Essence Devouring Art

WHOOSH—

「Outside Celestial Fate County.」

As Zhou Heng’s澎湃 killing intent surged and shattered the black clouds across the sky, all eyes were fixed on the scene.

Wu Dao strode out calmly.

He stood with his arms crossed, a pillar amidst the storm. His black robes whipped in the wind, accentuating his imposing physique. A savage, mocking smile played on his lips, making him look like the Tai Sui Demon God descended to the mortal world. He showed not the slightest trace of fear.

’Alliance Leader Wu, do not be rash.’

Prince Nanyang frowned when he saw that Wu Dao had come after all and couldn’t help but send a reminder via voice transmission.

The current Zhou Heng...

...was a desperate man at the end of his rope, clutching a great killing artifact.

If he were provoked into a frenzy...

...and joined forces with the remains of the Demon Suppression Emperor to kill Wu Dao...

...no one present would be able to stop him.

But...

Wu Dao paid no mind to Prince Nanyang’s warning.

He wasn’t here for a bloody battle. He was here to do business with Zhou Heng, and he was confident that Zhou Heng would be more than happy to make this deal.

”Do you truly think I dare not kill you?!”

Zhou Heng clutched the blood-stained Jade Seal, his killing intent soaring to the heavens. He stared at Wu Dao, who was approaching Celestial Fate County step by step, with a look one reserves for a dead man.

”Those who enter the county die!”

At the border of Celestial Fate County.

The Dali cultivators in the sky and on the ground watched Wu Dao approach alone. They all tightened their grips on their weapons, gritting their teeth and hissing coldly.

A man’s reputation precedes him.

The reputation of this monster, Wu Dao, and his domineering, fierce temperament were known by everyone in the Dali Extraordinary Realm.

Faced with such a monster...

...even with their resolve to fight to the death, the cultivators couldn’t help but feel terrified. The hairs on their bodies stood on end, and even the circulation of their blood and qi seemed to stagnate.

”Hahaha, Alliance Leader Wu is a true Hero! Feel free to step into the county, I will protect you!”

As silence fell and the atmosphere grew tense...

...the King of the Living Prison’s voice boomed like thunder from the north, shaking the heavens and the earth. It seemed the more chaotic the situation, the more it suited his taste, revealing an excited, crazed state of a spectator egging on a fight.

”Are you telling me what to do?”

Wu Dao stopped just outside the Celestial Fate County border. He glanced expressionlessly to the north at the King of the Living Prison, who was wrapped in a blood-red robe, with red hair and a red face, looking like King Yama incarnate.

’He wasn’t an idiot.’

’He knew exactly what Zhou Heng’s bottom line was.’

’This guy was trying to kill him with praise, egging him on to cross the line.’

’Just a troublemaker enjoying the show.’

’No need to be polite to this clueless psycho.’

”Tsk~”

Being rebuked in front of the whole world...

...the King of the Living Prison, who should have lost all face and flown into a rage, was neither annoyed nor angry. He just clicked his tongue regretfully, gave Wu Dao a deep look, and grinned a bloodthirsty smile before falling silent.

’Such humiliation.’

’He was naturally a little angry.’

’But compared to that anger, he was more looking forward to the great show that was about to unfold.’

Wu Dao had captured seven of Dali’s Ninth Transformation experts.

This was no secret on the battlefield.

Everyone knew that Wu Dao had captured them but not killed them, planning to use the seven Ninth Transformation experts as leverage to force Zhou Heng to bow his head and trade for benefits.

’If he really pulled it off...’

’...now that would be a great show.’

’Zhou Heng had used unscrupulous means to gain a deterrent force that left all the heroes of the world helpless.’

’But it hadn’t been long...’

’...and now some petty nobody was jumping out to slap him in the face.’

’Tsk...’

’That feeling...’

’...must be incredibly gratifying.’

The King of the Living Prison’s playful gaze was fixed on Zhou Heng at the Imperial City Peak, eagerly anticipating the sight of Zhou Heng’s impotent rage.

He had failed in his bid for the throne against Zhou Heng years ago.

If he hadn’t abandoned the power and influence he had built over many years and fled alone to the bitter cold of the Northern Lands, Zhou Heng would have definitely settled the score with him.

The enmity between them was immense.

Therefore, as long as Zhou Heng was unhappy, he felt incredibly excited and delighted. One could say his hatred had reached a somewhat twisted level.

This small interlude...

