Chapter 481: Necromancy
Chapter 481: Necromancy
Mo Hua sneaked out of the Grand Necropolis Altar.
Before leaving, he carefully inspected the area once more to ensure he hadn't left any traces that might give away his actions to Lu Chengyun or Zhang Quan.
The little zombie lay quietly in its coffin.
The tiger was also well-hidden in the grand hall.
There were no signs of the Grand Necropolis Formation, the golden altar, or the bronze coffin having been tampered with.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief and then concealed himself before quietly leaving.
The next day, Mo Hua acted as if nothing had happened, following Lu Chengyun into the Grand Necropolis Altar once more to finalize the array eye for the Grand Necropolis Restoration Formation.
Upon entering the altar, Mo Hua observed Lu Chengyun's demeanor and found that he seemed no different than usual, having apparently noticed nothing amiss. Mo Hua secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lu Chengyun, as the head of the household, was busy with secular affairs and had many matters to attend to.
On top of that, he had to secretly construct the Grand Necropolis Formation, oversee the progress of the array, command the necromancers, and personally draw the Ling Shu Evil Formation. He was indeed very busy.
Moreover, in recent days, he had been so preoccupied with his own affairs that he had largely stopped paying attention to Mo Hua.
It seemed as if Mo Hua no longer existed in his eyes.
Sometimes, when Mo Hua spoke to him, Lu Chengyun would be lost in thought and respond half-heartedly.
While Mo Hua appeared a little displeased on the surface, feeling slighted, he was secretly delighted.
He hoped that Lu Chengyun would continue to be indifferent towards him...
Aside from Lu Chengyun, there was also Zhang Quan.
Zhang Quan hated him.
But he was formation blind and didn't understand formations. His spiritual sense wasn't strong either.
He was easy to deceive.
Mo Hua could hide right beside him, and Zhang Quan wouldn't even notice.
As for formations, Mo Hua could draw them incorrectly, mess them up, or even draw a completely different formation right in front of Zhang Quan, and with Zhang Quan's level of "proficiency" in formations, he might not even be able to detect anything amiss.
Mo Hua shook his head slightly.
Indeed, one had to read extensively and gain a broad knowledge of cultivation practices.
Otherwise, one might be treated like a fool by others without even realizing it...
Having gone undetected, Mo Hua felt relieved.
In the following days, Mo Hua shifted his attention to the necromancers in the Corpse Mine.
He wanted to know what kind of corpse was sealed within the bronze coffin.
However, as an outsider with insufficient knowledge of necromancy, it was difficult for him to make a judgment.
He could only turn to the "experts" for insight.
These necromancers were obviously the "experts" he sought.
Mo Hua employed a simple scheme and managed to steal some secret manuals on necromancy from several necromancers.
Titles such as: Basic Necromancy, Corpse Blood Art, Advanced Necromancy, Introduction to Necromancy, Heavenly Corpse Opening, History of Necromancy, and Treatise on Corpses.
The categories were diverse, ranging from cultivation techniques to theoretical treatises, miscellaneous discussions, historical records, and anecdotes.
Mo Hua was amazed by the sheer variety.
He never expected that necromancers could develop so many different techniques and methods.
The cultivation world was indeed vast and complex.
Mo Hua seized every available moment to study these necromantic texts.
However, after only a few days, he began to feel unwell, both physically and mentally.
The content of the books was gruesome and sinister, and the accompanying illustrations were cruel and ugly, causing revulsion in those who viewed them.
Mo Hua felt helpless.
"Necromancy is indeed not a practice for ordinary people..."
"What normal cultivator would be interested in necromancy?"
Mo Hua couldn't help but shake his head.
However, he had no choice but to endure the nausea and continue reading.
He perused many books, but his understanding remained limited. There were many things he couldn't make heads or tails of, and his confusion only grew.
"It seems I have no talent for necromancy at all..."
Mo Hua accepted this fact with a mix of resignation and relief.
He skimmed through the books to get a general idea and then stopped forcing himself to study them further. Instead, he made a note of his questions, intending to find a necromancer to "consult".
This necromancer had to be honest, obedient, and a little slow-witted.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to get information from them.
Mo Hua spent several days "scouting" among the necromancers in the Corpse Mine when he suddenly spotted a familiar face.
It was Lu Ming, a young and somewhat sharp-tongued member of the Lu family.
Mo Hua's expression stirred slightly.
Lu Ming...
He was the one who had guided Mo Hua into the Lu family's mine when they were initially investigating the disappearance of the five miners. He had also been present when they encountered the gruesome scene of the dead bodies, vomiting uncontrollably, and later revealing some secrets of the Lu family under Mo Hua's "intimidation".
Lu Ming no longer had the arrogant demeanor he once possessed.
His face was as pale as paper, just like the other necromancers, and his expression was listless and devoid of vitality. He rarely spoke and simply followed orders, like a living corpse.
Mo Hua observed Lu Ming for several days.
