Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen and his younger brother, a golden Duobao Rat, cultivate together inside a fairy mountain cave. The mountain’s spiritual grasses and treasures have nearly been exhausted.
• Lu Chen uses his companion treasure, the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, to refine a final stalk of Spirit-Raising Grass. The vase preserves the grass’s medicinal essence and divides it into two drops, one for each brother.
• Lu Chen decides they must soon leave the mountain, but first intends to complete a “major project”: extracting the mountain’s remaining vein energy through the treasure vase.
• The chapter reveals Lu Chen’s origins. He is a transmigrated soul merged with a fragment of the Devouring Demon God’s origin, becoming a Heaven-Devouring Rat. His companion treasure is a damaged but still powerful version of the Devouring Demon God’s treasure vase.
• His younger brother is a naturally born Duobao Rat, transformed from Innate Treasure Aura. He can locate treasures and avoid danger. Lu Chen persuaded him to become his “second brother,” choosing to cultivate and explore with him.
• Three powerful Daoists—Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian—approach the mountain after noticing its unusual depletion of spiritual energy.
• Lu Chen senses the danger before they arrive, hides the treasure vase, and escapes the cave with Duobao. He correctly recognizes the three visitors as the future Three Pure Ones.
• Tongtian calculates that Duobao shares a destined master-disciple relationship with him. Impressed by Duobao’s origins and Mysterious Immortal cultivation, he offers to take him as a disciple.
• Duobao immediately accepts, bowing and acknowledging Tongtian as his master.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates caution, intelligence, resourcefulness, and strong protective instincts toward Duobao. His transmigrator perspective gives him knowledge of future figures and events, but he deliberately keeps this knowledge hidden. He is also pragmatic and opportunistic, harvesting the mountain’s resources to improve his cultivation.
• Duobao: Shows trust and loyalty toward Lu Chen, following his elder brother without hesitation. Despite his simple and obedient nature, he possesses strong innate talent as a treasure-born creature and has already reached the Mysterious Immortal realm. His life changes dramatically when Tongtian accepts him as a disciple.
• Tongtian: Appears approachable and perceptive compared with his elder brothers. He recognizes Duobao’s extraordinary origin and acts decisively on their predestined connection.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Their presence establishes them as immensely powerful figures. Laozi is quiet and impassive, while Yuanshi displays disdain toward the two lowly-looking rats.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and predestination: Duobao’s destined relationship with Tongtian sets him on the path toward becoming an important disciple and future Buddhist figure.
• Brotherhood and loyalty: Lu Chen and Duobao share resources, cultivate together, and rely on one another despite their unequal origins and abilities.
• Transformation and identity: Lu Chen’s soul merges with demonic origin, while Duobao is born from innate treasure aura. Both possess unusual forms and origins that conceal their future importance.
• Power and survival: The chapter emphasizes the dangers of the Primordial World after the Dragon-Han Cataclysm, where cautious behavior and the ability to recognize powerful figures are essential.
• Opportunistic cultivation: Lu Chen’s extraction of spiritual treasures and mountain energy reflects the harsh, resource-driven nature of cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Duobao cooperate closely during cultivation, sharing the refined essence of the Spirit-Raising Grass.
• Lu Chen assumes the role of protective elder brother, deciding when they should hide or flee, while Duobao follows him out of trust.
• The brothers respectfully greet Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian after emerging from the cave.
• Tongtian focuses on Duobao, identifies their master-disciple fate, and offers him an apprenticeship.
• Duobao accepts immediately, establishing the beginning of his relationship with Tongtian and separating his future path from Lu Chen’s independent cultivation journey.

Chapter Summary: “Bowing to Tongtian as Master”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duobao asks Tongtian to accept his elder brother, Lu Chen, as a disciple, emphasizing that Lu Chen’s potential is greater than his own.
• Lu Chen is moved by Duobao’s loyalty and secretly reveals part of his true aura—his innate origins and current cultivation—while continuing to conceal the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.
• Tongtian, Laozi, and Yuanshi examine Lu Chen and discover that he possesses the origins of the Devouring Demon God. His innate foundation is nearly equal to that of the three innate sacred beings, despite his relatively weak Golden Immortal cultivation.
• Tongtian offers to accept Lu Chen as his disciple. Unexpectedly, Laozi and Yuanshi also invite Lu Chen into their sects.
• Lu Chen weighs the advantages and disadvantages of each possible master:
  • Laozi is powerful and knowledgeable but emotionally detached.
  • Yuanshi protects favored disciples but is prejudiced against beings of humble or non-human origins.
  • Tongtian is generous, skilled at teaching, rich in treasures, and devoted to his disciples, though his excessive sentimentality may later cause problems during the Investiture of the Gods.
• Lu Chen chooses Tongtian, explaining that he does not wish to be separated from Duobao, with whom he has been together since birth.
• He formally bows to Tongtian as his master. Tongtian joyfully accepts him and declares that, despite joining after Duobao, Lu Chen will be the eldest disciple of the sect.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates gratitude, strategic judgment, and loyalty. Rather than choosing the strongest or most prestigious master, he prioritizes remaining with Duobao and selects the teacher most likely to treat him well and provide practical support.
• Duobao: Establishes himself as a sincere and generous younger brother by using his own opportunity to help Lu Chen.
• Tongtian: Shows openness, warmth, and enthusiasm toward Lu Chen. His willingness to accept disciples based on talent rather than status reinforces his inclusive nature.
• Laozi: Reveals interest in Lu Chen’s extraordinary potential, though his restrained reaction reflects his detached and calculating personality.
• Yuanshi: Sees Lu Chen as a potentially glorious disciple who could enhance his reputation. His restrained anger after Lu Chen’s refusal exposes his pride and prejudice.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and brotherhood: Duobao’s request and Lu Chen’s final decision emphasize that familial bonds can outweigh power, status, and material advantages.
• The importance of backing and alliances: Lu Chen recognizes that possessing talent is dangerous without protection in the Primordial World, where strength and background determine survival.
• Choice of master and personal values: The chapter contrasts different forms of authority—Laozi’s detached wisdom, Yuanshi’s selective protection, and Tongtian’s warmth and inclusiveness.
• Potential versus present strength: Lu Chen’s extraordinary innate origins make him valuable despite his low cultivation, foreshadowing his future growth.
• Foreshadowing and fate: Tongtian’s later downfall during the Investiture of the Gods is discussed, creating tension between his current generosity and the future dangers awaiting his sect.

Character Interactions

• Duobao respectfully petitions Tongtian on Lu Chen’s behalf, strengthening their brotherly relationship.
• Tongtian examines Lu Chen and immediately recognizes his exceptional potential.
• Laozi and Yuanshi interrupt Tongtian’s acceptance to compete for Lu Chen as a disciple, revealing that Lu Chen’s origins have impressed all three brothers.
• Lu Chen carefully refuses Laozi and Yuanshi without openly offending them, framing his choice as loyalty to Duobao.
• Yuanshi reacts with concealed anger, Laozi with disappointment, and Tongtian with delight.
• Tongtian rewards Lu Chen’s decision by making him the sect’s eldest disciple, establishing his elevated status beside Duobao.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian brings Lu Chen and Duobao to Kunlun Mountain, where the spiritual energy and abundance of immortal herbs greatly surpass anything they have previously encountered.
• He tells them to establish cave dwellings while he, Laozi, and Yuanshi retreat into the Pure-High Immortal Palace to digest their insights and discuss the Dao.
• Lu Chen and Duobao simply dig a burrow beside the palace, drawing Yuanshi’s contempt but Tongtian’s defense.
• While the Three Pure Ones converse, the two rat disciples harvest large quantities of Kunlun’s immortal herbs. Lu Chen stores them in the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, secretly using his innate Heaven-Devouring ability to refine them into Spirit Liquid.
• After a century of cultivation, Lu Chen has grown stronger, while Duobao approaches the Golden Immortal realm.
• Lu Chen gives Duobao Spirit Liquid, helping him advance rapidly from the Mysterious Immortal realm to the peak of the Late Stage. A second dose finally pushes Duobao into the Golden Immortal realm.
• Duobao’s breakthrough triggers a powerful lightning tribulation. The Three Pure Ones awaken and recognize his exceptional progress.
• Just as Tongtian prepares to disperse the tribulation, he hears Lu Chen’s voice inside his mind, advising that Duobao should use the Transformation Lightning Tribulation to temper and strengthen his physical body.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Remains pragmatic, resourceful, and secretive. He takes advantage of Kunlun’s abundant resources while concealing the true power of the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase. He also demonstrates generosity and foresight by investing Spirit Liquid in Duobao’s cultivation.
• Duobao: Develops rapidly under Kunlun’s rich spiritual energy and Lu Chen’s assistance. His cultivation rises dramatically, proving that he possesses considerable talent despite being viewed as less extraordinary than Lu Chen.
• Tongtian: Shows himself to be accepting and protective of his disciples, defending their simple burrow and taking pride in Duobao’s breakthrough.
• Yuanshi: Continues to look down on demonkind and considers Lu Chen’s crude habits beneath proper cultivation, though he acknowledges Duobao’s acceptable aptitude.
• Laozi: Acts as the calm evaluator of the group, recognizing Duobao’s exceptional hundred-year advancement.
• Relationship between Lu Chen and Duobao: Their brotherly bond deepens. Lu Chen acts as both provider and strategist, while Duobao trusts him completely and accepts his aid without hesitation.

Significant Themes

• Abundance and opportunity: Kunlun Mountain’s extraordinary environment demonstrates how birthplace and resources can shape cultivation.
• Resourcefulness and concealment: Lu Chen exploits Kunlun’s treasures but carefully hides the Treasure Vase’s true refining function, emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s greatest abilities secret.
• Brotherhood and mutual support: Lu Chen’s willingness to share Spirit Liquid allows Duobao to make a major breakthrough, showing their cooperation and loyalty.
• Prejudice toward demons: Yuanshi’s disdain for Lu Chen’s rat form contrasts with Tongtian’s more open-minded attitude.
• Body refinement through tribulation: The chapter introduces the idea that lightning tribulation is not merely a danger but also an opportunity to strengthen the body.
• Mystery and spiritual connection: Tongtian’s sudden perception of Lu Chen’s voice hints at an unusual connection or hidden ability involving Lu Chen’s thoughts and influence.

