Chapter Summaries

Downton repeatedly fought Tathagata, destroying his golden body while regenerating from devastating injuries. After Tathagata transformed into an immense Buddha fruition, the Jade Emperor protected the Heavenly Court and Downton charged into Tathagata’s head, where he remained as the battle continued.

• Downton regenerated his arm, dismissed Yang Jian’s concern, and charged Tathagata while the Jade Emperor and Old Lord recognized that no one could easily subdue him.
• The Jade Emperor ordered preparations to welcome Downton, while Tathagata stood from his lotus throne and tried to persuade him to stop fighting.
• Downton rejected Tathagata’s arguments and battered him, destroying Tathagata’s golden body as his own flesh repeatedly exploded and regenerated.
• Tathagata transformed into an immense Buddha fruition, and the Jade Emperor drew the Heavenly Court into his palm to protect it.
• Downton confronted the Jade Emperor, then flew into Tathagata’s head and continued inward without emerging.

Downton abandoned his fight with Tathagata because neither could defeat the other, then left Heaven after humiliating the Lunar Star Lord and seeing Tathagata depart. Back in Little Western Heaven, Yang Jian urged him to recover Wukong’s remaining root relics and resurrect him to reignite the great calamity.

• Downton returned to Heaven and decided they needed allies and methods from the world itself to permanently defeat Tathagata and the Jade Emperor.
• Downton slapped the Lunar Star Lord after she dodged his first attempt, while Nezha mistakenly thought he had found a way to win.
• Tathagata admitted he could not handle Downton and vanished with the two Bodhisattvas, while the immortals avoided discussing his defeat and fawned over Downton.
• Bajie told Downton that he had captured one Bodhisattva with the Human Seed Bag, and Downton led his companions down to Little Western Heaven.
• Yang Jian explained that Wukong was the center of the unfinished calamity and urged Downton to find the last three root relics so they could resurrect him.

The Jade Emperor and Lunar Star Lord responded to Downton’s growing influence by weighing their next moves, while Downton’s group divided up their plans to deal with several demon strongholds. The chapter ended with Bajie reluctantly agreeing to accompany Downton to Pansi Ridge.

• The Lunar Star Lord reprimanded A-Yu, subdued the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Staff, and told her to continue leading the Moon Palace dancers.
• The Lunar Star Lord decided to seek an opportunity amid the rising changes and flew down to the lower realm.
• The Jade Emperor told the Queen Mother to contact Kunlun, avoid provoking the Western Heaven, and consider a meeting with Downton and the Buddha.
• Downton sent Nezha and Bull Demon to deal with the Yellow Wind Sage and assigned Erlang to bring back the Black Bear.
• Bajie tried to avoid going to Pansi Ridge, but changed his mind when Downton said he would go alone and clear out its demons.

At the Zhu family estate on Pansi Ridge, the spider sisters argued over their mother’s worsening hunger and their strained relations with the scorpion family. A loud visitor arrived claiming to bring a husband for the Fourth Spider Sister, then attacked the estate, leaving the sisters to face the threat.

• The Second Spider Sister worried that their mother needed to devour demons more often and ordered lesser demons to seek spirits and capture suitable victims.
• The Fourth Spider Sister and the Second Spider Sister argued over how the Fourth Sister had insulted their uncle and scorpion suitors, damaging the family’s alliances.
• The Fourth Spider Sister said she would never marry and doubted any hero would come to Pansi Ridge for her.
• A visitor pounded on the front gate and called for the spider sisters to open it, boasting that he had brought a pig as a husband for the Fourth Spider Sister.
• A lantern monster was swept away by hurricane winds and smashed through a distant mountain, while the Second Spider Sister recognized that the visitor had come to attack their home.
• The Fourth Spider Sister prepared to face the attack and promised that she would die before the Second Spider Sister if necessary.

Downton brought Bajie to the Zhu family estate on Mount Pansi to visit Zizhu, teasing Bajie and dazzling the spider sisters with his appearance. He entered the estate, but Fourth Sister stopped him to question whether he was truly a guest or an enemy.

• Downton knocked on the Zhu family estate's gate and teased Bajie about his relationship with Zizhu.
• Second Sister and the other spider sisters opened the door and were stunned by Downton's handsome face and magnificent armor.
• Second Sister recognized Bajie and asked why he had come to Mount Pansi.
• Bajie warned the spider sisters to stay away from Downton, and Downton struck him and introduced himself as Zizhu's gift-bearing visitor.
• Downton strode into the estate and demanded food and strong wine, but Fourth Sister challenged him to prove he was a welcome guest.

