Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong attempts to negotiate with the Immortal-Slaying Sect to enter their territory but is refused.
• A Chaotic Beast, sealed within a relic, breaks free and tries to escape into the chaos.
• Jiang Changkong pursues the beast into the chaos and engages it in battle.
• Immortal gods from the Heavenly Realm arrive to help and engage their own Chaotic Beasts.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates his power and indifference, showing no fear against a peak Immortal Emperor Chaotic Beast.
• Qu Hong, an Immortal Emperor, shows confidence in his abilities and refuses Jiang Changkong's help in killing his Chaotic Beast.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect Immortal Emperor remains hostile towards Jiang Changkong, refusing his request to enter their territory.

Significant Themes

• The intolerable nature of Chaotic Beasts to the Heavenly Dao, and the power gained from killing them within the Heavenly Realm.
• Cooperation and competition among Immortal Realm cultivators, with Jiang Changkong attempting to maintain a balance while seeking his goals.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and the Immortal-Slaying Sect Immortal Emperor maintain a tense and hostile relationship, with the latter refusing Jiang Changkong's requests.
• Jiang Changkong and Qu Hong have a brief interaction, with Qu Hong declining Jiang Changkong's offer of help, showing confidence in his own abilities.
• The immortal gods from the Heavenly Realm cooperate to engage their respective Chaotic Beasts, demonstrating unity against a common enemy.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong and Sun Wuxuan suppress Chaos ferocious beasts in the chaos.
• Jiang Changkong discovers that his ruins have been tampered with, releasing Chaos ferocious beasts.
• Sun Li finds a seventh-rank innate spirit stone vein and reports it to Jiang Changkong.
• Jiang Changkong strengthens Sun Li's foundation using a Chaos ferocious beast and sends him to excavate the vein.
• Jiang Changkong receives a map of Mount Buzhou and inquires about the treasure map's origins.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong shows his power and indifference, valuing only innate spirit stones and not innate materials.
• Sun Li demonstrates his loyalty and resourcefulness, finding the spirit stone vein and receiving rewards from Jiang Changkong.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power and resources, with innate spirit stones being the primary goal.
• The consequences of tampering with sealed forces, as seen with the released Chaos ferocious beasts.
• The importance of loyalty and service, as shown by Sun Li's rewards.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong interacts with Sun Wuxuan, showing respect for his strength and experience.
• Jiang Changkong interacts with his Immortal Kings, showing authority and displeasure at their lack of understanding of the ruins.
• Jiang Changkong interacts with Sun Li, rewarding him for his service and strengthening his foundation.
• Jiang Changkong interacts with Liu Qingxuan, seeking information about the treasure map and the Immortal-Slaying Sect's ancestor.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong decides to mine the innate spirit stone vein in Mount Buzhou instead of confronting the Demon Emperor, Heavenly Court, and Immortal-Slaying Sect directly.
• He seeks help from the Zhenyuan Immortal Sect and Penglai Immortal Sect, offering them a share of the vein in exchange for assistance.
• The Demon Emperor agrees to help Jiang Changkong, sending Immortal Kings to Mount Buzhou.
• The Heavenly Court, Demon Race (Kun Yu's faction), and Immortal-Slaying Sect plan to ambush and capture or kill Jiang Changkong and his allies.
• Sun Li and the Immortal Kings set an ambush within Mount Buzhou, preparing to counterattack.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong shows strategic thinking, choosing to mine resources rather than confront enemies directly.
• The Demon Emperor demonstrates his support for Jiang Changkong, sending Immortal Kings to aid him.
• Kun Yu (Demon Master) shows ambition and cunning, planning to take advantage of the situation to deal with Jiang Changkong.
• Sun Li remains calm and composed, preparing a counterattack against the incoming forces.

Significant Themes

• Resource acquisition and control (innate spirit stone vein).
• Alliances and betrayals among different factions.
• Strategic decision-making and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong communicates with the Zhenyuan Immortal Sect and Penglai Immortal Sect, negotiating an alliance.
• The Demon Emperor discusses plans with Feng Jiu and Sun Wuxuan, deciding to support Jiang Changkong.
• Sun Li interacts with the other Immortal Kings, coordinating their ambush strategy within Mount Buzhou.
• Kun Yu's faction, the Heavenly Court, and the Immortal-Slaying Sect prepare to attack, unaware of the ambush awaiting them.

Chapter Summary: “Great Victory (3/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Demon Race Immortal King accuses Sun Li of violating the rules and orders everyone to attack him, hoping to seize the sacred artifact fragment he carries.
• Beneath Mount Buzhou, the Immortal Kings are severely restricted: they cannot fly, and their immortal power is suppressed. Despite this, Sun Li and Sun Qing use sacred artifact fragments to gain a decisive advantage.
• Sun Li’s killing fragment proves even more destructive than the Pangu Banner, while Sun Qing’s fragment provides nearly impenetrable defense. Several Immortal Kings are killed or gravely wounded.
• The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King initially hangs back, assuming the Sun brothers cannot defeat such a large force. However, he discovers that the attackers have been lured into an ambush concealed in the weeds.
• Forces allied with Jiang Changkong emerge, including the Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys, Penglai Immortal Sect disciples, Nine-Son Ghost Mothers, Nether Dragons, and supporters of the Demon Emperor.
• A massive battle erupts. The Penglai disciples counter the Immortal-Slaying Sect’s incomplete Immortal-Slaying Flying Daggers, while the Ghost Mothers bypass the turtles’ defenses and attack them directly. Nether Dragons engage the Demon, Asura, and ghost forces.
• Sun Wuxing uses a fragment of the Chaos Bell, further disrupting the Heavenly Court forces. Numerous combatants reveal seventh-grade Immortal Emperor-level treasures, giving Jiang Changkong’s allies a major equipment advantage.
• Immortal Kings on both sides suffer casualties throughout the day-and-night battle. Ultimately, the Heavenly Court, Immortal-Slaying Sect, and Kun Yu’s Demon Race forces fail in their operation: many are killed or captured, while only a small number escape.
• After receiving the victory report, Jiang Changkong decides not to confront the Demon Master directly. Instead, he targets the weaker Immortal-Slaying Sect and attacks its powerful defensive barrier with the Reincarnation Disk.