Character Interactions

• Duobao enthusiastically admires Kunlun and wishes they had been born there, while Lu Chen explains the mountain’s advantages and dangers.
• Yuanshi mocks their crude burrow, but Tongtian argues that it suits their current rat forms.
• Lu Chen and Duobao work together to gather immortal herbs, with Duobao eagerly following Lu Chen’s example.
• Lu Chen summons Duobao and gives him refined Spirit Liquid, directly guiding his advancement.
• The Three Pure Ones discuss Duobao’s talent after his breakthrough, with Laozi offering praise, Yuanshi giving reluctant approval, and Tongtian taking pride in his disciple.
• The chapter ends with Tongtian startled by hearing Lu Chen’s voice in his heart, creating a cliffhanger about Lu Chen’s hidden powers and the reason for their mental connection.

Chapter Summary: Hongjun Becomes a Sage

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen stops Tongtian from dispersing Duobao’s Transformation Tribulation, believing Duobao should endure it himself.
• Lu Chen advises Duobao to withstand the tribulation lightning with his physical body before relying on magic power.
• Duobao follows the advice, enduring ten powerful lightning bolts and drawing their energy into his body to refine it.
• Although badly burned and covered in wounds, Duobao’s foundation remains intact because he previously strengthened his body with Spirit Liquid.
• Duobao successfully survives the tribulation, transforms into a physical body, and reaches the Golden Immortal realm.
• Yuanshi acknowledges Duobao’s perseverance and spirit despite his prejudice against demons.
• Tongtian realizes he can hear Lu Chen’s thoughts, while Laozi and Yuanshi apparently cannot.
• A tremendous pressure descends across the Primordial World as Hongjun attains Sagehood.
• Hongjun announces that he has become a Sage and will establish Zixiao Palace in Chaos, where he will preach the Dao in three thousand years to those with sufficient fate.
• After the Sage pressure fades, the Three Pure Ones discuss attending Hongjun’s lecture. Tongtian asks to bring Duobao and Lu Chen, and Laozi offers to protect them with the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.

Character Developments

• Duobao: Demonstrates courage, endurance, and deep trust in Lu Chen. His decision to endure the tribulation physically strengthens his foundation and allows him to complete his transformation successfully.
• Lu Chen: Acts as Duobao’s mentor and protector. His strategic guidance helps Duobao gain more from the tribulation, while his private thoughts reveal his ambition to become stronger.
• Tongtian: Shows strong concern for Duobao and Lu Chen. He is increasingly intrigued by Lu Chen after discovering that he can hear Lu Chen’s thoughts, but keeps this ability secret.
• Yuanshi: Despite disliking demons, he objectively praises Duobao’s character and accepts the plan to bring him and Lu Chen to Chaos.
• Laozi: Offers practical support and demonstrates a measured appreciation of Lu Chen and Duobao’s potential.
• Hongjun: Reaches Sagehood and establishes himself as the supreme teacher of the Primordial World, opening a major new stage in cultivation history.

Significant Themes

• Endurance and self-improvement: Duobao uses suffering as an opportunity to strengthen his body and foundation rather than merely survive the tribulation.
• Trust and mentorship: Duobao’s willingness to follow Lu Chen’s dangerous advice reflects the trust between them.
• Prejudice versus merit: Yuanshi’s approval of Duobao shows that genuine ability and character can overcome preconceived bias.
• Hidden knowledge and destiny: Tongtian’s ability to hear Lu Chen’s thoughts gives him unique insight into Lu Chen’s origins, awareness, and ambitions.
• The rise of greater powers: Hongjun’s ascension to Sagehood reveals a realm beyond the Three Pure Ones’ current level and signals the beginning of a broader cosmic era.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen guides Duobao through the tribulation and later helps him recover.
• Yuanshi and Laozi observe and evaluate Duobao’s performance, with Yuanshi ultimately praising him.
• Tongtian privately listens to Lu Chen’s thoughts while pretending not to notice.
• The Three Pure Ones discuss Hongjun’s announcement and debate whether Duobao and Lu Chen can accompany them to Zixiao Palace.
• Laozi resolves the concern by offering the protection of his powerful pagoda during the journey through the dangerous Chaos astral winds.

Chapter Summary: Laozi and Yuanshi’s Legacies

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian summons Lu Chen and Duobao to the Three Pure Ones’ palace after their previous ordeal.
• He announces that, in three thousand years, he will take them to Zixiao Palace to listen to the Dao.
• Tongtian passes down the Nine-Turn Origin Art, his innate cultivation method, along with his insights into formations. The technique reaches only the Great Luo realm, reflecting the limited inheritances available in the current Primordial World.
• Laozi asks whether the disciples prefer alchemy or artifact refinement. Lu Chen chooses alchemy, while Duobao chooses artifact refinement.
• Laozi gives Lu Chen his alchemical insights, while Yuanshi gives Duobao his artifact-refinement knowledge. They then exchange teachings, so both disciples receive the auxiliary legacies of all three Pure Ones: alchemy, artifact refinement, and formations.
• Lu Chen and Duobao move into a proper cave abode. Lu Chen suggests that they focus first on the teachings best suited to their interests, while seeking guidance from Laozi and Yuanshi when needed.
• Over the next thousand years, Lu Chen makes significant progress in alchemy and can refine ordinary immortal-grade pills. Duobao advances more slowly in artifact refinement because of his weaker innate talent.
• Tongtian becomes slightly resentful that his disciples seek guidance from Laozi and Yuanshi but rarely ask him about formations. Yuanshi reminds him that the Three Pure Ones are united and that their assistance allows Tongtian more time to cultivate.
• As the appointed journey approaches, Laozi summons the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda. Its protective light shields the group as Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, Lu Chen, and Duobao enter Chaos to search for Zixiao Palace.
• The chapter ends with Duobao wondering whether they might fail to find Zixiao Palace amid the boundless Chaos.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates strong comprehension and initiative. He quickly masters much of Laozi’s alchemy and cleverly broadens his knowledge by accepting teachings from all three Pure Ones.
• Duobao reveals a clear preference for artifact refinement and remains respectful and eager to learn, though his progress is slower than Lu Chen’s.
• Tongtian is generous with his disciples but also displays a humorous, somewhat childish insecurity when they favor his brothers’ teachings over his own formations.
• Laozi is portrayed as patient, powerful, and generous, offering both advanced teachings and careful personal guidance.
• Yuanshi acts as a teasing but supportive elder, contributing his artifact-refinement knowledge and helping mediate Tongtian’s feelings.
• The relationship among the Three Pure Ones is shown as close and familial despite their differing personalities.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and inheritance: The chapter emphasizes the importance of passing down cultivation methods, alchemy, artifact refinement, and formations to future generations.
• Mentorship and shared knowledge: Lu Chen and Duobao benefit from the combined teachings of all three Pure Ones rather than relying on a single master.
• Different paths to cultivation: The disciples’ contrasting interests show that progress depends not only on talent but also on personal inclination.
• Unity among the Three Pure Ones: Their cooperation reflects the idea that their disciples and teachings are ultimately part of one shared lineage.
• The limits of the age: The incomplete nature of the Nine-Turn Origin Art highlights how undeveloped the Primordial World remains before the rise of later saints and more complete cultivation systems.
• Preparation for greater advancement: The journey to Zixiao Palace marks the disciples’ transition from secluded cultivation toward contact with higher Daoist teachings.

Important Character Interactions

• Tongtian formally instructs Lu Chen and Duobao and establishes their future journey to Zixiao Palace.
• Laozi and Yuanshi expand the disciples’ education beyond Tongtian’s original teachings.
• Lu Chen and Duobao coordinate their studies according to their respective strengths.
• Yuanshi teases Tongtian about being overlooked, while Tongtian defensively insists that the disciples are free to choose their own interests.
• Laozi ultimately redirects the brothers toward cultivation and leads the group safely into Chaos using his protective pagoda.

Chapter Summary: “The Shameless Zhunti”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian, Laozi, and Yuanshi travel through Chaos with Duobao and Lu Chen to attend Hongjun’s upcoming sermon.
• Tongtian hears Lu Chen’s inner thoughts and becomes increasingly suspicious of his disciple’s extraordinary knowledge. He even wonders whether Lu Chen might be the reincarnation of the Devouring Demon God.
• Lu Chen considers secretly using the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to absorb Chaos qi, but decides the risk of exposing the treasure is not worth the temporary benefit.
• The group discovers Zixiao Palace before the scheduled sermon. Many powerful innate beings have already gathered outside.
• When the palace gates open, the Three Pure Ones rush inside and secure the first three prayer cushions. Nuwa, Hong Yun, and Kunpeng obtain the remaining three important seats.
• Jieyin and Zhunti arrive late, dramatically complaining about the West’s poverty and their lack of a place to sit.
• Hong Yun kindly gives up his seat to Jieyin, despite Zhen Yuanzi’s shock. Lu Chen recognizes this as the famous event that gives Jieyin a chance to become a Sage.
• Zhunti then targets Kunpeng, insulting him as a “feathered beast” and trying to provoke Yuanshi into expressing his usual contempt for non-human beings. Yuanshi refuses to cooperate.
• Zhunti changes tactics, deliberately pretending to stumble into Kunpeng and knocking him off his seat. He immediately occupies the cushion and hypocritically apologizes.
• Lu Chen realizes that Zhunti’s actions were carefully planned and that the seating arrangement may have been part of the Heavenly Dao’s predetermined design.
• Kunpeng prepares to confront Zhunti, but Hongjun appears before the conflict can escalate.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Continues to display knowledge of future events and major figures, though he hides the full extent of what he knows. He remains cautious, choosing not to reveal his treasure or interfere unnecessarily with destiny.
• Tongtian: Becomes increasingly conflicted and suspicious about Lu Chen. He hears Lu Chen’s thoughts but cannot determine whether they are accurate predictions or wild speculation. His doubts lead him to consider extraordinary possibilities about Lu Chen’s origin.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Maintain their authority as the senior members of the Three Pure Ones. Yuanshi shows restraint by refusing to repeat the insulting rhetoric Zhunti expects from him.
• Hong Yun: Demonstrates his kindness and generosity by surrendering his valuable prayer cushion to Jieyin. His compassion also makes him vulnerable to Zhunti’s manipulation.
• Zhunti: Reveals himself as calculating, shameless, and highly opportunistic. He uses emotional theatrics, insults, provocation, and deception to secure a prayer cushion for Jieyin and himself.
• Kunpeng: Loses his hard-won seat through Zhunti’s trickery and becomes openly hostile. His grievance sets up a future conflict.
• Jieyin: Benefits from Hong Yun’s generosity and Zhunti’s scheming, taking possession of a seat linked to future Sagehood.
• Zhen Yuanzi: Is stunned and troubled by Hong Yun’s decision to give away their seat, recognizing the seriousness of the sacrifice.
• Dijun and Taiyi: Draw Tongtian’s attention after Lu Chen identifies them as future leaders of the demon race, though Tongtian remains skeptical of their potential.

