Chapter 1232: Jin Wutu

"Wretched beast, trying to run?!"

Lord Lugu sneered, then immediately surged his blood qi, moving like a ferocious tiger; in a few strides, he closed the distance to the silk-clad barbarian giant.

The silk-clad giant never expected Lord Lugu's movement to be so swift—his face turned pale instantly, and he pulled out a fragment of bone, shoving it into his mouth and biting it to shards.

Lord Lugu's palm had already gripped his shoulder, squeezing hard—a crack of shattering bone rang out.

The silk-clad giant made not a sound.

Lord Lugu's expression shifted slightly; he yanked with all his strength and tore off an entire layer of skin from the silk-clad giant's body.

This was some kind of witchcraft—making the silk-clad giant shed his skin like a giant serpent, shedding a whole layer to escape pursuit.

The silk-clad giant, now stripped of his silk robes and even his skin, was a slick, naked mass of flesh like a bloodied eel; he darted into a nearby chamber, crashed through a hidden wall, and vanished.

Lord Lugu rushed forward and found the wall's rear empty, labyrinthine, and pitch-black.

Filled with rage, Lord Lugu hesitated not a moment—he leapt straight in.

But after a long while, he crawled back out, covered in black mud, his face grim beyond words.

Behind the wall was some unknown place, foul and reeking beyond endurance; he had leapt in, but found no direction, could not track the traitor, and could only return in furious helplessness—only the layer of skin he had torn off remained tightly clenched in his hand.

Mo Hua asked: "Lost him?"

Lord Lugu nodded.

Voices came from afar, mixed with the clashing of blades and spears, and several potent Jin Dan auras.

The young master Gongtu and his concubine turned ashen.

Mo Hua said: "Let's leave first."

Lord Lugu refused to go, his voice cold with fury: "I will catch that traitor and make him answer—how he betrayed my brother and survived."

Mo Hua said: "You won't catch him now."

Lord Lugu's face darkened terribly.

Mo Hua stepped forward, plucked a strand of hair from the skin in his hand, and said: "Don't worry—he won't escape now."

Lord Lugu was puzzled.

But Mo Hua offered no further explanation, only said:

"Let's retreat first. If too many arrive, we won't get away—there may be a late-stage Jin Dan hiding somewhere in this oasis."

Lord Lugu frowned; a late-stage Jin Dan cultivator was not something he could afford to ignore.

Mo Hua finished speaking, ignored Lord Lugu, ordered Chifeng to escort Gongtu and the woman away, then himself walked off with Seeing Dan Zhu.

Lord Lugu watched Mo Hua's back, hesitated a moment, then finally followed.

Mo Hua, as Lord Wuzhu, possessed extraordinary abilities; if he said the traitor couldn't escape, he must have some certainty.

The group moved toward the chamber's exit.

Along the way, some blocked their path—mostly Foundation Establishment, with three or four Jin Dan, all early-stage; none were a match for Lord Lugu, and within a few exchanges, they either had their arms broken or their legs shattered.

Mo Hua was startled.

The strength of a late-stage Jin Dan general truly could not be underestimated.

The group fought their way out of the prison chamber, emerging outside to find the entire area lit by flames, surrounded by layers upon layers of guards.

Mo Hua said: "Break through."

Lord Lugu charged ahead, killing a large group without even using his treasure—bare-handed, he crushed them all.

Five or six Jin Dan came to surround and kill him, but he struck them down one by one with fists and kicks, each sending them spitting blood—his aura was truly terrifying.

For a moment, all the oasis guards were thrown into panic; none dared advance.

Mo Hua's group, relying on Lord Lugu's might, fought their way backward.

At the gate, suddenly a sinister green light shot skyward—a gray-green-robed old man activated his flight technique, advancing with a chilling, ferocious aura toward them.

Mo Hua's heart sank slightly.

"Late-stage Jin Dan barbarian cultivator…"

Lord Lugu also frowned; he turned to look at Mo Hua and said: "You go first."

Mo Hua did not refuse, nodding in agreement.

After all, he worried about anyone dying—except Lord Lugu.

Lord Lugu stayed behind alone to face the gray-green-robed old man.

Chifeng led the way forward, while Mo Hua, Seeing Dan Zhu, the young master Gongtu, and his concubine continued toward the gate.

Near the gate, Chifeng's spear cleared the path, killing several guards.

During the day, Mo Hua had already discerned the gate's array.

