Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 759 - Butcher

Liu Wuxie vanished before the Phantom Ghost Sword struck. The sword aura fell onto the ground, causing stone shards to fly as projectiles into the surroundings.

"What incredible speed!" exclaimed some of the experts among the spectators. Though their view was obscured, they could scan the arena with their divine senses and see everything.

They were astounded by Liu Wuxie's speed, and it was so fast that even those in the high levels of the Nascent Transformation Realm could only gape in awe.

The Heretic Blade was like a venomous viper, twisted at a tricky angle and aimed straight for Cui Shan's chest. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and Cui Shan's body froze as the blade aura pierced through his body.

Since Liu Wuxie had started the challenge, he had never unleashed the second attack. The ghastly wind in the surroundings vanished as though nothing had happened. Only Liu Wuxie was seen standing on the stage, and Cui Shan's lifeless corpse lay on the ground.

Liu Wuxie walked over calmly and retrieved Cui Shan's interspatial ring before proceeding to the next round. @@novelbin@@

"Cui Shan lost?!" The spectators slumped back into their seats, unable to believe what they saw. Some had bet all their fortune on this match, which meant they had lost everything. Liu Wuxie had dashed their hope of making a comeback.

Watching Liu Wuxie advancing to the next round, everyone turned to look at Liu Xing and inched closer to him. Liu Xing had won a significant sum of nearly two hundred thousand spirit stones. Even those in the high levels of the Nascent Transformation Realm didn't have that much wealth.

However, Liu Xing wasn't bothered as he went to bet on Liu Wuxie again.

Four consecutive victories earned Liu Wuxie 160,000 high-grade spirit stones, and it would be tough for him to leave this place in one piece if he continued winning.

In the courtyard, the middle-aged man's face turned grim. It was rare for them to lose so many spirit stones as most people would quit after one or two victories, or they would lose their winnings in the subsequent rounds. It was unusual for someone like Liu Xing to obtain four consecutive wins in the bets.

"Send in Butcher!" said the middle-aged man, and a servant dashed off immediately.

The mention of 'Butcher' sent shivers down the spines of all the challengers in the courtyard with fear etched on their faces. If Liu Wuxie were present, he would surely be curious who this Butcher was to inspire such terror among the challengers.

When Liu Wuxie stood on a new stage, the audience became uncertain, unsure of who they should bet on.

As time passed, the opponent did not appear even after five minutes. Many people lost their patience, and their complaints echoed throughout the building.

Right then, heavy footsteps echoed from the other end of the passageway. They didn't sound like the footsteps of a profound beast but of a human. The fact that someone produced such a loud echo with each step made Liu Wuxie wonder if his opponent was a giant.

Liu Wuxie tightened his grip on the Heretic Blade. He could sense an overwhelming murderous intent that nearly sent him flying even before his opponent emerged. He could tell that his opponent was powerful, capable of oppressing him, relying on his aura alone.

"It's the Butcher!" Even before Liu Wuxie's opponent emerged from the passage, someone yelled among the spectators, which made everyone's blood boil.

At the mention of the Butcher's name, Liu Xing's legs became jelly, and he nearly collapsed on the ground.

"How is this possible? How could it be the Butcher when it's only the fifth round!" Liu Xing muttered, his voice trembling.

He had heard of the Butcher and the tales of his immense strength and four-meter frame. With his battle axe, the Butcher could easily kill someone in the high levels of the Nascent Transformation Realm.

Moreover, the Butcher was rumored to have obtained a hundred consecutive wins without defeat. Such a monstrous achievement naturally made him a legend among challengers, garnering fear and respect.

"It doesn't make any sense! Why did the Butcher appear in the fifth round?" Many spectators were baffled. It made no sense for the Butcher to appear in the fifth round, especially since it should’ve been someone in the second or third level of the Nascent Transformation Realm based on Liu Wuxie's cultivation.

After all, the Butcher was in the sixth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm and impervious to ordinary weapons. This meant even someone in the seventh level of the Nascent Transformation Realm couldn't defeat him.

In the past year, the Butcher had killed countless challengers. Like his name, he was a butcher groomed by the One Sword Shakes Mount Spirit. This was to ensure the spirit stones won by the challengers would return to them.

At the very least, Butcher killed over fifty people. As he rarely appeared this early in the challenges, it was no wonder the spectators were stunned.

"I bet on the Butcher!" The spectators began to place their bets on the Butcher; they were confident Liu Wuxie would die in this round.

"I'll also bet on the Butcher!" More people followed suit and placed their bets on the Butcher. In just minutes, more than five hundred people had bet on the Butcher, and the total stakes amounted to millions of spirit stones.

"I bet on Liu Wuxie!" a crisp voice echoed as a woman donning a red dress appeared, betting twenty thousand spirit stones on Liu Wuxie.

"Big Sister Xin'er, why are you here?" Liu Xing asked upon seeing the woman.

"Why can't I be here?" The woman had a commanding presence, and her cultivation had reached the eighth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm, which was only one step from the ninth.

Based on her appearance, she was only one or two years older than Liu Xing, but there was a drastic difference in their cultivation.

"You can, you can!" Liu Xing was a little afraid of this woman.

