Chapter Summaries

Di Xin appointed Wen Zhong to lead a million troops against Yuan Futong’s North Sea rebellion and named Kong Xuan the vanguard. At Deng Jiugong’s home, Kong Xuan arrived for a send-off meal, where Deng Jiugong noticed his wife and daughter staring at Kong Xuan in a daze.

• Wen Zhong and Huang Feihu competed over how few troops and how little time they would need to defeat Yuan Futong, while Shang Rong warned that the rebellion had powerful backing.
• Di Xin ordered Wen Zhong to command a million troops on the Northern Expedition and appointed Kong Xuan as vanguard to take Yuan Futong’s city and kill him.
• Kong Xuan received the transfer order at Sanshan Pass and visited Deng Jiugong to boast about being the first among them to march out.
• Deng Jiugong invited Kong Xuan to a send-off meal at his home, where Deng Xiu and his wife joined them with their baby daughter.
• Deng Jiugong noticed his wife and daughter staring entranced at Kong Xuan and exclaimed, “Bu Hao!”

Deng Jiugong’s family welcomed Kong Xuan, who gave baby Deng Chanyu three protective feathers before leaving for Chaoge. Meanwhile, Styx answered Cangyuan’s summons and joined Great Shang’s campaign against the rebellious North Sea lords, where Kong Xuan suspected the right vanguard Butcher was a fearsome figure from the Dao of Killing.

• Deng Chanyu reached for Kong Xuan, and Deng Jiugong reluctantly let him hold her while lamenting that his daughter preferred the handsome general.
• Kong Xuan gave Deng Chanyu three feathers from his true body, each able to protect her from death once, and then departed for Chaoge.
• Styx received an edict from Cangyuan asking him to accompany and protect the army against the Seventy-two Lords of the North Sea, and he set out for Human Territory.
• Wen Zhong named Kong Xuan and Butcher as the left and right vanguards before rallying the million soldiers to march north against Yuan Futong.
• Kong Xuan sensed immense pressure from Butcher and suspected his identity, while the army began its northern campaign.

Yuan Futong rallied the Seventy-Two Route Allied Army to rebel against Great Shang, hoping to seize the Central Plains and escape the North Sea’s poverty. Great Shang’s forces swiftly surrounded the rebels, and Heaven Monitoring Guard agents subdued Yuan Futong and the other lords, leaving the army ordered to surrender.

• Yuan Futong rallied the seventy-one lords by describing the North Sea’s hardship and calling for Great Shang’s overthrow.
• Yuan Futong lamented that Chong Houhu had submitted to Great Shang, and a scout reported that Chong Houhu had gone to Chaoge after receiving an imperial decree.
• Yuan Futong ordered the allied army to prepare for Great Shang’s arrival, but the rebels found Great Shang’s flags flying across the State of Chong and enemy forces approaching from three sides.
• Yuan Futong’s Deputy Commander revealed that he was an undercover agent and held a bronze sword to Yuan Futong’s throat.
• Heaven Monitoring Guard agents subdued all seventy-two lords, and Great Shang’s soldiers called on the allied army to lay down its weapons.

Kong Xuan captured Zhunti’s disciples Sunlight and Moonlight while defeating the North Sea rebels’ attempt to turn the battle. Zhunti then appeared and tried to take Kong Xuan to the West, but Kong Xuan resisted as they prepared to clash.

• Sunlight and Moonlight moved to kill Kong Xuan and free the kings, but Kong Xuan captured both with his Five-Colored Divine Light.
• Yuan Futong despaired after seeing the Western Teach’s disciples defeated, while Zhunti realized Kong Xuan was a Sub-Saint he could not identify.
• Zhunti appeared, revealed that he had sealed off the North Sea, and tried to persuade Kong Xuan to join the Western Teach.
• Kong Xuan rejected Zhunti’s offer and condemned the Heavenly Dao’s plan to bring down the Shang Dynasty.
• Zhunti attacked with a golden hand, and Kong Xuan summoned five killing swords to face him.

