Essence Devouring Art

”AHH!!”

The next moment, this discomfort transformed into a searing heat that spread from his heart throughout his entire body.

It scalded Zhao Jianji until he resembled a boiled shrimp, letting out a terrible roar as his body swelled up as if it were being inflated.

In the blink of an eye,

he had transformed into a monster nearly ten feet tall.

His appearance somewhat resembled the Dragon Whale Dominating Body.

However, it was a miniature version. His muscles were the color of blood, he had no Blood Flame, and his aura was at most equivalent to the Divine Power Peak level.

”Alliance Leader, what is this?”

Zhao Jianji felt an unprecedented power surging within him. His intuition told him this was a good thing; after all, Wu Dao had no reason to harm him.

But he was still terrified.

Having power was a good thing.

But he couldn’t go around in this monstrous form forever, could he?

”Just a little trick.”

Wu Dao retracted the golden claw on his index finger. With a mere thought, he helped Zhao Jianji calm the frantic ’little guy’ in his heart, allowing him to return to his normal physique.

Then he said:

”Feel it, merge with it, and learn to use it. From now on, you just need to keep ’eating,’ and it will continuously feed back into you, increasing your Power.”

”I can’t make any grand promises.”

”But reaching the Cocoon-Breaking Realm will be completely unobstructed for you.”

His voice was calm,

as if he had done something insignificant.

”Thank you, Alliance Leader, for granting me this new life!!”

But upon hearing this, Zhao Jianji was utterly shaken. He immediately fell to his knees, kowtowing loudly and weeping uncontrollably.

”From now on, Alliance Leader, you are my true parent! I will climb a mountain of knives or plunge into a sea of fire for you! Your subordinate will not even frown!”

It was no wonder he was so emotional.

On the Path of Transcendence in this world, although the Great Dao was brilliant and the road ahead vast, ninety-nine percent of people merely lingered at the starting point, unable to advance a single step, left only to sigh in despair.

The Purple Mansion, the Yellow Court, the Qi Sea.

The Three Major Dantians, the three great Innate Shackles.

Like an uncrossable chasm, they had blocked the path of countless ambitious individuals throughout history, fundamentally cutting off their future.

No matter how much regret or unwillingness they felt,

in the end, they could only be reduced to common mortals.

After a hundred years, it was dust to dust, ashes to ashes.

’Below the Innate realm, all are but ants.’

This cruel principle had practically become a truth of the world.

Under such circumstances,

Wu Dao had given Zhao Jianji a path forward.

It was more than just the grace of a new life.

It was a complete Reincarnation.

As for doubt?

Zhao Jianji never had any. Even without the recent brainwashing, he was already a fervent admirer of Wu Dao.

”I helped you merely because you are useful. I am never stingy with useful people.”

Wu Dao said with an indifferent expression:

”You only need to remember my words. Spend some time earnestly integrating this power, push your body to its limit in training every day, and you will master your progress.”

”Yes, this subordinate will definitely be diligent!”

Zhao Jianji wiped his tears, responded with the utmost respect, and then quietly withdrew.

Inside the grand hall,

Wu Dao sat high on his great chair, watching Zhao Jianji’s departing figure with an inscrutable look in his eyes.

Primordial Magnetic Demon Embryo.

One of the techniques of the Overlord Domain.

Its essence was a simplified version of the Essence Devouring Art.

To put it bluntly,

it was a ’Healing Fluid’ processing device.

After the Demon Embryo was planted,

the host simply needed to eat, eat, and eat, and then continuously train to their limit. This would trigger the Demon Embryo’s function, feeding back half of the Healing Fluid to strengthen the host’s Life Magnetic Field, fortify their cells, and improve their physique.

As for why only half...

Planting fields, stockpiling grain.

This was a cultural trait from Wu Dao’s hometown in his previous life, carved into his very bones.

Naturally, he shared this trait.

The upper limit and manifestation of the Primordial Magnetic Demon Embryo depended on the genes of the parent body.

That was why after the Demon Embryo was planted in Zhao Jianji, his physical body began to evolve toward the Dragon Whale Dominating Body.

After unleashing the Demon Embryo,

his physique would be a cut above other Martial Artists of the same level.

The current Wu Dao

could create a Demon Embryo with an upper limit roughly equivalent to the Third Rebirth in this world.

But that was more than enough.

The reason he planted one in Zhao Jianji wasn’t to treat him as a backup food source.

This world wasn’t as barren as his previous one.

It possessed Alien Species, as well as all sorts of high-energy medicinal herbs and Spiritual Objects.

The Demon Embryo was too inefficient by comparison.

It could only be used as a means of cultivating subordinates.

Zhao Jianji had good management skills.

Wu Dao had yet to see the limit of his abilities. He allowed Wu Dao to be a hands-off boss while still enjoying the conveniences that power brought.

