Chapter 454 Man Will Conquer Nature
Su Quanzhong, Yu De, and Wu Wenhua competed with each other, each choosing a direction to lead their troops in pursuit of Ji Fa's remaining troops who had escaped.
Unfortunately, they ultimately returned empty-handed. Shen Gongbao stood guard beside Ji Fa, and it would be a fool for him to hand over such a tremendous achievement.
“King Wu, now that the army has been utterly defeated and the remnants have scattered and fled, with no way forward, why don’t we head to Chuanyun Pass? There is still an army there that can escort you back to Xiqi. It shouldn’t be difficult,” Shen Gongbao persuaded.
A living Ji Fa is more valuable than a dead Ji Fa.
"Alright, let's heed the Grand Tutor's words and head towards Chuanyun Pass." Ji Faxin said. Now, he only had Shen Gongbao by his side, so he could only take it one step at a time, hoping that Chuanyun Pass could be opened up as soon as possible. He wanted to return to Xiqi.
Shen Gongbao's lips curled up. Where is there any place for 'Ji' in Xiqi now? The king has already uprooted her.
"The journey to Chuanyun Pass is long and arduous. King Wu, please hide in my sleeve, and I will use my immortal magic to reach Chuanyun Pass in an instant."
Once they reached Chuanyun Pass, Lu Yuan knew his identity. As long as he handed over Ji Fa, he would get the credit, and no one could deny that he deserved the greatest credit.
Ji Fa thought about it again and realized that it made sense. There were Shang soldiers searching for him everywhere, so it would be safer to have Shen Gongbao take him.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Grand Tutor." Ji Fa breathed a sigh of relief. If he had been captured by the Yin Shang soldiers, he would have been chopped into mincemeat.
Shen Gongbao's sleeves suddenly widened, large enough for Ji Fa to walk in.
Ji Fa composed himself, silently praying that this was the Grand Tutor and that he would not harm him, before stepping inside.
Shen Gongbao looked at his sleeves with satisfaction; he had secured his position.
………………
Above Chuanyun Pass, Yang Jian and Nezha were locked in a fierce battle, while not far away, Jinzha and Muzha were exchanging blows with the Golden-Winged Roc Yu Yixian.
Although Yang Jian is a skilled fighter, Nezha has three heads and six arms, not to mention he's fully armed from head to toe. Taiyi Zhenren must dote on Nezha to be so worried about him.
Yang Jian got more and more injured as the fight went on, suffering from the disadvantage of his weapon. Nezha didn't care, as Nezha relied on his innate spiritual treasures to steadily suppress Yang Jian. The fact that he was able to coax so many spiritual treasures from his master was also a testament to his strength.
"General, the forces appear evenly matched from above, but we don't know how long the battle will last. Our army can't afford to drag this out any longer." Zhou Jun's deputy general was worried. The camp was out of food, and the soldiers had rushed here hungry. They hadn't eaten a single grain of rice all day and had been relying on water to stave off hunger. They couldn't wait even half a day.
The two armies remained stationary. Although the immortal master was the first line of defense, whether they could capture the city after the barrier was breached depended on their respective abilities.
But what advantage do they have now? If they wait any longer, they won't even have the strength to lift their weapons.
"General, order the attack on the city. Although a night raid sounds bad, the longer we drag this out, the worse the situation will be for us," Deputy General Zhou earnestly persuaded.
Zhou glanced once more at the two forces battling in the sky, wiped his face, and finally gave the order: "Attack the city..."
He couldn't possibly starve to death at the city gate; if that were passed down to future generations, wouldn't people laugh their heads off? He couldn't bear that kind of shame, so he'd rather die in battle—that would at least sound better.
As soon as Zhou Jun made any unusual movement, Lu Yuan on the city wall immediately ordered the shooting of arrows, which were flaming fire arrows. In an instant, arrows rained down, and flames soared into the sky, as bright as day.
"Who is willing to follow me out to meet the enemy..." Lu Yuan shouted.
