Chapter 552: Gluttonous Devourer Swallows the Heavens Technique

Upon hearing his words, Wu Geng's previously calm expression instantly changed. He had been respectfully bowing, but now he straightened up, exuding an inexplicable regal aura.

He looked at Zu An and asked calmly, "When did you know?"

As he spoke, the surrounding environment abruptly shifted. The blood-soaked, chaotic battlefield, filled with intense fighting, vanished in an instant.

They were no longer on the battlefield of Muye, but atop Lutai, a platform built some years ago.

Pei Mianman also appeared there, looking bewildered. She quickly rushed to Zu An's side and asked, "A'Zu, what exactly is happening?"

Zu An gave a wry smile. "This person before us is the creator of this trial—the true last king of Shang, Wu Geng."

Pei Mianman looked at him in surprise. It was hard to connect this usually quiet crown prince, who often paid his respects to her, with the ultimate boss of the trial.

Wu Geng frowned. "You still haven't answered my question."

Zu An then replied, "Actually, ever since I entered this mystic realm, I've had a persistent doubt. King Zhou was defeated at Muye and fled to Lutai, where he committed self-immolation. He clearly wouldn't have had time to construct this realm. So, the most likely candidates were two people: one, King Zhou's half-brother, Wei Zi Qi, who later founded the state of Song; and the other, King Zhou's crown prince, Wu Geng, who later became the last king of Shang."

"Wei Zi Qi contended for the throne with King Zhou and was, in a way, a traitor to the Shang dynasty. Moreover, he was the founding monarch of Song and maintained good relations with the Zhou people, making it highly unlikely that he would create such a mystic realm."

"That leaves only you. After King Zhou's self-immolation, when Zhou became the co-ruler of the realm, you became the last king of Shang. After a few years of temporary submission, you took advantage of the young age of the new Zhou monarch and led the Shang people in a direct counterattack. The great war with the Zhou lasted for three years, but unfortunately, it ended in failure."

After listening to his analysis, a hint of surprise flashed in Wu Geng's eyes. "You seem remarkably clear about this past. However, people in this world don't know this history. Who exactly are you?"

Zu An sighed. "Just someone with a fated connection."

Wu Geng apparently had no intention of probing further. He turned to look at the nearby Lutai, his voice heavy. "Do you know what happened after the defeat at the Battle of Muye?"

Zu An shook his head. Seeing that the other person seemed to want to unburden himself, he certainly wouldn't interrupt.

Wu Geng waved his hand, and ripples appeared in the air before them, like a mirror. Soon, some scenes emerged.

A valiant and tall man was seen fleeing back to Lutai. He looked up to the sky and sighed, unwilling to be humiliated by the Zhou people, and so he set himself on fire and died.

This was, of course, King Zhou of Shang, accompanied in death by Daji.

Not long after, the Zhou army entered the Shang capital. After distributing rewards for their merits, they began to offer sacrifices to heaven to thank the gods.

The best offerings for the sacrifice to heaven were human victims, and now, they had them readily available.

One hundred favored officials of King Zhou were escorted to the altar. Their limbs were chopped off with axes, leaving them to writhe and struggle in the blood. The louder their screams and the more violently they struggled, the more bountiful the offering was deemed to be for the gods.

The stubborn generals who resisted on the Muye battlefield, along with forty clan leaders from the core Shang lineages, were stripped naked and thrown into large cauldrons of boiling water.

King Zhou's remains were found. His head, along with those of his consorts, and the ears of enemy soldiers collected during the war, were piled on a huge pyre and burned. The charred, smoky fragrance was said to be the gods' favorite food.

Zu An and Pei Mianman had been in this trial for so long, even serving as the King and Queen of Shang. Witnessing these cruel scenes, their expressions drastically changed, and they felt immense anger.

At this point, Wu Geng said, "The main reason I created this mystic realm was to restore the truth of those years and to reflect on why the mighty Great Shang dynasty fell."

He paused, then his sharp gaze fell upon Zu An and Pei Mianman. "Having gone through these stages of the trial, have you summarized the reasons for the Great Shang's downfall?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Was this the final test? He didn't dare to be complacent, so he organized his thoughts and replied, "In my opinion, there are four main reasons. First, naturally, is the rise of the Zhou people. After the Northwest Qiangfang were defeated, the Zhou took advantage of the power vacuum in the Guanzhong region and seized control of it. Throughout history, Guanzhong has been a land where dynasties rose, and if well-managed, it would inevitably become unstoppable. Unfortunately, at first, the Shang dynasty had various other powerful enemies around them and simply didn't have the energy to manage this area. By the time Shang resolved its other enemies, the Zhou had fully risen. Shang could only resort to both suppression and appeasement, for example, by killing Jili and forming an alliance through marriage with San Cai. But the Zhou people had been meticulously planning for generations, steadfastly committed to overthrowing Shang, and ultimately, Shang could not escape its fate of destruction."

