Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the eighth year of Di Xin’s reign, Great Shang enjoys peace, good weather, and abundant harvests. Di Xin has used taxes from the Nine Provinces to modernize Shang’s core territory, creating prosperous cities, highways, postal towns, industrial districts, and improved social systems.
• To prevent rebellion, Shang maintains eleven heavily fortified passes around its heartland. These defenses guard against the four major regional powers: Jiang Hengchu in the east, Chong Houhu in the north, E Chongyu in the south, and Ji Chang in the west. Fierce generals and disciples of the Sect of Interception reinforce the passes.
• The chapter explains Shang’s political structure: unlike Great Xia’s centralized rule, Shang governs through a network of feudal states. The original three thousand feudal lords have been reduced to roughly eight hundred, many of whom still retain considerable power.
• The Four Great Marquis are introduced:
  • Jiang Hengchu, Eastern Marquis and Di Xin’s former father-in-law, remains close to the imperial lineage.
  • E Chongyu, Southern Marquis, is loyal but faces growing dissatisfaction among his subordinate lords.
  • Chong Houhu, Northern Marquis, is unwaveringly loyal to Di Xin.
  • Ji Chang, Western Marquis, has gained immense prestige by mediating disputes and secretly building his own influence.
• Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong is away campaigning against Yuan Futong and the seventy-two rebellious North Sea lords. In his absence, loyal ministers such as Bi Gan and Shang Rong repeatedly criticize Di Xin’s policies, claiming they are defending the realm, but Di Xin refuses to restrain himself.
• The eight hundred feudal lords gather in Chaoge to pay homage. Though they resent Shang for using their taxes to develop the capital and imperial territory, they remain silent because of Shang’s military strength.
• The lords bring tribute, valuables, and even women for Di Xin’s expanding harem. However, the candidates are carefully screened by physicians and investigators.
• The visiting lords are astonished by Chaoge’s modern prosperity—shopping districts, food streets, tourist areas, technology zones, and industrial development. Despite their resentment, many become absorbed in enjoying the city and spend lavishly.
• Several lords attempt to bribe You Hun and Fei Zhong, but both refuse them. Their profits from overseeing modernization projects are already far greater, and they now fear Di Xin enough to avoid openly accepting gifts.
• At Di Xin’s summons, the Four Great Marquis secretly meet him in an empty imperial hall. The tense setting makes them suspect a possible trap or ambush.
• Chong Houhu enters confidently and pays his respects. Jiang Hengchu and E Chongyu follow. Ji Chang deliberately lingers outside, prompting Di Xin to question whether he harbors a grievance.
• Ji Chang gives a respectful excuse, claiming he delayed only to compose himself before meeting the emperor.

Character Developments

• Di Xin is portrayed as powerful, ambitious, politically confident, and increasingly authoritarian. He continues his modernization program despite opposition from ministers and feudal lords. His control is reinforced through military defenses, surveillance, and fear.
• Chong Houhu is established as Di Xin’s most dependable supporter. His loyalty is so strong that he suppresses opposition even within his own family.
• Ji Chang appears cautious, intelligent, and politically calculating. His growing popularity among the feudal lords and his secret accumulation of power make him a potential rival, while his hesitation before entering the hall suggests unease or concealed intentions.
• Jiang Hengchu remains aligned with the imperial family, though his position as a powerful regional lord gives him independent importance.
• E Chongyu remains loyal but is placed under pressure by the resentment of his subordinate lords.
• You Hun and Fei Zhong are shown as corrupt officials who have adapted to Di Xin’s stronger rule. They still profit from government projects but are now careful not to engage in conspicuous bribery.

Significant Themes

• Centralization versus feudal autonomy: Di Xin’s modernization strengthens the imperial center but deepens resentment among the feudal lords, who feel their wealth is being redirected toward Shang.
• Power maintained through fear and preparation: The extensive network of passes, troops, and supernatural reinforcements demonstrates that Di Xin’s rule depends not only on loyalty but also on overwhelming military deterrence.
• Modernization as political control: Chaoge’s prosperity reflects Di Xin’s success, but it also becomes evidence of exploitation in the eyes of the feudal lords.
• Hidden ambition and political tension: Although the realm appears peaceful, the resentment of the lords and Ji Chang’s rising influence suggest that rebellion or power struggles may be developing beneath the surface.
• Corruption under authoritarian rule: Officials such as You Hun and Fei Zhong continue benefiting from the system, but Di Xin’s growing authority forces them to hide their corruption more carefully.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin’s relationship with the Four Great Marquis reflects different degrees of loyalty and suspicion. Chong Houhu openly submits, while Ji Chang’s guarded behavior draws Di Xin’s attention.
• Di Xin directly challenges Ji Chang’s hesitation, using teasing but intimidating language to test his loyalty.
• Chong Houhu’s loyalty extends beyond personal allegiance: he actively disciplines his brother for criticizing Shang policy.
• The feudal lords’ attempts to approach You Hun and Fei Zhong reveal their desire to influence the imperial bureaucracy, while the ministers’ refusal signals how much Di Xin’s authority has changed the political climate.
• The private meeting between Di Xin and the Four Great Marquis establishes a tense atmosphere in which formal respect masks distrust, rivalry, and possible conflict.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin hosts the four regional marquises—Ji Chang of the West, Jiang Hengchu of the East, Chong Houhu of the North, and E Chongyu of the South—in a private banquet.
• His overwhelming presence intimidates the four powerful lords. When Ji Chang appears uneasy, Di Xin initially laughs it off as a joke and invites everyone to eat.
• After the meal, Di Xin reveals the true purpose of the gathering: he wants to strengthen the Human Race, restore its power, and free it from the influence of immortals, Buddhas, demons, and other supernatural forces.
• He proposes uniting the scattered strength of the Human Race into a single, coordinated power and asks the marquises whether they will support him.
• Jiang Hengchu gives a cautious, conditional response, refusing to sacrifice his own feudal state unless the benefits outweigh the losses.
• Chong Houhu openly supports Di Xin, provided his family’s interests are protected.
• E Chongyu also promises support as long as Di Xin remains a wise ruler.
• Ji Chang avoids directly declaring his position, praising Di Xin’s abilities while implying that such a powerful ruler should not need his support. Under Di Xin’s pressure, Ji Chang nervously asks him to state his plan plainly.
• The other marquises support Ji Chang’s request, fearing Di Xin’s intimidating and ambiguous approach.
• Di Xin finally explains that his goal is to consolidate all human forces into one unified whole, then asks directly who supports or opposes the plan.

2. Character Developments

• Di Xin is portrayed as exceptionally powerful, confident, and politically forceful. He deliberately creates tension, tests the marquises’ loyalty, and gradually reveals his ambitious reform plan.
• Ji Chang becomes visibly frightened and cautious. He suspects Di Xin may have discovered his hidden schemes and realizes that the Human Emperor is far more formidable than the “tyrant” described by the immortals.
• Jiang Hengchu is shown as self-interested and pragmatic. His primary concern is protecting his own faction and feudal state rather than blindly following Di Xin.
• Chong Houhu remains straightforward and loyal, eager to follow Di Xin as he did during earlier military campaigns.
• E Chongyu offers conditional loyalty, tying his support to Di Xin’s continued wisdom and proper rule.
• The four marquises collectively shift from confident regional rulers to nervous subordinates under Di Xin’s authority.

3. Significant Themes

• Centralization versus regional autonomy: Di Xin’s plan threatens the independent power and interests of the feudal lords.
• Unity as strength: The Human Race’s scattered power must be combined if it is to resist supernatural beings and control its own destiny.
• Political loyalty and self-interest: The marquises’ responses reveal different motives—loyalty, caution, personal advantage, and fear.
• The true nature of power: Di Xin’s presence challenges the propaganda portraying him as a mere tyrant and demonstrates that authority can come from overwhelming personal strength and charisma.
• Fear and psychological pressure: Di Xin controls the meeting largely through his aura and carefully managed ambiguity, forcing the marquises to reveal their positions.

4. Character Interactions

• Di Xin dominates the banquet through his imposing presence, while the marquises sit silently and hesitate even to eat.
• He directly questions each lord, forcing them to state their level of loyalty.
• Jiang Hengchu resists indirectly by emphasizing the interests of his dependents.
• Chong Houhu responds with enthusiastic military loyalty, while E Chongyu offers rational, conditional support.
• Di Xin’s confrontation with Ji Chang is the most tense interaction. Ji Chang avoids answering, praises Di Xin instead, and ultimately pleads for a clear explanation.
• The other marquises side with Ji Chang in asking Di Xin to speak plainly, revealing their shared anxiety.
• The chapter ends with Di Xin openly presenting his unification plan and demanding a clear division between supporters and opponents.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin announces his intention to abolish the existing feudal system and unify the entire realm under direct Shang rule, concentrating Human Race Destiny within one state.
• The four Great Marquis react very differently:
  • Chong Houhu enthusiastically supports the plan, eager for the wars, glory, and rewards that unification would bring.
  • E Chongyu openly opposes it, arguing that the feudal lords have remained loyal, paid taxes, and committed no offense deserving of war. He warns that violating ancestral law will plunge the realm into chaos and cause immense suffering.
  • Jiang Hengchu remains cautious and silent at first.
  • Ji Chang attempts to calm the situation by appealing to benevolence, righteousness, and the established cooperation between Shang and the feudal lords.
• Di Xin rejects E Chongyu’s objections, insisting that reform and national unity inevitably require bloodshed and sacrifice. He accuses E Chongyu of childish thinking and selfish resistance.
• Di Xin boasts of his military conquests, prosperity, treasury, armies, and alliances, claiming that no previous Shang ruler achieved as much as he has.
• In his most arrogant declaration, Di Xin claims that if Cheng Tang had lived in his era, either the two kings could not coexist or Cheng Tang would have had to avoid him.
• E Chongyu is effectively condemned politically, as Di Xin declares that his opinion no longer matters and says they will settle the issue through action.
• Jiang Hengchu agrees to serve as Di Xin’s “blade” on the condition that his family’s interests are protected.
• When Ji Chang cautiously asks Di Xin to avoid conflict, Di Xin tells him to return home and prepare a coffin, strongly implying that Ji Chang will soon be killed.

