Chapter 1196

Mo Hua pondered for a long time, silently digesting this insight into the "Great Dao."

Though still vague and crude, he had faintly perceived only an embryonic form of the boundless, infinite Great Dao.

But he truly, indeed, had gained a tiny spark of realization—that all paths to the Dao ultimately converge.

A unique "Dao" had sprouted in Mo Hua's mind.

Over these years, he had traveled far and wide, learning scattered, fragmentary array techniques, sword arts, spells, spirit-nature methods, and causality arts—suddenly, all of them resonated with his mind sea, showing signs of fusion.

The seemingly myriad, sharply distinct "techniques" were all evolving within Mo Hua's mind sea, drawing closer to some primal "Dao."

But this "fusion" had barely begun, then halted.

Because Mo Hua's insight was still too shallow.

This embryonic form of the "Dao" had only just taken root, with nowhere near enough foundation to truly merge.

Mo Hua sighed softly.

It was still the same as before—his realm was too low.

With his current cultivation and mastery, he could not yet shatter the barriers between different Dao methods, could not truly use "techniques" to peer through to the underlying "Dao" and reach the state of "returning to the Dao, returning to truth."

Moreover, his understanding of specific "techniques" was still far from sufficient.

His "techniques" were not learned well enough.

To rely entirely on techniques is worse than having no techniques.

But to have no techniques is also to have no Dao.

Whether array arts, spells, sword techniques, spirit-nature methods, or causality divination—all these specific "techniques" still needed further refinement, deeper study, and mastery to reach higher, more profound levels.

"Techniques" are the bridge to the "Dao."

The stronger the "techniques," the more solid the bridge to the "Dao."

To "seek the Dao," one must perfect the "techniques."

"Find a way to refine the techniques to their utmost limit—to reach perfection, effortless mastery, approaching the 'state of transformation'—only then can you shatter the barrier between technique and Dao, peering through the surface of technique to glimpse the essence of Dao."

"And further still—shatter the barriers between technique and technique."

"Merge all Dao methods into one."

"Dao follows the heart's movement; method arises from the mind; one thought gives birth to countless techniques, ceaseless through eternity…"

In Mo Hua's heart, his confusion about cultivation gradually cleared.

He now had a clearer understanding of the path he must walk, the Dao he must seek, and how to take each step forward.

In the darkness, Mo Hua's eyes burned bright as fire.

And in the distance, the fires of battle continued to spread, cries of combat rising and falling.

Every movement, every flow of slaughter, every factor of victory or defeat, unfolded within Mo Hua's calculations.

Sitting in the darkness, Mo Hua seemed like a "shadow puppeteer," invisibly controlling it all.

And this battle was only a beginning.

In the mountains and forests, the fighting raged on until dawn, when the ambush-turned-counter-ambush against the Bi Fang tribe finally ceased.

The Bi Fang tribe suffered a crushing defeat: over sixty elite warriors wounded or slain, and no fewer than two hundred Bi Fang slaves dead.

Bi Jie, under the joint assault of Seeing Dan Zhu and Chifeng, was left in disarray.

Retreating to a camp fifty li away, Bi Jie could not hide his raging fury.

This was not his greatest defeat so far.

But it was the most "humiliating."

For he had lost to Seeing Dan Zhu—a man one realm below him, fresh to battle, with barely any experience, practically "still wet behind the ears."

The Dan Que and Bi Fang tribes had long-standing enmity.

Bi Jie and Seeing Dan Zhu were both young masters, both famed as geniuses.

Yet the shrewd and cunning Bi Jie had never taken the indecisive, youthful, and "hypocritically virtuous" Seeing Dan Zhu seriously.

Yet now it was precisely this Seeing Dan Zhu who had inflicted upon him such a humiliating defeat.

How could Bi Jie not be filled with rage?

In the temporary Bi Fang camp, Bi Jie still bore the wounds from Seeing Dan Zhu's mysterious fire, and within him burned a malevolent fire he could not vent.

He beheaded several foundation-establishment commanders who had disobeyed his orders and fled in disorder.

After killing them, Bi Jie turned and barked: "Who leaked our plans to the Dan Que tribe?"

The junior commanders of the barbarian troops fell silent as frozen insects, terrified that one misstep would cost them their heads to Bi Jie's wrath.

Only one gray-eyed elder spoke slowly and calmly: "Young Master, do not act rashly."

This gray-eyed elder, at the mid-Jin Dan stage, seemed to hold immense authority.

Bi Jie treated him with considerable respect and slightly calmed his temper.

