I Am King Zhou, Human Emperor!

Yuan Hong understood instantly. The Four Lords were also feudal lords—did those rebellious lords have the support of Deities? Did the Four Lords?

Even if the Four Lords had no Deities backing them, they were still an unstable factor for Great Shang as far as Great Shang was concerned.

Sending the Four Lords to suppress the rebellious lords—no matter the outcome—Great Shang would reap the benefits as the fisherman.

"The King may rest assured. If the Four Lords make the slightest move, I will annihilate them all together!" Yuan Hong said.

Whether Deities, the Four Lords, or the rebellious lords, in his eyes, they were all just chickens and dogs of clay.

The King valued him, and for this campaign, he would naturally give his all to let the King see his abilities.

If he could settle the matter in one decisive battle, it would not be in vain for him to serve as an official in Great Shang, and perhaps what he sought could also be achieved.

"The Four Lords do not necessarily have to be destroyed. If they make any move, you will escort them back to Zhaoge!" Zi Shou said.

Judging from the current situation, aside from Xiqi, which seemed to have ties to the Deities, the other three lords appeared to have no Deities behind them.

But this was only on the surface. No one knew whether it was all an act put on by those three lords and the rebellious lords.

Even with Xiqi, it was hard to say whether Deities stood behind them at this moment.

Although Xiqi would become Great Zhou in the future, Heaven's Mandate had not yet descended, and nothing was certain.

"The King may rest assured. Your subject will not disappoint the King's high expectations!" Yuan Hong said.

Facing Deities, facing rebellious lords, facing the Four Lords—he felt not a trace of worry, but rather an eagerness to act.

The more complex the situation, the stronger the opponent, the more it would showcase his strength.

"Here is an imperial decree written by Our own hand. When Beloved Minister suppresses the rebellion, if any Deity makes a move, you shall read this decree aloud!" Zi Shou said.

The bright yellow imperial decree was written by his own hand, prepared long ago, waiting only for Yuan Hong's arrival.

For him, this was no longer merely a rebellion of lords, but the beginning of a conflict between humans and Deities.

Without proper justification, words carry no weight! As the Human Sovereign, in the conflict between humans and Deities, he must first declare the stance of the human race.

Reading the imperial decree was as if the Human Sovereign himself had arrived. This was to establish legitimacy, to brand those Deities as bringers of calamity to humanity.

"The King may rest assured. I have taken note of this!" Yuan Hong said.

Though he accepted the imperial decree, there was still some doubt in his heart.

Deities or lords—once he led the army there, he could sweep everything away.

Lords rebelling? Just crush them! Deities making a move? Just slay them!

Why read an imperial decree? Too troublesome, and what use was it?

Still, since it was something the King had instructed, despite his doubts, he agreed.

Afterward, Zi Shou and Yuan Hong spoke in detail for a while longer before sending Yuan Hong back to prepare.

He did not ask how Yuan Hong would deploy troops or how he would suppress the rebellious lords.

Though he was the King of Great Shang, he did not need to concern himself with everything, especially matters of marching and warfare.

Since he had entrusted Yuan Hong with leading the army, he had to trust Yuan Hong's abilities. He only needed to see the final result.

"What a benevolent and virtuous Marquis of the West. Let's see how you practice your benevolence this time!" Zi Shou murmured to himself.

When Marquis Su Hu of Ji Province rebelled against Shang, it was Marquis of the West, Ji Chang, who repeatedly defended him, leading to Su Hu offering his daughter to atone for his crime.

Now, with the lords in rebellion, the other three lords had suffered repeated setbacks, while only the Marquis of the West advanced triumphantly.

Moreover, without experiencing any bloody battles, the rebellious lords had voluntarily surrendered.

The armies of these rebellious lords were taken by the Marquis of the West, and their territories likewise fell into his hands.

Thus, the other three lords lost troops and generals, suffering heavy losses, while only the Marquis of the West's strength increased rather than decreased.

More critically, now all of Great Shang was saying that the Marquis of the West was unmatched in benevolence and virtue, which was why the rebellious lords had submitted.

Without spending a single soldier, he had gained a great reputation and significantly bolstered his own strength.

Calling the Marquis of the West the foremost lord of Great Shang was no exaggeration—it was already fact.

Xiqi was the key to the future Canonization of the Gods and a festering threat to Great Shang. Naturally, he could not sit by and watch Xiqi grow stronger step by step.

However, to take something, one must first give something!

It seemed that Xiqi was gradually growing stronger in this rebellion, but this opportunity was given by him, and he had long prepared a countermeasure.

