Chapter Summaries

After a mysterious impostor impersonated Sun Wukong and plundered the Heavenly Court, the gods sought answers from the Buddha, who suspected the Six-Eared Macaque. The real Sun Wukong joined Taibai Jinxing at the Heavenly Court, where he saw the devastation and admired the impostor’s work.

• Taibai Jinxing reported the Heavenly Court’s disaster to the Jade Emperor, who sent him to ask Tathagata Buddha for help.
• Tathagata Buddha said the real Sun Wukong was with Guanyin and suspected a demon had impersonated him; he told Taibai Jinxing to consult Diting and dispatched Manjushri Bodhisattva and Maitreya Buddha to investigate.
• At the Underworld, Taibai Jinxing learned that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Diting were in the South Sea, then traveled there and found them with the real Sun Wukong.
• Diting could not identify the culprit, so Guanyin sent Sun Wukong with Taibai Jinxing to the Heavenly Court; the Four Heavenly Kings and Giant Spirit God mistook him for the impostor and tried to stop him.
• Taibai Jinxing arrived and explained that Sun Wukong had been with Guanyin, but Li Jing and the other gods still escorted him to the Ling Xiao Treasure Hall to verify his identity.
• Sun Wukong saw the emptied gardens and missing treasures, recognized the Jade Emperor as an incarnation, and privately praised the impostor for his audacious plunder.

After emptying the Heavenly Court’s Peach Garden and other treasures into the Painted World, Ji Shu consumed peaches and Golden Cores to advance from Golden Immortal to Primordial Unity Golden Immortal perfection. He left the Painted World after his three flowers formed, while the Six-Eared Macaque watched in shock.

• Ji Shu transplanted the Peach Garden into the Painted World, then knocked out its Land God when he tried to stop him.
• Ji Shu hid above the Peach Garden on Phoenix’s back before returning to the Painted World, where the gods marveled at the treasures he had brought.
• Ji Shu consumed Golden Cores and peaches of immortality, breaking through to Primordial Unity Golden Immortal in the Great World and gaining the ability to draw on its power.
• Ji Shu continued cultivating until five divine dragons formed in his viscera and the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Flowers appeared above his head.
• Ji Shu reached Primordial Unity Golden Immortal perfection, vanished from the Painted World, and left the Six-Eared Macaque stunned by his rapid ascent.

Ji Shu learned the Phoenix clan’s Hundred Revolutions Undying Golden Body Art from Phoenix Ancestor and advanced through its stages at an astonishing pace. He reached the ninety-ninth revolution, leaving Phoenix Ancestor believing he might complete the art and become the hope of her clan.

• The Six-Eared Macaque envied Ji Shu after seeing him reach the perfected Primordial Unity Golden Immortal stage in a single day.
• Ji Shu reunited with Phoenix and learned the Hundred Revolutions Undying Golden Body Art from her.
• Ji Shu used Fire Within Wood, Fire Within Stone, and other flames to advance through the early revolutions, startling Phoenix Ancestor by awakening an apparent Phoenix bloodline.
• Phoenix Ancestor supplied Ji Shu with Six Ding Divine Fire and Southern Bright Departing Fire, helping him advance to the eighty-fifth revolution and then the ninety-ninth.
• Phoenix Ancestor watched Ji Shu reach the ninety-ninth revolution and wondered whether he could complete the art.

Ji Shu awakened Nirvana Fire and completed the hundredth revolution of the Hundred Revolutions Undying Golden Body Art, becoming nearly impossible to kill. He began hunting powerful beings for their techniques and left Erlang Shen unconscious inside the Painted World after ambushing him with the Vajra Ring.

