Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2001 Chapter 963: Dragon Vein (2)

A fierce ambition ignited within Young Master Xuan, his heart burning with a desire as intense as karmic fire.

He allowed no one to see these private reflections.

However, Shen Tuao had spent decades immersed in webs of deception and schemes. Being naturally perceptive and discerning, he grasped the other man's true goal the very instant the "Mystery Demon Foetus" was mentioned by Young Master Xuan.

"It is as they say, those who are not of my blood will always harbor treacherous thoughts..." Shen Tuao’s expression turned frigid. "Every single Cultivator of the Nine State deserves a miserable death."

Young Master Xuan remained completely unfazed. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Shen Tuao and inquired:

"Prince Ao, do you truly have no wish to see your brother returned to the living?"

"Returned to the living?" Shen Tuao let out a mocking sneer. "Do you honestly believe that soul transfer and animating a corpse can be considered coming back to life?"

"Regardless of the method, being alive is still being alive. He would be able to speak with you, to stay by your side..." Young Master Xuan’s gaze darkened, his tone dripping with a feigned sense of regret. "Surely that is preferable to him rotting away in a cold coffin."

Shen Tuao’s eyes remained sharp and piercing: "A body devoid of its original Divine Soul is nothing but empty flesh."

"Why would it be without a Divine Soul?" A gentle, unsettling smile played across Young Master Xuan’s lips. "The skin would belong to your brother, while the Divine Soul would be my own. I could recognize you as my elder brother and serve as your prince."

This claim ignited a genuine fury in Shen Tuao. His pupils dilated slightly as he spat, "You are a treacherous and sinister creature; how dare you suggest you could be my brother?"

The smile on Young Master Xuan’s face turned brittle. "It seems you simply do not know what is good for you..."

He shifted his attention toward the Bear Demon Cultivator. "Slay Shen Tuao, and you shall transcend from a mere snake into a dragon. Fail to kill him, and neither of us will leave this place alive."

Elder Bear’s expression was dark. He clearly took offense at being commanded by Young Master Xuan, yet the words resonated deeply with his inner desires.

Given the choice, who would remain a bear when they could become a dragon?

Currently, the dragon was cornered and wounded. This represented his ultimate chance to consume the dragon and undergo his own transformation—a golden opportunity that would never come again.

Monster Qi erupted from Elder Bear’s form. Two intersecting Four Symbols Formation Patterns—possessing the raw brutality of a bear and the lethal toxins of a wild serpent—merged within him.

For a brief moment, his physical stature expanded until it surpassed even Shen Tuao’s size.

Then, accompanied by a howling wind, Elder Bear charged at Shen Tuao like a grotesque Monster Beast.

His right arm suddenly bulged and shifted into a massive bear claw, tearing through the air with a foul gust aimed directly at Shen Tuao’s head.

Shen Tuao’s own right arm became encased in dragon scales as he met the attack head-on. Amidst the swirling gales of their collision, both combatants were forced back a step, their physical might appearing perfectly matched.

Elder Bear’s fighting spirit surged. The flesh of his left hand became a blur as a Monster Pattern shimmered, morphing the limb into a wild snake. It lunged with a blood-stained maw, attempting to sink its fangs into Shen Tuao.

Frowning, Shen Tuao spun his body. His hand, as hard as tempered steel, clamped down on the snake’s head. But before he could crush it, a blade of blood-red light slashed across his back.

The power behind this strike was significantly greater than before, finally managed to tear through his toughened skin.

Initially, Shen Tuao was unconcerned by the wound, but he quickly realized the blood-red radiance carried a potent toxin.

It was a high-grade, sinister blood poison that immediately began eating away at his flesh.

Realizing he could not afford to be reckless, Shen Tuao was forced to disengage from Elder Bear to defend against the crimson sword light controlled by Young Master Xuan.

However, the blood poison was exceptionally peculiar. It traveled through his veins and fused with his very marrow, acting like maggots seeking out bone. Consequently, Shen Tuao’s reactions began to lag.

"Finish him!" Young Master Xuan barked.

Elder Bear capitalized on the opening. He pressed the attack with the crushing strength of a bear, and when the momentum shifted, he utilized the agility of the wild snake to tear at his opponent.

Combined with the constant pressure of Young Master Xuan’s blood-soaked sword and the ravages of the poison, the life-and-death struggle dragged on for dozens of exchanges. Shen Tuao’s predicament grew more desperate by the second.

"Is Shen Tuao actually going to die here..." Mo Hua whispered to himself.

Suddenly, his expression shifted. He cast a wary glance toward the entrance of the hall.

Elder Bear and Young Master Xuan also seemed to detect a change. They halted their assault, slowly turning their heads toward the doorway.

Without anyone noticing exactly when they arrived, another group had appeared at the hall's entrance.

It was the party led by Shen Shouxing and Xun Ziyou.

Their faces were currently clouded with exhaustion and grim determination. It was evident they had battled through the frenzied shadow spirits in the golden square. They had survived many trials, though several members had suffered as the spirits preyed upon their Divine Sense.

Even Elder Xun and three others appeared depleted, their Divine Sense tainted by a lingering Evil Spirit.

They might not even have been conscious of the corruption within them.

Mo Hua felt a wave of concern, but he also sensed that something was fundamentally wrong.

"Elder Xun... how did they manage to find this place?"

"Why do they keep catching up to us..."