Chapter 1150: Conferring Titles and Rank Promotions
Yang Jishan was still baffled, but Yang Jiyong beside him was brimming with excitement. Even though his body was covered in wounds and his arm hung in a sling, he greeted Mo Hua warmly:
"Little Brother Mo! First time in a Dao Soldier camp, eh?"
Mo Hua nodded.
Yang Jiyong grinned, "Then let me give you a tour."
A military camp can be toured...?
Mo Hua glanced at Yang Jishan.
Yang Jishan thought for a moment, then said,
"Sure. Let Jiyong show you around and get you familiar with the place. If you've got nothing else going on, you can come with our Yang family into the Great Wilderness. War is dangerous, but honestly, nowhere is safe these days."
Mo Hua nodded. "Thank you, Commander Yang."
"I've got other matters to attend to." Yang Jishan patted Mo Hua's shoulder. "Take care of yourself."
"I will."
Yang Jishan gave a slight nod, gave Yang Jiyong a few brief instructions, and left.
After leaving, Yang Jishan returned to his command tent to begin preparations for the upcoming rebellion suppression campaign.
The Dao Court sending its army to quell the Great Wilderness rebellion was no small matter.
As a commander at the Golden Core level, he had mountains of military affairs to coordinate and manage.
Scrolls and jade slips were piled high, waiting for him to review and implement.
Yet as he flipped through a jade slip, Yang Jishan couldn't help but frown again, his mind spinning:
"That Mo Hua kid… who is he really?"
"Nanyue City…"
"The only event I recall from Nanyue City… was the Lu Family corpse plague."
"More than a decade ago, the Lu Family ruled their region. Their head, Lu Chengyun, built corpse mines, refined corpse slaves, even reared a Corpse King. His ambition was immense."
"Then things got exposed. The city was overrun by corpse mutations, a bloodbath inside and out. It nearly birthed a terrifying tide of corpse fiends. Only after a desperate joint effort by the Dao Soldier Division and various family cultivators were they able to slay Lu Chengyun, subdue the Corpse King, and put an end to the crisis in Nanyue…"
Yang Jishan paused in silence, then muttered doubtfully:
"But what does any of that… have to do with that Mo Hua kid?"
"He would've been what, barely in his teens back then? A little brat. The idea that he somehow had anything to do with the corpse crisis? That's just… absurd, isn't it?"
His mind a fog of contradictions, Yang Jishan tried to piece things together, but still came up empty.
Mo Hua's image—familiar, unfamiliar, and elusive all at once.
Shaking his head, Yang Jishan forced himself back to the scrolls before him.
The military situation was urgent. Mo Hua's mysteries could wait.
Back at the Yang family's military camp—
Yang Jiyong was proudly showing Mo Hua around.
Mo Hua observed the Yang family's disciplined Dao Soldiers, their finely crafted weapons and armor, and the seamless integration of array formations into battle. He even caught glimpses of how formations were applied during war—offensively, defensively, tactically.
Even from this brief tour, Mo Hua was thoroughly impressed.
He held a deep respect for the Yang family's Dao Soldiers and spoke of them with sincere praise.
Hearing this, Yang Jiyong beamed with pride.
Mutual flattery activated, he praised right back:
"Little Brother Mo, I knew I wasn't wrong about you! You've had talent from the start—and what sharp eyes too! You really are the kind of array genius that Tongxian City hasn't seen in centuries!"
Mo Hua chuckled, "Uncle Yang, you flatter me."
"Don't call me 'Uncle Yang'—makes me feel old," Yang Jiyong scowled. "Just call me Brother Yang."
If Mo Hua were still a small child, calling him "uncle" would've made sense.
But now that he'd grown into such a striking young man, calling him uncle just felt... off.
"But…" Mo Hua hesitated. "I call Uncle Zhang Uncle Zhang. If I call you Brother Yang, wouldn't that technically make you a whole generation younger than him?"
Zhang Lan was of the Zhang family, Yang Jiyong of the Yang family. Their elders had some in-law connections.
The two of them had known each other since youth—part friend, part rival.
Yang Jiyong blinked, then gritted his teeth. "Alright. How about this—when we're alone, call me 'Brother Yang.' When we're with Zhang Lan, call me 'Uncle Yang.'"
"That way, when he's not around, I'm younger. When he is around, we're the same generation."
