The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 244 - 243: Eve of the Decisive Battle

Chapter 244: Chapter 243: Eve of the Decisive Battle

Manjusri swung the massive hammer directly at Lingya Immortal’s head, who had been sealed of his mana.

With a miserable scream, Lingya Immortal was struck back into his original form, transforming into an old yellow-haired elephant.

Manjusri, still uneasy, delivered another blow for good measure before finally being satisfied and taking Lingya Immortal captive.

Everyone reaped their own rewards, brimming with exuberant satisfaction.

Dashizhi and the Pharmacist prepared to return, bringing Wuyun Immortal, Golden Hoop Immortal, and Pi Lu Immortal with them for conversion within their sect.

Guanyin, having acquired a mount on this journey and established contact with the Western Sect, had also fulfilled her objective. She now prepared to return to the South Sea to plant lotuses and complete her grand vow.

The Chan Sect Immortals had finally eliminated the last obstacle. As long as Ji Fa could overthrow Chaoge, their master’s endeavor to bring about the Rise of Zhou and Fall of Shang would truly be accomplished.

Then, they could return peacefully to focus on their cultivation.

With the Jie Sect Immortals no longer assisting, the Great Shang collapsed in merely three days. Jiang Ziya led his troops to breach Mengjin, capturing the general Yin Po Bao, whom Wei Hu seized. Ji Fa declared that Yin Po Bao would be sacrificed to the war standards when they marched on Chaoge!

As the final defensive line of the Great Shang, Mengjin had been abundantly supplied with resources. Now, all of that fell into the West Zhou’s hands.

However, Ji Fa, after acquiring these resources, did not immediately launch an attack on the Great Shang but chose to proceed cautiously.

Firstly, to exert pressure on Chaoge, reducing the obstacles to their conquest.

Secondly, to recruit additional troops for the final decisive battle.

At this moment, Ji Fa was hosting a grand feast for the Immortals and the ministers.

The Immortals were the Chan Sect Immortals, while the ministers were essentially his own brothers, as most other generals had perished during the Chaos Bell explosion.

Ji Fa was now brimming with high spirits!

Years of arduous battles had turned him from a young man into a middle-aged veteran. If victory couldn’t be achieved now, it might very well fall upon his son to finish the war!

The brothers of the Ji family were equally joyful, as their years of efforts had finally borne fruit.

Among them, only Old Jiang appeared somewhat melancholic.

Was this Divine Enthronement about to end at last?

Would he finally see the Great King Yin Shou again?

What path would he take after that?

Having mingled with the Immortals for so long, he had come to understand certain truths he hadn’t known before, such as how a Human King could not achieve Immortal Ascension, and how he himself could not become immortal.

As he downed another cup of wine, he abandoned thoughts of cultivation. Why ponder such things anymore?

Yet he wondered if his junior disciple had managed to steer clear of these conflicts.

Sharing a similar sense of complexity was Li Jing. Back when he had rebelled, it was merely to safeguard his family, but now, in his experienced eyes, it seemed the world might soon belong to the Li name.

Ji Fa, having spent many years steeped in battle, had a limited vision, while Old Li’s perspective soared higher than that of most Immortals.

Nantang was now an unstoppable force. Would a strong nation bow to a weaker one? Impossible.

Furthermore, Ji Fa had dug deep into the resources of the West Zhou for this war.

Did Jiang Ziya not notice this? Of course, he did.

But he couldn’t intervene—without such efforts, victory was unattainable.

As for the matter of Nantang’s heirs, that was something Ji Fa, constrained by the times he lived in, couldn’t possibly comprehend—especially not Nezha’s advanced way of thinking.

...

Unlike the celebrations in the Zhou camp, Chaoge was shrouded in a stifling silence.

News of the frontline defeat had already arrived, and no sound emerged from the Great King Palace, as if the inevitable fall had been tacitly accepted.

Yin Shou stood before a bronze mirror, as Queen Jiang herself fastened his armor.

Stretching his arms, Yin Shou showed no fear of impending death; instead, he spoke with ease, "What a pity. The armor given to me by the Great Sage Master was destroyed in the Heavenly Tribulation. This replacement is far inferior."

