Chapter Summaries

Shi Liugen awakened in the past with memories of Later Chu’s future disasters and sought Shi Taiyi’s help, but Shi Taiyi captured and questioned him. The True Lords watched their exchange and suspected a strange power of the Heavenly Dao surrounded Shi Liugen.

• Shi Taiyi emerged from three years of seclusion after attaining a Divine Ability, and Later Chu cultivators gathered to congratulate him.
• Shi Liugen awoke in the year 22,004 of the Great Wilderness Calendar with memories of his life and resolved to prevent the Witchcraft Gu Catastrophe by seeking Shi Taiyi’s aid.
• Shi Taiyi noticed Shi Liugen outside Mystic Flame Hall, recognized his suspicious reactions, and took him into his sleeve despite another cultivator’s question.
• Several days later, Shi Liugen confessed that he had returned from the future and described the Witchcraft Gu Catastrophe, the God-Sealing War, and the Western Continent to Shi Taiyi.
• Shi Tianzun and Shi Tianfeng observed the meeting and discussed the future events, while Shi Tianzun identified the Heavenly Dao as the power surrounding Shi Liugen.

Fang Qing suspected that the Heavenly Dao, the Phoenix, or Lady Moon might be tied to a [Year Guardian]'s revival, but decided he could still control events. Shi Liugen cultivated rapidly under Shi Taiyi's watch and was taken to Fengdu to help investigate the coming Witchcraft Gu calamity.

• Fang Qing considered whether the Heavenly Dao, the Phoenix, or Lady Moon was involved in the possible revival of the Lunar Yin [Year Guardian], and resolved to keep control through his formation.
• Shi Liugen cultivated in Shi Taiyi's hall and quickly advanced to the Qi Ingestion Fourth Layer, then reflected on choosing the Well Wood Dao Path.
• Shi Taiyi told Shi Liugen that the Chu Emperor had ordered the shamans to rebuild the Shaman Terrace and sacrifice to [Eastern Sovereign Taiyi].
• Shi Taiyi brought Shi Liugen to Fengdu, where shamans had gathered to arrange offerings to the [Mountain Ghost] and seek signs behind the Witchcraft Gu calamity.

Shi Taiyi used a sacrificial rite at Fengdu to investigate [Mountain Ghost], but the offerings revealed no new signs or decrees, so he chose to return to the imperial capital and watch for changes. Several days later, he contacted Doniya through the Bronze Mirror and asked her to gather spiritual materials and prepare rituals in Innsmouth as he began probing the Western Continent.

• Shi Taiyi and Shi Liugen watched Chu Shamans sacrifice a white ox, a white sheep, and a black pig at Fengdu to probe [Mountain Ghost].
• The shamans found that [Mountain Ghost] had taken the ewe and cow but left no new traces or decree, and Shi Taiyi decided to report back and observe events quietly.
• Shi Taiyi used the Bronze Mirror to contact Doniya in Innsmouth, where she told him the Plantagenet Dynasty had remained peaceful apart from the Iron Church pursuing Esoteric Sect followers.
• Shi Taiyi asked Doniya to gather spiritually rich materials and arrange formations and rituals so he could begin exploring the Western Continent.

Shi Taiyi crossed into Doniya’s apartment in Innsmouth through a ritual, posing as the Bronze King’s divine envoy. When Iron Church forces attacked Doniya, Shi Taiyi drove them back and ordered their bishop to kill himself.

• Doniya summoned Shi Taiyi using mermaid blood and rosemary oil, and he arrived through a flaming doorway, calling himself Chu.
• Shi Taiyi briefly entered the Great Void, saw dangerous gray mist and a gigantic palm print, then returned to his phantom in the mortal world.
• Shi Taiyi noticed that Thirteenth Office agents were surveilling Doniya and warned her that spies were nearby.
• Iron Church forces attacked Doniya’s apartment with an alchemical bomb and Iron Guards, but Shi Taiyi repelled the guards with a palm strike and black flames.
• Shi Taiyi asked Doniya whether the church members were her enemies, then ordered them to kill themselves, and their old bishop slashed his own throat.