Mo Hua sighed lightly, "Alright…"
They continued their tour through the military camp.
After a few more rounds, Yang Jiyong suddenly remembered something and asked:
"Oh right—where've you been all these years?"
Back when they exterminated the Qian family and fought the great demon, he had only been temporarily deployed to Tongxian City.
Afterward, he was reassigned by the Dao Soldier Division and sent to guard Langya Pass in the Great Wilderness.
So he knew nothing about what had happened to Mo Hua since.
Mo Hua replied concisely:
"I went traveling for a while, studied some formation arts. Later, I joined a sect and studied more cultivation techniques. Now I've completed nine years of training, come down the mountain again, and it's time to travel, broaden my horizons, and grow stronger."
Yang Jiyong nodded. That all sounded perfectly normal.
He didn't probe for too much detail.
Out wandering? Probably just within Lìzhou. If it were any farther, a decade of walking wouldn't get you very far.
As for joining a sect—these days, the big sects all had strict requirements for spiritual roots and family background.
Mo Hua was from a small place with weak spiritual roots—clearly not sect material for any major power.
If he'd actually joined a famous sect, he would've said so outright.
Not brushed it off with a vague "joined a sect."
So clearly it wasn't anything impressive.
And knowing that, Yang Jiyong didn't pry.
He was tactful enough to avoid pressing someone's sore spots.
What he didn't know was—Mo Hua was waiting for that exact question, so he could casually (but totally not casually) say:
"Fifth-rank sect. Great Void Sect. Qianxue Province."
It would've been the perfect humblebrag.
But Yang Jiyong, in all his worldly tact, never asked—leaving Mo Hua slightly disappointed.
Still, no big deal.
Mo Hua refocused and got to the main issue:
"Brother Yang, how's the situation in the Great Wilderness? How far have the rebels gotten?"
Yang Jiyong paused, expression thoughtful.
Technically, that was classified military intel, not something to be shared lightly.
But thinking about it—if he was going to bring Mo Hua into the Yang family fold, then it was only natural that some things would be shared with him.
Of course, anything too classified was still off-limits.
Yang Jiyong only spoke of what he could—for example, when the barbarian soldiers in the Great Wilderness launched their rebellion, how the battlefront had spread, and which strongholds the Dao Court had lost, which ones had been held, and which ones were still without news.
Then Yang Jiyong said, "Simply put, this is how it stands: right now, the barbarian troops and Dao Soldiers are entrenched on opposite sides of Mount Langya, north of Langya Pass. It's a brutal deadlock, both sides in constant skirmishes. Anything more is classified military intel—I can't go into detail."
"But honestly, none of that really matters. No matter the situation, we Dao Soldiers follow orders and fight—that's it."
"What's more, the Great Wilderness is vast and desolate, endless mountains, harsh terrain, seas of sand and deep marshes crisscrossing everywhere. It's all incredibly complex."
"Often, knowing the bigger picture doesn't help."
"When war truly breaks out, unless it's a direct confrontation, most of it boils down to scattered skirmishes in some remote mountain or wilderness."
"That's why, for those of us fighting on the front lines, it's more important to know where the monsters are hiding, which marsh is poisoned, or which ridge has an ambush—rather than understanding the so-called grand strategy."
"We follow orders. Mountain ahead? We cross it. River ahead? We wade it. Enemy ahead? Kill."
Yang Jiyong's words were blunt and straightforward.
This was all hard-earned wisdom from his years as a Dao Soldier.
Grand strategy? That was for Nascent Soul-level generals or commanders.
As grunts on the front lines, their world was mountains, rivers, enemies, and blades.
Victory wasn't about lofty ideals, but the reality of how to kill an enemy, wipe out a squad, and win a single skirmish.
Anything beyond that was just armchair theorizing.
Mo Hua mulled over his words for a moment and nodded in agreement.
Brother Yang had a point.
So-called "big-picture strategies" were always vague.
Victory in war ultimately came from defeating one enemy after another, winning one battle at a time—layering up small wins until they formed a complete triumph.
Just like constructing a grand formation—it started with runes, then came the individual arrays, layered into complex systems, and only then could the final formation take shape.
In terms of cause and effect, you needed to accumulate "victory seeds" until they reached a tipping point and bore the fruit of final victory.
No stream, no river.
No small arrays, no grand formation.
No small wins, no ultimate triumph.
Cultivation, array crafting, warfare—they all followed this principle.
