Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the banquet, Li Jing, Jin Zha, and Muzha are assigned a side room in the western wing to rest.
• Li Jing becomes furious, interpreting the modest accommodations and the banquet guests’ mockery as deliberate disrespect. He complains that, as a former commander and regional lord, he deserves an estate, servants, and a high official position.
• He blames his sons for persuading him to abandon Chentang Pass and join West Qi, arguing that he has now lost his authority, connections, and ability to return.
• Jin Zha and Muzha try to calm him, suggesting that he can still gain status through military achievements against Great Shang.
• The brothers leave to consult their masters, Manjushri and Cihang. The masters reprimand them for misunderstanding their mission: they were supposed to persuade Li Jing to bring Chentang Pass and other sympathetic regional lords into West Qi, not merely convince Li Jing himself to defect.
• Li Jing spends the night alone, increasingly regretful and anxious because no one comes to receive or appoint him.
• The next morning, he is summoned to Great Zhou’s morning court. Former acquaintances ignore him, making him feel even more isolated.
• Court guards stop him from entering because he lacks official robes, insignia, and the credentials of a recognized Great Zhou official.
• While waiting outside, Li Jing falls asleep against a wall. When a minister comes to summon him, the minister angrily rebukes him for sleeping outside the court hall.

Character Developments

• Li Jing: His pride and sense of entitlement are exposed. He expects immediate recognition based on his former position but becomes humiliated when West Qi treats him as an unestablished outsider. His confidence gives way to regret, resentment, and insecurity.
• Jin Zha and Muzha: They realize they misunderstood the larger political purpose of their mission. Initially confident that bringing their father was enough, they are embarrassed and chastened after their masters explain the strategic expectations.
• Manjushri and Cihang: They clarify that Li Jing’s value lies not merely in his personal allegiance but in his influence as commander of Chentang Pass and his ability to bring other regional powers into the alliance.
• Ji Chang and West Qi’s officials: They appear focused on practical political administration rather than granting Li Jing special treatment simply because of his former status.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus actual status: Li Jing assumes his previous authority will automatically carry over to West Qi, but discovers that reputation alone does not guarantee respect in a new political environment.
• Political usefulness and merit: The chapter emphasizes that influence, followers, military achievements, and tangible contributions matter more than titles from the past.
• Miscommunication and failed planning: Jin Zha and Muzha follow instructions superficially, failing to understand the broader strategic objective.
• Displacement and loss of identity: Li Jing has severed ties with Chentang Pass but has not yet gained a place in West Qi, leaving him politically homeless.
• Humiliation and social hierarchy: His assignment to a western side room, exclusion from court, and public scolding all reinforce his sudden fall in status.

Character Interactions

• Li Jing angrily confronts Jin Zha and Muzha, blaming them for his predicament.
• The brothers attempt to reassure him by promising that military success can restore his reputation.
• Manjushri and Cihang reprimand Jin Zha and Muzha for bringing only Li Jing instead of his followers and allied regional lords.
• West Qi’s officials and guards treat Li Jing as an unrecognized outsider, culminating in the minister’s angry question: “Who told you to sleep outside the hall?”

Chapter Summary: “The Great Zhou Court’s Contempt, Vanguard Grand Marshal? Li Jing Took Office”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Jing is awakened and angrily confronts Ji Jiu, a former household slave of Ji Chang who now serves as a trusted official in Great Zhou.
• Ji Jiu harshly humiliates Li Jing, reminding him that he arrived in West Qi alone, without troops, territory, or political influence. He warns Li Jing to obey West Qi’s rules or leave.
• Though furious and tempted to retaliate, Li Jing restrains himself because he has severed ties with Yin Shang and has nowhere else to go.
• In Ji Chang’s court, Li Jing is publicly questioned about his origins and reasons for seeking refuge in West Qi. Ministers press him to reveal the truth about his disgraceful conduct at Chentang Pass.
• The court learns that Li Jing abandoned his former position after causing serious problems involving his family and son. The officials respond with contempt and mockery.
• Ji Chang nominally welcomes Li Jing as a capable recruit but assigns him the dangerous position of Vanguard Grand Marshal for the campaign against Jiameng Pass.
• Li Jing receives official robes, a tally, and other tokens of authority, then leaves alone to assume his post. His sons, Jin Zha and Muzha, quietly accompany him.
• Upon reaching Jiameng Pass, Li Jing witnesses brutal, continuous fighting. He realizes that his new position will require him to personally enter battle, unlike his former life as commander of Chentang Pass.
• Jin Zha and Muzha report his arrival to Jiang Ziya, who withdraws the troops and summons the commanders and feudal lords to meet the newly appointed marshal.

Character Developments

• Li Jing: His pride is severely wounded by West Qi’s contempt, but necessity forces him to endure humiliation. He remains resentful and ashamed while trying to preserve his dignity. His arrival at the battlefield also causes him to question whether seeking refuge in West Qi was wise.
• Ji Jiu: His transformation from household slave to influential court official highlights his rise under the Ji family. He openly bullies Li Jing and reflects the court’s collective disdain toward him.
• Ji Chang: He treats Li Jing as politically insignificant, publicly questioning and then assigning him a dangerous post with little ceremony. His apparent recruitment is more practical than respectful.
• Jin Zha and Muzha: Despite their complicated relationship with their father, they accompany him to Jiameng Pass and report his arrival, showing a degree of familial responsibility.
• Jiang Ziya: He responds formally to Li Jing’s arrival by withdrawing the troops and arranging an official meeting with him.

Significant Themes

• Loss of status and humiliation: Li Jing’s former authority means little once he loses his position, army, and political backing.
• Political power over personal ability: Great Zhou values resources, followers, and influence more than Li Jing’s individual military reputation.
• Refuge and dependence: By arriving alone, Li Jing places himself entirely at West Qi’s mercy and must accept treatment he would once have considered intolerable.
• Consequences of past actions: His treatment reflects the court’s judgment of his conduct at Chentang Pass, particularly his abandonment of his family and responsibility for his son’s death.
• The harshness of war: The battlefield at Jiameng Pass suggests that Li Jing’s new position will be far more dangerous than his previous command.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Jing and Ji Jiu: Their confrontation establishes Li Jing’s reduced status and Ji Jiu’s contempt.
• Li Jing and Ji Chang: Ji Chang’s questioning and dismissive appointment reveal the power imbalance between them.
• Li Jing and the court officials: The ministers force him to expose his past and collectively ridicule him.
• Li Jing and his sons: Jin Zha and Muzha silently escort him, indicating a restrained but meaningful family connection.
• Li Jing and Jiang Ziya: Their direct meeting is prepared but has not yet occurred by the chapter’s end.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ziya learns that Li Jing and his sons, Jin Zha and Muzha, have defected to West Qi.
• He immediately withdraws West Qi’s troops from the battlefield and personally leads the allied lords and commanders to welcome Li Jing.
• Jiang Ziya warmly praises Li Jing, calls him “Vanguard Marshal,” and orders a banquet to celebrate his arrival.
• Li Jing is deeply moved by Jiang Ziya’s respectful treatment, especially after feeling insulted and disregarded by many people in West Qi.
• Several lords openly complain that the army was recalled in the middle of an assault merely to welcome Li Jing. Their remarks make it sound as though Li Jing is being welcomed only so he can serve as a disposable frontline commander.
• Jiang Ziya privately reassures Li Jing that the lords are merely slandering him. Li Jing believes Jiang and decides to repay his trust by earning great military merit.
• Jiang Ziya goes further, placing military command in Li Jing’s hands and allowing him to choose which commanders and lords to lead.
• Nangong Shi challenges Li Jing to prove himself by capturing Demon Wind Stockade, the first major stronghold blocking West Qi’s advance toward Jiameng Pass.
• He explains that the stockade is defended by Yin Shang soldiers and several thousand demons, who have formed a terrifying Three Flavors Divine Wind formation.
• The formation is powerful enough to threaten even Grand Unity Golden Immortals, making it the main reason West Qi’s army has been unable to advance.
• Li Jing reacts with disbelief upon realizing that, despite the long fighting, West Qi’s forces have not even reached Jiameng Pass itself.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya presents himself as warm, respectful, and highly skilled at winning Li Jing’s loyalty. His public welcome and private reassurances make Li Jing see him as the first truly honorable leader he has encountered in West Qi.
• Li Jing shifts from feeling alienated and resentful to becoming emotionally loyal to Jiang Ziya. He vows to accomplish great things under Jiang’s command, though his confidence is immediately tested by the challenge of Demon Wind Stockade.
• Jin Zha and Muzha are also touched by Jiang Ziya’s treatment of their father. They admit that their previous dislike of him was mistaken and become more inclined to support him.
• The West Qi lords and commanders remain skeptical of Jiang Ziya’s leadership. They see his decision to halt the attack as reckless and suspect that Li Jing is being used as a sacrificial vanguard.
• Nangong Shi acts as a blunt challenger, exposing the army’s stalled progress and forcing Li Jing to confront the true difficulty of the campaign.

