Chapter Seven: Innate Divine Ability

"Evil Dragon, today I will punish you on behalf of the innocent people you have devoured," Fire Lord shouted angrily.

With a crackling sound, Fire Lord grasped his flame-forged whip, mercilessly lashing it across the body of the evil dragon. As a cultivator of fire, his power brimmed with blazing energy, and the whip he conjured was wreathed in searing flames.

"Nine Luminaries Star, I only ate some humans. Why are you arresting me? There are countless monsters who consume people—why not capture them instead?" The evil dragon could not withstand the whipping and cried out in protest.

"Evil Dragon, you wreak havoc in the mortal realm and still dare to argue!"

"Fire Lord, step aside. Let me handle this," Yuan Wuji said, equally enraged, eager to discipline the evil dragon himself.

Although Yuan Wuji was only at the Celestial stage, he was a Long-Armed Ape Monkey, born with divine strength. Wielding the God-Beating Whip, each strike left a stark white mark on the evil dragon's scales.

"Ah! The pain! How dare you, a mere Celestial, strike me?" The evil dragon was astonished that even someone of Yuan Wuji's cultivation could harm him.

"And when you feasted on humans in the mortal world, did you ever consider facing retribution like today?" Yuan Wuji's blows grew more furious.

"Hmph! The strong prey on the weak. If they were stronger and wished to devour me, I would have nothing to say," the evil dragon retorted.

"Wuji, pay him no heed. Let him suffer; he will yield soon enough," Gold Lord advised from the side.

"Ha! So, you have nothing to say now? As I said, if you can devour me today, I will not utter a word in protest," the evil dragon taunted Yuan Wuji.

"Devour you?" At first, Yuan Wuji felt only anger, but hearing the evil dragon's words, he felt a sudden urge to truly swallow him whole.

"Ha! Little insect, if you have the skill, swallow me now! Hahaha!" The evil dragon, seeing Yuan Wuji silent, grew even more arrogant.

"Evil Dragon, enough! Watch me teach you a proper lesson!" Fire Lord, unable to bear the dragon's insolence, resumed whipping him.

When the evil dragon mocked Yuan Wuji for being unable to swallow him, a deep humiliation welled up within Yuan Wuji. It was as if his greatest talent had been dismissed as worthless—yet as a Long-Armed Ape Monkey, his pride would not allow such an insult to go unanswered.

Thump! A powerful surge pulsed from his heart. Yuan Wuji instinctively opened his jaws wide, and in the blink of an eye, the massive evil dragon became no more than a wriggling insect, drawn into Yuan Wuji’s belly under the astonished gaze of the Nine Luminaries Star Lords. As he was swallowed, terror contorted the dragon’s features.

Having devoured the evil dragon, Yuan Wuji immediately fell into a deep coma.

This turn of events terrified the Nine Luminaries Star Lords—for should anything befall Yuan Wuji, they would have no way to explain themselves to the Lady of Golden Spirit.

"Fire Brother, how is Wuji?"

"What just happened? How did he manage to swallow the evil dragon?"

"If anything goes wrong, how will we answer to Her Ladyship?"

"Quiet! Wuji is the priority now. Water Lord, please check on his condition," Solar Star Lord instructed.

Water Lord approached Yuan Wuji, examining him before reporting, "His entire body is feverish. Wuji’s cultivation is only at the Celestial stage, but the evil dragon was a demon king. The energy he swallowed is simply too immense for him to bear."

"Is there any solution?"

"He swallowed the entire evil dragon. Who knows where all that essence has gone within his body? There is no way to begin."

"Can’t we check one part at a time?" Fire Lord suggested.

"No. If we don’t know where the essence has lodged, probing at random could cause grave consequences."

"No one knows Wuji’s physical condition better than Her Ladyship. We must seek her counsel," Gold Lord advised.

"But if she blames us..."

"I agree with Gold Lord—better to seek her guidance at once. Should Wuji come to harm because we delayed, our guilt would be far greater," Moon Lord nodded.

"Very well, we depart at once. Water Lord, your power is the gentlest—tend to Wuji as we travel," Solar Star Lord ordered without delay.

Within the Doumu Hall of Kan Palace:

"So you say he swallowed an evil dragon of the demon king’s cultivation?" Lady Golden Spirit gazed at the nine star lords, her voice slow and measured.

"Yes, Ladyship—we never expected such a thing."

"When the evil dragon was boasting, we noticed nothing amiss with Wuji..."

"Yet, to our shock, he simply swallowed the evil dragon whole," the Nine Luminaries Star Lords explained anxiously.

"I see. If you notice anything unusual about Wuji in the future, come to me at once, just as you did today."

"You may go now. I will handle this myself," Lady Golden Spirit dismissed them.

"Thank you, Ladyship. We take our leave."

The star lords withdrew from the hall.

"I truly forgot—each of the Four Mischievous Monkeys is born with unique innate abilities. I recall my master once said that their talents are so singular that even the Dao Patriarch once suffered a minor loss to one of them, hence the saying: 'The Dharma shall not be passed to the Six-Eared.' If I am not mistaken, the Long-Armed Ape Monkey’s talent lies within his heart—the Devouring Heaven Demon Heart. When cultivated to its peak, it lives up to its name—devour the heavens themselves. Even in its nascent stage, the Devouring Heaven Demon Heart allows him to swallow monsters of a higher cultivation realm," Lady Golden Spirit murmured.

"But for now, I must first assist Wuji in refining the demon dragon he has swallowed."

She gently placed her hand over Yuan Wuji’s heart, invoking a mysterious power. Gradually, Yuan Wuji regained consciousness.

"Master, what happened to me?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"Not clearly... I just recall swallowing an evil dragon."

"Indeed, you swallowed an evil dragon," Lady Golden Spirit said as Yuan Wuji, recalling the events in the celestial prison, looked astonished.

"Do not worry. That is the innate gift of your kind—the Devouring Heaven Demon Heart, which allows you to assimilate all things for your own use. The oversight was mine; I forgot the unique powers of your lineage," she explained. "What about the evil dragon I swallowed?"

"You need not worry. I have already helped you refine the entire essence of the evil dragon into your heart, thereby strengthening your innate talent. I have also purged the dragon’s malice and demonic aura. Fortunately, your golden core possesses the innate essence of Geng Metal, or it would have been corrupted by resentment. In truth, you need not always swallow things whole—once you master your ability, mere physical contact will suffice to absorb another’s essence. Unlike now, when you indiscriminately absorb both good and bad, which can be troublesome to expel later."

"Master, do you have a method to help me cultivate this power?"

"It is an innate gift—only you can comprehend its mysteries. However, come to my hall tomorrow, and I will impart a technique to aid you in honing your talent."

"Thank you, Master."

"You are weary. Rest well today and come to me tomorrow."

"Your disciple takes his leave."