"Zheng was a minor hegemon, Qi was an early hegemon, but the most prosperous were Jin and Chu."
Cao Ya shook his head. These two warlords each have their own strengths and are ruled by wise and capable rulers. They have large populations, vast territories, and abundant resources. It would be surprising if they couldn't develop.
"The Zhou royal family in Luoyi has almost no presence, and the royal domain is also shrinking."
"However, the rise of the State of Jin was also inseparable from the reform of its internal system."
"However, the six ministers were both the cause of Jin's rise and its fall. The final demise of the Jin state was due to its division into three families."
"The State of Chu has the largest territory and the largest population, making it the most powerful in terms of foundation. However, it is also surrounded by powerful clans, making it difficult for the King of Chu to command them. Only a ruler with great talent and ambition can barely keep them in check, while a ruler who is slightly incompetent will simply obey orders but not summons... Hmm, it is not much different from the situation in the Heavenly Court."
Cao Ya smiled inwardly. Although many gods had returned to their positions in Heaven, how many of them would actually obey the Jade Emperor?
Although the King of Chu was not as powerful as the Jade Emperor, this situation could be compared to his.
"Besides these four states, there were also the states of Qin and Song, and finally, the states of Wu and Yue vied for supremacy."
"The timeline is roughly the same, but the specific circumstances are quite different."
"The monarchs here often reign for thousands, even tens of thousands of years!"
"If it is not a matter of human nature and destiny, it is both an aid and a 'poison.' In the long run, it will cause the monarch to lose his way and go mad. I'm afraid they will still be reluctant to abdicate."
"After all, once you step down, without control over the fate of humanity, your strength will decline rapidly."
"Only a few can reach the Fire Cloud Cave and maintain their cultivation."
"The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had very high standards; they couldn't accept just any incompetent or mediocre ruler. Even ordinary monarchs with some minor achievements weren't qualified; only a great and capable ruler could be chosen!"
There's nothing wrong with that. Huoyun Cave is a sacred place for humans, so the standards shouldn't be lowered.
While cultivating, Cao Ya did not completely ignore the developments in the outside world, but kept a close eye on them at all times.
Occasionally, they will descend to the mortal realm to slay demons.
I have traveled to all corners of the world and have seen countless immortals and gods.
Ketu Star Lord's fame spread throughout the world, and he was hailed as the pinnacle of Quasi-Saints!
He had also been to Luoyi, but there was no old man surnamed Li in the library of the Zhou dynasty.
Cao Ya guessed that perhaps Lao Tzu was also traveling and would have to wait several more years before he arrived in Luoyi.
In order not to expose himself as if he had "peeked" into the future, Cao Ya said nothing and left naturally.
They went to Mount Hua and talked with Yang Chan. Even though it was already Qin territory, they still worshipped the "Three Holy Mothers".
"That Qin state is quite ambitious. It conquers the western border and wants to expand eastward, but it has been blocked and has suffered heavy losses one after another," Yang Chan said. Being on the ground, she had a clearer understanding of the situation of the feudal lords.
After bidding farewell to Yang Chan, Cao Ya did not go to the present-day Qin capital, where Duke Wen of Qin had already died.
He didn't recognize the current Qin ruler.
After defeating a powerful demon at the quasi-saint level, Cao Ya returned to the Heavenly Realm.
Meanwhile, Jambudvipa remains in turmoil, with frequent wars.
After all, the Western Zhou Dynasty had fallen, and the Zhou royal family had moved east, leaving them with little strength. Humanity seemed destined for decline. Yet, the emergence of various feudal lords from all directions truly surprised those weaker Hunyuan.
Naturally, many powerful demons and evil spirits would not sit idly by while the human race developed, and they all attacked.
The states of Jin and Chu, each leading their allies, fought in the south and north, achieving great military exploits.
The titles of these two hegemons were extremely prestigious, even surpassing those of the Zhou royal family.
However, after recovering the lost territories, it was no easy task to continue expanding outwards.
