Essence Devouring Art

”Pests?”

Xu Sheng took a slow sip of his tea, his voice chilling. ”Conspiring with demons, bringing disaster to the common people... These are crimes worthy of executing nine generations of their clan. That’s far worse than what you could describe with a simple word like ’pests’!”

”A pity...”

An old man with a saber on his back, sitting beside him, sighed. ”We’ve investigated for days, but we still haven’t been able to locate the mountain gate of the Snake Race behind the Four Seas Gang.”

”If you don’t eradicate evil completely, the poison it leaves behind is endless.”

”The world is on the brink of chaos. The fortune of the Human Dao is in decline, while demons and heretics are gaining power at an alarming rate.”

”Without the Jingzhe Bureau to suppress them, the demons will have nothing to fear. The people of the Southern Border...” The old man let out a heavy sigh.

At these words, everyone in the room fell silent, looks of helplessness clouding their faces.

Now, the various princes and marquesses across the land have amassed their own armies and grown arrogant. Their rebellious intentions are set in stone, with no chance for reconciliation.

The Central Plains Imperial Court, seeing that the situation was lost, could only consolidate its forces and build defensive lines in the vital territories still under its control to prepare for the coming wars.

The Jingzhe Bureau, the Guardian Blade forged by the founding emperor, was naturally of utmost importance. Headquarters had issued a strict order: protect the Central Plains at all costs.

「Starting a month ago.」

The various branches began to withdraw from their jurisdictions one after another.

The reason Xu Sheng and the other high-ranking members of the Guangqing Branch had stayed behind was to make one last effort for the people of Guangqing Prefecture by eliminating the menace of the Four Seas Gang.

As for the future...

”My lords, there’s no need to be overly concerned.”

Ding Bai saw the worried expressions on Xu Sheng and the others’ faces. Knowing what they were anxious about, he offered some words of comfort.

”Although Prince Nanyang is treasonous, he still inherited the will of the founding emperor. He respects righteousness and despises evil; he is not a violent or tyrannical man.”

”Your subordinate has heard that he is already preparing to establish an organization similar to the Jingzhe Bureau. He certainly won’t allow the demons of the Southern Border to run rampant.”

”As for Guangqing Prefecture...”

Ding Bai’s voice faltered for a moment as the image of a domineering figure that seemed to prop up the heavens subconsciously appeared in his mind.

”That Overlord Whale King, the new rising power in Guangqing Prefecture... although his methods are morally ambiguous and he’s aggressively expanding his power...”

”...he also seems to be extremely... disgusted by Alien Species.”

At this point, Ding Bai paused.

Having experienced the events at Lin Village and witnessed Wu Dao’s brutality toward Alien Species, he couldn’t be sure.

’Was it really disgust?’

’Or was it... hunger?’

But whether it was disgust or hunger, the result was the same: he was slaying demons and eliminating evil. In that sense, he was indirectly protecting the common people.

”The Overlord Whale King... Let’s hope so.”

Hearing this, Xu Sheng’s expression was unreadable, but a cold glint flickered deep in his eyes.

This Overlord Whale King, Wu Dao.

He had heard his name many times recently.

Lin Village, Yellow Dragon Temple, seizing power on Jingyue Mountain...

One incident after another.

These events, and the way Wu Dao handled them, had given him a clear picture of the man—

A ruthless tyrant who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals!

’He has only his own goals in his heart.’

’Everything else is fleeting. His stance on good and evil is based solely on his own benefit.’

People like that.

The chaos of war is their cradle, their breeding ground. They are by no means the kind of heroes who save the world and its people.

Of course, to each their own; you can’t force your ideals on others.

How Wu Dao chose to live his life...

Xu Sheng had no desire to interfere. He wasn’t some Great Saint who felt the need to go and preach grand principles to anyone whose path differed from his own.

He disliked Wu Dao.

It was mainly a matter of allegiance.

The world was now clearly divided, On the Mountain and off. People had picked sides, forming two factions—

The Royalist Faction and the Celestial New Sect.

It was a conflict of allegiance, not of good and evil.

Their pursuits were different, their beliefs were different, and the contradictions arising from this naturally bred hostility.

It was like two countries going to war.

As a citizen of one, with war imminent, the two sides are locked in a struggle to the death.

In such a situation, when you hear of someone who will very likely harm your country in the future, someone who cannot be won over, what would your attitude be?

The principle was just that simple.

Dislike was just dislike. Xu Sheng wouldn’t go looking for a fight with Wu Dao simply because he didn’t like him.

Because, in the world today, there were far, far too many people like Wu Dao.

If he happened to cross paths with one, perhaps he could do something about it.

If he didn’t, then all he could do was dislike them from a distance.

An individual’s Power, faced with the great tide of history, was fundamentally unable to turn it back—unless they had the power to remake heaven and earth.

DONG DONG DONG—

The group’s brief conversation came to an end as the bells from the Inner City gradually fell silent.

This signified that the Four Seas Gang’s autumn meeting had officially begun.

