Chapter Summaries

With his starving army nearing revolt, An Lushan planned to use Li Linfu’s secret feasting as a pretext to turn against Great Tang. When the smell of meat drew the troops to the Supervisory Army Camp, An Lushan arranged an inspection, and Li Linfu was caught in the act.

• An Lushan and Shi Siming agreed it was time to draw in the net and planned to use Li Linfu’s misconduct to justify their move.
• After the troops received another meager meal, the smell of meat from the Supervisory Army Camp stirred their anger.
• An Lushan ordered the troops to disperse, then sent subordinate generals and soldiers into the camp to investigate while promising to project the scene into the sky.
• Li Linfu was enjoying a lavish meal of wild boar, rabbit, and other dishes when the soldiers burst into his tent.
• Li Linfu ordered his guards to seize the men who had entered.

An Lushan used a secret divine technique to expose Li Linfu feasting with beauties while Great Tang’s soldiers endured hunger, stirring outrage throughout the camp. As the soldiers called for rebellion, An Lushan and Shi Siming joined the calls, while Yang Jian watched and decided that Li Longji deserved the coming calamity.

• An Lushan projected an image of Li Linfu dining lavishly with beauties and feeding meat to a pet dog above the camp.
• A deputy general confronted Li Linfu over the soldiers’ poor food and harsh conditions, and Li Linfu defended his right to feast as prime minister.
• Li Linfu ordered the deputy general and his companions seized and branded them treasonous rebels, while soldiers across the camp watched and grew furious.
• An Shouzhong and Li Guiren urged An Lushan to rebel, and soldiers throughout the camp smashed their bowls and joined the calls.
• Shi Siming backed the rebellion, and An Lushan joined the growing calls to rebel against Great Tang.
• Yang Jian watched from the night sky, blamed Li Longji’s calamity on his conduct, and said he would visit Huoyun Cave when the time came.

An Lushan’s army rebelled against Li Longji, killed Li Linfu, and began marching toward Chang’an as Asura forces launched attacks across Great Tang. Li Longji’s attempt to organize resistance faltered, while the Jade Emperor watched the Human Dao’s collapse and expected it to fall into his hands.

• An Shouzhong and Shi Siming persuaded An Lushan’s soldiers that Li Longji had neglected and betrayed them, and the troops urged An Lushan to become emperor.
• Shi Siming placed a yellow robe on An Lushan, who accepted the soldiers’ support and ordered them to kill Li Linfu and march on Chang’an.
• An Lushan’s forces killed Li Linfu, captured cities across hundreds of thousands of li, and plundered them as they advanced.
• At Wuzhuang Temple, Old Bai and Old Jin decided to remain near the front line as An Lushan’s army and the Western Teachings’ forces approached.
• Li Longji ordered Gao Shi to lead Great Tang’s forces but learned he had gone to the Heavenly Court, then issued a decree granting regional commanders authority to recruit troops and horses.
• Military dispatches reported Asura soldiers attacking across the continents, leaving Li Longji and the court in shock as the Jade Emperor anticipated gaining control of the Human Dao.

Yang Jian visited Huoyun Cave and explained that the An Lushan Rebellion was part of a plot by Tathagata Buddha and the Asura Clan against the Human Dao. He presented a mysterious scroll to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, promising news of the Human Dao’s rise.

• The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors raged over An Lushan’s rebellion until Yang Jian arrived and congratulated them, claiming the Human Dao was about to rise.
• Yang Jian told Fuxi that Great Tang’s fall was predestined and that the Jade Emperor had merely ridden the tide.
• Yang Jian revealed that An Lushan and Shi Siming were reincarnations of Asura Clan Great Demon Kings, with Tathagata Buddha behind their plot against the Human Dao.
• Yang Jian disclosed that Yang Yuhuan was the reincarnation of Desire Heaven and that crown prince Li Heng was the reincarnation of Shiva.
• Yang Jian produced a scroll filled with supreme Dao resonance, resembling the Investiture of the Gods List.

