Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 146 - Mental Blow

Chapter 146 - Mental Blow

Elder Bi’s rationale was straightforward. If Liu Wuxie could demonstrate his status as a four-star alchemist, he would be granted access to the alchemy chamber. Not only would he be exempt from credits, but the academy would also reward him. After all, the prestige of a four-star alchemist had long exceeded that of regular teachers, and they were naturally entitled to numerous privileges.

“Elder Bi, don’t joke around. How can someone like him possibly be a four-star alchemist?” The purple-robed man who had spoken earlier began to mock Liu Wuxie.

“That’s right. He has not even reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm and is probably here to cause trouble,” everyone else chimed in. The prerequisite for becoming a four-star alchemist was to reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Even so, someone in the high levels of the Marrow Cleansing Realm might be unable to refine a fourth-grade pill. So, it was no wonder that everyone found it hard to believe.

“Brat, hear that? Get lost!” Elder Bi waved his hand impatiently, unwilling to waste more time talking to Liu Wuxie.

Ji Yang’s lips curled up, revealing a triumphant expression. Despite Liu Wuxie winning the competition, Ji Yang felt he was the ultimate victor. Today, he wanted to trample on Liu Wuxie to take revenge. His cultivation level was superior to Liu Wuxie’s, and he had ascended to the rank of a four-star alchemist. With all these accolades, Liu Wuxie paled in comparison, and a sense of supremacy washed over Ji Yang, evident on his face.

“So, you’re saying I can enter the alchemy chamber as long as I’m a four-star alchemist?”

Liu Wuxie’s unexpected question caused Ji Yang’s expression to stiffen, a glimmer of lethal intent flickering in his eyes. If Liu Wuxie had indeed become a four-star alchemist, the title of the youngest four-star alchemist in the Great Yan Dynasty would inevitably be transferred. This implied that the title would shift to another before Ji Yang even had the opportunity to bask in its glory.

“Is he insane? Does he believe four-star alchemists are commonplace?” The crowd laughed, finding amusement in Liu Wuxi’s words.

“He’s not mad, he’s delusional. I believe he should be expelled from this place and never allowed to set foot here again.” Mockery was hurled at Liu Wuxie, but he remained unfazed and awaited Elder Bi’s reaction.

“That’s right. As long as you can prove you’re a four-star alchemist, the key is yours.” Liu Wuxie had arrived first. Therefore, according to the rules, as long as Liu Wuxie could prove he was a four-star alchemist, he could enter the chamber before Ji Yang, who would have to wait two days for his turn.

In five days, the inter-class exchange banquet would take place, and everyone wanted to utilize this time to increase their cultivation to perform at the banquet. Ji Yang was no exception. He intended to use this period to refine pills, knowing that waiting even two more days would be too late. Thus, neither party was willing to back down.

Liu Wuxie chimed in, “What a stroke of luck. I had some free time yesterday and managed to complete my alchemist certification. If I remember correctly, I seem to be a four-star alchemist.” Liu Wuxie took out his alchemist token that emitted a faint golden glow and placed it on the table.

One-star alchemist tokens were mostly iron-colored, two-star alchemist tokens were copper-colored, three-star alchemist tokens were crimson-colored, and only four-star alchemist tokens were golden. Each star had a distinct difference; not all four-star alchemists were the same.

Liu Wuxie’s token was unique. It bore additional engravings, signifying that the pills he refined were of superior quality, far surpassing the assessment’s limit. It was akin to a halo surrounding the alchemist, a testament to his exceptional skills.

Ji Yang’s shoulders shook slightly. It wasn’t very noticeable, but Liu Wuxie caught it. This naturally made Liu Wuxie sneer, as Ji Yang was too tender to think he could trounce him.

Everyone was drawn to the golden token on the table, especially those who had mocked Liu Wuxie earlier. Their mouths hung open in disbelief, wide enough to fit a duck’s egg. However, as they were a few meters away, they needed to wait for Elder Bi to authenticate the alchemist token.

“How is this possible?! How old is he? It’s impressive if someone can become a four-star alchemist in their fifties. Is the Great Yan Dynasty going to give birth to another five-star alchemist now?” A commotion came from the crowd as such a young four-star alchemist was unprecedented.

In the past, Master Qin had become a four-star alchemist in his twenties, and Liu Wuxie was a few years younger than him.

“This is fake! This must be fake! How can he possibly become a four-star alchemist in the Xiantian Realm?” The purple-robed man ran over, convinced that Liu Wuxie’s alchemist token was forged.

“I’ve had enough of you!” Liu Wuxie vanished, only to reappear and deliver a swift slap to the purple-robed man before he could react, sending him sprawling. Did this man really think he wouldn’t dare to retaliate? If Zuo Hong hadn’t intervened in the canteen, Bai Qiong would have been long gone by now.

This man was helpless against Liu Wuxie’s attack despite being at the pinnacle of the Xiantian Realm. This display caused everyone in the hall to regard Liu Wuxie as if he were a monster. After all, the fact that Liu Wuxie could easily defeat someone with higher cultivation proved that he was a genius.

While there might have been an element of surprise involved, the odds of anyone else in Liu Wuxie’s position achieving the same result were slim due to the distance between them.

“Brat, how dare you hurt someone in public!” Many people stepped forward and pointed their fingers at Liu Wuxie. After all, Liu Wuxie was the first to injure someone with so many people around.

