Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Cooperation? Demon God Phantom”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Carefree Island is left largely empty: Six Ears is in the Heavenly Court, Lu Ya is with the Human Race, and Bai Geng has followed Lu Ya. A black-clothed man remains on the island, guarding—or attempting to control—a golden youth.
• The black-clothed man reveals that the youth contains only a fragment of divine sense. He claims that removing it would prevent the youth from remaining in the Primordial World, then attempts to seize the youth’s body and use it as nourishment.
• Meanwhile, Nuwa visits Hongjun in Zixiao Palace under the pretense of sharing tea. Their meeting quickly becomes a confrontation over Shi Chen, whom Hongjun had concealed as bait.
• Hongjun explains that Shi Chen was deliberately hidden so that the Paths of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity would reveal their selfish interests by trying to protect or exploit him. Nuwa recognizes that she and Pingxin have already taken the bait.
• Hongjun proposes cooperation among the three Paths. Though Nuwa considers the plan extremely dangerous, she agrees to discuss it with Pingxin. Hongjun implies that, having reached the limits of their current cultivation, they must risk everything to seek a higher realm.
• After the agreement, Nuwa departs, while Pingxin and Tongtian arrive at Carefree Island to confront Shi Chen and reclaim what belongs to them.
• Tongtian attacks with sword energy, but Shi Chen counters with a black bottle that generates immense suction. Pingxin effortlessly freezes the surrounding world with a single command: “Still.”
• Pingxin then uses her power to force two entities out of Shi Chen’s body: a faint golden figure identified as Lu Chen and a massive, terrifying six-armed, twelve-eyed Demon God Phantom.
• Tongtian and Pingxin immediately recognize that the golden figure is Lu Chen, despite his indistinct form. The Demon God Phantom, however, is confused about how he was discovered despite possessing Lu Chen’s memories.
• Tongtian explains that he could distinguish his disciple’s true nature from the impostor’s memories. The chapter ends with the Demon God Phantom calmly asking Pingxin what she intends to do with him.

Character Developments

• Hongjun is revealed as an exceptionally calculating strategist. He concealed Shi Chen not out of loyalty, but as bait to expose the selfishness of the three cosmic Paths. He now seeks an unprecedented alliance between Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.
• Nuwa demonstrates caution and insight. She quickly understands Hongjun’s scheme, recognizes that she and Pingxin have been manipulated, yet accepts that cooperation may be necessary because all three Paths have reached a dead end.
• Pingxin displays overwhelming control over reality. Her command freezes both the demon’s attack and the surrounding environment, and she is able to extract hidden beings from Shi Chen’s body with ease.
• Tongtian remains fiercely protective of Lu Chen and confident in his ability to recognize his disciple’s true identity. His immediate attack shows his willingness to confront the threat directly.
• Shi Chen is exposed as a host or vessel connected to the Demon God Phantom. His earlier apparent identity is undermined, and his body becomes the site of a struggle over Lu Chen and the phantom.
• Lu Chen is revealed to have been trapped or concealed within Shi Chen. Though physically weak and indistinct, he retains enough identity for Pingxin and Tongtian to recognize him.
• The Demon God Phantom is established as a powerful, intelligent entity possessing Lu Chen’s memories but not his true identity. He remains composed even after being forcibly expelled and captured.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and political strategy: Hongjun treats Shi Chen as bait in a larger conflict, showing that even apparently protective actions may serve hidden agendas.
• The selfishness of cosmic forces: The chapter challenges the idea that the Heavenly, Earthly, and Human Paths are impartial. Each pursues its own interests despite claiming to uphold order.
• Cooperation through mutual self-interest: The three Paths may be rivals, but their shared limitations and ambitions create a basis for alliance.
• Identity versus memory: The Demon God Phantom possesses Lu Chen’s memories but is not Lu Chen, emphasizing that true identity depends on more than accumulated experiences.
• Risk and transcendence: Hongjun argues that those who have reached the limits of their current paths must gamble everything to advance, framing danger as the only remaining route toward the Great Dao.
• Power and control: Pingxin’s effortless suppression of the island and extraction of the hidden entities underscores the vast difference between her strength and the phantom’s.

Important Character Interactions

• Hongjun and Nuwa: Their tea meeting is a strategic confrontation disguised as courtesy. Nuwa exposes Hongjun’s manipulation, while Hongjun turns the revelation into a proposal for cooperation.
• Nuwa and Pingxin: Although Pingxin is not present during the conversation, Nuwa acknowledges that any final decision must be made jointly with her, emphasizing their partnership.
• Pingxin and Tongtian: They arrive together to reclaim what has been taken from Lu Chen, combining Pingxin’s absolute control with Tongtian’s direct combat power.
• Tongtian and the Demon God Phantom: Tongtian rejects the phantom’s claim to Lu Chen’s identity and attacks him immediately, asserting his authority as Lu Chen’s master.
• Pingxin and the Demon God Phantom: Pingxin exposes and separates the phantom from Shi Chen’s body, placing the demon in a helpless position. The chapter ends with her holding the decisive power over his fate.

Chapter Summary: “Lu Chen Returns”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Demon Shadow is defeated after Pingxin extracts and suppresses his soul. Unable to resist or self-destruct, he is destroyed by Pingxin’s attack, leaving behind only a mysterious black mass—the Devouring Origin.
• Little Ordinary unexpectedly recognizes Lu Chen’s silhouette and concludes that he is his father because of their instinctive blood connection. This shocks Tongtian and reveals that Ordinary is connected to Lu Chen’s former identity.
• Pingxin explains that she did not send Lu Chen’s Primordial Spirit through Samsara. Instead, she sealed his memories and raised the resulting child as Ordinary to protect his soul from the dangers of reincarnation.
• Ordinary realizes that he and Lu Chen are essentially the same person. Pingxin reassures him that he will not die, though she privately understands that Ordinary’s individual memories and identity will eventually be erased.
• Pingxin awakens the sealed portion of Lu Chen’s Primordial Spirit within Ordinary. Lu Chen recognizes the remaining Devouring Origin as the source of the Devouring Demon God’s influence and decides to absorb it.
• Lu Chen separates from Ordinary’s body, merges with the Devouring Origin, and uses its power to restore himself through the black-clad young man.
• His appearance changes back to the familiar form of Lu Chen. Tongtian recognizes him, and Lu Chen declares, “Master, I have returned.”
• Lu Chen then asks Pingxin whether the restored child should remain with her or accompany him, revealing that he erased Ordinary’s memories of the recent events.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Fully reclaims his identity and returns from a fragmented, nearly extinguished state. He accepts that Ordinary is another version of himself and uses the Devouring Origin to restore his strength rather than beginning cultivation anew.
• Ordinary: Shows surprising intelligence and emotional clarity despite his youth. He identifies Lu Chen as his father through instinct and bloodline, then learns that his existence is tied to Lu Chen’s sealed Primordial Spirit. His independent identity is ultimately absorbed or overwritten.
• Pingxin: Reveals that she raised Ordinary out of concern for Lu Chen’s safety, avoiding the risks of Samsara. Her affection for Ordinary is genuine, but she accepts that his separate memories must be sacrificed for Lu Chen’s restoration.
• Tongtian: Remains an observer to the tense family revelation and is amused by Little Ordinary’s blunt question. He is visibly shocked and pleased when Lu Chen finally returns.
• Demon Shadow: Suffers total defeat and humiliation. His earlier contempt for Lu Chen is overturned as Lu Chen becomes someone far beyond his power.
• Devouring Demon God: Though his consciousness is gone, the Devouring Origin remains important as the source of past corruption and becomes the means by which Lu Chen restores himself.

Significant Themes

• Identity and continuity: The chapter explores whether Ordinary and Lu Chen are separate people or different stages of the same existence.
• Sacrifice and rebirth: Ordinary’s memories and individuality are sacrificed so Lu Chen can return, raising questions about whether survival justifies the loss of another identity.
• Parental bonds and bloodline: Ordinary’s instinctive recognition of Lu Chen highlights the connection between family, bloodline, and inherited spiritual identity.
• Protection through concealment: Pingxin’s decision to seal Lu Chen’s memories demonstrates how love can involve deception and painful choices.
• The triumph of the once-weakened: Lu Chen’s return reverses the earlier power imbalance, showing how those once dismissed as insignificant can surpass their former enemies.

Character Interactions

• Ordinary and Lu Chen: Ordinary innocently identifies Lu Chen as his father, while Lu Chen realizes that the child is both separate from and identical to him.
• Pingxin and Ordinary: Pingxin acts as a mother figure, comforting him while concealing the painful truth that his personal memories will disappear.
• Pingxin and Lu Chen: Their exchange reflects gratitude, sacrifice, and mutual understanding. Lu Chen thanks her for protecting him, while Pingxin helps reunite his Primordial Spirit with his restored body.
• Tongtian and Lu Chen: Tongtian witnesses Lu Chen’s return with surprise and emotion, while Lu Chen addresses him as his master, confirming the restoration of their former relationship.
• Lu Chen and the Devouring Origin: Lu Chen turns the remnant of the force that once threatened him into a source of nourishment and power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen explains that he has become an independent individual after separating part of his Primordial Spirit to create Ordinary as a distinct being.
• Pingxin realizes that Lu Chen could have used Ordinary’s body to restore his complete Primordial Spirit and rapidly recover his cultivation, but Lu Chen deliberately chose not to do so.
• Lu Chen asks Pingxin to let Ordinary stay with him for several years before allowing Ordinary to choose whom he wishes to follow.
• After waking, Ordinary instinctively embraces Pingxin and asks about Lu Chen. Lu Chen tells him that they originated from the same source and invites him to call him “Father.”
• Ordinary happily accepts, while Tongtian becomes alarmed because Ordinary already calls Pingxin “Mother.” Fearing the scandal this implied relationship could cause, Tongtian quickly leaves.
• Pingxin also departs, leaving Ordinary with Lu Chen. Ordinary readily agrees to live with him and innocently asks when Lu Chen will live with Pingxin. Lu Chen avoids answering and shifts responsibility to Pingxin.
• At Biyou Palace, Tongtian checks Lu Chen’s condition. Lu Chen reveals that he has absorbed the Devouring Demon God’s origin and reached the Second Heaven of Grand Primordial Luo. Once his Primordial Spirit heals, he can attempt to advance further.
• Lu Chen reveals that he had long known Tongtian could read his thoughts. Tongtian’s apparent access to Lu Chen’s inner thoughts was actually something Lu Chen deliberately allowed him to hear.
• Lu Chen explains that Tongtian’s decision to follow the path of laws and his suspiciously powerful Green Duckweed Sword exposed the truth.
• As the Investiture Tribulation approaches, Tongtian asks how the Jie Sect can survive. Lu Chen answers that the Primordial World is a chessboard and everyone is a piece; they should wait for someone else to make the first move.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates self-sacrifice and foresight by giving up the optimal path to recovery so Ordinary can become an independent person. He also establishes a parental relationship with Ordinary and shows that he has been secretly aware of Tongtian’s actions for a long time.
• Ordinary: Quickly accepts Lu Chen as his father and willingly chooses to stay with him, showing his innocence, dependence, and desire for a complete family.
• Pingxin: Is conflicted by Lu Chen’s sacrifice and silently accepts his decision. Her failure to deny Lu Chen’s claim allows Ordinary to fully believe that Lu Chen is his father.
• Tongtian: Shows concern for Lu Chen but is embarrassed and frightened by the implications of Ordinary calling Pingxin “Mother” and Lu Chen “Father.” He also realizes that Lu Chen had seen through his secret.
• Lu Chen and Tongtian’s relationship: Their teacher-disciple bond remains close, but Lu Chen’s superior awareness and strategic deception become increasingly clear.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and independence: Lu Chen willingly damages his own cultivation so that Ordinary can exist as an independent life rather than merely serving as a tool for his recovery.
• Family and identity: Ordinary’s origins lead to an unconventional father-son relationship, raising questions about whether shared spiritual origin constitutes genuine kinship.
• Trust and hidden knowledge: Tongtian believes he has been secretly reading Lu Chen’s thoughts, but Lu Chen had already discovered and manipulated this advantage.
• Strategy and patience: The approaching Investiture Tribulation is presented as a political and cosmic game in which survival depends on observing the board and waiting for opponents to act first.
• Humor amid cosmic conflict: Ordinary’s innocent questions about Lu Chen living with Pingxin contrast with the immense danger and political implications surrounding their relationship.

