Chapter 505: Thirteen Marks

Chapter 507: Thirteen Marks

Mo Hua was stuffed.

The Zhang Clan Ancestor, manifesting as a bronze corpse, even without disciples and grandsons to offer him tribute, still possessed mid-stage Foundation Establishment Divine-Sense.

The Zhang Clan’s elders, manifesting as iron corpses, all had early-stage Foundation Establishment Divine-Sense.

Even though, after a great battle, the Zhang Clan had torn itself apart under Mo Hua’s control—disciples and grandmasters slaughtering each other, leaving both sides battered and their Divine-Sense greatly depleted—

the residual Divine-Sense was still far too abundant…

Mo Hua had “stewed” it all in one go, swallowing it whole, and felt completely overstuffed…

Within his Sea of Consciousness, a chaotic mixture of Divine-Sense surged.

These fragments of Divine-Sense came from absorbing the malevolent thoughts of bronze and iron corpses, preliminarily refined.

Each derived from a different soul, tainted with sinister energy—some cold, some violent, some corrupt, some cunning…

Mo Hua felt a little helpless.

He had gorged himself on these “bad things,” risking poisoning his mind…

The evil thoughts surged like a storm.

Mo Hua’s Dao-heart was like a small boat ferrying across turbulent waves, rocking and unstable, seemingly on the verge of being swallowed by the malevolence.

If his Dao-heart were to vanish, tainted and corrupted, his entire character would change, and he would descend into a monster with a corpse’s mind in a human body.

Fortunately, after absorbing so much malevolent energy, Mo Hua gradually adapted to it.

He calmed his mind and focused, guarding a single original thought.

No matter how the evil surged, no matter how the malevolent forces tempted, no matter how vile desires arose, his heart remained like a clear mirror, unstained by a speck of dust.

He waited, and waited, until midnight, when a primitive, profound, and vast energy suddenly rose within his Sea of Consciousness.

Mo Hua opened his eyes and saw a void Dao Monument floating in his consciousness, and his eyes brightened.

He pointed with two fingers, projecting his Divine-Sense, and began to draw formations on the Dao Monument.

This formation was a First-Grade Twelve-Mark Spiritual-Pivot Formation!

This supreme formation demanded extremely high Divine-Sense.

Mo Hua had practiced it before, but slowly, limited by his Divine-Sense; usually after drawing one or two formations, he would have to rest.

Now, his Sea of Consciousness overflowed with Divine-Sense, abundant to the point of luxury.

Without hesitation, Mo Hua’s fingers flew, his Divine-Sense poured out, formation lines appeared, forming the Spiritual-Pivot Formation…

At the same time, the Dao Monument’s aura deepened further.

The residual soul fragments and malevolent thoughts Mo Hua had swallowed were, through meditation, Dao Monument purification, and formation tempering, gradually refined, ultimately completely absorbed by Mo Hua…

After hundreds of iterations, the meaning of the formation revealed itself.

Mo Hua practiced the Spiritual-Pivot Formation with undivided focus.

Each repetition deepened his understanding of the formation.

Simultaneously, his originally strong Divine-Sense gradually strengthened…

Meanwhile, outside the corpse mine, the battle still raged.

Various Dao Court forces had attempted several assaults but were repelled by Lu Chengyun’s iron corpses and the “corpse soldiers” formed from reanimated corpses, failing to breach the mine.

A frontal assault was impossible, so Yang Jishan ordered a squad of elite cultivators to coordinate with the Dao soldiers in stealth attacks and harassment, applying pressure on Lu Chengyun.

After these days of skirmishes, Yang Jishan also understood Lu Chengyun’s corpse-control method:

“It’s a formation!”

“The corpse soldiers are linked through a formation, their offense and defense unified, advancing and retreating as one.”

But what kind of formation it was, Yang Jishan did not know.

He could only recognize basic, commonly used Five-Element formations that Dao soldiers often employed; corpse-control formations were entirely beyond his knowledge.

Yang Jiyong then approached Young Master Yun.

