Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 840 - Crimson Cloud

Though the crimson thread had only appeared briefly, it left Liu Wuxie restless throughout the night. No one knew better than him about the terror of Earthly Fiends.

From what Liu Wuxie understood, there was a powerful force in the Celestial Realm known as the Netherworld Gate, which controlled thirty-six Heavenly Dippers and seventy-two Earthly Fiends. Its disciples practiced dark arts that drew power from the Earthly Fiends.

The Netherworld Gate was founded by the Netherworld Emperor, who was rumored to have gained control over the entire Netherworld River—a river said to contain countless Earthly Fiends within its waters.

The Netherworld River was a mysterious river that was said to be capable of washing away all worldly filth—a single drop was enough. The Netherworld Emperor had relied on the river to establish the renowned Netherworld Gate.

The Netherworld Gate had countless disciples and connections with the demon race. It was rumored that the demon race and Netherworld Gate were one family. However, Liu Wuxie didn't know much about them as the sect rarely made its presence known in the outside world.

Earthly Fiends were born from the Nine Nethers—a realm known as Hell to mortals and the Netherworld to immortals. It was said to be a place of eternal darkness, where mountains of decaying corpses lay shrouded in Nine Nether Flowers. Deep within that abyss, there was a legendary city—Nether City—home to the enigmatic nether clans.

Yet, few had ever seen such things with their own eyes. Their existence remained uncertain, shrouded in myth and speculation.

Liu Wuxie wasn’t sure if the appearance of an Earthly Fiend was an omen or a disaster. But its timing was no coincidence—the True Martial Continent was on the verge of collapse, drawing all manner of powerful beings, each seeking the Astral Domain Path to escape before the end arrived.

Despite the legends, Liu Wuxie never truly believed in the Netherworld. The Eighteen Levels of Hell were mere tales meant to frighten children. Even if the Netherworld and Nether City did exist, they were likely in another dimension, not hidden beneath the ground as the stories claimed.

His mission was to reach the Martial Astral Vein to fix the cracks.

When the crimson thread vanished, the moon began to change. A crimson spot appeared on the moon, slowly turning the moonlight shining down red.

"Wherever an Earthly Fiend manifests, death follows. Tomorrow will not be peaceful," Liu Wuxie murmured, focusing on stabilizing his injury. His goal was to recover fully before dawn.

Since Earthly Fiends feared sunlight, he didn’t have to worry about them during the day. With this in mind, he spent the entire night cultivating, letting his energy flow steadily until the first light of morning.

By dawn, the water in the wooden tub had become cold. The servant stirred awake, stretching his stiff body before adding firewood to rekindle the flames.

Liu Wuxie had fully recovered by now. Several times, he felt the urge to rise and prove his recovery, but he restrained himself. He wanted to see how the Lu Clan planned to deal with him now that the deadline had arrived.

Later in the day, Lu Qiang and Lu Hua visited him.

Lu Qiang stood by the side, his expression dark with barely concealed anger. Though his displeasure was evident, he refrained from acting rashly. Lu Hua, in contrast, had a softer demeanor. She walked slowly around Liu Wuxie, studying him in silence before finally speaking.

"I hope you can get better soon. Even if not for yourself, at least for my father," Lu Hua said before leaving. They had only come across each other by luck, and the Lu Clan had already done the best they could.

Every evening, Lu Funian visited, and each time, he could only sigh at the sight of Liu Wuxie, who showed no signs of waking.

"Bring him back into the room. It's getting late, and we'll arrange for someone to send him away tomorrow morning," Lu Funian sighed. He believed Liu Wuxie was only barely holding on and would soon die without the help of spiritual herbs.

The Lu Clan wasn't wealthy, and the consumption of so many precious herbs had stretched them thin. Any further treatment might stir more discontent among the clan.

The two youths carried Liu Wuxie back into the room and dressed him before closing the door.

As soon as their footsteps faded, Liu Wuxie suddenly sat up. His breathing was steady—he had only feigned weakness earlier, just as he had pretended to remain unconscious.

Now, he pondered whether to leave quietly or stay and personally thank them for saving his life.

He placed several hundred thousand spirit stones on the soft couch—more than enough for the Lu Clan to purchase another Grand Purity Pill with plenty to spare. It was a sufficient gesture of gratitude for their kindness.

Liu Wuxie had decided not to meet them after weighing his options. They were strangers, and any meeting would only lead to awkwardness. Still, he would remember the Lu Clan’s kindness for the rest of his life.

As he opened the door, preparing to slip away—having already delayed his mission for too long—a streak of crimson light flashed across the night sky, illuminating the city.

The silence was unnerving. On the night of the full moon, the entire city had gone deathly still. Not a single soul walked the streets.