Chapter Summary: The Four Sages’ Scheme

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen meets with Tongtian and discusses the mysterious “tribulation child” bearing the Flying Bear visage. Because heavenly secrets are concealed, the sects cannot locate the child through divination, leaving the matter to fate and the child’s own allegiance.
• Lu Chen instructs Tongtian to close the Jie Sect’s gates and stop accepting outside disciples. Tongtian trusts him completely and agrees without demanding an explanation.
• Lu Chen reassures Tongtian that the coming conflict with the other sects does not necessarily have to end in a fight to the death. He explains that Heavenly Dao Sages possess immense power but remain bound to the Heavenly Dao, unlike those who reached their strength independently.
• Lu Chen reflects on the likely future of the Investiture of the Gods tribulation. In the original course of events, Tongtian would become enraged and shatter the Primordial World, creating the Four Continents. However, Lu Chen believes that under the altered timeline, the Four Sages may instead be the ones who trigger the world’s destruction.
• He also recognizes that the relationship between Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao is unstable and realizes that, through the Creation Jade Butterfly fragment and the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, he has become involved in a much larger and more dangerous scheme.
• Lu Chen then leaves to take Ordinary to the Human Race’s capital, Chaoge.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. He takes direct control of the Jie Sect’s preparations, anticipates the possibility of a catastrophic war, and recognizes that hidden forces—including Hongjun, the Heavenly Dao, and the Devouring Demon God—may be manipulating events.
• Tongtian demonstrates deep trust in Lu Chen by accepting the order to close the sect without question. His main concern is whether the coming war will require killing his fellow sages, revealing his lingering attachment to his brothers despite their growing hostility.
• Yuanshi openly abandons familial loyalty and initiates a plot against Tongtian. His arrogance remains pronounced, as he treats Zhunti and Jieyin as tools rather than equals.
• Laozi joins Yuanshi’s scheme, maintaining his usual calm and authority. His promise of benefits to the Western Sect shows that he is willing to manipulate the wider balance of power for strategic gain.
• Zhunti and Jieyin conceal their hatred and opportunism behind false humility. Zhunti handles negotiation while Jieyin makes the final decision, revealing their complementary roles within the Western Sect.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus betrayal: Tongtian trusts Lu Chen, while Yuanshi and Laozi conspire against their own brother.
• Political manipulation: The sages treat sects, the Human Race, and even the Investiture List as pieces in a larger political game.
• Fate and altered destiny: Lu Chen understands the original future but is actively changing its course, creating new possibilities and dangers.
• Power and dependence: Heavenly Dao Sages may be powerful, but their authority depends on the Heavenly Dao, making their apparent supremacy conditional.
• Hidden cosmic schemes: The Creation Jade Butterfly, the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, Hongjun, and the Heavenly Dao suggest that the sect conflict is connected to deeper struggles involving resurrection, karma, and control of the Primordial World.
• The danger of escalation: The possible destruction of the Primordial World looms over the chapter, whether caused by Tongtian in the original timeline or by the Four Sages in the revised one.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Tongtian share a relationship based on trust and strategic cooperation. Lu Chen gives firm instructions, while Tongtian accepts them and worries primarily about the moral cost of the coming conflict.
• Yuanshi attempts to recruit Zhunti and Jieyin by appealing to their hatred of Tongtian. The Western brothers initially suspect a trap but accept once the potential benefits become clear.
• Zhunti and Jieyin use mutual glances and coded exchanges to coordinate their positions: Zhunti negotiates, while Jieyin gives approval.
• Laozi’s arrival strengthens Yuanshi’s proposal. He offers the Western Sect future influence in the East and promises an era of prosperity in exchange for its participation.
• The four opposing sages ultimately agree to cooperate, planning to use the Human Race as their chess piece, unite the four sects, destroy the Jie Sect, and fill the Investiture List.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen takes Ordinary, who has lived almost entirely in isolation, on his first visit to Chaoge. Ordinary is fascinated by the crowded streets and asks about the food and people around him.
• Lu Chen buys the entire candied-hawthorn stand from an old vendor using a golden leaf, allowing the old man to retire comfortably.
• Lu Chen predicts that the valuable golden leaf will attract greedy criminals. Two men follow the old vendor, but lightning strikes and kills them before they can rob him, confirming Lu Chen’s warning while protecting the old man.
• Lu Chen decides to introduce Ordinary to his junior sisters, Holy Mothers Wudang and Guiling, who are staying in the Eldest Young Master’s Residence.
• At the residence, Lu Chen and Ordinary are initially treated dismissively by the guard. Wudang senses Lu Chen’s presence and is shocked and angered because he resembles her Senior Brother.
• Wudang attacks Lu Chen, believing he is an impostor using her Senior Brother’s appearance. Ordinary protects Lu Chen by crushing the incoming black attack.
• When Ordinary calls Lu Chen his father, Wudang becomes even more convinced that he is a fake. Lu Chen then immobilizes her with overwhelming power, reprimanding her for attacking without first listening.
• Wudang recognizes that Lu Chen possesses power resembling their teacher Tongtian’s, but this only strengthens her belief that he cannot truly be her Senior Brother, whose cultivation foundation was supposedly destroyed and who was believed to be only a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Acts as a caring and protective father while guiding Ordinary through the mortal world. He displays generosity toward the candied-hawthorn seller but also a realistic understanding of human greed. His patience has limits, however, and he decisively restrains Wudang after her unjustified attack.
• Ordinary: Experiences the outside world for the first time and shows childlike curiosity about people, food, and family relationships. He is fiercely protective of Lu Chen, immediately intervening when Wudang attacks him.
• Holy Mother Wudang: Remains deeply suspicious and angry because someone—the Devouring Demon God—has apparently been impersonating Lu Chen. Her attachment to and defense of her Senior Brother lead her to attack first, but her certainty is shaken by Lu Chen’s immense power.
• The candied-hawthorn seller: Receives unexpected wealth and plans to retire, though he does not realize how much danger the golden leaf might attract.
• The residence guard: Behaves arrogantly toward Lu Chen, revealing the social hierarchy and prejudice within the residence.

Significant Themes

• Human greed and the dangers of wealth: Lu Chen explains that profit can provoke betrayal and violence even among family members. The attempted robbery illustrates his cynical but accurate view of human nature.
• Appearances versus identity: Wudang sees Lu Chen’s familiar face but refuses to accept that he is truly her Senior Brother because his power, circumstances, and having a child contradict what she knows.
• Family and belonging: Ordinary begins discovering that Lu Chen has many fellow disciples who may become his uncles and aunts. His desire to understand his family contrasts with Wudang’s inability to recognize Lu Chen.
• Protection and loyalty: Ordinary instinctively defends his father, while Wudang attacks Lu Chen out of what she believes is loyalty to her real Senior Brother.
• Power and misunderstanding: Lu Chen’s overwhelming strength proves he is far more formidable than Wudang expects, but instead of resolving the misunderstanding, it makes his identity seem even less plausible to her.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen gently introduces Ordinary to city life, answers his questions, and teaches him about greed and danger.
• Ordinary questions Lu Chen’s family connections and begins mentally organizing the many relatives he may have.
• Lu Chen and the residence guard clash indirectly: the guard treats him with contempt, while Lu Chen ignores the insult as beneath his notice.
• Wudang confronts Lu Chen, accusing him of impersonating her Senior Brother. Ordinary steps between them, defending Lu Chen as his father.
• Lu Chen restrains Wudang and challenges her stubborn assumptions, while Wudang continues to reject the possibility that he is truly the person she once knew.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen overwhelms Wudang with immense pressure after she attacks him, nearly forcing her to give up resisting.
• He suddenly withdraws the pressure and reveals the powerful sword intent of the Shangqing Sword Canon, proving that he is truly the Jie Sect’s Eldest Senior Brother rather than the suspicious “Shi Chen.”
• Wudang recognizes the familiar sword intent and accepts Lu Chen’s identity, apologizing for attacking him.
• Lu Chen lectures her for acting rashly. He warns that cultivators must remain calm, assess an opponent’s strength, and never attack without near-certain victory, especially in the dangerous Primordial World.
• Wudang questions Lu Chen’s cultivation, noting that she cannot sense any aura from him despite the terrifying strength he displayed. Lu Chen refuses to reveal his current realm, hinting that she will discover it in the future.
• Wudang then examines Ordinary, the mysterious figure accompanying Lu Chen. She cannot perceive his cultivation, sensing only overwhelming vitality.
• Lu Chen explains that Ordinary is not his disciple. Ordinary unexpectedly announces that he is Lu Chen’s son, and Lu Chen confirms it.
• Wudang is stunned and immediately begins wondering who Lu Chen’s Dao companion could be, mentally considering several of their fellow Jie Sect sisters.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen: Demonstrates overwhelming strength and confirms his identity through the Shangqing Sword Canon. He appears calm, teasing, and authoritative, taking the opportunity to guide Wudang in proper combat judgment. He continues concealing the true level of his cultivation.
• Wudang: Moves from suspicion and hostility to relief and respect after recognizing Lu Chen. Her rashness is exposed, and she humbly accepts his reprimand. Her shock at Ordinary’s identity introduces a more emotional and curious side to her character.
• Ordinary: Reveals himself as Lu Chen’s son. His body possesses extraordinary power, having been forged by Pingxin from the essence blood of the Twelve Ancestral Witches and numerous supreme treasures. Although he has not yet fully mastered this power, his physical foundation is already close to that of a mighty expert.

Significant Themes

• Identity and recognition: Lu Chen’s sword intent serves as definitive proof of his true identity, overcoming Wudang’s confusion caused by his transformation and the existence of Shi Chen.
• The danger of recklessness: Lu Chen emphasizes that even a small miscalculation can lead to death in the perilous Primordial World.
• Hidden strength and mystery: Lu Chen conceals his cultivation, while Ordinary’s true origins and potential also remain extraordinary but not fully understood.
• Power and karmic consequences: Lu Chen abandoned Ordinary’s powerful body partly because using it to rebuild himself would incur immense karmic burdens, suggesting that strength must be weighed against its consequences.
• Family and surprise: Ordinary’s sudden declaration that he is Lu Chen’s son dramatically shifts the scene from a confrontation over identity to a humorous and bewildering family revelation.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen suppresses Wudang, then reassures her by revealing the Shangqing Sword Canon.
• Wudang apologizes after realizing she attacked her true Eldest Senior Brother, while Lu Chen responds with a stern but instructional lecture.
• Wudang probes Lu Chen about his cultivation, but he playfully refuses to answer directly.
• Wudang investigates Ordinary’s strength, only to learn from Ordinary himself that he is Lu Chen’s son.
• Lu Chen confirms Ordinary’s claim, leaving Wudang speechless and speculating about the child’s mother, particularly among their fellow Jie Sect sisters.

