Chapter Summaries

The Plague Emperor, the Lord God of Wealth, and their allies confronted Heavenly King Li over his refusal to release Lu, whom he was holding to obtain the Realm Pivot. The Lord God of Wealth summoned the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and the Water Department’s Star Lord arrived as the standoff expanded into a gathering of thirty-two great powers.

• The Plague Emperor summoned his supreme treasures and nearly escalated the dispute into a fight, but the Kitchen God and Lord God of Wealth persuaded him to stand down.
• The Lord God of Wealth asked Heavenly King Li to release his sworn younger brother, but Heavenly King Li refused because Lu had subdued the Realm Pivot and would not be freed until the treasure was refined.
• The Kitchen God warned that an unspecified delay would cost Lu years in the mortal world, and the Lord God of Wealth demanded his release again.
• Heavenly King Li refused once more and ordered the Giant Spirit God to summon another hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals.
• The Lord God of Wealth called upon the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, whose arrival covered the heavens with their star formations.
• Golden rain sealed the battlefield’s spiritual currents as the Northern Water-Virtue Great Dark Yin-Origin Black Emperor Supreme True Dao Lord arrived in a golden chariot.

Star Lord of Water Virtue tried to mediate the standoff at Cloud Tower Palace, but Li Jing refused to release Lu and summoned his three sons. Jin Zha and Mu Zha set out for the Heavenly Court, while Nezha resisted the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda before finally flying to Cloud Tower Palace; Lan'er then realized the gathering might be connected to the boy.

• Star Lord of Water Virtue offered to separate the exotic treasure for Li Jing in exchange for releasing Lu, and Lord God of Wealth agreed to the proposal.
• Li Jing rejected the mediation, manifested his physical Demon-Subduing Dharma Form, and summoned his three sons to reinforce the Military Department.
• Jin Zha accepted Manjushri, Celestial Venerable of Broad Dharma’s permission and flew toward the Heavenly Court, while Mu Zha departed Huian Demon-Subduing Cove.
• Nezha burned Li Jing’s summons, but Li Jing used the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda to compel him to fly toward Cloud Tower Palace.
• Lan’er awoke at the bottom of Weak Water, sensed the gathering at Cloud Tower Palace, and rushed out to demand to know who the boy was.

Lu Chen learned that the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King planned to keep him trapped in the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda for forty-nine years to refine an exotic treasure bound to him. After discovering he possessed a Hearthfire Seed and hearing that Lan'er could adapt ordinary dragons to the Weak Water, Lu Chen hinted that he had a dragon too.

• Lu Chen learned from Lan'er that the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King would keep him imprisoned until he refined the realm core and exotic treasure, a process lasting forty-nine years by human reckoning.
• Lu Chen tried to persuade Lan'er to help him escape, but she refused because she was loyal to her master and could not leave the tower herself.
• Lan'er confirmed that the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda had a problem and needed the exotic treasure, while Lu Chen proposed refining it himself to gain control of the pagoda.
• Lan'er told Lu Chen that refining the treasure required Samadhi True Fire, and Lu Chen revealed a Hearthfire Seed between his eyebrows.
• Lan'er said she could not carry Lu Chen across the Weak Water but could help ordinary dragons adapt to it, and Lu Chen began to reveal that he had a dragon.

Lu Chen persuaded Lan'er to nurture the Four Rivers Dragon Seeds so they could hatch and help him escape his predicament. Outside Cloud Tower Palace, Nezha arrived with Jin Zha and Mu Zha and launched an attack on the Plague Lord's forces.

• Lu Chen revealed his Four Rivers Dragon Seeds to Lan'er, who explained that they needed a female dragon's nourishment to shed their wombs and take form.
• Lan'er agreed to nurture the seeds and protect them as her own, and she began channeling azure dragon essence into Lu Chen.
• At Cloud Tower Palace, ten thousand lotuses halted the golden rain and restored the immortals' divine power as the Eight Desolations Karmic Fire formed a vast barrier.
• Jin Zha and Mu Zha arrived with Nezha, and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King prepared to explain the crisis to his sons.
• Nezha asked whether the Plague Lord's side would fight, then attacked with his Fire-Tipped Spear, cleaving open the sky.

