Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 965: In Hand

Shen Shouxing's eyes gleamed, "That's right, I'm from the Shen family, a true authority-holding elder—but I'm also just an ordinary cultivator."

"Life and death of others? I can't control that, nor do I have the power to."

"I only want to climb higher, walk my own path well, and pave a path to immortality for my descendants. Let them step on my back and ascend step by step…"

"But if one wants to climb upward, there's always a price."

"The rogue cultivators of Lone Mountain—they were that price."

"Without those rogues, how would the Shen family have risen? How would we have become the greatest family in the Heavenly Dao Sect? Where would all our current prosperity have come from?"

"Once drained of value, there's no need to keep them."

"That's just how it is..."

"If I didn't kill them, someone else would've. That's their fate—no one can change it…"

That… is their fate…

Shen Shouxing's emotions stirred noticeably.

It was clear these words had been buried deep in his heart for a long time. For years, he had kept his mouth shut and told no one. Now that everything was exposed, he finally couldn't hold back and released these pent-up thoughts.

But at the same time, a darkness flickered in his eyes, his divine sense began to fluctuate, and his aura subtly shifted.

Mo Hua found it strange and frowned slightly.

After Shen Shouxing finished speaking, Xun Ziyou and the others fell into silence.

There was one thing he wasn't wrong about—if he hadn't killed them, other Shen family cultivators, or even those from other noble families, would have done it. As long as people chase profit, they will trample the bottom line, harvest benefits, and shift the cost onto others. That's inevitable.

Shen Shouxing just happened to be the executioner.

But...

Xun Ziyou sighed lightly and raised his longsword.

"This is no excuse for the bloodstained massacre you committed."

"Those who seek the Dao must uphold righteousness and nurture a true Dao Heart."

"Your path... was twisted from the very beginning."

"Righteousness? Dao Heart?" Shen Shouxing sneered. "Can those things be traded for spirit stones? For power and profit? They're nothing but props for putting on a moral show—completely worthless."

Xun Ziyou's gaze turned cold. "Our Daos diverge—we have nothing more to say."

Shen Shouxing shook his head and also raised his sword. "Indeed, what's said no longer matters now."

"Whether it's for the Shen family, or for myself, or for the future of my descendants... some secrets must be buried here in this tomb."

As he spoke, Shen Shouxing's Golden Core peak cultivation began to climb. Sword qi surged, killing intent condensed.

Everyone tensed, fully on guard.

Currently, everyone else was heavily injured, while Shen Shouxing remained the strongest both in cultivation and combat readiness. Whether they fought or not was entirely up to him. That's why no one dared make the first move while he was speaking.

But now that Shen Shouxing drew his sword, it signaled the brutal battle of life and death was about to erupt again.

This was a matter of family honor and personal survival—Shen Shouxing would show no mercy.

Xun Ziyou's eyes sharpened as he prepared himself for the clash.

In the blink of an eye—white light flashed, the longsword tore through the air, and Shen Shouxing charged straight at Xun Ziyou.

The others present were either demonic or rogue cultivators—people used to the shadows. Even if they knew some inside secrets, it wouldn't cause much fallout. But Xun Ziyou was different. He was an inner sect elder of the Great Void Sect. If he got out alive, the entire Great Void Sect leadership would learn the truth.

Which meant: Xun Ziyou had to die first.

His expression grave, Xun Ziyou didn't dare be careless. He unleashed the Great Void Sword Art at full power, meeting Shen Shouxing's killing strikes. Sword qi clashed with sword intent, the two battling fiercely in a deadlock.

Though Xun Ziyou was slightly weaker, his foundation was solid and his sword intent refined, allowing him to hold on for now.

Seeing Shen Shouxing and Xun Ziyou locked in deadly combat, the bear-like demon cultivator no longer hesitated. He lunged toward the Dragon Coffin, aiming to snatch the Dragon Vein within.

Despite his serious wounds, Shentu Ao would never let that happen.

