Essence Devouring Art

After the Demon Suppression Emperor scoured the world of Alien Species, no new Great Demons have been born in this era. The only ones left are old relics who survived that purge.

And these old relics are all hidden away in unknown places. Unless they choose to reveal themselves, they are impossible to find.

Under these circumstances,

for the Nanyang Prince’s Mansion to be able to produce three Land Immortal Level Great Demon Pills as a return gift...

For Wu Dao, this wasn’t just a grand gift.

It was a monumental one!

After all,

if these three Demon Pills were used to cultivate a subordinate, they could absolutely raise a peak Land Immortal to the level of a Celestial Being!

And for Wu Dao,

they were worth 7,500 Teleportation Points!

And all he had given in return were just two punches.

This gift...

was a little too generous.

So generous, in fact, that Wu Dao’s curiosity about Prince Nanyang rose to a new level.

’What on earth could be the reason?’

’What could make Prince Nanyang value him so highly?’

...

CLICK.

The White Jade Treasure Box snapped shut.

Wu Dao’s myriad thoughts settled. He pressed his hand on the White Jade Treasure Box, his expression unchanging as he said,

”With such a grand gift, how could I possibly be displeased? ...Please thank the Prince on my behalf, Miss Zhou. If he has any need of me in the future, I will certainly not refuse.”

’Assuming there are more Demon Pills involved,’

Wu Dao added in his mind.

’To refuse a gift from the heavens is to invite disaster instead.’

Instead of creating needless worries by speculating about things beyond his control, it was better to take the benefits right in front of him.

’With enough strength,’

’all other problems would cease to be problems.’

Seeing Wu Dao accept the three Great Demon Pills without batting an eye, Zhou Zhiyin’s estimation of him rose even higher. She smiled beautifully and said,

”What a coincidence. There is actually a matter recently that requires the Overlord Whale Alliance’s cooperation.”

’More Demon Pills?’

Wu Dao’s interest was immediately piqued. He put on a show of ”righteous duty” and declared, ”It is the Overlord Whale Alliance’s responsibility to alleviate the Prince’s worries. Please, Miss Zhou, don’t hesitate to speak.”

”Well... it’s not a huge matter.” Zhou Zhiyin was taken aback for a moment by Wu Dao’s ’go through fire and water’ attitude.

She remembered that the last time she’d asked for his help to attack a city, his face had fallen instantly.

Now that he had received the Demon Pills,

his attitude had done a complete one-eighty.

’Is he really that pragmatic?’

Wu Dao, on the other hand, was completely unconcerned.

’If I’m not going to be pragmatic, what should I do? Discuss ideals and romance with you?’

’Let’s be realistic.’

’Raise the ”salary,” and we can talk about anything.’

”Ahem...”

Zhou Zhiyin cleared her throat and regained her composure. ”My lord will soon make his move to pacify the Southern Border.

”Before the Prince’s Mansion can dispatch a garrison,”

”we hope the Overlord Whale Alliance can stabilize the situation in Pingliang and Wanshan.”

”After all, these two places were previously governed by the Royalist Faction. Now that they are leaderless, if left unchecked, man-made disasters will run rampant, and the people will suffer terribly.”

’That’s it?’

Wu Dao felt a little disappointed after hearing this and gave a casual nod.

He didn’t need Zhou Zhiyin to tell him.

He was going to incorporate Wanshan Prefecture into the Overlord Whale Alliance’s territory anyway, and he had already instructed Zhao Jianji to begin the process.

With over a thousand Primordial Demons to suppress any opposition,

unless a Celestial Being expert came to make trouble, those worthless factions wouldn’t be able to stir up anything significant.

As for the future,

the mortal world was the mortal world, and the Jianghu was the Jianghu.

Whether Prince Nanyang took over Wanshan Prefecture or not would have no substantial impact on the Overlord Whale Alliance.

Besides,

the Overlord Whale Alliance had only one fundamental goal for planting its flag in Wanshan Prefecture—

to find food for Wu Dao!

