Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and countless stars twinkle.

Outside Xiqi City, the Yin Shang camp stretched for more than twenty miles, brightly lit.

In the daytime battle, the female whip of Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's Flood Dragon Golden Whip was broken by Jiang Ziya's God-Slaying Whip, which dampened the morale of the Shang army. Although they were not defeated, they were already showing signs of decline.

Inside the central command tent, the lights flickered.

Wen Zhong sat alone behind his desk, his expression as solemn as iron. On the desk before him lay a pair of golden whips—no, one of them was now broken. The female whip was neatly broken in the middle, its golden light dimmed, and the illusory dragon that had once traversed its body had completely vanished, leaving it as lifeless as a corpse.

He reached out, his rough fingers tracing the broken area, feeling its cold touch.

These twin golden dragon whips were protective treasures bestowed upon him by his master, the Golden Spirit Mother, when he descended the mountain after mastering his skills. The Golden Spirit Mother took the spines of two thousand-year-old evil dragons from the East Sea, supplemented them with Nine Heavens Mysterious Iron, and forged them in a cauldron for forty-nine days. On the day the whips were completed, thunder and lightning raged, and the twin whips transformed into dragons that soared into the sky, their might shaking the East Sea.

For decades, these golden whips had accompanied him in his campaigns, defeating countless enemies without ever being damaged. Yet today, they were broken in a single blow by Jiang Ziya's seemingly ordinary God-Slaying Whip.

"Unexpectedly..." Wen Zhong's voice rang out in the silent tent, deep and hoarse, "I have fought on the battlefield for decades, pacified the East Sea and settled the North Sea, and fought more than a hundred battles, large and small, yet today I have been defeated by Jiang Shang, this old scoundrel who has only cultivated for forty years."

Inside the tent, on the left stood two disciples, Ji Li and Yu Qing, while on the right stood four generals: Deng Zhong, Xin Huan, Zhang Jie, and Tao Rong.

Upon seeing Wen Zhong in this state, all six men looked worried.

Ji Li stepped forward, bowed, and advised, "Master, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Jiang Ziya's God-Slaying Whip is a treasure of the Jade Void Palace, specifically designed to counter the bodies of immortals. Master, the breaking of your female whip was not due to a mistake in battle."

"Yes, Master," Yu Qing replied, "In the daytime battle, although our army did not win, we were not defeated either. That Jiang Ziya only relied on the advantage of his magic weapon. In terms of military strategy and tactics, how could he be a match for Master? There is no need to worry about temporary gains and losses."

Deng Zhong, Xin Huan, and the other two generals, though not eloquent, clasped their hands in a fist salute: "Grand Tutor, we are willing to follow you to the death. We will fight again tomorrow and take Jiang Shang's head!"

Wen Zhong looked up, his gaze sweeping over the six people, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes.

"You don't understand." He slowly shook his head. "Although Jiang Shang's cultivation period was short, he was favored by the Primordial Heavenly Lord and possessed supreme treasures such as the God-Slaying Whip and the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner. In today's battle, I have clearly seen that among the Xiqi army, Yang Jian, Nezha, Huang Tianhua, and other third-generation disciples of the Chan Sect are all highly skilled and possess excellent magical weapons..."

He paused, then didn't continue.

But everyone in the tent understood the unspoken meaning behind it.

Although the Shang army numbered in the countlesss and had many generals, most of them were skilled in ordinary martial arts. How could they possibly contend with the disciples of the Chan Sect who had cultivated for many years, possessed supernatural powers, and wielded magical weapons?

……

Under the same bright moon, the Prime Minister's residence in Xiqi City was brightly lit.

Jiang Ziya sat in the main seat, with the generals of Xiqi arranged below him, including Huang Feihu, Nangong Shi, Yang Jian, Nezha, Huang Tianhua, Jinzha, Muzha, Han Dulong, Xue Ehu, and others.

"Gentlemen," Jiang Ziya said, looking around at everyone, his voice steady, "Wen Zhong's whip has been broken, and the morale of the Shang army has been dampened. However, even a centipede with a hundred legs will not die easily. Wen Zhong is a shrewd and experienced commander. If we give him a chance to catch his breath and regroup, it will be difficult to win another battle."

