Chapter Summaries

Lin Zhu forced Western Heaven to punish Maitreya Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva, then secured honors and protection for Fairy Nishang from the Jade Emperor. After receiving a quest to find the Nine Phoenix Egg in Northern Kuru, Lin Zhu prepared to go there as Tathagata sent agents to retrieve the same egg for Western Heaven.

• Buddha Tathagata punished Guanyin Bodhisattva for the deaths in Jiangzhou, and Lin Zhu warned Western Heaven not to repeat its crimes.
• Maitreya Buddha left for the South Sea with One Hundred Million Buddhist Soldiers while plotting revenge and seeking a mysterious object in the Sea Eye.
• The Jade Emperor rewarded Fairy Nishang with the title Star Moon True Monarch, the protection of Star Moon Power, and a ten-million-year Peach of Immortality.
• The Jade Emperor announced Fairy Nishang's advancement at court, where the ministers teased Lin Zhu and Fairy Nishang about their marriage.
• Lin Zhu received a system quest to obtain the Nine Phoenix Egg in Northern Kuru and told Fairy Nishang that he planned to go there.
• Buddha Tathagata ordered Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan and Prince Qita to retrieve the egg for Western Heaven.

Lin Zhu and Xiao Qiong explored Northern Kuru, where Lin Zhu helped Immortal Nanli reach the human immortal realm and learned that the Imperial Observatory had prophesied a Great Witch’s emergence. Xiao Qiong sensed the Nine Phoenix Egg’s aura in a spring forest, while a vengeful red-robed demon in the Myriad Volcanoes discovered her Ancestral Dragon Bloodline; Lin Zhu and Xiao Qiong then watched the forest’s spiritual energy gather into a vast vortex.

• Lin Zhu and Xiao Qiong encountered Immortal Nanli battling a powerful rabbit Demonic Beast, and Lin Zhu secretly restored the Daoist’s strength after he killed it with a talisman.
• Immortal Nanli told Lin Zhu that Yuan Shoucheng and the Imperial Observatory had predicted a Great Terror in Northern Kuru, and Lin Zhu transformed Immortal Nanli’s cultivation by patting his head three times.
• Immortal Nanli recognized Lin Zhu as the Three Realms Enforcement Prison God and resolved to investigate whether the Imperial Observatory’s prophecy concealed another motive.
• Lin Zhu decided to visit Chang'an after finding the Nine Phoenix Egg, then followed Xiao Qiong’s Ancestral Dragon Bloodline sense toward an ancient spring forest instead of the Myriad Volcanoes.
• A red-robed Daoist in the Myriad Volcanoes awoke and vowed revenge on those who betrayed him, but grew alarmed when he sensed Xiao Qiong’s Ancestral Dragon Bloodline.
• Lin Zhu and Xiao Qiong reached the spring forest and saw its Primordial Wilderness aura converge into a huge vortex at its center.

Lin Zhu emerged from ten days of contemplation just as the Nine Phoenix Egg began absorbing the vitality of Thousand-Mile Spring Forest. When Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan and Prince Qita arrived to claim the egg for the Western Heaven, they recognized Lin Zhu and immediately begged for mercy, revealing that Buddha Tathagata had sent them to retrieve it.

• Lin Zhu reflected on the Witch Race and the ancient calamities until ten days had passed without his noticing.
• Xiao Qiong warned Lin Zhu that the Nine Phoenix Egg was about to be born, and he saw its radiance drain the life and origin energy from Thousand-Mile Spring Forest.
• Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan and Prince Qita arrived, called the emerging egg a Western Heaven treasure, and then dropped to their knees when they recognized Lin Zhu.
• Lin Zhu slapped Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan, but Ma Yuan and Prince Qita shamelessly tried to appease him by offering their faces and reciting Buddhist scriptures.
• Lin Zhu demanded to know why they had come, and Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan revealed that Buddha Tathagata had sent them to enlighten the great demon and bring the Nine Phoenix Egg back to the Western Heaven.
• Xiao Qiong suggested killing the annoying Buddhas, prompting Ma Yuan and Prince Qita to kowtow and plead for their lives.