3. Significant Themes

• Trust and manipulation: Jiang Ziya’s warm conduct wins Li Jing’s trust, while the suspicious comments of the other commanders create uncertainty over Jiang’s real intentions.
• Recognition and loyalty: Li Jing has been humiliated by former allies, so Jiang’s apparent respect has a powerful emotional effect and inspires immediate loyalty.
• Military strategy versus personal relationships: Jiang’s decision to interrupt an attack for a welcome banquet demonstrates how political alliances and morale can influence battlefield decisions.
• Arrogance and competence: Li Jing confidently believes he can prove himself, but the Three Flavors Divine Wind formation reveals that the campaign’s obstacles are far more serious than he expected.
• The gap between reputation and reality: Li Jing assumed West Qi’s forces had already reached the heart of the conflict, only to discover that they remain stalled far from Jiameng Pass.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Ziya and Li Jing establish a close relationship through Jiang’s enthusiastic welcome and Li Jing’s grateful response.
• Jin Zha and Muzha privately discuss Jiang’s kindness and change their opinion of him.
• The lords’ public complaints indirectly undermine Jiang Ziya’s welcome and make Li Jing briefly suspect that he is being treated as a sacrificial pawn.
• Jiang calms Li Jing by appealing to mutual trust, leading Li Jing to side with him against the critical commanders.
• Nangong Shi challenges Li Jing directly, turning the welcoming ceremony into a test of his military ability and setting up the next stage of the campaign.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Zhou military camp, Li Jing questions why the campaign against Jiameng Pass has reached a stalemate.
• The generals explain that Demon Wind Stockade is the main obstacle. It occupies a narrow canyon protected by the deadly Three Flavors Divine Wind, which can disrupt armies and even overpower Daluo Immortals.
• Nangong Shi mocks Li Jing, arguing that he lacks troops, followers, and battlefield experience. He also blames Li Jing for allegedly delaying an earlier attempt to capture the stockade.
• Li Jing declares that he can conquer Demon Wind Stockade with only 3,000 troops in ten days. He requests the assistance of ten Grand Unity Golden Immortals and signs a military pledge.
• The immortals initially refuse, having seen the demon wind kill powerful cultivators before. Li Jing offers them eighty percent of the military credit and promises that they will not need to fight if he cannot suppress the wind.
• The ten immortals agree mainly because they expect Li Jing to fail and want to see what secret ability he possesses.
• For ten days, Li Jing drills his 3,000 soldiers without revealing his plan, frustrating Nangong Shi and the other commanders.
• On the tenth day, Li Jing leads the troops toward Demon Wind Stockade. The ten immortals observe from a distance, prepared to remain uninvolved unless Li Jing proves he can suppress the wind.
• The defenders underestimate the small force and allow Li Jing’s army to approach without activating the formation.
• Once Li Jing reaches the stockade, the Three Flavors Divine Wind erupts—but it is mysteriously suppressed by an invisible force and cannot even stir the dust.

Character Developments

• Li Jing displays remarkable confidence and strategic patience. Rather than explaining his method, he spends ten days training his troops and relies on a hidden trump card.
• Nangong Shi becomes increasingly hostile and contemptuous of Li Jing, viewing him as arrogant and incapable.
• The ten Grand Unity Golden Immortals shift from skepticism to curiosity, though they still expect Li Jing’s plan to fail. Their willingness to participate is motivated largely by the promised credit and the chance to expose him.
• Jiang Ziya remains observant and curious about Li Jing’s unknown method but does not interfere.
• The defenders of Demon Wind Stockade are overconfident, choosing to toy with Li Jing’s forces instead of striking immediately.

Significant Themes

• Confidence versus skepticism: Li Jing’s bold claims are met with ridicule, but the chapter hints that his confidence is justified.
• Strategic patience and hidden strength: His ten days of seemingly repetitive drilling conceal preparation for a decisive move.
• Military merit and self-interest: The immortals are persuaded less by loyalty than by the promise of eighty percent of the credit.
• Underestimation: Both the Zhou commanders and the stockade’s defenders dismiss Li Jing because of his small army, setting up his surprise success.
• Power beyond appearances: The sudden suppression of the divine wind suggests that Li Jing possesses an extraordinary ability or artifact that has not yet been revealed.

Character Interactions

• Li Jing openly challenges the assembled commanders and asks them to trust his plan.
• Nangong Shi repeatedly ridicules Li Jing, questioning his authority and accusing him of risking others’ lives.
• Li Jing counters the criticism calmly by offering favorable terms and accepting responsibility through a military pledge.
• The Grand Unity Golden Immortals mock Li Jing but agree to accompany him under his conditions.
• Jiang Ziya watches silently, interested in Li Jing’s confidence.
• At Demon Wind Stockade, Li Jing’s advance is met with contempt from the defenders—until the supposedly unstoppable Three Flavors Divine Wind is neutralized.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Three Flavors Divine Wind protecting Demon Wind Stockade unexpectedly fails to activate, leaving the Demon Race confused and unable to warn Jiameng Pass.
• Taking advantage of the opening, Li Jing leads the three-thousand-strong vanguard in an assault. Although the defenders initially kill more than half the vanguard, Li Jing and ten Grand Unity Golden Immortals break through the stockade gate.
• The Zhou forces launch a full attack. With the support of Jiang Ziya, Nangong Shi, and the main army, they overwhelm the defenders and capture Demon Wind Stockade.
• The Four Heavenly Kings arrive from Jiameng Pass but withdraw after witnessing the stockade’s fall, recognizing that the Zhou Army can now threaten Jiameng Pass directly.
• Jiang Ziya orders the surrounding Yin Shang strongholds to be destroyed and occupied, giving Zhou control over the area and preventing counterattacks from within Jiameng Pass.
• During a celebratory feast, Li Jing reveals that his success depended on the Wind Settling Pearl, borrowed from his master, True Man Du’e. The treasure specifically suppresses wind-based spells, formations, divine abilities, and magical treasures, neutralizing the Three Flavors Divine Wind.
• Li Jing explains that his son spent approximately eight days traveling to West Kunlun and returning with the treasure. This was why he dared to promise that Demon Wind Stockade would fall within ten days.
• Some Zhou officials criticize Li Jing for hiding this information, arguing that they could have planned a more aggressive attack and possibly captured Jiameng Pass.
• Li Jing angrily defends himself, emphasizing that the plan depended on his son successfully obtaining the treasure. If it had failed, Li Jing would have lost his life because of his military pledge. He insists that the victory was merit earned by risking his life.
• Jiang Ziya mediates, and Li Jing later reconciles with Nangong Shi and the other officials.
• Just as the feast ends peacefully, war drums sound. Scouts report that Jiameng Pass’s commanding general has come to challenge the Zhou forces.

Character Developments

• Li Jing: Proves his strategic ability and courage by staking his life on an uncertain plan. He initially maintains secrecy to protect himself from failure and possible spies, but this causes resentment among his allies. His passionate defense of his actions reveals his pride, caution, and determination to receive proper recognition for his achievement. He later demonstrates political maturity by repairing relationships with Zhou officials.
• Jiang Ziya: Acts as both military leader and mediator. He recognizes Li Jing’s achievement, asks for the truth behind it, and later calms the dispute at the celebration.
• Nangong Shi and the Zhou officials: Initially admire Li Jing after the victory, then become suspicious and resentful when they learn he withheld crucial information. Their hostility fades after Li Jing explains the personal risk involved.
• The Demon Race and Yin Shang defenders: Their reliance on the Three Flavors Divine Wind leaves them vulnerable once the Wind Settling Pearl neutralizes it. Their defensive position collapses rapidly after the stockade gate is breached.
• Li Jing’s son and True Man Du’e: Though absent from the battle, they are essential to the victory because the son retrieves the Wind Settling Pearl from Li Jing’s master.

Significant Themes

• Merit earned through personal risk: Li Jing argues that the victory belongs to him because he risked his life on an uncertain plan rather than merely benefiting from concealed information.
• Trust and secrecy: The chapter explores the tension between keeping a secret for strategic reasons and sharing information with allies. Li Jing’s secrecy protects his plan but temporarily damages his relationships.
• Recognition and jealousy: Even after a major victory, Li Jing faces criticism from those who believe they could have achieved more had they known his secret.
• Strategic preparation and hidden advantages: The Wind Settling Pearl demonstrates how a single specialized treasure can overturn a seemingly impregnable defense.
• Military victory and political control: Capturing Demon Wind Stockade is not enough; Zhou must also eliminate surrounding enemy positions and secure the region before advancing on Jiameng Pass.

Character Interactions

• Li Jing and the Zhou generals: Their celebration turns tense when the generals accuse him of selfishly withholding the Wind Settling Pearl’s existence.
• Li Jing and Jiang Ziya: Jiang Ziya receives Li Jing’s explanation and helps settle the dispute, showing respect for both his achievement and the need to preserve unity.
• Li Jing and Nangong Shi: Their relationship begins strained by suspicion but improves after Li Jing deliberately offers goodwill and rebuilds trust.
• Jiang Ziya and the Zhou army: Jiang Ziya coordinates the follow-up occupation of the surrounding strongholds and maintains order during the conflict.
• Zhou Army and Jiameng Pass: The fall of Demon Wind Stockade brings the two sides into direct confrontation, culminating in the enemy commander’s challenge at the chapter’s end.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ya, commander of Jiameng Pass, personally appears outside the pass with the Four Heavenly Kings and several thousand troops to confront Jiang Ziya’s army of over one hundred thousand soldiers.
• Jiang Ziya leads the Great Zhou forces to meet him and attempts to persuade Lu Ya to abandon Yin Shang and join Great Zhou. He condemns King Zhou’s tyranny and argues that Zhou possesses Heaven’s Mandate.
• Jiang Ziya warns Lu Ya that continuing to defend Yin Shang will result in his death and the destruction of his Dao.
• Li Jing then aggressively insults Lu Ya, calling him a beast in human clothing and threatening to destroy both him and the Demon Race.
• Lu Ya reacts with intense killing intent, frightening the surrounding soldiers, but he does not attack Li Jing. Instead, he silently returns to Jiameng Pass.
• Li Jing interprets Lu Ya’s withdrawal as cowardice and boasts that Lu Ya possesses no real abilities beyond an intimidating appearance.
• The Great Zhou soldiers praise Li Jing for supposedly driving away the commander of Jiameng Pass, greatly increasing his confidence.
• For several days, nothing happens at the pass. Li Jing gradually stops fearing retaliation and becomes increasingly arrogant, even training soldiers openly.
• On the fifteenth day, Li Jing suddenly becomes dizzy and collapses. Jiang Ziya rushes to investigate.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya demonstrates his skill as a persuasive strategist and spokesman. His speech is self-righteous and politically effective, earning the admiration of the Great Zhou generals.
• Lu Ya is portrayed as composed, proud, and deeply loyal to his master. He remains at Jiameng Pass despite orders for Jie Sect disciples to return, believing he has a larger purpose: revenge against West Qi, destruction of Zhou, and completion of his master’s mission.
• Li Jing shifts from cautious fear to reckless arrogance. Initially aware that Lu Ya might retaliate, he hides near Jiang Ziya and avoids danger. After Lu Ya takes no immediate action, Li Jing convinces himself that the commander is weak and begins boasting publicly.
• The Great Zhou soldiers and generals are easily influenced by appearances. They interpret Lu Ya’s retreat as defeat and elevate Li Jing’s insults into a supposed military triumph.
• Lu Ya’s restraint suggests that his failure to attack is deliberate rather than caused by weakness.

