Beyond the lands of Shangyi, peasants and slaves toiled on fields that had been partitioned in a disorderly but interesting manner.
“The Ancient One has fallen in with Western Zhou and I can’t get rid of him. This is going to be tricky…I’ll have to go against the heavenly will if I am to counter Western Zhou’s tribal energy!”
Fang Yuan was prepared to test the limits of the heavenly will.
If Western Zhou managed to overthrow the Shang Dynasty, then so be it. Fang Yuan would accept the result and leave.
However, if there were loopholes for Fang Yuan to exploit, then he would try his best to kill the Ancient One!
If Fang Yuan did not manage to eliminate the Ancient One, there was no saying if he would come back to hurt Fang Yuan in the future. After all, the Ancient One used to be a powerful Sage.
“It would be nearly impossible to go against the general trend but we can tweak the details…the Tai God was the agglomeration of the will of all lifeforms in the world. He was the lofty personification of the heavenly dao and it would probably be far beneath him to interfere in mortal affairs. Nevertheless, it is better to make sure!”
Fang Yuan thought for a moment before instructing Hei Zhong and Ge Nie to sneak into the city and acquire the latest news. Fang Yuan then retreated to a quiet spot where he began to prepare for the looming battle through cultivation!
Before long, Ge Nie had found about the mass conscription of male citizens and related the news to Fang Yuan.
“The Dongyi tribes, led by the Jiuxiong Division, have launched an invasion on the Shang Dynasty with an 80,000-strong army? The Shang King himself will be leading the Shang army to war?”
Fang Yuan stared into the distance with his eyes gleaming.
The shape of the Black Bird that was looming over the city had become smaller and more misshapen.
‘It is obvious that even if the Shang won, it would be a pyrrhic victory!’
If the Shang Dynasty were to incur huge losses in the southern lands, Western Zhou would take the opportunity to advance into the Shang heartlands and take Shangyi, where they could then declare total victory over the Shang.
“This is the general trend! The heavenly will! Although it seems very crude and simplistic, it would be extremely difficult to alter its course!”
“If the battle between the Shang and Dongyi states is the general trend, would the generals involved as well as the casualty rate be considered the minor details?”
Fang Yuan turned his gaze towards the imperial palace.
The coming battle against the Dongyi would be a chance for him to test his hypotheses and obtain a better understanding of how the heavenly will in this world works. He would then be able to work within its limits.
“Anyway, it seems that there is one more person in Shangyi that warrants attention!”
…
Meanwhile.
In a large house within the grounds of Juxian Hall.
Young Master Wu read the news from Western Zhou with a look of contentment on his face.
“The Quanrong and Xiyi states have been defeated. The Western Zhou state has been strengthened as a result. This calls for a celebration…additionally, Father has received the heavenly mandate as represented by the Penta-coloured rock, which subsequently transformed into a suit of armour and a sword. A divine beast had appeared as well?”
“Yes, Young Master. The appearance of the Phoenix in Qi Mountain can only mean that the heavens favour Western Zhou and that the Marquis now holds the royal mandate!”
Sir Zou looked slightly dazed.
If it were not for his present commitments, he would already have returned to Western Zhou.
“Western Zhou has received the heavenly mandate while the Shang has to deal with the Dongyi invasion…”
Young Master Wu paced up and down. The light in his eyes was becoming brighter.
“A pity…but I cannot leave now!”
As the hegemon, the Shang Dynasty had its methods to limit the powers of its vassal states. These included the tributary system where the feudal lords had to offer annual gifts, swear their allegiance and even live in Shangyi for a period of time. In other words, the feudal lords were being exploited and held hostage.
The Marquis of Western Zhou was already pushing the limits by only sending his heir to Shangyi. If even Young Master Wu left Shangyi, Western Zhou’s intent to rebel would be clear.
If that happened, there was no saying if the Shang King Xin would react by attacking Western Zhou before dealing with the Dongyi tribes.
“Sir Zou, return to Western Zhou and inform Father that I need to stay in Shangyi so as to gain the trust of the Shang King! In this way, I will be able to keep Father updated about the goings-on within Shang!”
Young Master Wu gritted his teeth. There was a look of determination on his face.
“Alright! The Marquis would be happy to hear that!”
Sir Zou stroked his beard.
“Nevertheless, when the Shang army leaves to engage the Dongyi army, Young Master, you will have to leave then!”
This was a reminder to Young Master Wu, telling him that he had to escape when the Shang King let down his guard.
“These contributions will strengthen your status as the heir upon your return to Western Zhou!”
Suddenly, a voice came in from outside.
“Young Master, your servant Mo Ge requests an audience!”
A frown creased Young Master Wu’s brow for a moment before it disappeared.
“Come in!”
“Greetings, Young Master. Through bribing the palace guards, I’ve learnt that although the Shang King had intended to lead the troops to battle himself, he was dissuaded by Prince Pan and has postponed making his decision!”
Mo Ge delivered his news hastily.
“Activate our men and make sure that they persuade King Xin to leave for battle at all costs!”
Young Master Wu made his decision without hesitation.
“Also, it would be best if Prince Pan accompanied the King!”
Among the sons of King Xin, Prince Pan was the oldest and most outstanding. Young Master Wu considered him to be a fierce rival.
Moreover, it would not benefit Western Zhou to have a Prince Regent running the Shang Empire in the place of King Xin.
The best case scenario was to have both King Xin and Prince Pan set off for the battlefield, and die in battle!
As the future lord of Western Zhou, Young Master Wu did not lack in shrewdness.
