Desolate Devouring Art

For now, Liu Wuxie valued resources above everything else. With enough of them in his possession, he could accelerate his cultivation and increase his strength at a far greater pace.

"Walk me through the details," Liu Wuxie said, determined to understand the situation before reaching a decision. If the competition exposed him to serious mortal danger, he would naturally need to reconsider whether its rewards justified the risk.

"The Celestial Moon Dao Hall and the Azure Flame Dao Hall were established during the same year, and neither possessed a stronger foundation than the other. We've fought repeatedly over student recruitment throughout the years, and some of those disputes ended in bloodshed. Eventually, both sides agreed to settle the right to recruit students from the surrounding cities through a formal competition," Gongye Zhang explained, summarizing the history of the two Dao Halls. Their conflict had burned with particular ferocity during the first few years after their founding.

Understanding dawned in Liu Wuxie's eyes as he nodded. Every force needed a constant stream of prodigies to preserve its growth. Sects depended on gifted disciples, clans required fresh recruits, and Dao Halls could flourish only by attracting talented students.

"What exactly are the rules?" Liu Wuxie asked.

"Our monthly assessments were actually designed around the annual competition between the two Dao Halls. The main difference is that mentors participate as well," Gongye Zhang explained with deliberate care, ensuring that Liu Wuxie grasped every detail.

"Do the contests between mentors ever become battles to the death?" Liu Wuxie asked.

That possibility concerned him most. The Celestial Moon Dao Hall possessed no shortage of powerful experts, with Shen Can serving as a perfect example. Before deciding, Liu Wuxie had to consider every danger he might encounter.

"Under normal circumstances, no. But we can't rule out exceptional situations," Gongye Zhang replied.

The competition primarily determined which Dao Hall secured the right to recruit prospective students, so fights to the death seldom occurred. However, there had been exceptions in the past, preventing even Gongye Zhang from offering an absolute guarantee.

"Then how do the rewards you mentioned work?" Liu Wuxie asked.

He didn't fear ordinary Origin Immortals. As for Profound Immortals, he could kill any who dared provoke him with a single strike.

"Every mentor who wins a match receives a reward from the Dao Hall. Beyond that, the competitors can place wagers on their own matches," Gongye Zhang explained, giving Liu Wuxie a knowing look. During the previous class assessment, Liu Wuxie had exploited the wagering system to the fullest, amassing an enormous fortune.

"What does the Dao Hall offer its winners?" Liu Wuxie asked.

He couldn't predict what rewards the Celestial Moon Dao Hall would place on the competition, so he first wanted to know what the Azure Flame Dao Hall could provide.

"Immortal arts, artifacts, and immortal stones. You may take whichever you prefer," Gongye Zhang replied with a faint smile. Liu Wuxie's growing interest in the rewards told him that the young man had essentially agreed to participate.

"Do you have any treasures capable of helping me break through in my cultivation?" Liu Wuxie said.

He wasn't interested in ordinary immortal arts, and he already possessed more than enough artifacts and immortal stones. After massacring so many cultivators inside the Ancient Origin Spatial Realm, he had collected over ten million immortal stones from their possessions.

Even if the Azure Flame Dao Hall rewarded him with immortal stones, the amount would reach only a few million at most. That sum naturally couldn't tempt Liu Wuxie.

"Do you understand how scarce treasures that can directly advance someone's cultivation truly are? If you claim first place in all three events, I'll reward you with a sixth-grade immortal pill that will be useful for you," Gongye Zhang said as he produced an immortal pill.

Sixth-grade immortal pills corresponded to the Origin Immortal Realm. Only cultivators at the pinnacle of the Origin Immortal Realm or those who had entered the Divine Immortal Realm could refine them, making every such pill exceptionally valuable.

The moment Liu Wuxie saw the pill, his eyes lit up. Obtaining this sixth-grade immortal pill would increase his chances of advancing to the fourth-level Spirit Immortal Realm. If he could also wager and win additional resources from the Celestial Moon Dao Hall, he might reach the Profound Immortal Realm even sooner.

At that time, Blackie's assistance would allow him to kill cultivators at the pinnacle of the Origin Immortal Realm with ease.

