Chapter Summaries

The Second Grand Unity Assembly gathered gods and powerful beings from across the realms, but the Heavenly Emperor’s seat remained empty. Three Corpses Hongjun arrived with Haotian and Yaochi, and the Three Pure Ones welcomed him as Dao Ancestor while most attendees withheld their support.

• The Three Pure Ones and other Great Divine Powers arrived at the Grand Unity Divine Palace and took their assigned seats.
• The Ancestral Witches, Tiger Ancestor, the four cardinal lords, and the dragon, phoenix, and qilin clans entered the assembly.
• Kunpeng, Minghe, Zhuanxu, Xuanyuan, Shennong, and Fuxi reflected on the Heavenly Emperor’s unmatched palace and authority.
• Three Corpses Hongjun arrived with Haotian and Yaochi, and the Three Pure Ones rose to welcome him as Dao Ancestor.
• Most attendees stayed silent, while Zhen Yuanzi and fewer than a third of the Purple Heavens guests offered congratulations; the three clans and Ancestral Witches showed no support.
• Taiyi chose to keep the Demon Clan neutral, surprising Primordial Lord of Heaven, while Hongjun continued toward his reserved seat.

Li Fan opened the Grand Unity Assembly by announcing that Huang Tian would abdicate as Southern Longevity Heavenly Emperor, leaving the Western Extreme God position at the center of a fierce contest. Yaochi, Minghe, Kunpeng, Zhuanxu, the Dragon Clan, and the Phoenix Clan all put forward claims, and the hall descended into factional conflict.

• The Heavenly Emperor arrived at the Grand Unity Divine Palace with Wangshu, Changxi, Taiyuan, Ziguang, Houtu, and Nuwa, silencing the assembled immortals and gods.
• Li Fan began the Grand Unity Assembly and announced that Huang Tian would abdicate as Southern Longevity Heavenly Emperor.
• Yaochi declared her candidacy for Western Extreme God, while Minghe and Kunpeng also sought the position.
• Xuanyuan and the Three Emperors stepped forward to support Zhuanxu, arguing that the Human Race needed to protect its people in the Western Extreme.
• Ancestor Dragon and Dragon Mother claimed the position for the Dragon Clan, and Yuanfeng then argued that the Phoenix Clan should hold it.
• The factions argued and maneuvered for support as Li Fan watched the contest grow increasingly chaotic.

Li Fan appointed Yaochi as Western Extreme God, then revealed his plan to divide the Primordial World into the Three Realms and establish the Nine Provinces and Twelve Domains. After Baili announced how the territories would be allocated among humanity and the various races, the assembly accepted Li Fan’s division despite their initial shock and discontent.

• Li Fan declared Yaochi the choice for Western Extreme God and promised to confer her title at Lingxiao Heavenly Palace in one hundred thousand years.
• Li Fan announced that he would divide the Primordial World into the Three Realms, the Nine Provinces, and the Twelve Domains, shocking the Saints and the gathered races.
• Baili presented the decree assigning the Nine Provinces to humanity and distributing the Twelve Domains among the Dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, Demon, Witch, Fox, Tiger, Witch-Human, and Black Tortoise Clans, as well as the Three Dao.
• Li Fan declared that each domain would guard its own borders, while Zhuanxu held back his objections after Xuanyuan warned him against opposing the decision.
• Yuanshi accepted Li Fan’s division, and the rest of the assembly tacitly followed.

At the Grand Unity Assembly, Primordial Lord of Heaven challenged humanity’s control of Tongtian Jianmu, and Zhuanxu’s blunt refusal prompted Li Fan to adjourn the gathering and summon the Saints. Li Fan then announced he would relocate Jianmu, and the debate ended with it assigned to Penglai Immortal Island, overturning Zhuanxu’s expectations and Fuxi’s plans.

• Primordial Lord of Heaven accused humanity of monopolizing Tongtian Jianmu, and Zhuanxu declared that humanity did not need it.
• Li Fan adjourned the Grand Unity Assembly and ordered the Saints, the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors, and Yaochi to remain.
• After the other attendees left, Li Fan proposed relocating Tongtian Jianmu and named three possible locations.
• Taishang warned against moving Jianmu, while Zhunti and Jieyin supported relocating it to the West, and Tongtian urged Li Fan to decide.
• The Saints argued over Jianmu’s destination, and they settled on Penglai Immortal Island as its new location.