• Ji Shu's Phoenix bloodline awakened fully, producing Nirvana Fire that let him complete the hundredth revolution and revive even if his body and soul were destroyed.
• The Ancestral Phoenix advised Ji Shu to target immortals and gods outside the Investiture of the Gods, naming Erlang Shen Yang Jian, Gouchen the Great Lei Zhenzi, and others as potential targets.
• Ji Shu infiltrated Gouchen Imperial Palace, captured Lei Zhenzi and the celestial maidens inside the Painted World, then searched for Li Jing before leaving the Heavenly Court unnoticed.
• Ji Shu disguised himself as Taishang Laojun and went to Guan River Mouth, where Howling Celestial Dog mistook him for the real Immortal Elder and summoned Erlang Shen back.
• Ji Shu trapped Erlang Shen, the Six Brothers of Meishan, and Howling Celestial Dog in the Painted World, knocking them unconscious with the Vajra Ring.

Ji Shu raided a hidden grotto in the Western Liang Women's Country, killed Ma Yuanzun Wang Buddha, Ruyi Zhenxian, and their companions, then captured Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing while Red Boy threatened Tang Sanzang at Drill Mountain. Ji Shu resolved to seize more powerful figures before the Gods and Buddhas returned, while Tang Sanzang remained in Red Boy's hands.

• Ji Shu discovered a hidden grotto where Ma Yuanzun Wang Buddha, Ruyi Zhenxian, and other Immortals and Buddhas feasted on aborted male fetuses from the Women's Country.
• Ji Shu ambushed Ma Yuanzun Wang Buddha and the others with the Vajra Ring, then trapped their fleeing Primordial Spirits in the Painted World and Mystic Fire Mirror.
• Ji Shu left the grotto after instructing its strongmen and celestial maidens, then flew to Drill Mountain and collected the injured Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing into the Painted World.
• Ji Shu decided to capture more powerful figures before the Gods and Buddhas returned, knowing he could flee to Blue Star if Taishang Laojun and the others came after him.
• Red Boy ordered his demons to prepare Tang Sanzang for cooking, while Tang Sanzang pleaded for his life and invoked Sun Wukong.

Ji Shu disguised himself as Sun Wukong to rescue Tang Sanzang, then captured Princess Iron Fan and Jade Faced Princess and learned the Spirit Fox Worships the Moon Technique. He later arrived at Green Wave Pool disguised as Jade Faced Princess and presented the Bull Devil King and the gathered demons with the Painted World.

• Ji Shu disguised himself as Sun Wukong, knocked out Red Boy, rescued Tang Sanzang, and left him with White Dragon Horse.
• Ji Shu visited Flaming Mountain, captured Princess Iron Fan, then captured Jade Faced Princess and learned the Spirit Fox Worships the Moon Technique from her.
• Ji Shu cultivated the Spirit Fox Worships the Moon Technique to the Heavenly Immortal realm and reached great completion.
• Ji Shu followed Ben Bo Er Ba and Ba Bo Er Ben into Green Wave Pool, where Dragon King Wansheng hosted a banquet attended by the Bull Devil King and Nine-Headed Insect.
• Dragon King Wansheng displayed a Sarira presented by Nine-Headed Insect, and the guests praised his son-in-law.
• Ji Shu arrived disguised as Jade Faced Princess and showed the Bull Devil King and the banquet guests the Painted World, inviting them to enter and see its wonders.

Ji Shu lured Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, and the Wansheng Dragon Palace demons into the Painted World, then killed them and bound their Primordial Spirits to the Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillar. As the Painted World’s Heavenly Dao grew stronger by absorbing the powerful captives’ Dao, Ji Shu prepared to meet Yellow Brow Boy under Maitreya Buddha.

• Bull Devil King entered the Painted World, followed by Nine-Headed Insect, Princess Wansheng, and the Wansheng Dragon Palace demons.
• Qiu Baisu welcomed the clam maidens into the Painted World after Ji Shu brought them there, and she began explaining what had happened.
• Six-Eared Macaque reflected on Ji Shu’s growing strength and hurried the refinement of Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, and the other captives.
• Bull Devil King reunited with Flood Demon King inside the Mystic Fire Mirror and discovered that Erlang Shen, Ruyi Zhenxian, and Ma Yuanzun Wang Buddha were imprisoned there too.
• Ji Shu and the other gods used the Heavenly Net and Earth Net Great Formation to kill Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, and the others, then bound their Primordial Spirits to the Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillar.
• Ji Shu considered how the captives’ Dao would strengthen the Painted World’s Heavenly Dao and decided to meet Yellow Brow Boy under Maitreya Buddha.

