Essence Devouring Art

Dali Imperial Court.

Wenyuan Building.

”Your humble servant greets Your Majesty. I have failed Dali. I beg Your Majesty to pass judgment.”

Southern Governor Luo Ding Army, his armor broken and his body covered in the smoke of battle, knelt before Zhou Heng, overwhelmed with shame as he pleaded for punishment.

Before Zhou Heng had returned to the court, Luo Ding Army had been ostracized and slandered by treacherous factions. Feeling that everyone, from top to bottom, was colluding with one another, he had grown disheartened and retired from military life, his ambitions left unfulfilled.

But after Zhou Heng returned to the Imperial Court, he had personally visited him with the seal of office, entrusting him with a great responsibility.

It was an immense display of imperial grace and trust.

’But I... in just a few short months! The Southern Border battlefield was lost under my command, and the indirect consequences are immeasurable. Admittedly, it wasn’t my fault. My forces were simply outmatched; there was nothing I could do. But as the Military Governor of the Southern Alliance, I cannot escape responsibility for the defeat, no matter the reason.’

Especially when he thought of the roughly forty Divine Ability Users who had fallen.

Shame and regret flooded his heart.

’If only I had been more ruthless back then. If I had just struck a killing blow when that monster Wu Dao first made a name for himself, none of this regret would have followed. But alas... there’s no medicine for regret in this world.’

”Rise.”

Behind the long desk, Zhou Heng set down his book and sighed. ”You are demoted three ranks and will lead the army without a salary. Do you object?”

”Your Majesty!!”

Luo Ding Army shot his head up, his eyes welling with tears. He wanted to say something, but faced with Zhou Heng’s calm gaze, he lowered his head deeply once more.

”I thank Your Majesty for this punishment. From this day forward, I will shed my own blood to atone for today’s failure.”

Demoted three ranks, leading the army without a salary.

It was called a punishment, but in reality, it was a slap on the wrist—a clear act of protection.

No official rank, no salary, and yet, he would remain the leader of the Southern Alliance.

One could only imagine how much Zhou Heng valued him, and how heavy the weight of this imperial grace was!

Only by exhausting every ounce of his strength for the rest of his life, by devoting himself completely, could he hope to repay even a fraction of it.

”What is the status of the withdrawal from the front lines?” Zhou Heng picked up a travelogue and asked coolly. As an emperor, the master of all officials, he had to remain unperturbed even if the heavens were falling.

”Your Majesty.”

At the mention of this topic, Luo Ding Army’s head sank even lower. ”The troops stationed in the three prefectures of Pu Yang, Jiuchuan, and Yu Yuan have all safely withdrawn over the last three days under our cover.

Our army has further consolidated its front, establishing a new defensive line in the two prefectures of Qianshan and Jingxi, where the Central Plains border the Southern Border.

But... if we want to stop the Nanyang King Group’s next assault, the remaining Divine Ability Users alone are not enough.”

Over thirty Divine Ability Users had fallen. The gap this created was enormous.

If Prince Nanyang weren’t wary of the reclusive old monsters behind Dali, like the Wantu Emperor, he would have pressed his advantage after taking the three prefectures. Dali would have been given no chance to breathe.

But if that gap wasn’t filled, it would be like a frog in slowly boiling water. The two prefectures of Qianshan and Jingxi would soon be lost as well.

Therefore...

”There is no need to worry about this matter.” Zhou Heng turned a page, his eyes lowered. ”The front lines are too wide and too long. They are a heavy burden on Dali, and the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.

The Northern Lands, the Western Desert, and the East Sea Battlefield will also be withdrawn to the Central Plains. The gap in the Southern Border will naturally be filled.”

The Nine Prefectures of the Central Plains. Eight of these prefectures bordered the four outer regions. After consolidating the front lines, Dali would completely lose its last territories in those regions, becoming a caged beast.

But being a caged beast wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

The cage was only so large. No matter which side reached in to attack, they could swiftly turn their fangs to defend themselves.

After all, the core factor that would decide this war for the world still lay with the Great Divine Power Users.

To a Great Divine Power User, the lands of the Nine Prefectures were truly just a small cage.

In such a ’small,’ confined space, it was easiest to erect an impenetrable defense.

Sigh... Hearing this, Luo Ding Army sighed sorrowfully in his heart.

He had anticipated this day would come, but he never thought it would be so soon.

And it was all because of one person—

Wu Dao!

