Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 184 - Fire Spiritual Bead

Liu Wuxie was surprised by Prince Ruyang's and his wife's amiable demeanor.

“Xuanyuan Guang, who are you to poke your nose in my business?” Prince Ruyang frowned, showing his dislike for Xuanyuan Guang. Anyone could tell that there was a feud between the two.

Prince Ruyang’s real name was Chen Yusheng, and his wife, who came from a prominent clan, was called Qin Biyu. The Imperial City had five major clans, and she was the daughter of Qin Clan’s patriarch.

Xuanyuan Guang, on the other hand, held a prestigious position as a first-grade teacher at the Heaven Govern Academy, an institution backed by Prince Yongxian, who aimed to seize the throne.

Chen Yusheng was known for his aversion to sibling rivalry and fraternal betrayal, so Prince Yongxian’s actions naturally incensed him. However, as merely the Emperor’s cousin, he lacked the authority to intervene in this power struggle.

Xuanyuan Guang, despite his outward appearance as a teacher, was known to engage in underhanded activities such as bribing officials and forming secret factions. This was something Chen Yusheng was well aware of, and Liu Wuxie had also recently learned about it. During his journey, Liu Wuxie had been reading books detailing the geography and various forces of the Great Yan Dynasty, striving to quickly understand the continent.

Xuanyuan Guang then sneered, “I didn’t expect the two of you to come to the Dragon Rock Mountain Range from so far away. Could you two also want to fight for the Fire Spiritual Bead like ordinary folks?” His words were laced with mockery, implying that it would be beneath someone of Prince Ruyang’s status to vie for the Fire Spiritual Bead.

“Treasures go to worthy people, and we happen to be traveling around here. Is there a problem with that?” Qin Biyu retorted. She knew her husband was upright and wasn’t good with words. When she spoke, there was a hint of anger in her eyes.

The emergence of a treasure would naturally draw a crowd eager to claim it. This was common. Liu Wuxie had experienced this firsthand when he obtained the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron during his time as an Immortal Emperor. The entire Celestial Realm pursued him, eventually driving him to take his own life.

The cultivation world was far more brutal than one could imagine, and instances of murder for the sake of treasure were not uncommon.

“Everyone, quiet down. The Fire Spiritual Bead prefers tranquility. Let’s not disturb it!” a voice rang out, attempting to calm the situation. Prince Ruyang's presence was indeed strange, but the allure of the Fire Spiritual Bead was irresistible to many.

As they settled down, Prince Ruyang licked his parched lips. They had rushed here without adequate water supplies.

“Dear, I still have some water left. You can have it,” Qin Biyu offered, pulling out a water bag and handing it to Chen Yusheng. Her lips, too, showed signs of dehydration.

The intense heat in this area was unbearable. Without sufficient water, dehydration could prove fatal. Even a cultivator in the True Core Realm might struggle to endure these conditions for long.

“I can still hold on for a little longer. You can have it instead.” Chen Yusheng pushed the water bag back to let his wife drink it. Both were willing to share hardships, neither wanting to drink first. This deepened Liu Wuxie’s respect for their relationship.

“I have an ample supply of water here. Please, take these,” Liu Wuxie offered, placing two water bags before the couple. He had come well-prepared, while the couple, having rushed here, lacked sufficient provisions. They couldn’t store more water even if they found a source due to a lack of water bags.

“This isn’t appropriate,” Qin Biyu hesitated. It was somewhat embarrassing for them if they took water from someone in the Spirit Cleansing Realm when they were in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

“Don’t be polite with me. I have plenty with me.” Liu Wuxie said, and he wasn’t someone who would put up an act.

“Thank you, young man. We are in your debt. May we know your name? We would like to express our gratitude properly in the future,” Qin Biyu said, accepting the water bags. She was genuinely grateful and intended to repay Liu Wuxie’s kindness.

Both sides introduced themselves. Even though Liu Wuxie was familiar with Prince Ruyang’s reputation, the prince still introduced himself with sincerity.

“Seniors, why are you two here? Shouldn’t you two be at the west border?” Through their introductions, their relationship became much closer. Knowing that Liu Wuxie was a student of the Imperial Academy, Chen Yusheng had a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

“I’ll be honest with you. A series of problems occurred in the Terrabreak Army, and we’re here to investigate it, but we came across the news of the Fire Spiritual Bead’s birth midway. As my husband practices a fire-attribute cultivation technique, we came here to join the fun.” Qin Biyu didn’t conceal anything from Liu Wuxie, and this wasn’t a military secret anyway.

Liu Wuxie’s heart trembled upon hearing that something had happened to the Terrabreak Army. Could it be related to Zhou Hu?

Liu Wuxie’s memories of the Phoenix Roost Gorge incident, where he had eliminated the Terrabreak Army, resurfaced. The incident had caused quite a stir.

“What happened to the Terrabreak Army?” Liu Wuxie asked without any changes in his expression.

“It’s not convenient for me to disclose that information.”

This matter involved multiple secrets that weren’t convenient for outsiders to know about. They wouldn’t hide anything from Liu Wuxie, but they would also tell him nothing he shouldn’t know.

