Chapter 1175: Seeing Dan Zhu

"Born with a Dao heart, diligent in cultivation, undistracted by worldly matters."

"Naturally endowed with a perfect Dao foundation, deep and solid roots."

"Built the Foundation at ten, formed a supreme-grade Jin Dan at twenty. Now, at only thirty-three years of Dao cultivation, he stands but one step away from Jin Dan mid-stage—truly a cultivation prodigy unseen in the Danque Clan for a thousand years..."

Mo Hua was internally stunned.

What a genius this is...

He formed his Jin Dan at twenty—without even stabilizing his Foundation—and did so effortlessly. Truly, heaven itself is chasing him with a bowl of rice.

Indeed, the world has no shortage of geniuses.

As long as there are enough people, some monsters will inevitably arise—blessed by heaven and earth's fortune, impossibly gifted, beyond comprehension.

"But... why does this Zhu Shaozhu stir me so deeply? Could it really be that the person I'm seeking is this monster genius who formed his Jin Dan at twenty?"

"No way..."

"I'm still at Foundation Establishment—how am I supposed to teach a Jin Dan?"

Mo Hua muttered to himself.

Yet, premonitions of karmic connection rarely lie.

Given his extraordinary talent, even if he isn't the disciple I'm meant to teach, I should find a chance to befriend him.

The problem is, this Zhu Shaozhu is the heir of the Danque Clan—and the youngest son of the Danque Chieftain, deeply favored.

He spends his days within the main tribe, always guarded, impossible to approach.

Mo Hua quietly inquired about Zhu Shaozhu's movements.

Fortunately, this genius Zhu Shaozhu, with his towering talent and great fame, is beloved by the tribe's cultivators, and thus his activities are frequently discussed—making information easier to gather.

According to Danque Clan cultivators, every mid-month, this Zhu Shaozhu visits his subordinate tribes, neighboring clans, and marital alliances to observe the people's conditions and comfort the tribe's cultivators.

Thus, this young master is deeply beloved by the tribe's populace.

This is a good opportunity.

After learning which minor tribes fell under Zhu Shaozhu's domain, Mo Hua went ahead and stayed there for several days, making himself familiar.

Zhu Shaozhu's subordinate tribes were not numerous.

These territories were granted to him by his father—the Danque Chieftain—to help him learn tribal governance from childhood.

The atmosphere of these minor tribes remained quite simple and pure.

Mo Hua slipped in without difficulty.

Thereafter, he gathered information while patiently waiting.

About ten days later, under the escort of several Danque Clan elder guards, a barbarian youth clad in fiery, ornate feathered robes entered the tribe.

All tribal cultivators along the way bowed to him, calling out:

"Young Master."

Mo

Hua did not reveal himself rashly; instead, he concealed himself at a distance, his gaze piercing through the crowd to observe this Zhu Shaozhu first.

First, this Zhu Shaozhu was not tall.

This pleased Mo Hua deeply—he found it comforting and satisfying.

Likely because his cultivation talent was too exceptional in childhood, his Foundation Establishment and Jin Dan formation came too early, his lifespan increased too rapidly, so his "childhood phase" lasted longer, and his growth slowed.

Of course, in absolute terms, Zhu Shaozhu was not short—only relatively diminutive compared to the typically tall and imposing barbarian cultivators.

Mo Hua nodded.

People of small stature are usually intelligent and highly perceptive.

Moreover, though Zhu Shaozhu had cultivated for thirty-three years, he still looked extremely young.

Compared to the lifespan of a Jin Dan cultivator, thirty-three years was indeed very young.

His features were undeniably handsome, carrying a touch of exotic charm, his pupils even emerald-green, like a divine bird.

Such appearance, such talent—no wonder he was the most favored young master.

Mo Hua observed further and found that this young master visited the elderly, comforted children, and even showed mercy to barbarian slaves sentenced to death—all the while maintaining a sorrowful, compassionate expression, genuinely observing the conditions of his tribesmen, not performing a "show" of benevolence.

Mo Hua was slightly surprised.

He had not expected such a person to truly exist—nearly "perfect" by nature: astonishing talent, kind heart, and a Dao heart as clear as crystal.

