Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary:

Lu Chen and Shi Chen

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• In Chaos, Lu Chen awakens from a massive cocoon after being called by an ethereal voice. Upon emerging, he declares that his former identity, “Lu Chen,” is gone and that he will henceforth be known as Shi Chen, emphasizing that he is no longer “one who devours.”
• Shi Chen returns to Biyou Palace, where Tongtian senses that a powerful being has attained the Dao and reached the second level of the Sage realm.
• Despite Shi Chen’s drastically altered appearance and aura, Tongtian immediately recognizes him as his disciple. Shi Chen explains that the Great Dao bestowed his new name after his breakthrough in Chaos.
• Tongtian updates Shi Chen on recent events in the Primordial World:
  • The Dao Ancestor has announced the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods.
  • Tongtian has found a Dao companion for Six Ears.
  • He explains how he manipulated Zhunti into dealing with Yao Ji and then had Six Ears rescue her, allowing the Jie Sect to benefit while making the Western Sect appear responsible.
• Shi Chen criticizes Tongtian’s scheme as effective but crude. He proposes a more elaborate plan in which the Jie Sect would deliberately attract the Western Sect’s attention, let Zhunti make the first move, and then rescue Yao Ji at the critical moment.
• When Tongtian asks how to handle the Investiture Tribulation, Shi Chen jokingly claims to have nine solutions, then offers the most extreme one: openly defy Heaven, persuade Nuwa and Pingxin to join him, march on Zixiao Palace, and force the Heavenly Dao to withdraw its decree.

2. Character Developments

• Shi Chen/Lu Chen: Completes a major transformation, gaining immense power and a new identity granted by the Great Dao. He becomes more detached and mysterious, yet retains his sharp intelligence, humor, and loyalty toward Tongtian. His strategic thinking has also matured considerably.
• Tongtian: Demonstrates deep emotional recognition of his disciple, identifying Shi Chen through his inner nature rather than his appearance. He is proud of his political schemes but proves willing to accept criticism and seek Shi Chen’s advice. His dependence on Shi Chen’s judgment is also evident.
• Six Ears: Though absent from the chapter’s main interactions, he has gained a Dao companion through Tongtian’s arrangements and becomes indirectly involved in the political maneuvering surrounding Yao Ji.
• Zhunti: Is portrayed as clever but unscrupulous and easily manipulated, making him an ideal target for Tongtian and Shi Chen’s schemes.

3. Significant Themes

• Transformation and identity: Lu Chen’s rebirth as Shi Chen symbolizes a break from his former nature and suggests a deeper change in his cultivation and destiny.
• Teacher-disciple bonds: Tongtian’s ability to recognize Shi Chen despite his altered form highlights the spiritual and emotional strength of their relationship.
• Strategy versus power: The chapter contrasts Tongtian’s direct but imperfect schemes with Shi Chen’s more calculated political planning.
• Defiance of authority: The Investiture of the Gods is framed as an imposition of Heavenly Dao authority, while Shi Chen’s proposed rebellion raises the possibility of directly challenging cosmic order.
• Humor amid serious conflict: Tongtian’s smugness, Shi Chen’s teasing, and the absurdity of proposing rebellion against Heaven give the chapter a playful tone despite its high-stakes developments.

4. Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Tongtian: Their reunion combines respect, affection, teasing, and strategic debate. Tongtian proudly recognizes Shi Chen, while Shi Chen openly critiques his master’s plans and offers superior alternatives.
• Tongtian and Zhunti: Through Tongtian’s account, their relationship is shown as one of covert rivalry and manipulation. Tongtian exploits Zhunti’s ambitions and low moral standards for the Jie Sect’s advantage.
• Shi Chen and the wider Sage powers: Shi Chen plans to involve Nuwa and Pingxin in resisting the Investiture Tribulation, signaling that his return may significantly alter the balance among the Sages.
• Tongtian and Six Ears: Tongtian acts as a protective and somewhat meddlesome master by arranging a Dao companion for Six Ears, adding a humorous domestic element to the larger political conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Rebellious Beyond Measure”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Chen reveals to Tongtian that he has concealed Biyou Palace so completely that even Heavenly Dao Hongjun should be unable to overhear them.
• He presents several possible strategies for saving the Jie Sect from the coming Investiture Catastrophe:
  • Imprisoning Hongjun.
  • Destroying the Primordial World at any cost.
  • More cautiously, sacrificing the Jie Sect’s disciples by sending them onto the Investiture List.
• Tongtian is shocked by the extremity of Shi Chen’s ideas, but Shi Chen insists that the situation offers no genuine compromise. He leaves to begin preparations after learning that the West has already started plotting against Yao Ji, signaling that the catastrophe has begun.
• Shi Chen meets his disciples Six Ears and Lu Ya, along with Yao Ji, Six Ears’s wife. He discovers that Yao Ji is already pregnant with three children, later destined to become Yang Jian and his brothers.
• He praises Six Ears’s progress in the War Ultimate Law and Lu Ya’s advancement in the Fire Law, offers them cultivation guidance, and sends them away.
• Alone, Shi Chen reflects on the mysterious black bottle and the past circumstances that helped him enter the path of laws. He acknowledges that he avoided becoming trapped by a single path by cultivating five laws simultaneously and breaking through all of them together.
• Shi Chen begins forming a coalition against the forces behind the Investiture Catastrophe. He identifies the Human Race as a natural ally, considers the Starry Sky Demon Race a potential partner through his connection to Lu Ya, and believes the Netherworld Witch Clan is unlikely to aid the enemy.
• He also considers recruiting powerful reclusive figures such as Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi, while dismissing Kunpeng as unreliable because of his history of abandoning battles.
• Shi Chen travels to the Solar Star and meets Demon Emperor Dijun. Dijun initially fails to recognize him because of his transformed appearance and aura, but welcomes him once Shi Chen identifies himself as Lu Ya’s master.
• The chapter ends as Shi Chen declares that he has come to seek cooperation with the Demon Race.

Character Developments

• Shi Chen: Becomes increasingly bold, strategic, and rebellious. He is willing to contemplate extreme measures to oppose Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao, but also thinks pragmatically about alliances and political balance. His reflection on his past shows that he has surpassed the influence of the mysterious black bottle and forged his own path.
• Tongtian: Remains shocked and uneasy at Shi Chen’s radical plans, yet continues to trust his disciple. His concern highlights the enormous danger posed by challenging Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao.
• Six Ears: Has advanced to the middle stage of Primordial Golden Immortal and comprehended seventy percent of the War Ultimate Law. His marriage to Yao Ji and impending fatherhood mark a major personal development.
• Lu Ya: Has reached the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm and begun comprehending the Fire Law, demonstrating steady cultivation progress.
• Yao Ji: Is revealed to be pregnant with three children, establishing the future birth of Yang Jian and his brothers.
• Dijun: Initially does not recognize Shi Chen because of his changed appearance, but quickly expresses trust and support once he learns of Shi Chen’s relationship with Lu Ya.

Significant Themes

• Defiance against authority: Shi Chen’s plans directly challenge Hongjun, the Heavenly Dao, and the established order of the Primordial World.
• Sacrifice versus resistance: The possibility of saving the Jie Sect only by sacrificing its members raises the question of whether survival is meaningful if a sect loses its identity and freedom.
• Fate and intervention: The coming births of Yao Ji’s children and the unfolding Investiture Catastrophe suggest that fate is already moving, while Shi Chen attempts to interfere and reshape it.
• Strategic alliances: The chapter emphasizes that even overwhelming personal power may not be enough; victory requires uniting races, sects, and independent great powers.
• Self-determination: Shi Chen rejects being merely an instrument of the black bottle’s scheme, emphasizing that his own choices and multifaceted cultivation allowed him to escape its intended outcome.

Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Tongtian: Their discussion contrasts Tongtian’s caution with Shi Chen’s audacity. Despite his alarm, Tongtian trusts Shi Chen’s judgment.
• Shi Chen and his disciples: He acts as a supportive master, recognizing their progress and giving them cultivation guidance.
• Shi Chen and Yao Ji: His reaction to her pregnancy combines surprise with approval, reflecting his awareness of the larger destiny surrounding her children.
• Shi Chen and Dijun: Their reunion establishes mutual respect and opens negotiations for an alliance between Shi Chen’s faction and the Starry Sky Demon Race.

Chapter Summary: Winning Over the Demon Race

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Chen approaches Dijun to propose an alliance between the Jie Sect and the Demon Race.
• He warns Dijun that a massive calamity is approaching, one that could determine whether the Jie Sect survives freely or is reduced to a shell—or destroyed entirely.
• Shi Chen estimates a seventy percent chance of overcoming the calamity and explains that the Human Race, Witch Clan, and nearly all former Zixiao Palace Dao-listeners are also part of the planned coalition, excluding the Sages, Kunpeng, and Ran Deng.
• In exchange for the Demon Race’s support, the Jie Sect promises it the right to partition and independently control the Starry Sky, freeing it from Heavenly Court authority.
• Dijun accepts the alliance, motivated by both the Demon Race’s potential political gains and his desire to protect his son, Lu Ya, who is a member of the Jie Sect.
• Dijun asks whether Yuanshi’s earlier demand for twelve powerful demon generals and the position of Ziwei Great Emperor for Guangchengzi is connected to the coming calamity. Shi Chen confirms that it is part of the Chan Sect’s strategy to use others to bear calamity and shield its disciples from slaughter tribulations.
• Shi Chen praises Lu Ya’s cultivation: he has entered the Great Luo realm, condensed a law seed, and possesses a slight chance of eventually attaining the Dao. Dijun is delighted and becomes even more ambitious about his son’s future and the Demon Race’s prospects.
• After leaving the Solar Star, Shi Chen travels to the Netherworld to seek the Witch Clan.
• In Yama Hall, he encounters Dijiang acting as King Yama and Zhurong, who is eager to fight. Zhurong volunteers to escort Shi Chen to meet the Witch Clan’s younger sister, presumably Pingxin.
• The chapter ends with Zhurong casually examining Shi Chen’s transformed body and asking whether he wants to spar.