Yang Jian brought Huoyun Cave the Human Dao's Investiture of the Immortals List, claiming it would help humanity rise, but revealed that the Jade Emperor attached severe conditions to the Heavenly Court's support. Fuxi asked for the final condition after the first two demanded a third of Human Dao authority and Jade Emperor control of the list.

• Yang Jian presented the Investiture of the Immortals List to Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, and the other leaders of Huoyun Cave, explaining that it could appoint Human Dao immortals and gods.
• Yang Jian said the Jade Emperor had commissioned and crafted the list, then praised his concern for humanity while the leaders doubted his performance.
• Fuxi asked whether the Heavenly Court would send aid to Great Tang, but Yang Jian dismissed the crisis and insisted Li Longji could defeat the rebels.
• Fuxi pressed Yang Jian to state the Jade Emperor's real terms for supporting the Human Dao's rise.
• Yang Jian demanded that the Human Dao surrender one-third of its authority and let the Jade Emperor control the Investiture of the Immortals List, angering the Five Emperors and the other leaders.
• Fuxi asked Yang Jian to name the third condition.

Yang Jian presented the Jade Emperor’s three conditions to Huoyun Cave and fiercely rebuked the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors when they objected. He left Fuxi, Xuanyuan, Shennong, and the others unable to answer, and Fuxi finally admitted they were wrong and begged him to stop scolding them.

• Yang Jian stated that the Heavenly Court would establish a cultivation academy for humans, prompting Xuanyuan and the others to accuse it of monopolizing cultivation education.
• Yang Jian rose in anger, threatened the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and accused Xuanyuan of forgetting the Heavenly Court’s past support.
• Yang Jian defended the Jade Emperor’s demands by criticizing the Human Emperors for failing to raise humanity and for accepting Taiqing’s control of the Human Emperor Seal.
• Yang Jian argued that the Heavenly Court Academy would give humans an opportunity to cultivate and would admit all races, leaving the Huoyun Cave figures unable to refute him.
• Fuxi pleaded with Yang Jian to stop scolding them and admitted that they had been wrong.

Yang Jian negotiated with Fuxi and the other human leaders over the Jade Emperor’s demands, securing one-third of Human Dao authority and twelve slots on the Human Dao Investiture of the Immortals List for the Jade Emperor. The leaders accepted the terms, then raised objections to the Heavenly Court Cultivation Academy clause.

• Yang Jian pressured Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, and the other human leaders until they admitted they were wrong and asked forgiveness.
• Fuxi and the others tried to negotiate the Jade Emperor’s demands, but Yang Jian insisted that one-third of Human Dao authority must be handed over.
• Fuxi demanded that the Human Emperor control the Investiture of the Immortals List, and Yang Jian pretended to consult the Jade Emperor before returning with a concession.
• Yang Jian offered the future Human Emperor control of the list on condition that the Jade Emperor control twelve investiture slots, and Fuxi and the others agreed.
• Fuxi and the others then raised objections to the clause concerning the Heavenly Court Cultivation Academy.

Yang Jian secured the Human Dao’s agreement to the Heavenly Court Cultivation Academy and received one-third of its authority for the Jade Emperor. Hei Batian left Wuzhuang Temple to seek a fated opportunity, but found Earth Dog Village destroyed and confronted Asura Clan experts.

• Suirenshi presented Fuxi’s requests for a vice-principal position and teaching roles for the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and Yang Jian agreed to consult the Jade Emperor.
• Yang Jian returned with the Jade Emperor’s approval, and the Human Dao Will accepted the conditions and granted the Jade Emperor one-third of the Human Dao’s authority.
• The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors signed and sealed the Human Dao Investiture of the Immortals List, which would preserve the true spirits of great human sages who perished.
• The Jade Emperor celebrated the agreement and said the Heavenly Court Cultivation Academy plan could proceed, while the Queen Mother agreed to visit Dad with him.
• Hei Batian sensed a fated opportunity in the Mortal Realm, received a strand of Zhen Yuanzi’s divine sense for protection, and left Wuzhuang Temple.
• Hei Batian reached Earth Dog Village and found its homes collapsed and villagers dead, then saw several Asura Clan experts waiting near her cottage.

