Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 366 - Elder Tian Xing

Chapter 366 - Elder Tian Xing

An ordinary-looking person walked into the room, and the sight of this person made Liu Wuxie narrow his eyes because he could sense immense danger coming from this person.

"Who are you?!" Liu Wuxie questioned, the Heretic Blade appearing in his hand. He could tell this person was dangerous because the surrounding spiritual arrays had parted without resistance since his arrival.

This wasn't very comforting because this was a sign this old man was in the Nascent Transformation Realm.

"Young man, you've truly made me see you in a new light!" The old man sat before Liu Wuxie, and there was no hostility on his face, which put Liu Wuxie at ease.

"Senior, how do I address you?" Since this old man wasn't here to cause trouble for him, Liu Wuxie relaxed his guard. After all, an expert in the Nascent Transformation Realm could easily kill him without using any tricks. This old man could've taken his life with one palm strike upon entering the room if he wanted.

"Everyone calls me Elder Tian Xing," the old man introduced himself.

"Liu Wuxie pays his respect to Elder Tian Xing." Liu Wuxie quickly got up and bowed to the old man. It had been two months since he had joined the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and he now had a rough understanding of the situation in the sect. But the person who left the deepest impression was no other than Elder Tian Xing, this old man who sat before him.

Elder Tian Xing was in charge of the Law Enforcement Hall. He was known for his impartiality and dislike of those who bullied the weak. Because of his upright character and formidable strength, he held great prestige in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and even the sect master had to treat him with respect.

Liu Wuxie didn't expect Elder Tian Xing to seem so friendly, contrary to the rumors. After all, everyone would shiver in fear whenever they heard about the Law Enforcement Hall. This was because life and death were beyond one's control the moment they entered the Law Enforcement Hall.

Moreover, Elder Tian Xing was known for being strict. He wouldn't show mercy to anyone who violated the rules and fell into his hands.

"Sit down and talk!" Elder Tian Xing had no airs on him and waved his hand.

"Thank you, elder!" Liu Wuxie was only briefly shocked before he regained his composure. He had already guessed the purpose of Elder Tian Xing's visit.

"You're pretty impressive. Few among the younger generation can earn my praise, and you're one of them." Elder Tian Xing's face became stern once more, but his tone was filled with appreciation for Liu Wuxie.

Having been in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion for two centuries, he had seen countless geniuses. But only a few garnered his praise.

"I'm flattered," Liu Wuxie replied, lowering his attitude as much as possible. He knew Elder Tian Xing's visit wasn't just to praise him.

After all, it was likely for him to face some punishment for crippling a few people in the Mission Hall, even if he didn't break any rules. Not to mention, he had set up a spiritual array here and trapped over a hundred people, alarming the higher-ups of the sect.

"There's no need to be nervous because I'm not here to question you but to have a heart-to-heart talk," Elder Tian Xing said, and his expression softened to a typical old man’s.

Liu Wuxie felt relieved upon hearing what Elder Tian Xing said. It was fine as long as Elder Tian Xing wasn't visiting to punish him.

"I'll speak openly if the elder has any questions!" Liu Wuxie knew he had to show respect and maintain good relationships with the higher-ups, especially the elders who wielded real authority, as he still needed to stay in the sect.

After all, if they built a good relationship, the elder might overlook a small mistake. Liu Wuxie could afford to offend anyone in the sect except for the Law Enforcement Hall.

"Could you show some leniency and release those outside? If you continue to trap them, they will lose their cultivation." Elder Tian Xing, despite having the power to forcibly dissolve the spiritual array, chose to negotiate with Liu Wuxie instead. This gesture alone earned Liu Wuxie's respect.

"I have no intentions of harming anyone, but can Elder Tian Xing guarantee they won't rush over here when I dissolve the spiritual array?" Liu Wuxie asked, and this was a reasonable question.

Elder Tian Xing nodded, seeing Liu Wuxie's actions as mere self-protection rather than an intention to pick a fight. Liu Wuxie had no objection to dissolving the array, as long as Elder Tian Xing could guarantee his safety.

Shortly after, Elder Tian Xing gave Liu Wuxie a meaningful look. Reflecting on it, he realized that Liu Wuxie had cleverly used him as a shield by securing his promise. With Elder Tian Xing's assurance, who would dare cause trouble for Liu Wuxie?

This seemingly simple conversation was filled with intricacies, making Elder Tian Xing view Liu Wuxie in a new light. After all, most disciples, including true disciples, would be nervous when facing him. However, Liu Wuxie didn't look nervous and was terrifyingly calm, with wisdom shining in his eyes.

In a nutshell, Liu Wuxie didn't mind dissolving the spiritual array, but who would ensure his safety afterward? Given Elder Tian Xing's personality, he wouldn't forcibly tear apart the array because the fault lay with those outside, not with Liu Wuxie.

