Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Chapter 1111 A Chapter for Patriarch Gao

The Gao family was one of the most eager to form an anti-Japanese alliance. The Gao family's entire foundation was located outside the Great Wall, but the area outside the Great Wall had been completely occupied by Japanese pirates. It could be said that their ancestral foundation was lost and their family members suffered heavy casualties.

As the head of a clan, how could he not want revenge? Didn't he want to reclaim everything he had lost?!

But he couldn't do it!

In recent years, as the situation has deteriorated, many people have given up on the area outside the Great Wall and chosen to migrate south to avoid disaster. But he did not. Apart from transferring a few clansmen who could not fight to safe areas inside the Great Wall, the other clansmen who were capable of fighting were all fighting guerrilla warfare against the Anti-Japanese United Army outside the Great Wall.

Over the years, they have killed many Japanese pirates, but also sacrificed countless members of their own tribe.

Every time the night grew quiet and he looked at the lists of the fallen, the pressure and pain he, as the head of the family, endured was unimaginable. But the hope of reclaiming their homeland remained as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.

Upon learning of Zhang Zhiwei's victory, he was so excited that he didn't sleep a wink all night. After making some urgent arrangements for the situation outside the Great Wall, he rushed to Longhu Mountain, hoping to meet Zhang Zhiwei and ask him to come out of seclusion and take charge of the overall situation.

However, he was told by the old master Zhang Jingqing that Zhang Zhiwei was in seclusion and refused to see guests.

But he did not give up. In the following days, he visited every day, but he could not understand the mystery of the realm of nurturing the sacred embryo.

He thought that Zhang Zhiwei had seen through the world after his spiritual cultivation had improved, and wanted to stop caring about worldly affairs and focus on self-cultivation. He didn't want to get involved in worldly matters anymore, which would only increase his karma, so he was unwilling to take action.

Just as many people don't understand why the Celestial Master remains silent on certain matters, it's not that he's unwilling, but rather that he can't.

In the Gao family head's mind, it was certainly right for an extraordinary person to delve into their own cultivation. But now was the wrong time! With the nation in peril and the land in turmoil, it was precisely the time when a peerless figure like Zhang Zhiwei was needed to step forward!

That's why he kept coming, trying to reason with Zhang Zhiwei and persuade him to temporarily stop his cultivation. He said that once the Japanese pirates were driven out and peace was restored to China, it wouldn't be too late for him to pursue the Great Dao.

However, each time he went to visit, Zhang Jingqing politely declined him with the same reason. After being turned away several times, the experienced head of the Gao family couldn't help but start to have some doubts again.

Could it be that the young master didn't just make further progress, but actually suffered unimaginable injuries in the battle in Shanghai, to the point that he can no longer fight? Otherwise, why would he refuse to even meet with him?

Although he wasn't close to Zhang Zhiwei, he had met him a few times. He knew that Zhang Zhiwei was not the kind of person who was arrogant and conceited, unless he really had some kind of hardship.

If he has truly suffered a severe blow and claims to be in seclusion for spiritual cultivation and unwilling to take action, then everything makes sense.

After all, Zhang Zhiwei is the most revered figure in the hearts of the people of Shenzhou, a towering mountain. If this mountain were to be severely damaged in the fight against the Japanese pirates, what a devastating blow that would be to the people of Shenzhou.

If we put it another way, after further experiencing the trials of the mortal world, we now need to go into seclusion to cultivate and challenge even higher peaks, which would have a better effect.

In this way, he not only withdrew gracefully from the conflicts of the martial world, but also boosted morale. More importantly, this would subtly reassure all the extraordinary individuals in the land, assuring them that they too had powerful backers. If the situation truly became unmanageable, this master who had been in seclusion to pursue a higher realm would emerge and eliminate all enemies.

"If that's the case... then if I keep pressing them for details and pestering them, wouldn't I just be making things worse for them?!"

The most deadly thing is the unspoken assumption. The head of the Gao family, who thought he understood everything, broke out in a cold sweat and dared not plead any further.

However, having traveled all the way from beyond the Great Wall, he couldn't just leave now that he was here.

He opted for a middle ground, placing his hopes on the old Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing, and proposed that Zhang Jingqing, as the leader of the Taoist sect, should shoulder the heavy responsibility of being the leader of this alliance.

However, Zhang Jingqing still rejected him.

Zhang Jingqing saw the restlessness and anxiety in his heart, but he said nothing. At this time, any words of comfort would be pale and powerless. The pressure on the head of the Gao family was too heavy. If Zhang Jingqing were in that position, he might not be able to do better than the head of the Gao family.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Jingqing could only sigh and remind him, "Patriarch Gao, if it is to resist the Japanese pirates, I am naturally duty-bound to do so. I have even sent out most of my disciples. I also support this anti-Japanese pirate alliance, but I am truly not suitable to be the leader of the alliance."

