Essence Devouring Art

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

In the sky above the collapsed ruins of Jingyue Mountain.

The Gangfeng Qi Flow howled as sand and stone churned through the air.

Shi Kui stood firm against the wind, his eyes fixed on the colossal figure in the distance, bathed in a shower of black blood.

It had been an almost complete steamrolling!

He had crushed a thousand-year-old Great Demon head-on!

And he had done it using nothing but pure Physical Power!

’A new generation of heroes really does replace the old...’

He sighed inwardly.

Shi Kui gathered his focus and turned to face Fang Xiongshan, who was at his wit’s end and lunging with a desperate punch. Shi Kui’s eyes grew cold, and his Yellow Court Soldier Embryo trembled.

VMMMM!

A savage aura erupted, boiling through the void, only to condense and compress in an instant, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea!

The next instant!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—

Layers upon layers of hundred-meter-long blade phantoms filled the sky!

As swift as lightning, as heavy as a mountain!

Layered Light!

A name that described not just its layers, but also its immense weight!

It was the ultimate skill of his Sword Dao, which he had devoted his life to perfecting!

"Ba Gang!!"

The moment the layered blade phantoms materialized,

the Heart Lake Alarm Bell in Fang Xiongshan’s mind rang wildly. He let out a piercing shriek to the heavens as his blood and qi surged, squeezing his Dantian’s Qi Sea to its absolute limit.

Endless Primordial Qi transformed into a thick, dark gold Gang Shield that emanated an aura of indestructibility.

SCREEE!!

But at that critical moment,

the roar of an Overlord Whale resounded in his Divine Soul.

Then it struck with brutal force!

’I’m finished!’

Fang Xiongshan’s expression froze, his crazed eyes filling with endless unwillingness, venomous hatred, and regret.

BOOM!!

BANG—

The sky exploded. The Ba Gang shattered, erupting like a black sun and brilliantly illuminating all of Lancang City.

SPLATTER~

Thousands of human fragments rained from the sky.

A hero of his generation.

Dust to dust, earth to earth.

The fallen leaf had finally returned to its roots.

WHOOSH~

The Gangfeng Qi Flow ravaged the world, lashing against heaven and earth.

Bathed in the downpour of a thousand fragments, Wu Dao slowly retracted his fist. His physique returned to normal, but the gruesome wound on his chest continued to ooze foul-smelling black blood, refusing to heal.

"What a sharp blade!"

Looking at Shi Kui as he landed, Wu Dao narrowed his eyes and offered praise without reservation.

The blade was indeed sharp.

And moreover...

Judging by his calm and composed demeanor, that "Layered Light" technique just now was far from his limit.

After a brief comparison,

Wu Dao estimated that,

at best, the odds between him and Shi Kui were four to six—his four, Shi Kui’s six!

Unless he went all out and unleashed Shen Wutian,

his chances of victory were slim.

’To think the second-ranked on the Weapons Ranking is this powerful...’

’I wonder just how sharp the sword of the number one, Yang Wufeng, is.’

"Even among Grandmasters, there are differences in strength. It’s nothing special for the young to beat the old, for the vigorous to overwhelm the decaying."

Shi Kui replied with a cool expression. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Even without your assistance on that final strike, he would have died for sure!"

"Haha, don’t worry, I won’t be asking for a refund!"

Wu Dao shook his head and chuckled. This man was truly interesting, completely obsessed with money. But Wu Dao didn’t care about such trivial matters.

What Shi Kui said was true.

Although Fang Xiongshan was a Grandmaster,

his potential had long been exhausted. He hadn’t progressed an inch in years and had taken a desperate risk by cultivating that blasted Demon Whale Dominating Body, which damaged his foundation and shortened his lifespan.

That strike.

He definitely couldn’t have taken it.

The reason Wu Dao had helped was because he feared Fang Xiongshan might have some life-saving trump card, allowing him to risk everything to escape and live to fight another day.

"Your wound was inflicted by the Blood of the Great Demon, a Land Immortal Level one. The Commerce Association has medicine for it."

SHING!

The Black Blade returned to its sheath.

Shi Kui glanced at the ghastly wound on Wu Dao that ran from his neck to his chest, offered his advice, and then departed gracefully without waiting for a reply.

Once the money is in the bag, the deal is final.

Once the head hits the floor, there are no further ties.

These were the rules of the Black Dragon Commerce Association’s "Suspended Sword" organization. Once a commission was complete, there could be no further karmic entanglements.

Fate is fickle.

No one can say for sure,

whether the last client might become the next target.

"A Land Immortal Level Great Demon..."