He discovered that Lu Ming seemed to have arrived not long ago and was considered a newcomer among the necromancers, belonging to the lowest rank.
Every day, he studied necromancy and performed menial tasks, obeying the commands of others.
At night, he would lie on his bed, his expression blank, his thoughts unknown.
Lu Ming was a good person to question.
Mo Hua had asked him several questions in the past.
After nightfall, Mo Hua stealthily left his room and made his way to Lu Ming's stone chamber, silently observing him.
The stone chamber was quiet, and there was no one else around.
Lu Ming lay on his bed, his expression dull. Suddenly, his expression contorted with pain, and he clutched his head with both hands, curling up on the bed. He muttered:
"Why am I so unlucky...
...
Filled with anguish and regret, he pounded the wall viciously and complained,
"It's all that little ghost's fault!"
"It's all his fault!"
"It's his fault..."
"What's it got to do with me?" Mo Hua asked aloud.
In the silent stone chamber, the sudden sound of a young and eerie voice startled Lu Ming.
He scrambled to his feet, only to see a small figure slowly appearing in the chair by the wall.
"Ah—"
Lu Ming cried out, but quickly covered his own mouth with his hands.
His exclamation was abruptly cut short, unnoticed by the other corpse cultivators.
Mo Hua picked up the teapot from the table and poured himself a cup of tea. He sniffed the beverage and, finding it to be genuine tea without any traces of blood or foul odors, took a sip before asking Lu Ming again,
"What's it got to do with me?"
The voice was crisp and familiar.
Lu Ming, startled at first, calmed down as he recognized Mo Hua, slowly letting out a breath of relief.
At least it was a person, a somewhat "familiar" one, neither a ghost nor a corpse.
Leaning against the wall, Lu Ming panted heavily.
Seeing Mo Hua, Lu Ming felt a mix of surprise and expectancy.
He had encountered Mo Hua before in the Corpse Mine.
Any formation masters who possessed genuine talent and knowledge would be wooed by the Lu Family.
Mo Hua was no exception.
However, he never expected Mo Hua to hold such a high status, allowing him access to the Corpse Mine without the need to refine corpses, and even receiving exceptional treatment, chatting casually with the head of the Lu Family.
Even many of the Lu Family's elders did not enjoy such privileges.
He wondered why Mo Hua had chosen to enter his room so stealthily.
Lu Ming wanted to ask but dared not.
A cultivator favored and respected by the family head, regardless of age, was not someone he, a mere corpse cultivator and former minor disciple of the Lu Family, could question.
Just as he couldn't avoid answering Mo Hua's questions, he knew better than to ask any of his own.
Lu Ming hesitated before stammering,
"If not for you... I wouldn't have... been sent here..."
Mo Hua took a sip of tea and nodded, understanding.
Back at the mine, Lu Ming had shared some of the Lu Family's secrets with him.
Although he had later reported this to the family head, his loose lips were still considered a punishable offense.
Thus, he was sent to the Corpse Mine to become a corpse cultivator.
Lu Ming, as a person, wasn't particularly impressive, but he wasn't all that bad either.
Corpse refining was likely something he couldn't accept, but he had no choice and had to endure it.
Hence, he went about with a dazed expression, like a walking corpse, only daring to vent his emotions when alone at night.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before suddenly asking,
"How's your progress in corpse refining?"
Lu Ming was taken aback, unsure why Mo Hua was asking this, but still reluctantly replied,
"So-so..."
"Have you refined a corpse before?"
"Not yet... I've only been learning about corpse refining from the other corpse cultivators..."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with interest, "How's your progress?"
"Not bad..." Lu Ming mumbled.
Mo Hua took out a small piece of paper and coughed, "Then I shall test you."
Lu Ming was perplexed, "Why?"
Frowning, Mo Hua explained, "I want to test your motivation. If you've learned well, I'll put in a good word for you with the family head, so you can be promoted in the future."
Mo Hua was making it up as he went along.
Lu Ming was bewildered, yet he still asked, "Why?"
"Tsk," Mo Hua clicked his tongue, "You and I have met before. It's because of me that you ended up in the mine as a corpse cultivator..."
"I didn't know about it then, but now that I do, it's only right that I try to make it up to you somehow."
"Oh..."
Lu Ming felt that it made sense, but at the same time, it didn't...
Strangers who had only crossed paths once, and now he wanted to speak well of him?
Lu Ming was still perplexed.
He wanted to ask "why" again, but before he could, Mo Hua cut him off.
With a stern look on his face, Mo Hua demanded, "I ask, you answer. No more unnecessary talk!"
Intimidated by Mo Hua's demeanor, Lu Ming felt guilty and slowly nodded.
Mo Hua then began to read from the small piece of paper, which contained some of the intricacies of corpse refining that Lu Ming hadn't fully understood.
"How are zombie ranks categorized?"
"What's the difference between 'ranks' and 'tiers'?"
"What types of zombies are there, and what abilities do they possess?"
And so on...
Lu Ming, confused but obedient, answered honestly, "Zombie ranks are categorized into both ranks and tiers.
