Chapter Summaries

Zhang Jian attended Daoist Jueming’s ascension ceremony, where the Heavenly Emperor invested Jueming as a Blessing Virtue Divine Officer of the Purple Azure Division. After Jueming ascended and the ceremony ended, a drought fiend erupted from an ancient city at the edge of the Two Realms Region and sped away.

• The Demon-Slaying True Lord introduced Zhang Jian to the gathered guests, including the Human Origin Inspector, while warning him about ancient immortals who had remained in the world.
• Daoist Jueming thanked his masters and entrusted the Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage to his junior disciples and students before the ascension began.
• The Heavenly Emperor’s decree invested Daoist Jueming as a Blessing Virtue Divine Officer, and Jueming ascended to the heavenly palace.
• After the ceremony, most guests departed while others stayed for the succession ceremony of Paulownia Mountain’s third sect master.
• A drought fiend burst from an ancient city at the edge of the Two Realms Region and raced in a certain direction.

Zhang Jian learned more about earth laws from Patriarch King Xia Yu’s notes before the Demon-Slaying True Lord sent him to deal with a Hànba ravaging the Thousand Dragon Sect’s lands. As the Hànba fought three Thousand Dragon Sect Primordial Spirit True Persons, an unseen force disrupted its escape beneath the earth.

• Zhang Jian studied Patriarch King Xia Yu’s notes on the Nine-Colored Self-Growing Soil and earth laws, then prepared to return to Great Xia.
• The Demon-Slaying True Lord showed Zhang Jian the devastation caused by a Hànba and asked him to help the Thousand Dragon Sect; Zhang Jian accepted.
• Zhang Jian encountered Ironheart Daoist and spent the night carousing with him and fellow disciples before traveling onward.
• Jing Yue, Gan Lei, and Yu Feiyun tracked the Hànba through devastated villages and watched it attack and drain an infant.
• The three Thousand Dragon Sect elders fought the Hànba, but it escaped underground after overpowering Yu Feiyun.
• A yellow light appeared around the mountains, and the Hànba’s aura suddenly became disordered beneath the earth.

Zhang Jian destroyed a Drought Demon and claimed the Earth Baleful Inferno Orb, then accepted an invitation to the Thousand Dragon Sect as he sought opportunities to expand Great Xia’s influence. Meanwhile, Azure Glow Dao Lord resolved to take action and acquire offerings before Zhang Jian made another major sacrifice.

• Zhang Jian introduced himself to three Primordial Spirit True Persons and suppressed the Drought Demon with his earth authority.
• The Drought Demon broke free and charged at Zhang Jian, who destroyed it with two Creation-grade immortal arts and took its Earth Baleful Inferno Orb.
• Zhang Zhao watched Zhang Jian’s display, and the three Primordial Spirit True Persons thanked Zhang Jian and invited him to the Thousand Dragon Sect.
• Zhang Jian accepted the invitation, hoping to learn how Great Xia could expand into the Two Realms Region and the Eastern Hanging Divine Continent.
• Azure Glow Dao Lord refined the Purple-Green Register, recognized the risk of further sacrifices, and decided to find good things to exchange for.

Azure Glow Dao Lord consigned the Five Dragons Cudgel to the Jade Pool Consignment Auction, hoping to cover the funds she had diverted by selling the Connate Merit Spirit Treasure. The Jade Pool Holy Mother confirmed the treasure’s authenticity, and the auction’s announcement drew powerful buyers, including the Five Elements Dao Palace, while Azure Glow Dao Lord considered how to repair her losses.

• Azure Glow Dao Lord hurried to the Jade Pool Consignment Auction and consigned the Five Dragons Cudgel under an unknown Dao Lord’s identity.
• Great Dao Lord Taisu verified the treasure, waived the consignment fee, arranged a promotional unveiling, and guaranteed a minimum sale price while keeping ownership with Azure Glow Dao Lord.
• Great Dao Lord Taisu reported the consignment to the Jade Pool Holy Mother, who examined the Five Dragons Cudgel and confirmed it was a rare Connate Merit Spirit Treasure.
• The Jade Pool Consignment Auction publicized the sale, prompting the Five Elements Dao Palace to enter the Jade Pool Heavenly Realm and negotiate with the Jade Pool Holy Mother.
• Azure Glow Dao Lord welcomed the interest from the Five Elements Dao Palace but remained uncertain whether the sale could provide enough to buy an equivalent heavenly and earthly divine object.

