Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Backstab”

Plot and major events

The Twelve Lotus Platform Great Protector leads eighteen Divine Mansion Realm cultivators in an assault against Great Zhou’s smaller force, confident that Jiang Qinghuang’s army cannot resist. Great Zhou’s ten cultivators consider fleeing, but fear of Princess Royal’s punishment forces them to stay and fight. Before the battle begins, Sui Tianbo suddenly stabs the Great Protector through the back and defects to Great Zhou. Several other Divine Mansion cultivators from the Sui, Han, and Ma clans betray the Pure World Holy Church at the same moment, turning the balance from ten against eighteen to sixteen against twelve. Because of the surprise attacks, several Church cultivators are wounded, further weakening them. The chapter ends with the wider battle in the starry sky reaching its fiercest stage.

Character developments

• Sui Tianbo is revealed to have supported the Sacred Venerable for political and personal gain rather than genuine belief in the doctrine of “all beings are equal.” He joined the rebellion because he believed Great Zhou was doomed and expected the Sacred Venerable to establish a new dynasty in which Sui Tianbo would become a founding minister and his clan would gain lasting power. His betrayal occurs when he realizes the Sacred Venerable truly intends to dismantle social hierarchy, threatening hereditary privilege.
• The Great Protector is shocked and wounded, unable to understand how one of the Sacred Venerable’s earliest and most honored supporters could betray the Church.
• The Lotus Platform Protectors briefly waver when Sui Tianbo questions whether equality can truly be maintained across generations, but the Great Protector’s reminder of their debt to the Sacred Venerable restores their loyalty.
• Great Zhou’s cultivators move from fear and thoughts of escape to determined resistance once the betrayal changes the odds.

Character interactions

Sui Tianbo’s attack directly shatters the Great Protector’s confidence and prompts a confrontation over the meaning of loyalty. The two argue over whether serving the Sacred Venerable is an ideological commitment or merely a political alliance. Sui Tianbo challenges the Church’s belief in universal equality, while the Great Protector condemns his arguments as deceptive and reminds the others that the Sacred Venerable gave them their current power and status. His speech prevents the remaining Protectors from defecting.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and opportunism: Sui Tianbo’s defection exposes how political alliances built on ambition can collapse when leaders’ true goals become clear.
• Idealism versus self-interest: The Sacred Venerable genuinely pursues equality, but many followers joined him expecting wealth, rank, or aristocratic privilege.
• The difficulty of social equality: Sui Tianbo argues that power and status will inevitably become hereditary, questioning whether even revolutionaries can prevent future oppression.
• Loyalty and gratitude: The Great Protector insists that personal loyalty and indebtedness should outweigh doubts about the Sacred Venerable’s ideology.
• Power shifts and political instability: A single coordinated betrayal transforms the battlefield, demonstrating how fragile the balance between the competing factions is.

Chapter Summary: The Sacred Venerable Falls, All Beings Mourn

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Princess Royal, Jiang Qinghuang, battles Pure World Holy Venerable and the conical-hatted man simultaneously.
• Despite facing a Half-Saint and a Great Perfection Divine Mansion expert, Jiang Qinghuang remains almost completely unharmed, while her opponents become increasingly injured and exhausted.
• Pure World Holy Venerable unleashes his ultimate technique, “All Beings Share One Wish,” summoning a massive compassionate giant formed from the collective will of living beings.
• The conical-hatted man uses the phantom of a Purple-Gold Giant Dragon to attack alongside him.
• Jiang Qinghuang responds with “Ice Phoenix Manifestation,” transforming her Ice Phoenix Mark into a colossal divine Ice Phoenix that freezes the surrounding starry sky and even seems to seal time.
• By fully opening her Divine Mansion World and channeling its spiritual power into the Ice Phoenix, Jiang Qinghuang overwhelms both attacks.
• The giant and dragon phantoms are frozen and destroyed, and the resulting ice fragments severely injure both opponents. Pure World Holy Venerable is pierced throughout his body, while his Divine Mansion World begins to freeze.
• With the battle decided, Jiang Qinghuang confronts the defeated Sacred Venerable. He admits that he has lost, but insists that his Dao—his belief in resisting oppression and sharing the burdens of all beings—has not been defeated.
• Jiang Qinghuang kills him with a sword thrust through the chest.
• At his death, the Pure World Lotus Staff breaks in two, symbolizing the destruction of the Heavenly Weapon that had accompanied him throughout his life.
• Across the world, snow and wind abruptly cease. The Sacred Venerable’s followers and countless common people who had benefited from his actions feel his death instinctively and begin mourning, despite not knowing what has happened.

Character Development

• Jiang Qinghuang / the Princess Royal: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, discipline, and emotional composure. She defeats two powerful opponents without arrogance, but her attitude toward the Sacred Venerable changes from opposition to genuine respect after hearing his resolve.
• Pure World Holy Venerable: Reveals absolute devotion to his ideals. Though defeated, he refuses to flee because doing so would suggest that his path is wrong. His final words show his compassion for the oppressed and his hope that future generations will continue his struggle.
• Conical-Hatted Man: Fights alongside the Sacred Venerable and contributes his dragon-based power, but is ultimately defeated and gravely wounded. His partnership with the Sacred Venerable emphasizes the desperation and scale of the confrontation.
• The Sacred Venerable’s Followers and Beneficiaries: Their instinctive grief demonstrates the profound influence he had on ordinary people and confirms that his legacy extends far beyond the battlefield.

Significant Themes

• Conviction versus Victory: The Sacred Venerable loses the battle but maintains that his ideals remain valid, separating physical defeat from spiritual or ideological defeat.
• Sacrifice for Belief: He willingly faces death rather than abandon the path he has dedicated his life to.
• Resistance to Oppression: His final hope is that countless successors will rise to challenge an unjust world.
• Respect Between Enemies: Jiang Qinghuang does not accept his Dao, yet recognizes his courage and integrity, showing that ideological disagreement can coexist with respect.
• Legacy and Collective Memory: The widespread mourning after his death suggests that his ideals and kindness have taken root among the people and may inspire future resistance.
• Power and Compassion: The battle contrasts Jiang Qinghuang’s overwhelming, nearly impersonal ice power with the Sacred Venerable’s strength derived from the shared will and suffering of ordinary beings.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Qinghuang and the two attackers engage in a decisive three-way clash, with her Ice Phoenix ultimately overpowering both the giant phantom and the Purple-Gold Dragon.
• After defeating them, Jiang Qinghuang speaks directly with the Sacred Venerable, questioning why he did not flee.
• His explanation—that fleeing would betray his Dao—earns her respect even though she still kills him.
• Their final exchange transforms the battle from a simple victory over an enemy into a confrontation between two powerful convictions.
• The Sacred Venerable’s death affects people across the world, creating an emotional connection between his final moment and the masses he sought to protect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Princess Royal kills Sacred Venerable, but thousands of golden lights protect a tiny remnant of his True Spirit. Though his physical body dissolves, the True Spirit escapes, allowing the possibility of reincarnation.
• Princess Royal turns her attention to the severely wounded hat-wearing man, who prepares to burn his Overlord Body Origin in a final battle.
• Before she can strike, a massive claw wrapped in golden Divine Fire emerges from a shattered void. Its power surpasses even Sacred Venerable’s peak strength.
• The claw clashes with Princess Royal’s Ice Phoenix Manifestation. Their opposing forces—extreme cold and True Sun Fire—temporarily reach a stalemate.
• Princess Royal unleashes her technique, Eternal Ice Seal, summoning a frozen Divine Mansion World to suppress the attacker.
• The attacker responds with overwhelming True Sun Fire, damaging and weakening the Ice Phoenix. Princess Royal identifies him as Li Xinge, the Great Sun Golden Crow.
• Li Xinge reveals himself as the force behind the hat-wearing man, who is actually the former third Crown Prince of Southern Liang and former leader of the Four Seas Alliance. The two have allied because they share a common enemy.
• Li Xinge challenges Princess Royal directly, activating his Golden Crow Divine Bird Mark and transforming into a second blazing sun.
• His appearance creates the phenomenon “Twin Suns Patrol the Heavens,” causing the sky to contain two suns, melting the Ten-Thousand-Mile Snow Mountains and shocking powerful cultivators across the region.
• More than twenty Divine Mansion Realm experts stop fighting to witness the phenomenon. Sui Tianbo recognizes it as the sign that the Great Sun Golden Crow of the south has emerged from seclusion.

Character Developments

• Princess Royal: Demonstrates overwhelming strength by defeating Sacred Venerable, but is unsettled when his True Spirit escapes. Her battle with Li Xinge reveals that she has finally encountered an opponent capable of seriously pressuring her.
• Sacred Venerable: Though physically destroyed, he preserves his True Spirit, leaving open the possibility of reincarnation and future return.
• The hat-wearing man: Revealed to be the former third Crown Prince of Southern Liang and former Four Seas Alliance Leader. Despite his injuries, he survives by fleeing and is shown to be serving or cooperating with Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge: Emerges from years of seclusion as an exceptionally powerful figure. His appearance confirms him as the mastermind supporting the hat-wearing man and establishes him as Princess Royal’s new major adversary.