Significant Themes

• Appearances versus reality: Lu Ya’s silence and retreat make him appear defeated, but the chapter strongly hints that his inaction conceals a planned response.
• Arrogance and delayed consequences: Li Jing’s insults and boasting bring him temporary praise, but his sudden collapse suggests that his behavior has provoked a hidden retaliation.
• Political righteousness and propaganda: Jiang Ziya frames the conflict as a struggle between Heaven’s Will and tyranny, while Li Jing uses crude insults instead of moral persuasion.
• Loyalty and purpose: Lu Ya remains committed to his master and his personal mission despite pressure from both sides.
• False confidence: The Great Zhou camp mistakes Lu Ya’s lack of immediate action for incompetence, revealing how quickly victory can be claimed before it is secured.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ziya and Lu Ya: Jiang Ziya respectfully but forcefully urges Lu Ya to defect, presenting Zhou as the righteous side.
• Li Jing and Lu Ya: Their exchange is openly hostile. Li Jing repeatedly provokes Lu Ya, while Lu Ya responds only with a threatening stare before withdrawing.
• Li Jing and the Great Zhou army: His insults impress the soldiers, who praise him and reinforce his growing arrogance.
• Jiang Ziya and Li Jing: Jiang Ziya does not stop Li Jing’s reckless provocation and later personally attends to him when he collapses.
• Lu Ya and his master: Though the master is absent, Lu Ya’s decisions are guided by loyalty to him and faith that his disappearance serves a greater purpose.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Jing suddenly becomes severely ill inside the Great Zhou army camp. He suffers from dizziness, confusion, extreme weakness, pallor, and signs that his soul may be dispersing.
• His sons, Jin Zha and Muzha, take turns caring for him but cannot determine the cause of his condition.
• Jiang Ziya visits personally and examines Li Jing. He suspects the symptoms resemble the effects of Curse Arts rather than an ordinary illness.
• Jiang Ziya is puzzled because Li Jing has not left the camp, encountered outsiders, or shown any signs of being infiltrated or attacked. Li Jing is also protected by Great Zhou’s national fortune and possesses Martial Path cultivation comparable to a Golden Immortal.
• Jiang Ziya grimly warns that if the curse cannot be broken, Li Jing might eventually die. He then awkwardly discusses arranging an elaborate burial and even recommends burying Li Jing upright for the benefit of his descendants, leaving Li Jing and his sons speechless.
• After Jiang Ziya leaves, Jin Zha and Muzha decide that one son will stay with Li Jing while the other seeks help from their master, Venerable Manjushri Guangfa.
• Jin Zha reports the situation to Manjushri, including Li Jing’s earlier confrontation with and cursing of Lu Ya.
• Manjushri questions whether Li Jing secretly left camp, encountered something unusual, or provoked Lu Ya again. Jin Zha insists that Li Jing never left their sight and that nothing has been concealed.
• Unable to identify the cause or cure, Manjushri gives Jin Zha a Seven-Turn Resurrection Elixir, said to restore flesh to bones and revive the dead, telling him to keep it in case Li Jing’s condition worsens.

Character Developments

• Li Jing: Despite being a powerful Martial Path cultivator, he is rendered helpless and mentally confused by an unknown affliction. His gratitude toward Jiang Ziya deepens because he sees Jiang as a rare superior who genuinely trusts and supports him.
• Jin Zha and Muzha: Both become increasingly anxious and protective of their father. Their confusion grows because the illness contradicts everything they know about Li Jing’s strength and defenses.
• Jiang Ziya: Shows concern for Li Jing and personally investigates the illness, but his concern is mixed with his characteristically blunt and darkly comic practicality. His immediate discussion of Li Jing’s funeral frustrates the family.
• Manjushri Guangfa: Demonstrates caution and suspicion, considering whether Lu Ya or another enemy has retaliated. However, he is unable to diagnose or counter the mysterious condition and can only offer a powerful emergency elixir.

Significant Themes

• The limits of power: Li Jing’s Golden Immortal-level martial strength and protection by national fortune cannot shield him from an unexplained supernatural affliction.
• Mystery and hidden causation: The illness appears impossible under the known circumstances, creating suspense over whether it is a curse, delayed retaliation, or something else entirely.
• Trust and loyalty: Li Jing values Jiang Ziya’s support, while Jin Zha and Muzha’s unwavering care emphasizes familial loyalty.
• Sect and political hierarchy: The Chan Sect disciples’ dismissive attitude toward West Qi officials highlights the tension between powerful religious figures and the mortal political forces they use.
• Dark humor amid danger: Jiang Ziya’s premature burial arrangements provide comic relief while emphasizing how seriously he views Li Jing’s possible death.

Character Interactions

• Li Jing speaks gratefully with Jiang Ziya, who reassures him of his importance to the Conquest of Zhou.
• Jiang Ziya questions Jin Zha and Muzha about Li Jing’s symptoms and warns them about the possibility of Curse Arts.
• Jin Zha and Muzha challenge the curse theory, pointing out their father’s defenses and lack of contact with outsiders.
• Jiang Ziya’s burial comments horrify and silence Li Jing and his sons.
• Jin Zha later reports to Manjushri, who repeatedly questions whether Li Jing concealed an encounter with Lu Ya.
• Manjushri ultimately admits he cannot determine the cause and gives Jin Zha the resurrection elixir as a precaution.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Jin Zha returns to the Great Zhou camp with pills from his master, hoping to cure his father, Li Jing.
• Over the following days, Li Jing’s condition worsens dramatically. He stops eating, spends most of his time unconscious, vomits blood, and begins physically decaying as though he were a corpse.
• Jin Zha and Muzha seek help from their masters, Chan Sect immortals, Loose Immortals, and Guangchengzi, but no one can—or is willing to—save Li Jing.
• The powerful immortals recognize that Li Jing is suffering from a curse connected to Lu Ya. They understand that Li Jing’s earlier public insults toward Lu Ya and the Demon Race created the Karma behind the attack.
• On the twenty-first day, Li Jing awakens in agony and violently vomits blood. His horrifying appearance terrifies the soldiers, who believe he has suffered Heavenly Retribution and fear approaching him.
• A Quasi-Saint identifies the curse as the legendary Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, an ancient technique said to kill its victim after twenty-one days of ritual bowing. The curse is described as nearly impossible to resist, even for Daluo Immortals.
• The camp realizes that Lu Ya had remained silent because he was waiting for the curse to complete its course.
• Li Jing is then attacked by an invisible force: his eye bleeds, his limbs break, and his body is crushed piece by piece. He dies screaming in the Great Zhou camp.

Character developments

• Li Jing: Declines from a respected military figure into a grotesquely decaying, helpless victim of supernatural punishment. His death confirms the consequences of his reckless insults toward Lu Ya.
• Jin Zha and Muzha: Become increasingly desperate and powerless as every attempt to find a cure fails. Their anxiety highlights their devotion to their father.
• Jiang Ziya: Shows compassion by personally comforting Li Jing despite the danger and the soldiers’ fear, but he remains unable to stop the curse.
• Lu Ya: Is revealed as the likely architect of Li Jing’s death. His patience and silence emphasize the deliberate, terrifying nature of his revenge.
• The immortals: Their refusal to intervene reflects both their uncertainty about the curse and their unwillingness to risk provoking Lu Ya or inheriting Li Jing’s Karma.

Significant themes

• Karma and consequences: Li Jing’s death is presented as the direct result of publicly humiliating someone far more powerful than himself.
• The danger of arrogance and careless speech: His insults transform a minor conflict into a fatal supernatural vendetta.
• Powerlessness before higher forces: Even powerful immortals cannot easily oppose the curse, while ordinary people can only watch in terror.
• Fear and isolation: Li Jing’s illness turns him into an object of dread, separating him from the camp even as he nears death.
• Fate and inevitable punishment: The twenty-one-day countdown creates a sense that Li Jing’s death has been fixed from the moment the curse was cast.

