Chapter 1: The Chaotic Dual Slaves (1)

Gazing at Yaoyang and Yixian, the eyes of the True Man Chi suddenly flashed with a hint of surprise. He began to scrutinize the two closely, his hands behind his back constantly calculating. After a long while, he revealed a look of inexplicable astonishment, secretly pondering: "I did not expect that this journey to Chaoge would not only inadvertently reveal the whereabouts of the millennium treasure but also allow me to encounter such naturally extraordinary individuals. Could it be that heaven truly favors my Chi clan, granting me this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity"

Upon witnessing the scene, Yaoyang and Yixian felt a surge of joy in their hearts. The person who had been kicked, with a mouth full of yellowed teeth and a face that had withered, was none other than their supervisor, "Green-Haired Turtle" Gui Lao Er. He was a despicable and ruthless individual who often oppressed them. At that moment, seeing him humiliated and the footprints on his large backside, the two brothers could hardly contain their laughter.

On this day at noon, under the relentless blaze of the autumn sun, what was once a prosperous and extravagant city appeared devoid of any signs of prosperity. The streets were sparsely populated, and the vendors along the street were more inclined to set up awnings for shade and steal moments of leisure to doze off, presenting an especially languid and despondent atmosphere.

Immediately, the crowd fell silent once more, and they beheld the flower-laden phoenix carriage, where the crimson curtains fluttered lightly. From within emerged the face of an extraordinarily beautiful woman—her delicate features framed by long hair styled in a palace updo, with a charming smile that captivated all. Particularly striking were her enchanting phoenix-like eyes, which appeared half-closed in a state of languor, exuding a sense of dreamy allure. The slight glimpse of her fair, delicate neck further invited fanciful thoughts, radiating an irresistible and bewitching charm.

The Honorable Chi respectfully said: "I, Chi, will certainly do my utmost to assist you in achieving your wishes!" As he spoke, he bowed and performed a gesture of respect, a subtle smile appearing in his strangely enigmatic gaze, and continued: "There is no time to lose; you might as well send someone to quickly set up the Five Thunder Altar according to my instructions!"

Later, the state of Hou was destroyed by the state of Zhu, and the two became lower-class slaves of Zhu. Although they successfully escaped several times, they were repeatedly captured due to the slave brand on their faces. In this cycle of escaping and being caught, they experienced the bitter hardships of life. However, both had a strong resilience in their character; despite enduring suffering, they did not lose hope and even privately mocked themselves as "the twin treasures of the world," which carried a hint of self-comfort.

The rare expression of joy on the face of the Immortal Chi flashed by in an instant. He called over the respectful Gui Lao Er and whispered in his ear for a moment, after which Gui Lao Er nodded repeatedly with a fawning expression, affirming his words.

Xiao Yang, stop daydreaming. Have you considered your own identity? How can you even dream of getting married?

The platform swayed precariously, almost toppling to the ground. Fortunately, Yi Xian and Yao Yang were accustomed to working together; sensing the danger, they had already stepped back and lowered the platform, narrowly avoiding the risk of it collapsing. However, before they could catch their breath, the sound of scolding filled their ears, and a life-threatening whip came crashing down upon them. In pain, the two instinctively huddled together. Wang Yi and the other subordinates, kneeling and crawling nearby, could only shake their heads repeatedly, lamenting the misfortune of the two brothers.

The two beaten youths, one named Yaoyang and the other Yixian, are both around seventeen or eighteen years old. Abandoned by their parents since childhood, they have relied on each other and survived by begging and stealing. Unexpectedly, while wandering in the Kingdom of Xuhou, they happened to encounter a battle between the Kingdom of Xuhou and the Kingdom of Lihou, where the Kingdom of Xuhou suffered a great defeat. Consequently, they were captured as prisoners and became slaves from that point onward

Gui Lao Er led the two individuals to the third soft sedan chair, upon which was placed a strangely shaped bronze platform. Various kinds of magical instruments were arranged on it, their colors dark and glossy. Under the scorching sun, they exuded an eerie and sinister aura, causing Yao Yang and Yi Xian to involuntarily shiver and secretly exclaim at its formidable presence

It is said that these two treasures were still serving as slaves in the State of Xue a month ago. Who would have thought that the State of Xue, overestimating its own strength, would actually conspire with several other feudal lords to resist the Great Shang. As a result, they were annihilated by the Grand Master Wen Zhong sent by King Zhou, and these two naturally became war captives, taken back to Chaoge and granted to Fei Zhong as lower-class slaves

Yixian nervously looked around and spat at him: "Go to hell, what nonsense are you talking about? Please, stop wandering around aimlessly, hurry up and finish checking, so we can go back quickly. If a monster really appears, it is always better to be with everyone than to take risks alone!"

