Chapter Summaries

Haotian ordered Yang Jian to descend to the mortal realm and capture Sun Wukong after the monkey disrupted the Peach Banquet and ate Taishang Laojun’s golden pills. Yang Jian accepted the assignment, understanding that the Heavenly Court intended to make a show of the capture, and set out for Flower-Fruit Mountain.

• Haotian grew angry over Sun Wukong’s disruption of the Peach Banquet and ordered a commander to capture him.
• Taibai Jinxing suggested sending Yang Jian, and Haotian appointed him to the task as a way to grant Merit to his nephew.
• Taibai Jinxing informed Yang Jian at Yunhua Palace that he was expected to capture Sun Wukong and make the commotion a little bigger.
• Yang Chan asked to accompany Yang Jian, but he refused and told her to stay with Yaoji.
• Yang Jian departed for Flower-Fruit Mountain, while Yang Jiao told Yang Chan that their brother should be able to handle one monkey.

Yang Jian fought Sun Wukong at Flower-Fruit Mountain after accepting the Jade Emperor’s order to bring him to the Heavenly Court. Their battle continued as Yang Jian tested Sun Wukong’s strength while holding back, with neither fighter yet gaining a decisive victory.

• Taibai Jinxing reported that Yang Jian had accepted the decree, and Haotian summoned the ministers to watch the encounter through the Haotian Mirror.
• Yang Jian arrived at Flower-Fruit Mountain and announced that he would take Sun Wukong to the Heavenly Court for trial.
• Sun Wukong emerged from Water Curtain Cave, mocked Yang Jian, and challenged him to fight.
• Yang Jian struck Sun Wukong hard enough to send him flying, then evaded and countered several attacks from the Golden Cudgel.
• Yang Jian provoked Sun Wukong by calling him unintelligent and conceited, and Sun Wukong responded with a furious attack.
• Yang Jian and Sun Wukong exchanged dozens of blows above Flower-Fruit Mountain as Yang Jian assessed Sun Wukong’s formidable foundation.

Haotian and the Heavenly Court arranged for Taishang Laojun to secretly help Yang Jian capture Sun Wukong, then sentenced the monkey to death. When the executioners could not harm him, Laojun took him to Doushuai Palace to be refined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

• Taibai Jinxing warned Haotian that Yang Jian might defeat Sun Wukong too easily and disrupt the Heavenly Court's plans, so Haotian asked for help capturing the monkey.
• Taishang Laojun threw his Vajra Ring from the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and struck Sun Wukong from behind during his fight with Yang Jian.
• Yang Jian seized Sun Wukong and brought him to the Heavenly Court, where Sun Wukong protested that he had been ambushed.
• Haotian ordered Sun Wukong executed, but the enchanted blades, lightning, and fire could not harm him.
• Taishang Laojun proposed refining Sun Wukong in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, and the Heavenly Court sent the monkey to Doushuai Palace.

Taishang Laojun refined Sun Wukong in the Eight Trigrams Furnace for forty-nine days, digesting the power of his pills and peaches while secretly restricting his cultivation. Sun Wukong escaped, wrecked Doushuai Palace, and charged through the Heavenly Court demanding that Yang Jian face him.

• Taishang Laojun sealed Sun Wukong inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace and began refining him with Samadhi True Fire for forty-nine days.
• As Sun Wukong's strength grew, Taishang Laojun adjusted the flames and secretly placed a restriction in his dantian to halt future breakthroughs.
• On the forty-ninth day, Sun Wukong blasted open the furnace, struck Taishang Laojun, toppled the furnace, and set parts of Doushuai Palace on fire.
• Sun Wukong fled the palace amid the chaos and decided to avenge himself on Yang Jian for capturing him.
• Sun Wukong stormed toward Lingxiao Treasure Hall, calling out Yang Jian and sending the Heavenly Court into chaos.

Sun Wukong rampaged through the Heavenly Court searching for Yang Jian, but Wang Lingguan and successive groups of Heavenly Generals stalled him near the Imperial Way. After the commotion had sufficiently damaged Heaven’s reputation, Haotian sent word to Tathagata to subdue the monkey, and Tathagata prepared to leave Spirit Mountain.

• Haotian watched Sun Wukong’s rampage in the Haotian Mirror and ordered Taibai Jinxing to prevent him from reaching the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
• Taibai Jinxing sent a message to Wang Lingguan, who blocked Sun Wukong and fought him alongside successive groups of Heavenly Generals.
• Sun Wukong was held at the entrance to the Imperial Way, though he knocked down defenders and brought down a palace wall while searching for Yang Jian.
• Haotian decided the Heavenly Court’s staged resistance had lasted long enough and ordered Taibai Jinxing to tell Tathagata to act.
• Tathagata received the message at Spirit Mountain, announced that the performance would end, and prepared to subdue Sun Wukong.

