Essence Devouring Art

Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Instantaneous Myriad Changes

The Realm of Barbaric Courage: One crudely memorizes the routines of fist and foot techniques, becoming familiar with weapons, but can only drive them with clumsy brute force—a superficial understanding that fails to grasp their true essence.

The Technique Realm: This is the stage of true entry. After diligent daily practice, the techniques are mastered and muscle memory is formed. One skillfully applies various power-generation techniques, able to unleash the full might of their moves.

The Realm of Hundred Transformations, also known as the realm of the Grandmaster.

Here, one’s skill reaches perfection. They have fully comprehended and integrated the martial art’s essence, incorporating every move and stance into their daily life—walking, sitting, even lying down.

They are no longer bound by rigid routines but have become flexible and ever-changing, able to infer countless applications from a single principle and innovate constantly. They transform from student to teacher, possessing the qualifications to establish a school and instruct disciples.

For an ordinary person, reaching this stage is incredibly difficult. It is fundamentally impossible without decades of arduous cultivation, accumulation, and immersion.

As for the next stage, the Micro Realm—that is reserved exclusively for geniuses.

The Micro Realm: One’s spirit and body become enlightened, communing with heaven and earth. Their techniques merge with all things, allowing them to injure people with something as simple as a tossed flower or a plucked leaf.

Their Essence, Qi, and Spirit are exceptionally potent, having opened the ”Heart Eye.” This allows them to perceive the most minute changes even in the noisiest environments, enabling them to strike first and defeat an enemy before they can even act.

’If the Realm of Hundred Transformations is the limit for mortals, then the Micro Realm must belong to the Extraordinary domain. In that case...’

A glint flashed in Wu Dao’s eyes. Thinking of the miraculous attribute panel, a thought occurred to him.

[Physique: Beast King (Limit)]

[Extraordinary: Essence Devouring Art (56% Potential Release) +, Overlord Whale Fist Three Years (Barbaric Courage) +]

[Teleportation Points: 40.24]

Just as he expected, the attribute panel classified the Overlord Whale Fist as an Extraordinary Cultivation Technique, meaning it could be upgraded with Teleportation Points.

At the same time, Wu Dao also noticed the words ”Three Years” after Overlord Whale Fist. He found it a bit strange. ’Where did these three years come from?’

Fortunately, his mind was exceptionally sharp and nimble at the moment, and he quickly deduced the reason.

Although he had never practiced the Overlord Whale Fist, in that brief period just now, he had used the Celestial Human State to completely digest the theoretical knowledge of the Overlord Whale Fist. All he lacked was practical combat experience.

Presumably, the ”three years” represented how long it would take an ordinary person to digest all this theoretical knowledge through rote memorization.

’What a pity. My Potential Release is still too low. If I could enter the Heroic Domain, I could probably reach the Technique Realm in a single step.’

Wu Dao looked at the plus sign after Overlord Whale Fist, a hint of regret on his face.

The Technique Realm for dynamic arts involving fists, feet, blades, and other weapons, to put it bluntly, is when the body forms muscle memory through daily training. The tissue structure changes, allowing it to perfectly adapt to the biomechanics of the Cultivation Technique.

Once Potential Release reaches the Heroic Domain, the brain and spirit undergo a transformation, becoming enlightened. The body develops a Blood and Flesh Spirit; every inch of tissue possesses its own ”wisdom.”

A powerful spirit flows ceaselessly through the body, allowing one to consciously control microscopic tissues and adjust muscle fibers. With enough Energy, one could easily ”grow” muscle memory in a short amount of time.

As for now... ’I’ll just cheat with the attribute panel.’

Wu Dao had limited energy. For the foreseeable future, his main focus would be increasing his Potential Release progress; he couldn’t possibly spare time for diligent martial arts practice.

Besides, it wasn’t expensive.

The price given by the attribute panel was two Teleportation Points.

’Upgrade!’

With a thought, Wu Dao pressed the plus sign after Overlord Whale Fist.

In that instant, a massive amount of information flooded into Wu Dao’s mind.

The information consisted entirely of scenes of ”him” practicing the Overlord Whale Fist. Through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, through bitter cold and scorching heat, on high mountains and by the coast, he practiced relentlessly, his spiritual cultivation growing at a breathtaking pace.

At the same time, warm, thread-like currents spread through his body, modifying his physical structure. Like dredging a water channel, they washed away all awkwardness, fully attuning him to the power-generation methods of the Overlord Whale Fist.

A moment later, the upgrade was complete.

[Overlord Whale Fist Ten Years (Technique) +]

In just a few seconds.

He had surpassed seven years of an ordinary person’s arduous training!

Even though Wu Dao had already experienced the miraculous nature of the attribute panel, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of shock.

’Again!’

Unsatisfied, he pressed the plus sign after Overlord Whale Fist again.

