Chapter Summaries

Fang Qing restored Sangji’s former life and sent him to the Western Continent as its Earth Virtue Sage, where Sangji established the Earth Esoteric Sect. The continent’s inhabitants began gaining strange powers, and Fang Qing considered making it a place to cultivate Lunar Yin Year Guardians.

• Gui Sang entered the Heaven of Purple Firmament, remembered his former life as Sangji, and accepted Fang Qing as his master.
• Fang Qing named Sangji the Sage of the West and ordered him to spread a new Dao across the Western Continent.
• Sangji crossed the sea through Fang Qing’s Veil and discovered a continent divided among warring kingdoms with few established cultivation paths.
• Sangji summoned a stone giant, declared himself the Earth Father God, and established the Earth Esoteric Sect by offering mortals his flesh, blood, and teachings.
• People who consumed the giant’s flesh and blood transformed, while esoteric believers gained powers and some kings made the sect their state religion.
• Fang Qing watched the new movement spread and considered using the Western Continent to cultivate Lunar Yin Year Guardians.

In 21,000 GWC, Shi Tianzun planned a northern campaign to destroy Northern Qi and prove the imperial [Turtle Beak Fire] Golden Seat, while Shi Tianfeng worried about Golden Core powers intervening. The chapter ended with Shi Tianfeng watching shamans depart for Fengdu and wondering whether the Qilin Tome truly bestowed heaven’s mandate.

• Shi Tianfeng reflected on Southern Chu’s rise and met Mi Xingkong, who escorted him to the palace at Shi Tianzun’s summons.
• Shi Tianfeng congratulated Shi Tianzun on perfecting his Divine Abilities, and Shi Tianzun revealed that he intended to prove an imperial [Turtle Beak Fire] Golden Seat.
• Shi Tianzun announced that he would crush Northern Qi, capture its ruler, and present the captive at the Shaman Terrace to prove his Dao as an Emperor-Lord.
• Shi Tianfeng warned that [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi], [Moon God], and Fengdu’s [Mountain Ghost] could threaten the campaign, but Shi Tianzun said he expected the Shaman Gods to remain neutral and would seek audiences with them.
• Shi Tianzun entrusted preparations for the northern campaign to Shi Tianfeng, who left the palace and watched Spirit Shamans and Lesser Shamans depart for Fengdu in search of the Qilin Tome.

Shi Tianfeng confronted Qi Grand Witch Ma at Fengdu and killed him after unleashing his Water Virtue abilities. Inside the ruined city, a black cat turned into a young shaman and found the Qilin Tome in Shaman Qilin Hall.

• Chu Shamans entered Fengdu to search for its treasures and the Qilin Tome while Shi Tianfeng met the Chu Grand Witch in the Great Void.
• Shi Tianfeng learned that Qi Shamans were trying to raise Lady Xiang to divine status through sacrifices.
• Grand Witch Ma tried to curse Shi Tianfeng, but Shi Tianfeng broke the curse and trapped him and the other shamans with the Mysterious Primordial Water-Control Banner.
• Shi Tianfeng killed Grand Witch Ma and told the Chu Grand Witch to wait for the outcome of their expedition into Fengdu.
• A Lesser Shaman encountered a hunched old man and died as beetles poured from his body; the old man’s booklet changed from Ten Methods of the Spirit Shaman to Ten Methods of Seeing Ghosts.
• A black cat retrieved the booklet, reached Shaman Qilin Hall, and found the Qilin Tome on a meditation cushion.

Eastern Sovereign Taiyi discussed the Qilin Tome and the rival claims of Chu and Qi as Southern Chu launched its northern campaign. Shi Tianfeng and Grand Witch Xiang clashed, and after she withdrew, he urged Shi Tianzun to take command before Xiang could ascend to Shaman God.