He just seemed a bit... naive...

Mo Hua's desire to befriend him grew stronger.

But how to approach this young master?

He himself was an unknown "black household" with no verifiable identity.

He couldn't just walk up and say:

"I am Lord Wuzhu, here to guide you on the Dao path. Become my disciple—I'll teach you everything, guaranteed."

This young master was merely innocent and kind—not an idiot.

He wouldn't even beat me up, that would be too kind of him.

Even if he didn't trouble me, his Jin Dan bodyguard elders would certainly not give me a good reception.

Mo Hua shook his head.

The more awkward issue was: he was still at Foundation Establishment—how could he possibly bluff a world-class genius who formed his Jin Dan at twenty?

Mo Hua sighed, unable to suppress his inner grumbling:

"Why am I still at Foundation Establishment...?"

But it was done—dwelling on it was useless.

Mo Hua raised his head again, studying Zhu Shaozhu, pondering how to "deceive"... no, how to approach him

It's better to make acquaintance.

I've thought of many methods, but none really work.

Forget this Zhu Shaozhu—even his Jin Dan bodyguards are hard to deceive.

Mo Hua considered sneaking past the guards at night and trying to use the Dao Heart Seed Demon technique to "entrust a dream," but it still wouldn't work.

The Zhu Shaozhu's nighttime lodging is heavily guarded.

And the time left for Mo Hua to consider his options is short—only two days.

After two days, the Zhu Shaozhu will finish his visit and return to the Dan Que tribe's main base.

If missed, he'll have to wait another month, and time is precious—who knows what changes might come after a month?

Planning must begin soon.

Mo Hua planned for another two days but still couldn't think of a good method.

As the second day drew to a close and the Zhu Shaozhu would leave that evening, Mo Hua couldn't help but grow anxious.

Mo Hua pondered for a long while; seeing that this Zhu Shaozhu was kind-hearted and deeply concerned for the tribe's cultivators, a sudden idea struck him.

While no one was paying attention, Mo Hua ran to a nearby hilltop and collapsed a small cliff.

Soil and rocks tumbled down the mountain, smashing many tribal houses.

Fortunately, Mo Hua's array control was precise and the timing perfect—he triggered the collapse during a tribal gathering when no one was around.

No one was injured, but the impact was significant.

Nearby small tribes were all in panic, fearing the cliff might collapse again and bury them all.

The news naturally reached Dan Zhu's ears.

Dan Zhu grew worried and indeed came to visit this small tribe.

He first inspected the houses crushed by falling rocks, confirmed no casualties, and then relaxed.

He immediately ordered Zhong Mingren to build temporary shelters for these homeless tribal cultivators.

Still uneasy, he led two guardian elders to the hilltop himself, determined to find out why the cliff had collapsed so suddenly.

After a long trek and climb, the three reached the hilltop.

The two guardian elders surveyed the area briefly, then reported: "Young Master, it appears the mountain face weathered and collapsed on its own."

Dan Zhu asked: "Any signs of human interference?"

"Hard to say…" one guardian elder replied, "On the surface, none—but whether someone tampered with it secretly, we can't yet determine; the rocks have all collapsed."

The other mused: "Thankfully no one was hurt, but… I doubt anyone would be so bored as to blow up a mountain here for fun…"

Dan Zhu pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly and said:

"Check again—ensure the tribe's safety, and warn them to be more careful from now on…"

"These ordinary tribes have low cultivation, but

Any small accident could cost them their lives—don't be careless."

"Yes, Young Master!" the two Jin Dan elders said.

Afterwards, Dan Zhu instructed several tribal chieftains and elders to organize all matters—both resettlement and hazard elimination.

Construction is hard; destruction is easy.

Mo Hua caused a small bit of destruction, keeping these people busy for half a day.

When night fell, Dan Zhu prepared to depart, but the guardian elders persuaded him to stay.

"Young Master, it's too late—the beasts are restless, and traveling at night is dangerous. Better to rest here tonight."

Dan Zhu refused: "A cultivator fears no hardship on the path—darkness stretches endlessly."

Then, tribal cultivators who had received his kindness came to thank Dan Zhu.

