Essence Devouring Art

One hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred Dao Veins.

These corresponded to 129,600 Primordial Dao Realms of the First Tribulation, which the Primordial Sect’s followers, spread across All Heavens, had managed to gather in just two months.

Each Tao Realm was an accelerator for a Primordial Magnetic Civilization of the Initial Tribulation. Their primary power source was the ”mother’s milk” of the Primordial Chaos Tribulation Path, siphoned off by the Primordial Magnetic Great Dragon Veins in a devious swap.

To put it bluntly, it meant having the Primordial Chaos Tribulation Path help Wu Dao raise his Primordial Magnetic Initial Tribulation Dao Civilization, and at a speed boosted by the Evil Lotus as if it were a turbo pump.

Observed from the outside, one could see that the Primordial Magnetic Civilizations within each Tao Realm appeared as blurs, as if their development had been accelerated several thousandfold.

This had nothing to do with time. It acted directly upon the speed of the civilization’s growth.

If a primitive civilization with no Extraordinary power were thrown inside, it would likely evolve into an agrarian one in an instant.

”Dinner’s ready! Mommy brought you the most delicious Five Tribulations Dao Source.”

Wu Dao looked on benevolently as he fed the remaining Five Tribulations Dao Source into the rapidly developing, parasite-like Primordial Magnetic Tao Realms.

ROOOAR—

After the Five Tribulations Dao Source entered the Initial Tribulation Tao Realms, it was as if peasants who only ate bran and wild vegetables had laid eyes on the food of gods from five dimensions above.

The Primordial Magnetic Dragon Veins howled with excitement and greedily gulped it down. In an instant, they swelled to become countless times stronger, and the speed of their civilization’s evolution surged once more.

After that, all that remained was a slow process of digestion.

Wu Dao watched his chubby babies thrive and grow, then contentedly withdrew his consciousness. His thoughts immediately turned to the problem of upgrading the hardware.

’Now that the Dao Veins are complete, and with the Primordial Chaos Tribulation Path as a wet nurse, a supply of Five Tribulations Dao Source, plus the software of the Primordial Dao Wheel, it won’t take long for the Primordial Magnetic Dao’s Initial Tribulation to reach completion. I need to prepare the hardware for the next stage of the Dao Wheel in advance.’

That meant the One-Tribulation Primordial Dao Realm.

’This is going to be a bit troublesome.’

’The Primordial Dao Realms of Hongyuan’s One Tribulation aren’t decayed and lifeless like the Initial Tribulation ones. Those had few living beings and attracted little attention in Hongyuan. A great many One-Tribulation Tao Realms are still home to countless living beings, nurturing one Extraordinary sub-civilization after another. Making a move on them would provoke widespread outrage.’

However, Wu Dao had anticipated this situation even before conceiving of the Primordial Dao Wheel 3.0. The law of the jungle was a given; the troublesome part was the resistance he would encounter.

But he had timing on his side!

Right now, the battle at Shanhai Pass was tense, and All Heavens were mobilizing troops. It was no longer a prosperous era of strict order, which gave him an opportunity to exploit the chaos.

’For One-Tribulation cultivation, the best ’pacifier’ is undoubtedly the Dragon Vein of a Great Venerable World. But with the Primordial Sect’s current Power, we can’t quite keep up.’

Wu Dao’s thoughts churned.

The peak combat power among the Primordial Sect’s followers was currently Fourth-Grade Divine Envoys, who were at the Venerable Realm.

’Those in the Venerable Realm can’t refine a Great Venerable World, not even a decaying one. I’ll need to develop some Great Venerables into Fifth-Grade Divine Envoys.’

’This isn’t difficult. It’s a very simple principle—are there more good people or bad people in the world? That’s a bit too black-and-white. Let me rephrase. How many people can restrain their own desires and remain incorruptible? Very, very few. Especially in the fiercely competitive Extraordinary Realm. The vast majority of resentful people who see no other way forward will cling to any chance to climb higher, even on pain of death!’

After achieving the Primordial Magnetism Path, Wu Dao possessed the authority to create and destroy all things within certain limits, and the Star Mother also had the ability to convert matter and Energy via Magnetic Fields.

Combined with the Star Mother Database—which recorded information on all the mysterious and wondrous magnetic field structures of the Hongyuan Heavenly Realms, past and present—he could create anything he wanted out of thin air, as long as it was within his capabilities.

With their powers combined, it was no exaggeration to call him a Main God.

Cultivation Techniques, weapons, Elixir Pills, materials, and other Cultivation Resources—as long as a follower’s contribution was sufficient, a casual gift from him could allow them to defy fate and change their destiny.

As for how to recruit more followers, he naturally didn’t need to worry.

If he offered just a few benefits, the Divine Envoys of the Primordial Sect would bring him a whole new batch of even stronger ”monsters and demons.” Birds of a feather flock together, after all.

With this in mind, Wu Dao commanded the Star Mother to manufacture a batch of standard-issue equipment for Great Venerable Fifth-Grade Divine Envoys, including Evil Lotus Divine Robes, Primordial Divine Orders, and the like.

Then, he had the Primordial Star Mother deliver a new divine oracle to the sect’s followers across the All Heavens and Myriad Realms.

WHOOSH—

「In the Qingming World.」

Within the Red Lotus Demon Realm.

The Red Lotus Karmic Fire surged and raged, filling every inch of space.

At its core, upon the Red Lotus Dao Platform, sat the Red Lotus Demon Lord. Clad in a Karma Fire Daoist Robe, his sinister, demonic visage exuded an overwhelming majesty. With his every breath, a Venerable Great World rose and fell, as if a Karma Fire Purgatory itself were breathing.

VMMMM—

At a certain moment, the Evil Lotus mark on the Red Lotus Demon Lord’s brow blazed with brilliant starlight. Startled, he immediately ceased his Cultivation and prostrated himself fully on the ground to receive the great Star Mother’s divine oracle—

”The Great Tribulation approaches, and the Primordial shall rise! The Daoist Venerable, in his compassion for the living beings in this world’s Sea of Suffering, now reopens the sect’s gates to widely receive junior Great Venerables. Any follower who successfully recommends a candidate shall be rewarded with a Great Venerable Divine Weapon.”

’A Great Venerable Divine Weapon!!’

Upon hearing this, the Red Lotus Demon Lord couldn’t restrain the greed in his heart. His entire body trembled with excitement and longing.

He had been in the Venerable Realm for many years.

Although he had the fearsome reputation of the Red Lotus Demon Lord, he lacked a suitable weapon to match his status. He was still using the battered old Venerable Soldier his master had given him.

Day and night, he dreamed of performing some great service and receiving a brand-new Venerable Divine Weapon as a reward from the Daoist Venerable.

As for refining one himself, that was far too difficult.

Factoring in the time needed to gather materials and the risks of the forging process, one couldn’t hope to successfully create a Venerable Divine Weapon in less than several thousand years.

But now, his chance had come!

’The Primordial Star Mother, who serves the great Primordial Daoist Venerable and governs all of creation’s mysteries, has delivered a divine oracle! All I have to do is recommend one Great Venerable to join the Divine Sect, and I can obtain a Great Venerable Divine Weapon!’