The Ancestral Dragon's remains had already been returned to the Dragon Clan, but this did not prevent him from acquiring a trace of the Ancestral Dragon's Origin.
There was even less need to mention Kong Xuan; as long as he spoke, it was only a trace of Origin, and Kong Xuan would not refuse.
It was precisely because he had a trace of the Origin of these three Quasi-Saints that he was able to transform these three Quasi-Saints using The Great Freedom of Transformation.
Of course, the more crucial factor was actually Human Clan Luck; without the blessing of Human Clan Luck, he would have been utterly unable to accomplish this feat.
Just like the Jade Emperor Haotian, if he were not the Lord of the Heavenly Court, how could the Jade Emperor Haotian wield the authority of the Heavenly Dao, and even condense the rules of the Heavenly Dao?
From this, one could actually see that he had been preparing for this conflict between Heaven and Man for a very long time.
It was precisely because of these preparations that he was able to suppress the Jade Emperor Haotian in this conflict between Heaven and Man.
Yes!
At this moment, in the eyes of every living being, the Jade Emperor Haotian had already been suppressed by King Zhou.
The Jade Emperor Haotian was the Lord of the Heavenly Court, after all, and in a previous battle with King Zhou, he had only fought King Zhou to a draw.
How much time had passed for King Zhou to actually be able to suppress the Jade Emperor Haotian? And it was the Jade Emperor Haotian who was displaying a stronger state?
Moreover, the methods King Zhou displayed at this moment truly astonished countless living beings.
At this moment, the situation was actually very clear: the defeat of the Chan Cult and the Heavenly Court was already predetermined.
Furthermore, no matter what the final outcome would be, the Jade Emperor Haotian and the Heavenly Court were already destined to lose all face.
After all, the incident occurred within Mount Peach; as long as one inquired slightly, Yang Jian's matter was actually no secret.
The Jade Emperor Haotian's biological sister eloping with a Mortal and even giving birth to Yang Jian was already too great a joke.
Killing Yang Jian's father, suppressing his own sister, yet being helpless against Yang Jian, the Jade Emperor Haotian had already lost face.
Now, Yang Jian breaking open Mount Peach to rescue his mother, and also seeking justice from the Jade Emperor Haotian, was it not only right and proper?
If the Jade Emperor Haotian was powerful enough to kill Yang Jian, then so be it, but the Jade Emperor Haotian came aggressively, yet still lost.
Thus, the Jade Emperor Haotian naturally became a complete and utter joke, and even the Heavenly Court would lose all its prestige because of this.
The Chan Cult was actually not much better off; with Yang Jian's identity exposed, the matter of the Chan Cult traitor could not be concealed either.
After all, just now, Guang Chengzi had repeatedly claimed he would kill Yang Jian, this Chan Cult traitor.
Yang Jian was a Chan Cult traitor? This was simply a huge joke!
Many living beings knew that back then, for Yang Jian's sake, the Chan Cult did not hesitate to offend the Heavenly Court, which was how Yang Jian was admitted into the Chan Cult.
Now, Yang Jian had instead become a Chan Cult traitor; was the Chan Cult not trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice?
Moreover, under the watchful eyes of all, Guang Chengzi and other Chan Cult Golden Immortals were beaten back repeatedly by the Three Xiao Maidens and Zhao Gongming.
In fact, the Three Xiao Maidens and Zhao Gongming had held back; otherwise, Guang Chengzi and other Chan Cult Golden Immortals would have long since been defeated.
From this, one could see that despite King Zhou's repeated reminders, the Jie Cult disciples still could not completely disregard the friendship between the two sects.
To be as ruthless as the Chan Cult Disciples, striking to kill without mercy, the Jie Cult disciples still had a long way to go.
But no matter what, in this conflict between Heaven and Man, the Human Clan held the advantage; this was already an indisputable fact.
"King Zhou, what exactly do You want? Do You really want to fight to the death?" the Jade Emperor Haotian said angrily.
As arrogant as he had been, that was how fearful he was now; he truly could not imagine what the consequences would be if this battle continued.
He was not afraid of his own death; as the Lord of the Heavenly Court, unless he sought death himself, no living being could kill him.
Nor was he afraid of continuing to lose face; he had already lost all face, so no matter how much more he lost face, how much worse could it get?
But he could not stand by and watch Yang Jian slaughtering everyone; Yang Jian was killing Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, and the immortal deities of the Heavenly Court.
Their Heavenly Court was already weak at its Foundation, and it had taken countless years of development to finally accumulate a little bit of its Foundation.
If Yang Jian continued to kill like this, their Heavenly Court's Foundation would truly be wiped out, and that was something he could not accept.
If the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and immortal deities were all dead, leaving him as a lone ruler, his position as Lord of the Heavenly Court would be a joke.
"Now You know fear? But unfortunately, it's too late! When You wantonly slaughtered my Human Clan, did You ever consider this day?" King Zhou said with disdain.
This was just the beginning; it was only the killing of some Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and immortal deities of the Heavenly Court, far from shaking the Foundation of the Heavenly Court.
If Yang Jian could directly kill his way into the Heavenly Court and turn it upside down, that would be closer to it.
"Enough! King Zhou, do You really think my Heavenly Court has no strong individuals? Queen Mother, it's time for You to act!" the Jade Emperor Haotian said angrily.
Originally, he did not want the Queen Mother to act, because the Queen Mother needed to guard the Heavenly Court.
But in the current situation, if the Queen Mother did not act, the Heavenly Court would certainly suffer heavy losses.
Just as the Jade Emperor Haotian's words fell, a vast power reappeared, and another Quasi-Saint acted.
Countless living beings showed surprise; it was their first time knowing that the Heavenly Court had more than just the Jade Emperor Haotian as a Quasi-Saint.
The Queen Mother held a high position in the Heavenly Court, being the head of all female immortals, but she had never revealed her strength.
The Heavenly Court possessing two Quasi-Saint level strong individuals was already quite terrifying; even among the Saint Dao lineages, there were no two Quasi-Saints.
The situation reversed once again; with an additional Quasi-Saint, the Heavenly Court instead regained the advantage.
At this moment, facing the Quasi-Saint strong individual, the Queen Mother, could Yang Jian still resist?
If Yang Jian were killed, this battle would instead be won by the Heavenly Court!
Chapter 182: Cutting Off the Heavenly Court's Foundation!
After the Queen Mother appeared, her target was also very clear: she immediately attacked Yang Jian.
Clearly, in the current situation, Yang Jian was not only the weakest and easiest to deal with, but also the key.
