Essence Devouring Art

Shanhai Pass.

The Ten Celestial Passes, the Territorial Battlefields.

The collision between the Mountain and Sea and Primordial Space-Time formed fractal, tree-diagram-like space-time nodes.

At the root of the tree diagram lay the Ten Celestial Passes.

In the Chaos Abyss, the Primordial Chaos of the two realms clashed.

Further down, bound by the barrier of the Primordial Path, the Mountain and Sea could not act without restraint.

Nine Heavens Pass: the clash of Great Emperors, the All Heavens Great Emperors.

Eight Celestial Passes: Quasi-Emperors and Great Emperors.

Seven Days Pass: Great Venerables and Quasi-Emperors.

And so on down the line.

On the battlefields of the Five Celestial Passes in Nether Heaven, the high-level combatants on both sides were typically in the Venerable Realm.

There were, however, a few weak points where the repulsion of the Great Dao was weaker.

For example, the Reincarnation Battlefield.

Or the Dead Sea Main City.

Enemy forces exceeding the standard power level would occasionally appear in these places.

Thus, Great Venerables, Quasi-Emperors, and even Great Emperors were needed to stand guard, preventing the Mountain and Sea from exploiting these weaknesses in the space-time blockade.

However, although the Mountain and Sea was strong, the Hongyuan Heavenly Realms had developed over several tribulations, possessing an endless foundation that was not much weaker.

In the three years since the great war began, it was extremely rare for over-leveled enemy forces to break through the forward Celestial Pass nodes and massacre the rear passes, as they were almost always intercepted.

Faced with this situation, the Mountain and Sea side was desperate to open a breach. The best-case scenario would be to capture a rear Celestial Pass, forcing the main Hongyuan forces at the front to fall back and defend!

...

「In an unknown region of space-time.」

A secret conversation was underway.

"The Six Celestial Passes?"

A figure shrouded in the air of the Wilderness confirmed from the darkness. "Are you sure this is feasible?"

Opposite the figure from the Wilderness, a human-like silhouette nodded slightly and said,

"To be precise, the Sea of Death. The Sea of Death is the most unique among the many territories of the Six Celestial Passes. It’s garrisoned by the remnants of the Five Tribulation Master, Slaughter Emperor, and the All Heavens Demon Dao.

The factions of the Nine Heavens Military harbor animosity and prejudice towards the Sea of Death. Furthermore, its characteristics as a forbidden zone make it easy to defend but hard to attack, and difficult to occupy even if conquered. There have never been any large-scale battles there. They won’t send reinforcements unless it’s a matter of life and death."

"The Sea of Death..."

The figure from the Wilderness considered this carefully.

After fighting for tens of millions of years, even with the poor communication between the two realms, the Mountain and Sea Realm had used countless bodies to thoroughly investigate the intelligence of every territory in the Ten Celestial Passes.

That place, the Sea of Death, was indeed despised by both sides.

It was saturated with the Tribulation Evil Qi of the Six Celestial Passes, accumulated over tens of millions of years. This had transformed it into a boundless Sea of Death that corroded the Essence, Qi, and Spirit of living beings, making it only suitable for the Demon Dao to inhabit.

Even if the Mountain and Sea conquered it, the Hongyuan side could cut their losses and detonate the Sea of Death directly. The gains wouldn’t be worth the losses.

Therefore, choosing the Sea of Death as a breakthrough point was not a wise choice.

But reinforcements arrived too quickly everywhere else.

"Can your side cooperate?" the figure from the Wilderness asked again.

If they could coordinate from the inside and out, buying the Mountain and Sea enough time to cross the Sea of Death and capture other territorial nodes, then whether the Sea of Death exploded or not wouldn’t matter much.

"We can." The silhouette nodded. "We’ll feint an attack to the east while striking in the west. First, we’ll launch a diversionary attack on other territories to apply pressure. The Elder Council will naturally order the main forces from the territories surrounding the Sea of Death to go and provide support.

Hide your main force in the Sea of Death.