They said he was benevolent and the hope of their Dan Que tribe, and earnestly invited him to stay the night, to show their loyalty and offer hospitality.

Dan Zhu could not refuse, and so stayed temporarily.

At nightfall, the small tribe lit bonfires and held a feast to honor Dan Zhu.

A group of rosy-cheeked Misses danced and sang before Dan Zhu.

Someone offered delicious, unusual roasted beast meat, saying it was a gift from a passing friend, and urged Dan Zhu to try it.

The revelry lasted until midnight.

Dan Zhu stayed in the central dwelling of the entire tribe.

The dwelling was large and sturdy, surrounded by temporary tribal arrays set for warning and defense.

Not far away, two squads of tribal warriors patrolled.

Two Jin Dan guardian elders stood guard at the entrance.

This security was equally strict.

But compared to specially built outposts or marching camps, the current security was already "rudimentary."

To Mo Hua, an array master, it was riddled with flaws.

"The opportunity has come…"

Under cover of night, using his concealment technique, Mo Hua slipped past the patrolling tribal squads and reached the dwelling's gate.

Outside the dwelling's gate, the two guardian elders were roasting meat and chatting.

Inside and outside the dwelling, sound-blocking arrays prevented any noise from passing—this was to ensure the Zhu Shaozhu's cultivation and rest.

But equally, sounds from outside could not reach inside.

The two guardian elders were roasting meat and chatting.

Mo Hua didn't rush in; out of habit and curiosity, he first listened at the wall.

The Jin Dan beginner guards' spiritual sense could not detect Mo Hua.

And their voices could not reach inside the room.

Thus, the two men chatted without much restraint, though they still kept their voices low, lest they truly

disturb the Young Lord Dan Zhu.

"... I wonder when our guard will ever make it to the top..."

A burly guard elder, clad in wolf pelts, chewed on dry, tough meat jerky, speaking with dull indifference.

The other said: "At Jin Dan early stage, just being assigned as the Young Lord Dan Zhu's guard is already an extraordinary honor—what more do you want?"

"I'm not unwilling to serve the Young Lord; I truly pledge my loyalty to him. A Young Lord so young, so gifted, so kind-hearted—such a one is rare in a thousand years—but..."

"But what?"

"But... the Young Lord..." The burly guard elder lowered his voice even further, "is too kind-hearted... and that's the problem."

Upon hearing this, the other guard elder's expression also turned solemn.

Young Lord Dan Zhu, the youngest among them, was strikingly handsome, with eyes like Zhu Que, and extraordinary talent—hence deeply favored.

But precisely because of this, he was protected too well.

His heart was too kind.

That was the greatest problem.

The true Dan Que tribe was nothing like what the Young Lord saw.

The burly one said: "The tribute demands of the Dan Que tribe are heavy. But in the Young Lord Dan Zhu's tribe, tribute is light. This is because the Young Lord, out of compassion for his people, personally petitioned the Chief Lord. The Chief Lord, moved by his plea, granted a special exemption."

"But this is not the norm, nor is it right."

"Without tribute, the lower tribes are happy—but what of the Young Lord? He gains nothing, accumulates no wealth."

"Without wealth, how will he compete with the First Young Lord and the Third Young Lord in the future?"

The other elder shook his head: "The Young Lord's position is unique. The First and Third Young Lords, as elder brothers, deeply care for him—there's no need for him to compete..."

The burly elder's face grew solemn. "It's not that simple..."

"The Grand Chief has four children. Young Lord Dan Zhu is the fourth. Excluding the Second Young Lady, who serves the Wang Ting, the remaining First and Third Young Lords are both over a hundred years old, in their prime, and neither is ordinary."

"In daily life, when power is not involved, these two lords naturally show affection for Young Lord Dan Zhu."

"But once power struggles arise, who still has room for such sentiments?"

"Our Dan Que tribe is a third-grade great tribe, with nearly a million followers under its command."

"Before the Ancestor perished and the tribe declined, we even ranked among the Great Wilderness Wang Ting, having once offered tribute to the divine beast Zhu Que."

"Before such a position as chief of a great tribe, what is brotherly affection worth?"

"Shh—" The other elder quickly grabbed his arm. "Speak less, lest there be ears behind the walls."

