Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 724 - White Tiger’s Bloodline

Liu Dayue's expression remained tense as he considered the dire implications of the dark spirit's possession. He knew all too well how devastating it could be if the entity wasn't expelled quickly. Without another spiritual talisman or the necessary materials to craft one, Liu Wuxie's fate seemed sealed. By the time they gathered everything required, the dark spirit would have devoured his primordial spirit, leaving him to a slow and inevitable demise like Wang Yue.

Despite the severity of the situation, Liu Wuxie stood motionless, his expression calm and unreadable. When the dark spirit in the form of a fog entered his soul sea, it was blocked out by Soul Shield before the Heavenly Dao Book released dazzling radiance that enveloped the dark spirit.

Agonized screams echoed within Liu Wuxie's soul sea, and only Liu Wuxie could hear them. The dark spirit began to morph into various forms as it struggled in his soul sea.

The Heavenly Dao Book's sacred light could even kill a ten-thousand-year deathguard, not to mention a puny dark spirit. Regardless of the dark spirit or deathguards, they mainly shared the same origin as remnants of vengeful souls after death. The only difference lay in their forms, but dark spirits were more unpredictable and tougher to defend against, while deathguards were tough to kill, which required the destruction of the crystal in their skulls.

When the final wisp of fog dissolved under the sacred light, the dark spirit disappeared entirely from existence. The dark spirit's death allowed Liu Wuxie's soul sea to expand in size instead, and all the soul energy absorbed by the dark spirit benefited Liu Wuxie instead.

When a dark spirit sequence appeared in the Heavenly Dao Book, Liu Wuxie opened his eyes and looked around. He could see the surrounding gazes, which were a mix of awe and fear. They were afraid of becoming the next victim of the dark spirit.

"Wait, the dark spirit's aura seems to have vanished," muttered an expert in the Nascent Transformation Realm. He couldn't sense even a hint of the dark spirit's aura coming from Liu Wuxie, and this could only mean one thing: Liu Wuxie had vanquished the dark spirit.

"Young man, are you alright?" Liu Dayue walked over, his concern gradually fading.

"Thank you for your concern, but the dark spirit has been vanquished," Liu Wuxie replied honestly.

The situation would've gone out of control if Liu Dayue hadn't intervened. He could foresee that the Wang Clan wouldn't have given up easily, and he would have to pay a steep price even if he had managed to escape today.

On the other side, Wang Yue had slowly closed his eyes which marked his death. This made Wang Linshuang let out a guttural roar as his eldest son had taken his last breath in his embrace.

"Patriarch Wang, you have my condolences. If it weren't for this young man's timely reminder, your Wang Clan might’ve fallen prey to the dark spirit after it was done devouring your son's primordial spirit. The consequences could've been far worse," Liu Dayue said, trying to comfort Wang Linshuang.

The surrounding onlookers nodded in acknowledgement of Liu Dayue's words.

Wang Linshuang naturally understood that as well. The dark spirit had completely consumed his son's primordial spirit, who was already on the brink of death. This meant the dark spirit would seek a new host, likely another member of the Wang Clan.

The other Wang Clan's elders felt conflicted as they fell silent, not knowing how to respond to this situation. It felt wrong to call Liu Wuxie an enemy of the Wang Clan as he had saved the clan from further damage by vanquishing the dark spirit. But it felt weird to call him their benefactor as he had caused the death of their young master as well as the injuries of thirty-odd disciples.

No matter what, the Wang Clan's status would plummet after the incident today. The appearance of a dark spirit would cast a long shadow, leaving others wary of associating with them, not knowing if another dark spirit might lurk in their clan.

"Mister Liu, say no more!" Wang Linshuang waved his hand. While his cultivation wasn't comparable to Liu Dayue, he knew what was right and wrong. There was no need for more words as the pressing matter now was to salvage the clan's losses.

"Boy, this is all your fault! The Wang Clan wouldn't be in this position if not for you!" The other Wang Clan's elders chose to blame Liu Wuxie. If Liu Dayue weren't standing in front of Liu Wuxie, they would've flocked over to take his life by now.

"The Wang Clan is really detestable. If that boy hadn't discovered the dark spirit in time, the Wang Clan would've suffered more losses," whispers of disdain came from the surroundings. Many believed the Wang Clan's plight was their own doing.

"That's enough!" Wang Linshuang roared to silence the elders. If he allowed them to continue speaking, the Wang Clan would lose whatever prestige and dignity they had left in Prosper City.

While a clan with a legacy of centuries might seem like a colossal in the mundane world, they were nothing in Central Plains. Many clans with long legacies would perish daily, and new clans would rise to prominence.

"Patriarch!" The elders were baffled why Wang Linshuang stopped them. After all, it was all Liu Wuxie's fault to begin with.

"Wang Clan is also at fault for today's matter. So let us put an end to this matter here," Wang Linshuang said. He had prioritized the greater good over petty vengeance, and there would be no benefit if they blew the matter up.

Unlike them, Liu Wuxie had nothing to lose and could leave the city whenever he wanted. But the Wang Clan was bound to Prosper City, and it would be difficult to restore their reputation once it was tarnished.

Wang Linshuang's words softened Liu Wuxie's expression slightly, easing the tension etched into his features.

"Earlier, when I mocked you people, it wasn't just because of the dark spirit's possession but because of your stupidity in allowing a true gem to be hidden in plain sight. If I'm not mistaken, your Wang Clan's ancestor should possess the bloodline of the white tiger, right?" Liu Wuxie said suddenly, and his words left everyone stunned.

Just when the Wang Clan's elders were about to erupt in fury after hearing what Liu Wuxie said, Wang Linshuang raised his hand to stop them. He believed in Liu Wuxie's ability since he could see that Wang Yue was possessed by a dark spirit, not to mention he even noticed that the Wang Clan’s ancestor possessed the white tiger's bloodline.

