The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2358: Slaughter (3)

"If it isn't that particular individual, then who else could it possibly be?"

"In this entire realm, besides that one person, who else possesses the capability to perform such a peculiar 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' technique?"

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief's irises contracted, a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment washing over him. Then, a sudden realization dawned:

"No, now is absolutely not the time to ponder such matters. Regardless of who is executing the 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart,' our priority must be to escape with all haste!"

"If we fail to depart this instant, I fear we might truly perish within this place!"

Yet, despite his fervent desire to flee, his feet felt as though they were inexplicably mired in thick mud and heavy sand, weighing him down like a thousand jun, rendering him utterly immobile.

It was as if his very consciousness had detached itself from his primal instincts.

His physical form was no longer under his own command.

Precisely at this critical juncture, that eerily innocent voice once again permeated his hearing:

"Why is there a need to leave? Do you not aspire to become the Divine Lord's loyal servant?"

"Do you not wish to serve as the Divine Lord's subordinate?"

"You refuse to be a servant?"

...

This disembodied voice persisted, echoing relentlessly in his mind.

"I, I do not..." The Mystic Demon Sect Chief, overwhelmed by sheer terror, felt a surge of defiant anger erupt within him. "I refuse to be a servant! I absolutely will not be your damned servant, you vile wretch who dares to disrupt my Taoist Heart! I shall slay you and tear you limb from limb!"

Drawing forth his Demon Sword, he unleashed the full might of the Mystic Demon Skill, unleashing a frenzy of slashes in all directions, desperately seeking the source of the voice and aiming to eradicate this "Demonic Monstrosity" that ensnared his mind.

Blood spattered liberally, and the individuals unfortunate enough to be nearby were systematically cut down.

However, what the Mystic Demon Sect Chief remained tragically unaware of was that all those he slaughtered were, in fact, his own fellow Demon Cultivators.

Concurrently, as the confluence of Blood Qi and Evil Qi within the grand hall intensified, the palpable atmosphere of impending slaughter grew more oppressive, escalating the severity of the Taoist Heart trial.

The remaining few Demon Cultivators at the Late Golden Core Stage, who had initially maintained a semblance of mental fortitude, began to lose their grip on their Taoist Hearts, devolving into indiscriminate acts of carnage.

Much like the Mystic Demon Sect Chief, their desperate attempts to silence the pure yet unsettling voice echoing within their souls resulted in the annihilation of their comrades.

Simultaneously, the darkness encroaching upon their pupils deepened ominously.

This was the manifestation of the Evil God's rebirth, employed as a means to execute the 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' technique.

The 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' ritual became inextricably intertwined with their unwavering faith in the Evil God.

Under the terrifying, heart-quaking aura of the Evil God's descent, the depth of a Demon Cultivator's faith in the Great Wilderness Evil God directly correlated with the extent to which the 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' would take root.

This astonishing method empowered the 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' to exert a degree of influence far exceeding its designated rank.

Nevertheless, the profound intricacies associated with the Evil God and the 'Planting Devil in Taoist Heart' were utterly incomprehensible to anyone, save for the very individual wielding the skill.

Bystanders were left baffled, while those ensnared within were plunged into an abyss of unbridled madness and bloodshed.

Amidst the relentless torrent of slaughter, a singular thought gradually solidified within their hearts:

"I yearn to become the Divine Lord's servant!"

"I shall eliminate all others and become the Divine Lord's sole devoted servant!"

And precisely at this climactic moment, that innocent yet unnerving voice resonated once more within the minds of all present:

"You are not the only servant."

A wave of intense rage swept through the assembled Demon Cultivators.

The voice continued its pronouncement, "The one and only supreme servant of the Divine Lord is..."

"Mr. Tu."

The cacophony that had previously filled the hall instantly evaporated, replaced by a profound silence.

Every Demon Cultivator, previously engaged in frenzied slaughter with eyes consumed by darkness, turned their gaze towards the center of the hall. Their focus fixated upon Mr. Tu, who remained seated within the Blood Sacrifice Formation, presiding over a peculiar 'summoning' ritual, a single lamp burning before him.

A menacing and chilling killing intent permeated the very air.

The Demon Cultivators tasked with guarding Mr. Tu felt an involuntary prickling sensation crawling up their scalps.

The unfolding events were entirely beyond their comprehension.

They possessed no inkling of the true machinations at play or the identity of the puppeteer orchestrating these dire circumstances.

They only harbored a vague premonition that ever since the grand gate was breached, and the monstrous cultivator, cloaked in blood and bearing a guillotine, had stormed into their midst, it was as if he had introduced a 'Plague God.' Its insidious influence spread, plunging the collective of Demon Cultivators into a descent of madness, initiating an unending spree of slaughter.

And now, with every Demon Cultivator ensnared within this elaborate trap, all had been 'infected.'

The focal point of all attention abruptly shifted, zeroing in on Mr. Tu.

Towards this servant of the Divine Lord, the formidable Great Demon Head of the Feather Transformation Realm—Mr. Tu, who had meticulously plotted for millennia.

The atmosphere grew frigid, as if frozen solid.

And in that suspended instant, a maelstrom of killing intent erupted!

All the Golden Core Demon Cultivators, their eyes as black and vacant as the deepest night, launched themselves in a unified charge towards Mr. Tu, their sole objective to eliminate the Divine Lord's purported only servant and usurp his position.

Mr. Tu's ten Demon Cultivator guards, all of them Late Golden Core Stage experts, formed the ultimate defense for this Desolate Heaven Blood Sacrifice Formation. However, even this formidable force crumbled under the incessant onslaught of hundreds of Demon Cultivators, who threw their lives away without hesitation.

Before long, some of the guards were overwhelmed. Bitten, torn apart, and contaminated by Evil Qi, they lost their sanity. Just like the other Demon Cultivators, they began to mutter, "I am the Divine Lord's only servant," and turned on Mr. Tu, lunging at him.

In the midst of this pandemonium, an unseen hand snuffed out the lamp burning before Mr. Tu.

The Blood Sacrifice ritual shattered instantly.

The backlash struck Mr. Tu, causing him to spew a mouthful of blood. His Divine Sense was severely damaged, leaving him trapped within his physical form. Then, he was engulfed by the hundreds of Demon Cultivators...

...

The carnage within the hall raged on without end.

It would continue until the very last 'servant' of the Divine Lord was gone.

Demonic Qi swirled uncontrollably, and minds succumbed to madness.

Blood flowed in torrents, and the dead lay strewn in every direction.

Yet, amidst this brutal and bloody tableau, no one observed the slender silhouette of a young boy who was slowly making his way out.

He bore the mark of peculiar shadows, his gaze deep and unfathomable, as he calmly stepped over the countless corpses of Demon Cultivators.

Within the tumult of gore and spectral slaughter, he ascended the altar, step by deliberate step.

It was as though the young Gui Tao was ascending his very throne.