Despite the desire burning inside him, Liu Wuxie deliberately put on a reluctant expression. He concealed his eagerness for the sixth-grade immortal pill perfectly, maintaining his composure.

Gongye Zhang's lips twitched faintly. How could he possibly miss the fact that even a sixth-grade immortal pill had failed to satisfy Liu Wuxie?

"If you help the Azure Flame Dao Hall secure recruitment rights over five cities, I'll add this sword seal to your reward," Gongye Zhang said, retrieving a peculiar imprint from his interspatial ring and setting it before Liu Wuxie.

At the sight of the sword seal, Liu Wuxie's pupils constricted sharply. The object was unmistakably a piece of Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand, an exceptional blacksmithing material that naturally resembled a sword. Gongye Zhang's failure to recognize the treasure and its actual value was understandable. After all, a treasure like Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand should never have surfaced in a place such as Eastern Emperor City.

The Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand possessed value far beyond that of the sixth-grade immortal pill. Liu Wuxie could already feel the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron stirring restlessly, as though it could barely resist devouring the treasure.

Since reaching the Life and Death Transformation, the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron had rarely displayed any reaction, largely because Liu Wuxie hadn't encountered anything worthy of its appetite. The Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand was different. It could drive the cauldron's evolution forward and dramatically accelerate its devouring speed.

An intense longing also radiated from the Bloodthirst Blade, which seemed desperate to fuse with the Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand.

"We have a deal!" Liu Wuxie agreed immediately, afraid that Gongye Zhang might reconsider if given even a moment.

For reasons he couldn't explain, Gongye Zhang suddenly felt as though Liu Wuxie had outmaneuvered him. Suspicion crept into his mind that the supposed sword seal might actually be some extraordinary treasure. The agreement had already been struck; however, as hall master, he couldn't take back his word.

"Very well. I'll entrust the matter entirely to you. Take my token. It grants you the authority to mobilize every mentor in the Azure Flame Dao Hall, including those within the upper echelons," Gongye Zhang replied decisively, handing his token to Liu Wuxie. He then returned the sixth-grade immortal pill and the Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand to storage.

Distrust had nothing to do with his decision. This was a transaction, and both parties naturally had to honor the conditions they had agreed upon. Even if Gongye Zhang offered the two treasures now, Liu Wuxie wouldn't accept them before completing his side of the bargain.

With Gongye Zhang's token in hand, Liu Wuxie took his leave. Only a few days remained before the competition between the two Dao Halls, leaving him little time to devise a meticulous plan.

Returning to Southern Lake, Liu Wuxie asked Ye Linghan to summon Yi Zhong and the other mentors. Before she could send for them, however, news of Liu Wuxie's return had already drawn the mentors into the main hall.

"Mentor Liu, I assume you know what kind of crisis the Azure Flame Dao Hall is facing. As its mentors, we must stand or fall with it. We've reached a matter of life and death, and none of us can turn away from our responsibilities as members of the Dao Hall," Yi Zhong said earnestly, hoping his words would persuade Liu Wuxie. He had no idea that Liu Wuxie had already accepted Gongye Zhang's request.

Jie Ruonan and the others agreed with Yi Zhong. If the Dao Hall collapsed, they would have to search for another livelihood. Given their current cultivation, even joining a prominent clan as guest elders wouldn't earn them much status.

Becoming mercenaries would waste their abilities just as badly. Cultivators at the Profound Immortal Realm occupied an uncomfortable middle ground, neither truly powerful nor genuinely weak. Divine Immortals and Origin Immortals towered above them, while Spirit Immortals and True Immortals remained below.

They lacked the strength to enter the upper echelons, yet possessed too much power for ordinary work. That awkward position drove many cultivators to become mentors in Dao Halls, where they could earn cultivation resources while steadily developing their reputations.

More importantly, serving as a mentor offered relative safety and excellent compensation. After getting accustomed to such comforts, it became increasingly difficult to give them up and return to the dangers beyond the Dao Hall.

Yi Zhong had spent nearly five decades at the Azure Flame Dao Hall. After so many years, he could no longer adapt to the ruthless world outside its walls.

"Linghan, summon the other mentors as well," Liu Wuxie said, turning to Ye Linghan rather than answering Yi Zhong.