In the time that followed,

the two sides formulated some specific plans for their future strategic cooperation.

Prince Nanyang’s rebellion was imminent.

The help that the Overlord Whale Alliance, at its current size, could provide was immense.

How to cooperate, how to coordinate—

these were not matters that could be decided with a few casual words. A detailed plan was needed for every aspect.

「Half an hour later.」

The discussion concluded.

”There are many matters to attend to at the mansion recently, so I will not stay any longer. I hope Alliance Leader Wu understands.”

Zhou Zhiyin said her farewells.

However,

just as she was about to leave, Zhuo Xianyi, looking as if he’d been holding back for a long time, rubbed his hands together and said with a grin,

”It’s been a long time since I’ve been out and about. Seeing Alliance Leader Wu’s profound Fist Intent today has really made my hands itch. I wonder if Alliance Leader Wu would do this little old man the honor of a brief spar?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Wu Dao shook his head and refused. ”Elder Zhuo, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I have never enjoyed fighting and am not good at brawling and killing.”

”Heh heh... Alliance Leader Wu is too modest.”

Zhuo Xianyi chuckled awkwardly and sheathed his drawn Peach Wood Sword, his gaze a little strange.

’Not good at brawling and killing?’

’Could someone who’s not a fighter cultivate such a tyrannical and ferocious Fist Intent?’

’Could they traumatize ’Little Rascal’ with a single punch?’

’You’ve got to be kidding this old man.’

”Zhuo, if you keep this up, I’ll tell Granny Yu when we get back...”

At the doorway, Zhou Zhiyin paused her graceful steps, looking back to give Zhuo Xianyi a threatening glare that was not quite a smile.

”You little rascal, I spoiled you for nothing when you were a child.”

Zhuo Xianyi’s expression immediately turned sour. He hastily gave Wu Dao a cupped-fist salute and said,

”Alliance Leader Wu, the green mountains remain and the clear waters flow... ah, bah, I mean, may we meet again if fate allows. Farewell.”

Without another word, he hurried after Zhou Zhiyin, trying to reason with her and appeal to her emotions.

In the main hall,

Wu Dao watched them leave, his expression gradually returning to its usual indifference. He waved his hand to dismiss the surrounding maids, only then reopening the White Jade Treasure Box.

The three Demon Pills were of different colors.

They were likely from different species, though it was also possible they came from those who practiced different techniques.

The Treasure Flesh surrounding the Demon Pills had already been removed.

Within their crystal-clear forms, a vast amount of Essence, Qi, and Spirit energy was concentrated.

HUMMM—

A Magnetic Field enveloped the three discolored Demon Pills.

It stimulated the Demon Pills’ Life Magnetic Field.

Meticulously,

he inspected them inside and out.

After confirming there were no abnormal Magnetic Field fluctuations,

Wu Dao finally relaxed and lifted his clothes.

SCHRIIIIING—

With the sound of tearing Divine Iron, his muscles ripped open to form a maw, leading directly to a stomach that resembled a fiery abyss.

Then,

Wu Dao took the three soccer-ball-sized Demon Pills from the White Jade Treasure Box and stuffed them into his stomach, one by one.

The attribute panel’s conversion speed was very fast.

The first Demon Pill had just gone in when it was converted into Teleportation Points.

After all three Demon Pills were digested,

Wu Dao opened his attribute panel—

[Physique: Overlord (Limit)]

[Extraordinary: Essence Devouring Art (82% Potential Release) +

Overlord Whale Fist 1000 years (True Intent First Floor) +

Dragon Whale Transformation 1000 years (Fifth Layer) +]

[Teleportation Points: 11,115]

The three Demon Pills he had just eaten provided 7,500 Teleportation Points. Added to his previous 3,615 points,

now,

the Teleportation Point balance on his attribute panel had reached a new high.

It had broken the ten-thousand mark for the first time!

The leap from Overlord Limit to Human Extreme for the Essence Devouring Art required twenty-five thousand points!

He was now almost halfway there!

’Human Extreme!’

