Chapter 1177: Fierce Beast Takes Control

The entire Scarlet Sparrow Tribe was engulfed in anger. Their tribesmen had been massacred and captured as savage slaves, which was nothing short of a direct challenge to the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe's prestige.

The Bone-Art Tribe was a third-rank tribe within the "Vermilion Bird" mountain range, of moderate strength and not of the same lineage as the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe. They were known for their vicious and greedy actions, which frequently led to skirmishes and conflicts. In the past, however, battles and killings had their limits. It was never like this, where smaller tribal populations were wantonly slaughtered and Scarlet Sparrow tribesmen were captured as "savage slaves." This was a deeply humiliating act. It also crossed the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe's bottom line.

Everyone in the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe was discussing how to execute the villains of the Bone-Art Tribe, demanding an eye for an eye and blood for blood. Dan Zhu felt the same way. He sympathized with the fallen tribesmen and was equally enraged by the shameless and cruel Bone-Art Tribe. However, this matter was not for him to handle. His father had always forbidden him from engaging in external military campaigns, killings, or making enemies with other tribes. Dan Zhu was willing but powerless.

But Mo Hua called him over and whispered, "Dan Zhu..." After this period of acquaintance, Mo Hua and Young Master Dan Zhu had become quite familiar with each other. Mo Hua could now call Dan Zhu by his name instead of "Young Master," and Dan Zhu, in turn, respectfully addressed Mo Hua as "Mister."

Mo Hua said, "Go to the Great Chieftain and volunteer to lead an expedition against the nomadic Bone-Art Tribe."

Dan Zhu was startled. It wasn't that he didn't want to do it, but he felt it was highly unlikely. Dan Zhu said helplessly, "I've tried before, asking my father to let me go out on campaigns and quell some bandits, but he always refused. He said my duty was to focus wholeheartedly on cultivation and not get involved in worldly affairs, to avoid any mishaps... or being ambushed." After all, Dan Zhu's talent—"establishing foundation at ten, forming core at twenty"—was truly blessed by the heavens and incredibly formidable. Throughout the entire mountain range, there were plenty of people who wanted Dan Zhu dead. Not only enemies and allies of the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe, but even within the tribe itself, there were many who were jealous of or feared Dan Zhu's talent and wished him dead. The Great Chieftain was acutely aware of this. That was why, until now, no matter what happened, the Great Chieftain had never allowed Dan Zhu to leave the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe's sphere of influence. Dan Zhu understood this in his heart.

Mo Hua, however, said, "It's fine. This time, the Great Chieftain will definitely agree."

Dan Zhu was half-believing, half-doubting, "Really?"

Mo Hua nodded calmly, "That's right."

Dan Zhu was still a bit hesitant. Yet, he still believed Mo Hua's words. Moreover, deep down, he also wanted to personally slay his enemies and bring justice to the deceased Scarlet Sparrow tribesmen. Anyway, there would be no harm in trying; at worst, his father would reprimand him and refuse him again.

So Dan Zhu went alone to seek permission from the Great Chieftain. Half a day later, Dan Zhu returned and met Mo Hua, his expression subtle, even somewhat shocked.

"Father... he actually agreed..."

Mo Hua's expression was calm; he was not surprised.

Dan Zhu exclaimed, "Mister, you were truly accurate." Then he was a bit puzzled again. "How did you know my father would agree this time to let me lead troops to suppress the Bone-Art Tribe?"

Mo Hua silently glanced at Dan Zhu and thought to himself: *Because your father also knows that sooner or later, you brothers will turn against each other. The more he protects you, the more he will harm you. It's better to let you go out and gain some experience. If you can endure these trials, avoid the various hostilities, dangers, and killing intents from the outside, and still grow, he might actually consider entrusting the chieftainship to you, his younger son. Even if he doesn't entrust the chieftainship, when brothers contend for power in the future, Dan Zhu, having weathered the storms, will have some ability to protect himself. If Dan Zhu cannot endure the storms and dies outside, at least he will die for the tribe, which is far better than dying in internal strife at the hands of his own brother.*

Of course, it's easy to say, but making such a decision is never easy. To let his most beloved younger son face risk, or even death, the Great Chieftain must have felt deep hesitation and pain in his heart. If Dan Zhu hadn't gone to beg him, the Great Chieftain would never have proactively made this decision. Now that Dan Zhu has gone to beg him, it means Dan Zhu is walking towards his own destiny and will face the storms of the future. No matter how reluctant the Great Chieftain was, he had to steel his heart.

