Chapter Summaries

Ji Fengming received an imperial decree appointing him Commandery Governor of Shangtang Commandery, with the Great Xia Dragon Guards assigned to protect him until he took office. Xuandu revealed that he had arranged the appointment and departed, leaving Ji determined to prove himself; years later, Ji set out for Shangtang Commandery with his followers as Great Xia approached a prosperous age and a struggle against the gods.

• The Great Xia Dragon Guards appointed Ji Fengming Commandery Governor of Shangtang Commandery and promised to protect him until he assumed office.
• Ji Fengming returned home, thanked Xuandu, and learned that Xuandu expected him to prove his abilities in his new post.
• Xuandu departed on an ox that rose into the sky, and Ji resolved to earn his favor through great accomplishments.
• Ji Fengming consulted Count Zheng and Uncle Ke about which trusted followers to take to Shangtang Commandery.
• Several years later, Ji Fengming led more than half of Long City's officials and their families toward Shangtang Commandery under the Great Xia Dragon Guards' escort.

Ji Fengming took office as Commandery Governor of Shangtang Commandery and spent decades consolidating power and transforming the region. His achievements won Emperor Yu’s admiration, and the chapter ended with his appointment as Governor of Qing Province, governing on behalf of the Human Emperor.

• Ji Fengming arrived in Shangtang Commandery, completed the handover, and received Great Xia’s National Fortune blessing when he assumed office.
• Ji Fengming spent his first decade learning the commandery’s affairs and winning over local clans, while Count Zheng advised him on navigating its factions.
• Ji Fengming used political stratagems to bring more than half of Shangtang Commandery’s factions under his control within three to five years.
• Ji Fengming introduced reforms across livelihoods, administration, military affairs, commerce, industry, and culture, including factories, railways, paper, schools, and an Imperial Examination System.
• Ji Fengming transformed Shangtang Commandery over fifty years until its prosperity rivaled that of a province and drew the attention of Great Xia’s leaders.
• Emperor Yu rewarded Ji Fengming with cultivation treasures and appointed him Governor of Qing Province on behalf of the Human Emperor.

Ji Fengming received the Human Emperor’s rewards, including the Nine Revolutions Primordial Art, but remained convinced that serving the people and earning Merit was a better path to immortality than cultivation. After his father-in-law persuaded him to read the art, Ji Fengming unexpectedly comprehended it and became a Human Immortal, triggering a tribulation.

• Ji Fengming’s trusted aides celebrated his appointment as Governor of Qing Province and the treasures sent by the Human Emperor, but Ji Fengming told them to put the rewards in his study.
• Ji Fengming reflected that Great Xia’s National Fortune had made him powerful and extended his life, strengthening his belief that official service could lead to immortality without cultivation.
• Count Zheng urged Ji Fengming to examine the Nine Revolutions Primordial Art, and Ji Fengming finally agreed after explaining that he did not expect to understand it.
• Ji Fengming saw the Dao Patterns in the art and initially found them incomprehensible, but familiar memories surfaced as he began turning its pages.
• Innate Spiritual Energy surged into Ji Fengming, and he became a Human Immortal, drawing immortals to his residence as his tribulation began.

Ji Fengming unexpectedly began cultivating after reading the Nine Revolutions Primordial Art and passed a series of tribulations, reaching the Golden Immortal Realm in barely a dozen days. His astonishing rise drew the attention of Great Master Xuandu, who wondered how someone with no notable cultivation talent could advance so quickly.

• Count Zheng explained that Ji Fengming had begun cultivating after reading the Nine Revolutions Primordial Art and had immediately triggered a Seven-Nine Human Immortal Tribulation.
• Ji Fengming reassured the panicked immortals, then easily overcame the tribulation with his abundant Merit and National Fortune protecting him.
• Ji Fengming rapidly advanced through the Human, Earth, Celestial, True, and Mystic Immortal Tribulations in Shangtang Commandery.
• After learning Ji Fengming had become an immortal by reading the Nine Revolutions Primordial Art once, the arriving Human Race experts were left dumbfounded.
• Great Master Xuandu observed Ji Fengming reach the Golden Immortal Tribulation and questioned how his cultivation had advanced so rapidly.