Character Developments

• Dijun shifts from caution to decisive cooperation. His dual responsibilities as father and Demon Emperor shape his decision: he must protect both Lu Ya and the Demon Race. The promise of autonomy over the Starry Sky awakens his political ambition.
• Shi Chen demonstrates strategic honesty by revealing the calamity’s severity rather than concealing it. He acts as a negotiator, presenting both the dangers and the alliance’s substantial rewards. His praise of Lu Ya also strengthens Dijun’s trust.
• Lu Ya, though absent, gains importance through Shi Chen’s evaluation. His advancement into the Great Luo realm and possible path toward Dao attainment suggest that he may become a future pillar of the Demon Race.
• Dijiang is shown balancing his formal responsibilities as King Yama with his identity as an Ancestral Witch. His serious insistence on being addressed by his official title contrasts comically with Zhurong’s informality.
• Zhurong remains energetic, impulsive, and battle-hungry. His curiosity about Shi Chen’s transformation quickly replaces his desire to fight, though he soon returns to challenging him.

Significant Themes

• Alliance through shared danger: The coming calamity forces powerful factions to cooperate despite their rivalries.
• Political autonomy and territorial control: The Starry Sky represents more than territory; its partition would give the Demon Race genuine independence from the Heavenly Court.
• Duty versus personal interest: Dijun’s choice is both a political act and a father’s attempt to safeguard his son.
• Strategic transparency: Shi Chen believes allies must understand the true risks so that their resolve will not collapse when confronting the Dao Ancestor.
• The vulnerable being exploited: Yuanshi targets the Demon Race because, unlike the Human Race and Witch Clan, it lacks a similarly powerful protective backer.
• Ambition and future potential: Lu Ya’s exceptional cultivation gives Dijun hope that the Demon Race may eventually produce a powerful Dao-level figure.

Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Dijun: Their negotiation combines political calculation, mutual trust-building, and family concerns. Shi Chen offers a realistic assessment of the calamity, while Dijun weighs the danger against the promise of independence.
• Dijun and Lu Ya: Although Lu Ya does not appear, Dijun’s responses reveal deep paternal pride and concern. His support for the alliance is partly intended to secure Lu Ya’s position within the Jie Sect.
• Shi Chen and Dijiang: Their meeting begins formally, with Dijiang suspicious of Shi Chen’s altered identity and appearance. Shi Chen explains himself patiently.
• Dijiang and Zhurong: Their exchange provides comic relief. Dijiang focuses on his duties as King Yama, while Zhurong is more interested in fighting and mocks his brother’s formal behavior.
• Shi Chen and Zhurong: Zhurong’s friendly, physical manner contrasts with Shi Chen’s diplomatic purpose. His invitation to spar hints that the Witch Clan’s reception may be much more direct and confrontational than Dijun’s.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Chen arrives in the Netherworld to meet Houtu—now known as Pingxin—but is first challenged by the Ancestral Witch Zhurong.
• Zhurong insists on fighting without restraint. His first flaming punch is neutralized by Shi Chen’s mysterious power, which appears to absorb and devour the force behind the attack.
• When Shi Chen attacks in return, his seemingly ordinary punch produces an overwhelming aura that completely locks Zhurong in place. Shi Chen stops the punch just before it lands, leaving Zhurong shaken and impressed.
• After Shi Chen departs, Zhurong describes the encounter to Gonggong and Zhu Jiuyin. The other Ancestral Witches are astonished to learn that Shi Chen has become vastly stronger and may even have reached sainthood.
• Dijiang reveals that Shi Chen also saw through his attempt to hide the group using spatial abilities, further demonstrating Shi Chen’s extraordinary power.
• In a dark palace deep within the Netherworld, Shi Chen speaks with Pingxin about whether he is truly the same person as someone from the past. He answers ambiguously, saying that his identity depends on whether she believes he has changed.
• Pingxin becomes upset, and her immense Samsara aura spreads throughout the Netherworld. Shi Chen remains calm and suggests that old figures must eventually give way to new ones.
• After calming down, Pingxin asks why Shi Chen has come. He invites her to leave the Netherworld and help the Jie Sect. She challenges his assumption, asking why she should help them.

Character Developments

• Shi Chen: Demonstrates an immense increase in strength, using a defensive force that consumes incoming power and an offensive aura that prevents enemies from evading him. He remains composed, confident, and diplomatic even when challenged. His cryptic statements also suggest a complicated connection to a former identity or legacy.
• Zhurong: Begins arrogant and eager for a simple contest, but quickly becomes humbled by Shi Chen’s overwhelming ability. Although frightened by the gap between them, he retains his combative personality and immediately turns his frustration toward Gonggong.
• Zhu Jiuyin and the other Ancestral Witches: Their view of Shi Chen shifts from familiarity to caution and awe. They recognize that he may have reached a level comparable to sainthood.
• Pingxin/Houtu: Reveals strong emotional ties to Shi Chen’s past identity. Her anger and powerful reaction suggest that she feels he has changed or may no longer be the person she once knew.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming gap in power: Shi Chen’s effortless defeat of Zhurong establishes his extraordinary advancement and changes the balance between him and the Witch Clan.
• Identity and continuity: The conversation about whether Shi Chen is “him” explores whether a person remains the same after inheriting another’s legacy or undergoing profound transformation.
• Old versus new: Shi Chen argues that the passing of the old is necessary for the arrival of the new, hinting at a broader shift in the world’s power structure and Dao.
• Diplomacy through strength: Shi Chen seeks an alliance with the Witch Clan, but his display of power becomes both a warning and a way to earn their respect.
• Emotional conflict beneath political goals: His request for Pingxin’s assistance is political, yet their conversation is rooted in grief, memory, and unresolved personal feelings.

Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Zhurong: Their fight begins as a boastful challenge but ends with Zhurong recognizing Shi Chen as vastly superior.
• Zhurong and Gonggong: Gonggong mocks Zhurong’s defeat, prompting Zhurong to challenge him in return.
• Zhu Jiuyin and Zhurong: Zhu Jiuyin questions Zhurong about the battle and takes his testimony seriously, recognizing its implications.
• The Ancestral Witches and Shi Chen: Their collective reaction shifts from curiosity to alarm as they realize Shi Chen may have surpassed their understanding.
• Shi Chen and Pingxin: Their tense conversation combines political negotiation with a deeply personal dispute over Shi Chen’s identity and whether he has abandoned the person he once was.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Chen attempts to persuade Pingxin/Houtu to support the Jie Sect in the coming conflict, arguing that the matter concerns not only the Jie Sect but also the Underworld.
• He claims the Heavenly Dao is moving against the Human Dao. If the Human Dao is weakened, the Heavenly Dao will gain greater authority and may eventually target the Underworld and Earthly Dao.
• Pingxin questions Shi Chen’s motives and doubts that the situation qualifies as a true great calamity, since she has sensed no corresponding aura.
• Suspicious that Shi Chen may be deceiving her, Pingxin suddenly binds him with black Netherworld chains. Shi Chen does not resist and insists that, despite his changed appearance and aura, he remains himself.
• Shi Chen reveals that he entered Chaos after sensing a disturbance in the Devouring Dao Bottle. There, he obtained its remaining fragments and inherited the legacy of the slain Devouring Demon God.
• Through this inheritance, he advanced to the Primordial Unity Second Heaven and became the new Chaos Devouring Demon God, receiving the Dao-given name “Lu Chen.”
• Pingxin is surprised but relieved that Shi Chen, rather than the original Demon God’s possible remnant soul, is in control. She recognizes the tremendous power and danger of the Devouring Dao.
• Shi Chen asks Pingxin to act when the Heavenly Dao moves against the Human Dao. She agrees to intervene but refuses to involve the Witch Clan directly.
• Shi Chen considers her agreement sufficient and believes it gives him a strong chance—roughly ninety percent, by his assessment—of controlling the Investiture of the Gods. He leaves the Underworld and prepares to seek Nuwa’s support.
• At the Wa Sovereign Palace, Nuwa senses Shi Chen’s familiar yet altered Primordial Unity aura and wonders whether he has attained a new level without producing the usual breakthrough phenomenon. Shi Chen formally announces his arrival.

Character Developments

• Shi Chen/Lu Chen: Reveals the source of his transformation and increased strength. He has become a recognized successor to the Devouring Demon God, gaining both immense power and a more dangerous appearance and aura. His confidence grows after securing Pingxin’s conditional support.
• Pingxin/Houtu: Demonstrates her distrust and authority by testing Shi Chen directly. Although she remains cautious about the alleged calamity, she accepts the threat posed by the Heavenly Dao and agrees to intervene if necessary. However, she avoids fully committing the Witch Clan.
• Nuwa: Is introduced as Shi Chen’s next potential ally. Her confusion at his altered aura suggests that his transformation may surprise or concern her.

Significant Themes

• Balance of cosmic powers: The chapter emphasizes the unstable three-way balance between the Heavenly Dao, Human Dao, and Earthly Dao. The Heavenly Dao’s greater foundation makes it a potential threat to the other two.
• Power and authority: The conflict is framed as a struggle over control and influence rather than merely a dispute between sects. The weakening of one Dao would allow another to expand.
• Identity and transformation: Shi Chen’s new identity as the Devouring Demon God raises questions about how much of him remains unchanged after inheriting the former Demon God’s legacy.
• Trust and persuasion: Shi Chen must convince powerful figures to support his plans despite uncertainty surrounding his motives, the coming calamity, and his altered nature.
• The dangers of inheritance: The Devouring Dao offers overwhelming power but carries the risk of being consumed or destroyed by the very forces one absorbs.

Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Pingxin: Their conversation is tense and strategic. Pingxin challenges his claims, attacks to test his sincerity, and demands an explanation for his transformation. Shi Chen responds openly and respectfully, relying on their past connection to request her aid.
• Pingxin and the Heavenly Dao: Though the Heavenly Dao does not appear directly, Pingxin recognizes that its expansion could threaten the Underworld, motivating her limited agreement to act.
• Shi Chen and Nuwa: Their interaction has only begun. Shi Chen arrives at the Wa Sovereign Palace seeking another important ally, while Nuwa reacts with curiosity to his familiar but transformed presence.