Wu Geng's expression remained impassive. "What else?"

Zu An continued, "The second reason is the issue of succession to the Shang throne. Throughout the Shang dynasty, the conflict between the 'brother succeeds brother' and 'father succeeds son' factions was irreconcilable. The royal family was constantly in a state of internal strife and unrest, which greatly diminished the nation's strength and prevented a united front against external threats."

Wu Geng sighed. "Indeed. For 500 years of the Shang dynasty, the royal family was plagued by continuous internal conflicts. The frequent relocation of the capital throughout history was also due to this reason."

Relieved by Wu Geng's approval, Zu An took Pei Mianman's hand and continued, "The third reason is the struggle between royal authority and divine power. In truth, sacrificial rituals only fooled the common people. As a Shang king, one would surely know there were no gods, yet the High Priests could use the name of the gods to check the king's power. No ambitious Shang king could tolerate such a situation, leading to both sides vying for power by all means. In essence, this is similar to the second reason, as many High Priests were also members of the royal family who had lost their right to succession."

Wu Geng nodded. "Since Yi Yin of this dynasty, the power of the High Priests has been immense. Successive Shang kings all sought to reclaim divine power, but unfortunately, except for a few exceptionally capable kings like those of the Wuding era, divine power remained controlled by High Priests from other royal factions... And the fourth reason?"

"The fourth reason..." Zu An paused. "What I mentioned earlier were the fundamental causes of the Shang dynasty's demise. The fourth reason, I believe, is the direct cause of its downfall. During King Zhou's reign, the old nobility, led by his uncle Bi Gan and Jizi, were not united with the king due to centuries of tradition. Wei Zi Qi, dissatisfied because he had lost the throne that was rightfully his due to a rather comical reason, sought to use the Zhou's power to become king. He eventually got his wish, though not as King of Shang, but as King of Song."

"Furthermore, many prominent ministers in the court, such as Shang Rong and Xin Jia, were friendly with the Zhou people. There were certainly more nameless individuals like them. King Zhou must have felt a sense of despair looking at his court, as if everyone had connections with the Zhou."

"You actually missed one person," Wu Geng said. "Jiao Ge, whom my father personally promoted, had secretly pledged allegiance to the Zhou long ago."

Zu An was startled. "Jiao Ge? Wasn't he rescued from slavery and personally promoted by your father? How could such a trusted subordinate defect to the Zhou?"

Wu Geng snorted. "Because he had already been bribed by the Zhou people even before my father rescued him. Don't forget, he was an Eastern Yi. Centuries of war had created an irreconcilable hatred between the Eastern Yi and the Shang. Moreover, the sacred jade cong of the Eastern Yi was plundered by Great Shang back then, so how could they truly pledge allegiance to Great Shang?"

"The jade cong..." Zu An's heart skipped a beat. That was what the girl Jiang Jiang outside had asked him to find. He had indeed seen it during the Wuding era, and it was later buried with Fu Hao.

He quickly composed himself and continued, "Besides the individuals I just mentioned, you, the Crown Prince, also seemed dissatisfied with King Zhou and likely participated in their rebellion. With enemies all around him, how could King Zhou not be defeated? However, I don't quite understand. It's comprehensible why others would rebel against King Zhou, but you were already the Crown Prince. Why did you also join them?"

Wu Geng's expression was downcast. "Back then, my father favored Daji, and my mother was constantly out of favor, liable to be deposed at any time. If Daji bore another son, my position as Crown Prince would be precarious. It was better to strike first. In truth, many nobles in the court at that time didn't genuinely want to overthrow Shang; they merely wanted to use the Zhou to force my father off the throne. Unfortunately, they didn't realize the Zhou's immense ambition, who had come with the explicit goal of destroying Shang from the very beginning."

"They invited the wolf into the house," Zu An sighed. The power struggles among the Shang nobles were like inviting Dong Zhuo into the capital, only to find this 'Dong Zhuo' so formidable.

