The Great Tribulation of the Wilderness had, in fact, already arrived, yet the situation was still much worse than Mo Hua had anticipated.

In his mind, things shouldn’t have turned out this way. This scene before him should have appeared ten, five, or at least two or three years from now. But now, without sufficient time, and before the causality had fully brewed, the vision of disaster suddenly descended upon Mo Hua. It was as if someone was fast-forwarding everything with their hand. Mo Hua was momentarily lost in thought.

Not just Mo Hua, but even Lu Gu, Tie Shu Gu, Dan Zhu, Chi Feng, and Elders Ba Shan and Ba Chuan were all stunned by the scene before them.

“How did it come to this?” Ba Shan looked bewildered. “Is this truly the Three-Grade Mountain Realm where the Dan Que Tribe is located? Did we take a wrong turn? How could it be like this…?”

Desolate and lifeless, like a dead land at the end of the world.

“What about the Great Chieftain and the others?” Elder Ba Chuan’s expression also changed. “What about our tribesmen?”

A dark cloud hung over everyone’s hearts.

Dan Zhu looked at Mo Hua with deep worry. “Wu Xiansheng, I want to return to the Dan Que Tribe as soon as possible to check.”

Mo Hua pondered for a moment and nodded. The Zhu Que Mountain Realm was now barren, and the specific situation was unknown. It would be best to first find the Dan Que headquarters, meet the Great Chieftain, and then discuss the next plan. The extent of the disaster was now somewhat exaggerated. In this situation, it was no longer a question of whether or not to “attack” tribes or “occupy” territory. It was a question of whether these barbarian soldiers could survive in the Three-Grade Prefecture Realm. First, “survive,” then consider other matters.

But Lu Gu shook his head and said, “No.”

Mo Hua looked at Lu Gu.

Lu Gu sneered, “If we go to the Dan Que headquarters, how can we find a place for ourselves?” He was forced by circumstances to ally with Dan Zhu, the young lord of the Dan Que Tribe. But the Shu Gu Tribe and the Dan Que Tribe had never been on good terms. If he led the Shu Gu Tribe’s soldiers to the Dan Que headquarters, wouldn’t that be tantamount to “surrendering” to the Great Chieftain of the Dan Que Tribe? This would be an absolute act of “treason.”

Mo Hua understood Lu Gu’s thoughts and said, “This is an alliance, not a surrender.”

Lu Gu still sneered. An alliance was only possible between parties of equal status and power. A Shu Gu general and the young lord of the Dan Que Tribe could barely be said to be allied. A Shu Gu Great Chieftain and a Dan Que Great Chieftain could also be allied. But how could a Shu Gu general and the Great Chieftain of the Dan Que Tribe, whose status differed by a rank, possibly be allied? Moreover, it was a grave offense for one’s own general to secretly communicate with the opposing Great Chieftain. The Shu Gu Great Chieftain would surely think he harbored malicious intentions and sought to usurp power, and would never listen to his explanations.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and then changed his approach: “Then you are ‘escorting’ Young Lord Dan Zhu back to the Dan Que headquarters. Once you reach your destination, if you don’t wish to be involved with the Great Chieftain, you can go your separate ways.”

Lu Gu said, “I, a dignified Shu Gu general, ‘escorting’ the young lord of the Dan Que Tribe?”

Mo Hua held up two fingers: “Two sets of Yuan Gu heavy armor are the reward for the escort.”

Lu Gu was silent for a while. He wanted to bargain, but then immediately remembered this demon’s “quirk”: this demon only liked “one-price” deals. He disliked haggling. If he tried to bargain, not only would the demon not yield, but he might even “drive the price up” further. But two sets… Lu Gu’s gaze was cautious, and he remained silent.

Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he added, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, the current Zhu Que Mountain is not what it used to be. Your main tribe, relying solely on your own strength, may not truly survive. You might not even know how you died.”

“You are escorting us, and we are also escorting you.”

Lu Gu was unconvinced in his heart, but after some thought, he reluctantly agreed: “Fine.” Two sets of ancestral heavy armor were not a small amount. Anyway, his branch of the Shu Gu main tribe had nowhere else to go for now. It was good to follow Dan Zhu and the others to familiarize themselves with the current situation. Moreover, as Tie Shu Gu had said, this demon who called himself “Wu Xiansheng” might indeed be a “great enemy” of the Shu Gu Tribe and could not be ignored.

Thinking of this, Lu Gu silently looked at Mo Hua again. But before he could look for long, a figure flashed, and Chi Feng’s tall body stood in front, blocking his view, preventing him from looking at Mo Hua again. Lu Gu’s gaze was cold, but he knew exactly what was happening. This was a defense against him.

Upon entering the Three-Grade Mountain Realm, he, a Golden Core late-stage general, was no longer bound by the Heavenly Dao and could use his magical artifacts and full spiritual power. The Dan Que Tribe would naturally regard him as a “great enemy,” guarding against him at every turn, not only fearing his sudden attack to kill Young Lord Dan Zhu but also wary of him harming the Dan Que Tribe’s shaman. And deep down, Lu Gu did indeed harbor murderous intent.

