Essence Devouring Art

He let out a soft breath.

Qiu Tianjing gave a helpless, wry smile. ”Alliance Leader Wu... you... we’re all on the same side here. There’s no need for such formalities.”

He knew deep down what Wu Dao’s purpose for this visit was.

He had originally intended to refuse. After all, the ancestral laws could not be changed, and at that time, Wu Dao truly hadn’t earned the right.

It wasn’t that he looked down on him.

It was like a national treasure, a symbol of a country’s dignity and honor. You couldn’t just let any random person touch it.

However, after the battle of Lancang, things changed.

Wu Dao’s status in the Jianghu had changed dramatically. At the same time, his own master at the front lines had given him the go-ahead, which was why he had agreed.

He had thought that Wu Dao would visit Martial King Mountain with an air of arrogant superiority, flaunting his newfound status.

But looking at him now, he was neither arrogant nor impatient. His etiquette was perfect, and he gave Martial King Mountain more than enough face, both publicly and privately.

This truly made his favorable impression of Wu Dao increase immensely.

He now planned to reveal all of the mountain-climbing techniques he had originally intended to keep to himself.

As for the chest of unknown, valuable treasures, Qiu Tianjing didn’t refuse it.

Since Wu Dao had shown such courtesy, they couldn’t very well reject his gift and embarrass him, could they?

Seeing Qiu Tianjing’s attitude shift from formal politeness to a hint of familiarity, Wu Dao smiled inwardly.

’The way of the Essence Devouring Art is not about endless, vicious slaughter. It is ”my fate is my own, not for the heavens to decide.”’

’Plunder when you are strong; adapt when you are weak.’

’Only by conforming to the rules of nature and society can one conquer and reach the summit, step by step.’

’If you don’t understand anything, if you only know how to fight and kill, charging headfirst into every problem, your very survival is questionable, let alone unlocking the Essence Devouring Art.’

Amidst a round of pleasantries and mutual flattery, Wu Dao, surrounded by the upper echelons of Martial King Mountain, officially entered the sect’s grounds.

After a brief appearance before the many disciples of Martial King Mountain, which sparked considerable discussion, the group flew toward the main peak.

A banquet had been prepared, ready for the guest’s arrival.

During the feast, Wu Dao chatted with Qiu Tianjing and the others about all sorts of topics, discussing everything under the sun, but he never rushed to mention his desire to ascend Wuliang Mountain.

That would be impolite. The host had to be the one to bring it up.

Fortunately, Martial King Mountain had no intention of stringing Wu Dao along.

After the banquet concluded and both guest and hosts were satisfied...

「Inside the main peak’s reception hall.」

”Alliance Leader Wu, I am not one to beat around the bush.”

Qiu Tianjing said in a booming voice, holding his wine cup as the flame pattern between his brows glowed brightly.

”Wuliang Mountain may be a treasured heirloom of our Martial King Mountain, but Alliance Leader Wu has been sincere and generous. Martial King Mountain cannot be so petty as to hoard its treasures.

However...”

At this point, Qiu Tianjing’s tone shifted, and he said apologetically, ”There are some rules established by our ancestors that I dare not break. I hope Alliance Leader Wu can forgive me.”

”Of course.”

Wu Dao’s heart stirred. He knew what the rule was, and for him, it wasn’t a difficult request.

Wuliang Mountain contained all sorts of top-tier Martial Dao cultivation techniques collected over the 1,500 years since Martial King Mountain’s founding. It was empowered by the imprints of numerous experts, its Mighty Power approaching that of a Great Divine Power User.

For 1,500 years, any outsider who received permission from Martial King Mountain to ascend the mountain had to leave a cultivation technique behind.

It wasn’t exactly an equal exchange.

Martial King Mountain’s motive was simply to increase its own heritage.

Of course, one wouldn’t have the face to offer up a technique that was too poor in quality.

There was a certain standard to be met.

You didn’t have to offer up your most precious secrets, but you couldn’t be too shabby either.

’Which cultivation technique should I leave behind?’

Wu Dao already had a plan. There wasn’t much to deliberate over.

The Essence Devouring Art was his core technique and could never be passed on, which left only the Thunder Punishment Dominating Whale Fist and the Divine Desolate Transformation.

Although these two cultivation techniques were top-tier, they weren’t one-of-a-kind. There were many similar techniques for experts at his level. Either one would do.

”Good. Since Alliance Leader Wu understands, then there’s no problem.”

Qiu Tianjing stood and raised his cup.

”If you are ready, Alliance Leader Wu, we can head to the Ancestral Land now.”

”It would be my honor. I’m ready anytime.”

