Chapter 1367: Post-War

Chapter 1367: Post-War

True-Person Zhuge looked at Mo Hua and asked in confusion, “Do you know who killed that wretched beast from Myriad Demon Mountains?”

Mo Hua didn’t know how to answer this.

The elders of Dao Province wore grave expressions and remained silent.

Xuanyuan Jing spoke in a low voice, “He killed him.”

True-Person Zhuge was startled. “What?”

Xuanyuan Jing’s gaze flickered slightly. “It was Mo Hua… he killed the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord from Myriad Demon Mountains…”

True-Person Zhuge frowned. What nonsense was this brat from the Xuanyuan clan spouting?

Mo Hua killed the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord?

An early-stage Golden Core killing a peak-stage Golden Core? How?

What, was his early Golden Core forged from gold, while someone else’s peak Golden Core was molded from rotten mud?

Had the Mountain Lord’s centuries of cultivation all gone to the dogs?

That Xuanyuan brat usually seemed steady, why say something so outrageous at a time like this? Was he trying to frame Mo Hua? Splash dirty water on him so those mad demonic cultivators from Myriad Demon Mountains would seek revenge?

True-Person Zhuge sneered inwardly, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

Xuanyuan Jing was making such a blatant accusation in front of so many people, yet not a single person stepped forward to refute it…

All the elders and heavenly prodigies wore complicated expressions, their gazes obscure.

Even Mo Hua’s Little Junior Brother, Situ Jian, looked solemn, as if what Xuanyuan Jing said… was true?

Mo Hua had really killed a peak-stage Golden Core great devil from Myriad Demon Mountains?

True-Person Zhuge frowned. What on earth were these people doing… Did they have no sense of realms at all?

An early-stage Golden Core... what was he supposed to use to kill a peak-stage Golden Core?

He focused his gaze on Mo Hua again. This time, his heart jolted.

He could faintly sense that the aura around Mo Hua was somewhat off... profound to an abnormal degree.

And his core formation, why was it so weak? Even worse than his original spiritual root?

He had gone to the Dragon Pool and formed an Inferior-grade Golden Core?

How did that even happen?

You could even drop in grade after entering the Dragon Pool?

The dragon qi of the Great Wilderness couldn’t even lock down a mere Intermediate-lower grade Golden Core?

True-Person Zhuge felt his scalp tingle. He was about to question further when his expression tightened and he swallowed his words.

Moments later, a flash of brilliance appeared, and True-Person Huá, dressed in splendid brocade and jade garments, walked in.

The moment True-Person Huá entered the Dragon Pool, he first glanced at Mo Hua, then at Bai Zisheng. His eyes flared with sharp light.

Bai Zisheng had already formed his Golden Core. His core bore the image of a True Dragon, and his bloodline had been activated—Azure Dragon Origin Reverting, the dragon charm restrained within his blood. Without question, he now possessed extraordinary bearing.

True-Person Huá pressed his lips together, unable to suppress the tremor in his heart. “True-Person Zhuge…”

Mo Hua quickly glanced at True-Person Zhuge.

True-Person Zhuge sighed inwardly and spoke before True-Person Huá could finish. “No.”

True-Person Huá’s expression darkened. “Brother Zhuge, do not make things difficult for my Huá clan…”

True-Person Zhuge shook his head. “If it were before, I would have yielded. But now things are different…”

He wasn’t blind. Earlier, he had seen the phenomenon. He understood that Bai Zisheng’s bloodline was unprecedented—an anomaly capable of reversion and ‘returning to the ancestor.’ And he had truly succeeded.

That made the matter serious.

True-Person Zhuge didn’t know whether the Huá clan had planned this in advance or had only just discovered it.

But regardless, now that it had reached this point and Bai Zisheng possessed True Dragon blood, he had to protect him.

Otherwise, as an Honorary consecrated official of the Imperial Celestial Bureau, he would have no way to account for it upon returning to the Dao Court.

True-Person Zhuge could only say, “Brother Huá, take care of yourself.”

True-Person Huá’s eyes flickered. In the end, he did not clash with True-Person Zhuge. He glanced at Bai Zisheng and said coldly, “I will handle the aftermath.”

With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.

True-Person Zhuge did not try to stop him. He turned to the crowd and said:

“The Royal Court has fallen. The Dragon Pool has dried up. The Destiny of the Great Wilderness is exhausted. This matter is concluded. The Dao Court will assess merits and grant rewards. You may return.”

After speaking, True-Person Zhuge looked at Mo Hua, meaning: you stay.

Mo Hua nodded.

The others did not dare defy True-Person Zhuge’s will. They cupped their hands one after another.

