Arc 6The Netherworld and the Merchant Dao

Zhou Yuan established his Primordial path, reshaped the Netherworld, and defeated Great Freedom Heavenly Son with Grand Pure Daoist. As the Mystic Gate’s opening approached, Zhou Yuan’s intervention helped Wu Zhiqi crush a plot to seize the merchant association, though the hidden mastermind remained to be uncovered.

  • Zhou Yuan attained the Primordial Golden Immortal realm by severing his past, present, and future, and his future body emerged as Emperor Fengdu to rule the Netherworld.
  • Emperor Fengdu strengthened the Netherworld’s defenses, replaced the vanished Blood Moon with a new moon, and quelled a rebellion by the imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods with Meng Po’s help.
  • Zhou Yuan opened the Bronze Ancient Coffin beneath the Red Moon, took the World-Destroying Millstone and Pangu True Blood, and used them to strengthen Taisha Heavenly Palace and cultivate the Primordial Chaos Golden Chapter.
  • Zhou Yuan defeated the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord and Old Man Blazing Flame, then joined Grand Pure Daoist to badly wound Great Freedom Heavenly Son and help Queen Mother of the West attain the Primordial Golden Immortal realm.
  • Zhou Yuan sent Wang Pan inland with the Three Lights Jade Ruyi to confront the plot against Wuyi Mountain’s lineage, while he arranged for the merchant association to establish an overseas base.
  • Wu Zhiqi rejected retreat and prepared to purge corrupt Marketplace leaders after Wang Pan reported Zhou Yuan’s orders and Guizhenzi revealed evidence of their corruption.
  • At the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Lord Qingcheng, Lord Hanhai, and Lord Baihui challenged Guizhenzi’s leadership, but Wang Pan invoked Zhou Yuan’s decree and the Three Lights Jade Ruyi destroyed the three demons.
  • Wu Zhiqi ordered the disloyal cultivators killed, while Zhou Yuan captured the demons’ true spirits and began investigating the hidden power behind the plot.
Chapters 126–150 Vol. 2 Read

Ch. 126Teacher's Compassion

Zhou Yuan and Meng Po discussed the Ghost Immortal Path, and their exposition of the Dao drew Netherworld beings toward them. After the discussion ended, ten beings knelt by the Bridge of Helplessness and begged them to teach the Orthodox Dharma.

  • Zhou Yuan considered whether Chaos Demon Gods could use the Ghost Immortal Path to restore their souls and status, though attaining the Fruit of the End was exceedingly difficult.
  • Zhou Yuan and Meng Po discussed the Dao, causing immortal radiance and the sound of the Dao to spread across the Netherworld.
  • The white-robed and black-robed youths from the Valley of Impermanence decided to seek the opportunity, and the Ghost King of Black Mountain set out as well.
  • Ox-Head and Horse-Face agreed to travel together toward the spectacle after recognizing that it might reveal a new cultivation path.
  • After Zhou Yuan and Meng Po finished one round of discussion, ten Netherworld beings knelt by the Bridge of Helplessness and asked the two teachers to impart their methods.

Ch. 127North Capital Luofeng Mountain

Zhou Yuan and Meng Po taught the Ten Great Yin Commanders the Ghost Immortal Path, then Meng Po accepted them as disciples. Zhou Yuan discovered that his destined dojo was North Capital Luofeng Mountain, which manifested in the Great Void.

  • Zhou Yuan invited the Ten Great Yin Commanders to listen as he and Meng Po expounded the Ghost Immortal Dao.
  • The ten beings changed their cultivation to the Ghost Immortal Path, and Zhou Yuan strengthened their foundations with golden lotuses.
  • After three thousand years, Zhou Yuan urged Meng Po to accept the ten as disciples, and she established them as registered members of her lineage.
  • Zhou Yuan sensed a Divine Mountain Dojo during the discussion, and Meng Po identified it as North Capital Luofeng Mountain.
  • Luofeng Mountain appeared in the Great Void, and Zhou Yuan invited Meng Po to explore the dojo with him.