As long as Yang Jian could be killed, even if the Jade Emperor Haotian and Guang Chengzi and others lost, it would actually not matter.
The Jade Emperor Haotian could not fall; losing, while damaging his prestige, would still preserve the Heavenly Court's prestige if Yang Jian could be killed.
King Zhou had come aggressively this time, ostensibly to uphold justice for Yang Jian; if Yang Jian died, what justice would there be to uphold?
Yang Jian instantly became the focus of countless living beings' attention, and the eyes of Guang Chengzi and other Chan Cult Golden Immortals were filled with anticipation.
Coming to the Heavenly Court this time, they had originally intended to cooperate sincerely with the Heavenly Court, and this goal was considered achieved.
It was only to express their sincerity that they came with the Jade Emperor Haotian to kill Yang Jian.
But they never expected that they would fall into King Zhou's trap again, becoming the disheveled mess they were now.
In their view, everything was because of Yang Jian; if Yang Jian had not refused to cooperate, they would have long since successfully plotted against King Zhou.
Why would they need to lower their stance and personally come to the Heavenly Court to discuss cooperation with the Jade Emperor Haotian?
Yang Jian, this traitor, was the culprit; their hatred for Yang Jian now even surpassed that for King Zhou.
Now, with the Queen Mother personally acting, killing Yang Jian with her Quasi-Saint strength was merely effortless.
As long as Yang Jian died, their Chan Cult's humiliation could be washed away, and King Zhou's various schemes would come to naught.
Just as Guang Chengzi and others watched with anticipation, another vast power emerged, blocking the Queen Mother's path.
Countless living beings were dumbfounded; another Quasi-Saint had acted, which Quasi-Saint was this now?
The Jade Emperor Haotian was a Quasi-Saint, and King Zhou, condensed from Human Clan Luck, was also a Quasi-Saint level strong individual.
The key was that King Zhou, through some unknown method, had directly condensed three Quasi-Saint level strong individuals.
This was equivalent to five Quasi-Saints clashing, and when the Queen Mother acted, that made it six Quasi-Saints.
Now, with another Quasi-Saint acting, that made it the seventh Quasi-Saint, making it truly difficult not to be shocked.
It was hard to say if there were even seven Quasi-Saint level strong individuals in the entire world, and now they were all gathered near Mount Peach.
The Jade Emperor Haotian and Guang Chengzi and others were completely dumbfounded; they had placed all their hopes on the Queen Mother.
They had thought it was foolproof, but who would have thought that at this moment, another Quasi-Saint level strong individual would act?
That Quasi-Saint immediately blocked the Queen Mother; there was no need to guess, he must be on King Zhou's side.
Who was it? Could it be the Jie Cult's senior Disciple, Duobao Daoist, who had acted? He was the only Quasi-Saint Disciple in the Jie Cult.
But after seeing who it was, the Jade Emperor Haotian was instantly bewildered, because they did not recognize the Quasi-Saint who had acted.
Guang Chengzi and others did recognize who had acted, but they had never thought that he would be a Quasi-Saint.
The one who acted was naturally Kong Xuan; among all the Quasi-Saints in the world, Kong Xuan should be the most low-key one.
Before he truly displayed his strength, probably few people knew there was such a Quasi-Saint strong individual.
However, Kong Xuan was not only a Quasi-Saint, but among all Quasi-Saints, Kong Xuan definitely could not be considered weak.
With the Five-Colored Divine Light, a peerless Divine Ability, even another Quasi-Saint would probably not dare to say they could definitely defeat Kong Xuan.
With Kong Xuan's strength, blocking the Queen Mother was naturally not a problem, and Kong Xuan's demands for himself were not that low either.
In the past, the reason Kong Xuan was not well-known was actually because his mind was entirely focused on how to improve the situation of the Phoenix Clan.
Watching the Phoenix Clan gradually decline, even on the verge of extinction, how could Kong Xuan have the desire to gain fame?
Originally, relying on the Great Shang's Luck, he could only barely allow the Phoenix Clan to breathe, but he saw no hope whatsoever.
Just as he was almost despairing, he met You, and completely changed the fate of their Phoenix Clan.
Now that he thought about it, everything seemed like a dream, so unreal, making it hard for him to imagine.
How much time had passed? Not only had their Phoenix Clan been completely liberated, no longer needing to bear boundless Karma, but they no longer even needed to suppress the Undying Volcano
What he didn't expect was that his mother, Yuan Feng, was still alive and had even been rescued from the Undying Volcano.
For Kong Xuan, all of this was too dreamlike, as if his life's pursuits had been fulfilled in an instant.
Of course, he never forgot that the reason he had reached this point was entirely due to You.
It was You who allowed the Phoenix Clan to become a part of the Human Clan, thereby forever enjoying Human Clan Luck and no longer having to bear boundless Karma.
It was You who personally ventured deep into the Undying Volcano and discovered his mother, informing him that she was still alive.
It was also You who personally acted to resolve the Undying Volcano, which even Sages couldn't solve, completely freeing their Phoenix Clan from the fate of suppressing the Undying Volcano.
It was precisely for this reason that his mother could escape the sea of suffering, no longer bound within the Undying Volcano, enduring boundless pain.
Without You, none of this would exist today. The gratitude in his heart for You was already beyond words.
Therefore, as long as it was something You commanded, no matter how difficult, he would find a way to complete it.
This time, it was merely asking him to block the Queen Mother. What difficulty could there be in that?
He was very clear that You, this time, was ostensibly helping Yang Jian seek justice, but in reality, he was establishing the rules for the Human Clan.
You once said that the Human Clan is now the protagonist of the world, and no one can arbitrarily decide the fate of the Human Clan, much less wantonly bully the Human Clan.
Clearly, the Jade Emperor Haotian had once wantonly killed Human Clan members, which is why You wanted to seek justice.
Blood debts must be paid with blood. As the head of the Heavenly Court's female immortals, the Queen Mother naturally had to pay a blood price.
Therefore, when he acted, he never thought of merely stopping the Queen Mother; if possible, he wanted to kill her.
The reasoning was simple: since the Heavenly Court and Chan Cult could kill Yang Jian, he could naturally kill the Queen Mother.
However, Kong Xuan did not know that the Queen Mother could also condense Heavenly Court Luck and wield the authority of the Heavenly Dao, making it basically impossible for her to perish.
But Kong Xuan's strength was indeed formidable. As soon as his Five-Colored Divine Light emerged, the Queen Mother was immediately forced to retreat steadily.
