Chapter Summaries

Qi WuHuo’s three Qis united as Fuxi’s battle with the Emperors threatened the Human World. As Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole unleashed an immense thunderbolt, an old man riding a green ox appeared and scattered it.

• Qi WuHuo’s grasp of Heavenly Qi grew while the Judicial Great Celestial Venerable fought Fuxi, who nearly killed him before turning to face the other Emperors.
• Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole, Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole, and the Jade Emperor attacked Fuxi together, breaking his Mystic Gates and wounding him.
• Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole redirected his attack toward the Human World, but Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole struck him and gravely wounded him.
• Great Emperor Changsheng’s remaining lightning descended toward the Human World as Qi WuHuo’s Heaven, God, and Man Qis united into Heaven and Human Unity.
• An old man riding a green ox appeared and scattered the thunderbolts, turning them into golden autumn leaves.

Tai Shang arrived to stop the Sovereigns’ battle from endangering the human world, but the Jade Emperor and Great Emperor Ziwei still invoked their ancient pact to kill Fuxi. Fuxi revealed that he had tied the human world’s fortune to his own life, forcing the gods to pause and leaving them to choose whether to join his game or risk violating the Haotian Pact.

• Tai Shang appeared as an Avatar of a Thought and asked the Sovereigns to move their battle away from the human realm.
• The Jade Emperor and Great Emperor Ziwei demanded that Tai Shang honor the Second Kalpa pact and help destroy Fuxi, while Great Emperor Changsheng also joined the encirclement.
• Fuxi revealed that his divine art had linked the human world’s fortune to him, so killing him would bring about the deaths of everyone in the human realm.
• The human world’s anger caused its fortune to surge, restraining the Sovereigns and making an attack on Fuxi risk violating the Haotian Pact.
• Fuxi challenged the Jade Emperor, Great Emperor Ziwei, Great Emperor Changsheng, and Tai Shang to join his game, declaring that he would use his body as a chess piece to protect the human world for three hundred years.

The Jade Emperor chose to contain Fuxi rather than resume the battle, while the Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole’s actions left the other immortals suspicious of him. After the gods departed, Tai Shang warned Fuxi to restrain his killing nature and revealed that he would kill him if he caused another catastrophe; Qi WuHuo then arrived.

• The Jade Emperor ordered the Heavenly Court to guard the Human World and monitor Fuxi instead of attacking him, and the Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole sheathed his sword.
• Fuxi thanked Tai Shang and called attention to the Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole, prompting the gathered immortals to question the South Pole’s choices.
• The Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole declared that anyone who touched the Human World would be his enemy, then departed as the Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole also left.
• Qi WuHuo secured the incarnation of the Empress Wa in the Treasury Chamber, while Fuxi thanked Tai Shang for intervening in the battle.
• Tai Shang warned Fuxi to rein in his killing nature and said he would kill him if Fuxi caused another slaughter like that of the Second Kalpa.
• Tai Shang rode away, and Fuxi watched as Qi WuHuo approached.

Fuxi told Qi WuHuo that humanity had three hundred years to unite the nine nations and spread the Dao before its protection faded and its enemies could act. He gave Qi WuHuo the River Diagram and Luo Script, bearing the power of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, then hinted he would face the Northern Emperor and South Pole sooner than expected, only to be stopped by the Wa Empress's incarnation.

• Fuxi explained that Heaven would stay out of human affairs for three hundred years, leaving Qi WuHuo to prepare humanity by uniting the nine nations and spreading the Dao.
• Fuxi warned Qi WuHuo that humanity might face shifting alliances and stronger enemies, then lent him the River Diagram and Luo Script, inscribed with the Human Dao Qi of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
• Qi WuHuo realized humanity's preparations had begun several Tribulation Cycles earlier and that the three hundred years could serve as a turning point.
• When Qi WuHuo asked whether Fuxi would wait three hundred years to challenge the Northern Emperor and South Pole, Fuxi revealed he had never promised to wait that long.
• Qi WuHuo and Fuxi returned to the Treasury Chamber, where they found the Wa Empress's incarnation standing at the door, and Fuxi fell silent.

Qi WuHuo reflected on the coming crisis and went to meet Li Zhai, who resolved to unite humanity by conquering the nations before the heavens could threaten them again. Li Zhai then told Li Weifeng to take charge of the court after he left.

