Champions and Supernatural Mounts in Creation of the Gods (Part 2)

An article inspired by the War Beast Rider challenge . Part 1 The supernatural war in Creation of the Gods is not fought only by the heroes supporting Zhou. Some of the novel's most formidable figures enter the conflict on behalf of Shang—or against Jiang Ziya and Chan Sect for reasons of loyalty, friendship, revenge or sect allegiance. Many come from Jie Sect , the vast supernatural tradition led by Tongtian Jiaozhu. Unlike a conventional army, however, these combatants include immortal masters, Daoist warriors and beings equipped with magical treasures capable of overturning an entire battle. Among them are some of the novel's most memorable supernatural champions: Wen Zhong on his Black Qilin, Zhao Gongming on his Black Tiger, Huo Ling Shengmu on her Golden-Eyed Camel, and ultimately Tongtian Jiaozhu himself upon the Kui Niu. Their stories reveal another side of the war. The fall of Shang is not simply a struggle between heroes and villains; many powerful figures opposing Zhou fight because of personal loyalty, relationships between teachers and disciples, obligations to fellow cultivators, or the escalating rivalry between Chan Sect and Jie Sect. JIE SECT MEMBERS AND SHANG CHAMPIONS 1. Huo Ling Shengmu 火灵圣母 Sect / Background: Jie Sect; disciple of Duobao Daoren War Camp: Shang/Jie side War Beast: Golden-Eyed Camel (金眼驼) Combat Tier: A- Huo Ling Shengmu is a dangerous female immortal who descends to oppose Zhou after the death of her disciple Hu Lei. She rides a Golden-Eyed Camel , an unusually fast supernatural mount, and proves strong enough to injure major Zhou figures. Weapons & Magical Skills: Golden Radiance Crown, Hunyuan Hammer, swordsmanship, fire-related supernatural forces and advanced Daoist techniques. Notable Feat: Wounds Princess Longji and directly threatens Jiang Ziya before eventually being defeated by Guangchengzi. Why She Stands Out: Huo Ling Shengmu is one of the novel's more visually distinctive supernatural warriors, combining formidable fire magic with the unusual Golden-Eyed Camel as her mount. 2. Shen Gongbao 申公豹 Sect / Background: Originally connected with the Chan/Yuxu tradition; Jiang Ziya's great supernatural rival War Camp: Effectively Shang / anti-Zhou War Beast: White-Browed Tiger (白额虎) Combat Tier: A- in combat; S in influence Shen Gongbao is one of the key figures who draws more immortals and supernatural warriors into the Shang–Zhou conflict, causing the war to become increasingly dominated by magic and divine intervention. Rather than defeating Zhou entirely through his own power, he travels throughout the immortal world persuading powerful cultivators to intervene against Jiang Ziya. Weapons & Magical Skills: Daoist magic, supernatural movement, magical attacks and extraordinary persuasive ability. Why He Stands Out: One of Shen Gongbao's greatest strengths is his ability to recruit others. He repeatedly persuades powerful immortals to enter the Shang–Zhou conflict, greatly expanding the supernatural scale of the war. 3. Tongtian Jiaozhu 通天教主 Sect / Background: Founder and supreme master of Jie Sect War Camp: Jie Sect / anti-Chan coalition War Beast: Kui Niu (奎牛) Combat Tier: S+ Tongtian Jiaozhu belongs to a level of supernatural power far above almost every other character discussed in this article. He is one of the supreme masters of the supernatural world. Once the conflict escalates into the Zhuxian Formation and the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, Tongtian Jiaozhu personally confronts some of the highest-ranking supernatural figures supporting Chan Sect. The novel contrasts his mount directly with Laozi's Green Ox. Weapons & Magical Skills: Zhuxian Four Swords, Zhuxian Formation, supreme Daoist cultivation and command over Jie Sect's enormous body of disciples. Why He Stands Out: Most characters fight within the existing Shang–Zhou conflict. When Tongtian Jiaozhu intervenes personally, however, the struggle escalates into a direct confrontation between some of the most powerful Daoist figures in the novel. 4. Wen Zhong 闻仲 Sect / Background: Jie Sect; disciple of Jinling Shengmu; Grand Tutor of Shang War Camp: Shang War Beast: Mo Qilin / Black Qilin (墨麒麟) Combat Tier: A Wen Zhong is arguably Shang's most impressive defender. He is simultaneously a veteran military commander, senior statesman and supernatural cultivator. Unlike many of King Zhou's corrupt favorites, Wen Zhong is driven by loyalty and duty rather than selfish ambition. His iconic Mo Qilin accompanies him throughout his campaigns and becomes inseparable from his battlefield presence. Weapons & Magical Skills: Paired golden whips, powerful Daoist techniques, supernatural third eye and exceptional battlefield command. Why He Stands Out: Wen Zhong embodies the tragedy of the Shang side: an honorable and extraordinarily capable man fighting desperately to preserve a dynasty whose ruler is destroying it from within. 5. Zhang Kui 张奎 Sect / Background: Shang supernatural general War Camp: Shang War Beast: One-Horned Black-Smoke Beast (独角乌烟兽) Combat Tier: B+ Zhang Kui is one of the dangerous defenders encountered later in Zhou's eastern campaign. Unlike the detached mountain immortals, he feels more like a true supernatural cavalry commander. His famous One-Horned Black-Smoke Beast complements his extraordinary mobility. Weapons & Magical Skills: Exceptional earth-travel technique, great speed, martial weaponry and supernatural combat skills. Notable Feature: Zhang Kui and his wife Gao Lanying form a particularly dangerous husband-and-wife defensive team. Why He Stands Out: The combination of underground movement and a black-smoke war beast makes him unusually difficult to pin down. 6. Zhao Gongming 赵公明 Sect / Background: Jie Sect War Camp: Shang/Jie side War Beast: Black Tiger (黑虎) Combat Tier: S Zhao Gongming is one of the strongest individual fighters to answer the call against Jiang Ziya. Mounted on his Black Tiger , Zhao Gongming enters the war with enormous confidence. His magical treasures quickly prove why: he defeats or overwhelms several powerful opponents and becomes one of the most dangerous figures on the battlefield. Weapons & Magical Skills: Iron whip, Dinghai Pearls (定海珠), Dragon-Binding Rope and very high Daoist cultivation. Notable Feat: Overwhelms several powerful Chan Sect opponents, forcing his enemies to resort to Luya Daoren's supernatural curse rather than defeating him directly in combat. Why He Stands Out: Zhao Gongming is perhaps the purest example in the novel of the intimidating immortal warlord archetype: dark tiger, heavy weapon, devastating treasures, and enormous personal confidence. (To be continued in Part 3) Interested in the world of Creation of the Gods ? If you would like to explore another side of the story, you can also read my Daji: The Fox Spirit of Xuanyuan Tomb series, which retells the story of Daji, King Zhou and the events that set the fall of the Shang dynasty in motion. While this article focuses on the warriors, immortals, and supernatural creatures of the great Shang–Zhou conflict, Da Ji’s story returns us to the royal court of Chaoge and to the woman whose arrival would become inseparable from the dynasty’s downfall.