3. Significant Themes

• Destiny versus personal choice: The prayer cushions appear to be tied to future Sagehood, suggesting that major events are both predestined and shaped by individual actions.
• Hidden knowledge and suspicion: Lu Chen’s private knowledge affects how Tongtian interprets events, creating uncertainty about whether destiny can be trusted or altered.
• Manipulation disguised as virtue: Zhunti presents himself as pitiful and harmless while carefully engineering events to obtain what he wants.
• Generosity and exploitation: Hong Yun’s genuine kindness is exploited by Zhunti, contrasting selfless compassion with calculated opportunism.
• Legitimacy and hierarchy: The gathering emphasizes the importance of lineage, cultivation, race, and status among the great powers.
• The danger of appearances: Zhunti’s ragged clothing and sorrowful behavior conceal his ambition, while supposedly ordinary prayer cushions conceal enormous significance.

4. Character Interactions

• Tongtian repeatedly observes Lu Chen and internally debates whether to trust his mysterious disciple.
• The Three Pure Ones cooperate closely in securing the front seats, demonstrating their shared lineage and influence.
• Lu Chen’s thoughts about Nuwa, Dijun, and Taiyi indirectly influence Tongtian’s perception of these figures.
• Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi arrive together and secure a seat through cooperation, but Hong Yun’s generosity creates tension between them.
• Zhunti manipulates Hong Yun into surrendering the seat, while Jieyin quietly accepts the benefit.
• Zhunti attempts to use Yuanshi’s known prejudice against non-human beings to pressure Kunpeng, but Yuanshi refuses to participate.
• Zhunti and Kunpeng become direct rivals when Zhunti steals Kunpeng’s seat through a staged collision.
• The chapter ends with Kunpeng on the verge of retaliation and Hongjun’s arrival poised to determine the outcome.

Chapter Summary: Advancing to the Taiyi Realm, Dividing the Treasure Gourds at Buzhou Mountain

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hongjun settles the seating dispute in Zixiao Palace by declaring that the seats are fixed. Kunpeng, suppressed by Hongjun’s overwhelming power, is forced to accept his position despite blaming Zhunti for taking the coveted seat.
• Lu Chen secretly considers killing Zhunti and Jieyin before they become future enemies and Sages. He hopes Kunpeng might eliminate them, though he recognizes that Hongjun could intervene to protect them.
• Tongtian reads Lu Chen’s thoughts and becomes uneasy about Zhunti’s future. Although he dislikes creating enemies without cause, he decides that if Zhunti eventually becomes hostile, he can rely on Laozi and Yuanshi to deal with him.
• Hongjun begins the first of his three Dao expositions, explaining the nature of immortality. He also warns that the Dharma must not be transmitted to “Six Ears.”
• As Hongjun lectures, golden lotuses and immense Dharma power fill Zixiao Palace. Lu Chen absorbs much of this power through his innate talent, while also gaining insight from Hongjun’s profound teachings.
• Hongjun notices that Lu Chen is an anomaly, possibly a remnant or contingency connected to the ancient being Devour, but he does not expose or confront him.
• After three thousand years, the first lecture ends. Lu Chen’s cultivation rises from the Middle Golden Immortal stage to the Middle Taiyi/Primordial Unity stage, shocking Tongtian. Duobao also advances significantly, reaching the Late Golden Immortal stage.
• Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, Duobao, and Lu Chen return from Chaos to the Primordial World. Lu Chen anticipates an opportunity at Buzhou Mountain involving the innate treasure gourds, the Gourd Vine, and the Innate Self-Growing Soil.
• The Three Pure Ones sense an opportunity at Buzhou Mountain and travel there. They avoid the Witch Clan, which controls the region and is powerful despite its reputation for being direct and warlike.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Makes a major breakthrough into the Taiyi Realm and continues to exploit his unusual ability to absorb Dharma power. He remains strategically minded, already planning how to prevent future threats from Zhunti and how to secure treasures important to future events.
• Tongtian: Becomes increasingly aware that Lu Chen’s inner thoughts may reveal future developments. His trust in Lu Chen grows, though he remains hesitant to judge Zhunti as an enemy before any conflict occurs. His protective and inclusive nature is contrasted with his brothers’ more decisive attitudes.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Continue to act as calm, authoritative elders. They recognize Lu Chen’s rapid progress but attribute it partly to his lower cultivation level and the advantages of his current position.
• Duobao: Advances from the Early to the Late Golden Immortal stage, benefiting greatly from being Lu Chen’s disciple and from access to opportunities he would not otherwise have encountered.
• Hongjun: Demonstrates absolute authority over the assembled powers. He detects Lu Chen’s abnormal origins but chooses to observe rather than interfere.
• Kunpeng and Zhunti: Their hostility is established through the seating conflict. Kunpeng is humiliated and resentful, while Zhunti gains the seat and potentially creates a future enemy.

Significant Themes

• Predestination versus choice: Hongjun’s declaration that the seats cannot be changed reflects the power of established destiny, while Lu Chen’s knowledge of the future allows him to alter events.
• The danger of future enemies: Lu Chen and Tongtian both worry about Zhunti’s eventual rise and the consequences of forming alliances or grudges before those events occur.
• Power and hidden identity: Hongjun’s recognition of Lu Chen as an anomaly introduces uncertainty about his origins and his connection to ancient forces.
• Accumulation and opportunity: Lu Chen’s rapid advancement shows that cultivation depends not only on insight but also on access to Dharma power, treasures, and timely opportunities.
• Master-disciple influence: Lu Chen’s presence changes Duobao’s fate and accelerates his cultivation, demonstrating how relationships can reshape predetermined paths.
• Cooperation among the Three Pure Ones: Despite differing temperaments, Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian work together to pursue the opportunity at Buzhou Mountain.

Character Interactions

• Hongjun overrules Kunpeng’s objection and forces him to accept the seating arrangement.
• Kunpeng directs his resentment toward Zhunti but submits before Hongjun’s authority.
• Lu Chen’s private thoughts influence Tongtian’s perception of Zhunti, even though Tongtian cannot openly explain how he knows these possibilities.
• Tongtian, Laozi, and Yuanshi discuss Lu Chen and Duobao’s cultivation progress, with the elder brothers reassuring Tongtian that Lu Chen’s advancement is reasonable.
• Lu Chen’s thoughts alert the Three Pure Ones to the treasure opportunity at Buzhou Mountain, prompting them to travel there together.
• The chapter ends as the Three Pure Ones enter Witch Clan territory cautiously, preparing to investigate the treasure gourds and related innate treasures.

Chapter Summary: Houtu Bestows Xi Rang

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Three Pure Ones arrive at Buzhou Mountain and find Nuwa, Fuxi, Dijun, Taiyi, Hong Yun, and Zhen Yuanzi already gathered around a newly revealed innate treasure.
• An innate protective formation appears, enclosing the Innate Gourd Vine, one of the ten supreme innate spiritual roots.
• Since none of the present cultivators can defeat all the others and claim the vine, Laozi proposes that the treasure choose its destined owners.
• The Gourd Vine undergoes a powerful forty-nine-bolt lightning tribulation, followed by five additional bolts. After surviving, its seven flowers mature into seven gourds.
• The gourds fly individually to their destined recipients. Laozi and the other great powers obtain five mature gourds, while Lu Chen claims the immature Purple-Black Gourd, which is close to withering.
• Lu Chen then swallows the Gourd Vine itself and digs around its roots, hoping to find the valuable Xi Rang, or Innate Self-Growing Soil.
• Houtu appears and reveals that she has already obtained the Xi Rang. When Lu Chen shows his desire for it, she generously gives it to him without asking for anything in return.
• Lu Chen sincerely thanks Houtu and promises to help her in the future. Tongtian also accepts the favor on Lu Chen’s behalf and offers assistance if Houtu ever needs it.
• Dijun, who had been considering recruiting Lu Chen, suppresses his interest because Houtu’s presence reminds him that future conflict between the Heavenly Court and the Witch Clan is inevitable.
• The Three Pure Ones leave with Lu Chen, while Nuwa teasingly asks Houtu whether she has feelings for him. Houtu denies it, saying she gave him the Xi Rang because of an inexplicable feeling from fate or the unseen.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates increasing initiative and resourcefulness. Although he appears immature and has not yet transformed, he successfully acquires both the Purple-Black Gourd and the Gourd Vine, then gains the Xi Rang through Houtu’s goodwill.
• Tongtian openly protects and praises Lu Chen, even jokingly describing his cultivation as weak while implying that his innate foundation is extraordinary. He also begins to place greater trust in Lu Chen’s inner thoughts and takes responsibility for his disciple’s relationships.
• Houtu is portrayed as gentle, generous, and guided by intuition. Her unexplained affinity toward Lu Chen leads her to give away the valuable Xi Rang freely.
• Dijun recognizes Lu Chen’s enormous potential and considers recruiting him as a bridge to the Three Pure Ones, but his plans are restrained by his awareness of the coming Witch–Heavenly Court conflict.
• Nuwa becomes curious about Lu Chen after discovering that she cannot calculate his origins. Her teasing of Houtu also reveals her observant and playful personality.
• Laozi acts pragmatically by proposing a fair distribution method, preventing an immediate struggle over the Gourd Vine.

Significant Themes

• Fate and destined treasures: The gourds choose their owners, while Houtu’s decision to give Lu Chen the Xi Rang is attributed to an unseen connection or providence.
• Hidden potential: Lu Chen’s inability to transform despite reaching the Taiyi Realm suggests an exceptionally powerful innate foundation. His concealed origins further emphasize that he is far more mysterious and important than he appears.
• Generosity and reciprocal bonds: Houtu gives Lu Chen a rare treasure without demanding compensation, while Lu Chen and Tongtian promise future assistance, establishing a meaningful alliance.
• Political maneuvering and future conflict: Dijun’s interest in recruiting Lu Chen reflects the growing importance of alliances between the major factions, while the looming clash between the Witch Clan and the Heavenly Court limits his actions.
• Treasure as a source of merit and power: The Gourd Vine, Purple-Black Gourd, and Xi Rang are not merely valuable objects; they represent future opportunities for cultivation, influence, and accumulated merit.