The two immediately engaged in a brutal close-quarters fight once more.

Young Master Xuan's eyes turned icy. Originally, as long as he captured Shentu Ao, he could secure the Dragon Vein. With that in hand, it would be his to bargain with. But unexpectedly, Shen Shouxing made a move on his own, throwing the entire situation into chaos.

Coldly, he snapped: "Shen Shouxing, do you no longer care about your son's life?"

Shen Shouxing, still locked in combat with Xun Ziyou, turned his head and sneered, "Boy, come back when you've eaten a few more years' worth of rice before trying to negotiate with me."

"My son? He's your shield."

"If he stays safe, I'll spare you. If anything happens to him... you'll accompany him to the grave."

A veteran of power struggles and schemes, Shen Shouxing wasn't someone Young Master Xuan could control—not a chance.

Young Master Xuan's face darkened, sneering internally.

Left with no choice, he personally moved in to seize the Dragon Vein.

But with his weaker cultivation, in this bloodbath between late-stage Golden Core experts, he couldn't go all in. He had to resort to scattered strikes of blood-colored sword light to interfere. One misstep, and it could mean death.

The battlefield became even more chaotic.

Amid the chaos, Shentu Ao was the first to get close to the Dragon Coffin.

He landed a heavy punch on Elder Bearhide, forcing him back, and reached out toward the Dragon Vein.

Elder Bearhide had no time to react.

Young Master Xuan slashed a sword beam at Shentu Ao, trying to stop him—but it only left a shallow wound. Unbothered, Shentu Ao stretched his large hand toward the Dragon Vein.

The Dragon Vein shimmered with pure brilliance, glowing with ethereal treasure-light.

Just as he was about to seize it—

Shen Shouxing, mid-duel with Xun Ziyou, split off a beam of sword light toward Shentu Ao. Though his main focus was killing Xun Ziyou, he wouldn't let Shentu Ao take the Dragon Vein either.

That sword light—wielded by a peak Golden Core cultivator—was in a completely different league than anything Young Master Xuan could unleash. Aimed right at a vital point, Shentu Ao had no choice but to retreat.

Shen Shouxing's moment of divided focus, however, gave Xun Ziyou a much-needed breather.

Taking advantage of the gap, Xun Ziyou broke free and charged straight toward the Dragon Coffin.

He wanted to grab the Dragon Vein.

Now, if Shen Shouxing still wanted to kill him, he'd have to fight at the coffin itself.

And if Young Master Xuan, Shentu Ao, or the bear demon also wanted the Dragon Vein, they too would have to clash right there.

Xun Ziyou had dragged the entire battlefield toward the Dragon Coffin—plunging it once more into a chaotic brawl.

Everyone involved had old grudges or fresh hatreds—each wanted to kill the others. So as long as they were thrown into the melee together, they'd inevitably start scheming, attacking, and guarding against each other.

Shen Shouxing's attention was scattered, reducing the pressure on Xun Ziyou.

The fierce struggle went on.

But then—blood mist began to grow dense in the air.

Everyone was so focused on fighting that they didn't notice. They even inhaled the mist—yet still didn't realize.

The blood mist stirred up their desires.

Their killing intent and greed intensified, dragging them deeper into endless combat. Meanwhile, their own blood essence began to rapidly drain away…

Just then, Elder Bearhide, taking advantage of the chaos, got close to the Dragon Vein again.

His eyes gleamed with greed. He extended his giant, bear-like hand toward the Dragon Vein—

In the next moment, Xun Ziyou's sword light flashed and severed his hand.

The severed palm hit the ground with a splatter of blood, raising a faint and ominous blood mist. Elder Bearhide howled in agony, clutching his arm.

Xun Ziyou had only meant to restrain Shen Shouxing—but after so long in the blood mist, his own mind was unknowingly affected. He found himself unconsciously reaching for the Dragon Vein too.

Thankfully, he caught himself in time.

"What... was I doing?"

