Essence Devouring Art

His current comprehensive strength was immense. In his normal state alone, he had already firmly stepped into the Tenth Floor. Factoring in his various enhancements, achieving Twelfth Floor Peak combat power was no problem at all!

Even without borrowing the power of the Celestial Thunder Gang Wind, he was worthy of the title of the number one person below the Dao Embryo stage!

For a good comparison, back in the day, when the Celestial King was at the Horizontal Refining Seventh Gate Limit, his combat power reached the Celestial Human Tenth Floor after factoring in the enhancements from his Main Path.

Now at the same Seventh Gate Limit, he certainly wouldn’t be any weaker than that sore loser, the Celestial King.

Blessed by the cellular Primordial Magnetic Power from his Potential Release, his physique was far stronger than a normal Horizontal Refining Seventh Gate Limit.

This was because, with his Seventh Gate physique, he could already withstand the golden Celestial Thunder Gang Wind that could flay the flesh from an Eighth Gate expert!

If he were to encounter the Celestial King again, Wu Dao was confident that, without borrowing Celestial Might, he could beat the Celestial King into a bloody pulp right there on the ground!

As for the Dao Embryo stage above Celestial Being, if he were given the chance to ascend to the heavens, with his current forty-revolution Magnetic Field Power, he could draw down the red Celestial Thunder capable of annihilating a Dao Embryo Two Transformations expert if he went all out!

The reason he needed to be in the heavens was because he simply couldn’t ”drag” down red-level Celestial Thunder while on the ground or at low altitudes.

Only by exerting all his strength at close range could he pull down a bolt or two.

’Forty thousand...’

Finally, Wu Dao’s mind swept over his remaining Teleportation Points on the attribute panel.

In the battle half a month ago, although he had taken a net loss, it wasn’t without its gains.

The Corpse God Palace’s Palace Master was in symbiosis with a Celestial Human Tenth Floor Corpse Demon, which provided him with 15,000 Teleportation Points.

Furthermore, the expert’s skull in the Palace Master’s possession, after being refined into a palace, had also become an unusual type of Celestial Human Tenth Floor Corpse Demon.

The two Corpse Demons had provided him with a total of 30,000 Teleportation Points, bringing his balance to 40,000.

Forty thousand was a considerable amount.

When he first arrived in this World, Wu Dao wouldn’t have dared to even dream of such a number.

But now...

’Three hundred thousand!’

From the Human Extreme Limit to the Peak of Human Extremes.

It required a full 300,000!

The other two Cultivation Techniques also required no small sum.

’The limitations are too great!’

Wu Dao shook his head slightly, closed the attribute panel, and stopped dwelling on the issue.

With his current cultivation speed, there was no longer any need to focus his main energy on pursuing Teleportation Points.

In the same amount of time it would take to search for Alien Species, he might have broken through to the Peak of Human Extremes on his own.

Of course, if a big fish worth his attention appeared, he still couldn’t let it go.

For example, the Three Great Demon Races.

Or that damn Saint King from the Saint King Dao.

These few big fish, if he could devour them all, would leave him stuffed to the gills.

’Grow faster. I look forward to you finding me again.’

Thinking of the Saint King, Wu Dao couldn’t help but lick his lips, a look of anticipation appearing in his eyes.

The Saint King’s Celestial Treasure was very special.

It transformed people into Fierce Beasts and enslaved living beings.

With such a Celestial Treasure, its wielder’s growth rate would surely be very fast.

He clearly remembered that during their first meeting, although the Saint King’s true body wasn’t present, his power was at most at the Celestial Human First Floor.

In just a short period, he had grown to a level comparable to Dao Embryo First Transformation.

If he were left to grow for a while longer...

’Tsk tsk~’

...

”HISS! Who is plotting against me?!”

「Meanwhile.」

In a hidden lair of a Rat Race clan in the Southern Border, Lu Hongye, who had just entered a frigid cave, shivered. His heart inexplicably tightened as if he were being watched by an Evil Beast.

”Above Celestial Being? I’m not looking to die.”

On the other side, the Celestial King, thinking that the demon on this trip was extremely powerful, frowned and took a step back. At the same time, the look he gave Lu Hongye was somewhat strange.

During this time, he had been acting as a subordinate, following Lu Hongye to various places and subjugating many Great Demons.

In the process, although Lu Hongye intentionally avoided revealing information about the Celestial Treasure, the Celestial King had still noticed a few things.

