Chapter 864 - Second-Grade Spiritual Pill

Liu Wuxie streaked through the mountain range like a falling star, and it didn't take long before the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy was within sight. He had left the academy for half a year, and many people had most likely forgotten about his existence.

Since joining the academy, I haven't had the opportunity to visit Big Brother Liu Feng once. Now that I'm back, we should gather and have a reunion.

Liu Wuxie was lost in his thoughts when he saw a few figures appearing ahead and standing in his way.

This left Liu Wuxie baffled. Who dared to stop him when he had nearly reached the academy?

His eyes turned cold as he scanned through the three men before him.

"Who are you people, and why are you standing in my way?" Liu Wuxie asked coldly. Judging from their clothing, they were also disciples of the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy. He had been gone for so long, and it made no sense for anyone to seek trouble with him.

"People who will kill you!" the middle one among the three said without a hint of emotion in his tone.

His voice was laced with amusement. These men were only at the higher levels of the True Profound Realm, yet they spoke so boldly of killing him. He had no interest in playing games—he just wanted to know who had ordered them to come after him.

"You'll find out at your grave—after you're dead!" the leader sneered before signaling his companions. Without hesitation, the trio lunged at Liu Wuxie.

They didn't even give Liu Wuxie a chance to react, attacking with ruthless precision, fearing he might slip away.

A cold glint flickered in Liu Wuxie's eyes. He hadn't intended to kill them outright—at least not yet. He needed answers first. Who was behind this? Qi Yang? Miao Hanxuan? Or someone else entirely?

Liu Wuxie wasn't certain as there were far too many people in the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy who wanted him dead. The best way was to capture them and interrogate the truth out of them.

As the three assailants closed in, Liu Wuxie remained motionless, standing there as if he had no intention of resisting.

Seeing this, their lips curled into sinister grins. They assumed he was paralyzed with fear. However, their smiles froze in the next second as Liu Wuxie's fist appeared before them without any warning.

With two devastating punches, Liu Wuxie obliterated his attackers. Their heads exploded into mist, and their primordial spirits were annihilated in an instant.

The lone survivor stood frozen, eyes locked onto the headless corpses of his companions.

"You..." He stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. He had known Liu Wuxie was strong, but this? This was beyond anything he had expected.

Liu Wuxie had deliberately concealed his true cultivation upon returning, suppressing it at the seventh-level Nascent Transformation Realm. A two-level breakthrough in six months was plausible, but if the man knew Liu Wuxie had actually reached the second-level True Profound Realm, he would likely lose his mind.

"Now, tell me—who sent you?" Liu Wuxie demanded.

Before the man could even consider taking his own life, the Earth-Binding Chains wrapped around him like vipers, tightening with crushing force. With a flick of Liu Wuxie's wrist, the man was sent crashing into the depths of the mountain range. He landed hard, his agonized screams echoing through the wilderness.

"Liu Wuxie, you'll die a miserable death!" the man cursed. He knew Liu Wuxie.

At first, Liu Wuxie assumed they were mere bandits looking for an easy target. But now, it was clear—they had been waiting for him, lying in ambush, attacking the moment he appeared. This wasn't a random act of violence; it was a deliberate assassination attempt.

"So, you think I'm easy prey?" Liu Wuxie said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Then let me teach you otherwise."

With a flick of his fingers, he injected a strand of true essence into the man's body.

"ARGH!" The man screamed in agony as his meridians began to erode.

However, as they were in a mountain range, no one could hear him, and no one would come to his aid even if they heard him.

"Tell me—who sent you?" Liu Wuxie asked again, his patience wearing thin. If the man refused to speak, he would have no choice but to search the latter's soul.

"I-It was Elder Miao!" The man couldn't bear the pain and finally came clean.

A murderous intent flashed on Liu Wuxie's face when he heard the answer, and it was as he had expected.

From the man's confession, he learned that the ambush was planned when he had left the academy. They had tried tailing him, but he was too fast for them to keep up with him. Fearing Miao Hanxuan's wrath, they had been waiting for his return.

Half a year had passed, and just when they were about to abandon their search, Liu Wuxie reappeared. However, they hadn't anticipated him to be so formidable.

Having obtained the necessary information, Liu Wuxie wasted no time and ended the man's life with a palm strike. After retrieving their interspatial rings, he strode toward the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Realm openly as if nothing had happened. But deep in his heart, his murderous intent toward Miao Hanxuan had increased.

When he returned to Heavenly Gate Peak, he found that his senior brothers were absent, and he could only make his way to his master's thatched hut.

"Greetings, Master," Liu Wuxie said respectfully, bowing outside the hut.

"You've performed well over the past six months, and this is your reward," Elder Madman's voice came from the hut, and a beam of light shot through the crack in the door.

Liu Wuxie reached out and grabbed it. It was a pill.

"A second-grade spiritual pill!" Liu Wuxie was surprised. He hadn't expected his master to reward him with a second-grade spiritual pill corresponding to the Earth Profound Realm.

Elders at the Earth Profound Realm had refined this pill, and it was highly valuable, far surpassing first-grade spiritual pills.

Back in Mound City, Liu Wuxie had consumed three first-grade spiritual pills, but they only helped him to advance half a level. This second-grade spiritual pill meant the third-level True Profound Realm was within his grasp.

"Thank you, Master!" Liu Wuxie said gratefully. When he had joined Heavenly Gate Peak, it was for the sake of autonomy, never expecting to receive any rewards.

