Essence Devouring Art

Luotou Mountain.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

A dreadful, fierce aura and surging Yin Sha Qi flooded the sky and land. As it swept past, the plants, soil, and rocks withered, blackened, and melted away.

The Grand Elder of the Corpse God Palace narrowed his cold eyes, watching Wu Dao fly toward them through the vicious, malevolent qi. A sense of bewilderment and suspicion grew in his heart.

’Something isn’t right!’

’Something is very wrong!’

Wu Dao only had the battle power of the Celestial Human Second Floor.

Logically, he should have been scared out of his wits and fled the instant he saw the Luotou God emerge.

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could feel the Luotou God’s terrifying presence, which was no weaker than the Celestial Human Fourth Floor.

Not to mention...

...they, a group of masters from the Corpse God Palace, were here and had already suppressed and trapped the Luotou God.

Any normal person...

...faced with such a terrifying disparity in power, would never approach. They’d run as far away as possible.

But Wu Dao...

’Is this confidence, or arrogance?’

Heh!

’It doesn’t matter!’

Murderous intent flared in the Corpse God Palace’s Grand Elder’s eyes. He tapped the spot between his eyebrows, and from his Purple Mansion flew a seven-foot-long Coffin Nail dripping with black blood.

He was at the Middle Stage of the True Master Realm, having refined Heavenly Spirit and Earthly Fiend Qi. His Spiritual Power had transformed into even mightier Magical Power, allowing him to cast all sorts of terrifying Great Magic.

His overall battle power was equivalent to the Celestial Human Fifth Floor.

The Second Elder and Third Elder were also Fourth Floor experts who had converted their Spiritual Power into Magical Power.

With a lineup like this...

...there was no reason to fear a little bastard at the Celestial Human Second Floor!

"Maintain the array! I will be right back!"

The Grand Elder’s skeletal frame was enveloped in dense Yin Sha Qi. Holding the Coffin Nail, his figure flickered and vanished into the air like a shadow deprived of sunlight.

When he reappeared...

...he had silently crossed several miles, leaping out of the ghostly shadows to materialize before Wu Dao with overwhelming killing intent.

"Little bastard, today is the day you die!"

The Grand Elder pointed the Coffin Nail straight at the spot between Wu Dao’s eyebrows. Seeing the faint look of surprise on Wu Dao’s face, he felt a surge of pride.

After reaching the True Master Realm...

...he had refined Illusory Yin True Slaughter into his Spiritual Power. He had mastered an Illusion technique to perfection, allowing him to come and go without a trace.

Ghostly and phantom-like, he left no sound or mark.

Anyone below the Celestial Human Fifth Floor wouldn’t even be able to detect his presence before being killed in a single strike!

SHLICK!

The blood-dripping black Coffin Nail pierced the void, carrying a dreadful aura of death that made the spot between Wu Dao’s eyebrows tingle, even through his Primordial Magnetic Gang Shield.

He was, indeed, a little surprised.

He hadn’t expected the speed of a combatant at the Heavenly Human Fifth Floor level to be so terrifying.

The danger had arrived almost at the same instant he saw the Corpse God Palace’s Grand Elder vanish into a ghostly mist.

He hadn’t detected even a hint of his presence along the way!

’If I had really come alone...’

’...I probably would have suffered a major loss today.’

But...

CLANG!!

An eight-foot-long, curved-back Ring-Headed Saber, glowing with a brilliant golden light as scorching as the blazing sun, silently slashed out of the void and blocked the Corpse God Palace’s Grand Elder’s Coffin Nail.

BOOM—

The instant the saber’s tip collided with the Coffin Nail’s point...

...a violent, thunderous clash of metal exploded across the heavens and earth.

Yin Sha Dross Qi and Fiery Sun Pure Qi, a clash of Yin and Yang, erupted into black and gold tidal shockwaves that ravaged the sky and ground, distorting the landscape and blasting apart entire mountains.

