Chapter 1153: Seal and Ennoble

Yang Jishan was puzzled, but Yang Jiyong, standing beside him, looked excited. Despite his injuries and a bandaged arm in a sling, he enthusiastically said, "Brother Mo Hua, is this your first time at a Dao soldier camp?"

Mo Hua nodded.

Yang Jiyong offered, "Then let me show you around."

*Can one even tour a military camp?* Mo Hua glanced at Yang Jishan.

Yang Jishan thought for a moment, then replied, "That works. Let Jiyong familiarize you with the environment. If you have no other plans, you can come with our Yang family to the Great Wilderness. Although fighting in wars is dangerous, the outside world isn't safe in these times either."

Mo Hua nodded. "Thank you, Commander Yang."

"I have matters to attend to," Yang Jishan said, patting Mo Hua's shoulder and instructing, "Take good care of yourself."

"Understood."

Yang Jishan nodded slightly, gave Yang Jiyong a few more instructions, and then left.

After departing, Yang Jishan returned to his military tent and began preparing for the upcoming suppression of the rebellion.

The Dao Court's army suppressing the Great Wilderness rebellion was a major undertaking. As a Golden Core realm commander, his military duties, which required coordination and collaboration, were piled high. A mountain of documents and jade slips awaited his review and execution.

As he flipped through the jade slips, Yang Jishan couldn't help but frown, pondering, "Who exactly is this young man called... Mo Hua?"

"Nan Yue City..."

"The only thing I remember related to Nan Yue City... is the Lu family's zombie plague."

"Over a decade ago, the Lu family held sway over a region. Their patriarch, Lu Chengyun, built corpse mines, refined corpse slaves, and raised zombie kings, harboring great ambition."

"Later, an incident occurred, and Nan Yue City was afflicted by a zombie outbreak. Inside and outside the city, it was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with terrifying signs of corpse-related evils festering. It was only after Dao Soldier Bureau and various family cultivators fought desperately that Lu Chengyun was killed, the zombie king subdued, and the zombie plague in Nan Yue City eradicated..."

Yang Jishan fell silent for a moment, then couldn't help but wonder, "But what could all this have to do with this young man named Mo Hua? Calculating his age, he was only a teenager at the time. A teenage child becoming acquainted with me in Nan Yue City, it couldn't possibly be truly related to this zombie plague, could it? This whole thing feels... somewhat absurd?"

Yang Jishan's mind was clouded with confusion. After pondering for a while, he still had no clue. Mo Hua's figure felt both familiar and strange, somewhat elusive. Yang Jishan shook his head and continued to examine the jade slips before him. Military affairs were urgent; he could ponder Mo Hua's matter later when he had time.

Meanwhile, in the Yang family's military camp, Yang Jiyong proudly led Mo Hua on a tour.

Mo Hua saw the Yang family's well-ordered and formidable Dao soldiers, observed various excellent weapons and armor, and witnessed the corresponding tactical formations used by Dao soldiers in combat, as well as the diverse applications of these formations in war.

Even after only a brief look, Mo Hua felt greatly enlightened. He held the Yang family's Dao soldiers in high esteem and praised them profusely. Hearing this, Yang Jiyong felt even more honored. As the saying goes, flattery makes one proud. He also praised Mo Hua, "Brother Mo Hua, I was truly right about you! You had such great talent from a young age, and your insight is extraordinary. You are indeed the rare array genius of Tongxian City, seen only once in several centuries."

Mo Hua laughed, "Uncle Yang, you flatter me."

"Don't call me 'Uncle Yang,' you're making me sound old," Yang Jiyong said, displeased. "Just call me 'Brother Yang' instead." If Mo Hua were still a child, calling him "Uncle" would be fine. But now that Mo Hua was visibly a dashing young man, calling him "Uncle" felt awkward to Yang Jiyong.

"But..." Mo Hua hesitated, "If I call Uncle Zhang Lan 'Uncle,' and then call you 'Brother,' wouldn't you be a generation younger than him?" Zhang Lan was from the Zhang family, and Yang Jiyong was from the Yang family. The two families had some history, and their elders even had a distant in-law relationship. The two had known each other since childhood, were considered relatives, but also had a slight rivalry.

Yang Jiyong was stunned, then gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, then do this: call me 'Brother' when you're with me, and call me 'Uncle' when you're in front of Zhang Lan."

"That way, when he's not around, I'm younger than him. When he's around, I'm still his peer."

Mo Hua sighed faintly. "Alright..."

Afterward, Yang Jiyong continued to lead Mo Hua on a tour of the military camp. After a few more rounds, Yang Jiyong suddenly remembered something and asked Mo Hua, "By the way, where have you been all these years, for the past decade or so?"