The more Great Demons he subjugated and enslaved, the more Lu Hongye’s strength increased. In just half a month, Lu Hongye had stepped into the Dao Embryo Two Transformations stage!

If this continued, he found it hard to imagine what kind of terrifying monster would emerge.

Cooperating with such a monster, the Celestial King’s wariness grew with each passing day.

But thinking of his trump card, he calmed down again.

’You want to scheme against me? Don’t you know I’m scheming against you too?’

”It’s nothing. It’s probably that bastard Wu Dao cursing me.”

Lu Hongye shook his head and continued walking into the depths of the gloomy, sinister cave, but a cold glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.

’In a little while longer, I’ll be confident enough to bypass the Celestial King’s soul countermeasure and enslave him completely.’

’Dogs are best when they’re obedient.’

’Let’s see you put on airs with me then!’

...

PITTER-PATTER—

The autumn rain drizzled on, and the world was dim and gloomy.

「A few days after breaking through the Human Extreme Limit.」

Inside the Overlord Whale Alliance headquarters in Lancang County City.

”Alliance Leader, the tribute gifts you requested are all prepared.”

Zhao Jianji placed the half-man-tall Yellow Jade Treasure Chest he was holding on the ground, and the room was instantly filled with light.

It was clear to see. Inside the chest were thumb-sized white pearls that emitted a fragrance that made one’s pores open and the body crave it intensely.

Zhao Jianji couldn’t stop swallowing his saliva, a testament to just how tempting the pearls in the chest were to an Extraordinary.

Ten Thousand Healing Crystals!

An entire large chest filled with over a thousand of them!

Originally, after the incident with the Rat Race, Wu Dao had ordered that the Primordial Demons could handle future Ten Thousand Healing Crystals themselves.

But the current situation was special, so Wu Dao harvested another wave. In any case, the Primordial Demons had no complaints.

Of course, in return, Wu Dao took the time to upgrade the Primordial Magnetic Demon Embryo, raising its upper limit from Land Immortal to Celestial Human Tenth Floor. The Primordial Demons were naturally shedding tears of gratitude and became even more loyal.

The reason he had harvested this batch of Ten Thousand Healing Crystals was not because Wu Dao wanted to use them himself. There was plenty of high-level Energy in this World; he no longer had any use for Ten Thousand Healing Crystals.

This chest of Ten Thousand Healing Crystals today was to be used as a visitor’s gift for the place he was about to visit—a matter of social etiquette.

As for the place he was going, it was one of the Five Peaks of the Southern Border, the Martial Arts Sacred Land, Martial King Mountain!

His purpose was to obtain the Transverse Refining Technique for after the Seventh Gate.

The Soul Refining Technique and the Transverse Refining Technique were the brilliant crystallization of this World’s wisdom regarding the development of the human body.

After cultivating both paths in this life, every area of his Human Potential Release was far stronger than in his previous life. Naturally, he had to advance them together and not let either fall behind.

Divine Desolate Transformation was already at the limit of its seventh layer, which was also the upper limit of the Cultivation Technique itself.

If he wanted to step into the next Gate, he couldn’t rely on the attribute panel—it was too expensive. He could only find a new Cultivation Technique to merge.

As for creating one himself, he could do it, but it would take too much time, and it wasn’t necessary.

Therefore, back when he had joined forces with Martial King Mountain to scheme against the Celestial King, Wu Dao had tentatively revealed his intention to ascend Wuliang Mountain to request a Cultivation Technique. At that time, Martial King Mountain’s reply was that they needed to return to the mountain to ask the Martial King and the Supreme Elders for instructions.

But Wu Dao knew this was actually a tactful refusal.

After all, with a Communication Jade Talisman, it was a matter of a single thought. Why would they need to return to the mountain to ask for instructions?

To put it bluntly, at that time, he, Wu Dao, was not yet qualified.

After all, Wuliang Mountain was the legacy Supreme Treasure that secured Martial King Mountain’s foundation, the source of their ancestors’ honor. How could they let just anyone set foot on it?

It was true that Martial King Mountain supported Prince Nanyang, but they were merely partners. It wasn’t as if Martial King Mountain was Prince Nanyang’s personal echo chamber. Did the current Martial King not care about his pride?

However, after he defeated the Celestial King, things took another turn.

Martial King Mountain personally contacted Wu Dao, stating that Alliance Leader Wu was welcome to visit and offer ”guidance” at any time.