...did not affect Wu Dao.

After stopping outside Celestial Fate County...

...facing Zhou Heng’s undisguised, bone-chilling killing intent, he simply shrugged nonchalantly and said with a smile:

”Dare? Why wouldn’t I dare? With Your Majesty’s strength, killing me would be as easy as killing a chicken.”

”However.”

”I also believe that if I truly end up on the Yellow Springs Path, I definitely won’t be lonely.”

”Does Your Majesty believe that, or not?”

”Are you threatening me?”

Zhou Heng’s blood-red eyes narrowed, his voice so cold that icicles could fall from it. ’He wished he could tear Wu Dao limb from limb right now,’ but he knew it would be meaningless.

’Wu Dao cultivated the Immortal Black Tortoise Divine Skill.’

’He had plenty of backup plans and escape routes.’

’Even if he killed Wu Dao, it would only be to vent a moment’s anger and would have no substantial impact on him.’

’Not to mention...’

’...the seven Ninth Transformation experts!’

’The seven Sky-reaching White Jade Pillars of Dali.’

’Their status was too special.’

’He didn’t dare gamble on what would happen after killing Wu Dao.’

’Would Wu Dao fly into a rage and kill the hostages, shaking the patriotic spirit that the Dali Extraordinary Realm had just rallied around their Ancestor?’

”A threat? No, no, no.”

Hearing this, Wu Dao shook his head and chuckled.

”Let’s not use such ugly words. This is a matter of mutual consent, a fair trade. How can you call it a threat?”

’Mutual consent...’

When these words were spoken...

...the faces of the onlookers from all directions twitched. ’Do you even hear yourself talk?’

”To be so brazenly extortionate, it’s a real waste he didn’t go into business.”

King Bao Tong from the east remarked with lingering fear as he looked at Wu Dao’s matter-of-fact expression.

「Half a month ago.」

He had made a deal with Wu Dao.

Wu Dao had traded the Immortal Black Tortoise Divine Skill for the Qiongqi’s Karmic Fire Sutra he possessed. It was indeed a barter, an exchange of goods based on mutual consent.

But King Bao Tong was certain.

Given Wu Dao’s current style...

...if Wu Dao had been strong enough, he would have definitely just taken it, ”mutually consenting” with him by force.

”Alright, Your Majesty need not play dumb.”

Wu Dao knew that Zhou Heng didn’t want to bow his head in front of the world and break Dali’s morale, but he couldn’t care less about that. He stopped beating around the bush and declared in a booming voice:

”Seven of Dali’s Ninth Transformation experts for one Cultivation Technique from your hands. Give me a straight answer, yes or no.”

This sentence.

He deliberately channeled his Power, making his voice boom like the tolling of a divine bell, reverberating throughout Celestial Fate County to ensure everyone in Dali could hear it.

This was, to put it bluntly, moral blackmail.

He wanted everyone in Dali, from those on the mountain to those below, to know.

That his, Wu Dao’s, demand was not excessive.

He wasn’t asking for Zhou Heng’s life, nor was he threatening Dali into surrendering.

He merely wanted a single Cultivation Technique.

If seven of Dali’s White Jade Pillars...

...were less important to Zhou Heng than a single Cultivation Technique...

...then such a cold-hearted Celestial Emperor...

...would chill far more than just one or two hearts devoted to protecting the nation.

”A Cultivation Technique? What kind of Cultivation Technique?”

”Will His Majesty bow his head and agree?”

”He should, right? After all, the status of those seven... the Wantu Emperor, the Saint Elephant Ancestor, the two Supremes from True Martial Hall, the Light Emperor, the Supreme from Taihua Immortal Sect...”

As Wu Dao’s booming voice echoed...

...within Celestial Fate County, from the Jianghu to the common folk, and among the nation-protecting cultivators at the border, all eyes turned to Zhou Heng in the sky above the Imperial City, his expression flickering with uncertainty.

Although they really didn’t want their Celestial Emperor to bow his head and humiliate the nation...

...deep down, they still hoped Zhou Heng would yield.

The identities of those seven were just too special.

Needless to say, the Supreme Emperor and the Grand Emperor were Zhou Heng’s biological father and grandfather, respectively.

By all logic and sentiment, he couldn’t just stand by when he had the power to save them.

He couldn’t just watch coldly as the two of them met a terrible fate.

As for the remaining five...

