Desolate Devouring Art-Chapter 939 - Mysterious Black Figure

The grade of a spirit stone was determined by its purity and the laws it contained. Supreme-grade spirit stones, infused with profound laws, were essential for comprehending dao techniques.

Moreover, each supreme-grade spirit stone contained runes of heaven and earth. They were something ordinary high-grade spirit stones could never possess.

Liu Wuxie had reached a bottleneck in comprehending dao techniques, and it would be impossible for him to make further progress. But if he could obtain supreme-grade spirit stones, he could even comprehend a spatial dao technique.

This was also why Liu Wuxie looked forward to the opening of the sacred ground. For now, his cultivation remained stagnant, and he could only advance one step at a time—unless he encountered a heaven-defying treasure, as ordinary pills were no longer effective in strengthening his cultivation.

Han Feizi walked down the mountain with a few jars of wine in his hand. He had most likely taken them from his uncle's stash.

"Come, have a drink!" Han Feizi said. His mood was strangely low, unlike his usual carefree self.

The moment he opened the wine jar, a rich aroma wafted through the air.

He pulled out two large bowls, filled one for Liu Wuxie, then poured another for himself and downed it in a single gulp.

"Did something happen?" Liu Wuxie asked instead of drinking right away.

"It's nothing," Han Feizi replied, wiping the wine off his lips.

"I won't press you if you don't want to talk, but if you truely see me a friend, you should tell me honestly," Liu Wuxie replied. He knew everyone carried their secrets, and Han Feizi was no different.

"My father was injured!" Han Feizi said and gulped down several more bowls of wine.

"Then why are you still here? You should go back immediately," Liu Wuxie said. As a son, it was only proper for Han Feizi to return and check on his father rather than drown himself in wine.

"I also want to return, but my uncle won't let me. He says the time isn't right," Han Feizi replied. It had been five years since he had left home, and he missed it dearly.

His father's injury had only amplified his yearning to return, but his uncle had forbidden it.

"Your uncle is worried you might get yourself killed," Liu Wuxie said. He seemed to have figured it out.

Since Han Long had stopped Han Feizi from returning, this could only mean that Han Feizi's life would be in danger if he returned now.

As for what kind of clan the Han Clan was, it remained a mystery to Liu Wuxie.

"Yeah," Han Feizi replied. He knew his uncle was doing this for his own good and it wasn't the right time for him to return.

"If I'm not mistaken, your Han Clan bears a great responsibility, doesn't it?" Liu Wuxie asked. He'd been thinking about Han Feizi's exchange with Elder Madman, particularly when the elder told him not to forget his fate or his duty.

He had heard Elder Madman tell Han Feizi not to forget about his fate or responsibility.

"This is fate. Every child born in the Han Clan has their fate determined," Han Feizi replied. He grabbed the wine jar and gulped it down, finishing it in just a few breaths.

A silence fell between them, and Liu Wuxie didn't know how to comfort Han Feizi. Moreover, he was unaware of the Han Clan's role. Since Han Long was famous for his divination, and Han Feizi also practiced it, could the Han Clan be a divination clan?

"Go and get some rest after this," Liu Wuxie said, patting Han Feizi's shoulder. He could tell that Han Feizi was vulnerable, despite always wearing a smile.

Liu Wuxie arrived alone at the Heavenly Gate Platform. He sat cross-legged as the fierce wind howled around him, his gaze fixed on the distant mountain range and the boundless sky beyond.

Even now, no one knew what was outside the True Martial Continent.

The True Martial Continent was like an enormous prison, trapping everyone inside.

Suddenly, a faint murderous intent locked onto Liu Wuxie. When Liu Wuxie turned to look toward the source of the murderous intent, he saw a shadow that vanished in the blink of an eye. He knew someone was beneath the Heavenly Gate Platform, silently observing his every move.

Who's watching me?

By the time Liu Wuxie leaped down the cliff, the murderous intent had vanished.

At first, Liu Wuxie suspected Miao Hanxuan. But given everything that had happened recently, he doubted it was him. If it were, Miao Hanxuan would've settled for petty provocations, perhaps sending disciples to stir up trouble, not lurking in the shadows.

Liu Wuxie soon shook his head and set his thoughts aside.

The enemy hides in the dark, while I walk in the open. But as long as I stay vigilant, it should be fine.

He closed his eyes and resumed cultivating the Conversion Art, all the while keeping his divine sense sharp and sweeping through the surroundings.

Not long after, the murderous intent returned, and Liu Wuxie opened his eyes to look down the cliff, only for the murderous intent to vanish again. He knew the other party was doing this to disrupt him from cultivating.

This gradually frustrated Liu Wuxie. The sacred ground's opening was only three days away, and he had to strengthen himself as much as possible with whatever time he had left.

Liu Wuxie executed Ghost Eye, allowing his vision to pierce through the layers of rocks to see a black figure hidden at the cliff's bottom. This man was completely concealed, and he wouldn't have found him without the Ghost Eye.

However, this person had his back facing Liu Wuxie, and a mask obscured his face.

"Who are you?" Liu Wuxie's voice burrowed into that figure's ears like a thread.

The black figure flinched. He hadn't expected Liu Wuxie to find him so quickly, especially with the surrounding rocks concealing him.