Yuan Hong leading the army was only the first step. From this day forward, Xiqi's good days would come to an end.

Facing the rebellion of the lords, Great Shang had finally sent out troops, but the one leading the army was an unknown figure.

This matter was spreading across the realm at great speed, and a conflict between humans and Deities had thus begun.

"Big Brother, in this campaign, we must display the might of our Meishan Seven Saints and let everyone know our abilities!"

The speaker was a burly man named Jin Dasheng, one of the Meishan Seven Saints, like Yuan Hong.

After meeting the King and learning that the King did not care about his identity as a member of the Demon Race, Yuan Hong had completely set his mind at ease.

All Seven Saints of Meishan had joined Great Shang together, becoming officials of Great Shang, and for this campaign, they had all come in full force.

As for those rebellious lords, Yuan Hong paid them little heed, and the other six saints felt the same.

Let us not even mention the vast disparity in strength between the two sides; they were also fully confident in their own abilities.

A mere vassal rebellion—in their minds, once they arrived, capturing it would be as easy as reaching into a pocket.

The key was how to display the might of the Meishan Seven Saints, so they could firmly establish themselves in Great Shang.

"Well said. This battle must not only be swift, but also spectacular!" Yuan Hong declared.

As members of the Demon Race, they were already in an awkward position among humans, yet The King placed such trust in them, the Meishan Seven Saints.

If they failed to deliver a satisfactory result on this campaign, how could they justify that trust?

Thus, when they set out, he had already resolved that this battle would shake the world.

The Meishan Seven Saints, brimming with confidence, led their army on a swift march and soon arrived at the territory of a rebellious vassal.

What they did not expect was that before they could launch an attack, the enemy came to them first.

This infuriated the Meishan Seven Saints—the enemy was clearly treating them like a dish to be devoured.

Was it not so? Their army outnumbered the enemy several times over, yet the enemy dared to strike first. If that wasn't treating them like a dish, what was?

The Meishan Seven Saints had originally wanted to make a name for themselves in one battle, and this situation suited their wishes perfectly.

There was nothing more to say. At this moment, they could not afford to back down, and they unhesitatingly chose to engage.

The army deployed in formation, ready for a real fight with real weapons. The Meishan Seven Saints were naturally full of confidence.

But just then, a vast force surged forth, the earth began to tremble, and a towering figure appeared.

"So this is why the enemy was so arrogant—they had a backer!" Yuan Hong said disdainfully.

To ordinary humans, that vast power and towering figure seemed like a heavenly god.

But they were the Meishan Seven Saints, powerful beings of the Demon Race themselves. How could they not understand what was happening?

That vast aura and towering figure was actually just a Mountain God.

A Mountain God appointed by the Heavenly Court, governing a mountain range, possessing not only considerable cultivation but also the power to move mountains and shake the earth.

With the help of a Deity, it was no wonder that rebellious vassal dared to be so bold—he likely thought victory was certain.

How could he not win?

With a Deity's aid, dealing with an ordinary mortal army left no room for suspense.

"This land is under My protection. You aid the tyrant in his evil deeds—surrender at once!"

The booming voice echoed between heaven and earth, shaking countless humans and stirring fear in their hearts.

Yuan Hong, however, was furious. What had he just heard? He had heard the phrase "aid the tyrant in his evil deeds."

"Tyrant" undoubtedly referred to The King. What a slander! And where did that leave them?

"Outrageous! A mere Mountain God dares to spout nonsense here? Today, I, Yuan Hong, will slay you, this wild god!"

Yuan Hong took a step forward, standing firm in midair, gripping the One Qi Water and Fire Rod, his rage blazing to the heavens.

His aura was in no way inferior to that Mountain God's—in fact, it far surpassed it, shaking heaven and earth, shattering the sky.

His fury had reached its peak. When the master is insulted, the servant dies. With The King so defamed, only blood could wash it all away.

"What is your origin? Do you not know that I am a Deity appointed by the Heavenly Court? How dare you act so recklessly?"

The voice was still booming, but it clearly carried a note of bluster, showing that he had sensed Yuan Hong's strength.

With Yuan Hong's power—unmatched below the Golden Immortal realm—this Mountain God was naturally no match for him.

Yet, though inwardly wary, the thought of being a Deity appointed by the Heavenly Court calmed him considerably.

So what if his opponent was stronger than him?

He had backing. Leaning on the great tree of the Heavenly Court, even a stronger foe would have to show some respect.

Besides, this time he was not acting on his own whim as a king—he was following the Jade Emperor's decree. Who would dare to do anything to him?