Downton and Pig Bajie arrived at the spider sisters’ home, where Downton’s teasing and Bajie’s boasts left the sisters unsure how to treat him. When Fourth Sister attacked Downton with poison, he survived after briefly turning green and called her the best-fed gu in the formation.

• Downton asked the spider sisters to let him in and get him something to eat, while Second Sister offered him hospitality.
• Pig Bajie warned the sisters not to eat people and claimed Downton had defeated Tathagata Buddha and was welcomed by the Jade Emperor and Supreme Lord Laozi.
• Second Sister questioned whether Downton was human and why he had come to their demon-filled home, and Downton teased her before asking for food and aged baijiu.
• Fourth Sister attacked Downton with poisonous gas after he placed a hand on Second Sister’s shoulder, but Downton condensed the gas into a cigarette and took a drag.
• Second Sister warned that Fourth Sister’s poison was exceptionally potent, but Downton quickly recovered and called her the best-fed gu in the formation.

Downton entered the Zhu sisters’ residence, where Second Sister eagerly welcomed him and brought out her aged Daughter’s Red Wine. As the sisters served him and discussed their family, Second Sister revealed she had dug up every jar of wine they had buried.

• Fourth Sister angrily challenged Downton, but he flicked her forehead and knocked her down before Fifth Sister led her away.
• Second Sister welcomed Downton into the courtyard and hurried off to fetch her prized Daughter’s Red Wine.
• Downton teased Sixth Sister about Second Sister’s sudden infatuation and gave her a flower wreath from the Hundred Flowers Fairy.
• Eldest Sister greeted Downton, offered him Third Sister’s hibiscus, green date, and osmanthus cake, and explained that Mother was meeting Pig Bajie.
• Second Sister brought several jars of Daughter’s Red Wine and offered to serve Downton, prompting Eldest Sister to question how she had so many.
• Second Sister said she had dug up all the wine everyone had buried.

Downton drank Daughter's Red with the spider sisters and praised Third Sister’s pastries, while Sixth Sister’s flower crown stirred Fourth Sister’s envy and insecurity. When Fourth Sister discovered Second Sister had opened all the sisters’ treasured wine, she erupted in anger.

• Eldest Sister learned that Second Sister had opened the sisters’ Daughter’s Red for Downton, but Second Sister insisted she had done it to keep them safe.
• Sixth Sister showed her flower crown to Third Sister, Fourth Sister, and Fifth Sister, and Fourth Sister admired it despite feeling unworthy of wearing one.
• Downton drank with Eldest Sister and Second Sister, then praised the pastries Third Sister had made.
• Fourth Sister complained that Downton had toasted all the sisters together, then drank a cup of wine he shared with her.
• Second Sister revealed that the wine was Fourth Sister’s Daughter’s Red and that she had dug up all the sisters’ jars, prompting Fourth Sister to threaten her.

Bajie reunited with Zizhuer and revealed that he had captured Bodhisattva Samantabhadra during his battle in Heaven, hoping the Bodhisattva’s vital essence would help restore her. Zizhuer accepted that Bajie’s Great Sage Brother was powerful and embraced Bajie, who prepared to help her recover in the Pool of Purification.

• Bajie met Zizhuer as Eldest Sister helped her out of the room, and he urged her to leave the valley with him once his mission was done.
• Bajie told Zizhuer that he had fought through Heaven alongside his Great Sage Brother and captured Bodhisattva Samantabhadra with the Human Seed Bag.
• Zizhuer slapped Bajie twice, then tied the bag shut and feared that his actions had brought disaster upon them.
• Bajie insisted that his Great Sage Brother had defeated Tathagata and sent Eldest Sister to receive Downton while he spoke privately with Zizhuer.
• Zizhuer asked about the Great Sage Lord’s origins, and Bajie offered her the Bodhisattva’s vital essence and a Face-Preserving Pearl.
• Zizhuer embraced Bajie, and the two transformed into a giant spider and a giant wild boar before rolling toward the Pool of Purification.

At the banquet, Downton promised to take the Spider Sisters out of the formation after they finished eating and their mother and Bajie had caught up. The sisters rejoiced, while Fourth Sister blushed at Downton’s teasing and worried about what role she would have in their future.

• Fourth Sister drank her Daughter’s Red and asked Downton whether he would keep his promise to save her family.
• Downton vowed to free everyone whose wine he had drunk and told the Spider Sisters to pack after the meal and their mother and Bajie finished catching up.
• Fourth Sister worried that their mother had no Daughter’s Red for Downton, and he reassured her that he would not leave her behind.
• Second Sister asked how Downton planned to settle the family, and he praised each sister’s abilities.
• Fourth Sister protested that Downton had skipped praising her, so he suggested she travel and complimented her feet, making her retreat in embarrassment.

