Desolate Devouring Art-Chapter 1064 - Barefooted Elder

Liu Wuxie followed the stone path deeper into the cave. As he moved forward, the interior expanded, and countless years of relentless astral wind had polished the walls to a smooth finish. A faint echo followed each of his footsteps, drifting softly through the silent corridor. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

The passage soon opened up, and the howling wind abruptly ceased. It was as if an invisible barrier shielded this place from the outside world. The calm inside stood in stark contrast to the fury beyond.

Ancient trees swayed gently above the floating platform. Millennia of astral wind had tempered their bark until it became tougher than steel. Even ordinary weapons would leave no trace on them.

Ahead, the tunnel opened into a vast stone chamber, sparsely furnished with a few tables, chairs, and a solitary meditation mat. An old man sat cross-legged atop it.

He wore a long goatee that flowed to the ground, and his white eyebrows drooped well past his knees. His eyes remained half-closed in quiet repose, his expression utterly serene. He released not even a wisp of aura.

Yet, this was the grandmaster of the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, the elusive figure whispered of in reverence across the True Martial Continent. A being of such power that entire sects could rise or fall by his will.

And still, Liu Wuxie could feel no pressure from him at all.

"Have a seat," the grandmaster said, lifting his gaze calmly.

A second meditation mat appeared mid-air and landed lightly on the ground five meters away.

Liu Wuxie stepped forward and sat down respectfully. From this distance, he could examine the grandmaster more closely, and the feeling unsettled him.

The figure before him no longer felt human. He was like a formless shadow, as if his body had already dissolved into the laws of heaven and earth. Liu Wuxie couldn't detect any dao power, yet it was precisely that absence that revealed the man's terrifying mastery; he had become one with the continent itself.

"Disciple Liu Wuxie greets the Grandmaster," Liu Wuxie said, bowing deeply with a solemn and sincere tone.

He would never forget the favor the grandmaster had shown, commanding the Divine Sun Sword to save him at the most critical moment back in Astral Glory City.

"Speak. What do you wish to know?" the grandmaster asked gently. His voice carried no weight, yet every word silenced the world around them. It was a stark contrast to the overwhelming might of the Divine Sun Sword.

Liu Wuxie took a deep breath as the Heavenly Dao Book unfurled behind him. Halos of radiant light cascaded outward, illuminating the chamber like divine sunlight. The glow wrapped around his form, bathing him in ethereal brilliance. The grandmaster's eyes flickered with interest.

"I have two questions," Liu Wuxie said calmly. "First, how can I enter the Astral Domain? Second, someone within the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy wants me dead, and I want to know who."

He didn't mince words. In terms of cultivation, Liu Wuxie believed that no one in the True Martial Continent was qualified to guide him, not when he was the reincarnation of an Immortal Emperor.

"Enter the Astral Domain? Is it for the Han Clan?" the grandmaster asked, a faint smile rising on his lips.

"That's right, but not entirely," Liu Wuxie replied.

He was well aware of the longstanding alliance between the Han Clan, the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, and the Dragon Emperor Academy. Though the Han Clan held no official authority, cultivators across the region revered them as Spirit Guardians. The three forces stood as protectors of the continent, sharing the same goal: to return to the Astral Domain.

The grandmaster nodded slowly, reading between Liu Wuxie's words.

"If you wish to save the Han Clan's children, your only path lies in the Astral Domain," he said. "The Dragon Origin Herb exists solely on Mount Sumeru, deep within the Heavenly Dragon Sect."

"Please, I request your guidance," Liu Wuxie said, bowing deeply.

Although Han Feizi's remaining years seemed enough, for cultivators, time slipped away in an instant. Liu Wuxie didn't even dare to enter seclusion, afraid he would slip from his grasp the moment he closed his eyes.

"I don't know how to enter the Astral Domain," the grandmaster said, shaking his head. "But there is someone who might."

Liu Wuxie stiffened, taken aback by the admission. The grandmaster stood at the pinnacle of the True Martial Continent, and even he didn't know?

"Who is it?" Liu Wuxie asked immediately, his voice steady with determination.

"The Barefooted Elder," the grandmaster answered.

Liu Wuxie frowned. During his time in the Central Plains, he had heard about most of the continent's renowned figures, but the name rang no bell.

"Grandmaster, can I have more details?" Liu Wuxie asked, bowing again.

If this elder were the key to entering the Astral Domain, then no matter how elusive the trail, he would find him.

"Head to the Eastern Domain. With some luck, you might be able to find him," said the grandmaster.

That was all he offered. Whether Liu Wuxie could find the Barefooted Elder now rested entirely on fate.

"The Eastern Domain..." Liu Wuxie committed the name to memory.

Though smaller than the Central Plains, the Eastern Domain was larger than the Southern Province and far more mysterious. Unlike the Southern Province, Northern City, or Western Barren, which all maintained some level of interaction with the Central Plains, the Eastern Domain stood apart. Isolated and enigmatic, its cultivators rarely set foot outside, nor did outsiders enter.

"Then please tell me," Liu Wuxie said, his tone sharpening as he glanced warily around, "who in the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy wants to kill me?"

