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[042] The conversation between the Emperor and the Two Marquises in the Hall of Reporting to Heaven

Chaotiandu, the imperial palace of the Shang Dynasty.

Inside the Bingtian Hall, where sandalwood incense filled the air, two square-faced men dressed in four-clawed purple dragon robes knelt on the ground.

On a jade platform a few feet in front of the two of them, an old man with black hair flowing freely over his shoulders sat on a purple wooden dragon throne, calmly flipping through the memorials in his hands.

Although the old man appeared to be frail and old, he had a ruddy complexion, an upright posture, and bright, clear eyes, making it clear at a glance that he was a highly reserved cultivator.

This person is none other than the current emperor of the Great Shang Dynasty, the ruler of the Wu clan, who specializes in the extremely rare Dao of Destiny – Emperor Wu Cheng.

"Your Majesty, the interrogation of Marquis Wuyi by the Demon Subduing Division has concluded. Marquis Wuyi colluded with the demons of the Black Heaven Gate, secretly absorbing the vital energy of people traveling to Chunman Pavilion in Chaotian Capital over the past five years. As a result, the number of people who died from serious illness and physical weakness during these five years has only increased significantly."

Meanwhile, the Black Heaven Sect sorcerer who colluded with him frequently dispatched numerous demons carrying the evil artifact, the Spirit Gathering Banner, to the towns and villages surrounding Chaotian Capital to collect the life essence of the living, solely for the purpose of using demonic magic to resurrect the wife of the Marquis of Wuyi.

"The Marquis of Wuyi and Lady Han have known each other since childhood. They were childhood sweethearts and their feelings for each other were far deeper than outsiders could imagine. It is understandable that he would think of the deceased Lady Han. However, in order to bring Lady Han back to life, he did not hesitate to fall into the ways of demons, betray the Wu royal family, and plot against the innocent people of the Shang Dynasty. Such behavior is indeed punishable by death."

Two square-faced men echoed this from the front and the back.

Wearing a four-clawed purple dragon robe, this was a feat that only thirty-six people in the capital city of Chaotian could do, namely the thirty-six kings and marquises of the Great Shang Dynasty.

The two people who came here today are Marquis Wu Zongfei of Wuping and Marquis Wu Sanyu of Wuchang, two of the thirty-six marquises.

"When will Hua Nian be beheaded?" Emperor Wu asked, looking at the memorial.

"Your Majesty, it is tomorrow."

"Change it to dismemberment by five horses. After Hua Nian dies, drive seven black nails into his head and send him to the Burial King Valley. Wrap red threads around his left and right arms and transport them to a remote place in the Northern Frontier to be buried. Throw his left and right legs into the Boundless Cold Cave in the Southern Frontier and give his body a proper burial in the Wu Clan Mausoleum."

Emperor Wu said it casually, and judging from his tone, it was clear that this was not a thought that had just arisen.

"This..." Wu Zongfei was stunned after hearing this.

What a bizarre method of disposing of a corpse! I've never heard of such a thing in all my years of life.

“Your Majesty, even if Marquis Wuyi’s downfall brought shame to the Wu clan, there’s no need to desecrate his body like this after his death. Leaving only his torso for burial in the clan mausoleum would surely disturb our ancestors,” Wu Sanyu said after much hesitation.

"The story behind Hua Nian's downfall is not as simple as you imagine. Do you really think he colluded with the Black Heaven Gate to resurrect the Lady? No, it's that the Black Heaven Gate had been eyeing him for a long time."

Emperor Wu put down the memorial and smiled as he looked at his two relatives below.

Suddenly, his eyes blurred, and his black pupils split in two, becoming a pair of double pupils.

Wu Zongfei and Wu Sanyu, who were making eye contact with him, instantly felt their surroundings sway and their whole bodies begin to spin.

The birth of any person is nothing more than commonplace and ordinary.

However, some people are born with unusual celestial phenomena and strange characteristics.

Such as having seven red birthmarks on the back, six fingers, double pupils in the eyes, the gaze of an eagle and the look of a wolf, arms that are longer than the knees, the ability to spin a wheel, twins in one body, etc.

Emperor Wu was born with double pupils and cultivated the Dao of Destiny, a path that few can achieve. His double pupils allow him to see the fate of the nation and its people.

As one of the three thousand Great Daos, the Dao of Destiny is also divided into nine ranks, but no one has ever known which rank the Martial Emperor has reached.

After he ascended the throne, the Shang Dynasty became increasingly stable and prosperous. It was clear that behind the scenes, Emperor Wu had done a lot for the Shang Dynasty by using his ability to manipulate fate.

"All thirty-six princes and marquises are legitimate members of the Wu imperial family. You not only possess titles but also a portion of the Great Shang dynasty's fortune and the Wu clan's dragon aura. What the Black Heaven Gate desires is not just Hua Nian, but clearly the legacy left to him by his ancestors."