Chapter Summary: Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao Descend the Mountain

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wudang questions Ordinary about his mother, attempting to coax the information from him with promises of toys and food. Ordinary refuses because he dislikes her for having previously attacked Lu Chen.
• Lu Chen explains that he came to Chaoge because he sensed baleful energy over the city. Wudang reveals that King Dixin has launched a major campaign against Dongyi, whose forces have trapped an army of one million soldiers along with the famed commander Wen Zhong.
• Concerned by Dixin’s growing ambition and expansionist policies, Lu Chen decides that he wants to meet the Shang King, though he postpones the meeting and continues touring Chaoge with Ordinary.
• After Lu Chen leaves, Wudang asks Yin Jiao for permission to punish the gate guard who previously humiliated Lu Chen. She kills the guard’s soul by throwing it into a lamp flame, demonstrating her continuing hostility and lack of restraint.
• While walking through Chaoge, Ordinary warns Lu Chen that Dixin’s ambition and warfare may eventually destroy him. Lu Chen acknowledges the danger but remains confident that his own strength will protect him from becoming entangled in the Shang King’s downfall.
• At Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi Tianzun orders Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao to descend the mountain and fulfill their respective missions.
• Jiang Ziya hesitates because he feels his cultivation is incomplete, but Yuanshi assures him that he may return after completing his task. Shen Gongbao declines Jiang Ziya’s offer to travel together, saying that they follow different paths.
• Once away from the palace, Shen Gongbao’s long-suppressed resentment erupts. He feels Yuanshi has unfairly favored Jiang Ziya despite Shen Gongbao’s superior effort and cultivation, and he vows that Yuanshi will eventually regret neglecting him.
• Yuanshi and Laozi reveal that both Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao possess the Flying Bear Sign and are central to their plan. However, Jiang Ziya’s destiny is to preside over the Investiture of the Gods, while Shen Gongbao is expected to join the Jie Sect and play a different role.

Character Developments

• Ordinary displays loyalty and emotional clarity. He openly dislikes Wudang because she attacked Lu Chen and shows unusual awareness of the dangers of ambition and war.
• Lu Chen remains protective and affectionate toward Ordinary. He recognizes the risks posed by Dixin but is confident in his own ability to avoid being dragged into political disaster.
• Wudang is shown to be vindictive and fiercely loyal to Lu Chen, punishing the gate guard even after Lu Chen has already left. Her outward gentleness toward Ordinary contrasts sharply with her ruthless behavior.
• Shen Gongbao reaches a major emotional breaking point. Years of feeling ignored and unfairly treated by Yuanshi turn into open resentment and a determination to prove himself.
• Jiang Ziya appears humble and insecure about his abilities, yet he enjoys Yuanshi’s trust and a destiny of great importance despite his weak cultivation.
• Yuanshi Tianzun is frustrated by Jiang Ziya’s poor aptitude but continues to support him because of his destined role. He views Shen Gongbao’s superior talent as insufficient without the proper destiny.
• Laozi acts as a calm interpreter of fate, emphasizing that innate destiny matters more than cultivation alone.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus ability: Shen Gongbao is more talented and powerful, while Jiang Ziya is weak in cultivation but possesses the destiny required for the Investiture of the Gods.
• Ambition and self-destruction: Dixin’s military expansion is presented as a potential source of the Shang Dynasty’s eventual downfall.
• Resentment caused by favoritism: Shen Gongbao’s anger comes from believing that effort and talent have been ignored in favor of Jiang Ziya’s predetermined fate.
• Family loyalty and moral influence: Ordinary’s concern for Lu Chen reflects the influence of his mother and the Witch Clan’s history of suffering through war.
• Ruthlessness beneath civility: Wudang’s friendly façade quickly gives way to lethal vengeance, reinforcing the contrast between appearances and true intentions.
• The beginning of a larger divine plan: Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao’s departure marks the start of the events that will lead toward the Investiture of the Gods and the conflict between sects.

Important Character Interactions

• Wudang and Ordinary: Wudang tries to win Ordinary’s trust, but he rejects her because of her treatment of Lu Chen.
• Wudang and Lu Chen: She respectfully addresses him as her senior brother, yet her later actions show fierce personal loyalty and hostility toward anyone who insults him.
• Lu Chen and Ordinary: Their conversation reveals a warm father-son relationship. Ordinary worries about Lu Chen’s involvement with Dixin, while Lu Chen reassures him.
• Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya: Jiang Ziya offers companionship, but Shen Gongbao rejects him, symbolizing their diverging destinies and the emotional distance between them.
• Yuanshi and Shen Gongbao: Their relationship is marked by neglect and resentment. Shen Gongbao believes Yuanshi deliberately denied him recognition despite his superior cultivation.
• Yuanshi and Laozi: Their discussion establishes the larger divine strategy and confirms that both disciples are being sent into the mortal world for different predetermined purposes.

Chapter Summary: Lu Chen’s Guidance for Dixin

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Gongbao begs Tongtian Sage to accept him as a disciple at Golden Turtle Island, but Tongtian informs him that the Interception Sect has closed its mountains.
• Shen Gongbao assumes Tongtian rejected him because he already possesses the Chan Sect’s Jade Clarity Formula. He considers destroying his cultivation to prove his sincerity but ultimately cannot bear to sacrifice everything he has worked for.
• His disappointment recalls his growing resentment toward the Chan Sect and Yuanshi. Though Jiang Ziya had inferior talent, Yuanshi treated Jiang Ziya with exceptional favor, while Shen Gongbao received coldness and exclusion.
• Tongtian watches Shen Gongbao leave and worries that, despite possessing the Flying Bear Sign, Shen Gongbao has taken a misguided path. Lu Chen’s earlier warnings make Tongtian suspect that Yuanshi may be manipulating events, possibly with the Investiture List already in Chan Sect hands.
• In Chaoge, Wudang deals with a guard who judged her by her appearance and then enters the royal palace. Rumors spread that Dixin will burn incense, purify himself, and cultivate his character.
• Lu Chen meets Dixin and questions him about what makes a qualified monarch. Dixin initially interprets the question as criticism of his governance and begins speculating about strengthening his royal lineage.
• Lu Chen clarifies that a ruler must possess benevolent love for the people. Dixin immediately understands the lesson and decides to send an envoy to Dongyi to negotiate peace and end the conflict.
• Lu Chen leaves Chaoge with Ordinary, intending to travel elsewhere after visiting his disciples and touring the city.
• At the Dongyi border camp, Wen Zhong receives news that Dixin has sent an envoy. He and the young generals worry that the king may be ordering an immediate military advance, but Wen Zhong promises to preserve the existing strategy and accept responsibility if Dixin objects.

Character Developments

• Shen Gongbao: His insecurity, ambition, and resentment deepen. He remains unwilling to abandon his cultivation, showing that his desire for recognition competes with his attachment to power and achievement.
• Tongtian: He becomes more cautious and suspicious of Yuanshi’s schemes. His concern for Shen Gongbao is tempered by the possibility that the latter is connected to a larger political or sectarian plot.
• Lu Chen: He acts as a responsible guide to Dixin, carefully correcting the king’s potentially dangerous assumptions and protecting his own reputation from being blamed for future tyranny.
• Dixin: He demonstrates intelligence and responsiveness to Lu Chen’s instruction, quickly shifting from thoughts of dynasty-building and heirs to the importance of peace and benevolent rule.
• Wen Zhong: He remains loyal and pragmatic, protecting his troops and established military strategy while preparing to shoulder blame for difficult decisions.

Significant Themes

• Resentment caused by unequal treatment: Shen Gongbao’s hatred grows from witnessing Jiang Ziya receive favor and affection that he himself was denied.
• Destiny versus personal choices: Shen Gongbao’s Flying Bear Sign suggests a special destiny, yet Tongtian believes he is choosing a misguided path.
• The responsibilities of rulership: Lu Chen emphasizes that a monarch’s legitimacy depends not only on prosperity or military strength, but also on compassion and benevolent governance.
• Misinterpretation and unintended consequences: Dixin initially misunderstands Lu Chen’s question, showing how easily advice can be twisted into self-serving conclusions if it is not clearly explained.
• Political and sectarian manipulation: Tongtian suspects that Yuanshi and the Chan Sect are maneuvering behind the scenes, particularly regarding the Investiture List.

Character Interactions

• Shen Gongbao and Tongtian: Shen Gongbao pleads for discipleship, while Tongtian refuses because of the sect’s closure and his suspicions about Shen Gongbao’s circumstances.
• Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya: Though Jiang Ziya is not present, Shen Gongbao’s memories of their contrasting treatment define much of his bitterness.
• Lu Chen and Dixin: Their meeting is the chapter’s central interaction. Lu Chen redirects Dixin’s ambition toward compassion, prompting him to pursue peace with Dongyi.
• Lu Chen and Ordinary: Lu Chen treats Ordinary affectionately and includes her in his travels after introducing her to her martial aunts and showing her Chaoge.
• Wen Zhong and his generals: Wen Zhong reassures his officers that he will maintain their strategy and protect them from possible royal blame, strengthening their confidence in him.

Summary: “Shen Gongbao Enters Xiqi”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shang Rong arrives at Wen Zhong’s military camp carrying Dixin’s verbal edict: the Shang army must immediately halt its campaign against Dongyi, reorganize, and prepare to withdraw.
• Wen Zhong and his generals are surprised because Dixin had previously shown strong determination to pursue the war. Shang Rong explains that he has also been ordered to escort a delegation to Dongyi and negotiate peace.
• Wen Zhong assigns Huang Feihu to protect Shang Rong during the mission.
• Shang Rong later reveals that the change in policy followed Lu Chen’s visit to Chaoge. Known as the “Holy Father,” Lu Chen summoned Dixin, after which the king became more diligent and more moderate in his rule.
• Shang Rong successfully negotiates with the leaders of Dongyi’s tribes. Although tribes that had already suffered losses oppose peace, the unaffected tribes favor ending the conflict rather than risking a wider war. Since Dongyi depends on unity among its tribes, the dissenters are forced to accept the treaty.
• The alliance between Shang and Dongyi ends the war. As a result, the baleful energy surrounding Chaoge disperses, and the Shang Dynasty’s national fate unexpectedly extends from roughly four hundred years to a thousand.
• Yuanshi of Jade Void Palace observes these changes with surprise. His plan to use a prolonged Shang-Dongyi war to weaken the Shang Dynasty, empower a replacement regime, and eliminate Jie Sect disciples is disrupted, though he quickly turns his attention back to Shen Gongbao.
• Shen Gongbao, after leaving Golden Turtle Island, travels through the world making connections with wandering immortals. While wondering about the tribulation predicted for him and Jiang Ziya, he unknowingly arrives at Xiqi.
• He sees a notice titled “Gathering Immortals Order” and decides to enter Xiqi to meet talented human figures. Shen believes that building enough friendships may help him survive his future tribulation.
• Meanwhile, Jiang Ziya descends from Kunlun Mountain and returns to Song Family Village. Nostalgic and reflective, he arrives at the Song residence and knocks on the door.

Character Developments

• Wen Zhong: Demonstrates loyalty and military discipline by following Dixin’s unexpected order, but his confusion reveals that he recognizes the change as politically significant. He also feels jealousy and regret at having never met Lu Chen.
• Shang Rong: Acts as a capable royal envoy, conveying Dixin’s orders and successfully negotiating peace with Dongyi. His calm explanation helps Wen Zhong understand the transformation occurring in Chaoge.
• Dixin: Although absent from the chapter, he is shown to have changed under Lu Chen’s influence, becoming more diligent, restrained, and willing to abandon a costly war.
• Lu Chen: His unseen intervention has a major effect on Dixin and the fate of the Shang Dynasty, establishing him as a powerful and mysterious influence.
• Huang Feihu: Accepts responsibility for escorting Shang Rong, reinforcing his role as a dependable military commander.
• Yuanshi: Reveals his long-term strategy against the Shang Dynasty and Jie Sect. The unexpected peace frustrates his plans, but he remains confident and redirects his attention to Shen Gongbao.
• Shen Gongbao: Becomes increasingly focused on forming alliances and friendships as a way to survive his predicted tribulation. His arrival in Xiqi positions him to encounter important human figures.
• Jiang Ziya: Begins his return to ordinary human society after leaving Kunlun Mountain, showing nostalgia and emotional attachment to his former home.