Bajie reunited with Purple Pearl and their daughters, revealing his handsome Marshal Tianpeng form and explaining that Purple Pearl’s injuries had been healed. The Lord of the Lunar Yin Star arrived asking for the True Lord of Blessed Cavern Paradise, and Purple Pearl collapsed in fear that the Star Lord had finally found her.

• Bajie came out of Purple Pearl’s room and introduced Downton to his wife, who appeared in her younger, beautiful form.
• Bajie transformed into his handsome Marshal Tianpeng appearance, stunning the spider daughters and prompting them to discuss their mother’s feelings for him.
• Bajie told Downton that Purple Pearl had been healed with the Bodhisattva’s essence and that he had stored his senior brother’s six roots for a future revival.
• The Lord of the Lunar Yin Star arrived at the Zhu family estate and asked for the True Lord of Blessed Cavern Paradise.
• Purple Pearl collapsed, gripped Bajie’s wrist, and cried that the Star Lord had found her.

Downton attacked the Lord of the Lunar Star after learning she had his Ruyi Golden-Hooped Staff, blasting her across Pansi Ridge. She returned the staff and begged him for refuge, and Downton recognized that she genuinely wanted to escape Heaven.

• Purple Pearl panicked at the mention of the Lord of the Lunar Star, and Bajie explained that Downton had once been offered the title True Lord of Blessed Grotto-Heaven.
• Downton learned from his armor that the Lord of the Lunar Star had his staff and launched a psychic shockwave that hurled her away and split Pansi Ridge.
• The Lord of the Lunar Star returned, knelt before Downton, and handed back the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Staff while pleading for mercy.
• The Lord of the Lunar Star clung to Downton and begged him to take her away from Heaven, while Purple Pearl and the spider sisters watched in disbelief.
• Downton took back the staff and concluded that the Lord of the Lunar Star had come both to return it and seek refuge from him.

Downton humiliated the Lunar Star Lord, then joined Zhu Bajie and the sisters at the banquet, where Bajie reflected on his old longing for her and Downton argued that greed had no end. The gathering ended with Second Sister teasing Fourth Sister about Downton, who blushed as Fourth Sister stuffed a date cake into Second Sister’s mouth.

• Downton grabbed the Lunar Star Lord by the hair, tossed her aside, and ordered her to serve him, then learned that Sixth Sister was 283 years old.
• The Lunar Star Lord poured wine for Downton, while Third Spider Sister questioned whether she was truly Heaven’s Lunar Star Lord and Purple Pearl confirmed it.
• Zhu Bajie toasted Downton and confessed that he had never dared speak to the Lunar Star Lord in Heaven, then drank to the years he had wasted chasing his past.
• Bajie compared the Lunar Star Lord’s service to Buddhist enlightenment, but Downton argued that greed had no endpoint and explained why he chose to live without coveting power or victory.
• Downton teased Fourth Sister about begging with him, and Second Sister teased her about his interest before Fourth Sister shoved a date cake into Second Sister’s mouth.

Bajie asked Downton to protect his daughters by giving four of them attendant-maid positions, and Downton agreed while letting the sisters choose who would leave. The eldest sister chose to stay with their mother and keep Sixth Sister at home, leaving the others to take the opportunity.

• Bajie asked Downton to help secure a future for his daughters and requested four attendant-maid positions for them.
• The Guanghan Star Lord offered to take the sisters as goddaughters and train them, but Downton called out her ambition and struck her on the head.
• Downton agreed to give four of Bajie’s daughters attendant-maid titles and said at least two sisters should remain at home.
• The eldest sister decided to stay with their mother and keep Sixth Sister at home, urging the other sisters—especially Fourth Sister—to seize the opportunity.

Downton led the spider sisters away from Pansi Ridge and encountered Hongyi, who was searching for her childhood friend, Mao Sun Star Official. He found Mao Sun Star Lord trapped in a blood cocoon, and Hongyi asked to take him to her mother for treatment.

• Big Sister persuaded her sisters to serve as Downton's maids and promised to care for their mother.
• Downton and the spider sisters packed their belongings, removed Pansi Ridge's three talismans, and set out for Ziyun Temple.
• Downton caught a red snake hiding in the grass, and she revealed herself as Hongyi, daughter of the Old Mother of Mount Li.
• Hongyi explained that she had searched for Mao Sun Star Official for eighty years and had found him suffering at Ziyun Temple.
• Downton pulled a blood cocoon from nearby, and Hongyi recognized the featherless figure inside as Mao Sun Star Lord and begged to take him to her mother for help.

