Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Seeking Help from the Jie Sect? I Refuse to Leave Seclusion

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian finishes a sermon at Biyou Palace, surrounding the disciples with powerful Dao phenomena, including sword intent and golden lotuses.
• Little Lu Ya, attending the sermon for the first time, uses the opportunity to break through from the Golden Immortal realm to the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. His breakthrough is attributed to the sermon, his exceptional innate talent, and the tremendous resources he received as the Demon Race’s crown prince.
• Tongtian reveals that Guangchengzi has requested help from the Jie Sect. Xuandu, Guangchengzi’s disciple and rival to Xuanyuan, has been losing badly in the struggle to become Human Sovereign.
• Xuandu and Xuanyuan have divided the Human Race between the Jiuli and Youxiong Tribes, leading to numerous battles. Xuandu initially won several conflicts but has since suffered repeated defeats.
• Tongtian asks which Jie Sect disciples are willing to assist Guangchengzi and Xuandu. Before anyone can volunteer, Lu Chen asks whether the request is based on brotherly loyalty or merely fellowship between fellow disciples.
• Tongtian admits that it is only a matter of sectarian fellowship. Lu Chen immediately refuses, claiming that he must return to seclusion to digest the insights from the sermon.
• Seeing Lu Chen’s stance, the other Jie Sect disciples follow his example and also refuse, using the same excuse. Tongtian attempts to persuade them by mentioning the Merit they would gain, but they laugh it off because they already receive substantial Merit from the Heavenly Court and have little affection for Guangchengzi.
• Tongtian dismisses the disciples and begins considering how to reject Laozi and Yuanshi’s request without worsening tensions.
• At Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi Tianzun angrily realizes that Tongtian has refused to provide assistance. Laozi suggests that Lu Chen may be responsible for influencing the Jie Sect’s decision.
• Laozi warns that the Human Race is now engulfed in killing intent and karmic calamity. Since Xuandu and Guangchengzi are being overwhelmingly defeated, the conflict has become dangerous for all involved.
• Laozi proposes sending all of Yuanshi’s disciples, while he will send his own registered disciples, to make one final attempt to place Xuandu on the throne of the common sovereign. Yuanshi is shocked that Laozi expects him to risk his direct disciples while using registered disciples himself, but ultimately accepts because both sides must commit everything to reverse their losing position.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates his authority and influence within the Jie Sect. He openly refuses to help Guangchengzi and effectively leads the other disciples into doing the same. His suspicion of Tongtian’s motives and his unwillingness to support unfriendly allies remain central to his character.
• Tongtian: Shows hesitation and frustration. Although he wishes to maintain ties with his senior brothers, he does not force his disciples to act. His dependence on Lu Chen’s approval reveals the disciple’s growing influence over sect affairs.
• Little Lu Ya: Makes significant progress by advancing to the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, confirming his extraordinary potential and powerful upbringing.
• Xuandu: Is portrayed as increasingly desperate and ineffective. Despite having Guangchengzi as his teacher and commanding a major Human tribe, he has been repeatedly defeated by Xuanyuan.
• Guangchengzi: Suffers humiliation because his carefully chosen disciple is being surpassed by an untutored Human Race rival. His plea for outside assistance highlights his inability to resolve the conflict alone.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Become increasingly anxious and pragmatic. They are prepared to risk their remaining disciples in a final effort to secure Xuandu’s victory, even though they disagree over how much each should sacrifice.

Significant Themes

• Sectarian loyalty versus personal judgment: The Jie Sect disciples refuse to help simply because Tongtian asks them to, especially when the request concerns Guangchengzi, whom they dislike.
• The danger of relying on external aid: Xuandu’s failure shows that prestigious lineage and powerful teachers do not guarantee success, particularly against opponents strengthened by Martial Dao.
• Influence and authority: Lu Chen’s refusal effectively determines the position of the entire Jie Sect, undermining Tongtian’s authority while demonstrating Lu Chen’s leadership.
• Merit and motivation: The disciples’ indifference to additional Merit suggests that material or spiritual rewards are no longer enough to make them support a cause they consider unworthy.
• Karmic consequences of conflict: The Human Race’s civil war has generated killing intent and calamity, showing that the struggle for the position of Human Sovereign is becoming a major cosmic danger.
• Strategic sacrifice: Laozi and Yuanshi decide to stake nearly all their available forces on Xuandu, treating the conflict as a decisive final gamble.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Tongtian: Lu Chen respectfully questions Tongtian’s motives but then rejects the request once he learns it is only sectarian rather than familial. His polite refusal masks a firm challenge to his master’s authority.
• Lu Chen and the Jie Sect disciples: His decision sets the example for Duobao, Jin Ling, Zhao Gongming, and the others, who immediately echo his refusal.
• Tongtian and his disciples: Tongtian tries to persuade them with the promise of Merit but ultimately respects their decision and dismisses them.
• Yuanshi and Laozi: Yuanshi angrily blames Tongtian, while Laozi offers a more measured explanation and identifies Lu Chen as the likely cause. Their conversation reveals both their differing temperaments and their shared desperation.
• Laozi and Yuanshi’s disciples: Laozi proposes using Yuanshi’s direct disciples and his own registered disciples in a final coordinated assault, forcing Yuanshi to accept a costly and risky plan.

Chapter Summary: The Chan Sect Mobilizes in Full Force

Key Plot Points and Events

• On Carefree Island, Lu Chen orders the Chan Sect disciples not to interfere in Human Race affairs. Because a killing tribulation is spreading, involvement could cause them to accumulate tribulation aura and face future retribution.
• Tongtian overhears Lu Chen’s thoughts and becomes puzzled, since the Human Race is favored by Heaven and destined to prosper. He questions how it could be affected by a killing tribulation.
• At Zhuolu, Xuanyuan and Xuandu’s forces prepare for their final battle over leadership of the Human Race.
• Xuanyuan is supported by Nuwa, vast tribal armies, and the forces he has consolidated through political and military preparation. Xuandu’s smaller army is backed by Guangchengzi and the Chan Sect.
• Guangchengzi reveals that he has requested reinforcements from his master. The Chan Sect’s vice sect master, Ran Deng, arrives with numerous powerful immortals, including Wenshu, Cihang, Puxian, Yuding, Taiyi, Chijingzi, and others.
• With fourteen Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals on their side, Xuandu and Guangchengzi believe they have overwhelming superiority over Xuanyuan and Nuwa, who are the only two high-level cultivators on the opposing side.
• Xuanyuan launches the battle by ordering the war drums beaten. The armies clash, while the powerful cultivators divide into separate confrontations.
• Xuanyuan and Nuwa are each forced to fight several opponents at once. Although individually stronger than Xuandu and Guangchengzi, they are gradually pushed into a defensive position.
• An elderly Daoist observer at the rear of Xuanyuan’s army recognizes that the Chan Sect has committed nearly its entire force. He resolves to secretly assist Xuanyuan, believing Xuanyuan must win and that Yuanshi’s actions may provoke dangerous consequences.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen demonstrates caution and strategic insight by preventing the Chan Sect disciples from becoming entangled in the Human Race’s tribulation.
• Tongtian grows suspicious and confused about the unusual killing tribulation affecting the Human Race.
• Xuanyuan appears calm, experienced, and well prepared. He has secretly strengthened his forces through the Martial Dao and has consolidated the tribes politically, including marrying Nuwa and absorbing the Lieshan Tribe.
• Nuwa, once a young girl, has matured into a powerful and graceful woman. Her relationship with Xuanyuan has developed from childhood affection into a genuine partnership, despite the political benefits of their marriage.
• Xuandu has been worn down by years of defeat and warfare, losing much of his ambition and confidence. However, the Chan Sect’s arrival restores his hope and makes him believe victory is certain.
• Guangchengzi remains arrogant and confident, relying heavily on the Chan Sect’s numerical and cultivation advantage.
• The elderly Daoist observer emerges as a hidden power willing to influence the battle indirectly, though his identity and exact intentions remain unrevealed.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of interference during a tribulation: Even well-intentioned involvement can bring karmic and heavenly consequences.
• Power and ambition: Xuandu’s refusal to submit reflects how authority can corrupt judgment and prolong conflict.
• Preparation versus apparent strength: The Chan Sect believes its overwhelming force guarantees victory, but Xuanyuan has also been preparing in secret.
• Political alliance and genuine affection: Xuanyuan and Nuwa’s marriage serves both political and personal purposes, allowing the tribal consolidation to succeed.
• Hidden intervention and destiny: The battle appears decisively tilted toward Xuandu, yet the mysterious elder suggests that unseen forces may determine the outcome.
• Sect conflict spilling into mortal affairs: The Human Race’s succession struggle has become a proxy war between powerful immortal factions.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen warns the gathered Chan Sect disciples not to interfere, overriding their desire to gain merit.
• Xuandu asks Guangchengzi whether they can win; Guangchengzi reassures him that the incoming reinforcements will make victory inevitable.
• Nuwa criticizes Xuandu for pursuing power through war, while Xuanyuan explains that ambition and Guangchengzi’s influence made the conflict unavoidable.
• Xuanyuan promises Nuwa that, after the battle, he will relinquish political responsibilities and travel with her through the Primordial World.
• Ran Deng and the Chan Sect immortals arrive to reinforce Xuandu and Guangchengzi, dramatically shifting the balance of power.
• During the battle, Xuanyuan faces Ran Deng, Guangchengzi, Yuding, and Taiyi, while Nuwa is surrounded by Xuandu and several other Chan Sect immortals.
• As Xuanyuan and Nuwa begin to lose ground, the hidden elder considers how to aid Xuanyuan without revealing his involvement.

Chapter Summary: “Xuanyuan Captures Xuandu with One Hand”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the battlefield of Zhuolu, Xuanyuan reveals overwhelming physical strength and blood vitality, displaying a combat power comparable to that of a High Witch.
• Ran Deng and the other immortal cultivators realize that Human Race Martial Dao is far more formidable than they had assumed. Xuanyuan’s body-cultivation allows him to overpower Guangchengzi and three other powerful opponents despite their spirit treasures and immortal techniques.
• After forcing the four immortals back with a single punch, Xuanyuan charges toward Nuwa, who is fighting Xuandu.
• Xuandu is distracted by Guangchengzi’s warning and is caught completely off guard. Xuanyuan strikes him in the face, then seizes him by the shoulder and captures him with one hand.
• Xuanyuan orders Xuandu to command the battlefield to stop. Terrified and suffering from Xuanyuan’s blood flames, Xuandu obeys and shouts for the fighting to end.
• Once the soldiers see their leader captured, Xuandu’s army surrenders. Weapons, armor, and equipment are cast aside across the battlefield.
• Guangchengzi admits that his side has lost. He is shocked to realize that Xuanyuan had likely concealed much of his strength during their previous encounter and regrets not choosing Xuanyuan earlier.
• Laozi decides to intervene and plans to immobilize Xuanyuan long enough for Guangchengzi to rescue Xuandu.
• Just as Xuanyuan is about to kill Xuandu, an immense force descends and freezes his body in place.
• At Snail Sovereign Palace, Nuwa confronts Hongjun for allowing the Sages to interfere with the Human Race’s destiny. Hongjun remains calm, offering tea and claiming he will explain matters later, while effectively preventing Nuwa from leaving.
• Nuwa recognizes that Hongjun is restraining her and vows to remember this debt against Heavenly Dao.

