Desolate Devouring Art

Enchantress had likely suffered an injury during her recent battle. Even though others had overlooked it, Liu Wuxie's mental energy detected the instability in her aura. More importantly, the injury wasn't new. It had plagued her for years. Liu Wuxie didn't dare investigate any deeper, lest she sense his probing.

The teleportation array blazed to life, carrying everyone through a dazzling expanse of distorted spacetime. Roughly fifteen minutes later, the crushing pressure disappeared, allowing everyone to stand up.

The teleportation array led directly into the Shadow Divination Gate. Most of those emerging from it were disciples of the sect.

The three youths held by the spectral figures struggled less than before, having apparently surrendered to their fate. Now that they had entered the Shadow Divination Gate, they were at Enchantress's mercy.

Liu Wuxie followed Enchantress and occasionally raised his head to survey the surroundings. The Shadow Divination Gate far exceeded his expectations, sprawling across several thousand miles. An endless mountain range curved around the sect like a mother's outstretched arms, embracing the entire territory. The land possessed extraordinary geomancy.

The Heavenly Derivation Codex could predict more than fortune and disaster. It could also calculate astral phenomena and geomantic terrain.

Mountains enclosed the Shadow Divination Gate on three sides, leaving only a single entrance and transforming the region into a natural stronghold. Even more impressive was the abundant immortal energy filling the mountain range. Several immortal veins lay hidden beneath it, each containing vast quantities of immortal stones.

A single sweeping glance allowed Liu Wuxie to scan the entire Shadow Divination Gate.

"No wonder the Shadow Divination Gate developed so quickly. It possesses the right time and place. The only thing it lacks now is people," Liu Wuxie thought.

Though the Shadow Divination Gate possessed a terrible reputation, its three great advantages allowed it to develop several times faster than before.

After leaving the teleportation array, Liu Wuxie passed through an imposing hall. A broad view opened beyond it, and the path ahead became far easier to traverse.

The Shadow Divination Gate disciples who had emerged alongside them gradually scattered. Black Tiger cast Liu Wuxie a meaningful glance before turning away and returning to his own territory.

After resting briefly, Enchantress regulated her breathing and suppressed the turbulent energy within her body.

"Take them back first. I need to meet with the Sect Master," Enchantress ordered, instructing three spectral figures to escort Liu Wuxie and the others to her palace.

"Understood."

Liu Wuxie suddenly felt his body become weightless as one spectral figure grabbed him by his clothes and raced through the Shadow Divination Gate. Liu Wuxie activated Ghost Pupil and memorized everything they passed along the way.

After roughly fifteen minutes of travel, an opulent palace appeared ahead. This was Enchantress's residence.

Two handsome youths stood waiting at the palace entrance. Both wore extravagant robes and heavy makeup, a sight that filled Liu Wuxie with disgust. He had not expected the Enchantress’s depraved tastes to extend this far.

"Oh my, the three spectral envoys have returned!" the man on the left exclaimed, hurrying forward to welcome them.

Black cloaks completely concealed the three spectral envoys, leaving only their eyes exposed. No one could determine whether they were men or women.

"More cultivation cauldrons have arrived!" the man on the right said, covering his mouth with a giggle.

He examined Liu Wuxie and the other captives with malicious interest, his voice grating unpleasantly against the ears.

The three youths beside Liu Wuxie put up a struggle, but the spectral envoys held them firmly in place.

Liu Wuxie remained relatively composed. He tried examining the envoys with Ghost Pupil, only for an invisible force to repel every attempt.

"Inside," the spectral envoy in the middle ordered, gesturing toward the palace.

"Move," the envoy repeated, signaling Liu Wuxie and the other three to enter.

Whether they had been abducted or entered willingly made no difference to the spectral envoys.

Liu Wuxie stepped forward first. Since he had already come this far, he might as well exploit every opportunity and enter the palace without hesitation.

The palace interior was lavish beyond reason, crossing the boundary into decadence.

Rare crystals paved the floor. From what Liu Wuxie knew, even a foot-long piece was worth more than ten thousand immortal stones. More than five hundred pieces covered the ground, placing the floor's value alone at five million immortal stones.

And that was merely the floor. Azure Ridge Stones formed the walls, making them exceptionally soundproof with enough durability to withstand even a fierce battle without suffering damage.

Carved phoenixes spiraled around the pillars, creating a somewhat incongruous sight. Most palaces displayed dragons alongside phoenixes. Perhaps Enchantress disliked dragons because their presence always seemed to overshadow the phoenixes.

Countless decorations filled the palace, some worth considerable fortunes. Enchantress was the only woman in the entire palace complex, with no other woman in sight.

"Greetings, spectral envoys!" a young man said as he emerged from the palace depths.

His shifty eyes made his unsavory character obvious at a glance. A feminine yet sinister air surrounded him, and anyone who met his gaze felt as though they had been marked as prey by a venomous viper.

