Chapter 472: So Difficult
Chapter 473: So Difficult
In the exquisitely decorated stone chamber, Mo Hua sensed Lu Chengyun’s divine sense watching him, so he pretended to be thoughtfully designing the formation array.
Once Lu Chengyun’s divine sense moved away, Mo Hua tossed the diagrams aside and began drawing little tigers on paper for amusement.
As he drew, he also pondered in his mind.
What exactly was this Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation for?
To refine corpses? But what kind of corpses? Judging by the current formation design and the flow of spiritual power, it seemed intended to use the formation to refine Walking Corpses and Iron Corpses on a massive, large-scale industrial level with overwhelming evil energy.
From the Zhang family to the Lu family, the method shifted from small, workshop-style corpse refining to a high-formation, large-scale, industrialized approach.
With the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation, more zombies could be produced in a short period.
But could it really be that simple? How would the refined Walking Corpses and Iron Corpses be controlled? What would one do with such a vast number of zombies?
Lu Chengyun wouldn’t simply abandon his role as family head to create a necromantic sect and make himself its master… Could it be that, like the Qian family’s ancestor, he intended to secretly use the zombies for raiding, eliminating rivals, and consolidating the Lu family’s power and territory?
Mo Hua then thought of the massive bronze coffin in the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation. In the partial diagrams provided by Lu Chengyun, its function was not mentioned. Nor did Mo Hua’s designed formation system include it.
He frowned. “What exactly is that bronze coffin for? What’s inside?”
Fearing he might overlook something crucial, Mo Hua carefully recalled every detail of his interactions with Lu Chengyun.
Suddenly, his expression changed. He remembered Lu Chengyun saying:
“…Please, young master, help me refine a corpse…”
“Not an Iron Corpse…”
“…a stronger corpse, one that surpasses Iron Corpses…”
Based on the principles of the Spirit-Pivot Formation, Lu Chengyun controlled Walking Corpses through Iron Corpses, and Iron Corpses through a stronger zombie. Layered control meant that even if he refined countless zombies, he could dominate them alone.
Then this stronger zombie, the one that controlled the Iron Corpses and Walking Corpses, must have been refined using the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation. It was likely hidden in the bronze coffin at the center of the formation.
After careful consideration, Mo Hua felt this made sense.
The Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation contained many evil arrays, each systematically connecting the wooden coffins of Walking Corpses to the iron coffins, and the iron coffins to the central bronze coffin through blood-red array patterns. This aligned perfectly with the hierarchical control principle of the Spirit-Pivot Formation.
Lu Chengyun could lie, but the formation could not. No matter what he said, the formation diagrams revealed the truth.
Mo Hua nodded. Using the formation principles and structure, he roughly deduced Lu Chengyun’s intentions. His eyes gleamed with anticipation. The zombie in the bronze coffin would control Iron Corpses, which in turn controlled Walking Corpses. The Spirit-Pivot Formation in the bronze coffin would therefore be the most crucial. This meant the ultimate Spirit-Pivot diagram must be hidden inside the bronze coffin.
“I need to find a way to get that final diagram…” Mo Hua murmured, resting his chin on his hand.
The formation’s core arrays had already been designed by Mo Hua, but he still “slacked off” a few times, modifying them slightly, consulting Lu Chengyun, and then improving them further. Lu Chengyun, only semi-competent in large formations, was easily fooled. After four or five rounds of this, Mo Hua finally handed over the initial array diagram he had designed in just one hour.
Lu Chengyun was overjoyed. His composed, elegant demeanor vanished as he laughed out loud, his eyes reflecting a sinister ambition in the dim candlelight. Moments later, he calmed himself and returned to his courteous expression. Smiling, he praised Mo Hua: “Young master, you’ve truly exceeded my expectations!”
Mo Hua smiled shyly. “All thanks to the guidance of the Lu family head.”
Lu Chengyun sincerely replied, “Your talent and deep knowledge of formations allowed you to complete such a complex array design in so short a time.”
Mo Hua felt embarrassed. He had drawn it in just one hour but had spent over ten days “slacking off” to delay. And yet, Lu Chengyun was thrilled.
Mo Hua feigned hesitation. Lu Chengyun, perceptive as ever, asked, “Is something on your mind?”
Mo Hua hesitated, then spoke with difficulty: “Family head, may I draw this array myself?”
Lu Chengyun was slightly surprised and fell silent, his gaze narrowing.
Mo Hua assumed an eager, respectful attitude: “I’ve realized my formation skills still have gaps, and my designs often have flaws. I want to personally draw this array to practice and see if I can improve my understanding…”
He glanced at Lu Chengyun and quickly added: “Of course, if this is inconvenient, it’s fine.”