The Jade Emperor Haotian and Guang Chengzi and other Chan Cult Golden Immortals watched in stunned silence; they had already noticed some anomalies.
The three avatars King Zhou had condensed had somewhat blurry faces; if not for their physique and methods, they would have found it difficult to recognize Ancestral Dragon and Yuan Feng.
As for the last Quasi-Sage, they didn't know who it was, but after seeing Kong Xuan, they completely understood.
After all, a world-shaking Divine Ability like the Five-Colored Divine Light couldn't be faked. They weren't blind to such a nearly identical Divine Ability.
In other words, King Zhou had truly used inconceivable means to condense three Quasi-Sage avatars, and the key was that these three Quasi-Sages were real.
Even more terrifying was that the condensed Quasi-Sage avatars not only had strength comparable to their main bodies but also had nearly identical methods.
Anyone who saw such methods would surely be utterly shocked, as it surpassed their understanding.
"Jade Emperor Haotian, is this all You've got? You've truly disappointed You. This battle should end now!" King Zhou said disdainfully.
After witnessing the Heavenly Dao rules, the Jade Emperor Haotian held no value for King Zhou.
Next, it was naturally time for blood for blood, making the Heavenly Court pay a sufficient price to establish the Human Clan's prestige.
This was a reversal of the situation; from now on, the Human Clan would no longer be an object to be wantonly bullied.
The Heavenly Court could not decide the fate of the Human Clan, nor could it arbitrarily judge or dispose of the Human Clan; other beings would be even less capable of doing so.
Of course, none of this was the most important; what was important was that the Human Clan had established its position in the world.
Want to turn the Human Emperor into the Son of Heaven? Want the Human Clan to be beneath the Heavenly Court?
He directly severed the Foundation of the Heavenly Court's great prosperity, to see how the Heavenly Court could still prosper and how it could become the future master of the Three Realms.
He struck again, but his target was not the Jade Emperor Haotian, but rather the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods.
During this time, Yang Jian had wreaked havoc, but most of those he killed were Heavenly Soldiers and Generals; he hadn't killed many true Heavenly Court immortals and gods.
In the Heavenly Court, Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were essentially cannon fodder; as long as there was enough time, they could be cultivated.
Immortals and gods were the Foundation of the Heavenly Court, because only immortals and gods could wield the authority of the Heavenly Dao; they were inherently part of the Heavenly Court's composition.
Why is the Heavenly Court's reputation not prominent now, and why is there no hope of great prosperity? Is it not because there are too few Heavenly Court immortals and gods, and the authority of the Heavenly Dao is not complete?
Originally, after the Investiture of the Gods, the three hundred and sixty-five righteous gods returned to their positions, and the authority of the Heavenly Dao gradually became complete, only then did the Heavenly Court truly prosper and even become the master of the Three Realms.
But under his strike, those Heavenly Court immortals and gods who had followed the Jade Emperor Haotian to the Lower Realm instantly turned to dust.
The Jade Emperor Haotian's eyes instantly split with rage; these Heavenly Court immortals and gods were the hard-earned Foundation he had accumulated.
Since he became the Jade Emperor, he had worked tirelessly for countless years, carefully developing the Heavenly Court.
Although the Heavenly Court had never truly prospered, its general framework had already been established, and those immortals and gods were the Foundation of the Heavenly Court.
But at this moment, the Foundation of the Heavenly Court was directly annihilated. Was this the result of his efforts over countless years?
He only felt his vision dim. After these Heavenly Court immortals and gods perished, how much longer would he have to work to re-establish such a Foundation?
Moreover, this was a critical moment for the Investiture of the Gods. How could the Heavenly Court, having lost its Foundation, still have any hope of great prosperity?
Thinking of this, although he was furious to the extreme, he was also terrified to the extreme, and no longer dared to have any other thoughts.
After a roar, he fully unleashed the Haotian Mirror and Haotian Tower, two Innate Spiritual Treasures, protecting the remaining Heavenly Court immortals and gods, and rushed towards the Heavenly Court.
He was truly afraid, no longer having any desire to contend with King Zhou, only wishing to preserve the Heavenly Court's strength as much as possible.
"You want to leave now? Too late!" King Zhou said coldly.
Chapter 183: Western Religion enters the Heavenly Court!
The Jade Emperor Haotian was truly afraid. The Heavenly Court had already suffered heavy losses, and if this continued, he wouldn't be able to remain as the Jade Emperor.
He hadn't expected that while King Zhou was suppressing him, he would still have the spare capacity to attack and kill the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods.
All of this was because the three great avatars King Zhou had condensed were too powerful; King Zhou didn't even need to act himself to suppress him.
There was no need to elaborate on King Zhou's strength; besides him, who could barely resist, even the Queen Mother, a Quasi-Sage, would probably find it difficult to resist.
If he didn't leave now, King Zhou would kill off all of the Heavenly Court's Foundation, and he would become a lone ruler.
But if the Jade Emperor Haotian wanted to leave, how could King Zhou let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
Since the Jade Emperor Haotian dared to view the Human Clan as ants and wantonly kill Human Clan members with heavenly rules and regulations, he could naturally kill the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods.
Blood debts must be paid with blood. For every Human Clan member the Jade Emperor Haotian killed, he would kill ten, a hundred, a thousand immortals and gods.
The three avatars attacked simultaneously, blocking the Jade Emperor Haotian, while he once again struck with cold indifference.
His target was also very clear: the remaining immortals and gods of the Heavenly Court. This time, he wanted to wipe them out completely.
This was not only seeking justice for the Human Clan and avenging Yang Jian, but also severing the Foundation of the Heavenly Court.
With his current strength, those immortals and gods of the Heavenly Court were like ants; he could cause them to turn to dust with a mere raise of his palm.
However, his palm ultimately did not fall, because another powerful being acted, and it was a Sage personally.
A golden lotus appeared in the void, protecting the remaining Heavenly Court immortals and gods, breaking through the void, and sending them into the Heavenly Court.
At such a critical moment, Sage Jieyin personally acted, protecting those Heavenly Court immortals and gods and Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.
That golden lotus not only rescued the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and Heavenly Court immortals and gods but also rescued Guang Chengzi and other Chan Cult Golden Immortals.
Thus, Mount Tao, which had been engulfed in a fierce battle, instantly fell silent, leaving only King Zhou and the others.
"Sage Jieyin has quite the scheme; this time, he's certainly gained a lot of Face!" King Zhou said.
Sage Jieyin's action at this time was naturally not without reason; this was essentially showing favor to both the Heavenly Court and Chan Cult simultaneously.