Chapter Summary: “Real or Fake Lu Chen?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen, now using the name Shi Chen, visits Nuwa at Wa Sovereign Palace.
• Nuwa initially assumes he is an ancient Primordial World powerhouse named Shi Chen, since she cannot sense the familiar connection between him and the Human Race’s Fortune.
• Shi Chen reveals that he is truly Lu Chen and explains that, while pursuing the Dao in Chaos, he split his Primordial Spirit in two:
  • One half retained the Human Race’s Fortune.
  • The other inherited the Devouring Demon God’s legacy, gained the Dao’s recognition, and became the new Devouring Demon God.
• He asks Nuwa to assist if the upcoming Investiture of the Gods becomes uncontrollable. Nuwa agrees.
• Nuwa then invites him to discuss the Devouring Great Dao. Their Dao discussion lasts a hundred years, producing strange visions of dark whirlpools and profound Dao phenomena.
• After Shi Chen leaves, Houtu—now appearing as Pingxin—arrives. She reveals that Shi Chen entrusted her with the other half of his Primordial Spirit, still carrying the Human Race’s Fortune.
• Nuwa and Houtu conclude that Shi Chen is genuine and that he intends to have this Primordial Spirit enter Samsara and reincarnate within the Human Race.
• Shi Chen returns to the Human Race and discovers that history has advanced from Great Xia to the Shang Dynasty. The current ruler is Di Yi, while Prince Zi Shou—the future King Zhou—is still young. Wen Zhong, Jin Ling’s disciple, is already a trusted court official.
• Recognizing that the Investiture of the Gods is approaching, Shi Chen returns to Carefree Island. He decides not to personally recruit promising figures but considers allowing his fellow disciples to take them as disciples instead of leaving them to the Twelve Golden Immortals.

Character Developments

• Shi Chen/Lu Chen: Demonstrates extraordinary resolve by sacrificing half his Primordial Spirit and surrendering the Human Race’s Fortune in order to pursue the Devouring Dao. He now operates under a new identity and has begun planning around the Investiture of the Gods.
• Nuwa: Moves from suspicion and coldness to trust after hearing Shi Chen’s explanation and recognizing details only Lu Chen could know. She also becomes interested in his Devouring Great Dao.
• Houtu/Pingxin: Shows that she already knows Shi Chen’s secret and is directly helping preserve and reincarnate the half of his Primordial Spirit connected to the Human Race.
• Wen Zhong: His growing influence in the Shang court is established, positioning him as an important future participant in the coming upheaval.

Significant Themes

• Identity and authenticity: Nuwa and Houtu must determine whether Shi Chen is truly Lu Chen or an impostor, emphasizing the distinction between appearance, aura, and inner essence.
• Sacrifice for the Dao: Lu Chen’s willingness to divide his Primordial Spirit and abandon the Human Race’s Fortune illustrates the extreme costs of pursuing higher cultivation.
• Fate and historical inevitability: The transition to the Shang Dynasty and the presence of Prince Zi Shou signal that the events of the Investiture of the Gods are nearing.
• Strategic preparation: Rather than acting openly, Shi Chen quietly builds alliances and positions his faction to influence the coming conflict.
• Reincarnation and continuity: The preserved half of Lu Chen’s Primordial Spirit suggests that his connection with the Human Race—and possibly his original identity—may eventually be restored.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Chen and Nuwa: He explains his transformation and requests her aid; she later hosts him for a century-long discussion of the Dao.
• Nuwa and Houtu: They compare their knowledge and confirm that Shi Chen is genuinely Lu Chen.
• Shi Chen and Houtu: Though their meeting occurred before the chapter’s main events, Houtu’s possession of his original Primordial Spirit is crucial to the revelations here.
• Shi Chen and the Human Race: His visit to Chaoge allows him to assess the current historical situation and prepare for the approaching Investiture of the Gods.

Chapter Summary: Lu Jiao, Lu Jian, Lu Chan

Key Plot Points and Events

• Six Ears and Yao Ji’s three children—two sons and a daughter—meditate beneath an ancient pine while their parents watch over them.
• Six Ears asks his master, Shi Chen, to grant the children surnames. Shi Chen assesses their exceptional innate gifts:
  • Jiao, the eldest, possesses a Vajra Bone and is suited to body cultivation.
  • Jian, the second son, also has a Vajra Bone and a third eye that grants him a divine ability, allowing him to cultivate both internally and externally.
  • Chan, the daughter, has a pure Dao Heart and is suited to immortal cultivation.
• Shi Chen bestows the surname Lu upon all three, making them Lu Jiao, Lu Jian, and Lu Chan. The surname carries emotional significance for Six Ears because it was also Shi Chen’s former surname, Lu Chen.
• Shi Chen instructs Six Ears to bring the siblings to Carefree Island once their cultivation is complete.
• During Haotian’s Flat Peach Banquet, Duobao receives a summons from Shi Chen and abruptly departs. The Jie Sect members and affiliated immortals follow him, leaving the banquet together.
• Haotian feels publicly humiliated and worries that the Jie Sect’s departure reveals their relationship is not as harmonious as he had hoped. The Rogue Cultivators remain cautious, unwilling to choose sides prematurely.
• Duobao later explains that he left because of Shi Chen’s summons, allowing Haotian to save face and continue the banquet.
• At Carefree Island, Shi Chen tells Duobao and the other Jie Sect disciples that the Investiture of the Gods is approaching. He proposes that they accept promising members of the Human Race as disciples.
• Duobao declines because he is occupied with Heavenly Court affairs and is focused on uniting his severed Three Corpses. Most of the other disciples express interest in taking disciples.
• Shi Chen names several potential candidates, including Yin Jiao, Yin Hong, the sons of Zi Shou, and the sons of Li Jing, whose talents are expected to be especially strong in the rising era of Martial Dao.

Character Developments

• Six Ears is shown as a devoted father who takes pride in his children and reveres Shi Chen as his master. His emotional reaction to the surname “Lu” highlights his lasting attachment to Shi Chen.
• Yao Ji remains closely involved in her children’s future and plans to take them to the Heavenly Court so her elder brother can meet them.
• Lu Jiao, Lu Jian, and Lu Chan are established as extraordinary prodigies whose foundations rival or surpass those of innate lifeforms.
• Shi Chen acts as both mentor and patriarchal figure. He recognizes the siblings’ potential and begins preparing the Jie Sect for the coming Investiture of the Gods.
• Duobao demonstrates discipline and political awareness. He immediately responds to Shi Chen’s summons, but his refusal to take a disciple reflects his demanding cultivation goals and responsibilities.
• Haotian is revealed to be sensitive to status and appearances. The Jie Sect’s departure wounds his pride and causes him to question the true state of their alliance.

Significant Themes

• Family and inheritance: The Lu siblings inherit extraordinary gifts from their parents and are given a surname connecting them to their master’s legacy.
• Master-disciple bonds: Shi Chen’s role extends beyond instruction; he names the children, evaluates their futures, and guides the next generation of cultivators.
• Political appearances versus reality: Haotian wants to display harmony with the Jie Sect, but their sudden departure exposes the fragility of that relationship.
• Preparation for upheaval: The approaching Investiture of the Gods signals a major conflict, prompting the Jie Sect to secure talented disciples and future successors.
• Nature versus nurture and cultivation paths: Each sibling’s unique innate gift points toward a different cultivation route—body refinement, combined internal and external cultivation, or Dao-based immortality.

Character Interactions

• Six Ears and Yao Ji discuss naming their children and planning their visit to the Heavenly Court, showing mutual trust and shared parental responsibility.
• Six Ears and Shi Chen interact with deep respect, with Six Ears gratefully accepting the surname bestowed by his master.
• The Jie Sect members and Haotian have a strained public relationship. Their coordinated departure from the banquet acts as an implicit rejection of Haotian’s attempt to present their alliance as secure.
• Duobao and Haotian maintain formal courtesy despite the political tension; Duobao’s explanation prevents the incident from becoming an outright confrontation.
• Shi Chen and the Jie Sect disciples discuss the recruitment of Human Race prodigies, positioning Shi Chen as the strategist guiding the sect through the coming crisis.

Chapter Summary: Interception: Yuanshi Took Yuding to Biyou Palace to Snatch Disciples

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Chaoge, Dixin, the Third Prince of the Great Shang Martial Dynasty, receives two distinguished Jie Sect immortals: Wudang and Guiling.
• Wudang seeks to take Dixin’s eldest son, Yin Jiao, as her disciple, while Guiling wishes to accept his second son, Yin Hong.
• Dixin is delighted, knowing that the two children would gain access to powerful immortal teachers and might eventually form a connection with the Jie Sect’s Holy Father, Tongtian.
• Yin Jiao and Yin Hong are summoned and respectfully meet the two immortals. After receiving Dixin’s approval, Yin Jiao becomes Wudang’s disciple and Yin Hong becomes Guiling’s disciple.
• Their acceptance establishes a connection between Shang Tang’s imperial fortune and the Jie Sect.
• At the same time, the Three Xiao Sisters, Zhao Gongming, and other Jie Sect figures begin recruiting disciples elsewhere, apparently taking candidates who were fated to become disciples of the Chan Sect’s Twelve Golden Immortals.
• In Jade Void Palace, several of Yuanshi’s disciples suddenly sense that master-disciple karmic bonds have been forcibly severed or stolen.
• Yuanshi attempts to divine what happened but finds the heavenly secrets obscured. He concludes that Tongtian is likely concealing the truth and scheming against the Chan Sect.
• Yuanshi ends the sermon and questions his disciples. Guangchengzi and Chijingzi confirm that they sensed their destined disciple connections being taken away.
• Yuanshi becomes enraged because these future disciples were intended to serve as substitutes for his disciples during the coming calamity. Their loss means the Twelve Golden Immortals may have to face the calamity themselves.
• Yuding approaches Yuanshi in alarm, claiming that his own master-disciple connection is also in danger of being stolen. The chapter ends as Yuanshi asks him to explain what happened.