"Although I am the Celestial Master, my sphere of influence is limited to the Zhengyi Sect. My influence over the Quanzhen Sect is limited, and I have no say at all in Buddhism."

"If I were to force myself to become the leader of this alliance, not only would it be difficult to gain the support of the people, but many eminent Buddhist monks would also refuse to join due to past grudges. This would only ruin the overall situation and would not be conducive to uniting the forces of the supernatural world."

"As for the old Taoist's disciple Zhang Zhiwei, although he could be forcibly integrated, that was based on his strength. Now he has reached the point where he has to retreat into seclusion, and all his strength is directed inward, making it difficult to direct outward. He is truly willing but powerless!"

"Therefore, I believe that if Patriarch Gao really wants to make this happen, he should go to Master Zuo. The Sanyi Sect is a force that combines the three religions, and it is impartial. It accepts Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and all other schools of thought. There are no sectarian grudges accumulated over thousands of years."

"As for Master Zuo himself, his cultivation is even more profound. Even if he is not as good as Zhang Zhiwei, he can be considered the second best in the world. His strength is enough to make him worthy of the position of leader of the alliance. In addition, his virtue is also enough. Everyone respects him."

"If he is willing to step forward and take charge of this alliance of extraordinary people, I will support him, and even Master Henglin of Shaolin will support him. With the support of the four of you, this matter... still has a great chance of succeeding!"

After listening to Zhang Jingqing's explanation, the Gao family head pondered for a long time. He had naturally heard of the name of the Left Gate Master, but the Sanyi Gate was in the south and the Gao family was in the north. The two sides could be described as being worlds apart. His Gao family had no connection with the Sanyi Gate, and he did not know the Left Gate Master. On the other hand, the Lu family was on good terms with the Sanyi Gate.

"Perhaps, we could ask Lu Xuan, or Old Master Lu, to go and persuade him..." The head of the Gao family secretly pondered in his heart.

The reason he wanted to ask these two to step forward was because he himself wasn't confident he could persuade Zuo Menchang. When the idea of ​​the Anti-Japanese Alliance for Extraordinary People was first proposed, many people recommended Zuo Menchang to be the leader, but he politely declined them all.

The Left Sect Master's explanation was: On the battlefield, swords have no eyes. The Sanyi Sect has many disciples, and he can't even take care of all his own disciples. How can he have the energy to take on the heavy responsibility of leading the overall situation?

The head of the Gao family sighed, bid farewell to Zhang Jingqing, and left the Great Shangqing Palace. He did not intend to visit Zhang Zhiwei again.

However, before leaving, he suddenly had a whim and went to Tiantong Temple at the foot of Tianmen Peak.

The incense at Tiantong Temple remains incredibly popular, with a constant stream of people. The huge mirror at the entrance shines brightly, like a giant well of light.

It is said that such a huge mirror appeared during the battle of Shanghai. It was a trace left by the Little Celestial Master after he killed the Grand Master of Shintoism.

The head of the Gao family lingered at the edge of the mirror for a long time, looking at his own face, etched with sorrow and hardship, and sighed deeply. Then, he stepped into Tiantong Temple. Previously, Tiantong Temple was managed by Tian Jinzhong. After Tian Jinzhong went down the mountain to fight the Japanese pirates, it was managed by Zhuge Yunhui and his wife, Tian Xiaodie. Zhou Sheng would also occasionally come here to teach Zhuge Yunhui the Tiantong Qimen.

Although Zhuge Yunhui had let go of Tian Tong Qi Men and passed the inner realm stage, he let go too thoroughly, which resulted in him not having much interest in cultivation. Moreover, Tian Tong Qi Men was very complicated, so his cultivation was very slow.

In the story, when Wang Ye was practicing Feng Hou Qi Men, he was captured by Hong Yin and taken to a cave, where he was forced to learn for several months. Zhuge Yunhui was not as diligent as Wang Ye. Although he was often scolded by Zhou Sheng, he was not Zhou Sheng's junior after all, and Zhou Sheng could not go too far in some aspects.

So when Zhou Sheng arrived, Zhuge Yunhui studied diligently for a few days. After Zhou Sheng returned to Wudang Mountain, Zhuge Yunhui came to Tiantong Temple again to help people interpret divination and fortune-telling.

Compared to the dry and boring Tian Tong Qi Men, this is much more interesting.