From this, it could be seen that the alliance between Western Religion, the Heavenly Court, and Chan Cult was an inevitable development.
Moreover, since Sage Jieyin chose to help the Heavenly Court at this time, he probably had other intentions.
However, he was also very clear that even without what happened on Mount Tao, the alliance between Western Religion, the Heavenly Court, and Chan Cult was bound to happen sooner or later.
After all, the current Great Shang alone put immense pressure on these three parties, not to mention the Sect of Interception, which would later have ten thousand immortals flocking to its banner.
In this Investiture of the Gods, if these three parties still wanted to win, an unreserved alliance and cooperation became the only possibility.
"That is the Twelve Grade Merit Golden Lotus. Sage Jieyin has personally acted. Next, I'm afraid the world will be turned upside down!" Our Lady of the Cloud Canopy said solemnly.
What it meant for Sage Jieyin to personally help Chan Cult and the Heavenly Court was not difficult to guess.
Putting aside everything else, just the alliance between Chan Cult and Western Religion alone represented three Sages.
There were only six Sages in the entire world; three Sages uniting meant they were in an invincible position.
"When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, cover it with earth. This was already expected, so why panic?" King Zhou said.
Our Lady of the Cloud Canopy could not possibly know that in the final battle of the Investiture of the Gods, it was not three Sages who united.
Four Sages united and directly broke the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation of the Sect Master of Heaven, leading to the downfall of the vast Sect of Interception.
Even the Sect Master of Heaven probably never imagined such a possibility, so how could the Sect of Interception not be annihilated?
And now, Chan Cult, Western Religion, and the Heavenly Court were uniting to deal not with the Sect of Interception, but with Great Shang and him.
Let alone three Sages, even one Sage, if they truly acted without regard for consequences, everything he had done would be overturned.
Therefore, from the very beginning, his goal was to possess the strength to contend against Sages, so that he and the Human Clan could escape their original fate.
Looking at the confident King Zhou, for some reason, Our Lady of the Cloud Canopy, who had been full of worries, gradually felt at ease.
Perhaps, as long as King Zhou was there, no matter how difficult the future situation became, they would always have a way to deal with it.
At the same time, under the protection of the Twelve Grade Merit Golden Lotus, the Heavenly Court and Chan Cult had already arrived in the Heavenly Court
Guang Chengzi and the other Chan Cult Golden Immortals were slightly better off; although they were in a sorry state, they ultimately suffered no damage.
Emperor Haotian's expression was incredibly grim; this time, he had originally intended to display the Heavenly Court's might, but the result was this.
Most of the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were lost, and the Immortals and Gods suffered heavy casualties. This was his Foundation, accumulated over countless years of cultivation.
However, their Heavenly Court possessed the pan tao tree, a congenital spiritual root, so cultivating new Heavenly Soldiers and Generals was not a difficult task.
The crucial point was the Immortals and Gods of the Heavenly Court; they held the authority of the Heavenly Dao and were the very Foundation of the Heavenly Court.
Originally, the Heavenly Court did not have many Immortals and Gods, and strong individuals among them were even fewer. Now, they had suffered heavy casualties.
Millions of years of effort were lost in a single day. No matter who it was, they would probably feel as heartbroken as he did.
"Your Majesty, given the current situation, we have no other choice!" Guang Chengzi said in a deep voice.
Seeing the Heavenly Court's current miserable state, Guang Chengzi did not gloat; instead, he felt empathy.
King Zhou and Great Shang were also their enemies. Today's Heavenly Court might be tomorrow's Chan Cult.
"You are right. Next, we must fully assist West Qi in destroying Great Shang and King Zhou!" Emperor Haotian said in a deep voice.
If the Deification Ceremony could succeed, the Heavenly Court's current losses would be nothing. This was his only hope now.
He refused to believe that the Heavenly Court, Chan Cult, and Western Religion, working together, could not deal with King Zhou and Great Shang.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will return to West Qi. The counterattack against Great Shang should begin!" Guang Chengzi said in a deep voice.
The plan had actually been in place for a long time, but the events in Peach Mountain caught them off guard.
This time, Sage Jieyin's intervention showed that Western Religion was also on their side, which gave them even greater confidence.
West Qi had been silent for so long; it was time to show its strength and even shake the Foundation of Great Shang.
Emperor Haotian nodded. Although the Heavenly Court suffered heavy losses this time, they still had some reserves.
While they couldn't deal with King Zhou, many of the Heavenly Court's methods would be highly effective against Great Shang.
As long as Great Shang fell, King Zhou, having lost all his Luck, would naturally be nothing to worry about.
After Guang Chengzi and the other Chan Cult Golden Immortals left, Emperor Haotian dismissed the Heavenly Court's attendants and went alone to a secluded place.
"Brother Jieyin asked You to come here. What does he want to tell You?" Emperor Haotian said expressionlessly.
The next moment, a figure appeared before Emperor Haotian: it was Sage Jieyin of Western Religion.
Sage Jieyin had not shown himself until then, only using the Twelve Grade Merit Golden Lotus to save the people of the Heavenly Court and Chan Cult.
However, he only appeared alone before Emperor Haotian after everyone else had left, which naturally was not without reason.
"Your Majesty, the Heavenly Court suffered heavy losses this time. If the authority of the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, it will surely affect the Heavenly Court's normal operation!" Sage Jieyin said.
His help to Chan Cult and the Heavenly Court was only partly to build goodwill; more importantly, it was for their Western Religion.
Their Western Religion's schemes in the Six Paths of Reincarnation had completely failed, and countless years of hard work had been wiped out in an instant.
It could be said that Western Religion's hope for a resurgence had been cut off. After careful discussion with his Junior Brother, the Deification Ceremony had become their last hope.
Although it was no longer possible to stand by and reap the benefits, their Western Religion could still strengthen itself during the Deification Ceremony.
This time, the Heavenly Court's heavy losses and the tragic deaths of countless Immortals and Gods, ironically, gave them hope.
"Brother, You are right. This time, my Heavenly Court can be said to have suffered a crippling blow. Does Brother have any advice for You?" Emperor Haotian said.
He knew very well that Sage Jieyin's appearance at this time must be for some purpose, not just to say these words to him.
He didn't really care what Sage Jieyin's goal was; he cared about how to solve the Heavenly Court's current predicament.
With incomplete Immortals and Gods and the authority of the Heavenly Dao falling into disuse, if this situation continued, the Heavenly Court would likely struggle to achieve anything significant in this Deification Ceremony.
Even if they ultimately won the Deification Ceremony, how much benefit their Heavenly Court would gain would be hard to say.