Significant Themes

• Death and survival: The escape of Sacred Venerable’s True Spirit shows that physical death does not necessarily end a Heavenly Human’s existence.
• Rivalry between extremes: Princess Royal’s ice-based power clashes with Li Xinge’s blazing Golden Crow fire, symbolizing opposing forces of frost and flame.
• Hidden alliances and political conflict: The revelation that Li Xinge is backing the former Southern Liang prince highlights the secret cooperation forming against a shared enemy.
• The arrival of a new era or threat: The supernatural phenomenon of two suns signals Li Xinge’s emergence and suggests that the balance of power is about to change dramatically.
• Recognition through battle: Both Princess Royal and Li Xinge acknowledge each other as worthy opponents, though their respect is expressed through confrontation and challenge.

Character Interactions

• Princess Royal dismisses Sacred Venerable after defeating him, then confronts the hat-wearing man.
• The hat-wearing man refuses to surrender and prepares for a desperate last stand, but escapes when Li Xinge intervenes.
• Princess Royal identifies Li Xinge and accuses him of controlling the former Southern Liang prince.
• Li Xinge downplays their alliance as cooperation against a common enemy, then reverses the challenge by declaring that Princess Royal must not disappoint him.
• Their confrontation escalates from verbal recognition into a clash between the Ice Phoenix and the Great Sun Golden Crow, witnessed by powerful cultivators throughout the heavens.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The appearance of the mysterious southern powerhouse causes everyone to fear that he has reached the Great Perfection of Divine Mansion at an exceptionally young age.
• Li Xinge’s supernatural light screen reveals the Princess Royal, Jiang Qinghuang, to be 147 years old, possessing:
  • Great Perfection of Divine Mansion cultivation
  • Half-Saint-level divine soul power
  • An Ice Phoenix Sacred Body
  • A Heavenly Human Bloodline
  • The destiny of a Daughter of Fortune
• Li Xinge confronts Jiang Qinghuang and dismisses the confidence derived from her Ice Phoenix Sacred Body, asserting that his Great Sun Golden Crow Sacred Body is vastly superior and naturally suppresses hers.
• Jiang Qinghuang summons an enormous Ice Phoenix, releasing a frost river across the starry sky. Li Xinge’s Golden Crow easily burns through it with True Sun Fire.
• Desperate to overcome the disadvantage, Jiang Qinghuang uses a Saint-tier Divine Ability that took her a century to master. She fuses the Ice Phoenix’s power into her Heavenly Weapon sword and unleashes a devastating sword strike.
• The observers recognize the attack as powerful enough to kill most Divine Mansion experts and potentially threaten anyone below the Saint Realm.
• Li Xinge remains calm and merges two great suns into one, causing the Golden Crow’s aura to reach its peak and solidify into the form of a true ancient divine bird.
• The Golden Crow destroys Jiang Qinghuang’s Saint-tier sword attack before it can make contact, then transforms into a flaming divine arrow and strikes directly at her.
• The chapter ends with Li Xinge standing unharmed amid the massive explosion and declaring that a mere Ice Phoenix cannot compete with his Great Sun Golden Crow.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xinge is established as overwhelmingly confident and far stronger than the Princess Royal. His Great Sun Golden Crow not only surpasses her Ice Phoenix in ranking but also possesses a natural elemental advantage over it. His ability to merge the great suns reveals another terrifying level of power.
• Jiang Qinghuang is revealed to be an extraordinary prodigy with immense talent, elite bloodline, powerful physique, and a Saint-tier technique. However, her arrogance and confidence are severely shaken when her strongest attack is effortlessly destroyed.
• Ming Tianchen and the other Divine Mansion experts develop a deeper fear and respect for Li Xinge after witnessing the power of Jiang Qinghuang’s sword and his even greater counterattack.
• Great Lotus Platform, despite being near the Great Perfection of Divine Mansion, realizes that the difference between ordinary experts and the peak of the realm is far greater than he had imagined.

3. Significant Themes

• Absolute power and natural suppression: The battle emphasizes that strength is determined not only by cultivation but also by the compatibility and ranking of bloodlines and physiques.
• Arrogance confronted by overwhelming reality: Jiang Qinghuang’s confidence in her status and Ice Phoenix Sacred Body collapses when faced with Li Xinge’s superior Golden Crow.
• The gap between realms and stages: The reactions of the observers highlight how a single difference in cultivation—or the mastery of a superior technique—can create an insurmountable disparity.
• Mythic imagery and divine authority: The Golden Crow is portrayed as an ancient divine being capable of moving suns and burning away even Saint-tier attacks, reinforcing Li Xinge’s godlike presence.
• Effort versus innate superiority: Jiang Qinghuang’s century of effort produces an extraordinary technique, but Li Xinge defeats it through superior physique, bloodline, and overwhelming innate power.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xinge taunts Jiang Qinghuang by questioning whether her Ice Phoenix Sacred Body is the source of her confidence.
• Jiang Qinghuang accepts his challenge and attempts to test the legendary Great Sun Golden Crow.
• Their exchange escalates from verbal provocation to a clash between massive Ice Phoenix and Golden Crow manifestations.
• After her initial attack fails, Jiang Qinghuang uses her ultimate Saint-tier sword technique, while Li Xinge acknowledges its brilliance but insists it is still insufficient.
• The confrontation ends with Li Xinge’s Golden Crow breaking through her attack and striking her, while the surrounding experts watch in shock and fear.

Summary: “Old King Falls, New King Crowned”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After refining a drop of Golden Crow essence blood, Li Xinge’s Great Sun Golden Crow Sacred Body reaches minor completion, dramatically increasing his already immense combat power.
• Li Xinge battles Jiang Qinghuang, the Princess Royal, whose Ice Phoenix Sacred Body has also reached minor completion. Despite her status as a peerless cultivator and “daughter of destiny,” she is completely overwhelmed.
• Li Xinge’s attack destroys her Heavenly Weapon longsword and severely injures her. The True Sun Fire penetrates her Divine Mansion World, melts its glaciers, damages its barriers, and burns the origin of her Ice Phoenix Sacred Body.
• Although Jiang Qinghuang survives through her numerous hidden advantages and protective resources, Li Xinge calmly declares, “You lost.” She acknowledges her defeat—the first in her 147 years of cultivation.
• Li Xinge warns that although he cannot kill her now, he may be able to do so in the future. Jiang Qinghuang vows to avenge the humiliation, but Li Xinge dismisses her as someone he no longer considers an opponent before departing.
• With both supreme figures gone, the battlefield returns to normal. The shocked observers realize that the Princess Royal has lost, fundamentally altering the balance of power in the world.
• Great Zhou’s cultivators immediately flee toward Shenjing, fearing that Li Xinge may disregard the usual rules and kill them.
• The World-Purifying Cult learns that its Sacred Venerable has died. The Great Lotus Throne becomes the group’s new spiritual and strategic leader.
• Although they recognize Li Xinge as the strongest figure beneath the heavens, the Great Lotus Throne rejects the idea of joining him. The Cult remains loyal to the Sacred Venerable’s ideals and chooses to retreat, hide, and await a future opportunity to rise again.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge advances from being extremely powerful to becoming the undisputed strongest person beneath the Heavenly Human realm. His confidence becomes absolute, and he treats the defeated Princess Royal with detached superiority.
• Jiang Qinghuang suffers her first defeat and is forced to confront the limits of her previously unmatched strength. Though badly injured and humiliated, she retains her pride, composure, and determination to improve and seek revenge.
• The Great Lotus Throne emerges as the World-Purifying Cult’s new leader after the Sacred Venerable’s death. He demonstrates loyalty, strategic patience, and ideological conviction by refusing to betray the fallen leader.
• The surrounding cultivators experience a collapse of faith and confidence. Great Zhou’s forces panic and flee, while the Cult’s followers overcome their fear by reaffirming their loyalty to the Sacred Venerable.

Significant Themes

• The transfer of power: The chapter’s central idea is that the old supreme power has fallen and a new one has risen. The death of the Sacred Venerable and the defeat of the Princess Royal establish Li Xinge as the new “king” under heaven.
• Strength and destiny: Jiang Qinghuang is described as a favored daughter of destiny, yet even destiny cannot protect her from Li Xinge’s overwhelming power.
• Humiliation and resilience: Jiang Qinghuang’s defeat shatters her undefeated record, but it does not destroy her will. Her vow of revenge shows that defeat can become the beginning of renewed determination.
• Loyalty versus pragmatism: The World-Purifying Cult could potentially submit to Li Xinge for survival, but the Great Lotus Throne argues that doing so would betray the Sacred Venerable and his ideals.
• Ideological conflict: The Sacred Venerable sought equality and harmony for all living beings, while Li Xinge is portrayed as a ruthless figure who devours others for power. Their opposing philosophies make reconciliation nearly impossible.
• Temporary retreat and future upheaval: Though Li Xinge dominates the present, the Cult believes his eventual departure will create another opening. The chapter ends by suggesting that the struggle for power is only entering a new phase.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Jiang Qinghuang: Their battle ends in a one-sided victory for Li Xinge. He acknowledges that she survived but refuses to view her as a future equal, while she openly vows to defeat him one day.
• Great Lotus Throne and the Cult members: He questions whether anyone can oppose Li Xinge and challenges the idea of surrendering. By invoking the Sacred Venerable’s gifts and ideals, he inspires the others to remain loyal.
• The Great Lotus Throne and the other Lotus Thrones: The subordinate thrones look to him for direction after the Sacred Venerable’s death. He gives them the choice to leave but ultimately receives their unanimous commitment to the Cult.
• Great Zhou’s cultivators and Sui Tianbo: Sui Tianbo breaks the paralysis after Jiang Qinghuang’s defeat, warning everyone to flee before Li Xinge can act against them. His words trigger the mass retreat toward Shenjing.

