Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 183 - Prince Ruyang

Releasing divine sense and soul energy were two different concepts. The fact that he could release his soul energy meant that he was capable of more soul attacks, while the divine sense could only serve as perception and detection.

Liu Wuxie’s cultivation ultimately stopped at the pinnacle of the fourth-level Spirit Cleansing Realm. He was only one step away and could make a breakthrough with roughly half a month of seclusion.

However, he didn’t have the luxury of time. After repairing his soul sea, Liu Wuxie planned to set off for the third mission. He tidied himself and exited the cave. It had been five days since he had killed Blood Bat, and he couldn’t afford any more delay.

Executing the Nine Heavenly Crane Dance, Liu Wuxie soared and flew close to the ground, disappearing into the Western Breeze Mountain Range.

Liu Wuxie traveled at full speed, taking brief rests when fatigue set in and sipping the spring water he had brought along when he felt thirsty.

Three days later, Liu Wuxie entered a volcanic range.

“This should be the place!”

Liu Wuxie stood at the foot of the volcano, looking at the volcanic range and the sky filled with volcanic ashes. His third mission was to obtain the core of an adult Earth Scorch Dragon.

Mature Earth Scorch Dragon was a pinnacle third-grade demonic beast, at least equivalent to high levels of the Spirit Cleansing Realm. This mission had been assigned to Liu Wuxie with no intention of letting him survive right from the start.

The location, known as the Dragon Rock Mountain Range, was a remote place seldom visited by people. The volcano erupted annually, spewing intense flames that blanketed the sky. Apart from the Earth Scorch Dragons, which had adapted to this harsh environment, no other organism could survive the extreme heat. They would evaporate before they could even. They would be evaporated before they could even approach.

Despite the sweltering heat causing beads of sweat to fall from Liu Wuxie’s forehead and sizzle on the ground, the Earth Scorch Dragons thrived in these high-temperature conditions. The hotter it was, the faster they grew. However, the high temperature meant that no vegetation could survive there. This raised a question in Liu Wuxie’s mind: What did the Earth Scorch Dragons eat?

As the volcano erupted yearly, magma spewed to the ground. As the magma cooled, it transformed into a red liquid known as the Scarlet Demon Heart. This substance served as nourishment for the Earth Scorch Dragons due to its high fire attributes. Consuming the Scarlet Demon Heart would enhance the dragons’ bodies.

The flames exhaled by an adult Earth Scorch Dragon could extend up to a hundred meters, incinerating everything within that radius. If Liu Wuxie intended to hunt an adult Earth Scorch Dragon, he would have to contend with the challenge of other Earth Scorch Dragons converging on his hunt. If they got too close, their flames would burn him to death.

The Dragon Rock Volcano was over five thousand meters tall, and the Earth Scorch Dragons could be found at the waist of the mountain. Liu Wuxie took out a black cloth to cover his mouth to prevent himself from inhaling the volcanic ashes.

Before embarking on his journey, Liu Wuxie had prepared a large amount of water to avoid dehydration. After drinking several mouthfuls, he immediately strode towards the Dragon Rock Volcano to complete his mission.

About fifteen minutes later, he noticed several individuals about five hundred meters ahead. Liu Wuxie quickly concealed himself and observed them from a distance, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in his mission.

“This is weird. Why is there someone else here?”

Liu Wuxie was baffled. Could it be that the Xue Clan had set up a trap for him? Apart from encountering ambushes by Fan Yeping and the Assassin Pavilion, Liu Wuxie hadn’t run into anyone from the Xue Clan, which was why he stayed on high alert.

If the Xue Clan knew he had left the Imperial Academy, they wouldn’t let go of this opportunity to kill him. But it was weird that they were nowhere to be seen.

The individuals ahead didn’t appear to be from the Xue Clan, and they were making their way to the summit of the Dragon Rock Volcano. If they were members of the Xue Clan, they would likely be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

When he glanced down the mountain, he noticed another three individuals. These three, each carrying a sword on their back, were also heading towards the summit. This only added to Liu Wuxie’s confusion.

In the blink of an eye, several more groups of people appeared. They were in a rush, and the two groups glanced at him disdainfully. After all, someone in the Spirit Cleansing Realm coming to the Dragon Rock Mountain Range was no different from courting death, and it was no wonder everyone ignored him.

“Seniors, what’s going on in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range? Why are there so many people here?” Liu Wuxie asked, cupping his fists when he saw a middle-aged couple passing by.

The man, clad in a blue robe, had prominent brows and large eyes. His aura was one of righteousness, and he was a cultivator at the fifth-level Marrow Cleansing Realm.

The woman, though simply dressed, was strikingly beautiful. Her youthful beauty was still evident, and her noble demeanor suggested she was not of ordinary birth. She, too, was a cultivator at the fifth level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

“You’re unaware?” the woman asked, her head tilted in curiosity. “Then why are you here?”

Liu Wuxie could only respond with a wry smile, as he was genuinely perplexed by the situation. His presence in this location was due to the third mission that had been assigned to him.

“I’m here on a quest to hunt Earth Scorch Dragons, but I’m uncertain about the current events. I would be grateful if the seniors could shed some light on the situation,” Liu Wuxie explained, acknowledging the unusual gathering in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range that was obstructing his original mission.

