Essence Devouring Art

Dragon Gate Town.

Inside the main house of the Mo Family Courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Mo?"

Zhou Chen waved a hand in front of Mo Chen’s dazed eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Huh? Oh, I’m fine."

Mo Chen shook his head and frowned, looking outside the house.

Just a moment ago, a sudden, disquieting feeling had washed over him, as if he’d lost something incredibly important. An irrepressible panic began to spread.

But he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

That was why his spirits had faltered for a moment.

Haaaaah...

He took a deep breath.

Mo Chen suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, retracted his gaze, and smiled at Zhou Chen:

"To be honest with you, Mr. Zhou, although I’ve been talking these Bronze Artifacts up to high heaven, they’re most likely just modern reproductions. If you like them, just give me whatever you think is fair..."

His voice suddenly trailed off.

The sun, gradually setting in the west.

Was blocked by a formidable figure at the door, casting a long, broad shadow into the room.

Within the shadow.

Mo Chen’s brow furrowed deeply once again. Confusion, grief, reluctance, anger...

His gaze, filled with all sorts of complex emotions, fell upon the doorway, upon the figure silhouetted against the setting sun...

And Yaya, sitting obediently on Wu Dao’s shoulders.

A loving father, a filial daughter.

A natural family.

For some reason.

Mo Chen found the scene exceptionally harmonious. He couldn’t find a single thing out of place; they looked just like a normal father and daughter visiting on an ordinary afternoon.

But...

Mo Chen’s heart felt heavy and suffocated.

Over a decade of living together day and night, of careful nurturing.

Even though he had never once gotten a smile from Yaya.

It was as if their personalities were fundamentally incompatible.

They were either sick of the sight of each other or bickering constantly.

But people have hearts of flesh and blood.

After more than ten years.

Shouldn’t that be enough time to melt even a block of ice?

How could she...

How could she so casually give that unprecedented gentleness and obedience to a complete stranger!

At that moment.

Mo Chen felt the stabbing, suffocating pain of betrayal wash over him in waves.

He could only clench his fists where no one could see, forcing himself to adopt his usual stern, big-brotherly demeanor as he scolded her seriously:

"Yaya... don’t be rude to Uncle Wu. Get down from there right now."

"Tch!"

Yaya, still sitting on Wu Dao’s shoulders, swung her little white legs, turned her head, and pouted. Her chubby cheeks puffed out as she mumbled smugly:

"You’re on your own from now on, you little nobody... Yaya is going home with... Daddy."

Daddy?

Going home?

???

Mo Chen froze, his mind filled with question marks. It felt like a dream. What had just happened? Why had Uncle Wu suddenly become Yaya’s daddy?

Zhou Chen was also slightly taken aback.

He had only been joking earlier when he said Wu Dao had come to claim a relative. How could it be...

It seemed.

This little girl was truly significant to Wu Dao, and he had a reason he absolutely had to take her with him.

Otherwise.

With Wu Dao’s temperament.

A daughter?

Heh heh...

"What, you don’t see the resemblance?"

Wu Dao patted Yaya’s dangling, radish-like legs, signaling for her to be quiet. He then grinned at Mo Chen, revealing a set of ferocious, shark-like teeth identical to Yaya’s, which made Mo Chen jump.

’The resemblance is uncanny!’

’Unbelievably so!’

’Anyone who didn’t know the situation...’

’...would assume they were a father and daughter cast from the very same mold.’

But as for Yaya’s origins...

Mo Chen knew them perfectly well.

’No, that’s not right...’

Mo Chen suddenly realized something.

Regarding Yaya’s origins.

His grandmother had only said that an old acquaintance entrusted Yaya to them on their deathbed. That person had done their family a great favor, and they absolutely had to take good care of Yaya from then on.

Beyond that.

There was no other information.

He then recalled.

Earlier, at the small restaurant, after he had mentioned Yaya, the previously indifferent and calm Wu Dao had suddenly become very interested.

’Could it be...’

’Is Yaya really Wu Dao’s long-lost daughter?’

’If that’s true...’

’What reason could I use to make Yaya stay?’

’The most important thing is Yaya’s attitude.’

’She doesn’t show the slightest bit of resentment toward Wu Dao for abandoning her.’

’Only limitless affection.’

’Her usual terrible personality... ’

’...and a single word from Wu Dao is enough to make her completely docile.’

’Everything points to one thing.’

’Yaya and Wu Dao...’

’...they really seem to share some kind of unbreakable bond.’