Significant Themes

• Changing destiny: The end of the Dongyi war alters the predicted lifespan of the Shang Dynasty, suggesting that fate can be redirected by individual interventions.
• Political transformation: Lu Chen’s influence changes Dixin’s character and governance, demonstrating how personal guidance can reshape an entire dynasty.
• Hidden strategic conflict: The peace treaty is not merely a political development; it undermines Yuanshi’s larger plans involving the Shang Dynasty, the Jie Sect, and the Investiture List.
• Friendship and survival: Shen Gongbao views relationships as both valuable alliances and possible protection against tribulation, contrasting with Yuanshi’s manipulation of people for strategic purposes.
• Peace versus ambition: The chapter presents the peace with Dongyi as beneficial to the common stability of the Human Race, while revealing that powerful immortals may prefer war because it serves their broader agendas.
• Fate and coincidence: Shen Gongbao reaches Xiqi without realizing its significance, while Jiang Ziya simultaneously returns to his former home, suggesting that their destinies are beginning to converge.

Important Character Interactions

• Wen Zhong and Shang Rong: Their exchange establishes the new royal policy and highlights Wen Zhong’s surprise at Dixin’s transformation.
• Wen Zhong and Huang Feihu: Wen Zhong entrusts Huang Feihu with protecting Shang Rong, showing military cooperation and hierarchy.
• Shang Rong and the Dongyi tribal leaders: Their negotiations expose divisions within the alliance and ultimately secure peace.
• Dixin and Lu Chen: Though shown only through Shang Rong’s report, their meeting is the central cause of the political changes.
• Yuanshi and Shen Gongbao: Yuanshi has previously sent Shen Gongbao away and is now monitoring whether he has entered the Jie Sect, revealing a manipulative and distrustful relationship.
• Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya: Their friendship is mentioned as significant, and the chapter places both men in Xiqi at the same time, foreshadowing their future involvement in the larger conflict.

Chapter Summary: “The Grand Gathering of the Jie Sect”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ziya returns to his hometown after decades of seeking immortality on Kunlun Mountain. He reunites emotionally with his childhood friend, Song Yiren, and reveals that he has become Yuanshi Tianzun’s disciple and learned the orthodox Yuqing Immortal Method.
• To prove his cultivation, Jiang Ziya uses magical power to lift a heavy stone mill, astonishing Song Yiren and his descendants.
• Song Yiren tells Jiang Ziya that his former fiancée, Ma Shi, has remained unmarried for decades, faithfully waiting for him. Despite her advanced age and his status as an immortal cultivator, Jiang Ziya chooses to honor their old marriage contract.
• Jiang Ziya marries Ma Shi and uses his magical power to nourish both her and Song Yiren, extending their lifespans.
• Shen Gongbao is warmly received by Ji Chang at the Marquis of West’s residence. Ji Chang values him highly because Shen Gongbao is his only immortal adviser, despite already having many martial generals.
• At the Western Sect’s Spirit Mountain, Zhunti prepares to interfere in the affairs of the Shang Dynasty. He sends out multiple incarnations to spread both benevolence and malicious doctrines, stir popular unrest, and encourage rebellion.
• The North Sea tribal leader Yuan Futong launches a major rebellion. Dixin asks for a commander, and his eldest son, Yin Jiao, volunteers. Dixin entrusts him with an army of 200,000 and orders him to destroy the rebels.
• Ordinary questions why rebellions continue despite the Shang Dynasty not engaging in harsh rule or unjust wars. Lu Chen explains that powerful sages are deliberately weakening the dynasty’s Fortune through repeated unrest, most likely Zhunti.
• Lu Chen decides the Jie Sect must respond rather than allow the Western Sect to believe it can act without consequence. He summons the Jie Sect’s disciples back to Biyou Island.
• Jie Sect disciples across the Heavenly Court immediately respond to the summons. Six Ears leaves Yao Ji and their child in the Heavenly Court and heads toward Biyou Island.
• Haotian becomes suspicious of the Jie Sect’s massive mobilization and goes to question Yao Ji about its purpose.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Jiang Ziya is shown as powerful yet emotionally loyal. Although he has become an immortal, he retains his gratitude toward Song Yiren and honors his past promise to Ma Shi. His reunion with Song Yiren highlights his deep attachment to his mortal roots.
• Song Yiren remains affectionate toward Jiang Ziya but worries about his friend’s changed status and the suitability of the old marriage arrangement. His descendants’ awe at Jiang Ziya’s powers emphasizes the vast gap between mortals and cultivators.
• Ma Shi is characterized by extraordinary fidelity, having waited decades for Jiang Ziya. Her faithfulness influences Jiang Ziya to fulfill the marriage contract.
• Shen Gongbao gains political importance as Ji Chang’s sole immortal master, giving the Western lords access to supernatural guidance.
• Dixin displays confidence in his son and sees in Yin Jiao the bravery and martial spirit of his own youth.
• Yin Jiao steps forward as a dutiful and ambitious heir, accepting command of a massive army.
• Ordinary shows compassion and an aversion to war, while Lu Chen acts as the experienced strategist who recognizes the deeper manipulation behind the rebellions.
• Zhunti is presented as a covert instigator who prefers indirect, disruptive schemes to weaken opponents.
• Six Ears and Yao Ji demonstrate marital trust and mutual understanding, though Six Ears’s departure also suggests the tension caused by his obligations to the Jie Sect.
• Haotian grows wary of the Jie Sect’s increasing influence and military-scale mobilization.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and honoring promises: Jiang Ziya’s decision to marry Ma Shi reflects the importance of faithfulness even after decades of separation and dramatic personal transformation.
• The bond between mortal and immortal worlds: Jiang Ziya’s reunion demonstrates that cultivation and immortality do not erase human attachments.
• Political manipulation and factional conflict: The rebellions are not portrayed as spontaneous dissatisfaction but as part of a larger struggle between rival sage factions.
• The hidden cost of war: Ordinary’s concern highlights the suffering caused when powerful beings use mortal kingdoms as pieces in their larger contest.
• Sect rivalry and retaliation: Lu Chen’s summons signals that the Jie Sect is prepared to answer the Western Sect’s covert attacks directly.
• The relationship between power and legitimacy: Ji Chang values Shen Gongbao because supernatural authority strengthens his political position, while Dixin relies on his son’s martial strength to preserve the dynasty.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ziya and Song Yiren share an emotional reunion rooted in decades-old brotherhood.
• Song Yiren confronts Jiang Ziya about Ma Shi, prompting Jiang Ziya to acknowledge his responsibility and fulfill the marriage contract.
• Ji Chang welcomes Shen Gongbao with exceptional respect, elevating the immortal above his ordinary military commanders.
• Dixin encourages Yin Jiao and entrusts him with a major military mission, reinforcing their father-son bond.
• Ordinary questions Lu Chen about the causes of unrest, allowing Lu Chen to explain the sages’ hidden strategy.
• Lu Chen summons the Jie Sect, while Six Ears informs Yao Ji before departing.
• Haotian’s arrival at Yao Ji’s palace sets up a confrontation over the Jie Sect’s intentions.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Haotian learns that Six Ears has abruptly left the Heavenly Court after receiving a summons from his master. Yao Ji speculates that the Jie Sect is preparing a major move, since other Jie Sect immortals likely received similar summonses.
• At Biyou Palace, Lu Chen reveals to Tongtian that Zhunti has been secretly manipulating wars and rebellions throughout the Shang Dynasty. The goal is to weaken the dynasty, which is closely connected to the Jie Sect through disciples such as Yin Jiao, Yin Hong, and Wen Zhong.
• Lu Chen argues that Zhunti would not dare act against the Jie Sect without powerful backing. Tongtian realizes that Yuanshi, Laozi, and the Western Sect have likely joined forces against him.
• This revelation finally destroys Tongtian’s remaining faith in his “brothers.” He accepts Lu Chen’s leadership and pledges his full support.
• When the Jie Sect disciples return, Lu Chen organizes their response:
  • Duobao is instructed to remain in the Heavenly Court, act normally, accumulate merit, and pursue advancement.
  • Jin Ling is ordered to warn her disciple Wen Zhong and strengthen the Jie Sect’s influence within the Shang Dynasty.
  • The other disciples are told to remain on Biyou Island and avoid acting independently.
• Lu Chen then instructs Tongtian to issue an official challenge to the other Sages. Tongtian agrees, and the Jie Sect openly declares war on the Three Religions.
• In Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi reacts with fury and shock. He suspects that Zhunti and Jieyin somehow exposed their alliance with Laozi and himself. The Western Sect Sages, angered by the accusation, threaten to end their prior cooperation.

2. Character Developments

• Tongtian: Experiences a decisive emotional break from Yuanshi and Laozi. His anger over their betrayal replaces his former hope of preserving brotherly relations. He accepts Lu Chen’s strategic authority and becomes willing to confront the other Sages directly.
• Lu Chen: Takes command of the Jie Sect’s defensive and political strategy. He demonstrates foresight by assigning each disciple a specific role and preventing them from acting recklessly.
• Duobao: Shows obedience and loyalty by accepting a covert role in the Heavenly Court, where he must conceal his knowledge and focus on cultivating merit.
• Jin Ling: Is entrusted with protecting the Jie Sect’s interests in the Shang Dynasty through Wen Zhong and expanding the sect’s influence among humans.
• Yuanshi: Reveals both outrage and insecurity. He is shocked that Tongtian discovered the alliance and immediately suspects the Western Sect.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: Become defensive after Yuanshi questions their loyalty. Their relationship with the other Sages begins to fracture under pressure.
• Haotian and Yao Ji: Serve as observers of the Jie Sect’s mobilization, highlighting that the conflict is becoming impossible for the wider Primordial World to ignore.

3. Significant Themes

• Betrayal and shattered brotherhood: Tongtian’s final loss of faith in his fellow Sages is the emotional center of the chapter.
• Strategic preparation versus complacency: Lu Chen emphasizes organized action, while the Jie Sect’s earlier destruction is implicitly linked to Tongtian’s former passive approach of avoiding conflict.
• Political and religious power struggles: The Shang Dynasty is not merely a human kingdom; it has become a battleground through which rival sects attempt to weaken one another.
• Loyalty and obedience: The Jie Sect disciples respond collectively and willingly to Lu Chen’s commands, contrasting with the distrust developing among the allied Sages.
• Open war replacing hidden schemes: The secret manipulation of the Shang Dynasty escalates into an explicit declaration of war, eliminating the possibility of quiet reconciliation.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Tongtian: Lu Chen exposes the conspiracy and persuades Tongtian to abandon his remaining trust in his brothers. Tongtian then places the Jie Sect’s response entirely under Lu Chen’s direction.
• Lu Chen and the Jie Sect disciples: He gives detailed orders tailored to each disciple’s abilities and position, establishing himself as the sect’s practical leader.
• Tongtian and his disciples: Tongtian sits among them rather than in the master’s seat, symbolizing his willingness to follow Lu Chen’s guidance. The disciples accept this unusual arrangement without resistance.
• Yuanshi, Laozi, Zhunti, and Jieyin: Their meeting exposes deep mistrust within the anti-Jie Sect alliance. Yuanshi and Laozi implicitly blame the Western Sect, while Zhunti and Jieyin resent the accusation and threaten to withdraw from the alliance.
• Haotian and Yao Ji: Their conversation establishes the Heavenly Court’s awareness that the Jie Sect is preparing for a major confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Trap”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Laozi intervenes when Yuanshi and Jieyin nearly quarrel, reminding them that Tongtian has declared war on all Three Religions. The three Saints agree to cooperate rather than fight among themselves.
• Laozi proposes activating the “Hunting Jie Sect Plan.” Since Tongtian’s strongest disciples are difficult to defeat directly, the plan is to target their disciples instead.
• Yuanshi initially objects because the strategy involves ambushing and overwhelming opponents, but he ultimately accepts it because his sect’s survival takes priority over his pride.
• At Chentang Pass, Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao discuss the progress of their disciples, Jinzha and Muzha. Jinzha is stronger physically, while Muzha has greater talent in the Immortal Dao and has begun developing Heaven-Piercing Sword Intent.
• Lu Chen orders Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao to take the two disciples to Chaoge. After saying goodbye to Li Jing and Lady Yin, the group begins its journey.
• Unbeknownst to them, Zhunti has imitated Lu Chen’s voice to issue the order, deliberately luring Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, and their disciples away from Chentang Pass.
• Jieyin and Zhunti arrange an ambush. Several Chan Sect disciples—Wenshu, Puxian, Cihang, and Juliusun—join Sunlight and Moonlight Daoists in disguising themselves as mortal bandits.
• The disguised attackers provoke Jinzha and Muzha into confronting them. Yunxiao senses that something is wrong, and Zhao Gongming realizes the encounter is a trap when the “bandits” suddenly attack.
• Zhao Gongming protects the two youths with his mana while he and Yunxiao fight back against the ambushers.
• The chapter ends with Lu Chen entering the city with Ordinary, apparently unaware that Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao have been lured into danger—or possibly already aware of the scheme.