’If we want to wipe them out in one fell swoop, now is the perfect time.’

”Everyone...”

Xu Sheng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. The Fist Intent emanating from his body grew vigorous and heavy as he prepared to rally his men.

BOOM!!!

It was a heaven-shattering, earth-shattering sound, like a meteor crashing to the ground.

The world-shattering explosion erupted without warning. A powerful tremor surged from the distance like a tidal wave from a vast sea, and the distinct roars of the earth cracking open and buildings collapsing in droves were clearly audible.

VMMMM~

A faint yet supremely tyrannical pressure swept across the world, terrifying all living things. It was as if an Overlord from the Primordial Chaos had descended, unleashing a terrifying Power capable of moving mountains and overturning seas.

Immediately after...

ROAR!

A majestic dragon’s roar, echoing through heaven and earth, drowned out the torrential thunderstorm!

”That sound is...”

Xu Sheng’s expression changed. Gang Qi surged from his body, blowing the roof apart as he shot up a hundred meters into the sky. Rainwater could not get near him. He looked toward the Inner City, and his pupils contracted abruptly.

At the edge of his vision, in the distance, wide cracks spread across the land, and one luxurious manor after another collapsed into ruin.

Within the Four Seas Gang’s headquarters manor, a sea of fire raged, burning the sky red.

The torrential rain evaporated into a sky-blotting white mist, as waves of extremely masculine, searing heat washed over the world, one after another.

And at its core, it was as if a God and Demon was punching the heavens, like a Divine Sun had exploded in the mortal realm—a blindingly brilliant, crimson light that was impossible to look at directly.

ROAR!!

A hundred-zhang Crimson Gold Blood Dragon roared and ascended to the heavens from within the exploding Divine Sun. It shot into the sky like a rainbow, its roars shaking the universe as it looked down upon the world, radiating an extreme yang might that made all creation bow and all evil retreat.

”Qi and Blood like a Dragon... the Horizontal Refining Fourth Gate... and this Fist Intent...”

As Xu Sheng stood in the sky, staring at the hundred-zhang blood dragon that looked down upon the world, he felt the domineering Fist Intent that stirred reality and illusion, as if a god had manifested. His expression changed drastically in an instant.

’The embryonic form of Fist Intent!’

’Its power and presence are just one step away from True Intent!’

’Who is this powerhouse?’

”KILL!!”

CLANG CLANG CLANG—

The sound of battle cries, louder than the thunderstorm, suddenly broke Xu Sheng’s train of thought.

The clang of metal on metal from colliding weapons erupted continuously at the major city gates, like strings of firecrackers.

It was as if a massive army was storming the city walls.

Even from a distance, he could feel the brutal aura of slaughter.

”The Overlord Whale Alliance?”

Xu Sheng looked toward the battlefield at the city gate, where flesh and blood flew. Among the group of Martial Artists who fought like wolves and tigers, he saw a conspicuous banner.

On the flag, a terrifying Fierce Beast that looked like a cross between a dragon and a whale billowed in the wind, revealing the identity of that wolf pack.

The one who made a move in the Inner City...

’It’s Wu Dao!’

Xu Sheng’s heart jolted once more.

A few days ago, according to the intelligence he had received, Wu Dao had just seized power and established the Overlord Whale Alliance. His strength was only at the Horizontal Refining Third Gate.

’How much time has passed since then... and now he’s attacking the Four Seas Gang!’

’His strength has advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Horizontal Refining Fourth Gate—a level said to be capable of fighting a Land Immortal!’

Although, judging by the hundred-zhang golden dragon, he had only just entered this gate, it was still heaven-defying.

The Transverse Refining Dao emphasized Physique over cultivation realm. It was a pure path of Body Refinement within the Martial Dao.

This path, the further one walked it, the more difficult it became to advance even a single inch!

Unless one was looking down from a high vantage point, progressing from the top down.

Otherwise, cultivating from the bottom up, opening each gate required an unknown amount of resources, energy, and time.

Most Martial Artists wouldn’t choose this path.

This was because the orthodox Martial Dao only required one to continuously raise their cultivation realm and strengthen their Dantian. The Dantian would then nourish the body in return, naturally increasing the Physique’s strength.

’Striving for a temporary advantage is nothing more than chasing trivialities while neglecting the fundamentals, like picking up a sesame seed only to lose a watermelon.’

One would waste decades for nothing. Their potential would be exhausted before they achieved much of anything.

But Wu Dao...

According to Ding Bai, a month ago, at Lin Village, Wu Dao was only at the Horizontal Refining Second Door.

’In just one month, he’s crossed two gates?’

’What kind of joke is this!’

’Even if you’re a Celestial Treasure Master, you can’t be this absurd!’

”A monster...”

Xu Sheng’s expression was dazed as he subconsciously uttered that single word.

’Being one step ahead of others makes you a genius.’

’Being ten steps ahead makes you a peerless genius.’

’But a hundred steps ahead?’

