Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

The late-blooming author Dao has joined Cola Novels with his new work, "Zhang Kui Asks the Way of the Gods"!

After seeing Wu Wenhua and the others off, Zhang Kui quietly returned to the cave where Wen Zhong was hiding, following the earth's energy.

Inside the cave, Wen Zhong sat cross-legged, the remaining spiritual light around him already dimmed. Zhang Kui used his divine sense to investigate and found that although his external injuries had healed, the damage to his soul was far more serious than he had imagined. Two of his three souls and five of his seven spirits were cracked, like shattered porcelain. Although it was not broken, it could no longer support his former cultivation.

"Grand Tutor's injury..." Zhang Kui frowned.

Wen Zhong opened his eyes, a hint of clarity appearing in his cloudy gaze. He waved his hand and laughed, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need for that. The ups and downs of officialdom, the trials of the mortal world—these decades have worn me out. Perfect timing… now I can finally take some time to recuperate, hahaha!"

Laughter echoed through the cave, yet it carried an indescribable sense of desolation.

Zhang Kui sighed inwardly.

"No wonder Wen Zhong was later revered as the 'Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin of Thunder and Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable' and was admired by all people."

The Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin of Thunder and Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, also known as the Thunder Ancestor Heavenly Venerable, is the highest deity of the Thunder Department. He is in charge of life and death, prosperity and decline, reward and punishment for good and evil, controlling clouds and rain, slaying demons and subduing monsters, and commanding thunder. It is no exaggeration to say that he "illuminates the Great Way of Heaven above and relieves the suffering of all beings in the netherworld below."

"It's rare to find someone as magnanimous as you, fellow Daoist. You are truly admirable," Zhang Kui said sincerely.

Before he could finish speaking, his expression changed drastically—a faint aura appeared not far away. Even with his cultivation level and perception, he hadn't detected it in advance at all.

"Who goes there?" Zhang Kui shouted in a low voice, the Qiankun Ruler quietly appearing in his hand, and the Five Elements Escape Technique circulating throughout his body, ready to strike at any moment.

"Hehe, young friend, there's no need to be nervous."

A Taoist priest stood atop a mountain ridge, dressed in a Taoist robe, holding a whisk in his hand. His face was as gentle and refined as jade, and his aura was harmonious and natural, as if he were one with heaven and earth.

Zhang Kui recognized the person and felt slightly relieved but became even more wary: "Senior Yun Zhongzi, what brings you here?"

Yun Zhongzi of Yuzhu Cave in Zhongnan Mountain is an immortal of virtue and merit who expounds the teachings, and his cultivation is unfathomable. From their first meeting in Yanshan to their later discussion and transmission of the Dao on Zhongnan Mountain, Zhang Kui knew that this person's Daoist practice was profound.

Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly to Zhang Kui but did not answer. Instead, he looked at Wen Zhong in the cave and said, "Fellow Daoist Wen Zhong, I am here to wait for you on the orders of my master."

"A sect order?" Wen Zhong struggled to his feet, leaned against the mountain wall, and sneered, "You think highly of me."

Yun Zhongzi remained noncommittal, only sighing, "Fellow Daoist, you are already in dire straits. Why not surrender? I do not wish to add to the bloodshed."

"Surrender?" Wen Zhong threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound causing rubble to fall from the cave walls. "Yun Zhongzi, we are both cultivators, when did we learn to speak such foolish words?"

Yun Zhongzi lightly flicked his whisk: "Those who understand the times are heroes, why must you be so stubborn, fellow Daoist?"

"Obsession?" Wen Zhong's laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing like lightning. "Yun Zhongzi, there's no point in saying more. Today, I'll see what you're capable of."

"Since that's the case..." Yun Zhongzi sighed, waved his whisk, "then don't blame this humble Taoist."

Before he finished speaking, he made a hand seal.

In an instant, the world changed color.

Rumble...

Thunder roared, and eight beams of fire shot into the sky from the ground. Each pillar was more than three zhang tall, arranged according to the eight trigrams: Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. Divine fire swirled around the pillars, and crimson inscriptions flowed endlessly.

"The Pillar of Fire that reaches the sky!"

Zhang Kui's pupils contracted. This was the very magic weapon that Yun Zhongzi had been refining back in Zhongnan Mountain. He had sensed the terrifying power contained within it then, and seeing it with his own eyes now made him even more terrified.

Eight pillars of fire slowly rotated around Wen Zhong, and the scorching heat instantly turned the surrounding vegetation to ashes, even melting the rocks.

