"Coffin nail..." Mo Hua ran to the front of the bronze coffin, remembering the position measured by Zhang Quan, and indeed found a small groove at the edge of the coffin lid. The groove was closed. One must insert a bronze coffin nail to open the bronze coffin. Inside the groove, Formation Patterns were carved, but since it was closed, the patterns were hidden, so Mo Hua hadn’t noticed them at first. How to open it? Ordinary coffin nails are used to seal wooden coffins. But this bronze coffin, contrary to typical practice, uses coffin nails to open the coffin. This coffin nail is the key. Lu Chengyun should have one in his possession. And it seems that Zhang Quan also has one. Mo Hua furrowed his brow. Lu Chengyun was suspicious by nature; he would definitely not keep two keys for something as important as the Corpse King’s coffin. The key in Zhang Quan’s hands must have been kept secretly by him. Mo Hua surveyed the bronze coffin once more. This bronze coffin, with its archaic style and verdigris patina, looked very old; it was probably used for refining ancient corpses, and if he hadn’t guessed wrong, it should have been handed down from the ancestors of the Zhang Family. Zhang Quan gave this bronze coffin to Lu Chengyun to use but also kept back a trick by retaining a key, which is that bronze nail. It seems both men were harboring their own devious plans, each wary of the other. The coffin nail is the key to the bronze coffin... The problem now was, how could he acquire the coffin nail? Mo Hua delved into deep contemplation, frowning. There was no way he could get the one from Lu Chengyun. There was a slight chance to get Zhang Quan’s, but the risk was great... Zhang Quan despised him to the bone, and especially after the incident at Corpse Walking Stronghold, when the Corpse Controlling Bell and the ancestral portrait were stolen, he would certainly carry important items with him to avoid another opportunity slipping by. Mo Hua sighed. Being concealed had its disadvantages. When others were unguarded, his abilities worked without fail. But once they were on the alert, he faced obstacles everywhere. Unable to think of a good idea for the time being, Mo Hua could only go back for now and then repeatedly ponder the situation. But he really couldn’t think of any methods. Neither Lu Chengyun nor Zhang Quan provided him with any opportunities. With no progress, Mo Hua was somewhat at a loss for a moment, casually thinking that maybe he should just return for now and make long-term plans? After thinking it over, he went to find Lu Chengyun and said, "Family Head Lu, I’ve completed the Formation eye of the Formation of Ten Thousand Corpses. I have stayed in this mine for quite some time, and it is both boring and dull; may I return first?" As expected, Lu Chengyun did not agree, but instead replied with a gentle smile, "Junior Gentleman, please be patient. Although the Formation eye of the Formation of Ten Thousand Corpses has been constructed, the formation has not begun operating, and I don’t know if there are any flaws. I request that Junior Gentleman stay for a few more days." "But... I’m worried that Junior Brother and Junior Sister might be concerned," Mo Hua expressed, hesitating. Lu Chengyun chuckled, "In just another half month, once the formation is operating, I will send Junior Gentleman back." "Alright, Family Head, you’d better not break your promise..." Mo Hua said helplessly. Lu Chengyun nodded, "Definitely." Mo Hua then walked away somewhat dejectedly. Lu Chengyun, watching Mo Hua’s back, completely let down his guard. He’s really just a child... One who is heavily influenced by childish nature, can’t stand loneliness, and is somewhat playful. Moods of happiness and anger are all visible in their expressions. Whether happy or unhappy, it’s easy to tell. "So young and inexperienced, with little depth in scheming..." "Probably not fit to be a great vessel..." Lu Chengyun shook his head. In this Tao Cultivation World, it isn’t just having talent that smooths the path, nor is it a little bit of cleverness that transforms misfortune into fortune. One must endure hardships to be tempered. One must take a few tumbles to grow. It’s just that if one falls here with me, there will be no opportunity for growth ever again... A subtle sneer appeared at the corner of Lu Chengyun’s mouth. Afterward, Lu Chengyun became even more indulgent towards Mo Hua, even somewhat overindulgent. No matter what Mo Hua did, he would not get angry. He also seldom used his Divine Sense to keep an eye on Mo Hua. A trace of foreboding arose in Mo Hua’s heart. Experience tales at empire This kind of indulgence was a bit like the indulgence given to a dead man. It was like the "last meal" of a condemned prisoner, which was always more lavish