Tathagata intervened in Sun Wukong’s assault on the Heavenly Court and offered to settle matters through a contest. Sun Wukong accepted Tathagata’s challenge to escape from his palm and leapt onto it.

• Tathagata arrived before Tongming Hall and urged Sun Wukong to withdraw and take refuge in Buddhism.
• Sun Wukong recounted the Heavenly Court’s past humiliations and demanded a rematch with Yang Jian.
• Tathagata explained that Yang Jian had already returned to his dwelling, then offered to fight Sun Wukong himself.
• Tathagata proposed that Sun Wukong win by somersaulting out of his palm, and Sun Wukong accepted.
• Sun Wukong jumped into the center of Tathagata’s outstretched palm and announced that he was off.

Zhou Ming and Houtu watched Tongtian’s and Minghe’s cultivation progress, and Minghe emerged from seclusion at the peak of Hunyuan Golden Immortal. Zhou Ming sent him to the Underworld to seek the Earthly Dao’s aid, while he and Houtu weighed whether to support more cultivators without weakening their foundations.

• Zhou Ming and Houtu observed that Tongtian was nearing the final barrier to Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal, while Minghe had reached the peak of Hunyuan Golden Immortal.
• Minghe emerged from seclusion, thanked Zhou Ming for the method that helped him rebuild his Dao Foundation, and received Zhou Ming’s instruction to return to the Underworld and use Pingxin’s Earthly Dao power for his final breakthrough.
• Minghe accepted Zhou Ming’s instruction and flew toward the Underworld.
• Houtu asked whether the Earthly Dao and Humanity Dao should help Wangshu and the West Queen Mother advance, given the threat from the Heavenly Dao and Luohu.
• Zhou Ming cautioned that forcing more breakthroughs could damage the young Dao foundations and said he would discuss the Earthly Dao’s support with Pingxin and make arrangements for the Humanity Dao after Wu emerged from seclusion.

Minghe reached the peak of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm after rebuilding his Dao Foundation, and Pingxin offered him Earthly Dao power as he prepared to pursue the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Realm. In the Depths of Chaos, Hongjun agreed to resume Dao Integration while secretly planning to turn the Heavenly Dao’s scheme against it.

• Minghe congratulated Zhen Yuanzi on his cultivation and thanked Pingxin for granting him the Shattered Corpse Technique.
• Pingxin urged Minghe to enter seclusion and promised to lend him the power of the Earthly Dao; Minghe pledged his loyalty to her, the Underworld, and the Wu Clan.
• Minghe left for seclusion, while Pingxin sent Earthly Dao power toward him and hoped he would advance in time.
• The Heavenly Dao told Hongjun that the Journey to the West had ended and urged him to resume Dao Integration.
• Hongjun agreed outwardly while planning to devour the Heavenly Dao, then began drawing its Laws and Great Dao Origin into himself.

Tathagata sent Buddhism’s followers to spread the Dharma in Nanzhan Buzhou while warning them not to provoke Huoyun Cave. He then prepared to use his accumulated Merit to prove the Dao, and Jieyin and Zhunti debated the risks of helping him.

• Tathagata ordered the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to establish temples and preach in the Eastern Lands gradually, warning that Huoyun Cave could not be provoked.
• After the assembly departed, Tathagata revealed his accumulated Merit and prepared to sever his three corpses and prove the Dao.
• Jieyin and Zhunti watched the Buddha Light rising from the Mahavira Hall and agreed that Tathagata’s attempt would benefit from their help.
• Zhunti worried that Tathagata might leave Buddhism and take Jie Sect disciples with him if he became a Saint.
• Jieyin said they should help Tathagata even if he left, arguing that Buddhism would be purer without unwilling followers and that many disciples might stay for the Merit.

Jieyin revealed that he planned to support Tathagata as a test of whether the Slaying Three Corpses Method could still lead to the Dao. Haotian also entered seclusion to attempt attaining the Dao, leaving Yaochi to govern the Heavenly Court.

• Jieyin told Zhunti that helping Tathagata attain the Dao would test whether the Slaying Three Corpses Method was flawed.
• Jieyin and Zhunti poured Buddhism's Fortune into Tathagata and told him that all of Western Buddhism would support him.
• Haotian told Yaochi that he would enter seclusion and use the Merit from Journey to the West and the Heavenly Court's Fortune to attempt attaining the Dao.
• Yaochi promised to watch over the Heavenly Court as Haotian entered seclusion in Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Hongyun told the Human Clan forefathers that Tathagata and Haotian could not attain the Dao through the Slaying Three Corpses Method. They sensed the Human Path Fortune surging toward Wu’s seclusion chamber, suggesting that the Martial Ancestor was breaking through.