Character Developments

• Sun Li and Sun Qing: Their strength reaches an unprecedented level under Jiang Changkong’s enhancement and the use of sacred artifact fragments. Sun Li becomes a devastating offensive force, while Sun Qing serves as an exceptionally durable defender.
• Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King: He feels guilty for failing to repay Jiang Changkong’s kindness, but his initial confidence turns to shock when he realizes the Heavenly Court forces have fallen into a trap. He is repeatedly forced back by the Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys.
• Sun Wuxing: He openly rejects the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King’s suggestion of a truce and displays a Chaos Bell fragment, demonstrating his allegiance and confidence.
• Immortal King Xuan Mie: He abandons Kun Yu and fully supports the Demon Emperor. His loyalty is motivated by the Demon Emperor’s generosity, protection, and personal assistance, including valuable treasures and cultivation resources.
• Jiang Changkong: He continues operating strategically through his allies, using the victory at Mount Buzhou to launch the next stage of his campaign against the Immortal-Slaying Sect.

Significant Themes

• Power through alliances: Jiang Changkong’s forces succeed because many races and factions unite under the Demon Emperor’s leadership.
• Superior resources and equipment: Immortal Emperor-level treasures significantly alter the balance of power, allowing Jiang Changkong’s allies to overcome numerically superior opponents.
• Loyalty earned through generosity: Xuan Mie’s defection shows that practical support and fair treatment can inspire stronger loyalty than inherited authority or empty commands.
• Traps and preparation versus arrogance: The attacking forces underestimate their opponents and fail to recognize the ambush, while Jiang Changkong’s side prepares carefully and exploits their overconfidence.
• The brutality of immortal warfare: The battle is marked by mass casualties, sacred artifacts, overwhelming killing intent, and blood absorbed by the mysterious earth of Mount Buzhou.

Character Interactions

• The Demon Race Immortal King provokes Sun Li by invoking the supposed prohibition against fighting, then attempts to rally the other forces against him.
• The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King clashes with the Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys and realizes too late that the battle is a coordinated ambush.
• Penglai and Immortal-Slaying Sect disciples directly counter each other’s signature techniques and defensive transformations.
• The Nine-Son Ghost Mothers and Nether Dragons intervene on Jiang Changkong’s side, confronting the various demon, Asura, and ghost forces.
• Xuan Mie verbally rejects Kun Yu’s authority and declares his loyalty to the Demon Emperor.
• Jiang Changkong receives the battlefield report from Sun Wuxuan and immediately transitions from celebrating the victory to attacking the Immortal-Slaying Sect.

Chapter Summary: “They’d Better Come” (4/5)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong attacks the Immortal-Slaying Sect’s protective barrier with the Reincarnation Disk, creating a massive breach.
• The sect’s peak Immortal Emperor confronts him and accuses him of breaking the rules by attacking their territory. Jiang counters that the Immortal-Slaying Sect had conspired with others to target the Rogue Cultivator Alliance at Mount Buzhou.
• Both sides exchange threats. Jiang withdraws after declaring that he will remember the insult, while the Immortal-Slaying Sect mocks him and credits his survival to support from the Demon Emperor, Zhenyuan, and Penglai factions.
• The sect’s disciples return and reveal that their operation failed disastrously: of more than one hundred Immortal Kings, nearly a hundred died, dozens escaped, and only a small group returned. Sun Li and Jiang’s allies had ambushed them.
• Sun Li brings Jiang 87 spatial artifacts and reports the capture of many enemies. Jiang rewards the participating Immortal Kings with Chaos Ferocious Beast meat and allows them to divide most of the captured resources.
• Jiang establishes a new distribution arrangement for the innate spirit stone mine, assigning 30% each to the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, Zhenyuan, and Penglai.
• He orders Sun Li’s group to prioritize survival at Mount Buzhou, warning that the strange soil there appears to absorb blood. Since he cannot enter the mountain himself, he permits them to abandon the Saint Artifact Fragment if necessary.
• Jiang examines the spoils and extracts a large amount of Essence, Qi, Spirit, and Immortal Stones, jokingly recognizing that the failed attack has enriched him.
• He confronts the captured Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, accusing him of betraying Jiang despite Jiang’s past assistance. The Heavenly King claims he was acting under sudden orders from the Heavenly Court and promises to repay Jiang’s favor.
• Before the conversation concludes, the Immortal-Slaying Sect launches a counterattack. An ultimate Immortal Emperor, the previously encountered peak Immortal Emperor, and two late-stage Immortal Emperors invade the Rogue Cultivator Alliance.
• Jiang eagerly accepts the battle, declaring that trespassing is a capital offense. Using the Reincarnation Disk’s Saint Artifact power, he suppresses and heavily injures all four attackers, sealing the surrounding space and preventing their escape.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong becomes increasingly assertive and openly retaliatory. Rather than merely defending his alliance, he deliberately provokes the Immortal-Slaying Sect and welcomes their counterattack, confident in the Reincarnation Disk’s power.
• He also demonstrates stronger leadership by rewarding his followers, fairly distributing resources, and placing their safety above obtaining the Saint Artifact Fragment.
• Sun Li and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance prove their effectiveness by defeating and capturing large numbers of Immortal-Slaying Sect forces. Their loyalty and military value to Jiang increase.
• The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King is shown to be conflicted and ashamed. He remains loyal to the Heavenly Court but admits his debt to Jiang and offers his life as proof of sincerity.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect’s leaders are revealed as arrogant and overconfident. They initially dismiss Jiang’s actions and celebrate prematurely, only to discover the scale of their defeat.