Hei Batian returned to Earth Dog Village and found the Asura Clan slaughtering his fellow clansmen. After Indra wounded him, Hei Batian used the Golden Striker to kill several Asura warriors and charged at the Quasi-Saint demon general.

• Hei Batian returned to Earth Dog Village, where he discovered the Asura Clan had slaughtered his clansmen.
• Hei Batian transformed into a giant black dog and attacked Indra, but Indra struck him with his saber and sent him crashing through mountains.
• Indra ordered his warriors to seize Hei Batian and planned to behead him publicly.
• Hei Batian used the Golden Striker to pulverize the Asura warriors who rushed to capture him.
• Hei Batian charged at Indra with the Golden Striker, and Indra prepared to face him with his Quasi-Saint power.

Hei Batian used one of Zhen Yuanzi’s Saint’s Power strikes to kill Indra and learned that the villagers who escaped were in Hedong Commandery. Guo Ziyi brought him to the city, where Chenxiang reacted with shock after hearing his name.

• Hei Batian’s Golden Striker failed to kill Indra, so Indra knocked it away and prepared to strike him down.
• One of Zhen Yuanzi’s stored Saint’s Power strikes emerged from Hei Batian and obliterated Indra.
• Hei Batian found that several dozen elderly villagers had died, while the other villagers and his parents were missing.
• Guo Ziyi arrived with human troops and told Hei Batian that the escaped villagers were in Hedong Commandery.
• Guo Ziyi took Hei Batian to Hedong Commandery, where Li Bai and Chenxiang questioned him.
• Chenxiang reacted in shock when Hei Batian introduced himself by name.

Hei Batian reunited with his parents, learned of his clan’s long-standing duty to protect ordinary people, and resolved to live up to it despite Chenxiang’s distrust. Meanwhile, An Lushan ordered Heavenly Consort Uma to investigate the Asura losses at Hedong and destroy Guo Ziyi if possible, while his armies prepared to conquer Great Tang.

• Chenxiang recognized Hei Batian as his nominal aunt, and Li Bai explained Hei Batian’s connection to Yang Jian and Yang Chan.
• Hei Batian reunited with his parents, who told him how their Garden Dog Clan had protected the local people for generations.
• Chenxiang threatened Hei Batian if he disgraced his status, and Hei Batian vowed to earn his relatives’ acknowledgment through his own efforts.
• A local man named Niuwazi visited Hei Batian’s family to thank Hei Batian’s father for saving his family.
• Shi Siming told An Lushan that Indra had been killed and Guo Ziyi had seized Hedong Commandery; An Lushan ordered Heavenly Consort Uma to investigate and target the Garden Dog Clan.
• An Lushan commanded his armies to accelerate their conquest of Great Tang, and Heavenly Consort Uma set out for Hedong Commandery with a hundred troops.

Guo Ziyi and Li Bai discussed the worsening war, the resistance, and the hidden plans of the Jade Emperor before Guo Ziyi left Hedong Commandery in Hei Batian’s care. Heavenly Consort Uma learned that Earth Dog Village’s demons were in the city and vowed to avenge Indra by destroying them and the city.

• Guo Ziyi worried that the Western Teachings and An Lushan’s forces had seized most of the Mortal Realm and that their enslavement of people would undermine Li Longji’s Human Emperor path.
• Li Bai assured Guo Ziyi that resistance forces were growing, while Guo Ziyi warned him not to reveal that he was Wu Qu Xing Jun reincarnated.
• Li Bai reported that Hei Batian’s family and the demons of Earth Dog Village seemed honest and protective of humanity.
• Guo Ziyi decided to lead troops to Hebei Circuit and leave Hedong Commandery under Hei Batian’s guard; Chenxiang stayed behind to observe him.
• Heavenly Consort Uma learned that Earth Dog Village’s demons were in Hedong Commandery and threatened to kill them and everyone in the city to avenge Indra.

Chenxiang trapped Heavenly Consort Uma and her attendant in a formation when they came to attack Hei Batian’s parents. After crushing the attendant and binding Uma, he stayed hidden to watch Hei Batian, who later began responding to Asura attacks on humans.

