Wife, you didn't really drug me, did you?

"Zhu Chongba was defeated?"

Chen Jie was stunned when he heard the battle report from the front. He looked at Chen Chun, who was relaying the order, in surprise and said, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"Absolutely not!"

Chen Chun shook his head and said, "I obtained this information after multiple verifications by the military and the Ministry of Commerce's spies in Jiangnan."

"It will absolutely not go wrong."

After hearing this, Chen Jie looked at Chen Chun and said, "Tell me the details of the situation."

At this moment, Chen Chun immediately sorted out the news carefully and then told Chen Jie about it. In general, Zhu Chongba's three armies were attacking Zhang Shicheng.

Xu Da's attack on Quzhou and Tang He's attack on Yangzhou both resulted in great victories. Originally, they planned to join forces to attack Hangzhou. If Hangzhou could be captured, the situation in Jiangnan would be settled.

But unexpectedly, Zhang Shicheng made his move just as they were attacking Hangzhou.

He single-handedly carved through the enemy lines, wielding the Tiger Soul Demon Blade. Wherever he went, those he encountered died or were wounded, decimating Zhu Chongba's army.

At this time, his ninja army also mobilized, and 10,000 Koga-ryu ninjas slaughtered tens of thousands of Zhu Chongba's men in a bizarre manner.

Seeing that things were not going well, Zhu Chongba made a move and used the Xuanyuan Technique to forcefully confront Zhang Shicheng.

The two fought fiercely for a day and a night, and in the end Zhu Chongba was defeated, spitting blood as he fled. Zhang Shicheng wanted to pursue him, but at this time, Zhu Chongba's generals Xu Da and Tang He arrived. Xu Da and Tang He used military formations to support Zhu Chongba and block the fierce Zhang Shicheng.

At this moment, Zhang Shicheng's soldiers seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Zhu Chongba suffered a major defeat and led his army to retreat to Wushan, where they faced Zhang Shicheng's army across the mountains.

Chen Jie frowned upon hearing this. Zhang Shicheng was indeed terrifyingly strong. He had mastered the Nine Li Demon Art and also possessed Chi You's Tiger Soul Blade. The combination of the two was not as simple as one plus one equals two.

It is understandable that Zhu Chongba was defeated by Zhang Shicheng.

After all, when individual combat power has reached this level, it is no longer something that the military can compensate for.

This world still belongs to those who have the strongest military!

Thinking this, Chen Jie said, "Even Zhu Chongba's Xuanyuan Technique couldn't deal with Zhang Shicheng's Jiuli Demon Art. This Jiuli Demon Art is also very powerful."

Chen Chun said, "My lord, you didn't say that the difference between the three divine skills of the Human Emperor is actually not that great. The reason why Zhu Chongba could not defeat Zhang Shicheng is probably not because of the Nine Li Demonic Skill, but because of that Tiger Soul Blade!"

"I've heard people say that the Human Emperor's Three Divine Skills are completely different martial arts depending on whether they are aided by a divine artifact or not. I don't know if that's true."

Chen Chun looked at Chen Jie and said slowly. Chen Jie nodded slightly and said, "What you said is not without reason. It is indeed so."

"By the way, when the scouts were conducting reconnaissance, did you hear that Zhu Chongba used any weapons, such as a sword?"

Chen Chun said, "According to the report from our people planted in Zhu Chongba's team, Zhu Chongba fought unarmed throughout the entire process. He initially used the Tathagata Palm to entangle with Zhang Shicheng for a while, but then switched directly to the Xuanyuan Technique."

"Moreover, according to our people's reports, Zhu Chongba is very powerful; he should be a fourth-level Fusion God."

Chen Jie said, "I knew it. How could someone as destined as Zhu Chongba fall behind others? Zhang Shicheng and I were able to get the opportunity to enter the fourth level of the Fusion God Realm. It would be unreasonable for Zhu Chongba not to enter the fourth level of the Fusion God Realm."

Chen Chun then looked at Chen Jie and said, "My lord, Zhu Chongba has suffered a great defeat, and Zhang Shicheng's arrogance is so high. Should we help him?"

Chen Jie said, "Don't rush, investigate something for me right now!"

Chen Chun cupped his hands and said, "Please enlighten me, my lord."

Chen Jie said, "Send someone to investigate whether Zhu Chongba actually possesses the divine artifact Xuanyuan Sword, as well as Zhu Chongba's journey back from Tianshan, and the formation of Zhu Chongba in the years since Han Shantong's death. The details need to be more comprehensive."

Chen Chun then looked at Chen Jie and asked, "Why is this, my lord?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jie said, "I want to see if Zhu Chongba has the divine weapon Xuanyuan Sword."

Chen Chun nodded immediately.

Chen Jie rubbed his temples. Things were really bad. Zhang Shicheng and Zhu Chongba were both heroes of their time. The final struggle for the world would probably be between these two, and right now it seemed that Zhang Shicheng was the strongest.

If we don't join forces with Zhu Chongba to kill Zhang Shicheng, and if we wait until Zhang Shicheng kills Zhu Chongba, then I definitely won't be able to defeat Zhang Shicheng.