Chapter Summary: “Subduing Ming Tianchen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Great Lotus Platform orders the remaining Pure World Holy Church forces to withdraw, scatter into smaller groups, and wait for an opportunity to strike back.
• Li Xinge brings the badly wounded Ming Tianchen to a mountain after defeating the Princess Royal and gaining a decisive advantage over Great Zhou.
• Their meeting recalls an earlier battle in which Li Xinge defeated Ming Tianchen but chose not to kill him. Instead, he suggested that they shared a common enemy: Great Zhou, which had destroyed Great Liang and exterminated the Ming Clan.
• Ming Tianchen had devoted his life to avenging his fallen dynasty and family. Though initially suspicious of Li Xinge, he recognizes that they both seek Great Zhou’s destruction.
• Li Xinge tells Ming Tianchen that the Princess Royal’s defeat signals Great Zhou’s imminent collapse and assures him that he will live to witness it.
• Ming Tianchen’s deeper ambition—to restore Great Liang—remains difficult while Li Xinge is so overwhelmingly powerful.
• Li Xinge then reveals his larger plan: the current world is only a “drop in the ocean,” and he intends to reach the Heavenly Human Sacred Realm and ascend to the Upper Realm.
• He offers Ming Tianchen a chance to work for him, promising to take him to the Upper Realm. Freed from the world’s limitations, Ming Tianchen could potentially reach the Sacred Realm and restore his ancestors’ kingdom with ease.
• Ming Tianchen is visibly shocked by the proposal.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge is presented as confident, strategic, and magnanimous. He refuses to view Ming Tianchen as a lasting threat and seeks to recruit him through shared goals and future possibilities rather than coercion.
• Ming Tianchen has fallen from the proud, nearly equal rival of Li Xinge into a seriously wounded subordinate figure. Despite this humiliation, he remains driven by loyalty to Great Liang and the Ming Clan’s ancestral hatred of Great Zhou.
• Ming Tianchen’s ambitions expand from simple revenge and restoration of his kingdom to the possibility of ascending beyond the world itself.

Significant Themes

• Common enemies and temporary alliances: Personal hostility can be set aside when two powerful figures share a greater enemy.
• Revenge and inherited hatred: Ming Tianchen’s life has been shaped by the national and familial trauma passed down by his father.
• Power and magnanimity: Li Xinge’s refusal to kill Ming Tianchen demonstrates his confidence and superiority; he can afford to spare former enemies.
• Limits of the world and transcendence: The chapter introduces the idea that the current realm is restrictive and that true freedom and power lie in ascending to the Upper Realm.
• Ambition beyond revenge: Li Xinge encourages Ming Tianchen to think beyond merely destroying Great Zhou and restoring Great Liang.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Ming Tianchen’s conversation moves from formal respect and old rivalry to a potential alliance.
• Ming Tianchen questions whether Li Xinge is trying to make him submit, but Li Xinge clarifies that he is offering cooperation, not conventional surrender.
• Li Xinge appeals first to Ming Tianchen’s hatred of Great Zhou, then to his larger ambition of restoring his dynasty.
• The chapter ends at the moment Ming Tianchen is confronted with an extraordinary choice: remain bound to the struggles of the lower world or follow Li Xinge toward the Upper Realm.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge reveals his plan to ascend to the Upper Realm after the coming decisive battle. He intends to gather powerful allies in preparation for both the battle and the harsher struggles awaiting him after ascension.
• Ming Tianchen, recognizing the enormous temptation and opportunity represented by ascension, submits to Li Xinge and agrees to serve under the King of Chu.
• Li Xinge accepts Ming Tianchen’s allegiance and personally raises him, viewing his talent, special physique, and strength as valuable assets. Ming Tianchen becomes the second Great Perfection of Divine Mansion expert under Li Xinge.
• In the imperial palace, the chief eunuch reports to the emperor that the Princess Royal has been defeated.
• The emperor reacts violently, striking and injuring the eunuch in disbelief and rage. He initially assumes the Princess Royal was defeated by Ming Tianchen or the Pure World Holy Venerable.
• The eunuch clarifies that the Princess Royal had already defeated the Pure World Holy Venerable and was about to kill Ming Tianchen when Li Xinge appeared and defeated her.
• The emperor learns that Li Xinge has reached the Great Perfection of Divine Mansion at only forty-four years old, an achievement far beyond his expectations.
• The emperor regrets delaying his response to Li Xinge while waiting for the imperial ancestor to succeed, realizing that Li Xinge has grown far more quickly than anticipated.
• At the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence, Li Taiming confirms with the mysterious figure Mysterious Immortal that Li Xinge has indeed reached Great Perfection and defeated the Princess Royal.
• Mysterious Immortal urges Li Taiming to stop hesitating, declaring that Li Xinge is the person their branch has awaited for thousands of years.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge becomes increasingly powerful and politically influential. His breakthrough to Great Perfection places him among the strongest figures in the lower realm and makes him a serious threat to the imperial family.
• Ming Tianchen moves from being an opponent to becoming Li Xinge’s subordinate. His submission demonstrates his pragmatism and willingness to follow the path offering the greatest chance of reaching the Upper Realm.
• The Emperor shifts from confidence and long-term planning to shock and fear. He realizes that his strategy of delaying action has allowed Li Xinge to mature into a danger capable of threatening the entire Great Zhou dynasty.
• The Princess Royal suffers a major defeat despite possessing the powerful Ice Phoenix Sacred Body, emphasizing the exceptional level Li Xinge has reached.
• Li Taiming appears cautious and hesitant, but the new information pushes him toward openly supporting Li Xinge.
• Mysterious Immortal acts as a decisive adviser, interpreting Li Xinge’s rise as the fulfillment of an ancient expectation tied to their branch.

Significant Themes

• The irresistible allure of ascension: The chance to reach the Upper Realm is powerful enough to overcome old rivalries and inspire Ming Tianchen’s submission.
• Talent and rapid growth: Li Xinge’s extraordinary cultivation speed overturns the calculations of older powers and shows how exceptional geniuses can disrupt established plans.
• Strategic allegiance and survival: Ming Tianchen chooses cooperation over continued opposition, illustrating the importance of recognizing when the balance of power has changed.
• The consequences of hesitation: The emperor’s repeated delays, motivated by his hope that the ancestor would intervene, allow Li Xinge to become much stronger.
• Destiny and long-awaited fulfillment: The Duke of Zhenguo’s branch believes Li Xinge is the figure it has awaited for thousands of years, suggesting that his rise is connected to a larger prophecy or historical purpose.
• The decline of established power: The imperial palace’s fear and the image of Great Zhou’s banners seeming “lighter” suggest that the dynasty’s six-thousand-year legacy is beginning to weaken.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and Ming Tianchen: Li Xinge offers no surprise at Ming Tianchen’s submission, understanding his intelligence and motives. He accepts him as a valuable future warrior and ally.
• The Emperor and the chief eunuch: The eunuch delivers devastating news and is repeatedly attacked by the enraged emperor, yet continues explaining the situation to avoid further punishment.
• The Emperor and Li Xinge’s reputation: Though Li Xinge is absent, his breakthrough and victory dominate the emperor’s thoughts, forcing him to acknowledge the threat posed by his former enemy.
• Li Taiming and Mysterious Immortal: Their conversation confirms Li Xinge’s victory and marks a turning point, with Mysterious Immortal pressing Li Taiming to commit to Li Xinge’s side.

Chapter Summary: “Sacred Spirit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Taiming and his son, Li Xuanxian, agree that their family has no choice but to take a dangerous course of action. Li Taiming entrusts Xuanxian with his Jade Talisman and orders him to travel secretly to Yang Province to meet an unnamed person.
• After Xuanxian leaves, Li Taiming descends into a hidden chamber beneath the Duke of Zhenguo Residence. There, he kneels before an ancient black sword known as “Sacred Spirit.”
• Li Taiming reveals that his family has long been waiting for a destined individual to appear. The sword trembles in response, suggesting that it possesses awareness or is connected to the prophecy.
• News spreads worldwide that King of Chu, Li Xinge, has emerged from seclusion, reached the Great Perfection of Divine Mansion, and defeated the Princess Royal beyond the Ninth Heavens of Great Snow Mountain.
• The Princess Royal’s defeat terrifies the northerners and greatly boosts the confidence of the southerners, who believe Great Zhou may finally be nearing its downfall after six thousand years of northern dominance.
• In Green Maple Valley, Li Xinge presides over a meeting of the Li Family’s elders. The clan celebrates his victory, but Li Xinge cautions them that the Princess Royal is still alive and the powerful Jiang Clan remains a threat.
• The elders report the Li Family’s recent developments, including the Green-Eyed Snake Lord’s advancement to Demon King.
• Li Xuantong proposes replacing the old promotion system, which allowed anyone who reached the Innate Realm to become an elder. Under the new system, elders must also possess meaningful achievements and contributions to the family.
• Li Xinge approves the reform and strengthens it: elders will undergo assessments every ten years. Those who pass will receive increased benefits, while those who fail will lose their positions.
• After the meeting, the First Elder privately informs Li Xinge that an important matter concerns the origin of the Li Family, immediately capturing Li Xinge’s attention.

