Chapter 879: Yangming Vessel, God-Devouring Technique!

Above Red Peak Immortal City, a warship forged from ancient dark iron loomed like a fortress in the sky.

The massive vessel, entirely black, shimmered with purple arcs of lightning that traced countless thunder patterns across its surface.

At its prow stood a fierce purple-electric dragon, its gaping maw clutching a pulsating violet thunder orb.

The ship’s stern unfurled a pair of wings crafted from Thunder-Patterned Meteor Iron, interwoven with intricate mystic runes that crackled like tiny electric arcs, emitting a relentless roar.

Cultivators from Red Peak Immortal City boarded the warship Yangming Vessel one by one, gearing up for an assault on Liang Kingdom.

Surrounding the flagship, smaller flying boats and armored warships were piloted by other cultivators.

Though True Lord Ziguang had taken many of the city’s cultivators away, plenty still remained.

Having witnessed the prowess of Lu Changsheng, the Lord of Dameng City and Yangming True Lord, these cultivators had no desire to return to their own factions. Instead, they eagerly sought to serve under his command.

Their respective sects and clans were equally pleased to see their members and disciples under Yangming True Lord’s banner, earning war merits and relaying vital intelligence at the earliest opportunity.

Aside from cultivators of Jiang Kingdom and Yue Kingdom, most here were demonic war captives from Liang Kingdom.

Though only a month had passed, fully subjugating these prisoners was no easy feat.

This was where True Lord Incinerating Wither, a Nascent Soul True Lord from Liang’s Asura Sect, proved invaluable.

Despite his severe injuries, True Lord Incinerating Wither managed to recruit all the cultivators of Asura Sect to their side.

Through them, he began to subdue and control the other demonic captives of Liang Kingdom.

Those who submitted willingly were welcomed with open arms.

Those who resisted were kept imprisoned, bound by restrictions, and reduced to slaves.

Though the loyalty of these recruits was questionable at best,

they would likely scatter at the first sign of unfavorable odds.

Still, their numbers bolstered a formidable army.

High in the clouds, Lu Changsheng stood atop his Golden-Winged Roc, clad in a dark robe and cloak. He surveyed the scene below with a satisfied nod.

The only minor gripe was that his Yangming Vessel still bore the name Purple Abyss Vessel in bold letters.

Yet, to assemble a fleet of warships in such a short time was no small achievement.

“Set sail, full speed ahead!”

With preparations complete, Lu Lingxiao stood on the deck of Yangming Vessel alongside the Three Treasure Incarnation, Lu Miaoge, and Lu Qingxuan. His voice boomed with authority.

Taking a deep breath, he gripped a nine-section bronze mallet and struck the top-tier artifact beside him, the Beast-Faced Mountain-Shaking Drum.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The drum roared like an ancient beast, countless array patterns coalescing in the void to form a towering Beast King that howled at the heavens.

This Beast-Faced Mountain-Shaking Drum, a gift from True Lord Tiancang,

not only boosted morale and enhanced the combat strength of spirit pets and war beasts but could also unleash sonic attacks or transmit messages. It was an exceptional war artifact.

Though Lu Changsheng wasn’t entirely pleased with the spoils from Red Peak Immortal City, nor the storage pouches and rings of the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain, True Lord Tiancang, and the Flood Dragon Holy Son,

he found their contents disappointingly meager for Nascent Soul cultivators.

Still, with the loot from Red Peak Immortal City and the storage rings of the trio, Lu Changsheng’s arsenal of war artifacts and strategic resources now rivaled that of Heavenly Sword Sect and Hunyuan Sect.

“Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!”

As Lu Lingxiao struck the drum, the dense runes at the stern of Yangming Vessel, resembling tiny electric arcs, erupted in a deafening roar. The ship surged toward Liang Kingdom.

Flying boats, warships, and artifact-wielding cultivators flanked the vessel, following closely behind.

Lu Changsheng himself did not board the ship.

Instead, he stood atop the Golden-Winged Roc in the clouds above, overseeing the battle.

For one, according to the unwritten rules of immortal wars, Nascent Soul True Lords were forbidden from directly engaging or attacking lower-realm cultivators.

Additionally, with their keen eyesight and vast divine sense, Nascent Soul cultivators were ideal for supervising battles, able to spot dangers like scouts or hidden ambushes at a moment’s notice.

With Liang Kingdom’s four Nascent Soul cultivators either captured or slain, their top-tier forces, along with those of Yuan Kingdom, were severely depleted.

Only True Lord Nine Spirits, True Lord Yunmei, and two Nascent Soul True Lords supporting Yuan Kingdom remained.

Under such circumstances, Liang Kingdom had no Nascent Soul True Lord to counter Lu Changsheng, a titan among his peers.

Thus, every stronghold, fort, and defensive line along the front was abandoned.

Lu Changsheng’s army from Red Peak Immortal City swept through like a storm, conquering cities and fortresses with ease as they pressed deep into Liang Kingdom’s territory.

Lu Wangshu, experiencing her first immortal war, was utterly stunned.

This wasn’t just domination—it was annihilation.

