Desolate Devouring Art - Chapter 1188 - Targeted
Chapter 1188 – Targeted
Liu Wuxie and He Yingwu took their time. They waited until most disciples had claimed their tokens before approaching the chest. By then, only a handful remained. Liu Wuxie reached in casually and drew one. Since the assignment was random, it hardly mattered where he ended up.
Of course, if anyone truly disliked their placement, they could exchange with someone else. Elder Li Chen’s earlier invitation was a perfect example—if Liu Wuxie didn’t want another placement, he could rely on Li Chen to assign him to the War Dragon Institute.
“Wuxie, I’m at the Dharma Institute,” He Yingwu said after checking his token.
“The Heavenly Martial Institute for me,” Liu Wuxie replied. His token bore the character ‘martial,’ while He Yingwu’s carried ‘dharma.’ Tokens marked with ‘dragon’ represented the War Dragon Institute.
“Let’s settle down first. We’ll keep in touch afterward,” Liu Wuxie reassured. He Yingwu’s face showed his disappointment—they would soon part ways. He knew he owed his survival to Liu Wuxie many times over during their journey.
Elder Ding’s voice rang out. “Now that you’ve chosen your tokens, inject soul energy into them. The Heavenly Dragon Sect’s Grand Void Pillar will register your information. From today onward, the sect binds you. Should you ever betray it, the Grand Void Pillar will be the first to know.”
Each year, countless spies attempted to infiltrate the sect, but none ever escaped discovery. The elders crippled the lucky ones’ cultivation, and the sect executed the unlucky on the spot.
As long as disciples didn’t betray the sect, the elders wouldn’t interfere in their minor disputes. Conflict was inevitable, and only through competition could they grow.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect had built many reward systems and channels for its disciples to earn resources: nurturing spiritual herbs, venturing to the Blood Fiend Battlefield, or completing sect missions.
“The representatives of the three institutions are here. I wish you all success,” Elder Ding said before leaving. His gaze lingered briefly on Liu Wuxie, and he gave a slight nod—a silent gesture that Liu Wuxie could seek him out if he encountered trouble.
Liu Wuxie responded with a faint smile. He had no intention of asking for help unless it became absolutely necessary.
The deacons of the three institutions stepped forward and called out to the new disciples.
“Dharma Institute disciples, come with me!”
“War Dragon Institute disciples, over here!”
“Heavenly Martial Institute disciples, follow me!”
Three thousand disciples were divided into three groups, heading in different directions. Though they all belonged to the same sect, the institutions had little contact with one another.
Liu Wuxie hadn’t expected the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s four institutions to mirror the five institutions of the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy. The Spirit Sealing Institute was similar to the Thousand Divination Court, specializing in divination. The War Dragon Institute resembled the Heavenly Monarch Court, while the Dharma Institute’s focus on blacksmithing and alchemy was akin to the Treasure Institution. The Heavenly Martial Institute mirrored the Seven Peaks.
For Liu Wuxie, the placement mattered little. His true goal was to attract the attention of the sect’s upper echelons as quickly as possible. But if he approached them rashly, they would dismiss him as a madman and expel him.
He also needed to visit Mount Sumeru to find the Dragon Origin Herb. If he could purchase it outside, it would save him valuable time.
Following the Heavenly Martial Institute’s deacon, Liu Wuxie and the others walked through long corridors until they reached the sect’s mountain range. Compounds and cultivation facilities dotted the landscape.
“As expected of the Heavenly Dragon Sect! Look at those chambers and facilities—you’d never see anything like them outside!” one youth exclaimed excitedly.
“Don’t get ahead of yourselves,” another warned. “You can’t use them without points.”
Many already knew the rules, having studied the sect or learned from family and friends.
As Liu Wuxie walked, he couldn’t shake the strange feeling that the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy mirrored much of this place. It felt like a miniature version of the Heavenly Dragon Sect. That explained the familiarity he sensed upon entering, as though he had been here before.
They passed layer after layer of courtyards. They saw richly adorned towers rising along the mountain ridges. Overhead, a flock of celestial cranes flew past, their cries clear and melodious.
