Chapter Summaries

Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian concluded that Lu Jun’s guidance had helped Jieyin and Zhunti establish Buddhism, and they recognized that his ability to Converge Timelines revealed and shaped possibilities. They decided to consult Lu Jun about the risks of their own plans to Unite the Three Corpses.

• Laozi explained that Buddhism’s Pure Land, Wish Power, and salvation of evildoers let Jieyin and Zhunti turn their strengths into a new path of shelter.
• Yuanshi concluded that Lu Jun had guided Jieyin and Zhunti toward Buddhism after their return from Zixiao Palace.
• Tongtian praised Lu Jun for guiding Jieyin and Zhunti to realize their own path and fulfill their Karma.
• Laozi described Lu Jun’s ability to Converge Timelines as the insight to guide possibilities and mend oversights in the Heavenly Dao.
• Primeval Lord of Heaven proposed consulting Lu Jun about the risks of using Primordial Violet Qi to sever and Unite the Three Corpses.
• Tongtian agreed to seek Lu Jun after Jieyin and Zhunti left, and Laozi recalled how Lu Jun had influenced Di Jun’s decisions.

Jieyin and Zhunti discovered Buddhism and the Pure Land as a new path after Lu Jun’s guidance helped them escape their crisis. They credited Lu Jun with revealing the way forward, while Houtu wondered whether Buddhism would challenge the Underworld’s role in reincarnation.

• Laozi suggested that Tongtian ask Pangu for guidance after the starry sky matters were settled, and Tongtian agreed.
• The Ancestral Witches sensed merit descending in the starry sky and speculated about Jieyin and Zhunti, but Houtu urged them to seize the abandoned Heavenly Dao Authority.
• Houtu concluded that Buddhism’s Pure Land could draw souls away from the Underworld and wondered whether Lu Jun believed the Underworld was too harsh.
• Lu Jun recognized that Jieyin and Zhunti had founded Buddhism, and congratulated them on finding a new path recognized by the Heavenly Dao.
• Jieyin and Zhunti thanked Lu Jun, saying his guidance had helped them form Buddhism and regain a path to Hunyuan.

Lu Jun recognized Jieyin and Zhunti’s plan to use Wish Power to transform the Three Corpses and improve Jieyin’s chances of uniting them. He offered to trade Jieyin’s matching Prayer Beads and Fly Whisk for enough Spiritual Treasures, but Jieyin hesitated after hearing the offer.

• Tai Yi admired Jieyin and Zhunti’s ambitious plan to gather Wish Power by promising salvation to sinners, though he remained wary of them.
• Jieyin asked Lu Jun for further help, and Tai Yi objected that the two had already received enough from him.
• Zhunti explained that Spiritual Treasures sharing an origin would make Jieyin’s Three Corpses easier to unite after Wish Power transformed them.
• Lu Jun offered to trade Jieyin’s matching Prayer Beads and Fly Whisk for sufficient Spiritual Treasures.
• Zhunti eagerly thanked Lu Jun, but Jieyin frowned and hesitated, prompting Zhunti to ask what was wrong.

Jieyin rejected Jieyin's Three Treasures and conceived a path to enlightenment based on combining the Twelve-Petaled Merit Golden Lotus with Ancestor Minghe's Twelve-Petaled Karma Fire Red Lotus. Lu Jun considered whether to warn Minghe, but decided to wait and respond if circumstances called for it.

• Jieyin declined Lu Jun's offer of Jieyin's Three Treasures, saying they might not suit his future Buddhist vows.
• Jieyin reasoned that the Merit Golden Lotus could be complemented by the Karma Fire Red Lotus, which burned away Karmic Force and filth.
• Jieyin proposed using both same-source lotus platforms to unite opposing qualities and form a more complete path to enlightenment.
• Zhunti was stunned by Jieyin's plan, while Tai Yi and Lu Jun recognized that Jieyin intended to obtain Ancestor Minghe's treasure.
• Lu Jun weighed whether to warn or aid Minghe, then decided to wait because Jieyin's attempt would take time.