Xun Ziyou immediately pulled back to retreat—but it was still a second too late.

A fist, roaring with violent force and carrying the shadow of a dragon, slammed straight into his back. He barely managed to turn slightly, dissipating part of the impact, but the punch still landed. His internal organs shook violently, and his body flew like a kite, crashing into the corner of the grand hall.

He spat out a mouthful of blood and landed in a half-kneeling position.

"Miscalculated…"

The residual force of the evil dragon's energy tangled within his body, rendering Xun Ziyou momentarily paralyzed. He could only force himself to regulate his breathing and focus on recovery—if he couldn't regain his combat strength soon, the situation would spiral into complete disaster. Forget Mo Hua—he himself might not make it out alive.

Shentu Ao, after punching Xun Ziyou away, felt a wave of dizziness. His head muddled, he reached toward the Dragon Vein without a second thought. But deep in his heart, an intense sense of danger flared—still, greed clouded his mind, making him unable to stop himself.

Sure enough, the very next moment, Shen Shouxing's sword slashed down, slicing a bloody gash across his back.

Shentu Ao spun and countered with a palm strike, which Shen Shouxing evaded. Shen then returned with another sword strike—using the Shen Family's White Jade Sword Art, a blade of pure white sword qi pierced directly into Shentu Ao's chest.

Gritting his teeth, Shentu Ao collapsed to the ground.

At this point, only Shen Shouxing remained standing around the Dragon Coffin.

Within the coffin, the Dragon Vein, clutched between the hands of the deceased Prince Ye, emitted a captivating and soul-stirring light.

Shen Shouxing's heart pounded. He couldn't stop himself from walking toward the coffin.

This time, no one could stop him.

He reached out and successfully took the Dragon Vein of the Great Wilderness from the dead prince's hands.

The moment the Dragon Vein touched his hands, the aura of the Great Wilderness surged toward him.

Threads of majestic dragon qi coursed through his palm and into his bloodstream, flowing through his meridians. A ripping, searing pain tore through his entire body, accompanied by a deafening dragon's roar.

It was as if—his bloodline was unworthy to possess the Dragon Vein.

The rejection intensified.

The dragon roars grew more frenzied, making his scalp tingle.

The hand gripping the Dragon Vein began to rot, corroded by the dragon qi. Flesh and blood decayed bit by bit, and the corruption rapidly spread up his arm. The pain snapped Shen Shouxing back to reality.

Seeing that his entire arm was about to be destroyed, Shen Shouxing's pupils contracted violently—he immediately let go.

The corrosion stopped—but most of his right arm had already been destroyed.

The Dragon Vein, now released, was flung into the air, drawing a streak of clear light before landing with a soft thud onto the empty floor beside him.

For a brief moment, the grand hall fell into complete silence.

The strongest four Golden Core cultivators—crippled, wounded, dying.

At that moment, they all sensed something was wrong—and slowly turned to look at Young Master Xuan.

A cold smile crept onto Young Master Xuan's previously solemn face.

"The Dragon Vein of the Great Wilderness—is not something mortals can touch.

Without the royal bloodline of the Great Wilderness, anyone who dares to lay hands on it will trigger the dragon's wrath and suffer a backlash from its dragon qi."

Everyone's hearts chilled as the realization set in.

That was why Young Master Xuan used Mo Hua and Shen Qingsheng as bargaining chips to force the others into fighting over the Dragon Vein.

Not just anyone could control the Dragon Vein.

Aside from Shentu Ao, who bore the royal bloodline, anyone else who got their hands on it would suffer terrible consequences—devoured by dragon qi, scorched by the wrath of the Great Wilderness's karmic dragon.

Even Shen Shouxing, at the peak of the Golden Core Realm, had his arm completely destroyed.

And this secret of the Great Wilderness? Shentu Ao would never have revealed it.

As for Young Master Xuan? With his scheming heart, there was no way he'd say a word.

His goal was twofold:

Incite infighting among the others.

