Primordial Era: Taibai, the Poison Master of Yaochi, drives a Sage insane!

Jiufeng naturally saw things clearly. At present, the three parties were in similar situations, all of whom were regarded as potential threats by the Sage Order.

The alliance we form today is not for the purpose of vying for hegemony in the primordial world, but only to preserve the foundation of our own lineage during the Great Calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, so that we will not be completely destroyed.

The current positions of the three parties are such that the Jie Sect is vying with the Chan Sect for the right to interpret the Heavenly Dao. Is it a glimmer of hope, or should they follow the will of Heaven and the people? Because the Jie Sect has taken control of the current human race, there is no way out.

In essence, the demise of the Shang Dynasty and the Jie Sect was due to their overly close ties.

Li Taibai, on the other hand, simply sought to establish himself in the primordial world, compete for destiny, and plan his path to enlightenment, which inevitably threatened the Chan Sect's desire to completely control the Three Realms.

Of course, the order of saints in the Chan sect also blocks the path to enlightenment, which is a natural opposition.

The Jiuli tribe, on the other hand, is simply a mortal enemy of the Chan Sect!

For the Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, which is the natural basis for forming an alliance.

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Right then and there, the three parties finalized the alliance in the Pangu Hall. This alliance was kept completely secret from outsiders. After the alliance was formed, the Golden Spirit Mother and Li Taibai walked out of the Pangu Hall without saying a word or interacting with each other.

Instead, Li Bai returned directly to the Jade Pool Wonderland, while the Golden Spirit Mother went directly to Biyou Palace to report to Tongtian.

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Soon, several years passed. On this day, a powerful force suddenly surged between heaven and earth, its aura flowing and spreading to every corner of the primordial world, and all living beings in the world sensed it.

The sages looked up at the high sky and saw a yellow notice and a black whip slowly appear.

The two objects hovered in the air for a moment before falling straight towards Kunlun Mountain.

Jiang Ziya had been cultivating at Kunlun Mountain for many years, but his cultivation aptitude was truly mediocre.

He barely reached the Celestial Immortal realm thanks to the elixir bestowed upon him by the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

Yuanshi Tianzun knew perfectly well that Jiang Ziya was not suited to the path of cultivating immortality.

Shen Gongbao, who was also in Kunlun, was far more skilled than Jiang Ziya.

This person usually likes to use the name of the Chan Sect to make friends with all sorts of people, and the people he associates with are of all kinds of backgrounds.

Yuanshi Tianzun never interfered much with Shen Gongbao's cultivation, and because Shen Gongbao's cultivation was not top-notch, he specially bestowed upon him a jade talisman, allowing him to roam and make friends freely.

After the God-Slaying Whip fell into the Jade Void Palace, the Primordial Heavenly Lord sent someone to summon Jiang Ziya and the Antarctic Immortal.

Before long, the two arrived at the main hall and bowed to the heavens.

"Disciple pays respects to Master, wishing Master a long and healthy life."

"Get up, everyone."

The two stood up straight, and Yuanshi Tianzun asked a question.

"Ziya, how long have you been my disciple?"

Jiang Ziya bowed and replied, "Reporting to my master, I came to Kunlun Mountain when I was thirty-two years old, which means it has been forty years."

After saying this, Jiang Ziya looked up at Yuanshi Tianzun. He knew he lacked talent and had never been valued in his sect, so being questioned alone made him uneasy.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable was not angered, and slowly said, "You were born with such a destiny, and it is difficult for you to cultivate the immortal path. You are destined to only enjoy worldly blessings. Now the Shang Dynasty is about to end, and the Zhou Dynasty is about to rise. You should go down the mountain to preside over the investiture of the gods for me, assist the new ruler, and hold a high position as a general or minister. This will not be a waste of your many years of cultivation on the mountain. This place is not suitable for you to stay for long. You should pack your things and go down the mountain as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziya's expression changed drastically, and he immediately knelt down.

