Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 205 God-Man (Part 2)

Emperor Xia Zhu was, after all, Emperor Xia Zhu, the most outstanding descendant of Emperor Yu of the Xiahou clan.

If Shao Kang's restoration was to turn the tide and revive the Xia dynasty, then Emperor Xia Zhu was the one who brought the Xia dynasty to its zenith.

Emperor Xia Zhu continued Shao Kang's ambition, expanding the territory and his divine power shook the four directions, bringing the Xia dynasty to its peak. His power and authority far surpassed that of Shao Kang, and he was regarded by the people of the world as someone who could inherit the achievements of Emperor Yu.

It should be noted that the Xia dynasty lasted for seven generations. The four emperors before Emperor Shaokang—Emperor Qi, Emperor Taikang, Emperor Zhongkang, and Emperor Xiang—were all unpopular.

Emperor Qi was licentious and indulged in pleasure, while Emperor Tai Kang was obsessed with hunting. It was the incompetence of these two emperors that led to the decline of the Xia dynasty.

After Emperor Taikang, although Emperor Zhongkang and Emperor Xiang had the will to revitalize the dynasty, they could not break free from Hou Yi's control, which led to the decline of the Xia dynasty's power and the gradual cessation of the feudal lords' tribute.

During the reign of Emperor Shao Kang, although he restored the state, he could not subdue the surrounding barbarian tribes. Emperor Xia Zhu, inheriting Shao Kang's legacy, personally led an expedition to the East Sea, attacked the Three Shou tribes, and drove out the Huai Yi tribes. All the tribes of the East Yi sent envoys to pay tribute, and none dared to disobey.

It can be said that the Xia dynasty reached its zenith under Emperor Xia Zhu.

Such a person, even in his old age, can still awe the entire nation.

Inside the palace of Xu Kingdom, the flickering candlelight cast an unpredictable glow on the taotie patterns on the beams and pillars.

Lu Shang sat in the main seat, the dark patterns on his black robes rippling slightly with his breath. The fierce divine might he had displayed on the city tower had mostly subsided, leaving only a trace of divine light between his brows that had not yet fully settled.

His gaze fell on the map of Yuzhou spread out on the table, and his fingertips traced the territories of the surrounding states of Xu.

After a moment, Lü Shang raised his eyes, looked at Wu Wenhe and Lü Chong, and said in a deep voice, "I will be going into seclusion for a period of time."

He lightly tapped the location of Xuchang on the map, and in the candlelight, the deep pool in his eyes gradually merged with the brilliance of the sun.

"As a newly formed deity, my foundation for the Dao is not yet solid. I must go into seclusion to stabilize my foundation."

Wu Wenhe solemnly asked, "How long will Your Majesty need to remain in seclusion?"

"It can take anywhere from three months to half a year,"

Lü Shang raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two men, and said, "During this period, I will entrust the affairs of state to the Prime Minister and my elder brother."

The way of the divine is divine and enlightened, but ultimately it is different from that of the true person and the perfect person.

Even if a true person or a perfect person possesses extraordinary abilities, they are still essentially still human.

Only the divine being can return to their original nature, step into the path of immortality, and truly transcend the concept of 'human'.

Upon hearing this, Wu Wenhe said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old minister will do his utmost to protect Xuchang for you."

His voice was calm and steady, each word like a nail: "With this old minister here, there is absolutely no chance for petty villains to take advantage of the situation."

Lü Chong said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured and remain in seclusion. State affairs are handled by your minister and Prime Minister Wu. Prime Minister Wu is in charge of domestic affairs, and I am in charge of the military. We will await Your Majesty's return from seclusion!"

Lu Shang looked at the two men, his expression softening slightly, and said, "Your father is in charge of domestic affairs, ensuring the well-being of the people and maintaining stable relations with the nation. Your elder brother is in charge of the army, strengthening city defenses and training soldiers. If any unresolved matters arise during my seclusion, we can discuss them together."

"promise,"

Wu Wenhe and Gongzi Chong responded.

Facing the two men, Lü Shang's eyes had completely lost their brilliance and the radiance of the sun, replaced by a deep, still gaze. He said, "I entrust Xuchang to you two." "Rest assured, Your Majesty!"

Wu Wenhe and Lü Chong bowed in unison, their voices echoing in the empty palace.

