Arc 9The Human Dao Tribulation

Lu Yuan watched successive dynasties rise and fall as mortal rebellions reshaped the Human Dao, while advancing his Karma Dao and helping Tongtian establish Shang’s lineage. Haotian returned to Heaven’s Court, and the arc ended as Lu Yuan entered the Nine Heavens Secret Realm amid a gathering struggle for its treasures.

  • Lu Yuan restored order across the star domains, then studied the Chain of Karma as Great Yu controlled the flood, established the Nine Tripods, and founded a prosperous dynasty.
  • After Xia Qi founded Great Xia, its rulers’ burdens and abuses weakened the dynasty, and Han Zhuo usurped the throne and unleashed massacres across the Nine Provinces.
  • Shao Kang rallied the Xia loyalists, defeated Han Zhuo, and restored the Great Xia Dao Lineage, but later Human Emperors again oppressed the people and undermined their dynasty.
  • Lu Yuan created the Karma Daoist and reached the Half-Saint Realm, while Tongtian planned a Human Dao lineage through Shang and warned that the struggle would bring a great tribulation.
  • Cheng Tang established Shang’s Dao lineage with Tongtian’s support, and the people’s revolt at Mingtiao toppled the Xia Hou Clan and triggered a backlash that the Saints sealed.
  • Shang Tang founded a Ghost Court in the Netherworld, and Pan Geng later revived Shang and raised it to an Imperial Dynasty as Haotian was forced to abandon his reincarnation and return to Heaven’s Court.
  • After Wuding’s Fengshan sacrifice opened the Nine Heavens Secret Realm, Lu Yuan approached the Innate Five-Colored Lotus as rival factions gathered to fight for its opportunities.
Chapters 203–227 Vol. 3 Read

Ch. 203Reckoning After the Great Calamity; The Celestial Starry Sea Is Finally Stabilized

After the Star Demon God's defeat, Lu Yuan reorganized the Circumference Heavenly Star Sea by rewarding loyal forces and curbing those that had exploited the calamity. With the star domains returning to order, he used his merit and the Chain of Karma to sever the calamity's deepest karmic thread and advance his mastery of the Karma Great Dao.

  • Lu Yuan granted Venerable Maitreya and the Western Teachings limited permission to preach on the western frontier under Heavenly Court supervision.
  • Ancestor Minghe withdrew after his Asura forces were destroyed in the Mars Star Domain, while Old Ancestor Kunpeng sealed the Demon Master Palace and retreated to the far north after his army was defeated.
  • East King Duke submitted to Lu Yuan, and Lu Yuan allowed the Pure Yang Immortal Palace to remain in control of Star Ruins under a binding decree.
  • Lu Yuan restored Heavenly Court order across the star domains, while the three sects of the Mysterious Gate grew more cohesive and potential rebels abandoned their ambitions.
  • Lu Yuan studied the Chain of Karma with the merit he had gained and severed the karmic thread representing the Star Demon God's calamity, deepening his mastery of the Karma Great Dao.

Ch. 204Yu the Great Tames the Floods; Wuzhiqi Is Suppressed

Lu Yuan watched the Human Race pass from Emperor Ku to Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun, then saw Gun’s failed attempt to contain a catastrophic flood. Yu took charge, subdued Wuzhiqi with Lu Yuan’s aid, and began guiding the floodwaters toward the sea.

  • Emperor Ku completed his merits and ascended to Fire Cloud Cave, Emperor Yao succeeded him, and Yao later chose Shun as his heir after testing his virtue.
  • A great flood devastated the Primordial World, and Shun appointed Gun to control it by building dikes with Breath Soil.
  • Gun’s dikes collapsed under the rising waters, and Shun had him executed after his flood-control effort caused even greater destruction.
  • Yu succeeded his father, surveyed the rivers and mountains, and proposed guiding the waters rather than blocking them.
  • Yu and Ying Long fought Wuzhiqi at the Huai River, and Lu Yuan used astral power to help Yu subdue and bind the water demon.
  • Yu began dredging rivers, opening mountain passes, and directing the floodwaters through channels, marshes, and toward the sea.

Ch. 205Emperor Shun’s Merits Fulfilled, He Ascends to Huoyun Cave; Yu the Great Forges the Nine Cauldrons and Attains Sainthood as a Sage Emperor

Great Yu succeeded Emperor Shun, received the River Diagram and Luo Book, and united the Nine Provinces under the Nine Tripods. After years of restoring and governing the realm, he forged the Nine Tripods to anchor Human Race destiny and attained Saintly Virtue as a Sage Emperor.

