Shangzhou.
The Great Shang divided the world into nineteen provinces, with the imperial capital Shengjing located within Shangzhou. The surrounding areas were prosperous and wealthy, and protected by the perilous Ten-Jue Pass, making it as stable as a mountain.
Unfortunately, a nation’s strength does not solely rely on natural barriers. Despite such a perilous pass seemingly ensuring absolute safety, during times of chaos, it would eventually be breached.
The one who accomplished this feat was none other than the Heaven-Defying King Xu Zongwu!
Since the chaos of the Great Shang, celestial stars descended into the world, destined to wreak havoc. They transformed into thirteen rebel kings and twenty-seven uprisings. Among these, Xu Zongwu’s forces were the most elite and the largest in number.
His recent capture of the Tenjue Pass has drawn the attention of the entire realm!
However, during previous campaigns of seizing cities and territories, his troops suffered heavy casualties, leading to defeat in the subsequent attack on the Shang dynasty’s capital Shengjing. Otherwise, Xu Zongwu might have already founded a new dynasty and become its founding emperor!
“Even Shangzhou now reveals signs of decline!”
One day, a Taoist priest slowly walked along the main road. Seeing the roadside littered with the starving and the dead, with white bones exposed in the wilderness and no rooster crowing for a thousand miles, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“Still, the Shang dynasty’s reaction is indeed intriguing!”
This Taoist priest was none other than Wu Ming in disguise as Zhaixingzi. At this time, he was wearing a simple Taoist robe, clean and fresh, showing no signs of fatigue from a long journey.
The last emperor of the Shang dynasty was “Jie”!
In historical records, this individual was ambitious, licentious, and cruel, almost a thoroughly wicked and tyrannical ruler who single-handedly destroyed the ancestral dynasty.
However, when Wu Ming actually entered this historical period, he discovered that the truth was far more complex than that.
“Shang Jie himself was brave and strong. It is said that he could handle a hundred-jin stone lock at the age of eight or nine, and by fifteen or sixteen, he possessed the strength of nine bulls and two tigers, daring to wrestle fierce tigers and bears. After assuming personal rule, although not brilliantly governing, he was at least competent. Yet now, facing the turmoil across the realm, he has chosen to hide in Shengjing, relying solely on city walls for defense, as if he had completely changed into another person!”
Wu Ming knew that there were only two possible explanations for this situation. One was that Shang Jie had indeed been replaced by someone else, and the other was that he was preparing a powerful artifact capable of turning the tide at the last moment, an artifact so mighty that even earth immortals would fear it—the Twelve Golden Men!
“These Twelve Golden Men were forged by Shang Jie by gathering the strength of the entire realm, collecting the essence of nine irons, combining the imperial dragon veins and boundless malevolent energies. Once completed, their power would be sufficient to move mountains and fill seas, suppressing the earth dragons!”
“According to historical records, his attempt must have failed. However, with the variable of reincarnators now in play, the situation could be entirely different! Especially that shadowy manipulator behind the scenes—he is at least a permission holder with enough power and resolve to alter the course of events!”
One person traversing history naturally possesses a unique advantage, but what if it’s a group of people?
The only choice is to completely alter history, forging one’s own path and leaving others nowhere to go!
“Hmm… First, I should go to Jinchi and see how Han Hulin and the Holy Mother of the Red Lotus are doing. I can also secure an identity for myself!”
Beneath the Heavenly Pass, the Golden Pond Assembly!
Guo Zihe of the Ping Mountain King single-handedly challenged eight kings, rode down thirteen generals, and set fire to eighty miles of enemy camps!
Even when Wu Ming was in the Great Zhou, these events were already well-known. Guo Zihe had become a legendary figure in the Great Zhou world, akin to the “War God Zhao Zilong.”
“Guo Zihe is hailed as the last divine general of the Shang dynasty. It will be interesting to witness his prowess this time!”
Wu Ming smiled faintly, then caught sight of a glimmer of sword light at the corner of his eye.
“Hmm?”
