Desolate Devouring Art
Chapter 1066 - Fighting the Pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm

Chapter 1066 - Fighting the Pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm

Ji Lu'an's junior sister, Shao Qian, shoved him away with the last bit of her strength, desperation creeping in her trembling voice. If Miao Hanxuan returned, they would all die.

However, Ji Lu'an refused to budge. He rushed forward again, embracing her tightly, his tone resolute. "I'm not leaving without you."

He had made up his mind. No matter what happened, he would take her far away from the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy to a remote location where they could bury the pain of their past and begin anew.

Liu Wuxie stood nearby in silence, his eyes scanning the ornate room. It was an absurdly lavish chamber that mimicked the court of an emperor. Beyond the massive dragon bed, dragon-shaped thrones lined the walls, and imperial robes hung from golden hooks. The extravagance was telling.

It was clear to Liu Wuxie that Miao Hanxuan was obsessed with domination, ruling, and playing the role of an emperor.

Few truly knew Miao Hanxuan's background. He had risen from the mundane world as a prodigy, and he had dreamed of becoming an emperor since childhood.

Yet now, with cultivation at the Earth Profound Realm, that dream had become impossible. If he returned to the mundane world at his current strength, he would disrupt spatial laws and tear the fabric of that plane apart.

So instead, he stayed here, in the Central Plains, surrounding himself with illusions of power and royalty, recreating the fantasy he could no longer chase.

Liu Wuxie moved over to a wall where a large, unusual portrait hung. The painting depicted a heroic-looking middle-aged man with a striking and stern appearance.

It wasn't Miao Hanxuan.

"There's something off about this painting," Liu Wuxie muttered.

He reached out and took the painting down, immediately activating Ghost Eye to investigate further.

He quickly detected something odd. The portrait pulsed faintly with spiritual energy, far too unusual for a simple painting. If it had been a woman, that would have made sense in a man's quarters. However, this was a handsome man, and that was a red flag.

Trusting his instincts, Liu Wuxie carefully slit the painting's edge. A transparent sheet as thin as a cicada's wing slid out from inside. He found not paper but the skin of a rare deep-sea fish, an extremely durable material impervious to ordinary weapons.

He slowly unfolded it, and a map appeared.

"A treasure map?" Liu Wuxie murmured, narrowing his eyes.

However, the terrain was unfamiliar. He didn't recognize the landscape, and no prominent landmarks stood out to him.

It wasn't the Southern Province, the Western Barren, the Northern City, or even the Central Plains.

Though Liu Wuxie hadn't personally explored every corner of the Central Plains, he had studied detailed maps of the region before. Yet, none of them featured the pitch-black mountain marked on this strange fish-skin parchment.

What struck him most wasn't the terrain but the sinister aura emanating from the mountain drawn on the map. Even through the material, Liu Wuxie could sense an overwhelming wave of demonic energy.

"Could this be the Demonic Realm?" he murmured to himself.

There was no way Miao Hanxuan had hidden this for no reason. Whatever it was, it had to be important. If the opportunity arose, Liu Wuxie planned to investigate further.

He quietly returned the painting to its place on the wall. Though it appeared the same on the surface, the painting no longer radiated even a trace of its former spiritual essence.

By then, Ji Lu'an had gently lifted Shao Qian into his arms and was helping her toward the exit.

"Senior Brother Ji, leave quickly! Don't worry about me," Shao Qian pleaded weakly.

Years of isolation and abuse had crippled her cultivation. Her body was frail and hollowed.

"I said we'd leave together," Ji Lu'an replied firmly. He had already failed her once and would not make that mistake again. Even if he died today, he would die by her side.

Just then, a cold voice rang out like a dagger through the silence. "None of you will be leaving this place alive."

Miao Hanxuan had returned. He appeared at the entrance, his eyes burning with fury and killing intent.

He had placed an array over the residence and linked it to himself, so when someone broke through the restriction, he sensed it immediately. Convinced no one could breach the array, Miao Hanxuan had dismissed the warning, but reality proved otherwise.

His expression darkened, shrouded in murderous malice.

"Miao Hanxuan, you beast!" Ji Lu'an roared, shielding Shao Qian behind him. "If there's any shred of humanity left in you, let us go!"

His plea came not from cowardice but from desperation. He knew he was no match for Miao Hanxuan. Somewhere deep in his heart, he hoped that their former master-disciple bond would earn them mercy.

Nonetheless, being called a beast by his disciple only deepened Miao Hanxuan's murderous resolve.

His cold gaze swept across the room, and it didn't take long for him to notice a familiar figure—Liu Wuxie.

In that instant, he understood where Ji Lu'an had found the courage to storm his residence. Ji Lu'an had attempted to sneak in several times over the past few years, and Miao Hanxuan had discovered him each time. The only reason Ji Lu'an was still alive was that he had narrowly escaped again and again.

"Liu Wuxie," Miao Hanxuan said coldly, "you've trespassed into an elder's residence. By sect law, I have every right to kill you on the spot."

He had long desired to eliminate Liu Wuxie. Now, the opportunity was perfect, and he could kill them all in one sweep.

"Are you sure this is an elder's residence and not a filthy den of shame?" Liu Wuxie retorted sharply with a chilling smile.

From this moment, there would be no negotiation, and only death.

Liu Wuxie had always known Miao Hanxuan's depravity, but seeing Shao Qian imprisoned in that state ignited a killing intent within him.

"All three of you will die today," Miao Hanxuan declared icily.

He planned to deal with them swiftly, leaving no witnesses. Once they were dead, it wouldn't matter even if the grandmaster found out. Being the chosen one meant nothing if one violated the sect's rules.