“Yes, True-Person.”

“Farewell, True-Person…”

They gradually left the Dragon Pool.

Before leaving, however, each cast a glance at Mo Hua, their expressions varied.

Bai Zisheng was also ordered by True-Person Zhuge to be escorted away. Personnel from the Imperial Celestial Bureau would protect him.

Bai Zisheng glanced at Mo Hua, worry in his eyes.

Mo Hua shook his head, signaling that he was fine.

Only then did Bai Zisheng depart with the Bureau’s people.

Inside the Dragon Pool, only True-Person Zhuge and Mo Hua remained.

With no outsiders present, True-Person Zhuge couldn’t help but sigh. “Speak. What happened?”

Mo Hua asked, “Which matter?”

True-Person Zhuge said, “Your core grade. What’s going on? The Dragon Pool can lock cores. It shouldn’t have failed to lock yours.”

Mo Hua looked somewhat frustrated. “An accident happened. I was targeted…”

True-Person Zhuge wanted to ask more, but quickly realized that matters concerning one’s Golden Core were core secrets of a cultivator. It wasn’t appropriate to probe too deeply.

Besides, having formed an Inferior-grade Golden Core, Mo Hua himself didn’t seem pleased.

So True-Person Zhuge did not pursue it further. Instead, he pointed at the corpse of the Demonic Flood Dragon Mountain Lord.

“You killed him?”

Mo Hua didn’t wish to hide it from True-Person Zhuge and nodded.

True-Person Zhuge’s brows knitted together. “How did you kill him?”

Mo Hua answered honestly, “I had just broken through my realm and couldn’t control my strength. In a moment of carelessness, I killed all three of them.”

If the one standing before him hadn’t been Mo Hua, True-Person Zhuge really would have wanted to cleave him in half with a Seven-Star Sword.

You formed a Golden Core—not ascended to immortality—and you ‘couldn’t control your strength’…

Why don’t you just ascend to the heavens while you’re at it?

Then True-Person Zhuge realized Mo Hua had said “all three of them.” He looked down, and sure enough, beside the massive body of the Mountain Lord lay two additional corpses.

One had a silver corpse beside him—a corpse cultivator from Yin Corpse Valley.

The other wore a skull around his neck—a demonic cultivator from Skull Cave.

Neither of them were weak.

True-Person Zhuge frowned. “You mean to say, you killed all three together?”

Mo Hua nodded.

“One peak-stage Golden Core, two late-stage Golden Cores... you killed them all at once?”

Mo Hua nodded again.

True-Person Zhuge cautiously asked, “Are you aware that you’re at the early Golden Core stage?”

Mo Hua replied, “An early Golden Core can’t kill a peak-stage Golden Core?”

“What do you think?”

“…Fine then,” Mo Hua sighed. “Then I guess I didn’t kill them.”

True-Person Zhuge let out a deep sigh. He truly had no way to deal with this little ancestor. Clever and sly, speaking half-truths and half-lies, impossible to read.

Mo Hua’s identity was special. He was close to Old Ancestor Xun. It would be inappropriate to probe too deeply.

Besides, he had no time.

Mo Hua suddenly said, “True-Person, about Bai Zisheng…”

True-Person Zhuge replied, “Rest assured. I’ll protect him.”

With the manifestation of the Azure Dragon Origin Reverting Core sign, he could not ignore the matter.

Mo Hua nodded, finally at ease.

True-Person Zhuge was about to give further instructions when his heart stirred. His gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at Mo Hua.

“What exactly is your relationship with Bai Zisheng?”

Mo Hua shook his head. “No relationship.”

True-Person Zhuge stared at him expressionlessly.

Mo Hua added, “An enemy relationship. I humiliated him. He resents me.”

True-Person Zhuge’s expression remained indifferent.

Mo Hua sighed inwardly. True-Person Zhuge appeared lazy, but in truth he was extremely perceptive. He had likely already seen through many things and simply chose not to ask.

During the journey through the Great Wilderness, True-Person Zhuge had helped him greatly. Since he already suspected, Mo Hua chose not to conceal it.

The surroundings had long been sealed by True-Person Zhuge’s Eight-Trigram disk, isolating sight and sound.

Mo Hua slowly said, “Actually… Bai Zisheng is my senior brother.”

True-Person Zhuge was startled.

This answer far exceeded his expectations.

He had long found it strange: how could Mo Hua, a seemingly frail Foundation Establishment cultivator, defeat Bai Zisheng with a single strike?

He suspected there was something fishy between them.

They appeared at sword’s edge, as if bearing deep hatred, yet secretly protected each other.

But he never imagined they were fellow disciples.