“This place is already very close to the Tenjue Pass. The Heaven-Defying King, Xu Zongwu, has gathered thirty-nine rebel kings to form an alliance, intending to become the supreme leader and command the realm for another attack on Shengjing… Could those present here be agents of the court or the rebel kings?”
Driven by curiosity, Wu Ming approached.
“Luosong, you have been poisoned by my Seven-Colored Centipede. Despite your profound martial arts cultivation, you will surely dissolve into pus and blood within an hour or so. Why don’t you surrender quickly? If you switch allegiance to the court, this master might show mercy and grant you an antidote!”
After quietly drawing closer, he saw ahead a marshland. Two individuals dressed in strange attire, somewhat resembling the shamans Wu Ming had previously encountered but distinctly different, were surrounding a middle-aged swordsman clad in a pale white robe.
Buzzing!
The two shamans wore black and white robes, and a constant buzzing sound emanated around them. Two dark clouds floated above, and upon closer inspection, they were swarms of winged insects, densely layered, their wings vibrating, creating a sight that made one’s scalp crawl.
“No! This is not shamanism, but rather Southern Jiang’s Gu techniques!”
In a flash, Wu Ming recognized the identities of the two individuals: “Shang Jie was forging the Twelve Golden Statues, and at least half of the various sects were coerced by imperial authority into contributing, including those proficient in witchcraft arts!”
This world is vast and boundless. Even the Great Shang and Great Zhou only occupied the most fertile central regions, with the surrounding areas still plagued by the Four Barbarians, who even established their own kingdoms.
In the southern region of the Great Shang lay the Southern Jiang, a land of mountains and marshes infested with poisonous creatures. Coupled with the local bizarre witchcraft and ancestor worship, it gave birth to a unique profession—the Gu masters!
A Gu master naturally refers to someone who manipulates insects to harm others. It is said that they can also cultivate Gu poison by raising various venomous insects, silently cursing people to death! Their methods are insidious and ruthless, instilling fear, yet they are not considered orthodox.
“Haha, the Heaven-Defying King has already united rebel forces from all corners of the land, with forty uprisings converging at the Ten绝 Pass. The downfall of the Great Shang is imminent. Yet you still expect me to defect?”
Luo Song’s face was a ghastly mix of purple and black, yet he let out a cold sneer. In his hand, a pale blue glowing metal pill pulsed rhythmically, emitting streams of sword energy that pierced through the clouds. One after another, the venomous creatures controlled by the two Gu masters fell lifelessly to the ground.
“Sword qi exterminating, transforming into starlight, sweeping the area… This is the sword pill! And this technique seems to be the Star River Sword Pill!”
Wu Ming’s expression became slightly strange.
His current body originated from the Maoshan Sect, a pure cultivation lineage. However, the sect’s worldly branch was the Holy Mother of the Red Lotus, who founded the Red Lotus Sect, supported One-Eyebrow King Han Hulin, and seemed to have ambitions of supplanting him.
Bai Yulian, as the Red Lotus Sect’s Holy Maiden, had extensive connections in the martial world and had mentioned this Star River Sword Sect to Wu Ming.
This sword sect was half martial, half immortal, following the path of sword immortals. Their main technique involved cultivating a “Stellar Sword Pill.” It was said that once perfected, it could be wielded at will, severing heads within several zhang, always achieving success. If the sword light was fully developed, it could even envelop the body, enabling flight and leaving no trace.
Unfortunately, the highest achievement in the sect’s history was only reaching the level of Sword Sage, still far from the legendary Sword Immortal.
By this time, the sect had continuously declined, almost becoming an ordinary martial sect.
“The current leader of the Star River Sword Sect seems to be named Luosong. Could it really be him?”
Wu Ming rubbed his chin, observing the situation in the field: “Hmm! He actually managed to cultivate a sword pill, although it’s somewhat awkward. But its destructive power has already reached level three. He’s been hiding his abilities well. No wonder Bai Yulian wanted to control the entire Star River Sword Sect through him. In the end, she might not only lose everything but also get herself involved!”
“Hehe… Your vital energy is greatly damaged. Although the Stellar Sword Pill is excellent, how many times can you use it?”
