Desolate Devouring Art-Chapter 1086 - Dark Canyon

Liu Wuxie slowly opened his eyes, unaware that Tian Wucang's expression was changing.

Tian Wucang steadied himself after nearly stumbling and stared fixedly at Liu Wuxie's pupils.

As Liu Wuxie's eyelids parted slightly, his brows furrowed. He clearly remembered it was nighttime, yet what unfolded before him was a world bathed in vivid, multicolored brilliance, like daylight, only more vibrant.

Still, he paid it no mind and continued opening his eyes.

He opened his eyes fully and glanced around in confusion.

"Brother Tian, what's going on with this world? Why are there so many colors?" he asked, glancing at Tian Wucang, only to find him frozen in place, his mouth hanging open in disbelief, as if he had just seen something that defied all understanding.

"Brother Liu... you can see again?!" Tian Wucang asked, taking a deep breath in an attempt to recover from his shock.

"I can. But everything looks... different. More real, somehow," Liu Wuxie replied. Though he couldn't explain it, he now saw sap flowing through the trees.

In the past, the Ghost Eye allowed him to see through objects, but never with such detail. Now, he could even make out the intricate lines running through solid rock. Everything in his sight radiated a sense of spirituality, even inanimate things like stones.

"Well, as long as you've regained your vision, that's what matters most," Tian Wucang said with a smile, forcing himself to shake off the horrifying image he had witnessed just moments earlier.

"Brother Tian, it feels like you've been deliberately avoiding my eyes. Is there something wrong?" Liu Wuxie asked, sensing something was amiss from Tian Wucang's reaction the moment he opened his eyes.

He clearly remembered how Tian Wucang had staggered back and then avoided eye contact, as though he had seen something terrifying.

"It's nothing. I... feel like I'd lose myself if I kept looking into your eyes," Tian Wucang replied honestly. That one glance had nearly pulled his soul out of his body.

"Something happened to my eyes, didn't it?" Liu Wuxie frowned. Although his vision had returned, he could sense that something was amiss. The world around him appeared far more vivid than before.

"It's probably just part of the recovery. You'll need some time to adjust," Tian Wucang offered, brushing it off.

"You're probably right. I'll get used to it soon," Liu Wuxie nodded and closed his eyes, resting for a full minute.

When he opened them again, the vibrant world he had seen earlier was gone, and everything appeared normal. Even the rocks' texture had returned to normal.

It was at that moment that Liu Wuxie understood.

What he had seen earlier wasn't the physical world. He now saw through everything, even the bones inside Tian Wucang's body.

It resembled X-ray vision, only far more profound.

Seeing Liu Wuxie's eyes return to normal, Tian Wucang finally let out a sigh of relief. The thought of Liu Wuxie continuing to stare at him with those strange eyes truly unnerved him.

Since traveling at night was too dangerous, they decided to rest. Tian Wucang closed his eyes while Liu Wuxie stood watch.

Perched atop a boulder, Liu Wuxie gazed into the horizon. Suddenly, his upper dantian stirred—his pupils contracted, and once more, his vision began to shift.

"I see!" he exclaimed, realization dawning upon him. The more he probed into the changes in his eyes, the more secrets he uncovered. His face lit up with excitement.

"So this is the true Ghost Eye..." Liu Wuxie muttered in awe. Aside from greatly enhancing his sight, the Ghost Eye had awakened several new abilities.

"Soul Capture!" Liu Wuxie tested one of them, locking his gaze on a ghost beast far off in the distance.

With a soft thud, the ghost beast collapsed, its soul ripped from its body by Liu Wuxie's gaze.

A miniature version of the ghost beast now floated before him. With just a thought, he could annihilate it.

While Liu Wuxie possessed the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, capable of devouring all things, it couldn't consume souls as souls usually dissipated the moment their host perished.

Even the Conversion Art only turned others into devotees; it couldn't seize or control their souls.

"What the hell is this?" Liu Wuxie muttered in shock. After the transformation of the Ghost Eye, he had gained the power to capture the souls of living beings.

"No wonder Brother Tian avoided eye contact. Just one glance and I could've pulled his soul out," Liu Wuxie said, finally understanding Tian Wucang's earlier fear.

"Ordinary Earth Profound Realm cultivators aren't stronger than me in terms of soul energy. I should be able to extract their souls without issue. However, if I encounter someone with greater soul strength, I might suffer a backlash," he said, continuing to test the technique.

After several trials, he confirmed that Soul Capture only worked on those with weaker soul energy.

Unlike the Soul Forging Art, which focused on tempering the soul, the Soul Capturing Art was a direct offensive method. One was akin to internal cultivation, the other a deadly weapon.

The soul of the ghost beast still struggled and thrashed, trying to escape his grasp.

"Go on," Liu Wuxie said, choosing not to destroy it.

The moment he released it, the soul shot back into its body. The ghost beast instantly turned and fled, vanishing without a trace.