In barbarian lands, aside from arrays tied to Taotie, most arrays were not particularly sophisticated.

Now, Mo Hua merely flicked his fingers; ink traces danced, forming array patterns on the gate, unraveling its seals.

Mo Hua said: "Break the gate."

Chifeng's spear blazed like fire, striking out as commanded—piercing straight through the gate.

Mo Hua's group passed through the gate, leaving the oasis.

Pursuers followed in succession.

Chifeng held the rear, using his mid-stage Jin Dan strength and ruthless tactics to slaughter several waves; eventually, no one dared pursue further.

Once temporarily free from pursuit, Mo Hua ordered everyone to hide behind a cluster of rocks.

In the endless night, soon a powerful disturbance came from afar—the clash of late-stage Jin Dan cultivators; crystallized spiritual energy and force entwined, blood red merging with black-green, shaking the earth and stirring dust storms.

After hundreds of rounds of battle, Lord Lugu dragged his massive bone blade behind him and turned to flee.

The gray-green-robed old man's technique was venomous; in direct combat, he could not match Lord Lugu's decisive, ruthless killing style, and dared not pursue deeply.

Several Jin Dan guards from the oasis tried to intercept Lord Lugu again, but he spun around and cut them down—one stroke, one corpse—each split cleanly in two.

Jin Dan cultivators of this caliber could found sects and ancestral lineages in ordinary backwaters, yet on this one night, no fewer than seven or eight were slain.

Mo Hua silently counted the heads, feeling a faint sigh.

With so many Jin Dan dead, none dared pursue further, cowed by Lord Lugu's aura.

Alone, he had repelled powerful foes and slain numerous Jin Dan; in his bloodlust, Lord Lugu unleashed his evasion technique across the desert, walking solitary—when suddenly he spotted a fireball hurtling toward him. His gaze turned cold as he looked—and saw Mo Hua waving from behind a massive reef.

The fireball had been thrown by Mo Hua.

Lord Lugu could not be angry.

He reined in his killing aura and joined Mo Hua and the others.

After joining, Mo Hua said: "This place is not safe to linger. Return to camp first, then deliberate at length."

Seeing Dan Zhu nodded.

Lord Lugu said nothing—but did not object.

Thus, the group pressed on through the sandstorm for half an hour before reuniting with the main force of six thousand barbarian troops.

The young master Gong Tu had previously been awed only by Lord Lugu and Chifeng's strength; now, seeing this vast, armor-clad barbarian army before him, he was even more terrified, his limbs trembling.

Mo Hua ignored him, ordering men to find a place to temporarily house young master Gong Tu and his concubine.

Around them lay only desert; in Mo Hua's assessment, both were "useless," and once inside the desert, they would almost certainly die.

After settling them, Lord Lugu suddenly came seeking him.

He said nothing—but Mo Hua understood his intent.

Mo Hua asked: "Who is that man?"

Lord Lugu said: "He is a trusted subordinate of my elder brother General Shi Gu, named Jin Wutu."

"Jin Wutu?" Mo Hua was surprised. "Doesn't his name carry 'Bone'?"

Lord Lugu said: "Not all Shu Gu tribe cultivators bear 'Bone' in their names."

Mo Hua frowned. "Not so?"

Lord Lugu looked at Mo Hua, initially unwilling to answer—but finally endured with patience.

"It depends on bloodline, ancestors, and branch origins. Only those of the same lineage, with shared roots, bear 'Bone.'"

Mo Hua nodded faintly, choosing not to press further, lest he appear unprofessional.

Lord Lugu's face darkened: "Jin Wutu was my elder brother's trusted man, meant to stand by his side through life and death. Now, the General Shi Gu tribe is destroyed, my brother dead—and yet he has found this comfortable place to indulge in ease. There must be something amiss."

Mo Hua's gaze darkened slightly; he too found it strange.

This Jin Wutu might be tied to many karmic threads—must be captured and questioned.

His skin-shedding technique also seemed familiar to Mo Hua.

And there was another point Mo Hua found troubling: "Does this Jin Wutu normally wear brocade robes?"

Lord Lugu shook his head. "In the Great Wasteland, customs dictate wearing only robes and armor forged from demonic beast pelts. Brocade is the decadent influence from the Dao Court. My elder brother General Shi Gu despised such ostentation—he forbade any in the General Shi Gu tribe from wearing it."

