Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 458 - Great Battle

On land, the sea demons' strength was considerably reduced compared to when they were in the ocean. This was why Liu Wuxie dared to confront the Jade Blood Yaksha and would retreat without hesitation if they were at sea.

“Human, you killed my nephew. I’ll flay your skin and hang it in the sea as a trophy, letting the wind and rain torment it!” The Jade Blood Yaksha's expression twisted with rage, his cheeks puffing out as white bubbles formed.

The sea demons could only stay on land for over a day and would have to return to the sea. They couldn’t stay on land for long unless they reached the Nascent Transformation Realm.

“Gu Yu, keep a watch out for me!” Liu Wuxie planned to fight the Jade Blood Yaksha by himself while Gu Yu assisted him by the side in case other sea demons were around.

“Alright!” Gu Yu drew his longsword and stood guard to prevent anyone from interfering. This was a dense forest, and the battlefield attracted most cultivators with no one in the surroundings.

The Jade Blood Yaksha drew his fork, emitting powerful energy fluctuation. There was much sea iron in the sea, which was the best material for forging weapons.

The Sea Demon Clan would collect the sea iron and forge it into sharp weapons to fight humans.

Liu Wuxie struck first like a meteor because the Jade Blood Yaksha had a cultivation in the first level of the Astral River Realm. But the latter’s injuries had yet to heal, and was on land, having his strength halved. Even so, the Jade Blood Yaksha was still comparable to the sixth level of the Heavenly Phase Realm.

The fork danced, and the Jade Blood Yaksha unleashed countless water geysers, trapping Liu Wuxie’s blade.

“What a bizarre attack!” All the sea demons Liu Wuxie had fought were at low levels, with the strongest being in the Heavenly Phase Realm. But the Jade Blood Yaksha was different because he was in the Astral River Realm. Even with his strength reduced, his comprehension of water elements far exceeded those of sea demons.

Liu Wuxie roared, and the Heretic Blade flew out of the water, breaking free of the water’s control.

The Jade Blood Yaksha suddenly charged towards Liu Wuxie, a wave surging beneath his feet, propelling him forward. This displayed his ability to control water even on land.

All of Liu Wuxie’s acupoints activated, creating a swirling vortex of energy that lifted him off the ground. He could now fly unaided, a new ability he had gained after reaching the Heavenly Phase Realm.

“Y-You’ve reached the Heavenly Phase Realm?!” The Jade Blood Yaksha’s face contorted in shock. The last time they met, Liu Wuxie had only been at the eighth level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm. In just over half a month, Liu Wuxie had advanced to the Heavenly Phase Realm, a feat that was almost inconceivable.

An unsettling premonition gripped the Jade Blood Yaksha. On the warship, Liu Wuxie had been able to kill low-level sea demons even before his recent advancement. Now that he had reached the Heavenly Phase Realm, his strength had undoubtedly grown even greater. The Jade Blood Yaksha swiftly reached for a shell and blew into it, sending out a signal for help.

The sound could be transmitted far away to attract sea demons. Using the shell, the sea demons could pass on important information. All the surrounding sea demons knew what was happening here without saying a word, including who the Jade Blood Yaksha was fighting.

“Damn it!” Liu Wuxie knew he had to end the battle quickly, or more sea demons would come. With humans suffering heavy losses, the Sea Demon Clan and Abyssal Clan were bound to launch an assault to purge all humans on the island. Thus, whether humans could hold their ground on the Blood Sea Abyssal Island was still unknown.

Liu Wuxie unleashed the Frost Finger that caught the Jade Blood Yaksha off guard. He didn’t resort to using Soul Spear because he wouldn’t use it unless necessary.

This was Liu Wuxie’s last resort. He didn’t need the Soul Spear for the Jade Blood Yaksha; instead, he used Frost Finger to freeze him. However, the Jade Blood Yaksha continually broke free, indicating a significant gap in their strength.

Even though he couldn't freeze the Jade Blood Yaksha entirely, Liu Wuxie could limit his movement, creating opportunities to strike.

“Big Brother Liu, there are many sea demons coming this way!” Gu Yu called out anxiously. He climbed to a higher vantage point and saw a large number of sea demons converging from all directions. If they were surrounded, their situation could quickly become dire.

The Jade Blood Yaksha wasn’t in a hurry because he aimed to attract more sea demons to kill Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie sensed the approaching sea demons, including some powerful experts among them. Reacting swiftly, he swung the Heretic Blade and unleashed the Sixth Fatality Form. The force of the strike reduced the surrounding trees to dust, clearing a large area. The sky filled with blade aura as the Heretic Blade flew out, forming a terrifying vortex that enveloped the area within a few hundred meters.

The Jade Blood Yaksha's expression grew serious, recognizing the deadly threat in Liu Wuxie’s strike.

Bubbles spewed from the Jade Blood Yaksha’s mouth and filled the surroundings in the blink of an eye. The blade aura from the Sixth Fatality Form looked like it sunk into a quagmire and slowed down.

“What the hell is this?” Liu Wuxie had little experience dealing with sea demons and was unfamiliar with their tricks. The bubbles didn’t seem lethal, but they made Liu Wuxie’s blade aura vanish.

