Desolate Devouring Art

The air in the room grew heavier until it felt almost suffocating. Liu Wuxie understood better than most what it meant to reveal heavenly secrets.

"Does the Heavenly Divination Gate's decline have anything to do with the Shadow Divination Gate?" Liu Wuxie asked after a brief pause, his thoughts settling into place.

"From what I heard, the sect master of the Shadow Divination Gate stole the Heavenly Divination Gate's treasure, the Heavenly Derivation Codex," Lao Kaiyu explained. Even he knew little about the matter, having only heard it from others.

As for whether the tale was true or false, he had no way to verify it.

Liu Wuxie suddenly shot to his feet. "The Heavenly Derivation Codex," he exclaimed. He might not have heard of the Heavenly Divination Gate or the Shadow Divination Gate, but the Heavenly Derivation Codex was a name he knew all too well.

Lao Kaiyu and Xiang Zicheng also stood up, seeing Liu Wuxie's reaction. "Assistant Liu, you've heard of the Heavenly Derivation Codex?" they asked, surprised.

Taking a deep breath, Liu Wuxie steadied himself before sitting back down.

"I know a little. Several pages of the Heavenly Derivation Codex contain the heavenly derivation art. It's said that it can calculate astronomy, geography, fortune telling, calamity, and even a person's fate..." Liu Wuxie replied, offering only a brief explanation. Very few people knew anything about the Heavenly Derivation Codex.

Rumor had it that the Heavenly Derivation Codex had once surfaced in the celestial realm, stirring a tremendous uproar before vanishing without a trace. Whoever obtained it could grasp the fate of countless people and calculate everything within their destiny.

The thought alone was terrifying. Anyone whose past and future could be calculated would have no secrets.

Even so, it had always been nothing more than a legend. No one truly knew whether the Heavenly Derivation Codex possessed such miraculous power.

Liu Wuxie only knew that the Heavenly Derivation Codex had existed for countless years, and no one knew who had created it. It was even believed that the Heavenly Derivation Code did not come from the celestial realm at all, but from an even higher plane.

After all, even an immortal emperor could not calculate the past and future.

Liu Wuxie possessed the Divine Tribulation Pupil. Once cultivated to a high level, it would gain unfathomable abilities and perceive all things. Yet even then, reaching the level of the Heavenly Derivation Codex was practically impossible.

"Let's leave this matter aside for now. Mystery has always surrounded the Heavenly Derivation Codex. Come, let's drink," Lao Kaiyu said, shifting the topic as he raised his cup to Liu Wuxie.

After that, the conversation regained its warmth, and Liu Wuxie pushed many matters concerning the Heavenly Divination Gate to the back of his mind. No matter what purpose the Heavenly Divination Gate had, their people had helped him.

Liu Wuxie had no habit of prying into other people's secrets.

"Assistant Liu, it's getting late. Why don't you stay at the Xiang Manor tonight?" Xiang Zicheng invited as he rose, a trace of urgency hidden in his tone. The wound in his soul sea had dragged on for far too many years.

Liu Wuxie could not refuse Xiang Zicheng's kindness, especially after he had helped him by stopping Shen Guang earlier that day.

The four left the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion and headed toward the Xiang Manor.

"Wuxie, do you want me to deal with them?" Xiang Zicheng asked. His voice carried a natural authority, and the moment they left the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, he sensed several groups tailing them, which clearly irritated him.

"No need. Let them follow," Liu Wuxie replied, shaking his head.

Ye Linghan had also wanted to deal with them when they had arrived. But these were merely scouts, and killing them would only draw more scouts in an endless stream.

After they passed through Eastern Emperor City, the view ahead suddenly opened, revealing a vast manor. This was the Xiang Manor.

The buildings within formed three separate regions. The structures on the left were mostly wooden pavilions, while those on the right were made of stone and mainly consisted of halls and palaces. A long corridor stretched through the middle and connected both sides, giving the Xiang Manor a distinctive architectural style.

