Chapter 1173: Changing Fate
This scene of blood and fire—was something Mo Hua truly didn't wish to witness.
He still hoped that Dan-Zhu could have a bright future.
In these troubled times, a kindhearted person was a rare thing. Moreover, Dan-Zhu was not only kind—his talent was also dazzling. If such a person were to lose all compassion and become a cold, ruthless warlord, it would be far too tragic.
"It'd be best if I could… change his fate a little," Mo Hua thought silently.
Holding to the principle of "knowing oneself and knowing the other," Mo Hua spent the following days mainly learning about the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
He used them as a case study to dissect the history, power structures, internal conflicts, traditions, and military strength of the major barbarian tribes.
The Vermilion Sparrow Tribe was a major tribe of the Great Wilderness.
In ancient times, their power was even greater. They had once reached the rank of Fourth Grade, qualifying as one of the marquis tribes in the Royal Court of the Great Wilderness.
But later, they split apart.
Now, across the entire mountain realm, there were five or six tribes besides the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
For instance, the Red Luan Tribe, the Fire Eagle Tribe, the Flame Wing Tribe, and the Bi Fang Tribe—in ancient times, all of them had belonged to the same marquis tribe as the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe. Some even shared blood relations.
But once the royal tribe declined, internal strife broke out among the branches, eventually splintering them apart.
To become a marquis tribe, qualified to enter the Royal Court of the Great Wilderness, Mo Hua speculated that two conditions must be met:
First, the tribe had to reach the Fourth Grade.
Second, they had to worship one of the Four Divine Beasts.
Only tribes that adopted the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, or Black Tortoise as totems would be eligible to become nobles of the Great Wilderness.
Among them, the strongest was likely the Azure Dragon Tribe.
Thus, the Azure Dragon Tribe could be considered the royal bloodline of the Great Wilderness' royalty.
That said, all of this was merely Mo Hua's preliminary inference, based on the available clues and his understanding of the Great Wilderness.
Whether it was the truth still needed verification.
But Mo Hua vaguely felt that this was likely the rough framework of the Great Wilderness Royal Court.
Still, there were many aspects of this deduction that puzzled him.
Such as the relationship between the Divine Beasts and the tribes.
When a tribe worshiped a Divine Beast—were they treating it as a god? A Barbarian Deity? Or a kind of spiritual totem?
Did Divine Beasts exist only in the world of divine thought? Or did they also appear in the physical world?
Did Divine Beasts have flesh and blood?
What exactly was the nature of the relationship between Divine Beasts and humans within the tribes? Was it one-sided worship, mutual dependence, or mutual exploitation?
Then there was the matter of tigers and tiger-type beasts.
In legends of the Great Wilderness, Tiger Demons were considered variants of the White Tiger Divine Beast.
Some tiger demons might even carry the bloodline of the White Tiger—thus classifying them as variant Divine Beasts, or Exotic Beasts.
So what about the other Three Divine Beasts?
Were there also variant beasts of the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, or Black Tortoise?
Why was it that only the Tiger Demons were so prominent?
And why did the Royal Court of the Great Wilderness adopt tiger demons as mounts for marquises, as symbols of nobility?
Why didn't they use Azure Dragon variants, Vermilion Bird variants, or Black Tortoise variants as royal mounts?
Was there another reason behind this?
That Big Tiger, whom he had raised since childhood with dried fish—could it really have White Tiger blood in it?
How had the White Tiger's bloodline survived… and found its way into ordinary tiger demons?
The more Mo Hua thought about it, the more puzzled he became.
The cultivation world was vast; knowledge was infinite.
Sometimes, the more one learned, the more one realized how little they truly knew.
And the answers to these questions might well lie hidden within the forbidden grounds of the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe—in ancient tomes carefully preserved.
Mo Hua couldn't suppress his curiosity. Several times, he was tempted to sneak into those forbidden areas under stealth, to rummage through their collection of ancient texts and unravel his doubts.
But in the end, he restrained himself.
The Vermilion Sparrow Tribe wasn't some small village. Their ancestors had been nobles of the Royal Court—no way would they allow someone like him to come and go freely.
What if there was still an old ancestor guarding the forbidden grounds?
Then barging in would be nothing short of courting death.
As for historical secrets, this was as far as Mo Hua could investigate for now.
Beyond that, he relied on indirect clues and covert observation to gather more crucial information.
First was the matter of sacred patterns.
The term "Sacred Pattern" was a direct translation from the Barbarian language.
It referred to the Divine Beast Patterns—formations based on the Four Divine Beasts.
In the Great Wilderness, spiritual stones were scarce, and formations based on the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams were rarely passed down. The vast majority of their formation traditions were based on Beast Patterns from the Four Divine Beasts.
