Chapter Summaries

Great Emperor Huangtian set the seventh trial as a contest to obtain divine offices, and the contestants used different methods to gain power and incense offerings. While others competed to advance their divine ranks, Jiang Sheng leisurely ate his stored immortal fruits, restoring his Dharma power and preparing to ask the heavens for a divine office.

• Great Emperor Huangtian explained that contestants would begin as minor gods and compete for divine offices, with the highest-ranked station determining the winner.
• Jingxuan Daoist Lord and Bodhisattva Zhenque exchanged barbs over whether the trial favored Divine Path cultivators.
• Shenxiao Emperor took the Mountain God, Land God, and River God offices, while Divine Lord Chunqiu, Emperor Liuyuan, and Emperor Tianyun gained divine offices through their own schemes.
• Miyin, Mijian, Puhua, and Putai gathered incense offerings to forge Buddhist golden bodies, Daoist Duo Ming earned the villagers’ faith, and demons claimed mountain and river offices.
• The immortals discovered Jiang Sheng wandering through a village and eating rare fruits instead of seeking a divine office.
• Jiang Sheng realized the immortal fruits could restore his sealed Dharma power, and he planned to use it to ask the heavens for a divine office.

Jiang Sheng spent decades slaying evil gods and restoring the Judicial Heavenly Monarch Seal, allowing him to cultivate beyond the Divine Path’s restrictions. After defeating Fuyun Immortal Monarch in the Central Plains Kingdom, he received Huangtian’s edict and ascended to heaven under the name Zu Liu.

• Jiang Sheng fed the Blackwind Mountain Mountain God’s divine register and office to the Judicial Heavenly Monarch Seal, restoring his cultivation to the Nascent Soul Realm and raising the seal to the gold-edict rank.
• Shenxiao Emperor, Emperor Liuyuan, and other prodigies expanded their influence and prepared to compete for the Upper Three Realms’ divine positions.
• Jiang Sheng continued traveling and gained the epithets Immortal Jiang, who relieved suffering and rescued those in distress, and Sword Immortal Jiang, who slew demons and eradicated devils.
• Fuyun Immortal Monarch summoned Jiang Sheng, then attacked after discovering his Spirit Transformation cultivation; Jiang Sheng suppressed him and seized his divine office and register.
• Huangtian’s decree named Jiang Sheng Divine Lord of Saving Suffering and Punishing Evil, Azure Mystic Pivot Thunder True Person, and granted him the azure-edict rank.
• Jiang Sheng ascended to heaven and declared that he would dwell in an immortal palace under the name Zu Liu.

Jiang Sheng became the first to ascend in the seventh trial, forcing Great Emperor Huangtian to award him first place and remove him from the minor realm before he could defeat the other contestants. After the remaining trials concluded, Jiang Sheng sat in Shenxiao Emperor’s vacant seat as fifty-four other contestants entered Lingxiao Hall, leaving Shenxiao Emperor resentful and Great Emperor Huangtian disillusioned with him.

• Jiang Sheng ascended after receiving Great Emperor Huangtian’s edict talisman, and prodigies across the ten kingdoms recognized him as the first contestant to enter the Heavenly Palace.
• Miyin, Shenxiao Emperor, Demon Venerable Qingyu, and Golden Lion Demon Lord reacted to Jiang Sheng’s ascent, with some accepting that he had taken the lead and Shenxiao Emperor vowing the trial was not decided.
• Daoist Lord Qiongyun urged Great Emperor Huangtian to end Jiang Sheng’s trial, and Huangtian summoned Jiang Sheng to Lingxiao Hall and declared him the winner of the seventh trial.
• Jiang Sheng regretted that he could not use his Heavenly Palace authority to clear out the other contestants, then took Shenxiao Emperor’s empty seat in Lingxiao Hall.
• Emperor Liuyuan, Shenxiao Emperor, and other contestants entered heaven over the following five hundred years, and fifty-four contestants joined Jiang Sheng after clearing the trial.
• Shenxiao Emperor glared at Jiang Sheng, who calmly raised his wine goblet toward him, while Great Emperor Huangtian lost his remaining sympathy for Shenxiao Emperor.