Character Developments

• Xuanyuan: Emerges as a terrifying Martial Dao powerhouse. His strength is revealed to be significantly greater than previously believed, and he acts with ruthless determination against those responsible for the war.
• Ran Deng: Changes his dismissive view of Martial Dao after witnessing Xuanyuan’s physical power. He begins to take the Human Race’s cultivation path seriously and becomes interested in its methods.
• Xuandu: Transforms from battlefield leader to helpless captive. His fear and immediate surrender demonstrate how completely Xuanyuan has overpowered him.
• Guangchengzi: Suffers both military defeat and personal regret. He recognizes Xuanyuan’s superiority and wonders whether choosing Xuanyuan in the past would have changed the situation.
• Laozi: Shows willingness to personally interfere in the battle despite the danger of escalating the conflict into a confrontation between Sages.
• Nuwa: Becomes more assertive as the spokesperson of Human Dao, openly challenging Hongjun and Heavenly Dao rather than submitting as she once did.
• Hongjun: Remains detached and confident, treating the crisis as a matter to be calmly managed while subtly preventing Nuwa from acting.

Significant Themes

• The rise of Martial Dao: The chapter emphasizes that physical cultivation can rival or surpass immortal cultivation, especially when paired with overwhelming vitality and combat instincts.
• Hidden strength and strategic deception: Xuanyuan’s victory suggests that he deliberately concealed his true power earlier, allowing his enemies to underestimate him.
• Power and surrender: The army’s immediate capitulation after Xuandu’s capture shows how strongly military morale depends on a leader’s authority and perceived invincibility.
• Conflict between Human Dao and Heavenly Dao: The war is no longer merely a struggle between Human Race factions; intervention by the Sages threatens to elevate it into a cosmic confrontation.
• Regret and missed choices: Guangchengzi’s regret highlights the consequences of misjudging Xuanyuan and choosing political or sectarian interests over true potential.
• Authority versus justice: Xuanyuan views Xuandu and the other rebels as traitors who must pay with blood, while Nuwa condemns the higher powers for manipulating the Human Race’s destiny.

Important Character Interactions

• Xuanyuan and Guangchengzi: Xuanyuan’s punch forces Guangchengzi and the other immortals back, overturning their previous assumptions about his strength.
• Xuanyuan and Xuandu: Their encounter is the chapter’s central moment. Xuanyuan captures Xuandu effortlessly, using him to force the entire opposing army to surrender.
• Guangchengzi and the Twelve Golden Immortals: The disciples look to Guangchengzi for direction after Xuandu’s capture, but he can only acknowledge their defeat.
• Laozi and Guangchengzi: Laozi secretly instructs Guangchengzi to prepare for a rescue, revealing his willingness to interfere directly.
• Nuwa and Hongjun: Nuwa confronts Hongjun over the Sages’ interference. Hongjun avoids a direct argument, restraining her through calm authority and promising a later explanation.
• Nuwa and Heavenly Dao: Nuwa’s final vow signals an escalating opposition between Human Dao and Heavenly Dao.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• On Carefree Island, Lu Chen and several powerful figures observe the battle at Zhuolu through a mirror of light. Duobao and Zhao Gongming are impressed by Xuanyuan’s formidable Martial Dao, recognizing it as an inheritance equal to those of the great sects.
• Xuanyuan defeats Xuandu, but Laozi secretly interferes by restraining both Xuanyuan and Nuwa, allowing Guangchengzi an opportunity to rescue Xuandu.
• Zhunti intervenes to preserve Xuanyuan’s victory. Claiming to act “accidentally,” he breaks Laozi’s suppression and sends Guangchengzi flying. Xuanyuan immediately seizes the opportunity and crushes Xuandu, reducing him to blood mist.
• Guangchengzi is devastated by Xuandu’s death but cannot openly oppose Zhunti because of the overwhelming authority of the Sages.
• Zhunti returns to Jade Void Palace, while Jieyin arrives to mediate with Laozi and Yuanshi. Laozi is furious that Zhunti ruined his calculations, but Jieyin argues that the Western lands can only compensate them with karmic debt.
• Lu Chen descends upon Zhuolu and formally names Xuanyuan the third Human Sovereign after his successful unification of the Human Race.
• Xuanyuan asks to postpone entering the Martial Temple so that he can travel the Primordial World with Nuwa after completing his hundred-year reign. Lu Chen approves, provided the delay does not exceed five hundred years.
• The Kongtong Seal descends, completing the investiture ceremony. Vast Merit is distributed among Lu Chen, Zhao Gongming, Nuwa, Wind Lord, and the generals who supported Xuanyuan, while most of it flows into Xuanyuan.
• Merit purges the warriors’ accumulated killing intent and karma, restores Xuanyuan’s strength, and elevates him to the Mystic Illumination realm. He receives a majestic imperial robe formed from Merit.
• With all Three Sovereigns now established, Lu Chen returns the Kongtong Seal to the Human Race, declaring that it will forever belong to the Human Sovereigns as long as Human Fortune endures.

Character Developments

• Xuanyuan proves himself as a powerful Martial Dao practitioner and decisive military leader. His immediate execution of Xuandu demonstrates his caution and determination to secure victory before further interference can occur.
• Xuanyuan also shows independence and ambition by requesting permission to explore the Primordial World with Nuwa rather than immediately entering the Martial Temple.
• Lu Chen acts as the Human Race’s supreme protector and spiritual patriarch, formally establishing Xuanyuan’s sovereign status and preserving the Human Race’s authority through the Kongtong Seal.
• Zhunti reveals his willingness to intervene boldly in the conflict, prioritizing his own strategic interests despite provoking Laozi and Yuanshi.
• Guangchengzi suffers a major emotional and strategic defeat after Xuandu’s death, losing the hope of reversing Xuanyuan’s victory.
• Zhao Gongming develops an increased admiration for Martial Dao and longs to cultivate it more deeply, believing it could greatly enhance his whip techniques.
• Laozi and Yuanshi are shown to be frustrated by Zhunti’s interference, while Jieyin adopts a conciliatory and pragmatic approach to prevent the dispute from escalating.

Significant Themes

• The power of Martial Dao: Xuanyuan’s performance establishes Martial Dao as an inheritance capable of rivaling the traditions of the great sects.
• Sage-level manipulation: The battle is shaped not only by direct combat but also by hidden interventions, restraints, alliances, and political calculations among the Sages.
• The cost and reward of war: Merit both recognizes Xuanyuan’s unification and cleanses the karmic burden and killing intent accumulated by those who fought for him.
• Legitimacy and sovereignty: Xuanyuan’s elevation formalizes the Human Race’s political order, while the Kongtong Seal becomes a permanent symbol of Human Sovereign authority.
• Strategic alliances and resentment: Zhunti’s assistance benefits Xuanyuan but deepens tensions with Laozi and Yuanshi, showing how divine conflicts extend beyond the battlefield.
• Freedom after rulership: Xuanyuan’s desire to travel with Nuwa suggests that becoming a sovereign does not erase personal aspirations or his wish to explore the wider world.

Character Interactions

• Duobao, Zhao Gongming, and Jin Ling discuss Xuanyuan’s strength and criticize Ran Deng’s lack of progress, contrasting the Human Race’s rising Martial Dao with the stagnation of certain sect figures.
• Zhunti and Xuanyuan form a temporary alliance when Zhunti saves the battle from Laozi’s interference, earning Xuanyuan’s gratitude even though Xuanyuan does not know Zhunti’s full motives.
• Zhunti and Guangchengzi become indirect adversaries when Zhunti prevents him from rescuing Xuandu.
• Laozi, Yuanshi, and Jieyin clash politically at Jade Void Palace, with Jieyin attempting to excuse Zhunti’s actions and negotiate compensation through karmic debt.
• Lu Chen and Xuanyuan interact as Holy Father and Human Sovereign: Lu Chen grants Xuanyuan his title and accommodates his request to delay entering the Martial Temple.
• Xuanyuan and Nuwa are positioned as companions beyond Xuanyuan’s reign, with Xuanyuan requesting the opportunity to travel the Primordial World alongside her.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The conflict over the Human Sovereign’s succession suddenly reverses when Zhunti appears and disrupts Laozi’s plans, sending Laozi’s techniques and Guangchengzi away at the crucial moment. This allows Xuanyuan’s side to prevail.
• Nuwa is delighted by the reversal, while Hongjun—who had deliberately detained her at Wa Sovereign Palace by discussing the Dao—quietly becomes angry at his failed scheme.
• Hongjun returns to Zixiao Palace, realizing that he had underestimated Zhunti’s intervention and entrusted too much of the Human Sovereign matter to Laozi.
• At Eight Scenic Palace, Laozi receives Xuandu’s remnant soul. Although Xuandu’s body was destroyed at Zhuolu, Laozi had preserved part of his soul origin and spends valuable materials to reconstruct his body.
• Laozi gives Xuandu a Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, restoring his cultivation to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. He then sends Xuandu back to the Human Race, informing him that the next common lord has already been born.
• Xuanyuan, now having unified the tribes, has ruled for seventy-four years and is searching for a worthy successor. He senses Xuandu’s return but decides that the Xuandu who once competed for supremacy effectively died at Zhuolu because his Human Race bloodline and former karmic ties are gone.
• Nuwa and Xuanyuan discuss whether Xuandu’s successor might retaliate against them. Xuanyuan remains calm, believing that each future common lord will govern according to his own judgment.
• To repay Zhunti’s assistance, Xuanyuan permits the Western Sect to preach among the Human Race for one hundred years. This gives the Western Sect a foothold and greatly increases its Fortune.
• At Spirit Mountain, Zhunti and Jieyin celebrate the Western Sect’s successful expansion but recognize that Laozi’s disciple will guide the next common lord and may attempt to suppress their influence.

Character Developments

• Hongjun: Revealed as calculating and politically involved in the succession struggle. His failed attempt to restrain Nuwa and control events through Laozi exposes his vulnerability and leaves him unusually irritated.
• Nuwa: Her mood shifts dramatically from cold restraint to open amusement after Zhunti’s intervention. She enjoys Hongjun’s discomfort and remains emotionally close to Xuanyuan.
• Zhunti: Emerges as the decisive force behind Xuanyuan’s victory. His bold intervention strengthens the Western Sect’s position and demonstrates his willingness to incur karmic debts for future gains.
• Laozi: Though his immediate plan fails, he remains composed and strategically prepared. He restores Xuandu and assigns him the important task of guiding the next common lord.
• Xuandu: Returns from death with his body and cultivation restored, but without his original Human Race bloodline. He experiences grief and alienation over losing his final connection to the Human Race.
• Xuanyuan: Shows political maturity and detachment. He acknowledges Zhunti’s favor without surrendering the Human Race’s religious independence, limiting Western Sect preaching to a temporary arrangement.
• Jieyin: Supports Zhunti’s strategy while warning him not to underestimate Laozi’s influence.