When they suppressed the Qian family and subdued the great demon, he had been temporarily transferred to Tongxian City. After the turmoil in Tongxian City ended, he was again dispatched by the Dao Soldier Bureau to guard Wolf Fang Pass in the Great Wilderness. Therefore, he knew nothing about Mo Hua's subsequent whereabouts.

Mo Hua concisely explained, "I traveled extensively, learning some array formations. Later, I joined a sect and learned some cultivation inheritances. Now that my nine years of study are complete, I'm out again to travel, see the world, and gain experience."

Yang Jiyong nodded upon hearing this. He didn't ask for too many details. Traveling extensively likely meant mostly within Lizhou; going too far would be impossible to cover on foot in ten years. As for joining a sect, nearly all major sects now had extremely strict requirements for spiritual roots and family background. Mo Hua came from a small place with a poor spiritual root, so he definitely couldn't have joined a major sect. If he had indeed joined a renowned major sect, Mo Hua would have directly stated which one when introducing himself. He wouldn't have just casually said he "joined a sect" as he did now. Not specifying clearly implied that the sect's name wasn't particularly grand. Given that, it was better not to inquire further. Yang Jiyong was well-versed in such social nuances.

Mo Hua was actually waiting for Yang Jiyong to ask, "Which sect did you join?", so he could answer with a calm and humble expression, "In the Qianxue region, a fifth-grade sect, Taixu Sect." He wanted to show off naturally and effortlessly. However, Yang Jiyong's "social astuteness" meant he didn't ask at all, which made Mo Hua a little unhappy. Still, these were minor matters.

After pondering for a moment, Mo Hua brought up a serious topic. "Brother Yang, what's the situation in the Great Wilderness now? How far have the rebels advanced?"

Yang Jiyong paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. This information would normally be considered military intelligence, not to be shared with outsiders. However, after some thought, he decided he would definitely bring Mo Hua into the Yang family's fold, so some things would naturally need to be told to Mo Hua. Of course, highly confidential information still couldn't be revealed.

Yang Jiyong only selected what could be said, such as when the barbarian soldiers of the Great Wilderness launched their rebellion, and how the front line had spread. He mentioned which Dao Court garrisons had fallen, which ones held, and which ones had no news yet.

Then Yang Jiyong said, "Simply put, the situation is like this... Currently, the barbarian and Dao soldiers are divided by Wolf Fang Mountain, north of Wolf Fang Pass. They are fighting in chaotic skirmishes. Beyond that, it's Dao soldier intelligence, which I shouldn't elaborate on."

"However, these details aren't really crucial. Regardless of the situation, as Dao soldiers, we just follow orders and fight."

"Moreover, the Great Wilderness territory is vast and sparsely populated, with endless desolate mountains and harsh environments. There are also sand seas and abysses that crisscross it, making it extremely complex."

"Often, knowing the general situation isn't useful."

"When it comes to actual fighting, unless it's a frontal decisive battle, most of it involves small skirmishes and guerrilla warfare in desolate mountains and treacherous ridges."

"Therefore, for us front-line Dao soldiers, knowing the 'big picture' isn't as important as knowing which mountain has fierce demons, which swamp has potent poisons, or which ridge has a barbarian ambush."

"Just follow military orders, cross mountains when you encounter them, cross waters when you encounter them, and when you see enemies, just kill them..."

Yang Jiyong's words were simple and blunt. These were his years of experience as a Dao soldier. The grand strategy of warfare was something for Golden Core commanders or overall generals to consider. For those charging into battle, what mattered was the immediate mountain and water, the individual enemies, and their weapons. They had to think realistically about how to kill an enemy, eliminate an enemy squad, and win a battle. Anything beyond that was mere theorizing.

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then nodded in deep agreement. Brother Yang was indeed correct. The so-called "grand strategy" was essentially a very broad concept. The ultimate victory in war was fundamentally accumulated from eliminating individual enemies, winning small battles, piece by piece. It was like constructing a grand array: one had to start with individual array patterns, then simple arrays, then layered complex arrays, all drawn out, to form the final grand array. From a causal perspective, it meant continuously accumulating the "cause" of victory, eventually reaching a certain point to achieve the "effect" of victory.

Without accumulating small streams, there can be no great rivers.Without accumulating small arrays, there can be no grand arrays.Without accumulating small victories, there can be no ultimate triumph.

Whether it was cultivation, array formations, or warfare, it was all the same.

Mo Hua then asked, "What about... the Great Wilderness Sect?"

"The Great Wilderness Sect?" Yang Jiyong was a little confused.