Character interactions

• Jin Zha and Muzha repeatedly seek aid for their father but receive no effective help.
• The immortals discuss Li Jing’s Karma and the dangers of severing his connection to Lu Ya.
• Jiang Ziya approaches and comforts Li Jing when everyone else retreats, urging him to stop vomiting.
• A Quasi-Saint explains the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book to the gathered soldiers and immortals, allowing them to understand Lu Ya’s method only moments before Li Jing’s death.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Jing is brutally killed by Lu Ya’s Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, horrifying the immortals in the Great Zhou camp. Witnessing the curse’s cruelty causes many cultivators to lose their determination to continue the Conquest of Zhou and consider retreating from West Qi.
• Jiang Ziya mourns Li Jing and closes his eyes, while Li Jing’s sons, Jin Zha and Muzha, are overwhelmed by grief and rage. Muzha attempts to attack Lu Ya, but Jin Zha restrains him.
• Jin Zha reveals that his teacher gave him a Seven-Turn Resurrection Elixir, which is supposedly capable of reviving the dead. The brothers feed it to Li Jing, but after more than a hundred breaths, there is no visible revival.
• The elixir restores vitality to Li Jing’s body but cannot repair his injuries or restore his consciousness. His soul remains destroyed, leaving behind only a living corpse.
• Jin Zha and Muzha return to West Qi with Li Jing and seek help from their teachers. Manjushri and Cihang consult Guangchengzi, who uses the knowledge recorded in the Great Zhou Divine List to investigate the curse.
• Guangchengzi explains that the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book scatters the victim’s three souls, seven spirits, will, and True Spirit. Because the True Spirit itself is destroyed, even powerful resurrection pills cannot restore the victim.
• He also reveals that the curse consumes enormous amounts of the user’s blessings and Fortune Aura. Lu Ya must spend several times the victim’s Destiny to kill them, meaning the technique has severe limitations against powerful figures protected by immense fortune.

Character Developments

• Li Jing becomes a tragic example of the curse’s overwhelming power, dying without a chance to resist and remaining beyond resurrection.
• Muzha loses his usual composure, consumed by grief and hatred. His anger drives him to seek immediate revenge against Lu Ya.
• Jin Zha initially becomes a source of hope by using the resurrection elixir, but his confidence collapses when it fails. He is forced to confront the limits of his teacher’s treasure.
• Jiang Ziya responds with solemn compassion, personally tending to Li Jing’s remains.
• Guangchengzi displays confidence and authority. His control over the Human Dao Seal and access to the Great Zhou Divine List make him the leading expert on the curse. His personal enmity with Lu Ya also makes him especially concerned about its threat.
• Manjushri and Cihang become alarmed by the existence of such a devastating curse and want it eliminated, fearing that it could threaten them in the future.

Significant Themes

• The limits of resurrection: Powerful elixirs can restore a body’s vitality but cannot revive someone whose soul and True Spirit have been destroyed.
• The cost of power: The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book appears nearly unstoppable, but its use consumes the caster’s fortune and Destiny, demonstrating that even terrifying abilities have consequences.
• Fear and morale: Li Jing’s gruesome death spreads panic through the Great Zhou camp, weakening the army’s resolve and making allies question whether the war is worth the risk.
• Fate and protection: Cultivation, status, and immense Fortune Aura offer protection against techniques that would otherwise be fatal. The conflict is not determined by strength alone, but also by destiny and cosmic backing.
• Grief versus rational judgment: Muzha’s desire for revenge contrasts with Jin Zha’s attempt to find a practical solution, emphasizing the tension between emotional reaction and strategic thinking.

Character Interactions

• Muzha tries to attack Lu Ya, but Jin Zha stops him and persuades him to try the resurrection elixir instead.
• The brothers work together to administer the elixir, then return to West Qi carrying Li Jing’s body.
• Manjushri and Cihang consult each other before bringing Guangchengzi into the discussion.
• Guangchengzi explains the curse’s true nature to the others, dismissing any hope of reviving Li Jing and reassuring them that Lu Ya’s technique cannot easily be used against Saint disciples with powerful Fortune Aura.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guangchengzi reveals that Li Jing’s death from the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book is not permanent. Although Li Jing cannot be revived immediately, his soul can enter the Investiture List and regain consciousness after the Conquest of Zhou, returning as a deity under Haotian.
• Jin Zha and Muzha are relieved that their father will eventually return, though they resent that he will become Haotian’s subject.
• The brothers bring Li Jing’s body back to camp and ask Jiang Ziya to select an auspicious burial site. Jiang Ziya gladly assists, and Li Jing is buried according to the principle that a properly positioned ancestral grave will benefit future descendants.
• Jin Zha and Muzha explain the limitations of the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book to the Great Zhou forces, restoring morale and allowing the campaign against Yin Shang to continue.
• The Zhou army remains locked in a prolonged siege. Jiang Ziya repeatedly challenges the enemy, but neither side gains a decisive advantage. Supply shortages become an increasing concern, yet Guangchengzi dismisses Jiang Ziya’s report because he is focused on more important matters.
• On Golden Ao Island, the Interception Sect has split into two major factions:
  • Daoist Duobao and the established Personal Disciples, supported by figures such as Wudang Holy Mother, Golden Spirit Holy Mother, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Xiāo.
  • The Grand Unity Golden Immortals and Quasi-Saints associated with Yun Zhongzi and Qingyuan.
• Turtle Spirit Holy Mother refuses to join either side and withdraws into secluded cultivation with her trusted followers.
• The factional conflict worsens after Yun Zhongzi returns and, using his authority as Immortal Market Lord, attempts to consolidate power. Daoist Duobao responds with covert schemes, traps, and assassinations against Yun Zhongzi’s faction.
• Internal fighting among the Interception Sect becomes increasingly violent because the disciples understand one another’s techniques and weaknesses, allowing them to target each other with lethal precision.
• After another failed negotiation with Yun Zhongzi, Daoist Duobao loses control of his anger and contacts Guangchengzi. He agrees to Guangchengzi’s conditions in exchange for assistance killing Yun Zhongzi.
• Guangchengzi gives Duobao a pill that will temporarily elevate him to False Saint-level power, making him nearly impossible for anyone in the Primordial Wilderness to stop.
• Duobao orders Immortal Dingguang to summon Yun Zhongzi and the others for one final meeting, threatening to abandon restraint and purge the opposing faction if they refuse to submit.

Character Developments

• Jin Zha and Muzha: Move from despair to cautious hope after learning that Li Jing can eventually be resurrected through the Investiture List. Their joy is tempered by the humiliation of their father becoming Haotian’s subordinate.
• Li Jing: Though dead, his future is clarified. He is destined to return as a divine official with the potential to influence Heaven and Earth.
• Jiang Ziya: Gains the appreciation of Jin Zha and Muzha by helping arrange Li Jing’s burial. He continues managing the Zhou campaign but lacks Guangchengzi’s active support.
• Guangchengzi: Remains calm, manipulative, and politically calculating. He views Li Jing’s death and the siege’s logistical problems as minor compared with the larger struggle within the Interception Sect. He exploits Duobao’s anger to advance his own plans.
• Daoist Duobao: Changes from a faction leader engaged in political maneuvering into an openly ruthless figure willing to authorize murder and a sect-wide purge. His desire to retain authority overwhelms his concern for the sect’s survival.
• Yun Zhongzi: Becomes Duobao’s principal rival after challenging the traditional power structure and attempting to gather authority through his role as Immortal Market Lord.
• Turtle Spirit Holy Mother: Demonstrates caution and political independence by refusing to participate in the factional struggle.

Significant Themes

• Death and resurrection: Death during the Tribulation of Calamity is not necessarily final. Li Jing’s fate illustrates how the Investiture List can transform death into divine elevation, though at the cost of subordination to Haotian.
• Uncertainty of destiny: Guangchengzi emphasizes that anyone—powerful Immortal, sect leader, or regional ruler—can die during the calamity. No one’s survival is guaranteed until the conflict ends.
• Power and factionalism: The Interception Sect’s internal division shows how struggles for authority can be as destructive as external wars.
• Betrayal and political manipulation: Guangchengzi exploits Duobao’s insecurity, offering power while encouraging him to eliminate Yun Zhongzi and destabilize the sect.
• The corruption of brotherhood: Members of the same sect fight more viciously than outsiders because their familiarity allows them to exploit one another’s weaknesses.
• Legitimacy versus control: Duobao believes maintaining command justifies extreme measures, while Yun Zhongzi’s challenge threatens the established hierarchy.

Important Character Interactions

• Guangchengzi reassures Jin Zha and Muzha that Li Jing will eventually return through the Investiture List.
• Jin Zha and Muzha work with Jiang Ziya to bury their father and later inform the camp about the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book’s limitations.
• Jiang Ziya reports the Zhou army’s supply problems to Guangchengzi, but Guangchengzi ignores him.
• Daoist Duobao and Yun Zhongzi repeatedly negotiate over control of the Interception Sect, but their discussions consistently fail.
• Guangchengzi and Duobao form a dangerous alliance: Guangchengzi supplies the power needed for a purge, while Duobao agrees to follow his conditions.
• Duobao commands Immortal Dingguang to arrange a final confrontation with Yun Zhongzi, signaling that the sect’s internal conflict is about to become open warfare.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside Yun Zhongzi’s dojo on Golden Ao Island, Qingyuan’s personal disciples discuss the escalating conflict with Daoist Duobao.
• Duobao has been suppressing their branch, seizing resources, ostracizing opponents, and framing or accusing their subordinates. His actions have plunged the Interception Sect into widespread internal bloodshed.
• Golden-Winged Great Peng suggests confronting Duobao directly, but Immortal Dingguang arrives with a summons: Duobao wishes to meet Yun Zhongzi and the others at Past Branch.
• Yun Zhongzi accepts, and a large number of Jie Sect disciples follow the group, eager to witness whether Duobao and Yun Zhongzi will reconcile or intensify their struggle.
• At Duobao’s dojo, Duobao offers them a single condition for peace: they must support all his decisions, accept his management of the Interception Sect, and submit to his authority.
• Yun Zhongzi rejects this implied demand, arguing that Duobao’s policies are unjust and contrary to the sect’s original principles. He accuses Duobao of favoring his own followers, monopolizing resources, privately refining the sect’s Fortune Aura, and attempting to interfere with the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation.
• Duobao dismisses their objections as shortsighted and gives them one final ultimatum: submit to him.