"It's already late, so I've arranged rooms for both of you. I'll receive you properly tomorrow morning," Xiang Zicheng said courteously.

An old man quickly hurried over. He was the Xiang Manor's steward, and he stood behind Xiang Zicheng.

"Thank you, Manor Lord Xiang," Liu Wuxie replied politely.

"In that case, please follow me," the old man behind Xiang Zicheng said, bowing slightly as he made an inviting gesture.

Liu Wuxie and Ye Linghan were both placed in the best guest rooms inside a separate courtyard with great privacy. This ensured the two would not have to worry about being disturbed.

The moment Liu Wuxie stepped into the courtyard, he activated the Divine Tribulation Pupil and the Ghost Pupil. There were no spiritual arrays nearby, and Xiang Zicheng had not arranged any spies around them, which made Liu Wuxie nod in satisfaction.

"Young Master Liu, please rest early. If you need anything, just let me know," the steward said. He did not follow Liu Wuxie into the courtyard and only stood respectfully outside.

"Thank you," Liu Wuxie replied. The courtyard's furnishings were neither plain nor extravagant. Instead, they exuded a quiet elegance born of simplicity.

There were three rooms in total, and every object looked as though someone had carefully measured it before placing it. Whether cabinets, tables, or chairs, each piece bore the marks left behind by time.

The Iron Westwood Tree planted in the courtyard had stood there for at least two thousand years, adding a layer of ancient mystery to the entire courtyard.

After entering the room, Liu Wuxie sat cross-legged. The Desolate Devouring Art began to circulate, and the surrounding immortal energy surged toward him like a flood answering a call.

Although Liu Wuxie was cultivating, his thoughts raced rapidly. Lao Kaiyu's words still lingered in his mind like echoes that refused to fade.

He had not asked too much about the Heavenly Derivation Codex during the banquet because he already knew about it. What he knew had come from his master, the Heavenly Daoist. The Heavenly Derivation Codex was not a book, but something resembling a tortoise shell, with patterns naturally formed across its surface.

In other words, heaven and earth had nurtured the Heavenly Derivation Codex, and no one had created it. Whoever grasped it would control the dao of heaven and earth, governing all life and death beneath the heavens.

Liu Wuxie had clearly not expected the long-lost Heavenly Derivation Codex to reappear in the world. If the chance arose, he wanted to see it for himself.

Since his conversation with Lao Kaiyu about the Heavenly Derivation Codex, the Heavenly Dao Book had grown restless, releasing frequent fluctuations. It recorded everything within the Heavenly Dao, from which the Heavenly Derivation Codex had also been born.

He had a feeling that the Heavenly Dao Book and the Heavenly Derivation Codex shared some mysterious connection. If he could grasp the Heavenly Derivation Codex, the Heavenly Dao Book might undergo an earth-shaking transformation.

Suddenly, his upper dantian stirred as the Divine Tribulation Pupil successfully advanced. A wondrous sensation rose in Liu Wuxie's heart. When he opened his eyes, disbelief filled his face.

"So this is the true profundity of the Divine Tribulation Pupil."

......

Inside an inn in Eastern Emperor City, several black-robed men sat together. They appeared refined and scholarly, yet a vicious glint flickered in their eyes.

"The Sect Master has ordered us to establish a branch altar in Eastern Emperor City," the man seated in the middle said, his aura at the Profound Immortal Realm spreading outward in subtle waves.

"Branch Master, you can rest easy. Eastern Emperor City is a remote city. With our strength, it won't take long to gain followers here," the man on the left said, patting his chest with confidence. The Shadow Divination Gate's divination arts were first-rate, and that alone was enough to make countless people submit to them.

"We can't afford to be careless. Eastern Emperor City may not be large, but it still has hidden powerhouses. We need to move carefully," the man in the middle warned with a solemn expression. The two men seated beside him merely curled their lips, but neither of them refuted him.

......