Ji Fengming’s breakthrough revealed hidden potential and earned him Xuandu’s offer of personal discipleship. Taiqing approved, though he warned Xuandu that Ji Fengming’s future was unpredictable and must not turn against the Human Sect.

• Xuandu realized Ji Fengming’s immense fortune and potential came from his origins and the hidden foundation laid by the Two Sages of the West.
• Xuandu halted Ji Fengming’s surging breakthrough, revealed himself as the Ancestor of Humanity, and agreed to seek permission to take him as a Personal Disciple.
• Ji Fengming was assigned to serve as Governor of Qing Province, while Xuandu returned to Shouyang Mountain to consult Saint Taiqing.
• Taiqing divined that Ji Fengming was a Variable whose choices could shape the Human Race’s future, then allowed Xuandu to take him as a Personal Disciple.
• Taiqing warned Xuandu to ensure Ji Fengming never pointed his blade at the Human Sect, leaving Xuandu puzzled.

Ji Fengming became Great Master Xuandu’s Personal Disciple, mastered the cultivation teachings he received, and presented Saint Taiqing with a copy of the Tao Te Ching. After transforming Qing Province into an industrialized powerhouse, he was named Governor of the Nine Provinces and began expanding industrialization across Great Xia.

• Great Master Xuandu held a grand ceremony to accept Ji Fengming as his Personal Disciple, with major figures from across the Primordial Wilderness attending.
• Xuandu gave Ji Fengming three Innate Spiritual Treasures and taught him cultivation for a thousand years within a dream, while Ji Fengming rapidly mastered Laws and Divine Abilities.
• Ji Fengming presented Saint Taiqing with a copy of the Tao Te Ching, and Taiqing rewarded him with treasures, pills, and medicines.
• Ji Fengming returned to Qing Province and spent a century reforming it into an industrialized province that supported more than half of the Human Race’s Fortune Aura.
• Emperor Yu appointed Ji Fengming Governor of the Nine Provinces, and Ji Fengming immediately began spreading industrialization throughout them.

After three centuries of reforms under Ji Fengming, Great Xia prospered and the Human Race’s National Fortune surged. Ji Fengming then ordered cultivators and temples registered and regulated, provoking widespread anger and setting the stage for a deadly calamity.

• Ji Fengming’s ruthless reforms transformed the Nine Provinces, bringing industrial growth, safer communities, and rising prosperity to the Human Race.
• The Human Race’s expanding strength and Human Dao Origin unsettled the Heavenly Dao Saints, though the Human Sect benefited greatly from Ji Fengming’s influence.
• Ji Fengming proposed registering every cultivator and placing temples and their Incense Power under Great Xia’s control, with refusing temples to be demolished.
• Ji Fengming led elite warriors in a campaign to push down mountains and demolish temples, enraging immortals and independent temple owners.
• Factions across the Nine Provinces began organizing resistance, while a deadly calamity loomed over Great Xia at the height of its prosperity.

The Heavenly Court learned that Ji Fengming and Great Xia had destroyed immortal shrines and demanded that immortals in the Nine Provinces register, pay taxes, and submit to human rule. The Heavenly Emperor sent a five-hundred-thousand-strong army to the lower realm, leaving the conflict with Great Xia about to begin.

• Day Patrol God reported that Ji Fengming had urged mortals to destroy immortal shrines and placed immortals in the Nine Provinces under Great Xia's jurisdiction.
• The Heavenly Emperor and the immortals condemned Great Xia's actions and called for the Human Race to be punished.
• The Heavenly Emperor declared that he would use Heavenly Punishment and a Heavenly Dao Stone to offset Great Xia's National Fortune.
• The Heavenly Emperor appointed Yang Jiao grand marshal and ordered him, Wang Lingguan, Juling Shen, and other forces to quell the rebellion.
• Yang Jiao led five hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals toward the lower realm as factions across the Primordial Wilderness watched.

