522: Chapter 522 The Shang Dynasty is About to Collapse - The Beginning of Chaos

Taiyi Immortal Master kowtowed once more to accept the order, but his heart was in turmoil: Even a Saint had to yield? He suppressed his racing thoughts and swallowed his questions.

"Hmph, that is all for today. Return to your secluded cultivation. Especially you twelve—open your eyes and look at Yang Jian. He has been blessed by heaven; stepping into the Quasi-Saint stage is only a matter of time. Now look at yourselves. You have endured from the Era of Demons and Witches until now, yet you are still stuck at the threshold of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, and those who have reached the rank of Grand Unity Golden Immortal can be counted on one hand! This old Face of mine has been worn thin and utterly shamed by you! Hmph, hmph, hmph... If you continue to be this negligent, I might as well send you back into Reincarnation to start over; perhaps that would be smoother for you. Consider your options and withdraw!"

The twelve felt a chill run down their spines and their hair stand on end, knowing that their Revered Master was truly furious this time. Upon reflection, it was indeed embarrassing: thousands of years had passed in a flash, and most were still wandering within the Taiyi realm. Only a handful had luckily broken through to become Grand Unity Golden Immortals, and they were merely Named Disciples! How could Yuanshi Tianzun not be annoyed? Back then, he had hand-picked them, one in a hundred, yet it had come to this, leaving him with only a long sigh.

After everyone had withdrawn, Yuanshi Tianzun sat alone, a white stone suspended at his fingertips, unable to place it for a long time—should he go outside Yuxu Palace to wait for an audience? Knowing and not going might wound his Senior Martial Uncle's Face; but if he went, he feared his embarrassing state would be exposed on the spot... While he was hesitating, a cold voice cut through the air:

"Yuanshi, oh Yuanshi, time flies, yet why does your obsession with Face only grow heavier? Look at these Disciples of yours; what a sorry state! I cannot even bear to speak of it—setting aside Laozi's Disciples for a moment, which of Tongtian's seedlings isn't taught with more backbone than yours? Even his Named Disciples suppress you! If you truly go, it won't be for an audience, but to make a fool of yourself! Hmph, hmph, hmph..."

Yuanshi Tianzun's Face instantly turned pale, and fine sweat broke out on his brow. He immediately understood it was a telepathic transmission from his Senior Martial Uncle. But every word was like a needle, clearly annoyed by his ineffective teaching and improper discipline. His heart sank, a bitter feeling surging, as he truly did not know where he had gone wrong.

"Whether you are wrong or not is not for your mouth to decide; it depends on the path beneath your Disciples' feet and the sound of the Lightning Tribulations upon them—hmph, hmph, hmph! When you have figured it out, come back with an answer; if you can't, then don't come at all."

Yuanshi Tianzun hurriedly focused his mind and responded, "Yes, Senior Martial Uncle! This Disciple will surely achieve enlightenment and dares not be negligent."

Jiang Chen shook his head and smiled bitterly as he listened, only hoping this strike would ring louder and vibrate deeper—the way this Disciple was taught was truly regrettable. He said no more, quietly waiting for the next customer to arrive.

Furthermore, after Jiang Chen burned down the palaces of the Holy Mother and the Holy Teacher, the ministers of the court secretly began rebuilding new temples, hoping King Zhou would retract his orders and restore the old rites. They lived in fear until the eighth year of King Zhou's reign, and as everything remained calm, everyone finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

The four great marquises of the world, leading eight hundred regional lords, gathered at Zhaoge to pay homage to the King of Shang.

The four marquises were: Jiang Huanchu, Marquis of the East; E Chongyu, Marquis of the South; Ji Chang, Marquis of the West; and Chong Houhu, Marquis of the North.

At that time, Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong was still in the North Sea engaged in a fierce battle with Yuan Futong. The Jinling Holy Mother had already sent an order for him to return to the mountain, but Wen Zhong could not let go of the late Emperor's deathbed entrustment and delayed his return. In desperation, the Jinling Holy Mother had to speak plainly: if he became involved in this tribulation, the Sect of Interception would not interfere—this was a personal decree from the Saint Tongtian, and violators would be expelled from the sect, never to be readmitted.

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhong felt as if he had been struck by lightning, unable to believe it: how could King Zhou have reached this point? His heart felt as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer, yet he ultimately could not abandon the late Emperor's weight of entrustment. He only begged for a few more days to do his best to stabilize the court before returning. Little did he know he was already deep within the eye of the tribulation; the Opportunity was fleeting, and once missed, there would be no turning back—the Jinling Holy Mother saw this as clearly as a mirror, leaving only a soft sigh.

