Chapter Summaries

After Yu Hua accused Nezha of beating him, Li Jing punished Nezha without believing his account, leaving Yin Shi to comfort their devastated son. At dawn, Yin Shi rejected Li Jing’s attempt to comfort her, and Nezha lay awake with only emptiness in his eyes.

• Yu Hua complained to Li Jing that Nezha had beaten him, and Nezha admitted it, explaining that Yu Hua had called him a monster.
• Li Jing said he had not heard Yu Hua insult Nezha and confined Nezha to his room for seven days despite Yin Shi defending him.
• Li Jing dismissed Yu Hua, while Yin Shi condemned Li Jing for trusting outsiders over his son.
• Yin Shi brought Nezha food, held him as he cried, and reassured him that she believed he had done nothing wrong.
• After staying with Nezha through the night, Yin Shi found Li Jing waiting outside the room and turned away when he tried to wipe her tear.
• Nezha opened his eyes after Yin Shi left and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Su Miao learned that Taiyi had recovered his memories in the Earth Immortal Realm and ordered him to watch over the reincarnated Ling Zhuzi in Chentang Pass. She appointed Iron Abacus as Qianyuan Mountain’s Earth God and sent him to deliver supplies and protection to Taiyi.

• Xuandu told Su Miao that Taiyi had recovered his memories after absorbing Innate Spiritual Energy and forged a single-use God-Summoning Talisman.
• Su Miao told Taiyi to keep a low profile and watch for Ling Zhuzi, now Nezha, whose father Li Jing was being swayed by rumors that the child was a monster.
• Su Miao rejected Xuandu’s concern that helping Ling Zhuzi would interfere with his tribulation, saying Taiyi’s help was part of Ling Zhuzi’s karma.
• Su Miao told the Chaos Bead that she had sent her Disciples to survive the tribulation, not to die, and that Taiyi had earned his recovery through his own ability.
• Su Miao appointed Iron Abacus Earth God of Qianyuan Mountain and ordered him to choose useful Treasures for Taiyi.
• Su Miao gave Iron Abacus a Jade Pendant that could ward off Tribulation Calamity Qi and told him to travel to the Earth Immortal Realm and return quickly.

Iron Abacus reluctantly emptied the Treasure Vault to supply Taiyi, who survived underground in Qianyuan Mountain with a God-Summoning Talisman and planned to claim the mountain as a home for the sect’s reincarnated disciples. Su Miao sent word that Taiyi should return alive, even if he accomplished nothing.

• Iron Abacus swept Spirit Stones, Dharma Artifacts, Alchemical Pills, and Artifact Forging Materials from the Treasure Vault, then left with five bulging Storage Bags.
• Taiyi woke injured in a cave beneath Qianyuan Mountain, stopped the bleeding from his arm, and confirmed that he had survived.
• Taiyi clutched the God-Summoning Talisman he had carved and vowed to establish a Dao Field on Qianyuan Mountain for his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters.
• Xuandu told Su Miao that Iron Abacus had set out and that Taiyi's arrangements would be handled.
• Su Miao told Xuandu to tell Taiyi to come back alive, even if he accomplished nothing.

Taiyi traveled to Chentang Pass after learning that Ling Zhuzi had been reincarnated there, and found Nezha bruised from a fight at the General's Mansion. After meeting Yin Shi and seeing the boy, Taiyi asked to take him as his disciple.

• Iron Abacus delivered the Sect Master's Storage Bags and Su Miao's Jade Pendant to Taiyi, then told him Ling Zhuzi had been reincarnated in Chentang Pass.
• Taiyi walked to Chentang Pass and noticed that people avoided the streets around the General's Mansion.
• Nezha told Yin Shi that he had fought youths who insulted Li Jing, and insisted he could beat them himself.
• Taiyi introduced himself to Yin Shi and said a Sudden Intuition had led him to her son.
• Taiyi saw Nezha's injuries and asked Yin Shi to let him take the child as his disciple.

Taiyi Zhenren asked to take Nezha to Qianyuan Mountain to train, arguing that the child’s extraordinary gifts were wasted in Chentang Pass. Li Jing agreed, and Nezha left with Taiyi after promising Yin Shi he would return and never become like his father.