Jieyin and Zhunti decided to target the Netherworld Blood Sea for Buddhist converts and the Karma Fire Red Lotus, then Jieyin invited Lu Jun to become Buddhism’s third Buddha. Lu Jun and Tai Yi were left astonished by the offer.

• Zhunti proposed converting the departed souls trapped in the Netherworld Blood Sea instead of competing with the Twelve Ancestral Witches’ Reincarnation.
• Jieyin declared that Buddhism’s struggle with Minghe over the Blood Sea and Karma Fire Red Lotus was a conflict between Dharma and the Blood Sea.
• Lu Jun wished Jieyin and Zhunti success, and the two thanked him for guiding them.
• Jieyin asked Lu Jun to join Buddhism as its third Buddha, offering him equal status and a share of its merit, Wish Power, and fortune.
• Tai Yi and Lu Jun reacted with surprise to Jieyin’s invitation.

Jieyin and Zhunti offered Lu Jun the position of Buddhism’s Third Buddha, but he refused because his existing allegiances and personal path conflicted with Buddhism. Jieyin then offered the title of Great Sun Tathagata Buddha to You Wen, prompting Lu Jun to recognize the name Lu Ya.

• Jieyin and Zhunti invited Lu Jun to become Buddhism’s Third Buddha, hoping to bind his influence and future support to their new sect.
• Lu Jun considered the benefits and risks of joining Buddhism, then declined, citing his ties to the Demon Race and Shangqing and his different path.
• After accepting Lu Jun’s refusal, Jieyin turned his attention to the Tenth Golden Crow Prince, You Wen, and offered him the role of Third Buddha.
• Jieyin named You Wen Great Sun Tathagata Buddha, and Lu Jun realized that Lu Ya had returned.

Jieyin offered You Wen the position of Buddhism’s Third Buddha, Great Sun Tathagata, and Lu Jun advised him to weigh the opportunity and its obligations for himself. You Wen accepted, and the Heavenly Dao recognized his new place in Buddhism.

• Jieyin invoked the title Great Sun Tathagata while recruiting You Wen, stirring his anxiety about his future and his desire for a clear path.
• You Wen asked Lu Jun for advice, while Tai Yi and the others watched as Lu Jun considered the offer’s benefits, risks, and apparent connection to fate.
• Lu Jun explained that joining Buddhism could help You Wen’s cultivation but would bind him to its responsibilities and Karma, then left the decision to his brother.
• You Wen thanked Lu Jun and Tai Yi, then told Jieyin and Zhunti that he would join Buddhism as its Third Buddha, Great Sun Tathagata.
• The Heavenly Dao sent a wisp of Mysterious Yellow Qi to You Wen, recognizing his position, and Jieyin and Zhunti welcomed him among their Buddhas.

Tai Yi warned Jieyin and Zhunti not to manipulate You Wen after he joined the Buddhist Sect as Great Sun Tathagata. Jieyin offered him an independent lineage and invited him to Mount Sumeru to help establish Buddhism.

• Tai Yi threatened to destroy Buddhism and Mount Sumeru if Jieyin and Zhunti used Dharma or Wish Power to control You Wen.
• Jieyin and Zhunti swore to honor Great Sun Tathagata, share Buddhism's resources with him, and let him establish an independent lineage.
• Tai Yi accepted their assurances after his intimidating aura forced them to respond respectfully.
• Jieyin said he and Zhunti needed to return to the Western Lands to organize Buddhism and asked You Wen to accompany them to Mount Sumeru.

You Wen agreed to travel with Jieyin and Zhunti to the Western Lands and help establish Buddhism as the Great Sun Tathagata. Lu Jun believed the path might open a new cultivation method for the Golden Crow Clan, but warned Tai Yi that altered events made You Wen’s future uncertain.