Character Interactions

• Laozi negotiates with the gathered powers by suggesting that the Gourd Vine’s treasures choose their rightful owners.
• Nuwa, Fuxi, Dijun, Taiyi, and the others observe the distribution of the gourds and react with surprise to Lu Chen’s unusual status.
• Nuwa questions Tongtian about Lu Chen, prompting Tongtian to reveal that Lu Chen is his disciple.
• Dijun studies Lu Chen as a potential recruit and possible link to the Three Pure Ones.
• Houtu approaches Lu Chen directly, gives him the Xi Rang, and establishes a favorable connection with him and Tongtian.
• Nuwa later teases Houtu about her apparent interest in Lu Chen, but Houtu explains that her gift came from an unexplainable feeling rather than romantic affection.

Chapter Summary: “Nine-Turn Origin Art”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning to Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones retreat to digest the insights gained from the lecture, while Lu Chen accompanies Duobao to Duobao’s cave.
• Duobao notices that the spirit herbs on Kunlun’s summit have regrown and considers harvesting them, but Lu Chen advises him to cultivate first.
• Lu Chen enters seclusion and begins refining the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, placing inside it the Gourd Vine, Innate Self-Growing Soil, and Purple-Black Treasure Gourd.
• The chapter explains the treasure-restriction system: the more restrictions a cultivator refines, the greater their control over a magical treasure. Lu Chen has refined twelve of the vase’s forty-eight restrictions, allowing him to use its storage and devouring-refinement abilities but not its deeper powers.
• After several centuries, Lu Chen drinks the Spirit Liquid stored in the vase and begins cultivating the Nine-Turn Origin Art, a powerful but extremely demanding technique taught by Tongtian.
• The technique repeatedly tempers and compresses spiritual energy before converting it into cultivation. Although slower than Lu Chen’s inherited Devouring Art, it produces denser, more vigorous power capable of allowing cultivators to challenge opponents of higher realms.
• Lu Chen combines the Nine-Turn Origin Art with the Devouring Art and his Devouring Divine Ability, drawing enormous amounts of spiritual energy into his body. This creates a massive vortex over Kunlun Mountain and awakens Duobao.
• The Three Pure Ones arrive, recognize Lu Chen’s technique, and realize that his physical body must be exceptionally strong. Tongtian asks Laozi and Yuanshi to help gather the spiritual energy of Kunlun Mountain and its surroundings for Lu Chen.
• Duobao also begins cultivating under the guidance of the Three Pure Ones.
• Lu Chen’s cultivation rises from the Middle Primordial Unity Stage down to the Early Primordial Unity Stage as the Nine-Turn Origin Art compresses his power, then steadily climbs again. With the aid of the gathered spiritual energy, he ultimately breaks through to the Late Primordial Unity Stage.
• After awakening, Lu Chen thanks the Three Pure Ones for protecting him. The chapter ends with them asking how far he has advanced in the Nine-Turn Origin Art.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates patience and strategic judgment by choosing the Nine-Turn Origin Art despite its slow progress. He understands that its refined power and physical benefits are more valuable than the rapid but limited advancement offered by the Devouring Art alone.
• He also shows increasing confidence in combining multiple cultivation methods, using the Devouring Art to supply energy while relying on the Nine-Turn Origin Art to purify and strengthen it.
• Duobao continues to regard Lu Chen as his elder brother and follows his instructions. His initial distraction over the spirit herbs gives way to serious cultivation, and he gains an opportunity to improve through the dense spiritual energy gathered by the Three Pure Ones.
• Tongtian displays strong support for Lu Chen, recognizing the value of the Nine-Turn Origin Art and actively helping him cultivate.
• Laozi and Yuanshi cooperate with Tongtian to assist Lu Chen, showing their willingness to aid a promising disciple despite the enormous disturbance he creates.

Significant Themes

• Quality over speed: The chapter contrasts the Devouring Art’s rapid advancement with the Nine-Turn Origin Art’s slow but vastly more powerful refinement process.
• Self-reliance and preparation: Lu Chen recognizes that he lacks Pangu’s innate advantages and cannot depend on miraculous rewards. His progress must come from careful choices, foreknowledge, and personal effort.
• The legacy of Pangu: Lu Chen reasons that the Three Pure Ones’ qi-refining inheritance and the Twelve Ancestral Witches’ body-tempering inheritance both originate from Pangu, suggesting that Pangu’s cultivation methods were central to his overwhelming strength.
• Power through refinement: Both magical treasures and cultivation require gradual refinement. Mastery is achieved by patiently unlocking restrictions or repeatedly tempering spiritual energy.
• Support within relationships: Although cultivation is highly personal, Lu Chen’s advancement is aided by the Three Pure Ones, while Duobao benefits from their guidance and Lu Chen’s example.

Character Interactions

• Duobao asks Lu Chen about harvesting the regrown spirit herbs, but Lu Chen redirects him toward cultivation.
• Lu Chen and Duobao cultivate together, with Duobao later being startled by the scale of Lu Chen’s breakthrough.
• The Three Pure Ones discuss Lu Chen’s cultivation and praise the strength of his body.
• Tongtian requests Laozi and Yuanshi’s assistance in gathering spiritual energy, and both agree without hesitation.
• Tongtian reminds Duobao to take advantage of the abundant spiritual energy, prompting Duobao to resume cultivation.
• Upon breaking through, Lu Chen respectfully thanks the Three Pure Ones, while they respond by questioning his progress in the Nine-Turn Origin Art.

Chapter Summary: Hongjun the Great Swindler Makes His Debut

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen reveals that he has cultivated the Nine-Turn Origin Art to the ninth turn, shocking the Three Pure Ones.
• Laozi personally examines Lu Chen and confirms that his magical power is comparable to that of a Great Luo cultivator, validating Lu Chen’s claim.
• Tongtian explains the technique’s danger: although it grants vastly greater magical power than ordinary cultivation methods, each advancement becomes hundreds or thousands of times more difficult.
• Lu Chen is secretly relieved because his Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase can refine resources into Spirit Liquid, giving him a way to overcome the technique’s enormous resource requirements.
• With Hongjun’s next sermon approaching, Laozi, Tongtian, Yuanshi, Duobao, Lu Chen, and the mouse prepare to travel to Zixiao Palace.
• At the boundary of Chaos, Lu Chen asks to travel independently rather than relying on the Three Pure Ones. Tongtian agrees and lends him the Green Duckweed Sword for protection.
• After the others depart, Lu Chen uses the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to absorb vast quantities of Chaos qi, intending to exploit the journey for his own purposes. A mysterious observer praises his caution.
• Lu Chen reaches Zixiao Palace alone. His apparent Taiyi cultivation contrasts sharply with the powerful aura of Tongtian’s sword, surprising the assembled guests.
• Hongjun begins his second lecture, explaining the path beyond the Immortal Dao: the Saintly Dao and Quasi-Saint cultivation.
• He introduces three methods of proving the Dao:
  1. Force-Proving Dao, used by Pangu
  2. Three Corpses Severance, created by Hongjun
  3. Merit-Proving Dao, the weakest method but one requiring tremendous merit
• The audience is initially excited by the apparent number of options, but Hongjun’s ranking causes most of them to reject Force-Proving Dao because Pangu’s failure makes it seem suicidal.
• Lu Chen internally recognizes Hongjun’s misleading presentation, noting that Pangu sought to prove the higher Great Dao, not merely the Heavenly Dao.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates exceptional cultivation talent and foresight by reaching the ninth turn of a technique even its creator did not expect him to master so quickly.
• He remains outwardly respectful and obedient but is revealed to be highly calculating. His decision to cross Chaos alone is part of a hidden plan, and he carefully gathers Chaos qi before reaching the palace.
• Tongtian shows genuine concern for Lu Chen. Although he regrets teaching him such a difficult technique, he supports Lu Chen’s decision and lends him a powerful protective sword.
• Laozi acts pragmatically, accepting Tongtian’s decision and confirming Lu Chen’s cultivation without interfering.
• Hongjun is presented as authoritative and composed, but Lu Chen sees through the implications of his explanation and suspects deliberate distortion or omission.
• The various powerful cultivators, including Dijun, Taiyi, Nuwa, and Houtu, begin paying closer attention to Lu Chen. His rapid growth makes him a figure worth remembering—and potentially befriending or watching.

Significant Themes

• The cost of extraordinary power: The Nine-Turn Origin Art grants immense magical reserves but makes future progress extraordinarily difficult.
• Resourcefulness overcoming limitations: Lu Chen’s treasure vase may allow him to bypass the technique’s usual restrictions, showing how preparation and unique tools can offset disadvantage.
• Hidden motives beneath appearances: Lu Chen acts humble while pursuing private objectives, and Hongjun presents Dao-proving methods in a way that may conceal the truth.
• Authority versus independent judgment: The assembled cultivators accept Hongjun’s explanation, while Lu Chen questions the assumptions behind it.
• The danger of incomplete history: Pangu’s failure is used to discourage Force-Proving Dao, but Lu Chen understands that Pangu’s actual goal was more ambitious than the path Hongjun is discussing.
• Growing recognition and influence: Lu Chen’s identity as a disciple of the Three Pure Ones begins to attract the attention of the major powers gathered at Zixiao Palace.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen openly reports his ninth-turn cultivation to the Three Pure Ones, prompting their astonishment.
• Laozi verifies Lu Chen’s condition through divine sense, while Tongtian explains the technique’s long-term consequences.
• Tongtian and Lu Chen share a mentor-disciple exchange in which Tongtian reluctantly permits Lu Chen to travel through Chaos alone and gives him the Green Duckweed Sword.
• Laozi silently accepts Tongtian’s decision and leads the others onward with the Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.
• The assembled great powers react to Lu Chen’s arrival, especially those who knew him previously. Houtu’s growing intuition about him becomes stronger.
• Hongjun addresses the entire gathering as a teacher, but Lu Chen mentally challenges the interpretation of Pangu’s Dao-proving attempt, establishing an intellectual contrast between himself and Hongjun.

