Summer gazed at Shang's back, feeling a slight unease.
He didn't know why, but he sensed that something bad was about to happen, yet he couldn't figure out where it would strike from.
At that moment, a young girl singing and dancing by the bonfire completely captured his attention.
That was 'Xia', a girl he liked very much, and tonight, perhaps she would choose the one she loved most.
Summer took a fierce bite of fruit, stepped into the circle, and began to showcase his tall physique and strong muscles to his heart's content.
The banquet gradually reached its peak.
The atmosphere was lively, dispelling the darkness and cold.
Suddenly, a dog's bark tore through the joyous atmosphere.
From the outskirts of the tribe came the sound of fences collapsing, followed by the screams of tribesmen.
A broken body was thrown into the bonfire, causing the tribespeople to scream repeatedly, as the men quickly grabbed bone weapons.
Along with the dog-like sound, a beast resembling a tiger but covered in spiky quills charged directly into the bonfire gathering.
"It's the beast Qiongqi!"
High Priest Jian Di shouted: "Hunting team, attack!"
An attack on a primitive tribe by a strange beast was nothing unusual, let alone Qiongqi, which was known for its taste for humans and considered a common natural disaster.
A few hunting team members shouted, shooting arrows with bone tips that landed on Qiongqi's body, yet couldn't even pierce its fur.
Qiongqi let out a dog-like howl, pinning down a fleeing woman with its claws, its bloodthirsty jaws opening wide.
This bloody scene turned Summer's eyes red.
For it was Xia, the one he loved most, whom Qiongqi had bitten to death!
"I'll fight you to the death!"
Summer howled and was about to rush forward desperately, but was held back by an old man: "Don't throw away your life, we're no match for the beast, let it eat, and it will leave once it's full."
This was also the sorrow of the human race!
Jian Di screamed: "Shang? Where is Shang?"
Not seeing her son, she directly grabbed a bow and arrow, drew and shot an arrow.
This arrow struck Qiongqi right in the eye.
Qiongqi, resembling a large tiger, cried out in pain, turning its fierce gaze on Jian Di and pouncing savagely.
The warriors in its path were all bitten and clawed to death.
Then it reached Jian Di, bringing down its tiger claw.
Jian Di dodged awkwardly, rolling on the ground, the staff symbolizing the High Priest rolled to the side, as her splendid and vivid headpiece scattered on the ground.
"No more hurting people, Shang is here!"
At the critical moment, a figure rushed out—it was Shang!
He ran as swift as the wind, his punches like hammers, landing a blow on Qiongqi's head, knocking it back several steps.
Qiongqi shook its head, letting out a dog's bark, its entire body's quills standing on end, emitting a threatening growl. Get full chapters from NoveI(F)ire.net
Shang was undaunted, stepping forward a few paces, grabbing Qiongqi's head and started pummeling it wildly.
Suddenly, Qiongqi's quills shot out, akin to a rain of arrows.
Falling on Shang's body, they made a clinking sound.
Invulnerable to weapons, impervious to blade and spear!
This was the bloodline Divine Skills Shang had acquired!
Punch after punch, it was as if they landed on the heart of every member of the tribe, they watched Shang in a daze, watching him slay Qiongqi, and slicing off its head, raising it high, roaring loudly.
Suddenly, a hunting team member knelt down, shouting loudly.
The people began to kneel, their voices rising wave after wave.
In a primitive tribe, there were few rules, might made right was the greatest rule.
Jian Di looked on with a complex expression at this scene, picking up the fallen staff, and placing it in Shang's hands.
Shang raised the staff high, eliciting even more fervent cheers.
After all, the ancestors had suffered too much at the hands of the beasts.
And Shang was the only one capable of counter-killing a beast!
"I declare…the You Song Tribe will be renamed 'Shang City'! I will lead you to conquer other tribes, make their men fight for us, and their women bear our children…our 'Shang City' will be the most powerful tribe in the Great Wilderness!"
Shang announced loudly, his face flushed with excitement.
Summer, however, was lost in the crowd, staring blankly at this partner, feeling he had become incredibly unfamiliar…
Shang was a mighty ruler.
Since gaining control of the tribe, he actively launched attacks in all directions, defeating a circle of nearby small tribes, and completely annexing them.
At this time, the ancestors were as wild as the ancient nomadic tribes of the grasslands, with little resistance to joining another tribe.
This was an era where individual bravery and charisma could decide most matters, and Shang's bravery also held great appeal.
Moreover, Shang not only slew one strange beast after another, but also tamed the nine-colored ox and the wind horses, along with pigs, dogs, chickens, and other poultry, attempting to breed them, and achieving great success.
Not only that, after moving the capital to 'Yin Land', Shang also issued decrees, established the kingdom under the name 'Shang', referring to the tribespeople as 'countrymen', and others as 'wildmen', and enfeoffing a batch of nobles, encouraging them to continuously lead the countrymen to annex the wildmen's lands and capture them as slaves.
Meanwhile, although Summer became alienated from Shang, he still became one of Shang's three hundred nobles due to inventing the method of smelting bronze and crafting bronze weapons.
Ultimately, the rapid development of Shang City aroused the apprehension of several large surrounding tribes.
Wei, Gu, Kunwu, and other large tribes quickly united, forming an army of over twenty thousand to battle against Shang City at Mingtiao.
At this time, Shang led the integrated five-thousand strong army to war, yet was full of confidence.
In the Battle of Mingtiao, Shang first had the five-thousand soldiers form an orderly phalanx, coupled with sharp bronze weapons, fiercely shaking the morale of the allied forces of Wei, Gu, and Kunwu.
Then, he drove a bronze chariot, single-handedly charging into the allied army's formation, letting stone axes and bone arrows fall upon him, yet remaining unharmed, and took the opportunity to slay the allied commander—You!
Subsequently, the five-thousand Shang Army charged, the allied forces' formation was in chaos, suffering a disastrous defeat!
With this, Da Shang ruled over the core essence of the Great Wilderness East Domain, Shang had characters compiled into writing, known as 'Shang Wen', and established official positions, such as the strategy assistant 'Prime Minister', the overseer of divination, ceremonies, and records 'Internal Historian', the one responsible for praying to ghosts and gods 'Zhu You', and the head of musicians 'Grand Musician', among others…
Moreover, wielding the power of the great victory, Shang proclaimed himself 'Xuan King', also known as 'Emperor Shang', to demonstrate the legitimacy and righteousness of being the Heaven's chosen, declaring that from now on, the positions of king and emperor are hereditary, to be held by his sons.
In addition, Shang declared that other noble titles and official positions are likewise hereditary, ensuring the absolute support of the nobles as these positions were to be inherited by their heirs as well.
The Great Shang Dynasty was established, marking the shift from a collectively governed world to a hereditary kingdom era…