Of course, Mo Hua couldn't explicitly say all this. He could only repeat the old saying: "All of this is the Lord God's revelation. This journey is destined for you."

Dan Zhu looked at Mo Hua with a strange expression. Sometimes, he really couldn't tell if this young and handsome "Witch Doctor" was exceptionally intelligent and understood people's hearts, or if he was genuinely a "charlatan." His words were sometimes wise and well-reasoned. Other times, they were vague and mystical, leaving people bewildered.

Mo Hua paused for a moment, then asked, "When you went to beg the Great Chieftain, was the Third Young Master also there?"

Dan Zhu nodded.

Mo Hua said, "He didn't look pleased, did he?"

Dan Zhu replied, "Yes, when I volunteered to fight, Third Brother seemed a bit surprised. And when Father agreed, Third Brother's expression was very grim."

Mo Hua glanced at Dan Zhu and sighed inwardly. Dan Zhu was indeed perceptive. He instinctively sensed many things, but deep down, he was unwilling to think ill of others.

Mo Hua didn't say much more, instead instructing, "Gather some men and depart tonight to suppress the nomadic Bone-Art Tribe overnight."

Dan Zhu then asked, "How many men should I mobilize?" He was truly very inexperienced in leading troops into battle.

Mo Hua said meaningfully, "The more, the better."

Dan Zhu was stunned for a moment. "We're going to suppress a nomadic branch of the Bone-Art Tribe. They don't have many people. Do we need that many men?"

Mo Hua nodded, stating confidently, "Trust me, take everyone you can."

Seeing Mo Hua's serious expression, Dan Zhu knew that Mister Witch Doctor definitely understood this matter better than himself. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "Alright, I'll follow your advice, Mister."

Dan Zhu went to mobilize troops, and by evening, the personnel were assembled. The entire contingent included Dan Zhu, Mo Hua, and two Core Formation realm guardian elders, Ba Shan and Ba Chuan. In addition, there was a force of over a hundred Scarlet Sparrow barbarian soldiers, whose cultivation was roughly at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.

The Great Wilderness differed from the Dao Court. The Dao Court forbade the keeping of "private armies," considering it an attempt at rebellion. But here in the Great Wilderness, every tribe had its own "barbarian soldiers." Each tribe was akin to an independent "clan," constantly fighting among themselves, with frequent conflicts and many disputes. Without barbarian soldiers, they would sooner or later be annexed by others and become their slaves. It could be said that in the Great Wilderness, all tribes were militarized. It's just that some tribes were too weak; they had no trained barbarian soldiers, no weapons, no formations, and the "soldiers" they kept were not much different from ordinary barbarian cultivators. Small second-rank tribes like Wutu and Wulu, for example, were like this. But the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe was different; their barbarian soldiers were very strong.

These barbarian soldiers accompanying Dan Zhu on the expedition were all clad in armor and armed with sharp weapons. Although their barbarian armor was not top-tier, they clearly exuded a distinct aura of fierce determination. Over a hundred—this number was neither large nor small. Moreover, they were uniformly all at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm. In the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe, this was almost the elite of the elite. After all, Core Formation barbarian cultivators would become elders, or at least generals, and would no longer serve as ordinary "barbarian soldiers." Therefore, the overall combat strength of this barbarian army was actually very strong. Dan Zhu himself couldn't possibly assemble such a force. Among these barbarian soldiers, half were Dan Zhu's own men, while the other half were bestowed upon Dan Zhu by the Great Chieftain.

Besides these barbarian soldiers, the Great Chieftain also "bestowed" another person upon Dan Zhu. This person was a barbarian general at the middle Core Formation realm named Chi Feng. With red hair and covered in scars, he was true to his name (Chi Feng, meaning "Red Edge/Peak"), a vanguard "barbarian general" who had previously followed the Great Chieftain in suppressing various tribes and had experienced hundreds of battles. A barbarian general was also a type of commander. Those with high cultivation who could command barbarian soldiers could all be called commanders, but only those who achieved merits and received rewards could be called "barbarian generals." Chi Feng was a trusted barbarian general of the Great Chieftain. His accompanying Dan Zhu on this expedition also demonstrated the Great Chieftain's favor towards Dan Zhu. All of these combined comprised the entire force for suppressing the nomadic Bone-Art Tribe. Chasing down the nomadic Bone-Art Tribe itself wasn't suitable for a large group. Too many people would be cumbersome. These hundred elites were just right; they were strong in direct combat and convenient for marching and maneuvering.