No demonic cultivators or factions from Liang Kingdom dared to stand in their way.

Every city and outpost was deserted, some even left with resources untouched.

“In the past, both sides would field a Nascent Soul True Lord to maintain balance, or rely on immortal cities and key strongholds to pin down the enemy.”

“But now, with Father having captured or slain Liang’s four Nascent Soul True Lords, aside from True Lord Nine Spirits of Beast God Mountain, no one can stand against him.”

“The two Nascent Soul True Lords sent by Yuan Kingdom wouldn’t dare confront him either.”

Lu Lingxiao, clad in a dark gold dragon-patterned robe, stood tall with a gilded mask on his face. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Lu Wangshu on the warship’s deck, speaking through a private transmission.

His pale golden eyes gazed up at the Golden-Winged Roc soaring amidst the clouds.

Though immortal war rules forbade Nascent Soul True Lords from joining the fray or attacking lower-realm cultivators,

with no Nascent Soul True Lord on their side, who could muster the courage to resist? Especially against a titan who had slain four Nascent Soul cultivators, accompanied by a fourth-rank Demon King, a fourth-rank puppet, and a defected Nascent Soul cultivator.

Lu Wangshu understood this logic all too well.

Yet the reality before her was far from the immortal war she had envisioned.

Still, she felt no disappointment.

She knew that if a war grew too fierce or dragged on, both sides would suffer immense casualties.

Her father’s swift and decisive elimination of the enemy’s top forces, followed by his commanding presence on the battlefield, was the best way to minimize losses.

“What’s the deal with this Demonic Mastermind? Why hasn’t there been any movement?”

Standing atop the Golden-Winged Roc, Lu Changsheng gazed quietly toward Beast God Mountain, deep in thought.

In this campaign, the only threat he needed to watch for was the Demonic Mastermind from Blood Sea Sect.

Yet, during the days of assembling and preparing, Liang’s demonic army had done little beyond retreating, showing no significant actions.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Yuan Kingdom might fully withdraw, or if Liang Kingdom would abandon everything and retreat.

However, according to intel from True Lord Xuanjian, Liang’s forces hadn’t completely pulled back—just retreated to defend their inner immortal cities.

During this time, Lu Changsheng occasionally divined his own fortune.

Though the Liang-Yue War had muddled the heavenly secrets,

he could still sense vague impressions of his own fate, whether auspicious or ominous.

At this very moment, in Beast God Mountain,

“Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!”

The forbidden zone at the mountain’s rear trembled incessantly, echoing with roars like those of a demon beast.

Deep within a valley, an abyss blood pool churned with crimson energy. A dragon-crocodile, covered in purple-black scales, roared ferociously, its blood-red eyes glinting with menace.

Its body quivered as the scales shimmered with dark light, faint traces of blood emerging on its surface.

True Lord Nine Spirits and Mo Luo worked tirelessly, casting secret techniques with rapid hand seals to nurture and forcibly enhance the dragon-crocodile.

Though True Lord Nine Spirits had resolved to abandon Beast God Mountain and join Mo Luo in retreating to Wan Shou Mo Sect to bide their time for revenge,

how could he bear to surrender his foundation and territory so easily?

Moreover, he couldn’t abandon his bloodline descendants and the disciples of Beast God Mountain.

He sought a path of survival for them.

After discussions with True Lord Yunmei, Qisha Sect, Tianmu Sect, and other Nascent Soul True Lords from Yuan Kingdom, they agreed to relocate Barebody Sect.

But there was a condition.

True Lord Nine Spirits had to probe the true strength of Yangming True Lord.

After all, Yuan Kingdom and Liang Kingdom were separated only by the Endless Desert.

If Liang fell to Yangming True Lord, Yuan Kingdom could be next in line.

Though Yuan’s True Lord Tianyan had broken through to mid-Nascent Soul thanks to war gains from Qiyun Kingdom,

they still feared Yangming True Lord, whose might equaled three Nascent Soul cultivators and who had effortlessly slain four of their peers.

They wanted True Lord Nine Spirits to test Yangming True Lord’s divine abilities and methods for a deeper understanding.

Faced with this condition, True Lord Nine Spirits wrestled with indecision.

After much deliberation, he sought Mo Luo’s aid to enhance one of Beast God Mountain’s fourth-rank sacred beasts to mid-fourth-rank through secret techniques.

The cost was steep—the beast’s life potential would be utterly drained, and it would lose all sentience.

Yet, if Jiang and Yue Kingdom’s armies reached Beast God Mountain, they would face this awakened, rampaging mid-fourth-rank Beast King.

The casualties would be catastrophic, forcing Yangming True Lord to act with full strength.

If Yangming True Lord’s power fell short and he couldn’t swiftly deal with the frenzied Beast King, Beast God Mountain’s spiritual vein would suffer damage or destruction in the chaos.

Destroying a fourth-rank spiritual vein would invite a backlash of fortune, bringing misfortune and calamity.

But since this fourth-rank Beast King was already forsaken and near the end of its life, the consequences were negligible.

Mo Luo was more than willing to assist with True Lord Nine Spirits’ request.