• Taiyi told Yin Shi that Nezha’s exceptional Spirit Root would be wasted among mortals and that staying in Chentang Pass would bring him more suffering.
• Taiyi explained to Li Jing that he had come to take Nezha as his disciple, and Li Jing admitted he did not believe the rumors but could not fully trust his son either.
• Taiyi promised to teach Nezha to use his divine strength and return him in five years, and Li Jing accepted the offer.
• Nezha asked whether Taiyi had food and would beat him, then chose to leave after Yin Shi told him to go.
• Nezha promised Yin Shi he would come back and would not become like Li Jing, then walked out of Chentang Pass with Taiyi.

At Golden Light Cave, Nezha asked Taiyi for a name he could choose for himself, and Taiyi named him Ling Zhuzi. Nezha began settling into life with his master, leaving Taiyi to wonder what hardships had changed the boy.

• Taiyi prepared a simple stone chamber for Nezha, who questioned why his master kept five bulging Storage Bags.
• Nezha asked Taiyi for a Daoist Name of his own, and Taiyi named him Ling Zhuzi.
• Nezha repeated his new name as he went to sleep, while Taiyi watched over him from the next room.
• Nezha swept the cave abode the next morning and explained that his mother had taught him to stay clean.
• Taiyi offered Nezha a candy pellet, and Nezha accepted it and quietly showed how much he liked it.

Taiyi trained Nezha, whose extraordinary talent let him master techniques and invent spells while causing mishaps that brought the two closer over five years. At twelve, Nezha prepared to descend the mountain, and Taiyi equipped him with an array of powerful treasures.

• Nezha quickly learned Qi Induction into the Body and later mastered Taiyi’s Breath-Assimilation Method, even picking up deeper techniques by overhearing Taiyi in his sleep.
• Nezha invented a fire incantation and destroyed a wooden target with a perfect shot, prompting Taiyi to secretly take notes on his disciple’s spell.
• Nezha learned Samadhi True Fire but accidentally burned Taiyi’s beard, then promised to keep practicing after his master cleaned up.
• Over five years, Taiyi and Nezha bickered and cared for each other as Nezha trained on the mountain.
• At twelve, Nezha prepared to descend from the mountain, and Taiyi gave him the Universe Ring, Heaven-Mixing Ribbon, Wind-Fire Wheels, Fire-Tipped Spear, and other treasures.

Taiyi sent Nezha away with supplies and a Message Talisman, reassuring him that he was precious and promising to protect him. Nezha flew toward Chentang Pass, eager to see his mother, when cries for help rose from below.

• Taiyi packed Nezha’s arms with treasures, gave him a Message Talisman and rations, and warned him to call for help if he faced danger.
• Nezha embraced Taiyi and listened as his master told him he was precious and need not heed other people’s gossip.
• Nezha promised not to cause trouble for Taiyi, then rode the Wind-Fire Wheels away from the cave.
• Taiyi watched Nezha disappear and thought that Martial Brother would keep him safe.
• Nezha flew east toward Chentang Pass, hoping to see his mother, and heard cries for help from below.

Nezha rescued Cuier from a band of demons and killed the Flood Dragon King’s son, discovering that the young demon had abducted and abused women from nearby villages. He took Cuier home and promised to confront the Flood Dragon King, leaving her worried for his safety as he flew toward the city.

• Nezha attacked the demons dragging Cuier away and defeated the richly dressed young man, who transformed into a Flood Dragon.
• Nezha killed the Flood Dragon and harvested its tendon, scales, bones, and horn for Taiyi.
• Nezha revived Cuier with an Alchemical Pill, and she revealed that the Flood Dragon King’s son had abducted women, including her older sister.
• Nezha promised to demand justice from the demons and flew Cuier back to Li Family Village.
• Cuier prayed for Nezha’s safety as he flew toward the nearby city.

Nezha returned to Chentang Pass after five years away and reunited with Li Jing and Yin Suzhi. As his mother welcomed him home, Yu Hua learned of his return and vowed to take revenge.

• Nezha flew into Chentang Pass on the Wind-Fire Wheels and landed at the General's Mansion.
• Nezha knelt before Li Jing and said he had returned, and Li Jing welcomed him inside.
• Yin Suzhi rushed out, embraced Nezha, and hurried to make him food when he said he was hungry.
• Nezha ate noodles with Yin Suzhi and answered her questions about his years on Qianyuan Mountain while Li Jing listened nearby.
• Yu Hua heard that Nezha had returned, slipped into an alley, and vowed to take revenge for the beating he had received.