'Ranks' are First to Fourth Rank, equivalent to a cultivator's Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core..."
"'Tiers' refer to the levels of zombies: 'Gold', 'Silver', 'Copper', 'Iron', and the lowest level, 'Walking Corpses'..."
"Zombie ranks and tiers are distinct yet interconnected but remain independent of each other.
"Their physical bodies become tougher, their corpse poison becomes more potent, and they also gain some unique corpse abilities..."
Mo Hua still looked perplexed and failed to fully grasp the concept, so he asked solemnly:
"Give me an example and explain the relationship between zombie grades and tiers simply."
Lu Ming felt as though he were being examined by a teacher, and his heart tightened. After thinking for a while, he began to explain:
"The grading of zombies is based on 'grades' as the foundation and 'tiers' as the levels..."
"A first-grade zombie usually has two tiers: walking corpse and iron corpse..."
"A first-grade walking corpse is an ordinary Qi Refining zombie."
"A first-grade iron corpse, in terms of cultivation, should be at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining. However, due to its copper head and iron arms, it can rival some Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"As for second-grade zombies, the lowest is still a walking corpse, and they usually refine iron corpses, but the highest can refine copper corpses..."
"A second-grade walking corpse is equivalent in strength to a first-grade iron corpse. However, because its flesh rots and decays, it would be at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation."
"A second-grade iron corpse is very strong and can be compared to a cultivator in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment. It can easily sweep through first-grade iron corpses in the early stages of Foundation Establishment."
"And a second-grade copper corpse is even more formidable, with thick corpse energy and a body as tough as copper and iron. It is equivalent to a cultivator in the late stages of Foundation Establishment."
Mo Hua finally understood.
He had previously assumed that all iron corpses were the same and possessed the strength of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
But iron corpses also had grades.
A first-grade iron corpse was only comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
A second-grade iron corpse was at the middle stages of Foundation Establishment and was even stronger than a cultivator in the early stages.
From this perspective, the iron corpses in the Corpse Mine couldn't be generalized.
The two tall and sturdy iron corpses guarding the entrance were likely second-grade iron corpses.
The rest of the iron corpses were a mix of first and second grades.
The overall strength of Lu Chengyun's zombie subordinates was much more formidable than Mo Hua had imagined...
Mo Hua furrowed his brows and glanced at Lu Ming before continuing, "Go on."
Lu Ming nodded, "As for the third grade, none of us have been able to refine one, so some of the records are not very detailed..."
"The lowest tier for a third-grade zombie is a walking corpse, and the highest can refine a golden corpse."
"For fourth grade and above, the lowest is still a walking corpse, and there's a possibility of refining a true flying zombie..."
...
Lu Ming carefully explained the system to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua now had a general understanding.
All zombies were based on 'grades.'
The zombies they refined had a lower limit of walking corpses, but their upper limits varied.
The higher the 'grade,' the higher the upper limit of the 'tier.'
The upper limit of the first grade was an iron corpse, the second grade was a copper corpse, and the third grade was a golden corpse...
The zombie refinement technique in the Corpse Mine was inherited from the Zhang family and had been passed down for hundreds of years. Even if there were some discrepancies, they should still be more or less the same.
Then, what kind of zombie was sealed in the bronze coffin?
A copper corpse comparable to a cultivator in the late stages of Foundation Establishment?
If it were only in the middle stages, that would be fine, but a zombie with the strength of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would be difficult for Lu Chengyun to control.
This didn't align with Mo Hua's previous speculations.
"Are there any special zombies?" Mo Hua asked further.
Mo Hua recalled that both the Classic of Corpse Gate and the Treatise on Corpse Types mentioned some special-purpose zombies that were also classified by "grades" but fell outside the usual "tiers."
"Yes," Lu Ming nodded, "There are some special zombies with unique functions. They are not classified based on strength, so they are not categorized into the usual 'gold, silver, copper, and iron' tiers."
"For example, puppet zombies are like flesh and blood puppets. They are not considered humans or corpses but are more like wooden or stone puppets."
"There are also doll zombies..."
"They turn people into human-shaped dolls, preserving their appearance, skin, and physique. They are soaked in floral and spiritual water, eliminating any decay or foul odor, leaving the skin cold but soft and supple."
"Many cultivators are willing to pay a high price for them."
"And then there are figurine zombies..."
"People are killed and refined into ceramic figurine-like zombies."
"These zombies are usually used as burial objects."
"Not only by the demonic path, but in the past, even the righteous path used them."
"Tens of thousands of years ago, some leaders or elders of major righteous families or sects would 'bestow' death upon their close cultivators after their own deaths and refine them into figurine zombies to be buried with them."
"However, this practice is considered inhumane, and over the past tens of thousands of years, it has been gradually abolished by the Dao Court..."
...
Mo Hua listened with a frown.
Doll zombies that resembled humans?
Figurine zombies used for burial?
When cultivators became deranged, they truly became monstrous...
(End of Chapter)
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