Heaven's Devourer

Hey guys, I'm excited to let you know that Physician's Odyssey is now out of sneak peek and available for everyone to read, with 60 chapters to start!  This is a modern wuxia novel that is part of our big 2019 kickoff to more genres.  Authored by Smoking Pipe Bro and translated by Wuxiaworld veteran Thyaeria (who is also working with us on The Great Ruler and Tales of Demons & Gods), this Zongheng novel brings us the story of the brilliant physician Su Tao.  Su Tao is a medical genius, but just wants to maintain...

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At present, he only had two Spirit Concentration Pills with him. Even if he used them all, he could not possibly reach the next spiritual source. Wu Yu decided to hold on to them for now. 

After Su Yanli left, he started to consider his own path of dao cultivation.

"I'm still three spiritual sources away from establishing my immortal roots. But I have to start making preparations to search for the immortal roots now."

Su Yanli had left him a book called Immortal Roots Compendium, which introduced many common immortal roots. Wu Yu was prepared to spend some time to absorb the information. If he chanced upon an immortal root in the future, the chances of acquiring it would be greater. 

"The Invincible Vajra Body's first tier only helps me achieve my first two spiritual sources at a fast pace. Next, I have to consolidate and stabilize my condensed qi in order to stabilize my spiritual source. Haste makes waste. Besides, I'm broke now, I don't have many Spirit Concentration Pills."

At least, Feng Xueya would not give him any Spirit Concentration Pills.

Firstly, that was only fair. Secondly, it would train Wu Yu's own resourcefulness.

"However, if I want to have the immortality arts that synergizes with the Invincible Vajra Body, then I have to strengthen my physical characteristics further, elevating it to a level completely unreachable for the ordinary Qi Condensation Realm. Then I can readily absorb the Spirit Concentration Pills and quickly activate the rest of my spiritual sources.”

Of course, the spiritual qi all over Heaven's Equal Peak was dense now. Furthermore, Wu Yu's uncommon abilities allowed him to absorb and process spiritual qi faster than usual. In just a few months or half a year, he should be able to activate his third source, the Heaven's Gate Meridian.

From the Immortal Roots Compendium that Su Yanli had given him, Wu Yu thought of the Lifegiving Fruit. The Lifegiving Fruit gave regenerative abilities. That was already quite an extraordinary immortal root. But Jiang Junlin had said that his father had ultimate immortal roots, which were clearly even better.

"I defeated Jiang Junlin, but the wounds were not fatal. If he activates another spiritual source, then he can lay down that ultimate immortal root, and I will be left in his dust again."

The opponent had declared that he would take Wu Yu's life the next time they met. Clearly, he had grounds for his confidence. No wonder he had not come to look for Wu Yu in that month. He must have hurried to lay down that immortal root.

Presently, he needed his spiritual power to flow constantly and to be stable. Wu Yu had energy to spare even while cultivating the Fixed Body Art. He decided it was time to go to the Dao Querying Pagoda to ask for a dao technique.

"Dao Querying Peak is near Heavenly Peak."

Wu Yu mounted his Immortal Crane and landed on Dao Querying Peak. There were servants here who would look after the Immortal Cranes. Wu Yu followed the path to the Dao Querying Pagoda.

"That's the personal disciple of the Sect Leader, Wu Yu."

"I hear that he just returned from a mortal kingdom."

"I heard a Heavenly Immortal tell the tale where he broke down the Sect-Protector's disciple, Situ Minglang. That was some heroic stuff! I'm really envious...."

"He used to be a servant. For a former servant to reach this stage, he's the idol of all us servants!"

Wu Yu had a huge reputation amongst the servants and external disciples. He was even more popular than the core disciples, and his name was on the same level as Su Yanli and the others.

Whether servant or external disciple, they all looked at him with reverent and envious eyes. And if he met core disciples, they would turn to Wu Yu to call out greetings and network with him.

Only core disciples could come to the Dao Querying Pagoda. Usually, there were few people here, and Wu Yu had not met other core disciples.

After a brisk walk, he reached the highest point of Dao Querying Peak. The clouds were swirling around. Within the mist, he could vaguely make out a tall pagoda made of bronze. It was like a mountain on top of Dao Querying Peak. If it were not for the fact that Dao Querying Peak was huge enough, it could not hold up this Dao Querying Pagoda. 

When he neared, he saw that the bronze surface bore the scars of its years. There were even algae and vines, although they failed to disguise the sheer immensity and majesty of the pagoda.

Wu Yu did not linger but walked directly into the pagoda. It was dim inside, a small room with no furnishing. There was only a cushion, on which an elder dao practitioner sat, eyes closed in cultivation.

This was an elder whose job was to guard the Dao Querying Pagoda. Wu Yu did not know his name, but he knew that he was an important person in the Heavenly Sword Sect. It was said that the rule of Dao Querying Pagoda was: Do not disturb this elder.

The core disciples who passed through here took care to tread cautiously.

Looking past him, there was a huge set of bronze doors, which were half-closed.

"There's no one inside."

If someone was currently challenging the first tier of Dao Querying Pagoda, then this set of bronze doors should be closed tight. This meant that Wu Yu could proceed.

Martial professionals were often secreted away in remote mountains and forests, and this old dao warrior was such an existence. Wu Yu passed him and directly entered the first tier of the Dao Querying Pagoda. He closed the bronze doors behind him. From start to finish, the old dao warrior did not even open his eyes.