Downton removed the final talisman at Yellowflower Temple, brought the spider sisters to Little Western Paradise, and returned to Gotham. He discovered that nearly two days away had passed as only a few minutes in Gotham, where a Greek woman had attacked and injured Victor and Batman.

• Downton tore down the fourth talisman, and the Lunar Star Lord explained that Spidersilk Ridge had been used to keep poisonous creatures and conduct experiments for the Daoist sect.
• The spider sisters traveled with Downton's group to Little Western Paradise, where Sixth Sister and Fifth Sister ran to play in the snow.
• Downton told Princess Iron Fan that Bajie's daughters would serve as his maidservants and asked her to watch over them and the Lunar Star Lord.
• Downton left the spider family at Little Western Paradise while they began building houses, then returned to Gotham on his own.
• Downton's underling told him that a Greek woman had broken into Gotham, Victor had been carried away, and Batman had gone to the hospital.
• Downton realized that nearly two days in his experience had amounted to only a few minutes in Gotham.

Downton revealed himself to Diana as the wielder of Sun Wukong’s armor and staff, then overwhelmed and injured her in a brutal fight. He transported her to a hotel in Europe, where he pinned her to the bed and continued attacking her.

• Diana spotted Downton among the crowd wearing the phoenix-feather purple-gold crown and recognized the staff as belonging to Sun Wukong.
• Downton attacked Diana in midair, knocked away her sword, and stabbed her with it while taunting her.
• Downton told Diana that he was not the monkey she suspected, then transformed into fire and transported her to a hotel in Europe.
• Downton threw Diana onto a bed, stabbed her shoulder, and pinned her hands down with her longsword.
• Downton stripped Diana of her armor as she screamed.

Downton kept Diana captive after overpowering her, then raised the possibility that she might be pregnant and claimed he wanted her as the mother of his child. He decided to take her to Amazon and meet her family, leaving Diana with little power to resist.

• After their struggle, Downton found Diana wounded and helpless, taunted her, and continued their encounter despite her threats and resistance.
• Downton washed Diana in the bathtub, where she punched him and told him she hated her weakness and wanted to kill him.
• Downton suggested they might have conceived a child, and Diana panicked at the thought of having his child.
• Downton told Diana he liked her and wanted her to be the mother of his child.
• Downton carried Diana from the bath and announced he would take her to Amazon to meet her family, threatening bloodshed if she refused.

Diana returned to the Amazon nation after Downton left, while Hippolyta recognized how unpredictable he was and joined her daughter in seeking the gods’ help. Downton returned to Gotham, learned how badly his allies had been injured, and told Clark that the Washington tragedy had resulted from arrogance and prejudice on both sides.

• Diana told Hippolyta she feared she could never kill Downton, and Hippolyta agreed that his unpredictable nature made him more troubling than Darkseid.
• Hippolyta promised to pray with Diana for the gods to punish Downton, while Diana wondered whether a child she might carry could one day oppose him.
• Downton returned to the manor and learned that no one had died, but Bruce, Lex, Zatanna, Victor, and others had suffered serious injuries.
• Alfred told Downton that Bruce had used the attack to investigate Arkham Asylum, and Downton went to the manor hospital to check on the injured.
• Clark said he regretted the deaths in Washington and admitted both sides had misunderstood one another; Downton answered that arrogance and prejudice, not misunderstanding, had caused the tragedy.

Downton reassured Clark about his family and reunited with the recovering Selina before agreeing to support Lex and Bruce’s plan to avenge humanity by attacking Israel. After feeding the pandas, Downton traveled to Night City, where he killed several cyber-gangsters and asked how to find the Afterlife.

• Downton promised Clark that he would protect Martha and urged him to rely on the Wraith family, while Clark privately judged the family members to be an unusual group.
• Martha brought Downton into Selina’s ward, where Selina teased him about Diana, kissed him, and asked him to wear his armor when they were intimate.
• Lex asked whether Downton had promised territory to two African gods, and Downton clarified that he had not promised them shelter and would support the family’s plan to kill them.
• Lex took over the vibranium armor research from the injured Bruce, who agreed to rest before helping again.
• Downton traveled to Night City, killed a cyber-gangster who attacked him and four more pursuing men, then asked the bystanders where the Afterlife was.