Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Reactions from All Sides”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Twelve Ancestral Witches seize the Heavenly Court from the Demon Race, Zhu Rong and the others mock Di Jun’s frustrated reaction. Dijiang recognizes that the conflict with the Demon Race has become irreversible and predicts that Di Jun will seek a way to counter them.
• The Twelve Ancestral Witches enter the Thirty-Three Heavens and explore their new domain, eventually reaching Daluo Heaven and the Cloud-Spanning Palace.
• Dijiang sits upon the Nine Dragons Throne, the symbol of Heavenly Emperor authority. The Heavenly Court’s immense Fortune resonates with him, allowing him to break through from the Late-Primordial Golden Immortal realm to the Peak Primordial Golden Immortal realm.
• Empowered by the Heavenly Court, Dijiang issues a proclamation declaring that the Twelve Ancestral Witches will govern the Primordial World, patrol on Heaven’s behalf, and punish all who refuse submission.
• Heaven’s Way acknowledges their claim. Although Hongjun favors the Demon Race, Dijiang’s Pangu lineage, the righteous claim of seizing the Heavenly Court, and the broader heavenly trend force Heaven’s Way to accept their rule. Golden Merit descends upon all twelve Ancestral Witches.
• In Violet Firmament Palace, Hongjun is shocked and enraged that Dijiang has disrupted his plans. He realizes that the Demon Race’s Fortune has been weakened and that the future has become impossible to calculate.
• Unable to attack the Ancestral Witches directly because of his restrictions as Heaven’s Way’s spokesperson, Hongjun decides to support the Demon Race indirectly and place his hopes in his six disciples attaining Sainthood.
• The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa and Fuxi, and Red Cloud and Zhen Yuanzi each react to the unexpected change in the balance of power.

2. Character Developments

• Dijiang grows from a powerful leader into the acknowledged Heavenly Emperor. His breakthrough to the peak of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm demonstrates the Heavenly Court’s immense benefits and strengthens his confidence and authority.
• The Twelve Ancestral Witches become more united and assertive. Their confidence is reinforced by their successful seizure of the Heavenly Court, Heaven’s Way’s recognition, and the descent of Merit.
• Di Jun is shown to be restrained and calculating. Though humiliated, he avoids acting impulsively, confirming Dijiang’s belief that he will seek a strategic counterattack.
• Hongjun suffers a major strategic setback. His belief that the future remained under his control is shaken, and he is forced to reconsider his plans.
• Yuanshi Tianzun reacts with intense jealousy and resentment, especially because the Witches’ victory reminds him of his earlier humiliation beneath the Pangu Phantom.
• Laozi remains calm and pragmatic, warning that confronting the Ancestral Witches while they possess the Heavenly Court’s Fortune would be foolish. He prioritizes attaining Sainthood.
• Tongtian shares Yuanshi’s dissatisfaction but accepts Laozi’s strategic reasoning.
• Nuwa becomes suspicious that the Witches’ actions may be deliberately targeting the established heavenly arrangement, though Fuxi warns her not to speak recklessly.
• Fuxi is troubled by the divergence between his predictions and reality, questioning whether his destined role is to assist the Witches or the Demon Race.
• Red Cloud responds with amused admiration, while Zhen Yuanzi hints that Red Cloud should be more concerned about his own circumstances.

3. Significant Themes

• The instability of destiny and prophecy: The Witches’ seizure of the Heavenly Court overturns the expected future, proving that even powerful figures such as Hongjun cannot fully control events.
• Legitimacy and righteous authority: By occupying the Heavenly Court first and invoking their Pangu lineage, the Witches gain Heaven’s Way’s recognition and claim the moral and political justification to rule.
• Power gained through position: Dijiang’s breakthrough shows that authority over the Heavenly Court grants enormous Fortune and can directly accelerate cultivation.
• Strategic restraint versus emotional reaction: Di Jun avoids rash action, while Yuanshi gives in to anger and resentment. Laozi emphasizes patience and long-term preparation.
• The struggle between predetermined fate and individual interference: Dijiang’s actions disrupt Hongjun’s carefully arranged plan, suggesting that powerful individuals can alter the expected course of history.
• The importance of Sainthood: Multiple factions conclude that becoming Saints is the key to regaining control over the Primordial World and determining its future rules.

4. Character Interactions

• The Ancestral Witches joke about Di Jun’s humiliation, while Dijiang takes a more serious view of the emerging conflict and warns that retaliation is inevitable.
• Dijiang’s enthronement and proclamation unite the Witches behind a common political mission and establish him as their central leader.
• Hongjun internally reassesses his relationship with the Demon Race and considers manipulating other powerful figures to restore his influence.
• In the Three Pure Ones Hall, Yuanshi demands action, but Laozi restrains him and persuades the brothers to focus on cultivation rather than confront the Witches prematurely. Tongtian remains visibly hostile but accepts the logic.
• Fuxi cautions Nuwa against openly suggesting that the Witches are deliberately disrupting fate, reflecting his concern about provoking dangerous powers.
• At Wuzhuang Temple, Red Cloud admires the Witches’ dominance, while Zhen Yuanzi reminds him that his own situation may soon require attention.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Various powerful figures react to the Ancestral Witches’ occupation of the Heavenly Court:
  • Zhen Yuanzi warns Red Cloud that many forces are watching him because of his Primordial Purple Qi, but Red Cloud remains unconcerned.
  • Nether River Ancestor looks down on the Heavenly Court and plots to uncover the secrets of the Blood Sea and develop his own Slaughter Great Dao.
  • Jieyin and Zhunti worry that the Witch Clan’s dominance will further hinder the western lands, though Jieyin believes the Heavenly Court’s prosperity will eventually lead to its downfall.
• In the Cloud-Spanning Palace, Dijiang formally enfeoffs the other eleven Ancestral Witches with high positions and responsibilities:
  • Zhu Jiuyin becomes the Qinghua Emperor of the Eastern Pole, overseeing time.
  • Zhu Rong becomes the Immortal Longevity Emperor of the Southern Pole, governing flames and southern stars.
  • Gonggong becomes the Purple Tenuity Emperor of the Northern Pole, governing waters and northern stars.
  • Houtu becomes Earth Sovereign Queen, governing the wilderness and balancing yin and yang.
• The Heavenly Court’s Fortune flows into the Ancestral Witches, greatly increasing their power and causing the Witch Cult’s billions of disciples to celebrate the Clan’s new status as the Heavenly Court’s orthodoxy.
• Dijiang recognizes a major weakness: the Witches lack enough capable officials to administer the vast Thirty-Three Heavens. Most Witch Cult disciples are too weak and lack Pangu’s bloodline.
• To solve this problem, Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches return to Pangu Hall and use drops of their origin blood to nurture new beings in the Pangu Blood Pool.
• Twelve blood cocoons eventually produce powerful Great Witches, including:
  • Kong Jue, inheriting Dijiang’s Space Law.
  • Zhu Yan, inheriting Zhu Rong’s fiery power.
  • Gong Tao, associated with Extreme Cold Heavy Water.
  • Kuafu, inheriting Houtu’s earth-related abilities.
  • Xingtian, born with equipment and mastery of the Law of War.
  • Dayi, a master of archery.
• Each Great Witch is born at the early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm with powerful bodies and traces of the Ancestral Witches’ law origins.
• Dijiang gives Kong Jue the High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure Rift-Splitting Blade and appoints him to command one hundred thousand Heavenly soldiers.
• The Ancestral Witches plan to nurture up to 120 Great Witches, though they must do so gradually because the process consumes their origin blood.

Character Developments

• Dijiang develops from a conqueror into a ruler focused on administration and long-term strategy. He understands that occupying the Heavenly Court is not enough; it must also be properly staffed and defended.
• The Ancestral Witches demonstrate unity and growing ambition. They willingly sacrifice their origin blood to strengthen their Clan and build a lasting Heavenly Court.
• Kong Jue becomes the first newly created Great Witch and a symbol of the continuation of Pangu’s bloodline. His loyalty to Dijiang is absolute, and he is immediately entrusted with military authority.
• Nether River Ancestor is portrayed as increasingly arrogant and dangerous, believing that sufficient power will allow him to surpass both the Heavenly and Demon Emperors.
• Jieyin and Zhunti remain cautious and patient. Rather than confronting the Witches directly, they choose to wait for Heaven’s inevitable cycle of prosperity and decline.
• Red Cloud remains relaxed and seemingly indifferent despite the danger surrounding his Primordial Purple Qi.

Significant Themes

• Power and legitimacy: The Witch Clan’s control of the Heavenly Court gives it political and religious authority, but true dominance requires strength, organization, and capable subordinates.
• Bloodline and inheritance: The Great Witches represent the continuation of Pangu’s lineage and the Ancestral Witches’ attempt to expand their unique advantages.
• Ambition versus patience: Dijiang pursues careful long-term preparation, Nether River seeks personal supremacy, while Jieyin and Zhunti wait for the natural reversal of fortune.
• The cyclical nature of prosperity: Jieyin emphasizes that great success contains the seeds of future decline, foreshadowing possible conflicts and setbacks for the Witch Clan.
• Institution-building: The chapter shifts from conquest to governance, showing that maintaining an empire requires officials, soldiers, and a reliable power structure.
• Faith and Fortune: The Witch Cult’s celebration and heightened devotion increase the Ancestral Witches’ influence, linking popular faith with political power and cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Zhen Yuanzi and Red Cloud: Zhen Yuanzi urges Red Cloud to take the threat surrounding his Primordial Purple Qi seriously, but Red Cloud dismisses the concern.
• Nether River Ancestor and the Heavenly Court: Though he does not confront them directly, Nether River openly scorns the Heavenly Court and considers its rulers future resources for his own advancement.
• Jieyin and Zhunti: The two discuss the consequences of the Witch Clan’s rise. Jieyin reassures Zhunti and encourages restraint.
• Dijiang and the Ancestral Witches: Dijiang leads the enfeoffment ceremony, then explains the Heavenly Court’s administrative crisis. The others quickly accept his plan to create new Great Witches.
• Dijiang and Kong Jue: Dijiang treats Kong Jue as both a successor of Pangu’s bloodline and a trusted subordinate, rewarding him with a powerful treasure and military command.
• The Ancestral Witches and the new Great Witches: The newly born Great Witches regard the Ancestral Witches as “Father Gods,” reinforcing their loyalty and the hierarchical structure of the Witch Clan.