Lin Zhu ordered Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan and Prince Qita to break the barrier around the Nine Phoenix Egg, and the two Buddhas eagerly obeyed to save themselves. Ma Yuan broke through the barrier after abandoning a chance to advance his cultivation, but someone rushed toward the egg as the barrier fell.

• Venerable King Buddha Ma Yuan and Prince Qita knelt before Lin Zhu, begged for mercy, and revealed that Buddha Tathagata had sent them to reform a great demon and retrieve the Nine Phoenix Egg.
• Lin Zhu ordered the two Buddhas to break the egg's barrier and bring it to him intact.
• Ma Yuan and Prince Qita attacked the barrier together while Lin Zhu and Xiao Qiong watched.
• Ma Yuan began to break through to the Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm but suppressed his breakthrough so he could finish the task.
• Ma Yuan's final strike shattered the barrier, and a figure suddenly rushed toward the Nine Phoenix Egg.

Lin Zhu encountered Bi Fang, an ancient demon god, and tried to recruit him with the system’s promise of hatching the Nine Phoenix Egg early. After Xiao Qiong revealed her Ancestral Dragon Bloodline, Bi Fang refused to submit, so Lin Zhu challenged him to a contest and effortlessly blocked his attack.

• Bi Fang appeared before Lin Zhu and demanded the Nine Phoenix Egg, identifying himself as one of the ancient Primordial Wilderness’s demon gods.
• The system assigned Lin Zhu a mission to recruit Bi Fang, offering early hatching of the egg and a wage of one little earthworm per day.
• Xiao Qiong repelled Bi Fang’s attack and revealed her Ancestral Dragon Bloodline, convincing him that Lin Zhu could transform bloodlines; Bi Fang reluctantly agreed to work for him.
• Bi Fang rejected Lin Zhu’s terms and declared that he would never submit to an immortal, so Lin Zhu challenged him to a fight for his freedom.
• Bi Fang struck Lin Zhu with his Dove-Head Staff, but Lin Zhu’s cloak formed a barrier that blocked the attack without moving him.

Lin Zhu broke Bi Fang’s resistance with his many artifacts and Xiao Qiong’s blows, then forced him to join the Heavenly Court as a laborer. After Bi Fang identified the Nine Phoenix Egg, Lin Zhu learned that its hatching could attract nearby great demons and found that Bi Fang had no memory of why he had appeared in Northern Kuru.

• Bi Fang shattered Lin Zhu’s Sacred Spirit Cloak, but Lin Zhu revealed several more defensive artifacts and struck him with the God-Slaying Spear.
• Lin Zhu surrounded the fleeing Bi Fang with killing artifacts, while Xiao Qiong beat him until he agreed to submit.
• Lin Zhu made Bi Fang swear loyalty, placed the Chaos Limitless True Spirit Imprint on him, and welcomed him as a laborer.
• Lin Zhu asked Bi Fang about the Nine Phoenix Egg, and Bi Fang recognized it as belonging to a Nine Phoenix associated with the Witch Race.
• The system rewarded Lin Zhu with a hatching method and warned that the egg’s birth would attract great demons within a thousand li.
• Lin Zhu questioned Bi Fang about Northern Kuru, but Bi Fang had no memories explaining his appearance there beyond basic knowledge of his identity.

Lin Zhu hatched Nine Phoenix, subdued the Archaic Sky Eagle, and let Bi Fang and the eagle gather a force of Demonic Beasts before leaving Northern Kuru to collect materials for Nine Phoenix. Their arrival outside the South Heaven Gate alarmed the Heavenly Court, while an ancient voice warned that heaven-shaking changes were coming.

