Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 673 - Critical Point

The three sect masters stood united, plunging the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion into dire peril. Even if Mu Tianli could hold them off, who would protect the disciples? The Heavenly Treasure Pavilion had only three elders, while the three combined sects had nine elders.

If someone held down Elder He and the other two elders, the remaining elders were enough to kill Liu Wuxie. This also put the other Heavenly Treasure Pavilion disciples at risk.

The situation was grim and unfavorable for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and its destruction was possible. They also had no time to notify the sect's grand elders to reinforce them, and by the time they arrived, it would be too late.

As the three sects pressed closer, Mu Tianli frowned deeply. Righteousness was only a luxury for the strong. With his son's death and hundreds of true disciples, no sect would let the matter rest.

"Mu Tianli, do you think you can stop me by yourself? You'd better hand that brat over for me to tear him limb from limb," Bai Jin said, his murderous intent surging out. He didn't want to fight Mu Tianli. While they had the advantage in numbers, they would have to pay a high price even if they could win.

After all, they were evenly matched in strength, and it was almost impossible to obtain an overwhelming victory. His goal was clear—to kill Liu Wuxie to avenge the fallen disciples and his son.

As for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, they could slowly deal with them in due time. With so many sects allying, this could ensure the halt of their development.

Another possibility was that the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would undergo a rebirth, rising like a phoenix from the ashes. Occupying all the alchemy markets would strengthen it.

Alchemy was required to develop an organization, and the other sects couldn't watch the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion fall when the pills it produced were vastly superior to those on the market.

"No one can touch a single disciple from the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion with me around," Mu Tianli said as he wielded the Dragon Phantom Mirror, taking on a battle stance.

Mu Tianli's weapon was the Dragon Phantom Mirror, capable of reflecting every subtle movement of his opponent.

"Since you insist on being stubborn, don't blame us for being ruthless!" Feng Gaoqiu snarled. No one wanted to kill Liu Wuxie more than him out of the three sect masters. After all, Liu Wuxi was the origin of the Azure Crimson Gate's downfall.

If he didn’t kill Liu Wuxie, the Azure Crimson Gate would never grow. Therefore, the only solution was to kill Liu Wuxie.

The three sect masters soon reached a silent agreement to hold off Mu Tianli and kill all the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion disciples. Since they had lost all the disciples who came with them, they naturally had to do the same to the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. This was the only way to quell their anger.

"Aren't the three of you taking it too far?" a voice echoed as a figure appeared beside Mu Tianli, facing the three sect masters.

"Qi Hanyan, do you intend to interfere in our affairs?" Bai Jin's gaze turned cold as he looked at the Misty Sect's sect master.

The Misty Sect's sect master was called Qi Hanyan. While her name wasn't publicly known to the outside world, it wasn't a secret among the ten major sects, so Bai Jin called out her name directly.

"Everyone knows the heinous deeds committed by your disciples. They ignored all morality by capturing my sect's disciples and nearly killing them. It was Liu Wuxie who saved them, and the Misty Sect naturally won't stand by to watch him in danger," Qi Hanyan said, her delicate brows knitted into a fierce scowl. They weren't worthy of being among the ten major sects for what they had done.

Mu Tianli cast a grateful glance at Qi Hanyan. Their sects rarely interacted, and her intervention hinted at a deeper meaning. Aside from Bai Yuan capturing Xu Lingxue, the Misty Sect also wished to form a good relationship with the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

At the rate Liu Wuxie was growing, he might surpass the Southern Province's limit in a few years and become an expert in the Spirit Profound Realm, an existence that those in the True Profound Realm could only look up to.

When Liu Wuxie turned toward the Misty Sect, he noticed that Xu Lingxue was also looking at him. He knew that she had persuaded her sect master to aid the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

The odds began to shift with Qi Hanyan's intervention.

"Do you think you two can stop us three?" Bai Jin swept a glance at Qi Hanyan and Mu Tianli before wearing a sinister smile.

"Sect Master Bai and Sect Master Xu, both of you hold them off while I kill their disciples," Feng Gaoqiu proposed. With those two holding off Mu Tianli and Qi Hanyan, he could kill Liu Wuxie.

"Okay!" It didn't matter who killed Liu Wuxie. They would achieve their goal as long as he was dead.

Bai Jin and Xu Yanghui were stronger, enough to hold off Mu Tianli and Qi Hanyan. As Feng Gaoqiu was weaker, he could be tasked with eliminating the disciples.

Even with Qi Hanyan's intervention, the situation still didn't look good for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

Liu Wuxie merely stood there quietly without any emotion on his face, unaffected by the looming threat as he had long come to terms with life and death. He had expected this outcome from the moment he had killed Bai Yuan.

The other sects didn't intervene. They were more than happy to see the other sects fight among themselves, as it would only benefit them. If the other sects declined in strength, this would give them a chance to overtake them.

After all, the Southern Province's resources were limited, and they would receive more if there were less competition.

"What if I joined in? Will the odds still be in your favor?" The Sky Rift Valley's sect master, Quan Zhong, stepped forward to stand on Mu Tianli's right, shifting the balance of the confrontation to three against three.

Six powerhouses in the True Profound Realm stood in confrontation. No one had expected the Sky Rift Valley, which had never intervened in conflicts, to take sides with the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

The Sky Rift Valley's decision to intervene meant that it was now openly at odds with the Heavenly Origin Sect, the Indigo Cloud Gate, and the Azure Crimson Gate.