The jump from the Technique Realm to the Realm of Hundred Transformations, this great transformation from student to master, required ten Teleportation Points. That was comparable to the amount needed to advance the Beast King Physique from Minor Achievement to Great Success.

However, the two were fundamentally different.

One was a simple enhancement of physical attributes, while the other was the culmination of accumulated spiritual cultivation, wisdom, and experience forged over time. The difference was vast.

CRACKLE, CRACKLE...

As memories of cultivating the Overlord Whale Fist flooded his mind, his muscles and bones began to grow and crackle.

This upgrade brought about noticeable physical changes.

Especially Wu Dao’s hands.

His fists were like a whale’s head, his arms like its powerful torso!

They had grown a size more robust overall.

His ten knuckles were covered in shell-like martial calluses, their thickness and hardness rivaling those of any Overlord Whale Fist master.

His overall muscle mass increased significantly, his bone density grew, and his Power and durability rose. As the rest of his tissues strengthened, they also adapted to the specific biomechanics of the Overlord Whale Fist!

[Overlord Whale Fist Fifty Years (Hundred Transformations) +]

Fifty years of Power!

A Master of Hundred Transformations!

This was an immense amount of time. An ordinary person would need to spend half their life practicing the Overlord Whale Fist without a single day of rest to have any hope of reaching this stage!

At this point, Wu Dao’s mastery of the Overlord Whale Fist—in theory, practical combat, and spiritual cultivation—had reached perfection. His foundation was as solid as a mountain. He could establish his own sect!

WHOOSH...

He let out a slow breath.

A divine light flickered in Wu Dao’s eyes, brimming with a wisdom that flowed like a vast ocean where a colossal whale from the Wilderness roamed freely.

His aura had also changed. Mixed within his fierce and domineering presence was the transcendent air of a Grandmaster. He was imposing without being angry, striking fear into the hearts of the wicked and capable of repelling evil spirits.

CRACKLE, POP...

Wu Dao stretched, his muscles and bones crackling. His force merged with his qi, and his qi merged with his intent. Standing in the drizzling rain, he began to practice the eight forms of the Overlord Whale Fist.

WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH...

A fierce wind howled as his fists and feet thundered through the air.

Unleashing the immense power of a mighty elephant through the techniques of the Overlord Whale Fist, he caused the air and rain within a radius of several meters to churn and boil.

Whale Waves Hitting the Shore... Whale Leaping Star River... Hanging Whale Technique... Whale Splitting Technique...

The mighty power of the whale, the surging fury of the sea!

Every move and stance was executed without the slightest stiffness, flowing like water in a display of perfect mastery.

The Fist Momentum was fierce and domineering, surging like a tidal wave! His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were full and abundant, expressing the profound mysteries of the Overlord Whale Fist to their absolute limit. Any other master of the art would be put to shame by the sight.

「A few minutes later.」

As part of his routine, Wu Dao leaped and landed at the base of the sheer cliff face behind the residential area.

A person-high gray stone stood there, as if rooted to the spot.

Whale Shark Island!

Wu Dao’s eyes narrowed. He pivoted on the balls of his feet as muscles rippled up his body like a wave. His spine drove his arm, which swung like the torso of a whale. Immense, primal power gathered in his fist, evoking the image of a great whale twisting through the vast sea, breaking waves as it charged headfirst into an island!

He threw the punch!

BOOM!

The force was unleashed in an instant, striking with the impact of a whale’s ram and a cannon’s blast!

With a shocking crack and a rumbling tremor, the upper half of the man-sized black stone exploded, sending thousands of fragments flying in every direction!

WHOOSH!

Wu Dao exhaled. A plume of white vapor, like a dragon’s breath, blew away the dust. Gazing at the rubble-strewn ground, his eyes shone brightly.

’The Martial Arts of this World are far more profound than those of my past life. With the Overlord Whale Fist at the Hundred Transformations level, my combat prowess has increased by at least fifty percent!’

’If I were to face someone like Meng Qingshuang again, I could easily crush her to death in under a minute!’

He opened the attribute panel again.

[Physique: Beast King (Limit)]

[Extraordinary: Essence Devouring Art (58% Potential Release) +, Overlord Whale Fist Fifty Years (Hundred Transformations) +]

[Teleportation Points: 28.24]

’My Potential Release increased by 2% as well?’

Wu Dao was delighted to see the 2% increase in his Essence Devouring Art’s progress.

Fifty years of Power in the Overlord Whale Fist had not only greatly increased his Battle ability but also significantly improved his overall Physique. His Potential Release had reached a new level, bringing him one step closer to the 65% required for the Heroic Domain.

’It’s a shame I don’t have enough Teleportation Points. If I could reach the Micro Realm, I imagine even more of my potential would be released.’

Wu Dao felt a little unsatisfied.

The plus sign after Overlord Whale Fist had turned gray, and the tooltip indicated that the next upgrade would cost 60 Teleportation Points.

After personally experiencing the benefits of the Hundred Transformations level, he could understand why reaching the Micro Realm was so expensive.