• Hei Batian helped his parents knead dough and sensed that something was about to happen.
• Heavenly Consort Uma arrived at Hei Batian’s parents’ home with an Asura Clan attendant, but Chenxiang pulled them into a formation before she could kick down the door.
• Chenxiang struck Uma and her attendant with overwhelming power, revealed his perfected Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal strength, and bound Uma with divine chains.
• Chenxiang destroyed Uma’s attendant with a single look and kept Uma captive to question her about Tathagata Buddha’s secrets while he watched Hei Batian.
• Hei Batian found no one outside his home, but several days later Asura Clan members appeared around the city and humans in mountain villages were slaughtered, prompting him to take action.

Chenxiang secretly removed Hei Batian’s protection from Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi while keeping Zhen Yuanzi occupied, leaving Hei Batian to face a deadly attack without the Saint’s Power he expected. After burning his primordial spirit to survive, Hei Batian raised the Golden Striker, which still carried power from Zhen Yuanzi, to fight the attackers.

• Hei Batian protected Hedong Commandery from the Asura Clan and killed a Quasi-Saint by using one of Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi’s remaining strands of Saint’s Power.
• Chenxiang destroyed the divine consciousness and another strand of Saint’s Power within Hei Batian, then obscured his location from Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi.
• Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi lost Hei Batian’s aura and tried to leave Wuzhuang Temple to search for him, but Tathagata Buddha arrived and detained him.
• Hei Batian gained the people’s reverence as Heavenly Venerable Batian, while refugees continued gathering in Hedong Commandery.
• Xuelong and a Western Teachings Bodhisattva attacked Hei Batian and his soldiers, killing the soldiers and severely injuring Hei Batian.
• When Zhen Yuanzi’s Saint’s Power failed to answer him, Hei Batian burned his primordial spirit, reached the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, and prepared to fight with the Golden Striker.

Hei Batian killed Xuelong and the Western Teachings Bodhisattva with the Saint’s Power in the Golden Striker, but the battle left his primordial spirit beyond recovery. After returning to Hedong Commandery and spending three days with his parents, he gave his body to Li Guochen and a hundred soldiers to feed the starving refugees, then died.

• Hei Batian burned his primordial spirit to raise his cultivation and used the Golden Striker’s Saint’s Power to annihilate Xuelong and the Western Teachings Bodhisattva.
• Hei Batian returned to Hedong Commandery, saw the suffering refugees, and asked Li Guochen to meet him with a hundred soldiers three days later.
• Hei Batian spent three days with his parents, then traveled to the meeting place as his primordial spirit neared its end.
• Hei Batian told Li Guochen and the soldiers to turn his body into porridge for the refugees and revealed that his death was inevitable.
• Hei Batian revealed his true body and died, while Li Guochen and the soldiers knelt and mourned him.

After learning that Hei Batian had sacrificed himself to feed Hedong Commandery’s people, Chenxiang honored his final wish and resolved to protect the commandery. The next morning, Hei Jincai realized the meat porridge was made from his son, while Chenxiang vowed to destroy the Asura Clan and the Western Teachings.

• Chenxiang found Li Guochen and the soldiers cutting up Hei Batian’s body, but learned that Hei Batian had sacrificed himself to feed the people and honored his final wish to protect Hedong Commandery.
• Hei Batian’s true spirit was drawn into Fuxi’s Human Dao Investiture of the Immortals List, where his name appeared.
• Li Guochen distributed meat porridge to the people, and Hei Jincai recognized that the meat was dog meat from the Country Dog Clan.
• Li Guochen’s grief-stricken reaction confirmed to Hei Jincai that the meat was Hei Batian, and Hei Jincai collapsed in anguish before running off.
• Seeing the people smile over the porridge, Chenxiang resolved to protect them and destroy the Asura Clan and the Western Teachings.

After Hei Batian sacrificed himself to feed Hedong Commandery’s starving people, the truth of the meat porridge drove the city to mourn him and take up arms in his name. Chenxiang killed Heavenly Consort Uma, while Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi learned of Hei Batian’s death and turned against Tathagata Buddha.

