Chapter Summaries

After learning that the Buddha Master and Mara had died at Boundless Mountain, the Demon Sheep Venerable explained the Jiang Family’s plans for incense and discussed the danger posed by Li Hao. He ordered his allies to use the Buddha Master’s death to turn Great Yu against Li Hao, while warning that the Saint Child was growing impatient.

• The Black-robed Youth and Purple-Patterned Woman reported that the Buddha Master and Mara had died after merging their Dao hearts, and the Demon Sheep Venerable concluded that the Buddha Master had failed to become a Sage.
• The Demon Sheep Venerable explained that incense was wish power needed to survive the Saint realm’s heavenly calamities, and revealed that the Jiang Family intended to gather it to resurrect its Progenitor Sage.
• The three discussed how Li Hao’s strength had exceeded their expectations and disrupted their plans, and the Demon Sheep Venerable blamed the Buddha Master’s greed and failed attempt to break Li Hao’s ties with Great Yu.
• The Demon Sheep Venerable ordered the pair to have Tianji Hall contact the Buddhist Sect and make it pressure His Majesty, hoping to deepen the rift between Great Yu and Li Hao.
• The Demon Sheep Venerable warned that the Saint Child was growing impatient and that returning prodigies from the Immortal Gate could complicate their plans, while news of the battle had already reached Qingzhou City.

After Li Muxiu reported that Li Hao had killed the Buddha Master to save the Thief Saint, the Li Family feared the killing could provoke the emperor or lead to a clash with the True Person. They learned the True Person might be unable to leave the Imperial City because the Desolate God was watching it, and they resolved to seek support for Li Hao while wondering how the emperor would respond.

• Li Muxiu returned to the Divine General Residence and revealed that Li Hao had killed the Buddha Master, who had secretly reached the Dao Inquiry Realm, to save the Thief Saint.
• Li Tiangang warned that the True Person might have reached the Dao Law Realm and that the emperor could view Li Hao's strength as a threat to the throne.
• Li Xuanli promised to plead with the emperor for Li Hao, while Jiang Xian'er left to ask her elder brothers to speak to their father.
• Li Muxiu explained that the Desolate God was likely watching the Imperial Palace, making it dangerous for the True Person to leave and fight Li Hao.
• Wang Xiangru opposed risking the Li Family's standing for Li Hao, while the others hoped the emperor would weigh the consequences and spare him.

At court, Xia Linglong defended Li Hao against officials demanding punishment for killing the Buddha Master, while the Yu Emperor weighed the case against the threat of demons. The Buddhist Sect offered eight million disciples to win justice, but the Yu Emperor said that was still not enough.

• Officials gathered at the Imperial Palace after news spread that Li Hao had killed the Buddha Master.
• Xia Linglong argued that Li Hao’s achievements in saving provinces outweighed the calls to strip him of his title and punish him.
• Civil ministers condemned Li Hao’s killing, while scholars from the Hanlin Academy defended him and challenged their accusations.
• The Yu Emperor asked who could replace Li Hao against the demons if the court took away his merit and status.
• An elderly official revealed that a Buddhist Sect Bodhisattva had offered eight million disciples in exchange for justice, and the Yu Emperor replied that it was still not enough.

The Yu Emperor refused to punish Li Hao immediately after he killed the Buddha Master, instead ordering an investigation while emphasizing Great Yu’s need for Li Hao against the demons. After court, Chu Jiuyue kept ministers from pressing the matter by claiming the emperor was grieving the Buddha Master.

• The Yu Emperor dismissed demands to trade eight million Buddhist disciples for Li Hao, and Xia Linglong argued that alienating him could drive him toward the demons.
• The Yu Emperor declared that merit did not erase wrongdoing, announced seven days of abstinence from meat, and ordered the Demon Suppression Division and Ministry of Justice to investigate the Buddha Master’s death.
• A minister argued that demons might have impersonated Li Hao and that his youth made his victory suspicious, while Xia Linglong backed the investigation.
• The Yu Emperor promised to bring the true culprit to justice, dismissed court, and ordered his ministers to prepare memorials on the realm’s droughts and demonic troubles.
• In the rear garden, the Yu Emperor told Chu Jiuyue that Li Hao’s boldness gave him a headache, then appeared pleased as a goldfish ate a flower petal.
• Chu Jiuyue told the ministers not to disturb the grieving Yu Emperor, and they left without pressing their complaint.

