579 Deal (1/2)
”The King of Qin unified the realm and watched it succumb under his tiger-like glare. He clears the skies with a wave of his sword and the feudal lords pay homage to him in the west.”
Fang Yuan was outside of the sword array and recited these verses with a faint smile playing on his lips.
The heavenly mandate of Western Zhou ran counter to the Shang Dynasty's fate. Likewise, the heavenly mandate of Qin ran counter to Western Zhou's fate. The Chaos Sword Array was trying to adjust the conditions within the array such that fate energy from the future would gather and make the Zhou state lose its heavenly mandate!
”The Ancient One and the Western Zhou state are one. He is the heavenly mandate!”
Fang Yuan's gaze seemed to penetrate the sword array. He could see a dark energy coming together to form a majestic black figure who swung a sword.
The Chaos Sword Array let out a deafening sound. The array's power was concentrated on the sword.
”Chirp!”
The Ancient One, still in his form as the Five Elements Purple Phoenix, let out an aggrieved shriek before he was decapitated by the sword.
”Very clever!”
Nuwa had observed the entire proceedings among the clouds. She shook her head.
”Making use of the future heavenly mandate of Qin to curb Zhou's can indeed be quite effective. Still, what's the point in that since the Ancient One can always come back to life after he dies?”
”Kaboom!”
Another change had taken place within the sword array.
After the Five Elements Purple Phoenix had been destroyed, a pillar of energy rushed up into the skies. It was the heavenly mandate and fate energy of the Western Zhou state.
Prince Pan suddenly experienced a pain in his chest and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
”Chirp! Chirp!”
The newly revived Black Bird, the representative of Shang's heavenly mandate, flew in circles above Prince Pan and excreted a black substance from within its body. This substance gathered to form a heavenly pillar that was absorbed into the Chaos Sword Array.
At this moment, in the chaos within the sword array stood three heavenly pillars. They were standing side by side and represented the respective destinies of Shang, Zhou and Qin.
”What are you doing?”
The War God Chi looked at Fang Yuan solemnly. Even Nuwa had an imposing look on her face.
”The fates are supposed to be impartial towards all living creatures. If this should be the case, then why does the heavenly mandate favour the people of a chosen surname, a chosen family and a chosen state?”
Fang Yuan chuckled.
”I shall make a prayer for all living creatures. May the heavenly mandate be based on nothing else but accumulated virtue. Wouldn't it be great if every living creature gets to experience free will?”
”Kaboom!”
As Fang Yuan spoke, the three heavenly pillars were encircled by the chaotic energy and came together as one. The resultant pillar of energy rushed up into the skies and exploded into hundreds of thousands of shooting stars that fell to the earth.
”Every living creature will get to experience free will?!”
Nuwa shuddered. She could almost visualise the future.
”If the general population becomes enlightened, the regimes of the world would no longer be under hereditary rule nor would they continue to place their faith in deities. Is this what equality for mankind entails?”
A deep fear came over Nuwa's heart. She somehow knew that this was the trend of development for the future and that there was no way to alter its course.
She looked at Fang Yuan with mixed emotions.
This alien actually had a better understanding of how this world works than she did. His grasp of the past, present and future developments of the Ancient World even exceeded that of the Tai God!
”Kaboom!”
The sword array blew apart, leaving behind a company of dazed men which included the Marquis.
”Now, whether it is Western Zhou, Shang or the future Qin, they have all lost their heavenly mandates…”
Nuwa let out a sigh.
With the heavenly mandates gone, the Ancient One would no longer be able to engineer the return of his true aura. He was most definitely dead.
This was what Fang Yuan had planned to do!
He had used the future fate energy of the future Qin to deal severe damage to Zhou's heavenly mandate. Then, he had scattered the heavenly mandate all over the world. From now onwards, it would all be down to natural selection. Only the fittest would survive!
”Dragons rise up all the time. Perhaps Western Zhou, Shang and Qin could be content with surviving as feudal states for now. If future members of these families prove to be competent, they might unify the world one day. Anyway, none of this matters anymore.”
Fang Yuan exhaled.
Now that the Ancient One was dead, Fang Yuan's mission in this world was nearly complete. He could leave with no regrets.
”Lady Nuwa…please help me!”
The Marquis bowed down before Nuwa.
”If the sword array has been destroyed…the Shang Dynasty will fall!”
”Yes! The Zhou can destroy the Shang and the Shang can destroy the Zhou as well. It is all up to evolution!”
Nuwa nodded slightly and ascended to the heavens without looking back at the Marquis.
Now that the heavenly mandate no longer existed, Nuwa was no longer compelled nor motivated to act. As the premier deity, why would she want to involve herself in mortal affairs?
”Ah?”
The Marquis was stunned.
”Could it be that the sword array hasn't been overcome yet…and that I've lost the bet?”
The Marquis tried to divine the situation but ended up more confused than ever. He spat out some blood.
”Crack!”
Cracks extended across the penta-coloured suit of armour and sword that he carried before they shattered.
”Father…”
Young Master Wu felt like he had been plunged into freezing water.
Even the Sage had abandoned them. At this point, if Western Zhou was to pit their military strength against the Shang Dynasty in a fair fight, they would most certainly lose!
...
”Mister!”
Prince Pan looked at Er. There was a sort of ambivalence on his face.
Anyone who had witnessed the happenings of a moment before would definitely have much to mull over.
”Are you going to ask me about my plans?”
Fang Yuan smiled.
In truth, after he had dealt with the Ancient One, he could not care less whether the Shang Dynasty survived nor if the Qin Dynasty managed to rise in the future.
'However…I have faith in the radiation and influence from that civilisation of a higher dimension!'
It was obvious that Fang Yuan had achieved victory because of his superior grasp of the world's developmental trends. In other words, he could see the embodiment of fate and destiny!
'The heavenly will of this world was but a puppet under the radiation from the high-dimensional civilisation!'