After the battle in the Southern Border, regardless of what the world thought of him, this Overlord Whale of the Southern Border, who had single-handedly changed the course of the war, was destined to be recorded in the annals of history.

And as for them...

HUFF...

He took a deep breath. Luo Ding Army suppressed the boiling killing intent in his heart. Seeing Zhou Heng engrossed in his book, he bowed and took his leave.

A full-scale withdrawal from the Southern Border. Even if he felt he had no face left to show, there was still a mountain of work waiting for him.

If he were to shirk his duties now, that would be a truly unforgivable crime.

WHOOSH—

Not long after Luo Ding Army left, a breeze swept through, fluttering the pages of the book.

The gray-robed figure of the Wantu Emperor, Zhou Hong, appeared silently in Wenyuan Building.

”Your son pays his respects, Father Emperor.”

Zhou Heng immediately rose, yielded the main seat, and bowed respectfully.

”What’s yours is yours. Stay seated.” Zhou Hong, however, waved his hand and casually sat to the side. With a complex expression, he said, ”As for Chen’er, he is not far from that final step. Ordinarily, he would still need the fortune of the Central Plains to fully cross over.

But he is also a Celestial Treasure Master. If he completes this stage of the ceremony, it could happen at any moment.”

”That is cause for celebration.” Zhou Heng clapped his hands in admiration. He didn’t sound like an enemy, but rather like a fellow traveler genuinely congratulating a peer on a great achievement.

But after sitting down again, he shook his head and sighed. ”Although Celestial Treasure Masters are aligned with the Celestial Dao and can break through realms simply by completing ceremonies, the world is barren now.

Coupled with the suppression of the Great Dao, whether it’s my fifth brother or the other Three Kings, no matter how hard they try to complete their ceremonies, they will always fall one step short.

This final part ultimately requires the backing of fortune to be completed. No matter how reluctant they are, a fierce struggle between the four outer regions and the Central Plains is inevitable.

Unless...” As he spoke, Zhou Heng’s gaze lowered in admiration. ”...one can be like the Great Ancestor, who, after gathering the world’s fortune to take half a step, spent six hundred years plotting to cross that final half-step.”

The Great Ancestor... at the mention of the one who once dominated an entire era, the Great Li Ancestor, who had taken the third-rate little state of Dali and step-by-step built it into an empire that ruled the world, a look of reverence appeared in the Wantu Emperor’s eyes, and he subconsciously glanced in the direction of the Grand Ancestral Temple.

He could clearly feel it. Within the statue that sat at the head of the Grand Ancestral Temple, overlooking the world, a divinity not of the mortal realm was growing ever stronger.

’One year... perhaps not even that long.’

His eyes flickered. The Wantu Emperor retracted his gaze. Thinking of the target of his recent action, his expression grew solemn.

”This Wu Dao, in terms of both temperament and talent, is a rarity unseen in the thirty thousand years of the Nine Tribulations. If he continues to grow, it is impossible to imagine what he will become.

He escaped death today. With his vindictive nature, he will surely strike at Dali in the future. When that time comes, you must be extremely careful. Do not underestimate him!”

The Great Tribulation would arrive in only a year. For most cultivators, a year would bring no growth at all.

But for Celestial Treasure Masters like Zhou Chen, Zhou Heng, and the Three Kings, a year was enough time to accomplish a great deal.

To say nothing of a monster among Celestial Treasure Masters like Wu Dao!

In just one month, he had gone from dominating Celestial Beings to being unrivaled beneath the level of Great Divine Power Users!

With that rate of growth, in one year’s time—which for him was equivalent to a hundred or even a thousand years for a genius—the Wantu Emperor couldn’t even imagine what level he would reach.

’Perhaps... he would become the peerless prodigy who reaches above the Dao Embryo realm faster than anyone in history?’

Too many impossible things had happened with Wu Dao. Now, as he speculated that Wu Dao might step above the Dao Embryo realm in a year, the Wantu Emperor found that he couldn’t find a trace of doubt in his heart.

”The path of cultivation is difficult at the start, difficult in the middle, and even more difficult the further you go. One might advance rapidly in the early stages, but once you reach the Divine Power Level, it is by no means so easy,” Zhou Heng said calmly. ”Celestial Treasure Masters may be special, but the higher the level, the more difficult the ceremonies they must complete.

While I do not know the specifics of his Celestial Treasure, I can guess a few things from his actions.

First, it is related to the Celestial Punishment Power.

Second, it feeds on demons and Alien Species.

For these two ceremonies, the existences involved at higher levels are either so powerful they can turn you to ash in an instant, or they are nearly impossible to find in this world.

