Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 774 - Ninth Level of the Astral River Realm

While it seemed that Liu Wuxie had taken one step, he advanced several meters forward, a feat that shocked everyone. This raised the earlier question: Was the Bridge of Heaven long?

There was no definitive answer, as the bridge varied for everyone. Some found each step insurmountable, while others could easily cross great distances.

Even the ten examiners turned to look at Liu Wuxie, as this had never happened before. They had paid little attention to the tens of thousands who had undergone the examination earlier, focusing only on the first few hundred participants.

"Look! The radiance is growing stronger!" someone exclaimed from the platform. The radiance that descended from the sky had formed into pillars that enveloped Liu Wuxie, wrapping him in a cocoon of white brilliance.

"Could he be the chosen one?" murmured the second elder on the right, his face filled with shock. Only those favored by heaven could summon such a grand phenomenon.

Liu Wuxie possessed the Heavenly Dao Book and wielded the laws of heaven and earth. Thus, he was the heavens, the earth, the sky, and the universe.

As the radiance merged into the Heavenly Dao Book, Liu Wuxie’s soul sea strengthened, his presence growing ever more profound.

Meanwhile, Miao Hanxuan looked at Liu Wuxie with murderous intent gleaming in his eyes. He hadn’t expected Liu Wuxie to be so strongly favored by the heavens.

As for the Wang Clan, they had ridiculed Liu Wuxie mere moments ago. But now, as they watched him reach the bridge's center in just three steps, their jeers died in their throats.

Shrinking distance into inches was only accomplished by those who were in the Heaven Profound Realm. But Liu Wuxie remained oblivious as he focused on his journey. A faint halo ahead beckoned him forward like a gateway.

Liu Wuxie was walking toward that gateway, and he could no longer see the end of the bridge. As laws of heaven and earth washed over him, they penetrated his bloodline and bone marrow, becoming part of him.

"He passed the two-thirds mark!" a voice rang out on the platform, shocked that someone in the Astral River Realm could walk so far on the bridge—it was unheard of.

On the platform below, Liu Dashan clenched his fists together, and the anxiety on his face faded a little. He knew Liu Wuxie would create miracles in the trials ahead if he could overcome the first stage.

Those who had previously scorned Liu Wuxie now wore sour expressions, especially those at the pinnacle of the Nascent Transformation Realm who had failed even to cross half the bridge. Realizing that they were inferior to someone in the Astral River Realm naturally fueled their resentment toward him.

"Elder Qu, this young man is extraordinary. No wonder Elder Madman would give him a referral letter," whispered the elder standing on the right side of Qu Su. The fact Liu Wuxie could cross two-thirds of the bridge was enough to prove his extraordinary talent. @@novelbin@@

"I can sense a great power slumbering within him, but the origin of this power remains a mystery," Qu Su said. He tried to scan Liu Wuxie's body with his divine sense multiple times but failed.

Unbeknownst to him, Liu Wuxie had long concealed the desolate world using the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, and his soul sea with the Heavenly Dao Book. This made him seem like an ordinary person, yet he was shrouded in mystery.

"Indeed, it's as though an ominous beast is lying dormant within him," nodded another elder.

Suddenly, the sky split apart as boundless sacred light poured upon Liu Wuxie.

"Sacred light!" someone shouted, and the spectators erupted in an uproar as they watched Liu Wuxie bathed in its radiance. This phenomenon had appeared once before in the Liu Clan, and now it was manifesting again before everyone’s eyes.

"He's five steps away from the end!" someone cried, and everyone grew nervous. If Liu Wuxie could cross that distance, he would have set a record today. The best record thus far was set by Ning Hai, who was four and a half steps away from the end.

Liu Wuxie pressed on by relying on the cleansing of the sacred light.

"Four steps left!"

"Three steps left!" An uproar filled the air, but most voices were tinged with jealousy. They couldn't believe that someone in the Astral River Realm would be setting a record today.

"Two steps left!" The platform suddenly fell into a hushed silence. Even Liu Xiucheng became nervous, his eyes fixed on Liu Wuxie without blinking.

Qu Su and the other nine examiners were also shocked and couldn’t believe their eyes.

"One more step!" Liu Wuxie had reached the bridge's peak and was only one step away from ascending it, making him the sixth person to accomplish such a feat.

He only hesitated momentarily before lifting his right foot and stepping through the gateway, entering a whole new world.

The surroundings were like a paradise, filled with the fragrance of flowers and the gentle melodies of birds. Liu Wuxie felt weightless, as though he was floating. It was as if countless tiny hands, soft and delicate like an infant’s, caressed him gently, sending waves of comfort through his entire being.

It felt like he was swimming through an ocean of sacred light, and he wasn't even aware that he had reached the ninth level of the Astral River Realm. He was initially one step away, but he took the final step after basking in sacred light.

Though he was oblivious to the breakthrough, everyone else on the platform witnessed it.

"He made a breakthrough and even received the cleansing of sacred light! This is infuriating!" grumbled one of the Wang Clan's disciples, wishing he could charge over and strike Liu Wuxie down.

"This boy is as good as dead. If we can kill him, we can seize the sacred light from him and become chosen ones ourselves!" Someone had already begun to scheme against Liu Wuxie.

Jealousy gave rise to scheming whispers, and Liu Xiucheng’s worry deepened as he caught the murmurs spreading around him. Though he should have been elated by his grandson’s unparalleled talent, a heavy unease settled in his heart. Liu Wuxie had become a target.