King Zhou's favorite officials, Fei Zhong and You Hun, controlled the court and acted with overbearing arrogance. The various marquises knew this well, and all sent lavish gifts just to buy some peace.

Among them, Su Hu, the Marquis of Jizhou, was as fierce as fire and upright to a fault. He had always disdained fawning and seeking favors; whenever he encountered injustice or illegality, he would strictly handle it according to the law without yielding an inch. Therefore, the two never received even a small gift from him. It just so happened that as they were checking the gift list this day and surveying the eight hundred regions, only Su Hu's name was missing. Fei Zhong and You Hun were instantly enraged, marking it in their hearts.

After the morning court the next day, the two immediately stepped forward and petitioned: "The Prime Minister previously advised against selecting palace maids, and Your Majesty graciously accepted the advice that day, immediately halting the decree. This is a clear proof of benevolence, praised by the court and the commoners alike. If we were to do it again now, would it not damage your prestige? We have recently learned through investigation that the daughter of Su Hu, Marquis of Jizhou, is of peerless beauty, gentle and refined, possessing both virtue and grace. If she were selected to enter the palace and serve by your side, she would be well-suited for the task. Moreover, selecting only one person will not disturb the people nor cause a stir."

Upon hearing this, King Zhou was greatly pleased and immediately sent an envoy to summon Su Hu to the palace. Su Hu arrived following the decree and entered Longde Hall for an audience. King Zhou did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "I have heard that you have a daughter who is virtuous, refined, and well-mannered. I wish to take her as a concubine in the inner palace. You shall be the Father-of-the-Bride to the King, enjoying the monarch's bounty and rank, ruling Jizhou forever, enjoying prosperity, and leaving a name in history for the world to admire. What do you think?"

As soon as Su Hu saw Fei Zhong and You Hun standing at the side of the hall, he understood perfectly—this was clearly a trap set by the two. He straightened his robes, assumed a solemn expression, and spoke loudly in protest: "Your Majesty's inner palace has beauties like clouds; from the Queen to the maids, there are more than thousands. Some are dignified and elegant, others bright and moving, enough to delight the spirit. Why listen to the delusions of petty men, damaging your sacred virtue and trapping yourself in the ridicule of losing the Dao? My daughter has the appearance of a common willow, is coarse and lacks etiquette; she lacks both virtue and upbringing and is truly unfit to serve the heavenly countenance. I implore Your Majesty to prioritize the state, immediately execute the treacherous sycophants who offer such slander, and let the world know: the Son of Heaven is self-disciplined and accepts advice with an open mind. He is not a ruler who indulges in beauty and ruins the country through muddle-headedness! This would be the fortune of all people!"

Su Hu was determined not to agree to this marriage. Every word and sentence strictly adhered to etiquette and was laced with the great righteousness of self-cultivation. King Zhou's veins bulged as he listened: "When the King summons, one does not wait for the carriage; if ordered to die, one dares not refuse! I merely wish to take your daughter as a concubine, yet you dare to defy the decree and insult me to my Face as a ruler of a fallen nation—this is treason! Men! Drag him out of the Meridian Gate and behead him as a public example!"

Just as the executioners were about to seize him, Fei Zhong and You Hun suddenly stepped forward with smiles on their Faces and needles in their words: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Su Hu's defiance should indeed be strictly punished. However, if he is penalized because of the selection of a concubine, word will spread, and the world will surely say Your Majesty values beauty over worthy men and blocks loyal words to open the path for flattery. It would be better to pardon his crime and let him return to Jizhou. Feeling Your Majesty's grace for not killing him, he will surely offer his beloved daughter to the palace to fulfill the sacred favor. In this way, the people will praise Your Majesty's benevolence and capacity to accept direct words, further showing the virtue of protecting meritorious officials—achieving two benefits with one move. We humbly await the sacred decision!"

King Zhou beamed with joy upon hearing this and immediately waved his hand to drop the matter.

Although Su Hu had escaped with his life, the fire in his chest surged like lava, no longer able to be suppressed. Upon hearing the news, his generals sought an audience that night and spoke passionately: "Ancient teachings say: if the King is not upright, then good ministers leave the country. Now the King favors sycophants and distances himself from the worthy, and the laws are gradually loosening; the court's governance is visibly collapsing. It is better to lead our forces west, occupy Jizhou, protect the ancestral temple's incense above, and secure the lives of our entire household below."

