Chapter 1159: Tiger's March

In the Great Wilderness, under a blazing sun, on a hillside in the Gobi Desert.

Mohua and the big tiger were resting on the ground. The initial excitement had worn off. The big tiger, tired and hungry, lay on its back with its belly facing up. Its four paws pawed at the air for a while, then it turned its head towards Mohua, opened its mouth, and let out a 'meow.'

Helpless, Mohua took out a dried fish and tossed it into the big tiger's mouth. The big tiger licked the dried fish, utterly content.

Mohua, however, felt a bitter pang in his heart. He raised his head and surveyed his surroundings. It was desolate everywhere. The Gobi stretched endlessly, with the brown earth, crimson mountains, and the blazing sun in the sky merging into a vast, boundless expanse. He had no idea where he was.

"Where exactly did this big tiger bring me?" Mohua felt utterly bewildered.

By all accounts, with the Dao soldiers ambushed, the rebellion suppression efforts thwarted, and the situation critical, it was the perfect time for him to showcase his abilities and earn military merits. But things didn't go as planned. The foolish big tiger, once it started running at full speed, had completely derailed all his plans. All his current schemes were in disarray. His hopes of achieving great deeds and establishing a career were also dashed.

Mohua felt a bit annoyed and couldn't help but pat the big tiger's head. But he wasn't a body cultivator, so he had no strength in his hands. The big tiger, thinking Mohua was stroking its head and playing with it, chewed on the dried fish while rubbing its head against Mohua's hand. Mohua felt utterly helpless.

At this point, the big tiger had finished the dried fish and opened its mouth wide at Mohua again. Mohua had no choice but to throw another dried fish to it. The big tiger had eaten the first dried fish very carefully, licking it for a long time and slowly savoring the taste, but it only made it hungrier. With this second dried fish, it wasn't polite and swallowed it in a few gulps.

After finishing, it looked at Mohua with eager eyes again. Mohua realized that feeding it like this wouldn't work. This big tiger was a 'big eater.' Although his storage pouch contained some dried fish, there were only a few dozen in total. These had all been carefully prepared by his mother, who specially bought large fish, then pickled and dried them—a very time-consuming process. If he truly fed them to the big tiger, it would finish them in one meal. Other items, such as dried meat, preserved fruits, and spirit-pills, were his own emergency rations. He couldn't give those to the big tiger either. Otherwise, it would devour everything in a few meals, and he would be left with nothing to eat. Moreover, with the big tiger's massive size and appetite, eating these things definitely wouldn't satisfy it.

But it was empty all around, with not a single human or demon beast in sight. Where was he supposed to find food?

Mohua felt a headache coming on. He never imagined that one day he would have to worry about the big tiger's meals. But if he didn't look, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't just watch the big tiger starve to death.

Mohua threw another dried fish to the big tiger, then said, "Let's go. We need to find something that can fill you up." The big tiger, holding the dried fish in its mouth, and not knowing if it understood or not, simply walked forward on its own. After only a few steps, it suddenly turned its head and glanced at Mohua. Mohua was slightly puzzled, not understanding its meaning.

The big tiger then tilted its massive head towards its back, signaling Mohua to ride on it so they could travel together. Mohua hesitated slightly. The big tiger lay down on the ground, seemingly unwilling to move unless Mohua got on its back. It seemed to be afraid that if it ran, Mohua would suddenly disappear again in the blink of an eye. Therefore, only with Mohua on its back could it feel at ease. Mohua sighed, stroked the big tiger's mane, then sat on its back. The big tiger let out a soft growl, then got up, stretched its four limbs, and began to trot forward.

The crimson sun was high in the sky, and the heat spread boundlessly. Without a map, he couldn't pinpoint his location. He didn't know where he was, nor where the Dao Court army was. He didn't know where to go next, let alone how to get back. Had Commander Yang Jishan and Brother Yang Jiyong dispelled the 'omen of death' and survived the military disaster? What was the outcome for the Dao Court army, betrayed by the Great Wilderness Gate and caught in a pincer attack by barbarian soldiers? What should he do next? And how could he form his Core? Mohua knew nothing of these things, nor could he divine them. But now that it had come to this, there was nothing he could do. Mohua could only ride the big tiger, wandering across the land of the Great Wilderness.

Meanwhile, in Daozhou, at the Central Dao Court, in the Tianshu Pavilion.

Atop the high pavilion, the Grand Elder's room was empty. The smoke from the nitrogen box had dispersed. The chess pieces on the board remained in an unfinished game, untouched for a long time. The jade slips and documents once sent to this room for the Grand Elder's approval were now all sent to the other side, to the even larger Supervisor's Chamber.

