Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 238 - Highest Seat

As their eyes locked, a derisive smile graced Liu Wuxie’s lips. He had anticipated that Xu Lingxue’s beauty would draw out an arrogant fool.

“Liu Wuxie, you two might be married but haven’t consummated your marriage. If you’re willing to dissolve the marriage, I can protect you from now on in the Imperial City.” Yang Junxuan had long recognized Liu Wuxie and had recently heard about what had happened in Imperial City.

He did hear that Liu Wuxie’s wife was gorgeous, but he didn’t expect Xu Lingxue to be so beautiful.

“You, protect me?” Liu Wuxie chuckled. This was the first time anyone had dared to utter such words in his presence. Even the current Emperor might hesitate to make such a claim. Who did this fool think he was?

“I’m aware of your conflict with Prince Yongxian. Given my father’s alliance with Prince Yongxian, I can mediate and resolve the feud between you two, provided you’re willing to dissolve your marriage,” Yang Junxuan confidently stated, his father’s affiliation with Prince Yongxian’s faction bolstering his assurance. His influence in the Imperial City was indeed substantial.

It wasn’t an understatement to say he held great power in Imperial City.

“You have three breaths’ time to disappear from my sight!” Liu Wuxie commanded, rubbing his temples. He had no desire to waste words on Yang Junxun any longer. Dispatching such a fool would only sully his hand.

“Liu Wuxie, you have quite the nerve to speak to Young Master Yang in this manner. Are you tired of living?!” Another scion of a prestigious clan came out, pointing at Liu Wuxie’s nose. In his eyes, Liu Wuxie was merely an ordinary student of the Imperial Academy, and there was no way he could compare to descendants of prestigious clans like them.

“There’s one breath left!” Liu Wuxie ignored the fool, with the chill in his eyes growing stronger, and Xu Lingxue didn’t do anything to stop him.

The commotion naturally attracted many people’s attention as they looked over.

Many people had only heard rumors about Liu Wuxie’s superior strength, but they hadn’t witnessed it themselves. This was because everyone who had witnessed Liu Wuxie’s strength was dead, as they had underestimated him.

“Is he the one who treated the Emperor?” Several officials gathered and whispered among themselves, inadvertently sweeping their gazes at him.

When their gazes shifted to Xu Lingxue, there was a hint of amazement and shock on their faces.

“He appears to be nothing more than an ordinary man. I wonder if he was born with three heads and six arms!” The officials’ discussion was laced with sarcasm, as half of them were aligned with Prince Yongxian.

Yang Junxuan stood unmoving, facing Liu Wuxie’s threat. Several young masters came over to support Yang Junxuan.

Suddenly, Liu Wuxie raised his right hand and swung it, sending Yang Junxuan flying. A spray of blood and a dozen broken teeth stained the blue slabs on the ground.

No one had anticipated that Liu Wuxie would strike precisely after three breaths. This left everyone stunned, questioning if Liu Wuxie was too audacious to assault someone in the presence of so many officials.

When Yang Junxuan hit the ground, he was dumbfounded and screamed, with half of his face swollen.

“Young Master!” The guard accompanying Yang Junxuan rushed over to help him up. Yang Junxuan looked pitiful, his mouth twisted from Liu Wuxie’s unreserved slap.

“Kill him!” Yang Junxuan roared hysterically. He had lost his rationale after being slapped in front of so many people. How would he be able to show his face in the future after this incident?

The guards didn’t dare to disobey Yang Junxuan’s order and charged toward Liu Wuxie with their weapons drawn.

“You all are courting death!” Liu Wuxie initially wanted to end this matter after teaching Yang Junxuan a lesson. But since these people courted death, he would grant their wish. He drew the Heretic Blade and unleashed a blade ray.

The five guards froze. They couldn’t take another step forward with a slit appearing on their necks. The five of them were killed with one strike.

Nearly a hundred people gathered at the palace gate were dumbfounded when they saw Liu Wuxie killing someone in public, disregarding the royal authority.

“Liu Wuxie, how dare you kill in public! Guards, seize him!” Xue Chunyu stepped out and roared. The heavily armed troop that came with him surrounded Liu Wuxie, wanting to seize him.

Xue Chunyu’s timely appearance, just after Liu Wuxie had slain Yang Junxuan’s guards, seemed too coincidental.

“All of you, stop! Who dares to touch him?!” Footsteps sounded as another heavily armed troop rushed over and stood behind Liu Wuxie, confronting the troops brought by Xue Chunyu.

“Prince Ruyang, you intend to shelter him? He killed people in public, completely disregarding the imperial authority. According to the law, he should be executed!”

Chen Yusheng had just arrived when the conflict broke out, even before he could alight from his carriage. However, his timely arrival was fortunate.

The officials and young masters present retreated, wary of getting entangled in the dispute. After all, one party represented Prince Yongxian, and the other represented the monarch. Not wanting to offend either side, they chose neutrality, standing aside to observe the unfolding drama.

“Xue Chunyu, you’re the one disregarding the imperial authority. They’re the ones who started it, and Liu Wuxie merely acted in self-defense. Who are you to speak here?” Chen Yusheng sneered in disdain. Xue Chunyu was merely a vice-minister, and Chen Yusheng could kill him with one slap if it weren’t for Prince Yongxian.

