Zhang Kui's Journey to the West in the Investiture of the Gods

Inside the command tent, the charcoal fire was silent, with only the faint sound of Zhang Kui's knuckles tapping the jade slip. His consciousness merged with the Daoist weapon refining method presented by Zheng Lun and Chen Qi, and in his mind, it was as if thousands of troops were galloping and fighting, and countless profound runes were intertwining and colliding.

Since obtaining the Dao Soldier Refining Method three days ago, Zhang Kui has been studying its mysteries.

"Dao Bing... I see."

Zhang Kui let out a long sigh, his eyes gleaming. These two techniques had opened a completely new door for him, allowing him to systematically understand what "Dao soldiers" were.

Daoist soldiers are not simply about training elite troops; in essence, they are closer to a somewhat unorthodox method of cultivation. Their core lies in "Dao" and "Qi," using the laws of heaven and earth as weapons to transform the intangible into the tangible through a method of conquest.

Zheng Lun's "Crow Soldiers" and Chen Qi's "Flying Tiger Soldiers" both belong to the "transforming the real into the unreal" puppet Dao soldiers lineage. They are based on living beings and use secret methods, elixirs, and formations to refine their form and spirit, stimulate their potential, and gradually remove the turbidity of mortal beings.

The advantage of puppet soldiers lies in their powerful physical bodies, which can form formations to fight enemies, and once mastered, they can exist continuously. However, their disadvantages are equally obvious: they require a lot of resources, take a long time to develop, have specific requirements for the living beings they are training, and if the core restrictions are broken, they can easily backfire on their master.

As for the more profound "transforming the illusory into the real" divine talisman soldiers, they require extremely high levels of spiritual awareness and talisman skills, far beyond what Zhang Kui can easily grasp at this moment.

"The Great Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine, and humanity escapes one. This Daoist art of warfare is to seize that sliver of life and transform it into the power of human slaughter."

Trying to do too much at once will only lead to failure. Zhang Kui chose the most practical approach: supporting Zheng Lun and Chen Qi in establishing their own Daoist army.

"Send word to Zheng Lun, Chen Qi, and Wu Wenhua," Zhang Kui's voice came from outside the tent.

A quarter of an hour later, the three of them entered the tent one after another.

Zhang Kui didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "I have already seen the Daoist soldiers' methods you presented. The Crow Soldiers are cunning, swift, and ferocious, while the Flying Tiger Soldiers are fierce and powerful. Both are excellent methods among the Xuan-rank. If they can be mastered, five hundred Daoist soldiers forming an array can shake even an Earth Immortal."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Lun and Chen Qi couldn't help but show a proud expression.

"However," Zhang Kui's tone shifted, his gaze sharpening, "the forging of Dao weapons is extremely costly. The secret medicines for tempering the body, the formation forging, the weapons and armor, and the daily expenses are all considerable."

Their expressions darkened; it was indeed so. Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; without resources, having the right methods is futile.

"Now that you are under my command, this will no longer be an obstacle," Zhang Kui said decisively. "I will fully support your training of troops. Rear army resources will be prioritized for your two units. If you need anything, make a list, and I will try my best to procure it. Wu Wenhua."

"Yes!" Wu Wenhua quickly replied.

"Your unit is responsible for the initial selection of new recruits and logistical support, coordinating supplies to ensure that the needs of Generals Zheng and Chen are met as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, General. Anyone who dares to delay things will have their head ripped off." Wu Wenhua thumped his chest loudly, his words simple and brutal.

Zheng Lun and Chen Qi were extremely excited, their voices resounding: "We will do our utmost to train two fierce and powerful armies for the general."

"Very good." Zhang Kui gestured for them to stand up. "Remember, quality is more important than quantity when it comes to soldiers. Strictly adhere to the requirements of the method, better to have fewer but better ones. First and foremost, select those with strong will and unwavering loyalty. Secondly, consider whether their physique meets the requirements for Dao soldiers. I don't want disposable consumables, but brothers who can continuously grow and are truly reliable."

The word "brother" sent a jolt through Zheng Lun and Chen Qi, and their gazes toward Zhang Kui became increasingly different. This lord seemed unlike any of the generals they knew.

"Understood, sir!" the two replied in deep voices.

