Chapter 507: Breaking the Formation
Chapter 509: Breaking the Formation
“Still considered familiar?”
Yang Jishan couldn’t understand. Just how familiar was it to be considered “familiar”? He probed further:
“Little brother, do you know the method to break this Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation?”
The cultivators present all looked toward Mo Hua at his words.
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Hua glanced at everyone, then assessed the strength of the Dao Court cultivators and nodded:
“There is a method.”
Yang Jishan was overjoyed. “What method?”
Mo Hua asked, “Do you still have the map of the Stone Hall?”
“Yes!”
Yang Jishan immediately ordered someone to spread the map on the stone table in the hall.
Mo Hua marked a few points on the map. These points were in the depths of the Stone Hall, in somewhat secluded locations. They were inconspicuous, with solid stone walls, and nothing particularly special about them.
Yang Jishan looked puzzled.
Mo Hua explained:
“These places are sealed storerooms, storing many spirit stones…”
“Spirit stones?” Yang Jishan frowned.
“Yes.” Mo Hua nodded.
“The spirit stones that Lu Chengyun obtained by enslaving zombies to mine are largely hidden in these sealed storerooms in the corpse mines.”
He had discovered this the previous night while stealthily eavesdropping.
“And then?” Yang Jishan asked again.
“Destroying these spirit stones will break the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation,” Mo Hua answered.
Yang Jishan fell silent.
The expressions of the others were also complex. Some even looked disappointed.
Mo Hua was a bit puzzled.
An older formation master, out of goodwill, reminded him:
“Little brother, you are young and may not understand. Evil formations differ from normal formations…”
“Normal formations are powered by refining spirit stones, converting their energy, and using that to drive the formation…”
“Evil formations, however, draw on blood, flesh, soul, life, resentment of living beings, and the filth of heaven and earth—these dark forces—to drive the formation.”
“As a result, the formation becomes more sinister, its power greatly amplified, and the corruption to cultivators’ bodies and spirit energy is much greater…”
“Lu Chengyun’s Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation is no exception.”
“This formation isn’t driven by spirit energy, so even if you destroy the storerooms and spirit stones, it would be futile—at most, it would only cause him to lose some wealth in spirit stones…”
Mo Hua shook his head. “It’s not like that.”
The old formation master was momentarily stunned.
Other formation masters also looked surprised.
Mo Hua explained:
“Lu Chengyun’s Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation is derived from the Great Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation. It has the structure of the great formation, but not its scale, so it is only a sub-formation…”
“Even so, it still requires immense dark energy.”
“He cannot massacre entire cities, so he cannot extract dark energy from blood, flesh, and hatred. Instead, he used a compromise method.”
“He built sub-formation nodes, refined spirit stones to drive the formation with spirit energy, and then used the tainted energy of blood and filth to generate dark energy, which powered the entire Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation.”
The old formation master’s expression shifted, and the other masters exchanged astonished glances.
“So…”
Mo Hua continued:
“Destroying the storerooms and spirit stones cuts off the supply to the formation, ruins the formation nodes, and naturally breaks the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation.”
“The formation nodes are already in place and cannot be changed in the short term.”
“Once the spirit stones are gone, even if Lu Chengyun wanted to kill people and massacre cities using blood and flesh to power the formation, it would be impossible.”
After Mo Hua finished, everyone’s expressions changed, but they remained silent.
Ordinary cultivators either didn’t understand formations or only had a rudimentary knowledge, so they could not comprehend this.
The few formation masters who could understand found Mo Hua’s explanation logical, yet still felt uncertain…
This involved the Dao Court’s orders, suppressing the corpse mines, destroying the corpse kings, and extinguishing Dao-Sins.
This was no trivial matter.
The old formation master carefully asked:
“Little… sir, how do you know this?”
Because the formation nodes were drawn by me…
Mo Hua, of course, couldn’t say that.
