Zhang Kui's Journey to the West in the Investiture of the Gods

Chapter 58 Reunion, New Choices on the Path

Along the official road, dust rose slightly. An army of about ten thousand men was marching in an orderly fashion towards the northwest. Three generals' flags fluttered in the wind, the central one bearing the character "Zhang," while the left and right flags bore the characters "Zheng" and "Chen," respectively, indicating that the army's commander was Zhang Kui's younger brother, Zhang Shan, and Zhang Kui's two generals, Zheng Lun and Chen Qi.

At the heart of the army, three generals clad in gleaming armor rode side by side. The one in the center, wearing silver armor and a long sword at his waist, appeared to be around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old. His features bore a striking resemblance to Zhang Kui, but he lacked the battlefield-hardened composure and possessed a sharper, more spirited air. This was Zhang Shan. He rode a magnificent, tall northern horse, his gaze frequently sweeping over the advancing ranks, a hint of anticipation for their impending return home in his eyes.

To his left stood Zheng Lun, two golden demon-subduing pestles gleaming at his waist; his face was sharp and imposing, exuding authority without anger. To his right stood Chen Qi, two chilling demon-slaying pestles on his back; he was sturdy, with sharp eyes. The beasts they rode were not ordinary horses, but strange creatures with heads resembling qilin, hooves like horses, tails like lions, and eyes like gold, with flickering flames within them—the "Fire-Eyed Golden-Pierced Beasts," their mounts tamed with the help of a mysterious being after they had achieved some success in refining their Daoist weapons; they were truly extraordinary.

"Brother Zheng, Brother Chen," Zhang Shan said with a smile, breaking the monotony of the march, "at this pace, we should be able to reach Mianchi before sunset tomorrow. Are you planning to come into the city with me to settle down first, or go directly to Youli to see my elder brother? I definitely have to go home to see my mother first, otherwise if she finds out that I'm passing by the house without going in, she'll definitely break my legs with her cane." As he spoke, he subconsciously rubbed his knee, still fearful of his mother's "family discipline."

Zheng Lun and Chen Qi exchanged a glance, both seeing the smile in each other's eyes. Zheng Lun cupped his hands and said, "Second General, when we left the camp, our lord instructed us to report back to him as soon as possible upon arrival, reporting on the situation in Beihai and the training of the Daoist soldiers. Several years have passed since we last saw our lord, and we have missed him dearly. We intend to bid farewell to you now and head to Youli to pay our respects to our lord."

Chen Qi nodded in agreement: "Indeed. The military situation is urgent and we dare not delay. After we have met with our lord and explained everything, we will go with him to Mianchi to meet with the two generals and discuss the subsequent defense arrangements."

Zhang Shan nodded understandingly, his eyes gleaming with ambition to achieve great things. "Very well. Then I'll trouble you two brothers to give my regards to our eldest brother. We'll meet again in Mianchi. We'll discuss in detail then how to manage this Yellow River ferry to make it as solid as a rock."

"Take care, Generals!" Zheng Lun and Chen Qi clasped their hands in a salute, then called to their respective personal guards, broke away from the main force, turned onto another fork in the road, and sped off towards Youli. The two squads, like arrows, quickly disappeared at the end of the official road.

Zhang Shan watched them leave, then cracked his whip: "All troops, speed up! We must reach Mianchi before nightfall tomorrow."

……

Meanwhile, at Skull Mountain, in the White Bone Cave.

This place was originally the Taoist temple of Lady Shiji of the Jie Sect. Ever since Lady Shiji died under the Nine Dragons Divine Fire of the Taiyi Zhenren, it has been occupied by the ferocious Yi Qi Immortal Ma Yuan. Inside the cave, a chilling wind blows, white bones are scattered on the ground, and the air is filled with a thick, unyielding stench of blood and resentment.

Ma Yuan sat cross-legged on an altar made of skulls, his face still pale from his severe injuries. Thick black energy swirled around the wound on his right arm, severed at the shoulder, slowly writhing and healing, but at an extremely slow pace. What pained and enraged him most was the bony hand hovering before him. The once jade-white, iron-hard bony hand was now covered in spiderweb-like cracks, its spiritual light dimmed. The "Remnant Will of the Ancestral Witch," which he had painstakingly refined, had been completely absorbed, almost reduced to a mortal state.

"Zhang Kui!" Ma Yuan spat out the name through gritted teeth, his crimson eyes filled with endless resentment and killing intent. The pain of his severed arm and the hatred of his destroyed magic weapon burned like poisonous fire within him, driving him to the brink of madness. "And that damned coin. If I don't avenge this, I swear I'm not human, my Dao heart will not be at peace."

He slammed his fist into the skull altar, sending bone fragments flying. "Once I recover from my injuries, I will seek out even more powerful magic weapons, invite my fellow cultivators, and extract your soul to refine it, only then can I quell the hatred in my heart." His roar echoed in the gloomy cave, stirring up bursts of ghostly wails.

……

The central command tent in Youli City.

