The sword qi slashed across thirty thousand miles, the cold gleam of the blade chilled the air across nineteen provinces!
The sword light, like a flowing ribbon, stretched across the sky, as if the Milky Way had poured down. In the middle, a black dragon roared, and the surrounding void instantly froze, carrying an ultimate meaning of lawlessness, boundlessness, and the supremacy of self and sword, crashing down with tremendous force!
Ding!
A single slash, as if crossing the boundary of the universe, instantly struck the twelve golden statues.
The sound of metal clashing echoed like bells and chimes ringing into the sky.
“Sword Immortal?!”
Wu Ming gazed at the scene, his eyes filled with admiration: “It must be a high-level cultivator at the level of Celestial Immortal, after the rank of Earth Immortal! How deeply hidden this Yuming Daoist is!”
An Earth Immortal is already at level five!
While a Celestial Immortal is level six. A cultivator at this level has, in some way, touched the essence of the world. Every move they make brings forth the immense power of heaven and earth, unstoppable and overwhelming!
“Shang Jie is finished!”
Wu Ming didn’t even need to look at the battlefield to know the outcome: “This person wants to forge the twelve golden statues, which is defying the heavens, but worse still, he has relied on the Buddhist sect! He has offended both the divine path and the immortal path!”
Although he didn’t know how many hidden hands were lurking beneath the surface of the Zhou world, one ancient god could counter a Buddhist deity, and now with a fallen immortal added to the mix, what could the Shang dynasty possibly use to resist?
Offending heaven, there is no prayer that can help!
Offending the masses, there is no salvation!
By honoring the Buddhist teachings and appointing a national teacher, Shang Jie had completely severed ties with the hundred schools of thought, the side paths, and the various sects, bringing destruction upon himself!
“Still… the various sects are high and mighty, and even the rise and fall of dynasties cannot affect them. Only the Buddhist sect, with shallow roots, would act recklessly for the imperial title, risking everything to forge the golden statues for Shang Jie…”
Thinking from another angle, Wu Ming understood Shang Jie’s choice, and his heart grew even more cautious.
For those sects with deep roots and blessed lands, whether a dynasty rises or falls, they can remain calm and composed, their foundations truly unfathomably deep.
Then, was his fostering of Wu Zhi’s rise in Dingzhou also considered “defying the heavens”?
Ding ding!
The sword qi flashed and vanished, as if the previous brilliance that spanned thousands of miles and dominated the heavens had all been an illusion.
However, on the twelve golden statues, a deep sword mark now clearly remained! Within the crevice, golden liquid could be seen flowing faintly, along with pitch-black malevolent energy.
“Pu!”
The golden statues, linked to his very soul, were gravely wounded, causing Shang Jie’s face to turn pale, blood to spurt from his mouth, and he immediately fell into unconsciousness.
Zila!
Hou hou!
After the sword’s gleam faded, the thunder calamity dragon descended once more, merging with the earth dragon to unleash the most savage assault!
Heaven unleashes its killing intent! Earth unleashes its killing intent! Humanity unleashes its killing intent!
The three heavenly, earthly, and human killing forces combine! Combined with the fate of the “Sha Polang” stars, it forms a deadly situation of absolute doom!
Hong long!
With a flash of lightning and earth energy, fine cracks spread along the sword marks, like a spider web, fracturing across the twelve golden statues.
Huala!
A massive arm fell to the ground, crashing into the palace, causing chaos and panic.
Then, the twelve golden statues began to shatter piece by piece, each fragment the size of a millstone or even a small hill crashing down like falling meteors, turning the hundred officials and loyalists around Shang Jie into blood and pulp.
Offending heaven, even a true dragon would be dragged into calamity; how could they possibly survive?
They were destined to die and be wiped out, even their true souls unable to remain intact!
This is how ruthless the struggle between heaven and earth can be!
…
“This past grudge, settled with a single sword!”
Within a blessed land, a voice rang out, and then the void faded, leaving no trace behind.
Upon seeing this, Master Yuming could only smile bitterly and bow respectfully.
