Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 397 - Five Spots

The outer sect's competition had finally come to an end. Everyone was still reminiscing about the battles, especially the last one, which became a hot topic.

The martial field gradually became quiet, and those who made it into the top fifty were all promoted to inner disciples.

A group of people went to the Contribution Hall to exchange for inner disciples' clothing and resources.

Liu Wuxie received a bunch of pills and resources. The inner sect wasn't divided into upper, middle, or lower regions; each peak had an area meant for the inner sect.

The treatment in the inner sect was much better than in the outer sect, and disciples were given an individual courtyard. The courtyard was small, but it was well-equipped.

Liu Wuxie was assigned Courtyard Number Seventy-Seven, a fitting coincidence since it was the first number he had drawn in the competition.

He didn't dwell on the coincidence and entered the courtyard. It was somewhat larger than he had anticipated, featuring a house and a hall. However, it lacked alchemy and forging chambers, so he would need to visit the Treasure Pill Pavilion for pill refinement.

The environment was pleasant, featuring a small courtyard ideal for practicing basic fist techniques. At its center stood a century-old tree, its trunk marked with numerous sword and blade marks.

This kind of tree was common in the cultivation world. Its characteristic was its toughness, as weapons could only leave superficial marks on it. The foundation wasn't easy to damage, and the continent was filled with such trees since the beginning of heaven and earth.

After a quick clean-up, Liu Wuxie, still a bit fatigued from the intense five-day competition, decided to rest before searching for a cultivation chamber to solidify his progress.

"Junior brother, congratulations!" A familiar voice called out from outside. Jian Xing'er entered with a smile, offering her congratulations on Liu Wuxie's championship win and his new status as an inner disciple.

"Senior sister, please don’t tease me!" Liu Wuxie said, inviting Jian Xing'er to sit. Through this competition, he had come to appreciate the importance of building connections, as relying solely on himself proved challenging. Compared to the seasoned disciples, Liu Wuxie realized he had much to improve in terms of popularity and other aspects.

Liu Wuxie knew he needed to focus on his cultivation, which required more time and effort. Building a network and finding reliable helpers became essential, but he couldn't afford to trust just anyone. He had to choose individuals he could rely on, whether for running errands or gathering information.

Achieving a high level of cultivation involved more than just personal strength; it also required creating a supportive network.

Unlike the other nine Immortal Emperors of his past life, who each had a cadre of disciples forming formidable forces, Liu Wuxie had been alone. When he had acquired the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, he had to face the Celestial Realm's challenges on his own.

"Junior brother, what are your plans next?" Jian Xing'er asked. With so many resources, a good plan was necessary for Liu Wuxie.

"I plan to find the peak master tomorrow before handling some matters and going into seclusion for a while," Liu Wuxie said frankly. Their relationship was complicated because they were more than friends but less than lovers. After all, neither had openly acknowledged their feelings.

"I also heard that the various peak masters have promised additional benefits to motivate the disciples," Jian Xing'er warned, her brow furrowed with concern. "You need to be cautious over the next few days. News of your Meridians Purifying Pill has already spread, and such a supreme sixth-grade pill is a rare treasure that only the major sects can afford.”

She was afraid some people might try to rob Liu Wuxie of his Meridians Purifying Pill before he could gain a footing in the inner sect.

"Thank you for the heads-up. I'll be sure to stay vigilant," Liu Wuxie replied. After Jian Xing'er left, he began fortifying his courtyard with spiritual arrays, ensuring it was as secure as possible.

Although the courtyard had a spiritual array, it wasn't enough to stop any experts.

The first day was relatively quiet. Aside from Jian Xing'er, Bai Lin and Tang Tian sent him a message through others to congratulate him for becoming the champion. This was because they were outer disciples, so coming over was troublesome.

As Liu Wuxie sat in the room, he heard footsteps outside. They lingered for a few minutes before fading away. It was clear that someone had come to gather information about him.

Given that he had only joined the sect the previous day, many were still unfamiliar with him, and such probing was to be expected.

At dawn, Liu Wuxie went straight to the main hall of Heavenly Trigram Peak. Song Yuanqiu, who had been anticipating his arrival, was prepared to honor his promise of granting sect entry slots to the top ten competitors. As the champion, Liu Wuxie was entitled to extend invitations to five individuals of his choosing to join the sect.

"Have a seat!" Song Yuanqiu, with no air around him, gestured for Liu Wuxie to sit down.

The two sat face to face, talking as equals. Song Yuanqiu treated Liu Wuxie as someone with the same status.

"Peak master, I believe you should know my motive. Are you serious with the five slots?" Liu Wuxie went straight to the point without wasting any time. With five slots, he could bring his in-laws to the cultivation world.

"I meant it!" Song Yuanqiu nodded. He also hadn't expected Liu Wuxie to become the champion.

"There are five slots, and I'll need the peak master’s assistance to bring five people from the mundane world." Liu Wuxie spoke directly, displaying no hesitation or deference despite standing before someone in the Nascent Transformation Realm.

If it were someone else in Liu Wuxie's position, they would’ve trembled in fear when facing an expert in the Nascent Transformation Realm, let alone negotiating.