Chapter Summary: Tongtian Refuses Three Corpses Severance

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hongjun explains the Dao of Three Corpses Severance in Zixiao Palace: cultivators sever their good, evil, and obsessive thoughts using Dharma treasures as vessels. Severing one, two, or three corpses corresponds to progressively higher stages and is intended to lead toward Sainthood.
• Lu Chen cannot fully understand the profound sermon but focuses on absorbing the Dharma-power lotuses appearing in the palace to strengthen himself for his future breakthrough to Great Luo.
• After the sermon, Laozi and Yuanshi successfully sever their Good Corpses using their respective treasures.
• Tongtian deliberately refuses to sever a corpse, despite possessing sufficient cultivation and a powerful Dharma treasure.
• Tongtian suspects that Three Corpses Severance contains a hidden flaw, a suspicion originating from Lu Chen’s inner thoughts. He openly questions Hongjun about it.
• Hongjun denies that the method has any flaw and permits Tongtian to ask further questions, but Tongtian cannot reveal that he is actually trying to confirm Lu Chen’s private knowledge.
• Laozi and Yuanshi are alarmed by Tongtian’s challenge to Hongjun. Yuanshi pressures him to sever a corpse, while Laozi eventually defends Tongtian’s right to follow his own path.
• After returning to Kunlun Mountain, Lu Chen enters secluded cultivation with a bottle of Chaos energy, intending to refine it into Spirit Liquid. He does not realize that Tongtian desperately wants him to explain the flaw in Three Corpses Severance.

Character Developments

• Tongtian: Becomes suspicious and cautious rather than impulsive. He refuses to follow Hongjun’s teaching blindly and risks conflict with his brothers to avoid a potentially flawed path. However, because he cannot explain his reasoning, he appears stubborn and rebellious.
• Lu Chen: Remains focused on cultivation and resource accumulation. He notices Tongtian’s strange, urgent behavior but completely misunderstands its cause. His inner thoughts continue influencing Tongtian without Lu Chen knowing the extent of their impact.
• Laozi: Successfully severs his Good Corpse and demonstrates a calm, rational attitude. He ultimately protects Tongtian from Yuanshi’s continued pressure.
• Yuanshi: Also severs his Good Corpse but reacts harshly to Tongtian’s refusal, viewing it as reckless and potentially disrespectful toward Hongjun.
• Hongjun: Presents Three Corpses Severance as a complete and reliable path while carefully observing Tongtian. His denial of any flaw increases the suspicion that he may be concealing something.

Significant Themes

• Blind faith versus independent judgment: Tongtian questions an established path to Sainthood instead of accepting it merely because it comes from a Sage.
• The danger of hidden knowledge: Lu Chen knows something important but does not communicate it, while Tongtian can sense that an answer exists but cannot obtain it.
• Communication barriers and dramatic irony: Tongtian’s desperate looks are obvious to the reader but appear meaningless to Lu Chen, creating humor and tension.
• The cost of obstructing another’s Dao: Tongtian knows that trying to stop Laozi and Yuanshi from cultivating could damage their brotherly relationship, so he keeps his concerns hidden.
• Cultivation and preparation: Lu Chen’s focus on refining Chaos energy contrasts with the larger conflict over the correct route to Sainthood.

Important Character Interactions

• Tongtian and Hongjun: Tongtian directly challenges Hongjun about the possible flaw in Three Corpses Severance. Hongjun dismisses the concern but allows him to continue asking questions.
• Tongtian and Laozi/Yuanshi: Laozi and Yuanshi are confused and concerned by Tongtian’s refusal. Yuanshi urges him to use the Green Duckweed Sword to sever a corpse, while Laozi later stops Yuanshi from pressing him further.
• Tongtian and Lu Chen: Tongtian silently begs Lu Chen to reveal the flaw, but Lu Chen misinterprets his anxious gaze and does not realize that Tongtian’s refusal is connected to him.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Both successfully sever their Good Corpses and initially respond together against Tongtian’s seemingly reckless behavior, though Laozi ultimately adopts a more tolerant stance.

Chapter Summary: Proving the Great Luo, Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen remains in seclusion for ten thousand years, refining the Chaos Qi and the enormous quantity of Spirit Liquid stored in the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.
• By drinking the Spirit Liquid and circulating the Nine-Turn Origin Art, Lu Chen’s mana expands until he breaks through from the Peak Taiyi Realm to the Great Luo Realm.
• His breakthrough destroys the protective formation around his cave and alerts the Three Pure Ones.
• Lu Chen easily passes his Transformation Tribulation by swallowing the entire tribulation cloud into his body and absorbing its lightning.
• Afterward, he assumes human form as a powerful young man dressed in a black-and-gold robe.
• Lu Chen then manifests a lotus platform above his head, beginning the Great Luo phenomenon associated with the quality of his foundation and potential.
• As the lotus blooms, a galaxy-like celestial vision appears, followed by the phantom of a godfiend. This summons the terrifying Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder.
• The Three Pure Ones recognize the tribulation as extraordinarily rare and destructive. They conclude that if Lu Chen survives, he may have a chance to pursue Force-Proving Dao even without Primordial Chaos Purple Qi.
• Lu Chen withstands the tribulation through his physical body and immense mana reserves. The first five bolts seriously injure him, and later bolts repeatedly crack, burn, and bloody his body.
• He continually uses his mana to heal himself, turning the tribulation into a battle of endurance.
• Tongtian becomes distressed and prepares to sever his corpse and advance to the Quasi-Saint realm so he can help Lu Chen, but Lu Chen’s voice reaches him before he acts.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Achieves the Great Luo Realm and successfully transforms into human form. His immense cultivation foundation, physical strength, and mana reserves are revealed. He demonstrates extraordinary potential by attracting Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder and enduring it longer than any ordinary cultivator could.
• Tongtian: Grows increasingly worried for his disciple. His willingness to sever his corpse—despite previously hesitating because of the flaws in the process—shows his deep concern and affection for Lu Chen.
• Yuanshi: Displays jealousy and emotional distance. He refuses to help Lu Chen directly and is envious that Lu Chen, as Tongtian’s disciple, has attracted a tribulation Yuanshi himself never experienced.
• Laozi: Remains calm and observant but recognizes Lu Chen’s exceptional potential, predicting that his lotus platform will bloom to at least nine grades.
• Duobao: Watches Lu Chen with envy and determination, becoming motivated to work harder after seeing his senior brother reach Great Luo.

Significant Themes

• Power through cultivation and foundation: Lu Chen’s rapid advancement is attributed to his deep reserves of mana, the Nine-Turn Origin Art, Chaos Qi, and Spirit Liquid.
• Physical strength versus heavenly tribulation: Lu Chen relies almost entirely on his body and mana rather than external aid, emphasizing the path of strengthening oneself enough to resist Heaven’s trials.
• Proving the Dao through force: The Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder suggests that Lu Chen may eventually pursue Force-Proving Dao, a path based on overwhelming physical and personal strength rather than relying on Primordial Chaos Purple Qi.
• Master-disciple loyalty: Tongtian’s readiness to risk his own advancement for Lu Chen contrasts with the colder attitudes of Yuanshi and Laozi.
• Jealousy and sectarian tension: Yuanshi’s resentment grows because Lu Chen’s talent belongs to Tongtian’s lineage, deepening the rivalry among the Three Pure Ones.
• Endurance and sacrifice: Lu Chen’s repeated self-healing and Tongtian’s decision to sever his corpse both highlight the cost of pursuing power and protecting those one values.

Character Interactions

• Tongtian, Yuanshi, and Laozi discuss Lu Chen’s breakthrough and speculate about the grade of his lotus platform. Yuanshi repeatedly silences Tongtian’s comments, reinforcing the imbalance and tension among them.
• Laozi and Yuanshi recognize Lu Chen’s extraordinary talent and the possibility that he could rival or surpass their achievements.
• Duobao observes Lu Chen’s breakthrough and is inspired to improve himself.
• Tongtian urges Laozi and Yuanshi to help when Lu Chen begins suffering under the Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder. Yuanshi refuses, insisting that Lu Chen must face the tribulation himself.
• Yuanshi provokes Tongtian by suggesting that Tongtian advance to the Quasi-Saint realm if he wants to save Lu Chen. Tongtian accepts the challenge and prepares to sever his corpse, but Lu Chen intervenes through their spiritual connection.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen undergoes the Dutian Divine Thunder Tribulation, an extremely destructive Heavenly Dao tribulation far surpassing ordinary heavenly tribulations.
• Laozi and Yuanshi realize that the tribulation is not merely a test of Lu Chen’s cultivation but may be intended to destroy him because of his extraordinary talent and rapidly advancing lotus platform.
• Lu Chen repeatedly repairs his shattered body, relying on the dwindling Spirit Liquid within the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase. By the later stages, he has endured roughly eighty thunder strikes and is close to exhaustion.
• Tongtian becomes convinced that allowing the tribulation to continue will result in Lu Chen’s death. Torn between obedience to Hongjun and protecting his disciple, he finally draws the Green Duckweed Sword and slashes at the incoming Dutian Divine Thunder.
• Tongtian’s decision clears his mind and causes his Sword Dao to break through. He advances from the Great Luo realm into the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.
• The eighty-first and final thunderbolt destroys Lu Chen’s lotus platform and strikes him directly. Lu Chen uses the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to absorb part of the attack, but he is left barely alive.
• After the tribulation ends, Laozi determines that Lu Chen’s Great Luo Dao Fruit has been destroyed. Although Lu Chen retains his cultivation and survives, his future advancement appears impossible.
• Duobao catches Lu Chen as he collapses. Tongtian accepts the outcome, believing survival is preferable to the complete destruction of Lu Chen’s body and Dao.
• Later, Lu Chen is shown living quietly at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, physically frail and fishing. Duobao brings him a lower-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Dragon-Phoenix Seal.
• Tongtian gives Lu Chen a Nine-Turn Golden Elixir and a refined treasure gourd for protection, while Lu Chen insists—despite his visibly poor condition—that he is not as weak as everyone believes.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates extraordinary endurance, hidden resources, and determination. He reveals the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase’s ability to absorb attacks, but the tribulation still destroys his Great Luo Dao Fruit and leaves him severely weakened.
• Tongtian: Experiences a major emotional and cultivation breakthrough. His love for Lu Chen overcomes his fear of opposing Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao. His protective sword strike both saves Lu Chen’s life and enables his advancement to the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm.
• Laozi: Remains calm and analytical, accurately assessing the tribulation’s purpose and Lu Chen’s condition. He recognizes that Tongtian’s intervention is what preserves Lu Chen’s final thread of life.
• Yuanshi: Initially feels envy toward Lu Chen’s talent, but this gives way to compassion when he realizes Lu Chen is being targeted for being exceptionally gifted.
• Duobao: Shows deep devotion and concern for Lu Chen, catching him after the tribulation and later supporting him while he recovers.
• Hongjun/Heavenly Dao: Though Hongjun does not appear directly, the tribulation strongly suggests that the Heavenly Dao—or Hongjun as its embodiment—has acted against Lu Chen’s existence and potential.