The Yu Emperor revealed his plans to protect Great Yu and the Jiang Family’s effort to resurrect their Progenitor, then traveled to Heaven’s Gate Pass to meet Li Hao. He arrived at Li Hao’s courtyard and asked him to play Go.

• Chu Jiuyue questioned why the Yu Emperor trusted Li Hao, and he said he wanted to play another game of Go before leaving to visit him.
• The Yu Emperor told a Daoist elder that he had chosen Li Hao and that the elder would protect Great Yu for another ten years while he was away.
• Li Hao returned to Heaven’s Gate Pass with the Candlelight God, Evening Primrose, and Old Feng, and he comforted Ren Qianqian over Old Feng’s missing soul.
• The Yu Emperor entered Heaven’s Gate Pass in disguise and reached Li Hao’s courtyard, where Li Hao recognized him and welcomed him.
• The Yu Emperor asked Li Hao to play Go, and Li Hao invited him to sit while Ren Qianqian prepared tea.

The Yu Emperor met Li Hao to discuss the fallout from killing the Buddha Master and proposed pretending to punish him to draw out the demons. Though Li Hao agreed, the Yu Emperor refused to let him suffer and publicly blamed the Demon Emperor, turning the Buddhist Sect’s anger toward the demons and openly declaring war.

• The Yu Emperor played Go with Li Hao, then asked whether he had considered the consequences of killing the Buddha Master; Li Hao said he would accept any punishment except death.
• The Yu Emperor revealed that the Buddha Master had fallen into demonic corruption and proposed stripping Li Hao of his honors and imprisoning him as a ruse, which Li Hao accepted.
• The Yu Emperor told Li Hao he would ask the Wang Family to search the Mo Rivers for Feng Boping’s missing soul fragments.
• Back in the Imperial Palace, the Yu Emperor ordered secret forces into action and told Chu Jiuyue that he would not allow Li Hao to bear an unjust punishment.
• The Imperial Edict declared that the Demon Emperor had disguised himself as General Haotian and killed the Buddha Master, and it blamed him for the wars across several provinces.
• The Buddhist Sect’s leaders raged at the decree, while Demon Sheep Venerable and two other Desolate Gods realized the Yu Emperor had redirected the sect’s fury toward the demons and declared war.

Demon factions invaded Great Yu and claimed their emperor had killed the Buddha Master, while the Yu Emperor used the attacks to turn Buddhist disciples against the demons and punish ministers who had slandered Li Hao. The Demon Sheep Venerable’s scheme collapsed, and he proposed turning the feigned assault into a real one.

• Demon factions attacked cities where Buddhist Sect disciples had gathered, causing many disciples to believe demons had killed the Buddha Master and to take up arms against them.
• Xia Linglong learned from the old woman that the Yu Emperor had planted hidden agents among the demons and was using the crisis to prepare Li Hao as a future inheritor of Great Yu’s spiritual lineage.
• The Yu Emperor presented investigation records in court and ordered the execution of ministers who had slandered Li Hao or taken the Buddhist Sect’s benefits.
• Purple-Patterned Woman and the Black-robed Youth learned the demon attacks had backfired, while Buddhist forces turned against the demons instead of supporting their plan.
• The Demon Sheep Venerable told the others to report to the Saint Child and suggested making their feigned attack a real one.

The Saint Child learned that the demons’ covert plans against the Jiang Family had faltered and decided to intervene personally, ordering them to strike swiftly. At Heaven’s Gate Pass, Li Hao questioned Jiang Lichen about the Yu Emperor and the Jiang Family Progenitor’s revival, while Jiang Lichen insisted he would eventually challenge the emperor with his sword.

• The Demon Sheep Venerable summoned the Saint Child and explained that Li Hao’s rise had ruined their plans and that the demons needed reinforcements.
• The Saint Child warned that the Jiang Family was secretly gathering incense offerings to revive its Progenitor, rejected further reinforcements, and said he would handle Li Hao personally.
• The Saint Child ordered the demons to focus on Qian Dao Palace and act quickly, citing threats from the Ancient Sacred Clans and figures seeking to open the Immortal Gate.
• At Heaven’s Gate Pass, Li Hao learned that the Yu Emperor’s actions differed from their earlier plans and wondered whether exposing their trump cards was worth it.
• Jiang Lichen told Li Hao that the Jiang Family Progenitor was close to reviving and boasted that he would eventually strike the Yu Emperor with his sword.