Young Master Yun was a Second-Grade formation master from a formation family and should know more details.

Yun frowned in thought, then asked:

“Commander Yang, can we capture a few zombies to take a look?”

“Iron corpses?”

“Iron corpses are best, but reanimated corpses will do.”

Yang Jiyong nodded. “Alright.”

Half a day later, Yang ordered his soldiers to capture several corpses, including one iron corpse missing an arm, and a few regular reanimated corpses.

These zombies were bound with iron chains, struggling, emitting incomprehensible low growls.

Zombies were bloody and grotesque.

Young Master Yun felt uncomfortable but pressed on, inspecting their bodies, limbs, and skin thoroughly.

Yet he found nothing unusual.

Young Master Yun frowned and murmured:

“This isn’t right…”

Yang Jiyong asked: “What’s not right?”

Yun explained:

“These zombies should have formations on them, but I can’t find them…”

Yang’s eyes narrowed. “Could it be inside their bodies? Since these are corpse-refining techniques, the method is probably more concealed, hard to detect.”

Yun nodded. “It’s possible.”

Yang recalled the corpses he had seen in battle over the past few days and suddenly realized:

“Some zombies were struck in the chest during combat, and there seemed to be blood-red patterns fused into their flesh…”

Yun added:

“The heart veins can indeed serve as conduits for evil formations.”

Yang drew his blade and cut open the heart veins of several reanimated corpses. Indeed, some had blood-red formation patterns at the heart veins.

These formation lines were sinister, fused with flesh, nearly imperceptible.

Yang had to sigh:

“This Lu Chengyun… truly skilled!”

Yun, seeing such an application of an evil formation for the first time, was also serious.

Yang studied the bloody chests of the reanimated corpses, finding no clear clues, and asked:

“Yun, what formation is this?”

Yun shook his head. “The formation lines are unclear; I can’t tell yet.”

“Then check the iron corpse?”

“Alright.”

Yang opened the iron corpse’s chest.

Its skin was as hard as iron, so it took a lot of effort; half an hour later, using a Second-Grade dagger, he cut open the skin and saw the formation beneath.

The reanimated corpse’s flesh was decayed, making the formation unclear.

The iron corpse’s tough flesh made the formation much clearer.

Comparing the two, Yun could partially reconstruct the formation.

It was incomplete, many lines incorrect, the formation core misaligned—only the general outline remained.

Still, Yun’s eyes widened, murmuring:

“A supreme formation…”

Yang frowned. “Supreme formation?”

Yun explained:

“It demands super-tier Divine-Sense, the number of lines exceeds the grade, the formation comprehension is beyond the norm—though rated First-Grade, it surpasses First-Grade, a supreme formation.”

Yang was still puzzled.

Yun simplified it:

“It’s the hardest type among First-Grade formations…”

Now Yang understood.

Yet he asked, curious: “How difficult could it be?”

Yun said:

“A formation this extraordinary isn’t tested even for First-Grade masters. Many Second-Grade masters can’t learn it, even though it’s classified as First-Grade.”

Yang was astonished:

“Yun, you can’t learn it either?”

Yun hesitated, unwilling to lose face for his family but honestly admitting he had never learned it and wasn’t sure he could.

“I haven’t studied it, don’t know if I can learn it…”

Yang nodded.

If even Second-Grade masters can’t learn it, this formation was no trivial matter.

“Do you know what formation this is?” Yang asked again.

Yun looked at the reconstructed lines regretfully:

“Too many lines missing, can’t tell…”

“Only by reconstructing the missing lines and then extrapolating the complete formation can one identify it…”

Yang: “Then extrapolate?”

Yun smiled wryly:

“Extrapolating involves formation derivation, a highly advanced field. Only our clan’s ancestors know how…”

Only the ancestors?

Yang groaned. Formation techniques were such a headache—supreme formations, super-grade lines, derivation, calculation…

He asked directly:

“Is there a way to break this corpse-control formation?”