"My Western Religion still has some Disciples, all of whom are highly cultivated. They can enter the Heavenly Court and follow Your Majesty's command!" Sage Jieyin said.
This was his purpose: to take advantage of the Heavenly Court's emptiness due to the countless deaths of Immortals and Gods, and allow Western Religion to take control of the Heavenly Court.
The Heavenly Court was, after all, the orthodox power. Becoming an Immortal or God of the Heavenly Court would not only grant authority over the Heavenly Dao but also earn merit.
If the Deification Ceremony ultimately succeeded and the Heavenly Court prospered, the Immortals and Gods of the Heavenly Court could even gather immeasurable Luck.
This was crucial for their Western Religion. If everything went smoothly, their Western Religion would surely see hope for a resurgence once more.
"Oh? Sage Jieyin has truly solved an urgent problem for You. How could You disagree?" Emperor Haotian said with a smile.
Undoubtedly, if Western Religion's Disciples could enter the Heavenly Court and follow his command, it would indeed compensate for the Heavenly Court's losses this time.
Moreover, Western Religion was, after all, a Saint's lineage. Even if its Disciples were not as good as those of Chan Cult and Jie Cult, they were still incomparable to other beings.
Western Religion's Disciples entering the Heavenly Court could even increase the Heavenly Court's strength rather than diminish it, making it more powerful than before.
"Since Your Majesty agrees, I will arrange this matter upon my return. Your Majesty, rest assured, we will surely succeed in this Deification Ceremony!" Sage Jieyin said.
Things went even more smoothly than he expected. He had originally thought he would have to spend some effort to make Emperor Haotian comply.
Now that their Western Religion's goal had been achieved, the rest of the matters would be much simpler.
"Then I'll trouble Brother Jieyin!" Emperor Haotian said.
After seeing Sage Jieyin leave, he finally dropped his smile, a cold smirk appearing on his face.
He knew very well what Sage Jieyin's purpose was, because Western Religion had done similar things before.
It was nothing more than a trick of a cuckoo occupying a magpie's nest. But in the current situation, what other choice did he have?
Moreover, entering the Heavenly Court was easy, but trying to occupy it like a cuckoo—he wasn't just a decoration. In the end, it would come down to individual ability.
Chapter 184: The Foremost of All Classics, the "Book of Changes"!
The events in Peach Mountain had concluded, and King Zhou and the others had returned to Zhaoge.
Although this battle in Peach Mountain failed to kill Emperor Haotian, for Yang Jian, it was already a complete success.
Saving his mother was a long-cherished wish of his, and now it had finally been fulfilled.
Moreover, although he failed to kill Emperor Haotian, he also killed countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, which was a form of venting his anger.
He couldn't help but feel fortunate for his choice back then. If not for that choice, how could he have achieved what he did today?
Had he remained in Chan Cult, let alone avenging himself, even saving his mother would have been an unknown amount of time away.
King Zhou not only kept his word but also fulfilled his promise so quickly, and the outcome was so favorable. What more could he ask for?
Because of this, Yang Jian not only had no more doubts about King Zhou but was also filled with gratitude.
King Zhou had always held great expectations for Yang Jian. Like Nezha, Yang Jian was chosen to protect the Human Clan.
Of course, it was too early to say all this now. Only by successfully overcoming the Deification Ceremony could one be qualified to speak of the future.
If one could not even overcome the Deification Ceremony, no matter how many plans there were, they would never be realized.
And after the battle in Peach Mountain, Western Religion, Chan Cult, and the Heavenly Court were bound to form an alliance, and the true Deification Ceremony would begin.
It was no exaggeration to say that all the past events were merely minor disturbances, incomparable to the true Deification Ceremony.
After all, in the true Deification Ceremony, Saints would personally intervene, so everything that came before naturally counted for little.
"Reporting to You, the first Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly is about to be held. Please attend!"
Just as King Zhou was pondering the Deification Ceremony, Bi Gan entered the palace to report on recent major events.
The Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly, just by its name, clearly indicated its connection to the philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought.
With the help of Bi Gan and others, the philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought in the Hall of Sages had been compiled into classics and widely disseminated throughout Great Shang.
Although the time was short, many people of the Human Clan had already been influenced by the philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought, which led to this Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly.
"Rest assured! You will attend at that time!" King Zhou said.
For the current Great Shang, the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly might seem insignificant, but its importance was by no means low.
He had always believed that for the Human Clan to truly stand firm between Heaven and Earth, it required not only strength but also ideological power.
In the past, when facing Immortals and Gods, the Human Clan would invariably bow down and offer their devout faith.
After events like the Human Clan Conferring Gods, this situation changed somewhat, but the essence of the Human Clan had not changed.
Compared to other beings in Heaven and Earth, the Human Clan was born weak and could only gradually grow stronger through postnatal cultivation.
However, within the Human Clan, most people simply lacked the talent for cultivation, and no matter how they cultivated, their achievements would be very limited.
He had already spread the cultivation method of the Five Great Secret Realms of the human body among the Human Clan, and with the help of dragon tooth rice, the Physiques of most Human Clan members had already improved.
But even so, ninety-nine percent of the Human Clan were still ordinary people, at most with slightly improved Physiques.
It was only because the Human Clan was numerous that even if only a small portion of people could Cultivate, it could still accumulate a considerable force for him.
Ordinary Human Clan members who could not Cultivate could not possess great power and naturally could not compare to Immortals and Gods.
Does this mean that these ordinary Human Clan members, when facing Immortals and Gods, can only bow down and become like ants?
Immortals and Gods are not to be feared; Saints are not to be emulated! Lacking great strength does not mean that these ordinary Human Clan members must remain weak forever.
Ideological power is also a kind of power. In fact, ideological power is far more valuable than physical strength.
The philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought were an opportunity, the fundamental way to truly strengthen the Human Clan and make it stand proudly between Heaven and Earth.
At the same time, in West Qi, the alliance between Chan Cult, Western Religion, and the Heavenly Court had become a certainty, and forces from all three sides had gathered in Xiqi City
Yuan Hong was still steadily making progress, following You's instructions. He was in no hurry to attack West Qi.
Yuan Hong was not anxious, but Guang Chengzi and the others couldn't afford not to be. Marquis Ji Chang of the West was already like an ant on a hot pan.
This was actually unavoidable. Great Shang was simply too powerful now, surpassing the current West Qi in every aspect.
Facing the Great Shang army, the people in Xiqi City were already in a state of panic, and every day, people fled West Qi to join Great Shang.