Significant Themes

• Retribution and consequences: The Immortal-Slaying Sect’s attempt to seize treasures results in devastating losses, and Jiang answers their provocation with escalating retaliation.
• Power and deterrence: The complete Reincarnation Disk gives Jiang overwhelming authority, allowing him to challenge even an ultimate Immortal Emperor.
• Loyalty versus obedience: The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King’s conflict reflects the tension between personal gratitude and allegiance to the Heavenly Court.
• Leadership and mutual trust: Jiang earns loyalty through protection, rewards, and concern for his followers’ lives rather than treating them as expendable.
• Arrogance and miscalculation: The Immortal-Slaying Sect underestimates Jiang and assumes outside alliances are the only reason he survives, failing to recognize his growing independent strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and the Immortal-Slaying Sect’s peak Immortal Emperor: They argue over who violated the rules, with Jiang accusing the sect of collective aggression and the sect dismissing the Mount Buzhou conflict as minor.
• Jiang Changkong and Sun Li: Sun Li reports the victory, delivers the captured resources, and warns Jiang about Mount Buzhou’s dangerous blood-absorbing soil. Jiang responds with rewards and protective instructions.
• Jiang Changkong and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King: Jiang confronts him emotionally over past favors and perceived betrayal. The Heavenly King acknowledges his guilt but maintains that he acted under Heavenly Court orders.
• Jiang Changkong and the four attacking Immortal Emperors: Their verbal confrontation immediately becomes a battle. Jiang refuses negotiation and uses the Reincarnation Disk to overwhelm and trap them.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong captures four Immortal Emperors, including the peak Immortal Emperor Lu Cheng, after they attempt to encircle and kill his disciples.
• He demands compensation from the Immortal-Slaying Sect for the loss of a congenital immortal stone vein, threatening to kill their captured disciples if they refuse.
• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable informs Jiang Changkong that an opportunity to activate the Reincarnation Disk lies within the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• Lu Cheng agrees to compensate Jiang Changkong with ten thousand low-grade seventh-rank stones to secure the release of their disciples.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates his ruthlessness and determination, willing to kill Immortal Kings and threaten peak Immortal Emperors to achieve his goals.
• Lu Cheng shows his concern for the Immortal-Slaying Sect's disciples and willingness to negotiate, indicating his responsibility as a sect leader.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and alliances among different sects and races in the cultivation world.
• The importance of resources and wealth in the cultivation world, with Jiang Changkong demanding compensation for the loss of a congenital immortal stone vein.
• The consequences of breaking rules and provoking powerful enemies, as seen in the Immortal-Slaying Sect's failed encirclement and killing attempt.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and Lu Cheng engage in a tense negotiation, with Jiang Changkong threatening to kill captured disciples if Lu Cheng refuses to compensate him.
• Jiang Changkong seeks help from Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable, who reveals that an opportunity to activate the Reincarnation Disk lies within the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• Lu Cheng ultimately agrees to compensate Jiang Changkong to secure the release of their disciples, showing his concern for their well-being.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong arrives at the Immortal-Slaying Sect territory to retrieve an item.
• He faces Lu Cheng, who is severely injured and seeks revenge.
• Jiang Changkong finds a strange city with containers holding his identical images.
• He encounters six passages, each leading to a different incarnation of himself, each facing unique trials.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates resilience and determination in the face of extreme trials.
• Lu Cheng shows hatred and a desire for revenge against Jiang Changkong.

Significant Themes

• The theme of identity and self-discovery is explored through Jiang Changkong's encounter with his identical images and incarnations.
• The idea of opportunity and its cost is highlighted, as Jiang Changkong faces severe trials to gain a supposed advantage.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and Lu Cheng have a tense interaction, with Lu Cheng threatening him and Jiang Changkong remaining calm and collected.
• Jiang Changkong interacts with his incarnations, though they do not communicate directly, their shared experiences and trials create a sense of connection.

