Zhan Ren, a modern young man, unexpectedly transmigrates into the body of Di Xin, King Zhou of Shang, on the eve of the pilgrimage to Nuwa Palace. In despair, he binds himself to the [Human Emperor Defies Fate System], while the plot of Investiture of the Gods fills his mind. Unwilling to become a pawn of Heaven's will, Zhan Ren decides to use the System and the “script” to defy fate and rewrite history. From then on, the world of Investiture of the Gods changes beyond recognition. With modern knowledge, high-yield crops, and basic industrial technology obtained as System quest rewards, Zhan Ren launches a sweeping “Industrial Revolution” and agricultural reform in the Shang dynasty, strengthening the nation, winning the people's hearts, and undermining the popular basis of “Heaven's Mandate.” He joins forces with Sect Master Tongtian, using the Ten Thousand Immortals of the Jie Sect as technical advisers and elite fighters to establish a “New Jie Sect,” also known as the “Human Way Sacred Academy.” It spreads the belief that education should be open to all, training “Human Way cultivators” loyal to the dynasty and skilled in crafts and the study of nature, who put immortal arts and divine powers to work in production and national defense. The Chan Sect and the Western Teachings, meanwhile, become the main antagonists. When they discover that fate has gone awry, the Shang dynasty's fortune is not declining but flourishing, and Xiqi's “chosen destiny” is being suppressed, they repeatedly send disciples into the mortal realm to incite rebellion, spread plagues, or directly use immortal arts to sabotage major Shang projects, all in an attempt to force history back onto its “proper course.” The conflict escalates from court intrigue and battles between feudal lords to duels of immortal arts and a struggle over the true Dao.
