Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 739 - Rolling Logs Trial

Liu Wuxie was merely challenging an instructor, and nothing was life-threatening. Whether he succeeded or failed, the experience would be valuable for his growth.

Liu Dashan hesitated briefly before he left with the Seven-Glazed Divine Lamp. He still had to share this news with his father. If not for the Seven-Glazed Divine Lamp, he would’ve stayed behind to accompany his son throughout the challenge.

As the challenge held little appeal to those in the True Profound Realm, they gradually began to leave. It wasn’t long before the martial field cleared significantly.

Conversations about the Seven-Glazed Divine Lamp persisted among those who remained, many harboring resentment over Liu Wuxie’s fortune. Yet, they could do nothing now that the discovery had been made. Instead, they silently resolved to settle scores with Liu Wuxie in the future if the chance arose.

To many, Liu Wuxie was seen as an outsider who had taken something they believed rightfully belonged to the clan. Despite being the acting patriarch’s son, his years spent away from the clan marked him as an interloper in their eyes.

If not for Liu Wuxie, the Seven-Glazed Divine Lamp would have remained hidden in the power stone, waiting to break out once it had completely recovered, and the benefit wouldn’t have fallen onto Liu Wuxie. Thus, it was no wonder why so many were filled with hatred for Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie ignored the hostile gazes around him, brushing off their jealousy and hatred with indifference.

“Big Brother Wuxie, the second challenge is rolling logs. This tests both soul energy and agility, and you also cannot use your true essence,” Liu Xing reminded Liu Wuxie. Among all the spectators, only Liu Xing and Liu Yue showed no traces of envy on their faces.

Liu Wuxie responded with a slight nod and grasped the essence of the challenge, which involved fundamental skills. While this trial seemed simple, countless logs rolled down from above, and Liu Wuxie had to avoid them. Anyone who was struck by the logs would fail the trial.

The trial was divided into three levels. On the basic level, fifty logs would roll down at once, but there was no fixed pattern. The slightest mistake could send the person taking the trial flying. While it wasn’t lethal, minor injuries could still occur.

At the intermediate level, a hundred logs would roll down at once. It wasn’t easy to dodge the logs without using true essence. Each log was equivalent to a martial technique with incredible speed.

The last level involved two hundred logs rolling down at once—a harrowing ordeal few could withstand. Whenever someone challenged the trial, they mostly ended up bruised and battered.

Though Liu Wuxie possessed great physical strength, that didn’t guarantee his victory against the rolling logs. To succeed, he would need perfect harmony between the body and mind, coupled with exceptional movement techniques and keen observation.

“Will Instructor Liu Po demonstrate this trial first?” Liu Wuxie made an inviting gesture for Liu Po to go first with a faint smile on his lips. While the rolling logs trial would pose some difficulty to ordinary people, he had the Ghost Eye and Nine Heavenly Crane Dance, not to mention he had received the Seven-Glazed Divine Lamp’s cleansing, which greatly enhanced his agility.

“Don’t get cocky yet!” Liu Po growled. The arrogance he had displayed earlier was now replaced with unease. Liu Wuxie’s feat of lifting the power stone had proven his strength, and Liu Po knew he couldn’t afford to underestimate him again.

“I hope Instructor Liu Po can offer a worthy challenge,” Liu Wuxie said, his tone calm but laced with a subtle edge.

The memory of his crushing defeat in the previous trial burned in Liu Po’s mind, fueling his humiliation. Losing again in this trial would be an even greater disgrace. While losing to a prodigy or a cultivator in the high levels of the Nascent Transformation Realm was acceptable, losing to a newcomer in the Astral River Realm was intolerable. The thought alone made Liu Po grit his teeth.

How would he receive respect from the other disciples if he lost to a new disciple? He hesitated briefly before he chose the intermediate-level difficulty. He didn’t have the guts to pick the last level, as his success rate was low.

Liu Po knew his limits, and his decision made everyone look at him differently. At the very least, Liu Po wasn’t consumed by hatred to pick the last level. If he did that, everyone would look down on him.

The trial was set on a steep slope, and the challengers had to stand roughly a hundred meters up.

The moment the gate opened, massive logs began to rumble down the slope. Unprepared challengers would be sent flying if careless, and Liu Po didn’t have much time to react.

In an instant, Liu Po focused his attention on analyzing the movement of the logs. If he could use his true essence, clearing the logs would be effortless, but the trial prohibited it. Any contact with a log would result in losing points.

Only a few could evade all hundred logs with a perfect score, as at least one or two would strike most challengers.

