After being defeated by the Leader of Tongtian, Yuanshi Tianzun returned to Kunlun Mountain, seething with resentment. He knew well that the fate of Chanjiao hung by a thread; if he did not act immediately, the forces of Jiejiao would devour his own like a pack of wolves. Unable to tolerate this, he began a clandestine scheme, intending to manipulate the God-Conferring Tribulation through a series of calculated maneuvers to ensure the survival and expansion of Chanjiao.
The influence of Jiejiao was deeply rooted in the Great Shang, and although they were key players in the God-Conferring Tribulation, Yuanshi Tianzun found it difficult to intervene there directly. Furthermore, his gaze was already fixed on a more distant horizon: Xiqi. He was convinced that the replacement of Shang by Zhou was the immutable decree of heaven, and that Xiqi was the linchpin of this destiny. Thus, he selected Xiqi as his sphere of influence, intending to bolster its strength to gradually erode the rule of the Great Shang, ultimately achieving the goal of replacing the Shang Dynasty with the Zhou.
To realize this, Yuanshi Tianzun employed various tactics. First, he used underhanded means to cause the death of King Di Yi, allowing the young and naive Crown Prince Zi Shou to ascend the throne. Although young, Zi Shou held a noble status, and his ascension provided convenience for Yuanshi Tianzun’s plans.
Chapter 42