Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

Xiqi, the Prime Minister's Residence

Jiang Ziya bowed respectfully to the Taoist priest seated in the main seat, saying, "I am deeply grateful to Brother Manjushri for personally descending the mountain. I am humbled and unable to greet you from afar. Please forgive me, Brother Manjushri."

At the head of the table, Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with a gentle yet dignified face, nodded slightly: "Junior brother, you are too kind. Master already knows everything about the affairs of Xiqi. Now, the fate of the Yin Shang dynasty is coming to an end, and the Zhou dynasty is about to rise, but the secrets of heaven are obscure, and calamities are many."

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist and took out two items—a scroll and a wooden whip.

The scroll is ancient and simple, with an unknown animal hide as the base. There are no words or pictures on it, but countless true spirit phantoms are faintly flowing on it. The wooden whip looks ordinary, about three feet six and a half inches long, divided into twenty-one sections, each with four talismans, for a total of eighty-four talismans, which are faintly connected with the fortune of the human world.

The Investiture of the Gods, the God-Slaying Whip.

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, handed two magical treasures to Jiang Ziya, saying, "These are bestowed by my master and are the key to this great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods."

Jiang Ziya received the two magical treasures with both hands, and the moment he touched them, he heard the majestic yet ethereal voice of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable:

"Ziya, the Investiture of the Gods is ordained by Heaven, and all those whose names are on the list will face life and death tribulations within it. The God-Slaying Whip is bestowed by Heaven and is specifically designed to subdue those whose names are on the Investiture of the Gods. Wielding it allows one to carry out punishments on behalf of Heaven. These two items are of great importance, concerning the fate of disciples of the three religions who will be listed and conferred divine titles. They must be used with utmost care."

As the sound faded, Jiang Ziya felt an extraordinary weight in his hands as he held the two magical treasures that carried the mandate of heaven.

"I will not fail my master's trust." Jiang Ziya bowed again in the direction of Kunlun before getting up and carefully putting away the two magical treasures.

At this moment, a scout came from outside the palace with an urgent report: "Prime Minister! The Yin Shang army has divided into four routes and has surrounded the four gates of Xiqi. The enemy force at the south gate is the largest and seems to be the main force; there are detachments at the east and north gates; and there is also an army at the west gate, with about five thousand men, led by the man who shot the arrow yesterday."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the generals in the hall changed.

Jiang Ziya frowned, about to deploy city defenses, when Manjushri Bodhisattva suddenly spoke up: "Junior Brother Ziya, is there a Zhang Kui in the Yin Shang army?"

Upon hearing this, not only Jiang Ziya, but also Nezha and Yang Jian, who were standing to the side, looked surprised.

Although Zhang Kui is strong, he is ultimately only a Xuanxian cultivator. How could he possibly catch the eye of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect?

Jiang Ziya suppressed his doubts and respectfully replied, "There is indeed such a person. Zhang Kui was a great general of the Yin Shang Dynasty. Yesterday, with one arrow in front of the battle, if it weren't for the formidable defense of the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, Ziya would have been in grave danger."

Manjushri Bodhisattva nodded thoughtfully: "When I left Jade Void Palace, I met Brother Julu Sun. He mentioned this person, so I remembered him."

After speaking, he looked at Jiang Ziya, and in the depths of those seemingly gentle eyes, it was as if stars were turning, seeing through everything.

Jiang Ziya felt a chill run down his spine, but his expression remained calm. "I never expected this person to catch the eye of Senior Brother Sun who is in custody."

"Haha..." Manjushri Bodhisattva chuckled, his laughter echoing in the hall. "Junior Brother Ziya, didn't you also not take Zhang Kui lightly in the past?"

These words struck Jiang Ziya like a thunderclap. He suppressed the turmoil within him, maintaining a calm expression, though his hands clenched slightly in his sleeves.

Manjushri and Julu Sun had a close personal relationship, so Julu Sun must have informed him of this matter. It seems that Manjushri's visit this time is probably not just about helping Xiqi overthrow Zhou, but perhaps... it is also related to Zhang Kui.

Jiang Ziya was worried, but knew it was not the right time to ask too many questions, so he could only go along with it and say, "Senior brother has a discerning eye. Zhang Kui is indeed a special person. He is a great general of the Yin Shang Dynasty, and his cultivation has reached the Xuanxian realm. Nezha and Yang Jian have both fought against him, and the outcome was close."

"Oh? This person has quite a talent!"

Manjushri Bodhisattva gave Jiang Ziya a meaningful look, then stopped pursuing the matter and said, "Junior Brother Ziya, now that I'm here, I'll leave this enemy of Ximen to me. I want to see what's so special about this person."