As soon as they left the Wu Sha Mountain Realm, almost instantly, he considered whether to act and try to kill that fair-skinned, innocent-looking young “Wu Xiansheng.” Lu Gu had considered this thought several times. But along the way, he was always stopped by Chi Feng. This Chi Feng, just like now, stood there with condensed vital energy, staring fixedly at him. Like a “loyal dog,” he guarded that “Wu Xiansheng,” fearing that he, the Shu Gu general, might suddenly attack.

Chi Feng was at the Golden Core mid-stage, while he was at the Golden Core late-stage. In a direct confrontation, he could naturally defeat Chi Feng. But Chi Feng was also a barbarian general of the Dan Que Tribe, having experienced hundreds of battles, his aura as strong as cast bronze and iron, making him an extremely difficult opponent. Even to win against him, it would take hundreds of rounds. To kill him would be even harder. And to bypass this “iron wall” and forcibly kill that young shaman would be exceedingly difficult. Moreover, Lu Gu hadn’t forgotten that the so-called young shaman was very likely a malevolent demon disguised as a harmless youth. No one knew what would happen if its outer skin was truly torn off in public. Therefore, caution was still necessary. He needed to find a good opportunity.

Lu Gu gradually suppressed his murderous intent and averted his gaze, no longer looking at Chi Feng, thereby indicating his peaceful intentions and lack of other thoughts.

Chi Feng’s face was grim, he said nothing, but he guarded Mo Hua even more closely. Dan Zhu was the hope of the Dan Que Tribe. And the shaman adult was the hope of Young Lord Dan Zhu. No mishap could be allowed.

After everyone deliberated and discussed, they set off for Dan Que Mountain, where the Dan Que headquarters was located. Along the way, Mo Hua was the one guiding them. He was the only one who truly understood the extent of the famine’s spread. Although the land before them was barren and the vegetation withered, everyone could see the “surface” of the famine. But deeper down, that famine energy containing the power of the *Can Tie*, like the vital energy of some law, was obscure and not visible to the flesh-and-blood eye. If one couldn’t see the famine energy, it was easy to inhale it into the abdomen, or even into the brain. Once the *Tao Tie* power entered the brain, people would also become monsters that ate everything—dirt, plants, flesh and blood.

Along the way, Mo Hua had already seen several living examples. These people, like “zombies,” wandered through the famine-stricken areas, eating rotting flesh. When there was no flesh to eat, they gnawed on withered trees or lay on the ground eating dirt, having lost all semblance of humanity. These were the ones who could still move. More barbarian cultivators had died in the famine, their flesh gnawed away, then wind-dried, like “mummies.” Such “mummies” were everywhere, almost every few *li* they walked, they would see a large pile. They lay dead on the ground, decaying with the earth, like withered, rotting blades of grass, and like symbols of disaster and death— “array patterns.”

Mo Hua’s pupils gradually narrowed. They continued forward like this, walking for nearly a hundred *li* through the barren land ravaged by famine. The landscape remained devastated, filled with “mummies.” Everyone felt a chill in their hearts. Even the barbarian soldiers of the Shu Gu Tribe were somewhat terrified. They liked bloodshed and had “eaten” people, but they were unaccustomed to this “extinction-like” dead silence and the various eerie mummies.

Just when Mo Hua almost thought that this part of the Wilderness was practically a “dead land,” he finally saw some living people. In an extremely secluded and even isolated valley, a small tribe had survived. And they were the only surviving barbarians within a hundred-*li* radius. The chieftain of this small tribe, only at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage, upon seeing the powerful Lu Gu, the mighty Chi Feng, the valiant Dan Zhu, the divinely handsome Mo Hua, and the vast six thousand barbarian soldiers, was as if he had seen “heavenly king’s soldiers.” He immediately prostrated himself, saying: “This old man greets all the esteemed sirs, may all sirs be well.”

Lu Gu asked him, “Where is this, and what tribe are you?”

The chieftain honestly replied, “This is a small mountain branching off from Zhu Que Mountain, named Xiao Wu Mountain. Our tribe is called Wu Tian Tribe. We have lived by farming for generations, are very poor, have no family wealth, and all our tribesmen are…”

Lu Gu frowned and said, “No need for nonsense.”

The Wu Tian chieftain nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes…”

“Let me ask you,” Lu Gu said in a deep voice, “within this hundred-*li* radius, everyone has died. Why did your tribe survive?”

The Wu Tian chieftain said, “This… this old man is not clear. It must be due to the Lord God’s grace that we were lucky enough to survive.”

These words were clearly a lie. Lu Gu’s gaze turned sharp, and the powerful pressure of a Golden Core late-stage cultivator emanated. The chieftain was startled, knelt on the ground trembling, filled with fear.

