Chapter Summaries

Di Xin sent Li Jing to evacuate the people of Pingzhou City and the surrounding cities to Chong City, where Chonghou Hu could feed them, while Di Xin waited for supplies. Li Jing returned to Pingzhou City with provisions for half a year, as Nine Infants held back his forces rather than risk leaving the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation.

• Di Xin rejected Li Jing's proposal to order Chonghou Hu to gather provisions and instead tasked Li Jing with moving Pingzhou City's people to Chong City, warning Chonghou Hu to keep them fed.
• Li Jing used the Golden Exquisite Pagoda to take in Pingzhou City's people and left to evacuate residents from the other cities; Di Xin stayed in Pingzhou City.
• Di Xin revealed that Li Jing was Sovereign Fuxi's personal disciple, surprising the generals, including Zheng Lun.
• Nine Infants refused General Xiong's suggestion to bypass Pingzhou City, explaining that his forces had to remain within the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation's boundary.
• Li Jing evacuated residents from the remaining eleven cities and delivered them to Chonghou Hu, then returned to Pingzhou City after half a month with enough provisions to feed the army for half a year.

Di Xin prepared to attack Northern Sea City while Yuan Futong and Bai Ze planned a night raid on his camp. Shang Qingjun revealed that she could see demonic qi, merit, and destiny, and Yuding Zhenren told Yang Jian to capture Yuan Futong alive.

• Yang Jian learned that Di Xin had recognized Li Jing's pagoda could hold the people of all twelve cities by knowing his generals' abilities.
• Di Xin established a Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams camp outside Northern Sea City and ordered his army to rest for a day.
• Yuan Futong and Bai Ze mistook the camp's mist and golden light for signs that Dao Sect disciples were with Di Xin, then prepared a surprise attack.
• Di Xin warned his generals to stay armed against a possible night raid, and Shang Qingjun told him she could see demonic qi, merit, and destiny.
• Yuan Futong's forces surrounded Di Xin's camp and waited for the fourth watch to attack.
• Yuding Zhenren and Yang Jian watched the preparations from the air, and Yuding Zhenren instructed Yang Jian to capture Yuan Futong alive.

Yuding Zhenren blocked Gui Che from intervening in the battle at the Shang camp and fought him while Di Xin strengthened the Shang army with the Xuanyuan Sword and the Human Sovereign Scripture. Gui Che fled from Yuding Zhenren’s peacock transformation, but a thin hound charged at him as he took his true form.

• Yuan Futong’s Northern Sea forces attacked the Shang camp, but the alerted Shang army counterattacked using its formation.
• Di Xin drew the Xuanyuan Sword and used the Human Sovereign Scripture to empower the Shang soldiers, driving the Northern Sea troops into retreat.
• Gui Che tried to enter the camp, but Yuding Zhenren appeared and challenged him to battle.
• Gui Che used his blood to weaken Yuding Zhenren, but a dog’s bark distracted him and cost him his advantage.
• Yuding Zhenren transformed into a peacock using Kong Xuan’s essence blood and unleashed five-colored light, forcing Gui Che to flee in his true form.
• A thin hound charged at Gui Che as he fled toward the heavens.

After the Northern Sea rebels retreated to Northern Sea City, Di Xin ordered care for the fallen and vowed to end conflicts among the Human Race. Northern Sea City was secretly fortified by Bai Ze with the Demon Master Palace as Great Shang’s morale rose and the city’s defenders grew fearful.

• Fine Hound and Yang Jian wounded Gui Che, who escaped with Ji Meng’s help and was sent back to Northern Sea City.
• Bai Ze warned Ji Meng that Dao Sect disciples might be hiding nearby, and Yuan Futong ordered the army to retreat.
• Di Xin caught Yuan Futong’s iron staff before it could strike the Great Shang camp, forcing Yuan Futong to recall it.
• Bai Ze activated the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation and used the Demon Master Palace to protect Northern Sea City.
• Li Jing reported Great Shang’s casualties, and Di Xin ordered the fallen soldiers from both sides to be cremated and returned to their families.
• Di Xin’s care for the dead raised Great Shang’s morale, while Northern Sea City’s soldiers hid in fear.