Character Developments

• Yun Zhongzi emerges as a principled and steady leader. Although he remains respectful and follows proper etiquette, he firmly challenges Duobao’s abuse of power and defends fairness within the sect.
• Golden-Winged Great Peng becomes increasingly aggressive and advocates striking first against Duobao, reflecting the anger and frustration of Yun Zhongzi’s faction.
• Daoist Duobao is portrayed as arrogant, power-hungry, and uncompromising. He presents submission as an “opportunity” while refusing to acknowledge responsibility for the sect’s turmoil.
• Immortal Dingguang acts as Duobao’s messenger and intermediary. His pleasant, diplomatic manner is viewed with suspicion, suggesting political calculation beneath his outward courtesy.
• The Jie Sect disciples are deeply affected by the conflict and increasingly invested in the confrontation, following Yun Zhongzi’s group to observe the outcome.

Significant Themes

• Power versus fairness: The central conflict concerns Duobao’s attempt to centralize authority and resources, opposed by Yun Zhongzi’s insistence on equitable treatment.
• Factionalism and internal corruption: The Interception Sect’s internal struggle has become more destructive than many external conflicts, showing how ambition can weaken a powerful organization from within.
• Duty, loyalty, and obedience: Duobao equates loyalty with unquestioning support, while Yun Zhongzi argues that true loyalty requires opposing harmful decisions.
• Public unity versus private domination: Although both sides claim to want harmony in the sect, Duobao seeks peace through submission, whereas Yun Zhongzi wants reconciliation based on justice and shared principles.
• Threatened legacy: Duobao’s attempts to refine the sect’s Fortune Aura and probe the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation raise fears that he is endangering safeguards left by the sect’s grandmaster for his own purposes.

Character Interactions

• Yun Zhongzi and Golden-Winged Great Peng debate whether Duobao should be confronted militarily.
• Immortal Dingguang persuades Yun Zhongzi’s group to attend Duobao’s summons, framing the meeting as a possible attempt at reconciliation.
• The gathered disciples watch the two factions closely, making the meeting a major public test of authority.
• Yun Zhongzi directly challenges Duobao’s policies and motives, while Duobao responds with condescension rather than defense.
• The chapter ends with Duobao demanding unconditional submission, leaving the conflict unresolved but bringing the two sides closer to open confrontation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Duobao demands that Yun Zhongzi, Golden-Winged Great Peng, and the other disciples submit to his authority, declaring, “Those who obey me prosper; those who defy me perish.”
• The group refuses, criticizing Duobao’s tyrannical attitude and questioning whether he truly dares to kill them, given their status and powerful lineage.
• Duobao crushes several pills, causing his Peak Severing Three Corpses cultivation to surge to the level of a False Saint. The others recognize that he has not truly become a Saint, but his strength is nevertheless overwhelming.
• Using a black-hole-like technique, Duobao imprisons Yun Zhongzi and the others inside layers of overlapping Great Thousand Worlds. He remains wary of possible trump cards but is relieved when none appear.
• Duobao’s victory alarms the Interception Sect disciples outside his dojo. Those who attempt to enter and rescue the prisoners are instantly killed.
• Enraged disciples confront Duobao and demand the release of Yun Zhongzi’s group. Duobao responds by unleashing his False Saint pressure, crushing or killing many of them and forcing the rest to submit.
• He gathers the Interception Sect’s Fortune Aura into the Duobao Seal, using the Qingping Sword as a symbol of authority. Having consolidated the sect’s power, he travels to Biyou Palace.
• Duobao kneels before Sect Master Tongtian and claims to represent the united will of the Interception Sect. He requests control of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, the sect’s supreme treasure, so he can defend the sect during the ongoing calamity.

2. Character Developments

• Daoist Duobao undergoes a dramatic transformation from a sect leader seeking cooperation into a ruthless authoritarian. He relies on pills to reach False Saint strength and uses violence, imprisonment, and intimidation to establish control.
• Yun Zhongzi and the other disciples remain proud and defiant despite Duobao’s threats. Their refusal to submit highlights their loyalty to their own lineage and their distrust of Duobao’s motives.
• Golden-Winged Great Peng openly mocks Duobao, suggesting that he is mentally unstable, demonstrating confidence and unwillingness to be intimidated.
• The Interception Sect disciples initially resist Duobao and attempt to protect Yun Zhongzi’s group, but most eventually submit when faced with his overwhelming power. Their submission allows Duobao to claim the sect’s collective Fortune Aura.
• Golden Spirit Holy Mother and the other Personal Disciples are left shocked and confused by Duobao’s sudden False Saint-level power and his drastic change in behavior.

3. Significant Themes

• Authoritarian power and forced obedience: Duobao’s slogan reduces leadership to a choice between submission and death.
• Power versus legitimacy: Although Duobao gains immense strength and sect-wide authority, his methods raise questions about whether his rule is rightful or merely coercive.
• Loyalty and resistance: Yun Zhongzi’s group refuses to surrender despite the danger, while the wider sect’s eventual submission shows how fear can overpower principle.
• Manipulation of collective authority: By claiming to represent the entire sect and absorbing its Fortune Aura, Duobao converts political control into spiritual and military power.
• The danger of unchecked ambition: Duobao’s desire to protect or control the Interception Sect increasingly resembles a personal power grab, culminating in his demand for the sect’s supreme treasure.

4. Character Interactions

• Duobao confronts Yun Zhongzi, Golden-Winged Great Peng, and the others, alternating between persuasion, threats, and open hostility.
• Golden-Winged Great Peng insults Duobao’s judgment, while Yun Zhongzi calmly rejects his proposal on behalf of the group.
• Duobao responds to their defiance by imprisoning them rather than fighting them directly.
• The wider Interception Sect challenges Duobao and attempts a rescue, but he kills the attackers and forces the remaining disciples to kneel.
• Finally, Duobao presents himself humbly before Tongtian, contrasting his submissive posture toward his master with the tyrannical authority he exercises over the sect’s disciples.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Daoist Duobao kneels before Biyou Palace and petitions for control of the Interception Sect, presenting the Qingping Sword and relying on the sect’s accumulated Fortune Aura.
• The Four Immortal Slaying Swords emerge from the palace and enter Duobao’s Divine Mansion, granting him temporary control and confirming his authority.
• Believing he has gained recognition from the Interception Sect’s Saint, Duobao declares himself the true Acting Sect Master and vows to kill anyone who opposes him.
• He orders Chang’er Dingguang Xian to sound the Yugu Drum and summon all Interception Sect disciples to Preaching Cliff.
• At the assembly, Duobao announces that Yun Zhongzi and the others were killed for defying him. Because they were disciples of Qingyuan—the sect’s senior disciple—this causes widespread outrage and divides the sect.
• Duobao uses the Qingping Sword, the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, and the submission of the gathered disciples to consolidate his position. Their submission greatly strengthens his Fortune Aura.
• He instructs the disciples to remain in their caves, follow the Saint’s warning against going to the Western Land, and accept responsibility for their own actions if they enter the coming tribulation.
• Duobao then retreats to cultivate the Dao of Sole Supremacy, hoping to advance from his False Saint state to the true Saint Realm.
• Secretly, he orders Dingguang, Zhao Gongming, and others to ostracize Qingyuan’s faction. This sparks more than ten days of internal fighting within the Interception Sect.
• Many disciples who refuse to submit leave for Yin Shang to seek the help of Lu Ya, Qingyuan’s disciple. On the way, Chan Sect forces and the Great Zhou ambush them, killing more than half and sending their True Spirits to the Investiture Altar.
• The survivors split into groups: some return to the East Sea for reinforcements, some attack West Qi to avenge their dead, and others continue toward Yin Shang.
• At Jiameng Pass, Lu Ya and the Four Heavenly Kings defend the frontier and manage civilian unrest while waiting for instructions from Great Shang. Poor communication leaves them unable to launch a decisive attack against West Qi.
• Mo Liqing suggests using the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book to kill more West Qi commanders, but Lu Ya explains that the technique consumes enormous amounts of Fortune Aura and can place the caster in grave danger.

2. Character Developments

• Daoist Duobao rises from Acting Sect Master to a position of overwhelming practical authority. His possession of the Four Immortal Slaying Swords makes him more confident, arrogant, and ruthless.
• Daoist Duobao’s leadership becomes increasingly coercive. Although he presents himself as protecting the sect during the coming calamity, he suppresses opposition and deliberately isolates Qingyuan’s followers.
• Qingyuan’s faction shifts from political opposition to open hostility after the deaths of Yun Zhongzi and the others. Their followers refuse to accept Duobao’s legitimacy.
• Chang’er Dingguang Xian and Zhao Gongming become active supporters of Duobao’s consolidation of power, helping him manipulate the sect’s internal divisions.
• Lu Ya demonstrates political restraint and strategic awareness. Though eager to attack the weakened Great Zhou forces, he recognizes the dangers of overusing the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book.
• The Interception Sect disciples are forced to choose between submission, resistance, flight, or revenge, transforming the sect’s disagreement into a full internal schism.

3. Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and power: Duobao uses sacred weapons, sect destiny, and apparent recognition from the Saint to justify his claim to leadership.
• Factionalism and civil conflict: The Interception Sect’s internal division becomes as dangerous as the external war with Great Zhou and the Chan Sect.
• The cost of authority: Duobao’s rise strengthens the sect’s collective Fortune Aura but damages its unity and drives many disciples away.
• Destiny versus personal choice: The coming tribulation and Investiture List make every disciple’s decision potentially fatal, while Duobao insists individuals must bear the consequences of their actions.
• Power’s hidden price: The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book can kill powerful enemies, but it consumes Fortune Aura and may destroy the caster’s own future.
• Communication and isolation: The disappearance of the Internet leaves Yin Shang’s forces unable to coordinate, turning strategic advantages into frustration and paralysis.