Everyone witnessed what had happened earlier, and Yang Junxuan was the one who had provoked Liu Wuxie.

“Prince Ruyang, I won’t argue with you. Liu Wuxie has injured the son of the Minister of Justice and even killed several guards. This is iron-clad evidence, and no one can refute it.” Xue Chunyu wore a grim expression, showing no fear for Prince Ruyang. From this alone, anyone could tell that this banquet wouldn’t be simple.

There was already tension between the two parties before the banquet started. After all, Liu Wuxie’s appearance disrupted the balance, causing the conflict to surface.

“Vice-Minister Xue, what is it that you seek?” Liu Wuxie questioned, speaking before Prince Ruyang. He was curious about Xue Chunyu’s intentions. He didn’t regard the latter as a threat, given his ability to easily eliminate those beneath the True Core Realm.

“By the law, you should be imprisoned and await your punishment, considering this is your first offense.” Xue Chunyu spoke righteously as though he embodied justice, declaring he wanted to imprison Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie wasn’t surprised by this reply, as Xue Chunyu had already stated that earlier.

“Vice-Minister Xue, I wonder how your son is doing now?” Liu Wuxie suddenly changed the topic.

When Liu Wuxie said that, murderous intent flashed in Xue Chunyu’s eyes. That had become his lifelong pain because he only had one son, and Liu Wuxie had crippled him. This meant that his family line had come to an end.

“Liu Wuxie, I want you dead!” Xue Chunyu was so furious that he began to tremble with his face distorted. What Liu Wuxie said was the same as rubbing salt into his wound.

The discord between the two was already intense, so what was Liu Wuxie’s aim? Wasn’t this akin to adding fuel to the fire? What could he gain by provoking Xue Chunyu? It was unclear who would bear the brunt if a conflict erupted, given the numerous hidden experts lurking in the shadows.

“You want to kill me?” Mockery flashed on Liu Wuxie’s face, and he asked, “A piece of trash like you?”

Liu Wuxie’s taunts were sharp and cutting, so much so that even ten Xue Chunyus would not measure up to him. The art of mockery was akin to a dagger to the heart, causing the other party to lose their rationality and providing an opportunity.

Everyone present was a prominent figure in the Imperial City, and it was humiliating to call them trash in front of so many people.

Xue Chunyu finally lost it and drew his sword to cleave Liu Wuxie.

“Vice-Minister Xue, how dare you resort to violence at the palace gate! By law, you should be executed!” Chen Yusheng bellowed, echoing Xue Chunyu’s earlier words. The same words, but now spoken by Chen Yusheng.

This made everyone’s faces change because they knew that Xue Chunyu had fallen into Liu Wuxie’s trap with just a few words, triggering Xue Chunyu into violating the law.

“Vice-Minister Xue, you hear that? You’ve also violated the law, and we’re even. Do you still want to seize me and throw me into prison?” Liu Wuxie asked with a hint of sarcasm. Xue Chunyu was too tender to fight him.

No one expected the matter to develop in this manner. Both sides had violated the law, and neither were qualified to arrest the other.

Chen Yusheng’s response was swift to yell the moment Xue Chunyu made a move to attack Liu Wuxie. Having experienced Liu Wuxie’s cunning, he had anticipated that Liu Wuxie was setting a trap for Xue Chunyu.

Xue Chunyu’s glare at Liu Wuxie was filled with such fury that, if looks could kill, Liu Wuxie would have perished a thousand times over.

Right then, the palace gate was opened.

“His Majesty summons everyone to the main hall!” announced an eunuch. This proclamation snapped everyone back to reality, prompting them to quickly adjust their attire before proceeding to the main hall.

Thus, the farcical episode concluded. Five guards had lost their lives in vain, and Yang Junxuan, with his swollen left cheek, was left in pain. He hissed and shot a venomous glare at Liu Wuxie as he rose to his feet.

“Wuxie, let us go in!” Chen Yusheng came over and whispered, nodding at Xu Lingxue as a greeting.

Following the stone steps, the three entered the palace. Liu Wuxie had been in the palace before, so he knew the way well. On the other hand, Xu Lingxue remained silent throughout the journey.

Everyone crossed the threshold and entered the Divine Martial Hall. The other guards walked to the sides of the hall and soon found their seats.

“Young Master Liu, please come this way!” This was Liu Wuxie’s first time participating, and he didn’t have a fixed seat. A young eunuch came over and gestured for him to follow.

“Go on!” Prince Ruyang nodded because Liu Wuxie was the protagonist today.

Guided by the young eunuch, Liu Wuxie and Xu Lingxue were led to the highest position, where a separate table had been set up at the same level as the Emperor’s. This was an unprecedented honor.

Even Prince Yongxian didn’t have that qualification and could only sit beneath the Emperor.

“Is there a mistake? How can a commoner like him sit at the same level as His Majesty?” Many officials rose to their feet, their faces etched with discontent. They all felt that Liu Wuxie lacked the qualifications to occupy such a position.