The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2287: The Great Battle (part 4)

"Alright."

After those words, the Taoist Court's Court Officials, together with Mo Hua and the other sect geniuses, departed from the Formation Core Hall, heading toward the exit of Yanluo Mountain.

Blood soaked the entire path, scattered with the corpses of demon cultivators.

As they reached the valley, relentless battle cries and screams rang out, the air heavy with the foul smell of decay and blood.

Mo Hua glanced around, his face instantly paling.

Over the Demon Valley, the stone bridge lay shattered. On the adjacent cliff wall, the Taoist Court had hammered in hooks and strung up a crude suspension cable, like a precarious rope bridge clinging to the rock face, linking both sides of the chasm.

Taoist Court cultivators traversed the valley via this "suspension cable."

Yet this move clearly enraged the demonic beasts lurking below.

Endless hordes of twisted flesh-and-blood demon monsters boiled upward from the valley depths like a raging tide, assailing the Taoist Court cultivators.

Golden Core Court Officials nonstop intoned spells, unleashed sword arts, or deployed spirit treasures to butcher these demon monsters and defend the suspension cable.

The sight was gruesomely magnificent.

"Quick, use the suspension cable to escape..." Gu Changhuai urged, his face solemn.

The demon monsters filling the valley bottom were overwhelmingly vast; even at Golden Core realm, wiping them out entirely was impossible.

Thus, they merely held them back for now, guarding the suspension cable desperately while everyone fled at top speed.

If they ended up cornered here, the outcome would be dire beyond imagination.

Time pressed heavily, and all grasped the peril, wasting no time. They followed Gu Changhuai's orders precisely, mounting the suspension cable, triggering their movement skills, and rapidly withdrawing from the valley.

Mo Hua trailed behind, bringing up the rear.

The grand formation's evil qi could swiftly corrupt one's sea of consciousness, so the other disciples had to exit fast—the sooner, the better—to avoid unexpected twists.

But evil qi held no sway over Mo Hua, leaving him unconcerned.

Taoist Court's Golden Core experts persisted in quelling the flesh-and-blood demon monsters surging from the valley floor.

Sect disciples successively crossed the suspension cable, departing Yanluo Mountain one by one.

Mo Hua finally exhaled in relief.

No matter what, the mission succeeded: people saved, junior brothers secured, and he himself was set to leave.

Though the Desolate Heaven Blood Sacrifice Formation hid mysteries he hadn't unraveled, right now wasn't the moment to dwell on them.

As Mo Hua prepared to depart, he noticed from the side Gu Changhuai's restrained look, as though burdened by unspoken worries.

Mo Hua halted, inquiring, "Uncle Gu, is there something else?"

Gu Changhuai seemed startled, words catching in his throat, before he finally shook his head, "Nothing."

Mo Hua's brows furrowed.

From his knowledge of Uncle Gu, something was definitely amiss.

Yet Uncle Gu refused to speak...

Mo Hua's eyes sharpened faintly. Gazing skyward, he formed a hand seal with his fingers for a swift divination. His expression shifted abruptly, and he whirled to question Gu Changhuai:

"Uncle Gu, where is Yu Er?"

Shock crossed Gu Changhuai's face as he stared at Mo Hua in disbelief.

Mo Hua pursued, "Did something happen?"

Gu Changhuai's features twisted in bitterness, "Yu Er... was taken away..."

Mo Hua's gaze chilled, "By whom?"

"Shangguan Wang..."

The Shangguan Family's Feather Transformation Realm mighty elder...

Mo Hua's brow jerked. After brief reflection, he gave a slight nod, "I understand."

Gu Changhuai sighed deeply, "Let's leave first. We don't know where Yu Er was carried off to, and tracking them is futile. Shangguan Wang has vanished too. This issue... needs thoughtful strategy."

"Alright."

Mo Hua nodded and trailed Gu Changhuai toward the exit, but mere steps later, he abruptly halted and spoke slowly:

"Uncle Gu, you head back first. I'll remain here."

Gu Changhuai's eyes bulged. He spun around, scowling, "What do you plan?"

Mo Hua shook his head, "Time's critical, can't explain now. But... if we exit, rescuing Yu Er becomes impossible forever."

Gu Changhuai's scowl deepened.

He couldn't fathom the logic, yet he believed in Mo Hua, declaring firmly, "I'll stay as well."

Mo Hua shook his head once more, "My staying means I survive. Yours means certain death. Apart from me, no one lingering will live..."

Gu Changhuai's heart jolted, "Mo Hua, you..."

"Uncle Gu, leave immediately, or it'll be too late," Mo Hua urged.

Gu Changhuai wavered, but voices called from across, "Supervisor Gu, come on! Demon monsters multiply, suspension cable's about to snap!"

Gu Changhuai gazed at Mo Hua, anguish etched on his face.

Mo Hua grinned, fingering the Tai Xu Yin Yang Lock at his neck, "The patriarch bestowed this; it shields me. Don't worry, Uncle Gu."

Gu Changhuai remained uneasy.

Mo Hua continued, "Then grant me this request. Once out, tell all to slay any Evil Formation Masters sighted. More dead means my greater safety."

Gu Changhuai paused silently, then nodded, lips clenched tight, face wracked with torment, reluctant to abandon Mo Hua.

"Go," Mo Hua pressed.

Inner turmoil raged in Gu Changhuai, but he drew a heavy breath and said to Mo Hua, "I'll strive to eliminate every Evil Formation Master. You... stay safe."

"Alright."

Only then did Gu Changhuai clench his jaw, resolutely pivoting to mount the suspension cable, his lone figure fading resolutely and bleakly from Yanluo Mountain.

His exit meant the Taoist Court's Golden Core cultivators could no longer contain the demonic surge.

Myriad flesh-and-blood demon monsters scaled the cliffs, slaughtering Taoist Court members.

The mid-air suspension cable fell prey to the demon monsters' gnashing, fraying bit by bit before tumbling into the pitch-black abyss.

The sole escape route vanished utterly.

At the valley entrance, Gu Changhuai glanced back, beholding only, across the far valley amid shadows and slaughter, that slim, vaguely familiar silhouette.

Moments later, endless flesh-and-blood demon monsters engulfed that figure, erasing it entirely...