Chapter Summaries

The Great Roc urged Kunpeng to attack the Buddhist Sect, then went to the North Sea and devoured a Dragon Grandson and many Water Tribe soldiers. He fled after encountering True Man Wenmei, a disciple of Changsheng Heavenly Venerate, while the North Sea Dragon King learned of the slaughter.

• The Great Roc asked Kunpeng to emerge from seclusion and suppress the Buddhist Sect, but Kunpeng told him to wait for the right time.
• The Great Roc flew to the North Sea, devoured a Dragon Grandson, and swallowed many Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals.
• The Great Roc attacked True Man Wenmei, who used the Jade Purity Immortal Art and identified himself as Changsheng Heavenly Venerate's disciple.
• The Great Roc chose not to kill True Man Wenmei and flew back toward the Demon Master Palace.
• True Man Wenmei returned to his immortal mountain and resumed cultivating the Jade Purity Immortal Art.
• The North Sea Dragon King learned that the Great Roc had killed a Dragon Grandson and many Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals.

The Great Roc angered Kunpeng Demon Master by killing a dragon grandson, while the North Sea Dragon King appealed to Haotian for justice. Haotian planned to use the Eight Immortals’ rise to gain providence for the Heavenly Court, as Taishang Laojun discovered that the Horned Green Ox had escaped again.

• The North Sea Dragon King ordered the Dragon Clan to seal off their waters after learning the Great Roc had Kunpeng Demon Master’s protection.
• The Great Roc told Kunpeng Demon Master that he had killed a dragon grandson, and Kunpeng scolded him and ordered him to leave.
• Haotian and the Queen Mother discussed gaining providence when the Eight Immortals took their places, and Haotian went to make plans.
• The Horned Green Ox escaped from Doushuai Palace, prompting Taishang Laojun to go to the Hall of the Exalted.
• The North Sea Dragon King brought his complaint to Haotian, who questioned him about the Great Roc’s attack.

Haotian ordered Donghua Shangxian to capture Taishang Laojun’s missing ox, while the ox-tending boy was sent through reincarnation. He was born as the son of General Zhongli in Chang'an, and Li Xuan named him Zhongli Quan before disappearing.

• The North Sea Dragon King accepted Haotian’s decree and left for the East Sea with the Dragon Prince.
• Taishang Laojun reported that his Horned Green Ox had disappeared, and Haotian ordered Donghua Shangxian to lead Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to retrieve it.
• Taishang Laojun sent the ox-tending boy to the mortal world, where Great Emperor Fengdu watched him enter reincarnation.
• The ox-tending boy was reborn as the son of General Zhongli in Chang'an, and Li Xuan arrived at the mansion as the child was born.
• Li Xuan named the infant Zhongli Quan, said he had come to take him as a disciple, and vanished in green smoke.

Li Xuan took Zhongli Quan as his disciple while Yunxiao drove Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva away from Chang'an. Years later, Donghua Shangxian confronted the Horned Green Ox and Zhi Nü, leaving Niú Láng and their children in danger.

• General Zhongli and Madam Zhongli named their son Zhongli Quan after Li Xuan granted his blessing.
• Yunxiao fought Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, destroyed his golden lotus, wounded him, and forced him to flee to Spirit Mountain.
• Wu Zetian established Great Zhou and proclaimed herself emperor, while Li Xuan took the five-year-old Zhongli Quan as his disciple.
• Donghua Shangxian found the Horned Green Ox living with Zhi Nü and demanded that they return to the Heavenly Court.
• Zhi Nü pleaded for Niú Láng and urged him to escape with their children, while the Horned Green Ox revealed his demonic power.

Donghua Shangxian captured Zhi Nü after Taishang Laojun took back the Horned Green Ox, leaving Niú Láng desperate to reunite with his wife. Ran Deng persuaded Niú Láng to take refuge in Buddhism, while Emperor Haotian ordered Zhi Nü imprisoned and turned to question Donghua Shangxian.

• The Horned Green Ox fought Donghua Shangxian to protect Zhi Nü, but Taishang Laojun arrived and took the ox back to Doushuai Palace.
• Donghua Shangxian struck Niú Láng down and took Zhi Nü toward the Heavenly Court despite her pleas to protect her family.
• Ran Deng appeared before Niú Láng and promised to help reunite him with Zhi Nü if he took refuge in Buddhism; Niú Láng agreed to cultivate with his children.
• Emperor Haotian ordered Zhi Nü sent to the Heavenly Prison for breaking the Heavenly Laws and Rules.
• Emperor Haotian asked Donghua Shangxian whether he knew his crime, leaving him astonished.