  • Great Yu controlled the floods by dredging and guiding the rivers, restoring the Nine Provinces and raising Human Dao Destiny.
  • Emperor Shun passed the throne, the River Diagram, and the Luo Book to Great Yu, and then ascended to Fire Cloud Cave to join the other Sage Emperors.
  • The Nine Provinces’ Earth Veins manifested nine phantom cauldrons as Great Yu received the Mandate of Heaven and proclaimed his rule.
  • Great Yu established laws and borders, put down the defiant Fangfeng Clan, and led the Human Race into an era of recovery and prosperity.
  • After Wudang explained that he was the last of the Five Emperors, Great Yu cast nine bronze cauldrons from metals gathered across the Nine Provinces.
  • The Nine Tripods anchored Human Race destiny to the land, and Great Yu received boundless merit and attained Saintly Virtue.

Ch. 206The Rise of the Human Way’s Orthodoxy; the Xia Dynasty’s Mandate Is Overthrown

After Great Yu’s death, the struggle between Bo Yi’s supporters and Xia Qi’s forces plunged the human realm into war. Xia Qi overthrew the abdication system, founded the Great Xia Dynasty under the Gen auspicious sign, and had Bo Yi executed, leaving Lu Yuan to witness a new era of dynasties and human orthodoxy.

  • Great Yu’s succession to Bo Yi failed to secure the Human Emperor’s authority, and rival clans and divine forces plunged the human realm into widespread conflict.
  • Xia Qi’s forces defeated Bo Yi, captured him, and gained the upper hand in the struggle for the throne.
  • At Mount Tu, Xia Qi drew on the resonance of Ziwei Star and the Five Elements to manifest the Gen auspicious sign, shatter the old order, and proclaim himself Human Emperor and founder of Great Xia.
  • Xia Qi ordered Bo Yi executed, and Bo Yi’s death strengthened the Human Emperor Domain and rooted Great Xia’s destiny in blood.
  • Lu Yuan observed the new order taking shape and recognized that the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had ended.

Ch. 207Qingxu Immortal Heaven, the Prosperity of the Daoist Lineage

Lu Yuan returned to Qingxu Mountain and presided over its cave heaven’s advancement into Qingxu Immortal Heaven, overcoming Heaven’s tribulation with the power of the Great Formation of the Stars. Purple Green and Profound Yin took form, survived their tribulations, and became his eleventh and twelfth personal disciples before Lu Yuan returned to Ziwei Imperial Palace.

  • Daoist Yuanchu told Lu Yuan that Qingxu Mountain’s cave heaven was ready to advance, so Lu Yuan and Yuanchu returned to the mountain.
  • Lu Yuan entered Qingxu Cave Heaven and guided its transformation while shielding it from forty-nine days of Chaos Divine Thunder.
  • Heaven’s replenishment completed the cave heaven’s transformation into Qingxu Immortal Heaven, enriching its spiritual energy and strengthening its foundations.
  • Purple Green Child and Profound Yin Child took form from the Purple Green Vital Qi Lotus and Profound Yin Extreme Fiend Fruit, then survived their separate tribulations with Lu Yuan’s secret aid.
  • Lu Yuan named Purple Green and Profound Yin his eleventh and twelfth personal disciples and gave them foundational teachings.
  • Lu Yuan returned to Ziwei Imperial Palace, leaving Daoist Yuanchu, Venerable Wanmu, and the other disciples to tend Qingxu Immortal Heaven.

Ch. 208The Great Dao’s Laws Change; Orthodoxy Evolves into the Dao Fruit

Qingxu Immortal Heaven completed its advancement, giving the Qingxuan lineage a powerful cultivation foundation as the Great Xia Dynasty’s rise changed the Great Dao Rules and began the Human Race’s Dao Lineage Era. Saints and factions across the Primordial World weighed the opportunities and karmic dangers, while Fire Cloud Cave’s Sage Emperors resolved to guide the new era for the Human Race’s benefit.

