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

After capturing Chentang Pass, the army of Marquis Dongbo did not rest or stop for a moment. The 100,000 armored soldiers marched westward in an orderly fashion, their banners covering the sky and their murderous aura reaching the clouds.

Tian Shou led his six sisters at the forefront of the army, and in just three days they arrived outside Youhun Pass.

Youhun Pass is the last barrier to the east of Chaoge. The general guarding the pass is named Dou Rong, who commands 50,000 troops. Various defensive weapons are piled up on the city walls, and the protective barriers are layered upon layered. If a direct attack is launched, at least 10,000 soldiers will be killed or wounded, and half a month will be wasted.

Unwilling to suffer losses of his troops in vain, Tian Shou ordered the entire army to set up camp on the spot and not to launch an attack. He then took two personal guards and walked on foot to the city gate to request an audience with Dou Rong.

The guards on the city gate recognized the newcomer as Tian Shou. Having heard of his reputation at Qinglong Pass and Chentang Pass, they dared not be negligent and quickly went down to report.

A moment later, the city gate opened a narrow crack, and Dou Rong personally came out of the gate, standing on the flat ground outside the gate, facing Tian Shou directly.

Dou Rong, dressed in military officer's armor, looked cautious, his hand on the long sword at his waist, his eyes fixed on the endless ranks of the Eastern Lu army outside the city.

Tian Shou didn't exert any pressure. He stepped forward and spoke frankly, laying out the current situation of the world without a single word of pretense.

"General Dou, I have come today only to explain two paths ahead to you, and let you choose for yourself."

Dou Rong frowned and replied with a cupped hand.

"Fairy, please speak your mind."

Tian Shou pointed westward, and the direction of the Xiqi army's march was clearly visible.

"Right now, Ji Fa of Xiqi is leading the people of Chan Sect westward, with only Chaoge as their target. If Ji Fa manages to enter Chaoge first, the rightful throne of the human race will fall into Ji Fa's hands."

"Ji Fa relied on the Chan Sect after his death. He had long planned to completely abolish the Shang Dynasty's legacy, destroy the ancestral temples of all Shang kings, and erase the incense and sacrifices that the Shang Dynasty had performed for hundreds of years. All the civil and military officials and members of the royal family who were loyal to the Shang Dynasty within the pass would not have a good end."

Upon hearing this, Dou Rong's heart sank. He didn't interrupt but listened quietly.

Tian Shou then pointed to the continuous army of Donglu behind him and continued to explain Jiang Wenhuan's plan in detail.

"My lord, Marquis Jiang Wenhuan of Dongbo, raised an army with the slogan of 'cleansing the court of corrupt officials,' and his goal was merely to eliminate the wicked empress Su Daji in the palace, as well as a group of treacherous officials who harmed loyal and good people. He never intended to sever the foundation of the Shang Dynasty."

"If my lord is the first to enter Chaoge and ascend to the throne, he will preserve the ancestral temples of the Shang Dynasty intact, worship the ancestors of the Shang Dynasty on time, and will not slaughter the royal family or demolish the ancestral temples and mausoleums. All civil and military officials within the pass will be employed as before as long as they are law-abiding and will not be killed or dismissed at will."

Having said that, Tian Shou looked directly into Dou Rong's eyes and pointed out the most crucial choice at that moment.

"The general holds military power over Youhun Pass. Now, by closing the gates and blocking our army's westward advance, he is essentially handing the way to Xiqi and watching Ji Fa seize Chaoge first. In that case, the ancestral temple of the Shang Dynasty will be destroyed, the bloodline of the Shang Dynasty will be cut off, and the general will be a sinner for all time. No good words will be left in the history books of the future."

Dou Rong's resolve wavered, and he slowly loosened his grip on the long sword, his tone hesitant.

"But as the general guarding the Great Shang, if I let the rebels enter the pass, it would be disobeying the emperor's decree. How will I explain this afterward?"

Tian Shou immediately gave a reassuring promise, dispelling all of Dou Rong's concerns.

"The General need not bear the blame alone. After my army enters the pass, the General will lead his entire army to accompany my lord into Chaoge."

"At that time, everyone will meet with Emperor Xin and publicly state their original intention of purging the court of corrupt officials and saving the people. They will not intend to rebel, but simply to remove the treacherous officials who are causing chaos in the court for the sake of the people. With 100,000 troops as witnesses and the joint guarantee of the various lords of Donglu, Emperor Xin will not blame the general."

"After the matter is accomplished, when my lord ascends the throne, he will retain the position of General Youhun Pass, and will be promoted in rank to guard the eastern border. He will enjoy wealth and security, and his authority will not be diminished in the slightest."

After listening to this solid analysis of the pros and cons, Dou Rong was already inclined to go ahead with it. However, he still had one concern: his wife, Lady Chedi, was a cultivator under the Jie Sect. He would consult with her on everything and dared not make decisions on his own.

Dou Rong cupped his hands in greeting to Tian Shou and began to speak.

"What you say makes perfect sense. Please allow me to return to the pass and discuss it with my family. I will give you an answer within half an hour."