Unable to breach Northern Sea City, Di Xin learned that the Demon Master Palace and Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation protected it. His resolve to defend the Human Race broke the Heavenly Dao’s restriction on the Human Emperor, and he became the first person since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to cultivate, reaching the Heavenly Immortal realm.

• Di Xin sent Zhang Kui to use the Earth-Traveling Art to enter Northern Sea City, but the Demon Master Palace’s defenses stopped him.
• Yuding Zhenren appeared with Yang Jian and explained that Kunpeng’s Demon Master Palace protected Northern Sea City and that he could not leave Pingzhou City because the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation sealed the region.
• Yuding Zhenren told Di Xin that the formation was powered by star stones rather than three hundred and sixty-five Great Luo Golden Immortals.
• Di Xin lamented the Human Race’s weakness, then vowed to lead it to victory over the Demon Race, causing Human Race destiny to gather into the Human Emperor’s Dharma image.
• Di Xin shattered the Heavenly Dao’s restriction on the Human Emperor and reached the Heavenly Immortal realm, while Su Hu privately questioned whether he had chosen the wrong side.

Di Xin learned that the coming Investiture War would pit the Human Race against the Demon Race and the Daoist Sect’s three teachings, but he remained determined to reclaim Northern Sea City. Yuding Zhenren explained that destroying the Demon Master Palace was the key to victory, leaving Di Xin to search for the means to break it.

• Su Hu asked whether Di Xin had inherited the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation, and Di Xin admitted he could not use it.
• Yang Jian warned Di Xin that the coming Investiture War would involve the Demon Race and cultivators from the Daoist Sect’s three teachings.
• Di Xin declared that the Human Teaching would help the Human Race and that the Human Race would prevail in the Investiture War.
• Yuding Zhenren promised support from the Dao Sect and Azure Lotus Saint, while explaining that Di Xin first had to defeat Northern Sea City.
• Su Hu decided to wait and see whether Di Xin could pacify the North Sea before choosing whom to serve.
• Yuding Zhenren said destroying the Demon Master Palace was essential to taking Northern Sea City, and Di Xin pondered how he could break it.

Di Xin asked Yuding Zhenren which treasure could break the Demon Master Palace’s defenses, but Yuding said Di Xin had to discover it himself. Later, Zheng Lun sought Yuding’s explanation for why Du'e Zhenren had expelled him and Li Jing, and Yuding answered by asking how much he knew about the Investiture of the Gods Calamity.

• Di Xin picked up the Xuanyuan Sword, but Yuding Zhenren said it could not break the Demon Master Palace’s defenses and refused to reveal the treasure Di Xin needed to find.
• Di Xin let Yuding Zhenren and his disciple stay in the military camp, while the army rested instead of attacking Northern Sea City.
• Li Jing and Yin Shiniang asked Yuding why her pregnancy had lasted over twenty months, and he said their child would later serve as deputy vanguard commander.
• Li Jing told Yuding that the army’s provisions worried him because its supply route had been cut off and its food would last only six months.
• Zheng Lun asked Yuding why Du'e Zhenren had expelled him and Li Jing from his school, and Yuding asked how much Zheng Lun knew about the Investiture of the Gods Calamity.

Yuding Zhenren and Yang Jian revealed that Du'e Zhenren had arranged for Zheng Lun to die in his place during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity. Zheng Lun severed his karmic bond with Du'e by destroying his cultivation, but Yuding Zhenren restored it and offered to find him a new master.

• Yuding Zhenren explained the Investiture of the Gods Calamity to Zheng Lun and told him he was caught within it.
• Yang Jian revealed that Zheng Lun and Chen Qi had been made sacrificial pawns so Du'e Zhenren could escape the calamity.
• Zheng Lun kowtowed toward Nine-Cauldron Iron-Fork Mountain and destroyed his cultivation to repay Du'e Zhenren's teaching and end their bond.
• Yuding Zhenren warned Zheng Lun that he could not serve as a general without cultivation, then offered to find him a new master.
• Yuding Zhenren gave Zheng Lun a Ninth-Turn Golden Elixir, restoring his cultivation, and Zheng Lun spent seven days refining it while remaining at the Golden Immortal realm.