Li Fan moved Tongtian Jianmu from the center of the Primordial World to Penglai, where the Five Immortals Island joined together to support it and became the Immortal God Domain. The Heavenly Dao and Earthly Dao both bestowed merit, while Zhuanxu watched his Human Emperor’s Fortune fall and realized the relocation had upended his plans.

• Fuxi’s hexagram collapsed, and Shennong warned that Zhuanxu’s words would make it difficult for humanity to draw on the Heavenly Pillar’s power.
• Li Fan used the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler and the sages’ support to lift Tongtian Jianmu and carry it toward Penglai in the East Sea.
• Li Fan planted Jianmu on Penglai and linked the Five Immortals Island with the thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, allowing the islands to stabilize the Heavenly Pillar.
• Li Fan used the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler to establish the Immortal God Domain, linking the five islands and Jianmu to the fortunes of the Heavenly Realm and the East Sea.
• The Heavenly Dao and Earthly Dao manifested together and bestowed merit on Li Fan and the others who had helped stabilize heaven and earth.
• Zhuanxu felt his Human Emperor’s Fortune plummet and wondered whether the upheaval was his fault.

Li Fan and the goddesses inspected Return to Ruins and discovered that it had entered the Water Essence Charging stage, heralding a catastrophic tribulation. They realized the Great Cleansing could devastate the Primordial World for eras, threatening humanity and all living beings until the final Human Emperor’s reign.

• Li Fan visited Penglai, where Houtu finished communicating with the newly born Ignorant Ancestral Vein Will and departed.
• Nuwa and Goddess Taiyuan teased each other about their strength until Li Fan asked them to help inspect Return to Ruins.
• Li Fan, Nuwa, Goddess Taiyuan, and Goddess Wangshu traveled to Return to Ruins, leaving Empress Ziguang to watch over Penglai.
• The group found Return to Ruins unnaturally calm, and Li Fan recognized that it had entered the Water Essence Charging stage.
• Li Fan and Nuwa concluded that the Primordial Origin Will had permitted a Great Cleansing and that the Water Essence Tribulation could last from humanity’s third emperor until its final emperor, endangering countless lives.

Yaochi ascended as Supreme Jade Emperor of the West, while Haotian entered reincarnation to repair his damaged origin and settle his karma with her. As Li Fan returned to Grand Unity Palace, he dismissed Zhuanxu’s petition to expand human territory.

• Li Fan bestowed the imperial seal and the title of Supreme Jade Emperor of the West on Yaochi, who vowed to protect the Prehistoric Universe and govern the Western Extreme Ninth Heaven.
• Yaochi noticed Haotian’s restrained reaction to her ascension and realized Emperor’s Authority had loosened the limits on her life laws.
• Zhuanxu left the ceremony dissatisfied, while Li Fan returned to Grand Unity Palace with the goddesses.
• Hongjun brought Haotian to Primordial Lord of Heaven, who sent him into reincarnation to repair his origin and settle his karma with Yaochi.
• Primordial Lord of Heaven and Hongjun argued over why the Three Thousand Purple Heaven Guests showed Hongjun little respect, and their conversation ended in tension.
• Nüyi showed Li Fan Zhuanxu’s petition to expand human territory, and Li Fan ordered her to ignore it.

Fuxi secured Nuwa’s agreement to preside over Zhuanxu and Jiu Feng’s planned Human Marriage, while the Human Race, Witch Clan, and Interception Sect each pursued their own schemes through the union. As invitations went out and Jiu Feng privately questioned the Ancestral Witches’ orders, Li Fan and the goddesses tore up their invitations, leaving Nuwa reluctant to officiate.

• Fuxi told Li Fan, Nuwa, and the others that Zhuanxu planned to marry Jiu Feng, and he persuaded Nuwa to preside over the Human Marriage.
• Li Fan recognized that the Ancestral Witches hoped Jiu Feng would bear heirs for the Witch-Human Race, while Zhuanxu planned to use her influence to unite that race under Human rule.
• Fuxi returned to Chendu with Nuwa’s agreement, and Duobao encouraged Zhuanxu’s ambitions while concealing his own calculations.
• Fuxi and the Human Ancestors agreed to move the capital to Gaoyang for the wedding, and Xuanyuan took charge of sending invitations throughout the Prehistoric Universe.
• Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin welcomed the invitation, but Xuanming noticed Jiu Feng’s gloomy silence as she wondered whether she had to obey the Ancestral Witches.
• Li Fan and the goddesses tore up their invitations, and Li Fan told Nuwa she could refuse to preside over the marriage.

