Chapter Summaries

Ji An learned that the Far North would remain neutral as Buddhist forces prepared to attack the Golden Spirit Sect, and he assessed how long the sect’s mountain-guarding formation could hold. He planned to lure the enemy into believing he stayed at the sect before seeking an opening to strike Southern Continent.

• Qin Yan reported that True Monarch Tianshui would only monitor events and inform True Monarch Xuanfeng, while Li Haoran urged the sect to rely on itself and Ji An planned to fight in three days.
• Monk King Jingyue reported that the demonic beasts would remain neutral, and Monk King Ruhai explained that Jingyue needed to help contain the powerful Ninth Layer Nascent Soul enemy who had stalled their campaign.
• Lin Lan told Ji An that Buddhist cultivators were infiltrating areas outside the sect, and Ji An recognized Monk King Jingyue among the figures captured by the flying puppets.
• Zhang Zeye estimated that the mountain-guarding grand formation could withstand fifty Early Nascent Soul attackers for three years but only fifty Mid Nascent Soul attackers for half a year, with prolonged attacks risking damage to the Yin-Yang Spirit Veins.
• Ji An rejected sending Li Haoran and True Monarch Wuyue to Southern Continent because of the dangers posed by Buddhist divine abilities, and he planned to lure the enemy before finding a chance to go there himself.
• Ji An left his cave abode for Sunrise Peak to summon the other True Lords to Limitless Hall.

Ji An sent Qin Yan and the other Nascent Soul cultivators to search Crimson Flame Peak for Phoenix Blood Stone so he could upgrade the Li Di Flame Light Banner. After the banner reached fourth-grade high-grade, Ji An prepared to confront the Buddhist cultivators, who had built Buddha Formations designed to trap and kill him.

• Ji An asked Qin Yan, Li Haoran, True Monarch Wuyue, and the others to search the withered Spirit Vein beneath Crimson Flame Peak for Phoenix Blood Stone, while Qin Yan arranged Fire Repelling Pearls to extend their search time.
• Ji An harassed the Buddhist cultivators as they built twelve Buddha Formations, then stopped approaching them while Qin Yan upgraded the Li Di Flame Light Banner.
• Monk King Ruhai, Monk King Jingyue, and Fa Lan planned to trap Ji An in a Demon Subduing Formation that inverted the Five Elements and used Sarira to power its domain.
• Qin Yan returned with the Phoenix Blood Stone and upgraded the Li Di Flame Light Banner to fourth-grade high-grade in seven or eight days.
• Ji An tested the upgraded banner, reunited it with his other four Spiritual Treasures, and declared that he would make the Buddhist cultivators taste terror the next day.

Ji An prepared his new Spiritual Treasure Grade Five Directions Banners and coordinated an assault on the Buddhist Buddha Formations with his allies. He began the attack at Sunset Mountain, destroying a formation before Monk King Jingyue arrived to confront him.

• Ji An told Qin Yan he would rather kill the enemy than retreat, and True Monarch Wuyue and Li Haoran agreed to help attack the other Buddha Formations.
• Ji An introduced Yue Ling'er, the Great Yin Moon Corpse, to the group, and she and Li Haoran challenged each other to spar.
• The group discussed their abilities and assault plan, agreeing that Ji An would signal a retreat with a long howl.
• Ji An tested the upgraded Five Directions Banners, prepared mana-restoring supplies, and resolved to use all his strength in the coming battle.
• Ji An ambushed the Buddha Formation farthest from the Buddhist leaders, using Chaos Five Elements Thunder and the Five Elements Divine Mountain to destroy it.
• Monk King Jingyue arrived to find five of the six Reincarnation Realm cultivators dead and the remaining one fled, then attacked Ji An.

Ji An used the Five Directions Banners to withstand the monk kings’ attacks, lured them away, and helped his sect strike the Buddhist forces. After the Buddhist leaders decided to withdraw toward the Southern Continent, Ji An secretly traveled there to prepare an attack on their unfinished temple formations.

• Ji An ignored Monk King Jingyue’s attacks, escaped the destroyed Buddha Formation, and assaulted the Buddhist camp, seizing more than ten Buddhist treasures before retreating behind his sect’s mountain-protecting formation.
• Monk King Ruhai and Monk King Jingyue failed to break Ji An’s defenses, while Monk King Falan’s fear slowed his pursuit; Ji An’s fellow sect members then succeeded in their operation against another Buddha Formation.
• The True Lords gathered in Limitless Hall, where Ji An told them to stay inside the sect and said he would restore his strength before heading to the Southern Continent; Lin Lan arranged for puppets to investigate the Buddha Formations.
• The monk kings learned that the enemy’s attack had killed around four hundred traveling monks, injured six hundred, and taken fifteen Buddhist treasures, so they debated abandoning the siege and seeking reinforcements.
• Four hours after nightfall, Ji An secretly traveled to the Southern Continent, observed the Buddhist temples around the ruined Earth Fiend Gate, and concealed himself in a cave behind a Black Tortoise Armor Formation.

