Investiture of the Gods: Childhood Sweetheart Daji, Starting with Quasi-Saint Cultivation

On the Muye Plain, war clouds hung low.

One hundred thousand Shang soldiers stood in formation with their backs to Chaoge, their black banners fluttering in the wind. Opposite them, five hundred thousand Xiqi allied troops spread out, their white Xiqi banners, blue Chanjiao banners, and gold Western sect banners mixed together like a multicolored tide.

Su Yunbai stood on horseback at the front of the formation, dressed in white without armor, only a long sword formed from the threads of love hanging at his waist. To his left, Yunxiao wore plain clothes, with her Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Qin resting on her lap; to his right, Qiongxiao wore an ice-blue skirt, and her Frostflower Sword was already drawn three-tenths of its sheath.

"Jiang Ziya is indeed cautious," Qiongxiao said coldly. "Five hundred thousand against one hundred thousand, and he's still adopting a defensive stance."

"He's waiting for people's human fortune to run out." Su Yunbai looked towards Chaoge.

A golden river of humanity stretched from Chaoge, coiling like a giant python above the Shang army. Each soldier radiated a faint golden glow—the blessing of humanity's fortune, which could make mortals fearless and allow the wounded to heal quickly.

However, King Zhou's efforts to maintain this formation in Chaoge were extremely costly.

"Half a day," Yunxiao estimated. "His Majesty can only hold out for half a day at most."

"Then let's decide the outcome within half a day." Su Yunbai gripped his sword.

At this moment, Jiang Ziya rode out from the Xiqi formation, with Yang Jian and Nezha by his side, and four Arhats sitting cross-legged on lotus platforms behind him.

"General Su," Jiang Ziya's voice echoed across the battlefield, "why resist so stubbornly? The fate of the Shang Dynasty is sealed; this is the will of Heaven."

"The will of Heaven?" Su Yunbai laughed. "Jiang Shang, you are also human, yet you willingly become a lackey of Heaven. Don't you find it pathetic?"

Jiang Ziya's face darkened.

"Stubborn to the end—beat the drums!"

Boom!Boom!Boom!

The war drums of Xiqi sounded.

The vanguard of 50,000 infantrymen began their advance, their shields forming a wall and their spears a forest.

Su Yunbai raised his hand.

Within the Shang army formation, three thousand elite soldiers stepped forward. These were the elite troops personally trained by Jiang Xiaowu; though only three thousand strong, they exuded a murderous aura comparable to an army of one hundred thousand.

"Form ranks."

Three thousand men shouted in unison, and their fierce military aura soared into the sky, condensing into a giant blood-red axe in the air.

"cut!"

The giant axe came crashing down!

The shield formation of the Xiqi vanguard shattered instantly, and hundreds of men turned into a bloody mist in a flash!

"What a powerful military formation!" Yang Jian's pupils contracted.

Jiang Ziya sneered, "No matter how strong the army is, how many can it kill? The entire army—charge forward!"

Two hundred thousand Xiqi troops advanced simultaneously!

Like the tide crashing against the shore.

The Shang army's lines began to retreat.

It wasn't that they were afraid of war, but rather that the disparity in troop strength was simply too great. Often, one Shang soldier had to face five or six enemy soldiers, and even with the blessing of human fortune, they gradually became overwhelmed.

"Yunxiao," Su Yunbai said.

"clear."

Yunxiao pressed the strings with both hands.

Clang—!

The Nine Heavens Jade Zither played its first note.

The sound waves rippled across the battlefield. Upon hearing them, the soldiers of Xiqi froze in unison—hallucinations flashed before their eyes; some saw their wives and children at home, others saw their fallen comrades, and their will to fight vanished.

But the four Arhats were chanting scriptures at the same time.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha..."

The vast Buddhist chants drowned out the sound of the zither.

"Qiongxiao," Su Yunbai said again.

The Frosty Jade Sword was drawn from its sheath.

The sword flashed like snow, slashing towards an Arhat!

The Arhat hastily used his Vajra to defend himself, but the Frost Flower Sword was an innate spiritual treasure, nurtured by Qiongxiao for a thousand years. With a single strike, the Vajra cracked!

"What?!" Arhat exclaimed in shock.

Qiongxiao did not pursue, but instead turned her sword and slashed at another Arhat with her second sword.

She fought two opponents alone and held her own!

Su Yunbai looked at Jiang Ziya.

"It's our turn."

He spurred his horse and charged out, his love-struck fingers aimed straight at Jiang Ziya!

Yang Jian and Nezha intercepted them simultaneously.

The three-pointed double-edged sword and the fire-tipped spear arrived simultaneously!

Su Yunbai neither dodged nor avoided, his love threads transforming into countless silver strands that entwined around the two of them.

The silver threads are invisible, and they specifically target the soul.

Yang Jian's third eye suddenly opened, shooting out golden light and severing some of the silver threads. But more silver threads wrapped around him, and his movements gradually slowed down.

Nezha was even more miserable—he was an incarnation of a lotus, originally without a soul, but the tangled threads of emotion stirred up feelings, and even a lotus incarnation has feelings. Countless distracting thoughts surged into his mind, and he stood there dumbfounded.