Character Developments

• Di Xin reveals the full extent of his ambition, arrogance, and ruthlessness. He no longer views himself merely as ruler of Shang but as the destined unifier of the entire Human Race. His confidence borders on extreme megalomania.
• Chong Houhu is shown as a fervent military loyalist. He is motivated by personal loyalty to Di Xin, a love of warfare, and the prospect of gaining territory and rewards through conquest.
• E Chongyu emerges as a principled but politically doomed figure. His loyalty is directed toward Shang, the state, and the common people rather than toward Di Xin personally. He refuses to support an unjust war and risks his life by confronting the king.
• Jiang Hengchu demonstrates pragmatic loyalty. Unlike E Chongyu, he is willing to support Di Xin so long as his family’s power and interests are secured.
• Ji Chang remains cautious and diplomatic, invoking benevolent governance rather than directly challenging Di Xin. His attempt at moderation fails, and Di Xin’s response suggests that he has become a target.
• The four Great Marquis are collectively shaken by Di Xin’s unprecedented arrogance, realizing that the political order has fundamentally changed.

Significant Themes

• Centralization versus feudal tradition: Di Xin wants to replace the shared rule of the Shang king and feudal lords with direct imperial control, directly challenging the system established by Cheng Tang.
• Reform and the cost of unity: Di Xin argues that national strength and political reform require war and sacrifice, while E Chongyu emphasizes the suffering imposed on ordinary people.
• Loyalty to ruler versus loyalty to state and people: Chong Houhu and Jiang Hengchu prioritize Di Xin or their own interests, whereas E Chongyu claims loyalty to the broader realm and its people.
• Tyranny and hubris: Di Xin’s belief in his own superiority leads him to dismiss ancestral law, tradition, and dissent. His comparison with Cheng Tang highlights his extraordinary pride.
• War as both glory and tragedy: Chong Houhu sees conquest as an opportunity for honor and gain, while E Chongyu stresses the deaths, displacement, and destruction war brings.
• The collapse of political compromise: The meeting shows that negotiation between Di Xin and the feudal lords is effectively over. Supporters will be rewarded, while opponents face elimination.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin and Chong Houhu: Their relationship is based on deep military loyalty and shared enthusiasm for conquest. Chong Houhu immediately pledges absolute obedience.
• Di Xin and E Chongyu: Their exchange is openly confrontational. E Chongyu challenges Di Xin’s morality and legitimacy, while Di Xin humiliates and dismisses him, effectively sentencing him politically.
• Di Xin and Jiang Hengchu: Jiang Hengchu offers conditional support, and Di Xin accepts it without much discussion, treating him as a useful instrument.
• Di Xin and Ji Chang: Ji Chang attempts diplomacy, but Di Xin responds with a veiled death threat, demonstrating that he has no interest in compromise.
• The four Great Marquis and Di Xin: Their differing reactions expose the fractures within the ruling elite and establish the coming conflict between the Shang throne and the feudal states.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin summons the Four Great Marquises and announces that he intends to abolish the feudal system and centralize control over the realm.
• He rejects their objections, declaring that those who submit will live and those who resist will die. He gives them one year to surrender, threatening to destroy all opposition.
• Marquis of the South, E Chongyu, openly protests and warns that Di Xin’s policies could plunge the realm into chaos. Di Xin’s intimidating gaze forces him to withdraw angrily.
• Marquis of the West, Ji Chang, cautiously departs after realizing Di Xin has no immediate intention of killing him.
• Ji Chang travels rapidly from Chaoge to West Qi, expecting an ambush or secret assassination. However, Shang officials, checkpoints, and the Tong Pass allow him to leave without interference.
• Once safely home, Ji Chang concludes that Di Xin is reckless and politically foolish for threatening the feudal lords without first eliminating them.
• Ji Chang decides to secretly oppose Di Xin, cooperate with E Chongyu and other feudal rulers, and seek guidance from the Chan Sect immortals. He believes West Qi’s “heavenly mandate” and rebellion against Di Xin are approaching.

Character Developments

• Di Xin: Reveals an exceptionally forceful and uncompromising ambition. He is determined to abolish the feudal states and impose direct imperial rule, even if it means war against the entire realm.
• Ji Chang: His long-standing caution gives way to confidence and excitement. Having escaped safely, he interprets Di Xin’s actions as proof that the ruler is tyrannical and strategically inept. He begins openly planning rebellion.
• E Chongyu: Becomes furious at the threat to his family’s hereditary territory and is prepared to resist Di Xin alongside Ji Chang.
• Jiang Hengchu: Remains calm and restrained during the confrontation, offering no strong public opposition.
• Chong Houhu: Appears fervently aligned with the emperor, contrasting with the resistance of the other marquises.
• Ji Chang’s sons: Share their father’s confidence and encourage him to contact the Chan Sect immortals.

Significant Themes

• Centralization versus feudal autonomy: Di Xin seeks to replace the traditional system of hereditary regional rule with centralized imperial authority.
• Power and rebellion: The marquises view Di Xin’s demand as an attack on their ancestral power, making rebellion increasingly likely.
• Misjudgment and hubris: Ji Chang interprets Di Xin’s decision to let him go as weakness, while Di Xin may have a larger strategy that Ji Chang does not understand.
• Heavenly mandate and political legitimacy: Ji Chang believes popular support, immortal backing, and destiny favor West Qi’s eventual challenge to the Shang ruler.
• Fear and suspicion: Ji Chang is terrified of assassination throughout his journey, revealing how deeply he distrusts Di Xin despite eventually laughing at the emperor’s apparent lack of action.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin confronts the Four Great Marquises and refuses to treat their objections as legitimate counsel.
• E Chongyu directly challenges the emperor, while Di Xin silences him through intimidation.
• Ji Chang maintains outward respect but internally resolves to overthrow Di Xin.
• After reaching West Qi, Ji Chang discusses the situation with his sons, who reinforce his belief that rebellion will succeed.
• Ji Chang and E Chongyu are positioned as potential allies against Di Xin, while Jiang Hengchu remains neutral and Chong Houhu appears supportive of the emperor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Chang summons Immortal Elder Nanji to West Qi. The immortal arrives with an aura of warmth and benevolence, immediately earning the respect of Ji Chang, his sons, and his ministers.
• Nanji declares that West Qi is favored by Heaven: the phoenix is destined to cry over the region, and Ji Chang possesses the bearing of a future Human Race Co-Lord. This greatly strengthens West Qi’s belief that it will eventually replace Great Shang.
• Ji Chang recounts the recent Assembly of Lords in Chaoge. Di Xin demanded that all eight hundred feudal lords abandon their traditional autonomy and become his direct subjects.
• Di Xin allegedly intends to centralize the entire Nine Provinces, revive the authoritarian practices of ancient Great Xia, eliminate ancestral laws, and wage war against any lords who resist.
• Ji Chang and his followers interpret Di Xin’s policy as reckless tyranny and are relieved that he revealed his intentions instead of immediately killing or imprisoning the opposing lords.
• Ji Chang receives a video report from his informant in Chaoge. Around ninety percent of the feudal lords opposed Di Xin’s proposal. Some sought negotiations, some continued indulging in luxury, some explored the possible benefits of submission, and others fled the capital in fear.
• Marquis Su Hu of Jizhou openly condemned Di Xin by writing an insulting poem on the Meridian Gate: “The ruler ruined the state and reversed all order; Su Hu of Jizhou would never serve Shang!”
• Su Hu’s son, Su Quanzhong, argued with local nobles and killed one of them during the dispute. He was arrested and imprisoned.
• Seeking to save his son, Su Hu approached You Hun for help. You Hun demanded that Su Hu send his beautiful daughter, Su Daji, to Chaoge to enter Di Xin’s harem.
• Su Hu reluctantly agreed, but while Daji was traveling to the capital, she was possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox, part of Empress Nuwa’s plan to undermine Great Shang.
• The chapter explains that Nuwa became hostile toward Di Xin after his government stopped funding temples, allowed temples to be destroyed, and promoted atheism. She therefore sent three demons to corrupt Shang’s Fortune Aura.

Character Developments

• Ji Chang: Becomes increasingly confident in West Qi’s destiny. Nanji’s prophecy confirms his ambition to replace Great Shang, while his account of Di Xin’s actions allows him to present himself as a righteous alternative ruler.
• Immortal Elder Nanji: Acts as a powerful supporter and ideological validator of Ji Chang. His praise gives West Qi’s political ambitions the appearance of divine approval.
• Di Xin: Is portrayed by Ji Chang and the lords as arrogant, extreme, and dangerously determined to centralize power. His policies have alienated most of the feudal aristocracy.
• Su Hu: Shows open defiance toward Di Xin but becomes vulnerable when his son is imprisoned. His desire to save Su Quanzhong forces him to sacrifice his daughter’s freedom.
• Su Quanzhong: Displays fierce loyalty to his family and political opinions, but his impulsive violence results in his arrest.
• You Hun: Uses Su Quanzhong’s imprisonment to pressure Su Hu into offering Su Daji to the king.
• Su Daji: Is positioned to become a major instrument in the fall of Great Shang after being possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox.
• Empress Nuwa: Shifts from resentment to active retaliation against Di Xin, using the fox demon and other supernatural agents to weaken Shang.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and destiny: Nanji’s prophecy frames West Qi’s rebellion as Heaven’s will and portrays Ji Chang as a future human ruler.
• Centralization versus feudal autonomy: Di Xin’s attempt to rule the entire realm directly threatens the traditional power of the feudal lords and provokes widespread resistance.
• Political propaganda: Ji Chang and his ministers interpret every action by Di Xin as proof of his foolishness and tyranny, strengthening their own claim to righteous rule.
• Corruption from within: The danger to Great Shang comes not only from military opposition but also from internal division, court intrigue, and supernatural manipulation.
• Family sacrifice and coercion: Su Hu’s attempt to rescue his son forces him to endanger his daughter, demonstrating how political power exploits familial bonds.
• The conflict between rational governance and religious authority: Di Xin’s rejection of temples and promotion of atheism directly challenges divine forces, especially Nuwa, and triggers supernatural retaliation.

