Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 105 - Severing Leg Tendons

The beam of light alarmed the entire Imperial Capital, and it was visible even from a few hundred miles away. Countless scouts began to investigate the light beam's source to find out what had happened.

The nine columns of light persisted for a minute before gradually fading.

“Ten grids! Ten grids on each column!” A cry of astonishment echoed from the crowd. Bai Yu and Yu Yifan had been stunned when they lit up eight grids, but Liu Wuxie had managed to illuminate ten.

However, Fan Yeping understood that the eight columns represented eight attributes, indicating that Liu Wuxie’s talent had far exceeded the ten grids, hence the beam of light that shot into the sky.

Chen Leyao picked up the book that had fallen to the ground and quickly recorded Liu Wuxie’s performance. She even included illustrations in her documentation to ensure that this instance of the Nine Stars Illumination could be passed down through generations and understood by more people.

Zhang Qing’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, his face a picture of disbelief. Those who had earlier mocked Liu Wuxie also wore expressions of discomfort. After all, having derided Liu Wuxie as worthless, they now found themselves in a position worse than that.

No one would feel anything if there wasn’t a comparison. After all, the Nine Stars Illumination was unprecedented, which meant that Liu Wuxie wasn’t just an ordinary genius but a monstrous genius. After all, the appearance of a monstrous genius would usually be accompanied by a phenomenon, and the Nine Stars Illumination was a phenomenon.

“So...have I made it to the next round?” Liu Wuxie turned to look at Chen Leyao. Everyone was still in shock and hadn’t come to their senses.

“Of course!” If Liu Wuxie failed to advance to the next round, it would mean automatic elimination for everyone else. Upon hearing this, Liu Wuxie wore a savage smile as he made his way towards Zhang Qing’s group.

Xue Pinzhi was a student of the Imperial Academy, and Liu Wuxie couldn’t touch him for the time being. However, Zhang Qing’s group was different because they were participants and weren’t considered students of the Imperial Academy.

As Liu Wuxie approached, Zhang Qing’s face turned pale. After all, he had declared that he would kneel and call Liu Wuxie his grandfather if Liu Wuxie could light up even a single grid.

“You...and you, do you want to go down on your knees by yourself, or should I help you?” Liu Wuxie pointed at Zhang Qing and his group.

“Is he crazy? He really wants to make them go down on their knees?” The surrounding crowd was abuzz, thinking that Liu Wuxie had gone mad. After all, earlier, a group of about ten people had wagered that Liu Wuxie couldn’t light up a single grid, and none of them were particularly strong. Yet, no one stepped in to quell the commotion, curious to see what Liu Wuxie intended to do.

Based on Zhang Qing’s personality, kneeling was out of the question as it was no different from humiliation. Each of them was considered a genius, and if they were to kneel, they would be ridiculed upon joining the Imperial Academy.

“Liu Wuxie, I’m standing right here. Let’s see if you have the ability to make us kneel!” Zhang Qing taunted, openly challenging Liu Wuxie to make him kneel if he could. The group of people singled out by Liu Wuxie burst into laughter. The weakest among them was in the fourth-level Xiantian Realm, and they naturally weren't afraid of Liu Wuxie.

So what if Liu Wuxie managed to cause the Nine Stars Illumination phenomenon? He was only in the fifth-level Xiantian Realm, and it was uncertain whether he would even survive until the next day, given that the Xue Clan wouldn’t let him off for offending them.

“Do you all think the same?” Liu Wuxie turned to look at the ten-odd people around Zhang Qing.

The group nodded in agreement with Zhang Qing’s statement. If Liu Wuxie could make him kneel with his ability, they would have nothing to say about it. They wanted to take advantage of their numbers as Liu Wuxie was only in the fifth-level Xiantian Realm, and there were many people with higher cultivation than him. So, how could Liu Wuxie make ten-odd of them kneel when he was alone?

“Teacher Fan, what do you think?” Liu Wuxie turned to look at Fan Yeping. After all, Fan Yeping was the teacher responsible for the assessment, and he naturally needed someone as a scapegoat if the matter blew up.

After a brief silence, Fan Yeping said, “The academy doesn’t prohibit fights, provided they don’t involve loss of life.”

The first part of Fan Yeping’s words was directed at Liu Wuxie, and the second part was to remind Zhang Qing not to kill Liu Wuxie, or the situation would become complicated. Zhang Qing quickly caught on to Fan Yeping’s words with a sinister smile.

Chen Leyao also didn’t expect the teacher to be so biased towards Zhang Qing. After all, Liu Wuxie had lit up ten grids on the nine columns. Although he sounded to be on Liu Wuxie’s side, everyone could tell who would win the fight, given the significant difference in numbers. If a fight were to break out, Liu Wuxie would suffer.

Liu Wuxie nodded and understood what Fan Yeping meant. He strode confidently towards Zhang Qing, intending to use him as an example to silence the crowd.

