Chapter Summaries

After recovering for half a year from his battle with the Jade Emperor and Tathagata, Lu Ren reflected on China’s changing position in Hantu before Tongtian arrived to propose an alliance. Tongtian revealed that he understood Lu Ren had once hoped to use him against the Jade Emperor and Tathagata.

• Lu Ren left after deciding he could not safely kill both the Jade Emperor and Tathagata, while Hantu’s demons and monsters cautiously resumed their activities.
• Lu Ren spent half a year recovering from the strain of unleashing the Zhou Tian Body Spirit Fist at five hundred times its power.
• Lu Ren surveyed the transformed society and noted that two other Celestial Immortal auras had emerged in Hantu, while nonhuman beings were being assessed under new laws.
• Tongtian appeared on Lu Ren’s terrace, and Lu Ren recognized him as a powerful figure who might soon reach the Golden Immortal realm.
• Tongtian asked Lu Ren to join forces, explaining his distinct origins and cultivation before pointing out that Lu Ren had intended to use him against the Jade Emperor and Tathagata.

Lu Ren met Tongtian, who was preparing for the Path to Ascension while struggling to find work and saving money for a game set. Tongtian declined to fight or commit to Lu Ren’s proposed alliance, and Lu Ren realized he had been watching him from the shadows; Lu Ren had ten more years to prepare.

• Lu Ren questioned why Tongtian wanted to contend for the current Path to Ascension opening, and Tongtian said he had to pursue the Dao to reach The Other Shore.
• Lu Ren invited Tongtian inside and learned that Tongtian was unemployed, studying for a diploma, and hoping to teach swordsmanship after qualifying.
• Lu Ren offered to arrange a special assessment, and Tongtian gladly accepted because he wanted time to play games and buy a New Year equipment set before the Path to Ascension opened.
• Tongtian proposed exchanging blows with Lu Ren, but backed down to avoid risking injuries before the coming contest.
• Tongtian asked Lu Ren to form a team, but evaded Lu Ren’s proposal to attack the Jade Emperor and Tathagata together.
• After Tongtian left, Lu Ren concluded that Tongtian had been watching and testing him, then noted that he had ten more years.

Lu Ren prepared for the Unknown Land to converge with the present world while the Main God Space expanded its routine travel between universes. As Yang Jian, Nezha, and Sun Wukong discussed the coming Path to Ascension, Yang Jian wondered whether its promise of transcendence was real or a trap.

• Lu Ren sensed the Unknown Land rushing toward the present world and prepared for the Jade Emperor and Tathagata's possible desperate actions if they failed to escape.
• The Main God Space improved its barrier-traversal technology, making travel routine and turning low-martial worlds such as the Jin Yong Universe into training grounds.
• Yang Jian asked Nezha whether he would join a regional team and return to the Journey to the West World, but Nezha chose to stay and play games rather than cause trouble at home.
• Yang Jian and Sun Wukong traded remarks about Nezha's calmer temper and Sun Wukong's new interest in women.
• Yang Jian asked whether Lu Ren was ready for the Path to Ascension, and Sun Wukong guessed Lu Ren was conserving his strength to protect China.
• Yang Jian questioned whether the Path to Ascension truly offered transcendence, suggesting it might be a trap laid by the Supreme One.

Lu Ren secretly entered the Inner Aspect of the True Realm to inspect the Ascension Platform and confirmed it served as a beacon. The Jade Emperor caught him and attacked, but Lu Ren evaded and escaped beyond the platform’s range, where the two confronted each other.

• Nezha and Sun Wukong discussed why Lu Ren would avoid exploring the Path to Ascension, while Yang Jian warned Nezha not to remain in virtual reality all day.
• Lu Ren entered the Inner Aspect of the True Realm and saw that the Ascension Platform was synchronized with it and broadcast guiding coordinates across space.
• Lu Ren inspected the platform’s guards and confirmed that it functioned only as a beacon, with no hidden turret-like defenses.
• The Jade Emperor ambushed Lu Ren with the Emperor Sword, but Lu Ren used Hyperdimensional Thought Perception to evade him.
• The Jade Emperor stopped pursuing Lu Ren beyond the Ascension Platform’s range and accused him of crossing the line; Lu Ren said he had only come to check the platform.

Lu Ren tested the Jade Emperor and Tathagata’s strength while trying to reach the Ascension Platform, then fought them after they ambushed him. He cracked Tathagata’s Golden Bowl with a five-hundredfold punch, and the two sides prepared to continue their deadly conflict.