Chapter Summary: Kong Xuan’s Birth

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Kong Jue and the first Great Witches are born, Dijiang orders them to remain in Pangu Hall rather than serve in the Heavenly Court. He warns that, despite their powerful bodies and Great Firmament Realm cultivation, they are not yet strong enough to face powerful Quasi-Saints.
• The Great Witches cultivate for countless eras using the blood pool’s Killing Intent and Pangu’s lingering blessings. Eventually, 120 Great Witches are born from the Twelve Ancestral Witches’ source blood.
• Kong Jue and the first batch of Great Witches—including Zhu Yan, Gong Tao, Kuafu, Xingtian, and Dayi—break through to the Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. Their physical strength and mastery of laws give them combat power comparable to ordinary Early Quasi-Saints.
• The Heavenly Court prospers under Witch Clan rule. Its Fortune steadily increases because of its control over the righteous cause and the deterrence of the Pangu True Body. This allows all twelve Ancestral Witches to reach the Peak Primordial Golden Immortal realm.
• Dijiang remains at the ultimate limit of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm but struggles to advance to the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal level. He envies Patriarch Yangmei, the only known cultivator to succeed through the Law-Proving Path, and worries about his neglected disciple, Six Ears.
• The Demon Race falls into decline after Di Jun and Taiyi are intimidated by the Pangu Phantom and retreat to the Sun Star. Taiyi focuses obsessively on cultivation, while Di Jun uses the River Map and Luo Writing to search for a way to counter the Pangu True Body.
• Bai Ze observes that the Demon Race’s Fortune is weakening. Former allies are beginning to secretly align themselves with the Witch-controlled Heavenly Court, raising fears that the Demon Race may collapse.
• At Fallen Phoenix Ridge, a five-colored egg opens, giving birth to Kong Xuan, a peacock bearing the powerful Five Elements Origin and the bloodline of Origin Phoenix.
• After receiving his memories, Kong Xuan learns of the Phoenix Clan’s decline and his mother’s sacrifice in suppressing Undying Volcano. He vows to restore the clan’s former glory.
• Kong Xuan travels to Undying Volcano and reveals his identity to the Phoenix guards. Recognizing Origin Phoenix’s bloodline in him, the guards immediately report his arrival to the Great Elder.

Character Developments

• Kong Jue and the Great Witches: Mature from newly born warriors into Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals through prolonged, disciplined cultivation. Their growing strength establishes them as future pillars of the Witch Clan.
• Dijiang: Becomes increasingly powerful and politically secure as Heavenly Emperor, but privately struggles with the difficulty of advancing through the Law-Proving Path. His thoughts about Six Ears also reveal regret over neglecting his disciple.
• Di Jun and Taiyi: Their confidence is shaken by the Pangu Phantom’s overwhelming power. Taiyi responds through furious cultivation, while Di Jun turns to strategic deduction in search of a countermeasure.
• Bai Ze: Begins doubting the future of the Demon Race. His loyalty is challenged by his ability to perceive the faction’s declining Fortune.
• Kong Xuan: Is introduced as proud, ambitious, and intensely loyal to his heritage. He immediately adopts the goal of rebuilding the Phoenix Clan and asserts authority through his exceptional bloodline.

Significant Themes

• Power and cultivation: The chapter emphasizes the vast difference between realms and the need for continuous cultivation, even among naturally gifted beings.
• Rise and decline of factions: The Witch Clan’s prosperity contrasts sharply with the Demon Race’s weakening influence, showing how Fortune determines the fate of entire clans and political powers.
• Legacy and restoration: Kong Xuan’s birth represents the possible revival of the Phoenix Clan. His ambition is driven by his mother’s sacrifice and the clan’s former glory.
• Political legitimacy: The Heavenly Court’s control of the righteous cause and the Pangu True Body allows the Witch Clan to dominate without open resistance.
• Different paths to transcendence: Dijiang’s struggle with the Law-Proving Path contrasts with Hongjun’s seemingly more accessible Three-Corpse Severing method, highlighting the uncertainty of pursuing power through natural laws.

Important Character Interactions

• Dijiang and the Great Witches: Dijiang gives them strict instructions to cultivate within Pangu Hall until they reach the peak of their realm, establishing his role as both leader and protector.
• Dijiang and Six Ears: Though Six Ears does not appear directly, Dijiang’s thoughts show a mentor’s guilt and concern over having neglected him.
• Bai Ze and the Demon Race leadership: Bai Ze’s reflections reveal his growing anxiety about Di Jun and Taiyi’s failure to reverse the Demon Race’s decline.
• Kong Xuan and the Phoenix guards: The guards initially confront him as an intruder, but his Origin Phoenix bloodline immediately changes their attitude. His arrival marks a potential turning point for the Phoenix Clan.

Chapter Summary: “Untamed Pride”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A beautiful phoenix woman recognizes Kong Xuan as the son of Origin Phoenix after sensing his pure Five Elements Origin and Phoenix bloodline.
• The Grand Elder brings Kong Xuan into the heart of the Undying Volcano, where he meets his mother, Origin Phoenix, trapped and suffering under the burning effects of karmic fire.
• Kong Xuan vows to cultivate, restore the Phoenix Clan’s former glory, and make those who humiliated the clan pay.
• Origin Phoenix warns him that the Primordial World has changed: the ancient three-clan era is over, the Heavenly Court dominates the realms, the Demon Race has withdrawn, and the Phoenix Clan is weighed down by immense karma.
• She urges Kong Xuan to travel to Mount Buzhou, seek out Heavenly Emperor Dijiang, and join the Witch Cult. She explains that the Witch Cult possesses the Law Dao and the Law Stele Grove, which could greatly advance Kong Xuan’s cultivation.
• Though reluctant to submit to another power, Kong Xuan agrees out of filial duty and leaves the volcano.
• Rather than immediately meeting Dijiang, Kong Xuan decides to test the Witch Cult’s strength by challenging its disciples at the Spirit-Gathering Formation.
• He openly provokes the Witch Cult, claiming he wants to see whether its disciples truly possess unmatched combat ability.
• Xiong Shan, an Early-Stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, accepts the challenge. Kong Xuan effortlessly defeats him with his Five-Colored Divine Light, sweeping away his giant axe and then knocking him down with a single palm strike.
• Several more disciples challenge Kong Xuan, but he defeats each of them in one move, further inflating his confidence.
• The chapter ends when an unidentified speaker mockingly calls Kong Xuan a peacock showing off his feathers, hinting at the arrival of a stronger or more perceptive opponent.

Character Developments

• Kong Xuan: Introduced as exceptionally gifted, proud, and fiercely protective of his mother and clan. His loyalty to Origin Phoenix makes him accept her advice, but his overwhelming confidence prevents him from humbly seeking instruction. His victories against the Witch Cult disciples intensify his arrogance.
• Origin Phoenix: Though physically weakened and imprisoned by karmic fire, she remains wise and politically aware. She understands the dangerous state of the Primordial World and places her hopes in Kong Xuan’s ability to find a powerful alliance.
• Witch Cult disciples: Initially confident in their reputation, they become shocked and wary after Kong Xuan repeatedly defeats their peers with ease.
• Xiong Shan: Serves as the first representative of the Witch Cult’s combat strength. His defeat establishes the gap between ordinary same-realm fighters and Kong Xuan’s exceptional divine ability.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus humility: Kong Xuan’s talent gives him legitimate confidence, but his refusal to acknowledge others may become a weakness.
• Filial duty and sacrifice: Kong Xuan agrees to seek the Witch Cult because he cannot ignore Origin Phoenix’s hopes, despite personally disliking the idea of submission.
• Decline and survival: The Phoenix Clan’s former glory has been replaced by karmic burden and near-extinction, forcing its remnants to seek survival through alliances rather than dominance.
• Power and legitimacy: The chapter questions whether strength alone is enough to restore a fallen clan or attain the Dao in a world controlled by powerful factions.
• Testing and recognition: Kong Xuan seeks to judge the Witch Cult, but his challenge may also serve as a test of whether he is worthy of entering its ranks.

Character Interactions

• The phoenix woman and Grand Elder recognize Kong Xuan’s lineage and guide him to Origin Phoenix.
• Origin Phoenix and Kong Xuan share a poignant mother-son reunion, balancing her weakness and caution against his anger and ambition.
• Origin Phoenix advises Kong Xuan to join the Witch Cult, creating tension between his pride and his duty to her.
• Kong Xuan publicly antagonizes the Witch Cult disciples, then humiliates Xiong Shan and several others in combat.
• The final mocking remark from the unseen speaker directly challenges Kong Xuan’s arrogance and sets up his next confrontation.

Summary: “Six Ears Battles Kong Xuan”

Key plot points and events

Six-Eared Macaque arrives at Mount Buzhou after Witch Cult disciples mockingly suggest that he can deal with Kong Xuan, who has been causing trouble. He provokes Kong Xuan by calling him a “gaudy peacock,” enraging the proud phoenix-born cultivator. Kong Xuan attacks with the Five-Colored Divine Light, first transforming it into five divine swords and then using it to sweep away the Six-Eared Macaque’s Black Iron Staff. Believing his opponent has been disarmed, Kong Xuan launches a powerful barrage of divine light.
The Six-Eared Macaque reveals that he does not rely on magical treasures. By activating the Ninefold Mysterious Technique, he greatly enlarges and strengthens his body, shattering Kong Xuan’s attack with a single punch and resisting the Five-Colored Divine Light without injury. He then defeats Kong Xuan in close combat, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground. Kong Xuan finally admits defeat, after which Six-Eared Macaque returns his staff and offers to introduce him to the Witch Cult’s master.

