Chapter 1240: Grand Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe
Chapter 1239: Grand Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe
Afterward, everything went exactly according to Mo Hua’s plan.
Before the battle, Lu-Gu declared publicly that his campaign was for one purpose — to avenge his elder brother, the Shugu Tribe’s strongest warrior, General Shi-Gu.
General Shi-Gu had been betrayed and ambushed by Can-Gu, who had colluded with the Bi-Fang Tribe and traitors within the Shugu Tribe itself, dying a tragic and unjust death.
Now, Can-Gu had been defeated by Lu-Gu, lost an arm, and defected to the Grand Chieftain’s side.
The Grand Chieftain, unaware of the truth, had been beguiled by Can-Gu. If things continued this way, the Shugu Tribe would soon face ruin.
“This expedition is to avenge my brother Shi-Gu, to execute the vile Can-Gu, and to save the Grand Chieftain from deceit, so that the Shugu Tribe does not perish overnight.”
The barbarians of the Great Wilderness were generally fierce and savage in temperament — brutal on the surface. But when it came to cunning or deep scheming, none could compare to Mo Hua.
Compared to Mo Hua, these barbarian cultivators were as naïve as blank paper.
Thus, after Lu-Gu’s speech, most of the Shugu warriors were filled with righteous fury and burning indignation.
Although Shi-Gu had been ruthless, his strength in life was unquestioned. And the barbarian clans revered strength above all else. Many in the Shugu Tribe had deeply admired him.
Now, their mightiest general had been slain by petty schemers — an unbearable humiliation for the entire tribe.
For Lu-Gu to avenge his brother was the most natural of duties.
The Grand Chieftain, aged and muddled, deceived by villains — this chaos, too, needed righting.
The cause was “just and righteous.”
Morale soared.
Though not everyone wished to stand against the Grand Chieftain, the general sentiment was united.
While Lu-Gu’s speech stirred the masses, Mo Hua stood quietly behind him, saying nothing.
In the eyes of some within the tribe, the Shaman Lord Mo Hua seemed like a symbolic “totem,” representing the Divine-Lord’s blessing upon Lu-Gu.
But in the eyes of those more discerning — especially Tie Shù-Gu — Mo Hua was the true mastermind behind it all.
(TN: Iron Shugu will be Translated as Tie Shu-Gu)
General Lu-Gu was merely the puppet whose strings Mo Hua pulled from behind the curtain.
The army soon set out, pursuing Can-Gu toward the main Shugu stronghold — where the Grand Chieftain resided.
The road was rough, skirmishes frequent, but ten days later, Lu-Gu’s forces arrived before the Shugu Tribe’s heartland.
The Great Wilderness tribes were a kind of loose alliance, and the Shugu Tribe exemplified this.
The main tribe — the “core division” — was the strongest among the orthodox branches, but not overwhelmingly so.
Normally, if danger came, the main division could light the signal fire to summon aid from the other branches.
But this was no ordinary time. Famine spread across the land — every tribe struggled to survive and had no troops to spare.
Worse, they had recently suffered losses in war with the Wu-Jiao Tribe.
Thus, when the two sides faced off, Lu-Gu actually held the advantage.
Thanks to Mo Hua’s support, Lu-Gu’s soldiers were also equipped with superior barbarian armor.
As the armies stood opposed, Lu-Gu advanced to the front — imposing and awe-inspiring.
Across from him, upon a tall platform surrounded by elite guards, stood the Grand Chieftain of the Shugu Tribe, robed in ceremonial garb, his expression cold and grim as the sea.
It was Mo Hua’s first time seeing the Grand Chieftain — who, however, didn’t even spare him a glance.
All of the Grand Chieftain’s focus was on Lu-Gu, the general who claimed to seek vengeance for his brother and “purge deceit from the ruler’s side.” Lu-Gu’s growing power had become undeniable.
A sour bitterness welled in the Grand Chieftain’s heart.
The one he had once feared most was Shi-Gu.
He had plotted endlessly to eliminate that threat.
Yet in killing Shi-Gu, he had only paved the way for Shi-Gu’s younger brother, Lu-Gu — who now stood before him as his true mortal enemy.
Fate had a cruel sense of humor.
And fate loved to tell cold jokes that no one could laugh at.
The Grand Chieftain had no idea when destiny had gone awry — nor why Lu-Gu’s path had changed so dramatically.
He no longer cared to find out.
Now, aged and weary, he could only stand high above and ask sternly:
“You are a general. Why do you rebel?”
Looking at that old, sinister face, Lu-Gu’s rage surged — remembering how his mighty brother had been slain by this decrepit schemer.
He was about to explode in fury — but then felt a chilling gaze behind him, deep and demonic — Mo Hua’s.
Lu-Gu calmed himself, then said:
“Grand Chieftain, forgive me. I do not rebel — nor dare to…”
He pointed upward — at Can-Gu, standing beside the Grand Chieftain.
Can-Gu, terrified and pale, now had a white bone prosthetic for his severed arm — glaring venomously.