Ji Shu captured Yellow-Browed Great King and seized the Human-Seed Bag and Golden Cymbals before imprisoning him in Samadhi True Fire. The chapter left Yellow-Browed Great King bound to the Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillar as Bull Devil King and the others feared Ji Shu’s actions would provoke the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain.

• Ji Shu transferred Apricot Fairy, Solitary Upright Lord, Sweeping Cloud Elder, and the other Thorn Ridge demons into the Painted World, where they pledged loyalty to him.
• Ji Shu discovered Yellow-Browed Great King posing as Tathagata Buddha at Lesser Thunderclap Monastery and identified the Human-Seed Bag and Golden Cymbals as his treasures.
• Ji Shu disguised himself as a Wolf Demon and tricked Yellow-Browed Great King into drinking more than a dozen jars of Drunken Immortal Wine.
• Ji Shu drew Yellow-Browed Great King and the demons into the Painted World, where the Heavenly Net and Earth Net Great Formation struck them down.
• Ji Shu took the Human-Seed Bag and Golden Cymbals, then had an iron chain bind Yellow-Browed Great King's Primordial Spirit and carry him to the Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillar.
• Bull Devil King and the others recognized Yellow-Browed Great King and feared Ji Shu would provoke Maitreya Buddha and the powers of the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain.

Ji Shu obtained Yellow Brow Boy’s Human-Seed Bag and Golden Cymbals, then traveled to Zhu Zi Kingdom to investigate Sai Taisui, Guanyin’s Golden-Haired Howler. There he found the demon doting on the captive Golden Saint Palace Consort, while his body carried the aura of a recent Five Decays tribulation.

• Zhu Bajie tried to curry favor with Li Kui and the others by offering help capturing Sun Wukong and Golden Cicada, but they refused to bring him before Ji Shu.
• Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing speculated that Ji Shu had moved the Heavenly Court’s Peach Garden and treasures into the Painted World, and feared they could not escape him.
• Ji Shu refined Yellow Brow Boy’s Human-Seed Bag and Golden Cymbals enough to use them, then resolved to rely on the Tower of the Multiverse as an escape route if necessary.
• Ji Shu rode his Somersault Cloud to Zhu Zi Kingdom and secretly entered Sai Taisui’s mountain cave in the form of an invisible sparrow.
• Ji Shu saw Sai Taisui trying to comfort the captive Golden Saint Palace Consort, then watched the demon drink away his sorrows after she resisted him.
• Ji Shu recognized Sai Taisui as the Golden-Haired Howler and noticed that his body was thick with tribulation aura, as if he had recently endured the Heavenly Tribulation of Five Decays.

Ji Shu trapped the Golden-Haired Howler in the Golden Cymbals, took the Purple Gold Bell, and had him captured by the Heavenly Net and Earth Net Great Formation. The Golden-Haired Howler learned he was among Ji Shu’s prisoners as Ji Shu refined the bell’s powers into the Painted World.

• Ji Shu trapped the drunken Golden-Haired Howler inside the Golden Cymbals and demanded the Purple Gold Bell in exchange for his release.
• The Golden-Haired Howler surrendered the Purple Gold Bell, and Ji Shu began refining it while keeping him imprisoned.
• Ji Shu opened the Golden Cymbals, and the Golden-Haired Howler flew into the Heavenly Net and Earth Net Great Formation, where he was defeated and his Primordial Spirit was captured.
• The Golden-Haired Howler was bound in the Mystic Fire Mirror beside Yellow Brow Boy, Bull Devil King, Erlang Shen, Dragon King Wansheng, and other prisoners, who told him about Ji Shu.
• Ji Shu refined the Purple Gold Bell’s Divine Barrier Smoke Light and Seven-Colored Yellow Sand into the Painted World.