The State-Society Ancient Immortal sought Azure Glow Dao Lord’s guidance about a rival emperor, and she warned him not to harm Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian returned to Great Xia as its power grew, while Zhao Cheng arrived with good news.

• The State-Society Ancient Immortal asked Azure Glow Dao Lord to deduce the identity of a newly risen divine path emperor.
• Azure Glow Dao Lord told the State-Society Ancient Immortal that Zhang Jian carried an ancient emperor’s bloodline and must not be touched.
• Zhang Jian failed to obtain information about other anomalies from the Thousand Dragon Sect, but sought to build ties with the sect for Great Xia.
• Zhang Jian returned to Haojing City with Empress Qi, Empress Bai, and Zhang Zhao as Great Xia’s national fortune and defenses strengthened.
• Zhang Jian considered advancing his immortal arts, including the Diagram of Mountains, Rivers, and the State and the Nine Nether Corpse-Shedding True Method.
• Zhao Cheng returned from his travels and brought Zhang Jian good news.

Zhang Jian learned that a Heavenly Demon Star would descend near Jiutan Prefecture and arranged to join the effort to stop it. While preparing for the coming crisis, he condensed the Human Emperor Destiny, strengthening his authority over Great Xia’s imperial and dragon qi.

• Zhao Cheng told Zhang Jian that Heavenly Demon altars had been discovered in Jiutan Prefecture and a Heavenly Demon Star might descend within one to two months.
• After the Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage confirmed the threat, Zhang Jian asked the Demon-Slaying True Lord for detailed intelligence and volunteered to act personally.
• Zhang Jian cultivated the Yellow Court Blessed Land Method and condensed the Human Emperor Destiny by devouring his eight existing Son of Heaven destinies.
• The new destiny stabilized Zhang Jian’s Primordial Spirit methods and gave him control of Great Xia’s imperial qi and dragon qi.
• Violet qi surged across regions and Sacred King ritual artifacts resonated as Zhang Jian’s Human Emperor Destiny formed, though he had not yet attained the rank of an ancient Sacred King.

Zhang Jian investigated the Heavenly Demon altars near Yan City and confronted a powerful demon fetus descending at Three Plains Town. As the demon fetus drew on an enormous array of demon stars and attacked the surrounding people, Zhang Jian fought to contain it while Boundless True Lord and other cultivators watched.

• Zhang Jian met Boundless True Lord in Yan City, and they discussed the Heavenly Demon altar and the dangers posed by other cultivators seeking the Heavenly Demon Star’s descent.
• Zhang Jian sensed concealed demonic qi in nearby ancient cities and concluded that the finest altar was in Three Plains Town, so he went there while Boundless True Lord stayed in Yan City.
• Three days later, the Heavenly Demon Star descended over Three Plains Town, and a demon fetus emerged from the altar as a Dao-Integration True Lord attacked it.
• The demon fetus repelled the Dao-Integration True Lord’s sword arts and began eroding his Dao heart, so Zhang Jian manifested the Prince Jun Golden Man and struck the demon fetus.
• The demon fetus unleashed powerful defensive arts and a demonic formation that drained the people of Three Plains Town, while Zhang Jian used the Human Emperor’s Canopy to protect them and suppress the demonic qi.
• Boundless True Lord arrived with other cultivators and warned Zhang Jian that the demon god was exceptionally powerful, as the Heavenly Demon Star gathered countless demon stars.

Zhang Jian destroyed the Heavenly Demon and forced Jin Wuyang to serve Great Xia, while the Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage lifted its mountain-sealing restriction and reclaimed tribute from surrounding sects. After cultivating the Nine Nether Corpse-Shedding Method, Zhang Jian sensed an innate aura and vanished toward the Two Realms Region to investigate a possible treasure.

• Zhang Jian used the Dragon Roar Sword, empowered by the State-Society Emperor and Human Emperor authorities, to destroy the demonic fetus, the Heavenly Demon altar, and the remaining demonic qi.
• Zhang Jian stopped Jin Wuyang from leaving and compelled him to serve Great Xia for a thousand years, then placed a Soul-Cleansing Azure Lotus Mantra in his brow.
• Floating Daoist saw that the Great Xia Emperor's fortune lotus had transformed and learned that resolving the Heavenly Demon Star disaster had greatly increased the Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage's fortune.
• The Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage announced that it was ending its mountain-sealing restriction and restoring its population tax, prompting many sects to submit and others to seek its protection.
• Zhang Jian cultivated the Nine Nether Corpse-Shedding Method to the Pure Yang level and sensed an innate aura moving toward the Two Realms Region.
• Zhang Jian suspected the aura marked a destined opportunity and vanished from the blessed land's dharma realm to pursue it.