• Lin Zhu used the system to hatch the Nine Phoenix Egg and protected it with treasures as the Archaic Sky Eagle attacked.
• Lin Zhu and Bi Fang subdued the Archaic Sky Eagle, and Lin Zhu gave it a True Spirit mark.
• Bi Fang and the Archaic Sky Eagle gathered more than a dozen powerful Demonic Beasts, which Lin Zhu accepted as subordinates despite their apparent reluctance.
• Nine Phoenix emerged from her shell as a tiny bird, ate the shell to absorb energy, and remained unable to understand Lin Zhu.
• Lin Zhu left Northern Kuru with his new followers, sending Bi Fang ahead to the South Heaven Gate while he took Xiao Qiong and Nine Phoenix to gather growth materials.
• An ancient voice spoke of the Ancestral Dragon Bloodline and Nine Phoenix's birth as the Demon Race force gathered outside the South Heaven Gate, putting the Heavenly Court on alert.

Lin Zhu returned to the Heavenly Court with powerful Demon Race experts who welcomed him as their master, then explained their origins to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor granted the experts official posts and offered Lin Zhu the position of Great Emperor Gouchen, but Lin Zhu declined for now.

• Bi Fang and the other Demon Race experts waited outside the South Heaven Gate as Venus Deity attacked Bi Fang without harming him, and Nezha arrived to organize the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.
• Lin Zhu appeared, and the Demon Race experts bowed to welcome him; Venus Deity and the Heavenly Court’s forces learned they had come to wait for Lin Zhu rather than attack.
• Lin Zhu led the experts through the South Heaven Gate, explained that they were his recruits, and entered Lingxiao Palace to meet the Jade Emperor.
• Lin Zhu recounted his trip to Northern Kuru and confirmed that he had planted True Spirit imprints in the experts; the Jade Emperor granted them divine posts and allowed only Lin Zhu to command them.
• The Jade Emperor told Lin Zhu that the Western Sect had begun acting and offered him the position of Great Emperor Gouchen, but Lin Zhu refused until he was stronger.

Lin Zhu assigned Nezha command of the Ninth Heaven Prison and the Three Realms Law Enforcers, then traveled to Chang'an to prepare for Scripture Seeking in the Western Heaven. After checking in and ordering the local deities to keep Buddhas and Bodhisattvas out of the city, he confronted fortune-teller Yuan Shoucheng, who recognized him and begged for his life.

• Lin Zhu left Nezha in charge of the Ninth Heaven Prison and the Three Realms Law Enforcers, rewarding him with treasures and cultivation items.
• Lin Zhu brought Bi Fang to protect Fairy Nishang, then strengthened Nine Phoenix to Peak Grand Yi Golden Immortal before returning her to a small form to sleep.
• Buddha Tathagata sent Guanyin Bodhisattva to Chang'an for Scripture Seeking in the Western Heaven and warned her to beware of Lin Zhu.
• Lin Zhu reached Chang'an with Xiao Qiong, instructed the city's deities to conceal his visit and bar Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and completed his check-in for a hundred million years of cultivation.
• Lin Zhu approached Yuan Shoucheng's fortune-telling stall, and Yuan Shoucheng recognized him as the Three Realms Enforcement Prison God and begged him to spare his life.

Lin Zhu pressured Yuan Shoucheng into attempting a divination, but the copper coins shattered, and he let the frightened fortune-teller go. As rain fell over Chang'an, the Jing River Dragon King realized he had violated the Heavenly Edicts; Yuan Shoucheng directed him to seek Royal City for a chance to survive.

• Lin Zhu questioned Yuan Shoucheng about his beliefs and forced him to wager his life on a divination.
• Yuan Shoucheng's copper coins shattered during the divination, and Lin Zhu dismissed him without learning his identity.
• Lin Zhu took Xiao Qiong sightseeing in Chang'an as rain began to fall.
• The Jing River Dragon King entered Chang'an disguised as a scholar, passed the City God's inspection, and feared his unauthorized rainfall would be discovered.
• The Jing River Dragon King confronted Yuan Shoucheng, who revealed that he knew of the violation and told him to seek Royal City for help.

