Essence Devouring Art

”Teleportation Points +500!”

Five hundred!

Tsk!

As expected of a Three-Layered Black Lotus Fierce Gu!

It’s true that risk and reward are directly proportional. How could I have caught such a big fish without braving the storm!

SNIFF SNIFF~

After digesting the Stone God.

Wu Dao twitched his nose. He smelled an indescribable fragrance in the air—not quite medicinal, but it made every cell in his body ache with hunger. A smile instantly spread across his face.

’I almost forgot about that unexpected prize!’

WHOOSH!

Wu Dao’s figure kicked up a gale, and in the span of a breath, he appeared before the foot-square ”Spirit Stone.”

He could feel it.

This gem contained an incredibly pure and abundant unknown Energy!

The Energy contained within this single stone definitely surpassed the total value of over ten million taels’ worth of Elixir Pills!

Ignoring Ding Bai’s complicated expression in the distance, Wu Dao was about to bend down and pick up the Spirit Stone.

BZZZT!

But in that instant.

His Divine Level perception instantly detected an extremely well-hidden and incredibly dangerous aura rising from within the Spirit Stone.

Wu Dao felt a sudden, sharp pain between his brows as the Heart Lake Alarm Bell rang wildly. He twisted his head to the side, almost instinctively.

SWISH!!

The next instant!

A flash of golden sword light, as swift as lightning, shot out from the Spirit Stone, slicing off half of Wu Dao’s head on the spot!

If Wu Dao hadn’t instantly squeezed the vital tissues in his brain to the other side of his skull as he turned his head...

...that one strike!

He would have been killed instantly!

After lopping off half of Wu Dao’s head, the sword light seemed to lose all its momentum. It flew another hundred zhang before falling to the ground.

The light dissipated, revealing a palm-sized jade dagger densely covered in runic script.

CLANG CLANG CLANG~

Innumerable strands of Fine Steel Wire wriggled like iron worms, quickly repairing Wu Dao’s shattered half-skull.

Heroic Great Success Domain.

As long as he wasn’t killed instantly by a headshot or his limbs and organs weren’t completely destroyed and lost, he could rely on the Healing Fluid to quickly repair and regrow them.

Haaa~

He let out a turbid breath, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

Holding the Spirit Stone, which now had a hole in it, Wu Dao flickered and reappeared in front of the white jade runic dagger. His expression shifted slightly before he reached out and picked it up.

SCHLICK—

The blade sliced across his palm, cutting through flesh as tough as refined steel. Faintly, he could see the edge of the sword was coated in a layer of some unknown, high-energy fluid, making it indestructible.

’A Spiritual Object?’

’And also a way to counter the Public Opinion Stone?’

Wu Dao gripped the hilt, staring at the high-energy gaseous fluid. Sparks of insight flared in his mind, and he quickly figured out the intricacies.

Within the Taoist Sects.

The Innate realm is known as Qi Refining!

Like the Martial Dao Dantian, a Purple Talisman can store nature’s spiritual energy. This type of energy, Spiritual Qi, far surpasses Qi and Blood Power.

That’s why an Extraordinary at the Innate, or Qi Cultivation Realm, can absolutely crush any Extraordinary below them. After all, the energy they wield isn’t even in the same league.

”No wonder that Stone God said it could absorb nature’s spiritual energy...”

Wu Dao glanced at the small sword in his palm. When he extended his Spiritual Perception into it, he could detect complex Array Patterns inside.

It seemed to have faintly established a bridge to some form of energy between heaven and earth—likely Spiritual Qi—that Wu Dao, in his mortal flesh, could not sense.

After that last strike.

The Array Patterns in the sword were now damaged.

In other words, the Stone God was still full of crap. Even if it had escaped its restraints and gotten ahold of this Treasure Sword, it wouldn’t have been able to absorb any more Spiritual Qi.

However, none of that mattered anymore. It was already in his stomach, anyway.