The Nine Li Demon Art was already powerful, and he had absorbed the full power of at least two fourth-level Molten God experts, so his strength should be close to the fifth level of Molten God. In addition, he also had the Tiger Soul Blade in his possession.

This treasured sword is the perfect match for the Nine Li Demon Art; how powerful must it be!

Chen Jie took a deep breath. So the correct course of action was to join forces with Zhu Chongba to eliminate Zhang Shicheng. But then another problem arose: if he joined forces with Zhu Chongba to eliminate Zhang Shicheng, how strong was Zhu Chongba?

If it weren't for the Xuanyuan Sword, he should be able to go toe-to-toe with Zhu Chongba.

But if Chen Jie had the Xuanyuan Sword, he would probably look bad if he took a deep breath.

The Xuanyuan Sword, the Tiger Soul Blade, and the Shennong Staff are the three great divine artifacts of the Human Emperor. Obtaining them will greatly enhance one's strength, while failing to do so will lead to failure.

Now that Zhang Shicheng has obtained the Tiger Soul Blade, he is acting ruthlessly for a time. Zhu Chongba's strength has also increased in a strange way. Chen Jie even suspects that he has the Xuanyuan Sword in his possession, but he just doesn't use it. This King of Wu is very calm and collected. He won't easily reveal his trump cards unless he says he will.

Chen Jie has not yet found the Shennong Staff. Without the Shennong Staff, if it is used by the enemy, he will be a lamb to the slaughter.

But where exactly is Shennong's staff?
Chen Jie was very troubled. He even worked with Yuan Sanjia to deduce the problem, but in the end they only had a vague general area in the south. But was it in Jiangnan or somewhere else?

Chen Jie did not know.

Yuan Sanjia also said that the distance was too far and he couldn't calculate it clearly. If he wanted to calculate the final position of the Shennong Staff, he could only borrow the power of heaven and earth.

That is, the time when the three emperors gathered!
When the three emperors gathered, Chen Jie thought that this might be the only opportunity he would have.

That was when he helped Zhu Chongba defeat Zhang Shicheng. Only then would Chen Jie be able to gather the Three Sovereigns together. With the help of the power of heaven and earth and the strong bond between the Three Sovereigns, they could finally determine the location of the Shennong Staff.

Chen Jie took a deep breath; it seemed this battle was inevitable.

Before that, let's try to find out as much as possible about Zhu Chongba's background.

……

Wushan!

Inside Zhu Chongba's tent, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Tang He, Liu Bowen, and other generals and strategists were all present.

Zhu Chongba's face was slightly pale at this moment. There was a medicine bowl on the table. In this battle with Zhang Shicheng, Zhu Chongba had taken a palm strike from Zhang Shicheng, which injured his lungs and internal organs. He was still recovering from the injury.

"What's the military situation now? Has Zhang Shicheng led his army to attack?"

After hearing Zhu Chongba's words, Xu Da said, "No, Zhang Shicheng also suffered great losses in that battle. Later, Mr. Liu and I used the terrain of Wushan to set up the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation. It would not be easy for him to break through it in a short time."

Zhu Chongba nodded slightly upon hearing this and said, "That's good."

"Cough cough..."

Zhu Chongba coughed twice again, then asked, "Zhang Shicheng's offensive is very intense. What strategies do you have to repel the enemy?"

When Zhu Chongba said this, everyone present fell silent; it was a difficult question to answer.

Zhu Chongba was well aware of everyone's thoughts, and at this moment he spoke up: "Xu Da, you are the commander-in-chief of the three armies, tell me, what good strategy do you have to defeat the enemy?" Hearing this, Xu Da replied: "Sir, this defeat was not a military defeat, so I cannot comment."

Zhu Chongba looked at Xu Da and said, "Xu Da, there's a hidden meaning in your words."

Xu Da immediately bowed and said, "I dare not. I am only the military commander. I am in charge of military affairs, but I cannot manage other matters."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba laughed heartily and said, "What a fine excuse of 'can't control'!"

After saying that, he looked at Tang He, who was not far away, and said, "Tang, let me tell you something."

Tang He said, "If even Second Brother can't explain it, then I can't explain it at all."

"Bowen, you are our strategist, what do you suggest we do?"

Liu Bowen wanted to speak, but then he remembered what had happened a few days ago, so he composed himself and said, "Your Excellency, what do I, a mere scholar, know about military affairs? This matter needs Your Excellency to handle it."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba looked at Liu Bowen and said, "Bowen, you don't confide in me."

"Why don't you dare to tell the truth?"

Liu Bowen then said with a bitter face, "When you ascend to the throne, what I'm saying is the truth."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba chuckled and said, "You are dishonest, and none of you are honest."

As Zhu Chongba was speaking, a voice suddenly said, "Why isn't anyone asking us? I know what's going on."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba turned his head and saw Chang Yuchun shouting at the top of his lungs.

Zhu Chongba's expression changed slightly as he looked at Chang Yuchun and asked, "You know?"

"of course I know."

"Then tell me."

