Chapter 392 Planting the Seed
His father only loved his eldest son, and although he was also the legitimate son, he was always neglected.
Ji Fa believed that he was better than his elder brother in every way and was more suitable to be the successor, but his father was determined to pass the title of Marquis of Xibo to his elder brother.
The favored eldest brother was fearless and went against his father at every turn. Even though the eldest brother was disobedient and unfilial, it did not shake the father's love for him. In fact, the eldest brother's death took the father's life with him.
Knowing that Shen Gongbao was not a moral exemplar like Jiang Ziya, who had extremely high expectations of him, Ji Fa was visibly more relaxed. "Then I will trouble Daoist Shen to go and fetch reinforcements. If the war goes well, I will certainly appoint you as Grand Tutor."
"Thank you for your kind words, King Wu. I assure you, I will take Tongguan in three months." Shen Gongbao reassured Ji Fa.
"Good, I await the Grand Tutor's good news." Ji Fa slammed his hand on the table in excitement, even addressing the Grand Tutor in advance.
It was rare to find someone in Xiqi who dared to declare that he would definitely take Tongguan.
Ji Fa couldn't help but think more highly of Shen Gongbao. This was the demeanor of a truly enlightened person, not someone who always acted aloof and taciturn, putting on airs and never being reliable when it came to important matters.
Even breaking through Tongguan was difficult. It was said that the general guarding Tongguan was their grand-nephew from several generations ago. If they couldn't even take it down, Ji Fa had to hold back his harsh words.
Shen Gongbao smiled, knowing that things would definitely improve; he had powerful backers.
After some discussion, Ji Fa was very satisfied with Shen Gongbao, and Shen Gongbao was also very satisfied with Ji Fa.
Back at Jiang Ziya's residence, Jiang Ziya put down the bamboo slips he had been reading several times and asked about the matter. Shen Gongbao smiled and said, "It's alright, a little worse than my senior brother expected."
Before meeting Ji Fa, Shen Gongbao was already convinced that the Yin Shang dynasty would defy fate. After meeting Ji Fa, he was even more certain that Ji Fa was no match for the king, and Shen Gongbao's future was secure.
"That's wonderful! Once you've settled down, we brothers will work together to fight against tyranny and restore peace and order to the land." Jiang Ziya was filled with anticipation; the story of brothers working together would surely become a legend and be passed down through the ages.
As for these bamboo slips, although they were recorded by Boyi Kao, Ji Fa may have learned them from his elder brother.
That's what they say, but deep in Jiang Ziya's heart, a seed of doubt was planted, waiting to blossom and bear fruit.
"Tyranny?" Shen Gongbao feigned surprise. "What tyranny? Wasn't it only Xiqi that rebelled?"
"Under the rule of King Zhou..." Jiang Ziya had just begun to speak when Shen Gongbao immediately raised his hand to stop him from finishing his sentence.
"Who is King Zhou?" Shen Gongbao asked again.
"It was the King of Yin Shang. He was immoral and disrespectful to Heaven. He abolished sacrifices, murdered his father and brothers. Countless nobles were slaughtered on the land of Yin Shang. He killed heads all over the territory from time to time. Senior brother, how could you not know?" Jiang Ziya looked surprised, obviously believing it to be true.
“Junior brother, I can tell you frankly that everything you know is nonsense.” Shen Gongbao lowered his eyes and clenched his fists tightly.
Patricide and fratricide? Abolition of sacrificial rites? Immorality, lack of virtue, and disrespect for Heaven?
Good, very good. Once he joins forces with the King to let the Xiqi army into Tongguan, he'll see who is more immoral and unethical.
The crime of patricide and fratricide cannot be pinned solely on the king; he also sees Ji Fa as a prime suspect.
For example, in order to inherit Xiqi, he forced his elder brother to commit suicide and killed his father...
"The King of Yin Shang was the only wise ruler my senior brother had ever seen in his life. If it weren't for..." Shen Gongbao glossed over the question, "my senior brother would not have left Yin Shang."