• Lu Jun reassured You Wen that joining Buddhism could help him understand the Dharma and stabilize his status, and You Wen agreed to go with Jieyin and Zhunti.
• Tai Yi warned You Wen that he would always be a Golden Crow Crown Prince and could call on his clan if he faced trouble in the Western Lands.
• Jieyin, Zhunti, and You Wen departed for Mount Sumeru, leaving Tai Yi concerned about the Westerners’ intentions.
• Lu Jun explained that Jieyin and Zhunti had reason to protect and support You Wen, and that Buddhist Dharma Bodies might offer him a new path of cultivation.
• Tai Yi noticed Lu Jun’s uncertainty, and Lu Jun revealed that You Wen’s future as the Great Sun Tathagata had come from fragments of a future now disrupted by changes to the Witch-Demon War, Buddhism’s founding, and You Wen’s growth.

Tai Yi and Lu Jun discussed You Wen’s choice to join the Buddhist Sect before Tongtian arrived to ask for Lu Jun’s counsel. Tongtian revealed that the Three Pure Ones planned to pursue a path of uniting their Three Corpses, and Lu Jun recognized the shared-origin treasures that could form the Twenty-Four-Grade Creation Green Lotus.

• Tai Yi reassured Lu Jun that the Golden Crow Clan would watch over You Wen after he joined the Buddhist Sect.
• Tongtian arrived and praised Lu Jun for guiding You Wen and helping Jieyin and Zhunti.
• Tongtian explained that Laozi planned to use the Taiji Diagram, Pangu Banner, and Chaos Bell to unite his Three Corpses and seek a way beyond the restraints of Primordial Violet Qi.
• Tongtian told Lu Jun and Tai Yi that Laozi had proposed for Yuanshi and him to pursue the same Three Corpses path.
• Tai Yi asked how Tongtian would unite his Three Corpses, and Lu Jun realized that the Three Pure Ones’ walking stick, Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and Qingping Sword shared the origin of the Creation Green Lotus.

Lu Jun struggled to predict whether Tongtian and Yuanshi could succeed at Three Corpses Unite as their plans strayed beyond his foreknowledge. Tongtian revealed that Yuanshi intended to use four strands of Primordial Violet Qi, leaving Lu Jun and Tai Yi stunned and wondering where Yuanshi had obtained them.

• Tongtian clarified that he and Yuanshi had not come to ask Lu Jun for matching Spiritual Treasures, but to ask whether their chosen paths of Three Corpses Unite could succeed.
• Lu Jun fell silent, realizing that his foreknowledge could not predict the outcome of a path with radically changed foundations.
• Tongtian explained that he planned to use the Three Pure Ones' Companion Spiritual Treasures—the Qingping Sword, Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and Walking Stick—to sever his Three Corpses.
• Tai Yi asked what Yuanshi would use, and Tongtian revealed that Yuanshi planned to use four strands of Primordial Violet Qi for Three Corpses Unite.
• Lu Jun and Tai Yi reacted with disbelief and asked where Yuanshi had obtained so much Primordial Violet Qi.

Tai Yi and Lu Jun realized the Three Pure Ones planned to use four strands of Primordial Violet Qi to sever their corpses and pursue extraordinary paths to power. Tongtian revealed that Dao Ancestor Hongjun had approved the plan and given them another strand of Primordial Violet Qi, leaving Tai Yi and Lu Jun stunned.

• Tai Yi deduced that the Three Pure Ones had gathered four strands of Primordial Violet Qi for their respective plans.
• Lu Jun considered how using Primordial Violet Qi to sever corpses could let the Three Pure Ones retain Saint authority and surpass other Saints.
• Tongtian explained that the Three Pure Ones had reported the plan to Dao Ancestor Hongjun and received his guidance.
• Tongtian said Hongjun had given them a strand of Primordial Violet Qi in advance for Primeval Lord of Heaven's method.
• Tai Yi and Lu Jun were shocked that Hongjun had agreed to provide the strand.

Tongtian revealed that Hongjun had given Yuanshi Primordial Violet Qi because he wanted Yuanshi to become his successor in integrating with Heavenly Dao. The revelation left Lu Jun and Tai Yi considering whether Yuanshi’s path could lead to a new Heavenly Dao ruler.