"Teacher, please have mercy! Your disciple only desires to devote himself to cultivating the Tao and has never had any thought of worldly wealth and honor. I beg you to take me in and allow me to continue my cultivation in the mountains."

He kept kowtowing, trying to persuade Yuanshi Tianzun to retract his order.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable frowned slightly.

"Your destiny has already been determined; Heaven has chosen you to be the one to be conferred the title of god. Even as a sage, I cannot defy the arrangements of Heaven. Descend the mountain immediately and do not delay any longer."

Seeing this, the Old Man of the South Pole stepped forward and advised, "Junior brother, this is destiny. You will have your own opportunities after descending the mountain. Do not be stubborn any longer, lest you displease our teacher."

Jiang Ziya knew that further argument was useless, so he could only agree.

"Disciple obeys the Master's decree."

After a pause, he spoke again: "This disciple dares not disobey orders and will depart for the mountain immediately. I only wish to humbly request Master's guidance regarding my future arrangements."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable spoke eight lines of verse: "For twenty years you have lived in poverty in this land, patiently and peacefully fulfilling your duties; you have cast your line on the stream rocks, and a wise and virtuous man will surely visit you, to assist the holy ruler as his prime minister, to be appointed general in the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Wushen, to gather the princes in the year of Wushen, and to be enfeoffed as a god in the year of Wushen, four years later. Remember this well. This time you descend the mountain to assist the wise ruler, and when the great task is accomplished, there will still be an opportunity to return to Kunlun Mountain."

After saying this, Yuanshi Tianzun took out the God-Slaying Whip.

"This God-Slaying Whip is entrusted to you. Any cultivator below the Quasi-Saint realm who is struck by it will have their soul annihilated. Its power is extremely strong. Once the Investiture of the Gods is over, you will take it back. I will have someone send the Investiture of the Gods list over later. In addition, this Qilin is also bestowed upon you as your mount."

Jiang Ziya bowed again to bid farewell.

"Disciple bids farewell to Master."

On the other side, Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, sent Su Daji to the Shang royal palace. By this time, Su Daji's body had already been possessed by a nine-tailed fox.

From then on, chaos erupted within the Shang Dynasty palace, and a series of tragedies occurred. Shang Rong, Bigan, the Queen, and other important officials and members of the royal family were killed one after another.

Emperor Xin then ordered Ji Chang to be imprisoned in Chaoge.

Su Daji secretly instructed Fei Zhong to submit a memorial to the emperor.

"Everyone outside calls Ji Chang a sage of our time, capable of predicting fortune and misfortune and understanding yin and yang. People say that a sage would not eat the flesh of his own child. Why not kill his son Boyi Kao, make him into meat pies, and give them to Ji Chang? If he eats them, it will prove that the so-called sage's reputation is false, and then he can be pardoned, demonstrating Your Majesty's benevolence. If he refuses to eat them, then execute him immediately to prevent future troubles."

After reading the memorial, Emperor Xin immediately agreed.

Bo Yikao was thus murdered, and his body was made into meat patties and presented to Ji Chang. Ji Chang suppressed his grief and ate the food, while simultaneously deducing the Eight Trigrams in Chaoge, creating the Sixty-Four Hexagrams. In an instant, the entire human race revered him as a sage.

Taking advantage of this momentum, the Nine-Tailed Fox secretly orchestrated events, and Emperor Xin ultimately ordered the release of Ji Chang.

Having regained his freedom, Ji Chang dared not linger. He left Chaoge overnight and embarked on his journey back to Xiqi.

At this time, the Seven Fairies took the initiative to come to Qinglong Pass and became the general of this place, which was an alliance treaty.

Meanwhile, to the east of Qinglong Pass is Jiepai Pass, and the commander-in-chief of Jiepai Pass has become Jiufeng!

That's right. In this tripartite alliance, Jiu Feng took the initiative to come to Jiepai Pass and become the Jiepai Pass Commander!

This completes the preparations for the Great Tribulation, which begins with the expedition of Xiqi to the east.