Yun thought for a long time before replying:

“Directly breaking it… without knowing the lines or the formation, it’s probably impossible…”

“You can only interfere indirectly, disrupting the links between formation lines to affect control over the corpses…”

“For specifics, I’ll need to study it…”

Yang, anxious but realizing patience was necessary, bowed slightly:

“Then I’ll leave it to you…”

Soon, Yun found Yang again:

“I’ve figured it out…”

“The zombies act under the guidance of corpse energy.”

“This supreme formation, drawn along the heart veins, controls the corpse energy, manipulating iron and reanimated corpses to kill or consume…”

“Currently, only Lu Chengyun knows and controls this formation; it’s unsolvable for now. The only way is to destroy it.”

“Once destroyed, the corpse energy dissipates, the zombies lose control, and cutting off their heads or limbs will stop them…”

Yang nodded:

“So first strike the heart veins to destroy the formation, then sever limbs and head to release the corpse energy…”

“Yes,” Yun added:

“The zombies’ corpse energy is controlled by the formation, so the formation must be destroyed before severing the limbs.”

“Cutting limbs first won’t work; the corpse energy is still bound by the formation…”

Yang considered practically:

“In that case, reanimated corpses are manageable, but what about iron corpses?”

“Iron corpses’ skin and bones are like refined iron; their heart veins are hard to damage, heads hard to sever, limbs hard to break…”

Yun looked troubled. “I… I’ll think of something…”

After half a day, Yun returned:

“I consulted senior formation masters and came up with a method…”

“Use a Chaos-Spirit Formation to disrupt spiritual fluctuations, affecting the supreme formation’s control over the zombies.”

“Chaos-Spirit Formation…”

Yang pondered: “It disrupts spiritual fluctuations… but zombies act on corpse energy, an evil force. Will it work?”

“Yes,” Yun nodded. “The effect is weaker but it works. Both spiritual and evil forces are forms of universal and cultivation energy; they’re different yet similar.”

Yang vaguely understood.

The Yang family were combat specialists, not researchers of subtle studies.

Yun continued:

“Draw the Chaos-Spirit Formation on a sharp spiritual sword, then pierce the iron corpse’s heart vein. Even if the formation isn’t destroyed, it will interfere with the evil energy and affect control.”

“This Chaos-Spirit Formation must be Second-Grade…”

“I draw alone, so it’s slow…”

Yang asked: “Can’t First-Grade work?”

“No,” Yun shook his head. “First-Grade formations are surpassed by a supreme formation; a First-Grade Chaos-Spirit Formation has minimal effect. Only a Second-Grade Chaos-Spirit Formation can influence a First-Grade supreme formation.”

Yang sighed.

Given the current situation, the corpse mine couldn’t be taken quickly.

“Then it’ll just be slow…”

Yang continued pressuring Lu Chengyun, maintaining subtle attacks.

After several encounters, both sides were slightly damaged, maintaining a delicate balance.

Yang eventually forged dozens of spiritual swords engraved with the Chaos-Spirit Formation.

Other Dao soldiers followed his method when confronting reanimated corpses: first destroy the heart veins, break the formation, then sever limbs and head to release corpse energy and subdue them.

To deal with iron corpses, spiritual swords pierced the heart veins.

The Chaos-Spirit Formation could only interfere with evil energy, not completely sever it, so Lu Chengyun still controlled iron corpses but with a delay.

When he ordered iron corpses to kill, a few breaths passed before they reacted under the formation’s interference.

Even a few breaths could be fatal on a fast-changing battlefield.

If the corpse soldiers’ coordination lagged, Dao soldiers’ attacks gained advantage, creating exploitable gaps.

With the reanimated corpses’ formations destroyed and iron corpse control disrupted, casualties among the corpse soldiers were heavy.

Lu Chengyun hastily ordered a retreat, consolidating at the mine.

Yang avoided a full assault to prevent giving Lu Chengyun an opportunity, instead holding position and planning the next move.

The next day, new iron and reanimated corpses appeared among the corpse soldiers.

Yang frowned:

“How are there more?”