Character Developments

• Dixin is shown as proud and ambitious. He is pleased that his sons have attracted the attention of major Jie Sect immortals and secretly hopes their advancement will allow him to gain access to the highest figures of the sect.
• Yin Jiao and Yin Hong display discipline and filial respect. They greet their father’s guests properly and wait for Dixin’s approval before accepting their new teachers.
• Wudang and Guiling demonstrate their interest in cultivating both Immortal Dao and Martial Dao, recognizing the children’s unusually strong physical foundations.
• Yuanshi becomes increasingly suspicious and furious. His reaction reveals that his concern is not only for his disciples’ cultivation but also for preserving the larger arrangements he has made for the coming calamity.
• Guangchengzi appears carefree and irreverent, casually drinking wine even while reporting the theft of his destined disciple connection.
• Chijingzi is presented as one of Yuanshi’s most valued disciples and reacts with greater solemnity to the loss.
• Yuding is anxious and dependent on Yuanshi’s intervention, suggesting that he lacks confidence in securing a disciple on his own.

Significant Themes

• Competition between the Jie and Chan Sects: The mass recruitment of disciples becomes an indirect struggle between Tongtian and Yuanshi.
• Fate and karmic connections: Master-disciple relationships are treated as preordained bonds that can be forcibly severed or stolen.
• The coming calamity: Yuanshi has arranged for future disciples to shield his own disciples from danger, showing how deeply the coming disaster influences sect politics.
• Power and ambition: Dixin views his sons’ discipleships not only as personal blessings but also as a way to elevate the Shang Dynasty and himself.
• Heavenly secrecy and interference: The inability to divine the truth suggests that powerful figures are manipulating fate from behind the scenes.

Important Character Interactions

• Dixin, Yin Jiao, and Yin Hong: Dixin introduces his sons to Wudang and Guiling, and the children formally seek his approval before accepting them as teachers.
• Wudang and Yin Jiao / Guiling and Yin Hong: The two immortals openly declare their intention to form teacher-disciple relationships with the princes.
• Yuanshi and his disciples: Yuanshi questions Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, and others about the strange sensation of lost karmic bonds.
• Yuanshi and Yuding: After learning that Yuding is also at risk of losing his destined disciple, Yuanshi demands an explanation, setting up his likely intervention against Tongtian and the Jie Sect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuding reveals to Yuanshi that he has sensed a destined master-disciple bond with someone on Carefree Island, Lu Chen’s dojo. He previously visited the island but failed to meet Lu Chen, and he now fears the bond may be taken away like those belonging to other disciples.
• Yuanshi agrees to personally help Yuding claim this disciple. He suspects Tongtian may be responsible for disrupting or stealing the master-disciple bonds connected to his disciples and sees the visit as an opportunity to confront him.
• At Biyou Palace, Yuanshi asks Tongtian to request the destined person from Lu Chen. Tongtian refuses to interfere directly, saying Yuding should go to Carefree Island himself if the bond is genuine, but he agrees to summon the person for a meeting.
• Tongtian informs Shi Chen, who realizes that the person Yuanshi wants is Lu Jian—the child who, under the original destiny, would have become Yang Jian and Yuding’s disciple.
• Shi Chen brings Lu Jian to Biyou Palace. Yuanshi is immediately impressed by Lu Jian’s talent, appearance, and innate foundations, believing he could become the leading figure of Chan Sect’s third generation.
• Yuanshi declares that Lu Jian should become Yuding’s disciple because of their supposed master-disciple bond. Lu Jian hesitates and looks to Shi Chen for guidance.
• Shi Chen tells Lu Jian to follow his own wishes and assures him that no one can force him. Lu Jian then openly rejects Yuding as his master, stating that Yuding is simply too weak.

Character Developments

• Yuanshi: Demonstrates strong possessiveness over potential disciples and confidence in Chan Sect’s superiority. He is willing to personally intervene to secure Lu Jian and already regards him as a future pillar of his sect.
• Yuding: Shows anxiety over losing his destined disciple and relies heavily on Yuanshi’s authority to secure the bond. His silence during the negotiation suggests that he lacks the confidence to argue for himself.
• Tongtian: Maintains a distant relationship with Yuanshi but remains comparatively reasonable. He refuses to pressure Lu Chen while allowing the parties to meet, protecting his disciple’s freedom without needlessly escalating the dispute.
• Shi Chen: Acts as a protective and affectionate elder to Lu Jian. Despite his stern exterior, he treats Lu Jian and his siblings like family and firmly supports Lu Jian’s right to choose his own master.
• Lu Jian: Displays confidence, independence, and clear judgment. Though respectful toward the elders, he refuses to accept a master merely because of a claimed destiny and bluntly evaluates Yuding as insufficiently strong.

Significant Themes

• Free will versus destiny: Although a master-disciple bond supposedly determines Lu Jian’s fate, Shi Chen emphasizes that destiny cannot override personal choice.
• Strength and worthiness: The chapter challenges the assumption that a powerful or prestigious sect automatically deserves obedience. Lu Jian judges Yuding by his actual ability rather than his status.
• Sect rivalry and resentment: Yuanshi’s distrust of Tongtian and irritation at Jie Sect’s growing influence reveal the continuing division between the three major sect leaders.
• Family and belonging: Shi Chen’s affection for Lu Jian shows that bonds formed through care and upbringing can rival or surpass formal destiny.
• Pride versus humility: Yuanshi assumes that Lu Jian will eagerly accept Yuding, while Lu Jian’s rejection exposes the gap between Chan Sect’s self-image and Yuding’s actual reputation.

Character Interactions

• Yuanshi and Yuding visit Tongtian at Biyou Palace to claim Lu Jian, creating immediate tension between the estranged brothers.
• Tongtian refuses to personally demand Lu Jian from Lu Chen, forcing Yuanshi to confront the situation more indirectly.
• Shi Chen brings Lu Jian before Yuanshi and Yuding while concealing his true cultivation level, allowing Lu Jian to speak for himself.
• Yuanshi attempts to redefine Lu Jian’s relationship with Yuding from “Patriarch” to “Master,” but Lu Jian consults Shi Chen instead of submitting automatically.
• With Shi Chen’s encouragement, Lu Jian directly rejects Yuding, ending the chapter on a humiliating challenge to Chan Sect’s authority.

Summary of “Yuanshi’s Suspicion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Jian openly rejects Yuding as a potential master, bluntly reminding everyone that Yuding had once been defeated by Lu Jian’s father, Six Ears, with a single finger.
• Yuanshi is humiliated and angrily challenges Lu Jian’s claim, insisting that Yuding is one of the Chan Sect’s strongest disciples.
• Under Yuanshi’s pressure, Lu Jian remains defiant, declaring that anyone who wishes to become his master must first be stronger than his father.
• Yuanshi’s spiritual pressure overwhelms Lu Jian, but Shi Chen protects him and Tongtian warns Yuanshi against going too far.
• Yuanshi questions Lu Jian’s origins. Shi Chen reveals that Lu Jian’s father is Six Ears, whose identity and recent cultivation breakthrough had been concealed from Yuanshi.
• Yuanshi realizes that Six Ears has reached the Primordial Golden Immortal realm through the Law of Battle and possesses combat strength comparable to a Veteran Quasi-Saint—making Lu Jian’s claim entirely credible.
• Yuanshi accepts that Yuding cannot become Lu Jian’s master. The master-disciple fate between them is severed, leaving Yuding devastated.
• Shi Chen explains that he has no fixed plans for Lu Jian and intends to let the child choose his own path, following his usual hands-off but supportive teaching style.
• After Shi Chen and Lu Jian leave, Tongtian reflects proudly on the Jie Sect’s growing lineage, which now includes four generations of disciples.
• Tongtian privately warns Yuanshi and Laozi that if they attempt to damage the Jie Sect’s flourishing development, he will abandon their familial relationship and retaliate.

Character Developments

• Lu Jian: Displays extraordinary courage, blunt honesty, and strong independence. He refuses to submit to authority or accept a master merely because of sect status, setting an extremely high standard based on his respect for his father.
• Yuanshi: Shifts from welcoming Lu Jian as a valuable potential disciple to anger, humiliation, and suspicion. He is deeply unsettled by Six Ears’s advancement and by the growing strength of Tongtian’s disciples.
• Yuding: His confidence collapses after Lu Jian’s rejection and Yuanshi’s realization that Six Ears could indeed defeat him effortlessly. Losing the master-disciple destiny leaves him pale, shaken, and emotionally crushed.
• Shi Chen: Protects Lu Jian without hesitation and reinforces his philosophy of allowing disciples to determine their own futures while providing guidance when necessary.
• Tongtian: Shows both affection for the Jie Sect’s expanding legacy and increasing hostility toward Yuanshi and Laozi, whom he now views as potential threats.

Significant Themes

• Strength as a qualification for authority: Lu Jian believes a master must possess genuine superiority, not merely status or reputation.
• Independence and free choice: Shi Chen’s teaching philosophy emphasizes personal development and self-determined paths rather than rigid control.
• Sect rivalry and generational competition: Six Ears’s breakthrough exposes the growing disparity between the Jie Sect and the other major Daoist sects.
• Pride and humiliation: Yuanshi’s wounded pride and Yuding’s embarrassment reveal the emotional cost of being surpassed.
• Family loyalty versus sect conflict: Tongtian’s fraternal bond with Yuanshi and Laozi is increasingly strained by their rivalry and perceived attempts to suppress the Jie Sect.
• Hidden origins and concealed heavenly secrets: Tongtian’s protection of Six Ears’s karma prevents Yuanshi from understanding the truth until Shi Chen reveals it directly.

