Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

Yang Jian, Nezha, Jinzha, and Muzha shot towards the Xiqi army camp, but stopped abruptly a hundred feet from the battlefield.

The sight before them made them gasp in shock.

In the sky, Zhang Kui knelt on one knee in the void, panting heavily, golden blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Although his aura was rapidly fading, it remained powerful. Opposite him, the four Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect—Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Julusun, and Cihang—were all in a sorry state.

Manjushri's left shoulder was still bleeding from a deep, bone-revealing knife wound; Samantabhadra's blue robe was torn in several places; Julusun's face was as pale as paper; and Cihang's face had a shocking charred scar.

"This..." Jin Zha's pupils contracted sharply, his voice trembling, "Master and the others..."

Mu Zha's hand gripping the sword trembled. In their hearts, their master, Manjushri Bodhisattva, was a supreme Golden Immortal, a being capable of moving mountains and filling seas, plucking stars from the sky and seizing the moon. But now, their master had been forced into such a predicament by a mere Mystic Immortal?

Yang Jian slightly opened his third eye on his forehead, and the traces of Daoist energy remaining on the battlefield were reflected in his silvery-white pupil. He saw that the chaotic energy had not completely dissipated, that the pure and turbid energies were still intertwining and colliding, and that the phantom of the Six Paths of Reincarnation remained in the cracks of space.

"This Zhang Kui is so powerful..." Yang Jian muttered to himself, his usually calm mind stirred by the turmoil. He considered himself exceptionally talented, having just mastered the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, and his peak Xuanxian cultivation was unmatched among the third-generation disciples of the Chan Sect; he had even touched the threshold of the Golden Immortal realm. Yet this Zhang Kui before him was clearly only at the mid-stage of the Xuanxian realm, yet he could withstand four Daluo Golden Immortals without dying.

This was the first time Yang Jian truly understood what it meant to be "there are heavens beyond heavens".

Nezha's feelings were the most complex. He hovered in mid-air, riding on his Wind-Fire Wheels, his grip on the Fire-Tipped Spear tightening and loosening repeatedly. He looked at his friend who had fought alongside him on Skull Mountain, but who would have thought... that he would be his enemy today.

"Brother Zhang..." Nezha's lips moved, but no sound came out.

"What is the purpose of your arrival here?"

Ju Liusun's fierce shout rang out like thunder, interrupting the four's thoughts. This usually kind and gentle senior uncle now had a ferocious expression, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Hurry up and go to assist your Senior Uncle Ziya in annihilating the Shang army!"

Manjushri looked at his disciple, "Jinzha, go quickly."

"Muzha, this place is not for you to interfere with," said Master Puxian, his words even more direct.

Yang Jian was the first to react. Suppressing his shock, he bowed to his four senior uncles and said, "Disciple obeys."

Having said that, he grabbed Nezha, who was still in a daze, and hissed, "Let's go!"

"But..." Nezha wanted to say something more.

"No buts!" Yang Jian said sternly. "Stop interfering. Let's discuss this further."

Nezha gritted his teeth and gave Zhang Kui one last look.

Just as Yang Jian was forcibly dragging him away, Nezha's lips moved slightly, and a barely perceptible divine thought transmitted into Zhang Kui's ear: "Brother Zhang, things are hopeless, it's best to leave first. You can decide what to do later and break through from here with Brother Yang Jian and me."

Hearing this, Zhang Kui felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He nodded slightly, signaling with his eyes that he understood.

It was worth making friends with Nezha.

With the departure of Yang Jian and his companions, the battlefield fell silent once more.

The four Golden Immortals—Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Julusun, and Cihang—have already subtly formed an encirclement. Although they are all injured, their foundation as Great Luo Golden Immortals still allows them to fight on.

The divine power of Fengdu within Zhang Kui receded like the tide, replaced by physical weakness and waves of excruciating pain.

"Borrowed power is never truly one's own," Zhang Kui thought with a bitter smile.

The encirclement of Ju Liusun and the other three was slowly tightening. Although they were wary of the methods Zhang Kui had just displayed, they could also see that Zhang Kui was at his limit. That power at the Great Luo level was fading, and once it completely disappeared, Zhang Kui would be like a fish on a chopping board.

"Looks like I'm doomed today," Zhang Kui thought to himself, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. "I'm probably going to be on the list of gods."

But he immediately shook his head.

No, we can't give up yet.

Just as Zhang Kui's thoughts were churning, Manjushri spoke.

"Zhang Kui," Manjushri's voice came, "I must admit, you are one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. With the cultivation of a Profound Immortal, you were able to use formations and external forces to force the four of us into this predicament. Such wisdom and courage are truly rare."

"You flatter me, Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma." Zhang Kui accepted the compliment readily. "To be praised in this way by a Great Golden Immortal like you, I can say that my life has not been in vain."

Ju Liusun snorted coldly and interjected, "Zhang Kui, if you surrender and hand over the stolen 'Book of Changes,' I will spare your life. I might even plead with my master to accept you into the Chan Sect and teach you the Jade Purity True Dharma."

Upon hearing this, both Manjushri and Samantabhadra were taken aback, and then frowned slightly in tacit agreement.

