Like a cat smelling fish, Mo Hua’s pores began to subtly tremble. He couldn’t help but murmur in a low voice:

“Divine… Descent…”

Although his voice was soft, Yan Zhu, who had outwardly been “ignoring” Mo Hua but inwardly paying close attention, noticed it.

Mo Hua’s subtle shock and unusual expression also didn’t escape Yan Zhu’s keen perception.

Yan Zhu smirked contemptuously, “What, ‘Lord Wuzhu,’ you don’t know about the Divine Descent?”

Normally, even if Mo Hua didn’t know, he would pretend to save face, as a “Wuzhu’s” dignity couldn’t be lost.

But this time was different.

Mo Hua, like a cat whose soul had been hooked by a fish, couldn’t help but nod, “I don’t know, tell me about it?”

Yan Zhu was taken aback, not expecting Mo Hua to be so straightforward, and then sneered:

“What? Your ‘Divine Master’ didn’t even tell you this? And you still call yourself a Wuzhu?”

Mo Hua didn’t speak, silently enduring Yan Zhu’s mockery.

One should be broad-minded. In the face of important matters, he could tolerate Yan Zhu’s minor “impertinence.”

Seeing Mo Hua remain silent, Yan Zhu didn’t mock him further, so as not to appear petty for a late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Winning one round was enough.

Yan Zhu’s expression was solemn as he slowly and gravely stated:

“The Wu Jiu Tribe is an ancient tribe with a long heritage, belonging to the Third-Rank Great Witch Fengshan Realm. However, in recent centuries, its tribal power has declined, and it has remained obscure.”

“It wasn’t until the previous Great Chieftain, who worked diligently, gave up luxury and pleasure, pouring his heart and soul into reforming the tribal system, raising barbarian soldiers, cultivating witch practitioners, and extensively manufacturing barbarian armor… that it accumulated sufficient foundation.”

“The previous Great Chieftain toiled his entire life, eventually dying from depleted mental energy and vitality.”

“His son succeeded him as Great Chieftain, carrying on his father’s legacy and promoting the development of the Wu Jiu Tribe.”

“And the current Great Chieftain of Wu Jiu has meticulously planned for centuries, overexerting himself to the point of old age.”

“His son then inherited his will, embarking on a distant expedition on behalf of his father, leading the Wu Jiu tribal soldiers to flatten the various mountain realms and unify the wilderness. This is the current Young Master of Wu Jiu…”

This was a grand blueprint spanning three generations, with each generation striving to glorify the tribe.

Even the Great Chieftains and Great Elders present felt a sense of emotion and admiration when they heard it.

It was a pity that the path to the Wu Jiu Tribe’s power would soon be paved with the bones of their own tribes.

This was an almost irreconcilable conflict.

Mo Hua frowned slightly, sensing a problem here.

The rise of the Wu Jiu Tribe was too “rapid”; it couldn’t be explained by mere “toiling” and “diligent governance.”

Barbarian soldiers, witch practitioners, numerous barbarian armor sets, and many demon cavalry were tangible cultivation and combat strengths.

Such a foundation couldn’t be achieved simply through hard work.

The rise of the Wu Jiu Tribe likely had other hidden reasons.

Mo Hua even suspected that the previous Great Chieftain of Wu Jiu had obtained a powerful opportunity, which allowed the Wu Jiu Tribe to develop as swiftly as if divinely aided.

This wasn’t just Mo Hua’s realization; other Great Chieftains of various tribes probably understood this as well.

However, opportunity was only one aspect.

Even with opportunity, if one didn’t strive diligently, it would be useless.

The iron-blooded determination and ambition of the Wu Jiu Tribe also could not be underestimated.

Yan Zhu continued: “But this ‘conquest’ is merely a conquest of territory and military strength. What the Wu Jiu Tribe seeks is ‘permanent’ rule.”

“Therefore, they will most likely invite the deities of the Wu Jiu Tribe to descend upon Zhuque Mountain, and with the power of the deities, suppress the beliefs of the various tribes on Zhuque Mountain.”

Someone frowned, “Are the deities of the Wu Jiu Tribe that powerful?”