Character developments

• Six-Eared Macaque demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, confidence, and a teasing, provocative personality. His victory establishes him as an exceptional fighter among cultivators of the same realm and highlights the power of the Ninefold Mysterious Technique. Despite mocking Kong Xuan, he shows magnanimity by helping him up, dusting him off, and accepting him as a future fellow disciple.
• Kong Xuan begins arrogant and proud of his Five-Colored Divine Light and innate Five Elements Origin. After discovering that his signature technique is ineffective against Six-Eared Macaque’s body, he experiences humiliation and shock. He ultimately abandons his arrogance, acknowledges the greater depths of the Primordial World, and voluntarily seeks to join the Witch Cult.

Significant themes

• Physical cultivation versus magical techniques: Kong Xuan’s powerful divine ability is overcome by Six-Eared Macaque’s raw physical strength and disciplined body cultivation.
• Humility through defeat: Kong Xuan’s loss forces him to recognize his limitations and reassess his confidence.
• Strength and reputation: Six-Eared Macaque’s victory reinforces the Witch Cult’s prestige and inspires admiration among its disciples.
• From rivalry to fellowship: The battle becomes a gateway for Kong Xuan to join the Witch Cult rather than remaining an enemy.

Character interactions

The confrontation is driven by Six-Eared Macaque’s deliberate taunts and Kong Xuan’s wounded pride. Their battle escalates from magical exchanges to direct physical combat, exposing the contrast between their fighting styles. After defeating Kong Xuan, Six-Eared Macaque shifts from ridicule to mentorship, criticizing Kong Xuan’s weak physical body while inviting him to become a fellow disciple. The Witch Cult disciples celebrate the victory as Kong Xuan is escorted to Pangu Hall.

Chapter Summary: Investiture of True Gods

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dijiang receives the Six-Eared Macaque and Kong Xuan in Pangu Hall after sensing their confrontation outside.
• He reprimands Kong Xuan for provoking Witch Cult disciples, but accepts his sincere repentance and willingness to join the Witch Cult.
• Recognizing Kong Xuan’s exceptional Five Elements aptitude, Dijiang assigns him to remain on Mount Buzhou, study the Five Elements Law in the Law Stele Grove, and temper his physical body.
• The Six-Eared Macaque is ordered to guide Kong Xuan and help him settle into the Witch Cult.
• Dijiang reflects that Kong Xuan, together with the Six-Eared Macaque, could become a major pillar of the Witch Cult and greatly increase its prestige.
• Dijiang then ends the long seclusion of 120 Great Witches, all of whom have reached the Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Realm.
• At the Heavenly Court’s grandest assembly to date, Dijiang announces the creation of official “true god” positions to fill vacant administrative and military offices.
• He declares that candidates must possess overwhelming strength and introduces the 120 Great Witches as competitors for these positions.
• Their powerful physical bodies and Pangu-derived bloodlines intimidate the assembled officials, and no one dares challenge them.
• Dijiang formally appoints the Great Witches to key Heavenly Court posts, completing the Court’s governmental and military structure.
• The Heavenly Court’s power rises sharply, attracting the attention of other major factions throughout the Primordial World.

Character Developments

• Dijiang demonstrates both authority and strategic vision. He disciplines Kong Xuan fairly, recognizes his potential, and integrates him into the Witch Cult rather than rejecting him.
• Kong Xuan undergoes a major shift from arrogance to humility. After witnessing the Six-Eared Macaque’s strength, he accepts his mistake and sincerely pledges loyalty to the Witch Cult.
• The Six-Eared Macaque is portrayed as a trusted and capable disciple, responsible for guiding Kong Xuan and helping expand the Witch Cult’s influence.
• The 120 Great Witches emerge from secluded cultivation as powerful new leaders. Their advancement marks their transition from hidden cultivators to central figures in Heavenly Court governance.
• Dijiang’s leadership evolves from personal rule toward institutional administration, as he delegates authority and builds a functioning hierarchy.

Significant Themes

• Strength as the basis of authority: The Heavenly Court openly values power above status or seniority, and the Great Witches secure their positions through overwhelming strength.
• Humility and repentance: Kong Xuan’s willingness to acknowledge his arrogance allows him to gain acceptance and a promising future.
• Merit and potential: Dijiang values talent and future achievement, seeing Kong Xuan’s Five Elements abilities as an opportunity to strengthen the Witch Cult.
• Institution-building: The investiture of true gods transforms the Heavenly Court from a loosely managed power into an organized government with clearly assigned responsibilities.
• Expansion of influence: By cultivating disciples and appointing powerful officials, the Witch Cult and Heavenly Court steadily increase their dominance over the Primordial World.
• Bloodline and inherited power: The Great Witches’ strength comes from their connection to the Ancestral Witches and Pangu’s bloodline, emphasizing the importance of lineage while still framing strength as the decisive factor.

Important Character Interactions

• Dijiang and Kong Xuan: Dijiang confronts Kong Xuan’s arrogance, then accepts his apology and gives him a path to grow within the Witch Cult.
• Dijiang and the Six-Eared Macaque: Their master-disciple relationship is reinforced when Dijiang entrusts the Six-Eared Macaque with guiding Kong Xuan.
• Dijiang and the Great Witches: Dijiang acts as both cultivator and political leader, ending their seclusion and assigning them positions suited to their abilities.
• The Great Witches and the Heavenly Court officials: Their entrance creates awe and intimidation, silencing any potential challengers and establishing their dominance.
• Dijiang and the assembled Heavenly Court: Through the investiture ceremony, he asserts centralized authority while rewarding strength with responsibility and status.

Chapter Summary: “Di Jun Thinks He’s Got This Again”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Di Jun is enraged after learning that the Witch Cult has produced 120 Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Great Witches from the Twelve Ancestral Witches’ origin blood essence.
• Taiyi and Bai Ze warn that the Witch Cult has surpassed the Demon Clan in top-tier combat power and that its growing Heavenly Court Fortune may soon help several Great Witches reach the Primordial Origin Golden Immortal realm.
• Di Jun enters a prolonged seclusion, using the River Map and Luo Writing to search for a way to counter the Witch Cult’s Twelve Capitals Divine Baleful Formation.
• After thousands of years of deduction, he creates the Heavenly Cycle Star-Fighting Formation, centered on the Sun Star and Lunar Star, supported by 365 major stars and 14,800 subsidiary stars. He believes it can rival or surpass the Witch Cult’s formation.
• At Phoenix Perch Mountain, Fuxi struggles with a heavenly prophecy indicating that his path to enlightenment lies in helping the ruler of heaven and earth. Although the Witch Cult currently controls the Heavenly Court, his deductions point toward the Demon Clan.
• Despite Nuwa’s concerns, Fuxi decides to join Di Jun on the Sun Star.
• Di Jun welcomes Fuxi enthusiastically and reveals his new formation. Fuxi recognizes its potential and offers to help perfect it, strengthening Di Jun’s confidence.
• Meanwhile, on Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones continue meditating on their Primordial Purple Qi, waiting for the opportunity to become Sages.

2. Character Developments

• Di Jun shifts from anger and anxiety to renewed confidence after devising a possible countermeasure against the Witch Cult. His discovery revives his ambition to reclaim dominance over the Primordial World.
• Taiyi remains loyal to Di Jun but is deeply resentful and wary of the Witch Cult’s growing strength.
• Bai Ze acts as a sober strategist, emphasizing the danger posed by the Witch Cult’s Fortune and advancing experts.
• Fuxi makes a major commitment by abandoning his neutral position and joining the Demon Clan, trusting his deductions despite the political risks.
• Nuwa displays concern for her brother and prefers to avoid the dangerous conflict between the Witch Cult and Demon Clan.
• Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian remain patient but increasingly focused on the mystery of the Primordial Purple Qi and their future ascent to Sainthood.

3. Significant Themes

• Ambition and rivalry: Di Jun’s determination to defeat the Witch Cult drives the chapter and reinforces the larger struggle for supremacy.
• Destiny versus present circumstances: Fuxi follows his heavenly deductions even though the Demon Clan appears to be losing, suggesting that fate may favor the current underdog.
• The importance of formations and strategic preparation: The Heavenly Cycle Star-Fighting Formation becomes the Demon Clan’s answer to the Witch Cult’s overwhelming battle formation.
• Fortune and the Mandate of Heaven: Both factions seek legitimacy and power through Heavenly Court Fortune, while Fuxi attempts to identify which group is destined to rule.
• Patience and the pursuit of enlightenment: The Three Pure Ones represent a contrasting path, remaining detached from worldly conflict while waiting for the conditions necessary to become Sages.

4. Character Interactions

• Di Jun consults with Taiyi and Bai Ze before dismissing them to begin his seclusion.
• Nuwa questions and worries about Fuxi’s decision to join the Demon Clan, but Fuxi firmly refuses to change his mind.
• Di Jun personally greets Fuxi and immediately treats his arrival as a major advantage for the Demon Clan.
• Fuxi and Di Jun establish a strategic partnership, with Fuxi offering his expertise to complete the new formation.
• The Three Pure Ones discuss the Primordial Purple Qi, with Laozi urging Yuanshi and Tongtian to remain calm and trust that their opportunity will eventually arrive.

