The issue of the Dan-product concerned the other Heavenly Talents, but Mo Hua was not overly worried about it.

However, there was another problem, one that almost all cultivators would never encounter when forming a Dan, but for Mo Hua, it was extremely thorny: the issue of “divinity.”

When cultivators formed a Dan, they were, after all, humans forming a Dan.

But Mo Hua knew that although his current physical body was still Mo Hua, the nature of his soul could no longer be said to be purely “human.”

The entire journey from Lizhou to Manhuang, in another sense, was also the process of his divine awakening and the spreading of his divine path.

Manhuang was his territory as a Shenzhu, and also his Dao field as a “Divine Master.”

Mo Hua now couldn’t tell whether, after shedding his flesh and blood, he was human or divine.

Because of this, he felt a lingering fear.

He was afraid that once he truly formed a Golden Dan, and his divine sense was further solidified or even strengthened, his already somewhat uncontrollable “divinity” would also further expand, leading to the complete annihilation of his humanity.

Breaking through another major realm and undergoing another transformation on the divine path would undoubtedly make his divine sense stronger, but it was also possible that some kind of “qualitative change” in his divinity would occur, causing him to completely forget the name “Mo Hua” and no longer be himself.

Mo Hua’s gaze was deep as he pondered for a long time, then let out a soft sigh.

The path of cultivation was inherently perilous, with no guarantee of absolute safety, let alone something as significant as forming a Dan.

Foundation Establishment and Golden Dan, seemingly only one realm apart, had a world of difference in terms of cultivation strength and status in the cultivation world.

To form a Dan, he had endured too much hardship and waited too long. How could he possibly retreat now?

No matter what, he had to try.

There was no turning back…

Mo Hua’s expression gradually firmed.

But the firmer his expression became, the colder his gaze grew, and the divinity within his heart seemed to be secretly yearning, growing, and hoping.

At this moment, Mo Hua was unaware of this.

Perhaps he instinctively perceived it, but this ascendancy of divinity was precisely what the current “Divine Mo Hua” sincerely desired.

Mo Hua was preparing to form a Dan, but he didn’t tell anyone about it.

Because as a Shenzhu, controlling supreme authority in Manhuang, his every word and action was secretly observed by countless people.

He didn’t leak any news, and Manhuang remained peaceful, with everyone proceeding with their tasks as usual.

But Mo Hua knew that the calmer the surface, the more turbulent the undercurrents beneath.

He knew that many people in Manhuang believed in him and loved him.

Likewise, countless people wanted to harm him.

Countless people wished him dead.

They wished they could peel his skin, eat his flesh, and drink his blood.

Mo Hua harbored no illusions; to form a Dan, he had to be fully prepared and eliminate all hidden risks.

This was not Tongxian City; his master was not by his side.

This was not Qianxuezhou Realm; Elder Xun was not here either.

This was Manhuang, and Mo Hua was the Shenzhu, the highest and most revered person.

No one was protecting him anymore, no one was sheltering him from the wind and rain, no one was shielding him from karma and warding off dangers.

He had to bear everything himself.

And it was time for him to face the dangers of his destiny and fate.

In the fourteenth year of the Great Barren New Calendar, the sixth year of Shenzhu, in February.

Zhuque Mountain Temple.

After another month of preparation, Mo Hua officially began to form a Dan.

His location for forming the Dan was set in the center of the Zhuque Temple, built upon the ancient Zhuque Divine Altar. It was extremely secluded and heavily guarded.

He didn’t disclose his Dan formation to anyone, publicly stating, as usual, that he was going into secluded cultivation to listen to divine oracles.

Dan Zhu, Lu Gu, and other trusted confidants of Mo Hua likely guessed that the Shenzhu Lord might be entering seclusion to “form a Dan.”

However, this matter was too significant, and they understood the dangers involved, so they kept silent and did not reveal anything.

But at the same time, shadows stirred deep within Zhuque Mountain.

Rain also fell from the sky, tinged with fire and seeping a hint of blood.

The ancient Zhuque Mountain, in its silence, exuded an indescribable oppression.

Seven days later, after a long wait and torment, a wisp of golden karmic aura suddenly emerged from the depths of the Zhuque Temple.

This was a premonition of the Golden Dan’s condensation.

And this premonition, like a spark, instantly caused the heavens and earth to turn deadly serious.

In the dead silence, the originally sealed temple gates were shattered by various Golden Dan powers.

As shadows flickered in the mountain, powerful and sinister figures emerged one after another.

Most of these figures were Golden Dan cultivators, all wearing black robes, concealing their forms and faces, densely lurking deep within Zhuque Mountain.

As soon as the premonition of Dan formation appeared, these cultivators each activated their magic weapons and spiritual artifacts, launching an attack like a violent storm.

The cultivation and strength of these people were too great; almost instantly, they broke through the outer defenses of the Zhuque Temple and charged into the main hall.

Dan Zhu, Lu Gu, Dan Lie, Gao Du, and other Golden Dan cultivators trusted by Mo Hua and stationed at the temple, seeing this, their expressions turned grim. They issued orders one after another, mobilizing heavily armored barbarian soldiers to form battle lines and resist the invaders.