"Not good!" Jiang Ziya hurriedly summoned the God-Slaying Whip.

The whip's shadow crashed down like a mountain!

Su Yunbai turned around and swung his sword, the Love Threads colliding with the God-Slaying Whip!

boom--!

The blast wave knocked over dozens of soldiers in the vicinity.

Jiang Ziya took three steps back, his face turning slightly pale.

Su Yunbai's blood surged, but his eyes shone even brighter.

"Jiang Shang, you've gotten old."

"Arrogant!" Jiang Ziya bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the God-Slaying Whip.

The God-Slaying Whip shone brightly, its shadows multiplying into hundreds and thousands, crashing down from the sky!

This is a desperate tactic.

Just as Su Yunbai was about to take the hit head-on, he suddenly heard a dragon's roar coming from the direction of Chaoge.

The golden river of humanity suddenly surged!

A figure strode across the river, clad in the robes of the Human Emperor and wielding the Human Emperor's sword.

It was King Zhou!

"Your Majesty?!" Su Yunbai exclaimed in surprise.

King Zhou actually went to the battlefield in person!

"I'm here to help you!" King Zhou landed beside him, and the Emperor's Sword slashed at the God-Slaying Whip.

The sword and whip clashed, and they were evenly matched!

Jiang Ziya's pupils contracted: "Di Xin, you've only just entered the Great Luo realm, how could you..."

"Because I am the Human Emperor!" King Zhou laughed heartily. "In Chaoge, I am blessed with the aura of human destiny. Even if a quasi-saint were to come, I would dare to fight!"

He swung his sword again.

This sword strike drew upon the power of the entire river of humanity, its golden light resembling an inverted celestial river!

Jiang Ziya was horrified and retreated hastily.

The sword light grazed his side, turning hundreds of Xiqi soldiers behind him into ashes!

"This..." The morale of the Xiqi army was shaken.

King Zhou stood with his sword in hand, surveying the battlefield.

"Listen up, rebels of Xiqi—I am Emperor Xin, recognized by humanity, and carrying on the will of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors! If you are willing to surrender, I will forgive your past transgressions! If you remain obstinate..."

He pointed his sword at the sky.

"Under the sway of humanity, all are reduced to dust!"

The sound could be heard for miles.

Many soldiers in the Xiqi army looked hesitant.

They were originally subjects of the Shang dynasty, and their attack on Shang was a "rebellion." Now that King Zhou has gained popular support, he appears even more legitimate.

Seeing the army's morale wavering, Jiang Ziya urgently shouted, "Don't listen to his nonsense! Heaven has ordained that the Western Zhou Dynasty will rise! Soldiers, follow me and kill—!"

He personally beat the drum.

But after only three drumbeats, a sudden change occurred.

In the western sky, the Buddha's light shone brightly.

A golden lotus platform descended from the sky, upon which sat a Bodhisattva with a compassionate face, holding a willow branch.

"Cihang Daoist?!" Qiongxiao's expression changed.

No, at this moment it should be called—Guanyin Bodhisattva!

Cihang Daoren has actually betrayed the Daoist sect and entered the Buddhist sect!

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at King Zhou and sighed softly, "Your Majesty, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."

King Zhou sneered: "Cihang, no, Guanyin. You betrayed your religion and joined Buddhism, what right do you have to persuade me to turn back?"

"This humble monk is here to save all sentient beings."

"Then show it to me!"

King Zhou actually took the initiative to attack, and the Emperor's Sword slashed towards the lotus platform!

Guanyin gently sways on the willow branch.

The soft branch clashed with the sharp sword, producing a metallic clang!

King Zhou staggered back ten feet, his tiger's mouth split open.

But he laughed loudly, "Good! This is the pinnacle of combat power below the level of a saint! Let's go again!"

He charged again.

Su Yunbai wanted to help, but was entangled by Yang Jian and Nezha.

Yunxiao single-handedly maintained the musical array, resisting the Buddhist chants of the four Arhats.

Qiongxiao was struggling to fight the two Arhats alone.

The tide of battle has turned once again.

The walls of Chaoge City.

Bixiao stamped her foot anxiously, "Eldest sister and second sister can't hold on any longer! I need to go help!"

Ao Ling held her back: "What good will it do if you go? That's a Bodhisattva-level battle."

"What should we do then? Are we just going to stand by and watch..."

"Wait." Ao Ling looked towards the battlefield. "Since His Majesty dared to personally lead the expedition, he must have a backup plan."

Sure enough, at the height of the battle, King Zhou suddenly retreated.

He stands upon the river of humanity, his hands forming a mudra.

"In the name of I, the Emperor, I summon the heroic spirits of humanity—to aid me in slaying the enemy!"

The river of humanity surges and churns.

Countless phantom images appeared on the river—the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, famous generals of past dynasties, sages who controlled the waters, and the ancestors of agriculture…

These are the imprints of heroic spirits accumulated by the human race over countless ages!

At this moment, summoned by King Zhou, they all opened their eyes!

"war!"

Thousands of heroic spirits roared in unison and charged into the Xiqi army formation!