"This humble general is willing to go..." His voice resounded through the heavens...
The soldiers of Yin Shang were ordered to quell the rebellion. The king had spent a great deal of money on the military. The soldiers were strong and well-equipped, with sharp armor and spears. They were full of righteous spirit and had won one battle after another. They were at the peak of their morale.
The Western Zhou, which was disloyal, unjust, arrogant, and treacherous, was immediately crushed with overwhelming force, and the situation was completely one-sided.
Lu Yuan raised his spear, "Disarm and you will not be killed..."
"Disarm and you will not be killed..." Lu Yuan's personal guards shouted in unison.
"Disarm and you will not be killed..." the Yin Shang soldiers shouted in unison.
Zhou Jun had long lost his morale. His deputy general was overwhelmed by the overwhelming momentum and lost all will to fight. He finally threw down his weapon. Seeing this, the surrounding soldiers also threw down their bamboo spears. Only Zhou Jun and his elite troops were left to hold on desperately.
The encirclement was getting tighter and tighter. Lu Yuan sliced off Zhou Jiang's head with a single stroke. "Traitor, surrender and you will not be killed."
Just then, Shen Gongbao, disguised, arrived. Upon seeing the scene, he immediately pulled out Ji Fa from his sleeve, shouting, "The bandit leader is here! Disarm and you will not be killed..."
Ji was stunned, muttering, "Grand Tutor..."
"No need for that, don't call me that. It makes me feel guilty. What kind of Grand Tutor am I? I'm just the Grand Tutor who helped you send people to their deaths. Anyway, since you've fallen into my hands, it's a victory for my Jie Sect." Shen Gongbao touched the goosebumps that had risen on his arm.
He had wanted to say this for a long time: before even establishing a state, Ji Chang and Ji Fa were already bestowing titles like prime minister and grand tutor upon their close associates; it was simply laughable.
Ji Fa's eyes widened in fury. "It was you! You betrayed me!"
"That's really not true." Shen Gongbao denied Ji Fa's accusation without any guilt, his face full of heartbreak. He knew about the spying, but it was something he couldn't admit to.
Moreover, apart from that assassin list, Shen Gongbao hasn't really released any major news.
"I recruited many fellow disciples from the Jie Sect for you, pouring my heart and soul into helping you to follow the will of Heaven, but what have you done? You are all show and no substance, utterly useless and beyond redemption." Shen Gongbao said with heartache, clutching his chest and looking as if he could hardly breathe.
Ji Fa hesitated, his expression growing increasingly uncertain as he thought of the tens of thousands of fellow disciples Shen Gongbao had recruited for him.
Yes...yes, they are brothers from the same school.
"You've lost, but you'll only die. But what about me? I'll be bound by the Investiture of the Gods for all eternity, unable to escape its clutches. In this situation, I'm thinking of the fate of the Jie Sect, of my fallen comrades, of my future, and of securing a little more fortune for the Jie Sect. King Wu, Shen Gongbao has done so much for you, and you won't even grant me this last little favor?" Shen Gongbao twisted the truth, successfully turning Ji Fa's mind into mush, leaving him even more confused.
"General, I entrust King Wu to you. I hope you will give him some dignity." Shen Gongbao said with a righteous air, but with a hint of helpless melancholy.
Ji Fa completely abandoned his previous unwavering belief. He had let down Shen Gongbao, who had placed high hopes on him and staked everything on his sinking warship.
Lu Yuan twitched his lips and waved for his guards to tie up the man. Shen Gongbao was as talkative as ever, able to make the dead seem alive.
Ji Fa, who doesn't seem very bright, was handed over by Shen Gongbao himself, and was even moved to tears by his gratitude.
Lu Yuan's personal guards immediately rushed forward, bound Ji Fa, who had become unusually obedient, tightly, and stuffed him into a specially made prison cart.
With their leader captured by the Shang dynasty and their general killed, the Zhou army, having lost all morale, suffered a complete rout...
