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

Chapter 53 Preparing for War, Undercurrents

Inside the quiet room, the candlelight flickered.

Zhang Kui sat cross-legged, holding the Book of Changes, which radiated a warm golden light, in his palm. The book was neither silk nor paper, neither gold nor jade, and it was warm to the touch. The hexagrams and symbols on it flowed slowly like swimming fish, as if they were interpreting the most profound mysteries of the universe.

In order to exhaust all his efforts to perfect the sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred and eighty-four lines, Ji Chang resolutely chose to go into seclusion. Before going into seclusion, he entrusted this sacred book concerning the fate of the human race to him.

He attempted to slowly probe his consciousness into the *I Ching*. In an instant, a vast, yet orderly torrent of information, as boundless as a starry sea, surged into his mind. The laws governing the universe, the trajectories of birth and death of all things, the subtle ripples of the river of fate, the intricate network of cause and effect… countless profound truths unfolded like a scroll. However, this scroll was too grand, too profound. Zhang Kui felt as if his consciousness were a small boat navigating turbulent waves, unable to grasp its true essence. The hexagrams and their interpretations, though clearly before him, seemed separated by an invisible barrier; he knew their value, but could not understand their meaning.

Several hours later, Zhang Kui slowly withdrew his divine sense, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, and he felt a trace of fatigue. He shook his head with a wry smile: "It seems that I truly have little affinity with this way of divination and calculation. I cannot force it, I cannot force it."

There are three thousand great paths, each leading its own way. His path lies elsewhere. Having understood this, Zhang Kui felt relieved and stopped worrying. He carefully placed the *I Ching* close to his body, in the most secret place within his inner armor. Although this book could not yet help him comprehend the Dao, as a superior merit-based spiritual treasure, it naturally possessed the effects of warding off evil, calming the mind, and nourishing the soul. More importantly, he absolutely could not allow this sacred text of humanity to fall into the hands of villains, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

In the months that followed, Zhang Kui visited the solitary prison where Ji Chang was being held several times, but as Ji Chang had said before his seclusion, he was politely refused entry each time. His trusted jailer respectfully reported, "The Marquis has ordered that his seclusion must not be disturbed except in matters of earth-shattering importance." Through the prison gate, Zhang Kui could faintly sense the ever-growing, increasingly profound Daoist aura emanating from within, knowing that Ji Chang was completely immersed in the vast world of the I Ching, paving a path for humanity to understand destiny and the nature of fortune and misfortune. He decided not to disturb him further, instead focusing all his attention on the military affairs of the Youli camp.

The Youli camp at this time was no longer what it used to be. On the training ground, the sounds of battle shook the heavens, and the blood and qi soared into the sky like smoke from a wolf's beak, dyeing the floating clouds in the sky with a faint crimson hue.

At the Youli camp, on the training ground, the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

Zhang Kui stood tall on the command platform, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, slowly sweeping over the 30,000 soldiers standing solemnly below. These 30,000 soldiers were a powerful army he had painstakingly built, based on modern military training concepts and combined with cultivation methods.

"Dragon Soars!" Zhang Kui shouted in a deep voice, his voice like the clang of metal echoing throughout the training ground.

"Wind! Wind! Wind!" Seven thousand cavalrymen responded in unison, their shouts sweeping across the land like rolling thunder. These knights, both rider and horse, were clad in heavy black armor, its metallic sheen gleaming coldly in the sunlight. They wielded twelve-foot-long spears, wore hundred-refined sabers at their waists, and carried powerful bows and crossbows on their backs. Their movements were perfectly synchronized and fluid. Leading the charge was a man with a thick, steel-like beard and a rugged face, wielding a long, fine iron spear—Zhang Boyuan, a captain of the Dragon Cavalry. His aura surged with power; though he wasn't using his full strength, the restrained killing intent was already terrifying, like a tiger poised to pounce. Once the Dragon Cavalry charged, they would be like an unstoppable torrent of steel.

"Eagle Soars!" Zhang Kui called out again.

"Whoosh! Hah!" Three thousand archers marched forward, their movements crisp and clean. The specially made bows they carried were longer and stiffer than ordinary foot bows, their quivers filled with talismanic arrows inscribed with simple exorcising runes. Captain Li Zhongqian, around forty years old, had a sharp, wiry face, and beneath his prominent eyebrows, his hazel eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. His arms were unusually long, and he stood steadily in a ready-to-draw stance, an invisible pressure emanating from him. The Eagle Flying Army was Zhang Kui's sharpest long-range spearhead, their arrows raining down, precise and deadly.

"Tiger Warriors!"

"Tiger Warriors!" Zhang Kui's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" Twenty thousand heavily armored infantrymen simultaneously pounded the ground with their swords and shields, producing a deep, rhythmic roar that seemed to shake the entire training ground. Clad in heavy lamellar armor, they were like moving steel walls, their long spears like a forest and their shields like a wall.

Left Colonel Sun Shubao, with eyes like the river and a mouth like the sea, a swallow's chin and a tiger's head, held a pair of heavy iron maces, and stood there with an unwavering and steady demeanor. Right Colonel Zhao Jiyu, with an iron face and beard, a tiger's head and bulging eyes, held a broad-bladed long sword that looked like a door panel upside down, his eyes fierce and his aura menacing.