The two sides met without a single word of nonsense, instantly engaging in a fierce battle.

One side was to defend the revered Shenzhu Lord.

The other side was to kill the Shenzhu who had misled the Great Barren, with no quarter given, only cold blades for flesh-and-blood slaughter.

Dan Zhu and Lu Gu, wearing barbarian armor, fought with these black-robed assassins.

As they fought, Lu Gu felt strange; some of these black-robed figures, though clearly very strong and striking ruthless blows, moved awkwardly, as if concealing their original cultivation techniques and moves.

A glint flashed in Lu Gu’s eyes, and the power on his bone saber surged. He seized a Golden Dan black-robed cultivator and brought his saber down fiercely.

The black-robed cultivator held his saber horizontally across his chest, but Lu Gu’s strength was too great. He couldn’t parry it for a moment, was pushed back several steps, and in a blink of an eye, saw Lu Gu’s large hand coming straight for his face. His expression immediately changed, but it was too late.

Lu Gu had torn off his mask, and along with it, his face was injured by the force, leaving a bloody mark.

Lu Gu looked at him, his gaze indignant:

“What are you doing?”

This person was one of the great generals of the An Gu tribe, with some connections to the Shu Gu tribe.

In the second year of Shenzhu, Mo Hua personally led an expedition and clashed with the An Gu tribe while passing through their mountain territory.

Lu Gu personally came forward to persuade them, and the An Gu general then agreed to follow the Divine Master and fight for the Shenzhu Lord across the land.

Over five years of divine wars, the two had also shared life and death, developing a considerable friendship, which was why Lu Gu was so angry.

“You want to betray us?”

The An Gu general’s face was filled with fear, and after a moment, he said hoarsely:

“This Shenzhu Lord… is too strong… even the young master Wu Jiu, blessed with dragon patterns, was killed by his single finger…”

“And he is only at Foundation Establishment… Once he reaches Golden Dan, whether we are great generals or chieftains, we will forever be suppressed by him, subservient for life, with no hope of ever rising again…”

Lu Gu frowned, a hint of chill also rising in his heart.

He had fought with young master Wu Jiu, and he knew better than anyone how strong young master Wu Jiu, empowered by dragon drawings, truly was.

In his heart, young master Wu Jiu was the strongest form of a Manhuang ruler, bearing a dragon脈, with a formidable physical body, dominating a realm like an unrivaled overlord.

But such a young master Wu Jiu was nothing more than…

Lu Gu said gravely, “The Shenzhu Lord upholds the divine master’s teachings, upright and sacred…”

“What if one day,” the An Gu general said slowly, “he changes?”

Lu Gu’s brows furrowed even tighter, and a trace of fear arose in his heart.

If it were the Mo Hua from before, he wouldn’t be worried, but the current Mo Hua was becoming increasingly cold, increasingly noble, increasingly like…

A god who disregarded all living beings.

Or rather, increasingly… unlike a “human”…

On the other side, Great Chieftain Dan Lie also tore off a black-robed cultivator’s mask, both hating and angry, and reprimanded him:

“Do you want to die?!”

Opposite him was his “old friend,” the Great Chieftain of the Huo Ying tribe.

The Huo Ying Great Chieftain, exposed by Dan Lie, showed a fleeting look of panic, followed by a surge of resentment:

“It’s not that I want to die, it’s that the Shenzhu has gone too far!”

“Releasing the barbarian slaves is destroying the foundation of our tribes, ruining the ancestral heritage of our Great Barren. How can ancestral laws be abolished? He is using the name of Shenzhu to commit acts of great impiety!”

Dan Lie frowned, falling silent for a moment.

The Huo Ying Great Chieftain said hoarsely, “Without the barbarian slaves, who will do the dirty and lowly work? Who will be cannon fodder in tribal wars? Do the people of the upper tribes have to go to their deaths in battle? Do the superior tribes have to be on equal footing with those slaves? If we great chieftains are on equal footing with those lowly slaves, what kind of great chieftains are we?”

The Huo Ying Great Chieftain looked at Dan Lie and sneered:

“You have gained the trust of that Shenzhu, which is why you stand with him. But can you gain his trust for a lifetime? When the cunning rabbit dies, the hounds are cooked; what if one day that Shenzhu wants you dead? What will you do?”

Dan Lie shook his head, “No matter what, I cannot betray the Divine Master, nor betray the Shenzhu.”

The Huo Ying Great Chieftain said, “Then you can betray your ancestors and ancestral teachings?”

Dan Lie’s gaze was solemn.

In another corner of the battlefield, opposite Dan Zhu, was Bi Jie.

Bi Jie, having experienced various hardships, setbacks, and wanderings, ups and downs, his face had become increasingly sinister and obsessive.

And all his hardships and setbacks were brought about by Mo Hua.

Otherwise, he might now be the great chieftain of the Great Sanpin Bi Fang tribe, immensely powerful.

