Chapter Summaries

Xiahou Aotian destroyed a vengeful spirit and continued toward Chang'an, while Zhang Yuanqing completed his arrow-making task on Paphos Island. The island was attacked by followers of the God of Light, and Zhang Yuanqing flew up to face the incoming fleet.

• Xiahou Aotian used two Mental Strikes to destroy a vengeful spirit, noted that the dead woman had four fingers on her left hand, and reburied her corpse.
• Xiahou Aotian planned to gain influence in Chang'an and help defeat the An-Shi Rebellion before continuing his journey.
• Zhang Yuanqing and Heracine delivered the two thousand arrows, forcing Cupid to abandon his threat to punish them.
• Heracine warned Zhang Yuanqing that Cupid might target him now that Aphrodite had left the island.
• Moneya rang the alarm bell as more than a dozen golden-glowing warships approached Paphos Island, and Zhang Yuanqing entered night roaming and flew into the sky.

Zhang Yuanqing watched the followers of the God of Light attack Paphos Island, then celebrated the island’s defense while searching for clues about the dungeon. Late that night, a faint but extraordinarily high-ranked force from deep within the castle woke him.

• Cynthia used the sea and its beasts to repel the God of Light’s warships after a prophecy and a blinding flash forced the attackers to retreat.
• The Demon Eye Heavenly King reached the Battle of Zhuolu with the Ancient War God “Man” and entered the fog-covered battlefield with the Fog Masters.
• At Paphos Island’s victory banquet, Heracine grew jealous as Zhang Yuanqing watched Sektia, and Zhang Yuanqing wondered why Eriga had not appeared.
• Zhang Yuanqing reviewed the island and decided to explore the castle, which he had not yet searched.
• After spending the night with Heracine, Zhang Yuanqing woke to a faint, high-ranked force radiating from deep within the castle.

Zhang Yuanqing followed a mysterious power beneath the Goddess of Beauty’s residence and found a sealed basement entrance, but a divination warned that breaking the seal would cause a major crisis. Sektia later confronted him at his room, asking what he had been doing in the main building’s storeroom.

• Zhang Yuanqing searched the castle at night, saw Sektia with several men, and sensed a power coming from beneath the Goddess of Beauty’s residence.
• Zhang Yuanqing entered the empty main building and discovered a sealed basement entrance in a storeroom.
• Zhang Yuanqing divined that breaking the seal would trigger a major crisis, then fled when someone entered the building.
• Zhang Yuanqing returned to his room and considered investigating the divine children’s dreams for information about the sealed artifact.
• Sektia came to Zhang Yuanqing’s room and asked what he had been doing in the main building’s storeroom.

Fu Qingyang escaped from the prison in Tianzhu by tricking the guards and left the Tang delegation behind while he went to seek reinforcements. On Paphos Island, Sektia confronted Zhang Yuanqing about entering the forbidden storage room and revealed Cupid had caused his desire for Heracine.

• Fu Qingyang learned that Wang Ce and the Tang mission had been captured after Tianzhu's rebellion, then planned to escape and reclaim the imperial tribute.
• Fu Qingyang lured four guards away by promising them a healing artifact, healed his injuries, and distracted the remaining guards with a tale of buried gold.
• Fu Qingyang used a repeating crossbow to kill the four guards, freed himself, and told the delegation to remain in the cell while he sought reinforcements.
• Sektia identified Zhang Yuanqing by his scent and warned him never to approach the forbidden storage room again.
• Zhang Yuanqing blamed the treasure-seeking traveler for granting him access, and Sektia warned him against provoking Cupid.
• Sektia revealed that Cupid had made Zhang Yuanqing and Heracine fall in love to make him violate a taboo and remain under Cupid's control.

Fu Qingxuan and the lawful demigods debated how to stop Ling Tuo and the evil faction from taking control of the sun, then voted between hunting Void and the Beauty Goddess for the Light Compass Fragments or launching an early decisive battle. The vote deadlocked, and Mr. President offered to hand over his fragment after asking the Taiyi Sect Master why he had killed the Demon Lord.