Character Developments

• Li Taiming moves from hesitation to firm resolve, accepting the necessity of a dangerous plan. His reverence toward Sacred Spirit reveals his deep faith in the family’s ancient destiny.
• Li Xuanxian demonstrates obedience and loyalty by accepting the secret mission without resistance.
• Li Xinge returns as a vastly powerful and authoritative leader, but he remains cautious rather than arrogant. He recognizes that defeating the Princess Royal does not mean the Jiang Clan or Great Zhou has been defeated.
• Li Xinge also shows himself to be a pragmatic reformer. He prioritizes merit, discipline, and institutional strength over empty titles or rapid promotions.
• Li Xuantong displays political judgment by identifying the weaknesses in the elder promotion system and proposing reforms to prevent internal disorder.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and inevitability: The Li family believes it has been waiting for a destined figure, while Li Taiming insists that the family never truly had a choice.
• Ancient power and hidden legacies: Sacred Spirit, the secret chamber, and the Li Family’s mysterious origins suggest that the family’s history reaches far deeper than previously understood.
• The rise and fall of political powers: The Princess Royal’s defeat shifts the balance between north and south, encouraging hopes of the northerners’ decline and the southerners’ resurgence.
• External victory versus internal strength: Li Xinge warns that defeating a single opponent is insufficient against the Jiang Clan’s six-thousand-year foundation. A family must also prevent decay from within.
• Merit over status: The elder reforms emphasize that authority should come from contribution and capability, not merely cultivation level or seniority.
• Long-term preparation: Both the secret mission to Yang Province and the restructuring of the Li Family indicate that major conflicts are approaching and that careful preparation is essential.

Character Interactions

• Li Taiming and Li Xuanxian share a solemn father-son exchange in which Taiming tests his son’s resolve before entrusting him with the secret mission.
• Li Taiming’s interaction with Sacred Spirit is reverent and almost devotional; the sword’s response confirms a mysterious connection between them and the family’s prophecy.
• Li Xinge and the Li Family elders interact with mutual respect, though his authority is unmistakable. He accepts their reports while tempering their excitement with strategic caution.
• Li Xingtong’s proposal and Li Xinge’s approval establish cooperation between the family’s senior leaders, while also revealing Li Xinge’s willingness to impose strict reforms.
• The chapter closes with Li Xinge and the First Elder alone, as the revelation about the Li Family’s origin introduces a major mystery for the next stage of the story.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xuantong reports to Patriarch Li Xinge everything Li Hao experienced during his training trip to the Qi Kingdom, including his encounter with the Li Family’s seventeenth Great Elder, Li Qingcang.
• Li Xinge asks to meet Li Hao rather than immediately visit Li Qingcang, whose Divine Soul is being preserved in a Soul-Nourishing Formation.
• Li Hao arrives enthusiastically and congratulates Li Xinge on reaching the Great Perfection of the Divine Mansion Realm. He proudly boasts about obtaining True Dragon Essence Blood, a Saint-tier cultivation technique, and a Saint-tier Divine Ability.
• Li Xinge clarifies that he is referring not to Li Hao’s treasures, but to his personal growth. He then reveals that he knows Li Hao has lost his Primordial Yang.
• Embarrassed, Li Hao blames the Qi Kingdom’s imperial princess, calling her a shameless old woman after learning that she is over a hundred years old.
• Li Xinge explains that the dragon nature within the True Dragon Essence Blood is inherently lustful, and that releasing this desire prevented hidden dangers from affecting Li Hao’s future cultivation. He does not condemn Li Hao’s actions.
• Li Xinge asks who the woman was and learns that she is the Qi Kingdom’s imperial princess. He then asks Li Hao what he intends to do about the situation.
• Misinterpreting the question, Li Hao assumes Li Xinge may order him to marry her. He reluctantly declares that he will obey his Great-Grandfather.
• Li Xinge laughs and assures him that he has no intention of arranging such a marriage.
• Li Xuantong points out that marrying the princess could secure the Qi Kingdom’s political support for the Li Family. Li Xinge rejects this proposal contemptuously, declaring that the daughter of a “mongrel” is unworthy of marrying a future dragon or tiger of the Li Family.
• Li Xinge believes the Qi Kingdom’s ruler will wisely choose to support the Li Family without a marriage alliance. His final cold expression suggests that he will deal harshly with the Qi Kingdom if it refuses.

Character Developments

• Li Hao: Shows increased strength and confidence after his journey, but remains childish and easily flustered, especially regarding his intimate encounter with the imperial princess. He also demonstrates deep trust and obedience toward Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge: Establishes himself as perceptive, protective, and extremely proud of Li Hao. He approves of the physical consequences of Li Hao’s encounter but views the imperial princess as socially and bloodline-wise beneath Li Hao.
• Li Xuantong: Acts as an observer and practical adviser, recognizing the potential political value of a marriage alliance. His suggestion is dismissed by Li Xinge’s uncompromising pride.
• The Qi Kingdom’s imperial princess: Though absent from the scene, she becomes central to the discussion. Her age, royal status, and relationship with Li Hao are judged by the Li Family.
• Li Qingcang: His survival is briefly explained, with his Divine Soul being preserved, but he does not appear directly.

Significant Themes

• Bloodline and status: The Li Family places immense importance on lineage, talent, and future potential. Li Hao’s status as a possible future Longevity Realm expert makes him, in Li Xinge’s view, far superior to a princess from a minor lower-realm kingdom.
• Family pride and superiority: Li Xinge’s refusal to use marriage for political gain reflects the Li Family’s arrogance and confidence in its own power.
• Growth and maturation: Li Xinge notes that Li Hao has “grown up,” referring both to his increased maturity and to his first sexual experience.
• Protection versus political pragmatism: Li Xuantong considers strategic marriage, while Li Xinge prioritizes Li Hao’s dignity and the family’s prestige.
• Humor and embarrassment: The revelation of Li Hao’s lost Primordial Yang creates a comedic contrast with the otherwise serious matters of cultivation, bloodline, and political power.

Character Interactions

• Li Xuantong and Li Xinge discuss Li Hao’s experiences and the preservation of Li Qingcang’s Divine Soul.
• Li Xinge teasingly questions Li Hao about his physical changes, causing Li Hao intense embarrassment.
• Li Hao defensively blames the imperial princess, while Li Xinge reassures him that the encounter was not harmful to his cultivation.
• Li Xuantong proposes a marriage alliance with the Qi Kingdom, but Li Xinge rejects the idea with disdain.
• The chapter ends with Li Xinge preparing to pressure or threaten the Qi Kingdom into making the politically correct choice.

Chapter Summary: “What Are Rootless People?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge, accompanied by Grand Elder Li Xuantong and Li Hao, enters the Li Family’s forbidden rear mountain and reaches a secluded valley.
• They visit Li Qingcang, a seven-thousand-year-old remnant soul being sustained by a Soul-Nourishing Formation made from top-grade Soul Nurturing Jade.
• Li Qingcang’s soul has greatly recovered over the past two years, transforming from a vague outline into the recognizable form of a stern middle-aged man.
• Upon seeing Li Xinge, Li Qingcang is overwhelmed by the young man’s terrifying presence, which appears to him like a sun capable of incinerating all worlds.
• Li Xinge confirms through his special ability that Li Qingcang is truly the Li Family’s seventeenth Grand Elder, a Half-Saint possessing the Fearless Swordheart and an unactivated Heavenly Human Bloodline.
• Li Xinge asks Li Qingcang about the Rootless People. The question triggers intense hatred and murderous intent in Li Qingcang.
• Li Qingcang explains that the Rootless People are descendants of the Li Family who betrayed their ancestors thirty thousand years ago.
• He reveals that the ancient Li Family once ruled the entire world and possessed several Heavenly Human Saints, when the world was close to evolving from a Middle Thousand World into a Great Thousand World.
• According to Li Qingcang, the Li Family’s downfall was caused by internal betrayal at a crucial moment involving the family’s distant ancestor.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingcang identifying that ancestor as the Sacred Emperor.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Demonstrates calm authority and confidence when meeting an ancient ancestor. He neither bows nor shows fear, treating Li Qingcang as an equal source of information. His mysterious strength is further emphasized by Li Qingcang’s inability to withstand his presence.
• Li Qingcang: Gains a clearer physical form and reveals his deep pride in the ancient Li Family, as well as his intense hatred toward the Rootless People. His reverence for the Sacred Emperor becomes evident.
• Li Hao: Remains openly proud of Li Xinge and shows a familiar, respectful relationship with Li Qingcang. His admiration for his great-grandfather is obvious.
• Li Xuantong: Reacts with shock to the revelation that the ancient Li Family once possessed several Heavenly Human Saints, highlighting the gap between the family’s former glory and its current state.

