Xiqi.
Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya were nearly worrying themselves gray.
Both of them regretted everything.
Jiang Ziya regretted listening to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's nonsense. Otherwise, even if Xiqi could not defeat Yin Shang, surely it would not have ended up in such a sorry state?
They had no military officers and no civil officials.
They had originally had both, but Jiang Ziya had pissed every damn one of them off and driven them away while investigating spies.
What the hell was this mess!
Jiang Ziya was worried, but King Wu, Ji Fa, was even more worried.
When he had first sought out Jiang Ziya, the man's boasts had shaken the heavens.
First it was "When Grand Duke Jiang fishes, only the willing take the hook," then it was "For every step you carry me, I will guarantee Great Zhou another year of rule."
Even though Jiang Ziya had accomplished absolutely nothing, Ji Fa had immediately appointed him Grand Marshal, military adviser, and Chancellor Jian. In all of Xiqi, he was practically second to one man and above ten thousand.
Why had Ji Fa done that?
Had he truly believed Jiang Ziya was that impressive?
Bullshit!
Ji Fa was no fool. He had clearly been drawn to Jiang Ziya's status as a disciple of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
To put it plainly, he had wanted to strap the Chan Sect to Xiqi's war chariot.
But just look at the mess Jiang Ziya had made since joining Xiqi.
He had not recruited a single civil official or military officer. Even those who had originally sought refuge in Xiqi had been offended by his wild suspicions and had all damn well left.
Ji Fa was absolutely furious!
If Di Xin had not killed his father, and if he had not genuinely needed the Chan Sect's support now, he would have dearly loved to kill that bastard Jiang Ziya.
The war had not even begun, yet a rift had already formed between Jiang Ziya and Ji Fa.
Of course, Jiang Ziya knew Ji Fa disliked him, but beyond smiling bitterly, he truly had no idea what to do.
Still, things had already reached this point. Saying more would accomplish nothing.
Especially now that Yin Shang had made its move, Xiqi had to strike back.
Left with no other choice, Jiang Ziya could only go to the Jade Void Palace to seek help.
After hearing Jiang Ziya's account, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable instantly realized he had been played.
But there was nothing he could do!
After all, Tongtian had only said he would settle things within three months and officially set the Investiture Calamity in motion.
He had never said there were spies in Xiqi.
Alas!
The thought gave the Primordial Heavenly Venerable a terrible headache.
He truly could not understand where his Third Brother, who had once valued brotherly loyalty and acted without thinking, had gone.
The present Tongtian was simply far too cunning.
The Primordial Heavenly Venerable had originally believed that, when it came to schemes and planning, almost no one could surpass him-not merely among the three brothers, but throughout the entire Primordial World.
But now it seemed Tongtian was an old scheming bastard too.
Still, after letting out a sigh, he spoke.
"Go find Yun Zhongzi's disciple Lei Zhenzi, Manjushri Guangfa Tianzun's disciple Jin Zha, Perfected Puxian's disciple Mu Zha, Qingxu Daode Tianzun's disciples Huang Tianhua and Yang Ren, and Juliusun's eldest disciple Tu Xingsun. Have those six go to Xiqi and serve."
"However, most of them currently serve Yin Shang. You may take my decree with you. Once they see it, they will naturally accompany you to Xiqi."
"Recruit as many loose cultivators as possible. Tell them that, provided they render meritorious service, once the investiture of the gods ends, I will personally guide them into our Chan Sect!"
"As for people like Li Jing of Chentang Pass, who hold high positions and have ties to our Chan Sect, you may also visit them first. Tell them to rebel against Yin Shang alongside you when the heavens change."
Only after hearing those words did Jiang Ziya feel somewhat reassured.
Their Chan Sect truly lived up to its reputation as a great sect.
What did it matter if Xiqi was in a miserable state? With a single word, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable had handed him so many people.
Jiang Ziya also knew perfectly well just how tempting the Chan Sect was to those loose cultivators.
Once he spread the word, would those loose cultivators not flock to his banner?
Just like that, Jiang Ziya stopped panicking.
After taking his leave of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, Jiang Ziya naturally began visiting those people one after another.
Jin Zha, Mu Zha, and Lei Zhenzi, who were still cultivating in the mountains, accompanied him without any trouble.
Yang Ren, who still held office in Yin Shang, and Huang Tianhua, the son of Yin Shang's great general Huang Feihu, were somewhat harder to secure.
Jiang Ziya had no talent for immortal cultivation, so his cultivation was naturally low.
He truly did not dare venture into Yin Shang. What if someone from the Interception Sect ran into him and cut him down on the spot?
Thus, he assigned Jin Zha the task of finding Yang Ren, while Mu Zha was sent after Huang Tianhua.
As for Tu Xingsun, he gave Jiang Ziya the greatest headache.
Because he was nowhere to be found!
In fact, it was only after more than three months had passed, when he had already formally engaged the Yin Shang Army, that he discovered that bastard Tu Xingsun had actually joined Yin Shang.
What a goddamn nightmare!
Jiang Ziya was gone for two months.
When he returned to Xiqi, five men, including Yang Ren, Huang Tianhua, and Lei Zhenzi, were already following him.
What delighted Jiang Ziya most was that the loose immortal Long Xuhu, along with Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao, loose immortals from Wuyi Mountain, had also joined him.
In an instant, Xiqi had strong soldiers and sturdy horses. At the very least, it no longer feared the Interception Sect as it currently stood.
Of course, Ji Fa was the happiest of all.
During the two months and more that Jiang Ziya had been away, he had been the most worried.
Because Yin Shang was simply too powerful.
With Xiqi's current strength, without anyone to support it, Yin Shang would blast it to pieces in an instant.
Fortunately, Jiang Ziya had proved reasonably reliable. Relying on his reputation as a Chan Sect disciple, he had actually recruited these great generals. Otherwise, Xiqi would truly have been finished.
Besides, if the others surrendered, they might still keep their lives.
But Ji Fa himself would undoubtedly die.
Under those circumstances, how could he not be afraid?
Now that he had seen what Jiang Ziya could do, Ji Fa still did not have complete confidence in him. But considering that he was a Chan Sect disciple who could recruit great generals for him, Ji Fa nevertheless appointed him General, giving him overall command of Yin Shang's hundred-thousand-strong army for the campaign against Shang.
Jiang Ziya naturally accepted the command.
But just before Jiang Ziya departed, Ji Fa, who remained somewhat uneasy, could not help speaking.
"Grandfather, though this is nominally a campaign against Shang, Xiqi's foundations are still far too weak."
"Therefore, it would be best to capture Sishui Pass first and use it to defend the Xiqi Land."
"After all, as long as Sishui Pass holds, the Yin Shang Army can forget about reaching the Xiqi Land!"
Clearly.
Ji Fa held little hope of Xiqi winning.
In his view, capturing Sishui Pass and using it to prevent the Yin Shang Army from entering the Xiqi Land would be enough.
As for actually attacking Yin Shang, they had better forget it.
Xiqi's current funds and provisions simply could not sustain such a campaign.
But after hearing those words, Jiang Ziya could not help knitting his brows slightly.
He clearly felt that Ji Fa was looking down on him.
Still, Jiang Ziya said nothing more. He merely nodded coolly and left.
Clearly, in his mind, he was absolutely going to fight his way all the way into Chaoge.
If Ji Fa blamed him afterward, could he not simply brush him off with, "A general in the field need not obey every military order"?
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