Ji Shu entered the depths beneath Pansi Cave and discovered Di Jun, the lingering will of the ancient Demon Emperor, who recognized Ji Shu’s Three-legged Golden Crow bloodline. Di Jun offered Ji Shu the Golden Crow inheritance and began teaching him the Cosmic Star Sea Divine Communication Art.

• Ji Shu fused the Purple Gold Bell’s Divine Barrier Smoke Light and Seven-Colored Yellow Sand into the Painted World, then forged five Samadhi True Fire bells and gave them to Zhao Ling'er, Long Kui, and the others.
• Ji Shu traveled to Pansi Cave and descended through the Warm Spring of Cleansing, following his bloodline’s pull through a chain of pocket worlds.
• Ji Shu reached a world of powerful divine fire and encountered Di Jun, who was astonished by the many pure bloodlines within him.
• Di Jun revealed that he was a lingering incarnation of the ancient Demon Emperor and explained that Tathagata Buddha had nearly wiped out the Three-legged Golden Crow race.
• Di Jun offered Ji Shu the Three-legged Golden Crow inheritance, and Ji Shu accepted as Di Jun began passing on the Cosmic Star Sea Divine Communication Art.

Ji Shu cultivated Di Jun’s Cosmic Star Sea Divine Communication Art to the Nine Suns Across the Sky realm, and Di Jun passed on the Rainbow Transformation Art before disappearing. Ji Shu learned that the Journey to the West path had descended into chaos during his month-long seclusion, with gods and Buddhas hunting ascenders and targeting him over the captured Four Seas Dragon Kings.

• Ji Shu cultivated the Cosmic Star Sea Divine Communication Art, quickly opening a Great Sun Cave-Heaven World as his Three-legged Golden Crow bloodline grew stronger.
• Di Jun taught Ji Shu the complete technique, and Ji Shu spent years absorbing Solar True Fire until he condensed nine Great Suns and reached the major accomplishment realm.
• Di Jun revealed the location of Nine Yang Spring, taught Ji Shu the Rainbow Transformation Art, and vanished after asking him to restore the Three-legged Golden Crow race.
• Ji Shu reflected on his new powers and inheritance, then decided to search for other Nine Yang Springs and complete the Cosmic Star Sea Divine Communication Art.
• Ji Shu realized he had been in seclusion for a month and discovered that gods and Buddhas were hunting ascenders and had exposed his deeds after the Four Seas Dragon Kings were captured.

Ji Shu hid in the Vast Starry Sea Divine Communication Array and used Mind Bewitching Technique to question Erlang Shen and the others, collecting their cultivation methods and learning of the powerful figures’ plans to refine the worlds. Zhu Bajie voluntarily joined Ji Shu’s world as a deity, while Sha Wujing revealed more about the Jade Emperor and the origins of great calamities.

• Ji Shu abandoned his search for Nine Yang Spring and decided to stay in the hidden formation to bewitch Erlang Shen and cultivate his methods.
• Ji Shu questioned Erlang Shen and learned the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, other powerful techniques, and that the Jade Emperor and other leaders planned to refine the Three Thousand Worlds and then the Great World.
• Ji Shu questioned the Meishan Brothers, Howling Celestial Dog, Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, Dragon King Wansheng, Ma Yuanzun Wang Buddha, and others, obtaining their cultivation methods and spells.
• Zhu Bajie willingly revealed his Nine Revolutions Great Return Pill Art and other techniques, then chose to merge his true spirit with the Heavenly Dao and become a deity in Ji Shu’s world.
• Zhu Bajie taunted Li Kui, Song Jiang, and the other deities after his ascension, while Ji Shu bewitched Sha Wujing and learned his methods and secrets about the Jade Emperor’s role in recurring calamities.

