Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 704 - Misty Sect

Five days later, the warship reached the outskirts of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion as everyone began to disembark, their faces alight with anticipation.

Fan Zhen was responsible for taking the new recruits to have their admissions processed. Though these people didn't have high cultivation, they all had solid foundations with brimming potential. With slight training, they could catch up with the other disciples.

With the Heavenly Dao Society nurturing them, they could become the central pillars of the Heavenly Dao Society in a year at most.

Though Liu Wuxie had no intention of contending with the position of sect master, he wouldn't tolerate anyone in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion to defy him.

When Liu Wuxie returned, he met with everyone briefly. He would soon leave the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion again, venturing somewhere better, like a dragon entering the ocean. This time, he might not return even for a year or two.

Everyone's hearts were heavy as they knew the Southern Province couldn't keep him any longer with the rise of his cultivation. He was destined to soar to the sky. Even the powerhouses of the True Profound Realm had acknowledged this point.

Chen Ruoyan and Jian Xing'er insisted on following Liu Wuxie, but he rejected it. His trip to the Western Barren would be dangerous, and he didn't even know if he could return alive.

It would be too dangerous for him to take the two women with him, and they could accompany him after their strength increased.

After making arrangements for everyone, Liu Wuxie headed to the peak where Murong Yi resided.

Murong Yi's complexion had recovered after weeks of rest.

"We'll set off tomorrow!" Liu Wuxie said, maintaining a distance of five steps from Murong Yi.

She had been waiting for twenty years and could finally rest her worry about her parents.

"Okay," Murong Yi nodded.

On the remaining day, Liu Wuxie made arrangements for his in-laws. He wasn't just a true disciple but also an elite elder and the chief alchemist, so he had received a peak large enough to house hundreds of people.

......

Liu Wuxie and Murong Yi left the sect before dawn the following day. Liu Wuxie didn't even notify the sect master, as there was no need since Mu Tianli already knew he planned on leaving. He had already expressed his intentions when they had talked previously, and he would try to return for the Ten Grand Assembly in two years.

The pair traversed half of the Southern Province in just three days, taking care to steer clear of territories controlled by the Heavenly Origin Sect. Their destination was the Misty Sect, where Liu Wuxie intended to visit Xu Lingxue before his departure, as the sect lay conveniently along their route.

......

Liu Wuxie's arrival had sent the Misty Sect into an uproar. His feat of killing someone in the sixth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm had long reached the Misty Sect.

The disciples guarding the gate quickly led the two to the Discussion Hall, where the elder warmly greeted them.

"Please wait here. Our sect master will join you shortly," the elder said.

Normally speaking, only an elder would come to receive an ordinary visiting disciple, but Liu Wuxie was different. Not only was he a disciple, but he was also an elder and chief alchemist who controlled the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's lifeline.

Someone like him commanded influence throughout the Southern Province. After Liu Wuxie had returned to the cultivation world a mysterious force had destroyed the Hou Clan.

Xu Lingxue had exited seclusion after learning about Liu Wuxie’s return and was already planning to visit the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

"Wuxie!"

"Lingxue!" Liu Wuxie stood up. The incident on the Heavenly Mountain had brought them closer, dissolving the remaining barriers between them.

"Big Sister Murong!" Xu Lingxue quickly came over and linked arms with Murong Yi.

"Younger Sister Lingxue," Murong Yi replied with a faint smile. She had also taken a liking to Xu Lingxue's personality.

The two women were peerless beauties in their own right and shared a mutual admiration.

The Misty Sect's sect master walked into the Discussion Hall.

"Greetings, Sect Master!" Xu Lingxue bowed.

"Sect Master Qi!" Liu Wuxie and Murong Yi followed suit with their greetings. If the Misty Sect hadn't stepped out on the Heavenly Mountain, the consequences would have been unimaginable, and it would have been difficult for them to leave the place in one piece.

"No need for the formalities. Come, have a seat!" Qi Hanyan said warmly, her tone devoid of pretension.

Liu Wuxie didn’t hesitate and took a seat opposite her.

"Lingxue, why don't you show Lady Murong around? Let her enjoy the sights of our sect," Qi Hanyan suggested. The Misty Sect, perched atop a peak shrouded in clouds, was renowned for its breathtaking scenery. The mountain, adorned with vibrant flowers, resembled a paradise.

"I understand!" Xu Lingxue replied promptly. She recognized that the sect master had private matters to discuss with Liu Wuxie, making it inappropriate for them to linger.

Murong Yi glanced at Liu Wuxie, who nodded his head before she left with Xu Lingxue. After the two departed, Liu Wuxie and Qi Hanyan were the only ones left in the Discussion Hall.

The atmosphere was a little heavy as Qi Hanyan examined Liu Wuxie for a full minute. She broke the silence by saying, "I already know about your relationship with Lingxue. What do you plan to do next?"

Liu Wuxie was Xu Lingxue’s husband, effectively tying him to the Misty Sect. Qi Hanyan’s question was a natural one under the circumstances.

"What do you mean by that?" Liu Wuxie feigned ignorance and looked at Qi Hanyan with a smile.