• Empress Wa confronted Fuxi about his years away, and Fuxi obediently sat with her while Qi WuHuo left them to talk.
• Qi WuHuo studied the River Diagram and Luo Script, worried about the calamities awaiting humanity, while the little Dragon Maiden failed to steal his purse and left Spirit Grass for him.
• Qi WuHuo headed to the imperial palace, where Li Zhai had invited him to view the autumn leaves alongside Li Weifeng.
• Li Zhai told Qi WuHuo and Li Weifeng that he would unite humanity and forge a supreme human treasure, even if it meant launching a war against the other nations.
• Li Weifeng warned that a swift conquest would bring fierce conflict, but Li Zhai insisted he would bear the cost to end humanity’s division in their generation.
• Li Zhai told Li Weifeng that he would be in charge of the court after Li Zhai left.

Li Weifeng refused the throne and swore an oath with Li Zhai to govern and secure the realm together, while Li Zhai explained why he would pursue unification without becoming emperor. Later, Fuxi confronted unexpected visitors at Nuwa’s home, and Qi WuHuo met a familiar woman in a flower field who called him Teacher.

• Li Weifeng cut his palm, promised to supply Li Zhai’s campaigns, and swore brotherhood with him over blood-wine.
• Li Zhai and Li Weifeng agreed to rule together, with Li Zhai leading the armies and Li Weifeng governing and maintaining supplies.
• Li Zhai told Qi WuHuo that he would not become emperor because the throne would distract him from his vow to unify the realm and honor his fallen comrades.
• Fuxi caught Xuan Du when he rushed toward him, then demanded to know why another hidden visitor had come with him and Old Green Ox.
• Qi WuHuo heard a zither in a field of chrysanthemums and found a woman in a pavilion who greeted him as her Teacher.

Qi WuHuo reunited with Li Qiongyu, who shared her fears about Wei Feng’s future, then met Zhang Xiaoyu to discuss the threats facing the human world. Their plans converged in the revelation of two jade slips bearing the words “Investiture of the Gods.”

• Qi WuHuo met Li Qiongyu in the palace flower garden, and she confided her worries that Wei Feng might become an unrestrained Human Emperor.
• Li Qiongyu and Qi WuHuo spoke as old friends before he left, while Su Yue'er watched and privately regretted that events had kept him from becoming her fiancé.
• Qi WuHuo returned to the Treasury Chamber and found Zhang Xiaoyu visiting Empress Nuwa; he escorted the Jade Emperor away to speak privately.
• Zhang Xiaoyu apologized for prioritizing Fuxi's death and explained that hostile gods might attack the human world after Fuxi's three-hundred-year reprieve.
• Qi WuHuo and Zhang Xiaoyu exchanged plans for breaking the deadlock, then discovered that both jade slips displayed the words “Investiture of the Gods.”

Qi WuHuo and Zhang Xiaoyu agreed to work together to reform Heaven by enfeoffing humanity’s worthiest as gods, but differed over whether they should become Heavenly Court gods or Human Dao Gods. Qi WuHuo began rebuilding the ancient Severing Heaven and Earth formation, seeking Human Dao treasures to protect the Human World before the struggle began.

• Zhang Xiaoyu explained that he wanted to destabilize and reform the rigid Heavenly Court by enfeoffing outstanding humans as gods, while Qi WuHuo proposed creating Human Dao Gods through humanity’s destiny.
• Zhang Xiaoyu gave Qi WuHuo a copy of part of the Heavenly Book, and they agreed that Qi WuHuo would Sever Heaven and Earth while Zhang Xiaoyu prepared the Heavenly Court’s response.
• Zhang Xiaoyu urged Qi WuHuo to visit Yun Qin before Heaven and Earth were sealed, then departed after joking that Fuxi might poison his meal.
• Qi WuHuo studied Zhuanxu’s ancient formation through the River Diagram and Luo Script, identified its weakness, and redesigned it to use a Human Dao artifact in place of powerful cultivators.
• Qi WuHuo contacted Li Zhai and requested every Human Dao artifact in the Shenwu Kingdom so he could forge nine tripod-shaped treasures to anchor the formation.

Qi WuHuo forged the first of the Nine Cauldrons to anchor Human Dao Destiny and prepare the formation that would sever Heaven and Earth. Before activating it, he went to Heaven to see Yun Qin, leaving their future separation hanging between them.