Ji Shu rapidly mastered numerous divine arts and began cultivating the Bull Demon Divine Martial Art, stunning the gods gathered in his Painted World. As the factions among those gods grew more distinct, Ji Shu reached for the firmament’s qi to advance his new cultivation method.

• Ji Shu perfected the Rainbow Transformation Art in less than half a day, while the Six-Eared Macaque and Zhu Bajie recognized its connection to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline.
• Ji Shu mastered Scattering Beans into Soldiers and other arts in moments, summoning Heavenly Soldiers and Generals as powerful as Heavenly Immortals.
• The gods in Ji Shu’s Painted World fell into three factions: the Legend World gods, the Journey to the West gods, and neutral figures such as Zhu Bajie and the Six-Eared Macaque.
• Ji Shu perfected further arts, including the Thirty-Six Transformations of Heavenly Dipper, and began cultivating the Bull Demon Divine Martial Art.
• Ji Shu used a false Primordial Spirit to leave the alternate dimension, connect with the qi of the firmament, and continue cultivating toward the Heavenly Immortal realm.

Ji Shu perfected the Bull Demon Divine Martial Art and the Great Thunderclap Demon Suppressing Art, proving himself an Immortal Golden Immortal and then a perfected Primordial Unity Golden Immortal through each. The watching deities were left stunned by his ability to cultivate techniques from different bloodlines and repeatedly condense the Three Flowers Above His Head.

• Ji Shu used a false Primordial Spirit to absorb heavenly energy, leaped three zhang above the River of Time, and proved himself an Immortal Golden Immortal through the Bull Demon Divine Martial Art.
• Ji Shu cultivated the Great Thunderclap Demon Suppressing Art to the Heavenly Immortal realm, shocking the Bull Devil King and the Buddhist cultivators because his other techniques remained intact.
• Song Jiang and Li Kui mocked the bewildered deities, who secretly resolved to teach them a lesson after Ji Shu left.
• Ji Shu perfected the Great Thunderclap Demon Suppressing Art, proved himself an Immortal Golden Immortal again, and formed another Immortal Sacred Robe.
• Ji Shu consumed Peaches of Immortality and Nine Revolutions Golden Cores, reached the perfected Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, and condensed the Three Flowers Above His Head again.
• Zhao Ling'er, Long Kui, Tang Xuejian, Long Yang, and the others watched from the lower realm as Guzhi Gong of Thorn Ridge and Apricot Fairy asked them about Ji Shu.

Ji Shu’s clones used his peerless Treasure Refining Talent to refine Golden Cores, advancing to Eight Revolutions and astonishing the gods of the Painted World. As the others pledged to help Ji Shu, Red Boy resolved to earn his favor and eventually ask him to revive Bull Devil King.

• Red Boy asked Ji Shu’s clone why Ji Shu could attain the Dao of immortality repeatedly, but the clone ignored him, and Princess Iron Fan warned him not to provoke Ji Shu.
• Red Boy considered killing himself to obtain a lotus incarnation and become a girl, but Princess Iron Fan talked him out of it; he vowed to become Ji Shu’s disciple and ask him to revive Bull Devil King.
• Ji Shu’s clones refined mountains of Six, Seven, and Eight Revolutions Golden Cores using the Heaven and Earth Furnace and resources from the Painted World.
• Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, and the other gods marveled at Ji Shu’s pill-refining talent and hoped his rise would give them security and freedom from the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain.
• Bull Devil King and the other gods agreed to help Ji Shu with his work and jointly went to offer their assistance.

Ji Shu completed several cultivation arts, fused Yang Jian’s Heavenly Eye into his own, and pushed the Eight-Nine Arcane Art to the peak of its eighth revolution. He had the gods and the Painted World’s Heavenly Dao bombard him until his body shattered, leaving them waiting to see whether he could complete the final revolution and revive.

