Essence Devouring Art

Luotou Mountain.

The evening sky was a sea of red.

Faint stars appeared as day bled into night.

WHOOSH—

After the earth-shaking battle.

An area dozens of miles wide had suffered a devastating blow, transforming into a scorched, post-apocalyptic landscape where residual explosive energy raged everywhere.

Two colossal abyssal pits were particularly striking. Gusts of Gangfeng Qi Flow swept through, kicking up swirling vortexes of dust and sand.

With Yin Wuchang gone.

The remaining experts from the Corpse God Palace were no match for the forces of the Bai Ze Bureau and Wu Dao.

In a single exchange.

The Second and Third Elders of the Corpse God Palace were slain by Fang Lie and Wu Dao, leaving only two experts at the first and second floors of the Celestial Being realm.

”Leave one alive!”

After turning the Second Elder of the Corpse God Palace to ash with a single strike, Fang Lie descended from the sky and shouted the reminder.

At the same time, he glanced over at Wu Dao, and the corner of his eye couldn’t help but twitch.

He had long heard that Wu Dao seemed to feed on Alien Species, but seeing it today, the sheer brutality of his methods was truly an ’eye-opener.’

Skinned alive and swallowed whole...

He was really eating it like a meal, without the slightest bit of revulsion.

But thankfully, this madman only ate Alien Species and had no interest in humans.

He recalled Wu Dao’s frenzy when he had forcibly taken command of the experts from both the Corpse God Palace and the Bai Ze Bureau.

A wave of relief washed over Fang Lie.

’This kind of utterly selfish madman who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.’

’If he were to stand against the Human Race...’

He let out a slow breath.

Fang Lie suppressed the unpleasant thoughts in his mind and walked toward the two subdued Celestial Being experts from the Corpse God Palace.

This operation’s main objective was the Corpse God Palace.

Or rather, the Celestial King.

Prince Nanyang himself had given the order: they must investigate this matter thoroughly and eliminate the Celestial King before he could be resurrected.

Fang Lie, of course, understood.

He knew why Prince Nanyang held such immense killing intent toward the Celestial King.

Currently, the war between the four territories and the Central Plains had reached a stalemate.

Most of the top experts from the Nanyang Prince’s Mansion, including Prince Nanyang himself, had to hold the front lines, keeping a close watch on the Royalist Faction’s experts at or above the Celestial Human Fifth Floor.

Under these circumstances, if the Celestial Human Tenth Floor powerhouse, the Celestial King, were to be resurrected and cause trouble from the shadows, he would undoubtedly create massive turmoil in the rear, jeopardizing the entire war effort on the front lines.

”AHHH!!”

”The Palace Master will not let you get away with this!”

A moment later, after a series of wretched screams, the two remaining Corpse God Palace experts were burned to ash in Fang Lie’s hands following a soul search.

”Lord Fang, did you find anything?”

Wu Dao finished his meal and stepped forward to ask, his expression turning cold and sharp.

The death of the Celestial Empress. Added to the grudge from being set up to be slaughtered today. Between him, the Corpse God Palace, and the Celestial King, there was now a blood feud.

An enemy like that, one with whom there could be no peace until one side was dead, was naturally best dealt with as soon as possible.

”I found it.”

Fang Lie nodded, then said with swift decisiveness:

”Yin Wuchang has escaped. He will definitely report what happened here back to the Corpse God Palace. We must strike with thunderous force before they have time to react.”

As he spoke, he took out a Communication Jade Talisman and sent several messages, apparently gathering reinforcements. Only after putting the talisman away did he address the others:

”Qianyuan Prefecture, the Thousand Cave Mountain Range.”

With that said, Fang Lie was the first to transform into a blazing fireball, shooting into the heavens with a series of thunderous sonic booms.

’Qianyuan Prefecture...’

A map of the Southern Border appeared in Wu Dao’s mind, and he instantly pinpointed the location of the Thousand Cave Mountain Range. He licked his lips, activated his Magnetic Field, and followed close behind.

After them came Zhuo Xianyi, Mu Wushuang, and the others. Although they had suffered some injuries earlier, they had recovered enough to fight again.

...

Qianyuan Prefecture was located on the fringe of the Southern Border.

It was adjacent to the Western Desert.