than usual. Lu Chengyun harbored murderous intentions and regarded him as a dead man, so it didn’t matter what he did. Mo Hua shook his head, inwardly mocking, "This Lu Chengyun, appearing so magnanimous, yet who would have thought he could be so narrow-minded." "Even to me, a thirteen-year-old Formation prodigy who is as harmless as an animal, how could he bear to strike..." "Or is it because my talent is too good that jealousy arises in his heart?" "Really, only mediocrity escapes jealousy..." Mo Hua sighed internally and thought a bit conceitedly. Since Lu Chengyun would not let him leave, Mo Hua simply couldn’t go for the time being and decided to stay, continuing to plot against the bronze coffin. "If you won’t let me leave, then I will overturn your coffin!" Mo Hua thought fiercely to himself. In the following days, Mo Hua would squat at the Ten Thousand Corpses Sacrificial Altar every night, secretly watching Lu Chengyun and Zhang Quan. The two of them, as if by agreement, alternated with one visiting one day and the other the next. Lu Chengyun would open the coffin to draw the Spirit Pivot Evil Formation. Zhang Quan would open the coffin, performing blood oaths and ringing bells to control zombies. Each had their own method of trying to control the Corpse King. It made Mo Hua quite curious as to whom the Corpse King would listen to once it was refined. Besides, Mo Hua’s attention was mainly focused on that bronze coffin nail. He carefully memorized the size, length, material, and Formation Patterns on the nail. Whenever Zhang Quan opened the coffin, exposing the inside Pattern, Mo Hua would start his Calculations: first, to deduce what kind of Pattern it was that sealed the bronze coffin. Second, he deduced what kind of Formation was carved on the coffin nail? After several days of stealthy observation and secretive calculation by Mo Hua, he finally understood, but it also greatly disappointed him. He had thought that since the bronze coffin was sealed so tightly, the formation inside it must be some high-end formation. To his surprise, it turned out to be just two simple Bronze Lock Formations, one positive, one negative, neither higher than first grade, with seven Patterns. Mo Hua suddenly realized that he had overlooked something. This bronze coffin was passed down by the Zhang Family. The Zhang Family had inherited the Corpse Path, but they had no foundation in Formations. In other words, the entire family was "Formation Blind." What kind of high-end Formation could possibly be in something left behind by their ancestors? He had overestimated them... Mo Hua shook his head, deeply disappointed in the Zhang Family. Now that he knew the sealing Formation of the coffin and the construction for unlocking on the coffin nails, things would be much simpler. Mo Hua thought for a moment and mused to himself: "Since I can’t steal the key, I might as well make one." After all, the core was the Formation; as long as he understood Formations, everything else would naturally fall into place. The only question was whether the material of the coffin nails also mattered, whether they also needed to be cast from bronze... If that were the case, then there was no suitable Formation media at hand. Mo Hua decided to first try with something else. The coffin nails were, strictly speaking, a type of Evil Artifact. Mo Hua did not understand Artifact Refining, much less refining Evil Artifacts, so making a coffin nail by himself was definitely impossible. His only option was to "borrow." In the midst of the Stone Palace, with so many coffins and coffin nails, it should be alright to borrow from any old coffin. But there was a knack to "borrowing." He couldn’t borrow from an Iron Corpse’s coffin. Iron Corpses were sealed in iron coffins, which were rare. Borrowing a nail from an iron coffin meant it was easy to get caught and risk initiating a corpse transformation. Therefore, he had no other choice but to borrow from an ordinary wooden coffin first. Among the vast array of coffins within the Formation of Ten Thousand Corpses, Mo Hua chose one that was ancient and worn. There were seven coffin nails hammered into the wooden coffin. Inside the coffin lay a Walking Corpse. Using a Formation, Mo Hua first drained away the Evil Power of the Walking Corpse and dispelled its Corpse Qi. Then he drew a Wooden Prison Formation to temporarily seal its corpse so it wouldn’t lose control if it transformed. Then came the task of removing the nails. The nails on an ordinary wooden coffin were iron and firmly hammered into the coffin lid. Mo Hua selected one that wasn’t much different in size and tried to pull it out with his hands but couldn’t budge it. That’s when he remembered he was a Spiritual Cultivator, not a Body Cultivator; his strength was very weak. Helplessly, Mo Hua had no choice but to call over the little zombie. The little zombie pushed off the coffin lid, hopped and bounced over to Mo Hua, and effortlessly pulled out the iron nail from the wooden coffin according to Mo Hua’s wishes. Mo Hua nodded, dipped a brush lightly in ink, and drew the unlocking Bronze Lock Formation on the coffin nail. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮 Then he inserted the coffin nail into the hidden recess on the bronze coffin. The coffin lid fluttered slightly but did not open. Mo Hua observed for a moment. He discovered the size of the iron nail wasn’t entirely fit; a little bit protruded on the outside, but it seemed to work. However, because of the size mismatch, the Formation Patterns of the Bronze Lock Formation didn’t align, so the coffin couldn’t be opened. Mo Hua removed the coffin nail, wiped off the Formation Patterns, adjusted slightly, and then redrew them. This time, it indeed worked. The bronze coffin gave a faint "creak" as though an internal lock had fallen off, initiating some mechanism. Simultaneously, the Formations under the coffin lid also matched and unsealed. Mo Hua pushed the coffin lid and found it was still quite difficult, and somewhat exasperated, he had to call the little zombie over again for help. The little zombie hopped over again and helped Mo Hua lift the coffin lid. Underneath the lid was a bronze outer coffin. It was the same scene Mo Hua had witnessed when he sneaked a peek at Lu Chengyun drawing the Spirit Pivot Evil Formation. What was different this time were the Formations inside; they were darker in blood color and the lines were deeper. Mo Hua studied the bronze outer coffin carefully. He deduced each Formation on it, cogitated meticulously, and combined this with the Corpse Refinement techniques he had previously learned, forming a rough understanding in his mind. The method to refine a "Corpse King" was indeed special. The heart and corpse were separate. Inside the bronze coffin was the heart of the Lu Family Old Ancestor. While covered with a yellow cloth on the sacrificial altar was the corpse of the Lu Family Old Ancestor with the heart removed. These two required different techniques. One was refining, the other was a ritual. The ritual needed an altar. Refining, on the other hand, required a coffin, human blood, and a Formation. Once the "ritual" and "refining" were complete, the Corpse King would be truly refined. What Lu Chengyun did was inscribe the Spirit Pivot Evil Formation on the zombie’s heart vessels. He deepened the Formation repeatedly. To deeply imprint this Formation into the heart vessels of the Lu Family Old Ancestor. To have complete control over it. Mo Hua stroked his chin, pondering: "If Lu Chengyun can inscribe it, doesn’t that mean I can too?" "But if I do so, he will surely discover it..." "Then should I overwrite his Formation?" "Draw the same Formation Patterns that he did, except he uses human blood and drives them with Evil Power, and I’ll use ink and drive them with Spiritual Power." "Then cover his Formation, overwrite his Formation Patterns..." However, doing so, even though the Formation Patterns remained the same, the essence of them would change. It would shift from Evil Power to Spiritual Energy, which would be more subtle, but Lu Chengyun might still notice it if he was careful and vigilant... Mo Hua frowned slightly. Once Lu Chengyun discovered that someone had tampered with the bronze coffin, things would become complicated... Suddenly, Mo Hua paused in thought. He intended to fiddle with the inside of the bronze coffin. But Zhang Quan had already tampered inside it. His Divine Sense was strong, his concealment was powerful, he knew the Spiritual Pivot Formation, and he had a little zombie to open doors, all of which Lu Chengyun was completely unaware of. If Lu Chengyun was to be suspicious, he would probably suspect Zhang Quan. After pondering for a while, Mo Hua came up with a plan: First, overwrite it and see how Lu Chengyun would react. If he became suspicious, then stop. If he wasn’t suspicious, then continue... To also add a layer of my control to the Corpse King! Lu Chengyun’s Spirit Pivot Evil Formation, my own Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation, and Zhang Quan’s Corpse Controlling ancient bell. Tripartite control over the corpse. Even if ultimately the control wasn’t in my hands, it wouldn’t fall entirely into Lu Chengyun’s either. As long as he couldn’t completely control the Corpse King, couldn’t mobilize all the Iron Corpses at the same time, the overall strength of Corpse cultivation would be significantly diminished. Mo Hua’s eyes glinted as he started to write, surreptitiously overwriting Lu Chengyun’s Formation Patterns...