Use the backlash of the Dragon Vein to cripple every potential threat.

"As expected… the little spawn of the Dark Demon Sect (玄魔宗)..." Shen Shouxing's voice was hoarse.

So young—yet so ruthless and cunning. He was no less vicious than the old devil lords.

Shen Shouxing secretly circulated his spiritual power, trying to heal the damage from the Dragon Vein's backlash. But the karmic dragon qi of the Great Wilderness was extremely fierce—he couldn't purge it in a short time.

Worse, he found a trace of filthy blood essence embedded deep in his body.

Recalling the moment he saw the Dragon Vein—his overwhelming desire, his will slipping away—Shen Shouxing's pupils shrank sharply.

"You used other tricks too, didn't you?"

"I did use a few... from the Illusion Demon Sect..."

Young Master Xuan admitted it with surprising ease.

As he slowly walked toward the nearby Dragon Vein, he explained calmly:

"The Illusion Demon Sect specializes in hallucinatory poisons that confuse the mind and cloud divine sense. I mixed the poison with blood, disrupted your judgment, and paired it with the Heart-Demon Seed Technique, making you throw your lives away in the struggle for the Dragon Vein."

"The brilliance lies in the poison itself—it's not strong. I smeared it on my sword, and with the sword light of the Blood Sword of the Dark Demon, I poisoned you without anyone noticing."

"As long as you all fought and bled, the poison would spread. And since its toxicity is subtle, none of you even realized it."

"I had no choice—you all are too powerful. Even though I've cultivated the core techniques of the Illusion Demon Sect, to implant heart-demons into cultivators like you... I had to go through all this effort."

Shen Shouxing's gaze turned icy cold.

"So you calculated everything out?"

"Naturally."

By now, Young Master Xuan had arrived at the Dragon Vein. A faint smile lingered on his lips.

"If I hadn't, how could a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator like me dare take such risks and deal with you late-stage and peak-level Golden Core monsters?"

"For me, this was both a tempering and a test."

"A stage of demons and blades—only by doing what others cannot, will the Ancestor acknowledge me and entrust the future of the Dark Demon Sect to me."

"Only then will all those unruly, vicious old devils in the sect willingly submit to me."

"And now, finally... the Dragon Vein is in hand."

Looking at the Dragon Vein before him, his heart surged with pride and exhilaration—but he didn't immediately touch it.

Instead, he took out a black demonic banner, shrouding the Dragon Vein within it.

The banner was ancient and mysterious—its origin unknown—but it managed to suppress the light and seal the dragon qi.

Wrapped in the banner, the once-majestic Dragon Vein now looked like nothing more than an ordinary bone—its fierce presence completely hidden.

Only then did Young Master Xuan dare to hold the Dragon Vein in his hands, immune to its backlash.

With the Dragon Vein secured, everything was going according to plan.

"Whether you're a prince of the Great Wilderness, a Golden Core of some noble house, or an elder of a sect...

You're all just my playthings—to be toyed with in the palm of my hand..."

A hint of mockery flashed across Young Master Xuan's face. He weighed the Dragon Vein in his palm, smiled smugly—and then casually handed it to Mo Hua, saying:

"Hold this for me."

Mo Hua took it.

Young Master Xuan turned his head to speak to Shen Shouxing —but suddenly, his heart skipped a beat.

"Wait… just now… what... what was I doing?"

"Why… why did I hand the Dragon Vein to someone else?!"

The smile froze on his face. His pupils slowly widened.

He turned his head in a panic— Only to realize Mo Hua was gone.

He looked up —Mo Hua had, somehow, already tiptoed out over ten zhang (30 meters) away!

Sensing Young Master Xuan's gaze, Mo Hua turned back and met his eyes.

The two locked eyes, wide and unblinking. For a moment—time itself seemed to stop.

Mo Hua blinked once.

Then, without a word, he turned and bolted, clutching the Dragon Vein—and ran like hell. 🏃‍♂️💨

(End of this Chapter)