• Fu Qingxuan silenced the feuding demigods as Mr. President and the Taiyi Sect Master joined the meeting.
• The Taiyi Sect Master explained that Ling Tuo meant to use the Merit List to contest control of the sun, while the Evernight Church sought to awaken the Night Emperor and devour it.
• The Taiyi Sect Master proposed either hunting Void and the Beauty Goddess for the Light Compass Fragments or starting the decisive battle early, despite the danger to ordinary people.
• Fu Qingxuan and the other demigods voted, but their choices split five to five, and the little sapling refused to break the tie.
• Mr. President conceded that he would hand over the Light Compass Fragment, then asked the Taiyi Sect Master why he had killed the Demon Lord.

The orderly demigods argued over who was responsible for Demon Lord’s death and the faction’s weakened position, and Void agreed to trade the Light Compass fragment in three days. On Paphos Island, Zhang Yuanqing faced Cupid’s impossible demand just as the Light God’s followers attacked by air, and Moneya grounded their fleet and shielded the defenders.

• The chairman of Heaven’s Punishment listed those involved in Demon Lord’s death, and the Spirit Energy Society president accused Star Lord of acting out of self-interest.
• Star Lord blamed earlier events for the faction’s predicament, but Void dismissed the dispute and promised to exchange the Light Compass fragment for a rule-type item in three days.
• Zhang Yuanqing woke beside Heracine, then Cupid ordered him to build ten catapults by the next day and threatened to make him fall in love with a ewe if he refused.
• Cupid flew away when the bell tower sounded, and Zhang Yuanqing spotted thirteen airships approaching Paphos Island.
• The Light God’s followers bombarded the castle with explosive arrows, killing slaves, until Moneya declared that no one could fly and brought the ships crashing down.
• The defenders attacked the grounded fleet while a golden-robed elder healed its warriors, and Moneya’s barrier blocked their return barrage.

Zhang Yuanqing watched the God of Light’s forces attack Paphos Island and decided to eliminate their elite fighters before the High Priest arrived. He killed the golden-robed elder and the harp-playing girl, leaving both armies startled by the sudden intervention.

• The Left Priest of the God of Light shot Goddess Moneya with a golden arrow and fought her while Goddess Cynthia and the golden-robed elder repelled a giant wave.
• Zhang Yuanqing concluded that the High Priest was the likely final boss and planned to help Paphos Island defeat the God of Light’s forces.
• Cupid’s golden arrow made the Left Priest fall in love with a female slave, while Sektia used her charm and bow to kill followers of the God of Light.
• Zhang Yuanqing shot the golden-robed elder with the Purple Thunder Cannon, destroying his staff and arms and leaving him motionless.
• Zhang Yuanqing resisted the harp-playing girl’s displacement ability, struck her with Mental Strike, and killed her with a punch.
• The children of the gods noticed the two deaths, and the blond youth was alarmed while Moneya, Sektia, and the others wondered who Zhang Yuanqing was.

Zhang Yuanqing hid his identity after helping the Beauty Goddess’s followers repel the attack on Paphos Island, then learned that the island’s leaders planned to sacrifice its half-human, half-god residents to awaken a relic. He realized he was an independent target caught between both factions and resolved to survive the night.

• Zhang Yuanqing concealed his identity, ordered the children of the gods to kill the God of Light’s followers, and took Leia’s Shepherd’s Harp as loot.
• The Beauty Goddess’s followers defeated the remaining attackers, while Zhang Yuanqing and Heracine helped repair the castle.
• The children of the gods suspected Amini had entered the underground chambers, but Eriga’s return interrupted their discussion.
• Eriga told the children that the God of War had been killed, the goddess of beauty had fled, and the God of Light’s High Priest was heading to Paphos Island.
• Cupid urged the children to sacrifice the island’s half-human, half-god bloodline to awaken the holy relic, and they planned to gather the residents that night.
• Zhang Yuanqing eavesdropped on the plan, recognized that both factions threatened him, and decided to focus on surviving the night.

Zhang Yuanqing used stargazing to learn that hiding would eventually leave him unable to stop the High Priest, then joined the divine children’s basement gathering and launched a surprise attack on Cupid. The chapter ended with his clone firing the golden arrow at Moneya and preparing to strike Cynthia and Zhang Yuanqing’s original body.