Strictly speaking, only patterns derived from Divine Beasts could be considered "Sacred Patterns."
But since formation inheritance was monopolized by the Royal Court and major tribes, and common folk didn't study formations, they blindly worshipped the Four Beast Patterns.
As a result, even some ordinary Beast Patterns and Demonic Patterns were mistakenly revered as Sacred Patterns.
To the barbarian tribes, the foundation of formations was the pattern. In their understanding, "pattern" and "formation" were synonymous.
Thus, in most barbarian dialects, "Sacred Pattern" was essentially interchangeable with "Formation."
This difference arose from varying regional backgrounds, differing cultivation histories, and distinct schools of thought.
From Mo Hua's perspective, the Dao of Formations, and its fundamental principles, were ultimately one and the same.
But the practice and application of this Dao—shaped by different eras, races, and cultivators in various environments—naturally resulted in a wide range of methods and traditions.
Even the meanings of terminology differed greatly.
The essence was one, but its outer expressions were endlessly diverse.
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name."
This was the relationship between the Dao of Formations and the Names given to formations.
And what a formation master in pursuit of the Dao must do… was to reverse-engineer all these external names, thoroughly understand them, and through all the varied manifestations of terminology, grasp that one true Formational Dao.
This insight was extremely important.
It was also something that one could never comprehend if they'd only ever stayed within the regulated formation system of the Dao Court in the Central Lands.
"Formations reflect the laws of heaven and earth;
They are not man-made 'names', nor the regulated patterns of the Dao Court,
And certainly not the artificially ranked grades set by mortals."
Mo Hua suddenly grew absent-minded.
Words like these—his teacher, Mister Zhuang, had said them to him back when he was a child.
Back then, he had only memorized them. Now, having left the Central Lands and seen the Way of the Wilderness firsthand, he finally understood the depth behind them.
He now realized that his teacher's teachings had been flawless—every word was a gem, not a single phrase false.
Formations encompassed all things, yet constantly evolved, flowing freely, bound to no fixed grade, name, or form.
And that's why one had to study broadly, drawing from myriad sources, to ultimately achieve mastery through integration.
One couldn't rely on the frameworks of others, nor take someone else's formation system as the standard. One had to forge their own path—using their own spiritual sense to pierce through the illusions of all patterns, perceive the true essence of formations, and build their own unique formation system.
What others teach you will always belong to them.
What one comprehend for themselves—was truly their own.
All of these principles were contained within Mister Zhuang's past teachings.
What had seemed like vague, empty words at the time… were anything but useless.
Even though Mister Zhuang had never passed down the true supreme secret of the path of formations —the so-called "Immortal Heavens Formation Flow".
But Mo Hua now felt that it was precisely those seemingly ordinary teachings from his master that were, in truth, the real "mystery" of formations.
Everything in the world — what is gives benefit, but what is not gives function.
Techniques that seem useful may offer only temporary gains.
But principles that seem useless — once truly understood — can be beneficial for a lifetime.
"Master really did pour his heart into teaching me..."
Mo Hua's expression froze with emotion. His heart ached slightly, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of longing.
A moment later, he suddenly realized something, and forcibly suppressed his thoughts, making himself stop reminiscing.
After some time, once his emotions had settled, Mo Hua refocused and continued thinking about matters concerning the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
"Sacred Runes…"
Mo Hua had done his research.
Within the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe, there indeed existed a legacy of Sacred Runes. However, this inheritance was in the hands of certain "Grand Elders."
These Grand Elders held mysterious statuses and rarely appeared in public — Mo Hua had no way of reaching them.
The highest known application of the Vermilion Sparrow's Sacred Runes was a suit of armor.
It was this armor that enabled the tribe to create an elite force of barbarian warriors unique to their lineage:
The Crimson-Feather Soldiers.
How strong they were, or what their defining traits were — Mo Hua had never seen them and couldn't say.
All he knew was that the Crimson-Feather Soldiers were regarded as the strongest combat force in the tribe's history.
Even among the once-glorious armies of the Great Wilderness Royal Court — filled with powerful warriors — they were considered top-tier.
A full unit of peak second-grade Crimson-Feather Soldiers could reportedly charge head-on and slay Golden Core cultivators — a testament to their strength.
But all of this, Mo Hua had only heard from idle chatter among the tribe's people. How much of it was exaggeration, he couldn't tell.
Still, if he ever got the chance, he truly wanted to witness firsthand the might of these Crimson-Feather Soldiers.
In addition, Mo Hua had also delved into the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe's power structure.
The head of the tribe was, naturally, the Grand Chieftain — Dan Zhu's father, Dan Lie.