Talent like this

naturally had to be cultivated.

If he lost his life one day due to a lack of strength, that would also be a loss.

As for the others,

Wu Dao hadn’t considered them.

His original core team members,

Chen Ergou and Lv Tiezhu, were brave and willing to fight, but had nothing else special about them. People like that were a dime a dozen.

They weren’t worthy of him planting a Demon Embryo in them.

...

「Meanwhile.」

While Wu Dao was plotting against the Four Seas Gang, the rise of the Overlord Whale Alliance had long since attracted the Four Seas Gang’s attention.

In a major southern city of Guangqing Prefecture,

Qingyuan County City.

The city walls were towering, and countless grand buildings filled the landscape.

Although Qingyuan City was a County City, its scale, population, economy, transportation, and prosperity were in no way inferior to Lancang County City in the north, where the Overlord Whale Alliance was based.

Among the southern counties and prefectures of Guangqing Prefecture,

it could be considered the leader.

For this very reason,

the Four Seas Gang had established its headquarters within Qingyuan County City, governing its various halls from there.

It was noon.

The Golden Crow was nowhere to be seen. The sky remained overcast, shrouded in a cold mist and a drizzling rain as fine as ox-hair.

The city was cold and quiet, with all life lying dormant.

This year’s autumn

seemed exceptionally cold.

The Inner City.

Within the magnificent estate that served as the Four Seas Gang’s headquarters.

”Where is the Lord?”

”He’s in the study brewing tea, Master.”

The Four Seas Gang’s Master, Lv Yutao, hurried into the estate. After questioning a guard, he headed for the study, his wrinkled brow furrowed with an unshakable worry.

KNOCK KNOCK—

After carefully knocking twice,

”Old Lv, come in.”

Menghuai Shan’s steady, deep voice sounded from within the study, though it seemed to carry a hint of imperceptible exhaustion compared to usual.

CREAK—

Lv Yutao took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Inside the study,

the steam from the tea curled in the air, clearing the mind and calming the spirit.

Menghuai Shan, his temples graying, sat behind a tea table. His tall frame was draped in a comfortable, loose-fitting gray robe. With a serene expression, he was warming a cup as he spoke casually:

”There’s no need for formalities between us. Sit.”

”Sir, the intelligence you wanted has been purchased from the Black Dragon Commerce Association.”

Lv Yutao sat down stiffly before the table, took a scroll from his robes, and handed it over.

Menghuai Shan paused what he was doing, took the scroll, and began to review it carefully, muttering to himself:

”Wu Dao, origins unknown... Skull Shattering Hand... Joined the White Whale Martial Arts Hall two months ago... Suspected Celestial Treasure Master... Horizontal Refining Third Gate Limit...”

The top page of the scroll

clearly recorded all sorts of information about Wu Dao: his life story, his trajectory, and his specific strength.

On the bottom half,

Menghuai Shan couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

”Ten days ago, seized power on Jingyue Mountain... Fang Xiongshan... Half-Fox Qi Canghai... a fifteen-hundred-year-old Fox Demon...”

What was recorded

was the details of the battle on Jingyue Mountain, including the fact that Wu Dao had killed the Three-tailed Red Fox in a direct confrontation.

This information

was unknown to most in the Jianghu.

As for its authenticity,

Menghuai Shan had no doubts. The Black Dragon Commerce Association’s reputation was impeccable; they cared not for right or wrong, only for money.

”The Fox Race... To think that hypocrite was an agent of the Fox Race. Elder Fang must have been senile. He clearly survived One Tribulation and could have enjoyed his later years in peace. Heh, what deep and heartfelt affection.”

Putting down the scroll,

Menghuai Shan let out a scornful laugh.

Years ago,

both he and Qi Canghai were star disciples of the Giant Whale Sect. However, he had studied under the Master of Giant Whale Sect, while Qi Canghai had studied under Fang Xiongshan.

He was ambitious and never hid his desires.

Although they shared a bond as fellow disciples,

he had always looked down on Qi Canghai, who acted like a noble Saint in public but engaged in petty, sordid schemes behind the scenes.

After the collapse of the Giant Whale Sect,

the two had clashed, both openly and secretly, countless times.

Therefore,

upon hearing the news of Qi Canghai’s death,

Menghuai Shan felt not a shred of grief. On the contrary, he wished he could celebrate.

But this joy did not last long.

Wu Dao.

This Overlord Whale King, who had twice shaken Guangqing Prefecture, had dealt him another heavy blow.

In just two short months,

he had risen like a meteor, stirring up rivers and overturning seas.

With methods that were almost brutishly unreasonable,

he had torn apart the long-unchanged landscape of Guangqing Prefecture.