Significant Themes

• Karmic ties and identity: The chapter emphasizes that death can sever social, racial, and karmic bonds. Although Xuandu retains his soul and memories, the loss of his Human Race bloodline means he is no longer fully the same person.
• Political and religious influence: The succession of the Human Sovereign is also a struggle among the sages and their teachings for influence over the Human Race.
• Strategic alliances and repayment: Xuanyuan repays Zhunti’s personal favor through limited religious access, carefully distinguishing personal gratitude from obligations owed to the entire Human Race.
• Failure and adaptation: Hongjun and Laozi both suffer setbacks, but Laozi immediately prepares a new strategy through Xuandu and the next common lord.
• Factional competition: The Western Sect’s rise threatens Laozi’s influence, setting up future conflict over whether the next common lord will protect or suppress Western Sect preaching.

Character Interactions

• Nuwa and Hongjun: Nuwa subtly teases Hongjun after Zhunti overturns his plans, while Hongjun maintains an emotionless exterior despite his anger.
• Laozi and Xuandu: Laozi acts as both rescuer and strategist, restoring Xuandu’s body and cultivation before assigning him a new mission. Xuandu remains deeply grateful and obedient.
• Xuanyuan and Nuwa: Their affectionate relationship is shown through physical closeness and open discussion. They jointly assess Xuandu’s return and the possible consequences of the next succession.
• Xuanyuan and Zhunti: Their relationship is based on mutual benefit and repayment. Xuanyuan acknowledges Zhunti’s aid but refuses to grant the Western Sect unlimited control over the Human Race.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: The brothers celebrate their success but remain wary of Laozi’s future countermeasures, recognizing that their current advantage may not last.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yao, a gifted Human Race child, becomes Xuandu’s disciple. Because of the Human Race’s disillusionment with Guangchengzi’s past influence, Xuandu raises Yao without controlling or indoctrinating him, teaching Dao Sect knowledge while allowing Yao to make his own choices.
• Xuanyuan recognizes Yao’s potential to become the next common ruler. When Yao visits him, he is surprised to learn that Xuandu and Xuanyuan were once enemies who fought on the battlefield. Nuwa explains their history, though Xuanyuan insists that the past is behind them.
• Xuanyuan tests Yao’s righteousness, character, and vision. Satisfied with his answers, he abdicates and appoints Yao as the next common ruler. Xuandu receives Merit for successfully teaching Yao and advances to the late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage.
• The later succession of Human Race emperors proceeds peacefully until the reign of Shun, the fourth emperor. Continuous rain causes catastrophic flooding, destroying crops and threatening the tribes.
• Shun offers the position of next common ruler to whoever can successfully control the floods.
• On Carefree Island, Lu Chen sends Six Ears to the Chong Tribe to seek the future fifth emperor. He warns that the opportunity is also a dangerous calamity. Six Ears, now at the late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage, leaves the island.
• Lu Chen secretly assigns Bai Geng to protect Six Ears. Bai Geng has reached the initial Primordial Golden Immortal realm and is instructed to intervene only if Six Ears cannot overcome the danger himself.
• Six Ears reaches the Chong Tribe during the endless rain and learns that Gun is attempting to control the flooding. He joins the tribespeople partly to investigate and partly to gain practical knowledge.
• Gun’s method relies on building enormous embankments to block the water. Six Ears immediately recognizes that this only treats the symptoms, since continued rainfall will eventually overwhelm the barriers.
• After nine years, a massive flood destroys the embankments. Gun’s flood-control plan fails completely, and Shun exiles him to Mount Yu. The chapter ends as Six Ears arrives at Gun’s home.

Character Developments

• Yao is established as independent-minded, intelligent, and capable of becoming a common ruler without being manipulated by his teacher. His successful trials confirm his moral judgment and leadership potential.
• Xuandu demonstrates a more restrained teaching philosophy than Guangchengzi. He respects Yao’s autonomy and learns from the Human Race’s earlier experience with blind dependence on immortal masters.
• Xuanyuan has become more mature and authoritative but remains fair and cautious in choosing his successor. Though eager to abdicate, he prioritizes the Human Race’s welfare.
• Six Ears has grown considerably under Lu Chen’s guidance, reaching the late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage. He remains curious and somewhat casual, but he shows growing insight by identifying the weakness in Gun’s flood-control strategy.
• Bai Geng has advanced to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm and now serves as Six Ears’ hidden guardian.
• Gun is introduced as determined and willing to serve the Human Race, but his approach to flood control proves fundamentally flawed.

Significant Themes

• Independent thought versus blind discipleship: Yao’s upbringing contrasts with Xuandu’s former dependence on Guangchengzi, emphasizing the value of personal judgment.
• Merit and responsibility: Leadership is earned through character, wisdom, and service rather than simply inherited or granted by immortal factions.
• Treating causes rather than symptoms: Six Ears understands that blocking floodwaters cannot solve a problem caused by continuous rising water, foreshadowing the need for a more effective strategy.
• Opportunity intertwined with danger: Six Ears’ mission may bring great Merit and influence, but Lu Chen warns that it also carries hidden calamity.
• Peaceful succession and the Human Race’s stability: The orderly transfer of leadership reflects the growing maturity and organization of the Human Race.

Character Interactions

• Xuandu and Xuanyuan reunite after a century, revealing a history of former battlefield conflict but showing that their past hostility has been set aside.
• Yao reacts with shock upon learning that his teacher and the Human Sovereign were once enemies, highlighting his straightforward and inquisitive personality.
• Xuandu and Yao’s teacher-student relationship is based on guidance without coercion.
• Lu Chen gives Six Ears both encouragement and a warning, while arranging Bai Geng’s secret protection.
• Six Ears interacts with an elderly Chong Tribe member, who initially criticizes him for being idle and then forces him to participate in flood-control labor.
• Six Ears observes Gun’s work and silently evaluates its shortcomings, positioning himself to become involved in the larger struggle over the Human Race’s future.

Chapter Summary: “Yu Tames the Floods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Six Ears encounters a determined child named Yu, who is studying flood control by building mud walls around a pool—an imitation of his father Gun’s failed strategy of blocking the waters.
• Yu declares that he will clear his father’s name and end the flood disaster. Impressed by his resolve, Six Ears accepts him as a disciple.
• After learning that Six Ears is a disciple of Lu Chen and the Jie Sect, Yu immediately recognizes his connection to the Holy Father and formally becomes his disciple.
• Six Ears gives Yu a choice between cultivating the Shangqing Sword Canon and the Human Race’s Martial Dao. Yu chooses to cultivate both.
• For twenty years, Six Ears travels with Yu across the Human Race’s territories, recording flood conditions and teaching him what he knows about flood control, including lessons from Gun’s failure.
• Yu matures into a powerful young man, reaching the Blood Tempering stage in Martial Dao and the Heavenly Immortal realm in Immortal Dao.
• After thoroughly studying the floods, Yu presents his plan to Emperor Shun, who appoints him to lead the flood-control effort.
• Yu combines Gun’s dam-building methods with a new strategy: rather than merely blocking the water, he will dig channels and divert the accumulated floodwaters into the Four Seas.
• He organizes strong martial artists from the tribes to build dams, split mountains, and excavate river channels. Most displaced demons accept compensation and leave their territories peacefully.
• At the Huai River, Yu encounters Demon King Wuzhiqi, who refuses to surrender his territory. Yu first attempts negotiation, but Wuzhiqi dismisses him.
• Yu returns with ten powerful Aperture Opening martial artists, yet Wuzhiqi defeats and restrains them through his extraordinary water-controlling ability.
• Realizing that he cannot overcome Wuzhiqi alone, Yu withdraws and decides to seek Six Ears’s assistance.

Character Developments

• Yu grows from an ambitious child into a disciplined and capable leader. His twenty years of study, travel, and cultivation give him both practical knowledge and spiritual strength.
• Yu demonstrates intellectual independence by cultivating both Martial Dao and Immortal Dao rather than choosing only one path.
• He improves upon Gun’s approach, recognizing that floodwaters must be redirected rather than simply blocked.
• Six Ears develops from a powerful but inexperienced cultivator into a mentor. Though uncertain how to teach, he patiently guides Yu through direct experience and investigation.
• Six Ears becomes increasingly invested in Yu’s success and begins forming his own understanding of flood control.
• Emperor Shun is portrayed as a supportive ruler who recognizes Yu’s qualifications and entrusts him with the enormous responsibility of taming the floods.
• Wuzhiqi is introduced as a proud, formidable demon king with exceptional control over water. He is unwilling to yield his territory merely because the Human Race demands it.

Significant Themes

• Learning from failure: Yu honors his father while recognizing that Gun’s flood-control method was incomplete. The chapter emphasizes improving upon past mistakes rather than rejecting the past entirely.
• Practical knowledge and perseverance: Yu studies the flood conditions firsthand, demonstrating that success requires observation, preparation, and sustained effort.
• Mentorship and legacy: Six Ears passes on both cultivation techniques and personal understanding, while Yu seeks to restore Gun’s reputation through his own achievements.
• Cooperation and leadership: Yu unites tribes and martial artists for a shared cause, showing the growing strength and organization of the Human Race.
• Negotiation versus force: Yu initially attempts to resolve conflicts peacefully and compensate displaced demons, but his encounter with Wuzhiqi shows that diplomacy has limits when confronted by entrenched power.
• Human progress and territorial tension: The Human Race’s flood-control project expands its influence across the land, inevitably creating friction with the resident demon clans.

Character Interactions

• Six Ears and Yu: Their relationship develops from a chance meeting into a master-disciple bond. Six Ears recognizes Yu’s potential, while Yu respects Six Ears’s connection to the Holy Father and seeks his guidance.
• Yu and Emperor Shun: Yu presents himself as a capable successor to his father’s unfinished mission, and Shun responds by giving him authority over the flood-control effort.
• Yu and the Human tribes: Yu leads the tribes’ strongest young martial artists, earning their cooperation as they labor together through dangerous terrain.
• Yu and the great demons: Yu generally attempts respectful negotiation and offers compensation when flood-control work affects their lands.
• Yu and Wuzhiqi: Their interaction shifts from formal diplomacy to confrontation. Wuzhiqi’s refusal and overwhelming water-control power force Yu to acknowledge the need for stronger support.
• Yu and his father Gun’s legacy: Although Gun never appears directly, his failed method and punishment motivate Yu throughout the chapter, shaping both his goals and his improved flood-control strategy.

