"May I ask where you came from, Daoist, and what brings you here?" Zi Shou asked calmly.
He naturally knew Yun Zhongzi's identity. He was a Golden Immortal of the Exposition Sect, and a disciple of Sage Yuanshi Tianzun.
Moreover, Yun Zhongzi was a Blessed Golden Immortal, fated to suffer no calamity or hardship. That made him quite extraordinary.
What puzzled Zi Shou was why Yun Zhongzi had come at this particular time.
The Canonization of the Gods had already been decided. Yuanshi Tianzun held the Investiture of the Gods List, and Jiang Ziya had already become his disciple.
Great Shang had around twenty years of fortune left, and Zi Shou, as King Zhou, was destined to lose his kingdom.
As a Golden Immortal of the Exposition Sect, Yun Zhongzi couldn't possibly be unaware of the Canonization of the Gods. So why had he come to see him?
"I was cultivating in seclusion on Zhongnan Mountain. Recently, I climbed to a high place and looked into the distance, only to see demonic energy gathering in Chaoge City. So I came here," Yun Zhongzi said.
Just as expected, Yun Zhongzi had come to exterminate demons. But that only confused Zi Shou even more.
Since Yun Zhongzi knew about the Canonization of the Gods, he should have known that the Exposition Sect intended to help Zhou overthrow Shang.
From that perspective, the Exposition Sect and Great Shang were natural enemies. Yet Yun Zhongzi had come to exterminate demons.
As a Golden Immortal of the Exposition Sect, helping him, King Zhou—wasn't that just aiding the enemy?
"May I ask, Daoist, how you intend to exterminate the demons?" Zi Shou asked.
Whatever Yun Zhongzi's purpose, since he had come to deal with the demons, Zi Shou was naturally glad to see it.
Besides, if Goddess Nüwa blamed anyone afterward, she would blame Yun Zhongzi, not him, King Zhou.
If the Exposition Sect and Goddess Nüwa became enemies because of this, that would be wonderful news indeed.
"It's simple. This sword is made from a thousand-year-old pine. Just hang it above the palace gate, and the demons will surely perish within three days," Yun Zhongzi said.
Zi Shou took the Pine Wood Sword. It looked crude, but he could feel a mighty, righteous force gathered within it.
"Daoist, since these are demons, I'm afraid this sword alone may not be enough. Why not deal with them yourself?" Zi Shou asked.
As far as he knew, Yun Zhongzi had made the sword himself. A sword crafted by a Golden Immortal of his stature was naturally no ordinary weapon.
Zi Shou believed that if he hung the sword above the palace gate, the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb probably wouldn't last three days.
But that was very different from having Yun Zhongzi deal with them personally. Since Zi Shou had the chance to meet Yun Zhongzi, he didn't want to let it slip by.
Yun Zhongzi had looked calm, but after hearing this, he gave King Zhou a rather surprised glance.
"Your Majesty may not know this, but everything in the world is determined by fate. Even I must follow the course of fate and cannot act as I please.
"But rest assured, Your Majesty. Just hang this sword above the palace gate, and in three days, the demons will certainly be eradicated!" Yun Zhongzi said.
Zi Shou fell silent. At last, he understood: this Golden Immortal of the Exposition Sect hadn't really come to exterminate demons.
If he hung the sword above the palace gate, the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb would be reduced to ashes three days later, and Goddess Nüwa would surely fly into a rage.
After all, Yun Zhongzi had only come to deliver the sword. Whether to use it was up to him, the king.
Good grief! First he had blasphemed Goddess Nüwa at her temple, and now he was going to kill the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb.
What would Goddess Nüwa think?
This was a provocation against a Sage. It would be strange if Goddess Nüwa didn't fly into a rage.
If he didn't hang the sword above the palace gate for three days and the three demons survived, wouldn't that mean that he, King Zhou, was beyond saving?
From the very beginning, exterminating demons had only been a pretext for Yun Zhongzi's visit. His real purpose was to test him.
He wanted to see whether King Zhou had been bewitched by the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb, and whether his recent change in behavior was genuine.
"If Daoist is unwilling to act, then you may take this sword back," Zi Shou said.
He knew Yun Zhongzi was testing him. He could have accepted the Pine Wood Sword and then destroyed it.
Yun Zhongzi would then probably think he had already been bewitched by the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb, and he could put his mind at ease.
Keeping a low profile, developing in silence, and quietly building up his strength would have been a reasonable way to respond.
But he simply didn't want to do that!
"What do you mean, Your Majesty? If you know there are demons, why refuse the sword?" Yun Zhongzi asked, surprised once more.
Since meeting King Zhou, this was the second time he had been taken aback. Things had all gone somewhat differently from what he expected.
He had considered many possibilities, but never once had he imagined King Zhou would refuse the sword!
"I am the Human Sovereign. My Human Race will deal with a few demons ourselves. Why should we need the Exposition Sect to intervene?" Zi Shou said gravely.