• The Jade Emperor left after angrily dismissing Lu Ren, who had been probing him and Tathagata’s recovery.
• Lu Ren repeatedly tried to enter the Ascension Platform, so the Jade Emperor fortified it with extensive restrictions.
• The Jade Emperor and Tathagata ambushed Lu Ren, and Tathagata trapped him with the Golden Bowl until Lu Ren countered with an earth-powered axe and the Zhou Tian Body Spirit Fist.
• Lu Ren unleashed a five-hundredfold punch against Tathagata’s Golden Bowl, cracking it and blasting away nearby old gods with the collision.
• Tathagata vowed to kill Lu Ren, who answered that their feud had begun when Tathagata slaughtered humans and used them in cultivation experiments.

Lu Ren, the Jade Emperor, and Tathagata sensed the Supreme Ancient Road appearing above Hantu, a dangerous path linked to the chance to attain the Dao. Tathagata and the Jade Emperor rushed inside ahead of Lu Ren, leaving him outside as the road opened.

• Lu Ren told the Jade Emperor that the shamanic and immortal paths could lead to the same destination, then left the Ascension Platform with Tathagata and the Jade Emperor watching him warily.
• Lu Ren, the Jade Emperor, and Tathagata sensed an approaching disturbance and returned to reality, where Lu Ren activated the Nine Provinces Defensive Formation.
• After three minutes, the sky split open and revealed the ancient Supreme Ancient Road, whose aura stirred the cultivators across Hantu.
• Lu Ren recognized the road as the opportunity for attaining the Dao, while the Jade Emperor waited for space-time to stabilize and Tathagata prepared to enter.
• Tathagata rode the transformed Spirit Mountain into the road, but the Jade Emperor used the Heavenly Palace to overtake him and enter alongside him.
• Lu Ren remained outside, realizing that the Jade Emperor and Tathagata had prepared their treasures for this moment long in advance.

The Supreme Ancient Road opened, and the Queen Mother of the West spoke with Lu Ren before entering it to pursue the Dao. As the Ascension Platform emptied, Lu Ren remained behind, watching the road while the others withdrew.

• The Queen Mother of the West told Lu Ren she had passed her inheritance to Li Peizhi and asked him to protect her, and Lu Ren agreed.
• The Queen Mother of the West explained that her Ascension Platform had stabilized the Supreme Ancient Road and brought its opening forward by four years.
• Several decayed Celestial Immortals, including the Blood River Ancestor and a powerful golden-lit cultivator, entered the road seeking a final chance at the Dao.
• The Queen Mother of the West entered the Supreme Ancient Road, while Lu Ren waited outside and kept watch.
• Yang Jian led the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals away, and Manjushri Bodhisattva and the other bodhisattvas also withdrew, leaving the Ascension Platform deserted.

Lu Ren watched the Jade Emperor, Tathagata, and other immortals enter the Supreme Ancient Road, while he and Tongtian discussed their different paths. After Tongtian finally entered too, Lu Ren rejoiced at the chance to rule Hantu, but the system suddenly prompted him about leaving for an Unknown Land.

• Lu Ren told Tongtian that he would not enter the Supreme Ancient Road because his path differed from theirs.
• Tongtian said he would pursue transcendence without hesitation, despite the dangers and the road’s brief opening.
• Lu Ren turned to leave, and Tongtian followed the others into the Supreme Ancient Road.
• Lu Ren laughed at the thought that Hantu was now his to rule and planned to take a long vacation.
• The system detected the Supreme Ancient Road leading to an Unknown Land and asked Lu Ren whether he wished to leave.

Lu Ren was swept onto the Supreme Ancient Road when it tore away a vast region of space, and he discovered that the path back had been blocked. With the system directing him onward, he cautiously continued until the same strange mist appeared behind him.

• The Supreme Ancient Road unleashed a tremendous force and strange mist that swallowed Lu Ren and erased a vast stretch of the surrounding land.
• Lu Ren found himself standing on the narrow ancient road and received a system prompt telling him to explore it.
• Lu Ren decided he would rather return to his own path, but discovered a towering sky wall where the way back should have been.
• The system told Lu Ren that the road behind him was blocked and that he had to continue forward.
• Lu Ren walked cautiously for nearly two hours before the strange mist that had swept him away appeared behind him.

Lu Ren traveled along the Supreme Ancient Road while discussing the path and Ao Li’s Dragon Pearl with the dragon imprisoned in his Inner World Universe. Ao Li revealed that Dragon Clan ancestors had walked out of the road, but his faltering response left their fate uncertain.

