model that could be purchased with spirit stones.

"Does the Heavenly Dao Society lack spirit stones?" Liu Wuxie asked.

Fan Zhen fell silent at the question. The Heavenly Dao Society was filthy rich, and they could even buy ten warships if they wanted. They could always buy another one if this one were ruined.

The warship accelerated, doubling its speed, allowing it to reach the Great Yan Dynasty by the following evening. It streaked across the horizon like a blazing comet.

The Great Yan Dynasty had risen significantly. In just two years, they had sent many people into the cultivation world, which had struck fear in the neighboring dynasties. It even showed signs of developing into a high-tier nation.

Under the entire dynasty's support, the Xu Clan had developed rapidly. It had grown from a modest clan into a prominent one. Xu Yilin's young brother, Xu Yishan, had also married and became a father last year. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The Xu Clan was prospering, and Xu Yilin was considering handing over the family business to Xu Yishan. After all, Liu Wuxie had mentioned he would take them to the cultivation world within a year.

Meanwhile, Xu Yishan had no intention of entering the cultivation world and preferred the simplicity of the mundane world. Thus, he was the best candidate to manage the clan.

The Imperial Academy had thrived under the leadership of Zhao Enzhu, the newly appointed headmaster. Though none of the students rivaled Liu Wuxie's extraordinary abilities, they surpassed the achievements of their predecessors, setting a new benchmark for excellence.

With Liu Wuxie’s help, the two princes had regained their mental clarity. Thus, the Emperor had abdicated his position last year and handed it over to the eldest prince.

......

But on this day, while everyone was busy with their affairs and the capital's streets bustled with activity, a massive warship appeared above the Great Yan Dynasty, shocking everyone in the surroundings.

The warship's immense pressure made breathing difficult for mortals, and children burst into tears.

"What's going on?" Everyone raised their heads to look at the warship they had never seen before. Some people even went down on their knees, thinking a deity had descended on the mundane world.

But their illusions were shattered in the next moment when a blazing fireball hurled down from the sky, striking the Imperial Capital. The entire street was engulfed in flames, and a large number of innocent lives were lost in an instant. Their screams of agony echoed through the chaos.

The entire street turned into a purgatory, and countless people cried for help as they ran out of their houses. They were ignited in flame, and they were burned to death before they could jump into the water.

This was an unbearable sight, with children screaming out for their parents.

Those who were on their knees were left dumbfounded. They thought a deity had descended on the mortal world, but it was an apocalypse.

......

In the Xu Clan, Xu Yilin had long relinquished his position as the patriarch, shifting his focus to his cultivation. Liu Wuxie had gotten someone to bring a batch of pills back, enough for him to reach the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

The sudden tremors in the Imperial Capital shocked the entire Xu Clan as its disciples rushed out from their courtyards.

Xu Yilin opened his eyes as he was pulled back to reality by the tremors when he was attempting to make a breakthrough into the True Core Realm.

"What's going on?" The Xu Clan's disciples looked at each other, baffled.

The Imperial City's teachers stared at the sky. They all wore a grave expression as they looked at the warship, and they knew this wasn't the work of ordinary mortals.

"Headmaster, who are these people?" Many teachers gathered around Zhao Enzhu, seeking answers.

"I suspect they might be here for Liu Wuxie," Zhao Enzhu said with a grave expression. It wasn't hard to tell that this warship came from the cultivation world. For it to appear in the mundane world, this could only mean one thing: the warship came for Liu Wuxie.

"Are you saying these are Wuxie's enemies?" asked one teacher, his voice tinged with horror. If that were the case, the Great Yan Dynasty would be in grave danger.

"I can't say for certain," Zhao Enzhu replied, shaking his head. That was only speculation, and he had no idea why these people were there.

When the warship opened, three people descended from the sky. They hovered in the air, a feat that everyone coveted the most in life.

As the three descended from the warship, they hovered in the air and overlooked the entire Imperial Capital.

"Prince Yong Xian!" Zhao Enzhu hadn't expected to see Prince Yong Xian, who had been missing for two years.

