The back of the human-faced, goat-horned, white-boned evil god statue, which Mr. Tu worshiped as a symbol of the Great Wilderness Evil God, concealed the Twelve Meridian Taotie Spirit Skeleton Array.

The half “evilized” barbarian god statue, worshiped by the Art Bone Department, also had Taotie array patterns carved into the seams of its head.

Taotie!

Mo Hua’s heart was momentarily engulfed by a tempest.

Dan Zhu, standing beside him, saw Mo Hua, without a word, jump onto the barbarian god statue’s head, looking perplexed. “Sir, what are you…”

Mo Hua didn’t mince words and said directly, “Call people to chop off this barbarian god statue’s head.”

Dan Zhu’s heart trembled. “Chop off its head?! This is a barbarian god…”

Mo Hua shook his head. “It’s not a barbarian god, but a demon that, under the guise of a ‘barbarian god,’ defies the Divine Lord. Its head must be chopped off as a warning.”

“This…” Dan Zhu hesitated. “Alright.”

Dan Zhu summoned a few barbarian soldiers, but before they could act, a frantic cry rang out: “No!”

Dan Zhu turned around and saw Tie Shugu, who had washed off his white bone facial makeup and had previously been very docile, now trembling with terror:

“No! You must not disrespect the Great Barbarian God! Once you anger the Great Barbarian God, retribution will come!”

Mo Hua said, “Your Great Barbarian God is already dead.”

Tie Shugu shook his head. “The Great Barbarian God is immortal and indestructible.”

Mo Hua found it impossible to explain to such a “stubborn blockhead” and simply said, “Ignore him, chop it.”

Tie Shugu, intimidated by Mo Hua’s aura, dared not obstruct him and could only feel anxious and annoyed.

However, the other Dan Que Department barbarian soldiers, seeing that they were to dismantle the barbarian god statue and saw off the Great Barbarian God’s head, also showed fear and dared not step forward.

They believed in the Great Shaman, but to dismember the Great Barbarian God for this purpose seemed a bit “too audacious.”

Seeing this, Dan Zhu said, “I’ll do it.”

He was chosen by the “Divine Lord” and trusted Shaman Mo more than anyone.

Seeing Young Master Dan Zhu personally take action, the other barbarian soldiers no longer hesitated and stepped forward to help.

Although they still feared the barbarian god, this was the “Great Shaman’s” command, and with the Great Shaman’s blessing, they should not incur divine wrath.

Moreover, if the Young Master could put himself in danger, how could ordinary barbarian soldiers shrink back?

Dan Zhu activated his Golden Core power, forming a crimson Xuanyuan Fire Blade, and directly severed the barbarian god statue’s head.

The other dozen or so barbarian soldiers caught the severed barbarian god’s head and jointly placed it on the ground.

Mo Hua first glanced at the severed neck of the barbarian god statue, saw that there were no Taotie patterns below the neck, then nodded, jumped down from the statue, and stood before the massive white-boned barbarian god’s head.

Tie Shugu’s pupils contracted at this sight.

In his “dream,” the powerful “Golden Boy” also cut off the barbarian god’s head and stood on the statue, just as Mo Hua was doing now.

What was happening now was eight or nine tenths similar to what he had seen in his “dream.”

Even this “Great Shaman’s” face looked similar to that “Golden Boy’s.”

Tie Shugu’s emotions surged for a moment.

Mo Hua, however, ignored him and unleashed his spiritual sense to perceive the mysteries within the massive barbarian god’s head.

But his spiritual sense couldn’t penetrate it.

The head of the giant barbarian god statue seemed to be a “sealed” space, blocking all prying.

All spiritual sense, once it approached, was completely “devoured.”

Mo Hua frowned.

He then used his hand to touch the Taotie patterns inside the crack, pondered for a moment, then took out his array pen and, following the array pattern’s path, sketched some ink lines on the barbarian god’s head.