Ch. 128Six Heavens of Luofeng, Book of Life and Death

Zhou Yuan claimed the Book of Life and Death and planned how to organize Luofeng Mountain and the Netherworld. After Meng Po warned him that Pangu Will made the Red Moon too dangerous to challenge, Zhou Yuan asked her to lend him the Stone of Three Lives, believing the Book of Life and Death might reveal a way forward.

  • Zhou Yuan and Meng Po entered Luofeng Mountain’s grotto-heaven and found Fengdu Main Hall and the six heavenly palaces.
  • Zhou Yuan took the Book of Life and Death, a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure that controlled Netherworld authority and the lifespans of living beings.
  • Zhou Yuan assigned Meng Po to guard Taisha Heavenly Palace and proposed establishing seventy-two levels of hell, but Meng Po said she could not remain there for long because of the Netherworld’s rules and the Red Moon.
  • Zhou Yuan asked whether they could pluck down the Red Moon, and Meng Po revealed that Pangu Will resided there and had defeated her in a past attempt.
  • Zhou Yuan asked Meng Po to lend him the Stone of Three Lives, saying the Book of Life and Death might make his conjectures about a breakthrough worth trying.

Ch. 129The Path

Zhou Yuan used the Stone of Three Lives and the Myriad Dao Book to understand how his existence connected to the end of one epoch and the beginning of the next, and he discovered a path toward Primordial Grand Unity. He rejected the difficult routes pursued by the Ancient Three Sovereigns and Dao Ancestor Hongjun’s disciples, then hinted that he had a better choice.

  • Meng Po recalled the ominous Bronze Ancient Coffin beneath the Red Moon and left Fengdu, hoping everything would go smoothly.
  • Zhou Yuan borrowed the Stone of Three Lives and activated the Myriad Dao Book to study its temporal laws.
  • Through visions of One Dream, Three Thousand Worlds, Zhou Yuan saw a young Daoist whose steps ended the Previous Epoch and began the Next Epoch, and realized this timeline formed the foundation of his existence.
  • After years of contemplation, Zhou Yuan concluded that the Ancient Three Sovereigns’ World Creation route was too difficult to pursue.
  • Zhou Yuan judged the Mystic Gate Immortal Path and the Three Corpses method too slow without the support of heaven and earth, then said he had a better choice.

Ch. 130Primordial Golden Immortal

Zhou Yuan used the Stone of Three Lives and Book of Life and Death to forge a path beyond the Three Corpses and attained the Primordial Golden Immortal realm. He severed his future body, bringing forth Great Emperor Beiyin Fengdu as the Sect Master of the Netherworld.

  • Zhou Yuan rejected the Three Corpses path and chose to sever his past, present, and future bodies to reach the Primordial Dao Fruit.
  • Meng Po sensed Zhou Yuan’s breakthrough and told White Impermanence and the others that he had found the Primordial path.
  • Zhou Yuan condensed his laws and divine abilities into a Dao fruit, then entered the River of Time and established an illusory river extending across future dimensions.
  • Zhou Yuan announced that he had attained the Primordial Golden Immortal realm and called for his future body to be born.
  • Great Emperor Beiyin Fengdu emerged from the future and declared himself the Sect Master of the Netherworld.

Ch. 131The Demon Gods' Rebellion

The Heavenly Sound Demon God sensed Taisha Heavenly Palace’s suppressive force weakening and plotted to escape with the other imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods, intending to use them for his own ends. As the prisoners worked to break free, Taisha Heavenly Palace trembled and an unfamiliar voice noticed the commotion.

  • The Heavenly Sound Demon God sensed his power recovering faster than Taisha Heavenly Palace could erode it, though Pangu’s permanent axe wound still weakened him.
  • The Heavenly Sound Demon God told his fellow prisoners that the palace’s suppressive force was weakening and promised they might escape within a day or two.
  • The Chaos Demon Gods in nearby cells grew excited and worked harder to wear down the seals, while the Heavenly Sound Demon God secretly planned to use them as cultivation sustenance.
  • The imprisoned Demon Gods quietly accumulated power while pretending to weaken Taisha Heavenly Palace’s restrictions.
  • Taisha Heavenly Palace trembled, and an amused voice remarked that the Eighteen Layers of Hell were lively.