Mo Hua then spoke, “Lord Lu Gu…”

Lu Gu glanced at Mo Hua, said nothing, but still reined in his imposing aura. The Wu Tian chieftain felt a little better. Mo Hua then slowly said, “Tell the truth, how did you survive. We will not make things difficult for you.”

The Wu Tian chieftain looked up and saw Mo Hua’s gentle and compassionate gaze, his face fair and translucent, like a celestial being. Although he didn’t know his identity, just one glance made him feel his soul was redeemed. “Yes, yes—” the Wu Tian chieftain nodded repeatedly, but then he looked troubled. “This… esteemed person, this old man truly didn’t lie. Our Wu Tian Tribe is poor and humble, we have lived in this valley for generations, relying only on growing some millet for survival. We neither go out nor dare to let outsiders in.”

“Who knew that at some unknown time, the outside world suddenly changed. Everyone starved to death, and we dared not go out, only staying here, barely surviving…”

Mo Hua looked at the chieftain’s aged and fearful eyes, confirmed that he hadn’t lied, and nodded. “I understand. Rest assured, we will not kill you.”

The Wu Tian chieftain breathed a deep sigh of relief and prostrated himself, “Thank you—all esteemed sirs.”

“You may go,” Mo Hua said.

The Wu Tian chieftain was as if granted a great pardon and said, “Yes.”

After the chieftain left, Mo Hua had everyone encamp outside the valley, to rest and reorganize temporarily. But he set a rule: no invading or killing the members of the small tribe. Dan Zhu and the others nodded in agreement; they had gradually become accustomed to this “not harming a single hair” approach. But Lu Gu and the Shu Gu Tribe under him were somewhat displeased. An insignificant small tribe could be annihilated with a flick of the hand; useful things could be seized, useless things burned. Why be so politely accommodating? But they were allies, and it was clear that Mo Hua, the shaman, was in charge, so they couldn’t disobey Mo Hua’s words.

After settling down for the time being, Mo Hua, under Chi Feng’s protection, went to the highest cliff in the valley to observe the spread of the famine. The view here was the best, and he could see far into the landscape. Mo Hua’s gaze was deep, silently watching everything, his spiritual sense flowing, and his computational power operating. Chi Feng silently stood guard by his side, not daring to disturb Mo Hua.

After an unknown period, Mo Hua’s divine sense felt faintly overextended, and only then did he stop his calculations. At the same time, he took a deep breath, a trace of helpless bitterness on his face. He understood why this small place had not been swallowed by the famine and had survived.

Firstly, because the Wu Tian Tribe lived by farming. Here in the Great Wilderness, the soil was dry and barren, unable to grow anything good. But any place where *li su* could be planted meant that there was a relatively dense concentration of “earth qi.” Such places with dense earth qi could naturally, to some extent, curb the spread of the famine.

Another point was that the spread of the famine had a “pattern.” Mo Hua had previously thought that the famine spread “randomly,” aimlessly, wherever it spread. Now that Mo Hua had delved into the Three-Grade Zhu Que Mountain Realm and combined it with his previous research on the power of *Yu Tie*, he gradually realized that the spread of the famine was not “random.” If the famine in the Great Wilderness was truly caused by some array containing the *Tie* law, then the spread of the famine likely followed the rules of the array. It was constantly expanding according to the array’s trajectory. The essence of its spread was to “draw” an array on the land of the Great Wilderness. The process of the famine’s spread was the continuous “formation” of this *Can Tie* array, which symbolized “disaster.”

This was truly a massive array constructed with the “earth” as its medium. It was not his simple “drawing a circle on the ground to form an array.” And the scale of this array might well be beyond imagination. Mo Hua sighed, his mood somewhat solemn: “The Great Famine Array, huh?”

The next day, at first light, Mo Hua had everyone set off. He knew in his heart that the current situation was already running out of time; they had to quickly gather with the Dan Que headquarters, then combine everyone’s strength to plan the next steps. Before entering the Zhu Que Mountain Realm, Mo Hua had initially thought that under the famine, wars would be frequent, and tribal conflicts would intensify. The Zhu Que Mountain Realm should have been a “tribal hegemonic struggle” scenario. However, it was nothing like that. Now, let alone “struggle,” finding a way to keep everyone from “dying” might already be as difficult as ascending to heaven. This was… the Great Famine Array. And it was a great array imbued with the “*Can Tie* power.”

Mo Hua’s heart was incredibly heavy. Once this array was formed, its terror might truly be unimaginable. This Great Famine Array had not truly formed yet; otherwise, the situation in the Great Wilderness would definitely not be as it was now. Its severity would certainly be hundreds or thousands of times worse than it was currently. And who had the ability to construct such a great array? Mo Hua instinctively thought of one person. A dark, blurry, eerie figure slowly appeared in Mo Hua’s mind.

Mo Hua sighed deeply. “Indeed, from beginning to end, it was Shibo…”