The Plague Lord and Nezha fought a brief duel, and the Star Lord of Water Virtue joined the confrontation as the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King refused to release Lu Chen. As the gathered immortals prepared for battle, Great Emperor Fengdu arrived in Heavenly Court and challenged the Heavenly King.

• The Plague Lord trapped Nezha in an azure coffin with his Dao Foundation divine ability, then emerged with the advantage after their duel.
• The Star Lord of Water Virtue summoned a vast Ren-Water Celestial River over Heavenly Court, prompting the immortals to flee before the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King froze its waters with his Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda.
• The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King confronted the Plague Lord, the Star Lord of Water Virtue, and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, while Lu Chen watched the standoff from inside the pagoda with Lan'er.
• The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions refused to withdraw, and Mu Zha stepped forward to face them as the rival forces prepared to fight.
• Great Emperor Fengdu appeared above the Giant Spirit God and challenged the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, revealing his arrival to the assembled immortals.

Great Emperor Fengdu and other powerful allies arrived to demand Lu Chen’s release from Li Jing, but Li Jing refused and prepared for battle. As the standoff escalated, Nezha was forced to fight the Plague Lord while Lu Chen remained trapped inside the pagoda.

• Great Emperor Fengdu arrived in an incarnation, and Lord God of Wealth revealed that Lu Chen held an office in the Netherworld as well as the Plague Department.
• Lan’er told Lu Chen that only a decree from the Great Heavenly Sovereign could secure his release, and Lu Chen eagerly anticipated meeting Venus Star, Li Changeng.
• Great Emperor Fengdu asked Li Jing to release Lu Chen and offered to let him keep the exotic treasure secret realm, but Li Jing refused and unleashed the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda’s power.
• The pagoda’s suppression forced Giant Spirit God back into his original form, and Great Emperor Fengdu warned Li Jing that he could defeat the Li family unless Nezha unleashed his sealed power.
• Li Jing assigned Jin Zha to face Star Lord of Water Virtue, Mu Zha to face the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and Nezha to face the Plague Lord; after Li Jing used the pagoda to compel him, Nezha agreed to fight.

The Heavenly Court’s factions prepared to settle their dispute over Lu Chen through a contest, while powerful officials watched and declined to intervene. Emperor Wenchang read Lu Chen’s extraordinary fate and ordered his department to stay out of the matter; Venus Star Lord arrived just as Lu Chen caught sight of him before the pagoda was sealed again.

• Great Emperor Fengdu and Li Jing agreed to decide their dispute through a contest of arts, while distant immortals wondered why the Great Celestial Venerable had not intervened.
• Nine-Heavens Thunderbolt Universalizing Heavenly Venerable, Dipper Mother, and Zhao Gongming learned of the confrontation and chose not to interfere.
• Emperor Wenchang confirmed that Lu Chen had rung the Literary Bell and ordered the Office of Rank and Emoluments to take no part in matters concerning him.
• Emperor Wenchang recited a prophecy about Lu Chen’s fate, stunning the Vermilion-Robed Divine General and Kui Star Lord.
• Venus Star Lord arrived outside Cloud Tower Palace and greeted the assembled gods, while Lu Chen recognized him inside the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda before Lan’er said the pagoda had been sealed again.

Lu Chen and Lan'er prepared the newborn river dragon to carry him through the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda while the immortals negotiated over his release. Venus Star Lord mediated the dispute, but the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King asked to speak with him privately.

• Lan'er explained that the sealed Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda left the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King unable to sense what happened inside, and revealed that the exotic treasure was the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus.
• Lan'er helped Lu Chen bring the river dragon offspring into the world, and the newborn dragon flew to Lan'er for her maternal care.
• Lan'er began teaching the young dragon the art of Sailing the Weak Water while Lu Chen gathered fruit and prepared himself for the trial inside the pagoda.
• Venus Star Lord persuaded the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the assembled immortals to stop fighting and convene in the Cloud Tower Palace.
• Plague Lord and the other immortals offered the treasures in the secret realm and additional compensation in exchange for Lu Chen's release, but the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King asked Venus Star Lord to speak privately.