Liu Wuxie's behavior exuded a superior aura, which wasn't an act, and this shocked Song Yuanqiu. A person could suppress the fear in their hearts, but the eyes were the window to the heart.

Song Yuanqiu probed Liu Wuxie several times and even released a hint of his Nascent Transformation Realm aura. But Liu Wuxie remained unfazed with all the pressure dissolved by the Heavenly Dao Book.

"Alright. I'll have them brought over within one month." Song Yuanqiu accepted Liu Wuxie's letter addressed to Xu Yilin.

"Then, I'll be taking my leave!" Liu Wuxie stood up and left. The letter explained everything clearly, and his father-in-law would know what to do after reading it.

Watching Liu Wuxie leave, Song Yuanqiu didn't stand up. A ripple came from the depths of the hall, and a person appeared.

"I pay my greetings to sect master!" Song Yuanqiu quickly stood up to bow to the sect master. After reaching the True Profound Realm, one could grasp spatial law and move through space as one wished, and even create a clone.

"What are your thoughts on him?" Mu Tianli asked as he settled into the chair Liu Wuxie had previously occupied. His tone suggested he had been waiting in the shadows, avoiding a premature encounter with Liu Wuxie.

"He's quite extraordinary," Song Yuanqiu replied.

"In what way?" Mu Tianli smiled, asking Song Yuanqiu to elaborate further.

"He's remarkably calm, composed, and meticulous—qualities not typically seen in someone his age. I suspect he has a hidden mentor or guide influencing him from behind the scenes," Song Yuanqiu said after a moment's thought.

Their contact with Liu Wuxie was brief, but they had lived long and could draw many conclusions from words, expressions, and behavior.

"The Ten Grand Ceremony is in three years, and I wonder if he will bring us any surprise." Mu Tianli didn't continue on the topic and looked out of the window.

"It won't be easy. I'm afraid it's not enough for him to grow to that height in three years." Song Yuanqiu shook his head. Liu Wuxie was exceptionally talented, but he needed a foundation. It was nearly impossible for him to catch up with someone who had cultivated for decades.

"Let's hope he makes a mark at the Heavenly Mountain Gathering next year," Mu Tianli said with a touch of melancholy. "It’s been a long time since the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion produced any notable geniuses. We've been overshadowed for too long. It’s high time we rise again."

Song Yuanqiu listened in silence. Once, three thousand years ago, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion was at the pinnacle, even holding the top rank among the ten major sects five thousand years ago, enjoying unparalleled glory and a vast number of disciples.

Now, however, their status had fallen significantly, even lagging behind the Azure Crimson Gate. To restore their former prestige, they needed to enhance their overall strength and produce new talents who could excel in the various gatherings of the ten major sects.

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie was unaware of these concerns as he made his way to the cultivation chambers, intent on refining the Meridians Purifying Pill as quickly as possible.

He was only in the first-level Heavenly Dipper Realm, and his status was insignificant in the inner sect. He might've killed Shao Wendong, but that was nothing in the eyes of those high-leveled inner disciples.

Shao Wendong was in the fifth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm, but he was still an outer disciple. Regarding foundation, he naturally couldn't compete with the seasoned inner disciples. Those inner disciples had a deep foundation and even formed a circle. There was no lack of inner disciples who had forged a spiritual treasure similar to the Suppression Stele.

This meant Liu Wuxie had to raise his strength to develop quickly in the inner sect. After all, this was a world where everything was dictated by strength. Without strength, one could only be at the mercy of others.

The cultivation chambers meant for the inner disciples were much better than the outer sect and generally had a time multiplier of ten times.

Liu Wuxie didn't specifically look for a more advanced cultivation chamber because ten times the time multiplier was enough to satisfy him. Furthermore, he lacked the strength to compete with the high-level inner disciples, which was unwise.

Liu Wuxie was racing against time, determined to refine the Meridians Purifying Pill while the inner disciples were still unfamiliar with him. By the time anyone came looking for him, he aimed to have already refined the pill and advanced in his cultivation, allowing him to handle ordinary inner disciples with ease.

The news of the outer sect's competition finally spread, and many inner disciples quickly learned that Liu Wuxie possessed both a Meridians Purifying Pill and the Suppression Stele. They hurried to his courtyard to investigate.

However, upon arriving, they found Liu Wuxie absent, as he had not yet returned from his meeting with Song Yuanqiu.

Most people's attention was on the ten high-grade spirit stones, which were highly coveted. As a result, Liu Wuxie became famous in the inner sect in just one day.

Liu Wuxie found a standard cultivation chamber and inserted his medal. The cost for one day was approximately eight hundred points, a fee he could easily cover.

The cultivation chamber closed and isolated Liu Wuxie from the outside world.

"What dense spiritual energy!" This cultivation chamber had the same features as the black cultivation chamber in the outer sect, but there was a drastic difference. He now understood why so many people were desperate to enter the inner sect.

This meant the cultivation chambers for elite disciples were even better, and Liu Wuxie was already looking forward to using them.

Seated cross-legged, Liu Wuxie chose not to rush into refining the Meridians Purifying Pill. Instead, he focused on stabilizing his cultivation, taking time to consolidate and digest the significant gains he had made from the intense battles.