Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 233 - Tempting Offer

Liu Wuxie and Xu Lingxue were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice Baili Qing’s arrival. Her expression was cold, and her gaze pierced Liu Wuxie like two sharp swords.

“Master!” Xu Lingxue quickly greeted Baili Qing, fearing that she might be furious.

“You have the cheek to call me master? Have you forgotten what I told you?! There isn’t a single good man!” Baili Qing was furious. No matter what Liu Wuxie accomplished or how high his cultivation progressed, she loathed him.

“I came to find her, and it has nothing to do with her.” Liu Wuxie looked unhappy. If it weren’t for Xu Lingxue’s sake, he would’ve slapped Baili Qing across her face. He had killed Qin Shi, and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill another Vice-Headmaster.

Killing Baili Qing was easy, but Xu Lingxue might never forgive him for the rest of her life. No matter what, it was undeniable that she was Xu Lingxue’s master.

“Don’t blame me for being impolite in the future if you dare step a foot here.” Baili Qing’s face was gloomy, and murderous intent flashed in her eyes. The taoist fly-whisk in her hand also became straight and sharp. Judging from her reaction, she must’ve suffered something that made her become like this, severing her emotions and desires.

“What a joke! I can go anywhere, and no one can stop me!” Liu Wuxie sneered. Just because he didn’t make a move against her, that didn’t mean he feared her.

He still remembered how she had torn apart their marriage certificate and nearly killed him. He would never forget that insult, but the time wasn’t right to take revenge.

Liu Wuxie, despite his character of not holding grudges against women, saw Baili Qing not as a woman but as an old witch.

“You think you’re invincible after killing Qin Shi? I’ll teach you a lesson today!” Baili Qing became furious. She leaped down the wall and charged toward Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie knew that if he retaliated against the old witch, it would put Xu Lingxue in a difficult position. Thus, he had been waiting for Baili Qing to make the first move, allowing him to teach her a lesson.

However, just as Liu Wuxie was about to act, Xu Lingxue suddenly stepped in front of him, spreading her arms to block Baili Qing.

“Get lost!” Baili Qing was furious as she raised the taoist fly-whisk, looking like she would strike down the next moment.

“Leave quickly! I’ll stop my master!” Xu Lingxue urged Liu Wuxie to leave. She also believed that it was a mere coincidence that Liu Wuxie had managed to kill Qin Shi.

Liu Wuxie gritted his teeth with his power brewing. He was confident that no one could be his opponent unless it were someone in the True Core Realm. He could kill Baili Qing with one palm strike using his full strength.

“Leave!” Xu Lingxue yelled. Her face had turned red, and she stood before Liu Wuxie to block Baili Qing.

“Old witch, I will remember this. I won’t kill you for Xu Lingxue’s sake, but don’t think that I can’t kill you?” Liu Wuxie warned. He knew Xu Lingxue would be heartbroken if he made a move against the old witch at that moment, and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He would rather swallow this insult down and leave.

Considering Liu Wuxie’s background, Xu Lingxue felt like something had stabbed into her heart.

Baili Qing was naturally furious for being called an old witch repeatedly. However, just when she stepped forward and wanted to chase after Liu Wuxie, she was stopped by Xu Lingxue.

“Master, spare him!” Xu Lingxue, who had never disobeyed her master’s words in the past year, repeatedly defended Liu Wuxie and pleaded on his behalf.

“Good! Very good! You have forgotten your master’s words!” Baili Qing laughed out of anger. She was so furious that her body was trembling with rage.

“I don’t dare!” Xu Lingxue lowered her head like a child who had made a mistake. She merely stood by the side quietly.

“What is good about him? He’s stirring trouble everywhere and has offended so many people. He won’t live for long. Don’t blame me for being ruthless because it’s for your good. It’s better to sever emotional ties early.” Baili Qing’s tone softened. She sounded like a concerned elder, advising Xu Lingxue to forget Liu Wuxie quickly.

Baili Qing was aware that Liu Wuxie had killed many people over the past few months, making numerous enemies in the process. She believed that he would eventually meet his end at the hands of these enemies, and Baili Qing didn’t want Xu Lingxue to jeopardize her future because of her feelings.

“He was forced!” Xu Lingxue’s tone was soft, and only she could hear it.

Liu Wuxie didn’t return to his abode and took a trip to the Earth Grade region as he wasn’t in a good mood.

“Fatty, come and drink with me!” Liu Wuxie dragged Song Ling out of the class and left the academy.

This naturally left everyone puzzled, not knowing what had happened to Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie brought Song Ling to the Imperial City Supreme Pavilion. This was his second time here, and he had previously visited this place under Zhang Shuli’s invitation. However, they had gone their separate ways when Zhang Shuli’s recruitment attempt had failed.

“Big Brother, what’s wrong with you?”

Song Ling could be considered his only true friend, and they could talk about everything.

“Drink!” Liu Wuxie raised his cup and downed it in one gulp.

Song Ling didn’t ask anymore and just accompanied Liu Wuxie to drink. Nobody spoke, and they drank more than ten jars of wine in just fifteen minutes. If someone else drank so much, they might not be able to afford it. But Liu Wuxie didn’t lack resources and had plenty of spirit stones on him.

“Big Brother, who bullied you?” Song Ling rolled up his sleeves, looking like he wanted to avenge Liu Wuxie. He might not have a high cultivation, but he had a strong sense of loyalty.

Liu Wuxie raised his head, and his gaze turned to the stairs just as he was about to speak. They hadn’t chosen a private room but a table in the lobby, sitting among the crowd.