Lu-Gu said solemnly:
“I came only to slay this vile man, Can-Gu. Once a general of the Shugu Tribe, he committed despicable acts, betrayed the tribe’s interests, and murdered my brother Shi-Gu. He deserves to be torn limb from limb.”
“Grand Chieftain, I ask you — hand this villain to me! I will flay his skin, strip his tendons, carve his flesh, drink his blood, and shred his intestines— to console my brother’s spirit in heaven!”
Lu-Gu’s words were sharp as blades — though aimed at Can-Gu, every sentence struck like an accusation against the Grand Chieftain himself.
The Grand Chieftain grew furious—and confused.
This Lu-Gu, once inferior to Shi-Gu in both strategy and strength, had suddenly become so cunning?
How could a bloodthirsty warrior suddenly speak with such eloquence — as if his very tongue were a weapon?
Can-Gu, too, went pale with dread.
After a moment of silence, the Grand Chieftain spoke — his voice hoarse and heavy with authority:
“Lu-Gu, you are mistaken. Can-Gu did not murder your brother. There are deeper matters here. Withdraw your troops, and we shall discuss this. Otherwise, by bringing your army here… others may think you wish…”
His cloudy eyes suddenly flashed sharp light.
“…to slay your Grand Chieftain and take his place.”
Lu-Gu fell silent, clutching the jade slip Mo Hua had given him. His Divine-Sense swept through it briefly — finding the “standard answer.”
Then, adopting a disappointed tone, he sighed deeply:
“Grand Chieftain, even now, you are deceived — unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery. If I retreat, Can-Gu will threaten your life. If I approach alone, he will surely plot to kill me.”
“Grand Chieftain, the one who truly seeks your death… is Can-Gu!”
“And I am the one who has remained loyal to you all along…”
Even the Grand Chieftain, seasoned and shrewd as he was, found his breath faltering the moment he heard those words.
Can-Gu nearly exploded with rage.
He had always known Lu-Gu was brutal — but never imagined he could twist truth and falsehood so shamelessly!
Even so, the Grand Chieftain didn’t hand Can-Gu over.
Mo Hua had predicted this.
The Grand Chieftain wasn’t a fool — giving up Can-Gu would cripple his power and end his ability to resist Lu-Gu.
With no turning back, there was only one path left — battle.
Both sides prepared for the final confrontation before the tribal mountain.
But before the clash began, Lu-Gu suddenly shouted:
“Wait!”
Both armies paused, stunned.
Lu-Gu glared solemnly at the Grand Chieftain’s troops:
“Who do you serve—the Grand Chieftain, or Can-Gu?”
“If you serve Can-Gu—then face me in battle!”
“But if you serve the Grand Chieftain—then blocking my path only furthers Can-Gu’s treachery. You would be aiding tyranny!”
“When Can-Gu kills the Grand Chieftain—will you not all be sinners of the Shugu Tribe?”
The Grand Chieftain’s soldiers exchanged uncertain glances—some wavering.
“Kill!” the Grand Chieftain shouted angrily. “Don’t listen to his deceitful tongue!”
Lu-Gu cried out:
“Grand Chieftain! How can you be so blinded—unable to see loyalty and betrayal? What has Can-Gu done to cloud your mind?”
The Grand Chieftain’s face twisted in anger—a display that, in the eyes of the watching warriors, only made him seem more senile and confused.
Then Lu-Gu bellowed:
“All listen! Those are the Grand Chieftain’s men — do not strike unless they do first!”
Drawing his Demon-Slaying Bone Blade, he pointed at Can-Gu and roared:
“This campaign is solely to eliminate traitors—to aid the Great Chieftain in executing treachery! Kill!”
His barbarian soldiers roared in response, their morale soaring sky-high:
“Kill the traitor!”
“Kill Can-Gu!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
The roar surged like thunder.
Seeing their morale reach its peak, Lu-Gu took the lead, charging at the forefront.
Tens of thousands of barbarian soldiers and slaves surged behind him like a raging tide, crashing toward the Great Chieftain’s main camp.
The two sides clashed violently.
Blades and flesh intertwined, and soon, lives were lost.
But the ones dying were only those who raised their weapons.
Any barbarian soldier who heeded Lu-Gu’s words, who did not resist or stand in his way, was spared from slaughter.
But anyone daring to block Lu-Gu’s path—was instantly split in two by his overwhelming bone blade.
Before long, more and more of the main tribe’s warriors chose to stand aside, watching in silence.
Some even stepped back deliberately, clearing a path for Lu-Gu to rush directly toward the Great Chieftain—to “execute the traitor.”
The Great Chieftain and Can-Gu didn’t believe Lu-Gu’s words, but the ordinary barbarian soldiers did.
In their hearts, Lu-Gu was a general—his word was law, his authority unquestioned.
The Shugu Great Chieftain’s expression turned ashen.
Seeing Lu-Gu cutting his way closer, Can-Gu gritted his teeth:
“Grand Chieftain, let me kill Lu-Gu for you!”
He then led his men forward to face Lu-Gu head-on in the heart of battle.
At this point, he has no way to flee—doing so would earn the Great Chieftain’s hatred, and once he lost that trust, death would surely follow.