Significant Themes

• The danger of extraordinary talent: Lu Chen’s overwhelming potential makes him a threat to the established cosmic order, suggesting that the Heavenly Dao suppresses those who exceed its limits.
• Loyalty versus obedience: Tongtian must choose between submitting to his teacher and the Heavenly Dao or protecting his disciple. His decision defines his character and leads to his breakthrough.
• Sacrifice and survival: Lu Chen loses his Dao Fruit and possibly his future, but Tongtian and the others regard mere survival as a victory.
• Defiance leading to transcendence: Tongtian’s willingness to act against overwhelming authority allows him to achieve a higher realm.
• Care beneath strength: The quiet closing scene contrasts the spectacular tribulation with the characters’ tenderness, concern, and efforts to care for Lu Chen during his recovery.

Character Interactions

• Laozi and Yuanshi discuss the true purpose of the tribulation and recognize the injustice of Lu Chen being targeted for his talent.
• Tongtian silently struggles with Hongjun’s authority before openly intervening to protect Lu Chen.
• Tongtian’s sword strike directly influences both the tribulation’s outcome and his own breakthrough.
• Duobao rescues Lu Chen from the sky and later worries over his frail condition.
• Laozi examines Lu Chen and explains the permanent damage to his Great Luo Dao Fruit.
• In the closing scene, Duobao and Tongtian attempt to support and protect Lu Chen, while Lu Chen downplays his weakness despite his obvious physical deterioration.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After recovering, Lu Chen returns to the cave abode Tongtian built for him beside the Three Pure Ones Palace. The cave is protected by defensive and isolation formations.
• He reflects on the changing state of the Primordial World:
  • The Witch and Demon Tribes temporarily allied to kill Dongwang Gong and destroy the Immortal Court.
  • With Dongwang Gong gone, the conflict between the Witch and Demon Tribes has intensified, while the Demon Race remains disadvantaged.
  • Tongtian has broken through to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm by proving the Dao through the Sword Dao, becoming the powerful “Sword Saint Tongtian.”
• Lu Chen realizes that Tongtian’s breakthrough has deviated from the expected future. Rather than pursuing sainthood through Merit like Laozi and Yuanshi, Tongtian is attempting to prove the Dao through laws.
• Lu Chen secretly reveals that his Dao Fruit was not truly destroyed. He had used the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to absorb the final tribulation bolt, deliberately creating the appearance that his Dao Fruit had shattered.
• His twelfth-grade Great Luo Dao Fruit has actually been preserved through destruction and rebirth. He hides it because such a Dao Fruit is considered impossible for anyone except Pangu and would attract dangerous attention.
• By drawing a strand of Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder into himself, Lu Chen maintains the illusion of weakness while advancing his comprehension of the Laws of Thunder and Destruction.
• Lu Chen has now cultivated three Great Daos: Devouring, Destruction, and Thunder. His Devouring comprehension is the strongest, while Thunder and Destruction were gained through enduring the divine tribulation.
• He decides to descend from the mountain under the pretext of searching for a treasure capable of healing him. In reality, this is likely part of his broader plan to continue cultivating and conceal his true condition.
• Duobao worries about him and offers to accompany him, but Lu Chen refuses, insisting that he can protect himself and urging Duobao to remain behind and cultivate.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates extreme caution, strategic deception, and ambition. He continues pretending to be crippled while secretly possessing a supreme twelfth-grade Dao Fruit and rapidly improving comprehension of multiple laws. He is determined to follow his own path rather than imitate the Three Pure Ones.
• Tongtian: His successful breakthrough through the Sword Dao gives him confidence in pursuing an unconventional route to sainthood. His resolve hardens into a defiant determination to overcome Heaven itself if necessary. This revelation also inspires a deeper understanding of the Sword Dao.
• Duobao: Shows strong loyalty and concern for Lu Chen, but also recognizes that his senior brother is hiding something. His frustration over his own Taiyi Realm cultivation reveals his desire to grow stronger in an era dominated by Great Luo cultivators and Quasi-Saints.

Significant Themes

• Deception as survival: Lu Chen’s false appearance of weakness protects him from the scrutiny of powerful figures who would covet or fear his twelfth-grade Dao Fruit.
• Destruction and rebirth: The shattering of Lu Chen’s Dao Fruit is not an ending but part of a transformation that allows him to preserve and potentially strengthen it.
• Individual paths to power: Tongtian’s law-based cultivation challenges the established paths of Merit and Three Corpses Severance.
• Resistance against fate and Heaven: Both Lu Chen and Tongtian refuse to accept predetermined limitations, seeking their own routes to Dao and sainthood.
• The coming chaos of the Primordial World: The destruction of the Immortal Court and the escalating Witch-Demon conflict signal that a major upheaval is approaching.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Tongtian: Tongtian unknowingly overhears Lu Chen’s thoughts through their connection and gains insight into the limitations of Three Corpses Severance. Lu Chen’s questions indirectly strengthen Tongtian’s resolve and deepen his understanding of the Sword Dao.
• Lu Chen and Duobao: Duobao expresses concern and offers to accompany Lu Chen on his journey. Lu Chen reassures him, refuses his help, and encourages him to focus on reaching the Great Luo realm. Their exchange highlights Duobao’s loyalty and Lu Chen’s protective but secretive nature.
• Lu Chen and the Three Pure Ones: Lu Chen remains wary of Laozi and Yuanshi discovering the truth about his Dao Fruit, while recognizing that their own cultivation paths have largely become fixed after severing two corpses.

Chapter Summary: “Visiting Zhen Yuanzi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen leaves Kunlun Mountain to travel the Primordial World and visits Wuzhuang Temple, hoping to taste Zhen Yuanzi’s famed Ginseng Fruit.
• Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun are discussing Hong Yun’s inability to comprehend the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi he received at Zixiao Palace.
• Lu Chen is welcomed into the temple. He gives White Cloud a Golden Core as a courtesy gift, then exchanges greetings with Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun.
• Zhen Yuanzi orders Ginseng Fruits to be prepared, but quickly realizes Lu Chen likely has a deeper purpose for visiting.
• Lu Chen reveals that he has come to save Hong Yun from an impending calamity. Zhen Yuanzi conceals the temple from heavenly detection using his protective formation and the Earth Book.
• Lu Chen explains that Hong Yun’s possession of the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi has made him a target. He suggests that the Qi was not personally bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, but deliberately chose Hong Yun as part of a larger scheme.
• Lu Chen connects the danger to Hong Yun’s decision to surrender his cushion at Zixiao Palace, implying that the resulting karmic circumstances were manipulated.
• Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi realize that the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi in Hong Yun’s possession is likely the source of his future disaster, especially since Hong Yun has been unable to comprehend it.
• Zhen Yuanzi asks how the calamity can be avoided. Hong Yun immediately offers the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi to Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen is surprised by Hong Yun’s generosity but accepts the offer, reasoning that refusing a gift from an elder would be improper.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates confidence, foresight, and diplomatic skill. He approaches Zhen Yuanzi respectfully, gains White Cloud’s goodwill with a Golden Core, and carefully reveals his warning rather than openly accusing anyone. His knowledge of the heavenly scheme establishes him as perceptive and influential.
• Hong Yun: Initially remains cheerful and unconcerned about his failure to understand the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi. After Lu Chen’s warning, he becomes introspective and recognizes that his supposed fortune may actually be a trap. His willingness to give the Qi away highlights his generous and carefree nature.
• Zhen Yuanzi: Begins suspicious of Lu Chen and becomes hostile when he thinks Lu Chen covets Hong Yun’s treasure. Once Lu Chen explains the danger, Zhen Yuanzi’s attitude changes completely, and he becomes protective and urgently concerned for Hong Yun.
• White Cloud: Acts as the temple attendant and responds positively to Lu Chen’s courtesy gift, subtly establishing Lu Chen’s social tact.

Significant Themes

• Fortune and calamity: The chapter emphasizes that great fortune can conceal immense danger. Possessing a supreme treasure may make its owner a target rather than grant security.
• Fate versus manipulation: Hong Yun believed the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi chose him because he was destined to receive it, but Lu Chen suggests that this “destiny” was part of a deliberate scheme.
• Hidden heavenly plots: Events that appear accidental—such as Hong Yun giving up his cushion—may have far-reaching karmic consequences arranged by unseen forces.
• Generosity and sacrifice: Hong Yun’s immediate willingness to surrender the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi reflects his selfless character and prioritization of survival and friendship over power.
• Trust and persuasion: Lu Chen must overcome Zhen Yuanzi’s suspicion through calm reasoning and carefully chosen evidence.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Chen respectfully meets Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, while using a Golden Core to build rapport with White Cloud.
• Hong Yun jokes openly about wanting Ginseng Fruit, reinforcing the warm friendship between him and Zhen Yuanzi.
• Zhen Yuanzi initially defends Hong Yun’s claim to the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi and rebukes Lu Chen, believing him to be a covetous outsider.
• Lu Chen challenges their assumptions by distinguishing between a personal gift from the Dao Ancestor and a treasure that merely selected Hong Yun.
• His cryptic statement about karma allows Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi to infer the hidden scheme themselves.
• The chapter ends with Hong Yun offering the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi to Lu Chen, marking a dramatic shift from suspicion and confusion to trust and cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “Gifting Primordial Chaos Purple Qi”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Hong Yun removes the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi from his Spirit Platform and gives it to Lu Chen. Rather than absorb it himself, Lu Chen stores it in the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.
• The moment the Purple Qi leaves Hong Yun, his death tribulation disappears. In Zixiao Palace, Daoist Hongjun notices this change and reflects on the fixed patterns governing tribulations and fate.
• Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun thank Lu Chen for warning them about the danger surrounding Hong Yun. Their attitude toward him becomes warmer, and Zhen Yuanzi begins addressing him as a trusted “little friend.”
• Lu Chen jokingly reminds Zhen Yuanzi about the promised Ginseng Fruit. Zhen Yuanzi gives him several high-quality fruits, which Lu Chen both eats and takes away.
• After Lu Chen departs, Hong Yun explains that surrendering the Purple Qi was the safest choice. Keeping it would have continued attracting calamity, while Lu Chen’s status as Tongtian’s disciple and the Mystic Sect’s third-generation chief disciple gives him considerable protection.
• Hong Yun admits that the Purple Qi had subtly tempted and influenced him, suggesting that it could eventually corrupt or control its possessor. He feels relieved after giving it away.
• Lu Chen plans to use the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase and a purple-black gourd with devouring abilities to refine the Purple Qi and potentially elevate the vase into a Primordial Supreme Treasure.
• Because openly refining the Purple Qi within the Primordial World would likely attract another Dutian Divine Thunder Tribulation, Lu Chen travels into Chaos and begins preparing for seclusion.
• After a thousand years of cultivation and treasure refinement, Lu Chen deeply enters Chaos and uses the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to refine both the Purple Qi and the purple-black gourd.
• At the same time, Tongtian enters Chaos and begins refining his own Primordial Chaos Purple Qi into the Green Duckweed Sword, adding other materials to improve the weapon. Master and disciple therefore undertake major transformations simultaneously and in secret.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Chen becomes increasingly calculating and resourceful. He refuses to refine the Purple Qi directly, recognizing the dangers of Heavenly Dao control, and instead seeks to convert it into greater power for his treasure.
• Hong Yun demonstrates self-awareness by recognizing that the Purple Qi is a source of temptation and disaster rather than simple opportunity. Relinquishing it frees him psychologically and removes his death tribulation.
• Zhen Yuanzi develops greater trust and affection for Lu Chen. His willingness to offer precious Ginseng Fruits reflects his gratitude and changed opinion of Lu Chen.
• Tongtian grows more confident in the Sword Dao path. He increasingly distrusts the conventional Three Corpses method after realizing that differing Dharma treasures prevent the Three Corpses from truly uniting.
• Hongjun remains a distant but influential figure, observing how the removal of the Purple Qi alters the balance of fate and tribulation.

