Desolate Devouring Art

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Liu Wuxie rested for two hours before he came out to the courtyard. The Treasure Pill Pavilion had already delivered the herbs, and it was getting closer to the promised deadline.

An ornate scabbard lay on the stone table in the courtyard. Liu Wuxie picked it up and slid it inside, where it fit perfectly. As he unsheathed the blade once more, a terrifying aura emanated from it, slicing cleanly through a pillar at the center of the courtyard, causing it to collapse. novelbuddy.c(o)m

Liu Wuxie had mastered the seven forms of the Blood Gleam Blade Art, but had yet to apply them in real combat. He had the experience but lacked practical ability. The two were distinct concepts. For instance, an interior designer may have design experience, but may not know how to physically cut bricks and tiles.

Killing required skill, and theory was not the same as practice. Liu Wuxie needed real combat experience to hone his blade technique and achieve perfect synchronization with it. He spent two hours refining several hundred Heavenly Spirit Pills, and with his advancement to the Xiantian Realm, his efficiency had improved, resulting in a high success rate for each batch.

He brought the Heavenly Spirit Pills with him and left the Xu Clan. Reaching the Xiantian Realm was only the beginning, and he had many things he wanted to do. He didn’t go to the Treasure Pill Pavilion or the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop, but to the Song Clan’s Spiritual Array Hall.

As the Song Clan became famous for their spiritual arrays, they naturally provided multiple spiritual arrays for martial cultivators to train themselves, such as Killing Spiritual Arrays and Illusory Spiritual Arrays, which could simulate various situations. This was something that the colosseum couldn’t provide. They both had their own merits. It didn’t necessarily mean one was better than the other.

Hunting and killing demonic beasts was too easy, a task suitable for ordinary martial cultivators, but not for Liu Wuxie.

The Song Clan possessed a single Spiritual Array Hall, situated in the far northwest of Azure Billow City. The vast area was divided into multiple arrays. Guided by his memory, Liu Wuxie arrived two hours later at a series of buildings nestled against the mountains, the location of the Song Clan’s Spiritual Array Hall.

The Spiritual Array Hall was bustling with people, as many martial cultivators preferred to train there. The hall offered a wide variety of spiritual arrays, each with its own benefits. Those practicing movement techniques could choose the Meteorite Array, while those seeking to improve their combat skills could opt for the Ominous Purging Array, among others.

The spiritual arrays could be selected based on individual characteristics, an advantage not offered by the colosseum. This was why the Song Clan had maintained its position in Azure Billow City for over two centuries.

Liu Wuxie joined the crowd at the registration counter, where the arrays were divided into several levels, including Houtian and Xiantian. Now that he was in the Xiantian Realm, he naturally couldn’t pick Houtian Arrays.

Suddenly, a group rushed in through the main door, and Liu Wuxie spotted a familiar figure. Song Ling was among this group of people. The younger generation remained outside on guard, indicating that something had occurred within the Spiritual Array Hall.

Rumors circulated among the crowd that there was a problem with the central control system, which may have been damaged and could take a long time to repair, preventing the activation of many spiritual arrays. The crowd was abuzz with speculation, but no one knew for certain if the rumors were true.

Suddenly, all movement ceased as a commotion erupted outside the window. “Why?! I’ve been waiting in line for two hours, and now you’re telling me the spiritual arrays are full. No way! I have to enter the spiritual array to train no matter what!” A gruff voice boomed, echoing throughout the hall.

Several young men turned to look at Song Ling as guards from the Song Clan moved to restore order.

In recent days, the Song Clan’s Spiritual Array Hall had been experiencing a shortage of functional spiritual arrays. Many martial cultivators, after waiting in line for hours, were informed that no slots were available. It was understandable that they were unhappy about the situation.

The situation was chaotic as several hundred people, unable to secure a slot, demanded that the Song Clan find a solution. Many martial cultivators, stuck at their current level of cultivation, were desperate for an opportunity to advance through the spiritual arrays.

Song Ling hurried over, apologizing to the crowd. The Song Clan had been caught off guard by the incident, and Song Ling quickly spotted Liu Wuxie among the throng. He made his way over and asked, “Big Brother, what brings you here?”

Song Ling held Liu Wuxie in high regard. After winning 3,000,000 gold coins at the colosseum, Song Ling had been walking around with a smug expression. Though he had little interest in cultivation, he was deeply knowledgeable about spiritual arrays.

“What’s happening in the Spiritual Array Hall?” Liu Wuxie asked, having a favorable impression of Song Ling. Song Ling had defended him at the colosseum, and Liu Wuxie had no doubt that, had he not been dragged away, Song Ling would have stood by his side and fought alongside him. Such a person was worth befriending.

“Big Brother, let’s talk somewhere else. There are too many people here.” Song Ling dragged Liu Wuxie to the side where only members of the Song Clan could enter, and the noise in the surrounding area disappeared.

“Big Brother, you want to use the spiritual arrays to cultivate as well?” Song Ling asked.

Liu Wuxie nodded as he had just reached the Xiantian Realm, so he needed to undergo actual battles to stabilize his cultivation. He asked, “You still haven’t told me what’s going on with the Spiritual Array Hall.”

Liu Wuxie was not overly concerned about the situation, as he could always find other alternatives if he couldn’t use the spiritual arrays. However, his question caused Song Ling to frown, as the incident had taken him by surprise as well.

“It’s all in a mess, and let’s not talk about it. I still know a spiritual array that is working, and I can take you there now,” Song Ling said, standing up and leading Liu Wuxie away. About ten minutes later, they arrived at a dilapidated house.