Qi Hanyan returned the smile, but her words carried weight. "Lingxue’s talent is undeniable. I have already decided to groom her as my successor. You must realize that if she becomes the Misty Sect’s sect master, she cannot leave with you."

It was clear Qi Hanyan had no intention of letting Xu Lingxue leave, and she was determined to support the latter as the next sect master. If that were the case, the relationship between Liu Wuxie and Xu Lingxue would undoubtedly become complicated.

Liu Wuxie couldn’t remain in the Southern Province forever, let alone settle down in the Misty Sect. Leaving Xu Lingxue behind was simply out of the question, and Qi Hanyan was well aware of this. She also knew that, given his personality, Liu Wuxie would take Xu Lingxue with him by force if necessary.

If Qi Hanyan hadn't saved his life, Liu Wuxie would've been enraged by now. After all, he hated threats more than anything.

"We're both smart people, so let's not beat around the bush," Liu Wuxie said, his tone direct. His purpose in coming to the Misty Sect was to see Xu Lingxue. He intended to leave the sect tomorrow and only return to take her with him once he stood at the pinnacle of the True Martial Continent.

"If Young Master Liu is willing to help our Misty Sect to nurture a few prodigies like Lingxue, we won't lose much even if we let her go with you. What do you think?" Qi Hanyan asked. She aimed to enhance the sect's strength through Liu Wuxie's help.

Although Liu Wuxie had already anticipated Qi Hanyan’s intentions, he feigned a troubled expression. The Misty Sect had aided him and was Xu Lingxue’s home, so Liu Wuxie would have offered his assistance, even without Qi Hanyan’s request.

Her approach revealed that she still misunderstood him, viewing him as an ordinary individual driven by conventional motives. But how could she possibly grasp Liu Wuxie’s grand vision?

"I can help you with three things. First, I'll enhance your pills. Second, I'll revise your cultivation techniques. Third, I'll help you strengthen your protective spiritual array," Liu Wuxie said as he raised three fingers. This was his bottom line—no more, no less.

"That's a deal. I shall prepare a feast tonight to welcome you two," Qi Hanyan smiled. While the terms were slightly different from what she had hoped for, they were within her acceptable range.

She had long heard of Liu Wuxie's extraordinary talent, and there were rumors that he was the reincarnation of a deity. He had revised the pills in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, which was why they could monopolize the Southern Province's market.

The dominance of Liu Wuxie’s revised pills had grown so overwhelming that the pills produced by the Azure Crimson Gate had fallen into obscurity, now relegated to remote and insignificant markets.

......

Xu Lingxue invited Murong Yi to sit with her in a sea of flowers. The two sat side by side as butterflies fluttered over from the surroundings, landing on their shoulders.

"What a beautiful place!" Murong Yi marveled. Though she had traveled far and wide throughout the years, she had never encountered such a tranquil setting.

The Misty Sect was nearly isolated from the outside world and seldom interacted with others. Its disciples stayed in the sect to focus on their cultivation, and most of the disciples were women. This was why the sect was so well-maintained.

"Big Sister Murong, tell me honestly. Are you together with him?" Xu Lingxue turned her head around, and her words caught Murong Yi off guard, not knowing how to reply.

Xu Lingxue had already suspected it when Murong Yi had joined forces to guard Liu Wuxie back in Heavenly Mountain.

"Younger Sister Lingxue, don't overthink it. We're just brother and sister," Murong Yi replied with a smile as her expression returned to normal. Though she might've regained her composure quickly, her subtle unease did not escape Xu Lingxue's sharp eyes.

"I’m not a petty woman," Xu Lingxue said, her voice calm as she gazed into the distance. "Besides, our marriage has never been consummated. It’s only a marriage on paper." A tinge of regret laced her tone, as she lamented not recognizing Liu Wuxie’s extraordinary potential back in the mundane world.

"According to what I know, he only has you in his heart," Murong Yi replied. She could tell Xu Lingxue had been in Liu Wuxie's heart all along.

A faint smile rose on Xu Lingxue's lips when she heard that. She wasn't stupid, and she could notice it as well.

"Big Sister Murong, I can't leave the Misty Sect for now. I can't leave without reaching the True Profound Realm. So, can you help me take care of him?" Xu Lingxue suddenly turned to look at Murong Yi with a grave expression.

The moment she had started cultivating the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, she could only stay in the Misty Sect until she reached the last level. Only the Misty Sect was suitable for her to cultivate the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, complementing each other.

If she left for an extended period, it would affect her cultivation. As for the Ten Grand Ceremony, she hadn’t had a choice but to participate in it.

"I will," Murong Yi replied with a nod. The two gazed into the clouds and no longer spoke.

Xu Lingxue felt a sense of relief after getting the answers she sought. Meanwhile, Murong Yi sat in quiet contemplation, her expression resembling that of a child caught in a parent's reproach.

But what surprised Murong Yi the most was Xu Lingxue's attitude. If it were another woman, she would've erupted in anger and perhaps even severed ties with her.

However, Xu Lingxue's brilliance lay in her magnanimity. What was done couldn't be undone, and she might as well accept the situation gracefully. All that mattered was that she was in his heart.

The True Martial Continent was a male-dominated society, and it was common for experts to take multiple wives. That was especially true for the cultivation world, as changing partners wasn't surprising.