He replied vaguely: “I was trapped by Lu Chengyun in the corpse mines and, by chance, saw the formation diagram of the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation…”
The Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation diagram?
The old master trembled. “Really?”
Knowing the formation diagram changed everything.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then nodded: “I can draw it for you to see…”
The old master was startled. “Draw…”
“You can draw it just from having seen it?”
Yang Jishan immediately ordered: “Bring paper and ink.”
The old formation master quickly said:
“I have them, I have them!”
He then personally retrieved the supplies, with other masters helping to prepare the formation paper and grind spirit ink.
Once everything was ready, everyone eagerly watched Mo Hua.
Mo Hua felt a bit awkward but still dipped his brush and began drawing the formation patterns on paper.
His brushwork was skilled, controlled, each stroke deliberate, flowing naturally yet following its own order.
The formation masters present were stunned and whispered to each other:
“Although young, he has the bearing of a grand master!”
“Without years of painstaking practice, one could never be this skilled…”
“Rare, truly rare…”
Even Young Master Yun, observing Mo Hua, had a sparkle of admiration in his clear gaze.
Mo Hua, of course, didn’t draw the entire Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation diagram.
He only sketched the node structure to show how spirit energy flowed.
He also drew the central node, showing how spirit energy interacts with the formation and mixes with blood and filth to generate dark energy…
Mo Hua stopped before finishing.
The formation masters, looking unsatisfied, urged:
“Keep drawing! Why stop?”
Mo Hua scratched his head, feeling uneasy:
“I only remember this much…”
If he drew more, he would reveal the entire formation node…
The others examined the simplified diagram and frowned.
One master commented:
“Lu Chengyun is indeed quite talented…”
Someone snorted, “Talented, but still utterly ruthless, right?”
“I never said he wasn’t…”
“Talent without virtue is often the true danger. If a person’s character is corrupt, even talent should be condemned!”
“Unfortunately, Lu Chengyun applied all his talent to the wrong path. The construction of this formation node is exquisitely clever…”
The old formation master shook his head:
“This formation node might not have been created by Lu Chengyun…”
“Not by him?” Everyone was surprised.
He nodded:
“Although this is a first-grade node, it uses the framework of a great formation. Its underlying pattern employs the Five Elements in perfect order. This is a proper, orthodox formation technique with deep roots…”
“Anyone with such understanding of formations would not stoop to learning evil formations and collaborating with Lu Chengyun.”
“So this Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation was built by Lu Chengyun, but this formation node may have been created by someone else…”
Mo Hua was slightly shocked.
This bearded old master, though only a first-grade formation master, had a piercing eye for detail.
Other masters nodded in agreement.
Someone asked: “Who could have drawn this node? Could Lu Chengyun have a formation master supporting him?”
“Is this master a first-grade formation master?”
“No, this node uses great formation techniques, probably second-grade…”
At this, everyone’s expressions turned serious.
Between the absolute formation and the Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation, things were already tricky.
If another formation master stood behind Lu Chengyun, the situation would be even more severe.
The old formation master suddenly asked Mo Hua:
“Sir, do you know who created this node? Or do you know who this expert is?”
Mo Hua shook his head seriously. “I don’t know.”
I can’t very well say it was me…
Even if I did, you probably wouldn’t believe it.
Seeing everyone still worried, Mo Hua said:
“I didn’t see any other masters in the corpse mines…”
“It’s possible Lu Chengyun threatened this master—after finishing the node, he was discarded like a tool.”
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi quietly glanced at Mo Hua.
The old master paused, then nodded.
Lu Chengyun’s suspicion was heavy; this was not impossible.
He sighed: “If that’s the case, it’s truly a shame…”
Yang Jishan, seeing them take so long, finally asked directly:
“Everyone, can this Ten-Thousand Corpses Formation be broken?”
The old formation master hesitated, then slowly said:
“If the formation node is indeed as described, this plan is feasible.”