Jiu Feng’s arrival in Chendu forced Zhuanxu and Duobao to move their plan to control the Witch-Human Race ahead of the Human Marriage. Duobao secured Tongtian’s support to obtain Panwang’s Hallucinatory Love Poison and reached Panwang’s cave, where he was granted an audience.

• Jiu Feng came to Chendu to meet Zhuanxu, and he arranged for her to rest in a side hall while reconsidering the timing of his plan.
• Zhuanxu and Duobao decided they might need to suppress Jiu Feng before the Human Marriage, but Duobao warned they could not defeat her by force.
• Duobao proposed using Panwang’s Hallucinatory Love Poison, and Zhuanxu entrusted him with obtaining it.
• Duobao traveled to the Interception Sect’s ancestral grounds and persuaded Sect Leader Tongtian to provide a Saint’s Decree for his visit to Panwang.
• Duobao reached Panwang’s cave in the Northern Primordial World, where Panwang appeared and invited him inside.

Duobao obtained Hallucinatory Love Poison from Panwang for Zhuanxu’s plot against Jiu Feng, but the scheme was exposed to the Heavenly Emperor and Nuwa. Nuwa ended Zhuanxu’s Human Marriage with Jiu Feng and ordered him to abdicate in ten thousand years, while Duobao remained on the road toward the Eastern Primordial World.

• Duobao took Hallucinatory Love Poison from Panwang, who reported the dangerous item to the Hall of Myriad Gods after Duobao left.
• Li Fan informed the goddesses of Zhuanxu’s plot, and Nuwa alerted Fuxi, who rushed with Shennong to the human race’s Old Capital.
• Fuxi confronted Zhuanxu and demanded that he seek Nuwa’s forgiveness, but Zhuanxu denied the accusations.
• Nuwa declared Zhuanxu’s marriage to Jiu Feng over and ordered him to abdicate in ten thousand years.
• Nuwa warned Fuxi and Shennong that Jiu Feng might beat Duobao to death, and they hurried outside.

Jiu Feng punished Duobao for helping Zhuanxu scheme against her, and Zhuanxu was soon to abdicate as Human Emperor. Li Fan began establishing the Twelve Yuan Chen to govern time in the Middle Ancient Era, while keeping his larger plans for the Heavenly Realm secret.

• Jiu Feng attacked Duobao for plotting against her on Zhuanxu’s orders, but Fuxi and Shennong intervened before she left in anger.
• News spread that Zhuanxu would soon abdicate and return to Huoyun Cave, despite having one Eon remaining as Human Emperor.
• Li Fan told Goddess Wangshu and Empress Ziguang that the Twelve Yuan Chen would anchor the Earthly Branches and regulate time, while the Human Emperor would govern the Twenty-four Solar Terms.
• Li Fan warned Empress Ziguang to delay advancing the Zhou Tian Star Chart and revealed that he intended to use it later to seal the Heavenly Realm and replenish its origin.
• Li Fan summoned the Chaos Bell and began forming the Twelve Yuan Chen, then assigned Nuwa to organize an open selection for the Earthly Branch overseers.

After Emperor Ku ascended, Nuwa held a chaotic competition in Grand Unity Heaven to select the Twelve Earthly Branches, turning the divine appointment into a series of bizarre contests. Eleven candidates were chosen, while the Ox position remained undecided as the plowing contest continued.

• Emperor Ku succeeded Zhuanxu as Human Emperor, and Nuwa announced the Twelve Earthly Branches selection, drawing representatives of the myriad races to Grand Unity Heaven.
• Nuwa replaced the origin-compatibility test with eccentric contests, including a dangerous maze for the Rat position, plowing for the Ox position, and roaring for the Tiger position.
• Duolaimi entered Yunxiao's Nine-Turn Maze, while thousands of Grand Unity Golden Immortals struggled to plow the three thousand Great Thousand Worlds.
• Nuwa's contests entertained the gathered races, and Chaofeng and Liwen withdrew from consideration, leaving the Dragon Clan opportunity to Long Zhentian.
• Nuwa finalized eleven candidates, including Duolaimi, Pili Tiger, Jade Rabbit, Long Zhentian, and Zhuifeng, while the Ox contest continued.