Yan Zhu was silent for a moment, then slowly said:

“This matter is a secret within the Royal Court’s divine lineage and cannot be divulged. But the situation is urgent, and if I don’t explain clearly, you may not believe it…”

Yan Zhu paused, then continued to explain: “Ordinary deities naturally don’t have this ability. Even if they did, there would be no medium for them to manifest.”

“But the Wu Jiu Tribe is different. They are an ancient tribe, believing in ancient deities passed down through generations, and are one of the rare ‘monotheistic’ faiths that have never changed. Therefore, the deity of Wu Jiu is exceptionally powerful, known in the divine path as the ‘Great Deity of Wu Jiu’.”

“And Zhuque Mountain is an ancient mountain. According to the mountain records in the Royal Court, deep within Zhuque Mountain lies an ancient divine altar, a place for worshipping ancient ‘deities,’ possessing supreme authority.”

“Once the Great Deity of Wu Jiu descends upon the ancient divine altar and completes the ‘Divine Descent’ ritual, the divine consciousness of all barbarians on Zhuque Mountain will be influenced by it, and everyone’s beliefs may be twisted and reshaped…”

Great Deity of Wu Jiu, Ancient Divine Altar.

Mo Hua was shocked.

The other Great Chieftains and Great Elders also looked shaken.

From the clues they had gathered earlier, they had anticipated that the Wu Jiu Tribe had designs on divine belief, but they never expected the designs to be so vast.

Moreover, the matter of the “Ancient Divine Altar” on Zhuque Mountain was an absolute ancient secret.

Some of the less experienced Great Chieftains present had never even heard of it before.

At least Lu Gu, who had just taken office, knew nothing about it.

Great Chieftain Yan Yi frowned, “How did the Wu Jiu Tribe learn the secret of our Zhuque Mountain’s ancient divine altar?”

Yan Zhu’s gaze narrowed slightly: “The Wu Jiu Tribe also has an ancient Wuzhu heritage. Although it can’t compare to the Royal Court, it’s not impossible for them to cultivate one or two powerful Wuzhu with the strength of their lineage. These Wuzhu, who delve into the divine path and explore unknown realms of divine consciousness, naturally might learn some ancient secrets through unpredictable channels.”

“Therefore…”

A fiery glow gradually appeared in Yan Zhu’s eyes, “This war with the Wu Jiu Tribe is not only a war of barbarian soldiers. It is also a war of Wuzhu, a ‘divine war’ concerning faith.”

Everyone’s expressions turned solemn.

The atmosphere in the hall became extremely heavy for a moment.

Yan Zhu looked around, his thoughts stirring, and continued:

“This war, being both a tribal war and a war of faith, is of such crucial importance that it naturally requires a tribal alliance leader to oversee the overall situation.”

“Therefore, as a Wuzhu, I propose…” Yan Zhu’s gaze swept over the faces of the Great Chieftains, finally settling on one person’s face:

“The Danque Tribe’s Great Chieftain Dan Lie, as the Grand Alliance Leader for this expedition!”

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire hall was stunned.

Great Chieftain Yan Yi, who believed he had a good relationship with Yan Zhu and had always sided with him, now looked bewildered, unable to believe that Yan Zhu wouldn’t recommend him for such an important position, such significant authority.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie also looked surprised.

He had no prior relationship with Yan Zhu and likewise didn’t understand why Yan Zhu would suddenly propose him as the Grand Alliance Leader.

To everyone’s surprise, not only Yan Zhu but also Qing Zhu, who had been silent, nodded and said, “I agree too.”

This surprised everyone even more.

Yan Zhu looked at everyone and asked, “Does anyone have any objections?”

The hall was silent.

The people present had no idea what Yan Zhu’s intentions were.

Moreover, the “Tribal Grand Alliance Leader” of Zhuque Mountain was such a revered position that none of the Great Chieftains present didn’t want to contend for it.

However, out of respect for the authority of Yan Zhu and Qing Zhu, the two Wuzhu, they did not dare to speak casually.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie frowned and slowly asked, “Lord Yan Zhu, may I ask… why you propose me for this alliance leader position?”

He indeed wanted to be this alliance leader.

But if he didn’t understand why, he wouldn’t feel at ease.