Chapter Summary: Six Ears Battles Wuzhiqi

Key Plot Points and Events

• Six Ears learns that Yu has encountered a powerful demon obstructing the Human Race’s river-channel project. He travels to the Huai River to confront it.
• To force the demon from hiding, Six Ears violently stirs the river with his Compliant Iron Rod, awakening Wuzhiqi, the Red-Buttock Macaque.
• The two recognize each other as members of the Four Monkeys of Chaos. Because each carries part of the Chaos Demon Ape’s power, they are destined to fight when they meet.
• Wuzhiqi reveals that he deliberately remained at the Huai River after calculating that a great opportunity would appear there. He had not expected the opportunity to be Six Ears himself.
• The two battle for an entire day using only their iron rods and instinctive physical strength. Their combat causes their understandings of the Law of Battle to resonate.
• Although both possess Late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation, Six Ears gradually gains the advantage. His superior cultivation method—the Shangqing Sword Canon—gives him a decisive edge over Wuzhiqi’s Demon Race technique.
• Wuzhiqi admits defeat and willingly transforms into a sphere of blood-colored energy, allowing Six Ears to absorb his cultivation, bloodline, and accumulated power.
• Six Ears secretly preserves a fragment of Wuzhiqi’s bloodlight, suggesting that he does not truly wish his opponent and fellow Chaos Monkey to perish.
• Six Ears informs Yu that the Huai River demon has been subdued, allowing the Human Race to resume excavating the river channels.
• Six Ears returns to Carefree Island and enters seclusion to refine Wuzhiqi’s power.
• Bai Geng reports the events to Lu Chen. Lu Chen suggests that Wuzhiqi may have deliberately accepted death because he had calculated that a trace of his true spirit would survive and eventually allow him to revive through Samsara.

Character Developments

• Six Ears: His violent instincts become increasingly apparent during the battle, nearly overwhelming his reason. However, after winning, he shows compassion by preserving part of Wuzhiqi’s essence and considers helping him avoid permanent death. His absorption of Wuzhiqi’s power may also bring him closer to the Quasi-Saint realm or the Primordial Unity Path.
• Wuzhiqi: He is portrayed as highly intelligent and farsighted, having calculated both the opportunity at the Huai River and possibly his own future resurrection. Despite knowing the likely outcome, he accepts defeat with calmness and generosity, surrendering his power to Six Ears.
• Bai Geng: He serves as an observer and potential protector of Six Ears. He recognizes the unusual resonance of the Law of Battle and begins questioning the deeper meaning behind Wuzhiqi’s sacrifice.
• Lu Chen: He demonstrates superior insight by suggesting that Wuzhiqi’s death may have been part of a larger plan involving Samsara.
• Yu: With the demon subdued, he is able to continue the Human Race’s flood-control and river-channel work.

Significant Themes

• Fated conflict and shared origins: As fragments of the Chaos Demon Ape, Six Ears and Wuzhiqi are naturally drawn into a deadly struggle when they meet.
• Combat as Dao cultivation: Their battle is more than a physical contest; it becomes a mutual exchange and resonance of the Law of Battle.
• Strength versus technique: Equal cultivation does not guarantee equal power. Six Ears’s superior cultivation art allows him to overcome Wuzhiqi.
• Sacrifice and transformation: Wuzhiqi willingly gives his accumulated power to Six Ears, turning defeat into a form of continuation and enabling Six Ears to advance.
• Hidden calculations and destiny: Wuzhiqi’s apparent death may have been anticipated, emphasizing the role of foresight, fate, and long-term schemes.
• Compassion amid savagery: Though the battle is driven by primal violence, Six Ears’s decision to preserve Wuzhiqi’s essence reveals loyalty and restraint beneath his brutality.
• The Human Race’s broader mission: The supernatural conflict occurs alongside the practical work of controlling the Huai River and advancing the Human Race’s great undertaking.

Character Interactions

• Six Ears and Wuzhiqi: Their first meeting immediately becomes a violent confrontation, but beneath the hostility lies mutual recognition and an understanding that each is a “supreme treasure” to the other because of their shared origin.
• Six Ears and Yu: Six Ears acts as Yu’s master and protector, removing the obstacle so Yu can continue the river project.
• Bai Geng and Six Ears: Bai Geng watches the battle prepared to intervene, but Six Ears ultimately wins without assistance.
• Bai Geng and Lu Chen: Their discussion reframes Wuzhiqi’s apparent defeat, raising the possibility that his sacrifice was calculated and not truly final.

Chapter Summary: Six Ears Enters the Quasi-Saint Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu the Great completes his flood-control achievements, succeeds Shun as common lord, casts the Nine Tripod Cauldrons, and establishes the Nine Provinces. This marks the approaching end of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors era.
• At the Ancestral Court, Xuanyuan proposes reducing the enormous population of martial artists by retaining only the most talented in the Court and transferring the rest to Yu’s administration. The proposal is unanimously approved.
• Yu’s son, Qi, recommends dividing the returning martial artists into four groups: three armies to expand Human Race territory in the west, north, and south, and one force to defend the royal court. His plan is accepted and implemented.
• After Yu rules for a century, he gives the throne to Yi. Qi rebels, defeats Yi, abolishes the system of voluntarily yielding the throne, and establishes the Xia dynasty, making rulership hereditary.
• Yu initially condemns Qi’s rebellion, but Fuxi explains that the age has changed and that the younger generation should determine the Human Race’s future. Qi rules for five hundred years before passing the throne to his son, beginning a dynastic, family-based system of rule.
• On Carefree Island, Six Ears erupts with an overwhelming aura and successfully advances into the Primordial Golden Immortal—or Quasi-Saint—realm through the Law of Battle.
• Duobao, Jin Ling, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Xiao Sisters are astonished that Six Ears, once far weaker than them, has surpassed them. Their shock turns into competitive determination, prompting them to prepare for secluded cultivation.
• Duobao and Jin Ling congratulate Six Ears and ask about the whereabouts of their Eldest Senior Brother, who is absent from the island.

Character Developments

• Yu the Great transitions from heroic ruler to former common lord and struggles emotionally with his son’s rebellion, though he eventually accepts the historical shift.
• Qi emerges as ambitious and politically capable. Despite having weaker Martial Dao talent and being unable to advance beyond Blood Tempering, he uses his political foundation to seize power and establish hereditary monarchy.
• Fuxi demonstrates political insight and detachment, recognizing that the old succession system belonged to a particular historical era and need not continue forever.
• Six Ears experiences a major breakthrough, advancing dramatically through his mastery of the Law of Battle. His power now rivals that of Duobao and the other senior disciples.
• Duobao and Jin Ling show admiration for Six Ears but are also surprised and unsettled by his rapid progress.
• Zhao Gongming and the Three Xiao Sisters develop a renewed competitive spirit after realizing that their junior has overtaken them.

Significant Themes

• The end of an era: The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period gives way to a new political and historical order.
• Centralization and expansion: The Human Race responds to population growth and resource shortages by redistributing martial forces and expanding into new territories.
• The transition from shared rule to hereditary monarchy: Qi’s rebellion represents the replacement of idealized succession by dynastic rule.
• Generational change: Older rulers and sages relinquish control, allowing younger figures to shape the future.
• Cultivation and perseverance: Six Ears’s breakthrough illustrates the rewards of focused comprehension and relentless battle intent, while inspiring others to work harder.
• Competition among peers: The senior disciples’ reaction to Six Ears reflects both pride in his achievement and unwillingness to be surpassed.

Character Interactions

• Xuanyuan, Cangjie, Fuxi, and the other Ancestral Court leaders unanimously support reorganizing the Human Race’s martial forces.
• Qi persuades Yu’s ministers to adopt his plan for deploying the returning armies, while the ministers support him partly to avoid bearing responsibility for potential failures.
• Yu confronts Fuxi over Qi’s rebellion, but Fuxi calmly reframes the event as a natural consequence of changing times.
• Duobao, Jin Ling, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Xiao Sisters witness Six Ears’s breakthrough. Their amazement quickly becomes motivation to cultivate harder.
• Six Ears respectfully greets Duobao and Jin Ling, who congratulate him before asking where their absent Eldest Senior Brother is located.

Chapter Summary: “Guangchengzi’s Despair”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Geng informs Duobao and Jin Ling that his master left Carefree Island a century ago and has not been heard from.
• Duobao gives Six Ears a newly reforged weapon made by combining his original Compliant Iron Rod with Wuzhiqi’s staff. Six Ears tests it, finds it perfectly suited to his greatly increased strength, and names it the Compliant Iron Rod. The weapon responds by displaying its name.
• In Chaos, Lu Chen reflects on his dramatic growth from Golden Immortal to Primordial Golden Immortal. Chaos Qi and its astral winds, once dangerous to him, can no longer affect his physical body.
• Lu Chen studies Chaos Qi and briefly wonders about its origin and future, then begins cultivating the four laws he has mastered: Devouring, Destruction, Lightning, and the Sword Dao.
• Guided by the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, Lu Chen uses Devouring as the foundation to suppress and absorb the other three laws. The process succeeds, leaving behind a profound aura before Lu Chen disappears.
• Two powerful unseen figures observe Lu Chen’s cultivation. One praises his potential, noting that he possesses Heaven-Devourer’s companion spiritual treasure and origin; the other remains cautious, insisting that his true achievements can only be judged once he reaches a higher stage.
• At Kunlun Mountain, Guangchengzi lies drunk and disheveled outside Jade Void Palace. Yuanshi Tianzun promises to help restore his Dao foundation and remove his karmic burdens.
• Guangchengzi’s decline is revealed: after fighting against the Human Race at Zhuolu to assist Xuandu, he gained no Merit because his side lost. As a result, his killing sins and Calamity Qi accumulated unchecked.
• His cultivation has fallen from the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm to barely Great Luo. His Dao heart, vitality, and confidence have collapsed, and he no longer dares cultivate for fear of further damaging himself.
• Xuandu, by contrast, became Yao’s imperial teacher and gained enough Merit to cleanse his sins, leaving Guangchengzi bitter and despairing.
• Guangchengzi realizes that Yuanshi Tianzun—the master he once revered—was ultimately responsible for the circumstances that destroyed his Dao Path.

Character Developments

• Six Ears becomes a Primordial Golden Immortal whose physical strength requires a reforged weapon. His delight in the new Compliant Iron Rod highlights his straightforward, enthusiastic personality.
• Lu Chen demonstrates immense growth and increasing mastery of multiple laws. His attempt to fuse them through Devouring suggests a new stage in his cultivation and establishes his extraordinary potential.
• Guangchengzi is reduced from an arrogant and prominent Chan Sect disciple to a broken, alcoholic figure burdened by karma, failed cultivation, and resentment toward his master.
• Yuanshi Tianzun shows concern for Guangchengzi and promises aid, but the narration presents him as morally and emotionally complicated because his decisions contributed to Guangchengzi’s downfall.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of karma and Merit: Victory allows others to cleanse their sins, while the defeated are forced to bear the full weight of their actions.
• The fragility of cultivation and Dao foundations: Even a powerful immortal can suffer a catastrophic decline when karmic burdens and Calamity Qi attack the Dao heart.
• Growth through fusion and transformation: Lu Chen’s Devouring Dao absorbs and unifies other laws, representing a path of synthesis and advancement.
• Betrayal and disillusionment: Guangchengzi’s despair is intensified by the belief that his own master sacrificed or abandoned him for broader sect interests.
• Contrasting fortunes: Six Ears and Lu Chen rise through strength and opportunity, while Guangchengzi falls because of war, karma, and political consequences.

