Essence Devouring Art

After traversing all the way beyond Hongyuan.

Wu Dao encountered a great turmoil, a void storm, and was instantly torn into a microscopic state. His trillions of Primordial Magnetic Crystal Particles were shattered.

He once again fell into a darkness between life and death.

He had no idea where the spacetime storm had blown him.

An unknown amount of time passed.

It wasn’t until this very moment...

...that he finally broke free from the darkness, regained consciousness, and returned to himself.

Hmm?

Just as Wu Dao was about to continue devouring the energy of the world’s magnetic field to heal, he sensed that something was wrong.

It was cramped. Suffocating.

Like a great shark dropped into a small pond.

A suppressive, uncomfortable feeling from all directions.

BUZZ—

His magnetic field spread out to analyze his surroundings.

Wu Dao immediately recognized the strange magnetic field energy he was devouring. At the same time, his senses touched the crystal wall barrier of this small world.

’Power of Faith, a Divine Country...’

’Tsk, I sure know how to pick a spot.’

Wu Dao’s consciousness wavered slightly. He understood his current predicament and was utterly speechless.

He had considered all sorts of situations he might encounter upon arriving in Hongyuan.

But he had never imagined this.

He had actually been swept by a spacetime storm into the abandoned Divine Country of some Divine Spirit from Hongyuan. He had been thrown into the slammer the moment he arrived.

He determined it was abandoned...

...because besides the sea of faith clouds, there wasn’t the slightest trace of a Divine Spirit’s aura within the Divine Country. The god was most likely dead, leaving only an empty shell.

As for why he felt he was in prison...

First, this Divine Country was far too barren.

The Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall completely cut it off from outside energy. Relying solely on this sea of faith, which spanned several thousand li, wouldn’t be enough to repair his shattered Primordial Magnetic Crystal Particles even if he devoured it all.

The second reason was...

’A Divine Country... what a pain.’

Wu Dao mentally reviewed the information he had on the Divine Race of Hongyuan. Sensing the thick and sturdy Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall, he knew he couldn’t get out before making a full recovery. He could only sit in his prison.

The Divine Race of the Hongyuan Great World.

It was composed of an unknown number of pantheons, both large and small.

But they could generally be divided into three categories: Faith Gods, Innate Gods, and Mao Gods.

Faith Gods are born from the Wish Power of living beings and feed on Incense Fire Wish Power. As long as their faith is not extinguished, the god will not be extinguished.

Innate Gods were much nobler.

They did not rely entirely on faith.

They were natural Divine Spirits nurtured by the Celestial Dao, such as mountain gods, river gods, lake gods, and gods of wind, thunder, rain, and lightning...

However.

These days, there were very few purely Innate Gods left in Hongyuan.

Most were Spirit Monsters or Heroic Spirits enfeoffed by the Celestial Court through the Merit List. They had taken over the duties of the Innate Gods, maintaining favorable weather and prosperity in various regions, making them no different from Faith Gods in practice.

As for Mao Gods.

This referred to Wild Gods without orthodox teachings, who were not Innate Gods, but rather born from profane rites and wicked sacrifices in savage lands.

Within the Divine Race.

There was also a cultivation path, largely similar to that of the Human Race.

The starting point, a New God, was equivalent to a Celestial Being.

A Little God possessed Divine Techniques.

A Great God was a Great Divine Power User.

A True God was at the Dharma Realm.

A Divine Monarch capable of creating a Divine Country was at the Cave Heavens Realm, which was above the Dharma Realm.

The small world Wu Dao was now trapped in...

...was a Divine Country created by a Divine Monarch-level Divine Spirit.

Even though the Divine Country had shrunk to a mere tens of thousands of li in radius and its Mighty Power had greatly diminished after being abandoned...

...the current Wu Dao could not break through the Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall, nor could he touch the outside world’s magnetic field. He would only have a chance after recovering to his peak.

’I’d better not be in the treasury of some major Divine Race power.’

While devouring the Faith and Willpower to recover, Wu Dao analyzed the various pieces of information carried within the power to pinpoint his current location.

’Chaotic Star Heaven... Border Wilderness... Primordial Cave Heaven... Primordial Divine Monarch... the declining Primordial Sect...’

As his magnetic field analyzed the Faith and Willpower,

piecing together the various fragments of information allowed Wu Dao to understand his current situation.

’Chaotic Star Heaven... native factions and tendrils from All Heavens, an extremely mixed bag. But... that also means opportunities abound.’

Various secrets and pieces of information about Chaotic Star Heaven churned in Wu Dao’s mind, and he began to form a brief plan for the future.

Of course, the prerequisite was...

...to first escape from this cage.

’Imprisoned in my past life, imprisoned in the Divine Wilderness, and now imprisoned again upon arriving in Hongyuan...’

