Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 640 - Rise and Counter

The interplay of the five elements, where each gave rise to or countered another, was on full display. The spiritual talisman that Liu Wuxie had drawn manifested into an earth dragon that burrowed into the Mountain Talisman to devour the earth elements within.

A large hole appeared on the Mountain Talisman in the blink of an eye, and the earth elements were swiftly drained.

"How did this happen?" Zhang Bei muttered, his disbelief evident. He had anticipated that Liu Wuxie would struggle, but he had never expected the solution to unfold so effortlessly.

"Nature's laws govern all things in the world. The Heavenly Origin Sect underestimated Liu Wuxie." the Dugu Clan's patriarch stroked his beard with admiration.

"It's not as simple as it looks. Even if another person draws the earth dragon, they might not be able to dismantle the Mountain Talisman," the Transcendent Plume Gate's sect master, who wore a green robe, interjected. His scholarly demeanor contrasted with his piercing gaze.

"That's right. The Mountain Talisman might be comparable to a ninth-grade spiritual talisman, but dismantling it requires finesse and mastery over spiritual talismans," the Indigo Cloud Gate's sect master said. He was not fond of Liu Wuxie, but it was an undeniable fact that Liu Wuxie's performance had shocked them repeatedly.

If personal grudges were set aside, the undeniable truth remained: Liu Wuxie was a monstrous prodigy. This thought echoed in the hearts of all who watched. However, Liu Wuxie’s immense talent drew envy, often creating needless enmity from those around him.

After emerging victorious from the Mountain Talisman, Liu Wuxie stepped forward, only to be confronted by a vast, furious ocean. The waves surged violently, their sheer force threatening to swallow him whole. The only path forward was across the ocean.

The principle was clear: earth conquered water. If he wanted to cross, Liu Wuxie had to draw countless mountains to fill the ocean. It was clearly an impossible feat for any mortal.

The vast ocean was like an insurmountable obstacle that stood in his way. However, his act of shattering the Mountain Talisman made many people hopeful of him.

When the Water Talisman appeared, countless people gasped in shock. The Heavenly Origin Sect had spared no effort to hinder the progress of the other sect’s disciples. The three spiritual talismans weren't just for Liu Wuxie; they targeted all the disciples present.

"I'm afraid no one can conquer the tenth level," Liu Wuxie muttered as he stood before the vast ocean with no better options. This challenge was impossible for the other contestants, but the Heavenly Origin Sect had certainly taught their disciples how to deal with the three spiritual talismans.

Elder He clenched his fists together angrily. In the past Ten Grand Ceremonies, there had never been such a powerful talisman array. However, the Heavenly Origin Sect had clearly crossed the line.

"Don't worry about it. I believe he'll figure out a way!" Mu Tianli said calmly, his face serene and free of concern.

If Liu Wuxie couldn't deal with the challenge, he would've given up long ago, and there was no reason for him to remain on the tenth level. It was evident that he was figuring out a solution.

"It's too difficult. The Water Talisman's power is in the ninth level. Though it might not contain any lethality, the sheer wave alone is unstoppable, and who can break through that?" Elder He had locked his brows together.

The surrounding chatter gradually faded as everyone shifted their attention to Bai Yuan. This was because everyone gradually lost their patience after seeing Liu Wuxie standing in the same spot motionlessly for far too long.

"Who says water must be overcome by earth?" Liu Wuxie pondered for a long time before a faint smile rose on his lips. While that logic was right, nothing could stop the wave if it was too powerful.

Take a dam, for example. It might withstand an ordinary flow of water, but what about a flood? This was akin to the principle of water subduing fire. However, how could a small pail of water possibly extinguish a sea of fire?

Flying wasn’t an option either; the powerful waves alone could throw him off balance and sweep him to the ocean’s depths. With the earth element rendered ineffective and no way to cross through flight, the question remained: how could he proceed?

No one knew as he swiped his hands through the air with faint ripples appearing before him. The ripples seemed like spiritual runes, but they also seemed different at the same time.

Strangely enough, the spiritual runes showed no signs of forming into a spiritual talisman. Instead, it looked like a small boat.

"What's he doing?" Everyone was baffled. The crowd, which had shifted its attention to Bai Yuan, now watched Liu Wuxie with growing curiosity.

"I don't know, but it looks like a boat!"

However, it was a pity that the boat was too small as it was only the size of a basin. Even the Sky Rift Valley elders were equally shocked, unsure of what Liu Wuxie was trying to do.

"Hah! Does he think such a tiny boat can carry him across the ocean? What a joke!" Qian Chong let out a sinister laughter after guessing Liu Wuxie's objective.

They had long considered someone creating a small boat to ride across the ocean, and they naturally wouldn't give Liu Wuxie that chance.

"Wait, that doesn't seem like a small boat!" As Liu Wuxie continued to draw, the boat changed its shape, becoming a crescent moon. This left everyone baffled by what Liu Wuxie was trying to do by drawing a crescent moon. Could he possibly be planning to ride the moon across the waves?

"Look, the crescent moon is growing!" gasps erupted from the surroundings as the crescent moon grew, transforming into a large disc that hung on the tenth level.

"I see! He's harnessing the power of the tides!" the Transcendent Plume Gate's sect master exclaimed, slapping his thigh in realization.

Liu Wuxie wasn't trying to draw a boat or harness earth elements, but he was drawing a large crescent moon. The force of the tides could cause seawater to recede, creating a clear path for him to cross. He didn't need to part the ocean to cross at all.

