Chapter 1175: Cause and Effect Mind Techniques

No one expected the Great Chieftain himself to kill the guard. Astonishment lingered on the faces of everyone in the Danque tribe. They were perplexed, having never anticipated such a turn of events. However, upon closer reflection, a clearer understanding dawned on them.

The origin of this dispute stemmed from the eccentric, murmuring young man's identity as a "shaman." It was a dispute over the authenticity of the shaman. But what was truly being contested was not the shaman's authenticity. What was truly being contested... was the Great Chieftain's stance.

Everyone's gaze briefly lingered on the two brothers, Danbie and Danzhu, in silence. A few insightful individuals silently glanced at Mohua, sighing inwardly: "What a lucky young man..."

Even if this "prophecy" came true, they still didn't truly believe Mohua was a shaman. Mohua's "prophecy" had been deliberately brought about by the Great Chieftain. In other words, the Great Chieftain was "sparing" his life. In this regard, he was actually benefiting from Young Master Danzhu. The Great Chieftain favored Young Master Danzhu and also didn't want his two sons to clash again. That was why he personally intervened, ending the dispute with the life of a guard and "validating" Mohua's prophecy.

Any astute observer could see that Mohua had simply "stumbled into it." The Great Chieftain was giving him face. The so-called "revelation" from the divine lord was merely him patting himself on the back. Besides, how could a young, beardless pretty boy be a shaman? How could he possibly be a servant of the gods? Nevertheless, his status had now been acknowledged by the Great Chieftain. Even if no one present truly believed Mohua was a shaman, with the Great Chieftain's verbal decree, at least within the Danque tribe and officially, Mohua was now a bona fide shaman, enjoying special treatment, which no one dared deny.

The wager concluded there. The banquet dispersed as well. Several servants came forward and dragged away the dead guard's body. Fear lingered on the guard's face; he seemed unaware of how he died, yet perhaps he understood in his heart that this day would eventually come. He just hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.

On the high platform, the beautiful concubine's face was ashen, and she desperately suppressed the trembling of her shoulders, not even daring to look up at the dead guard. Others who observed her merely assumed she was afraid of blood, which explained her pallor. But in her heart, she understood better than anyone what was truly going on. The Great Chieftain noticed her frightened demeanor. The Great Chieftain's expression remained impassive, but he seemed quite satisfied inwardly. Mohua, with a calm and reserved gaze, watched everything unfold with a hint of deeper meaning.

After the banquet dispersed and he returned to his guest room, it was already late. Mohua sat cross-legged on the soft animal-skin bed, recalling the day's events with a sigh of contemplation. The Great Chieftain of the Danque tribe, though seemingly burly and robust, was surprisingly shrewd. Moreover, he was ruthless in his actions, killing when necessary.

However, Mohua found his attitude towards the concubine somewhat strange, differing from his previous understanding. As chieftain, if his concubine and a guard were having an affair, shouldn't both of them have been killed, by rights? Why kill the monkey to scare the chickens? Are the customs different here in the Great Wilderness?

Furthermore, Mohua wasn't entirely sure how much acknowledgment was implied by the Great Chieftain's recognition of him as a "shaman." Did he truly know that Mohua possessed the abilities of a "shaman"? Or was he simply... going with the flow? Was it that he intended to kill the guard, and Mohua merely predicted it? Or did Mohua's prophecy prompt him to commit murder?

This intertwining of human intentions and karma, a logic like that of an Ouroboros, gave Mohua a subtle understanding of "causality." Is causality objective, or is it a manifestation of human intentions? If it's objective, then by rights, the Great Chieftain would have killed the guard no matter what. If it's human intention at play, does that mean if Mohua hadn't uttered this "prophecy" and stirred the Great Chieftain's murderous intent, the guard wouldn't have died?

Mohua frowned in thought, a new realization dawning on him. The karma of heavenly secrets, perhaps, is merely a premonition, a "revelation," but not an "answer," and certainly not an unyielding law. While studying the karma of heavenly secrets, one must not overlook human intentions. Indeed, causality itself encompasses the many variables of human intentions. Because human intentions are elusive, causality undergoes myriad changes.