Ji An prepared for battle, then ambushed Monk King Kongjian and his forces, destroying the Buddhist temples and killing the defenders. After collecting their valuables and corpses, he planned to recover his mana before returning to the Western Continent.

• Ji An restored his Five Directions Banners in the Gourd World and instructed Yue Ling'er to kill Buddhist Cultivators while avoiding a fight against two Nascent Soul Late Stage enemies.
• Monk King Kongjian led two Monk Kings and six guardian Vajras to inspect the temples being built for the Lotus Demon Subduing Formation.
• Ji An attacked the group with Chaos Five Elements Thunder and the Five Elements Divine Mountain, killing the three Monk Kings and six guardian Vajras.
• Ji An and Yue Ling'er hunted down the remaining Buddhist Cultivators, collected their corpses and valuables, and destroyed the temples.
• Ji An told Yue Ling'er they would find a secluded place to recover their mana before returning to the Western Continent.

Ji An returned from Southern Continent after destroying Earth Fiend Gate, then reported his gains and warned Golden Spirit Sect that the Buddhist cultivators would retaliate. Monk King Ruhai vowed to destroy Golden Spirit Sect and called for reinforcements, while the sect discussed seeking help from Central Continent.

• Ji An let Yue Ling'er explore the Gourd World, then returned to Golden Spirit Sect after restoring his spiritual power.
• Ji An encountered five Buddhist flying boats and evaded Monk Kings Falan, Ruhai, and Jingyue rather than risk a fight.
• Monk King Ruhai found Buddha Head Mountain devastated, learned Monk King Kongjian and the temple-building materials were lost, and ordered Monk King Jingyue to seek reinforcements.
• Ji An told the sect leaders about his Southern Continent gains, handed Buddhist treasures and three Nascent Soul corpses to Qin Yan, and warned that the enemy would strike back.
• Li Haoran offered to travel to Central Continent and seek Taixu Sect's help, but Ji An told him to wait and see what the Buddhist cultivators did next.

After uncovering the Merit Golden Lotus’s need for Profound Yellow Merit Qi, Ji An watered it and learned how it could produce a treasure that could avert a fatal blow. As Central Continent envoys arrived with news of a planned campaign against the Buddhist cultivators, Ji An revealed that the invasion had already reached Western Continent, and True Monarch Xuanfeng challenged him to test his strength.

• Ji An sorted the spoils from battle, then used a Sarira’s energy to unlock a Jade Slip containing the Prajna Heart Sutra and the Merit Golden Lotus’s secrets.
• Ji An spent most of his stored Profound Yellow Merit Qi to nourish the Merit Golden Lotus, causing a sprout to emerge beneath the lake.
• Ji An agreed to send Li Haoran toward Central Continent by way of the Far North, but a message arrived reporting that envoys from Taixu Sect and True Monarch Xuanfeng had reached the sect.
• True Monarch Zhenyue and True Monarch Huayin explained that Central Continent wanted Ji An to join a campaign against the Buddhist cultivators.
• Ji An revealed that the Buddhist cultivators had already conquered Earth Fiend Gate and Shadowless Sect and had attacked Western Continent, then recounted how he had encountered Netherworld True Monarch in the Spirit-Severing Land.
• True Monarch Xuanfeng asked to test Ji An’s combat strength, and the two went outside the hall as Xuanfeng summoned his defensive Spiritual Treasure.

Ji An demonstrated his overwhelming strength by defeating True Monarch Xuanfeng in a sparring match, then planned a surprise assault on the Buddhist cultivators in Southern Continent with his new allies. The group agreed to rest and attack near Earth Fiend Gate the following morning.

• True Monarch Xuanfeng fused his defensive Natal Spiritual Treasure with his black tortoise manifestation and sparred with Ji An.
• Ji An's mastery of Water Element power suppressed True Monarch Xuanfeng's, and his thunder and Five Elements Divine Mountain overwhelmed the defense until he stopped the match.
• True Monarch Xuanfeng conceded defeat, while Li Haoran and the others recognized the extent of Ji An's strength.
• Ji An proposed that their combined forces attack the Buddhist cultivators in Southern Continent rather than wait for Central Continent reinforcements.
• True Monarch Zhenyue, True Monarch Huayin, True Monarch Xuanfeng, and the others agreed to join Ji An and set out the next day for a surprise attack near Earth Fiend Gate.

