Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2028 Chapter 972: Divine Statue (Part 3)

"Exactly what kind of divine statue are we searching for?"

Mo Hua's brow furrowed. Lacking a concrete answer, he could only offer: "Look for one that is peculiar, or perhaps something that strikes you as immediately different or unique..."

Turning to survey the diverse array of sculptures before him—nearly all of which appeared "different"—Xun Ziyou whispered:

"Let us begin the search..."

Thus, with Mo Hua leading the way, Elder Xun, Master Gu, and Master Fan began scouring the various Mountain God statues in hopes of identifying the solitary Lifebound Divine Statue.

...

Meanwhile, within the Divine Temple.

Shen Shouxing and the demon possessing Mr. Tu remained locked in a brutal, unending struggle.

Shen Shouxing, in particular, fought with the desperation of a madman, casting aside all concern for survival as he unleashed every lethal technique he possessed.

At the peak of the Golden Core stage, his berserk state made him resemble a vicious hound, making it difficult for Mr. Tu to mount a proper defense.

As the conflict wore on and his wounds multiplied, the light in Shen Shouxing's eyes began to fade, eclipsed by encroaching shadows.

Simultaneously, however, his perception sharpened significantly.

Dimly, he glimpsed a second visage hovering above the head of the monstrous entity.

This face was sophisticated and elegant, yet it radiated an aura of profound cruelty and coldness.

Shen Shouxing recognized that face instantly.

His pupils contracted sharply. "You are... Elder Shen?"

The demon’s contorted features stiffened as it frowned. "How did you manage to recognize me?"

As a servant of the Divine Lord, his malevolent thoughts existed on a plane beyond ordinary cultivators.

Usually, a common cultivator would see only a "puppet" demon, unable to perceive the blood shadow parasitizing the creature or discern its true form.

Yet, Shen Shouxing had seen through the veil...

Stunned, Shen Shouxing paused for a heartbeat before the pieces fell into place. He roared in a fit of rage: "It was you... It was all your doing!"

With a pale face and gritted teeth, he hissed:

"The events at Solitary Mountain were your design; the burial sealing technique came from you as well. You were the one who promised me prosperity and a limitless Dao..."

Abandoning his pretense, Mr. Tu’s expression turned icy as he spoke:

"Did I ever deceive you? Haven't you experienced a meteoric rise over these years? As a powerful elder of the Shen Family, were you not commanding respect and standing at the height of your power?"

"No, that's not right..." Shen Shouxing’s gaze wavered. "I was merely being manipulated... I was nothing more than your pawn..."

Staring intently at the demon inhabited by Mr. Tu, he asked coldly:

"You are no scholar-elder from the Qian Taoist Sect. What are you, truly?"

Mr. Tu responded with a silent, mocking sneer.

A sudden chill flooded Shen Shouxing's heart.

He had lived under the impression that the Shen Family were the primary beneficiaries, seizing the mines of Solitary Mountain and eliminating the troublesome Loose Cultivators.

But now, the truth was clear: he was wrong.

The Shen Family was not the true winner.

Something far more malevolent had been observing them from the darkness all along...

Blinded by greed and the pursuit of status, the aristocratic family had failed to notice the predator in their midst.

Shen Shouxing was consumed by overwhelming regret.

Mr. Tu let out a sharp, dismal laugh:

"We both gained what we desired, so why speak of manipulation? Without my intervention, how would the Shen Family have risen, and how would you have attained the rank of elder?"

"This is exactly what you sought."

"Your prestige and your wealth—I provided it all."

Those words seemed to pierce through Shen Shouxing's very soul.

"Prestige and wealth?" Blood seeped from Shen Shouxing's eyes as he laughed at himself. "What value do they hold now?"

"My son is gone. My only son is dead."

"I have no heir and no hope left."

"The family interests, the authority, the status I spent my life fighting for... in the end, there is no one to inherit them. They are all illusions, mere garments for someone else's wedding."

"A lifetime of struggle, all wasted..."

"This is... karma..."

An absurd sense of desolation bloomed within Shen Shouxing, merging into a profound, suffocating despair.

The death of his son and the end of his lineage acted as a key, unlocking the gates of his heart.

Within that void, a hidden seed finally took root.

The color in Shen Shouxing's eyes shifted to a murky gray-black; his will was extinguished, and his sanity shattered completely.

"Then let us die together..."

Casting aside his longsword, he lunged at Mr. Tu like a rabid animal. He used his bare hands and feet to claw at Mr. Tu’s form, even sinking his teeth into the demon's flesh.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Mr. Tu sneered with contempt.

"Those who chase after petty fame and wealth possess weak Taoist Hearts. In the end, they are nothing but toys."

Controlling the demon, Mr. Tu began to trade blows with the crazed Shen Shouxing.

When a cultivator’s Taoist Heart fails, they are reduced to mere instinct. Without the refinement of Taoist Skill, they actually grow weaker.

Consequently, despite his horrific appearance, the mindless Shen Shouxing's Power of Killing was diminished, only managing to leave ragged bite marks on his opponent.

Such injuries were trivial to the "demon," whose physical form was already a mass of distorted, murky flesh.

Mr. Tu paid the wounds no mind.

However, he failed to notice that where Shen Shouxing’s teeth had sunk in, wisps of an eerie gray substance were slowly seeping into his body before vanishing...

...

While searching for the Lifebound Divine Statue, Mo Hua’s scalp suddenly prickled.

A wave of dread washed over him.

The sensation arrived abruptly and vanished just as quickly; when Mo Hua tried to focus on it, he felt nothing.

"What was that...?"

Mo Hua frowned deeply, tempted to perform a thorough Calculation, yet he had no starting point. Furthermore, with time running out, the need to locate the Lifebound Divine Statue was paramount, so he forced the doubt aside for the moment.

Yet, his search yielded no results.

Arrayed along the towering exterior walls of the Divine Temple were countless statues, forming a veritible "Divine Statue Forest." Each possessed a unique posture and distinct features, making it nearly impossible to identify which one held the Mountain Lord’s Lifebound essence.