Jiang Ziya's face showed gratitude: "With Senior Brother's help, Ximen is safe! Ziya is extremely grateful."

Subsequently, Jiang Ziya quickly deployed defenses and personally led the main force to the South Gate to meet the Four Saints of Nine Dragons Island. His disciple Jinzha, who came with Manjushri, and his disciple Muzha, who came with Samantabhadra, accompanied him to assist in the battle.

Huang Feihu and Yang Jian guarded the east gate, while Nangong Shi and Nezha guarded the north gate.

Upon hearing Jiang Ziya's arrangements for Jinzha and Muzha, Manjushri Bodhisattva glanced at Jiang Ziya again but said nothing more. He simply stood up and said, "In that case, I will go to the West Gate."

"Respectfully seeing off my senior brother." Jiang Ziya bowed as he saw him off.

After Manjushri's figure disappeared, Jiang Ziya's expression turned serious. He looked at Nezha and Yang Jian and said in a deep voice, "Today's battle is not comparable to yesterday's. With Senior Brother Manjushri personally taking action, Zhang Kui is likely to be in grave danger. When you two are defending the city, you must be careful of Wang Mo and the other three."

"Disciple understands," Nezha and Yang Jian replied in unison.

……

Outside the west gate of Xiqi.

Zhang Kui led five thousand elite soldiers in formation, holding the Dragon Sparrow Sword, his gaze sweeping across the Xiqi city wall.

However, the scene before him puzzled him. The city walls were sparsely populated with flags and few soldiers, a stark contrast to the formidable defenses he had witnessed the day before.

"General, the garrison in Xiqi seems small. Should we attack the city directly?" the adjutant beside him asked in a low voice.

Zhang Kui did not answer immediately. He activated the Great Yin-Yang Void-Piercing True Eye, his left eye revealing the Sun's Brilliance and his right eye the Yin's Darkness. Golden and silver light flowed in his eyes as he carefully examined the area, his gaze finally settling on the city tower.

There stood a Taoist priest in blue robes, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly one with the heavens and earth. Sunlight shone upon him, yet it appeared to be distorted by an invisible force, forming a faint halo around him.

The moment Zhang Kui's gaze met that of the Taoist, his hair stood on end, and he felt that this person's cultivation was unfathomable.

Zhang Kui couldn't see through the other person. He only felt that the other person standing there was like a blazing sun descending to earth, with a magnificent and righteous aura, and incomparably majestic. Just by making eye contact, Zhang Kui felt an invisible pressure rushing towards him.

You have received a new chapter update: Chapter 113 The Great Battle Begins, the Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, here is the reading link.

"The Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect..." This thought flashed through Zhang Kui's mind, and his grip on the knife tightened slightly.

Those who could exert such pressure on him were at least at the level of Great Luo Golden Immortals like Lü Yue and Zhao Gongming. Within the Chan Sect, only a handful of individuals met this criterion and were likely to appear in Xiqi.

Zhang Kui remained calm and raised his hand to signal the entire army to halt.

Five thousand elite soldiers, well-trained, immediately halted, their formation impeccable, swords and spears arrayed, and a chilling aura permeated the air.

On the city tower, Manjushri Bodhisattva looked down at Zhang Kui below, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Interesting, very interesting. With the appearance of a Xuanxian, and having elevated the bloodline of the Wu clan to the Spirit Wu realm... the foundation is far more solid than ordinary. No wonder Senior Brother Sun mentioned it specifically."

Manjushri spoke up, "Is that General Zhang Kui below?"

Zhang Kui took a deep breath, suppressing the pounding in his heart, and said loudly, "It is indeed I, Zhang. May I ask which immortal master of the Chan Sect is on the city wall? I am ignorant and humbly request your guidance."

"I am Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, from the Jade Void Palace, the Cloud Cave of Five Dragon Mountain." Manjushri said calmly, "General Zhang, since you cultivate the righteous path of the Xuanmen, you should know that the Mandate of Heaven is with Zhou, and the fate of Yin Shang is exhausted. Why not abandon darkness and turn to light, and submit to Xiqi? With your talent, you will surely be given an important position."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Kui sneered inwardly.

But he feigned sincerity: "Immortal Manjushri, you are mistaken. Although I practice the methods of the Xuanmen sect, I am first and foremost a subject of the Shang dynasty, receiving the emperor's salary and thus obligated to serve him. Moreover, Grand Tutor Wen has shown me great favor; how could I possibly betray him?"

