Investiture of the Gods: I am Bigan, the Master of Conspiracy

Chapter 145 The Five Barbarian Invasions of Zhou Dynasty Lead to a Great Rise in the Fortune of the Shang Dynasty.

With the foolish emperor being sidelined by the other kings and placed on the throne as the supreme ruler, the kings installed a puppet emperor to take the throne. However, the great battle with the Chong family at this time ultimately resulted in both sides suffering heavy losses, and the six guards of the Xiqi emperor were almost completely lost.

The Chong family had almost exhausted all its elite forces and was no longer able to defend against the barbarians and demons in the north.

At this moment, on the summit of Qishan Mountain, the statues of the gods in the Zhou Dynasty's ancestral temple suddenly began to crumble one by one!
The cracking sound, though crisp, carried an ominous undertone.

When the Emperor's six generals and the Chong family's elite forces were exhausted, the barbarian and demon tribes in the north were already eager to make their move.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the northern clans naturally burst into laughter: "This is truly brilliant! Xiqi gained the world unjustly, and its karma and consequences are countless. Destroying Xiqi will not only allow us to capture people, but it will also be a meritorious deed. How can we not do it!"

"Your Majesty, other races, including the demon race, also have this plan. When Wen Zhong pacified us, we could not go south while the Shang Dynasty was still in power. Now is the time to go south. This Chong Heihu killed his brother and seized the throne, and he has also committed many evil deeds. Our going south is also to act on behalf of Heaven!"

"Hahaha, issue my decree: raise an army and march south!"

Soon, the northern barbarians and demons realized that destroying Zhou was a sure-fire way to make money, and they could also gain merit. Why wouldn't they do it?
Immediately, the five northern tribes rose up and marched south, with hundreds of thousands of troops rolling in.

These people were pacified only after Wen Zhong led his northern expedition for decades. When Wen Zhong returned from his expedition to the North Sea, it greatly boosted the fortunes of the Shang Dynasty.

Now, the six guards of the emperor of Xiqi have been almost wiped out, and the elite of the Chong family have also been almost wiped out. They are no longer able to resist the invasion of the northern barbarian and demon tribes.

Hundreds of thousands of troops marched south, ostensibly to avenge Chong Houhu, and their first attack was on Chongcheng.

A general covered in blood leaned against the broken city wall, gazing at the billowing smoke rising in the direction of Qishan, his eyes filled with despair.

"It's terrible! The Northern Di wolf cavalry have crossed the Blackwater River!"

The once mighty Six Guards of Xiqi, after repeated fierce battles with the Chong family, now only have a few remnants left in Chongcheng, making it impossible for them to organize an effective defense.

Inside and outside Chongcheng, the broken walls and ruins were littered with the corpses of Chong family soldiers.

The battle flags of the northern tribes fluttered in the wind, their ferocious beast totems seemingly ready to devour their prey.

After successfully capturing Chongcheng, all the male members of Chong Heihu's family were slaughtered, and the women were abducted and taken back to the north.

When Chong Heihu killed his brother and slaughtered all the male members of Chong Houhu's family, and gave the women, including his own niece, to Ji Chang, the evil consequences of this incident had now completed their causal cycle.

"This is outrageous! The northern barbarians have wiped out my entire clan! I swear I will not rest until I avenge this!"

Chong Heihu, who had already been deified and become a great emperor, was also furious, but he was powerless to do anything about it. The Chan Sect had already given up, so what use was a divine position?

Unless he could summon heavenly soldiers to descend to the mortal realm, but Chong Heihu did not have this ability, he could only watch helplessly as his entire family was slaughtered and he was filled with impotent rage.

After all, the only way to make amends and understand the cause and effect of karma is to use merit and good fortune to make amends.

Who would use their destiny to save them? They are useless now. As long as the Shang Dynasty doesn't launch a northern expedition, they are of no use.

After crushing the Chong family, the entire Zhou dynasty was powerless to stop the northern barbarians from advancing south. Their iron cavalry rolled in, heading straight for Xiqi.

Less than a century has passed since Wen Zhong's army last attacked Xiqi. Now everything has changed. The barbarian army has successfully entered Jue Long Ridge and is at the gates of Xiqi.

