Chapter 469: The Emperor of Man Draws His Sword and Asks the Emperor of Heaven
The monk Sha was originally a mortal on earth, which is clearly recorded in Journey to the West:"Old Sha was originally an ordinary man, but he sought the truth because he was afraid of reincarnation. He traveled to the corners of the sea and wandered around the world... He surpassed the heavens, worshipped the Mysterious Sky, was awarded the title of General of the Curtain, served as the driver of the Phoenix Chariot and Dragon Chariot, and was given the title of General."
……
And who is Dayu?After the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, there were Xia, Shang, and Zhou...
Dayu made great contributions in flood control and saved people from the flood; he cast the Nine Cauldrons, suppressed the destiny of the Nine Provinces, and established the foundation of Daxia.
Dayu was the founding monarch of the Xia Dynasty, the "Emperor of Xia" and the "Saint King Yu".
All human beings in the world call Dayu "the ancestor of mankind", "the emperor of mankind", "the king of mankind"... there is no problem with that at all.
Although he, General Juanlian, is now a deity, he was once a mortal.
General Juanlian looked at Dayu and bowed quickly, his voice filled with excitement and respect:
"Meet the Great Emperor Yu."
"Why is Emperor Yu here?"
"What's the point?"
Behind General Juanlian, a group of human heavenly soldiers heard what was said and looked up at Dayu.
Most of them are of human origin, and have been exposed to the deeds of Dayu, the emperor of mankind, since childhood, and are full of respect for him.
When they learned that the man in front of them was Dayu, their eyes were full of reverence, and they bowed respectfully and said:
"I've met the Human Emperor!"
Dayu nodded slightly, looked at General Juanlian, and said in a deep voice:"I have come to see the Jade Emperor. Please allow me to report."
Upon hearing this, General Juanlian said:
"Don't dare."
"Emperor Yu, please come in."
……
Before the Shang Dynasty, the status of the Emperor was actually not that low.
The Human Emperor is regarded as a being equal to the gods.
For example, King Zhou, as the last emperor of mankind, could communicate directly with Nuwa and even dared to compose obscene poems to tease Nuwa.
Nuwa wanted to punish King Zhou, but gave up because the luck of the Shang Dynasty had not yet ended. She could only send the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb to confuse King Zhou and destroy the foundation of the Human Emperor.
Yang Jian once tried to assassinate King Zhou, but failed because King Zhou was protected by the Human Emperor's Qi.
Even those as powerful as Kong Xuan, the number one man under the Saint, Yuan Hong, the Monkey King, and Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King... need to obey the orders of the Human Emperor in the human kingdom.
Yun Zhongzi, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Yuxu, also needs to ask for permission first if he wants to meet the Human Emperor.
Only after getting the approval of the Human Emperor can Yun Zhongzi meet the Human Emperor.
But after the demise of the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty replaced the "Emperor of Man" with the "Son of Heaven".
The rulers of the world were downgraded from being "equal to God" to "shepherding the people on behalf of God", emphasizing that "the king's power is granted by God."
From then on, the Human Emperor was a pure Son of Heaven. The Emperor was the son of God and he governed the people on behalf of God.
During the Tang Dynasty.
A tiny Dragon King of the Jing River could cause chaos and disturb Li Shimin, making him unable to sleep well.
The ghost messengers in the underworld can lure Li Shimin's ghost to the underworld.
When Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he would worship toward the sky, and all the civil and military officials would kneel down and burn incense.
Xia was before the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
As the "ancestor of the Xia Dynasty", Dayu is naturally the well-deserved emperor of mankind.
Although the Human Emperor is now weak and not as powerful as some ordinary gods.
But Dayu's position in the hearts of human beings remains irreplaceable.
Facing Dayu.
The general who rolled up the curtain slightly stepped aside, made way for him, made an inviting gesture, and said respectfully:
"Emperor Yu, please follow me."
Dayu was not polite either. He walked towards the depths of the heaven with steady steps.
"That's the former Emperor Yu!"
"Dayu hasn't appeared in the Three Realms for a long time."
"What is Emperor Dayu doing here?"
……
A group of heavenly soldiers and generals stood there, looking at Dayu's back, their hearts full of awe and curiosity, wondering what the long-lost ancient emperor of mankind was doing in the heaven this time.
Afterwards, General Juanlian opened the ladder to heaven and led Dayu up the ladder and went directly to No. 33.
……
Outside Tongming Palace.