Styx intervened when Zhunti attacked Kong Xuan, then used the confrontation to bargain away the karmic debt he owed Western Teach. After Styx departed, Zhunti turned back to Kong Xuan, who refused to submit and challenged the Saint.

• Zhunti attacked Kong Xuan with Immeasurable Buddha Hand, but Styx’s Yuantu and Abi swords tore apart the golden hand.
• Styx revealed himself as the Great Shang Northern Expeditionary Army’s right vanguard and refused Zhunti’s demand to withdraw without a royal decree.
• Styx demanded that Zhunti use the karmic debt from his attainment of the Dao as a reason to retreat, and Zhunti agreed in exchange for Styx not opposing Western Teach during the Calamity.
• The karmic thread between Styx and Western Teach snapped, and Styx left on the Twelve-grade Karma Red Lotus.
• Kong Xuan challenged Zhunti to test a Saint’s power, while Zhunti intended to convert him and take him to The West as a sect protector.

Kong Xuan challenged Zhunti and used his Five-Colored Divine Light to break the Saint’s attack and seize the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, but Zhunti eventually subdued him. Cangyuan’s two incarnations arrived to rescue Kong Xuan and fought Zhunti in the void, where they held him to a standstill.

• Kong Xuan revealed his peacock true form and blocked Zhunti’s golden hand of salvation with the Five-Colored Divine Light.
• Kong Xuan swept the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree from Zhunti’s grasp and declared that he had already won, but Zhunti shattered his divine light and subdued him.
• Zhunti moved to take Kong Xuan to The West, but Cangyuan’s Phoenix Ancestor Realm Incarnation and Kirin Emperor Realm Incarnation appeared and freed him from Zhunti’s pressure.
• Cangyuan’s two incarnations challenged Zhunti in the void, and Zhunti grew alarmed when they fought him to a standstill.

Cangyuan forced Zhunti to withdraw the Western Teach from the North Sea, ending its plans and allowing Great Shang to suppress the rebellion. In Chaoge, Chong Houhu pleaded with Di Xin for the North Sea’s people and offered to incorporate the State of Chong into Great Shang.

• Cangyuan warned Zhunti not to interfere in Human Race affairs and pressured him with his two incarnations until Zhunti abandoned the North Sea and left with Sunlight and Moonlight.
• The North Sea restriction vanished, Kong Xuan arrested the seventy-two rebellious lords, and Yuan Futong accepted defeat.
• Great Shang stationed its army in the North Sea and took control of the lands and people of the seventy-two Feudal States and the State of Chong.
• Chong Houhu entered the Government Affairs Hall and admitted fault for failing to govern the North Sea lords.
• Chong Houhu asked Di Xin to give the North Sea a chance to survive and offered to incorporate the State of Chong into Great Shang.

Di Xin absorbed the State of Chong and much of the rebellious North Sea into Great Shang, appointing Chong Houhu to govern the region and providing relief to its people. The North Sea populace praised Di Xin, while the remaining feudal states retained their independence.

• Chong Houhu offered the State of Chong to Great Shang, and Di Xin appointed him North Sea Pacification Commissioner to oversee the region and its mineral trade.
• Di Xin ordered the execution of the North Sea lords who had rebelled out of greed, while allowing Chong Houhu to persuade the more reasonable lords to submit and remain as City Lords.
• Great Shang took over the lands of the executed lords, and the Heaven Monitoring Department's investigations determined which lords were punished.
• Wen Zhong saw that Great Shang had brought food and clothing for the rebels, and the army established Relief Stations across the State of Chong and the Seventy-two Feudal States.
• The North Sea people received food and clothing despite their rebellion and praised Di Xin as a benevolent ruler.

After Great Shang absorbed the North Sea feudal states, Di Xin confronted Shang Rong’s proposal to worship at Nuwa Temple but agreed to go, suspecting a scheme. At the temple, Di Xin detected a hidden watcher whose identity surprised him.

