Resolution of the Martyr

【Beginning】
The Grand Preceptor returned to the court victorious but had unexpectedly found that its affairs had changed substantially. Because of Su Daji’s influence, the emperor King Zhou’s lifestyle had become debauched; he had built a Deer Terrace Pavilion for his own pleasure and favored treacherous officials.
Outspoken officials who were willing to criticize the Emperor, on the other hand, were punished with torturous capital punishments, including executions through burning by a bronze pillar or being thrown into a snake pit to die of bites.
Enraged, the Grand Preceptor listed out a ten-point suggestions which he submitted to King Zhou.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I humbly request that Your Majesty implement the following ten suggestions.

‘Dismantle the Deer Terrace Pavilion;^ Renounce the bronze pillar;^ Fill up the snake pits;^ Raze the pools of wine and dismantle the forests of meat;^ Dismiss Daji’
‘Execute the sycophantic officials;^ Open the granary for the people;^ Pacify the East and South;^ Send envoys to the sagacious; and^ Permit and accept criticism.’
Wen Zhong was already a key official during the court of King Zhou’ s father; it was under the orders of this preceding King that Wen Zhong and the other experienced officials aided the governance of King Zhou to ensure peace and prosperity of the state. Hence, despite King Zhou’s imperial title, he did not dare to disrespect the Grand Preceptor or disregard his words. But...

Emperor: Grand Preceptor, my beloved consort had always fulfilled her duty as my wife.

Emperor: She has assisted my governance over my harem.

Emperor: She has not done anything to deserve a dismissal.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Queen So had Your Majesty build inhumane instruments of torture

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: such as the bronze pillar,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: All who criticizes the court and displeases her are executed.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Because of it,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: officials neglect their responsibility to offer constructive criticism.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Furthermore, she dares sit with the Emperor

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: during the morning court despite being a woman,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Where have our traditional values gone!

Daji the Demon Enchantress: Grand Preceptor, you are mistaken.

Daji the Demon Enchantress: I stay by His Majesty’s side on His Majesty’s orders.

Emperor: My beloved consort is correct.

Emperor: Grand Preceptor, there is no need for outrage.

Emperor: My beloved consort stays by my side on my orders.

Emperor: My beloved consort staying at my side has allowed me to enhance governance.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: That is nonsense!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If I do not remove the malicious queen today,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I am unworthy of your late father’s bidding!

【Before Battles】

Emperor: Guards! Stop the Grand Preceptor!

【Enemy Dialog】

Emperor: Honorable Preceptor, please wait.

Daji the Demon Enchantress: I am just a weak woman. How did I enrage Grand Preceptor so?

【After Battles】

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Pst! Look at your manipulation of His Majesty with your fallacies!

【End】
Daiji could not respond in time as the Grand Preceptor Wen slapped her across the face. King Zhou hurriedly tended to her.

Emperor: My beloved consort, are you hurt?

Daji the Demon Enchantress: My Majesty, my face! How is my face?

Daji the Demon Enchantress: Am I disfigured?

Emperor: It’s fine; it’s fine. There is no need to worry, my beloved consort.

Emperor: Grand Preceptor Wen! You have gone too far!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I have been in war out there, fighting for many years!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I thought Your Majesty endeavored hard in the government’s administration

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: and population’s well-being here.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I did not expect the Emperor to be embroiled by debauchery,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: and slump to slaughtering the just!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: You are unworthy of your imperial title!

Emperor: ...You dare!

Soldier: Oh no! Oh no!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: What’s with the commotion?

Soldier: Grand Preceptor,

Soldier: Jiang Shang and Yang Jian are leading an army here to the capital!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: What!?

Emperor: This...Grand Preceptor, what should we do?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I will lead the army to respond immediately.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: We must eliminate these rebels as soon as possible.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Your Majesty should use this time to self-reflect.

The Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong knew that he would be unable to further advise and criticize King Zhou. Hence, he returned home to retrieve the Scroll of Ten Crucial Arrays to prepare for his battle with Jiang Shang.

【Beginning】
The righteous army led by Jiang Shang fought the Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong’s army to a standstill. To defeat the many Xian generals who were assisting Jiang Shang, Grand Preceptor Wen was deliberating strategies with various heavenly Xian.

Hermit Xian: Grand Preceptor, what is your plan for breaking through this stalemate?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Dear sir, while Jiang Shang’s rebellious army is few in number,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: they are supported by Xian generals such as Yang Jian.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If they are not quickly defeated,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I worry that it would leave my army in a disadvantage.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Fortunately,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: we have the Scroll of Ten Crucial Arrays written by the founders of this state.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: It would prove a huge advantage in this battle.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Now, dear Welkin Lords,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: we are counting on the ten of you to help with the use of the arrays.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: This would surely annihilate the enemy army!