"Hahahaha..." Lu Yuan laughed loudly, knowing that fate was ultimately meaningless and that the Yin Shang dynasty would win in the end.
Lu Yuan raised his blood-stained spear, his face covered in blood, but his eyes shone brightly. "Man will conquer nature..."
"Man can conquer nature!!!" The echoes of the Yin Shang soldiers stopped the clouds in their tracks. Who said that the Yin Shang dynasty's fortunes were coming to an end? It was clearly at the height of its prosperity.
"Nezha, your Xiqi has lost." Yang Jian was in high spirits. "Shall we continue fighting?"
Can man conquer nature? Very well, we cultivators should also have this unwavering belief.
Nezha looked down at the sky and cursed under his breath. "What kind of destiny is this? It's a trap. I like the idea that man can conquer nature."
"Fight! Of course we'll fight! I don't care who wins or loses below, I only care about who wins or loses between you and me." Nezha is the chief disciple of the third generation, how could he back down in front of everyone? That would be a disgrace to the Three Pure Ones.
Upon hearing Nezha's words, Jinzha and Muzha immediately felt reassured and their resolve strengthened once again as they sparred with the Golden-Winged Roc and the Feathered Immortal.
Nezha is right, let's fight first and then talk.
Helpless, Yang Jian raised his halberd once more to face Nezha. This annoying personality of Nezha seemed familiar.
The sound of Chuanyun Pass pierced through the clouds and split rocks, naturally attracting the attention of the goddess Nuwa above the clouds.
Upon seeing it, Nuwa's eyes widened. Wasn't this the Spirit Pearl?
Nuwa pondered for a moment, then laughed in exasperation, "You little spirit pearl, you actually ran away from home. What's the use of hiding? You still ended up in my hands."
Nuwa glanced at the terrifying array at Lintong Pass, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Array, and other arrays she didn't know about. Not daring to go in, Nuwa turned and headed towards Chuanyun Pass.
Taiyi looked at Nuwa, then glanced at Lintong Pass and Chuanyun Pass in the lower realm. Where were Xiao Shi and his nephews?
Since he was undecided, Taiyi simply closed his eyes and quietly sensed the situation. After a moment, he resolutely headed towards Lintong Pass.
Mu Zha captured Yu Yi Xian and stood aside; the outcome was already decided.
Both Nezha and Yang Jian are ruthless individuals who grow stronger with each battle, possessing a certain madness. Yang Jian is composed, while Nezha is cunning. Judging from their current state, it's hard to imagine how many days and months they will fight.
"Lingzhuzi..." Nuwa's voice grew louder as she gracefully descended from the clouds, accompanied by the falling of a golden lotus, auspicious energy, and purple clouds rising from the east.
Nezha was struck as if by lightning and turned to run away.
Nuwa's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. "Well, so it was just a guess before. Now, is there any need to guess anymore? The runaway is confirmed."
Run fast! If you can't escape, you'll have to go back to Nuwa Palace and keep wearing women's clothes.
Nezha used every trick in the book, putting in an extraordinary effort. He was seriously trying to escape, as if haunted by a living ghost, but countless times more terrifying than that.
The living ghost Nezha could defeat him, but the goddess Nezha had absolutely no chance against him.
Upon seeing this, Yang Jian stepped forward and said, "Yang Jian pays his respects to Goddess Nuwa."
Nuwa glanced at Yang Jian with a half-smile, clearly seeing that Lingzhu was doing quite well.
Nuwa froze Yang Jian in place with a single glance, then leisurely moved forward like a cat playing with a mouse, certain that the Spirit Pearl could not escape her grasp.
Lingzhu ran for her life when suddenly her eyes lit up, "Your Majesty..."
"Savior!!" Nezha almost burst into tears of joy.
Taiyi heard a familiar voice behind him, turned around, and saw Nezha rushing over in a flurry, then darting behind him.
"Your Majesty, I don't want to be taken away by Goddess Nuwa." Lingzhu stared at the Emperor expectantly, wondering if he could stop Goddess Nuwa.
