Chapter 141 - 140: You guys don’t want the teacher to lose face, right?!

Chapter 141: Chapter 140: You guys don’t want the teacher to lose face, right?! Ji Fa was genuinely terrified of the Asuras. That day, he stretched his neck anxiously to look downward, worried that Shen Gongbao might summon another group of ferocious warriors like the Asuras. But upon realizing they were just ordinary Shang generals, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Prime Minister, I’ll leave it to you!" "I’ll go back to building the city!" Old Jiang had no choice but to lead the troops into battle. Thankfully, in such conventional warfare, he was protected by the Central Wujixing Yellow Banner, which ensured his life wasn’t in danger. However, without Yang Jian, Lei Zhenzi, and Yang Ren, the situation was consistently against him. On the opposing side, Shen Gongbao’s subordinates, including the little giant Wu Wenhua, generals Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao, as well as Xu Fang, Long Anji, and Ma Zhong, were undeniably brimming with talent. On the contrary, Xi Qi had suffered grievous losses: Nangong Shi and Tai Dian, two major generals, had been killed in action. The middle-ranking officers had nearly been wiped out, leaving Old Jiang the only one worth mentioning. As for the warriors, Yang Jian’s whereabouts were unknown. Lei Zhenzi was literally just a head, being carried around by Master Taiyi, who was racking his brain to find a way to rebuild his body. Yang Ren was missing limbs, and Yun Zhongzi was also trying to come up with a solution. Lord Lao Zi’s Golden Pills could theoretically resolve the issue, but Yun Zhongzi and Taiyi didn’t have the standing to request them. The only usable forces were Huang Tianhua, Han Dulong, Xue Ehu, and Wei Hu. Wei Hu was calm and clever, but he’d never exert himself fully. Huang Tianhua, the fact that he could stand unscathed at this point, was thanks in part to Old Jiang’s care and his own maturity. He was no longer the naive hothead who had just come down the mountain. If not for saving face, he would have long fled to Nantang to find his father. As for Han Dulong and Xue Ehu, neither of them was even at the level of a Human Immortal, and they didn’t have decent Magical Treasures. They were only recruited to block tribulations and could at most handle mortal military generals. When facing someone like the little giant Wu Wenhua, a top-tier human combatant, they were no match at all. Old Jiang simply had no other options. The strategies were ineffective, the troops were outnumbered, the generals were outclassed in martial power, and morale was completely shattered. Fight? "Why don’t you ask Chiyou to come fight for you? I, Old Jiang, have no solutions at all." Forced into a corner, Old Jiang, now proficient in the Chan Sect’s exclusive skill of ’Shaking People,’ packed his belongings and prepared to head to Kunlun Mountain in search of reinforcements! "The teacher said to assist Zhou and topple Shang. You, as disciples of the teacher, wouldn’t want the teacher to lose face, would you?" Back in Xi Qi, they continued to prominently display their ’ceasefire token.’ Arriving at Yuxu Palace, Old Jiang was once again received by Child Bai He. As the apprentice of the true senior apprentice-brother of the Chan Sect, Nanji Immortal, and the servant of Yuanshi Tianzun, Bai He’s demeanor was outwardly polite but inwardly contemptuous of Old Jiang. To be fair, there weren’t many people Bai He regarded highly. "Uncle Jiang, please return. I will personally inform the other uncles of this matter." With each round of Old Jiang’s deaths, his bond with Yuxu Palace weakened increasingly. In reality, it was no different from how the Chan Sect immortals used their disciples to block tribulations. He was just one of those tribulation-blockers for the Chan Sect. Now he couldn’t even meet with his own teacher. His bitterness was something no outsider could possibly understand. Helpless, he turned to leave. "You deal with it as you see fit; I’ve done my best. If you all don’t show up, well, let the West Zhou perish." Yuanshi Tianzun wasn’t truly indifferent, though. When he learned of Jiang Ziya’s arrival, he had already instructed Bai He to send out a notification. However, after two members of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect had consecutively fallen onto the Investiture of the Gods list, it was perfectly normal for morale to be low. Among them, Yun Zhongzi and Taiyi really couldn’t spare any time, as they were focused on discussing the restoration of their disciples’ bodies. Taiyi genuinely cared deeply for Lei Zhenzi, while Yun Zhongzi was keen on pursuing his research. The cases of Lei Zhenzi and Yang Ren were, on the surface, quite simple. Bodies could easily be reconstructed. Yang Ren didn’t particularly care, but Lei Zhenzi was a different story. Lei Zhenzi’s original body had the potential to sustain him until he could become a Saint, though his odds of achieving sainthood were almost zero. When Master Taiyi