Journey to the West: I have Nine Golden Crows Inside Me
Chapter 880 - 675 King Wen and King Wu, one for culture and the other for martial valor_2

Chapter 880: 675 King Wen and King Wu, one for culture and the other for martial valor_2

The many masters of the Human Race’s pro-war faction joined forces, shattered Tiandi’s fate, wounded him, and held off numerous experts from the Heaven Court. Only then was Emperor Wu Ding of Great Shang able to channel the power of the entire nation to activate the Innate Heaven and Earth Great Formation, refining the Tiandi to death and erasing all traces of his existence.

However, killing the Tiandi was not without cost. Not long after the battle ended, Wu Ding met with a Heavenly Curse and fell in sorrow. The fate of the Great Shang Dynasty also suffered a backlash from Heaven and Earth for refining the Tiandi. Their fate dwindled by seventy to eighty percent and signs of collapse emerged.

As for the Human Race’s pro-war faction, they were pressured by many Great Divine Transcendents from the Mystic Sect after this. Some left the Prehistoric World, while others went into hiding, no longer meddling in the affairs of the Human Race.

After this battle, the strongest pro-war faction within the Human Race completely lost power and was removed from the rulers of the Human Race. From then on, the Hideaway Faction dominated, gradually taking over the powers of the Human Race and changing the strategy of the Human Race that had deterred all clans.

It can be said that the Battle Against Heaven not only led to the demise of Great Shang but also changed the situation of the Human Race.

...

......

"Hmph, these people were once suffocated under the repression of the pro-war faction. The moment they gained the upper hand, their true colors showed immediately. Perhaps it’s to vent their dissatisfaction or to deny the existence and contributions of the pro-war faction."

"Every strategy laid down by the pro-war faction, regardless of right or wrong, they overturned and denied completely, just for the sake of denial, without any concern for the future of the Human Race."

In the void, that ancient voice suddenly became filled with anger, clearly very dissatisfied with the Hideaway Faction.

"Opposing just for the sake of opposition?"

Repeating this phrase softly, Jiang Chen recalled a certain faction in his past life. Weren’t the bureaucrats of that faction just like this? Any suggestion from political opponents was opposed, regardless of its merits, simply for the sake of opposition.

Bureaucrats know, understand, generalize, make sweeping cuts, and turn good deeds bad. Their methods are just those few.

Yes, Jiang Chen was referring to the Donglin Faction of the Ming Dynasty, a political group of bureaucrats primarily from the scholars of Jiangnan.

"It’s a pity that King Wen and Ziya were both prodigies gifted by heaven. Had it not been for the backlash of Heaven and Earth, which suddenly brought their downfall, would our Human Race descend to its current state?"

"Alas, Divine Ability ultimately cannot contend with destiny. Are the calculations of mortals inferior to the designs of Heaven?"

Out of the blue, the senior in the depths of the void became reflective and mentioned two individuals, King Wen Ji Chang and the Ancestor of War Jiang Ziya, lamenting over their fates.

"May I ask the senior, is there any hidden secret behind the deaths of King Wen and the Ancestor of War?"

Hearing the senior’s lament, Jiang Chen couldn’t help but ask curiously. He had been curious about their deaths for a long time.

King Wen and Jiang Ziya were both unparalleled geniuses that the Human Race rarely produced.

The Zhou Dynasty was in decline after the fall of King Wu, but during the reigns of King Wen and King Wu, the Human Race was still the protagonist of Heaven and Earth, the overlord among all clans, and none in the Prehistoric World dared to offend.

King Wen Ji Chang transformed the Innate Eight Diagrams into the Acquired Eight Diagrams through the Zhouyi, his talent shining through ancient and modern times as a grandmaster of divination who could calculate all things under heaven.

And Jiang Ziya, despite what was written on the Investiture of the Gods about his lack of ability, was, in fact, revered by later generations as the progenitor of the School of War. The current might of the Human Race’s School of War, striking fear far and wide, originated from him. He is also venerated as the Martial Saint.

Being honored as a Martial Saint, his strength was self-evident, undoubtedly awe-inspiring.

There were rumors that Jiang Ziya practiced the Ancient Martial Arts and was an accomplished practitioner, his strength on par with Innate Dao Sovereigns. During the Enshrinement Calamity, he feigned weakness which is why he did not stand out too much.

