Chapter Summaries

Jiang Zhen and Sun Wukong were brought before Houtu and the twelve Ancestral Witches, who recognized Jiang Zhen as an Eternal Daluo and identified Sun Wukong as a key figure in the Journey to the West Kalpa. Jiang Zhen described the Journey to the West as a scheme to restrain factions and redistribute power, Fortune, and treasures, leaving Houtu to consider how past calamities had served similar purposes.

• Sun Wukong grew angry that a powerful figure had looked down on him, and Jiang Zhen told him to accept the situation until he grew stronger.
• Houtu discovered Jiang Zhen and Sun Wukong, then summoned them to her palace, where Jiang Zhen greeted her and the twelve Ancestral Witches.
• Houtu and Di Jiang recognized Jiang Zhen as an Eternal Daluo who cultivated the Spacetime Dao, and Jiang Zhen praised the Ancestral Witches’ peak Hunyuan Golden Immortal cultivation.
• Houtu said she had called them to meet Jiang Zhen and Sun Wukong, whom she identified as an important figure in the current Kalpa despite his Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.
• Jiang Zhen said the Journey to the West Kalpa was a way to restrain factions and distribute power, Fortune, and treasures.
• Houtu recalled how earlier calamities had shattered the Witch, Demon, and Interception Sects and nearly destroyed the three ancient clans, and she said those outcomes suggested the calamities were not what they claimed to be.

Jiang Zhen explained how successive Kalpas targeted the dominant powers of each era, from the Fierce Beasts and the Three Primal Races to the Witch and Demon Races and the Interception Sect. He left Houtu and the others to consider that the Journey to the West Tribulation was now underway and asked which group it would target.

• Jiang Zhen traced the Fierce Beast Tribulation and Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, explaining how the Three Primal Races fought for supremacy and how Luohu's interference led to their downfall.
• Jiang Zhen explained that the Witch and Demon Races developed ambitions and fought for dominion, leaving both sides devastated and causing Zhou Mountain to break and Innate Spiritual Energy to fade.
• Jiang Zhen recounted how the Human Race's Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors entered Huoyun Cave, its rulers lost authority, and the Investiture of the Gods shattered the Interception Sect and damaged the world.
• Jiang Zhen listed the powers targeted by past Kalpas and declared that the Journey to the West Tribulation was next.

Jiang Zhen explained that the Journey to the West kalpa was tied to Buddhism’s rise and the return of the Demonic Path. He warned that Buddhist merit could only delay the calamity, which might spread across the world and corrupt Buddhist scriptures and precepts.

• Jiang Zhen said Buddhism’s growing influence after the Interception Sect’s collapse could rival the Heavenly Court.
• Zhu Jiuyin suggested that Buddhism’s rise would prepare for a later decline, and Jiang Zhen linked it to the saying that demons grow as the Dao fades.
• Jiang Zhen explained that the Journey to the West might use merit to seal the Demonic Path, but that this could only postpone the calamity.
• Jiang Zhen described a vision of the Demonic Path sweeping across the Earthly Immortal Realm, occupying Spirit Mountain, and capturing Immortals and Buddhas before being driven back.
• Jiang Zhen said he had seen Buddhist scriptures and precepts become corrupted, and Houtu agreed that the kalpa’s impact would surpass those before it.

Sun Wukong considered Jiang Zhen’s advice about the Journey to the West and agreed to proceed if the Five Elements Mountain and the Golden Fillet Spell were addressed. After Black and White Impermanence failed to seize his soul, Wukong warned the Six Great Sages that Flower-Fruit Mountain might soon become a battlefield.