"The aura of an Earthly Fiend!" Liu Wuxie muttered as he hesitated at the doorway. Taking a deep breath, he vaulted over the courtyard wall and landed on the streets. But the scene before him was unsettling—the entire street was empty, not a single person in sight.

A chilling sensation crept over him. Had he not witnessed the city's bustling life during the day, he might have thought he had stepped into a ghost town.

Traveling at night was dangerous. The Earthly Fiend’s gaze could fall upon him at any moment. If it was a weaker fiend, he could manage—but if it was something stronger, wandering aimlessly would be nothing short of suicidal.

Right then, a crimson cloud loomed over the city, blocking the full moon and plunging the entire city into darkness. Though the darkness wasn't exaggerated enough to completely blind him, his vision was still heavily impeded.

He quickly concealed himself, his gaze locked on the crimson cloud as it descended. A low, eerie sound accompanied its movements.

Then, the cloud engulfed a house. A horrifying scene unfolded as heart-wrenching screams tore through the silence. Within moments, a man and a woman were devoured, their cries cut short.

Two skeletons fell to the ground with a hollow clatter in less than a breath. No one came to help, and the city remained silent.

A city of this size should have had Spirit Profound Realm cultivators, yet none had stepped forward. Had all the experts abandoned it, leaving only the native residents behind?

The crimson cloud continued to move toward the next building. Liu Wuxie took a deep breath before following behind stealthily.

He wanted to uncover the secret hidden within the crimson cloud, but before his Ghost Eye could pierce through, the cloud suddenly halted. Liu Wuxie’s heart pounded. An ill omen loomed over him.

His Ghost Eye had never failed before. For years, he had used it undetected, yet now—something inside the cloud had sensed him. His breathing quickened. Without hesitation, he summoned the Heretic Blade, gripping it tightly, ready to strike if the crimson cloud turned its attention on him.

A standoff ensued for five minutes before the crimson cloud left, heading toward the Lu Clan.

Not long after the crimson cloud left, Liu Wuxie sighed in relief, his palms covered in cold sweat. He murmured, "What a terrifying aura. What the Hell is hidden inside that crimson cloud?"

Within minutes, the crimson cloud reached the Lu Clan, drawing a deep frown from Liu Wuxie. There was little doubt—without an unexpected miracle, the Lu Clan would be devoured.

On full moon nights, no one dared to sleep. Every resident locked themselves away, hiding in their rooms, praying not to be discovered.

Liu Wuxie had already left the Lu Clan and could have slipped away from the city, avoiding any involvement. But he halted abruptly when a piercing scream shattered the night.

"Let me go!" A desperate cry rang out as a figure was yanked from a room, pulled helplessly into the crimson cloud.

"Father, save me!" Liu Wuxie’s expression darkened. The person struggling within the cloud was Lu Hua—the very woman who had saved his life in the mountains. If not for her, he might have already become nothing more than a corpse.

Right then, Lu Funian charged with a sword, swinging it down at the crimson cloud.

"Release my daughter! Take me if you want!" Lu Funian was at the pinnacle of the True Profound Realm, and he created a hole in the crimson cloud, with Lu Hua falling from its grasp.

Lu Qiang also charged out and caught his sister. This further provoked the crimson cloud to expand, nearly enveloping the entire Lu Clan.

The other Lu Clan disciples rushed out, weapons drawn, prepared to fight the crimson cloud.

"Hua'er, are you alright?" Lu Funian asked. His daughter was fine, aside from being frightened.

"I'm fine. Father, be careful!" Lu Hua said, her voice trembling as her brother moved her to a corner.

"Patriarch, we must be cautious!" The other Lu Clan's experts gathered around, standing with Lu Funian with their weapons.

"Our Lu Clan has lost dozens of disciples over the years, and we won't let it take another today, even at the cost of my life!" Lu Funian declared. The full moon had become a nightmare for the entire city for the past few years. Aside from the Lu Clan, the other clans and residents had also suffered casualties.

If things continued this way, it would only be a matter of time before this crimson cloud devoured the entire city.

The crimson cloud let out a deafening roar as a swirling vortex formed at its center, pulling everything in its surroundings toward it.

It was a terrifying scene.

Liu Wuxie remained hidden in the shadows, watching as the scene unfolded. He neither fled nor revealed himself, choosing instead to observe.

"Take the clansmen and leave!" Lu Funian ordered, urging the elders to leave with the younger generation. The Lu Clan had dug out a secret tunnel for such an emergency.

The crimson cloud grew more furious and unleashed waves of crimson energy in the form of rumbling lightning.

The commotion drew the attention of nearby residents, who cautiously peeked through their windows at the Lu Clan. Though their view was obscured, fear kept them frozen in place. None dared to approach. All they could do was pray that the crimson cloud wouldn’t turn its wrath upon them.