Shi Taiyi confronted the Moon Church after overpowering the Iron Church clerics and sending Nefis to report the Lord of Black Flame’s challenge. At the cathedral, he battled the Pope and a hidden angel, but the Bronze Mirror’s influence restored his resolve and turned his attention toward testing the Lady of the Moon.

• Shi Taiyi froze the Iron Church clerics, then compelled Nefis and two Thirteenth Office agents to reveal their identities.
• Shi Taiyi had Doniya announce the Lord of Black Flame and ordered Nefis to carry his greetings and warning to the Moon Church.
• Nefis reported the encounter to the Moon Church Pope, who recognized the threat and confronted Shi Taiyi through her divine powers.
• Shi Taiyi used Divine Abilities and sorcery to fight the Pope and a hidden blindfolded angel, briefly turning the Pope into a black nanny goat.
• The angel’s moonlight broke the influence affecting Shi Taiyi, and the Bronze Mirror awakened the Origin Bright Qi within him.
• Shi Taiyi recovered his resolve and decided to test the Lady of the Moon instead of the Tyrant.

Fang Qing used Shi Taiyi to confront Lady Moon, revealing the Lunar Yin Year Guardian’s return and trapping her behind a strengthened Veil. He arranged for her to reclaim the Lunar Yin Year Guardian position, while the Veil’s disappearance left the Western Continent’s sailors staring at a world without its fog wall.

• Fang Qing empowered Shi Taiyi with Encampment Fire authority, allowing him to cross the Veil and attack Lady Moon with four merged fires.
• Lady Moon’s form shattered into a jade mirror, revealing the Lunar Yin Year Guardian behind her and exposing Fang Qing’s agreement with the Guardian.
• The Lunar Yin Year Guardian explained that the Phoenix True Spirit had carried her contingency for resurrection and that she had awakened in the Western Continent to avoid Fang Qing’s net.
• Fang Qing revealed that he had reinforced the Veil to trap the Lunar Yin Year Guardian and promised her the Lunar Yin traditions so she could reclaim her position.
• Fang Qing drew the net around the Veil, cutting off the Western Continent’s rituals and removing the fog wall that sailors had used as a landmark.

Fang Qing began the God-Sealing War after sweeping most of the Western Continent’s gods into his net, while Eastern Sovereign Taiyi announced that cultivators who died in battle would be sealed as gods. As Later Chu’s army entered the weakened Western Continent, Shi Liugen realized events had diverged from his memories, and Mountain Ghost prepared Gu shamans for the war before encountering his mother’s confused spirit.

• Fang Qing captured nearly all the Western Continent’s gods and declared that the God-Sealing War between East and West had begun.
• Eastern Sovereign Taiyi announced that fallen cultivators would receive shamanic rites and enter his Dark Shaman Lineage as gods.
• Shi Liugen witnessed the war’s beginning, then learned that Later Chu had sent an expeditionary army to the Western Continent, where most gods had vanished.
• Mountain Ghost created three powerful Gu shamans and sent them toward the Western Continent, then halted the flow of spirits after recognizing his mother’s soul.
• Mountain Ghost’s mother failed to recognize him, and he roared in anguish.

The Mountain Ghost stopped blocking souls from entering the Nether Bureau and planned to help a spirit resembling his mother regain her memories. In Eastern Sovereign Heaven, Fang Qing and the Moon God watched Green Hill Heaven’s demons ravage Innsmouth, where Doniya fought back before a Six-Tailed Demon Fox sensed a fellow Daoist’s traces on her.

• The Mountain Ghost mistook an ordinary woman’s True Spirit for his mother, but the Nether Bureau invoked Nether Law and made him release the river of souls.
• The Mountain Ghost kept the woman’s spirit and ordered two surviving poison-and-gu incarnations to travel to the Western Continent and earn merit.
• Fang Qing examined Green Hill Heaven with the Moon God and saw Later Chu’s army and Demon Kingdom envoys on the Western Continent.
• A Six-Tailed Demon Fox and other Purple Mansion demons devoured Innsmouth’s residents while Heart Moon Divine Ability made Beyonders willingly approach the fox.
• Doniya killed a Beyonder who tried to seize her, then faced the Six-Tailed Demon Fox, which sensed traces of a fellow Daoist on her.