Emperor Yu faced Yang Jiao and a million Immortals who demanded Great Xia repeal Ji Fengming’s policies and surrender the King of the Nine Provinces. When Yang Jiao attacked the capital, Great Xia’s National Fortune moved to crush him, but Emperor Yu’s confidence gave way to shock.

• Attendants reported that Immortals had gathered outside the palace and demanded the King of the Nine Provinces.
• Emperor Yu led his officials to the square and learned that Yang Jiao commanded a million Immortals seeking to put down Great Xia’s alleged disorder.
• Yang Jiao demanded that Emperor Yu repeal the new policies against Immortals, restore their temples, and apologize, but Emperor Yu refused.
• Yang Jiao charged the capital with the full power of a Daluo Golden Immortal, and Great Xia’s National Fortune reached out to crush him.
• Emperor Yu’s smile froze when the National Fortune’s attack did not unfold as he expected.

Yang Jiao invaded Great Xia’s capital, where the National Destiny Golden Dragon failed to suppress him and he overwhelmed the city’s defenders. The chapter ended with Emperor Yu’s attempt to attack Yang Jiao with Great Xia’s national fortune failing as Yang Jiao charged to capture him.

• Yang Jiao’s aura immobilized Great Xia’s soldiers, immortals, and officials, while the National Destiny Golden Dragon showed no reaction to him.
• Yang Jiao killed and scattered the immortals who attacked him as he advanced through the capital toward Emperor Yu.
• Emperor Yu drew Great Xia’s national fortune into himself and sent the National Destiny Golden Dragon against Yang Jiao, but it could not detect or harm him.
• Yang Jiao declared he would capture Emperor Yu himself and charged toward the Human Emperor.

Yang Jiao attacked Great Xia over its assault on Heavenly Court temples and immortals, clashing with Emperor Yu’s forces and accusing the Human Race of overstepping its authority. He defeated Ji Fengming and held the King of the Nine Provinces at spearpoint, leaving his fate unresolved.

• Yang Jiao charged Emperor Yu’s forces, evaded the National Destiny Golden Dragon, and killed officials who tried to stop him.
• Yang Jiao challenged Emperor Yu over Great Xia’s attacks on Heavenly Court immortals and temples, arguing that immortals were not obliged to aid the Human Race.
• The King of the Nine Provinces arrived and attacked Yang Jiao, while Ji Fengming accused him of betraying the Chan Sect.
• Yang Jiao and Ji Fengming fought; Yang Jiao endured Ji Fengming’s magical treasures, regenerated after the Vajra Bracelet shattered his head, and pierced Ji Fengming’s heart.
• Yang Jiao pinned Ji Fengming beneath his foot and threatened to destroy his Primordial Spirit, blaming the Human Race’s ambition for the conflict.

Yang Jiao confronted Ji Fengming and accused Great Xia of using its National Fortune to challenge the Heavenly Court while neglecting cultivation for technology. He threatened to destroy Great Xia, and Ji Fengming realized Yang Jiao might truly kill him.

• Yang Jiao explained that he believed Great Xia's campaign to regulate the Nine Provinces' Immortals was a test of the Heavenly Court's authority.
• Ji Fengming invoked his status as a disciple of Great Master Xuandu, but Yang Jiao dismissed his appeal and pinned him beneath his foot.
• Yang Jiao threatened to send a million Heavenly Soldiers and Generals against Great Xia unless the Human Emperor surrendered.
• Yang Jiao criticized the Human Race for pursuing technology and pleasure instead of cultivation, leaving Ji Fengming speechless.
• Yang Jiao's spearpoint moved toward Ji Fengming's brow, and Ji Fengming cried out in shock.

Yang Jiao forced Emperor Yu to relinquish his position and Ji Fengming to return to the Human Sect, ending the Heavenly Court’s confrontation with Great Xia. As Yang Jiao departed, Great Xia’s National Destiny Golden Dragon struck him, revealing that the Heavenly Court had deceived everyone about the price it paid.