As long as you tie down the Celestial Kings and the Demon Awakening Emperor in the Sea of Death, it will be a simple matter for the army to cross the Sea of Death and capture the rear.

Once you shatter the Dao Celestial Steles of the major Garrison Cities, the repulsive restrictions of the Primordial Path will weaken, and holding the position will not be a problem."

"The Sea of Death, the Sea of Death..."

The figure from the Wilderness muttered, seemingly still weighing the options.

Decisions from the higher-ups, any one of which could affect countless lives in the Mountain and Sea, were not made easily.

"The battlefields in the Sea of Death where the Great Dao’s repulsion is weakest are Demon Awakening City and the Reincarnation Battlefield. With a certain price paid, it wouldn’t be a problem to transport an Emperor’s Weapon or even a Great Emperor," the silhouette added another reminder.

The Ten Celestial Passes.

The closer to the Mountain and Sea Realm, the weaker the influence of the Primordial Path.

Within each Celestial Pass, there were also relatively weak nodes that could temporarily allow the Mountain and Sea to transport forces that exceeded the normal power level.

The Reincarnation Battlefield, where the fighting in the Sea of Death was most intense, was one such special node!

Break through the Reincarnation Battlefield.

Then sweep through the Garrison Cities of the Sea of Death and shatter all the Dao Celestial Steles. The Great Dao’s repulsion at the Sea of Death’s space-time node would be drastically reduced!

Using the Sea of Death as a springboard, they could capture the surrounding territories before Hongyuan could send reinforcements. By then, with this anchor hammered into the enemy’s heartland,

they could conquer the Six Celestial Passes in one fell swoop!

Shanhai Pass would be attacked from both front and rear, no longer an impregnable fortress!

"The Reincarnation Battlefield, good!"

Finally, the figure from the Wilderness nodded. It seemed he had communicated with the high command of the Mountain and Sea Military, received approval, and made his decision.

"Be discreet on your end."

Finally, the figure from the Wilderness added a serious reminder:

"Back then, the Mountain and Sea paid a hefty price to plant you as a nail."

"Don’t worry." The silhouette said, "Of the nine elders in the Elder Council, five have looked upon the Sea of Death with disfavor ever since the Burial Realm detonated and the Battle of Chaos three years ago. Why would I need to act personally?

With a little guidance, once the ’feint east, strike west’ stratagem is in place, the Sea of Death will inevitably be isolated, and no suspicion will fall on me."

"Don’t be careless." The figure from the Wilderness said, "Panwu Emperor has a Near Dao body within his Emperor Dao. At his level, a single thought can search the All Heavens and perceive both the macro and the micro. If you are exposed, not even the Mountain and Sea can save you."

"Panwu Emperor... Understood."

Mentioning this ancient being who achieved Attainment Dao in his Second Tribulation, this final, mighty pass of Shanhai Pass, the silhouette became more reverent and shed all traces of frivolity.

"Oh, right."

Finally, the silhouette added with emphasis,

"You need to pay attention to the Demon Awakening Emperor. Although he’s been suppressed ever since he became a Great Emperor, he is a follower of that madman, so his strength is definitely not to be underestimated.

Also, there’s the Reincarnation Heavenly King in the Reincarnation Battlefield. He has a Great Venerable Cultivation, is a successor of the Reincarnation Lineage, and wields an Emperor’s Weapon. You need to be careful of him, too.

Beyond them, the other Guan Lords aren’t worth mentioning."

"The Demon Awakening Emperor and the Reincarnation Heavenly King? Just remnants of a bygone era."

The shadow of the Wilderness sneered and nodded.

BZZZT—

After discussing the detailed plan for the surprise attack, the two shadows vanished from this unknown region of space-time. The illusory space-time shattered; it seemed to be a Divine Thought Space temporarily constructed with some kind of artifact.

...

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

「Five days later.」

The many Dao Celestial Steles in the Sea of Death spewed out immense Battle Intent, humming and trembling as they sounded a continuous alarm that echoed across the entire Sea of Death.