"I can only guarantee that no one will trouble you tonight." Elder Tian Xing smiled bitterly. He had lived for a few hundred years and didn't expect to be outwitted by a young man today.

Another disciple in Liu Wuxie's position would have complied immediately and removed the spiritual array; only Liu Wuxie dared to speak such words.

Liu Wuxie was disappointed because Elder Tian Xing was cunning and wouldn't fall into his trap. If Elder Tian Xing had a single slip in his words, Liu Wuxie would seize the opportunity immediately.

"I'll naturally comply since the elder asks for it!" Liu Wuxie dissolved the spiritual array after he was done.

Everyone trapped within the spiritual array collapsed, drenched in water. If Liu Wuxie had been a tad slower, they would've lost all their cultivation.

Han Xing and Kong Yan were the most pitiful ones. In their attempt to break through the spiritual array by force, they suffered a severe backlash. Their foundations were damaged, and their cultivation was crippled.

Aside from them, the others would recover after half a month of resting. Those trapped didn't dare to linger for another moment and fled quickly.

"Everyone, leave!" Elder Tian Xing's voice sounded above Liu Wuxie's courtyard.

The surrounding disciples dispersed immediately, not daring to stay for another moment. With that, peace returned to the courtyard once more.

"You're a priority student, and the points owed to you will be settled in a few days at the Mission Hall," Elder Tian Xing assured Liu Wuxie. His visit served not only to resolve the current crisis but also to ensure Liu Wuxie collected his owed points.

"Thank you, Elder!" Liu Wuxie smiled gratefully, knowing that an additional over thirty thousand points would allow him to accomplish many things. However, he didn't plan to use them immediately; instead, he intended to save them until he became an inner disciple. After all, he had already exchanged most of the treasures available to outer disciples and was left with only those that were of little use to him.

"Do you know I was initially planning to take you in as my disciple? However, I dismissed that thought based on what you said earlier," Elder Tian Xing remarked before leaving, leaving Liu Wuxie shocked. "Relying on schemes isn't a permanent solution; cultivation is the only path," he concluded.

After reflecting on their conversation, Liu Wuxie seemed too mature for an outer disciple. He didn't look like a young man, and it was no wonder Elder Tian Xing would dismiss the thought of taking him as a disciple.

This was because Liu Wuxie had no fear when facing Elder Tian Xing, and the latter could tell that Liu Wuxie wasn't acting. Only those with a strong inner heart could maintain such composure.

Thus, Elder Tian Xing was genuinely tempted to take Liu Wuxie as his disciple. However, he ultimately decided against it because he disliked those who relied on schemes. Liu Wuxie's actions were carefully planned, making his true thoughts difficult to discern. This uncertainty was the primary reason Elder Tian Xing abandoned the idea; he feared being ridiculed if he couldn't understand the true intentions of his disciple.

Before leaving, Elder Tian Xing had a hint of regret for missing out on such a good disciple. He emphasized that spiritual arrays and other skills were minor paths because cultivation was more important. Without reaching the Heavenly Dipper Realm, one would have no actual status in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

After seeing Elder Tian Xing off, Liu Wuxie returned to his room and thought deeply. He muttered, "This isn't scheming but strategy!"

Since his debut, Liu Wuxie had maintained the heart of an Immortal Emperor, which conflicted with his age and cultivation. This was why many people saw him as an anomaly.

After all, unlike other youngsters, he focused solely on cultivation and had no hobbies. He led a simple life with a few friends, spending most of his time reading or cultivating.

He soon tossed the matter with Elder Tian Xing to the back of his mind. After all, he didn't need any guidance, and no one in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion was worthy of becoming his master.

The night passed quickly, and no one came for Liu Wuxie again. He left the courtyard early because the cultivation chambers were in high demand with the competition nearing, and he wanted to secure a spot early.

After leaving his courtyard, Liu Wuxie performed his movement technique and headed for the cultivation chambers. Bai Lin had already told him there was only one black cultivation chamber with the highest time multiplier.

In less than an hour, rows of cultivation chambers appeared before Liu Wuxie. There were over five thousand of them, creating a grand spectacle. By inserting the medal into a cultivation chamber, the points would be automatically deducted.

When Liu Wuxie arrived, this place was crowded. He scanned the five thousand cultivation chambers with Ghost Eye. His gaze soon locked onto a cultivation chamber that was precisely the one Bai Lin had described.

However, oddly enough, there was no one near it, and they avoided it altogether.

He performed his movement technique and reached the black cultivation chamber in three breaths. The slot displayed green, indicating that the chamber was unoccupied.

"Looks like I'm pretty lucky!" If someone were inside the cultivation chamber, the sign would be red, indicating that it was occupied.

Among the cultivation chambers in the outer sect, the deduction of points varied by level. Ordinary chambers only required ten points daily, while higher-level chambers required one hundred points daily. Meanwhile, the black cultivation chamber required five hundred points daily, and only a few people could afford it.