"Who?!"

His strike foiled, the Grand Elder of the Corpse God Palace felt his heart jump. Sensing a scorching presence no weaker than his own, his figure dissolved into a ghostly mist and retreated frantically.

"Yin Wuchang, it’s been decades. You haven’t improved much, have you!"

Accompanied by a deep voice that boomed like the striking of a great bell, a towering man built like an iron pagoda, clad in golden armor, emerged from the void. He grinned and sneered at the Corpse God Palace’s Grand Elder, whose figure had reappeared in the distance.

"Fang Lie of Martial King Mountain?"

The Corpse God Palace’s Grand Elder, Yin Wuchang, stared at Fang Lie, who now stood before Wu Dao. Fang Lie’s untamed aura was like that of the great sun itself, and Yin Wuchang’s sunken eyes constricted abruptly.

Fang Lie!

The Peak Master of Martial King Mountain’s Lieyang Peak!

Middle Stage of the Divine Skill Realm!

Martial Arts Celestial Human Fifth Floor battle power!

True Intent of the Blade Way Fourth Floor!

Decades ago, the Corpse God Palace and Martial King Mountain had clashed.

At that time, Yin Wuchang had been soundly beaten by Fang Lie. If not for his reliance on the Illusion technique, he would have long since turned to dust.

So, upon seeing Fang Lie...

...even after several decades, he still felt a subconscious pang of fear.

More importantly...

...he had long heard that Zige Mountain had joined the Nanyang Prince’s Mansion, and that his old enemy Fang Lie had become one of the four Governors of the Bai Ze Bureau!

Fang Lie appearing here...

’Doesn’t that mean the Bai Ze Bureau is also...’

BUZZZ!!

The thought had barely crossed Yin Wuchang’s mind when the world suddenly hummed. In all directions, it was as if nine small suns had lit up, their brilliance too dazzling to look at directly.

In the next instant...

...the nine small suns exploded. Light and heat formed a brilliant golden curtain that enveloped the surrounding thirty li, and the intense, scorching sun-like aura burned away the Yin Sha Qi and fierce, malevolent qi within, causing them to dissipate as quickly as snow in the spring sun.

’The Nine Yang Array?!’

Feeling the Great Sun Yang Fire permeating the void, roasting all that was yin and dark, Yin Wuchang’s face turned the color of pig’s liver.

’What is this?’

’We just trapped the Luotou God with the Profound Yin Array.’

’We weren’t even happy for long.’

’And now we’re immediately trapped by someone else with the Nine Yang Array?’

’Is this some kind of nesting doll stunt?’

"Yin Wuchang, you old undying bastard! You managed to escape last time, but let’s see where you run today!"

The moment the Nine Yang Array fell...

...a vigorous, elderly voice rang out from outside the array. A slovenly old man in gray robes, holding a Peach Wood Sword, strode through the void. His soaring Sword Intent was aimed straight at the Corpse God Palace members inside the array.

It was none other than the Zige Mountain Sword Cultivator, Zhuo Xianyi, whom Wu Dao had met once before. The powerful Sword Intent he now revealed also let Wu Dao know his cultivation level.

Peak of the First Heaven of Martial Immortal!

(Equivalent to the Peak of Celestial Human Divine Sea.)

Although his True Intent was only at the Third Floor of the Sword Dao’s True Intent Strength, the Military Dao was unparalleled in combat, the strongest of the three Daos. His battle power was definitely at the Celestial Human Fourth Floor!

"The Corpse God Palace’s attempt to restore the Celestial Kingdom and throw the Southern Border into chaos is a capital crime!"

After Zhuo Xianyi...

...a voice as cold as ice rang out. A woman with blue hair, blue eyebrows, and blue armor strode into the array, bare-fisted. She was tall, with an average face but a stunning figure, exuding a cold beauty that made it hard to look at her directly.