• The Moon God returned the Qilin Tome to the Chu Shamans, and Eastern Sovereign Taiyi said he favored the Shi brothers while acknowledging that Lady Xiang or the Xiang Lord might still contend for the Golden Core.
• Southern Chu and Northern Qi assembled their forces along the Xiang River, where Shi Tianfeng faced Grand Witch Xiang and warned her to abandon her claim.
• Shi Tianfeng used the Mysterious Primordial Water-Control Banner to force Purple Mansion cultivators into the physical world and challenged Grand Witch Xiang despite her threat to curse his auspicious signs.
• Grand Witch Xiang blinded and deafened Shi Tianfeng with a curse, but he broke free using his divine abilities and struck her apparent body, which proved to be a decoy.
• Grand Witch Xiang and the Northern Qi Grand Witches withdrew, and Shi Tianfeng told Mi Xingkong and the others that Chu had won time to attack Northern Qi.
• Shi Tianfeng concluded that Grand Witch Xiang would seek to ascend to Shaman God and sent word for Shi Tianzun to take command of the campaign.

Grand Witch Xiang demanded that the King of Qi begin a sacrifice to make her [Lady Xiang], but he exposed her crimes and used the Dark Shaman Cauldron to kill and refine her into the rank of [Xiang Lord]. [Moon God] judged that the King of Qi sought to combine shamanism and Numinous Treasure Immortal, while [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] declared Northern Qi would fall and Great Chu’s era would begin as a violet flame reached Qi Capital.

• Grand Witch Xiang entered Qi’s royal palace and demanded that the King of Qi authorize the sacrifice for her ascension as [Lady Xiang].
• The King of Qi refused, and Grand Witch Xiang attacked him and the gathered Purple Mansion True Persons with mercury magic and Witchcraft Gu.
• The King of Qi revealed that he had secretly gained formidable power, accused Grand Witch Xiang of harming Northern Qi’s worthy cultivators, and sentenced her to death.
• The King of Qi used the Dark Shaman Cauldron and Northern Qi’s national fortune to suppress and refine Grand Witch Xiang, obtaining the rank of [Xiang Lord].
• [Moon God] judged that the King of Qi planned to use Northern Qi’s strength to advance as a Shaman God while keeping Numinous Treasure Immortal as a fallback.
• [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] declared that Northern Qi must perish and Great Chu’s era would follow, as a violet flame arrived outside Qi Capital.

Shi Tianzun conquered the Qi Capital, tracked down the king of Qi in a hidden Blessed Land, and defeated him to complete his conquest. He then attained the Dao as the Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord, while Shi Tianfeng received the Xiang Lord’s divine standing and stewardship of Great Chu.

• Shi Tianzun breached the Qi Capital’s defenses, defeated Grand Witch Zuo and the city’s defenders, and declared Qi’s people subjects of Chu.
• Using the Qilin Tome and the people’s resentment, Shi Tianzun tracked the king of Qi to the hidden Xiang Lord Palace and attacked him.
• Shi Tianzun emerged with the Xiang Lord’s standing and gave its white jade Nuo Mask to Shi Tianfeng, leaving Great Chu in his care.
• Shi Tianzun’s Divine Abilities and Turtle Beak Fire Golden Seat transformed as he began to attain the Dao.
• Shi Tianzun united with the Turtle Beak Fire Golden Seat and proclaimed himself the Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord.

The [Moon God] recorded Great Chu’s rise as [Lady Xiang] became a Shaman God and joined Eastern Sovereign Heaven. [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] then descended with the [Moon God] in the guise of [Lord of the Clouds] to visit Great Chu, where they met Young Master Yu and saw signs of the realm’s growing cultivation strength.