• Zhang Yuanqing deduced that hiding would prevent the sacred artifact from awakening and lead to his death when the High Priest arrived.
• Sektia summoned Zhang Yuanqing and Heracine to help repair the forbidden basement, and Zhang Yuanqing left to stargaze before returning to meet her.
• Sektia led Zhang Yuanqing and Heracine to the main building, where Cupid, the other divine children, and fourteen illegitimate children waited.
• Zhang Yuanqing used his yellow-skinned gourd to decapitate Cupid, then his clone crushed Cupid’s head and took his bow and arrows.
• Zhang Yuanqing’s clone fired the golden arrow through Zhang Yuanqing’s original body and into Moneya, while Moneya blocked Eriga’s wind blades.
• Zhang Yuanqing’s clone caught the returning arrow and aimed another shot at Cynthia and Zhang Yuanqing’s original body.

Zhang Yuanqing used Cupid’s bow to make Cynthia, Sektia, and Moneya fall in love with him, then negotiated a truce with Eriga and brought him into the fight against the Light God’s high priest. After inspecting the bow and its arrows, Zhang Yuanqing asked the goddesses to take him to the basement and explain the sacred relic.

• Zhang Yuanqing’s clone used a howl to interrupt Eriga’s escape, and the golden arrow struck Cynthia and then Sektia, making both goddesses fall in love with Amini.
• Moneya also declared her love for Amini, while Zhang Yuanqing directed her toward his clone and tried to reassure the confused Heracine.
• Zhang Yuanqing’s clone persuaded Eriga that Cupid’s death stemmed from Cupid’s own persecution of Amini, and Eriga agreed to a witnessed non-aggression oath.
• Zhang Yuanqing inspected the Little Love God’s Bow, the Arrow of Love and Desire, and the Arrow of Rejection, learning that they were rule-type set items that could not leave the Spirit Realm.
• Zhang Yuanqing swore mutual non-aggression with Eriga, then asked the goddesses to take him to the basement and explain the sacred relic.

Zhang Yuanqing and the goddesses found the primordial deity sealed beneath Paphos Island and examined murals that portrayed it giving birth to several gods. By devouring Cupid’s lingering spirit, Zhang Yuanqing learned that the Beauty Goddess had sought a higher divine status from the Light God because he was the servant of the sun.

• Sektia explained that the sacred relic was a primordial god that had given birth to the Beauty Goddess, and the group descended into the basement with Cupid’s corpse.
• The group found a golden clam-like creature on a stone platform and murals that showed it releasing several deities and life flourishing through reproduction.
• Zhang Yuanqing noticed that the Light God was missing from the murals and questioned Sektia, who said she did not know why.
• Zhang Yuanqing had his clone devour Cupid’s lingering spirit, then shared the clone’s memories.
• Zhang Yuanqing learned from Cupid’s memories that the Beauty Goddess wanted a rank above the gods and believed the Light God might grant it because he was the servant of the sun.

Zhang Yuanqing uncovered the Beauty Goddess's role in the Light God's grudge and sacrificed Cupid to the Primordial God, which began incubating a powerful warrior. After spending the night with the three goddesses, he sensed the High Priest arriving as dawn broke.

• Zhang Yuanqing pieced together how the Beauty Goddess had used Cupid's arrow against the Light God and concluded that the golden clam was tied to the Primordial God's authority over procreation.
• Sektia sacrificed Cupid to the golden clamshell, and the Primordial God agreed to incubate a powerful warrior that might be ready by dawn or noon.
• Zhang Yuanqing left the Southern Faction's Ninth Elder guarding the underground chamber and treated the awakened demigods while the goddesses tried to draw him into their rooms.
• Zhang Yuanqing spent the night with Sektia, Cynthia, and Moneya, then woke at dawn feeling clear-headed as Cupid's arrow's influence faded.
• Eriga cried out from the bell tower, and Zhang Yuanqing sensed the High Priest approaching.

Zhang Yuanqing and the others tried to delay the Light God High Priest while the Primordial God neared birth. After Eriga died and Zhang Yuanqing broke through the High Priest’s barrier, he used the Seven-Star Lantern Formation to buy time and prepared to face another golden arrow.