Daoist Lord Qiongyun’s eighth trial, Ascension, challenged the fifty-five remaining prodigies to find their way through nine illusory cloud seas, with luck determining their progress. Jiang Sheng copied Kui Fang’s repeated headfirst charges into the cloud ceiling and used the impact to digest the medicinal power in his body, finding a way to strengthen himself as he advanced.

• Daoist Lord Qiongyun announced that all fifty-five survivors could enter the Heavenly Court and set Ascension as the eighth trial, with twenty-four advancing.
• Kui Fang broke through cloud layers by charging through them, while the other contestants searched for hidden openings.
• Daoist Lord Qiongyun explained that the nine cloud seas tested the contestants’ luck, and the spectators learned that Emperor Tianyun led while the Shenxiao Emperor lagged behind in the fourth layer.
• Kui Fang repeatedly smashed into the hardened ceiling of the seventh cloud sea and disappeared into its depths.
• Jiang Sheng realized the impacts could help digest the medicinal power within him, so he began striking the ceiling repeatedly instead of searching for an opening.

Jiang Sheng and the other twenty-three contestants reached the High Heaven Palace, where the Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor began the final stage: one-on-one battles for the Judicial Heavenly Monarch position. Jiang Sheng defeated Star Lord Baisui with a single sword strike, advancing from his first match.

• Jiang Sheng broke through the seventh Cloud Sea layer after tempering his body, while Yingtian Demon Monarch imitated him and fell back in a daze.
• Yingtian Demon Monarch fought Baiming Demon Monarch, and both fell below fifteenth place; Kuifang took first place in the eighth stage, ahead of Emperor Tianyun.
• Golden Lion Demon Lord suspected that several contestants had deliberately avoided the top ten, while Fuyun Immortal Monarch taunted Venerable Zhenhe over their earlier defeats.
• The Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor summoned the twenty-four finalists and established a twelve-arena tournament, with the champion to receive the Judicial Heavenly Monarch position.
• Jiang Sheng drew Star Lord Baisui as his opponent and defeated him with Heaven-Cutting · Severing Time.

Jiang Sheng advanced from his first victory to face Emperor Tianyun, whose fortune techniques let him reproduce the abilities he had witnessed. After learning how those techniques worked, Jiang Sheng trapped Emperor Tianyun in the Green Lotus Array Diagram and struck him with its four swords.

• Jiang Sheng defeated Star Lord Baisui with one sword strike and advised him to master fewer techniques more deeply.
• Venerable Puhua used his strongest attack against Emperor Tianyun, but Emperor Tianyun returned the tide upon its wielder and won.
• The remaining matches concluded, setting up Jiang Sheng’s next battle against Emperor Tianyun.
• Emperor Tianyun copied Jiang Sheng’s sword arts and Venerable Puhua’s Buddha light, then escaped Jiang Sheng’s thunder prison.
• Emperor Tianyun tried to cut away Jiang Sheng’s fortune, but Jiang Sheng used Jietian: Evolution of Creation and revealed that Emperor Tianyun could not copy that move.
• Jiang Sheng sealed Emperor Tianyun inside the Green Lotus Array Diagram and sent its four swords striking at him.

Jiang Sheng defeated Emperor Tianyun with Zhu-Lu-Xian-Jue, then won his next match against Baiming Demon Monarch after their merit treasures clashed. The ninth-stage matches narrowed the field, with Jiang Sheng advancing after severing Baiming’s karmic ties and nearly cutting off his head.

• Jiang Sheng trapped Emperor Tianyun in Zhu-Lu-Xian-Jue, countered his fortune-based arts, and defeated him with a strike that pierced his True Spirit.
• Golden Mother Primordial Lord and the other observers discussed the contenders, while Venerable Pushe lost to Baiming Demon Monarch and Anping, Qingyu, and Shenxiao won their matches.
• Kui Fang and Emperor Liuyuan unleashed their final techniques, and Liuyuan won after Kui Fang collapsed.
• Baiming Demon Monarch used the Seven-Feather Five-Element Fan against Jiang Sheng, who answered with the Qingping Sword’s Heaven-Cutting: Severing Karma.
• Jiang Sheng defeated Baiming Demon Monarch, and the officials declared him the winner.