The four great heavenly masters Zhang Daoling, Xu Jingyang, Ge Xianweng and Qiu Hongji are stationed here.
See General Juanlian leading Dayu coming.
"Emperor Yu..."
Zhang Daoling felt a tightness in his heart when he saw this.
He knew very well that Dayu was the ancestor of the human race and had made great contributions, but he didn't know why he came here rashly at this time.
Zhang Daoling hesitated for a long time, but still stepped forward, bowed slightly, and asked respectfully:"Emperor Dayu, I wonder why you are here this time?"
Dayu glanced at Zhang Daoling and said:
"I have something to ask the Jade Emperor. Please allow me to report."
Zhang Daoling did not dare to be negligent in the slightest, let alone ask any more questions.
He turned around in a hurry and walked into the Tongming Palace. Under the Lingxiao Palace, he solemnly reported to the Jade Emperor:"Your Majesty, Emperor Dayu requests an audience."
The Jade Emperor sat high on the throne in the Lingxiao Palace, raised his eyes slightly, and said:
"Xuan."
If we say that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are the spokesmen of the human race, they are even the spokesmen of humanity.
Then he, the Jade Emperor, is the absolute spokesperson for the Way of Heaven and is in charge of the laws and order of the three realms.
Now, among the three paths of heaven, earth and man, the path of man is like a vine clinging to a big tree, relying on the path of heaven for its survival.
The status of an emperor on earth is not much different from that of an ordinary dragon king who rules a region.
Although the emperor of the human world enjoys supreme power in the human world, he is just a small vassal in the overall pattern of the three realms.
Although the ancient human emperor was once powerful and fearless, he was only in charge of the human world.
But he, the Jade Emperor, is the master of the three realms, commanding the heaven, earth and man.
No matter whether it is the gods in heaven, the emperors on earth, the ghosts on earth, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Lingshan...all must bow down before the Jade Emperor, the Lord of the Three Realms.
Whether it was Dayu's flood control or his stabilization of the Nine Provinces... these were all his achievements in the human world, and they were more inclined towards the governance and development of the human world.
If we broaden our horizons and look at the three realms of heaven, earth and man, for example: Tathagata Buddha suppressed the River Styx, the Ten Kings of Hell governed the underworld, Dou Mu Yuanjun quelled the rebellion in the lower realm... these are all achievements.
As for him, the Jade Emperor, he governs the three realms, commands the heavens, the human world, and the earthly world. He is the chief of all gods in the three realms and the lord of all spirits in the three realms.
Today, the Human Emperor of the Lower World is nothing more than "an imperial power bestowed by God, shepherding the people on behalf of Heaven."
Not long after.
Zhang Tianshi led Dayu to Lingxiao Palace.
……
skyline.
Thirty-three days.
In the supreme Lingxiao Palace.
The Emperor of Heaven meets the Emperor of Man.
At this time, the Emperor of Heaven sat high on the throne in the sky, majestic and awe-inspiring, just like the scorching sun hanging high in the sky, overlooking all living beings in the three realms.
And Dayu, the former emperor of mankind, has retired to the Huoyun Cave, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, but the aura of an emperor who looks down on the world is still as strong as before.
The other relevant people around are all smart people in the heavenly realm, and their ability to observe words and expressions has already been perfected.
At this moment, they were keenly aware of the tense atmosphere in the Lingxiao Palace, as if a storm was about to come.
In an instant, everyone's expressions froze, and they consciously bowed and retreated, hurriedly not daring to stay for a moment, for fear of being involved in the huge storm that might be caused.
As the Jade Emperor's personal guard, General Juanlian led a team of golden-armored heavenly soldiers to guard the Jade Emperor.
Dayu strode forward a few steps, bowed to the Jade Emperor, and said in a loud and steady voice:"I have met the Great Heavenly Lord."
The Jade Emperor raised his eyes slightly, his gaze was cold, and he asked calmly:"Emperor Yu, why did you come to the heaven instead of staying in the Fire Cloud Cave to enjoy your leisure time?" Dayu looked solemn, took a deep breath, and said:
"Great Lord, I came here this time because of the flood disaster in the human world."
"Now, the war in the heavens is raging, causing the weak water of the Tianhe River to pour down. The human world has been flooded and the human race has been displaced and suffering unspeakably."
"I wonder how the Great Celestial Master plans to deal with this disaster in the human world?"
For a minister to ask the king is a serious offense.
Dayu was once the emperor of mankind and was well aware of the rules and interests involved.