• Tai Yi and Lu Jun learned that Hongjun had provided Primordial Violet Qi for Yuanshi’s method and wondered whether Yuanshi’s four strands could threaten Hongjun’s authority.
• Tongtian explained that Hongjun welcomed Yuanshi’s concentrated authority because he was trying to relinquish control of Heavenly Dao and transcend Dao Integration.
• Lu Jun suspected that Ren Jing’s evolution toward Chaos Demon God insight had inspired Hongjun to pursue transcendence.
• Tongtian said Hongjun had chosen Yuanshi as a successor who could integrate with Heavenly Dao and take over some of its duties.
• Tai Yi realized Yuanshi was Hongjun’s designated successor, while Lu Jun wondered whether Yuanshi might become a Heavenly Dao Sovereign.

Lu Jun inferred that Yuanshi intended to merge with Heavenly Dao and establish a new order for the Prehistoric World. Tongtian mistook Lu Jun’s speculation for a revelation confirming Yuanshi’s path and left for Kunlun Mountain to tell him.

• Lu Jun connected Yuanshi’s plan to merge with Heavenly Dao to the myth of Yuanshi Opens Heaven and reasoned that Yuanshi would become a living embodiment of Heavenly Dao.
• Lu Jun compared Yuanshi’s path of control and order with Laozi’s path of power and Tongtian’s path of creation.
• Tongtian heard Lu Jun’s words and excitedly concluded that he had foreseen Yuanshi opening a new era of Heavenly Dao.
• Lu Jun tried to clarify that he had only been drawing an analogy, but Tongtian stopped him and called the words an auspicious revelation.
• Tongtian announced that he would return to Kunlun Mountain to share the news with Yuanshi.

After Tongtian mistook Lu Jun’s casual remarks about Yuanshi for a prophecy, Lu Jun turned back to his avatar-growing Star Domain and considered whether to cultivate one avatar early as an assistant. He weighed the potential gains against the danger of interfering with natural growth and creating an avatar whose aims might diverge from his own.

• Tongtian departed in high spirits, convinced Lu Jun’s words foretold an auspicious future for the Three Pure Ones, while Lu Jun realized he had been misunderstood.
• Lu Jun resolved to leave the Saints’ Dao paths to them and focus on his own path of Manifesting Billions of Avatars.
• Lu Jun observed the Star Eggs growing and undergoing experiences in the Myriad Immortals Array Star Domain, reminding himself not to interfere too much with their independent development.
• Lu Jun worried that the Star Eggs’ slow growth would leave him behind the rapidly advancing Saints and considered using external catalysis.
• Lu Jun debated actively nurturing a mature avatar to help him, but feared it could develop an independent agenda or undergo an unpredictable change.

Lu Jun worried that his avatars might share the system and challenge which version of him was the true main body. Tai Yi weighed the Three Pure Ones’ ambitious paths against his own plan to pursue Golden Crow Nirvana, leaving him to seek a safe source of the immense merit and energy it required.

• Lu Jun contemplated whether his avatars could share the system and feared the consequences for his Dao path and identity.
• Tai Yi reflected on Tongtian’s report that Laozi, Tongtian, and Yuanshi each planned to pursue a path that could transform their power and status.
• Tai Yi resolved that his Nirvana Path would begin after he refined his two Houtian Merit Supreme Treasures and incorporated their power into himself.
• Tai Yi judged that he had enough merit for Nirvana, but worried that his greater strength would demand an enormous amount of merit and energy.
• Tai Yi ruled out heavily draining the Sun Star and considered devouring Chaos Qi, despite the danger of damage, assimilation, and attracting Chaos Demon Gods.

Tai Yi weighed the risks of beginning Nirvana and decided to discuss the timing with Di Jun while preparing for his possible absence. At Western Mount Sumeru, Jieyin and Zhunti planned to obtain Minghe’s Karma Fire Red Lotus, but concluded they would need to lure him away from the Blood Sea.