The vicious whip lashed across the boy's back, and he endured the pain without daring to look back, only hearing a voice that sounded like a fierce demon: "Are you looking for death? Hurry up and get moving. Anyone who dares to complain again, be careful, I will whip you to death, a bunch of worthless pigs and dogs!"

Stop! The True Man Chi approached the two brothers and shouted loudly to halt the ruthless whips of several overseers. "Enough, fortunately, the altar is undamaged. Hurry and prepare to proceed, do not delay the auspicious time for the ceremony!"

The term "lower slaves" in the Yin and Shang dynasties refers to slaves who were considered even more inferior than ordinary servants. Most of them were prisoners of war captured by generals during campaigns against feudal lords, specifically engaged in the most menial tasks, treated by their masters as if they were pigs or dogs, with their lives at the mercy of their owners. Even ordinary commoners could freely buy and sell lower slaves with money.

The two brothers nodded reluctantly, each lifting one end of the altar. Under the guidance of the second brother, they quietly made their way to the other end of the workshop, one in front and the other behind. They were extremely cautious, fearing that they might knock over the ritual implements on the table. It was unclear whether it was truly a stroke of bad luck or if being overly careful led to more accidents, but after just a few steps, Yaoyang stumbled as the altar blocked his path over some loose stones, causing him to trip.

The servants beside him were all frightened and their faces changed drastically upon hearing his words, suddenly feeling as if the blazing sun in the sky had turned cold and dim, chilling them to the bone. Yaoyang forced a smile and said, "Hey, damn it, it's just a monster..." Yet secretly, he and Yixian both looked up to the sky and prayed, hoping that they would not be chosen to keep watch tonight.

The subordinates who were working, upon hearing the call of the overseer, all knelt down, none daring to look up, for the one who had arrived was none other than Fei Zhong, the favored minister of King Zhou, who wielded the power of life and death over them.

Do you know? I heard that this woman is actually a sister of Lady Daji!

The two brothers could not help but feel dismayed, for they dared not hide from the whip in public. They could only brace themselves and endure a few strikes, murmuring softly as they paid their respects to the ancestors of the second brother's family for the eighteenth generation, before finally emerging slowly.

The slaves displayed expressions of terror on their faces, and after a moment of chaos, they obediently knelt against the wall, burying their heads in the dirt, not daring to move. Their status only allowed them to kneel, lacking even the qualification to glance like commoners. Yet among this group of slaves with their heads bowed low, two pairs of unwilling eyes emerged from the crowd, secretly peering outward.

The several fierce men driving away the slaves immediately lashed their long whips mercilessly against the bodies of the slaves upon seeing this situation, shouting: "Get down! Get down! You worthless things, all of you get down against the wall!"

The flower-bell phoenix carriage, surrounded by the court musicians, slowly approached from outside the city gate. At the front of the procession were nearly one hundred young female swordswomen riding on tall horses. They rode in rows of five, advancing into the city with a spirited and graceful demeanor. Their delicate yet resolute and proud appearance immediately captivated the crowd, drawing a throng of people who eagerly pressed forward to observe.

Is everything alright, Xiao Yang?

The person was kicked and fell to the ground, rolling and crawling as he replied, "Yes, yes! I will take care of it right away!"

Now we are slaves, will we always be slaves? Didn't Grandpa Huazi say that in the past, we, the King of Shang Tang, were also imprisoned by the tyrant Jie Wang on the Xia platform as slaves? Later, didn't we rise up against Jie and become the kings of the world? I still remember that when we were young, there were fortune tellers who said we had extraordinary appearances. Who can be certain what fate awaits us, the 'Twin Treasures of the World'... Oh, damn it! It hurts! I still remember that when we were young, there were fortune tellers who said we had extraordinary appearances. Who can be certain what fate awaits us, the 'Twin Treasures of the World'... Oh, damn it! It hurts!

Fei Zhong was overjoyed, and he lifted a foot to kick the buttocks of a person behind him, shouting: "You useless fool, why aren't you quickly having someone follow the instructions of Master Chi to arrange... that whatever altar, in short, everything here is under the authority of Master Chi, you all can decide how to proceed!"

"Who deceived you?" Wang Yi's face turned pale as he whispered, "You don't know, the monsters here come out every night to eat people. Last night, the big black who stayed here to keep watch was eaten by them. I heard that there were hands and feet all over the ground, as well as intestines... and hearts... more than thirty people just disappeared like that..."