"By the time we realized it, it was too late. The general situation was already decided, and the Zhou became the co-rulers of the realm," Wu Geng gritted his teeth. "At that time, the Zhou's power was too great, so I could only bide my time and accumulate strength. Later, when Ji Fa died and his young son ascended the throne, I found an opportunity to engage in a decisive battle with the Zhou. Fearing failure, I prepared this mystic realm beforehand, so that even if I failed, someone in the future would know the truth of those days."

After finishing, Wu Geng looked at Zu An and Pei Mianman. "You are very good. The previous trial-takers had higher cultivation levels than you, but unfortunately, in this trial, I directly stripped everyone of their cultivation, turning them into ordinary people. This is because what I value is not a trial-taker's cultivation, but whether they can understand the anger and grievances of us Shang people, and whether they can find a solution."

He continued, "Among the previous trial-takers, there were certainly intelligent individuals. However, many failed to pass the first stage, either misled by Xiaotuo or falling out with Fu Shuo, or perhaps, after decades of imperial life, they forgot their identity and the reason for being here, becoming completely lost."

"As for the second stage, if you didn't genuinely care for San Cai from childhood, she wouldn't have volunteered to replace you in the marriage alliance. Once a female trial-taker married into Western Zhou, there was only a dead end."

"As for the third stage, you actually untangled the chaotic situation, knowing who were enemies and who were friends. You recalled the main forces during the Battle of Muye, and also had your companion lead a surprise troop to suddenly join the battlefield. You even saw through my identity. If my father had been like you back then, the outcome might truly have been different."

Zu An and Pei Mianman exchanged glances, both letting out a sigh of relief. Clearly, they were the first pair among all trial-takers to reach this stage.

However, Wu Geng's tone then shifted. "Unfortunately, you still haven't completed the trial. You only understood everything at the very last moment, by which time it was too late to stop anything. With just one command from me, my army would turn against you, and the outcome would still be predetermined. You didn't change a single thing."

Zu An and Pei Mianman's expressions changed simultaneously. To fall at the final threshold of completion was truly frustrating.

Wu Geng's tone was also filled with regret. "Your performance in the trial was truly excellent, far better than all previous trial-takers. But the better you are, the more I anticipate that perhaps in the future, there will be trial-takers even more outstanding than you, who can perfectly resolve all of this. Therefore, prepare to die."

Having spoken, he slowly ascended, black mist swirling around him. One hand slowly rose, and a grotesque taotie pattern appeared on its palm. Immediately, his entire palm transformed into a black hole, from which immense suction emanated. Everything around them began to disintegrate, even the tall and majestic Lutai started to fall apart, as various objects were drawn into his hand.

Clearly, he had judged their trial a failure and was closing this trial world, awaiting the long passage of time for the next fated pair to activate it.

Zu An and Pei Mianman felt a powerful tearing sensation in their souls, as if they were about to be sucked into him at any moment.

Pei Mianman tightly gripped Zu An's hand and gave a desolate smile. "We've lived a lifetime together, and now, dying together is also a kind of contentment."

"It's not that easy to die," Zu An said quickly, staring at Wu Geng in mid-air. "We haven't failed this trial. I still have a backup plan!"

"Oh?" Wu Geng was taken aback, then couldn't help but sneer. "None of your methods have escaped my notice. What backup plan could you possibly have?"

Despite his words, he slightly clenched his palm, and the surrounding suction immediately lessened considerably.

Zu An felt his entire body lighten and couldn't help but remark, "It seems that subconsciously, you still want us to succeed."

Wu Geng snorted. "Trying to butter me up is useless. If you can't present a backup plan, then prepare for destruction."

Zu An quickly replied, "The purpose of your design for this mystic realm was primarily to preserve the truth of those events and clear the Shang dynasty of many slanders. Also, it was to see if, under the hopeless circumstances of that time, there was any way to find a glimmer of hope for survival."

"So what? Although you've achieved the former, you're still a bit short on the latter objective," Wu Geng said coldly.

Zu An smiled. "Do you remember Fei Lian and E Lai, father and son?"

Wu Geng, not understanding his intention, frowned. "I remember. You promoted them from among the common scholars; they were loyal individuals. If the battle had continued as it was, E Lai would have died in the Battle of Muye, and Fei Lian, though he escaped, would have dedicated his life to opposing Zhou. Unfortunately, his power was too weak, and he ultimately couldn't stir up any significant waves."

Zu An replied, "Although Fei Lian never succeeded in rebelling against Zhou in his lifetime, he sowed a seed that was passed down through generations of his descendants. Fei Lian was the ancestor of the Qin people, and in the future, the Zhou dynasty will be destroyed by the state of Qin! Just as the Zhou people were steadfast for generations in their efforts to overthrow Shang before succeeding, so too will it be with Fei Lian's lineage."

