Chapter Summaries

Wukong tested his transformation arts on Ling Yan, who effortlessly restrained him before they headed to Ranmu’s residence. There, they found Ranmu and Bai Nuo emerging from an exploded alchemy furnace, and Ling Yan gave Ranmu more Nine Revolutions Golden Pills to study before leaving to visit their Master.

• Wukong transformed into a yellow sparrow to approach Ling Yan, but she froze him in midair with a finger and then released him.
• Ling Yan told Wukong she was going to Ranmu’s residence, and he joined her on the way.
• An alchemy experiment exploded at Ranmu’s residence, and Ranmu emerged carrying a soot-covered Bai Nuo.
• Ranmu explained that his attempt to imitate the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill had failed, though he had gained insights that might help develop a new elixir.
• Ling Yan gave Ranmu more Nine Revolutions Golden Pills to study and asked him to focus on the sect’s alchemy before leaving to visit their Master.
• Wukong showed Bai Nuo his new abilities and treasures, while Ranmu returned to his quiet room to reflect on the failed experiment.

Wukong learned about the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and began considering how he might obtain one, while Bei Ming prepared to guide his cultivation for the coming Era of Great Strife. At the East Sea Dragon Palace, Han Chi faced the Four Seas Dragon Kings’ offer to lead the Dragon Clan and saw that greed remained one of its chief problems.

• Bai Nuo explained the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill’s reputation to Wukong and warned him not to steal Ranmu’s pills, while Wukong considered finding a way to trade for one from Senior Sister.
• Bei Ming sent Ling Yan to accompany Nüwa at Mount Qixi, then summoned Wukong and began a thousand years of Dao instruction to prepare him for the Era of Great Strife.
• The Four Seas Dragon Kings gathered at the East Sea Dragon Palace as Han Chi turned his attention toward bringing the Dragon Clan under his control and extending the Heavenly Court’s influence.
• Ao Guang, Ao Qin, Ao Run, and Ao Shun urged Han Chi to become the Dragon Clan’s lord and promised to obey him, but Han Chi concluded that the clan’s problem included its greed.

Han Chi refused to become Dragon Clan Lord and instead arranged for the Dragon Clan to join the Heavenly Court, where they could serve as cloud-and-rain officials and gradually reduce their karma. He asked Haotian to approve the arrangement, and Haotian considered accepting while wondering how to preserve the Heavenly Emperor’s face.

• Han Chi rejected Ao Shun’s plea to lead the Dragon Clan and told the Four Seas Dragon King he would find them a place in the Heavenly Court.
• Han Chi warned the Dragon King that the weakened clan should restrain itself and accept the cloud-and-rain duties he could arrange for them.
• The Four Seas Dragon King agreed to obey Han Chi, who then returned to the Heavenly Court to seek Haotian’s approval.
• Han Chi entered Lingxiao Treasure Hall and asked Haotian to give the Dragon Clan the duty of making clouds and rain.
• Haotian saw the Dragon Clan’s entry as a chance to extend the Heavenly Court into the Four Seas, but hesitated to agree immediately because he wanted to preserve his authority and face.

Han Chi challenged Haotian to test his strength but was defeated by the Heavenly Emperor’s superior cultivation and Three Treasures. Haotian approved the Dragon Clan’s involvement while appointing other aquatic races to balance it, and Han Chi recognized that his Literary Sect allies were not committed to overthrowing Haotian.

• Haotian invited Han Chi to exchange pointers, and Han Chi accepted to gauge the Heavenly Emperor’s strength.
• Haotian used the Haotian Sword, Haotian Pagoda, and Haotian Mirror to overcome Han Chi’s attacks and disarm him.
• Haotian cut Han Chi’s Profound Ice Armor, then agreed to the Dragon Clan’s request and announced plans for Four Seas Generals drawn from his chosen candidates.
• Haotian returned to Ziwei the Great’s Mansion, intending to use other aquatic races to balance the Dragon Clan’s influence.
• Han Chi returned to Ziwei the Great’s Mansion and realized his Literary Sect allies sought authority within the existing Heavenly Court rather than helping him displace Haotian.
• Han Chi understood that Bei Ming and Nüwa’s larger plan was to support Fuxi’s bid to become the Saint of the Human Dao while preserving the Literary Sect’s position in the Heavenly Court.

