Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 392 - Death

The four participants looked at their bamboo slips with a mix of emotions.

“This is unfair! Why did Senior Brother Shao Wendong and Senior Sister Chen Lin meet before the final battle?” The Heavenly Trigram Peak and Earth Force Peak’s disciples stood up to protest because Shao Wendong and Chen Lin had drawn the same bamboo slip.

Their early encounter meant one of them would be eliminated from the championship because a victor would be determined in this battle, with the loser competing for the third spot.

Liu Wuxie’s opponent was Wen Haoran, which was a result that Wuxie had anticipated.

The four walked to the arena, with Liu Wuxie and Wen Haoran choosing the left side while Shao Wendong and Chen Lin picked the right. They were separated by over five hundred meters. This ensured the two arenas wouldn’t affect each other and visibility simultaneously.

“Liu Wuxie, you’ve finally fallen into my hands and will die in this battle.” Wen Haoran still held a grudge over the black cultivation chamber, but he hadn’t had a chance to kill Liu Wuxie.

“A deathmatch!” Liu Wuxie said, pointing the Heretic Blade at Wen Haoran. There was no need for further words since it had come to this point.

“What? They want a deathmatch?” The crowd thought they had gone insane because no one would pick a deathmatch after coming this far.

Elder Tian Xing showed displeasure, thinking Liu Wuxie was too reckless. After all, he still had a chance to compete for third place if he took a more steady approach.

The entire martial field erupted into an uproar. Even Shao Wendong and Chen Lin looked at them.

“This kid...” Chen Lin smiled bitterly and didn’t know what to say.

“He’s just seeking attention, and his luck will run out one day,” Shao Wendong sneered, thinking Liu Wuxie was seeking attention. He was under the impression he had won the previous battles due to the luck of running into weaker opponents.

But luck would run out one day, and Wen Haoran wasn’t an ordinary disciple. Even Shao Wendong would find it difficult to win against Wen Haoran easily.

“I don’t think so. I have a feeling he’s hiding something.” Chen Lin shared her view on Liu Wuxie as he didn’t seem like the type to act recklessly.

Everyone’s opinions varied, with most people thinking Liu Wuxie had gone insane.

Upon hearing Liu Wuxie’s request for a deathmatch, Wen Haoran hesitated briefly before a cruel smile rose on his lips.

“Perfect! I was also hoping for a deathmatch!” Wen Haoran agreed to Liu Wuxie’s deathmatch. This meant only one could leave the arena alive.

“Shao Wendong asked you to do it, right? To exhaust my true essence even if you can’t kill me to give him an advantage.” Liu Wuxie sneered and saw through Wen Haoran’s plan.

“So what if you guessed it? You’ll die soon anyway.” Wen Haoran admitted without hiding. Shao Wendong had told him to do his best to exhaust Liu Wuxie’s true essence by any means necessary.

“Since that’s the case, let’s cut the crap and fight!” No words were needed because their strength would determine the outcome. Dense murderous intent burst out from the two and enveloped the entire arena.

“You’re arrogant, but I’ll end you!” Wen Haoran pointed his sword at Liu Wuxie with gusts of wind enveloping a few kilometers of radius.

Liu Wuxie raised the Heretic Blade calmly with no changes on his face. He was also unsure of his odds against someone in the fifth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm.

Repelling Mu Yongyuan with a single palm strike didn't necessarily mean Liu Wuxie was much stronger than his opponent. After all, Mu Yongyuan didn't dare to stay and fight in the Abyssal Underground World, choosing instead to retreat.

On the contrary, Wen Haoran had hidden his strength for this competition, and he would undoubtedly use his full strength to win no matter what. When Wen Haoran swung his blade, it created a powerful gale that nearly blew Liu Wuxie away.

A powerful wave of energy was unleashed as the longsword swung down, nearly sweeping Liu Wuxie away with its forceful gale. This strike was extraordinarily potent, with Wen Haoran resorting to his strongest attack right from the start, not wanting to give Liu Wuxie any chance.

“Great!” Liu Wuxie advanced instead of retreating. He raised the Heretic Blade and performed the Fatality Blade Art. There was no powerful shockwave or aggressive blade aura. Instead, this looked like a gentle swing of the blade.

The Hurricane Sword Art focused on aggressive strikes, while Liu Wuxie adopted a gentle approach to counter Wen Haoran’s attacks. The two clashed with opposing fighting styles.

The arena slabs exploded under the force of the Hurricane Sword Art, leveling the ground where Liu Wuxie stood and covering the entire arena in craters.

Striding the Seven Dipper Steps, Liu Wuxie dodged and appeared on the other side of the arena, swinging the Heretic Blade down. His attack was swift like thunderbolts, reaching Wen Haoran in the blink of an eye.

Liu Wuxie and Wen Haoran’s attacks were swift, and each move seemed meticulously refined through time. But Liu Wuxie still didn’t unleash his power in the Heavenly Dipper Realm.

Liu Wuxie was waiting for Wen Haoran to fall under the impression that he would win before launching his counterattack. After all, it would be more interesting than easy.

Facing Liu Wuxie’s attack, Wen Haoran remained indifferent and swung his sword horizontally.

Sparks flew when the sword and the blade clashed. The two were evenly matched, and Wen Haoran’s sword was fine because it was of a higher quality compared to Luo Mingyang.