• The [Moon God] recorded Great Chu’s unification and prosperity, including [Lady Xiang]’s rise to Shaman Godhood.
• [Lady Xiang] attached her Grotto-Heaven to Eastern Sovereign Heaven, and [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] welcomed her to cultivate there.
• [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] asked the [Moon God] to accompany him to Great Chu, intending to reincarnate an old acquaintance and guide him.
• Fang Qing and the [Moon God] traveled toward Chu Capital in the guise of rogue cultivators and accepted a ride with Young Master Yu.
• Young Master Yu explained that Chu worshipped [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] and described planned Shaman Gods, while also mentioning new Immortal Dao sects and Golden Core True Lords.

Fang Qing persuaded Young Master Yu that his dead fiancée could be brought back through the Nether Bureau, then used the Chu Emperor’s Shaman Terrace to announce a divine decree opening the way to the underworld. He left Young Master Yu with a map and a mission to retrieve her soul.

• Young Master Yu learned that Miss Xiong had died during her attempt to break through to the Dao Foundation and grieved for his childhood sweetheart and fiancée.
• Fang Qing told Young Master Yu that the Nether Bureau could offer a way to restore Miss Xiong, gave him a cloud-patterned scroll, and vanished with Yue.
• Young Master Yu found a map on the scroll tracing a route from Chu Capital to Fengdu, while a Purple Mansion True Person warned that Fang Qing was no ordinary cultivator.
• Fang Qing visited the Chu Shaman Terrace and met Shi Tianzun, revealing himself as the Lord of the Clouds and envoy of Eastern Sovereign Taiyi.
• Fang Qing declared that Eastern Sovereign Taiyi had opened the Nether Bureau and ordered Young Master Yu to carry the Nine Nether Soul-Crossing Divine Scripture there to retrieve Miss Xiong’s soul.

Young Master Yu received the Nine Nether Soul-Crossing Divine Scripture and the Qilin Tome from the Chu Emperor, then led three retainers into Fengdu to find the Nether Bureau. They escaped the Mountain Ghost by jumping into the abyss, while the Mountain Ghost watched from above and spoke of someone coming to help it.

• Young Master Yu presented the divine scroll to the Chu Emperor, who identified it as the Nine Nether Soul-Crossing Divine Scripture bestowed by Lord of the Clouds and lent her the Qilin Tome.
• Young Master Yu entered Fengdu with Qing Zhinu, Ri Qi, and Yan Kai, after most of her other retainers fled.
• Ri Qi used his Great Sun Dao Path to disperse a swarm of Witchcraft Gu, and Young Master Yu followed the scripture's guidance to a Shaman Terrace marking the Nether Bureau entrance.
• The group reached the abyss behind the Shaman Terrace and jumped in when the Mountain Ghost approached.
• The Mountain Ghost arrived at the abyss in the form of a ragged old man and said the Solar Edict kept it from entering, before claiming someone had come to help it.

Young Master Yu entered the Nether Bureau, formed a Nether Warden Dao Foundation, and found Xiong Mi among the dead. After Yan Kai, Ri Qi, and Qing Zhinu sacrificed themselves to help him escape with her, Xiong Mi answered a voice from behind and turned to stone, leaving Young Master Yu howling in anguish.

• Young Master Yu absorbed Nether Exile Qi and formed a Ghost Gate Dao Foundation, then opened the gate and entered the Nether Bureau with Qing Zhinu, Ri Qi, and Yan Kai.
• Young Master Yu learned about the Hao Li Procession and Yellow Springs River before finding Xiong Mi among the souls heading toward reincarnation.
• Young Master Yu discovered that Xiong Mi had forgotten herself after drinking from the Yellow Springs River and led her to the Stone of Three Lives, where her memories returned.
• Black and White Impermanence and a horde of ghosts attacked, and Yan Kai and Ri Qi sacrificed themselves to help Young Master Yu and Xiong Mi reach the Ghost Gate.
• Qing Zhinu forced the Ghost Gate open and died as Young Master Yu escaped with Xiong Mi, who then turned back at a voice calling her name and became a stone statue.