Han Chi sought Ling Yan’s help after Haotian defeated him, but she was in seclusion with Nüwa and could not respond. Haotian moved to bring the Dragon Clan under the Heavenly Court and planned to use Yaochi’s Peach Tree to recruit more followers, while the Human Race prepared to pass the position of Heavenly Sovereign to the Earth Emperor.

• Han Chi sent Ling Yan an account of his defeat and asked her to suppress Haotian, but she received no message while cultivating with Nüwa at Mount Qixi.
• Han Chi abandoned his expansion for the time being and focused on consolidating the Star Sky under his authority as Ziwei the Great.
• Haotian ordered Taibai Jinxing to appoint the Dragon Clan to make clouds and rain and to place four aquatic experts in charge of the Four Seas while monitoring the dragons.
• Yaochi warned Haotian that the Literary Sect might retaliate, but Haotian dismissed Ling Yan as a threat and predicted that the Heavenly Court’s growing luck would strengthen him.
• Haotian persuaded Yaochi to divide the Peach Tree’s origin to increase the number of peaches for a grand Peach Festival, and she agreed on condition that its origin remain unharmed.
• The auspicious time arrived for the Human Race’s handover from the Heavenly Sovereign to the Earth Emperor.

Shennong succeeded Fuxi as Common Lord of the Human Race, received the Kongtong Seal, and began an era focused on farming, medicine, and internal governance. Meanwhile, Shennong’s daughter Nüwa defeated the Dragon King’s son Ao Yi after he bullied a smaller child, setting the stage for future trouble.

• Shennong accepted the abdication ceremony and Kongtong Seal from Fuxi, and the Human Race’s fortune raised his cultivation to Great Luo Golden Immortal.
• Laozi declared that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would go to Huoyun Cave to suppress the Human Race’s luck once they completed their reigns.
• Fuxi entered Huoyun Cave, where he would guide talented members of the tribes, as Shennong’s era of rule officially began.
• Nüwa confronted Ao Yi, the Son of the Dragon King, for riding a smaller child and bullying him.
• Ao Yi attacked Nüwa, but she redirected his force and knocked him down, driving him to flee toward the East Sea.

Nüwa fought Ao Yi in the East Sea, prompting Suyao and Shennong to rush to her aid. With Ao Guang and Xie Kui also arriving, Shennong condemned Ao Yi and weighed whether to kill him or wage war against the East Sea Dragon Clan.

• Nüwa refused Ao Yi's demand for an apology, and the two fought in the East Sea until her Jade pendant activated.
• Suyao arrived and subdued the waves with her Great Luo Golden Immortal pressure, then praised Nüwa for standing her ground.
• Shennong, Ao Guang, and Xie Kui arrived, and Ao Guang drew Ao Yi behind him while Xie Kui kept his distance.
• Ao Yi admitted that he had attacked Nüwa to regain his honor, and Shennong accused him of oppressing the Human Race and setting a killing trap.
• Shennong considered whether to kill Ao Yi or lead a war against the East Sea Dragon Clan.

Shennong rejected Ao Guang’s offer of compensation and demanded Ao Yi be handed over for trial, while the Dragon Clan ceded the Inner Sea to the Human Race. After Ao Guang hesitated, Shennong returned to the Human Race Ancestral Land and convened a meeting, with Fuxi joining from Huoyun Cave.

• Ao Guang apologized for Ao Yi and offered compensation, but Suyao warned Shennong to consider the conflict as an affront to the Human Race’s authority.
• Suyao challenged Xie Kui over the Heavenly Court’s responsibility, and Shennong demanded Ao Yi for trial and the Inner Sea for the Human Race.
• Ao Guang agreed to hand over Ao Yi but resisted ceding the Inner Sea, so Shennong ended negotiations and left with Suyao and Nüwa.
• Xie Kui went to the Heavenly Court to report the coming conflict, while Ao Guang struck Ao Yi and sent word to the other three Dragon Kings to prepare.
• Shennong convened the Human Race’s tribal leaders and Fuxi at the Human Race Ancestral Land to discuss the dispute.