Character Developments

• Laozi demonstrates his usual calmness and strategic judgment, becoming the mediator who unites the Three Religions against the Jie Sect.
• Yuanshi struggles between his pride and the necessity of protecting his sect. His willingness to accept an underhanded plan shows how desperate the situation has become.
• Jieyin and Zhunti fully embrace the ambush strategy. Zhunti is especially comfortable with deception and overwhelming weaker opponents, while Jieyin remains more cautious and supervisory.
• Zhao Gongming has advanced to the One-Corpse Quasi-Saint Realm. His repeated defeats in training have strengthened his mana and combat instincts.
• Yunxiao is perceptive and quickly senses that the bandit encounter is unnatural, though she and Zhao Gongming still allow the situation to develop so they can test their suspicions.
• Jinzha and Muzha continue growing under their masters. Their close brotherly relationship is shown through their friendly sparring and mutual support.
• Li Jing and Lady Yin react as concerned parents. Li Jing accepts that his sons must eventually leave home, while Lady Yin remains troubled by an ominous feeling.

Significant Themes

• Unity against a greater threat: The Three Religions set aside internal disagreements because none can survive alone against Tongtian and the Jie Sect.
• Pride versus survival: Yuanshi’s decision to accept dishonorable tactics emphasizes the cost of war and the erosion of personal principles under pressure.
• Deception and hidden motives: The journey to Chaoge is based on a forged order, and the apparent bandit attack conceals a coordinated strike by powerful enemies.
• The vulnerability of disciples: Since the strongest Jie Sect disciples are difficult to defeat, the opposing factions target their students, revealing how warfare extends to the next generation.
• Parental protection and separation: Jinzha and Muzha’s departure reflects the tension between family attachment and the need for young cultivators to face the wider world.
• Martial virtue versus pragmatism: The attackers recognize that their ambush lacks honor but consider victory more important than reputation.

Character Interactions

• Laozi restrains Yuanshi and Jieyin and persuades them to cooperate.
• Yuanshi and Zhunti exchange indirect hostility over the morality of the hunting plan.
• Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao discuss their disciples’ progress and understand each other’s suspicions during the ambush.
• Jinzha and Muzha train together as brothers before obediently following their masters.
• Li Jing comforts Lady Yin and encourages her to trust the two Quasi-Saints protecting their sons.
• Zhunti commands the disguised Chan Sect and Western Sect disciples, while Jieyin oversees the operation.
• The chapter closes by juxtaposing the ambush with Lu Chen’s arrival in the city, creating suspense over whether his altered identity and the enemies’ trap are connected.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chen arrives at Chentang Pass and discovers that Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao have already taken Jinzha and Muzha toward Chaoge. Realizing something may be wrong, he immediately departs.
• Wenshu, Cihang, Puxian, Juliusun, Sunlight, and Moonlight ambush Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao, falsely claiming that their attack represents the Chan Sect.
• Zhunti secretly observes the battle and considers allowing Yunxiao to escape, but abandons that idea once he realizes the Interception Sect’s disciples are too valuable to spare.
• When Yunxiao tries to flee with Jinzha and Muzha, Zhunti attempts to stop her. A voice and sword aura seemingly belonging to Tongtian frighten him into fleeing, leaving the Chan and Western Sect disciples behind.
• Zhao Gongming reveals that he has been concealing his true strength. His Quasi-Saint aura overwhelms the opposing disciples. Sunlight and Moonlight flee first, while Wenshu and the other Chan Sect disciples beg for mercy.
• Zhao Gongming agrees to let the Chan Sect disciples leave only after they surrender their powerful innate spirit treasures. However, Yunxiao refuses to accept the bargain and demands additional payment for the earlier attack.
• Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao kill Wenshu, Cihang, Puxian, and Juliusun. Their bodies are destroyed, and their primordial spirits are shattered before their remaining spiritual lights fly toward the Investiture List.
• On Kunlun Mountain, Zhunti reports that the operation failed and that both Western Sect disciples and four Chan Sect Golden Immortals have died. Yuanshi is enraged, especially because Zhao Gongming survived.
• Zhunti claims that Tongtian appeared and forced him to flee, but Laozi exposes inconsistencies in his story: Tongtian never left Golden Turtle Island, and Zhunti did not actually see him. Zhunti realizes he was deceived by someone imitating Tongtian’s voice and sword intent.
• Yuanshi attacks Zhunti in fury, blaming him for the deaths of his disciples. Jieyin blocks the attack and offers the Eight-Treasure Merit Pool as compensation.
• Yuanshi agrees to let Guangchengzi be cleansed in the Merit Pool. He hopes its vast merit will remove Guangchengzi’s karmic sin and calamity aura while restoring his future potential.
• The chapter ends as Yuanshi brings the drunken, broken Guangchengzi to Spirit Mountain and throws him into the Eight-Treasure Merit Pool.

Character Developments

• Lu Chen becomes alarmed and decisive after learning that Jinzha and Muzha have been moved unexpectedly. His concern suggests he recognizes the danger surrounding the children.
• Zhao Gongming demonstrates overwhelming hidden strength, revealing that he had been holding back during the battle. He is confident, sarcastic, and strategically manipulative, using the Chan Sect’s desperation to take their treasures before killing them.
• Yunxiao proves equally ruthless and independent. She refuses to accept Zhao Gongming’s terms and personally insists that the attackers pay for their assault.
• Zhunti is portrayed as opportunistic and self-serving. He encourages the ambush, considers sacrificing disciples for strategic advantage, and abandons everyone when danger appears. His deception is eventually exposed, leaving him responsible for a major disaster.
• Wenshu and the other Chan Sect disciples shift from arrogance to humiliation and desperation. They invoke former bonds and offer treasures only after realizing they cannot win.
• Yuanshi suffers a severe emotional blow upon learning that four of his Golden Immortals have died. His anger reveals his attachment to Guangchengzi and his resentment toward Zhunti.
• Guangchengzi appears physically and spiritually broken, using alcohol to escape his despair. His fate now depends on whether the Merit Pool can cleanse him and restore his potential.
• Laozi and Jieyin act as mediators. Laozi exposes Zhunti’s false account, while Jieyin attempts to prevent conflict between the Sages by offering the Western Sect’s greatest resource.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and abandonment: Zhunti sacrifices his allies to save himself, showing how strategic alliances collapse when personal survival is threatened.
• Deception and misdirection: The false imitation of Tongtian’s voice and sword aura changes the battle’s outcome and exposes how easily fear can be weaponized.
• Power concealed until necessary: Zhao Gongming’s hidden Quasi-Saint strength allows him to reverse the battle completely.
• The cost of political alliances: The Three Religions’ cooperation is based on shared interests rather than genuine loyalty, and the deaths of the disciples create immediate internal conflict.
• Karma, merit, and spiritual restoration: The Eight-Treasure Merit Pool represents the possibility of cleansing past sins and restoring a damaged cultivation path, though its use carries enormous value and risk.
• Pride followed by humiliation: The Chan Sect disciples begin as aggressors but end by surrendering their treasures and begging for their lives.

Character Interactions

• Lu Chen and Li Jing: Lu Chen questions Li Jing about Jinzha and Muzha, while Li Jing becomes anxious after realizing that something may have gone wrong.
• Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao: The siblings coordinate smoothly during the battle. Zhao handles the attackers while Yunxiao protects and transports Jinzha and Muzha, later asserting her own claim against the defeated Chan disciples.
• Zhao Gongming and Wenshu: Zhao mocks Wenshu’s appeals to former Kunlun ties, takes the Chan disciples’ treasures, and then admits that his promise to release them was deliberately misleading.
• Zhunti and the disciples: Zhunti treats Sunlight, Moonlight, and the Chan disciples as expendable, fleeing without attempting to rescue them.
• Zhunti, Yuanshi, Laozi, and Jieyin: Their confrontation exposes Zhunti’s failure and creates a crisis among the allied Sages. Yuanshi demands compensation, while Laozi and Jieyin restrain his anger.
• Yuanshi and Guangchengzi: Yuanshi’s decision to use the Merit Pool reflects both continued affection for Guangchengzi and guilt over having contributed to his downfall.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being drunk and corrupted by karmic sin, Guangchengzi is thrown into the Western Sect’s Eight-Treasure Merit Pool by Yuanshi Tianzun. The pool’s merit rapidly purifies the enormous karmic burden surrounding him.
• The cleansing restores Guangchengzi’s clarity, appearance, and Dao heart. His long-standing despair disappears, and his cultivation unexpectedly rises to the Great Luo realm.
• The purification consumes roughly forty percent of the Eight-Treasure Merit Pool, devastating Zhunti. He is enraged and heartbroken at the loss of the Western Sect’s accumulated merit.
• At Chentang Pass, Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao survive the Chan Sect and Western Sect’s ambush. Lu Chen arrives after the battle, confirms that they are unharmed, and decides to abandon the original plan of proceeding directly to Chaoge. He orders everyone to return to Biyou Palace so new arrangements can be made.
• Yunxiao questions why Zhunti personally intervened indirectly through disguised disciples instead of attacking openly. Lu Chen suspects Zhunti was trying to preserve his reputation, while remaining wary of a deeper scheme.
• After hearing what happened, Tongtian becomes furious and prepares to confront the Western Sect. Lu Chen restrains him, warning that a full-scale Sage battle could damage or even shatter the Primordial World and bring catastrophic karma upon the Interception Sect.
• Lu Chen proposes a subtler strategy to contain the Three Religions rather than attacking them directly. Tongtian accepts his plan.
• News of the conflict spreads throughout the Primordial World:
  • Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi condemn Zhunti and reaffirm their intention to support Lu Chen and the Interception Sect if necessary.
  • Dijun and Taiyi discuss whether the demon race should enter the war. Dijun decides to wait for Lu Chen’s instructions, recognizing that destroying the Three Religions outright could provoke four desperate Sages.
  • Haotian and Yao Ji observe the situation, with Haotian questioning whether Lu Chen is truly only a Great Luo Golden Immortal.
  • In Zixiao Palace, Nuwa and Hongjun debate the war and the limitations of the Three Corpses cultivation path. Hongjun reveals that Tongtian has already entered the Primordial Unity realm, surpassing the other Sages in potential.
• After Guangchengzi is restored, Yuanshi takes him back toward Jade Void Palace. Laozi summons Yuanshi and Jieyin to Kunlun Mountain.
• Jieyin attempts to comfort Zhunti, insisting that lost resources can eventually be recovered. However, Zhunti remains devastated and begins to blame himself for retreating during the earlier confrontation.
• While standing alone beside the depleted merit pool, Zhunti hears an inner voice tempting him with hatred and the desire for greater strength. He admits that he hates his weakness, suggesting that the setback may push him toward a darker or more desperate course.
• At Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi and Jieyin encounter two unexpected figures. The chapter ends with a calm greeting: “Long time no see, everyone!”