He remembered the black-robed man who had tried to recruit him on the Heavenly Gate Platform. That event had taken place within the academy's grounds. There was no way the grandmaster didn't know about it.

"You will know in time," the grandmaster said with a slight wave of his hand. "If that is all, you may leave now."

He offered no further explanation nor revealed the identity of the black-robed figure.

Liu Wuxie opened his mouth to press for more, but the grandmaster had already closed his eyes, severing all connection to the outside world.

He had no other choice and stood up from the meditation mat, turning to leave. His figure flickered and vanished from the floating central mountain in the blink of an eye.

Liu Wuxie vanished into the distance, but moments later, a black-robed figure stepped into the cave and halted before the grandmaster.

If Liu Wuxie had still been there, he would have instantly recognized the figure. He was the same black-robed man who had once tried to recruit him atop the Heavenly Gate Platform.

"Do you believe he will reach the Astral Domain?" the black-robed man asked. His voice was cold and emotionless, as though carved from ice.

"All fate is bound to heavenly dao," the grandmaster replied without opening his eyes. His voice echoed gently through the cave. "Since he is heavenly dao, he naturally has his destiny."

"You can't stop me from killing him," the black-robed man said coldly before vanishing without a trace.

Silence fell upon the chamber. The grandmaster slowly opened his eyes, a faint flicker of pain passing through them.

Strangely, the black-robed man matched the grandmaster's voice, height, and build exactly. The only difference lay in their presence: one was gentle and amicable, while the other radiated murderous intent.

Even stranger was how that black-robed man had appeared within the central mountain despite the presence of the Divine Sun Sword. It defied logic. Too many riddles lay beneath the surface, but for now, the answers remained hidden. In time, someone would uncover the truth behind everything.

When Liu Wuxie returned to the base of the mountain, the crowd was still there, chatting and pointing fingers, too afraid to approach him.

His name now resounded across the Central Plains. With the rise of the Heavenly Dao Society and its pill dominance, even children were familiar with him.

Following the mountain path, Liu Wuxie returned to the Heavenly Gate Peak for a brief rest. He intended to depart for the Eastern Domain the next day.

Time was short. He had to locate the Barefooted Elder and learn how to enter the Astral Domain before it was too late.

As he passed through a remote mountain range, the number of people around began to dwindle. The Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy covered an immense area, and vast portions of its land, mountains, and valleys alike were desolate, untouched by disciples.

"Ji Lu'an, there's no escape. Accept your death," came a faint voice from a nearby valley.

It was subtle and easily missed by an ordinary person. Few have ever visited the area, making it a perfect location for an ambush.

After all, the Heavenly Gate Peak sat at the fringes of the academy, unlike other peaks that stood at its core.

Liu Wuxie initially paid no attention, but at the mention of Ji Lu'an’s name, his steps halted.

That name struck a chord.

He remembered the corpse Fiery had uncovered during the recruitment ceremony, the one that Miao Hanxuan had buried. That incident had sparked his longstanding feud with Miao Hanxuan, who had relentlessly sent assassins after him in the early days.

Liu Wuxie hadn't forgotten. He had vowed to kill Miao Hanxuan with his own hands, and that oath had left an imprint on his soul.

As long as Miao Hanxuan lived, it would hinder his cultivation.

"Did that old bastard Miao Hanxuan send you?" Ji Lu'an’s voice rang out again, clearer this time.

Liu Wuxie's figure flickered and vanished. He shot toward the valley without hesitation.

He knew the location well, an ideal place to settle grudges. If someone died there, no one would ever find out.

Mountains flanked the valley and hid it so well that he might have overlooked it without his sharp senses.

......

At the center of the valley, two men surrounded a lone figure.

Bloodied and battered, Ji Lu'an stood firm, the toll of prolonged combat showing on his body.

"Isn't it obvious? You won't live to see tomorrow," one of the attackers sneered.

The two men at the pinnacle of the Spirit Profound Realm lunged at Ji Lu'an from both sides in perfect coordination. Though Ji Lu'an had improved significantly over the past year and reached the higher levels of the Spirit Profound Realm, he still stood no chance against the combined assault of two peak-level opponents.

Liu Wuxie had long been aware of Ji Lu'an's feud with Miao Hanxuan, an inhuman monster hiding behind the mask of a man.

As Liu Wuxie entered the valley, he stepped on dry leavesand the crunch drew everyone's attention.

"Who's there?!" the two attackers snapped, their heads whipping around. The two closest to Ji Lu'an narrowed their eyes warily as the approaching figure came into view.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" one of them shouted, clearly unfamiliar with the young man now standing at the edge of the battlefield.

Ji Lu'an's eyes widened in disbelief. It took him a moment to recognize Liu Wuxie, who had undergone such a significant transformation over the last two years. His features had sharpened, his gaze had grown keener, and the pressure he radiated overwhelmed the air.

"Brother Ji, what's going on here?" Liu Wuxie asked calmly.

He had always sympathized with Ji Lu'an's tragic past, the man who had once loved his junior sister, only to have her stolen and defiled by their own master. Ji Lu'an had tried again and again to take revenge, but every attempt failed, pushing him to the brink of death more than once.