Since Yin Shou’s failure to transcend the tribulation, Queen Jiang found herself experiencing her happiest days. She could finally be with the Great King as a true wife.

"Great King, how could such a mundane item ever compare to the Immortal Armor gifted by the Great Sage Master?"

Yin Shou nodded, then picked up the Seven-star Dragon Slayer Sword.

The Dragon Slayer Sword, imbued with the Human Dao’s Qi Fortune of Yin Shang, had undergone mysterious transformations during the Heavenly Tribulation. It was the only Immortal Artifact that Yin Shou had kept.

Running his fingers over its edge, an inscrutable expression flickered in his eyes.

"Life and death—all but trivial. Take care, and we shall meet again someday."

In that moment, Queen Jiang could no longer contain herself, leaping forward to embrace Yin Shou tightly.

"Great King!"

With a sharp ’clang,’ Yin Shou sheathed the Dragon Slayer Sword.

"What is this wailing? You are my queen, the queen of the Great Shang."

Queen Jiang wiped away her tears, her gaze firm. "Yes, I am the Great King’s queen!"

Donning a full black armor and wielding the Dragon Slayer Sword, Yin Shou mounted his steed, which the Great Sage Master had deemed fitting only for the strongest of warriors. Its name was Dian Wei, a crimson-colored horse.

He didn’t understand why it was called Dian Wei, but as he saw himself as a mighty warrior, his mount’s name naturally seemed fitting.

He rode off alone from the palace.

None of the palace guards questioned the Great King’s intentions; instead, they instinctively rallied and followed him.

Leaving the palace, more and more citizens observed the scene. There were no accusations, no scorn.

They knew their Great King had given his all.

Whether woman or child, they quietly returned to their homes, gathering whatever weapons they could find—staffs, rakes, crowbars, rolling pins, even door panels.

More and more people joined the procession, silently following Yin Shou as he marched toward the city gates...

Turning to see his people behind him, Yin Shou’s once fervent pursuit of Immortal Ascension wavered for the first time.

...

In the eastern part of Chaoge, a streak of golden light flickered up and down before finally revealing a figure—it was none other than Long-eared Ding Guang Immortal, who had fled earlier.

Frowning, he gazed upon the deserted streets. Was this really the designated rendezvous point?

In the distance, an otherworldly radiance shimmered, and a figure emerged.

"Did you bring the item?"

Long-eared Ding Guang Immortal grew wary as he stared at the elderly figure before him. "And what about your promise? Where are the two Saints of the Western Sect you spoke of?"

The elderly man, with a kindly smile, replied, "Why, they’re right behind you."

Long-eared Ding Guang Immortal turned around, only to find two bloodied, jet-black twisted monstrosities, one of which extended an inky tendril that pierced straight through his chest, sealing his cultivation.

The other creature opened its massive maw and bit off his head in one gruesome motion, then began devouring it with relish.

The old man extended his hand, summoning a black long banner with six tails from the deceased Long-eared Ding Guang Immortal.

Swaying his sleeve, he tossed the Immortal’s remains to the two creatures.

"Yin Hong, Yin Jiao. Let’s go."

Roar!

Crunch, crunch!

...

Far away, atop the Sealing God Platform in the West, a shadowy figure descended from nowhere—it was Shen Gongbao, cloaked entirely in dark mist and long missing.

Shen Gongbao’s arrival immediately alarmed Bai Jian, the commander defending the Sealing God Platform.

"What fiend dares come to the Sealing God Platform to wreak havoc?"

Shen Gongbao smirked wickedly, his eyes emitting beams of black light that instantly froze Bai Jian in place.

Shen Gongbao opened his mouth, inhaling to draw Bai Jian into it and swallowing him whole.

"A bit stale."

He chuckled demonically and headed straight for the Investiture of the Gods list.

The list itself glowed radiantly with golden light, containing countless Divine Souls of both Immortals and mortals.

Shen Gongbao let out a sinister laugh, releasing beams of Demonic Qi that began to corrode the Investiture of the Gods list.

The golden radiance of the list slowly turned pitch-black from its edges...

...