Beyond the sand waterfall was a hidden world.

This was a naturally formed, perilous terrain, containing a vast, stable expanse of hills. On these reddish-brown hills, a large tribal stronghold had been built, glowing with firelight and adorned with banners depicting crimson Danque birds soaring.

This must also be a secret stronghold of the Danque Tribe.

And, judging by the sandstone landscape and architectural style, it was a rather ancient secret stronghold.

Chi Yan led Mo Hua and Dan Zhu, along with their entourage, into the tribe.

Along the way, many Danque Tribe barbarians, seeing Dan Zhu, were surprised and then delighted, shouting:

“Young Master!”

“It’s Young Master Dan Zhu!”

“Young Master Dan Zhu has returned!”

Dan Zhu enjoyed high prestige within the Danque Tribe and was deeply loved by its people.

Dan Zhu suppressed the unease in his heart, smiled gently, and returned their greetings. His demeanor was refined and elegant, exuding an auspicious aura that commanded affection.

Even Mo Hua inwardly sighed, marveling that Dan Zhu, with his appearance, character, and temperament, truly possessed the bearing of a “leader.”

The high-ranking members of the Danque Tribe might not see it that way.

But among the common barbarians, such wisdom and kindness were deeply ingrained.

Amidst the people’s adulation, Chi Yan led Dan Zhu all the way to the main hall at the highest point, then turned back and said:

“Young Master, the Great Chieftain is waiting for you inside.”

Dan Zhu felt a sudden nervousness, his gaze sharpening slightly. “I’ll go see Father.” Then he couldn’t help but turn to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua said, “I’ll go in with you.”

Dan Zhu felt a little more at ease and nodded.

Chi Feng and the others were stopped outside.

So, Dan Zhu and Mo Hua entered the Danque Great Hall together.

Inside the great hall, the Golden Platform Hall was quite magnificent. Ancient Danque birds soared across the walls, though now bearing the mottled marks of time.

Despite its age, its former grandeur was still evident.

At the center of the elevated platform sat the tall and formidable Great Chieftain of the Danque Tribe, Dan Lie.

But compared to before, his side was no longer surrounded by beautiful concubines, nor filled with the melodious chirping of birds; only cold wine and weapons remained.

He no longer wore the ornate chieftain’s barbarian robe, but a scarlet battle armor, red as blood.

His face had lost its languor, instead bearing the weathered marks of famine and the weariness of prolonged warfare.

Upon seeing Dan Lie, Dan Zhu felt joy mixed with a hint of guilt, and he couldn’t help but murmur, “Father…”

When Great Chieftain Dan Lie saw Dan Zhu, a trace of warmth flickered in his stern eyes.

But after a moment, this warmth was hidden again within his composure.

Dan Lie’s expression gradually became cold, creating a sense of distance. He merely nodded lightly and said, “You’re back?”

Dan Zhu suddenly choked, his chest full of emotions, unsure what to say. He managed, “Yes, Father, I’m back.”

After this sentence, both fell silent, and the great hall descended into a brief quiet.

Father and son, reunited after a long separation, were full of thoughts but suddenly had nothing to say.

Just then, a slightly abrupt voice broke the silence:

“Fourth brother, you’re covered in dust. Please sit and have some food and drink, and rest for a while.”

The speaker, dressed in a light barbarian robe, had hawkish brows and a long face, with sharp, piercing eyes. He was seated to the right of Great Chieftain Dan Lie.

Mo Hua recognized this person as Dan Zhu’s third elder brother, Dan Bie.

The Great Chieftain of the Danque Tribe had a total of four children: the eldest son, the second daughter, the third son Dan Bie, and the fourth—and youngest—son, Dan Zhu.

Dan Lie also waved his hand, “Sit down.”

Dan Zhu cupped his hands and said, “Yes, Father.”

Dan Zhu respectfully took his seat.

Mo Hua, as if there was no one else around, sat beside Dan Zhu.

On the table before him lay food and drink.

Mo Hua, feeling hungry, took a piece of meat, found it too tough to chew, then took a sip of wine, only to discover it was cold.

Mo Hua looked up and surveyed the great hall.

At this moment, the entire hall was quite empty, with only Great Chieftain Dan Lie and Dan Bie inside.

Before he and Dan Zhu entered, the father and son seemed to have been discussing something for a long time; the food and drink had grown cold, and they still hadn’t reached a conclusion.

Most barbarian cultivators were body cultivators, like wild oxen, capable of eating anything. Cold or tough food made no difference to them.

But Mo Hua was different; he had been weak since childhood, his body quite “delicate,” and he couldn’t stomach “raw meat and cold delicacies.” So, after a shallow taste, he politely put them down.

On the other side, Great Chieftain Dan Lie watched Dan Zhu for a long time before slowly asking:

“You… are with the Shugu Tribe?”

Dan Zhu tried to explain, “No…”

Dan Lie asked, “No?”

Dan Zhu paused, thought for a moment, and could only admit, “Yes…”

After all, factually speaking, he was indeed with the Shugu Tribe now.

