Desolate Devouring Art

After three days of meticulous work, Liu Wuxie finally completed the inscription of the Pentabolt Talisman. Each spiritual rune on the talisman resembled a snake, coiling and intertwining in a complex pattern.

The shockwave radiated by the talisman caused the surrounding space to collapse, looking as though an ancient divine beast was slowly awakening. When the ancient divine beast let out a roar, it could even shake the mountains and cause the sky to change.

Even Liu Wuxie couldn’t approach the energy radiated by the talisman. This was the power of a fifth-grade talisman, comparable to a cultivator's attack in the True Core Realm.

Only Liu Wuxie would be so bold to draw thunder from heaven. After all, Liu Wuxie would also perish in the bombardment if he wasn’t careful.

Eventually, the energy released by the Pentabolt Talisman subsided, transforming into an ordinary-looking talisman that landed in Liu Wuxie’s hand. Despite its ordinary appearance, a thunderbolt was visible at its center, with occasional flickers of lightning. Holding the talisman induced a numbing sensation in Liu Wuxie’s hand, a testament to its potent power.

“It’s almost time!” Liu Wuxie stored the Pentabolt Talisman and swallowed a pill to recover his true essence.

......

An hour later, Liu Wuxie had fully recovered his true essence, which was now purer than it had been three days prior. This was one of the benefits of inscribing talismans—it not only allowed the spiritualist to comprehend dao, but also purified their true essence.

When Liu Wuxie opened the chamber and came out, he saw Master Mao waiting outside anxiously along with other alchemists. However, only Master Mao had received an invitation and the other alchemists weren’t qualified to watch the battle.

“Wuxie, you’re finally out. There’s only an hour left until the death match.” Master Mao informed him, emphasizing the urgency of their departure for the Imperial Academy as it would take them an hour to reach there.

“Let’s get going!” Liu Wuxie said and vanished. By the time everyone came to their senses, Liu Wuxie had already left the Treasure Pill Pavilion.

......

Qin Shi had been waiting in the arena for an hour now.

The headmasters of the past three generations were seated at the center, overlooking the entire arena. The guests were arranged on both sides. Many higher-ups from the five major clans, including the royal clan, were present.

The Imperial Academy students were dispersed around the area, strategically positioned at a safe distance to avoid being affected by the shockwave from the impending battle.

“Why isn’t that brat here? Is he too afraid to show up?” Many people began to discuss this among themselves. Liu Wuxie had rarely been seen in the past twenty days, and everyone suspected he had gone into hiding.

Qin Shi, having garnered support over the years, held a high position in the Imperial Academy. Especially among the students he had taught, there was a strong sentiment against Liu Wuxie, with many believing he should be expelled from the academy.

“He must be scared, probably hiding somewhere,” came the mocking laughter from the crowd. After all, an expert at the ninth level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm was considered a pinnacle figure in the Great Yan Dynasty, practically invincible unless challenged by someone from the True Core Realm.

“Not surprising. Who isn’t afraid of death?” More people joined the discussion and mocked Liu Wuxie.

Meanwhile, the students from advanced class seven sat quietly in a corner. As Earth Grade students, they weren’t even qualified to sit close to the arena. With so many people around, they could barely see the arena.

There were over a thousand Heaven Grade students, all elites. The criteria to become a Heaven Grade student wasn’t just reaching the Marrow Cleansing Realm; they also had to be tested.

Xu Lingxue was seated among the other Heaven Grade students, looking uneasy. Despite knowing that Liu Wuxie could kill assassins at the seventh level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, she was aware that Qin Shi was no ordinary person but someone at the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

The fact that she was Liu Wuxie’s wife had also spread throughout the Imperial Academy, and her appearance attracted attention from the surroundings.

Luo Zhaojun, who had been in seclusion for the past three months, was taken aback by the developments at the Imperial Academy. “Lil’ Fan, is Lil’ Qin’s opponent the same young man who caused the Nine Stars Illumination?” he asked.

“That’s him, Headmaster Luo!” confirmed Fan Zhen, who, despite being over a hundred years old, didn’t mind being addressed as ‘Lil’ by Luo Zhaojun. After all, during Luo Zhaojun’s tenure as Headmaster, Fan Zhen was just an ordinary student at the academy.

Luo Zhaojun found the situation intriguing. “This is interesting! It seems he has many secrets. He caused the Nine Stars Illumination and climbed from the Xiantian Realm to the high levels of the Spirit Cleansing Realm in just three months.” His excitement was palpable, making him seem childlike.

Zheng Shiqiu, sitting beside Luo Zhaojun, rolled his eyes at the latter’s childlike behavior. It was already midday, and the agreed-upon time for the death match had been reached. But Qin Shi wasn’t in a hurry and closed his eyes after ascending the stage.

Qin Biyu, concerned for Liu Wuxie, implored her father, “Father, you must save him if he’s in danger!”

Prince Ruyang and his wife were also present, seated next to Qin Tian. Upon learning about Liu Wuxie’s battle with Qin Shi, they had hurried to the Imperial Academy.

“Your assessment of him is too low. I don’t foresee a victory for Qin Shi in this battle,” Qin Tian stated, a smile playing on his lips. Prior to his encounter with Liu Wuxie, he would never have uttered such words. The events at the Cloud Xing Pavilion were still vivid in his memory. He had witnessed Liu Wuxie’s strategic brilliance and strength, turning a dire situation around. Moreover, they had managed to survive and thrive in such a challenging environment.