• Lu Ren found the Supreme Ancient Road unremarkable and indestructible as mist pursued him through an empty space without energy or matter.
• Lu Ren complained that Ao Li’s Dragon Pearl was underperforming, and Ao Li angrily demanded its return.
• Lu Ren offered to release Ao Li and return the pearl, but Ao Li refused to emerge in the dangerous place.
• Lu Ren asked Ao Li about the Path to Ascension, and Ao Li claimed it was too difficult for most travelers to reach the Golden Immortal Realm.
• Ao Li said many Dragon Clan ancestors had walked out of the road, but he hesitated when Lu Ren asked whether they still existed.

Lu Ren and Ao Li traveled along the dangerous Supreme Ancient Road, where they found a dead Celestial Immortal whose body turned into black sand and were attacked by a strange bird. Lu Ren used his Falcon Fist to draw out a connection to the True Phoenix and began powering up to confront it.

• Lu Ren questioned Ao Li about the road, and she said one of her elders had been lost there.
• Lu Ren found a dead Celestial Immortal on a platform and watched the body crumble into black sand.
• A nearly invisible bird attacked Lu Ren, but he dodged and countered it with his True Energy.
• Lu Ren used the Falcon Fist, strengthened his connection to the True Phoenix, and struck the bird away.
• Lu Ren drew on his Inner World Universe and Witch God Physique, raising the Zhou Tian Body Spirit Fist to two hundredfold.

Lu Ren used his strength to try to pull the True Phoenix onto the Supreme Ancient Road, but gave up before his Inner World Universe was depleted. He killed and ate a Guiche, then fled when more Guiche cries sounded from the mist.

• Lu Ren activated the Zhou Tian Body Spirit Fist and tore open space to drag the True Phoenix toward him.
• The True Phoenix resisted and cursed Lu Ren, who abandoned the attempt as the strain threatened his Inner World Universe.
• Lu Ren absorbed the black sand into his Inner World Universe and killed the attacking giant bird, which the system identified as a Guiche.
• Lu Ren roasted and ate the Guiche, then heard more Guiche cries from the mist and hurried away.

Lu Ren encountered a massive flock of Guiche birds on the Supreme Ancient Road and learned that sonic roars frightened the smaller ones, though not their strongest members. He fought off a pursuing giant Guiche and contained its dangerous Black Flame, while the road ahead remained seemingly endless.

• Thousands of Guiche birds, including several at the Celestial Immortal level, emerged from the mist and chased Lu Ren.
• Ao Li told Lu Ren that Guiche feared sonic roars, so he unleashed a roar that scattered the smaller birds but left the strongest ones unaffected.
• Lu Ren fled at high speed, leaving most of the flock behind, but one giant Guiche continued pursuing him.
• Lu Ren stopped and struck the pursuing Guiche with a powerful punch, then dodged its Black Flame attack.
• Lu Ren found that the Black Flame clung to his finger and scorched his skin, so he contained it with True Energy.

Lu Ren killed a Celestial Immortal-tier Guiche, collected its valuable feathers, and cooked its meat in a huge cauldron as he continued along the Supreme Ancient Road. Ao Li criticized his habits and remarked that his rapid cultivation defied common sense.

• Lu Ren severed his fingers to stop wasting True Energy resisting the Guiche's Black Flame, then grabbed the bird and crushed its neck.
• The system awarded Lu Ren one Skill Point for killing the Celestial Immortal-tier Guiche, and he lamented how difficult Skill Points had become to obtain.
• Lu Ren stripped the Guiche's feathers and stored them in his Inner World Universe, intending to conserve its resources.
• Lu Ren enlarged a cauldron, added the Guiche meat and ingredients, and began cooking as he traveled onward.
• Ao Li mocked Lu Ren for gathering outside food instead of using his Inner World Universe, and Lu Ren explained how precious its resources were.
• Ao Li called Lu Ren's cultivation abnormal, and Lu Ren admitted his strength could rise rapidly when he had enough Skill Points.

Lu Ren discovered that the Supreme Ancient Road had been carved through the void and could only be traveled safely with his feet on solid ground. After a year of careful progress, he remained far from its end and complained about the slow pace.

• Lu Ren realized his route had gone wrong, and Ao Li explained that stepping into empty space had shifted him onto another level.
• Ao Li told Lu Ren the road had been excavated by a powerful figure, and Lu Ren spotted the finger and tool marks carved into it.
• Lu Ren learned that travelers who left the road and entered the mist never returned, including members of Ao Li's True Dragon clan.
• Lu Ren ate cooked giant Guiche bird meat and continued along the road, traveling for a year until he had gone beyond the Solar System by Earth's measurements.
• Ao Li offered to help Lu Ren relieve stress, and he scolded her for treating him like a lecherous fiend.