"To eat the king's food?" Manjushri gently shook his head. "King Zhou is tyrannical, persecuting loyal officials and poisoning the people; he has lost the virtues of a ruler. General, when you speak of loyalty to the king, are you loyal to that one person, or to all the people under heaven?"

Zhang Kui was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "What you say makes sense, Immortal Master. But I have led my troops here today only to obey military orders, not to argue. If you wish to stop me, please do so. If you are willing to let me pass, I will be eternally grateful."

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, also smiled, "In that case, this humble Taoist will learn from the General's superior skills."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped out of the city wall, his figure hovering in the air, and slowly landed on the open ground between the two armies.

Zhang Kui's eyes turned cold; he knew things couldn't end well today.

He dismounted, handed the reins to his deputy, and whispered, "Pass down the order: the entire army must retreat three miles. No one is to advance without my command."

"General!" the lieutenant exclaimed urgently.

"Execute the military order!" Zhang Kui said resolutely.

The lieutenant gritted his teeth, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and accepted the order: "Yes, sir!"

Soon, the five thousand elite troops withdrew in an orderly manner.

Zhang Kui, alone, walked toward Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, with his knife, and stopped thirty feet away.

For cultivators of their level, this distance was practically face to face.

"How does the immortal wish to conduct the contest?" Zhang Kui asked.

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, said calmly, "This humble Taoist will use these two fleshy palms to experience the general's skills."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his right hand, palm up, making a "please" gesture.

Zhang Kui was on high alert; facing a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, he dared not hold back in the slightest.

With a thought, the magical power within his body surged, the sixth-stage Golden Core Dao Fruit shone brightly, and the bloodline power of the Spirit Witch Realm roared through his limbs and bones.

"In that case, I apologize for offending you!"

Zhang Kui let out a low shout, his figure as swift as frost and dew, blending into the surrounding environment, his aura suddenly disappearing.

The next moment, he appeared to the left of Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, and with the force of thunder, the Dragon Sparrow Blade struck straight at the opponent's neck.

With this strike, the Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Divine Power was fully activated, and phantom images of dragons and tigers appeared on the blade, roaring and howling.

To be on the safe side, Zhang Kui activated the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light with his left hand, hiding in the shadows, ready to strike at any opportunity.

Faced with this earth-shattering strike, Manjushri Bodhisattva merely turned slightly to the side, bringing his right index and middle fingers together and gently touching the side of the blade.

"clang--!"

The sound of metal clashing resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

Zhang Kui felt an immense, unparalleled force emanating from the blade, which made his hands go numb and his whole body fly backward involuntarily. He tumbled seven or eight times in the air before barely managing to regain his balance.

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, remained standing in the same spot, without even moving a corner of his robe.

However, his gaze towards Zhang Kui held a hint of approval: "Not bad, not bad. This strike already possesses some of the Dao essence of a Golden Immortal. No wonder you were able to fight Nezha and force Yang Jian to retreat."

Is this the power of a Great Luo Golden Immortal? With a casual flick of his finger, he broke through my full-force strike.

"Again!"

Zhang Kui disappeared again. This time, he used the Five Elements Escape Technique, and the spiritual energy around him continuously shifted between the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

In an instant, the spiritual energy in the arena surged, and the sword light flashed everywhere. Zhang Kui's attacks were like a storm, relentless and continuous.

However, Manjushri Bodhisattva remained calm.

He would point, palm, flick, or tap, and occasionally flick his finger, causing golden lotus flowers to bloom. Each strike accurately hit the back of the Dragon Sparrow Blade, skillfully deflecting Zhang Kui's attacks.

After dozens of moves, Zhang Kui was once again forced back, his breathing slightly disordered.

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, remained calm and composed.

"General, if these are all the methods you have, then let's end it here today," Manjushri said calmly. "I do not wish to take your life. As long as you swear never to aid and abet evil again and hand over the precious human treasure, the Book of Changes, you may leave in peace."

Zhang Kui stood leaning on his sword, catching his breath for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Immortal Master, do you want the Book of Changes?"

"This is a sacred artifact of the human race, and it should not fall into the hands of the Yin Shang dynasty," said Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma.

"But it's in my hands now." Zhang Kui looked directly at Manjushri. "And I don't want to give it up."

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, frowned slightly: "Then don't blame this humble Taoist for being heartless."

As he spoke, he made a fist with his right hand, and a golden pillar, entirely gilded and inlaid with three golden rings, suddenly appeared—it was the "Dragon-Hiding Stake," the treasure of Yunxiao Cave in Wulong Mountain.