The use of the word ”guidance” was enough to explain why Martial King Mountain’s attitude had changed.

The number one person below the Dao Embryo stage. To Wu Dao, this title was just an empty name, but in the current Jianghu where Dao Embryo experts were as rare as phoenix feathers, it carried considerable weight.

Take Hundred Victories Mountain, ranked last among the Five Peaks. Its Mountain Master, Yan Chongsheng, was only at the Celestial Human Eleventh Floor.

With that comparison, one could understand Wu Dao’s current status in the Jianghu, both On the Mountain and off.

If he were a little older, he could even be considered a titan of the martial world. His qualifications were certainly more than enough.

Wu Dao didn’t feel any pride, as if the tables had turned in his favor.

’A person’s value determines the degree of society’s tolerance for you. Some nobody, a piece of riffraff... on what grounds can you demand that others put you on a pedestal? What can you offer them?’

”If you want some, grab a handful. You’ve done well during this time.”

As these thoughts churned in his mind, Wu Dao saw that Zhao Jianji’s eyes were practically falling into the Treasure Chest and commented lightly.

Since the founding of the Overlord Whale Alliance, he had mostly been a hands-off boss, with Zhao Jianji handling all affairs, big and small. If not for merit, he deserved a reward for his toil. What should be rewarded, would be rewarded.

”Thank you for the reward, Alliance Leader!”

Zhao Jianji’s face immediately flushed. He hurriedly bowed, then took a small handful from the chest, not daring to take too much.

It was worth mentioning that the current Zhao Jianji had already broken the shackles of not having a Dantian. His physique had entered the Horizontal Refining First Gate, the Qi and Blood Melting Furnace, and his strength was comparable to that of Elder Qin from the White Whale Martial Arts Hall back then.

This achievement was nothing in Wu Dao’s eyes, but Zhao Jianji’s posture was gradually straightening with pride.

After all, because of Wu Dao’s existence, the Overlord Whale Alliance was now comparable to a Holy Land. If his strength, as the administrative second-in-command, was too low, others might not say anything, but he himself would ultimately feel a little inferior.

WHOOSH~

After Zhao Jianji withdrew, Wu Dao didn’t linger for long.

Taking the Treasure Chest, he pulled up a map of the Southern Border in his mind, confirmed the location of Martial King Mountain, then activated his Magnetic Field and disappeared from the skies of Lancang County City.

”That direction?”

”Good, as long as it’s not the front line.”

”Notify the people in the other directions to keep a close watch.”

As Wu Dao disappeared from the sky, in the vicinity of Lancang County City, figures who had been monitoring his movements around the clock tensed up, then let out a sharp sigh of relief when they saw he wasn’t heading north.

”One man moves, and the world trembles. This is far beyond just looking at someone with new eyes after a few days apart... sigh.”

In a secret stronghold in the Southern Border, Xu Sheng, the former number one on the martial rankings of Guangqing Prefecture who had once fought Wu Dao, listened to his colleagues exchange intelligence about Wu Dao and let out a self-deprecating sigh.

After that day’s battle, he had returned to the Central Plains Demon Suppression Bureau headquarters, cultivated diligently, and trained fiercely in seclusion. Not long ago, he finally broke through to the Land Immortal Realm.

He was just thinking of seeking out Wu Dao for another fight.

But when he asked for intelligence on Wu Dao, his Dao heart almost shattered!

In just a month or two, Wu Dao had skyrocketed from a Half-Step Land Immortal to become the number one person under the Dao Embryo stage, shaking the entire world!

This gap...

’I can’t even see the back of his heels when I look up.’

’How can I even think of getting revenge?’

Xu Sheng felt like just giving up and starting over with Reincarnation.

As for the Central Plains Imperial Court sending spies to watch him, Wu Dao had, of course, long since noticed, but he couldn’t be bothered to deal with them. More people watching him wouldn’t make him lose a pound of flesh.

Unless they triggered his killing intent.

Otherwise, he, Wu, wasn’t a truly belligerent person.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

He sped along like a bolt of lightning.

The vast landscape of mountains and rivers receded madly behind him.

Before long, an imposing, majestic peak, wreathed in clouds and mist, exuding a magnificent aura as it soared into the sky, came into Wu Dao’s view.

Looking down from high in the sky from a distance, a flight of white jade stairs reached straight up to the heavens, disappearing into the clouds. At its end, above a splendid and dazzling gatehouse, were three powerful and vigorous characters—

Martial King Mountain!