“Are you sure this is the place?” It had been at least several decades since this spiritual array was last activated, and it was covered in dust. So Liu Wuxie had no idea what Song Ling was trying to do.

“Big Brother, what’s your current cultivation?” Song Ling asked in a low voice after looking around and ensuring there wasn’t anyone around.

“Ninth-level of the Houtian Realm!” Liu Wuxie hid his actual cultivation because he didn’t want too many people to know that he was in the Xiantian Realm.

“There’s no problem then. Our Song Clan’s ancestor left behind this spiritual array. It’s a strange one, and you can adjust its level to match your cultivation. It hasn’t been used in years,” Song Ling explained. This spiritual array had been abandoned for decades for unknown reasons.

“Why is it abandoned?” Liu Wuxie asked. With so many people outside clamoring for access to the spiritual arrays, why wasn’t this one open to the public?

“W-Well, someone died there once, and it was abandoned after that. They said the array couldn’t be controlled,” Song Ling explained, regretting his decision to bring Liu Wuxie here. Perhaps it was because he admired him too much.

“Now, this is interesting,” Liu Wuxie mused. He had not expected much from the Song Clan’s spiritual arrays, as they were non-lethal and therefore unsuitable for pushing oneself to the brink in search of a breakthrough.

With his skills, Liu Wuxie could easily set up a Killing Spiritual Array, but doing so required a significant amount of materials and a suitable location. The Song Clan had taken centuries to build their Spiritual Array Hall, and Liu Wuxie did not have that kind of time, nor were the resources in Azure Billow City sufficient.

He pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside, a cloud of dust rising to meet him. He waved it away and surveyed the large room. At approximately five hundred square meters in size, the spiritual array was undoubtedly large-scale.

“Big Brother, let’s forget about it...” Song Ling said hastily, but it was too late as Liu Wuxie had already entered the spiritual array. “Big Brother, this spiritual array is really strange. Let us leave this place!”

Song Ling was startled as the lights in the house flickered on by themselves. The walls were constructed of inkstone, an extremely durable material resistant to damage from ordinary weapons. The Song Clan must have invested considerable resources in building this house, and its abandonment for decades was a tremendous waste.

Liu Wuxie went straight to the southeast corner where the core of the spiritual array was located. The spiritual array could be activated by placing spirit stones on it. While other arrays were controlled by members of the Song Clan, this one had been abandoned for so long that Liu Wuxie had to activate it himself.

He placed his five remaining spirit stones in the sockets, and the entire house began to shake. The door slammed shut and the surroundings shifted, transporting them to a plain. The ground trembled, and Song Ling fell, terrified that an earthquake was occurring.

“This spiritual array is pretty good, and it’s suitable for me to cultivate here. Follow behind me closely!” Liu Wuxie said, tapping his foot on the ground, turning into a meteorite, and charging towards the source of the voice.

“Big Brother, wait for me!” Song Ling called out, scrambling to his feet and following Liu Wuxie. They had already entered the spiritual array, and they could only wait till the spirit stones were exhausted or when someone shut the spiritual array down from the outside. They were unable to leave on their own, and this was no ordinary spiritual array, as someone had died here in the past.

A group of shadows appeared before them, rapidly closing in.

“A thousand Azure Wolves!” Liu Wuxie’s lips curled into a devilish smile as he lowered his cultivation to the ninth level of the Houtian Realm, matching the Azure Wolve’s first-grade, ninth-level cultivation.

“Holy shit!” Song Ling nearly peed his pants because he was only in the seventh level of the Houtian Realm. Most importantly, his cultivation came from consuming resources, and the pack of wolves could quickly devour him.

“Transforming illusion into reality. This method requires someone in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Could it be that the Song Clan’s ancestor was a powerhouse in the Marrow Cleansing Realm?” Liu Wuxie wore a playful smile. With one hand, he grabbed Song Ling, and with the other, he drew his blade, slicing through an Azure Wolf that leaped above his head, causing blood to rain down.

Liu Wuxie finally understood why someone could die in this spiritual array. The creatures in the spiritual array were illusions that had been transformed into reality. This meant that dying here would result in actual death. This was not an ordinary Ominous Purging Array but a fusion of multiple spiritual arrays. This also proved that the Song Clan’s ancestor was a genius.

The thousand Azure Wolves surrounded them with their eyes glowing green.

“Big Brother, I don’t want to die yet!” Song Ling trembled when he looked at the surrounding wolves. No one could stay calm when facing this situation. Even if Song Ling had studied spiritual arrays for years, he still couldn’t comprehend the scene before him. The scenery of most of Song Clan’s spiritual arrays was simple, simulating two to three opponents at most.

“Don’t worry, you won’t die here. This spiritual array hasn’t been maintained for years, resulting in many loopholes. It’s difficult for anyone to enter and find an exit, so someone died here,” Liu Wuxie said, feeling puzzled because many parts of this spiritual array had been modified. The Song Clan must have tried to repair this spiritual array, but they failed.

“Big Brother, are you knowledgeable about spiritual arrays?!” The Song Clan had studied this spiritual array for decades but couldn’t find the problem with it. However, Liu Wuxie had only been inside for a few minutes and had already found the problem with the formation, which naturally shocked Song Ling.

But Liu Wuxie didn’t have the time to answer Song Ling as the Azure Wolves pounced forth with a stench blowing over when they bared their jaws. The scenery was highly realistic.

“Die!” Liu Wuxie swung his blade, drawing a bright arc in the air. Before the Azure Wolves could even get close, they were struck by the blade aura and fell to the ground. But this scene further caused the other wolves to let out a deep growl.