• Yuan Futong and more than thirty feudal lords surrendered their Feudal States to Great Shang, alarming the eastern, southern, and western marquises.
• At court, Shang Rong praised Di Xin and suggested he visit Nuwa Temple, but Di Xin questioned why they should not worship at the Ancestral Temple instead.
• Di Xin ordered preparations for a visit to Nuwa Palace, while Shang Rong could not explain why he had made the suggestion and feared Di Xin’s scrutiny.
• The next morning, Di Xin traveled to Nuwa Temple, entered alone, and worshipped while extending his Primordial Spirit across the area.
• Di Xin sensed a bloodshot-eyed daoist watching him from the void and was inwardly surprised by who it was.

Zhunti and Jieyin plotted to undermine Great Shang by using the Seed of Evil Desire to corrupt Di Xin, recruiting the resentful Chang'er Dingguang Xian to carry out the plan. As Chang'er Dingguang Xian attacked Di Xin outside Nuwa Temple, an unknown hand intercepted the seed.

• Zhunti returned to Mount Sumeru after Cangyuan ruined his North Sea scheme, and he told Jieyin what had happened.
• Zhunti proposed provoking Nuwa to punish Great Shang and using rumors to turn the lords against Di Xin.
• Zhunti revealed the Seed of Evil Desire and planned to have Chang'er Dingguang Xian use it to magnify Di Xin's darker impulses.
• Zhunti promised to accept Chang'er Dingguang Xian into the Western Teach after the Canonization of Gods, and Chang'er agreed to betray the Jie Sect.
• Chang'er Dingguang Xian ambushed Di Xin outside Nuwa Temple and launched the Seed of Evil Desire, but an unknown hand intercepted it.

Cangyuan caught Chang'er Dingguang Xian using a Seed of Evil Desire to corrupt Di Xin and brought him before Sect Master Tongtian. After discovering Western Teach’s involvement, Tongtian went to Mount Sumeru and deployed the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation against Zhunti and Jieyin.

• Cangyuan seized the Seed of Evil Desire and captured Chang'er Dingguang Xian after confronting him over his plot against Di Xin and Great Shang.
• Di Xin completed his incense offering at Nuwa Temple without incident, leaving Zhunti confused about why Nuwa had not acted.
• Sect Master Tongtian examined the seed and learned it could magnify negative desires until it turned Di Xin into a cruel, lustful ruler.
• Cangyuan presented the Bodhi Seed Zhunti had given him, and Tongtian found another Bodhi Seed in Chang'er Dingguang Xian's Sea of Consciousness, confirming his collusion with Western Teach.
• Tongtian ordered Cangyuan to keep Chang'er Dingguang Xian alive, then went to Mount Sumeru and surrounded it with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation as he called for Zhunti and Jieyin.

Tongtian surrounded Mount Sumeru with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation after discovering that the Western Teach had planted spies in the Jie Sect. Zhunti’s scheme to frame Di Xin with a poem at Nuwa Temple remained unresolved as Jieyin tried to placate Tongtian.

• Houtu, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Taiqing Laozi, and Nuwa observed Tongtian’s sword formation and considered its threat to the balance among Saints.
• Jieyin and the disciples at Mount Sumeru panicked as the sword palaces pressed down on the mountain and their defenses struggled against the sword qi.
• After Di Xin left Nuwa Temple without incident, Zhunti wrote a suggestive poem on Nuwa’s statue to frame him, then hid nearby to watch the fallout.
• When Tongtian surrounded Mount Sumeru with his swords, Zhunti suspected Chang'er Dingguang Xian had been exposed and hurried back to the mountain.
• Jieyin asked Tongtian to discuss the matter, but Tongtian accused the Western Teach of planting spies in his Jie Sect.

Tongtian confronted Jieyin and Zhunti over a Western Teach plot against the Human Sovereign, and Nuwa and the Human Race joined him at Mount Sumeru. Tongtian threatened to destroy the mountain with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, then withdrew after Zhunti agreed to give the Jie Sect five cycles of Bodhi Seeds.

