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

Chapter 51: The Book of Changes Emerges, Humanity Knows Its Mandate

Time flies. More than a year has passed since Yu Qing brought Grand Tutor Wen's secret order, mentioning the upcoming transfer of Zhang Shan, Zheng Lun, and Chen Qi to garrison Mianchi.

When Zhang Kui first heard the news, he was naturally excited.

After all, if brothers could stand side by side, guarding their hometown's strategic pass, commanding elite troops and generals, they would be able to attack or defend, making it an excellent foothold in a chaotic world. He had even repeatedly mentally rehearsed the Mianchi defense system, how to utilize the natural barrier of the Yellow River, how to set up formations, and how to make full use of the abilities of the two generals, Heng and Ha.

However, the war in Beihai took another turn, causing the central government's order to transfer troops to Chaoge to be delayed. The initial excitement was gradually replaced by anxiety. Zhang Kui sent people to Chaoge several times to inquire about the situation, but only received the reply that "the battle in Beihai is fierce and there are many complicated matters, so the transfer of troops should be postponed."

Over time, Zhang Kui's anxiety turned into calm. After all, he knew that in this calamity of the gods, personal will seemed so insignificant in the face of the immense power struggle between destiny and forces. Rather than waiting idly, it was better to do things he could control to increase his confidence in dealing with the situation.

Over the past year, Zhang Kui, leveraging his authority and the gradually forming elite force under his command, secretly established a secret unit directly under his command. This unit did not participate in direct combat, but specialized in infiltration, covert operations, and intelligence gathering. Zhang Kui, with a wicked sense of humor, named it the "Jinyiwei" (Imperial Bodyguards).

He focused the "Imperial Guards" primarily on two fronts: first, on the two core areas of Chaoge and Xiqi, where they would be the future main battlegrounds, closely monitoring the movements and personnel changes of all parties; second, on key passes in the original story's war against King Zhou, such as Qinglong Pass, Jiameng Pass, Sishui Pass, and Jiepai Pass, making advance preparations and gathering information on their geography and garrison commanders. This force, like Zhang Kui's extended tentacles, though still somewhat immature, had already begun to provide him with fragmented but crucial pieces of information from the outside world.

In terms of cultivation, after Zhang Kui stabilized his early True Immortal realm, his progress, though not as rapid as before, was still steady. He diligently cultivated the Golden Core Dao every day, refining his magical power, while also devoting a great deal of energy to studying the Five Elements Great Escape and the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light.

Although the Five Elements Feathers given by Kong Xuan have been completely integrated into the Five Organs Dharma Image, the innate Five Elements Daoist rhyme contained within them is still an excellent reference.

The refining of the Treasure-Dropping Coin plunged Zhang Kui into an unprecedented predicament. As his understanding of the "Way of Balance" deepened, a truth gradually surfaced—the Treasure-Dropping Coin was actually based on the pursuit of human merit to realize the operation of the Way of Balance.

Unlike the merits of Heaven and Earth, the merits of Humanity are mixed with too many "poisons" that practitioners should avoid at all costs. The turbidity of the mortal world, the entanglement of cause and effect, the three poisons of greed, anger and ignorance, the seven emotions and six desires... these impurities that one should be afraid to get involved with on the path of cultivation are like a bone-deep carbuncle in the merits of Humanity, intertwined and difficult to separate.

Aside from his spiritual practice, Zhang Kui would visit Ji Chang every few days, bringing food and drink. Ostensibly, it was to exchange insights on the I Ching, but Zhang Kui's true intentions were elsewhere. His talent in I Ching divination was worlds apart from his comprehension in spiritual practice. Those complex hexagrams and lines were like celestial scripture to him; often, even after Ji Chang explained them for a long time, Zhang Kui would still only have a vague understanding.

Zhang Kui's true purpose was to learn from this future sage of Yi Jing (Book of Changes) how to "disrupt the secrets of heaven" and avoid being schemed against. He knew that in the world of Investiture of the Gods, powerful beings could easily predict the past and future and make strategic moves with a simple calculation. Zhang Kui didn't want to be an ignorant pawn on someone else's chessboard. "I can't figure out others, but if others want to scheme against me, I have to ruin it for them." This was Zhang Kui's simplest and most practical thought.

When Zhang Kui confessed his idea to Ji Chang, the old Marquis was stunned, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He had spent his life studying the principles of the I Ching, aiming to understand the Dao, know destiny, and seek good fortune while avoiding misfortune; he had never imagined that someone would try to use this art to "disrupt the workings of Heaven." However, Zhang Kui had saved his life, and Zhang Kui's unconventional and imaginative ideas, stemming from his past life, often provided him with unexpected inspiration. Therefore, in his helplessness, Ji Chang did indeed begin to help Zhang Kui refine his idea of ​​"disrupting the order."

Thus, a strange scene unfolded deep within the Youli prison: Ji Chang, the great master of Yi studies and Marquis of Xibo, was not imparting his knowledge on how to divine the secrets of heaven, but rather teaching how to use one's own energy, external interference, and even specific behaviors to mislead, confuse, and obscure the divination results that might point to oneself.

One taught diligently, and the other learned attentively. Zhang Kui was quite "talented" in this regard, and by applying what he learned to other situations, he actually figured out several techniques to conceal his own destiny trajectory and interfere with calculations. Although he might not be able to completely hide from others' calculations, he could indeed play a certain role in confusing them.

On this day, Zhang Kui, as usual, carried a food box and a pot of newly brewed fruit wine to the solitary prison where Ji Chang was being held. Previously, under Zhang Kui's instructions, Ji Chang's imprisonment conditions had been greatly improved.

However, as soon as Zhang Kui stepped into the prison, he sensed something was different.