• Li Zhai gathered the Human Dao artifacts, and Qi WuHuo forged them into the first Xuanwei Casting Tripod over nine days.
• Li Zhai and Qi WuHuo discussed how the Nine Cauldrons would support the Human World’s formation and an apotheosis ritual for its heroes.
• As Qi WuHuo prepared to activate the cauldron, he decided to visit Yun Qin before the separation between Heaven and Earth began.
• Qi WuHuo traveled to Heaven and reunited with Old Yellow Ox, Yun Zhiyi, Weaver Girl, and Yun Qin.
• Qi WuHuo ruffled Yun Qin’s hair and told her he had come because he wanted to see her.

Qi WuHuo said goodbye to Yun Qin before confronting the Tian Shu Institute and entering the Human World. As he began the Severing Heaven and Earth formation, Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan appeared to bar the immortals from entering.

• Qi WuHuo took Yun Qin sightseeing and told her he might be unable to see her for a long time, while Yun Qin promised to wait for him.
• Qi WuHuo returned Yun Qin, left for the Human World, and broke through the Tian Shu Institute’s attempt to stop him.
• Qi WuHuo activated the Severing Heaven and Earth formation, using the Nine Cauldrons and Human Dao Destiny to separate the Celestial Realm from the Human World.
• Immortals rushed toward the Human World to seize its opportunities, while the Tian Shu Institute held back from stopping them.
• A blood sea swept up and killed the first invading immortal, and Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan appeared in a blood-red robe to block the Celestial Palace.
• Qi WuHuo and Dongxuan stood before the Nine Cauldrons as Dongxuan introduced himself as a disciple of the Supreme Pure Spirit Treasure Celestial Venerable.

Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan killed more than a thousand Immortals and Gods who tried to enter the Mortal World, while the Mortal World’s Severing Heaven and Earth formation sealed it off. The Jade Emperor ordered the Heavenly Realm to establish a matching barrier around it, and the chapter ended as the Fire Luminary ascended to the Great Grade.

• Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan used the Blood Sea Sword Formation to kill more than a thousand Immortals and Gods, then guarded the Mortal World until its formation was complete.
• The Buddhas concluded that the formation barred them from the Divine Martial Nine Provinces and decided to send unranked disciples into other nations to spread Buddhist teachings.
• Mingxin tried to calm Yin after another fight, while the golden formation made the amnesiac Zhu Ling Great Emperor feel that something in his memory was about to return.
• The Judicial Great Celestial Venerable said Shangqing Dongxuan had overstepped his authority, but the Tian Shu Institute refused to pursue the dead Immortals and Gods’ complaints because they had broken Heavenly Realm law.
• The Jade Emperor ordered the Thirty-three Heavenly Gates to form a barrier around the Mortal World, leaving a forbidden buffer zone between the two realms.
• As the Mortal World and Heavenly Realm formations opened, the Fire Luminary ascended to the Great Grade.

The Fire Luminary began an unprecedented ascension, alarming the Bureau of Celestial Affairs while its officials dismissed the disturbance as routine. After Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan fled toward the mortal realm, Great Dao Lord Yuchen summoned him in the Sea of Blood, learned about the plan to revive Nuwa, and stopped him from leaving.

• The Fire Luminary unleashed waves of power as it tried to suppress a transformation beyond the Great Grade, and the bureau's officials treated the resulting chaos as another familiar rampage.
• A newly assigned official questioned why the bureau did not report the disturbance, and a veteran explained that the Fire Luminary's repeated rampages had become routine.
• Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan left the assembled Immortals and headed toward the mortal realm, hoping to reunite with his true body and avoid powerful enemies.
• Great Dao Lord Yuchen summoned Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan in the Sea of Blood and questioned him about his strong aura of calamity and Nuwa's aura.
• Dao Lord Shangqing Dongxuan explained the plan to sever Heaven and Earth and strengthen the Human Dao to help revive Nuwa, and Great Dao Lord Yuchen told him he could not leave.

The Jade Firmament Daoist Lord detained Qi WuHuo’s Primordial Blood avatar to cultivate for three hundred years, equivalent to ten thousand years of Daoist cultivation, while Qi WuHuo’s true body continued preparing the Mortal World for the coming tribulation. After establishing the Investiture of the Gods, Qi WuHuo unexpectedly gained the final of the Five Qi: Ghost.