Character Interactions

• Ji Chang and Nanji establish a relationship of mutual political and spiritual reinforcement, with Nanji legitimizing Ji Chang’s ambitions.
• Ji Chang’s officials and sons respond to Nanji with reverence, reflecting the Chan Sect’s influence over West Qi.
• Ji Chang’s informant provides a firsthand account of Chaoge’s political turmoil, allowing West Qi to assess the growing opposition to Di Xin.
• Su Hu’s defiance contrasts with Su Quanzhong’s impulsive confrontation, while both reveal the family’s opposition to Shang.
• You Hun exploits Su Hu’s desperation, turning Su Daji into the price of Su Quanzhong’s release.
• Nuwa’s decision to possess Daji introduces the supernatural force that will likely intensify the conflict between Great Shang and West Qi.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• From the top of the unfinished Star-Picking Tower, Di Xin surveys Chaoge and reflects on his decision to centralize all power in Great Shang rather than allow the feudal lords to retain control of the Nine Provinces.
• He rejects the traditional, decentralized model of rule, believing that a true Human Emperor must personally command every territory and subject within the realm.
• Determined not to repeat the fate of Jie Xia or passively await rebellion from West Qi and the feudal lords, Di Xin resolves to attack and subdue his enemies before they can rise against him.
• The system completes its calculation of the shock caused by his earlier declaration before the feudal lords, awarding him:
  • Early-stage Golden Immortal cultivation
  • The Five Virtues and Five Elements Human Emperor Body
  • The Human Emperor Jiang Shan Sword
  • The Human Emperor Statecraft Map
  • Three thousand sets of army armor, spears, bows, and Human Immortal Pills
  • The Black Bird Banner
• Di Xin immediately accepts the rewards and advances to the Golden Immortal realm. He discovers that his Metal Laws have reached the Golden Immortal level and that his special Human Emperor Body can strengthen and replenish the other elemental laws.
• The system also reveals that achieving the “Three Thousand Beauties in the Harem” milestone will grant him Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation. Di Xin briefly considers the possibility of eventually reaching the Daluo realm and using overwhelming power to preserve Great Shang.
• After equipping the Human Emperor Sword and Statecraft Map, Di Xin summons Fei Zhong and orders him to have Fei Lian and E Lai prepare the army for immediate inspection.
• When Fei Zhong warns that the army may not be ready, Di Xin angrily silences him and threatens the commanders with death if the troops are unprepared by the time he arrives.

Character Developments

• Di Xin: Becomes even more ambitious, confident, and authoritarian. His sudden advancement to Golden Immortal strengthens his belief that he can overturn the established order and personally unify the Nine Provinces. He also grows increasingly exhilarated by power and cultivation, valuing strength above pleasure or worldly indulgence.
• Fei Zhong: Remains fearful and submissive. Di Xin’s increased presence and authority terrify him, prompting him to obey immediately and pass the king’s demands on to others.
• Fei Lian and E Lai: Though they do not appear directly, they are established as the army trainers responsible for preparing the troops and are placed under severe pressure by Di Xin’s inspection order.

Significant Themes

• Centralized authority versus feudal decentralization: Di Xin believes divided power weakens the Human Race’s national destiny and insists that a genuine Human Emperor must exercise direct control over the entire realm.
• Destiny and self-determination: Although Di Xin is favored by destiny and assisted by the system, he intends to actively seize control of events rather than wait for prophecy or enemies to dictate his downfall.
• Power as the foundation of security: His advancement convinces him that overwhelming strength is the only reliable protection against rebels, immortals, and rival states.
• Ambition and transformation: Di Xin’s second life has changed his former opinions. He now embraces the ruthless logic of absolute rule and seeks achievements beyond what anyone in the era would dare imagine.
• System-driven progression: The system rewards public displays of authority and shock, turning political intimidation into a direct source of cultivation, treasures, and military power.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin interacts with the system by accepting its rewards and analyzing the extent of his new abilities.
• He commands Fei Zhong to relay his inspection order to Fei Lian and E Lai.
• Fei Zhong attempts to caution Di Xin but is sharply rebuked, reinforcing the king’s dominance and the fear surrounding him.
• Di Xin’s threat to eliminate unprepared commanders demonstrates the increasingly harsh and coercive relationship between the ruler and his subordinates.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Twenty thousand elite imperial guards assemble at the training ground after Di Xin orders them to gather.
• Di Xin arrives several hours late, finding that the soldiers’ discipline and morale have deteriorated while waiting.
• Rather than reprimanding the soldiers directly, he confronts their commanders, Fei Lian and E Lai, and questions whether these troops are truly Great Shang’s elite.
• Several officers openly complain that Di Xin made them wait and accuse him of failing to respect his soldiers. Di Xin responds that soldiers must obey orders and remain prepared, especially during wartime.
• He challenges the officers to attack him together, promising the victor promotion and rewards while assuring them he will not punish anyone for participating.
• Fei Lian and E Lai panic, knowing Di Xin’s ruthless battlefield reputation, but the officers arrogantly accept the challenge.
• Di Xin states that he will not rely on the Human Emperor’s Fortune Aura and will fight purely through battlefield skill and physical strength.
• Golden Immortal-level general Bo Shan attacks first with a powerful spear strike. Di Xin catches the eighteen-foot spear with one hand, astonishing everyone.
• Bo Shan follows with a deceptive combination of blade and spear attacks, but Di Xin catches both weapons, overpowers him, melts the blade into powder, and pierces Bo Shan through the chest with the spear.
• After throwing Bo Shan from the platform, Di Xin draws the Human Emperor Sword and orders all the remaining officers to attack.
• He charges into the group, and the chapter ends with the fighting platform covered in corpses.

Character Developments

• Di Xin: Demonstrates his harsh, uncompromising leadership style and overwhelming martial strength. Although he has recently restrained his temperament to improve his public image, the chapter reveals that his ruthless, decisive nature remains intact. He believes soldiers must endure hardship, obey orders, and remain ready for battle.
• Fei Lian and E Lai: Their fear and respect for Di Xin become clear. They understand his true nature and immediately recognize that the officers have provoked a deadly confrontation.
• Bo Shan: Initially appears as a powerful and confident Golden Immortal martial cultivator, but his arrogance turns into humiliation when Di Xin effortlessly defeats him.
• The Imperial Officers and Soldiers: Begin as proud, resentful, and undisciplined, believing their martial prowess makes them superior. Their confidence collapses when Di Xin proves capable of overpowering their strongest commander.

Significant Themes

• Discipline and obedience: Di Xin argues that soldiers cannot allow personal frustration to interfere with duty, especially when the survival of the army may depend on their readiness.
• The burdens of service: Those who accept the ruler’s salary must also accept the ruler’s demands and share the hardships of governing and warfare.
• Leadership through strength: Di Xin establishes authority not merely through his title as Human Emperor but by personally demonstrating superior combat ability.
• Arrogance and consequences: The officers’ disrespect and overconfidence lead directly to their deaths.
• The hidden nature of power: Di Xin’s restrained public behavior conceals the ruthless warrior and terrifying battlefield force he once was.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin confronts Fei Lian and E Lai over the soldiers’ poor discipline, causing both commanders to fear they have failed him.
• The officers openly challenge Di Xin’s authority, while Fei Lian and E Lai attempt to silence and protect them.
• Di Xin turns the soldiers’ resentment into a formal challenge, inviting them to test their strength against him.
• Bo Shan engages Di Xin directly, first with a spear and then with a deceptive blade-and-spear combination.
• Di Xin humiliates and defeats Bo Shan before challenging the entire group, transforming the training exercise into a massacre.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the training grounds, Di Xin defeats all of Great Shang’s elite martial soldiers single-handedly and barehanded, including Bo Shan, whose strength rivals a Severing Immortal. His display reveals that he possesses at least Golden Immortal-level power.
• Di Xin challenges the remaining soldiers to defeat him, promising a marquisate to anyone who can knock him down. No one dares accept, and the soldiers instead submit to him completely.
• He announces plans to select the finest three thousand soldiers and forge them into an elite “divine army”—a force capable of crushing every enemy and becoming Great Shang’s sharpest weapon.
• The soldiers are given three days to recover before competing for positions in the new army.
• Commanders E Lai and Fei Lian fear that Di Xin’s decision reflects dissatisfaction with their training. They apologize and beg for another chance.
• Di Xin reassures them and assigns them separate responsibilities: Fei Lian will command the Imperial Guard and protect the capital, while E Lai will command the newly formed divine army and carry out Di Xin’s orders without hesitation.
• Back at the palace, You Hun reports that Su Hu of Jizhou has sent his daughter, Su Daji, to the King as a potential consort.
• Di Xin is startled because events seem to be following the expected fate of the world even though he never visited Nuwa Temple.
• You Hun admits that he arranged the offering to help secure Su Quanzhong’s pardon after the young man killed a powerful noble’s son. Di Xin is enraged that You Hun presumed to act in his name and orders his execution, though he ultimately spares him.