"Heh, you outlander. You’ve got some impressive tricks. Little Mo, don’t you be fooled by him."

Just as Mo Chen was wrestling with his complicated feelings.

A cold snort echoed out.

The slovenly, bald old drunkard had appeared at the courtyard gate at some point. The drunkenness was gone from his face, replaced by a grim, cold expression.

"Grandmaster Qing..."

Yaya seemed very afraid of the old drunkard. She looked flustered and lost, and her small body trembled visibly.

"Hey, there, Yaya, my dear. Did Little Mo scold you? Grandpa will teach him a lesson for you."

Grandmaster Qing’s grim expression vanished in an instant, his gaze turning kind and benevolent as he reached a hand out to Yaya.

A glimmer of hope appeared in Mo Chen’s somber eyes. He thought Yaya was just throwing a tantrum, playing a prank.

Wu Dao remained unmoved.

He just watched the old drunkard at the courtyard entrance with indifference.

"No, I want to be with Daddy."

After a slight hesitation, Yaya buried her head in the crook of Wu Dao’s neck. His warm, reassuring presence allowed her to suppress her fear, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Heh..."

Wu Dao reached up to stroke Yaya’s soft white hair, the corner of his mouth curling up as he spoke.

"Senior, you say I’m deceiving Little Mo. Then pray tell, who are these so-called parents of Yaya you speak of?"

Though their contact had been brief.

He could sense it.

Yaya’s true nature was that of a genuine Fierce Beast from the primeval Wilderness—greedy, drawn to evil, wild and untamable. A reverence for bloodshed was an instinct carved into her very bloodline.

A race like that.

Was absolutely a peak-level race standing in complete opposition to the Human Dao.

Moreover, the offspring of this race.

Possessed an unimaginable potential for future growth.

It was a prize worthy of someone with Celestial Destiny and Fortune to tame and pacify, to be kept by their side as a powerful ally no matter the cost.

’The so-called daughter of a benefactor?’

’Entrusted by her parents?’

’That story was only good enough to fool an ignorant young brat like Mo Chen.’

’If her true origins were revealed...’

’...they would most likely become mortal enemies!’

"Are you sure you won’t let her go?"

The old drunkard wasn’t provoked, merely speaking in a voice laden with meaning.

Yaya’s origins.

And just how terrifying the race behind her was.

He was, of course, perfectly clear on all of it.

Including the immense price they had paid to get Yaya to Mo Chen’s side.

The initial idea had been a good one.

Unfortunately, they had underestimated the untamable wildness in the bloodline of Yaya’s race.

More than ten years of pacification.

And exposure to an extremely noble fortune.

Had failed to affect her in the slightest.

To this day, their futures remained parallel lines, showing no sign of ever converging.

Their patience was gradually running out.

Before this.

They had already been considering the idea of forcibly binding Mo Chen and Yaya together after the current harvest of Tribulation Qi’s fortune was over.

In any case.

It wouldn’t be the first time they had done something like this.

But Wu Dao’s appearance...

Had shattered all their plans. Now, watching Yaya about to be whisked away, all their efforts were about to be for nothing.

Although he didn’t know how Wu Dao had managed it, in his mind, Wu Dao was already a dead man.

Yaya was meant to be Mo Chen’s aid in his future ascent to the pinnacle. They had invested far too much effort in her and would not allow any outsider to interfere.

Let alone.

A Sinner of the Blood from the Divine Wilderness!

Heh...

"I know what you’re thinking."

Wu Dao raised a slight eyebrow, his eyes narrowing as he chuckled.

"I’m very much looking forward to it. And I welcome you—all of you—to come visit Yaya at ’my home.’ I’ll make sure you feel... right at home!"

"Hahaha... Excellent, excellent. This old man will also look forward to that day."

The old drunkard clapped his hands in praise, seemingly appreciating Wu Dao’s courage. Then he turned to Mo Chen, whose eyes were slightly red, and barked:

"Look at you, what a disgrace. A father and daughter reuniting is a joyous occasion. What are you crying for? Don’t you know that’s bad luck? It’s not like this is a final parting."

"I... I’m not crying."

Mo Chen saw Yaya’s mocking little gaze, snorted coldly, and said, "I couldn’t be happier to see that little brat get as far away from me as possible."

Though his words were harsh.

He was actually happy in his heart.

Just as Grandmaster Qing had said, it wasn’t a final parting. They would see each other again in the future anyway.

He also looked forward to seeing what Yaya would become under Wu Dao’s tutelage.