Zhu Ziping glanced at Liu Wuxie and gave him a subtle wink. He and the other disciple had gone to great lengths to convince their sect master to intervene. Without Liu Wuxie, he would've long perished at the hands of the snowman.

Shui Huan and others had also joined in to persuade the sect master, and this was why Quan Zhong had finally decided to take a stand after weighing the pros and cons.

This was an opportunity for the Sky Rift Valley, which was ranked eighth among the ten major sects. If they used this opportunity well, the Sky Rift Valley could make it into the top five in this Ten Grand Ceremony.

The Heavenly Treasure Pavilion was almost certain to secure first place, while second place would likely go to either the Transcendent Plume Gate or the Demonic Heart Palace. The Misty Sect and Sky Rift Valley were expected to compete for fourth and fifth.

If there were no surprises, the rankings would continue with the Dugu Clan in sixth, the Divine Sun Palace in seventh, the Heavenly Origin Sect in eighth, the Indigo Cloud Gate in ninth, and the Azure Crimson Gate in last place.

This outcome was something no one could've predicted.

"Quan Zhong, I didn't expect you to meddle in this affair!" Bai Jin growled, the situation becoming increasingly unfavorable for him.

With three against three and hundreds of disciples, it would no longer be easy for them to kill Liu Wuxie.

"I just can't stand the heinous actions of your three sects," Quan Zhong said. While the Sky Rift Valley had stayed out of disputes throughout the years, that didn't mean they had no ambitions.

Everyone was anticipating a full-scale war, given the tense situation, but few expected the Misty Sect and Sky Rift Valley leaders to intervene and side with the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Their involvement diffused the tension, making a battle unlikely.

They were all in the True Profound Realm, and no one could predict what would happen if a battle broke out. If they weren't careful, it might end up in mutual destruction.

"Very well! I will remember what happened today!" Bai Jin snarled, his fury evident as he etched their faces into his memory. He was willing to wait, confident that Liu Wuxie’s death was only a matter of time.

With that, Bai Jin departed the Heavenly Mountain on his warship alongside his elders. Feng Gaoqiu quickly followed, wary that Mu Tianli might retaliate. Xu Yanghui, the last of the three, also left shortly after.

The three sects’ leaders withdrew decisively. With no way to kill Liu Wuxie, they had no reason to remain.

"Thanks for stepping in. I am forever indebted!" Mu Tianli clasped his hands together after breathing a sigh of relief. If the Misty Sect and Sky Rift Valley hadn't intervened, the consequences could have been unimaginable. Without their support, not only would he have been severely injured, but the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion might have lost all its disciples.

"Sect Master Mu, there's no need for thanks. The Heavenly Origin Sect captured our Misty Sect's disciples, and I'm merely doing what needed to be done," Qi Hanyan replied with a flick of her whisk. She didn't intervene purely to help the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, but she wanted to vent her anger, which was a matter of principles.

"Sect Master Mu, if you really want to thank me, just sell us some Transcendent Pills," Quan Zhong interjected with a hearty chuckle. His relaxed demeanor made him stand out among the typically solemn sect leaders, making him seem almost out of place in such a position of authority.

The Transcendent Pill, invented by Liu Wuxie, had become the most sought-after treasure in the Southern Province. With only twenty produced daily, demand far exceeded supply. Each pill was considered priceless, almost equivalent to adding a Nascent Transformation Realm expert to a sect's ranks.

"Consider it done!" Mu Tianli agreed readily. Since the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion had to sell them, he didn't mind using the pills to strengthen their ties with the Sky Rift Valley. The Sky Rift Valley had risked offending the Heavenly Origin Sect to help them today.

......

As disciples boarded the warships, the three sects decided to leave in case of a sudden ambush from Bai Jin.

Mu Tianli finally sighed in relief after hearing that Bai Jin and the other two sect masters had rushed back to their sects. They bid farewell to the Misty Sect and Sky Rift Valley before returning to the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

Before parting, Liu Wuxie glanced at Xu Lingxue, and the two stood silently.

"I'll come and visit you often," Liu Wuxie muttered, brushing Xu Lingxue's hair.

"Mm," Xu Lingxue nodded softly, uncertain of what to say. The past month had been overwhelming, and her feelings toward Liu Wuxie had shifted dramatically—from indifference to him occupying a place in her heart. Adjusting to these emotions would take time.

Farewells were never easy. The two warships sped off in opposite directions, disappearing over the horizon despite the reluctance that lingered between them.

......

As the warship approached the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Mu Tianli sat in the cabin, his brows locked.

"Sect Master, is something troubling you?" Elder He asked, observing Mu Tianli's troubled expression. He had been staying close to the sect master, tending to his needs, and knew Mu Tianli hadn't sustained any injuries during the recent events.

"The Alert Talisman has flared for the third time," Mu Tianli said. He took out an Alert Talisman with only a quarter remaining. If it ignited for the fourth time, it would signify Mu Yueying's death.

"The young lady must've run into real trouble. It has been a month, and her crisis remains unresolved," Elder He said, his brows furrowed as he sat beside Mu Tianli. He had long considered Mu Yueying as his granddaughter. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This is all my fault," Mu Tianli sighed, his tone heavy with regret. "I should never have separated them. Ying'er wouldn’t have gone to the mundane world if I hadn't made that decision. And even after her return, she threw herself into the Heavenly Nether Battlefield. She must still resent me... as her father."