Character Developments

• Di Xin: Demonstrates overwhelming martial strength and gains the soldiers’ absolute respect. He begins building a personally loyal elite army and establishes himself as a decisive, commanding ruler. He also shows that he will not tolerate ministers manipulating or presuming to know his wishes.
• E Lai: Moves from anxious subordinate to trusted commander of the new divine army. His loyalty is tested, and he accepts the duty with fervor.
• Fei Lian: Is entrusted with the Imperial Guard and the security of the capital, showing that Di Xin continues to value his service despite creating a stronger military force.
• You Hun: Reveals himself as opportunistic and presumptuous by arranging Su Daji’s arrival without direct orders. His fear when Di Xin condemns him emphasizes the danger of overstepping the King’s authority.
• Su Daji: Although she does not appear directly, her arrival introduces a major figure and suggests that important events are unfolding according to a larger predetermined course.

Significant Themes

• Power and legitimacy: Di Xin’s physical dominance causes the soldiers to accept him as their unquestioned leader.
• Loyalty and obedience: The soldiers, E Lai, and Fei Lian all pledge themselves to Di Xin, while You Hun’s presumption is punished as a threat to royal authority.
• The creation of an ideal military force: The divine army represents Di Xin’s ambition to centralize power and create an unstoppable weapon for Great Shang.
• Fate versus intervention: Di Xin is troubled that Su Daji has arrived despite his attempts to avoid the events traditionally associated with her, suggesting that fate may be correcting or enforcing its own course.
• Merit and strength: Status within the new army will be determined by combat ability, reinforcing the chapter’s focus on martial excellence and practical power.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin humiliates the elite soldiers in combat, then turns their defeat into loyalty by offering them the chance to serve in his new army.
• E Lai and Fei Lian kneel before Di Xin and apologize, fearing replacement; Di Xin instead rewards their loyalty with important commands.
• Di Xin gives E Lai a direct, uncompromising mission: destroy whatever he points toward, even at the cost of E Lai’s life.
• You Hun attempts to flatter Di Xin with news of Su Daji, but his explanation provokes the King’s anger because he arranged the matter without authorization.
• Di Xin’s threat to execute You Hun establishes a sharp contrast between genuine loyalty and manipulative service, though his eventual pardon shows that he is willing to temper punishment.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin punishes You Hun for acting without permission, warning him never to “act first and report afterward.” However, recognizing his recent service, Di Xin rewards him with gold, silk, and luminous pearls. You Hun is overwhelmed with gratitude and is dragged away after Di Xin becomes impatient with his fawning.
• Di Xin contrasts You Hun with Fei Zhong, considering Fei Zhong more restrained and sensible, while viewing You Hun as reckless and dangerous because he acts without considering consequences.
• Di Xin summons Su Daji. Although he knows that a fox spirit has possessed her body and that she once contributed to the downfall of his dynasty, he also remembers that she remained with him and died alongside him when Chaoge fell.
• Su Daji arrives expecting to manipulate Di Xin and quickly complete her mission. Instead, Di Xin coldly interrogates her about her origins and abilities, insisting that he has no use for idle people.
• Su Daji claims proficiency in music, dance, chess, calligraphy, painting, and other arts. Di Xin unexpectedly orders her to help him cultivate, leaving her surprised and frustrated when he refuses to behave as she anticipated.
• Several days later, Di Xin visits the military training grounds. E Lai has selected the three thousand strongest soldiers from the twenty thousand imperial guards. Most are powerful Martial Path cultivators nearing the Human Immortal realm and are skilled at coordinated military formations.
• Di Xin rewards E Lai despite reprimanding him for acting independently, then produces three thousand complete sets of Fire God armor, banners, spears, and bows. Each item is a Houtian Mid-Grade Dharma Treasure, shocking everyone present.
• The selected soldiers equip themselves and become an immensely powerful elite force. Their individual strength, equipment, and formations could allow them to defeat Golden Immortals and even threaten Grand Unity Golden Immortals.
• Fei Lian and E Lai ask for equipment as well, but Di Xin refuses, implying that he has even better treasures prepared for them.
• Just as the soldiers celebrate their new power, Di Xin criticizes their physical weakness and announces that he has prepared one Immortal Elixir for each soldier. The pills will make them immortal and allow them to ascend as immortals, causing the entire army to erupt in excitement.

2. Character Developments

• Di Xin demonstrates increasingly ruthless but calculated leadership. He controls dangerous subordinates through intimidation while using timely rewards to maintain their loyalty. He also proves to be a strategic ruler who invests heavily in building an elite military force.
• You Hun is shown as extremely submissive and opportunistic. His recklessness makes him dangerous, but Di Xin’s reward convinces him that his actions are valued.
• Fei Zhong is established as the more reliable and cautious of the two ministers, understanding the limits of what should be attempted.
• Su Daji begins with confidence that she can manipulate Di Xin, but his coldness and unexpected behavior unsettle her. Her plans are disrupted because Di Xin is fully aware of her true nature and does not behave like the foolish tyrant she expected.
• E Lai proves capable of selecting and organizing an elite army, though he is reprimanded for acting without authorization. His loyalty and excitement over Di Xin’s rewards remain clear.
• Fei Lian and E Lai are portrayed as greedy but loyal generals who eagerly seek rewards and become ecstatic when Di Xin hints that their own treasures will be even better.

3. Significant Themes

• Control through fear and reward: Di Xin maintains authority by combining harsh punishment with generous compensation, ensuring that subordinates remain obedient while continuing to serve him.
• The danger of reckless loyalty: You Hun’s actions show that blind enthusiasm can create more problems than deliberate evil, reinforcing Di Xin’s need to restrain his followers.
• Transformation of the military: Di Xin seeks to turn ordinary soldiers into a supernatural army through powerful weapons, armor, formations, and elixirs.
• Power and ambition: The chapter emphasizes Di Xin’s determination to create an “invincible” force capable of challenging immortal-level beings and reshaping the balance of power.
• Manipulation and reversed expectations: Su Daji expects to seduce or deceive Di Xin, but he instead controls the encounter, suggesting that his knowledge of the future gives him an advantage over those who once manipulated him.
• Fate and self-determination: Di Xin’s declaration that “my fate is mine, not Heaven’s” reflects his defiance of destiny and his desire to overturn the future that once led to his dynasty’s destruction.

4. Character Interactions

• Di Xin and You Hun: Di Xin reprimands and threatens You Hun, then rewards him, reinforcing their unequal but mutually useful relationship.
• Di Xin and Su Daji: Their meeting is tense and psychologically charged. Su Daji expects an easy target, but Di Xin recognizes the fox spirit within her and treats her as someone whose talents must prove useful.
• Di Xin and E Lai: Di Xin criticizes E Lai for acting independently but ultimately rewards his initiative and trusts him to select the army’s elite.
• Di Xin, Fei Lian, and E Lai: The two generals beg for the same treasures given to the soldiers. Di Xin refuses but reassures them that they will receive even better rewards, producing intense excitement.
• Di Xin and the three thousand soldiers: He presents himself as both demanding commander and generous ruler. He gives them unparalleled equipment, challenges them to become stronger, and finally promises immortality, binding them to him through awe, gratitude, and ambition.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin reveals that he has prepared three thousand Immortal Elixirs for the elite soldiers selected from the twenty thousand Imperial Guards.
• The chosen soldiers will receive:
  • A complete set of

Houtian Spiritual Treasure military equipment

• An Immortal Elixir capable of raising them directly to the

Human Immortal Realm

• Training in the

Fire God Blood Fiend Grand Formation

• The announcement causes immense excitement among the selected soldiers and intense jealousy among those who were not chosen.
• E Lai, despite already being a Martial Path Golden Immortal, asks for an elixir so that he can also cultivate the Immortal Dao. Di Xin promises that E Lai and his father, Fei Lian, will receive even greater rewards because of their loyalty and contributions.
• The three thousand elites consume the elixirs and simultaneously break through to the Human Immortal Realm, creating a massive disturbance throughout Chaoge.
• Other cultivators become alarmed, expecting the simultaneous breakthroughs to trigger an overwhelming Heavenly Calamity. However, the tribulation clouds disperse because Chaoge is protected by the Human Dao aura, Human Emperor’s authority, and Great Shang’s national fortune.
• Taibai Golden Star arrives as an envoy from the Heavenly Court. He explains that avoiding the tribulation would leave the soldiers as Pseudo-Immortals, lacking Heaven and Earth’s recognition and the benefits of Primordial Wilderness Creation.
• The Heavenly Emperor offers a compromise: if the three thousand soldiers leave Chaoge and undergo their tribulations in the wilderness, the Heavenly Court will show them some leniency.
• Di Xin accepts the arrangement and orders E Lai to lead the soldiers outside the capital to face the Heavenly Calamity.
• Privately, Di Xin asks Taibai Golden Star whether Great Shang can formally cooperate with the Heavenly Court.

Character Developments

• Di Xin demonstrates his strategic vision and generosity. He is building a powerful elite force while carefully balancing relations with the Heavenly Court.
• E Lai reveals his desire to advance beyond the Martial Path and cultivate the Immortal Dao. His loyalty is rewarded when Di Xin promises him and Fei Lian superior benefits.
• The three thousand elite guards are transformed from powerful soldiers into a potentially devastating Human Immortal army equipped with spiritual treasures and trained in a powerful formation.
• Taibai Golden Star acts as a respectful and diplomatic intermediary rather than an arrogant heavenly official. His mission reflects the Heavenly Emperor’s attempt to maintain relations with Di Xin.
• The Heavenly Emperor acknowledges Di Xin’s authority over Great Shang and uses diplomacy instead of directly opposing the creation of the new immortal army.