“Do you all want a taste of it as well?” Liu Wuxie’s chilling glare swept across everyone present, causing even those in the Spirit Cleansing Realm to avert their gaze. His eyes held a commanding presence, akin to a sovereign of the heavens and earth; one could easily lose themselves in his gaze.

“Liu Wuxie, How dare you injure another student publicly. You’re simply showing disregard for the academy rules!” Ji Yang said, gently knocking his fan on the table.

“Brother Ji, do you plan on standing up for him?” Liu Wuxie turned around and looked at Ji Yang with a smile. When their eyes met, sparks flew between them as they had already formed a feud in Zen City.

“He’s Liu Wuxie, the one who killed twenty people from Advanced Class Three?” Everyone had heard about a ruthless person named Liu Wuxie, who had joined the academy recently. When Ji Yang mentioned Liu Wuxie’s name, it sparked a flurry of discussion among the crowd.

“It appears so!” The crowd was uncertain. The academy was abuzz with talk about Liu Wuxie. Rumors of his unique constitution, the Nine Stars Illumination phenomenon he caused, and his refusal to join the elite class were widespread. There wasn’t a single person in the academy who hadn’t heard of him.

“Brother Liu is still so domineering, resorting to violence without hesitation. This person merely mocked you a little, and you injured him. Please apologize to him, and we can let this matter rest.” Ji Yang’s tone was equally assertive, insisting that Liu Wuxie apologize to the man in the purple robe. Given that Ji Yang was in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and Liu Wuxie was only in the Xiantian Realm, the significant gap in their cultivation levels made Ji Yang’s domineering attitude towards Liu Wuxie seem natural.

“That’s right, apologize!” Everyone in the surroundings echoed along, demanding Liu Wuxie to apologize.

“And what if I refuse?” Liu Wuxie retorted, crossing his arms. He clearly didn’t regard Ji Yang, who had only recently advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, as a threat. Using the Ghost Eye alone was enough to kill Ji Yang, and he didn’t even need to use the Overlord Fist.

“Don’t blame me for being impolite then. It just so happens that I can rid the academy of its pests.” Ji Yang stepped forward, and the man and woman behind him drew their weapons as well. A powerful shockwave of a Marrow Cleansing Realm expert swept out, causing the surrounding furniture to creak.

As they approached, Liu Wuxie stood calmly as though this had nothing to do with him. But the surrounding condemning voices echoed in the hall, with everyone wishing they could devour Liu Wuxie.

“We can use this opportunity to settle our feud. Perhaps you don’t know, but Jiang Yue, who leaked the answers to you, has been expelled from the Treasure Pill Pavilion.” Liu Wuxie’s tone suddenly changed, baffling many people. No one was able to comprehend what Liu Wuxie said. Who was Jiang Yue? How was this matter related to the Treasure Pill Pavilion?

Only Ji Yang understood what Liu Wuxie meant. Jiang Yue could be considered Ji Yang’s mentor, guiding him into alchemy. Back then, Jiang Yue had also given him a lot of guidance in alchemy.

“What did you say?!” Murderous intent swept out from Ji Yang, sending the nearby students flying away from the impact.

“I believe I have made myself clear. My investigation showed that Jiang Yue leaked the answers to you during the competition. He was expelled from the Treasure Pill Pavilion after I exposed him, and he is now akin to a homeless stray dog,” Liu Wuxie said, and his words were like blades stabbing into Ji Yang’s heart. Since the feud between them was irreconcilable, he might as well take it even further in the form of a mental blow.

By provoking Ji Yang, Liu Wuxie ensured that his words would echo in Ji Yang's mind during his future cultivation sessions. The only way for Ji Yang to quell the resentment brewing within him was to eliminate Liu Wuxie.

"Excellent! Just excellent! Today marks your end!" Ji Yang managed to keep his fury at bay. He was aware that he mustn't succumb to Liu Wuxie's ploy of intentional provocation, which could potentially cause a rift in his cultivator's heart. He hadn't anticipated Liu Wuxie resorting to such lowly tactics.

Then again, Liu Wuxie would never show mercy once he determined that someone was his enemy.

"Who would have thought that a respected four-star alchemist would stoop to being your minion," Liu Wuxie continued his taunts, causing Ji Yang's aura to fluctuate wildly. This was a sign that his words had reached the desired effect.

“Young Master, we can’t fall for his tricks. Once we eliminate him, all will be resolved!" A young man emerged from Ji Yang's shadow. Since they couldn't outwit Liu Wuxie verbally, the most effective solution was to silence him permanently.

"I demand his life!" Ji Yang's face twisted into a menacing expression. His usual refined demeanor was replaced with a look of pure malice, drawing puzzled glances from the onlookers who were clueless about the source of Ji Yang's rage.

Ji Yang unfurled his fan, releasing a sharp blade aura. It turned out that there was a hidden weapon inside this fan.

The man and woman flanking him also surrounded Liu Wuxie, preventing him from escaping.

The atmosphere became tense, but no one dared to interfere. After all, Ji Yang was in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, not to mention that he was also a four-star alchemist.

On the contrary, Liu Wuxie had no status, and no one could help him, offending a four-star alchemist in the process. As the tension in the surroundings escalated, Liu Wuxie’s right hand moved to his interspatial pouch, prepared to deliver a lethal strike at a moment’s notice.

“It’s authentic! This is the highest grade of the four-star alchemist token!” An exclamation interrupted everyone as Elder Bi placed the golden token on the table, looking at the token, infatuated.