’That’s not human. That’s a complete monster!’

’A Monster Level tyrant like that... once he fully matures...’

Hooo...

The constantly compressing, expanding, and exploding air currents from the distance brought gusts of cold rain and wind.

Even though his Gang Qi was protecting his body and his own Physique had long been impervious to heat and cold, Xu Sheng still felt a chill that pierced him to the bone.

...

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

The blood dragon roared, and the sky turned dark.

Amidst the ruins of the Four Seas Gang headquarters, a searing crimson expanse that resembled a Purgatory, Menghuai Mountain, his clothes tattered, hovered wretchedly in the air on his Gang Qi. He swept his gaze over the surrounding high-ranking members of the Four Seas Gang, who were dead or grievously wounded. Instantly, he was filled with a mixture of shock and rage, his eyes threatening to split from their sockets.

”Wu Dao, you’ve gone too far!!”

He never would have imagined that Wu Dao would be so audacious!

Just a few days after seizing the White Whale Martial Arts Hall, before he had even stabilized his new territory, he was already brandishing his blade at the Four Seas Gang!

And he had come to their doorstep personally!

This strike was without warning, fast, and vicious!

Not only did it catch him completely off guard, but it had also crippled more than half of the Four Seas Gang’s core members in an instant!

And hearing the sounds of roaring and slaughter from outside the city, he didn’t need to think to guess.

The other branch halls were certainly under attack by the Overlord Whale Alliance as well.

They were clearly trying to wipe out the Four Seas Gang in one fell swoop!

What he expected even less was Wu Dao’s strength...

’The intelligence was fake!’

That hundred-zhang Crimson Gold Blood Dragon that roared through the heavens, such a terrifying phenomenon of qi and blood—it wasn’t the Horizontal Refining Third Gate at all.

It was the goddamn Fourth Gate!

The realm of Qi and Blood like a Dragon, said to be capable of fighting a Land Immortal at its Limit!

”Hahaha, gone too far?”

A laugh that boomed through the heavens rang out.

Within the massive crater blasted into the ground, Wu Dao, having unleashed his Dragon Whale Dominating Body, resembled a Thunder Fire Demon God. His Physique was immense, seeming to prop up the sky. His Magnetic Field hummed at full power, causing the countless rocks and stones around him to hang suspended in the air, trembling.

Savage, dragon-like muscles continuously shot out sparks of crimson-gold lightning. The immense Power within his body was so great it caused the void itself to twist and distort.

”And you think you’re a person?”

His Dragon Pupils, spitting sparks of lightning, stared mockingly at the wretched Menghuai Mountain in the sky. Wu Dao’s smile was savage. His gaze turned cold as he suddenly stomped, shattering the earth.

”Get out here!!”

BOOM!!

Overlord Domain!

”My strength plucks up the hills, my might o’ershadows the world!”

He took a single step!

Like a nuclear explosion, the ground in a 1,500-meter radius around his footstep collapsed and detonated.

Wherever the shockwave of Power passed, it was like a magnitude 10 earthquake. The solid earth bulged and exploded into a billion fragments, forming a sky-high curtain of a tsunami made of rock and soil.

The monstrous wave, carrying the shattered remains of buildings in its path, blotted out the sky and submerged the entire Four Seas Gang headquarters.

If the Four Seas Gang’s headquarters manor hadn’t been so vast, this single stomp would have affected the Inner City itself.

But even so, the Inner City was still hit as if by a massive earthquake. The ground cracked, houses collapsed, and everything was engulfed by a sky-high plume of dust and smoke.

”ROAR!!”

A terrifying roar, like that of a dragon or a serpent, accompanied Wu Dao’s step, shaking heaven and earth.

BOOM!

At the former site of the Willow Immortal Hall, the ground deep below suddenly exploded. A Flood Dragon Python, as thick as a house and nearly a hundred meters long, with a single horn on its head, shook off countless dry bones as it shot into the sky like a mad dragon emerging from its lair, roaring at the world.

*(Fun fact, the Guinness World Record for the longest snake is 14 meters. It’s perfectly reasonable for a snake in an Extraordinary World with Spiritual Qi to be a bit longer, right? Of course, not all monsters are stronger the bigger they are; it varies by species.)*

ROAR!!

The Jiaomang roared at the world, its body like a Celestial Pillar.

An extremely sinister Demon Qi spread out like snow in June. The endless chill froze the falling raindrops into pellets of ice, causing the temperature of the volcano-like manor to plummet suddenly.

”A dragon and a jiao are fighting! The world is ending! Run!!”

The sight of the hundred-zhang Crimson Gold Blood Dragon and the sky-piercing Jiaomang facing off was too terrifying.

It was clearly visible to every household in the outer city.

All sorts of terrible rumors came to mind.

The common folk all fled in terror, cursing their parents for not giving them two more legs.

Shouts of battle, cries of people fleeing for their lives, weeping...

In an instant, the entire Qingyuan City descended into utter chaos.