King Wen Ji Chang and the Martial Saint Jiang Ziya, one excelling in strategy, the other in martial prowess, were an incredible match. Together, they could almost sweep away all resistance. Yet such formidable individuals suddenly perished without any warning.

How could two individuals of such immense power just perish? And to this day, neither the Human Race nor Chan Teaching have offered a satisfactory explanation for their deaths.

This mysterious situation has naturally resulted in widespread bewilderment.

About the deaths of the two, Jiang Chen also had many speculations, but now, after hearing the lament of this ancient predecessor, his heart suddenly gained some clarity.

"The saying that man’s calculations are no match for Heaven’s, presumably refers to King Wen Ji Chang, who was known to calculate everything but could not divine the Heavenly Dao."

"And Divine Ability not rivaling Heaven’s mandate, presumably refers to Jiang Ziya, who was said to have unmatched Divine Abilities, yet ultimately could not withstand the might of Heaven."

Thus, it seemed that the downfall of these two was related to the Heavenly Dao.

"The deaths of the two involve a secret that I cannot reveal to you. If you wish to know, you can visit their tombs. Inside, you will find the legacy and regrets they left behind, which may unravel your doubts."

The venerable figure in the void did not answer Jiang Chen’s question, instead, he suggested that Jiang Chen seek answers in the tombs of King Wen and the Martial Sage.

"Since it is a place of inheritance, getting in must not be easy,"

thought Jiang Chen, who then voiced his concern.

"Ji Chang, or Ziya, they were both unparalleled talents of the Human Race with the potential to become Emperors; if their lives had not been cut short, their achievements would have been boundless."

"The legacies they left behind are naturally not easy to obtain. There are various trials within, and only by passing them all can one acquire their legacies."

"However, obtaining their legacies would be incredibly difficult for others, but for you, it should be nothing. The methods they left behind will not be able to stop you."

From the depths of the void, the hoary voice replied, expressing great confidence in Jiang Chen’s strength.

"Forget it, this matter is not urgent. The current priority is the campaign against Beijulu Continent. Once that is resolved, it will not be too late to visit the tombs of the two predecessors to investigate their legacy," said Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen had been too busy lately, and even though he knew there were opportunities to be found in their tombs, he had no time to go there.

"Indeed, this matter is not urgent, but speaking of the campaign against the Demon Clan, Jiang Chen, it seems that the news from Fire Cloud Cave is true—you really are harboring rebellious thoughts against Heaven, intending to ascend in this world and become the ninth Emperor of our race."

At this point, the figure from the depths of the void finally emerged. This was an ancient person, a being from prehistoric times, seemingly having walked right out of that era, clad in beast skins and exuding an aura of ancient vicissitudes.

This person, Jiang Chen recognized, was the predecessor he had encountered in the Human Race’s treasury.

At that time, Jiang Chen had speculated that this predecessor’s strength was at least that of a Quasi-Saint. Now, he had confirmed that this predecessor was indeed a Quasi-Saint, and at the very least, a powerful expert in the later stages of Quasi-Saint.

Moreover, like Jiang Chen, he practiced the Ancient Martial Arts, a true representative of the ancient Human Race, having lived from the Great Ancient times to the present, ancient and powerful.

"I pay my respects to the predecessor!" First, he greeted the predecessor with a bow, then Jiang Chen spoke, "The matter of becoming Emperor is related to my Path of Dao, and I have no choice but to pursue it. I was hesitant before, unsure if I should really do this, but what I’ve seen today has solidified this thought in my mind."

"To become Emperor is something I must do!"

"Without claiming the throne and wielding great authority, how can I justifiably eliminate the treachery within my race?"

The Law Palace’s Master and others, for their own selfish interests, caused countless innocent clan members to die, fell victim to the poison of many races, and even wasted countless years of efforts by the ancient and ancestral Human Race, all for naught.

How could Jiang Chen’s heart not harbor hatred for them?

He wanted to kill all of them, leaving none alive, to use their corpses to comfort the spirits of the clan members who died because of them.

However, even with Jiang Chen’s heart full of a murderous torrent, he could not lay his hands on the Law Palace’s Master and the others.

Because he did not have the authority!

The Law Palace’s Master and the others were all high-ranking members of the Human Race. Jiang Chen’s status was equivalent to theirs, and if he were to strike them down, it would amount to inciting internal strife within the Human Race, which would have too detrimental an effect.