A burly man who, while appearing a bit lecherous, was actually deeply shrewd.
Below him were his trusted followers from the direct bloodline, the various young lords, and the barbarian cultivators under each young lord's command from their respective sub-tribes.
Apart from the Grand Chieftain, the other major power bloc was the "Council of Elders."
In the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe, any barbarian cultivator of Golden Core level or above from the various sub-tribes could become an "Elder."
Among them, those with higher status and stronger abilities could enter the Council of Elders to participate in major tribal decisions.
And the primary power within the Elder Council lay in the hands of the "Grand Elder."
Below the Grand Elder were two positions — the "Left Elder" and the "Right Elder."
These two held equally high status and were considered the Grand Elder's right and left arms.
When a Grand Elder stepped down, the next one would be selected from either the Left or Right Elder.
Beyond the Grand, Left, and Right Elders, the remaining elders were further divided into "Upper Elders" and "Lower Elders."
Upper Elders were typically at least mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
Lower Elders were mostly at the early Golden Core stage.
Promotion from Lower to Upper Elder wasn't based solely on cultivation.
Background, bloodline, talent, capabilities, and contributions to the tribe — all played a part.
And even then, it depended on "available slots."
If there was no vacancy among the Upper Elders, the Lower Elders would have to queue up and wait.
The Elder Council and the Grand Chieftain acted as mutual checks on each other — when one grew strong, the other weakened. It was rife with scheming and conflict of interest.
Though it appeared to be a "barbaric" tribe, its power structure was surprisingly complex, with clearly delineated ranks and statuses.
That's the view from the "top."
Looking from the bottom, the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe had a complete "tribute" system.
Small sub-tribes made offerings to mid-sized tribes in hopes of receiving their protection.
Outer branch tribes made offerings to the main bloodline tribes to gain their shelter.
As for affiliated tribes — those connected only by marriage, lacking strength to defend themselves — they were collectively squeezed and exploited by all others.
They had to pay tribute everywhere, simply to survive.
Many of them didn't even know who ultimately received their tributes.
And the amount they were "expected" to give — that was a bottomless pit.
Basically, aside from barely enough food to survive, every scrap of "surplus" would be squeezed out.
And this "squeezing" didn't stop at food or wealth — it extended to people.
Especially young, beautiful tribal women.
That's the "bottom tier."
And beneath even that — there were still "people." These were the so-called "barbarian slaves."
Barbarian slaves were usually prisoners of war, or tribesmen who had committed grave offenses and been demoted to slavery.
Children born to barbarian slaves were slaves for life.
In truth, these barbarian slaves were the most numerous "people" in the entire Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
In daily life, they were pigs and dogs — beasts of burden, servants, laborers. During war, they were foot soldiers and cannon fodder.
Barbarian slaves were not seen as "human." No one paid them any mind.
The death of one slave was no different from the death of a pig or dog.
And yet, these slaves were in fact the "invisible," "voiceless," and "sacrificed" majority of the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe — perhaps even of the entire Great Wilderness.
They were the very foundation of the entire structure.
Their labor sustained everything.
The value they created was what made the tribe strong and prosperous.
Yet they were treated like animals, crushed beneath even the lowest layer of society.
These tribes of the Great Wilderness, which seemed powerful on the surface, were in truth nothing but pyramids — fueled from the bottom up by blood, and pressing down layer by layer with oppression.
From above, one could only see the power struggles — kin turning on kin.
From below, it was strict stratification, extreme exploitation, lives ground to dust, and a total dehumanization of the lowest classes.
Each angle revealed a different truth.
And those who feasted at the top had no reason — nor desire — to see through the eyes of those below, let alone that of the barbarian slaves.
Even if someone from the bottom climbed upward — they would, in time, become one of the "meat-eaters."
This endless cycle ensures that the contradictions of the Great Wilderness will never disappear.
Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh emotionally.
Truly — Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles — only by going out, wandering the world, could one see more of the truth behind cultivation, and more clearly perceive the patterns that govern all things.
And if anyone could change the current state of the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe, it would be Dan Zhu — the chieftain's son, born with a kind and righteous heart.
And thankfully, Dan Zhu had met him early.
Otherwise, if civil strife broke out within the tribe, if war erupted and brother turned against brother…
And Dan Zhu's heart became cold and cruel — even Mo Hua might no longer be able to change anything.
After all, the most fickle thing in this world is the human heart.
But the only thing truly worth cherishing… is also the human heart.
With that thought, over the next month, Mo Hua began subtly "teaching" Dan Zhu.
He guided him to think about issues he had never considered before.
He "coincidentally" took him to witness scenes he had never seen before.