Ch. 132Emperor Fengdu

Emperor Fengdu strengthened Taisha Heavenly Palace’s punishments to drain the Chaos Demon Gods imprisoned in the Eighteen Layers of Hell, then released the ghosts of the Myriad Souls Banner to cultivate on Luofeng Mountain. He began preaching the ghost immortal Dao and made it harder for the power escaping the prisons to flee, allowing Mysterious Yin Su Nu to absorb more of it.

  • Emperor Fengdu intensified the punishments in the Hell of Fire Seas, forcing Heavenly Sound Demon God and the other Chaos Demon Gods to expend power resisting their seals.
  • Emperor Fengdu toured the Eighteen Layers of Hell, and the Netherworld’s seals repeatedly reinforced themselves as the prisoners’ divine abilities and status flowed into the Netherworld.
  • Emperor Fengdu summoned the Yin Souls and vicious ghosts from the Myriad Souls Banner and allowed them to cultivate on Luofeng Mountain.
  • Emperor Fengdu began preaching the ghost immortal Dao and promised to teach there once every thirty thousand years.
  • Mysterious Yin Su Nu absorbed an escaping aura from Taisha Heavenly Palace and felt her foundation improve, so Emperor Fengdu strengthened the restrictions to direct more of the aura to her.

Ch. 133Above the Red Moon

After becoming a Primordial Golden Immortal, Zhou Yuan entered the Red Moon and used its Chaos tides to strengthen his Dao Domain, which unexpectedly formed a small Chaos Sea. He defeated the Pangu-like phantom guarding a Bronze Ancient Coffin and opened it, then stared in shock at what lay inside.

  • Zhou Yuan perfected his Water Element Cycle Dao Domain and set out for the Red Moon.
  • Zhou Yuan crossed the Red Moon’s violent Chaos tides and absorbed them into his Dao Domain, where they formed a small Chaos Sea.
  • Zhou Yuan used the power of his Dao Domain to annihilate the Chaos tides and reveal a Bronze Ancient Coffin beneath a towering Pangu-like phantom.
  • The phantom attacked Zhou Yuan with an axe, and Zhou Yuan transformed into a giant and clashed with it using his Nine-Section Bamboo Staff.
  • Zhou Yuan survived the battle, examined the coffin, and opened it, widening his eyes at what was inside.

Ch. 134Treasures Obtained!

Zhou Yuan opened the Bronze Ancient Coffin and claimed the World-Destroying Millstone and a drop of Pangu True Blood, leaving the ordinary stone that had formed the Blood Moon behind. The Blood Moon’s disappearance plunged the Netherworld into darkness, freeing Meng Po from its threat and stirring the Chaos Demon Gods imprisoned beneath Fengdu Mountain.

  • Zhou Yuan found the World-Destroying Millstone and Pangu True Blood in the coffin, took both treasures, and decided to use the millstone to strengthen the Taisha Heavenly Palace.
  • Zhou Yuan examined the stone that had formed the Blood Moon, found nothing special within it, and left it in the Netherworld.
  • The Blood Moon vanished, throwing the Netherworld into darkness and causing its inhabitants to fear that a final calamity had begun.
  • Meng Po celebrated her freedom by brewing Great Dao Dragon-Tiger Soup and set out to give it to Fellow Daoist Taiyuan.
  • The Chaos Demon Gods in the Eighteen Layers of Hell sensed the Blood Moon’s disappearance and rejoiced, believing they might finally escape their imprisonment.

Ch. 135Where the Sun and Moon Do Not Shine

Emperor Fengdu answered the Netherworld’s pleas for light by creating a new moon from the thoughts of its living beings and the power of the imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods. The new moon strengthened the Netherworld and brought Emperor Fengdu vast merit, leaving his authority firmly established.

  • The imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods threatened Emperor Fengdu, who dismissed them and resolved to answer the Netherworld’s prayers for light.
  • Emperor Fengdu appeared across the Netherworld and declared that a new moon would replace the fallen Blood Moon.
  • He bound the former Red Moon to the firmament and gathered the living beings’ thoughts into a dim moon whose light spread throughout the Netherworld.
  • Emperor Fengdu announced that Nine Nether True Water would fall on every full moon to awaken ghostly souls and strengthen the Netherworld.
  • The Netherworld’s living beings praised Emperor Fengdu, and their devotion brought him a great torrent of merit that he formed into a Merit Golden Wheel.
  • Emperor Fengdu returned to Luofeng Mountain, pleased that his authority in the Netherworld had been secured.

