Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 99 - Making A Move

Aside from Xue Pinzhi, no one understood what Liu Wuxie was implying. Xue Pinzhi narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher Liu Wuxie’s words. This was an order given to him by the patriarch, Xue Dingtian, so what did it have to do with Xue Yu?

However, Xue Pinzhi soon made a connection. He remembered Xue Yu sharing his experiences in Azure Billow City over drinks a month ago. Xue Yu had mentioned being humiliated by someone from a small clan, but he hadn’t specified who it was.

“Does this fellow have a grudge with the Xue Clan?” Everyone who passed the first stage was an exceptional genius, and they soon began to analyze Liu Wuxie’s words.

“Who would offend the Xue Clan unless they’re tired of living?” Laughter erupted from the crowd, eager to see how Liu Wuxie would be ousted. After all, having someone who was a fifth-level Xiantian Realm among them was a thorn in their sides.

In response to Liu Wuxie’s question, Xue Pinzhi took a deep breath, his expression becoming even more menacing, like a ferocious beast eyeing its prey. He naturally wouldn’t dare to defy an order from the patriarch.

“So, you’re the one who humiliated Xue Yu in the Azure Billow City!” Xue Pinzhi’s voice was chillingly cold as he released his Spirit Cleansing Realm aura towards Liu Wuxie. This made all the surrounding participants retreat, not daring to get too close to him.

The Xue Clan was a significant clan in the Imperial Academy, boasting a multitude of experts. Offending them would undoubtedly lead to dire consequences.

As for Liu Wuxie, everyone could tell from Xue Pinzhi’s words that he was from a rural area like Azure Billow City. There was no way a firefly like him could compare to the moon-like Xue Clan.

“I humiliated him?” Liu Wuxie shook his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips, “Didn’t Xue Dingtian tell you that I vowed to wipe out the Xue Clan from the Imperial Capital within a year?”

Humiliate Xue Yu? Liu Wuxie never considered someone like Xue Yu worthy of his attention. He could easily kill someone like Xue Yu with a single punch. His only concerns were those in the late phase of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

But his words were like a bomb that shocked everyone. Even Princess Leyao was shocked and baffled. She couldn’t see any hint of madness in Liu Wuxie’s eyes; it was as though he was narrating something ordinary.

The participants looked at Liu Wuxie with disbelief, as if they were seeing a monster.

“Is he insane? He wants to wipe out the Xue Clan within a year? What kind of joke is that?” The crowd erupted in laughter, finding Liu Wuxie’s declaration ludicrous.

As expected, Xue Pinzhi’s aura turned deadly upon hearing Liu Wuxie’s audacious claim. His murderous intent was palpable, aimed squarely at Liu Wuxie. He was resolute in his decision to eliminate Liu Wuxie on the spot, even if it meant facing repercussions from the academy. He would not tolerate any disrespect towards the Xue Clan, and he was ready to deliver the ultimate punishment to anyone who dared to insult them.

Suddenly, Xue Pinzhi thrust his palm towards Liu Wuxie, catching everyone off guard. No one had anticipated that Xue Pinzhi would strike. Given their close proximity, Xue Pinzhi reached Liu Wuxie in no time.

However, Liu Wuxie was prepared for Xue Pinzhi’s attack, his right hand resting on his interspatial pouch. He knew that drawing his blade would inevitably lead to bloodshed, but he had no intention of killing anyone at the moment. His primary goal was to gain admission into the Imperial Academy. However, if cornered, he was ready to fight back fiercely.

Just as Liu Wuxie was about to act, a figure appeared in front of him. Her palm met Xue Pinzhi’s head-on, creating a powerful gust of wind as she successfully halted Xue Pinzhi’s attack. The collision of their palms forced Xue Pinzhi to step back, while the woman elegantly executed a somersault and landed in front of Liu Wuxie, both of them panting heavily.

“Xue Pinzhi, that’s enough!” Princess Leyao roared with a stern face. She had deduced from their conversation that there was a personal grudge between the Xue Clan and Liu Wuxie. She suspected that Xue Pinzhi intended to use the name of the Imperial Academy as a cover to kill Liu Wuxie.

As for whether Liu Wuxie was cheating, they could call a senior instructor from the academy to investigate the matter, and she was unhappy with how Xue Pinzhi wanted to kill Liu Wuxie without any proof that he had cheated.

“Chen Leyao, what do you mean by this? Why did you stop me from killing him? According to the rules of the Imperial Academy, cheaters should be expelled!” Xue Pinzhi’s tone shifted, and he called Chen Leyao by her name, no longer addressing her as Princess Leyao.

The atmosphere was tense as the assessors had already fought among themselves before the assessment ended, which had never happened before.

“Anyone joining the Imperial Academy must be protected no matter what. You said that he’s cheating, but you can’t provide any proof. Do you think the academy's senior instructors won’t know if he cheated? Don’t forget that the spiritual array is connected to the central control system in the academy.” What Chen Leyao said was the truth. The entire Imperial Academy was enveloped in a spiritual array, and the instructors responsible for managing the arrays would’ve intervened if there was an issue with the array.

Anyone could figure out that Xue Pinzhi was planning to get rid of Liu Wuxie through the assessment due to their feud.

Liu Wuxie withdrew his hand from the interspatial pouch, taken aback by Chen Leyao’s unexpected intervention.

