Essence Devouring Art

The autumn wind was grim and chilling.

Withered leaves fell, and a light drizzle filled the air.

Atop Whale Leaping Peak, the cold wind howled, and banners whipped violently.

At the far end of the flat, wide plaza.

Stood the council hall, with its carved beams and painted rafters. Wind chimes swayed under the eaves, their tinkling lonely and desolate.

WHOOSH...

A clock tower stood tall in the center of the plaza.

Qi Canghai, who had been missing for days, was there. His white robes fluttered as he set down the bell hammer. Holding a Sandalwood Bead, he looked down from his high vantage point at the towering, crimson figure on the plaza, from whom white mist was steaming, and said with a voice full of approval:

"Not bad. To have achieved so much in such a short time... you can truly be called a prodigy."

His smile was gentle, with no trace of hostility.

His eyes were filled with admiration.

The scene was somewhat reminiscent of their first meeting.

And yet.

Things were no longer the same.

"Get down here!"

Wu Dao’s brows furrowed slightly, his expression icy. His voice boomed like thunder as he rebuked him, "A bastard like you is worthy of looking down on me?"

’Bastard...’

Upon hearing this, Qi Canghai’s smile instantly froze. A hint of gloominess transformed into bone-chilling killing intent.

Striking a snake at its vital point.

The word "bastard."

It had struck his weakest point, tearing away all his pretenses.

"Young man, there’s no need to be so fiery."

A deep, hoarse voice sounded.

From the shadows of the hall, a tall, powerfully-built old man slowly emerged. He had a wild mane of hair like a golden lion and was dressed extravagantly. He squinted his unusual black eyes, the very picture of a smiling tiger.

’Fang Tianxiong...’

Wu Dao glanced coolly at the golden-haired old man, sensing the blazing qi and blood that lay dormant within him like a volcano.

Then, his gaze shifted to another direction as he sneered, "With such a strong stench, do you really need to hide?"

"Hee hee hee..."

The words had barely left his mouth when a soul-stealing, enchanting laugh rang out. "Wherever I go, a hundred butterflies take flight, yet Hall Master Wu calls it a foul stench. What a heart of iron and stone you have.

No wonder.

No wonder you could bring yourself to lay a vicious hand on my sister, a beauty of heavenly fragrance and national grace."

Amidst the increasingly icy, enchanting laughter...

A beautiful woman in red gauze, bearing some resemblance to Aunt Xiang of Joyful Forest, slowly emerged from the shadows on the left. She carried an air of classic antiquity.

Her body was draped in light gauze, revealing a full and graceful figure.

Her beautiful, foxy eyes, which could evoke pity in any who saw them, were even more captivating than Aunt Xiang’s.

She and Fang Tianxiong stood on the left and right.

With Qi Canghai added to the mix...

...they formed a triangle.

They had blocked all of Wu Dao’s escape routes.

"There was a path to life, yet you refused to take it. Why must you fight for a moment’s gain?"

Qi Canghai shook his head in mock pity, a playful taunt in his eyes. He slowly descended from the clock tower, seemingly certain of his victory over Wu Dao.

’Two Grandmasters of Gang Qi.’

’Plus me, a peak Grandmaster.’

’With such an overwhelming advantage in absolute Power, I refuse to believe Wu Dao can still make any waves!’

"The weather is freezing. One must have a bit of a temper."

But just then...

...a cold, mechanical voice abruptly sounded from the far end of the plaza.

Shi Kui’s tall, ramrod-straight figure appeared like a sharp blade, tearing apart their encirclement. His world-weary eyes, devoid of any emotion, narrowed as he glanced at the red-gauze woman with disgust, as if he recognized her.

Then, his gaze fixed on Fang Tianxiong, and he said coolly, "A formidable leader in the past, now colluding with jackals. Sect Leader Fang, you’ve truly regressed with age."

"And you are?"

Fang Tianxiong’s brows furrowed as he sensed the faint yet distinct, vicious aura of a weapon wielder emanating from Shi Kui.

He had been away from Guangqing Prefecture for many years and had never crossed paths with Shi Kui before, so he truly couldn’t recall such a figure.

But he could sense the restrained, dangerous aura on Shi Kui—

A Military Dao Grandmaster!

"The second on Guangqing Prefecture’s Military Register, Shi Kui of the Chong Guang Saber?"

In contrast to Fang Tianxiong’s confusion, Qi Canghai’s expression changed slightly. He had instantly recognized Shi Kui and shot a look at Wu Dao as if seeing him for the first time.

It was as if he were saying,

’You, you thick-browed, wide-eyed brute.’

’You actually went and got help?’

"Heh. Why are there always idiots who think they’re the only smart people in the world? Isn’t that right, idiot?"

Wu Dao sneered, giving Qi Canghai a pitying look, as if gazing upon a simpleton.

"You..."

Qi Canghai’s face flushed red. First "bastard," then "idiot"—every word was grating to the ear. What stung even more was that everything Wu Dao said was the plain truth.

"You what! You really think this is a meeting? Die!"

BOOM!

Wu Dao’s expression was deathly cold. With a roar like cracking thunder, he took a single step. As if accompanied by a Dragon Whale, the Gang Qi around him exploded, shaking the very mountain. In an instant, he was before Qi Canghai, his fist raised high in a vertical strike as he attacked first!

"Junior, you dare!"

The instant Wu Dao moved, Fang Tianxiong roared in anger. His beard and hair danced wildly as he spread his fingers then clenched them into a fist. He mobilized his surging Primordial Qi, condensing it to blast through the thousands of flying bricks and stones. Though he moved second, his attack arrived first, aimed straight for Wu Dao’s back.

A Martial Artist at the Grandmaster level has their Dantian’s Primordial Qi further compressed and refined into Spiritual Gang. Its power far surpasses that of Spiritual Qi; the difference between the two is like that of ordinary iron versus a sharp blade of refined steel.

Not only that, an Extraordinary at the Grandmaster level can begin to control the high-energy gases of heaven and earth within a certain range to attack from a distance. They can ride the wind to fly at low altitudes, and destroying mountains or parting rivers is as easy as flipping one’s palm.

SHIIING!!

Before Fang Tianxiong’s Fist Gang could arrive, a black Sword Gang, wrapped in endless vicious energy, suddenly shot up from within the roiling dust and smoke.

The black Sword Gang was as fast as lightning. It slashed down through the void, severing the Fist Gang in a single strike. Its momentum undiminished, it cleaved through the air currents in its path and descended upon Fang Tianxiong like a Celestial Blade.

WHOOSH—

A hurricane raged as the Celestial Blade descended upon him!

The infinite, vicious energy pressed down on Fang Tianxiong, causing his face to flush red and his skin to ache with pain. Not daring to be careless, he immediately activated the Spiritual Gang from his Dantian to form a shield around his body, then punched toward the sky to meet the vicious blade head-on!

The next instant.

BOOM!

BOOM!

Two earth-shattering explosions rang out from the collisions.

One came from the clash of fist and blade.

The other...

"Hee hee, Hall Master Wu, such tremendous Power. My bones have gone all soft."