Yan Zhu smiled slightly, his tone much gentler, “Great Chieftain Dan, you have a daughter named Dan Ling, who serves in the Royal Court, do you not?”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie paused, understanding dawned on him, and he nodded, “That is correct.”

Yan Zhu then said, “Several years ago, when I was still serving in the Great Wilderness Royal Court and had not yet been dispatched by royal decree to travel the Great Wilderness, I met your esteemed daughter a few times and was deeply impressed. Her bone structure is like fine jade, her beauty like a vermilion phoenix, truly dazzling like red jade, a rare sight in the world.”

“To offer such a gem to the Royal Court demonstrates Great Chieftain Dan Lie’s loyalty to the royal family and his faith in the Great Wilderness.”

“Therefore, this position of Grand Alliance Leader truly belongs to you, Great Chieftain.”

Great Chieftain Dan Lie was somewhat enlightened, “Then Lord Yan Zhu, you… mean…”

Yan Zhu smiled faintly: “I am currently traveling through the Great Wilderness, and one day, after resolving the secular disputes of the tribes, I will return to the Royal Court. Therefore, I only hope that upon my return to the Royal Court, I can obtain Great Chieftain’s permission for Dan Ling… to become my disciple, receive my baptism, and be my handmaiden offered to the Divine One.”

Upon hearing this, a cold laugh suddenly came from the side, “You are not worthy!”

Yan Zhu turned to see Qing Zhu looking displeased, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. I have also seen this child Dan Ling, I like her very much, and I want her to be my disciple and receive my baptism.”

Yan Zhu’s face darkened.

With the two Wuzhu arguing, no one else dared to say anything.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie, however, looked somewhat troubled and frowned, “Regarding who she takes as her master, this matter can only depend on my daughter’s own wishes. As her father, I’m afraid I cannot make the decision.”

Yan Zhu said, “It’s fine, Great Chieftain, you just need to write a letter, and I’ll take it back for her to read. A father’s command, a child dares not disobey. Dan Ling will know what’s appropriate.”

What he needed was merely a “pretext.”

Dan Lie looked at Yan Zhu, then at Qing Zhu, still somewhat hesitant.

Yan Zhu then said gently, “This is a matter between Wuzhu; we will make our own decision. Great Chieftain, you only need to fulfill your role as the alliance leader. This itself is a righteous act, unrelated to other matters, so Great Chieftain need not concern yourself.”

Yan Zhu’s words sounded very respectable on the surface.

But everyone knew that he was trying to make Great Chieftain Dan Lie “sell” his daughter gracefully.

Great Chieftain Dan Lie pondered briefly, then nodded, “Since that is the case, I shall respectfully accept the command.”

Yan Zhu nodded with satisfaction.

Qing Zhu also said nothing more.

And with two Wuzhu from the Royal Court supporting him, virtually no one dared to object.

The chieftains and elders present merely looked at Great Chieftain Dan Lie with various complex and peculiar gazes.

There was envy, jealousy, defiance, disdain, and contempt.

Of course, envy and jealousy accounted for the vast majority.

Matters concerning the fate and authority, and even the fortune and future of the tribe, outweighed everything else.

No one would refuse this choice.

Yan Zhu looked at everyone again and asked, “Everyone, do you have any other questions?”

The hall was silent, no one spoke.

Just then, a clear voice said, “I do.”

Yan Zhu heard the voice and turned to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua asked, “I have a question…”

Yan Zhu nodded, “Speak.”

“That Great Deity of Wu Jiu…” Mo Hua asked curiously, “How big is it, exactly?”

Yan Zhu paused, and the other high-ranking officials also felt a bit speechless, not understanding the meaning behind this half-truth “Wuzhu” asking such a childish question at this moment.

Yan Zhu merely answered perfunctorily, “Very big.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Yan Zhu no longer paid attention to Mo Hua, but instead announced the final resolution to the Great Chieftains:

“For this alliance, Great Chieftain Dan Lie of the Danque Tribe shall serve as the Grand Alliance Leader, coordinating military affairs.”

“Should a major issue arise that cannot be resolved, the tribal council, consisting of all Great Chieftains and Great Elders, shall convene for discussion and decision.”

“The purpose of this alliance is to eliminate the Wu Jiu Tribe’s army in the barbarian soldier war.”