Within the celestial realm of Yaochi, Yaochi looked down upon the mortal world and asked, "Back then, Ji Chang personally sent the nine-tailed fox to Chaoge. Was this something he did intentionally?"

Li Bai remained calm and began to speak.

"This person appears honest and kind, but is actually very cunning and treacherous; he is a typical example of someone who appears loyal but is actually treacherous."

Yaochi nodded and asked, "In your opinion, he wasn't acting unintentionally from the beginning?"

"It was certainly not unintentional."

Li Taibai looked down towards the lower realm: "The next leader of the human race chosen by the Chan Sect is Ji Chang."

Yaochi sighed deeply: "Compared to these cunning and shrewd people, I've been far too shallow. How could he ascend to the position of a sage?"

Li Bai chuckled softly.

"Only by first establishing his reputation as a sage can he have a solid foundation for his actions. People will compare him to Emperor Xin, and their hearts will naturally lean towards him. Moreover, it will not be Ji Chang himself who first raises an army in rebellion, but his descendants. He will leave behind a good name for himself, and then his descendants will inherit the great cause, thus firmly holding the legitimate title in his hands. According to the current plan, his final status will be comparable to that of the ancient Fuxi."

Yaochi was stunned upon hearing this: "How can he possibly rival Fuxi?"

"During his reign, Emperor Xin was constantly reshaping the human race's heritage and deliberately downplaying the traditions left by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors."

Li Taibai slowly continued to explain: "Fuxi established the foundation of the Dao based on the Eight Trigrams, and his name has been passed down through the ages. Now, Ji Chang is deducing the Sixty-Four Hexagrams in order to use this set of hexagram principles to restore the prestige of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and to let everyone in the world understand that the path taken by Emperor Xin was wrong from the start."

"From the Wuji comes the Taiji, from the Taiji comes the Yin and Yang, from the Yin and Yang come the Four Symbols, from the Four Symbols come the Eight Trigrams. The Eight Trigrams continue to evolve and change, resulting in the Sixty-Four Hexagrams. This whole system was originally a method arranged in advance by the Chan Sect. The Shang Dynasty wanted to overthrow the Xia Dynasty's legacy and diminish the influence of the ancient sage emperors, so the other side used Ji Chang to turn the situation around."

After hearing this, Yaochi said, "I see. They've been planning this for a long time."

Yaochi's expression was solemn: "Judging from this, our only way out right now is for the three of us to have a decisive battle on the road to the east of Xiqi. However, once the great chaos begins, countless people will surely die in the world."

Li Bai sighed, "If we don't do this, the Jie Sect, you and I will all be purged one by one, and the Shang Dynasty will be completely destroyed. At that time, the Immortal Path will decline, the Divine Path will dominate, and all living beings in the world will become slaves to be driven around. Do you want to see such a situation?"

"Though war may rage and countless lives may be lost, it will also provide an opportunity for you and me to establish ourselves and attain enlightenment. You are the Great Celestial Venerable who rules over all immortals, and your lifelong pursuit has been to ensure the prosperity of the immortal path. Two paths lie before you; what will you choose?"

Li Bai did not wait for Yaochi's reply and continued.

"To accomplish great things, one cannot be bogged down in trivial matters. Now that the three parties have formed an alliance, the Sage Tongtian will inevitably have to go all out for a sliver of hope. If he doesn't even take this step, and the entire Jie Sect is wiped out, he will have no chance of making a comeback."

Yaochi sighed, "Taibai is right. Over these tens of thousands of years, I have comprehended much about the Jade Tablet of Creation, but this time, the Investiture of the Gods and the attainment of Dao feel too rushed!"

Li Bai sighed softly.

"In this grand scheme of things, if you can't be a player, you're destined to be a pawn. Pawns have their own life and death, rise and fall—that's just how it is. Reincarnation is constant, and everything changes. Now you're already in the game; only by joining can you have a chance to win. If you stay out of it, the outcome will be irrelevant to you. And remember this: never be soft-hearted like Hongyun. Distinguish between good and evil, and act decisively. This is the foundation for traversing the Great Dao. As for proving your Dao, and heading in that direction, how long this Investiture of the Gods will last—we have no idea. After all, neither you nor I can control the future!"