• Hongyun, Fuxi, Suiren, and Shennong discussed how the Journey to the West had strengthened the Human Clan and spread Buddhist Dharma eastward.
• Fuxi and Shennong speculated that the Two Saints of the West were risking Buddhism’s fortune to help Tathagata attain the Dao, while Haotian also attempted a breakthrough.
• Hongyun declared that neither Tathagata nor Haotian could attain the Dao through the Slaying Three Corpses Method, and the forefathers inferred that Zhou Ming had revealed the secret to him.
• Suiren, Fuxi, and Shennong discussed Wu’s long seclusion and whether he could complete the Martial Path’s Subsequent Realm.
• Hongyun pointed out that Human Path Fortune was gathering rapidly around Wu’s seclusion site, and Fuxi and Suiren concluded that Wu was breaking through.
• A faint golden light trembled in the corridor, and the Human Path Fortune throughout Huoyun Cave shuddered.

Wu emerged from seclusion after attaining the Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, establishing the Martial Path as a Hunyuan path for the Human Clan. He revealed that he had deduced every Martial Path realm, giving Human Clan cultivators a chance to attain the Primordial Chaos.

• The Human Clan's Fortune surged as Wu used it and the clan's unyielding will to ignite his Martial Path Divine Treasury.
• The stone door dissolved, and Wu emerged as a Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal, having broken free of the Quasi-Sage realm.
• Suiren, Fuxi, Shennong, Hong Yun, and the others congratulated Wu and celebrated the Martial Path's success.
• Shennong asked whether the Human Clan's cultivators could follow the Martial Path, and Wu confirmed he had deduced every realm through the Hunyuan Martial Saint realm.
• Wu explained that the Martial Path relied on the body and will, giving everyone a chance to attain the Primordial Chaos, and the forefathers celebrated the Human Clan's new future.

Wu taught the Human Clan leaders the Martial Path’s route to Hunyuan, explaining how to cultivate an inner universe and evolve it into a world. Fuxi, Shennong, and Suiren gained clear insights and entered seclusion to pursue the path.

• Wu invited Hongyun to listen to his explanation of the Martial Path, and Hongyun accepted, hoping to gain insight into his Hunyuan bottleneck.
• Wu explained that the Martial Path began with refining body, qi, and spirit, then treating the body as a universe governed by one’s will.
• Wu described nourishing an inner world from Chaos until it formed a stable world embryo, allowing a cultivator to ignite the Martial Path Divine Treasury and become a Hunyuan Martial Saint.
• Fuxi, Shennong, and Suiren entered deep enlightenment as Human Path Fortune gathered above them, while Hongyun sensed a new way to verify his Great Dao.
• Fuxi and the others thanked Wu for transmitting the Dao, then Fuxi, Shennong, and Suiren went into seclusion to cultivate.

Wu began refining the Kongtong Seal to take command of Humanity Dao, merging his Dao with the collective will of living beings and receiving the golden dragon of fortune. He succeeded in taking the first step, though complete control would require more time.

• Hongyun and Wu discussed the Martial Path’s risks and Hongyun predicted that Fuxi and the others might become Martial Path Saints after their seclusion.
• Hongyun urged Wu to take command of Humanity Dao now that he had become a Hunyuan Martial Saint, and Wu agreed.
• Wu summoned the Kongtong Seal and extended his Divine Sense into the Humanity Dao Origin.
• The golden dragon of fortune poured into Wu through the seal as Wu merged with Humanity Dao.
• The Kongtong Seal melted into Wu’s palm, and Wu achieved initial refinement of Humanity Dao with Hongyun standing guard.

Wu took control of the Humanity Dao Authority after proving his Dao through the Martial Path and entering the Hunyuan Realm. As the Human Clan’s power surpassed the West’s, the Saints of the old era reflected on their fading influence and sought ways to escape the Heavenly Dao.

• Houtu sensed the Humanity Dao’s return, and Zhou Ming confirmed that Wu had attained the Hunyuan Realm and taken control of its Authority.
• Jieyin and Zhunti recognized that the Human Clan now had two Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortals and resolved to visit Hongyun when their ten-thousand-year deadline arrived to settle their Karma.
• Primordial Lord Tianzun ignored the Humanity Dao’s return and focused on severing his Saint Position.
• Taiqing Saint reflected that the Heavenly Dao Saints were trapped by their Saint Positions while others had found paths to freedom.
• Nuwa felt pride and loss as the Human Clan’s independence weakened its connection to her.

Zhou Ming summoned Pingxin and Wu to discuss using the Earthly Dao and Humanity Dao’s reserves to prepare for the coming battle. He rejected creating Dao-bound Saints and decided to help four candidates become true Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortals, then told Pingxin and Wu to prepare.