  • Lu Yuan surveyed the newly formed Qingxu Immortal Heaven and recognized its value as a foundation for the Qingxuan lineage and a place where immortals could more readily comprehend the Dao.
  • Xia Qi’s ascension and the collapse of the Heavenly Dao Pillar changed the Great Dao Rules, making Golden Immortal advancement depend on Dao lineages and drawing immense karma and causality into human territories.
  • The Heavenly Dao Saints debated how their sects should enter the Human Race’s Dao Lineage Era, while Empress Nuwa and Empress Houtu warned them against intensifying strife and slaughter.
  • Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, Great Yu, and the other Sage Emperors resolved to use Fire Cloud Cave’s influence and the Nine Tripods to protect the Human Race and guide its Dao lineages.
  • Ancestor Minghe, Old Ancestor Kunpeng, the Queen Mother of the West, East King Duke, Zhenyuanzi, and the Demon Race remnants considered different ways to respond to the new era and its dangers.
  • Jiu Feng ordered the Witch Race to withdraw from human conflicts and cultivate in seclusion.

Ch. 209Watching the Winds of Change; Heaven’s Mandate Ends; Xia Qi Falls

Lu Yuan chose to remain apart from the mortal struggle and focus on cultivating toward the Hunyuan Dao Realm while Great Xia rose under Xia Qi’s rule. After forty-eight thousand years of bearing the Human Race’s karma, Xia Qi’s authority faded and he died, leaving Great Xia’s future uncertain.

  • Lu Yuan judged the struggle over the Human Race’s Dao Lineage too dangerous to enter and resolved to protect his foundations while pursuing the Hunyuan Dao Realm.
  • Xia Qi established Xia’s Academy, where its Saintly Virtue drove evil cultivators from Yang City and drew praise and concern from the great powers.
  • Xia Qi felt the burden of the Human Race’s karma growing beneath his authority as Human Emperor, and Lu Yuan foresaw that he might not endure it.
  • Forty-eight thousand years later, karma had eroded Xia Qi’s strength, and his Human Emperor Authority flickered as he coughed blood.
  • Xia Qi dismissed his attendants and closed his eyes as his purple aura vanished; stars briefly appeared over Yang City and the Primordial World mourned.

Ch. 210The Human Way Brings Down a Tribulation; Taikang Loses the Throne

After Xia Qi died and became Ghost Emperor, Tai Kang’s misrule brought calamity to Great Xia, allowing Da Yi to seize power and install Zhong Kang as a puppet Human Emperor. Da Yi then grew tyrannical, while his adopted son Han Zhuo watched for an opportunity.

  • Xia Qi’s merit protected his soul in the Netherworld, where he established himself as Ghost Emperor, while Lu Yuan foresaw a calamity for Great Xia.
  • Tai Kang indulged in extravagance and ignored disasters and unrest, while Da Yi rallied Eastern Yi to march on Yang City.
  • Da Yi captured Tai Kang, deposed him, and enthroned Zhong Kang as a puppet ruler of Great Xia.
  • Lu Yuan saw demonic and Buddhist forces entangling Da Yi’s rise, while the Sage Emperors of Fire Cloud Cave refrained from intervening.
  • Da Yi seized control as regent, then indulged in greater extravagance and cruelty, while Han Zhuo secretly watched his growing tyranny.

Ch. 211Han Zhuo Usurps the Throne; the Human Way’s Mandate Is Overthrown; the Xia Dynasty Loses Its Realm

Han Zhuo murdered Da Yi, seized Xia Capital, and waited until his power was secure before abolishing Great Xia and establishing the kingdom of Han. His new dynasty’s blood-soaked destiny drew the attention of the Primordial World’s powers, while Lu Yuan concluded that the Human Dao calamity had only begun.

  • Han Zhuo secretly forged the Nether Blood Thorn with Human Dao resentment, making it a weapon capable of countering Da Yi’s supreme Yang Dao.
  • Han Zhuo attacked the drunken Da Yi in the Divine Palace, killed him, and slaughtered his trusted followers, descendants, and potential rivals.
  • Han Zhuo took the throne, concealed Zhong Kang’s death, and gradually weakened the Xia Hou Clan while strengthening his own rule.
  • After three thousand years, Han Zhuo declared Great Xia ended and named his dynasty Han, shattering the Nine Cauldrons Totem and forming a vicious nine-headed bird from its new destiny.
  • Ancestor Minghe strengthened Han’s demonic destiny, while Daoist Zhunti, Daoist Jieyin, East King Duke, Zhenyuanzi, the Sages, and the Sage Emperors considered the upheaval and largely refrained from intervening directly.
  • Lu Yuan recognized Han Zhuo’s usurpation as the start of a wider Human Dao tribulation and continued protecting the Qingxuan Dao Lineage while studying Karma.