"However, now that Ji Chang has arrived at Qinglong Pass, you and I will need to do something to stop him and give the Sage Tongtian a transparent turn!"

At this time, relying on the reputation of a sage, Ji Chang traveled smoothly all the way, passing through several checkpoints in succession. Jiu Feng of Jiepai Pass did not stop him, and he soon arrived at the city of Qinglong Pass.

The accompanying men shouted loudly towards the city gate: "Listen up, sir! The person inside the carriage is Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo. Open the city gate immediately and let him pass."

Seven women stood atop the city wall of Qinglong Pass.

Several people were dressed in silver armor and red cloaks, exuding a heroic and valiant air. The one in the lead was none other than Princess Hong'er of Tianshou.

Hong'er spoke first, asking, "I am Tian Shou, the garrison commander of Qinglong Pass. You claim to be the Marquis of Xibo, and wish to leave the pass. Do you have an imperial edict authorizing your passage?"

A voice beside him shouted sternly, "How dare you be so rude! The Marquis of Xibo holds a position of supreme honor, unmatched even by the Emperor. How dare you obstruct him?"

Princess Tianxian turned to Hong'er: "Elder sister, what should we do now?"

Hong'er remained calm: "We are responsible for guarding the pass. No matter who comes, we cannot let them pass without an official pass decree."

As soon as she finished speaking, Hong'er immediately ordered: "Activate the city gate's security measures."

The order was given, and the entire Qinglong Pass, along with the surrounding mountains, was shrouded in a protective barrier. The air and the ground were completely sealed off; no one could force their way through.

Ji Chang was greatly alarmed upon seeing this scene.

The journey had been smooth sailing until now, when we unexpectedly encountered an obstacle at Qinglong Pass. Beyond this pass lies Juelong Ridge, and crossing it would lead us back to Xiqi. Once we entered Xiqi territory, we could escape safely, but instead, we're trapped here.

Ji Chang asked, "What exactly is your intention in doing this?"

Hong'er looked down at the city walls: "Your group passed through several checkpoints without imperial orders, which shows that the guards along the way have failed in their duties. I will arrest you today and escort you back to Chaoge for punishment."

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At the same time, inside the Chaoge Palace, Su Daji summoned Fei Zhong and You Hun.

Where is Ji Chang now?

Fei Zhong replied, "Your Majesty, Ji Chang has already passed three checkpoints. He will be able to return to Xiqi after passing two more."

Su Daji nodded: "The timing is perfect. Issue the arrest warrant immediately. Force Ji Chang to rebel and give him a legitimate reason to start his uprising."

Su Daji pondered in her heart that everything was proceeding according to plan.

He himself was ordered by Nuwa to disrupt the fortunes of the Shang Dynasty, and Xiqi was already poised for the birth of a new holy ruler.

Ji Chang lacked a legitimate reason for his campaign, making it difficult for him to rally the people.

That's why he plotted to kill Boyi Kao and forced Ji Chang to eat his own flesh.

Firstly, it allowed Ji Chang to create the sixty-four hexagrams, solidifying his reputation as a sage. Secondly, it burdened Ji Chang with the hatred of losing his son, completely clearing him of suspicion for escorting him into the palace and giving him a righteous cause.

As long as he returns to Xiqi and raises his arms to call upon the lords of the land, they will naturally respond in droves.

As for Boyi Kao, who died unjustly, the Chan Sect had already decided that he would be posthumously granted the title of Great Emperor of the North Pole Purple Star. Now that his title has changed, he can be posthumously honored later.

The arrest warrant was quickly sent from Chaoge to various places, and the proclamation spread far and wide.

Having reached this point, Ji Chang had no way out, even if he didn't want to rebel.