Ji An led a surprise attack on the Buddhist cultivators building a temple at the Earth Fiend Gate, killing their Nascent Soul leaders with help from the immortal cultivators. After the battle, he ordered Yue Ling'er to hunt down the fleeing low-level cultivators and learned that the Killing Intent from her killings fell on him instead.

• Ji An distributed fourth-rank Bodhi Fruits and planned a concealed attack with True Monarch Xuanfeng and the other Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Ji An ambushed Buddhist cultivators with the Five Elements Divine Mountain and Chaos Five Elements Thunder, killing several before Monk King Ruhai and Fa Lan arrived.
• True Monarch Xuanfeng and the other immortal cultivators joined Ji An, surrounding the Buddhist forces and killing every Nascent Soul-level Buddhist cultivator, including Monk King Ruhai.
• Ji An learned that Yue Ling'er's Killing Intent fell on him because she belonged to him, then assigned her to search the western region while he searched the east for fleeing Buddhist cultivators.

After the group defeated the Buddhist cultivators, Ji An claimed their corpses and rare Earth Element Spiritual Material while the survivors discussed whether to attack Central Continent early. Back in his Gourd World, Ji An refined the material into the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, advancing his Natal Spiritual Treasure to Fourth-Tier Top-Grade.

• Ji An checked the injured cultivators, stood guard while they recovered, and helped divide the spoils, taking all the corpses and a Fourth-Tier Earth Element Spiritual Material.
• Ji An and the others discussed whether Central Continent should begin its offensive early, and True Lord Zhenyue agreed to relay their proposal to the Ninth Layer Nascent Soul True Lords.
• Ji An and Li Haoran returned to their Sect, where Ji An sent Lin Lan a message about the battle before resting and recovering in the Gourd World.
• Ji An spent three days refining the Earth Element Spiritual Material with his Primordial Life Fire, then used the Five Directions Banners to complete its refinement over seven more days.
• The Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner absorbed the Earth Element Spiritual Material and advanced to Fourth-Tier Top-Grade.

Ji An tested the Earth Kirin's new abilities after his Natal Spiritual Treasure advanced, then discussed how his sect should develop Southern Continent's Spirit Veins. At Lotus Temple, the Monk Kings learned that nearly all those who campaigned in Southern Continent had entered nirvana, while Ji An later welcomed True Monarch Zhenyue and his wife to discuss Central Continent's response.

• Ji An discovered that the Earth Kirin could create a dust-and-sand domain, summon two Early Nascent Soul sandmen, and wield Wutu Earth Divine Thunder.
• Ji An and Lin Lan discussed developing the Spirit Veins left behind by Earth Fiend Gate and Shadowless Sect, and Ji An advised forming alliances rather than claiming distant territory outright.
• Monk King Jingci and Monk King Yuanjue saw that nearly all the Monk Kings who had followed Monk King Ruhai to Southern Continent had entered nirvana, and they agreed to keep the news secret while waiting for Monk King Jingyue.
• Two months later, True Monarch Zhenyue and his wife arrived at Golden Spirit Sect, where Ji An noted that Fellow Daoist Xuanfeng had yet to arrive.

Ji An joined the Central Continent’s campaign against the Buddhist cultivators and spent two years attacking their formation’s defensive nodes. Back in the Gourd World, he discovered that the Gathering Origin Tree had advanced to fourth-tier top-grade.

• True Lord Zhenyue told Ji An that thirty-two Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators had begun attacking the Buddhist cultivators’ grand formation, and the coalition would soon grow to thirty-six.
• Ji An and True Monarch Xuanfeng traveled with True Lord Zhenyue and his cousin to Luofeng Mountain, where True Monarch Canglong briefed them on the Buddha Formation, battle rotations, and rewards.
• Ji An accepted his assignment, met the other cultivators at a welcoming banquet, and settled into a cave abode protected by the Black Tortoise Armor Formation.
• For two years, Ji An joined True Monarch Canglong’s group in attacking Buddhist defensive nodes by day and cultivated in the Gourd World at night.
• Ji An sensed the Gathering Origin Tree’s sudden growth, and the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner transformed into a Qilin and flew among its branches.
• Ji An confirmed that the Gathering Origin Tree had completed its advancement to fourth-tier top-grade.

