Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 461 - Xing Lian

Liu Wuxie had anticipated Wei Zhong's every move. Aside from this attack, which could pose some threat, the other sword techniques were futile against him.

Their battle was a stalemate, but Liu Wuxie knew that if Wei Zhong had been a disciple of a major sect with access to an earth-grade martial technique, the outcome might have been different. But the world didn’t operate on "ifs."

When Wei Zhong executed the Heavenly Bale Sword, his eyes slowly changed and turned into slits.

"Frost Finger!" A burst of icy energy was unleashed, isolating the surrounding heavenly bale energy. The Frost Finger was a dao technique, an attack that was difficult to defend against and caught Wei Zhong off guard.

The onlookers gasped in shock. "What a powerful dao technique! How can someone in the Heavenly Phase Realm comprehend such a skill?" Many of those present were in the Astral River Realm, yet none had grasped the essence of a dao technique as Liu Wuxie had.

Wei Zhong's face changed after realizing the danger. Although Frost Finger didn't neutralize the Heavenly Bale Sword, it had weakened it significantly.

"Soul Spear!" When Wei Zhong was momentarily distracted, Liu Wuxie launched the Soul Spear. Soul techniques were profound and couldn't be detected.

It was crucial to strike while Wei Zhong's soul sea was chaotic to achieve the best result. Liu Wuxie executed Frost Finger to distract Wei Zhong before using Soul Spear.

"ARGH!" Wei Zhong screamed, clutching his head.

Liu Wuxie's soul energy was comparable to the Astral River Realm, which inflicted irreversible damage on Wei Zhong's soul sea. Using Wei Zhong's defenseless state, Liu Wuxie vanished and swung the Heretic Blade.

"Deputy leader, dodge!" The Qingxiu Clan's members panicked and yelled at Wei Zhong. If this attack landed, Wei Zhong would be decapitated.

Their yells may have worked because Wei Zhong bit his tongue, allowing his soul sea to restore clarity.

"I'll kill you!" Wei Zhong was disheveled when he raised his head, looking like a demon with distorted muscles on his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips and stained his clothes.

Gu Yu stood silently in the courtyard, his eyes filled with excitement. This was the first time he had witnessed Liu Wuxie using the Soul Spear since they arrived on the Blood Sea Abyssal Island, a technique previously unknown to everyone.

Everyone was utterly confused as to why Wei Zhong clutched his head. Did he have a chronic illness that suddenly relapsed?

When he regained his senses, Wei Zhong reached for Liu Wuxie's neck, attempting to take the latter down. If Liu Wuxie didn't withdraw his attack, they would both end up in mutual destruction.

This left Liu Wuxie with no choice but to pull his attack and aim for Wei Zhong's arm instead. The latter's strength would greatly diminish after losing one arm, and he would only die if he dared to attack again.

Wei Zhong tried his best to dodge, but his clarity only lasted for a moment due to the searing pain in his soul sea, and he had an arm severed by Liu Wuxie with his blood gushing out.

Liu Wuxie had exhausted all his trump cards to sever Wei Zhong's arm. If Wei Zhong was on guard against Liu Wuxie's soul attack, to begin with, it was uncertain who would have the last laugh.

After losing an arm, Wei Zhong screamed in pain and wished he could devour Liu Wuxie alive.

"Let's go!" The other Qingxiu Clan members quickly carried Wei Zhong and fled because Liu Wuxie was too terrifying.

After repelling the Qingxiu Clan, Liu Wuxie wasn’t excited and frowned deeply. The surrounding spectators were reluctant to leave and looked at Liu Wuxie curiously because they didn't expect someone in the first level of the Heavenly Phase Realm to defeat someone in the seventh level.

“This brat practices a soul technique, which explains why Wei Zhong was defeated. If Wei Zhong had safeguarded his primordial spirit from the beginning, the outcome might have been different,” a cultivator from the high levels of the Heavenly Phase Realm commented, having sensed the intense fluctuation of soul energy earlier.

That soul energy fluctuation was comparable to the pinnacle Heavenly Phase Realm, which was incredibly formidable.

"I sensed it, too. But soul techniques are hard to cultivate because they will damage the soul if there's a mistake." One would suffer a backlash if one made a mistake in practicing a soul technique, which was why ninety percent of the people who practiced a soul technique had all died of the backlash.

"Soul techniques are rare, and it'll be a great life-saving skill if we can master it." Many people looked at Liu Wuxie with a hint of malice.

They all thought Liu Wuxie could succeed because the soul technique was powerful, but they were unaware of the intense suffering he endured while practicing the Soul Forge Art, nearly losing his life in the process.

Although Liu Wuxie didn't suffer a backlash from practicing the soul technique, it was almost as bad. He only managed to persist, thanks to his strong willpower.

Liu Wuxie noticed the surrounding gazes but paid no attention to them. Although it seemed he had used all his trump cards, his greatest trump card was the Earth Binding Chains, which he would only use if he encountered an opponent in the Astral River Realm.

He wouldn't use it if he faced an ordinary cultivator in the Heavenly Phase Realm and would only try to escape.

When Liu Wuxie returned to the courtyard, Gu Yu rushed over immediately and asked with concern, "Big Brother Liu, are you hurt anywhere?"

The battle was intense, and there were many parts he couldn't understand.

