The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2413: "Little Brother

The figure of "Yu Er," exuding a malevolent aura, was starkly highlighted by the lantern's glow in the deep night as he fixed his eerie gaze upon Mo Hua.

Yet, Mo Hua maintained an unruffled composure, betraying no surprise, shock, fear, or any other discernible emotion.

For reasons unknown, "Yu Er" found his sinister chuckle abruptly silenced.

Mo Hua extended a slender, pale finger, gently touching the center of "Yu Er's" forehead. "You have finally emerged," he stated with detached indifference. "I have been anticipating your appearance all day."

"Yu Er's" expression flickered, a hint of surprise coloring his features. "You... you knew?"

Mo Hua replied, "If the Evil God could be so easily dispatched, it would not bear such a fearsome title."

A truth he understood more profoundly than anyone present.

"Yu Er's" visage darkened, his voice rasping, "What is it that you wish to accomplish?"

Mo Hua's eyes ignited with a golden luminescence, sharp and imbued with divine intensity.

Having previously been subjected to Mo Hua's destructive power, "Yu Er" trembled internally. Though his demeanor turned exceedingly grave, he suddenly contorted his lips into a wicked grin, exuding a confidence devoid of fear.

"You intend to slay me? Do not forget, I am now intrinsically linked with Yu Er; I am Yu Er, and Yu Er is myself. To extinguish me is to annihilate Yu Er."

"Your Heavenly Demon Slash possesses no power to sunder our union."

Mo Hua offered a slight nod. "Indeed. Had you infiltrated another vessel, I would have already eradicated you along with the Divine Fetus, ensuring your divine soul ceased to exist entirely."

"However, your host is Yu Er, and I cannot afford to act rashly. Truthfully, I am powerless in this regard."

"My sole purpose in drawing you out today, in allowing you to reveal yourself, is merely to issue a warning..."

"A warning?" "Yu Er" scoffed, his tone laced with derision. "By what authority do you presume to warn me? Do you genuinely believe your words will hold any sway?"

Mo Hua remained impassive, his gaze radiating an undeniable authority.

The derisive smile vanished from "Yu Er's" lips, replaced by a stark, grim countenance.

"You must comprehend," Mo Hua stated with tranquil certainty, "that the sole reason I refrain from ending your existence is for Yu Er's sake."

"In essence, Yu Er serves as your inviolable 'talisman.'"

"As long as Yu Er flourishes, so too shall you persist."

"Should the day arrive..." Mo Hua's voice adopted a chilling undertone, "when I ascertain... no, even if my calculations indicate the utter demise of Yu Er's life essence and the complete loss of his divine consciousness, I shall traverse the vast distance to Qian State. There, I will personally extract your soul and dismember your form with my own hands."

"The methods I employ, you have already had the misfortune of experiencing..."

"Even as an Evil God, I shall ensure you are trapped in an eternal limbo, neither living nor dead, reduced to my 'Straw Dog.' Your essence will be flayed and disemboweled like mere livestock, destined to forge the very foundation of my Divine Way."

Each pronouncement dripped with a blasphemous defiance against the celestial order.

"Yu Er" seethed with rage, his eyes blazing crimson, veins bulging with fury, yet beneath the surface, a profound and chilling dread took root.

He recognized the chilling veracity of the pronouncements made by the "mortal" before him; they were unlikely to be idle threats.

Here stood a being who, with a mortal frame, trod the path of divinity—a profound aberration that defied the sacred tenets of the Great Dao.

Furthermore, his life's trajectory, a chaotic tapestry woven from immense good and evil, tainted by malevolent Qi, celestial secrets, karma, and fate, was utterly inscrutable.

Most critically, he had already endured a harrowing ordeal, being "slain" alive once by this very individual, his divine soul sundered, and his vital energy grievously wounded.

And this creature, neither fully human nor wholly god, remained in its nascent stage.

What would he become in ten, fifty, or a hundred years hence?

As the Evil God True Embryo, "Yu Er" felt an icy tremor course through his being, an instinctual fear taking hold.

Mo Hua, observing the terror reflected in "Yu Er's" eyes, confirmed his realization and gave a slight nod.

"Good. It appears you comprehend the gravity of the situation."

A flicker of humiliation crossed "Yu Er's" features, his gaze now sharp and malevolent as he glared at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua lightly shook his head. "Cease that look; it displeves me. And additionally..."

Mo Hua tapped "Yu Er's" forehead repeatedly with his finger. "That term 'Brother Mo' you used earlier was rather charming. I found it agreeable."

"Always remember, in my presence, you are, and always will be, merely a 'younger brother.'"

The Evil God True Embryo finally succumbed to a torrent of humiliated rage, unable to bear Mo Hua's presence any longer, and closed his eyes.

The sinister aura that had enveloped "Yu Er" gradually receded. Moments later, as he reopened his eyes, their clarity returned, signifying the resurgence of the original Yu Er.

Mo Hua regarded him with a gentle warmth.

Under Mo Hua's scrutinizing gaze, Yu Er felt as though his innermost secrets were laid bare. A mix of guilt, shame, and apprehension washed over him. Unsure how to articulate his turmoil, he finally confessed, his voice choked with tears and tinged with fear,

"Brother Mo, I... I... have become wicked..."

Mo Hua gently caressed Yu Er's forehead, his voice a soothing balm. "The human heart invariably harbors darkness. Within every soul, good and evil are perpetually intertwined."

"You were excessively kind before; even if you have now embraced a degree of 'wickedness,' you are akin to any ordinary person. There is no fundamental difference, so you need not fret."

Yu Er nodded, a semblance of understanding dawning, yet a lingering unease persisted within him.

"But... I feel as though I have transformed into two distinct individuals, a benevolent Yu Er and a malevolent Yu Er..."

Mo Hua inquired gently, "Does this 'wicked Yu Er' residing within your heart torment you?"

Yu Er timidly nodded in affirmation.