Wu Dao smiled, stood up, and drained his cup. He knew this trip was a success.

Wuliang Mountain was located in the Ancestral Land deep within Martial King Mountain, with layers of elders and disciples guarding the path.

Wu Dao followed Qiu Tianjing, leaving the main peak. They flew at a leisurely pace, and along the way, Qiu Tianjing explained the details of Wuliang Mountain.

This Royal Artifact, Wuliang Mountain, was refined from a thirty-thousand-foot Five Elements Magnetic Mountain that the founding ancestor of Martial King Mountain, the first Martial King, had chanced upon in a subterranean abyss 1,500 years ago.

Over 1,500 years, it had been refined by generations of Martial Kings. Today, the core Five Elements Magnetic Divine Power within the mountain had already transformed into a Great Divine Technique.

When fully activated, it could unleash Power at the Dao Embryo Five Transformations level. Below the Fifth Transformation, one would have no chance to resist.

However, because the world had changed, Dao Embryo experts were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

In the current Martial King Mountain, aside from the previous Martial King and Prince Nanyang, no one could unleash Wuliang Mountain’s full Mighty Power alone.

In this era, Wuliang Mountain’s primary purpose was to deter troublemakers. It was rarely used, as the cost of a single activation was immense.

’Five Elements Primordial Magnetism?’

Hearing about the true nature of Wuliang Mountain, Wu Dao felt it was a bit strange. What a coincidence.

He also cultivated Primordial Magnetic Power.

’The specifics might be very different, but when you get down to it, we’re practically family.’

”Oh, right.”

As they neared a vast, barren land with an incredibly dense magnetic field fluctuation, Qiu Tianjing grinned. ”The pressure on Wuliang Mountain increases the higher you go, but there are some tricks to it.”

”Oh? I’d like to hear more.”

Wu Dao knew Qiu Tianjing was giving him a tip. His eyes flickered as he humbly cupped his hands in response.

Qiu Tianjing didn’t hold back, saying with a smile:

”Wuliang Mountain is empowered by the Martial Dao imprints left by generations of powerful Martial Kings. The climbing process is actually their way of testing a climber’s Martial Arts Mastery.”

”Many outsiders don’t understand the inner workings. They just resist with all their might, wasting their strength at the foot of the mountain. Wuliang Mountain also isolates one from the Heaven and Earth Energy, so resisting is counterproductive and only makes the climb harder.”

”So, below the fifteen-hundred-zhang Heavenly Human Domain, there’s no need to resist. You just need to channel and display your own Martial Arts Mastery to win over those imprints, and the path will be smooth and unobstructed.”

”As for the Heavenly Human Domain above fifteen hundred zhang... as the saying goes, ’there is no first in literature, and no second in martial arts.’ The imprints of the experts in that domain were all from beings who dominated their respective realms.”

”If those who come later wish to gain their recognition, they must conquer them with Martial Power.”

’That’s it?’

Wu Dao had thought there might be some shortcut to the summit. He didn’t expect it to be just a few minor tips.

’These tips would certainly be useful for a normal Martial Artist, but for me, it makes no difference whether I know them or not.’

However, he didn’t let it show on his face, instead cupping his hands again to express his thanks.

”He’s here, he’s here!”

”Take a guess, how high can this Overlord Whale King climb?”

”Flight and Heaven and Earth Energy are forbidden on Wuliang Mountain, so he can’t borrow Celestial Might. I’m guessing two thousand zhang at most. Any higher is the Daoist Embryo Domain.”

Upon entering the depths of the Ancestral Land, a clamor of discussion erupted.

A group of disciples had already gathered to watch, each with their own thoughts.

There were several dozen of them, both men and women.

The men were heroic and extraordinary, the women devastatingly beautiful. All were top-tier direct disciples of this generation of Martial King Mountain, and their auras were all within the Celestial Being realm.

One of them, a woman in a moon-white palace dress with a veiled face, stood out as the center of attention. Her figure was as graceful as a fairy’s, her aura pure and holy. She was at the Tenth Floor level and was likely the chief disciple of this generation.

’A bit lacking...’

’But that’s to be expected.’

’The Celestial Human Twelfth Floor... The Tenth Floor is for geniuses, the Eleventh for prodigies, and the Twelfth for world-shaking freaks.’

’That Celestial King may have been a pushover, but it all depends on who you compare him to. In the Celestial Being realm, he was already at the level of a world-shaking freak.’

’In this current era, among the younger generation, you could probably count on one hand the number of people across the world who have reached this level.’

Facing their varied gazes, Wu Dao gave the disciples a brief once-over.

He nodded calmly, then turned his attention to the majestic, vast Divine Mountain in the center of the barren land, which glowed with five colors.