"Set up the spiritual array!" Liu Wuxie gave Gu Yu a reassuring look to indicate he was fine. The most important thing right now was to set up a spiritual array to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

The Qingxiu Clan had suffered heavy losses, making it clear they wouldn’t let Liu Wuxie escape easily. With the spiritual array, however, the two of them could buy some time, even amidst danger.

Having used ninety percent of their materials to set up the previous array, their interspatial rings were nearly depleted, containing only Blood Abyssal Stones.

The deaths of Che Yong and his group did not provide any materials related to spiritual arrays, as they were not specialists in that area. This presented a significant problem for Liu Wuxie, as there were no shops on Blood Sea Abyssal Island where they could purchase additional materials. They had to make do with their limited resources.

This meant it was impossible to set up the Seven Dipper Array, which could withstand the Heavenly Phase Realm experts’ attacks. But now, they could only take one step at a time with how things were.

After spending half a day, the two finally completed the spiritual array and repaired the damaged hole. Meanwhile, fierce battles raged in the surrounding courtyards, likely due to other factions recruiting members.

But for some reason, they weren't willing to get close when they passed by Liu Wuxie and Gu Yu's courtyard. Even Wei Zhong was almost killed by Liu Wuxie, not to mention the small forces, unless they had a death wish.

The news of Liu Wuxie practicing a soul technique and severing Wei Zhong's arm soon spread across the Blood Sea Abyssal Island. But strangely enough, the Qingxiu Clan didn't return for revenge in the next few days.

Then again, this was because the Qingxiu Clan was busy recruiting and merging the other small forces into them, with no time for revenge. This meant they would return for revenge once things settled down because their leader, Li Xiaohai, was a cultivator in the Astral River Realm.

Despite Liu Wuxie's power, his status in the Heavenly Phase Realm was still vastly inferior to that of an Astral River Realm cultivator.

Three peaceful days passed, and neither of them left the courtyard and focused on their cultivation.

Liu Wuxie progressed rapidly in his cultivation. He might not have made a breakthrough, but his true essence and combat strength increased daily. That was especially true for his true essence, which became increasingly pure.

With nothing else to do, Liu Wuxie could only shift his focus to Frost Finger. There was still much room for improvement because it was far from meeting his expectations.

On the fourth day, a group of guests arrived outside. Liu Wuxie and Gu Yu thought it was the Qingxiu Clan, but it was a hall master of the Wolf Fang Regiment who came bearing gifts.

Liu Wuxie chose not to open the spiritual array to welcome them but instead went out to meet the visitors.

"As expected of such a young prodigy. I am Xing Lian, the Gale Hall's hall master of the Wolf Fang Regiment. It's an honor to meet you," Xing Liang cupped his fists together.

A hall master of the Wolf Fang Regiment wasn't ordinary because he was close to the deputy leader in terms of status. Thus, his sudden visit was surprising, and many people opened their gates and gathered.

Most people had chosen a force to join, and only those with powerful strength were spared.

Liu Wuxie was taken aback by the visit, expecting only a captain from the Wolf Fang Regiment but receiving a hall master instead. This unexpected honor indicated that the Wolf Fang Regiment held him in high regard, which was why they sent Xing Lian.

He had learned about the Blood Sea Abyssal Island's layout before coming, including information on the three forces' key figures. There was detailed information in the book Bai Lin had given him.

Xing Lian’s background was complex and troubled. He came from a small clan but faced harsh treatment because he was born to a concubine, resulting in a dark and oppressive childhood. As a young man, he violently rebelled against his oppressive family, murdering his stepmother, father, and stepbrothers before fleeing.

In his flight, he saved a woman from the Dugu Clan and married her, but was betrayed when she cheated on him just a year later. Overcome with rage, Xing Lian killed his wife and child before fleeing to the Blood Sea Abyssal Island, where he eventually settled and established himself.

Who could've thought this old man with a smile would be such a ruthless individual? Not only did he kill his parents and brothers, but he also killed his wife and child.

The Dugu Clan sent many experts to hunt him down, which failed. As the Nascent Transformation Realm cultivators couldn't enter the Blood Sea Abyssal Island, Xing Lian hid within the Wolf Fang Regiment for years, and even cultivators in the Astral River Realm would die if they barged into the Wolf Fang Regiment.

Such a person was now standing before Liu Wuxie, and he might've believed Xing Lian for a philanthropist if he didn't know his past. After all, there was no way to connect Xing Lian with the heinous crimes he committed in the past from his polite and gentlemanly behavior.

"I pay my respect to Hall Master Xing!" Regardless of Xing Lian's evil deeds in the past, they had nothing to do with Liu Wuxie. Since Xing Lian bore no ill will towards him, there was no need for Liu Wuxie to keep him at arm's length.

Xing Lian was momentarily stunned, surprised by Liu Wuxie's actions. After all, who in the Blood Sea Abyssal Island wouldn't tremble in fear at the sight of him? Even if they pretended to be indifferent, they would still show a hint of disgust in their eyes.

However, he couldn't detect those emotions in Liu Wuxie's eyes, which were calm and indifferent.

"We're both smart people, and I won't beat around the bush. My purpose for coming is simple, and I hope you can join the Wolf Fang Regiment," Xing Lian stated his purpose straightforwardly.