Looking into the distance, Liu Wuxie spotted an ancient mountain range crowned with pavilions. If his guess was correct, that was where the sect master and upper echelons resided. It appeared impossibly far away, unreachable.
“A lesser realm… interesting,” Liu Wuxie muttered. No one could access that distant pocket world without its entrance. Only immortals could create such a space. This meant the Heavenly Dragon Sect had immortals within its ranks. The thought only deepened his curiosity. If he cultivated here long enough, he was confident he could ascend to the celestial realm himself.
“This will be your residence,” the deacon said sharply. “Every house has a chest. Inside, you’ll find your outer disciple uniforms and books of sect rules. Train diligently and don’t cause trouble, or you’ll answer to me.”
He gestured to a row of dilapidated houses that had stood abandoned for years.
“Thank you for your explanation. Here’s a token of my appreciation,” said Li Sha, the youth ranked tenth in the assessment. He shoved an interspatial pouch into the deacon’s hand with a fawning smile.
“What’s your name?” the deacon asked, his face brightening instantly. For him, receiving new disciples was a lucrative privilege.
“My name is Li Sha. How should I address you, deacon?” Li Sha asked eagerly. Though he had ranked tenth, he showed no dignity whatsoever.
Those nearby looked at him with disdain, but none spoke. People often survived here by currying favor with the deacons. Each year, seniors bullied countless new disciples to death. With the deacon’s protection, life would be far easier.
“I’m Xu Guang, responsible for this sector,” the deacon said with a smile, pocketing the pouch. “You’ll be under my charge for the next year.”
“Deacon Xu, a pleasure. My name is Zhang Yang. Please take care of me,” another youth said, quickly handing over another pouch.
The rest hesitated. They didn’t carry many astral stones, and giving them up would leave nothing for cultivation.
“Oh, just a reminder,” Xu Guang added smoothly. “Battles with senior disciples will be fierce. If you want to stand firm here, you’ll need protection.”
It was blatant extortion, no different from demanding tribute outright.
Many changed their minds immediately. After all, the sect didn’t forbid fights. The sect ignored scuffles as long as no one died, and cultivators could resolve even blood feuds in the arena.
Soon, those who had wavered stepped forward and handed over their pouches. In the blink of an eye, Xu Guang had collected bribes from over a thousand people. The few who resisted eventually gave in when ninety-nine percent of the others complied. Standing out would only invite hardship, since Xu Guang could make their lives miserable with a single word.
Cursing him inwardly, they still forced smiles and handed over their astral stones.
No sect could avoid such things. Liu Wuxie had seen it countless times. In the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion and at the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, there were always extortionists preying on newcomers.
The deacon dismissed those who paid to the side. Only Liu Wuxie remained in the center.
Xu Guang looked at him with a seemingly amicable smile. But Liu Wuxie only smiled back calmly, making no move to offer anything.
As the silence stretched, Xu Guang’s expression darkened. He could tell Liu Wuxie had no intention of paying tribute.
“Deacon Xu, that’s Liu Wuxie—the first place this year. Of course, he’s prideful. He’s already received plenty of rewards from the assessment,” Li Sha whispered helpfully.
Xu Guang’s eyes narrowed with envy. He knew the prize for first place included the Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture—something countless people coveted. Yet even as a sect deacon, he lacked the right to cultivate it. Of the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms, he had only learned the first.
And Liu Wuxie? Not only had he won those rewards, but he had also pocketed more than twenty thousand astral stones from his bet with Mu Heng and the others. That made him wealthier than most outer disciples.
By contrast, Li Sha had offered Xu Guang two thousand stones, while most others gave only a few hundred to a thousand. Even combined, their bribes couldn’t match what Liu Wuxie carried alone. Small wonder Xu Guang’s smile turned strangely gentle, almost harmless.
Every year, the three institutions bleed the top-ranked disciple for every benefit. This year, fortune had delivered that prize into the Heavenly Martial Institute’s hands.
Liu Wuxie’s gaze shifted to Li Sha, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. If not for that boy, Xu Guang wouldn’t have dared extort them so openly. Li Sha had exposed him as the first-ranked disciple, turning him into a target.
One should never flaunt one’s wealth, for it always attracts thieves. To Liu Wuxie, Xu Guang was nothing more than a thief.
