Essence Devouring Art

The girl ate with incredible speed.

Like a whirlwind devouring everything in its path.

In no time, all the food that the others had eaten their fill of vanished into her stomach. Yet, her little belly didn’t bulge in the slightest. She just smacked her lips, clearly wanting more.

Afterward, she sloppily wiped the grease from her plump little face, stood up with her hands on her hips, and imperiously scolded Mo Chen, who was glaring at her:

"You useless bum! Who could possibly get full on this little bit? I want ten more servings! Go buy them, quickly!"

Her voice was childish and high-pitched, yet her words were incredibly domineering.

She said it all as if it were a matter of course.

It seemed she was used to throwing her weight around.

She truly treated Mo Chen as her personal pantry and money bag.

"You rotten kid, shut your mouth!"

Mo Chen glanced at the bite marks on his arm, his own anger flaring. He pointed toward the room and ordered:

"Get back inside! I don’t have time to play your games today. Keep this up, and I’ll give you a thrashing, believe you me."

"Tch. You deadbeat."

Yaya just scoffed, not taking Mo Chen’s threat seriously in the slightest. Her crimson eyes then shifted toward Wu Dao and Zhou Chen at the courtyard entrance.

She only gave Zhou Chen a passing glance.

Her gaze shifted to Wu Dao.

But her petite body trembled. She was like a young tiger cub, fresh from its den, laying eyes on the king of all beasts on his mountain peak. She couldn’t help but swallow hard.

But even so, she was only stunned for a brief moment.

Once she looked away, her vicious, greedy nature resurfaced. With a flick of her eyes, she said to Mo Chen:

"Those two block-headed uncles look pretty rich. Are they here to buy some of your junk, too?"

’Too?’

The moment Mo Chen heard that, he knew something was wrong. Forgetting his anger, he scrambled into the main house. A series of CLANGS and BANGS followed.

A moment later, he stormed out, grabbed Yaya by the collar, and lifted her off her feet, roaring:

"You rotten kid! Where is the Stone Sword I brought back from the rear mountain?"

When he was thirteen, he’d found a naturally formed Stalactite Sword in a cave on the rear mountain. He had fallen in love with it at first sight, chiseled it free, and brought it home. He washed it daily, treating it like a priceless treasure, and even occasionally slept while hugging it.

But now...

It was gone!

"Let go of me! You’re just a lowly servant! How dare you rebel!"

Yaya thrashed her short legs, showing no hint of remorse. Baring her teeth, her hair standing on end, she snapped her shark-like teeth, trying to bite Mo Chen.

Unfortunately, she was just too small.

Mo Chen, who had spent years scrambling up mountains and wading through rivers, had a fair bit of strength. Now that he was serious, there was no way Yaya could overpower him.

"Talk!"

Mo Chen seemed genuinely furious this time. His eyes were even a little bloodshot, which startled Yaya. She mumbled in a small voice:

"It’s just a crummy Stone Sword... I sold it... A big sister, a Fairy with dimples when she smiled, came by just now... She said she was your friend... Besides..."

At this, Yaya seemed to feel she was in the right. She pouted and added:

"Grandmaster Qing was here, too. He’s the one who gave me permission to sell it to her."

"A big sister with dimples... A friend... How could Grandmaster Qing..."

Mo Chen found it hard to believe. What friends did he have? But Yaya was terrified of Grandmaster Qing, so it was unlikely she was lying about him.

As the farce unfolded in the courtyard,

’Brother Mo Chen... Yue Xi will never forget you.’

Wu Dao’s gaze glazed over for a moment. He seemed to once again see the girl from his dreams—the one with the innocent dimples, as beautiful as a Fairy from the moon. An inexpressible sorrow and longing washed over him.

’Yue Xi.’

’Just what in the world...’

’...is this bullshit?!’

Haaaah...

He let out a slow breath.

Wu Dao suppressed the complex emotions in his eyes, his heart turning incomparably Sen Leng.

’Keep jumping.’

’I’ll let you, you waste, keep it up for a little while longer.’

’Once the Holy Spirit Transformation is complete...’

’...I will Reverse Innate, transforming from human to sacred.’

’From that day forward...’

’...this world will know only me, Wu Dao!’

"Hmph. You’d better not be lying. Otherwise, I don’t care if it’s unfilial, I’ll throw a menace like you out!"

Mo Chen shoved Yaya away. Years of pent-up frustration erupted, and his expression grew colder than ever before.

"You minnow... WAHHH... Yaya was wrong! Don’t kick Yaya out!"

Yaya had wanted to say a few more defiant words.

But seeing that Mo Chen was truly angry this time, she immediately burst into a torrent of tears and snot. She hugged Mo Chen’s leg and began wailing with remorse, though whether it was genuine or not was anyone’s guess.

Of course, it wasn’t that she was all bark and no bite.

Nor was it that her feelings for him had grown over time.

It was simply because...