There were fewer than ten individuals in Prosper City aware that the Wang Clan's ancestor carried the white tiger's bloodline, and none of them were present. So how could Liu Wuxie possibly know this?

A glimmer of intrigue flashed in Liu Dayue's eyes. Having observed Liu Wuxie's actions and demeanor throughout the entire ordeal, he found it increasingly difficult to dismiss him as anything less than extraordinary. Liu Wuxie's composed actions and logical speech belied his youth, making it hard to believe he was a young man barely in his twenties.

"Young man, what are you trying to convey here?" Wang Linshuang's attitude had changed. He began to wonder if Liu Wuxie knew something since he knew the Wang Clan's ancestor possessed the white tiger's bloodline.

"Brother Wang, come here for a moment," Liu Wuxie said as he gestured toward Wang Rui. The latter glanced at his father before nodding his head and stepping forward. If Liu Wuxie harbored any ill intention toward Wang Rui, Wang Linshuang would spring into action at a moment's notice.

"Brother Liu, do you need me for anything?" Wang Rui's emotions churned in turmoil, uncertain of what to do.

"Awaken the white tiger's bloodline within you," Liu Wuxie replied. Before Wang Rui could respond, three needles appeared in Liu Wuxie’s hand as he stabbed them into Wang Rui's forehead, chest, and lower abdomen. Those were the critical acupoints in a person, and the slightest mistake could be fatal.

"Stop!" The Wang Clan's elders roared, demanding Liu Wuxie to cease his actions at once. But it was too late, as Liu Wuxie's movement was far beyond their ability to intervene.

Wang Rui winced in pain, and a ball of flame swept out from his body before he could fully grasp what was happening.

A series of tiger roars echoed throughout the streets. The phantom of a white tiger appeared behind Wang Rui, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

With each roar, Wang Rui's cultivation surged, breaking through the bottleneck of the Astral River Realm and ascending into the Nascent Transformation Realm. His aura became increasingly formidable, and the faint apparition of a white tiger materialized around him. The tiger's majestic might radiated outward, creating an oppressive force that even seasoned Nascent Transformation Realm cultivators found difficult to endure.

Wang Linshuang stood frozen in disbelief. The Wang Clan's elders were equally dumbfounded. They couldn't comprehend how three needles could awaken the dormant bloodline of the white tiger.

The surrounding spectators were no less shocked. What happened tonight felt so surreal that they couldn't digest it completely.

"The white tiger's bloodline! Our Wang Clan finally has someone awakening the white tiger's bloodline!" An elder from the Wang Clan had tears streaming down his cheeks as he fell to his knees.

The other Wang Clan's elders also fell silent. They knew better than anyone what it meant to awaken the white tiger's bloodline.

After all, the Wang Clan was once a first-tier clan, and they had a significant position in Central Plains even if they couldn't compete with the Four Great Clans. But their status had plummeted ever since their had ancestor passed away.

In the past two centuries, the Wang Clan had never produced another descendant who had awakened the white tiger's bloodline. Time would only dilute their bloodline, which meant they might never be able to awaken it.

But today, Wang Rui had awakened the white tiger's bloodline, and a Snow-Striped White Tiger at that. This meant his bloodline was even purer than that of their ancestor’s. If he was allowed to grow, there might even be a possibility for him to reach the Spirit Profound Realm.

Although the Wang Clan had lost their heir, they had someone who awakened the white tiger's bloodline in return. This further complicated their emotions toward Liu Wuxie.

By all logic, they should be grateful to Liu Wuxie, but the words of gratitude were stuck in their throats.

As the immense energy emanating from Wang Rui began to subside, his cultivation stabilized in the first level of the Nascent Transformation Realm. If he had some time to consolidate his cultivation, he would be able to reach the second level effortlessly, and this was the benefit of the white tiger's bloodline, allowing him to cultivate with half the effort and twice the result.

"Brother Liu, thank you!" Wang Rui fell onto one knee to express his gratitude to Liu Wuxie. If Liu Wuxie hadn't helped him to awaken the white tiger's bloodline, his cultivation might’ve remained stagnant for the rest of his life.

Liu Wuxie quickly stepped forward to support Wang Rui back to his feet. Since his arrival in Central Plains, Wang Rui was the first friend he made, and he knew Wang Rui would likely face even more challenges in the Wang Clan after the incident today.

Helping Wang Rui awaken his white tiger's bloodline would instantly make him the treasure of the Wang Clan, and this was his true intention.

When Wang Linshuang gaze turned from the corpse of his eldest son to his second son, he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"Patriarch, this is a blessing for the Wang Clan!" The other Wang Clan's elders still hadn't recovered from their excitement.

Though they were right that the awakening of the white tiger's bloodline was a fortune for the Wang Clan, Wang Linshuang couldn't bring himself to feel joy. His two sons were like the front and back of his hand, equally precious to him. He had lost a son to complement the other, and it was only natural for him to feel conflicted.

"Congratulations, Patriarch Wang, on the awakening of the white tiger's bloodline in your clan!" Many spectators stepped forward to offer their heartfelt congratulations. They could foresee the Wang Clan regaining their position as a first-tier clan with the awakening of the white tiger's bloodline. If Wang Rui could grow up smoothly, Wang Clan's name would surely rise to prominence in Prosper City.

"Let's go," Wang Linshuang said, lifting Wang Yue's lifeless body and turning toward the clan. He neither voiced gratitude nor placed blame on Liu Wuxie. His gaze lingered briefly on the young man, and though his expression remained stoic, the depth of his eyes betrayed his thoughts. Gratitude overshadowed any lingering resentment, and overall, he appeared thankful to Liu Wuxie.