Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 706 - The Divine Light Mountain

"No. They never came back after they left," Murong Tianze answered. He was also curious about the divine race.

He had restrained his curiosity for some time, resisting the urge to venture into the Divine Light Mountain to find out what had happened. The divine race had been leaving through a peculiar method. They used a weird altar akin to the human race's teleportation array, vanishing when they stepped into it.

When the divine race went onto the altar, they would chant in an incomprehensible language before a black veil would engulf them, as if they had been transported to another world.

"There's no time to lose! We have to hurry!" Liu Wuxie exclaimed, his voice firm. He vividly remembered being told that a calamity would befall the world when the divine race emerged.

The Divine Light Mountain was likely their breeding ground, where they had thrived for countless years. Their sudden departure might hint at an impending catastrophe to the world.

He did not need to tell the Murong Clan about that. Their only concern was rescuing Murong Yi's parents, and the divine race was not their concern.

"I agree with Liu Wuxie," Murong Yi said. She stood up resolutely, her voice firm in support of Liu Wuxie. She knew every passing moment would further endanger her parents.

"Okay, I'll summon everyone immediately. We'll scout the Divine Light Mountain today," Murong Tianze nodded. The divine race was evidently leaving, and it was possible they might destroy the Divine Light Mountain before their departure.

If his big brother, Murong Yi's father, was still imprisoned in the Divine Light Mountain, they might kill him before leaving.

The Murong Clan had no time to welcome Liu Wuxie as the clan was mobilized. They gathered over thirty experts from the Nascent Transformation Realm, leaving those in the Astral River Realm to guard against the demonic beasts.

A courtyard was prepared for Liu Wuxie as his accommodation so he could rest before the night's operation.

Liu Wuxie sat on the bed in meditation. The mysterious tree in the desolate world had been restless ever since he had stepped into the Western Barren, the leaves swaying and the roots extending to the void.

Something was amiss, especially when the mysterious tree had neutralized the effects of the divine energy back in the House of Tea Art.

"What's the origin of this mysterious tree? Could it have come from the Western Barren?" Liu Wuxie wondered. The Western Barren was a place filled with endless mountains and forests, and countless trees grew there, some of which he had never even seen before.

As time ticked, nightfall crept over the land. People began to emerge from the cave, relying on the cover of darkness. Aside from an entrance from the hall, there were many strategic exits, allowing them to escape if there was danger.

"Young Master Liu, it's time to depart," a Murong Clan's disciple stood at the door, gently knocking on it.

Liu Wuxie was dressed in black to blend better into the night. After all, the trip to Divine Light Mountain would be dangerous, and no one knew what lay ahead.

Over thirty cultivators stood outside, prepared to move. Murong Yi had also donned a set of black, tight-fitting clothes that outlined her impressive figure.

"Tonight's operation is crucial for the clan's survival. If you are scared, now is the time to withdraw," Murong Tianze said, sweeping his gaze over the crowd. No one knew if they would survive this mission.

"Let’s do this!" the thirty-odd people yelled in unison.

"Good! Move out!" Murong Tianze said, satisfied. The clan's unity hadn't decreased even after two decades.

Everyone took cover of the night as they flew, and Liu Wuxie was the weakest among them. But no one underestimated him, as Murong Yi had shared Liu Wuxie's recent exploits with everyone. They were surprised when they heard it, and they didn't expect someone so young to be so powerful, capable of slaying someone in the sixth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm with one strike.

"Wuxie, the divine race is extraordinary. Flee without hesitation if you run into them, and don't engage in a fight. Their physique differs from ours, which means their attacking means are bizarre. It's hard for our martial techniques to be effective against them," Murong Yi said as they flew side by side.

He understood the necessity of prioritizing his own survival—there would be no point in attempting to rescue Murong Yi’s parents if he perished in the process. His knowledge of the divine clan was sparse, limited to fragmented references in ancient texts that lingered in his memory.

Four hours passed as they traveled in the night. The mountain range was quiet, with occasional nocturnal demonic beasts venturing for food.

"Up ahead is the Divine Light Mountain!" Murong Tianze halted, signaling everyone to spread out and take on a formation to prevent the ambush from the divine race.

Liu Wuxie and Murong Yi lay behind a large boulder, their eyes fixed on the vast mountain.

"How are we supposed to search such an enormous mountain range?" Liu Wuxie scanned the Divine Light Mountain with Ghost Eye, and the mountain stretched over thousands of miles. Finding over a hundred thousand people, let alone two, would be a daunting task if they were hidden within. This place was densely packed with forests, valleys, rivers, and peaks.

"I have been here several times before, Murong Tianze replied, retrieving a map from his belongings. "This is the layout of Divine Light Mountain."

"What do the markings represent?" Liu Wuxie asked, pointing to the specific regions with markings on them. Those mountains didn't look special, so why did Murong Tianze mark them?

"The divine race heavily guards each marked location, and we must avoid them if we want to infiltrate," Murong Tianze explained. The Divine Light Mountain was deep and unfathomable, and even he had to be cautious venturing in.