The entire Western Zhou had suffered from the chaos of the warring kings, and its people were already scattered, its elite forces lost, and its karma was so strong that it could be said that its fate was sealed.

To breach the city would be an easy task.

The moment the barbarian and demon races cleaved through Xiqi, the entire Qishan mountain range trembled violently, causing the earth to shake.

The dragon vein, bearing the destiny of Xiqi, groaned under the unbearable burden and crumbled inch by inch.

The Nine Cauldrons that had guarded this place since the War of the Gods crashed to the ground with a deafening roar. The twelve golden chains of fortune that held it together broke, and the divine fire that symbolized the nation's destiny gradually dimmed and went out.

The newly appointed puppet emperor, dressed in magnificent imperial robes, was tightly bound to the dragon throne with thick hemp ropes, and could only watch helplessly as the iron cavalry of the five northern tribes surged in like dark clouds pressing down on the city.

Inside the royal palace, the previous generation's foolish emperor was also captured alive, and two generations of Zhou emperors were roughly dragged out.

At this moment, all the members of the Xiqi royal family were in pain. In a daze, they recalled the glorious scene when Jiang Ziya conferred titles upon the gods here. Now, however, they had fallen to such a state, and their hearts were filled with sorrow.

The new emperor was already so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face, shouting incessantly.

"Father, save me!"

At this time, Jiang Ziya was still managing the State of Qi. He was powerless to stop the collapse of Xiqi. The Chan Sect ordered Jiang Ziya that Xiqi was beyond saving and that he should not let the Chan Sect fall into the trap of the Yin Shang Dynasty and become unable to extricate itself!
Once you get involved, it's hard to get out. Xiqi has reached the point where it's despised by all. Saving it would be like getting the Chan Sect covered in filth and being despised along with Xiqi.

And it would descend into a situation like the Six Kingdoms Dispute, where five cities were ceded today, ten more tomorrow, and only then could one night of peace be gained. Upon waking and looking around, one would find the Qin army already at the gates.

The Chan Sect naturally understood that the Antarctic Immortal was using this to warn Guang Chengzi that if they couldn't be saved, they would have to save him tomorrow, sacrificing their destiny for temporary peace. This sunk cost would crush the Chan Sect.

At this point, Xiqi would no longer be revived by the infusion of fortune as it had been in the Investiture of the Gods, and its time of destruction was finally coming.

The deafening roar of Qishan's collapse echoed throughout the three realms like thunder. The mountain split open with huge fissures and collapsed to both sides, eventually turning into dust.

"Your Majesty, what should be done with these two generations of Zhou emperors?"

"Your Majesty, keeping this Zhou emperor is useless. How about we first appease the entire army with the sheep-leading ceremony, then send him to the new Chaoge, thus establishing good relations with the Shang Dynasty?"

"Excellent! If it weren't for the Great Shang's schemes to make them fight amongst themselves, we wouldn't have had this opportunity. We should send these two to the new Chaoge first!"

"."

In an instant, two emperors were captured alive by the barbarians, who made them take off their clothes, put on sheepskins, and crawl. This was the barbarians' victory ceremony, which immediately caused a stir and shocked the entire world!

Since the Investiture of the Gods, the fortunes of Xiqi have collapsed several times, the karmic consequences of which were boundless, and ultimately the retribution fell upon their descendants. Their self-degradation of the emperor and the enslavement of all human beings outside the Shang Dynasty—this karmic force had finally reached its breaking point, and what it detonated was such humiliation.

The karma of burning Chaoge and massacring the city was already at its peak the moment Ji Fa issued the decree. Although Ji Fa was killed by the Emperor's Sword, the karma of the massacre would not be erased.

Now that the Chan Sect is no longer protected by fortune, the result is bound to be so tragic. If the Chan Sect were willing to contribute a share of fortune, it wouldn't be such a shameful situation.

However, the Chan Sect was also afraid at this point. They feared that if they continued to take control, it would be better to completely sever the connection with Xiqi.

The ritual of leading the sheep shocked the Three Realms, leaving everyone sighing in disbelief. This great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, the cause and effect between the Shang and Zhou dynasties, had ended in this way.

Emperor Xin fought bravely against the sage and died. The will of the Human Emperor also beheaded Ji Fa. Such a martyrdom was magnificent and worthy of the name of the Human Emperor.