Summary of “Hongjun’s Grand Move”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Patriarch Hongjun observes that the Witch Cult and Heavenly Court’s Fortune has grown dramatically. Dijiang has used the Ancestral Witches’ origin blood essence to create 120 Great Witches at the Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal level.
• These Great Witches now occupy the Heavenly Court’s key positions, allowing the Ancestral Witches to retreat into cultivation while the court continues to operate efficiently.
• Hongjun recognizes that this development could allow the Pangu Orthodox Lineage to dominate the Primordial World. Since he cannot directly attack the Ancestral Witches after merging with Heaven’s Way, he decides to promote the rise of a Sage to counterbalance them.
• He focuses on Nuwa, whose mastery of the Creation Law and accumulated merit make her the ideal candidate. Hongjun subtly uses Heaven’s Way to inspire her with the method of creating a new race of living beings.
• Nuwa realizes that creating life is her path to Sagehood. She first attempts to animate clay figures made from ordinary soil, but they crumble because the materials cannot withstand her Creation Law.
• She concludes that she needs extraordinary materials—specifically the Nine Heavens Resting Soil and Three Lights Divine Water, which are now in Dijiang’s possession.
• Despite her brother Fuxi’s alliance with the Demon Clan, a sworn enemy of the Witch Cult, Nuwa decides to set aside her pride and ask Dijiang for the materials.
• At the Heavenly Court, she learns that Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches are cultivating in seclusion within Pangu Hall, leaving the 120 Great Witches to manage the court.
• Nuwa then travels to Mount Buzhou, where she witnesses the immense scale of the Witch Cult and formally requests an audience with Dijiang.

Character Developments

• Hongjun: Becomes increasingly wary of the Witch Cult’s expansion and takes a calculated, indirect step to restore balance by guiding Nuwa toward Sagehood.
• Nuwa: Moves from confusion about her cultivation path to sudden clarity regarding her destiny. Her determination overcomes her hesitation about approaching the Witch Cult.
• Dijiang and the Ancestral Witches: Demonstrate strategic foresight by creating powerful Great Witches to govern the Heavenly Court, freeing themselves to cultivate while strengthening their faction.
• Kong Jue and the Great Witches: Are shown to be capable, disciplined administrators whose strength and competence allow the Heavenly Court to function without its main rulers.
• Fuxi: Though absent, his allegiance to the Demon Clan creates tension for Nuwa and complicates her attempt to negotiate with Dijiang.

Significant Themes

• Balance of power: Hongjun fears that the Witch Cult may become uncontrollable and seeks to counter its growing dominance.
• Heaven’s Way and manipulation: Hongjun cannot act openly, so he influences events by guiding Nuwa toward her destined path.
• The path to enlightenment: Nuwa’s struggle reflects the importance of discovering a cultivation path suited to one’s unique talents and destiny.
• Creation and transformation: The ability to create life is presented as a profound cosmic achievement and the foundation of Nuwa’s future Sagehood.
• Factional conflict versus personal goals: Although Nuwa is connected to the Demon Clan through Fuxi, her desire to attain the Dao forces her to negotiate with the hostile Witch Cult.
• Preparation and strategic planning: Dijiang’s decision to cultivate Great Witches shows the Witch Cult’s long-term planning and organizational strength.

Character Interactions

• Hongjun observes the Witch Cult’s success and uses Heaven’s Way to influence Nuwa without confronting the Ancestral Witches directly.
• Heaven’s Way communicates with Nuwa internally, revealing the path of creating life.
• Nuwa interacts with Kong Jue at the Heavenly Court, discovering that the Great Witches now administer its affairs.
• Nuwa then travels to Mount Buzhou and calls for Dijiang, setting up a future negotiation over the Nine Heavens Resting Soil and Three Lights Divine Water.

Chapter Summary: “Nuwa Seeks Treasures”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nuwa arrives at Mount Buzhou and requests to meet Dijiang, attracting the attention of the Witch Cult disciples.
• Dijiang brings her privately to Heaven-and-Earth Palace to avoid outside scrutiny.
• Nuwa explains that, while comprehending Primordial Purple Qi, she realized her path to Sagehood required creating a new form of life—humanity.
• She asks for Dijiang’s Nine Heavens Resting Soil and Three Lights Divine Water, the only materials she believes can withstand the power of creation. She also requests the Gourd Vine, which may aid the process.
• Dijiang readily gives her all three treasures without demanding payment.
• Feeling that she cannot accept such priceless treasures for free, Nuwa offers several Innate Spirit Treasures and rare Innate Spiritual Roots in exchange. Dijiang accepts them.
• Nuwa questions why Dijiang would help her despite her brother Fuxi having joined the Demon Clan, a political enemy of the Witch Cult.
• Dijiang explains that the treasures are of little use to him, while Nuwa’s creation of humanity would fulfill Heaven’s greater order and benefit the entire Primordial World.
• He declares that he will not obstruct great merit out of fear that Nuwa may later support the Demon Clan, insisting that he fears neither the Demon Clan nor future Sages.
• Impressed by his vision and confidence, Nuwa expresses sincere gratitude and promises to repay his favor.
• Nuwa returns to Phoenix Perch Mountain to begin preparing for the creation of humanity. Dijiang realizes that the coming age of Sages is near and that he must accelerate his own plans.

Character Developments

• Nuwa: Initially nervous and prepared for rejection or difficult bargaining, she reveals her humility and sense of fairness by offering compensation. Her view of Dijiang changes from cautious uncertainty to deep admiration after hearing his broad-minded reasoning.
• Dijiang: Demonstrates generosity, strategic confidence, and a commitment to the greater interests of Heaven and Earth rather than narrow factionalism. His willingness to help a potential future opponent emphasizes his fearlessness and long-term vision.
• Fuxi: Though absent, his decision to join the Demon Clan creates the central tension surrounding Nuwa’s request and complicates her relationship with the Witch Cult.

Significant Themes

• Selflessness versus factional rivalry: Dijiang places the welfare and development of the Primordial World above hostility between the Witch and Demon Clans.
• The greater trend of Heaven’s Way: Nuwa’s creation of humanity is portrayed as an inevitable and beneficial event that even powerful factions should not obstruct.
• Generosity and reciprocity: Dijiang gives away treasures freely, while Nuwa insists on compensating him, preserving mutual respect.
• Fearlessness and confidence: Dijiang refuses to act from fear of future enemies, including Sages, demonstrating his belief that strength and conviction matter more than cautious political calculation.
• Impending transformation: Nuwa’s preparations signal the beginning of humanity’s creation and the coming Age of Sages.

Character Interactions

• Nuwa approaches Dijiang respectfully but anxiously, expecting hostility because of Fuxi’s allegiance.
• Dijiang treats her courteously, offers tea, and listens without resentment.
• Their negotiation becomes an exchange of trust: Dijiang provides the materials, while Nuwa offers treasures to honor the gift.
• Nuwa challenges Dijiang’s motives directly, prompting his central speech about Heaven’s Way, broad vision, and his refusal to fear the Demon Clan or the Sages.
• Their meeting ends with Nuwa genuinely admiring Dijiang and pledging future loyalty or assistance.

Chapter Summary: The Road to the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Nuwa leaves, the Ancestor Witches arrive at Heaven-and-Earth Palace to question Dijiang about her visit.
• Dijiang reveals that Nuwa requested the Nine Heavens Resting Soil and Three Lights Divine Water, and that he gave both treasures to her.
• The Ancestor Witches initially object, fearing that Nuwa will use the treasures to become a Sage and aid the Demon Clan.
• Dijiang explains that Nuwa’s rise to Sainthood is mandated by Heaven’s Way and cannot truly be prevented. By helping her, the Witch Cult avoids opposing destiny while gaining a powerful karmic debt from Nuwa, which may later restrict her from interfering against the Witches.
• Recognizing that the Sage era is approaching, Dijiang orders the Ancestor Witches to maintain pressure on the Heavenly Court, strengthen their Great Witches, and monitor the Demon Clan.
• Dijiang then returns to Pangu Hall to attempt a breakthrough from the Peak Primordial Golden Immortal realm to the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.
• He concludes that true transcendence requires more than merely controlling Space Law. He must completely merge his body and primordial spirit with the Space Dao, embodying the principle: “I am space, and space is me.”
• The breakthrough is extremely painful and dangerous. Space laws tear apart his bones and primordial spirit, but his Pangu Bloodline, the Creation Jade Disk, and the Ninefold Mysterious Technique help him endure and regenerate.
• As Dijiang’s fusion progresses, space within Pangu Hall collapses and distorts, while Pangu’s Heart accelerates its beating and supplies him with pure Pangu Origin.
• Meanwhile, Nuwa uses the Gourd Vine, Nine Heavens Resting Soil, and Three Lights Divine Water to create living beings from mud along the Eastern Sea.
• She names them humans and announces their creation before Heaven’s Way.
• Heaven responds with an enormous Merit Golden Cloud, far greater than those granted when the Demon Clan and Witch Cult were established, signaling the immense significance of humanity’s birth. The chapter ends as the merit begins descending.

Character Developments

• Dijiang demonstrates strategic foresight and political intelligence. Rather than resisting Nuwa’s destined rise, he turns it into an advantage by securing her karmic obligation to the Witch Cult.
• He also advances toward a new understanding of cultivation, moving beyond controlling laws to merging completely with the Space Dao.
• Nuwa transitions from seeking resources to fulfilling her destined role as the creator of humanity. Her creation of humans marks a major elevation in both status and power.
• The Ancestor Witches initially react emotionally and distrustfully, but they accept Dijiang’s reasoning and renew their determination to prepare for the coming Sage era.

Significant Themes

• Destiny versus resistance: Heaven’s Way determines that Nuwa must become a Sage, making resistance futile. Dijiang chooses to cooperate with destiny while exploiting its consequences.
• Karmic cause and effect: Gifts are not truly free; Dijiang’s assistance creates a karmic debt that may influence future conflicts between Nuwa, the Witches, and the Demon Clan.
• The coming age of Sages: Nuwa’s destined breakthrough signals a major change in the balance of power and the beginning of a new historical era.
• Transcendence through unity: Dijiang’s cultivation path emphasizes complete identification with the Dao rather than simply borrowing or controlling its power.
• Creation and the rise of humanity: Nuwa’s act establishes humans as a new race with great potential, suggesting that they will become central to the future of the Primordial World.
• Sacrifice and endurance: Both Dijiang’s painful breakthrough and Nuwa’s immense creative act demonstrate the cost of achieving greater power and fulfilling cosmic destiny.