Liu Wuxie understood Yi Zhong's feelings perfectly, but why should those feelings concern him? Everyone pursued different ambitions, and no one had the right to impose their aspirations on another.

He was no saint, nor could he fulfill everyone's expectations. Within fifteen minutes, every remaining mentor in the Dao Hall had assembled inside Southern Lake's main hall. Roughly one-third had previously worked as assistant mentors. When their respective mentors had betrayed the Azure Flame Dao Hall, they stepped forward and assumed the positions of official mentors.

They looked at Liu Wuxie curiously, wondering why he had summoned them. His reputation had soared to extraordinary heights in recent months, but his cultivation likely remained the lowest among all the mentors present.

"I called everyone here to discuss our upcoming competition with the Celestial Moon Dao Hall," Liu Wuxie said, cutting directly to the matter at hand.

Whispers immediately rippled among the surrounding mentors. Shouldn't the hall master be the one addressing them about something this important? Liu Wuxie held the same rank as they did, so with what authority was he leading such a discussion? Yet after witnessing his achievements over the past few months, they suppressed their dissatisfaction, not daring to confront him openly.

"If anyone has something to say, speak now. If anything remains unclear, ask your questions," Liu Wuxie said, sweeping his gaze over the gathering. Quiet authority emanated from him, settling over the hall with such immense pressure that everyone seemed to feel its weight.

Their hearts trembled beneath his gaze. Despite his youth, Liu Wuxie possessed the commanding presence of someone accustomed to wielding authority, inspiring instinctive fear throughout the crowd.

"Mentor Liu, this isn't about whether we trust you. But you summoned all of us under the pretense of discussing the competition between the two Dao Halls. I suspect you're actually planning to exploit this opportunity for your personal benefit," He Lianyi said. As Nangong Shan's former assistant, he naturally carried considerable hostility toward Liu Wuxie.

Everyone knew that Liu Wuxie had amassed enormous resources during the previous class assessment and used them to propel his cultivation forward at an astonishing speed.

The mentors also knew that Liu Wuxie had masterminded the Wen Clan's destruction, but that knowledge inspired little fear in them. They believed Liu Wuxie could never have contended against the Wen Clan without the assistance of the City Lord Mansion.

His involvement in the destruction of the Shadow Divination Gate remained little more than speculation, with only a handful of people aware of the truth. Even less could be said about the Ancient Origin Spatial Realm, since everyone who knew what had truly occurred inside was already dead.

"Are you questioning me?" Liu Wuxie asked, looking at He Lianyi with a faint smirk.

From the instant the mentors had entered the hall, Liu Wuxie had sensed hostility radiating from nearly half of them.

"I wouldn't describe it as questioning. I still have a class to teach, so I'll be leaving now," He Lianyi said as he rose. He had initially refused Ye Linghan’s summons and had come only to discover what Liu Wuxie intended to do.

Several mentors tried to convince him to stay, but he continued toward the exit without sparing them a second glance. Offending Liu Wuxie offered no benefit, especially when Nangong Shan and the others already served as grim examples of what happened to those who crossed him.

Nangong Shan had once saved He Lianyi's life. From the moment He Lianyi learned that Liu Wuxie had killed Nangong Shan, thoughts of avenging his friend had festered inside him, though he had never found an opportunity to act. Expecting a man like him to cooperate with Liu Wuxie was pure wishful thinking.

"Does anyone else intend to follow him?" Liu Wuxie asked coldly, sweeping his gaze across the crowd.

He had deliberately concealed Gongye Zhang’s token from the outset, intending to expose anyone unwilling to obey his commands. There could be no mistakes in the upcoming competition, and his plan had to be executed flawlessly. Anyone harboring thoughts of sabotage had no place in it.

A single person disrupting his arrangements could cost Liu Wuxie both the sixth-grade immortal pill and the Profound Myriad-Aspect Sand. He wouldn't tolerate a loss of such magnitude.

One mentor after another stood and cupped their hands toward Liu Wuxie, each presenting a different excuse to leave.

"From this moment forward, anyone who walks out of this main hall will be stripped of their status as a mentor," Liu Wuxie declared.

Before He Lianyi could step out of the hall, Liu Wuxie’s words stopped him in his tracks and made him whirl around.