Essence Devouring Art

”This is... the Reincarnation Saint Body?!”

Within Mo Chen’s Heart Lake, a voice also rang out in surprise. Wuchen had done his best to conceal the characteristics of his Reincarnation Saint Body.

But while he could deceive ordinary people...

...he couldn’t hide it from a Great Emperor like this one!

The karmic ties between the Celestial Court and the Netherworld’s Reincarnation Lineage ran extremely deep. It wasn’t just about the Fifth Tribulation; long ago, the Great Celestial Venerable had intended to unify the Netherworld under his rule.

After the Fifth Tribulation...

...the shattered Netherworld, along with the Dao Artifact, the Eighteen Netherworlds, fell into an unknown land.

The matter was left unresolved.

「Now...」

...a successor of the Reincarnation Lineage has appeared...

’No matter what!’

’I must make sure Wuchen does not leave here today!’

As this thought crossed its mind...

...the aura of the being within Mo Chen’s Heart Lake began to subtly change.

”You have indeed obtained a great Creation.”

Mo Chen stood firm under Wuchen’s fist, his gaze as profound and unfathomable as a divine being from the Nine Heavens. His expression remained unchanged.

But inwardly, he was surprised yet again.

He felt as if layer upon layer of the Reincarnation Abyss was pressing down on him relentlessly. Even his Divine Demon Body, forged by the Emperor Heaven and Earth Scripture, could only just hold its ground!

It was obvious.

Wuchen’s transformation was no small matter!

He had undergone a massive, all-encompassing transformation across all his Daos!

”Too much talk!”

BOOM!

Wuchen’s roar was like the bellow of an Abyssal Demon God as he fully unleashed his Reincarnation Body. Countless Hell Demon Gods howled within him. A dim, yellow sacred river of the Yellow Springs erupted from his Heavenly Spirit Cover, manifesting a terrifying vision of the birth, death, and Reincarnation of all things in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms!

”This is...”

”The Reincarnation Saint Body!!”

”Didn’t this sinful lineage die out during the Fifth Tribulation? How can there still be a successor?”

”The Reincarnation Emperor had connections to that madman, the Slaughter Emperor! This boy absolutely cannot be allowed to live!!”

The moment the Reincarnation Saint Body appeared...

...the expressions of the spectators below the Venerable Dao Platform changed drastically.

They were reminded of the dark ages recorded in ancient history, when blood flowed so freely across the All Heavens that shields floated upon it. Nine out of ten of them radiated a chilling killing intent!

The Creation Realm experts of the Five Directions Lords...

...also had flickering, uncertain expressions. Aside from the one from Star God Hall, the gazes of the other four had grown considerably more sinister.

The Four Tribulations worlds behind them...

...had been direct victims of the Fifth Tribulation. Many Daoist Lineages had yet to recover, and one of the worlds had completely declined.

To this day...

...they even had to rely on the Celestial Court’s whims to survive!

And the root cause was the main culprit, the Slaughter Emperor, and his followers!

If it weren’t for Mo Chen...

...or rather, that entity with him...

...they would have acted immediately to cut down Wuchen!

RUMBLE—

In the instant the All Heavens were reeling in shock...

...Wuchen, having unleashed his Reincarnation Saint Body, was like the Purgatory Emperor on the attack. The might of his Fist Force had skyrocketed, blasting Mo Chen back hundreds of millions of miles!

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

The Clear and Muddy Qi churned and roiled.

In an instant, Mo Chen’s turbulent Qi, blood, and physique stabilized. His chilling gaze pierced through time and space to lock onto the furiously charging Wuchen, his killing intent laid bare.

”The Reincarnation Demon Vein... No wonder. No wonder you’re such a Fierce God!”

”Hahaha, a Demon? Might makes right, that’s all!!”

Even with the killing intent of the All Heavens aimed at him, Wuchen showed not a hint of panic. As his eyes opened and closed, they shot out beams of Purgatory Nether Light. With a howl, endless Reincarnation Qi flooded the dark sky, within which Gods and Demons wept blood and Immortal Saints were dismembered—an omen of terror in the extreme!

”Today, I will slay you and eliminate this Demon!”

Mo Chen took a deep breath. His body rapidly grew vast and towered toward the sky, as if transforming into the Emperor’s Heaven and Earth that ruled over all Creation in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms. His great hand, wreathed in Clear and Muddy Qi, clenched into a fist and shot out, engaging Wuchen in another fierce clash!

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE—

As the two young Great Emperors clashed with true fire, the Venerable Enlightenment Platform shook so violently it seemed about to explode. Heaven and earth shattered, all existence was annihilated, and everything seen and felt was blasted into a chaotic blur!

Below the Twenty-four Heavens...