The gray-eyed elder looked at the others and waved his hand: "You may all leave."

"Yes."

The junior commanders seized this lifeline like drowning men clutching straw, exhaling in relief and bowing out in apology.

Inside the tent, only Bi Jie and the gray-eyed elder remained.

Bi Jie said: "Elder She, why stop me from questioning them further?"

The gray-eyed elder shook his head. "The greater the defeat, the more you must not shake morale—and this matter likely has other hidden causes."

Bi Jie frowned. "You mean no one leaked our plans?"

The gray-eyed elder nodded.

Bi Jie did not believe it. "If no one leaked our plans, how did the Dan Que tribe know our movements so precisely? Every step they seized our weaknesses, chased us down, and killed over sixty of my elite."

These elites had followed Bi Jie through life and death—they were his most loyal confidants.

Bi Jie's heart bled.

The gray-eyed elder said slowly: "Young Master, if you blame all blame on the 'traitor' and punish your subordinates with brutal torture, you will surely cause panic and disorder in the ranks."

"These barbarian troops are your foundation; no matter what happens, you must first stabilize their morale."

But Bi Jie clearly could not listen to such "empty words"; his temper remained somewhat volatile.

The gray-eyed elder's heart sank slightly.

Young Master Bi Jie has talent, ability, cruelty, and cunning—he will indeed accomplish great things.

But his character has many flaws.

Those with schemes are often suspicious, plagued by distrust, lacking in security.

When trouble arises, they first suspect those around them, and their tempers are violent, their methods cruel.

This is unavoidable.

In the Wilds, every "tyrant" is roughly this way; only such a nature inspires awe, prevents betrayal, and enables great achievements.

Yet now, the gray-eyed elder harbored a bad premonition.

He felt that not only had their military campaign been manipulated, but also that Young Master Bi Jie's very "heart" was being manipulated.

In this battle, Seeing Dan Zhu displayed divine might, defeating the Bi Fang tribe—a clear humiliation to Young Master Bi Jie.

If the young master, in his violent temper, loses restraint and begins suspecting his subordinates, morale will surely crumble.

This entire plan will then be completely ruined.

And Bi Jie's arrogant temper is not something ordinary men can suppress—not even this elder.

The gray-eyed elder looked at Bi Jie, frowned, and spoke in a low voice:

"Young Master, petty impatience disrupts grand plans. That thing… don't you want it anymore?"

Upon hearing this, Bi Jie's pupils contracted, and he immediately calmed down.

As if recalling some crucial matter, Bi Jie's gaze turned solemn; after a moment of silence, he bowed his hands:

"Elder She, Bi Jie has lost his composure."

The gray-eyed elder gave a slight nod.

Though proud, he could suppress his temper before "great matters"—a sign of true capacity.

Given time, he would become a dominant lord of the Wilds.

The gray-eyed elder spoke slowly: "Regardless of whether there is a traitor, this matter must not be made public, lest morale collapse. Even if we investigate, we must do so secretly."

"But this matter…" the gray-eyed elder frowned, "if my guess is correct, it was not the work of a 'traitor.'"

Bi Jie's gaze sharpened: "What do you mean, Elder She?"

The gray-eyed elder said slowly: "The poison I used should be unsolvable by anyone. Yet few of the Dan Que barbarians died from it. This means someone neutralized my witch poison—there must be a 'master' within Dan Que."

The gray-eyed elder said slowly: "The poison I used should be unsolvable by anyone. Yet the Danque tribe's barbarian soldiers weren't killed in large numbers—this means someone has neutralized my witch poison. There must be a 'master' within the Danque tribe."

The gray-eyed elder nodded: "This person not only neutralized my poison, but also orchestrated our ambush's failure—and turned it against us, catching us utterly off guard."

The gray-eyed elder nodded, "This person not only neutralized my poison, but also orchestrated the counterattack, shattered our night raid, and turned the tables to catch us utterly off guard."

"The only explanation is that this Dan Que master… may possess a secret lineage, proficient in the Great Wilds' witch divination arts."

Bi Jie frowned: "Who is this person? I've observed Dan Que's ranks—there is no such extraordinary figure."

The gray-eyed elder's gaze held deep meaning.

Bi Jie froze, frowning: "You don't mean… that pretty boy, the Lord Wuzhu?"

The gray-eyed elder remained silent.

Bi Jie said coldly: "How old is he? Which Lord Wuzhu doesn't devote himself to cultivation, serving Wang Ting, and only after a hundred years earns the title of 'Wuzhu'? Only these idiots of Dan Que would think to appoint a 'Foundation Establishment brat' as a fake Wuzhu, to win hearts."

