As the famine spread, chaos ensued, and people’s hearts became like mud.

Even Mo Hua, using the Heavenly Secret Divination, found the situation difficult to discern.

The failure of the attempted enlightenment of the Shugu Tribe also left Mo Hua a little disheartened.

If only they could unite and help each other, they would live better lives, or at least survive the disaster and not die of starvation.

But there would always be “clever people” whose greed led them to sow discord, seize private gains, and corrupt the atmosphere, causing the situation to deteriorate step by step. Eventually, morality would be abandoned, people’s hearts would be clouded, and everyone would head towards destruction together.

This perfectly echoed the saying: Those who are meant to die will die.

Humans are like this, tribes are like this, and even any force in the world, generally, rises from decline to prosperity, then declines from prosperity, and ultimately, without exception, all head towards destruction.

Mo Hua looked at the Shugu Tribe before him, sighing with such emotion.

He and Dan Zhu had gone on a campaign, eaten a few “barbarian gods” (Manshen), and strengthened their divine sense, which took only a few months.

The territory of the Shugu Tribe under his rule had unknowingly “deteriorated.”

Mo Hua wanted them to be “equal,” with every barbarian cultivator (Manxiu) having equal status.

But there were still some who wanted to be chieftains, began to gather influence, secretly usurped power, and wanted to become “superiors” through force, lording over their tribesmen to satisfy their lust for power.

Mo Hua wanted them to have “equal resources,” with every Manxiu having roughly the same cultivation resources.

But many still wanted to snatch others’ possessions and resources, leading to unequal distribution of spoils and even larger-scale internal strife.

He wanted them to have “gender equality,” with monogamy, no bullying or forced occupation of women, and no concubine groups.

But men still wanted to forcefully take or abduct beautiful women, even if they already had spouses.

And some women were willing to become concubines of powerful men. Even though the so-called “concubine” was actually synonymous with a slave or maid, a tool for venting, beaten and cursed with no human rights whatsoever, they still endured it willingly, even taking pride in it.

Mo Hua wanted them to accept enlightenment, to be united and harmonious, to regard the tribe’s interests as their own, to pursue long-term benefits, and to value the tribe’s continuity.

But all of this became “nonsense.”

No barbarian (Manzu) listened.

Instead, what remained was shortsightedness, selfishness, indulgence, greed, and various forms of ugliness and depravity.

For a moment, Mo Hua couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of disappointment.

Even more disappointed than Mo Hua was Dan Zhu.

Many principles, such as “equality for all” and “unity,” were taught to him by Mo Hua, but it was Dan Zhu who implemented them.

He was kind-hearted, and this was his first attempt in his life to “reform” a tribe, wanting everyone to live better lives.

But he failed.

He failed so naturally, so completely.

In the face of reality, many kind ideas were merely naive “fantasies,” shattering instantly upon encountering the barrier of reality.

Dan Zhu’s confidence seemed to crack, and he fell into deep despondency and self-doubt.

He didn’t think Mo Hua’s teachings were wrong; rather, he was more disheartened by his own inadequacy and for letting down the guidance of “Wu Xiansheng” (Shaman Mister).

The road ahead was unclear, and he didn’t know what to do. It seemed that nothing he did would work, and everything he did would only turn out like this.

Mo Hua saw the pain in Dan Zhu’s heart, sighed slowly, and said gently:

“Don’t take it to heart. In this world, nothing is simple when you actually do it.”

“If you fail this time, learn from the experience, and try again next time.”

“What if…we still fail next time?” Dan Zhu asked, looking pale at Mo Hua.

He was clearly a Jin Dan (Core Formation) stage cultivator, but at this moment, looking at Mo Hua, who was only at Zhu Ji (Foundation Establishment) stage, his eyes were full of confusion, and his heart was tormented.

Mo Hua slowly said, “It’s the same. If you fail next time, just keep doing it.”

Dan Zhu was somewhat stunned.

Mo Hua said, “The true path to success is forged by countless failures.”

“Many geniuses, with great ambitions, want to achieve great things, but as soon as they encounter failure, they retreat, dare not move forward, and fear further setbacks.”

“Such people, no matter how high their talent or how strong their abilities, will ultimately only waste their lives and achieve little.”

“On the road to success, there are mostly failures.”

“And each failure will form a step. Only by stepping on this step can you become stronger and reach higher, step by step.”

