**Chapter 25: I Shall Extract Bi Gan's Heart** - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

**Chapter 25: I Shall Extract Bi Gan's Heart** **[Upon witnessing the scene, Bo Yikao's face turned deathly pale. Ignoring the blood and flesh splattered on him, he knelt before you.]** "King, I beg for your forgiveness!" **[Meanwhile, Bo Yikao was filled with desolation.]** **[The reason he was willing to part with these three treasures was entirely due to his father, Ji Chang, being imprisoned in Zhaoge.]** **[But who could have predicted that the Proprietors Ape would self-detonate on the spot?]** **[In the face of such an event, can he still rescue his father?]** **[Bo Yikao was unsure.]** **[His mind was in turmoil.]** **[You paid no attention to Bo Yikao and instead glanced at Daji, who also appeared bewildered.]** **[Before noticing Daji's expression, you presumed she orchestrated this event to assist you, but now it seemed otherwise.]** **[Something unforeseen had occurred.]** ... Watching the Proprietors Ape explode on the screen, Su Mo was intrigued. Why would such a phenomenal creature with knowledge of past and present suddenly explode? Could it be due to his excessive simulations? Did it cause some unknown error leading to the Proprietors Ape's self-destruction? Now, it seemed this was the only plausible reason. If that were the case, then every simulation in this life of romance could be deemed a reincarnation. **[Despite the incident, you remained unfazed.]** "No matter, clean it up." **[The hall was swiftly cleaned, allowing the lords and ministers to don fresh clothes, while Bo Yikao continued to kneel, his handsome face a mask of despair.]** **[You were puzzled why Bo Yikao behaved this way, as the Proprietors Ape's self-destruction caused no casualties. Why was Bo Yikao so distressed?]** **[Daji's voice whispered to your ear.]** "Bo Yikao's father, Xibo Hou Ji Chang, is currently in Zhaoge. Bi Gan claims Ji Chang harbors no rebellious heart, but does possess a rebellious spirit, hence he is detained in Zhaoge." "Bo Yikao came here intending to exchange these three treasures to free his father." **[That's when you realized that the troubles of these grand figures weren't any less than your struggles as a slave.]** **[Yet you still preferred the life of a grand figure.]** **[During your conversation with Daji, you noticed Bi Gan's gaze, directed not at you, but at Daji.]** **[It was a gaze filled with blatant desire for possession.]** **[You understood Bi Gan's heart.]** **[You wanted to extract it.]** **[Possessing such desires was a crime.]** **[Unconsciously, you began to think like a king.]** **[Then, turning to Bo Yikao, you spoke.]** "Bo Yikao, rise. Return for now." **[Upon hearing your words, Bo Yikao, flustered and wary, retreated to the ranks of the lords.]** **[Following the offering of treasures, the proceedings turned traditional.]** **[You, accompanied by Daji, along with the civil and military officials and the lords, proceeded to the altar before the Deer Terrace, slaughtering 800 human sacrifices as offerings to the spirits and ancestors.]** **[Then came the feasting, revelry, and dances.]** **[You savored all that was yours as the Shang King.]** **[Once everything concluded, you returned to the harem, to the room that once belonged to a slave.]** **[Through the bronze mirror in the room, you observed your reflection, feeling that your original appearance was more appealing.]** **[However, you knew that to enjoy this permanently, you must continue to present yourself with the appearance of the Shang King.]** **[Daji entered your room then, cold yet stunning.]** **[After dismissing the maids, she inquired.]** "Today, you harbored murderous intentions towards Bi Gan. Why?" **[Aware that Daji could sense your emotions, even some of your thoughts, you replied.]** "The way he looks at you is wrong." "Is that reason enough to kill him?" "Yes, kill him, cut out his heart!" **[Daji smiled, her lips curling gently, dimples playing across her cheeks. She seemed quite pleased with your answer.]** **[Her smile brightened the entire room, or so you felt.]** **[After her laughter, Daji turned to leave.]** **[You attempted to embrace her from behind, but before succeeding, you were flung away by an unseen force.]** **[Just as you attempted to try again, you realized the force within you had waned considerably.]** "No more." "You brute, twelve times and yet unsatisfied?" **[A flicker of fear crossed Daji's delicate face, clearly scarred by the last experience.]** **[Daji departed.]** **[You felt as though a part of you was missing.]** **[For some reason, the image of the young girl you once saved resurfaced in your mind.]** **[That night, you dreamt once more.]** **[In the dream, you transformed into a mysterious bird, soared from Mount Ling, circled thrice over Zhaoge, before descending into Xiqi.]** **[You awoke.]** **[Upon waking, you found yourself once again in the form of Shang King Di Xin.]** **[The palace maids, by then, had cleaned your body and dressed you in a dark king's robe.]** **[Within, you sensed a growing discomfort.]** **[You vaguely felt that true freedom was eluding you.]** **[From then on, days passed with you and Daji attending court, handling state affairs. Bi Gan consistently displayed evident disdain towards you.]** **[Whenever you sought closeness with Daji again, she unwaveringly pinned you to the ground.]** **[Gradually, life became monotonous.]** **[You missed the days of hunting among the Qiang tribe.]** **[Later, you heard that Bo Yikao had not yet left, and Xibo Hou Ji Chang remained imprisoned.]** **[It reminded you of your father.]** **[But it wasn't within your power to change anything, so you could only sympathize silently.]** **[A year quickly passed.]** **[The annual witchcraft festival approached, a time of revelry for the Shang people. Each household would sacrifice human offerings to honor their ancestors on this day.]** **[Yet you noticed that over the past year, there hadn't been many human deaths.]** **[Almost everyone had shifted to blood sacrifices.]** **[The blood of human offerings was used to honor spirits and ancestors. If the bleeding was staunched in time, it posed little danger to life.]** **[After investigating, you discovered this was Bi Gan's policy, prompted by dwindling numbers of slaves and Qiang people due to rampant sacrifices over the years.]** **[Thus, this method was adopted as a replacement.]** **[Moreover, with no natural disasters that year, the Shang people felt the spirits and ancestors favored this method, hence widely adopted it.]** **[After all, for the common folk, a human offering was valuable—not only for labor, but also to satisfy desires when needed.]** **[On the day of the witchcraft festival, you and Daji stood atop the Deer Terrace.]** **[Daji's trusted shamans burned yarrow and roasted special turtle shells on the altar, seeking ancestral guidance through divination.]** **[Nearby, three hundred warriors with bare chests brandished bone knives, performing the heart-excising Nuo dance.]** **[They chanted repeatedly: "Feed the spirits with hearts, disaster will leave no trace."]** **[The citizens of Zhaoge gathered enthusiastically to watch, eyes zealously longing to replace the performers.]** **[Midway through the event, a sudden change swept the clear sky, as clouds gathered overhead, unleashing a torrential downpour.]** **[The rain-soaked, cracked turtle shells all revealed the same message.]** **["The imperial star dims, national fortune wanes, a 'Seven-Orifices Exquisite Heart' is needed to appease the spirits and stabilize the nation!"]** **(Chapter End)**