Thus, the states of Jin and Chu engaged in a fierce battle, with Jin winning more often than Chu.
However, it was impossible for the State of Jin to completely defeat the State of Chu.
In addition, the Chu state occasionally erupted and was able to suppress the Jin state, conquering cities and seizing territories, causing it great losses.
Fortunately, the two countries made peace and stopped fighting. At most, they supported other countries to fight "proxy wars".
In the remote corners of the land, the Qin state also rose to prominence, but was besieged by demons and quickly declined.
However, the Qin state held firm in the western frontier it had conquered. With the unity of the people and the strength of the people, they built military fortresses and spared no expense to resist the invasion of the demon army.
Due to the heavy casualties, the Qin state sought out talent extensively. Even ordinary people were welcome to join the Qin state, and many preferential conditions were offered.
However, the dangers of the western border region still deterred the people from venturing there.
A large number of Qin rulers died on the battlefield.
Not to mention the soldiers and civilians below!
In order to seek support, the Qin state formed marriage alliances with the Jin and Chu states.
Both superpowers needed the Qin state to act as a bulwark for the west, protecting against monsters and evil spirits, and were naturally willing to provide some level of support.
Of course, if Qin's development momentum becomes too strong and it becomes a new first-class power that threatens the status of the two, the two hegemons will tacitly take action to weaken Qin.
This also led to Qin's annexation efforts going very poorly, and its eastward expansion seemed a distant prospect.
Fortunately, the Qin state shifted its focus, no longer eyeing the thousands of vassal states of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, but instead looking towards the western border.
In those lands teeming with demons, there are also human communities struggling to survive.
We should march westward to sweep away demons and rescue the people. This is not only a righteous cause that will be praised throughout the land, but it will also attract a large influx of people, expand our territory, enrich our resources, and increase our population. This will also increase our national strength and make our foundation even more profound.
Furthermore, the states of Jin and Chu had no foothold there and could not stop Qin's expansion.
The only concern is the great demons and evil spirits!
However, the Qin state, starting from the Zhou emperor's verbal promises and having no real foothold, gradually developed into a second or third-tier power in the Southern Continent. This was all thanks to its courage to fight and its fearlessness in the face of death!
Even the Qin ruler was mentally prepared to die on the battlefield.
Moreover, many Qin people had been harmed by demons and monsters, and had lost their relatives and friends. They harbored a deep-seated hatred for powerful demons and evil spirits.
This westward expedition is not only for revenge, but also to rescue the people struggling to survive in those regions. The morale of the soldiers is high and the army is ready to fight!
Of course, this process was not easy, and the losses suffered by the Qin state were enormous.
After tens of thousands of years of westward expansion, the Qin state finally achieved some success, expanding its territory by millions of miles and increasing its population by one or two dozen times!
But going further west is unlikely, as there is already a demon king at the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm stationed in the dangerous mountains and lakes.
Within the Qin Kingdom, demons occasionally wreak havoc, harming the people and refining magical arts and artifacts.
Suppressing the ruthless rebels was also a top priority for the Qin state.
Furthermore, the development of the Qin state also drew the attention of the other states, and the states of Jin and Chu were inevitably wary of it.
Beset by internal and external troubles, the Qin state's national strength naturally could not rise. It took countless efforts and massive amounts of resources to maintain its vast territory.
Without rewards, the soldiers' enthusiasm will not be high.
There was nothing that could be done about it; the feudal lords were all in agreement on their attitude towards demons.
But if other countries show signs of becoming stronger, they will also try to sabotage them and cause trouble in secret.
The rise of the states of Jin and Chu also encountered such challenges, but they overcame them.
However, after a long period of peace, the two hegemonic powers gradually became corrupt, and their national strength began to decline.
Meanwhile, Luoyi, which was still under the control of the Zhou royal family, produced a sage.
He was known as "Laozi" and authored the "Tao Te Ching," which made him famous throughout the world. Yet, he was actually a weak Hunyuan!
