Chapter 1158 - Northern Foothill Mines

As the yellow sand and dust settled, the arena came into sharp focus, revealing a scene that shattered the crowd's understanding, including Yu Wentai's. Liu Wuxie stood alone in the center, relaxed as though nothing had happened, but he feigned a faint look of confusion on his face.

"What's happening? Where's the Bamboo Mountain Beast?" voices echoed from the stands.

Just moments ago, a raging sandstorm and turbulent currents had consumed the arena. Now, the Bamboo Mountain Beast was gone. Some speculated the wind had swept it away, but no one truly believed Liu Wuxie had killed it. Even if he had, they should have found a corpse or at least traces of battle. Instead, there was nothing, no marks on the ground, no lingering sounds of combat, only the eerie stillness that followed the storm. Compared to the first two rounds, this one was far too strange.

Yu Wentai narrowed his eyes, realizing he had underestimated Liu Wuxie. The beast's disappearance was a mystery, but one that gnawed at him.

When He Yingwu opened his eyes and saw the empty arena, he jumped to his feet and waved his fist in excitement. Chen Gang, by contrast, froze where he stood, his face twisted in shock.

"That's impossible! How could the Bamboo Mountain Beast vanish mysteriously?" Chen Gang shouted, grabbing the nearest person as if to confirm he wasn't dreaming.

The arena erupted into chaos, voices overlapping in speculation about where the beast had gone. Liu An stood in disbelief, shaking his head. The creature that had reigned invincible in the arena had vanished without a trace. Whispers spread, suggesting a powerful expert had spirited it away, but that was absurd. Anlu Star was the territory of the Immortal Slaughter Palace, and no one would dare to offend them.

Only Liu Wuxie knew the truth. When the beast had lunged toward him, he had summoned the Ancestral Tree, its branches coiling tightly around it and piercing deep into its body. In an instant, the Bamboo Mountain Beast had lost all ability to resist, its life force transforming into divine energy that streamed into the desolate world. A massive Divine Fruit now hung from the Ancestral Tree, but with so many watching, Liu Wuxie had no intention of refining it yet. Opening the third divine gate here would expose him as the beast's killer.

"Commander, three victories in a row. As per our agreement, I should be allowed to live now, right?" Liu Wuxie said, cupping his hands toward Yu Wentai.

According to their agreement, he had earned his survival and settled the previous issues.

"Bring him to me," Yu Wentai ordered, casting him a meaningful glance before vanishing into the tunnel.

Following behind, Liu Wuxie allowed a faint smile to play across his lips. His next goal was to secure enough astral stones to break through to the fourth-level Heaven Profound Realm. With the Divine Fruit, he could unlock the third gate, strengthen the Frost Mythical Art, and perhaps match a third-level Transcendent Realm opponent if he struck first. For now, he would tread carefully, remaining within Yu Wentai's tolerance. The so-called agreement meant little, and no one would stop Yu Wentai if he chose to break it.

Two guards approached, unlocking the stake but leaving the chain on Liu Wuxie's ankle before escorting him from the arena.

Fifteen minutes later, he stood once more in the main hall. Yu Wentai sat high above, fixing his commanding gaze on him for a long, silent minute before speaking.

"Tell me, where did the Bamboo Mountain Beast go? If you answer me, I might spare your life," Yu Wentai said.

He had examined Liu Wuxie moments ago and found nothing unusual. Liu Wuxie had concealed the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron within the desolate world and hidden his soul sea beneath the Heavenly Dao Book, which made him indistinguishable from any ordinary cultivator. That only deepened Yu Wentai's puzzlement.

"Commander, I'll be honest with you...I don't know where it went," Liu Wuxie replied, shaking his head.

"How dare you deceive the Commander! Do you think I won't kill you here?" Liu An roared, drawing his blade and pressing it to Liu Wuxie's neck.

"Deceive? What are you talking about?" Liu Wuxie's eyes shifted toward him, a flash of murderous intent glinting within. In his heart, he had already decided to kill Liu An.