"Cooperate with me, and I'll help you get rid of the Soaring Bloom Order," the black figure said, his voice deliberately low and distorted to hide his identity.

"So, you issued the Soaring Bloom Order," Liu Wuxie replied. He remained seated atop the Heavenly Gate Platform, and they conversed this way.

The black figure didn't respond, which was as good as a confirmation.

This also confirmed Liu Wuxie's suspicion that someone in the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy wanted him dead, but he couldn't figure out who was behind everything.

Judging from this person's height, Liu Wuxie knew it wasn't Miao Hanxuan.

"If you cooperate with me, I can offer you much more. Not only can I help you uncover information about the Golden Cauldron Pavilion, but I can also help you reach the Earth Profound Realm quickly," the black figure said, laying down his conditions.

Liu Wuxie tensed at the mention of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion. It was an extremely mysterious organization in the Central Plains. How did this man know of it?

"Do you think I'd trust someone who's trying to kill me?" Liu Wuxie replied with a cold glint in his eyes.

Working with someone who had tried to kill him was no different from sleeping beside a venomous snake.

"If I can't win you over, I'll have no choice but to destroy you. But if you're willing to cooperate with me, we can start fresh," said the black figure with his back still facing Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie tried probing several times but couldn't discern the man's cultivation. This confirmed that this man was at the Heaven Profound Realm.

"I'm curious. It should be easy for someone with your cultivation to kill me. So why haven't you done so?" Liu Wuxie asked.

It didn't add up. If this man wanted him dead, he had ample power to do it. Instead, he'd orchestrated puppet feuds between White Dragon Peak and Heavenly Gate Peak, issued assassination bounties, and remained hidden in the shadows. Why?

"That's something I can't tell you," replied the black figure. He didn't answer why he hadn't taken Liu Wuxie's life yet. This confirmed that something was holding him back.

"If my guess is correct, it's not that you're unwilling—it's that you don't dare. Someone will notice you the moment you make a move, and you don't dare to offend that person," Liu Wuxie replied, stating his speculations.

After all, the black figure hadn't acted personally, despite clearly wanting Liu Wuxie dead. Instead, he had relied on manipulation, proxies, and external forces to carry out his plans.

"You're smart. But don't you know that smart people often die the fastest?" The black figure tensed, taken aback by Liu Wuxie's speculation.

The black figure had no idea that Liu Wuxie's deduction came not from some hidden insight, but from carefully observing his words and behavior.

As for who the black figure feared, Liu Wuxie didn't know yet. He had considered Elder Madman for a moment, but quickly dismissed the idea. It didn't fit.

Elder Madman was only at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm, barely touching the threshold of the Quasi-Heaven Profound Realm.

In contrast, this black figure clearly stood at the Heaven Profound Realm. For someone of his level to harbor fear, it could only be toward someone at the same level—or higher.

"It's impossible for us to work together. You can give up on the idea," Liu Wuxie replied with a wave of his hand. A sense of clarity washed over him now that the mystery was solved.

As long as this person didn't make a direct move against him, he could manage the external pressure by remaining cautious.

"Everything in the world is bound by interest. There's no feud between us, and there's no harm for you to cooperate with me," the man said, still trying to persuade Liu Wuxie and hoping the latter would reconsider. After all, if he refused, Liu Wuxie would have to face his wrath.

"I'm only at the True Profound Realm, and I'm flattered that someone like you would pay attention to me," Liu Wuxie replied before cutting off his connection with the black figure.

Liu Wuxie wasn't interested in the reason this black figure wanted his life or what kind of alliance he was offering.

When Liu Wuxie rejected the other party's offer, their fates were determined; they would never be allies.

The black figure also vanished after receiving Liu Wuxie's reply.

Now that no one disturbed him, Liu Wuxie could finally focus on his cultivation.

He knew the encounter was no accident. The black figure must have revealed himself on purpose, hoping to strike a deal, only to be rejected outright.

Liu Wuxie felt the trip to the sacred ground wouldn't be peaceful. Even if he chose not to go, this man would still try to eliminate him by any means necessary.

However, what worried Liu Wuxie the most was not his own safety but that of those around him. He was concerned that the Golden Cauldron Pavilion would continue to target the Liu Clan.

From his tone, it wasn't hard to tell that even he feared the Golden Cauldron Pavilion. He had only offered to help gather information on the Golden Cauldron Pavilion and nothing more.

Moreover, Liu Wuxie grew increasingly anxious by the day, as there was still no news of Xu Lingxue or Murong Yi. They had arrived in the Central Plains half a year ago, and there was no news about their whereabouts.

Then again, the Central Plains were vast, and even finding one person could take a great deal of time.

...... freēwēbnovel.com

Over the next three days, Liu Wuxie cultivated on the Heavenly Gate Platform and contemplated the black figure's words.

On the final day, he stood up and descended the platform. He sped toward Elder Madman's thatched hut, hoping to find any helpful information on the black figure.

As he knocked on the door, Elder Madman answered, "Come in!"

It was as if Elder Madman had already anticipated his visit as the door opened by itself.

"Greetings, Master!" Liu Wuxie was grateful to the man who had once intervened at Star Eclipse Valley. Otherwise, he would've perished at the hands of that White Dragon Peak's elder.

"Ask away," Elder Madman said, getting straight to the point.

This suited Liu Wuxie just fine, as he also didn't like beating around the bush.