The barbarian soldiers assembled and met each other. Barbarian General Chi Feng saluted Dan Zhu. Being a confidant of the Great Chieftain, he naturally had some interactions with Young Master Dan Zhu. The two guardian elders, Ba Shan and Ba Chuan, then saluted Barbarian General Chi Feng. Their cultivation was a level lower, their status inferior, and their battle merits not as high as Chi Feng's, so their attitude was extremely respectful.

As for Mo Hua, he was like an unofficial member of the group. Chi Feng didn't greet him. Nor did he acknowledge Chi Feng. Within the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe, many people didn't actually take Mo Hua, the "Witch Doctor," seriously. Because anyone with discernment could tell at a glance that Mo Hua, this "imposter," could not possibly be a real Witch Doctor. He was just a swaggering, deceptive "pretty boy" who had risen through Dan Zhu. Due to the Great Chieftain's prestige, everyone simply kept silent about it. But someone like Chi Feng, a barbarian general at the middle Core Formation realm with genuine battle merits, whom even Dan Zhu respected somewhat, naturally wouldn't take Mo Hua seriously. His "ignoring" Mo Hua was already the highest "courtesy" he could extend to him.

Not only Chi Feng, but even Ba Shan and Ba Chuan, the two Core Formation guardian elders beside Dan Zhu, harbored doubts and grudges towards Mo Hua. Originally, they were Young Master Dan Zhu's confidants. But once Mo Hua arrived, their status completely vanished. Mo Hua was like a sycophant who had bewitched the Young Master. And their Young Master actually listened to this pretty boy's every word, which filled them all with dissatisfaction. Mo Hua was naturally well aware of their petty emotions and slight rejections, but he was completely indifferent and remained perfectly at ease.

With the barbarian soldiers fully assembled, the group set off majestically, departing from the main Scarlet Sparrow tribe and heading directly northwest. And as Dan Zhu led the barbarian soldiers through the great red Vermilion Bird gate, leaving the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe, from a pavilion in the main tribe, the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe's Third Young Master, Dan Bie, was watching the scene with complex eyes. He felt his younger brother had changed. He was sharp-witted and could vaguely sense that the path between him and his brother had finally reached a crossroads. This younger brother, whom he had genuinely cared for since childhood, had grown up and had also become a tremendous "threat." In Dan Bie's eyes, there was a mix of conflict and pain. A moment later, the lingering warmth in his heart was slowly extinguished, until it finally turned completely cold. Dan Bie's expression gradually became indifferent.

On the other side, the burly and magnificent Great Chieftain also stood on a high platform, watching his younger son depart. This was the first time his younger son, Dan Zhu, was leading troops into battle. Dan Zhu was a genius in cultivation. But leading troops into battle was another matter entirely. In the history of the entire Scarlet Sparrow Tribe, and even the Great Wilderness, there were many examples of young heroes, incredibly talented and highly anticipated geniuses, who died on the battlefield during their first campaign, without achieving any merit. Fate was cruel, and sometimes, even absurd. In life, there were vast differences, distinguishing between mediocrity and genius. But when it was time to die, everyone died the same way. Great Chieftain Dan Lie, who had fought on battlefields for many years, knew this better than anyone. Many brothers who had fought alongside him in the past had better talent, stronger cultivation, and greater wisdom than him, yet, without exception, all were dismembered on the battlefield. Some even died inexplicably. Only he, this seemingly mediocre "big fellow," ultimately survived and even became the Great Chieftain. Therefore, he had not dared to easily let Dan Zhu take risks before. Dan Zhu's high talent was indeed true. But once on the battlefield of conquest, one would simply not know what terrible things one would face: open blades, hidden arrows, evil arts, ghost spells, witch miasma, corrosive poisons, curses, divine retribution...

The most terrifying were certain insidious curses. According to the Old Ancestor, these curses involved elusive karma and could not be comprehended by anyone other than enlightened masters and extraordinary individuals. If one was "cursed" to death through karma, then any potential fatal factor would be maximized. A knife might suddenly sever your hand. An arrow might suddenly strike your eye. A long spear might accidentally pierce your chest. Poison would invade your heart meridians, causing you to go astray and die. Miasma would confuse your consciousness, leading you to seek your own death. Some dangers that could have been avoided would "line up" around you, aiming to kill you. Your luck would turn to zero. In the surrounding environment, any slight factor that could kill you would suddenly appear to kill you. And on the battlefield, where swords had no eyes and countless dangers lurked, it was the best place for "karma curses" to take effect.