The fluctuations of the magnetic field’s energy were extremely intense.

It was no less powerful than the sea of Celestial Thunder Gang Wind above the firmament.

But this time, Wu Dao felt a sense of affinity.

With a moment’s thought, he understood why.

’The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, and the harmony of Yin and Yang gives birth to all things.’

’Any Great Dao is ultimately a process of ’subtraction,’ constantly moving closer to the One, and even to the Dao itself.’

’The Primordial Magnetic Dao is the same.’

’Setting aside sheer volume, the Five Elements Magnetic Power is already very close to the essential Great Dao of the magnetic field.’

’Looking at it this way, the Life Magnetic Power, which governs all magnetic fields, is of a terrifyingly high essence. No wonder the Five Elements Magnet Divine Mountain feels an affinity for me.’

’Interesting...’

The corner of Wu Dao’s mouth twitched up. It seemed his gains this time would exceed his expectations.

”Silence! Chattering away like this, what has become of your decorum!”

Seeing the disciples staring at Wu Dao like he was some mythical beast and chattering disrespectfully, Qiu Tianjing’s expression soured. He barked a cold reprimand, and the foot of the mountain finally fell silent.

”Elder Wu, if you please.”

Afterward, Qiu Tianjing bowed to a somewhat scruffy old man at the foot of the mountain, who fit the stereotype of a reclusive master perfectly. It seemed this elder held the key to activating Wuliang Mountain.

’Another at the Fourth Transformation of the Dao Embryo...’

Wu Dao also cupped his hands and bowed to the thin, scruffy old man, while inwardly comparing his strength to Qiu Tianjing’s and getting a measure of his power.

’Two at the peak of the Dao Embryo’s Fourth Transformation. But they’re definitely not Martial King Mountain’s strongest combatants. Besides Prince Nanyang, there’s most likely a Great Divine Power User at the Fifth Transformation level.’

’For instance, the previous Martial King. The master of Prince Nanyang and Qiu Tianjing. He has never shown his face. I wonder if he’s at the front lines or in seclusion in the mountains.’

”Young man, you’re not bad at all, hehe. I hope you can break Chen the Kid’s record in the Celestial Being realm.”

The scruffy old man looked Wu Dao up and down, nodding in approval. Then, he took out a Five-Colored Token from his robes, formed a hand seal, and sent it flying into Wuliang Mountain, where it merged seamlessly.

BOOM—

Instantly, the heavens shook and the earth trembled as the magnetic field awakened!

Five-Colored Divine Light erupted from Wuliang Mountain like cascading star rivers, rendering the entire world in a state of primal Chaos.

Everything within sight and perception was filled with the five-colored light of the five elements, flowing like silk ribbons. Every single strand contained a Mighty Power no less than that of golden Celestial Thunder.

It seemed that with a single move, the Divine Mountain, the source of this divine light, could obliterate the entire world. Its vast, immeasurable aura made one feel a despair born from their own ant-like insignificance.

RUMBLE—

Wuliang Mountain was still awakening.

Stone monuments could be clearly seen emerging from the mountain’s body. The figures of Martial Dao experts from all ages manifested from the monuments, filling the sky and looking down at Wu Dao at the foot of the stairs with scrutinizing gazes.

”Senior Brother Zhou reached a height of two thousand two hundred zhang back when he was in the Celestial Being realm.”

Wu Dao flexed his muscles, his expression serious. Just as he was about to start his climb, a cold, ethereal voice sounded in his ear.

’Hm?’

Wu Dao’s gaze shifted, and he glanced back at the current chief disciple of Martial King Mountain, the one with the veiled face who resembled the Guanghan Fairy.

Then, he grinned, baring two rows of vicious, shark-like teeth, which made the latter frown slightly.

’A little fangirl of Prince Nanyang, huh.’

’She doesn’t mean any harm, just wants to show off her idol’s accomplishments.’

’Still... it’s pretty annoying!’

*Tsk...*

’I was originally planning to leave you all with a little hope.’

’But since you’re asking for it... no more pretending. I’ll show my hand.’

Wu Dao’s previously serious, prepared expression relaxed. He rolled his neck and slightly bent his knees.

And then—

BOOM!

Under everyone’s watchful eyes.

A deafening sonic boom exploded!

Before the sound even had time to travel, Wu Dao’s figure, unimpeded, shot through the void like a bolt of black lightning, instantly appearing before the fifteen-hundred-zhang mark of the Heavenly Human Domain!

WHOOSH—

The compressed, expanding shockwave surged and raged.

At the foot of the mountain, amidst the raging winds—

???

!!!

What just happened?