Character Interactions

• Lu Jian and Yuanshi: Their confrontation establishes Lu Jian’s fearlessness and Yuanshi’s inability to tolerate challenges to his authority.
• Lu Jian and Yuding: Lu Jian’s rejection humiliates Yuding and makes clear that Yuding lacks the strength Lu Jian considers necessary in a master.
• Shi Chen and Lu Jian: Shi Chen acts as Lu Jian’s protector and later affirms his commitment to letting Lu Jian choose his own future.
• Shi Chen and Tongtian: Their exchange shows mutual trust, with Tongtian accepting Shi Chen’s approach to raising Lu Jian.
• Yuanshi and Yuding: Yuanshi initially defends Yuding but ultimately acknowledges reality and ends the failed master-disciple arrangement.
• Tongtian and Yuanshi: Their conflict becomes more openly threatening, as Tongtian warns that he will no longer preserve brotherly ties if the Jie Sect is attacked.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the failed attempt to recruit Lu Jian, Yuanshi and Yuding return to Kunlun Mountain. Yuanshi is furious because Yuding concealed important information and caused him to lose face at Biyou Palace.
• Yuding desperately flatters Yuanshi, comparing him to a father and praising his kindness. Yuanshi’s anger lessens, though he still criticizes Yuding for acting rashly.
• Yuding privately realizes that his plan failed because he underestimated Tongtian. He had expected Tongtian to respect their brotherly relationship and surrender Lu Jian, but Tongtian refused to decide the matter for Lu Jian and Six Ears.
• Although disappointed, Yuanshi continues to regard Yuding as a talented disciple with potential to reach the Quasi-Saint realm. However, he becomes suspicious of Lu Jian’s identity and wonders why Tongtian concealed the heavenly secrets surrounding him.
• Shi Chen recognizes that Yuding’s investigation has exposed Lu Jian’s whereabouts and that Yuanshi may soon uncover the truth. To prepare, he decides that Six Ears, Yao Ji, and their three children should visit the Heavenly Court and formally acknowledge Yao Ji’s family.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji agree to take Lu Jian, Lu Jiao, and Lu Chan to meet their maternal uncle. The trip is planned for the following day.
• The siblings are excited because they have rarely been allowed to leave Carefree Island. Lu Chan eagerly imagines traveling, while Lu Jian remains calm and practical.
• Before departing, Lu Jian goes to visit Grandpa Chen, ending the chapter as Chen asks why he has come.

Character Developments

• Yuanshi: His anger toward Yuding softens because he still values Yuding’s talent, but he becomes increasingly suspicious of Lu Jian and Tongtian’s secrecy.
• Yuding: His standing with Yuanshi suffers after the failed scheme. He outwardly admits his mistake while internally acknowledging that he deliberately withheld information because he expected Yuanshi’s intervention to succeed.
• Shi Chen: Acts strategically to protect Lu Jian’s identity and prevent Yuanshi from gaining more information. He accelerates the family’s plan to visit the Heavenly Court.
• Six Ears: Obeys Shi Chen’s instructions and accepts the importance of introducing the children to Yao Ji’s family.
• Yao Ji: Shows warmth and family-mindedness, recognizing that after years away she should reunite with her brother and let her children meet him.
• Lu Jian: Remains composed and perceptive. He connects the trip with the recent events at Biyou Palace and takes the initiative to seek advice or assistance from Grandpa Chen.
• Lu Chan: Emerges as the most energetic and adventurous sibling, excited about finally seeing the outside world.
• Lu Jiao: Shows curiosity and optimism about meeting her maternal relative.

Significant Themes

• Failure caused by concealment: Yuding’s decision to hide the truth from Yuanshi undermines his own plan and damages his reputation.
• Political and familial maneuvering: The actions of Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Shi Chen show how family ties, sect relationships, and hidden identities shape major decisions.
• Protection of secrets: Shi Chen’s urgency reflects the danger posed by Yuanshi’s growing suspicions about Lu Jian’s origins.
• Family and belonging: The upcoming visit emphasizes the children’s connection to their mother’s family and the importance of acknowledging their heritage.
• Growing independence: The children’s desire to leave the island suggests they are entering a new stage of maturity and becoming more involved in the wider world.

Character Interactions

• Yuanshi reprimands Yuding, while Yuding uses exaggerated flattery to regain his master’s favor.
• Shi Chen gives Six Ears instructions to take the family to the Heavenly Court, and Six Ears later discusses the plan with Yao Ji.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji explain the journey to their children, prompting curiosity and excitement.
• The siblings privately speculate about their maternal uncle and how they should address him.
• Lu Jian’s visit to Grandpa Chen sets up the next stage of the family’s preparations.

Chapter Summary: “Setting Out for the Heavenly Court”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Jian visits Shi Chen before departing with his father, Six Ears, and siblings to visit their maternal relatives in the Heavenly Court.
• Lu Jian questions why, after more than twenty years, the family is suddenly making this visit. He also suspects that Yuanshi and Yuding’s appearance at Biyou Palace may be connected to his mother’s family.
• Shi Chen confirms that Lu Jian’s suspicions are justified and reveals that he has already discussed the matter with Six Ears, though he does not explain the full truth.
• In Lingxiao Palace, Lu Yue reports that the Plague Ministry is ready to unleash pestilence upon the Western Sect after a century of preparation. Haotian unexpectedly postpones the attack after experiencing an ominous heart palpitation.
• Haotian begins calculating the cause of the sensation, while reaffirming his determination to avenge his sister Yao Ji and punish Zhunti for abducting her and taking part of his Fortune.
• At Spirit Mountain, Zhunti learns of the Heavenly Court’s plans and becomes furious, already plotting revenge against Haotian. Jieyin restrains him, urging him to focus instead on the Investiture of the Gods and the Western Sect’s disciples.
• Yao Ji, Six Ears, and their three children arrive at the Southern Heavenly Gate. Mo Lihai recognizes Yao Ji as the Heavenly Court’s Eldest Princess and is shocked to learn that she is Six Ears’s Dao companion and the mother of Lu Jian, Lu Jiao, and Lu Chan.
• Mo Lihai escorts the family into the Heavenly Court to meet Haotian, while the guarding immortals marvel at Six Ears’s power and his marriage to Yao Ji.

Character Developments

• Lu Jian becomes increasingly perceptive and suspicious, recognizing that the family’s sudden journey and recent encounters are connected to a larger hidden matter.
• Shi Chen acts as a calm and knowledgeable confidant. He validates Lu Jian’s intuition but deliberately withholds the complete explanation.
• Haotian demonstrates both strategic patience and unwavering resentment. Although prepared to strike the Western Sect, he delays the attack because of a troubling premonition, prioritizing the investigation of the omen.
• Zhunti becomes more hostile toward Haotian and begins planning retaliation, though Jieyin redirects his attention toward the broader political struggle over the Investiture of the Gods.
• Yao Ji returns to the Heavenly Court with mixed nostalgia and sorrow, remembering her former life while mourning Daoist Youlian’s absence.
• Six Ears is publicly revealed as Yao Ji’s husband and the father of her three children, elevating his status in the eyes of the Heavenly Court and Jie Sect disciples.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and family secrets: Lu Jian senses that his maternal lineage and the family’s journey conceal important truths.
• Revenge versus strategy: Haotian and Zhunti both desire retaliation, but their plans are shaped by timing, political consequences, and the need to avoid giving their enemies an advantage.
• Fate and ominous premonitions: Haotian’s sudden palpitation suggests that major events are approaching and that unseen forces may disrupt his plans.
• Family reunion and belonging: Yao Ji’s return to the Heavenly Court reconnects her with her former home, while her marriage and children complicate her relationship with her family.
• Status and power: The reactions to Six Ears’s marriage reveal the importance of cultivation, sect affiliation, and political standing within the celestial hierarchy.

Character Interactions

• Lu Jian and Shi Chen have a candid conversation in which Lu Jian voices his suspicions and Shi Chen confirms that the events are connected.
• Haotian and Lu Yue discuss the planned plague campaign, but Haotian abruptly orders a delay.
• Zhunti and Jieyin argue over how to respond to Haotian, with Zhunti favoring immediate scheming and Jieyin advocating restraint and focus on the Investiture of the Gods.
• Mo Lihai respectfully greets Yao Ji, then reacts with astonishment to the revelation that she is Six Ears’s wife and the mother of three children.
• The Heavenly Gate soldiers’ discussion emphasizes Six Ears’s immense potential and the prestige gained by becoming Yao Ji’s Dao companion.

Summary

Mo Lihai escorts Yao Ji, Six Ears, and their three children toward Lingxiao Palace, but instead of returning to his post, he rushes to Heavenly King Manor to spread the surprising news of Yao Ji’s return. Meanwhile, Yao Ji anxiously anticipates Haotian’s reaction after disappearing from the Heavenly Court for a century.
Inside the empty Lingxiao Palace, Yao Ji and Haotian finally reunite. Their meeting is initially silent, with Haotian struggling between resentment over her unauthorized departure and relief that she is alive and well. His anger ultimately gives way to a sigh of acceptance when he realizes she has spent the past hundred years happily with a loving family. Yao Ji’s joyful expression confirms that she has no regrets about leaving.
Yao Ji introduces Six Ears as her husband and explains his prestigious status as Lu Chen’s disciple and a leading Jie Sect cultivator. Haotian, already familiar with Six Ears’s reputation and immense strength, quickly accepts him as an excellent husband for Yao Ji. He also recognizes that Yao Ji’s connection to Jie Sect, rather than the Western Sect, has strengthened his relationship with Jie Sect, even though it complicates his original plans to weaken that sect through the Investiture of the Gods.
Haotian then meets Yao Ji and Six Ears’s three children—Lu Jiao, Lu Jian, and Lu Chan—and immediately feels a powerful bond of bloodline and familial affection. The siblings respectfully address him as their uncle. Delighted, Haotian presents each child with a nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peach and several high-grade spiritual treasures. After seeking their mother’s approval, Lu Jiao chooses a blood-red greatsaber, Lu Jian selects a silver-white three-pointed spear, and Lu Chan chooses a treasure mirror.
The family reunion becomes warmer and more playful as Six Ears praises Haotian’s generosity and jokingly suggests asking for more peaches for Yao Ji. She teasingly replies that she prefers soft, tender White Jade Honey Peaches, causing her to blush and glare at him. Their exchange highlights the intimacy and affection between them.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Yao Ji: Moves from uncertainty and anxiety to emotional relief and happiness upon reconciling with Haotian. Her contentment with Six Ears and their children is clear.
• Haotian: Abandons his lingering anger and embraces Yao Ji, Six Ears, and the children. He becomes a warm, generous uncle and sees Six Ears as a worthy brother-in-law.
• Six Ears: Acts as Yao Ji’s emotional support, confidently accepts Haotian as his “Big Brother,” and uses humor to ease the tension.
• The three children: Demonstrate discipline and respect by asking Yao Ji before accepting gifts, while forming an immediate connection with Haotian.
• Mo Lihai: Serves as the bearer of the news, unable to resist sharing the dramatic revelation with others.

