Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

On the battlefield, thick with the smoke of battle, the sounds of fighting were deafening, and swords clashed.

The soldiers of the Yin Shang and Xi Qi armies fought a bloody battle, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and their blood staining the ground beneath their feet.

Jiang Ziya, who was directing the army from the rear, had his beard and hair fluttering in the wind. His expression was solemn as he held an apricot-yellow flag and scanned the entire battlefield with piercing eyes.

Watching Wen Zhong fiercely fighting in the distance, wielding his twin whips, Jiang Ziya knew that this man was highly skilled and possessed unparalleled military strategy. If he could severely injure him, the Yin Shang army would surely be routed.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ziya no longer hesitated, secretly made a hand seal, and quietly summoned the God-Slaying Whip.

This God-Slaying Whip is a treasure bestowed upon us by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, and it is no ordinary weapon. The whip is made of wood and is three feet six and a half inches long, corresponding to the 365 degrees of the celestial sphere. This treasure is extremely mysterious and is specifically designed to subdue those listed on the Investiture of the Gods.

Jiang Ziya muttered incantations, raised his hand, and the God-Slaying Whip instantly transformed into golden light, heading straight for Wen Zhong.

With a bang.

The God-Slaying Whip struck Wen Zhong squarely on the left shoulder.

Caught off guard, Wen Zhong let out a muffled groan as the armor on his left shoulder shattered instantly. An incomparably domineering force penetrated his body, and blood gushed out like a spring.

He swayed violently, seeing stars before his eyes. The intense pain made the veins on his forehead bulge, and he almost fell off the back of the black unicorn.

Seeing this, how could Yang Jian and Nezha let such a golden opportunity slip by?

The two exchanged a glance, their minds in perfect harmony, and simultaneously launched their attacks. Yang Jian's three-pointed, double-edged sword gleamed coldly, aiming straight for Wen Zhong's throat; Nezha, riding on his Wind-Fire Wheels, thrust his Flame-Tipped Spear, its flames blazing, toward Wen Zhong's heart.

The two divine weapons, one on the left and one on the right, complemented each other perfectly.

Wen Zhong gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain in his left shoulder, and desperately parried with his right arm, wielding the female whip. However, his injured left shoulder greatly reduced his strength, inevitably creating openings in his attacks. The clang of metal against metal was deafening, sparks flew everywhere, and Wen Zhong was forced to retreat repeatedly by the two, while the black Qilin also let out uneasy howls, its four hooves staggering.

With each block, the wound on his left shoulder would be aggravated, causing the blood to flow even faster, and Wen Zhong's face would grow paler and paler.

Zhang Kui was locked in combat with Huang Tianhua when he caught a glimpse of Wen Zhong in danger, and his heart sank into a panic. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he swung the Qiankun Ruler in his hand. A streak of azure light shot out like a bolt of lightning, striking Huang Tianhua squarely in the chest.

"what!"

Huang Tianhua screamed in agony as he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and spitting out mouthfuls of blood.

Huang Tianhua braced himself on the ground, struggling to stand up, only to find that several of his ribs were broken, his internal organs were displaced, and what's worse, a domineering spiritual force of alternating purity and turbidity was rampaging through his body, wantonly destroying his meridians and dantian.

That was the unique magical power attached to the Qiankun Ruler, which was both extremely strong and extremely soft, unpredictable, and very difficult to neutralize.

Zhang Kui had put all his strength into this attack, and could have followed up to kill Huang Tianhua, but he was worried about Wen Zhong's safety and couldn't finish him off. In a flash, he became a blur and stood in front of Yang Jian.

Just then, the three-pointed double-edged sword was about to stab Wen Zhong in the abdomen, with the blade only three feet away from him. At the critical moment, Zhang Kui's Qiankun Ruler blocked the attack.

when!

The metal clashed, sparks flew everywhere.

Yang Jian felt a numbness in his tiger's mouth, and felt a tremendous force coming from the blade, like a continuous tide, and the three-pointed double-edged sword almost flew out of his hand.

Yang Jian was secretly surprised. He looked up and saw that the person who came was Zhang Kui. His expression became solemn.

