The corrupt king of Shang continues his siege of West Qi City. His forces camp outside the city gates and send powerful generals and terrifying sorcerers into battle. All are defeated by the rebel Zhou army led by Jiang Ziya. But then the two sons of the king arrive, tricked by a devious magician into fighting on their evil father’s side.

This book, the fourth in the series, is based on chapters 51 through 67 of the legendary Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods. It is a compelling tale of honor, ambition, and divine struggles, with rich storytelling and vivid imagery. This high-stakes saga explores the clash between gods and humans, and the painful dilemmas of those who must choose between loyalty to the king and their own honor.

Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang have retold this epic story to make it accessible to Chinese readers of all levels, using a limited vocabulary, simpler sentences, and fewer proper nouns. Each page of Simplified Chinese is also shown in phonetic pinyin. Words not included in the HSK4 list of commonly used words are defined where they first appear. A full English translation and glossary are included in the back of the book. A  free audiobook is available on YouTube.

Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang are co-authors of dozens of popular books for English-speaking people learning Chinese language and culture, including the 31-volume Journey to the West series, and innovative translations of the Dao De Jing, Art of War, and San Zi Jing. Their books are available at www.imagin8press.com and from most online booksellers.