After sketching, Mo Hua turned to Dan Zhu and said,

“Follow these lines and ‘trepan’ this god statue for me.”

“Trepan?” Dan Zhu’s face changed slightly.

Tie Shugu was even more terrified. “Great Shaman!”

Mo Hua didn’t explain much, just said, “Open it.”

Dan Zhu nodded.

Anyway, he had already cut off its head, so trepanning it didn’t matter anymore.

Tie Shugu wanted to stop them, but he was no match for Dan Zhu and was even more afraid of angering Mo Hua and bringing disaster, so he could only watch helplessly.

The stone material used for this barbarian god statue was tough, and it was also inlaid with various sturdy demonic beast bones, making it extremely difficult to damage.

Moreover, it symbolized a “deity,” and since its construction, no one had dared to profane it in the slightest.

But it had the misfortune of encountering Mo Hua.

And Dan Zhu, a Golden Core stage genius who was utterly obedient to Mo Hua.

Dan Zhu activated his Golden Core power, forming a crystallized Xuanyuan Fire Blade, and performed “precision cutting” along the ink lines drawn by Mo Hua.

The vermillion Golden Core power, like a fiery knife, gradually sliced open the giant barbarian god’s head along the ink lines.

About half an hour later, with a rumble, the barbarian god’s head split open directly.

As the barbarian god’s head shattered, an ancient and stale aura instantly filled the hall.

Tie Shugu felt his liver and guts shatter, and a deep chill surged within him.

“The Great Barbarian God was actually beheaded and ‘trepanned’.”

“Divine retribution is coming…”

Tie Shugu panicked, quickly looked up, glanced left and right, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

But he saw nothing and had no idea what the so-called “divine retribution” was.

Dan Zhu also sensed an unusual aura, his expression grave.

Even Mo Hua frowned deeply.

“What is the origin of this aura…”

Mo Hua sniffed, distinguished for a moment, and felt some doubt in his heart:

“There truly is a slight scent of ‘god,’ and some putrid smell, as well as an indescribable karmic aura… Unfortunately, too much time has passed, making it almost impossible to trace its origin…”

As the barbarian god’s head was broken open, these auras, once exposed to the air, dissipated completely within a few breaths.

Mo Hua felt it was a pity, but he couldn’t retain such ancient karma.

Then Mo Hua lowered his head, looking at the array patterns inside the barbarian god’s head, and his eyes gradually lit up with excitement.

Indeed, they were Taotie patterns!

And they were clearer and more distinct than the Taotie patterns on the evil god bone slips.

Because the ones on the bone slips were the original drawings.

The ones before him were “current drawings,” actual array diagrams in practical application.

Although Mo Hua didn’t know what practical use the Taotie patterns within the barbarian god statue’s head had.

But these array patterns were extremely valuable “examples” of array formations.

Mo Hua immediately took out a jade slip and, impatiently, began to transcribe the Taotie array patterns within the barbarian god’s head.

Ancient and solemn patterns were recorded by Mo Hua in the jade slip.

After transcribing the array patterns, Mo Hua, without hesitation, immediately began to synthesize and organize them.

He pieced together all the individual Taotie patterns, reassembling them into a complete Taotie array.

This process was not difficult.

Because it was originally a complete array, it had only split open during the trepanning.

He just needed to piece it back together and simply repair the cracked array patterns.

And halfway through the repair, Mo Hua sensed something, and his heart couldn’t help but pound.

After completely restoring this Taotie array, Mo Hua couldn’t help but stare intently, his expression extremely excited.

Twenty-three patterns!

This was actually a second-rank, twenty-three-pattern Taotie ultimate array!

It had been a very long time since he had acquired a new ultimate array.

Not to mention, this was also a Four Symbols Taotie ultimate array.

Mo Hua never expected that the head of the Art Bone barbarian god statue would actually hide such a rare treasure.

If it weren’t for Bi Jie trapping them in this stone hall for so long to surround and kill Dan Zhu, he really might have missed it.