...if Mo Chen was gone...

...where else would she find such a perfect sucker, such a ready money bag?

Everyone in town treated her like a jinx.

No one would take her in.

She had no parents, so she would surely become a miserable little beggar with no one to love or care for her. She might even get abducted by some bad man.

’That kind of life...’

’I don’t want it!’

"Yaya will be good... I’ll go make tea for the guests... Don’t kick me out."

Spotting Wu Dao and Zhou Chen, the snot-nosed, tear-streaked Yaya immediately had an idea. She let go of Mo Chen and, in a flash, ran barefoot into the kitchen, where another series of CLANGS and BANGS began.

’This rotten kid...’

’We have guests.’

Mo Chen really didn’t want to air his dirty laundry in front of outsiders. He could only shake his head helplessly and say to Wu Dao and Zhou Chen with some embarrassment:

"Uncle Wu, Mr. Zhou, let me just tidy up a bit. Please, go on in and have a seat. If you see anything you like, we can talk."

Mo Chen had long been aware of the intentions of these outsiders, like Wu Dao. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have approached Wu Dao in the first place. He was just hoping to sell a few items to improve his lot in life.

His favorite Stone Sword was gone now. As for the rest of his odds and ends, aside from the things his parents had left him, there wasn’t much he was particularly attached to. As long as they liked something, he wouldn’t refuse a sale.

Inside the simple and tidy main house,

Wu Dao and Zhou Chen sat at a chipped wooden table. Outside, Mo Chen was cleaning up the mess, while inside the kitchen, a soot-covered Yaya was blowing on the fire.

Wu Dao scanned the room’s decor.

Though it was neat and orderly,

it was extremely plain. You could say the house was practically bare.

The only things worthy of note...

...were the various ’trinkets’ adorning two of the walls.

The tooth of some unknown beast.

A dried Gourd.

A carving of unusual and excellent craftsmanship.

An octagonal block of black iron of unknown origin.

All sorts of old trinkets made of iron and wood.

A few yellowed landscape and figure paintings.

And, in the corner, a pile of age-worn Bronze Artifacts.

Though ordinary, the collection was dazzling in its variety.

It was clear that... this Mo Chen fellow had a collector’s bug, and he didn’t limit himself to one category, keeping anything that piqued his interest.

’As expected of one with Celestial Destiny and Fortune.’

’In this room alone...’

’...there are over a hundred opportunities and instances of Creation brought by his fortune.’

’Nearly half of them...’

’...for both me and Zhou Chen...’

’...exert a faint, almost imperceptible pull. If taken outside, they would surely be priceless treasures.’

’A pity...’

’...we’re limited to just two items.’

’Otherwise...’

’...if there were no one else to interfere...’

’...I could probably pack everything up, and Mo Chen would still be happily counting his money.’

Wu Dao let his gaze sweep the room once more before retracting it. Although many Artifacts in the house held an attraction for him, it was nothing compared to the pull he felt from Yaya.

’Limited to two items.’

’Naturally, I must choose the most useful ones.’

However, Zhou Chen seemed to be in luck. His gaze was fixed on a four-legged bronze Incense Burner in the corner, his eyes filled with an unconcealable desire.

But he didn’t lose his composure.

He retracted his gaze and quietly waited for the host to arrive.

After a short while,

Mo Chen hastily cleaned up the mess Yaya had made in the small courtyard. Wiping his hands, he walked in and asked with some anticipation:

"Uncle Wu, Mr. Zhou, did you see anything you like? Uncle Wu, you’ve done me a great favor, so please, just ask. Heh heh, buy one, get one free."

"You’ll sell anything?"

Wu Dao asked, his tone laced with a deeper meaning.

"Er, ahem."

Mo Chen seemed to realize he’d overspoken. He scratched his head in embarrassment and chuckled. "Heh heh, the house isn’t for sale."

The implication was clear.

Anything left to him by his family...

...was not for sale, no matter the price.

"Talk with your Mr. Zhou. He’s found something he fancies. I’m going to have another look outside."

Wu Dao glanced at Zhou Chen. The latter understood what he was after and nodded slightly, indicating he would do his best to keep Mo Chen occupied.

After Wu Dao left,

Zhou Chen smiled kindly and said in a gentle voice, "I’m quite interested in this pile of Bronze Artifacts. Would you mind telling me a bit about them, my young friend?"

"Mr. Zhou has good Eye Power."

Mo Chen gave him a thumbs-up and continued:

"The history of these Bronze Artifacts is quite extraordinary. A few years ago, the water in the Golden Lotus Pool east of town suddenly rose..."

While Mo Chen was inside telling Zhou Chen the story of the Bronze Artifacts and the uniqueness of each piece,

Wu Dao silently arrived outside the kitchen. With his hands behind his back, he quietly watched the soot-faced Yaya inside.

