This side of Xich Qi did not explicitly say "Xich Qi Ji Chang, never envying the Zhou" but the actual meaning was conveyed.
At this time, without Ji Zitia's help in governing the state, the national strength was far behind that of ten years later. Therefore, the old man Ji Chang did not raise the banner of "Zhou", but chose to follow suit with King Ding Yin from Nanyang, maintaining a nominal status as a subject while actually initiating military confrontation.
The Shang Dynasty and the four Marquisates were almost like a unipolar world with several strong powers. Now, warfare is raging on all sides, and Ji Chang believes that there is still an opportunity for his side.
The sages had no reaction to this. Ten years ago was just a blink, in the eyes of the sages, ten years and one hundred years are all fleeting, they have little concrete understanding.
Now, the strength of Xich Qi is insufficient, and taking action too early will result in significant sacrifices. As for this issue, the sages care even less.
The will of heaven is to establish the Zhou Dynasty and destroy the Shang Dynasty, but your Zhou still needs to strengthen itself and stand on its own. Can you really expect us, the sages, to go and fight for you? If you can't even withstand a wave of attacks from the Shang Dynasty, how can you expect us, the disciples of the three schools, to risk our lives? What beautiful dream are you dreaming up?
Only Taishou, who paid more attention to Xich Qi, looked at it twice. He first sent Yu Liu Sun, who had been kneeling for half a year, back to the mountain. As for the previous incident, he would let it go this time and warn him to be careful next time. Then he spoke to Jiang Zitia, saying "You were born with a thin fate and it is difficult for you to achieve immortality. Now the Shang Dynasty's reign is coming to an end and the Zhou Dynasty will rise." He did not grant any treasure and just let him go down the mountain "to support the enlightened master".
Jiang Ziya pleaded desperately, repeatedly expressing that he did not desire earthly riches and fame, but only wished to practice diligently in the mountains.
Taishou Heavenly Sage demonstrated great indifference, waving for him to leave and return to the human world.
"Oh? Are you also going to descend the mountain, Ziya?" Yu Liu Sun, who was as dark as night and fat as a pig, was shameless enough to kneel in front of Yujing Palace for six months. After his teacher forgave him, he stood up with a normal face and showed no signs of the high spirit of the Xuanjiao Twelve Golden Immortals. He happily started to walk down the mountain. Just when he reached the foot of Kunlun Mountain, he met Jiang Ziya who was carrying his baggage.
The thoughts of the sages are inscrutable to everyone. Yu Liu Sun and Jiang Ziya are both second-generation disciples. Even in the Ten Extremes Formation, where Deng Hua and Qin Zhen, who had less than a hundred words of appearance time before being taken out of action, were also second-generation disciples.
The disciples differ greatly, and Jiang Ziya dares not show off in front of Yu Liu Sun.
"Greetings to the elder brother... Teacher, the teacher has commanded me to descend the mountain."
He responded in a hesitant and halting manner.
Jiang Ziya was still chopping wood in the mountains this morning, but by noon he was notified to leave and return to the human world. His descent was almost like being cast out from the sect, a fate that was too dark for Jiang Ziya, who had been steadfast in his pursuit of the Dao for four decades and had never wavered. Today's encounter was truly abysmal for him.
Yu Liu Sun was aware of some details about the "Bian Shen Bang" but, unlike Guang Chengzi's favorite disciples, his relationship with Taishou Heavenly Sage was not as close. Consequently, his expression revealed a subtle shift.
Yu Liu Sun's ability to follow Master Danran and rebel against the Xuanjiao sect, to join the Western teaching, and to become a Buddha on the spot shortly thereafter, shows his unique wisdom.
Yu Liu Sun's mind stirred: "Coincidence is fate, Ziya. Do you have a place to stay? Why not follow me to Jiaolong Mountain for a few days?"
Jiang Ziya's mind was now a tangled mess. He remembered Taishou Heavenly Sage's words to "Reign over Zhou and Overthrow the Shang Dynasty," but to say that he had no resistance in his heart and was ready to be a "Tool Person" without any thoughts of rebellion? He did not want to be like this now.