But for the safety of the human race, he still asked this question.
The Jade Emperor glanced at Dayu coldly, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes, and said:
"Dayu, you have now retreated to Huoyun Cave and are no longer the Human Emperor."
"The world today is no longer the Xia Dynasty under your rule."
"You come here to teach me how to do things. Isn't that overreaching?"
Dayu's eyes were firm, he did not retreat at all, he took a step forward and said loudly:"Great Lord, I am not here to cause trouble for no reason. I just want to remind you."
"The Great Celestial Lord is the Lord of the Three Realms, commanding all spirits."
“Although the Heaven Realm is the most important of the three realms, the human race in the Human Realm is also the people of the Great Heavenly Venerable.”
"If the Great Celestial Venerable only cares about the war in the heavens and ignores the people on earth, leaving them to struggle to survive in the flood, I am afraid that I will lose the hearts of the human race, and the three realms will not be at peace."
"I hope the Great Celestial Venerable will take into consideration the suffering of the human race and send heavenly soldiers and generals to the lower world to control the flood and save the people of the human race from the flood disaster."
Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face suddenly darkened, as if a dark cloud was pressing down on his head. He angrily slapped the armrest of the Dragon Throne, which actually trembled slightly.
The Jade Emperor scolded:"presumptuous!"
"Yu, don't think that just because you were once the emperor of mankind, you can speak freely and do whatever you want in my Lingxiao Palace."
"The war in the heavenly world is now at a stalemate and the fighting is fierce. Donghua is almost reaching the South Heaven Gate."
"You actually let me be distracted from controlling the flood at this critical moment?"
"This war in the heavens concerns the order of the three realms. If the heavens are lost, the three realms will be in chaos and fall into an irreparable situation."
"At this time, we should go to treat the flood?"
"You may have been confused in your previous flood control work, and you don't know the priorities!"
Dayu was not afraid at all. He straightened his spine like a sword drawn from its sheath and shouted:
"Great Lord, I am not questioning your decision, nor do I dare to say whether you are right or wrong."
"I just can't bear to see the people of this world suffer such a devastating disaster. My heart aches."
"I have worked in flood control for many years and know the harm caused by floods. It is like a tiger out of its cage. Wherever it goes, good farmland is destroyed and no grain is harvested; houses collapse and not a single tile is left. The people are displaced and forced to leave their homes. They suffer unspeakably and the scene is horrible to watch."
"This battle in the heavens was full of flames and magic power. I don't know how much disaster it caused to the lower world and how many lives were lost."
"If the Great Heavenly Venerable can temporarily postpone the war, solve the flood problem in the human world, and then do other things, it will show the Great Heavenly Venerable's benevolence. The human race in the lower world will also be grateful to the Great Heavenly Venerable and remember the Great Heavenly Venerable's kindness."
The Jade Emperor sneered, with a hint of contempt in his laughter, and said:
"Ren De?"
"Ridiculous Ren De."
"I have ruled the Three Realms for many years and possess supreme divine power. This is not due to my illusory benevolence, but to my strict and inviolable order."
"Order is the foundation of the Three Realms. It is the cornerstone of my command over all spirits and my control over the universe. It is the law that allows the vast Three Realms to operate."
"When the world loses its order, that is the real source of chaos."
"Yu, you are short-sighted and only focus on the small human world, but I am looking at the entire Three Realms!"
"Yu, all you have in mind is the human race. You are only concerned about the selfish desires of your own race, but I care about all the spirits in the three realms!"
"This war in the heavens concerns the order of the three realms, like the foundation of a building. How can it be suspended because of a mere flood in the human world?"
"Don't keep making trouble here and disturbing me. Go back to your Fire Cloud Cave immediately."
"I will just pretend that you have never been here today. Don't mention such ridiculous things again."
Dayu, however, did not move at all.
His eyes were blazing, as if two balls of fire were burning in them. He stared at the Jade Emperor closely and continued to speak:
"Great Celestial Lord, the demon race believes in the Demon King and is willing to sacrifice their lives for him; the dragon race believes in the Ancestral Dragon and respects him as the supreme ruler of the race, obeying his orders; the witch race believes in the Ancestral Witch and regards him as their spiritual pillar, loyal to him until death..."
"Only the human race in the lower world is pious and believes in the gods in the heavens. They regard the heavens as a place of protection and provide a continuous source of faith for the heavens."