Zheng Lun severed his ties to Du'e Zhenren, joined Duobao Daoist’s lineage, and received help replacing his Crow Soldiers. Three months into the siege of Northern Sea City, Bai Ze and Yuan Futong planned a night attack on Di Xin’s army using Demon Race disciples.

• Zheng Lun thanked Yuding Zhenren for saving his cultivation, learned that Duobao Daoist would be his master, and asked for help cutting his karma with Du'e Zhenren.
• Yuding Zhenren explained that Zheng Lun’s Qi-Awakening Divine Ability was innate, while Yang Jian warned him to give up the Crow Soldiers and offered to help compensate for their loss.
• Zheng Lun crushed the Crow Soldiers’ command token, and Houtu drew the resulting black qi into the Nine Netherworld Realm.
• Yang Jian placed a talisman containing two Yellow Turban Strongmen in Zheng Lun’s demon-subduing pestle, and Zheng Lun left with the gift.
• After three months of stalemate at Northern Sea City, Bai Ze, Yuan Futong, and Ji Meng agreed to launch a surprise attack on Di Xin’s army with Demon Race disciples.

Di Xin used the Demon Race’s repeated raids to conceal Zhang Kui’s infiltration of Northern Sea City, while his forces caught Ji Meng’s latest attack in a trap. Zhang Kui entered the city undetected, and Ji Meng reported the failed raid and the Shang generals’ powerful abilities to Bai Ze and Yuan Futong.

• Ji Meng led Demon Race members in raids on the Shang camp, forcing Di Xin to attack Northern Sea City and provide cover for Zhang Kui to hide beneath its defenses.
• Zhang Kui waited underground for seven days until the Demon Race launched another raid, then stayed hidden as the Shang army responded.
• Di Xin killed a Demon Race member with the Xuanyuan Sword, while Yuding Zhenren confronted Ji Meng and several other demons were held up.
• Ji Meng ordered a retreat, and Zhang Kui killed the last Demon Race member, used its corpse to pass through the barrier, and blended into the city’s citizens.
• Ji Meng told Bai Ze and Yuan Futong that the raid had failed and described Shang generals who wielded white soul-shaking beams and a Golden Exquisite Pagoda.

Yuan Futong and Bai Ze prepared a decisive battle against Di Xin, while Yang Jian and Zhang Kui plotted to steal the Demon Master Palace. Zhang Kui set the Northern Sea Marquis's Residence ablaze, drawing Bai Ze and the others to the palace as Yang Jian followed them.

• Yuan Futong proposed recalling Nine Infants and confronting Di Xin with the Demon Race and Northern Sea army, and Bai Ze suggested using the Heavenly Star-Dipper Grand Formation to attack him.
• Yuan Futong selected Demon Race members for the formation and secretly sent for Nine Infants.
• Yang Jian revealed himself to Zhang Kui and asked him to help uncover where Yuan Futong kept the Demon Master Palace.
• Zhang Kui agreed to set fire to the Northern Sea Marquis's Residence and open the city gates once the barrier fell, while Yang Jian planned to steal the palace.
• Zhang Kui ignited the residence and escaped beneath the city gate as Bai Ze and the others rushed to the Demon Master Palace, with Yang Jian following them.

Yang Jian infiltrated the Demon Master Palace and stole it using his Heaven Eye, then faced Bai Ze, Ji Meng, and Nine Infants when they caught him. He revealed his true form and impersonated Gui Che, leaving Bai Ze suspicious of who he really was.

• Bai Ze ordered Yang Jian to guard the Demon Master Palace and left with Ji Meng and Gui Che.
• The next morning, Yang Jian tried to take the Demon Master Palace, but Bai Ze, Ji Meng, and Nine Infants surrounded him.
• Yang Jian revealed his true appearance and used his Heaven Eye to store the Demon Master Palace in an independent space.
• Bai Ze tried to summon the Demon Master Palace back but could no longer sense it, then attacked Yang Jian.
• Yang Jian transformed into Gui Che and urged the three marshals to pledge allegiance to the Human Emperor.
• Bai Ze realized the figure was not Gui Che and demanded to know who Yang Jian was.