This was mainly because the divine race's divine energy was too powerful. If a human inhaled it, their bodies would go numb, and even the circulation of their true essence would be significantly hindered. Furthermore, the true essence used by human cultivators was largely ineffective against them.

Even Murong Tianze would be in trouble if he ran into a divine race in the True Profound Realm.

"This should be their base camp," Liu Wuxie said, pointing at the most prominent marking on the map surrounded by towering mountains. It was a massive valley.

However, Liu Wuxie had no idea how expansive the valley was, and even Murong Yi had never ventured inside. Divine energy in the valley was particularly powerful, and their strength would be drastically weakened if they entered recklessly.

"Uncle, what should we do next? Are we going to charge in directly?" Murong Yi asked, her urgency plain in her voice. The overwhelming desire to rescue her parents had clearly strained her patience.

"Absolutely not!" he presence of numerous divine race experts inside was highly likely. Even without them, barging in recklessly would be far too dangerous. If they alerted the divine race, escaping alive would already be uncertain, let alone rescuing Murong Yi’s parents.

"Young Master Liu, do you have any better ideas?" Murong Tianze asked humbly, disregarding the hierarchy of strength. After learning of Liu Wuxie's accomplishments in the Southern Province, he no longer saw him as a junior.

The Murong Clan had never given up hope of saving their patriarch over the two decades. They had tried every method available and had lost many people in the process. They couldn't afford any further risks as the Murong Clan couldn't afford more losses.

As he studied the map, Liu Wuxie fell into deep thought; his mind began calculating rapidly. He had dismissed the idea of a frontal assault, and the only viable path was to infiltrate the valley quietly to rescue the captives. It was best if they could locate where Murong Yi's parents were held before making their move.

"My suggestion is to infiltrate the Divine Light Mountain quietly at night, and it would be best if we can integrate into their tribe," Liu Wuxie said. That was the most feasible plan, though it was a dangerous path. This was a life and death mission, but Liu Wuxie had given his word to Murong Yi, not to mention she had already become his woman. Thus, helping her was his responsibility.

"I know the Divine Light Mountain the best among us, but I can only scout the valley's edges. If they go in, they might fall prey to the divine energy before reaching the outer peaks," Murong Tianze said. He was placed in a difficult position as he couldn't even reach the core region, not to mention the other clansmen.

"I'll go with Senior Murong. The others stay here and wait for my signal," Liu Wuxie said. He decided to take a risk, as the mysterious tree had become increasingly restless since he had entered the mountain range. He was determined to uncover what the mysterious tree was trying to tell him.

"No, your cultivation is too low!" Murong Tianze had heard about Liu Wuxie's relationship with Murong Yi from Madam Li, and he couldn't allow Liu Wuxie to put his life at risk.

"We're not going there to fight. We will only be scouting, and it has nothing to do with my cultivation," Liu Wuxie waved his hand. He knew that Murong Tianze was trying to protect him, and would resent himself if the latter died there.

Murong Yi bit her lip. She was torn between someone she loved and her parents, and losing either was unthinkable.

However, when she was about to voice her objections, Liu Wuxie silenced her with a determined glance.

"I will return alive no matter what," Liu Wuxie said, his resolve unwavering. His objective wasn't just to save Murong Yi's parents but also to unravel the mysterious tree's secrets.

The mysterious tree was the first living thing in the desolate world, so Liu Wuxie felt compelled to investigate.

"Don't worry. I will bring him back in one piece," Murong Tianze agreed with Liu Wuxie's suggestion. He was aware that Liu Wuxie was the key they had been searching for all these years—someone immune to the effects of divine energy. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was the perfect time to infiltrate, relying on the night's darkness. If they waited for daylight, it would only increase the difficulty and the risks of them being found.

"Everyone else spread out and stay alert for a rescue mission!" Murong Yi gave the order after Murong Tianze left. She had taken charge of the remaining cultivators.

The thirty-odd cultivators swiftly dispersed, positioning themselves in a radius of over ten thousand meters, ensuring they could converge immediately at the first sign of disturbance.

Meanwhile, Murong Tianze led Liu Wuxie deeper into the Divine Light Mountain. They didn't dare to fly and could only travel by foot to avoid detection. They moved swiftly but carefully, relying on Murong Tianze's familiarity with this place to avoid the sentries.

As they delved deeper into the mountain, Liu Wuxie estimated they had covered approximately five hundred miles from the entrance.

"Their altar is up ahead," Murong Tianze whispered, pointing at a towering structure over ten meters high.

Liu Wuxie’s gaze fell on the altar, and he immediately noticed its peculiar design. Unlike traditional circular or square altars, this one was oval. Surrounding it were statues of beasts unlike any he had encountered before. Each statue had a snarling face and sharp claws, exuding a sense of menace.

"What bizarre statues!" Liu Wuxie thought, inwardly startled. The statues seemed almost alive, producing haunting, eerie cries whenever the wind passed through them, sending shivers down his spine.