After establishing the Overlord Whale Alliance,

his edge had not dulled in the slightest. He aggressively recruited soldiers, expanded his forces, and devoured territory like a whale, roaring like a tiger, showing every sign of wanting to unify the prefecture’s Jianghu.

In just five short days,

his claws had already reached the southern lands, threatening the interests of the Four Seas Gang.

More importantly,

Wu Dao had been openly offering rewards for information on Alien Species, seeming to harbor extreme hostility toward all of them!

There were even wild rumors circulating.

That the Overlord Whale King was the Reincarnation of the Demon Suppression Emperor, destined to cleanse the world and sweep away all its demons.

This ignorant talk from common mortals,

Menghuai Shan paid no mind to.

Talk of Reincarnation was nothing but a joke in the Extraordinary Realm. It was common knowledge that when a person died, their path ended, and they returned to nothingness.

What truly worried him was,

if Wu Dao were to declare war on the Four Seas Gang,

unless he fled at the first sign of trouble, his greatest secret would surely be exposed.

’Those who are not of my race must have a different heart!’

This oft-repeated phrase was deeply ingrained in people’s minds.

With the exception of the most extreme individuals,

regardless of whether they were good or evil, everyone harbored an indelible hatred and killing intent in their bones for Alien Species that fed on the Human Race.

The world was not yet chaotic enough.

It could not tolerate the rampant spread of demonic evil.

Once he was truly exposed,

the Four Seas Gang would instantly be elevated from a malignant tumor to a great enemy of the Human Race that everyone would have the right to execute.

The only plan now

was to either avoid his sharp edge and wait for an opportunity,

or to strike first and strangle the hidden danger in its cradle.

But strike first?

’Not very realistic.’

The current situation of the three great Overlords of the Southern Border’s Demon Races was more or less the same.

The Fox Race didn’t have the ability to immediately retaliate against Wu Dao, and the Snake Race backing him wasn’t in much better shape.

The top-tier Great Demons

were either still slumbering,

or had awakened but not yet fully recovered their strength.

Besides,

Guangqing Prefecture was just one of their granaries; losing it was no great loss.

It wasn’t worth starting a war and expending their own Primordial Qi for a slave—or to put it nicely, an ”agent,” and to put it bluntly, a ”human traitor.”

HUUFF—

He lightly exhaled a breath of stale air, and the tea steam scattered.

Menghuai Shan set down his teacup. A trace of unwillingness appeared in his eyes, but he still sighed and said:

”Send word down. Any territories adjacent to the Overlord Whale Alliance, as long as they aren’t especially important, should be conceded.

Also, the matter of planting demons.

Pause it for the short term.

Have Old Second and the others clean up their tracks. Don’t let the Overlord Whale Alliance find any loose ends.”

When one’s strength is inferior, one must retreat.

That Menghuai Shan could build an empire as large as the Four Seas Gang in just a few decades meant his temperament and cunning were far beyond that of a hot-blooded brute.

He knew what was important and what wasn’t.

And he could make the necessary decision.

”This... Yes, sir.”

Lv Yutao bit his lip slightly, his heart filled with indignation. But his master had spoken, so he could only nod and exit the study.

CRACK!

The moment Lv Yutao left,

Menghuai Shan’s usually unflappable expression instantly became dark and ugly. The fine teacup in his hand was crushed into dust.

He had weathered storms for decades,

yet now he was losing his nerve at the mere mention of a ’young brat.’

The stifled fury and resentment swelling in his chest

could not be suppressed, no matter how good his Heart Cultivation Skill was.

”Tsk.”

A familiar, cold, and raspy voice suddenly rang in his mind, hissing like a snake flicking its tongue. ”You’re this pathetic over such a trivial matter?”

”Upper Immortal, do you have a solution?”

Menghuai Shan’s eyes narrowed, and his breathing quickened slightly.

”Be at ease.”

The cold voice said chillingly, ”In this era, the Human Dao is destined to decline. The Mountain Masters have all fully awakened. It won’t be long before they devour the world.

At that time,

the great threat you worry about will be nothing more than a slightly larger ant.

Besides,

it’s debatable whether that ant can even survive until then. The Fox Race is famous for its vengeful nature!

Why concern yourself with a dead man walking?”

’The Mountain Masters have fully awakened?’

Hearing this, Menghuai Shan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Among the great Immortal Families,

a Mountain Master was already at the elder level, with strength comparable to a Land Immortal.

A great Immortal of this level

could crush that Overlord Whale King with absolute ease!

HUUFF—

The tea steam drifted.

After receiving this information from the Immortal Family,

Menghuai Shan’s anxious heart slowly settled.

’I’ll endure it for now.’

’Watch him build his high-rise, watch him feast his guests, and watch his building collapse!’

But...

As they say, when you’re in the Jianghu, your fate is not your own.

Some appetites

cannot be sated just because you step back and offer a piece of your own flesh.