What's more, facing Yuan Hong's army, West Qi had to maintain a high level of alert, and the daily consumption of provisions was an astronomical figure.
Great Shang was vast and rich in resources, and currently at its Peak, its material supply was arguably a hundred times that of West Qi.
If this stalemate continued, Great Shang could endure, but West Qi would absolutely not be able to last much longer.
Faced with this situation, everyone understood that West Qi had no other option but to launch an offensive.
Meanwhile, in Chaoge City, King Zhou still did not pay much attention to West Qi, and even the court officials shared this sentiment.
What was West Qi? It was merely a minor affliction. In the eyes of the court officials, developing Great Shang was far more important than dealing with West Qi.
As the situation in Xiqi City changed, with Chanism, the Heavenly Court, and Western Religion joining forces to turn the tide, no one in Chaoge City seemed concerned.
Everyone's attention was focused on the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly. On the day the conference opened, the venue was packed with people.
The Hundred Schools of Thought, each with its own unique classics, undeniably possessed profound insights.
When one resonated with a particular philosophy and grasped its profound principles, they naturally became a follower of that school of thought.
The Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly aimed to bring followers of all schools together, allowing them to exchange ideas and spark brilliant intellectual collisions.
Truth becomes clearer through debate; the Way becomes purer through discussion!
The ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought had only just begun to sprout in Great Shang, and even their followers could not claim to have fully mastered the classics.
It was through this Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly that they could learn from the strengths of each school and help themselves grasp the true essence of the Hundred Schools of Thought.
At the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly, followers of each school spoke, and when their words became heated, they almost came to blows.
When You appeared, the atmosphere of this grand event reached its Peak.
The followers of the Hundred Schools of Thought were all eager to showcase their abilities before You, their intentions clearly evident.
You had established the Talent Recruitment Hall, inviting sages from all over the world, and this matter had long become a widely praised tale.
All the great sages who distinguished themselves in the Talent Recruitment Hall became renowned throughout the world and were highly valued by You.
After countless events, no one would doubt that You was a wise and valiant enlightened ruler.
To be able to display one's talents before You, or even receive You's praise, would be an unparalleled honor for countless individuals.
Therefore, after King Zhou appeared, the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly instantly became incredibly lively, and the followers of the Hundred Schools of Thought were as if injected with a stimulant.
However, King Zhou remained calm and composed, allowing the followers of the Hundred Schools of Thought to interact with each other without uttering a single word.
"The time is still a bit short; the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought still need to ferment!" King Zhou thought to himself.
Not much time had actually passed since the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought began to spread throughout Great Shang.
Because of this, many people's understanding of the Hundred Schools of Thought doctrines was still superficial and had not yet grasped their essence.
But this was unavoidable. The doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought were the essence of human thought; how could they be so easily understood?
However, everything was just a matter of time. As long as the ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought could take root in humanity, there would always be a day for them to blossom and bear fruit.
"You once demonstrated the Innate Eight Trigrams. Why not take this opportunity to share with everyone?" Bi Gan suggested.
At these words, everyone's gaze converged on King Zhou, their eyes filled with anticipation.
In the current Great Shang, who didn't know that the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought originated from You?
Although You had said that the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought were not his own creation but originated from ancient human sages.
But everyone wasn't foolish; wasn't it obvious whether there were doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought among ancient human sages?
Therefore, in everyone's opinion, the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought were clearly created by You!
In the eyes of the followers of the Hundred Schools of Thought, You was undoubtedly an existence like a founding patriarch.
Now, the founding patriarch was going to personally expound on the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought, which naturally made countless people exceptionally expectant.
"The classics are already in your hands. How to comprehend them is entirely up to You. Even if there are different interpretations, it actually doesn't matter!
Today, I originally didn't want to say much, but since You want to hear it, I will tell You about the 'I Ching'!" King Zhou said with a smile.
Regarding the pinnacle of the Hundred Schools of Thought, his understanding was indeed superior to most people's at present, but this was only derived from later generations' thought.
However, whether the thought of later generations was correct, or whether it was suitable for the current Great Shang, was actually difficult to say.
As You, and regarded by countless people as a founding patriarch, his words naturally carried extraordinary weight.
He actually didn't want his words to be regarded as ultimate truths, because that itself was a form of intellectual confinement.
How the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought should be interpreted should be entirely up to humanity itself, not decided by him.
Whether good or bad, those were humanity's own choices; he only needed to control the overall situation.
Not speaking about the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought would inevitably disappoint many people, so he simply decided to speak about the 'I Ching'.
The 'I Ching' was actually also among the Hundred Schools of Thought doctrines in the Hall of Sages, but due to its special nature, it was specifically extracted by Bi Gan and others.
You had publicly demonstrated the Innate Eight Trigrams, and in the eyes of Bi Gan and others, the 'I Ching' was extraordinary, which was why they hesitated.
After all, the 'I Ching' could evolve heavenly secrets, and if one mastered the 'I Ching', one could even foresee the future.
The 'I Ching' was indeed extraordinary, the head of all classics, but such a doctrine should be spread among humanity even more.
"Qian, Hexagram One, Qian below Qian above, Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen.
First Nine: Hidden dragon, do not use.
Nine Two: Dragon appearing in the field, beneficial to see the great man..."
Chapter 185: West Qi Becomes an Immortal Nation!
King Zhou's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. No one dared to be negligent; they all listened attentively.
The 'I Ching' was called the head of all classics for a reason. With just a few words, it already pointed directly to the Great Dao, making people ponder deeply.
Unconsciously, everyone was immersed in the world of the 'I Ching', and when King Zhou's voice disappeared, many people had not yet recovered.
"The 'I Ching' You spoke of encompasses everything and points directly to the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. It should be the foremost of the Hundred Schools of Thought!" Bi Gan said with emotion.
No one refuted him; instead, they all nodded uncontrollably, finding Bi Gan's words very reasonable.
This was not flattery, because whether it was the ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought or the 'I Ching', they all originated from You alone.
Since they were all doctrines passed down by You, whether one was superior or inferior, it was all You's achievement.
It could only be said that the 'I Ching' was indeed extraordinary; in just a few words, it had insight into heavenly secrets and pointed directly to the fundamental essence of heaven and earth.
At this point, the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly successfully concluded, and everyone gained a great deal.
It was certain that in the coming period, a wave of thought would sweep across Great Shang.
The ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought would further ferment, permeate among the common people, and even influence their daily lives.
This was the effect King Zhou desired: to bring about a transformation in the entire Human Race through this wave of thought.
