Chapter 1149: Dao Soldiers
"These are Dao Court's Dao Soldiers?"
"And such overwhelming, vast momentum… blotting out the sky and earth—is this… a full army of Dao Soldiers?"
Mo Hua's heart trembled slightly. He glanced back at the Monster Duel Arena. His figure slowly faded, and when he reappeared, he was already near the city gate.
Desolate Desert City stood tall and imposing, with walls that reached the heavens and a massive gate that resembled twin mountains standing in opposition.
Normally, the gates of Desolate Desert City were tightly shut. Ordinary cultivators could only enter and exit through the side gates.
But now, those mountain-sized gates were swung wide open.
A grand phalanx of Dao Soldiers clad in armor and wielding sharpened weapons marched in formation—orderly and disciplined—passing through the gates and into this Grade-Four Immortal City. Their presence, saturated with iron and blood, surged forward like an unstoppable tide, stretching beyond sight.
The clash of metal rang out, and the thunder of iron hooves shook the very earth.
The sheer numbers, the oppressive might, the morale that soared to the heavens—all of it pierced the sky like a war cry from the gods.
Within the city, cultivators of all kinds stood to either side, watching the spectacle with widened eyes and shocked expressions.
Only now did they truly comprehend the origin of Dao Court's unparalleled authority.
Only now did they understand how Dao Court unified the Nine Provinces.
War. And power.
Mo Hua's expression, too, was filled with awe.
This was the first time in his life he had witnessed such a vast display of Dao Soldiers on the move.
He had seen Dao Soldiers during the purge of the Qian Family in Tongxian City.
He had seen them again during the suppression of the Lu Family and the corpse plague in Nanyue City.
But those previous forces combined didn't even amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the grand, unstoppable torrent of iron before him now.
This was the true Central Dao Court's army.
They had been mobilized by official decree from the Central Dao Court itself to suppress the rebellion in the Great Wilderness. The Dao Soldier Division had taken command, coordinating troop movements from military camps across the provinces and gathering them at the gateway to the Great Wilderness.
Thousands upon thousands. Too many to count.
This army symbolized the Dao Court's authority, and would carry out the Dao Lord's command—marching south into the Great Wilderness, trampling over the Royal Court, executing rebel lords and nobles, and quelling the uprising to restore the might of Dao Court across the heavens.
Cultivation wars meant slaughter and death.
They meant brutality and tragedy.
And yet, standing before this steel-and-blood tidal wave, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel his heart race, his blood boil.
This flood of Dao Soldiers—when they stormed the battlefield, armor merged with arrays, blades fused with morale—would surge forward like mountains collapsing and seas roaring, crushing all enemies, shattering all barriers.
It was a vision of steel-blooded grandeur.
Mo Hua found himself utterly captivated.
After a while, he gradually understood something else:
"Dao Court… is furious now…"
"The real war in the Great Wilderness has begun…"
Just then, a disturbance echoed from afar.
Several Golden Core cultivators emerged from the Spirit Beast Tower—also known as the underground Monster Duel Arena—releasing their divine sense, scanning the area in search of Mo Hua.
But even they were visibly unsettled by the sheer presence of the Dao Soldiers. They didn't dare act too ostentatiously in their search.
Mo Hua's eyes flickered. Using the iron-blooded aura of the Dao Soldiers as cover, he completely concealed his presence.
Even his aura melded into the chaotic mix within Desolate Desert City.
Like a fish vanishing into a stormy sea, he left not a single trace.
Dozens of miles away, still within Desolate Desert City.
Inside an inn—
Mo Hua washed off the bronze-toned ink, changed his clothes, and once again became the fair and refined late Foundation Establishment array master and spirit cultivator.
The inn bustled with people coming and going.
Mo Hua sat alone in his room, pouring himself a drink, calmly considering his next move.
The Dao Soldiers entering the city meant Dao Court was about to act for real.
The war in the Great Wilderness was about to escalate further.
But none of that was the most pressing matter.
Mo Hua was well aware of his limits.
The war between the Dao Court and the Great Wilderness… to be honest, was far beyond anything he could influence at his current stage.
A war of this scale involved massive strategies, countless forces, unpredictable shifts in fortune—things utterly beyond his control.
He was just a humble Foundation Establishment cultivator. He couldn't contribute much, let alone hope to change the tide of such a colossal conflict.
The only thing he might help with… was arrays.
But the arrays used by Dao Soldiers were standardized. Their core military formation runes were top-secret—strictly guarded by the Dao Soldier Division.
The weapons and armor they used had all been forged before the war began.
There was no room for him to intervene there.
The only area he might be able to contribute would be the war preparations involving formations before battle, emergency deployment during battle, or post-battle repairs.
But even that—plenty of array masters could do.
His biggest problem right now was still his cultivation.
In large-scale cultivation wars, Qi Refining formed the lowest tier. Foundation Establishment was the base. Golden Core formed the backbone.
If he could break through to the Golden Core stage and master even more advanced third-grade formations, then maybe—just maybe—he could contribute something more meaningful to the war effort.