• Yang Jiao rejected Ji Fengming’s claims and demanded that Emperor Yu go to Huoyun Cave and Ji Fengming return to the Human Sect.
• Emperor Yu agreed, dispersed his Fortune Aura as Human Race Co-Lord, and left for Huoyun Cave, leaving the Human Emperor’s position vacant.
• Yang Jiao made Ji Fengming swear to return to the Human Sect and promised that the Heavenly Court would not deliberately slaughter or punish the Human Race.
• Yang Jiao told Great Xia’s leaders that Emperor Yu’s descendants could succeed him, then remarked that there could not be a crown prince for thousands of years.
• As Yang Jiao flew away, the National Destiny Golden Dragon struck him and left him unconscious; Emperor Yu and Ji Fengming realized the Heavenly Court had deceived them about its cost.

After the Heavenly Court’s scheme left Yang Jiao gravely wounded, Emperor Yu and Ji Fengming realized their retreat had helped bring disaster upon the Human Race. Saint Taiqing explained how Ji Fengming’s past actions gave Haotian a way to bypass Great Xia’s National Fortune, and Ji Fengming withdrew from the world as the Nine Provinces began to reunite.

• Emperor Yu and Ji Fengming watched the Human Race, aided by the National Destiny Golden Dragon, slaughter the Heavenly Court’s assembled Loose Immortals and several Primordial Unity Golden Immortals.
• Emperor Yu entered Huoyun Cave, where Fuxi and the other sages comforted him instead of blaming him.
• Ji Fengming returned to Shouyang Mountain and asked Saint Taiqing why Yang Jiao had escaped suppression by Great Xia’s National Fortune.
• Saint Taiqing explained that Ji Fengming’s attacks on the immortals’ temples had created Karma that Haotian used to counter Great Xia’s Fortune.
• Saint Taiqing warned Ji Fengming that he could not undo the age’s course, and Ji Fengming stayed on Shouyang Mountain to cultivate as the Nine Provinces moved toward unity.

The Human Race fractured after Emperor Yu and Ji Fengming vanished, and Great Xia declined until Great Shang rose against it. When the Heavenly Saints ignored Haotian’s summons, he asked the Dao Ancestor to intervene, and the Saints gathered at Zixiao Palace to face his accusation.

• After Emperor Yu and Ji Fengming vanished, the Nine Provinces splintered into warring kingdoms, and Qi later united much of the realm and outlawed technology.
• Qi became Human Race Co-Lord, but years of war and weak rule left Great Xia impoverished and in decline.
• A Black Bird descended upon Shang, and Great Shang rose to lead a coalition against Xia.
• When the ten-thousand-year deadline arrived, the Saints ignored Haotian’s summons and refused the Heavenly Court’s invitations.
• Haotian went to Zixiao Palace and asked the Dao Ancestor to intervene, prompting him to summon the Saints for deliberations.
• The Dao Ancestor rebuked the Saints for refusing to help fill the Heavenly Court’s vacant posts, and Daoist Zhunti began explaining their difficulties.

Haotian pressed Hongjun and the Saints to address the Heavenly Court’s shortage of divine officials, while Taishang Laojun agreed to enter the court on behalf of the Human Sect. Haotian then turned on Venerable Yuanshi, accusing him of defying the greater trend and demanding that Hongjun judge the matter.

• Daoist Zhunti and Daoist Jieyin said the Western Lands Teachings lacked the three million immortals Haotian demanded, and the other Saints also claimed they had too few disciples to help.
• Saint Taiqing offered to send a manifestation into the Heavenly Court, and Hongjun approved; Taishang Laojun then left Zixiao Palace and opened a world in the Heavenly Realm.
• Haotian told Hongjun that he would resolve the shortage himself if the Dao Ancestor gave him justice, but otherwise the Chan Sect would be held responsible for the missing officials.
• Venerable Yuanshi threatened Haotian, who mocked his strength, and Hongjun rebuked Yuanshi for acting wildly before him.
• Haotian asked whether Venerable Yuanshi was meant to follow the greater trend, then accused him of openly defying it.