Significant Themes

• Power through organized force: Di Xin is not merely gathering strong individuals; he is creating a disciplined, well-equipped army capable of combining its strength through a formation.
• Immortal Dao versus Martial Path: The chapter emphasizes the perceived superiority and legitimacy of the Immortal Dao, prompting even Martial Path experts such as E Lai to seek immortal cultivation.
• Authority of the Human Emperor: Chaoge’s Human Dao aura and national fortune are powerful enough to prevent Heavenly Calamity from descending within the capital, showing the extraordinary protection granted by Di Xin’s position.
• Legitimacy and recognition: True immortality requires recognition from Heaven and Earth. Power gained without undergoing tribulation may be impressive but is considered incomplete and inferior.
• Diplomacy amid rising power: Di Xin’s growing military strength forces the Heavenly Court to negotiate with him, suggesting that Great Shang is becoming an important power capable of dealing with celestial forces on near-equal terms.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin reassures E Lai and Fei Lian that their loyalty will earn them rewards greater than those given to the new elite soldiers.
• The selected guards react with excitement to Di Xin’s promise of immortality, while the rejected soldiers express envy and regret.
• Taibai Golden Star respectfully conveys the Heavenly Emperor’s warning and offer, carefully avoiding confrontation.
• Di Xin accepts the Heavenly Court’s terms and then privately approaches Taibai to explore formal cooperation between Great Shang and the Heavenly Court, setting up a possible political alliance or strategic partnership.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin proposes an alliance between Great Shang and the Heavenly Court, offering to establish temples throughout the Nine Provinces so the people can worship Heavenly Court deities and provide them with enormous amounts of Incense Power and Human Path Fortune.
• Taibai Golden Star is surprised but does not immediately accept. He promises to report the proposal to Haotian, the Heavenly Emperor.
• Di Xin argues that a unified system of worship would greatly benefit the Heavenly Court, presenting the arrangement as a mutually advantageous political and spiritual alliance.
• Di Xin dismisses the negative rumors portraying him as a tyrant, insisting that history is written by the victors. He declares that once Great Shang becomes powerful enough, he will overturn those accusations and earn universal praise.
• Taibai Golden Star privately recognizes Di Xin’s intelligence and ambition but believes Great Shang is doomed because the Heavenly Dao Saints are manipulating events against it.
• In the Heavenly Court, Taibai reports Di Xin’s offer to Haotian. Haotian acknowledges the tremendous benefits of gaining the Human Race’s worship, but ultimately refuses to commit to cooperation.
• Haotian views Great Shang as bait in a larger scheme designed to draw the Interception Sect into the coming Tribulation of Calamity. He believes the Heavenly Court will eventually seize control of the Human Realm and sees no need to support Di Xin directly.
• Meanwhile, E Lai returns to Chaoge with three thousand newly advanced Human Immortals. Di Xin orders them to focus on military formations and prepares to strengthen Great Shang further.
• Di Xin activates the system-rewarded Black Bird Banner by planting it atop the unfinished Star-Picking Tower in the imperial city. The banner doubles Chaoge’s Fortune Aura and improves its public sentiment, population, economy, and administration.
• Immediately afterward, Di Xin encounters an elderly Jiang Shang outside the tower. Jiang Shang addresses him and prepares to offer advice, setting up their first significant meeting.

Character Developments

• Di Xin: Demonstrates strategic intelligence, political boldness, and confidence. Rather than relying solely on force, he attempts to secure the Heavenly Court through incentives. He also reveals a strong awareness of propaganda and historical reputation, refusing to be defined by hostile narratives. His placement of the Black Bird Banner shows careful attention to Great Shang’s long-term development.
• Taibai Golden Star: Moves from skepticism to genuine respect for Di Xin’s charisma and ability. However, he remains pessimistic about Great Shang’s ultimate fate and understands that larger powers are manipulating the conflict.
• Haotian: Recognizes the potential value of Di Xin’s offer but remains arrogant and politically calculating. He believes the Heavenly Court can profit from the coming chaos without risking an alliance with Great Shang.
• E Lai and the three thousand Human Immortals: Their successful breakthrough strengthens Great Shang’s military and spiritual foundation. Their role shifts toward organized battlefield power through training in military formations.
• Jiang Shang: Appears at the chapter’s conclusion as an important new figure. His encounter with Di Xin suggests that he may become an adviser, opponent, or key political player.

Significant Themes

• Power and political alliance: Di Xin attempts to bridge the Human Realm and Heavenly Court by offering material and spiritual benefits rather than demanding obedience.
• Fate versus resistance: Although Di Xin acts decisively, Taibai and Haotian believe the broader forces of the Dao and the Saints have already determined Great Shang’s fate.
• The writing of history: Di Xin emphasizes that reputations depend on who wins, highlighting the difference between public narratives and actual character.
• Human destiny and religious authority: The proposed temples would connect imperial power, popular worship, and Heavenly Court authority, making Incense Power a major political resource.
• Hidden manipulation: Great Shang’s struggles are portrayed as part of a much larger scheme involving the Saints, the Interception Sect, and the coming calamity.
• Nation-building and fortune: The Black Bird Banner symbolizes Di Xin’s effort to strengthen the state through prosperity, public support, and administrative development.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin and Taibai Golden Star: Their conversation is respectful but strategic. Di Xin presses his case with confidence, while Taibai remains outwardly diplomatic and inwardly doubtful.
• Taibai and Haotian: Taibai presents Di Xin as a potentially valuable ally and suggests cooperation. Haotian dismisses the need for such an alliance because he expects to benefit from Great Shang’s eventual downfall.
• Di Xin and Jiang Shang: The chapter ends with their first direct encounter. Jiang Shang’s request to offer advice creates anticipation for a major exchange involving strategy, governance, or the future of Great Shang.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

Outside the Star-Picking Tower, Jiang Shang notices traces of demon aura on King Di Xin and worries that a demon has infiltrated the palace. Grateful to Di Xin for giving him a comfortable official position, Jiang Shang sincerely offers to help protect him. Di Xin, who already knows Jiang Shang’s future role as the man who will help overthrow Great Shang, deliberately treats him with warmth and praise. He hopes to keep Jiang Shang loyal and perhaps even use him to carry out the Investiture of the Gods on behalf of Great Shang.
Encouraged by Di Xin’s trust, Jiang Shang reveals that he once studied under a Saint on Mount Kunlun. He gives Di Xin a talisman and instructs him to burn it, mix the ashes into water, and make the woman closest to him drink it. According to Jiang Shang, the demon will then reveal her true form.
That night, Di Xin tests the talisman on Su Daji, openly burning it in front of her and ordering her to drink the mixture. When she tries to manipulate him through flirtation and threats of suicide, Di Xin coldly tells her to die if she wishes. She reluctantly drinks the talisman water, but Jiang Shang’s weak method fails to expose her fox-demon form. Instead, it merely intensifies her seductive nature, and she eventually goes to bed with Di Xin. The chapter ends with Jiang Shang asking the next day whether the demon revealed herself.

Character developments

• Di Xin: Demonstrates a strategic and broad-minded approach toward Jiang Shang. Rather than punishing or distrusting his future enemy, he intends to win him over through kindness and possibly exploit his talents for Great Shang. He also shows that he is not as easily controlled by Su Daji as she assumes.
• Jiang Shang: Becomes deeply loyal to Di Xin after receiving praise and recognition. His gratitude inspires him to act as a sincere protector of the King, though his confidence in his demon-slaying abilities is not matched by the effectiveness of his method.
• Su Daji: Although she continues pretending to be a lovestruck concubine and serving her assigned mission, she has begun developing genuine affection for Di Xin. She is shocked by his bluntness and frustrated that her usual emotional manipulation does not work as expected.

Significant themes

• Trust and loyalty: Di Xin’s deliberate kindness earns Jiang Shang’s loyalty, showing how a ruler can influence even a future adversary.
• Fate and reversal: The chapter plays with the established expectation that Jiang Shang will destroy Great Shang, while Di Xin attempts to change that destiny by keeping him close.
• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Shang believes Su Daji is a dangerous demon, while she presents herself as a devoted concubine. At the same time, Di Xin appears foolish to others but is secretly calculating and aware of the larger situation.
• Manipulation and emotional control: Su Daji expects to control Di Xin through seduction, but his indifference and harsh response undermine her confidence.

Character interactions

Di Xin praises and encourages Jiang Shang, creating a strong bond of trust before accepting his warning about the demon. Later, Di Xin tests Su Daji with the talisman water, while she attempts to use affection, flirtation, and a threat of suicide to avoid it. His cold command—“Drink it or die”—reveals the power struggle between them. The final exchange returns to Jiang Shang, who eagerly waits to learn whether his test succeeded.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Xin meets Jiang Shang at the Ancient Pavilion, appearing exhausted after supposedly spending the night testing a demon. He asks Jiang Shang for medicine to strengthen his waist.
• Di Xin’s ambiguous complaints lead Jiang Shang to assume that the talisman he provided awakened the demon’s lust, causing the king to endure an entire night of intimacy. In reality, Jiang Shang completely misunderstands the situation.
• Jiang Shang prescribes Di Xin a tonic, while privately wondering why his demon-detecting talisman failed to reveal the creature’s true form.
• Jiang Shang also worries about his uncertain future: he has descended the mountain to assist a worthy ruler with the Investiture of the Gods, but does not know who that ruler is or what role he should play.
• You Hun arrives with an imperial decree appointing Jiang Shang as Lesser Grand Master and Director of the Directorate of Astronomy. He hints that Jiang Shang may eventually become Imperial Preceptor.
• Delighted and moved by Di Xin’s trust, Jiang Shang resolves to repay the king by subduing the mysterious demon. He plans to refine and use True Samadhi Fire, believing it will force the demon to reveal its true form.
• Meanwhile, the eight hundred feudal lords leave Chaoge resentful after clashing with Di Xin’s increasingly forceful policies. They begin forming alliances and discussing rebellion.
• Widespread rumors portray Di Xin—now increasingly called “King Zhou”—as a tyrannical, immoral ruler guilty of sacrilege, sexual excess, cruelty toward loyal ministers, brutal punishments, heavy taxation, forced labor, and abducting women.
• The Marquis of the East and Marquis of the North attempt to stabilize their territories, the Marquis of the West ignores the rumors, and the Marquis of the South openly gathers an army to campaign against Zhou.

