Chapter 119: The Five Emperors Unite the Central Plains

As the Five Clans faded away, the immortals appeared once more. The scene shifted again, revealing gilded characters of the dynastic song.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors began the era, followed by Yao, Shun, and Yu’s succession. Then came the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou periods, divided into the Spring and Autumn and Warring States eras. Next, the unified Qin, the Han dynasties, and the tripartite division into Wei, Shu, and Wu. The two Jin dynasties followed, succeeded by the simultaneous Northern and Southern dynasties. The Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties came next, marking the completion of the imperial succession.

At this point, the audience erupted into fervent discussion amid the new wave of patriotic themes.

“The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—what about the Five Clans just now? Are the Five Clans the same as the Five Emperors?”

“No, that can’t be. Remember, there were six different versions of the Three Sovereigns, but Teacher Xiao Tian only recognizes one: Pangu, Nüwa, and Fuxi. This implies that the Five Emperors must also have numerous interpretations.”

“Exactly. These stories have elements of glorification and praise, so many historical figures are blended with mythology. Since the film’s theme is immortals, that aspect dominates. Otherwise, it would merely be a historical drama, not an epic masterpiece.”

“That’s right. Didn’t Teacher Xiao Tian emphasize earlier that this ‘Immortal’ theme aims to tell stories of those who eternally exist? This is their epic saga. Therefore, the real historical figures, mythological images, and folk portrayals are all transformed.”

“Look, new characters are appearing.”

“Isn’t that Shennong? Indeed, he is the Flame Emperor!”

“What? Shennong was defeated by Chiyou? Who exactly is this Chiyou?”

On the screen appeared Chiyou: three heads, six arms, eight legs, horns like a bull, wings sprouting from his back. He was chasing Shennong in battle. Text followed: At this time, Shennong’s lineage declined, and the Five Emperors rose.

Chiyou was the ancient leader of the Jiuli tribe, the war god commanding armies. He promoted agriculture, smelted copper and iron, forged five types of weapons, invented a hundred crafts, understood the laws of heaven, and established rites and education, unifying the Jiuli.

The cosmos twisted, oceans roared, and Shennong came to confer with the Yellow Emperor on great matters.

The Yellow Emperor, leader of the Five Emperors, originally bore the surname Gongsun, later changed to Ji, named Xuanyuan.

The scene shifted to the Yellow Emperor leading his tribe to war along a river’s upper, middle, and lower reaches. Meanwhile, Chiyou swept through various tribes, seemingly poised to unify the land. The Flame Emperor Shennong stayed behind, guarding his tribe.

Years passed, and the Yellow Emperor’s and Chiyou’s armies confronted each other, the river flowing between them, the air thick with hostility.

With raised arms and battle cries, the two sides clashed. Soon, Chiyou wielded five weapons, conjuring thick clouds and mist that engulfed the land in a white haze.

Within the fog, the Yellow Emperor’s forces were gripped by terror; as casualties mounted, their fear deepened.

Eventually, with no other choice, the Yellow Emperor ordered a retreat. For the first time, he was defeated.

Another day dawned. This time, the Yellow Emperor rallied the Flame Emperor’s troops and fought again by the river.

The sky darkened, the earth ran red with blood. The white mist was as thick as before, and once more, the Yellow Emperor was vanquished.

Uncertain how much time passed, the Yellow Emperor assembled his forces yet again.

Chiyou’s generals were formidable, each masterful in combat, their weapons deadly in a single strike.

In the blood-red battlefield, the Yellow Emperor’s forces suffered grievous losses. Helpless, he was defeated once more.

Battle after battle, defeat after defeat—nine battles in three years, nine losses. At last, the Yellow Emperor’s strength waned.

One night, the Yellow Emperor conversed with an elder floating in the sky—what was said remains unknown.

“Look, the Yellow Emperor is preparing to counterattack.”

“Who is that elder?”

“A god or an immortal from the heavens, perhaps.”