Significant Themes

• Family reconciliation: Estrangement gives way to forgiveness, acceptance, and renewed familial bonds.
• Bloodline and belonging: Haotian’s instinctive connection to the children reveals the power of family ties.
• Political alliances: Yao Ji’s marriage to Six Ears strengthens the relationship between Haotian and Jie Sect, complicating Heavenly Court politics.
• Domestic happiness: Yao Ji’s joyful life with Six Ears contrasts with Haotian’s fears that she may have suffered after leaving.
• Humor and intimacy: Six Ears and Yao Ji’s teasing exchange lightens the formal reunion and emphasizes their close relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Di Yi Passes Away!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Haotian decides not to give Six Ears the red Ren Water Flat Peach he had prepared, since Six Ears prefers white peaches. He considers saving the peaches to recruit rogue cultivators instead.
• Mo Liqing encounters Lu Yue on the way to Heavenly King Manor and reveals that Six Ears has come to the Heavenly Court with his wife and children.
• Lu Yue initially assumes Six Ears’ wife must be a Jie Sect immortal, but Mo Liqing reveals the truth: Six Ears’ Dao companion is Princess Yao Ji, Haotian’s younger sister. They have three children—Lu Jian and his two siblings.
• The news spreads rapidly throughout the Heavenly Court. Lu Yue, realizing that Yao Ji was never abducted by the Western Sect, withdraws the Plague Ministry forces that had been preparing to attack them.
• Zhunti calculates the situation and recognizes the political brilliance of the arrangement. He concludes that Tongtian—or more likely Lu Chen acting through Tongtian—has simultaneously gained Heavenly Court Fortune, tied Yao Ji to the Jie Sect, and improved relations with Haotian.
• Jieyin and Zhunti acknowledge the growing strength and strategic intelligence of the Jie Sect.
• The Chan Sect and Dao Sect also learn of Yao Ji’s return. Yuanshi worries that Lu Chen may have foreseen their plans, while Laozi urges greater secrecy. They discuss recruiting additional helpers, since the Four Swords of Execution require four Saints to counter.
• In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun declares that events are finally returning to their destined course.
• In Chaoge, the dying Shang emperor Di Yi entrusts Wen Zhong with guiding his successor, Zi Shou. After receiving Wen Zhong’s promise, Di Yi dies.

Character Developments

• Haotian: His political and emotional situation changes dramatically with Yao Ji’s return. His presumed enemy, the Western Sect, is no longer the target of immediate retaliation.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji: Their marriage and three children reveal a powerful alliance between the Jie Sect and the Heavenly Court, strengthening Six Ears’ position and making Yao Ji an important political bridge.
• Lu Yue: Moves from preparing revenge against the Western Sect to calling off the planned attack once he learns the truth about Yao Ji.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: Both recognize that the Jie Sect’s strategy has outmaneuvered the Western Sect. Zhunti especially regrets that his own earlier plan failed to secure Yao Ji for the Western Sect.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: Become more cautious about their hidden plans and increasingly concerned that Lu Chen may understand or anticipate their schemes.
• Di Yi: In his final moments, demonstrates concern for Shang’s future by personally entrusting Zi Shou’s education and governance to Wen Zhong.
• Wen Zhong: Accepts the responsibility of supervising and assisting the new emperor.

Significant Themes

• Political strategy and manipulation: Yao Ji’s marriage creates multiple advantages for the Jie Sect, affecting the Heavenly Court, Western Sect, and future Investiture of the Gods.
• Alliance through family: Marriage and bloodline become tools for consolidating power and fortune between major factions.
• Hidden schemes and uncertainty: Even powerful Saints struggle to determine whether Lu Chen or Tongtian is directing events, emphasizing the difficulty of seeing through layered conspiracies.
• Fate versus planning: Hongjun’s statement that events are returning to their destined path contrasts with the elaborate schemes used by the various sects to influence that fate.
• Succession and responsibility: Di Yi’s death marks a transition in Shang’s leadership, with Wen Zhong charged with guiding the next ruler.

Important Character Interactions

• Mo Liqing and Lu Yue: Mo Liqing reveals Six Ears’ family situation, surprising Lu Yue and prompting him to abandon the planned attack on the Western Sect.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: They discuss the implications of Yao Ji’s marriage and acknowledge the Jie Sect’s superior maneuvering.
• Laozi and Yuanshi: They analyze the threat posed by Lu Chen and reinforce the need for secrecy and additional allies.
• Di Yi and Wen Zhong: Di Yi gives Wen Zhong his final instructions, and Wen Zhong promises to support and discipline Zi Shou after Di Yi’s death.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Wen Zhong fulfills the late Di Yi’s wish by supporting Zi Shou’s ascension as the new Shang emperor. Zi Shou’s status as the legitimate son, along with his bravery and political support, makes his succession fully legitimate.
• The feudal lords accept the transition and send envoys to congratulate him, leaving the Shang Dynasty stable and dominant.
• The Dao Ancestor summons the Saints to a second deliberation at Zixiao Palace regarding the Investiture of the Gods.
• Tongtian first visits Shi Chen on Carefree Island and invites him to accompany him. Shi Chen declines because Hongjun did not personally summon him, but advises Tongtian to remain silent during the meeting.
• At Zixiao Palace, Hongjun demands that the Saints reach a conclusion about the Investiture List. Since none of them wants to sacrifice their own disciples, Yuanshi suggests that Tongtian provide disciples, but Tongtian pretends to be completely unaware by sealing his senses and remaining motionless.
• Laozi proposes that disciples of all four sects be subject to the list according to fate. Yuanshi and the Western Sect Saints agree, while Tongtian’s silence is treated as acceptance.
• The Investiture List activates, causing Calamity Qi to spread throughout Heaven and Earth and enter the Spirit Platforms of disciples across the various sects.
• At Kunlun Mountain, Guangchengzi suffers especially severely. Calamity Qi causes him to fall from the Great Luo realm to the Taiyi realm, leaving him close to death. His fellow Golden Immortals show no sympathy, revealing their hostility and resentment toward him.
• Shi Chen detects and refines a strand of Calamity Qi with his Devouring Law. He then warns the Jie Sect disciples in the Heavenly Court to use their Merit and Fortune to cleanse their Spirit Platforms.
• Duobao, the Three Xiao Sisters, Zhao Gongming, and the other Jie Sect disciples immediately follow his instructions and successfully remove the Calamity Qi’s influence.
• Haotian is stunned that Shi Chen can transmit a message from Carefree Island directly to individuals in the Heavenly Court without detection. This makes him question the rumors that Shi Chen’s cultivation has been ruined.

2. Character Developments

• Zi Shou: Begins his reign as a capable and rightful emperor, consolidating the Shang Dynasty’s authority.
• Tongtian: Displays unusual restraint and strategic caution. Following Shi Chen’s advice, he refuses to argue or openly oppose the arrangement, allowing the other Saints to expose themselves while technically avoiding direct agreement.
• Shi Chen: Demonstrates powerful control over Calamity Qi and remarkable mastery of long-distance, undetectable voice transmission. His concern for the Jie Sect disciples also emphasizes his protective leadership.
• Guangchengzi: Suffers a major loss of cultivation and appears emotionally broken. His isolation among his fellow disciples highlights his declining position and their lack of loyalty.
• Haotian: Gains a renewed respect—and suspicion—for Shi Chen after witnessing his extraordinary abilities, beginning to doubt the public claims about Shi Chen’s weakness.
• The Jie Sect disciples: Show discipline and trust in Shi Chen by immediately using their Merit to protect themselves.

3. Significant Themes

• The beginning of catastrophe: The activation of the Investiture List marks the true onset of the calamity, with its effects spreading invisibly through the cultivation world.
• Political maneuvering and responsibility: The Saints try to avoid responsibility for sacrificing their disciples, while Tongtian’s silence allows the decision to proceed without him openly accepting blame.
• Merit and preparation: Merit and Fortune serve as defenses against the unseen dangers of Calamity Qi, emphasizing the importance of preparation and accumulated virtue.
• Hidden strength and false appearances: Shi Chen’s abilities contradict the widespread belief that his cultivation has been crippled, while Tongtian’s apparent sleep conceals deliberate strategy.
• Isolation and sectarian hostility: Guangchengzi’s suffering and the cold reaction of his fellow disciples reveal the intense rivalry and lack of compassion within the sects.
• The transition of eras: Zi Shou’s accession and the beginning of the Investiture calamity together signal that the old political order is entering a dangerous new phase.

4. Character Interactions

• Tongtian and Shi Chen: Shi Chen advises Tongtian before the meeting, urging him to avoid involvement and remain silent. Tongtian follows this advice precisely.
• Yuanshi and Tongtian: Yuanshi attempts to pressure Tongtian into filling the Investiture List with Jie Sect disciples, but Tongtian refuses to respond.
• The Saints and Hongjun: Hongjun demands a final resolution but leaves the Saints to determine the method themselves. Laozi formulates the compromise that all sects’ disciples will be subject to fate.
• Guangchengzi and his fellow Golden Immortals: His collapse is met with indifference and concealed satisfaction rather than support, revealing strained relationships.
• Shi Chen and the Jie Sect disciples: Shi Chen warns them of the danger, and they collectively cleanse the Calamity Qi with their Merit.
• Haotian, Duobao, and Six Ears: Haotian asks about the disciples’ sudden actions, and Six Ears explains Shi Chen’s warning. The revelation deeply shocks Haotian and changes his view of Shi Chen.