Jiang Sheng won his match against Baiming Demon Monarch, and the final contest for the Fruition became a race among Jiang Sheng, Liuyuan, and Shenxiao. Liuyuan and Shenxiao tried to join forces against Jiang Sheng, but he countered their attacks with his swords and the Seven-Feather Five-Element Fan.

• Jiang Sheng defeated Baiming Demon Monarch and took the Seven-Feather Five-Element Fan, which willingly went with him.
• Liuyuan defeated Anping, Shenxiao defeated Qingyu, and the three finalists were set as Jiang Sheng, Liuyuan, and Shenxiao.
• Daoist Lord Qiongyun revealed that the finalists had to seize the Fruition first, and Shenxiao and Liuyuan raced toward the ancient tree while Jiang Sheng stayed on the mountain wall.
• Qingyu realized Liuyuan and Shenxiao were staging a fight to lure Jiang Sheng into attacking, and Jiang Sheng eventually confronted them over their plan.
• Shenxiao attacked Jiang Sheng with heavenly thunder, but Jiang Sheng’s Lu-Xian Sword shattered his Thunder Emperor Dharma Image and the Zhu-Xian Sword forced Shenxiao to call for Liuyuan’s aid.
• Liuyuan struck Jiang Sheng with his World Lord Art, but Jiang Sheng used the Seven-Feather Five-Element Fan’s Seven-Reversal Five-Colored Flame to burn away the spear shadows.

Jiang Sheng turned the fight against Emperor Liuyuan and Shenxiao Emperor around by using his fortune- and merit-protected garments to withstand their attacks, then revealed that he had already positioned the four swords and array to trap them. He sealed the two Great Vehicle Emperors inside the Zhu-Xian sword array and called for the swords to slay them.

• Jiang Sheng used the Seven-Feather Five-Element Fan to drive Emperor Liuyuan back, then sent the Xian-Xian Sword and Jue-Xian Sword toward Shenxiao Emperor.
• Emperor Liuyuan and Shenxiao Emperor combined spear attacks, thunder dragons, and the Shenxiao Dharma Seal to pressure Jiang Sheng, but Autumn Water Untainted by Dust deflected the lightning.
• Shenxiao Emperor struck Jiang Sheng from behind, but fortune, merit, and Xuanhuang Qi protecting Jiang Sheng's garments nullified the attack as Jiang Sheng struck Emperor Liuyuan with the Four-Symbol Radiant Wheel.
• Jiang Sheng revealed that the Zhu-Xian Sword and Lu-Xian Sword had pinned down both Emperors while the Xian-Xian Sword and Jue-Xian Sword completed their encirclement.
• Jiang Sheng deployed the Green Lotus Array Diagram, trapped Emperor Liuyuan and Shenxiao Emperor inside the four-sword array, and commanded, "Zhu! Lu! Xian! Jue! Slay!"

Jiang Sheng defeated Emperor Liuyuan and Shenxiao Emperor to win the Judicial Heavenly Monarch Fruit Position, then received a purple-edict heavenly office and lavish rewards from the Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor. He took a seat near the Pure Yang powers in Lingxiao Hall while remaining wary of becoming bound by his new divine rank.

• Jiang Sheng used the Immortal-Slaying God-Slaughtering Array to defeat Emperor Liuyuan and Shenxiao Emperor and claim the Judicial Heavenly Monarch Fruit Position.
• Daoist Lord Qiongyun announced Jiang Sheng as the ninth-checkpoint victor, and Jiang Sheng returned to Lingxiao Hall amid the immortals' congratulations.
• Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor appointed Jiang Sheng Judicial Heavenly Monarch of the Three Realms and granted him a purple-edict rank equal to Mahayana.
• Jiang Sheng rejected the illusion of limitless power brought by his new office and resolved not to become dependent on heavenly rank and fortune.
• Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor bestowed battle armor, commands over heavenly forces, a ceremonial carriage, and a Heavenly Court residence upon Jiang Sheng.
• Jiang Sheng accepted the Heavenly Emperor's invitation to drink, put on his new attire, and took a seat near the Pure Yang powers.

