Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Inside the control room of the Japanese warship, Admiral Hase, as if his soul had been ripped from his body, slumped in his command chair, his face ashen.

The phone on the table kept ringing; some calls were from the Army, and some were from the Navy Headquarters.

But he didn't accept any of them. He just stared blankly at the river outside the porthole, his eyes empty.

Because he knew that no matter how the battle unfolded, whether the army won or lost, he was finished.

"The entire 5,000 elite marines were wiped out, and even the admiral who was a top-tier superhuman was killed in battle. The face of the Japanese navy was trampled into the mud by that terrifying existence in this battle."

Even though he was nominally only Takeshita Yujiro's second-in-command in this operation, Takeshita Yujiro was already dead, and the dead cannot bear responsibility.

This enormous burden of blame inevitably fell entirely on his head. He was destined to be nailed to the pillar of shame of the Japanese navy and become the object of ridicule for future generations.

As for the situation on the army's side at this point, he no longer cared about it, and even harbored some malicious anticipation.

"It's not scarcity that's the problem, but inequality... That bastard Matsui, he'd better lose everything too! Let those army idiots taste the bitterness of despair..."

……

Meanwhile, within the Tiantong Diocese.

As the last gunshot faded into the night sky, and as the suffocating thunder finally subsided, an eerie silence enveloped the entire church.

A moment later, a trembling voice broke the silence.

"Win...win?"

"We... survived?"

Immediately afterwards, as if a fuse had been lit, a huge cheer, like a volcanic eruption, instantly burst through the dome of the church!

"We won! We won!!!"

"It's the leader! The leader has appeared! The leader has repelled the Japanese pirates' massive army!"

"The Lord's divine might is unparalleled! Invincible!!"

The cheers exploded like a landslide and a tsunami, engulfing the entire church.

People rushed out of their shelters and hugged each other tightly, their faces wet with either sweat or tears.

The ecstasy of surviving the ordeal made everyone shout out loud, releasing their fear and excitement.

Many people who were originally just casual believers, after witnessing the miracle of the thunder and lightning and experiencing this life-or-death catastrophe firsthand, found their faith instantly unbreakable.

They knelt on the ground, devoutly bowing before the statue, reciting prayers of gratitude.

Of all the forces watching the battle, the most surprised were the group of foreign directors of the Municipal Council.

Even though the battle had ended long ago, they remained dumbfounded.

The Tiantong Church and its leader have repeatedly challenged their understanding.

They suddenly understood why so many former directors, who were doing so well as local tyrants here, would suddenly apply to be transferred back to China.

With such an unfathomable force lurking nearby, and such a powerful being who can wipe out an army with a mere flick of the wrist, who can sleep soundly?

Even if you don't provoke him, the very existence of the concession is itself a provocation.

If someone in the church is unhappy and slaughters them like the Japanese pirates, who will speak up for them?
They had no doubt that the empire far away in Europe would never wage war against such an entity for the sake of the lives of a few mere directors.

Thinking of this, they felt terrified. But then they thought again, they had been serving in this place for many years without incident, so it seemed that this cult leader was not a man of indiscriminate killing.

They must re-examine their relationship with the Tiantong Church. Promoting the church's good deeds and truthfully exposing the atrocities committed by the Japanese pirates today, letting the international community know what kind of people they are, may be a way out.

This is also a disguised way of showing goodwill and protecting oneself.

News of the Tiantong Church also reached Jinling at top speed.

When they learned that the Japanese marines had been almost completely wiped out, and even a naval admiral had been lost, everyone in the operations conference room was thrilled.

A heated discussion ensued.

The strength Zhang Zhiwei displayed was terrifying. It far exceeded the limits of an "extraordinary person," reaching a level where he could single-handedly confront an army.

The people present had mixed feelings about this powerful figure; they both loved and feared him.

Love is because he is from China, a strong ally on their side, and every move he makes is a heavy blow to the arrogance of the Japanese pirates.

The fear stems from the fact that this person is too powerful, so powerful that they are completely out of control. Not only out of control, but there's not even a way to restrain them.

No one can guarantee that if he becomes unhappy one day, it won't cause an even bigger upheaval.

But in any case, at this critical moment for the nation, the emergence of such an unparalleled expert is undoubtedly a great thing for China!

"One Zhang Zhiwei is worth a German-equipped division!"