Chapter Summary: Knocking Some Sense into Haotian

Key Plot Points and Events

• Haotian questions Six Ears about why he is not using accumulated Merit Qi to cleanse and improve his cultivation like Duobao and the other disciples.
• Six Ears argues that relying on Merit and Fortune can become a trap. He cites the rise and downfall of the Three Clans as proof that Fortune can create greatness but also lead to destruction.
• Six Ears then directly exposes Haotian’s plan: Haotian proposed the Investiture of the Gods to gather the Heavenly Court’s Fortune and use it to break through to Primordial Unity and eventually become a Sage.
• Six Ears warns that no one in the Primordial World has ever achieved Sagehood through Fortune. Existing Sages succeeded through the Three Corpses, laws, Merit, or unique paths that cannot be easily replicated.
• Haotian remains unconvinced. He believes his position as Heavenly Emperor, his legitimate authority, and the Dao Ancestor’s support make his path different from that of the fallen Three Clans.
• Six Ears realizes that Haotian is blinded by his ambition and does not recognize that many powerful beings do not truly acknowledge his authority.
• At Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi discovers Guangchengzi unconscious and drunk. Guangchengzi’s cultivation has fallen from the Great Luo Realm to the Taiyi Realm because the newly emerging Calamity Qi entered his body and became the final pressure that broke through his realm.
• Yuanshi begins searching for the “tribulation child” bearing the visage of the Flying Bear. The Dao Ancestor has declared that whichever religion recruits this individual will gain control of the Investiture List.
• At Biyou Palace, Tongtian informs Shi Chen that the tribulation has begun and suggests that the Jie Sect find the Flying Bear tribulation child to gain the Investiture List.
• Shi Chen rejects the idea of merely “seizing the initiative,” arguing that the Jie Sect already possesses overwhelming advantages. Instead, he proposes visiting the disciples of the other three religions one by one.
• Tongtian suspects this could be a trap and objects. Shi Chen clarifies that the purpose is to send the other religions’ disciples onto the Investiture List, effectively crippling their lineages.
• When Tongtian worries that the other Sages would retaliate, Shi Chen suggests sealing them. Tongtian rejects this as impossible because the Heavenly Dao would not permit Heavenly Dao Sages to be sealed.
• Shi Chen accepts Tongtian’s decision and takes responsibility for finding the Flying Bear tribulation child.

Character Developments

• Haotian: His ambition to become a Sage through Heavenly Court Fortune is exposed. He is confident that his authority and legitimacy distinguish him from past rulers, but his refusal to reconsider reveals arrogance and self-delusion.
• Six Ears: Demonstrates insight, loyalty, and tact. He conveys his master’s warning indirectly but eventually speaks openly about Haotian’s motives. He recognizes that Haotian’s ambitions may lead to increasingly extreme actions.
• Yuanshi: Shows concern for Guangchengzi despite his disappointment. His attention shifts quickly to the strategic importance of locating the Flying Bear tribulation child.
• Guangchengzi: Suffers a major setback as Calamity Qi causes his cultivation to regress from Great Luo to Taiyi. His drunken, unconscious state emphasizes his vulnerability.
• Tongtian: Remains cautious and protective of the Jie Sect. Although he recognizes the opportunity created by the tribulation, he refuses to take actions that could provoke uncontrollable retaliation from the other Sages.
• Shi Chen: Reveals a highly aggressive and confident strategy. He believes the Jie Sect’s advantage is already decisive and wants to exploit the tribulation to eliminate the opposing religions’ disciples. His willingness to consider sealing the Sages shows his ruthlessness, though he ultimately respects Tongtian’s authority.

Significant Themes

• The danger of relying on external power: Merit and Fortune can accelerate cultivation, but dependence on them may bind or corrupt the cultivator.
• Ambition versus reality: Haotian believes his position guarantees success, but Six Ears challenges the assumption that authority and Fortune are enough to reach Sagehood.
• Legitimacy and recognition: Being named Heavenly Emperor does not necessarily mean that other powerful beings accept Haotian’s rule.
• The tribulation as political struggle: The Investiture List and the Flying Bear tribulation child become tools in the competition among the great religions.
• Caution versus aggression: Tongtian favors restraint and stability, while Shi Chen advocates decisive action to destroy rival forces before they can respond.
• The limits of power: Even the Sages, though nearly indestructible, may be constrained by the Heavenly Dao and unable to act freely.

Important Character Interactions

• Haotian and Six Ears: Six Ears challenges Haotian’s belief in Fortune-based Sagehood and forces him to confront the real motives behind the Investiture of the Gods. Haotian’s disbelief shows that the warning has not changed his outlook.
• Yuanshi and Guangchengzi: Yuanshi discovers Guangchengzi’s cultivation regression but chooses not to reprimand him, revealing restrained concern.
• Tongtian and Shi Chen: Their discussion contrasts Tongtian’s caution with Shi Chen’s bold strategy. Shi Chen proposes crippling the other religions, while Tongtian rejects the dangerous idea of sealing the Sages.
• The Three Religions and the Flying Bear tribulation child: The child’s allegiance could determine who controls the Investiture List, making him the central strategic target of the emerging tribulation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian notices that his disciple Shi Chen seems subtly changed after emerging from meditation. Concerned that the Jie Sect should not rely entirely on Shi Chen, Tongtian leaves Golden Turtle Island to intervene personally.
• Shi Chen, still dissatisfied with his progress, orders his disciple Lu Ya to travel to the Shang Dynasty and ask King Dixin to locate someone born with the Flying Bear Sign—defined here as a tiger born with twin wings.
• Lu Ya arrives over Chaoge and is intercepted by Wudang and Guiling, two Jie Sect immortals residing in the royal palace. They escort him to meet Dixin.
• Dixin warmly welcomes Lu Ya as the Holy Father’s disciple and enthusiastically asks about the Holy Father’s condition. However, once he learns that Lu Ya has come on official business, he becomes serious and carefully considers his responsibilities as Human King.
• Dixin agrees to search for the Flying Bear Sign. The following day, he issues an edict seeking individuals born with extraordinary signs and orders talented people from across the Shang territory to be brought to Chaoge for cultivation.
• In Song Family Village, Jiang Ziya leaves his wealthy elder brother, Song Yiren, to pursue the Immortal Dao. Because his poor constitution and blocked meridians prevent him from practicing Martial Dao, he sees cultivation as his only chance at advancement.
• Song Yiren supports him reluctantly and gives him money, while Song Yiren’s wife angrily criticizes Jiang Ziya for abandoning his responsibilities, particularly because he was expected to marry the Ma family’s youngest daughter.
• Jiang Ziya travels first to Chaoge, where he sees the proclamation seeking the Flying Bear Sign. He admires the idea of finding extraordinary geniuses but assumes that someone like him could never qualify. He then begins asking about nearby immortal mountains.

Character Developments

• Shi Chen appears increasingly impatient and ambitious. His dissatisfaction with his cultivation drives him to search for a potentially crucial genius, while his cryptic remark—“I would like to see how long you can endure”—suggests a hidden rivalry or long-term plan.
• Tongtian becomes more proactive. Rather than leaving matters entirely to Shi Chen, he decides to personally leave Golden Turtle Island and influence events.
• Lu Ya acts as a loyal and efficient disciple, carrying out Shi Chen’s orders and respectfully negotiating with the Shang court.
• Dixin is shown as both a devoted admirer of the Holy Father and a responsible ruler. He welcomes Lu Ya warmly but refuses to make a blind promise before understanding the request’s implications for his people.
• Jiang Ziya is portrayed as determined despite lacking talent by conventional standards. His inability to practice Martial Dao strengthens his resolve to seek another path, though he remains deeply insecure about his own potential.
• Song Yiren demonstrates genuine affection and brotherly loyalty toward Jiang Ziya, while his wife views Ziya’s departure as irresponsible and humiliating to the family.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus apparent mediocrity: The search for the Flying Bear Sign raises the question of whether extraordinary destiny can be recognized from outward appearances. Jiang Ziya’s self-image as “trash” contrasts with the possibility that he may have hidden significance.
• Destiny and cultivation: Characters pursue different paths—Martial Dao, Immortal Dao, or strategic cultivation—and the chapter suggests that a person’s limitations in one system may not determine their ultimate fate.
• Responsibility and loyalty: Dixin balances reverence for the Holy Father with his obligations to the Human Race, while Song Yiren balances familial affection with concern for Jiang Ziya’s future.
• Changing relations between mortals and immortals: Chaoge’s people no longer instinctively kneel before immortals because the flourishing Martial Dao has given humanity greater confidence and independence.
• Hidden schemes and patience: Shi Chen’s secretive commands and Tongtian’s decision to act personally indicate that larger conflicts are developing beneath the surface.

Character Interactions

• Tongtian reflects on Shi Chen’s transformation and decides to take a more active role.
• Shi Chen gives Lu Ya direct instructions, establishing his authority as master and revealing his interest in finding a special individual.
• Wudang and Guiling cooperate with Lu Ya, showing the Jie Sect’s internal respect for seniority and shared objectives.
• Dixin interacts warmly with Lu Ya because of Lu Ya’s connection to the Holy Father, but Guiling redirects the conversation toward the official mission.
• Jiang Ziya and Song Yiren part affectionately but painfully, with Yiren offering material support and an open invitation to return.
• Song Yiren’s wife clashes with him over Jiang Ziya’s departure, exposing differing views of family duty and personal ambition.
• Jiang Ziya’s encounter with the proclamation connects his personal quest for immortality to the larger search for the Flying Bear Sign, hinting that his journey may soon intersect with the kingdom’s plans.

Chapter Summary: Heroes-Gathering Edict, the Fated Meeting of Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two and a half years after Dixin issued the heroes-gathering edict, talented individuals from across the Human Race gather in Chaoge.
• Dixin constructs the Talent-Gathering Pavilion both to strengthen the Shang Dynasty and to help Immortal Elder Lu Ya locate the person bearing the Flying Bear Sign.
• Lu Ya examines numerous recruits but fails to find the prophesied individual. Frustrated, he eventually leaves Chaoge to search elsewhere, entrusting the city’s protection to Guiling and Wudang.
• Meanwhile, Jiang Ziya continues traveling from mountain to mountain in search of an immortal master. His cultivation aptitude is so poor that every cultivator rejects him, but his determination never wavers.
• Jiang Ziya encounters a black leopard, which transforms into the demon cultivator Shen Gongbao. Rather than harming him, Shen Gongbao treats Jiang Ziya as a fellow Daoist because of their shared pursuit of the Dao.
• Shen Gongbao intends to seek admission to Yuanshi’s Chan Sect at Kunlun Mountain, believing its small number of disciples will offer better opportunities for recognition than Tongtian’s Interception Sect.
• Although Jiang Ziya feels greater affinity toward the Interception Sect, he agrees to accompany Shen Gongbao to Kunlun Mountain first, with Golden Turtle Island as a fallback. The two begin their journey together.
• Back in Chaoge, Dixin launches a military campaign against Dongyi. He hopes to achieve lasting military glory and strengthen his reputation, while avoiding conflicts with the Ancestral Court and Shang’s other vassal states.
• Court officials become divided: civil ministers oppose the campaign as unjustified and politically dangerous, while military officials support it. Unable to resolve the dispute, Dixin asks the Grand Preceptor for advice.