Significant Themes

• The weight of ancestry and legacy: The Li Family’s ancient supremacy contrasts sharply with its diminished modern condition.
• Betrayal from within: The Rootless People are portrayed as descendants who abandoned their origins and betrayed their own bloodline.
• Forgotten history: The chapter begins uncovering the hidden events behind the Li Family’s collapse and the origin of its enemies.
• Power and authority: Li Xinge’s composure before an ancient Half-Saint demonstrates his extraordinary status, while the ancient Li Family’s former dominance establishes the scale of the world’s lost power.
• Reverence for legendary ancestors: Li Qingcang’s reaction to the Sacred Emperor suggests that this figure was central to the Li Family’s history and possibly to the world’s past order.

Character Interactions

• Li Hao warmly introduces Li Xinge to Li Qingcang and proudly identifies him as his great-grandfather.
• Li Qingcang initially responds kindly to Li Hao but becomes stunned upon sensing Li Xinge’s overwhelming power.
• Li Xinge addresses Li Qingcang directly and respectfully but without submission, establishing a confident and equal conversational dynamic.
• Li Xinge questions Li Qingcang about the Rootless People, prompting the elder to recount the Li Family’s ancient history.
• Li Xuantong and Li Hao silently react with astonishment as Li Qingcang describes the Li Family’s former rule and its betrayal by the Rootless People.

Chapter Summary: Progenitor Relic, the Rootless People’s Apprehension

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge is shocked to learn that the mysterious “Holy Emperor” was the progenitor of the Li Family. This connects several mysteries from his past, including the Gu Sovereign’s fear of him and the jade slip describing the ancient world-ending calamity.
• Li Qingcang explains that the Rootless People betrayed and divided the Li Family more than twenty thousand years ago. They stole the Main Branch’s fortune and part of the Holy Emperor’s inheritance before declaring themselves the new orthodox lineage.
• The precise reason for their betrayal has been lost because centuries of warfare destroyed many records and inheritances.
• The world was severely damaged during the ancient conflict and has since declined in rank, making it unable to support Heavenly Humans. Most Rootless People experts therefore ascended to the Upper Realm.
• However, one exceptionally talented Rootless woman—once favored by the Holy Emperor—may have survived to reach the Fourth or Fifth Heavenly Human Tribulation and become a True Saint.
• Li Qingcang explains the difference between False Saints and True Saints. The first three Heavenly Human Tribulations produce powerful but lifeless inner worlds, while surviving the fourth allows one’s world to generate life independently, granting the power of a True Saint.
• The chapter ends with the revelation that the Rootless People continue hunting the Main Branch because of the Progenitor Relic, which may contain the hope of resurrecting the Holy Emperor.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Gains crucial knowledge about his ancestry, the Holy Emperor, the Rootless People, and the immense danger they represent. His concern about surviving against ancient Heavenly Humans is partially eased, though the possible existence of a True Saint remains alarming.
• Li Qingcang: Acts as a historian and mentor, revealing the fragmented history of the Li Family and explaining the upper levels of cultivation. His anger shows his deep hatred of the Rootless People and his loyalty to the Main Branch.
• Li Xuantong: Realizes that his recent advancement into the Divine Mansion Realm is insignificant compared with the power of True Saints, humbling his previous sense of strength.
• Li Hao: Becomes inspired by the description of True Saints and vows internally to reach that level. Li Qingcang suggests that his talent may allow him to go even farther.
• The Holy Emperor: Though absent, becomes a central figure whose legacy, bloodline, inheritance, and possible resurrection drive the conflict.

Significant Themes

• Lost history and broken inheritance: The true origins of the Li Family and the Rootless People have been obscured by millennia of warfare.
• Betrayal and factional conflict: The Rootless People’s rebellion fractured the Li Family and created an enduring struggle between competing claims to legitimacy.
• Power and perspective: What ordinary people call sainthood is revealed to be only “False Sainthood” from a higher perspective.
• Creation as true divinity: A True Saint is defined not merely by destructive strength but by the ability to create life within an inner world.
• Legacy and resurrection: The Progenitor Relic gives the ancient conflict continued importance, as control of it may determine whether the Holy Emperor can return.
• Ambition and growth: Li Xuantong is humbled, while Li Hao becomes more determined to pursue supreme cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge questions Li Qingcang about the Rootless People’s betrayal, their current whereabouts, and their hostility toward the Main Branch.
• Li Qingcang responds with incomplete historical knowledge but provides essential information about the decline of the world and the hierarchy of Heavenly Human cultivation.
• Li Xuantong and Li Hao listen to Li Qingcang’s explanation, reacting with shock and awe at the power of True Saints.
• Li Qingcang encourages Li Hao by praising his potential, while silently judging Li Xinge’s talent as sufficient to one day surpass even the Holy Emperor.
• The exchange ends with Li Qingcang emotionally revealing that the Rootless People seek the Main Branch’s destruction because of the Progenitor Relic and its connection to the Holy Emperor’s revival.

Chapter Summary: “Reviving the Progenitor?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingcang explains that the Li Family possesses two Progenitor Relics:
  1. The Ancestor Sacred Coffin, containing the undying body of the Sacred Emperor.
  2. The Ancestor Sacred Weapon, a powerful clan-protecting artifact.
• Seven thousand years earlier, the Rootless People invaded the Lower Realm. Four Half-Saints armed with Heavenly Weapons and thirty Divine Mansion experts attacked the Li Family’s Ancestral Land to destroy the coffin and seize the weapon.
• The Li Family fought desperately. Its elders self-destructed, three grand elders sacrificed their remaining vitality, and the Family Head used a forbidden life-burning technique. The survivors ultimately escaped with the relics.
• Li Xinge reveals that the sacred coffin is buried beneath Green Maple Valley. Li Qingcang is overjoyed, believing the survival of the coffin means the Li Family’s lineage has not been severed.
• However, Li Xinge states that the sacred weapon is gone—or, in his view, never existed within the current Li Family. Li Qingcang is devastated, believing the family has no means to resist the Rootless People.
• Li Qingcang proposes reviving the Sacred Emperor from the coffin. He argues that only the Progenitor could protect the Li Family from the Rootless People and their powerful Heavenly Human Saints.
• Li Xinge challenges this idea, pointing out that if resurrection were possible, the stronger Li Family of the past would already have accomplished it.
• The chapter ends with Li Xinge declaring that he will not revive the Progenitor; instead, he will surpass him himself.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge demonstrates confidence and composure. Although he understands the danger posed by the Rootless People, he does not share Li Qingcang’s despair. His possession of an Emperor Weapon, which he keeps secret, strengthens his confidence.
• Li Qingcang shifts from grief and fury while recounting the ancient massacre to joy upon learning the sacred coffin survived. His hope quickly collapses when he believes the sacred weapon is missing, leading him to cling desperately to the idea of reviving the Progenitor.
• Li Xuantong recognizes the significance of the coffin’s location and understands the weakness of the Li Family’s current position, but he remains largely observant during the exchange.

Significant Themes

• Legacy versus self-determination: Li Qingcang believes the family must rely on its ancient ancestor, while Li Xinge insists that the future should be forged by his own strength.
• Burden of ancestral sacrifice: The Li Family’s survival rests on the deaths of countless ancestors who protected the sacred relics.
• Hope and despair: The sacred coffin inspires hope, while the loss of the weapon exposes the family’s vulnerability.
• Power and growth: The chapter emphasizes that current strength is meaningless without continued growth, especially against the far more powerful Rootless People.
• Unresolved betrayal: Li Xinge remains suspicious of why the Rootless People betrayed the Sacred Emperor, suggesting a deeper mystery behind the family’s ancient downfall.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingcang interrogates Li Xinge about the Progenitor Relics and shares the tragic history of the Li Family.
• Li Xinge confirms the coffin’s location but refuses to validate Li Qingcang’s dependence on the Progenitor.
• Their debate reflects opposing philosophies: Li Qingcang seeks salvation through ancestral power, while Li Xinge believes his own potential can eventually surpass the past.
• The exchange culminates in Li Xinge’s bold declaration: rather than reviving the Progenitor, he will rise beyond him.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge firmly declares that the Holy Emperor’s era ended 30,000 years ago and that the current age belongs to him.
• Li Qingcang, a remnant soul and ancient Li Family ancestor, is shocked by Li Xinge’s defiance but realizes that Li Xinge could destroy him if challenged.
• Li Qingcang accepts that the younger generation now holds authority and abandons his proposal to revive more distant ancestors.
• Li Xinge formally acknowledges Li Qingcang as an ancestor, followed by Li Xuantong and Li Hao.
• Recognizing Li Qingcang’s former Half-Saint strength, Li Xinge creates the new position of Grand Elder, ranking above the First Elder and entitled to the clan’s best resources.
• The position is deliberately limited: Li Qingcang will not participate in family affairs and must remain secluded, focusing solely on restoring his strength.
• Li Qingcang understands the political calculation but accepts the arrangement, since he currently possesses only a remnant soul and has no desire to compete for power.
• Li Xinge orders that Li Qingcang’s identity and position remain known only to the Lineage’s upper ranks.
• He promises to find Li Qingcang a suitable body once his Divine Soul stabilizes, giving the ancestor hope of true revival.
• With Li Qingcang installed as Supreme Elder, the Li Family fills its previous lack of a supreme protective figure.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Demonstrates absolute confidence, authority, and political skill. He protects his control over the family while appearing respectful toward Li Qingcang, ensuring the ancestor becomes an asset rather than a rival.
• Li Qingcang: Moves from disbelief and reluctance to acceptance. He recognizes the changed balance of power, respects Li Xinge’s leadership, and willingly gives up claims to authority.
• Li Xuantong: Shows political awareness by immediately understanding the implications of the Grand Elder arrangement. He supports Li Xinge rather than defending Li Qingcang.
• Li Hao: Displays deep admiration for Li Xinge, viewing him with reverence and loyalty.
• The Li Family: Though outwardly powerful, it is revealed to be dependent almost entirely on Li Xinge. Li Qingcang’s potential recovery could provide the clan with much-needed stability.

