Battle Against E Lai, First Scheme for Chentang Pass

Xianqing Palace

After Di Xin finished his medicinal meal, he felt refreshed. As his Blood Essence circulated throughout his body, threads of heat surged, making him feel as if he had an inexhaustible supply of strength.

"E Lai, come with me to the training grounds for a spar!"

"Your subject obeys!"

Di Xin led the way, followed by a group of men taller than him, with rugged faces, robust physiques, clad in heavy armor, and exuding an intimidating aura!

These were Di Xin's most formidable generals, led by E Lai!

The two men walked into the training grounds, one after the other. Di Xin let out a muffled grunt, his Blood Essence circulating ceaselessly. Threads of heat emanated from his body, condensing above his head without dispersing, forming the image of a Black Bird.

"Great King, forgive my insolence!"

E Lai cupped his hands and shouted. With a roar, his Blood Essence also surged, transforming into the image of a massive black bear, its eyes glaring fiercely as it roared to the heavens!

"Hahaha, come on!"

After being nourished by the Kongtong Seal, Di Xin felt as if his bloodline had been further purified, and his divine power had become even more immense!

He stomped his right foot down, creating a deep pit. Di Xin shot towards E Lai like an arrow released from a bow, his right hand swinging with a sound that almost broke the air!

"Great King, well met!"

Seeing Di Xin's speed, E Lai's eyes flashed with brilliance. He laughed heartily and threw a punch, the Blood Essence above his head descending to envelop his body, amplifying his strength.

--Bang!

Their fists collided, and the resulting shockwave stirred up a gust of wind that made the surrounding guards sway and lose their footing.

It was worth noting that the guards serving in the royal palace were, at the very least, commanders of ten thousand men in the army. They had to have their Blood Essence surging and condensed into their own Blood Essence manifestation (equivalent to Earth Immortals) to be qualified for selection.

Yet, these warriors could not withstand the mere aftermath of the two men's battle. This demonstrated the incredible strength and combat power of their physical bodies!

"Hahaha, again!"

Circulating his Blood Essence and puffing out his royal robe, Di Xin, now like a ball, stopped his retreat and swung his fist again!

"Great King has great strength, E Lai is here!"

E Lai roared, his Blood Essence manifestation fully integrated into his body. He used his physical body as a Golden Core, transforming into an incorruptible form! (Golden Immortal)

"Well met! No holding back, and no hitting the face. Your King still has morning court tomorrow!"

"Your subject obeys!"

The two figures intertwined, fists meeting flesh in a thoroughly exhilarating battle!

Through fighting and being fought, Di Xin gradually mastered his brute strength. Based on the memories in his mind and E Lai's demonstrations, he began to learn how to gather and control his power. His flesh and blood resonated, his bones and sinews sang in harmony, and the power he displayed surged layer by layer!

--Bang!

With a deafening roar, E Lai was sent flying hundreds of meters away by a single punch, his feet plowing a deep trench in the ground!

"Cough! Cough! Congratulations, Great King, on your divine power's advancement. E Lai humbly admits defeat!"

From the trench, E Lai shook his head, patted the dust off himself, and emerged. His gaze towards Di Xin was filled with even greater reverence.

"You are still going easy on me. Otherwise, with your combat skills, even with all my strength, I wouldn't be able to hit you."

Di Xin smiled and shook his head. E Lai was bold yet meticulous. He had been fighting Di Xin head-on with brute force, and several times he had wanted to dodge but stopped himself, choosing to endure the direct confrontation. That was why he was sent flying.

"Not at all. It is still the Great King who spends his days in court, handling state affairs, and has neglected his martial arts. This has given your humble servant an opportunity to shine."

E Lai cupped his hands, speaking with deep sincerity and earnestness, showing no hint of flattery.

"Alright, I have something important to discuss with you this time."

Di Xin waved his hand, circulating his Blood Essence to blow away the dust. As he walked back towards the Xiánqìng Hall, he explained the matter to E Lai:

"Do you remember a strong pass of our Great Shang on the eastern coast?"

"Great King speaks of Chentang Pass? There is a commander there named Li Jing, who has received great favor from the Great King."

E Lai replied without hesitation.

"Indeed. Chentang Pass has a treasure that guards the pass, known as the Universe Bow and the Sky-Shaking Arrow. It is incredibly heavy and exceptionally powerful. Not to mention drawing half the bow, most people cannot even lift the bow."

"What is the Great King's intention?"

"Tell Li Jing that I, your King, wish to borrow that bow for a few years to see if I can draw this un-draw-able treasure bow! Also, next year when the feudal lords pay homage, have him bring his family to Chaoge for a couple of days. Your King will reward him then!"

Di Xin subconsciously touched his chin, revealing a smile of understanding that only men could share.

However, the smile vanished in an instant, making E Lai wonder if he had seen an illusion.

"I will go to the hall and write an imperial decree. You will take it and handle this matter."

"Your command is my honor!"

Not long after, E Lai received Di Xin's imperial decree and turned to leave the royal palace. Di Xin sat alone on the throne, lost in thought once more.

If Fengming Qishan was the origin of the war between Shang and Zhou, then Shi Ji's death was the beginning of the conflict between the Heavenly Origin Sect and the Intercepting Sect. And the Universe Bow, the Sky-Shaking Arrow, and Nezha were undoubtedly the root of everything.

By sending E Lai to retrieve the bow and arrow now, he was taking this uncontrollable factor into his own hands. Then, he would follow the clues and, with unexpected speed, recruit that Western Zhou vanguard, Nezha, into his service!

By turning the Heavenly Court's Crown Prince into our Great Shang's Crown Prince, with the entanglement of destiny, let's see what actions the Heavenly Origin Sect will take. This would be a shift from passive to active, allowing him to probe their intentions.

As for Fengming Qishan, hehe...

After making up his mind, Di Xin summoned the Kongtong Seal again, delving deep into the investigation of this special supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

The Kongtong Seal is less a spiritual treasure and more a sacred artifact of the Human Race's destiny. Fueled by the Human Dao Destiny, it can manifest all sorts of incredible powers.

Currently, it had transformed into an ancient bronze seal, which Di Xin toyed with in his hand. Streams of warmth continuously flowed into his body, nourishing his bloodline and physical body, accelerating his strength growth.

Without the Kongtong Seal, Di Xin could withstand attacks from Grand Unity Golden Immortals by borrowing the Human Dao Destiny. However, without borrowing it, relying solely on his own brute strength, he could at most fight as a Golden Immortal, barely reaching the Grand Unity realm.

After obtaining the Kongtong Seal, Di Xin inferred from the markings within it that he might possess the combat power of a peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal, capable of contending with a Quasi-Saint, though certainly not defeating one.

As for that strike in Nuwa Palace where he angrily confronted Zhunti, it was with the Human Dao Destiny's blessing, as if the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had jointly attacked, merely channeled through him. Moreover, the Human Dao Destiny cannot be used frequently. If the destiny were damaged, his reign as Human King would truly come to an end.

"The current cultivation methods for the Human Race are twofold: first, through Qi cultivation to become an immortal, with Grand Tutor Wen Zhong as a prime example; second, through ancient body-tempering techniques, more akin to modified methods from the Witch race, as E Lai does, and my own situation is similar.

It seems there is still much I can do. Daji hasn't even appeared yet, and King Wu's Campaign Against Zhou is still a long time away. I have time to make changes slowly.

No rush, one step at a time. If anyone dares to provoke me, I will fight them to the bitter end! Anyway, I've already hit the jackpot in this life..."