Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 204 God-Man (Part 1)

"I see,"

Lu Shang sighed deeply, for his physical body had finally undergone a transformation at this moment.

His bones turned jade-colored, his blood flowed with the true essence of water and fire, and his skin shimmered with a faint, glazed divine light. The human-headed, snake-bodied phantom behind him suddenly lunged forward, completely merging with his physical body.

boom!
A deafening roar, seemingly from the ages past, exploded within Lü Shang's body.

He suddenly opened his eyes, and what shone in them was no longer the light of the mortals, but the true eyes of a god.

Lü Shang's left eye was like a deep pool, unfathomable, while his right eye was like the blazing sun, radiating boundless light.

If a person with great supernatural powers were present, they would surely be able to see that Lü Shang's divine signs were extraordinary.

Perhaps it was due to the influence of the "Taiyi Jinzhi" compiled by Lü Shang of Yanfu, coupled with the legacy of the two great gods Gonggong and Zhurong.

Lu Shang's divine form even had a touch of the charm of Zhulong, who "sees it as day and closes it as night".

The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Great Wilderness North Classic, states: Beyond the Northwest Sea, north of the Red River, lies Mount Zhangwei. There dwells a god, with a human face and a snake's body, red in color, with straight eyes and riding upright. When he closes his eyes, darkness descends; when he opens them, light shines. He neither eats, sleeps, nor breathes, and he summons wind and rain. This god is Zhujiuyin, also known as Zhulong.

Zhulong, also known as Zhujiuyin, is a human-headed, snake-bodied deity and one of the most powerful gods in the world of mountains and seas.

scoff!

He slowly raised his hand and gently tapped the void. A faint wisp of energy shot out, piercing through the void and disappearing in an instant.

Deep in the void, several previously hidden auras suddenly retreated, no longer daring to linger for even a moment.

"It's done! It's finally done!"

Lu Shang felt the surging power within his body, and the Daoist rhythm flowing between heaven and earth seemed within reach. His connection with this vast wilderness of mountains and seas became even clearer.

He looked down at his hands. He was still a mortal, but he could clearly feel that as long as he had a thought, he could transform into the true form of Gonggong, with a human head and a snake's body, capable of moving mountains and filling seas.

"This is the divine being!"

Lu Shang slowly stretched his body, his dark robes fluttering without wind, echoing the crimson clouds and mist between heaven and earth.

He could sense that his divine sense could extend thousands of miles away, allowing him to perceive all things and understand the principles of things.

This is the way of gods and men, where the sun and moon traverse the sky and shine upon the eight directions!
"Based on the foundation of Gonggong, and fueled by the fire of Zhurong, gods and men were created."

The strange phenomena in the world gradually subsided, the crimson glow and the dark mist slowly dissipated, and twilight returned.

Lu Shang's figure standing atop the city wall seemed to be imprinted between heaven and earth, an invisible divine power enveloping Xudu.

"Your Majesty!"

As night deepened and the stars began to rise, Wu Wenhe and Lü Chong quickly climbed the city wall.

Even from afar, one could feel its overwhelming and unstoppable divine power, inspiring awe in all who beheld it.

Both men bowed deeply, their excitement barely concealed, and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on attaining the status of a divine being!"

"Father, eldest brother,"

Lü Shang turned around, his gaze falling on the two of them. At this moment, his eyes were completely different, possessing both the sharpness of a young monarch and the indifference of a divine being, as if he could see through the deepest thoughts in people's hearts.

He slightly raised his hand, and a gentle yet irresistible force supported the two of them. He said in a deep voice, "No need for formalities." Wu Wenhe's eyes flashed, and he stood up and said, "When Your Majesty becomes a god, the whole country should celebrate. In the future, our Xu Kingdom will surely be able to take the initiative in the competition among the nations."

Lu Shang nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the lights that were gradually lighting up in the city, and said in a deep voice, "The power of gods and men can certainly enhance the prestige of our country, but a tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind."

"My attainment of divine status will spread throughout Yuzhou within three days. At that time, all the states of Yuzhou will know of my attainment, and even the emperor of Xiadu will take notice."