Not only did Liu Wuxie manage to survive, but he also dealt a devastating blow to the Cloud Xing Pavilion. As a result, Qin Tian found it hard to identify anyone among the younger generation who could match Liu Wuxie’s intelligence and mindset. Given that Liu Wuxie consented to the death match, he must have been confident in his abilities. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to such a high-stakes battle.

“I also believe in him. He might not be Qin Shi’s opponent in terms of strength, but he has wits. Remember how he managed to scare off Wen Li with a few words back then?” Prince Ruyang agreed with his father-in-law. Wisdom was also crucial in a death match, not just strength.

The five major clans were divided into five regions, each engaged in their own discussions.

In the area designated for the Xue Clan, Xue Dingtian made his appearance, with Xue Yu, his most cherished grandson, by his side. Xue Yu was there to witness the downfall of Liu Wuxie, who had not only killed numerous members of the Xue Clan but also crossed paths with him.

“Grandfather, we must speak with Vice-Headmaster Baili once that young man meets his end!” Xue Yu declared, his gaze shifting towards Xu Lingxue. Over the past few months, he had been unable to erase her image from his mind.

Xue Dingtian was also curious about what woman could charm his grandson into this state. But when he saw Xu Lingxue, he was also taken aback by her beauty.

“Don’t worry about it. With me here, he will die no matter what.” Xue Dingtian had murderous intent reflected in the depth of his eyes.

While the other three clans chose to remain neutral in this matter, the Bai Clan harbored resentment towards Liu Wuxie. His act of crippling Bai Zhan was perceived as a direct insult to their clan.

The Yan and Li Clans held neither a grudge against Liu Wuxie nor any particular admiration for him.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd, “He’s here!” Liu Wuxie had arrived, darting through the woods like a comet and landing on the arena. His arrival caused a stir among the spectators, as most had assumed he wouldn’t show up and had merely set the battle date twenty days later as an excuse to hide.

Liu Wuxie maintained his composure as he landed ten meters away from Qin Shi. His calm demeanor alone was enough to earn the respect of many, as any other student in his position would likely be trembling with fear. After all, Liu Wuxie was about to face Qin Shi, a Vice-Headmaster with cultivation at the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

“Liu Wuxie, I didn’t expect you to have the courage to show up,” Qin Shi remarked, opening his eyes to reveal a flash of murderous intent. He had been prepared to head to Azure Billow City and wipe out the Xu Clan to force Liu Wuxie to reveal himself if he hadn’t turned up.

“Make your move!” Liu Wuxie responded, showing no interest in prolonging the conversation. To him, Qin Shi was merely a stepping stone on his path to immortality.

The journey to immortality was fraught with challenges, and the future was uncertain. The surroundings fell into a hushed silence as the chatter ceased. Everyone held their breath, their attention riveted on the arena.

Liu Wuxie’s words took many by surprise, leading them to believe he was putting on a brave front. However, in a death match, cunning plans were useless; one’s strength was the only thing that mattered.

“He’s too arrogant! Vice-Headmaster Qin, kill him quickly!” A Profound Grade student couldn’t contain his disdain for Liu Wuxie, who seemed indifferent to everything around him.

Despite his youthful age, Liu Wuxie maintained a calm and composed demeanor since his arrival, a stark contrast to the nervousness one would expect from someone about to face Qin Shi, a Vice-Headmaster at the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Liu Wuxie’s gaze swept across the platform, eventually landing on Xu Lingxue. Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke.

Xu Lingxue’s lips moved as she whispered, “You have to be careful, and you must survive no matter what.”

Sensing Xu Lingxue’s concern, Liu Wuxie offered her a reassuring look, silently communicating that he would be unharmed.

“Liu Wuxie, you can die now if you have no other final words!” A profound artifact appeared in Qin Shi’s hands: a sword.

The Heretic Blade also appeared in Liu Wuxie’s hands. It was also a profound artifact, in no way inferior to Qin Shi’s sword.

As the atmosphere between Liu Wuxie and Qin Shi became tense, everyone held their breaths, not daring to make a sound, fearing they might miss out on something.

“Are you certain that I’ll be the one to die?” Liu Wuxie retorted, a devilish smile playing on his lips, which looked peculiar under the sunlight.

“Such arrogance, even in the face of death. Your time ends now!” Qin Shi retorted, no longer interested in exchanging words with Liu Wuxie. He swung his sword, executing a complex sword technique that unleashed a boundless sword aura, filling the entire arena.

“That’s the Astral Sword Art!” An uproar broke out in the surroundings because the Astral Sword Art was rumored to be close to an earth-grade martial technique. His sword aura was like stars descending from the sky, sweeping towards Liu Wuxie along with his aura in the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Liu Wuxie was under the most intense pressure he had felt since his transmigration into this body. Even when he faced the three assassins from the Assassin Pavilion, he hadn’t experienced such overwhelming pressure.

It felt as if a mountain was bearing down on him. In response, Liu Wuxie brandished the Heretic Blade and executed the Seven Dipper Steps, choosing to charge forward rather than retreat.

His actions prompted exclamations from several star teachers. “What is he trying to do? Is he planning to engage in a direct confrontation with someone at the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm?” they questioned, rising from their seats. They had initially assumed that Liu Wuxie would avoid a head-on fight with Qin Shi and wait for an opportune moment to strike. If he had chosen that strategy, he might have stood a chance. However, a direct confrontation with Qin Shi was akin to courting death.

No one understood why Liu Wuxie made that decision, including Fan Zhen.

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