Essence Devouring Art

Within this world’s Martial Dao system,

there exists an exceptionally unique branch—

the pure Horizontal Refining Martial Artists!

As the name suggests, they prioritize Body Refinement over cultivation realms.

The physiques of these Martial Artists are as strong as Fierce Beasts, their qi and blood far surpassing others in the same realm.

The phenomena manifested when their abundant qi and blood surges through their bodies are also divided into different levels!

The Qi and Blood Furnace is the first gate for a Horizontal Refiner!

Anyone who has passed through this gate,

even if only at the Harmonizing Force realm, can contend with a Dark Force expert through sheer physical might alone!

The Giant Whale Skill is a renowned Horizontal Training Skill.

It is incredibly famous.

Not only does it grant the Giant Whale Dominating Body, which tremendously enhances one’s physique, but upon reaching the Fourth Layer, one’s body becomes strong enough to possess the Power of four Barbaric Whales, firmly placing them past the first gate of Horizontal Training!

However,

a physique of this level

was nothing to the current Wu Dao.

After unleashing 65% of his body’s potential to enter the Heroic Domain, his Physique had undergone a complete, transformative leap!

His marrow was like frost, his blood like mercury, scorching like magma!

His bones were steel, his muscles were iron wire—he was more of a brute than any Horizontal Refiner!

If he went all out, his physique could also manifest the furnace phenomenon.

He estimated that by using Divine Ghost Heaven, he could even briefly touch the Limit of that first gate!

But there was no need to use Divine Ghost Heaven to deal with this cornered old dog!

How could Wu Dao’s Spiritual Perception be anything but overwhelmingly powerful?

He had instantly detected the abnormal surge of qi and blood within Elder Qin. How could he not know that the man had detonated all the essence blood in his Dantian just to briefly enter the domain of the Qi and Blood Furnace?

This method of boosting one’s strength, much like the Celestial Demon Dissolution from martial arts novels, was a pyrrhic victory—draining the pond to catch the fish.

After the battle, his Dantian would be damaged, his qi and blood depleted, and his lifespan shortened. Even if he didn’t die, he would be crippled!

Clearly, Elder Qin was determined to take Wu Dao down with him in a final, desperate struggle!

Too bad for him! The fish would die, but the net would never break!

RUMBLE!

He completely unleashed the physique of the Heroic Domain!

His qi and blood erupted like a volcano and surged like a great river. Pumped by a heart that beat like a war drum, scorching-hot blood circulated at extreme speeds throughout his body!

The temperature of Wu Dao’s steel-like physique soared. Within a single breath, his skin turned red-hot, and his muscles began to glow.

He looked like a red-hot, humanoid furnace, instantly vaporizing the rain into a white mist. Unleashing his full Power, he effortlessly stepped into the domain of the Qi and Blood Furnace!

"My casual effort is your absolute limit. What makes you think you can fight me?"

In the face of Elder Qin’s dumbfounded expression,

the crimson, Evil Ghost-like Wu Dao grinned ferociously, revealing a mouthful of terrifying shark teeth. He stomped his foot, blasting the muddy ground apart like a cannonball, and in the next instant, his red-hot iron fist smashed into Elder Qin’s face once more!

The iron fist was searing hot!

Its Power was like a missile strike!

And with Meticulous control over his Spirit Armor, it carried an endless intent of Battle and slaughter!

BAM!

CRACK!

Without so much as a grunt, Elder Qin was sent flying. It felt as if a meteor had struck him head-on; his skull was on the verge of exploding!

In mid-air, 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

his old teeth went flying as his entire ugly face caved in. His steel-like bones groaned and shattered under the strain, and his brain was nearly turned to mush!

Not only that, but he also suffered brutal spiritual torment. His very soul felt as if it had been cast into the depths of Hell, teetering on the brink of annihilation amidst an endless storm of slaughter!

’Run, run, run!’

’There’s no chance of winning!’

The one-sided beatdown completely extinguished any thought of taking Wu Dao down with him. All Elder Qin wanted was to get as far away from the monster before him as possible!

THUD!

Using the force from Wu Dao’s punch, Elder Qin’s body, now resembling a small, red-hot giant, flew backward and came to a stop dozens of meters away.

He stomped hard, launching himself into the air above the treetops. Adjusting his posture, he transformed into the image of a great whale leaping from the sea beneath the moon, executing the Whale Leaping Star River Technique in an attempt to glide away!

But... ’Why has the black sky turned red?’

BAM!!

"Get down here!!"

Arriving in a flash, Wu Dao trailed a plume of whistling white steam. In the stormy sky, more than ten meters up, he executed a massive cartwheel kick. His red-hot thigh, like a great whale cleaving the sea, viciously slammed into Elder Qin’s waist!

CRACK!