Nor could he hide behind others, lest the title of “traitor” become irrefutable.
Thus, he could only fight.
But previously, Can-Gu had been outwitted by Lu-Gu’s cunning. Though, in hindsight, there were many suspicious points about Shi-Gu’s “death and resurrection,” it was already too late.
One of Can-Gu’s arms had been severed, replaced with a bone prosthetic—his strength greatly diminished.
Meanwhile, Lu-Gu was in his prime, his battle spirit blazing, vengeance burning bright.
Can-Gu was naturally no match for him.
They fought eight hundred rounds before the armies, shattering mountains and rivers.
The power of their Golden Core energy surged like tidal waves—any barbarian caught in the aftermath instantly turned to mist and bone fragments.
At last, Can-Gu’s bone prosthetic was severed, and he fled in defeat while Lu-Gu’s army pressed the assault.
The battle’s grandeur shook the land, a sight both magnificent and terrible.
From afar, Mo Hua—ever the Shaman—watched silently.
The war was not yet over, but he had already “replayed” its process and outcome many times within his mind.
Thus, he felt as if he were watching a war he had already seen countless times before—a “shadow play” of destiny.
Though the campaign was framed as a crusade against the Shugu Great Chieftain, it wasn’t much harder than the previous battle against Can-Gu’s tribe.
The true difficulty lay in this question:
How to use Shugu barbarian soldiers to overthrow the Shugu Great Chieftain.
But by twisting the concept under the noble banner of “Cleansing the King’s Court of traitors,” and disguising the rebellion as a campaign against Can-Gu, the dilemma resolved itself perfectly.
Moreover, the Shugu warriors had no desire—and little courage—to face Lu-Gu, whose momentum was unstoppable.
With this convenient excuse of “cleansing treachery,” they had no will to fight to the death.
The entire battle’s flow, Mo Hua had already derived clearly using the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm of the Deceptive Dao branch-line.
This war was but a small game of chess—and Mo Hua held the board in his hands.
He used this minor war to hone his own art of strategic “chess-playing.”
He never entered the battlefield himself, his hands unstained by blood.
First, because his cultivation was limited—in a Golden Core–level war, he had little practical impact.
Second, because he bore a Fate Calamity, and was forbidden from creating slaughter.
Thus, he could only watch from afar—as befitted a Shaman of his standing.
After all, no true Shaman would charge into melee.
So, Mo Hua sat upon a mountain, watching the battle from dawn till dusk, seeing the tribes clash again and again.
And, as his calculations foretold—the Shugu Great Chieftain was defeated.
Had this battle occurred a century or two earlier, the victor might well have been the Great Chieftain. But now, he was old.
Since assuming leadership, he had not personally led troops in many years.
He had slain Shi-Gu likely out of fear—fear of that vigorous, rising youth.
And also, fear of the frail, declining shadow of himself.
Aging and weary, the Great Chieftain was no match for the youthful Lu-Gu.
After a hundred rounds, he was gasping like a broken bellows.
Without ascending to immortality, one remains merely human. And humans must age and die—even in the late Golden Core stage.
Just as Mo Hua thought the Great Chieftain would die under Lu-Gu’s blade, Lu-Gu suddenly halted.
He deliberately exposed a flaw, allowing the Great Chieftain a narrow chance to escape.
Others might not have noticed, but Mo Hua, who understood the laws of causality, saw it clearly.
For some reason, Lu-Gu had spared him.
Given that sliver of life, the Great Chieftain seized it and fled.
Lu-Gu did not pursue. Instead, he stayed behind to stabilize the aftermath.
When the battle was over and the smoke cleared, Mo Hua approached him slowly.
Lu-Gu glanced at him, sighing with regret.
“A pity… the Great Chieftain escaped after all.”
Mo Hua sighed lightly.
“Do you know where he might flee?”
Lu-Gu’s expression hardened.
“If I’m not mistaken… the White Bone Mausoleum.”
Mo Hua’s eyes flickered slightly.“White Bone Mausoleum?”
Lu-Gu nodded.
“It is the burial ground of our Shugu ancestors. Now that the Great Chieftain has fallen, he will likely seek their protection there.”
Mo Hua’s face turned grave. “That… could be troublesome.”
Lu-Gu’s eyes blazed with determination. “The Great Chieftain killed my brother—this vengeance must be repaid.”
“In that case,” Mo Hua sighed softly, “I shall accompany you… to the White Bone Mausoleum.”
Lu-Gu hesitated for a moment.
“The Mausoleum is the resting place of our ancestors—a perilous and forbidden land. Are you sure, Mister Wu?”
Mo Hua nodded solemnly.
“I am a Shaman—duty-bound to face danger when others cannot. If I shrink from peril, how can I expect others to bleed for the Divine-Lord?”
Lu-Gu was moved, and said respectfully, “Then… I must trouble you, Mister Wu.”
Mo Hua inclined his head. “Let’s go.”
Then, with fearless resolve, he strode toward the direction the Great Chieftain had fled.
Behind him, Lu-Gu walked in silence, casting a sidelong glance at Mo Hua—his eyes filled with complex emotion.
(End of this Chapter)