• Tongtian accused Jieyin of using Chang'er Dingguang Xian to plot against the Human Sovereign and implicate Nuwa.
• Nuwa looked into the past at her temple, discovered Zhunti had written the blasphemous poem to frame Di Xin, and summoned Xuanyuan to accompany her to The West.
• Nuwa and Xuanyuan joined Tongtian at Mount Sumeru, where Zhunti admitted his wrongdoing and Tongtian demanded compensation for the plot.
• When Zhunti refused Tongtian's demands for Western treasures, Tongtian activated the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and threatened to destroy Mount Sumeru.
• Zhunti agreed to give the Jie Sect Bodhi Seeds for five cycles, and Tongtian withdrew the formation.

Nuwa forced Zhunti and Jieyin to surrender one-third of Western Teach's destiny, which she partly transferred to the Human Race. Tongtian punished Chang'er Dingguang Xian and appointed Feathered Wing Immortal as a Seven Attendant Immortal before Zhunti and Jieyin joined Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord of Heaven at Jade Void Palace.

• Nuwa threatened Zhunti and Jieyin and collected one-third of Western Teach's destiny, dividing it between herself and the Human Race.
• Tongtian returned to Biyou Palace and ordered the Water Fire Boys to summon the Ten Thousand Immortals.
• Tongtian had Zhao Gongming carry out the sect's punishment on Chang'er Dingguang Xian for betraying Jie Sect.
• Tongtian appointed Feathered Wing Immortal to replace Chang'er Dingguang Xian as one of the Seven Attendant Immortals.
• Zhunti and Jieyin arrived at Jade Void Palace and joined Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord of Heaven.

Taiqing Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Zhunti, and Jieyin secretly allied to restrain Tongtian and plan the rise of Zhou. After bargaining over Styx’s debt, they turned to choosing a regional marquis to support, but had not settled on one when the chapter ended.

• Taiqing Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Zhunti, and Jieyin agreed to cooperate in supporting Zhou, destroying Shang, and completing the Canonization of Gods.
• Zhunti warned that Haotian, Styx, and Xuanyuan might aid Tongtian, and Primordial Lord of Heaven proposed keeping Haotian neutral, using Styx’s debt, and having the four Saints and Twelve Saint Corpses restrain Xuanyuan.
• Zhunti demanded payment for using the Western Teach’s Karma against Styx, and Taiqing Laozi and Primordial Lord of Heaven agreed to give him fifteen Nine Revolutions Golden Elixirs and two Innate Spiritual Treasures.
• Jieyin reminded the Saints that Cangyuan could also threaten their plans, and Taiqing Laozi proposed trapping him until the Canonization of Gods was complete.
• The four Saints discussed which regional marquis to support as Zhou’s future ruler, but rejected Jiang Hengchu, E Chongyu, and Chong Houhu as unsuitable.

The Four Saints chose Ji Chang and Xi Qi as the force to rise against Great Shang, then approved Zhunti’s plan to use three demons to weaken Di Xin. After the Saints finalized their preparations, Primordial Lord of Heaven sent Shen Gongbao to Xuanyuan’s Tomb to find the demons.

• Taiqing Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Zhunti, and Jieyin agreed to support Ji Chang and prepare Xi Qi by stockpiling grain and training troops.
• Zhunti proposed sending the three demons from Xuanyuan’s Tomb into Di Xin’s harem, and the Saints approved the plan because the demons had been touched by Human Sovereign’s Fortune.
• The Saints decided that the Three Teachings would handle the plan’s execution, while the Western Teachings would stay out of it.
• Primordial Lord of Heaven admitted Jiang Ziya had made little progress despite twenty years of cultivation, and Taiqing Laozi gave him a Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir.
• After the Saints finalized the plan to Rise Zhou and Destroy Shang, Primordial Lord of Heaven sent Shen Gongbao to Xuanyuan’s Tomb with his Yuqing Decree to find the three demons.

Shen Gongbao arrived at Xuanyuan's Tomb and ordered the Three Demons to enter Chaoge and seduce Di Xin under a Saint's decree. The sisters doubted the accusations against Di Xin but feared the consequences of refusing, leaving their decision constrained by the order.