Walking in, the sheer immensity of the Dao Querying Pagoda began to dawn on him. This first level was 30 feet high and 1,000 feet wide. It could accommodate tens of thousands of people. But in such an enormous place, only one person could challenge at a time. Unless someone had successfully challenged their way into the Scripture Holding Depository, backed out, or ascended to the second level of the Dao Querying Pagoda, a second person could not enter.

The Dao Querying Pagoda's walls, pillars, and floor were all made out of bronze, which was incomparably sturdy. But even so, the long years of challenges had left potholes and scars everywhere. One could only imagine how many people had challenged this Dao Querying Pagoda before.

Presently, the place was empty. At the centermost position of the ceiling, there was a beam, on which a female disciple sat. She was holding a bronze mirror that hid her face. Her long hair flowed and her body looked slender. A pair of legs, full and long, hung in mid air. She looked quite lively.

She was probably applying rouge or some such with the mirror. When Wu Yu entered, she did not look, but used one of those long legs to depress a round, protruding ball on the beam. Instantly, Wu Yu felt the Dao Querying Pagoda shift.

The challenge had begun.

This was a core disciple who was in the Qi Condensation Realm. She was specially here to support the challenges of the other disciples. It was said that this was a job that was fought over. Each month, one could obtain a Spirit Concentration Pill. It was an even more coveted job than being an Immortal Kingdom Supervisor.

For example, this female disciple's job was to start the challenge, and then tidy up the place after the challenge.

After triggering the mechanism, the female disciple continued to clutch her bronze mirror and touch herself up. Her figure seemed not bad. She resembled Ye Guyu, who Wu Yu had killed previously. The seductive type.

Bang, bang, bang~

There was a wall in front which began to descend with a loud rumble. Wu Yu could make out the scene behind it. The thing which Wu Yu was about to challenge was about to appear.

"If you're in trouble, shout for help, and sister here will halt the mechanism. Be sharp now. Don't lose your life." The girl continued to touch up her hair as she spoke in a relaxed manner.

Wu Yu's eyes were already completely attracted to the sight before him. He had not even heard her words.

"This thing is the Flying Wooden Tiger. How marvellous."

Put bluntly, this was a ferocious tiger that was 20 feet tall. However, it was an assembly of thousands of wood blocks, big and small. They were fitted together to create the semblance of a majestic tiger. This was already a work of art in itself.

As for the secret technique that made this ferocious tiger, the dao world called it the Secret Mechanism Technique.

In the mortal realm, Wu Yu had learnt something of this Secret Mechanism Technique. The ballistae and trebuchets on the battlefield were actually all prototypes of the Secret Mechanism Technique. Armies also had some talents proficient in the Secret Mechanism Technique. They were very intellectual and could create marvellous contraptions that influenced battles.

Of course, the mechanisms they created were a far cry from the Flying Wooden Tiger. Their mechanisms used at most a few hundred pieces of wood and iron. But this Flying Wooden Tiger used thousands of them.

However, just in terms of the quantity of wood alone, the disparity was not that huge. The key was that this Flying Wooden Tiger had a spirit design, which was the heart of the Secret Mechanism Technique.

It was said that there were many different types of spirit designs. There were talismanic spirit designs used for charms, and also immortal treasure spirit designs on the immortal treasures. There were also defensive and offensive spirit designs. Out of which, mechanism spirit designs were also one of them.

This type of spirit design could actually bring an inanimate mecha to life, and even make the spirit design the center of the mechanism. It could even use dao techniques!

The Flying Wooden Tiger before him had a Giant Strength Design, which allowed an ordinary wooden mechanism to have over 10,000 warhorses worth of power. It was like a real demon tiger. If this Flying Wooden Tiger were released, it would decimate Heavenly Cloud Rocs and Pegasi with ease.

It was said that many core disciples who had just condensed their qi had come to challenge this place, but they could not pass the Flying Wooden Tiger level.

"Those at the Jindan Dao Realm use pillfire to create pills, but they are still unable to truly understand spirit design. They can only use it in some limited capacity on talismans, immortal treasures, and mechanisms.

"It's said that copies and the genuine thing are completely different. Their power level is also very different. The real immortal treasures and mechanisms have earth-shattering power."

Someone like Feng Xueya could make pills. In terms of creating weapons, he could only use mimicries to fashion talismans, immortal treasures, and mechanisms.

It was said that spirit design was even more profound than dao techniques!

All the immortal treasures, mechanisms, and talismans of the world originated from spirit design!

Sumeru Pouches, Demon Subduing Staff, Flying Wooden Tiger, Godly Movement Bodyguard Talisman... all of these were testaments to the profoundness of spirit design.

Of course, Wu Yu had already read up on all this information about the Dao Querying Pagoda. Otherwise, he would not be so familiar with the Flying Wooden Tiger.

The first stage was to face this Flying Wooden Tiger!

The Flying Wooden Tiger opened its huge jaws and gave an actual snarl. Its four limbs came flying, and the tiger seemed real. To Wu Yu, it seemed like he was doing battle with a real demon.

Bang, bang, bang!

The Flying Wooden Tiger had a pair of wooden wings, which could help it to fly at a low altitude. The power of its leap was ridiculous. 

The female disciple abovehead was not at all surprised. She continued to fuss over her face, paying no attention to Wu Yu at all!

Ping, ping, ping!

It was the first time he was fighting the Flying Wooden Tiger. Wu Yu almost could not bear to destroy it.

But he had no choice. He was planning to challenge the fourth level today!

Pa! 

With one strike, the humongous Flying Wooden Tiger was broken at the waist, spraying the air with wooden splinters and fragments.

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