"The faith of the human race is the foundation of the heavenly world. If we lose the hearts of the people in the lower world, how long can this order be maintained?"
"If the Great Lord only values order and ignores people's hearts, it will not last long and will eventually collapse!"
The Jade Emperor's eyes shone with a cold light, and he said with a smile:"Yu, are you threatening me?"
Dayu quickly said:
"I dare not! Great Celestial Lord, please calm down. I have no intention of threatening you. It's just that the disaster in the lower world is entirely affected by the war in the heaven, and it is not the fault of the human race."
"Just because of the war in heaven, the human race in the lower world suffered a lot, and countless people died in the flood. It's too unfair."
"As the Lord of the Three Realms, the Great Celestial Venerable should uphold justice and bring peace to the human world."
The Jade Emperor frowned slightly and tapped his fingers, as if thinking about something. After a moment, he said:
"Emperor Yu, I consider that you were once the emperor of men and your prestige still exists, so I will give you some face."
"I will announce the decree and tell the Ten Kings of Hell in the Underworld."
"Let them pay more attention to the Book of Life and Death, so that those who were drowned can have a good rebirth in the next life."
"Not having them enter the eighteen levels of hell and suffer endless torture, not having them fall into the animal realm and be slaughtered by others, is also my gift to them."
……
At this time, the war situation in heaven is tense. Instead of sending gods and generals to the mortal world to work hard to control the flood, it would be better to tell Yama directly.
Let the King of Hell handle it. It’s simple and easy.
It’s just a reincarnation. Isn’t this person still a human being?
……
"No matter the living or the dead..."
"Isn't this just fooling people..."
When Dayu heard this, he frowned, his heart filled with injustice and resentment.
Dayu looked at the Jade Emperor with scorching eyes and shouted angrily:
"Great Celestial Venerable! If the heaven is so unfair, only focusing on the honor of the immortals and gods, while ignoring the suffering of the human race in the lower world, such behavior is really difficult to convince the people, and it is also difficult to reassure the hearts of the human race."
"As for the matter of using humans to attack the heavens, our race has always upheld the respect for the heavens and will not start a war rashly."
"But if the gods in heaven go too far, our race will never fear the power of heaven."
"Although humans are acquired life forms, they also have an unyielding will. If they are forced into a desperate situation, they will rise up to resist, even if it means destroying themselves along with them!"
Say it.
Dayu suddenly raised his hand, and Emperor Huangdi's Xuanyuan Sword suddenly came out of its sheath.
"Zheng" sound.
In an instant, the sword of the Xuanyuan Sword shone brightly, like a blooming sun, and the golden sword energy rose into the sky like an angry dragon, illuminating the entire Lingxiao Palace.
“Clang, clang, clang!”
The sound of the sword was continuous, clear and long, like a dragon's roar breaking through the sky, or a phoenix's cry shaking the clouds.
The sound of the sword vibrated as if it were real, causing the clouds and mist in the hall to surge like waves, and the originally melodious fairy music came to an abrupt end.
But on the blade of the Xuanyuan Sword, the sun, moon, stars and planets were constantly moving, and the mountains, rivers and plants were lifelike, as if the entire order of heaven and earth was engraved on it.
On the hilt of the sword, humanity's farming and state governance strategies flicker in the form of runes, carrying the countless years of civilization heritage of humanity.
A majestic aura of humanity gushed out from the sword, surging in the hall like a torrent. Wherever it went, the weapons in the hands of the heavenly soldiers actually trembled faintly, as if they felt the majesty of the human race's holy sword.
When General Juanlian saw Dayu display the Xuanyuan Sword in front of the Lingxiao Palace, he was horrified.
He was once a mortal, and Dayu was the emperor of men whom he once admired.
Now that he is a god, the Jade Emperor is the Emperor of Heaven to whom he must be loyal.
In the face of a dilemma, it is ultimately our duty.
The general of the curtain flashed without hesitation and blocked the Jade Emperor. He slammed the magic staff in his hand and shouted angrily:"Emperor Yu, you are so brave!"
"How can you be so presumptuous in the Lingxiao Palace?"
Behind General Juanlian, the heavenly soldiers also drew their weapons in unison. The cold light flashed like a pouring galaxy, and the sound of armor colliding was crisp and sharp, like hail falling.
The atmosphere in Lingxiao Palace was tense and ready to explode.
The heavenly soldiers and generals surrounded Dayu as if they were facing a great enemy, waiting for the Jade Emperor's order to capture Dayu!(End of this chapter)