4. Character Interactions

• Duobao and the Saint/Biyou Palace: Duobao petitions for recognition and receives temporary control of the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, interpreting this as approval of his leadership.
• Duobao and Chang’er Dingguang Xian: Duobao commands Dingguang to summon the sect and later uses him as part of the campaign against Qingyuan’s faction.
• Duobao and the Interception Sect disciples: He presents himself as the only leader capable of guiding the sect through the tribulation, forcing the disciples into submission through both political pressure and the intimidating presence of the swords.
• Duobao versus Qingyuan’s faction: The deaths of Yun Zhongzi and the others create intense hatred and turn a leadership dispute into an internal sect conflict.
• The displaced disciples and Lu Ya: Dissatisfied disciples seek Lu Ya as a replacement authority figure, hoping he can restore order and oppose Duobao.
• Lu Ya and the Four Heavenly Kings: They cooperate in defending Jiameng Pass and organizing Yin Shang’s forces, though they are frustrated by the lack of orders from the capital.
• Lu Ya and Mo Liqing: Mo Liqing proposes expanding the use of the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, while Lu Ya explains its severe costs and rejects reckless deployment.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ya explains the severe backlash caused by using the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. The curse consumes the target’s Fortune Aura, and forcibly killing someone through Destiny invites catastrophic misfortune and tribulations upon the caster.
• He admits that he originally intended to curse Jiang Ziya, Great Zhou’s commander, but changed his target to Li Jing after Li Jing repeatedly provoked and humiliated him. Lu Ya recognizes that this decision was impulsive and may have worsened the backlash.
• The collapse of the Internet has disrupted communication across the Primordial Wilderness, leaving factions unable to exchange information or coordinate effectively.
• A large group of Jie Sect disciples arrives at Jiameng Pass, claiming that the Interception Sect has descended into chaos. They report that Daoist Duobao murdered the personal disciples of the missing senior disciple and seized control of the sect.
• The refugees accuse Duobao of ambushing and killing disciples loyal to the senior disciple, while his followers purge dissenters and drive survivors from Golden Ao Island.
• Lu Ya orders the refugees to present their identity tokens. His forces discover and kill several Chan Sect spies hiding among them, using the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife to eliminate those who resist or attempt escape.
• The surviving Jie Sect disciples are revealed to be powerful fighters, ranging from the Golden Immortal Realm to the One-Corpse-Severed Quasi-Saint level.
• After hearing the refugees’ testimony, Lu Ya concludes that Duobao is a traitor who has allied with the Chan Sect. He speculates that Duobao became a Saint through outside assistance and is trying to exploit the Interception Sect’s resources and Fortune Aura to preserve or strengthen his newfound power.
• Before the situation can be investigated further, West Qi launches a sudden attack on Jiameng Pass. Lu Ya and the others, already enraged by the news from Golden Ao Island, prepare to meet the assault.

Character Developments

• Lu Ya shows regret over redirecting the curse from Jiang Ziya to Li Jing, recognizing that his anger led him to act rashly.
• His suspicion and hostility toward Daoist Duobao intensify dramatically. Based on the refugees’ accounts, Lu Ya openly brands Duobao a traitor and assumes he is cooperating with the Chan Sect.
• Lu Ya also demonstrates caution and decisiveness by screening the refugees for identity tokens and personally handling suspected spies.
• The fleeing Jie Sect disciples appear frightened, angry, and desperate, but many are experienced elites who have survived massacres and ambushes.
• The Four Heavenly Kings and other Jie Sect members shift from confidence in the Interception Sect’s invincibility to deep alarm as they confront evidence of an internal power struggle.

Significant Themes

• The cost of forbidden power: The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book can kill powerful enemies, but its use consumes Fortune Aura and brings potentially fatal Destiny backlash.
• Fortune, fate, and causality: The chapter emphasizes that immortal cultivators are still vulnerable to declining luck, karmic consequences, and sudden tribulations.
• Internal betrayal and political fragmentation: The greatest threat to the Interception Sect may come not from external enemies but from Duobao’s alleged coup and purge.
• Misinformation and uncertainty: With communications disrupted, the characters must rely on frightened witnesses and incomplete reports, making it easy for suspicion and conspiracy theories to spread.
• Loyalty and factional identity: The refugees appeal to Lu Ya as fellow Jie Sect disciples, while the conflict forces everyone to question who remains loyal to the sect.
• War amid chaos: West Qi exploits the Interception Sect’s internal turmoil and the resulting disorder to launch an attack at a vulnerable moment.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ya recounts his actions to the Demon Brothers and other demon experts, who comfort him rather than criticize him.
• The Jie Sect refugees plead with Lu Ya to avenge their murdered fellow disciples and recognize his connection to the senior disciple’s faction.
• Lu Ya responds firmly by imposing an identity check, balancing sympathy for the refugees with suspicion of infiltration.
• He interrogates their accounts indirectly through their conflicting explanations and later reinforces their anger by accusing Duobao of colluding with Guangchengzi and the Chan Sect.
• The Four Heavenly Kings question how Duobao could have become a Saint and why the Chan Sect ambushed the fleeing disciples.
• When West Qi attacks, Lu Ya and the Jie Sect survivors unite against the external enemy, temporarily shifting their focus from the civil conflict within the Interception Sect to defending Jiameng Pass.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Outside Jiameng Pass, Jiang Ziya leads hundreds of thousands of Great Zhou troops, along with West Qi generals and allied Immortals, to attack the pass.
• Lu Ya and other powerful figures remain stationed on the city walls, while the Four Heavenly Kings organize Yin Shang’s defenses.
• Mo Lihong taunts Jiang Ziya’s forces from atop the walls, mocking them for coming to Jiameng Pass so soon after Li Jing’s death.
• Muzha angrily challenges Mo Lihong, prompting Mo to launch a vicious verbal attack against Muzha and Jin Zha’s deceased father, Li Jing. He accuses Li Jing of cowardice, betrayal, and incompetence, while also insulting his sons for serving West Qi against their former lord.
• Jiang Ziya attempts to intervene and calls on the defenders to surrender, but Mo Lihong turns his insults toward Jiang as well, condemning him for abandoning Great Shang after being elevated from humble origins.
• Nangong Shi defends West Qi, praising its virtuous government, strict laws, peaceful society, and supposedly prosperous people. He claims that lost possessions are not taken and that doors can safely remain unlocked at night.
• Mo Lihong ridicules these claims, arguing that West Qi is merely too poor to possess valuable property—or even doors. He also claims that West Qi’s laws and institutions were copied from Yin Shang.
• Both Jiang Ziya and Nangong Shi are left speechless and humiliated by Mo Lihong’s sharp retorts.
• Muzha renews his challenge, and Mo Lihong accepts. The gates of Jiameng Pass open, and the Four Heavenly Kings lead their troops onto the battlefield.
• The chapter ends as Mo Lihong, armed with a Hunyuan Umbrella and horse-cleaving saber, charges Muzha for a one-on-one battle.

2. Character Developments

• Mo Lihong is portrayed as bold, fiercely loyal to Yin Shang, and exceptionally skilled at psychological warfare. Rather than merely defending the pass, he deliberately provokes and humiliates the opposing commanders.
• Muzha is shown to be emotionally vulnerable regarding his father’s death. Mo Lihong’s insults provoke him into acting impulsively and demanding personal combat.
• Jin Zha shares Muzha’s humiliation but, like him, cannot produce an effective verbal response.
• Jiang Ziya appears politically and emotionally weakened when Mo reminds him of his former dependence on Great Shang and accuses him of betraying the ruler who promoted him.
• Nangong Shi confidently praises West Qi’s moral and political order, but his arguments collapse when Mo challenges the material reality behind those claims.
• The Four Heavenly Kings demonstrate unity and loyalty by defending Jiameng Pass and accompanying Mo Lihong into battle.

3. Significant Themes

• Propaganda versus reality: Both sides claim moral legitimacy, but the exchange exposes how political ideals—such as West Qi’s peace and prosperity—can be used as propaganda.
• Poverty and governance: Mo Lihong undercuts West Qi’s boast of “unlocked doors” by reframing it as evidence of extreme poverty rather than social trust.
• Loyalty and betrayal: The chapter repeatedly questions whether Jiang Ziya, Li Jing, and the Li brothers have abandoned their former allegiance for political advantage.
• Verbal warfare as a battlefield tactic: Insults are used to destabilize opponents emotionally before physical combat begins.
• Family honor and resentment: Li Jing’s death remains a painful source of anger for Muzha and Jin Zha, making them especially susceptible to provocation.
• Competing claims to legitimacy: Yin Shang and Great Zhou both portray themselves as defenders of justice while condemning the other side as rebellious and tyrannical.