Ch. 136The Failed Demon Gods

Meng Po offered Emperor Fengdu Dragon and Tiger Great Dao Soup and proposed using the imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods as Netherworld protectors. When her Dream Dao method exposed their hidden strength and threatened to convert them, over a hundred Demon Gods broke their seals, but Taiyuanzi's World-Destroying Millstone suppressed them.

  • Meng Po congratulated Emperor Fengdu on ruling the Netherworld and brought him Dragon and Tiger Great Dao Soup while Taiyuanzi remained in seclusion.
  • Meng Po suggested choosing promising imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods as protectors, but Emperor Fengdu feared they could not be controlled.
  • Meng Po used Dream Dao laws to torment the Demon Gods and introduced Emperor Fengdu's proclamation into their dreams to convert them.
  • The Demon Gods realized they were being converted and joined forces to shatter their seals, threatening to collapse the Eighteen Layers of Hell.
  • Emperor Fengdu and Meng Po attacked the escaping Demon Gods, but Taiyuanzi's World-Destroying Millstone appeared and silenced the hells.

Ch. 137Chapter 137

Zhou Yuan used Pangu True Blood to derive and cultivate the Primordial Chaos Golden Chapter, greatly strengthening his Dao body. He left the Fengdu Main Hall and joined Meng Po and Emperor Fengdu to discuss the Dao.

  • Zhou Yuan suppressed the Chaos Demon God beneath the Taisha Heavenly Palace with the World-Destroying Millstone and studied Pangu True Blood.
  • Zhou Yuan used the Myriad Dao Book to deduce the Primordial Chaos Golden Chapter from Pangu's Dao Essence.
  • Zhou Yuan swallowed the Pangu True Blood and used the Primordial Chaos Golden Chapter to strengthen his 129,600 acupoints, reaching minor completion.
  • Zhou Yuan considered the greater stages of the Primordial Chaos Golden Chapter, then ended his cultivation and left the hall.
  • Meng Po and Emperor Fengdu welcomed Zhou Yuan, and the three began discussing the Dao.

Ch. 138The Netherworld's Affairs Conclude

Zhou Yuan left the Netherworld in the care of Emperor Fengdu and Meng Po, then recruited the Divine Peach Tree to approach the Great Dark Sky Demon God. After Zhou Yuan departed through the Ghost Gate, the tree’s childlike form set off eastward on its mission.

  • Zhou Yuan entrusted Luofeng Mountain and the Netherworld to Emperor Fengdu and Meng Po, who agreed to guard Taisha Heavenly Palace and its imprisoned Chaos Demon Gods.
  • Zhou Yuan visited the Divine Peach Tree on Duoshuo Mountain and proposed that it persuade its former acquaintance, the Great Dark Sky Demon God, to join the Netherworld.
  • The Divine Peach Tree eagerly accepted the mission after Zhou Yuan suggested Emperor Fengdu might appoint it Gatekeeper God of Duoshuo Mountain.
  • Zhou Yuan left through the Ghost Gate, and the Divine Peach Tree emerged as a child and flew eastward toward its mission.

Ch. 139Wuchang Sea Region, the Merchant Association's Origins

Liang Ashui, a young Otter Tribe sailor working for the Wuchang Sea Merchant Association, dreamed of buying a treasure ship and setting out on his own. His friend Wu Liang revealed that the association had powerful backing and was recruiting shopkeepers and supervisors from the main association inland.

  • Liang Ashui finished a night of fishing Lantern Fish and wondered how many Five Virtues Coins the merchant association would reward him.
  • Liang Ashui counted his savings and realized that buying a Magic Artifact Sea Ship would take him five hundred years at his current rate.
  • Wu Liang approached Liang Ashui and demonstrated the silent Wave-Treading Steps he had learned from his clan.
  • Wu Liang drew Liang Ashui aside and said there was an opportunity to cross the class divide.
  • Wu Liang explained that the Wuchang Sea Merchant Association was backed by a major power and that its president had come from the main association inland to find shopkeepers and supervisors.

