Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

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Gao Lanying looked at the battle report in her hand, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Madam, not long after Lu Xiong's defeat at Qishan, even the renowned Four Demon Generals of Jiameng Pass have fallen." Wu Wenhua was momentarily bewildered. "Is the Shang Dynasty truly doomed?"

Listening to Wu Wenhua's complaints, Gao Lanying was also very annoyed; the battle was developing too quickly.

Who would have thought that Xiqi, a country confined to a corner of the world, would possess such strength?

Just as the two were still struggling with their decision, a familiar figure appeared in the courtyard.

"Lan Ying, I'm back!"

The person who arrived was Zhang Kui.

Hearing that familiar voice she had longed for day and night, Gao Lanying jumped up with joy, "Husband, you're finally back."

"Greetings, my lord!" Upon recognizing the visitor, Wu Wenhua hurriedly offered his greetings.

Zhang Kui gestured for the two to sit down, his gaze sweeping over the battle report spread out on the table: "You two look so worried, what's wrong?"

Although everything seemed normal, Gao Lanying, as her husband's bedmate, keenly sensed that her husband was different.

That aura emanating from his very bones was as deep and profound as an abyss, as vast as the sea.

"Husband, tell me the good news first!" Gao Lanying composed herself and continued, "A letter has arrived from the south. We have achieved a great victory at Sanshan Pass and have defeated the main force of the Marquis of Nan's rebel army."

"That's great news!" Zhang Kui exclaimed happily. "It seems the battle in the south is progressing very quickly."

He said this naturally as he sat down, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a sip.

"And, and..." Wu Wenhua said excitedly, "My lord, Zheng Lun wrote that the Assistant Commander and Deng Jiugong's daughter, Deng Chanyu, have gotten together..."

"You...Culture, how can you say that so rudely?" Gao Lanying couldn't stand it anymore. "Husband, it seems Shanzi has good news coming soon!"

Zhang Kui was delighted upon hearing this, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "Not bad, this lad has finally come to his senses. I've met Deng Jiugong's daughter before; she's beautiful and talented, truly a perfect match. But this marriage—"

He changed the subject, a sharp glint in his eyes: "That old fox Deng Jiugong won't act until he sees the rabbit; he might not readily agree to this marriage."

Gao Lanying and Wu Wenhua both understood the deeper meaning behind it.

Wu Wenhua hurriedly asked, "My lord, are you going to Sanshan Pass?"

"No rush," Zhang Kui waved his hand. "The matter of Xiqi is more important. By the way, Lan Ying, didn't you just say there was another bad thing?"

Gao Lanying then remembered the important matter and glared at Zhang Kui angrily: "It's all your fault, I almost forgot."

She pushed the battle report on the table in front of Zhang Kui, her expression grave: "It's a battle report from the front lines. It is reported that after Lu Xiong's troops were defeated at Qishan, all four generals of the Mo family at Jiameng Pass were also killed in action, resulting in the loss of nearly 200,000 troops. At this point, Xiqi has become too powerful to control."

Zhang Kui took the battle report and glanced at the words on it.

Generals Mo Liqing, Mo Lihong, Mo Lihai, and Mo Lishou of Jiameng Pass led an army of 100,000 on a westward expedition. They achieved an initial victory, capturing seven strongholds in succession. Later, they encountered extraordinary figures such as Yang Jian, Nezha, and Huang Tianhua, and all four generals perished. The Xiqi army pursued relentlessly, and the Shang army was routed, suffering over 100,000 casualties…

The Four Demon Generals were renowned experts who had guarded Jiameng Pass for many years, their fame resounding throughout the western borderlands. Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would have to be wary of their combined might. Add to that the four extraordinary treasures they possessed, and they shouldn't have been defeated so quickly.