Zhang Boyuan, Li Zhongqian, Sun Shubao, and Zhao Jiyu were all promoted by Zhang Kui from the ranks. Now they have all mastered the Qi and Blood Smoke Technique. Their Qi and Blood are powerful and condensed like a substance. When they unleash their full power, the crimson smoke rises straight into the sky. They are extremely yang and strong, and are undoubtedly the pillars of the army. They are also extremely loyal to Zhang Kui.

Based on the Great Divine Power of Subduing Dragons and Tigers from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods, Zhang Kui simplified it into the "Tendon-Changing and Bone-Forging Technique," a method suitable for ordinary soldiers. This technique continuously stimulates the body's potential, strengthens tendons and bones, and enhances qi and blood.

In the army today, there are many who possess the strength of a thousand pounds and can run like a horse. There are even more outstanding individuals whose blood and qi are as strong as mercury and as turbulent as a river, with muscles and bones far stronger than ordinary people. This army of 30,000 has been transformed through Zhang Kui's almost harsh training and massive investment of resources, becoming a truly powerful army that obeys orders without question and whose blood and qi soar to the sky.

Zhang Kui not only drilled the troops, but also personally arranged for Wu Wenhua, the four colonels, and other skilled soldiers to spar with each other, honing their martial arts skills and familiarizing themselves with battlefield combat. He himself did not abandon his martial arts, horsemanship, and battlefield combat skills, because in certain situations, close combat is still the key to victory.

However, just as the intense training atmosphere reached its peak, Zhang Kui, perched high on horseback, suddenly sensed something and abruptly pulled on the reins. The black-smoke beastman reared up and let out a neigh. Zhang Kui's eyes flashed like lightning, instantly turning towards the direction of the military camp gate, his brows furrowing slightly. After advancing to the True Immortal realm, his spiritual senses were far sharper than ordinary people, and a faint sense of unease lingered in his heart.

"My lord, urgent military intelligence!" The scout dismounted, nearly staggering to the ground from exhaustion, but still managed to kneel on one knee, raising a faintly glowing encrypted jade slip high in his hands, his voice hoarse and urgent.

Zhang Kui leaped off his horse, took the jade slip, and swiftly immersed his divine sense into it. The jade slip contained little information, yet it caused his gaze to suddenly sharpen. The jade slip contained two pieces of information:

Report 1: The battle in Beihai remains at a stalemate. Yuan Futong and the other seventy-two warlords, relying on their geographical advantage and the assistance of unorthodox strategists, are putting up a stubborn resistance. However, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong has seized the opportunity and begun to gradually turn the tide. He has finally been able to free up his hands and issue a crucial order—his younger brother Zhang Shan, as well as General Zheng Lun and General Chen Qi, have received clear instructions and are leading a portion of their elite troops to Mianchi County for garrison duty.

Secondly, a secret report from Chaoge states that recently, strange and sinister individuals have been frequently seen entering and leaving Fei Zhong's residence at night, acting suspiciously as if they are plotting something. Combined with the previously scattered information, their target is highly likely to be Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, who is imprisoned in Youli.

"Finally, they couldn't hold back any longer?" A cold glint flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes, and he sneered inwardly. "Grand Tutor Wen has finally made progress; the Mianchi plan has begun, which is extremely advantageous. The treacherous officials in the court, as expected, don't want Ji Chang to live, much less see me rise to power here!"

He waved for the nearly exhausted scouts to go and rest, then abruptly turned to face the 30,000 troops standing solemnly below the command platform. A vast and boundless aura of a true immortal, mixed with an iron-blooded and murderous intent, spread out from him like an invisible wave, enveloping the entire training ground and suffocating everyone.

He waved for the scouts to go and rest, then turned to face the four captains and thirty thousand soldiers standing solemnly below the platform. A chilling aura naturally emanated from him, enveloping the entire training ground.

"Zhang Boyuan!"

"Li Zhongqian!"

"Sun Shubao!"

"Zhao Jiyu!"

"Your subordinates are here!" Four captains stepped forward, their voices booming like bells. Their blood and qi surged involuntarily, and crimson qi smoke faintly emanated from their bodies, merging with the tangible blood-red aura of the 30,000 troops behind them, forming a rolling crimson cloud in the air. This extremely yang, extremely powerful, and brutally murderous military aura would likely cause any ordinary cultivator to have their mind overwhelmed and their magical power to dissipate immediately if they were placed within it.

Zhang Kui's gaze swept over his four trusted generals, his voice cold and firm, carrying an unquestionable authority that clearly resonated throughout every corner of the training ground: "Pass down the order: effective immediately, the Youli camp will enter a state of combat readiness."

"The Dragon Cavalry will send out scouts and rangers fifty li away. I want them to be so well-known that even birds cannot hide within those fifty li."

"Eagle Soaring Army, immediately occupy all high ground around the camp. Nock your arrows, keep your bows at all times, and keep a close watch on every suspicious corner."

"Tiger Warriors, reinforce your camp defenses and inspect all weapons, crossbows, and cannons. Be prepared for battle at any time."

"We obey our lord's orders! Kill! Kill! Kill!" The 30,000 soldiers roared in unison, their voices rolling like thunder from a clear sky, causing the flags around the training ground to flutter wildly. Their soaring fighting spirit and murderous aura almost tore through the clouds!

Zhang Kui stood with his hands behind his back, gazing towards Chaoge, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Trying to touch Ji Chang on my turf is suicide..."

The peaceful days are over; a storm is brewing.