• A soldier revealed that the meat in the porridge came from Hei Batian’s body, which he had ordered them to distribute after his death.
• The people of Hedong Commandery wept, vowed to survive and defend their home, donned mourning hemp, and built a Clay Golden Body and shrine for Hei Batian.
• Chenxiang relayed the news to Guo Ziyi, who was moved and began writing a memorial asking the emperor to honor Hei Batian; Li Bai composed a mourning poem.
• Chenxiang accused Heavenly Consort Uma of betraying Ancestor Minghe’s instructions and crushed her body and primordial spirit.
• At Wuzhuang Temple, Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi learned that Hei Batian had died and blamed the Western Teachings for killing his wife, declaring Tathagata Buddha his enemy.
• Tathagata Buddha cursed Zhen Yuanzi’s sudden change of allegiance but decided that An Lushan’s imminent attack on Chang’an mattered more than the revelation of his alliance with the Asura Clan.

As An Lushan and Shi Siming’s forces approached Chang'an, Li Longji lamented Great Tang’s collapse until Howling Celestial Dog confronted him over his despair and his decision to drive away loyal, capable officials. Howling Celestial Dog’s question about whose side Li Longji himself served left the emperor stunned.

• With Great Tang crumbling and Chang'an nearly surrounded, Li Longji broke down alone in the empty palace and questioned how his prosperous empire had fallen.
• Howling Celestial Dog appeared and mocked Li Longji for calling himself a great sovereign while despairing as the rebels approached.
• Howling Celestial Dog compared Li Longji unfavorably to Cao Cao and Li Shimin, then blamed him for driving away loyal officials and able generals.
• Li Longji defended himself by claiming his enemies were powerful Asura and Western Teachings forces and that he could not employ people of the Heavenly Court.
• Howling Celestial Dog asked whose man Li Longji was, leaving the emperor shaken and speechless.

After Howling Celestial Dog challenged Li Longji to consider whose cause he served, Li Longji reaffirmed his resolve to advance the Human Dao and recovered his past-life memories as Lord of Fire Li Er. His cultivation rose to Quasi-Saint, and he learned the Jade Emperor had been guarding against the Human Dao’s future excesses rather than seeking to control it; as An Lushan and Shi Siming attacked Chang'an, Li Longji asked Howling Celestial Dog to help defend the city.

• Howling Celestial Dog told Li Longji that his original aspiration mattered more than whose man he was, renewing Li Longji's resolve to unite the Mortal Realm and advance the Human Dao.
• Howling Celestial Dog used Zhang Yifan's wine gourd to restore Li Longji's missing soul fragments, bringing back memories of his past life as Lord of Fire Li Er.
• Li Longji's restored soul advanced his cultivation from Daluo Golden Immortal to Quasi-Saint, and he recognized Howling Celestial Dog as an old friend from his previous life.
• Howling Celestial Dog explained that the Jade Emperor's apparent bid for the Human Emperor's position had been a ruse and that he retained Human Dao authority to guard against future trouble.
• With An Lushan and Shi Siming attacking Chang'an, Li Longji asked Howling Celestial Dog to help, but Howling Celestial Dog said he would wait until Li Longji was nearly defeated.

As Shi Siming and the Asura Clan army attacked Chang'an, Li Longji emerged from the palace and confronted their commander outside the City-Defending Great Formation. After Shi Siming rejected his demand to kneel and surrender, Li Longji vowed to kill him himself.

• Shi Siming and hundreds of Quasi-Saint experts attacked Chang'an's powerful City-Defending Great Formation while the city's people feared it would fall.
• Yang Yuhuan considered destroying the palace to break the formation, but spoke with the infant Crown Prince Li Heng about how the plan had changed.
• Li Longji secretly witnessed Yang Yuhuan and Li Heng speaking, then decided to deal with the attackers before addressing them.
• Li Longji emerged above Chang'an, unleashed Great Tang's imperial majesty, and demanded that Shi Siming kneel, confess, and cut off his own head.
• Shi Siming refused, insulted Li Longji, and rallied the Asura Clan army; Li Longji then vowed to twist off Shi Siming's head himself.