• Zhang Yuanqing entered the Ninth Elder’s body and joined the others in trying to stall the High Priest until the Primordial God was born.
• Eriga used hurricanes and Sky Sovereign to stop the High Priest from reaching Paphos Island, but the High Priest calmed the storm and pierced Eriga with a golden arrow.
• Zhang Yuanqing intercepted the arrow, survived its Solar Power with severe injuries, and destroyed the High Priest’s barrier with the Body and Soul Annihilation Blade.
• Zhang Yuanqing trapped the High Priest in the Seven-Star Lantern Formation and withdrew to recover while the High Priest destroyed the lanterns.
• Once the formation was gone and Zhang Yuanqing had recovered, he summoned the Thunder God Set as the High Priest aimed another golden arrow at him.

Sektia tried to divert the High Priest’s attack from Paphos Island, but Zhang Yuanqing took another golden arrow while the Demon Eye Heavenly King fought toward the Battle of Zhuolu’s main field. The Primordial God’s progeny was born and, after being struck by the High Priest, retaliated with a lightning arrow that pierced him.

• Sektia drew the High Priest’s attention by claiming she was his target, but Zhang Yuanqing shielded her and was pierced by the High Priest’s second golden arrow.
• The High Priest warned Zhang Yuanqing that the Light God would destroy Aphrodite and aimed a third arrow at him.
• The Demon Eye Heavenly King mourned Man, resolved to seek Chiyou’s acknowledgment, and staggered toward the main battlefield after thunder, fierce winds, and the Kui Ox Drum signaled the Battle of Zhuolu’s end.
• The Ninth Elder saw the Primordial God’s black eyes through the clam’s opening and fled as the castle shook and the Beauty Goddess’s main building collapsed.
• The Primordial God’s naked, girl-shaped progeny emerged, approached Sektia, and was struck by the High Priest’s golden arrow before regenerating.
• The progeny formed a lightning bow and fired a plasma arrow into the High Priest’s chest.

Zhang Yuanqing and the Primal God’s summoned girl battled the High Priest, who killed Cynthia and repeatedly overwhelmed them. Zhang Yuanqing finally destroyed the High Priest with Solar Power and completed the S-rank Spirit Realm mission, though the girl died in the fight.

• Zhang Yuanqing and the summoned girl struck the High Priest, while Cynthia dragged him beneath the sea and was killed in the battle.
• Zhang Yuanqing charged the High Priest in anger, but was badly beaten and retreated with Sektia as the girl kept fighting.
• Zhang Yuanqing’s Thunder Spear helped break the High Priest’s golden barrier, and the girl continued attacking him with her powers.
• Zhang Yuanqing used a Purple-Gold Armor decoy and the gourd’s white light to immobilize the High Priest, allowing the girl to dismember him and prohibit his self-healing.
• The High Priest’s primordial spirit survived and killed the girl, but Zhang Yuanqing struck him with the Golden Light Divine Sword and Solar Power, destroying him.
• Zhang Yuanqing received notice that he had completed the S-rank Sinking of Paphos Island mission.

The author looked back on a tiring 2023, explaining how health problems forced him to reduce updates and thanking readers and Chief Cai for their support. He planned to finish Spirit Realm before the Spring Festival, recover his health, and write again with his next book.

• The author described his sleep apnea, headaches, and eye pain, which worsened under the pressure of writing eight thousand words each day.
• The author reduced updates to once a day for six months, saying the change helped prevent him from collapsing.
• The author thanked Chief Cai for providing companionship and thanked readers for continuing to support Spirit Realm despite the slower updates.
• The author said Spirit Realm would finish before the Spring Festival and that he would focus on recovering his health afterward.
• The author declined to pursue first place in the December monthly rankings, despite readers urging him to compete.
• The author apologized to readers who had dropped the book and promised to do his best to write Spirit Realm's ending well.

Mr. President and the lawful demigods opened the Sun Instance so Star Lord could kill Ling Tuo, but Ling Tuo revealed that the Demon Seed could breach its restrictions. The Demon Seed tore open a path into the instance, setting up a contest for the Sun Lord’s throne or an early war between Order and Freedom.