At this moment, the dignified Supervisor of Tianshu Pavilion, appearing middle-aged and richly dressed, was poring over the jade slips sent from the front lines, his expression grim, so grim that it seemed water could drip from it.

"The Great Wilderness Gate's mutiny.""Barbarian soldiers' ambush.""The Dao Court army routed, its remaining forces scattered throughout the Great Wilderness, engaging in fragmented skirmishes with barbarian soldiers."

The army had marched out barely half a month ago, yet the situation had rapidly deteriorated, becoming utterly dire. This made the dignified Supervisor of Tianshu Pavilion, a person of immense status second only to one and above ten thousand, feel a momentary sense of disbelief. He couldn't help but turn his head and look towards the Grand Elder's room.

The Grand Elder's room was now empty. That former Grand Elder, with a full head of white hair, who used to doze off in front of the chessboard, seemingly muddled and idle, had retired to secluded cultivation. And once the Grand Elder left, the Supervisor finally realized just how much pressure came with this position. In fact, he hadn't even fully assumed the position; still merely a Supervisor, an 'acting Grand Elder,' yet he already felt as if he were facing an abyss and treading on thin ice. At this very moment, he only now understood a little of the meaning behind the Grand Elder's words before his departure. Only then did he realize that the position of 'Grand Elder' was not one to be easily assumed. And the Grand Elder, who had appeared aged, dozing off daily, seemingly muddled, was actually truly unfathomable.

The Supervisor even suspected in his heart if the Grand Elder had perhaps long foreseen the current situation, which was why he had deliberately defied the wishes of the Dao Court's high-ranking officials regarding the matter of Qianxue Prefecture. Even later, at the Seven Pavilions Conference, when he was framed and targeted by his own ancestor, he didn't retaliate. He ultimately 'failed' and withdrew from the situation, retiring to secluded cultivation to wisely protect himself and escape the inferno that was the Great Wilderness. The Grand Elder's eyes, turbid as an abyss, resurfaced in his mind.

The Supervisor felt his scalp tingle. A moment later, he let out a deep sigh and slowly said: "'No wonder—in the Grand Elder's contest back then, my Hua clan's ancestor couldn't contend with that venerable elder—'"

The adjutant beside him respectfully whispered, "Supervisor, it's best to be cautious when speaking about the clan's ancestor."

The Supervisor remained silent. A moment later, he opened his mouth and asked, "What is the Dao Military Bureau's current movement?"

The adjutant's voice became a few shades lower: "'The war's failure, the Dao Court's loss of prestige, and the Dao Sovereign's great anger led to several chief commanders of the Dao Military Bureau being reprimanded. For the Dao Military Bureau, this was an immense humiliation. Therefore, this time, the Dao Military Bureau will not hold back in the slightest. Some conscription orders have even been sent to the major aristocratic families. The Dao Military Bureau intends to reassemble the Dao soldiers to suppress the Great Wilderness with lightning-like force, completely exterminating the Great Wilderness's princes and the puppet royal family, leaving no future troubles. With the blood of the Great Wilderness barbarians, they will offer sacrifices to the fallen soldiers.'"

The Supervisor slowly nodded, but his expression grew even more solemn. He knew that this way, the chessboard would expand, but it also meant the situation would become even more chaotic. If he couldn't manage the situation well, he wouldn't be able to account to his Hua clan's ancestor, let alone to the Tianshu Pavilion and the Dao Court. Then his position as 'acting Grand Elder' would simply have to be replaced.

Daozhou was just like this: aristocratic families and ancient clans were long-lasting, and talented experts were as numerous as carp crossing a river, countless. Some things, if you don't do them, there are plenty of others who will. If you can't, there are plenty of others who can. The Supervisor, however, looked at the chaotic sand table before him, the piles of jade slips and documents, and thought of the bloody and tumultuous situation in the Great Wilderness. He couldn't help but wonder: Besides figures like the Grand Elder, could anyone truly handle this situation? Could anyone really strategize brilliantly and rise to prominence in such a chaotic situation in the Great Wilderness?

In the Great Wilderness, on an isolated mountain somewhere.

In the evening, the sunset glow was like fire. Mohua had also lit a fire and was roasting meat. The meat was from a demon beast that looked like a jackal, yet had deer antlers, and was also somewhat like a goat. Although Mohua was a demon hunter, he had never hunted demons in the Great Wilderness and was unfamiliar with the species of demon beasts there. So he didn't know what kind of demon beast it was. He could only deduce from its habits that it was a herbivorous demon beast. The Great Wilderness was desolate and sparsely populated. If this demon beast were carnivorous or ate humans, it would likely have starved to death long ago and wouldn't have survived until now. This demon beast was only at the early second-rank, its strength not formidable. The big tiger pursued, pounced, and bit, hunting and killing it in just a few rounds. Mohua then used an array formation to light a fire and roast the demon meat.