Ten Welkin Lords: We shall abide by your instructions, Grand Perceptor.

The ten Welkin Lords followed the Grand Preceptor’s orders and began to defend their allocated zone in accordance to the water and light factors, forming the Array of Elites.
At the same time, Yang Jian, who has been ordered to journey here for an attack, has arrived outside the Arrays with a thousand-strong cavalry.

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Grand Preceptor Wen,

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: you are a loyal official of the court who loves both state and citizenry.

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: King Zhou, on the other hand, is a depraved lord

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: who allowed that demonic elf to instigate chaos,

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Grand Preceptor, why would you aid his tyranny?

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: This harms state and citizenry!

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Why not collaborate with General Jiang

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: and eliminate the demonic elf, Grand Preceptor?

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: And restore harmony to the citizenry?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: General Yang, you are mistaken.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Although His Majesty has been manipulated by temptation,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I have my own strategies for dealing with that.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: General, you do not need to worry yourself.

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Then in your view, Grand Preceptor,

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: a battle between our two armies is inevitable.

【Before Battles】

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: General Yang, shall we start?

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Fine, Grand Preceptor Wen, let us begin.

【Enemy Dialog】

Yang Jian the Deity of Fidelity: Have our reinforcements still not arrived?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: General Yang, the power of the Ten Crucial Arrays cannot be understated.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Take this!

【End】
The Ten Crucial Arrays relies upon the Ten Welkin Lords each controlling their own zone. Within the array, the strength of the spells wa as dense as trees in the forest, and connects radiance with water before surging the heavens. Yang Jian’s thousand-strong cavalry was trapped within the array and was exhausted after an extended battle. With no reinforcements on the way, Yang Jian was in a dilemma — neither able to advance nor able to withdraw.
However, this crisis was not long lasting. Jiang Shang’s army was already preparing to break through the array.

Hermit Xian: Are you aware, Grand Perceptor,

Hermit Xian: There is an array of lights,

Hermit Xian: bright and powerful like flames, radiating out of Jiang Shang’s army.

Hermit Xian: Our malignant pneuma within the arrays are dispersing.

Hermit Xian: I have a bad feeling about this.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Then, I bid you inform of your concerns, sir.

The Hermit Xian voiced the misgivings about the ongoings within the arrays that plagued him to Wen Zhong and offered his advice. Unfortunately, Wen Zhong rejected his suggestions out of his concern for the potential harm towards the citizens and the dishonorable nature of the suggestions.

Hermit Xian: I had thought Grand Preceptor would be more open to contingencies than Jiang,

Hermit Xian: Now, seeming such obstinacy from Grand Preceptor,

Hermit Xian: I believe your skill level is mired in mediocrity.

The Hermit Xian, having finished his words, leaped onto his celestial leopard and rode off into the clouds leaving Wen Zhong alone in his opposition towards Jiang Shang’s righteous army.
Like the Hermit Xian warned, the Ten Curial Arrays quickly collapsed under an assault by Dipankara the Taoist following Jiang Shang’s strategy. Wen Zhong led his soldiers on a fighting retreat and finally reached a valley after a few days’ journey.

【Beginning】
The Ten Crucial Arrays laid out by Grand Preceptor Wen and the Ten Welkin Lords were demolished during the battle with Jiang Shang’s righteous army. The Grand Preceptor led his remaining soldiers into the valley.

Soldier: Please forgive me, Grand Perceptor,

Soldier: but I must ask: where are we withdrawing to?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: We should retreat to the peak of the mountain to regroup,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: and then find a way to return along with ranges of the mountains.

Soldier: Orders received, sir!

They had just reached the peak when they heard the arrival of Jiang Shang’s pursuing Righteous Army.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Grand Perceptor Wen, your army is almost completely gone.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Our forces, on the other hand, still numbers in the tens of thousands.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Please offer your surrender to avoid this meaningless battle.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Ridiculous!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If I, Wen Zhong, is in a battle and has no way of emerging victorious,

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I would accept a definite death.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I vow never to surrender to treacherous rebels!

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Grand Perceptor Wen, with the situation being what it is,

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: why would you bother to struggle in the face of imminent defeat?

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: That would just endanger the soldiers who follow you.

Wen Zhong had initially wanted to use his strength to help the remnants of his army escape. Yet, upon seeing Jiang Shang’s plan to mercilessly hunt them, he scaled down the mountain alone and approached Jiang Shang’s righteous army; pointing directly at Jiang Shang, he admonished:

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Jiang Shang! Don’t even think about being able to annihilate my army!

【Before Battles】

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Jiang Shang, I never thought you could be so merciless.

【Enemy Dialog】

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Grand Preceptor, you misunderstand.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: I only seek your surrender. I never intended to hunt you.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Stop with your meaningless words!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If I can defeat you here, I would be able to lead my army to their escape!