Li Hao cultivated his Fishing Dao and Chess Dao by the lake, then returned to Azure Cliff City as the Saint Child arrived intending to kill him. The Tea Stall Elder drove the Saint Child away, and Ying Xiaoxiao and the Elder joined Li Hao at his courtyard after he invited them over.

• Li Hao fished with Old Feng and taught Ren Qianqian sword principles while Evening Primrose learned go, then gained insight into the Chess Dao.
• The Saint Child found Li Hao in Azure Cliff City and prepared to attack him, but the Tea Stall Elder confronted him and forced him to retreat after they exchanged a blow.
• The Tea Stall Elder told Ying Xiaoxiao that the Saint Clan was seeking the region's incense power, and she said they would kill them if they became a threat.
• Li Hao invited Ying Xiaoxiao and the Tea Stall Elder to his courtyard after detecting the Elder's aura, and Ying Xiaoxiao explained that she had followed him to see interesting things.

Li Hao met Ying Xiaoxiao and Ying Lizhong, painted their portraits, and learned about three paths to becoming a Sage. After receiving word that Old Feng’s missing soul fragments were in the Mo River, Li Hao set out for the Wang Family, leaving Old Feng in the care of his companions.

• Ying Xiaoxiao and Ying Lizhong joined Li Hao at the teahouse after driving off a Saint Clan member, and Li Hao painted portraits that earned him substantial Painting Dao experience.
• Li Hao shared grilled fish with Ying Xiaoxiao, Ying Lizhong, Jiang Lichen, and Ren Qianqian as Ying Xiaoxiao explained Incense Sanctification, Sacrificial Dao Sanctification, and Extreme Dao Sanctification.
• Jiang Lichen privately warned Li Hao that Ying Xiaoxiao and Ying Lizhong might belong to the Devil Race, but Li Hao said they had shown no hostility.
• Two days later, Li Hao received news that Old Feng’s missing soul fragments were in the Mo River and decided to visit the Wang Family.
• Li Hao left Ren Qianqian, Jiang Lichen, Ying Xiaoxiao, and Ying Lizhong in the courtyard and asked them to look after Old Feng.

Li Hao traveled to the Wang Family in Yun Prefecture to rescue Feng Boping’s soul from a Mo River, and the family showed him how to enter it. When Li Hao’s Mo River Register identified him as Chong Er, Wang Yongzhi was shocked.

• Li Hao arrived at the Heavenly Illumination Divine General Residence with Candlelight God and asked about Feng Boping’s soul, which the Wang Family had found in a Nether Domain Level Mo River.
• Wang Yongzhi explained that the Wang Family respected Feng Boping, known in the Mo Rivers as Bu Liuxing, for helping clear dangerous Mo Rivers.
• Despite the Wang Family elders’ warnings, Li Hao insisted on trying to rescue Feng Boping and learned about the Mo River’s rules from Wang Yongzhi.
• Wang Yongzhi brought Li Hao to Ksitigarbha Buddha, an object that connected the Wang Family to the Mo Rivers, and helped him prepare to enter Feng Boping’s Mo River.
• Li Hao’s Golden Paper merged with Ksitigarbha Buddha’s booklet, and Wang Yongzhi saw that Li Hao’s recorded name was Chong Er.

Li Hao revealed that he was Chong Er, the Merit Board’s top-ranked figure, and learned that he had been granted the title of Divine General. He entered a Mo River with Wang Yongzhi and the Wang Family, where they discovered its rules were changing as it merged with a Hell-level Mo River.

• Wang Yongzhi recognized Li Hao’s Golden Paper name as Chong Er, and the Wang Family realized Li Hao had cleared the Dragon City Fallen River.
• Wang Yongzhi told Li Hao that His Majesty had made him a Divine General and invited him to explore a Mo River with the Wang Family.
• Li Hao and the Wang Family entered a ruined town, where the Mo River’s hand-foot reversal rule had strengthened and begun affecting their movements.
• Li Hao used his Dao Domain to guide the group through the town toward Wang Zhendong, while noticing a dangerous darkness advancing beyond it.
• Wang Zhendong warned that the Mo River was merging with a Hell-level Mo River, terrifying Wang Yongzhi and the others.