Tian Shou nodded in agreement and led his personal guards back outside the camp to wait, giving Dou Rong ample time to consider without forcing or pressuring him.

Dou Rong turned around and quickly returned to his residence in Guannei. He went straight to Madam Chedi and repeated every word that Tianshou had just said, word for word.

Lady Chedi sat upright in her room, having just received a decree from Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island. The decree was very clear: the Jie Sect would fully support Marquis Jiang Wenhuan of the East, and all those associated with the Jie Sect at all checkpoints on the eastern front were strictly forbidden from obstructing the westward advance of the Eastern Lu army, allowing them to march straight towards Chaoge without creating any obstacles.

After reading the imperial edict, Lady Chedi did not hesitate for a moment and immediately told Dou Rong her decision.

"Master has issued a decree: the Eastern Marquis's army should not be blocked on the eastern front. The city gates should be opened immediately to allow Tian Shou and his 100,000 armored soldiers to pass through. There should be no delay, and the people coming should not be made difficult."

Dou Rong still had some reservations and asked in a low voice.

"If Di Xin were to pursue the matter, how should we respond?"

Lady Chedi spoke calmly, clearly explaining her options for the future.

"After Jiang Wenhuan took control of Chaoge, he preserved the ancestral temple of the Shang dynasty, did not kill any members of the royal family, and did not destroy the foundation of the country. This is a hundred times better than Ji Fa's destruction of the Shang dynasty and the extinction of its ancestral rites. Biyou Palace has already made a decision on the overall situation and will act in accordance with the imperial decree. In the future, the Jie Sect will step in and take full responsibility for you. There is no need to worry about punishment."

With the Jiejiao's decree as his reliance, Dou Rong's last bit of hesitation completely disappeared, leaving him without any further entanglement.

Once the half-hour deadline was up, Dou Rong personally ascended the city wall, ordered the entire army to remove the city's defensive equipment, withdraw the protective barriers, and open all four gates of Youhun Pass.

The city gates were fully open, the drawbridges were all lowered, and the roads were unobstructed.

Dou Rong emerged from the pass once more, arrived before the Tian Shou Noodles, and bowed respectfully.

"What the fairy said makes perfect sense. My inner circle received the decree from the sect, ordering me to allow the army to pass. All four gates of the city are open, and 100,000 Donglu soldiers can pass directly. I will lead 50,000 garrison troops to accompany the army to Chaoge."

Tian Shou's face lit up with joy, and he returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"The General is a man of great wisdom and righteousness; we will surely share in a peaceful and prosperous era in the future."

Tian Shou immediately ordered the entire army to break camp and pass through Youhun Pass in an orderly manner. Dou Rong led 50,000 Youhun Pass garrison troops to follow behind the main army and march westward together.

With no more checkpoints blocking the entire eastern front, the main force of the Marquis of Dongbo marched unimpeded, covering a thousand miles a day. Upon hearing the news that Youhun Pass had opened its gates, the garrison commanders of the small towns along the way all surrendered without daring to offer any resistance.

In just a few days, the Eastern Lu army arrived outside Chaoge City, surrounding the entire capital. They deployed their troops in all directions, with banners densely covering the open fields outside the city and the cold gleam of their armor reflecting in the sky.

Jiang Wenhuan, clad in royal armor, stood on the high platform of the central army, gazing at the city walls of Chaoge so close at hand. The long-suppressed hatred for the loss of his father and sister had finally reached its end, yet he showed no impetuousness or eagerness for quick success. He ordered the entire army to surround the city without attacking, not to charge the walls without authorization, and not to slaughter the civilians outside the city.

Tian Shou stood aside and asked for instructions in a low voice.

"My lord, the capital is now under siege, and the morale of the defenders is low. They could breach the city at any moment. Should we order a full-scale attack?"

Jiang Wenhuan shook his head slightly, his steady voice carrying throughout the high platform.

"There is no need for a forced fight. Send a message into the city to inform Emperor Xin that I raised troops only to cleanse the court of corrupt officials and eliminate Su Daji and her ilk. I have no intention of massacring the soldiers and civilians of the capital. If you voluntarily abdicate, the lives of the Shang dynasty's ancestral temple and all members of the royal family can be preserved."

The messenger carried the letter and slipped it through the crack in the city gate into the Chaoge Palace.

Emperor Xin sat in the main hall, read the letter that had been sent, and heard that the 100,000-strong Eastern Lu army had surrounded the city layer by layer, and that all the passes on the eastern front had fallen. The Western Qi army on the western front was still far away beyond several strategic passes. He realized that the situation had completely turned in Jiang Wenhuan's favor, and there was no possibility of a comeback.

All the civil and military officials around him remained silent, and no one dared to step forward to suggest a desperate defense. Everyone knew in their hearts that the Shang Dynasty's fate had long been exhausted, and forcibly starting a war would only cause the people in the city to die in vain.

Di Xin let out a long sigh, all his imperial aura dissipated, and his eyes were full of weariness.