Chapter Summary: “Six Paths of Reincarnation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong is subjected to the Six Paths of Reincarnation, with fragments of his soul repeatedly splitting off to experience different deaths. He becomes a bird, pig, asura, and evil ghost, suffering brutal deaths in each form.
• The process steadily weakens both his soul and cultivation. He falls from Immortal Emperor to Immortal King, Immortal Lord, and eventually an ordinary mortal, losing access to the Heavenly Dao fragments, Devil Ancestor immortal office, and Devil Spear fragments.
• When he reaches the point where continuing may cause true death, the Witch-Slaying Sword intervenes. Its blood souls form a barrier, preventing him from advancing farther.
• A mysterious, blurry woman appears and urges Jiang Changkong to stop. He refuses, insisting that surrendering would make him unworthy of inheriting the treasure.
• Even after his body disappears piece by piece, Jiang Changkong continues forward, eventually reduced to only his head and then the Witch-Slaying Sword. His determination causes the six passages to shake and triggers a transformation.
• His body and soul are restored through gray radiance. His Heavenly Eye evolves into the Chaos Reincarnation Heavenly Eye, also called the Chaos Netherworld Heavenly Eye, containing the power of the Netherworld.
• The Witch-Slaying Sword dissolves into blood souls and merges into the Heavenly Eye. The mysterious woman declares that Jiang Changkong has succeeded, though she notes that he had technically already failed when he nearly died.
• The six passages become the complete Reincarnation Disk. Jiang Changkong learns that it can open the dragon race’s treasure and, when activated, initiate reincarnation for anyone below the Sage Realm. Its power can even contend with an Immortal Venerable.
• Jiang Changkong returns to the ancient bridge and finds that two peak Immortal Emperors from the Immortal-Slaying Sect have gone mad after consuming liquid from strange containers. Their bodies develop unusual patterns, while the remaining limit Immortal Emperor angrily demands that Jiang Changkong restore them.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong: Demonstrates extreme perseverance and a refusal to submit, even when stripped of his cultivation, treasures, body, and nearly his life. His success grants him a transformed Heavenly Eye and control of the Reincarnation Disk, greatly increasing his future potential.
• The mysterious presider: Revealed to be the guardian or former master of the Reincarnation Disk. She tests Jiang Changkong’s resolve, intervenes when he is about to die, and ultimately accepts his qualification despite his near-failure.
• The Witch-Slaying Sword: Acts independently to protect Jiang Changkong, suggesting a connection to the human race or a deeper recognition of his purpose. It ultimately sacrifices itself by merging into his evolved Heavenly Eye.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect’s Immortal Emperors: Two peak Immortal Emperors lose their sanity after drinking the mysterious liquid, while the limit Immortal Emperor remains conscious but is weakened and desperate to save them.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance versus surrender: Jiang Changkong believes that continuing forward, even at the cost of death, is preferable to accepting stagnation or defeat.
• Transformation through suffering: The repeated deaths and loss of cultivation become a trial that leads to the evolution of Jiang Changkong’s Heavenly Eye and his acquisition of the Reincarnation Disk.
• The nature of success and failure: The presider emphasizes that success is determined by the one conducting the trial. Jiang Changkong’s survival is less important than the resolve he displays.
• Power and perspective: Jiang Changkong recalls surpassing those he once feared—near-godhood beings and Heavenly Kings—and resolves to eventually surpass Sages as well.
• Responsibility and inheritance: Jiang Changkong criticizes the former owner of the Reincarnation Disk for abandoning it while leaving later generations to bear its responsibilities. The chapter also hints that the disk requires a new master.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong repeatedly clashes verbally with the mysterious presider. She urges him to stop, while he argues that only relentless advancement can prove his worth.
• The Witch-Slaying Sword supports Jiang Changkong despite his declining strength, then merges with his Heavenly Eye after the trial.
• Upon returning, Jiang Changkong confronts the surviving Immortal-Slaying Sect leader. The Immortal Emperor blames him for the other two’s condition and demands their release, but Jiang Changkong rejects responsibility, pointing out that they followed him voluntarily.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong faces the Limit Immortal Emperor, who attacks with an eighth-grade divine artifact. Jiang easily defeats him using the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disk.
• Jiang is pulled into a dragon-filled world by a divine dragon. He learns that a woman (Houtu) took a thousand dragon eggs and altered the dragon's memories.
• Jiang finds the complete Ancestral Dragon Scripture and immortal stone powder. He learns that the people outside are trapped in a cycle of revival within containers.
• Jiang discovers a map leading to Mount Buzhou and a dragon bone buried by Houtu.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates his power and indifference, showing no mercy to the Limit Immortal Emperor. He is calm and collected, even in the face of a divine dragon.
• The divine dragon is confused and forgetful, likely due to Houtu's alterations. It guards the dragon egg pits but seems unaware of the dragon race's departure.

Significant Themes

• The power of the Reincarnation Disk and Jiang Changkong's might.
• The mystery surrounding Houtu's actions and her connection to the dragon race.
• The theme of entrapment and the inability to escape one's fate, as seen with the people outside and the divine dragon.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and the Limit Immortal Emperor: Jiang shows no fear or respect, easily defeating the Emperor.
• Jiang Changkong and the divine dragon: Jiang tries to gather information about Houtu and the dragon race, but the dragon's altered memories hinder this. They share a mutual lack of understanding about the other's situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong assembles the Chaos Dragon bones, revealing an immortal script that hints at the dragon race pursuing the tributaries of time.
• He decides to take the Chaos Dragon bones and the instruments from the city, despite the risk of attracting Heaven's attention.
• Jiang Changkong improves his Profound Art to the peak of the Immortal Emperor realm, surpassing the Immortal Emperor level, and prepares to leave.
• Heaven appears and attacks Jiang Changkong with golden lightning bolts as he tries to escape from Mount Buzhou.
• Jiang Changkong enters chaos, pursued by several Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors, including Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong's power increases significantly, reaching the peak of the Immortal Emperor realm and surpassing it. He also gains a better understanding of the Chaos Dragon bones and the dragon race's history.
• The Neurotic Dragon reveals that it is merely condensed immortal power and cannot leave its space.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of the tributaries of time by the ancient dragon race and the connection between the dragon race and the ancient immortals and gods.
• The power of Heaven and its vigilance, even in its incomplete state.
• The curiosity and determination of powerful figures (Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors) to investigate the cause of Heaven's disturbance.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong interacts with the Neurotic Dragon, learning more about the Chaos Dragon bones and the dragon race's history.
• Jiang Changkong is pursued by several Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors, including Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable, after entering chaos.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors gather, seeking Jiang Changkong due to the device incident.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect Master requests Jiang Changkong to release their trapped Immortal Emperors.
• Jiang Changkong reveals the device was actually a Chaos Dragon's skeleton, enraging the Heavenly Dao.
• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable offers to help Jiang Changkong seal the dragon skeleton within chaos and create a means to safely traverse chaos and contact the Heavenly Realm.
• Upon returning, Jiang Changkong is visited by representatives from the Heavenly Court, Divine Court, Immortal Court, and Demon Court, seeking the device and offering to purchase it.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong maintains his composure and honesty, revealing the truth about the device to Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable.
• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable demonstrates his wisdom and experience, offering to help Jiang Changkong and expressing curiosity about the dragon skeleton's origin.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect Master shows politeness and deference to Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable.
• Representatives from the four great factions display their interest in the device and willingness to purchase it.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics and respect hierarchy among Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors.
• The value and allure of ancient artifacts and knowledge.
• The potential dangers and precautions when dealing with chaos.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable: They maintain a respectful and cooperative relationship, with Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable offering his assistance to Jiang Changkong.
• Jiang Changkong and the Immortal-Slaying Sect Master: The Sect Master politely requests Jiang Changkong's help, showing deference to his power.
• Representatives from the four great factions: They interact with Jiang Changkong, expressing their interest in purchasing the device and offering a price.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong, the Dragon King, and the Immortal-Slaying Sect reach an agreement. Jiang Changkong retrieves the instruments and receives ten thousand seventh-grade lower-tier immortal stones.
• Jiang Changkong returns to the divine hall and learns that Sun Li and others have discovered a strange tree on Mount Buzhou, with twelve bizarre creatures (the Twelve Ancestral Witches) growing upon it.
• The Demon Emperor learns about a giant stone containing the Ten Great Demon Marshals on Mount Buzhou.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates his negotiation skills and determination to protect the Dragon Race.
• The Demon Emperor shows concern for the Heaven-Equaling Sage's legacy and orders the protection of the stone containing the Ten Great Demon Marshals.