A hundred years after failing to rescue his beloved, Young Master Yu discovered that the Nine Nether Soul-Crossing Divine Scripture concealed a path to the Nether Warden Golden Seat. When Featherflight Sect’s Fei Gui Immortal was publicly cangued by the Chu Emperor for violating Great Chu’s laws, Young Master Yu feared a war and saw an opportunity to seek gold amid the coming upheaval.

• Young Master Yu reflected on his failed rescue, his rise to Purple Mansion, and his discovery of the scripture’s Nether Warden Golden Nature and path to the Golden Seat.
• Shi Chenggan visited Young Master Yu and warned that Featherflight Sect’s Fei Gui Immortal had rescued a Purple Mansion offender from an altar where he was to be sacrificed under Great Chu’s law.
• Young Master Yu recognized that Fei Gui Immortal’s intervention could provoke a conflict between Great Chu and Featherflight Sect.
• The Chu Emperor announced that Featherflight Sect’s Daoqing would be cangued and displayed publicly for three days before execution.
• Young Master Yu saw Daoqing bound and humiliated at the execution ground, then considered that the Chu court might be using the incident to target Featherflight Sect’s Golden Core True Lord.
• Young Master Yu felt excited at the prospect of seeking gold amid the spiritual aftermath of a Golden Core True Lord’s and Fei Gui Immortal’s deaths.

Great Chu’s founding ancestor killed a Golden Core True Lord from Featherflight Sect during Daoqing’s execution, while Young Master Yu used the celestial signs to attempt the Nether Warden Golden Seat and became a monstrosity after failing. Fang Qing revealed that the Nether Warden seat did not exist and considered arranging another path for her.

• Shi Tianfeng, the Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord, and the Water-Merging Moon Bane True Lord confronted the Featherflight Sect Golden Core True Lord as he tried to save Daoqing.
• Shi Tianfeng killed the Featherflight Sect True Lord, and the execution resumed as Daoqing was torn apart by five horses.
• Young Master Yu invoked four Nether Warden Divine Abilities and formed Golden Nature, but found no Nether Warden Golden Seat and transformed into a monstrosity.
• Fang Qing told the Moon God that Young Master Yu had nearly completed his Gold-Seeking Method and discussed reincarnating her or making her a Ghost Earl.

Fang Qing rewound history so Young Master Yu could try seeking Gold again, and Young Master Yu successfully manifested the [Nether Warden] Golden Seat and attained its Dao. The revelation of Fang Qing’s power left the Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord and Shi Tianfeng fearing the Sea of Bitterness and anticipating a change in First Phoenix.

• Fang Qing used [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] to reverse time and reset Young Master Yu’s failed attempt to seek Gold.
• Young Master Yu followed Fang Qing’s method, merged his [Nether Warden] Golden Nature with the empty Golden Seat, and attained the Dao of [Nether Warden].
• The Nether Bureau reopened, drawing departed souls into Fengdu, and the Mountain Ghost hoped to find her mother’s True Spirit in reincarnation.
• The Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord told Shi Tianfeng that Fang Qing could turn back time and that Golden Core True Lords could barely preserve fragments of their memories.
• The Bright Flame Radiance-World Imperial Lord predicted that First Phoenix would respond to the revelation of the Sea of Bitterness by seeking to cross it.

After [Nine Extremities Ghost Earl True Lord] reclaimed the Nether Bureau, he restored the memories of his past lives and resolved to stay out of the Chu Kingdom’s struggles. Fang Qing continued arranging the Dao Paths’ future while First Phoenix and the demons confronted the limits of their freedom.