Her immense Fist Intent triggered a change in the weather, creating a blizzard that swirled around her. With her valiant and heroic bearing, she resembled a polar Female War God.

Another master at the Celestial Human Fourth Floor!

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

After Zhuo Xianyi and the Cold Imperial Woman, three more figures shot into the array. They were a mix of Martial and Military Dao cultivators, their auras powerful. All were in the Heavenly Human Realm!

"Peach Blossom Sword Zhuo Xianyi, Proud Snow Fist Mu Wushuang, Three Emperors Fist Gu Qianhuang..."

Yin Wuchang’s gaze swept over the Bai Ze Bureau masters entering the array from all sides. His sinister and venomous eyes suddenly locked onto Wu Dao. "Little bastard, you dare to plot against us?"

One at the Celestial Human Fifth Floor.

Three at the Celestial Human Fourth Floor, three at the Celestial Human Second Floor—no, including Wu Dao, it should be four!

This lineup!

And with the suppression of the Nine Yang Array!

They could completely devour the Corpse God Palace!

At this moment, Yin Wuchang’s heart was filled with endless confusion and immense frustration.

He was confused because he couldn’t figure out how they had been exposed, and frustrated because after living for hundreds of years, he’d been outsmarted by a mere brat!

And this one trick...

...was very likely to be fatal!

"Heh, for someone your age to be spouting such nonsense, I’m embarrassed for you."

Facing Yin Wuchang’s venomous glare, Wu Dao sneered and shook his head, thinking the old geezer’s brain must be broken.

’What do you mean, how dare I plot against you?’

’It’s okay for you to bring a gun, but I’m not allowed to wear a bulletproof vest? Is that it?’

"Lord Fang, I’ll have to trouble you all with these old fellows."

Wu Dao had no more interest in a war of words with Yin Wuchang. He nodded to Fang Lie and charged toward the Luotou God, which was in the center of the black Grand Array.

He didn’t enjoy fighting and killing people.

Fierce Monsters were more his style.

Since the Corpse God Palace dared to associate with the likes of a Celestial King, the Bai Ze Bureau would naturally hunt them down to the last man.

When Fang Lie and the others saw Wu Dao intending to challenge the Luotou God alone, they didn’t try to stop him. Wu Dao had already revealed his true strength to them on the way here.

Celestial Human Fourth Floor!

Even though Fierce Monsters were special and couldn’t be measured by common sense, he would be able to hold on until they could provide support.

’Courting death!’

Seeing Wu Dao ignore him and rush toward the Luotou God in the Grand Array, Yin Wuchang grew ruthless. He sent a mental message to the Second Elder: ’Release the Grand Array! Muddle the waters! Otherwise, we’ll all fall here today!’

The people from the Bai Ze Bureau...

...were just enough to match the Corpse God Palace in a one-on-one fight.

But under the suppression of the Nine Yang Array, they were at a disadvantage.

If they released the Luotou God now...

...with no one to restrain it...

...it would surely throw the battle into chaos, giving them a chance to break the stalemate.

The moment the Second Elder and the others received Yin Wuchang’s message, they also understood that the key to breaking the situation lay with the Luotou God. They immediately withdrew their supply of Spiritual Power and Magical Power.

BUZZZ~

The instant the Profound Yin Array, which had covered a ten-li radius, was dismantled...

"ROAR!!"

...the rampaging Luotou God, now enraged to its absolute limit, let out a furious roar that could shatter mountains.

From its massive body, it spewed cascades of blood-red shockwaves that swept like a tidal wave across a twenty-li radius, enveloping everyone within the Nine Yang Array!

Heh~

’Trying to use the chaos to break free?’

Wu Dao’s eyes narrowed. Of course he knew what the Corpse God Palace members were thinking.

Unfortunately for them...

...no matter how much Yin Wuchang and his cronies schemed, they could never have guessed that he wasn’t at the Celestial Human Second Floor. Their plan was doomed to fail.

