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

"You're awake, how do you feel?"

Zhang Zhiwei's voice carried a reassuring calmness.

Upon hearing Zhang Zhiwei speak, the fifteen fellow disciples turned their heads and looked at him in unison.

Perhaps the time spent in the interior was too long and too cruel, because when they saw that familiar face again, they were momentarily dazed and did not even recognize it at first.

But soon, as the perception of the real world returned.

The bloody and cruel memories inside the room began to feel like a distant nightmare.

The tall figure before them quickly became clear and real in their minds.

They all remembered.

Senior brother!

Yes, Brother Zhiwei!
Senior Brother Zhiwei came to pick them up.

That endless trial has finally come to an end.

For a moment, many people were overjoyed and wept.

Among these people, Tian Jinzhong and Zhang Huaiyi did not forget Zhang Zhiwei.

Tian Jinzhong is so resilient and has been accustomed to staying awake between reality and illusion because he rarely sleeps.

Zhang Huaiyi, a man who usually kept his abilities hidden, would think of his senior brother, an insurmountable mountain, every day in his inner realm. This obsession was like a stabilizing force, ensuring he never lost himself.

The reason he stared blankly at Zhang Zhiwei like his other fellow disciples was simply because everyone else was doing it, and he didn't want to stand out too much.

This is his consistent style of doing things; he habitually hides his shortcomings.

He always felt that one shouldn't stand out too much. If you're too bad, others will destroy you. If you're too cowardly, others will trample on you. And if you're too good or too strong, others won't trust you and will suppress and distance themselves from you. Only by behaving like everyone else will they feel comfortable accepting you.

Therefore, the most carefree people in this world are those who know how to disguise themselves as others, and he has always done so.

Tian Jinzhong was the first to run over, hug Zhang Zhiwei tightly, and called out in a choked voice, "Senior brother, it's been so long!"

Zhang Zhiwei grabbed Tian Jinzhong's head and laughed, "What's wrong? Are you going to imitate Lao Lu and cry tears of joy?"

Tian Jinzhong quickly wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes with his sleeve, murmuring, "It's been so long...it's been such a long time..."

Those years spent in the interior felt like a lifetime ago to him.

As soon as he spoke, his fellow disciples behind him came to their senses and surrounded him, greeting Zhang Zhiwei with a cacophony of voices, their eyes even showing a hint of relief at surviving a close call.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Zhiwei looked at them and asked, "How was it? How did it feel?"

Zhang Huaiyi was silent for a moment, then slowly uttered a few words: "Long and arduous."

Tian Jinzhong sighed and said, "I used to think that going down the mountain to save the country and the people was a thrilling thing. But now I realize how heavy those four words 'save the country and the people' really are. On that kind of meat grinder-like battlefield, the power of an individual is really too insignificant."

The other fellow disciples nodded in agreement: "Yes, war is too cruel. Ordinary people are too insignificant and trivial in that meat grinder-like battlefield."

Having fought countless battles and faced life-or-death situations in the interior for so many years, they have a deep understanding of this.

War is never the kind of cathartic revenge depicted in novels; it is a bloody reality, a loss of countless lives.

"So, are you still going down the mountain?" Zhang Zhiwei asked again, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces.

"Yes! Of course we'll go!" Tian Jinzhong replied without hesitation. "If we don't go, wouldn't all the training we've undergone in the inner realm be for nothing?"

Zhang Huaiyi nodded, a fierce glint in his eyes: "After fighting for the red-haired devils for so long in the inner world, it's time to fight a real war for our own country."

"That's right! I've suffered so much in the interior, I'm really angry right now, I need to kill a few Japanese devils to cool down."

"Yes, we need to find the Japanese pirates and give them a good beating. We want to kill a bunch of them and get rid of the pent-up anger in our hearts!"

Most of the fellow disciples showed an even stronger fighting spirit.

But there are exceptions.

A junior disciple stood there, looking conflicted, hesitant to speak. After a long while, he finally mustered the courage to say, "Senior Brother Zhiwei... although it's a little difficult to say, I... I still want to ask, could I... not go down the mountain?"

Upon hearing this, the surroundings immediately fell silent.

The junior brother lowered his head, his eyes filled with pain, guilt and struggle: "Although I cleared those battlefields and learned a lot of experience, I... I'm tired of it."

“I never want to fight again. Actually, I don’t want to say this, but the thought of going back to that battlefield full of blood and death makes me feel nauseous and disgusted. I… I’m afraid I can’t do it.”