"How could a mere pillar of fire possibly harm this old man?"

Wen Zhong let out a cold shout, made hand seals and chanted an incantation, and fire-avoiding magic seals appeared around his body. He then leaped out of the cave. The black Qilin neighed, its four hooves treading on fire, carrying him soaring into the sky.

Yun Zhongzi did not pursue, but changed the hand seals in his hands again.

Countless inscriptions lit up simultaneously on the pillar of divine fire reaching the heavens!

Eight ancient fire dragons flew out from each pillar of fire. These were not phantoms conjured by magic, but the true souls of fire dragons. The sixty-four fire dragons coiled and danced, their scales gleaming, their dragon might vast and boundless. The temperature within a hundred miles rose sharply, and even the clouds in the sky were tinged with crimson.

"This is... a spirit weapon forged from a real dragon soul?" Zhang Kui gasped.

Sixty-four ancient fire dragons roared in unison and pounced on Wen Zhong.

Although Wen Zhong used a fire-avoidance spell to protect himself, sweat still beaded on his forehead in the face of such a terrifying attack from the dragon souls. He urged the Ink Qilin to charge left and right, and his twin whips transformed into two dragon-shaped sword lights to barely hold them off.

However, there were simply too many fire dragons, and they were fearless in the face of death. For every one that was slain, a new one would take its place. What was even more terrifying was that the eight fire pillars formed a self-contained array. When a fire dragon died, its essence would return to the pillar, allowing it to be reborn in an instant.

"At this rate, the Grand Tutor is bound to be defeated," Zhang Kui thought anxiously.

He could tell that Yun Zhongzi hadn't gone all out. If those fire dragons truly released their restraints, Wen Zhong, in his current state, wouldn't last even a stick of incense.

"We can't wait any longer."

Zhang Kui took a deep breath, about to make a move, but Yun Zhongzi seemed to have anticipated it.

With a flick of his whisk.

"Young friend Zhang Kui, you'd better not get involved in this matter, otherwise..." Yun Zhongzi's tone remained calm, but several Jade Purity Divine Thunders reappeared beside him, crackling with electric arcs, the threat self-evident.

Zhang Kui gripped the Qiankun Ruler tightly, his mind in turmoil.

"Zhang Kui, you can simply observe this matter from the sidelines."

Wen Zhong's voice came from within the sea of ​​fire, panting but still resolute: "In my life, I have no regrets towards the Yin Shang Dynasty, nor towards my sect."

I have no regrets, having lived up to my conscience. Even if I die today, what regrets could I possibly have?

"Grand Tutor..." Zhang Kui paused.

"Step back!" Wen Zhong shouted sternly. "If you make a move, I will die with my eyes wide open in disbelief."

"That's enough."

Zhang Kui remained silent for a moment, sighed, and retreated to the edge of the mountain ridge.

Wen Zhong chanted the fire-avoidance incantation, leaped into the air, and the black Qilin, with its four hooves whipping up the wind, actually managed to break free of the fire dragon's encirclement and fly north.

"Yun Zhongzi, this Heavenly Fire Pillar is nothing special. I won't keep you company any longer. Farewell!"

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave, fellow Daoist?"

Yun Zhongzi shook his head and urged the incantation again.

The sixty-four fire dragons pounced again, this time faster and more coordinated, blocking all of Wen Zhong's escape routes.

Wen Zhong gritted his teeth and unleashed his twin whips, one male and one female. The whips transformed into two dragons, entangled with the fire dragon. Taking advantage of this opening, he urged his black Qilin to accelerate its charge, and it seemed he was about to break free from the fire pillar's range...

"Fellow Daoist, please wait."

With a flick of his sleeve, Yun Zhongzi sent out a streak of azure light that grew taller in the wind, transforming into a flower basket about three feet high.

Water and fire flower basket.

Wen Zhong, unaware of the treasure's power, mistook it for an ordinary magical artifact, and his twin whips transformed into dragons to meet it...

"Bang!"

The double whips struck the flower basket and bounced back. Endless water and fire energies surged from the flower basket, transforming into a large net that descended upon them.

Wen Zhong was shocked and hurriedly urged his black unicorn to dodge, but it was too late. The net woven from water and fire energies entangled him and his horse. A tremendous force pulled him down, shattering his hair ornament and scattering his long black hair, leaving him in a sorry state.

boom!

Wen Zhong and his mount fell to the ground, creating a deep crater.

Yun Zhongzi once again activated the Heavenly Fire Pillars, and the eight fire pillars simultaneously erupted with dazzling flames. The sixty-four fire dragons roared in unison, and the power of the flames increased several times over!