”Innate, Qi Refining...”

As his thoughts surged, Wu Dao muttered to himself, thinking about how he had ignored Qi Canghai’s warning. A flicker of light crossed his eyes as he carefully put away the Spirit Sword.

CRUNCH!

He bit off a finger-sized piece of the Spirit Stone as if it were a large popsicle and swallowed it.

A vast, unknown Energy exploded within Wu Dao’s body, transforming into Healing Fluid that rapidly healed his tattered and withered physique.

He couldn’t sense the Spiritual Qi of the Immortal Dao.

But he could consume the high-energy Spiritual Objects created by Spiritual Qi and convert them into Healing Fluid.

For the long term, this was definitely good news.

CLANK! CLANK—

A moment later.

Wu Dao’s massive Giant Whale Dominating Body was no longer withered. Healed by an ample supply of Healing Fluid, it regained its violent, majestic form. Then, with a crackle of sinew and bone, he shrank back to his normal nine-foot-tall body.

’Just a finger-sized piece.’

’And the Energy was that abundant?’

’I really hit the jackpot!’

Wu Dao held the jade-tofu-like Spirit Stone with a hint of joy on his face. Perhaps with this item, he could attempt to break through to the Heroic Limit Domain!

WHOOSH~

The battle had ended, and the raging Gangfeng Qi Flow subsided into a gentle breeze.

The great sun hung high in the sky.

The ruin-like Lin Village was no longer shrouded in a gloomy aura, but instead bathed in the bright light of the living world.

”Hall Master, are you alright?”

At some point, Zhao Jianji had rushed up with a group of men.

When he saw that Wu Dao was stark naked, he quickly had the others halt and brought a set of clothes he had prepared in advance to Wu Dao himself.

”Thoughtful of you. How are things with Lin Village handled?”

Wu Dao took the clothes and put them on, offering a word of faint praise. ’As expected of someone from a Master’s Family,’ he thought. ’His ability to read the situation and solve his leader’s problems is truly first-class.’

’Good heavens, did fire fall from the sky?’ Zhao Jianji’s face was filled with shock as he glanced at the former site of Lin Village, now a cratered, scorched ruin. He hurriedly replied, ”Lin Village had very deep pockets. After some ’negotiations,’ they compensated us with five million taels.”

He was about to mention something else, but seeing that there were still two outsiders present, he leaned closer to Wu Dao and whispered:

”A dozen or so of Lin Zongwen’s die-hard loyalists have been... dealt with by Tiezhu. The rest are mostly spineless commoners who won’t cause any trouble.”

”Mm. Draw up a list of rewards when we get back. Those who deserve a taste shouldn’t go hungry. If they get to eat meat this time, they’ll work even harder next time.”

Wu Dao nodded in satisfaction. Having subordinates made things convenient, and of course, those who did the work had to be fed.

As a boss, the most important thing was having the domineering aura to intimidate all manner of demons, not the tyranny of selfishly hogging all the spoils.

”Yes, I’ll handle it as soon as we get back.”

Zhao Jianji respectfully agreed. He had wanted to ask about the giant hedgehog, but seeing that Wu Dao had no intention of speaking on the matter, he held his tongue.

As a subordinate, the most important thing was to listen and do more, not to be impudent and talk too much.

”After we get back, I want you to investigate the background of the Daoist who refined the Public Opinion Stone for Lin Village back then.”

After wrapping up the Spirit Stone and Spirit Sword, Wu Dao seemed to think of something and gave Zhao Jianji another order.

That Daoist from the story.

He had a feeling the man’s intentions weren’t so simple.

After obtaining the priceless Spirit Stone and Spirit Sword, this suspicion grew even stronger.

It was highly likely that the Daoist had used the Public Opinion Stone to set up a long-term scheme. Repaying a debt of gratitude was real, but so was seeking benefits for himself.

