Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 652 - Snow Lotus

The scene was too overwhelming and intense for Zhu Ziping and his companion. The Heretic Blade, a monarch artifact with a slender blade similar to a sword, was incredibly sharp after becoming a monarch artifact.

The snowman screamed in pain as it trembled. No one would expect the snowman's rear to be their weakness, and this was similar to human's dantian.

It was like an array that manipulated the snowman's massive body. It was another form of mysterious energy. While it wasn't true essence, it was similar.

When the Heretic Blade stabbed into the snowman's rear, the array was destroyed, and the snowman's power began to disperse—the same as shattering a human's dantian.

It might be brutal, but this was the most direct method. If the fight continued, Liu Wuxie would have no odds of winning unless he used the Annihilation Fist. The snowman's combat strength was comparable to the Nascent Transformation Realm, and it was no wonder that Zhu Ziping and his companion were in such dire straits.

With a loud rumble, the snowman collapsed, twitching in pain. Because it was encased in ice, ice fragments began to fall as it twitched.

A black hole materialized in mid-air, swallowing the snowman whole with a formidable pull. The immense energy within the snowman’s body would soon flow to Liu Wuxie, enhancing his power.

Zhu Ziping and his companion watched in terror. They couldn't believe that such a powerful snowman was killed.

After being devoured by the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, demonic flames began to refine the snowman's corpse as terrifying energy formed into transparent liquid gathered above the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron.

A bizarre scene occurred as Liu Wuxie absorbed the liquified spiritual energy into the desolate world. He realized that his physique and meridians were absorbing the energy rapidly.

"The snowman's energy can strengthen my body?" Liu Wuxie was inwardly shocked. The snowmen relied on their formidable power and physique to surpass other creatures.

After Liu Wuxie's True Dragon Physique absorbed the snowman's energy, faint dragon runes appeared on his body, significantly improving his physique.

In mere moments, Liu Wuxie fully absorbed all the energy.

"Brother Liu, are you alright?" Zhu Ziping and his companion stepped forward, their faces filled with concern for Liu Wuxie.

"I'm fine," Liu Wuxie replied, shaking his head. Despite the intense battle with the snowman, he had emerged unscathed. "But tell me, how did you end up being chased by the snowman?"

"We discovered a ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus at the summit, but the snowmen were protecting it. This is why the snowman was hunting us down," Zhu Ziping said. He didn't conceal anything from Liu Wuxie, especially since the latter had saved his life.

"Ten-thousand-year Snow Lotuses?!" Liu Wuxie narrowed his eyes upon hearing what Zhu Ziping said. He could use it to reach the fourth level of the Astral River Realm if he could obtain one.

His advancement now required vast resources, far beyond what an ordinary Ascension Pill could provide.

"Yeah, it's at the summit," Zhu Ziping said as he pointed at the summit. The ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus was the sacred emblem of the Heavenly Mountain, protected by the snowmen.

"Has anyone managed to harvest it yet?" Liu Wuxie asked. It would be meaningless even if he went up if it were already harvested. The growth of the ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus required a harsh environment, especially spiritual energy.

"No, that area is swarmed with snowmen, and no one can get close. Those who tried sneaking in have all perished at the hands of the snowman," Zhu Ziping said, shaking his head. They were lucky to escape after running into Liu Wuxie. As for the others, they had long been crushed by the snowmen.

Upon hearing that there was an untouched Snow Lotus, Liu Wuxie's eyes glimmered with determination. He asked, "What are your plans now?"

He wanted to know if they wanted to continue climbing the mountain or leave. He had to ensure that his location stayed secret.

"We’re done with this place," Zhu Ziping said with a wry smile. "We barely escaped with our lives and have no intention of risking them again." His companion nodded in agreement, visibly relieved at the decision.

"In that case, we will be parting ways here," Liu Wuxie said firmly. "Please keep my presence here a secret."

Liu Wuxie believed in the personality of the Sky Rift Valley disciples.

"Brother Liu, please be rest assured. You saved our lives, and we won't betray you," Zhu Ziping said. After bidding farewell, the pair left the mountain.

If Liu Wuxie went up, he would have to face the snowmen, and there was a possibility he would be killed.

The news of the ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus had long spread out, and it wouldn't take long for more people to gather.

After taking a deep breath to fill his lungs with the cold air, Liu Wuxie's mind became clear. He muttered, "Go up!"

If the ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus fell into the hands of Bai Yuan and others to increase their strength, it would be unfavorable for him. Even if he couldn't obtain it, he couldn't allow the Snow Lotus to fall into the hands of Bai Yuan.