But as a Foundation Establishment cultivator with only second-grade arrays, his role in a war like this was painfully limited.
Even if he did his absolute best, he could at most influence a single squad or a battle or two. It wouldn't affect the greater tide.
Of course, now wasn't the time to dwell on all that.
The top priority was still rescuing the big tiger.
If he waited too long, that Young Master Tuoba might try to break the tiger's spirit with a whip—or worse.
The tiger's life might truly be in danger.
Mo Hua's face darkened slightly as he silently considered every possible way to rescue the big tiger, calculating every karmic variable and projecting every possible outcome.
Time passed, bit by bit.
No one knew how long had gone by before Mo Hua let out a soft sigh.
He had finished his calculations.
Purely rescuing the tiger from the Monster Duel Arena wasn't hard.
He could think of many ways to do it quickly, and none of them seemed to involve too much risk.
But the problem was: after rescuing the tiger, there'd be no way to get out of Desolate Desert City.
The moment the tiger left the Monster Duel Arena, it would either be intercepted by a swarm of Golden Core cultivators…
Or it would be executed on the spot by Nascent Soul experts.
Even if he somehow escaped the city, the tiger would be hunted down by the Great Wilderness Sect's forces, eventually dying during the pursuit…
And the root of the problem—Mo Hua had considered carefully.
It was that, in this land of the Great Wilderness, he had no "backer."
Back when he was in Qianxue Province, he didn't have this concern at all.
In Qianxue, he had allies in the Dao Court bureaus, in major clans, in the divine circles, in various sects—and the entire Great Void Sect was practically his own backyard.
Who would dare snatch a tiger he rescued?
Rescuing a tiger? Heck, even if he tossed that big tiger into the Beast Refining Mountain to raise it, no one would have dared say a word.
Back then, he had all the cover he needed.
As long as he didn't go off the rails or commit some heinous crime, no matter what trouble cropped up—there'd always be someone to clean up the mess for him.
If things got tense, he could just hide out in the Great Void Sect, quietly attend lessons. With the sect and the old ancestor backing him, no one could touch him.
Just thinking about those days now… made him nostalgic.
But the current situation was completely different.
Desolate Desert City—and really, the entire Great Wilderness—was someone else's territory. Every step he took felt like he was walking on eggshells. He was truly at a disadvantage.
Mo Hua sighed softly again.
But sighing alone wouldn't solve anything.
After a moment of thought, he pushed open the door, stepped out of the inn, and decided to see if he could pick up any useful leads—something that would help him act accordingly and rescue the tiger.
No sooner had he stepped outside and walked a few steps than he once again saw the Dao Soldiers marching in formation.
Mo Hua's expression shifted slightly.
Earlier, he had been so overwhelmed by the army's momentum that he hadn't looked too closely.
Now, observing from a closer distance, he finally noticed that while the Dao Soldiers appeared uniform and well-organized, there were actually many internal distinctions and details.
Aside from the easily identifiable troop types—like light-armored Dao Soldiers, heavy-armored Dao Soldiers, warhorse cavalry, spirit wolf cavalry, and the like—
There were also Dao Soldiers clearly organized based on spiritual roots and cultivation methods: Five Elements Metal Spirit Dao Soldiers, Five Elements Wood Spirit Dao Soldiers, Water, Fire…
These troops came from a variety of backgrounds.
Though all carried the Dao Court's "Dao" character flag, each family under the Dao Soldier Division flew its own banner as well.
Just then, within the formidable Dao Soldier ranks, Mo Hua spotted a large flag that read:
"Yang."
Yang?
The Yang Family of the Dao Soldier Division…
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly, a strange expression surfacing on his face.
"My… backer… is here?"
Unfortunately, he didn't recognize anyone he knew within this Yang family unit.
Mo Hua formed a hand seal and performed a divination. After a brief moment, he made his way to another street and waited patiently outside a teahouse.
Cultivators of all kinds passed by in front of him—including Dao Soldiers from the Dao Court.
But even as evening fell, the person Mo Hua was hoping to find still hadn't appeared.
Mo Hua frowned and muttered softly:
"That's odd… The signs pointed southwest, where land and water meet. The divination said I'd run into an acquaintance here…"
Just as he was feeling confused, his spiritual sense flickered.
He looked up—and saw a new group of Dao Soldiers approaching from a distance.
This unit was different from the others: their armor was worn and stained with blood; their faces, too, bore marks of fatigue and travel.
Whereas other Dao Soldiers had just arrived in the Great Wilderness, fully prepared for battle—
These ones looked like they were returning from the frontlines—battered and bruised.
They, too, marched under the Dao Court's "Dao" flag—but beneath it hung a banner of the Yang family.
Mo Hua's gaze swept across them—and then landed on the front-most figure: a tall, burly Golden Core commander, weathered and injured, but with eyes as resolute as ever.
His memories stirred.
Mo Hua's eyes suddenly lit up, and he called out:
"Commander Yang!"