To seeing a well-behaved and sensible Yaya in the future.

"In three months, this old man will visit Yaya again. I hope you treat her well."

He added this last sentence, his voice laden with meaning.

Without lingering any longer, the old drunkard left, carrying his wine Gourd and swaying as he went.

Three months.

The time frame didn’t mean much to Mo Chen; he just subconsciously calculated what date that would be.

Wu Dao and Zhou Chen, however, both looked grave for a moment, and a sense of urgency took hold of them.

The three months the old drunkard mentioned.

Naturally did not refer to three months in the Dragon Mud Cave Heaven.

That would be too short.

One day in the outside world was eighteen days in the Dragon Mud.

Three months in the Dragon Mud would only be a few days outside.

Not enough time to completely harvest the fortune of the Divine Wilderness.

But even three months in the Divine Wilderness was by no means a generous amount of time.

It would pass in the blink of an eye!

...

「At dusk.」

"Uncle Wu, Mr. Zhou, come visit again when you’re free! And you, little brat, you listen to your daddy, you hear!"

Outside the Mo Family residence.

Mo Chen waved a reluctant farewell to Wu Dao and Zhou Chen, his slightly red eyes fixed on Yaya, who was perched on Wu Dao’s shoulders.

Like an old father waiting for his ’unfilial daughter’ to have a change of heart.

Unfortunately...

Yaya never once looked back.

Nor did she show the slightest bit of reluctance or sadness.

On the contrary.

The farther she got from the Mo Family home with Wu Dao.

The more inexplicably light she felt, as if invisible shackles and chains were falling away, layer by layer, filling her heart with an irrepressible sense of relief and joy.

"Yaya? Why is Elder Qing..."

"Tsk, what nerve. Actually daring to get close to that little jinx."

"Heh, just think of it as her going out to play for a bit. What’s there to worry about?"

「In Stinging Dragon Lane.」

As Wu Dao walked past with Yaya on his shoulders and Zhou Chen by his side.

The sounds of whispers.

Surprise, schadenfreude, cold sneers...

Emerged from slightly ajar doorways, and all kinds of gazes converged on Wu Dao.

Wu Dao’s expression was indifferent. He strode along calmly, completely unaffected. A thousand harsh words were worth less than a single slap.

A war of words.

Was truly pointless.

After leaving Stinging Dragon Lane.

Zhou Chen suddenly frowned. His aura began to seem illusory, and he couldn’t help but sigh. "They really don’t give you a single extra moment."

Wu Dao’s steps faltered for a moment.

"Brother Wu, this trip has been fulfilling, but I have urgent matters to attend to at home. I’m afraid I can’t accompany you any further."

With a hasty apology.

Zhou Chen strode quickly toward an empty area in the distance.

He had obtained both opportunities.

The rules of the Dragon Mud Cave Heaven were beginning to expel outsiders.

If he resisted.

Something bad would happen.

More importantly.

Three months...

He had to fight for every second.

"Does Zhou not like Yaya?"

Yaya, perched on his shoulder, watched Zhou Chen’s rapidly disappearing back. Her sensitive heart, eager to fit into her new environment, was suddenly tinged with sadness.

"You don’t need anyone’s approval."

Wu Dao stroked Yaya’s white hair as if petting a little white kitten and spoke softly as he walked.

"Cattle and sheep flock together, but fierce beasts walk alone. From now on, the only thing you need to love and pursue is that which you yourself love."

"Oh, is that so?"

Yaya pulled a piece of candy from her small pocket and popped it into her mouth. The familiar, exquisite taste instantly made her eyes crinkle in a smile, her fair little legs dangling and swinging ceaselessly against Wu Dao’s chest.

"Wu Dao, what you said makes a lot of sense. Only the things you like can bring you true happiness."

Her true nature really was hard to change.

She had just called him "Daddy" a few times.

And she was already getting carried away, forgetting all sense of propriety.

But Wu Dao didn’t care about such things.

It wasn’t as if he was actually looking for a daughter to be a stay-at-home dad and enjoy the bliss of a loving family.

On the contrary...

His gaze deepened slightly.

A plan for how to train Yaya and maximize her potential had already formed in Wu Dao’s mind.

The sun set in the west, the figures of people sparse.

In the dim yellow twilight.

Yaya sat on Wu Dao’s shoulders, blissfully enjoying her candy.

Two shadows, one large and one small.

Walked farther and farther away, seeming to separate and merge.

Stretching long, long into the sunset.

...