4. Character Interactions

• Mo Lihong and Muzha: Their hostile exchange escalates from insults into a formal duel, with Mo exploiting Muzha’s grief over Li Jing.
• Mo Lihong and Jin Zha: Mo insults both brothers, accusing them of betraying Yin Shang and dishonoring their family.
• Mo Lihong and Jiang Ziya: Mo attacks Jiang’s humble origins and accuses him of using Great Shang’s favor before betraying it; Jiang is unable to answer.
• Mo Lihong and Nangong Shi: Nangong presents West Qi as peaceful and prosperous, but Mo mocks his claims so effectively that Nangong can only remain silent.
• Jiang Ziya and his army: Jiang tries to restrain the verbal conflict and demand surrender, but his authority is weakened by Mo’s public humiliation of him.
• The opposing armies: After the verbal confrontation, both sides move from political rhetoric to direct military engagement outside Jiameng Pass.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Muzha battles Mo Lihong in close combat. Although Muzha fights fiercely with his Mixed Iron Staff, Mo Lihong’s greater strength, experience, speed, and saber skill quickly overwhelm him.
• After nearly a hundred exchanges, Muzha is badly wounded and becomes enraged. At the urging of an unseen ally, he secretly uses the Immortal Binding Rope despite their contest supposedly being based on martial skill alone.
• The rope immobilizes and seals Mo Lihong’s cultivation, allowing Muzha to strike him. Jin Zha then arrives and kills the helpless Mo Lihong with an Innate Spiritual Treasure, causing his body and Dao to vanish while his True Spirit is sent to the Investiture Altar.
• Muzha is shocked and upset that Jin Zha killed his opponent without permission, believing the duel should have been settled honorably. Jin Zha dismisses such concerns, arguing that Mo Lihong was an enemy of their family and a servant of Shang Zhou.
• The remaining Demon Brothers—Mo Liqing, Mo Lihai, and Mo Lihong’s companions—erupt in fury and attack Jin Zha and Muzha with their magic treasures. Their attacks create black wind, raging fire, mental illusions, and a gigantic beast capable of swallowing them.
• Immortals from Great Zhou intervene to protect Jin Zha and Muzha. Many on their side celebrate Mo Lihong’s death, while a minority object that the brothers violated martial honor. The Demon Brothers’ anger intensifies, and the confrontation threatens to become a full-scale battle.
• Lu Ya notices that Jiang Ziya is insufficiently protected amid the chaos. He uses his gourd and commands, “Please turn around, treasure!” A nearly undetectable white light decapitates Jiang Ziya instantly, leaving his body standing briefly before his consciousness fades into darkness.

Character Developments

• Muzha is shown to be brave but inexperienced and prideful. His frustration at being outmatched leads him to violate the terms of the duel by using the Immortal Binding Rope. However, he still retains a sense of honor and is disturbed by Jin Zha’s killing of Mo Lihong.
• Jin Zha displays ruthlessness, hatred, and strong filial loyalty. He justifies Mo Lihong’s execution as revenge for insults against their deceased father and as necessary punishment for an enemy of Great Zhou.
• Mo Lihong is established as a seasoned, powerful warrior who greatly surpasses Muzha in martial combat. His death occurs only after he is unfairly restrained.
• The Demon Brothers respond with intense grief and rage, immediately seeking revenge for Mo Lihong and abandoning restraint.
• Lu Ya proves himself to be calculating and opportunistic. Rather than joining the direct clash, he uses the confusion to assassinate Jiang Ziya with a powerful, nearly invisible attack.
• Jiang Ziya is caught off guard because the battlefield’s disorder leaves him temporarily unguarded. His sudden decapitation marks a major reversal for Great Zhou.

Significant Themes

• Honor versus expediency: Muzha’s duel is presented as a contest of martial skill, but he and Jin Zha abandon those rules when victory becomes difficult or revenge takes priority.
• Revenge and filial loyalty: Jin Zha’s hatred of Mo Lihong is driven by his belief that the Demon Brothers contributed to his father’s death and insulted his memory.
• Escalation of war: Mo Lihong’s death transforms a tense standoff into an open and potentially devastating battle between the two sides.
• Moral division and propaganda: Great Zhou’s forces celebrate the killing as a heroic victory, while others recognize that it resulted from dishonorable tactics.
• Chaos as an opportunity: Lu Ya demonstrates how disorder can be exploited strategically, turning the battlefield confusion into an assassination opportunity.

Character Interactions

• Muzha and Mo Lihong exchange taunts throughout their duel, with Mo Lihong mocking Muzha’s inexperience and Muzha responding with anger.
• An unseen ally prompts Muzha to use the Immortal Binding Rope, changing the fight from a fair contest into an ambush.
• Jin Zha kills Mo Lihong and then rebukes Muzha for objecting, emphasizing their opposing views of honor and warfare.
• The surviving Demon Brothers attack the two brothers in grief and fury, while Great Zhou’s immortals intervene to save them.
• Lu Ya watches the conflict from the sidelines and takes advantage of everyone’s attention being focused on the battle to assassinate Jiang Ziya.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ziya is suddenly killed when Lu Ya decapitates him during the battle near Jiameng Pass.
• The Great Zhou army collapses into panic and retreats, allowing Lu Ya and the Demon Race’s Primordial Golden Immortals to inflict enormous casualties.
• Great Zhou loses roughly one-fifth of its forces, more than twenty Grand Unity Golden Immortals, tens of thousands of soldiers, and its commander, Jiang Ziya.
• Although Jin Zha kills Mo Lihong, the defender of Jiameng Pass, his unsanctioned action is blamed for disrupting the battle and contributing to the ensuing disaster.
• After the retreat, the Great Zhou forces argue bitterly over Jin Zha’s conduct. Nangong Shi stops the dispute and emphasizes that Jiang Ziya’s death is the true crisis.
• Jiang Ziya’s corpse is escorted back to West Qi, where Ji Chang, Manjushri, Cihang, Jin Zha, and Muzha confront the consequences.
• Since Jiang Ziya was the only person authorized by the Chan Sect to command the Conquest of Zhou, his death threatens Great Zhou’s entire political and military future.
• Jin Zha and Muzha kneel before Guangchengzi and confess their mistake. Guangchengzi calmly states that he already knows what happened and tells them not to worry.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya: His death transforms him from Great Zhou’s commander into the central source of a succession crisis. His unique appointment makes his loss potentially fatal to the entire campaign.
• Lu Ya: Demonstrates overwhelming battlefield effectiveness by killing Jiang Ziya and leading a devastating counterattack against Great Zhou.
• Jin Zha: Remains arrogant and unapologetic after killing Mo Lihong, defending his actions as both military merit and righteous punishment. However, upon returning to West Qi, he abandons his defiance and admits fault before Guangchengzi.
• Muzha: Is visibly ashamed and guilt-ridden after the defeat, contrasting with Jin Zha’s initial stubbornness. He later joins Jin Zha in apologizing.
• Nangong Shi: Acts as the voice of reason, ending the internal quarrel and redirecting attention to the far more serious consequences of Jiang Ziya’s death.
• Ji Chang: Becomes deeply frightened and uncertain about West Qi’s future, realizing that the Chan Sect’s support depended on Jiang Ziya’s leadership.
• Guangchengzi: Maintains a strikingly calm and controlled attitude despite the crisis, suggesting that he may have anticipated or accepted Jiang Ziya’s death.

3. Significant Themes

• The cost of acting independently: Jin Zha’s reckless initiative is portrayed as a major contributor to the battlefield catastrophe, even though he insists it was justified.
• Authority and obedience: The campaign depends not merely on military strength but on the Chan Sect’s recognition of a specific commander. Jiang Ziya’s authority is institutional and irreplaceable.
• Righteousness versus military ethics: Jin Zha argues that killing enemies who support a tyrannical regime is inherently righteous, while others condemn his use of magical treasures during what was supposed to be a martial contest.
• Failure and accountability: The characters struggle to assign blame after the defeat, revealing fear, resentment, and the consequences of poor coordination.
• Power and political dependence: West Qi’s survival is shown to depend heavily on the Chan Sect, leaving Ji Chang helpless when its appointed leader dies.
• Calm amid crisis: Guangchengzi’s unconcerned response contrasts sharply with everyone else’s panic, creating suspense about his hidden plans.

4. Character Interactions

• Great Zhou soldiers and immortals angrily confront Jin Zha, accusing him of acting without authorization and causing unnecessary deaths.
• Jin Zha responds aggressively, blaming the others for failing to exploit the opening created by Mo Lihong’s death.
• Nangong Shi interrupts the confrontation and reprimands everyone for arguing while facing the loss of their commander.
• Ji Chang and the Chan Sect disciples gather around Jiang Ziya’s corpse in fear and uncertainty.
• Jin Zha and Muzha submit to Guangchengzi, apologizing for their actions, but Guangchengzi dismisses their anxiety with unexpected composure.

Chapter Summary

• Jiang Ziya is killed by Lu Ya’s Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife. His head is severed, his blood is drained, and even his soul appears to vanish. Everyone assumes his death is absolute, especially because even powerful Daluo Immortals would be unable to revive someone slain in such a manner.
• Guangchengzi remains unexpectedly calm. Instead of blaming Jin Zha or becoming angry over Jiang Ziya’s death, he explains that Jiang Ziya is destined to undergo the tribulation of Seven Deaths and Three Calamities. As the person chosen to preside over the Investiture of the Gods, Jiang Ziya cannot truly die while the calamity continues.
• Guangchengzi personally revives Jiang Ziya. He reconnects Jiang Ziya’s head to his body, gives him a mysterious pill, and uses an incantation to awaken him. Jiang Ziya miraculously returns to life, astonishing all the Immortals present.
• Jiang Ziya learns of his unusual fate. While recovering, he overhears the Immortals discussing how Heaven permits him to survive but seemingly forbids him from becoming an Immortal. This leaves him distressed, since he may complete the great Conquest of Zhou yet still be doomed to die as a mortal.
• Guangchengzi orders Jiang Ziya back to the front lines. He tells Jiang Ziya to continue leading the Zhou campaign and promises that powerful reinforcements will soon arrive. Guangchengzi confidently claims that Jiameng Pass will fall and that Zhou’s forces will eventually reach Chaoge and destroy Shang Zhou, though he refuses to reveal his backup plan to the other Golden Immortals.
• Jiang Ziya resumes the campaign. He returns to the front lines with Jin Zha, Muzha, and other Immortals. He repeatedly attacks and harasses Jiameng Pass, while appearing before the defenders to damage Yin Shang’s morale.
• Lu Ya strikes again with the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. After more than ten days, Jiang Ziya suddenly becomes weak, confused, and unsteady. He begins aging rapidly, develops the stench and appearance of an old man, and eventually starts to rot as his soul disperses. The Zhou camp realizes with shock and fury that Lu Ya has once again used the deadly curse against him.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Guangchengzi is revealed to be calm, calculating, and fully aware of Jiang Ziya’s destiny. He treats Jiang Ziya’s death as an expected stage of the tribulation rather than a disaster and secretly maintains confidence in a larger strategy.
• Jiang Ziya changes from a seemingly dead victim into a revived but psychologically shaken leader. His fear of mortality and inability to become an Immortal becomes more pronounced.
• Jin Zha is indirectly reassured by Guangchengzi, who refuses to blame him for Jiang Ziya’s death after Jin Zha’s actions contributed to the situation.
• Muzha appears troubled and hesitant, suggesting he may suspect that something is wrong with the revival or Guangchengzi’s plans, though he does not voice his concerns.
• The other Immortals move from disbelief at Jiang Ziya’s death to amazement at his resurrection, then to anger when Lu Ya’s curse begins killing him again.