Character Interactions

• Duobao respectfully delivers the reforged weapon to Six Ears, and Six Ears responds with gratitude and excitement.
• Lu Chen is silently observed and evaluated by two mysterious powerful beings, whose debate emphasizes both his promise and the uncertainty of his ultimate destiny.
• Yuanshi Tianzun speaks compassionately to Guangchengzi and offers to save him, but Guangchengzi’s condition reveals a deep fracture between master and disciple.
• Guangchengzi compares his fate with Xuandu’s, intensifying his resentment toward both Xuandu and Yuanshi Tianzun.

Chapter Summary: “Tongtian Draws His Sword, Blood Stains Zixiao Palace”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zixiao Palace is reopened only ten thousand years after the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, signaling another major upheaval.
• Hongjun summons the Four Sages—Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, Jieyin, and Zhunti—as well as Haotian, implying that the matter concerns the Heavenly Court.
• Hongjun announces that the Investiture List will be reopened. All existing divine appointments will be revoked, and the disciples of the Four Religions must compete to fill 365 Heavenly Court positions.
• Those who die during the coming conflict may have their true spirits placed on the Investiture List, receive reconstructed bodies, and become gods serving under Haotian.
• The Sages immediately resist the arrangement, unwilling to sacrifice their disciples merely to strengthen Haotian’s authority.
• Zhunti attempts to pressure Tongtian by arguing that Jie Sect has many disciples and considerable experience in the Heavenly Court.
• Tongtian responds by drawing the Green Duckweed Sword and severing one of Zhunti’s arms inside Zixiao Palace. He then threatens to visit Spirit Mountain every day if Zhunti seeks Hongjun’s punishment.
• Frightened by the consequences, Zhunti instantly changes his attitude and pretends that the attack was merely playful, refusing to pursue revenge.
• Hongjun leaves the Sages and Haotian to decide who will fill the Investiture List. The Sages continue shifting responsibility and refuse to nominate their disciples.
• Tongtian departs first, making his opposition clear. The other Sages also leave without contributing any names.
• Haotian remains behind, realizing that the Sages’ refusal may allow him to exploit the Investiture conflict and force them to serve the Heavenly Court.

Character Developments

• Tongtian: Becomes openly hostile and defiant toward the other Sages. Rather than passively accept Jie Sect’s sacrifice, he immediately uses force to establish that his disciples will not be treated as expendable. His willingness to attack Zhunti even in Zixiao Palace demonstrates his confidence and ruthlessness.
• Zhunti: Reveals his opportunistic and pragmatic nature. He first tries to push responsibility onto Tongtian but quickly abandons his outrage once he realizes that retaliation could bring severe consequences for Spirit Mountain.
• Haotian: Appears submissive during the meeting, avoiding Tongtian’s gaze, but privately harbors strong ambition. He hopes the Investiture List will give him authority over the disciples of the Sages and enable him to make them work for the Heavenly Court.
• Yuanshi and Laozi: Both resist sacrificing their limited disciples. Yuanshi emphasizes that even all of Chan Sect’s disciples could not fill the list, while Laozi protects Xuandu as the sole heir of Human Cult.
• Hongjun: Remains detached and authoritative, announcing the new arrangement without negotiating with the Sages before leaving them to resolve the details.
• Jieyin and the other Sages: Their reluctance exposes their desire for Heavenly Court benefits without accepting the cost of providing disciples for divine service.

Significant Themes

• Power and coercion: The Investiture List is presented as a mechanism for controlling the sects and strengthening Haotian’s rule over the Heavenly Court.
• Self-interest and hypocrisy: The Sages once sought Heavenly Court positions for their benefits, but now avoid responsibility when those positions require their disciples to die and serve Haotian.
• Defiance against authority: Tongtian’s attack challenges both Zhunti and the dignity of Zixiao Palace, showing that even Hongjun’s presence cannot completely suppress factional conflict.
• Political calculation: Every character weighs the advantages and dangers of the Investiture List. Zhunti chooses humiliation over retaliation, while Haotian sees the dispute as an opportunity to gain leverage.
• Sacrifice and control: The divine positions appear prestigious but effectively bind the dead disciples to Haotian, raising the question of whether “godhood” is actually glorified servitude.

Important Character Interactions

• Tongtian immediately recognizes Haotian’s presence as a sign that Jie Sect is being targeted.
• Zhunti provokes Tongtian by suggesting that his large number of disciples makes Jie Sect the natural source of candidates.
• Tongtian’s sword attack silences Zhunti and intimidates the other Sages, establishing a direct confrontation between Jie Sect and the Western Sect.
• Tongtian threatens Zhunti with constant harassment at Spirit Mountain, forcing Zhunti to publicly retract his complaint.
• Haotian watches the Sages evade responsibility with disdain, contrasting their previous eagerness for Heavenly Court benefits with their current refusal to provide disciples.
• The chapter ends with Haotian privately resolving to use the conflict to make the Sages and their sects serve his interests.

Chapter Summary:

Duobao’s Ruthlessness

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian returns to Biyou Palace feeling lonely and unsettled because Lu Chen is absent. Concerned about the Heavenly Court crisis, he summons the Jie Sect’s major disciples for a council.
• Tongtian explains that the Dao Ancestor has ordered a meeting at Zixiao Palace regarding Haotian’s plan to use the Investiture List to strip Jie Sect disciples of their Heavenly Court positions, Merit, and Fortune.
• The disciples become furious upon realizing that Haotian has been scheming against them. Zhao Gongming reacts especially angrily.
• Tongtian declares that the Jie Sect must contend for control of the Heavenly Court rather than surrendering to Haotian.
• Duobao calmly argues that Haotian himself is not the real threat: because the Heavenly Court depends heavily on Jie Sect disciples, Haotian could theoretically be replaced. The true danger is the Investiture List, which could turn the entire Primordial World into a battlefield where sect disciples are hunted and killed.
• Duobao proposes an extreme solution: Tongtian should lure Laozi, Yuanshi, and the two Western Sages into Biyou Palace under the pretext of discussing the Dao, trap them with the Four Swords of Execution and their formation, and send Jie Sect forces to destroy the Three Religions’ disciples and inheritances. With the rival religions eliminated, only Jie Sect would remain vulnerable to the Investiture List.
• Tongtian and the other disciples are shocked by the brutality of this plan. Tongtian warns that it would provoke the four Sages into revenge and might endanger the entire Jie Sect.
• Duobao then reveals that the plan was actually devised by Lu Chen, leaving Tongtian stunned and conflicted.

2. Character Developments

• Tongtian is shown as emotionally dependent on Lu Chen’s counsel and uneasy without him. He initially admires Duobao’s composure and strategic thinking, but becomes alarmed by the ruthlessness of Duobao’s proposal. His concern shifts from winning the political struggle to protecting his disciples from catastrophic retaliation.
• Duobao reveals a previously hidden side. Though usually gentle and calm, he demonstrates striking decisiveness and willingness to destroy rival religious traditions completely if necessary. He also follows Lu Chen’s advice to first understand Tongtian’s position before presenting his own.
• Lu Chen, despite being absent, exerts major influence over the chapter. His strategic importance is emphasized, and his supposed “rotten idea” is revealed to be even more radical than Tongtian expected.
• Zhao Gongming and the other disciples become openly hostile toward Haotian after learning of his plans. Their surprise at Duobao’s ruthlessness also causes them to view him with greater caution and respect.

3. Significant Themes

• Strategic power versus moral restraint: The chapter explores whether survival justifies extreme measures, including the destruction of entire religious inheritances.
• Loyalty and political dependence: The Heavenly Court’s apparent reliance on Jie Sect disciples exposes Haotian’s weakness and shows that institutional power depends on the people who operate it.
• The cost of retaliation: Even if Duobao’s plan could neutralize the Investiture List, it would provoke overwhelming retaliation from the Sages and potentially destroy Jie Sect in the process.
• Hidden sides of character: Duobao’s gentle exterior conceals a ruthless strategic mind, while Lu Chen—normally trusted as a brilliant adviser—is revealed to be capable of proposing exceptionally dangerous schemes.
• Leadership and responsibility: Tongtian must balance ambition, sect survival, and the safety of his disciples rather than simply pursuing victory at any cost.

4. Character Interactions

• Tongtian summons and addresses the Jie Sect’s senior disciples, establishing a formal council in Lu Chen’s absence.
• Duobao respectfully asks for Tongtian’s intentions before offering his own analysis, reflecting both discipline and strategic maturity.
• Tongtian encourages Duobao to speak freely, initially impressed by his confidence and insight.
• Duobao’s proposal shocks Tongtian, Jin Ling, and the other disciples, creating a moment of fear and renewed respect toward him.
• Tongtian directly challenges Duobao to consider the consequences, emphasizing the danger to the disciples and the likelihood of Sage retaliation.
• The final revelation that Lu Chen created the plan transforms Tongtian’s opinion of both Lu Chen and Duobao, ending the chapter on a note of disbelief and dark humor.

Chapter Summary: “Yuanshi’s Scheme”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian discusses the impending Investiture of Gods with his Jie Sect disciples. Duobao’s radical proposal—possibly replacing the Heavenly Emperor or cutting off the influence of other major sects—is treated as extreme but potentially useful.
• Six Ears recommends a more immediate preparation: all Jie Sect members serving in the Heavenly Court should save their accumulated Merit and Fortune. If every disciple eventually possesses a Merit Wheel, the sect will be better protected during the coming crisis.
• Another disciple warns that the other sects may cooperate against Jie Sect and eliminate its disciples individually. He urges everyone to remain vigilant, maintain communication, and prepare countermeasures.
• Tongtian learns that the speaker is Wen Zhong, a newly accepted Human Race disciple of Holy Mother Jin Ling. Impressed by Wen Zhong’s courage and foresight, Tongtian asks him and Six Ears to stay behind for further instruction.
• Meanwhile, Yuanshi leaves Zixiao Palace with Laozi and visits the Eight Scenic Palace. The two discuss how to protect their disciples from the Investiture of Gods.
• Laozi believes Xuandu is safe because he is his only personal disciple. Yuanshi laments that his own disciples, especially Guangchengzi, have been weakened by Calamity Qi and Killing Intent.
• Yuanshi proposes that the Investiture of Gods must be “muddled through” by sacrificing enough disciples to fill the required positions. Since Jie Sect has the largest number of disciples, he believes it should bear the main burden.
• Laozi realizes that Yuanshi intends to manipulate Tongtian into allowing Jie Sect disciples to fill the Investiture List. Yuanshi confidently claims that even if Tongtian discovers the scheme and becomes resentful, their brotherly bond can eventually be used to placate him.
• As Yuanshi and Laozi begin plotting, Tongtian independently travels to Spirit Mountain to meet Zhunti and Jieyin, suggesting that he may be forming his own alliances or seeking information about the other sects’ plans.