For decades, he indulged in wine and women, listened to the slander of a wicked empress, harmed loyal officials, and betrayed the people. He has ended up in this state, which is entirely his own doing and cannot be undone.

Emperor Xin ceased his struggle and directly issued an edict of abdication, ordering his eunuchs to bring out two treasures that were orthodox human artifacts.

Firstly, there is the Xuanyuan Sword, passed down through generations of the human race, which embodies the orthodox rule of human warfare, and only the Human Emperor is qualified to wield it.

Secondly, the Nine Tripods, which suppress the fortune of the human race, correspond to the nine provinces and serve as proof of the Human Emperor's rule over the four seas and nine provinces.

The eunuch carried the Xuanyuan Sword and the Nine Cauldrons out of the palace gate and delivered them to the high platform in the central army outside the city, where they were handed to Jiang Wenhuan.

Jiang Wenhuan received the two great treasures of the human race. The fortune of the nine provinces instantly gathered around him, and the human merit of the worship of all people slowly enveloped his body. In accordance with the time of heaven and the will of the people, he rightfully ascended to the throne of the human emperor.

Below the high platform, a million soldiers from Donglu and fifty thousand guards from Youhun Pass knelt on one knee and shouted loudly, "Long live the Emperor!" The sound shook the entire city of Chaoge and spread throughout the mountains and rivers for miles.

Jiang Wenhuan immediately issued the first imperial decree in public. First, all ancestral temples of the Shang Dynasty were to be preserved, and special personnel were to be arranged to offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Shang Dynasty every month. Second, only Su Daji and a group of treacherous officials who had caused chaos in the court were to be dealt with, while the other civil and military officials were to remain in their posts. Third, the people in the city were to be appeased, taxes were to be reduced or exempted for three years, and the granaries were to be opened to provide relief to the poor.

As the government decrees were issued one by one, the previously fearful and uneasy people in the city instantly calmed down and no longer had any fear of fighting.

Just as Jiang Wenhuan completed his coronation ceremony and restored order in the city, dust billowed in the distance, and a large contingent of Xiqi troops finally arrived at the western side of Chaoge City.

Ji Fa rode his warhorse and stood at the forefront of the army formation, with Jiang Ziya and a group of Golden Immortals from the Chan Sect standing beside him. Looking around, the entire city of Chaoge was already covered with the flag of the King of Eastern Lu, Jiang Ziya. Outside the city, hundreds of thousands of Eastern Lu allied troops were arrayed in neat formation, and the sounds of the ceremonial music of the Emperor's Grand Ceremony still echoed within the city.

Despite traveling day and night, they were still a step too late.

Jiang Ziya stood beside Ji Fa, his face grave, knowing full well that the Chan Sect's centuries-long scheme had completely failed.

The original plan for the rightful succession to the throne, the first merit in the conquest of Shang, and the great cause of the world were all snatched away by Jiang Wenhuan. Xiqi's thousand-mile march ended up with them only able to stand outside the city and watch others enter Chaoge and ascend to the throne.

Ji Fa gripped the spear tightly, his eyes filled with resentment, yet he was helpless.

With the change of rulers in Chaoge, Jiang Wenhuan now holds the Nine Cauldrons and the Xuanyuan Sword, has the blessing of human virtues, and has the support of hundreds of thousands of troops. The hearts of the people are all leaning towards Donglu, and Xiqi has no chance of seizing the rightful throne.

Standing atop the city wall, Tian Shou saw the Xiqi army arriving from the west and bowed to Jiang Wenhuan to report.

"My lord, Ji Fa of Xiqi has led the Chan Sect troops to the city, but they are a step too late. They are currently encamped in the open field west of the city and have not made any rash moves."

Jiang Wenhuan looked at the continuous Xiqi army formation to the west, his tone calm, showing no intention of initiating a war.

"Issue the Emperor's decree to inform the people of Xiqi in the west of the city that the war in the world is about to end. If they are willing to submit, they can enter the city to discuss strategies for stabilizing the nine provinces. If they insist on confrontation, we will never take the initiative to attack, and the safety and stability of the people will be our priority."

The imperial edict was quickly sent out and delivered to the Xiqi camp.

Inside the camp, all the disciples of the Chan Sect looked at the Jiang-character King's flag fluttering atop Chaoge City, their hearts heavy with unease. Back then, the Antarctic Immortal, Guang Chengzi, and others had debated whether to split their forces or not, ultimately choosing to advance westward with the entire army united. They had thought they could securely enter the city first, but the Jie Sect on the eastern front had opened fire, and Youhun Pass was unobstructed. The Eastern Lu army's marching speed far exceeded expectations. One step behind meant falling behind at every step, and ultimately they missed the only opportunity to establish their dominance over the world.

Jiang Ziya sighed and slowly spoke to Ji Fa.

"The only course of action now is to consult the Emperor on whether a decisive battle should be fought in Chaoge!"

Ji asked, "Does the Prime Minister mean he does not recognize Jiang Wenhuan as the new emperor?"

Jiang Ziya took a deep breath and said, "The sages are surely discussing this at this moment. Let us wait quietly for their deliberation before making a decision!"