Since he couldn't see the actual scene, the Formation Master instinctively wondered...

Could it be that the shadow phantom was testing him by deliberately lying?

But after careful consideration, the shadow phantom's attitude seemed sincere, and there was no apparent need to deliberately lie and offend him.

So, that meant...

There really was a desiccated corpse!

Then, who did this desiccated corpse belong to?

Like the shadow phantom said, was it Tao Sheng's corpse?

Of course not.

Tao Sheng, who had been skinned alive, was currently in the Formation Master's possession.

So it was impossible for that desiccated corpse to be Tao Sheng.

It seemed the shadow phantom had misunderstood on his own.

From the shadow phantom's perspective, their team was missing Tao Sheng, which was why he assumed the desiccated corpse was Tao Sheng.

But the Formation Master knew that after teleporting to the Forbidden Zone, this team actually had one extra person...

Jiang Ye!

Plus, shortly before, Jiang Ye had made bold threats, then quickly fell silent...

The Formation Master quickly determined—

That desiccated corpse wasn't Tao Sheng, but Jiang Ye!

Jiang Ye, hiding inside the shadow phantom's belly, also realized that the Formation Master would likely soon deduce the desiccated corpse's identity.

He felt somewhat uneasy, worried that the Formation Master might reveal this information to the shadow phantom...

If the shadow phantom learned his real son was still alive, his attitude toward the "fake son" would probably change instantly!

But to his surprise...

The Formation Master, despite clearly understanding the situation, did not reveal the truth to the shadow phantom.

Instead, when he spoke again, his tone had softened somewhat:

"Tao Sheng turned into a desiccated corpse? Hmph, I actually know the reason behind it."

"In fact, if you're willing to hand over that desiccated corpse for me to handle, I can resurrect your son for you."

Hearing this, regardless of what the shadow phantom thought, Jiang Ye instantly grasped the Formation Master's intention!

He clearly knew the desiccated corpse didn't belong to Tao Sheng, yet deliberately misled by following the shadow phantom's assumption!

His only goal was to legitimately obtain that desiccated corpse!

As for "resurrecting Tao Sheng"...

Hah! Tao Sheng was probably already in the Formation Master's hands!

Once he took the desiccated corpse, he just needed to return Tao Sheng.

And Tao Sheng had been unconscious since being skinned alive, so he obviously wouldn't know whether he had become a desiccated corpse or not.

Through this transaction, the Formation Master could also gain benefits for "resurrecting Tao Sheng."

No wonder he didn't expose that the desiccated corpse wasn't Tao Sheng at all!

Thinking this, Jiang Ye relaxed slightly.

But he still felt somewhat tense inside.

After all, if the Formation Master succeeded, then Jiang Ye's desiccated corpse would fall into the Formation Master's hands...

Who knew what this senior who had connections with Beyond the Heavens would do with his desiccated corpse, and whether it would affect him somehow.

While Jiang Ye was worrying, the shadow phantom was also contemplating.

Of course he wanted his son resurrected.

But he wasn't stupid.

If his son could truly be resurrected, rather than entrusting it to someone else, he'd prefer to resurrect his son himself.

After all, the longer such powerful beings lived, the more endless their methods became!

What if this old fossil set some trap or laid some scheme while resurrecting his son?

Would his son still be his son then?

And it was quite obvious—

He just wanted to know what exactly happened, why his son turned into a desiccated corpse, why the Blood Realm Worm mutated...

Yet the Formation Master proactively mentioned resurrecting Tao Sheng?

In these times, which senior would act without benefit?

Since the Formation Master took the initiative, resurrecting Tao Sheng must definitely benefit the Formation Master!

But where was the benefit?

The shadow phantom glanced at the desiccated corpse again...

And quickly realized—the benefit was in the desiccated corpse!

His son's Blood Realm Worm had strangely mutated.

The remaining desiccated corpse might also have special uses!

Thinking carefully, players who died in this Forbidden Zone shouldn't leave behind desiccated corpses.

Just look at the half-dead Xu Gou and Peng Gu over there.

If they died, they'd probably turn into light points like being erased, leaving nothing behind.

So, the desiccated corpse left after his son's death might be as valuable as that mutated Blood Realm Worm!

Thinking this, the shadow phantom became less willing to hand over the desiccated corpse to the Formation Master for resurrection.

But he also clearly understood—

Resurrecting his son was impossible within this Forbidden Zone.

While hiding in the Forbidden Zone, he didn't need to fear the Formation Master.

But if he left the Forbidden Zone...

The Formation Master would likely have plenty of ways to deal with him!

So even if his son's desiccated corpse was incredibly valuable...

In his hands, it couldn't realize that value.

So, he could only hand it over to the Formation Master...

