Lud Platform.

King Zhouu carried out human sacrifices here to appease the heavens. This time, he performed the grandest national ritual ever, surpassing even the funeral ceremonies of the previous emperor. He sacrificed eighty thousand people and one hundred twenty thousand livestock to successfully communicate with God — and even then, success was not guaranteed.

"Did it work?" King Zhouu asked.

The Wizard wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and stammered, "According to the ancient records, it should have worked."

"Then where is the person?" King Zhouu was at a loss for words. Were all these wizards this incompetent? He felt he might as well have done it himself. After all that effort and so many sacrifices of nobles, was it just for a giant whirlpool?

King Zhouu scrutinized the Wizard, contemplating whether to sacrifice this guy next.

What a useless waste, utterly ineffectual.

The Wizard, terrified, was about to kneel.

A roar!

Just then, the roar of a tiger echoed, and a red-haired man riding a tiger descended onto the thousand-zhang-high Lud Platform.

"This servant greets the king."

"Who might you be?"

"I was sent by the previous emperor," replied the Marquis Shenwu.

"Ah! Welcome!" King Zhouu was overjoyed. At long last, his efforts hadn't been entirely in vain. Yet, he couldn't hide a hint of disappointment in his heart.

The cultivation of the man before him seemed roughly equal to his own. While the arrival of such a strong individual did alleviate some of the pressure, it was far less helpful than a million-strong Heavenly Army would have been.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. The Heavenly Army will come. I am skilled in the arcane arts of sacrificial rituals and can summon more powerful individuals for your aid."

Soon, King Zhouu organized another grand ritual.

This time, a million Heavenly Soldiers arrived, along with a Heavenly God capable of unleashing plagues.

King Zhouu dispatched the Plague God to attack the West Zhou forces at Chuanyun Pass.

Indeed, this battle was a resounding victory. The Zhou Army suffered heavy casualties and retreated from Chuanyun Pass. The Shang Army advanced swiftly, breaking through one stronghold after another, ultimately surrounding Lingtong Pass.

Lingtong Pass was a treacherous fortress, with walls as high as a thousand zhang.

It channeled Earth Energy from thousands of li away, forming a massive Array that was indestructible.

At the forefront of the Shang Army stood a monster with yellow hair and emerald eyes, holding a black banner. With a sinister grin, he said casually, "No worries. Watch me break this pass in ten days."

Although the fortress was impenetrable, the miasma still seeped in. In less than ten days, the city was filled with frenzied Abnormal Soldiers.

This city had basically turned into a massive breeding ground for the most lethal poisons and demon mutations, where the strongest horrors emerged from endless slaughter. No one would survive.

A roar!

Within the city, a heart-wrenching scream rang out in the streets.

An individual suddenly went berserk, his skin rotting and sharp fangs growing as he lunged at someone's neck to bite down.

With the blood he drank, iron-scaled armor began forming on the monster's body.

More and more people fell into madness, and Jiangg Ziya was summoned to the city.

"I can dispel the miasma, but I cannot cure those who have already absorbed it," Yunzhong Zi said.

"Then it's useless. This pass is going to fall. How about I lead the Ghost Soldiers for another charge?" the Ghost Marquis suggested helplessly.

"Impossible. We cannot break through the Cloud Miasma either. Even if we did, defeating a million Heavenly Soldiers would still be an immense challenge. This is despicably evil — releasing a plague like this! Does King Zhouu not realize how many will die? Has he gone completely insane?"

The group deliberated on strategies, unwilling to retreat yet again, as retreating would solve nothing.

The Plague God remained their unsolved crisis. At this rate, they would have to relinquish all the territories they had gained.

They had to find a solution. A direct assault wouldn't work, and neither would outsmarting the enemy.

Yangg Jian, standing proud and confident, said, "If the Cloud Miasma is dispelled, I can lead three thousand Grass Gods to break through the million Heavenly Soldiers."

"Then," Jiangg Ziya proposed, "Yunzhong Zi will handle the miasma, Yangg Jian and the Ghost Marquis will storm the formation, and as for healing and cleansing the miasma..."

Jiangg Ziya took out a jade bottle.

The bottle contained none other than the Water of Life River.

The Water of Life River was capable of eradicating all worldly corruption and miasma, curing any illness.

A piercing cry of a phoenix rang out, and True Fire descended upon the city.

The flames did not burn objects or people, only the intangible miasma and fully mutated Abnormal Soldiers.

Jiangg Ziya dropped a single drop of water into the city's water supply. Instantly, all the citizens of the city recovered completely.