Ch. 212The Tribulation of the Human Way; the Overthrow of Orthodoxy; the Struggle over Heaven’s Mandate

After Han Zhuo overthrew the Xia rites, he unleashed disasters across the Nine Provinces and sacrificed a million people to strengthen his demonic power. Xia was proclaimed the provisional Human Emperor at Imperial Hill, while Han Zhuo sent Jiao to destroy Xia and his supporters, leaving Diqiu under threat.

  • Han Zhuo renamed the nation Han and welcomed the calamities caused by tearing apart the Xia orthodoxy, while plague and disasters spread across the Nine Provinces.
  • Han Zhuo ordered Jiao to sacrifice a million people in Yu Province, and the blood offering increased Han Zhuo’s power.
  • Yu Yang and the loyal tribes proclaimed Xia the provisional Human Emperor at Imperial Hill, and Xia vowed to defeat Han Zhuo and restore the Xia rites.
  • The ancient sages condemned Han Zhuo’s massacre or quietly aided Xia and his supporters, while Lu Yuan foresaw that Jiao would soon threaten Diqiu.
  • Han Zhuo sent Jiao with a hundred thousand soldiers to kill Xia and his allies and erase the Xia rites; Jiao marched toward Diqiu, slaughtering or forcing tribes into his army along the way.

Ch. 213Diqiu Falls, Prime Minister Xia Perishes, Xia Sacrifices End, and the Struggle for Dao Lineage Intensifies

Han Zhuo’s forces destroyed Diqiu, where Jiao killed Prime Minister Xia and sacrificed the city’s people, deepening the Mortal Realm’s chaos. Hou Min escaped with her unborn child, and the birth of Shao Kang awakened signs of Heaven’s mandate and gave Great Xia’s Dao lineage a surviving heir.

  • Jiao led Han Zhuo’s army through Diqiu, defeated Prime Minister Xia, and killed him with the Ice Soul Profound Halberd.
  • Jiao ordered Diqiu’s people sacrificed in a demonic formation, and Han Zhuo absorbed their blood essence and souls as karmic burden spread across the Mortal Realm.
  • The ancient imperial clans and powerful figures began preparing to contend for the Mortal Realm’s Dao lineage, while the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors recognized that Xia’s unborn heir might preserve its legacy.
  • Hou Min escaped Diqiu through a secret passage and, after reaching the Youreng Clan, gave birth to a boy amid auspicious signs that restored Xia’s destiny and stirred the Human Race’s fortune.
  • The Youreng Clan leader named the child Shao Kang, and Han Zhuo sensed the newborn’s threat and ordered the Xia Hou Clan’s survivors hunted down.

Ch. 214Kunpeng: “If you do not disdain me, I would gladly acknowledge you as my adoptive father.”

Shao Kang gathered allies and built a force to restore the Xia Hou Clan, while Kunpeng disguised himself as Feng Ze and secured a place at his side. With support from human sages and other powerful figures, Shao Kang proclaimed a campaign against Han Zhuo and rallied the Human Race beneath the Xia banner.

  • Shao Kang escaped a raid on the Youreng Clan and found refuge with the Youyu Clan, then made Yu City his base for restoring the Xia Hou Clan.
  • Kunpeng disguised himself as Feng Ze, offered to become Shao Kang’s adoptive son, and was accepted as a powerful ally.
  • Feng Ze rose to become Shao Kang’s Grand Preceptor, while Shao Kang gathered former Xia officials, allied tribes, and sages to strengthen his forces.
  • Shao Kang stood with his ministers and allies in Yu City and proclaimed that he would execute Han Zhuo, restore the Xia rites, and reforge the Nine Tripods.
  • Heaven and Earth answered Shao Kang’s proclamation with a Purple-Gold Light Pillar, and the gathered army roared its support as he drew his sword toward Han Zhuo’s stronghold.

Ch. 215Relieving the People and Punishing the Guilty; the Xia Orthodoxy Rises Again; the Human Tribulation Nears Its End (Part 1)

Shao Kang’s royal army captured Tu Mountain Pass and continued its victorious advance against Han Zhuo, while the defeated ruler ordered Jiao to muster a demon army. At Yu Mountain Pass, Shao Kang rallied his troops under the Human Dao’s support and prepared to attack.