Significant Themes

• Generational change: The old era has ended, and authority has passed to a new generation.
• Power versus seniority: Age and ancestral status no longer guarantee dominance; actual strength and leadership determine authority.
• Political maneuvering: Li Xinge grants Li Qingcang honor while carefully stripping him of direct influence.
• Family survival and pragmatism: Both men prioritize the Li Family’s future over personal pride or control.
• Hope and renewal: Li Qingcang’s possible rebirth offers hope that the family can regain a powerful foundation.
• Hidden weakness beneath prosperity: Despite ruling much of the southern lands, the Li Family is dangerously dependent on Li Xinge and lacks sufficient top-level experts.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge confronts Li Qingcang’s attempts to invoke the authority of the Holy Emperor’s era, forcing him to acknowledge the present hierarchy.
• Li Qingcang appeals indirectly to Li Xuantong for support, but Li Xuantong avoids involvement and sides with the current family head.
• Li Xinge and Li Qingcang exchange formal titles and respectful salutations, symbolizing their acceptance of a new superior-subordinate relationship.
• Their interaction remains courteous on the surface but is shaped by mutual caution: Li Xinge fears a potential rival, while Li Qingcang recognizes that his survival depends on cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven-Born Divine Wonder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Family Town has become the prosperous city of Li County, governed by Li Zhenshan.
• As Li Zhenshan’s wife gives birth to their fourth child, extraordinary celestial phenomena appear:
  • Purple qi covers the sky.
  • Golden light illuminates the city.
  • A ten-thousand-zhang, five-clawed golden dragon manifests and dives into the birthing room.
  • The dragon’s roar causes all living beings within ten thousand li to tremble and kneel.
• The phenomenon vanishes immediately after the child’s birth, convincing Li Zhenshan that his newborn son possesses a rare divine constitution or extraordinary destiny.
• Granny Wang, the Li Family’s longtime midwife, emerges from the room and confirms that she has never witnessed such a miraculous child.
• Li Zhenshan and his third son, Li Changsheng, approach the newborn together, both astonished by what they see.

Character Developments

• Li Zhenshan: Normally dignified and composed, he becomes visibly anxious while waiting for the birth. The heavenly phenomenon overwhelms him with excitement and pride, as he immediately recognizes its significance. He briefly worries that his careless praise of the newborn might hurt Li Changsheng.
• Li Changsheng: Though considered less talented than his older brothers, he displays remarkable maturity, humility, and emotional strength. Rather than feeling jealous of the newborn, he welcomes the child and expresses confidence in the family’s future. His calm philosophy—that slow cultivation does not prevent one from reaching the end—shows that he has undergone significant personal growth.
• The newborn fourth son: His birth is accompanied by unprecedented heavenly signs, establishing him as a potentially peerless prodigy destined for greatness.
• Granny Wang: Her decades of experience make her difficult to impress, so her awe reinforces how extraordinary the birth is.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and divine birth: The golden dragon and celestial omens suggest that the newborn has been favored by Heaven and possesses extraordinary potential.
• Family legacy and prosperity: The child’s birth is framed as another blessing for the Li Family and its future rise.
• Sibling comparison and self-worth: Li Changsheng is overshadowed by his talented brothers and newborn sibling, but he refuses to define himself by his comparative talent.
• Maturity and inner strength: Li Changsheng’s acceptance, composure, and faith in gradual progress demonstrate that character and perseverance can be as meaningful as innate ability.
• Parental pride and concern: Li Zhenshan’s joy is tempered by his awareness of how comparisons might affect his children.

Character Interactions

• Li Zhenshan and Li Changsheng share a revealing father-son conversation after witnessing the phenomenon. Zhenshan nearly compares the newborn favorably to his older sons, but Changsheng responds generously and reassures him.
• Changsheng’s words move Li Zhenshan deeply, causing him to praise his son and acknowledge his growth.
• Granny Wang presents the newborn to Li Zhenshan, emphasizing the child’s miraculous nature and heightening the family’s anticipation.

Chapter Summary: “Born an Emperor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Zhenshan and Li Changsheng discover that the newborn child is extraordinary. The baby remains calm with its eyes open, golden dragon shadows visible in its pupils, and spiritual qi naturally circulating around its body.
• When Li Zhenshan, an Innate Realm cultivator, attempts to inspect the baby’s talent, the child releases a powerful golden light that repels his spiritual power.
• The birth triggers a massive supernatural phenomenon: purple qi rises into the sky, a ten-thousand-foot golden dragon appears, and the destiny of the entire Southern Ten Provinces seems to converge on Li County.
• In Green Maple Valley, Patriarch Li Xinge and Great Elder Li Xuantong observe the phenomenon and determine that it originates from Li County. They travel there through a spatial passage.
• Upon arriving, Li Xinge notices that Li Changsheng has finally reached the great completion stage of the Body Tempering Realm. He praises him, deeply moving Li Changsheng, who had believed that his great-grandfather had forgotten him.
• Li Xinge examines the newborn and senses a strange familiarity. Using his system, he scans the child and discovers its extraordinary origins.
• The chapter ends with Li Xinge realizing that the child may be the embodiment of the destiny of their entire world, raising questions about why the Heavenly Dao has placed such a figure within the Li Family.

Character Developments

• The newborn: Revealed to possess an Innate Human Emperor Dao Body, imperial destiny, an unactivated Heavenly Human Bloodline, and the special identity “Destiny of the Middle Thousand World.” The child is effectively born to become a supreme ruler.
• Li Xinge: Demonstrates his authority and insight as he immediately recognizes the significance of the phenomenon. His system confirms the baby’s identity, but the discovery also makes him suspicious because of his hostile past relationship with the world’s Heavenly Dao.
• Li Changsheng: Reaches great completion in the Body Tempering Realm. Li Xinge’s recognition gives him confidence and strengthens his loyalty and determination.
• Li Zhenshan: Initially tries to test the baby’s talent but is shocked when the child effortlessly repels his spiritual power. His respectful reaction reflects the baby’s overwhelming status.
• Li Xuantong: Acts as Li Xinge’s trusted companion and helps identify the phenomenon’s origin.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and imperial authority: The child’s birth symbolizes the arrival of a naturally ordained emperor whose fate is connected to the entire world.
• Heavenly Dao and human agency: The Heavenly Dao appears to have deliberately placed world-level destiny within the Li Family, despite previously attempting to destroy Li Xinge.
• Recognition and loyalty: Li Changsheng’s emotional response shows how meaningful acknowledgment from a powerful ancestor can inspire devotion and ambition.
• Inherited greatness: The newborn’s power is innate, contrasting with Li Changsheng’s slow cultivation progress and emphasizing different forms of potential.
• Mystery and foreshadowing: The baby’s familiarity to Li Xinge and the Heavenly Dao’s apparent intervention suggest hidden connections and future conflict.

Character Interactions

• Li Zhenshan and Li Changsheng are united in shock at the baby’s power.
• Li Xinge and Li Xuantong discuss the origin of the heavenly phenomenon before traveling to Li County together.
• Li Xinge encourages Li Changsheng, whose emotional reaction strengthens his loyalty to the patriarch.
• Li Zhenshan entrusts the infant to Li Xinge, allowing the patriarch to identify the baby’s true nature.
• Li Xinge’s examination of the child shifts the scene from celebration to concern as he recognizes the profound implications of the newborn’s destiny.