“Then the node is real?” Yang Jishan asked again.
The old master hesitated, silent.
Other formation masters frowned, silent as well.
They believed it, but the formation knowledge involved far exceeded their own skills—they dared not conclude recklessly.
If they were wrong, they could not bear the responsibility.
Yang Jishan turned to Young Master Yun.
Young Master Yun hesitated, then thought for a moment and nodded slowly:
“It should be correct.”
He explained:
“This formation matches the current situation of the corpse mines, and the formation level is high. Lu Chengyun alone could not have devised it.”
Yang Jishan exhaled slightly in relief.
He patted Mo Hua on the shoulder and smiled:
“Little brother, you’ve helped a lot again!”
Mo Hua smiled happily.
“Since the formation is real, this will be manageable. Let’s discuss how to destroy these spirit stones and cut off the formation’s supply…”
Yang Jishan and the others then discussed the specifics:
How to deploy cultivators, when and where, who attacks, who covers, and how to destroy the storerooms…
The spirit stones could not be carried away.
They had to be destroyed.
Transformed into spirit energy, dispersed back into the world, so Lu Chengyun could not misuse them.
After the discussion, Mo Hua left.
Young Master Yun watched his back for a long time, lost in thought. After a while, his eyes brightened slightly.
…
Mo Hua was placed in a quiet stone chamber.
The furnishings were simple: a stone table, stone bench, and stone bed—practical and unadorned.
Mo Hua didn’t care; what he cared about was the food on the table.
There were spirit fruits, and chicken and duck spirit meat.
After being trapped in a coffin for many days, he was starving. Now, he ate happily, a fruit in one hand, a chicken leg in the other.
Cultivators can go long periods without food, but still get hungry and lose energy.
Too long without eating, and one could still starve to death.
Bai Zisheng sat nearby, legs crossed, nodding and shaking his head, lost in thought.
Bai Zixi quietly read a book, occasionally lifting her eyes. Seeing Mo Hua eat heartily, her long lashes twitched slightly, and her gaze softened.
Mo Hua looked up. “Aren’t you eating?”
“You eat.”
“Oh.”
Mo Hua didn’t hold back, and after finishing, lay comfortably on the bed, patting his full belly.
Bai Zisheng said: “After eating, you should digest; don’t lie down immediately.”
“Oh.”
Mo Hua replied lazily but stayed lying down.
Bai Zisheng shook his head, then suddenly remembered and asked:
“Are you going back to see your master?”
Mo Hua blinked. “After finishing matters here, I’ll go back to see my master!”
Bai Zisheng’s eyes lit up. “Are you going to kill Lu Chengyun?”
He couldn’t stand hypocrites who abused power, practiced demonic arts, killed, or bullied his sister and junior brother.
Lu Chengyun checked almost all these boxes.
“Mm,” Mo Hua nodded.
Bai Zisheng frowned. “It’s not easy to act now—so many zombies, iron corpses, and corpse kings…”
Mo Hua sat up, lowering his voice:
“One step at a time. First weaken Lu Chengyun’s power, force him into a corner, then deal with that corpse king… he will surely die!”
“Corpse king?” Bai Zisheng was startled. “Did you do something to his corpse king?”
Mo Hua shook his hand. “Not his corpse king…”
“What do you mean?” Bai Zisheng didn’t understand.
Mo Hua teased:
“It’s a secret—you’ll see when the time comes.”
Bai Zisheng was not very happy.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then added:
“When the time comes, I promise you’ll kill Lu Chengyun.”
“Really?”
Bai Zisheng was skeptical.
“Mm,” Mo Hua nodded, “you’re my senior brother—I wouldn’t lie to you!”
Bai Zisheng immediately cheered up.
Bai Zixi glanced at her elder brother, shaking her head slightly, a little helpless.
…
The next day, at the hour of Mao, Dao soldiers began their assault on the Stone Hall.
At the front, Yang Jishan led the charge, holding back most of the iron corpses—but this was only a feint.