The big tiger, meanwhile, gnawed on a bloody demon beast thigh beside him. In recent days, it had been trapped in the Great Wilderness Gate's camp. Taking advantage of the Great Wilderness Gate's mutiny, it had fought its way out and fled, exhausting itself and truly starving. Thus, with raw meat available, it naturally couldn't help but feast heartily.

As it gnawed, the big tiger suddenly sniffed and turned its head to look at Mohua. By now, Mohua's meat was also roasted, and he had added spices. The spicy aroma of the spices mixed with the savory scent of the roasted meat wafted out, rich and inviting. Mohua was slowly and methodically slicing off pieces to eat with a small knife. The big tiger watched Mohua contentedly, focusing mainly on Mohua's roasted meat. Its large, bell-like eyes were filled with curiosity.

Seeing this, Mohua cut off a large piece of roasted meat and threw it to the big tiger. The big tiger let out a cheerful 'meow,' took the roasted meat into its mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it. After finishing, the big tiger smacked its lips, very satisfied. Afterwards, it continued to gnaw on its own bloody raw demon meat. But as it gnawed, it suddenly felt that the meat in its mouth wasn't as fragrant anymore, at least not as fragrant as Mohua's portion. The big tiger extended its head again and looked at Mohua. Mohua had no choice but to give it another piece. The big tiger ate again, licked its lips, and looked down at the bloody raw meat in its paws, finding it increasingly tasteless. It thought for a moment, then pushed the half-eaten raw demon beast leg meat towards Mohua, seemingly wanting Mohua to roast it for it as well.

Mohua met the big tiger's clear, large eyes and truly had no choice. He could only take the meat, sprinkle it with spices, and patiently roast it for the tiger. He had inherited his mother Liu Ruhua's cooking skills and had always been adept at preparing meals. He carried all sorts of spices with him. When he traveled with his master in the past, he had always been responsible for their meals. Later, when he arrived in Qianxue Prefecture and entered the Grand Void Sect, he had no worries about food and drink, and thus hadn't personally prepared a meal in a long time. Now in the vast and sparsely populated Great Wilderness, he was alone, so he naturally had to roast meat himself. He just hadn't expected that one day he would have to roast meat for the big tiger.

But speaking of which, this big tiger was indeed an oddity. Other carnivorous demon beasts ate humans, but it didn't. Other tiger demons preferred raw meat, but it preferred roasted meat. He wondered if it was because he had fed it dried fish since it was young, spoiling its taste—Mohua grumbled inwardly, but his hands didn't stop. After a while, he finished roasting the meat and handed it to the big tiger. The big tiger let out a 'roar' at Mohua, then used its two paws to hold the roasted demon leg and began to chew on it with relish. Its tail kept wagging, looking utterly relaxed and content.

From then on, the big tiger's palate was spoiled by Mohua. Unless absolutely necessary, it wouldn't eat raw meat. Whenever it had meat, it would immediately bring it to Mohua, asking Mohua to roast it for it using an array formation; only then would it eat. Sometimes Mohua didn't really want to roast, but seeing the big tiger circling him, looking very greedy, he couldn't bear it, and could only continue to spoil it.

But meat wasn't always available. This part of the Great Wilderness was truly desolate; not a single human was seen, and even demon beasts were not common. This didn't match Mohua's previous impression. In his understanding, this part of the Great Wilderness was desolate and wild, and demon beasts should have been quite numerous. Mohua guessed that it was probably due to the spread of war and the passage of barbarian soldiers. The demon beasts along the way were either slaughtered by the barbarian soldiers or had fled elsewhere at the sight of them. After all, no matter how strong demon beasts were, they couldn't contend with the barbarian army led by the Great Wilderness Princes. With the spread of war, even clustered demon beasts had to avoid direct confrontation to preserve their lives.

Mohua sighed softly. Since he truly couldn't discern his direction, he didn't care anymore. He simply followed the tracks of demon beasts, riding the big tiger, and kept moving forward. 'Hunting demon beasts' was the only thing he could do. It was also something he had to do. Catching one demon beast was enough for the big tiger to have one meal. With food, the big tiger could survive. Otherwise, under the blazing sun and vast land, Mohua could endure with spirit-pills, but the big tiger, being a 'big eater,' would surely starve to death.