Character Interactions

• Dijiang calmly debates the Ancestor Witches, countering their anger and fear with a broader understanding of Heaven’s Way and karmic strategy.
• Zhu Rong reacts most violently, objecting to helping someone connected to the Demon Clan.
• Gonggong and Zhu Jiuyin reinforce the concerns about wasting powerful treasures and strengthening Nuwa.
• After Dijiang explains his plan, the Ancestor Witches shift from suspicion to admiration and pledge to follow his orders.
• Nuwa’s interaction with Heaven’s Way is ceremonial rather than personal: by declaring humanity’s creation, she receives Heaven’s recognition through an extraordinary merit manifestation.

Chapter Summary: Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nuwa successfully creates the first three thousand innate humans using the Nine Heavens Resting Soil.
• Heaven’s Way rewards her with immense merit:
  • The Gourd Vine becomes the Human-Creation Whip.
  • The remaining Resting Soil becomes the Nine Heavens Resting Soil Seal.
  • Additional merit flows toward Mount Buzhou and the newly created humans.
  • Seventy percent enters Nuwa directly.
• The merit completely fuses the Primordial Purple Qi into Nuwa’s primordial spirit, allowing her to attain Sainthood.
• Her Sage pressure spreads across the Primordial Wilderness, causing nearly all living beings—including Quasi-Saints and Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals—to kneel and acknowledge her.
• Nuwa establishes the Wa Emperor Palace in Primordial Chaos and announces that she will preach the Dao in three thousand years. She also silently thanks Dijiang for lending her the Nine Heavens Resting Soil.
• The major factions react to Nuwa’s breakthrough:
  • Di Jun and Taiyi are jealous but realize Nuwa’s connection to Fuxi may benefit the Demon Court.
  • The Three Pure Ones are shocked that Nuwa has surpassed them, though Laozi and Tongtian encourage patience and determination.
  • The Ancestor Witches recognize that the age of Sages has begun, but Zhu Rong remains confident in the Twelve Capitals Divine Baleful Formation.
• While everyone discusses Nuwa’s ascension, Dijiang completes his own breakthrough in Pangu Hall. His Space Dao Fruit shatters and dissolves into pure Space Origin, allowing him to fully comprehend and embody the Space Law.
• Dijiang reaches the realm of the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. His presence becomes so perfectly integrated with space that he appears ordinary, yet even Zhu Jiuyin cannot detect him within the River of Time.
• Dijiang returns to the Cloud-Spanning Palace and confirms that he has successfully advanced.

Character Developments

• Nuwa rises from a powerful cultivator to a Sage, gaining immense authority and freedom from ordinary tribulations and karma. She becomes grateful toward Dijiang and prepares to establish her own Dao venue.
• Dijiang completes his long seclusion and achieves a major breakthrough. His mastery of space becomes nearly absolute, making him difficult even for Zhu Jiuyin’s temporal perception to track.
• Di Jun reveals his political calculation, suppressing his jealousy and immediately planning to use Nuwa’s relationship with Fuxi to strengthen the Demon Clan.
• Taiyi reacts emotionally to Nuwa’s success, questioning why creating humans earned such extraordinary merit.
• Yuanshi Tianzun is deeply shaken and jealous that Nuwa attained Sainthood before the Three Pure Ones.
• Laozi remains composed and reminds the others that their own opportunities will eventually arrive.
• Tongtian becomes more determined to ensure that the Three Pure Ones do not fall behind.
• The Ancestor Witches, especially Houtu and Zhu Jiuyin, recognize the danger posed by Sages, while Zhu Rong remains defiant.

Significant Themes

• Merit and Heaven’s Way: Nuwa’s Sainthood demonstrates how immense merit can transform both cultivation and artifacts, while also showing that Heaven’s greater purposes are difficult to understand.
• The Arrival of the Sage Era: Nuwa’s breakthrough marks a major change in the Primordial Wilderness, establishing Sages as the supreme force above ordinary cultivators.
• Jealousy versus Composure: Different factions respond to Nuwa’s achievement with envy, fear, confidence, or strategic calculation.
• Power and Political Balance: Nuwa’s connection to Fuxi could shift the balance between the Demon Clan and Witch Clan.
• Mastery and Unity with the Dao: Dijiang’s breakthrough emphasizes that true advancement comes from completely embodying one’s law—in his case, becoming indistinguishable from space itself.
• The Limits of Perception: Dijiang’s transformation surpasses even Zhu Jiuyin’s ability to perceive the River of Time, suggesting that his new realm may place him beyond ordinary temporal tracking.

Important Character Interactions

• Nuwa and Dijiang: Nuwa privately thanks Dijiang for lending her the Nine Heavens Resting Soil, acknowledging the crucial role he played in her path to Sainthood.
• Di Jun and Taiyi: Di Jun turns Taiyi’s frustration into a strategic plan to win Nuwa’s support for the Demon Clan.
• The Three Pure Ones: Yuanshi expresses disbelief and jealousy, while Laozi calms him and Tongtian vows that they must continue striving.
• The Ancestor Witches: Zhu Jiuyin identifies Nuwa’s ascension as the beginning of the Sage era; Houtu warns against underestimating Sages, while Zhu Rong relies on the power of their formation.
• Dijiang and the Ancestor Witches: Dijiang’s sudden appearance astonishes the others. Zhu Jiuyin cannot perceive his existence through time, and Zhu Rong immediately realizes that Dijiang has broken through.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dijiang successfully breaks through to the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, becoming the first member of the Witch Cult to reach that level. The Ancestral Witches celebrate because this gives their faction the ability to contend with Sages without relying entirely on their grand formation.
• Zhu Jiuyin asks whether the Witch Cult should attend Nuwa’s upcoming lecture at Wa Emperor Palace. Dijiang decides not to go personally, reasoning that Nuwa’s teachings on Creation and the Sage path will offer little benefit to the Witches’ law-based cultivation.
• To maintain proper etiquette, Dijiang orders Kong Jue to represent the Witch Cult and deliver a generous gift. He also warns the Ancestral Witches not to become complacent: the other great powers will soon become Sages, and the Witches must strengthen themselves.
• Dijiang schedules a thousand years of preparation before gathering the Ancestral Witches at Pangu Hall to lecture on his breakthrough experiences. The Witches immediately enter seclusion to cultivate.
• Three thousand years later, Nuwa establishes Wa Emperor Palace in the chaos and begins lecturing on the Great Dao. Nearly every major power who attended the Violet Firmament Palace gathering arrives to congratulate her and hear her teachings.
• Di Jun and Taiyi arrive with the Demon Clan and present highly valuable gifts, hoping to win Nuwa’s support as a Sage and gain an ally against the Witch Cult. The Three Pure Ones also offer substantial gifts.
• Kong Jue arrives on behalf of Dijiang and the Ancestral Witches, presenting three High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures. Because the Ancestral Witches do not attend personally, many guests interpret the gesture as disrespectful arrogance toward Nuwa.
• Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Nuwa warmly acknowledges Kong Jue, thanks Dijiang for helping her achieve Sainthood, and invites Kong Jue into the palace to listen to her lecture.
• Nuwa’s statement shocks the assembled powers and undermines Di Jun and Taiyi’s plan to recruit her against the Witch Cult.

Character Developments

• Dijiang becomes markedly stronger through his breakthrough, gaining the confidence to oppose Sages directly. However, he remains cautious and recognizes that the other Ancestral Witches are still vulnerable.
• The Ancestral Witches shift from celebration to urgency after Dijiang warns them about the coming Sage era. Their determination to cultivate intensifies, and they return to Pangu Hall for seclusion.
• Kong Jue represents the Witch Cult with confidence and dignity. He follows Dijiang’s orders respectfully but does not abase himself before Nuwa, reflecting the Witch Cult’s belief that it is inferior to no faction.
• Nuwa demonstrates gratitude, fairness, and political independence. Her acknowledgment of Dijiang’s past assistance reveals that her relationship with the Witch Cult is far closer than the other factions realized.
• Di Jun and Taiyi are shown to be politically ambitious and eager to use Nuwa’s Sainthood to strengthen the Demon Clan. Their confidence falters when they realize she owes Dijiang a major debt.
• Fuxi understands the Demon Clan’s intentions and recognizes that Nuwa no longer needs persuasion to favor the Witch Cult.

Significant Themes

• Power and strategic balance: Dijiang’s breakthrough changes the political standing of the Witch Cult and reduces its dependence on formations.
• Preparation for an approaching conflict: The arrival of the Sage era makes cultivation and factional strength increasingly urgent.
• Respect versus arrogance: The Witch Cult’s refusal to personally attend is viewed as disrespectful by outsiders, but Nuwa interprets its actions in light of Dijiang’s previous aid.
• Gratitude and personal bonds: Nuwa’s Sainthood is connected to Dijiang’s generosity, creating a relationship stronger than ordinary political gifts or alliances.
• Political maneuvering: Di Jun and Taiyi attempt to secure Nuwa’s allegiance, but their plans are frustrated by her existing loyalty and gratitude toward Dijiang.
• Appearance versus reality: The crowd assumes the Witch Cult has insulted Nuwa, only to discover that the apparent slight conceals a deep and favorable connection.