The Lunar Yin Year Guardian used Shi Taiyi and the Six-Tailed Demon Fox to enter Green Hill Heaven, where she seized control of the Lunar Yin authorities and confronted the Sky Fox Great Sage. Shi Taiyi returned to Jianghuai stripped of his exalted status and the Bronze Mirror, and resolved to cultivate for revenge.

• The Six-Tailed Demon Fox searched Doniya's memories, discovered her connection to the Bronze King and the divine envoy, and was struck by the [Lunar Soul Spirit Pearl]'s "All Things Beget Life" ability.
• The Six-Tailed Demon Fox gave birth to a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, which opened Green Hill Heaven and led Shi Taiyi inside past the Lunar Yin Immortal Formation.
• Lady Moon emerged from the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and bound the [Heart Moon] Great Sage with [Net Moon], but the Sky Fox escaped through its "Mystic Womb Opening" authority.
• Lady Moon claimed the [Rooftop Moon], [Net Moon], and [Extended Net Moon] Golden Seats, reached Late Golden Core, and attacked the Sky Fox Great Sage.
• Shi Taiyi returned to the Jianghuai Lands after Fang Qing withdrew, having lost the Bronze Mirror and his exalted standing while retaining four Divine Abilities at Purple Mansion Peak.
• Shi Taiyi vowed to cultivate despite his fear and resentment, determined to rise again.

Shi Taiyi perfected his four Divine Abilities but found his path forward blocked, until an encounter with Yinghuo Rahu True Lord revealed a possible route through the [Rahu] Golden Seat. Shi Tianzun disclosed that he intended to leave his seat and needed Shi Taiyi to cultivate into a replacement.

• Shi Taiyi perfected the four Divine Abilities and realized that his fixed [Encampment Fire] path left him facing the difficult prospect of Void Manifestation.
• Shi Liugen returned from the Western Continent, where Later Chu had conquered much of the land, and presented Shi Taiyi with an Eye of Kuiqi.
• Shi Taiyi sensed a familiar aura in the eye, placed it in Shi Liugen's brow, and entered the hidden sanctuary within Shi Liugen's sea of consciousness.
• Shi Taiyi encountered Yinghuo Rahu True Lord, who explained that Shi Liugen's Heavenly Dao nature concealed them from the Heavenly Dao's gaze.
• Shi Tianzun told Shi Taiyi that [Rahu] connected to the Fire Virtue Dao Path and revealed that he planned to change seats, with Shi Taiyi potentially cultivating to fill his place.

Shi Taiyi rejected Shi Tianzun’s offer to inherit a Golden Core path, while Shi Tianzun urged him to prepare for Fang Qing’s next move. As Fang Qing celebrated the Lunar Yin [Year Guardian]’s restoration and learned the name of her Golden Nature, Doniya watched the upheaval in Innsmouth and saw the moon transform.

• Shi Taiyi refused Shi Tianzun’s offer and resolved to seek his own Dao, but discussed waiting for Fang Qing to reach a critical juncture before acting.
• Shi Tianzun declared that he intended to pursue [Solar Yang] rather than seek Earth Virtue, and Shi Taiyi heard him accept the danger.
• Doniya saw Later Chu soldiers occupy Innsmouth, register residents, and demand that Beyonders declare their abilities and surrender their secret tomes.
• Doniya collected porridge under the name Antonia and heard that only the Moon Church and Earth Church still received divine responses.
• Doniya saw a daytime moon surrounded by rainbow radiance and lunar phases, then noticed Emperor's Flowing Essence falling from the heavens.
• Fang Qing congratulated the Lunar Yin [Year Guardian] on restoring her honored position, and she revealed the 'Cold Soul Moon Cassia Waxing-Waning Nature' and warned him about pursuing Dao Fruit.

As Lunar Yin faded, Shi Taiyi used the Calamity-Ash Seal to claim the [Rahu] Golden Seat after [Yinghuo Rahu True Lord] abdicated. Shi Tianzun then attempted to seek the [Solar Yang] Fruit Seat, with [Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord] supporting him as the attempt began to falter.