"Furthermore," Zhang Kui pondered for a moment, then decided to add another layer of protection for them, "The core of the Dao Soldier is a matter of life and death. You two can slightly modify the core restrictions and incorporate a trace of the Qi guiding from the 'Nine Breaths Breathing' method I taught you. In this way, firstly, it will strengthen the connection between the Dao Soldier and you, making it resonate more with you during cultivation; secondly, if it encounters backlash or other unforeseen events, I can sense it with this Qi guiding and intervene in time."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Lun and Chen Qi were initially stunned, then broke out in a cold sweat. This meant they were handing over supreme control of the Dao soldiers. On second thought, however, this method, seemingly a constraint, was actually a form of protection. After all, Zhang Kui hadn't demanded all the secrets of the core restriction, only requesting the integration of a trace of insignificant Qi—this was already a great deal of trust and respect.

"General, your considerations are thorough. Your humble servant will obey." The two hesitated for only a moment before immediately agreeing.

"Go ahead," Zhang Kui waved his hand.

"Yes!" The three accepted the order and left the tent.

With his newly acquired captain title and a group of equally burly men, Wu Wenhua began to move around the various camps, loudly announcing the selection orders, his eyes mainly fixed on the seemingly honest, strong new recruits and refugees.

Zhang Kui, stationed at the central command, handled daily military affairs, streamlined relations with the rear guard, and reviewed the resource lists continuously sent by Zheng Lun and Chen Qi. Spiritual herbs, ores, demonic beast blood essence, array materials… the variety was vast, and the quantities astonishing.

With a wave of his hand, he approved all of them and used his authority as commander-in-chief to prioritize the allocation from the rear army's warehouse. For any shortfall, he wrote a document and sent it to the central army to apply to Wen Zhong, with a very good reason—to enhance the rear army's defense capabilities and deal with possible attacks from the demon race.

With Wen Zhong's trust, Zhang Kui's requests were mostly fulfilled, and a large amount of resources began to be allocated to the camps where Zheng Lun and Chen Qi were located.

During this period, Zhang Kui also personally went to inspect the area.

He saw Zheng Lun directing nearly a hundred "Crow Soldiers" reserves, who had been initially selected, to practice a strange combined attack footwork. Their figures moved like ghosts in the twilight, bringing with them gusts of cold wind.

He also saw Chen Qi immerse the "Flying Tiger Soldiers" reserves in a hot, molten medicinal bath infused with various spiritual herbs. They gritted their teeth and endured the immense pain, stimulating their blood and qi, with faint phantom images of fierce tigers roaring around them.

He also saw Wu Wenhua carrying a huge log, heaving along with the strongmen he had selected to temporarily serve as the baggage escort, conducting the most basic physical training. Their slogans were deafening, and their morale was high.

"Yin energy is not limited to cold; its speed also lies in its circulation. We can try moving the Kan Water Formation's core three-tenths of an inch to the left."

"The strength of qi and blood cannot be achieved solely through suppression. The application of guiding methods focuses on unblocking and channeling. It can be supplemented with the basic chapter of 'Nine Breaths of Breathing' to allow the body to refine the medicinal power on its own."

At every crucial moment, Zhang Kui's guidance enlightened Zheng Lun and Chen Qi, greatly improving their training effectiveness and deepening their respect for him.

As night fell, Zhang Kui sat in his command tent, using methods such as induction and deduction to continuously try to deduce, analyze, and verify. Based on the "Golden Elixir Great Dao" and with the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods as a reference, he began to try to understand the most essential core of the Daoist army.

"Puppet Dao Soldiers, which transform the real into the illusory, rely on 'restrictions' and 'energy'... If I can optimize their energy cycle structure, could I increase the Dao Soldiers' combat power without changing their consumption? Or even... make the spiritual energy fed back from the Dao Soldiers' cultivation purer, thus nourishing their master?"

His eyes gleamed in the candlelight, and a vague blueprint for a Daoist soldier system was slowly taking shape in his mind.

Outside the tent, two future Xuan-rank Dao soldiers, nourished by massive resources, were quietly honing their skills. The atmosphere in the rear army was undergoing a profound and dramatic change due to Zhang Kui's arrival and his swift and decisive actions.

Most people are unaware that a chilling force is gathering under the command of Zhang Kui, the new commander-in-chief.