Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2032 Chapter 973: Destroying the Body and Erasing All Traces (Part 3)

The sudden appearance of Xun Ziyou and his companions did not go unnoticed by the Shen Family cultivators.

A pair of Golden Core cultivators from the Shen Family turned their gaze toward them, pausing briefly as if they intended to initiate an interrogation.

However, Xun Ziyou immediately projected a heavy, oppressive aura. With a freezing expression and a tone of sharp impatience, he demanded:

"What's the situation outside?"

Intimidated by this composed and commanding presence, the two Golden Core cultivators faltered. Observing Xun Ziyou’s soot-stained clothes and the visible burn marks on his person, they concluded he must be a high-ranking Elder of the family. They assumed he was tasked with "cleaning up the remains" and had just ascended from the depths of the graveyard to assess the exterior perimeter.

Due to the sheer size of the Shen Family and its numerous members, it was impossible for every Golden Core cultivator to be familiar with everyone else.

This was particularly true regarding the direct lineage Elders who held genuine authority within the aristocratic family.

One of the Shen Family Golden Core cultivators bowed respectfully and reported, "Reporting to the Elder, members of various sects and other families have arrived on the scene."

The other cultivator added through clenched teeth, "These predatory wolves are like swarming insects, hoping to pry into the Shen Family’s private affairs and destroy our foundation."

Flies don’t bother eggs that aren't cracked. If your Shen Family wasn't already a 'rotten egg,' why would they be swarming...

Mo Hua mused cynically to himself.

"Absurd," Xun Ziyou remarked with a hint of irritation, Dismissing them with a flick of his wrist. "Return to your duties. I will investigate this myself."

"Understood." The two Shen Family Golden Core cultivators retreated.

Xun Ziyou then guided Mo Hua toward the exit. After walking only a short distance, they encountered a massive throng of people surrounding the mine so densely that not a single drop of water could pass through.

The crowd consisted of Shen Family members as well as representatives from numerous other aristocratic families and various Sects.

Furthermore, a quick scan revealed that none of the factions present were weak or easily dismissed.

Those gathering to demand a piece of the Shen Family’s spoils naturally possessed foundations and influence comparable to the Shen Family itself.

At that moment, the Shen Family had activated formations to protect the mine, while the opposing groups blocked the path from the outside.

The two sides were locked in a tense standoff, with the divide between the groups clearly marked.

"This is problematic..."

Xun Ziyou’s brow furrowed.

Escaping unnoticed was impossible in such a situation, especially with a Third Grade formation obstructing the way.

Mo Hua also felt the difficulty of their predicament.

As he scanned the area while deep in thought, his eyes suddenly brightened when he spotted a familiar face.

Within the chaotic assembly in the distance stood a group of Elders from the Taixu Sect.

Leading them was a man with a refined, jade-like face and a dignified air. Although his gaze was steady, a subtle trace of anxiety was hidden within his eyes.

It was none other than Elder Xun Zixian.

Just as Mo Hua spotted him, Xun Zixian also felt a jolt of surprise.

Amidst the disorganized crowd, he sensed a familiar presence—a gaze infused with a level of divine thought that surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.

"This sensation is..."

Xun Zixian’s eyes sharpened as he traced the source of the gaze. He soon identified Mo Hua, who was partially hidden among the Shen Family cultivators.

Standing right next to Mo Hua was Xun Ziyou.

"Mo Hua!"

Xun Zixian’s pupils contracted instantly.

"I’ve found him!"

Observing the clear line of confrontation and seeing Mo Hua’s group disguised among the Shen Family, Xun Zixian paused for only a second before drawing a jade talisman. He hurled it directly at the defensive formation maintained by the Shen Family.

The jade talisman erupted in a flash of light, neutralizing a massive section of the array patterns and tearing a wide opening in the Shen Family’s barrier.

Possessing deep roots and remarkable talent, and having been a personal disciple of the Elder Master Xun, Xun Zixian’s mastery of Array Formations was peerless. He was not only a top-tier expert within the Taixu Sect but also throughout the entire Qian Learning State Boundary.

