Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 431 - Hell Mode

Yi Xuan snorted, and his expression eased. He waved his hand and waited for Qing Mu's explanation, "Speak up. If you can't clarify it, I will report it truthfully to the sect master and have him judge this matter."

"I want to have an inner disciple eliminated. This person has committed numerous heinous acts and has a violent nature. In just six months with the sect, he’s killed over forty to fifty disciples," Qing Mu declared with righteous indignation, embellishing Liu Wuxie’s actions to paint him as a demon who preyed upon other disciples.

"How outrageous! Since when has the management of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion become so lax? To think he dares to kill Law-Enforcement Hall disciples and seize their points—he deserves to be executed according to the sect's rules!" The elder on the left rose in anger, clearly incensed.

"Where is the justice if he isn’t dealt with?" echoed the elder on the right, showing his support for the elder on the left.

Elder Yi Xuan, however, remained silent. He was well aware of the motivations of the other two elders, who had a close relationship with Qing Mu and were keen to maintain favorable ties for the sake of acquiring pills. While sect rules allowed elders to receive a modest monthly allocation of pills, they all sought additional supplies.

"The Martial Hall isn't the Law-Enforcement Hall. Elder Qing Mu, you have come to the wrong place. If this person has violated the sect's rules, the Law-Enforcement Hall will take action against him," Elder Yi Xuan said, and his words were reasonable.

The martial hall was designed for disciples to refine their martial techniques and did not hold law enforcement authority. Even if a disciple had violated the rules, it was the Law-Enforcement Hall’s responsibility to handle the punishment; any intervention by the martial hall would be considered overstepping its boundaries.

"Elder Yi Xuan, you may not be aware, but this disciple has been receiving special treatment from Tian Xing. Despite his numerous transgressions, he faces only minor consequences, thanks to Tian Xing’s protection. I even suspect he might be Tian Xing’s illegitimate son from the mundane world," Elder Qing Mu said with a sinister tone, casting aspersions on Liu Wuxie and insinuating that he was an illegitimate child of Elder Tian Xing.

Such claims were not uncommon in the cultivation world, where influential figures often fathered children with women from the mundane world and later brought them into the cultivation world.

However, making such accusations behind an elder’s back was considered highly taboo in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Both elders on either side of the discussion chose to remain silent, wary of offending Elder Tian Xing.

“I’m aware of your long-standing grudge against Tian Xing and your history of targeting those he favors. Over the years, many disciples have fallen victim to your vendetta,” Elder Yi Xuan remarked, his tone carrying the weight of his seniority. The feud between Qing Mu and Tian Xing was a well-known, centuries-old conflict that had only deepened with time.

Despite their outward civility, the animosity between them was fierce and ongoing, and Elder Yi Xuan was fully aware of it.

“Elder Yi Xuan, you misunderstand me. While I do have issues with Tian Xing, this matter is about a mere inner disciple, not a personal vendetta,” Qing Mu responded, rising from his seat with visible displeasure.

His frustration was evident; despite Yi Xuan's higher cultivation, Qing Mu's status as an alchemist at the Treasure Pill Peak gave him considerable influence.

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"I'm not interested in your vendetta, and the Martial Hall isn't a tool for you to get rid of your rivals. Please leave!" Elder Yi Xuan waved his hand, demanding Qing Mu to leave because he didn't want to get involved in their feud.

A hint of ferocity flashed in Qing Mu's eyes. He was confident in forcing Elder Yi Xuan to comply since he dared to come.

“Elder Yi Xuan, I’ve heard that your grandson’s condition has deteriorated. If he’s not treated promptly, he risks not only losing his martial foundation but also his life,” Qing Mu said, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculating light as he shifted his tone.

Upon hearing what Qing Mu said, a violent wave of murderous intent swept out from Elder Yi Xuan.

"Qing Mu, what exactly are you trying to say?" Elder Yi Xuan stood up with his robe fluttering. He would kill the latter with one palm strike if Qing Mu didn't give him an explanation today.

"I'll be honest with you. I have already researched the Spirit Restoration Pill, and I'm only missing one ingredient. That ingredient is already on the way and will soon reach the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion." Qing Mu smiled brightly.

Upon hearing it, Elder Yi Xuan's fluttering robe deflated, and he sat on the ground weakly with veins bulging on his forehead.

"Qing Mu, don't bullshit. The Spirit Restoration Pill isn't that easy to refine!" the elder on the left reprimanded. He wasn't furious but was trying to create an atmosphere.

Three of Elder Yi Xuan's sons had died, leaving only one grandson behind. But when his grandson had visited the Underground Abyssal World, his spiritual root was destroyed, reducing him to a cripple.

His meridians were shrinking slowly, and it had been several years. Elder Yi Xuan had tried everything, but he couldn't find a way to treat his grandson.

A cultivator with his spiritual root destroyed was equivalent to a cripple. This was more painful than having the dantian destroyed.

If the dantian was destroyed, one could refine the Pulse Guarding Pill to repair the dantian and meridians. But the spiritual root was different because ordinary pills wouldn't work. Only the Spirit Restoration Pill could repair the destroyed spiritual root.

However, the Spirit Restoration Pill's formula was long lost, and even the sect master couldn't refine it.