The Micro Realm... is a level where one’s Spiritual Consciousness undergoes an enlightened transformation, becoming sharp enough to be used as a weapon. Techniques merge with heaven, earth, and nature itself. It’s a state that relies on sudden inspiration, communion with the world, and serendipitous encounters.

One might achieve an epiphany in an instant, or they might never even touch the threshold in their entire lifetime. It’s not a state that can be reached simply by grinding away for years.

Once one enters this realm... the most tangible benefit... is a qualitative leap in strength.

The Overlord Whale Fist manual even recorded a case: decades ago, a Boxer at the Micro Realm managed to kill a Breaking the Cocoon Martial Artist despite only being at the Divine Power Realm.

The Breaking the Cocoon realm comes after Foundation Establishment.

An Extraordinary at that level has undergone a complete Rebirth, shedding their mortal shell. They condense blood essence in their Dantian, and the amount of qi and blood their physique can contain is worlds apart from the Foundation Establishment Realm—it’s like comparing a tiger or a bear to a stray dog. They’re not in the same league at all.

To be able to overcome such a massive gap and kill a higher-level opponent truly demonstrates the overwhelming power of the Micro Realm.

’The Micro Realm is good, but my current focus has to be on Human Potential Release. Mortals in this World are bound by layers of shackles, with no hope of becoming Extraordinary. Only the Essence Devouring Art is the Fundamental Technique to break these chains!’

Wu Dao glanced at his remaining twenty-odd Teleportation Points, and his surging excitement cooled.

’The Micro Realm makes you strong for a while, but the Essence Devouring Art will make you strong forever.’

He knew which was more important.

WHOOSH...

A gust of wind carried a fine, misty rain.

Wu Dao withdrew his consciousness from the attribute panel. His nose twitched, and a thick, foul stench made him wrinkle his brow.

He looked down.

He was covered in dust and caked blood. His dirty hair was matted into dangling clumps, and he wore nothing but a pair of tattered shorts. He looked like a savage from the deep mountains who ate raw flesh and drank blood.

Wu Dao was no clean freak, but even he couldn’t stand his current filthy state. Without hesitation, he headed straight for Meng Qingshuang’s residence.

As the master of the Red Fire Mine, Meng Qingshuang’s courtyard naturally had a well. Its sweet, clear water was a rare treasure in the desert.

And so, today, three months after arriving in this World, Wu Dao finally had a proper, satisfying bath and drank clean water that wasn’t full of sand and strange flavors.

While he was at it, he found a blade and gave himself a haircut, shaving his thick, waist-length hair into a sharp, practical buzz cut.

As a man from the twenty-first century, some ideas were ingrained in his very bones. Even if he hadn’t cared much for appearances in his past life, he simply couldn’t accept the strange sight of a grown man with long, flowing hair.

After cleaning himself up, Wu Dao, still shirtless, rummaged through Meng Qingshuang’s house, looking for a suitable robe to wear.

「A few minutes later.」

Wu Dao appeared at the door, now dressed in a comfortable, soft black robe. He held a sheepskin map, quickly memorizing the layout of the Black Stone Desert and its surrounding geography.

The Red Fire Mine was over a hundred li from the nearest human settlement. Frequent sandstorms raged, obscuring any tracks or roads. Without a map, it would be easy to get lost.

’This direction... Qingyuan City... the headquarters of the Four Seas Gang!’

Wu Dao put away the map and confirmed his route. A flash of greed flickered in his eyes before disappearing.

The unique nature of his Essence Devouring Art and attribute panel meant he was destined not to be some Ascetic Cultivator who advanced through quiet meditation. To progress quickly, his only path was to devour ”abnormalities” and wade through a storm of blood.

However, in the current world, the Human Dao was dominant. ”Abnormal” existences were mostly sinister, ghostly things hidden in the world’s dark corners, unknown to the general populace.

Actively searching for them would be like a headless fly, a confusing and time-consuming endeavor.

Fortunately, the Four Seas Gang, the evil organization that dominated Guangqing Prefecture, had intricate connections to these ”abnormalities.”

That made his target clear.

He put away the map.

Wu Dao then found a brocade cloth and packed up all the money and silver banknotes the two scavenging Four Seas Gang members had been fighting over—worth at least ten thousand taels of silver in total.

In this World, he was rootless, an unregistered person without official status. His strength wasn’t yet great enough to run roughshod over all rules, so he might even have trouble entering a human city.

But with enough money, the issue of identity was no longer an issue. ”Without money, you’re dirt; with money, you’re the master.” That truth applied everywhere.

WHOOSH...

A fierce wind whistled past his ears.

Carrying the bundle, Wu Dao moved with the gait of a dragon and the leap of a tiger. Without a hint of sentimentality, and filled with anticipation for this new World, he quickly left the Red Fire Mine, where he had lived a life worse than a pig or a dog for three months.