Zhang Jian tracked an innate treasure’s aura into the Boundary Ridge Mountains and found it hiding within a boulder. Nine Heavens True Lord Xin Ziqing also sensed the treasure and followed, while Zhang Jian recognized the boulder as an extraordinary opportunity.

• Zhang Jian pursued a thread of innate spiritual potential into the Boundary Ridge Mountains, where it escaped his attempt to catch it beneath the earth.
• At Withered Wood Cliff, Nine Heavens True Lord Xin Ziqing failed to recover the phantom of an old friend from her treasures and felt grief before strengthening her awareness with the Nine-Leaf Purple Yarrow.
• Nine Heavens True Lord Xin Ziqing sensed Zhang Jian’s concealed Primordial Spirit consciousness and the treasure’s innate aura, then followed them.
• Zhang Jian crossed fierce winds and divine thunder to reach a mountaintop, where the golden aura entered a huge boulder.
• Zhang Jian recognized the aura as an innate geng-metal spirit, examined the boulder, and realized it concealed a strange treasure and his true opportunity.

Zhang Jian discovered an innate spirit embryo within a stone on Mount Jimu and claimed it as a future guardian war god of the Great Xia Dynasty. When Xin Ziqing and Ape Emperor True Lord challenged his claim, Zhang Jian suppressed them with imperial authority, and Xin Ziqing yielded.

• Zhang Jian recognized that an innate spirit embryo had formed inside the spirit stone and prepared to take it away for the Great Xia Dynasty.
• Zhang Jian revealed that Nine Heavens True Lord Xin Ziqing and Ape Emperor True Lord had been watching him from the storm.
• Ape Emperor True Lord claimed the stone as a sacred relic of the Iron-Armed Golden Ape Clan and warned Zhang Jian not to take it.
• Zhang Jian invoked his imperial authority to immobilize Xin Ziqing and Ape Emperor True Lord, then asked whether anyone objected to his taking the stone.
• Xin Ziqing acknowledged Zhang Jian’s claim and said they would not contend with him for the treasure.

Zhang Jian seized the innate spirit stone, punished the Ape Emperor True Lord for threatening revenge, and brought the stone to Haojing City to nurture it. As Great Xia recruited talent, Fire Baptism Sect leader Daoist Yuanhuo arrived at its border and was escorted inside by Daoist Jingming.

• Zhang Jian took the nine-zhang boulder and left Xin Ziqing and the Ape Emperor True Lord; Xin Ziqing healed the Ape Emperor True Lord with a Creation Golden Elixir, but he accused her of withholding her trump card.
• Xin Ziqing departed, and Zhang Jian returned to seize the Ape Emperor True Lord after he vowed revenge, turning the Iron-Armed Golden Ape into an ape-shaped stone inside the Diagram of Mountains, Rivers, and the State.
• Xin Ziqing used the Nine-Leaved Purple Yarrow to see the Ape Emperor True Lord being captured and concluded that his vengeful intent had brought about his death.
• Zhang Jian placed the innate spirit stone on an earth altar in Haojing City, where Phoenix Spirit, Bai Nu, Bai Xianyin, and Little White Turtle began studying its mysteries.
• Zhang Jian issued a proclamation seeking talent for Great Xia, prompting cultivators and sect leaders to investigate the dynasty as a possible refuge.
• Daoist Yuanhuo led Fire Baptism Sect representatives to Great Xia, where Daoist Jingming directed them to obtain travel documents before escorting them into the Nine Cauldrons Dharma Realm.

Daoist Yuanhuo and the Fire Baptism Sect elders traveled through Great Xia, discovering thriving markets, tightly controlled spirit lands, and prosperous farmland that strengthened their confidence in the dynasty. In Haojing City, Zhang Jian spread the Yellow Court Blessed Land Realm to reinforce his imperial territory and prepared to break through into Creation.