Yu Hua and Jia Shi spread rumors that Nezha’s Master was connected to Xiqi, while Nezha learned that he had two older brothers and felt hurt that his parents’ love was not his alone. After hearing the rumors repeated around Chentang Pass, Nezha used divination to find their source.

• Yu Hua told Jia Shi that Nezha had returned from Qianyuan Mountain with Taiyi as his Master and suggested people could call it collusion with Xiqi.
• Jia Shi promised to spread the accusation through the county office, and rumors about Nezha’s Master circulated through Chentang Pass three days later.
• Nezha overheard Yin Shi and Li Jing discussing letters from Jin Zha and Mu Zha, and realized he had two older brothers.
• Nezha left without interrupting his parents, then heard people gossiping about his return and his fire wheels at a teahouse.
• Nezha used divination to trace the rumors and found their source in less than half a day.

Nezha confronted Jia Shi for spreading rumors and publicly hung him from a flagpole. Yu Hua then planted a forged letter linking Nezha to Xiqi, and Li Jing kept it after Jia Shi delivered it, leaving doubt to fester.

• Jia Shi spread rumors in the Gathering of Sages Teahouse that Nezha might be working for Xiqi.
• Nezha confronted Jia Shi, burned the melon seed shells with spiritual fire, and carried him to a flagpole, where he hung him above the town.
• Yu Hua met Jia Shi that night and persuaded him to deliver a forged letter about Xiqi to Li Jing.
• Jia Shi brought the letter to Li Jing, who questioned him and then kept the letter beneath a paperweight.
• Jia Shi met Yu Hua behind the Moon Gate, and the two shared a knowing smile.

After Li Jing questioned Nezha over rumors linking his master to Xiqi, Yin Shi defended Nezha, who decided to spend a few more days with her before returning to Qianyuan Mountain. He sent Master Taiyi a paper crane, but dark clouds suddenly gathered over Chentang Pass.

• Li Jing questioned Nezha about whether Master Taiyi had sent him to Xiqi, and Nezha denied any involvement and threatened to leave.
• Yin Shi confronted Li Jing for doubting Nezha and took her son out of the study to comfort him.
• Nezha told Yin Shi he planned to return to Qianyuan Mountain after staying with her for a few more days.
• Nezha remembered Master Taiyi, decided to return to him, and sent him a paper crane asking whether the maple leaves were turning red.
• Dark clouds swept in from the southeast and hung low over Chentang Pass.

The Flood Dragon King threatened to slaughter Chentang Pass unless the killer of his son was handed over, and rumors blamed Li Nezha. As the city turned against the General's Mansion, Nezha admitted to Li Jing that he had killed the Flood Dragon.

• The Flood Dragon King demanded that Chentang Pass surrender his son's killer within a day or face a massacre.
• Yu Hua and Jia Shi spread suspicion that Li Nezha had killed the Flood Dragon, and a crowd gathered outside Li Jing's mansion demanding the murderer be handed over.
• Yu Hua privately pressed Li Jing about the rumors connecting Nezha's return from Qianyuan Mountain to the Flood Dragon's death.
• Li Jing recalled his promise to kill Nezha if he brought calamity upon the world and asked where Nezha was.
• Nezha appeared before Li Jing and admitted that he had killed the Flood Dragon, and Li Jing asked him why.

Nezha faced the Flood Dragon King after admitting he had killed the Flood Dragon’s son while saving a woman. When General Li failed to defend him, Nezha gave up his treasures and prepared to take his own life, declaring that he and his parents owed each other nothing.

• Nezha told Yin Shi that he had killed the Flood Dragon’s son to save a woman from being abducted.
• Yu Hua urged the crowd to demand Nezha’s punishment, while the people of Chentang Pass shouted for him to be handed over.
• Nezha waited for Yin Shi to stand by him, but she could only weep, and General Li could not answer when Nezha asked whether he should have stayed out of the matter or bear the consequences alone.
• Nezha told his parents to pretend he had never been born, then sent his Dharma Treasures toward Qianyuan Mountain.
• Nezha accepted the price of killing the Flood Dragon’s son, drew General Li’s sword, and pressed its edge to his throat as he renounced his ties to his parents.
• Yin Shi screamed and tried to reach Nezha, but a burst of force knocked her to the ground.