• Lunar Yin dimmed across the world, weakening its cultivators and causing Lunar Yin spiritual objects to wither or vanish.
• Shi Liugen watched as Shi Taiyi declared that he would seek Gold beneath the [Rahu] Golden Seat.
• Shi Taiyi combined his three [Encampment Fire] Divine Abilities with the Calamity-Ash Seal to temper [Rahu] Golden Nature.
• [Yinghuo Rahu True Lord] relinquished his seat, and Shi Taiyi ascended it as [Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord].
• Shi Tianzun used his accumulated achievements to attempt to manifest the [Solar Yang] Fruit Seat, but struggled to step onto its golden rainbow bridge.
• [Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord] supported Shi Tianzun with his flames, risking the erosion of his essence and life.

Shi Liugen’s sacrifice awakened Shi Tianzun’s past life, allowing him to become [Great Sun Tathagata] and join the Supreme Unity Ancestor in preparing to attack Eastern Sovereign Heaven. As powerful beings across the world gathered or chose to hold back, the chapter left the planned assault poised to begin while Fang Qing remained occupied devouring the Lunar Yin [Year Guardian].

• [Water-Merging Moon Bane True Lord] refined Shi Liugen and sent the power drawn from him into Shi Tianzun and Shi Taiyi, awakening their past-life memories.
• Shi Tianzun merged with the [Solar Yang] Golden Seat, became [Great Sun Tathagata], and learned that the Great Sun Dao Path lay within Eastern Sovereign Heaven.
• [Great Sun Tathagata] and the Supreme Unity Ancestor discovered that the Nether Warden had a master and that several Dao Paths and Golden Seats were locked or occupied.
• [Great Sun Tathagata] and the Supreme Unity Ancestor called on powerful beings to form an alliance against Eastern Sovereign Heaven while Fang Qing was occupied with the Lunar Yin [Year Guardian].
• [Mountain Ghost] left Fengdu after confirming that the punishment of Solar Yang had not come, while [Nine Extremities Ghost Earl True Lord] chose to stabilize the Nether Bureau.
• Sangji heard that True Lords were forming an alliance and suspected that their assault on Eastern Sovereign Heaven might serve the Venerable’s purpose.

The Moon God watched Eastern Sovereign Heaven collapse after Lady Xiang’s Grotto-Heaven opened a breach and Shaman Gods, influenced by Heavenly Will, attacked from within. The Great Sun Tathagata claimed the fall of Eastern Sovereign Heaven ended Shamanism’s lineage, gathered three Great Sun Golden Seats, and began his assault on the station of Year Guardian.

• The Moon God realized Lady Xiang had damaged her Grotto-Heaven to open a breach in Eastern Sovereign Heaven.
• The Shaman Gods attacked Eastern Sovereign Heaven, and the Moon God tried to stop them by restoring their clarity with Lunar Yin authority.
• The Great Sun Tathagata and Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord revealed that four Golden Seats were sealed within Eastern Sovereign Heaven, preventing anyone from becoming Great Sun Year Guardian unless Shamanism and its Grotto-Heaven were destroyed.
• Eastern Sovereign Heaven fell, the Shaman God seats on the Nine-Tier Shaman Terrace crumbled, and Chu Shamans began losing their powers.
• The Great Sun Tathagata announced that he had brought down Eastern Sovereign Heaven and ended Shamanism’s lineage, then drew the Star Sun, Emptiness Sun, and Hairy Head Sun Golden Seats to himself.
• The Great Sun Tathagata reached Golden Core Perfection and launched his assault on the station of Year Guardian.

After rewinding history to the start of the Lunar-Yin Calamity, the Great Sun Tathagata pursued his opponent into False History and faced a Water-Fire Immortal Formation. Water-Merging Moon Bane True Lord and Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord entered the formation, but the Great Sun Tathagata destroyed False History and both Auxiliary Seat True Lords, leaving his opponent’s fate unresolved.

