Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 252 - Blood Flame Devil Blue

A spiritual talisman contained the runes of heaven and earth. One could infuse one's cultivation and law of nature into the talisman to form a powerful strike.

Liu Wuxie knew the Xue Clan had no spiritualists, so where did this spiritual talisman come from? There weren’t many spiritualists in the Great Yan Dynasty. The one used by Xue Shihong was a fourth-grade talisman.

A black hole materialized in the sky as Liu Wuxie descended, his chest stained red with his own blood. The shockwave from the explosion rippled from the sky to the ground, stirring up waves on the lake.

Executing a somersault, Liu Wuxie landed on the ground, his face pale and blood trickling from his lips. His physique was on par with those in the True Core Realm, and he could withstand the blow from someone at the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm without sustaining severe injuries.

However, the explosion of the fourth-grade talisman had injured him. He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it, his injuries not being serious. Brandishing the Heretic Blade, he approached Xue Shihong with a stern expression.

“Speak, where did the fourth-grade talisman come from?!” Liu Wuxie placed his blade on Xue Shihong’s neck.

Since Xue Shihong could take out a fourth-grade talisman, the Xue Clan might have more, and this wasn’t good news to him.

Despite his suspicions, Liu Wuxie wasn’t certain. Considering the close relationship between the Xue Clan and Prince Yongxian, and the fact that the envoy from the Azure Crimson Gate had taken Prince Yongxian away, it was probable that the fourth-grade talisman had come from that envoy.

Fourth-grade talismans were considered garbage in the cultivation world, but they were treasures in the Great Yan Dynasty. Liu Wuxie wasn’t afraid of fourth-grade talismans, but fifth-grade talismans were different.

If the Xue Clan had fifth-grade talismans, they could easily kill him with a single punch, regardless of his abilities.

“Liu Wuxie, don’t think of prying my mouth open! Wait to die!” Xue Shihong sneered and stabbed his own heart with a dagger. He would rather end his own life than say a word.

The surroundings fell silent because six experts in the pinnacle Marrow Cleansing Realm were swiftly eliminated.

Liu Wuxie took Xue Shihong’s interspatial pouch and, extending his divine sense, discovered two more fourth-grade talismans that hadn’t been detonated in time.

The lake roared with waves, prompting bitter smiles from everyone present. They dared not meet Liu Wuxie’s gaze.

Rustling sounds could be heard that dragged everyone back to reality. A crimson flower emerged from the lake, devouring the blood around it.

“The Blood Flame Devil Blue!” An exclamation could be heard coming from the crowd.

“I understand now! It was drawn by the blood in the lake! I’ve heard that the Blood Flame Devil Blue feeds on blood, which seems to be true!” The crowd’s attention shifted from the earlier conflict to the excitement of the moment. After all, the value of the Blood Flame Devil Blue was no less than that of the Golden Fruit.

The Python Mountain Battlefield, an ancient battleground that opened once every decade, was known for its abundance of ancient herbs, including the Blood Flame Devil Blue.

This herb carried a hint of an abyssal trait, which was difficult to dispel. Direct refinement yielded low effects unless it was processed into a fifth-grade pill. While the Blood Flame Devil Blue was indeed a treasure, not everyone was qualified to utilize it.

Even if they obtained it, its abyssal trait would destroy their mentality unless it was refined into a pill by a five-star alchemist.

“The Great Yan Dynasty doesn’t have a five-star alchemist, but that doesn’t mean the other nations don’t have one. If I can obtain the Blood Flame Devil Blue, I can naturally turn it into a fifth-grade pill!” An expert in the pinnacle Marrow Cleansing Realm stepped forward, his aura rising. In terms of strength, he was even stronger than Zhang Shuli.

The Marrow Cleansing Realm couldn’t be classified by the levels but by acupoints. Those who cleared more acupoints would naturally be stronger compared to others. For instance, someone who had cleared two hundred acupoints would have drastically different combat prowess compared to someone who had only cleared one hundred.

“Look, it’s Xuanyuan Li. I’ve heard he’s already a four-star alchemist and has connections with alchemists from neighboring dynasties. He must know a five-star alchemist!” The crowd was abuzz, recognizing Xuanyuan Li’s dual status as a pinnacle Marrow Cleansing Realm expert and a four-star alchemist.

Xuanyuan Li offered a smile. At just twenty-seven, he was among the few of his generation to reach the level of a four-star alchemist, earning him respect wherever he went.

His gaze naturally fell on Liu Wuxie. He had heard that Liu Wuxie was the chief alchemist of the Treasure Pill Pavilion and the youngest four-star alchemist in the Great Yan Dynasty.

Liu Wuxie, too, was familiar with Xuanyuan Li. The Treasure Pill Pavilion kept records of all four-star alchemists in the Great Yan Dynasty. Xuanyuan Li had once been a strong contender for the position of chief alchemist at the Pavilion, but differences in opinion led them down separate paths.

The Great Yan Dynasty, being a small nation, lacked a five-star alchemist. However, that didn’t mean larger nations were without them.

Xuanyuan Li had a wide circle of friends and knew several five-star alchemists, so refining the Blood Flame Devil Blue into a pill wasn’t tough for him.

“Everyone, I believe you all know that the Blood Flame Devil Blue contains a large amount of abyssal aura, which will bring more harm than benefits if consumed directly. If anyone manages to obtain it, I’m willing to exchange it for a fifth-grade pill.” Xuanyuan Li suddenly cupped his fists to everyone in the surroundings, including Liu Wuxie.

