Chan and Jie Redivide the World

King Zhou of Shang went to burn incense at Nüwa’s temple, saw the holy image in the hall, and wrote an insulting poem on the whitewashed wall. Returning to her temple, Nüwa saw it, called out the three demons of the tomb of Xuanyuan, and told them to hide their demon shapes, take service in the palace, and lead the king’s mind astray.

The thousand-year fox spirit killed Su Hu’s daughter Daji at the Enzhou post station and entered Chaoge in her body. The king sank deeper into wine and women; the roasting pillar and the snake pit were set up at court, Mei Bo, Bi Gan and others died, and Huang Feihu broke out of Chaoge.

Jiang Ziya had studied the Dao on Mount Kunlun for forty years, and Yuanshi Tianzun sent him down to serve an enlightened lord and manage the investiture on heaven’s behalf. He first held office at Chaoge, then fled the capital and waited for Ji Chang, Earl of the West, by the River Wei.

Ji Chang brought Jiang Ziya back to Western Qi and made him chancellor. After Ji Chang’s death Ji Fa succeeded him; Zhang Guifang, the four Mo brothers and other Shang commanders attacked Western Qi in turn, while Nezha, Yang Jian and other Chan disciples came into the Zhou camp to fight.

Wen Zhong led an army west himself and called the Ten Heavenly Lords to set out the Ten Absolutes outside Western Qi. Yao Bin drew Jiang Ziya’s soul away in the Soul-Scattering Formation, and Chijingzi recovered the straw figure with the Taiji Diagram; the Chan Golden Immortals then fought formation by formation, and the ten were broken one after another.

Zhao Gongming came down with the Sea-Stilling Pearls to help Shang, wounding one Chan immortal after another, and was killed by Luya’s Seven-Arrow Book of Nails. Yunxiao, Qiongxiao and Bixiao set out the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation to avenge their brother and took the Twelve Golden Immortals and many Zhou officers into the Hunyuan Golden Dipper.

Laozi and Yuanshi came before the formation, held the Hunyuan Golden Dipper and broke the Yellow River Formation. Yunxiao was wrapped away in the Qiankun Diagram and pinned beneath Qilin Cliff, Qiongxiao and Bixiao died before the lines, and the trapped disciples were freed.

Wen Zhong gathered what was left of his army and withdrew, was trapped at Jueleng Ridge by Yunzhongzi’s Heaven-Reaching Divine Fire Pillars, and died in the fire. Deng Jiugong, Hong Jin and others afterwards went over to Zhou, and Jiang Ziya reorganised his army and marched east through pass after pass.

Guangchengzi killed Huoling Shengmu at Jiameng Pass and went three times into the Biyou Palace with her golden coronet to return it. The Jie disciples chased him outside, and the quarrel between the two sects reached Tongtian’s own seat.

Tongtian ordered Duobao to set out the Zhuxian Formation at Jiepai Pass. Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin and Zhunti entered by its four gates, and Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren and Daoxing Tianzun took the moment to lift the four swords away, so that the Zhuxian Formation was broken.

Tongtian then gathered his followers again into the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. Jinling Shengmu and many Jie immortals died in it, Wudang Shengmu left the array, Changer Dingguang Xian carried the Six-Soul Banner over to the reed pavilion, and Jieyin swept up three thousand guests of the red dust with his qiankun bag.

After the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation was broken, Hongjun came before the Three Pure Ones, made each of them swallow a pill and forbade them to attack one another again, and then took Tongtian away. Jiang Ziya marched on and met the lords’ armies at Mengjin.

The Zhou army entered Chaoge, and King Zhou burned himself on the Star-Plucking Tower. As the three demons of the tomb of Xuanyuan fled the capital, Nüwa stopped them, and Yang Jian, Lei Zhenzi and others brought them back to the Zhou camp, where Jiang Ziya had them executed at the camp gate.

With Shang destroyed, Jiang Ziya received Yuanshi’s commission, climbed the investiture terrace on Mount Qi and read out the Investiture List. Bo Jian brought Wen Zhong, Zhao Gongming, the Three Xiao, the Ten Heavenly Lords and the fallen of every side up to the terrace in turn, and three hundred and sixty-five true gods each received an office.