Mo Hua clarified, "Isn't the Great Wilderness Sect a directly subordinate sect established by the Dao Court to govern the Great Wilderness? Now that the Great Wilderness has rebelled, hasn't the Great Wilderness Sect... been implicated?"

Yang Jiyong shook his head. "When the sky wants to rain, and a mother wants to marry, what can the Great Wilderness Sect do when the Great Wilderness royal family wants to rebel? After all, it's only a fourth-grade sect."

"Originally, the Great Wilderness territory is too vast and sparsely populated. The internal chaos of the barbarians, their wild and untamed nature, meant they simply wouldn't submit to control. For the Great Wilderness Sect to have achieved what it has so far is already quite good."

"To blame the barbarian rebellion entirely on the Great Wilderness Sect is simply unrealistic."

"Moreover, with the Great Wilderness royal family rebelling and barbarian soldiers pressing in, the Dao Court also needs the Great Wilderness Sect to assist in suppressing the rebellion."

"This is also an opportunity for the Great Wilderness Sect..."

Mo Hua interjected, "To atone for past mistakes?"

Yang Jiyong said, "More than that..."

Mo Hua's mind stirred. "The Great Wilderness Sect wants to ascend in grade?"

Yang Jiyong looked at Mo Hua in surprise, marveling inwardly that this boy had always been so clever, from childhood to now. Yang Jiyong nodded, "The Great Wilderness Sect is fourth-grade. In this frontier region, it's already reached its peak. Without extraordinary merit, the Dao Court would never allow the Great Wilderness Sect to be promoted to fifth-grade exceptionally."

"But now, the situation has changed. The Great Wilderness royal family has rebelled. This opportunity to ascend to fifth-grade has thus appeared."

"As long as they achieve outstanding merits in suppressing the rebellion, the Great Wilderness Sect might be able to break through their existing status and be promoted to a fifth-grade major sect."

"A fifth-grade major sect on the frontier is comparable to a small dynasty." Yang Jiyong's words carried a hint of admiration.

Mo Hua's mind stirred again. He asked, "Is the Yang family's relationship with the Great Wilderness Sect quite good?"

Yang Jiyong nodded. "It's decent. The Great Wilderness Sect governs the Great Wilderness, and our Yang family is a prominent family from the Dao Soldier Bureau, with disciples stationed in the Great Wilderness throughout generations. The Yang family and the Great Wilderness Sect have many interactions, and over time, their relationship has become quite good."

Mo Hua fell silent. He hadn't realized that the Yang family actually had such a connection with the Great Wilderness Sect. This meant the Yang family couldn't really be his "backer." If he went against the Great Wilderness Sect, the Yang family would definitely be in a dilemma. Even if they didn't turn against him, they might not break ties with the Great Wilderness Sect for his sake.

*Then... could I use the Yang family's connections to get that Young Master Tuoba from the Great Wilderness Sect to return the big tiger to me?* Mo Hua considered it, but then decided against it. His relationship with the Yang family wasn't deep enough for that. Moreover, that Young Master Tuoba held a very high position in the Great Wilderness Sect. And why would the Great Wilderness Sect return the big tiger to him just based on a few empty words?

"What's wrong?" Yang Jiyong noticed Mo Hua seemed distracted, wondering what he was thinking, and asked.

"Nothing," Mo Hua shook his head, then added, "I spent some time in Damo City, and the Great Wilderness Sect's conduct seems... not very good?" At least that Young Master Tuoba, who built an underground beast-fighting arena and regarded the lives of servants as worthless, was definitely not a good person.

"This..." Yang Jiyong sighed helplessly. "There's nothing we can do about it..."

"Among prominent families, it's mostly about relationships and interests. Water that is too clear has no fish... Our Yang family, stemming from the Dao Soldier Bureau, is quite upright, but sometimes, we can only turn a blind eye. If one is too particular about everything, becoming an outcast and making enemies everywhere, then our Yang family would surely be marginalized and struggle to establish itself."

"The affairs of the Great Wilderness Sect are ultimately its internal matters. Our Yang family is not in a position to meddle."

"Furthermore, this is the Great Wilderness." Yang Jiyong's expression grew serious. "The Great Wilderness is different from the Nine Provinces under the Dao Court's rule. Some things that are not allowed in the Nine Provinces are commonplace here in the Great Wilderness."

Mo Hua thought of the servants in the beast-fighting arena who were not treated as "people" and nodded slightly.

Yang Jiyong was silent for a moment, then continued, "Alright, let's not talk about these things. Your arrival this time is quite opportune."

"The Great Wilderness rebellion is an opportunity for the Great Wilderness Sect to upgrade its grade. For the Dao Soldier Bureau, for the Yang family, and even for us ordinary Dao soldiers, it's also a chance to earn merit."