After all, even he himself had never before had the thought of chopping off a barbarian god statue’s head and trepanning it.

Mo Hua looked at this unknown twenty-three-pattern Taotie ultimate array with surprise.

Tie Shugu and the others had no idea what Mo Hua was doing.

They couldn’t even fully understand basic sacred patterns, let alone such profound Four Symbols ultimate arrays.

Mo Hua had acquired the twenty-three-pattern Taotie ultimate array.

Seeing this, they only felt that the Great Shaman seemed to be studying some strange sacred patterns, and he looked very happy.

Only Dan Zhu understood a little bit.

He guessed that Shaman Mo had obtained something extraordinary.

Because Shaman Mo was always graceful and gentle, refreshing like a cool breeze and a bright moon, rarely showing such outward joy and excitement like a child.

But what Mo Hua had obtained, Dan Zhu also did not know.

Mo Hua put away the Taotie patterns, just as he was about to continue his research, when suddenly, violent tremors and the clamor of battle cries came from outside the valley.

“The Bi Fang Department has attacked again?”

Dan Zhu’s expression was grave.

Mo Hua’s face also sank.

The situation was urgent now; if the valley was breached, the barbarian god’s head would not be safe, and his research on the Taotie array would be delayed.

Mo Hua then said to Dan Zhu, “Find a secret room and place this barbarian god’s head inside. No one is allowed to approach it.”

Dan Zhu nodded. “Okay.”

Then Dan Zhu gave his orders.

A dozen barbarian soldiers carried the cracked barbarian god’s head into a nearby secret room.

Mo Hua set up an array in the secret room, made sure it was safe, and then left the stone hall with Dan Zhu.

Outside the stone hall, battle had erupted again.

The Bi Fang Department, along with some small and medium tribes recruited by Bi Jie, began to besiege the Dan Que Department.

Chi Feng was clashing with Bi Jie, two mid-Golden Core cultivators, their fighting causing rocks to roll and vegetation to scatter, their momentum terrifying.

Mo Hua calculated for a moment in his mind, then whispered something into Dan Zhu’s ear.

Mo Hua told him how to lead his troops, which path to take, whom to kill first, whom to kill next, and then how to encircle Bi Jie, forcing him down a specific mountain path.

Dan Zhu memorized Mo Hua’s words one by one, then said,

“Yes, Sir.”

Dan Zhu personally led a team of barbarian soldiers into the forest as Mo Hua instructed.

Before long, Vermillion Bird Xuanyuan Fire lit up in the mountains, and a fierce killing aura surged.

Dan Zhu, following Mo Hua’s instructions, was like a miraculous army descending from the sky, always able to avoid ambushes, feint, attack the weak, and appear and disappear like a ghost. He utterly crushed the ambushing Bi Fang Department and its various tribal lackeys, causing turmoil in the Bi Fang Department’s morale. They saw Dan Zhu as a fierce tiger or wolf and lost heart at the mere mention of his name.

The Bi Fang Department’s morale plummeted after being decimated by Dan Zhu.

After a round of killing, Dan Zhu turned around and converged to attack Bi Jie again.

Bi Jie was furious, gritting his teeth and saying, “Dan Zhu, you little thief, you’re asking for death!”

Bi Jie fought Dan Zhu for several rounds, clearly having the upper hand.

But Chi Feng and Ba Shan were also there. Three Golden Core cultivators from the Dan Que Department ganged up on Bi Jie alone; even Bi Jie was hard-pressed.

The Bi Fang Department had a total of five Golden Core cultivators on this expedition.

Elder Zhuo and Elder Cang had been possessed by evil and died at the hands of the barbarian god.

Elder She specialized in poisons and usually didn’t show his face or engage in direct combat.

The remaining early-Golden Core cultivator had been ambushed and severely wounded in a previous battle due to Mo Hua’s calculations. He was now partially paralyzed and recuperating in the rear.