Shennong led the Human Race toward war with the East Sea Dragon Race after the tribes approved a punitive expedition. As the armies gathered, Han Chi failed to persuade Ao Guang to surrender the East Sea, while Haotian saw a chance to raise his prestige by mediating the conflict.

• The Human Race's tribes mostly supported war, and Fuxi agreed to intervene if a Quasi-Saint joined the fighting.
• Shennong ordered the tribes to mobilize for an eastern expedition, while the northern tribes stayed on guard against the Demon Court's remnants.
• Suyao reassured Nüwa that her clashes with Ao Yi had not caused the war, and Bei Ming dismissed the conflict as a minor ripple.
• Han Chi told Ao Guang to hand over Ao Yi and yield the East Sea, but Ao Guang refused to abandon the Dragon Clan's ancestral land and left with his son.
• Han Chi summoned the Dragon Kings of the other three seas to protect them, while Haotian welcomed the chance to gain prestige as a mediator.
• After more than a hundred years of preparation, Shennong led the assembled Human Race cultivators east to begin the punitive expedition.

The Human Race’s campaign against the East Sea Dragon Race advanced toward victory as Ling Yan left Mount Qixi to watch for interference in the war. Shennong breached the Dragon Palace, where Ao Guang faced the loss of his ancestral land and the end of East Sea rule.

• Fuxi gave the Human Race the Deduction Method and the formations he had developed, strengthening its forces for the East Sea campaign.
• The Human Race used formations and cultivators skilled in deduction to track and suppress the East Sea Dragon Race for several hundred years while Xie Kui kept his Aquatic Race forces out of the fighting.
• Nüwa sent Ling Yan to the East Sea to intervene if necessary, and Ling Yan agreed while deciding that Haotian’s fair victory over Han Chi alone did not warrant action.
• Shennong’s Central Army breached the Dragon Palace as reports confirmed the Dragon Clan’s defeat; Ao Jia and Ao Yi fell, and Ao Guang was injured by the collapse of the defensive formation.
• Shennong confronted Ao Guang at the ruined palace, and Ao Guang refused to retreat because the Human Race’s plans to divide the East Sea would erase the Dragon Clan’s ancestral land.

Shennong refused Haotian’s demand to spare the surviving East Sea Dragon Clan, and Haotian intervened to take them by force. Ling Yan arrived and blocked Haotian, leaving the conflict poised to continue.

• Ao Guang led the Dragon Clan’s remnants in a final counterattack, but Shennong pinned him with the Two Forms Star-fixing Disk and sent an immortal sword toward him.
• Haotian descended, stopped Shennong’s sword, and asked him to spare the Dragon Clan remnants and let the Heavenly Court control them.
• Xuanjizi urged Shennong not to leave Ao Guang and his son alive, and Shennong refused Haotian’s request.
• Haotian declared that he would take the remnants by force and unleashed Heavenly Might, but Suyao confronted him with the Star Shattering Sword.
• Ling Yan appeared and used the Five Elements Bracelet to break Haotian’s attack and strike his Haotian Pagoda.

Ling Yan confronted Haotian after he tried to interfere with the Literary Sect’s plans, quickly taking his treasures and enduring his Zixiao Divine Thunder behind the Wuji Apricot Yellow Flag. Haotian began to panic, but Ling Yan summoned the other four Five Directional Flags and prepared to continue the fight.

• Haotian chose to fight Ling Yan rather than retreat and lose face before the Primordial Wilderness’s watching powers.
• Ling Yan knocked away and seized Haotian’s Haotian Sword and Haotian Pagoda with the Five Elements Divine Light.
• Haotian unleashed Zixiao Divine Thunder by drawing on the Heavenly Court’s authority, while Shennong worried and Suyao assured him that Ling Yan was safe.
• Ling Yan blocked Haotian’s weakened divine punishment with the Wuji Apricot Yellow Flag, leaving him with no effective way to turn the battle around.
• Ling Yan brought out the Azure Lotus Treasure Color Flag, Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag, Plain Cloud Realm Flag, and Leaving Earth Flame Light Flag as she continued the fight.

Ling Yan defeated Haotian, then negotiated with him and Yaochi in the Heavenly Court for half of the Renshui Flat Peach harvest in exchange for returning his sword and pagoda. Meanwhile, Shennong led the Human Race to defeat the East Sea Dragon Race and establish control over the East Sea.

