He had been at a disadvantage in his battle with Jiang Ziya.
This time, in the war between Shang and Zhou, they had killed thousands of the enemy's elite troops. Great Shang had indeed won, and it could be said that Deng Jiugong had defeated Jiang Ziya.
Great Shang had won a crushing victory in the war against Zhou.
Countless soldiers cheered excitedly in Deng Jiugong's camp.
They had fought a splendid battle. Not only had they killed thousands of the enemy's elite troops, but they had also killed Jiang Ziya's second disciple, Dragon Beard Tiger, and captured Tu Xingsun.
Deng Jiugong and the other generals returned to the camp of Cheng Tang.
The greatest credit for Deng Jiugong's victory this time belonged to Kong Xuan.
With Kong Xuan there, Deng Chanyu had not been captured by Tu Xingsun, and Juliusun had been driven back.
"Marshal, what do you think we should do with Tu Xingsun?"
Kong Xuan held Tu Xingsun up in one hand as if he were a helpless chicken, and asked.
Tu Xingsun was so short that, dangling from Kong Xuan's hand, his feet couldn't touch the ground. He had no way to escape underground.
"Marshal, I, Tu Xingsun, rendered you great service before. Please spare my life!"
Tu Xingsun put on a pitiful face and brought up the service he had rendered in Deng Jiugong's camp, hoping to earn his forgiveness.
Knowing that he was now a prisoner, Tu Xingsun naturally didn't dare mention his wish to become Deng Jiugong's son-in-law.
Deng Jiugong looked at Tu Xingsun, narrowing his eyes.
This little runt looked like that and still wanted to marry his beautiful daughter?
What a toad wishing to eat swan meat!
When Deng Jiugong said nothing and scrutinized him, Tu Xingsun seemed to glimpse hope.
Deng Jiugong's hesitation meant there was a chance, so Tu Xingsun spoke at once.
"Marshal, when you and Miss were injured, I gave you immortal pills to heal your wounds. I helped both you and Miss recover!"
At this, Deng Jiugong furrowed his brows.
That had indeed happened.
It was a convincing excuse.
However, Deng Jiugong knew that in the original history, captured generals from Xiqi had merely been imprisoned. In the end, they were all rescued and went back to attacking Great Shang.
By contrast, when Great Shang's generals were captured, almost all of them were executed.
Deng Jiugong really wanted to kill Tu Xingsun.
After all, letting a disciple of the Chan Sect go was like releasing a tiger back into the mountains.
That was the last thing Deng Jiugong wanted to see.
Yet Tu Xingsun had indeed helped heal Deng Jiugong and Deng Chanyu.
That made things difficult!
"Ding dong! The system has detected the host's current situation. God-Tier Options are now available!"
"Option One: Release Tu Xingsun. No reward!"
"Option Two: Imprison Tu Xingsun. Reward: one Innate Spirit Fruit!"
Just then, the system's notification rang in Deng Jiugong's mind.
Deng Jiugong was taken aback.
This was a single-choice question!
But did the system mean it didn't want him to kill Tu Xingsun?
Could it be that killing him after he had helped heal Deng Jiugong would amount to repaying kindness with enmity?
Would that incur tremendous karmic consequences?
Whatever the reason, Deng Jiugong would choose whatever benefited him most.
I choose Option Two! Deng Jiugong thought.
"Ding dong! The host has made a choice. Reward: one Innate Spirit Fruit!"
The system delivered the reward immediately.
"Tu Xingsun," Deng Jiugong began.
"Yes!"
Tu Xingsun hurriedly answered, his face full of hope.
"You did render me a service before, and you helped heal both me and Chanyu."
"But you are a disciple of the Chan Sect, and an enemy of Great Shang."
"Besides, you joined forces with Xiqi this time to scheme against my Chanyu and capture me, Deng Jiugong. Such a grave crime cannot be forgiven."
"Your crimes outweigh your merits. Do you really think I can still spare you?"
Deng Jiugong spoke slowly.
Tu Xingsun's expression changed. He looked as if he were about to burst into tears.
"Put Tu Xingsun in an iron cage and lock him in the dungeon. We'll decide what to do with him later!" Deng Jiugong ordered.
Kong Xuan then took Tu Xingsun away, put him in an iron cage, and suspended it in the dungeon. That way, Tu Xingsun had no chance of escaping.
Kong Xuan soon returned.
Kong Xuan's reputation in camp had soared. Clearly, Tailuan wasn't the only one who had changed his opinion of Kong Xuan; all the soldiers in camp now admired him.
"Marshal, Tu Xingsun has been imprisoned," Kong Xuan reported.
Kong Xuan didn't care that the others had changed their opinions of him.
As long as he protected Great Shang, that was enough!
"Kong Xuan, well done!"
Deng Jiugong rose and patted Kong Xuan on the shoulder, looking every bit like an elder praising a promising junior. Kong Xuan could only sigh inwardly.
"Marshal, these are the spoils from this battle!"
Kong Xuan didn't dodge Deng Jiugong's hand. Instead, he took out a gourd containing immortal pills, the Immortal Binding Rope he had taken from Juliusun, and Tu Xingsun's iron staff.
The immortal pills had been taken from Tu Xingsun, but their grade was too low to be of any use to Kong Xuan, so he brought them all out.
As for the Immortal Binding Rope, though it was powerful enough to bind even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, it was useless to Kong Xuan as well.
Tu Xingsun's iron staff was even less worth mentioning. Its grade was simply too low for Kong Xuan.
So Kong Xuan brought everything out and gave it to Deng Jiugong, knowing it would help strengthen his power.
"What a treasure!"
Deng Jiugong raised a hand and took the Immortal Binding Rope, unable to hide his delight.
It was said that there were many Immortal Binding Ropes, and that they varied in grade.
The Immortal Binding Rope in Juliusun's possession was his prized treasure, so its grade couldn't be low.
It was at least a High-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure, and might even be a Top-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure.
That's right!
The Immortal Binding Rope wasn't an Innate Spirit Treasure, but an Acquired Spirit Treasure.
In the primordial world, Innate Spirit Treasures were limited in number. There couldn't possibly be many of them.
This Immortal Binding Rope was an immortal treasure forged from dragon sinews and various other materials, so it belonged to the acquired category.
"Remove the divine sense imprint."
Deng Jiugong handed the Immortal Binding Rope back to Kong Xuan.
With Juliusun's divine sense imprint still on it, Deng Jiugong couldn't refine it at all.
As for the gourd of immortal pills, he put it away.
"Right, I should remove it!"
Kong Xuan had forgotten about that. He took the rope back.
After all, Juliusun was a powerful Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Deng Jiugong wasn't strong enough to remove the divine sense imprint of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, but Kong Xuan could do it easily.
However, after taking the Immortal Binding Rope, Kong Xuan hesitated.
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