Before anyone else could speak, Zhang Zhiwei reached out and pressed his shoulder, stopping him from continuing, saying:
"It's alright! This kind of thing isn't mandatory. That's one of the reasons I set up the Returning Origin Formation and sent you to the inner realm for training."

"It's to help you see your true self, so that you don't make a decision on a whim that you'll regret for the rest of your life."

“Since you wish to stay on the mountain, then stay there and cultivate in seclusion. Protecting the lineage is equally important.”

Upon hearing this, the junior brother felt relieved and gave Zhang Zhiwei a grateful look.

With him taking the lead, two other fellow disciples hesitated for a while before speaking up, saying that they did not want to go down the mountain to enter the battlefield and only wanted to cultivate in the mountains.

Zhang Zhiwei agreed to all of them without showing any sign of blame.

Their actions caused the other dozen or so fellow disciples to exchange glances.

A hint of anger flashed across the faces of several of the fellow disciples, as if they thought the disciples were deserters.

A few showed a hint of struggle, and seemed to waver.

But in the end, the angry fellow disciples did not say anything hurtful.

None of the struggling fellow students suggested quitting.

We're all fellow disciples, no one has the right to criticize anyone else's choice. "Alright, let's not talk about that now." Zhang Zhiwei clapped his hands, breaking the somewhat somber atmosphere. "To celebrate your successful completion of the Inner Realm, your senior brother is treating you to a big meal in Shangqing Town today! Plenty of good wine and meat!"

Upon hearing this, the junior disciples suppressed their earlier displeasure and cheered.

Afterwards, Zhang Zhiwei took his fellow apprentices to Shangqing Town and held a grand banquet at the Shangqing Restaurant to treat them to a good meal.

After finishing their meal, the junior disciples went back to rest. Having spent so much time in fear and anxiety on the battlefield within the inner realm, they definitely needed to relax and recharge.

Zhang Zhiwei then went to the Shangqing Palace to visit his master and explained the situation in detail.

After listening, Zhang Jingqing didn't say much, but simply nodded and said that Zhang Zhiwei did the right thing.

He had always supported sending his disciples down the mountain to fight against the Japanese pirates and save the country.

Even he couldn't distinguish which disciples were truly righteous and which were just joining in the fun or seeking fame.

Since Zhang Zhiwei used this method to make them realize their true selves, then this is a great thing.

As a master, he wouldn't make things difficult for his disciple just because the disciple doesn't go.

Taoism believes in naturalness and non-action. Following one's own heart is naturalness; doing certain things or not doing certain things in accordance with one's own heart is non-action.

This is also a form of spiritual practice. He's too busy supporting them to blame them.

After resting for a day or two, the twelve disciples who had successfully navigated the inner realm found Zhang Zhiwei again. They had regained their composure, their eyes were resolute, and they expressed their desire to descend the mountain immediately to deal with the Japanese pirates.

Every night the Japanese pirates descended the mountain, they would harm more of their compatriots; they couldn't wait any longer.

Since his junior brothers had all taken the initiative to ask, Zhang Zhiwei naturally began to arrange places for them to go.

During this period, he also closely monitored the battle situation in North China.

After the fall of Beijing and Tianjin, the main force of the Japanese pirates was moving south along the Pinghan, Jinpu, and Pingsui railway lines.

Although Shanghai attracted a large number of the main force of the Japanese pirates and took on a lot of pressure for the north, there were still more than 100,000 Japanese pirates in the north, and the soldiers there still had a hard time fighting.

Every inch of our land was bought with blood. To resist the unstoppable offensive of the Japanese pirates, the soldiers of China held the Great Wall defense line, forming a wall of flesh and blood at Nankou, and fought a bloody battle with the Japanese pirates for a full eighteen days.

However, due to the lack of air superiority and logistical difficulties, coupled with the Japanese pirates' significant equipment advantage, the battle was ultimately lost, forcing them to retreat.

However, although the battle was lost, it dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese pirates, slowed their advance, and earned them the respect of the world. Though defeated, they were still honorable.

Meanwhile, Japanese pirates were also advancing towards Baozhou. The Second Army was responsible for defending the area.

The battle here can only be described as a "rout". Because the commander-in-chief of the Second Army ran away as soon as the situation turned bad, he was ridiculed as the "Long-Legged General".

While fierce fighting raged at the front, the commander-in-chief abruptly fled, causing the army's morale to collapse instantly. His subordinates followed suit, abandoning their posts without authorization, leaving the army vulnerable to attack from both sides and ultimately suffering a crushing defeat. The Japanese pirates advanced unimpeded, opening the gateway to the North China Plain.