Character Developments

• Tongtian shows concern for Jie Sect’s survival and becomes more receptive to practical defensive preparations. He values both Six Ears’s strategic thinking and Wen Zhong’s courage.
• Six Ears demonstrates political awareness and loyalty, emphasizing long-term preparation through Merit and Fortune rather than immediately pursuing extreme actions.
• Wen Zhong is introduced as a bold and perceptive young Human Race disciple. Despite Tongtian’s intimidating presence, he speaks openly about the danger posed by the other sects.
• Holy Mother Jin Ling supports Wen Zhong and recognizes the importance of his receiving personal guidance from Tongtian.
• Yuanshi reveals himself as ambitious, manipulative, and highly confident in his own schemes. He is willing to sacrifice Jie Sect disciples to protect his own weakened followers.
• Laozi remains calculating and dominant but is more cautious than Yuanshi. He understands that Tongtian will not willingly accept the proposal and questions whether the plan can succeed.
• Guangchengzi and Yuanshi’s other disciples are portrayed as politically vulnerable due to their damaged foundations and accumulated Calamity Qi.

Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and manipulation: The Investiture of Gods is presented not merely as a divine appointment but as a struggle among sects to determine who will bear the greatest losses.
• Preparedness versus recklessness: Jie Sect debates extreme solutions but ultimately focuses on accumulating Merit, protecting its members, and preventing isolated attacks.
• Trust and fraternal betrayal: Yuanshi intends to exploit the bond between the three primordial brothers while secretly sacrificing Tongtian’s disciples.
• Power through Merit and Fortune: Merit becomes both a defensive resource and a means of preserving disciples’ cultivation and destiny.
• Sect survival and collective responsibility: The chapter emphasizes that individual disciples’ fates are tied to the fortunes of their entire sect.

Important Character Interactions

• Tongtian and his disciples: Tongtian solicits advice, encourages discussion, and rewards Six Ears and Wen Zhong with private instruction.
• Wen Zhong and Holy Mother Jin Ling: Jin Ling introduces Wen Zhong and reassures him that staying behind with Tongtian is a valuable opportunity.
• Yuanshi and Laozi: Their conversation exposes Yuanshi’s scheme to shift the burden of the Investiture of Gods onto Jie Sect. Laozi recognizes the danger but listens because he owes Yuanshi a favor.
• Tongtian, Zhunti, and Jieyin: The chapter ends with Tongtian arriving at Spirit Mountain to discuss an undisclosed matter, setting up a possible counter-scheme or alliance.

Chapter Summary:

Haotian’s Ambition

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian unexpectedly visits Jieyin and Zhunti at Spirit Mountain, despite their past conflict and Zhunti’s lingering injury from Tongtian’s sword.
• He asks the Western Buddhist brothers to deal with Haotian “by whatever means necessary” and warn him not to provoke Tongtian.
• As payment, Tongtian offers to remove the sword intent from Zhunti’s severed arm and restore it to him. His blatantly self-serving offer leaves Zhunti privately outraged, though he does not dare refuse.
• When Jieyin hesitates because Haotian was appointed Heavenly Emperor by the Dao Ancestor, Tongtian intimidates both brothers simply by summoning the Green Duckweed Sword.
• Zhunti immediately agrees to carry out the task. Tongtian then erases his sword energy, returns the arm, and departs before either brother can sense his movements.
• Jieyin and Zhunti speculate that Tongtian may have surpassed Laozi and reached Sage Third Heaven. Zhunti eagerly anticipates punishing Haotian, who had previously denied him authority in the Heavenly Court.
• Meanwhile, Haotian sits in the Heavenly Court with an ominous sense of danger. Yaochi criticizes his handling of the Investiture of the Gods, since the Jie Sect controls nearly all the Heavenly Court’s divine positions.
• Haotian reveals that he has secretly cultivated the Imperial Way and grasped a thread of Imperial Law. He intends to become a genuine ruler rather than a puppet Heavenly Emperor, eventually using the Heavenly Emperor’s divine position to attain Sagehood through the Imperial Way.
• Yaochi is shocked but chooses to support him, recognizing that his ambition might allow him to become the ninth Sage.
• Haotian admits that he has recruited few useful subordinates because he lacks positions and resources to attract powerful figures. Yaochi proposes holding another Flat Peach Banquet to recruit allies.

Character Developments

• Tongtian is portrayed as overwhelmingly powerful, calculating, and shamelessly manipulative. He exploits the Western Sect’s fear of him while presenting Zhunti’s own severed arm as though it were a generous reward.
• Zhunti remains resentful and opportunistic. Although humiliated by Tongtian, he quickly agrees to attack Haotian and looks forward to settling his own grudge.
• Jieyin acts more cautiously and rationally than Zhunti, worrying about the political consequences of opposing Haotian. He also recognizes the enormous gap between their strength and Tongtian’s.
• Haotian is revealed to be far more ambitious and capable than he appears. He has concealed his cultivation of Imperial Law and seeks true sovereignty over the Primordial World.
• Yaochi shifts from mild disapproval to wholehearted support after learning of Haotian’s potential. Her future is now closely tied to his success.

Significant Themes

• Power determines morality and politics: The Western brothers outwardly submit to Tongtian because his strength makes resistance impossible.
• Hidden ambition and deception: Haotian conceals his true cultivation and plans, while Tongtian hides his intentions behind seemingly generous actions.
• The struggle for authority: Haotian resents being a nominal ruler while the Jie Sect controls the Heavenly Court. His goal is to transform the title of Heavenly Emperor into genuine political and spiritual power.
• Political alliances and bargaining: Tongtian uses the Western Sect to punish Haotian, while Haotian plans to use the Flat Peach Banquet to build an independent faction.
• Strength and hierarchy: The characters constantly assess one another’s realms, with Tongtian’s apparent advancement creating fear even among Sages.

Character Interactions

• Tongtian dominates his conversation with Jieyin and Zhunti, forcing them into compliance through a mixture of reward, intimidation, and overwhelming sword intent.
• Zhunti and Jieyin privately mock Tongtian’s hypocrisy but must publicly flatter and obey him.
• Zhunti’s personal resentment toward Haotian aligns with Tongtian’s request, making him especially eager to act.
• Yaochi challenges Haotian’s strategy, but Haotian explains his desire to escape the role of a puppet ruler. His revelation convinces her to support him.
• Haotian and Yaochi end the chapter by planning a Flat Peach Banquet, likely as a means of recruiting powerful allies against the Jie Sect’s influence.

Chapter Summary: “Schemes of Every Side”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuanshi Tianzun visits the Demon Emperor Hall and demands that Dijun surrender twelve exceptionally gifted Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal—or, in later discussion, Great Luo-level—Demon generals to undergo tribulation in place of Chan Sect disciples.
• Yuanshi also demands that the Demon Race relinquish the crucial position of Ziwei Great Emperor to his disciple Guangchengzi.
• Dijun rejects both demands, emphasizing that the Demon generals are the foundation of the Demon Race and that the Ziwei position legitimizes their control of the Starry Sky.
• Taiyi attacks Yuanshi with the Chaos Bell in anger, but Yuanshi effortlessly suppresses the attack, revealing a vast disparity in strength. He gives the Demon Race one hundred years to comply before departing.
• Dijun and Taiyi discuss Yuanshi’s strength and decide to strengthen the All-Heaven Star Formation. Dijun orders Taiyi and the Stellar Demon generals to train with the Stellar Banners, preserving their strongest defensive resource rather than immediately seeking help from Tongtian or the Jie Sect.
• At Jade Void Palace, Laozi learns that Yuanshi has escalated the original demand—from twelve Primordial Unity Golden Immortals to twelve Great Luo-level experts, along with the Ziwei throne. Laozi recognizes that Yuanshi’s arrogance has effectively destroyed the possibility of cooperation with the Demon Race.
• Laozi redirects the Chan Sect’s search for substitute tribulation victims toward the Human Race, whose vast population and Heavenly Dao fortune make it a suitable target. Yuanshi agrees that his disciples should handle the matter themselves by descending to spread teachings and recruit candidates.
• Meanwhile, Zhunti secretly observes the Heavenly Court while disguised as Daoist Youlian. After attending Haotian and Yaochi’s Flat Peach banquet, he identifies Haotian’s affection for his sister Yao Ji as a potential weakness.
• Zhunti infiltrates Yunhua Palace and prepares to test whether Haotian and Yao Ji’s sibling bond can withstand the coming tribulation.
• Yao Ji tells Haotian that she wishes to travel the Primordial World to overcome her cultivation bottleneck. Haotian tries to dissuade her, fearing danger because the Investiture of the Gods is approaching.

2. Character Developments

• Dijun remains outwardly calm but becomes increasingly wary of Yuanshi’s power. He refuses to sacrifice the Demon Race’s core strength or political legitimacy and begins relying more heavily on strategic preparation and the All-Heaven Star Formation.
• Taiyi shows fierce loyalty and indignation on behalf of the Demon Race, openly attacking Yuanshi when he insults them. After witnessing Yuanshi’s overwhelming strength, he accepts the need for disciplined preparation.
• Yuanshi Tianzun is portrayed as arrogant, domineering, and convinced that the Demon Race should feel honored to serve the Chan Sect. His excessive demands undermine Laozi’s broader plans.
• Laozi acts as the more pragmatic and restrained elder brother. He recognizes Yuanshi’s mistakes and subtly redirects him while beginning to consider the Human Race as a more useful source of tribulation substitutes and disciples.
• Zhunti demonstrates patience and cunning, gathering information before exploiting Haotian’s emotional attachment to Yao Ji. His actions reveal a willingness to manipulate personal relationships for sectarian advantage.
• Haotian appears protective of Yao Ji but also anxious and politically vulnerable. His attempt to prevent her from leaving suggests both genuine concern and fear of hidden enemies.
• Yao Ji is introduced as independent and eager to improve herself through experience, unknowingly placing herself at the center of Zhunti’s scheme.

3. Significant Themes

• Power versus dignity: Yuanshi’s Sage authority allows him to overpower the Demon Race, but Dijun refuses to accept humiliation or surrender his people’s foundations.
• Political legitimacy and factional struggle: The Ziwei Great Emperor position is not merely ceremonial; it represents the Demon Race’s lawful claim over the Starry Sky.
• Strategic restraint: Dijun avoids prematurely invoking Tongtian’s support, understanding that short-term protection could provoke a more dangerous long-term conflict.
• Arrogance undermining grand schemes: Yuanshi’s pride causes him to make unreasonable demands, forcing Laozi to revise the Chan Sect’s plans.
• Manipulation of relationships: Zhunti targets Haotian’s love for Yao Ji, showing how emotional bonds can become weapons during a larger cosmic conflict.
• Approaching tribulation: The coming Investiture of the Gods intensifies the urgency of every faction’s preparations, with the Human Race and Heavenly Court increasingly drawn into the struggle.
• Unequal alliances: The chapter highlights the vulnerability of groups without Sage-level protection, particularly the Demon Race and the poorly supported Heavenly Court.