Outside the many Garrison Cities, the waves surged and killing intent boiled over.

Within the space-time node at the far end, a boundless, endless sea of blood churned. A Mountain and Sea Army, stretching as far as the eye could see, commanded numerous wilderness warships and super Killing Artifacts, bearing down on the Sea of Death!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—

Over in the Reincarnation Battlefield, the alarms rang even more intensely, shaking every inch of space-time.

Even Wu Dao, who was in secluded cultivation deep within the sea, could feel the heat from his Battle Merit Order. It seemed a formidable enemy had arrived.

"The Luo Fish Race’s elite Black Scale Army is leading the charge! All soldiers of every Garrison City, march out to meet the enemy at once! I repeat..."

From the Battle Merit Order and the Dao Celestial Steles, the roaring cries of the Messenger Soldiers from the forward Garrison Cities echoed nonstop. In an instant, the Reincarnation Battlefield was filled with the churning, iron-and-blood Slaughter Qi, and one Garrison City after another awakened like war machines.

The Black Scale Army!

The most ferocious army of the Luo Fish Race!

An army of Yu Jun Saint Bodies!

Armed with all kinds of Big Killing Artifacts, each one of them was an indestructible mobile war fortress!

To suddenly deploy such a ferocious army... ’What is the Luo Fish Race planning?’

"Alliance Leader, it looks like the Luo Fish Race is serious this time! It’s not just the Reincarnation Battlefield; there are elite armies in the other battlefields of the Sea of Death too!"

Zhao Jianji’s excited voice came through the transmission.

Elites? ’We’re here to fight elites!’

’Fighting nobodies is so boring!’

"Are there many Venerables?" Wu Dao asked with a thought.

Killing enemies earned battle merits, and battle merits could be exchanged for Dao Source.

At his current level of cultivation, the Dao Source exchanged from ordinary enemies was far too little.

Only the Dao Source obtained from slaying Venerables, he estimated, would be enough for him to have a feast and rapidly nurture the branches of his myriad things.

"There’s no intelligence on that yet." Zhao Jianji replied, "We’ll only know once the fighting starts at Yellow Springs Pass up ahead. But for the Luo Fish Race to make such a big move, your subordinate estimates there must be quite a few."

"Leave a few people to guard Primordial Pass. The rest will go to Yellow Springs Pass to join the battle and scout."

Hearing this, Wu Dao quickly made arrangements.

If it was worth his while, he could descend in an instant through the Faith Channel. If it wasn’t, there was no need to end his cultivation to fight with others over scraps.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing the order, Zhao Jianji quickly gave orders to the Seventy-Two Primordial Demons. Lv Tiezhu and a few other Primordial Demons would stay to guard Primordial Pass, while the rest, fully armed, prepared to charge toward Yellow Springs Pass.

But before they could set out,

"Wait. Never mind."

Wu Dao seemed to have sensed something.

He suddenly changed his order.

...

「Meanwhile.」

On the other side of the Yellow Springs Battlefield, within the Saint Level Garrison City, Nether God Pass,

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—

The frantic tolling of the Great Dao’s alarm bells echoed throughout the city.

"All troops, form up and prepare for battle!"

Wuchen stood outside Nether God Pass, his hand resting on his Slaughter Blade, his battle armor clanking. His fierce, majestic gaze was fixed on the channel node at the end of space-time, and his roar thundered through the Garrison City like lightning.

A Saint Level Garrison City. Its gatekeeper was titled War General.

Under him were numerous Captains leading their own armies. After Wuchen was promoted to the Saint Level, being ennobled as a General was a simple matter for him. Nether God Pass was the Garrison City he was tasked to defend.

Although the Reincarnation Battlefield was under the command of the Reincarnation Heavenly King, Wuchen wasn’t a fool. He had never revealed his trump card as part of the Reincarnation Lineage.

As for why he didn’t go elsewhere, it was because battles were frequent in the Reincarnation Battlefield, making it the easiest place to earn merits, get promoted, and improve one’s cultivation.