Hua Nian has been secretly colluding with the Black Heaven Sect for years, causing the Wu Clan's fortune to be stolen by them. His physical body must be destroyed to sever this ties, otherwise the Black Heaven Sect will have the opportunity to seize the Great Shang Dynasty's destiny. Do you two understand the implications of this?"

Wu Zongfei's expression instantly turned to shock. He never imagined that the fact that Marquis Wuyi had fallen from grace halfway through his life would have such a great danger behind it.

No wonder that when the affair between Marquis Wuyi and the Black Heaven Gate was exposed to the world, Emperor Wu did not give any of his relatives a chance to beg for mercy. He directly ordered the Duke to publicly announce that Marquis Wuyi was sentenced to death.

Wu Sanyu couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, did you only recently discover this matter, which concerns the fate of the Great Shang Dynasty and threatens the dragon energy of our clan?"

Fortune is hidden in the formless and cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Only those who follow the path of destiny have the insight and means to intervene and influence.

In the entire city of Chaotian, only Emperor Wu possesses this ability. If he had already noticed something amiss with the nation's fortunes, he should have discovered Marquis Wuyi's premature downfall long ago.

"Yes, it was only when Huan Nian was exposed that I noticed something was wrong with his luck. This means that there are also people in the Black Heaven Gate who are skilled in the Way of Luck. They deceived Huan Nian about the changes in his luck, so that I could not detect anything unusual. If Huan Nian had not been captured by the Demon Subduing Division and the matter had not been exposed, I would not have been able to discover this matter."

Emperor Wu withdrew his double pupil ability and sighed.

"The Black Heaven Gate demons have never given up their desire to harm my Wu Dynasty!" Wu Zongfei said angrily, clenching his fists. "I understand. I will go to the Demon Subduing Division later to change the manner of Wu Yihou's death and the disposal of his body."

"Your Majesty, there are two more matters to report today," Wu Sanyu said.

"But is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

"One good thing, one bad thing."

Emperor Wu tapped the wooden table: "Then let's agree on this first."

"Yesterday, a Demon Subduing Officer from the Demon Subduing Division crossed the ranks and caused three extraordinary phenomena: the sun hung in the sky, crimson flames burned the clouds, and the Heavenly King held up the sun. This matter is known to all the people of Chaotian Capital. If no accidents occur, this person will surely become the cornerstone of the Demon Subduing Division in the future."

"Oh? Then this is truly a blessing for the Great Shang." Emperor Wu smiled. "The last time a triple phenomenon appeared across ranks was when the Purple Thunder Immortal appeared back then. It's just a pity that the heavens are jealous of talent. The Purple Thunder Immortal did not attain the position of Heavenly Monarch like the Immortal Saint Zhao Lingzi did before."

The Wu clan did not use the sun as a symbol of the emperor, so the strange phenomenon of the sun hanging in the sky caused by Ning Xiu did not offend Emperor Wu at all.

"I hereby order Marquis Wu Zhan to retrieve a Di Sha Token from the Wu Clan Treasury and present it to that Demon Subduing Commandant as a congratulatory gift for his advancement in rank," Emperor Wu decreed.

Wu Sanyu immediately replied, "Your subject understands."

As the most powerful force in the Shang Dynasty, the Demon Subduing Division did everything for the sake of the Shang Dynasty, so emperors throughout history have always valued the talents of the Demon Subduing Division.

Only those who cherish talent can gain its favor and respect. The excellent internal atmosphere of the Demon Subduing Division has been maintained for hundreds of years, which is inseparable from its relationship with successive emperors.

"Now let's talk about another bad thing, what is it?"

Wu Sanyu's expression immediately turned serious: "Madam Han of Marquis Wuyi was infused with the essence of tens of thousands of living people. She was originally a dead person, and then she was resurrected by the secret technique of the Black Heaven Gate. In addition, the demon who presided over the ceremony did something to her. Under the influence of these multiple factors, Madam Han's body has been transformed into an extremely rare ghostly corpse. Although her strength is still weak, even Marquis Wuzhan and Bai Taicang have no way to deal with her physical body."

"Even Wu Zhanhou and Bai Taicang aren't enough?"

Marquis Wu Taizong was arguably the most unique among the thirty-six kings and marquises of the Shang Dynasty.

Although he inherited the title of Marquis of Wuzhan, he refused to accept the official career and fame bestowed upon him by Emperor Wu. Instead, he chose the path of martial arts, and in the end, he actually entered the third rank of martial arts with his talent and hard work. His personal deeds became extremely famous.

He was also the last of the three tigers of the Demon Subduing Division, following Qin Daorong and Nan Yuanxing.

It is extremely rare for a marquis of the Thirty-Sixth Prince to hold the position of Silver Tiger Demon-Subduing Officer in the Demon-Subduing Division.

Even Wu Zhanhou, a martial arts master of the third rank, and Bai Taicang, a celestial master of the second rank, couldn't destroy Madam Han's physical body. How serious must this situation be?