Although the Hundred Schools of Thought Discourse Assembly had ended, the court officials were still very busy, and even the entire Great Shang was very busy.
This busyness was not due to any major events, but rather because in this rapidly changing era, the lives of all Great Shang citizens were very busy.
After all, new things appeared every day, and new sparks of thought erupted. If one wasn't busy enough, they could easily be left behind by the times.
But this busyness did not make the lives of the common people harder; instead, it made the lives of most people more fulfilling.
This was an era of human transformation, an era where most of humanity was actively striving upwards, full of hope.
If such an era could continue, leading humanity into an age where everyone was like a dragon, perhaps it would not be just a dream.
Compared to the busyness of Great Shang, West Qi's busyness was actually no less, and they were even busier.
Since Chanism, Western Religion, and the Heavenly Court fully joined forces and cooperated sincerely, the number of powerful individuals gathered in Xiqi City grew increasingly large.
There were Disciples of Chanism, Disciples of Western Religion, and immortal gods from the Heavenly Court, and their numbers grew increasingly vast.
"Everyone is here. The matters have been discussed almost completely, and I believe everyone is very clear about them!" Guang Chengzi said in a deep voice.
With so many powerful individuals gathered in West Qi, they naturally weren't idle; they had already discussed matters long ago.
Since the last battle at Peach Mountain, all three parties had felt immense pressure, otherwise they wouldn't have decided to cooperate.
The purpose of their cooperation was naturally to deal with Great Shang and King Zhou, but how to deal with Great Shang and King Zhou was a problem.
That was, after all, humanity, the protagonists of the current world. They couldn't directly intervene; at most, they could only deal with some of Great Shang's powerful individuals.
If they wantonly killed ordinary humans, the Heavenly Dao would surely inflict boundless Karma, which they simply could not bear.
The most troublesome thing now was that West Qi's strength was far inferior to Great Shang's. They had to change this situation to have a chance of winning.
"Senior Brother is right. Everyone is actually well aware of the current situation. There is only one path before us!" Dizang said.
This time, quite a few Disciples of Western Religion came to West Qi, and Dizang was the leader of the Western Religion Disciples.
From this, it could also be seen that among all the Western Religion Disciples, Dizang was indeed the most outstanding one.
Moreover, after the failure of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, it was already quite remarkable that Dizang could recover so quickly
This time, coming to West Qi, he bore the heavy responsibility of cooperating with Chan Cult and Heavenly Court, which showed the trust of the two Saints of Western Religion in Dizang.
"That's right! With West Qi's current strength, it's too difficult to contend against the Great Shang, which is currently at its zenith!" Taibai Jinxing said.
As Emperor Haotian's confidant, Taibai Jinxing unhesitatingly became the representative of Heavenly Court.
He knew very well that for Emperor Haotian, as long as he could destroy the Great Shang and King Zhou, any price could be paid.
This was not only because of Emperor Haotian's own anger, as King Zhou had made Emperor Haotian lose face several times.
But more critically, the Human Race, under King Zhou's leadership, had seriously threatened Heavenly Court.
If the Great Shang and King Zhou could not be destroyed, how could the Deification Ceremony be successfully completed, and how could Heavenly Court flourish?
"Since that's the case, let us work together to build West Qi into an Immortal Kingdom, forging an invincible army with the Power Of Faith!" Guang Chengzi said in a deep voice.
This was the strategy they, Chan Cult, Western Religion, and Heavenly Court, had discussed and agreed upon, and it was their only hope now.
With Chan Cult, Western Religion, and Heavenly Court combining their forces, the number of experts was so great that they no longer feared the Great Shang and Jie Cult.
The only shortcoming was that West Qi's strength was too weak, making it difficult to assemble an army capable of resisting the Great Shang.
Previously, this was not a problem; although the Great Shang's strength was formidable, it wasn't overly exaggerated.
If King Zhou had been incompetent and ruthless, West Qi could have allied with the various Lords of a State, and its strength would have even surpassed the Great Shang.
But who could have known that the current King Zhou was not only sagacious and martial but also repeatedly performed earth-shattering deeds, causing the Great Shang's strength to surge.
Even they, upon seeing the current Great Shang, were not only extremely shocked but also deeply apprehensive.
After all, how could Immortals not be wary of a thriving, ever-changing Human Race, a Human Race whose destiny was as brilliant as the great sun?
Therefore, after discussions with Western Religion and Heavenly Court, their Chan Cult decided to spare no expense in jointly building West Qi into an Immortal Kingdom.
Countless Buddhas would appear in West Qi; as long as one offered sacrifices to the Buddhas and presented sincere faith, one could receive blessings from the Buddhas.
Whether it was divine weapons, elixirs, or supreme Cultivation Techniques, as long as one's faith was sufficient, none of these were problems.
And the three parties would also exert their full efforts to ensure that West Qi possessed the strength to contend against the Great Shang in the shortest possible time.
"His Majesty once instructed that all ripe pan tao tree fruits this time would be sent to West Qi to help West Qi build its army!" Taibai Jinxing was the first to state his position.
The Innate Spiritual Root, pan tao tree, could be said to be Heavenly Court's foremost treasure, and it was also Heavenly Court's greatest tool for cultivating Buddhas in the past.
The pan tao tree was also known as the Innate Renshui pan tao tree; it was originally one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots, later transforming into the three thousand six hundred peach trees in the Pan Tao Garden.
In the Pan Tao Garden, the first twelve hundred trees, with small flowers and fruits, ripened every three thousand years, and those who ate them became Immortals.
The middle twelve hundred trees, with layered flowers and sweet fruits, ripened every six thousand years, and those who ate them ascended to the heavens, achieving eternal life.
The last twelve hundred trees, with purple patterns and fine pits, ripened every nine thousand years, and those who ate them lived as long as heaven and earth, and as long as the sun and moon.
In other words, if all the pan tao tree fruits ripened, they could Cultivate three thousand six hundred or more Immortal Realm experts at once.
Of course, if pan tao tree fruits were used to train the West Qi army, it wouldn't be so extravagant; the pan tao tree fruits could be distributed to more people.
The effect would naturally be greatly reduced, but it would definitely not be a problem to significantly increase the strength of the West Qi army.
In fact, Heavenly Court also trained Heavenly Soldiers and Generals this way; a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals was not just an empty boast.
"Our Western Religion has also brought out many sariras this time; these treasures can also Cultivate a large West Qi army in a short period!" Dizang said.
In order to quickly destroy King Zhou and the Great Shang, their Western Religion had truly invested a great deal this time.