Character Interactions

• Dijiang advises Zhu Jiuyin and the other Ancestral Witches, balancing celebration with warnings about future danger.
• Zhu Jiuyin organizes the Witch Cult’s formal response and urges the others to follow Dijiang’s example by cultivating harder.
• Kong Jue delivers the Witch Cult’s congratulations to Nuwa without servility.
• Di Jun and Taiyi present lavish gifts while privately hoping to turn Nuwa into an ally against Dijiang.
• Nuwa publicly thanks Dijiang for helping her attain Sainthood, surprising the gathered powers and neutralizing the Demon Clan’s intended persuasion.
• Fuxi observes Di Jun and Taiyi’s changing expressions and realizes that their attempt to influence Nuwa has effectively failed.

Chapter Summary: “Nuwa’s Stance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nuwa delivers a sermon in Wa Emperor Palace on the Creation Great Dao and the path to Sainthood.
• During the sermon, Great Witch Kong Jue gains an insight into the creative aspect of Space Law. His cultivation breaks through from the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Realm to the Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, or Quasi-Saint, Realm.
• Kong Jue’s breakthrough shocks the assembled great powers and demonstrates the strength of the Witch Cult’s Law-Proving Path.
• Daoist Dipamkara witnesses the breakthrough and becomes envious. Realizing that he lacks the Innate Spirit Treasures needed for Hongjun’s Three-Corpse Severing path, he begins considering defecting to the Witch Cult and pursuing its Law-Proving Path.
• After three thousand years, Nuwa ends her sermon. Before Kong Jue leaves, she asks him to tell Dijiang that she will eventually visit Mount Buzhou to repay the debt she owes him for the treasures that enabled her Sainthood.
• Di Jun and Taiyi, who remain behind, are visibly angered by Nuwa’s declaration of support and goodwill toward the Witch Cult.
• Di Jun asks Nuwa to protect the Demon Clan and accept the title of its Holy Mother. Nuwa refuses, explaining that she cannot betray Dijiang after he provided the Nine Heavens Resting Soil and Three Lights Divine Water that helped her create humanity and attain Sainthood.
• Nuwa also states that, as a Sage, she will not interfere in the conflict between the Demon Clan and the Witch Cult. Di Jun, Taiyi, and Fuxi leave Wa Emperor Palace disappointed and humiliated.

Character Developments

• Kong Jue: Achieves a major breakthrough during Nuwa’s sermon, proving both his exceptional comprehension and the power of the Witch Cult’s cultivation system.
• Daoist Dipamkara: His frustration over being unable to sever a corpse intensifies. Kong Jue’s breakthrough inspires him to seriously consider abandoning the traditional path and joining the Witch Cult.
• Nuwa: Establishes herself as principled, independent, and unwilling to be manipulated by clan loyalty. She openly acknowledges her karmic debt to Dijiang and refuses to act against the Witch Cult.
• Di Jun: Becomes increasingly resentful toward Dijiang, realizing that Dijiang’s past assistance to Nuwa has secured her loyalty and neutrality. Despite humbling himself, he fails to win her support.
• Taiyi: Shares Di Jun’s hope that Nuwa will protect the Demon Clan, but leaves disappointed.
• Fuxi: Is caught between his relationship with Nuwa and his allegiance to the Demon Clan. He attempts to ease the tension but ultimately accepts Nuwa’s firm decision.

Significant Themes

• Different paths to cultivation: The chapter contrasts Hongjun’s Three-Corpse Severing method, which depends on powerful Innate Spirit Treasures, with the Witch Cult’s Law-Proving Path, which relies on personal comprehension and one’s own laws.
• Karmic debt and gratitude: Nuwa’s decision is governed by her obligation to Dijiang, emphasizing that aid received at crucial moments creates binding moral and karmic responsibilities.
• Principles over political allegiance: Nuwa refuses to support the Demon Clan simply because of her origins, choosing instead to uphold her own standards and avoid becoming an instrument in the conflict.
• The rising power of the Witch Cult: Kong Jue’s breakthrough suggests that the Witch Cult’s methods can produce powerful figures even without the traditional reliance on spiritual treasures.
• Political tension: The Demon Clan’s weakness and desperation are highlighted, while the Witch Cult’s influence expands through both military power and alliances with important Sages.

Character Interactions

• Nuwa’s sermon directly benefits Kong Jue, whose breakthrough draws the attention of the entire assembly.
• Kong Jue becomes the messenger between Nuwa and Dijiang, carrying her promise to repay the Witch Cult.
• Di Jun appeals to Nuwa through kinship, her origins among the Demon Clan, and the promise of honor, but she rejects all of these arguments.
• Nuwa and Fuxi clash indirectly: although Fuxi belongs to the Demon Clan, Nuwa insists that their differing choices must be respected.
• Di Jun’s final exchange with Nuwa remains outwardly polite but is filled with resentment and humiliation, reinforcing the widening divide between the Demon Clan and the Witch Cult.

Chapter Summary: Make Dipankara Sweep for a Hundred Thousand Years

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kong Jue reports to Dijiang everything that happened at Wa Emperor Palace, including Nuwa’s intention to visit the Witch Cult and Dipamkara’s desire to defect and join the sect.
• Dijiang interprets Nuwa’s planned visit as both an expression of allegiance and a warning to the Demon Clan, concluding that the Nine Heavens Resting Soil he once gave her was a worthwhile investment.
• Dijiang considers Dipamkara’s request. Although Dipamkara is a powerful Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal and former guest of Violet Firmament Palace, Dijiang remembers his opportunistic nature and future reputation as a betrayer.
• To test Dipamkara’s sincerity, Dijiang orders him to sweep the outskirts of the Law Stele Grove for one hundred thousand years without using mana. Only if he endures will the Witch Cult consider accepting him.
• Several years later, Dipamkara arrives at Mount Buzhou. Shocked and humiliated by the condition, he initially considers leaving, but his desire to advance toward the Great Dao overcomes his pride. He accepts the task and begins sweeping.
• Meanwhile, Dijiang observes Six Ears sparring with Kong Xuan. The two have grown close through repeated combat, developing a friendly rivalry.
• Dijiang appears personally, praises Six Ears’s cultivation, and offers to guide him. Six Ears asks about his difficulty merging Space Law into his physical body.
• Dijiang approves of the idea but advises him to first focus on comprehending the laws and wait until he reaches the Primordial Origin Golden Immortal realm and condenses his Dao Fruit before attempting the deeper fusion.

Character Developments

• Dijiang: Displays strategic judgment and firm leadership. He rewards sincerity but refuses to accept powerful cultivators without testing their loyalty and character. His recent breakthrough has eased his burden and allowed him to devote more attention to mentoring his disciples.
• Dipamkara: Reveals his internal conflict between pride and ambition. Though deeply humiliated by being ordered to perform menial labor, his yearning to break through the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal bottleneck leads him to suppress his ego and accept the challenge.
• Six Ears: Has advanced to the Early Taiyi Golden Immortal realm and reached the fourth turn of the Ninefold Mysterious Technique. He has also developed an ambitious approach to cultivation by attempting to merge Space Law with his physical body.
• Kong Xuan: Has become a strong sparring partner and friend to Six Ears. His mastery of the Five Elements Law is improving, and although he remains arrogant, he openly acknowledges Six Ears’s increasing resilience.
• Nuwa: Though absent from the chapter’s main events, her planned visit is presented as a significant political signal of support toward the Witch Cult.

Significant Themes

• Humility versus pride: Dipamkara must choose between preserving his dignity and pursuing greater cultivation. His acceptance of the sweeping task shows ambition overpowering ego.
• Testing loyalty and character: Dijiang refuses to judge Dipamkara solely by his cultivation level. The hundred-thousand-year trial is designed to determine whether his commitment is genuine.
• The pursuit of the Great Dao: Dipamkara’s willingness to endure humiliation reflects the overwhelming importance of advancement in the cultivation world.
• Mentorship and gradual progress: Dijiang teaches Six Ears not to rush into advanced techniques, emphasizing that foundational comprehension must come before attempting to merge laws with the body.
• Friendship through competition: Six Ears and Kong Xuan’s repeated battles have transformed rivalry into mutual respect and companionship.
• Political alliances: Nuwa’s relationship with the Witch Cult and Dipamkara’s attempted defection show the shifting loyalties and power dynamics among the major factions.

Important Character Interactions

• Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin: They discuss how to handle Dipamkara’s request, with Dijiang setting the conditions and Zhu Jiuyin supporting the decision.
• Dijiang and Zhu Rong: Zhu Rong laughs at the humiliating nature of Dipamkara’s punishment, while Dijiang insists that anyone unable to endure it lacks the steadfastness required by the Witch Cult.
• Dipamkara and the Witch Cult commander: The commander coldly delivers Dijiang’s decree and enforces the no-mana sweeping requirement, emphasizing Dipamkara’s low status during the trial.
• Six Ears and Kong Xuan: Their intense sparring has developed into playful banter and mutual admiration, revealing their growing friendship.
• Dijiang and Six Ears: Dijiang reunites with his disciple, evaluates his progress, and provides guidance regarding the cultivation of Space Law.
• Dijiang and Kong Xuan: Kong Xuan respectfully acknowledges Dijiang’s authority, while Dijiang recognizes the bond that has formed between Kong Xuan and Six Ears.