Ji Chang did not divination at his desk as usual, but sat quietly on a futon with his eyes slightly closed, his aura becoming extremely obscure and difficult to discern.

Gradually, Ji Chang became in harmony with his surroundings, his body radiating Daoist energy, and various illusory images of hexagrams appeared and disappeared, leading him into a state of sudden enlightenment.

Zhang Kui held his breath instantly, gently put down the food box and wine pot to avoid making the slightest noise, slowly retreated from the cell door, and waved to signal the guards on duty to leave immediately and stay away from the place to avoid being disturbed by anyone.

Outside the prison gate, Zhang Kui was overcome with excitement. He clearly sensed an incomparably profound aura gathering around him, naturally merging into the obscure aura surrounding Ji Chang. Faint chanting seemed to rise in the air, yet upon closer listening, no specific syllables could be discerned.

"Yes, that must be it." Zhang Kui's eyes were burning. "Ji Chang has gone into seclusion to study the Book of Changes. This is the most crucial moment. The Book of Changes... the first of all classics, the source of the Great Way, is about to be born."

He recalled fragmented memories of the I Ching from his previous life—"The I Ching has the Supreme Ultimate, which gives rise to the Two Forms, the Two Forms give rise to the Four Symbols, the Four Symbols give rise to the Eight Trigrams, the Eight Trigrams determine good and bad fortune, and good and bad fortune give rise to great undertakings." "The Tao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, and the interaction of these two forces creates harmony."

The gathering Daoist aura grew stronger and stronger, and Zhang Kui could feel Ji Chang's aura constantly shifting between obscurity and clarity.

Not daring to be negligent, Zhang Kui secretly sent a message to Wu Wenhua, ordering him to dispatch a team of trusted personal guards to secretly impose martial law in the prison area, not allowing any suspicious persons to approach.

Soon, Wu Wenhua arrived with three hundred elite troops. He also brought with him an urgent intelligence report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, sent from Chaoge.

The intelligence report made Zhang Kui frown.

Recently, undercurrents have been stirring in Chaoge. Mysterious guests have been frequently seen entering and leaving the residences of Fei Zhong and You Hun at night, their presence chilling and unlike that of ordinary people. There are also rumors that King Zhou, bewitched by Daji, is growing increasingly impatient with the protracted war in the North Sea and has even expressed some dissatisfaction with Grand Tutor Wen Zhong.

"These are turbulent times..." Zhang Kui sighed inwardly. Grand Tutor Wen must also be facing difficulties in Beihai, otherwise the transfer would not have been delayed until now.

He turned his gaze back to Ji Chang's cell, where the Daoist energy fluctuations had reached a peak, as if something was about to break free from its cocoon.

"It's about to appear." Just as Zhang Kui's thoughts were churning, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth above the entire Youli City suddenly solidified.

The prison where Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, was imprisoned had now become the center of a vortex that stirred the heavens and earth. Countless Dao essences poured in like a galaxy, collapsing madly into that small area. The ripples of the Great Dao that had been spreading above Youli City suddenly contracted, as if the breath of the entire primordial world had come to a halt.

Suddenly, a mysterious and inexplicable beam of light pierced through the heavens and earth.

The pillar of light was woven from countless flowing hexagrams. The instant the pillar shot into the sky, the night was torn to shreds, and the hundred-mile stretch of mountains and rivers was illuminated as if it were daytime. In the void, sixty-four hexagrams unfolded in succession—the Qian hexagram transformed into a nine-clawed golden dragon soaring through the heavens, its roar resounding throughout the universe; the Kun hexagram solidified into the primordial earth, bearing the vitality of all things; the Kan hexagram stirred up towering waves, the Li hexagram ignited an inextinguishable true fire, the Zhen hexagram surged with lightning, and the Xun hexagram brought a long wind that stretched for thousands of miles… All the phenomena of the heavens manifested at this moment, enveloping the entire Youli City in a vast Daoist aura.

Standing outside the courtyard, Zhang Kui felt his blood boiling. He saw his shadow twisting and deforming in the mysterious light, as if countless threads of cause and effect were being drawn from his body and merged into the towering pillar of light.

"The Book of Changes is complete; the way of humanity should be established."

The sound coming from the courtyard was as calm as still water, but the moment it rang out, it made the stars in the sky sway and shine.

At this moment, the saints of the primordial world simultaneously opened their Dao eyes.

Inside the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in the hand of the Primordial Celestial Venerable trembled slightly, a strange light flashing in his eyes: "The Heavenly Dao is fifty, but its use is forty-nine. This Ji Chang, with only a mortal body, can achieve so much..."

In the Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island, the Tongtian Sect Leader clapped his hands and laughed: "What a fine way to establish humanity! From now on, the Heavenly Dao will no longer be the sole supreme power in this world." Sensing its master's emotions, the Qingping Sword resonated continuously within its scabbard.

Inside the Eight Views Palace, Lao Tzu gently stroked the Tai Chi diagram, and the speed at which the Yin and Yang fish swirled suddenly increased. He glanced at Zhang Kui beside Ji Chang and remained silent for a long time: "A change has occurred."

In the Western Paradise, the Guide Daoist looked distressed, but the Zhunti Daoist's eyes shone brightly: "Senior brother, this is the opportunity for our Western Sect to cross over to the East."

In Nuwa's Palace, the red embroidered ball moves without wind; inside the Fiery Cloud Cave, the Three Sovereigns look at each other and smile; in the Netherworld, for the first time, the Six Paths of Reincarnation break free from the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao...

At the center of that pillar of light, Ji Chang's white hair moved without wind. Gazing at the sixty-four hexagrams flowing in his palm, he softly said, "From this day forward, humanity shall know its own destiny."