As Zhuge Yunhui sat behind the signing table, he suddenly felt something and looked up to see a middle-aged man with gray hair and a deep sorrow between his brows standing at the door.

With just one glance, Zhuge Yunhui realized that this was an extremely powerful expert!

The head of the Gao family also noticed Zhuge Yunhui's gaze. He walked to the signing table, sat down, and said in a hoarse voice, "Sir, I would like to ask for a divination."

Zhuge Yunhui asked gently, "What would you like to know, sir? Is it your future, or your fortune?"

The head of the Gao family gave a bitter smile and said, "I am almost sixty years old now, and I have accomplished nothing. The foundation of our ancestors has been lost to our enemies. Now all I have left is flesh on my thighs. I am just living a mediocre life, wasting my days and months. I am getting old. Sir, is there really a day when I can return to my roots?"

What he lost was not only the family's business and power, but also the black soil that gave him birth and nurtured him, and the ancestors buried on that land for generations!

These words immediately brought to Zhuge Yunhui's mind the current state of the country, which was in turmoil. His heart sank, and without saying much, he silently handed over the divination sticks on the table, saying:

"Layman, sincerity is key. Please draw lots."

The head of the Gao family took the divination tube with both hands, and was about to shake it when he stopped. He glanced at the majestic and solemn statue of the Tian Tong Sect Master not far away, and then began to shake it.

"Clap."

A bamboo skewer jumped out of the skewer tube and landed on the table.

Zhuge Yunhui picked up the fortune stick and glanced at it.

The bamboo slip contained four lines of commentary: "Dark clouds obscure the sun, making the road difficult to find; mountains and passes stretch for thousands of miles, hindering the long journey. Do not say that the cold winter has no end; the spring breeze will eventually cross the Jade Gate."

Zhuge Yunhui looked at the fortune stick and pondered for a moment.

In fact, the moment the head of the Gao family stepped across the threshold, he had already secretly calculated with his fingers in his sleeve, and had figured out the other party's identity and the predicament he was currently facing.

Inner divination works like this: it can calculate almost anything, from past events to a person's past, in great detail.

But predictions about the future are another matter.

Especially in the current global situation, where a single move can have far-reaching consequences, the causes and effects are so numerous and complex that the secrets of heaven are kept hidden and shrouded in mystery, making it impossible to predict accurately.

If you force a calculation, you will not only fail to get the result, but you will also suffer a serious backlash.

The question asked by the Gao family head was clearly related to the general trend of the world. It was difficult to get a definite answer to such a question. If it were an ordinary sorcerer, he would only give an ambiguous answer that could be interpreted in any way, thus fooling people.

Originally, Zhuge Yunhui had also planned to do this. After all, he truly couldn't predict when that day would come!

But just then, a voice appeared in his mind and told him the answer.

Zhuge Yunhui paused for a moment, then began to interpret the divination for the Gao family head: "Sir, the meaning of this divination is very clear. The Japanese pirates are defying the laws of heaven and committing atrocities against humanity; they are destined to fail! As long as you hold onto hope and courage and continue to fight, one day you will trample them under your feet again! Your desire to 'return to your roots' will surely be fulfilled!"

The head of the Gao family was taken aback. As the head of the clan, he naturally understood the sorcerer's tactics.

Over the years, in order to outwit and outmaneuver the Japanese pirates, he sought advice and devised plans from many sorcerers, and naturally, he also asked these sorcerers similar questions.

The answers you received ranged from positive to negative, but the truly reliable ones were those that directly told him they didn't know, or tactfully indicated that "given the current situation, the chances are slim."

This was the first time he had ever encountered someone as straightforward and certain as Zhuge Yunhui.

Although he didn't completely believe it, the words were indeed encouraging, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. He subconsciously asked, "How many years will that take?"

Zhuge Yunhui remained calm and said softly, "It will take another eight years."

The head of the Gao family was stunned again, and then the joy on his face faded, replaced by obvious disappointment.

If the other party speaks ambiguously about such matters concerning the overall situation, or gives a vague timeframe, such as three to five years or more than ten years, then it is somewhat credible.

But he insisted on eight years, which is clearly a lie! And he didn't even bother to make it up properly!

"Sigh... Is this the fortune teller in the Little Celestial Master Taoist Temple? How can he be so unreliable?" The head of the Gao family sighed inwardly.

Zhuge Yunhui saw through the Gao family head's thoughts and added with a smile, "I cannot see such a divination slip that concerns the general trend of the world. Even if someone glimpses a corner of it, they would not dare to speak out. Because mortals cannot bear the karmic consequences of revealing heavenly secrets."

"You mean..." Patriarch Gao looked at Zhuge Yunhui with a surprised expression. (End of Chapter)