An ordinary-looking middle-aged man ascended the stairs, causing Liu Wuxie’s intoxication to instantly dissipate upon seeing him.

Liu Wuxie was always on guard when encountering an expert. The middle-aged man might not appear to have a high level of cultivation, but Liu Wuxie felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing him, as if he were being watched by a venomous snake, making him uncomfortable.

The man held a feather fan, looking like a scholarly middle-aged man with a faint smile on his lips. He moved through the crowd and stood before Liu Wuxie.

When this man appeared, it wasn’t just Liu Wuxie who felt uncomfortable; Song Ling also felt pins and needles.

“Song Ling, wait for me on the first floor!” Liu Wuxie said.

Song Ling heaved a sigh of relief and quickly ran out. He didn’t want to stay there for another second because the middle-aged man’s presence felt like a slimy snake coiling around his neck.

After Song Ling left, the middle-aged man took Song Ling’s seat. He picked up the jar and poured a cup of wine for Liu Wuxie. He didn’t mind using the cup that Song Ling had used, and he raised it in the air, saying, “Allow me to give you a toast!”

The middle-aged man downed the cup in one gulp after speaking, flipping it to indicate that he had finished it.

“Prince Yongxian sent you!” Liu Wuxie raised and downed his cup, flipping it upside down after he was done, reciprocating the courtesy.

“I have long heard that Young Master Liu is exceptionally intelligent, and I’m truly impressed seeing you in person.” The middle-aged man laughed and cupped his hands together. He carried on, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Kuang Ni, and people commonly know me as Advisor Kuang!”

While Liu Wuxie had foreseen that Prince Yongxian would dispatch a representative to liaise with him, he was surprised to find out it was Advisor Kuang.

The Emperor’s appreciation banquet was scheduled in three days, implying they had a mere three days to persuade him to join their faction.

Kuang Ni had initially planned to chat with Liu Wuxie before the latter entered the palace. However, when he learned that Liu Wuxie was drinking in the Supreme Pavilion, he immediately rushed over.

“Looks like Prince Yongxian thinks highly of me to send his advisor to recruit me. I have to say that I’m flattered.” Liu Wuxie maintained his manners.

Kuang Ni’s eyes flashed with a trace of admiration. If he hadn’t come personally today and seen Liu Wuxie with his own eyes, he might have thought that Liu Wuxie was an old fossil that had lived for decades. This was because Liu Wuxie was too meticulous in his actions and words, not giving him room to exploit.

“His Highness initially planned to come personality. But as you know, he’s busy with state affairs and couldn’t spare the time. This is why he sent me to handle it.” Kuang Ni continued pouring wine for Liu Wuxie. They looked like old friends.

“We’re both smart people. Let’s not beat around the bush and get straight into the topic. I still have other matters to attend to.” Song Ling was waiting downstairs, and Liu Wuxie didn’t want to make him wait too long. To Liu Wuxie, brotherhood was more important than anything else.

“Excellent! I love dealing with straightforward people the most.” Kuang Ni said, lowering his feathered fan and lightly tapping the table. He realized that his prepared speech had become redundant.

Even without Kuang Ni uttering a word, Liu Wuxie understood his intentions. He bypassed the unnecessary embellishments as he had no taste for flattery.

“I wonder what Prince Yongxian has to offer me,” Liu Wuxie mused, smiling at Kuang Ni. If Prince Yongxian wished to recruit him, he would have to make an effort. After all, Liu Wuxie had previously saved the Emperor’s life, and the Emperor could grant him any wish.

“I suspect ordinary offerings won’t interest Young Master Liu. If you agree not to meddle in our dealings with the royal family, we can recommend you to join the Azure Crimson Gate as a disciple,” Kuang Ni proposed. He had done his homework before arriving and discovered that Liu Wuxie was uninterested in worldly affairs and solely focused on cultivation.

Many mortal world cultivators aspired to enter the cultivation world but lacked the necessary recommendations. This was a golden opportunity for Liu Wuxie.

“I have to admit that the offer is very tempting!” Liu Wuxie had to admit that no one could refuse this offer if it were someone else in his position.

After all, entering the cultivation world meant gaining access to more profound cultivation techniques and the opportunity to seek immortality, which was the dream of countless people.

This opportunity now lay before Liu Wuxie, and it was up to him to decide whether to seize it.

“This is a unique opportunity. It’s a shame for someone of your talent to remain confined to the mortal world. I hope you’ll give it serious consideration,” Kuang Ni said, unhurriedly pouring wine for Liu Wuxie, stealing glances at him.

However, Kuang Ni soon noticed that Liu Wuxie’s expression remained unchanged, and his calmness was almost eerie.

This was because Liu Wuxie would rather stay in the mortal world for the rest of his life if he had to rely on such a transaction to enter the cultivation world. This was his principle, and it had nothing to do with whether or not he helped the Great Yan Dynasty.

“What if I refuse?” Liu Wuxie smiled brightly after a brief ponder.

Kuang Ni’s eye twitched at the corner, realizing he had underestimated Liu Wuxie’s capacity to reject such an enticing proposition. After all, they were discussing the cultivation world, the dreamland of all cultivators.

Having said that, Liu Wuxie rose from his seat and began descending the stairs. He had consumed a fair amount of alcohol, and his spirits were high.

“Young Master Liu, do you know the consequences of refusing Prince Yongxian? Aren’t you going to consider the safety of your family?” Kuang Ni inquired, his tone now grave.

Upon hearing this, Liu Wuxie abruptly halted. A chilling wind swept through the Supreme Pavilion, causing the temperature to drop sharply.