Jiang Sheng celebrated his appointment as Judicial Heavenly Lord at his new mansion while powerful figures from across the Three Realms gathered to congratulate him. Shenxiao Emperor, stripped of authority, was urged to withhold the records and forces Jiang Sheng had been ordered to receive, leaving Jiang Sheng’s new administration facing resistance.

• Jiang Sheng hosted a gathering of immortals, gods, demons, and Buddhas at his newly established Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion, where his seven disciples helped manage the guests.
• Ye Wenshu arrived privately to congratulate Jiang Sheng and gave him a mysterious dark-azure sword sheath before leaving; Lin Fan teased Ling Qiu about Ye Wenshu becoming Jiang Sheng’s Dao companion, and Ling Yu corrected her.
• Shenxiao Emperor watched the celebration from his deserted palace and resented Jiang Sheng for taking his authority and duties.
• A subordinate told Shenxiao Emperor that the Heavenly Court required him to transfer the palace’s records, forces, and other resources to Jiang Sheng’s mansion.
• An unseen voice persuaded Shenxiao Emperor to delay the transfer and test Jiang Sheng, and Shenxiao Emperor agreed; the subordinate disappeared, leaving only a puddle of pus and mud.

Jiang Sheng learned that Shenxiao Emperor had ignored more than a century of reports about disasters across the Three Realms, leaving him a mass of unresolved cases and an empty Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion. He sent his disciples to recruit allies and personnel, then vowed to deal with Shenxiao Emperor after restoring order in the mortal world.

• Wind-Hearing Envoy Gui reported that demons, evil cultivators, and rogue gods had caused disasters across the seas and continents, with cases dating back over a hundred years.
• Gui revealed that Shenxiao Imperial Palace had received the reports but failed to act, and Jiang Sheng ordered the dossiers left with him.
• Jiang Sheng's disciples sorted the cases and found that the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion lacked the personnel needed to handle them.
• Jiang Sheng sent Tian Ming'an, Li Jianchun, Qiu Buyu, and Huang Ping'an to recruit Immortal Monarchs, Daoist allies, and disciples to fill the mansion's vacant posts.
• Jiang Sheng decided to use his own allies rather than Shenxiao Emperor's troops and vowed to settle accounts with Shenxiao Emperor after the mortal-world turmoil was addressed.

Jiang Sheng’s allies filled the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion with recruits from the Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect, Chixiao, and Yaochi, alarming Shenxiao Emperor and Ye Wenshu. As Shenxiao plotted to destroy Lingyuan’s standing by causing casualties among his new staff, he secretly ordered a subordinate to contact the supposedly extinct Chaos Devil Cave.

• Tian Ming'an secured Emperor Huaguang’s support and gathered Zhengyang and the others, while Shen Yao agreed to send Jinhua Mountain disciples to the Heavenly Court.
• Li Jianchun recruited disciples from Penglai, Qinghua, and Tianhe, and Huang Ping'an and Qiu Buyu obtained support from Chixiao and Yaochi.
• Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect, Chixiao, and Yaochi disciples arrived at the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion, prompting Ye Wenshu to condemn Shenxiao Emperor for letting Lingyuan recruit freely.
• Shenxiao Emperor listened to a voice urging him to make Lingyuan’s recruits suffer heavy casualties so the Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect would lose trust in him.
• Shenxiao Emperor ordered a subordinate to contact the Chaos Devil Cave in Xiaozhao World, then killed the official and sent him to carry out the plan.

A Shenxiao Imperial Palace official traveled to Xiaozhao World to recruit its devil cultivators against Penglai Lingyuan, but they refused to provoke the Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect. The official transformed into Wujue Buddha, whom the shocked Elder Chiyue believed had died.

• The Southern Heaven Divine Palace captain warned the subordinate official that Xiaozhao World was remote, impoverished, and hostile to the Heavenly Court.
• The official arrived at Chaos Devil Cave and urged Devil Lord Luanzui and Elder Chiyue to act against Penglai Lingyuan, the Judicial Heavenly Monarch.
• Devil Lord Luanzui and Elder Chiyue refused, saying they would not risk provoking the Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect and that Shenxiao Emperor could not protect them.
• Shenxiao Emperor revealed himself through the official and challenged Elder Chiyue for his insolence.
• The official transformed into Wujue Buddha, and Elder Chiyue recognized him in terror and asked how he could be alive.