Wu Dao summarized his life and made a discovery.

It seemed his fate was inextricably and messily entangled with imprisonment.

’Just this Wish Power alone isn’t enough.’

Sensing the continuously shrinking sea of faith clouds, Wu Dao assessed the magnetic field energy and came to a conclusion.

Faith and Willpower.

Although it was a higher-grade magnetic field energy than Extraordinary Factors like Spiritual Qi and Primordial Qi...

...the quantity was too small.

The Primordial Sect began its decline three thousand years ago. Most of the Faith and Willpower they collected had been used to ignite the Primordial Divine Monarch’s Divine Fire, leaving little behind.

Even if he devoured all this Wish Power...

...Wu Dao estimated he would only recover about twenty percent of his strength.

’If I devoured the Divine Fire...’

At this thought.

While devouring the Wish Power, Wu Dao moved toward the center of the Divine Country, searching for the location of the Primordial Divine Monarch’s Divine Fire.

The Divine Fire had gathered three thousand years of Faith and Willpower. Before the Primordial Divine Monarch’s return, it was nothing more than a mass of extremely pure magnetic field energy.

According to the information he’d obtained.

The Primordial Divine Monarch had already fallen, his Divine Format degraded. Only the Divine Country itself remained, preserving its Cave Heavens Realm essence, making it unshakable.

Anything else within the Grotto Heaven...

...Wu Dao had the ability to devour it all completely.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—

As he moved to the center of the Grotto Heaven, enveloped by the sea of clouds, Wu Dao finally discovered a cluster of purple-gold Divine Fire on a Divine Altar.

The Divine Fire was only the size of a fist.

But the amount of Faith and Willpower it contained was immense. In this barren Grotto Heaven, it shone as dazzlingly as a peerless pearl.

’If this entire sea of faith clouds were poured into it, the Primordial Divine Monarch might actually be able to return.’

Sensing the divinity about to be born within the Divine Fire, Wu Dao felt no guilt at all for intercepting it. A large hand of magnetic force reached out, pulling the Divine Fire into his Sea of Origin.

BUZZ—

His magnetic field completely enveloped the Divine Fire.

Wu Dao didn’t devour the Divine Fire immediately. Instead, he first analyzed and imprinted the structural information of the Divine Fire’s magnetic field.

The Divine Fire was the key to the Divine Country’s authority.

If he could analyze and master the Divine Fire’s magnetic field, he might be able to wield some of the Divine Country’s authority and communicate with the magnetic field of the outside world.

RUMBLE—

After imprinting the information of the Primordial Divine Monarch’s Divine Fire magnetic field, Wu Dao no longer restrained his magnetic attraction and began to devour the Faith and Willpower from the sea of clouds and the Divine Fire with all his might.

After all the Wish Power was devoured.

Wu Dao’s Primordial Magnetic Crystals were sixty percent restored, and he could now maintain a macroscopic structure. However, he still felt a deep sense of emptiness, a desperate urge to feed.

After the Faith and Willpower disappeared.

There was no more ’food’ left in the Divine Country, only some lingering, low-quality Earth and Heaven Magnetic Field.

There was some at the ends of the world, though.

The eggshell-like Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall. Unfortunately, its essence was a bit too high-level, involving realms above Dharma Aspect. His magnetic field couldn’t shake it. For now, he could only look, not eat.

Phew—

He let out a small, turbid breath.

Wu Dao suppressed his hunger and thirst. A magnetic field model of the Divine Fire appeared in his Divine Sea, and he began a deep analysis.

At the same time.

A new set of data appeared in his Divine Sea—

[Physique: Sacred Spirit]

[Extraordinary: Essence Devouring·Opening the Sky (1/11) +]

[Three-Phase Divine Punishment Fist 40,000 Years (Fist Phase 0/33) +]

[Holy Spirit Transformation 40,000 Years (Horizontal Refining Tenth Dao Gate, Human World Yang God, 0/33) +]

[Primordial Magnetic Divine Techniques: Primordial Magnetic Celestial Saber, Ten Directions Divine Slaughter, Primordial Magnetic Tribulation Finger, Celestial Essence Magnetic Burst Fist, Primordial Magnetic Celestial Prison Cage, Primordial Magnetic Demon Embryo, Infinite Magnetic Shock.]