A Third Grade formation established by the Shen Family was something he could dismantle at his leisure.

This sudden move by Xun Zixian took everyone by surprise.

The lead Elder of the Shen Family immediately roared in anger, "Xun Zixian! What is the meaning of this? Is your Taixu Sect declaring war on the Shen Family?"

Without even looking at him, Xun Zixian replied calmly, "My hand slipped..."

The Shen Family Elder stood frozen, his chest tight with fury.

Damn it, your hand slipped and you just happened to shatter my family's formation?

Is this a joke? Are you just abandoning all pretenses of civility?

However, he had no time to debate whether the slip was intentional. The moment the barrier failed and the gap appeared, the previously hesitant crowd grew restless.

The tension in the air reached a breaking point.

Suddenly, a large man bellowed:

"My Ao family is related to the Shen Family by marriage! I have a brother-in-law here, and I heard he met with an accident in this mine. As his kin, it is only right that I go inside to find him!"

Having said that, he charged through the breach.

Others quickly followed his lead, shouting their own excuses: "A Daoist friend of mine is an Elder in the Shen Family, and I’ve heard he’s in trouble. I’m going in to check on him!"

"I have a nephew in the Shen Family..."

"My grandfather-in-law is a Shen..."

"I'm having an affair with..."

Inventing whatever connections they could, the crowd surged forward.

There was no fear of individual consequence; as long as the chaos was widespread and enough people were involved, the Shen Family would be powerless to retaliate against them all.

Furthermore, the Shen Family’s obvious panic suggested a massive scandal was buried in the mine.

For the usually meticulous Shen Family, this was an unprecedented blunder and a golden opportunity for their rivals.

In the middle of the frantic scramble, no one noticed Mo Hua and his group shedding their Shen Family Taoist robes. They changed into common attire, slipped into the crowd, and quietly rejoined the Taixu Sect party.

Xun Zixian pulled Mo Hua close, checking his pulse and Meridians while staring intently into his eyes. After confirming his safety several times, he finally sighed in relief.

"Are you unharmed?"

"I'm fine!" Mo Hua nodded.

Standing nearby, Xun Ziyou chimed in, "You should probably check me too."

Xun Zixian completely ignored him.

"Since you are safe, we should leave. This isn't the place for conversation," Xun Zixian stated.

"Aren't we going to stay and see what happens?" Mo Hua inquired.

Xun Zixian shook his head. "The situation is far too volatile. We cannot remain here."

Besides, the Ancestor’s direct order was to recover Mo Hua.

With Mo Hua’s safety secured, everything else was secondary to the Shen Family’s downfall.

Mo Hua agreed.

He still had the Great Wilderness Dragon Vein and Lord Yellow Mountain’s Lifebound Divine Statue in his possession.

Both were artifacts of immense significance.

He needed to return quickly to conceal these items and avoid further complications.

The Shen Family’s secrets had been exposed, and the remaining aristocratic families and Sects would handle the rest.

The more chaos they caused, the better...

Thus, Xun Zixian and the group of Elders escorted Mo Hua and the others away from the Shen Family mine.

Just as they were departing, Mo Hua glanced back at Solitary Mountain City, feeling a strange sense of dread.

He had a nagging suspicion that there were deeper forces at work within the city.

It was a feeling of extreme danger...

One that felt terrifyingly vast...

"What could it be...?"

Mo Hua frowned and shook his head, pushing the thought aside as he followed the Taixu Sect Elders away from Solitary Mountain City.

...

Inside the mine, the clash between the Shen Family and the other cultivators intensified.

The area was a disaster zone of melee combat and colliding Cultivation energies.

Meanwhile, deep beneath Solitary Mountain City, within the Divine Temple.

The great hall was in the process of a slow collapse. Debris rained down, and the floor was drenched in blood and littered with mangled remains.

In the midst of that horrific silence.

The lifeless body of Shen Shouxing suddenly jerked. His eyes snapped open, revealing nothing but a void of pitch-black darkness.