Desolate Devouring Art

The Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron could indicate only a general area. Liu Wuxie would have to identify the object that had stirred it. He swept his gaze across the three stalls. The one on his left displayed an assortment of bottles and jars filled with venomous insects.

Those insects carried icy, yin attributes, making them immensely valuable to cultivators who practiced yin-attributed cultivation techniques.

Liu Wuxie shifted his attention to the stall on the right, displaying mainly porcelain bottles containing yin-attributed pills.

Finally, he examined the stall ahead. Most of its goods appeared relatively ordinary, though two unusual paintings depicted rows of skulls. The sight sent a chill down his spine, prompting him to look away almost immediately.

Several heavily damaged books lay among the paintings. Liu Wuxie casually flipped through them and discovered that they recorded methods for refining icy and yin energy. One even contained a technique for harvesting yin energy to nourish yang.

Combining Ghost Pupil with the Divine Tribulation Pupil, Liu Wuxie eventually fixed his gaze upon a rotting piece of wood. It measured roughly a foot in length and was as thick as an adult's arm. Several venomous insects crawled across its otherwise unremarkable surface. Liu Wuxie nearly reached out to touch it, only to withdraw his hand at the last moment.

The vendor wore a blue-green mask with protruding fangs. He raised his head toward Liu Wuxie, revealing ink-green eyes cold enough to send a chill through anyone who saw them.

"Did something catch your eye?" the vendor asked, slowly examining Liu Wuxie from head to toe.

His grating voice resembled the wailing of a ghost.

None of the goods carried price tags, making Liu Wuxie wonder how much the wood would cost.

"That piece of wood," Liu Wuxie said, pointing toward it.

"You have a good eye. This is Fragrant Yin Wood, and it releases a delicate fragrance. Smell it," the vendor offered.

To demonstrate, he picked it up and took a deep breath, revealing a joyous expression. Then, he handed it to Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie watched as two venomous insects crawled into the vendor's nostrils. The man showed no reaction whatsoever.

Liu Wuxie immediately retreated two steps to maintain a safe distance. Those insects posed no threat to him, but the sight was utterly revolting.

"You don't know how to appreciate anything," the vendor said.

The insects crawled from the man’s nostrils toward his lips. He flicked out his tongue, swept them into his mouth, and chewed before swallowing.

Liu Wuxie shuddered at the sight. He had naturally heard of Fragrant Yin Wood, which indeed released a faint scent that attracted venomous insects.

However, the Fragrant Yin Wood itself wasn't what had caught Liu Wuxie's attention. Something was concealed inside it.

"How many immortal stones do you want for it?" he asked.

He had no desire to waste time. He wanted to secure the wood and leave as quickly as possible.

"Ten thousand yin crystals," the vendor replied, raising one finger.

Liu Wuxie immediately frowned. He didn't possess a single yin crystal. At this point, he felt certain that a sect practicing yin-attributed cultivation techniques had established the Yin Market and used it to exchange goods for yin crystals.

"I don't have any yin crystals," Liu Wuxie replied, feigning helplessness.

Unlike immortal stones, which could be mined from most mineral veins, yin crystals were exceedingly rare.

"No yin crystals? Then one hundred thousand immortal stones," the vendor said.

Losing interest, he reclined in his chair.

The Fragrant Yin Wood itself was worth ten thousand immortal stones at most. Demanding one hundred thousand was outrageous.

"Thirty thousand," Liu Wuxie countered.

The vendor rolled his eyes and dismissively waved him away.

"This is the Yin Market. You can't judge prices here by the standards of the outside world," the vendor replied mockingly.

"Thirty-five thousand!" Liu Wuxie said through gritted teeth, raising his offer by another five thousand.

He had no shortage of immortal stones, but that didn't mean anyone could treat him like a pushover.

If another suitable treasure appeared nearby, Liu Wuxie wouldn't continue fighting over the Fragrant Yin Wood.

"Fifty thousand. I won't accept a single immortal stone less," the vendor said, naming his final price.

If Liu Wuxie refused again, he could leave.

"Deal," Liu Wuxie replied.

Fifty thousand immortal stones remained within the amount he was willing to pay.

The Fragrant Yin Wood was worth only ten thousand, but Liu Wuxie couldn't estimate the value of the object hidden inside it. His instincts told him that it was far more valuable.

Liu Wuxie produced an interspatial pouch and placed it before the vendor. He then condensed his immortal energy into an illusory hand and reached toward the Fragrant Yin Wood, preparing to store it inside his interspatial ring.

At that exact moment, another illusory hand shot forward, attempting to snatch the Fragrant Yin Wood away.

Liu Wuxie had focused his entire attention on the wood and failed to notice a black-robed elder observing him from a distance. The elder initially showed little interest, but the moment Liu Wuxie tried to store the wood, he abruptly intervened.

Fury flashed through Liu Wuxie's eyes. The black-robed elder was thousands of times stronger than him, possessing cultivation at the pinnacle of the Origin Immortal Realm.

Without hesitation, he summoned the Bloodthirst Blade and slashed downward, severing the black-robed elder's illusory hand.

The black-robed elder hadn't used his full strength. He had released only one-tenth of his power, given Liu Wuxie was only a fifth-level True Immortal. He hadn't anticipated him resisting.

Liu Wuxie understood that perfectly. Had the elder attacked with his full power, severing the illusory hand would have been impossible. Exploiting the brief opening, Liu Wuxie swept the Fragrant Yin Wood into the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron and burned away the insects with demonic flames.