When Liu Wuxie exited the dreamlike state, his feet slowly touched the ground, and he coincidentally landed beside Liu Xin'er.

Even Liu Xin’er, who had been queued behind him, had already completed her assessment. Yet, Liu Wuxie’s test had lasted a full fifteen minutes before he returned to the platform.

"Did I pass?" Liu Wuxie asked earnestly. His genuine curiosity left those around him barely restraining themselves from giving him a piece of their mind. How could someone not know if they had passed the test?

However, in reality, Liu Wuxie genuinely had no idea if he had passed. He had kept moving forward and wasn't sure how far he had gone.

"You didn't just pass—you reached the very end!" Liu Xin'er snapped, rolling her eyes.

Liu Wuxie’s expression turned awkward as he glanced around, noticing the fiery gazes from the crowd, which told him everything he needed to know.

Those who passed the first stage stood on the right, while those who were eliminated went to the left.

Those who passed the first stage gathered on the right, while those eliminated stood on the left. Out of the fourteen Liu Clan disciples, only five had cleared the first stage. Liu Xin'er had performed exceptionally well, stopping just six steps away from the end of the bridge. Compared to her, Liu Lin’s performance paled—let alone when compared to Liu Wuxie’s achievement.

......

Deep within the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, a bell rang when Liu Wuxie crossed the Bridge of Heaven.

"Who passed the Bridge of Heaven?" exclaimed several elderly men with snow-white hair, opening their eyes from meditation as they looked at the Heavenly Divine Bell. They began sending messages to investigate who had crossed the Bridge of Heaven.

......

"Elder Qu, it seems we have underestimated him," commented an examiner. The fact that Liu Wuxie could reach the other end of the bridge meant he was destined to reach the Heaven Profound Realm, provided he didn't die midway.

"I’ve already sent a message to the Grandmaster, who instructed us to monitor him closely. If needed, we can make an exception and directly recruit him into the academy," Qu Su relayed the grandmaster’s decision. This guaranteed Liu Wuxie’s acceptance even if he failed the next three stages.

After all, a chosen one was born once in ten millennia, and they couldn't afford to overlook such a genius.

Upon hearing this, Miao Hanxuan gritted his teeth in rage, his desire to eliminate Liu Wuxie burning fiercely. However, there was nothing he could do but endure it for now. He had to find a way to ensure that Liu Wuxie couldn't join the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy.

When their eyes met earlier, Miao Hanxuan had sensed murderous intent in Liu Wuxie’s gaze. Though there wasn’t direct animosity between them, an unspoken rivalry brewed—they both wanted to destroy each other.

Miao Hanxuan’s hatred stemmed from Liu Wuxie interfering in his affairs, and he believed Ji Lu'an would eventually expose everything to him. If Liu Wuxie remained alive, it was only a matter of time before Miao Hanxuan’s dark deeds were laid bare.

Meanwhile, the first stage was nearing the conclusion. When the moon hung high in the sky, the last participant descended from the bridge, and the first stage had concluded.

The first stage ended with Liu Wuxie taking first place undisputedly, while Ning Hai secured the second.

"Everyone can rest here for the night, and we will commence the second stage tomorrow!" Qu Su said, waving his hand, and dismissed the participants to rest. As for those who were eliminated, they had retreated to the other side of the platform.

A barrier rose between the two groups of participants, and the platform was divided into two. Out of the Liu Clan's five disciples, Liu Wuxie sat with Liu Xin'er, while Liu Lin sat with the other two.

"Looks like many people have their eyes on you," Liu Xin'er whispered as she sat beside Liu Wuxie. In mere minutes, there were thousands of glances directed at them.

"The assessment isn't over, and they won't dare to do anything to me," Liu Wuxie replied. He had already sensed the surrounding gazes and pretended not to notice them. After all, no one was foolish enough to attack him there unless they were courting death.

"You're pretty composed for someone under such great pressure," Liu Xin'er said with a hint of admiration for Liu Wuxie's breadth of mind. If it had been anyone else in Liu Wuxie's position, they would have been overwhelmed by the surrounding hostile gazes, and some belonged to cultivators in the True Profound Realm.

"What should I do then? Kneel and beg for mercy?" Liu Wuxie glanced at Liu Xin'er before he went into meditation. He had to consolidate his cultivation after his breakthrough to the ninth level of the Astral River Realm.

His breakthrough didn't cost him any spirit stones, but his foundation was firm. It was likely a result of the Bridge of Heaven bringing transformative changes to his body. While the benefits remained unclear, Liu Wuxie could sense that his body had grown more attuned to the heavens and earth.

"What a cultivation maniac," Liu Xin'er muttered before immersing herself in her training.

Most people were engaged in discussions, sharing their experiences on the Bridge of Heaven.

"It's outrageous how that brat stole the first place!" said a youth beside Ning Hai, waving his fist in frustration. If Liu Wuxie hadn't appeared, Ning Hai would've claimed the first place, bringing glory to their sect, the Profound Cloud Sect.

There are still three more stages, and he’s as good as dead if he fails even one. Why waste time on a walking corpse?" another youth in the group remarked with a sneer.

While the first two stages had no requirement for cultivation, the last stage required them to fight, and Liu Wuxie's defeat was inevitable.