Li Fan established the Twelve Earthly Branches and granted divine offices to twelve candidates, who became Star Lords responsible for twelve star domains. After Empress Ziguang assigned their domains, the new Star Lords met the Zhou Tian Star Gods and received guidance and jade slips for their duties.

• Nuwa presented the Heavenly Book’s twelve candidates to Li Fan, who confirmed their compatibility with the Earthly Branch Origin.
• Li Fan bestowed the Twelve Earthly Branches’ divine offices, and the Heavenly Dao granted merit as twelve zodiac phantoms and corresponding stars appeared.
• Nuwa received the Creation Green Lotus from Li Fan, and the Heavenly Emperor’s group met the new Star Lords in Grand Unity Square.
• Empress Ziguang took the Twelve Star Lords to the Ziwei Divine Palace, explained their twelve star domains, and instructed them to protect one another and call her true name if danger arose.
• Yaoguang, Siming, and the other Zhou Tian Star Gods welcomed the Twelve Star Lords and gave them guardian jade slips containing information about their domains.

Emperor Ku and the Twelve Earthly Branches Star Lords completed the Human Race Calendar Sequence, earning Humanity Dao merit and strengthening human fortune. Li Fan then began preparing the Twelve Yuan Chen to guard the four seas against the approaching Water Essence Tribulation.

• Ziguang disciplined the Zhou Tian Star Gods, bringing greater order to the star formations.
• Nüyi delivered Li Fan's decree for the human race to create its own calendar, and Emperor Ku summoned sages to determine the seasons.
• The Twelve Earthly Branches Star Lords helped Emperor Ku and the sages establish twenty-four solar terms over 240,000 years.
• Humanity Dao recognized the Human Race Calendar Sequence, and Emperor Ku, the sages, the Star Lords, and Li Fan received merit as human fortune surged.
• Li Fan told Goddess Taiyuan to place the Twelve Yuan Chen and revealed a grand formation to guard the four sea eyes against the coming Water Essence Tribulation.

Li Fan and his allies completed the Twelve Yuan Chen Sea Suppressing Grand Formation, using the Zhou Tian Star Array and Sea-Calming Divine Pearls to contain the Water Essence Tribulation. The Four Seas calmed and the formation earned Heavenly Dao and Humanity Dao merit, though Li Fan warned that the greater storm still lay ahead.

• Li Fan commanded Empress Ziguang, Wangshu, and Xihe to activate the Zhou Tian Star Array and direct its power into twelve Water Vein nodes across the Four Seas.
• Goddess Taiyuan joined the stellar power to the twelve Yuan Chen positions, triggering the Water Essence Tribulation as the Sea Eyes erupted.
• Li Fan used the Thirty-Six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls to connect the Yuan Chen formation, the star array, and the Primordial World's ancestral water veins.
• The completed Twelve Yuan Chen Sea Suppressing Grand Formation subdued the violent tides and contained most of the tribulation's power within the Four Seas' Sea Eyes.
• Heavenly Dao and Humanity Dao bestowed merit on Li Fan, the formation's creators, the Twelve Zodiac Signs, and the Zhou Tian Star Gods.
• Li Fan reflected that the formation could shield the Four Seas but could not end the tribulation, while Ancestor Dragon saw the coming crisis as an opportunity to attain the Dao.

Yao became Human Emperor as the Water Essence Tribulation began, and Guang Chengzi arrived to help contain the northern crisis. Guang Chengzi’s Heaven-Turning Seal blocked the cold and floodwaters, but its hidden Buzhou Mountain karma began entangling him with Humanity Dao calamity.

• Emperor Ku abdicated, and Yao accepted the Human Emperor Seal and vowed to protect the human race through the coming tribulation.
• Li Fan and the others watched as reports reached Yao that Innate Cold Qi and Primordial Heavy Water were devastating the north.
• Guang Chengzi arrived on Primordial Lord of Heaven’s orders and offered to help in exchange for public support for the Chan Teachings.
• Guang Chengzi used the Heaven-Turning Seal to raise a mountain barrier that blocked the northern cold and floodwaters, and Yao agreed to his condition.
• Taiyi and Li Fan recognized the seal as a remnant of Buzhou Mountain, while its hidden malevolent aura drew Humanity Dao Calamity Qi into Guang Chengzi’s fortune.