His spine snapped!

CRACKLE—POP—

Power ran rampant!

As Elder Qin fell, a series of pops like firecrackers echoed from within his small, giant-like body. The force was ravaging him from the inside, and all the tissues of his upper body were utterly destroyed!

BOOM!

The ground shook, and a torrent of rainwater shot into the air!

Elder Qin crashed to the ground like a meteor, carving out a huge crater. He lay in the pit like a pile of mud, his spine shattered beyond immediate repair. He was completely paralyzed, like a man in a vegetative state!

THUD!

The ground in the distance shook, sending more rainwater flying.

Through Elder Qin’s blurry vision, he saw the red-hot, furnace-like Wu Dao approaching step by step. Shrouded in the steam of the evaporating rain, his Demon God Physique was half-hidden, half-visible, and a savage smile played on his lips.

Only then did Elder Qin truly notice Wu Dao’s unusual, red-hot shark-like teeth.

Such an obvious feature.

In a flash, a terrifying suspicion formed in his mind—

’Wu Dao!!’

’But Wu Dao has only undergone a Second Rebirth!’

’How could he possibly have the ability of a Transformed Martial Artist to alter his appearance?’

Confusion, anger, despair, pain, and then... darkness!

Elder Qin’s state was worse than death. He wanted to at least die knowing the truth, but he no longer had the strength to even speak.

TSSSSS...

Rainwater continuously poured into the crater, only to be boiled and evaporated by Elder Qin’s body heat, sending wisps of white smoke into the night air.

Wu Dao’s footsteps drew nearer.

When the crimson, tyrannical physique appeared at the edge of the crater,

the rain finally extinguished the "furnace" in the pit. The white smoke ceased to rise, replaced by an endless chill!

Wu Dao’s red-hot foot stepped into the puddle, instantly boiling another cloud of steam. His steel-like hand grabbed Elder Qin like a rag doll, the scorching heat charring the old man’s neck black.

Wu Dao lifted Elder Qin, pulling him close. He stared with his hollow eye sockets and whispered mockingly by the man’s ear,

"Well? Earlier today, I told you that you’d face a bloody calamity. Was I right?"

"Wu..."

From within his caved-in face, Elder Qin’s bloodshot eyes, which looked ready to burst, struggled to move. His mouth gurgled with blood as he seemed to try and call out Wu Dao’s name.

BAM!!

The ground shook violently, and the water in the puddle blasted skyward.

Before Elder Qin could mumble Wu Dao’s name, Wu Dao clamped a hand over his face and brutally slammed his head into the crater, burying it deep in the earth.

THUD!

Another punch, drawn back like a bowstring!

Wu Dao’s entire arm plunged into the mud, blasting a deep hole. He could feel his fist grinding through shredded flesh and shattered bone all the way down.

Pulling out his fist, the ferocious look on Wu Dao’s face gradually faded. He scanned the surrounding hundred meters and, seeing only a few terrified lackeys, dismissed them from his mind.

The fight with Elder Qin felt long, but in reality, it was over in less than a minute. The experts from the White Whale Martial Arts Hall probably hadn’t even been alerted to the attack yet.

Still, he couldn’t afford to waste time.

If a Transformed Martial Artist learned of this, they could arrive in a matter of a dozen breaths.

WHOOSH~

With that thought, Wu Dao leaped. His Violent Dragon Physique shattered the air, leaving a turbulent wake as he crossed a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. With a crash, he smashed through the winery wall and darted toward the cellar he had perceived.

Back in the crater,

only Elder Qin’s headless corpse remained, slowly being submerged by the rain.

BAM!

Beneath the winery.

Wu Dao brutally kicked down the thick iron door, causing the adjacent walls to crumble and collapse. Behind it, a treasure room overflowing with brilliant light was revealed!

’Well now, Elder Qin!’

Seeing the contents of the treasure room, Wu Dao grinned, genuinely surprised by the elder’s wealth.

Within the treasury, which spanned several dozen square meters,

the ceiling was inlaid with unknown Nightlight Stones, illuminating the entire room as brightly as an incandescent lamp.

The four walls of the treasury were lined with multi-tiered wooden shelves, laden with rare medicinal herbs, luxurious Treasure Artifacts, precious beast horns, fine jades, and jewels...

It was a dazzling and breathtaking sight.

One could only imagine how many benefits that old bastard Elder Qin had reaped over the years, both openly and secretly, using his position!

However, none of this was Wu Dao’s primary goal.

He swept the room with his Spiritual Perception.

Every minute detail of the treasury was imprinted upon his mind.

Within a breath,

Wu Dao’s gaze settled. He walked to a corner, pried a loose brick from the wall, and pulled out a yellowed, heavily worn book—

The Giant Whale Skill!

Three large words leaped into view!