"What an ingenious idea! Using the power of the tide to resolve the ocean," the ten major sect's sect masters exclaimed at the ingenious idea, aside from the sect masters from the Heavenly Origin Sect and Azure Crimson Gate.

Liu Wuxie's approach was unconventional, unlike anything they'd seen before.

When the crescent moon became a full moon, the power of the tides surged, and the ocean began to recede.

Bai Jin's expression turned terrifyingly grim as he watched Liu Wuxie resolve the Water Talisman in such an unexpected way. Instead of relying on a powerful spiritual talisman, Liu Wuxie utilized a simple full moon as his solution—a resounding slap to the face of the Heavenly Origin Sect.

"This is absolutely brilliant!" the second-tier sects’ disciples cheered. They were utterly captivated by Liu Wuxie's performance.

They would’ve attempted brute force or flown across the ocean if it were them. However, Liu Wuxie suffered no injuries and casually crossed the ocean.

The tide receded, clearing a path through the ocean's depths. Qian Chong and Zhang Bei exchanged uneasy glances, finally understanding the frustration Wang Ba had experienced. Despite their meticulous efforts to deal with Liu Wuxie, he had outsmarted them at every turn.

After making it through the Water Talisman, Liu Wuxie moved forward to face the last challenge, the Fire Talisman. It had manifested into a flaming volcano that stood in Liu Wuxie's way, with searing waves of heat radiating outward.

Liu Wuxie's smile deepened after glancing at the volcano.

"The Heavenly Origin Sect must’ve run out of ideas!" Liu Wuxie began forming seals before the volcano, summoning the moon closer.

A terrifying scene occurred as the retreating tide surged back with renewed force. No one could anticipate that Liu Wuxie would use the Water Talisman against the Fire Talisman. After all, water counters fire and water could naturally be used to extinguish the fire.

Torrential waves instantly submerged the volcano underwater. Water evaporated, and the fire was extinguished. The two spiritual talismans clashed and dissolved into nothingness.

With that, Liu Wuxie confidently stepped off the tenth level, spending an hour dealing with the three spiritual talismans. Most importantly, everyone was amazed at how little effort Liu Wuxie had expended, easily dismantling the three ninth-grade spiritual talismans.

"He's my idol from today onwards!" Hundreds of second-tier sects’ disciples stood up to cheer for Liu Wuxie.

Many people smiled, gloating, "The Heavenly Origin Sect had probably never expected Liu Wuxie to emerge from the tenth level in this manner. "

The Heavenly Origin Sect's plans had backfired; the traps they had set up were a joke to Liu Wuxie.

As cheers erupted from the surroundings, Liu Wuxie claimed first place in the Talisman Tower. He had obtained first place four times in a row, shattering the records at the Ten Grand Ceremony. He would be titled the strongest prodigy in the Southern Province if he obtained another first place tomorrow.

The atmosphere within the Heavenly Origin Sect became heavy. Bai Jin didn't speak, Qian Chong remained quiet, and Zhang Bei's lips twisted into a bitter smile. Only Wang Ba had a hint of satisfaction on his face, letting the two elders experience what he had gone through. After all, he hadn't participated in the setup of the Talisman Tower.

"We lost!" Qian Chong finally admitted reluctantly.

They had thoroughly lost in spiritual array, alchemy, blacksmithing, and spiritual talismans. The outcome wasn't suspenseful, as Liu Wuxie had crushed them at every turn.

His steps were light and carefree when he descended from the Talisman Tower. He hadn't even exerted much of his strength on the last level.

"Well done!" Elder He said with a mix of exasperation and admiration in his voice. He had braced himself for a fierce and grueling battle, only to witness Liu Wuxie breezing through the challenge.

With a hearty pat on Liu Wuxie's shoulder, Elder He’s enthusiasm nearly snapped his bones. However, Liu Wuxie, accustomed to such gestures, merely smiled and returned to the tent amid the uproar of cheers and discussions.

What happened next had nothing to do with him, and he only had to come out at dusk when the rewards were distributed.

Bai Yuan was the second to reach the tenth level after Liu Wuxie. He managed to break the Mountain Talisman with a golden sword, slicing through it. As for the Water Talisman, he drew a warship that carried him across. Lastly, he crafted a fireproof cloak for the Fire Talisman and forced his way through.

Compared to Liu Wuxie, Bai Yuan's ordeal was an exhausting struggle. It took him all his strength to scrape by the tenth level.

Shortly after Bai Yuan, the Demonic Heart Palace's Qu Yang reached the tenth level and claimed third place. The Talisman Tower's competition was intense, and Murong Yi failed on the eighth level. Aside from her, many contestants had failed as well.

Even if they barely managed to get through the other levels, they were bound to fail on the tenth level. Ultimately, only Liu Wuxie, Bai Yuan, and Qu Yang ascended to the tenth level and overcame the challenge.

When the time came to present the rewards, Bai Jin was notably absent. Perhaps he lacked the courage to show his face after such a humiliating defeat. The Heavenly Origin Sect had poured immense effort into their schemes, only to see their pride repeatedly shattered.

Though Bai Yuan had obtained an Ascension Pill, his face was burning with shame. He couldn't believe that he lost to Liu Wuxie.

"Liu Wuxie, tomorrow is the martial trial. Let me see how you are going to compete with me!" After receiving his Ascension Pill, Bai Yuan walked past Liu Wuxie, and his murderous intent enveloped the latter.

The martial trial would be a pure test of martial prowess, a domain where Bai Yuan felt invincible. Liu Wuxie, being in the low levels of the Astral River Realm, was unlikely to surpass even the first level—or so Bai Yuan believed.