He paused, then continued, "Therefore, I have decided to launch a night raid on the Shang camp at midnight!"

The generals were greatly encouraged.

"Huang Feihu, listen to my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Huang Feihu stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

"I order you to lead your 30,000 troops directly to the left flank of the Shang army. Remember, this is a feint attack; you don't need to fight to the death. Just create chaos and tie down enemy forces."

"This subordinate obeys!"

"Nangong Shi, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I order you to lead 30,000 troops to attack the right flank of the Shang army. This will also be a feint attack to create momentum and hold back the enemy's defenders."

"Yes, sir!"

Jiang Ziya turned his gaze to Nezha and Huang Tianhua: "Nezha, Huang Tianhua!"

"Yes!" the two replied in unison.

"You two will lead 5,000 elite cavalry as the vanguard, heading straight for the central gate of the Shang army. Wen Zhong suffered a setback during the day, so he will be on high alert tonight. You two must break through the defenses with lightning speed. If you can storm the central army, kill the generals and capture the flag, you will be credited with the greatest merit."

Nezha's eyes blazed with fighting spirit: "Uncle-Master, rest assured, we will definitely take Wen Zhong's head."

Huang Tianhua also clasped his hands in a fist salute: "This humble general will certainly not fail the Prime Minister's trust."

Jiang Ziya nodded, then looked at Yang Jian, who had remained silent, and said, "Yang Jian."

"Disciple is here." Yang Jian stepped forward, his expression calm.

"You will act in secret, without engaging in direct combat," Jiang Ziya said in a low voice. "The Shang army has just suffered a defeat and is under attack again tonight, so their morale must be in disarray. Take advantage of the chaos to infiltrate the Shang army's rear camp and seize the opportunity to burn their supplies. Once the supplies are burned, hundreds of thousands of Shang soldiers will collapse without a fight."

A glint of light flashed in Yang Jian's eyes: "Disciple understands."

"Alright!" Jiang Ziya stood up. "Everyone, prepare yourselves. At midnight, we will attack simultaneously."

"Yes, sir!"

……

The night was deep, the moon was hidden and the stars were few.

At midnight, the four gates of Xiqi were quietly opened, and several large armies surged out like an undercurrent, launching attacks on the Shang camp.

Almost simultaneously, fires broke out on all sides of the Shang army camp, and readers were all...

Outside the left camp, Huang Feihu led his troops in a fierce attack. Although it was a feint, the offensive was exceptionally fierce. In front of the right camp, Nangong Shi's army surged against the camp like a tidal wave. Outside the central camp gate, Nezha rode on his Wind and Fire Wheels and held a Fire-Tipped Spear. Huang Tianhua wielded his double hammers, and five thousand elite cavalrymen, like a sharp knife, plunged straight into the heart of the Shang army.

The business was thrown into chaos.

However, Wen Zhong was a seasoned warrior, and although he was attacked at night, he did not panic completely. He immediately raised his tent, mustered his troops, and divided them to defend against the attack.

At the central command gate, Wen Zhong personally led his personal guards to meet Nezha and Huang Tianhua in battle. Although his female whip was broken, his male whip remained, and with each swing, the sound of wind and thunder arose. He managed to fight two against one, temporarily holding off these two outstanding figures from the third generation of the Chan Sect.

At the left camp, Ji Li led his troops to meet Huang Feihu. Both were steady generals, and when they fought, it was difficult to determine who was better.

At the right camp, Yu Qing faced off against Nangong Shi. Although Nangong Shi was brave, Yu Qing had received the true teachings of Wen Zhong, and his Taoist magic and martial arts were both extraordinary. The two fought to a standstill.

On various battlefields, Jin Zha and Mu Zha faced off against Deng Zhong and Xin Huan; Han Dulong and Xue Ehu faced off against Zhang Jie and Tao Rong. In an instant, the entire merchant camp was engulfed in flames, the sounds of battle were deafening, and the clash of magic and weapons was incessant.

The two sides were locked in a fierce battle, unable to distinguish friend from foe.