Haotian sent Donghua Shangxian into reincarnation, where he was reborn as Lu Dongbin, while Gu Changsheng continued arranging events across the Primordial Heaven and Earth. Ancient Buddha Randeng empowered An Lushan to rebel against Great Tang, and the uprising reached Tong Pass as Li Longji panicked.

• Haotian ordered Taibai Jinxing to send Donghua Shangxian into reincarnation, and Donghua Shangxian was reborn as Lu Dongbin in the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa.
• Gu Changsheng saw the births of Lu Dongbin and the other future Eight Immortals, then sent a figure to teach True Man Wenmei the Law of Strength.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng sent a Buddhist disciple to the mortal world, where he became An Lushan and joined the Tang army.
• An Lushan gained Li Longji's trust and military command while Great Tang's literary aura helped defend the realm from demons.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng empowered An Lushan to the True Immortal realm and ordered him to raise an army to seize Great Tang.
• An Lushan's rebels captured northern Great Tang and reached Tong Pass, leaving the aged Li Longji in panic.

An Lushan’s rebel army attacked Tong Pass, and General Zhongli and Zhongli Quan fought to hold it while buying time for the emperor to escape. After several days the pass’s defenses broke, and General Zhongli confronted An Lushan as tribulation clouds gathered overhead.

• An Lushan’s rebels and their Buddhist allies assaulted Tong Pass, breaking through its literary-qi defenses and forcing General Zhongli to rally the defenders.
• Li Xuan left Dang Mountain after sensing that the battle had begun.
• Zhongli Quan arrived and told General Zhongli that the emperor had left Chang’an with the civil and military officials, then joined the defense of Tong Pass.
• An Lushan’s forces attacked for several days until the literary-qi barrier shattered and rebels swarmed onto the pass.
• General Zhongli challenged An Lushan, who attacked him with a magical treasure as tribulation clouds gathered overhead.

Li Xuan rescued Zhongli Quan after An Lushan killed General Zhongli, then trained with him until Li Xuan reached the Golden Immortal realm. Years later, Lu Dongbin set out for the imperial examinations in Chang'an, where he secretly followed a band of cannibal bandits into the mountains and discovered their demon master.

• An Lushan killed General Zhongli, and Li Xuan rescued the mortally wounded Zhongli Quan as Tong Pass fell to the rebels.
• Guo Ziyi defeated An Lushan's rebel army, curbing the Buddhist Sect's eastward spread and angering Ancient Buddha Randeng.
• Zhongli Quan recovered on Dang Mountain and began cultivating under Li Xuan, who broke through to the Golden Immortal realm several years later.
• Li Xuan and Zhongli Quan left for Chang'an as Lu Dongbin prepared to take the imperial examinations.
• Lu Dongbin followed a band of cannibal bandits from an inn to a mountain cave, where he saw them deliver stolen goods to an ugly demon.

Lu Dongbin was trapped by a demon in a cave, but an immortal rescued him and destroyed the demon. After continuing toward Chang'an, Lu Dongbin fell asleep on a Ruyi Pillow and dreamed that he passed the examinations and became Top Scholar.

• Lu Dongbin was discovered by the demon and fought the bandits, but the demon trapped him and ordered a bandit to kill him.
• An immortal with an iron crutch struck down the demon, destroyed his primordial spirit, and vanished after telling Lu Dongbin they would meet again.
• Lu Dongbin returned to the inn at dawn and resumed his journey, deciding that witnessing an immortal had made him even less interested in the examinations.
• At a restaurant, a calm man offered Lu Dongbin a Ruyi Pillow, and Lu Dongbin fell asleep.
• In his dream, Lu Dongbin reached Chang'an, passed the examinations, and was appointed Top Scholar by the Son of Heaven.

Lu Dongbin dreamed that he rose to great power and then lost his family to false accusations and execution, waking convinced that worldly success was fleeting. He left the inn and followed Zhongli Quan to Dang Mountain, where he begged Zhongli Quan and Li Xuan to accept him as a disciple.

• Lu Dongbin dreamed of a prosperous life with Yulan and Xianglan, followed by political persecution that led to his household's execution.
• The executioner stabbed Lu Dongbin, and he awoke in the inn before the millet had finished cooking.
• Reflecting on his dream, Lu Dongbin rejected the pursuit of worldly advancement and left the inn.
• After wandering for several days, Lu Dongbin met Zhongli Quan, who invited him to cultivate and carried him to Dang Mountain.
• Lu Dongbin recognized Li Xuan at Dang Mountain and begged him and Zhongli Quan to take him as their disciple.