Ch. 140Old Loach, You're Courting Death!

Liang Ashui and Wu Liang hoped to join the Wuchang Sea Merchant Association, and Liang Ashui became excited after hearing that its backing figure had slain an old dragon. Their fleet then encountered a true dragon, which faced off against an injured female immortal who vowed to kill it.

  • Wu Liang told Liang Ashui that the Wuchang Sea Merchant Association recruited for clean backgrounds and business talent, and the two agreed to try to join.
  • Wu Liang said the association's mighty backer had slain an old dragon at the Dao Lord level, and Liang Ashui eagerly embraced the chance to serve the association.
  • A true dragon appeared above the Wuchang Sea, terrifying the Aquatic Race and sending the association's fleet into chaos.
  • The fleet captain invoked the association's emblem to calm the sea and ordered the ships to retreat at full speed.
  • An injured female immortal descended from beyond endless dimensions, and the azure dragon challenged her as an old acquaintance.
  • The female immortal called the dragon an old loach, declared that she would beat it to death, and launched an attack.

Ch. 141Calamity Waves Rise Again, Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

Queen Mother of the West fought the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord and Old Man Blazing Flame while drawing strength from Calamity Qi. As Great Freedom Heavenly Son’s World-Destroying Black Lotus descended, she charged toward it, and an unknown voice recognized his aura.

  • The Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord called on Old Man Blazing Flame to help keep the injured Queen Mother of the West from escaping.
  • Old Man Blazing Flame offered Queen Mother of the West a place in the Western Demonic Cult, but she rejected him and condemned the dragon clan for joining the conflict.
  • Queen Mother of the West resolved to use the calamity to advance her cultivation, and her aura grew stronger as she absorbed Calamity Qi.
  • Old Man Blazing Flame and the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord attacked her together, but she blocked their blows with the Western Plain-Colored Cloud Realm Banner.
  • Great Freedom Heavenly Son sent the Twelve-petal World-Destroying Black Lotus to suppress Queen Mother of the West, who charged toward it as a voice recognized his aura.

Ch. 142Slaughter

Taiyuanzi appeared as the Queen Mother of the West faced the World-Destroying Black Lotus and seized it with one palm, revealing that he had attained the Primordial Golden Immortal realm. He then killed the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord and Old Man Blazing Flame, leaving the Queen Mother of the West stunned by his power.

  • Taiyuanzi seized the World-Destroying Black Lotus and thanked the Queen Mother of the West for helping him in his past battle with the Great Freedom Heavenly Son.
  • The Queen Mother of the West congratulated Taiyuanzi on attaining the Primordial Golden Immortal realm and realized how quickly he had advanced.
  • The Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord praised Taiyuanzi after being asked whether he was free from calamity and tribulation.
  • Taiyuanzi struck the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord with his Nine-Section Bamboo Staff, killing him above Wuchang Sea.
  • Old Man Blazing Flame fled as a river of blood, but Taiyuanzi's violet lightning bolt struck him down despite his plea for help.

Ch. 143Seeing Great Freedom Again

After Queen Mother of the West slew the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord and Old Man Blazing Flame, Zhou Yuan praised her progress and struck at Great Freedom Heavenly Son from afar. Zhou Yuan then arrived to aid Grand Pure Daoist, and Great Freedom Heavenly Son launched an attack as the two prepared to face him.

  • Queen Mother of the West erased the Wuchang Sea Dragon Lord and Old Man Blazing Flame, while Zhou Yuan praised her for approaching the Primordial Golden Immortal realm.
  • Zhou Yuan said Great Freedom Heavenly Son was the source of Queen Mother of the West’s tribulation and promised to help her, then punched across dimensions.
  • Grand Pure Daoist confronted Great Freedom Heavenly Son, using the Taiji Diagram and Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda to hold him back.
  • Zhou Yuan struck Great Freedom Heavenly Son with a punch that pierced his chest, then greeted him as a fellow Daoist.
  • Great Freedom Heavenly Son vowed to kill Zhou Yuan and unleashed demonic laws, faith, and a world of suffering that turned the heavens into a bronze furnace.
  • Grand Pure Daoist arrived beside Zhou Yuan and murmured the names Jieyin and Zhunti.