Although they were just phantoms, each strike contained the will of humanity.

The Xiqi army was thrown into chaos!

Jiang Ziya's face turned deathly pale: "The spirits of heroes have appeared... Emperor Xin, how dare you use such a forbidden technique!"

"Forbidden techniques?" King Zhou sneered. "This is the will of our ancestors! They didn't want to see humanity slaughter each other, nor did they want to see the Way of Heaven suppress the Way of Humanity!"

He pointed his sword at Guanyin.

"Bodhisattva, do we still want to fight?"

Guanyin remained silent.

After a long while, she gathered the willow branches.

"Today's battle ends here."

"Bodhisattva?!" Jiang Ziya exclaimed urgently.

"Jiang Shang, retreat," Guanyin said calmly. "With the spirits of heroes appearing in the world, there is no chance of victory in this battle. A forceful attack will only damage the foundation of Buddhism."

She gave King Zhou a deep look.

"Your Majesty's methods are excellent. However, the appearance of heroic spirits in the world can only be temporary. Once the heroic spirits dissipate... I hope Your Majesty will take good care of yourself."

After saying this, the lotus platform transformed into golden light and disappeared into the distance.

Upon seeing this, the four Arhats also retreated.

Jiang Ziya gritted his teeth and finally raised the flag.

"withdraw!"

The Xiqi army retreated like a receding tide.

The battlefield of Muye was littered with corpses.

King Zhou landed back on the ground, staggering a step.

Su Yunbai helped him up.

"His Majesty……"

"It's nothing." King Zhou wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "It's just... I was overexerted."

He gazed at the gradually dissipating phantom of the heroic spirit in the sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Yun Bai, was I... too harsh today?"

Su Yunbai shook his head: "On the battlefield, it's either you or me who dies."

"Yes..." King Zhou smiled bitterly, "but those Xiqi soldiers are also human."

"That's why His Majesty summoned the spirits of the fallen heroes instead of personally slaughtering them," Su Yunbai said. "His Majesty has done everything he could to be benevolent."

King Zhou remained silent.

After a long silence, he said, "Return to Chaoge. Although we have won this battle, it is only the beginning."

"Um."

That night, a grand celebration was held in Chaoge.

However, at the victory banquet, King Zhou left early.

When Su Yunbai found him, he was sitting alone on the top of the Star-Picking Tower, staring blankly at the starry sky.

"His Majesty."

"Sit." King Zhou handed over a jar of wine. "Yunbai, tell me... is everything we've done really right?"

"Why do you say that?"

"On the battlefield today, watching those Xiqi soldiers fall, I suddenly recalled a saying from Earth—'When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer.' King Zhou took a large gulp of wine. 'When a great calamity occurs, it is always ordinary people who die. We cultivators and saints, on the other hand, are talking loftily about the Great Dao and destiny... How ironic.'"

Su Yunbai took the wine jar and also took a sip.

"Your Majesty, if you give up, and Xiqi gains the world, will the people be better off?"

King Zhou was taken aback.

"Jiang Ziya is backed by the Chan Sect, and the Chan Sect is backed by the Heavenly Dao," Su Yunbai said slowly. "What the Heavenly Dao wants is an obedient human race, a human race that follows the will of Heaven. If they were to gain control of the world, the human race would be slaves for eternity."

He looked at King Zhou.

"Your Majesty awakens humanity to allow the human race to stand up, to give every ordinary person the right to choose their own destiny. This path is destined to be difficult, destined to be bloody, but... it is worthwhile."

King Zhou's eyes were slightly red.

"Yunbai, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for always being there for me." King Zhou wiped his face. "Sometimes I really couldn't hold on anymore, but when I saw you, when I saw Wen Zhong, when I saw the people of Chaoge... I knew I couldn't fall."

Su Yunbai patted him on the shoulder.

"Then don't fall. Let's walk together to the end."

"good!"

The two drank together.

Under the starry sky, two time travelers made a solemn promise.

Meanwhile, in the Kunlun Mountains.

Although Yuanshi Tianzun was punished by being confined to his room, he could still perceive the outside world.

Sensing the outcome of the Battle of Muye, his face darkened.

"Di Xin... Su Yunbai... Good, very good."

He flipped his hand and took out a blood-red jade talisman.

"If open methods don't work, then let's try covert ones."

The jade talisman shattered, turning into a streak of bloody light that disappeared into the void.

The destination of the bloodshed is—the Northern Sea.

The demon master Kunpeng was alarmed once again.

Chaoge, General's Mansion.

Su Yunbai suddenly felt something and looked north.

"What's wrong?" Qiongxiao asked.

"I have a bad feeling." Su Yunbai frowned. "It seems... something has woken up."

Yunxiao calculated with his fingers, his expression changing slightly.

"The Northern Sea is in turmoil, and demonic energy is soaring to the heavens."

"The demon race is coming again?" Bixiao stared wide-eyed.

"No, this time is different." Yunxiao's expression was solemn. "It's something much older... Su Yunbai, you must be careful lately."

Su Yunbai nodded.

A time of great turmoil.

It seems the real test is yet to come.