The Mo Qilin was the first to succumb. Although this beast possessed sentience, it was ultimately not a naturally born extraordinary species. Under the dual scorching heat of the Samadhi True Fire and the Dragon Soul Flame, its scales cracked, its flesh charred black, and with a mournful cry, it turned to ashes.

Wen Zhong collapsed to the ground, his hair disheveled and his Taoist robe charred in many places, yet he still gritted his teeth and continued to cast the fire-avoiding spell. But everyone could see that he was already exhausted and on his last legs.

"That's enough!"

Zhang Kui could no longer hold back.

He forgot all about not interfering and standing by, and summoned the Qiankun Ruler.

Zhang Kui's figure transformed into a misty frost, instantly passing through the encirclement of the fire dragon and appearing beside Wen Zhong.

"Grand Tutor, let's go!"

He grabbed Wen Zhong's shoulder, about to use the Five Elements Escape Technique to escape.

"Young friend, why be so obsessed?"

Yun Zhongzi sighed, waved his whisk, and several Jade Purity Divine Thunderbolts exploded, blocking Zhang Kui's retreat. At the same time, sixty-four fire dragons changed direction and rushed towards the two.

Zhang Kui gritted his teeth and unleashed the Qiankun Diagram.

As the scroll unfolded, the yin and yang energies permeated the air, temporarily holding back the fire dragon, and then turned to face Yun Zhongzi in battle.

"Senior, please forgive me!"

The Qiankun Ruler transformed into a streak of azure light and cleaved towards Yun Zhongzi.

Yun Zhongzi lightly flicked his whisk, using softness to overcome hardness, and deflected the force of the Qiankun Ruler. He sighed, "Young friend, you are no match for this humble Daoist. Why make things difficult for yourself?"

Zhang Kui remained silent, but activated the Qiankun Ruler, causing it to swell and transform into a thousand-foot-tall mountain that crashed down.

Yun Zhongzi shook his head and pointed with his hand.

The Jade Purity Divine Thunder exploded, shaking the giant peak back. He remained motionless, responding only with his whisk, effortlessly neutralizing all of Zhang Kui's attacks.

The gap is too big.

Although Zhang Kui was a Golden Immortal, Yun Zhongzi had been a Great Luo Golden Immortal for many years and had already reached the threshold of Quasi-Saint. If it weren't for their past relationship, he probably could have suppressed Zhang Kui in just a few moves.

"Senior, are you really going to fight to the death?" Zhang Kui fought and retreated, looking for an opportunity.

"I have to obey the orders of my sect," Yun Zhongzi said calmly. "Young friend, you cannot save him."

"Then let's give it a try."

Zhang Kui activated his Golden Core, causing the Five Elements Dao Fruit to tremble. The phantom images of the five divine beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Qilin—emerged and roared around him.

Yun Zhongzi praised him, lightly waved his whisk, and remained motionless, using only the Jade Purity Divine Thunder to counter. Amidst the flashing lightning, Zhang Kui had no choice but to retreat.

After several exchanges, Zhang Kui gradually became exhausted.

"Young friend, that's enough."

Yun Zhongzi seemed to see through his thoughts. With a flick of his whisk, the Jade Purity Divine Thunder exploded, blasting him back several feet.

"Wen Zhong has already..."

He looked at the Heavenly Fire Pillar.

Zhang Kui turned his head, his pupils suddenly contracting!

At the center of the pillar of fire, Wen Zhong could no longer withstand the erosion of the Heavenly Divine Fire Pillar. Moreover, Wen Zhong's soul was already severely injured, and now, surrounded by sixty-four fire dragons, his fire-avoidance spell finally collapsed…

The flames consumed everything.

Wen Zhong's figure vanished completely in the firelight.

The eight pillars of divine fire that reached the heavens were extinguished simultaneously, the fire dragons returned to the pillars, and the inscriptions dimmed. Only eight deep holes and remnants of ashes remained on the ground.

Yun Zhongzi put away the Flying Fire Pillar, glanced at Zhang Kui as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed and his figure disappeared into the void.

On the mountain ridge, only Zhang Kui remained.

He stood before the eight deep holes, looking at the ashes, speechless for a moment.

The wind swept across the mountains, stirring up ashes that scattered in all directions.

"Grand Tutor..." Zhang Kui murmured to himself, an indescribable sorrow still welling up in his heart.

"May you rest in peace."

He bowed deeply to the ashes, then turned and left.