The shadow phantom took a deep breath, quickly organized his words, and still spoke respectfully with an attitude of not daring to offend the Formation Master: ꞦΆɴŐBÈＳ

"I presume the master has also realized—"

"That a desiccated corpse appearing in this Forbidden Zone is indeed strange."

"And my son was originally a mutant, supposed to live and die with me."

"Now for some reason, he's severed connection with me, dying under bizarre and strange circumstances..."

He deliberately didn't mention the Blood Realm Worm mutation, but conveyed what needed to be said.

Then continued: "All these abnormal situations are truly hard to comprehend."

"So to be honest, I'm not certain whether my son's corpse can maintain this desiccated state if it leaves the Forbidden Zone..."

"Thus I'd like to ask the master—"

"Might the process of resurrecting my son be completed within the Forbidden Zone?"

His words sounded respectful on the surface.

But actually carried subtle implications.

He was essentially reminding the Formation Master—

No matter how powerful you are, within this Forbidden Zone, you're ultimately constrained.

And the shadow phantom, as long as he remains in the Forbidden Zone, can fearlessly face the Formation Master!

However...

What shocked the shadow phantom was—

The array disk floating mid-air now buzzed loudly again while emitting an intimidating aura!

Simultaneously, a sharp cold snort came from the array disk!

Then the Formation Master's voice became quite impolite, extremely arrogant and overbearing:

"Hmph—"

"Are you suggesting that within this Forbidden Zone, I'm reduced to a mere mortal who can't do anything to you?"

"Has this part of the Forbidden Zone given you courage?"

"Hah! Ridiculous!"

"You think just because you can move freely in the Forbidden Zone, you're superior?"

"You think what you see is the entire Forbidden Zone?"

"You think my Soul Herding Array is only for bluffing?!"

The successive questions seemed to carry terrifying pressure!

The shadow phantom felt his heart sink, while also feeling wronged—he didn't think his attitude had been particularly arrogant just now?

Why was the Formation Master so irritable?

It seemed like he could annihilate him in an instant at the slightest disagreement!

The shadow phantom's situation was special, but he truly didn't have much combat power.

Almost instinctively, he wanted to drop Jiang Ye again and flee—carrying Jiang Ye would be affected by the Soul Herding Array.

However, he really couldn't bear to part with him, and somewhat suspected this old fossil might just be bluffing...

So ultimately, he didn't flee.

Just adopted an even more humble attitude...

"Master misunderstands... I, I'm just genuinely worried something might happen to my son's corpse if it leaves the Forbidden Zone..."

After explaining, he quickly admitted fault:

"I was wrong, I'm overly concerned about my son, I shouldn't have doubted the master..."

This time, before he could finish speaking.

Amid the buzzing from above came another cold snort.

Followed by the Formation Master's increasingly arrogant voice:

"Just resurrecting some trash!"

"Only someone as insignificant as you would hesitate like this!"

Along with this scolding...

The shadow phantom witnessed with his own eyes—

The desiccated corpse originally lying on the ground suddenly disappeared amid the array disk's buzzing!

Replaced by...

A fleshless skeleton!

Simultaneously, beside the skeleton lay a pile of skinned flesh with blood patterns...

This??

The shadow phantom stared fixedly at the skeleton, somewhat incredulous!

Until that wildly arrogant voice came from the air again:

"What? Don't tell me you can't even recognize your own son?"

"..."

Well...

The shadow phantom didn't answer immediately.

He just raised his giant hand, and an ethereal palm touched the skeleton's skull.

Moments later, the shadow phantom suddenly shuddered, exclaiming in shock:

"It's... it's my son Tao Sheng..."

Tao Sheng, Tao Sheng, escaping death's door!

His son had actually been resurrected!

Although the flesh was stripped away, leaving only the skeleton...

This was just because they were in the Forbidden Zone.

Once outside the Forbidden Zone, the flesh could quickly regenerate!

For a moment, the shadow phantom's mind felt somewhat dazed...

Logically, his son's resurrection should be good news.

But this overly easy resurrection, plus the Blood Realm Worm still present in his son's skull sutures...

All made him suspect—

Was this resurrected son really still his son?

No!

Hadn't he suspected this earlier?

If the Formation Master truly resurrected Tao Sheng, he'd inevitably set some trap or scheme on Tao Sheng!

So, this was his son, yet not his son.

This son... was probably useless now!

The shadow phantom felt some heartache.

But comparatively, he dared not offend the Formation Master even more.

This master might truly have lived since the 3rd Day and 4th Day, from that ancient era...

He actually possessed such methods even within this Forbidden Zone!

The shadow phantom dared not confront him directly, naturally not daring to question the possibility of this resurrected son being tampered with.