The Zhou emperor was captured in this way, and the "sheep-leading ceremony" has completely nailed the Zhou dynasty to the pillar of humiliation.

"I never imagined that after the Chan and Ren sects failed to encircle and suppress the Yin Shang dynasty, this high priest would launch such a swift counterattack, and the Zhou dynasty would perish in such a humiliating way!"

"Hmph, if it weren't for the Chan Sect repeatedly protecting the Zhou Dynasty with its fortune, the Zhou Dynasty would have perished long ago. They surrendered the emperor, burned down Chaoge, and slaughtered countless people. With such enormous karma, how could they possibly have a good end without the help of fortune to resolve it!"

"Since the Investiture of the Gods, this high priest has first stabilized his own fortune, gradually salvaging his reputation and giving opportunities to all beings to raise their fortune instead of lowering it. Emperor Xin, as the emperor, sacrificed himself for his country to eliminate the karma of blaspheming the saint Nuwa, giving the Yin Shang dynasty a chance to survive in the Investiture of the Gods. However, the fortune of Xiqi gradually declined due to rebellion, losing the hearts of the people. In this light, this high priest's cultivation of the mind is not only about cultivating his own heart but also the hearts of all beings. The foundation of Xiqi was already destroyed at the time of the Investiture of the Gods. The Holy Dynasty governs the world with filial piety, but these few words have completely destroyed the foundation of Xiqi. Ji Chang's virtue is false, Ji Fa's benevolence is false, and now this filial piety is also false. Under such circumstances, how can Xiqi survive, and how can the Chan Sect save it?"

"When Ji Fa issued the order to massacre the city, he must have been worried about the karmic consequences, thinking that the Chan Sect would protect him. Now that the Chan Sect is worried about falling into a situation similar to the Investiture of the Gods, they have repeatedly used their own fortune to protect him. Naturally, they will not use their own fortune to reduce the karmic consequences. How can Xiqi protect itself? Such a tragic situation is only to be expected!"

"Perhaps, a sage in the Three Realms can forcibly reverse the hearts of all beings to make them accept the heart of a sage. But now that the heart of a sage is not in the primordial world, the hearts of all beings are the most important thing in the primordial world. The Chan Sect is obviously aware of this, which is why they do not save us!"

"."

Naturally, people from all three realms were discussing this momentous event that had occurred in the prehistoric world.

At the same time, he was also shocked by Yin Ziyu's scheme; revenge was so simple.

This week's reign, due to its illegitimate acquisition of power, has only lasted for a few decades.

At this time, after the sheep-leading ceremony, the two were escorted to the new Chaoge after discussions among the northern barbarians. This scene immediately inspired all the Shang dynasty descendants who had migrated south.

The once magnificent immortal city of Chaoge was destroyed; the vast city, the glory of the human race, was reduced to ashes in a single fire.

"Ziyu, now we can finally announce at the Imperial Ancestral Temple that we have destroyed Xiqi!"

Luo Shen was overjoyed, and Wen Zhong, Shang Rong, and the others were extremely excited. This matter was a great joy for the entire new Chaoge. With the destruction of Xiqi, the huge cause and effect between Shang and Zhou came to an end today.

In an instant, drums and horns resounded in the new Chaoge, the Black Bird Banner stood atop the ancestral temple, the Yin Shang totems fluttered in the wind, and countless golden rays of fortune converged.

After the two Zhou emperors arrived in the new Chaoge, Yin Ziyu immediately tried their crimes and beheaded them. Their heads were then offered as offerings in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

"Honoring the ancestors in the Imperial Ancestral Temple!"