Li Xuan taught Lu Dongbin the Jade Purity Immortal Art, while the Barefoot Immortal confronted a Demon King and was defeated by a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. His surviving primordial spirit fled toward Kunlun Mountain, hoping to find Changsheng Heavenly Venerate, but he did not know where Purple Mansion Continent was.

• Li Xuan revealed Lu Dongbin's origins as Donghua Shangxian and imparted the Jade Purity Immortal Art to him.
• The Barefoot Immortal attacked demons in the far western region and fought a Demon King to a standstill.
• The Demon King trapped the Barefoot Immortal with a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure and shattered his body.
• The Barefoot Immortal escaped with the Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell technique, leaving one strand of primordial spirit to flee.
• The Demon King revealed his demon cave had become a sacred monastery and tracked the fleeing spirit with his Wisdom Eye.
• The Barefoot Immortal's spirit headed for Kunlun Mountain to seek Changsheng Heavenly Venerate, but did not know where Purple Mansion Continent was.

Gu Changsheng arranged for Barefoot Immortal’s primordial spirit to reincarnate, foiling a Buddha’s plot to provoke conflict between the Heavenly Court and the demon race. Barefoot Immortal was reborn as Lan Caihe, while a young maiden later returned to the mountains to meditate.

• Kong Xuan received Barefoot Immortal’s primordial spirit and brought him to Gu Changsheng in the Purple Mansion Grand Hall.
• Gu Changsheng offered Barefoot Immortal reincarnation, and Barefoot Immortal accepted.
• Gu Changsheng sent Barefoot Immortal through a time-space gate to the Six Paths of Reincarnation, where he entered reincarnation.
• A Buddha discovered Barefoot Immortal had vanished and continued plotting to provoke a war between the Heavenly Court and the demon race.
• Lan Caihe was born to Lan Tai and his wife in a Great Tang household, and his parents chose his name.
• Several years later, a young maiden returned to a remote mountain range to meditate.

Ao Moang tried to abduct He Xiangu, but Lu Dongbin, Tieguai Li, and Zhongli Quan rescued her. He Xiangu accepted their offer to cultivate with them and became Lu Dongbin’s disciple.

• Ao Moang found He Xiangu cultivating and tried to take her to the West Sea Dragon Palace as his consort.
• Ao Moang captured He Xiangu, but Lu Dongbin arrived and fought him.
• Tieguai Li struck Ao Moang with his iron crutch, and Zhongli Quan drove him away with flames from his palm-leaf fan.
• He Xiangu thanked the three immortals and agreed to follow them to cultivate.
• Lu Dongbin introduced himself as He Xiangu’s master, and identified Tieguai Li and Zhongli Quan.

Zhongli Quan went to Luoyang to guide Lan Caihe toward immortality, but Lan Caihe refused. After Lan Caihe was arrested on a false murder charge, officials tried to force him to sign a confession, leaving him imprisoned and terrified.

• He Xiangu continued cultivating on the immortal mountain as Zhongli Quan set out for Luoyang to guide another of the Eight Immortals.
• Zhongli Quan approached Lan Caihe, who wandered Luoyang dressed as a woman, and offered to guide him to immortality.
• Lan Caihe rejected Zhongli Quan’s offer and returned to the city, while Zhongli Quan waited for him to change his mind.
• Officers arrested Lan Caihe at night and accused him of murder, then the magistrate ordered him imprisoned and scheduled for execution.
• A jailer pressured Lan Caihe to sign a false confession claiming he had robbed the richest man’s home and beaten someone to death, but Lan Caihe refused.

Tieguai Li brought Zhang Guolao to join the Eight Immortals on Dang Mountain, while Lu Dongbin found an Immortal Crane at Yellow Crane Tower and took it with him. The chapter left Lu Dongbin and the crane at the Yangtze River.

• Tieguai Li visited Zhang Guolao and invited him to join the Eight Immortals, completing their number.
• Zhang Guolao agreed to go to Dang Mountain with Tieguai Li and rode there on his transformed paper donkey.
• Lu Dongbin visited Yellow Crane Tower and watched an Immortal Crane emerge from a mural to entertain the crowd.
• After the crowd left, Lu Dongbin invited the Immortal Crane to travel with him, and it followed him out.
• Lu Dongbin pushed the proprietor aside when he tried to stop them, then went with the Immortal Crane to the Yangtze River.

Lu Dongbin arranged for the Immortal Crane to be reborn as Han Xiang, who was raised by Han Yu after his parents died. Years later, Lu Dongbin returned and took Han Xiang away, leaving Han Yu unable to find him.