I believe he can reach the Dao Embryo Nine Transformations. But to go beyond the Ninth Transformation and dominate the world... a year is still too short. However...”

At this point, a hint of wariness appeared in Zhou Heng’s eyes for the first time. ”Even so, the Ninth Transformation is not to be underestimated. After all... advancing on three paths simultaneously is something even the Great Ancestor couldn’t do back then.”

The Main Path Nine Transformations! The Nine Fist Transformations! And the Horizontal Refining Ninth Gate Limit!

’If such a monster truly appeared...’ he thought, ’I have to ask myself... even as I am now, how confident would I be in dealing with him?’

Having to face such a monster as an enemy in the future was indeed immense pressure.

’However... in one year’s time... will I, Zhou Heng, be standing still? My Celestial Treasure Ceremony is far less difficult than those of the other four kings. During my decades as the ’Gatekeeper Emperor,’ I have already completed eighty to ninety percent of the ceremony. That final part... with the blessing of Central Plains Dali’s remaining fortune, my progress is incredibly fast every single day. No matter how fast Wu Dao is, I am confident I can maintain my lead. When the time comes... whether there will be a reckoning... will depend entirely on my whim.’

...

「Half a month later.」

The storm caused by the battle in the Southern Border gradually subsided.

Wu Dao’s name became famous throughout the world for the third time.

This time, his status was elevated to a level just below that of the various regional Rebel Kings.

In some places, there were even rumors of ”One Emperor and Five Kings,” suggesting that Wu Dao, like the other Rebel Kings, now truly possessed the power to change the course of the world.

Of course, this was an exaggeration. It was even a form of killing with praise.

After all, Wu Dao wasn’t even a Great Divine Power User yet. He was still very far from the level where he could truly control the world’s destiny.

However, the impact of him slaying some forty Divine Ability Users in a single battle half a month ago had, in a sense, truly changed the state of the world.

Because after the great defeat in the Southern Border, unsurprisingly, the Central Plains, in order to fill the gap, had completely abandoned the four outer regions, gathering all their forces to defend the last Nine Prefectures to the death.

The Southern Border, the Northern Lands, the East Sea, and the Western Desert had fallen completely into the hands of the four regional Rebel Kings. In the context of the Warring States Era, it was now a struggle for hegemony among five states.

But for certain reasons, the various kings did not cease their campaigns to enjoy the fruits of victory, establish their own nations, declare themselves emperors, and recuperate.

On the contrary, after the ”caged beast” situation had formed, the attacks from the four regions became even more frequent.

Large-scale battles erupted on the front lines every day, beginning a new war of attrition. It seemed they would not rest until the Central Plains were broken.

...

This new war of attrition was far more brutal than the last.

After Dali consolidated all its forces, the Nine Prefectures became an iron fortress, defended so tightly that not even the wind could pass.

Sometimes, for just a single village, the price the regional Rebel Kings paid to conquer it was no less than what it once cost to take an entire county.

In the short term, unless Dali’s Divine Ability Users suffered another wave of sudden deaths, it was basically impossible for the kings’ offenses to make any significant progress.

As for repeating the Battle of Mingquan from half a month ago and asking Wu Dao to come out and go crazy again, Prince Nanyang hadn’t considered it, and the other regional Rebel Kings had even less of an inclination.

Because it was unrealistic.

The Dali of today was at the end of its rope. If pushed too far, they would fight to the bitter end, to say nothing of the fact they had already been burned once.

If Wu Dao dared to act as he did before, he would absolutely be met with a joint, no-holds-barred thunderous suppression from the reclusive Nine Transformations Great Divine Power Users of the Central Plains. They wouldn’t give him any chance to stir up trouble.

Of course, the most important point was that Wu Dao himself had no interest in the fighting and killing on the front lines anymore.

No matter how many people he killed, it was nothing but a waste of his time and energy, with no benefit whatsoever. Not to mention the risks were extremely high, and the rewards were not immediate.

With the Great Tribulation approaching and time being short, it was a completely thankless task.

For all these reasons, after the Battle of Mingquan, he left the front lines directly, not even meeting with Prince Nanyang, and vanished from the world for half a month.

In that battle, he had burned himself to the absolute limit, even detonating his soul, and the progress of his Human Potential Release had finally touched the barrier to the Peak of Human Extremes.

Naturally, he had no mind for other matters.

He went into full seclusion to break through to the realm of the Peak of Human Extremes.