The outside world had no idea that Liu Wuxie had long become a five-star alchemist. The Blood Flame Devil Blue might be useless for others, but it was a treasure for five-star alchemists. Exchanging it with a fifth-grade pill wasn’t a bad deal for Xuanyuan Li.

As a fifth-grade herb, Blood Flame Devil Blue’s value surpassed that of ordinary fifth-grade herbs. Most fifth-grade herbs served merely as supplements in pill refinement, and it was challenging to achieve a cultivation breakthrough with such a pill. However, if the Blood Flame Devil Blue was refined into a pill, there was a seventy percent chance of advancing to the True Core Realm.

Many individuals voiced their support for Xuanyuan Li, promising to exchange the Blood Flame Devil Blue if they managed to obtain it. The allure of a fifth-grade pill was far greater to them.

“Thank you, everyone!” Xuanyuan Li cupped his fists to the surroundings. Most people were willing to exchange if they obtained it, but some weren’t because they also knew five-star alchemists.

The Blood Flame Devil Blue continued to consume the blood in the lake, emitting a faint glow and causing ripples to spread across the water’s surface.

“Why do I feel dizzy all of a sudden?” Those cultivators who were nearby clutched their heads as they fell into the lake. In the blink of an eye, several cultivators fell into the lake, and some were in the high levels of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. However, even they couldn’t put up any resistance to the sudden assault of dizziness.

“The abyssal aura released by the Blood Flame Devil Blue can charm a person’s mind and turn them into food once they fall into the lake.” Those standing around the lake retreated and only stopped after they were ten meters away.

The eight bodies that fell into the lake swiftly moved closer to the Blood Flame Devil Blue. Chopstick-width roots shot out from the Blood Flame Devil Blue, burrowing into their bodies.

Everyone could see the eight bodies withering rapidly with their blood and energies absorbed by the Blood Flame Devil Blue. After absorbing much blood, the Blood Flame Devil Blue looked even more enchanting and gave off a mesmerizing fragrance.

“Everyone, close off your five senses! The fragrance released by the Blood Flame Devil Blue is toxic and can cause unconsciousness!” As the fragrance spread, the crowd retreated further to avoid its reach.

However, Liu Wuxie remained unmoved and continued to observe the lake. After all, poison was utterly ineffective against him. The poison in the bodies of the killing machines nurtured with Black Shell Pills was no weaker than that of the Blood Flame Devil Blue, but they were absorbed into his dantian’s world, adding a hint of poison to his true essence.

“Is he insane? He’s way too close to the lake!” A voice sounded from the crowd, thinking that Liu Wuxie had lost his mind.

“The Blood Flame Devil Blue’s poison will last roughly fifteen minutes, and we can harvest it afterward. He’s not thinking of seizing it forcibly, right?” Everyone waited for the poison to dissipate before snatching the Blood Flame Devil Blue.

Ignoring the surrounding mockery, Liu Wuxie walked towards the lake. If the Blood Flame Devil Blue felt threatened or finished feasting and sank into the lake, it would be difficult to harvest it. This was the best opportunity while the Blood Flame Devil Blue was devouring the blood from the eight corpses.

Liu Wuxie vanished, executing the Nine Heavenly Crane Dance, and he appeared above the lake.

“What is he trying to do? Does he plan to seize the Blood Flame Devil Blue before we can even get a chance?” Those gathered in the surroundings let out furious roars but didn’t dare to approach as the poison was still around.

The Blood Flame Devil Blue felt threatened and sank into the lake to avoid danger.

Sensing danger, the Blood Flame Devil Blue sank into the lake. “Hmph, you’re too slow!” Liu Wuxie, having observed every change of the Blood Flame Devil Blue with his Ghost Eye, dove into the lake.

In an instant, both the Blood Flame Devil Blue and Liu Wuxie disappeared into the lake, leaving behind a few desiccated corpses. Time passed, and the lake remained calm, leading everyone to wonder if the Blood Flame Devil Blue had killed Liu Wuxie.

However, after ten breaths, a water geyser erupted, and Liu Wuxie emerged mid-air, holding something in his hand. “The Blood Flame Devil Blue!” The crowd exclaimed in unison, recognizing the Blood Flame Devil Blue in Liu Wuxie’s hand.

The Blood Flame Devil Blue, with its large roots firmly anchored in the lake, was severed from its roots by a flash of Liu Wuxie’s blade aura. Performing a mid-air somersault, Liu Wuxie landed solidly on the ground, the Blood Flame Devil Blue in his hand emitting a poisonous gas.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Liu Wuxie placed the Blood Flame Devil Blue into his interspatial pouch. This left everyone in disbelief, as they had initially thought it wouldn’t be easy for Liu Wuxie to obtain the Blood Flame Devil Blue.

The Blood Flame Devil Blue needed to be refined into a pill and couldn’t be ingested directly. Since there weren’t any more treasures, Liu Wuxie hurried to another location.

However, just as he was about to move, over a hundred people surrounded him, including Xuanyuan Li, whose eyes hinted at murderous intent.

“Liu Wuxie, hand over the Blood Flame Devil Blue!”

Having his path blocked, Liu Wuxie could only stop unhappily.

“The treasure goes to those who are capable. Do you all want to snatch it from me?” Liu Wuxie said, his cold gaze sweeping through the crowd.