Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

"Zhang Kui Asks the Way of the Gods": Explosive word-of-mouth and rave reviews!

Qianyuan Mountain, Peach Garden on the Back Hill.

The peach tree branches were laden with many unripe fruits, and the garden was filled with a misty, ethereal atmosphere.

Amidst the clouds and mist, a lithe figure moved swiftly and agilely, leaving behind afterimages. It was a young man with three heads and six arms, his face as white as powder and his lips as red as cinnabar. If Zhang Kui were here, he would surely recognize this figure—it was none other than Nezha, whom he had not seen for a long time.

At this moment, Nezha wielded his six arms with various magical weapons: the Fire-Tipped Spear, the Universe Ring, the Hunyuan Silk, the Golden Brick, and the Yin-Yang Twin Swords. His moves were fluid and powerful, each strike causing the surrounding space to tremble.

"Ah!"

With a soft shout, Nezha's six arms trembled simultaneously, and his magical treasures and divine weapons erupted with dazzling light. The Samadhi True Fire on the Fire-Tipped Spear transformed into a fire dragon that coiled out, the Universe Ring rippled with golden waves that stabilized the space within a hundred feet, the Chaos Ribbon rolled back like a celestial river to seal off the top, bottom, and four directions, the golden bricks swelled in the wind like a small mountain pressing down, and the Yin-Yang Sword cleaved out black and white energies to separate Yin and Yang, turning the entire Peach Garden crimson.

Just as the attack was about to land, Nezha retracted his six arms, and all the strange phenomena vanished instantly. Only the lingering heat in the air and the slightly distorted space testified to the terrifying power of that attack.

"Phew... I finally succeeded." Nezha wiped away non-existent sweat from his forehead, and his three-headed, six-armed Dharma body slowly shrank back to his ordinary boy appearance.

"Brother Nezha, Master is calling you!" When Jinxia Tongzi saw that although the peach trees in the garden were intact, the unripe peaches were covered with a layer of charred black, his mouth twitched.

Nezha chuckled and patted Jinxia Tongzi on the shoulder: "Junior brother, don't panic. I'll have Master cast a rejuvenating spell on these peach trees later."

Having said that, he flashed to the side of the Golden Cloud Boy, and suddenly stretched out three heads and six arms, making a face: "Wow!"

"what!"

The Golden Cloud Boy was startled and retreated repeatedly.

"Hahaha!"

Nezha laughed loudly, stepped on his Wind Fire Wheels and transformed into a streak of fire, heading straight for the Golden Light Cave.

Jinxia Tongzi was speechless.

……

Inside the Golden Light Cave, the Immortal Taiyi sat upright on his cloud bed, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy.

Nezha entered the cave, knelt down and said, "Disciple Nezha greets Master."

Master Taiyi opened his eyes, looking at his disciple with mixed feelings. This child's talent was indeed one in a million; in just over ten years, he had already cultivated to the level of a Xuanxian. But his ability to cause trouble…

"Disciple," Master Taiyi coughed lightly, "you shall immediately descend the mountain and go to Xiqi to assist your uncle Jiang Ziya, in accordance with the will of Heaven."

Upon hearing this, Nezha's face lit up with joy, but he feigned reluctance, saying, "Master, I will miss you. Xiqi is so dangerous; what if something happens to me..."

"No...please don't!" Master Taiyi waved his hands repeatedly, "If you stay any longer, my resolve will waver!"

Fortunately, there were only the master and disciple in the cave; otherwise, it would be hard to imagine that this one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, a dignified Great Luo Golden Immortal, would say such a thing.

Nezha blinked, looking completely innocent: "Master, why do you say that? Your disciple has always been the most obedient..."

"Stop!" Master Taiyi quickly stopped him. "You must go down the mountain immediately. Xiqi is in dire need of manpower. Go there quickly."

"In that case, I will take my leave now. Take care, Master." Nezha turned and left without any hesitation.

Taiyi Zhenren was taken aback.