Ji An strengthened his cultivation and spiritual treasures while the Buddhist cultivators and their besiegers both faced growing pressure. The chapter ended with True Monarch Canglong promising to seek other Spirit Veins for the allied army, as True Monarch Qingluan pressed for a quick solution to Nanhua Sect’s declining Spirit Vein.

• Ji An discovered that the Gathering Origin Tree and his small world increased his cultivation speed, then buried ash beneath the Fusang Tree and Seven Luminaries Golden Branch.
• Ji An used the Five Directions Banners to accelerate the Five Elements Divine Mountain’s fusion with spiritual earth.
• Monk King Jingci warned that the Buddhist Territory’s aspiration power could no longer offset the besieging cultivators’ attacks.
• Monk King Yuankong proposed creating hardships for believers and activating hidden agents, while rejecting any plan to fight beyond the Lotus Demon Subduing Formation.
• True Monarch Qingluan told the allied leaders that the army’s presence was draining Nanhua Sect’s Spirit Vein, and True Monarch Canglong offered to arrange other Spirit Veins connected by Teleportation Arrays.
• True Monarch Qingluan asked how soon the proposed relief could take effect.

True Monarch Qingluan sought support for Nanhua Sect as its Spirit Vein faced a possible decline, and several Ninth Layer Nascent Soul cultivators agreed to speak up for her. True Monarch Canglong then discussed the allied army’s worsening war of attrition and proposed using small worlds to help restore cultivators’ mana, while seeking a way to break the deadlock.

• True Monarch Canglong told True Monarch Qingluan he would press her request but could not promise when it would be resolved.
• True Monarch Juque, Ji An, and True Monarch Xuanfeng agreed to support Qingluan’s appeal, and Qingluan gave them Azure Firmament Fruits.
• True Monarch Canglong praised the Azure Firmament Tree’s potential, and Ji An accepted the fruits with plans to plant their seeds in the Gourd World.
• Canglong gathered several Ninth Layer Nascent Soul cultivators, recorded their request on a jade slip, and had them add their Mana Seals.
• Canglong warned that prolonged attrition could exhaust smaller powers and suggested that major sects provide small worlds with fourth-tier Spirit Veins to restore the true lords’ mana.
• True Monarch Juque called for a way to address Nanhua Sect’s Spirit Vein problem, while Canglong urged the allied army to find another path to break the deadlock.

True Monarch Canglong and the other leaders agreed to intensify the war against the Buddhist cultivators by opening more attack fronts and using Yin Thunder Beads, while also pressing the East Sea to send aid. After discovering Ji An’s profound Five Elements inheritance, Ji An received a revelation from spiritual fruit and grew two new spiritual plants from its seeds.

• True Monarch Canglong proposed opening additional attack nodes and using Yin Thunder Beads to break through the Buddhist cultivators’ formations, and Ji An and True Monarch Xuanfeng supported the plan.
• True Monarch Juque and True Monarch Canglong agreed to send an envoy to the East Sea and demand that its cultivators join the war, suggesting True Monarch Xuanxiao as the envoy.
• After the guests left, True Monarch Canglong sensed Ji An’s ten profound Five Elements divine intents and wondered whether Ji An could help the Golden Spirit Sect become a top-tier power.
• Ji An ate the fourth-grade spiritual fruits from True Monarch Qingluan and experienced a vision of a spiritual tree decaying and concentrating its vitality into a seed.
• Ji An used his Azure Dragon Startled Insects Art and Dragon Soars, All Things Born to nourish and plant the two seeds, which sprouted into first-grade low-grade spiritual plants.

More than thirty True Lords and a vast supply of Yin Thunder Beads arrived at Luofeng Mountain to strengthen the allied war effort, which was under pressure to defeat a Buddha Formation quickly. Ji An impressed True Lord Xuanxiao and True Lord Qingyang by demonstrating his Chaos Five Elements Thunder, leaving them in awe of its power and potential.

• True Lord Xuanxiao and True Lord Qingyang arrived at Luofeng Mountain with over thirty True Lords and more than 1.2 million Yin Thunder Beads, and the allies decided they needed to breach a Buddha Formation that year.
• True Lord Canglong, True Lord Xuanxiao, and their allies planned to attack Zhilan Temple after three days of rest, while True Lord Qingyang promised to limit cultivators' use of Luofeng Mountain's Spirit Vein until new Teleportation Arrays were built.
• True Lord Canglong and several Ninth Layer Nascent Soul cultivators visited Ji An, and True Lord Xuanxiao praised the Five Elements balance in his Mana Seal.
• Ji An demonstrated Chaos Five Elements Thunder at eighty percent of his normal strength, allowing True Lord Xuanxiao and True Lord Qingyang to witness its formidable power.
• True Lord Xuanxiao admitted that he could not grasp all of the lightning art's transformations, and Ji An said it could still improve.