• [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi] reflected that the Golden Core True Lords’ memories of the reversed history had been preserved to spur them to advance.
• [Nine Extremities Ghost Earl True Lord] summoned Ri Qi, Yan Kai, and Qing Zhinu, made them his Yin Spirit Yamas, and ordered them to cleanse the Nether Bureau.
• [Nine Extremities Ghost Earl True Lord] used the Stone of Three Lives to recall lives as Yuan, the founder of Great Jing, and as a mortal farmer from Three-Water Hollow, then chose to guard the Nether Bureau and avoid the Chu Kingdom’s conflicts.
• Fang Qing ignored the Great Sages and Golden Core True Lords kneeling outside Heaven of Purple Firmament and reviewed his plans for the Fire Virtue, Lunar Yin, and Great Sun Dao Paths.
• First Phoenix reached Late Golden Core and sought an audience with her Teacher, while a Great Sage in the thunderclouds mocked her ties to humanity.
• First Phoenix and the Great Sage acknowledged that they could not escape the Sea of Bitterness beyond their small world.

In Heavenly Chu, the impoverished twin grandsons of a deposed crown prince tried to enter the imperial Scripture Repository, but only Shi Taiyi gained access to a high-ranking technique. Shi Taiyi returned with a lesser scripture for his younger brother, leaving him with the Rising Sun Parting-Flame Scripture and its Calamity-Ash Seal.

• Instructor Shi explained the imperial descendants’ access to cultivation techniques as Shi Taiyi and Shi Taiyi arrived without their jade talismans.
• Shi Taiyi persuaded Instructor Shi to lend them a talisman, entered the Scripture Repository, and chose What Is Gained from Observing Joined Waters.
• Shi Taiyi promised to repay those who had mistreated them once he gained power and told Shi Taiyi he could only bring back one book.
• Shi Taiyi gave his younger brother the Rising Sun Parting-Flame Scripture, a Dao Foundation inheritance that cultivated Encampment Fire and the Calamity-Ash Seal.

Shi Taiyi cultivated at an extraordinary pace while investigating the strange history of Crown Prince Li, but his progress was cut short by news that his brother had died on the Fengdu trial. After receiving his brother’s ashes and belongings, he found something that surprised him.

• Shi Taiyi studied the Rising Sun Parting-Flame Scripture and considered cultivating by absorbing True Qi directly from Heaven and Earth.
• Shi Taiyi’s brother entered the Dao with Water-Joining Primordial Essence, while Shi Taiyi later cultivated Calamity-Ash True Qi and quickly mastered spells and sword techniques.
• Shi Taiyi stayed behind as his brother joined the instructors and students traveling to Fengdu, and he advanced to the peak of the Sixth Layer of Qi Ingestion.
• Shi Taiyi suspected that Crown Prince Li’s death had involved a Divine Ability and resolved to uncover the secrets once he became stronger.
• Instructor Shi told Shi Taiyi that his brother had been swallowed by a ghost tide at Fengdu and that the Nether Bureau had confirmed his death as an accident.
• Shi Taiyi received his brother’s ashes and belongings, then discovered something among them that made him cry out in surprise.

Shi Taiyi discovered that the Bronze Mirror opened a Bronze Hall where he could contact people in another world, and he granted Doniya a talisman in exchange for information. After gaining Origin Bright Qi from their interaction and advancing to the Ninth Layer of Qi Ingestion, he wondered whether powerful beings in Heavenly Chu already knew about the treasure.

• Shi Taiyi found the Bronze Mirror among his elder brother’s belongings and entered the Bronze Hall through it while sleeping.
• Shi Taiyi used the bronze table to view several scenes from other realms and contacted Doniya as she prayed before a mirror.
• Doniya told Shi Taiyi about her world’s three Orthodox God churches and asked him for power against an Iron cultivator.
• Shi Taiyi sent Doniya a Golden Dew Autumn Blade Talisman and named himself the Bronze King, Lord of Black Flame.
• Shi Taiyi absorbed a wisp of Origin Bright Qi from the Bronze Hall and advanced from the Sixth Layer to the Ninth Layer of Qi Ingestion.
• Shi Taiyi suspected the Lunar Yin might know of the Bronze Hall because of its talent for concealment.