It was clear that the two Gu masters were highly cautious of Luosong’s sword pill, only commanding their venomous creatures to attack from a distance, unwilling to put themselves in harm’s way.
“The cultivation paths of these two Gu masters appear quite similar to those of the Maoshan Taoists, relying on external techniques and their own limited power—which hasn’t even reached the second level yet…”
Seeing this, Wu Ming couldn’t help but feel somewhat speechless: “If they were to face each other in a real fight, Luosong with his sword could easily decapitate both of them in two strokes. However, now that he has fallen into a trap and is poisoned, things are getting complicated!”
Since he had the intention to rescue, Wu Ming naturally decided to intervene directly.
“Hehe!”
With a strange laugh, a skeleton spirit emerged and rushed toward the swarm of insects.
“Who is there?”
The two Gu masters were greatly alarmed and swiftly manipulated the swarm of insects to form a defensive wall. However, the white skeletal head let out an eerie laugh, spewing black miasma that corroded everything in its path. Large swaths of the insect swarm withered and fell, rapidly turning into heaps of lifeless corpses.
Upon seeing this, Luosong’s face briefly displayed a strange expression.
“What high-level cultivator is this? We are under the command of the Southern Jiang’s Master of Poisonous Insects!”
Witnessing the worsening situation, the two Gu masters immediately called upon their backer. However, Wu Ming had never even heard of this name before. The skeletal spirit swiftly flew through the air, shattering the poisonous barrier in an instant and reaching the two Gu masters.
“Ahh!”
At this moment, an unexpected event occurred.
As the peril drew near, the White Gu Master abruptly withdrew a golden dagger from his own chest and plunged it straight into the Black Gu Master’s heart.
The black Gu master’s body collapsed amidst the splattering blood. Strangely, his chest began heaving violently before suddenly bursting open, releasing a bizarre winged insect with compound eyes and eight legs. The creature soared out, radiating a ferocious aura as it clashed with the skeleton spirit.
“Hmm?”
Wu Ming walked into the scene, slightly stunned: “Using humans to feed insects? It seems that this Master of Poisonous Insects treats his disciples as expendables. He is no righteous man!”
“My name is Luosong. I pay my respects to the Three Mao Immortal!”
Luosong retracted his sword pill and stepped forward respectfully.
“Hmph, there’s no need for that. Since when did I become the Three Mao Immortal?”
Wu Ming touched his face, realizing that Luosong had recognized him, but he was somewhat puzzled by the new title.
“The Immortal has inherited the Maoshan lineage and naturally bears the name Three Mao. In the cultivation world, the title of Celestial Master is respectfully referred to as the Immortal! Moreover, the Immortal caused a commotion in Leyecheng, escaping from the hands of an Earth Immortal, shocking the entire realm. This title is well-deserved!”
“So, this Three Mao Immortal is the standard title for the most outstanding successor of the Maoshan Sect?”
Wu Ming felt a bit embarrassed. This title was too easy to evoke associations for him.
“Where are the Holy Mother of the Red Lotus and Bai Yulian? What about One-Eyebrow King?”
“They are all at the Ten Jue Pass, inside the camp of the Heaven-Defying King!”
“Good!”
After securing the information he wanted, Wu Ming gave a slight nod and cast a glance at the White Gu Master, who was still putting up a stubborn resistance. With a cold smirk, he remarked, “These two do possess some decent gu insects, but they’re merely insect slaves. The true master is the Venomous Gu Master… Their minds are linked. Once he arrives, things will get troublesome. Let’s wrap this up swiftly!”
He immediately took out the Yuan Ci Qi Sha Bao Hu (Magnetic Seven-Killing Treasure Gourd), slightly tilting the gourd’s mouth: “Quickly!”
Whoosh whoosh!
Seven streaks of white light, like soaring dragons, burst forth, infused with the essence of metal and stellar energy. In the blink of an eye, they tore the White Gu Master and that Gu insect to shreds!
“Let’s go!”
Wu Ming retrieved the gourd and turned to leave. Luosong, who remained behind, was momentarily stunned before quickly regaining his composure and hurrying to follow.
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