Character Developments

• Di Xin appears tired and preoccupied but continues to trust Jiang Shang, rewarding him with a major official position. His casual and ambiguous speech unintentionally causes Jiang Shang to draw absurd conclusions.
• Jiang Shang shifts from cautious uncertainty to determined loyalty. His promotion gives him confidence, status, and a reason to actively oppose the demon threatening the king.
• Jiang Shang remains comically mistaken about the demon and believes he may have accidentally caused Di Xin to become trapped by its seductive powers.
• You Hun reinforces his role as a politically influential treacherous minister, delivering the promotion while subtly suggesting that Jiang Shang’s future depends on how he conducts himself.
• The feudal lords move from dissatisfaction to coordinated resistance, though most still hesitate to openly challenge the Shang Dynasty.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and irony: Jiang Shang interprets Di Xin’s complaints in the most suggestive way possible, creating a major comedic misunderstanding.
• Loyalty and political reward: Di Xin’s promotion of Jiang Shang transforms the latter’s attitude and motivates him to serve the king more actively.
• The construction of villainy: Rumors and political propaganda reshape Di Xin’s public image, presenting him as the infamous and depraved “King Zhou.”
• Rising political conflict: The feudal lords’ resentment, alliance-building, and military preparations foreshadow rebellion and the eventual collapse of Shang authority.
• Fate and uncertainty: Jiang Shang struggles to understand which ruler he is meant to support and how his role in the Investiture of the Gods will unfold.
• Appearance versus reality: The chapter contrasts the rumors about Di Xin with his actual interactions with Jiang Shang, while Jiang Shang’s mistaken interpretation of the demon further emphasizes unreliable appearances.

Important Character Interactions

• Di Xin and Jiang Shang: Di Xin seeks medical advice and later rewards Jiang Shang with a prestigious appointment. Their exchange is sincere from Di Xin’s perspective but hilariously misunderstood by Jiang Shang.
• Jiang Shang and the demon: Although the demon does not appear directly, its previous encounter with Jiang Shang’s talisman drives his anxiety and motivates him to prepare the True Samadhi Fire.
• You Hun and Jiang Shang: You Hun formally announces Jiang Shang’s promotion and offers a veiled warning that his future advancement depends on his conduct.
• The feudal lords and Di Xin: Their worsening relationship leads them to spread accusations, form alliances, and begin preparing for rebellion against the Shang ruler.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chaoge receives urgent reports that rebellions have erupted across the realm:
  • Southern Marquis E Chongyu leads two hundred feudal lords and 500,000 troops toward Three Mountains Pass.
  • The northern feudal lords rebel, forcing Northern Marquis Chong Houhu and Grand Tutor Wen Zhong to respond.
  • Rebellions also spread through the east, while Western Marquis Ji Chang issues a proclamation.
• Di Xin remains calm despite the crisis, confident that Three Mountains Pass will hold under Deng Jiugong, a loyal and experienced commander, and Kong Xuan, a powerful disciple of the Interception Sect.
• Rather than panic over the military situation, Di Xin focuses on preserving Great Shang’s stability and destiny. He worries that if the nation’s fortune collapses, Immortals may interfere directly in human affairs.
• The court establishes several emergency policies:
  • Send provisions, military pay, and reinforcements to the major passes.
  • Protect civilians by controlling prices and suppressing exploitation, monopolies, and crime.
  • Purchase grain from outside the Nine Provinces.
  • Withdraw Shang organizations from foreign territories and deploy Interception Sect disciples to guard key locations.
  • Recruit and train more soldiers.
• After court, Jiang Ziya secretly follows Di Xin and warns him that the demonic aura around him has intensified, suggesting the demon near the emperor has not been eliminated.
• Di Xin dismisses the concern, claiming that no demon could harm the Human Emperor. Jiang Ziya then reveals that he has cultivated True Samadhi Fire, which he believes can destroy any demon, and begs for another opportunity to investigate.
• Jiang Ziya boasts about his knowledge of cultivation, alchemy, artifact forging, formations, military strategy, and governance. Di Xin appears impressed but deliberately raises concerns about Jiang’s age and lack of battlefield experience, indirectly provoking him to plead even harder for a mission.

2. Character Developments

• Di Xin is portrayed as composed, strategically minded, and confident in his commanders and supernatural allies. He prioritizes long-term national stability, civilian welfare, military logistics, and the preservation of Great Shang’s destiny rather than reacting emotionally to the rebellions.
• Jiang Ziya becomes increasingly eager to prove his usefulness. He is persistent, self-assured, and somewhat boastful, especially regarding his cultivation and diverse abilities. His concern about the demon is genuine, but his desperation for recognition makes him easy for Di Xin to manipulate.
• Deng Jiugong is established as a trusted, capable veteran whose loyalty and military reputation make Three Mountains Pass seem nearly impregnable.
• Kong Xuan is presented as an overwhelming deterrent whose presence greatly strengthens Shang’s defenses.
• Wen Zhong and Chong Houhu are reaffirmed as reliable figures entrusted with suppressing the northern rebellion.

3. Significant Themes

• Order versus rebellion: Great Shang faces simultaneous uprisings, but Di Xin responds by strengthening institutions, logistics, and border defenses rather than relying solely on force.
• The importance of the people: Price controls, grain procurement, and protection from exploitation show that popular welfare is essential to preserving the dynasty’s legitimacy and destiny.
• Human authority and supernatural power: Di Xin seeks to prevent Immortals and sects from interfering in the Human Realm by maintaining the nation’s fortune.
• Confidence versus overconfidence: Di Xin’s calm reflects strategic confidence, while Jiang Ziya’s exaggerated self-praise borders on comic overconfidence.
• Manipulation and baiting: Di Xin deliberately questions Jiang Ziya’s age and abilities, knowing that Jiang’s pride will push him to volunteer. The chapter’s title highlights this playful reversal, with Jiang believing he is pursuing a mission while Di Xin is actually drawing him in.

4. Character Interactions

• Di Xin receives the rebellion reports without visible alarm, contrasting his composure with the court officials’ anxiety.
• His relationship with his commanders is based on deep trust, particularly his confidence in Deng Jiugong, Kong Xuan, Wen Zhong, and other loyal defenders.
• Jiang Ziya approaches Di Xin respectfully but insists that the emperor is still threatened by a demon. Di Xin initially dismisses him, treating the matter as unimportant amid the military crisis.
• When Jiang reveals his True Samadhi Fire and boasts of his many talents, Di Xin feigns serious consideration. By emphasizing Jiang’s old age and inexperience, he subtly provokes Jiang into offering his services even more enthusiastically.
• The exchange ends with Jiang Ziya unknowingly taking Di Xin’s “bait,” determined to prove himself and obtain the opportunity he wants.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Shang, dissatisfied with his quiet position as Director of Astronomy, longs for fame, political influence, immortality, and the opportunity to carry out the Investiture of the Gods.
• Di Xin deliberately tempts Jiang Shang by offering him a dangerous military assignment in the south: defeating Southern Marquis E Chongyu, who has rebelled with an army of 500,000 and is attacking Three Mountains Pass.
• Di Xin promises Jiang Shang increasingly prestigious rewards:
  • Defeating and crippling E Chongyu would earn him the position of Grand Officer.
  • Bringing back E Chongyu’s head would make him a High Grand Officer.
• Driven by visions of power, recognition, and immortality, Jiang Shang swears a military pledge, staking his life and his family’s lives on victory.
• The next day, Di Xin appoints Jiang Shang Grand Marshal of the Southern Campaign and gives him 100,000 troops to march against the rebels.
• Court officials strongly oppose the appointment, considering Jiang Shang an incompetent and obscure figure unfit to command a major campaign. Senior ministers such as Bi Gan and Shang Rong condemn him, while Fei Zhong and You Hun support him for their own political reasons.
• Jiang Shang’s army is organized with Zhang Shan and Li Jin as deputies, Lu Renjie as military inspector, and Lei Kun and Lei Peng as supply officers.
• Thanks to Great Shang’s extensive railway network, the army and its supplies reach Three Mountains Pass in less than half a month.
• Jiang Shang meets Deng Taigong, the fortress commander, and the powerful generals stationed there. Deng Taigong reacts skeptically upon seeing the elderly, unfamiliar commander and asks, “You are Jiang Ziya?”

Character Developments

• Jiang Shang: Reveals intense ambition beneath his humble appearance. His desire for fame, authority, immortality, and validation from the Chan Sect drives him to accept an extremely dangerous mission. His confidence borders on recklessness, as he willingly makes a life-or-death pledge despite having no proven military reputation.
• Di Xin: Demonstrates political cunning and psychological manipulation. He understands Jiang Shang’s weaknesses and uses promises of office, fame, and historical glory to motivate him. He also appears willing to risk Jiang Shang’s command in order to solve the southern crisis.
• Deng Taigong: Is established as a cautious and duty-focused commander who prioritizes defending Three Mountains Pass rather than chasing personal glory. His first impression of Jiang Shang is doubtful.
• Kong Xuan: Is introduced as a powerful Primordial Golden Immortal and a second-generation disciple of the Interception Sect. Although capable of defending the pass from cultivators, he avoids interfering in mortal warfare to limit his involvement in slaughter and human karma.
• Court officials: Their reactions reveal the political divide surrounding Jiang Shang. Traditional ministers distrust and ridicule him, while Fei Zhong and You Hun see his appointment as an opportunity to gain another ally.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and recognition: Jiang Shang’s hunger for fame and status motivates him more strongly than comfort or safety.
• Manipulation and political strategy: Di Xin exploits Jiang Shang’s ambitions to persuade him to undertake a nearly impossible military task.
• Destiny and immortality: Jiang Shang views military success as a way to gain the authority and reputation necessary to fulfill his destiny and escape mortal limitations.
• Appearance versus ability: The court sees Jiang Shang as an old, insignificant official, while the narrative suggests he may possess greater importance or potential than others realize.
• Duty versus personal glory: Deng Taigong defends the pass without seeking credit, contrasting with Jiang Shang’s eagerness to win fame and advancement.
• Mortals and cultivators: The chapter distinguishes between mortal warfare and immortal intervention, with Kong Xuan refusing to participate directly in human slaughter despite his overwhelming power.