“Those who achieve the Great Dao (Dadao) not only possess extraordinary talent but also an indomitable will and an unyielding spirit…”

Mo Hua looked at Dan Zhu, his eyes black and white:

“You must remember, what you want to do is a great thing! A great thing that your brother, your father, your ancestors, and even the entire Wilderness (Huang), countless heroes, could not achieve.”

“How can such a thing be simple? Encountering any number of difficulties, setbacks, and failures is not surprising.”

“Do not fear failure, do not care about failure.”

“You must step on these failures to achieve ultimate success and prove your Dao…”

Mo Hua’s voice was steady, not grand, but it contained a power that stirred emotions and even made the blood boil.

Dan Zhu felt an endless surge of strength in his chest, as if all the difficulties and obstacles in this world could not stop his grand aspirations.

Bashan and Bachuan, nearby, changed color upon hearing this.

Even Chifeng looked at Mo Hua with an indescribable shock.

These words could absolutely not be spoken by ordinary people. Who exactly was this Wu Xiansheng…?

Dan Zhu pondered for a moment, silently digesting Mo Hua’s words, then bowed deeply to Mo Hua.

This bow, in the Great Wilderness (Dahuang), was a standard “student’s bow.”

“Dan Zhu will remember Xiansheng’s teachings.”

Mo Hua accepted Dan Zhu’s bow with a gentle gaze.

But in his heart, he was not entirely calm.

He was saying these words to Dan Zhu, and also to himself.

Those who achieve the Great Dao not only possess extraordinary talent but also an indomitable will and an unyielding spirit…

Temporary failures and setbacks were nothing.

All failures would forge him into a staircase to ascend the Great Dao.

Mo Hua’s gaze was steady and firm.

In the days that followed, the situation for Dan Zhu and his group became even more severe.

The core issue was the famine.

The famine devastated the land, plunging all affected Manxiu into extreme hunger, making it difficult for all small and medium tribes to survive.

The Great Wilderness was plunged into widespread chaos.

Furthermore, with the rebellion of the occupied Shugu Tribe and incessant internal strife, the surrounding area was no longer a safe haven.

They had to move.

But where to settle became another problem.

After all, the famine was spreading, and no one knew which direction of the Wilderness was safe. If they were surrounded by the famine, the forces Dan Zhu had painstakingly gathered would face annihilation.

Even if they escaped the famine, they would be embroiled in conflicts with other tribes, leading to meaningless attrition.

These were not outcomes Mo Hua wanted to see.

Therefore, after discussing for most of the day, they could only come to one conclusion:

Return to the Danque Tribe.

Given the sudden change in circumstances, the chaotic situation, and the uncertain future, returning to the main Danque Tribe was the best option.

Even Mo Hua had to admit this.

Back at the main Danque Tribe, protected by a large tribal force, they would at least be safer.

Settle down first, then plan for development.

Besides, he indeed needed a quiet place to study the mysterious “Taotie Juezhen” (Taotie Absolute Formation) with its twenty-three patterns.

The Taotie Juezhen was certainly not easy to learn.

Currently, there was widespread fighting and great danger, and he still had many things to worry about, including divining Dan Zhu’s fortune.

He couldn’t find a quiet moment to focus on comprehending this ancient Taotie Juezhen.

Therefore, returning to the main Danque Tribe was imperative.

Even if it meant temporarily abandoning his plan to “abduct” Dan Zhu, achieve success, and plan for development.

But circumstances forced his hand; there was no other choice.

Mo Hua agreed.

Dan Zhu had no objections; he always listened to Mo Hua.

Chifeng breathed a sigh of relief. He had long wanted to persuade Dan Zhu to return to the main tribe.

As the talented young master of the Danque Tribe, it was not safe to be outside.

Bashan and Bachuan would certainly not object.

But to their surprise, the strongest opposition came from Tie Shugu.

He seemed as if the sky had fallen, exclaiming in shock:

“Wu Zhu Daren (Shaman Master), how can you retreat? You should continue to attack the Shugu Tribe! Continue to occupy the altar! Continue to… continue… How could you suddenly… give up halfway?”

If you don’t attack the Shugu Tribe, how can I set you up to die?

How can the true Manshen Daren kill you?

How can I prove my loyalty to Manshen Daren?

Tie Shugu was in a hurry, he was dying of anxiety.

Mo Hua’s expression was somewhat subtle.

Dan Zhu and the others also had strange looks on their faces, wondering what had gotten into Tie Shugu.

Had he forgotten that he was the leader of the Shugu Tribe?