Lord Lugu spoke coldly: "Those of the Dao Court are never good. Every soul there is malicious. Such frivolous, prideful things as brocade—surely they spread it to corrupt our Great Wasteland warriors."

Mo Hua, himself from the Dao Court, found it hard to respond.

But with Lord Lugu's words, Mo Hua now suspected Jin Wutu's brocade robe carried even greater significance.

Mo Hua thought a moment, then said to Lord Lugu:

"Tomorrow, take a small force—five or six Jin Dan, plus a couple hundred barbarian troops—and besiege the oasis tribe. Demand they hand over Jin Wutu."

"If they refuse, storm in."

Lord Lugu frowned. "Even if I break in, I won't know where Jin Wutu is—I can't capture him."

Mo Hua shook his head. "Jin Wutu fears you—he won't show himself again."

"Your assault isn't to capture him. It's to pressure him—to make him realize the oasis is no sanctuary."

"Just storm in, kill indiscriminately, and shout his name. He'll flee in terror through some hidden passage."

"Once he leaves the oasis…"

Mo Hua held Jin Wutu's hair in his palm, speaking calmly: "He won't escape my grasp."

For some reason, Lord Lugu always felt Mo Hua now resembled a demon summoning souls and claiming lives.

Lord Lugu thought again, then asked: "Why not simply send the barbarian army to crush the oasis? Let Jin Wutu have nowhere to hide?"

Mo Hua shook his head. "The oasis is suspicious—its secrets are unknown. We must not rush."

"Besides, keeping the oasis gives Jin Wutu a 'nest.' If we fail to catch him once, we can try again."

"If we destroy the oasis, he loses his 'nest.' If we miss him this time, we'll never know where to find him next."

There are still innocent Shu Gu cultivators inside the oasis.

Once war erupts, blades have no eyes—how many Shu Gu cultivators will die?

Unless absolutely necessary, Mo Hua did not wish to drive things to utter extremity.

Lord Lugu thought it over, then nodded.

In battlefield slaughter, he was undoubtedly formidable.

But in cunning, subtlety, and intricate strategy—he knew he was far outmatched by this "Lord Wuzhu" of the Dan Que tribe.

The next day, Lord Lugu carried out the plan.

He led five Shu Gu Jin Dan and two hundred barbarian troops to attack the oasis.

Inside the oasis, the old man in black-green robes, a late-stage Jin Dan, personally led the defense.

Outside the oasis gate, the two sides clashed fiercely, sand swirling violently, the battle's roar deafening.

Mid-battle, Lord Lugu suddenly charged alone into the oasis. His cultivation was high, his bloodline monstrous; beneath his bone blade, countless souls fell—ordinary Jin Dan could not approach him.

After bursting into the oasis, Lord Lugu slaughtered wildly, unleashing his Jin Dan power, roaring:

"Jin Wutu!"

"Come out!"

"If I catch you, I'll peel your skin, rip out your tendons, eat your flesh, drink your blood, grind your bones to dust, and leave you no chance of rebirth!"

These words came from Jin Wu, a general at the late Jin Dan stage, laced with murderous intent, his voice booming like a bell and roaring like a ferocious beast, shaking the eardrums.

Some ordinary barbarian cultivators were so terrified by Jin Wu's roar that their hearts shattered and they died on the spot.

Jin Wu slaughtered as he shouted, turning the oasis into utter chaos.

Mo Hua sat on a reef outside the oasis, clutching a strand of hair, a brazier before him, eyes closed, cultivating stillness.

After a moment, as if sensing something, Mo Hua suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of light passing through them.

Mo Hua rubbed his fingers together, igniting phosphorescent fire, and tossed the strand of hair along with a piece of scalp into the brazier.

The phosphorescent fire burned the bone armor, cracking it and forming a hexagram.

Mo Hua studied the hexagram, silently calculating for a moment, then his gaze brightened as he said to Chifeng:

"Follow me."

Chifeng nodded. "Yes."

Mo Hua led Chifeng around the oasis, racing right for about ten li, until they came upon a withered mountain ravaged by wind and sand.

Mo Hua ordered Chifeng to hide his men within the withered mountain.

Less than a stick of incense later, a formation faintly appeared atop the mountain; the stone wall cracked open, and a figure emerged—like one who had just shed its skin.

The figure was frantic, clearly terrified by Jin Wu's overwhelming aura and murderous intent in the oasis, and sought to escape through a secret tunnel to lie low.