Women rarely came here, as most of the visitors were male. Even if they did visit, they seldom came alone.

Unaware of the commotion above, Liu Wuxie's attention was fixed on Butcher. This man was a giant with a height twice his size. Standing before the Butcher, Liu Wuxie could only reach his waist.

This was the first time Liu Wuxie had encountered a human with such a large frame. Though the Butcher wasn't a giant, he could be considered a terrifying presence among humans, and he wielded a battleaxe in his right hand.

The battleaxe was stained with brownish residue on the surface, which was likely left behind by his victims. The Butcher hadn't bothered to clean it. Even the color of the wood had changed after being drenched in the blood of its victims.

The battleaxe emanated an overwhelming, ominous aura, echoing wails of anguish. It had killed vengeful spirits and imprisoned their souls.

Such dreadful cries could shatter the sanity of an ordinary person, but Liu Wuxie remained composed.

The battleaxe was a meter long and half a meter wide. If struck by it, the axe would tear him apart without any hindrance.

Liu Wuxie and the Butcher also formed a stark contrast based on their figure, and a hint of murderous intent flashed across Liu Wuxie's eyes. He had already figured that the management of this place had no intention of letting him leave alive.

"Die!" the Butcher roared, his face contorted with cruelty. His cheeks bulged when he spoke, and he unleashed a torrent of air from his mouth that swept toward Liu Wuxie.

To release such an immense torrent of air with a simple exhale proved that the Butcher was a formidable foe.

If Liu Wuxie faced an ordinary cultivator in the sixth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm, he could easily crush them to death with one hand. However, he didn't dare to be careless against someone like the Butcher.

Though he could kill the Butcher if he used the Heavenly Dragon Seal, it would violate the rules. The regulation dictated that challengers were only allowed weapons, not artifacts, to ensure fairness in the fight.

When the Butcher swung his battleaxe downward, it tore through the air with a sharp whistle, grating against Liu Wuxie's nerves.

"What terrifying power!" Liu Wuxie was shocked as he retreated to avoid the oncoming sword. There was no powerful technique behind this strike, but the atmosphere in the surroundings was suppressed when the battleaxe descended.

If Liu Wuxie had tried to approach the Butcher, he would have been swept away by the sheer wind produced by the swinging of the axe. Even if Liu Wuxie was strong, he wasn't omnipotent, and it would be impossible for him to find the Butcher's weakness without approaching.

The entire arena rumbled and cracked from the Butcher swinging his axe alone. His power was monstrous, and it was no wonder they called him the Butcher.

"Big Sister Xin'er, do you think Big Brother Wuxie can win?" Liu Xing asked with a worried look. He wouldn't be so concerned if Liu Wuxie were facing another opponent, but it was the notorious Butcher they were talking about!

"Didn't you bet 160,000 spirit stones on his victory? Or are you losing faith in him now?" the woman said, glancing at Liu Xing before she turned her attention to the arena.

Meanwhile, the Butcher raised his battleaxe again and hacked it toward Liu Wuxie. There weren't any complicated techniques in his move. They were simple and repeated strikes—but devastatingly effective.

The battleaxe dominated with every swing, and Liu Wuxie saw no opportunity to approach. This swiftly put him in a passive position as he would eventually succumb at this rate. It also felt uncomfortable when the ominous aura from the battleaxe seeped into his body.

"Die!" bellowed the Butcher as he swung his battleaxe again with even more force.

When he swung his axe, the woman beside Liu Xing looked worried for a moment.

Whenever Liu Wuxie tried to approach the Butcher, he would be forced to retreat by the powerful swing. Even if he detected over a hundred flaws in the Butcher's move, he could do nothing if he couldn't get close.

This was like spotting countless flaws in your opponent's attacks from a hundred meters away but being unable to exploit them due to the distance.

When the battleaxe descended once more, the surrounding space began to tremble. As the spatial laws in the Central Plains were incredibly firm, even those in the Nascent Transformation Realm or True Profound Realm couldn't tear it apart.

The fact that the Butcher could cause the surrounding air to tremble under his strike was enough to prove that he was twice as strong as Liu Wuxie.

By Liu Wuxie’s estimation, he could lift up to 150,000 kilograms without using true essence.

As Liu Wuxie continued to dodge the oncoming strikes, the arena's edge loomed behind him, and he would fall off the arena if he retreated any further, thus losing the match by default.

However, based on Butcher's personality, he wouldn’t allow his opponent to leave this place alive as every challenger who fought him met their end in the arena.

Performing the Nine Heavenly Crane Dance, Liu Wuxie soared to the sky like a celestial crane, and the battleaxe suddenly descended, striking the ground.

Large cracks began to appear on the ground, forming a ravine. The battle made the spectators' blood boil, as it had been a long time since there had been such an exciting match to watch. Regardless of the outcome, this battle was destined to be remembered by many.

The fact Liu Wuxie could dodge the Butcher's attacks was enough to prove that he had already surpassed many others.

In mid-air, Liu Wuxie twisted his body and appeared behind the Butcher, whose head loomed like a large basin. He seized the opportunity without hesitation and struck down with the Heretic Blade.