...no one was qualified to even watch the battle anymore!

They could only vaguely see two sky-supporting Gods and Demons roaring and fighting within the churning Chaos. Rumbles of chaotic thunder rolled out as countless stars in the sky fell and disintegrated in unison. The sight was terrifying to the extreme!

”These two can absolutely be called All Heavens Venerables of the Cave Heavens Realm! If they don’t die prematurely, they are guaranteed to become Dao Emperors!”

”Compared to them, all my achievements feel like a joke!”

”What a pity. The Reincarnation Lineage, no matter how heaven-defying, has absolutely no chance of surviving today!”

The Celestial Prides from the Twenty-four Heavens and above...

...were all terrified, admitting their inferiority. Even the most arrogant among them believed they could not compare to these two.

Some also felt it was a pity for Wuchen.

He carried sinful blood, and he had exposed it willingly.

What awaited him was already a foregone conclusion.

As the hearts of everyone in the All Heavens pounded...

ZHENG—

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!

Suddenly...

...from the heart of the battlefield, amidst the raging Chaos Storm, arose the cries of a billion swords, like dragons, like thunder. Their sharp edges sundered the time and space of the Ten Directions.

They were as rousing as cracking thunder, yet as gentle as a spring breeze.

As the spring breeze passed, it captivated the heart and soul.

ZHENG ZHENG ZHENG—

Below the Venerable Dao Platform...

...the Yellow Courts of the countless Sword Cultivator Celestial Prides rumbled. The Divine Swords in their hands vibrated in sympathy, uncontrollably trying to fly into the battlefield!

”The Worldly Grass Sword...”

Within the ranks of the Fuguang World...

...a Creation Realm Sword Cultivator from Azure Mountain lightly pressed down on his Treasure Sword, his eyes narrowed as he stared into the center of the Chaos.

A towering stalk of green grass swayed and grew, manifesting the myriad phenomena of the mortal world—all things becoming swords. It soared upward, piercing through the Ninth Layer of Heaven and obscuring the Ten Directions and Eight Extremes.

「Six years ago.」

Mo Chen had traveled through the Fuguang World. For the sake of a Daoist Woman from Azure Mountain, he had challenged the Dharma Celestial Prides of Azure Mountain with his sword, fighting his way from the foot of the mountain to its peak.

He fought his way up.

He comprehended the Dao along the way.

At the summit, he integrated all that he had felt and learned from his travels across the All Heavens into his Sword Dao, comprehending the Red Dust Sword Scripture technique: the Worldly Grass Sword.

His sword moved, and the myriad phenomena of the human world transformed into swords that bowed in worship. With a single strike, he defeated the strongest opponent in his path, earning the Azure Mountain Master’s approval and successfully reuniting with his beloved.

Six years had passed.

The magnificent scene of all things transforming into swords to bow in worship was still vivid in their minds.

「Six years later.」

Mo Chen’s Sword Dao had clearly undergone more than one transformation. He had forged a Dragon Vein Dao Foundation and entered the Twenty-Seven Cave Heavens Realm!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—

Twenty-seven Sword Dao Dragon Veins erupted with endless Sword Dao runes and principles, their cries ringing through the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths as they revived to their absolute peak!

The Grass Sword blotted out the sky, its leaves holding up the myriad phenomena of the mortal world!

As it swayed...

...a billion crimson Killing Swords descended, blanketing the Azure Abyss and hacking the purgatorial vision erupting from the Reincarnation Saint Body to pieces.

”GULP... This Sword Dao...”

The scalps of the spectating Sword Dao Celestial Prides tingled. They felt as if a Killing Sword hung over their heads. All of their own attainments in the Sword Dao, the Treasure Swords they had refined...

...seemed as insignificant as dust beneath that towering Sword Grass. They felt an overwhelming urge to kowtow in worship, to uncontrollably throw themselves at the Sword Grass and become a part of it!

”Not enough! It’s not enough!!”

Under the assault of the Worldly Grass Sword...

...Wuchen was injured for the first time, his Reincarnation Body riddled with countless sword marks. But he remained as domineering and unstoppable as ever. His aura blasted apart the Sword of All Things as he hovered at the Peak of Chaos, reaching out to clench his fist.

”The mortal world’s phenomena bring boundless karma! Karma Fire Thunder Strike Fist, break for me!!”

CRACKLE-POP—

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!

The moment Wuchen’s five fingers closed...

...countless Particles in the Ten Directions of time and space rubbed and collided at extreme speed. A billion layers of purple lightning-flame erupted from the Chaos, drowning the myriad phenomena of the mortal world!

The lightning was the brilliant Celestial Thunder!

The fire was the Purgatory Karmic Fire!

The hundred states of the mortal world: greed, anger, ignorance, and wrath!