Shi Taiyi formed the Calamity-Ash Seal Dao Foundation through the Encampment Fire path, then fled when Parasol demons launched a rebellion in Chu Capital. The Nine Chicks Facing the Sunborn Primordial Sovereign revealed she had seized Heavenly Chu’s national fortune to transform her Golden Seat and seek a chance to survive advancing beyond Golden Core.

• Fang Qing realized that the Encampment Fire Golden Seat had already been claimed by the Nine Chicks Facing the Sunborn Primordial Sovereign, leaving Shi Taiyi unable to pursue that seat.
• Shi Taiyi formed the Calamity-Ash Seal Dao Foundation and suspected that the deposed crown prince’s rising fortunes had accelerated his cultivation.
• Magu took Shi Taiyi to the Qiqiao Festival, where Half-Demon forces sealed Chu Capital and a Purple Mansion Great Demon began killing Chu generals.
• The Parasol demons attacked Ying Palace and announced that the Chu emperor had been executed, while Magu’s demon blood appeared to leave her under their control.
• Shi Taiyi used the Calamity-Ash Seal to escape as Chu Yaotian and the Shaman Gods fought the invading Demon Kings and the Nine Chicks Facing the Sunborn Primordial Sovereign.
• The Nine Chicks Facing the Sunborn Primordial Sovereign told Chu Yaotian that she had used their dual cultivation to devour Heavenly Chu’s national fortune and transform the Turtle Beak Fire Golden Seat.

The Phoenix Lord destroyed Heavenly Chu, transformed [Turtle Beak Fire] into demon fire, and claimed the Fire Virtue [Year Guardian] before confronting Fang Qing over the Water Virtue Golden Seats. As Shi Tianfeng fled with Chu survivors, he sensed history branching and learned that the Phoenix Lord had fallen.

• The Phoenix Lord burned the Chu Capital and killed Emperor [Turtle Beak Fire], while Shi Tianfeng and Shi Taiyi escaped with the fleeing survivors.
• Shi Taiyi's Calamity-Ash Seal Immortal Foundation advanced to perfection, but he was scorched and nearly underwent Dao Transformation after witnessing the Imperial Lord's death.
• The Phoenix Lord transformed [Turtle Beak Fire] into demon fire and began claiming the Fire Virtue [Year Guardian].
• Looking back through history, the Phoenix Lord found the Frost Qilin and the [Cold Intercalation] Golden Seat, then recognized Fang Qing as the one who had awakened memories of a previous life without her permission.
• Fang Qing challenged the newly ascended Phoenix Lord with the five Water Virtue Golden Seats and their primordial true waters.
• Shi Tianfeng sensed history branch into another possibility, then saw the sky darken and heard the birds mourn as he realized the Phoenix Lord had fallen.

Shi Taiyi discovered that Fire Virtue had weakened as the remnants of Heavenly Chu rebuilt their kingdom, while Shi Tianfeng learned that Shi Tianzun had survived by trading his Golden Seat. After devouring the Fire Virtue Year Guardian, Fang Qing awoke as a mid-stage Year Guardian and sensed that new variables had emerged.

• Shi Taiyi arrived in the Jianghuai Lands, where the survivors of Heavenly Chu rebuilt Great Chu and prepared to choose a new King of Chu.
• Shi Taiyi found that his Encampment Fire and Fire Virtue spiritual items had lost much of their power, suggesting that Fire Virtue itself had declined.
• Shi Tianfeng met Shi Tianzun, who revealed that he had traded the Turtle Beak Fire Golden Seat for Rahu and become a True Lord of an Auxiliary Seat.
• Shi Tianzun and Shi Tianfeng concluded that another Year Guardian had likely intercepted and killed the Phoenix after its ascension.
• Fang Qing awoke from seclusion after devouring the Fire Virtue Year Guardian and reached the mid-stage of Year Guardian.
• Fang Qing surveyed the world and noticed that new variables had appeared.