A senior general couldn't help but exclaim, wanting to express his recognition of Zhang Zhiwei's abilities.

But no one echoed that statement.

Because everyone knows that this assessment is far too conservative. It is absolutely impossible for a German-equipped division, with naval gun and tank support, to completely annihilate 5,000 elite marines armed to the teeth.

This person is no longer human; it would not be an exaggeration to call him an immortal in the world. He cannot be judged by the standards of the mortal world!
Then, someone suggested that the discussion should not focus on how powerful this Tian Tong Sect Leader was, but rather on... how to win over this living deity.

Then they began to discuss it.

While they were discussing this, news of the Tiantong Church reached Jianghu Xiaozhan.

Jianghu Xiaozhan didn't sell this information for money; it was made public directly, and even the details of the battlefield were reported in great detail.

For a time, the Jianghu Inn was bustling with noise, even more lively than during the New Year.

"What?! Japanese Navy Admiral Takeshita Yujiro... was killed in battle in front of the Tendō Parish?!"

"Transforming into a towering white ape, bare-handedly confronting the divine weapon 'Dojigiri Yasutsuna'? With a single palm strike, he cleaved Takeshita Yujiro, who had transformed into a demon, from the top of his head to his heel? This... is something a human can do? This can't be just something a storyteller made up, can it?"

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t believe it, but if it’s Little Celestial Master, I think it’s true.”

"That must be true. I bought the video of Little Celestial Master destroying the Allied Fleet back in the day when I was still at Jianghu Xiaozhan. I still remember that scene vividly."

"Hey innkeeper, do you have any footage of this battle available at your inn? Let us see it too."

"Yes, money is not a problem, just name your price."

The innkeeper chuckled, "We were in such a rush this time that we didn't have time to make any footage. However, our spies have recorded all the details and are turning it into a newspaper. Our innkeeper, Manager Liu, said that this intelligence will be published free of charge." "Manager Liu is so generous!"

"Manager Liu is very generous!"

The crowd shouted in unison.

"Hey shopkeeper, this isn't good for keeping people in suspense. The newspaper is slow to come out. Why don't you tell us more about it?" someone suggested.

"That's right. Tell me what happened back then. My goodness, when I heard that there were airplanes, tanks, warships, and 5,000 troops, I was dumbfounded. How could we possibly fight like this? But unexpectedly, the Little Celestial Master turned the tide and wiped them all out."

"Yes, I can't even imagine how to win in this situation. Shopkeeper, could you please tell me?"

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper of the small shop also became interested. He was a storyteller by trade, and seeing the scene before him, he inexplicably felt a sense of nostalgia for telling stories under the overpass when he was young.

He cleared his throat and walked to an open space in the center of the hall, looking quite like a storyteller.

Seeing this, the surrounding diners moved their tables and chairs around, forming a circle, and cheers filled the air.

The shopkeeper wasn't intimidated. He looked around, cupped his hands in greeting, and then slammed his hand on the table next to him!
"Snapped!"

A crisp sound rang out, and the entire room fell silent.

"Today, let's not talk about romance or江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances)!"

The shopkeeper's voice boomed, "Let me just tell you how my divine immortal from the land of China, in the bustling metropolis, can repel a thousand enemy troops with a flick of his finger!"

"So, what was the scene like outside the Tiantong Diocese on that day?"

He paused, lowered his voice, and created a sense of impending doom.

"It was a torrent of armored soldiers, a forest of cannons! Five thousand elite Japanese pirates had the small church completely surrounded! In the sky, iron birds circled; on the ground, iron oxen roared! And on the river, the giant ships, with their dark cannons, were already aimed at the church! As the saying goes, 'Dark clouds press down on the city, threatening to crush it; armor gleams in the sun, like golden scales!'"

The people in the hall felt a chill run down their spines, as if they too were surrounded by that despair, and even their breathing became cautious.

"The Japanese pirate general Takeshita Yujiro, wielding the divine weapon 'Dojigiri Yasutsuna,' boasted that he would raze the church to the ground and massacre the parish."

"At the critical moment, at the last second! Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from inside the church, shaking the heavens!"

The shopkeeper suddenly raised his voice, which became as loud as a bell!
"A thunderclap resounded in the sky! A silver lightning bolt, like the whip of a god, tore through the heavens and struck straight down from the clouds! In that flash, a divine general clad in thunder armor appeared before the two armies!"