Of course, karma curses were a type of forbidden art, and few could learn them. Learning these curses required decades, or even hundreds of years, of time and effort. Casting such curses also required extremely high costs. Ordinary cultivators were not even worthy of being "cursed" to death. But for Dan Zhu, who established foundation at ten and formed core at twenty, the most astonishing genius in the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe for hundreds of years, it was likely many tribes would be willing to pay a high price for his death, even at all costs. Therefore, the Great Chieftain had previously dared not let Dan Zhu go out. But now, he couldn't afford not to. The situation had become extremely tense, and there were many things that he, as the Great Chieftain, could no longer control.

The Great Chieftain looked into the distance, at his beloved younger son, Dan Zhu, in the barbarian soldier formation, his heart filled with countless emotions. Then his gaze shifted slightly, and naturally, he looked at Mo Hua, who was beside Dan Zhu. The Great Chieftain's brows gradually furrowed deeper. One of the most important reasons he allowed Dan Zhu to go suppress the Bone-Art Tribe, besides training him, was this "Mister Witch Doctor," who pretended to be experienced and profound but was actually younger than Dan Zhu. It was because of this "Mister Witch Doctor" that he agreed to let Dan Zhu gain experience outside. But what he worried about most was precisely this "Mister Witch Doctor." This Mister Witch Doctor often stayed with Dan Zhu, instilling "treasonous" ideas in him, spouting "charlatan" talk about "all beings being equal," and he didn't know what he was plotting. And Dan Zhu, of all people, believed it all. In the Great Chieftain's opinion, such "demonic talk" that deluded the public, and the strange person inciting his son, naturally needed to be killed to eliminate the threat. But the Great Chieftain also didn't quite dare to act rashly. Because this seemingly charlatan "Mister Witch Doctor" had indeed, that day, revealed his hidden thoughts. Moreover, when this Mister Witch Doctor and Dan Zhu stood together, a prophecy that the Scarlet Sparrow Ancestor had painstakingly derived long ago involuntarily emerged in the Great Chieftain's mind:

"A fierce beast takes dominion; the Vermilion Bird experiences revival."

The Great Chieftain silently mumbled this phrase, his gaze solemn. He still didn't quite understand: in the current situation of the Great Wilderness, with the Dao Court pressing, the Royal Court at war, tribes losing cohesion, and dangers lurking everywhere, it was a sign of "declining years and decay." How could the Vermilion Bird "experience revival"? Also, what did "a fierce beast takes dominion" mean? Weren't fierce beasts ancient creatures that brought calamities? A fierce beast taking dominion had always brought about great calamities that shattered the heavens and earth. How could there be "revival"? Furthermore... The Great Chieftain looked at Mo Hua beside Dan Zhu, a young man with a face like white jade and delicate features, and was utterly bewildered. "Where is the fierce beast? Where is it?"

Dan Zhu, the Young Master of the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe and the foremost genius favored by the heavens, with the Great Chieftain's permission, personally went out to suppress the enemy. This caused quite a stir within the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe. Both openly and secretly, many pairs of eyes were watching Dan Zhu. Many people secretly discussed it, and there were also many who harbored other intentions, plotting who knows what.

Dan Zhu's mood was also far from calm. This was his first time leaving the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe to personally lead troops into battle to suppress the enemy. Excitement and fervor, along with apprehension, uneasiness, and nervousness, all intertwined, making his emotions very complex. Just by looking at Mo Hua, who stood beside him with a composed expression, Dan Zhu unconsciously seemed to be influenced. His emotions gradually settled, and he even began to exude a trace of composure similar to Mo Hua's. Barbarian General Chi Feng silently watched this scene from behind, his gaze revealing a hint of surprise.

After that, the group marched on, with no further conversation. Dan Zhu, Mo Hua, and the others, leading over a hundred elite barbarian soldiers, continued to head northwest according to their bearings. After about two hours of travel, as night had fallen deeply, they arrived at a small tribe's settlement in a remote barren mountain, northwest of the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe. This was an outpost of a small tribe within the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe. But by this time, it had become a ruin. The encampment had collapsed, ashes were everywhere, the ground was strewn with dismembered limbs, and a strong smell of blood assailed their nostrils. Useless elders and children were killed, able-bodied youths who could be savage slaves were abducted, and all valuables were plundered.

Witnessing this atrocity firsthand, everyone from the Scarlet Sparrow Tribe was filled with indignation. Mo Hua's gaze was also cold, especially thinking of those dead children. He was the "Mister" of the Great Wilderness; these dead children should have received his teachings and grown into capable adults. However, amidst his anger, Mo Hua suddenly felt something strange in his heart. He seemed to feel an indescribable sense of familiarity from this matter...