Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

Auspicious clouds descended upon Luofu Cave, revealing a spacious entrance from which spiritual energy surged forth like mist. Stepping inside, a breathtaking panorama unfolded before one's eyes, revealing a hidden paradise. Bright pearls illuminated the dome, making it as clear as day. Pavilions, terraces, bridges, flowing water, and exotic flowers and plants abounded, resembling a celestial abode built within the mountain's heart, serene yet grand.

What caught Zhang Kui's attention most was the extremely spacious training ground on one side of the cave. The ground was paved with an unknown bluish-black gold stone, which was exceptionally hard. Various weapon racks were displayed around the perimeter, with swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks gleaming coldly and exuding a faint murderous aura. They were all made of extraordinary iron and were clearly divine weapons that had been tempered by magic.

Zhang Kui secretly praised, "I had long heard that Senior Zhao Gongming was not only highly skilled in Taoism but also unparalleled in martial arts. Seeing the grandeur of this training ground today, I know the rumors are true. No wonder he was able to sweep through all the immortals with his divine whip in the original story. He is indeed a person with a solid foundation and who cultivates both physical and magical abilities."

Zhao Gongming led Zhang Kui to an exquisitely decorated pavilion, which had already been prepared by Chen Jiugong and Yao Shaosi. On the jade table, besides several plates of spiritually vibrant fruits, a purple jade wine pot was placed in the center, with two luminous cups beside it. Even before it was opened, a clear and mellow fragrance wafted out, invigorating the spirit and making one's internal magical power seem more active.

"Come, come, Fellow Daoist Zhang Kui, try this treasured Purple Mansion Immortal Wine of mine." Zhao Gongming personally took the pot and filled a cup for Zhang Kui. The wine was amber in color, and it was surrounded by a purple glow in the luminous cup, as if it contained a small grotto.

"Senior's kindness is too much for me to refuse." Zhang Kui raised his cup and drank with Zhao Gongming. The celestial wine was initially warm and smooth, but then it transformed into a warm current that spread throughout his body. It not only nourished his magical power, but also infused his soul with a little spiritual light, making his mind clear and his thoughts much sharper. It was truly a rare celestial treasure.

"Excellent wine!" Zhang Kui praised sincerely.

Seeing that Zhang Kui liked it, Zhao Gongming was even more delighted and drank three cups in a row. His dark face flushed red, and he said boldly, "This wine is made by collecting the purple aura of the rising sun and the essence of the moon, supplemented with a hundred kinds of spiritual herbs, and nurtured in the Purple Palace for a thousand years. It is very beneficial to enlightenment. If you like it, please drink a few more cups."

After a few rounds of drinks and pleasantries, the atmosphere became increasingly harmonious. Then, Zhao Gongming put down his cup, his expression turning solemn, and said, "Fellow Daoist, you have come from afar to seek the Dao. I will now explain to you the true meaning of 'Wind Without Form' in the 'Flying Body and Leaving Traces' technique."

Zhang Kui immediately sat up straight and listened attentively.

"Brother Yun Zhongzi's 'Cloud Impermanence' emphasizes the ever-changing form, gathering and dispersing at will. It simulates the image of 'clouds' in the world and captures the wonder of 'change'," Zhao Gongming said slowly, his voice containing the essence of Tao. "As for my understanding of 'Wind Without Form,' it points directly to its essence."

"As the sage said: 'The Great Way is all-encompassing, and can be left or right.' The wind is the breath of heaven and earth, and the flow of the Great Way. It is formless and without appearance, invisible and intangible, yet it can move all things; it is extremely soft and compliant, entering through gaps and bypassing obstacles, yet it can also destroy cities and fortresses, and is indestructible. This is the principle of 'the weak overcoming the strong.'"

He stared intently at Zhang Kui: "Cultivating 'Wind Without Form' is not about clinging to the form of wind, but about becoming a part of 'wind,' or even 'wind' itself. Forget your own physical form, and integrate your soul, magic power, and will into the omnipresent 'flow of energy' of the laws of heaven and earth."

"What is 'formlessness'? It is not the absence of anything, but rather the non-attachment to any fixed form. When a thought arises, I am like a swift wind sweeping across a mountain peak, covering thousands of miles in an instant; when a thought changes, I am like a gentle breeze brushing across the water, leaving no trace. Movement and stillness, fast and slow, are all within a single thought, without any further hindrance."

Zhao Gongming further elaborated on its core essence: "When this method is cultivated to a profound level, one can sense the 'flow' of everything in the world—the circulation of spiritual energy, the folds of space, even the lines of cause and effect, and the river of destiny. Only through this can one truly achieve 'existing in the world, yet not appearing in the world.' To others, you may appear as a gentle breeze, a ripple, or simply merge with the world, becoming indistinguishable. Unless one's cultivation far surpasses yours, or one possesses a special detection treasure, it is extremely difficult to detect your existence. When used for escape, one can arrive at a thought, ignoring numerous restrictions and obstacles; when used for concealment, one can unite with the Dao, avoiding calamities and schemes."

To help Zhang Kui understand more intuitively, he even released a slight trace of his own aura. In an instant, Zhang Kui felt as if Zhao Gongming, who was sitting in front of him, had become illusory. Although he was right in front of him, he seemed like a wisp of breeze that could dissipate at any moment, making it difficult to pinpoint his exact presence. That sense of "formlessness" shocked Zhang Kui.

"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!" Zhang Kui listened, his mind reeling as if thunder had exploded in his head. Yun Zhongzi's "Cloud Impermanence" showed him the infinite possibilities of change, while Zhao Gongming's "Wind Without Form" revealed to him a higher realm of merging with the laws and becoming one with nature. These two were not contradictory, but rather explained the supreme principle of "flying and leaving traces" from different perspectives.