• Mr. President received a rule-type bronze disc made from Light Compass Fragments, and the Taiyi Sect Master announced that Star Lord and the Lunar Moon Lord would enter the Sun Instance to kill Ling Tuo.
• The Star Lord opened the Sun Instance, and the lawful demigods saw its scorched landscape and the sun whose core they could not inspect.
• Lady of Three Paths Mountain failed to enter the instance, while Ling Tuo and Star Lord confronted each other inside and discussed Ling Tuo’s plan to claim the Sun Lord’s throne.
• The Demon Seed emerged from the Blood Lake, pierced the Spirit Realm, and tore open the Sun Instance’s barrier.
• Ling Tuo explained that the Demon Seed could overcome the instance restrictions and said the final battle between Order and Freedom would begin early if he failed to obtain the Merit List.

The evil faction forced open the Sun Instance, prompting demigods from both factions to rush inside and compete for the Sun Lord. Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing completed his settlement, advanced to Level 8, gained the Yang God skill, and left the instance as golden ripples appeared.

• The Demon Seed disintegrated, and Asura questioned the Fear Heavenly King about sending Magic Eye into the Battle of Zhuolu instance before the two entered the Sun Instance.
• A deity of the Free Covenant opened the Sun Instance, and Fu Qingxuan and the other orderly demigods entered after the evil faction.
• The Chairman and Succubus entered the Sun Instance, where map-generation failures produced the new multiplayer death-mode map, War of the Gods.
• Zhang Yuanqing received his settlement rewards on Paphos Island, advanced to Level 8, and gained the Yang God skill and increased Solar Power.
• Zhang Yuanqing inspected his rewards, decided to give Beauty Goddess's Sheer Dress to Annie, and vanished from the instance when golden ripples appeared.

After clearing Paphos Island, Zhang Yuanqing returned to Ring City and learned that the Sun Instance had opened and demigods from both factions had entered. With his chance to claim the Sun Lord’s throne threatened, he began weighing ways to refine Three Talents Pills and found a possible way to locate Dark Night Rose Protectors despite the Lunar Moon’s concealment.

• Zhang Yuanqing returned to Ring City, washed up, and told the Return of the Dead group that he had reached level eight while learning that Little Fu and Xiahou Aotian were still in faction dungeons.
• Zhang Yuanqing recounted Paphos Island’s dangers to Annie and gave her the Beauty Goddess’s Sheer Dress, which she mistook as a sign that he might accept her as a lover.
• Diana told Zhang Yuanqing that the Sun Instance had opened and that demigods from both lawful and evil factions had entered after the Star Lord’s meeting.
• Diana relayed Zhang Yuanqing’s uncle’s message that the demigod battles would take time and that Zhang Yuanqing still had a chance to act.
• Zhang Yuanqing considered hunting Taiyi Sect Day Wanderers or Dark Night Rose Protectors to refine Three Talents Pills, then realized he might have a way to overcome the Lunar Moon’s concealment.

Zhang Yuanqing acquired the Turtle Shell Diagram and recruited Zhai Cai and Vinnie to help locate Dark Night Rose’s Grand Protector. After Zhai Cai established a worldwide rule against hidden authority and its protection, Zhang prepared to use the Eye of the Sky to search for the target.

• Diana gave Zhang Yuanqing the Turtle Shell Diagram, which he bound and learned could show precise predictions for the next fifteen minutes, with a severe misfortune following every three uses.
• Zhang visited the Heaven's Punishment branch, where Zhai Cai negotiated with Vinnie to join as New Covenant County's chief executive officer.
• Zhang asked Zhai Cai to use the Holy Knight Armor to block lunar protection worldwide, and promised him two Sovereign-quality items; Vinnie agreed to lend Zhang the Eye of the Sky.
• Using Fu Qingyang's account, Zhang identified three cities where Dark Night Rose's Grand Protector might be hiding and planned to have Sovereigns search them with the Eye of the Sky.
• In YL City, Zhai Cai established a rule forbidding living beings from using hidden authority or receiving its protection, suffered severe backlash, and Zhang brought out the Eye of the Sky and called on Yin Yao to proceed.