Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Plot and Events

• Little Fatty and the other immortals realize that Qin Fen—worshipped as Dongwang Gong—is far more popular among mortals than the City God. People flock to his palaces, pray to him for protection, and treat him almost like a major Buddhist deity.
• The City God flatters Qin Fen, claiming that the common people sincerely worship him and regard him as a powerful protector. Qin Fen is pleased by his popularity but irritated by the absurd reputation that he can “ward off evil” and even influence fertility.
• Queen Mother jokingly—or perhaps half-seriously—asks for her statue to be placed in Qin Fen’s palace. This suggestion shocks the immortals because temples normally reflect strict divine hierarchies and jurisdictions.
• The gods fear that placing Queen Mother in Qin Fen’s palace would imply that she, a powerful and independent Innate Divine Being, has become Qin Fen’s subordinate. Even the Jade Emperor and the Buddhist figures are alarmed by the possible political consequences.
• Qin Fen, unconcerned with celestial rules, casually agrees, telling Queen Mother to do whatever makes her happy. Queen Mother becomes visibly embarrassed and excited, gripping his arm.
• The Heavenly Dao suddenly announces that “Dongwang Gong and Queen Mother are originally one family.” The immortals interpret this as confirmation of a Heavenly Marriage between Qin Fen and Queen Mother.
• Since the marriage establishes Qin Fen as the husband and Queen Mother as his wife, placing her statue in his temples is deemed legitimate rather than an act of subordination. Human emperors immediately issue orders to add Queen Mother’s divine seat to Qin Fen’s temples.
• Hongjun is devastated that his beloved disciple has effectively been “given” to Qin Fen.

Character Development

• Qin Fen: His growing influence among mortals becomes clear. He remains irreverent and ignorant of—or indifferent to—celestial customs, casually accepting a decision that could reshape the structure of Heaven.
• Queen Mother: Reveals a playful, affectionate, and romantically interested side. Her request to be included in Qin Fen’s palace, followed by her embarrassment after he agrees, strongly suggests genuine feelings for him.
• City God and Earth God: Become increasingly intimidated by Qin Fen’s status and the potential consequences of the marriage. They recognize that Qin Fen’s power and popularity far exceed their own.
• Jade Emperor: Suffers both political anxiety and personal jealousy. He fears Qin Fen gaining authority over all female immortals and is heartbroken that Queen Mother favors Qin Fen despite his own pursuit of her.
• Hongjun: Reacts as a distressed mentor and protective master, lamenting Queen Mother’s marriage to Qin Fen.

Major Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The chapter emphasizes the rigid systems governing temples, divine jurisdictions, and relationships among immortals. Qin Fen’s actions threaten to disrupt these established structures.
• Heavenly authority versus personal will: Qin Fen ignores traditional rules, while Queen Mother openly chooses what she wants. The Heavenly Dao ultimately validates their relationship, showing that cosmic law can override bureaucratic objections.
• Popularity and worship: Mortal belief gives Qin Fen immense influence, demonstrating how divine status is strengthened by public devotion.
• Romantic comedy: Queen Mother’s flirtation, Qin Fen’s casual acceptance, and the Jade Emperor’s jealousy create a humorous contrast with the immortals’ serious panic.
• Fate and legitimacy: The Heavenly Marriage transforms what seemed like an improper arrangement into a divinely sanctioned union.

Character Interactions

• The City God praises Qin Fen while inwardly panicking about his own inferiority.
• Queen Mother teases Qin Fen and proposes placing her statue in his palace; Qin Fen responds casually, unintentionally escalating the situation.
• The Jade Emperor, Lord Lao, Tathagata, and other immortals react with fear and disbelief at the possibility of Queen Mother becoming associated with Qin Fen.
• Queen Mother’s embarrassment and physical closeness to Qin Fen reveal their growing intimacy.
• The Heavenly Dao publicly confirms their relationship, forcing Heaven and the mortal world to accept the marriage and its consequences.

Chapter Summary: Qin Fen Isolated by the Heavenly Court

Plot Points and Major Events

• The Heavenly Court is thrown into alarm after realizing that Qin Fen and the Queen Mother may be related. Their familial connection could dramatically alter the balance of power.
• The Jade Emperor, Ziwei, and other officials suspect that the Queen Mother’s recent actions were not independent but part of Qin Fen’s larger plan to restructure the Heavenly Court.
• Taibai identifies Qin Fen’s long-term strategy: he has been quietly building influence among female immortals through square dancing, the Weaver Girl’s clothing and cosmetics, and other initiatives.
• These efforts strengthened the Queen Mother’s authority and encouraged female immortals to become more independent. Her leadership could provide Qin Fen with a powerful political base.
• The officials realize that Qin Fen may have intended to begin restructuring the Heavenly Court through the Manufacturing Department, possibly by promoting the Weaver Girl. The Jade Emperor’s earlier refusal delayed that plan but did not eliminate it.
• Qin Fen’s previous actions involving land gods, temples, the Welfare Lottery, mobile phones, and reforms in the Underworld are reinterpreted as connected steps in a massive scheme.
• Fearing that Qin Fen will attack the established positions and privileges of Heavenly Court officials, the Jade Emperor orders everyone to control their families and prevent them from supporting the Queen Mother or acting recklessly.
• The major immortals react differently: Lord Lao and Yuanshi Tianzun admire Qin Fen’s hidden planning, Tongtian enjoys the chaos, and Tathagata praises Qin Fen’s strategic talent while regretting that he is not part of Buddhism.
• Meanwhile, Qin Fen remains unaware that the entire Celestial Realm has become suspicious of him. His casual conversation with the Queen Mother is misinterpreted as confirmation that a major conspiracy is underway.
• By the end of the chapter, Qin Fen has effectively been isolated. The Heavenly Court, the primordial gods, and even Hongjun are united in watching and preparing to counter his next move.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: His reputation changes from unpredictable troublemaker to terrifying strategic mastermind. Although he does not realize the extent of the panic he has caused, others now believe every action is part of a carefully planned reform campaign.
• Queen Mother: Her influence among female immortals has grown enormously. She appears increasingly willing to follow Qin Fen and looks forward to their shared activities, even though she contributes little direct strategy.
• Jade Emperor: He becomes deeply wary of Qin Fen and recognizes that Qin Fen may possess the means to challenge the entire administrative structure of Heaven.
• Taibai: He is the first to connect Qin Fen’s seemingly unrelated initiatives and explains how they have gradually created a foundation for reform.
• Ziwei, Yellow Emperor, and other officials: They move from confusion to fear, realizing that their authority and positions may be threatened.
• Lord Lao, Yuanshi Tianzun, Tongtian, and Tathagata: Each acknowledges Qin Fen’s brilliance, though their attitudes range from concern to admiration and amusement.
• Hongjun: He watches the unfolding conflict with amusement, confident that Qin Fen has become the target of the entire Heavenly Court.