Chapter Summary: “Tongtian Saves Lives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Six-Eared Macaque explains to Dijiang that, despite cultivating the Ninefold Mysterious Technique to its fourth transformation, parts of his body cannot be perfectly refined. He feels an invisible barrier preventing his physical form from reaching perfection.
• Dijiang examines him and explains that the problem comes from his lack of Pangu Bloodline. The technique was designed for beings whose bloodline could automatically transform Baleful Energy into nourishment. In Six Ears’s body, the energy instead accumulates and obstructs his progress.
• Dijiang advises Six Ears to use his own Four Monkeys of Chaos origin to assimilate and transform the Baleful Energy, making it his own power. Six Ears immediately understands and eagerly prepares to enter seclusion.
• Kong Xuan, who is also struggling with cultivation problems, hopes Dijiang will offer him guidance. However, his pride prevents him from asking directly. Dijiang recognizes his inner conflict but deliberately leaves without addressing him.
• After Dijiang departs, Six Ears criticizes Kong Xuan for allowing pride to stop him from seeking help. Their exchange forces Kong Xuan to reconsider his arrogance, and he resolves that pursuing the Dao is more important than preserving his pride.
• Back in Pangu Hall, Zhu Rong and Gonggong ask Dijiang whether the Witch Cult should recruit the newly created Human Clan, believing the humans may possess great Fortune because they are connected to Nuwa’s sainthood.
• Dijiang decides not to deliberately support or suppress the Human Clan. Since the humans are currently weak and would be more burden than benefit, he orders the witches to let them develop naturally. Those who can reach Mount Buzhou through their own efforts may be accepted into the cult.
• Meanwhile, the three thousand humans left on the Eastern Sea struggle to survive in the dangerous Primordial World. Lacking strength, cultivation methods, and survival knowledge, they suffer frequent deaths.
• The chapter ends as a Celestial Immortal-level Blackflame Tiger attacks a human tribe and begins slaughtering its members, leaving the Human Clan on the brink of catastrophe.

Character Development

• Six-Eared Macaque: Shows humility, determination, and eagerness to improve. Dijiang’s explanation gives him a practical solution to his cultivation bottleneck, and he immediately commits to seclusion.
• Dijiang: Demonstrates deep insight, patience, and strategic foresight. He helps Six Ears sincerely but also uses Kong Xuan’s pride as a lesson, refusing to indulge his unspoken expectations.
• Kong Xuan: His pride and reluctance to ask for help are exposed. Six Ears’s blunt criticism causes him to recognize that arrogance may hinder his pursuit of the Dao, leading him toward greater humility.
• Houtu: Displays compassion toward the vulnerable Human Clan and questions whether they should be helped.
• Zhu Rong and Gonggong: Think strategically, focusing on the possible Fortune and future benefits the Human Clan could bring to the Witch Cult.
• The Human Clan: Begins as helpless and inexperienced, facing immediate existential danger in the Primordial Wilderness.

Significant Themes

• Humility versus pride: The chapter emphasizes that seeking guidance is wiser than preserving one’s dignity. Kong Xuan’s struggle illustrates how pride can obstruct progress.
• Adaptation and self-reliance: Six Ears cannot copy the cultivation process designed for Pangu descendants; he must adapt it through his own unique origin.
• Natural development versus forced control: Dijiang chooses not to manipulate the Human Clan’s fate, allowing them to prove themselves through survival and effort.
• Strength and vulnerability: The contrast between the powerful witches and the defenseless humans highlights the brutal hierarchy of the Primordial World.
• Long-term strategic thinking: Dijiang looks beyond the Human Clan’s current weakness toward the coming Sage Era, prioritizing the Witch Cult’s preparation and internal strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Dijiang and Six-Eared Macaque: A master-disciple exchange in which Dijiang diagnoses Six Ears’s problem and provides the key to overcoming it.
• Dijiang and Kong Xuan: A silent psychological interaction; Dijiang sees Kong Xuan’s desire for instruction but refuses to encourage his prideful expectation that help should be offered automatically.
• Six-Eared Macaque and Kong Xuan: A teasing but meaningful confrontation. Six Ears mocks Kong Xuan’s pride, prompting him to reconsider his attitude.
• Dijiang and the Ancestor Witches: Dijiang explains his policy toward the Human Clan, establishing a cautious, non-interventionist approach that the others accept.
• Human Clan and the Blackflame Tiger: The humans’ helplessness is made clear through the beast’s attack, setting up an imminent crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking Kong Xuan’s Pride”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shangqing Tongtian travels from Kunlun Mountain to seek his own path toward enlightenment rather than remaining in seclusion with Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun.
• At the Eastern Sea, he rescues the newly created Human Clan by killing a Blackflame Tiger that is attacking them.
• Identifying himself as Nuwa’s fellow disciple, Tongtian teaches the humans basic cultivation and defensive techniques before continuing his journey.
• Meanwhile, Kong Xuan kneels outside Pangu Hall and begs Dijiang, the Heavenly Emperor, to accept him as a disciple.
• The Ancestral Witches recognize Kong Xuan’s immense talent but also understand that his arrogance remains largely intact. Dijiang refuses to respond and orders everyone to ignore him.
• Kong Xuan endures ridicule, harsh weather, and prolonged humiliation, continuing to kneel for a thousand years.
• When Dijiang finally appears, he challenges the sincerity of Kong Xuan’s resolve and attacks his confidence by dismissing his Five-Colored Divine Light as insufficient to make him invincible.

Character Developments

• Tongtian: Demonstrates independence and compassion. Unlike his brothers, he rejects passive seclusion and seeks enlightenment through travel and experience. His willingness to aid humanity reveals a benevolent side.
• Kong Xuan: Begins as an arrogant genius proud of his heritage, talent, and Five-Colored Divine Light. After being defeated by Six-Eared Macaque, he recognizes the need for a powerful teacher and forces himself to endure humiliation. Over a thousand years, his impatience and pride gradually weaken, though Dijiang suggests they have not yet been completely eliminated.
• Dijiang: Acts as a strict and discerning teacher. Rather than accepting Kong Xuan because of his talent, he tests whether Kong Xuan truly possesses the character and perseverance required to pursue the Dao.
• The Ancestral Witches: View Kong Xuan’s transformation with interest. Zhu Rong and Gonggong focus on his talent and recent defeat, while Zhu Jiuyin recognizes the value of his willingness to suppress his pride.

Significant Themes

• Humility before the pursuit of the Dao: True cultivation requires setting aside status, pride, and concern for reputation.
• Talent versus character: Exceptional ability does not guarantee success; a cultivator must also possess discipline, perseverance, and the proper temperament.
• Endurance as a test of sincerity: Dijiang uses Kong Xuan’s thousand-year kneeling to determine whether his desire for guidance is genuine or merely an impulsive response to defeat.
• Different paths to enlightenment: Tongtian’s active journey contrasts with the Three Pure Ones’ secluded meditation, suggesting that enlightenment may require personal experience rather than isolation alone.
• Compassion and responsibility: Tongtian’s aid to humanity highlights the importance of protecting weaker beings and nurturing their potential.

Character Interactions

• Tongtian interacts briefly with the Human Clan, saving them from the Blackflame Tiger and giving them the means to defend themselves.
• Kong Xuan’s determination is shaped by Six-Eared Macaque’s earlier advice that pride and “face” are meaningless compared with the pursuit of the Dao.
• The Ancestral Witches discuss Kong Xuan’s request among themselves, debating his worthiness and recognizing the tension between his extraordinary talent and flawed character.
• Dijiang deliberately ignores Kong Xuan, then confronts him after a thousand years and verbally dismantles his remaining confidence, setting the stage for a deeper transformation.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Kong Xuan as a Disciple”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kong Xuan reflects on his past arrogance after Six-Eared Macaque defeated him and shattered his Five-Colored Divine Light. The humiliation forces him to recognize the limits of his talent and pride.
• He kneels before Dijiang, sincerely admits his mistakes, and begs to become his disciple. After kowtowing without using protective dharma power, Kong Xuan wounds his forehead, demonstrating his determination and humility.
• Dijiang accepts Kong Xuan as his second disciple and orders him to study the Five Elements Law in the Law Stele Grove. He promises to teach Kong Xuan supreme techniques once he reaches the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.
• Dijiang notices Dipamkara sweeping the grounds as punishment and remembers that he possesses the Qiankun Ruler, a High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure capable of complementing Gonggong’s thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
• Rather than seize the treasure, Dijiang offers Dipamkara an equal-grade spirit treasure, early release from his punishment, membership in the Witch Cult, and ten thousand years of access to the core area of the Law Stele Grove.
• Dipamkara eagerly accepts the exchange, joins the Witch Cult, and immediately enters the Law Stele Grove to seek a breakthrough to the Quasi-Saint realm.
• Dijiang gives the Qiankun Ruler to Gonggong and explains that combining it with the thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls will create the Thirty-Six Heavens and greatly advance Gonggong’s Water Law.
• Excited by the opportunity, Gonggong enters seclusion to begin the fusion, hoping to reach the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.
• Meanwhile, Laozi leaves Kunlun Mountain after realizing that isolated cultivation and studying the Primordial Purple Qi have not brought him closer to sainthood. Traveling through the wilderness, he observes that the world has become unusually peaceful under Dijiang’s rule.

Character Developments

• Kong Xuan: Experiences a major transformation from proud and self-assured to humble and eager to learn. His submission to Dijiang marks the beginning of his growth as a true cultivator.
• Dijiang: Demonstrates both authority and strategic foresight. He rewards genuine repentance, develops talented disciples, obtains an important treasure through negotiation rather than force, and actively strengthens the Witch Cult.
• Dipamkara: Moves from disgraced prisoner and groundskeeper to Witch Cult member. His overwhelming desire for a breakthrough makes him willing to trade away the Qiankun Ruler for cultivation opportunities.
• Gonggong: Receives a crucial opportunity to improve his cultivation and becomes highly motivated to fuse the Qiankun Ruler with the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
• Laozi: Begins questioning his previous judgment of the Ancestral Witches. Though still unable to find the path to sainthood, he recognizes that Dijiang’s leadership has improved the Primordial World.

Significant Themes

• Humility and the limits of talent: Kong Xuan learns that innate ability means little before truly powerful figures and that admitting ignorance is necessary for progress.
• Cultivation through guidance and opportunity: Dijiang strengthens the Witch Cult by nurturing talent, providing access to the Law Stele Grove, and helping others overcome cultivation bottlenecks.
• Power through fairness rather than coercion: Dijiang’s exchange with Dipamkara shows that influence can be expanded through generous, mutually beneficial arrangements instead of force.
• Order versus chaos: The Witch Cult’s patrols and enforcement have reduced conflict and bloodshed, suggesting that Dijiang’s rule is bringing stability to the world.
• Changing perceptions: Laozi’s observations challenge his former prejudice against the Ancestral Witches and hint at growing respect for Dijiang’s accomplishments.