Ch. 144The Patriarch Will Definitely Return!

Grand Pure Daoist and Zhou Yuan fought Great Freedom Heavenly Son, exploiting a brief lapse to destroy his Dao body. Great Freedom Heavenly Son escaped and vowed to return for the Black Lotus, while Grand Pure Daoist judged him badly wounded.

  • Zhou Yuan considered whether the two venerables atop Mount Sumeru had ties to the Western Demonic Cult, but kept his suspicions to himself.
  • Grand Pure Daoist and Zhou Yuan joined forces against Great Freedom Heavenly Son with the Taiji Diagram and Pangu Axe, concealing their battle from the world.
  • Great Freedom Heavenly Son grew jealous during the fight, recognized that he had fallen for a trap, and tried to recover his composure.
  • Grand Pure Daoist froze space-time with the Taiji Golden Bridge, giving Zhou Yuan the chance to imitate Pangu and strike Great Freedom Heavenly Son with his bamboo staff.
  • Zhou Yuan's blow destroyed Great Freedom Heavenly Son's Dao body, but the demon vanished and promised to reclaim the Black Lotus someday.
  • Grand Pure Daoist said that damaging Great Freedom Heavenly Son's Dao body had left him badly wounded.

Ch. 145Mystic Gate Immortal Path Opens Mountain Five Hundred Years Later

Zhou Yuan and Grand Pure Daoist prepared for the Mystic Gate Immortal Path to open its mountain in five hundred years, while Queen Mother of the West became a Primordial Golden Immortal. The chapter ended with Wang Pan seeking Zhou Yuan’s help against traitors trying to seize the Acquired Merchant Dao’s foundation.

  • Grand Pure Daoist congratulated Zhou Yuan on reaching the Primordial Chaos Path and announced that the Mystic Gate would open its mountain at Jade Void Palace in five hundred years.
  • Grand Pure Daoist left to visit old friends, and Zhou Yuan headed toward the Wuchang Sea Region.
  • Queen Mother of the West severed her Good Corpse and became a Primordial Golden Immortal with Zhou Yuan’s help.
  • Queen Mother of the West agreed to support the Mystic Gate’s opening and chose to wait before confronting the dragon race.
  • Wang Pan knelt before Zhou Yuan and pleaded for justice, saying traitors were trying to seize the foundation of the Acquired Merchant Dao.

Ch. 146Scheming

Zhou Yuan learned that the merchant association he founded was being seized through a struggle among Grand Unity beings, with a hidden power likely orchestrating events. He sent Wang Pan back with an innate treasure and instructions to resolve the crisis while he established an overseas base and departed with Queen Mother of the West for Kunlun Mountain.

  • Wang Pan reported that Guizhenzi had built the merchant association’s authority, but powerful rivals were trying to drive Wuyi Mountain’s lineage out of it.
  • Queen Mother of the West warned Zhou Yuan that the apparent struggle among Grand Unity beings concealed a deeper plot to take control of the merchant association.
  • Zhou Yuan gave Wang Pan the Three Lights Jade Ruyi, marked his palm with a rune, and sent him inland with three medicinal pills to confront the crisis.
  • Zhou Yuan used the Heavenly Machine Chessboard to make the heavenly secrets more chaotic, then ordered the merchant association personnel to establish an overseas base in the Wuchang Sea Region.
  • Zhou Yuan compelled the region’s Grand Unity Great Sages to maintain peace and then left with Queen Mother of the West for Kunlun Mountain.

Ch. 147Dao Lineage Disciples

With Zhou Yuan still missing, Wuyi Mountain’s leaders feared that powerful enemies would attack their lineage at the next day’s assembly. They urged Wu Zhiqi to retreat to safety, but he refused and prepared to fight alongside them.