3. Significant Themes

• Power brings danger and control: The Primordial Chaos Purple Qi promises sainthood but may also place its wielder under the Heavenly Dao’s influence.
• Letting go can be a form of strength: Hong Yun avoids destruction by surrendering the object everyone else would consider priceless.
• Cunning cultivation versus orthodox methods: Lu Chen seeks to refine and repurpose the Purple Qi through treasure devouring rather than follow the established path of directly integrating it.
• Trust and protection through relationships: Lu Chen’s connection to Tongtian and the Mystic Sect gives him protection that Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi lack.
• The limitations of established cultivation systems: Tongtian recognizes that the Three Corpses method has inherent flaws when incompatible spiritual treasures are used, motivating him to pursue the Sword Dao instead.
• Hidden preparation and long-term strategy: Both Lu Chen and Tongtian work in Chaos, quietly strengthening themselves and their weapons away from the Heavenly Dao’s direct observation.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Hong Yun: Their exchange centers on the transfer of the Purple Qi. Hong Yun entrusts Lu Chen with the dangerous treasure, while Lu Chen protects himself by storing it rather than absorbing it.
• Lu Chen and Zhen Yuanzi: Their relationship shifts from cautious cooperation to genuine friendliness. Their discussion of the Ginseng Fruit adds a humorous, relaxed moment after the serious matter of Hong Yun’s fate.
• Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi: The two reaffirm their brotherly bond. Hong Yun explains his decision, and both are relieved that they can once again travel together without the Purple Qi hanging over them.
• Tongtian and Lu Chen: Though they do not meet directly in the chapter, their actions mirror each other. Both enter Chaos to refine and strengthen their respective powers, showing mutual influence and shared trust.
• Hongjun and Hong Yun: Hongjun does not interact with Hong Yun directly, but his calculations confirm that Hong Yun’s fate changes immediately once the Purple Qi is removed.

Chapter Summary: Sorting Out Western Ley Lines, the Western Duo Block the Way

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deep in Chaos, Lu Chen successfully refines the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi and the Purple-Black Gourd into the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.
• The vase gains its forty-ninth restriction, upgrading it from a pinnacle-grade Innate Treasure to a Primordial Supreme Treasure. It also absorbs a trace of Chaos aura, opening the possibility of eventually transforming into a true Chaos Treasure.
• Lu Chen returns to the Primordial World and travels through the desolate Western region, using the vase to absorb the demonic qi left behind by Luohou’s self-destruction during the Dao-Demon War.
• Wherever he goes, Lu Chen restores damaged mountains, stabilizes spiritual qi, and earns heavenly Merit. He considers that completely cleansing the West might allow him to attain Sagehood through Merit.
• A black tiger at the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal level attacks Lu Chen despite the enormous difference between their realms. Lu Chen easily suppresses it.
• Lu Chen discovers that the tiger possesses Geng Metal Aura and is actually a corrupted White Tiger, a rare and powerful bloodline. He uses the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to extract the demonic qi from its body, restoring its white fur, golden eyes, and clarity of mind.
• The White Tiger, grateful and eager to escape the West, asks to follow Lu Chen. Lu Chen accepts it as a companion and rides on its back while continuing to cleanse the Western lands.
• The White Tiger explains that its clan declined after their ancestor became one of the Four Primordial Spirits. Remaining members were scattered or corrupted by demonic qi, leaving their fate unknown.
• Jieyin and Zhunti discover that the West’s mountains and spiritual qi have been restored. They recognize the unknown cultivator as a benefactor and attempt to track him through divination, but Jieyin cannot uncover Lu Chen’s identity or location.
• After finding Lu Chen, the Western duo politely thank him but immediately demand to know how he removes demonic qi. Lu Chen claims that his method relies on his unique Devouring Path and cannot be replicated by them.
• Jieyin remains skeptical and pressures Lu Chen with his aura. Before Lu Chen can demonstrate his method, Tongtian arrives and launches an Azure Sword Qi attack at Jieyin and Zhunti, forcing them to defend themselves.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Becomes significantly stronger after refining the Chaos materials. He now possesses a Primordial Supreme Treasure and gains a potential route toward a future Chaos Treasure. He demonstrates immense combat power, confidence, and strategic deception. Rather than giving the Western Sect a usable method, he intends to protect his advantage.
• The White Tiger: Is transformed from a mindless, demonic beast into a clear-minded White Tiger with restored racial characteristics. It becomes loyal to Lu Chen and willingly serves as his mount and companion.
• Jieyin and Zhunti: Their gratitude toward Lu Chen is overshadowed by opportunism. They immediately attempt to obtain his method and show their customary suspicion and shamelessness when he refuses.
• Tongtian: Returns from his journey and learns that Lu Chen’s method could resolve the West’s greatest problem. Concerned that Jieyin and Zhunti might exploit Lu Chen, he rushes to intervene and attacks them without hesitation.
• The White Tiger Clan: Its history and decline are revealed, emphasizing its rarity and former status as a powerful lineage comparable to the core members of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and purification: Demonic qi, normally corruptive and dangerous, becomes a source of power for Lu Chen and is removed from the White Tiger, restoring its true nature.
• Merit and responsibility: Lu Chen’s restoration of the West earns heavenly Merit while also improving the land. The chapter links personal cultivation gains with repairing the consequences of ancient calamities.
• Unique cultivation paths: Lu Chen’s Devouring Path gives him abilities that other cultivators cannot imitate, reinforcing his independence and strategic advantage.
• Opportunism versus genuine gratitude: Jieyin and Zhunti present themselves as grateful, but their immediate demand for Lu Chen’s secret exposes their self-serving motives.
• Loyalty and fate: Lu Chen and the White Tiger form a master-companion relationship after their chance encounter, while the repaired Western terrain allows Jieyin and Zhunti to eventually locate him.
• Power and protection: Tongtian’s sudden intervention suggests his concern for Lu Chen and his unwillingness to let the Western Sect pressure or exploit his disciple.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and the White Tiger: Lu Chen cleanses the tiger’s demonic corruption and accepts it as his follower. The White Tiger responds with gratitude, trust, and eagerness to accompany him.
• Lu Chen and Jieyin/Zhunti: The Western Sect leaders thank Lu Chen but try to obtain his technique. Lu Chen uses polite words and a carefully constructed explanation to conceal the true value of his method.
• The White Tiger and Jieyin/Zhunti: The White Tiger pretends to be frightened when Jieyin becomes suspicious, subtly supporting Lu Chen’s deception.
• Tongtian and Jieyin/Zhunti: Tongtian interrupts the confrontation with an immediate sword attack, preventing the Western duo from pressuring Lu Chen further.
• Lu Chen and Tongtian: Their connection is implied through Tongtian’s concern for Lu Chen and his swift response upon learning that the Western Sect might threaten or coerce him.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian arrives just as Zhunti and Jieyin’s attack threatens Lu Chen. His casually released sword qi shatters their defenses—the Seven-Treasure Wondrous Tree and Twelfth-Grade Meritorious Golden Lotus—while he protects Lu Chen and the little White Tiger from the backlash.
• Tongtian accuses the Western disciples of bullying Lu Chen and launches a second, much stronger attack. Jieyin uses the Golden Lotus and Azure Treasure Lotus Banner to block it, but Tongtian destroys their combined defense and injures Jieyin.
• Refusing to accept their apology, Tongtian advances with the Green Duckweed Sword. Jieyin and Zhunti summon their Good and Evil Corpses, making six opponents in total, but Tongtian’s swordsmanship completely suppresses them.
• Zhunti discovers that the Green Duckweed Sword has been upgraded into a Primordial Supreme Treasure, explaining Tongtian’s overwhelming power.
• At Lu Chen’s suggestion, Tongtian changes targets and attacks the Dao Corpses first. He successfully slays one of Zhunti’s corpses, severely damaging Zhunti’s Dao foundation and causing him to lose much of his strength.
• Tongtian then summons the Four Swords of Execution and prepares to fight Jieyin and Zhunti to the death. His sword qi wounds their true bodies and prevents their injuries from healing, while their Dao Corpses are also in danger of being destroyed.
• Trapped and desperate, Jieyin and Zhunti fear that losing both corpses will permanently sever their path to the Great Dao and possibly make them fall from the Quasi-Saint realm. Jieyin finally calls upon the Dao Ancestor to intervene.