As Liu Wuxie, Prince Ruyang, and his wife fell into contemplation, Liu Wuxie’s mind raced. The presence of Qi Enshi and Zhou Hu, members of the Heaven Battalion, in this location was puzzling, especially since Chen Yusheng wasn’t expected to be investigating this matter. The investigation had already concluded, and the team had returned to the Imperial City. Yet, the fact that Prince Ruyang was alerted suggested that something unusual was happening.

Right then, sounds of galloping could be heard as Earth Scorch Dragons emerged from their caves to look for food.

This was Liu Wuxie’s first time seeing the Earth Scorch Dragons. They were over a meter tall and five meters in length, had a horn, eight hooves, a pointed mouth, and two sharp fangs that allowed them to dig through rocks easily, and were covered in a layer of reddish-brown fish-like scales that were almost impervious to ordinary weapons.

“So many Earth Scorch Dragons! Their beast cores must contain vast fire attribute elements. Even if we can’t obtain the Fire Spiritual Bead, this trip wouldn’t be in vain if we can hunt a few Earth Scorch Dragons!” Everyone was tempted to make a move against the Earth Scorch Dragons.

The closest Earth Scorch Dragon produced a cracking sound from its mouth and easily dug through the rocks, revealing a palm-sized Scarlet Demon Heart. The Scarlet Demon Heart gave off such dense fire elements that even alarmed the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, wanting to devour that energy.

The Earth Scorch Dragon swallowed the Scarlet Demon Heart and then breathed fire. Seeing such a small Scarlet Demon Heart containing such dense fire elements was astonishing.

Hundreds of Earth Scorch Dragons scattered around, and no one dared to move because the Earth Scorch Dragons were highly aggressive. When they approached, some walked towards the platform.

Liu Wuxie calmly observed the unearthed Scarlet Demon Hearts while the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron trembled in response. As time passed, the Earth Scorch Dragons ceased their search for food and directed their attention towards a specific mountain. The group on the platform followed their gaze.

A brilliant flame emerged from the ground in that direction, hovering about ten meters in the air. It devoured the surrounding fire-attribute energies.

“Fire Spiritual Bead!” an exclamation sounded. The sudden appearance of the Fire Spiritual Bead stirred the observers, and Liu Wuxie’s breathing quickened. He struggled to control the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, which threatened to fly out of his body.

The Fire Spiritual Bead, known to burrow from the ground and devour energies at night, would continue this process until a spirit was born and assumed a humanoid form.

Someone finally couldn’t hold back and bolted towards the Fire Spiritual Bead. Soon, more people went over, charging to the mountain’s summit. The temperature at night was barely tolerable, as it wasn’t high.

The Earth Scorch Dragons, viewing the Fire Spiritual Bead as their guardian spirit, were enraged by this intrusion. The ground shook as hundreds of them charged towards the mountain’s summit, their collective momentum akin to an earth-shattering force.

“Young man, you stay here!” Chen Yusheng, urging Liu Wuxie to stay put, joined the chase with his wife, leaving Liu Wuxie alone.

The group of fifty or so individuals pursued each other, with the one at the forefront being the highest cultivator at the seventh level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

They quickly caught up with the group and began to breathe fire, enveloping the entire mountain range.

The blazing flames on the ground illuminated half the sky, causing the surrounding temperature to rise rapidly.

Liu Wuxie released a chilling energy that easily drove away the heatwave. As too many people were present earlier, he didn’t dare reveal too much of his strength.

When the Earth Scorch Dragons disappeared, Liu Wuxie followed quietly, seeking an opportunity to seize the Fire Spiritual Bead. If he succeeded, he could reach the sixth level of the Spirit Cleansing Realm.

An expert at the seventh level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm roared defiantly, “No one can snatch the Fire Spiritual Bead from me!” He soared into the sky, executing a profound movement technique as he reached out to grab the Fire Spiritual Bead.

However, two experts at the sixth level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm attacked him from both sides, forcing him to retreat. If he didn’t retreat, he would be struck by the two.

As more experts arrived and made their moves, the Fire Spiritual Bead sensed the impending danger and attempted to burrow back into the ground. If it succeeded, it would be impossible for anyone to capture it. This was a one-time opportunity that no one wanted to miss.

The scene quickly descended into chaos as everyone became rivals. “Cui Shao, how dare you attack me!” one of them exclaimed.

Cui Shao retorted, “I’m the first person to arrive in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range, and the Fire Spiritual Bead should go to me!” He swung his blade, forcing everyone to maintain a distance from him.

Another voice challenged, “Who said that it was on a first-come-first-served basis?” The battle among the Marrow Cleansing Realm experts intensified, producing powerful shockwaves. The arrival of the Earth Scorch Dragons added to the chaos.

Liu Wuxie crouched outside the battlefield with the Heretic Blade in his hand. He wanted to complete his mission before competing for the Fire Spiritual Bead. When a powerful Earth Scorch Dragon passed by, Liu Wuxie raised the Heretic Blade.

His attack caught the Earth Scorch Dragon by surprise and was killed before it could even react. Liu Wuxie knew that a frontal collision with an Earth Scorch Dragon wouldn’t be easy, so he had to rely on a sneak attack.

When the scarlet beast core fell into his hand, Liu Wuxie kept it in his interspatial pouch. This also meant that he had completed all three missions.

The Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron spun as the Earth Scorch Dragon’s body started to wither. Frightening fire attributes emerged in his dantian, shaping into a miniature volcano deep within his inner world.