Especially the barbarian slaves beneath the lowest stratum — being whipped, cursed, abused, starved, barely clothed, trembling in fear…
These were things Dan Zhu had never seen in his life.
From childhood to now, he'd been well protected.
Most of the people around him were dignified and distinguished. Even when he occasionally met lowborn barbarians, they were always honest and grateful.
He had truly never seen that people could actually live like livestock.
And such people had always lived within the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe — had always lived right beside him. He had simply never noticed.
Dan Zhu's eyes were opened — and his heart was shaken.
In this world, the poor don't know how rich the rich are — that's ignorance.
Likewise, the rich don't know how poor the poor are — and that too, is ignorance.
Under this real,cruel impact, all those personal worries in Dan Zhu's heart — his fate, his brotherhood, his desire for his father's approval — all those little "self-centered" concerns faded without him even realizing it.
Only after witnessing great suffering can true compassion arise.
And with great compassion, there is no room for the small self.
Dan Zhu's heart began to shift — and his fate, too, started being reshaped, bit by bit.
Mo Hua could clearly feel it: Dan Zhu's "destiny" was changing.
But he still felt it wasn't enough.
All of Dan Zhu's realizations were still stuck at the level of "knowledge."
And knowledge, in the end, is empty.
To turn the illusory into the real, one must act. Only through action can knowledge be validated, and ultimately merged — the unity of knowing and doing.
But right now, Dan Zhu lacked both the conditions and the ability to act.
His status was high, yes — but he was really just the "mascot" of the tribe, a "symbol" of the Vermilion Sparrow — he had no real autonomy.
Let alone any means to implement this unity of knowledge and action, which involved restructuring tribal power and remaking the lowest classes.
That was far from simple.
To do that, one would need great power and unmatched strength.
Dan Zhu had neither.
He merely had outstanding talent, and his cultivation far surpassed his peers.
But his territory was small, his trusted followers few, his supporters lacking, and his authority limited — he had no say in the tribe's major affairs.
True, Dan Zhu had previously gone around comforting the elderly and caring for children — that came from his sincerity and good heart, and it won him some affection.
But Mo Hua knew — this kind of "affection" was too cheap, and couldn't be turned into true "combat strength" or "loyal backing."
Worse, such "good reputation" could be destroyed easily.
From Mo Hua's perspective, it wouldn't even take any elaborate schemes. Just spread some rumors:
"Dan Zhu is fake… harsh… improper in conduct… plotting rebellion… eats children for fun…"
Throw a few sparks and fan the flames.
Under the pressure of public opinion, Dan Zhu's reputation would be obliterated in an instant.
In the end, "public sentiment" is that kind of thing — easy to manipulate, always blowing with the wind.
Affection that lacks strength to back it up… is no more than duckweed on water.
Therefore, Dan Zhu must build his own faction. He needs his own foundation.
If he keeps playing the tribe's "mascot," the consequences will be dire.
In moments of leisure, Mo Hua looked up at the sky — faintly, he could sense a thread of anxiety in the air over the Great Wilderness.
He suspected this was Heaven's will nudging him — some unknown "great upheaval" was brewing.
The Great Wilderness… might not have much time left.
Mo Hua's calculative ability was still insufficient — he didn't have enough clues yet to see through what this "heaven-and-earth change" would truly be.
But he did know — if they continued like this, dragging things out, it would be like a frog being boiled slowly in warm water… and eventually, they'd all die.
But just as he'd thought earlier — Dan Zhu had been too well protected.
For now, Mo Hua had no method to help Dan Zhu break free of his restraints and establish his own power.
The situation was at an impasse.
And then, ten days later, the unexpected occurred.
That day, Mo Hua was inside his house, studying the Four-Aspect Beast Runes, when he suddenly heard a commotion outside — a group of people, hurried and frantic, had entered the main tribe.
By now, with his Shaman identity — and borrowing Dan Zhu's name — Mo Hua had gotten quite close with several elders of the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
With a bit of inquiry, he quickly found out what had happened:
A large tribal group known as the Shugu Tribe had sent a small force of barbarian cultivators to raid and slaughter a northern sub-tribe of the Vermilion Sparrow.
All the elderly and children were killed. The young men and women were captured and taken as "barbarian slaves."
This was nothing less than a direct violation and humiliation of the Vermilion Sparrow Tribe.
Outrage swept through the tribe from top to bottom.
Mo Hua frowned — but in his heart, a strange unease stirred.
He felt as if this incident was the spark of a chain of causality.
Someone had lit this "cause," to bring about a certain anticipated effect.
But at the same time — Mo Hua sensed keenly that, within this chaos… his opportunity had arrived.
(End of this Chapter)