  • Shao Kang’s army broke through Tu Mountain Pass under Tengshe and Feng Ze (Kunpeng), raised the Xia Hou Clan’s Nine Cauldrons Totem Banner, and defeated its defenders.
  • After hearing of the defeat, Han Zhuo raged and ordered Jiao to take the Ice Soul Profound Halberd and crush Shao Kang’s forces.
  • Jiao gathered one hundred thousand demon soldiers and marched from the Han capital toward Shao Kang.
  • Shao Kang’s army captured two mountains and four passes and advanced to Yu Mountain Pass.
  • Shao Kang’s troops gathered before Yu Mountain Pass as their Human Dao Destiny, the Nine Great Cauldrons, and the Four Symbols rallied behind them.
  • Shao Kang called on his soldiers to break through the pass, and they answered with cries to kill Han Zhuo and restore the Xia ancestral rites.

Ch. 216Hanging the People's Grievances and Punishing the Guilty; the Xia Hou Clan's Dao Lineage Rises Again as the Human Dao Calamity Reaches Its Climax

Shao Kang’s royal army defeated Jiao’s Han Zhuo Demon Army, captured Yu Mountain Pass, and rallied the Nine Provinces behind the Xia Hou Clan. As the Xia Hou Clan’s destiny rose again, Han Zhuo’s authority collapsed and karmic fire began consuming him.

  • Jiao led the Han Zhuo Demon Army into battle, but Shao Kang’s purple-gold destiny and the people’s will weakened the soldiers and exposed them to karmic backlash.
  • Feng Ze (Kunpeng), Guangchengzi, Tengshe, Lu Ya, and Bai Ze supported Shao Kang’s forces as they routed Jiao’s army and drove the survivors into the Yu River.
  • Shao Kang’s army broke through Yu Mountain Pass, raised the Xia Hou Clan’s Nine Cauldrons Totem, and inspired clans, refugees, and surviving Xia officials across the Nine Provinces to declare their allegiance.
  • The Xia Hou Clan’s Pillar of Destiny began to recover, while the Sage Emperors in Fire Cloud Cave saw its fortunes shift toward the light.
  • Han Zhuo learned that Jiao had fallen and Yu Mountain Pass had been captured; his kingdom’s destiny cracked, Minghe severed their connection, and karmic fire consumed Han Zhuo as he realized his end had come.

Ch. 217Relieving the People and Punishing the Guilty; the Xia Orthodoxy Rises Again; the Human Tribulation Nears Its End (Part 2)

Shao Kang’s royal army defeated Han Zhuo, whose blood sacrifice and accumulated crimes transformed him into an eternally bound Evil Fiend. At Di Qiu, Shao Kang restored the Great Xia Dao Lineage as an Imperial Dynasty, while Lu Yuan and the sages recognized its growing power and the greater struggles that lay ahead.

  • Shao Kang’s royal army overwhelmed Han Zhuo’s demon troops with Human Dao wish power and karmic backlash, forcing Han Zhuo to retreat into the Demon Palace.
  • Han Zhuo activated the Myriad Spirits Blood Sacrifice Formation, but karmic chains, Heavenly lightning, and Red Lotus Karma Fire destroyed his body and primordial spirit, leaving him an Evil Fiend bound above Han Du for eternity.
  • Shao Kang’s royal army captured Han Du, and the Han Kingdom’s Destiny Pillar collapsed as the people were rescued and the Human Dao calamity began to subside.
  • Shao Kang gathered rulers, tribes, sages, and cultivators at Di Qiu and proclaimed the restoration of the Great Xia Dao Lineage, which received blessings from Heaven, Earth, and the united people.
  • Lu Yuan judged that Shao Kang’s Great Xia had risen to an Imperial Dynasty and warned that future struggles over the Dao Lineage would draw in powerful beings, while Shao Kang resolved to pursue a Heavenly Dynasty.

Ch. 218Like Oil Boiling Over a Flame, Sinful Afflictions Take Root; He Cuts Out the Causality Daoist and Attains Semi-Sagehood

As the Xia Hou Clan’s Sage Dynasty decayed under Human Emperor Gui’s arrogance and the people’s suffering, Lu Yuan used its accumulating karma to form the Karma Daoist and advance to the Half-Saint Realm. The dynasty’s collapse appeared imminent, while Lu Yuan turned toward the Five Elements Dao Fruit as his final step toward Hunyuan.