He was like a young dragon waiting for his chance to rush up into the heavens and fulfil his destiny. That is, to become a true dragon!
…
In the Shang imperial palace, Fang Yuan walked among the servants undetected. It was as if they were blind.
“Bad omens precede the fall of a state! As the Shang empire weakens, its energy becomes weaker as well, resulting in the protective spells around the palace becoming less effective, or at least not effective enough to expose me!”
A layer of dream elemental energy enveloped Fang Yuan as he roamed the palace freely.
“Of course…even if the Shang empire was at its peak, its tribal energy wouldn’t be able to keep me out all the same…”
Fang Yuan walked on until he came to the ancestral temple of the Shang Dynasty.
According to the rules, the royal family was allowed to build nine ancestral temples, the feudal lord families seven temples, the other noble-ranked families five temples and so on. This was a testament to the importance of rites and hierarchy in the Shang era.
As the hegemon, the Shang royal family was the only family allowed to build nine ancestral temples.
Fang Yuan could feel the tribal energy of the Shang ebbing away, which was similar to the dying of the light at sunset.
Of course, Fang Yuan only noticed because he had been looking out for it. It was also thanks to his Fiery Golden Eyes.
If it had been other energy readers, they would only see the strictness of the law and the calling of the Black Bird[1]. To them, the Shang would still be as unshakeable as before.
“In truth…a 500-year reign is more than respectable. The empire that I will establish in the future probably would not even last half as long as the Shang Dynasty…”
Fang Yuan let out a faint sigh. He was thinking about Fang Mountain, the tribes and more.
He extended a hand.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
A dark energy emerged and revolved around his palm. It took the form of a Black Bird and was strangely endearing.
A large amount of information assailed Fang Yuan’s senses and he understood everything in a flash.
“I see!”
When Fang Yuan had founded the tribes and worshipped heaven and earth, he had ended up worshipping the future Tai God and Lady Nuwa. Thus, his accumulated merit had allowed him to be favoured by destiny and create the tribal energy!
The tribal energy of the Shang Dynasty was represented by the Black Bird. The Black Bird had delivered the heavenly mandate to the Shang a long time ago and had led the people of the Shang Dynasty towards prosperity.
Strictly speaking, the tribal energy as represented by the Black Bird had been created by Fang Yuan and his mastery of it exceeded that of the Shang Kings!
“The fate of the Shang Dynasty has a seventy per cent reliance on heavenly will and twenty per cent on human actions. Does the final ten per cent lie with me?”
Fang Yuan did not know what to feel about this.
“Who goes there? How dare you trespass on the ancestral temple?”
A figure emerged from the temple and examined Fang Yuan tentatively.
His hair was sparse and his face was heavily wrinkled. He wore a black robe that did not cover his chest fully, revealing his skinny torso. Strings of bone beads and feathers hung all over his body and his face was covered in greenish-purple patterns.
“Are you…a witch?”
Fang Yuan revealed himself and looked at the Black Bird perched on his arm.
He would not have been discovered if the tribal energy had not gathered around him.
For this person to be able to detect changes in the tribal energy, he had to be the head priest of the Shang Dynasty, also known as the Great Witch. This person had also detected the presence of the purple energy from the beginning.
“Ah!”
The Great Witch fell to his knees in terror upon seeing the Black Bird on Fang Yuan’s arm.
“Which of the old Shang Kings are you? Your Majesty!”
The Black Bird was synonymous with the dragon aura. It was the definitive mark of the Shang King.
Needless to say, Fang Yuan had control over the true source of the energy, pure and dense. Upon seeing this, the witch had thought that the spirit of one of the dead Shang Kings had descended upon the world once more.
Fang Yuan was the founder of the Shang Dynasty and the Great Witch was not wrong in calling him a King.
“My King, you are powerful and resourceful. You have managed to break through the barriers and return to the mortal realm…there is hope for the Shang Dynasty after all!”
The Great Witch began to tear up.
The Great Witch was keenly aware of the crisis the Shang Dynasty had fallen into. Now that Fang Yuan had appeared, the Great Witch had taken him to be one of the dead Shang Kings who had returned to save the day.
Nevertheless, the Great Witch found it strange that Fang Yuan’s appearance did not match any of the past Shang Kings.
There was no issue, however, thanks to the presence of the Black Bird and tribal energy. Even Shang King Xin himself would have to address Fang Yuan respectfully.
“I…”
Fang Yuan had barely opened his mouth when he suddenly sensed danger.
‘Did more limitations come with the mastery of the Shang tribal energy?’
Fang Yuan was silent for a moment before uttering a few words quickly.
“The King cannot lead the army to war personally!”
The heavenly trend dictated that the Shang Dynasty had to go to war with the Dongyi state and there was no escaping it! However, the commander of the Shang army remained subject to change.
Whether King Xin was virtuous or foolish, his fate was sealed when he had ascended the throne. Going to the south would not change anything for him.
It was the princes who had fighting chances!
Fang Yuan had found the critical point when he sensed danger and did what he could to change the course of events.
“Yes!”
The Great Witch bowed deeply.
“The ancestor has decreed…that the King must not lead the army into battle personally! Be rest assured that I will inform the King!”
‘It is done!’
Fang Yuan concealed himself again and quickly left.
His mastery of the tribal energy, as well as everything he said or did, gave him immense pressure.
Still, it was enough.
The only thing that could override royal power was divine power as well as the decrees of an ancestor! Fang Yuan was certain that the Great Witch would be able to convince the Shang King successfully.
[1]: A mythical beast said to be the ancestor of the Shang