Why was he anxious about not attacking the Shugu Tribe?

Could this person be a natural “traitor” with a rebellious spirit?

Mo Hua sighed, feeling a bit helpless.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to continue attacking the Shugu Tribe or “eating” Manshen, but the situation didn’t allow it.

Moreover, he had temporarily “eaten” up to twenty-three patterns and needed to consolidate.

Twenty-four patterns would certainly not happen overnight.

After all, the gap between twenty-three patterns and twenty-four patterns was the divine sense threshold from the early Jin Dan stage to the middle Jin Dan stage.

Early Jin Dan and middle Jin Dan were not the same concept at all.

This was no longer just about one pattern.

To truly reach twenty-four patterns, it would probably take more time to refine.

At least, he needed to do his homework in advance, thoroughly comprehend the principles of the Taotie Juezhen, and familiarize himself with it.

Even the “bone carving” (Guke) method needed to be considered in advance.

The bone shaping techniques of wood, white, gold, and jade also needed to be prepared.

The drawback of vitality loss after bone carving also needed a solution.

After all, his core formation was too complex, too unconventional, and too difficult.

Preparation ensures success, lack of preparation leads to failure.

By preparing everything that could be prepared in advance, once his divine sense broke through to twenty-four patterns, he could advance towards the Jin Dan stage more quickly.

“Eating” Manshen was not the most urgent matter at the moment.

This decision could not be changed.

Tie Shugu’s face showed obvious pain.

Mo Hua not following him to eat Manshen was truly agonizing for him.

But he also had no power to force this “demon shaman” (Yaomo Wuzhu) in human skin to obey his commands.

Tie Shugu’s face was dejected, as if life was worse than death, feeling that all hope was lost.

Afterward, Dan Zhu made a brief reorganization, and the group left the Shugu Tribe’s territory, following the guidance of Mo Hua, the Wuzhu, avoiding the famine-stricken areas, and heading towards the main Zhuque Tribe in the east.

When they came, there were over a hundred barbarian soldiers (Manbing).

Now, returning, there were as many as five or six hundred people.

Among them, the surviving Danque Tribe Manbing were less than a hundred.

The rest were partly ordinary Manxiu rescued from the Danque Tribe.

Another part consisted of barbarian slaves (Mannu) who had submitted to Dan Zhu.

And nearly one hundred and fifty people were former Shugu Tribe Manbing.

They followed Dan Zhu, fighting in various campaigns, and were impressed by Dan Zhu’s heroism and wisdom, considering it a great honor to charge into battle under such a young master, thus abandoning their identity as “Shugu” Tribe Manbing.

Of course, Tie Shugu also played a “role model” here.

Even a Jin Dan-stage leader of a Shugu nomadic tribe could pledge allegiance to Young Master Dan Zhu, charging at the forefront and working diligently.

What did these ordinary Shugu Manbing care about?

Of course, they didn’t know that they had misunderstood Tie Shugu, nor did they understand Tie Shugu’s fanatical “loyalty.”

Tie Shugu felt bitter but couldn’t express it.

The group thus left the Shugu Tribe’s encampment.

Before leaving, Mo Hua looked back.

Famine and war were spreading.

Those he wanted to save but couldn’t, those he wanted to give an equal future to, but who were consumed by selfish desires, fighting endlessly for power, wealth, and women—these various Shugu tribes were one by one contaminated by the famine qi, beginning to “eat” people, and ultimately falling into deeper madness, heading towards destruction…

Some deaths were inevitable.

You couldn’t save everyone you wanted to save.

Mo Hua looked at the horrific scene of cannibalism before him, his sense of disappointment gradually fading, and his eyes becoming dark and calm.

And mixed with this calm was a hint of indifference.

A respect for and indifference to the fate of certain beings.

Mo Hua turned his head, leaving all this behind, and walked forward.

The road ahead was still difficult.

The extent of the famine’s spread was greater than Mo Hua had imagined, and the scope of the Great Wilderness’s unrest was wider than he had anticipated.

The large group marched towards the main Danque Tribe, inevitably encountering various dangers and many unexpected events along the way.

There were treacherous mountain ranges and miasma, with famine qi mixed in the miasma.

There were hordes of crazed, flesh-eating demonic beasts (Yaoshou).

There were Manxiu who were driven mad by hunger, losing their minds, like zombies.

There were bloody evil cultivators (Xiexiu) whose entire tribes had become puppets of “evil gods” (Xieshen).