• Ling Yan used the Five Directional Flags to shatter Haotian's internal organs, but Yaochi intervened and persuaded her to accompany them to the Heavenly Court.
• Ling Yan withdrew her flags and told the Human Race to proceed, allowing Shennong to kill Ao Guang and end the East Sea Dragon Race's rule.
• Shennong led the Human Race in negotiations with the East Sea Aquatic Races and redrew their boundaries to secure Human interests.
• Yaochi offered Immortal Peaches to redeem Haotian's sword and pagoda, and Ling Yan demanded half of each harvest.
• Ling Yan returned the Haotian Sword and Haotian Pagoda after Yaochi agreed, then left the Lingxiao Treasure Hall as Haotian furiously smashed his desk.

After Haotian’s failed attempt to establish the Peach Garden, Yaochi accepted that the Heavenly Court could not challenge the Saints, while Han Chi reflected on sacrificing the East Sea Dragon Clan to damage Haotian’s prestige. Bei Ming sent Wukong out to travel and seek a breakthrough, and Wukong visited Ranmu to ask for pills and resources before departing.

• Yaochi warned Haotian to act cautiously and abandon the Peach Garden plan after his confrontation with Ling Yan.
• Han Chi judged that sacrificing the East Sea Dragon Clan had been worthwhile because Haotian lost prestige and angered the Human Race and Literary Sect.
• Bei Ming told Wukong to travel abroad, keep his connection to the Literary Sect secret, and return after reaching Great Luo Golden Immortal.
• Bei Ming gave Wukong three Life-saving Hairs before sending him from Great Void Palace.
• Wukong visited Ranmu and asked him for pills and resources to take on his journey.

Wukong left Changbai Mountain after receiving a gourd of pills and a list of treasures from Ranmu, then followed a sense of opportunity to a hidden Immortal Mountain on the Sea. He broke its protective Formation, capturing Xia Ba in the Eight Desolations Domain Suppression Tower, and revealed the mountain.

• Ranmu gave Wukong a gourd of pills and a list of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to collect on his travels.
• Wukong said goodbye to Bai Nuo, who was beginning an assignment in pill refinement, and departed from Changbai Mountain.
• Wukong followed a pull of fate south over the sea and used his Fiery Eyes of Truth to discover an Immortal Mountain concealed by a Formation.
• Wukong attacked the Formation with the Liuhe Huntian Stick and the Eight Desolations Domain Suppression Tower, drawing the attention of nearby clans.
• Xia Ba approached through the seawater, but Wukong detected him and trapped him inside the tower.
• Wukong continued battering the Formation until it collapsed, revealing the Immortal Mountain on the Sea.

Wukong claimed Flower Fruit Mountain and Water Curtain Cave as his Daoist arena, appointing Xia Ba to guard the mountain. He discovered the Xuanhe Pendant beneath the stone chair and began refining it in the cave.

• Wukong explored Flower Fruit Mountain, found Water Curtain Cave behind a waterfall, and decided to make it his Daoist arena.
• Wukong released Xia Ba from the Eight Desolations Domain Suppression Tower and ordered him to serve as the mountain's guardian spirit beast.
• Wukong gave Xia Ba pills, and Xia Ba offered his clan's defensive formation to protect Flower Fruit Mountain.
• Wukong realized the pills may have revealed his connection to the Literary Sect, though he had not openly identified himself as a direct disciple.
• Wukong smashed the stone chair in Water Curtain Cave, revealed the Xuanhe Pendant, and began refining the Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Chiyou sought the Wu Clan’s support and blood pool as he prepared to compete for the Human Emperor position, but Ju Mang refused to involve the clan and ordered Chiyou to leave Mount Buzhou afterward. Xuanyuan was born and accepted Guang Chengzi as his teacher, while Emperor of Fengdu arrived to request an audience with Bei Ming.