Liu Wuxie became wary. He could tell that this man was both vicious and ruthless.

"Take all four away. The guardian may summon them at any time tonight," the middle spectral figure instructed.

"Understood!" the man replied.

He examined Liu Wuxie and the other three youths before a devilish smile curled across his lips.

The three spectral figures departed after giving instructions.

"Follow me," the man ordered, stepping toward a side door.

Liu Wuxie had no choice but to follow. The three abducted youths had already accepted their fate and looked around as they walked, trying to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.

After they crossed the main hall, the scenery opened into a vast garden filled with all manner of plants.

Several attendants tended the vegetation, while fruit hung heavily from some of the trees. Pavilions and terraces dotted the garden, and rows of residences stood along both sides.

Enchantress certainly knew how to indulge herself.

"The residences on the left belong to the servants. They clean the palace and handle all daily chores," the man explained, pointing toward the buildings.

Liu Wuxie and the other three remained silent and watched.

"You'll live in the residences on the right. Each one has a corresponding number. You'll understand soon enough," he continued, leading them onward.

Liu Wuxie swept his gaze over more than a hundred identical houses, all built to the same specifications. Each had a separate entrance but contained only a single room for its occupant to rest.

"We're here," the man said, stopping before four residences.

"These are your rooms. The number on each door is now your identity. While you remain here, forget your names and remember only your numbers," he said solemnly, pointing toward the plaques above the entrances.

The guardian would execute anyone who forgot their assigned number.

Liu Wuxie selected the room bearing the number 179, which the man recorded. The other three youths exchanged glances with weary sighs and entered their respective rooms.

Experts stood guard throughout the palace. Any attempt at resistance would end in death.

Liu Wuxie entered his residence and closed the door, blocking out the outside world.

Although all the residences were connected, an invisible force separated them, preventing their occupants from communicating.

The buildings beside Liu Wuxie's were occupied, yet even his divine sense couldn't penetrate their walls.

Enchantress had taken extraordinary precautions, eliminating every opportunity for her captives to conspire.

Just as Liu Wuxie had expected, the residence was tiny. Calling it an independent residence was generous. It contained only a ten-square-meter yard and one small room. In simpler terms, it was a cage.

" Such crude restrictions won't hold me," Liu Wuxie muttered.

He organized the room while sorting through everything he had witnessed and heard along the journey. Eventually, he concluded that everyone inside this palace possessed a warped personality.

Then again, anyone imprisoned here for so long would eventually become twisted.

Liu Wuxie didn't rush to break the restrictions. Before Enchantress returned, he wanted to examine the two items he had purchased from the Yin Market. She had gone to meet the Shadow Divination Gate's sect master and was unlikely to return soon.

Liu Wuxie retrieved the Fragrant Yin Wood and sent powerful mental energy inside it. A mass of ink-green liquid immediately flowed out.

"This is Agarwood Dew," Liu Wuxie nearly exclaimed.

He understood why the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron had alerted him.

Someone had injected the Agarwood Dew into Fragrant Yin Wood, sealing the precious liquid inside.

Agarwood Dew released an intensely rich fragrance. Any ordinary container would have allowed the scent to escape. The Fragrant Yin Wood, however, naturally emitted its own faint aroma, ensuring that anyone who detected the fragrance wouldn't associate it with Agarwood Dew.

Liu Wuxie had no time to waste. He needed to refine the Agarwood Dew immediately.

The Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron churned violently and unleashed powerful flames that engulfed the Fragrant Yin Wood.

In an instant, the wood crumbled into fine powder and vanished within the cauldron, revealing three droplets of Agarwood Dew. Each drop possessed incomparable purity, resembling a crystal-clear tear. They were perfectly round like polished agate and radiated a faint luster.

"Time to refine them," Liu Wuxie said.

He circulated the Desolate Devouring Art, causing the surrounding immortal energy to stir restlessly.

However, he didn't dare create too great a disturbance. He produced five hundred immortal stones and threw them into the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron.

The Desolate Devouring Art swallowed their energy and transformed it into an endless stream of liquid.

Inside the Shadow Divination Gate's highest hall, a black-robed man occupied the seat of honor. Black cloth concealed his entire body and obscured his features, while a faint odor permeated the hall.

Enchantress stood beneath him in the hall.

"How is the investigation I assigned to you progressing?" the Shadow Divination Gate's sect master asked hoarsely.

"Sect Master, I've investigated everything. Old Man Meng from the Heavenly Divination Gate has gone to Windmoon Mountain and intends to destroy our geomantic foundation," Enchantress reported with a bow.

"That old bastard thinks destroying Windmoon Mountain will shake my foundation? What a joke!" the sect master replied with wild laughter.

"Sect Master, should we send people to stop him?" Enchantress asked cautiously.