Zhu Chongba looked at Chang Yuchun and said, "Isn't this because you can't beat Zhang Shicheng?"

"In Quzhou and Yangzhou, we wiped out Zhang Shicheng's bandits, even capturing his general Li Bosheng. Our future looked bright. Who would have thought that in terms of high-level combat power, we couldn't even defeat Zhang Shicheng?"

"This has caused all our previous efforts to be in vain. What can we do?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba looked at Chang Yuchun and said, "Fourth Brother Chang, are you blaming us?"

Chang Yuchun said, "We dare not!"

Chang Yuchun was the legendary tough guy; everyone in Zhu Chongba's faction knew his temper, and even Zhu Chongba himself couldn't do anything about him.

This person is incredibly naive; he speaks his mind without reservation and is extremely brave in battle.

Moreover, this guy was least afraid of offending Zhu Chongba. There was a period when Zhu Chongba said he wanted to quit drinking, and this guy would carry a wine pot and hang around Zhu Chongba every day, which made Zhu Chongba very angry.

Besides, what good man doesn't like wine? So he just stared at the wine and his mouth watered.

Zhu Chongba wanted to ask Chang Yuchun for a drink, but Chang Yuchun refused. So Zhu Chongba sent Chang Yuchun away and secretly drank the wine that Chang Yuchun had left on the table.

When Chang Yuchun returned, most people would have let it go. "Your boss just had a drink with you, what are you going to do about it?"

As a result, Chang Yuchun started yelling, saying that Zhu Chongba was untrustworthy, didn't keep his word, and that he had stolen his wine even though he said he wouldn't drink. This angered Zhu Chongba so much that he kicked Chang Yuchun aside.

Therefore, when he looked at Zhu Chongba, he stiffened his neck and said he dared not, but the look in his eyes seemed to say: "You're just bad yourself, why are you blaming others?"

Zhu Chongba was so angry that he had no choice but to give up. He really had no good way to deal with Chang Yuchun. He was a tough nut to crack and fearless. Even if he had to spend a fortune to buy a horse bone, he couldn't touch him!
So Zhu Chongba looked at Chang Yuchun and said, "If you think we're no good, then you go and fight Zhang Shicheng."

Chang Yuchun looked at Zhu Chongba and said, "Hehe, do you think I'm stupid? Zhang Shicheng is so brave, he can plow a furrow with one stroke. If I go up against him, I'll be chopped into mincemeat."

Zhu Chongba looked at Chang Yuchun and said, "You idiot, alright, I admit I can't beat Zhang Shicheng. What do you guys think we should do now?"

Let's find some people to beat him up!

Chang Yuchun spoke directly.

Zhu Chongba glared at him, and at this moment Xu Da spoke up: "The fourth brother is right, the one in power should unite with others."

Zhu Chongba asked, "Who is he?"

"Chen Jiu Si".

Xu Da said directly, and Zhu Chongba nodded slightly and said, "Yes, that's true. It's time to find Chen Jiu Si."

At this point, Zhu Chongba asked, "Then who should go on this mission?"

Chang Yuchun said, "I'll go, I'll go and meet this Chen Jiu Si."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chongba said, "Who else would be willing to go besides him?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, suppressing their laughter. Tang He said, "I have dealt with Chen Jiu Si the most, so I'll go instead."

Zhu Chongba said, "Well, that's fine, but it would seem a bit insincere for you to go alone. Bowen, why don't you come along?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bowen's eyes widened and he said, "Your Excellency, well, I guess I shouldn't go?"

"Oh, why is that?"

Liu Bowen wanted to say that it was just your suspicion, but he didn't dare to say it.

Zhu Chongba said, "Bowen, you have nothing to do with Chen Jiusi, what are you afraid of? Go, go boldly, I give you permission."

Liu Bowen shook his head helplessly, his mind filled with countless thoughts, but all of them turned into helplessness. Finally, he gave a bitter smile and said, "Yes."

Thus, Tang He and Liu Bowen were sent out of Zhu Chongba's camp, and the two prepared to go to Huangzhou Prefecture to find Chen Jiu Si.

After they all left, Zhu Chongba asked Chang Yuchun to inspect the army, leaving only Xu Da in the tent.

Xu Da said, "Your Excellency, you are using yourself as bait."

Zhu Chongba said, "I can't hide anything from you."

Xu Da said, "If a ruler possesses the Xuanyuan Sword but does not use it, it is clearly giving people the wrong impression. Does my lord perhaps intend to..."

Zhu Chongba said, "Yes, that's exactly what you think. The world has been in chaos for so many years. If we can cut the Gordian knot quickly, it might not be a bad thing."

"To achieve everything in one battle and take the lead is a brilliant move, but Chen Jiu Si is no ordinary person, so I'm afraid he will have a hard time succeeding."

"So I will hide, until the very end when the truth is revealed, so that he will never return."

Upon hearing this, Xu Da nodded slightly and said, "Although doing so is against morality, it is in accordance with military strategy."

Zhu Chongba said, "Therefore, I can only apologize to my brother Chen!" (End of this chapter)