He then scattered the entire bottle's contents into the sky.

With a rushing sound, rain poured down from the heavens.

The green miasma outside the city dissipated in a flash.

"What?!" The Plague God was shaken to his core.

His spell had been undone.

Immediately, the city's forces mobilized.

A white-robed Three-eyed General charged forward.

On the battlefield, he slew the commander!

The Plague God perished!

A wisp of his soul drifted into the Death River, becoming a subject of the West Zhou Heavenly Court.

In the Heavenly Court.

Wen Zhong suddenly stood up and said to Song Lin, "I wish to join the expedition against Shang."

"Have you changed your mind?"

"Yes, I have. My loyalty should be to the people of the world, not the Yinn Shang Royal Family."

Casualties are inevitable in war, but King Zhouu's unrestrained actions — massacring his people indiscriminately and unleashing a plague — have crossed every line.

If Wen Zhong were still in court, he would have spoken out against this. Now he fully realized that King Zhouu had fallen irreparably into madness.

The time for persuasion had passed; now he must be killed. The world should be entrusted to one with true Benevolence.

With that, Wen Zhong and the Plague God joined the fray.

The Shang Army's defeat became increasingly evident, as West Zhou seized two more strategic fortresses, drawing closer and closer to Chaoge.

Chaoge's Lud Platform.

King Zhouu looked to Marquis Shenwu, his gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Ahem, the early results were promising, which proves that our strategy was effective. It's just that we didn't anticipate the Eastern King would have a countermeasure," Marquis Shenwu said somewhat awkwardly, having already devised his excuse.

"Next time, the two of us will personally take action to corner the Eastern King. As for the mortal generals, I'll request someone from Emperor Yi — a man who cultivates the Bloodpath of the Great Dao, perfectly suited for battlefield combat and absolutely unstoppable."

"As such, the mortal affairs need not concern you. The Blood Sea Taoist will handle them. Once he breaches the fortress, the three of us will unite to deal with the Eastern King. Victory will be ours."

Another grand sacrificial ritual was held in Chaoge, this time even using wounded soldiers in place of captives due to the shortage.

In Emperor Yi's Small Heavenly Court.

"More demands for manpower?" Emperor Yi scowled.

This son of his was proving utterly useless. Had he known earlier, he'd never have allowed him to become king.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. Perhaps they are at a critical juncture. If we provide more support, the matter could be resolved swiftly," an advisor suggested.

Left with no choice, Emperor Yi followed Marquis Shenwu's proposal.

With two fewer Generals on their side, the offensive a slowed again.

Nevertheless, the thought that Zishou might bring more powerful allies over in the future was enough for Emperor Yi to let it be for now.

The Shang dynasty launched a second counteroffensive, mobilizing elites from the ranks of humans, demons, and immortals alike.

The mortal army amassed to a million strong.

The empire's western regions became the site of the largest chaotic battle ever seen.

Predictably, Song Lin avoided direct confrontation, maneuvering strategically, while Wen Zhong and the Plague God's reinforcements gave them an edge.

The Blood Sea Taoist fell in battle, and his soul fell under Song Lin's control.

Only then did Song Lin realize the benefits of ruling the underworld: enemies could be turned into allies, their souls revived and bent to his will.

Before long, the Blood Sea Taoist became another ally.

The forces of West Zhou grew stronger with every battle, while Yinn Shang's numbers dwindled further.

Many of the Demon Clan's strongest perished. Even Daji's authority wavered, and many demons defected to West Zhou.

Eventually, Marquis Shenwu enlisted two more individuals in succession.

But they too fell in defeat.

Luohun and Luobao, two brothers, defected to West Zhou.

West Zhou forces advanced to the gates of Chaoge.

Marquis Shenwu assured King Zhouu that this would be the final plea for help.

"What is going on? Why is there yet another request for reinforcements?" Emperor Yi's Heavenly Court.

Marquis Shenwu dared not disclose the truth to Emperor Yi, only claiming that progress was steady and that the enemy's final resistance was proving a bit tricky. He swore to end it quickly if given support one last time.

"Very well. Soldier Immortal, Ax Immortal, Sword Immortal — the three of you are to go and ensure victory."

"Understood!"

"All other forces should pull back and switch to defensive positions."

Emperor Yi consoled himself, thinking that enduring this for now would mean certain victory once Marquis Shen breached the Small Thousand.

But what he could never have foreseen was that victory, slowly but surely, would turn into utter defeat.

Victory, victory, victory — until all was lost.

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