He is from the East Sea. Whether it's the Eastern Marquis or the two hundred marquises of the Eastern region, they have always shown extreme loyalty to the Shang Dynasty. He went up the mountain at the age of 32, and at that age, his world view and life view were already mature. Pursuing immortality is not brainwashing; he has a sense of belonging to the Shang Dynasty.
In recent years, the Shang Dynasty occupied central ground, while the four marquates guarded the four directions. Under the Shang Dynasty's intentional provocation, people in the east looked down upon those in the west, and southerners and northerners disdained each other. As a genuine native of the East Sea, Jiang Ziya had some contempt for Xich Qi.
He dared not directly defy the order of Taishou Heavenly Sage, but to delay a bit and find an excuse was perfectly fine.
"Then, let it be as the elder brother suggests."
The two of them arrived at Jiaolong Mountain. After Yu Liu Sun shouted four or five times to open the mountain gate, Jiang Ziya also met his nephew, Tu Xingsun, whose actual age was even older than his own and who had been practicing Daoism for a hundred years.
After drinking heavily for three consecutive days, Jiang Ziya told everything he knew. He then took his leave from Master Yu Liu Sun and his disciple, leaving Jiaolong Mountain with a rather melancholic back.
Tu Xingsun had no prior knowledge of the events surrounding the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty. During these three days, he listened to many insider stories.
As soon as Jiang Ziya left, Tu Xingsun whispered to Master Yu Liu Sun: "Master, what does it mean when you say that the Zhou Dynasty will rise and the Shang Dynasty will fall...? The Qiang uncle with his ordinary cultivation level is granted the privilege of enjoying worldly wealth and fame. Why?"
He was just short of saying outright that he should have been the one to go instead.
Master Yu Liu Sun's opinion of his apprentice was becoming increasingly negative. "You are a foolish pig-headed person!", he thought to himself. "To directly confront the Yin Dynasty, what kind of karma will you have to bear? The reason why the Xuanjiao sect sent Jiang Ziya down the mountain was to let him serve as a buffer for the second and third-generation disciples, so that they wouldn't have to take the brunt of enemy attacks."
He was very dissatisfied with Tu Xingsun's greed, but a master still had his limits.
"Your Qiang uncle has a thin fate, his path to immortality is blocked, and he can only waste his time in the mortal world. Don't follow in his footsteps. Strive to practice the Jindeng Immortal Technique and one day achieve the gathering of the three flowers at the top of your head and the convergence of the five elements to reach the origin. Think about it, there will be a time for you to descend from the mountain."
Fearful Retainer's admonition was actually quite sincere. Tu Xingsun merely nodded in agreement on the surface, but when Fearful Retainer went to meditate, he finally revealed his true intentions.
After suffering the relentless beatings from Wei Hu and Jin Zha, Tu Xingsun was brimming with resentment towards practicing Daoism.
In the original timeline, after being deceived by Shen Gonglei into believing that he "could enjoy earthly riches," that version of Tu Xingsun, without hesitation, stole Fearful Retainer's Immortal Binding Rope.
Now that Jujun San is meditating, Tu Xingsun has made the same choice, opening the cave's forbidden seal and taking away Jujun San's Immortal Binding Rope.
Tu Xingsun's personality has a few widely recognized characteristics.
Greedy, lewd, cunning, and a thief by nature, he has a bit of cleverness but lacks great wisdom and long-range vision.
His personality is particularly extreme and arrogant. In front of the illusory "earthly pleasures" mentioned by Shen Gongbao, the long-standing teacher-student relationship can be abandoned at will. He believes that so-called "earthly pleasures" are something he himself can obtain if he wants them.
In the same way now, he discarded Fearful Retainer's warnings and, holding the Immortal Binding Rope, left Jiaolong Mountain without looking back.
After descending the mountain, he oriented himself and traveled to Xich Qi using his earth walking technique.
During the drinking session, Jiang Ziya mentioned that he planned to visit Zhogu first to see the current situation of the Yin Dynasty. Tu Xingsun felt that he should seize an opportunity and go to Xich Qi first, as destiny was in Xich Qi. By doing so at this time, he believed that he could easily obtain worldly wealth.
