Zhang Kui Asks the Way in Investiture of the Gods

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After leaving Mianchi, Zhang Kui headed east, his figure blending into the world. He did not deliberately rush, sometimes looking down at the mountains and rivers from above the clouds, and sometimes descending into the mortal world to experience life.

More than ten days later, the majestic Chentang Pass came into view.

The city was built against the mountains and by the sea, with high walls and deep moats, fluttering banners and gleaming armor. Inside the pass, the city was bustling with activity, people thronged the streets, the people had no worries about food and clothing, and merchants and travelers came and went in an orderly manner, presenting a scene of prosperity and peace.

Zhang Kui nodded inwardly. This General Li Jing of Chentang Pass, the future Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, was indeed exceptional in governing the people and managing this important town in an orderly manner.

Without hesitation, Zhang Kui flew directly to a pavilion near the south gate of Chentang Pass, where the legendary treasures of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan—the Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow—were kept.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he had already used his flying technique to perfectly conceal his figure and aura, like an invisible and unpredictable frost, silently passing through the streets and alleys, directly to his destination.

It was an ordinary-looking stone pavilion, not heavily guarded, with only a few ordinary soldiers patrolling, but it exuded an ancient and majestic aura, faintly connected with the fortune of the entire Chentang Pass, and even the more distant Chaoge.

However, as soon as Zhang Kui approached the pavilion, he keenly sensed that something was amiss. Covering his eyes with his magic, he saw three figures standing in front of the previously empty pavilion, discussing something in hushed tones.

The aura emanating from these three figures was clearly not that of benevolent individuals. What made Zhang Kui's gaze even more intense was that one of them was none other than his old acquaintance—the Immortal Ma Yuan.

At this moment, Ma Yuan's severed arm had fully recovered. Although his aura was not as strong as it had been in his prime, his ferocity was even greater than before, indicating that his injuries had basically healed.

Zhang Kui immediately stopped, concealing his aura to the extreme, completely merging into the shadows of the corner and the flow of air, listening intently.

Ma Yuan bowed to the other two, his tone urgent and ingratiating: "Fellow Daoists, this is where the Qiankun Bow and Zhentian Arrow are kept. I hope you will lend me your strength to help me obtain these treasures, and I will surely repay you handsomely."

Standing to Ma Yuan's left was a Taoist priest with a strange appearance—his hair was styled in two topknots, his face was pointed, and his cheeks were sunken. A sword was strapped to his back, and his eyes were arrogant, exuding an innate ferocity. He waved his hand impatiently, his voice sharp: "What's with all the nonsense? This is just a mere mortal pass. I'll destroy this dilapidated building directly, and you can go and take the treasure yourself. Why make such a fuss? And you say you can't disturb mortals? What a joke." This man possessed a powerful aura; he was actually a great demon at the Golden Immortal realm.

The man on the right was dressed as a wandering ascetic, with long, bushy hair and a sinister gaze, his body shimmering with a faint, malevolent aura. He continued, "Fellow Daoist Yu Yi Xian, please calm down. This Qiankun Bow and Zhentian Arrow are no ordinary objects. They are sacred artifacts used by the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan to defeat Chiyou in the past, and were later enshrined here to suppress the fortune of the Shang Dynasty's strategic passes, subtly connected to the nation's destiny. If we forcibly seize them, we will surely suffer a backlash from the fortune, be entangled in karma, and face unpredictable calamities." This man's cultivation was extraordinary; although he had not yet reached the Golden Immortal realm, he was not far off, and his words revealed considerable insight.

Ma Yuan quickly echoed, "Fellow Daoist Fajie is absolutely right. That is precisely why we need to rely on the supernatural powers of you two. Fellow Daoist Yuyi Xian possesses profound magical power and is a Golden Immortal who has attained the Dao. His extraordinary treasure, the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle, has endless uses. It contains the innate Yin-Yang Great Dao and can even sever cause and effect and obscure the secrets of heaven. Only with your help can I obtain the treasure smoothly without disturbing the Shang Dynasty's fortune and causing a backlash."

Winged Immortal? Magic Ring?

Upon hearing these two names, Zhang Kui, who was hiding in the shadows, immediately understood and at the same time became wary.

Yu Yi Xian, whose true form is a Golden-Winged Roc, attained enlightenment on Penglai Island and possesses immense supernatural powers. A single wing can dry up the waters of the four seas, demonstrating his genuine Golden Immortal cultivation. He is arrogant and ruthless. In the Investiture of the Gods, he attempted to flood Xiqi, but was later subdued by the Daoist Ran Deng. What makes Zhang Kui even more wary is the rumor that this demon is the brother of Kong Xuan, whom he had met briefly on Nine Dragons Island, and both belong to the Phoenix lineage.

Fa Jie was no good either. He was skilled in unorthodox arts and was the master of Han Rong's son, the general of Sishui Pass. He taught him the evil magic "Ten Thousand Blade Chariot" to block the army that was going to attack King Zhou. Later, he was converted by the Western Taoist Zhunti.

"These three guys are a demon from Skull Mountain who eats human hearts, a ferocious bird from Penglai Island, and a sorcerer who spreads evil magic everywhere. How did they get involved together? And why are they eyeing the Qiankun Bow?" Zhang Kui's mind raced as he continued to listen intently.

