Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

Sishui Pass.

The twilight was blood-red, and the setting sun was about to disappear.

The light from the three giant eyes in the sky had long since dissipated, and the blood rain had stopped.

But the overwhelming killing intent had not yet dissipated.

The two armies faced off from dawn till dusk.

Within the Shang army's ranks, the immortals of the Jie Sect hovered in the void.

Duobao stood with his hands behind his back, his golden Taoist robe fluttering in the wind.

Kong Xuan stood beside him, his five-colored divine light swaying slightly.

Zhao Gongming, the Three Immortals of Sanxiao, Wudang, Guiling, and Jinling each occupied their respective positions.

Behind him were dozens of Primordial Golden Immortals and countless Daluo Golden Immortals.

The aura gathered into a sea, enveloping the entire battlefield.

In the Xiqi formation, the situation was completely different.

All twelve Golden Immortals perished in battle, and their true spirits were enshrined on the Investiture of the God

The same applies to the thousands of disciples of the second, third, and fourth generations of the Chan Sect.

Those once arrogant and invincible disciples of the Chan Sect were completely wiped out.

Ji Fa stood atop the chariot, his armor stained with blood, his face deathly pale.

He gazed at the dark mass of the Jie Sect immortals in the sky, at their cold, piercing gazes.

A chill ran through me.

lost.

Xiqi was defeated.

Ji Fa overthrew King Zhou, acting on behalf of Heaven.

But where is the heaven?

The sky, high above, was banished to the depths of chaos by a figure in green robes.

Heaven was trampled underfoot by the myriad immortals of the Jie Sect before Sishui Pass.

He lost.

We lost completely.

"Master Jiang..."

Ji Fa spoke, his voice hoarse like a vengeful ghost.

"Is there still hope for Xiqi?"

Jiang Ziya stood beside him, his Taoist robe gray and his face calm.

But beneath that calm lay a complexity that tens of thousands of yuan had never experienced before.

He gazed at the figures in the sky, and at the direction in which the figure in green had left.

Then he looked down at the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip in his palm.

The list was bathed in golden light, and countless true spirits rose and fell within it.

Yuanshi, Laozi, Jieyin, Zhunti, Nuwa.

The true spirits of the five Heavenly Saints struggled, surged, and fell silent on the list.

There are also the true spirits of the disciples of the Chan Sect, the Human Sect, and the Western Sect, densely packed like countless stars.

Jiang Ziya took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty."

"Xiqi's hope has never been on the battlefield."

"On the Investiture of the Gods."

Ji Fa was taken aback.

Jiang Ziya offered no explanation, but simply took a step forward.

He took a step forward and landed in front of the two armies.

He gazed at the dark mass of Jiejiao immortals opposite him, and at Duobao, Kong Xuan, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Immortals of Sanxiao.

Looking at those cold, scrutinizing faces, he bowed slightly.

"Fellow disciples, I have something to say."

As soon as the sound faded, the battlefield fell silent.

The overwhelming killing intent seemed to be suppressed by something.

Duobao lowered his eyes, gazing at the gray-white figure with a calm expression.

"Jiang Ziya, what do you intend to do?"

Jiang Ziya straightened up and held up the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip with both hands.

Golden light shimmered, and purple light flowed.

It illuminated his calm yet resolute face.

"I am here by order of the Vice Master of Xuandu to take charge of the Investiture of the Gods."

"Those listed on the list have died and their spirits have been recorded."

Even saints are no exception.

"But today, Hongjun has left, the Heavenly Dao has collapsed, and destiny has been reversed."

"There is no need for this war to exist."

Upon hearing this, Ji Fa's expression changed drastically.

The color drained from that resolute face.

He looked at Jiang Ziya, at that calm yet resolute face.

An indescribable emotion surged within me.

Jiang Ziya.

The person he appointed as his strategist.

The person he regarded as his right-hand man.

The person he confided in and listened to completely.

They were actually members of the Jie Sect, pawns of Xuandu.

"Jiang Ziya!"

Ji Fa roared, his voice like that of a dying beast.

"I trust you so much! I entrust the survival of Xiqi to you!"

"How dare you deceive me like this!"

Jiang Ziya had his back to him and did not turn around.

The greyish-white Taoist robe fluttered slightly in the evening breeze.

"Your Majesty."

"I have never lied to you."

"My assistance to Xiqi is sincere."

"My assistance in overthrowing King Zhou is also of the truest nature."

"But my heart is not only in Xiqi."

"Still within the Jie Sect."

Upon hearing this, Ji Fa trembled violently.

He gazed at the gray figure and at the golden light of the Investiture of the Gods.