Moreover, Elder Madman had once saved his life, and over time, Liu Wuxie had grown to deeply respect him.

"Your senior brothers have recovered their cultivation and have left for training. You can arrange your time as you see fit," Elder Madman said, dismissing Liu Wuxie.

It turned out that his three senior brothers had recovered their cultivation in the past six months, and they were all at the True Profound Realm. After five years of stagnation, they were finally free to leave the academy.

Returning to his hut, Liu Wuxie changed into the academy's uniform but chose not to consume the second-grade spiritual pill just yet. Having recently taken three first-grade spiritual pills, their medicinal effects still lingered in his body. It wasn't the right time—he would wait until his foundation had fully stabilized.

After a short rest, he set off for Half-Moon Peak to visit his elder cousin, Liu Feng. It had been more than six months since they last met, and he was eager to see how Liu Feng was doing.

If not for Liu Feng's recommendation letter, who knew where he would be now? Though they were family, Liu Wuxie never forgot this debt of gratitude.

Descending from Heavenly Gate Peak, he crossed several valleys, traversing the familiar paths of the academy. After an hour of travel, he finally arrived at Half-Moon Peak.

The Half-Moon Peak's name came from the mountain's shape resembling a crescent moon.

No one stopped Liu Wuxie as he ascended the mountain—after all, they all wore the same academy uniform. The only distinction was the Heavenly Gate Peak emblem embroidered on his robes. Perhaps he simply blended in too well, his presence unremarkable enough to go unnoticed.

Since he wasn't familiar with Liu Feng's residence, he stopped a disciple along the way to ask for directions. With the sheer number of disciples at Half-Moon Peak, not everyone would recognize him, especially given that he was only at the True Profound Realm.

"Senior Brother, do you know where Liu Feng lives?" Liu Wuxie was polite in his tone and even slipped a few hundred spirit stones into the disciple's hand.

This wasn't the Heavenly Gate Peak, where there were only a few disciples. The Half-Moon Peak was filled with buildings, making it difficult to locate a single person.

The disciple's expression brightened as he examined the spirit stones, clearly satisfied with the offering.

"Liu Feng? I've heard of him. He should be dueling someone at the Astral Moon Valley right now," the youth responded before departing.

The Astral Moon Valley was only about a thousand meters from the Star Eclipse Valley, both vast in size. Without wasting any time, Liu Wuxie altered his course, making his way toward the valley.

The Star Eclipse Valley was typically used for gatherings, while the Astral Moon Valley was a battleground where disciples could engage in private duels.

After hearing that Liu Feng was dueling with someone, Liu Wuxie left immediately, rushing to ensure his safety.

The Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy didn't prohibit disciples from fighting each other, and no one would pursue the matter even if someone died.

Though Liu Feng was strong, he was only at the True Profound Realm. The academy was teeming with prodigies—hidden talents lurking beneath the surface—and against such competition, he could be at a disadvantage.

Not daring to waste time, Liu Wuxie descended the Half Moon Valley and headed for the Astral Moon Valley.

A sizable crowd had already gathered at the valley, forming a ring around the center where several youths stood, radiating confidence. Many disciples had risen to prominence within the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, using older students as stepping stones to carve out their own reputations.

Among them was Ning Hai, a rising star who had relied on his exceptional talent to surpass numerous veteran disciples, establishing his name in the Myriad Phase Cavern. However, one regret still lingered despite his achievements—his failure to secure first place in the academy's recruitment test.

Upon discovering that Liu Feng was Liu Wuxie's elder cousin, Ning Hai saw an opportunity for revenge. He had repeatedly provoked and harassed Liu Feng, pushing him to the limit. Eventually, Liu Feng had had enough. Tired of the constant goading, he agreed to a life-and-death duel in Astral Moon Valley to settle their differences once and for all.

"Big Brother Liu Feng, you do not need to lower yourself to his level. Wuxie will take care of him when he returns," Liu Xin'er persuaded as she stood beside Liu Feng, not wanting the latter to fall for Ning Hai's trap.

Since Ning Hai couldn't kill Liu Wuxie, he could only set his targets on those around Liu Wuxie, and Liu Feng naturally became a target as well.

"This man has humiliated me time and time again. If it were just me, I could endure it. But he has also insulted our Liu Clan. How do you expect me to swallow that?" Liu Feng growled, his fury barely contained.

He had endured countless provocations, but Ning Hai had crossed the line. Liu Feng refused to suffer any further disgrace, even if it meant fighting to the death.

Liu Xin'er sighed, knowing there was no turning back. The bowstring had been drawn, and the arrow could no longer be held back. This was now a battle of life and death.

"Are you done talking? Then get lost if you're not fighting!" Ning Hai sneered, his gaze razor-sharp.

His progress was undeniable—he had reached the pinnacle of the True Profound Realm within six months, proving his extraordinary talent.

Liu Wuxie's rapid growth was impressive, but Ning Hai was just as remarkable. He had only been at the third-level True Profound Realm when he first entered the academy. Yet, in a short time, he had surged through the ranks, leaving many envious.

"Ning Hai, I will settle it with you once and for all today!" Liu Feng roared, stepping forward.

After five years of training, Liu Feng had reached the eighth level of True Profound Realm. However, among veteran disciples, he was considered average.

The crowd of disciples watched with eager anticipation. They didn't care who lived or died—they were only here for the spectacle.