In this Danque tribe, many people are quite shrewd. The Great Chieftain's ability to hold his position is far from being as simple as appearing "lustful" and "imposing." Danzhu's third elder brother, Danbie, is also not simple. At the very least, during the banquet, he decisively seized the opportunity to try and eliminate Mohua under the charge of "usurping the shaman's authority." Although the scheme wasn't particularly clever, Mohua had only recently arrived and was seeing Danbie for the first time. Yet, in the time it took to eat a few bites, Danbie had already begun to target him systematically. Moreover, the excuse he used was indeed impeccable. For instance, claiming Mohua was a "liar," a "fake shaman," deceiving Danzhu... He was capable of strategizing, decisive, daring in thought and action, seized opportunities precisely, and spoke with solid arguments. Although he ultimately failed to achieve his goal, objectively speaking, Danbie was indeed a "talent."

Furthermore, Danbie's attitude toward his younger brother, Danzhu, was quite intriguing. To say he didn't care would certainly be false. He was nearly a hundred years older than Danzhu and had watched him grow up. Given Danzhu's kindness and handsomeness, it was impossible for Danbie not to feel affection for him as an elder brother. But to say he felt no apprehension or aversion was also impossible. Such affection was only for his childhood; once Danzhu matured, with his astonishing talent and the tribe's widespread adoration, it was impossible for Danbie not to harbor resentment. Some things were simply beyond his control. Danbie harbored both these emotions, and at times, he clearly struggled with the conflicting impulses within him.

However, this "wavering" would eventually come to an end. At that point, Danbie would likely be forced by circumstances to make a choice... Before power, human will is ultimately weak.

As Mohua pondered silently to this point, he suddenly paused, then couldn't help but connect it to deeper thoughts: The Danque tribe was a large and populous force in the Great Wilderness. The core of a major power is authority. But the vessel of authority is people. And the foundation of people is the heart. Ultimately, everything must be viewed from the perspective of "human intentions," with human intentions as the pivot. The flow of heavenly secrets and karma in the human world also lies within the unpredictable "human heart." And the human heart is one with the divine. The mind's manifestations merge with the divine soul, and the divine soul resides within... Divine consciousness?!

Like a bolt from the blue, Mohua's pupils dilated, and he suddenly grasped something profound. He seemed to vaguely break through a barrier, connecting the seemingly distinct and profound cultivation knowledge he had accumulated throughout his life—regarding heavenly secrets, divine consciousness, and human intentions—into a hazy, divine-consciousness-based grand Dao system. This concept was too vast. Precisely because it was so vast, when Mohua delved deeper into it, he felt as if he had plunged into a boundless ocean, bewildered. He had only grasped a thread of an idea but couldn't yet materialize it. Mohua vaguely surmised that his "conception" of the Dao was likely correct. The problem was that his current cultivation level, worldly experience, and mastery of various cultivation methods were still too shallow. His life's "foundation" was not yet sufficient to fully embody his "Dao." His current experiences were also insufficient to serve as footnotes for his Dao.

"I still need to observe more, learn more, and cultivate more...""I need to interact more with objective people and events, contemplate the causality and laws of the human world, experience human intentions, deduce contradictions, and change the karma of all beings in the world, integrating knowledge with action... ultimately connecting everything and merging it into my own 'Dao laws'..."

Many principles, Mohua had previously only considered in his mind. But what he thought of was illusory. It was only after entering the Great Wilderness, earnestly propagating his insights, and experiencing these various events—witnessing the changes in heavenly secrets and the manifestation of karma and human intentions in "reality"—that Mohua gained a clearer understanding of his own path to the Dao. He even gained a deeper epiphany regarding "reality and illusion."

"Knowledge is illusory, action is real...""From knowledge to action is from illusion to reality.""Integrating knowledge with action is integrating illusion with reality.""Knowing without acting means failing to break the barrier of 'knowledge and action,' and failing to overcome the obstacle of 'reality and illusion'..."

Mohua took out his jade slip and carefully recorded this newfound understanding."Divine consciousness, heart, people, power, karma, heavenly secrets...""Knowledge and action, reality and illusion..."

Mohua only had a superficial understanding of these concepts for now, but one day, he would integrate everything, forge his own unique path, and directly comprehend the Great Dao.