That's not right!

Based on his understanding, Nezha would at least have to plead and beg for some elixirs and magic treasures, or at the very least complain about how difficult things were in Xiqi. Why was he so decisive this time?

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Golden Cloud Boy entered the cave and reported: "Master, Senior Brother Nezha has just left."

"Yes, I understand." Master Taiyi closed his eyes and sat in meditation.

Jinxia Tongzi looked troubled, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Is there anything else?" Master Taiyi opened his eyes slightly.

"Um... Master," Jinxia Tongzi whispered, "when Nezha left, he took the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover with him."

"What?"

Master Taiyi suddenly opened his eyes, his Daoist robes fluttering even without wind: "That wretched child! That Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover is an innate spiritual treasure used by your master to suppress the fortune of my cave, how dare he..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his angry expression turning into a helpless, bitter smile.

"Never mind," he shook his head and sighed, "It was meant to be passed on to him anyway, so it doesn't matter whether I give it to him sooner or later."

After sitting quietly for a long time, Taiyi Zhenren sighed softly: "The great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods... is finally about to begin. Nezha, I hope you will take good care of yourself."

……

Xiqi, the Prime Minister's residence.

The atmosphere in the council chamber was heavy.

Jiang Ziya sat in the main seat, his brow furrowed, and surveyed the crowd. "Has anyone devised a way to counter Zhang Guifang's method of calling out names to dismount you?"

Huang Feihu's face was still somewhat pale. Earlier that day, Zhang Guifang had called out his real name on the battlefield, and if it weren't for some inexplicable force catching him, he would probably have fallen from his horse and been captured. Thinking back on it now, he still felt lingering fear.

"Prime Minister," Huang Feihu said, clasping his hands in greeting, "when Zhang Guifang shouted, I felt my soul tremble, as if my three souls and seven spirits were about to leave my body. If it weren't for my mount's spiritual power, I'm afraid..."

"It's fortunate that King Wu Cheng returned safely," San Yisheng said in a deep voice. "From what I've observed in today's battle, it seems that Zhang Guifang only works if he can clearly see the opponent's face and call out their real name. Perhaps we could try fighting while masked?"

"That's not advisable," Jiang Ziya shook his head. "While a mask may conceal one's face, one's true name remains. Moreover, wearing a mask on the battlefield is detrimental to morale."

Just then, Jiang Ziya's disciple Wu Ji hurried into the hall: "Master, there are people outside who claim to be disciples of Taiyi Zhenren from Jinguang Cave on Qianyuan Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziya's brow relaxed slightly: "Please come in quickly!"

Before long, Nezha followed Wuji inside.

Seeing the young man's dashing appearance and the faint glow of precious light emanating from him, he clasped his hands in a salute upon entering the hall: "Disciple Nezha, I have come down the mountain on my master's orders to await the orders of my uncle."

Jiang Ziya was overjoyed and quickly stood up: "Nephew, you've come at the right time! How is Senior Brother Taiyi?"

"Master is well and has specially ordered his disciple to come and help Uncle defeat the enemy," Nezha said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziya recounted to Nezha the previous encounter with Zhang Guifang's technique of calling out his name and causing him to fall from his horse.

Before he could even finish listening, Nezha was already eager to try: "Uncle-Master, why don't you let me give it a shot?"

All the generals in the hall looked at the boy who looked no more than ten years old.

San Yisheng frowned and said, "Young brother, that Zhang Guifang is no ordinary person. Even the Prince of Wucheng almost met with disaster. We must not be careless..."

Nezha wasn't annoyed; he simply smiled and said, "I have my own methods. Besides, didn't Master send me down the mountain precisely to defeat the enemy?"

Urgent! Major plot twist! Watch now!

I had heard of the abilities of Jiang Ziya's nephew—he was the reincarnation of Lingzhuzi, a disciple of Taiyi Zhenren, who had attained immortality at a young age and possessed many magical treasures.