He wouldn’t be like this now, bearing the name of “rebel,” constantly hiding.

Although Mo Hua actually didn’t pay much attention to him, Bi Jie couldn’t help but keep Mo Hua in mind, couldn’t help but want to kill Mo Hua.

Bi Jie and Dan Zhu, these “geniuses” of the Great Barren, fought for a while, then Bi Jie sneered, “You still defend this… so-called Shenzhu Lord?”

Dan Zhu ignored him.

Bi Jie sneered again, “I’ve said it before, this Shenzhu Lord has been using you from the very beginning.”

Dan Zhu also sneered, “Then why didn’t Master use you? Is it because you are useless, without any value?”

Bi Jie immediately broke, cursing, “Idiot!”

He fought with Dan Zhu for a while again, then said, “Don’t you realize that your Master is different from before? Do you think the current him is still your Master?”

Dan Zhu was startled.

He could actually feel the various changes in Mo Hua since the divine war began.

He also had subtle worries; deep down, he still preferred the “Master” with clear eyes, a gentle face, and words that made one feel like a spring breeze.

Rather than the “Shenzhu Lord” before him now, with a cold expression, golden eyes, and an aura that instilled a subtle awe.

But some things were simply beyond his control.

For his faith, for the future of his tribe, Dan Zhu was willing to do anything, even sacrifice his “humanity.”

Dan Zhu strengthened his resolve and, to protect Mo Hua, continued to fight with Bi Jie.

And not just Dan Zhu, Lu Gu, and Dan Lie also no longer hesitated.

Their faith in the Divine Master and their trust in the Shenzhu Lord could never be shaken, otherwise, they themselves would fall into disarray.

At the same time, they were almost certain: the Shenzhu Lord, at this very moment, must be forming a Dan!

Otherwise, these powerful enemies, rebellious officials, and bandits would never have suddenly erupted at this time, frantically attacking the temple.

Forming a Dan was profoundly significant, a major event concerning the Dao path, let alone the Shenzhu Lord’s Dan formation, which must be extraordinary.

No matter what happened, they must hold the temple and protect the Shenzhu Lord to successfully form his Dan!

“Kill!”

“Kill!!”

The fighting in the arena was extremely fierce for a time.

But soon, the situation changed again, and another great Golden Dan-stage cultivator appeared in the arena.

This person wore a great Wu Jiu robe, his face was old, but his aura was thick and gloomy, wielding a Wu Jiu black sword with extremely strong killing power.

The Great Chieftain of Wu Jiu.

The strongest and most hopeful individual of the Wu Jiu tribe, expected to unite Manhuang and become its ruler, was the young master Wu Jiu.

But above young master Wu Jiu, there was a Great Chieftain.

However, the Great Chieftain had poured his heart and soul into the Wu Jiu tribe’s grand plan for many years, overworking himself, and thus only laid out plans behind the scenes, going into secluded cultivation to recuperate, not showing his face for a long time.

But young master Wu Jiu died, the Wu Jiu tribe was annihilated, and the Great Wu Feng Mountain Realm was broken.

He, the Great Chieftain, thus became the “ruler of a fallen tribe,” solitary and adrift.

What grieved him even more was that his only child, a “true dragon” with the potential to become king and overlord, was suddenly strangled.

Not only was he strangled, but he was also refined into a corpse puppet-like existence by that evil Shenzhu.

How could this not make him furious with hatred?

Therefore, when he learned that this Shenzhu was going to form a Dan this time, he used the secret method of the Wu Jiu tribe, forcibly holding his breath, sacrificing his entire lifespan to briefly restore his peak strength, all for the purpose of personally killing the Shenzhu and avenging his son.

This was his only obsession in life.

The Great Chieftain of Wu Jiu had lived for several hundred years, at the peak of Golden Dan, wielding the Wu Jiu tribe’s supreme treasure, the black sword, and was invincible for a time.

And besides the Great Chieftain of Wu Jiu, the slightly plump Elder You also wore black clothes, mingling in the crowd.

His originally shrewd and calm eyes now lacked composure, containing only monstrous hatred.

The situation in Manhuang here was completely disrupted.

The Hua family’s business was ruined, and he had no way to explain it to the ancestors.

Coupled with the loss of a large amount of supplies and wealth, Elder You’s heart was even more twisted with pain.

In Elder You’s heart, this Shenzhu of Manhuang was his sworn enemy who had killed his father and mother!

This hatred was as deep as the sea, as thick as blood.

Now, this Shenzhu was about to form a Dan.

The time of Dan formation was also a cultivator’s most vulnerable and dangerous moment.

In the Manhuang region, under the gaze of numerous “enemies,” this Shenzhu dared to form a Dan, then he must die!

The Great Barren would absolutely not allow such a powerful Shenzhu to exist!

The fighting continued.

Blood stained the great hall.

Too many people wanted to kill Mo Hua, and their strength was too great, like dark clouds, step by step breaking through the temple’s defenses, rushing towards Mo Hua, who was in secluded cultivation in the deepest part…

(End of this chapter)