2. Character Developments

• Tongtian: Demonstrates a decisive, ruthless side. He no longer prioritizes nominal brotherhood with Jieyin and Zhunti, instead acting on Lu Chen’s warning that they may become future enemies. His mastery of the Primordial Unity path and the upgraded Green Duckweed Sword allow him to dominate two Mid-Quasi-Saints and their corpses.
• Lu Chen: Remains calm and observant during the battle. He recognizes the strategic weakness of attacking the opponents’ true bodies and advises Tongtian to destroy their Dao Corpses first, proving his tactical awareness.
• Zhunti: Initially attempts to portray himself as the victim, but his confidence collapses under Tongtian’s attacks. The destruction of one Dao Corpse devastates his cultivation and enrages him.
• Jieyin: Acts more cautiously and focuses on defense, using his limited treasures to resist Tongtian. As the battle worsens, he becomes increasingly alarmed and ultimately appeals to the Dao Ancestor for protection.

3. Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and cultivation paths: Tongtian’s Primordial Unity cultivation, combined with a Primordial Supreme Treasure, reveals the vast difference between his realm and ordinary Quasi-Saints.
• Strategic combat: Lu Chen’s advice shows that battles are decided not only by strength but by identifying an opponent’s core weakness—the Dao Corpses that support Jieyin and Zhunti’s cultivation.
• Betrayal and fractured brotherhood: Tongtian rejects the idea that shared discipleship guarantees forgiveness, treating Jieyin and Zhunti as potential enemies rather than fellow disciples.
• The cost of ambition: Jieyin and Zhunti’s lack of treasures and weak physical bodies leave them vulnerable, while the loss of a Dao Corpse threatens their entire future path.
• Justice versus authority: Jieyin and Zhunti rely on the Dao Ancestor’s status to seek protection, but Tongtian acts while that authority is physically absent, raising questions about whether formal hierarchy can restrain personal conflict.

4. Character Interactions

• Tongtian protects Lu Chen and confronts Jieyin and Zhunti over their treatment of him.
• Zhunti attempts to justify their actions and present himself as wronged, but Tongtian dismisses the excuse and continues attacking.
• Jieyin and Zhunti cooperate by combining their defensive treasures and summoning their Dao Corpses, yet they remain unable to withstand Tongtian.
• Lu Chen guides Tongtian tactically, urging him to target the Dao Corpses.
• Tongtian deliberately destroys one of Zhunti’s corpses, provoking Zhunti’s furious accusation that his Dao foundation has been ruined.
• After summoning the Four Swords of Execution, Tongtian makes clear that he intends to kill both Western disciples, while Jieyin and Zhunti desperately appeal to the absent Dao Ancestor for intervention.

Chapter Summary: Forcing Jieyin and Zhunti to Swear an Oath

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Tongtian severely injures Jieyin and Zhunti and severs one Dao Corpse from each of them, the two Western saints appeal to Hongjun, accusing Tongtian of attacking fellow disciples.
• Hongjun appears and declares that disciples killing one another must be punished. However, rather than immediately condemning Tongtian, he asks whether Tongtian’s anger has been satisfied after crippling the two brothers.
• Tongtian boldly declares that he is still not satisfied. He argues that Jieyin and Zhunti threatened Lu Chen and may seek revenge against his disciples in the future.
• He demands a final resolution: either he kills them, or they enter into an unending life-and-death conflict.
• Hongjun recognizes that Tongtian’s concern is reasonable, especially because Jieyin and Zhunti might target his disciples when they cannot defeat Tongtian directly.
• Tongtian then softens his demand, offering to spare them if they swear a Heavenly Dao Oath never to scheme against or attack him or anyone under his sect.
• Jieyin and Zhunti reluctantly agree, knowing they cannot defeat Tongtian in direct combat and have already suffered enormous losses.
• Just as they begin reciting the oath, Tongtian interrupts them, claiming that their words lack sincerity and threatening to kill them instead. The chapter ends on this cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Tongtian: Becomes increasingly forceful, uncompromising, and protective of his disciples. He openly challenges Hongjun’s authority and uses the threat of total war to force a favorable settlement. His proposal of an oath reveals strategic flexibility: he appears willing to compromise, but only on terms that permanently protect his sect.
• Lu Chen: Gains confidence in Tongtian’s protection and is impressed by his master’s political and strategic maneuvering. He recognizes that the oath could restrict Jieyin and Zhunti during future conflicts, including the coming Investiture Catastrophe.
• Hongjun: Demonstrates clear favoritism toward Tongtian, or at least refuses to punish him harshly. He understands Tongtian’s special status because of his World-Opening Merit and realizes that suppressing him would be difficult and risky.
• Jieyin and Zhunti: Shift from indignant accusers to humiliated survivors. They realize they are at a severe disadvantage in both combat power and treasures, regret choosing the Three Corpses cultivation path, and reluctantly accept the oath to avoid death.

Significant Themes

• Protection of disciples and sect loyalty: Tongtian treats threats against his disciples as grounds for extreme retaliation, emphasizing the bond between master and students.
• Power and authority: The confrontation shows that even Hongjun cannot casually dominate someone protected by immense merit and great strength.
• Strategic compromise: Tongtian’s oath proposal is an example of advancing through retreat—he abandons his demand for immediate death only to impose a long-term restriction that may be even more useful.
• Cultivation paths and strength: Jieyin and Zhunti’s defeat highlights the difference between the Three Corpses path, which provides mana, and the Primordial path, which produces superior combat ability.
• Favoritism and hierarchy: Jieyin and Zhunti resent what they perceive as Hongjun’s preference for his personal disciples over registered disciples.

Character Interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti vs. Tongtian: Their conflict escalates from verbal pressure over Lu Chen’s demonic-qi-cleansing method to a nearly irreconcilable feud. Tongtian’s attack leaves them fearful and resentful.
• Tongtian vs. Hongjun: Tongtian refuses to submit meekly, openly rejecting Hongjun’s attempt to end the dispute. Their exchange shows Tongtian’s growing independence and Hongjun’s reluctant respect and concern.
• Lu Chen observing Tongtian: Lu Chen privately analyzes the situation and admires Tongtian’s bold tactics while worrying that his master may provoke Hongjun too far.
• Hongjun and the Western brothers: Hongjun silently pressures Jieyin and Zhunti to accept Tongtian’s conditions, making it clear that he will not protect them from the consequences of their actions.

Chapter Summary: Condensing the Merit Golden Wheel

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hongjun forces Zhunti and Jieyin to swear Heavenly Dao oaths that they will never scheme against or attack Tongtian or his disciples again. The conflict between the two Western Sect leaders and Tongtian is thereby declared settled.
• Tongtian appears respectful toward Hongjun, despite privately believing that Hongjun is interfering in Primordial World affairs and favoring the Western Sect. Although Tongtian gained the upper hand, Hongjun’s intervention ultimately saves Zhunti and Jieyin from death.
• Tongtian gives Lu Chen three sword talismans containing his full-strength attacks for protection, then returns east to comprehend the Sword Dao after killing the Dao Corpses of Zhunti and Jieyin.
• Zhunti and Jieyin leave resentfully. Their Dao injuries are extremely serious, and the destruction of their Dao Corpses causes their cultivation to decline. They resolve to recover first and later investigate whether the Dao Corpses can be reconstructed.
• Lu Chen continues traveling westward with the little White Tiger, determined to complete his work of repairing the western lands and condensing his Merit Golden Wheel.
• When they reach the vicinity of Sumeru Mountain, Lu Chen chooses not to enter. He explains that repairing the mountain’s damaged earth veins would be an enormous undertaking and that the region will gradually recover naturally over time.
• After several hundred thousand years, Lu Chen completes his work. The western lands begin showing signs of life, and a brilliant Merit Golden Wheel forms behind his head.
• As Lu Chen prepares to leave, Dijun announces the establishment of the Heavenly Court atop Buzhou Mountain. The chapter ends by foreshadowing the first major conflict between the Witch and Demon Tribes.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen remains cautious and patient. He recognizes that he is not yet powerful enough to influence the major players directly, so he focuses on accumulating strength and Merit. His ambition to eventually become someone who controls the “chessboard” is emphasized.
• Tongtian demonstrates both overwhelming confidence and obedience when necessary. He submits respectfully to Hongjun, protects Lu Chen with the sword talismans, and departs to advance his Sword Dao rather than remain in Lu Chen’s way.
• Zhunti and Jieyin suffer a major setback. Their schemes fail, their Dao Corpses are destroyed, their bodies are gravely injured, and their cultivation declines. Though forced to accept the oath, they retain resentment and begin considering future methods of recovery.
• The little White Tiger gains greater admiration and awe for Lu Chen after witnessing the battle between Quasi-Saints and meeting Hongjun. His trust in and dependence on Lu Chen continue to grow.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Lesser figures must submit when confronted by beings of vastly greater power, while Lu Chen recognizes that he must patiently build strength before entering the struggles of the highest level.
• Political manipulation and hypocrisy: Hongjun claims neutrality but clearly influences events, preserving the Western Sect while preventing Tongtian from completely destroying it.
• Merit versus selflessness: Lu Chen repairs the western lands primarily to obtain Merit, not out of compassion or loyalty to the region. His actions benefit the west, but his motives remain pragmatic.
• Patience and long-term strategy: Lu Chen avoids unnecessary risks, bypasses Sumeru Mountain, and allows natural recovery to proceed while he concentrates on the most advantageous opportunities.
• The coming age of conflict: The formation of the Heavenly Court signals a major shift in the Primordial World and foreshadows the coming Witch-Demon war.

Character Interactions

• Hongjun and Tongtian: Hongjun suppresses the conflict and compels the Western Sect leaders to swear oaths. Tongtian responds with outward respect, despite suspecting Hongjun of favoritism.
• Tongtian and Lu Chen: Tongtian speaks gently to Lu Chen, offers to leave or remain depending on Lu Chen’s wishes, and gives him powerful protective talismans before departing.
• Lu Chen and Zhunti/Jieyin: Their interaction is tense and adversarial. After Tongtian leaves, Lu Chen pointedly asks whether they intend to return and heal, silently reminding them that he still possesses Tongtian’s weapons.
• Lu Chen and the little White Tiger: Lu Chen guides and reassures the White Tiger, explaining why he avoids Sumeru Mountain. Their journey together highlights the White Tiger’s growing respect and loyalty.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: They share anger and frustration over their defeat, but Jieyin takes the more pragmatic position, acknowledging that Hongjun’s intervention saved their lives and advising recovery before planning their next move.