• Chiyou returned to Mount Buzhou, where Xing Tian and Xiang Liu challenged his claim to belong to the Wu Clan.
• Chiyou declared that he wanted to borrow the Wu Clan’s strength to compete for the Human Emperor position, but Ju Mang refused to bring the secluded clan into the struggle.
• Ju Mang ordered Xing Tian to take Chiyou to the Pangu Blood Pool, then forbade the Human-Wu from returning to Mount Buzhou’s remnant veins.
• Xuanyuan was born amid auspicious signs, and Guang Chengzi accepted him as his disciple and began teaching him.
• Emperor of Fengdu visited Changbai Mountain and asked to meet Bei Ming, who recognized that his cultivation had recovered to the peak stage of Hunyuan Golden Immortal.

The Reincarnation Old Ancestor visited Bei Ming to seek cooperation in luring an old Chaos God into the Primordial Wilderness, hoping to earn enough merit to repay his karma and transcend. Bei Ming questioned how the plan would benefit Heaven and Earth, and the Reincarnation Old Ancestor explained that the Saints suppressing the enemy would not count as his own contribution.

• The chapter explained that the Reincarnation Old Ancestor still owed karma to the Primordial Wilderness despite helping Houtu establish the Underworld and Six Paths of Reincarnation.
• Bei Ming opened a spatial passage and received the Reincarnation Old Ancestor at Great Void Palace.
• The Reincarnation Old Ancestor told Bei Ming that the Underworld was operating smoothly and that his important news concerned Hundun.
• The Reincarnation Old Ancestor asked Bei Ming to cooperate, saying he needed one more meritorious deed to erase his remaining karma and achieve transcendence.
• Bei Ming recognized that the plan involved luring an external enemy into the Primordial Wilderness, but questioned why the Reincarnation Old Ancestor needed his help.
• The Reincarnation Old Ancestor argued that letting the Saints suppress the enemy would bring no benefit to Heaven and Earth and would not repay his karma.

Reincarnation Old Ancestor proposed restoring the West’s spiritual veins with resources from beyond the Primordial Wilderness, while Bei Ming uncovered that the Soul Demon God was secretly manipulating him. The Soul Demon God urged Bei Ming to join a plot to destroy the Heavenly Dao and divide the Primordial Wilderness, leaving Bei Ming to decide whether to cooperate or oppose him.

• Reincarnation Old Ancestor proposed using the foundation of a Chaos Great Luo Golden Immortal to restore the West’s spiritual veins and suggested obtaining the Earth Book from Zhen Yuanzi.
• Bei Ming agreed the plan might be worth attempting but questioned Reincarnation Old Ancestor about the old friend who had contacted him.
• Bei Ming used the Chaos Bell to expose and capture the Soul Demon God’s hidden Split Soul inside Reincarnation Old Ancestor.
• The Soul Demon God invited Bei Ming to join him in exploiting the Underworld and incomplete paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man to refine the Primordial Wilderness Origin.
• Bei Ming deduced that Pingxin had knowingly tolerated Reincarnation Old Ancestor’s dealings with the Soul Demon God while remaining wary of him.
• The Soul Demon God demanded that Bei Ming choose whether to cooperate with the Chaos Gods or oppose them.

Bei Ming forced Reincarnation Old Ancestor to choose a side and tasked him with recovering the Earth Book and uncovering the Soul Demon God's infiltrators. Bei Ming concluded that the Soul Demon God would try to destabilize the Mystic Gate by exploiting the Buddhist Sect and Demon Sect, leaving the coming Journey to the West Tribulation entangled with the Demon Sect's return.

• Bei Ming erased the Soul Demon God's Split Soul and released Reincarnation Old Ancestor from the Chaos Bell's suppression.
• Reincarnation Old Ancestor agreed to follow Bei Ming's arrangements after weighing his chances of survival on either side of the coming conflict.
• Bei Ming ordered Reincarnation Old Ancestor to retrieve the Earth Book and deliver it to him so it could help repair the spiritual veins.
• Bei Ming instructed Reincarnation Old Ancestor to use his command of reincarnation and the Underworld to find the Soul Demon God's infiltrators, who might be working with Luo Hou and Demons Outside the Domain of Heaven.
• After Reincarnation Old Ancestor departed, Bei Ming considered how the Soul Demon God might exploit the Buddhist Sect and Demon Sect to throw the Mystic Gate into disorder.
• Bei Ming foresaw that the Journey to the West Tribulation would become entangled with the Demon Sect's return.