"Miao Hanxuan, come and try," Liu Wuxie said, his gaze piercing.

He swung his arm, and half the building exploded into rubble, debris scattering like leaves in a storm. In the same breath, he appeared outside in a blur.

The open courtyard was a far better battlefield.

He had waited long enough.

Now was the time to test his strength against someone standing at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm.

"Run!" Liu Wuxie transmitted his voice to Ji Lu'an, urging him to flee while he held Miao Hanxuan at bay.

However, Ji Lu'an didn't move. He stood firm, holding Shao Qian in his arms.

"I'm not leaving. If we're going to die, then we'll die together," Ji Lu'an said resolutely. "I didn't come here expecting to live. As long as I can die with her, I have no regrets."

Liu Wuxie cursed under his breath. "What a fool."

Since Ji Lu'an refused to retreat, there was nothing more he could say. He could see it clearly; Ji Lu'an and Shao Qian had already accepted death as their fate.

"Junior Sister, wait here. I'll go help Brother Wuxie," Ji Lu'an said gently, brushing a hand across Shao Qian's face.

She nodded weakly, slumping against the stone steps. She was frail, and years of captivity had ravaged her cultivation.

"Brother Liu, I'll help you!" Ji Lu'an shouted as he turned, his spirit blazing with loyalty, even if his strength couldn't compare.

"Get lost!" Miao Hanxuan bellowed. A wave of murderous aura surged from him, blasting Ji Lu'an backward like a leaf in a storm.

Ji Lu'an crashed to the ground, coughing up blood, and his face turned ghostly pale. The gap between their strength was wide, and one palm strike had nearly ended his life.

The battle on the peak drew attention like a beacon. Countless disciples from across the mountain ranges gathered to watch, but none dared step closer. The crowd reeled in shock, frozen as they watched from afar.

Miao Hanxuan turned his cold gaze toward Liu Wuxie.

"Liu Wuxie, don't blame me. You brought this upon yourself," he said darkly. He aimed to kill quickly and erase all evidence.

"You think you can kill me?" Liu Wuxie sneered. "What a joke?!"

He summoned the Heretic Blade, pointed skyward, and prepared to execute his arsenal of dao techniques at any moment. At the same time, the Heavenly Dragon Seal stirred within him. If combined with the Dragon Aspect Art, it could flatten the entire peak in one strike.

"A mere cultivator at the Spirit Profound Realm dares to speak so arrogantly? You can die now!" Miao Hanxuan shouted, thrusting his palm forward.

He unleashed a massive black cloud from his hand, blotting out the sky as it descended. Miao Hanxuan’s oppressive might tore through the air, forming a spiraling vortex that ensnared Liu Wuxie. Space itself buckled and twisted under the weight of Miao Hanxuan's strike.

Despite all his preparations, Liu Wuxie felt the crushing force press down on him, and his eyes narrowed.

He had underestimated the true strength of someone who stood at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm.

Even when he had defeated the three great clans' elders using the Ten-Sided Annihilation Array, it had pushed him to his limits. Without it, facing an expert like Miao Hanxuan head-on was far more dangerous.

Nevertheless, killing Liu Wuxie wouldn't be easy for Miao Hanxuan either.

"Break!" Liu Wuxie roared.

His voice tore through the swirling black clouds like thunder, ripping a massive gash through Miao Hanxuan's domain of aura. Liu Wuxie's roar shook the vortex, collapsing its structure beneath his sheer willpower.

Gasps erupted from the onlookers as the sky trembled.

"Liu Wuxie is holding his ground against someone at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm?!"

Disciples approached the surrounding mountainsides in waves, eager to witness the clash. Not only had the disciples of White Dragon Peak arrived, but others from the cavern, three courts, and five institutions had also rushed over.

Even cultivators who had been deep in seclusion emerged, drawn by the clash. The fight of someone at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm was a rare sight.

However, most importantly, it was Liu Wuxie who stood at the center of it all.

His fame had spread across the entire True Martial Continent. Heavenly Dao Society's pill value had skyrocketed, and attackers ambushed anyone who dared carry one.

The Heretic Blade howled as it tore through space. Cracks webbed across the void, and even Miao Hanxuan's expression shifted.

He narrowed his eyes. Liu Wuxie's true essence and mastery over laws had nearly caught up to his own. The only gap between them was of the realm.

"Great Five Elemental Palm!" Liu Wuxie roared, raising his left hand and striking forward while continuing the relentless assault with his blade.

"You dare to use a dao technique in front of me? What a joke!" Miao Hanxuan scoffed.

His palm turned over, and the sky trembled.

"Mountain-Sea Seal!"

A tidal force surged from above, descending with crushing weight. It smashed into Liu Wuxie's blade aura, scattering it in a violent burst.

Having cultivated for over a thousand years, Miao Hanxuan had mastered countless dao techniques. Any one of them could rival Liu Wuxie's.

The clash of the Great Five Elemental Palm and Mountain-Sea Seal exploded with deafening force, tearing through the peak and uprooting ancient trees.

The observing disciples gasped and scrambled back, fearing that the destructive aftermath would sweep them away.

Above them, the sky boiled as the five elemental laws raged, weaving a storm of chaos.

"Spatial Dao Art! Death Dao Art!" Liu Wuxie roared again, his voice infused with divine might.

Two dao techniques surged forth in tandem.

The moment the death energy manifested, Miao Hanxuan's expression faltered. Panic briefly flickered in his eyes.

Up until now, he had dismissed Liu Wuxie's techniques as nothing more than flashy, ultimately powerless against someone at his level.

To his horror, this was different.

This deathly aura wasn't something one could casually dismiss. Even someone at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Realm would suffer from it.