Lin Zhu exposed the Jing River Dragon King's role in withholding rain, sent him to the Heavenly Prison for punishment, and accepted a task to uncover the force behind Yuan Shoucheng. Yuan Shoucheng was cornered by Nezha and the Heavenly Prison enforcers after he went to the Jing River Dragon Palace.

• The Jing River Dragon King decided to follow Yuan Shoucheng's advice and go to the Royal Palace, but Lin Zhu's bloodline pressure stopped him at a Chang'an tavern.
• The Jing River Dragon King confessed to Lin Zhu that Yuan Shoucheng had tricked him into altering the Jade Emperor's decree and withholding rain, and Lin Zhu sent him to the Heavenly Prison.
• Lin Zhu suspected a powerful force was backing Yuan Shoucheng and accepted a system task to capture the true culprit, with the Sha Po Lang Three Star Bracelet as the reward.
• Soldiers summoned Lin Zhu to the Royal Palace by the emperor's order, and Lin Zhu left the tavern with Xiao Qiong.
• Yuan Shoucheng went to the Jing River Dragon Palace when the Dragon King failed to appear, but Nezha and the Heavenly Prison enforcers were waiting there and moved to arrest him.

Nezha captured Yuan Shoucheng after the Jing River Dragon King confessed and received a pardon, but Yu Yi Xian overpowered Nezha and the jailers and took Yuan Shoucheng away. As Nezha prepared to report the abduction to Lin Zhu, Lin Zhu sat in Chang'an’s court hall, where Yuan Tiangang challenged his presence.

• Nezha revealed that the Jing River Dragon King had turned himself in and been pardoned, while Yuan Shoucheng was arrested for leaking the Imperial Decree and scheming for the Western Sect.
• Nezha said Yuan Shoucheng had been selected for True Spirit annihilation, but Yu Yi Xian arrived and demanded that Nezha hand him over.
• Yu Yi Xian defeated Nezha and the jailers, then left with Yuan Shoucheng after choosing not to kill the Heavenly Court enforcers.
• Nezha ordered the injured jailers to recover briefly and then report Yu Yi Xian’s actions to Lin Zhu.
• At Chang'an's morning court, Yuan Tiangang angrily challenged Lin Zhu for sitting in the court hall, while Li Chunfeng tried to calm him.

At court, Yuan Tiangang urged Li Shimin to kill Wu Meiniang over an ominous prophecy, then challenged Lin Zhu’s authority and summoned an Underworld judge. The judge recognized Lin Zhu as the Three Realms Enforcement Prison God, struck Yuan Tiangang aside, and knelt before Lin Zhu, leaving the court stunned.

• Yuan Tiangang rebuked Lin Zhu for not kneeling, but Li Shimin defended Lin Zhu and reprimanded Yuan Tiangang.
• Yuan Tiangang linked the daylight appearance of Venus to the prophecy “Wu Woman Replaces Tang” and urged Li Shimin to kill Wu Meiniang.
• Lin Zhu dismissed Yuan Tiangang’s claims and told Li Shimin to seek the Tang Dynasty’s fate through virtuous rule rather than Heaven or ghosts and gods.
• Yuan Tiangang challenged Lin Zhu to reveal his connection to the Heavenly Court, then proposed summoning an Underworld judge to prove his own power.
• The judge appeared, recognized Lin Zhu as the Three Realms Enforcement Prison God, and sent Yuan Tiangang flying when he demanded that the judge seize Lin Zhu.
• The judge knelt before Lin Zhu and begged forgiveness, stunning Li Shimin, the officials, and Yuan Tiangang.

Lin Zhu exposed Yuan Tiangang’s crimes after Judge Cui Jue was summoned and forced to kneel before him, while Li Shimin reclaimed authority and condemned Yuan. After court, Li Shimin thanked Lin Zhu in private for awakening him and restoring his resolve to govern Great Tang.