• Zhou Ming summoned Pingxin and Wu to Pangu Hall after the Humanity Dao came under Wu’s control.
• Pingxin and Wu each explained that their Dao’s reserves could support eight bound Saints or help two people truly attain Hunyuan.
• Zhou Ming rejected the Saint positions and chose to help two candidates through the Earthly Dao and two through the Humanity Dao.
• Pingxin and Wu agreed to follow Zhou Ming’s plan and left to prepare.
• Houtu asked whether Zhou Ming had chosen the candidates, and Zhou Ming said he had.

Zhou Ming visited the Pangu Realm, confirmed that Pangu's Will had fully fused with the Pangu Axe, and chose four candidates to Attain the Primordial Chaos. Taiyi initially offered his place to Di Jun, but accepted the opportunity after Di Jun urged him to follow Zhou Ming's arrangement.

• Zhou Ming visited the Pangu Realm, where Zhu Jiuyin reported that Pangu's Will had fused steadily with the Pangu Axe.
• Zhou Ming sensed that Pangu's Will and the axe had become one, then summoned Wangshu, West Queen Mother, Candle Dragon, and Taiyi.
• Zhou Ming told the four that Humanity Dao and Earthly Dao had accumulated enough power for them to Attain the Primordial Chaos Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
• Taiyi asked Zhou Ming to give his opportunity to Di Jun, but Zhou Ming explained that Di Jun needed to guard the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array and would have a chance later.
• Di Jun urged Taiyi to accept the opportunity, and Taiyi bowed to Zhou Ming and agreed to leave the Pangu Realm with him.

Zhou Ming arranged for West Queen Mother, Candle Dragon, Wangshu, and Taiyi to pursue Hunyuan breakthroughs with the help of the Human and Earthly Daos. He returned to Pangu Hall after learning that Pingxin had completely mastered the Earthly Dao and could match his strength in the Netherworld.

• Zhou Ming brought Wangshu, West Queen Mother, Candle Dragon, and Taiyi to Pangu Hall and told them to prepare for their breakthroughs.
• Zhou Ming took West Queen Mother and Candle Dragon to Huoyun Cave, where Wu and Hongyun welcomed them and began guiding them with the power of Humanity Dao.
• Zhou Ming brought Wangshu and Taiyi to the Netherworld and left them with Pingxin and Zhen Yuanzi to prepare for their breakthroughs.
• Pingxin told Zhou Ming she had completely mastered the Earthly Dao's origin and could match his strength within the Netherworld or with the Earthly Dao's empowerment.
• Zhou Ming returned to Pangu Hall and told Houtu that the four cultivators were placed with their guides, adding that their breakthroughs would strengthen their Hunyuan forces.

Tathagata failed for the fourth time to unite his three corpses, exhausting his Merit and damaging his origin. Jieyin and Zhunti told him that the Slaying Three Corpses Method had an irreparable flaw, leaving Tathagata questioning how the Dao Ancestor and the Saints had ascended.

• Tathagata used all his Merit to pull his Good Corpse, Evil Corpse, and Obsession Corpse together, but their origins repelled one another and shattered the chain.
• Tathagata collapsed with golden blood flowing from his mouth and nose as his Merit ran out and Buddhism's fortune quieted.
• Zhunti and Jieyin concluded that Tathagata's failure suggested a flaw in the Slaying Three Corpses Method and went to question him.
• Tathagata explained that the three corpses had rejected one another from within their origins, despite his Merit being sufficient.
• Jieyin declared that once the three corpses were severed, they could never merge again, and Tathagata challenged how the Dao Ancestor and the Saints had ascended.

After Tathagata failed to merge his Three Corpses, Jieyin and Zhunti explained that the Saints had attained sainthood through Merit, and that the Three Corpses method might be flawed. They looked to Haotian’s ongoing attempt to attain the Saint Position as a test of the method, while Haotian’s aura rose toward its final ascent.

• Jieyin and Zhunti told Tathagata that the Saints had attained sainthood through Merit and that no one but the Dao Ancestor had achieved Three Corpses Merging.
• Tathagata questioned how Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun had attained the Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, and Jieyin explained that they had visited Pangu Hall before breaking through.
• Zhunti suggested that the Three Corpses method might cause the origins to repel one another and prevent true merging, and Tathagata concluded that Tongtian had relinquished his Saint Position to seek the true path in Pangu Hall.
• Jieyin and Zhunti told Tathagata that Haotian had entered seclusion to attempt sainthood, and that his result could confirm whether the Three Corpses method was flawed.
• Haotian’s Heavenly Court fortune gathered into a Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon as his aura reached the peak of the Quasi-Sage realm and began its final ascent.