The man in front—Yang Jishan—had been lost in heavy thoughts. When he suddenly heard the call, his expression flickered. He turned his head and saw a fair-skinned, handsome youth smiling brightly at him.
Yang Jishan was stunned.
This youth looked like he'd stepped out of a painting—stunning at first glance, then oddly familiar.
A strange sense of closeness welled up in his heart.
It felt like this boy was someone he knew—someone important.
But no matter how he searched his memory, he just couldn't quite place him…
"You are…" Yang Jishan asked hesitantly.
Mo Hua, a bit confused, replied, "Commander Yang, you've forgotten? I'm Mo Hua."
"Mo Hua…"
Mo Hua…
Yang Jishan's brow slowly furrowed.
The name was familiar. It stirred something deep within his mind, like a mark burned into memory.
But the more he tried to recall, the foggier his head became—everything blurred and indistinct.
Mo Hua…
Suddenly, a flash of memory—a pure, adorable, fair little face—flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt.
Yang Jishan's heart jolted. He exclaimed:
"You're that little brat from Nanyue City!"
Mo Hua, seeing Yang Jishan recognize him, smiled happily and nodded.
But then he pouted slightly and corrected him:
"I'm not a little brat anymore…"
Yang Jishan looked the now-grown Mo Hua up and down—now a refined, elegant young man—and laughed with emotion:
"You've grown up."
Then, with a touch of confusion, he asked:
"What are you doing here in Desolate Desert City?"
Mo Hua replied, "I was traveling south, but with all the chaos, I had no choice but to take refuge here."
Yang Jishan looked at him, sympathy and concern in his eyes.
With war breaking out in the Great Wilderness, disaster was inevitable. Li Prefecture, being closest to the conflict, would naturally be the first to suffer.
For this young man to have made it safely all the way to Desolate Desert City… it was no small feat.
"You're alone?" Yang Jishan asked gently.
"Mm."
"Got a place to stay?"
Mo Hua shook his head. "No."
Yang Jishan said, "In that case, come with me to the military camp. With the Dao Court's army gathering, the Dao Soldiers' camp is far safer than anything outside."
Mo Hua's face lit up with joy, and he nodded, "Thank you, Commander Yang!"
"Come then."
"Alright."
And just like that, Mo Hua boldly and openly slipped into the Dao Soldier ranks.
Yang Jishan led Mo Hua, surrounded by a battle-hardened group of Dao Soldiers, as they made their way toward the military camp in Desolate Desert City.
But in Yang Jishan's mind, questions still lingered:
"This Mo Hua… who exactly is he again?"
"I'm sure I know him… but how did I meet him?"
"Nanyue City?"
"Was it something that happened in Nanyue City? What was it that led me to meet this young man?"
"And why has so much time passed… yet it feels like I've completely forgotten about him? There's not even a clear trace left in my memory?"
His heart was full of doubt. He really wanted to ask Mo Hua directly.
But he also dreaded the awkwardness of meeting someone who clearly knew him… while he couldn't remember them at all.
So Yang Jishan had no choice but to act like everything was normal.
Their group marched through the streets of Desolate Desert City and arrived at the northwestern corner—a heavily guarded Dao Soldier military camp.
Outsiders were forbidden entry into the camp.
But Yang Jishan was a Dao Soldier commander with high authority.
More importantly, he was from the Yang Family, and this entire encampment was essentially filled with Yang Family troops. So with just a few words, the guards let them in without question.
Yang Jishan brought Mo Hua to one of the barracks, and just as they arrived, a burly man came walking up.
The man's right arm hung limp, his left chest wrapped in thick bandages. A gruesome wound, deep enough to see bone, stretched from his left neck down to his right rib. Blood still oozed from the injury—clearly, it was severe.
Yang Jishan frowned. "Didn't I tell you to rest?"
The burly man's face was pale, but he grinned. "I'll live. Can't sit still."
Mo Hua's eyes widened in surprise. "Uncle Yang?!"
This man was an old acquaintance—Yang Jiyong, a Dao Soldier captain who had fought alongside Mo Hua during the raid on the Qian Family in Tongxian City, and in the battle against the great demon Feng Xi.
Yang Jiyong stared at Mo Hua in astonishment. After a long moment, his eyes widened, jaw dropping in disbelief.
"You… you're Mo Hua?"
Mo Hua nodded with a smile. "That's me."
Yang Jiyong looked him up and down several times, genuinely stunned and overjoyed. "It's been what—ten years? In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much…"
Yang Jishan, standing beside them, was also taken aback. "You… know him too?"
Yang Jiyong looked puzzled. "Big Brother, didn't I tell you before? Back in Tongxian City, I met a young array master."
"Tongxian City…"
Yang Jishan frowned, then suddenly recalled—Yang Jiyong really had mentioned a young array master with extraordinary talent.
But… why did it feel like their memories of Mo Hua were completely disconnected—split in two?
He and Yang Jiyong were both clearly talking about the same person…
So who exactly was this young man?
Yang Jishan's face darkened slightly, unease creeping into his heart.
(End of this Chapter)