【End】

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: You are worthy of your reputation.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: I, Ziya, admit defeat to Grand Preceptor Wen.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: However, I hope that Grand Preceptor would listen to me.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If you have any last words, then spit it out.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: The remnants of your army is now heavily surrounded by my army.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: And Grand Perceptor, you yourself are within the formations of my army.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Why not just surrender so we can cease this conflict?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: What!?

Wen Zhong looked back up the mountain and saw that Jiang Shang was right; the remnants of his army were now surrounded by the righteous army and he himself was encircled by soldiers with their weapons drawn. It was only then that Wen Zhong realized he had inadvertently fallen into Jiang Shang’s trap — Jiang Shan had intentionally angered Wen Zhong to trick him into walking into the trap.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: No need to worry, Grand Perceptor. I would never slaughter them.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Indiscriminate carnage is not something a Taoist would do.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Pst, what can I say now, Jiang Shang.

Although Wen Zhong knew that it was all over, a sense of unwillingness remained in his heart. He was supposed to lead his army in victory over the rebels and return triumphantly, but now, he was being painstakingly preached surrender’s benefits. Wen Zhong felt disgraced, ashamed to stand before his people.
With his mind set, Wen Zhong blasted a path through the valley with a spell.^ In the radiating light of his water energy, Jiang Shang and his righteous army saw Wen Zhong dashing towards the Mountain of the Ultimate End— according to myths, this was the final destination for martyrs since antiquity.

【Beginning】

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I, Wen Zhong, have fought for my state for so many years.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: How I have fallen... My men are lost.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I cannot accept the humiliation of returning home now.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: My destination must be the place

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: where martyrs of past and present sought their end!

Wen Zhong journeyed towards the Mountain of the Ultimate End far from where he had originally fought Jiang Shang’s righteous army.^ As he headed to the cliff, he turned and looked in the direction of his state; he could not help but feel sorry for himself.
Wen Zhong’s determined stride gradually brought the cliff into view. Yet, the Mountain was not alone in awaiting Wen Zhong...

Dipankara: Grand Perceptor Wen, I have waited for a long time.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Pst,!

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Even my fall to a state as miserable as this has been predicted by Jiang Shang?

Dipankara: Grand Preceptor Wen, please surrender.

Dipankara: Your journey does not have to end here.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: ...Hahahahaha—

Dipankara: Grand Preceptor?

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I have fought on the battlefield for many years.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Throughout, I have always accepted only victory, never defeat.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Today, someone is actually convincing me to surrender to save my own life.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: I have disgraced His Majesty and failed His imperial father.

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: Even if I die, I would never surrender.

【Before Battles】

Wen Zhong the Grand Preceptor: If Jiang Shang wants my surrender, he should just take my head!

【Enemy Dialog】

Dipankara: Such power!

【End】
Wen Zhong exhausted his own pneuma but could only land a weakened blow on Dipankara. Recovering quickly, Dipankara channeled his elements, and his flames flared at Wenzhong!

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Dipankara!

Dipankara: Mr. Jiang, you are a little too late.

Jiang Shang had arrived a little later only to see a charred corpse lying by the cliff.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Dipankara, is this...

Dipankara: He felt that martyrdom for his state was the honorable act.

Dipankara: His will was obstinate and he vowed to die in the battlefield,

Dipankara: With his heroism,

Dipankara: additional attempts to convince him to accept surrender would be an insult.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Doomed fate has once again martyred another virtuous official for our world.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: Grand Preceptor, I have descended into this realm of men to capture Xian

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: who are responsible for the world’s chaos on the orders of Yuanshi Tianzun

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: But seeing Grand Preceptor’s boundless loyalty and devotion induces sorrow.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: In the name of myself, Ziya,

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: I endow Wen Zhong with the title of Mercy Revealer,

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: His soul is to be immediately guided to the realm of Xian,

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: and shall be responsible for the rise of clouds and the fall of rain.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: He shall punish the wicked and serve to judge good from evil.

Specks of mystical light rose from the charred corpse at the sound of Jiang Shang’s voice. Slowly, they gathered together forming the image of Wen Zhong.

Wen Zhong the Mercy Revealer: Jiang Shang... No, Mr. Jiang

Wen Zhong the Mercy Revealer: If you would allow me one more gaze upon my state and people,

Wen Zhong the Mercy Revealer: no more longing shall remain in my heart,

Wen Zhong the Mercy Revealer: Dealing with the demonic elf queen depends on you now, Mr. Jiang.

Jiang Ziya the Celestial General: I, Jiang Ziya, will not let you down.

From then on, Wen Zhong joined the ranks of the Xian and no longer concerned himself with the affairs of the realm of Humans.