Fei Zhong, upon hearing this, felt greatly pleased. He slapped the beautiful woman's ample posterior with one hand and laughed heartily, saying: "What merit or capability do I, Fei Zhong, possess to dare aspire to the titles of feudal lords? I only hope to serve the great king closely, ensuring that the old rogue Wen Zhong does not deceive the sacred ears of the sovereign. As long as I, Fei, have a place to stand, that is sufficient."

At this moment, a melodious sound emanated from the somewhat desolate South City Gate, as if it were coming from beyond the nine heavens, or perhaps from within the vast firmament. The sound of silk and bamboo instruments mingled with the beating of drums, capturing the attention of hurried passersby and market vendors alike, causing even the elderly, children, and women to swarm out and stop to watch.

Fei Zhong exchanged a few pleasantries with the Immortal Chi before taking his beautiful companion and departing in a sedan chair, surrounded by a grand entourage.

Suddenly, several dark clouds drifted across the sky, momentarily obscuring the bright afternoon sun. A gust of autumn wind arose, seemingly adding a touch of chill out of nowhere

Yao Yang and Yi Xian only felt a flash before their eyes, and did not see any movement from the man in black. They leaped from the soft sedan chair to the ground, only to see a glint of brilliance in his eyes as he looked around, frowning and saying: "Indeed, the demonic aura is quite heavy"

Xiao Yi, did you see that scene just now? I saw that delicate and beautiful lady in the car, wow! She is truly more beautiful than the beauties described by Yu Ba, making my heart flutter. If only she could marry me...

Hey ... ...

With a swing of the medium-length whip, Gui Lao Er sternly said, "Be sure to follow the rules; do not ruin the altar of Master Chi. Otherwise, even if it costs you your lives, it will not be worth it, do you understand?"

As Gui Lao Er turned around after seeing Fei Zhong and his group walk away, he happened to catch sight of two smiling faces slightly raised among the crowd. His previously withered face instantly transformed into a fierce expression, and without hesitation, he lashed his long whip towards Yao Yang and Yi Xian, scolding, "You two useless fools, why aren't you coming over quickly!"

Although Yaoyang and Yixian also knelt down with the crowd, they quietly raised their heads to steal a glance. They saw that sitting in a soft sedan chair was a voluptuous beauty with a serpentine waist, which made Yaoyang gulp. In another soft sedan chair sat an old man in a black Daoist robe, with an angry brow and an eagle-like nose. He was tall and robust, with a gaze that exuded a mysterious and eerie charm, giving off a feeling of cold ruthlessness.

Fei Zhong hurriedly asked, "Master Chi, do you think there are truly unclean things in my new residence? I have even invited several masters, yet they cannot drive them away. In just a few days, I have already lost over a hundred servants! Although it does not matter much if a few of these lowly beings die, this place was purchased by me at a great price. Could it be that I have violated some taboo?"

The group of people before me all bore the character "Fei" on their faces, which indicated that they were the lower servants of Fei Zhong, a favored minister of King Zhou. Now, with the new queen, Daji, having been established, the king indulged daily in wine and pleasure, while the minister Fei Zhong catered to the desires of the emperor and Queen Daji, extensively gathering beautiful women and jewels to flatter them. In his delight, King Zhou would occasionally bestow upon Fei Zhong a varying number of servants as a reward for his services

Zhaoge, the capital of the Yin Shang dynasty

Suddenly, a series of whipping sounds came from afar, as several fierce-looking middle-aged men approached along Qinglong Street in the east, driving a group of people towards the west of the city. The long whips in their hands cracked sharply, and amidst the continuous shouts of reprimand, they occasionally struck these individuals.

In the quiet new residence of the Fei family in the west of the city, Yao Yang paced back and forth, dragging his chains, while grinning mischievously and asking, "Xiao Yi, what do you think the monster will look like when it comes out? Is it going to be thirty feet tall, with three heads, or some other strange form?"

The sky gradually darkened, and before long, it was completely dark. The faint light of the crescent moon illuminated the earth, and the sounds of insects began to rise.

Yao Yang and Yi Xian watched as several burly men carefully carried away the altar. Despite their battered bodies, they remained crouched among a group of subordinates, filled with pent-up anger, yet no longer daring to say anything further.

The stern guards of Chaoge City first forcibly drove the populace to the sides of the street, clearing a wide avenue in the center. Although this caused some discontented murmurs, it further piqued the curiosity of the masses, all eager to know who had come to Chaoge, to display such grandiosity.