  • Human Emperor Gui ruled from Imperial Mound with the Nine Tripods and Phoenix Tree protecting the Sage Dynasty, but he began treating common people as tools while powerful Witch and Yao officials pursued their own interests.
  • Corvée labor, harsh tributes, corruption, and resentment spread through the dynasty, weakening its foundations and drawing Heaven’s displeasure.
  • Lu Yuan witnessed the dynasty’s accumulated sins and used the unfolding karma to perfect his Innate Karma Dao Fruit, then severed it from his True Spirit to create the Karma Daoist.
  • Lu Yuan combined the Karma Daoist with his seven other avatars and advanced beyond the Perfected Quasi-Saint Realm into the Half-Saint Realm, bringing the Primordial Dao Fruit within reach if he could complete the Five Elements Dao Fruit.
  • As Lu Yuan ascended, a Nine Tripod rang a warning, a Phoenix Tree leaf withered, and Blood Rain fell over Diuqiu; Human Emperor Gui dismissed the omens while the court grew uneasy.
  • Lu Yuan saw the dynasty nearing collapse and resolved to use its coming calamity to verify his Dao and seize the opportunity to create his final Five Elements incarnation.

Ch. 219Biyou Palace: Master and Disciples Talk Freely; The Cause of the Investiture of the Gods

Lu Yuan reached the Half-Saint Realm and received Sect Master Tongtian’s praise and teachings on the Hunyuan Dao. After Tongtian declared his plan to found a Human Dao Lineage for the Interception Sect, Lu Yuan recognized that the move could trigger the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation and began planning it with his master.

  • Lu Yuan’s breakthrough to the Half-Saint Realm shook the Great Desolation, drawing the attention of the Sages and the disciples of the Three Sects.
  • Lu Yuan paid respects to Sect Master Tongtian, who praised his achievements and passed on the Secrets of the Hunyuan Dao Fruit.
  • Sect Master Tongtian revealed that the Xia Hou Clan’s Dao Lineage was doomed because its rulers oppressed the people and tried to use the Golden Crow’s remains to restore their power.
  • Sect Master Tongtian announced that he would establish a Human Dao Lineage founded on his Shangqing Dao Fruit to gather destiny and merit and transcend Heavenly Dao.
  • Lu Yuan foresaw that Tongtian’s plan would provoke the other Sages and lead to the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, so he urged careful planning for opposition from all sides.
  • Tongtian agreed, and he and Lu Yuan began planning the Interception Sect’s Human Dao Lineage within Biyou Palace.

Ch. 220The Dark Bird of Heaven Descended and Bore Shang

As Human Emperor Gui’s rule brought famine, rebellion, and calamity to the Nine Provinces, Lu Yuan saw the Xia Hou Clan’s destiny rotting away. In the Shang Land, Cheng Tang received Heaven’s mandate and the Return to the Hidden inheritance, setting the stage for a new Human Dao ruler.

  • Lu Yuan saw resentment and corruption gnawing at the Xia Hou Clan’s destiny, while Primordial Heavenly Venerate and Nuwa watched the calamity unfold without intervening directly.
  • Human Emperor Gui’s levies and disasters drove the tribes into revolt, and Pan and the Youreng Clan rejected the Xia Hou Clan after it granted their sacred lands to a Demon Saint.
  • The Xia Hou Clan’s Royal Army attacked the rebellious Youreng Clan, dimming the Gen Trigram Phantom and further damaging the Nine Cauldrons’ destiny.
  • Cheng Tang ordered his hunters to remove three sides of their bird-catching net, and swallows formed a Dao formation that gave him profound insight into the Yi Dao.
  • The Xuan Bird descended before Cheng Tang, bestowed Heaven’s mandate and the Return to the Hidden inheritance, and departed as Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Tongtian reacted to Shang’s rising destiny.

Ch. 221The Revolution of Tang and Wu; a Struggle over Orthodoxy

Cheng Tang established the Great Shang Dao lineage with Yi Yin’s counsel and Tongtian’s support, prompting the saints to enter a struggle over the Human Dao. Xia Jie sent a vast army against Shang, but several powerful figures in the expedition began severing their ties to Xia’s doomed destiny.