Amidst the chaos, a figure moved stealthily across the battlefield like a ghost, avoiding all eyes and ears, and headed straight for the Shang army's rear supply depot.

The figure was nimble and agile, and no patrolling soldiers noticed it when they passed by.

This person was none other than Yang Jian.

The rear supply depot, with its dozens of granaries stretching like mountains, should have been heavily guarded and heavily fortified. However, due to the fierce battle at the front camp tonight, most of the elite troops of the rear army had been transferred to provide support, and although there were still garrison troops, they were much sparser than usual.

Yang Jian lay in the shadow of a granary, his Heavenly Eye slightly open, scanning his surroundings.

The distribution of guards, patrol routes, granary structure... everything is clearly visible.

"There are twenty-seven granaries, each storing over ten thousand dan of grain," Yang Jian calculated in his mind. "If we burn more than half of them, the Shang army will be unable to continue, and the outcome of this battle will be decided."

He moved silently to the best position, made hand seals, and silently recited mantras.

Before long, dozens of fist-sized crimson fireballs appeared out of thin air, surrounding him, flames rising and leaping about.

A cold glint flashed in Yang Jian's eyes, and he flicked his fingers lightly.

Fireballs shot silently towards the granaries like meteors, their trajectories scattered, covering most of the important grain-producing areas.

If this strike hits its mark, it will spread like wildfire in an instant.

however--

Just as the fireball was about to hit the granary, a sudden change occurred.

Suddenly, a faint, earthy-yellow halo appeared on the surface of those granaries. The halo seemed thin, yet it carried an aura as heavy as a mountain and as steady as a peak.

Dozens of fireballs collided with the halo, but they vanished without a trace, like mud sinking into the sea, without even a spark.

"What's going on?" Alarm bells rang in Yang Jian's mind, and he activated his Heavenly Eye at full power to scan his surroundings.

Upon seeing this, his expression changed drastically.

The ground surrounding the granary was now covered with a dense array of yellowish-brown runes. These runes blended seamlessly with the earth, almost invisible to the naked eye. They formed a dense and intricate net, protecting the entire grain depot.

Even more terrifying, Yang Jian sensed that he was being locked onto.

A chill, as if being watched by a ferocious beast, quietly rose within me.

Without hesitation, he retreated rapidly, simultaneously unleashing his Seventy-Two Transformations to become a golden eagle, ready to soar into the sky.

"Hahaha!"

A long laugh reached Yang Jian's ears.

"Brother Yang Jian, now that you're here, don't hide your true colors. Why not show yourself and have a chat?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a blade of light slashed out from the void.

The blade was narrow and slightly curved, with a dark gold color, and under the moonlight, it swirled with beautiful patterns like the wings of a dragon or phoenix.

This strike sealed off all of Yang Jian's escape routes.

No matter which direction he dodged, the flash of the blade would follow him relentlessly.

Yang Jian was horrified, knowing that his actions had been completely exposed. His opponent had not only seen through his changes but also calculated all his escape routes.

He made a quick decision, his figure swayed, the transformation dissipated, and his true form was revealed.

At the same time, he gripped the three-pointed double-edged sword in his hand and slashed out with all his might to meet the blade's light.

clang……

The sound of metal clashing against metal was deafening, the shockwaves causing dust to rise from the surrounding granaries.

Yang Jian used the force to fly backward for more than ten zhang, and when he landed, he plowed two deep trenches under his feet, and his arm holding the knife felt slightly numb.

He looked up and saw a person standing on the top of a granary ahead.

The man was clad in dark armor, wielding a long sword. His face was resolute, his eyes deep, and he was looking at him with a half-smile.

"Zhang Kui".

Yang Jian slowly uttered the name, his expression extremely solemn.

"It is indeed I." Zhang Kui stood atop the granary, looking down at the crowd with a relaxed tone. "Fellow Daoist Yang Jian, a disciple of the Jade Cauldron Immortal and the first disciple of the third generation of the Chan Sect, has come to visit so late at night and intends to leave without announcing himself. That is rather impolite."

Yang Jian opened his Heavenly Eye and stared intently at Zhang Kui.

Upon seeing this, he was even more shocked.