Significant Themes

• The appearance of the Twelve Ancestral Witches Tree and the Ten Great Demon Marshals stone hints at the revival of ancient beings and the possible connection to the ancient immortal gods.
• The exploration of Mount Buzhou continues, with each faction eager to find the treasure map and uncover its secrets.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and the Dragon King cooperate to retrieve the instruments and secure the Dragon Race's future.
• The Demon Emperor and Sun Wuxuan discuss the strange occurrences on Mount Buzhou, with the Demon Emperor ordering the protection of the stone containing the Ten Great Demon Marshals.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong leaves the Heavenly Realm to enter the chaos, accompanied by Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable.
• They discover that the Heavenly Dao shattered itself and lifted restrictions on ancient immortal gods.
• Jiang Changkong encounters a terrifying divine might near Mount Buzhou and decides to retreat.
• He returns to the Heavenly Realm, where an Immortal Lord finds a massive Chaos Divine Stone containing information about an Immortal Venerable's ruins.
• Jiang Changkong enhances the Demon Emperor's strength and sets off to find the ruins.
• Upon reaching the ruins, he encounters chaos beasts and eventually finds a grayish-yellow object that resonates with him and swallows him.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong becomes more determined to uncover the truth about the Heavenly Dao and the ancient immortal gods.
• The Demon Emperor's strength is enhanced, making him invincible among Immortal Emperors.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of truth and understanding about the Heavenly Dao and the ancient immortal gods.
• The power of chaos beasts and the potential danger they pose.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable work together to uncover the truth about the Heavenly Dao.
• Jiang Changkong interacts with an Immortal Emperor and rewards him for finding the Chaos Divine Stone.
• Jiang Changkong enhances the Demon Emperor's strength before setting off to find the ruins.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong is trapped in an Immortal Venerable-level grand formation with ten thousand divine pillars, each carrying the aura of the Heavenly Realm.
• A peak Immortal Emperor from the Immortal-Slaying Sect attacks Jiang Changkong, but he is easily repelled.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect Master, an early-stage Immortal Venerable, appears and prepares to engage Jiang Changkong.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates immense strength, even while burdened by the grand formation and divine pillars, proving he's still a formidable force.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect Master shows his confidence and power as an Immortal Venerable, believing he can easily defeat Jiang Changkong.

Significant Themes

• The vast disparity in power between Immortal Emperors and Immortal Venerables is emphasized.
• The theme of defiance and pride in the face of overwhelming odds is shown through Jiang Changkong's actions.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong and the peak Immortal Emperor from the Immortal-Slaying Sect clash, with Jiang Changkong emerging victorious.
• Jiang Changkong and the Immortal-Slaying Sect Master exchange taunts and threats before their impending battle.