Wu Dao watched Shi Kui’s departing figure, reached out to touch the edge of his wound, and his fingertips were instantly corroded, showing just how potent the poison was.

Furthermore,

this poison was like a maggot boring into his bones.

Even if he removed the tainted flesh, it would simply move to another spot, as if determined to torture him to death by constantly draining his Life Force.

After Shi Kui had completely vanished,

HAAAH~

Wu Dao finally let out a turbid breath. His face darkened, and his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had weakened considerably. It was clear that resisting the corrosion of the black blood had already taken a great toll on his Primordial Qi.

It was only because he didn’t trust people.

That he had kept up a strong front, acting as if nothing was wrong.

"Just you wait until I get my hands on you!"

He thought of the mysterious voice he had heard when he consumed the Three-Tailed Red Fox Demon Pill.

Wu Dao couldn’t help but grind his teeth.

...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—

Within the Inner City of Lancang County City,

the phenomena created by the battle were too terrifying.

The rumbling of Celestial Thunder was incessant.

The ground shook without end, as if in an earthquake. The houses of thousands of families trembled, filling them with terror.

The two pillars of smoke that shot into the sky like rainbows

looked like the descent of a God and Demon. They illuminated the entire city, causing countless ignorant people to fall to their knees and kowtow endlessly.

"A battle between Grandmasters... it’s truly like a clash of gods and demons!"

In the Inner City,

Zhao Jianji and a group of retreating higher-ups from the White Whale Martial Arts Hall stared at the roiling dust clouds, the exploding dirt and rocks, and the faint, brilliant flashes of light in the distance.

The hairs on their arms stood on end.

They were profoundly aware of their own insignificance.

Who would win, and who would die?

This question now hung over their hearts like a great stone, for it would determine the future of the White Whale Martial Arts Hall.

It would also determine their own fates.

RUMBLE—

At a certain moment,

following one final, heaven-shaking explosion, the distant battlefield finally fell silent.

Zhao Jianji’s and the Grand Elder’s hearts leaped into their throats. They stared wide-eyed into the depths of the dust, each hoping to see the figure they were waiting for emerge.

WHOOSH~

Before long,

under the nervous gaze of the crowd, a figure slowly walked out from within the billowing dust.

That familiar, domineering, heaven-propping figure.

Zhao Jianji recognized him at a glance, and a grin immediately split his face from ear to ear.

’It’s over!’

In contrast,

the members of the Elder Council looked as if they had just lost their parents. Their faces were pale, and the Grand Elder, Elder Chen, swayed on his feet, clenched his teeth, and bolted without a second thought.

He had remembered something.

During the Hero Assembly, he had threatened Wu Dao with a look!

Given Wu Dao’s vicious and vengeful nature,

how could he possibly be spared now that Wu Dao was in power?

THOOM!!

But the Grand Elder had barely moved when a clap of thunder erupted from the dust. A massive black shadow crossed several hundred meters in a flash, moving faster than their minds could process.

RUMBLE—

A split second later,

a sonic boom erupted. The compressed, explosive Gangfeng Qi Flow brutally tore apart the buildings in its path, carving out a long vacuum tunnel. The various higher-ups of the martial hall were sent tumbling.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

Amidst the surging, raging currents of air,

Wu Dao appeared like a Demon God from Purgatory. He was drenched in blood, a gruesome wound gaping on his chest, and in his massive, fan-like hand, he clutched a human head. Behind him on the street, the Grand Elder’s headless body was still running.

"From this day forward, I call the shots at the White Whale Martial Arts Hall!!"

Wu Dao stood firm against the wind, his dark eyes sweeping over the scattered higher-ups of the martial hall. His voice was like a clap of thunder.

Dead silence!

The higher-ups of the White Whale Martial Arts Hall, sprawled on the ground, seemed not to have recovered from the terror of facing what felt like the god of death. Their expressions were dazed.

SPLAT!

The sound of a skull being crushed rang out.

Hot blood sprayed in all directions, and the searing heat on their faces snapped them back to reality.

"Who agrees? And who objects?"

Wu Dao crushed the head in his palm. His clothes flapped in the wind as an endless, tyrannical pressure washed over the scene like a mountain-collapsing tsunami.

"The Grandmaster is mighty! His Divine Power is boundless! May he unite the Jianghu!!"

Zhao Jianji and the members from the Tan County Branch were the first to react. Their faces flushed red as they kowtowed and shouted at the top of their lungs.

When a man ascends, his whole household rises with him!

From now on,

they weren’t just latching onto a powerful backer; they were clinging to an entire mountain!

If not now, when?

""We pay our respects to the Grandmaster!""

A thunderous, awestruck roar shook the sky as the crowd bowed their heads and knelt in unison, welcoming their new master.