Wu Dao had intercepted the Spirit Stone and Spirit Sword ahead of schedule.

He had likely already offended him.

Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

He didn’t want someone showing up at his door without warning, leaving him completely ignorant about his opponent.

Unfortunately, the Daoist hadn’t left behind any name or trace of his background.

Within the White Whale Martial Arts Hall, most people probably only knew that Lin Village had a ”giant hedgehog” and were unaware of the intricacies behind it.

The only one who might know the truth, Qi Canghai, was extremely secretive about it, which probably meant the Daoist’s identity was anything but simple.

To find out, it would likely take a great deal of effort.

”This matter...” Zhao Jianji pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up with an idea. ”That Daoist may not have publicized the fact that he killed an Innate from the Giant Whale Sect to gain fame.

But it’s impossible for a Daoist capable of killing an Innate to have no record in the Jianghu.

The Black Dragon Commerce Association has branches all over Dali.

Not only are they the largest chamber of commerce in the country, but they’re also the largest intelligence organization. We should be able to find out something if we spend a little money.”

”Mm, as soon as possible.”

Hearing this, Wu Dao nodded and strode down the mountain, ignoring the two Jingzhe Guards.

’To be honest, if the Jingzhe Bureau were an unofficial organization that operated in the gray areas between black and white, I might have considered jumping ship to join them.’

’The Jingzhe Bureau is massive. It monitors the entire nation’s dark underbelly, with branches throughout Dali. Its intelligence network is on a level the little White Whale Martial Arts Hall could never compare to.’

’Unfortunately...’

’Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.’

’My ways are too extreme in the eyes of others.’

’I could never see eye to eye with the Jingzhe Bureau, whose members’ minds are filled with loyalty to the emperor and love for the people, and whose families have served the Celestial Emperor diligently for generations.’

’Not to mention... in the near future, when the world descends into chaos, the Jingzhe Bureau, standing on the side of the Imperial Court, will be facing enemies on all sides. They won’t have the luxury of performing their actual duties.’

’I wouldn’t get many benefits before finding myself a public enemy. Wouldn’t that just be asking for trouble?’

’Also... it’s important to know your own limits.’

’My current strength is still too weak.’

’It’s better to develop safely, step by step, in a small pond. If I get overambitious and jump into a huge lake too soon, with my temperament, I’d easily get eaten by a shark!’

”Th-thank you...”

Ding Bai watched Wu Dao’s departing back. He opened his mouth, wanting to offer a few words of thanks, but seeing Wu Dao’s dismissive attitude, he just shook his head with a bitter smile.

Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.

Wu Dao understood this principle, and so did he.

He only hoped... that they wouldn’t meet on the battlefield in the future.

Ding Bai truly did not want to face an enemy like Wu Dao, with his extreme personality and terrifying talent.

But when he thought about how Qi Canghai had given them the cold shoulder during their visit, Ding Bai’s expression grew worried again.

’These days, the rebellious intentions of the Celestial Emperor’s second brother, Prince Nanyang, are practically an open secret. He’s been making frequent moves, showing the ambition to sweep through the lands and swallow the world whole.’

’Rebel Kings have also risen in the other three regions.’

’The major powers, the influential clans, and even those hidden sects On the Mountain have more or less all picked their sides.’

’The arrow is nocked on the bowstring.’

’All that’s needed is a trigger, and the Central Plains Imperial Court will be completely submerged in a rain of arrows from all directions!’

”Do one’s best, and leave the rest to the Celestial Mandate.”

Ding Bai watched the White Whale Martial Arts Hall’s contingent kick up a cloud of dust as they sped away down the mountain. He shook his head, pushing the deep thoughts aside, and helped his colleague to his feet before heading down the mountain as well.

The tide of the era was inevitable.

Small Jingzhe Guards like them were nothing more than dust motes in a vast ocean. All they could do was their duty, so as not to bring shame upon their ancestors or the grace of the Royal Family.