“Where did this kid come from? How can he withstand an attack from someone in the fifth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm?” The inner disciples who arrived later were utterly shocked by this scene. They didn’t believe it when others told them of Liu Wuxie’s strength.

However, after witnessing it with their own eyes, they realized it wasn’t a lie, and Liu Wuxie was stronger than he appeared.

“Holy shit, doesn’t that mean he’ll advance by leaps and bounds if he gets into the inner sect?” The treatment in the inner sect was on a whole new level compared to the outer sect.

With Liu Wuxie’s talent, he could easily rise within three years after entering the inner sect as long as he progressed steadily.

The fight between Shao Wendong and Chen Lin had already commenced, with both participants cautiously testing each other's capabilities. Given their deep understanding of each other's strengths, the battle would likely hinge on a decisive clash to determine the victor. Ordinary moves wouldn’t suffice, as they were well-acquainted with each other’s cultivation and martial techniques.

As a result, their match didn’t captivate the spectators as much as the action in Liu Wuxie's arena. Unlike Shao Wendong and Chen Lin, Liu Wuxie and Wen Haoran were unfamiliar with each other’s styles, forcing them to stay alert while attempting to land lethal blows.

A powerful shockwave swept over, making Liu Wuxie’s arm numb. This was because Wen Haoran’s true essence was incredibly pure, much more than Luo Mingyang’s.

Wen Haoran's expression shifted as the collision's impact felt like slamming into a mountain. The recoil force nearly tore the tendons in his arm, leaving him with a serious, somber demeanor.

He mobilized all his true essence to create a powerful hurricane like a vortex, trapping Liu Wuxie inside. This was likely the strongest attack of the Hurricane Sword Art, and Wen Haoran didn’t dare to be careless.

“What’s happening? After just three exchanges, Wen Haoran has already used Hurricane Vortex. Could Liu Wuxie be posing a serious threat?” The Profound Inscription Peak’s disciples stood up, bewildered by the sudden shift in the arena. This made no sense, as Wen Haoran should have easily defeated Liu Wuxie by now.

When the vortex was formed, Liu Wuxie narrowed his eyes and raised the Heretic Blade, swinging it down.

“Third Fatality Form!” The third form didn’t have as much variation as the fourth, but it was stronger.

Rumbling sounds came from the surrounding space, and the deacon acting as a judge for this arena quickly retreated. Cracks also began to appear on the vortex in the center.

“Liu Wuxie, it’s useless. You will die today!” Wen Haoran roared and swung his sword down, causing the vortex to expand.

Liu Wuxie was trapped in the vortex and couldn’t break out no matter how he swung his blade. If this continued, it wouldn’t be long for the vortex to rip Liu Wuxie apart.

“Senior Brother Wen Haoran, go for it! Kill him!” The Profound Inscription Peak’s disciples stood up to cheer for Wen Haoran.

Liu Wuxie charged left and right, but he couldn’t tear the vortex apart no matter how he executed the Fatality Blade Art. This wasn’t a good sign, making Bai Lin and others anxious.

Conceding was fine if this was a regular battle, but this was a deathmatch with no room for retreat.

Jian Xing’er stood up with her hands clasped together, praying silently. She didn’t know Liu Wuxie had reached the Heavenly Dipper Realm because he hadn’t disclosed it to anyone.

“Junior Brother Liu, concede the fight quickly!” Many supporters of Liu Wuxie stood up, urging him to concede. Even if Liu Wuxie had to apologize to Wen Haoran, this was better than dying in the arena.

“Hmph, no one can concede in a death match.” The Profound Inscription Peak and Terrain Summit Peak’s disciples jumped out after having been silent for a long time.

Since the start of the competition, Liu Wuxie had consistently shattered their expectations, delivering resounding blows to their pride. But now, they could finally hold their heads high.

The vortex continued to grow stronger. Wen Haoran had unleashed such a powerful move when the fight had just begun, which was a rare sight.

Elder Tian Xing looked worried because the young lady had invited Liu Wuxie. He didn’t know how to explain to the young lady if anything happened to Liu Wuxie.

Then again, no one could interfere in the outer sect’s competition, especially since the two parties had decided on a death match.

The situation grew increasingly unfavorable for Liu Wuxie, placing him in a difficult position. The vortex showed signs of shrinking from ten to five meters in diameter, further restricting Liu Wuxie’s mobility.

A sinister smile rose on Wen Haoran’s lips. He could foresee himself killing Liu Wuxie and becoming the champion.

The discussions gradually faded as the vortex shrank to about three meters.

“It looks like Liu Wuxie has given up!” Even Shao Wendong would have difficulty breaking free from such a small vortex.

It seemed Liu Wuxie had given up on the stage after several unsuccessful attempts to break free. Just when everyone thought it was game over for Liu Wuxie, a powerful wave of energy erupted from the vortex.

A silver beam burst forth from the vortex, spawning a new whirlwind that began to consume Wen Haoran's vortex.

"What's happening? Look at the arena!" The sudden turn of events left everyone astonished. They were amazed to see a new vortex emerge within Wen Haoran's vortex, devouring it slowly over time.

Everyone thought Liu Wuxie had created the vortex, but one-third of Wen Haoran’s vortex was devoured as time passed.

Thousands of people gathered around Liu Wuxie’s arena and couldn’t find any anomalies. It was as though the vortex had appeared out of nowhere.

“Look! Liu Wuxie’s cultivation...”