Bi Jie, all by himself, found it hard to fight against multiple opponents and was ultimately defeated again.

Fortunately, he had attracted enough “lackeies” by paying a hefty price, so even if they retreated temporarily, in the long run, they could still “exhaust” the Dan Que Department to death.

Although the Dan Que Department had won another battle, the situation was becoming somewhat unfavorable.

With this battle over, both sides returned to their respective camps.

Mo Hua also returned to the stone hall.

After briefly giving some instructions to Dan Zhu and the others, Mo Hua went to his own stone room and eagerly continued to study the Taotie array.

No matter how important the matter, it was not as important as array formations.

Moreover, this was a Taotie array, a twenty-three-pattern ultimate array, and it was closely related to his ability to form a Golden Core.

But after studying for a while, Mo Hua found that it was still not working…

He still couldn’t understand these Taotie patterns.

Taotie was a legendary fierce beast, and using Taotie as array patterns to construct an array was inherently an extremely difficult task.

The Taotie array itself was an extremely rare category of array formations. To comprehend it would undoubtedly be full of difficulties.

And on top of the inherent difficulty of the Taotie array, add the complexity of a second-rank, twenty-three-pattern ultimate array.

This compounded difficulty made the Taotie ultimate array’s complexity even more heaven-defying.

Even Mo Hua, racking his brains, was still utterly confused and couldn’t grasp its mysteries.

His current spiritual sense was still only at twenty-two patterns.

His spiritual sense had not yet reached the threshold to comprehend this unknown Taotie ultimate array.

“Is it because it’s too difficult for me to learn, or is it just because my spiritual sense hasn’t reached the threshold for learning this array, which is why I can’t comprehend it?”

Mo Hua frowned.

His spiritual sense was at the peak of twenty-two patterns, just a hair’s breadth from twenty-three patterns.

Coupled with his divine consciousness merging with the Dao, his comprehension and intensity far surpassed others. Logically, this slight difference should not affect his comprehension of the array.

Previously, he could learn some ordinary arrays by slightly exceeding his current level.

But ultimate arrays seemed to be different.

“Is the threshold for ultimate arrays really that strict, not allowing even a slightest difference?”

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

It wasn’t just the problem with the Taotie array…

Besides the array itself, he had many related doubts that he couldn’t quite figure out.

“Could it be that what Bi Jie wanted by attacking the Art Bone Secret Department was this Taotie array?”

Mo Hua was a bit unsure.

It wasn’t that he looked down on Bi Jie.

This Taotie array was extremely difficult for him, the Great Shaman, who had achieved Dao through spiritual sense, was the top scholar of Gan Academy, and possessed a peak twenty-two-pattern divine consciousness, to comprehend.

What would Bi Jie use to learn it?

Even if he were given the Taotie patterns, with his spiritual sense, could he understand them?

If he couldn’t understand them at all, why would he go to such great lengths to get these Taotie patterns?

And…

“What about the Art Bone Department? Do they know the secret in this barbarian god’s head?”

“Why, after so long, has there been no reaction from their main, central, and branch departments when the Bi Fang Department attacked the Art Bone Secret Department?”

“Don’t they know the importance of this secret department? Or are they in internal disarray, preoccupied with their own troubles, and thus no one is bothering with this kind of matter?”

But what made Mo Hua most curious was…

“Who exactly drew this twenty-three-pattern Taotie ultimate array inside the head of the Art Bone barbarian god statue?”

Was it the ancestor of the Art Bone Department?

Or someone else?

This unknown Taotie ultimate array should be different from the Twelve Meridian Taotie Spirit Skeleton Array, but what exactly was its purpose?

Why was this Taotie ultimate array drawn inside the barbarian god statue’s head?

And what could be achieved by drawing it inside the barbarian god statue’s head?

Also…

Mo Hua’s gaze slightly narrowed.

Previously, he had thought that the “residual patterns” on the Art Bone Department’s barbarian armor were used to derive some powerful “sacred patterns.”