Important Character Interactions

• Kong Xuan and Dijiang: Kong Xuan begs for instruction, and Dijiang accepts him as a disciple after witnessing his sincere repentance.
• Dijiang and Dipamkara: Dijiang identifies Dipamkara’s need for advancement and offers him a valuable exchange, securing the Qiankun Ruler while bringing him into the Witch Cult.
• Dijiang and Gonggong: Dijiang gives Gonggong the Qiankun Ruler and explains how it can complete his cultivation path, motivating Gonggong to enter seclusion.
• Laozi and the transformed world: Though Laozi does not directly meet Dijiang, his journey through the peaceful wilderness becomes an indirect encounter with the effects of Dijiang’s rule.

Chapter Summary: Laozi Becomes a Sage, Dijiang’s Confidence

Key Plot Points and Events

• Laozi, traveling on his Azure Bull, encounters a group of impoverished and weak Human Clan members being taught cultivation techniques by Tongtian.
• Rather than dismissing them, Laozi observes their determination, resilience, and desire to survive. He realizes that although the Human Clan is physically weak, it possesses extraordinary potential and immense Fortune.
• Inspired by Nuwa’s success in becoming a Sage through creating the Human Clan, Laozi recognizes that guiding humanity may be his own path to enlightenment.
• Meanwhile, in the Demon Court, Di Jun struggles to complete the Heavenly Cycle Star-Fighting Formation. The formation requires 365 star banners, but the crucial Purple Star banner cannot be refined because Purple Star recognizes Dijiang—not Di Jun—as the true ruler of Heaven and Earth.
• Without the Purple Star banner, the formation cannot reach its full power, leaving the Demon Clan unable to reliably counter the Witch Cult’s Pangu True Body.
• Desperate, Di Jun decides to launch an all-or-nothing attack on the Heavenly Court to defeat Dijiang and reclaim the title of Heavenly Emperor. Taiyi supports him, while Fuxi warns that the plan is nearly suicidal.
• Before the attack can begin, Laozi establishes the Human Cult and vows to enlighten the Human Clan. He uses the Taiyi Whisk to suppress the sect’s Fortune.
• Heaven’s Way responds with immense merit. Laozi’s Primordial Purple Qi fully merges with him, his severed corpses combine into a Dharma manifestation, and he successfully becomes a Sage.
• Laozi’s Sage pressure spreads throughout the Primordial World, forcing countless beings—including Di Jun and Taiyi—to kneel. Di Jun’s hope of reversing the Demon Clan’s situation collapses, though he also recognizes that the Sage Era has begun.
• At Mount Buzhou, Dijiang calmly acknowledges Laozi’s advancement. He remains confident because his own cultivation and vast collection of powerful treasures make him comparable to—or stronger than—an individual Sage.

Character Developments

• Laozi: Moves from doubt about humanity’s ability to inherit Heaven’s Way to recognizing the Human Clan’s hidden potential. His insight leads directly to the establishment of the Human Cult and his elevation to Sagehood.
• Tongtian: Is shown actively teaching and protecting the Human Clan, demonstrating compassion and commitment to guiding weaker beings.
• Di Jun: Becomes increasingly desperate after failing to refine the Purple Star banner. His strategic caution gives way to reckless determination as he prepares to gamble the Demon Clan’s survival on an attack against Dijiang.
• Taiyi: Remains fiercely loyal to Di Jun and embraces the decision to fight, even when the odds are overwhelmingly unfavorable.
• Fuxi: Acts as the voice of reason, recognizing the danger of confronting the Witch Cult before the Demon Clan is ready.
• Dijiang: Displays complete confidence and composure. He does not fear Laozi’s ascension because of his own cultivation, control of powerful treasures, and belief that even multiple Sages would not seriously threaten him.

Significant Themes

• Hidden potential beneath weakness: The Human Clan’s physical frailty contrasts with its resilience, adaptability, and capacity for growth.
• Enlightenment through observation and compassion: Laozi achieves insight not through force, but by recognizing the Human Clan’s value and suffering.
• Desperation versus strategy: Di Jun’s failed formation forces him toward a reckless final gamble, showing how political and military setbacks can drive leaders into extremism.
• The beginning of a new era: Laozi’s ascension signals the arrival of the Sage Era and foreshadows the rise of the Three Pure Ones.
• Power and confidence: Dijiang’s attitude reflects the chapter’s power hierarchy: Sagehood is formidable, but exceptional cultivation and Innate Supreme Treasures can still challenge it.

Important Character Interactions

• Laozi and Tongtian: Laozi silently observes Tongtian teaching the Human Clan, and Tongtian’s actions help inspire Laozi’s realization.
• Di Jun, Taiyi, and Fuxi: They debate the incomplete formation and whether to attack the Heavenly Court. Di Jun and Taiyi favor a desperate assault, while Fuxi objects.
• Laozi and Heaven’s Way: Laozi’s declaration establishing the Human Cult receives Heaven’s approval through descending merit, granting him Sagehood.
• Dijiang and Laozi: They do not directly meet, but Dijiang reacts to Laozi’s ascension without fear, emphasizing his confidence and overwhelming arsenal of treasures.

Plot points and events

• After Laozi becomes a Sage by founding the Human Cult, his brothers Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian realize that founding sects is their own path to enlightenment. Yuanshi establishes the Chan Sect to clarify and uphold Heaven’s Way; Tongtian establishes the Interception Sect, welcoming all beings and offering them a chance at the Dao. Both receive merit and become Sages.
• Alarmed by the Three Pure Ones’ rapid ascension, Jieyin and Zhunti establish the Western Religion to guide beings and aid the suffering Western Lands. Their initial merit is insufficient, so they make the Forty-Eight Great Vows. Heaven’s Way grants them enough merit to become Sages.
• With all of Hongjun’s disciples except Hong Yun now Sages, the Sage Era begins.
• Hoping to defeat the Witch Cult, Di Jun and Taiyi travel to Kunlun Mountain to recruit Yuanshi. Di Jun offers the Chan Sect primacy and a lasting share of Demon Clan Fortune in exchange for an alliance.
• Yuanshi rejects the proposal with contempt, insults the Demon Clan’s origins, and throws both visitors out using Sage pressure. Taiyi wants to fight, but Di Jun restrains him and leaves, vowing to remember the humiliation.

Character developments and interactions

• Yuanshi and Tongtian each find a distinct religious path to Sagehood. Jieyin and Zhunti show desperation and resolve, staking their ascension on promises they must fulfill.
• Di Jun is willing to humble himself politically to secure the Demon Clan’s survival, but Yuanshi’s rejection leaves him furious and resentful. Taiyi reacts more impulsively, while Di Jun reins him in because fighting a Sage would be futile.
• Yuanshi’s new status brings out his arrogance and prejudice: he sees himself as part of the Pangu Orthodox Lineage and regards the Demon Clan as beneath him.

Significant themes

• Sect-building as a path to enlightenment: Each group claims a different role in guiding or teaching living beings.
• Merit, vows, and obligation: The Western Sages attain power through vows that bind them to future responsibilities.
• Power and hierarchy: Sagehood dramatically changes the balance of influence, allowing Yuanshi to dismiss the Demon rulers without consequence.
• Pride and humiliation: Di Jun’s failed diplomacy deepens the hostility between the Demon Clan and the Sages.

Key plot points

• After Yuanshi humiliates them on Kunlun Mountain, Di Jun and Taiyi abandon the idea of seeking support from the other Three Pure Ones. They travel west to ask Jieyin and Zhunti for an alliance against the Witch Cult.
• Di Jun offers the Western Religion half the Fortune of the prosperous eastern lands. Jieyin and Zhunti hesitate, citing the Witches’ strength and their own fragile foundations.
• Di Jun reveals the Demon Clan’s planned Heavenly Cycle Star-Fighting Formation. It could rival the Witches’ formation, but it cannot be completed without a Purple Star banner—and the Purple Star will not recognize Di Jun while the Witches control the Heavenly Court.
• Seeing a chance to advance their struggling religion, Jieyin and Zhunti agree to help the Demon Clan seize the Heavenly Court and defeat the Witches.
• Dijiang learns of the alliance and its plan. He immediately orders Witch Cult forces to return, strengthens the Heavenly Court’s defenses, and summons the Twelve Ancestral Witches and 120 Great Witches to prepare.

Character developments and interactions

• Di Jun shows strategic ambition, using the promise of eastern Fortune to win the Sages’ support. He also reveals the Demon Clan’s secret formation plan.
• Jieyin and Zhunti weigh the risks but ultimately choose power and opportunity over caution. Their polite, compassionate manner conceals hard bargaining: they wait to see what more Di Jun can offer.
• Taiyi remains angry over the insult at Kunlun and supports his brother’s campaign, though Di Jun directs the negotiations.
• Dijiang proves vigilant and confident. Though he cannot perceive events as a Sage does, he has tracked the Demon Emperors and responds swiftly to the threat.
• The alliance between the Demon Clan and Western Religion sets them against the Witch Cult, while the Witch leadership gathers to coordinate its defense.

Significant themes

• Power and self-interest: Each faction pursues advantage; the Western Religion’s decision is driven by the prospect of rising in influence.
• Strategic alliances and bargaining: Di Jun turns a technical weakness in his formation into leverage for securing allies.
• Preparedness and foresight: Dijiang’s advance knowledge gives the Witch Cult time to mobilize before its enemies act.
• Ambition versus risk: Jieyin and Zhunti knowingly gamble their newly gained status for the chance to transform their religion’s fortunes.