For the next few months, Zhang Kui stayed in Luofu Cave, immersing himself in a deep understanding of "flying and leaving traces".

Besides the necessary meditation and qi cultivation to restore his magical power, he spent his days repeatedly pondering and comparing the essence of "Clouds Without Constant Mobility" and "Wind Without Form." Clouds without constant mobility are unpredictable and ever-changing; wind without form is formless and intangible, merging into nature. Both aim to transcend the constraints of physical form and reach a higher-dimensional state of existence.

"Clouds are ever-changing... winds are formless... what about my 'flying body carrying traces'?" Zhang Kui often sat alone in the quiet room inside Zhao Gongming's cave, or strolled around the huge training ground, his mind completely immersed in digesting and integrating these two realms of thought.

He recalled his cultivation journey: the righteous and peaceful Golden Elixir Path, which governs all laws; the ceaseless flow of the Five Elements Great Escape, with mutual generation and restraint; the unparalleled power to subdue dragons and tigers; the spatial transformations that can be made at will, all within one's own mind; and even the annihilation and prohibition of the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light... He needed to learn from all sources, integrate them, and ultimately form his own unique path of "cultivation".

"Clouds" and "wind," seemingly different, are actually interdependent. Clouds move because of the wind, and the wind takes shape through the clouds. So, what is born when wind and clouds meet?

On this day, Zhang Kui sat quietly at the edge of the training ground, observing Zhao Gongming practice his whip technique. The divine whip moved like a dragon, stirring up the wind and clouds, causing the spiritual energy within the cave to surge. Watching the tiny ice crystals that occasionally condensed in the air due to the collision of energy, a flash of lightning seemed to strike Zhang Kui's mind.

"When the winds and clouds gather, frost will fall."

Yes, the ever-changing clouds and the formless wind, when combined, will condense into frost under certain conditions.

Frost is neither cloud nor wind, yet it possesses the characteristics of both.

It takes many forms, from exquisite hexagonal flowers to sharp ice spikes, or a vast expanse of white covering everything. Its form is entirely dependent on what it falls upon, and it can change the nature of that object—covering it with ice and cold, making it fragile or hard.

"No fixed... My true meaning should be 'Frost Without Fixedness'." Zhang Kui's eyes shone with an unprecedented light of enlightenment.

"Unfixed, meaning 'form is not fixed, but adapts to the environment.' It does not cling to the 'constancy' of clouds, nor adhere to the 'appearance' of wind, but rather, like frost, it is ever-changing, truly embodying 'becoming stronger when faced with strength, and overcoming form with form.' Facing a high mountain, it can be the solid ice covering its peak; facing a raging fire, it can be the cold mist that extinguishes its power; facing confinement, it can be the all-pervasive ice crystals... Its form of existence will adjust and change at any time according to the external environment and the opponent's abilities, in order to achieve the best action effect—whether it is to hide, to escape, to infiltrate, or to break through barriers."

"What this 'Frost Without Fixed Form' pursues is precisely 'doing whatever one pleases' without overstepping the bounds. As long as my thoughts lead me, my form of existence will change accordingly, with no fixed pattern, making it impossible for the enemy to figure out and target me."

Having grasped this point, Zhang Kui felt his mind become completely clear, and all the previous obstacles suddenly disappeared. He immediately began to work on it, fusing the ever-changing foundation of "Clouds Without Change," the subtle integration of the laws of "Wind Without Form," and the core essence of "Frost Without Fixity"—its adaptability and shape-changing nature—into a single entity, reorganizing and condensing his own unique "Flying Body and Leaping Traces" supernatural power.

Months of arduous training passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Zhang Kui slowly opened his eyes in the quiet room. His aura was completely unified, without any trace of his previous sharp edges and deliberate actions.

With a slight thought, his figure seemed to transform into a wisp of frost, perfectly blending with the stone walls, spiritual energy, and even the light in the quiet room, his presence reduced to an extremely low level; with another thought, he could instantly solidify again, his aura as ethereal as the wind in the clouds, difficult to catch.

"The frost that flies and leaves its mark is uncertain," it was accomplished.

Zhang Kui not only perfected the unique essence of this supernatural power, but also took this opportunity to adjust his own state to its peak.

"It's time." Zhang Kui looked inward at his dantian, where the fifth-stage golden elixir was slowly rotating, radiating immense magical power and Daoist charm. Beside the four existing Dao patterns, there were still blank spaces, waiting for new divine Dao essence to be inscribed upon them.

Having gained experience from the previous four inscriptions of divine power, and now in a state of perfect harmony, with his mind and spirit highly aligned with the true meaning of "flying and carrying traces," the entire process was surprisingly smooth and natural.

He guided the seed of divine power, containing the true meaning of "Frost Without Fixation," slowly towards the golden core. The golden core hummed, as if cheering and leaping with joy, actively emitting a suction force. The seed of divine power merged into the golden core without any hindrance, perfectly combining with the blank space of the Dao foundation, and began to outline the fifth profound and extraordinary Dao pattern.

At first glance, this pattern resembles shimmering ice crystals; upon closer inspection, it seems like a gentle breeze leaving no trace; and upon further contemplation, it reveals its unpredictable nature, truly embodying the essence of "frost without fixed form."

After an unknown amount of time, the golden core trembled slightly, and the fifth divine power pattern became completely stable. Its light flowed and complemented the other four patterns, making the entire golden core appear more substantial and profound. The magical power it emitted also suddenly increased to a higher level.