Lu Shang said no more, turned and stepped out of the palace. In the night sky, the Big Dipper was still shining brightly. He looked up at the swaying imperial star and his figure disappeared into the depths of the palace.

Inside the hall, only Wu Wenhe and Lü Chong remained. Wu Wenhe gazed in the direction where Lü Shang had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time. After a while, he sighed softly and said, "Your Majesty has become a god. Your vision and perspective are beyond the reach of us mortals. Who could have imagined that our Xu Kingdom could produce such a person as Your Majesty?"

"A prodigy not even twenty years old, his future is unimaginable. Could it be that my Xu Kingdom is truly destined for greatness?"

The fact that Lü Shang, at less than twenty years old, was able to attain the divine fruit of enlightenment had a far greater impact on Wu Wenhe than when Lü Shang had achieved the status of a perfect man.

After all, becoming a sage before the age of twenty can be attributed to exceptional talent, but becoming a god before the age of twenty cannot be explained by simple innate talent.

Since the beginning of time, apart from the legendary divine beings of the Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Emperor eras, even during the prosperous eras of Fuxi and the Five Dragons, Lü Shang's rapid progress in cultivation was extremely rare.

Those like the monkeys of the Jambudvipa world, who spend ten years seeking the Dao, seven years laying the foundation, and only three years truly cultivating, and then, after three years of mastery, are the divine embryos of heaven and earth capable of storming the underworld and causing havoc in the heavenly palace, are ultimately just exceptional cases.

Gongzi Chong, who was standing to the side, seemed to be deep in thought, and said in a low voice, "Perhaps, my Gonggong clan also has a chance to seize the Mandate of Heaven."

Wu Wenhe frowned slightly as he looked at the flames dancing in Lü Chong's eyes and said, "Before Your Majesty leaves the pass, stability should be the priority. The eldest son of the concubine is in charge of the army. Remember to guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and do not jeopardize Your Majesty's important affairs."

"Don't worry, Wu Xiang,"

Lu Chong said softly, "I know what's important. Your Majesty's foundation in Tao is more important than anything else."

After that, the two fell silent, and the candlelight in the hall continued to flicker, casting their shadows long.

Outside the window, the Big Dipper seemed to shine brighter, while the swaying imperial star had somehow disappeared into the clouds.

In a quiet chamber deep within the palace, Lü Shang stepped inside. The palace door closed silently behind him, shutting out the lights and breeze from the outside world.

This quiet room was originally the place where Lü Wenshu, the founding king of the State of Xu, prayed for a good harvest. The four walls are made of dark blue basalt, with cloud patterns faintly visible on the rock. Despite the vicissitudes of hundreds and thousands of years, it still exudes an ancient charm.

The ground was covered with three layers of tanned rhinoceros hide, which made no sound when stepped on. In the center was a three-legged bronze cauldron, with intermittent burning of agarwood incense inside. The smoke was thin and wispy, but it did not scatter. Instead, it swirled around the mouth of the cauldron three inches away, as if it were bound by an invisible force.

"Returning to one's original nature reveals one's true innate form."

Lu Shang slowly walked into the room and sat down, crossing his legs and straightening his back like a pine tree. He slowly closed his eyes and first swept his divine sense over his entire body. His jade-colored bones shone with a lustrous luster, and there seemed to be a trickle flowing between every bone crevice. That was the divine power of Gonggong, deep and unfathomable.

Blood surged through the veins, faintly carrying tiny sparks. When these sparks touched the vessel walls, they would emit a very faint rainbow of light, which was the fire essence overflowing from the divine banner of Zhu Rong, as fierce as flames.

Water and fire are inherently incompatible, yet at this moment they coexist within his body following a certain rhythm.

A surge of overwhelming divine power suddenly erupted, flowing through the meridians and sweeping across the limbs and bones.

His bones began to make a faint crackling sound, as if countless small snakes were crawling between them.

His once straight back was now slightly hunched, and fine bluish-black scales appeared on his skin. The edges of the scales had a moist sheen, but a faint reddish tinge peeked through the gaps between them.

Lu Shang's face grew increasingly ancient, his eyes were tightly closed, and tiny ice crystals condensed on his eyelashes. The ice crystals were instantly melted by the warmth emanating from between his brows, turning into water vapor that rose up and condensed into a small cloud above his head.

(End of this chapter)