Chapter Summary: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong, trapped within the Immortal-Slaying Sect master’s formation and burdened by the divine pillar, faces the sect master’s ultimate technique, “Immortal-Slaying, God-Extinguishing.”
• The attack combines an Immortal Venerable’s power, an eighth-grade immortal sword, and supreme Immortal Dao laws, seemingly imprisoning Jiang Changkong’s body, divine power, and laws.
• Using the Reincarnation Disk, Jiang Changkong merges the Six Paths of Reincarnation and unleashes “Heaven-Opening.” Houtu’s phantom appears and reinforces the technique.
• The Heaven-Opening strike destroys the divine pillar, shatters the immortal formation, obliterates the sect master’s immortal sword, and kills the Immortal-Slaying Sect master completely.
• Jiang Changkong is left exhausted in Chaos. Before he can recover, another hidden Immortal Venerable attacks him—the “oriole” waiting behind the “mantis.”
• Jiang Changkong cannot resist and raises the Reincarnation Disk defensively. Its stored Ancestral Shaman Killing Intent, left behind by Houtu, manifests as a golden divine dragon.
• The dragon severely injures the ambushing Immortal Venerable, shattering his immortal body before dissipating. The Killing Intent then carries Jiang Changkong away into a divine hall, while the Reincarnation Disk returns to his body.
• In the Heavenly Realm, Jiang Changkong’s secondary body, the Demon Emperor, realizes that his main body is alive but unconscious and impossible to locate.
• Sun Wuxuan reports that Demon Marshal Stone is yielding primordial Demon Race inheritances and ancestral demon blood to those exploring Mount Buzhou.
• Feng Jiu informs the Demon Emperor that the Demon Master, Kun Yu, has discovered an innate spirit-stone vein and possibly the long-sought treasure map.
• The Demon Emperor learns that Kun Yu has joined forces with the Heavenly Court. Purple Star Heavenly King plans to kill an Immortal King in exchange for cooperation, while Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King secretly warns the Demon Emperor that the Heavenly Court and Kun Yu intend to target him.
• Rather than retreat, the Demon Emperor decides to exploit the situation, arranging for Sun Li and others to cooperate with the Zhenyuan and Penglai Immortal Sects and capture the opposing forces for ransom.
• At the chapter’s end, Jiang Changkong’s main body awakens.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Jiang Changkong demonstrates the frightening power of the Reincarnation Disk and the Heaven-Opening Art, progressing beyond the limits of ordinary Immortal Dao power. Though physically and spiritually exhausted, he survives two major confrontations.
• Houtu’s influence remains crucial. Her phantom helps unleash Heaven-Opening, while her hidden Killing Intent saves Jiang Changkong from the second Immortal Venerable.
• The Immortal-Slaying Sect master goes from supreme confidence to terror when he realizes that his Immortal Dao techniques are insignificant before Heaven-Opening. He is completely destroyed.
• The hidden Immortal Venerable attempts to ambush Jiang Changkong after the battle but underestimates Houtu’s lingering protection. Although badly injured, the attacker survives through Chaos fusion and a defensive treasure.
• The Demon Emperor and Sun Wuxuan continue coordinating the Demon Race’s movements. Sun Wuxuan gathers information and prepares troops, while the Demon Emperor plans strategically and remains calm despite his main body’s danger.
• Kun Yu becomes a direct enemy of the Demon Emperor by cooperating with the Heavenly Court against him.
• Purple Star Heavenly King openly proposes an alliance based on mutual benefit, while Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King secretly provides a warning, suggesting divisions or competing interests within the Heavenly Court.

Significant Themes

• Power beyond established realms: Heaven-Opening is portrayed as a force surpassing even Chaos and rendering Immortal Venerable-level techniques insignificant.
• Hidden protection and legacy: Houtu’s power continues to affect events after her apparent absence, showing how ancient inheritances can determine the fate of present conflicts.
• The hunter becoming the hunted: Jiang Changkong defeats one overwhelming enemy only to become the target of another, reflecting the chapter’s title and its theme of concealed schemes.
• Strategic maneuvering and betrayal: The treasure map, spirit-stone vein, and alliances create a web of competing factions, secret warnings, and opportunistic plans.
• Survival through preparation: Jiang Changkong’s multiple bodies, the Demon Emperor’s networks, and the Reincarnation Disk allow him to survive situations that would otherwise be fatal.
• Escalating conflict: The chapter expands the struggle from a personal battle with the Immortal-Slaying Sect into a larger contest involving the Demon Race, Heavenly Court, Immortal sects, and ancient treasures.

Summary of “Houtu’s Regret”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After escaping an ambush in the Chaos, Jiang Changkong recovers inside a divine hall using the surrounding Chaos Qi. The Chaos beast he had subdued has died, and he realizes the mission yielded little benefit while costing him a strand of life-saving Killing Intent.
• The Reincarnation Disk preserved a trace of the attacking Immortal Venerable’s aura. Jiang Changkong plans to have Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable identify the enemy and confirms that the attacker was connected to the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• A child wearing a red bellyband appears in the hall. Although he looks young and unsteady, he possesses early Immortal Emperor cultivation and claims the hall as his home.
• The child leads Jiang Changkong through the Chaos to a supposedly living Hollow Willow. Inside, Jiang encounters ten other children, all immensely powerful Immortal Kings or Immortal Emperors. Their appearances and names suggest they are the Eleven Ancestral Witches, including Zhurong and possibly Dijiang.
• The children eat spiritual liquid and play together. Their combined immortal radiance forms an image of Mount Buzhou and a map depicting the world’s geography. Jiang realizes this may reveal the location of the treasure map sought by the Immortal Spirits.
• Before Jiang can investigate further, the Reincarnation Disk forcibly removes him. It reveals that the children, the Hollow Willow, and the surrounding scene were illusions created from Houtu’s memories and regrets. The divine hall alone was real.
• Despite the illusion, the information hidden within it is genuine: the treasure map exists, and obtaining it could expose the Immortal Spirits’ hiding place.
• Jiang sends the information to the Demon Emperor, who chooses to delay retrieving the map until after their plan involving Kun Yu succeeds.
• Meanwhile, Sun Li joins Sun Wuxing and forces from the Zhenyuan and Penglai Immortal Sects to launch an attack. The Immortal-Slaying Sect withdraws after its previous encounter nearly destroyed it, while Purple Star Heavenly King and Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King contribute little.
• Jiang visits Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable and explains that he was ambushed in the Chaos. After examining the preserved aura, Zhenxuan identifies its source as someone from the Heavenly Court.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong: Becomes more cautious and suspicious after being betrayed in the Chaos. He recognizes both the risks of pursuing the treasure map and the value of the information gained from Houtu’s illusion. He also demonstrates strategic restraint by entrusting the map’s retrieval to the Demon Emperor rather than attempting it himself.
• Houtu: Is revealed as a tragic figure whose longing for the Eleven Ancestral Witches caused her to construct an illusion in which they continued to live together. Her “regret” preserves vital information even though the family she imagines is unreal.
• The Ancestral Witches: Appear as childlike but extraordinarily powerful figures within Houtu’s illusion, emphasizing both their past existence and Houtu’s emotional attachment to them.
• The Demon Emperor: Acts pragmatically, postponing the search for the treasure map until the group’s scheme against Kun Yu is completed.
• Kun Yu: Although repeatedly defeated, he continues fighting, earning Jiang Changkong’s respect for his perseverance.
• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable: Shifts from adviser to investigator, using his knowledge to identify the hostile Immortal Venerable as belonging to the Heavenly Court.

