The intricacies of Corpse Refinement are so plentiful...
It seems that outsiders see the excitement, while insiders know the manifold ways.
Mo Hua's thoughts stirred slightly, and he spoke again in a deep voice,
"Then let me test you once more, suppose... I refined a corpse that can be used to command a multitude of zombies, what should this type of 'corpse' be called?"
"To command a multitude of zombies..."
Lu Ming furrowed his brows, thought for a while, and then said with some uncertainty, "I can't quite remember..."
Mo Hua said, "It's an open book exam; you can consult the texts."
Lu Ming was somewhat bewildered, "Open book?"
"Mhm." Mo Hua nodded, with a demeanor that showed he was lenient, not wanting to trouble you if you couldn't answer, and would even let you look it up in a book.
Lu Ming felt a little touched.
He immediately took out several books on Corpse Refinement from his storage bag, searched through them a few times, and then hesitantly said,
"There are... a few kinds..."
"There is one called 'Corpse Bell', which involves embedding a Corpse Controlling Bell within the zombie's body to control other zombies..."
"There's one called 'Lantern Corpse', where the corpse is used as a lantern, burning ointment to lead the way..."
"And there is one, called 'Corpse King'..."
"Corpse King?"
Mo Hua's expression showed a trace of surprise.
Lu Ming, somewhat unsure of himself, asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"Right," Mo Hua nodded, "it is the Corpse King, you've answered correctly."
If it can command thousands of zombies, then what Lu Chengyun refined must be none other than a Corpse King...
Corpse King...
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then asked,
"Let me test you once more, how is this Corpse King refined, and what effects does it have once created?"
Lu Ming flipped through the books and then said,
"It seems to be more complicated than the normal Corpse Refinement..."
"The corpse selected for refining a Corpse King has to be particular; ordinary ones won't do."
"The multitude of zombies it commands should ideally have subjugated to it in life, under its control..."
"This way, after death, when turned into zombies, the residual instinct to submit makes them easier to control by the 'Corpse King'..."
"The chances of controlled zombies going rogue or rebelling are thus much reduced."
After pondering, Lu Ming gave an example,
"In the past, a powerful Corpse Cultivator obliterated a Sect, refined the Sect Leader into a Corpse King, then turned the Sect disciples into zombies."
"As a result, these 'disciple' zombies were naturally under the control of the 'Sect Leader' Corpse King..."
"There are also records stating that small nations in the Southern Barbarian Land were slaughtered by Demon Cultivators..."
"The monarch was killed and turned into a 'Corpse King', and the people of the nation were massacred and then transformed into zombies, thus turning the entire nation into a Corpse Kingdom..."
Mo Hua's face remained unchanged, but inwardly he couldn't help but sigh.
An entire Sect, even a whole nation of cultivators...
All had parents and kin, yet met with a terrible fate, not even finding peace in death.
Demon practitioners indeed wrought much slaughter.
In their selfish and unscrupulous practice of cultivation, nothing was off-limits...
Lu Ming continued,
"This type of monarch has the right qualifications to become a 'Corpse King', an excellent corpse prototype for refining a Corpse King."
"But such means are the methods of powerful practitioners of the Demon Path; ordinary Corpse Cultivators with their crude methods of Corpse Refinement couldn't possibly do it..."
...
Mo Hua asked some more details, and Lu Ming answered them one by one.
Pleased, Mo Hua nodded approvingly and praised,
"You have studied diligently; this puts my mind at ease. Tomorrow, in front of Lu Family Head, I will speak well of you, promote you, so that your Corpse Path prospers and you stand out from the crowd..."
"Don't disappoint my expectations..."
As Mo Hua thought about Instructor Yan's manner, he put on a look of 'earnest instruction' on his face.
But Lu Ming wore a troubled look, hesitating to speak.
Mo Hua spoke displeasedly, "What? You're still not satisfied?"