Nezha's heart pounded. He secretly glanced back at the formation of Lintong Pass. If all else failed, he would seize the opportunity to continue his escape. The formation of Lintong Pass was quite good. If he hid inside, even if Goddess Nuwa wanted to find him, she would have to enter the formation.
“Goddess Nuwa, I don’t know what Nezha has done to offend you. I apologize to you on Nezha’s behalf. Nezha is still young. I hope you will be magnanimous after punishing him and spare his life. Taiyi will be eternally grateful.”
Taiyi stood in front of Nezha. Although he was not familiar with Nezha, he was still someone that Xiao Shi had picked up and carefully raised. He couldn't just let Goddess Nuwa kill him at will.
"Nezha?" Nuwa laughed in exasperation. "Lingzhu, you're quite capable." You're quite studious, knowing that it's inconvenient for her to take action against Donghuang.
"Lingzhuzi?" Taiyi glanced at Nezha, who silently looked away and dared not look at him, and understood.
“Taiyi, you are unaware of this. Lingzhu is a member of my Nuwa Palace. I hope you will allow me to take her back,” Nuwa explained, assuming that Taiyi, knowing the reason, would not meddle.
To everyone's surprise, Taiyi said apologetically, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that won't do. Nezha was personally rescued from Heaven by the Heavenly Emperor..."
"The Heavenly Emperor sent him to Kunlun to become a disciple. Now, Nezha is the grand-disciple of the Primordial Celestial Venerable. If Your Majesty wishes to take him away, you must personally ask the Heavenly Emperor and the Primordial Celestial Venerable for him."
Nuwa's gaze fell on Lingzhuzi, "I didn't expect that you, Lingzhuzi, would be such a capable person."
Xiao Shi, Yuanshi Tianzun, who can she afford to offend?
Nezha's ears turned red. "Your Majesty, I am now Nezha. Please call me Nezha."
It was all luck; Nezha himself didn't have the ability to accurately find a reliable backer.
Nuwa finally understood why she couldn't find Lingzhuzi anywhere. It turned out that Lingzhuzi had genuinely accepted the name Nezha and made Nezha the name she recognized.
How is Nuwa supposed to find it? No matter how she calculates, she can't find the Spirit Pearl that was renamed out of thin air.
"Very well, Lingzhuzi, I'll ask you one more time, do you really not want to return to Nuwa Palace?" Nuwa still had some feelings for Lingzhuzi, so the more Lingzhuzi resisted returning to Nuwa Palace, the angrier Nuwa became.
"No, it's just that Nezha is a true man, how can he stay in Nuwa's palace and play with her dressed as a girl?" Nezha suppressed his shame and earnestly reasoned with Nuwa.
"If this keeps up, I won't be able to tell if I'm a man or a woman anymore, I'll soon be neither male nor female," Nezha thought to himself. What if he turned into a sissy? That would be terrible.
Wudang would then become a tomboy. If you made her wear a fairy dress, Wudang could tear that gorgeous dress apart with ten thousand swords.
Taiyi looked at Nuwa again and again, never expecting that Nuwa had this peculiar habit.
As he pondered, Taiyi's expression changed slightly. Had Xiaoshi, who had refused to go to the Nuwa Palace, seen him there during a visit?
Nuwa couldn't save face, and anger rose in her heart. "Fine, the child is rebellious. He must not have been beaten enough. I'll make him bloom when I catch the Spirit Pearl."
"Help..." Nezha was very familiar with the Goddess Nuwa. He knew something was wrong as soon as he saw her expression, and he turned around and tried to run away again.
Of course, if he couldn't escape, Nezha wouldn't mind getting a beating and being dragged back to Nuwa Palace, even if it meant never seeing His Majesty or his master again, which would leave him with regrets.
Just then, the formation of Lintong Pass could not withstand the fierce battle between a quasi-Great Dao Saint and five Heavenly Dao Saints within the formation, causing it to explode. The residual force of the explosion caused the area to experience a repeat of the cycle of earth, wind, water, and fire.
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