Liu Wuxie had an unsettling premonition that a confrontation with the three sects was inevitable. To survive, he needed to do everything possible to enhance his strength.

Though he feared no one in a one-on-one fight, his opponents weren’t lone individuals but packs of jackals waiting to pounce. To face them, he would need more power—and the ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus presented a rare opportunity he couldn’t ignore.

Executing his movement technique, Liu Wuxie launched himself forward like a meteor. The ground beneath him was smooth, and he would fall if he weren't careful.

Liu Wuxie's feet were firmly rooted on the ground whenever he moved, and he found traces of battles along the way in the form of bloodstains, severed limbs, and damage to the landscape.

The mountain was towering, and it would take him half a day at his fastest pace.

Right then, the roars of snowmen echoed from the summit, causing the entire mountain to tremble. Human cultivators had likely sneaked up, further triggering the snowmen.

As Liu Wuxie ascended higher, the force of the ice vortexes intensified, subjecting him to an increasingly powerful tearing pressure. The snowmen, with their naturally robust physiques, were accustomed to such immense forces and moved effortlessly through the treacherous conditions.

Humans, however, were not so fortunate. Those with weaker bodies would struggle to withstand the vortexes’ destructive pull. Liu Wuxie relied on a protective barrier to shield himself, keeping the tearing force at bay.

Liu Wuxie’s pace slowed as he approached the location Zhu Ziping had described. Ahead, numerous snow caves dotted the landscape, each teeming with snowmen. Charging in recklessly would be suicidal; the Snow Lotus was fiercely guarded, and the snowmen mercilessly killed any humans they encountered.

To avoid the snowmen, Liu Wuxie needed an alternate route. The only viable option was the other side of the mountain—a sheer, smooth cliff with no footholds. The ice vortexes in that area were ferocious, posing a threat that only cultivators in the Nascent Transformation Realm could withstand.

When executing the Ghost Eye, Liu Wuxie believed other passages likely existed. When the Ghost Eye penetrated through the ice, the entire mountain became transparent to him.

As he passed through the snow caves, Liu Wuxie discovered hundreds of snowmen entrenched within. Among them was a colossal figure much larger than the other snowmen, reaching over thirty meters in height.

With a single breath from that colossal snowman, the surrounding space would collapse, and it could easily send someone in the Astral River Realm flying with a single blow.

"Mhm? Someone is lurking within?" Liu Wuxie's Ghost Eye revealed an unexpected discovery. He found several people had stealthily infiltrated the snow caves and were all in the pinnacle of the Astral River Realm. They were biding their time to wait for the snowmen to lower their vigilance.

Liu Wuxie continued to inspect with the Ghost Eye, capturing everything within tens of thousands of meters.

"What's this place?" Liu Wuxie's eyes fixed on a vast, empty chamber beneath the snow cave. No snowmen were in sight, and they must've excavated that chamber. He continued to inspect that chamber and soon found a hidden passage.

"A secret chamber?" Liu Wuxie murmured, a spark of excitement lighting up his eyes. The entrance to the chamber was located within the snow caves, but entering directly would undoubtedly expose him to the snowmen. The best option, then, was to dig a tunnel to bypass them entirely.

However, this was no simple task. The ice in this region had accumulated over tens of thousands of years, making it incredibly dense and tough. Breaking through it without alerting the snowmen would be nearly impossible.

For an ordinary person, such a feat would indeed be unattainable. But Liu Wuxie was no ordinary cultivator. Having comprehended an ice dao technique, he possessed the means to manipulate the very element that stood in his way.

This was the benefit of comprehending dao techniques, which made it possible to control the laws of heaven and earth. For example, he could control fire if he comprehended the fire element.

......

As ice swiftly dissolved, Liu Wuxie began to descend. He was in a rather remote area, and most snowmen wouldn't go there.

He continued to sink, and he was closer to the empty chamber. The surrounding ice was swiftly dissolving because Liu Wuxie had a strong comprehension of the ice dao technique.

Time passed, and more people flocked to the mountain, waiting outside the snow caves for an opportunity to enter.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and Liu Wuxie fell as the footing vanished. He found himself in an empty chamber where the surrounding temperature had risen, which was surprising. It was strange that the temperature inside the mountain was warmer than outside, feeling unexpectedly soothing.

Liu Wuxie wielded the Heretic Blade tightly, scanning the surroundings with heightened vigilance, ready for any threat. He slowly walked and muttered, "What is this place?"

A peculiar thudding sound came from the walls on both sides. Liu Wuxie stopped and carefully headed to where the sound came from. It didn't sound like the breathing of a human but the beating of a heart.

When Liu Wuxie entered, dense shock flashed in the depth of his eyes.