Perhaps, it can truly restrain Zhang Guifang?

"Alright," Jiang Ziya finally nodded. "Nezha, you will go into battle with the army tomorrow. But remember, be careful in everything you do, and never be careless."

"Yes, Uncle-Master, I will act according to the circumstances!" Nezha's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.

……

Inside Zhang Kui's sleeping tent in the Shang army camp.

Inside the tent, Zhang Kui sat cross-legged, his mind focused on his body.

Within the dantian, the six patterns on the surface of the golden core shone brightly. Among them, five patterns were inscribed with the five Heavenly Gang Divine Powers: Nine Breaths of Breath Control, Five Elements Great Escape, Subduing Dragons and Tigers, Size Control, and Flying Body and Embarkation. As for the patterns formed when the golden core was condensed at the sixth stage, they have not yet been inscribed with any divine powers.

"In tomorrow's battle, we cannot reveal our full strength; it's best to conceal our abilities first," Zhang Kui pondered. "We should rely on our martial arts cultivation to maneuver."

"I wonder who I'll encounter tomorrow?" Zhang Kui opened his eyes and looked towards the direction of Xiqi City outside the tent. "Yang Jian? Lei Zhenzi? Wei Hu? Or..."

"If it's him..." Zhang Kui's lips curled into a smile, "then things will get interesting."

The next morning, the sun rose in the east.

The gates of Xiqi City were wide open, and Jiang Ziya personally led his army out of the city to form ranks, while Nezha rode on his Wind and Fire Wheels, suspended in mid-air.

On Shang Jun's side, Zhang Guifang was in charge of the central command, with Feng Lin on the left and Zhang Kui on the right.

The two armies faced off, and the sound of drums shook the heavens.

Zhang Kui, gripping the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword, spurred his horse into battle and shouted loudly, "Who from Xiqi dares to challenge me?" His voice clearly echoed throughout the entire battlefield.

"It's him!"

Jiang Ziya recognized Zhang Kui and immediately said to Nezha, "Nephew, this man is Zhang Kui, a general under Grand Tutor Wen Zhong. He is highly skilled, so you must be careful."

Even without Jiang Ziya's reminder, Nezha had already clearly seen the person in front of him, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Don't worry, Uncle-Master," Nezha said with a smile, "I recognize this person."

Having said that, he urged his Wind and Fire Wheels and charged out of the formation.

On the battlefield, Zhang Kui was taken aback when he saw the newcomer.

The young man was handsome, and although he did not show any signs of having three heads and six arms, how could Zhang Kui not recognize his iconic fire wheels?

"Nezha?" Zhang Kui blurted out.

"Brother Zhang, how have you been!" Nezha greeted him with a fist and palm salute, his smile radiant. "It's been so long since we parted ways at Chentang Pass, I never expected to see you here again."

Zhang Kui was filled with mixed thoughts. Nezha's presence here indicated that the Chan Sect had officially intervened in the affairs of Xiqi.

"I really didn't expect this," Zhang Kui laughed. "I never thought that you and I would one day be facing off against each other. Life is truly unpredictable."

Nezha shook his head: "This battle is inevitable. Brother Zhang Kui, how about we have a friendly spar, and stop when we've reached our limit?"

"Alright, let's have a friendly spar." Zhang Kui readily agreed, taking the opportunity to test his training results.

The moment the words left their mouths, the two moved almost simultaneously.

Nezha's figure soared into the sky, revealing his three-headed, six-armed form, wielding the Fire-Tipped Spear, the Universe Ring, the Hun Tian Ling, the Golden Brick, and the Yin-Yang Twin Swords.

Seeing this, Zhang Kui neither dodged nor evaded, but leaped off his warhorse. The next moment, his body swelled up, and he used his "Great and Small As You Wish" divine power to transform into a three-zhang giant. The Dragon Sparrow Treasure Blade also grew larger, and he slashed at the magical weapons attacking from all directions.