...they were the leaders of Dali’s three great nation-protecting pillars. If he abandoned them, it would inevitably create rifts and dissent within Dali.

Most people would think that he, Zhou Heng, was cold and ungrateful, thinking only of himself and seeing outsiders as nothing more than disposable tools.

Of course, the most important point...

...was that Wu Dao’s condition really wasn’t excessive.

It was just a single Cultivation Technique.

Just give it to him.

It wouldn’t cause any substantial damage to Dali.

Of course.

This was what the uninformed were thinking.

The Divine Ability Users who had intelligence on Wu Dao knew what a difficult choice Zhou Heng was facing at this moment.

Because...

...Wu Dao’s seemingly reasonable demand...

...could very well lead to the complete collapse and destruction of Dali in the future.

There was no other reason.

Simply because he was Wu Dao.

A monster who grew at an illogical, breakneck pace!

Once he obtained that technique...

...and subsequently stepped into the Peak Realm...

...the delicate balance that Dali struggled to maintain would be shattered once more.

’No one dared to bet.’

’Would Wu Dao, upon entering the Absolute Peak, ...’

’No!’

’He definitely would!’

A few of Dali’s Ninth Transformation experts, who knew the true nature of the Grand Ancestor’s remains...

...and knew that Wu Dao fed on Alien Species, cast a complicated glance at the silent, unmoving figure of the Demon Suppression Emperor, who overlooked the world from the highest point in the sky.

’Alien Species...’

’What a damn monster!’

Zhou Heng’s face was as dark as water. He cursed Wu Dao in his heart for being so vicious and shameless, using the hearts of Dali’s people and army to hold his feet to the fire.

’He knew what Wu Dao wanted.’

’And he did indeed have one.’

’But it was precisely because he knew...’

’...that he didn’t dare to give it!’

’With Wu Dao’s Monster Level growth rate...’

’...he couldn’t afford to gamble on whether he would be the first to take that half step and suppress the world, or if Wu Dao would be the first to achieve the Absolute Peak and destroy Dali.’

’But if he didn’t give it to him...’

’...Dali’s final luck would dissipate by eighty or ninety percent, without Wu Dao even having to lift a finger.’

’The people are the water, and the ruler is the boat.’

’When the people’s hearts are aligned, the world prospers, and the nation’s fortune is naturally strong.’

’But if their hearts grow cold...’

’...it would be useless even if he held onto this final Celestial Fate Prefecture.’

’The vast majority of his subjects, who didn’t know the truth and had limited perspectives...’

’...and even most of the cultivators on the mountain and below...’

’...would have their last shred of hope for Dali’s restoration completely shattered by his heartlessness.’

’Agreeing with Wu Dao meant a possible slow death.’

’Not agreeing with Wu Dao...’

’...meant certain doom.’

’How to choose?’

’To gamble or not to gamble?’

”Zhou Heng! Our Imperial Father and Imperial Grandfather doted on you so much when you were a child! Are you really going to be so cold-blooded to the very end?”

As Zhou Heng struggled with his decision...

...the King of the Living Prison, ever the troublemaker, spoke up again. He looked like a filial son and grandson, gritting his teeth, desperate to save his father.

But the irrepressible excitement in his eyes exposed his heartless, unrighteous nature.

Zhou Heng, however, just gave the King of the Living Prison a cold glance, ignoring the psychopath. After taking a deep breath, he said coldly to Wu Dao:

”Empty words. How can I trust you?”

’It’s a deal!’

Wu Dao’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew Zhou Heng had finally chosen to yield and become a gambler. He clapped his hands and laughed.

”Your Majesty is straightforward. I, Wu, naturally know the rules. Please wait a moment.”

As he spoke.

He contacted his clone, which was several thousand miles away, and ordered it to ride its ’Flying Sword’ over at full speed.

’Of course,’

’...some necessary little tricks...’

’...still needed to be played.’

’With two Absolute Peak experts working together...’

’...no one could guarantee that they didn’t have the ability to instantly kill Wu Dao and rescue the hostages.’

Under the gazes of all the various parties...

...it wasn’t long before...

BOOM—

Far in the distance...

...a sound like rolling thunder suddenly exploded.

It was like a Divine Sword hurtling forward at a speed that left lightning in the dust, threatening to plow the very heavens and earth in two.

Along with this immense commotion...

...another Wu Dao...

...as well as the seven captured Ninth Transformation experts of Dali, appeared in everyone’s line of sight.