Chapter Summary — Bearing the Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge examines the newborn fourth son of Li Zhenshan and recognizes that the child possesses both the Destiny of the Middle Thousand World and the Innate Human Emperor Dao Body.
• Though he suspects the Heavenly Dao may be manipulating events, Li Xinge accepts the child as a member of the Li Family and declares that he is “destined for greatness.”
• At Li Zhenshan’s request, Li Xinge names the infant Li Chengji, meaning “Bearing the Realm.”
• The name shocks the family because Li Xinge has recently defeated the Princess Royal, become the strongest person in the world, and is preparing to overthrow Great Zhou. The name appears to imply that the child may one day inherit the empire.
• Li Zhenshan begs Li Xinge to reconsider, fearing the name will bring danger and public scrutiny, but Li Xinge insists that the child is capable of bearing it.
• Li Xinge orders the Grand Elder to arrange powerful protectors and a guardian for Li Chengji, acknowledging the Li Family’s enemies and the possibility of assassination attempts.
• He reflects that he plans to unify the realm, ascend from the damaged world, and leave the empire under the protection of the child, who is ideally suited to rule.
• Li Xinge investigates Li Zhenshan and his wife, finding them both ordinary despite their extraordinary children:
  • Li Wu possesses a Heavenly Human Bone.
  • Li Hao possesses the Saint-level Primordial Dragon Elephant Body.
  • Li Changsheng possesses the Longevity Dao Fruit.
  • Li Chengji is a Born Emperor.
• Suspecting that Li Zhenshan’s family may possess some unknown system or special fortune, Li Xinge praises Zhenshan for expanding the family line and jokingly encourages him to have more children.
• He offers to provide heavenly treasures to replenish Zhenshan’s vitality, leaving Zhenshan stunned before departing.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge: Reveals his confidence in Li Chengji’s destiny and his long-term plan to conquer the realm, ascend, and entrust the empire to a capable successor. He also becomes increasingly suspicious that Zhenshan’s family’s miraculous children are not the result of ordinary circumstances.
• Li Zhenshan: Shifts from ecstatic pride to terror after hearing the child’s grand name. His fear highlights his humility and awareness of the political danger surrounding Li Xinge’s decision.
• Li Changsheng: Shows pride in his new brother and remains composed, even laughing when Li Xinge criticizes his father for being less steady than him.
• The Grand Elder: Understands the political implications of the name but ultimately accepts Li Xinge’s unquestionable authority and takes responsibility for protecting the child.
• Li Chengji: Though still an infant, he is presented as fearless, cheerful, and destined for immense power as a Born Emperor.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and inheritance: Li Chengji’s birth and name suggest that the future of the realm may be tied to the Li Family’s bloodline.
• Family before political institutions: Li Xinge values the Li Family and its lineage above the imperial throne, treating the empire as secondary to the family’s continued advancement.
• Burden of greatness: The name “Bearing the Realm” symbolizes both extraordinary promise and the dangerous expectations placed upon the child.
• Power and legitimacy: The chapter emphasizes that true authority comes from strength rather than merely holding the title of emperor.
• The mystery of bloodline fortune: The contrast between Zhenshan and his wife’s ordinariness and their children’s astonishing talents raises the possibility of a hidden system, blessing, or destiny influencing the family.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge reassures and praises Li Zhenshan while simultaneously teasing him about having more children.
• Li Zhenshan kneels before Li Xinge to request a name and later begs him to withdraw the name because of its immense implications.
• Li Changsheng proudly observes his infant brother and laughs when Li Xinge compares his composure favorably to Zhenshan’s.
• The Grand Elder respectfully challenges the situation through his questions but ultimately obeys Li Xinge and promises to protect Li Chengji.
• Li Xinge entrusts the infant to Granny Wang before issuing his protective orders, reinforcing the child’s importance to the entire clan.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Green Maple Valley, Patriarch Li Xinge reveals to the Grand Elder that he sensed the shadow of the Sacred Venerable within Li Chengji. He explains that although the Sacred Venerable’s physical body was destroyed by the Princess Royal, his True Spirit survived through the Heavenly Dao.
• Li Xinge suspects that Li Chengji is the Sacred Venerable’s reincarnation. This alarms the Grand Elder because the Sacred Venerable once advocated equality for all living beings and opposed aristocratic power—ideals fundamentally incompatible with the Li Family’s hierarchical Divine Mansion tradition.
• Li Xuantong proposes killing Li Chengji before he can threaten the family from within. Li Xinge rejects the idea, believing that reincarnation may have changed Chengji and that the boy is not currently a serious danger. His warning suggests he suspects Chengji may be pursuing some hidden plan.
• In Li County, Li Changsheng continues practicing basic Body Tempering techniques despite his extremely poor aptitude and negligible progress. He nearly loses hope, but remembers his great-grandfather’s encouragement: a slow beginning does not determine the final outcome.
• During his nighttime training, a mysterious bronze artifact falls from the sky. An ancient voice identifies it as the Chrono Sundial Disk, a treasure capable of creating a time-manipulating space. At Li Changsheng’s current level, one day outside equals one hundred days inside.
• The artifact requires lifespan to activate, making Li Changsheng hesitate because he is only an ordinary Body Tempering cultivator with limited longevity. An unseen observer watches him, approving of his caution and referring to him as a potential “Longevity Dao Fruit.”
• Meanwhile, a refined middle-aged man arrives secretly in Ascending Dragon Prefecture, setting up a new development.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge is shown to be calm, perceptive, and strategically minded. He recognizes the possible danger posed by Chengji but refuses to act rashly, confident in his ability to control the situation.
• The Grand Elder becomes deeply frightened by the possibility that Chengji is the reincarnated Sacred Venerable, especially because of the ideological threat this could pose to the Li Family.
• Li Xuantong displays loyalty to the family and a ruthless willingness to eliminate internal threats, immediately suggesting Chengji’s assassination.
• Li Changsheng demonstrates perseverance despite his poor cultivation talent. His faith in his great-grandfather’s words prevents him from abandoning cultivation. His cautious evaluation of the Sundial Disk also reveals practical judgment rather than reckless desperation.
• The unnamed observer appears to be monitoring Li Changsheng for a larger purpose, implying that Changsheng may possess unusual potential or destiny.

Significant Themes

• Reincarnation and identity: The chapter questions whether Li Chengji is truly the Sacred Venerable or merely a new person carrying his True Spirit.
• Ideological conflict: The egalitarian beliefs of the Sacred Venerable threaten the Li Family’s aristocratic worldview, establishing a conflict between equality and entrenched hierarchy.
• Nature versus perseverance: Li Changsheng’s poor aptitude contrasts with his determination, suggesting that persistence and opportunity may overcome innate limitations.
• The cost of power: The Sundial Disk offers miraculous accelerated cultivation, but its lifespan requirement emphasizes that extraordinary progress demands sacrifice.
• Caution and survival: Both Li Xinge and Li Changsheng value restraint and careful judgment, while the observer stresses that longevity depends on remaining hidden and avoiding premature exposure.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge and the Grand Elder discuss Chengji’s possible identity, with Xinge explaining the survival of the Sacred Venerable’s True Spirit and calming the Elder’s fears.
• Li Xuantong joins the discussion and urges Chengji’s execution, but Li Xinge firmly refuses.
• Li Changsheng’s continued effort is shaped by the encouragement previously given by his great-grandfather, even though the two are not present together in the scene.
• Li Changsheng interacts directly with the Chrono Sundial Disk through the mysterious voice that explains its function, while an unseen figure observes his reaction from the shadows.

Chapter Summary: Li Xuanxian Pays His Respects to King of Chu!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xuanxian, the eldest son of the Great Zhou Duke of Zhenguo and a powerful Divine Mansion Realm cultivator, arrives at Green Maple Valley, the Li Family’s ancestral stronghold.
• He is impressed by the valley’s extraordinary prosperity and concentrated providence, especially the towering Nine-Layered Spirit Gathering Tower and the dragon-shaped providence surrounding the region. He realizes the Southern Li Clan has grown into a force capable of challenging Great Zhou and contending for supremacy.
• At the mountain gate, Li Xuanxian is stopped by young Li Family guards. Despite his high status, the guards firmly enforce the clan’s rules and demand an invitation.
• Li Xuanxian introduces himself and explains that he has come on the Duke of Zhenguo’s orders to meet King of Chu. The guards are shocked but immediately report his arrival.
• While Li Xuanxian waits, King of Chu, Li Xinge, spends the morning with Hua Qingyi, the former Holy Maiden of Hundred Flowers Valley, who now serves him with complete obedience and deference.
• Li Xinge eventually receives the message and orders that Li Xuanxian be brought into the reception hall, though he deliberately makes the visitor wait.
• Li Xuanxian is accompanied by First Elder Li Xuantong. After several cups of tea, Li Xinge finally enters, immediately creating an oppressive atmosphere despite releasing no visible aura.
• Overwhelmed by Li Xinge’s presence, Li Xuanxian rises and formally bows, declaring his identity and paying respects to the King of Chu.