"Who is that?! That's none other than our Little Celestial Master, Zhang Zhiwei..."

At this point, the shopkeeper paused for a moment, and everyone held their breath, afraid of missing the exciting part of the little celestial master's appearance. But the next second, the shopkeeper continued:

"...an incarnation of lightning!"

"Hi!"

Everyone couldn't help but sigh; after keeping everyone in suspense for so long, it turned out the Little Celestial Master hadn't arrived.

The shopkeeper continued, "Don't underestimate this avatar. When it appears, the wind and clouds change color, and the sun and moon lose their light. With a wave of his hand, a storm of lightning swept towards the Japanese pirate army."

"Those arrogant tanks and armored vehicles were like paper in front of Thunder, and those ferocious Japanese soldiers didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to ashes!"

"it is good!!!"

A thunderous roar of applause erupted from the audience.

"Well done! That was satisfying!"

"Little Celestial Master is mighty!"

The shopkeeper smiled slightly, struck the gavel again to silence the cheers, and continued:
"However, the Japanese pirate general Takeshita Yujiro was also a powerful old monster! Seeing his men suffer heavy casualties, he was not afraid at all, but instead became furious! He drew a thousand-year-old demon sword called 'Dojigiri', looked up to the sky and roared, transforming into a peerless demon king with a three-zhang tall body, a blue face and fangs!"

"That Ghost King possessed immense strength, wielding a flaming demonic blade. With a single strike, he could shatter buildings! Just when it seemed the lightning incarnation was about to be defeated, at this extremely critical moment..."

The shopkeeper paused deliberately, whetting everyone's appetite.

The hearts of everyone in the audience were in their throats, wishing they could pry open the shopkeeper's mouth and make him continue speaking.

The shopkeeper said in a dramatic tone, "Just then, a cold laugh came from the church entrance: 'Where did this monster come from, daring to act wildly in front of my door?!' Immediately afterward, a being wearing a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, a golden chainmail armor, and holding a Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical staff) descended."

"The Little Celestial Master has invited the Monkey King?" someone exclaimed in surprise.

The shopkeeper grinned: "Not the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but even better than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, because what has come is the inner demon transformed from the Little Celestial Master's ape-like mind."

"But Takeshita Yujiro was also a fierce warrior. Instead of retreating, he advanced and unleashed a slash with the force of thunder! Ladies and gentlemen, that is 'Dojigiri Yasutsuna'! A thousand-year-old divine weapon for slaying demons and monsters! But what could it do against the Imperial Preceptor?"

"How is it? Are they locked in a fierce battle?" someone asked hastily.

"No, no! How can demons contend with gods?" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "That divine general, facing the arrogant Ghost King, simply reached out and, with a clang, caught the demonic sword burning with demonic fire with his bare hands!"

"Immediately afterwards, he struck with a backhand palm, like Mount Tai pressing down, with a 'smack' sound, directly splitting the ghost king's head from the top of his head all the way to his heel! Just like splitting open a rotten watermelon, clean and neat."

"This is truly a case of demons and monsters finally getting their just deserts; a thunderous strike shakes heaven and earth! The Celestial Master's divine might pacifies the four seas; the natural laws of Tao protect all living beings!"

Upon hearing this, corresponding images involuntarily appeared in everyone's minds.

"Snapped!"

The shopkeeper struck the gavel again, jolting everyone out of their shock.

"The evil spirits have been vanquished, and the Japanese pirates are terrified! The Grand Preceptor once again displays his divine powers, and black mist spreads, causing the remaining enemy to be plagued by inner demons, turning them into foes who slaughter each other, with none escaping unscathed! In this battle, we have slain generals, captured flags, and slaughtered five thousand! We have displayed the might of our divine land!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the shopkeeper slammed his gavel down, ending this magnificent storytelling session.

As soon as he finished speaking, after a brief silence, came a thunderous roar of cheers!

"Okay! Well said!"

"That felt great! That felt so good!"

"The Little Celestial Master's divine power is invincible!"

"Clang!!"

Even though it was said that it was free, countless copper coins and silver dollars were still thrown into the arena by excited people, clinking and clanging.

The shopkeeper stood in the center, looking at this scene, stroking his beard and laughing heartily, his heart filled with boundless pride.

At this moment, it was as if he wasn't telling a story, but rather witnessing the birth of an immortal legend with a hall full of heroes! (End of Chapter)