"Fei Lian is the ancestor of the Qin people?" Wu Geng was stunned. He closed his eyes, seemingly rapidly searching for information.

After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and burst into laughter. "Fei Lian raised E Lai's son, Nü Fang. Nü Fang bore Pang Gao, Pang Gao bore Tai Ji, Tai Ji bore Da Luo, and Da Luo bore Fei Zi. Fei Zi established the state of Qin, and in the future, Qin will destroy Zhou! Hahaha, brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Zu An secretly counted himself lucky. If not for the existence of Empress Mi Li of Great Qin, he wouldn't have been so clear about these relationships. That's why, upon seeing Fei Lian and E Lai, he immediately put them in important positions, intending to use them as a backup. He hadn't expected to actually need them.

Wu Geng completely retracted his hand and slowly descended from the air to the ground. Everything that had been collapsing around them came to a standstill.

He looked at Zu An with a complex expression. "You truly surprise me, to have made such arrangements. Although this isn't a direct reversal of fate, changing the outcome of Shang's destruction then, what if you had changed it? After all, this is all within the trial world, all illusory, and it can't affect reality. How can it compare to the genuine satisfaction of Fei Lian's descendants destroying Zhou in actual history?"

Zu An cupped his hands. "It was merely luck. Ultimately, it's because Your Royal Highness held expectations for the trial-takers that you gave us so many opportunities."

Wu Geng nodded slightly. "Very good, very good. You're not complacent. If my father had been as humble as you back then, he wouldn't have ended up abandoned by everyone."

Zu An didn't interject. It was acceptable for Wu Geng to speak of his own father, but Zu An doing so might easily cause trouble. "I wonder if we've passed this trial?"

Wu Geng didn't look at him, but instead asked in a deep voice, "Answer my last question: why do you possess the Zhou royal family's 'Phoenix Nirvana Scripture'? Could it be that you've also entered a Zhou dynasty mystic realm?"

He didn't suspect Zu An of being a descendant of the Zhou royal family. After all, in the trial, this person had directly minced Ji Chang and his son into paste. What unfilial descendant would do that?

As for the Qin royal family's 'Grand Creation Scripture' on Zu An's person, Wu Geng was unfamiliar with it, so he wasn't as sensitive to it.

Sensing the fleeting killing intent in Wu Geng's eyes, Zu An cautiously replied, "I haven't entered a Zhou trial. It was an elder who went in, and by a stroke of luck, it benefited me." He briefly recounted the story of Old Man Mi.

"That's good, that's good," Wu Geng said, bursting into laughter. "It seems you truly have profound blessings and are qualified to receive the inheritance of our Shang dynasty. Here."

With that, he tossed over a bronze scroll. Zu An caught it and saw the large characters at the top: "Taotie Devouring Heaven Art"!

"This is your reward for passing the trial," Wu Geng said. "The 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art' is a supreme scripture that only successive Shang kings were qualified to cultivate. It's far more powerful than the Zhou people's 'Phoenix Nirvana Scripture.' How could my Great Shang possibly lose to the Zhou in this regard!"

Hearing the indignation in his tone, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed Wu Geng's resentment towards the Zhou people was indeed immense.

He quickly asked, "What about my companion? Can she cultivate this? What reward does she get?"

Wu Geng said calmly, "Only Shang kings can cultivate the 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art,' so she naturally cannot. But you needn't worry; she will also receive something."

As he spoke, a luminous jade artifact flew into Pei Mianman's hand. Wu Geng explained, "This is the Jade of Celestial Wisdom. It can absorb the essence of heaven and earth, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort. It also has another function: as long as this jade is not destroyed, even if the physical body dies, the soul will remain immortal."

Pei Mianman placed the jade in her palm and felt her soul being greatly nourished, realizing how immensely helpful it would be for cultivation. And from what Wu Geng said, it seemed to be equivalent to having a second life.

Wu Geng continued, "Additionally, through this jade, you can gain recognition from the owl zun at the trial's entrance. That is also a powerful magical artifact, and since you were Fu Hao in your past life, it's a perfect match for you."

Pei Mianman's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness!"

"It should be me thanking you," Wu Geng waved his hand. "You may leave now. I, a sinner, finally have the face to pay respects to my ancestors in the Grand Ancestral Temple..." With a forlorn expression, he turned and walked away, his form gradually fading into nothingness.