"The same goes for you." Yang Jiyong looked at Mo Hua and asked, "What's your array master level now?"

Mo Hua replied, "I'm a second-grade array master."

Yang Jiyong was overjoyed upon hearing this, praising him, "I truly didn't misjudge you! You were already a first-grade array master at such a young age, showing extraordinary talent. Now, after only about ten years, you've broken through the barrier and become a second-grade array master."

There was a profound barrier between first-grade and second-grade array masters. To break through to second-grade in one's twenties, even in a major aristocratic family, was considered an exceptional array talent. Such talent, such a person, would be a waste if left undiscovered.

Yang Jiyong began to plan for Mo Hua: "Your comprehension is high, and your array formations are exceptional. You ought to distinguish yourself in Dao soldier campaigns and establish your career."

"The only problem is that you come from a rogue cultivator background and have no official status. You need solid merit to establish yourself."

"And in this Dao Court realm, the most distinguished merit is battle merit, especially merit from quelling rebellions."

"If you achieve outstanding battle merits..." Yang Jiyong paused slightly, looking at Mo Hua, and first confirmed, "Do you wish to marry into a family?" (referring to uxorilocal marriage)

Mo Hua shook his head.

Yang Jiyong felt a bit regretful but added, "If you do wish to marry into a family, you must prioritize our Yang family. Of course, a marital alliance is also an option, but in that case, the partner's family background, spiritual root, and closeness of bloodline would be somewhat inferior."

"Of course, I guess with your temperament, you wouldn't want to take any of these paths."

"If that's the case, you have another path, a more difficult one, but also a grander one: establishing your own clan."

Mo Hua was stunned. "Establish my own clan?"

Yang Jiyong nodded. "If you achieve battle merits and are rewarded by the Dao Court, it's possible to bypass the Tianquan Pavilion's review and be directly granted a 'ranked peerage.' This is an exceptional honor usually only granted for truly outstanding battle merits."

"For ordinary families to be officially ranked, they first establish the family, then seek a rank."

"But if you acquire a ranked peerage, you first gain the rank, then establish the family."

"In that case, once you're granted a ranked peerage, you can establish yourself as an ancestor, start your own family lineage, place your name first in the genealogy bestowed by the Dao Court, and then continuously branch out, expand, and prosper."

"This is an immense honor..." Yang Jiyong said, even showing some envy himself. "Unfortunately, I am a member of the Yang family. I can't start my own family lineage, or my father would definitely break my legs."

The Dao Court bestowing a peerage, establishing one's own family, becoming an ancestor, starting one's own genealogy. Having one's name listed first in the family tree... This temptation was simply too great; no cultivator could possibly refuse it. Mo Hua's heart couldn't help but waver.

Then he wondered, "This... must be very difficult, right?"

"Naturally," Yang Jiyong stated frankly. "Even for ordinary families with established strength to gain an official rank is extremely difficult, requiring connections, careful timing, and luck. Let alone the Dao Court directly 'bestowing a rank'."

"This kind of favor is indeed extremely remote for most cultivators, but it is still an opportunity."

"To be honest, it's only now, with the Great Wilderness rebellion, that such an opportunity exists."

"Normally, if the Nine Provinces were peaceful with no wars, even this remote chance wouldn't exist at all."

Yang Jiyong patted Mo Hua's shoulder. "This is the best opportunity for you."

"Of course, even if you can't get a ranked peerage, just accumulating some battle merits, and then joining the Dao Soldier Bureau to secure an official position, would be enough to allow you to stand tall. With solid battle merits, no one would dare to look down on you, no matter how humble your background."

Yang Jiyong's words were genuinely for Mo Hua's benefit. Mo Hua felt grateful and nodded. "Thank you, Brother Yang."

"So, will you..."

Mo Hua bowed his hands. "I will go to the Great Wilderness with you to quell the rebellion."

Yang Jiyong was overjoyed upon hearing this. With the current turmoil, his Yang family's greatest need was array masters. The Great Wilderness was harsh, and war was dangerous. Front-line array masters were always in the shortest supply.

Yang Jiyong then said, "A man born into this world should gallop across battlefields and achieve great deeds!"

"Tomorrow, I'll discuss this with my elder brother. We'll use our Yang family's connections to get you a Dao soldier position."

"Of course, since you're new, you'll probably only get the most basic one; don't be too displeased. After you achieve merit, we'll gradually promote you step by step."

Mo Hua nodded. "Understood!"

And so, Mo Hua, a prodigy of the Taixu Sect and the foremost array master of Qianxue, was about to participate in the Great Wilderness rebellion suppression as an ordinary Dao soldier.