Major Themes

• Heavenly destiny versus individual will: Jiang Ziya’s fate is controlled by the Mandate of Heaven—he must survive to fulfill his role but is denied the chance to become an Immortal.
• Death and resurrection: Jiang Ziya’s repeated deaths emphasize that his life is bound to the ongoing calamity rather than ordinary rules of life and death.
• Hidden plans and political confidence: Guangchengzi’s secrecy and certainty suggest that the Zhou forces possess deeper strategies beyond what the other Immortals understand.
• The cruelty of fate: Jiang Ziya is forced to endure repeated suffering, surviving death only to face aging, decay, and another supernatural attack.
• Rivalry and escalating conflict: Lu Ya’s repeated use of the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book demonstrates the increasingly ruthless struggle between the Zhou and Yin Shang forces.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ziya is cursed to death by Lu Ya’s Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, enduring prolonged torture before Nangong Shi ends his suffering.
• Jin Zha, Muzha, and several Immortals return Jiang Ziya’s corpse to West Qi. Guangchengzi revives him with a Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill.
• Jiang Ziya begs to be relieved of his role as leader of the Conquest of Zhou and presider over the Investiture of the Gods, arguing that many Chan Sect disciples are more qualified than he is.
• Guangchengzi refuses, insisting that the mission was personally assigned by a Saint and promising that Jiang Ziya will always be revived and supported.
• To strengthen the Zhou forces, Guangchengzi sends more than a dozen Quasi-Saints and over a hundred Grand Unity Golden Immortals to attack Jiameng Pass, causing the fighting to become increasingly brutal.
• Despite the reinforcements, Jiang Ziya is repeatedly killed by Lu Ya’s forces:
  • Poisoned to death
  • Hacked into pieces
  • Burned into ashes by demonic fire
  • Reduced to scraps of clothing in a suicidal demonic attack
• Jiang Ziya reveals that he has died seventeen times in thirty days, far exceeding the predicted “Seven Deaths and Three Calamities.” He fears every moment, imagining countless possible ways he might die.
• Guangchengzi orders him back to the frontline, promising that an elite surprise force will soon arrive to break Jiameng Pass.
• Furious at Lu Ya and the worsening situation, Guangchengzi tears open the void and enters the chaotic darkness, apparently seeking outside assistance or a decisive solution.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya becomes increasingly traumatized, desperate, and emotionally broken by his repeated deaths. His confidence in the mission collapses, and he openly begs to be replaced.
• Guangchengzi grows increasingly irritated and furious. Though he repeatedly revives and reassures Jiang Ziya, his concern is mixed with impatience and a determination to preserve the Saint-assigned plan at all costs.
• Jin Zha and Muzha remain loyal messengers and supporters of Jiang Ziya, reporting the danger at the frontline while flattering Guangchengzi and urging him to act.
• The Chan Sect disciples lose their earlier envy of Jiang Ziya’s special appointment after witnessing the terrifying cost of the position; none of them wants to replace him.
• Lu Ya and the Demon Race forces emerge as increasingly dangerous opponents, using unpredictable assassination methods and causing panic throughout the Zhou camp.

Significant Themes

• The cruelty of fate and political duty: Jiang Ziya is trapped in a role he never wanted, forced to endure death because of a mission imposed by higher powers.
• Immortality versus suffering: Although Jiang Ziya can be revived, resurrection does not spare him pain or fear; endless revival becomes another form of torment.
• The cost of war: The arrival of powerful Immortals intensifies the conflict, increasing casualties and turning the battle into a savage supernatural war.
• Power and responsibility: Guangchengzi insists that Jiang Ziya must continue because the task comes from a Saint, showing how authority overrides individual suffering.
• Fear and uncertainty: The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book creates terror not only through death but through the constant unpredictability of when and how death will come.

Character Interactions

• Jin Zha and Muzha defend themselves before Guangchengzi, explaining that Jiang Ziya’s death was caused by Lu Ya and asking for a way to counter the curse.
• Jiang Ziya repeatedly pleads with Guangchengzi to release him from the mission, while Guangchengzi dismisses his requests and pressures him to continue.
• Guangchengzi attempts to reassure Jiang Ziya by promising protection, revival, Chan Sect support, and eventual victory.
• The Chan Sect disciples silently distance themselves from Jiang Ziya’s position, revealing that his supposed honor is actually viewed as a deadly burden.
• Jiang Ziya’s repeated return to the frontline, despite his terror, highlights his lack of autonomy and dependence on Guangchengzi and the Chan Sect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guangchengzi enters the Netherworld Sea of Blood and calls for Tian Bo Xun, ignoring the hostile Asura warriors who threaten to kill and eat him.
• Tian Bo Xun appears as the Asura King and receives the worship of the surrounding Asura.
• Guangchengzi demands an immediate answer regarding their earlier agreement: he wants the Asura Race to invade the Primordial Wilderness, conquer Shang Zhou, and help defeat the Interception Sect.
• Tian Bo Xun explains that two other Asura leaders, Da Fan Tian and Shi Po, oppose the plan because they insist on following the orders left by the Asura Sect Master. He claims that the Asura Race possesses thirteen Quasi-Saints and 372 Grand Unity Golden Immortals, but he can currently mobilize only part of them.
• Guangchengzi refuses to wait and orders Tian Bo Xun to lead whatever forces he controls to the East Sea Coast. If Tian Bo Xun cannot act immediately, Guangchengzi will find another ally.
• Tian Bo Xun demands that he and Yu Se Tian become Human Dao Saints, that his followers receive the Human Dao Seal’s empowerment, and that he receive seventy percent of the spoils after the campaign. Guangchengzi agrees and swears a Heavenly Dao oath.
• Tian Bo Xun summons hundreds of thousands of elite Asura, including eight Quasi-Saints and 195 Grand Unity Golden Immortals, deliberately bringing no one below the True Immortal realm.
• Da Fan Tian and Shi Po arrive to stop the army from leaving without the Sect Master’s approval. Guangchengzi departs for West Qi, warning Tian Bo Xun that he must arrive immediately or lose the alliance.
• Furious at being obstructed, Tian Bo Xun accuses Da Fan Tian and Shi Po of harming the Asura Race’s future and angrily insists that his actions are intended to secure its survival and strengthen its position in the Primordial Wilderness.

Character Developments

• Guangchengzi is shown as impatient, calculating, and uncompromising. He treats the Asura as a military resource, pressures Tian Bo Xun with deadlines, and secures his promise through a binding oath.
• Tian Bo Xun appears ambitious and politically aggressive. He believes the Asura Race should abandon its isolation, seize power in the Primordial Wilderness, and gain substantial rewards. His anger toward the other leaders reveals growing desperation and internal division.
• Da Fan Tian and Shi Po function as conservative forces within the Asura Race. They prioritize obedience to the absent Sect Master over immediate expansion, placing them directly against Tian Bo Xun.
• The Asura warriors are portrayed as savage, bloodthirsty, and intensely loyal to their king, though their initial eagerness to fight among themselves also emphasizes their brutality and lack of discipline.

Significant Themes

• Ambition versus loyalty: Tian Bo Xun’s desire to expand conflicts with Da Fan Tian and Shi Po’s adherence to the Sect Master’s commands.
• The survival of a race: Tian Bo Xun frames his invasion plan as necessary to secure the Asura Race’s future, suggesting that expansion is motivated by both ambition and fear of eventual decline.
• Power and political bargaining: The alliance is built on concrete rewards—sainthood, empowerment, and seventy percent of the spoils—rather than trust.
• Internal division: Although the Asura are formidable in battle, their leadership is fractured, threatening to undermine their strength before the campaign even begins.
• Violence as identity: The Blood Sea and its inhabitants embody slaughter, with the Asura Race defining itself through combat and killing.

Character Interactions

• Guangchengzi confronts and pressures Tian Bo Xun, refusing to entertain delays or excuses.
• Tian Bo Xun attempts to reassure Guangchengzi by boasting about the Asura Race’s strength, but Guangchengzi focuses instead on how many troops he can actually control.
• Guangchengzi and Tian Bo Xun finalize their alliance through negotiation and a Heavenly Dao oath.
• Da Fan Tian and Shi Po directly challenge Tian Bo Xun’s authority by blocking the assembled army.
• Tian Bo Xun responds with rage, accusing them of obstructing the Asura Race’s prosperity and threatening its survival.