After inquiring around, everyone finally realized that "Laozi" was actually the reincarnation of the Moral Celestial Venerable!
The initial surprise quickly subsided, and the person quickly regained their composure. It was strange that the Celestial Venerable of Morality had a weak Primordial Chaos clone.
In the Southern Continent, various philosophers were born one after another. Confucius even went to Luoyi to ask Laozi for guidance. When he left, he couldn't help but sigh at the mystery of Laozi.
Unlike the feudal lords, the princes were exceptionally talented and did not need any luck or destiny. They relied solely on their personal comprehension to rapidly advance and eventually reach the quasi-saint realm.
It should be understood that only a select few who can be called overlords—not necessarily overlords of the entire world, but even minor regional overlords—have reached the quasi-saint realm under the blessing of human fortune.
Other than that, most are Great Luo Immortals, such as the rulers of small countries of the fifth or sixth rank, Golden Immortals, and Profound Immortals, which are all normal.
Of these rulers, only a handful were ultimately able to enter the Fire Cloud Cave.
However, the disciples can go to the Fire Cloud Cave at any time if they wish.
The difference between achieving quasi-sainthood through one's own efforts and achieving it by relying on external forces is undoubtedly enormous.
The most obvious example is the power of humanity. It's so special, yet why do so many outstanding individuals still avoid getting involved? It's because the side effects are far too severe.
Leaving aside the risk of getting lost, improving strength is closely related to national power.
Developing a country is not easy; it involves many complexities and is also prone to decline.
Moreover, after abdicating, his power will decline, and he will no longer be as powerful as he was when he was in power.
In this situation, even if the luck of humanity can help the monarch to cross various major realms in a short period of time, touching the Great Luo realm or even the Quasi-Saint realm, those who are willing to enter the game are still few and far between.
After all, once you become a celestial being, you can live forever and have plenty of time to slowly comprehend the Great Dao.
The Southern Continent, due to the contention of a hundred schools of thought and the dominance of feudal lords, saw the human race's fortune decline for thousands of years after the fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty. However, it quickly recovered and continued to rise, becoming even more terrifying than the most prosperous periods of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties!
Many powerful figures noticed this and became wary. Those who had been observing gradually joined the fray, working alongside the Demon Ancestor, Donghuang Taiyi, and the Chaos Demon Rabbit to target the human race.
Inside the Fire Cloud Cave, the ancient sages of the human race faced increased pressure, but fortunately, their luck increased, giving them greater confidence in breaking through to higher realms.
At the same time, in the northern star sea beyond the celestial realm, Cao Ya, Marshal Tianpeng, and the Great Emperor of the North Pole Purple Star were seeing off General Zhenwu.
"Isn't this too risky?" Marshal Tianpeng wondered.
After reincarnation, not every immortal or deity can return unharmed.
Only a few can reach new heights and make further progress; some get lost in the cycle of reincarnation, most remain stagnant, and only a very few manage to improve.
“Since I was conferred the title of God, I have attained the ninth level of Quasi-Saint, and it has been two or three hundred thousand years. I am still stuck here and cannot make any progress.” General Zhenwu murmured, “I have long had the idea of descending to the mortal world to be reborn and experience the mortal world again. This is my path of Hunyuan.”
Having said all that, the group could offer no further advice, for each quasi-saint's path was different.
Moreover, those who have reached this stage can all be called "great supernatural beings".
They have a profound understanding of their own path, and having made a decision, they have clearly given it thought.
All I can do is offer my blessings.
"I hope that when you return, you will already be a weak Hunyuan," the Great Emperor of the North Pole Ziwei laughed.
"Thank you for your kind words." General Zhenwu smiled.
"Are you sure you want to reincarnate countless times in the lower realms, instead of in the Heavenly Realm or the Earthly Immortal Realm?" Cao Ya asked.
"Hmm." General Zhenwu nodded and said, "There are too many powerful beings in the Three Realms. One can better experience mortal life in the lower realm."