If he truly wanted to kill the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb, he would have had Grand Tutor Wen come to the palace and slay them. Why would he need Yun Zhongzi?
He could see Yun Zhongzi's surprise, but from beginning to end, this Golden Immortal of the Exposition Sect had never looked him in the eye.
Taibai Jinxing had been the same. He had been somewhat surprised by Zi Shou, but that was all.
Even if it was just to stand up for himself, Zi Shou was done pretending. Besides, why should he need to hide who he was?
As Grand Tutor Wen had said, the Human Path Luck was now flourishing, brilliant as the Great Sun hanging high in the sky. As the Human Sovereign, what did he have to fear?
"So the Human Sovereign already knew about this?" Yun Zhongzi asked in surprise.
That was the third time Yun Zhongzi had been surprised. Before coming to Chaoge City, he had indeed learned a few things, but he hadn't paid them much attention.
Now, though, it seemed King Zhou was not only beyond his expectations, but also knew a great deal.
Had a Jie Sect Disciple told him? There were indeed many Jie Sect Disciples serving as officials in Great Shang, and they might have revealed the Canonization of the Gods.
The fact that Yun Zhongzi had changed the way he addressed King Zhou already showed that he had realized certain things.
"Why keep testing me? I'll make it clear right here and now: the Exposition Sect has no right to meddle in the affairs of my Human Race!
"If you insist on going your own way, I won't agree, and neither will the countless people of the Human Race!" Zi Shou said gravely.
Testing him! Even now, Yun Zhongzi was still testing him!
What was there left to test? He might as well turn the table over and see what Yun Zhongzi could do then.
"Then it seems I came to the right place. But I must remind the Human Sovereign: the Canonization of the Gods has been decided. It is the Heavenly Dao General Trend, and no one can change it!"
Yun Zhongzi made another salute, then turned and left without waiting for King Zhou to reply.
"Daoist, I know nothing of the Heavenly Dao General Trend. I only know that man can conquer Heaven!"
Though the words had come somewhat abruptly, it was time to tell All Gods and Buddhas that the Human Race's fate—and his own—was not for them to decide.
Yun Zhongzi left. He had come to test Zi Shou, and now that he had his answer, there was no reason to stay.
He didn't even take the Pine Wood Sword with him. He had made it casually, so he didn't care much about it.
Zi Shou toyed with the Pine Wood Sword in his hand and pondered for a while. Then he saw Su Daji and the two other demons approaching gracefully.
The three demons hadn't left. As soon as they saw Shang Rong and Yun Zhongzi depart, they came straight over.
There was no need to guess: the three demons had probably decided that today they would definitely take him down.
"Your Majesty!" Su Daji came close, her every movement alluring.
The Nine-Tailed Pheasant Spirit and the Jade-Faced Pipa Spirit were just as radiant, their eyes seeming to glisten with tears.
"An Daoist came by just now. He said there were demons in my Inner Palace, and even gave me a sword," Zi Shou said.
As he spoke, he raised the Pine Wood Sword in his hand and gestured toward Su Daji and the other two demons.
Just as he expected, the three demons were instantly overcome with alarm. Their alluring smiles vanished without a trace.
They all took several steps back without thinking. Their eyes were filled with fear, and the Jade-Faced Pipa Spirit was already trembling.
"Your Majesty, how could there be demons in the Inner Palace? That Daoist was probably just trying to make a spectacle of himself!" Su Daji said pitifully.
The moment she saw the Pine Wood Sword, she knew something was wrong. She even felt as if she might collapse and be reduced to ashes at any moment.
There was no need to guess. The Daoist who had given him the sword must have been a mighty being of terrifying cultivation.
Though she was secretly alarmed, anger also filled her heart. She wasn't a demon without a powerful patron.
She was here to bewitch King Zhou on Goddess Nüwa's orders. Who would dare ruin her plans?
She had nearly taken King Zhou down today, but now this unexpected complication had appeared. How was she supposed to act?
She couldn't even make a move. With the Pine Wood Sword here, she didn't dare stay in the Inner Palace—how could she possibly bewitch King Zhou?
"That Daoist also said to hang the sword above the palace gate and the demons would die within three days. I wonder if he was just boasting!
"Tell me, my beloved consort, should I hang the sword above the palace gate and expose that Daoist for what he really is?" Zi Shou said with a faint smile.
He had no intention of hanging the Pine Wood Sword, but that didn't stop him from frightening the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb.
"Your Majesty, why believe some country Daoist? If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave!"
The three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb hurried away, leaving no one behind. It was hard to say whether they would flee the Inner Palace altogether.
Whatever happened, Zi Shou would have some peace and quiet for a while. He had plenty to do in the days ahead.
Elsewhere, Yun Zhongzi left Chaoge City and headed straight for the Jade Void Palace on Mount Kunlun.
As soon as he arrived at the Jade Void Palace, a young attendant came to escort him to a hall, where someone was already waiting.
Before you continue