The barbarian god’s head contained Taotie patterns.

Does that mean these residual patterns were used to derive “Taotie patterns”?

But what kind of “derivation” method was this?

Ten Thousand Demons Transforming into Dragons, Mo Hua had studied it and achieved a certain level of mastery, and he roughly knew some of its trajectories.

But Ten Thousand Demons Transforming into Taotie?

Why couldn’t he “derive” anything before?

Was the method wrong, or were there certain laws he hadn’t comprehended, which was why he couldn’t figure it out?

Furthermore, if these “residual patterns” were used to derive “Taotie patterns,” that would mean the Art Bone Department had already successfully “derived” them. Why wouldn’t they just use the “Taotie” patterns directly? Why go to the extra trouble of continuing research on barbarian armor?

What was the relationship between these “residual patterns” and “Taotie”?

And what exactly was the Art Bone Department researching?

These things were intertwined, leading to countless threads of thought.

As Mo Hua thought, his head began to ache.

And the more he thought, the more problems and doubts he found, with a veil of mist covering everything.

Mo Hua’s expression was grave.

“I need to think this through carefully when I have time… I must figure out all the problems within this.”

He could feel that there should be a great secret hidden within, possibly related to his Golden Core formation, no, not just Golden Core formation, but even his destiny and his future Dao path.

Of course, the current situation did not allow Mo Hua to spend too much effort on this.

The crisis from the Bi Fang Department had not yet been resolved.

Bi Jie was still eyeing them like a tiger.

Bi Jie was a mid-Golden Core cultivator, of high status and strong power, not to be underestimated.

Moreover, if he truly wanted to contend with him for the “Taotie array,” it would only be more troublesome…

In the following days, Bi Jie indeed remained persistent, constantly harassing them, and battles continued without cease.

Mo Hua had to consider whether to concentrate all his efforts in one battle, set a trap to ensnare Bi Jie, and then “forcibly kill” him.

He needed to eliminate Bi Jie, then lead Dan Zhu and the others to a safe place, only then could he feel at ease and continue pondering the Taotie array.

Even if he couldn’t kill him, he had to severely injure him and teach him a lasting lesson.

But Bi Jie was not a minor character; to kill him so forcibly would inevitably result in heavy casualties for the Dan Que Department.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Chi Feng, Ba Shan, or Ba Chuan died in Bi Jie’s counterattack.

His current Karma Art was still in the exploratory stage, and its influence on warfare was limited to a certain degree of “prescience.”

He couldn’t yet eradicate all of Bi Jie’s vitality, making him completely dead in terms of karma.

After all, Bi Jie was a mid-Golden Core cultivator.

Controlling karma across a major realm was very difficult and prone to many variables.

He couldn’t commit murder right now; otherwise, one mistake would send him to meet his Martial Uncle.

But Bi Jie had to be dealt with…

Mo Hua was somewhat conflicted.

Just as he was considering whether to launch a decisive battle and fight Bi Jie to the death to resolve the current predicament, another unexpected event occurred.

And this event led to a bizarre change in the situation.

On this day, Mo Hua was in his secret room, deducing karma and planning strategies for war, when he suddenly heard Dan Zhu calling him from outside:

“Sir!”

Mo Hua walked out and saw Dan Zhu with a grave expression. “Something has happened.”

“What is it?” Mo Hua frowned.

Dan Zhu didn’t know how to describe it, so he led Mo Hua out of the stone hall to a towering cliff.

Mo Hua looked out, and his pupils instantly contracted.

He saw that in the distance, the previously somewhat dense vegetation had almost entirely withered overnight.

Demonic beasts lay on the ground in the mountains, starved to death, their bodies nothing but skin and bones.

A desolate aura, half yellow and half red, spread from afar. Wherever it reached, blood qi withered, vitality faded, and the earth became still and lifeless.

“This is…”

Mo Hua’s pupils trembled slightly.

“The Famine Disaster has arrived…”