• Shen Gongbao confronted the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox, the Nine-headed Pheasant Spirit, and the Jade Pipa Spirit at Xuanyuan's Tomb, and they knelt when he showed his Yuqing Decree.
• Shen Gongbao ordered the Three Demons to seduce Di Xin and destroy the Shang Dynasty's fortune in exchange for becoming gods after the Canonization of Gods.
• The Nine-tailed Celestial Fox warned that Di Xin's Human Sovereign's Fortune could destroy them, but Shen Gongbao said their years at Xuanyuan's Tomb had protected them and invoked the Saint's decree.
• After Shen Gongbao left, the Nine-headed Pheasant Spirit and Jade Pipa Spirit cursed him and questioned the order, saying Di Xin was a benevolent ruler who loved the Queen.
• The Nine-tailed Celestial Fox admitted she knew the accusations were false but feared that refusing the Saint's decree would doom all three sisters.

The Three Demons of Xuanyuan's Tomb struggled to find a way into Chaoge, while Great Shang’s success in the North Sea expanded its territory and unsettled other lords. After reading reports of their growing ambitions, Di Xin announced he had nine ways to deal with them.

• The Nine-tailed Celestial Fox led her sisters toward Chaoge, deciding to wait for an opportunity to enter despite the danger that the city’s restriction posed to demons.
• After Yuan Futong and the other northern rebels surrendered, Great Shang incorporated their marquisates and distributed food, clothing, and shelter to its subjects.
• Great Shang offered North Sea residents citizenship and its benefits, and its soldiers destroyed ten marquisates that tried to stop people from leaving.
• Many North Sea lords surrendered their lands voluntarily, and by spring of Di Xin’s Eighth Year, Great Shang controlled two-thirds of the North Sea.
• Di Xin read secret reports about lords growing wary of his expansion and declared that he had nine methods for dealing with them.

Di Xin summoned the feudal lords to Chaoge, prompting them to prepare tribute while weighing the meaning of his growing power. In Chaoge, he summoned Wen Zhong and asked whether he wanted a disciple.

• Jiang Zitong offered to write her father, Jiang Hengchu, asking him to incorporate Eastern Lu into Great Shang, but Di Xin declined.
• Di Xin issued an edict ordering the feudal lords to come to Chaoge and pay homage and offer sacrifices to the ancestors.
• Jiang Hengchu dismissed Jiang Wenhuan's suggestion to resist and ordered Eastern Lu to prepare tribute and travel to Shang in ten days.
• Ji Chang rejected Ji Fa's call to attack Shang, divined a hexagram that foretold imprisonment without danger to life, and ordered Xi Qi to prepare tribute.
• Di Xin summoned Wen Zhong and asked him whether he wanted a disciple.

Di Xin arranged for Wen Zhong to claim Lei Zhenzi, an Innate Being born from Nine Heavens Thunder, as his disciple. At Yan Mountain, Ji Chang mistook the infant for his destined son, but Wen Zhong took him first, and Yun Zhongzi then mistook Wen Zhong for Ji Chang.

• Di Xin told Wen Zhong that a child born from Nine Heavens Thunder would appear at Yan Mountain and ordered him to wait there and bring the child back.
• Wen Zhong agreed to take the child as his disciple and pledged to cultivate him into a pillar of Great Shang.
• As Ji Chang’s caravan reached Yan Mountain, Nine Heavens Thunder brought an infant down from the sky, and Ji Chang tried to claim him as his one hundred and eighth son.
• Wen Zhong intercepted the infant before he reached Ji Chang, and Ji Chang conceded that the child was no longer his to claim.
• Yun Zhongzi arrived, mistook Wen Zhong for Ji Chang, and said the Heavenly Dao had named Ji Chang’s hundredth son as his destined disciple.
• Wen Zhong introduced himself to Yun Zhongzi as a disciple of Jie Sect and greeted him as Martial Uncle.