Two other elite teams, following Mo Hua’s instructions, flanked and penetrated the storerooms’ defensive formations, breached the stone walls, and indeed found storerooms filled with brilliant, radiant spirit stones.
Following military orders, they did not hesitate. Using spirit tools, talismans, and Dao techniques, they destroyed all the stored spirit stones.
The destroyed spirit stones transformed into vast streams of spirit energy, dispersing from the corpse mines into the world.
Mo Hua, outside the corpse mines, could sense this intense spiritual energy.
“So this is spiritual energy…”
Mo Hua murmured, his thoughts stirring.
It was said that over twenty thousand years ago, the world was still filled with abundant spiritual energy.
But as the Dao Court unified the realm and cultivation developed rapidly, spiritual energy was overextracted. Gradually, the natural spiritual energy of the world was depleted.
Now, it could only be obtained by mining spirit stones buried underground.
Cultivators relied on these spirit stones to practice.
There were still mountain and river secret realms with residual spiritual energy, but they were rare, like phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, already occupied by major cultivation powers.
The same applied to spirit stones.
After over twenty thousand years of Dao history, almost all the spirit mines were divided and controlled by the Dao Court, great clans, and major sects.
The vast majority of spirit stones were concentrated in their hands.
For most low-level cultivators, the amount of spirit stones they could obtain was extremely limited.
And true natural spiritual energy? Practically impossible to breathe in…
Now, the spiritual energy overflowing from the corpse mine, though dense, was fleeting. In a moment, it dissipated entirely.
It was spiritual energy, but not genuine spiritual energy.
Once it vanished, the world remained spiritually parched.
Mo Hua sighed quietly.
He looked up at the sky, silently thinking:
“I wonder if this world will ever see a day when spiritual energy revives…”
……
Meanwhile, when the warehouse was blown up, the spirit stones destroyed, and the spiritual energy filled the air before dissipating, Lu Chengyun sensed it too.
His heart ached like it had been pricked by needles.
Those were spirit stones!
The spirit stones he had painstakingly acquired—through enslaving miners, controlling zombies, and exploiting the mine!
With these spirit stones, he could bribe the Dao Court Division, gain support from various forces, strengthen the Lu family, and exchange them for cultivation resources to elevate his own power!
But now… all of them were gone!
Even worse, it was the Ten-Thousand Corpses Array that had done this!
Once the spirit stones were destroyed, the array’s core would lose its supply.
Although the array could still barely function using the remaining evil power, within ten days that power would run out, and the Ten-Thousand Corpses Array would collapse.
Without the array running, without a constant supply of corpses, how could he stand against the Dao Soldiers?
Lu Chengyun’s gaze darkened. “Looks like I’ll have to find another way…”
But soon, he became puzzled.
How did the Dao Court know that his evil array relied on spiritual energy to function?
How did they know the spirit stones were hidden in the secret warehouse?
Was there a traitor in the corpse mine who leaked all the secrets?
“Impossible…”
Lu Chengyun shook his head.
Anyone who knew would have either been killed or sacrificed by him.
The rest were corpse cultivators.
These corpse cultivators had followed him for a long time, killing and refining corpses with blood on their hands.
Once they practiced corpse Dao techniques, they had fallen into demonic paths—they could not possibly serve the Dao Court.
Even if they did, it would be a capital offense.
They could not have leaked the information…
“Then… someone from the Dao Court must have seen through the reality of the corpse mine and discerned the array I set up?”
A cultivator with such ability and mastery of array arts had to be a high-level expert.
But who was this expert?
When did they start targeting him?
Lu Chengyun frowned.
A sudden premonition gripped him.
It was as if someone had long ago woven a net, trapping him completely, and was now steadily closing in…
Who was this person?
And what exactly was this net?
Lu Chengyun was perplexed.
Behind him, the fierce yet loyal Corpse King remained silently watchful.