• Jiang Zhen hid himself and his group as Black and White Impermanence arrived to seize Sun Wukong’s soul.
• Sun Wukong’s protective power shattered the Soul-Locking Chain, frightening Black and White Impermanence into fleeing.
• Jiang Zhen explained the protection and urged Sun Wukong to consider the benefits of the Journey to the West, promising help with the Five Elements Mountain and Golden Fillet Spell.
• Sun Wukong reflected on his sworn brothers’ past absence during his troubles and decided to clarify matters with them.
• The next morning, Sun Wukong told the Six Great Sages that the Dragon King had complained to Heaven and Flower-Fruit Mountain might soon become a battlefield.

Sun Wukong’s sworn brothers declined to join his fight against the Heavenly Court, each citing family, territory, or powerful connections. The six great demons departed, leaving Wukong to face the conflict with his other allies.

• Sun Wukong urged the Bull Demon King and the others to return to their own responsibilities, but the Bull Demon King said his pregnant wife meant he could not stay.
• The Flood Dragon Demon King claimed the North Sea Dragon Palace had attacked his territory and left, though Jiang Zhen told Sun Wukong the North Sea was quiet.
• The Peng Demon King said his ancestor had summoned him home and warned that his family might damage Flower-Fruit Mountain if they came to retrieve him.
• The Lion Camel King departed to guard his territory and the lions under his command.
• The Macaque King and King Yu Rong said their ancient Demon Race and Human Race ties made joining the battle too dangerous, then left with the others.

Macaque King and King Yu Rong gave Sun Wukong single-use monkey hairs to help him escape Heavenly Court formations or hinder its deities. After the Six Great Sages left, Sun Wukong reflected on how little his sworn brothers had cared for him, until Jiang Zhen sensed that his trouble had arrived and Sun Wukong's eyes lit with golden light.

• Macaque King gave Sun Wukong a monkey hair that could turn him into Gentle Wind and let him escape most restrictions once.
• King Yu Rong gave Sun Wukong a monkey hair that could influence Heavenly Court deities and disrupt their movements once.
• After the Six Great Sages left, Sun Wukong reassured Chu Lan and the others, then explained why he believed his sworn brothers had forgotten or abandoned him.
• Jiang Zhen sensed that Sun Wukong's trouble had arrived, and Sun Wukong's awakened eyes shone with golden light.

Sun Wukong and his companions faced the Heavenly Court’s army on Flower-Fruit Mountain, where he challenged Li Jing’s accusation over the Sea-Calming Divine Needle. After the Jade Emperor secretly authorized an attack, Li Jing sent Giant Spirit God to capture Sun Wukong, who prepared to meet him.

• Sun Wukong saw a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals gathered above Flower-Fruit Mountain, and Jiang Zhen and the others offered to help him face them.
• Sun Wukong led everyone out of the Water Curtain Cave and confronted Li Jing, who ordered him to surrender for taking the Sea-Calming Divine Needle.
• Sun Wukong argued that the East Sea Dragon King had no claim to the needle and had suffered little damage, leaving Li Jing unable to answer.
• A voice urged Li Jing to attack, and the Jade Emperor privately told him to proceed while denying that he had given the order.
• Li Jing appointed Giant Spirit God as the vanguard and sent him to capture Sun Wukong, who offered to fight him while the others showed no interest.

Sun Wukong defeated the Giant Spirit God, then Canonized Nezha challenged Journey to the West Nezha and revealed his Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation. Their battle ended with Canonized Nezha using the Qian Kun Quan to shatter Li Jing’s Exquisite Pagoda.

• Sun Wukong broke the Giant Spirit God’s Xuanhua Axe and sent him crashing into the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.
• Canonized Nezha stepped forward to fight Journey to the West Nezha, revealing his Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation, Wind Fire Wheels, and Fire-Tipped Spear.
• The two Nezhas clashed with Golden Bricks and Samadhi True Fire, spreading flames toward Li Jing’s forces.
• Li Jing raised the Exquisite Pagoda to restrain Journey to the West Nezha, but Canonized Nezha struck it with the Qian Kun Quan and shattered it.

