Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 216 - Mastermind

Liu Wuxie didn’t expect the Fatality Blade Art to be so powerful. True to its name, this blade technique was designed to kill, aiming to inflict fatal wounds on enemies.

The vortex was like a quicksand, and cracks began to appear on the three assassins’ bodies. The relentless blade technique mercilessly ripped them apart.

“The Detonation Talisman!” Before they died, the assassins ignited the Detonation Talisman in their bodies, planning to use their remaining true essence to drag Liu Wuxie down with them.

The Detonation Talisman was activated by pouring all the true essence into the talisman and causing an explosion, forming a powerful shockwave that could kill any opponent.

The detonation of three assassins with cultivation in the seventh level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm was unimaginable, and the explosive power could even kill someone in the ninth level.

Liu Wuxie, being at the center of the explosion, couldn’t avoid the impact. But he had already expected this and executed Overlord Fist without hesitation, creating a storm around him.

As flames appeared, they lifted Liu Wuxie’s body higher into the sky to avoid the explosion. The explosion was so loud that it could be heard in Azure Billow City, and everyone could see flames soaring into the sky.

Liu Wuxie was lifted thirty meters into the sky, but he could still sense a heatwave blowing on him, tearing his clothes apart. The explosion caused by the three assassins was comparable to an all-out attack by someone in the ninth level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Blood gushed out of Liu Wuxie’s mouth as he descended from the sky, and the impact nearly shattered his internal organs. But the explosion's shockwave hadn’t ended yet, and Liu Wuxie soon took a second impact.

“Nine Heavenly Crane Dance!” Liu Wuxie moved five meters away, avoiding the impact from the second shockwave before landing near Xu Lingxue. He coughed up a mouthful of blood when he landed on the ground. Even though he had killed the three assassins, he was also heavily injured in the process.

When Liu Wuxie fell onto the ground, he instantly lost consciousness. The three assassins had disappeared, vaporized by the explosion they had caused.

Time passed, and darkness enveloped the outskirts of the city. The chirping of insects and birds sounded occasionally.

The world in Liu Wuxie’s dantian was in chaos, and the mysterious tree reached the void to absorb spiritual energy.

Xu Lingxue felt like she had just awakened from sleep, her head still spinning. She struggled to open her eyes and noticed a coat draped over her. Sitting up, she scanned her surroundings and spotted a figure lying not too far away. Guided by the dim light, she quickly rose to her feet.

“Wuxie! Wuxie! Wake up!” Xu Lingxue rushed over and knelt beside Liu Wuxie’s body. His internal organs were severely injured, and he would need a long period of recuperation to recover. This realization sent Xu Lingxue into a panic. She didn’t know how to treat injuries and felt helpless, on the verge of tears.

“Cough...cough...” Liu Wuxie slowly regained consciousness upon hearing someone calling his name. He struggled to open his eyes and managed a bitter smile, surprised by the extent of his injuries.

“Don’t scare me. Are you okay?” Xu Lingxue’s face was full of concern. Seeing Liu Wuxie injured made her feel heartache, and she couldn’t describe it. She just felt an urge to cry.

“I’m fine. I won’t die anytime soon!” Liu Wuxie struggled to sit up and took out several pills from his interspatial pouch. While refining the Dragon Origin Pill, he had also refined several life-saving pills.

As he circulated the Desolate Devouring Art, the surrounding spiritual energy flowed and condensed into a mysterious liquid in the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. As the liquid poured out of the cauldron, it rapidly healed his injuries. His swift recovery left Xu Lingxue in awe.

Two hours later, Liu Wuxie’s injuries were practically under control. But he couldn’t fight for the next few days to prevent the worsening of his injuries.

“Are you alright?” Xu Lingxue asked uncertainly. Aside from the blood stains, Liu Wuxie looked perfectly fine to her.

“I’m fine. “I’m okay. Please don’t mention today’s events to father-in-law; I don’t want him to worry.” Liu Wuxie managed a smile, pulling out a coat to cover his blood-stained clothes.

Xu Lingxue bit her lip, quietly trailing behind Liu Wuxie. She couldn’t understand why he insisted on shouldering everything alone.

It was late at night when they returned to Azure Billow City, and the festival had already ended.

“The Assassin Pavilion won’t let this go. What are your plans for the future?” Xu Lingxue asked as they neared the Xu Clan. The Assassin Pavilion was relentless in their pursuit, and they would continue to send increasingly powerful assassins after him. It would be difficult for Liu Wuxie to defend against them since they operated from the shadows.

“I already have a suspect in mind who wants me dead, and I plan to resolve this when I return to the Imperial City,” Liu Wuxie said, coming to a halt. Through the recent battle and other events, he had a strong suspicion of who had hired the Assassin Pavilion to target him.

“Who is it?” Xu Lingxue also stopped, looking at Liu Wuxie in anticipation of his answer

“I’ll handle my own affairs; you don’t need to get involved. We’ll return to the Imperial City the day after tomorrow,” Liu Wuxie said, entering the Xu Clan and leaving Xu Lingxue alone outside, her frustration evident as she stomped her foot on the ground.

Xu Lingxue observed that Liu Wuxie had a tendency to keep everything to himself, as if he were locked in a self-imposed cage.

Upon their return, they reported back to Xu Yilin. Xu Yilin greeted them with a smile, asking, “How was it? Did you two enjoy yourselves today?”