  • Guizhenzi warned that Lord Qingcheng, Lord Hanhai, and Lord Baihui had gathered Marketplace masters and might strike at the assembly.
  • Old Man Qingrong and Madam Jiuzhen reported that they had found no trace of Zhou Yuan or his old allies, while an unknown power had obstructed their search.
  • Jin Chentao questioned why the venerables on Longevity Mountain had not helped, and Madam Jiuzhen explained that they had already protected Wuyi Mountain’s disciples from the Western Demonic Cult.
  • Guizhenzi and the other Grand Unity cultivators asked Wu Zhiqi to hide in the Wuyi Mountain grotto-heaven and preserve the lineage’s inheritance.
  • Wu Zhiqi refused to retreat and vowed to fight the attackers, drawing on his divine abilities and the strength he had gained from refining demons in the west.

Ch. 148Going with the Current, Cutting Off Their Wings

Wu Zhiqi refused to retreat from the danger, but Wang Pan arrived with Zhou Yuan’s decree and news of the Dao Master’s return. With the crisis at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion looming, Wu Zhiqi and Guizhenzi planned to seize the three demons and purge corrupt Marketplace forces, leaving the confrontation for the following day.

  • Wu Zhiqi rejected Guizhenzi and the others’ pleas to withdraw into the Grotto-heaven and sensed someone approaching.
  • Wang Pan emerged from the great void and reported that he had met Zhou Yuan, who had ordered him to subdue the three demons.
  • Wu Zhiqi decided to use Zhou Yuan’s methods to seize the three demons at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion the next day and kill those involved in the affair.
  • Madam Jiuzhen worried that a broad purge would provoke Phoenix Perch Mountain and the Sun Palace, but Guizhenzi backed Wu Zhiqi and said he had records of Marketplace corruption.
  • Wu Zhiqi, Guizhenzi, and the others finalized a plan to cleanse the Marketplaces while sparing rule-abiding disciples, and prepared to act the next day.

Ch. 149Forcing the Issue

At the Primordial General Chamber of Commerce assembly, Lord Qingcheng, Lord Hanhai, and Lord Baihui demanded that Guizhenzi relinquish leadership and rallied most attendees to seize control. Wu Zhiqi and Wang Pan answered by invoking their patrons and declaring that they would restore order and kill the three brothers.

  • Influential branch leaders gathered at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion while factions quietly weighed their loyalties and the chamber's future.
  • Wu Zhiqi and the Wuyi Mountain Dao Lineage arrived, and Guizhenzi began the assembly before the three brothers interrupted.
  • Lord Qingcheng, Lord Hanhai, and Lord Baihui argued that Guizhenzi was unfit to lead and demanded that the Wuyi Mountain Dao Lineage give up its high positions.
  • A pot-bellied cultivator supported the brothers, and about two-thirds of the attendees rose to back their bid for control.
  • Guizhenzi identified the supporters as a faction, and Wu Zhiqi vowed to begin killing after appealing to the lords of Phoenix Perch Mountain and the Sun Palace.
  • Wang Pan invoked Patriarch Taiyuan's decree to restore order and slay the three demons as a sun-, moon-, and star-lit ruyi appeared in the void.

Ch. 150End

Lord Hanhai and his brothers attacked with the Myriad Poison Pearl, but Daoist Taiyuan’s Three Lights Jade Ruyi defeated them and captured their true spirits. Wang Pan and Wu Zhiqi then repelled a Great Luo Dao Lord’s intervention, while Zhou Yuan traced the plot to another Innate Divine Being.

  • Lord Hanhai and his brothers unleashed the Myriad Poison Pearl’s poisonous fog against the Three Lights Jade Ruyi.
  • The Three Lights Jade Ruyi destroyed the three demons, took their true spirits, and claimed the Myriad Poison Pearl.
  • A Great Luo Dao Lord reached for the jade ruyi, but Wang Pan summoned purple lightning that shattered the dark blue hand and struck the hidden presence.
  • Wu Zhiqi ordered the cultivators with disloyal intentions to be killed as the jade ruyi returned to Zhou Yuan at West Kunlun.
  • Zhou Yuan stored the Myriad Poison Pearl, used the captured true spirits to uncover the person behind the plot, and resumed meditating.
Arc 6 of 11
Arc 6 of 11