Dan Lie’s gaze grew colder, even tinged with anger, but he still controlled his temper, his tone tinged with questioning:

“What is your relationship with the Shugu Tribe now? You wouldn’t actually… have surrendered to them, would you?”

Dan Zhu shook his head repeatedly, “No, we… no, I’m just… working with the Shugu Tribe. We both pledge allegiance to the Divine Lord…”

Dan Lie frowned, “Pledge allegiance to the Divine Lord?”

He found this statement as outlandish as a myth.

He knew very well that the Shugu Tribe worshipped the wild gods, and savage and backward ones at that. When did they start worshipping a “Divine Lord”?

“Divine Lord” was an ancient divine name, a common term from antiquity, whose very existence was debatable.

How could the Shugu Tribe suddenly change their faith?

Dan Lie couldn’t help but turn to Mo Hua, “Mr. Wu, is what Dan Zhu said true?”

Mo Hua nodded, “It’s true.”

Dan Lie asked, “The Shugu Tribe previously worshipped… not the Divine Lord, right?”

“No,” Mo Hua said.

Dan Lie asked again, “Now they worship the Divine Lord?”

Mo Hua nodded, “Yes.”

“Why did they come to believe?”

“I made them believe,” Mo Hua said with perfect justification.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie was somewhat speechless and couldn’t help but exchange glances with Dan Bie.

This Mr. Wu, though young, was articulate and eloquent; they all knew that.

But this was simply too far-fetched.

A tribal faith of so many years, changed by a single word from you?

Dan Bie’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Mo Hua and asked, “I hear the Great Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe is now Lu Gu?”

Mo Hua nodded, “Yes.”

Dan Bie asked, “Several years ago, Lu Gu was just a general. How is it that he is now the Great Chieftain?”

Mo Hua said without modesty, “It was I who guided Lu Gu to become the Great Chieftain.”

Dan Bie’s face darkened, and he asked again, “Did the Shugu Tribe achieve unification?”

Mo Hua nodded, “It was I who guided the Shugu Tribe to achieve unification.”

Dan Bie’s eyelids twitched.

He felt that Mo Hua’s audacity was thicker than the Gobi Desert of the Great Wilderness. Of all the brazen people he had met in his life, none could compare.

If he kept boasting like this, he would soon claim to have created the present Shugu Tribe and shaped its civilization.

He would have to be a god to the Shugu Tribe.

Dan Bie clearly didn’t follow Mo Hua’s line of thought but seized on the crux of the matter, saying gloomily:

“So, you are actually… the Wu Zhu of the Shugu Tribe?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then admitted, “You could say that.”

Dan Bie frowned, “What do you mean, ‘you could say that’?”

Mo Hua said, “I act according to the Divine Lord’s will. The Shugu Tribe believes in the Divine Lord, so I am also their Wu Zhu. But ultimately, I am not the Wu Zhu of any tribe in the Great Wilderness, but rather the Wu Zhu of the Divine Lord.”

“A fine ‘Wu Zhu of the Divine Lord,’ speaking such flowery nonsense…” Dan Bie sneered, his gaze suddenly turning cold:

“You weren’t, from the very beginning, an infiltrator sent by the Shugu Tribe, were you? Pretending to infiltrate the Danque Tribe, bewitching my fourth brother with your words, harboring ulterior motives. Your backer… is Lu Gu? Are you acting on Lu Gu’s orders?”

Dan Zhu couldn’t help but look at Mo Hua.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie’s gaze also grew icy.

Mo Hua’s heart slightly stiffened, secretly thinking that Dan Bie, while generally mediocre in other abilities, truly had a knack for inciting trouble and twisting facts with his words.

Mo Hua shook his head and said, “You’ve got it backward.”

Dan Bie frowned, “Backward?”

Mo Hua nodded and said, “I am the Wu Zhu, acting on the Divine Lord’s will. Even if Lu Gu is the Great Chieftain, he must obey the Divine Lord’s commands.”

In other words, it wasn’t that he listened to Lu Gu’s orders.

Rather, Lu Gu had to listen to him, the esteemed Wu Zhu.

Dan Bie was stunned for a moment, then sneered:

“What kind of person is Lu Gu? Do you think I don’t know? He is a late-stage Golden Core general, ruthless in battle, and now he is the esteemed Great Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe, holding absolute power. He would listen to you, a late-stage Foundation Establishment Wu Zhu?”

Dan Bie’s gaze was icy as he stared directly at Mo Hua, “You aren’t, perhaps, unaware of the weight of the words ‘Great Chieftain’? Unaware of the vast difference between late-stage Golden Core and late-stage Foundation Establishment?”

Mo Hua remained outwardly calm, though his gaze held a hint of “summer insects cannot comprehend ice” disdain. He said solemnly:

“I have said it many times: I am the Wu Zhu, the representative of the divine. My strength cannot be measured by cultivation realms.”

Dan Bie’s chest tightened, and his scalp tingled slightly.

He was a master of verbal provocation, and thus detested anyone whose tongue was quicker than his own.

Especially someone like Mo Hua, who could deliver absurd statements with such earnestness and self-assurance.