• Lu Dongbin sent the Immortal Crane’s True Spirit into the unborn child of Han Hui and his wife, and their son was named Han Xiang.
• When Han Xiang would not stop crying, Lu Dongbin quieted him and warned Han Yu that becoming an official would bring calamity.
• Han Hui and his wife died in a plague, and Han Yu took Han Xiang in and raised him.
• At fifteen, Han Xiang finally called Han Yu “Uncle,” moving Han Yu to tears.
• After Han Yu left for court, Lu Dongbin arrived and took Han Xiang away on the wind.
• Han Yu returned, learned Han Xiang was gone, and searched for him without success.

Han Xiang rescued Han Yu from demons on the road to Chaozhou, then returned to Lu Dongbin after bidding his uncle farewell. Gu Changsheng saw that True Man Wenmei had made significant progress, while seven of the Eight Immortals had returned to their proper places.

• After years of failing to find Han Xiang, Han Yu was imprisoned for remonstrating with the Emperor of Great Tang and demoted to Chaozhou.
• Demons captured Han Yu in a snowy mountain, but Han Xiang arrived with his Jade Flute and slew the minor demons.
• Han Xiang defeated the demon king and rescued Han Yu, explaining that Lu Dongbin had sent him to save his uncle.
• Han Xiang cleared a path through the snow, escorted Han Yu down the mountain, and departed after they exchanged farewells.
• Han Xiang returned to Dang Mountain to cultivate with Lu Dongbin and the others, while Gu Changsheng observed True Man Wenmei's progress and noted that seven of the Eight Immortals had returned to their proper places.

Gu Changsheng left Purple Mansion Continent for the Primordial World while the Great Roc slipped away from the Demon Master Palace and attacked True Man Wenmei. Their battle ravaged the Northern Continent of Uttarakuru, and True Man Wenmei summoned a stream of radiance as dark clouds gathered overhead.

• Gu Changsheng left Purple Mansion Continent and headed for the Primordial World.
• The Great Roc secretly left the Demon Master Palace, ate Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals in the North Sea, then went to kill True Man Wenmei.
• True Man Wenmei faced the Great Roc, and the two began a battle that devastated the Northern Continent of Uttarakuru.
• The North Sea Dragon King ordered the dragon clan to stay inside, while the Kunpeng Demon Master recognized Gu Changsheng's disciple and chose not to intervene.
• True Man Wenmei struck the Great Roc with a spiritual treasure, sending him crashing into a crater before he charged back into the fight.
• True Man Wenmei raised a stream of radiance, and dark clouds gathered overhead.

True Man Wenmei nearly killed the Great Roc with heavenly lightning, but Ancient Buddha Randeng rescued his primordial spirit and promised him a future Buddhist position. Kunpeng Demon Master refused to intervene, while Kong Xuan arrived at Demon Master Palace seeking the Great Roc.

• True Man Wenmei trapped the Great Roc and struck him with heavenly lightning until a huge hand seized his primordial spirit and carried it away.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng told the Great Roc that Buddhism had arranged his mission to persuade Kunpeng Demon Master to lead the demons against the Heavenly Court, then promised to send him into reincarnation to become the Human Co-Lord and eventually a Buddha.
• Kunpeng Demon Master dismissed the Great Roc's fate and returned toward Demon Master Palace without seeking revenge on True Man Wenmei.
• Kong Xuan met Kunpeng Demon Master at Northern Darkness Sea and accompanied him to Demon Master Palace.
• Kong Xuan said he had come for the Great Roc, and Kunpeng Demon Master replied that he had come to the wrong person.

Kong Xuan revealed that Buddhism had planted Great Roc in the Northern Continent of Uttarakuru to manipulate Kunpeng Demon Master and provoke conflict. Enraged, Kunpeng confronted Ancient Buddha Randeng at Spirit Vulture Mountain, and their battle left the outcome unresolved.

• Kong Xuan told Kunpeng Demon Master that Great Roc was a Buddhist pawn and directed him to look at Spirit Vulture Mountain, where Great Roc’s primordial spirit was in Round Awakening Cave.
• Kunpeng realized Buddhism had used Great Roc to provoke a conflict between the demon race and the Heavenly Court, then ignored Kong Xuan’s warnings and left to confront Ancient Buddha Randeng.
• Kong Xuan watched Kunpeng depart and left the Northern Continent of Uttarakuru himself.
• Kunpeng arrived at Spirit Vulture Mountain and demanded that Ancient Buddha Randeng hand over Great Roc.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng refused, and he and Kunpeng fought, their attacks shaking heaven and earth as Great Roc hid in Round Awakening Cave.