• Daoist Jingming helped Daoist Yuanhuo and the Fire Baptism Sect elders obtain travel permits and warned them to obey Great Xia's laws.
• The five sect members explored Great Xia's markets, bought rare spirit medicines, and learned that most spirit veins and blessed lands were controlled by the court and available only by lease or grant.
• Daoist Yuanhuo and the others saw prosperous farmland and praised Great Xia's flourishing people and the Emperor's agricultural reforms.
• Zhang Jian spread the Yellow Court Blessed Land Realm's origins across the commanderies to strengthen the Diagram of Mountains, Rivers, and the State and build Great Xia's own cultivation resources.
• After noticing that the recruitment list was attracting capable cultivators, Zhang Jian prepared to bear witness to Creation as his Primordial Spirit immortal arts reached perfection.

Zhang Jian broke through to the Creation Realm and gained a powerful true Primordial Spirit body, then returned to receiving candidates for Great Xia’s recruitment edict. Two months later, Bai Nu began the tribulation of dragon transformation at Whitewater.

• Zhang Jian compressed his immense Creation light and used it to transform his State-Society Emperor Primordial Spirit into a true Primordial Spirit body.
• Zhang Jian sensed the Creation Realm’s increased power and considered pursuing Dao Integration later, choosing instead to take his time and govern Great Xia.
• Several days later, Zhang Jian emerged from seclusion to personally receive and assess candidates arriving in response to Great Xia’s recruitment edict.
• Two months later, Bai Nu faced the dragon-transformation tribulation at Whitewater while Great Xia’s Primordial Spirit True Persons sealed off the surrounding area.

Bai Nu used Zhang Jian’s Thunder Path Edict to disperse his dragon transformation tribulation, then became a Dark Abyss True Dragon and immediately crossed the fifth Yin Spirit tribulation. He emerged as a Primordial Spirit Grand True Person, while the Sheji Ancient Immortal wondered who had supplied the priceless edict.

• Bai Nu faced the dragon transformation tribulation as cultivators and the Whitewater Dragon Palace watched.
• When Karmic Fire Soul-Burning Tribulation appeared, Bai Nu unleashed a Thunder Path Edict from Zhang Jian, dispersing the tribulation and allowing his dragon shedding to begin.
• Bai Nu transformed into a Dark Abyss True Dragon, whose command of wind, thunder, rain, and lightning gave him power beyond Pure Yang Mirror Primordial Spirit True Persons.
• The Sheji Ancient Immortal recognized the Thunder Path Edict and suspected it came from a Dao Lord or the Paulownia Mountain Dao Lineage.
• Bai Nu entered the void realm to cross the fifth Yin Spirit tribulation and, after auspicious signs appeared, advanced directly to the Primordial Spirit Golden Body realm.

After Bai Nu became a dragon, Zhang Jian invested him as the High Lake Dragon King, prompting the State Deity Divine Path to consider Great Xia’s challenge to its authority. The State Deities Ancient Immortal accepted the investiture, tacitly recognizing Great Xia’s position in the divine path.

• Zhang Jian held a Dragon Transformation Ceremony for Bai Nu and granted him the title of High Lake Dragon King.
• The Canal Dragon Lord and the Dragon Queen discussed arranging a marriage between Bai Nu and a dragon maiden from Azure Duckweed Sea to strengthen their bloodline and family ties.
• The Human Origin Inspector urged the State Deities Ancient Immortal to punish Great Xia for investing Bai Nu without the State Deity Divine Path’s authority.
• The State Deities Ancient Immortal argued that Bai Nu still obeyed the divine laws and chose not to challenge Great Xia’s legitimate authority as a sage king’s dynasty.
• The State Deities Ancient Immortal sent Zhang Jian a formal edict investing Bai Nu as the High Lake Dragon King, and Zhang Jian recognized it as tacit acceptance of Great Xia’s place in the divine path.

In Shengde Year 12, Zhang Jian’s rule brought Great Xia close to its peak, while he cultivated and sought ways to protect his aging family. After Qi Yi died and was appointed Commandery City God of Jiulian Commandery, Zhang Jian witnessed a vast celestial omen as a gigantic golden toad swallowed Taiyin.