The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, accompanied by a piercing shriek that seemed to tear everything apart.

Nezha swung all six arms at once, his Fire-Tipped Spear met the blade, the Universe Ring smashed down from the side, the Hun Tian Ling coiled around Zhang Kui's legs like a serpent, a golden brick crashed down on his head, and the Yin Yang Sword unleashed black and white sword energy to strike at vital points.

Zhang Kui laughed loudly, "Well done!"

His swordplay shifted, transforming into a ball of silver light that protected his entire body. The Dragon Sparrow Sword seemed to come alive in his hands, each strike precisely hitting the weak points of the magical weapon's attack.

The intense heat of the Fire-Tipped Spear was neutralized by the power of the Five Elements contained in the sword energy, and Zhang Kui easily broke free from the confinement of the Universe Ring by using the Five Elements Great Escape Divine Power.

Faced with the approaching Hun Tian Ling, Zhang Kui activated the earth's veins beneath his feet, his body shifting and dodging successfully. As for the gold brick and the Yin Yang Sword, Zhang Kui avoided them using a flying technique.

In the blink of an eye, Zhang Kui completely broke through the combined attack of Nezha's five magical treasures.

A commotion erupted on the battlefield between the two armies.

Jiang Ziya's expression turned solemn: "Zhang Kui... is truly remarkable, so easily repelling Nezha's attack."

Jiang Ziya's expression turned solemn: "Zhang Kui... is truly remarkable, so easily repelling Nezha's attack."

On Shang Jun's side, Zhang Guifang and Feng Lin were also dumbfounded.

"General, Zhang Kui's skills are amazing..." Feng Lin swallowed hard.

Zhang Guifang was also shocked, clearly Zhang Kui's strength had far surpassed his previous level on the Beihai front.

Seeing his attack thwarted, Nezha didn't get angry but laughed instead: "Brother Zhang is indeed powerful, then I won't hold back anymore!"

He then dispelled his three-headed, six-armed form, made hand seals, and began chanting incantations.

Instantly, the world changed color.

The spiritual energy within a ten-mile radius converged wildly, and Nezha's body was engulfed in raging flames. The flames were golden and were actually Samadhi True Fire.

Within the flames, the nine phantom fire dragons gradually solidified, their roars shaking the heavens.

"Nine Dragons Divine Fire, Burn the Heavens and Boil the Seas!" Nezha shouted fiercely, and nine fire dragons soared into the sky, intertwining in the air to form a huge cage of flames that enveloped Zhang Kui.

Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover!

Zhang Kui looked up, a look of seriousness flashing in his eyes, but he neither flinched nor avoided the sight; instead, he sheathed the Dragon Sparrow Sword.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Zhang Kui unleashed the Nine Breaths Breathing Technique, frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy to replenish his energy reserves while simultaneously slowing down the offensive of the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield.

As the fire dragon cage crashed down, Zhang Kui unleashed the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light with all his might, forcing the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover three zhang away and barely avoiding the heart of the flames.

The flames melted the earth, turning rocks into molten lava, and scorching heat waves swept in all directions, causing the soldiers of both armies to feel a burning sensation on their skin.

Nezha's pupils contracted.

Zhang Kui's attack just now had actually made him feel a chill. That divine light contained extremely profound power of the Five Elements Laws.

"Brother Zhang's supernatural powers..." Nezha put away his arrogance, "It seems I'll have to get serious."

But at that moment, Zhang Kui suddenly spoke up: "Wait a minute."

Nezha paused.

Zhang Kui regained his strength and laughed, "Let's stop here for today. If we continue fighting, it might really come down to life and death."

"Alright," Nezha also withdrew his supernatural powers and returned to normal, "Then, Brother Zhang, let's fight another day."

The two returned to their respective positions.

On the way back to camp, Zhang Kui secretly estimated, "Nezha's cultivation level should also be at the Xuanxian realm. If it really comes down to a life-or-death battle, it's hard to say who will emerge victorious..."