Cao Ya nodded, pondering whether General Zhenwu's departure would lead to the appearance of Zhang Zhenren of Wudang.
But Master Zhang has roamed many worlds, and his valiant deeds are remarkable... Perhaps General Zhenwu failed in one reincarnation and was reincarnated many times in succession.
"Whoosh." Suddenly, a streak of starlight sped across the void and arrived at the northern star sea.
"Venus".
The old immortal with white hair and beard revealed his form; he was none other than Venus.
"The Great Emperor of the North Pole, General Zhenwu, Lord Ketu, Marshal Tianpeng." Venus bowed respectfully.
After the two sides exchanged greetings, Venus orally conveyed the Jade Emperor's intentions to General Zhenwu.
"Great Celestial Venerable, you still want me to serve as 'General Zhenwu'?" General Zhenwu was taken aback.
He thought that in this reincarnation, he would be dismissed from his post and someone else would take over the divine position.
"General's abilities are unparalleled in the Three Realms. The Great Heavenly Venerable cherishes talent and is willing to retain the general's divine position indefinitely, awaiting the day of the general's return," said Venus with a smile.
He was a confidant of the Jade Emperor, and his divine position was actually quite high. After countless years of cultivation and with the Jade Emperor's careful nurturing, he also became a quasi-saint.
However, compared to General Zhenwu, he is far inferior.
In the Heavenly Court today, the Jade Emperor is undoubtedly the strongest—Laozi is too special—among the remaining gods, only a few, such as Taiyi Tianzun, the Queen Mother of the West, Doufu Zhengshen (Jinling Shengmu), Zhenwu General, and Jidu Xingjun, are the most powerful.
Even the Great Emperor of the North Pole, the Immortal of the South Pole, the Three Immortal Maidens of Sanxiao, and the God of Wealth Zhao Gongming would all be slightly inferior.
Most importantly, General Zhenwu, although born of the human race, was also working hard for the prosperity of the human race, but he did not forget his duties and performed them very well, and also showed respect to the Jade Emperor.
Whether it's a disguise or something else, at least their attitude is much better than that of Jinling Shengmu and the Three Immortals.
Moreover, the Jade Emperor also wanted to use this to ensure that factions within the Heavenly Court checked and balanced each other.
How can we allow the Jie Sect to dominate the world?
Few members of the Chan Sect made the list, and even those who achieved physical sainthood like Yang Jian were extremely rare. —Yang Jian was also a typical example of someone who obeyed orders but not summons.
Under such circumstances, the Jade Emperor would love for the number of human immortals and gods to increase.
Ideally, they would be led by the Great Emperor of the North Pole, General Zhenwu, and Lord Ketu, competing with the gods of the Jie Sect.
In this way, he can remain firmly in control, his power will be more secure, and his influence will increase as he mediates between the two sides.
From any perspective, the Jade Emperor would reserve a divine position for General Zhenwu!
Faced with the Jade Emperor's goodwill brought by Venus, General Zhenwu hesitated for a moment before expressing his gratitude.
Immediately afterward, General Zhenwu descended to the mortal realm and went to the underworld. Even though such a cycle of reincarnation could be achieved independently by a Quasi-Saint at the Ninth Heaven, he would not avoid the underworld.
"General Zhenwu's determination is rare in the world," Venus exclaimed.
The ninth level of Quasi-Saint is only one step away from the weak Primordial Chaos Realm. How many people are willing to give up their cultivation and descend to the mortal realm to start over?
After General Zhenwu reincarnated, Cao Ya's cultivation also broke through to the seventh level of Quasi-Saint.
From then on, his strength reached the peak of Quasi-Saint, which is also a high-level six-star level.
The subsequent practice became increasingly difficult, and every small step forward was hard-won.
In addition, given the magnificent scenery of the Immortal Realm, Cao Ya decided to focus more of his attention on the Southern Continent.
"The rivalry between Wu and Yue ended, the three states divided Jin, the Spring and Autumn period was over, and the Warring States period began!"
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