Born Saints: Starting from Liaozhai

Chapter 110 The Fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty and King You of Zhou's Escape to Wushan

Many people in the royal domain had also heard of Wushan and the name of Wushan God.

As a god recognized by the Zhou emperor, coupled with the mysterious legends of the god of Wushan, the people of the royal domain worshipped the god fervently, the faith spread rapidly, and incense offerings flourished.

People praying for rain, blessings, children, and peace are everywhere.

As time went by, the feudal lords in various regions also vaguely heard about this matter.

Some feudal lords didn't care, thinking that the Zhou emperor was just worshipping a mountain god, and that the miraculous events that were circulating were just rumors and hearsay spread by the people.

Some of the feudal lords who believed in gods and valued sacrifices were very interested and sent people to inquire about miracles and also performed sacrifices.

Time passed slowly amidst this situation.

In the blink of an eye, more than three years have passed.

During those three years, King You of Zhou did indeed keep his promise from that day.

A sizable mountain god temple was built.

The temple stands majestically, its incense burning brightly.

The spring and autumn sacrifices are held twice a year, both with the highest level of ritual.

During these three years, King You of Zhou would often recall those cryptic divine words.

Gradually, as time passed, his vigilance faded.

Not long after, as he grew increasingly fond of Bao Si, a momentous event that would change the fate of the world still occurred.

King You of Zhou deposed the original crown prince Yijiu and instead made Bofu, the son of Bao Si, the crown prince.

This imperial decree caused a stir throughout the court and the country.

A fiefdom in the west.

Shen State.

Inside the main hall.

Marquis Shen, an elderly but still dignified vassal, was seated in his seat.

Suddenly, a messenger strode into the hall.

"My lord, an urgent report from Haojing!"

Marquis Shen frowned slightly and took the bamboo slip.

As soon as he unfolded the bamboo slip and read only a few lines of text, his fingers froze.

A moment later, his face darkened.

"Depose the crown prince and install Bofu in the throne—"

His voice was so low it was almost inaudible.

next moment.

Snapped!

He slammed the bamboo slips to the ground.

Marquis Shen suddenly stood up, his face ashen, his chest heaving violently.

"absurd!"

"A tyrannical ruler!!"

Marquis Shen paced back and forth, his eyes filled with a terrifyingly gloomy expression. "Yijiu is my grandson, the rightful crown prince. How can he be deposed so easily?!"

At this point, he suddenly stopped, his gaze gradually turning cold, and a terrible thought quietly began to grow in his mind.

In the following months, mysterious messengers began to frequently enter and leave the State of Shen.

After leaving the State of Shen, these envoys went straight to the territory of the Rong tribe.

Where grasslands meet barren mountains, the camps of the Quanrong stretched out in a continuous line.

The messenger of Marquis Shen brought generous gifts.

Bronze ware, silk, and grain.

At the same time, it also brought a sentence.

Marquis Shen is willing to open the gates to welcome the army!

When the Quanrong leader heard these words, his eyes immediately turned greedy.

A war against the capital is quietly brewing.

Late autumn.

The capital, Haojing.

Inside the palace.

As King You of Zhou listened to one battle report after another, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Urgent news has arrived from the north: the Quanrong are attacking!

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen stormed into Zhou territory like a black torrent, and border cities fell one after another.

Below, the messenger urgently reported, "The Quanrong have crossed the Wei River, and Marquis Shen's army is among them!"

Upon hearing the name Marquis Shen, King You of Zhou was suddenly stunned, as if struck by lightning, when he suddenly realized something.

This moment.

The divine words he heard at the foot of Wushan Mountain more than three years ago seemed to echo in his ears once again.

King You of Zhou's pupils contracted sharply as he muttered to himself, "When old words are abandoned, those who abandon them will invite wolves to come—"

Below, upon hearing King You of Zhou's mutterings, some of the officials in the hall immediately showed expressions of confusion.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

While they were wondering.

King You of Zhou suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter filled with bitterness.

"I see—so that's what it means—"

"The old saying has been abandoned; does that mean I deposed the former crown prince?"

"The abandoned ones brought wolves; does this mean Marquis Shen led the Quanrong barbarians into the pass?"

"Is this a divine prophecy?"

In an instant, King You of Zhou's expression changed, and a strong sense of regret welled up in his heart.

However, as the emperor, his regret was not that he had made Bofu the crown prince, but that he had not understood the words of the gods. He should have killed Shen Hou earlier, and then this would not have happened!

As he murmured, the many doctors and palace servants below were stunned for a moment, and then their faces showed disbelief.

They naturally knew what the God of Mist Mountain had said, but like the Great King, they hadn't figured it out either, and had all sorts of guesses in their hearts.

Now that the king has said this, they all understand and are shocked.

When the old words are abandoned, the one who abandons them will bring wolves; the north wind will cross the city walls; the wolves of the wilderness will enter the royal court; the city walls will collapse; and the royal banner will fall.