Emperor Wu asked, "Did she use the furnace deep within the Demon Suppression Prison?"

Wu Sanyu shook his head: "Wu Zhanhou told me it's useless. The Ghostly Corpse is a legendary entity, impossible for ordinary people to destroy. Fortunately, Madam Han's body contains countless spirits, all of which are the lingering souls of the murdered people within the essence of the living. This makes her lack her own consciousness, like a walking corpse, only knowing how to crave flesh and drink blood. She cannot unleash the power of the Ghostly Corpse. She just needs to be kept under close guard in the Demon Suppression Prison."

"But if that were all, I would never have come to report to the Heavenly Palace. The real problem lies elsewhere, Your Majesty. Marquis Wu Zhan claims that the physician he sought, the Demon-Subduing Officer, detected fetal movement in Lady Han's womb, suggesting that Lady Han, who has been dead for many years, may be carrying a fetus."

"What?" For the first time, Emperor Wu's face showed surprise.

Fetal movement, as the name suggests, refers to the movements of the fetus inside a woman's body.

This proves that the fetus was alive, but Han Wan'er has been dead for several years, even if she was pregnant before she died.

By now, the fetus should be inside Han Wan'er's body like a dried-up person, so how could it possibly still be moving?

The ghostly corpse is pregnant with a child; what will be born? No one can guess.

It could very well be a devastating disaster, and such a hidden danger naturally needs to be nipped in the bud before a crisis occurs.

"Currently, there are no first-rank officials in the Demon Subduing Division, and all the Golden Dragon Demon Subduing Captains are out on the move. Marquis Wu Zhan hopes to persuade Duke Tai to come out of the mausoleum to see if he can execute that ghostly corpse and prevent future troubles."

Emperor Wu nodded and said, "Granted. Then go to the clan mausoleum to find Duke Tai."

"Since that's the case, and all the important matters have been reported, we will take our leave now and proceed to the ancestral tombs to seek an audience with the Duke of Tai." Wu Sanyu and Wu Zongfei rose and turned to leave the Bingtian Hall.

Watching the two leave, Emperor Wu thought to himself, "There are countless people in the world who want to seize the fortune of my Wu clan, but very few relatives can help me uphold the Wu clan's rule."

【043】Moved to a new place

【Fivefold Hammer Force: Eight Layers (0/6000)】

As Ning Xiu generously increased his skill, 17100 points of general proficiency disappeared from the proficiency panel.

As a result, the Fivefold Hammer Force broke through to the eighth level from scratch.

The old man who guarded the Three Saints Temple once said that the fivefold hammer force was described as follows: "The first strike kills an ox; the second shatters a mountain; the third breaks rivers; the fourth inevitably leads to the gates of hell; and the fifth leaves even immortals sighing in despair."

After Ning Xiu mastered the basics of this hammer technique, he realized that what the other person said was actually somewhat exaggerated in terms of language.

The person who first came up with this jingle might very well be the very creator of the hammer technique.

If this hammer technique were truly that powerful, the Great Shang Dynasty wouldn't be a place where swordsmen and knivesmen roam the land, and where swords and knives account for seven-tenths of all weapons in the world.

Instead, it's a world where hammer-wielding heroes run rampant and hammer-wielding warriors are unparalleled.

Even if there were three million celestial beings with hammers in the heavens, they would all have to lower their heads when they see me.

If Heaven had not given birth to me, so-and-so, the path of history would have remained shrouded in eternal darkness.

This hammer can smooth over all injustices in the world; this hammer is worthy of all those who have wronged the world.

Everyone wanted to shout "Bring it on!" with a sense of exhilaration.

Although it was somewhat exaggerated, after Ning Xiu advanced to the eighth level and carefully comprehended it, he could still feel the power of this hammer technique.

That is the unique multi-force hammering technique of this hammering method.

A normal martial artist wielding a hammer can generate tremendous power when they strike; this is the first level of hammer force. But anyone can do this, so there's not much to say about it.

The power of the five-fold hammer force lies in the fact that it can immediately unleash the second, third, fourth, and even fifth hammer force after the first.

Furthermore, the power of each hammer strike is 50% greater than the previous one. If one can master the fifth hammer strike, the power of a single strike can increase several times over.

If a martial arts master of the first rank or a martial arts saint of the old ancestor were to unleash the Fivefold Hammer Force...

Ning Xiu truly believed that they could achieve the feat of "smashing an ox to death with the first strike, shattering a mountain with the second, cutting off rivers with the third, inevitably leading to the gates of hell with the fourth, and leaving even immortals to sigh in despair with the fifth."

However, for martial artists of the middle or lower ranks, the results are not as ideal as they are.

Ning Xiu's power level was raised to the eighth level of the fifth level of hammer force in one go, allowing him to directly reach the realm where he could unleash the third level of hammer force.

Now, if he strikes with his hammer, let's assume the force of the first strike is one thousand jin.