"Furthermore, King Zhou acts against the natural order and has insulted the Holy Teacher, which has already caused an uproar across the nine provinces. Even without celestial warnings, his luck is already running out."

After hearing this, Su Hu stood up and struck the table—how esteemed was the Holy Teacher? How could he be desecrated? Recalling his heart full of indignation, he simply took his sword, dipped it in ink, and swiftly wrote eight characters on the brick wall of the Meridian Gate: 'The King breaks the minister's principles, failing the five constants. Su Hu of Jizhou will never serve Shang!' Before the ink was dry, he had already led his personal guards to gallop out of the capital, traveling through the night toward Jizhou.

When the news reached Zhaoge, King Zhou flew into a rage, overturning tables and smashing jade chimes, roaring that he would lead a personal expedition to level Jizhou. Fortunately, he was firmly held back by several veteran ministers, and he could only temporarily suppress his anger, instead issuing a royal decree: ordering the Marquis of the West and the Marquis of the North to advance from two directions and capture the 'rebel Su Hu' together.

The four great marquises understood without speaking—in the end, it was just the King lusting after someone's daughter. But the formal titles remained; who dared to reject it? It was this single private desire that quietly plucked the first string of the Shang Dynasty's collapse.

Li Jing, who guarded Tong Pass, also received the secret report. Since the day King Zhou insulted the Holy Teacher, he had been watching the movements in Zhaoge day and night. At first, it was calm, and his tightened nerves gradually relaxed; who would have thought this matter would suddenly explode? Was this a sign of an impending storm? Or had the disaster already begun?

"My Lord, your subordinate does not know the exact reason, only that the King is exceptionally furious and has urgently ordered the Marquis of the West and the Marquis of the North to immediately deploy troops to suppress Su Hu. This time, I fear a great chaos will be unleashed."

"Chaos is unavoidable. But is this the beginning of chaos, or its completion?" Li Jing waved his hand slightly, signaling his subordinate to withdraw, while he himself frowned in silence—was the great catastrophe truly coming?

Oh King, even the Holy Teacher you dare to humiliate; isn't this personally tearing down your own house's pillars? Although Li Jing was only the regional commander of Tong Pass, he had received great favor from the late Emperor and had guarded this place since the late Emperor's ascension, thirty years like a single day, not daring to be negligent for a moment. He always remembered the late Emperor's kindness. Who could have expected today's monarch to betray the path of the teacher and insult the sages? This was truly a monstrous crime!

"Husband, what has happened again? Your brows are almost twisted into a knot," Lady Li Yin asked softly, looking at her husband's grave expression.

"It is nothing, nothing. You need not worry, wife. However, the child in your womb has been there for over two years and has yet to be born; it is truly baffling..." Although Li Jing had studied Daoist arts, he had not reached the Transcendent stage. Facing this delayed birth, his heart was full of doubts—could it be a demon possession? But upon careful inspection, there was no fluctuation of evil Qi, so it didn't seem like it.

"I do not know the reason either, but this child is extremely quiet, never kicking or hitting; it is so well-behaved it makes one's heart ache." Lady Li Yin offered comfort, but her fingertips secretly tightened on her sleeve, fearing she might truly give birth to something non-human, bringing disaster upon the family.

"Father! Mother! We want to go out and play, take us with you!"

Hearing the two crisp children's voices from outside the door, smiles immediately spread across the Faces of Li Jing and Lady Li Yin. Li Jing laughed heartily, leaned over, and patted the two children's heads: "Go on, go on. Your mother is currently pregnant and it is inconvenient for her to move about. When your third brother is born, your parents will surely take you all over Chentang Pass to ride horses, shoot arrows, fly kites, and catch fireflies—how about that? Be good, go play now!"

"Yes, Jinzha, Muzha, listen to your father and go play in the back garden first," Lady Li Yin added softly, her fingers gently stroking her protruding belly, her eyes full of tenderness.

The two brothers looked at each other, eventually pursed their lips and nodded, then turned and were led away by two household guards, looking back three times as they left the courtyard.

"Sigh, these two little rascals..." Lady Li Yin watched the children's backs and couldn't help but laugh and sigh, her hand unconsciously covering her belly, as if she could touch that small, not-yet-formed movement.

Li Jing comforted her: "They are still young; how could they understand such things? When they grow a few years older, they will naturally know their place. Do not worry, wife."

Before he finished speaking, the housekeeper hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered, bowing as he reported: "Revered Master, Madam, there is a Daoist priest outside seeking an audience."