Haotian publicly accused Venerable Yuanshi of shielding the Twelve Golden Immortals after their repeated slaughter of the Human Race and demanded that they pay for their Red Dust Tribulation. Hongjun ended the confrontation by giving Yuanshi control of the Investiture List and authority to fill Heaven’s vacant divine posts.

• Haotian condemned Yuanshi for protecting the Twelve Golden Immortals and recounted their attacks on the Human Race.
• Haotian demanded that the Twelve Golden Immortals die or be placed on the Investiture List to serve in Heaven until their Red Dust Tribulation was cleansed.
• Taiqing stayed silent when Haotian suggested that Human Sect disciples take the vacant places on the Investiture List.
• Yuanshi raised the Pangu Banner, but Hongjun forced him and Haotian back into their seats.
• Hongjun proposed that Yuanshi control the Investiture List and fill the Heavenly Court’s vacant divine posts.

Hongjun reduced Haotian’s demand for Heavenly Court personnel from three million immortals to one million and appointed Venerable Yuanshi to oversee the Investiture of the Gods. Yuanshi began discussing how the sects would supply the quota, leaving the Human Sect exempt from providing more people.

• The Saints’ debate over the Investiture List devolved into a quarrel between the Witch-Demon Two Clans, which Venerable Yuanshi stopped.
• Venerable Yuanshi told Hongjun he doubted he could fill Haotian’s demand for three million immortals, and Haotian mocked him.
• Hongjun persuaded Haotian to accept one million immortals, while Haotian angrily rebuked the Demon Race Saints for suggesting an even smaller quota.
• Hongjun ordered the Saints to gather one million immortals and appointed Venerable Yuanshi to oversee the Investiture of the Gods.
• Haotian offered to take charge of the Investiture List, but Venerable Yuanshi refused to hand it over.
• Venerable Yuanshi proposed that the sects provide people according to their size and declared that the Human Sect, whose Good Corpse Taishang Laojun was already in the Heavenly Realm, owed no further contribution.

Venerable Yuanshi and the other Saints signed the Investiture List, each contributing disciples or followers according to their circumstances. The Western Sages refused to help, drawing a sharp rebuke from the Heavenly Emperor.

• Venerable Yuanshi filled the list with thousands of Chan Sect Outer Disciples and defended his decision to spare the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Heavenly Origin Sect.
• Sect Master Tongtian added tens of thousands of Interception Sect disciples, including a Daluo Golden Immortal.
• Saint Nuwa listed several hundred elderly, weak, sick, or disabled members of the Demon Race Remnants, while the Demon Saints each added several hundred to a thousand names.
• Chi You and Xing Tian objected that the Witch Clan had no True Spirits to ascend to Heaven, and Candle Dragon instead listed thousands of Flood Dragons and other clan dependents.
• Pingxin declined to contribute, saying the Underworld Bureau also needed people, while the Two Sages of the West claimed the Western Teachings had no one to spare.
• The Heavenly Emperor mocked the Western Sages for claiming the East was no concern of theirs despite often coming east to take advantage of it.

Haotian demanded that the Saints provide a million names for the Investiture List, while the Western Sages tried to evade their share. After Yuanshi forced them and the other Saints to contribute, Zhunti hinted at a plan that could fill the list but would make a powerful enemy.

• Zhunti and Jieyin claimed the Western Teachings were too poor and understaffed to help Haotian.
• Haotian threatened the Saints with the Dao Ancestor’s order and offered to count Zhunti and Jieyin themselves toward the list’s quota.
• Yuanshi confronted the Western Sages, who first submitted hundreds of names and then reluctantly added tens of thousands of followers.
• The other Saints pleaded that they could not spare enough people, leaving the list far short of a million.
• Zhunti repeatedly hinted at a way to fill the list despite the risk of offending someone, then began to reveal it after Yuanshi demanded he speak.