"Brat, hand over the Fragrant Yin Wood if you want to live," the black-robed elder roared.

Stepping forward, he appeared directly before Liu Wuxie. Pressure at the ninth-level Origin Immortal Realm descended and crushed down upon him.

The vendor immediately stepped back. He swept every item from his stall and vanished without a trace, wanting no involvement in the dispute.

Liu Wuxie's eyes narrowed as he recognized the black-robed elder. He hadn't expected to encounter Black Tiger Guardian, one of the Shadow Divination Gate's Four Great Guardians.

The Four Great Guardians bore the titles Black Tiger, Enchantress, Venomous Viper, and Demon King. Few people knew their true names.

Black Tiger was notorious for his ruthlessness. Enchantress possessed the heart of a viper. Venomous Viper showed no mercy, while Demon King was infamous for exceptional cruelty.

"I purchased the Fragrant Yin Wood first. Does Senior Black Tiger intend to rob me openly?" Liu Wuxie asked, maintaining both his composure and courtesy.

For the moment, he had no intention of confronting the Shadow Divination Gate head-on.

Each of the Four Great Guardians possessed an eccentric temperament, making it very difficult to earn their trust.

"Since you recognize me, you should know what I'm capable of. Hand over the Fragrant Yin Wood, and I'll make an exception by sparing your life," Black Tiger said grimly.

None of the surrounding cultivators dared approach. No one wanted to offend the Shadow Divination Gate, especially the Four Great Guardians, who had slaughtered countless people and stained their hands with blood.

Liu Wuxie remained motionless while his thoughts raced. He had no intention of surrendering the Fragrant Yin Wood, yet he knew he had no chance of defeating Black Tiger. Worse still, no one nearby would step forward to defend him.

As the vendor had warned, this was the Yin Market, not the outside world.

"Black Tiger, you're not young anymore. Aren't you ashamed of constantly bullying juniors? Even I feel embarrassed for you," a seductive voice called from behind Liu Wuxie.

A voluptuous woman appeared behind him. She looked to be in her early thirties and flaunted her figure with every step.

Liu Wuxie's eyes narrowed once more when he recognized her. She was Enchantress, another of the Four Great Guardians.

According to the intelligence Meng Nong had provided, Enchantress and Black Tiger had always been enemies. Their hostility ran so deep that each longed for the other's death.

The Four Great Guardians shared no unity. Only the commands of the Shadow Divination Gate's sect master kept them in line.

Anger flickered across Black Tiger's face when he saw Enchantress.

"Enchantress, you dare interfere in my affairs?!" Black Tiger demanded.

His aura surged outward, forming terrifying ripples that swept toward Liu Wuxie. He intended to kill Liu Wuxie by force and seize the Fragrant Yin Wood.

"That's right. Nothing makes me happier than watching you suffer," Enchantress replied with a coquettish laugh.

A fragrant breeze swept from her body and shattered Black Tiger's aura.

The fragrance washed over Liu Wuxie as Enchantress appeared beside him and pressed her soft body against his shoulder.

"Don't be afraid, Little Brother. I'll protect you," Enchantress said.

She appeared delicate and vulnerable, tempting any man to pull her into his arms.

Liu Wuxie knew better than to trust her appearance. Enchantress was merciless, murderous, and venomous at heart. Her features were merely passable, while her clothing was exceptionally revealing. A thick layer of makeup concealed her face, and countless scented sachets hung from her body, yet none could hide the odor of decay emanating from her.

"Thank you for defending me, Big Sister Enchantress," Liu Wuxie replied.

A plan formed instantly within his mind. He could exploit the hostility between Enchantress and Black Tiger, win her trust, and secure an entrance into the Shadow Divination Gate.

Liu Wuxie had been wondering how to infiltrate the Shadow Divination Gate, only for the opportunity to appear so quickly. Enchantress was notorious for her lust, particularly toward handsome young men. Whenever someone caught her eye, she abducted him and turned him into her plaything.

"Don't worry. This brute can't hurt you while I'm here," Enchantress said, caressing Liu Wuxie's cheek.

Liu Wuxie suppressed the instinct to recoil in disgust. For the sake of the Heavenly Derivation Codex, he had to endure it.

The surrounding cultivators immediately looked at Liu Wuxie with sympathy. They could already imagine his fate after falling into Enchantress's hands. She would eventually drain every trace of his yang energy.

Liu Wuxie ignored their gazes entirely.

"Black Tiger, I've taken a liking to him. If you want a fight, I'll see it through to the end. Otherwise, I'm taking him with me," Enchantress said, her tone turning abruptly cold.

"Brat, I'll give you one chance. Hand over the Fragrant Yin Wood, and I'll guarantee your safety. You already know what will happen if you fall into Enchantress's hands," Black Tiger said, softening his tone.

As long as Liu Wuxie surrendered the Fragrant Yin Wood, Black Tiger would ensure his safety.

Many people nodded. Had they stood in Liu Wuxie's position, they would have accepted Black Tiger's offer.

"Thank you for the offer, but as the saying goes, it's better to die beneath a peony blossom and remain gallant even as a ghost. If I die in Guardian Enchantress's embrace, then my life won't have been wasted," Liu Wuxie replied with absolute resolve.

He feared that Black Tiger would launch a sudden attack and destroy his entire plan.

"Well said, Little Brother! I won't mistreat you," Enchantress replied delightedly.

Over the years, every man she had captured had trembled in terror, and none possessed the courage to speak. Liu Wuxie was different. His words awakened Enchantress's long-dormant desire, and she immediately wrapped both hands around his arm.