• Yuan Tiangang urged Judge Cui Jue to punish Lin Zhu, but Cui Jue feared Lin Zhu and could not act against him.
• After Lin Zhu released his pressure, Cui Jue grabbed Yuan Tiangang and beat him for disrespecting Hell God, sir, then knelt and begged Lin Zhu’s forgiveness.
• Lin Zhu condemned Yuan Tiangang for inciting murder, stealing fame through Heavenly Secrets, and disrupting mortal order by summoning Cui Jue.
• Li Shimin exposed Yuan Tiangang’s extortion and executions, sentenced him to death by dismemberment by chariots, and ordered Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong to take him away.
• Li Shimin promised to govern Great Tang diligently and urged his ministers to help the nation prosper, while Lin Zhu wondered at his ambition to expand the realm.
• In the palace study, Li Shimin thanked Lin Zhu for awakening him and helping him recover his true heart.

Lin Zhu strengthened Li Shimin against Western Heaven and rewarded Nezha’s guards after Yu Yi Xian rescued Yuan Shoucheng. As Lin Zhu headed for Spirit Mountain, Yu Yi Xian reported the failed scheme to Buddha Tathagata, and Li Jing urged Western Heaven to send a Quasi-Saint against Lin Zhu.

• Lin Zhu learned that the Tianzhu Buddha Kingdom had invaded Great Tang, received a task to transform Li Shimin, and warned him that Western Heaven would try to intimidate him.
• Lin Zhu gave Li Shimin a Spirit-Restoring Pill, which strengthened his body, then left him with advice to serve the people and uphold the Mandate.
• Nezha told Lin Zhu that Yu Yi Xian had beaten the Enforcers and rescued Yuan Shoucheng, so Lin Zhu rewarded the guards and ordered Nezha to train the heavenly prison soldiers.
• Lin Zhu announced that he would go to Western Heaven himself, while Yu Yi Xian reached the Great Thunderclap Monastery with Yuan Shoucheng and explained how the Jing River Dragon King had turned himself in.
• Li Jing demanded that Buddha Tathagata send powerful experts against Lin Zhu and proposed summoning a Quasi-Saint, prompting the Buddhas to regard his suggestion as excessive.

Lin Zhu stormed into Spirit Mountain to enforce the law against Yuan Shoucheng, whom he accused of stealing knowledge of the Imperial Decree and leaking Heavenly Secrets. Tathagata stopped himself from killing Lin Zhu because of the consequences for the Western Heaven, and Lin Zhu advanced on Yuan Shoucheng to execute him.

• Tathagata learned that Yu Yi Xian had only knocked down Nezha's squad while rescuing Yuan Shoucheng, but warned Yu Yi Xian that Lin Zhu had previously forced Maitreya Buddha to sever an arm.
• Tathagata ordered Samantabhadra to coerce another Dragon King into frightening the King of Tang, while Li Jing tried and failed to leave Spirit Mountain as Lin Zhu approached.
• Lin Zhu blasted into the Great Thunderclap Monastery, accused the Buddhist Sect of harboring filth, and demanded that Yuan Shoucheng surrender to face the law.
• Tathagata attacked Lin Zhu in anger but stopped his palm at Lin Zhu's neck because killing him could bring disaster upon the Western Heaven.
• Lin Zhu challenged Manjushri, who backed away, then pursued the terrified Yuan Shoucheng and declared that he would execute him on the spot.

Lin Zhu forced his way through Spirit Mountain, survived Bodhisattva Manjushri’s Taiji Talisman and its self-destruction, and killed Yuan Shoucheng despite the Immovable Wisdom King’s attack. He then pointed his spear at Yu Yi Xian, who retreated in terror and pleaded that he had not harmed Lin Zhu’s subordinates.