Significant Themes

• Regret and illusion: Houtu’s inability to accept the loss of the Ancestral Witches creates an illusion that reflects grief, memory, and emotional denial.
• Truth hidden within falsehood: Though the children and Hollow Willow are illusions, the treasure-map information within the vision is real, showing that illusions can preserve or reveal truth.
• Betrayal and political suspicion: Jiang’s ambush deepens the conflict among the Immortal-Slaying Sect, the Heavenly Court, and the various immortal factions.
• Strategic patience: The characters repeatedly choose timing and preparation over immediate action, particularly regarding the treasure map and the operation against Kun Yu.
• Power versus perception: The illusion is so convincing that only Saint-level strength can distinguish it from reality, underscoring the limits of Jiang Changkong’s current power.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang questions the red-bellied child, who treats him casually and invites him to eat despite their enormous difference in status and cultivation.
• The group of children gathers around Jiang, revealing their shared familiarity with the name Houtu and unintentionally exposing their identities as figures from her past.
• Jiang observes the children’s games, during which their combined powers produce the image of Mount Buzhou and the treasure-map clue.
• The Reincarnation Disk interrupts Jiang’s investigation and explains the illusory nature of the scene.
• Jiang communicates the treasure-map information to the Demon Emperor, who coordinates future action.
• Finally, Jiang confides in Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable, whose identification of the attacker as a Heavenly Court figure raises the stakes of the wider conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Summon the Demon Emperor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable informs Jiang Changkong that Guangfa Immortal Venerable of the Heavenly Court is exceptionally powerful, confirming that the Heavenly Court continues to pursue him.
• Jiang agrees to endure temporarily while waiting roughly half a month for Zhenxuan to finish preparing several treasures.
• Instead of returning to his territory, Jiang secretly enters the chaos and travels to the ruins near the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• Using a sacred artifact to conceal himself, Jiang infiltrates the area and plants strands of Chaos Divine Power in the bodies of passing Immortal-Slaying Sect disciples. He intends to monitor the sect’s condition after destroying its master and determine his next move.
• Jiang plans to investigate the Heavenly Court afterward and considers using his remaining opportunities to retaliate. If necessary, he will flee into the chaos with the prepared treasures and leave matters in the Heavenly Realm to the Demon Emperor’s clone.
• Meanwhile, Xuan Mie returns with 113 captives. The Demon Emperor personally suppresses them and prepares to demand compensation from the forces behind them.
• Demon Master Kun Yu arrives to defend his subordinates, claiming their conflict was minor. The Demon Emperor accuses Kun Yu of conspiring with the Heavenly Court and betraying the Demon Race.
• Kun Yu argues that the cooperation was intended to benefit the Heavenly Realm and blames the Demon Emperor for acting first by seizing the spirit-stone mine and treasure map.
• The Demon Emperor reveals that members of the Heavenly Court have already confessed, implying that he has an informant within their ranks. He orders Kun Yu’s subordinates punished and has Kun Yu thrown out after he insults and challenges him.
• Earth Spirit Immortal Emperor then arrives on behalf of the Heavenly Court to demand an explanation and ransom the captured Immortal Kings.
• The Demon Emperor refuses to release them without payment. He initially demands 50,000 top-grade seventh-rank immortal stones, then lowers the price to 30,000 low-grade seventh-rank stones.
• Just as negotiations reach a tense point, an announcement declares, “The Demon Emperor has arrived,” suggesting the arrival of another important figure or a confrontation involving the Demon Emperor.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. Rather than immediately retaliating against the Heavenly Court, he gathers intelligence, prepares an escape route, and uses concealed divine power to observe the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• Zhenxuan Immortal Venerable continues supporting Jiang but remains wary of the Heavenly Court’s overwhelming strength.
• The Demon Emperor displays greater authority and ruthlessness. He punishes disloyalty, uses information from spies within the Heavenly Court, and turns the captured Immortal Kings into bargaining tools.
• Kun Yu is shown to be politically weak and defensive. He attempts to justify his alliance with the Heavenly Court but loses control of the situation and is publicly humiliated.
• Earth Spirit Immortal Emperor recognizes that the Demon Emperor cannot be pressured easily and reluctantly shifts from demanding justice to negotiating a ransom.
• Sun Wuxuan acts as the Demon Emperor’s enforcer, readily attacking and ejecting Kun Yu while showing complete loyalty to his master.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and betrayal: Alliances between the Demon Race and Heavenly Court are treated as potential treason, while hidden informants and secret cooperation shape the conflict.
• Power and authority: The Demon Emperor strengthens his position by punishing challenges publicly and forcing stronger factions to negotiate with him.
• Patience and revenge: Jiang restrains himself temporarily, choosing preparation and intelligence-gathering before settling scores with the Heavenly Court.
• Strategic information gathering: Both Jiang and the Demon Emperor rely on concealment, spies, confessions, and surveillance rather than acting blindly.
• Ransom and resource control: Captives, spirit-stone mines, and treasure maps become tools in the struggle for political and military dominance.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang and Zhenxuan discuss the threat posed by Guangfa Immortal Venerable and the need for temporary patience.
• Jiang secretly observes Immortal-Slaying Sect disciples while embedding divine power in them.
• The Demon Emperor confronts Kun Yu over his cooperation with the Heavenly Court, ending with Kun Yu being beaten and expelled.
• The Demon Emperor and Earth Spirit Immortal Emperor engage in a tense ransom negotiation, with the Demon Emperor maintaining the upper hand.
• The chapter ends with the unexpected announcement of the Demon Emperor’s arrival, creating uncertainty about who has entered and foreshadowing a major confrontation or revelation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Demon Emperor arrives at the Demon Emperor Hall, revealing his awareness of the situation and his support for the Demon Emperor's actions.
• The Earth Spirit Immortal Emperor is sent back to gather Immortal Stones as ransom.
• The Demon Emperor and the Demon Emperor discuss the treasure map and the Demon Race Immortal Kings' release in private.
• The Demon Emperor gives the Demon Emperor 20,000 seventh-grade low-quality Immortal Stones as a reward.
• Aoyin Yume defects to the Demon Emperor's side, declaring his allegiance to him.