Lu Ren encountered the Queen Mother of the West unconscious on the ancient road, but she awoke crazed and attacked him. He purged a corrupting energy from her, leaving her barely responsive, and planned to learn what she had encountered.

• After traveling for another half year, Lu Ren found the unconscious Queen Mother of the West lying in a pool of blood.
• The Queen Mother of the West attacked Lu Ren like a feral beast, and he restrained her by the jaw.
• Lu Ren examined the Queen Mother of the West and discovered a negative energy inside her that tried to corrupt his True Energy.
• Lu Ren weakened the Queen Mother of the West while purging the foul aura, hoping to discover its source and what she had encountered.
• After spending nearly twenty percent of his True Energy, Lu Ren eradicated the aura and tossed the Queen Mother of the West aside, assuring Ao Li that her Celestial Immortal Dao Fruit would allow her to recover.

Lu Ren questioned the Queen Mother of the West after rescuing her from a loss of reason on the ancient road. She revealed that a wisp of black qi had sealed her Dao Fruit and rendered her unconscious, and Lu Ren pressed her for its origin.

• The Queen Mother of the West awoke beside Lu Ren and discovered that her strength had vanished.
• Lu Ren explained how the Path to Ascension had swept him onto the ancient road and asked what had made her lose control.
• The Queen Mother of the West described the ancient road as a perilous path of no return and reacted coldly when Lu Ren teased her about the Supreme Ascendant's Grotto-heaven.
• The Queen Mother of the West said that touching a wisp of black qi had sealed her Dao Fruit and put her divine sense to sleep.
• Lu Ren ignored her promise to repay him and asked where the black qi had come from.

Lu Ren learned that Queen Mother of the West had been corrupted by mysterious black mist, then continued along the Path to Ascension until he reached a floating island crowded with Celestial Immortals. He discovered that similar paths existed in other galaxies and remained wary of the terrifying depths of the Cloud Sea.

• Queen Mother of the West told Lu Ren that black mist had appeared suddenly and tainted her, and she denied needing his help as he continued onward.
• After nearly five more years, Lu Ren found a floating island packed with cultivators whose auras all reached the Celestial Immortal level.
• Ao Li explained that countless galaxies held powerful talents and that similar Paths to Ascension appeared elsewhere.
• Lu Ren asked where the path's creator had gone, and Ao Li said the elders treated the subject as taboo and offered several possibilities.
• Lu Ren recalled that the Cloud Sea's depths exerted a dreadful pull, so he avoided entering and hunted only the Celestial Immortal beasts that emerged from it.

Lu Ren arrived at Hanging Mountain and learned from Qing Cheng that the fog along the Supreme Ancient Road swallowed anyone who entered and forced travelers to keep moving. After discovering familiar figures on the mountain, Lu Ren entered a courtyard while the Jade Emperor watched him with suspicion.

• Qing Cheng introduced himself to Lu Ren and explained that Hanging Mountain was the Supreme Ancient Road’s only safe resting place.
• Qing Cheng warned Lu Ren about the mysterious fog and showed him the part of his calf that vanished when he stepped into it.
• Qing Cheng told Lu Ren that thousands of Celestial Immortals lived on Hanging Mountain, and Lu Ren reflected on Hantu’s deep foundation.
• Lu Ren sensed the mountain’s fragile spiritual vein, and Qing Cheng explained that residents had nurtured it with the essence blood of beasts from beneath the Cloud Sea.
• Lu Ren spotted familiar figures and entered a courtyard on Hanging Mountain, while the Jade Emperor watched him and doubted his earlier claim that he would not enter.

The Jade Emperor told Tathagata that Lu Ren had arrived, then proposed that they join forces with him to attempt the Path to Ascension. Tathagata agreed they should approach Lu Ren, while admitting their short remaining lifespans and the road’s dangers weighed on him.

• The Jade Emperor visited Tathagata in his wooden hut and told him he had seen Lu Ren.
• Tathagata said Lu Ren seemed to want to avoid acknowledging their connection and initially advised leaving him alone.
• The Jade Emperor argued that they needed to join forces with Lu Ren, but Tathagata warned that their past conflicts could make cooperation difficult.
• Tathagata described how little time he and the Jade Emperor had left and how other powerful cultivators had failed to complete the Path to Ascension.
• Tathagata agreed they could approach Lu Ren, and the Jade Emperor said they would do so if Lu Ren was willing.
• Tathagata asked the Jade Emperor to handle the approach while he took time to steady his mind and restore his combat strength.