HUMMM~

The blood-red shockwave swept over.

Wu Dao didn’t dodge or evade. He activated his Primordial Magnetic Gang Shield and let the malevolent light wash over him.

In an instant!

The scenery of the world changed as if a photograph had been flipped.

Everything in his perception became completely unfamiliar.

A red moon hung high in a blood-colored sky.

Countless flakes of pale, goose-feather snow drifted down.

Upon the land, the mountains, rivers, and plants...

...were all dripping with scarlet blood.

At its core...

...countless human figures were kowtowing in worship toward the colossal Fierce Monster of Luotou Mountain. With each kowtow, their necks stretched longer and longer in a bizarre and grotesque display.

The Evil Domain!

An Evil Domain that enveloped the world for twenty li in every direction!

This was the terrifying aspect of a Celestial Level Fierce Monster. It could actively release its Evil Domain to transform the world around it. Within this domain, it was the king!

Evidently...

...after being trapped just now...

...the enraged Luotou God was getting serious. It had unleashed its ultimate move the moment it broke free.

"Kill!!"

The instant they fell into the Evil Domain...

...Yin Wuchang instantly erupted, dissolving into a wisp of ghostly mist. When he reappeared, he was already in front of Zhuo Xianyi, intending to pick off the weakest target first.

"You’re courting death!"

BOOM—

Along with the furious shout...

...Fang Lie brandished his saber in mid-air, commanding the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. He transformed it into a blazing saber flame that seemed like a sea of fire pouring down from the Nine Heavens, cleaving through the void. Infused with the Extremely Supreme Yang Fierce Sun Pure Qi gushing from his Dantian, he viciously chopped down toward Yin Wuchang’s head.

Heavenly Gang Clear Qi and Earthly Muddy Evil Qi.

These came in countless varieties, accumulated since ancient times. They were the world’s most primordial qi of creation and destruction, their mighty power far exceeding that of normal Primordial Qi, Spiritual Qi, or Soldier Qi.

At the Second Layer of their respective paths—Immortal Daoist True Masters, Martial Dao Divine Skill experts, and Military Dao Martial Immortals—cultivators could capture various kinds of Heavenly Spirit and Earthly Fiend Qi to merge into their Three Dantians, enhancing the power of their Spiritual Qi, Primordial Qi, and Soldier Qi.

What Fang Lie had refined was the Fiery Sun Pure Qi spewed forth by the great sun. It was the ultimate counter to all things yin, evil, and strange, and also the nemesis of Yin Wuchang’s Illusionary Yin Sha Qi.

Therefore, faced with Fang Lie’s saber strike...

...Yin Wuchang didn’t dare to take it head-on. He could only give up on Zhuo Xianyi and turn to face Fang Lie, who was on his own level.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!—

The instant the two clashed...

...countless snowflakes were pulverized into nothingness. A vast swath of the sky turned into a chaotic, blurry expanse of gold and black, making it impossible to see what was happening within.

"Kill!"

Zhuo Xianyi and Mu Wushuang didn’t hesitate either. One’s sword unleashed a flurry of peach blossoms, while the other’s fist summoned a blizzard. They attacked simultaneously, targeting the Corpse God Palace’s Second and Third Elders and beginning their own one-on-one battles.

Gu Qianhuang and the other two masters from the Bai Ze Bureau also sprang into action. Their Essence, Qi, and Spirit surged to their peak as they lunged toward the remaining Celestial Human experts of the Corpse God Palace.

Instantly...

...Soldier Qi, Primordial Qi, and Spiritual Power clashed wildly. From time to time, True Intent would manifest in various phenomena. The entire Evil Domain flashed with a myriad of colors as a terrifying, tide-like killing intent continuously shook the heavens.

Anyone below the Celestial Human realm...

...would be instantly torn to shreds upon entering!

「At the same time.」

In the core of the Evil Domain...

...Wu Dao had begun his fight with the Luotou God.