“Chen Leyao, you want to oppose me as an outsider?” Xue Pinzhi, although not a core member of the Xue Clan, held a certain standing within the Imperial Academy. The repercussions of crossing the Xue Clan were well known to all. Despite being a princess, Chen Leyao’s lineage was humble, as her mother was only a maid in the palace. She was conceived when the Emperor was drunk.

So, regarding status, Chen Leyao naturally couldn’t be compared to Xue Pinzhi. But because of her talent, she was sent to the Imperial Academy at fifteen. Through her hard work, she managed to gain a foothold in the academy.

“I’m only performing my duty!” Chen Leyao said coldly. She had always been fair and impartial, never swayed by her emotions.

“Fulfilling your duty, is it? Well spoken!” Xue Pinzhi’s teeth clenched in anger. His gaze towards Liu Wuxie was filled with lethal intent. However, with Chen Leyao’s intervention, it was no longer suitable for him to attack Liu Wuxie. His only option now was to find a way to hinder Liu Wuxie’s admission into the Imperial Academy in the upcoming two stages.

Liu Wuxie looked at Xue Pinzhi as though he was looking at an idiot. Xue Pinzhi should be grateful to Chen Leyao; without her intervention, he would likely be lifeless by now. But this was a secret known only to Liu Wuxie, and it was in his best interest to keep his abilities concealed. He intended to keep a low profile and utilize every resource to enhance his cultivation.

He was aware that a storm was brewing, and whether he could secure a place in the Imperial Academy remained uncertain.

As the day’s assessment ended, the sky gradually darkened. The following day would bring two more stages to determine the hundred individuals who would gain admission into the Imperial Academy.

When everyone entered the Imperial Academy subsequently, they were brought to a vast field. This was the outer region of the Imperial Academy, with the actual academy located further within.

“Thanks for stepping in, Lady Chen!” After the crowd had dispersed, Liu Wuxie cupped his fists at Chen Leyao, thanking her for her timely intervention. In the True Martial Continent, a world that adhered to the law of the jungle, it was rare to find someone as impartial as her.

“I’m just performing my duty,” Chen Leyao smiled bitterly as they entered the Imperial Academy. She looked at Liu Wuxie curiously, asking, “Do you have a feud with the Xue Clan?”

Liu Wuxie simply nodded in affirmation, choosing to remain silent. Chen Leyao, not one for idle gossip, did not press further. Upon their arrival at the academy, accommodations were promptly arranged for the participants, and dinner was to be delivered to them.

The tents were classified into different grades. As Liu Wuxie obtained first in the first stage, he naturally received the best tent. Given the winter season, the field was quite chilly that night. However, Liu Wuxie’s tent was well-protected from the harsh wind, with fires lit around it to provide warmth.

Preferential treatment was only given to those who were talented. After all, the principle of survival of the fittest was as applicable to the Imperial Academy as it was to the True Martial Continent.

“Fuck! How can he receive such a good spot when he’s only a fifth-level Xiantian Realm? I’m in the sixth-level Xiantian Realm and stuck in a lousy corner. I can’t accept it!” A burly man stomped out of his tent as he furiously headed toward Liu Wuxie.

His sentiments were echoed by many others. The temptation to seize Liu Wuxie’s tent was strong. After all, it was clear that Liu Wuxie’s cultivation level was inferior. Just because Liu Wuxie had outperformed them in the first stage didn’t necessarily mean they would lose in a real fight.

Just when Liu Wuxie was about to rest in preparation for the next day’s assessment, a thunderous roar echoed from outside his tent. “Brat, come out!”

The voice sounded like rumbling lightning as a hand reached out, attempting to open Liu Wuxie’s tent.

Liu Wuxie’s rest was interrupted by the commotion. He emerged from his tent to find a burly man glaring at him, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. He questioned coldly, “Are you the one causing this ruckus?”

The surrounding temperature seemed to drop even further. Did these people really think he was a pushover who could be easily bullied?

“Brat, I’ll give you a chance. Get lost from this spot, or don’t blame me for what will happen next!” The burly man pointed at the tent, demanding Liu Wuxie to relocate.

“Did Xue Pinzhi send you?” Liu Wuxie asked, a smile playing on his lips as he regarded the burly man with amusement. Even if Xue Pinzhi hadn’t bribed this man, it was likely that many were eager to use this situation to curry favor with the Xue Clan. After all, ingratiating oneself with the powerful was a common practice.

“Brat, why do you have so much crap? I’ll give you three breaths’ time to get lost from here, or don’t blame me for being ruthless.” The burly man clenched his fist, producing a cracking sound from his knuckles.

The commotion attracted a crowd. With the assessment looming the next day, tensions were high. This spectacle provided a welcome distraction, and the onlookers began to cheer, “Go for it, Feng Bingquan!”

The burly man was called Feng Bingquan, and he had a decent ranking in the first stage of assessment, thanks to his robust physique.

“What if I refuse?” Liu Wuxie’s smile gradually disappeared.

“I’ll throw you out!” Feng Bingquan threatened, reaching for Liu Wuxie’s shoulder. If he managed to grab hold, the force of his grip could potentially fracture Liu Wuxie’s shoulder bones.

Without any hesitation, he launched his attack, a violent aura emanating from him and hitting Liu Wuxie square in the face.