Celestial Punishment, Karmic Annihilation!

WOOO—

THUD THUD THUD—

Wuchen’s fists fell like a meteor shower, blasting through layer after layer of the Human World Sword Realm. An ancient, vast Karma Fire Dominator Whale emerged, evolving from his boundless Fist Intent, and began to soar and roam through the abyss.

Wreathed in endless Celestial Thunder and Karmic Fire, it charged fearlessly toward the Worldly Grass Sword that towered at the Peak of Chaos, one after another, as if throwing its life away!

Fist Dao versus Sword Dao! A supplementary Path versus a Main Path!

”His fists...”

Atop the swaying Worldly Grass Sword...

...Mo Chen’s expression was more solemn than ever before.

He was a Soldier Cultivator who majored in the Sword Dao. The Worldly Grass Sword was his current Lifebound Divine Technique of the Sword Dao, the culmination of melting ten thousand swords into a single furnace—his highest achievement.

In all past battles...

...once the Grass Sword appeared, none could stand against it!

But now...

...Wuchen, a main practitioner of the Martial Dao, was rivaling his primary Sword Dao with his attainments in the supplementary Fist Dao!

”This boy has obtained a sliver of the True Heavenly Thunder Path!”

Within the Heart Lake...

...the Taiqing Empress also gave a solemn reminder. The Dao of the Red Dust feared Celestial Thunder and Karmic Fire the most. Now, Wuchen was countering Mo Chen!

’What an absolute madman...’

Mo Chen also took a deep breath, sensing the supreme, vast, and brilliant Celestial Might within Wuchen’s Fist Intent.

’To obtain the True Heavenly Thunder Path!’

’The only way is to be tortured by Celestial Thunder countless times, to survive one near-death experience after another, to find life from destruction. Only then can one gain the recognition of Celestial Thunder, the most ancient Power of Creation through destruction!’

’Wuchen is only at the Grotto Heaven stage.’

’Yet he dares to use such a dangerous Cultivation technique.’

’If his will had faltered for even a moment...’

’...he would have been damned for all eternity!’

But he still dared to bet his life to cultivate the Fist Dao of Celestial Thunder, and he had even managed to achieve something with it!

’A madman? A genius?’

’An opponent like this is truly too terrifying!’

’He absolutely cannot be allowed to live!’

BOOM!!

In the flash of a thought...

...the endless meteor shower of Karma Fire Dominator Whales, like a swarm of abyssal beasts, smashed through the phenomena of the human world and cracked the Worldly Grass Sword!

Haaa~

Mo Chen let out a slight breath and stared coldly at Wuchen, who looked as ferocious as a defiant Demon God. He placed a hand on the Red Gourd at his waist!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—

Wuchen, who had intended to press his advantage, felt his pupils shrink the moment Mo Chen touched the Red Gourd. The Heart Lake Alarm Bell rang wildly.

Without a second thought...

...he switched from offense to defense, focusing all his power on protecting himself!

The next instant!

ZHENG— CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!

It was as if all the sword light in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms had been condensed into a single gourd, only to erupt like a volcano. An innumerable, locust-like tide of multi-colored sword light gushed from the Sword Gourd, blotting out the sky!

And in the next thought...

...the brilliant, boundless sword light and its principles interwove and converged, transforming into one great swordsman after another from across the ages. They were as majestic as cosmic pillars, their gazes cold and indifferent as they surveyed the tiny Wuchen and slowly drew their Killing Swords, preparing to exterminate all the Evil Demons in the All Heavens!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—

As the Killing Swords were drawn...

...a terrifying killing intent that could slay all defiance and evil in the world, all manner of draconic forms, and all that existed, rose from the figures of the great swordsmen and enveloped the entire Chaos of the All Heavens!

The thousands of spectators were utterly horrified!

They felt as if their lives had reached their end, that they were about to be judged and annihilated into nothing but dust!

”What kind of Magical Treasure is that?!”

A Celestial Pride, his face pale, stared at the Sword Nurturing Gourd at Mo Chen’s waist, trembling all over. It was as if the gourd contained three thousand Sword Realms and had nurtured countless Great Powers of the Sword Dao!

’A World Heavy Artifact?’

’But there’s no World Law being revealed.’

’But this kind of Mighty Power...’

”The Celestial Treasure Sword Nurturing Gourd!”

A cultivator who had crossed paths with Mo Chen before spoke up, his voice a mixture of shock and envy, revealing the gourd’s origin. It was actually a Celestial Treasure!

The Sword Nurturing Gourd!

Nurture all swords to benefit oneself!

It could imprint the Sword Daos of all the Sword Cultivators in the world into the gourd, nurturing and synthesizing them into a Sword Dao that belonged to the Celestial Treasure Master.