Investiture of the Gods in Plain Language

At the end of the Shang dynasty, King Zhou was a capable ruler and warrior. But on a visit to the Nuwa Temple to offer incense, he wrote a frivolous poem and offended the gods. Later, he married Daji, a fox spirit in disguise, and completely lost his head. Daji egged him on to commit outrageous acts every day: he had Bi Gan's heart cut out and built torture devices to torment loyal ministers, throwing the government into chaos and making life unbearable for ordinary people.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning could no longer stand by, so he sent his disciple Jiang Ziya down the mountain. Jiang Ziya first tried selling noodles and running a tavern in Chaoge, but neither venture worked out. Later, he heard that Ji Chang of Xiqi was a benevolent ruler, so he went to serve him. After Ji Chang died, his son Ji Fa succeeded him. Jiang Ziya became his strategist, teaching the people of Xiqi to farm and prosper while preparing to overthrow King Zhou. He was also given the task of "conferring divine titles on behalf of Heaven": assigning the heroes and immortals who died in battle to their proper posts in the Celestial Court.

The battles between the two sides were spectacular. The Chan Sect of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning supported the Zhou, with Nezha, reborn from a lotus; Yang Jian, who could perform seventy-two transformations; and Lei Zhenzi, who could summon wind and rain. The Jie Sect of Sect Master Tongtian supported the Shang, with Zhao Gongming, who deployed the Immortal Slaying Formation, and the devoted Grand Tutor Wen. The immortals displayed all kinds of supernatural abilities, fighting with magic treasures one moment and summoning monsters to aid them the next. Grand Tutor Wen fought with all his might, but the Shang dynasty had already lost the people's support and Heaven's favor. In the end, he died in battle at Juelong Ridge.

Later, King Wu led the feudal lords into Chaoge. Knowing there was no escape, King Zhou set his palace on fire and burned himself to death. The Shang dynasty fell, and the Zhou took power. Jiang Ziya brought out the Investiture of the Gods, which he had prepared long before, and granted divine titles to the soldiers and immortals who had fallen in battle. He even deified some of King Zhou's loyal ministers, restoring order to the Three Realms.