• Lin Zhu advanced toward Yuan Shoucheng while Spirit Mountain’s Arhats and Buddhas shouted threats but refused to stop him.
• Bodhisattva Manjushri trapped Lin Zhu in his Taiji Talisman, but Lin Zhu disrupted it with three divine powers and forced Manjushri to self-detonate the treasure.
• Lin Zhu emerged unharmed atop a Thirteenth-Grade Merit Golden Lotus, shocking the Buddhas and ignoring Tathagata’s furious protest.
• The Immovable Wisdom King attacked Lin Zhu with the Kurikara Sword as Lin Zhu thrust his God-Slaying Spear through Yuan Shoucheng, killing him.
• The Thirteenth-Grade Merit Golden Lotus repelled the Immovable Wisdom King’s strike, and Lin Zhu turned his spear toward Yu Yi Xian, who backed away and pleaded for his life.

Lin Zhu forced Western Heaven to admit fault for Yu Yi Xian’s crimes and provide compensation, while Ancient Buddha Ran Deng intervened to save his disciple. Meanwhile, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra made the Wei River Dragon King confront Li Shimin, who refused to protect him from punishment.

• Yu Yi Xian begged the Buddhas for help as Lin Zhu approached, but Ancient Buddha Ran Deng appeared and apologized for his disciple’s wrongdoing.
• Ancient Buddha Ran Deng agreed to compensate Lin Zhu with immortal artifacts and pills, then ordered Yu Yi Xian to deliver them and apologize to Lin Zhu’s subordinates.
• Lin Zhu rejected Ancient Buddha Ran Deng’s invitation to tea and left after securing the compensation and Yu Yi Xian’s apology.
• Bodhisattva Samantabhadra threatened the Wei River Dragon King and instructed him to plead with Li Shimin for his life.
• The Wei River Dragon King begged Li Shimin to save him, but Li Shimin declared that he deserved punishment for violating the Heavenly Edicts and refused.

After forcing Western Heaven to apologize, Lin Zhu returned to the Ninth Heaven Prison and found Yu Yi Xian provoking Nezha into a duel. Lin Zhu ordered Nezha to accept and began preparing to transform him into a Grand Luo Golden Immortal so he could kill Yu Yi Xian.

• The King of Tang left the Wei River Dragon King and summoned Wei Zheng, Zhangsun Wuji, and others to discuss the palace attack and Western Heaven’s motives.
• Yu Yi Xian arrived at the Ninth Heaven Prison with compensation, but challenged Nezha and insulted Lin Zhu and the prison.
• Great Emperor Zhaosheng and the Barefoot Immortal offered to fight Yu Yi Xian in Nezha’s place, but Lin Zhu arrived and ordered Nezha to accept the duel.
• Lin Zhu revealed a system mission to transform Nezha and have him kill Yu Yi Xian, then declared that the duel would take place immediately.
• Lin Zhu brought out rare treasures for Nezha, including a top-grade Nine Revolutions Grand Luo Golden Pill, and explained that it could help him comprehend the Dao and break through.

Lin Zhu used rare pills and the God-Slaying Spear to boost Nezha’s cultivation from Mid-stage Grand Yi Golden Immortal to Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal, while stopping Yu Yi Xian from escaping. Yu Yi Xian’s confidence in the coming duel collapsed as Nezha reached his level.

• Lin Zhu gave Nezha a million-year Peach of Immortality and a God-Consolidating Pill, helping him advance to Peak Grand Yi Golden Immortal.
• Yu Yi Xian tried to slip away, but Lin Zhu stopped him and Great Emperor Zhaosheng and the Barefoot Immortal blocked his retreat.
• When Nezha’s Grand Luo Golden Immortal tribulation descended, Lin Zhu used the God-Slaying Spear to shatter the tribulation clouds and let Nezha advance without a trial.
• The top-grade Nine Revolutions Grand Luo Golden Pill continued strengthening Nezha after his breakthrough, bringing him close to Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal.
• Lin Zhu gave Nezha a Nine Revolutions Great Return Pill, and Nezha advanced to Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal, leaving Yu Yi Xian terrified of their coming duel.