“Big Brother Liu, that’s the Water Barrier of the Sea Demon Clan. It’s comparable to the dao techniques of humans,” Gu Yu quickly explained from the side. The Water Barrier's greatest strength was its ability to create an impregnable shield, rendering any attack ineffective against those protected by it.

The Jade Blood Yaksha was of noble birth and practiced the supreme technique of the Sea Demon Clan. This technique could only be practiced by the Sea Emperor’s lineage, so could the Jade Blood Yaksha be related to the Sea Emperor?

If the Jade Blood Yaksha truly had ties to the Sea Emperor, killing him would make Liu Wuxie a sworn enemy of the entire Sea Demon Clan. This would complicate his future travels in the ocean, making it perilous at best. But Liu Wuxie knew there was no turning back now. Failing to kill the Jade Blood Yaksha would mean entrapment within the Water Barrier, leaving him with no escape.

The Fatality Blade Art had been countered, and the Frost Finger wasn’t lethal enough against the Jade Blood Yaksha. Realizing he was out of options, Liu Wuxie decided to resort to the Primordial Astral Fist—a technique he hadn't yet used since arriving on Blood Sea Abyssal Island.

He flew to the sky and raised his right fist.

In the past, when Liu Wuxie performed the Primordial Astral Fist, he had to use it on the ground and couldn’t unleash the essence of this technique. But it was different now because he could fly and unleash the full power without restraint.

A massive star suddenly descended, causing the surrounding bubbles to explode, unable to withstand the power of the star.

The Jade Blood Yaksha’s eyes flashed with a hint of panic, and the thought of fleeing arose. But the ancient star had locked onto him, and he couldn’t escape no matter how he struggled.

“Primordial Astral Fist, kill!” Liu Wuxie’s roar reverberated across the battlefield, the sound carrying for thousands of meters.

Meanwhile, the battle between the two human forces continued, with the remnants of the Wild Lion Gate being hunted down. Amidst the chaos, Gu Yu stood frozen in place, his expression one of utter shock. He had always known Liu Wuxie was strong, but witnessing this display of power was beyond anything he had imagined.

“Damn you! I would easily tear you apart if we were in the sea!” The Jade Blood Yaksha’s voice was filled with rage and frustration. On land, his strength was greatly diminished, giving Liu Wuxie the upper hand.

“Too bad,” Liu Wuxie responded coldly, his gaze unwavering, “But you won’t have the chance!”

Liu Wuxie knew he had to kill the Jade Blood Yaksha on land. Allowing him to return to the sea would be disastrous; the Yaksha could summon reinforcements, and the tides of battle would turn against him.

The approaching sea demons could sense the overwhelming power emanating from the star, which caused stones to shatter on the ground and the bubbles to disintegrate.

The Jade Blood Yaksha felt an immense weight pressing down on him, as if a mountain were crushing his very being. The pressure was so intense that his spine seemed on the verge of snapping. In a desperate attempt to survive, he reverted to his true form—a massive, blackfish-like creature with protruding fish bones.

He only took the humanoid form to travel on land. This was a blackfish with a pair of long antennae. In addition to antennae, it also had long whiskers, sharp fangs, and a pair of hands resembling massive pincers.

After reverting to the true form, the Jade Blood Yaksha’s power increased exponentially. Bubbles emerged from the surroundings, forming a defensive wall to block the Primordial Astral Fist.

“Hmph, this is futile. Do you think reverting to your true form will help you withstand the power of the ancient star? What a joke!” Liu Wuxie’s voice was devoid of emotions, like a god passing judgment on Jade Blood Yaksha.

The ancient star’s power increased because Liu Wuxie had only used fifty percent of it earlier. A ferocious tremor came from the desolate world with boundless true essence pouring into the Primordial Astral Fist like a flood.

The Earth and Wood Suppression Steles were activated simultaneously with boundless energy empowering the Primordial Astral Fist.

The sky turned dark as though all the light had been drawn in. This commotion finally alarmed the cultivators at the distant battlefield, who turned to look in this direction, unsure of what was happening.

The power radiating from the ancient star was comparable to the Astral River Realm, making everyone wonder if another grand battle was taking place.

The Jade Blood Yaksha’s heart bled, unable to withstand the Primordial Astral Fist even after reverting to his true form. More bones began to protrude out of his body, and his blood dyed the ground red.

Some sea demons had already arrived, and Gu Yu stopped their approach with his longsword, throwing the woods into chaos.

“It’s time to end this!” The Primordial Astral Fist’s power finally gathered, draining seventy percent of Liu Wuxie’s true essence.

Even though the Jade Blood Yaksha was significantly weakened, he was still comparable to the sixth level of the Heavenly Phase Realm. It was sheer luck that Liu Wuxie could kill the Jade Blood Yaksha while he was significantly weakened.

As a star descended from the sky, a spatial rift appeared. The force of this punch tore through space law, and it was an attack comparable to the Astral River Realm.

This was terrifying, and it was the first time Liu Wuxie had unleashed the Primordial Astral Fist since stepping into the Heavenly Phase Realm.