After Canonized Nezha destroyed Journey to the West Nezha’s Exquisite Pagoda, Journey to the West Nezha chased Li Jing toward the Heavenly Court. As the others discussed Li Jing’s history of mistreating Nezha, the Star Gods withdrew and the stranded Heavenly Soldiers and Generals waited for orders.

• Journey to the West Nezha accepted defeat to Canonized Nezha, then rushed after Li Jing when his restraint vanished.
• Li Jing fled toward the Heavenly Court as Journey to the West Nezha pursued him amid bursts of fire and cries of pain.
• Jiang Zhen explained how Li Jing had repeatedly harmed Nezha, from trying to kill him as a child to destroying his temple and using the Exquisite Pagoda to control him.
• Sun Wukong reminded the others that the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were still present, and the group laughed that their absent Marshal had left them without direction.
• The Star Gods left because they answered to Doumu Yuanjun, while the remaining Heavenly Soldiers and Generals stayed behind, unsure whether they could return to the Heavenly Court without orders.

Giant Spirit God returned to find the hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals abandoned without their commanders, and Sun Wukong's group decided to attack them. After the group wiped out nearly all of them, Jiang Zhen asked Hong Kui to spare Giant Spirit God.

• Giant Spirit God returned with a shattered Xuanhua Axe and learned that the Marshal, the Third Prince, and the Star Gods had left the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals behind.
• Sun Wukong challenged the soldiers for refusing to fight or leave, and the group discussed how they could recover in the Heavenly Court after being destroyed.
• Zhang Chulan, Uncle Jiu, Li Lianhua, Sword God Li, and Madara used their powers to kill tens of thousands of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.
• Three more attackers unleashed powerful fire techniques, reducing the remaining soldiers to a scattered few fleeing behind Giant Spirit God.
• Jiang Zhen asked Hong Kui to kill every remaining Heavenly Soldier and General except Giant Spirit God, and Hong Kui turned them all to ash.

Jiang Zhen explained that Nezha of this world had no soul or spirit, which helped explain why the Exquisite Pagoda could restrain him but not Canonized Nezha. He left the explanation unresolved, arguing that no treasure should be able to suppress one person so completely.

• Jiang Zhen told Zhang Chulan and Lin Jiu that becoming a Heavenly Soldier was difficult and that they would likely have held ordinary or lesser posts if they had ascended normally.
• Jiang Zhen said he planned to go to the Heavenly Court to help Nezha of Sun Wukong’s world and possibly bring him to join forces with Canonized Nezha.
• Canonized Nezha asked Jiang Zhen why the Exquisite Pagoda had restrained the other Nezha and his treasures but had not affected him.
• Jiang Zhen explained that the other Nezha’s soul had fused into an Innate Spiritual Plant, leaving him without a soul or spirit and unable to follow the primordial spirit path.
• Jiang Zhen questioned why the Exquisite Pagoda had only appeared after Nezha died and returned to life, then concluded that no treasure could ordinarily restrain one person so completely.

Jiang Zhen and Lin Jiu explained that the Exquisite Pagoda restrained Nezha because it had been refined with his corpse and former clay vessel. Canonized Nezha asked to join Jiang Zhen’s trip to the Heavenly Court, but Jiang Zhen refused and set out alone; at the South Heaven Gate, a scorched Li Jing fled from his pursuing son.

• Jiang Zhen argued that the Exquisite Pagoda’s hold over Nezha was unusually absolute, even restraining Nezha’s more powerful treasures.
• Lin Jiu explained that the pagoda had been made using Nezha’s corpse and clay vessel, making it capable of drawing Nezha and his power under its influence.
• Jiang Zhen confirmed the shattered pagoda could be repaired and would still restrain Journey to the West Nezha.
• Canonized Nezha offered to accompany Jiang Zhen to the Heavenly Court, but Jiang Zhen warned that the Great Celestial Venerable was too powerful and said he would handle the pagoda himself.
• Jiang Zhen warned the group that Buddhism was spying on them, told them to stay alert, and vanished into the void.
• At the South Heaven Gate, scorched Li Jing ordered the Four Heavenly Kings to stop his rebellious son as a pursuer vowed to turn him into charcoal.