Bi Jie sneered, "How old is he? Which Lord Wuzhu wasn't devoted to cultivating and serving Wang Ting for a century before being chosen as a 'Lord Wuzhu'? Only the idiots of the Danque tribe would think of elevating a 'Foundation Establishment brat' to impersonate a Lord Wuzhu and win people's loyalty."

Bi Jie sneered.

The gray-eyed elder's gaze turned dangerous: "But… what if this boy has lived for hundreds of years?"

Bi Jie froze, his expression turning fearful:

"You mean… he, like the legendary my lord, used 'Ancient Witch Taboos' to extend his life? No—not extension… he stole—"

Bi Jie's eyelid twitched; he dared not continue.

The gray-eyed elder's face was as cold as water, yet he still shook his head:

"Unlikely. If true, he could never stand in sunlight again, nor bear the title of Wuzhu and receive worship."

"But even so, this boy is mysterious, radiating strangeness—he must not be underestimated."

"Dan Que's scheme this time likely has his hand in it."

Bi Jie frowned; he realized he had indeed judged by appearance.

To accomplish great things, not a single hidden danger can remain. Anyone who might become a stumbling block must be shattered to dust.

"Whether this pretty boy is the true Wuzhu or not, next time we meet—I will kill him!" Bi Jie's gaze turned icy.

The gray-eyed elder gave a slight nod.

Whether Wuzhu or divination master, once killed, his flesh destroyed, he is merely dead.

Seeing Dan Zhu is no different.

No matter how talented, once dead, he is but a withered skeleton.

The gray-eyed elder said: "This secret sect of Shu Gu must be taken…"

"At any cost!" the gray-eyed elder's tone was chilling.

Bi Jie nodded coldly, his eyes gleaming with fierce desire and ambition.

Bi Jie nodded coldly, his eyes also gleaming with intense desire and ambition.

……

In the Bi Fang tribe's encampment, silence reigned after their defeat.

In the Shi Dian of the Shu Gu tribe, bonfires blazed brightly.

The barbarian soldiers of the Dan Que tribe gathered around bonfires, dancing war dances, eating dried meat, and drinking some unknown fermented liquor, celebrating their overwhelming victory.

In this ambush, they slew many Bi Fang cultivators, yet their own casualties were negligible.

This was a great triumph, sweeping away the resentment built up over days of Bi Fang's sneak attacks and poisonings.

The crowd exulted, praising Dan Zhu, the young master, for his wisdom and martial prowess, and Marshal Chifeng for his divine strategy.

Dan Zhu couldn't help glancing at Mo Hua, who sat quietly beside him, chewing on dried meat.

Dan Zhu felt unworthy of such praise.

He knew in his heart that all of it was due to the "Lord Wuzhu."

It was Lord Wuzhu's uncanny foresight and flawless predictions that enabled this victory.

Yet Lord Wuzhu made no boast, forbade others from boasting, and remained hidden behind the scenes, calm as water—uncompetitive, silent, as if brushing off his deeds and vanishing into obscurity.

All praise and attention fell upon him, the young master.

Dan Zhu felt ashamed, and grew even more convinced of Lord Wuzhu's noble character, his indifference to fame and gain.

"Such a lord of immense power and pure heart—perhaps he truly was sent by the gods to guide my path..."

Dan Zhu thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Chifeng was secretly observing Mo Hua.

His heart was stunned—more stunned than anyone else's—and even now, he had not recovered.

Mo Hua had revealed the precise details of his calculations only to Chifeng alone.

Thus, only Chifeng knew that this ambush had unfolded exactly as Lord Wuzhu had foretold, down to the smallest detail.

Foreseeing the future was already astonishing.

But if one not only foresees the future, but describes every single detail as if one had truly "witnessed" it...

Such an implausible feat admits no explanation but "divine miracle."

Lord Wuzhu had truly told him everything that would happen.

In "warfare," this was nothing short of "cheating."

A cheat of omniscience and omnipotence.

Chifeng, who had fought battles his entire life, knew better than anyone how terrifying this was.

If this Lord Wuzhu could consistently receive "divine oracles," his status in the wars among the wilderness tribes would be unparalleled.

And yet such a figure had suddenly "descended" upon his Dan Que tribe?

It was like a dream in broad daylight.

So much so that Chifeng, normally resolute and clear-headed, felt a strange disbelief.

After this battle, Mo Hua's standing in the hearts of Dan Zhu and Chifeng rose to an even more exalted height.

