Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2020 Chapter 969: Mountain Lord (Part 3)

Mo Hua stood frozen in surprise. Upon raising his gaze, he witnessed the Evil Embryo positioned a short distance away, completely still.

Simultaneously, dark blood boiled across its form while Demonic Qi coiled and surged. Its entire frame shuddered as if locked in a violent internal struggle. Every so often, a streak of golden light would flash across its features, flickering without pause.

A familiar presence was faintly detectable, drifting in and out of existence.

Mo Hua’s pupils shrank in shock.

"Could this be... Lord Yellow Mountain's consciousness?"

"Is it possible that it hasn't been entirely corrupted?"

He watched as the golden radiance on the Evil Embryo's face began to dim, replaced by an intensifying crimson glow.

Sensing a fleeting opportunity, Mo Hua seized the moment and shouted urgently, "Mountain Lord, are you still in there?"

"Lord Yellow Mountain!"

The cry seemed to strike a chord within the Evil Embryo, stirring a spark of its buried awareness. The creature's face began to fracture, splitting between a black-red hue and a shade of dark gold.

The eye on the dark golden side slowly pulled open. Within it lay traces of clarity mixed with strands of evil qi and a profound, majestic aura.

"You..."

The voice was raspy and fractured, sounding as though it hadn't been used in an eternity. This marked the very first time the Evil Embryo had uttered a word.

"You... who are you..."

"How... do you know... my name..."

It was true!

A surge of excitement rushed through Mo Hua. The will of the Mountain Lord had not been utterly snuffed out!

Even Mo Hua found it hard to believe. To retain a sliver of self after being drowned in pollution for so many years—how terrifyingly powerful must Lord Yellow Mountain have been in his prime?

However, there was no time for idle reflection. Mo Hua grabbed onto this lifeline, saying desperately, "Mountain Lord, we are good friends!"

The corrupted Lord Yellow Mountain fell silent, observing Mo Hua with eyes clouded by suspicion. He simply did not recognize the young brat standing before him.

He was once the exalted deity of Guhuang Mountain, a being a mere step away from ascending to the Fourth-grade True God Realm. How could he possibly be companions with such a small child?

Noticing the skepticism, Mo Hua insisted with absolute certainty, "It’s the truth!"

Lord Yellow Mountain attempted to respond, but his head suddenly jerked. His expression twisted back into a mask of cruelty and savagery, and that brief moment of lucidity was swallowed by ferocity.

His consciousness had slipped away once more.

The Evil Embryo stared at Mo Hua with eyes the color of blood. Gripping the fallen Long Halberd, it began its deadly advance again.

Mo Hua was forced to raise his golden sword to meet the assault. Yet, as they clashed, a plan began to take shape in his mind.

"I’ve found the opening!"

Everything in existence contains inherent contradictions. No matter how invincible an enemy appears from the outside, there must be internal friction.

Conflict is the weakness. By identifying that flaw, one can use the weak to overcome the strong and defeat even the most terrifying adversaries.

This powerful Evil Embryo at the peak of the Third Grade existed because of the Mountain Lord; therefore, if it were to fall, it would be because of Lord Yellow Mountain. The Mountain Lord was the only path to victory.

Mo Hua pushed his spirit to its limit. Ignoring the pain, he fought the Evil Embryo fiercely. Although winning through brute force was impossible, he used every exchange to slowly wear the creature down.

As expected, after a period of combat, the Evil Embryo’s aura began to falter, and a faint golden shimmer reappeared momentarily. The consciousness of Lord Yellow Mountain showed signs of returning.

Unfortunately, those signs flickered for only a second before vanishing again.

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, his theory confirmed. The battle between righteousness and evil was a see-saw; as one side weakened, the other rose.

If he continued to exhaust the Evil Embryo and keep it under constant pressure, the cracks would widen. The Evil Embryo’s control would be stripped away, allowing Lord Yellow Mountain to wake up once more.

This was the sole hope of conquering this nightmare.

Mo Hua did not dare to slow down or take a single breath of rest. After being consumed by the Evil Embryo for so long, the Mountain Lord’s consciousness was like a candle flickering in a storm; there was no telling when it might finally go out.

If it was extinguished, everything would be over. Given the massive gap in their Cultivation realms, Mo Hua had no other way to destroy this entity.

Despite being covered in wounds, Mo Hua gritted his teeth and circled the Evil Embryo in combat. While he fought, his voice never stopped, shouting sentence after sentence to destabilize the creature’s Divine Thought.

"Mountain Lord, wake up..."

"Mountain Lord, don't give up..."

"If you die, I really won't be able to win..."

"Mountain Lord!"

Despite his constant shouting, the version of the Mountain Lord trapped within the embryo showed little response. Mo Hua decided to try a different approach.

"Mountain Lord, I really am your friend..."

"There is another 'you' who fled Solitary Mountain City and is now hiding in a ruined temple on a small hill, surviving the elements."

"The roof is broken, and the wind blows through the walls..."

"You drink rainwater and eat hard buns while guarding a few clay idols, living in fear of wolves and cultivators..."

"I brought you offerings, fed you meat, and shared drinks with you..."

"You were the one who taught me the ways of the Divine Way..."

"Mountain Lord..."

...

Mo Hua kept talking even as he took hits. The battle was grueling and long.

Eventually, the description of that humble, desolate life seemed to reach the Lord Yellow Mountain who had once ruled Guhuang Mountain and received endless worship. The Evil Embryo halted again, its body erupting with more intense evil qi than ever before.

Two opposing forces wrestled violently within it. Red and gold light strobed intermittently, and deformed flesh writhed like a nest of snakes.

Following a tortured scream that blended madness with logic, the grim face of the Evil Embryo finally radiated a golden light, projecting a sense of divine majesty.

The consciousness of Lord Yellow Mountain had successfully seized control. His memories and divinity returned, temporarily suppressing the "dead embryo" of the Evil God.

His long, golden eyes focused on Mo Hua, and he spoke in a gravelly tone:

"You truly... know me?"

"Is my... other source... still alive?"

Mo Hua, bloody and nursing several broken bones, finally exhaled a long breath and nodded frantically. "I know him! He’s still alive!"

Though his life was difficult, he was indeed alive. The quiet mountains were peaceful, free from the chaos and noise of the world.

Lord Yellow Mountain looked deeply at Mo Hua, sensing a faint thread of karma connecting them. This soul-deep connection was undeniable.

His other self was truly intertwined with this youth, sharing a significant destiny. Furthermore, Lord Yellow Mountain noticed something peculiar about Mo Hua’s nature.

He appeared human, yet possessed a strength far beyond mortals. He seemed like a deity, yet his aura lacked purity and was too heavily influenced by humanity—and he talked far too much. He even felt like a Demon Creature, carrying a hidden karma of slaughter and Evil Qi, yet his spirit remained upright and noble.

"An existence like yours... no wonder we could be 'friends'..."

Lord Yellow Mountain sighed, a sense of respect for the boy's talent growing within him. He addressed Mo Hua:

"The Evil God's embryo is eternal and cannot be destroyed..."

"I will use what remains of my will and the power of the Evil God to pull you out of this nightmare. It is the final thing I can do..."

Consider it the settlement of the karma between us...