"You still dare to argue? You want me to believe the Bamboo Mountain Beast's disappearance had nothing to do with you?" Liu An snarled, his blade edging forward.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Under normal circumstances, anyone in Liu Wuxie's position would have trembled in fear, but he remained calm. With his third-level Heaven Profound Realm cultivation and the Divine Fruit in his possession, he had more than enough means to kill Liu An. But doing so now would only complicate his escape.

"This is absurd. The Commander was there. I never made a move. Space distorted, and the Bamboo Mountain Beast vanished. Guard Liu, would you believe me if I said I killed it?" Liu Wuxie said with a faint smile.

Everyone knew his cultivation was insufficient for such a feat.

Yu Wentai's sharp glare made Liu An sheath his blade.

"I am a man of my word. Since you survived three rounds, I won't make things difficult for you. However, you will not be free from punishment. You will enter the Northern Foothill Mines for a year," Yu Wentai declared, slamming his palm onto the table.

Liu Wuxie's brow furrowed. He knew nothing of the place, but Yu Wentai's tone alone made its danger clear. Yu Wentai had no evidence against him and could not break his public promise without damaging his reputation. Sending him to the most dangerous location on Anlu Star, however, was another matter entirely.

"Thank you, Commander, for sparing my life,” Liu Wuxie said evenly. His next move would have to wait until he overcame this obstacle.

When the guards escorted him back to the barracks, the others had already returned and were still discussing the day's fights, especially the baffling final round. No one knew where the Bamboo Mountain Beast had gone.

The heavy iron door swung open, and the guards pushed Liu Wuxie inside. Over a hundred pairs of eyes turned toward him. Chen Gang's face twisted with rage, his eyes almost bloodshot to see him alive. The rest watched with wary curiosity, surprised Yu Wentai had let him go.

"Tomorrow morning, someone will come to escort you to the Northern Foothill Mines," a guard announced before locking the door.

A sinister smile curled Chen Gang's lips, and the others seemed to understand immediately. Yu Wentai had spared him in name only. Sending him to the mines was as good as killing him without breaking his promise.

"This kid can't escape death after all," someone muttered. Those who had been ready to greet him turned away in silence.

Only He Yingwu hurried forward, scanning him for injuries.

"Wuxie, are you alright?" he asked, his tone warmer now.

They moved toward their resting place, the crowd instinctively parting to give them space. When they sat down, He Yingwu's expression grew serious.

"Senior He, why does everyone avoid talking about the Northern Foothill Mines?" Liu Wuxie asked quietly.

"Don't call me that. Just Big Brother He," He Yingwu said. Though older, he knew Liu Wuxie's strength far surpassed his own, making such a title more fitting.

Liu Wuxie nodded, calling him senior felt awkward anyway.

"The Northern Foothill Mines are in the northwest of Anlu Star. The environment is brutal, and astral beasts roam freely, often attacking. The only benefit is the lack of guards, but the astral stones there are of very high quality," He Yingwu explained.

Liu Wuxie's eyes brightened. "Great, that means no one will know what I do there."

"Don't get too happy. The Northern Foothill Mines are incredibly dangerous. The astral stones there may be of high quality, but why do you think the output is so low? That's why, even after all these years, the mines remain largely unexplored," He Yingwu said, his words dousing Liu Wuxie’s enthusiasm like a splash of cold water.

"Big Brother He, please continue," Liu Wuxie urged, eager to learn more.

"Every year, slaves are sent there, and none last a month, either torn apart by astral beasts or perishing under the harsh conditions," He Yingwu said with a bitter smile. He had seen that slaves sent into the Northern Foothill Mines had never returned.

Liu Wuxie now understood why Yu Wentai had spared his life. Sending him to the Northern Foothill Mines was nothing more than a death sentence. Yet, a faint smile tugged at his lips. What was a death trap to others could be an opportunity for him. With so few guards, he could cultivate freely and push for a breakthrough. Once his cultivation rose, no astral beast would dare to threaten him.