• The Jade Firmament Daoist Lord defeated Qi WuHuo in a sword exchange and judged his Daoist cultivation too shallow to face the trials ahead.
• The Jade Firmament Daoist Lord sent Qi WuHuo’s Shangqing Dongxuan avatar to cultivate in the Blood Sea for three hundred years, aiming to give it ten thousand years of Daoist cultivation.
• Qi WuHuo realized his three avatars could pursue different paths, with Supreme Xuanwei facing tribulations in the Mortal World and Shangqing Dongxuan cultivating in the Blood Sea.
• Qi WuHuo watched King Wei Wu Li Zhai’s army depart, then used the first cauldron and Human Dao Destiny to reinforce the Severing Heaven and Earth formation.
• Qi WuHuo combined the cauldron, the Heavenly Book secondary scroll, and his Mount Tai Prefect authority to establish the Investiture of the Gods rule, allowing worthy souls to become Mortal World-protecting ghost gods.
• After completing the ritual, Qi WuHuo felt his Mount Tai Prefect power transform and naturally attained the final Qi, Ghost.

Qi WuHuo gathered the Five Qi of Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost, then realized the Investiture of the Gods Ritual needed his Primordial Spirit incarnation to uphold it for decades. While living among ordinary people to deepen his Human Dao cultivation, he gained enlightenment and divided his cultivation into three incarnations.

• Qi WuHuo restored his Earth Qi and completed the Five Directions Five Qi, but learned that his Human Qi needed humanity to prosper before he could reach Five Qi Facing the Origin.
• Qi WuHuo sent a Primordial Spirit incarnation into the Severing Heaven and Earth array to uphold the Investiture of the Gods Ritual for at least sixty years.
• After emerging from a month of meditation, Qi WuHuo entered the mortal world in an incarnation of primordial Qi to cultivate Human Dao Destiny.
• Qi WuHuo overheard an old dyer explain how colors had to be thoroughly blended, and realized he could not understand humanity while viewing it only as an immortal.
• Qi WuHuo attained enlightenment, dividing himself into three incarnations to cultivate the Dao, immortality, and humanity; the old Daoist and Xuandu revealed themselves and left, while two visitors awaited him in his room.

Qi WuHuo discovered that the amnesiac [Yin] was Great Emperor Zhuling and learned that Fuxi had sent him into a node of Human Dao Destiny. Fuxi declared that Qi WuHuo could call him Uncle and call the Empress Wa Mother, just as the Empress Wa arrived; meanwhile, the Judicial Great Celestial Venerable resolved to investigate the painful sense of loss haunting him.

• Qi WuHuo arrived as [Yin] and the Green-robed Scholar nearly fought, then learned from Mingxin that [Yin] had lost his memory.
• Qi WuHuo recognized [Yin] as Great Emperor Zhuling and confirmed that Zhuling had lost his cultivation memories and divine arts.
• Qi WuHuo gave Mingxin money and sent him and Zhuling to rent a nearby courtyard, then questioned Fuxi about Zhuling's memory loss.
• Fuxi admitted that he had thrown the injured Zhuling onto a node of Human Dao Destiny and praised Qi WuHuo's path toward the Great Grade.
• Fuxi told Qi WuHuo that he could call him Uncle and the Empress Wa Mother, but the Empress Wa arrived and addressed Fuxi as her big brother.
• The Judicial Great Celestial Venerable felt a growing, painful sense that he had lost something and decided to find out what it was.

The Judicial Great Celestial Venerable discovered that True Martial Demon Queller had taken his Dao Fruit, but he could not pursue him in the human world. Meanwhile, Qi WuHuo watched Li Weifeng’s political role grow and noticed that the Investiture of the Gods had finally named its first person.

• The Judicial Great Celestial Venerable searched for the source of his unease, found his ritual array empty, and discovered that True Martial Demon Queller had his Dao Fruit.
• Unable to reach True Martial in the human world, the Judicial Great Celestial Venerable erupted in rage and vowed to kill him.
• Mingxin met Li Qiongyu and Li Weifeng at Qi WuHuo’s courtyard, then lamented that Li Weifeng had become difficult to recognize.
• As Li Zhai campaigned and new officials gathered around Li Weifeng, Qi WuHuo reflected that political pressure might eventually push Li Weifeng toward the throne.
• Qi WuHuo sensed the [Ghost] qi nearing a breakthrough and saw the first name appear on the Investiture of the Gods.

Qi WuHuo began selecting worthy dead heroes for the Investiture of the Gods and offered Cheng Shuisheng the chance to protect his hometown as a god. As the list filled with human heroes, he discovered many generals had died fighting for King Wei Wu against Qiu Long Kingdom, while Tai Su Miao Guang True Lord hesitated over Qi WuHuo’s proposal after receiving a message from the Tian Shu Institute.