“Brat, I’m standing right here. Let me see how you will make me go down on my knees!” Zhang Qing taunted, hoping to force Liu Wuxie to make a move so that he could seize the opportunity and cripple him. Xue Pinzhi had just promised him that if he could cripple Liu Wuxie, the Xue Clan would support him, allowing him to have an easier time in future cultivation.

However, no one expected Liu Wuxie to strike first. He took a step forward and released his aura. Everything happened so swiftly that Zhang Qing was slapped before he could react.

The force of the slap sent Zhang Qing flying. But before he could hit the ground, a blade appeared in Liu Wuxie’s hand, tracing an arc through the air and splattering blood.

“ARRGGGHHHH!” Zhang Qing screamed as he crashed onto the ground, kneeling. His kneecaps were shattered with two cuts on his calf as Liu Wuxie had severed his leg tendons. This meant that Zhang Qing could only crawl in the future, and his martial path had ended.

The scene left everyone in shock, as the turn of events had far exceeded their expectations. Liu Wuxie resolved Zhang Qing with one strike before he could resist.

Liu Wuxie paid no heed to Zhang Qing’s screams and turned his gaze to the others who were part of Zhang Qing’s group. This sent shivers down their spines, as the blade Liu Wuxie had wielded earlier was truly terrifying.

Fan Yeping was also stumped on the spot. He had hinted at Zhang Qing earlier to teach Liu Wuxie a lesson as long as no lives were taken. However, the tables had turned, and it was Zhang Qing who ended up crippled by Liu Wuxie.

“Are you guys going to kneel on your own, or should I help you like I helped him?” Liu Wuxie’s cold voice stabbed into the ten-odd people’s hearts like a dagger.

Those with a lower cultivation were trembling. Zhang Qing was in the eighth-level Xiantian Realm, but Liu Wuxie crippled his legs with a single strike.

“Why fear him when he’s by himself? Everyone, attack together and cripple him!” A person at the seventh-level Xiantian Realm stepped forward to gather everyone together.

“That’s right, charge at him together!” His words soon won everyone’s agreement as they drew their weapons and surrounded Liu Wuxie.

Fights during the assessment were unheard of, but they had occurred repeatedly in the past two days.

“Teacher, should we stop them? If this continues, it could lead to fatalities!” Chen Leyao was anxious and wanted Fan Yeping to put a stop to the chaos.

“Some people need to be humbled a bit, and there’s nothing wrong with him learning a lesson. It will make it easier for the academy to nurture him into a talent,” Fan Yeping said indifferently, believing that Liu Wuxie needed to temper his attitude.

Seeing that even the teacher wasn’t stepping in gave the ten-odd people more courage as they charged at Liu Wuxie, planning to hack him to death.

“You people are courting death!” A terrifying murderous intent radiated from Liu Wuxie as he disappeared, leaving behind a glowing trail of blood with his blade. With another slash, the ten-odd people froze in place, unable to move. Blood began to gush out of their legs and soon dyed the ground red.

They began to collapse shortly after with their leg tendons severed, and they would only be able to crawl in the future like Zhang Qing.

“How did this happen?! I refuse to accept this!” The group of ten roared as they couldn’t accept this outcome. After all, they were geniuses who had made it through the second round, but they were crippled now. With their leg tendons severed, they wouldn’t be able to walk in the future or execute any martial technique. Their legs would gradually degenerate, leading to paralysis.

Fan Yeping was deeply shocked, as were the others. They couldn’t comprehend Liu Wuxie’s strength and found it hard to believe that someone in the fifth-level Xiantian Realm would have such unbelievably high combat prowess. They didn’t doubt that Liu Wuxie had concealed his strength because his cultivation was in the fifth-level Xiantian Realm when he swung his blade.

“Teacher, as you said, I didn’t kill anyone and merely severed their leg tendons. I believe this doesn’t violate your instructions, correct?” After sheathing his blade, Liu Wuxie walked over to Fan Yeping and bowed.

Liu Wuxie naturally knew that Fan Yeping had hinted at Zhang Qing to cripple him, but he pretended ignorance. His words left Fan Yeping feeling as though he had been slapped in the face.

“Liu Wuxie, how dare you kill one and cripple thirteen people even before you joined the Imperial Academy! You’re no different from a demon. I suggest having him executed to prevent more students from dying at his hands!” Xue Pinzhi accused, listing Liu Wuxie’s crime and urging Fan Yeping to condemn Liu Wuxie.

“Senior Brother Xue is right. This person’s nature is too cruel, and someone like him doesn’t deserve to enter the Imperial Academy. Teacher, please condemn him!” Many people supported Xue Pinzhi’s opinion, advocating punishment for Liu Wuxie.

A few hundred people joined in, standing on the high moral ground to condemn Liu Wuxie. He etched each of their faces in his mind.

The situation was increasingly turning against Liu Wuxie. If Fan Yeping gave the order, Liu Wuxie’s life would be in danger.

“Kill him!”

“Kill him!” Echos of condemnation sounded like a wave.

But facing the surrounding condemnation, Liu Wuxie was calm with a mocking smile.

At that moment, a group of about ten people arrived, drawn by the Nine Stars Illumination phenomenon.