Character Developments

• Guangchengzi undergoes the chapter’s clearest transformation. The merit pool removes his karmic corruption, drunkenness, and despair, restoring his former dignity and allowing him to return to the Great Luo realm. His gratitude toward Yuanshi becomes even stronger.
• Lu Chen demonstrates growing authority and strategic maturity. Rather than responding emotionally to Zhunti’s provocation, he prioritizes long-term containment, protects the stability of the Primordial World, and becomes the central planner for the Interception Sect and its allies.
• Tongtian remains fiercely protective of his disciples and eager to retaliate, but accepts Lu Chen’s counsel and restrains his anger for the sake of the world and the sect.
• Zhunti suffers a major emotional and material blow. The loss of forty percent of the merit pool leaves him furious, guilty, and humiliated. His self-blame and response to the mysterious inner temptation hint at a possible descent into obsession or hatred.
• Jieyin acts as Zhunti’s stabilizing influence, repeatedly reminding him that resources can be rebuilt and that retreating from Tongtian was not cowardice but prudence.
• Dijun shows strategic caution, even while Taiyi advocates immediate war. Their discussion clarifies the danger of provoking the four opposing Sages too soon.
• Hongjun and Nuwa provide a broader perspective on the conflict. Hongjun remains composed and secretive, while Nuwa openly criticizes the Three Religions and questions Hongjun’s past choices.

Significant Themes

• Karmic purification and redemption: Guangchengzi’s cleansing symbolizes the possibility of recovery from accumulated sin, though it requires an enormous sacrifice of merit.
• The cost of power and intervention: The Western Sect’s resources are consumed to restore one disciple, showing that spiritual power is not limitless and that every action carries material and karmic consequences.
• Restraint versus revenge: Tongtian wants immediate retaliation, but Lu Chen argues that uncontrolled Sage combat could destroy the world they are fighting to protect.
• Strategic warfare and hidden motives: The conflict is not merely a contest of strength. Reputation, deception, indirect attacks, alliances, and timing are all crucial.
• Pride, weakness, and desperation: Zhunti’s anguish reveals how humiliation and fear can drive powerful figures toward dangerous choices.
• The instability of the Primordial World: The war between the Interception Sect and the Three Religions is presented as a turning point that may reshape the entire balance of power.
• The limits of cultivation paths: Hongjun and Nuwa discuss how the Three Corpses path may allow entry into Sagehood but restrict later advancement, contrasting it with Tongtian’s superior path toward Primordial Unity.

Important Character Interactions

• Yuanshi and Guangchengzi: Yuanshi saves Guangchengzi through the merit pool, while Guangchengzi responds with deep gratitude and renewed loyalty.
• Lu Chen, Zhao Gongming, and Yunxiao: Lu Chen reunites with his junior disciples, checks on their safety, and reassures them through his familiar manner and protective concern.
• Lu Chen and Tongtian: Lu Chen prevents Tongtian from launching a reckless attack and presents a more calculated method of confronting the Three Religions.
• Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi: They discuss the changing world and promise to support Lu Chen if the Interception Sect falls into danger.
• Dijun and Taiyi: Their exchange contrasts strategic patience with direct martial enthusiasm.
• Nuwa and Hongjun: Their conversation exposes disagreements over the Three Religions, Tongtian’s advancement, and Hongjun’s role in shaping the current cultivation system.
• Jieyin and Zhunti: Jieyin comforts Zhunti after the loss of merit, but Zhunti’s guilt and resentment continue to grow despite his brother’s reassurance.
• The mysterious voice and Zhunti: The voice exploits Zhunti’s humiliation, encouraging hatred and a desire for greater strength, foreshadowing a possible escalation.

Summary: “The Pact of the Four Religions”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian arrives at Jade Void Palace, alarming Yuanshi and Jieyin, who fear he has come to attack or demand compensation from the Three Religions.
• He calmly invites Jieyin and Yuanshi to sit, using his overwhelming presence to force Jieyin off the Merit Golden Lotus and pressure Yuanshi into accepting his authority.
• Tongtian notices that Zhunti is absent. Jieyin claims Zhunti is in seclusion, but Tongtian sarcastically suggests summoning him. Fearing Tongtian may personally go to Spirit Mountain, Jieyin immediately calls Zhunti out of seclusion.
• Tongtian reveals the purpose of his visit: the Investiture List now has six remaining positions, and he wants to establish rules for deciding who will occupy them.
• He proposes that all sect leaders refrain from interfering. The remaining positions will be determined solely by the abilities and fortunes of the younger disciples.
• Although this arrangement disadvantages the Three Religions—whose greatest strength lies in their four Sage leaders—Laozi unexpectedly agrees.
• To prevent anyone from breaking the agreement, Tongtian demands that Heaven bear witness. Any sect leader who interferes in the Investiture of the Gods must sever their own Sagehood or equivalent Dao Fruit.
• When the others hesitate, Tongtian threatens to fight all four of them, warning that their battle could shatter the Primordial World and incur unbearable karmic sin.
• Forced by the circumstances, Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti accept. Tongtian formally announces the pact of the Four Religions, pledging to sever his own Primordial Unity Dao Fruit if he violates it.

Character Developments

• Tongtian appears remarkably calm, controlled, and intimidating. Rather than acting out of anger over earlier betrayals, he uses psychological pressure, sarcasm, and the threat of overwhelming force to impose favorable terms.
• Laozi demonstrates pragmatism and authority by agreeing to Tongtian’s proposal before the others. He recognizes that refusing could lead to catastrophic conflict and karmic punishment.
• Yuanshi is revealed to be uneasy and ashamed because he previously participated in a plot against Tongtian’s disciples. He avoids Tongtian’s gaze and does not dare challenge him.
• Jieyin remains anxious and defensive, especially over the possibility of further compensation or an attack on the Western Sect. His outward politeness conceals resentment and fear.
• Zhunti is dragged out of his supposed seclusion and seems noticeably different, though the chapter leaves the reason unexplained.
• The four opposing Sages are forced to acknowledge that Tongtian currently holds the upper hand, despite their numerical advantage.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Tongtian achieves his goals not merely through direct strength but through calm confidence, implied threats, and control of the situation.
• Justice and retribution: The pact establishes consequences for the Three Religions’ interference and attempts to prevent powerful leaders from manipulating the conflict.
• Forced cooperation: The Four Religions reach an agreement not through trust, but because rejecting Tongtian’s terms could destroy the world and cost them their cultivation.
• Generational struggle: By barring sect leaders from intervening, the conflict shifts from the Sages to their disciples, making the younger generation responsible for determining the outcome.
• The cost of Sagehood: The agreement turns the highest achievements of cultivation into stakes, emphasizing how much the leaders fear losing their Dao Fruits and Sagehood.

Character Interactions

• Tongtian dominates every exchange, while Jieyin, Yuanshi, and Zhunti respond cautiously and deferentially.
• His interaction with Jieyin is especially adversarial: Tongtian exposes Jieyin’s excuses about Zhunti’s seclusion and forces him to summon Zhunti immediately.
• Tongtian’s relationship with Yuanshi remains strained by the failed plot against his disciples, although Tongtian still addresses him as “Second Brother.”
• Laozi acts as the practical mediator of the Three Religions, accepting Tongtian’s conditions and then persuading the others to follow.
• The chapter ends with all four religions bound by a solemn pact, leaving the younger disciples to compete for the remaining Investiture List positions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tongtian asks whether Hongjun will honor the agreement among the Sages. Hongjun grants it, and four mysterious restrictions descend upon Yuanshi, Tongtian, Laozi, and Jieyin.
• Nuwa observes that Heavenly Dao is not truly impartial and has deliberately chosen an arrangement favorable to the Four Religions. She suggests that Jieyin should have been spared and Zhunti bound instead, but Hongjun argues that strength alone does not determine victory.
• Tongtian realizes that Heavenly Dao has effectively permitted the Jie Sect’s destruction, though he takes comfort in the possibility that one person restraining three may still be enough.
• Yuanshi and Jieyin believe the agreement guarantees their victory and prepare to begin discussing the Dao with Tongtian.
• At Biyou Palace, Lu Chen determines that the Investiture of the Gods conflict is nearing its conclusion. He orders all Jie Sect disciples to go to Chaoge and help the Shang Dynasty suppress the unrest.
• The widespread rebellions in Chaoge have been contained, but they have damaged public confidence. Refugees flee toward the territories of the four feudal lords, giving regional rulers opportunities to pursue their own ambitions.
• In Xiqi, Marquis Ji Chang considers attacking the Shang Dynasty but is warned by Shen Gongbao that the Jie Sect may intervene because Dixin’s two princes are now Tongtian’s disciples.
• Ji Chang asks Shen Gongbao to recruit members of the Three Religions to support Xiqi. Shen agrees, though he privately distrusts Ji Chang and hints that he has unfinished plans of his own.
• Ji Chang secretly orders his people to monitor Shen Gongbao and record officials allied with him. He plans to use the situation to strengthen his own authority and potentially undermine Shen.
• Shen Gongbao mocks Ji Chang’s false benevolence and implies that he may deliberately help expose Ji Chang’s hypocrisy. He then travels away to seek assistance.
• Jiang Ziya, having married Ma Shi and developed an interest in official service, travels with her to Chaoge.
• The chapter ends with Dixin gathering the court officials outside the palace. As they wait under the sun, hundreds of streaks of light suddenly appear across the sky, signaling the arrival of powerful figures.

Character Developments

• Hongjun remains outwardly impartial but reveals Heavenly Dao’s subtle favoritism toward the Four Religions. His confidence suggests he believes strategic calculation can overcome raw strength.
• Nuwa continues to see through Heavenly Dao’s schemes and openly questions Hongjun’s choices.
• Tongtian becomes more aware that Heavenly Dao has abandoned the Jie Sect, but he remains determined and accepts the coming conflict.
• Lu Chen takes decisive leadership of the Jie Sect, organizing its disciples to defend the Shang Dynasty and bring the conflict to an end.
• Ji Chang is revealed as calculating and politically ambitious. His image of benevolence masks a desire to control Xiqi and eliminate potential threats.
• Shen Gongbao shows increasing independence and resentment toward Ji Chang. Though he serves as Imperial Preceptor, he intends to use the situation for his own purposes and may turn against Ji Chang.
• Jiang Ziya begins transitioning from a private life with Ma Shi toward a political and official career.

Significant Themes

• Heavenly impartiality versus hidden manipulation: The chapter questions whether Heavenly Dao is genuinely just or merely disguises its preferences through seemingly fair rules.
• Power and strategy: The impending conflict is not determined solely by strength; alliances, restrictions, political maneuvering, and individual schemes are equally important.
• Political opportunism: The Shang Dynasty’s unrest allows feudal lords such as Ji Chang to expand their influence while presenting themselves as protectors of the people.
• False loyalty and hidden ambition: Both Ji Chang and Shen Gongbao conceal their true motives, showing that ruler-subject relationships are often based on expedience rather than trust.
• Factional conflict and destiny: The Investiture of the Gods is approaching its decisive stage, with the Jie Sect mobilizing while the Three Religions and Xiqi prepare their own moves.