Yang Jian, Li Jing, and Di Xin led the Shang forces into Northern Sea City as the demon marshals tried to stop them. With Yuding Zhenren and Zheng Lun joining the fight and Jin Zha driving Ji Meng away, the city was close to falling.

• Yang Jian fled Bai Ze and the other demon marshals, while Zhang Kui opened Northern Sea City's gates and Li Jing led his guards inside.
• Yang Jian blocked Yuan Futong from attacking Li Jing and fought him as Di Xin charged through the city with the Xuanyuan Sword; Nine Infants moved to restrain Di Xin.
• Bai Ze and Ji Meng attacked Li Jing and Zhang Kui, but Yuding Zhenren intercepted Bai Ze while Zhang Kui escaped Ji Meng's strike.
• Ji Meng attacked Li Jing and Yin Shiniang, but Zheng Lun intervened and Three Lights Divine Water protected him from Ji Meng's poisonous torrent.
• Jin Zha attacked Ji Meng with the Vast Sea Dragon-Binding Net, causing Ji Meng to flee, and Yin Shiniang stopped Jin Zha from pursuing him.

Bai Ze and Nine Infants abandoned Northern Sea City as Li Jing’s forces advanced, while Yang Jian kept Yuan Futong from escaping. Yang Jian challenged Yuan Futong to a wager that could decide the Six-Eared Macaque’s fate.

• After Ji Meng fled, Li Jing led his forces into Northern Sea City, and Bai Ze ordered the Demon Race to withdraw.
• Yuding Zhenren let Bai Ze escape, and Bai Ze suspected Yuding’s connection to the Golden Crows and resolved to report it to Kunpeng.
• Nine Infants and Bai Ze escaped with surviving demons, but Yang Jian kept Yuan Futong engaged in battle.
• Wuzhiqi and Yuan Hong watched Yang Jian fight Yuan Futong and stood ready to prevent Yuan Futong from escaping.
• Yang Jian put away his saber and challenged Yuan Futong to a wager: the winner would determine whether Yuan Futong could leave.

Yang Jian offered Yuan Futong a wager on the outcome of the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, with Yuan Futong agreeing to serve the winning side and go to Azure Lotus Island. After Yuding Zhenren entrusted Yang Jian with a gift from Chen Xuan for Di Xin, Yang Jian returned to Northern Sea City to rejoin the king.

• Yang Jian proposed that Yuan Futong wager on whether Di Xin or his opponent would ultimately win the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, and Yuding Zhenren promised Yuan Futong he could live openly as the Six-Eared Macaque if he lost.
• Yuan Futong chose Di Xin's opponent and clapped hands with Yang Jian to seal the wager.
• Wuzhiqi and Yuan Hong revealed their identities as the Red-Buttocked Macaque and Gibbon-Armed Ape, then escorted Yuan Futong toward Azure Lotus Island.
• Yuding Zhenren gave Yang Jian a gift from Chen Xuan for Di Xin and returned to Azure Lotus Island.
• Yang Jian returned to Northern Sea City, where Di Xin thanked him for helping conquer the city.

After receiving Chen Xuan’s governing system from Yang Jian, Di Xin reorganized Northern Sea City and resolved to reform Great Shang while delegating military and administrative authority. He returned triumphantly to Chaoge, where Great Shang’s national fortune surged and the Saints across the Primordial World took notice.

• Yang Jian delivered Yuding Zhenren’s jade talisman, and Di Xin absorbed Chen Xuan’s system for governing a dynasty before vowing to help the Human Race rise.
• Di Xin resettled Northern Sea City’s survivors, separated military command from civil administration, and revised the city’s postwar arrangements.
• Di Xin told Yang Jian that cultivators should resolve the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, entrusted military affairs to Yang Jian and Grand Preceptor Wen, and planned a Grand Secretariat for Shang Qingjun.
• After more than a month in Northern Sea City, Di Xin led his army back to Chaoge, where Wen Zhong, the officials, and the people welcomed him.
• As Di Xin entered Chaoge, Great Shang’s national fortune rose and its Dark Bird totem appeared, drawing the attention of the Saints; the Heavenly Dao Saints looked grave.

After returning to Chaoge City, Di Xin established civil and military cabinets and faced fierce opposition to his reforms. Wen Zhong and Yang Jian persuaded him not to let concern for his reputation prevent him from pursuing policies he believed would benefit the Human Race.

