Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 1971 - 953: Flesh Corpse Idol_3

These corpse fiends had been birthed from its very flesh, a vile mixture of death aura and corpse poison, serving as the creature's "offspring."

The spawn of the flesh corpse image detached from its massive frame, gnashing their teeth and baring their claws. They surged forward like a rising tide, pursuing the frantic crowd.

The sight of these densely packed, unending "offspring" made Mr. Hui’s scalp tingle with dread.

Even Mo Hua felt a jolt of alarm.

He had been hiding near the rim of a deep pit, a position where the primary flesh corpse image could not reach him.

However, this tidal wave of separated corpse fiends was a different matter entirely.

If he were swallowed by this sea of corpses, he would surely perish without even a place for burial.

Mo Hua did not hesitate for a single second; he turned on his heels and bolted.

Amidst the absolute chaos, Mo Hua’s retreating form caught the eye of another individual.

That person was Mouse.

Upon spotting Mo Hua, Mouse reacted like a predator sighting its prey. Driven by an uncontrollable surge of greed, he began to chase after the boy.

In his mind, this tomb-robbing expedition was already a failure.

A colossal corpse entity of that magnitude was impossible to slay; fleeing was the only logical choice.

Since the journey was destined to be a waste of time, he figured he might as well seize Mo Hua and force him to reveal the location of the Gold-Seeking Talisman.

Once the Gold-Seeking Talisman was in his possession, he would vanish to a distant land.

He could then assume a fresh identity and hunt for a truly great opportunity.

With eyes glinting a malicious red and a faint bluish tint appearing on his brow, Mouse pursued Mo Hua with a dark, focused expression.

The corpse fiends hunted the man, and the man hunted Mo Hua.

The environment here was vastly different from the narrow passageway.

Previously, Mo Hua had utilized his movement techniques to maneuver with skill, keeping a safe distance.

But now, a massive swarm of corpse fiends was snapping at their heels.

Both of them were forced to run straight ahead. If Mo Hua attempted to use the Water Passing Step to weave left and right, he would be easily overtaken by the monsters behind them.

If he were submerged in that tide—trapped by those densely packed rotting hands and gnawing teeth—there would be no room left to dodge. No matter how exquisite the movement technique, it would be useless.

Consequently, Mo Hua’s only option was to sprint forward in a straight line.

But the Water Passing Step was never designed for long-distance sprinting.

He was still only at the Foundation Establishment stage; if the chase continued at this pace, Mouse would inevitably close the gap and capture him.

Mo Hua’s brow furrowed slightly.

After being relentlessly pursued by this "mouse" time and time again, his patience had finally reached its limit.

Mo Hua’s expression slowly turned cold.

Mouse remained oblivious, his mind consumed by thoughts of how to restrain the boy and where to take him for a brutal interrogation.

Finally, thirty minutes of running had passed.

The distance between Mouse and Mo Hua had shrunk to an arm's length; he could practically reach out and grab him.

With a flash of triumph in his eyes, Mouse lunged forward, extending a rough hand to seize Mo Hua’s shoulder. As expected, his grip landed true.

Mouse’s face lit up with joy, his gaze becoming even more avaricious.

However, his celebration was fleeting. In the following breath, the water mist around the boy dispersed, and the figure of Mo Hua vanished instantly from his grasp.

Mouse froze in confusion and instinctively looked up.

In that moment, he met a pair of golden eyes.

Within those pupils lay a restrictive prison where Sword Qi surged. A sharp, piercing Sword Intent tore through the air, striking directly into Mouse’s eyes.

An explosion of agonizing pain followed.

Mouse let out a pained roar, clutching his face as his momentum halted. His Divine Soul shuddered, and a wave of pure terror filled his heart:

"What is this sinister power...?"

Before his thoughts could go further, he felt several pairs of hands clamping onto his shoulders while others yanked at his calves.

It didn't stop there; corpse fiends were latching onto his head and arms from every direction.

One of the fiends opened its mouth, sinking its jagged teeth into his scalp...

Stunned by the Soul-Shocking Sword, Mouse’s movement had faltered just long enough for the dense horde of corpse fiends to catch him.

Panic-stricken, Mouse struggled violently, but for every fiend he threw off, several more swarmed over him.

In a mere moment, he was drowned alive by the tide of corpses.

Mo Hua didn't bother to look back; he didn't have the luxury.

During that life-or-death escape, finding the window to manifest a Water Shadow Phantom Body and unleash the Soul-Shocking Sword Eyes had pushed him to his limit.

He had only maintained the Soul-Shocking Sword for a split second.

Then, he had turned and sprinted away without a backward glance.

He ran until he reached the tunnel leading away from the subterranean palace. Only then did Mo Hua finally exhale in relief.

This was the path they had originally entered through; it was their sole escape route.

Mo Hua dove into the tunnel, noticing that the corpse fiends were no longer in pursuit.

Looking back, he saw the fiends flowing like water, but the majority remained clustered around the flesh corpse image. Their numbers thinned significantly the further they moved from the center.

Near the tunnel entrance, only a few stragglers remained.

The copper coffin and the corpse image shared the same source; the image could not stray from the coffin.

Similarly, the hatched corpse fiends shared a "mother-child bond" with the massive entity and were unable to wander too far from it.

Mo Hua sighed softly, relieved.

"Little brother."

Hearing someone call out, Mo Hua turned to see Mr. Hui.

Along with Mr. Hui, Stone and a few other black-robed cultivators had gathered inside the tunnel.

These men were at the Golden Core stage, possessing far more strength than Mo Hua. Their superior speed had allowed them to outrun the tide of corpses as well.

However, everyone looked haggard now, clearly drained from the battle with the corpse image and the desperate flight that followed.

Mr. Hui checked Mo Hua over and asked, "Little brother... are you unharmed?"

Mo Hua nodded, his face reflecting the relief of a survivor. "I was lucky. I made it out."

Mr. Hui exhaled, a faint glint in his eyes. "It is good that you are safe."

Mo Hua began to walk deeper into the tunnel, but after only a few paces, a heavy, somber voice rang out:

"Where is Mouse?"

"Mouse?" Mr. Hui was taken aback. He scanned the small group and realized that Mouse was indeed missing.

It was Stone who had asked.

Stone frowned deeply, fixing his gaze on Mo Hua. "When the chaos started, I saw Mouse running in your direction. There is no reason you should be here while he is not. Where is he?"

In Mr. Hui’s team, though Mr. Pi was only in Foundation Establishment, he held a unique position. Mr. Hui was the commander, but Stone and Mouse shared the closest bond.

Because of that bond, Stone was the only one who truly cared about Mouse's fate.

Mo Hua shook his head innocently. "I was only focused on running for my life. I don't know anything else..."

Stone looked at Mo Hua with suspicion, but after a moment's thought, he dismissed his doubts. The idea of a Foundation Establishment kid harming a Golden Core cultivator seemed impossible.

Just then, the sound of heavy, dragging footsteps echoed from the mouth of the tunnel.

Mo Hua’s heart gave a slight throb. Turning back, he saw Mouse. He was drenched in blood, his body covered in rotting flesh and deep bite marks as he trudged forward one step at a time.

His face was a mask of pure venom, and his bloodshot eyes were locked onto Mo Hua. He wheezed out a single sentence:

"Brat... you... you've killed me..."