Li Hao and the Wang Family became trapped in a Nether Domain Mo River as it merged with a Hell-level Mo River, and their escape tokens failed. After Wang Zhendong’s attempt to enter the fog nearly killed him, Li Hao rescued him and went into the Hell Mo River himself.

• Wang Zhendong explained that the Mo Rivers were merging and led the Wang Family members toward the exit while Li Hao asked about clearing the river.
• Li Hao insisted on trying to clear the Mo River, and Wang Zhendong agreed to help after getting the others out.
• The Wang Family’s wooden exit tokens crumbled, and Li Hao’s register showed that his token was inside the Hell Mo River.
• Wang Zhendong entered the black fog but was trapped by its changing rules and began losing his strength and vitality.
• Li Hao used ten overlapping Dao Domains to rescue Wang Zhendong, sent him back toward town, and plunged into the fog.

Li Hao retrieved the replacement tokens from a hell-level Mo River and held back its spreading power so the Wang Family could escape, but he remained inside as the exits closed. Outside, Wang Zhendong learned that Li Hao had not returned, punished Li Jiangying for mocking him, and received news that demons were besieging the Imperial City.

• Li Hao found the replicated Qing Town and its replacement wooden tokens, then fought through monsters formed from the hell-level Mo River’s power to retrieve them.
• Li Hao escaped with the tokens, removed the monsters reflected in the Wang Family members’ eyes, and gave everyone a token as the hell-level Mo River surged toward the town.
• Li Hao expanded his Dao Domain and used Immortal Transformation to hold back the Mo River while the Wang Family opened exits and escaped; he stayed behind as Wang Zhendong and the others returned outside.
• When Li Hao failed to emerge, Li Jiangying mocked him, and Wang Zhendong struck Li Jiangying and barred him and Li Rumeng from the Wang Family.
• Wang Zhendong explained that the hell-level Mo River had nearly merged with the Nether Domain-level Mo River, then Wang Yongzhi received a military report that demons were besieging the Imperial City and requesting reinforcements.

Li Hao helped Feng Boping resolve the obsession behind the Clear Town Mo River, earning 30,000 merit before returning home with him. Meanwhile, demons and the Chen Family destroyed the Imperial Capital, where six powerful young attackers overwhelmed its defenders and left Great Yu’s survival uncertain.

• Wang Zhendong left to reinforce the Imperial Capital, while Wang Zhenfeng stayed to guard Yun Prefecture and Wang Yongzhi sent 300,000 Zhao Character Troops toward the capital.
• Li Hao found Feng Boping’s missing soul fragment in the Ancestral Shrine and learned that a Hell-level Mo River had reflected Feng Boping’s obsession.
• Li Hao crossed into the reflected town and discovered that Feng Boping was searching for a true heart; resolving the obsession weakened the Silent Dao Fallen River and cleared the Clear Town Mo River.
• Li Hao earned 20,000 merit for clearing the Clear Town Mo River and another 10,000 for permanently reducing the Silent Dao Fallen River, then prepared to take Feng Boping home.
• The Chen Family helped demons breach the Imperial Capital’s defenses, and the attackers devastated the city and killed many of its defenders.
• Xia Linglong, Xia Yuanwu, Li Muxiu, and other reinforcements watched as six young attackers overwhelmed a True Person, leaving the Imperial Capital’s survival in doubt.

Six Dao Law Realm experts attacked the Great Yu Imperial City and overwhelmed its defenders, while Li Hao learned of the crisis and raced back despite the Yu Emperor’s order to flee. He killed two demon attackers at the city, then saw the Purple-Patterned Woman’s corpse suddenly fly toward the Imperial Palace.

• Six Dao Law Realm experts defeated True Person Qin, and the Yu Emperor offered them Great Yu’s incense in exchange for sparing its people.
• Young man Mu used Words Become Law to force the Yu Emperor down, but the emperor severed his own legs rather than kneel; the invaders began torturing the defenders.
• Li Hao emerged from the Mo River and learned from Wang Yongzhi that the Imperial City was under attack and the Yu Emperor had ordered him to leave Great Yu.
• Li Hao ignored the order and raced toward the Imperial Capital, killing a dragon demon on the way and passing Sword Wudao.
• Li Hao reached the breached Imperial City and killed the Black-robed Youth and Purple-Patterned Woman with rapid attacks.
• The Purple-Patterned Woman’s corpse reverted to its original form and shot from Li Hao’s hand toward the Imperial Palace.