4. Important Character Interactions

• Dijun and Yuanshi: Their confrontation establishes the central conflict. Dijun firmly rejects Yuanshi’s demands, while Yuanshi treats resistance as insolence.
• Taiyi and Yuanshi: Taiyi’s impulsive attack exposes the immense gap between a peak quasi-Sage-level expert with a supreme treasure and a powerful Sage.
• Dijun and Taiyi: The brothers balance anger with strategy, choosing to reinforce their formation rather than recklessly seek outside intervention.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Laozi restrains and redirects his arrogant brother, steering him away from completely destroying the Chan Sect’s plans.
• Zhunti and the Heavenly Court: Zhunti observes Haotian’s weakness from the shadows, preparing to interfere without revealing his identity.
• Haotian and Yao Ji: Their affectionate sibling relationship is central to Zhunti’s scheme. Haotian’s protective response conflicts with Yao Ji’s desire for independence, setting up the chapter’s next major crisis.

Summary: “Yao Ji Escapes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Haotian refuses to let his sister, Yao Ji, travel beyond the Heavenly Court because he fears she will be targeted by enemies.
• Back in Tianhua Palace, Yao Ji complains to Daoist Youlian, who has previously filled her imagination with stories of the Primordial World’s wonders.
• Youlian suggests that she secretly leave the Heavenly Court despite Haotian’s refusal. Yao Ji hesitates but ultimately agrees.
• At the Southern Heavenly Gate, Growth Heavenly King Mo Liqing abandons his post, believing Haotian’s political situation makes strict service pointless. This gives Yao Ji and Youlian an easy opportunity to escape.
• Youlian conceals Yao Ji’s aura and Heaven’s secrets, allowing her to pass through the gate unnoticed. Yao Ji experiences excitement and nervousness as she steps outside the Heavenly Court for the first time.
• In Biyou Palace, Tongtian observes the situation and gives Six Ears a jade disc containing a strand of Heaven’s secrets. He hints that it may guide Six Ears toward forming a karmic connection with Yao Ji.
• Tongtian also addresses Wen Zhong’s uncertainty over whether to prioritize Martial Dao or Immortal Dao. He suggests that Wen Zhong’s connection with Jin Ling and his Twin Male-and-Female Whips indicates that both paths may have value.
• Tongtian begins teaching Wen Zhong the true meaning of the Shangqing Sword Canon, helping him strengthen his foundations.
• At the East Sea, Yao Ji joyfully explores the shore while Youlian prepares the next stage of his plan. He locates a slumbering Great Luo Three-Headed Flood Dragon and secretly sends it a strand of mana, setting up a future encounter or conflict.

Character Developments

• Yao Ji: Moves from sheltered innocence and hesitation to adventurous independence. Her lack of caution makes her easy for Youlian to manipulate, but it also allows her to act decisively once encouraged.
• Daoist Youlian: Reveals himself as the architect of Yao Ji’s escape. He outwardly acts as her guide and protector but is secretly executing a larger scheme.
• Haotian: Though absent for most of the chapter, his overprotectiveness and concern for Yao Ji’s safety motivate the entire escape.
• Mo Liqing: Demonstrates disillusionment with Haotian’s leadership by neglecting his duties at the Southern Heavenly Gate.
• Tongtian: Shows that he is monitoring events and may be cooperating with or at least permitting Zhunti’s scheme. He also acts as a mentor to Six Ears and Wen Zhong.
• Six Ears: Is confused by Tongtian’s cryptic instructions but accepts the jade disc, suggesting curiosity and willingness to follow the opportunity.
• Wen Zhong: Struggles between his talent for Martial Dao and the expectations of Immortal Dao. Tongtian’s guidance helps him understand that his martial path can coexist with his identity as a Jie Sect disciple.
• Zhunti/Daoist Youlian: Begins the second phase of his plan by targeting the three-headed flood dragon, implying that Yao Ji’s escape is intended to lead to a carefully arranged encounter.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus protection: Yao Ji’s sheltered life contrasts with her longing to experience the wider world, while Haotian’s protection becomes a form of confinement.
• Manipulation and hidden schemes: Yao Ji believes she is pursuing adventure, but Youlian is using her innocence to advance a larger plan.
• Fate and karmic connections: Tongtian’s jade disc and the planned meeting involving Yao Ji suggest that seemingly accidental relationships are being arranged through Heaven’s secrets.
• Multiple paths to cultivation: The discussion of Martial Dao and Immortal Dao emphasizes that different forms of cultivation can coexist under the broader unity of the Great Dao.
• Political disillusionment: Mo Liqing’s abandonment of his post reflects the weakening loyalty and morale within the Heavenly Court.
• Innocence entering the wider world: Yao Ji’s first steps outside Heaven mark her transition from protected princess to an active participant in the dangerous affairs of the Primordial World.

Character Interactions

• Yao Ji and Youlian: Their conversation establishes the trust and imbalance between them: Yao Ji sees him as a guide, while he views her as someone easily led.
• Yao Ji and Mo Liqing: Though they do not directly interact, Mo Liqing’s absence enables her escape.
• Tongtian and Six Ears: Tongtian gives Six Ears a mysterious tool and hints at a future bond with Yao Ji.
• Tongtian and Wen Zhong: Tongtian resolves Wen Zhong’s internal conflict and begins personally strengthening his cultivation.
• Yao Ji and Youlian at the East Sea: Yao Ji enjoys her newfound freedom while Youlian secretly initiates the next stage of the plot by influencing the sleeping flood dragon.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhunti awakens a powerful Three-Headed Flood Dragon and secretly manipulates it into attacking Yao Ji.
• Yao Ji is initially unaware of the danger. Daoist Youlian pretends to defend her by invoking her identity as Haotian’s sister, but when the dragon hesitates, he secretly injects it with dharma power, forcing it to focus on Yao Ji.
• The dragon attacks. Daoist Youlian appears to be killed by its flames, leaving Yao Ji terrified and emotionally stunned. In reality, his “death” is part of Zhunti and Youlian’s scheme to conceal their involvement.
• Yao Ji flees while relying on defensive treasures, talismans, and speed-enhancing equipment. The dragon repeatedly injures her, eventually destroying her protective barrier and sending her crashing into the ground.
• As the pursuit continues, Yao Ji regrets disobeying Haotian and leaving the Heavenly Court. She believes she has caused Daoist Youlian’s death and remains unaware that he betrayed her.
• Zhunti reveals the next stage of his plan to an honest-looking disciple. He orders the disciple to rescue Yao Ji only when she is near death, and to do so without using dharma power, creating the appearance of an ordinary mortal helping her.
• At Sunset Glow Mountain, the dragon finally catches Yao Ji and transforms into a black-robed man. The control over it begins to fade, and it realizes with horror that it has attacked the Heavenly Court’s princess.
• Despite recognizing that Haotian will punish it regardless, the dragon decides to commit an even greater crime against Yao Ji.
• Just as it prepares to assault her, Zhunti senses the arrival of Six Ears, apparently guided by Tongtian. Zhunti worries that Six Ears may interfere with his scheme and hesitates to intervene, fearing conflict with Tongtian.

Character Developments

• Yao Ji: Changes from a carefree, sheltered princess into a frightened and desperate fugitive. Her lack of combat experience becomes evident, but she displays persistence by repeatedly using her treasures to escape. She also develops regret and guilt over disobeying Haotian.
• Zhunti: Is shown as calculating and manipulative. He orchestrates the entire attack, plans to use Yao Ji’s rescue to gain influence, and carefully constructs a cover story that will prevent Haotian from discovering the truth.
• Daoist Youlian: Reveals himself as a traitor rather than Yao Ji’s protector. His apparent sacrifice is staged to strengthen the deception and make him appear innocent.
• Three-Headed Flood Dragon: Initially cautious of the Heavenly Court, it is forcibly driven into violence by Zhunti’s dharma power. Once that influence weakens, it experiences fear, remorse, and disbelief, but then embraces further wrongdoing out of desperation.
• Zhunti’s disciple: Though outwardly simple and honest, his reaction and eager gaze suggest concealed ambition. He is being positioned to “save” Yao Ji and benefit from the situation.
• Six Ears: His unexpected arrival introduces a new power into Zhunti’s plan and suggests that Tongtian may be monitoring or influencing events.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and betrayal: Yao Ji trusts Daoist Youlian, unaware that he and Zhunti engineered her danger.
• Deception and manufactured appearances: The staged death, planned rescue, and false narrative are all designed to conceal the true perpetrators.
• Power politics: Yao Ji’s identity as Haotian’s sister makes her valuable, while Zhunti’s fear of Tongtian shows the larger conflict among powerful figures.
• Loss of innocence: Yao Ji’s carefree play abruptly gives way to terror, injury, regret, and vulnerability.
• Moral corruption under pressure: The dragon is manipulated into evil, then chooses to worsen its situation when it believes punishment is unavoidable.

Important Character Interactions

• Daoist Youlian publicly confronts the dragon while secretly controlling it.
• Yao Ji witnesses Youlian’s apparent death and is left emotionally devastated.
• Zhunti observes Yao Ji’s suffering and treats the pursuit as a calculated game.
• Zhunti instructs his disciple to rescue Yao Ji at the precise moment that will maximize the scheme’s effect.
• The Three-Headed Flood Dragon confronts Yao Ji directly, moving from compelled hunter to remorseful but desperate villain.
• Six Ears’s arrival creates a confrontation between Zhunti’s plans and Tongtian’s possible intervention, leaving Zhunti uncertain whether he can safely act.

Chapter Summary: “Six Ears Descends”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhunti abandons his scheme after Tongtian’s intervention changes the situation. Fearing Tongtian’s Green Duckweed Sword and unwilling to risk another confrontation, he takes the honest young man away and returns to the Western Sect.
• Zhunti leaves Yao Ji behind after sealing her mana and severely injuring her. She is trapped and unable even to take her own life.
• The Three-Headed Evil Flood Dragon attempts to assault Yao Ji, but a powerful voice terrifies him into submission. Believing the newcomer to be Haotian, he begs for mercy.
• Six Ears arrives and is revealed as the Sword Saint Tongtian’s grand-disciple and a third-generation Jie Sect disciple. Because both he and the flood dragon share demonic origins, Six Ears spares him.
• Six Ears carries the unconscious Yao Ji away toward Carefree Island rather than returning her directly to the Heavenly Court. He intends to use her rescue as leverage to demand compensation from Haotian.
• After fleeing, the Three-Headed Flood Dragon secretly returns to the site, takes soil stained with Yao Ji’s blood, and performs a ritual. This causes a strange, seductive pink aura to spread over Yao Ji while she is being carried away.
• Six Ears notices Yao Ji’s abnormal condition and hurries toward Carefree Island, intending to seek Bai Geng’s help.
• At Spirit Mountain, Zhunti reports to Jieyin that their plan to steal the Heavenly Court’s Fortune through Yao Ji failed because Tongtian interfered. They believe they left no evidence implicating the Western Sect and expect Haotian to suspect the Jie Sect instead.
• In the Heavenly Court, Haotian angrily confronts the Growth Heavenly King, accusing him of allowing Yao Ji to leave through the Southern Heavenly Gate. The Growth Heavenly King denies responsibility, creating an immediate conflict.