Immediately afterwards, the Japanese pirates launched a frenzied attack along the main transportation routes, intending to expand their gains and annihilate the main force of the Chinese army.

Along the way, the Shenzhou army suffered repeated defeats and eventually retreated to the Yanmen Pass and Pinghe Pass line.

Following the major battle in Shanghai, the Battle of Dragon City, one of the four major battles, broke out.

During this period, under immense external pressure, internal negotiations within China were completed, and the Fourth and Eighth Armies were formed, creating a completely united front.

Among them, the Eighth Army went to reinforce Pingguan, annihilated a large number of Japanese pirates, destroyed a large number of transport vehicles, and achieved a great victory at Pingguan.

Zhang Zhiwei looked at the words "Great Victory at Pingguan". If he remembered correctly, the Japanese pirates would then launch a massive attack. The Chinese army fought desperately and managed to hold Pingguan, but the Yanmen Pass next to it was lost. The Japanese pirates broke through the defenses and outflanked Pingguan. To avoid being attacked from both sides, the Pingguan troops had no choice but to retreat.

Subsequently, 50,000 Japanese pirates advanced and engaged in fierce battles with the central army, resulting in a brutal tug-of-war. Then, another large force of Japanese pirates broke through the other side of the defense and approached. The two armies joined forces, forcing the Shenzhou army to retreat again. At this point, Longcheng was surrounded on all sides, fighting alone, and finally fell, ending the Battle of Longcheng.

These two battles will be very difficult, one being a brutal positional war of attrition, with terrifyingly high reinforcement levels.

One approach combines positional warfare, mountain blocking warfare, and mobile warfare. Although arduous, the terrain is advantageous, allowing for effective resistance and counterattacks, and troop rotation and resupply are relatively easier.

Therefore, it was only right for Zhang Zhiwei to send his fellow disciples to Pingguan in Longcheng.

He took out the Yin-Yang paper and communicated with Zhang Sanjia.

Zhang Sanjia replied very quickly.

Zhang Zhiwei asked him where he was.

Since it did not involve specific military secrets, Zhang Sanjia replied readily, saying that he was resting at the Pingxingguan front.

Zhang Sanjia was, after all, the last martial arts champion of the previous dynasty. He had been well-versed in military strategy since childhood and possessed both literary and military talents. Naturally, he was on the front line when it came to fighting.

What a coincidence! Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwei first congratulated them on their great victory at Pingxingguan.

Zhang Sanjia humbly said that it was all thanks to his comrades, and then congratulated Zhang Zhiwei on his feat of annihilating the Marine Corps, his words full of admiration.

Then, Zhang Zhiwei got to the point, mentioning that some of his fellow disciples wanted to go down the mountain to fight against the Japanese pirates. Therefore, he planned to send these disciples to him, hoping to get his support and arrangements.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanjia was overjoyed!

Last time, Zhang Zhiwei introduced a "Yan Yang" (炎阳) to the past, and it was incredibly useful! Now, the Little Celestial Master is personally sending his fellow disciples over!
If the young celestial master is so powerful, then his junior brother must be no ordinary person either! This is simply a windfall!

"Welcome! A warm welcome!" Zhang Sanjia replied hastily. "As long as it's someone you sent, I, Zhang Sanjia, will personally greet them and make proper arrangements for them, ensuring that their skills are not wasted!"

In fact, he wasn't wrong. Because Zhang Huaiyi was among the people who went this time.

It's no longer appropriate to describe Zhang Huaiyi as a "youngster." He's reached his prime and is poised to become a pillar of the martial arts world.

Even Zhang Sanjia, the last martial arts champion of the previous dynasty, might not be a match for Zhang Huaiyi in a real fight.

Then, Zhang Zhiwei continued, "When they go, they will also bring a batch of medicines and supplies that you urgently need. And this is only the first batch. In the future, I should introduce more of my fellow disciples or other extraordinary individuals from other sects. At that time, you may need to arrange their accommodations."

Zhang Zhiwei gave Zhang Sanjia a heads-up beforehand. Many of his fellow disciples hadn't yet completed their training, and members from the Sanyi Sect, Lü Family Village, Lu Family, and other sects would gradually emerge from seclusion. These people would all be joining the anti-Japanese war effort and would require proper resettlement.

The series of good news overwhelmed Zhang Sanjia with joy, his hands trembling with excitement. He patted his chest and assured him that everything was on his shoulders; he would handle everything perfectly and would never let these righteous men suffer the slightest injustice! (End of Chapter)