Essence Devouring Art

Dragon Mud Cave Heaven.

Dragon Gate Town, at the Rising Dragon Street Corner.

HUFF... PUFF...

After thanking the carver, Mo Chen’s gaze shifted back to Wu Dao, who stood at the street corner, his magnificent physique radiating an oppressive aura.

When he saw that pair of pitch-black, unusual eyes...

He couldn’t help but swallow, feeling as if his very soul was about to be devoured by that endless darkness.

However, the thought that his family was about to run out of food spurred Mo Chen on. He glanced down at his worn-out cloth shoes, his toes peeking through, and grit his teeth. Forcing a simple, approachable smile onto his face, he hurried toward Wu Dao.

「At noon.」

He had been checking his hunting traps on the back mountain. Just as he was feeling disappointed at finding them empty, he overheard a few Medicine Gatherers who were heading up the mountain talking.

They said a large group of outsiders had come to town.

Each one was dressed in fine silks and brocades, and they were all big spenders.

Furthermore, they were very interested in some of the seemingly useless trinkets the townspeople owned. If they took a liking to something, they would pay at least one Golden Leaf for it.

’A Golden Leaf...’

Even back when Mo Chen was a young master, he had rarely touched gold. If he was lucky enough to earn a reward, he and Yaya wouldn’t have to go hungry this year.

He couldn’t be bothered to check the rest of his traps.

Mo Chen took off at a dead sprint. The sturdy physique he’d developed from years of running through the mountains and rivers to find food allowed him to reach the town in no time.

The moment he arrived on Rising Dragon Street, his eyes locked onto Wu Dao.

His features were powerful and domineering, quite captivating. A single glance at the fabric of his clothes told you they were worth a fortune.

Add to that the air of someone long accustomed to a high station, and he looked nothing like a local mud-caked farmer.

In other words...

...he was a ’fat sheep.’

A fat sheep that no one else had set their sights on yet.

Mo Chen knew his own reputation was bad.

If he tried to snatch a customer from someone else, he would most likely be ridiculed and belittled by the other townspeople and end up with nothing.

Therefore, even though Wu Dao looked difficult to approach, the hunger in his belly and the nearly empty rice jar at home made him suppress his fear.

HUFF... PUFF...

Mo Chen jogged all the way over, stopping a few steps in front of Wu Dao, panting slightly.

He quickly composed himself, however.

He mentally rehearsed his lines, then put on a simple, kind, and sunny smile. ”Greetings, honored guest,” he said. ”My name is Mo... Mo Chen.”

But once he was actually face-to-face with Wu Dao, a sense of nervous apprehension, a fear of loss and gain, welled up in Mo Chen’s heart for no reason, and his voice became hesitant and stammering.

The sales pitch he had prepared to attract a customer was completely forgotten.

A voice in his mind was urging him.

’Don’t get near this person. Stay as far away as possible. It’s best not to have any contact with him at all.’

”There’s no need to be afraid. I don’t bite.”

The profound darkness in Wu Dao’s eyes dissipated. He clapped a large, broad hand on the boy’s somewhat thin shoulder, like a kindly elder from afar, and said with a faint smile:

”Let’s go. As it happens, I’m quite interested in Dragon Gate Town. I’ll have to trouble you to be my guide, little fellow.”

After speaking, Wu Dao withdrew his hand, his expression returning to one of indifference. He clasped his hands behind his back and was the first to step onto Rising Dragon Street.

From the corner of his eye, he cast a subtle glance at the simple shops along Rising Dragon Street that provided food, clothing, lodging, and other daily necessities.

He couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

’Some Funeral Star.’

’They seem to care about him a great deal.’

Just now, when he had clapped Mo Chen on the shoulder, the Shopkeepers, old men, middle-aged people, and women in several of the shops had clearly glanced in their direction, a barely perceptible chill in their expressions.

Of course he wouldn’t make a move against Mo Chen.

At least, not here and not now.

That would be senselessly courting death.

Right now, he was only curious about one thing.

What was the identity and origin of this ’Mo Chen’ who had taken the place of the original, and what was the background of those little bastards who had stolen everything from his former self?

This encounter in Dragon Gate Town could not be a coincidence.

’Cause and effect, fate, destiny...’

’A tangled mess that cannot be cut or unraveled.’

He and Mo Chen’s group were bound to become entangled in the future.

In other words...

...the day would eventually come when it would be a matter of life and death between them.

Knowing sooner meant he could prepare sooner.

’Although... from the looks of it, this Mo Chen’s memories have been altered again. He most likely knows nothing, his fate not his own to control.’

’But there are bound to be clues.’

’Huh, that was so easy?’

Seeing Wu Dao’s amiable expression, the inexplicable dread in Mo Chen’s heart dissipated considerably. At the same time, he was delighted that Wu Dao had chosen him as a guide, and he quickly hurried to catch up.

AHEM...

Mo Chen followed beside Wu Dao, boasting about himself:

”I can’t speak for other places, but I’ve lived in Dragon Gate Town since I was a child. I’m a walking encyclopedia when it comes to what’s inside and outside the town.

Whatever you’re interested in, honored guest, feel free to ask. I will surely tell you everything I know.”

”Oh? You say you’ve lived in Dragon Gate Town since you were a child, and there’s nothing you don’t know about it?”

A thought flickered in Wu Dao’s mind. As if making casual conversation, he asked with a smile:

”Judging by your appearance, you haven’t yet reached the age of twenty?”

”Er...”

Mo Chen looked slightly embarrassed and scratched his head. He then quickly added, ”I did indeed just turn nineteen this year, but calling myself a walking encyclopedia is no exaggeration!”

He thought Wu Dao was doubting his words because he was young.

’Nineteen.’

’The time dilation between Hongyuan and the Divine Wilderness is eighteen to one.’

’When my soul possessed this body, its previous owner was eighteen at most.’

’Eighteen years ago...’

’So the timeline adds up.’

Recalling some scenes from his dreams, Wu Dao stopped walking and glanced at Mo Chen beside him, as if joking. He said softly:

”It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that seeing you reminds me of a ’hard-luck’ little fellow who used to be my neighbor.”

”That little fellow was also quite ’unfortunate.’”

”His parents disappeared right after he was born, leaving him to depend on his lame grandfather. It looked like he was on the verge of death.”

”’I’ was too much of a softie back then. Even though I was living in poverty myself, I couldn’t stand to see others suffer.”

”I spoon-fed him and wiped his bottom.”