• Zhang Jian handed court affairs to Crown Prince Zhang Zhao and advanced his cultivation and understanding of the Emperor authorities.
• At Dragon-Locking Dam, the Heavenly Void Daoist saw Qi Yi’s failing vitality, and Qi Yi reflected on his life and lost family.
• Qi Yi died of illness, and the court appointed him Commandery City God of Jiulian Commandery.
• Zhang Jian comforted the grieving Empress Qi and considered ways to preserve his family’s vitality and lifespan until he achieved the Great Dao.
• As Zhang Jian rode away from Fengzhi Palace, Taiyin shone brightly before a gigantic golden toad swallowed the moon.

Zhang Jian investigated the omen of a powerful demon awakening and accepted an invitation to explore Evening-Moon Grotto-Heaven, an ancient ruin opening after centuries of instability. After receiving his master’s warnings, he joined five other Paulownia Mountain cultivators as Bone-Burning True Lord prepared to lead them inside.

• Zhang Jian sensed the heavenly omen and sent a message to Paulownia Mountain, while Floating Daoist suspected a peerless demon had awakened and summoned the elders to discuss it.
• Zhang Jian completed his Nine Nether Corpse-Shedding True Method deduction and received the Demon-Slaying True Lord’s invitation to the Moon-Washing Trial at Evening-Moon Grotto-Heaven.
• Zhang Jian traveled to Paulownia Mountain and told the Demon-Slaying True Lord he would participate in the grotto-heaven expedition.
• The Demon-Slaying True Lord warned Zhang Jian about the dangers and rival cultivators in the ruins, and advised him to seek a Netherworld immortal method elsewhere.
• Zhang Jian waited at Paulownia Mountain, then gathered with five other cultivators before Patriarch Hall as Bone-Burning True Lord prepared to open a spatial passage.

Zhang Jian and five fellow cultivators entered the Evening-Moon Grotto-Heaven, where they split up to explore its dangerous star-filled ruins. Using the Eastern Emperor Treasure Mirror, Zhang Jian found a strange boulder, but retrieving it drew a huge starlight colossal beast toward him.

• Bone-Burning True Lord opened a spatial passage, and Zhang Jian and five other Paulownia Mountain cultivators entered the Evening-Moon Grotto-Heaven.
• The six arrived in the outer region, agreed to explore separately, and planned to meet at the inner-region entrance in half a month.
• Zhang Jian flew into the dark starry sky and used the Eastern Emperor Treasure Mirror to scout the ruined stars and their beasts.
• Zhang Jian spotted and pulled a law-fluctuating boulder from beneath a star.
• The spatial disturbance attracted a silver starlight colossal beast more than a dozen zhang long, which lunged at Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian entered the middle region of the ruins and found a Taiyin Star Soul guarded by a swarm of Taiyin Golden Centipedes. He destroyed the swarm and took the treasure, then warned the hidden onlookers not to approach.

• Zhang Jian collected an Azure Nether Stone Mother and a silver inner core after killing a Far-Seeing Silver Flood Dragon.
• Zhang Jian searched the outer region for treasures, then used the Golden Crow Escape Light to enter the middle region.
• Zhang Jian watched a swarm of Taiyin Golden Centipedes devour an eagle demon god who had stolen their Taiyin Star Soul.
• Zhang Jian used the Taiyin Body-Refining Divine Light and Golden Crow Soul-Refining Divine Light to destroy the centipedes and their eight insect kings.
• Zhang Jian took the Taiyin Star Soul and warned the hidden demon gods and cultivators that anyone who approached would die.

Zhang Jian entered the middle layer of the Evening-Moon Grotto-Heaven and tracked the Taiyin Golden Centipedes to a nest deep inside a star. He used the Diagram of Mountains, Rivers, and the State to capture the queen and its swarm, then turned his attention to the mysterious lunar treasure tree.

• Zhang Jian killed two fleeing demons, entered the wormhole, and arrived in the grotto-heaven’s bright, lunar middle layer.
• Zhang Jian followed the Taiyin Golden Centipedes into the star’s core and discovered their enormous queen, hundreds of Lunar Star Souls, and a mysterious silver treasure tree.
• Zhang Jian unfolded the Diagram of Mountains, Rivers, and the State to draw the centipedes into its illusion, though the queen sensed that something was wrong.
• Zhang Jian used his imperial aura to suppress the queen and captured the swarm, refining most of the centipedes while sparing the insect kings.
• Zhang Jian revealed his true body and turned toward the treasure at the cavern’s center.