• Tai Yi considered delaying Nirvana until Xi He attained Hunyuan, but worried that waiting would leave him behind amid the shifting powers of the Prehistoric World.
• Tai Yi decided to consult Di Jun about the timing of Nirvana and begin secret preparations for his possible long-term absence.
• Jieyin and Zhunti recovered their Spiritual Treasures and returned to their meditation chamber with You Wen, now Buddhism’s Third Buddha, the Great Sun Tathagata.
• Zhunti proposed seeking Ancestor Minghe and obtaining the Twelve-Petaled Karma Fire Red Lotus, which Jieyin needed to complete his foundation for attaining the Dao.
• Jieyin warned that attacking Minghe in the Blood Sea would be dangerous because of Minghe’s home-field advantage, killing treasures, Karma Fire Red Lotus, and Blood God Sons.
• Zhunti agreed that a direct assault would fail and suggested luring Minghe out of his lair.

Jieyin and Zhunti devised a trap to lure Ancestor Minghe away from the Netherworld Blood Sea with an invitation to discuss Buddhism and the Asura Clan. Minghe suspected their motives but decided to investigate without risking his true body.

• Zhunti proposed inviting Minghe to Mount Sumeru with promises of a Buddhist path for the Asura Clan, so Jieyin wrote and sent him an invitation.
• Minghe received the Bodhi Leaf and recognized that Jieyin and Zhunti might be plotting to seize his treasures or threaten the Blood Sea.
• Minghe weighed the chance to learn about Buddhism against the danger of leaving his stronghold, while considering his secret plans for the Primordial Violet Qi.
• Minghe decided to go, but resolved not to send his true body into danger.

Ancestor Minghe sent a Blood God Son avatar to Mount Sumeru to investigate Jieyin and Zhunti’s Buddhism, then reconsidered his long-held plan to save his favor from Lu Jun for a future time. He wondered whether pursuing his own path to sainthood had cost him a chance to seek a greater path beyond sainthood.

• Ancestor Minghe sent a Blood God Son avatar to Mount Sumeru to watch Jieyin and Zhunti and investigate their Buddhism.
• Ancestor Minghe recalled that Lu Jun owed him a Karma because Lu Jun’s Manifesting Billions of Avatars technique drew inspiration from his Blood God Son clone technique.
• Ancestor Minghe regretted not asking Lu Jun for guidance when the Twelve Ancestral Witches opened the Underworld, believing Lu Jun might have helped him gain Earthly Dao Merit and contend for sainthood.
• Ancestor Minghe reflected on his failed attempts to gain a Saint position through Wish Power and merit, and questioned whether he could ever cross the threshold by relying on himself.
• Ancestor Minghe recognized that Saints such as Di Jun, the Three Pure Ones, and the Twelve Ancestral Witches were pursuing paths beyond sainthood.
• Ancestor Minghe questioned whether he should stop waiting for a slim chance to become a Saint and seek the smoother path he imagined lay beyond Saints.

Minghe reconsidered his cautious strategy of saving Karma with Lu Jun and decided to seek immediate guidance about attaining Sainthood. He sent an incarnation to the starry sky, where he asked Lu Jun whether Jieyin and Zhunti’s Buddhist Sect offered his opportunity for Sainthood or concealed a scheme.

• Minghe regretted letting earlier chances for Sainthood pass and resolved to use his accumulated Karma and favor to seek a tangible path forward.
• Minghe sent one Blood God Son to investigate Jieyin and Zhunti at Mount Sumeru and another to visit Lu Jun in the starry sky.
• Tai Yi sensed the approaching incarnation, and Lu Jun recognized its Blood Sea aura as Minghe’s.
• Minghe’s incarnation greeted Tai Yi and Lu Jun, then asked Lu Jun where his opportunity for Sainthood lay and whether he had already missed it.
• Minghe questioned whether Jieyin and Zhunti’s invitation to discuss the Asura Clan’s ties to Buddhism was connected to Lu Jun and could lead him beyond the Blood Sea.