Venus Star learned why Li Jing refused to release Lu Chen and agreed to seek the Jade Emperor’s decree, leaving the immortals waiting in the hall. Inside the pagoda, Lu Chen and Lan’er raced toward the exit of the Weak Water Realm, determined to refine the lotus and gain control of the pagoda.

• Li Jing told Venus Star that Lu Chen’s fortune had fused with the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus, which he needed to stabilize the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda, and that freeing Lu Chen could endanger the pagoda.
• Venus Star said the Great Celestial Venerable wanted Lu Chen released but agreed to report Li Jing’s circumstances to the Jade Emperor and seek a decision.
• Venus Star left for Fragrance-Displaying Palace while Li Jing kept the visiting immortals waiting and ordered music, though only Great Emperor Fengdu enjoyed the performance.
• Lan’er explained that Lu Chen needed to cross the Samadhi True Fire Heaven and reach the third level to refine the rare treasure, while warning him of the dangers of escape.
• Lu Chen agreed to refine the lotus until he could control the pagoda, and he and Lan’er sped toward the Weak Water Realm’s exit, where an island marking the exit came into view.

Lu Chen entered Samadhi True Fire Heaven with Lan'er and used the Hearthfire Seed to withstand the heat and begin refining Samadhi True Fire. After he refined Common Fire, a fire spirit appeared and the Hearthfire Seed dragged a huge mass of Minister Fire toward him.

• Lu Chen and Lan'er reached the pond that led into Samadhi True Fire Heaven, and Lan'er shielded him as they plunged through the Weak Water.
• Lu Chen emerged into the scorching cave, where his Hearthfire Seed absorbed the heat and then protected Lan'er with a crimson barrier.
• Lan'er explained that Lu Chen had to refine Samadhi True Fire before the fire spirit guards found him, and they followed the growing heat toward the fire sea.
• Lu Chen sat near the cave entrance and drew in Common Fire, enduring the pain as the Hearthfire Seed reforged his meridians.
• Lu Chen completed the first step of refining Samadhi True Fire, but a fire spirit appeared and the Hearthfire Seed gathered Minister Fire into a huge azure fireball that shot toward him.

Lu Chen endured the Hearthfire Seed’s absorption of Minister Fire, strengthening his body and soul, then faced the arrival of Lordly Fire and a host of Flame Spirit Guards inside the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda. Outside, Kitchen God sensed the Hearthfire Seed growing and told Lord God of Wealth that Lu Chen might be causing a disturbance within the pagoda.

• The Hearthfire Seed absorbed Minister Fire while Lu Chen endured severe pain and felt his body and soul grow stronger.
• Lordly Fire rose from the sea of fire, and countless Flame Spirit Guards appeared before Lu Chen and Lan'er.
• At Cloud Tower Palace, Kitchen God sensed the Hearthfire Seed strengthening and suspected Lu Chen had reached Samadhi True Fire Heaven.
• Kitchen God concluded that Lu Chen might have crossed the Three-Thousand Weak Water Realm and entered another level of the pagoda.
• Kitchen God discreetly told Lord God of Wealth that he had sensed Lu Chen and that a disturbance might be occurring inside the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda.

Lord God of Wealth and Kitchen God learned that Lu Chen had entered Samadhi True Fire Heaven to nourish the Hearthfire Seed, so they arranged to distract Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King with a drinking contest. Inside the pagoda, Lu Chen’s body charged toward the Flame Spirit Guards as the Hearthfire Seed erupted with overwhelming hunger.

• Kitchen God told Lord God of Wealth that Lu Chen was using Samadhi True Fire Heaven to transform the Hearthfire Seed and had likely passed the first level.
• Lord God of Wealth and Kitchen God decided to keep Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King occupied so he could not investigate the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda.
• Star Lord of Water Virtue, Plague Lord, and Great Emperor Fengdu joined the feast and took turns drinking with Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.
• Nezha watched the sudden friendliness with confusion and began eyeing the silent Exquisite Pagoda as an opportunity.
• Lu Chen saw a vast army of Flame Spirit Guards surge toward him, but his uncontrolled body charged straight at them.
• The Hearthfire Seed erupted with a voracious hunger for the Samadhi True Fire.