In the following days, Mohua's time in the Danque tribe temporarily settled. With the Great Chieftain's recognition, Mohua, as an esteemed shaman, naturally received courteous treatment. The members of the Danque tribe also treated Mohua with considerable respect. Of course, this respect was merely superficial. These tribesmen only treated Mohua as a shaman and with courtesy because they dared not defy the Great Chieftain's authority. However, deep down, most of them considered Mohua nothing more than a "deceptive pretty boy." Even the elders and guards under Danzhu's command harbored deep suspicions that Mohua might be a thick-skinned "great swindler." Only Danzhu genuinely acknowledged Mohua, truly believing that there was something extraordinary about him.

In the subsequent days, Mohua had many conversations with Danzhu. However, in these discussions, Mohua no longer brought up sharp questions. Nor did he mention that the annexation by the barbaric tribes of the Great Wilderness was essentially mutual enslavement, and that the hierarchy within the tribes was, in essence, still a form of oppression and exploitation. Such fundamentally contradictory actions—eating one another's flesh and drinking one another's blood—could never achieve the so-called vision of prosperity and abundance. Mentioning such matters once was enough. It was sufficient to plant a seed in Danzhu's heart, allowing him to slowly ponder, accept, and digest it, thus letting it take root and germinate deeply within him. Anything more would be pointless.

Consequently, Mohua became much "gentler" in their subsequent interactions, and his words were more easily absorbed. Discussions about fate and karma, tribal affairs, the well-being of the tribesmen, array improvements, and moral education all greatly benefited Danzhu. Of course, except for cultivation levels. After all, Mohua was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, while Danzhu was a genius who had reached Core Formation at twenty. Discussing Core Formation in front of a Golden Core cultivator would only make Mohua uncomfortable. Thus, he refrained from discussing cultivation matters. When Golden Core was occasionally brought up, Mohua would remain silent, merely looking at Danzhu with a profound and inscrutable expression. Danzhu, observed by Mohua in this manner, felt somewhat ashamed. He thought that Shaman Mohua was a devout "shaman" concerned with the grand plans for all living beings. Discussing "minor matters" like cultivation levels with him, or even the "trivial matter" of Core Formation, felt indeed somewhat narrow-minded. So, Danzhu no longer brought up "Golden Core" in Mohua's presence.

As long as Golden Core was not mentioned, with Mohua's extensive knowledge, broad experience, rich practical understanding, complex and subtle character, and profound and acute divine consciousness, his Foundation Establishment stage was more than sufficient for him to be Danzhu's "master." Danzhu was also very perceptive; he could understand most of what Mohua said and even extrapolate from it. Their relationship became a harmonious blend of "teacher and friend."

After some time spent together, Mohua unexpectedly realized that his understanding of Danzhu had actually been biased. Danzhu was a simple and kind person. But strictly speaking, Danzhu was not truly "simple." He was intelligent and sensitive, and in fact, Danzhu understood many things better than anyone else. This included his father's regard for him and his dissatisfaction. His father valued his talent but was displeased with his indecisiveness. It also included his elder brothers' care and estrangement towards him. Care stemming from brotherly affection, yet estrangement arising from the dispute over the chieftainship. And the tribal members' praise and jealousy of him. They praised his talent and compassion, yet deeply envied him as a young master who, from birth, had everything—honor and favor—that ordinary people could barely achieve in a lifetime, without having to do anything.

Danzhu understood all these things in his heart. But due to his "kindness," he was unwilling and dared not think about them. He genuinely hoped that everyone in the world was good and that all could coexist peacefully. He was unwilling to speculate on the evil in others. He didn't want to label anyone as "bad." Furthermore, Mohua realized that deep down, Danzhu was actually suspicious of him, "Shaman Mohua." The dream messages, the coincidental meeting, the so-called divine lord's revelation—all of it seemed too coincidental. Danzhu must have instinctively sensed that something was amiss. But perhaps from their first meeting, Danzhu thought he was a "good person" and could be a "friend." Out of trust in this "friend," he subconsciously refused to consider or believe that everything was a meticulously planned deception by his "Shaman Mohua."

Others couldn't discern these things. However, with his strong divine consciousness, keen and subtle mind, and having gained insights into causality and understood the relationship between karma and human intentions through extensive study, Mohua gradually came to deeply feel the essence of these human intentions and saw more profoundly into Danzhu's heart. Mohua felt a pang of pity. Danzhu was truly a "good young man"... Yet, in a place like the Danque tribe, his outcome would likely not be good.

