Han Yu did not leave immediately after understanding the core structure of the Mind Modifying Doll Seal.

Instead, he remained before the Stelae, his gaze unwavering as he continued to study the information in greater depth. What he had seen so far was only the foundation. The true complexity of the technique lay not in its surface description, but in the intricate layers that supported it.

Thus, he read.

Again.

And again.

Each pass revealed more.

Subtleties that had been overlooked at first became clearer. Hidden conditions, maintenance requirements, structural dependencies, and interactions between components began to unfold like a carefully constructed mechanism.

And slowly, Han Yu began to realize something critical.

The Doll Seal was not absolute.

That realization did not come all at once. It emerged gradually, pieced together from scattered sections of the text. At first, it appeared as a minor note, almost insignificant compared to the rest of the technique. But the more he examined it, the more important it became.

The seal required maintenance.

Not always and not for everyone.

But under certain conditions.

Han Yu's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on that section.

For cultivators with low cultivation bases, such as those at the Core Condensation realm, the seal was effectively permanent. Their resistance was too weak. Their soul too fragile. Once the Doll Seal was established, it would remain stable without the need for constant reinforcement.

That explained what he had seen in the mine as well as with Xuan Qing.

Senior Brother Duan and the others... They were controlled completely, without fluctuation.

Because they were too weak to resist.

But beyond that threshold…

Things changed.

For stronger cultivators, the seal could not remain perfectly stable on its own. Their souls possessed greater resilience. Their consciousness, even when suppressed, would gradually push back against the imposed control.

Slowly.

Subtly.

But inevitably.

To maintain the Doll Seal on such individuals, periodic reinforcement was required. Adjustments. Reapplication of certain components. Stabilization of the core.

Without it…

The seal would begin to degrade.

Not immediately, but over time.

That alone was enough to make Han Yu's thoughts sharpen.

'So even this… has limits.'

He continued reading.

The information expanded further.

The Mind Modifying Doll Seal was not an isolated technique. It was a composite creation, formed by integrating multiple disciplines into a single system. Cursed arts formed the backbone.

Blood arts provided the medium for control. Formations stabilized and distributed the effects. And additional auxiliary techniques ensured compatibility across different targets.

It was… comprehensive.

And disturbingly refined.

Han Yu absorbed everything.

Not just the main technique, but the supplementary methods as well. These included maintenance procedures, reinforcement techniques, compatibility adjustments, and even variations designed for different types of targets.

And that was when he encountered another critical detail.

The application of similar principles… to Jiangshi.

Han Yu's gaze shifted slightly as he focused on that section.

For stronger Jiangshi, especially those at the Iron grade and above, a similar core mechanism was used. Instead of a traditional soul-based control structure, a modified version of the Doll Seal was embedded into their core.

And once again…

The Violet Spirit Quartz was central.

It acted as a stabilizing core.

A control anchor.

A medium through which commands could be maintained and enforced.

But unlike with human subjects, the quartz cores within Jiangshi were not permanent.

They degraded.

Over time, the effectiveness of the control would diminish, requiring the core to be replaced periodically.

Han Yu's thoughts moved quickly.

'So even the Jiangshi… are not fully stable without it.'

The information continued.

While it was technically possible to create Iron Jiangshi without Violet Spirit Quartz, the difficulty increased significantly. More importantly, the risk of instability rose sharply.

Without the quartz acting as a stabilizing medium, the Jiangshi were far more likely to go berserk.

Lose control.

Become uncontrollable.

In other words…

The quartz was not just an enhancement.

It was a necessity.

Han Yu stood silently, the full picture finally coming together.

The Violet Spirit Quartz was the foundation of the sect's power.

Not just economically.

But structurally.

It enabled the creation of controlled Jiangshi. It enabled the complete suppression of enslaved cultivators. It was the invisible pillar supporting their dominance over the Blood Continent.

Han Yu exhaled slowly.

Everyone knew that the sect relied heavily on Jiangshi and enslaved cultivators.

That was no secret.

But what they did not know…

Was the key that made it all possible.

The Violet Spirit Quartz.

That was the true strategic resource.

And now…

Han Yu understood it.

Completely.

He remained within his soul space for two full days.

Two days of uninterrupted study.

He did not rush.

He did not skip.

Every detail was memorized.

Every structure internalized.

By the time he finally stepped back, the entire technique had been engraved into his mind with absolute clarity.

Only then did he begin to think.

Not as a student.

But as someone seeking a solution.

The problem before him was clear.

The Doll Seal.

It had to be removed.

'But how?'

The standard removal method was described within the technique itself. It was precise, structured, and effective.

But it was not usable.

Not here.

Not now.

Han Yu's expression remained calm, but his thoughts sharpened.

The seals placed upon the slaves were not isolated constructs. They were part of a larger system. A network of formations and monitoring arrays that ensured stability and control.

Any unauthorized modification…

Would trigger alarms.

Not just locally.

But across the system.

That meant one thing.

A direct removal was impossible.

At least through conventional means.

Han Yu considered the alternatives.

Could the seal be weakened?

Suppressed?

Temporarily disabled?

He reviewed the structure again.

Analyzed its dependencies.

And came to a conclusion.

"No…"

It would not work.

The seal was too integrated.

Too tightly bound to the subject's body and soul. It could be overpowered, but Han Yu did not have the necessary power for that.

There was only one true method of removal.

Death.

When the subject died, the seal's alarms would collapse naturally.

That was the only guaranteed way to break it completely.