Nezha forced his way through the South Heaven Gate and caught Li Jing outside Lingxiao Treasure Hall, where he attacked him for his past treatment of Nezha. Just as Nezha aimed a final strike at Li Jing, someone blocked his spear with a staff.

• Nezha attacked the Four Heavenly Kings at the South Heaven Gate, and they pretended to be defeated so he could pass.
• Mo Lishou explained that the Four Heavenly Kings let Nezha through because they owed him a favor and sympathized with his suffering under Li Jing.
• Jiang Zhen entered the Heavenly Court and secretly boosted Nezha's Wind Fire Wheels, allowing him to catch up with Li Jing.
• Nezha pierced both of Li Jing's legs and continued attacking him outside Lingxiao Treasure Hall while the Jade Emperor and other onlookers stayed out of it.
• Nezha aimed his Fire-Tipped Spear at Li Jing's head, but an unseen figure blocked the strike with a staff.

Nezha fought to take revenge on Li Jing, rejecting Mu Zha and Jin Zha’s attempts to stop him. As Guanyin intervened, Jiang Zhen used the Power of Spacetime to make Nezha vanish.

• Mu Zha tried to persuade Nezha to end his revenge, but Nezha explained his hatred of Li Jing and threatened to fight anyone who interfered.
• Nezha and Mu Zha fought until Nezha’s Qian Kun Quan struck Mu Zha and sent him flying.
• Jin Zha joined Mu Zha, and the brothers forced Nezha to use his Three Heads and Six Arms Dharma Form.
• Jiang Zhen found a Sarira made from Nezha’s bones and clay statue among the Exquisite Pagoda’s fragments, then sent a ray of light into Nezha.
• Nezha unleashed a powerful blaze, but Guanyin appeared and blocked it as she urged him to stop seeking revenge.
• Jiang Zhen enveloped Nezha in the Power of Spacetime and made him disappear.

Jiang Zhen rescued Journey to the West Nezha from the Heavenly Court and brought him to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where Canonized Nezha offered to help him surpass his limits. Jiang Zhen explained that Nezha could strengthen his origin or advance by finding spiritual roots like himself.

• Guanyin and the Jade Emperor Great Celestial Venerable failed to discover who had taken Nezha, and the Jade Emperor ordered Li Jing to recuperate and receive materials for his Exquisite Pagoda.
• Jiang Zhen told Journey to the West Nezha that Canonized Nezha had asked him to help him escape, then used his Spacetime Dao to bring him to Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• Canonized Nezha welcomed Journey to the West Nezha and explained how his own relationship with Li Jing had become that of a normal father and son.
• Canonized Nezha offered to help Journey to the West Nezha overcome his limits, and Jiang Zhen explained that he could strengthen his origin or advance by finding similar spiritual roots.

Jiang Zhen proposed using the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art and rare lotus materials to restore Canonized Nezha’s origin, then revealed that Little Stone’s world could provide a Green Lotus Seed and an Imperial Weapon. He left Nezha responsible for obtaining two or three low-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures to complete the repair.

• Jiang Zhen explained that Nezha could devour matching origins with the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art to recover and transform his physique.
• Yang Jian warned that finding sufficiently powerful Innate lotus materials was extremely difficult, leaving both Nezhas discouraged.
• Jiang Zhen said Little Stone’s world had a Green Lotus Seed that could help, and promised to bring back the Green Lotus’s Imperial Weapon.
• Little Stone agreed that Jiang Zhen could use a Green Lotus Seed, and Jiang Zhen asked Nezha to supply two or three low-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures, preferably including a tower.
• Journey to the West Nezha agreed and headed for Qianyuan Mountain’s Golden Light Cave.