Wujue Demon Buddha returned as a remnant soul, forced Elder Chiyue and the Chaos Devil Cave’s leaders into becoming his flesh-and-blood puppets, and ordered them to serve Shenxiao. Meanwhile, Jiang Sheng organized a campaign to clear demons and evils from the mortal world, assigning his forces powerful swords and heavenly support before revealing the Yuzhen Taiyi Heaven talisman.

• Wujue Demon Buddha revealed that a remnant of his Pure Yang life-soul survived his death and made Elder Chiyue acknowledge him again.
• Wujue transformed Elder Chiyue, Devil Lord Luanzui, and the other demonic leaders into stronger but controlled flesh-and-blood puppets, then ordered them to obey Shenxiao.
• Tian Ming'an reported widespread demonic calamities, and Jiang Sheng assigned True Lords and Daoist troops to capture the Void Refinement-level threats.
• Jiang Sheng gave the Zhu-Lu-Xian-Jue swords and other weapons to Li Jianchun, Huang Ping'an, Qiu Buyu, Tian Ming'an, and the Eight Immortals of Luwu to eliminate Integration-level enemies.
• Jiang Sheng told his forces to march openly with support from the Star, Thunder, and Wind Departments, then displayed a talisman that the True Lords identified as Yuzhen Taiyi Heaven.

Tian Ming'an secured the South Heaven Gate for the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion’s first major campaign, and Jiang Sheng’s forces swiftly crushed demons across the Four Seas and Two Continents. Jiang Sheng remained wary that the unrest was not over and bet Ye Wenshu that the campaign would fail, with victory requiring her to join him in attacking the Shenxiao Imperial Palace.

• Tian Ming'an blocked passage through the South Heaven Gate until a decree from Diuniu Palace authorized the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion to requisition it.
• The armies of the Three Offices and Five Capitals, led by True Lords from the Eastern Heaven’s five Daoist sects, deployed through the South Heaven Gate to hunt demons across the Four Seas and Two Continents.
• Jiang Sheng showed Ye Wenshu the heavenly mirrors and said he had blocked the gate to keep other immortals from interfering with the campaign.
• Xuanjing, Xuanxing, and Xuanque defeated and captured Three-Headed Flood Dragon at Leiluo River, while other True Lords subdued demons throughout the mortal realm.
• After the campaign spread the Judicial Heavenly Lord’s name, Jiang Sheng told Ye Wenshu that he suspected the calamity involved more than demons and wagered that she would join him in attacking Shenxiao Imperial Palace if the campaign did not go smoothly.

The Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion’s campaign to suppress demons was ambushed across several regions, forcing Jiang Sheng and his allies to send aid to their endangered disciples. His dharma bodies rescued Li Jianchun and Huang Ping'an, while Kaiyuan Heavenly Venerable’s divine will struck down Chiyue, and Jinjue Buddha dispatched Lingding Arhat to destroy Wujue’s remaining soul.

• Tian Ming'an suppressed Heavenly Fang Lord with the Xian-Xian Sword, but a crimson-ray fiend attacked, killed tens of thousands of Dao-soldiers, and helped Heavenly Fang Lord escape.
• A strange wicked god and a Body Integration Nishen surrounded Qiu Buyu, while Chiyue blocked Huang Ping'an and Eight-Headed Demon Lord and Bone Snake Monarch trapped Li Jianchun.
• Daoist Duobao received orders to rescue Tian Ming'an, while Jiang Sheng sent True Lord Rihui and True Lord Yuehui to aid Huang Ping'an and Li Jianchun, and Ye Wenshu went to rescue Qiu Buyu.
• True Lord Yuehui froze and beheaded Bone Snake Monarch, then killed Eight-Headed Demon Lord with the Zhu-Xian Sword.
• True Lord Rihui slew Two-Faced Evil Monarch and forced Chiyue to reveal his connection to Demon Buddha Wujue; when Chiyue used the Sutra of Ignorant Buddha to escape, Kaiyuan Heavenly Venerable’s divine will trapped him in a vast thunder prison.
• Jinjue Buddha learned that Wujue’s remnant soul had surfaced and ordered Lingding Arhat to destroy it.