The burly elder snorted.

"It's just you and me here—there isn't even a ghost around. Who are you afraid of eavesdropping?"

Mo Hua, crouched on the beam, nodded.

The burly elder took another bite of meat and sighed, continuing:

"It's not that I'm paranoid—it's that you and I are the Young Lord's personal attendants; we're tied to him on the same boat."

"If the Young Lord thrives, we thrive."

"If..." The burly elder sighed, "we'll have no good end."

The other said: "The Young Lord has exceptional talent and a benevolent heart—he's highly respected and beloved within the tribe..."

The burly guard sighed: "I said it—the problem lies in this 'benevolence.' A kind heart cannot command troops. The Young Lord is too kind."

"Too much kindness invites disaster..."

"And 'high prestige' and 'beloved'?" The burly elder sneered and shook his head. "People's hearts are foolish and pragmatic. They 'love' whoever gives them benefits. The moment you stop giving—or give slightly less—they turn into enemies."

"Right now, the Young Lord's prestige is too high. It's a blessing—and a curse. Like a sharp dagger, it could, with the slightest misstep, plunge into the Young Lord's heart."

"At the Young Lord's position, it's rarely about who is good—it's about who is dirtier."

"How could such a pure soul as the Young Lord ever become dirty?"

"You and I are his personal attendants—we rise and fall with him. How could we not worry?"

The burly elder's face was clouded with sorrow.

The other elder's heart also felt heavy.

Neither had any interest in speaking anymore; only the bonfire crackled softly.

Seeing no more whispers to hear, Mo Hua passed through the gate and entered the compound.

The array within the compound was a mere formality.

Passing through the array and entering the room, the furnishings were not especially luxurious, but spacious; various demon heads and animal pelts adorned the walls and floor, in true barbarian style.

At this moment, Young Lord Dan Zhu of the Dan Que tribe lay asleep on the central animal-skin bed, still dressed, his breath steady—he appeared sound asleep.

In his hand, he clutched a leather scroll.

Before him lay a map of the Dan Que tribe, marked with scribbles and annotations, messy and disordered.

It seemed the Young Lord Dan Zhu had been deep in thought for a long time, exhausting his spiritual awareness until, without realizing it, he fell asleep.

Even in sleep, his brow remained tightly furrowed.

Clearly, as the world-renowned prodigy and the beloved Young Lord Dan Zhu of the Dan Que tribe, his burdens were immense.

Added to that, since childhood, he had been tightly protected, required only to focus on cultivation, knowing little of the outside world.

Thus, his heart must be filled with countless unfamiliarities and confusion.

But he could not speak of these to anyone.

He was a prodigy, praised and adored by many. Even when confused, anxious, or in pain, he could not reveal it—he must maintain the image of "Young Lord," or face suspicion and let many down.

He likely had no concept of the cruel tribal infighting, the brother-killing struggles for power.

Mo Hua sighed softly.

After all, he was still a "boy"…

Too young, full of confusion, unaware of the malice in human hearts.

Yet Mo Hua, making this sigh, did not realize that he himself was actually several years younger than Seeing Dan Zhu.

And he also did not realize that the most "malicious" person Seeing Dan Zhu had ever met in his life was in fact this heartless "Mo Dao Ren"…

In the flickering lamplight, Mo Hua merged into the darkness and approached Seeing Dan Zhu without a sound.

Seeing Dan Zhu slept deeply.

Mo Hua's voice, low as the night, carrying a hint of strangeness, entered Seeing Dan Zhu's ears and planted a faint suggestion in his pure, anxious heart:

"O youth chosen by the Divine Lord…"

"Your fate shall meet a turning point."

"Your confusion shall be dispelled."

"Your doubts shall find answers."

"As daylight's radiance drives away all darkness, the Divine Lord shall also show you the path ahead."

"Tomorrow, at the hour of Xu, you shall pass by Danyang Mountain and on the northwestern fork, see the guidance bestowed upon you by the Divine."

"At that moment, all your confusion shall suddenly clear, and your cultivation path shall unfold before you."

"You shall truly become the hope of the Danque Clan, the destined child chosen by the Divine Lord…"