The Winged Immortal, clearly pleased by Ma Yuan's flattery, arrogantly replied, "Easy, easy! My Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle contains innate Yin and Yang energies, forming its own little world—truly wondrous. It is indeed unaffected by entanglements of fate and untouched by cause and effect. I will use my magic to temporarily sever the connection between this treasure and the fate of the Shang Dynasty. It won't be long before it's successful. At that time, the Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow will be ownerless, and you can then subdue them with your magic."

Ma Yuan was overjoyed upon hearing this and thanked him repeatedly.

At this moment, Fa Jie looked at Ma Yuan, his tone turning cold: "Fellow Daoist Ma Yuan, I have kept my promise and helped you repair your damaged soul and stabilize your cultivation. Now, shouldn't you fulfill your previous promise?"

Ma Yuan's expression changed slightly, showing some reluctance, but he still forced a smile and said, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, after I obtain the Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow, I will definitely present you with all eighty-one Xuan Yin Gathering Beast Banners that I promised you earlier, without any falsehood. To show my sincerity, I will first give you this refining method to study." As he spoke, he took out a bone slip that exuded a sinister aura and handed it to the magic ring.

Fa Jie took the bone tablet, briefly examined it with his divine sense, nodded in satisfaction, and said no more.

Yu Yixian seemed to remember something, and grinned maliciously at Ma Yuan, "Right, Ma Yuan, after we get this treasure, I'll accompany you to find that brat named Zhang Kui. We'll skin him alive, tear out his tendons, and devour his soul to vent my hatred. Hmph, a mere human True Immortal dares to try and pluck my feathers and tear out my bones? He truly doesn't know what's good for him!"

"What's going on?" Zhang Kui, hiding in the shadows, looked completely bewildered. "When did I say I was going to pluck his feathers and pull out his tendons? I've never even seen this Winged Immortal before, where does this hatred come from?"

However, he soon realized that Ma Yuan must have been sowing discord among them, using Zhang Kui's name to fabricate insults against Yu Yixian in order to incite the ferocious bird's anger.

"That Ma Yuan, he's like a persistent ghost, full of tricks." Zhang Kui sneered inwardly, remembering this debt.

However, this Winged Immortal is really naive. In the original book, he was bewitched by Shen Gongbao and angered by the rumor that Jiang Ziya wanted to pluck his feathers and pull out his tendons and bones, so he went to Xiqi to cause trouble.

Before Zhang Kui could think it through, the three people in the room had already begun to act.

Yu Yixian stepped forward, his expression solemn. He formed a hand seal, opened his mouth, and spat out a stream of black and white light that transformed into a treasure bottle about two feet four inches tall. The bottle's body was neither jade nor porcelain, with an ancient and simple shape. Its mouth was slightly tilted, and chaotic energy seemed to circulate within it. It was none other than his famous magic weapon—the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle.

"Yin and Yang revolve, the Four Symbols return to their origin, by imperial decree!"

With a low shout, Yu Yixian unleashed his full magical power. The mouth of the Yin-Yang Bottle shone brightly, spewing forth a chaotic stream of energy. This energy split into four in the air, evolving into the four fundamental elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. These four elements, like an invisible magnetic field or gentle flowing water, slowly coiled towards the Qiankun Bow and Zhentian Arrow enshrined deep within the pavilion.

At first, the Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow seemed unresponsive, lying there quietly, exuding an ancient and desolate aura. But as the power of the Four Symbols continued to permeate them, the two began to tremble slightly. Faint golden runes appeared on the bow, and light shimmered on the arrow shaft, as if they were resisting some kind of external force.

An invisible and vast force of fortune was drawn from the depths of the void, surging in like a tide, attempting to protect the sacred artifact that suppressed the fortune of the pass.

However, the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle was indeed miraculous. The Four Symbols Power evolved from the innate Yin and Yang Qi formed its own rules, creating a unique isolation domain that gradually weakened and severed the connection between the Qiankun Bow, the Zhentian Arrow, and the external Shang Dynasty's fortune. The surging fortune power crashed into this Four Symbols Domain, like a mud ox entering the sea; it stirred up some ripples but could not truly break through.

The space around the attic began to subtly distort, the light flickering as if engaged in an invisible struggle. Yu Yixian's forehead was slightly sweaty, clearly indicating that maintaining this technique was taking a toll on him, but his eyes remained fierce and confident.

Ma Yuan watched intently, his eyes filled with greed and anticipation. Fa Jie silently stepped back half a step, clutching the bone slip in his hand, seemingly calculating something.

Zhang Kui, hidden in the shadows, witnessed everything. He knew that, given this trend, it wouldn't be long before Yu Yixian successfully severed the connection of their destinies. At that time, Ma Yuan could then attempt to collect the treasure.

"The Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow... how could they fall into the hands of such evil demons?" Zhang Kui's eyes were sharp as knives. The five-stage golden core in his body slowly accelerated its circulation, and the vast magical power surged in his meridians. His hand, gripping the hilt of the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Blade, tightened slightly.

Could we intervene at the most crucial moment? Try to stop Ma Yuan from obtaining the treasure, and incidentally teach these three audacious scoundrels an unforgettable lesson...?