Honghuang: Eat a Hunyuan Daluo

News of Xiqi's rebellion quickly reached Chaoge.

Di Xin glanced at Xiqi's proclamation against the rebels and burst into laughter.

"Your Majesty, this is Xiqi."

"Grand Tutor, why don't you listen to what Xiqi has to say about me first? Fei Zhong, you read this proclamation aloud."

Fei Zhong nodded in agreement. He took the proclamation from the eunuch, quickly glanced through it, and broke out in a cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, such treasonous words are unacceptable!"

"Stop talking nonsense. I'll tell you to read it, so read it! I forgive you for your innocence."

Since Di Xin had said so, Fei Zhong had no choice but to bite the bullet and begin to read: "It is said that the way of Heaven is unpredictable, and only virtue is its guide; human relations have principles, and tyranny must be punished! Now there is a tyrant Di Xin, who defies the mandate of Heaven above and oppresses the people below. He only knows how to enjoy himself, and his sins are overflowing. Gods and men alike are indignant! We, the people, have risen up with our swords, to punish him on behalf of Heaven, and to proclaim this to the four seas to set the world right!"
Oppressive government is more ferocious than tigers and wolves, and taxes are more poisonous than snakes and scorpions. Starving corpses fill the roads while lavish banquets continue; frozen bones litter the fields while palaces are renovated daily.

Loyal and virtuous officials are silenced in the marketplace and court, while treacherous and wicked men run rampant in the palace. Rites and music have collapsed, and human relationships have been completely lost—is this not the behavior of beasts?

Excessive and frivolous sacrifices are used to deceive the masses, and false claims of divine mandate are used to disguise wickedness. Mount Tai is crumbling, the beams are breaking—is this not a monstrous calamity?

Today, we of Xiqi gather our banners of righteousness at Qishan, and sing praises across the nine fields. Holding the yellow battle-axe, we pacify the eight directions; wielding the white banner, we pacify the six realms. All descendants of my human race shall jointly slay this scoundrel: those who come armed to surrender will have their merits recorded in the annals; those who betray us will be punished only as the most heinous villains.
Heaven and Earth bear witness to this heart! May this proclamation reach all who hear it!

Silence reigned throughout the entire Longde Hall; the only sound was the breathing of the assembled ministers.

"Ji Fa, that traitorous minister, betrayed the Great Shang Dynasty and deserves to die!" Shang Rong was the first to speak out angrily.

"Ji Fa's ancestors once followed our Shang Dynasty ancestors in conquering the world and made great achievements. They were among the ten founding heroes. Ji Fa has disgraced his ancestors."

In the Longde Hall, civil and military officials alike voiced their opinions and expressed their stances through words and writings.

"Your Majesty, Xiqi is truly despicable. I request permission to send troops to crush Xiqi!" Among the military generals, King Wucheng Huang Feihu was the first to volunteer.

"I second that!" Dapeng immediately agreed.

"I second that!" Fei Zhong, who had been waiting for a chance to speak, chimed in.

The other officials knelt down and begged for troops to be sent.

After Emperor Xin had the officials rise, he turned to Wen Zhong and asked, "Grand Tutor, what are your thoughts?"

“Your Majesty, Xiqi’s treason is unforgivable and they should be executed!” Wen Zhong said without hesitation.

"Then prepare the army and get ready to conquer Xiqi! King Wucheng, you'll have to work hard again this time."

"It is my duty to share the king's burdens."

Di Xin nodded and said nothing more. His eyes burned with fierce fire. Ever since Bai Jing, the sage, told him about the Investiture of the Gods, Di Xin had been waiting for this day. As the monarch of the Great Shang Dynasty and the emperor, Di Xin was determined to kill all these traitors.

Meanwhile, in Xiqi, after issuing the proclamation to punish the traitors, Ji Fa began preparing to establish a kingdom.

The title of Marquis of Xibo was bestowed by the ancestors of the Shang Dynasty. Now that the campaign against Emperor Xin was underway, it was impossible for him to retain the title of Marquis of Xibo. He had to place himself on an equal footing with Emperor Xin.