The three Heavenly Venerables foresaw that the Buddhist Sect and Divine Path great tribulations would arrive sooner than expected, while Jiang Sheng and his allies finished pacifying the South Sea. After returning to the Heavenly Court, Jiang Sheng prepared to attack Shenxiao Imperial Palace over Shenxiao Emperor’s interference.

• Kaiyuan Heavenly Venerable sensed Wujue’s aura near Lingyuan, and Qingyan Heavenly Venerable explained that the Buddhist Sect great tribulation would erupt within three to five thousand years, followed by the Divine Path great tribulation.
• Duobao arrived to protect Tian Ming'an, broke Heavenly Fang Lord’s fangs with the Xuanyuan Diamond Bracelet, and helped True Lord Rihui and True Lord Yuehui defeat the demons at the South Sea.
• Jiang Sheng killed Moon-Swallowing Evil Lord with the Qingping Sword and learned from the Turtle Minister that the Huanlang Sea’s Dragon Lord had died long ago and the South Sea Dragon Palace had sent no replacement.
• Ye Wenshu reported that he had rescued Qiu Buyu and eliminated Nishen, and Jiang Sheng returned with his allies to the Heavenly Court.
• Jiang Sheng told the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion that Shenxiao Emperor had secretly obstructed them and ordered his allies to summon reinforcements for an attack on Shenxiao Imperial Palace.

Jiang Sheng launched a massive assault on Shenxiao Imperial Palace to establish the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion’s authority, while allies blocked outside forces from intervening. He breached the palace defenses and led his troops inside, confronting Shenxiao Emperor as the battle began.

• Jiang Sheng gathered True Lords and Daoist soldiers from Penglai, Qinghua, and Tianhe, then ordered a swift attack on Shenxiao Imperial Palace without waiting for the Heavenly Emperor’s decree.
• Daoist Lord Xuanming sent Jun Xiao and Xuanjian to help contain Great Emperor Shanghuang, while Jingxuan Daoist Lord and Daoist Lord Juelan prepared to delay him as well.
• Jiang Sheng assigned the Eastern Heaven True Lords to surround the palace and stop reinforcements, then led the bombardment with the Qingping Sword and siege cannons.
• Ganguang Emperor, Emperor Nanming, and other Heavenly Court figures refrained from intervening, while Daoist Lord Junming and Daoist Lord Xuanjian kept Great Emperor Shanghuang occupied in a chess game.
• The Shenxiao Imperial Palace’s defensive array collapsed, and Jiang Sheng ordered his twenty-three Void Refining True Lords and millions of Daoist soldiers to charge inside.
• Jiang Sheng faced Shenxiao Emperor at the palace entrance and declared that he had come to kill him.

Jiang Sheng defeated and killed Shenxiao Emperor after discovering that he had been corrupted, then received both a five-hundred-year confinement order and authority over the renamed Shenxiao Thunder Mansion. He assigned the mansion to the Immortal Dao and prepared to enter seclusion, intending to advance to the fifth tribulation.

• Duobao and Jiang Sheng’s allies stormed Shenxiao Imperial Palace, routing its divine lords and officials.
• Shenxiao Emperor attacked Jiang Sheng with Purple Extreme Divine Lightning, then unleashed corrupted blood-and-thunder powers.
• Jiang Sheng saw that Shenxiao Emperor had become a rotten shell and killed him with Evolution of Creation, reducing him to ash.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered Jiang Sheng to confine himself for five hundred years while rewarding him with the Shenxiao Thunder Seal and renaming the palace Shenxiao Thunder Mansion.
• Jiang Sheng appointed Shen Yao to govern Shenxiao Thunder Mansion for the Immortal Dao and assigned his disciples to manage the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion.
• Jiang Sheng left the Zhu-Lu-Xian-Jue swords with his disciples and went into seclusion, planning to reach the fifth tribulation.