Since the fall of Chaoge and the ruins of ancestral temples during the Investiture of the Gods, less than a century has passed since Ziyu led the remaining people to migrate south. Yet, the Shang dynasty has not been extinguished. The remaining people weep blood. Ziyu, though unworthy, inherited the sacred blood of Nuwa and twice thwarted the encirclement and suppression by the Chan people. Fortunately, with the protection of our ancestors and the mercy of Nuwa, civil officials like Shang Rong gathered the souls of the people with rites and laws, and military generals like Wen Zhong pacified the eight wastelands with loyalty and courage. Moreover, the goddess Luo Shen Mi Fei, daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, wielded the power of cause and effect, and finally, the sacred fire was rekindled, and the destiny was continued!
Today, Ziyu and Mifei conspired to avenge the nation's humiliation. Now, the Zhou palaces are completely destroyed, and the banners of surrender hang high on the summit of Mount Qi. Their ritual implements have been destroyed, their books burned, the Zhou rites have collapsed, and the teachings have declined. The Mandate of Heaven has been restored, and the Shang dynasty has risen again! This is not due to my own talent, but rather because my ancestors in Heaven have entrusted me with the task of restoring the glory of the Shang dynasty and wiping away the shame of the Investiture of the Gods!
Today, the rebels from Xiqi have been escorted to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to comfort the ancestors of the Great Shang Dynasty.

We humbly beseech our ancestors, that this land has been restored to its former glory, and that the blood feud has been avenged. Now, we rebuild the ancestral temple and re-establish the position of the Black Bird, so that future generations may remember the might of this day. May the Shang dynasty flourish like the sun and moon traversing the heavens, and may the Zhou dynasty perish. With the head of the traitor, we offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Great Shang.
Yin Ziyu led the civil and military officials of the Shang Dynasty to offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple for this matter, which was indeed a conspiracy between Yin Ziyu and the Goddess of Luo.

This matter does not conceal the truth; it is based on cause and effect to avenge national humiliation.

Now that the mission is accomplished, the announcement is made at the Imperial Ancestral Temple that the national humiliation has been avenged, naturally causing a stir throughout the three realms.

As dusk deepened, the entire city was illuminated by thousands of torches, as if it were daytime.

Yin Ziyu stood at the highest point of the altar, gazing at the rolling black clouds in the direction of Xiqi, and raised his hand to offer up the Sixty Jiazi Sacred Banner.

The holy banner unfurled in the wind, and the human race's fortune transformed into a golden pillar of light that shot straight into the heavens, piercing through layers of dark clouds, like a giant blade that split the sky, stirring up the winds and clouds of heaven and earth.

With national humiliation avenged and karmic consequences resolved, a significant improvement in fortune is inevitable.

Cause and effect also govern all living beings in the primordial world. No living being in the primordial world would get too involved in cause and effect. Once cause and effect are imposed on them, they will inevitably have to think about how to resolve the cause and effect.

Otherwise, they will be constrained by cause and effect, making their cultivation extremely difficult, and their inner demons will also arise from cause and effect.

However, when the cause and effect are settled, there will be great benefits, which will improve one's own fortune. The greater the cause and effect, the stronger the improvement.

Just like when playing a game, a bunch of tasks can be very frustrating, but when you finish them all, you feel a huge sense of relief and satisfaction.

Now, it is a matter of national destiny and karma, the magnitude of which is unimaginable. Settling this karma will naturally lead to a tremendous improvement in the nation's destiny.

Above the newly established Chaoge, the nation's fortunes soared, and golden pillars of auspicious energy descended from the sky, merging together.

When the last wisp of Zhou dynasty fortune turned to ashes, the entire new Chaoge suddenly trembled, as if a thunderous roar of ten thousand horses was heard. Nine streams of crimson-gold fortune condensed into a huge phantom of a black bird above the ancestral temple.

The wings of the Black Bird can stretch for a thousand miles, and every feather carries the undying belief of the human race.

The feathers on the left wing shimmer with the image of the Shang dynasty conquering Jie and severing the connection between heaven and earth, while the feathers on the right wing reflect the prosperous scene of Wu Ding's restoration. The runes on the tail feathers are even more a collection of Nuwa's sacred blood.

Golden beams of light, like rivers flowing into the sea, converged above the ancestral temple, where the Heavenly Bird descended to give birth to the ancient seal script of the Shang dynasty.

At this time, the Shang Dynasty explained its origin by saying that Heaven sent down the Shang Dynasty to end the severance of the connection between Heaven and Earth and to give hope to the human race.

Of course, it was indeed the will of Heaven that brought down the Shang. The fundamental reason for this was simply to pave the way for the Investiture of the Gods. However, the Shang Dynasty must always uphold this principle. They cannot go against the will of Heaven. Insisting on the existence of the Xuan Bird is upholding the correctness of the principle.

(End of this chapter)