performed his second round of biological research to craft a Lotus Avatar for Lei Zhenzi, its upper limit was merely that of a Golden Immortal—matching Taiyi’s own cultivation level. After all, could a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal craft a Saintly body? That would simply be asking for too much. Reaching the Golden Immortal stage was already the result of immense dedication and resources poured in by Taiyi. But after dying once, Lei Zhenzi’s original cultivation potential, which had been second only to Yang Jian, had drastically declined. The Golden Immortal-grade body crafted by Taiyi would suffice. What about now, though? Lei Zhenzi was down to just a head. Replacing it with another Lotus body? That would require killing Lei Zhenzi again and then reviving him once more. Even attaining the Golden Immortal stage down the road would then become a grueling challenge. This was precisely why Taiyi was troubled. If not for his deep bond with Lei Zhenzi, he would have long replaced the body and sent Lei Zhenzi on his way. As a last resort, he sought the assistance of Yun Zhongzi, a close ally, to brainstorm solutions together. In truth, two straightforward solutions existed. The first was to have Lady Nuwa use the way of creation to mold a new body—pain-free, without any side effects, and a hundred times better than the original. The second was to petition Lord Lao Zi to forge specialized Nine-Turn Golden Pills in his alchemy furnace. Consuming such a pill would ensure a flawless body. But neither Yun Zhongzi nor Taiyi had sufficient standing to make such requests. Yang Jian, however, had managed to secure these privileges previously by combining a demon-extermination mission with Hao Tian’s backing, as well as his identity as a Chan Sect disciple. Otherwise, Lord Lao Zi wouldn’t have even glanced at him! "Do you think you’re Li Jing or something?" Li Jing, who offered prayers to his tower every day, was occasionally rewarded with subtle responses from it. "Brother Taiyi, why not directly craft a Magical Treasure to replace Lei Zhenzi’s body?" suggested Yun Zhongzi. Taiyi shook his head. "Not appropriate, not appropriate. We cultivators pursue the path of immortality. How could one use a treasure as their body?" "Then why not seek Sister Ci Hang and ask for Divine Water to nurture Lei Zhenzi’s Lotus body? Perhaps it could grow into flesh?" "Not feasible. When I refined the Lotus body, its potential for growth was already eliminated." Yun Zhongzi was at his wit’s end. "This doesn’t work, that doesn’t work. So what do you plan to do?" "What if we ask Junior Brother Nezha for help?" Taiyi hesitated. In truth, Nezha was his most cherished disciple in his mind. The more exceptional Nezha became, the more awkward Taiyi felt, because he knew full well that, had Nezha truly been under his tutelage from the beginning, his accomplishments would be unimaginable. Still, after glancing at Lei Zhenzi’s imploring, puppy-dog eyes, Taiyi’s heart softened. "Fine, let’s go!" Thus, the two rode their clouds toward West Zhou with their disciples. Both had received Bai He’s notification. Yun Zhongzi intended to accompany Master Taiyi, make a brief appearance, and then detour toward Nantang. As for Master Taiyi, he was going to pay a symbolic visit. After all, his disciple had suffered for the great endeavor, leaving no grounds for criticism. Before Taiyi and Yun Zhongzi had departed, the ever-dutiful Master Huang Long had already set out upon receiving the message. With Huang Long leading the way, the other Chan Sect immortals felt less urgency to act. Huang Long—born to endure beatings! ... South Tang, Nanchang City, Royal Palace In the king’s bedchambers, King Ji was dressed in pure white silk garments with knee-high white stockings. Her hair was tied into twin ponytails, giving off a youthful and girlish aura. At this moment, she was lying atop Nezha, conjuring a Water Mirror with one hand while constantly critiquing her outfit. "Nezha, what’s with this weird outfit? So improper." Nezha wrapped an arm around Daji’s slender waist and also looked into the Water Mirror, commenting, "I think it looks really beautiful." King Ji rolled her eyes. "Good thing you’re not a king, or you’d definitely be some lecherous, incompetent ruler." Nezha smirked. "Oh? Aren’t you quite the flirt yourself? And I’ve never heard anyone call you incompetent." King Ji grinned smugly. "Anyone who says it is sent outside the city to sweep dust." "Ha, lecherous monarch! Seems like I’ll have to discipline you properly!" "How dare you—I’m the king... mmph, mmph!" After a bout of playful chaos, Daji, completely exhausted, rested limply. Nezha, meanwhile, checked his reflection in the mirror. The face staring back was as handsome as ever, brimming with energy—he clearly had no need for self-imposed restraint. "I could still take on ten opponents!" Of course, Nezha wasn’t some hedonistic degenerate. It was just that, having suddenly disengaged from the rigorous duties of cultivation, he was struggling to adjust.