An experienced senior formation master looked at the stone hall, solemnly:

“The… Ten-Thousand-Corpse Formation has begun to operate…”

“Ten-Thousand-Corpse Formation?”

The senior master explained:

“The young friend’s intelligence report mentioned this formation.”

“Though just a reconstructed formation, it already has the outline of a great formation.”

“It harnesses evil energy, using corpse-refining coffins as conduits, combining corpse cultivation, refining, and control—a demonic formation.”

“Starting it comes at a high cost.”

“But once started, it can rapidly and massively produce corpses in quantity.”

“We keep losing people, while they keep producing corpses…”

Yang cursed:

“Another formation! Where does he get all these troublesome formations?”

The senior master’s cloudy eyes gleamed, voice cold:

“The Ten-Thousand-Corpse Formation… is no ordinary legacy.”

“Perhaps someone deliberately gave it to him, intending for him to raise… a Dao-Sin…”

The words “Dao-Sin” were lightly spoken, yet fell on everyone’s ears like a thousand-weight burden.

A chill rose in Yang’s heart.

He looked at the dark corpse mine and the ominous stone hall.

Within the hall were corpse kings, groups of corpses, a supreme formation, and the nascent demonic formation—the Ten-Thousand-Corpse Formation…

These may all be part of a larger chessboard set by someone behind the scenes.

That person wanted to use the prefecture as a board, formations as the paths, and human corpses as pieces, to raise a great dragon named “Dao-Sin”!

And the humans in this prefecture, as pieces, from birth to death, may be entirely unaware.

Even Lu Chengyun himself might not know.

Yang’s expression was grave, his mind clouded with darkness.

As this chess game reached its final stages, no one knew whether it would end in victory or defeat, life or death, or what would ultimately emerge from it…

…

Inside the stone hall, atop the Ten-Thousand Corpses Altar,

Lu Chengyun’s gaze was icy as he looked down at his surroundings.

The Corpse King stood behind him, with iron corpses guarding his sides.

Beneath Lu Chengyun’s feet, the Ten-Thousand Corpses Reformation Array was already operating at full power.

Vast spiritual energy surged into the array’s core, mingling with the tainted essence of blood and yin energy, forming evil power that circulated along the array’s pivots and flowed over the formation’s patterns.

The array’s markings glowed with a sinister red, channeling the evil power to nourish the corpse coffins—and the countless zombies within them.

“No wonder it’s called the Ten-Thousand Corpses Array!”

Lu Chengyun’s ambition blazed.

He still remembered the words of the person who had given him the array long ago:

“Kill to create sin, refine to create corpses.

From sin comes the Dao, from corpses comes kingship.”

The outcome of a single battle mattered little to him.

As long as he held the Corpse King, losing a few iron corpses or walking corpses was insignificant.

And as long as the Ten-Thousand Corpses Array existed, he could endlessly refine corpses, continuously cultivate them, and remain invincible!

The more corpses he refined, the stronger the Corpse King became.

And by controlling the Corpse King and subjugating the Ten-Thousand Corpses, he would naturally grow even more powerful.

A slow, chilling laugh escaped Lu Chengyun. Its warmth had vanished, replaced by a cold, uncanny edge—like a night owl in the deep mountains, sharp and piercing…

At this very moment, in a hidden chamber of the stone hall, there was another altar.

On the altar sat a “blank” visualization diagram.

Beneath the altar lay a small white coffin.

Inside the coffin rested a young cultivator.

The young cultivator slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, his eyes shimmered with brilliant starlight, a kaleidoscope of colors, dazzling and radiant. After a moment, the light gradually withdrew, settling deep within his gaze.

His eyes became darker, more profound.

Yet within that depth lay a restrained brilliance.

This was a sign of extraordinarily deep Divine-Sense.

By now, Mo Hua had completely refined the vast evil intent of the Zhang family’s zombies.

His Divine-Sense had successfully broken through its bottleneck, advancing further to the pinnacle of a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator:

Thirteen-Pattern Peak!