This time, Mohua didn't use heavenly secret calculations or demon bone divination; instead, he performed a simple causal deduction based purely on human intentions. Human intentions determine destiny. Mohua didn't know the Great Chieftain intimately, but he could generally infer that, as chieftain, the starting point for his actions must be the welfare of the Danque tribe. If he, the chieftain, grew old and his children vied for the chieftainship, even if it broke his heart, he would be powerless to stop it. No matter how many high-sounding words of mutual goodwill were spoken, they would be meaningless. There was, after all, only one chieftain's position; that was the cruelest reality. He also couldn't grant each son a fief and a tribe, allowing them to divide everything equally. Doing so would be tantamount to splitting the Danque tribe into three, and the tribe would simply fall apart. After all, the war between the Dao Court and the Great Wilderness was still ongoing. The flames of war could spread at any time. "Dividing the family" at such a time would be akin to "courting death."

Therefore, he had to choose one son from among them who was strong in cultivation, character, and means to be the next Danque chieftain. Otherwise, given the current chaotic situation, the survival of the Danque tribe would truly be precarious. In the Great Wilderness, there was no so-called "inheritance by the eldest legitimate son"; everything adhered to barbaric laws—whoever was strong and could command respect would become the leader. However, the concept of "strength" was not singular. Personal cultivation strength alone did not guarantee good leadership.

Among the Great Chieftain of the Danque tribe's three sons, the eldest was courageous, the third was astute, and the fourth had exceptional talent; all were indeed outstanding individuals, yet none were without flaws. The eldest son was brave and achieved great merit in external battles, but he had a quick temper and disliked trivial matters. The third son was astute, adept at internal power struggles and balancing various interests, but he was slightly too calculating and struggled to consider the bigger picture. The fourth son was uniquely gifted, with astonishing talent and the people's support, but he was too kind. Any of them could be chosen. Yet, not choosing any of them would also lead to issues. All his sons were dear to him, and from the Great Chieftain's position, it was indeed a difficult choice. A wrong choice would inevitably lead to endless strife. But if he procrastinated and didn't choose, it would invite even greater calamity. If he didn't choose, his three sons would slaughter each other until only one remained, at which point he would have no choice but to pick that one. It seemed cruel, but it was reality. Human will could not resist the devourment of power.

The outcome Mohua deduced based on the current situation was largely the same. The eldest young master, Danhe, was leading troops in battle outside; Mohua had not met him and did not know his true intentions. But Mohua had met the third young master, Danbie, and had some understanding of his thoughts. Danbie's heart currently wavered between "brotherly affection" and the "struggle for power." He found it hard to choose, but circumstances would push him forward step by step until he made the coldest choice. If he didn't choose, the elders, subordinate tribes, personal attendants, and guards around him would also force him to choose. His karma was largely predetermined. His heart would also drive him towards his own destiny.

The one who would suffer the most, in truth, was Danzhu. Danzhu's heart was intelligent and kind. Almost two paths lay before him: Maintain his kindness, lose in the power struggle, and ultimately either submit or die. With his astonishing cultivation talent, even choosing to submit would ultimately lead to his death. His two elder brothers, by emotion and by reason, could not possibly spare him, a "genius." If he chose the other path, he would completely sever the kindness within his heart and turn his blade against his two elder brothers. With his intelligence and capabilities, if he truly resorted to unscrupulous means, he could likely kill his two elder brothers. But in doing so, he would no longer be Danzhu. The kindness within him would be completely extinguished, and amidst bloodshed, he would become cold and cruel, thus transforming into a ruthless figure who murdered his brothers to seize power. In a sense, both paths were tragic for Danzhu as he currently was.

And all of this was still in its "nascent" stage. The ordinary cultivators of the Danque tribe, unaware of heavenly secrets and karma, mostly couldn't perceive it. This power struggle and the brutal infighting among brothers, while still in its incubation period, was veiled in a layer of "warmth," with no obvious signs. But as time passed, all contradictions would gradually intensify. Each cause would transform into its respective effect. Everyone would walk towards their destined fate... This was also a common occurrence frequently seen among tribes.

In Mohua's eyes, a blurry firelight appeared, and he could vaguely see, in the omens of karma, the Danque tribe engulfed in karmic flames, the blood from infighting between siblings staining the tribal totem...