Everyone was stumped to hear Prince Yong Xian’s name. After all, it wasn't a secret Prince Yong Xian had staged a rebellion two years ago, and he had fled the Great Yan Dynasty after Liu Wuxie thwarted his schemes.

He had been missing for two years, and it was obvious why he had returned with a group of experts: He was here to seize everything that belonged to him.

......

"Everyone listen up! I have returned for two purposes: to take back what's rightfully mine and to obliterate the Xu Clan!" Prince Yong Xian's voice boomed in the Imperial Capital as it contained his soul energy.

Many experts had gathered in the Imperial Palace, confused about what was happening. However, when they heard Prince Yong Xian's voice, they finally understood.

Even after two years, Prince Yong Xian hadn't given up on the throne.

"Gather everyone and prepare for a fight!" Xu Yilin said as he came out of the cultivation chamber. He might've relinquished his position as the patriarch, but he still had a strong prestige in the clan.

The Xu Clan's experts began to gather. They all knew this battle would decide the clan's survival, and Xu Yishan had already led a group of experts waiting at the Xu Clan's main gate.

When Xu Yilin locked eyes with Prince Yong Xian, he didn't expect the latter to have grown so powerful in the past two years.

Reinforcements were poured from the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Academy, forming a force capable of toppling any faction in the Great Yan Dynasty.

But their efforts were futile. There was no way they could contend with experts from the cultivation world, and it wasn't something that could be compensated with numbers.

"Uncle, do you want to take it that far?" The crown prince had taken over the throne in the Great Yan Dynasty as the new Emperor, wearing a golden dragon robe as he stepped forward. He didn't even have time to change his clothes and rushed out with a longsword.

"This is all forced by you people, and I will kill everyone today!" Prince Yong Xian said with his face contorted with rage. After entering the cultivation world, he had come to understand that everything paled in the face of absolute strength.

"Where are Liu Wuxie's in-laws?" The Hou Clan's grand elder wasn't interested in the feud of the royal clan as they had arrived with a clear goal: to capture Liu Wuxie's in-laws. As for the royal clan's drama, they could resolve it among themselves.

"There they are!" Prince Yong Xian pointed to Xu Yilin and Yang Zi, who stood out among the crowd. As their cultivation advanced, their appearances underwent a subtle transformation, making them look noticeably younger.

"Bring them over!" The Hou Clan's grand elder didn't act personally as he didn't want to dirty his hands with the mundane world’s affairs.

Two Hou Clan's disciples descended from the warship and charged at Xu Yilin.

"Protect the old patriarch!" Everyone drew their weapons and stood before Xu Yilin. They had changed their form of address as Xu Yilin had relinquished the position of the patriarch to Xu Yishan.

"Get lost!" The two Hou Clan's disciples were in the Astral River Realm, and everyone standing in their way was sent flying with a wave of their hands. Everyone coughed up blood, and there were even some who were killed on the spot.

None of the Xu Clan's experts could resist them. After sending the Xu Clan's guards flying away, the two disciples slowly advanced toward Xu Yilin.

"Don't even bother to put up a struggle. You two are nothing in our eyes," one of the two said. What he said was true, as mortals were nothing before them, and they could kill a large group with one strike.

"Don't even think about harming the old patriarch!" More disciples of the Xu Clan stepped forward, planning to use their bodies to hold off the two disciples.

"Don't blame me since you people are courting death!" Boundless murderous intent erupted from the two disciples of the Hou Clan, forming a hurricane that ripped the ten-odd disciples of the Xu Clan into pieces. They were killed before they could even let out a scream.

This enveloped the surroundings in a deadly silence.

"That's enough! Everyone step aside!" Xu Yilin raised his voice, commanding everyone to retreat. He didn't want more people to die because of him. Once he was done, he stepped forward to welcome his death.

"Big brother, no!" Xu Yishan tried to stop his elder brother.

"Take care of them for me," Xu Yilin said with a solemn resolve to die. His only wish was for Xu Yishan to take care of the clan.

When Xu Yilin looked around, everyone from the Xu Clan went down on their knees with tears streaming down their cheeks.