Suddenly he laughed, but the laugh was bitter, like being soaked in coptis chinensis.

"Well done, Jiang Ziya! What a sincere heart!"

"I trusted the wrong person."

Jiang Ziya remained silent for a moment, then slowly turned around.

He looked at Ji Fa, at that pale yet stubborn face.

"Your Majesty need not do this."

"You have not misplaced your faith in me."

"My assistance in overthrowing King Zhou is in accordance with Heaven's will and the will of the people."

"The Shang Dynasty's fate was sealed, and Xiqi took its place; this was the inevitable trend."

"I have never stopped it, nor have I ever sabotaged it."

"I only wish to bring peace to this world in a different way."

Ji Fa sneered.

"How about another way?"

"My entire army of Xiqi is buried here."

"All twelve of my Golden Immortals are on the list."

"My empire is being handed over to others without a second thought."

"Is this the peace you speak of?"

Jiang Ziya did not answer.

He simply turned around and faced the Xiqi army.

The 100,000 soldiers stood in the twilight, their armor tattered and their swords and spears stained with blood.

They looked at Jiang Ziya with confusion and fear in their eyes.

Jiang Ziya spoke, his voice not loud, yet clear enough to penetrate the twilight.

"All troops, heed my command!"

The four characters fell like the sound of a morning bell and evening drum.

The soldiers of Xiqi were all shocked.

Ji Fa's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Jiang Ziya, what are you going to do?"

Jiang Ziya did not answer him.

He simply continued speaking, uttering each word slowly and deliberately.

"He committed suicide and returned to heaven."

The four characters fell like ancient ice.

The battlefield fell silent.

The evening breeze seemed to freeze for a moment.

The soldiers of Xiqi looked at each other, and no one moved.

Some people were pale, while others had weak legs.

Some gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes filled with resentment.

Ji Fa roared, his voice hoarse like a vengeful ghost.

"Jiang Ziya! How dare you!"

The soldiers of Xiqi looked at each other, their gazes filled with bewilderment, fear, and humiliation, yet no one dared to make a move.

As dusk fell and the setting sun dipped below the horizon, its blood-red afterglow fell upon the tattered armor, illuminating the pale faces beneath.

Jiang Ziya stood at the front of the formation, his Taoist robe gray and his face calm.

His hands held the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip, their golden and purple light reflecting off each other, making his figure appear tall, slender, and aloof.

He looked at the silent army of 100,000, at their hesitant faces, and then he spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"You can't bear to lose your life?"

"Still unwilling to accept it?"

No one answered; only the wind blew through the twilight, causing the tattered banners to flutter loudly.

Ji Fa stood atop the chariot, his armor stained with blood, his face deathly pale.

He stared at Jiang Ziya's retreating figure, gritting his teeth as he said:

"Jiang Ziya!"

"You keep saying you're being sincere, you keep saying things are peaceful."

"Now you want all 100,000 of my soldiers to commit suicide!"

"Is this your peace?"

Jiang Ziya turned his head and looked at him.

That gaze carried a chill that sent a shiver down Ji Fa's spine.

"Your Majesty."

"As I just said, I have never lied to you."

"I am truly sincere in assisting you in overthrowing King Zhou."

"My willingness to help you overthrow the Shang Dynasty is also genuine."

"Because the Shang Dynasty's fate has run its course, this is the inevitable trend of Heaven, which I have never obstructed or deviated from."

"But there is another matter besides the general trend of Heaven."

"The Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods"

"The Dao Ancestor Hongjun set up this calamity to make the ten thousand immortals of the Jie Sect appear on the list, to suppress the human path and imprison the earth path, and to make the heavenly path the only supreme one."

"Now that Hongjun has left, the Heavenly Dao has collapsed, and destiny has been reversed."

"There is no need for this Investiture of the Gods to continue."

"Those who are on the list still have their true spirits on the list."

"Those disciples of the Chan Sect, the Human Sect, and the Western Sect, those who died because of the Investiture of the Gods, they are still waiting."

"Wait until the Investiture of the Gods is destroyed, until the true spirits are liberated, until reincarnation begins anew."

"If Your Majesty is unwilling to grant me this honor, then I will have no choice but to take it myself."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and faced the Xiqi army.

Deep within those calm eyes, a faint golden light flickered.

"I'll say it one last time."

"Those who commit suicide to return to heaven will have their true spirits entered into the Investiture of the Gods. When the list is destroyed and the cycle of reincarnation begins again, they will be able to be reborn."

"If they insist on resisting..."

He paused.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like ice falling to the ground, striking everyone's heart.

"I will do my part to save face for you."

"When the cycle of life and death ends, the true spirit remains forever in the underworld and cannot be reincarnated."