Chapter 482: The King of Corpses
Chapter 482: The King of Corpses
There were indeed many intricacies to necromancy. Outsiders only saw the excitement, while insiders knew the true complexities.
Mo Hua's brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "If I were to refine a corpse that could command an army of zombies, what would it be called?"
Lu Ming frowned, pondering the question before hesitantly answering, "I can't quite remember..."
"This is an open-book exam. Feel free to refer to the texts," Mo Hua said.
Lu Ming was taken aback. "Open-book?"
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded, feigning a tolerant expression as if to say that he wouldn't make things difficult for Lu Ming if he couldn't answer and would even allow him to look up the answers.
Lu Ming felt a surge of gratitude.
He quickly pulled out several books on necromancy from his storage bag and flipped through them before stuttering, "There are... there are several types..."
"There's the 'Bell Corpse,' where a controlling bell is refined within the stiff corpse to command other zombies..."
"Then there's the 'Lamp Corpse,' using the corpse as a lamp to light the way..."
"And finally, there's the 'King of Corpses'..."
"King of Corpses?" Mo Hua's expression turned slightly startled.
Lu Ming lacked confidence and asked, "Is that wrong?"
"No, you're right. It's indeed the King of Corpses. Good answer," Mo Hua nodded.
If a corpse could command thousands of zombies, then Lu Chengyun's creation must be a King of Corpses...
King of Corpses...
Mo Hua fell into deep thought for a moment before asking, "How is the King of Corpses refined, and what effects does it have after being created?"
Lu Ming flipped through his books and replied, "It seems like refining a King of Corpses is more intricate than regular necromancy..."
"The corpse chosen for the King of Corpses must be special. An ordinary corpse won't do."
"The zombies it commands should ideally have submitted to its authority when they were still alive..."
"That way, even after death and being refined into corpses, the residual instinct of submission will make it easier for the 'King of Corpses' to control them..."
"The likelihood of controlled zombies going berserk or turning on their master is significantly reduced."
Lu Ming thought for a moment and added, "There was once a powerful necromancer who annihilated an entire sect. He refined the sect master into a King of Corpses and the disciples into zombies."
"This way, the 'disciples' zombies naturally fell under the control of the 'sect master' King of Corpses..."
"There's also a record of a small country in the Southern Barbarian lands being slaughtered by a demonic cultivator..."
"...The country's ruler was killed and refined into a 'King of Corpses,' and the citizens were all massacred and turned into zombies, transforming the entire nation into a country of the undead..."
Mo Hua maintained his composure, but he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
An entire sect or even a country's worth of cultivators...
They all had families and loved ones, yet they met with such tragic fates, unable to find peace even in death.
Demonic cultivators truly brought nothing but calamity.
Their selfish pursuit of power knew no bounds...
Lu Ming continued, "Only a ruler of a country would have the qualifications to become a 'King of Corpses.' They are the perfect candidates for refining into a King of Corpses."
"But this is a technique reserved for powerful demonic cultivators. Ordinary necromancers with their crude methods couldn't achieve this..."
...
Mo Hua inquired further about the details, and Lu Ming answered each question.
Satisfied, Mo Hua nodded and praised, "You've studied diligently, and I'm pleased. Tomorrow, I'll put in a good word for you with the Lu family head. I'll help you advance in the path of necromancy and stand out."
"Don't disappoint me..."
Mo Hua's thoughts turned to Yan Jiao Xi's expression, and he put on an air of "earnest teaching."
However, Lu Ming looked conflicted and hesitated to speak.
Displeased, Mo Hua asked, "What? Are you still not satisfied?"
"I..." Lu Ming stammered, afraid to voice his thoughts.
After an internal struggle, he finally pleaded, "Sir, could you please ask the Lu family head to let me out of here?"
"What do you mean?" Mo Hua asked, his voice turning cold.
"I..." Lu Ming forced a bitter laugh, "I don't want to be a necromancer..."
Mo Hua deliberately scowled, "Are you ungrateful?"
Lu Ming grew flustered and quickly waved his hands, "I dare not..."
Mo Hua huffed, "The Lu family head has treated you so well, giving you this opportunity to become a necromancer and learn corpse refinement. It's a blessing, and it's your chance to contribute to the Lu family as a disciple. How can you not cherish this?"
Lu Ming felt like crying but had no tears, "If I truly become a necromancer and walk the path of demons, my life will be ruined..."
He would never find a companion on the path of cultivation or be able to honor his parents.
No matter how high his cultivation base rose, he would have to remain hidden, dealing with corpses day in and day out. He would be hunted by the Dao Court and live in the shadows, always at risk of exposure and facing the so-called "justice" of others.
Just thinking about it made Lu Ming regret his choices to the core.
Mo Hua gave a slight nod.
This Lu Ming might be a bit slow, but he at least had some sense.