Then Mo Hua asked, "What about the Great Wilderness Sect?"
"The Great Wilderness Sect?" Yang Jiyong looked confused.
Mo Hua said, "Wasn't it a directly-governed sect set up by the Dao Court to oversee the Great Wilderness?"
"Now that the Great Wilderness has rebelled… wasn't the sect implicated?"
Yang Jiyong shook his head, "When it rains, it rains. When a girl wants to marry, she'll marry. If the royal clans of the Great Wilderness want to rebel, what can the sect even do?"
"Honestly, the Great Wilderness is too vast, sparsely populated, and the barbarian tribes are chaotic and wild by nature—they don't follow orders. The fact that the sect even managed to last this long is impressive."
"To place all the blame on them for the rebellion? That's just unrealistic."
"Besides, now that the royal clans have rebelled and the barbarians are at our gates, the Dao Court still needs the Great Wilderness Sect to help suppress the rebellion."
"This… is also an opportunity for them."
Mo Hua said, "Atoning for sins with merit?"
Yang Jiyong replied, "More than that…"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "They want to rank up?"
Yang Jiyong gave him a surprised look, silently admiring him—this kid had always been sharp.
He nodded. "The Great Wilderness Sect is currently a fourth-rank sect. That's already the ceiling for a sect in these frontier lands. If they don't achieve something massive, there's no way the Dao Court would ever promote them to fifth-rank."
"But now that things have changed—now that the royal clans have rebelled—this is their chance."
"If they achieve outstanding military merit during the suppression campaign, the sect might break through the old system and ascend to a fifth-rank sect."
"A fifth-rank sect on the frontier? That's basically a small kingdom."
Yang Jiyong couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Mo Hua's thoughts shifted. He asked, "Does the Yang family have a good relationship with the Great Wilderness Sect?"
Yang Jiyong nodded. "Pretty decent. They govern the Great Wilderness, and the Yang family has always been a Dao Soldier clan—generations of us have been stationed here. We've had plenty of dealings with them over the years, and our ties aren't bad."
Mo Hua fell silent.
He hadn't expected the Yang family to be so closely tied with the Great Wilderness Sect.
That made things tricky.
He couldn't use the Yang family as his "backing" anymore.
Since he was at odds with the Great Wilderness Sect, the Yangs would be stuck in the middle.
Even if they didn't turn on him outright, they certainly wouldn't offend the sect just to take his side.
"So… could I use the Yang family's influence to get that young lord of the Great Wilderness Sect to return my big tiger?"
Mo Hua thought it over and decided—definitely not.
His relationship with the Yang family wasn't nearly deep enough.
And that young lord of the sect held real sway within the Great Wilderness Sect.
Even if he pleaded his case, without solid proof or leverage, why would they hand the tiger back?
"What's wrong?" Yang Jiyong noticed Mo Hua was zoning out and asked.
"Nothing," Mo Hua shook his head, then said, "While I was in Desert City… the Great Wilderness Sect didn't seem all that righteous."
At least, that young master Tuoba had built an underground beast-fighting ring and treated servants like dirt. Definitely not a decent human being.
"Well…" Yang Jiyong sighed. "That can't be helped…"
"Most noble families operate on favors and benefits. If you're too rigid, too principled—you'll end up isolated. My Yang family comes from Dao Soldiers, so we tend to be a bit more upright, but even then, sometimes we just have to turn a blind eye. If we insisted on doing everything by the book, we'd get excluded and pushed out too."
"What happens inside the Great Wilderness Sect is ultimately their internal affair. We Yangs can't meddle too much."
"Besides… this is the Great Wilderness."
Yang Jiyong's expression grew serious.
"It's not like the Nine Provinces under the Dao Court's direct rule. Things that are forbidden there… are often normal here."
Mo Hua thought back to the beast-fighting arena, to those enslaved cultivators treated as less than human, and nodded slightly.
Yang Jiyong fell silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, let's not dwell on that. Honestly, your timing is excellent."
"The Great Wilderness Rebellion is a chance for the Great Wilderness Sect to rise in rank—but it's also a chance for the Dao Soldier Division, for the Yang family, and even for us ordinary Dao Soldiers—this is a shot at military merit to make a name for ourselves."
"And for you… the same holds true."
Yang Jiyong glanced at Mo Hua and asked, "What's your current level in formations?"