And so, Mohua rode on the back of the black and white big tiger, hunting demon beasts while wandering aimlessly and directionlessly across the land of the Great Wilderness. During the day, they traveled and hunted demon beasts. At night, if there was no wind, they could continue for a while. If the wind was strong and the night cold, they could only temporarily stop and rest. The big tiger lay coiled on the ground. Mohua, wrapped in a blanket, rested his head under the big tiger's belly, using its fluffy tiger fur for warmth. Sun rose and moon set, then the sun rose again. This cycle repeated for an unknown number of months.

Mohua finally passed through the reddish-brown Gobi and saw some different scenery. This was an extensive mountain range. The mountains were rugged and perilous, covered with reddish-brown shrubs. The demonic energy in the mountains was denser. Moreover, Mohua seemed to vaguely sense the aura of living people. After traveling for so long, he finally saw living people. Mohua felt a surge of excitement in his heart. Afterwards, he no longer hesitated. He rode the fierce tiger and entered the deep mountains.

The mountain forest was steep and treacherous, but every plant and tree was relatively intact. It seemed this mountain was not on the marching route of the Great Wilderness barbarian soldiers, and thus had not suffered large-scale destruction. The types of demon beasts in the forest were also much richer, and the big tiger's eyes lit up. Mohua, however, extended his divine sense, observing the surrounding environment and searching for traces of humans. After all, demon beasts couldn't speak. Only by finding people could he ask and understand where this place was and where he actually was, to decide what to do next.

The man and the tiger strolled through the forest. No demon beasts dared to offend them. Tigers were kings among demons, and all beasts yielded to them. Ordinary demon beasts simply didn't dare to challenge their majesty. What's more, the big tiger was a great demon beast at the peak of the second-rank.

After walking in the mountains for a while, Mohua's divine sense stirred, and he vaguely sensed the aura of two cultivators. He thought for a moment, then said to the big tiger: "Wait for me here." The big tiger was too mighty and too conspicuous. It was inconvenient to move with it, and it wouldn't be good for gathering information. But the big tiger was disobedient, insisting on following Mohua, seemingly afraid that if Mohua left, he would disappear again. Mohua sighed and could only comfort it, saying, "I'll be back soon." The big tiger tilted its massive head, clearly skeptical. Mohua had no choice but to take off his storage pouch and place it in front of the big tiger. "I'll leave my storage pouch with you; keep an eye on it. I'll definitely come back for it." The big tiger lay on the ground, firmly clutching Mohua's storage pouch with its two paws. Only then did it nod. Mohua truly didn't know what to do with it, thinking to himself that this big tiger was truly like a spirit.

Afterwards, Mohua's figure faded, and he disappeared, becoming invisible. The big tiger instinctively tensed up, just about to get up, but then thought for a moment and lay back down, resting its massive head on the storage pouch, waiting patiently for Mohua.

On the other side, Mohua, still invisible, arrived at a cliff. Looking down, he saw two cultivators walking side by side on the steep mountain path below. These two cultivators had matted hair, bare arms, and wore animal hides. Their faces, the back of their necks, and both arms were carved with beast patterns. At a glance, they were not cultivators from the Dao Court's Nine Prefectures, but neither did they resemble sinister demon cultivators. They were likely barbarian cultivators. Moreover, of these two people, one was a hunched old man with early Foundation Establishment cultivation, his face full of wrinkles, and an impressive aura. The other was a child of about ten years old, with only fourth or fifth-level Qi Condensation. It seemed they were a grandfather and grandson.

At this moment, the grandfather and grandson were walking deeper into the mountains while talking, with the elder mostly giving instructions to the child. Their words, although bearing distinct barbarian accents, were largely in the official language of the Dao Court. Mohua could generally understand them. As for why this barbarian grandfather and grandson spoke the Dao Court's official language, Mohua also generally knew. The three thousand barbarian tribes of the Great Wilderness had their own writing and languages. But later, after the Great Wilderness imperial family rebelled and was suppressed by the Dao Court, the Dao Court issued a decree forcing all clans in the Great Wilderness to learn the Dao Court's writing and language. To extinguish the culture of a tribe, one must first abolish its writing and language. Therefore, most clans in the Great Wilderness nowadays learned to speak the unified language of the Nine Prefectures from childhood, though it would be mixed with some barbarian accents.

On the mountain path, the grandfather and grandson continued to chat as they walked. Their conversation was disjointed and sporadic. Mohua listened silently from the side. But as he listened, his expression suddenly changed. He had just heard, from the scattered words of the grandfather and grandson, the word 'sacrifice.'

"Sacrifice—what?" Mohua's eyes narrowed slightly.