But the instant he appeared, the ground trap formation activated, transforming into a cage that trapped him firmly.

Chifeng lunged forward like a starving tiger.

The other dozen or so Yuan Gu armored soldiers joined in simultaneously.

In an instant, the man was subdued.

Mo Hua stared closely and saw that the man's face was blurred; his skin on the face and limbs was nearly transparent—as if he had just shed it and had not yet grown new skin. His aura was familiar: it was Jin Wutu.

Jin Wutu's face was filled with terror. "How did you know I was here?"

No one answered him.

Jin Wutu tried to shed his skin again, struggling.

But his escape method had already been seen once by Mo Hua; Mo Hua would never give him another chance.

The water-earth formation fused with his skin, clinging to it like glue; Jin Wutu could not break free.

Not to mention Chifeng, a mid-Jin Dan barbarian general, was suppressing him.

Chifeng snapped Jin Wutu's arms and legs.

Mo Hua nodded. "Take him away."

Jin Wutu was dragged back to the camp by the men.

Over there, Jin Wu received the news and broke off combat, leading his troops back. Seeing Jin Wutu, he instantly dashed forward, his massive hand like an iron clamp, gripping Jin Wutu's throat, roaring:

"Speak—why aren't you dead?"

Jin Wutu remained terrified.

Mo Hua warned: "Don't choke him to death."

Jin Wu suppressed his rage and slowly loosened his grip.

Jin Wutu, enduring the searing pain in his neck, trembled as he spoke:

"I… I don't know. I really… know nothing. I… was merely ordered by Lord General Shi Gu to run a small errand. When I returned, the entire General Shi Gu tribe… was… gone…"

Jin Wu stomped on Jin Wutu's right leg, twisting it several times until the bones shattered into fragments, his face dark as if dripping with water:

"Do you think these lies can fool me?"

Jin Wutu, gritting his teeth in pain, cried out: "It's true! Truly true! My lord Jin Wu, I dare not deceive you. Lord General Shi Gu once saved my life—how could I betray him?"

Jin Wu asked: "Then why were you in that oasis? And why are you dressed in brocade, living so comfortably?"

Jin Wutu replied: "I dare not, I dare not. But everyone in the General Shi Gu tribe went mad, and the tribe vanished. I had no choice but to find another refuge. By chance, I passed that oasis, and its master kindly took me in—so I lived in peace for a few days…"

Jin Wu roared: "You beast—you've spoken not one word of truth!"

Jin Wutu swore an oath: "Before the Barbarian Gods, if I have spoken a single lie, may I die a wretched death!"

Jin Wu frowned.

Jin Wutu dared to swear by the name of the Barbarian Gods—he likely dared not lie.

But Mo Hua felt uneasy inside.

Jin Wutu didn't even know which Barbarian God he was swearing to.

If the Barbarian God Jin Wutu swore by had already been devoured by me, then his oath was as meaningless as wind.

Jin Wu was also uncertain. He glanced at Jin Wutu, thought for a moment, then reached out with his massive hand, gripping Jin Wutu's throat, dragging the limbless man straight to the rear of the tent, before a massive coffin.

Jin Wu forced Jin Wutu to kneel on the ground and pointed at the coffin:

"Swear your oath again—before my brother's corpse."

But when Jin Wutu saw the dark, massive coffin, his entire body twisted in terror and shock, muttering only:

"He's really dead…"

"Really dead?"

"Lord General Shi Gu… he's actually dead… Such a powerful Lord General Shi Gu… he could die? He could actually die…"

Jin Wutu, dazed, let out a hollow, dreamlike laugh.

Jin Wu coldly said: "Swear again—before my brother's face—that you have not lied."

But Jin Wutu dared not.

He dared swear by the Barbarian Gods—but he dared not swear before Lord General Shi Gu's corpse.

Lord Lugu's rage churned in his chest like a volcano erupting, but after a moment, he slowly suppressed his fury and said calmly:

"Tell me the truth, and I'll make your death less painful."

Yet after Jin Wu saw Lord Lugu's coffin, he seemed to have lost all fear, even of death.

Lord Lugu began to torture Jin Wu.

But Jin Wu regarded his own body as rotten meat, utterly indifferent to pain; no matter how Lord Lugu tortured him, he only spat blood, grinning foolishly.

Mo Hua, seeing this, frowned slightly.

(End of Chapter)