As the Water Essence Tribulation began, Ancestor Dragon brought the Dragon Gate to Grand Unity Heaven and offered it in exchange for borrowing the Qiankun Cauldron. Li Fan initially refused, then allowed Ancestor Dragon into the palace and agreed to negotiate terms for tempering the Dragon Gate.

• The Dragon Gate appeared at the convergence of the Four Seas, signaling that Ancestor Dragon was close to attaining the Dao.
• Ancestor Dragon asked to borrow the Qiankun Cauldron to suppress the Water Essence Tribulation, but Li Fan refused and left him outside Grand Unity Heaven.
• Li Fan invited Ancestor Dragon into Grand Unity Palace and pointed out that refining the Dragon Gate could give the Dragon Clan control over the Primordial World's water element.
• Nuwa demanded that authority over the refined Dragon Gate be split equally between the Dragon Clan and the Heavenly Court.
• Ancestor Dragon accepted the equal split, provided the Heavenly Realm's will did not taint the Dragon Gate and the Dragon Clan could supervise its tempering.

Li Fan and the others watched Goddess Taiyuan forge the Dragon Gate into a Top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasure that linked the Dragon Clan with the Heavenly Court in governing the world’s waters. Ancestor Dragon used the new gate to bear his clan’s karma and successfully attained Hunyuan, though he still recognized the Heavenly Emperor’s overwhelming stature.

• Li Fan and his group arrived at the Eastern Cang Tian Domain, where Goddess Taiyuan used the Qiankun Cauldron to transform the Dragon Gate into a Top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasure.
• The Heavenly Emperor’s decree joined the Dragon Gate, granting it water essence authority and establishing joint Heavenly Court and Dragon Clan governance over the world’s water systems.
• Ancestor Dragon began attaining Hunyuan through the Dragon Gate, linking his Way of the Dragon to the Primordial World’s Water Law and facing the River of Fate.
• Ancestor Dragon declared that the Dragon Gate would bear the Dragon Clan’s karma, and the gate helped absorb the burden of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity as he transcended the River of Fate.
• Ancestor Dragon successfully attained the Dao and realized that, despite his new standing, the gap between him and the Heavenly Emperor remained immense.

Li Fan ordered Yao to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai and become the Heavenly Water Great Emperor, using Humanity Dao to stabilize the water essence and suppress the calamity. After Guang Chengzi objected, Yao sought counsel from the three Human Emperors, accepted their support, and set out resolved to take the position.

• Li Fan sent Nüyi to deliver his decree ordering Yao to conduct the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai and ascend as Heavenly Water Great Emperor.
• Guang Chengzi arrived to oppose Yao’s ascension, but Nüyi dismissed his objection and departed.
• Yao left Guang Chengzi and secretly traveled to Huoyun Cave to consult Fuxi, Shennong, and Xuanyuan.
• Fuxi warned Yao that becoming a Heavenly Official would cost him the chance to attain the sainthood of Humanity Dao, but Yao remained firm in his decision.
• Shennong gave Yao his Compendium of Hundred Herbs, and Xuanyuan gave him a Dragon Clan Jade Pendant for aid.
• Yao left Huoyun Cave, while Emperor Ku watched and hoped he would remain true to the Human Race.

A hundred thousand years later, Yao ascended as the Heavenly Water Great Emperor and tried to stabilize the Primordial World's chaotic Water Essence. Li Fan and the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls helped suppress the heavenly river's Calamity Taint, but the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls hinted that the crisis was not over.

• Yao performed a Mount Tai ritual and received the Heavenly Official authority, becoming the Heavenly Water Great Emperor.
• Yao used his authority and the Water Suppressing Cauldron to calm floods and confront the Calamity Taint in the Grand Unity Heavenly River.
• When the Calamity Taint nearly overwhelmed Yao, Li Fan intervened and sent the thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls to purify and stabilize the heavenly river.
• Goddess Wangshu said Water Essence had initially stabilized, while Li Fan reflected that the moment would become a fading myth.
• Yao promised to patrol the heavenly river and regulate the Water Veins, then returned to the human race as the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls implied the sea was not yet calm.