[Holy Spirit Divine Techniques: One Origin, Ten Thousand Transformations - Dharma Aspect 0/33]

[Great All Heavens Divine Techniques: Unassailable Dharma Aspect (0/33) +, Five Thunders Celestial Heart Technique, Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, Stop War, Shed Armor, Great Thousand Seal, Dragon-breaking Skill, Celestial Will Four Symbols Fist... (Land Immortal) +]

[Creation Divine Techniques: Great Silence of All Heavens (Grandmaster) +]

[Emperor Scriptures: Thunder Emperor Scripture, Ten Thousand Solutions Emperor Scripture, Inference Celestial Emperor Scripture, Returning Abyss Sword Scripture, Luotian Sword Scripture, Qing Yu Extinction Scripture (Land Immortal) +]

[Celestial Treasure: Bitter Dust Robe (Emperor’s Artifact 100%)Celestial Treasure Advancement Ceremony: Suffering Dust Mortal Transformation.Celestial Treasure Law: Concealing Celestial Secret, Cause and Effect Immunity.]

[Teleportation Points: 0]

’Tsk, I entered Hongyuan, sword in hand, only to be thrown in prison the moment I walked through the door...’

His thoughts lingered on his various Cultivation paths, all crying out to be fed. Feeling the barrenness of the prison-like Divine Country, Wu Dao sighed with emotion and dismissed the attribute panel.

Unable to continue his Cultivation.

He decided to give himself a short break.

He activated Divine Ghost Heaven, multitasking.

While using his wisdom to comprehend twenty Heaven-Opening Techniques, he continuously analyzed and simulated the magnetic field of the Primordial Divine Monarch’s Divine Fire.

BUZZ—

「About a day later.」

Wu Dao opened his eyes. A cluster of purple-gold Divine Fire glowed brightly within them.

By analyzing the Divine Fire’s magnetic field...

...he had obtained a portion of the Divine Format’s authority, which was also the main authority of a Divine Spirit—

...the ability to absorb Incense Fire Wish Power.

In other words...

...when believers piously worshipped and prayed, he could use the Faith and Willpower to construct a channel to absorb the magnetic field power of the outside world.

Regardless of the amount.

At least he now had a way to feed.

FWOOSH—

The Divine Fire in his eyes burned even brighter.

His Primordial Magnetic Power simulated the Divine Fire’s magnetic field, and soon, raging purple-gold Divine Fire erupted around Wu Dao’s body, making him look like a burning human torch.

CLANG!

A sound like a breaking chain echoed in the sea of his consciousness.

Wu Dao clearly felt it.

A connection had been established between him and the deathly silent Divine Country. His consciousness perceived tiny conduits on the Divine Country’s wall, like blood vessels in meridians.

These tiny ’meridians’...

...some were dark and impassable.

A few were glowing brightly.

”Divine Monarch, bless us with favorable weather.”

”Divine Monarch, oh Divine Monarch, I’ve made an offering to you. Please bless my family with good health and good fortune.”

”Divine Monarch...”

The sounds of various prayers rang out.

Faintly, he could see the figures of believers kowtowing piously before statues of the god.

Wu Dao sensed the Life Magnetic Fields of the kowtowing believers. He discovered that although even a random child’s physique was comparable to the first step of Foundation Establishment, none of them possessed a Dantian.

But on second thought, it was normal.

No matter how high-level a world was.

The Extraordinary was always monopolized by powerful clans and major factions.

Any believers of the Primordial Sect who possessed a Dantian would have already joined the sect; it was impossible for them to remain in the mortal world.

By comparing information.

Wu Dao managed to gain a basic understanding of the difference between the Divine Wilderness and Hongyuan.

In the Ten Tribulations of the Divine Wilderness...

...only one in a thousand people had a Dantian.

But in Hongyuan.

...even in this barren land in the Border Wilderness of Chaotic Star Heaven, the ratio of those with a Dantian reached one in a hundred.

In the memories of the great powers and Celestial Prides of the All Heavens...

...in some prosperous lands blessed by Creation, everyone had a Dantian, and everyone could become Extraordinary.

But to get back to the point.

After a few experiments.

Wu Dao successfully used those believers as a medium to construct a magnetic field channel, absorbing slivers of high-energy magnetic force.

Under the influence of the high-energy magnetic field.

The believers were all energized, as if they had taken a Great Nourishing Pill, and they continuously knelt and shouted that the Divine Monarch had shown a miracle.

’The channels built by mortals are too narrow, and there’s also a time limit based on their pious prayers.’

Wu Dao withdrew his consciousness and shook his head slightly.

To recover quickly...

...he needed magnetic field channels with greater throughput—in other words, stronger believers.

Unfortunately, his authority was limited.

He could only establish channels with Extraordinary-level believers if they were piously worshipping up close, before the Divine Country.

However.

Wu Dao was not impatient.

Because he had learned from the information within the Wish Power that the Primordial Divine Sect’s sacrificial ceremony to the god would be held in two days.

’Yes.’

’At that time, I can use the channels to assimilate and contaminate their magnetic fields.’

’Then I’ll have a large batch of fanatical believers who will never want to leave me—in other words, long-term, stable feeding channels.’