Sariras were a unique cultivation method for their Western Religion Disciples and the foundation of their Western Religion disciples' cultivation.
However, it was not easy to condense sariras; the total number of sariras in their Western Religion was actually not many.
Sariras had infinite wondrous uses; if used to Cultivate the West Qi army, their efficacy would not be much worse than pan tao tree fruits.
"Good! Our Chan Cult is also well-prepared; whether it's divine weapons, elixirs, or Talismans, we have also prepared a considerable amount!" Guang Chengzi said.
Since Western Religion and Heavenly Court had prepared so many things, as the strongest of the three parties, their Chan Cult naturally couldn't show nothing.
In fact, their Chan Cult had prepared no less, even bringing out a considerable portion of their family assets.
Both Heavenly Court and Western Religion now desired the success of the Deification Ceremony, but they were definitely not as urgent as their Chan Cult.
After all, even before the Deification Ceremony began, their Chan Cult had been planning the Deification Ceremony, and even the Investiture of Gods Ranking List was in their Chan Cult's hands.
It's no exaggeration to say that if the Deification Ceremony failed, Western Religion and Heavenly Court would definitely suffer, but the situation wouldn't be too bad.
But if the Deification Ceremony truly failed, their Chan Cult's efforts of countless years would be scattered in an instant, and there might even be more severe consequences.
After all, their Chan Cult had staked its own destiny on this Deification Ceremony; if the Deification Ceremony failed, it would inevitably suffer a backlash from destiny.
Even with Saint Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning in charge, and even with the Supreme Treasure Pangu Banner suppressing destiny, Chan Cult would likely pay a heavy price.
In the worst case, their Chan Cult Twelve Golden Immortals would probably have several of them perish in the tribulation, or even be completely wiped out.
Therefore, their Chan Cult had no choice; they had to exert all their efforts to destroy the Great Shang and King Zhou, allowing the Deification Ceremony to proceed smoothly.
Transforming West Qi into an Immortal Kingdom did not seem like an easy task, but it depended on who was doing it.
Immortals from Heavenly Court entering West Qi and wielding the authority of the Heavenly Dao to transform West Qi into a Heavenly Abode was an effortless matter.
Western Religion Disciples entering West Qi, making all the people of West Qi united and their faith devout, was even their specialty.
And Chan Cult was continuously enhancing the strength of the West Qi army, aiming to create an invincible army.
However, even with the combined efforts of Chan Cult, Western Religion, and Heavenly Court, it took a full year to complete all matters one by one.
A year later, West Qi had already transformed into an Immortal Kingdom and accumulated sufficient strength, finally ready to launch an offensive.
But what they didn't know was that after three years of development, the Great Shang had also undergone a complete transformation.
Chapter 186: The Wind and Clouds Rise, War Erupts!
"This is too infuriating! Those cowardly turtles in West Qi simply don't dare to fight me head-on!" Nezha said, quite annoyed.
Since he followed Yuan Hong to lead the army a year ago, he had expected a good fight and a chance to spar with Chan Cult Disciples.
Who would have thought that during this year, although there were countless skirmishes with West Qi, they were all minor ones.
He had originally wanted to find a suitable opponent for a good fight, but there was no opportunity at all.
He wasn't foolish; he knew there were countless experts in Xiqi City, and just the Chan Cult Twelve Golden Immortals were not someone he could handle.
Left with no choice, he could only Cultivate peacefully within the army, and before he knew it, a year had passed.
"The King had already instructed that we only need to observe the situation this time; consider it a training exercise!" Yuan Hong said.
He was actually very annoyed in his heart; when he led the army to battle, his goal was to flatten West Qi.
But he also didn't expect that the Chan Cult Twelve Golden Immortals would be so shameless, actually personally entering the fray, making him not dare to act rashly.
Later, the experts from Western Religion and Heavenly Court gathered in Xiqi City; this matter couldn't be concealed, so he naturally knew about it.
It's no exaggeration to say that the number of experts gathered in West Qi now was shockingly large, making him even more hesitant to act rashly.
Originally, he was still somewhat apprehensive; if all the experts in Xiqi City attacked, the army he commanded would not be enough.
However, the King personally sent down an imperial decree, telling him to calmly confront West Qi, which gradually put his mind at ease.
Everything was as the King had predicted; West Qi made a lot of noise but little action, with a grand display for a year, yet no special moves.
During this year, the two sides had many skirmishes, but both sides deliberately controlled them, so the conflicts were kept within a limited scope.
To be precise, the two sides weren't really fighting, but rather seemed to be using each other for training.
But Yuan Hong also knew that such a situation could not last forever; there would always be a time when the two sides would have to decide the victor.
After all, West Qi had wolfish ambitions, so how could it remain dormant forever? Eventually, it would surely launch an all-out attack.
And the King had also said that West Qi was an inseparable part of the Great Shang, so how could the King allow West Qi to remain independent from the Great Shang?
Therefore, he had long known that West Qi and the Great Shang would inevitably have a battle, and it would be an unimaginable one.
As the commander-in-chief, he was highly regarded by the King, and during this year, he dared not slack off for a moment.
Today was no different from before, but for some reason, he felt a sense of unease today.
His gaze involuntarily fell upon Xiqi City, but it was precisely this glance that made him freeze.
What did he see? He actually saw a dazzling light, and within that dazzling light, countless phantoms emerged.
They were Buddhas, they were Buddhas; they stood in Xiqi City, making West Qi particularly different today.
A vast aura was enveloped by the dazzling light, and within the light stood the Gods and Buddhas in the Sky.
Such a West Qi seemed to have become an Immortal Kingdom, a kingdom of Buddhas, no longer a kingdom of the Human Race.
"King Zhou is without virtue, West Qi shall rise; this is the will of Heaven! Today, our West Qi officially attacks the Shang, witnessed by Heaven and Earth!"
A mighty voice resounded through heaven and earth, as if a supreme Buddha was making a declaration to all living beings in the entire world.
As this mighty voice rang out, the gates of Xiqi City opened wide, and a vast army slowly emerged.
This army was neatly arrayed, every soldier holding Sharp Weapons, emitting a chilling glint under the sunlight.
Moreover, as this army appeared, a towering aura of killing intent surged into the sky, sweeping across the firmament and shaking heaven and earth.
"Is West Qi no longer playing the cowardly turtle? They actually dare to launch an active attack?" Nezha said, quite surprised.
During this year, he had long been bored to death, wishing for a chance to fight a great battle.
Now, with such commotion in Xiqi City, he knew without thinking that the great battle he had been anticipating had finally arrived