  • Lu Yuan, Minghe, and other powerful beings recognized that Cheng Tang’s rise and Tongtian’s plans were drawing the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation closer.
  • Cheng Tang appointed Yi Yin chancellor, and Intercepting Sect Immortals secretly helped Shang build its strength.
  • Cheng Tang proclaimed Xia’s loss of the Heavenly Mandate, established the Great Shang Dao lineage, and honored Tongtian as its patriarch; Tongtian’s Qingping Sword projection and Myriad Immortals Formation Diagram reinforced Shang’s destiny.
  • Yuanshi, Taiqing, Zhunti, Jieyin, Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, Minghe, and Nuwa reacted to Tongtian’s move as the struggle among Dao lineages intensified.
  • Jie ordered Xia’s royal army and its allied witches, demons, and immortals to march against Cheng Tang, while Kunpeng, Guangchengzi, Bai Ze, Lu Ya, and Tengshe began preparing to escape Xia’s collapsing fate.

Ch. 222The Mingtiao Tribulation: “How long must the sun endure? You and I shall perish together!”

At the Battle of Mingtiao, Shang Tang's forces overwhelmed Jie’s army as powerful allies abandoned the Xia Hou Clan, and the resentment of the mortal people erupted into a devastating uprising. Jie fell, the Nine Tripods sank into the Returning Ruins, and the collapse of his dynasty brought severe backlash upon Fire Cloud Cave, leaving the mighty figures of the Primordial World shaken.

  • Kunpeng (Feng Ze), Guangchengzi, Bai Ze, and Lu Ya withdrew from the battle or secretly weakened Jie's side, while Tengshe's cast-off skin perished on the battlefield.
  • Shang Tang's army gained the advantage as calamity qi caused Jie's forces to fall into chaos and Human Emperor Jie exhausted the remaining power of the Nine Tripods and the Phoenix Tree Sacred Tree.
  • Trillions of mortals surged toward Mingtiao, their curses and resentment unleashing the Human Dao uprising and turning heaven, earth, and karma against the Xia Hou Clan.
  • The Nine Tripods fell into the Returning Ruins, and Jie lost his imperial Dragon Qi and fell from his golden chariot as the Human Emperor of the Xia Hou Clan.
  • Heaven's Dao backlash cracked the Five Emperors' statues in Fire Cloud Cave and forced Great Yu Sage Emperor into sealed seclusion, while the Three Sovereigns mourned the damage to humanity's destiny.
  • The calamity at Mingtiao shook the Dao hearts of the mighty figures across the Primordial World, including the Sages.

Ch. 223The Human Emperor’s Era Draws to a Close; Aftershocks of the Battle of Mingtiao

After the fall of the Xia Hou Clan at Mingtiao, the mortal Human Dao backlash shook the Three Realms, disrupted heavenly secrets and reincarnation, and frightened the great powers. The Saints sealed the battlefield to contain the spreading resentment and karmic force, while Quasi-Sages and other powerful beings worked to suppress the aftershocks.

  • Lu Yuan, Primordial Heavenly Venerate, and other great powers recognized that mortal will had overthrown the Xia Hou Clan and could challenge the established order.
  • Empress Nuwa mourned the slaughter, while Sect Master Tongtian praised the mortals' resistance and Daoist Zhunti saw an opening to spread Western teachings.
  • The Mingtiao backlash scrambled karmic threads, obscured heavenly secrets, disturbed the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and scorched Ancestor Minghe's Karmic Fire Red Lotus.
  • The upheaval shook immortal realms and Dao fields across the Primordial World, prompting the Saints to agree that its source had to be contained.
  • The Saints joined their powers to seal the Mingtiao battlefield, and Quasi-Sages and other great powers suppressed the aftershocks spreading beyond the seal.

Ch. 224The Turmoil of Nine Generations; Shang’s Orthodoxy Falls into Decline

Lu Yuan quelled the Mingtiao aftershocks threatening the Circumference Heavenly Star Sea and the Thirty-Three Heavens as Shang Tang founded the Cheng Shang Dao Lineage. After Shang Tang’s death and the Flying Swallow Royal Army’s rapid decline, Cheng Shang fell into nine generations of chaos, with the Interception Sect’s support keeping the dynasty from collapsing before a capable ruler could emerge.

  • Lu Yuan used his Karma Dao Fruit to restore order in the Circumference Heavenly Star Sea, then stabilized the Thirty-Three Heavens at Immortal Elder Nanji’s request.
  • Shang Tang offered sacrifices at Mount Tai, received the Mandate of Heaven for Cheng Shang, and joined Yi Yin in establishing the Xu and the Flying Swallow Royal Army.
  • Lu Yuan, Tongtian, Primordial Heavenly Venerate, Jieyin, and Zhunti assessed Cheng Shang’s rise and the Interception Sect’s growing influence.
  • After ruling for forty-three thousand years, Shang Tang died and opened a Ghost Court Dharma Realm in the Netherworld, becoming Netherworld Ghost Emperor Tang.
  • Following Shang Tang’s departure, the Royal Army lost its Destiny and collapsed within three thousand years, while Cheng Shang endured succession struggles, rebellions, disasters, and demonic interference.
  • Interception Sect disciples repeatedly aided Cheng Shang, and the world watched the dynasty and Biyou Palace as the lineage teetered on the brink of collapse.