Nezha returned to Golden Light Cave on Qianyuan Mountain and told Taiyi Zhenren about meeting another version of himself and the powerful friends he had encountered. He revealed that they had proposed a way to repair his origin, but it required obtaining a Green Lotus from another world.

• Little Stone asked Jiang Zhen why he had requested Houtian Spiritual Treasures, and Jiang Zhen explained how he planned to replace the Green Lotus Emperor Weapon and settle its karma.
• Nezha traveled secretly from Flower-Fruit Mountain to Golden Light Cave on Qianyuan Mountain and called for Taiyi Zhenren.
• Taiyi Zhenren asked whether Nezha had caused trouble with Li Jing, and Nezha explained that another version of himself had shattered Li Jing's pagoda.
• Taiyi Zhenren told Nezha that the other Nezha came from one of the Myriad Worlds and that their Ancestral Master had described such worlds.
• Nezha told Taiyi Zhenren that Sun Wukong's Journey to the West might involve a great upheaval and that he had returned to seek help repairing his origin.
• Taiyi Zhenren doubted that anyone could solve Nezha's problem, but Nezha said his new friends had proposed a method involving a Green Lotus from another world.

Nezha sought three Low-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures from Yun Zhongzi to exchange for a chance to repair his origin and break through his cultivation limit. Yun Zhongzi agreed and produced two treasures, leaving the third still to be chosen.

• Nezha told Taiyi Zhenren that he needed three Low-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures for an exchange that could restore his potential, and Taiyi agreed to take him to Yun Zhongzi.
• Taiyi Zhenren explained Nezha's situation to Yun Zhongzi, who doubted the promise but agreed the exchange was worth attempting.
• Nezha specified that one treasure had to be tower-shaped, and Yun Zhongzi offered his thirty-three-level Xuanhuang Tower.
• Yun Zhongzi described the Xuanhuang Tower's abilities and then presented an imitation Yin Yang Mirror, explaining its Life and Death Law and its power against Golden Immortals.

Yun Zhongzi explained the terrifying power and origins of the Immortal Slaying Sword Array and the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors while revealing that his own treasure was only an imitation. The chapter ended with him naming his version the Water-Fire Flood Dragon Scissors.

• Nezha guessed that Yun Zhongzi’s third treasure might be the Immortal Slaying Sword Array, and Yun Zhongzi explained its origins and why he could not forge it.
• Taiyi Zhenren corrected Nezha’s view of the Immortal Slaying Sword Array, describing how four Sages and their allies had been needed to break it.
• Yun Zhongzi revealed that his treasure was based on the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, prompting Taiyi Zhenren to recount how feared the original had been.
• Yun Zhongzi clarified that he had forged only an imitation, made without the rare Xiantian Yin Yang Jiaolong used in the original.
• Yun Zhongzi named his imitation the Water-Fire Flood Dragon Scissors.

Yun Zhongzi gave Nezha the Water-Fire Flood Dragon Scissors, and Nezha returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain to meet Jiang Zhen. Jiang Zhen revealed that the sarira was Nezha’s original body and explained how it had been used to restrain him, leaving Nezha to absorb its origin without breaking through.

• Yun Zhongzi explained how he forged the Water-Fire Flood Dragon Scissors and gave them to Nezha.
• Taiyi Zhenren sent Nezha back to Flower-Fruit Mountain while he returned to Golden Light Cave on Qianyuan Mountain.
• Journey to the West Nezha learned from Zhang Chulan that the Heavenly Court had repeatedly attacked Flower-Fruit Mountain, while Canonized Nezha urged him to resolve his own problem first.
• Jiang Zhen gave Nezha a sarira and told him to absorb it to restore his origin.
• Jiang Zhen revealed that the sarira was Nezha’s original body, which had been incorporated into the Exquisite Pagoda and used to restrain him, and warned him not to break through.