So, he could only pretend to be concerned:

"Thank you for your great kindness, master, but my son's current skeletal state shows signs of being eroded and whitened by the Forbidden Zone!"

"Might I trouble the master further..."

Before he finished, another statement came from above: "Simple."

The next second, the newly "resurrected" Tao Sheng was teleported away.

Yes, the shadow phantom thought it was "resurrection."

But Jiang Ye knew perfectly clearly—

This was absolutely not resurrection!

It was simply the Formation Master swapping the positions of Tao Sheng and the desiccated corpse!

That desiccated corpse had now so easily fallen into the Formation Master's hands!

And this move further intimidated the shadow phantom, making him dare not defy the Formation Master even within the Forbidden Zone!

The master's voice came from above again, slightly more relaxed:

"If you wish to reunite with your son, just leave the Forbidden Zone."

The shadow phantom thought: That won't be necessary, this son who's already been tampered with isn't worth keeping!

But of course he couldn't admit this outwardly.

He just said politely: "Since we've left the Forbidden Zone, my son should be fine."

"And I rarely get to enter the Forbidden Zone, I'd like to explore further, seeking the so-called opportunities here..."

The shadow phantom originally wanted to inquire about the reason for his son's mutation and what exactly happened here.

But now that he knew the Formation Master's power, he wasn't so fixated on it anymore.

This Formation Master was so incredibly powerful, effortlessly resurrecting his son within the Forbidden Zone...

Then the situation with his son turning into a desiccated corpse and the Blood Realm Worm mutating must have been orchestrated by the Formation Master.

The shadow phantom even feared that if he lingered longer, he might not only lose his son but even the mutated Blood Realm Worm!

If not for the mutated Blood Realm Worm only merging with the small shadow phantom portion given to Jiang Ye, he'd really want to just drop Jiang Ye and flee!

But now...

The shadow phantom looked at the array disk, feeling panicked inside.

Sure enough!

The array disk was no longer buzzing, but transmitted another cold snort:

"From what you're saying..."

"I resurrected your son for you, and you only plan to offer verbal 'gratitude'?"

The shadow phantom cursed internally: Damn it, I never asked you to resurrect him!

You proactively resurrected my son, then blatantly tampered with him!

And now you want me to give you a thank-you gift?

I thank your whole damn family!

If the shadow phantom had a hatred ranking list, the Guiwen Master would be first, and this Formation Master would undoubtedly be second!

But there was no choice, the shadow phantom clearly understood—

This was reality!

Without power, no amount of reasoning mattered!

They could openly rob you, what could you do about it?

The shadow phantom felt terrified, but still forced himself to reply:

"I originally had some assets, but not long ago, the Guiwen Master took everything... now I'm impoverished, with empty sleeves..."

"Empty sleeves? Then what's in your belly?"

A cold snort came through.

Jiang Ye felt increasingly that something was wrong.

Damn! He's coming for me!

The desiccated corpse was taken.

Now this old fossil wants to seize his mutated clone too?!

No way! Shadow phantom dad! You absolutely must not hand me over!

But he overestimated the shadow phantom.

This "pragmatic" dad directly and without hesitation reached into his belly...

Then fiercely pulled, throwing out Jiang Ye's small shadow phantom body.

Simultaneously he said indignantly: "This incompletely mutated Jiang Ye, I've long wanted to discard him!"

"If the master likes him, take him!"

"I feel something summoning me from the southeast direction, perhaps it's my opportunity, please allow me to go!"

After speaking, the shadow phantom didn't wait for the master's response, directly flashed away and escaped!

This time, without Jiang Ye, he indeed wasn't affected by the formation, escaping quite smoothly.

He originally worried the Formation Master might have other methods.

But after fleeing far away without being recaptured, he finally relaxed...

As for Jiang Ye and the mutated Blood Realm Worm...

Forget it, sigh.

The shadow phantom, having survived until today, deeply understood the principle of "while there's life, there's hope."

For his own sake, he could decisively abandon anyone countless times.

Why bother over mere Jiang Ye and a mutated Blood Realm Worm!

Maybe later, see if there's another chance...

However—

Just as the shadow phantom ran far away, thinking he was finally safe and preparing to focus on seeking opportunities.

He felt his form flash again...

This feeling was all too familiar!

When he was about to touch the Blood Realm Worm earlier, he was "teleported" away exactly like this!

This time, he wasn't teleported away, but teleported back!

He returned to the spot where he abandoned Jiang Ye...

And Jiang Ye had already disappeared!

Hmm...

Jiang Ye, who had just used [clone swapping], felt grateful: Dad's actually quite good, running such a long distance for me! Touching ( Ĭ ^ Ĭ )