Mo Hua's words were now virtually "golden decrees."

Even Marshal Chifeng, a Jin Dan mid-stage cultivator, obeyed Mo Hua without question.

Nothing is more persuasive than fact.

Especially victory and defeat in war.

Thereafter, Mo Hua could decide military moves with a single word.

Chifeng would merely arrange tactics according to Mo Hua's "instructions," never questioning them.

He knew well—he had no right to question a Lord Wuzhu who received "divine oracles" and saw the future.

And with Mo Hua's "instructions," subsequent battles became far easier.

Because one battle had slain over sixty elite Bi Fang warriors, plus a couple hundred "cannon fodder," Bi Jie's forces were severely weakened.

Afterward, Mo Hua's calculations became much easier.

He also learned to be prudent, no longer calculating too much.

He merely, within his mind, used his understanding of the Three Talents—Heaven, Earth, and Man—to construct a simulated cosmos with his spiritual sense, tracing human actions through cause and effect.

When calculating, he only estimated the general timing, location, and human presence.

This was both a simulation of Heaven, Earth, and Man, and a training of his "divination" skill.

It was also a discipline in controlling his spiritual sense, managing its consumption to avoid overexertion and the backlash of fate's malevolence.

Thus, Mo Hua's subsequent calculations yielded only one or two cryptic "hints" of cause and effect.

But such hints were sufficient for Chifeng.

With Mo Hua's hints, Chifeng repeatedly thwarted Bi Jie's several offensives.

Bi Jie's casualties grew increasingly severe.

Yet the course of events still surprised Mo Hua.

Even after such losses, Bi Jie clung on like a starving wolf.

At the slightest opportunity, he lunged to bite, leaving Dan Que no chance to retreat.

"Did I overestimate Bi Jie?"

Mo Hua frowned.

He had thought Bi Jie at least had the makings of a "tyrant."

A true tyrant would understand the wisdom of flexibility—knowing when to yield, when to advance, never acting on impulse.

Yet now Bi Jie seemed utterly mad.

His men were already decimated, yet he refused to relent, clinging stubbornly, determined to achieve his goal at all costs.

This puzzled Mo Hua greatly.

"Bi Jie, though cruel and capable, is narrow-minded and stubborn, with such a small heart that he must retaliate for even the slightest loss?"

"Or is Bi Jie plotting to overthrow his father, hence resorting to any means to seize this batch of barbarian armor and strengthen his own power?"

"Otherwise, there's no way to explain why he's so relentless…"

"But if all the men are dead, what use is the armor?"

"Even with the barbarian armor, can he become Great Chief?"

"His personal guards are dead—who will conquer for him? And who will still support him as Great Chief?"

Mo Hua didn't understand, but he didn't waste much thought on this matter.

If Bi Jie wants to die, let him die.

Wear down his troops, then calculate a karmic node, and "bestow" upon him a death calamity, so he too can feel what it's like for a prodigy to die young.

But before Mo Hua could act, the situation changed again.

Outside the Shu Gu Valley, other medium and large tribes had gathered their barbarian soldiers, estimated at four to five hundred men.

All of them surrounded Bi Jie and served him.

Yet these men were not reinforcements from Bi Fang Tribe—they were troops Bi Jie had bought from nearby tribes at some cost.

This doubled the pressure on Dan Que Tribe.

With more numbers and more frequent attacks, Mo Hua's "Yan Suan" intensified and increased in frequency, its burden surging.

His spiritual sense, drained excessively, repeatedly teetered on the brink of "loss of control."

Dan Zhu and Chifeng both wore solemn expressions.

With far fewer numbers and inferior combat strength, even with Mo Hua's "Divine Edict," the battle was proving extremely difficult.

The situation grew tense once more.

But Mo Hua paid little attention to the situation; instead, his doubts grew stronger.

"No… something's wrong…"

"Bi Jie… he's not right…"

Mo Hua frowned.

Bi Jie is a young master; no matter what, he shouldn't be willing to pay such a heavy price just to clash with us.

He wouldn't do this merely out of petty pride, nor simply for revenge.

He must have another reason!

What reason?

Mo Hua reviewed the entire matter, front to back, in his mind, and his gaze flickered slightly:

Aside from that batch of barbarian armor, could there be something else in Shu Gu Secret Division… that Bi Jie wanted?

And could this thing be so critically important that Bi Jie would spare no cost to obtain it?

Even so much that he couldn't speak of it, couldn't tell anyone else?

(End of Chapter)