Inside a teahouse somewhere in Eastern Emperor City, anger still lingered on Tian Zijin's face as three old men sat before him.

"Elder Tian, why lower yourself to the level of a mere junior?" one old man asked, raising his cup to toast Tian Zijin as he tried to persuade him not to dwell on those unpleasant matters.

Tian Zijin drained the cup in one gulp, and the anger on his face eased considerably.

"Elder Tian, is that man really as extraordinary as you said? He actually produced a seven-colored pill cloud?" another old man asked.

More than half a month had passed since Liu Wuxie had refined the Soul Healing Pill, yet Tian Zijin still brooded over the matter. That day, when he had asked Liu Wuxie about alchemy, he had insulted him by flatly refusing to answer him.

A conflict had broken out afterward, and if Lao Kaiyu had not appeared, a fight might have erupted between them.

The three old men seated opposite Tian Zijin were not instructors of the Azure Flame Dao Hall. They came from various clans in Eastern Emperor City, and their status was not inferior to Tian Zijin's.

The door creaked open, and a young servant walked in.

"Master, the scouts report that Liu Wuxie and Ye Linghan have entered the Xiang Manor," the young servant reported everything he knew before bowing to the four old men.

"What is he doing at the Xiang Manor?" the old man in the middle asked.

"From what I know, Xiang Zicheng seems to have invited him there to refine pills," the old man seated farther inside said, stroking his beard with a barely noticeable smile. This meant he had bribed someone inside the Xiang Manor, allowing him to receive this information immediately.

"If Elder Tian says this man's alchemy is first-rate, why don't we go meet him ourselves? If he doesn't deserve that reputation, we can expose him on the spot and help Elder Tian recover his reputation," the old man seated by the window said. He was the youngest of four, and his temper was also the fiercest.

The four were prominent alchemists in Eastern Emperor City and shared close ties. Now that Tian Zijin had been humiliated by someone, they naturally could not sit idly by.

"Elder Kang is right. Let's go help Elder Tian get his dignity back," the other two said as they also rose, preparing to leave the teahouse for the Xiang Manor.

"No rush. It's already late, and going to the Xiang Manor now would seem rude," Tian Zijin said, stopping them.

Elder Kang turned to look at Tian Zijin and asked, "Are we just going to let it go?" Letting something like this pass was not their style.

"Even if we go, we shouldn't be the ones leading the charge," Tian Zijin replied with a mysterious smile. The three old men exchanged glances, and the same smile appeared in each of their eyes.

Liu Wuxie was unaware of this, as he remained fully immersed in cultivation. His trip to the Dragon Burial Mountain Range had brought him an immense harvest, especially the mysterious crossbow he had forged, which was undoubtedly a treasure for sneak attacks.

If he attacked with the element of surprise, even cultivators at the low levels of the Profound Immortal Realm would find it difficult to avoid the arrows.

......

Inside the Wen Clan, Wen Changxing slammed his palm onto the table, shattering it into pieces. The moment he learned that Liu Wuxie had returned to the Azure Flame Dao Hall and that the Wen Clan had lost a large number of experts, he completely lost his calm.

The loss of Wen Qi hurt even more because he had been the Wen Clan's third elder and held a high status within the clan. He was also an alchemist who had supplied the majority of the pills consumed by the Wen Clan's disciples.

With Wen Qi dead, the Wen Clan's situation was like frost layered upon snow.

"Can anyone explain this to me?! Didn't you say he was dead for sure? Then how did he return to the Azure Flame Dao Hall alive?!" Wen Changxing asked, veins bulging across his face.

The Wen Clan had even gone so far as to attack the City Lord Mansion just to kill Liu Wuxie. Yet now, not only was Liu Wuxie still alive, but the Wen Clan had also suffered heavy losses. Most importantly, they still did not know who had killed Wen Qi and the others.

"Patriarch, could Elder Wen Qi and the others have died at Ye Guhai's hands?" a Wen Clan elder asked as he stepped forward.