• Ji Shu cultivated the Nine Revolutions Great Return Pill Art to the Immortal Golden Immortal realm, strengthening his Immortal Sacred Robe into something comparable to a magic treasure.
• Ji Shu fused Erlang Shen Yang Jian’s Heavenly Eye with his own, gaining powerful sight and the ability to revive through the eye even if his body and soul were destroyed.
• Ji Shu advanced the Eight-Nine Arcane Art to the peak of its eighth revolution and asked the gods to shatter his body so he could attempt the final step.
• The gods, led by the Bull Devil King, Nine-Headed Insect, Zhu Bajie, and the Six-Eared Macaque, joined Heaven’s Net and Earth’s Snare with the Painted World’s Heavenly Dao to bombard Ji Shu.
• After half a day of attacks, Ji Shu’s body broke apart into tiny fragments, while the gods and Sha Wujing watched in shock and awaited his recovery.

Ji Shu completed the ninth revolution of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, gaining a divine body that could contend with Houtian supreme treasures, then secluded himself to create a new cultivation art. The Six-Eared Macaque learned that the gods and Buddhas were hunting Ji Shu, while Sun Wukong returned to Flaming Mountain and faced Tang Sanzang.

• Ji Shu's scattered body particles gathered and regenerated, allowing him to break through to the ninth revolution and attain an unparalleled divine body.
• Ji Shu began combining his cultivation methods into the Supreme Immortal Scripture and ordered the Six-Eared Macaque and the others to carry out his instructions.
• The Six-Eared Macaque and Zhu Bajie left the Painted World, and the Six-Eared Macaque listened to the outside world to learn that the gods and Buddhas had issued a kill-on-sight order for Ji Shu.
• Dragon Girl of Good Fortune told Tang Sanzang's group that the Dragon Kings had revealed Ji Shu's identity and abilities under Guanyin Bodhisattva's interrogation.
• Sun Wukong returned to Flaming Mountain and stood facing Tang Sanzang, who greeted him excitedly.

Sun Wukong reunited with Tang Sanzang, then abandoned the broken pilgrimage and searched for clues about Ji Shu, whom he suspected was Bodhi Patriarch’s final disciple. He entered a Journey to the West projection world to absorb the scattered Five Origin Energies, wondering whether Ji Shu was helping thwart the Three Realms’ plan to refine the Three Thousand Worlds.

• Sun Wukong denied saving Tang Sanzang from Red Boy and explained that Ji Shu had caused unprecedented havoc in the Heavenly Court while evading the Gods and Buddhas.
• Sun Wukong refused to continue the pilgrimage, condemned the Tightening Headband Curse, and left Tang Sanzang stranded before Flaming Mountain.
• Sun Wukong returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, then found Lingtai Fangcun Mountain ruined as he searched for Bodhi Patriarch and considered whether Ji Shu was his junior brother.
• Sun Wukong met Nezha and Giant Spirit God at Thunder Accumulating Mountain, learned they had found no trace of Ji Shu, and departed to seek him.
• Sun Wukong entered a Journey to the West projection world through a hidden rift and saw its versions of Sun Wukong, Tang Xuanzang, and Zhu Ganglie.
• Sun Wukong went beyond the projection world to absorb the scattered Five Origin Energies and suspected Bodhi Patriarch was using Ji Shu to disrupt the Three Thousand Worlds’ refinement.

Sun Wukong left his projection world after defeating Fierce Ape Wukong, while Tathagata lost interest in the Journey to the West Project. At Flaming Mountain, Tang Sanzang awakened as Golden Cicada and resolved to find Ji Shu and help stop the Great World from being refined.

• Sun Wukong arrived before Fierce Ape Wukong, defeated him with ease, and departed after glimpsing Tathagata across the stars.
• Tathagata abandoned the Journey to the West Project, and Fierce Ape Wukong killed Tang Xuanzang after a woman died trying to protect him.
• Tang Sanzang awakened Golden Cicada's memories and revealed that he had created a Self-Certified Golden Body method to avoid consuming heaven and earth's primordial energy.
• Golden Cicada decided to find Ji Shu and destroy the Eight Treasures Merit Pool, while hiding his awakening from the Sleeping Arhat who watched over him.