Character Developments

• Dixin: Becomes increasingly ambitious and energetic as a ruler. He wants to surpass ordinary kings and be remembered alongside Ancestor Tang and the Five Emperors. His campaign against Dongyi reflects both strategic calculation and a desire for historical greatness.
• Lu Ya: Grows doubtful that the Flying Bear Sign bearer is in Shang territory after repeatedly failing to locate the prophesied talent. He expands his search beyond Chaoge.
• Jiang Ziya: Demonstrates extraordinary perseverance despite having nearly nonexistent cultivation aptitude. His meeting with Shen Gongbao gives him companionship and renewed direction.
• Shen Gongbao: Is introduced as a black leopard demon capable of transforming into human form. He is ambitious, optimistic, and eager to enter the prestigious Chan Sect, believing its limited membership will allow him to stand out.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao: Quickly form a bond based on their common desire to seek immortality, despite their differences in species, background, and cultivation level.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance despite inadequacy: Jiang Ziya’s continued search for the Dao emphasizes determination over talent.
• Fate and prophecy: The search for the bearer of the Flying Bear Sign drives both Lu Ya’s investigation and the gathering of talents in Chaoge.
• Companionship in the pursuit of cultivation: Jiang Ziya’s meeting with Shen Gongbao shows how shared ideals can overcome fear and social distinctions.
• Ambition and political legitimacy: Dixin’s desire for military achievements raises questions about whether greatness comes from noble motives, practical strategy, or personal glory.
• Factional and sectarian allegiance: The contrast between the Chan Sect and Interception Sect introduces competing paths within the immortal world and foreshadows future divisions.

Important Character Interactions

• Dixin and Lu Ya: Dixin supports Lu Ya’s search by gathering talents, while Lu Ya eventually leaves after failing to find the Flying Bear Sign bearer.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao: Their first meeting transforms fear into mutual respect. Shen Gongbao helps Jiang Ziya physically and emotionally during their journey to Kunlun Mountain.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao regarding sects: Jiang favors the Interception Sect’s openness, while Shen Gongbao prefers the Chan Sect’s exclusivity. Jiang nevertheless supports Shen Gongbao’s plan.
• Dixin and the court: Civil and military officials clash over the Dongyi campaign, prompting Dixin to seek guidance from the Grand Preceptor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Grand Tutor Wen Zhong advises King Dixin not to immediately attack Dongyi. He proposes sending envoys first, offering Dongyi the chance to submit peacefully; only refusal would justify military conquest. Dixin accepts this plan, and Shang sends envoys.
• Lu Ya, searching for someone bearing the Flying Bear Sign, arrives at Three Mountains Pass. His presence attracts the attention of a mysterious young man in a multicolored robe.
• Lu Ya senses a powerful demonic bloodline nearby—one strong enough to resonate with his own Golden Crow bloodline—but finds no trace of its owner. The hidden young man reveals that he concealed himself just in time and wonders whether Lu Ya’s arrival is connected to Dixin’s Heroes-Gathering Edict or the Jie Sect.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao finally reach the foot of Kunlun Mountain after a difficult journey. Shen Gongbao, who had carried Jiang Ziya much of the way in leopard form, transforms into human form so they can approach Jade Void Palace together.
• Yuanshi Tianzun detects them and initially intends to drive them away because neither appears worthy of entering the Chan Sect. However, he suddenly discovers that both possess the Flying Bear Sign, which he believes is a sign of Heaven’s favor and a key to gaining control of the Investiture List.
• Upon examining their innate talents, Yuanshi is disappointed. Shen Gongbao has mediocre but usable aptitude, while Jiang Ziya’s physical foundation is so poor that even becoming an immortal seems nearly impossible.
• After removing Kunlun Mountain’s suppressive force, Yuanshi allows them to climb. One year later, exhausted but determined, Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao reach Jade Void Palace.

Character Developments

• Wen Zhong demonstrates political restraint and loyalty. Though reluctant to see the Human Race wage war against Dongyi, he still seeks a solution that protects Shang’s interests.
• Dixin shows flexibility, accepting Wen Zhong’s diplomatic strategy as a way to expand Shang territory while preserving legitimacy.
• Lu Ya is portrayed as powerful, perceptive, and proud of his Demon Emperor lineage. His sensitivity to bloodlines drives his investigation of the hidden demon in Three Mountains Pass.
• The mysterious young man is revealed to be an exceptionally powerful demon capable of concealing his aura. He is cautious and observant, choosing not to confront Lu Ya.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao display perseverance and mutual reliance. Despite exhaustion and poor prospects, they refuse to give up and successfully reach Jade Void Palace.
• Yuanshi Tianzun shifts rapidly from disdain to excitement after recognizing the Flying Bear Sign. His hopes of gaining an advantage in the Investiture List outweigh his usual prejudice against demons, though his disappointment in Jiang Ziya’s aptitude remains evident.

Significant Themes

• Diplomacy versus conquest: Wen Zhong’s proposal emphasizes that political legitimacy matters even when military power is available.
• Destiny and Heaven’s will: The Flying Bear Sign is treated as a powerful indication of fate, influencing Yuanshi’s judgment more than ordinary talent.
• Appearance versus hidden identity: Lu Ya cannot find the powerful demon in Three Mountains Pass, showing that appearances and visible auras can be deceptive.
• Talent versus determination: Jiang Ziya’s terrible innate aptitude contrasts with his extraordinary perseverance, raising the possibility that destiny may matter more than natural ability.
• Factional ambition: Yuanshi immediately views Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao through the lens of the Investiture List and the rivalry among the great sects.

Character Interactions

• Wen Zhong and Dixin cooperate in shaping Shang’s policy toward Dongyi, balancing Wen Zhong’s caution with Dixin’s ambitions.
• Lu Ya’s presence indirectly affects the hidden young man, who secretly observes him while speculating about his connection to the Jie Sect and Dixin.
• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao share a close, supportive partnership, with Shen carrying Ziya and later helping him complete the climb.
• Yuanshi initially judges the pair as unworthy, but the discovery of their Flying Bear Signs changes his attitude and makes him view them as potentially crucial to the Chan Sect’s future.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya arrive at the Jade Void Palace and petition Yuanshi Tianzun to accept them as disciples. Impressed by their determination, Yuanshi accepts them as registered disciples, causing their auras to merge with the Chan Sect’s fortune.
• At the Wa Sovereign Palace, Tongtian reveals to Nuwa that he once heard Lu Chen’s inner thoughts, but has been unable to hear anything from the current “Shi Chen.” This leads him to suspect that the person occupying Lu Chen’s body is not truly Lu Chen.
• Nuwa agrees that something is wrong, especially because Lu Chen’s cultivation increased dramatically after supposedly severing part of his Primordial Spirit—an outcome that should have been impossible.
• Nuwa and Tongtian travel to the Underworld and confront Pingxin. There they meet a black-haired child named Ordinary, who is revealed to be Lu Chen’s original Primordial Spirit.
• Pingxin explains that she did not send Lu Chen’s entrusted Primordial Spirit into Samsara. Instead, she nurtured it into a new human form. The Primordial Spirit contained Lu Chen’s instructions and revealed that the apparent severing of his spirit and the possession of his body by the Devouring Demon God were deliberate parts of his plan.
• Lu Chen had left ninety-nine percent of his Primordial Spirit with Pingxin, while a remaining thread of divine sense was placed on a fragment of the Jade Disc of Creation. This thread allowed the Devouring Demon God to enter his body but slowed its complete takeover.
• Nuwa and Pingxin decide that the time is right to reclaim Lu Chen’s body from the Devouring Demon God.
• The chapter ends with Ordinary calling Pingxin “Mother,” startling both Nuwa and Tongtian. Pingxin explains that he called her that when he first awakened and never stopped.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao begin their formal association with the Chan Sect by becoming Yuanshi Tianzun’s registered disciples.
• Tongtian becomes increasingly suspicious of Shi Chen’s identity after realizing that he can no longer hear the thoughts he once associated with Lu Chen.
• Nuwa shifts from trusting Shi Chen’s explanation to recognizing that Lu Chen’s body is likely controlled by the Devouring Demon God. Her concern becomes personal and urgent, motivating her to help reclaim him.
• Pingxin is revealed to have known the truth all along. She protected Lu Chen’s original Primordial Spirit and secretly raised it as Ordinary.
• Lu Chen/Ordinary is shown to have planned his apparent transformation and possession in advance, indicating extraordinary foresight and willingness to sacrifice his body temporarily.
• Shi Chen is strongly implied to be an independent entity—the Devouring Demon God—rather than the true Lu Chen.

Significant Themes

• Identity and possession: The chapter questions whether a person remains themselves when their body, spirit, or consciousness is divided or replaced.
• Sacrifice and long-term planning: Lu Chen deliberately allowed his body to be occupied in order to restrain and manipulate the Devouring Demon God.
• Hidden truths and deception: Pingxin and Lu Chen concealed the truth from Nuwa because revealing it prematurely would have endangered the plan.
• Parental affection and rebirth: Ordinary’s relationship with Pingxin introduces a tender contrast to the chapter’s cosmic conflicts, presenting Lu Chen’s reborn spirit as an innocent child.
• The restoration of justice: Nuwa and Pingxin’s decision to recover Lu Chen’s body marks the beginning of a long-awaited reckoning with the Devouring Demon God.

Character Interactions

• Yuanshi Tianzun formally receives Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao as disciples.
• Tongtian and Nuwa exchange suspicions about Shi Chen and work together to uncover the truth.
• Nuwa confronts Pingxin over the earlier deception, expressing anger at having been misled.
• Tongtian warmly speaks with Ordinary, unaware at first that the child is Lu Chen’s original spirit.
• Pingxin reunites Ordinary with herself and is affectionately addressed as “Mother,” leaving Nuwa and Tongtian shocked.
• Nuwa and Pingxin ultimately unite around the shared goal of rescuing Lu Chen’s body.