Character Developments

• Zhunti shows unusual fear and caution toward Tongtian, recognizing that Tongtian’s reckless swordsmanship and Hongjun’s apparent tolerance of him make confrontation dangerous. Zhunti remains calculating, however, and immediately considers how the failed plan might still benefit the Western Sect.
• Six Ears demonstrates both power and a surprisingly casual, pragmatic attitude. He protects Yao Ji, spares the flood dragon, and plans to exploit the situation financially rather than act purely out of loyalty or heroism.
• Yao Ji is left physically and emotionally devastated. Though rescued, she remains unconscious and vulnerable to the flood dragon’s mysterious spell.
• The Three-Headed Flood Dragon shifts from predatory arrogance to abject terror when confronted by Six Ears. His later blood-and-earth ritual suggests he remains obsessed with Yao Ji and may continue threatening her indirectly.
• Jieyin and Zhunti remain focused on manipulating the Heavenly Court’s Fortune and deepening the conflict between Haotian and the Jie Sect.
• Haotian becomes increasingly furious and suspicious after discovering Yao Ji’s disappearance, while the Growth Heavenly King openly challenges his accusation.

Significant Themes

• Political and sectarian manipulation: The Western Sect attempts to exploit Yao Ji to weaken or steal Fortune from the Heavenly Court, while also framing the Jie Sect.
• Power and fear: Even powerful immortals such as Zhunti are intimidated by Tongtian’s reputation and swordsmanship.
• Misplaced suspicion and deception: Zhunti successfully arranges circumstances so that Haotian is likely to blame the Jie Sect rather than the Western Sect.
• Rescue as leverage: Six Ears’s decision not to return Yao Ji immediately reflects the transactional nature of relationships among the major powers.
• Vulnerability beneath authority: Yao Ji’s identity as a Heavenly Court princess offers little protection once she is isolated, injured, and subjected to hostile schemes.

Character Interactions

• Zhunti and Tongtian: Tongtian’s earlier confrontation has left Zhunti wary, forcing him to retreat rather than risk another clash.
• Zhunti and the honest young man: Zhunti abruptly carries him away, abandoning the larger plan while treating the agreement with Tongtian as sufficiently fulfilled.
• Six Ears and the Three-Headed Flood Dragon: Six Ears spares the flood dragon because of their shared demonic origins. The flood dragon is grateful but later secretly casts a spell on Yao Ji.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji: Six Ears rescues the unconscious Yao Ji and carries her toward Carefree Island, both protecting her and viewing her situation as an opportunity to negotiate with Haotian.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: They review the failed plot and conclude that the Western Sect remains hidden while suspicion falls on the Jie Sect.
• Haotian and the Growth Heavenly King: Haotian accuses him of negligence, but the king boldly denies the charge and claims that none of the guards saw Yao Ji.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Southern Heavenly Gate, Haotian confronts Mo Liqing and the other gatekeepers over Yao Ji’s presence—or apparent absence—from the gate. Mo Liqing first denies seeing her, then conspires with his fellow disciples to claim that they saw Yao Ji pass through and even exchanged pleasantries with her.
• Haotian recognizes their blatant deception and prepares to punish them, but Duobao intervenes. He asserts both his seniority over the disciples and his authority as the Antarctic Longevity Emperor, whose jurisdiction includes the Southern Heavenly Gate.
• Haotian reluctantly allows Duobao to take responsibility for the gatekeepers. Once they leave, he vents his rage by destroying the furnishings in Lingxiao Palace and threatens to make the Jie Sect pay if anything happens to Yao Ji.
• Duobao privately notices that Haotian possesses the aura of a Three Corpses Quasi-Saint, along with traces of imperial power, and wonders whether Haotian cultivated it himself or received it from the Heavenly Emperor.
• Meanwhile, Six Ears brings the badly injured Yao Ji to Carefree Island. Bai Geng initially jokes that Six Ears abducted a woman, but after examining Yao Ji, he discovers that she has been poisoned by the aphrodisiac toxins of the Three-Headed Flood Dragon.
• Bai Geng explains that the poison can only be dispelled through the union of yin and yang, making Six Ears the only person capable of saving Yao Ji since he interrupted the dragon’s attack. He warns that leaving the poison untreated would eventually kill her.
• Six Ears takes Yao Ji into his cave abode. More than a month later, the two emerge having clearly become intimate, though Six Ears remains awkward and unintentionally crude when discussing Yao Ji’s body.
• Yao Ji finally asks whether Six Ears is willing to become Dao companions with her.

Character Developments

• Haotian becomes increasingly furious and humiliated by the Heavenly Court’s lack of control. His anger reveals both his concern for Yao Ji and his resentment toward the Jie Sect’s open defiance.
• Mo Liqing and the other gatekeepers demonstrate their loyalty to Duobao and the Jie Sect by openly coordinating their lies, showing that they place sect allegiance above obedience to Haotian.
• Duobao establishes himself as calm, politically astute, and protective of his junior disciples. He also displays sharp insight by noticing the unusual power within Haotian.
• Six Ears shifts from a carefree rescuer into someone forced to take responsibility for Yao Ji’s survival. Although he is honest and well-intentioned, his bluntness and lack of romantic awareness repeatedly embarrass her.
• Yao Ji moves from helpless victim of the dragon’s attack to an active participant in her relationship with Six Ears. Her final question shows that she has developed genuine feelings and seeks a formal bond.
• Bai Geng serves as a humorous but knowledgeable guide, explaining the poison and pushing Six Ears toward accepting his responsibility.

Significant Themes

• Sect loyalty versus imperial authority: The gatekeepers’ collusion and Duobao’s intervention highlight the growing conflict between the Heavenly Emperor and the Jie Sect.
• Political resentment and power struggles: Haotian’s rage reflects the Heavenly Court’s fragile authority, while Duobao’s actions reveal the Jie Sect’s confidence and influence.
• Responsibility emerging from unintended circumstances: Six Ears did not seek a romantic relationship, but rescuing Yao Ji and treating her poison forces him into an intimate bond.
• Romance and comic misunderstanding: Six Ears’s sincere but literal comments contrast with Yao Ji’s embarrassment and emotional expectations.
• Hidden power and suspicion: Duobao’s observation of Haotian’s Three Corpses cultivation hints at deeper mysteries surrounding Haotian’s strength and possible manipulation.

Character Interactions

• Haotian and the gatekeepers: Their confrontation exposes the gatekeepers’ dishonesty and Haotian’s inability to command their true loyalty.
• Haotian and Duobao: Duobao politely but firmly overrides Haotian’s authority, creating a tense political exchange.
• Duobao and Mo Liqing: Their brief interaction confirms their shared understanding and sect solidarity.
• Six Ears and Bai Geng: Bai Geng’s teasing initially creates comic confusion, but he ultimately provides the crucial explanation for Yao Ji’s condition.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji: Their month-long ordeal develops into an intimate relationship. Six Ears’s innocent comments about her “peaches” embarrass her, while Yao Ji’s final proposal forces him to confront their feelings directly.

Chapter Summary: “Yao Ji and Six Ears”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yao Ji proposes becoming Six Ears’ Dao companion, partly because Six Ears has already taken her immortal essence and she cannot safely return to the Heavenly Court without explaining their relationship.
• Six Ears agrees, despite previously rejecting the idea of having a Dao companion. Their agreement causes their auras, fates, and Fortune to become connected.
• Patriarch Tongtian senses the change and secretly obscures the Heavenly Secrets, protecting Six Ears and Yao Ji from being divined.
• Haotian notices that the Heavenly Court’s Fortune has suddenly diminished. Unable to calculate the reason because Tongtian has hidden the truth, he assumes a Sage is responsible.
• Haotian blames Zhunti and the Western Sect, believing they abducted Yao Ji and linked her Fortune to their own. He even begins reconsidering whether Growth Heavenly King had truthfully seen Yao Ji, unaware that the original claim was fabricated.
• Meanwhile, Yao Ji recovers from her injuries on Carefree Island through Six Ears’ innate essence and cultivation. She and Six Ears spend several carefree days exploring the island and enjoying one another’s company.
• Yao Ji considers returning to the Heavenly Court to face her brother Haotian, but Six Ears reassures her that he is strong enough to protect her and that Haotian will accept him.
• Before they can travel farther into the Primordial World, they discover that Yao Ji is pregnant. Six Ears proudly announces the news to Lu Ya, while Yao Ji blushes and playfully pinches him.

Character Developments

• Six Ears: His previously unwavering Dao heart begins to soften because of Yao Ji’s sincere and vulnerable affection. He accepts emotional responsibility for her and becomes openly protective and confident about their future together. His cultivation also advances to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm, with seventy percent comprehension of the Law of Battle.
• Yao Ji: She shifts from anxious calculation—using marriage to protect the relationship between Haotian and the Jie Sect—to genuine affection and emotional comfort with Six Ears. Her fear of returning to the Heavenly Court fades as she comes to trust his protection. Her pregnancy marks a major change in her life.
• Haotian: His concern for the Heavenly Court’s Fortune turns into suspicion and anger. Because he cannot uncover the truth, he wrongly blames Zhunti and the Western Sect and begins making increasingly elaborate assumptions.
• Patriarch Tongtian: He quietly supports Six Ears by concealing the Heavenly Secrets, demonstrating both strategic foresight and approval of the developing relationship.
• Lu Ya: He serves as the surprised observer who learns that Six Ears and Yao Ji’s relationship has progressed to pregnancy.

Significant Themes

• Love overcoming rigid principles: Six Ears’ strong, previously unshakable Dao heart is affected by Yao Ji’s sincerity.
• Fate and Fortune: Becoming Dao companions binds Six Ears and Yao Ji’s destinies and causes Heavenly Court Fortune to flow away, making personal relationships politically and cosmically significant.
• Misunderstanding and mistaken blame: Haotian’s inability to see the truth leads him to accuse the Western Sect, showing how incomplete information fuels political suspicion.
• Protection and trust: Yao Ji gradually stops viewing the relationship merely as a practical solution and begins trusting Six Ears to protect her from Haotian.
• Hidden schemes and Heavenly manipulation: Tongtian’s concealment of the Heavenly Secrets protects the couple while indirectly causing Haotian’s mistaken conclusions.
• New beginnings: The pregnancy transforms Six Ears and Yao Ji’s relationship from a temporary arrangement into a lasting family bond.

Character Interactions

• Yao Ji and Six Ears: Their interactions evolve from anxious negotiation into mutual affection, playful intimacy, and trust. Six Ears reassures Yao Ji about confronting Haotian, while she becomes increasingly comfortable and happy with him.
• Tongtian and Six Ears: Though they do not interact directly in the chapter, Tongtian acts behind the scenes to shield Six Ears’ relationship.
• Haotian and the Western Sect: Haotian’s imagined conflict with Zhunti reveals his growing suspicion and hostility, even though the Western Sect is innocent of the abduction.
• Six Ears, Yao Ji, and Lu Ya: Their return to Carefree Island and the revelation of Yao Ji’s pregnancy create a humorous, familial moment, with Six Ears proudly boasting and Yao Ji responding with embarrassment.