Chapter 551: No Escape

Under Zhong Shan's leadership, the group frantically dashed towards the edge of the Great Ze Ghost Domain. Zhong Shan's sharp instincts were evident. As soon as he heard Mr. Corpse mention that the brain-eating beast ranked higher than the fire Qilin on the Great Thousand World's divine beast list, he immediately grasped the terrifying nature of this beast.

Watching the distant mud constantly churn, everyone knew that the brain-eating beast was about to emerge. Zhong Shan didn't want to see what kind of monstrous entity it was; he didn't have the time or desire to find out.

Previously, Nangong Sheng had kept things in check. But now, with Nangong Sheng, the fire Qilin, and the powerhouse from the Great Thousand World gone, the brain-eating beast, which was clearly more intelligent and patient than the fire Qilin, dared to reveal itself.

"What abilities does the brain-eating beast have?" Zhong Shan asked while flying.

"Your Majesty, those disoriented and aggressive experts we encountered on our way here were all controlled by the brain-eating beast. The mud splatters from earlier burrow into people's skin and quickly make their way to the brain, consuming their spirit and taking control. Even zombies, I dare not deploy, fearing they might be controlled by it," Mr. Corpse explained.

Hearing Mr. Corpse's explanation, Xianxian shivered involuntarily. It was terrifying and disgusting.

As they fled, the brain-eating beast finally revealed itself from the mud.

A massive ball of mud floated to the surface, and everyone saw a gigantic creature resembling an octopus, but without tentacles. Its body was black, with streams of sludge continuously oozing off it. Despite the constant flow, the creature, standing ten meters tall, seemed to be made entirely of endless sludge.

Two ghostly blue eyes emitted a sinister and soul-chilling light.

Countless mud droplets shot out from its body in all directions. More mud droplets also erupted from the surrounding swamps, targeting numerous individuals.

Those who were unprepared were instantly infiltrated by the mud droplets. As soon as the mud entered their skin, they displayed expressions of agony. After a moment of torment, their faces changed, and they began to attack their kin, now controlled by the brain-eating beast.

In a terrifying scene, countless strong individuals were taken over in an instant, turning on each other under the beast's control.

"We can't escape. Nangong Sheng's array has sealed off the entire Great Ze Ghost Domain. There's no way out," the Old Wine Man suddenly shouted.

The Old Wine Man had sensed the powerful array in the distance.

"Sealed?" Mr. Corpse was stunned.

Xianxian's face showed panic, and she clung tightly to Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan took a deep breath. With his shadow body, he could go anywhere, through any array. But what about Xianxian and Mr. Corpse? He couldn't leave them behind.

"Kill that monster!"

Among the experts, some quickly figured out the source of the problem—it was the creature in the mud.

With a loud shout, a golden skeleton rushed forward. This golden skeleton was an Emperor Extreme Realm expert.

Holding a pitch-black large knife, the golden skeleton swung it fiercely at the brain-eating beast.

The powerful blade unleashed a massive waterfall-like blade energy.

"Boom!"

The strike from the Emperor Extreme Realm expert was formidable. But Zhong Shan knew it would be far from enough to defeat the brain-eating beast. Ranked higher than the Qilin, this brain-eating beast was sure to be incredibly strong.

The blade energy collided with the brain-eating beast, creating a huge explosion. The beast's form trembled, and a layer of sludge was blown away, only to reveal an even more grotesque inner layer. The creature seemed almost unaffected by the attack, continuing to emit mud droplets and controlling more beings around it.

"We must find a way out of this trap," Zhong Shan said, his mind racing.

The group realized they were in dire straits, facing a foe far beyond their current strength. They needed a strategy to survive and escape this nightmare.

But reality always finds a way to surprise.

The golden skeleton's slash actually had an effect. To Zhong Shan and the others' astonishment, the blade cut the brain-eating beast in two. The powerful strike split the creature cleanly in half, causing its halves to fall apart.

Everyone stared in shock.

Was the brain-eating beast dead?

"That skeleton is doomed," Mr. Corpse said with a bitter smile.

Just as the golden skeleton felt a surge of excitement, something eerie happened. From the two halves of the brain-eating beast, a large amount of sludge began to pour out. The split halves began to regenerate within the sludge, gradually forming into two identical brain-eating beasts.

Seeing this, everyone's scalp tingled with fear.

Even the golden skeleton was incredulous. But within a moment of disbelief, the golden skeleton's body suddenly convulsed. It then straightened and turned, glaring menacingly at those around it.

Everyone had been watching the golden skeleton closely, hoping for salvation. Seeing it split the brain-eating beast, they felt a glimmer of hope. But witnessing the beast's duplication, their hopes were shattered.

"Not good, the golden skeleton has been controlled by the brain-eating beast!" Xianxian shouted.