"Zhang Kui, do you really want to protect the Yin Shang dynasty?" Yang Jian asked in a deep voice, his eyes sharp as he watched Zhang Kui's every move.

Zhang Kui, holding the Qiankun Ruler, stood before Wen Zhong, his expression calm, a slight, disdainful smile playing on his lips. "You want to teach me how to do things? What a joke!"

Yang Jian fell silent. It seemed that this battle was unavoidable: "Alright, let's settle this with our skills."

Zhang Kui had no intention of getting entangled with Yang Jian. He secretly transmitted his voice to Wen Zhong behind him: "Grand Tutor, you retreat first, I will cover you."

Wen Zhong's face was ashen. He looked around and saw that the Yin Shang army was in complete disarray. Generals such as Deng Zhong, Zhang Jie, and Tao Rong had been killed in battle one after another. The soldiers were leaderless and fled in all directions. The Xiqi soldiers pursued them like tigers among sheep.

Despite his immense resentment, Wen Zhong knew the situation was hopeless; further entanglement would likely lead to total annihilation. He uttered two words in a hoarse voice: "Retreat!"

At this command, the remnants of the Yin Shang army retreated like a receding tide. Ji Li and Yu Qing gathered the routed soldiers while covering the main army's retreat.

The Xiqi army naturally wouldn't let the opportunity slip by. Jiang Ziya immediately waved his command flag, horns blared, and the entire army pressed forward, relentlessly pursuing the enemy. The Xiqi soldiers were in high spirits, their battle cries shaking the heavens, surging towards the remnants of the Yin Shang army like a tidal wave.

After exchanging blows with Yang Jian for several rounds, Zhang Kui's Qiankun Ruler clashed with the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Sword several times, each clash unleashing astonishing shockwaves. Zhang Kui fought and retreated, suddenly feinting an attack, his Qiankun Ruler blazing with a blue light as if about to strike. Yang Jian quickly parried with his sword, but Zhang Kui seized the opportunity to retreat.

Zhang Kui's figure transformed into a wisp of frost mist, darting across the battlefield. He swung the Qiankun Ruler repeatedly, unleashing streaks of azure light that crisscrossed and sent several of the most pursuing Xiqi generals flying, along with their horses, temporarily halting the Xiqi army's pursuit.

Yang Jian and Nezha were not about to give up easily. Each unleashed their supernatural powers to give chase. Yang Jian opened his third eye on his forehead, and a beam of golden light shot out, attempting to pinpoint Zhang Kui's location. Nezha, no longer concerned about his friendship with Zhang Kui, rode on his Wind-Fire Wheels, wielding his Fire-Tipped Spear, and gave chase.

Seeing this, Zhang Kui immediately summoned his magic weapon, the Qiankun Diagram.

The treasure map unfurled in the wind, transforming into a vast, sky-covering scroll. Mountains and rivers flowed across the map, the sun and moon alternated, and the yin and yang energies circulated ceaselessly, as if a real world stretched across the heavens and earth. A thick white mist surged from the map, completely blocking the path ahead. Neither Yang Jian's Heavenly Eye's golden light nor Nezha's Fire-Tipped Spear's sharpness were swallowed up by the white mist, unable to penetrate even a fraction.

Standing behind the Qiankun Diagram, Zhang Kui declared loudly, "Nezha, Yang Jian, no need to see me off any further. We'll fight again another day. I'm off!"

By the time Nezha and Yang Jian finally broke through the barrier of the Qiankun Diagram, the Shang army had already retreated more than ten miles away, leaving only dust and devastation everywhere.

Overnight, the remnants of the Shang army retreated more than seventy li, reaching the depths of Qishan. Countless supplies and provisions were abandoned along the way, and the groans of wounded soldiers echoed through the valleys, their morale plummeting to rock bottom.

This battle resulted in heavy and shocking losses.

Deng Zhong was speared off his horse by Huang Feihu and died on the spot. Zhang Jie and Tao Rong were killed one after the other by Nangong Shi and Xin Jia, their bodies never to be found. Although Xin Huan seriously injured Wu Ji, he was struck on the top of the head by Lei Zhenzi, who came to provide reinforcements, and died.