Bai Zisheng—the Monstrous genius of the Bai Clan bearing the might of a True Dragon, Azure Dragon Origin Reverting Core, arrogant and monstrously talented—was his senior brother?

Two people who seemed completely unrelated, how did such a connection even arise?

This kid Mo Hua… are his connections always this bizarre?

True-Person Zhuge suppressed his shock and asked, “Is Bai Zisheng also a disciple of the Great Void Sect?”

Mo Hua shook his head. “No.”

True-Person Zhuge frowned. “Then under which sect are you fellow disciples?”

Mo Hua hesitated. It wasn’t easy to explain.

Seeing this, True-Person Zhuge’s head began to ache again. He waved his hand. “Forget it.”

Some secrets are better left unknown. Once entangled, they only invite disaster.

And he truly had no time to deal with it.

“You’ve formed your core. Everything that needed to be done is done. Return early… return to the Great Void Sect. Report to the Old Ancestor and reassure him of your safety.”

Mo Hua asked, “And you, True-Person…?”

“I am a Feathered Ascension True-Person, and an Honorary Consecrated official of Imperial Celestial Bureau. Though the affairs of the Great Wilderness are concluded, I must remain to handle the aftermath.”

Mo Hua nodded.

True-Person Zhuge looked at him again and instructed, “Rest tonight. At dawn tomorrow, depart with the army. Leave the Royal court and the Great Wilderness.”

After speaking, he added sternly, “This is an order.”

Seeing his seriousness, Mo Hua nodded solemnly.

“Go,” True-Person Zhuge said.

Mo Hua glanced at him, clasped his hands. “Then I take my leave.”

True-Person Zhuge nodded.

Mo Hua bowed and turned to depart.

True-Person Zhuge watched him leave. Then he looked down at the three demonic corpses on the ground, still finding it unbelievable, his brow tightly furrowed.

He raised his head and looked at the six Great Wilderness Feathered Ascensions that had already dissolved into black, putrid blood. He sighed, and a sharp light gradually appeared in his eyes…

…

Leaving the Dragon Pool, passing through the Dragon-Bone Path, crossing the Dragon Hall, and moving through the Four Symbols Palace, Mo Hua returned to the Royal courtyard.

At this moment, the courtyard was filled with Dao soldiers, the Imperial Celestial Bureau, and the great clans. Voices clamored and the situation was somewhat chaotic.

Many Dao soldiers were scattered everywhere, rummaging through palace courtyards and towers, looting the Great Wilderness Royal clan’s wealth and cultivation inheritances.

It was a stroke of fortune that they had survived a brutal bloodbath.

And by order from above, the army would begin withdrawing tomorrow. Naturally, before leaving, they wanted to gather whatever spoils they could, hoping to pick up treasures and gain opportunities.

This was the Royal court of the Great Wilderness with countless riches.

Of course, the truly valuable items had already been swept clean by the Dao Court and the great clans.

Ordinary Dao soldiers could only gather scraps, but even so, for common soldiers this was a rare chance to strike it rich.

The Dao Soldiers Division and the upper ranks of the Dao Court turned a blind eye.

The Dao Court maintained strict discipline during war, orders obeyed, charges executed. Now that the war was over, the soldiers deserved a little reward.

If the water is too clear, no fish survive. When those above eat meat, those below must at least drink some soup, otherwise morale collapses.

Mo Hua looked at the scarred Royal court and the looting soldiers, his feelings complicated.

He first went to the Imperial Celestial Bureau encampment to see Little Senior Brother, but was stopped.

Bai Zisheng was confined within a formation.

By True-Person Zhuge’s order, no one was permitted to see him.

To prevent complications, he issued a blanket command: no one—including Mo Hua—could meet Bai Zisheng.

Mo Hua felt regret, but there was nothing to be done. He turned instead toward the Situ clan encampment and met Situ Jian and Situ Fang.

“Pack your things. At dawn tomorrow, leave the Royal court immediately. Do not linger.”

For some reason, he still had a bad premonition.

Situ Jian and Situ Fang nodded.

Mo Hua then turned to Dan Ling.

As the Divine maiden of the Royal court, she was already a Golden Core cultivator and did not need to form one in the Dragon Pool. During the prior conflict, she and Situ Fang had stayed out of the dispute and were unharmed.

Yet even so, she showed not the slightest relief of surviving disaster. Instead, she seemed lost and desolate, deep sorrow filling her eyes.

Mo Hua felt sympathy but did not know how to comfort her. He could only say, “Disguise yourself and leave the Great Wilderness with Sister Fang and the Situ convoy. Do not delay. If the higher-ups of the great clans start thinking about again, things will become troublesome.”