Nezha returned his flesh and bones to his parents by cutting himself apart, ending the threat to Chentang Pass at the cost of his life. The Flood Dragon King withdrew, while Yin Shi and Li Jing mourned Nezha and Taiyi sensed that something terrible had happened.

• Nezha cut his flesh from his bones until he died, believing he had repaid his debt and could return to his Master.
• Yin Shi gathered Nezha's bones and collapsed in grief as Li Jing knelt and admitted he had been wrong.
• The Flood Dragon King spared Chentang Pass, condemned Li Jing as an unworthy father, and withdrew with his Demon Soldiers.
• Yu Hua and Jia Shi retreated into the crowd without anyone stopping them.
• Li Jing mourned beside Yin Shi, unable to touch Nezha's remains or wipe the blood from his hands.
• At Golden Light Cave, Taiyi's teapot shattered as Nezha's Dharma Treasures fell into his arms and then clattered to the floor.

Taiyi recovered Nezha’s soul after finding his remains and brought it to Qianyuan Mountain, where he gave Nezha a new lotus-root body. Nezha awoke with his memories restored, accepted Taiyi as his master, and returned home.

• Taiyi found Nezha’s remains, gathered his soul into a Jade Bottle, and condemned Li Jing before leaving for Qianyuan Mountain.
• Yin Shi left the city wall without looking back, while Li Jing remained kneeling beside Nezha’s remains until dawn.
• Taiyi nurtured Nezha’s soul in a lotus for three months, then placed it into a prepared lotus-root body.
• Nezha awoke, recognized Taiyi, and teased him about his weight before thanking him for saving him.
• Taiyi insisted Nezha call him Master, and Nezha said he was home as Taiyi embraced him.

Nezha adjusted to his new Seven Treasure Colored Lotus body and teased Taiyi as they argued about food and his resurrection. He remembered his former life as Ling Zhuzi and the Farm Teachings, leaving him saddened by how brief and harsh his twelve years in this life had been.

• Nezha inspected his lotus body, tested its strength, and asked Taiyi whether it could leak water or be eaten.
• Taiyi explained that he had used the Sect Master's Seven Treasure Colored Lotus and scolded Nezha for joking about eating himself.
• Nezha teased Taiyi about his cooking and said he would cook for his Martial Brothers after they returned.
• Nezha walked from the stone bed and remembered his past as Ling Zhuzi, including A Heng, the Sect Master, Empress Nuwa, and the Farm Teachings.
• Nezha compared his long former life with his twelve years in this life and felt that the outside world was cruel while the Farm Teachings were best.

After recovering his memories, Nezha decided to leave Chentang Pass and join Xiqi, seeking to fight in the Investiture Tribulation as Ling Zhuzi rather than remain tied to Li Jing. Taiyi equipped him with treasures and protective talismans, and Nezha flew toward Xiqi, promising to return to the Farm Teachings after the war.

• Nezha learned from Taiyi that Dapeng had reincarnated as a Xiqi military general’s son and Kong Xuan as a celebrated Shang general in Chaoge.
• Nezha told Taiyi he would leave Chentang Pass because his mortal body and its karma were gone, and he wanted nothing more to do with Li Jing.
• Nezha chose Xiqi, despite knowing he might eventually fight Kong Xuan, and said he would follow what he believed was right.
• Taiyi gave Nezha his Dharma Treasures and protective talismans, and Nezha promised to return to the Farm Teachings after the war.
• Nezha set off on the Wind-Fire Wheels and flew toward Xiqi.

King Zhou rejected the ministers’ warnings about offending the gods and ordered preparations for war after learning that Xiqi was recruiting soldiers and challenging his rule. In the Xiqi camp, Ji Fa tended to an injured soldier and then asked Jiang Ziya how likely they were to win the Campaign Against Shang.

• King Zhou ordered the ministers who warned him about the gods to keep kneeling until they understood who the king was.
• An attendant told King Zhou that Ji Chang was recruiting soldiers and that people in Xiqi said the mandate of Heaven belonged to Zhou.
• King Zhou ordered the army to muster and prepare for war against Xiqi.
• Ji Fa gave wound medicine to an injured young soldier and reassured him that the Xiqi Army would care for its wounded.
• Ji Fa poured tea for Jiang Ziya and asked him what their chances of victory were in the Campaign Against Shang.