Li Hao arrived at the Imperial Palace and killed the Purple-Robed Youth before turning on the other attackers. As the battle began in earnest, the Yellow-White Robed Youth erased Li Hao’s Dao Domain, and both fighters teleported away at once.

• The Purple-Robed Youth tortured the Yu Emperor and offered to spare captives only if the emperor kowtowed, then attacked him when the emperor exposed the loophole in his promise.
• Li Hao arrived at the palace after hurling Purple Moon Ji’s corpse at the attackers, and the captives urged him to flee.
• Li Hao killed the Purple-Robed Youth with a surprise attack, then struck the Peerless Beauty and resisted the suppression of two opponents.
• Li Hao borrowed True Person Qin’s sword and moved the Yu Emperor behind him while preparing to fight the remaining attackers.
• The Yellow-White Robed Youth used All Things Return to Origin to make Li Hao’s Dao Domain vanish, and the two fighters teleported away simultaneously.

Li Hao fought five Dao Law Realm prodigies despite being only in the Great Peace Dao Realm, using Return to Emptiness Teleportation and complete immortal transformation to kill one and wound others. As the five joined forces and began killing the captives to force his hand, a lightning-wreathed palm descended toward them.

• Li Hao repeatedly attacked the Peerless Beauty and severed her head, but her Dao Domain and healing kept her alive.
• Li Hao used complete immortal transformation to track and kill the Yellow-White Robed Youth, then wounded the half-masked young man before the five coordinated against him.
• The five combined their Dao Domains and Divine Abilities, grievously wounding Li Hao and preventing him from approaching them.
• The Yellow-White Robed Youth learned Li Hao was only in the Great Peace Dao Realm, while the captives and Imperial Family reacted in disbelief and urged him to flee.
• The Yellow-White Robed Youth killed an imperial princess and a prince with Words Become Law, and the half-masked young man raised a lightning-wreathed palm to strike the remaining captives.

Li Hao fought five powerful attackers to protect the Yu Emperor and the people of Great Yu, repeatedly enduring their Dao Arts and regenerating from fatal injuries. As he drew on more of heaven and earth to defend them, he sensed Heaven's Will and glimpsed the Heavenly Venerable realm.

• Li Hao teleported to the Yu Emperor and refused to abandon him, despite the danger to Great Yu and its people.
• The Yellow-White Robed Youth and the others targeted the crowd, and Li Hao took their attacks while shielding the people behind him.
• Li Hao took a spear thrust meant for the Yu Emperor, wounded the Yellow-White Robed Youth, and regenerated after the attackers blasted his body apart.
• The five attackers unleashed relentless Dao Arts across the plaza, and Li Hao redirected much of their power into heaven and earth to protect everyone.
• Li Hao spread his consciousness farther through heaven and earth, sensed a supreme will, and realized that true control meant wielding heaven and earth themselves—the terminal realm of immortal transformation, Heavenly Venerable.

Li Hao harnessed a thread of Heavenly Venerable Will to control the power of heaven and earth, overwhelming the six Dao Law Realm experts who had attacked him. After killing five of them, he faced the sole survivor, the Yellow-White Robed Youth.

• Li Hao shattered the five opponents’ Dao Arts with a punch and entered their combined Dao Domains using Return to Emptiness Teleportation.
• Li Hao killed the Peerless Beauty, destroying her body and Primordial Spirit despite her pleas for mercy.
• The half-masked youth’s Imprisoning Intent failed against Li Hao’s Heavenly Venerable Will, and Li Hao killed the purple-blue-robed youth after breaking through his Incense treasures.
• The Yellow-White Robed Youth combined the Dao Domain power of the remaining fighters to unleash Heavenly Imprisonment Earth Severance, but Li Hao’s punch wounded all three.
• Li Hao killed the woman and the half-masked youth, leaving the Yellow-White Robed Youth as the only survivor of the six who had come to seize the dynasty’s Incense.