Character Interactions

• Nuwa and Hongjun debate Heavenly Dao’s decision, with Nuwa criticizing its favoritism and Hongjun defending the value of strategy.
• Tongtian, Yuanshi, Laozi, and Jieyin are bound by the new restrictions and prepare to compete under the agreed conditions.
• Lu Chen and Wudang discuss the Jie Sect’s next move, leading to the mobilization of all disciples.
• Ji Chang and Shen Gongbao discuss recruiting immortals, but their polite exchange conceals mutual distrust.
• Ji Chang and his hidden subordinate plot to monitor Shen Gongbao and exploit either his success or failure.
• Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya do not meet directly in the chapter, but their separate movements toward the larger conflict suggest that their paths will soon intersect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Numerous Interception Sect immortals arrive above Chaoge, shocking the Shang court. Dixin and Wen Zhong recognize and honor their leader as the Interception Sect’s Holy Father.
• Dixin formally declares the Interception Sect Shang’s national-protecting sect. The Human Dao approves the decree, causing Shang’s national fortune and the Interception Sect’s sect fortune to merge and strengthen one another.
• In Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi criticizes Tongtian for tying the Interception Sect to Shang, believing the alliance will consume sect fortune while exposing the sect to Shang’s karma. Tongtian dismisses the criticism but continues supporting Lu Chen’s plan.
• Shen Gongbao returns to Jade Void Palace on behalf of Ji Chang of Xiqi, asking that Chan Sect disciples descend the mountain to assist him.
• Yuanshi divines that Heaven’s mandate favors Xiqi and that Zhou may eventually replace Shang. Although he previously dismissed alliances with human kingdoms, he now recognizes the strategic value of backing Xiqi and gives Shen Gongbao permission to recruit his senior brothers.
• Jieyin decides that the Western Sect should also support Xiqi, believing Shen Gongbao’s Flying Bear Sign marks him as a child of calamity and a source of great fortune.
• Lu Chen notices Jiang Ziya among the Shang officials and realizes that, unlike the original course of events, Jiang Ziya has remained in Shang because Daji never appeared and Dixin has not become tyrannical.
• Lu Chen concludes that Jiang Ziya alone cannot determine the outcome of this altered Investiture of the Gods. He orders the Interception Sect disciples to disperse and handle disturbances throughout Shang.

Character Developments

• Dixin: Acts decisively as Human Sovereign by elevating the Interception Sect to Shang’s protector, strengthening the dynasty through immortal assistance.
• Tongtian: Demonstrates complete trust in Lu Chen by supporting the alliance with Shang despite its apparent disadvantages and despite Yuanshi’s criticism.
• Yuanshi: Shifts from contempt for sects relying on human kingdoms to active interest in Xiqi after discovering that Zhou may replace Shang. His political calculation becomes increasingly motivated by the Chan Sect’s future advantage.
• Shen Gongbao: Functions as the envoy linking Xiqi with the Chan Sect. His Flying Bear Sign causes other powers to mistake him for the central child of calamity.
• Jiang Ziya: Remains in the Shang court instead of following his original path toward Xiqi, indicating that the altered timeline has significantly disrupted the expected fate of the calamity.
• Lu Chen: Shows confidence in the Interception Sect’s strategic position and recognizes that the conflict has expanded beyond the actions of individual destined figures.

Significant Themes

• Sect and dynasty interdependence: Shang and the Interception Sect merge their fortunes, creating mutual strength but also shared responsibility and karma.
• The struggle over Heaven’s mandate: The central conflict begins shifting from simple support of Shang to a larger contest over whether Zhou can replace it.
• Destiny versus altered fate: Familiar figures such as Shen Gongbao and Jiang Ziya occupy different positions from their expected roles, suggesting that the original course of the calamity is being rewritten.
• Political hypocrisy and pragmatism: Yuanshi condemns Tongtian’s alliance with Shang but immediately seeks a similar advantage when Xiqi appears favored by Heaven.
• The limits of individual destiny: Lu Chen believes even a child of calamity like Jiang Ziya can no longer determine events alone; the decisive struggle now lies between the major sects and their alliances.

Important Character Interactions

• Dixin publicly honors the Interception Sect’s leader and joins Shang’s national fortune with the sect’s fortune.
• Yuanshi and Tongtian clash over whether the Interception Sect should support Shang, though Tongtian refuses to abandon Lu Chen’s strategy.
• Shen Gongbao petitions Yuanshi for permission to bring Chan Sect disciples to Xiqi, softening Yuanshi’s attitude toward him.
• Jieyin and Zhunti coordinate Western Sect involvement in Xiqi after Yuanshi’s decision.
• Lu Chen silently observes Jiang Ziya, recognizing the unusual change in his fate, before sending his fellow disciples across Shang to suppress emerging problems.

Chapter Summary: “Entering the Mortal World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhunti receives Jieyin’s proposal to send Western Sect disciples to aid Ji Chang in Xiqi, but immediately suspects that Xiqi may be a trap arranged by the Jie Sect.
• He remains troubled by the mysterious Primordial Unity Sword Intent seen near Biyou Palace, wondering whether the Jie Sect possesses another Primordial Unity expert besides Tongtian. He considers Six-Eared Macaque the only likely candidate.
• Zhunti consults a mysterious, immensely powerful voice, which warns him that Xiqi’s apparent prosperity is false and that a Sage is concealing its true destiny. The voice advises investing in the Shang Dynasty instead.
• Although Zhunti recognizes the Shang Dynasty’s strong Fortune, he believes the Jie Sect already controls it. While he meditates, demonic qi from Luohou silently enters his body through Spirit Mountain’s earthly veins.
• In Zixiao Palace, Nuwa and Hongjun discuss Zhunti’s potential corruption. Hongjun reveals that Luohou has been allowed to tempt Zhunti, creating the possibility that Zhunti may be transformed into a demonic Sage and causing the Xuan Sect to lose one of its Heavenly Dao Sages.
• They also reveal that Nuwa has strengthened Xiqi’s Fortune, giving it the appearance of being destined to replace Shang with Zhou and deceiving the Chan Sect into supporting it. Hongjun declares that Nuwa must now make the next move.
• Jie Sect disciples spread throughout the Shang Dynasty to suppress rebellions. With Zhunti in secluded cultivation, his avatars disappear, and the Shang Dynasty temporarily regains stability.
• After General Huang Feihu defeats the North Sea rebellion and returns, Dixin asks Lu Chen what should happen next.
• Lu Chen instructs Dixin to deliberately create more disorder, including staged rebellions by loyal forces, so that genuine traitors and loyal ministers can be identified. He assures Dixin that Jie Sect disciples will protect the cities and prevent excessive losses.
• Xiqi takes advantage of Shang’s renewed unrest. Ji Chang promotes his reputation for benevolence, keeping Xiqi peaceful and attracting refugees.
• Shen Gongbao hosts the remaining eight Chan Sect Golden Immortals at the residence Ji Chang granted him. They prepare to aid Xiqi.
• The Golden Immortals ask about Jiang Ziya, but Shen Gongbao explains that Ziya has married and chosen a quiet life after descending the mountain. The group accepts this, believing Jiang Ziya’s limited aptitude makes an ordinary life reasonable.

Character Developments

• Zhunti becomes increasingly suspicious and politically cautious, but his desire to gain Fortune leaves him vulnerable to Luohou’s demonic influence. His meditation marks the beginning of a potentially dangerous transformation.
• Luohou advances his hidden agenda by planting demonic qi within Zhunti and tempting him toward the demonic path.
• Hongjun is shown as a calculating strategist who permits Luohou’s influence and manipulates the balance between the Three Religions, Xiqi, and the Shang Dynasty.
• Nuwa openly participates in the political and Heavenly Dao manipulation surrounding Xiqi, using Fortune to make its rise appear inevitable.
• Lu Chen demonstrates strategic foresight, deliberately manufacturing controlled disorder to expose hidden loyalties while protecting Shang’s military strength.
• Dixin remains respectful and dependent on Lu Chen’s guidance. Though initially worried about the risks of staged rebellions, he accepts the plan once reassured that casualties will be limited.
• Ji Chang strengthens his public image as a virtuous ruler and exploits Shang’s internal instability to attract refugees.
• Shen Gongbao acts as the Chan Sect’s organizer in Xiqi, though his explanation of Jiang Ziya’s absence suggests possible tension or strategic concealment.
• Jiang Ziya has chosen marriage and stability over involvement in the tribulation, marking a temporary withdrawal from the larger conflict.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Nearly every faction is concealing its true intentions, from Hongjun and Nuwa’s Fortune manipulation to Luohou’s corruption of Zhunti.
• Fortune versus strength: The chapter contrasts reliance on dynastic Fortune with the belief that overwhelming personal power can seize Fortune directly.
• The danger of ambition: Zhunti’s wish to obtain even a small portion of Shang’s Fortune makes him susceptible to demonic temptation.
• Manufactured chaos: Lu Chen uses controlled disorder as a political test, showing that apparent rebellion can be a tool for exposing genuine betrayal.
• Illusion versus reality: Xiqi appears prosperous and virtuous, while Shang appears unstable, yet the chapter suggests that these appearances have been deliberately engineered.
• The mortal world as a battlefield: Immortal sects and powerful Sages increasingly intervene in human affairs, turning dynastic conflict into a struggle among supernatural factions.

Character Interactions

• Zhunti and Jieyin: Zhunti questions Jieyin’s decision to support Xiqi, revealing distrust and concern over hidden traps.
• Zhunti and the mysterious voice: Their exchange shows Zhunti seeking guidance from a superior power while still considering whether he can exploit Shang’s Fortune.
• Nuwa and Hongjun: They openly discuss their manipulations, with Nuwa criticizing Hongjun’s schemes and Hongjun reminding her that she has also engineered Xiqi’s apparent destiny.
• Dixin and Lu Chen: Dixin seeks direction, and Lu Chen persuades him to accept a risky strategy of staged rebellion.
• Shen Gongbao and the Golden Immortals: Shen Gongbao welcomes the Chan Sect disciples and coordinates their assistance to Xiqi.
• The Golden Immortals and Jiang Ziya: Their surprise at Jiang Ziya’s absence highlights his separation from the Chan Sect’s current political and military operations.