• The Great Sun Tathagata attained the Furnace-Melting Myriad-Forms Nature and rewound the world to the beginning of the Lunar-Yin Calamity.
• The Great Sun Tathagata searched Green Hill Heaven for his opponent, discovered he was absent from history, and suspected he had hidden in False History.
• The Great Sun Tathagata found a Water-Fire Immortal Formation blocking False History and identified its two Year Guardian Golden Natures.
• Water-Merging Moon Bane True Lord and Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord entered the formation, and Vermilion Orbit Ember True Lord gathered several Golden Seats to unleash a sword strike.
• The Great Sun Tathagata broke through the formation and unleashed the Lunar-Solar Annihilation Divine Light Ray, erasing False History and both Auxiliary Seat True Lords.

Great Sun Tathagata fled beyond heaven to escape Fang Qing, but Fang Qing found him and brought him back, leaving him kneeling in submission. Fang Qing restored the Great Sun Golden Seat without devouring its Year Guardian, then began the Sun-Eclipse Calamity as he pursued a path toward the Dao Fruit.

• After the deaths of two True Lords and the collapse of the water and fire cycles, Great Sun Tathagata searched for Fang Qing and chose to flee beyond heaven with fragments of his Year Guardian authority and Golden Seat.
• Fang Qing emerged beyond heaven, captured Great Sun Tathagata, and returned with him to the Breath-Nourishing Dao world.
• Fang Qing revealed that he had hidden beyond heaven while devouring the Lunar Yin Year Guardian and had used the Dao-Born Pearl, Causality, and the Heart Demon to track and subdue Great Sun Tathagata.
• The Great Sun Golden Seats returned to Great Sun Tathagata, while cultivators across the world saw four suns reappear and questioned the reports of his departure.
• Fang Qing kept Great Sun Tathagata alive to help balance his water, fire, yin, and yang powers, then began the Sun-Eclipse Calamity.

Fang Qing devoured Great Sun [Year Guardian] and fused the four [Year Guardian] Golden Natures with the Dao-Born Pearl, achieving Dao Fruit. After restoring the world's Golden Seats and arranging reincarnations for old companions, he left the world.

• Fang Qing finished digesting Great Sun [Year Guardian], reached [Year Guardian] consummation, and returned to the Breath-Nourishing Dao world.
• Fang Qing understood that the Dao-Born Pearl could unify the four conflicting Golden Natures, then fused them into his Dao Fruit and annihilated the original Heavenly Will.
• Fang Qing returned the Golden Seats to the Great Void, stabilizing and expanding the world, and restored Lunar Yin [Year Guardian] while sending Great Sun Tathagata's True Spirit to reincarnate with sealed memories.
• Fang Qing drew familiar True Spirits into reincarnation with their memories intact, including Moon God, Zhong Lingxiu, Xiang Dahu, Yu Xiang'er, Zhan Hongxiu, and Gui Ling.
• Sangji and Nine Extremities Ghost Earl True Lord met Fang Qing, who said he was arranging things for old friends before leaving the world.

After becoming a Dao Fruit, Fang Qing traveled to Daluo Heaven, learned about its hierarchy and the struggle for transcendence, and discovered that the Dao-Born Pearl had sent his soul into the past. He realized he had caused his own transmigration and glimpsed the battlefield awaiting Daluo Immortals.

• Fang Qing explored new worlds beyond the heavens and followed his causal connection to Myriad Beasts Immortal Lord into Daluo Heaven.
• Myriad Beasts Immortal Lord welcomed Fang Qing as a Daluo Immortal, and Fang Qing explained the paths of Dao Derivation and Dao Dissolution before giving him a protective token.
• Fang Qing learned that Daluo Heaven was home to Daluo Immortals and Taiyi Immortals, and that only those destined to be Daluo could reach that realm.
• Fang Qing opened a gate with the Dao-Born Pearl and saw its light carry his soul from Earth into the Breath-Nourishing Dao world.
• Fang Qing realized the Dao-Born Pearl was his own Dao Fruit and that his future Daluo self had caused his transmigration.
• Fang Qing learned that Daluo Immortals could transcend to a battlefield, where countless figures seemed to welcome his arrival.