Dan Ling smiled faintly, the smile tinged with bleakness.

Mo Hua could only sigh.

Situ Jian asked, “Little Senior Brother, what about you? Won’t you leave with us?”

“I…” Mo Hua hesitated. “I’ll think about it…”

Though the war in the Great Wilderness was considered settled, he still felt there were matters that left him uneasy…

…

At this moment, the great clans of the Nine Provinces were all preparing to withdraw.

Within the Xuanyuan clan encampment, inside a lavish guest chamber:

Young Master Tuoba sat, while Da Hu stood beside him.

Young Master Tuoba glanced at him. “You formed a Core?”

Da Hu cupped his hands. “Yes, thanks to Young Master’s great fortune and favor.”

“What kind of core?”

“The Dragon-Tiger Mystic Core…” Da Hu answered in a low voice.

Young Master Tuoba’s brows lifted slightly, his attitude softening. “Tomorrow, you will leave with me for Dao Province…”

Looking at Da Hu, he said slowly, “Dao Province lies under the Son of Heaven’s rule, at the heart of the Nine Provinces, flourishing beyond compare. When we arrive… I will grant you a promising future.”

Da Hu’s body trembled. “Many thanks to Young Master Tuoba for your patronage.”

Young Master Tuoba nodded slightly, then said sternly:

“You must remember: you were born low and base. Only through my recognition have you reached where you are today. From now on… you understand what you must do?”

Da Hu bowed deeply. “I shall devote myself wholly to Young Master, through fire and water!”

“Very good.” Young Master Tuoba nodded with satisfaction. “You may leave. Do not forget what you said.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Da Hu withdrew respectfully.

As he watched Da Hu depart, a faint sneer flickered in Young Master Tuoba’s otherwise calm eyes.

And after leaving him, the scarred face of Da Hu gradually turned cold, like a fierce tiger in the night.

Without a word, he turned and looked toward the vast Royal court. Thinking of that familiar figure from his childhood, he let out a soft sigh.

…

Meanwhile, aside from Young Master Tuoba, many prodigies from the various great clans were also preparing to withdraw from the Great Wilderness.

Especially the prodigies of Dao Province.

Their journey had been for the sake of forming their Golden Cores. Now that their cores were complete, their Dao foundations transformed, and the true dragon qi had given rise to auspicious phenomena, the world ahead seemed boundless. Step by step they would move toward broader horizons, display their talents, achieve fame, and even become regional overlords…

That had been their grand vision of the future.

But now, they had encountered Mo Hua.

That magnificent vision was cast under a shadow.

Some Dao Province prodigies, merely recalling Mo Hua’s monster-like bearing—and remembering how the three Demonic cultivators died in an instant before him—felt their Dao hearts begin to waver…

“Mo Hua…”

Many prodigies silently repeated the name in their hearts at the same time.

…

On the other side, Mo Hua himself felt restless.

Since entering the Royal court, all that he had experienced kept surfacing in his mind.

The Transforming Mortals into Dragons, the Inferior-grade Golden Core, the peak twenty-nine-pattern Divine-Sense, the Dao-Sin Calamity of the Great Wilderness, the Central Heaven Ziwei Big Dipper Seven-Star Killing Formation…

(TN: Changing "Transforming the Multitudes into Dragons" to "Transforming Mortals into Dragons", suggested by 'Charles T'. If you have suggestions like this, comment them, and if they fit the meaning, I might adopt them.)

His Martial Uncle’s scheme had been broken.

But was it truly over?

Moreover, Mo Hua always felt that he had overlooked something.

Amid his tangled thoughts, a wave of drowsiness suddenly overcame him. In a hazy blur, a grand hall appeared before his eyes once more.

At the entrance of the hall, the deceased Second Elder was again kowtowing to him, repeatedly chanting:

“Young Divine Lord… please grant my Great Wilderness a sliver of Destiny to continue…”

“Please, Young Divine Lord…”

“I beg you…”

Mo Hua frowned. “Weren’t you dead? Why are you still here?”

The moment the thought arose, his gaze suddenly sharpened and he said coldly, “You… who exactly are you?”

As soon as he spoke, the Second Elder stopped kowtowing.

He slowly rose to his feet. Blood covered his forehead, yet the servile air was gone from his face, replaced by calmness and sorrow.

In the blink of an eye, his form and features gradually changed… becoming Shentu Ye.

Shentu Ye looked at Mo Hua, grief in his eyes, and said in a low voice:

“Please… Young Divine Lord…”

Mo Hua’s expression changed. He abruptly opened his eyes, only to find everything gone. Before him was nothing but the quiet night and the flickering lamplight.

(End of Chapter)