Even Cihang, who was usually indifferent to worldly affairs, showed displeasure.

The Book of Changes was written by Ji Chang, and Zhang Kui received it as a gift from Ji Chang. How can there be any talk of "usurpation"? Ju Liusun's actions clearly show that he coveted that precious treasure and wanted to seize it by force. This is truly unbecoming and no different from robbery!

However, none of the three voiced their objections.

With the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods imminent, everything must be prioritized for the greater good. If we can subdue the enemy without fighting and obtain the meritorious treasure that is the Book of Changes, it will also benefit the fortunes of the Chan Sect.

Zhang Kui took in the expressions of the four men and sneered inwardly.

He burst into laughter, his laughter filled with sarcasm: "Hahaha! Ju Liusun, this is just your opinion! As a disciple of a sage, you actually resorted to such despicable acts as stealing other people's magical treasures. It's truly contemptible. Doesn't your Chan Sect pride itself on being the orthodox sect of Taoism, with profound Taoist magic? How come you're even coveting and forcibly seizing a mere treasure of merit?"

These words were piercing to the heart.

Ju Liusun's face turned ashen, and he roared, "Insolence! Stubborn to the end, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ju Liusun had already leaped up.

This time, he held back. The Binding Immortal Rope flew out from his sleeve, splitting into nine in the air. The nine ropes intertwined and transformed into nine five-clawed golden dragons.

The nine golden dragons had distinct scales, eyes like lightning, and claws that tore through the void. They circled around Ju Liusun, emitting a deafening dragon roar.

This is one of Ju Liusun's trump cards—Nine Dragons Binding Immortal.

Once entangled by these golden dragons, even a Great Immortal would find it difficult to break free and would be strangled to death.

Zhang Kui remained calm as he watched Ju Liusun and the ferocious golden dragon approach.

He knew he could no longer defend. The divine power of Fengdu was dwindling; defense would only result in being passively attacked. Only offense, using attack as a substitute for defense, might offer a glimmer of hope.

"Then... let's go for it!"

A resolute glint flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes. He abandoned all defenses, unleashing all the remaining divine power of Fengdu within his body, while simultaneously communicating with his Fengdu avatar in the underworld, preparing for a final gamble.

The golden core spun wildly, the circulation of the five internal organs and the five energies accelerated to the extreme, the power of the bloodline burned, and ancient witch totems appeared on the surface of the skin.

He made a grasping motion with his right hand, and the Dragon Sparrow Blade reappeared in his hand.

The blade trembled and emitted an excited hum.

"Let's fight!"

Zhang Kui roared and charged forward instead of retreating, heading straight for Ju Liusun.

"You're courting death!" Ju Liusun sneered, and the golden dragon reached down with its claws.

The ferocious heads of the nine golden dragons crashed into Zhang Kui's blade one after another. The Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light on the blade frantically eroded, attempting to completely disintegrate the magic power and Daoist essence that constituted the golden dragons.

However, Liu Sun's magical power continued to flow in, while Zhang Kui clearly lacked the strength to sustain it.

As the divine power of Fengdu gradually diminished, Zhang Kui's physical body was on the verge of collapse, and his soul was exhausted and on the verge of death.

"Is it really... coming to an end?"

Zhang Kui closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate.

But just then...

"Wow, it's so lively!"

A clear, melodious female voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of disdain.

Then four figures appeared in the air.

The person in the lead was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, wearing a lotus crown, holding a whisk, with a gentle and refined face and polite manners, but his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, as if he could see through all the illusions of the world.

The second woman wore a red robe with a Bagua symbol and a golden sash around her waist. She was beautiful, but her brows betrayed a sense of vicissitude. In her hand, she toyed with a tortoise shell, on which runes flowed, revealing endless secrets of the heavens.

The third woman, dressed in a pale yellow palace gown, was strikingly beautiful and held a jade ruyi scepter shaped like a dragon and tiger. Her features were sharp and piercing. Standing there, she resembled a sword piercing the sky, its sharpness fully revealed.

The fourth person was actually Gao Lanying!

But Gao Lanying at this moment was completely different from when they parted. She was wearing a moon-white Taoist robe, a lotus crown on her head, and a faint glow swirled around her.

"Master, Uncle-Master, my husband..." Gao Lanying called softly, but her gaze fell on Zhang Kui, who was covered in blood, and her eyes flashed with heartache and anger.

Zhang Kui opened his eyes, was taken aback when he saw the person who had come in, and then his face lit up with surprise.

Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Julusun, and Cihang, however, had a sudden change in expression, their eyes filled with disbelief.

How could it be these people?

The Holy Mother of Wudang, the Holy Mother of Guiling, and the Holy Mother of Jinling from the Jiejiao sect have all gathered here!

Especially the Holy Mother Wudang, one of the direct disciples of the inner sect of the Jie Sect, whose cultivation had already reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal, only one step away from becoming a Quasi-Saint.

"Isn't it beneath your dignity for you fellow Daoists to launch such a grand attack on a junior?" The Holy Mother of Wudang spoke gently, with a faint smile.