And there were also main forces of large tribes that took the opportunity to wage war, seeking to expand their influence and plunder slaves.

Among these large tribal forces, some were wary of the Danque Tribe and dared not offend Dan Zhu; some, seeing that Dan Zhu’s forces were not weak, dared not act rashly; others gave Dan Zhu face, and they coexisted peacefully.

But such “sensible” ones were, after all, a minority.

In this chaotic situation, more often than not, upon seeing Dan Zhu, they would be filled with murderous intent, wanting to stifle this once-in-a-millennium genius before he rose to prominence.

Thus, Dan Zhu encountered various pursuits and assassinations along the way, making the journey extremely perilous.

Every day before setting off, Mo Hua would perform a divination to assess Dan Zhu’s fortune.

There were hardly any days with “auspicious” (ji) signs; most were “neutral” (pinggua), “minor ill omen” (xiaoxiong), “medium ill omen” (zhongxiong), and so on.

But even so, they still had to move forward.

Mo Hua could only decide the route based on the卦象 (gua xiang), allowing Dan Zhu to avoid misfortune and seek good fortune, trying to preserve Dan Zhu’s life.

Occasionally, encountering a few “major ill omen” (daxiong) gua xiang, Mo Hua even had everyone set up camp on the spot until the gua xiang turned from bad to good, or at least to “minor ill omen,” before continuing their journey.

Therefore, along the way, Mo Hua invisibly helped Dan Zhu avoid many risks.

Although Dan Zhu didn’t fully understand, he vaguely sensed that “Wu Xiansheng” was painstakingly working for his safety, and he was deeply moved.

The barbarian general (Manjiang) Chifeng was also deeply impressed by Wu Zhu Daren’s “divine foresight.”

But Mo Hua’s “divination” encountered a problem a few days later.

No matter how he divined, the gua xiang always showed “major ill omen.” For three consecutive days, it was the same, the ominous sign did not recede.

This meant that if they continued to move forward, Dan Zhu would face an extremely severe life-or-death crisis.

Mo Hua frowned, feeling puzzled, and asked Chifeng to protect him as they went ahead to investigate.

They walked for half a day without much trouble until they arrived at a valley.

Mo Hua found it strange, so he asked Chifeng to stay put, while he himself, in disguise, walked a little deeper.

Crossing the desolate mountain ridges, he looked up and saw amidst the towering mountains, numerous bone-poled banners standing tall. On these banners were black and blue fierce birds:

Bi Fang birds.

They were people from the Bifang Tribe, and there were many of them.

Mo Hua looked around and saw that the entire valley, and many nearby mountains, were filled with Bifang Tribe Manbing.

And these Manbing, wearing Bi Fang barbarian armor of blue feathers and black plumage, were without exception, all elites.

These were the main forces of the “high-ranking officials” of the Bifang Tribe.

Among them, Mo Hua’s divine sense swept across and found no fewer than ten Jin Dan-stage Manjiang.

Mo Hua’s heart tightened.

No wonder…

The main tribe’s Manbing blocked the mountains, and Jin Dan Manjiang surrounded them for a kill.

This was indeed a “major ill omen” for Dan Zhu, and possibly even a “certain death” situation.

As soon as Dan Zhu’s force of six hundred people entered the Bifang Tribe’s line of sight, they would be instantly detected.

Large-scale battles between Dao soldiers (Daobing) and Manbing were different from a cultivator’s solo fight.

Without the aid of “concealment” techniques, forces ranging from dozens to hundreds or thousands of soldiers would certainly be detected by each other as soon as they approached.

By that time, it would be too late to run.

Both sides could only charge head-on.

The Bifang main tribe’s Manbing would charge out of the valley, launching an utterly overwhelming massacre against Dan Zhu’s side.

The numerical disparity between the two sides was too great.

Even fleeing was not an option. In such a situation, once they ran, their formation would inevitably break, exposing their backs to the enemy, and more would die in the stampede.

Even if Dan Zhu could eventually escape, the Manbing who had submitted to him and fought alongside him would undoubtedly be annihilated.

Mo Hua frowned.

The Bifang main tribe blocking here, sealing all mountain paths, was definitely trying to “intercept and kill” Dan Zhu.

And the Bifang Tribe could even deploy its main forces, making a grand show of surrounding and killing the young master of another third-rank tribe.

This likely also meant that the Great Wilderness here was truly about to become “chaotic.”

With the famine as an instigator, the curtain on a larger-scale “tribal war” might be about to be drawn…