Character Interactions

• Di Xin repeatedly provokes Jiang Shang with promises of promotion and glory, pretending to dismiss the idea before finally offering him command.
• Jiang Shang desperately pleads with Di Xin, then solemnly swears a military pledge to prove his resolve.
• Court ministers openly attack Jiang Shang’s qualifications, while Fei Zhong and You Hun defend him.
• Di Xin publicly confirms Jiang Shang’s appointment and demands that he defeat the rebel forces and return with E Chongyu’s head.
• At Three Mountains Pass, Jiang Shang is introduced to Deng Taigong and the fortress’s powerful defenders. Deng Taigong’s skeptical question marks the beginning of their relationship and highlights the uncertainty surrounding Jiang Shang’s appointment.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ziya arrives at Three Mountains Pass with Zhang Shan, Li Jin, Kong Xuan, and others after being appointed by the king as commander of the Southern Campaign.
• He encounters Deng Jiugong, the respected and formidable guardian of the pass, who is suspicious of Jiang Ziya’s appointment and openly challenges his qualifications.
• Jiang Ziya explains that he is a commoner who cultivated for over forty years in Kunlun Mountains. He then reveals that he once became a disciple of Venerable Yuanshi, the Jade Pure Saint and leader of the Chan Sect.
• His claim greatly improves the soldiers’ opinion of him, though the Interception Sect disciples remain unimpressed.
• Deng Jiugong warns Jiang Ziya that E Chongyu, the southern rebel, commands five hundred thousand troops and possesses unusual military formations and powerful weapons capable of firing without magic, breathing fire, and destroying mountains.
• Deng admits that he has repeatedly failed to defeat E Chongyu and has been forced to rely on defending Three Mountains Pass.
• Rather than making immediate boasts or promises, Jiang Ziya proposes resting for the night and investigating the enemy’s capabilities the following day.
• After a banquet, Jiang Ziya returns to his room, dismisses his attendants, and secretly establishes an altar to contact his master, Venerable Yuanshi, in Kunlun Mountains.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya: Demonstrates calmness, confidence, and political tact when confronted by Deng Jiugong. He does not lose his composure or make reckless promises, instead relying on his prestigious lineage and planning to seek guidance from his master.
• Deng Jiugong: Is shown as a powerful, disciplined, and highly respected military commander, but also as skeptical and protective of Great Shang’s military interests. His hostility toward Jiang Ziya stems from concern that an inexperienced commander could ruin the southern campaign.
• Zhang Shan and Li Jin: Despite being True Immortals in Martial Path cultivation, they are intimidated by Deng Jiugong’s overwhelming presence, emphasizing the commander’s extraordinary battlefield aura.
• E Chongyu: Although absent, he is characterized as a dangerous and unconventional enemy with superior numbers, advanced weapons, and mysterious formations.
• The soldiers: Initially doubtful of Jiang Ziya, they become more respectful after learning of his connection to the Chan Sect and Venerable Yuanshi.

3. Significant Themes

• Authority versus proven ability: Jiang Ziya possesses an impressive spiritual lineage, but Deng Jiugong questions whether ancestry and reputation can substitute for battlefield experience.
• Military responsibility and national survival: Deng worries that a failed campaign could destroy Great Shang’s morale and encourage further rebellions.
• Hidden strength and strategic patience: Jiang Ziya avoids revealing his full intentions and chooses investigation and preparation over empty confidence.
• Conflict between mortal warfare and immortal power: Though Immortals are present, they cannot interfere directly in mortal battles unless the opposing side acts first, forcing the campaign to depend on strategy and military capability.
• Sect and lineage prestige: Jiang Ziya’s connection to the Chan Sect immediately changes how others perceive him, illustrating the influence of powerful spiritual institutions.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Ziya and Deng Jiugong engage in a tense confrontation, with Deng mocking Jiang’s lack of background and achievements while Jiang responds with restrained confidence.
• Jiang’s revelation that he is Venerable Yuanshi’s disciple shifts the attitude of the surrounding soldiers and earns him Deng’s reluctant respect.
• Deng shares valuable intelligence about E Chongyu, treating Jiang more seriously once his lineage is established.
• The banquet temporarily eases the tension between the two commanders, but Jiang’s secret altar afterward suggests that he still needs outside assistance before confronting the southern rebels.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• At Qilin Cliff, Venerable Yuanshi is teaching the Twelve Golden Immortals when Jiang Ziya prays to him from Three Mountains Pass. Yuanshi summons Jiang Ziya’s consciousness to the Jade Void Palace.
• Jiang Ziya explains that he has been appointed Grand Marshal of the Southern Campaign by Great Shang’s Emperor Di Xin and is tasked with defeating E Chongyu’s rebellion. Because E Chongyu possesses powerful, unfamiliar techniques, Jiang asks Yuanshi for a method to overcome him.
• Yuanshi reprimands Jiang for seeking help before making any serious attempt himself, ordering him to act first and return only when he is truly unable to proceed. Jiang is then expelled from the vision.
• The Twelve Golden Immortals criticize Jiang for his dependence, lack of initiative, and political allegiance to Great Shang rather than West Qi. They also view him as a necessary pawn for the coming Investiture of the Gods rather than a respected disciple.
• Back at Three Mountains Pass, Jiang apologizes toward Kunlun Mountain and worries over how to defeat E Chongyu. After sleeping, he joins Deng Jiugong on the city wall to confront the advancing rebel army.
• Using his Aura Observation Technique, Jiang recognizes E Chongyu as an exceptional ruler with immense Fortune Aura, making him extremely difficult for ordinary soldiers or methods to defeat.
• Deng Jiugong details the rebel forces: E Shun’s twenty-thousand-strong Iron Armored Army, Gao Chong’s ten-thousand Heavy Armored Cavalry, powerful firearms, elite veteran guards, and the possible hidden involvement of generals Dong Sheng and Dong Fan.
• The rebels taunt Deng Jiugong, accusing him of serving King Zhou’s tyranny and offering him a position if he defects. E Shun’s insults anger Deng’s family and officers, while E Chongyu personally challenges Deng to join the rebellion and help overthrow the “true tyrant.”

Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya: Revealed as hesitant, dependent, and politically adaptable. He seeks divine assistance before attempting a solution himself, earning Yuanshi’s anger and the Golden Immortals’ contempt. Despite this, his ability to assess Fortune Aura allows him to recognize E Chongyu’s extraordinary importance.
• Venerable Yuanshi: Acts as a stern and demanding teacher. Rather than providing an immediate solution, he forces Jiang Ziya to develop initiative and endure hardship independently.
• The Twelve Golden Immortals: Show little respect for Jiang Ziya, regarding him as an unworthy mortal whose only value lies in the Investiture of the Gods. They also reveal their strategic interest in using his position within Great Shang against the dynasty.
• E Chongyu: Is established as a formidable overlord, military leader, and charismatic challenger to Great Shang. His immense Fortune Aura and confident public appeal suggest that he is both politically and militarily dangerous.
• Deng Jiugong and his family: Remain loyal to Great Shang despite the rebels’ accusations, though E Shun’s taunts provoke their anger and desire to fight.
• E Shun: Appears as an aggressive and outspoken commander who combines battlefield provocation with political persuasion.

Significant Themes

• Self-reliance versus dependence: Yuanshi insists that Jiang must attempt to solve problems himself instead of immediately seeking divine intervention.
• Political legitimacy and loyalty: The chapter questions whether serving Di Xin makes Deng Jiugong a tyrant’s subordinate, while E Chongyu presents rebellion as a path toward peace and justice.
• Fortune and destiny: Jiang’s observations emphasize that political power and military strength are tied to Fortune Aura, making E Chongyu more than an ordinary rebel.
• Sect hierarchy and prejudice: The immortals’ disdain for Jiang reflects the rigid standards of the Mystic Gate sects and their belief that mortals are inferior or merely useful tools.
• Propaganda and persuasion: The rebels use public insults and promises of reward to weaken Deng Jiugong’s loyalty and influence the morale of those defending Three Mountains Pass.

Character Interactions

• Yuanshi and Jiang Ziya: Their exchange establishes a harsh teacher-student relationship. Jiang asks for rescue, but Yuanshi responds with criticism and demands independent action.
• Jiang Ziya and the Golden Immortals: The immortals greet him politely at first but later mock and condemn him, revealing their lack of genuine respect.
• Jiang Ziya and Deng Jiugong: Jiang relies on Deng’s battlefield intelligence while trying to assess whether ordinary generals could defeat E Chongyu.
• E Shun and Deng Jiugong: E Shun publicly insults Deng and attempts to portray him as a servant of tyranny, provoking anger among Deng’s followers.
• E Chongyu and Deng Jiugong: E Chongyu directly appeals to Deng’s sense of justice, urging him to abandon Great Shang and join the rebellion to overthrow the supposed true tyrant.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Key Events

• At Three Mountains Pass, Deng Jiugong and the Great Shang defenders face an assault by E Chongyu and a coalition of southern feudal lords.
• The pass is a strategically vital, nearly impregnable stronghold guarding the route to Chaoge. If it falls, the rebels could invade the heart of Great Shang and encourage further rebellions.
• E Chongyu attempts to persuade Deng Jiugong to abandon the Human Emperor, arguing that the Deng family has guarded the southern frontier for generations without receiving sufficient titles or rewards.
• Deng rejects the appeal, reminding E Chongyu of King Zhou’s past destruction of rebellious feudal lords and barbarians.
• E Chongyu explains that the rebellion is motivated by King Zhou’s attempt to reclaim the military authority of the feudal lords. He insists that the traditional system of joint rule between the Human Emperor and the feudal lords must be preserved.
• Deng counters that the realm has always belonged to the Human Emperor and accuses the feudal lords of resisting solely because they have become addicted to power.
• Unable to resolve the argument, E Chongyu orders a full attack with an army of roughly 500,000 troops.
• The assault fails disastrously. Great Shang’s defenders use arrows, rocks, logs, Martial Path techniques, and the strength of the pass’s fortifications to slaughter the attackers.
• Cultivators refrain from killing ordinary soldiers because of the Human Dao’s restrictions, though they repair the walls and support the defense. Kong Xuan’s presence makes the pass effectively impossible to breach without a Saint.
• After more than ten thousand rebel soldiers die in less than half an hour, E Chongyu orders a retreat.
• The two armies observe the battlefield custom of withdrawing to collect their dead without attacking each other.
• In the rebel camp, E Chongyu and the leading southern lords are discouraged after repeated defeats. Their inability to capture Three Mountains Pass makes their hoped-for march on Chaoge—and their plan to overthrow King Zhou—seem increasingly unrealistic.