"The emperor of Xiadu, though he has long resided in the royal capital, is like the blazing sun hanging in the sky. No disturbance in the nine provinces can escape his notice."

When Lü Shang attained enlightenment, his aura was extremely grand, his divine presence spreading far and wide, reaching thousands of miles away. Such a phenomenon could not be concealed, nor could it be hidden.

Wu Wenhe paused, stroking his beard, and said in a low voice, "Is being noticed by the Emperor a blessing or a curse?"

In the Nine Provinces after the separation of heaven and earth, gods and humans have become the pinnacle of humanity, and each god and human is a force to be reckoned with.

Although there are differences in strength among gods and humans, no one can deny the weight of a god or human.

Lu Shang's eyes were calm as he slowly said, "Fortune and misfortune are intertwined, and it all depends on human effort."

He paused, looked southeast, in the direction of the Xia capital, and said, "Besides, the emperor is about to die, so even if we want to intervene, we are powerless to do so."

Wu Wenhe's mind raced, and he asked, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

Lü Shang's voice carried lightly in the night breeze as he said, "Since Emperor Yu enfeoffed the nine provinces, the Xia dynasty has lasted for twelve hundred years. The mandate of heaven is constant; prosperity inevitably leads to decline, which cannot be reversed by human effort."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to the starry sky, where the Big Dipper shone brightly. He said, "Look, the stars in the Purple Palace Enclosure are dimming, and the Emperor Star is swaying uncertainly. This is an omen from heaven. The one in Xia Capital probably won't make it through this winter."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wenhe was startled. Although he knew that the Xia emperor was about to die, he had not expected that Lü Shang could glimpse such a celestial secret from the stars. The abilities of a divine being could indeed penetrate the netherworld and discern the workings of heaven and man.

"If the emperor were to die,"

After a moment of silence, Wu Wenhe said in a low voice, "The feudal lords of the world will surely make changes, the tribes of the Eastern Barbarians have long harbored rebellious intentions, the demons of the North Sea are restless, and even the feudal lords of the Central Plains may have their eyes on the Nine Tripods."

The Nine Tripods of the Xia Dynasty were national treasures, symbolizing the mandate of heaven for the nine provinces. Whoever could claim the tripods was qualified to command the feudal lords and continue the Xia Dynasty's rule.

Gongzi Chong, standing to the side, said, "If that is truly the case, then our Xu Kingdom should take advantage of this chaos to expand its territory and pursue hegemony."

"Your Majesty has become a divine being; who in Yu Province can rival you?"

Lu Shang shook his head and said, "In the midst of chaos, there are both opportunities and dangers. To achieve hegemony, one must not rely on strength, but on strategy and tactics."

"Although the Xia dynasty emperor is about to die, the Nine Tripods still guard the royal domain. Although the feudal lords of the world may have covetous intentions, none of them dare to make the first move. Why? Because the mandate of heaven has not yet ended, and the title still exists."

"Only when the emperor passes away and a struggle for succession erupts within the Xia dynasty will it be our chance."

"The lessons of Tai Kang's loss of the kingdom and Shao Kang's restoration are still fresh in our minds. If the sons of the Xia emperors were to start fighting amongst themselves, that would be the true beginning of disorder in the world."

As long as the emperor remains in power, with his almost godlike divine abilities, even if the feudal lords of the nine provinces have a thousand ambitions, they can only bury them deep in their hearts and dare not reveal them in the slightest.

Wu Wenhe, standing to the side, looked at Lü Shang's calm profile and said, "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. If the struggle for the throne among the Xiahou clan's sons begins, it will be a sign of the shift in the Mandate of Heaven. Our Xu Kingdom is located in the heart of Yuzhou, and it is precisely at this time that we should reorganize our internal affairs, strengthen our military, and await the opportune moment."

"The right timing!"

Lu Shang gazed thoughtfully towards the southeast, his eyes reflecting a mixture of a deep, dark light and the blazing sun.

"The Emperor of the Sun is still the Emperor of the Sun. Even when he is exhausted, his remaining majesty can still keep the situation in check."

(End of this chapter)