Chapter Summary:

Xiqi Border Defense

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• At a besieged city on the Xiqi border, a bloodied middle-aged officer urges the garrison general to launch an attack against the rebel army. Luo Xuan advises maintaining the city’s defensive formations instead. The officer is removed and mysteriously loses his ability to speak, suggesting that Luo Xuan suspects him of being an infiltrator or enemy agent. Luo explains that appearances cannot prove a person’s loyalty, but his senior brother’s orders require that all suspicious individuals be dealt with.
• In Xiqi, Marquis Ji Chang celebrates Shen Gongbao’s success in recruiting several Chan Sect immortals. He initially rewards Shen with women, jewels, and gold, but the officials recognize that the reward is intended partly to keep the state preceptor under control.
• Guangchengzi and the other immortals arrive. Guangchengzi treats Ji Chang coldly, declaring that the immortals have no interest in political power and that all requests should go through Shen Gongbao. His arrogance humiliates Ji Chang and causes resentment toward the Chan Sect.
• After Guangchengzi leaves, Ji Chang greatly increases Shen Gongbao’s authority, despite privately feeling bitter and threatened. Shen later informs him that the time to act is near, and Xiqi secretly mobilizes its forces.
• Shang Dynasty forces capture several minor generals and strategists associated with the rebellions. Lu Chen determines that the moment has come to “close the net,” while grain and military supplies are sent toward the four major passes. Rebel armies also begin converging on them.
• Xiqi’s army advances toward Sishui Pass under Shen Gongbao’s command. Shen attempts to claim that the army has come to assist Shang in suppressing rebellions, but the defenders see through the deception and refuse to open the gates.
• Shen orders the Xiqi army to establish a camp outside the pass rather than immediately attack. He blames the delay on Ji Chang’s desire to maintain the appearance of a benevolent, righteous campaign rather than openly act as rebels.
• Han Rong, commander of Sishui Pass, is pleased that the conflict has finally begun and sends a report to the Shang court.
• Dixin asks Lu Chen whether Shang should respond immediately. Lu Chen insists they wait for Xiqi to make the first genuine move, allowing Shang to claim the moral high ground and portray Xiqi as rebellious vassals.
• At Jade Void Palace, the Three Pure Ones discuss Xiqi’s mobilization. Yuanshi defends Xiqi’s actions as justified because Shang has become unstable and supposedly no longer deserves to rule.
• Guangchengzi returns to Kunlun to ask Yuanshi to obtain help from Zhunti. Shen Gongbao wants an auspicious sign to give Xiqi a righteous political pretext.
• Zhunti claims he wishes to avoid karmic entanglement, but borrows Yuanshi’s Black Jade Qilin and creates a massive heavenly omen over Xiqi. The qilin appears above Ji Chang, who is bathed in golden light and clad in qilin armor. Supporters proclaim that “Qi Kingdom is bound to rise.”
• The omen is witnessed from afar by Han Rong and reported to Chaoge. Kong Xuan senses that the qilin is a Great Luo Golden Immortal and attacks it remotely, causing it to bleed and collapse.
• Zhunti realizes that a great power exists among the Human Race and suspects the omen has encountered resistance connected to the Phoenix Clan and Shang’s destiny. He retrieves the injured qilin and departs.
• Lu Chen appears after Zhunti leaves, concerned that Zhunti has been unusually cautious and inactive. Yuanshi then angrily demands that Jieyin’s Western Sect explain Zhunti’s actions.

2. Character Developments

• Luo Xuan remains calm and methodical under pressure. He prioritizes vigilance and defense over reckless heroics, even when doing so means suppressing a loyal-looking officer. His actions reveal his willingness to follow harsh orders during a crisis.
• The garrison general shows uncertainty and dependence on Luo Xuan’s judgment. Although he trusts the suspicious officer’s past service, he accepts that hidden loyalties cannot be judged by appearances alone.
• Ji Chang becomes increasingly resentful and insecure. Guangchengzi’s contempt exposes how little authority Ji Chang commands over the immortals supporting him. Though he outwardly rewards Shen Gongbao and maintains a diplomatic façade, his anger reveals an ambition to become Human Sovereign and a growing hatred of those who treat him as a mere political instrument.
• Shen Gongbao emerges as the practical architect of Xiqi’s campaign. He manipulates appearances, directs military preparations, and seeks a divine omen to legitimize rebellion. He is politically shrewd but must operate within Ji Chang’s cautious strategy.
• Guangchengzi displays arrogance and detachment toward Ji Chang. He sees himself and the other immortals as above worldly politics, yet he actively supports Xiqi and repeatedly seeks assistance from Yuanshi.
• Lu Chen demonstrates strategic patience. Rather than respond emotionally to Xiqi’s mobilization, he waits for them to commit the first unmistakable act of aggression so Shang can claim legal and moral legitimacy.
• Zhunti appears cautious and secretive. His reluctance to send Western Sect disciples openly suggests he is avoiding karmic consequences or hiding a deeper plan. His reaction to the failed omen shows that he recognizes the Human Race contains an unexpectedly powerful force.
• Kong Xuan is introduced as a formidable defender of Shang’s destiny. He casually destroys the qilin manifestation, showing that even a divine omen created through a powerful immortal can be challenged.
• Yuanshi and Jieyin become caught between sectarian cooperation and mutual suspicion, especially after Zhunti acts independently.

3. Significant Themes

• Political legitimacy and the moral high ground: Both sides understand that victory depends not only on military strength but also on who can claim to be defending righteousness. Lu Chen deliberately waits for Xiqi to attack first so Shang can label them rebels.
• The tension between mortal politics and immortal power: Ji Chang depends on immortals to advance his cause, but those same immortals disregard and humiliate him. The chapter shows how political rulers can become tools of sectarian struggles.
• Appearances versus true loyalty: Luo Xuan’s suspicion of the bloodied officer establishes that outward courage and service may conceal treachery. The same concern appears in the political arena, where claims of benevolence and heavenly favor may be manufactured.
• Destiny and manufactured omens: Zhunti creates the qilin portent to make Xiqi’s rise appear divinely ordained. The event questions whether destiny is genuine or constructed by powerful beings seeking political influence.
• Strategic patience versus reckless action: Ji Chang and Shen Gongbao want to move toward power, while Lu Chen and Han Rong recognize the value of waiting. The chapter repeatedly contrasts emotional urgency with controlled preparation.
• Sectarian rivalry and hidden agendas: Chan Sect, Western Sect, and other powers cooperate only temporarily. Their alliances are unstable, and each faction appears to be pursuing its own long-term interests.

4. Character Interactions

• Luo Xuan and the city general: Luo Xuan overrides the general’s desire to attack, establishing himself as the calmer and more authoritative strategist.
• Luo Xuan and the suspicious officer: Their brief interaction reveals a conflict between apparent loyalty and hidden danger. The officer’s sudden muteness suggests supernatural suppression and deepens the atmosphere of paranoia.
• Ji Chang and Shen Gongbao: Ji Chang relies heavily on Shen but also tries to control him through rewards and authority. Shen accepts the honors while continuing to direct Xiqi’s military and supernatural strategy.
• Ji Chang and Guangchengzi: Their meeting is politically disastrous for Ji Chang. Ji Chang offers warmth and respect, while Guangchengzi responds with indifference, making clear that the immortals do not regard the Marquis as an equal.
• Shen Gongbao and Guangchengzi: Shen uses Guangchengzi as a conduit to the Chan Sect but remains the main organizer of Xiqi’s campaign. When the initial diplomatic tactic fails, he asks Guangchengzi to seek greater assistance.
• Lu Chen and Dixin: Their conversation demonstrates a close strategic relationship. Dixin is ready to respond, but Lu Chen restrains him to preserve Shang’s legitimacy.
• Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Guangchengzi: Their discussion reflects ideological disagreement and sectarian tension. Tongtian questions Xiqi’s rashness and Guangchengzi’s repeated requests for aid, while Yuanshi continues to defend his disciple.
• Zhunti and Jieyin: Zhunti gives Jieyin a cautious explanation for his inactivity but secretly participates by creating the qilin omen, suggesting that even within the Western Sect, motives are not fully shared.
• Zhunti and Kong Xuan: Kong Xuan’s remote attack destroys Zhunti’s manufactured portent, revealing a direct clash between Western Sect intervention and the hidden power defending Shang.
• Lu Chen and Zhunti: Lu Chen’s appearance after the omen fails confirms that he is closely monitoring Zhunti. His suspicion indicates that Zhunti’s unusual restraint may conceal a larger plan.

Chapter Summary: “Invitation to Kong Xuan”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhunti takes the pure-blooded Black Jade Qilin, which Yuanshi had obtained, back to Spirit Mountain. He uses a mysterious method to alter the qilin’s mind, making it willingly join the Western Sect under the name Mo Yu and guard the damaged Eight-Treasure Merit Pool.
• Jieyin acknowledges that the Western Sect is at fault and offers compensation to Yuanshi. Yuanshi remains furious but agrees to wait until after the Investiture of the Gods before settling the matter.
• In Xiqi, the qilin’s auspicious manifestation is disrupted by Kong Xuan. The rosy omen changes into a bloody glow, ruining the spectacle intended to promote Xiqi.
• Ji Chang is humiliated and enraged when the supposed heavenly blessing turns ominous. Shen Gongbao, however, improvises a new interpretation, claiming that the omen proves “Heaven’s mandate lies with Qi,” successfully restoring the army’s enthusiasm.
• At Three Mountains Pass, Lu Chen visits Kong Xuan. He identifies Kong Xuan as the person who disrupted the Three Religions’ scheme and warns him that Zhunti may retaliate.
• Lu Chen invites Kong Xuan to join the Jie Sect, offering him the position of Jie Sect Protector, a status comparable to that of a personal disciple. Kong Xuan is tempted but first intends to consult the Phoenix Clan.
• Kong Xuan leaves Three Mountains Pass with Lu Chen for Chaoge. Yin Hong is appointed as the new commander and is surprised to discover that Kong Xuan is an immortal cultivator rather than merely a powerful martial artist.
• In Chaoge, Dixin learns that Xiqi has mobilized against Shang. Furious, he orders Wen Zhong to lead the army from Sishui Pass westward and destroy Xiqi.

Character Developments

• Kong Xuan displays both confidence and strategic intelligence. He successfully sabotages Xiqi’s omen but recognizes that his action may provoke Zhunti. Lu Chen’s warning forces him to reconsider his vulnerability and seriously contemplate joining the Jie Sect.
• Lu Chen acts as a political strategist and protector of Shang’s interests. Rather than merely warning Kong Xuan, he directly recruits him by offering security, status, and access to Tongtian’s insights.
• Zhunti is shown as manipulative and unscrupulous. He converts Black Jade Qilin into a loyal Western Sect guardian and refuses to return it despite Jieyin’s concerns.
• Ji Chang shifts rapidly from triumph to frustration and anger when Xiqi’s heavenly omen collapses.
• Shen Gongbao demonstrates his talent for propaganda and improvisation, turning a failed omen into a rallying cry for Xiqi’s soldiers.
• Dixin becomes openly aggressive after realizing that Xiqi poses a serious threat, abandoning patience in favor of immediate military action.
• Yin Hong takes on greater responsibility as commander of Three Mountains Pass and shows confidence in his military and cultivation training.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and propaganda: Both sides attempt to manufacture heavenly legitimacy. The Three Religions create the qilin omen, while Shen Gongbao reshapes its failure into a declaration that Qi possesses Heaven’s mandate.
• Power, allegiance, and coercion: Black Jade Qilin’s forced conversion highlights how powerful figures treat lesser beings as tools in sectarian struggles. Kong Xuan’s potential allegiance to the Jie Sect reflects the importance of protection and political affiliation.
• The danger of challenging Sages: Kong Xuan’s strength makes him nearly unbeatable among ordinary cultivators, but his conflict with Zhunti exposes the limits of individual power against a Sage.
• The escalation toward war: The failed omen does not weaken Xiqi’s movement. Instead, propaganda preserves its momentum, pushing Shang toward open military confrontation.
• Hidden strength and underestimated figures: Lu Chen’s true cultivation, Kong Xuan’s identity and abilities, and the immortal nature of Shang’s leaders reveal that appearances in the Primordial World are often deceptive.

Important Character Interactions

• Yuanshi and Zhunti/Jieyin: Their dispute over Black Jade Qilin deepens the tension between the sects, with Yuanshi forced to tolerate the Western Sect’s betrayal for the time being.
• Ji Chang and his guards: Ji Chang’s anger at the failed omen contrasts with the guards’ continued worshipful celebration, exposing the fragility of political theatrics.
• Shen Gongbao and the Xiqi army: Shen manipulates the soldiers’ confusion into collective enthusiasm by declaring that Heaven supports Qi.
• Lu Chen and Kong Xuan: Their conversation shifts from cautious questioning to strategic recruitment. Lu Chen appeals to Kong Xuan’s need for protection, advancement, and guidance.
• Lu Chen, Kong Xuan, and Yin Hong: Their meeting marks a transfer of command at Three Mountains Pass and connects Shang’s military leadership with the Jie Sect.
• Dixin and Wen Zhong: Dixin’s fury prompts Wen Zhong to launch Shang’s counteroffensive, formally moving the conflict with Xiqi toward full-scale war.