The Thousand Cave Mountain Range sat at the border between the two regions, stretching for thousands of miles like a massive screen, shielding the Southern Border from the harsh, sand-laden winds of the Western Desert.

Viewed from afar, at the edge of a vast, primeval forest, the Thousand Cave Mountain Range rose like the spine of the world. Its ten-thousand-fathom peaks fanned out, crowned with white snow, the extreme cold growing more apparent with increasing altitude.

RUMBLE—

As night fell, the sky thundered. A red and a gold figure blasted through the wind and snow, arriving first in the heavens above the main peak of the Thousand Cave Mountain Range—a peak that, at over ten thousand meters in altitude, seemed to touch the stars.

”Damn it!”

Fang Lie cursed under his breath as he stared down at the massive pit, over a mile in circumference, and the few sinister, lingering structures at its edge.

’The entire Corpse God Palace has been moved?’

Wu Dao was also surprised. Tapping into the Earth and Heaven Magnetic Field, he could clearly perceive that a massive Array had once existed in this area, concealing the Corpse God Palace within it.

But now...

It was obvious that the higher-ups at the Corpse God Palace knew they had been exposed and targeted by the Bai Ze Bureau, so they had moved the entire palace.

What puzzled Wu Dao, was that for something as large as the Corpse God Palace, which occupied an area nearly seven miles in circumference, such a massive Magnetic Field relocation should have left all sorts of chaotic residual magnetic traces in its wake.

But in reality, he couldn’t find any significant residual Magnetic Field energy in the surrounding environment. It was as if the entire Corpse God Palace had simply vanished into thin air.

”I didn’t expect the Corpse God Palace to be so decisive.”

Seeing Wu Dao’s puzzled expression, Fang Lie sighed and explained, ”Alliance Leader Wu, you may not know this, but Martial King Mountain fought a battle with the Corpse God Palace decades ago.

Back then, it was just like today.

By the time they fought their way to the gates of the Corpse God Palace, the entire palace, along with everyone in it, had vanished without a trace.”

”A Celestial Treasure?”

Wu Dao guessed, his mind racing.

’This world is still a far cry from the Immortal Demon Worlds of legend, where Storage Rings and Spatial Treasures are commonplace.’

’But an illogical treasure like a Celestial Treasure might just be able to silently move an enormous sect that occupied an area nearly seven miles in circumference.’

”It’s not a Celestial Treasure.”

Fang Lie shook his head. ”Some time ago, the Bai Ze Bureau delved into ancient history to thoroughly investigate the Corpse God Palace’s background.

The Palace Master of the Corpse God Palace is the Corpse King, the sole survivor of the four Celestial Kings who served under the original Celestial King. His mastery of the Corpse Refining Technique is transcendent.

He possesses the skull of an expert who was above the Celestial Being realm from before the Warring States period. He has refined it into the main gate of the Corpse God Palace, which can change size and conceal itself to escape.”

So this time, it was most likely the same...”

’The skull of an expert above the Celestial Being realm?’

Hearing this, a glint appeared in Wu Dao’s eyes.

’The Corpse God Palace is proficient in the Corpse Refining Technique.’

’After nearly a thousand years of refinement, that skull must have become a unique kind of Corpse Demon.’

’A Corpse Demon grown from the foundation of an expert above the Celestial Being realm... no matter how you look at it, it can’t be anything simple.’

’If I could eat it...’

Tsk.

RUMBLE—

Just then, the sky thundered behind them.

Wu Dao turned to see that Zhuo Xianyi and the others, who had been a step behind, had also arrived. Seeing the empty ruins of the Corpse God Palace, their expressions soured.

They had failed to destroy the Corpse God Palace this time. It wouldn’t be so easy to get another chance in the future.

After a moment, Fang Lie took one last look at the deep pit below, sweeping it with his spiritual sense. Confirming there were no clues left behind, he turned to Wu Dao with a grave expression and said,

”The Celestial King has the power of a Celestial Human Tenth Floor expert. If he is resurrected, he will be even more terrifying. A catastrophic turmoil is bound to befall the Southern Border.

I must trouble Alliance Leader Wu to keep a close eye on Guangqing Prefecture and Wanshan Prefecture.

As for the other areas, our Bai Ze Bureau will conduct a full-scale search and issue a Jianghu Pursuit Order. The moment we have any news, we will inform you immediately, Alliance Leader Wu.”