The scene shifted again. Both armies now bore numerous divine beasts.

The Yellow Emperor’s side featured a colossal dragon named Yinglong, floating in the sky. It had two wings, a scaled body with spines along its back, a large elongated head with a pointed snout, large eye sockets with nose, eyes, and ears all prominent, high brow ridges, sharp teeth, a protruding forehead, slender neck, broad belly, a long tail tip, and strong limbs.

Boom!

The sound of war drums echoed, a close-up of the sound waves showed the earth trembling for miles around.

The Kui bull drum, crafted from the hide of the mythical Kui bull—an ox-like creature with one leg, no horns, whose movements bring wind and rain. Its light shone like the sun and moon, its sound thunderous, named Kui. The Yellow Emperor had slain it and forged this drum.

As the drumbeat stirred, the theme song "Immortal" swelled into its third, grand movement, eliciting loud battle cries of “Attack!”

The armies clashed in harmony with the music.

Fierce floods roared; both sides had gods and demons aiding their ranks. The battlefield erupted into a magnificent, grandiose epic scene.

The dense fog was dispersed by Yinglong’s mighty wings stirring thousandfold waves, clearing the view. The Yellow Emperor’s forces gradually gained the upper hand.

Yet the storm’s fury covered a vast area, affecting both sides. Chiyou’s troops called upon the Wind Earl and Rain Master. Soon, the Yellow Emperor’s side felt pressed again.

Suddenly, a divine creature appeared for the Yellow Emperor: the demoness Nu Ba. Clad in green, bald-headed, radiating intense light and heat, she vanished the rain and fog in an instant.

Seizing the momentum, the Yellow Emperor pressed the attack and finally won the tenth battle amid a trail of blood.

With China unified, the Fengshan sacrificial ceremony to heaven and earth took place. The heavens revealed a giant yellow earthworm—hence, he was named the Yellow Emperor.

During his reign, the realm flourished and the Chinese nation rose.

Musically, Ling Lun crafted the bamboo flute, establishing the five tones and twelve pitches.

In mathematics, Li Shou created numbers and standardized measurements.

Military strategist Feng Hou developed the first battle formations.

Empress Leizu began sericulture, producing silk for clothing.

In medicine, Qi Bo discussed pathology with the Yellow Emperor, composing the Huangdi Neijing.

Cangjie invented writing, formulating the six principles of characters.

The great cauldrons were cast in Mount Jing, dividing China into nine provinces.

The invention of wells.

Other innovations included boats, carriages, bows, arrows, and housing.

The next scene showed the Yellow Emperor aged, observing a cauldron when suddenly a golden dragon appeared in the sky.

The golden dragon opened its mouth and spoke; the Yellow Emperor’s face brightened. He mounted the dragon, but when his ministers rushed forward, they were thrown off by the powerful beast.

The music soared dramatically. On the stage appeared Xiao Tian’s silver dragon, now shaped like a dragon fighter jet, equal in size to the golden dragon.

Whoosh!

Breaking through the air, the golden and silver dragons soared skyward, piercing the heavens.

Ascending, ascending, ceaselessly ascending, circling, circling, endlessly circling as wind and clouds swirled around them.

The Eastern Emperor, the Green Emperor Fuxi; the Southern Emperor, the Red Emperor Shennong; the Central Emperor, the Yellow Emperor Ji Xuanyuan; the Western Emperor, the White Emperor Shaohao; and the Northern Emperor, the Black Emperor Zhuanxu.

The White Emperor Shaohao was born when five phoenixes—red, yellow, green, white, and black—descended upon a courtyard. The male was called the Feng, the female the Huang. Upon becoming leader of the great alliance, the phoenixes flew in jubilation, becoming the clan’s sacred spirit and totem, founding the prosperous Phoenix Kingdom.

A rainbow piercing the sun and moon entered a mother’s womb, heralding the birth of the Black Emperor Zhuanxu. He defeated Gonggong, established the calendar, and completed the unification of the nine provinces, bringing China together as one.