"Yang Jian, Nezha, Huang Tianhua..." Zhang Kui murmured these names softly, slowly rising to his feet. "The Four Demon Generals' defeat was not unjust. Yang Jian had mastered the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, and with the help of his Howling Celestial Dog's sneak attack, it was indeed difficult to defend against when caught off guard. Huang Tianhua was a highly skilled disciple of the Pure Void Moral True Lord, and his Moye Sword and Heart-Piercing Nail were specifically designed to break through protective qi. As for Nezha, needless to say, once he unleashed the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, ordinary people simply could not withstand it."

Wu Wenhua listened with trepidation: "My lord, is Yang Jian really that powerful?"

"The Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, a method for achieving sainthood through physical cultivation." Zhang Kui stopped and turned around. "Yang Jian has mastered seventy-two transformations, making his physical body comparable to a spiritual treasure. In addition, the Heavenly Eye on his forehead can see through illusions and destroy supernatural powers. Any one of the Four Demon Generals would only face defeat and death if they faced him."

Silence fell over the courtyard for a moment.

"Proceed according to the original plan." Zhang Kui's voice was firm and decisive. "Wenhua, gather three thousand Xuanjia soldiers. We'll depart the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, my lord!" Wu Wenhua replied immediately.

The Xuanjia Army was trained by Zhang Kui himself; every soldier practiced the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Jue" (Muscle/Tendon Changing and Bone Strengthening Technique), and even the weakest among them was at the Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke Realm. When deployed in battle formation, they could be equivalent to 100,000 troops.

He walked to the stone table in the courtyard, stretched out his finger, and gently tapped the tabletop.

In an instant, a lifelike map appeared on the surface of the stone table—mountains, rivers, cities, and passes, clearly showing the terrain from Mianchi to the front line of Xiqi.

"Look," Zhang Kui said, moving his finger across the map, "we'll start from Mianchi, cross the Yellow River at Mengjin, and head straight for Qinglong Pass. Although this route is treacherous, it will allow us to avoid the scouts of Xiqi."

He pointed his finger heavily at Qinglong Pass: "Qinglong Pass was originally Zhang Guifang's garrison. Although Zhang Guifang is dead, his remaining troops are still there. When we get there, we can gather the remnants and consolidate our forces."

Looking at the map, Gao Lanying suddenly asked, "Husband, where is Grand Tutor Wen now?"

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: "But this situation won't last long. Xiqi has won consecutive victories and its morale is high. Jiang Ziya is no mediocre man; he will definitely find a way to break the deadlock."

"Wouldn't going to Qishan be like walking into a trap?" Wu Wenhua couldn't help but ask.

"Walking into a trap?" Zhang Kui laughed, his smile radiating undisguised confidence. "Wenhua, remember this: the best defense in the world is offense."

He withdrew his finger, and the map on the stone table slowly disappeared.

"I have attained the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit."

These words were spoken lightly, but to Gao Lanying and Wu Wenhua, they were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

"Golden... Golden Immortal?!" Wu Wenhua's mouth dropped open, and he was speechless for a long time.

Gao Lanying trembled and grabbed Zhang Kui's arm tightly: "Husband, you really..."

"The Five Elements prove the Dao, the Three Flowers gather at the top, and the Five Qi return to their origin." Zhang Kui held his wife's hand, and a warm and vast magical power slowly flowed into her. "Lanying, from this day forward, I am a Golden Immortal who coexists with the Dao and is immortal and indestructible."

Gao Lanying felt that magical power—pure, vast, and inexhaustible, as if it contained endless strength. Her Xuanxian cultivation level felt utterly inadequate in the face of this power.

This is the Golden Immortal.

Transcending the Three Realms and Five Elements, forming its own cosmic cycle, coexisting with the Dao, and existing eternally.

"So..." Zhang Kui looked westward, his gaze piercing through thousands of miles, "This war has nothing to do with national sentiment for you and me. At its core, it's just about survival in the cracks between the Chan and Jie sects."

He turned around and said, word by word, "We may be small in stature, but we have a strong backbone."