“With these words spoken, the blessings of our ancestral lineage will truly be exhausted…”
His expression seemed both envious: “This old Taoist may be an Earth Immortal, and in the future, planting blessings in a blessed land will allow me to reap good results, resisting calamities, but I will still be burdened by worldly affairs and the mandate of the dragon energy. Ultimately, I can’t match the freedom of a Celestial Immortal, who transcends the three realms and exists beyond the five elements… Alas, this old Taoist doesn’t have such fortune. Perhaps, in the future, by accumulating great merit, there might be a slim chance for my descendants or disciples?”
Peng! Peng! Peng!…
Twelve loud booms followed, as the twelve golden statues shattered completely, releasing waves of malevolent energy.
Within the earth’s veins, the yellow dragon of the land of Shenzhou, freed from the twelve golden nails, let out a cry of joy, coiled once, and vanished into the earth.
“The twelve golden statues are utterly destroyed!”
Master Yuming was overjoyed, visibly elated, and then calculated with a finger: “The Shang dynasty was descended from the Black Bird, destined to rule for a thousand years. Originally, even if they lost the Mandate of Heaven, they could still preserve a branch of their descendants. But Shang Jie’s tyranny has led to the destruction of the twelve golden statues, allowing all the suppressed malevolent energies and calamities to rebound. It is likely that not only will their bloodline be extinguished, but even the spirits of their ancestors will be affected!”
Hou hou!
At this moment, another black mist emerged from the remains of the golden statues, merging with the star powers of the Seven Killing Stars, Breaker Army, and Greedy Wolf in the heavens, transforming into a monstrous creature resembling a dragon and a wolf. With a roar, it fled northward.
Master Yuming could not catch up and could only sigh: “This old Taoist employed Taoist arts to defy destiny, sacrificing the star lords of the Seven Killings, the Breaker Army, and the Greedy Wolf. With the twelve golden statues shattered, their residual energies intertwined, merging with metallic malevolence, they are bound to clash with the dragon’s aura. In time, this will give rise to another great calamity, one that will surely manifest during the reign of the Zhou dynasty… Since this disaster was wrought by this old Taoist, in the future, I must dispatch a chosen one to confront this tribulation!”
At this point, he approached the Altar of Heaven, congratulating Ji Yi: “Congratulations, Your Majesty! With the twelve golden statues shattered, the Mandate of Heaven for the Shang dynasty is no more. The Black Bird has fallen, and the Zhou dynasty rises in the east. This is the natural order of things, absolutely unchangeable!”
“I understand!” Ji Yi’s expression was a mix of sorrow and joy: “Issue the order to protect the ancestral temple of the Shang dynasty. I am continuing the legacy, and although Shang Jie was tyrannical, I cannot bear to see the ancestors of the Shang dynasty left without offerings or sacrifices…”
“Understood! Your Majesty is wise!”
The Shang dynasty ruled for a thousand years, and there was still some residual blessing left. Offering sacrifices to the former emperors was a prudent and mature statecraft.
The civil and military officials were convinced and bowed solemnly, no longer having any doubts about Ji Yi’s unification of the nineteen provinces and his establishment as the ruler of the world.
…
Wu Ming naturally also saw the scene of the black dragon fleeing, and he was even amazed: “The combination of Breaker Army, Seven Killing Stars, and Greedy Wolf with some of the malevolent energies from the twelve golden statues, along with the Mandate of Heaven of the Black Bird and the dragon energy, is truly extraordinary! Moreover, the fusion of the three stars into the ‘Sha Polang’ fate makes it even more difficult to control than the three individual killing stars!”
Suddenly, he thought of Huang Jie, the number one rebel under heaven, who appeared and plunged the Shang dynasty into chaos. Indeed, the past was already destined, which made Wu Ming feel a strange sense of wonder.
“Later, when the Yuming Daoist sect rushed out in a hurry to clean up the mess, killing Huang Jie and even sacrificing a national teacher’s Dao seed, was it for this reason?”
“So, is this world real or illusory?”