By dawn, Tian Wucang had fully recovered from his injuries. Although he still cast wary glances at Liu Wuxie, the lingering fear had eased somewhat.

In daylight, Liu Wuxie's pupils mainly looked normal, aside from a subtle deepening in color. However, whenever a faint golden glow flickered in the depths of his eyes, the nearby space trembled slightly in response.

The two continued traveling, crossing one mountain after another. Along the way, they encountered many Yin-Faced Ghosts.

Strangely, none of the ghosts attacked, and they avoided confrontation entirely.

At first, Liu Wuxie and Tian Wucang were relieved. However, as time passed, a growing sense of unease began to creep in. They began to suspect that someone was secretly preparing a larger ambush, based on the ghosts' unnatural behavior.

After half a month of constant travel, they finally reached Ghosthead Mountain's deepest part.

The timing matched Tian Wucang's earlier estimate. It was roughly a month's journey.

"The Dark Canyon is just ahead. We must proceed with caution. That's the heart of the ghost clan's territory," Tian Wucang warned. Even an Abyssal Emperor would hesitate to set foot too deep into the canyon.

Rumors spoke of a Ghost Emperor residing within the Dark Canyon, an existence on par with a human cultivator at the Heaven Profound Realm.

Anyone foolish enough to trespass would only face certain death. However, Liu Wuxie had come too far to turn back now.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed forward, with Tian Wucang following closely behind as they stepped into the canyon's mouth.

Instantly, the world darkened.

Despite it being broad daylight outside, the moment they crossed the threshold, it felt as if they had entered a separate realm entirely. Thick ghost fog blotted out the sky, shrouding the canyon in eternal darkness.

Sunlight had no place here, an ideal haven for the ghost clan, who abhorred light.

A frigid wind howled from all directions, chilling their bones.

Tian Wucang shivered, clutching his collar tightly. The cold here was harsher than anywhere they'd experienced before.

As Liu Wuxie swept his gaze across the landscape, he noticed countless ghostly faces silently watching them, each face representing a ghost. The lack of attack surprised him.

"Let's keep moving," Liu Wuxie said calmly. There was no need to provoke the ghosts as long as they remained passive. It was best they stayed out of each other's way.

Through the dense mist, they saw ancient houses scattered across the canyon, lending the place a strange and eerie atmosphere.

Unlike humans, the ghost clan had no real need for houses. They preferred lurking in shadows and hiding in the darkness.

"Humans likely built these. Judging by their structure, they've probably been here for countless years," Tian Wucang murmured as he studied the ancient houses.

Suddenly, spatial fluctuations surged toward them in steady pulses, rippling through the air.

Both Liu Wuxie and Tian Wucang immediately stopped in their tracks and looked around warily. Yin-Faced Ghosts emerged one after another, forming ghost faces that hovered in the air. Some exuded overwhelming auras, their strength rivaling high-level Earth Profound Realm cultivators. They emitted suffocating ghostly energy.

"This is the ghost clan's domain. Humans are not welcome here!" a powerful ghost face declared in the human tongue as it floated directly in front of Liu Wuxie.

The Yin-Faced Ghosts usually attacked humans on sight who intruded on their territory, so this behavior shocked them. Why were they warning them instead?

"I am Liu Wuxie. I've come seeking an audience with the Barefooted Elder," Liu Wuxie said, cupping his fists in formal greeting. "Please let us pass. We will leave the moment our meeting is over."

As soon as Liu Wuxie said "Barefooted Elder," the surrounding ghost faces visibly flinched, stepping back as if gripped by fear.

Although they had suspected this was Liu Wuxie's purpose, hearing the name spoken aloud still shocked them deeply.

The first ghost face said, "The Barefooted Elder died long ago. You're too late. Leave this place at once."

"Dead?" Liu Wuxie and Tian Wucang exchanged puzzled glances.

"Even so, I still wish to see the place he once lived," Liu Wuxie replied calmly, showing no intention of backing down. Even if the Barefooted Elder was truly gone, he needed to confirm it for himself.

He believed the grandmaster had sent him here for a reason. If the elder had died, the grandmaster would've known, and he wouldn't have directed Liu Wuxie to come for nothing.

"No. I forbid you from going any farther," the ghost face roared, letting out a piercing shriek as the other ghost faces bared their fangs and released waves of killing intent.

They instantly shifted from restraint to hostility, as though something had provoked them.

"And what if I insist?" Liu Wuxie asked coldly, narrowing his eyes as light began to spiral deep within his pupils.

Strong emotions caused his eyes to transform on their own. The swirling vortex of light made the ghost faces recoil in terror, and they avoided his gaze.

Their bodies were formed of ghostly energy and infused with soul energy. And Liu Wuxie's Soul Capture ability was their natural counter.

Liu Wuxie's face twisted with a strange expression. He now realized the Yin-Faced Ghosts feared his Ghost Eye, especially after its terrifying evolution through the Ghost King's laws.