Her exclamation caused a stir. Unkillable? Able to split? What kind of monstrosity was this?

"The brain-eating beast doesn't have strong defenses, but it's unkillable. In the Great Thousand World, it's synonymous with disaster. Your Majesty, we must break out of the array. Otherwise, everyone will have their brains drained and souls destroyed by this beast," Mr. Corpse said, his face filled with worry.

The brain-eating beast, directing a horde of controlled beings, attacked all around. It was a terrifying entity, more dreadful than Mr. Corpse's zombie army. The zombie army could only attack the living and became weaker when turned into zombies, but the brain-eating beast could control both the living and the dead without reducing their strength.

In the meantime, the two brain-eating beasts merged back into one massive sludge creature.

Several other experts tried to attack the brain-eating beast, but their efforts were futile. Its form, made of sludge, was impervious to harm. How could you injure something that was already at its lowest form of existence? It was invulnerable.

Meanwhile, the attackers were all controlled by the brain-eating beast.

Zhong Shan led everyone in a high-speed flight.

Reaching the edge of the array at high altitude, Zhong Shan easily passed through. However, Xianxian and the others couldn't follow, even when the Old Wine Man attacked with all his might. The barrier was unbreakable.

A formation set by an immortal was not something mortals could breach.

"Help us!"

"Save me!"

"Stay away from me!"

Cries of terror and pleas for help echoed from all directions, but against the brain-eating beast, all were futile. The brain-eating beast was a force even the fire Qilin paled against.

"Weren't there many Emperor Extreme Realm experts who chased the fire Qilin out? Why can't we leave?" Xianxian asked anxiously.

"That was because the fire Qilin broke through the array. Those Emperor Extreme Realm experts left through the breach. But now, the breach is gone. This formation can repair itself!" the Old Wine Man said, his face full of dejection.

The Old Wine Man looked towards Zhong Shan for guidance. Below, a person under control was killed on the spot, and as the body fell, its head facing upwards, a small brain-eating beast emerged from a hole in the skull. The creature was identical to the larger one but much smaller, having consumed all the brain matter.

The small brain-eating beast quickly made its way to the larger one, merging into its body.

On the battlefield, it was a massacre. Those not controlled were being killed, and from each fallen body, a small brain-eating beast would emerge, joining the main creature.

This was a disaster, an unprecedented catastrophe.

In no time, countless strong individuals had died, leaving only a hundred or so survivors. These survivors, like Zhong Shan, were huddled at the edges of the Great Ze Ghost Domain, near the edge of Nangong Sheng's formation, trembling with fear.

While these experts had managed to evade death momentarily, the longer they waited, the more perilous their situation became. With thousands of fallen warriors already dead, the brain-eating beast now set its sights on the remaining survivors.

The beast looked upwards, seeing the hundred survivors with apparent dissatisfaction. It shook its form, causing the entire mud of the Great Ze Ghost Domain to tremble. From the mud, an endless number of brain-eating beasts began to emerge, their ghostly eyes shining eerily.

The sight was terrifying, with countless brain-eating beasts appearing from the mud, creating a scene of unimaginable horror.

"This brain-eating beast is too terrifying. Zhong Shan, aren't you going to do something? Hurry!" The Old Wine Man screamed in panic.

The Old Wine Man knew that only by staying with Zhong Shan did they have a sliver of hope. Now, with the brain-eating beasts closing in, they needed Zhong Shan to act fast.

Zhong Shan glanced at the Old Wine Man and made up his mind.

With a flick of his finger, Zhong Shan's body suddenly emitted an endless array of black shadows, shooting rapidly in all directions like a torrential downpour.

In an instant, countless talisman shadows covered the mud and the numerous brain-eating beasts.

"Boom!"

Almost all the brain-eating beasts had a talisman shadow attached to them, causing them to freeze in place. The once turbulent and fear-inducing Great Ze Ghost Domain suddenly seemed to halt.

Seeing this, the survivors' eyes lit up with hope. Had the beasts been sealed?

"Wei Qi?" The Old Wine Man exclaimed in surprise.

Yan Chongzhi was also shocked as he looked at Zhong Shan. Wei Qi was on the same level as celestial artifacts, and Zhong Shan had one?

The hundred or so strong individuals, seeing the brain-eating beasts immobilized, rushed towards Zhong Shan in joy.

However, just as they moved, one of the brain-eating beasts broke free from the talisman shadow. As it did, the others followed suit, all breaking free from the talisman shadows and turning their angry gazes towards Zhong Shan.

"It's hopeless. In the Great Thousand World, when faced with such divine beasts, the only option is to flee. But now, there's nowhere to run!" Mr. Corpse said with a look of urgency, then a glint of determination appeared in his eyes, as if he had made a critical decision.