Lu Chen and the Hearthfire Seed devoured the Lordly Fire and masses of Fire Spirit Guards in Samadhi True Fire Heaven, growing powerful enough to reach the third floor of the Exquisite Pagoda. As Lu Chen prepared to face the ancient fiends below, the Kitchen God sensed his growing aura outside the pagoda, and Li Jing noticed its divine light.

• The Hearthfire Seed devoured the Lordly Fire and revealed to Lu Chen that it stored the flames it consumed, letting him wield Samadhi True Fire without refining it himself.
• At Lu Chen’s command, the Hearthfire Seed devoured the Fire Spirit Guards and grew into the shape of an ancient hearth while Lan’er watched in amazement.
• The Samadhi True Fire Heaven shook, and its Realm Pivot carried Lu Chen and Lan’er toward the third floor of the Exquisite Pagoda.
• Lan’er warned that the third floor’s baleful qi could destroy Lu Chen’s mortal body, so he covered himself with Samadhi True Fire and declared he was coming for the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus.
• Outside the pagoda, the Kitchen God sensed Lu Chen’s astonishing aura, and Li Jing noticed a flash of divine light from the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda.

Lu Chen and Lan'er entered the third level of the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda, where demonic Killing Intent and the pagoda’s restrictions suppressed their powers. As they followed Lu Chen’s connection to the Realm Pivot, heavenly soldiers closed in from both directions, and Lu Chen prepared a desperate plan.

• At the feast, the Kitchen God distracted the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King with praise while telling the other immortals that Lu Chen had reached the third level.
• Lu Chen and Lan'er arrived in a dark passage, where Lan'er explained that the third level’s restrictions suppressed spiritual power and warned that heavenly soldiers could kill them.
• Lu Chen sensed the Realm Pivot and led Lan'er through the passage, surviving a great fiend’s roar along the way.
• Lan'er detected heavenly soldiers approaching from both directions, trapping her and Lu Chen between them.
• Lu Chen told Lan'er to follow his command as a squad of ten heavenly soldiers discovered a column of Flame Spirit Guards advancing through the passage.

With his mana nearly depleted, Lu Chen and Lan'er disguised themselves as fire spirit guards to evade a squad of heavenly soldiers in the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda. The soldiers mistook Lu Chen for an intelligent Fire Spirit General and let the pair pass, leaving them free to continue toward the Realm Pivot.

• Lu Chen and Lan'er heard a minor commander identify their fiery disguise as a legendary Fire Spirit General, and Lan'er secretly told Lu Chen that she had never heard of one.
• A heavenly soldier questioned why fire spirit guards had appeared on the third level, but the minor commander improvised an explanation about the pagoda behaving erratically and convinced his squad.
• The fire spirit guards stopped directly in front of the heavenly soldiers, trapping Lu Chen and Lan'er in a tense standoff.
• Lu Chen silently waved for the soldiers to move aside, and the minor commander mistook the gesture for an order from the Fire Spirit General.
• Lu Chen and Lan'er passed through the opened passage and continued toward the Realm Pivot while the minor commander scolded a soldier for insulting the supposed General.

Lu Chen and Lan'er found the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus, but three imprisoned fiends captured them before Lu Chen could refine it. The Black Baleful Devil Lord recognized the Thousand Demons Visualization as his race’s sacred relic and tried to seize it, only to be burned by Lu Chen’s Samadhi True Fire.

• Lu Chen and Lan'er reached a dead end and found the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus bound overhead by eight chains.
• Lan'er warned Lu Chen that refining the lotus would almost certainly alert the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, but Lu Chen decided to risk it.
• Three imprisoned fiends revealed themselves behind the wall, restrained Lu Chen and Lan'er, and identified themselves as powerful Heavenly Devils.
• The Black Baleful Devil Lord recognized the aura of his race’s sacred relic in Lu Chen’s storage ring and demanded to know its source.
• Lu Chen showed the Black Baleful Devil Lord the Thousand Demons Visualization, and the Devil Lord attacked to take it.
• Lu Chen’s Hearthfire Seed strengthened his Samadhi True Fire, which struck the Devil Lord’s dark beam and made him scream.