Zhang Kui had just finished his daily, unwavering cultivation. His golden core slowly rotated, absorbing and releasing pure spiritual energy from heaven and earth, resonating with the ever-circulating five elements within his Crimson Palace, making his magical power and blood increasingly harmonious. He stood up, feeling the surging power within him, and gazed into the distance.

"At the fifth stage of the Golden Core, the fifth divine power must be inscribed." Zhang Kui pondered, pacing slowly inside the tent.

This is a question he has been pondering recently. Every three cycles of the Golden Core form a major realm, but what kind of supernatural power is inscribed in each cycle is related to the formation of one's future Dao foundation.

"Originally, the 'Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light' was the best choice, as it is extremely powerful and has unlimited potential." Zhang Kui shook his head slightly. "However, I have already inscribed the 'Five Elements Great Escape'. Although the two have different focuses—one is about killing and imprisoning, and the other is about escape and transformation—they ultimately belong to the same category of the Five Elements Great Dao. In terms of the diversity of Golden Core Dao patterns, they are slightly redundant and not the optimal solution."

He looked inward and saw that within his five internal organs, the illusory images of the five divine beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Qilin—were slowly rising and falling with the circulation of the five elements, emanating a rich aura of the five elements' origin.

"It's settled then. We'll use the five internal organs and five energies as a bridge to connect and nurture the 'Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light.'" Zhang Kui's eyes gleamed as he outlined his cultivation blueprint. "Then, we'll use the immense power of the Wu Clan's bloodline to nourish and nurture the energy of the five internal organs, making it even stronger. Next, we'll use the strengthened energy of the five internal organs to refine the Five Elements Dharma Image, making it solid. Then, using the solidified Five Elements Dharma Image as the core, we'll continuously condense and purify the Five-Colored Divine Light. Finally, we'll use this supremely pure Five-Colored Divine Light to refine and temper my Wu Clan's bloodline, making it more resilient and imbued with the power of the laws."

This is a perfect internal circulation. Once fully established, his physical body, magical power, and supernatural abilities will be closely integrated, resulting in a qualitative leap in strength. The next step is to attempt to communicate with all things in heaven and earth, drawing the five elements of heaven and earth into his body to form a large external circulation.

"If both internal and external circulations are completed..." Zhang Kui took a deep breath, and even with his calm mind, a slight ripple could not be felt. "At that time, the 'Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light' might truly be as easy to use as an extension of one's own arm, with greatly reduced consumption and doubled power, and it is possible that it could be used almost 'infinitely'." Of course, this is only a long-term prospect. Right now, the most important thing is to choose the Dao essence for the fifth stage of the Golden Core.

"It would be best to choose from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods." Zhang Kui's thinking was clear. "This is the orthodox method of the Xuanmen, with a complete system. It shares the same origin as my Golden Core Dao, has the highest compatibility, and the greatest potential."

He carefully analyzed and compared the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Techniques, and several of their supernatural abilities came to mind:

The ability to "fly and leave traces": to conceal oneself within the heavens and earth, and roam the four seas, is a supreme method for survival, escape, and exploration. If one can master it, one can go anywhere in the world, gaining the upper hand whether facing powerful enemies or seeking opportunities.

Mastering the Five Thunders: This allows one to harness the power of heaven and earth's thunder, fierce and domineering, a deadly weapon for vanquishing evil and destroying demons. Thunder also contains life force; if one can comprehend it, it will benefit one's cultivation. Furthermore, it subtly resonates with his already mastered Five Elements Dao; thunder is divided into five elements, which may be a useful reference.

Standing upright without a shadow: concealing one's tracks and form, even evading cause and effect and obscuring the secrets of heaven. In this era of rising calamities, if one can master this technique, it will undoubtedly be an extremely powerful trump card, with endless uses whether for secretly plotting or avoiding disasters.

Transformation and Shape Change: This technique allows one to change all things, even altering one's own origins and aura. Whether for infiltration, disguise, or comprehending the Daoist essence of different beings, it is extremely valuable. For him, who may encounter more worldly trials in the future, this technique is quite practical.

He had originally considered profound methods involving destiny and cause and effect, such as "shifting stars and changing constellations," but when he thought of his "touching" progress and talent in comprehending the I Ching, he had no choice but to give up. Trying to do too much at once and forcing oneself into areas one is not good at may actually hinder one's cultivation progress.

"Flying and using traces to save one's life and escape, mastering the Five Thunders to enhance killing power, standing upright and disappearing without a trace to conceal cause and effect, transforming and changing forms in countless ways..." Zhang Kui tapped his fingers lightly on the table, weighing the pros and cons. "Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and all are excellent supplements to my existing methods. I still need to think carefully before making a decision on which one to choose."

He collected his thoughts, his gaze resolute. Regardless of which path he chose, it required profound cultivation; for now, he needed to continue diligent practice and solidify his foundation.

Just then, a guard outside the tent reported: "General, two generals outside the camp are requesting an audience. They identify themselves as Zheng Lun and Chen Qi, and have come on the orders of Grand Tutor Wen of Beihai."

A look of delight flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes: "Please come in quickly!"