Character Development

• Deng Jiugong is portrayed as steadfast, rational, and loyal to the Human Emperor. He refuses to be swayed by resentment or promises of greater status and views the rebellion as selfish resistance to rightful central authority.
• E Chongyu emerges as passionate and politically motivated rather than simply ambitious. He claims to rebel to prevent bloodshed and preserve the established balance between the Human Emperor and the feudal lords, but his frustration and fury reveal how deeply he fears losing his power.
• The southern feudal lords begin to lose morale as their military campaign repeatedly fails. Their confidence in defeating Great Shang is visibly weakening.

Major Themes

• Central authority versus feudal autonomy: The central conflict is whether the Human Emperor should reclaim authority from hereditary feudal lords or preserve the traditional system of shared rule.
• Duty versus self-interest: Deng argues that the feudal lords disguise personal greed as concern for the realm and its people.
• Tradition versus reform: E Chongyu invokes centuries of precedent, while Deng insists that ancient customs cannot override the Human Emperor’s legitimate authority.
• Loyalty and fear: The rebels are driven both by ideological objections and fear of King Zhou’s power and possible future retaliation.
• The futility of rebellion against overwhelming strength: The impregnable pass and Kong Xuan’s presence emphasize Great Shang’s military superiority and foreshadow the rebels’ worsening prospects.

Character Interactions

• Deng Jiugong and E Chongyu engage in a sharp ideological confrontation before the battle. E Chongyu appeals to Deng’s grievances as a neglected military family, while Deng responds by defending King Zhou and condemning the feudal lords’ attachment to power.
• Their exchange reveals that the conflict is not merely military but a fundamental dispute over who has the right to rule the Human Race.
• After Deng refuses to yield, E Chongyu ends the debate by ordering an assault, turning their political argument into a costly military confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Southern Lords Alliance remains unable to capture Three Mountains Pass, despite fielding half a million troops. The pass’s powerful defenses, formations, enormous Black Iron gates, and resident Immortals make infiltration or direct assault nearly impossible.
• The lords grow increasingly anxious because maintaining the massive army consumes enormous amounts of food each day. Failure to breach the pass would damage their reputation and discourage future resistance against Great Shang.
• E Chongyu asks the mysterious Western Land monk for a solution. The monk suggests flooding Three Mountains Pass by diverting a nearby great river, but the lords reject the idea as impractical and too time-consuming.
• The monk then proposes a more drastic solution: E Chongyu should seek the help of one of Empress Nuwa’s Hunyuan Saints from the Demon Race. Such a Saint could easily overcome Kong Xuan and destroy the pass’s defenses.
• E Chongyu fiercely refuses, insisting that the rebellion is a matter of the Human Race and that no Demon Race power should interfere. He threatens to kill the monk if he raises the suggestion again.
• The monk remains outwardly calm but reveals murderous intent. That same night, the Southern Marquis suddenly dies horribly in his camp, strongly implying that the monk arranged or caused his death.

Character Developments

• E Chongyu, the Southern Marquis: His desperation over the military stalemate is evident, but he maintains a strong sense of pride and independence. He refuses to rely on the Demon Race, viewing such aid as unacceptable interference in human affairs. His defiance leads directly to his mysterious death.
• The mysterious monk: He presents himself as a supporter of the rebellion, but his impractical plans and increasingly coercive behavior reveal hidden motives. His calm reaction to rejection, followed by the Marquis’s death, exposes him as a dangerous manipulator and likely conspirator.
• The Southern lords: They are frightened, divided, and increasingly dependent on the monk for guidance. Their inability to find a practical military strategy highlights the weakness of the alliance.
• Kong Xuan and the defenders of Three Mountains Pass: Though they do not appear directly, their overwhelming reputation establishes them as a nearly unbeatable obstacle. Even Immortals sent against them have been effortlessly killed by the Sect of Interception’s disciples.

Significant Themes

• The limits of military force: Numerical superiority is useless against a strategically vital fortress protected by formations, powerful warriors, and Immortals.
• Political manipulation and hidden agendas: The monk claims to support the rebellion but appears to be steering the lords toward dependence on outside powers and eliminating those who resist him.
• Pride and sovereignty: E Chongyu’s refusal to invite Demon Race assistance reflects the belief that human affairs should be resolved by humans, even at the cost of military defeat.
• The danger of desperation: The alliance’s fear of losing face and exhausting its resources makes its leaders vulnerable to reckless proposals.
• Mortal conflicts under supernatural influence: Although the war is presented as a human rebellion, Saints, Immortals, and powerful races exert decisive influence behind the scenes.

Important Character Interactions

• The lords debate infiltration, siege tactics, and the possibility of enemy assassinations before appealing to the monk.
• E Chongyu repeatedly challenges the monk’s unrealistic proposals, first rejecting the river-diversion plan and then refusing the suggestion to seek help from the Demon Race.
• The monk attempts to persuade E Chongyu by emphasizing that Saints transcend racial divisions and could guarantee victory.
• E Chongyu responds with anger and threats, while the monk conceals his hostility until after the Marquis leaves.
• The Southern Marquis’s sudden death that night transforms the monk from a questionable adviser into the likely villain behind the alliance’s internal crisis.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Southern Marquis E Chongyu suddenly dies in the military camp, bleeding from all seven orifices. His death shocks the allied army, which had seen him alive and healthy earlier that day.
• His son, E Shun, reacts violently, demanding to know who killed his father. In his rage, he executes several of E Chongyu’s personal attendants.
• The monk Akasagarbha claims that Jiang Ziya—also known as Jiang Shang, the grand marshal of King Zhou’s army—murdered E Chongyu through secret methods.
• Akasagarbha emphasizes that Jiang Ziya is a mortal and not an Immortal, but is also a disciple of a Saint, making the assembled lords believe he possesses extraordinary and dangerous abilities.
• E Shun swears vengeance against Jiang Ziya and promises enormous rewards to anyone who kills him, captures Three Mountains Pass, or captures King Zhou.
• When some lords consider retreating out of fear, E Shun kills them and uses accusations of disloyalty to force the remaining army to support him.
• With the backing of his personal soldiers and the intimidated lords, E Shun successfully assumes control of the five-hundred-thousand-man army and effectively inherits his father’s position.
• Akasagarbha then advises E Shun to seek the intervention of a Hunyuan Saint, arguing that even Deng Jiugong’s national-fortune protection and Kong Xuan’s strength would be insignificant before a Saint.
• The suggestion creates unease because the Human Race has a deep historical hatred of the Demon Race, and cooperating with them—or with forces associated with them—would violate the principles E Chongyu had defended earlier.

Character developments

• E Shun changes from a grieving and uncertain son into a ruthless political and military leader. His immediate priority is not mourning but securing command, eliminating opposition, and directing the army’s anger toward Jiang Ziya.
• Akasagarbha reveals himself as a highly influential manipulator. By blaming Jiang Ziya and guiding E Shun’s response, he helps consolidate the army under E Shun while concealing or redirecting suspicion surrounding E Chongyu’s death.
• E Chongyu dies before formally transferring command, creating a succession crisis that E Shun resolves through intimidation and violence.
• Jiang Ziya is presented by Akasagarbha as a mysterious and deadly enemy, though the chapter provides no direct confirmation that he actually killed E Chongyu.
• The assembled lords and soldiers are shown to be fearful and politically weak, quickly submitting once E Shun demonstrates his willingness to kill dissenters.

Significant themes

• Power through fear and manipulation: E Shun gains control not through legitimacy alone, but by murdering potential opponents and labeling hesitation as treason.
• Scapegoating and misinformation: Akasagarbha assigns blame to Jiang Ziya without presenting evidence, turning confusion over E Chongyu’s death into hatred against the enemy.
• The authority of Saints: The mere fact that Jiang Ziya is a Saint’s disciple dramatically changes how the mortals interpret his abilities and creates both fear and resentment.
• The conflict between human loyalty and expediency: The army must decide whether defeating King Zhou justifies seeking aid from forces connected to the Demon Race, despite centuries of bloodshed between humans and demons.
• Succession and political legitimacy: E Shun’s father’s sudden death forces him to prove—and impose—his right to command.

Character interactions

• E Shun confronts his father’s attendants, blaming them for failing to protect E Chongyu and killing several of them.
• He urgently questions Akasagarbha, treating the monk’s accusation against Jiang Ziya as the key to understanding his father’s death.
• E Shun publicly declares revenge and offers titles and rewards, compelling the lords to choose between following him and risking execution.
• Akasagarbha falsely presents himself as responsible for failing to anticipate Jiang Ziya’s methods, winning E Shun’s trust while encouraging him to seek Saintly intervention.
• The lords remain silent and conflicted when Akasagarbha suggests cooperation with a Saint, since such a strategy may require aligning with the Demon Race against long-standing Human Race principles.