After all, he too was curious about the true strength and methods of this Yangming True Lord.

If the man relied solely on secret techniques and his strength was mediocre, not the disguised orthodox cultivator Mo Luo suspected, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike, seize opportunities, and ignite another war.

“Supreme Elder, the armies of Jiang and Yue Kingdoms have breached Liang’s borders.”

A trusted subordinate of True Lord Nine Spirits arrived to report.

“No matter.” True Lord Nine Spirits didn’t even blink, his voice cold and detached.

At this point, he had already forsaken all of Liang Kingdom.

His direct bloodline had been scattered to the Endless Desert, Yuan Kingdom, Barebody Sect, or smaller kingdoms for safety.

Beast God Mountain’s core disciples and key cultivators would retreat to Yuan Kingdom alongside Barebody Sect, Qisha Sect, and Tianmu Sect.

As for the rest of the cultivators and factions, they were mere pawns, abandoned to distract and delay the enemy.

After all, enhancing this fourth-rank dragon-crocodile to mid-fourth-rank required time.

“Kill!”

Jiang Kingdom’s forces split into multiple contingents, advancing relentlessly to converge on Liang Kingdom.

In the prior Liang-Yue War, aside from True Lord Tiansha’s capture and death at True Lord Xuanjian’s hands and True Lord Tiancang’s body and Qi being severed, Yue Kingdom, with Jiang’s support, had launched counterattacks to reclaim much territory.

Most of the time, Yue Kingdom had been on the defensive, constantly suppressed.

Now, not only had the tides turned, but they had breached Liang’s borders in record time.

For Yue Kingdom’s cultivators, this was a massive morale boost, their spirits soaring to unprecedented heights.

“Spare us!”

“We’re willing to surrender!”

Lu Changsheng’s army from Red Peak Immortal City swept through the borderlands as if no one stood in their way.

Even after entering Liang’s territory, resistance remained nonexistent.

All local clans and factions along the path had either fled upon receiving news,

or, for those who couldn’t escape in time or clung to false hope, immediately offered up their resources and treasures to surrender at the sight of the army.

For these clans and factions, Lu Changsheng mostly adopted a lenient approach.

Unless they had committed grave atrocities during the Liang-Yue War or practiced extreme demonic techniques, most were either captured, imprisoned, or recruited for his own use.

On one hand, with True Lord Incinerating Wither and the future Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain at his disposal, he could enslave and control these factions.

On the other, population was a vital resource in the immortal world.

After thirty years of immortal warfare, Liang, Jiang, and Yue Kingdoms had all suffered immense losses and needed to replenish their numbers.

Thus, if Liang fell to Jiang, True Lord Xuanjian would undoubtedly relocate many cultivators from Jiang.

At that time, these Liang cultivators could not only be moved to Jiang but also used as bargaining chips in trades with Heavenly Sword Sect.

[Congratulations, Host! Thirty of your descendants have broken through to second-rank body refinement, earning you one Advanced Lottery Draw opportunity!]

On this day, a sudden system notification chimed in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

“Hm, thirty already?”

Standing atop the Golden-Winged Roc, overlooking his army, Lu Changsheng paused in thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Dual cultivation of body and magic had become standard among Lu Family disciples.

Though not everyone could master the Hundred Refinements Body Technique or possess artifacts to passively refine their bodies,

once they reached the late stage of Qi Refining, they would receive resources for body refinement and train concurrently.

Upon breaking through to Foundation Establishment, the family would continue to provide resources for body cultivation.

Moreover, whenever Lu Changsheng acquired significant gains outside and enriched the family treasury, he would instruct his wife, Lu Miaoyun, and son, Lu Ping’an, to increase resource allocation for the family’s disciples.

“System, initiate the draw.”

Though having achieved Nascent Soul, an Advanced Lottery Draw held less significance for Lu Changsheng,

he still harbored a flicker of anticipation, hoping for a pleasant surprise.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the technique: God-Devouring Technique!]

[Reward has been placed in System Space. Host may view it at any time.]

An image of a crystalline Jade Book appeared alongside the system’s chime.

“Hm!?”

Lu Changsheng’s brow arched as he glanced toward the System Space.

[Technique: God-Devouring Technique]

[Grade: True Immortal Level]

[Description: The way of heaven balances by taking from the abundant to aid the lacking. The way of man takes from the lacking to serve the abundant. The God-Devouring Technique allows one to condense a God-Devouring Seed, parasitizing other beings to plunder their soul essence for personal gain.]

“What!? Parasitize and plunder others’ soul essence to enhance myself?”

Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but be taken aback by this technique.

Though he had long hoped the system would grant him a soul cultivation technique,

preferably one he could passively train,

he never expected the system to deliver such a domineering method—one that directly parasitized and devoured the soul essence of others.

“Does this God-Devouring Technique come with any side effects?”

Lu Changsheng pondered, suspecting this might be a demonic soul technique.

After all, immortal cultivation emphasized steady progress, step by step. A technique that parasitized and consumed others’ souls couldn’t possibly be without drawbacks.