Character Developments

• The Demon Emperor: Shows his cunning and strategic thinking, manipulating the situation to his advantage while keeping his true intentions hidden.
• The Demon Emperor: Maintains his calm and collected demeanor, revealing only what he wants his brother to know.
• Kun Yu (Demon Master): Becomes increasingly resentful and suspicious, particularly of Feng Jiu, due to his repeated failures and the Demon Emperor's apparent favoritism.
• Feng Jiu (Immortal Emperor): Panics inwardly about his undercover mission but maintains his composure, trying to reassure Kun Yu of his loyalty.
• Aoyin Yume: Defects to the Demon Emperor's side, indicating that the Demon Emperor has been aware of the situation and has been making moves behind the scenes.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and deception: Both the Demon Emperor and the Demon Emperor use deception and manipulation to achieve their goals.
• Power dynamics: The struggle for power and influence within the Demon Court is a central theme.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Characters grapple with issues of loyalty, and betrayals occur, shifting alliances.

Character Interactions

• The Demon Emperor and the Demon Emperor: Their interactions reveal their complex relationship, with the Demon Emperor maintaining a facade of harmony while subtly asserting his dominance.
• Kun Yu and Feng Jiu: Kun Yu's suspicion and resentment grow, while Feng Jiu tries to maintain his cover and reassure Kun Yu of his loyalty.
• Aoyin Yume and Kun Yu: Aoyin Yume's defection to the Demon Emperor's side further strains Kun Yu's relationship with the Demon Emperor and his allies.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Earth Spirit Immortal Emperor delivers 50,000 lower-grade seventh-rank immortal stones to Jiang Changkong.
• Jiang Changkong cultivates within chaos, perfecting his Innate Chaos Dao Body and gaining insights into chaos mysteries and laws.
• The Demon Emperor invites the upper echelons of the four great factions and three great immortal sects to a banquet, excluding Jiang Changkong.
• Jiang Changkong infiltrates the Immortal-Slaying Sect, kills several Immortal Emperors, and engages in a battle with an early-stage Immortal Venerable, ultimately killing him using the Heaven-Opening Art and fleeing into chaos.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong perfects his Innate Chaos Dao Body, gaining immense power and understanding of chaos.
• The Demon Emperor shows cunning by inviting the upper echelons to a banquet, leaving the Immortal-Slaying Sect vulnerable.

Significant Themes

• Power and cultivation: Jiang Changkong's growth and increasing strength.
• Revenge and retribution: Jiang Changkong's desire to avenge his master and sect.
• Deception and manipulation: The Demon Emperor's invitation to the banquet, leaving the Immortal-Slaying Sect unguarded.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong vs. Immortal-Slaying Sect: Jiang Changkong infiltrates and attacks the Immortal-Slaying Sect, ultimately killing one of their Immortal Venerables.
• Jiang Changkong vs. Demon Emperor: Though not directly interacting, the Demon Emperor's invitation to the banquet indirectly aids Jiang Changkong's plan to attack the Immortal-Slaying Sect.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Changkong, an Immortal Venerable, returns and attacks the Immortal-Slaying Sect, killing their sect master.
• Immortal Venerables from various sects pursue Jiang Changkong into the chaos.
• Jiang Changkong uses a sacred artifact and merges with the chaos to evade the Immortal Venerables.
• Jiang Changkong returns to the Heavenly Court and attacks the High Heaven Hall using the Reincarnation Disk, causing panic and destruction.
• The Heavenly Emperor is not present, and Immortal Venerables defend the High Heaven Hall, containing the attack.

Character Developments

• Jiang Changkong: Shows immense growth, capable of killing an early-stage Immortal Venerable. He is vengeful and strategic, lying in wait for years to retaliate against the Immortal-Slaying Sect.
• Immortal Venerables: Display their power and speed, but are outsmarted by Jiang Changkong's tactics. They are shocked by Jiang Changkong's growth and abilities.

Significant Themes

• Revenge: Jiang Changkong's primary motivation is revenge against the Immortal-Slaying Sect for their past schemes against him.
• Power and Growth: The chapter emphasizes the power and growth of Immortal Venerables, as well as Jiang Changkong's rapid advancement.
• Strategy and Tactics: Jiang Changkong's use of strategy and tactics, such as merging with the chaos and using a sacred artifact, allows him to outmaneuver his enemies.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Changkong vs. Immortal-Slaying Sect: Jiang Changkong seeks revenge against the Immortal-Slaying Sect, killing their sect master and evading their pursuit.
• Jiang Changkong vs. Heavenly Court: Jiang Changkong attacks the High Heaven Hall, causing panic and destruction. Immortal Venerables defend the High Heaven Hall, containing his attack.
• Immortal Venerables: Immortal Venerables from various sects interact, discussing Jiang Changkong's actions and growth. They pursue him into the chaos but fail to catch him.