Mo Hua pretended to hesitate and, after feigning deep thought, slowly sighed, "Alright, since we've crossed paths, let's consider it fate. I won't force you to become a necromancer if you don't want to."
"However, it's unlikely that the family head will let you leave..."
"Once you're out, you'll undoubtedly reveal the secrets of this corpse mine.
But if he failed, or lost control, there was a chance the zombies would devour him.
It was over...
Lu Ming's heart turned icy. Suddenly, he looked at Mo Hua, seeing the young boy's calm and collected demeanor, even amidst the corpse mine. His dead heart sparked with a glimmer of hope.
Lu Ming quickly got up and kowtowed to Mo Hua, pleading, "Please, young master, save me!"
Mo Hua was taken aback and asked, "Why should I save you?"
Mo Hua took a leisurely sip of his tea and continued, "Promoting you is just a matter of a few words. I can easily do that and sell you a favor, no problem."
"But saving you would be much more troublesome, and it might offend Lu Family Head."
"What benefit can you offer me?" Mo Hua's question left Lu Ming stumped.
Lu Ming was at a loss. Indeed, with no close relationship or deep friendship, why would this young master want to save him?
What could he offer?
He didn't have many spirit stones, nor was he a young girl in her youthful prime. His cultivation and talent were mediocre, and even if he were killed and used for corpse refinement, he wouldn't make a good corpse embryo...
Lu Ming's heart sank as he realized how useless he was.
In his everyday life, he occasionally bullied others, feeling self-satisfied, but now that he faced a real problem, he was as good as useless...
He had no skills or abilities to speak of.
Mo Hua continued, "If you can offer me some benefit, I'll consider saving you."
Lu Ming's heart twisted in bitterness. What could he possibly offer that would interest this mysterious young master?
Yet, with his life on the line, he couldn't give up. Clinging to a shred of hope, he said, "I'm willing to risk life and limb for you, young master. I'll take on any task, no matter how dangerous!"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.
However, he feigned disdain and said, "You, with your low cultivation and status, neither proficient in Taoist techniques nor corpse refinement, a mere insignificant disciple of the Lu family, how could you be of any help to me?"
These words struck Lu Ming hard, filling him with shame. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
Mo Hua pretended to ponder for a moment, then sighed, "But since I'm young and kind-hearted, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. Do a small task for me, and if you succeed, I'll save you."
Lu Ming, seeing a ray of hope in his desperate situation, was overjoyed. "Please tell me what to do, young master!"
Mo Hua's big eyes sparkled as he lowered his voice and said, "Help me find out about Lu Family's old ancestor and the family head..."
Lu Ming was taken aback. "What kind of information?"
"Anything," Mo Hua said. "Gossip, anecdotes, rumors... Whether it's based on evidence or hearsay, just secretly find out and then tell me..."
Lu Ming was suspicious and a little scared as he whispered, "But, young master, why do you want to know these things?"
Mo Hua frowned, his small face serious. "I want to confirm if the Lu Family Head is a bad person or not."
Lu Ming's mouth hung open. "A... bad person?"
"Yes!" Mo Hua said. "In this world, the worse a person is, the more they can accomplish."
"Since I'm working for him, it's better if he's as bad as they come."
"The worse he is, the more ruthless and shameless he must be, with no regard for family or scruples about his methods. Naturally, his chances of success are much higher..."
Lu Ming was confused. For a moment, he couldn't tell if Mo Hua was praising or condemning the family head.
"Do you understand?" Mo Hua asked.
Lu Ming nodded, pretending to understand.
"Good, go ahead and do it." Mo Hua nodded. "But be discreet and don't expose yourself. Also, this has nothing to do with me. I'm just a kind and innocent person who wants to save you from your misery."
Lu Ming nodded. "Yes, young master!"
After that, he set out to gather information.
Whenever Mo Hua had free time, he would release his spiritual sense to check on Lu Ming's activities.
Although Lu Ming wasn't very smart, Mo Hua was worried he might stumble upon something problematic.
Fortunately, Lu Ming wasn't very proactive in his information gathering.
Sometimes, he would just start a conversation, letting other corpse refiners chat while he eavesdropped.
His lowly status as a Lu family disciple was well-known, and no one suspected him. In fact, most people didn't even pay attention to him.
After a few days, Lu Ming reported back to Mo Hua with the information he had gathered.
He had learned about the Lu family, their old ancestor, and Lu Chengyun...
The information about the old ancestor matched what Mo Hua had heard from Qing Lan.
The old ancestor was harsh, greedy, extravagant, and temperamental.
Not only did he treat the mine refiners harshly, but he was also cruel to his own disciples, often beating and scolding them. While he lived a life of luxury, he was stingy towards others.
The nickname "Lu Baopi" suited him perfectly.
Indeed, the name might be wrong, but the nickname was spot on.
Through Lu Ming, Mo Hua also learned about some rumors regarding Lu Chengyun and the old ancestor.
(End of Chapter)
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