As for the name of the state, Jiang Ziya had already prepared it for Ji Fa: Zhou.

On the morning of the third day after the proclamation against the traitor was issued, Ji Fa put on the emperor's robe that had been made long ago, came to the altar of Xiqi, and proclaimed to the whole of Xiqi: "King Shang is tyrannical, indulging in wine and women, and persecuting loyal and good people. In the past, a phoenix cried in Xiqi. We, Xiqi, shall follow the will of Heaven and take over the Shang Dynasty."

I, Ji Fa, the Marquis of the West, hereby ascend the throne as King of Zhou, and will personally lead a great army to punish the Shang Dynasty. May Heaven bear witness! May Earth bear witness! May humanity bear witness!

As Ji Fa proclaimed the three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man, a tremendous roar resounded from the heavens!
The Heavenly Dao's fortune has fallen upon Xiqi, but the Earthly Dao's fortune remains unmoved, as the Earthly Dao never participates in such matters.

Meanwhile, in the ancestral land of the human race at Shouyang Mountain, the human destiny trembled slightly, and after a moment, about 20% of the human destiny fell above Xiqi.

Above Xiqi, the phoenix, originally a thousand feet in size, transformed into a phantom phoenix covering the entire Xiqi under the catalysis of supreme human fortune.

The originally blurry phoenix phantom seemed to be infused with life at this moment. Although some details were still somewhat blurry, its entire body emitted a suffocating aura. In terms of cultivation level, this phoenix phantom had already reached the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm.

Of course, this divine beast, which embodies the nation's destiny, cannot be truly regarded as a cultivator. As long as the Great Zhou Dynasty exists, even a saint in person cannot disperse this phoenix phantom.

As the fortunes of Heaven and Man declined, the phoenix cried out in a high-pitched voice. The sound of the phoenix's cry pierced through the clouds and split rocks, resounding throughout the nine heavens and ten earths, shaking the four seas and eight wastelands. Countless great powers in the primordial world were shaken by it!
In the Taiqing Heaven, in the Tushita Palace, Laozi slowly opened his eyes, his usually calm expression now showing a hint of solemnity.

"Master, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. The Xiqi state was just established as the Zhou, and the real calamity has completely erupted. This calamity is so great that it is even more serious than the Wu and Yao calamities."

In the midst of this great calamity, it was impossible to predict the secrets of heaven, but Taiqing Laozi instinctively felt that the calamity of the Investiture of the Gods would be even greater than that of the Lich King and the Demon King!

In the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain, Yuanshi looked at Xiqi with an indifferent expression: "Heaven has bestowed its fortune, and the mandate of heaven is destined to return to Zhou. The fate of the Great Shang has run its course."

Third brother, this time your Jie Sect has defied the heavens. The Flying Bear is now in the hands of our Chan Sect. What can your Jie Sect do?

Beside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool on the Western Vulture Peak, both saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, showed a solemn expression on their faces.

"The great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods has fully erupted!" Zhunti exclaimed.

Jieyin then reminded him, "Junior brother, in this great calamity, our opponents are the Holy Lotus Sect and the Jie Sect. Although the Holy Lotus Sect has few disciples, each one is incredibly powerful. Even the weakest one, Bixiao, has the cultivation of a mid-stage Quasi-Saint."

The Jie Sect, on the other hand, has a large and powerful force. In this great calamity, our Western disciples must be cautious and prudent, and must not act rashly. We should try our best to let the Chan Sect disciples lead the vanguard.”

Zhunti nodded and replied, "Don't worry, senior brother, I have already passed on the message."

In the Immortal Realm, Hongyun and Zhen Yuanzi naturally also heard the sound of the phoenix's cry.

"Brother Dao, when do you plan to enter the tribulation?" Hongyun turned to Zhen Yuanzi and asked.

"No rush, let's take a look first!"

At the General's Mansion in Sanshan Pass, Kong Xuan reclined in a chair, reading military texts and eating fruit, quite at ease. Suddenly, Kong Xuan heard the cry of a phoenix coming from above Xiqi, and his brows twitched slightly.