Jiang Ziya's face went blank. Was it all fake? If all his perceptions were false, then what was real?
Shen Gongbao sighed upon seeing this. It wasn't that he couldn't tell Jiang Ziya the truth, but he believed that letting Jiang Ziya discover it himself would be more shocking and effective than being told by someone else.
"There's no point in thinking about it now. Junior brother, when I came here, Master asked me to tell you to do something. This matter is of great importance and cannot be overlooked."
Fine, considering the fool's pure intentions, he'll be careful not to cause trouble and give his junior brother a better ending, so as not to betray the bond between them as brothers in this life.
"Please speak, senior brother." Jiang Ziya composed himself and listened attentively.
"Before my junior brother went down the mountain, he took two volumes of books with him..." Shen Gongbao reminded Jiang Ziya that in this day and age, there weren't many senior brothers with such a conscience as him.
"That is indeed the case." Jiang Ziya nodded. Although there was one scroll that he couldn't open no matter what he did, Jiang Ziya believed that the time was not yet right.
"One of the scrolls is the Investiture of the Gods. Junior brother is a man of destiny. Master has ordered you to persuade King Wu to build an Investiture Platform on Mount Qi. After it is built, the Investiture of the Gods will be hung on it so that gods can be appointed after the war." Shen Gongbao's eyes showed longing. Investiture of the gods, ah. He wondered where Master would appoint him.
"I will obey my master's command." Jiang Ziya was saddened; the gap between gods and humans was like an insurmountable chasm.
"Junior brother, don't worry. If I have the chance, I will definitely put in a good word for you." As for what he would say, Shen Gongbao did not say.
Seeing his junior brother's tearful expression, Shen Gongbao guessed pretty much what was going on.
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Jiang Ziya was single-minded in his cultivation, but unfortunately, fate was not on his side. Now that his senior brother said he was the chosen one, could it be that his luck had turned and his path to immortality was promising?
The next day, Jiang Ziya advised King Wu, who agreed and began constructing the Investiture Platform.
Shen Gongbao set off from Xiqi to Jin'ao Island. There are many small islands around Jin'ao Island, where many of the sect leader's disciples live. He can invite them down the mountain one by one.
On the way, Shen Gongbao saw a Taoist priest. Judging from his appearance alone, it was impossible to tell which major sect he belonged to.
Never mind, Shen Gongbao had already spotted this person and would not let him leave so easily. Shen Gongbao chased after him and said, "Fellow Daoist, please wait..."
………………
Tongtian rushed to the Western Spirit Mountain in a fit of rage and cleaved off a peak of the mountain with a single sword strike. If he hadn't still had some sense and knew that severing the spiritual veins would destroy the primordial world, Tongtian would have already severed the spiritual veins of the Spirit Mountain that were about to be severed.
Having finally recovered his strength, Randeng saw the situation was not good and hid far away, stopping the disciples who wanted to go out to argue, preventing them from going out to seek death.
After searching high and low without finding Zhunti and Jieyin, Tongtian was so angry that he swept away all the innate spiritual treasures that caught his eye.
"Tell Zhunti that if he dares to plot against a disciple under my command, he should accept the consequences of his failure." Tongtian then strode away, leaving behind his Western Sect disciple who was burying his face in his hands and weeping.
Duobao hurried as fast as he could, but still couldn't catch up. He only saw the Ling Mountain that had been razed to the ground.
Duobao was both amused and relieved. "If I had known, I would have waited halfway to save myself the trouble. In the end, Master still had to return to Chaoge."
Duobao knew in his heart that his master must have heard him calling him, but he pretended not to know, just to help him vent his anger.
As Duobao said, Tongtian immediately retreated to Chaoge after overturning Lingshan. He hadn't forgotten that his second brother had run to Chaoge and hadn't left since.
There's a lot to discuss about Master Qingwei; Second Brother, you'd better explain it to him properly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com