Now, after taking stock, there are less than 30,000 men left, and even Zhang Kui's 3,000 Xuanjia soldiers have suffered nearly a thousand casualties.

Wen Zhong sat leaning against a blue stone. The wound on his left shoulder had been treated with medicine, and the bleeding had stopped.

Ji Li and Yu Qing walked over.

Both of them were also injured and covered in blood.

"Master, we have enough provisions to last seven days, and the wounded have been taken care of. However, medicine is scarce, and many of the seriously wounded may be in danger..."

Yu Qing didn't continue, but his meaning was clear.

Wen Zhong nodded and responded expressionlessly, then suddenly looked up at Zhang Kui: "Zhang Kui, come forward."

Zhang Kui was slightly taken aback, then stepped forward and stood in front of Wen Zhong.

Wen Zhong's voice was tinged with weariness as he slowly said, "The situation is critical right now, and I need you to do something."

"Please speak, Grand Tutor," Zhang Kui said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Wen Zhong pondered for a moment and said, "I have already requested reinforcements from Chaoge, asking Deng Jiugong to lead his troops here. You should immediately go alone to the rear and order him to lead his troops to our aid as soon as possible. If the opportunity is right, we might be able to turn the tide during the lull in the fighting."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Kui's heart skipped a beat.

"Grand Tutor!"

Zhang Kui considered carefully before saying, "Our army has just suffered a defeat, morale is low, soldiers are exhausted, and there are many wounded. In my opinion, it would be better to retreat temporarily, back to Jiameng Pass or Qinglong Pass, preserve our strength, reorganize our military equipment, and wait for Deng Jiugong's reinforcements to arrive before launching a counterattack. That would be the best strategy."

Wen Zhong shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth: "How could Jiang Ziya let us retreat so easily? I want to make two preparations. If we can retreat smoothly, that would be good, but if we can hold out until Deng Jiugong arrives, there may still be a chance to turn the tide."

Zhang Kui's heart sank. It seemed that Wen Zhong had made up his mind, so he could not say anything more.

"Grand Tutor, please be careful." Zhang Kui cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, then turned to Ji Li and Yu Qing and nodded in acknowledgment. "Take care, you two. I'll be back as soon as possible!"

Before he finished speaking, he vanished silently into the valley, leaving only a wisp of cold air slowly dissipating.

Wen Zhong stared in the direction Zhang Kui had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time before slowly standing up and ordering in a deep voice, "Pass down the order: the army will rest briefly and then set off immediately. Pass Peach Blossom Ridge and take the route through Jiameng Pass."

Ji Li and Yu Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

"Yes, sir!" the two replied in unison, turning to relay the order.

……

Riding the wind, their clothes fluttered in the breeze.

Instead of immediately seeking reinforcements from the Yin Shang dynasty, Zhang Kui chose to circle above Mount Qi. He descended from the clouds, surveying the situation below with keen observation.

Upon seeing this, his heart sank to the bottom. He saw that banners were flying all over the mountains and passes around Qishan, and multiple armies were advancing side by side, constantly squeezing the Shang army's room for maneuver.

It seems that Jiang Ziya is determined to wipe out the remaining forces of the Yin Shang dynasty completely, leaving Wen Zhong no chance to breathe.

Seeing this, Zhang Kui no longer hesitated. He transformed into a rainbow, streaking across the sky and flying swiftly into the distance.

……

The 20,000 remaining soldiers, dragging their meager supplies of food and provisions, struggled to make their way along the rugged mountain road, their wheels crushing over gravel.

Upon reaching the foot of Peach Blossom Ridge, Wen Zhongle stopped the black unicorn and looked up. He saw banners fluttering and rustling on the mountain ridge, and thousands of elite soldiers with swords and spears standing like a forest, their blades gleaming coldly in the sunlight, exuding a murderous aura.

Upon closer inspection, he recognized the leaders as Yang Jian and Nezha, the two who had fought fiercely with him earlier.