Xu Lingxue hesitated, glancing at Liu Wuxie, but his expression remained unchanged.

“Father-in-law, the festival was quite enjoyable, and we plan to return the day after tomorrow to carry on with our cultivation.”

Since Liu Wuxie had no intention of mentioning the assassination attempt, Xu Lingxue had no choice but to let it go. After bidding her father farewell, she returned to her room.

Back in his courtyard, Liu Wuxie removed his coat, revealing his blood-stained clothes. He fetched water from the well to clean himself and burned his clothes to prevent his father-in-law from discovering them.

After Liu Wuxie cleaned up, he returned to his room to meditate and recover from his injuries. There was still half a month before his fight with Qin Shi, and he couldn’t afford any mishaps.

The next day, Liu Wuxie rose early and instructed the butler to deliver a letter to the City Lord Mansion. Upon receiving Liu Wuxie’s letter, Qi Enshi’s face turned grim. He wasn’t in a rush to open it, as the letter was proof that the assassination attempt had failed and Liu Wuxie was still alive and well.

Dismissing the guards around him, Qi Enshi slowly opened the letter. Three months ago, he had sent over a hundred elite guards after Liu Wuxie, but none had returned alive. That’s when Qi Enshi realized that their feud was irreconcilable, and he had to eliminate Liu Wuxie at all costs. If Liu Wuxie wasn’t dead, then his own life would be in danger.

“City Lord Qi, it’s been three months since our last encounter. I bet you didn’t expect me to still be alive and well. Once my affairs in the Imperial City are settled, I’ll gradually resolve our feud.”

The letter was brief, but it was filled with a murderous intent. Clearly, Liu Wuxie suspected Qi Enshi, who seemed to want him dead more than anyone else.

In the beginning, Liu Wuxie didn’t suspect Qi Enshi was behind the assassination attempts. However, after meeting with Prince Ruyang, he began to consider Qi Enshi as a potential suspect. At that time, there were many who wanted him dead. In the Imperial Academy, the only person he could think of was Xue Chunyu.

However, given the strength of the Xue Clan, they wouldn’t need to hire assassins from the Assassin Pavilion. This left Qi Enshi as the most likely suspect. While Liu Wuxie might not be aware of the results of Prince Ruyang’s investigation into the Terrabreak Army, it was likely to involve many people, including Qi Enshi.

To protect his status, Qi Enshi wouldn’t want his past actions to be exposed. With Zhou Hu dead, only Liu Wuxie knew about Qi Enshi’s deeds. This was further confirmed when assassins targeted Liu Wuxie upon his return to Azure Billow City, indicating that someone must have leaked his whereabouts. Piecing together all these clues, Qi Enshi emerged as the prime suspect.

Qi Enshi was filled with rage, crumpling up the letter in his hand and tossing it to the ground. His chest felt like it was ablaze as he slammed his palm onto the table, causing it to creak and shatter into pieces.

“Brat, I have underestimated you. Do you think that you can return after going to the Imperial City? Qin Shi will kill you!” Qi Enshi had already learned about the events at the Imperial Academy through letters from Qi Ningyun.

A day later, it was time for them to part ways. Xu Lingxue was overcome with sorrow, weeping bitterly. She didn’t know when she would be able to return after this farewell. Among their group, Bi Gongyu also prepared to depart for the Imperial City.

“Chief, I can’t express my gratitude enough. Please accept my deepest bow!” Master Huo bowed deeply, appearing to have shed a decade off his age. He never imagined that he would become the pavilion master.

“Manage the Treasure Pill Pavilion well. This is a fourth-grade pill, and it can help you reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm.” The Xu Clan still needed the Treasure Pill Pavilion’s help, and Liu Wuxie wasn’t stingy.

“Thank you! Thank you!” Master Huo nearly went on his knees because reaching the Marrow Cleansing Realm was his lifelong dream.

Song Tianhao also led the Song Clan’s higher-ups to send them off.

“I won’t hold you back. Come back when you’re free, and I’ll entrust Xue’er to you. Don’t let us down!” Xu Yilin said, patting Liu Wuxie’s shoulder.

“Father-in-law, take this cultivation technique. This is a cultivation technique specially designed for you. If you put in the effort, you can reach the True Core Realm in five years at most.” Liu Wuxie handed over a cultivation technique. He had prepared one not only for his father-in-law but also for his mother-in-law. He also left behind an interspatial pouch filled with many pills.

Xu Yilin was so moved that his hands trembled. The True Core Realm was beyond his wildest dreams. There was a saying that one couldn’t truly step into the world of cultivation without reaching the True Core Realm. This was because those beneath the True Core Realm were considered mere ants.

Deacon Lan and Hu Shi cried because their master was leaving again.

“Cultivate well!” Liu Wuxie addressed them as a senior would address a junior. The knowledge he left behind was enough for them to study for the rest of their lives, and he didn’t have to worry about the Xu Clan with them around.

“Master, remember to visit us.” Hu Shi knelt and kowtowed to Liu Wuxie, with many people wiping away their tears. They hadn’t been this sad even when Xu Lingxue left, but they cried seeing that Liu Wuxie was leaving.

It was only after the trio vanished from sight at the end of the road that the members of the Xu Clan were able to stop crying.