"How dare you! I ignored your call last time, yet you dare to call a second time?" With that, Kong Xuan left his mortal body at the General's Mansion, and his true body left his body, flying up to the heavens and heading towards Xiqi.

The phoenix phantom of Xiqi was now hanging high in the sky, blessed with the fortune of humanity, its nobility beyond words.

Suddenly, a figure flashed through the air. Kong Xuan was already standing in front of the phoenix phantom, calmly looking at it.

A sense of suppression emanating from the very source of his bloodline made the Phoenix of Fortune anxious and uneasy.

The phoenix phantom felt uneasy and let out another long cry. The phoenix cry carried immense pressure and pressed down on Kong Xuan.

Kong Xuan snorted coldly and said, "A fake is still just a fake. Today I will let you hear the true voice of the phoenix!"

Then, with a thought, Kong Xuan manifested his true form. He looked up to the sky and cried out, the sound of a phoenix resounding through the clouds, carrying supreme magical power as he pressed down on the phoenix phantom.

"Boom, boom!" In mid-air, two phoenix cries pierced through layers of void and collided together!
Unsurprisingly, with just one cry, Kong Xuan completely defeated the phoenix phantom. Under the earth-shattering phoenix cry, the phoenix phantom trembled all over, its body shrinking by half, and the human fortune that landed on Xiqi also began to fluctuate.

The phoenix phantom's human-like eyes were filled with fear as it looked at Kong Xuan as if facing a formidable enemy.

Kong Xuan's phoenix cry completely suppressed the cry of the phoenix of destiny. Kong Xuan was originally the son of the original phoenix, and now he was the de facto patriarch of the phoenix clan. Whether it was bloodline or status, he completely overwhelmed this phoenix phantom.

Kong Xuan calmly watched the phoenix phantom. With each step forward, the phoenix phantom retreated a step. With each step back, a portion of the human fortune on the phoenix phantom dissipated. After a few steps, the fortune on the phoenix phantom was reduced by one-tenth.

In the Purple Cloud Palace, the Heavenly Dao Hongjun's face was gloomy: "Kong Xuan has audacity to defy the Heavens and should be executed!"

The phoenix cries out on Mount Qi, and the mandate of heaven rests in Xiqi. If the phoenix's illusory form is forced back by Kong Xuan today, what will become of the face of the Heavenly Way? How can Xiqi then contend with the Great Shang?

The next second, tribulation clouds gathered in the sky, and a bolt of purple divine lightning containing terrifying divine power fell down.

"You've come at the perfect time. I was just about to test the power of the Five-Colored Divine Light." After saying that, five streams of light, green, yellow, red, black, and white, flew out from behind Kong Xuan, merging together to form a large millstone that swept towards the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning.

The Purple Heaven Divine Lightning was completely obliterated the moment it touched the millstone.

Kong Xuan's actions angered the Heavenly Dao Hongjun, and the Eye of Heavenly Punishment manifested, unleashing bolts of purple divine lightning.

Kong Xuan neither dodged nor evaded; the five-colored divine light, both positive and negative, intertwined and completely obliterated the lightning tribulation.

Upon seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Tiandao Hongjun's eyes, and a bolt of purplish-black divine lightning instantly struck.

Kong Xuan felt a tremor in his heart. This purplish-black divine lightning could injure even a saint. He dared not hold back in the slightest and unleashed five-colored divine light from both directions.

Although the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning was being worn away little by little, it was getting closer and closer to Kong Xuan.

A layer of cold sweat seeped out on Kong Xuan's forehead. If this continued, he could at most only extinguish 60% of the power of this Purple Heaven Divine Lightning. The remaining 40% of its power falling on him might damage his Dao foundation and affect his future path to sainthood.

At this critical moment, a large shield appeared in front of Kong Xuan, or more accurately, a light blue tortoise shell.

Kong Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He naturally recognized the tortoise shell; it was his own deputy leader.

Kong Xuan then withdrew the Five-Colored Divine Light, and the remaining 40% of the power of the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder landed on the tortoise shell, whereupon the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder and the Xuan Water Tortoise Shell began to clash.