Wen Zhong's voice boomed like a bell, "Yang Jian, Nezha, do you two think you can stop me with this little force?"

On the mountain ridge, Yang Jian, with his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, handsome and dashing, leaned on his three-pointed, double-edged sword and said calmly, "The mandate of heaven is set, the Shang Dynasty's fate is sealed, why bother with futile struggles?"

"Enough with the chit-chat!"

Wen Zhong roared angrily, his voice echoing across the land, his beard and hair standing on end: "I have received the late king's great favor, eaten the king's food, and borne the king's worries. How could I betray my lord for personal gain? You want me to surrender? Dream on!"

Having said that, he urged the Ink Kirin to launch a strong attack on Peach Blossom Ridge.

Ji Li hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, saying urgently, "Master, you mustn't! Peach Blossom Ridge is a strategically important and impregnable pass. Yang Jian and Nezha are both highly skilled disciples of the Chan Sect, possessing formidable magical powers. Our army is exhausted. Engaging with them here will only increase casualties and will not help the situation."

Wen Zhong knew that Ji Li was right and that he should not act impulsively, but the anger in his heart was like a raging fire.

"Change course to Yanshan." Wen Zhong made a decisive decision, turned the black unicorn around, and gave the order in a deep voice.

The army changed direction, avoiding Peach Blossom Ridge, and headed towards Yanshan.

When they reached the Yanshan Mountains, two more figures appeared at the entrance to the mountain road ahead.

Jin Zha and Mu Zha stood side by side, blocking the way. Jin Zha held the Dragon-Binding Stake, its surface shimmering with light and faintly emitting the roar of a dragon. Mu Zha held the Wu Hook Twin Swords, their cold light gleaming and their sword energy crisscrossing.

Wen Zhong's face turned ashen. Xiqi had actually put in so much effort; it seemed they were determined to trap him and kill him on the way.

"What a fine little brat from Xiqi!" Wen Zhong laughed loudly, his laughter filled with sorrow and resentment, echoing for a long time in the valley. "Since Heaven wants to destroy me, Wen Zhong, then I will defy Heaven."

Before he finished speaking, the black Qilin sped off with its four hooves flying, carrying Wen Zhong toward Jin Zha and Mu Zha.

Ji Li and Yu Qing exchanged a glance, and without hesitation, they rushed forward.

Jinzha and Muzha were determined not to confront Wen Zhong and the others directly, but to make contact and leave immediately, relying on the advantage of their magical weapons to completely restrain their opponents.

Jin Zha unleashed the Dragon-Hiding Stake, a magical artifact that transformed into a golden light, restraining Wen Zhong, who was charging at the forefront. Mu Zha wielded the Wu Hook Twin Swords, which transformed into two streaks of light, weaving and dancing through the air, forcing Ji Li and Yu Qing to struggle to keep up.

After several attempts to probe, Jili noticed something amiss and hurriedly advised, "Master, these two are clearly stalling for time to prevent our army from advancing. We will stay here to hold them off; you should leave as soon as possible."

Yu Qing was also very anxious at this time and advised, "Yes, Master. You should first return to Chaoge and petition the Emperor to send another large army."

"Nonsense!" Wen Zhong shouted on the spot, his voice like thunder, "You soldiers have risked your lives with me, how can you abandon them?"

In the end, Wen Zhong chose to give up on continuing to entangle with Jinzha and Muzha, and led his army to retreat, preparing to turn towards Huanghua Mountain and then retreat into Qinglong Pass.

Watching Wen Zhong's army depart into the distance, Jin Zha and Mu Zha finally breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a glance with lingering fear.

Both of them had beads of sweat on their foreheads, finally having time to recover their nearly depleted magical power. After all, continuously activating two innate spiritual treasures in battle was an extremely heavy burden for them.

"Brother, this job is inhuman," Mu Zha said, panting and pale. "That old scoundrel Wen Zhong is really troublesome."

Jin Zha rolled his eyes in annoyance, also quite exhausted: "Alright, stop joking. We both did this, does that mean we're not human? Hurry up and catch your breath, we can't stay here any longer."

After a brief respite, the two regained some strength and quickly retreated.

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