Character Developments

• Li Xuanxian: Revealed as composed, observant, and politically significant, yet humble enough to recognize the Li Family’s growing power. His confidence is shaken by Li Xinge’s overwhelming presence, showing that he understands the danger and authority of the southern ruler.
• Li Xinge: Demonstrates absolute dominance and authority. His relaxed treatment of Hua Qingyi contrasts with his imposing entrance before Li Xuanxian. By making the visitor wait and then silently pressuring him with his presence, he establishes control over the meeting.
• Hua Qingyi: Her transition from an esteemed holy maiden to a submissive attendant of Li Xinge is emphasized. She obeys him without resistance, indicating the extent of his influence over her.
• Li Family Guards: Their discipline and confidence reflect the strength and security of the Li Family. Even young cultivators are bold enough to stop a powerful outsider because of their faith in the clan and its ruler.
• Li Xuantong: Acts as the Li Family’s representative during Li Xuanxian’s wait, reinforcing the formal and diplomatic nature of the encounter.

Significant Themes

• The rise of a new power: Green Maple Valley’s prosperity and providence symbolize the Southern Li Clan’s rapid rise and its challenge to Great Zhou’s declining authority.
• Power and hierarchy: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes status, strength, and submission—from the guards enforcing clan law to Li Xuanxian bowing before Li Xinge.
• Political tension and diplomacy: Li Xuanxian’s visit is clearly connected to a major matter involving Great Zhou, setting up negotiations or conflict between the declining dynasty and the ascendant King of Chu.
• Legitimacy through strength: The Li Family’s confidence comes not merely from formal titles but from its powerful territory, cultivators, prosperity, and Li Xinge’s personal might.
• Humiliation and submission: Hua Qingyi’s obedience and Li Xuanxian’s forced display of respect both illustrate how Li Xinge’s authority extends over individuals of formerly prestigious status.

Character Interactions

• Li Xuanxian and the mountain guards: Their exchange is formal and respectful but highlights the guards’ loyalty and refusal to compromise. Li Xuanxian responds calmly rather than taking offense.
• Li Xinge and Hua Qingyi: Their private interaction shows Li Xinge’s commanding personality and Hua Qingyi’s complete submission and desire to please him.
• Li Xuanxian and Li Xuantong: Li Xuantong provides courteous company while Li Xuanxian waits, maintaining diplomatic propriety.
• Li Xuanxian and Li Xinge: Their first meeting is dominated by an imbalance of power. Li Xuanxian arrives as a representative of Great Zhou but is immediately placed in the subordinate position, ending the chapter with his formal bow to the King of Chu.

Chapter Summary: “Born from the Same Root”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xuanxian meets Li Xinge in Green Maple Valley and kneels to show respect, recognizing Li Xinge’s authority and power.
• He declares that his branch of the Li clan and Li Xinge’s branch share the same ancestry, descended from the original Li Family.
• Li Xuanxian explains that 7,000 years earlier, the Rootless People attacked the Li Family’s ancestral land, nearly destroying the clan.
• To preserve their bloodline and two sacred relics, the surviving Li ancestors split into two branches:
  • Li Xinge’s southern branch carried the Ancestor Sacred Coffin and hid in the wilderness.
  • Li Xuanxian’s northern branch carried the Ancestor Sacred Weapon and concealed its identity within the Duke of Zhenguo’s lineage.
• Li Xinge and Li Xuantong question why the Rootless People relentlessly persecuted the southern branch while apparently ignoring the powerful Duke of Zhenguo branch. They suspect the northern branch may have allied with the Rootless People.
• Li Xuanxian denies the accusation and reveals that the Rootless People avoided his branch because they feared the Ancestor Sacred Weapon.
• The weapon is powerful enough to kill any opponent beneath the Heavenly Human realm in a single exchange—even a Half-Saint once sent by the Rootless People.
• However, activating it requires the rare Heavenly Human Bloodline, and using it costs the wielder their life and causes their Dao and soul to dissipate.
• Li Xuanxian reveals that each generation of his branch has produced someone capable of awakening this bloodline, allowing the branch to survive the Rootless People’s pursuit.

Character Developments

• Li Xuanxian demonstrates courage, humility, and loyalty to his ancestral origins by entering enemy territory alone and revealing the truth about the two Li branches.
• Li Xinge is shown to be cautious, suspicious, and politically perceptive. Though he recognizes the shared ancestry, he initially assumes Li Xuanxian may be seeking refuge as Great Zhou declines or may be collaborating with the Rootless People.
• Li Xuantong remains calm and observant but shares Li Xinge’s deep suspicion, especially regarding the unequal treatment of the two branches by their enemies.
• The Great Elder is visibly shocked by the revelation that the lost Sacred Weapon remains in the northern branch’s possession, confirming secrets he had only recently learned from Li Qingcang’s remnant soul.

Significant Themes

• Shared ancestry and fractured identity: The chapter centers on two branches of the same family separated by disaster, geography, and centuries of misunderstanding.
• Trust and suspicion: Kinship alone cannot overcome political hostility; Li Xinge and Li Xuantong demand proof before accepting Li Xuanxian’s claims.
• Sacrifice for survival: The Sacred Weapon protects the northern branch, but each use requires someone to die, emphasizing the terrible cost of preserving a bloodline.
• Buried history and inherited responsibility: Ancient decisions continue to shape the present, with both branches carrying different relics and obligations from their ancestors.
• Power and deterrence: The weapon’s existence explains why the northern branch survived, showing how overwhelming power can prevent destruction even when it cannot be freely used.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Xinge begins with a deliberate show of authority by making Li Xuanxian kneel, then permits him to rise once he has demonstrated respect.
• Li Xuanxian directly appeals to their shared roots, attempting to replace hostility with familial recognition.
• Li Xinge challenges him with accusations of opportunism and possible betrayal, forcing Li Xuanxian to justify his branch’s history.
• Li Xuantong and the Great Elder react strongly to the revelation of the Sacred Weapon, while Li Xinge presses Li Xuanxian for an explanation of its role.
• The conversation shifts from confrontation to cautious understanding, though suspicion remains unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Convergence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xinge questions Li Xuanxian about why his branch became the hereditary Duke of Zhenguo, a position just beneath the emperor.
• Li Xuanxian explains that his ancestors awakened the Ancestor Sacred Weapon while fleeing the Rootless People. Its power killed two invading Half-Saints and forced the pursuers to retreat.
• The Rootless People feared the Sacred Coffin even more than the Sacred Weapon because it might resurrect their betrayed ancestor. Consequently, they concentrated their pursuit on Li Xinge’s branch, which carried the coffin.
• To restrain Li Xuanxian’s branch without destroying it, the Rootless People confined it to Shenjing City. The Jiang Clan of Great Zhou served as their watchdog, receiving secret support in exchange for monitoring the branch and hunting Li Xinge’s branch.
• Li Xinge realizes that the Duke of Zhenguo’s branch possesses the Sacred Weapon. Under overwhelming pressure, he demands to know their true purpose.
• Li Xuanxian admits that his family has waited for a powerful leader before making a final gamble, as further losses could destroy them completely.
• The Duke of Zhenguo offers the Sacred Weapon and agrees to recognize Li Xinge as clan head if Li Xinge accepts the branch into the main family.
• Li Xinge agrees after learning that the branch has three Divine Mansion Realm experts and more than seventy Innate Cultivators.
• Li Xuanxian formally kneels and acknowledges Li Xinge as clan head, symbolizing the reunion of the Southern and Northern Li Clans after more than seven thousand years.
• Li Xinge welcomes the branch back but emphasizes that it must obey the Main Branch’s rules.
• He then reveals that he intends to raise an army against Great Zhou, shocking Li Xuanxian.

Character Developments

• Li Xinge displays growing authority, suspicion, and strategic confidence. He tests Li Xuanxian’s sincerity through intimidation and carefully evaluates the branch’s strength before accepting its submission.
• Li Xuanxian shifts from guarded explanation to wholehearted allegiance. Though initially fearful of further losses, he becomes emotionally moved when the reunion is accepted and sincerely recognizes Li Xinge as clan head.
• The Duke of Zhenguo, though absent, is portrayed as decisive and courageous for offering the Sacred Weapon and surrendering his branch’s independence.
• Li Xuantong remains largely silent but observes the exchange, while the Grand Elder reacts with excitement at the possibility of reclaiming the Sacred Weapon and restoring the Li Family’s power.

Significant Themes

• Reunion and restoration: The chapter marks the formal convergence of two Li Family branches separated for millennia.
• Sacrifice and survival: The North Branch’s status and confinement arose from generations of desperate efforts to survive persecution.
• Trust and allegiance: Li Xinge demands proof of loyalty, while the North Branch risks everything by submitting to him.
• Power and legitimacy: The Sacred Weapon represents both military strength and the authority to reunite the family.
• Revenge and political upheaval: The planned campaign against Great Zhou suggests that the family reunion will lead directly to war and a challenge to the existing order.

Character Interactions

• Li Xinge interrogates Li Xuanxian about the branch’s history, confinement, and hidden resources.
• Li Xuanxian explains the role of the Rootless People and the Jiang Clan, revealing the political forces behind Great Zhou’s rise.
• Li Xinge uses his overwhelming aura to pressure Li Xuanxian, testing whether his explanation is genuine.
• Li Xuanxian offers the Sacred Weapon and the branch’s submission; Li Xinge accepts and formally restores the branch to the Li Family.
• Their relationship changes from wary negotiation to acknowledged clan leadership, though Li Xinge’s announcement of war introduces a new and dangerous test of loyalty.