The Purple Heaven Divine Thunder surged with overwhelming power, carrying the might of the Heavenly Dao, determined to crush all living beings that stood in its way into dust.

The Xuan Shui Turtle Shell, like a great mountain, remained unmoved despite the fierce onslaught. Its profound magical power, as vast as the ocean, continuously neutralized the incoming Purple Heaven Divine Thunder.

A moment later, the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning was completely obliterated, and the Xuan Shui Turtle Shell shrank at an extremely fast speed, finally disappearing into a corner of the void.

The Heavenly Dao Hongjun's unleashing of the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning, exceeding the power of a Quasi-Saint peak, was already overstepping its bounds. Naturally, it wouldn't unleash a second divine lightning bolt; otherwise, Bai Jing would likely have come knocking on its door.

After the Eye of Heavenly Punishment dissipated, the Black Tortoise flew over and asked, "Kong Xuan, are you alright?"

"Thank you for your help, Vice Master. Kong Xuan is unharmed."

Xuan Gui nodded, glanced at the Phoenix of Destiny of Xiqi, and said with disdain, "A fake phoenix, daring to claim to be the Mandate of Heaven, it's truly laughable."

Kong Xuan smiled as well: "It is indeed a fake phoenix; it won't be arrogant for long."

Xuan Gui wholeheartedly agreed: "Xiqi has already rebelled, and Chaoge will soon send troops to suppress it. Just as you said, the false phoenix will not be arrogant for long."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the Xuan Turtle transformed into a streak of azure light and disappeared into the horizon. Kong Xuan also returned to Sanshan Pass to await the arrival of the Xiqi army.

As soon as Ji Fa officially announced the news to the world, the two hundred lords under Xiqi received the news immediately. They each dispatched their elite troops to Xiqi to help Ji Fa rebel.

At the same time, Ji Fa personally wrote a letter and ordered someone to send it to the other three marquises by fast horse. The contents of the letter were very simple. On the one hand, he angrily denounced Emperor Xin for being incompetent and indulging in the pleasures of women, causing chaos in the world. On the other hand, he invited Marquis E Chongyu of the South, Marquis Chonghouhu of the North, and Marquis Jiang Hengchu of the East to discuss great undertakings together.

The letter was quickly delivered to the three earls.

Upon receiving the letter, Jiang Huanchu of Donglu widened his eyes in disbelief and exclaimed, "Has Ji Fa, this young brat, lost his mind? Does he really dare to rebel?"

As Emperor Xin's brother-in-law and a direct descendant, Jiang Huanchu naturally knew the current strength of the Shang Dynasty. In Jiang Huanchu's view, Ji Fa's rebellion was no less than lighting a lantern in a latrine—courting death!
Ji Fa did such a stupid thing and then invited him along? Doesn't he know he's the Queen's older brother? Has he lost his mind?

In the south, at the Marquis of Nanbo's residence, E Chongyu, dressed in magnificent robes, looked at the letter in his hand and disdainfully threw it into the stove. "I'm doing just fine in the south. Why should I rebel with you? Even if the rebellion succeeds, my title of Marquis of Nanbo will have reached its limit. Why take such a risk?"

In the south, the Marquis of Nanbo is the absolute ruler. Rebellion is risky and could even cost one's life. Who would dare to do it?
Moreover, the Marquis of Nanbo was somewhat aware of the strength of the Shang Dynasty, and in his view, the feudal lords had absolutely no chance of winning against the Shang.

At the Northern Marquis's residence, Chong Houhu showed a disdainful look on his face. He crumpled the letter into a ball and casually threw it aside.

Instead, his younger brother Chong Heihu picked up the letter, read it, and said, "Brother, the Marquis of Xibo, Ji Chang, is cunning and shrewd. This Ji Fa is his son, and he should have inherited his shrewdness to some extent. Now that Ji Fa dares to rebel, he may have some confidence in his ability to succeed! Let's wait and see!"

"Watch and see what happens? I am loyal to the King and have no such thoughts. You better not have them either!" After saying that, Chong Houhu turned and left, leaving behind only Chong Heihu with an inscrutable expression.

(End of this chapter)