Mo Hua replied, "I'm a second-rank Formation Master now."
Yang Jiyong was overjoyed and praised him:
"I knew I wasn't wrong about you! Back then, you were already a first-rank Formation Master at such a young age—clearly a genius. Now, just over ten years later, and you've already broken through the barrier into second-rank."
Between first and second rank, the formation barrier was immense.
To break through into second-rank at just over twenty years old was a rare feat, even in major clans—it marked him as an exceptional formation talent.
A talent like that, if wasted, would be a crime against the heavens.
Yang Jiyong immediately began planning for Mo Hua's future:
"With your talent and mastery of formations, you should be making waves on the battlefield, achieving merit and reputation."
"The only issue is… you're a rogue cultivator. No background, no family. So if you want status, you'll need to earn real merit."
"And in this Dao Court-governed world, nothing earns more recognition than military merit—especially merit gained through quelling rebellion."
"If you can earn such achievements…"
Yang Jiyong paused, looked at Mo Hua, and asked, "Would you consider marrying into a family?"
Mo Hua shook his head.
Yang Jiyong looked a bit disappointed but added:
"If you ever change your mind, make sure to consider my Yang family first. Of course, marriage is also an option. But if you go that route, your partner's background, spiritual roots, and bloodline status will likely be a bit lower."
"Though judging by your personality, I doubt you'd be interested in either path."
"Which leaves you with a third option—it's the hardest path, but also the most dignified one: founding your own clan."
Mo Hua was startled. "Found my own clan?"
Yang Jiyong nodded.
"If you earn enough merit and receive the Dao Court's reward, it's possible to bypass the Heavenly Authority Pavilion's vetting and be directly conferred a noble rank. This is something only achieved through exceptional military accomplishments."
"Most clans establish themselves first, then apply to be officially ranked."
"But if you earn a noble rank first, then build a clan after—you start with status and build your house upon it."
"Once you're granted a noble title, you can establish yourself as the clan patriarch, start your own ancestral records, with your name at the top of the scroll given by the Dao Court. From there, you can grow your clan, branch out, and expand."
"It's an incredible honor…"
Even as Yang Jiyong spoke, he couldn't help but show a trace of envy.
"Too bad I'm a Yang. No way I could start my own clan—my father would break my legs."
Receiving a noble title from the Dao Court, establishing your own clan, becoming the founding ancestor—your name at the top of the ancestral scroll...
That temptation was enormous. No cultivator could resist it.
Even Mo Hua felt his heart stir a little.
But then he frowned slightly. "That must be… very difficult, right?"
"Of course," Yang Jiyong answered frankly.
"Even established families struggle to get ranked—it requires connections, timing, and luck. As for being directly granted a title by the Dao Court? That's nearly impossible for most."
"But still, it's a possibility."
"And honestly, this rebellion in the Great Wilderness? It's the only reason the door is even cracked open right now."
"In peacetime, with the Nine Provinces stable and no wars to fight, even that sliver of hope wouldn't exist."
Yang Jiyong patted Mo Hua's shoulder.
"This is your best chance."
"Even if you don't get a noble rank, just earning enough merit to enter the Dao Soldier Division officially, maybe land a post—that alone will let you stand tall. With real military merit, no one will dare look down on you, no matter your background."
These words came from the heart. Yang Jiyong genuinely wanted to help him.
Mo Hua was moved and nodded. "Thank you, Brother Yang."
Yang Jiyong smiled. "Then you…"
Mo Hua cupped his hands and said, "I'll go with you to the Great Wilderness—to quell the rebellion."
Yang Jiyong was delighted. Right now, with war on the rise, the Yang family's greatest shortage was Formation Masters.
The Great Wilderness was harsh, and war was dangerous.
Formation Masters on the front lines were always in short supply.
So Yang Jiyong said:
"A man born in this world should ride to battle, achieve glory, and make his name known!"
"Tomorrow, I'll speak with my brother and use the Yang family's connections to get you officially assigned into the Dao Soldier system."
"Of course, you're new, so it'll likely be the most basic post—don't mind that. Once you earn your merit, we'll work to get you promoted step by step."
Mo Hua nodded. "Alright!"
And just like that, Mo Hua—pride of the Great Void Sect, leading genius of Qianxue's formation path—was about to join the war against the Great Wilderness Rebellion…
…as an ordinary Dao Soldier.
(End of this Chapter)