Furthermore, the other territories were rife with warlord factions. Loose Cultivators were easily ostracized, let alone someone like Wuchen who bore the karma of being an accomplice of a Five Tribulation Master.

"Kid, something’s not right."

Inside his Inner World, the Big Black Wolf sat cross-legged on the greatly restored Yuan Tu Blade. Its fur was glossy and smooth, and its shiny black eyes stared at the faintly visible Luo Fish Race army in the space-time node as it spoke:

"The repulsive force of the Great Dao is abnormal. The aura of that Luo Fish Race army is suppressed; it seems to be facing immense pressure and obstruction."

"Abnormal?"

Wuchen frowned.

His cultivation was too limited to see anything amiss, but as a former giant, the Big Black Wolf’s insight was far beyond his own. It couldn’t be wrong.

The intensified repulsion of the Great Dao could only mean that a power exceeding the standard level had appeared at the main node, Reincarnation Pass, and the suppression from the Great Dao was spreading to subsequent nodes.

But! The Garrison City he was in was only a Saint Level Garrison City. Ahead of Nether God Pass, there was still Great Saint Pass, Saint Master Pass, and Venerable Pass!

Normally, any suppression wouldn’t ripple this far back.

Unless... a power had descended that exceeded the limits of what the Reincarnation Battlefield could bear!

The limit of the Reincarnation Battlefield was a Great Venerable.

’Something beyond a Great Venerable?’

"Hoo... I hope the forward Garrison Cities can hold."

Wuchen let out a small breath.

He tightened his grip on the battle blade at his waist.

Years of being tempered in the blood and fire of the battlefield had forged his will to be as hard as Divine Iron. Even if the heavens were to fall, his expression would not change.

The Reincarnation Battlefield, the most intensely fought-over region in the Sea of Death, was staffed with the elite of the Sea of Death’s elites and most of its high-end combat power. There was more than just the Reincarnation Heavenly King.

Not to mention, the Sea of Death was also guarded by a Great Emperor!

And it was very difficult for the Mountain and Sea Realm to transport Emperor Level power to the Six Celestial Passes, because the price of tearing through the Great Dao’s suppression was too great!

Plus, the Sea of Death was a forbidden zone...

BOOM!!

Divine light cascaded like a waterfall, a myriad of paths shining brilliantly!

An ultimate slaughtering aura, as deep as an abyss and as vast as the firmament!

It erupted without warning from the space-time at the end of the Sea of Death. The vast pressure of the Emperor Dao made countless people’s faces turn pale with horror!

"An Emperor’s Weapon?!"

Wuchen’s pupils contracted violently.

Across the vast expanse of space-time! Across one frontline Garrison City after another!

He could clearly see it—an azure Great Halberd rising from the center of the Sea of Death, tearing through the rules and order, the power of a Grand Cosmos rumbling as it operated!

Its heavy and tyrannical aura was like the descent of a supreme Great Emperor!

Even from countless light-years away, it made Wuchen’s chest tighten. He felt infinitely small, unable to suppress the burgeoning feelings of submission and fear!

An Emperor’s Artifact!

A Great Emperor among weapons!

If a complete Emperor’s Artifact were to unleash its full Mighty Power, it could easily annihilate a Grand Cosmos containing endless worlds and star rivers!

And if it was one of the All Heavens Emperor’s Soldiers, its Mighty Power would be even more terrifying!

"To unleash the Power of a Great Emperor in the Six Celestial Passes, the other side needs more than one Primordial Giant to hold back the repulsive force of the Great Dao!"

Even the Big Black Wolf was astonished. It said, "The Luo Fish Race must be crazy! Is it worth it for a single Sea of Death?"

"This was premeditated..."

Wuchen’s face was grim as he felt the flood of messages swarming his Battle Merit Order. He said,

"Before this, several territories in the Six Celestial Passes were ferociously attacked by the Mountain and Sea. The main forces from the territories surrounding the Sea of Death were all dispatched as reinforcements.

The Sea of Death has been isolated!"