Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

Chaoge City, the Grand Tutor's residence.

In the study, the candlelight flickered.

Wen Zhong sat upright at his desk, having read the secret report in his hand many times. The candlelight illuminated his resolute yet weary face.

Snapped!

He slammed the secret report onto the table, the hard ebony surface making a dull thud, and the teacups on the table jumped.

"The mighty King Wucheng of the Shang Dynasty, a pillar of the nation, was framed by treacherous officials, his relatives were brutally murdered, and he was forced to rebel against Chaoge and flee to Xiqi." Wen Zhong's voice was deep, as if suppressing thunder, and lightning flashed in his divine eyes. "Truly... the ruler treats his subjects like weeds, and the subjects treat the ruler like enemies. This is tantamount to destroying the dynasty."

His chest heaved, clearly indicating that he was extremely angry.

Huang Feihu and he served in the same court, both being important ministers of the state. Wen Zhong knew Huang Feihu's loyalty and righteousness well. Now, seeing Huang Feihu's fate, he felt a chilling sense of dread about the current state of the court.

Hearing the commotion, Ji Li and Yu Qing, who were serving outside the door, quickly pushed the door open and entered, bowing respectfully: "Master, please calm your anger!"

Wen Zhong took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and his gaze swept sharply over his two disciples: "Xiqi's acceptance of traitors has revealed their true intentions. The court's prestige has been utterly destroyed. What are your thoughts on this?"

After a moment's thought, Ji Li stepped forward and said, "Master, Xiqi is currently enjoying great fortune and has capable advisors, so it should not be underestimated. To conquer Xiqi, we need a general who is experienced in battle and can intimidate the enemy. I believe that Zhang Guifang, the general of Qinglong Pass, is braver than any other general, skilled in extraordinary arts, and has also benefited from Master's past kindness in promoting him. He is suitable to be the commander-in-chief."

Yu Qing nodded and added, "What you say is absolutely right, Senior Brother. General Zhang is proficient in both Taoist magic and martial arts, especially skilled in the technique of 'calling names to bring down horses.' He can take the head of a general from among thousands of soldiers as easily as taking something out of a bag. This is exactly what can dampen the morale of Xiqi. With him leading the expedition, we will surely achieve a resounding victory and restore the prestige of the court."

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhong pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Zhang Guifang was a capable general whom he personally promoted, and her abilities are beyond doubt.

"Alright, we will do as you say." Without further hesitation, he immediately spread out the troop deployment silk, used his magic to condense talismans, and quickly wrote down military orders, appointing Zhang Guifang of Qinglong Pass as the Marshal of the Western Expedition, and ordering 100,000 elite troops to set out on a chosen day to attack Xiqi.

Jili received the military order, which still carried magical power, and solemnly accepted the command: "This disciple will immediately arrange the transmission of orders and logistical matters."

After Ji Li left, only Wen Zhong and Yu Qing remained in the secret room. However, Wen Zhong's furrowed brows did not relax; instead, they deepened.

Yu Qing, being observant, stepped forward and asked softly, "Master, is there still any hidden worry? This disciple is willing to share your burdens."

Wen Zhong's gaze was deep, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. Suddenly, he asked abruptly, "Zhang Kui... has been living in seclusion in Mianchi for quite some time now, hasn't he?"

Yu Qing was taken aback, not expecting his master to suddenly mention Zhang Kui. He quickly replied, "Reporting to Master, since resigning from his post in Youli, General Zhang has returned to Mianchi, and we have not heard of his whereabouts for several months."

Wen Zhong nodded and said nothing more. He spread out a blank sheet of silk, dipped his brush in thick ink, pondered for a long time, and then put pen to paper.

The brushstrokes flow like dragons and snakes, powerful and elegant.

After writing it, he sealed it with his own magic and handed it to Yu Qing: "Go to Mianchi yourself and deliver this letter to Zhang Kui. No need to say anything more, just give it to him."

Yu Qing accepted the silk scroll with both hands and solemnly replied, "Yes, disciple will depart immediately."

……

Yin Shang Dynasty, Mianchi City

Zhang Kui has been living a very comfortable life during this period.

Every day at dawn, he and Gao Lanying would stand side by side in the courtyard, facing the purple aura of the east, meditating and breathing in the essence of the rising sun.

Gao Lanying's cultivation of the Jie Sect's Shangqing Heart Method draws spiritual energy like a vortex, pure and dynamic. Zhang Kui, on the other hand, uses the Golden Core Dao as his foundation, fusing it with the blood and energy of the Spiritual Witch, absorbing power as vast as the sea, yet remaining balanced and peaceful.

Their breaths merged, their yin and yang energies complemented each other, and both gained something.

During breaks from their spiritual practice, the two would sit at a stone table in the courtyard, enjoying a cup of tea and discussing the Dao.

"My master once said that the way of our Jie Sect lies in seizing a sliver of heavenly secrets, teaching without discrimination, and learning from all. The Dao follows nature, but it also emphasizes courage and diligence. Magic treasures, supernatural powers, and formations are all tools to protect the Dao. They must be in harmony with one's own Dao heart in order to exert their full potential."