"The Chan Sect wants to support the Zhou Dynasty and destroy the Shang Dynasty, while the Jie Sect wants to protect the Shang Dynasty and resist the Zhou Dynasty. Both sides are pursuing their own paths and displaying their unique abilities. We are caught in the middle of this situation and have no way to avoid it. But being unable to avoid it does not mean that we should be manipulated by others."

Zhang Kui's voice grew colder and colder: "The four generals of the Mo family are dead, Lu Xiong is dead, Zhang Guifang is dead... The deaths of these people were not because they were not strong enough, but because they were too obedient."

"Be obedient?" Gao Lanying asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, they obey." Zhang Kui sneered. "Wen Zhong tells them to fight, so they fight; Chaoge tells them to charge, so they charge. They completely disregard the disparity in strength between themselves and the enemy, and they don't care about the changing battlefield situation. They have no choice in the matter."

He walked to the old locust tree in the courtyard and reached out to stroke its rough trunk: "We need to change our approach. We need to let those high and mighty immortals know that there are still pieces on this chessboard that they can't predict."

Wu Wenhua was filled with excitement: "My lord, I'll go and prepare the army right away!"

"Go ahead." Zhang Kui nodded. "Remember, bring enough provisions for three months, and thoroughly inspect all weapons and armor."

"Yes, sir!" Wu Wenhua clasped his hands in a salute, then turned and strode away.

After he had walked away, Gao Lanying whispered, "Husband, what you meant just now was... that surviving is the most important thing?"

Zhang Kui turned around, looked at his wife, and his eyes softened: "Yes, surviving is the most important thing."

He walked up to Gao Lanying and gently stroked her cheek: "Lanying, many people will die in this calamity. We're not here to be saviors; we just need to save our own lives and the lives of those we care about."

"Over there at Zhangshan..." Gao Lanying said with some concern.

"Shanzi is safe now," Zhang Kui reassured him. "With the great victory at Sanshan Pass, there will be no more major battles in the south for the foreseeable future."

Gao Lanying finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"However..." Zhang Kui changed the subject, "Shanzi's marriage really needs to be expedited."

At this point, he suddenly laughed: "Speaking of which, Shanzi is usually unreliable, but I didn't expect him to have such good taste."

Gao Lanying also laughed: "Yes, I heard that Miss Deng is outstanding in appearance and highly skilled in martial arts. Her Five-Colored Stone technique is so powerful that the rebel army can hardly resist it."

The couple smiled at each other, and the atmosphere in the courtyard became much more relaxed.

But Zhang Kui knew that this ease was only temporary.

On the front lines of Xiqi, the struggle between the Chan and Jie sects has reached a fever pitch. The deaths of the four Demon Generals are just the beginning. More masters will fall, and more blood will stain this land.

And he was about to step into this hellish arena.

"Lan Ying," Zhang Kui suddenly spoke, "this time when we go to Xiqi, you will stay in Mianchi."

"What?" Gao Lanying was taken aback. "Husband, I want to go with you!"

"No," Zhang Kui said firmly. "Xiqi is too dangerous right now."

He grasped Gao Lanying's hand, his tone softening: "Besides, someone needs to be stationed in Mianchi. Mother is getting old and needs someone to take care of her. Zhang Shan is on the front lines, so the family is counting on you."

Gao Lanying opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end it turned into a soft sigh: "I understand."

She knew Zhang Kui was right. Xiqi was now teeming with experts, and battles at the Golden Immortal level could erupt at any moment. Although she had received the true teachings of the Holy Mother of Wudang, she was ultimately only a Profound Immortal, and in a contest at the Golden Immortal level, she truly wouldn't be of much use.

"Don't worry." Gao Lanying raised her head, her eyes firm. "Leave Mianchi to me, there won't be any problems."

Zhang Kui smiled and gently pulled her into his arms: "I know."

The two talked for a while longer until the sun set, casting a golden glow over the courtyard.