Wang Yi's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. He glanced around furtively and said in a trembling voice, "Xiao Yang, I told you all, you must not let this out. I heard... I heard that there are... monsters here!"

Hmph, what else could happen! Just look at this phoenix carriage and its grandeur, it is highly likely that our great king has taken a liking to it, and it is certainly another case of being conferred as a consort or something similar

Fei Zhong's new residence is located to the west of Chaoge City. At that time, it was not yet noon, and the blazing sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden light that made the sweat pour down the backs of the laboring servants, leaving them breathless and distressed. However, under the supervision of the overseer's whip, they had to continue lifting heavy timber or stones, busily moving about. Some could not endure and collapsed; immediately, they would be met with the lash. If the pain could not compel them to rise, it would signify that death had already arrived.

... ...

Oh? Is that so? No wonder she has such a grand demeanor, but I wonder what she has come to the palace for

"Who told you to just boast? When the whip comes before your eyes, you don't even know to dodge. This aligns with what the fortune teller said: a life full of misfortunes and wandering. This life is destined to be filled with bad luck, so your wild thoughts will bring you retribution. You truly deserve it!"

Yao Yang and Yi Xian were busy shaping the uneven giant stones into square blocks with the ten subordinates, preparing them for the foundation of the building. Taking advantage of the foreman's inattention, Yao Yang secretly asked a boy beside him who was five or six years older, "Brother Wang Yi, weren't there over a hundred people sent to work yesterday? Why do we have to come again today? Is there still not enough manpower?"

Yao Yang and Yi Xian exchanged a glance, and Yi Xian forced a smile as she said, "Monster? Brother Wang, you are not joking, are you?"

Suddenly, a commotion arose ahead, as several strong men carried three soft sedan chairs into view, followed by dozens of others. Sitting in the front sedan chair was a person dressed in a resplendent imperial robe, with a round face and a large head, a pale complexion, and a pair of eyes as small as green beans, glinting with a fierce and sinister light.

"The adult is mistaken; this place is indeed a land of great fortune!" The immortal Chi smiled slightly and said, "It is precisely because this location is imbued with the dragon's veins and the phoenix's aura that it has attracted these monsters to cultivate here. The disturbance caused by the excavation has startled them, which is why they are harming people indiscriminately. However, they are merely minor demons and not a cause for concern! As long as I set up a ritual altar here, I can certainly annihilate this group of monsters in one fell swoop! Moreover, according to my teachings, if this building is arranged according to the principles of the five elements generating one another, with the Azure Dragon and White Tiger coiling above and below, and the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise guarding the sides, it will surely ensure that the esteemed one stands beneath one and above ten thousand in the court, attaining the title of a feudal lord!" As long as I set up a ritual altar here, I can certainly annihilate this group of monsters in one fell swoop! Moreover, according to my teachings, if this building is arranged according to the principles of the five elements generating one another, with the Azure Dragon and White Tiger coiling above and below, and the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise guarding the sides, it will surely ensure that the esteemed one stands beneath one and above ten thousand in the court, attaining the title of a feudal lord!

As the phoenix chariot disappeared with the sound of music, the common people dispersed in groups of three or five. Meanwhile, the fierce men wielded their whips, continuing to drive the group of lowly servants forward. Among this group of servants, two young boys who had just stolen a glance were cautiously dodging the whips that occasionally lashed out, whispering to each other.

The pedestrians and vendors on the street remained indifferent, their faces displaying a habitual indifference. This was solely because this group of people bore an extraordinarily ugly mark of identity on their faces, which indicated their status—lower slaves

This group of people is dressed in rags, their exposed skin mostly bearing dark bruises from wounds. They drag heavy chains on their hands and feet, moving slowly and laboriously. If anyone falls behind, they immediately receive another lash from the whip. Yet, the expressions of the crowd are vacant and lifeless, as they either consciously or unconsciously dodge the incoming blows. Even when struck, they only emit muffled groans, as if the torment of fate has made them forget the pain, and they exist merely to be tormented

At this moment, they had just finished the arduous labor at a certain location of the Fei residence and were being escorted by the overseers to work on the construction of a new mansion.

It is said that this woman is named Liu Pipa, and not only is she beautiful, but she also plays the pipa exceptionally well

Fortunately ... ...

In just a moment, the woman lowered the crimson curtain and once again disappeared within the phoenix carriage. As the grand procession of the phoenix carriage gradually receded, it sparked yet another wave of discussion among the crowd