The little girl stood on her tiptoes to grab a bamboo tube from the wall, took out a handful of tea leaves, and shoved them in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out, and then she spat them all out. PTOOEY, PTOOEY, PTOOEY.

GRUMBLE...

Even though she had just eaten enough food for several people,

the sound of her rumbling stomach echoed once more.

Yaya rubbed her flat little tummy and sighed like a world-weary old woman. "Aah, why is my life so bitter?"

With that,

Yaya vented her frustration by carelessly tossing some tea leaves into a few cups. Then, she grabbed a handful of charcoal ash with her small hand and grinned maliciously.

"You stinking minnow! You dare try to kick me out? I hope you drink this and die! It’ll be a total disgrace!"

As she spoke,

she glanced back guiltily, like a thief checking her surroundings.

Her eyes met Wu Dao’s at the doorway.

His black eyes were as deep as an abyss.

An almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.

It made Yaya’s crimson eyes, hidden beneath her fluffy white hair, tremble. The hair on her body stood on end.

"Wh-What are you looking at?!"

Yaya put on a brave front, like a threatened little animal. She crouched on the ground, baring her two rows of young shark-like teeth. "If you dare tell that minnow," she threatened, "I... I’ll bite you!"

His response...

...was merely Wu Dao’s silent, inhuman smile.

A grin that stretched almost to the base of his ears.

Revealing ferocious shark-like teeth, identical to her own.

But his held none of her immaturity.

They were as dark as a starry abyss.

They carried the silent roar of an Emperor who had dominated the food chain countless times, reflecting a blinding sharpness honed from tearing and gnawing the flesh of innumerable vicious fiends.

"Sob... Don’t eat me."

From the depths of her bloodline, her very genes,

the absolute pressure of a superior Hunter...

...instantly caused Yaya to let out the whimper of a defeated dog. She retracted her laughable baby teeth and all her rebellious defiance, shrinking into a corner with her head in her hands, helpless and terrified.

Haaaah...

A massive shadow loomed over her.

A large, broad hand stroked her silken white hair, as if comforting a startled little beast. The touch was unnaturally gentle, gradually allowing Yaya to relax, even causing her eyes to glaze over in a daze.

"Do you want to eat your fill?"

Wu Dao watched as Yaya began to actively nuzzle his large hand. He smiled gently, like a creepy uncle luring an ignorant child.

Compared to dealing with complicated people,

interacting with beasts was much simpler and purer.

The weak are meat for the strong.

If the weak don’t want to be eaten,

their only choice is to submit to the strong.

This was the law of survival etched into the depths of their bloodlines.

"Yes... Yaya is hungry. I’m hungry every day."

Like a little White Tiger trying to curry favor with the Tiger King, Yaya rubbed her white hair against Wu Dao’s large hand again and again. Her narrowed crimson eyes were filled with a desperate craving for food.

"Do you like candy? Uncle has some, you know."

Wu Dao’s voice was soft and gentle, patiently luring her in.

"Candy? Sweet things..."

Yaya looked troubled. She only liked meat, especially raw, bloody meat. That was what brought her pleasure.

Unfortunately, her grandmother in the past wouldn’t allow it, and Grandmaster Qing now wouldn’t allow it either. If she were caught sneaking a bite, she would definitely be punished.

CRACK—CRACK—

The sound of breaking and tearing rang out.

Wu Dao, his face expressionless, broke off two segments of ’candy’ from his left hand and held them out to Yaya’s mouth. He bared his teeth in a grin and said:

"Like it? Follow Uncle, and from now on, you can have as much of this candy as you want."

The two pieces of candy in his palm.

The ends dripped with a syrup that shimmered like dreamlike starlight.

Yaya trembled violently.

She had never witnessed such a savage scene.

It filled her with an involuntary fear.

But at the same time as she felt fear,

an irrepressible, excited craving from the depths of her bloodline transformed into heavy, ragged breaths.

A voice was telling her.

’Don’t be afraid!’

’Eat them!’

’You were born to devour flesh and drink blood! You are a savage beast that craves slaughter and delights in gore!’

GULP.

An indescribably intoxicating aroma.

It was like the most exquisite delicacy in the world, a scent that even Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow could not compare to.

It drilled into her nostrils.

It burrowed deep into her soul.

It made every pore and cell in Yaya’s body open up in ravenous desire.

Finally...

"AWOO~"

Her young shark-like teeth opened once more.

Impatiently, like a whirlwind,

she devoured the two pieces of candy in Wu Dao’s hand, along with the syrup, in a single gulp.

"Good candy shouldn’t be eaten in one bite."

Wu Dao stroked Yaya’s head, stopping her from swallowing them whole, as if he were teaching a young beast:

"You only eat as much meat as your stomach can handle. Being too hasty will only get you choked to death.

Hold it in your mouth. Savor it slowly.

Feel every bone-deep thrill of pleasure the flesh and blood gives you. Don’t resist or be afraid. Because... this is what you were meant to be."