He was the divine representative, he guided Lu Gu, he unified the Shugu Tribe, and even the mighty late-stage Golden Core Great Chieftain had to obey his late-stage Foundation Establishment words…

These claims flowed effortlessly, as if he knew no shame, nor how to spell “guilt.”

Dan Bie held his breath, and it took him a long time to finally blurt out:

“Don’t lie and deceive even yourself…”

Mo Hua said solemnly, “I never lie. The Divine Lord can bear witness!”

Dan Bie had nothing more to say.

“Enough,” the Great Chieftain, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke slowly. He looked at Mo Hua, “Mr. Wu… I’ll call you that for now…”

“Since you are already the Wu Zhu of the Shugu Tribe, why have you come to my Danque Tribe? Do you intend to meddle in the affairs of my Danque Tribe as well?”

A hint of authority flickered in Dan Lie’s eyes.

Mo Hua shook his head, “I have come this time for an alliance.”

At these words, Dan Bie’s face immediately changed, “Who told you about the alliance?”

Mo Hua paused, feeling a sense of incongruity. After a brief consideration, he immediately understood.

The Danque Tribe was also considering an “alliance.”

However, their “alliance” was different from what he had in mind.

Most likely, the Danque Tribe wanted to ally with other third-grade major tribes in the surrounding area. As for the purpose of the alliance… Mo Hua, in a flash, could roughly deduce:

To counter the Wujiu Tribe.

The Wujiu Tribe was a formidable enemy, possessing the might of royal court forces, and was now sweeping through the Zhuque Mountain Realm, unstoppable.

From the current situation, the Danque Tribe was holding onto a single territory, and Great Chieftain Dan Lie’s weary expression clearly indicated that they had already clashed with the Wujiu Tribe, and the situation was not optimistic, having likely suffered many defeats.

But they certainly wouldn’t sit idly by.

Since a single tribe was no match for the Wujiu Tribe, they could only unite and form an alliance to jointly resist the Wujiu Tribe’s large army.

Mo Hua instantly understood these key points. Before Dan Lie and the others could speak, he immediately said, “The Shugu Tribe can also ally.”

Dan Lie and Dan Bie were both somewhat surprised.

Dan Bie sneered, “This is a matter for chieftains to discuss, not for you to meddle in.”

Mo Hua said, “I’ve already said, I am the Wu Zhu, and I can represent Lu Gu, the Great Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe, to discuss this matter.”

Dan Bie’s sneer intensified.

This young man really thought highly of himself.

Dan Lie glanced at Mo Hua, pondered for a moment, then shook his head, “My Danque Tribe has a grudge with the Shugu Tribe; it’s not possible…”

Mo Hua countered, “Among your tribes, who doesn’t have a grudge with someone else?”

Having spent so long in the Great Wilderness, how could he not know that tribal relations here were like mud mixed with excrement—no one could tell who was who.

Betrayal, infiltration, scheming, murder, adultery, stealing women, stealing men, stealing property…

Which tribe, tracing back three generations, didn’t have some sordid affairs?

It was just that the current generation’s relationship between the Danque Tribe and the Shugu Tribe was colder, and their conflicts more acute.

But now, it was a matter of life and death.

Mo Hua said gravely, “Famine rages, starving bodies litter the land, and the formidable Wujiu Tribe presses down. This is no ordinary year, but a harbinger of tribal annihilation.”

“Only by joining forces to defeat the enemy and survive will you be qualified to talk about the future. Otherwise, both the Danque Tribe and the Shugu Tribe will simply perish together.”

“To endure some tribal enmities and unite, or to mutually despise each other and perish together? Great Chieftain, you should be clear in your heart.”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie looked deeply at Mo Hua, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but slowly asked:

“Can you truly… represent Lu Gu?”

Mo Hua nodded, “I can.”

Dan Lie was still a bit uneasy, “Your promise isn’t enough, and your presence isn’t enough. Lu Gu himself needs to come and talk to me.”

Mo Hua still nodded, “That’s fine.”

Dan Lie inwardly still didn’t quite believe that the notoriously fierce Lu Gu would heed Mo Hua’s advice, but seeing Mo Hua’s assured expression and composed demeanor, he also nodded:

“Good, I can allow you, and Lu Gu, to attend this alliance meeting.”

“Father…” Dan Bie, in a hurry, still wanted to persuade him. But Dan Lie shook his head, “It’s decided. No more discussion.”

Dan Bie had no choice but to swallow his words.

Mo Hua also let out a slight sigh of relief.

No matter what, everyone being able to sit at a table to talk was a good start.

“However…” Dan Lie mused for a moment, looking at Mo Hua, and said, “There’s one more thing, Mr. Wu, you yourself need to be a little careful.”

Mo Hua was slightly stunned, “Me?”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie nodded.

Mo Hua didn’t quite understand, “Careful about what?”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie’s eyes flickered, and he said, “This tribal alliance meeting will have quite a few attendees. Besides the Great Chieftains, Great Elders, and trusted barbarian generals from various tribes, we have also invited two… truly from the royal court…”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie looked at Mo Hua, his gaze somewhat profound, “…Wu Zhu adults.”

Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained expressionless:

“Oh…”