The last difficulty involved two hundred logs, and not many people dared to attempt it except for those in the pinnacle of the Nascent Transformation Realm. Even so, they would be struck a few times. It wasn’t easy to evade all the logs perfectly.

Liu Po stepped onto the marked area on the slope, his expression focused and determined. The deacon overseeing the trial raised a green flag, signaling the start.

“Begin!” The flag came down, and the ground trembled under the weight of the descending logs. The rumbling echoed like an earthquake, a sound familiar to the seasoned disciples of the martial field.

Liu Wuxie had a hint of shock on his face. He hadn’t expected each log to be as thick as a water bucket, and a direct hit would be excruciating. To make things worse, Liu Wuxie noticed the logs didn’t follow a fixed pattern as the sequence was shuffled, making it tough for the challengers to predict their movement.

The logs rumbled when they rolled down the mountain, and the ground trembled when they hit the ground. In just half a breath, the logs had already reached Liu Po.

As weapons were forbidden, challengers could only rely on their observation and movement techniques to avoid them. Liu Po was a seasoned instructor who had faced the trial multiple times, not to mention that disciples had also challenged him in the past.

His best record was only being struck by the rolling log once. However, his performance varied with each attempt as the trajectory and speed of the logs changed each time. If he ran into one with a lucky configuration, it might grant him an advantage, while an unlucky one spelled disaster.

Suddenly, Liu Po leaped forward like an agile ape despite his large frame. His graceful movements made the performance look mesmerizing.

If anyone were struck by the logs ten times, their challenge would be considered a failure. The same was true for those who were forced back to the ground from the slope.

The trial consisted of three stages, each progressively increasing in speed.

As the speed of the rolling logs intensified, Liu Po had no choice but to adjust his footing carefully, retreating several meters down the slope with each movement. The distance of retreat from the starting mark would determine the winner if both challengers achieved the same score.

Liu Po's performance was undeniably impressive. As an instructor in the Liu Clan and a cultivator at the eighth level of the Nascent Transformation Realm, he demonstrated a formidable movement technique that allowed him to navigate the chaos of the trial with precision.

“What an impressive display of movement technique!” many disciples exclaimed in admiration. Liu Po’s technique left them breathless.

“This is our Liu Clan’s Wind Chasing Steps. Instructor Liu must’ve practiced it to complete mastery,” the surrounding disciples discussed among themselves, and the second wave of logs soon arrived.

More than thirty logs fell simultaneously with no gaps, and it wouldn’t be easy for Liu Po to dodge them all.

“Big Brother Wuxie, how confident are you?” Liu Xing asked, looking worried. He could tell Liu Po’s performance today was a little exceptional, and Liu Wuxie must’ve triggered him. If Liu Po lost to Liu Wuxie today, he would lose his footing in the Liu Clan in the future, and no disciples would be willing to be taught by him.

Liu Wuxie merely smiled and said nothing. As they chatted, Liu Po kept retreating and neared the slop's midpoint. He would be forced to the ground at the third wave if he retreated any further.

The logs continued to collide and rumble as they rolled down the slope like an avalanche.

“The third wave will come soon!” an exclamation came from the crowd. There were over thirty logs for the third wave, and Liu Po was still facing the second wave.

“It’ll be dangerous for Instructor Liu Po now!” Many people clenched their fists, feeling nervous.

The other instructors turned to look at Liu Wuxie. If Liu Po lost the challenge, it would be devastating to instructors like them. It would only prove that they were inferior compared to a kid from the mundane world.

“ARGHH!” Liu Po let out a roar and increased his speed. It looked like he was chasing after the wind as he left behind afterimages and shuttled through the logs.

Without utilizing his true essence, Liu Po’s mastery of his movement technique was extraordinary.

Liu Wuxie watched Liu Po’s performance with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He could tell Liu Po’s skills were impressive with a firm foundation. But it was a pity Liu Po had run into him. If another disciple were challenging Liu Po, it wouldn’t be easy for them to beat him.

Out of nowhere, a log struck Liu Po’s back after he evaded ten-odd logs. But he soon recovered with a swift response that left everyone shocked. Everyone thought Liu Po would lose the rhythm after being struck, but they were surprised to see how he recovered and re-adjusted himself.

When the last of the fifty logs rumbled past, Liu Po finally emerged from the trial's danger zone. Though being struck by a log hadn’t injured him, the humiliation of an instructor being hit was evident on his darkened face.

“Instructor Liu Po, don’t let it bother you. It’s just one log, and who knows if that kid can even make it through the entire trial,” several disciples approached, attempting to console him.