The die was cast.

He who understands the times is a wise man.

With the tragic fates of Qi Canghai and the Grand Elder before them,

who would dare to say no?

"’Grandmaster’ is too unpleasant to the ear!"

Wu Dao tossed aside the mangled flesh and bone in his hand. Looking down at the kowtowing higher-ups, he declared in an unquestionable, booming voice:

"You can’t create the new without destroying the old. From now on, there is no White Whale Martial Arts Hall, only the Overlord Whale Alliance! When I am not speaking, you will be silent. Any objections?"

’The Overlord Whale Alliance...’

’The White Whale Martial Arts Hall is... gone, just like that.’

Hearing Wu Dao’s undeniable voice,

many of the martial hall’s veterans looked dazed, an indescribable sorrow filling their hearts.

But the moment they saw Wu Dao’s abyss-like eyes, a shiver ran down their spines, snapping them back to their senses. They shouted in unison—

""The Alliance Leader is wise and brilliant! His Divine Power is boundless! May he unite the Jianghu!!""

The victor is crowned king, while the loser is branded a bandit!

A new king has been crowned!

There is no room for the defeated dogs to weep.

To understand the situation and adapt is the Great Dao!

"Hahaha, good!!"

Seeing the heroes bow and submit, Wu Dao finally let out the most gratified laugh he’d had since arriving in this world. The sound shook the Nine Heavens and echoed throughout the city, incomparably wild and unrestrained.

He had been in this dangerous world for nearly half a year!

He had finally gained a firm foothold.

But the only dissatisfaction of the strong is that they are never satisfied with the status quo!

Today’s achievement

is only the beginning!

There is no need to linger on it, only to stride forward!

Hack through thorns and brambles, for the Celestial Dao rewards the diligent. The road ahead holds a new and brilliant scenery!

...

News that the White Whale Martial Arts Hall had changed owners and been renamed

spread the next day thanks to the Overlord Whale Alliance’s deliberate promotion. It was like a single stone setting off a thousand waves, sending a shockwave through the entire Guangqing Prefecture!

The level of shock

completely surpassed that of the Yellow Dragon Temple’s annihilation!

"Is Qi Canghai really dead? He was the Grandmaster of the White Whale Martial Arts Hall! This can’t be fake news, can it?"

"How could it be fake? And there’s no White Whale Martial Arts Hall anymore. Haven’t you seen all the halls in the city changing their banners? You have to call it the Overlord Whale Alliance now."

"Tsk tsk, how long has it been? He destroyed the Yellow Dragon and slayed the White Whale!

That Overlord Whale King is a true hero. With such a powerful lord in charge, just you watch, the Overlord Whale Alliance’s future is surely limitless."

"Yeah, I heard that not only is the Overlord Whale King’s strength unfathomable, but he’s also extremely tolerant and generous to his subordinates. He doesn’t care about your background or temperament, only your ability. If you could join him, your future would be as bright as brocade."

"Fools are still feeling envious, but the smart ones have already joined the alliance, hehe."

In the streets and alleys, throughout the Jianghu, from the lowest rungs to the highest echelons,

countless voices rose in discussion and clamor.

Wu Dao’s name once again resounded throughout the Prefecture, and his fame even spread beyond its borders. Everyone knew that a new hegemon had risen in Guangqing Prefecture.

The prestige and might of the Overlord Whale Alliance soared as a result.

Everyone knew it was a rising power with a bright future, attracting countless Loose Cultivators from the Jianghu to join and greatly increasing the foundation of the nascent Overlord Whale Alliance.

...

As for the clamor and discussions throughout the Jianghu,

Wu Dao didn’t pay them much mind.

After the battle that day,

he once again entered seclusion to deal with his injuries.

The blood of a Land Immortal Level Great Demon.

Its poison was far too potent.

It felt like ten thousand ants were constantly gnawing at him, a poison that clung to his bones and simply wasn’t something someone of his level could handle.

If not for his formidable Life Force and indestructible will, he would have perished not long after the fight ended.

If he didn’t deal with this hidden danger,

he wouldn’t dare to advance in his cultivation, because the poison seemed to feed on his Life Force to survive.

Until he reached the Land Immortal Level,

the stronger his Life Force, the more ferocious the poison would become!

Wu Dao never joked around with his own life.

Fortunately,

Shi Kui had pointed him toward a clear path.

A problem that could be solved with money wasn’t a problem at all!

He threw down tens of millions in silver.

In exchange, he received a Land Immortal Level Great Tribulation Relief Pill!

After three days of recuperation,

he finally eradicated the root of the poison. The terrifying scar on his chest healed completely, and he let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.