’The peak of my past life!’

’But in this life...’

”Human Extreme is just the beginning!”

Wu Dao closed the attribute panel, ambition glinting in his eyes. He rose and strode outside, swallowed a batch of High-Energy Elemental Stones and Spirit Stones, then activated his Magnetic Field and shot into the sky.

CRACKLE CRACKLE—

The higher he went into the sky,

the more turbulent the Gangfeng became. There was even ferocious, cloudless thunder.

The void was filled with an aura of destruction, preventing any living creature from peeking beyond the high heavens.

When he had reached Overlord Great Success,

Wu Dao’s limit was six thousand meters.

Now, at the Overlord Limit, the Gangfeng and Celestial Thunder at six thousand meters could no longer tear his body apart.

Higher!

Higher!

Amidst violent sonic booms,

Wu Dao’s figure blasted through the Gangfeng Thunderbolts in his path, continuing to ascend into the depths of the sky.

CRACKLE POP—

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—

Finally,

he arrived at an altitude of nine thousand meters.

It was like being in the eye of a thunderstorm.

At every moment, formless Gangfeng and black Thunderbolts, powerful enough to shred a Celestial Human First Floor expert, madly struck him from all directions.

In just an instant,

Wu Dao’s Seven-Turns Undying Extreme Gold Body was flayed open, its surface charred black. Before the blackened flesh could even reattach, it was scoured away by the Gangfeng and blown into ash.

”Hiss... Now this is intense!”

Despite the calamitous assault of lightning strikes and body-destroying Gangfeng, Wu Dao grinned, his face a picture of intoxicated enjoyment.

Without hesitation,

he instantly unleashed his Divine Ghost Heaven. Making no attempt to defend himself, he entered a state of extreme training.

His body was constantly torn apart and reassembled.

At the same time, he used the glorious Might of Celestial Thunder to temper his soul and slowly unearth his body’s potential.

’If external resources are available, use them!’

’If not, then strengthen yourself!’

This was his consistent belief, one he had held unwavering across two lifetimes.

’Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow—how many tomorrows are there?’

’Once the thought of slacking off takes root,’

’the excuses will only multiply!’

’The cracks in the dam of one’s conviction will widen until it collapses completely, and you become useless, discarded by the world!’

...

Amidst his daily extreme training,

time flew by.

Planting the flag in Wanshan Prefecture went smoothly.

After all, with Innate experts leading the charge, they encountered almost no resistance.

Branch by branch, hall by hall, they were established, recruiting a large number of low-level disciples and quickly weaving an intelligence network for the Overlord Whale Alliance that covered both prefectures.

As for Wu Dao,

he paid some attention on the first day, but then completely handed things over to Zhao Jianji, immersing himself fully in his bitter training.

「Three days after the fall of Pingliang City.」

In the morning.

High in the sky,

Wu Dao, having just finished his morning training, received an excited message from Zhao Jianji—

”Alliance Leader, Prince Nanyang has rebelled! He dispatched eight armies to march north. They launched a surprise attack last night and took both Xiangchuan Prefecture and Qingzhou Prefecture by midnight!”

”Oh, I see.”

Wu Dao replied calmly, his expression tranquil, showing no surprise.

After all,

the intelligence reports indicated that the defensive forces in those two prefectures were comparable to Pingliang’s; they weren’t where the Royalist Faction’s core strength lay.

Taking them in one night

was as easy as turning over a hand for the Nanyang Prince’s Mansion.

Just as he was about to withdraw his Spiritual Thoughts,

Zhao Jianji’s voice, filled with admiration and awe, sounded again:

”Alliance Leader, guess what Prince Nanyang’s slogan for the uprising is—

”Equal station, shared immortality!!”

Hearing those last words,

Wu Dao’s expression finally changed.

Or rather,

it was the first time since arriving in this world that he had been genuinely, truly shocked.

’Equal station, shared immortality?!’

’In a world like this!’

’A slogan like that?’

’Are you sure he’s rebelling against Dali?’