“About half a month ago, the Fire Spiritual Bead was discovered here. We received the news and hurried over,” the man candidly shared his purpose for being here with Liu Wuxie.

The Fire Spiritual Bead was similar to the Frost Spiritual Bead that Liu Wuxie had obtained in the past. However, the birth of the Fire Spiritual Bead had a harsher requirement than the Frost Spiritual Bead.

The world had five main elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. They were also the hardest elements to form, while the Frost Spiritual Bead wasn’t among the five elements.

There were rumors that among the three thousand daos, the five elements were comprehensive because most techniques were derived from the five elements. For example, the Frost Spiritual Bead was derived from water.

The Fire Spiritual Bead’s value naturally surpassed the Frost Spiritual Bead, reaching an unimaginable level.

Liu Wuxie hadn’t awakened the fire attribute mainly because his cultivation technique and fire-attributed treasures were too rare. Many alchemists were fond of practicing fire-attribute cultivation techniques, employing them in refining pills.

Liu Wuxie’s cultivation technique, the Desolate Devouring Art, was unique in that it had no inherent attributes but could encompass all. To acquire fire attributes, he would need to target the spirits of heaven and earth.

The world in his dantian was like a blank canvas, devoid of any attributes. However, because Liu Wuxie had absorbed energies from a large number of herbs in the alchemy competition, he had awakened the wood attribute.

After absorbing Qian Kun’s Thunderstorm Gloves, the world in his dantian now contained hints of lightning. When he refined the Frost Spiritual Bead, it brought a chill to the world in his dantian. This meant that his dantian could contain everything despite having nothing.

Most cultivators who came to Dragon Rock Volcano cultivated using fire-attribute techniques. Thus, the Fire Spiritual Bead was a fatal temptation to them. Even if they didn’t practice these techniques, the value of the Fire Spiritual Bead was unimaginable.

Liu Wuxie couldn’t believe that such a treasure had appeared in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range.

“I see...” he acknowledged, realizing that the others had different objectives.

The middle-aged man, in a hurry, warned Liu Wuxie, “Young lad, this place isn’t safe, and you should leave quickly.” He then departed with the elegant woman accompanying him, cautioning Liu Wuxie against involvement that could risk his life.

Liu Wuxie discerned the cautionary tone in the middle-aged man’s words. As the pair departed, Liu Wuxie remained stationary, contemplating his predicament. He desired to leave, but his unfinished missions held him back. With only a week left and considering the travel time back to the Imperial Academy, he had a mere five days to complete his final mission.

His task was straightforward: he had to secure the core of the Earth Scorch Dragon within this limited timeframe, regardless of the circumstances.

The journey was arduous. Liu Wuxie followed the mountain trail, struggling against the escalating heat. The temperature offered little respite even at night.

As darkness fell, Liu Wuxie ventured down a narrow path, where he observed a multitude of figures on the mountain. In a single day, the mountain had become a gathering spot for over fifty experts.

He hastened his pace, wanting to take advantage of the darkness to reach a safe area to avoid being assaulted by Earth Scorch Dragons. This was because the Earth Scorch Dragons lived underground, and they would look for food at night.

In the distance, numerous caves served as entrances to the lairs of the Earth Scorch Dragons. Liu Wuxie, being alone, knew he would be in a precarious situation if he were to be surrounded by these dragons.

As the moon reached its zenith, Liu Wuxie managed to ascend to the midsection of the mountain. Ahead of him was a platform, presumably formed by years of magma flow. Upon his arrival, he found himself the focus of several scrutinizing gazes.

A derisive voice broke the silence, “It seems anyone dares to join the fun these days.” The source was an older man reclining on a mat with a look of disdain on his face. His words naturally stirred anger in Liu Wuxie, his face turning cold.

The middle-aged couple Liu Wuxie had encountered earlier approached him, the woman asking with concern, “Young lad, why did you come?”

Liu Wuxie responded, “As I’ve mentioned before, I’m here to hunt Earth Scorch Dragons.” He had no interest in the Fire Spiritual Bead, knowing that with so many experts present, it would be a daunting task to obtain it.

Furthermore, it wasn’t easy to subdue the Fire Spiritual Bead either.

When Liu Wuxie swept his gaze around, he noticed that the strongest among the fifty-odd experts had cultivation in the seventh level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, while the weakest was in the second level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Then again, Liu Wuxie was an exception.

The woman offered a kind reminder, “Are you aware that Earth Scorch Dragons are adept at breathing fire? Their fire can engulf a radius of a hundred meters. If you wish to hunt them, you must find a way to counter their fire.” Hunting the Earth Scorch Dragons would be impossible without a strategy to combat the fire.

“Thank you for your advice, but I’ll devise my own solution!” Liu Wuxie expressed his gratitude with a bow. He appreciated the couple’s kindness and made a mental note of their goodwill.

“I never thought that the renowned Prince Ruyang and his wife would engage in conversation with a mere nobody. How surprising!” The middle-aged man sat up abruptly, squinting at the couple with a scrutinizing gaze.

Liu Wuxie was familiar with the name Prince Ruyang, who was the cousin of the reigning Emperor. Stationed at the western border, he commanded a massive army, including the formidable Terrabreak Army. His authority was significant, and his sudden appearance in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range was indeed perplexing.