“And to annihilate the Wuzhu forces of the Wu Jiu Tribe in the divine war.”

“The Great Deity of Wu Jiu is an ancient barbarian deity, beyond human power to contend with. Therefore, the objective of this war is to exert all our efforts to kill all the Wuzhu and witch practitioners of the Wu Jiu Tribe, disrupt the ‘Divine Descent’ ritual, and prevent the Great Deity of Wu Jiu’s arrival, otherwise, the Zhuque Mountain Realm will certainly lose its faith and face utter destruction…”

All the Great Chieftains, Great Elders, and even the barbarian generals, stood up, crossing their hands over their chests, performing the grand tribal salute:

“We respectfully obey the will of Lord Wuzhu…”

“Our tribes will certainly dedicate our hearts and strength to protect the ancestral mountain realm, resist the foreign enemy of Wu Jiu, and obstruct the external deities.”

“Should we violate this alliance, heaven will not forgive us!”

The firm oath resonated powerfully.

Mo Hua stood among the crowd, his eyes flickering, silent.

At this point, the alliance matter had a preliminary resolution.

All the tribes began to busy themselves with preparations, pushing forward the development of the war.

Upon returning to the tribe, Mo Hua found Dan Zhu and asked, “You have an older sister named Dan Ling?”

Dan Zhu nodded, “Yes, Teacher.”

Mo Hua asked curiously, “Is she very beautiful?”

When Yan Zhu mentioned Dan Ling, he described her as “beautiful as jade,” “like a vermilion phoenix,” and dazzling like red jade.

As Yan Zhu spoke these words, an uncontrollable desire surged like an evil fire in his divine sense.

This kind of desire fluctuation at the level of divine consciousness, others might not perceive, but Mo Hua, whose divine consciousness had dao-transformed and who had learned Daoxin Zhongmo, sensed it clearly.

Yan Zhu, after all, was a High Witch, in the late Golden Core stage, serving the Great Wilderness Royal Court, and had seen much of the world; he shouldn’t be so unable to suppress his desires.

The only possibility was that Dan Ling was indeed very beautiful, causing Yan Zhu’s defenses against desire to break down.

Even more strangely, Qing Zhu also seemed very interested in this Dan Ling.

This made Mo Hua very concerned.

Dan Zhu said, “I suppose so…”

Mo Hua didn’t understand, “What do you mean, ‘suppose’?”

Dan Zhu said, “I only saw my sister when I was little. She held me, and dimly, her appearance was indeed very beautiful. But many years have passed, and I don’t know what my sister looks like now, nor if the image in my memory still holds true…”

Mo Hua slowly nodded.

Dan Zhu, however, looked at Mo Hua, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn’t help but ask:

“Teacher, why do you ask if my sister is beautiful?”

Mo Hua paused, then said solemnly, “This is related to the secrets of destiny and karma, and cannot be revealed for now.”

“Oh…” Dan Zhu nodded, noncommittally.

Mo Hua then looked at Dan Zhu, his expression slightly more serious, and asked, “Have you thought about that previous question?”

Dan Zhu was slightly startled, his expression grave, and his eyes dimmed a little, seemingly not daring to meet Mo Hua’s gaze.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, looked into Mo Hua’s eyes, and nodded seriously:

“Teacher, I have thought about it.”

“A person’s life, after all, must have a Dao heart. If father and elder brother are on the same path as me, we will naturally work together with one heart. But if we are not on the same path, I will never back down.”

Having gone through many setbacks and the tempering of war, Dan Zhu’s gaze became increasingly resolute, and his Dao heart grew tougher.

Mo Hua confirmed Dan Zhu’s resolve and nodded slightly, “Good.”

He merely wanted Dan Zhu to gain this awareness sooner.

As for whether it would escalate to a father-son estrangement or brothers becoming enemies, Mo Hua naturally couldn’t bear to make things too difficult for his “disciple” Dan Zhu.

Everything would depend on his own abilities as a “teacher.”

Zhuque Ancient Divine Altar.

Great Deity of Wu Jiu…

Mo Hua’s eyes were deep, and he silently thought:

“I just wonder if this Wu Jiu deity is truly big enough, big enough for me to… eat my way to twenty-four patterns…”

(End of this chapter)