“Has history already changed? Or is this the true history?”
For a moment, Wu Ming felt slightly bewildered.
“Kill!”
But he had Daoist techniques to protect himself, and a simple illusion was enough for him to remain calm and composed, contemplating deeply. However, the soldiers on the imperial city wall were not so relaxed.
“Your Majesty?”
Zeng Guang saw the palace go through an earthquake, heavenly thunder, falling meteors, and finally the simultaneous explosion of the twelve golden statues, leaving the area behind in chaos, and was immediately alarmed: “Quickly! Deputy Commander Xing, take a team and go protect the imperial throne immediately!”
“Understood!”
Deputy Commander Xing stepped forward, his eyes flashing with coldness, and his dagger shot out like a venomous snake.
Pu!
Although Zeng Guang was an exceptional martial artist, at this moment he was battle-weary, and the betrayal by someone close caught him off guard. His opponent was also a martial arts expert. Unprepared for the sudden attack, the dagger pierced into his lower back, and blood gushed out instantly.
“You! Traitor!”
Zeng Guang’s face turned pale with blood loss, but he pulled out the dagger, his muscles automatically sealing the wound, and the bleeding stopped immediately.
“Good! Commander, your martial arts are profound, and your subordinates are impressed!”
In the midst of the chaos, Deputy Commander Xing waved his hand, and several lieutenants immediately gathered around to provide protection, splitting the imperial guards on the city wall into two factions, looking at each other with confusion and uncertainty.
“However, Commander, if you are to remain loyal, you must also leave a path for us subordinates to survive!”
Deputy Commander Xing bowed: “I naturally can follow the Commander through fire and water, but I do not wish for my family to suffer after my death… I must apologize!”
With the situation already lost, one cannot live in the air! Compromise is necessary!
“Haha… I didn’t expect you to betray me too. There’s nothing more to say!”
Zeng Guang held his waist wound, his expression unchanged: “But I still have one last request!”
“Please speak!”
“The Emperor ordered me to hold for half an hour, and now there’s still a quarter left… I have not completed the Emperor’s command, and according to the law, I should be executed. Allow me to face the Emperor and apologize before I go!”
Zeng Guang straightened his clothes and spoke solemnly.
This time, death was certain! There was no doubt about it!
Even if one’s martial arts skills were unparalleled, one was not beyond the realm of the supernatural. The previous serious injury and blood loss were real. Martial arts relied entirely on the body, and this injury immediately greatly reduced his martial prowess.
If before the escape had a seventy percent chance of success, now it was less than ten percent.
Moreover, although the words sounded good, these traitorous officers would not feel safe sleeping unless they saw him dead!
Finally, with the situation already lost and the hope of the twelve golden statues destroyed, even the Emperor’s fate was uncertain, causing Zeng Guang’s heart to sink, and he resolved to die!
“Your Majesty! Zeng Guang has failed in his duty, and now I come to follow you into the underworld!”
He turned eastward in defeat and immediately took his own life.
Pu!
Blood splashed, Zeng Guang’s body twitched and then lay still.
“General, we follow you!”
Around him, several retainers and loyalists also drew their swords and took their own lives, and in an instant, blood gushed forth like a spring.
“All true warriors!”
Deputy Commander Xing watched the scene, feeling relieved at first, then turned his head: “Issue the order to surrender to the Zhou army!”
“Understood!”
At this point, those still willing to die for the Shang dynasty were few and far between. Once the order was given, the sounds of battle quickly ceased, and waves of Zhou soldiers poured in. The banners of the Shang dynasty’s Mandate of Heaven fell, replaced by the red banners of King Wu.
Seeing this, many veteran soldiers lowered their heads, tears streaming down their faces.
…
“Great opportunity!”
Among the soldiers pouring into the imperial city, Wu Ming was clearly among them.
“The leader who drank blood! He certainly won’t die here, hiding in the palace all along—what exactly is he scheming for?”
A vague premonition drove him directly toward where the twelve golden statues had been, where the imperial aura of Shang Jie still had a faint trace remaining!
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