So that's what it meant?

Has the prophecy come true?

Is this the prophecy of the God of Fog Mountain?

Unfortunately, by now it's too late to know!

The Quanrong army is already approaching the capital!

Soon.

Outside the capital, a commotion of fighting and shouting arose.

"Kill them!"

"Whoever captures the Zhou emperor alive will be richly rewarded!"

"Kill the Zhou people!"

Screams and roars filled the air, and the stench of blood permeated the area outside the capital.

Upon seeing this, King You of Zhou panicked and made a hasty decision.

Before the Quanrong had completely invaded the capital, he gritted his teeth and, with Bao Si and Crown Prince Bofu under the protection of dozens of armored soldiers, fled in haste.

They rushed out of the royal city and sped off in the southeast direction.

Initially, King You of Zhou almost instinctively fled towards Mount Li.

At the foot of Mount Li, there are their royal palaces, gardens, and garrisons!

However, as he fled, King You of Zhou suddenly reined in his warhorse, and the horse's hooves came to a sudden stop on the ground.

A look of hesitation and doubt flashed across King You of Zhou's face. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Change direction!"

The armored soldiers, Bo Fu, and Bao Si were all taken aback.

Change direction?

If not Mount Li, where else can we go?

There are troops stationed at Mount Li; where could be safer than Mount Li?

King You of Zhou's eyes were resolute; he gritted his teeth, "Go to Wushan!"

As he spoke, he arranged for most of the armored soldiers to impersonate him and continue towards Mount Li, while he led a small group of armored soldiers, Bo Fu, and Bao Si towards Mount Wu.

At this moment, not only King You of Zhou was nervous, but Bo Fu, Bao Si, and the remaining dozen or so armored soldiers were also uneasy.

They didn't know whether their choice was right or wrong.

In 771 BC, the Quanrong army attacked Haojing, the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the Western Zhou army was defeated.

Flames shot into the sky!

The people of the capital scattered and fled, while the Quanrong barbarians grinned and slaughtered in all directions, and the capital palace was burned down.

The major bronze ritual vessels and artifacts of the royal ancestral temple were dragged away by the Quanrong using oxcarts, including the bronze vessels used to worship the god of Wushan.

The fact that King You of Zhou had disappeared and fled was naturally discovered.

The Quanrong cavalry, along with the army of Marquis Shen, pursued King You of Zhou in the direction he might have fled.

Soon, they caught up with the armored soldiers who were fleeing to Mount Li.

The Quanrong cavalry roared in and pursued them, but after capturing and killing them, they discovered that King You of Zhou was nowhere to be found.

The Quanrong cavalry stirred, and Shenhou's army was also thrown into turmoil.

Rong Jun Wu Lie flew into a rage on the spot.

"That damned King Zhou, how dare he play me!"

Soon, they learned from these armored soldiers that King You of Zhou had actually fled to this place.

Wu Lie's face darkened, and he suddenly pulled on the reins, causing the black horse to rear up and neigh loudly.

"Change direction!"

"Keep chasing!"

The Quanrong cavalry immediately turned and fled like a pack of wolves, raising clouds of dust, with Marquis Shen's cavalry following closely behind.

With their superior physical abilities, they rode their horses and pursued King You of Zhou and his entourage.

On the other side...

King You of Zhou barely dared to stop, constantly fleeing on horseback.

They looked exhausted and were covered in dust, but no one dared to stop.

They all knew that once they were caught, death was the only outcome for them.

King You of Zhou only stopped to rest for a while with Bao Si and others when he could no longer bear it.

Traveling day and night, with only a dozen or so armored soldiers remaining, they were getting closer and closer to Fog Mountain.

Time slipped away amidst this frantic escape.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

It was evening.

The setting sun on the horizon was like blood.

Just as King You of Zhou and his entourage crossed a hill, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar.

The sound grew louder as it approached, like rolling thunder.

soon.

Hundreds of cavalrymen appeared on the distant horizon.

King You of Zhou and the others instinctively turned their heads to look, their faces turning pale.

The Quanrong cavalry, and Shenhou's cavalry!

These guys finally caught up!

A strong wind whipped up dust.

Hundreds of cavalrymen roared in.

The leader, clad in a wolf skin and riding a tall black horse, with long, flowing hair and a fierce gaze, was none other than Rongjun Wulie, the leader of the Quanrong tribe.

On the other side.

On his warhorse, in the army of Marquis Shen.

A middle-aged man in full armor stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern. He was none other than Jing Bo, the military commander under Shen Hou Mo.

Staring at King You of Zhou and his entourage fleeing in disarray ahead, Wu Lie suddenly burst into laughter, his voice rough and grating.

"The Zhou Emperor!"

"Do you think you can escape by fleeing to this desolate wilderness?!"

He raised his spear and pointed it into the distance.

"Today, you can't escape. Not only will you die, but I will also enjoy your beauty, Bao Si, for you. Hahahaha—"

"Surrender immediately!"