Ji An and the other cultivators planned their assault on the Buddhist formations, while the Monk Kings debated how to withstand the siege and considered unleashing dangerous Karma Fire. Monk King Jingyue received a Buddha Kingdom to secretly prepare a refuge in the Spirit-Severing Land, and two months later Ji An’s forces resumed their attack on Lanruo Temple.

• Ji An and the allied True Monarchs agreed to conserve their Yin Thunder Beads until the Buddha Formation’s defenses weakened, and Canglong gave Juque jade plaques for emergency communication.
• Monk King Jingyue urged Jingci to save vow power and hold out against the siege, while warning that using Karma Fire of Sentient Beings could create dark demons and cost the Monk Kings their merit.
• Jingci decided to consult the other Monk Kings about using the Karma Fire and gave Jingyue a Buddha Kingdom to establish a hidden refuge in the Spirit-Severing Land.
• Jingci told Jingyue to wait until after the Monk Kings’ discussion before secretly preparing the refuge so the other defenders would not lose their resolve.
• Two months later, Ji An coordinated the cultivators attacking Lanruo Temple’s Buddha Formation and struck it with Chaos Five Elements Thunder.

Ji An and the cultivators attacked the Buddha Formation until the Buddhist forces unleashed Karma Fire of Sentient Beings, which drove the retreating army into violent chaos and caused heavy casualties. After ordering a withdrawal, Ji An realized the lingering attack had infiltrated them and was still consuming the power of his talisman.

• Ji An joined the assault on the Buddha Formation and judged that the defenses might yield within half a month.
• As the cultivators began to retreat, Monk King Jingci's forces released golden spheres containing Karma Fire of Sentient Beings, which exploded and spread black radiance across the battlefield.
• Ji An resisted the black radiance with his talismans and the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, while many cultivators were overcome by destructive urges and attacked one another.
• Monk King Jingci chose not to pursue the wounded cultivators, hoping the lingering karma fire would corrupt them and aid future attacks from within.
• True Monarch Juque, Ji An, and True Monarch Xuanfeng ordered their forces to withdraw, and the cultivators collected their dead and wounded.
• After the retreat, Ji An told the others that the unknown attack remained within them, as the Purifying Spirit Talisman continued to lose power.

After the Buddhist cultivators’ attack stirred malicious desires among the allied forces, Ji An and the True Lords sought ways to contain its effects. True Monarch Canglong explained the danger and proposed Bodhi Spirit Incense, and Ji An revealed he already had some.

• True Monarch Xuanfeng and True Monarch Juque realized the strange attack had intensified destructive impulses, so Ji An suspended the offensive and ordered the disciples gathered while Juque requested Purifying Spirit Talismans.
• True Monarch Canglong requisitioned a valley south of Luofeng Mountain, established a defensive formation, and explained how Buddhist wish power could contaminate cultivators’ minds.
• Canglong said Bodhi Tree Spirit Incense could calm desires and nourish the soul, but warned that the contamination might deepen before supplies arrived and could take years to purge.
• Ji An asked whether Canglong’s proposed incense was Bodhi Wishful Incense, then produced several sticks of fourth-rank high-grade incense for the gathered True Lords.

Ji An supplied Bodhi Wishful Incense to the cultivator alliance, signed an agreement to trade it for spiritual treasures, and joined the True Lords in planning a decisive assault on the Buddha Formation. The alliance prepared to attack the next day after recovering its strength and distributing the incense.

• True Monarch Canglong recognized Ji An's Bodhi Wishful Incense, and Ji An offered thousands of sticks and materials for refining more.
• Ji An revealed Yue Ling'er, retrieved incense and materials from his small world, and delivered them to the True Lords.
• The True Lords signed a purchase agreement, and Ji An requested materials for upgrading the Five Directions Banners, Top-Grade Spirit Stones, and help refining a defensive Formation.
• True Monarch Canglong arranged for the incense to be distributed, while Ji An cut it into short sections for use.
• True Monarch Canglong reported that the alliance had lost 426 Golden Core cultivators and proposed discussing its next move.
• True Monarch Juque urged a full assault on the Buddha Formation the next day, and Ji An and the other True Lords supported the plan.