Lu Chengyun’s mind turned, and he suddenly smiled, nodding: “This array is complex; conceiving it is difficult, and carving it out is equally exhausting. Your willingness to help is excellent.”
Mo Hua relaxed, smiling: “I will not disappoint, family head!”
Lu Chengyun smiled and nodded. Thus, Mo Hua personally drew the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation’s core arrays. As he drew, he secretly observed the nearby bronze coffin.
It was precisely for the bronze coffin that he had volunteered to draw the arrays. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered. The arrays were near the bronze coffin, allowing him access to eventually steal the ultimate Spirit-Pivot diagram.
The opportunity was hard to find. The bronze coffin was tightly sealed, showing no sign of a formation. Mo Hua had to pretend to work diligently. With a serious expression but casual strokes, he deliberately made errors, erased them, and redrew. After all, he was wasting the Lu family’s spirit ink, not his own. He felt no remorse.
Even so, progress was inevitable. He drew a little more each day, giving Lu Chengyun hope. Lu Chengyun grew anxious but didn’t push him, knowing the arrays were indeed complex and difficult even for himself.
Days passed. Mo Hua’s arrays improved, but the bronze coffin remained unopened. It remained sealed, revealing nothing. He couldn’t extrapolate its formation patterns. During the day, Lu Chengyun constantly watched; at night, the mural was closed, and Mo Hua couldn’t enter. The ultimate Spirit-Pivot Formation lay right there but remained unseen. Mo Hua felt frustrated.
One morning, Lu Chengyun, in front of him, personally opened the bronze coffin. He seemed to be preparing to draw a formation. The moment the coffin opened, a profound formation aura emerged. Mo Hua’s spirits lifted—it truly was a Spirit-Pivot Formation! Its aura was denser and more complete than that on the Walking or Iron Corpses. Even a single wisp allowed him to deduce that the patterns were more complex and the spiritual power structures more refined. He longed to see it closer.
Meanwhile, Lu Chengyun began drawing the formation inside the coffin. Using a bone brush with human hair dipped in blood, his eyes glowed green as he drew a formation inside the bronze coffin. Mo Hua frowned. Was this how evil arrays were used? Was Lu Chengyun drawing a top-rank twelve-pattern Spirit-Pivot Formation with evil-array techniques?
Zhang Quan, noticing Mo Hua staring, shouted coldly, “Hurry up and draw! Don’t waste time!”
Mo Hua’s temper flared. Fine, if you want me to draw, I won’t! He tossed his brush aside and boldly crept behind Lu Chengyun, craning his neck to observe the drawing. He reasoned that he was now aiding someone with similar goals; even if Lu Chengyun noticed, he could excuse himself as a naïve child.
Lu Chengyun remained focused, seemingly unaware. In a few quick glances, Mo Hua roughly observed the scene inside the coffin: a bronze coffin containing a bronze inner coffin. The outer bronze coffin had been opened, but the inner coffin remained sealed. Inside likely lay the stronger zombie that surpassed the Iron Corpses. Mo Hua couldn’t see it directly, only the formations Lu Chengyun was drawing inside the coffins.
The formation patterns were indeed the highest-ranking Spirit-Pivot Formation. Having memorized the lower-level formations on the Walking and Iron Corpses, Mo Hua recognized them at a glance.
At the same time, Zhang Quan, fearing the exposure of the formation, shouted, “Lu brother!” This disrupted Lu Chengyun’s focused state, rendering the strokes he had drawn void.
Lu Chengyun snapped back, glaring at Zhang Quan, and then noticed Mo Hua peeking behind him. His gaze darkened slightly, but he didn’t get angry, instead smiling: “Young master, do you want to see this formation?”
Mo Hua nodded honestly. “Yes.” He wouldn’t have come to Nanyue City otherwise.
Lu Chengyun nodded thoughtfully. “Good!”
Mo Hua was surprised. “You’ll really show me?”
Lu Chengyun smiled. “Of course. As agreed, you help me draw the formation, I will show you the top-secret diagram.”
Mo Hua rejoiced. “The Lu family head truly keeps his word!”
Lu Chengyun flipped his hand, producing a thin, ancient diagram book, worn and creased with age. He carefully opened it. It contained the complete, hierarchical, top-rank twelve-pattern Spirit-Pivot Formation diagrams—extremely complex and profound.
Mo Hua’s heart raced. Lu Chengyun’s gaze was full of meaning: “Young master, what do you think?”
Mo Hua froze, then reacted. At first, he was excited, almost obsessed, then studied the formation carefully, disbelief creasing his brow, pondering for a long time before slumping and sighing quietly: “This formation… is so difficult, I can’t understand it…”
Though he said he couldn’t understand it, in his mind, he was rapidly memorizing the patterns at lightning speed.