• Di Xin created a civil cabinet led by Shang Rong and a Martial Pavilion led by Wen Zhong, prompting Mei Bo and Du Yuanxian to condemn his reforms.
• Fei Zhong and You Hun defended change, but Di Xin threatened opponents with punishment, imprisoned Mei Bo, and ordered the feudal lords to come to Chaoge within a month.
• Du Yuanxian considered storming Fen Palace Tower to free Mei Bo, but Huang Feihu warned that doing so would provoke Di Xin, and the officials abandoned the plan.
• At Xiande Hall, Di Xin told Shang Qingjun that he wanted to reform Great Shang but did not want to kill loyal ministers or be seen as cruel.
• Wen Zhong and Yang Jian met Di Xin in Longde Hall, where Yang Jian argued that opposition would not prevent rebellion and that Di Xin should prioritize the Human Race over his reputation.

Yang Jian revealed that Du Yuanxian and Mei Bo sought death to gain divine appointments, so Di Xin planned to keep them alive and punish them. Guangchengzi then ordered Du Yuanxian to promote several schemes, including deposing the queen, leaving Du Yuanxian uneasy about the damage to his reputation.

• Yang Jian told Di Xin that Du Yuanxian and Mei Bo were provoking the King so they could die and be listed among the gods.
• Di Xin decided to keep the ministers alive, demote them to slaves, and have Fei Zhong and You Hun subject them to harsh labor.
• Du Yuanxian and other officials agreed to oppose Di Xin's new policies at the next morning court, while Du Yuanxian privately anticipated becoming a righteous god.
• Guangchengzi instructed Du Yuanxian to make Di Xin offer incense at Nuwa Temple on the Holy Mother's birthday and promised him a high divine office.
• Guangchengzi ordered Du Yuanxian to help depose the queen and establish Daji as queen, and Du Yuanxian reluctantly agreed despite fearing for his reputation.

Du Yuanxian abandoned the plan to challenge Di Xin and urged him to honor Nuwa’s birthday, while Di Xin arranged a punishment for Mei Bo that spared his family from execution. He left Mei Bo’s nine clans to be sent to a copper mine as laborers, establishing mine labor as punishment for criminals.

• Du Yuanxian asked Di Xin to visit Nuwa Temple for Nuwa’s birthday, and Di Xin agreed to lead the royal family and officials there in two days.
• Fei Zhong urged Di Xin to execute Mei Bo’s nine clans, and Di Xin ordered E Lai to seize them and send them to prison.
• Wen Zhong pleaded for Mei Bo, and Di Xin agreed to spare his life while imposing punishment on his nine clans.
• Di Xin assigned Fei Zhong and You Hun to mine copper without forcibly conscripting laborers or withholding their pay.
• Fei Zhong proposed sending Mei Bo’s nine clans to mine copper without wages, and Di Xin decreed that criminals would be sent to mines for labor reform.

Di Xin staged a court dispute to appoint Fei Zhong and You Hun over the copper mines, secretly tasking their Mine Guard Army with intelligence and assassinations. Meanwhile, Daji learned that Du Yuanxian would help depose Queen Jiang and sent her gathered evidence out of the palace, while her own path to Quasi-Saint cultivation remained blocked by her stolen Human Emperor fortune.

• Di Xin gave Fei Zhong and You Hun command of an eight-thousand-man Mine Guard Army, which he secretly intended to use as the Dark Bird Shadow Guard.
• Di Xin's apparent court decision had been staged in advance, and Du Yuanxian hurried home and refused to receive officials who came to question him.
• Queen Jiang Wenqiang organized the consorts for Di Xin's visit to Nuwa Temple and continued treating Daji warmly while secretly poisoning her to prevent her from bearing children.
• Daji concealed her knowledge of Queen Jiang's slow-acting poison and searched for evidence to bring her down.
• After Guangchengzi told Daji that Du Yuanxian would help depose Queen Jiang and make Daji queen, Daji sent her evidence out of the palace with Gun Juan.
• Daji's cultivation remained at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm because she had stolen Human Emperor fortune and needed the Human Emperor's investiture to reach Quasi-Saint.