The mocking voices carried far away on the mountain breeze.

In front.

Upon hearing the voice behind him, King You of Zhou turned pale.

The armored soldiers around him also looked terrified, and some couldn't help but turn around to look.

Not far away, dust billowed into the sky as cavalry approached like a tidal wave.

Fear spread through everyone's hearts.

King You of Zhou gripped the reins tightly, his palms sweating profusely.

rear.

After finishing his taunts, Wu Lie continued his pursuit, frowning as he muttered with some doubt, "It's rather strange. Why isn't the Zhou Emperor heading towards Mount Li? Why is he running to a place like this? Has he been scared out of his wits?"

Upon hearing this, Jing Bo, the commander of Shenhou's cavalry, felt a slight glint in his eyes.

He paused for a moment before slowly saying, "This place should be Mist Mountain."

Wu Lie turned his head to look at him, puzzled, and asked, "Mist Mountain?"

Jing Bo nodded, gazing at the misty mountains shrouded in a thin fog in the distance, and explained, "Legend has it that the place where the Mist Mountain God resides is—"

He then briefly recounted how King You of Zhou built a temple to the mountain god and bestowed titles upon Wushan and Wushan God.

After hearing this, Wu Lie burst into laughter.

The Quanrong cavalry following behind also burst into laughter.

"Mountain God?"

"ridiculous!"

Wu Lie let out a disdainful breath.

"What kind of inexplicable 'Fog Mountain God'? Only you Zhou people would believe in such things!"

They don't believe in this so-called Mist Mountain God. Even if they did, it would only be their own belief.

Wu Lie, too lazy to think any further, spurred his horse, and the black horse suddenly accelerated, neighing loudly, "Emperor Zhou, once I catch up, I will personally cut off your head!"

Behind them, the Quanrong cavalry also erupted in a savage cheer.

soon.

King You of Zhou and his entourage arrived near Wushan Village. The villagers of Wushan Village saw a group of cavalry and armored soldiers rushing towards them from afar, and they were immediately terrified.

In an instant, chaos erupted in Wushan Village. Villagers fled in panic, or hastily closed their doors and hid inside, trembling with fear.

No one dared to come out.

Just a moment later.

Wu Lie and his men chased after King You of Zhou and his entourage to the foot of Wushan Mountain, where they were completely surrounded.

Ahead lies the majestic Wushan Mountain.

Pursuers were behind them.

Wu Lie grinned maliciously, spurring his horse forward, "Emperor Zhou, run! Why don't you keep running?"

Beside him, Marquis Shen, commander-in-chief Jing Bo, had a complex expression.

In front.

The soldiers looked on in despair.

King You of Zhou was also pale-faced and on the verge of collapse.

Just as Rong Jun Wu Lie was grinning maliciously, wanting to completely capture King You of Zhou, King You and his entourage looked on in despair, and all was silent.

A faint sigh echoed at the foot of Misty Mountain.

At this moment, both Rongjun Wulie's Quanrong cavalry and Shenhou's cavalry were stunned.

Between heaven and earth, a mysterious and ethereal voice slowly resounded.

It seemed to come from the depths of the mountains, or perhaps it echoed from the clouds and mist.

"Emperor Zhou, it seems you still cannot escape the will of Heaven—"

"You should have died at Mount Li, but I never expected you to escape to my place—"

Upon hearing this, Rong Jun Wu Lie and the others were stunned, while King You of Zhou and the others were both surprised and delighted.

King You of Zhou exclaimed in surprise, "The God of Mist Mountain!"

As he spoke, listening to the words of the Mist Mountain God, he couldn't help but feel shocked and incredulous.

Unable to escape fate?

Was he supposed to die at Mount Li?

These words terrified him.

He had never mentioned Mount Li to Lord Wushan, and Lord Wushan shouldn't have known that he was going to Mount Li, but Lord Wushan just happened to know.

In other words, if he really fled to Mount Li, he would die?

"Is this my destiny?"

King You of Zhou appeared dazed.

Sure enough, this mysterious God of Mist Mountain had foreseen all of this long ago.

What incredible power is it to glimpse the future?

Bao Si, who was riding alongside him and lying in his arms, couldn't help but show awe upon hearing this.

At this time.

"Who is speaking?"

"come out!"

Rong Jun Wu Lie was somewhat frightened.

His gaze fell upon the hundreds of cavalrymen beside him, as well as the hundreds of cavalrymen under Marquis Shen, and he relaxed slightly, feeling more confident.

He naturally heard the words of the God of Mist Mountain that Zhou Tianzi exclaimed in surprise, and understood what was going on.

"Are you the God of Mist Mountain that the Zhou Emperor spoke of?"

"Hidden and showing your true colors, come out if you dare!"

Just as he was about to say something more...

A cold, mysterious voice resounded in the ears of all of them.

"Uncivilized barbarians who refuse to be taught —"

The next moment, a scene that horrified them all appeared.