Ch. 225The Revival Under Pan Geng; Haotian “Returns from His Tribulation”

Pan Geng revived the Cheng Shang Dao Lineage by moving its capital, purging fiends, and establishing the Shang Dynasty as an Imperial Dynasty with the Seed of Jianmu. Meanwhile, Primordial Heavenly Venerate interrupted Haotian’s final reincarnation tribulations with a Saint’s Edict, forcing him and Yaochi Golden Mother to return to the Heavenly Court before Haotian could complete his Dao Fruit.

  • Pan Geng was born amid auspicious signs, bringing new vitality to Cheng Shang’s fading destiny.
  • Pan Geng moved the capital first from Yan and later to Yin, then restored the people, reorganized the army, and purged corrupt officials.
  • Pan Geng led the royal army and Interception Sect Immortals against the Four Fiends and drove evil from Shang territory.
  • Pan Geng performed the Fengshan Ceremony on Mount Tai, received the Seed of Jianmu, and established the Shang Dynasty as an Imperial Dynasty.
  • Primordial Heavenly Venerate sent a Saint’s Edict into reincarnation, interrupting Haotian’s tribulations when only three hundred remained and damaging his Dao Fruit.
  • Haotian suppressed his resentment, accepted the edict, and told Yaochi Golden Mother to return with him to their positions.

Ch. 226The Saints' Attitudes, the Heavenly Emperor's Return, and the Undercurrents in Lingxiao Palace

Haotian returned to Heaven's Court with an incomplete Dao Fruit and concealed his hatred for Primordial Heavenly Venerate. As he reclaimed the throne, Lu Yuan urged him to restore order without committing to a faction, and Haotian vowed to make part of Yuanshi's Heaven collapse.

  • Primordial Heavenly Venerate forced Haotian to leave reincarnation before completing his Dao Fruit, while Saints and other powers considered the consequences of his return.
  • Jieyin worried that Haotian's resentment and Heaven's Court's factional struggle would intensify the coming tribulation, while Zhunti saw a chance for the Western Teachings to gain influence.
  • The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors foresaw greater danger for the Human Race but remained unable to intervene directly.
  • Haotian returned to Lingxiao Treasure Hall, accepted the imperial seal from Immortal Elder Nanji, and dismissed him from managing Heaven's Court.
  • Lu Yuan congratulated Haotian and encouraged him to restore order, but avoided choosing sides when Haotian tried to enlist his support.
  • Alone with Yaochi, Haotian revealed his hatred for Yuanshi and vowed to make part of Yuanshi's Heaven collapse.

Ch. 227The Secret Realm of the Nine Heavens; the Place Where the Nine-Headed Clan Met Its End; the Innate Five-Colored Lotus

Lu Yuan discovered that the Innate Five-Colored Lotus he needed to advance toward the Hunyuan Saintly Dao lay in Jiutou Shi’s newly opened Nine Heavens Secret Realm. As rival factions gathered to seize its treasures and block one another, Lu Yuan arrived and stepped toward the entrance, triggering a battle.

  • Wuding’s Fengshan sacrifice unlocked the Nine Heavens Secret Realm, and Lu Yuan sensed the Innate Five-Colored Lotus within it.
  • The Jade Emperor Daoist ordered the Heavenly Court to enforce order, while the Sages and powerful beings across the Primordial World prepared to pursue the secret realm’s treasures.
  • Primordial Heavenly Venerate sent a talisman to support Guangchengzi and the Chan Sect, while Sect Master Tongtian ordered Duobao and other Interception Sect disciples to protect Lu Yuan.
  • Old Ancestor Kunpeng, Ancestor Minghe, Guangchengzi and the Interception Sect’s direct disciples gathered before the secret realm’s entrance, each intent on claiming its opportunities or obstructing rivals.
  • Lu Yuan arrived before the nine-colored gate and stepped toward the Innate Five-Colored Lotus, prompting the gathered factions to move and setting off the battle for the secret realm.
Arc 9 of 16