Gao Lanying recounted the essence of the Shangqing Immortal Techniques of the Jie Sect. A wisp of pure Yang energy from the Golden Needle of the Sun flowed from her fingertips, using the instrument to convey the Dao and demonstrate the profound mysteries of the Jie Sect's Daoist methods.

"The Golden Elixir is the root of life and the pivot that governs all laws. What I seek is to use the Golden Elixir as a foundation to govern the power of the Witch Clan, the Heavenly Gang Divine Power, and even the laws of reincarnation for new life." With the five elements circulating in his palm, Zhang Kui continuously demonstrated the interaction of the five elements.

Zhang Kui also shared his own insights: "The so-called 'cultivation of truth' is about eliminating falsehood and preserving truth, seeking one's true self. Power has no distinction between good and evil; it is good when used for good, and evil when used for evil."

Although their cultivation methods differed, they ultimately led to the same goal.

Gao Lanying's lineage from the Jie Sect encompassed a wide range of knowledge regarding the use of magical artifacts, formations and talismans, and how to mobilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This greatly helped Zhang Kui refine his combat system and deepen his understanding of the relationship between "weapons" and "the Way."

Zhang Kui's unique cultivation philosophy, which integrates witchcraft and Taoism and touches upon the law of reincarnation, also gave Gao Lanying a lot of inspiration. This was more conducive to the advancement of her cultivation than solitary asceticism.

Besides his own self-cultivation, Zhang Kui also made sure to urge his younger brother Zhang Shan to improve.

On the training ground, Zhang Shan stood shirtless, his bronze skin revealing bulging muscles that resembled dragons. His body was enveloped in a surge of qi and blood that had condensed into a nearly tangible, pale crimson plume of smoke that shot several meters high. He was frantically tempering his physical body according to the "Blood Refining Method" and visualization diagrams passed down by Zhang Kui.

Sometimes, Zhang Kui would personally take to the field, using only his physical strength to subdue dragons and tigers to beat Zhang Shan to a pulp, euphemistically calling it "real combat training."

Under Zhang Kui's relentless, even cruel, supervision, Zhang Shan made rapid progress. His Wu clan bloodline was further stimulated, and he successfully broke through to the Earth Wu realm, with his physical strength and recovery ability skyrocketing.

At the same time, he had successfully visualized his own unique martial arts Dharma image in his sea of ​​consciousness—the Divine Mountain Suppressing Prison, a mountain Dharma image that suppresses the eight wastelands and is boundless in weight.

Although still somewhat blurry, it was indeed the initial formation of the Dharma Aspect, marking Zhang Shan's martial arts cultivation as he officially entered the Dharma Aspect Realm. His every move already carried a heavy, overwhelming power, like a mountain collapsing.

On this day, Zhang Kui had just finished instructing Zhang Shan on the techniques for generating power in close combat. He watched his younger brother, drenched in sweat but with bright eyes, pondering the techniques, and felt gratified.

Just as they were about to return inside to continue studying the hexagram texts in the *I Ching* with Gao Lanying, a clear, cheerful voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate:

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Fellow Daoist Zhang. Your secluded, tranquil, and natural life in the countryside is truly enviable!"

Zhang Kui looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yu Qing dressed in a simple Taoist robe, with a smile on his face. He had been standing at the courtyard gate for some time, his aura concealed, indicating that he had arrived some time ago.

Zhang Kui immediately smiled and went to greet him: "Haha! Who is it? It's Fellow Daoist Yu Qing! What brings you to my remote little town? Please come in, my humble abode is truly honored!"

Upon hearing the sound, Gao Lanying also came out, bowed gracefully to Yu Qing, and said elegantly, "Fellow Daoist Yu Qing."

Yu Qing quickly returned the greeting: "Greetings, Madam."

Gao Lanying smiled and said, "My husband and fellow Daoist have been reunited after a long separation, they must have important matters to discuss. I will go and prepare some tea and snacks." She was quick-witted and knew that Yu Qing, as Wen Zhong's close follower, must have something to discuss with his sudden visit, so she made an excuse to leave.

Yu Qing followed Zhang Kui and sat down at the stone table in the courtyard.

Without much small talk, Yu Qing straightened up and took out the silk scroll sealed with magic power, which had faint lightning patterns, from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Kui with both hands.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, this is a letter personally written by my master, Grand Tutor Wen. He instructed me to deliver it to you personally." Yu Qing's tone was solemn. "My master has ordered that I am only responsible for delivery; you will understand the rest after reading the letter. I must return to Chaoge immediately to report back and cannot linger any longer. Take care, Fellow Daoist!"

After saying that, he actually stood up, bowed to Zhang Kui, and before Zhang Kui could say anything to stop him, he transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky, disappearing from the sky above Mianchi in an instant. His swift and decisive action caught Zhang Kui off guard.

Holding the still-warm silk scroll, Zhang Kui stared in the direction where Yu Qing had disappeared, completely bewildered.

Sigh... I'm afraid my carefree "vacation" is really coming to an end.

He weighed the silk in his hand, but instead of opening it immediately, he turned and went inside, intending to discuss it with Gao Lanying.