• Qi WuHuo comforted Mingxin, who decided his changed friend could still be the same person at heart, and Mingxin set off after dinner.
• Qi WuHuo read Cheng Shuisheng’s life and resolved to seek Empress Houtu’s advice about creating local human-world gods; he also wrote to the Ten Hall Yama Kings proposing more City God temples.
• Qi WuHuo invited Cheng Shuisheng to become a god who protected his hometown, and Cheng Shuisheng eagerly accepted the chance to witness a peaceful age for another century or two.
• The Investiture of the Gods filled with names of worthy heroes, including many generals who had died in King Wei Wu’s campaign against Qiu Long Kingdom; Qi WuHuo connected their deaths to his senior brother Jade Yang Master.
• Tai Su Miao Guang True Lord received Qi WuHuo’s letter in the Underworld, considered agreeing to the proposal, then looked toward a jade slip sent by the Tian Shu Institute.

Qi WuHuo established Human Dao incense gods and Earth Gods to anchor Human Dao Destiny, but the Underworld moved to stop the investiture and threatened the Human World. As the dispute escalated, Qi WuHuo invoked his Decree and called Fengdu Ghost City into the world.

• Qi WuHuo sensed Tian Yangzi in Qiu Long Kingdom, and the two disciples of Dao Ancestor Tai Shang briefly felt each other's presence across the kingdoms.
• Empress Houtu sent Qi WuHuo the method for investing Human Dao incense gods, while the Underworld rejected his proposal to cooperate on restoring City Gods.
• Qi WuHuo used Mount Tai's authority and Human Dao Destiny to invest deceased humans, including Cheng Shuisheng, as local Earth Gods and Kitchen Gods.
• The Underworld accused the Human World of keeping wandering souls and threatened to seize its newly invested gods, while Qi WuHuo argued that they were Orthodox Gods rather than vengeful ghosts.
• Old Green Ox and Ran Deng the Daoist suspected the Underworld was taking the Celestial Realm's side, but Qi WuHuo stopped them from attacking the ghost messenger.
• Qi WuHuo invoked his Decree, and Fengdu Ghost City trembled as his command called it to emerge into the world.

Yin Virtue Ding Xiu True Lord and Bao Su Zhao Cheng True Lord clashed over the Underworld’s alliance with the Heavenly Realm, while the Ten Hall Yama Kings prepared to crush resistance. The Ghost Gate Pass rose from the Yellow Springs, and the Prefect of Mount Tai arrived to take charge of the Underworld, ordering the Yama Kings onto a list.

• Yin Virtue Ding Xiu True Lord rejected Bao Su Zhao Cheng True Lord’s arguments for siding with the Heavenly Realm and insisted he would stand with the weak and the righteous.
• Tai Su Miao Guang True Lord, Bao Su Zhao Cheng True Lord, and Chouguan Mingli planned to capture the Human World’s incense gods and send Yin Virtue Ding Xiu and Supreme Uprightness True Lord into reincarnation.
• The Yellow Springs surged and revealed the Ghost Gate Pass, from which the Chief Officers of the Seventy-Two Departments and two Ghost Emperors emerged under the Northern Ghost Emperor’s command to take charge of the Underworld.
• Tai Su Miaoguang King invoked an edict from the Tian Shu Institute, but Qi WuHuo shattered his jade scroll and brought down the Heavenly Book secondary scroll.
• The Prefect of Mount Tai appeared behind Fengdu City as the ghosts bowed, then ordered the Ten Hall Yama Kings to take their places on the list.

The Mount Tai Prefect subdued the Ten Hall Yama Kings and forced them to sign a list that placed them under his control. Taisu Miaoguang King summoned the Yuqing Primordial Celestial Venerable to stop him, only for the Prefect to reveal that the Celestial Venerable was his Teacher.

• The Northern and Southern Ghost Emperors and Fengdu City's True Lords defeated the Ten Hall Yama Kings and bound them in the Yellow Springs.
• The Mount Tai Prefect presented the eight King Yama True Lords with a blank scroll and ordered them to sign, placing them under its power.
• Taisu Miaoguang King smashed an ancient jade pendant and summoned the Yuqing Primordial Celestial Venerable, accusing the Mount Tai Prefect of disrupting the Underworld.
• The Mount Tai Prefect rose, bowed to the Yuqing Primordial Celestial Venerable, and called him his Teacher.