”Rest assured, Lord Fang.”

Wu Dao nodded slightly. ”The Overlord Whale Alliance may not compare to the Bai Ze Bureau in terms of strength, but when it comes to our intelligence network, we have the two prefectures completely covered.

When I return, I will notify the entire alliance to search both prefectures. Unless the Corpse God Palace truly stays hidden, I guarantee they will have nowhere to run.”

He knew in his heart that if the Corpse God Palace was truly determined to hide, it would be useless even if they turned the entire Southern Border upside down.

But there was no harm in taking precautions.

With the Overlord Whale Alliance and the Bai Ze Bureau working together, the entire Nine Prefectures of the South Border would be under a surveillance network.

Even if the Celestial King was resurrected, the moment he started trouble, the Overlord Whale Alliance and the Bai Ze Bureau would be able to detect it immediately and come up with a countermeasure, preventing them from being caught off guard.

Afterward, Wu Dao and Fang Lie exchanged contact information via their Communication Jade Talismans, making it convenient for both sides to share information and resources at any time.

”Lord Fang, I have an impertinent request.”

After putting away the Communication Jade Talisman, a thought occurred to Wu Dao, and he spoke to Fang Lie again:

”As you must already know, Lord Fang, I am very interested in Alien Species. If the Bai Ze Bureau ever has need of my services in this regard, please do not hesitate to ask.”

’Interested?’

’More like you’re lusting after their bodies, right?’

Fang Lie complained internally but didn’t refuse. He just nodded and laughed heartily.

”Alliance Leader Wu, you speak like a stranger.

The reason the Prince hasn’t established a Bai Ze branch in Wanshan or Guangqing is precisely because you, Alliance Leader Wu, are there to keep watch over the two prefectures, so the demonic and Alien Species don’t dare to run rampant.

So, in a sense, you could be considered an unofficial Governor for the Bai Ze Bureau, Alliance Leader Wu. When we need your help, we certainly won’t be polite about asking.”

”I am honored by the Prince’s favor.”

Hearing Prince Nanyang mentioned, a flicker of light passed through Wu Dao’s eyes. He didn’t act arrogant, instead putting on an expression of being overwhelmed by the honor.

And so, after a few more pleasantries, Fang Lie cupped his fist in farewell, then shot into the sky with his group of Bai Ze Bureau experts, disappearing from Wu Dao’s sight.

The Corpse God Palace had vanished without a trace. And the impending resurrection of the Celestial King was tied to it.

This was a huge matter.

They needed to return to headquarters as soon as possible to hold a meeting and discuss a detailed strategy,

”Prince Nanyang... I’ll wait a little longer.”

Wu Dao watched Fang Lie and his men depart, his expression gradually returning to one of indifference as he muttered to himself.

’As for Prince Nanyang...’

’I have too many questions about him. Sooner or later, I’ll have to meet him face-to-face.’

’But not now.’

’Celestial Human Fifth Floor is still too weak!’

Haaaah—

With a soft breath, Wu Dao called up his attribute panel—

[Physique: Human Extreme (Minor Achievement)]

[Extraordinary: Essence Devouring Art (85% Potential Release)+

Overlord Whale Fist 2500 Years (True Intent Third Floor)+

Divine Desolate Transformation 2500 Years (Sixth Dao Gate Minor Achievement)+]

[Teleportation Points: 35,115]

One Fierce Monster at the Celestial Human Fourth Floor was eight thousand points!

Three Corpse Puppets at the Celestial Human Third Floor were seven thousand points each!

This battle netted a total of twenty-nine thousand Teleportation Points.

Adding the more than six thousand I had left over, my Teleportation Points balance on the attribute panel has reached 35,115!

An unprecedented amount!

But...

Wu Dao’s thoughts swept over the plus sign after the Essence Devouring Art. The feedback he received was that advancing to Human Realm Great Success required fifty thousand points.

Reaching the True Intent Fourth Floor of the Overlord Whale Fist required forty thousand.

And advancing the Divine Desolate Transformation to the Seventh Layer—the Horizontal Refining Seventh Door, which corresponded to the Heavenly Human Divine Hidden Realm—required a whopping seventy thousand.

”Relying on external power is ultimately too restrictive...”

Wu Dao closed the attribute panel. Faced with the ever-increasing cost in Teleportation Points, he felt neither surprise nor joy.