Elder Yi Xuan had sought Mu Tianli’s assistance numerous times, but each attempt ended in failure. With his sons deceased, he had focused all his efforts on his grandson. The severity of his grandson's condition had driven Elder Yi Xuan into seclusion, shutting himself away from the world for years.

Liu Wuxie had only just awakened part of his spiritual root; he needed to awaken his immortal root to achieve immortality.

"Can you refine the Spirit Restoration Pill?" Elder Yi Xuan suddenly looked much older. He had chosen the latter between morals and family.

If it meant saving his grandson, he was willing to compromise his principles and face the consequences, even if it meant the sect pursued him for it.

“I can’t guarantee success, but I’m at least seventy percent confident,” Qing Mu replied cautiously. This would be his first attempt at refining the Spirit Restoration Pill. The formula had been lost to time, and he had pieced it together from ancient texts. He needed to test his ability to see if he could make it work.

Even if he failed, he wouldn't lose anything because Elder Yi Xuan wouldn't hold it against him because of it. The Spirit Restoration Pill was beyond the capabilities of even the True Profound Realm experts, not to mention he was only in the Nascent Transformation Realm.

"Who do you want to kill?" Elder Yi Xuan's face became desolate, and he had chosen to compromise.

The other two elders didn't do anything to stop him and allowed the matter to unfold. When the elder on the left signaled, Qing Mu took out a painting and placed it before the three elders.

As they examined Liu Wuxie’s portrait, the three elders, including Elder Yi Xuan, were astonished. The young man, appearing no older than eighteen or nineteen, seemed too young to have accomplished so much within the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

The elder on the right formed a seal, causing the right wall behind Qing Mu to light up with a series of grids, each representing a different chamber. He directed his attention to the seventh level, where they found Liu Wuxie’s chamber. The display revealed Liu Wuxie in action, killing the green-clad youth.

"That's him?" The elder on the right asked in disbelief because Liu Wuxie was only in the fourth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm but had the guts to enter the seventh level.

"That's right. This brat has killed so many people, and he must die!" Qing Mu nodded.

After killing the green-clad youth, Liu Wuxie would be randomly teleported if he didn't leave, entering the other chambers to keep fighting.

He had no idea a crisis was approaching because he didn't even know who Qing Mu was, not to mention an elder wanted to kill him.

“Leave now; we will handle the rest,” the elder on the right instructed Qing Mu. The matter involved sensitive secrets that were not for outsiders to know.

Though Qing Mu was an elder of the Treasure Pill Peak, he did not have access to the Martial Hall’s confidential affairs.

"I'll leave these with you," Qing Mu said as he placed three bottles of Heart Nourishing Pills on the table. "These are suited for the three of you."

These weren't precious pills and were suitable for the Nascent Transformation Realm cultivators.

The elder on the left chuckled and took one bottle, personally sending Qing Mu out.

"I need some fresh air!" Yi Xuan stood up and looked more hunched than before, leaving the room without touching the Heart Nourishing Pills.

He left the central control system to the remaining two. He disdained to do such things, but he could only act against his conscience and turn a blind eye for the sake of his grandson.

After Elder Yi Xuan left, the remaining two elders walked to the core and started altering the Martial Hall.

Liu Wuxie felt his vision changing and entered another stone chamber with a person standing before him, with cultivation in the ninth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm.

"What's going on? How can there be someone in the ninth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm on the seventh level?" Liu Wuxie was baffled.

The green-clad youth was originally at the seventh level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm when he had entered the seventh level of the Martial Hall. However, during his training, he made a breakthrough to the eighth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm. This had allowed him to stay on the seventh level of the Martial Hall when he faced Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie frowned at the sudden appearance of someone in the ninth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm. But shortly after, another person appeared in the chamber, also in the ninth-level Heavenly Dipper Realm.

Having one person was already unusual, but there were two of them.

"Who activated hell mode?" The youth on the right frowned and looked around. He and the youth on the left represented one side, while Liu Wuxie represented the other. This was a two-against-one battle.

Even if Liu Wuxie surrendered with hell mode activated, it would be futile; it could only end with the death of one side.

"What level is this? How can someone at the fourth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm be here?" The youth on the left was baffled. They had been fighting on the ninth level but suddenly appeared here after defeating their opponent.

Liu Wuxie's heart sank. He seemed to have guessed something, but he didn't dare to confirm it.

"Why waste time talking? We can end hell mode after killing him," the youth on the right said impatiently and swung his sword at Liu Wuxie.

The central control system displayed everything happening in the chamber. The two elders returned to their seats and watched quietly.

The man on the left disdained to act and remained in place, believing one person was enough to deal with Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie didn't dare be careless because his opponent was someone on the ninth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm, not to mention that the Martial Hall's spiritual arrays had changed.

He would have to investigate if anyone was targeting him as it was still uncertain.

Liu Wuxie deflected the incoming attack by raising the Heretic Blade, unleashing a shockwave.

The attacking youth was shocked because he was in the ninth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm and couldn't believe he had failed to kill Liu Wuxie in one strike.

"Liang Qiming, are you doing this on purpose? Don't tell me you can't even kill someone in the fourth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm," the youth on the left reprimanded, thinking Liang Qiming was putting on an act.