Lu Chen and Lan'er escaped detection by Heavenly Soldiers and Generals with help from the Black Baleful Devil Lord, who then negotiated with Lu Chen over the Thousand Demons Visualization. The Black Baleful Devil Lord revealed that the relic’s true name was Heavenly Edict.

• Lu Chen used the Hearthfire Seed and Samadhi True Fire to wound the Black Baleful Devil Lord, who severed his arm to stop the flames from spreading.
• The Black Baleful Devil Lord warned Lu Chen that refining the exotic treasure could draw Li Jing into the pagoda, then concealed Lu Chen and Lan'er when Heavenly Soldiers and Generals arrived.
• The Black Baleful Devil Lord misdirected the Heavenly General, who struck him with divine lightning before leading his troops away.
• Lu Chen and Lan'er reappeared and agreed to hear what the Black Baleful Devil Lord wanted to discuss.
• The Black Baleful Devil Lord identified the Thousand Demons Visualization as a sacred relic of his race and said he knew two Gods and Devils true script characters.
• The Black Baleful Devil Lord told Lu Chen that the relic’s true name was Heavenly Edict.

Lu Chen learned that refining the Destiny-Fixing Soul-Calming Lotus would alert the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and leave him facing three deadly trials. After realizing he could disrupt the Pagoda’s fortune by making it “dirty,” he declared that bad luck was the key to breaking the deadlock.

• Black Baleful Devil Lord explained that Lu Chen could refine the treasure quickly, but doing so would alert the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King through the Pagoda’s fortune.
• Black Baleful Devil Lord outlined three trials: disrupt or suppress the Pagoda’s fortune, survive the heavenly soldiers and generals, and find someone to hold off the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.
• Lan'er urged Lu Chen to abandon the attempt and return to the Weak Water Realm, but Lu Chen suddenly realized he had found a possible way forward.
• Lu Chen proposed muddying the Pagoda’s fortune rather than suppressing it, then revealed that bad luck would serve as the contaminant.

Lu Chen proposed using the Heavenly Edict to summon the Broom Star and asked Black Baleful Devil Lord to help overcome the pagoda’s restrictions on divine bestowal. Black Baleful Devil Lord offered his innate ability and essence blood as a passage, then asked Lu Chen to free him and his brothers in exchange for serving as his Grass-Head Gods.

• Lu Chen explained that the Heavenly Edict might summon the Broom Star, but the pagoda’s veiled heavenly secrets prevented divine bestowal without a suitable passage.
• Black Baleful Devil Lord challenged Lu Chen to reveal his identity, and Lu Chen claimed divine titles and ties to powerful Heavenly Court figures.
• Black Baleful Devil Lord confirmed that the Heavenly Edict could summon the Broom Star and offered his innate Path Opening ability, fueled by his essence blood, to create a passage for bestowal.
• Black Baleful Devil Lord asked Lu Chen to help free him and his two brothers, offering for the three demons to serve as Lu Chen’s Grass-Head Gods.
• Lu Chen told the three demons that words alone were no proof.

Lu Chen learned the second True Text of Invoking Gods and used the Heavenly Edict to enter Broom Star’s sea of consciousness, while Black Baleful Devil Lord secretly planned to use him to escape the pagoda. Broom Star heard Lu Chen calling and entered his own sea of consciousness to respond.

• Black Baleful Devil Lord taught Lu Chen the second True Text of Invoking Gods and warned him that the method consumed vital blood.
• Lu Chen activated the Heavenly Edict, visualized Broom Star, and was pulled into Broom Star’s sea of consciousness.
• Black Baleful Devil Lord told Stone Spirit and Red Bird that Lu Chen was their chance to escape, while privately revealing he had lured Lu Chen into his plan.
• Lu Chen landed in a chaotic, mist-filled space and urgently called for Broom Star as his vital blood continued to drain.
• Broom Star was mocked by fairies at Meteor Slope, then heard Lu Chen calling from his sea of consciousness and sent his soul inside.