Significant Themes

• Misinterpretation and unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s ordinary or loosely connected actions are interpreted as parts of an immense conspiracy.
• Political reform and resistance: The officials fear that Qin Fen’s reforms will destroy the existing system of offices, privileges, and “iron rice bowls.”
• Women’s empowerment: The Queen Mother’s growing influence reflects the lasting effects of Qin Fen’s promotion of female independence and social participation.
• Power through social influence: Qin Fen’s strength does not come only from official authority but from shaping public opinion and organizing groups behind the Queen Mother.
• Strategic patience: The chapter emphasizes how long-term groundwork can appear harmless until it suddenly becomes a threat.
• Isolation and paranoia: Once the Heavenly Court decides Qin Fen is dangerous, every word and action is treated as evidence against him, isolating him before he has even made his next move.

Character Interactions

• The Jade Emperor, Ziwei, Taibai, and the other officials gather to analyze Qin Fen’s intentions and plan defensive measures.
• Taibai explains to the Jade Emperor and the others how Qin Fen’s support for the Queen Mother and female immortals could enable reform.
• The officials discuss their own families’ growing loyalty to the Queen Mother, revealing how Qin Fen’s influence has begun to reach beyond formal institutions.
• The Jade Emperor commands the officials to restrain their families and prevent them from giving Qin Fen an opening.
• The primordial gods observe and assess Qin Fen from Tusita Palace, with Lord Lao and Yuanshi Tianzun praising his deception while Tongtian welcomes the conflict.
• Tathagata privately admires Qin Fen’s talent.
• The Queen Mother and Qin Fen speak casually, but the Heavenly Court interprets their exchange as proof that Qin Fen’s grand scheme is about to begin.

Chapter Summary: “Back and Forth, a Secret Contest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen realizes that the previously overlooked land gods and mountain gods hold Divine Offices and may offer significant potential. This sparks the beginning of a new, undisclosed plan.
• While Qin Fen and Queen Mother discuss how to spend their limited time in the Earthly Immortal Realm, their vague and suggestive wording causes the Heavenly Court to believe Qin Fen is preparing a major strategic move.
• Qin Fen mentions that he has important matters to handle and may soon be recalled, though he himself is mainly concerned with exploring the realm, eating local food, and spending time with Queen Mother.
• The mention of Sun Yujie, an exhibition, and a limited time frame convinces Jade Emperor and the other immortals that Qin Fen has secret allies and a large operation underway.
• Qin Fen attempts to change the subject by asking about Weaver Girl, Lanxiang, and the progress of the Food God and others. This only reinforces Heavenly Court’s suspicion that Weaver Girl is involved in his plans.
• Jade Emperor and his advisers devise a countermeasure: Cowherd is transferred to the Celestial River Navy, forcing Weaver Girl to return to Heavenly Court. She is also assigned teaching duties at the Academy, preventing her from assisting Qin Fen.
• The chapter ends with Heavenly Court and Qin Fen unknowingly engaging in a tense, absurd contest of schemes and counter-schemes.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen shows his growing strategic awareness by recognizing the hidden value of land gods and mountain gods. However, his innocent remarks and lack of awareness about how others interpret him make him appear far more calculating than he actually is.
• Queen Mother becomes increasingly embarrassed because she misinterprets Qin Fen’s comments about limited time and unfinished business as suggestive remarks. She nevertheless cooperates with him and helps maintain the misunderstanding.
• Jade Emperor becomes highly suspicious and determined to prevent Qin Fen from exploiting any loopholes. He responds quickly and aggressively once he believes Weaver Girl is part of Qin Fen’s plan.
• Taibai Venus and Ziwei act as capable strategists, helping Jade Emperor interpret Qin Fen’s statements and formulate a practical countermeasure.
• The City God and land god are confused and uncomfortable, recognizing that something secretive is occurring but unable to understand whether it is political intrigue or a private affair.
• Weaver Girl does not appear directly, but her importance as Qin Fen’s possible ally is established.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and mistaken interpretation: Ordinary conversations between Qin Fen and Queen Mother are interpreted by Heavenly Court as coded political signals, creating much of the chapter’s humor and tension.
• Hidden power in overlooked positions: Qin Fen’s interest in land gods and mountain gods suggests that seemingly minor offices may become strategically important.
• Political maneuvering and counterstrategy: Both sides assume the other is preparing a major move, leading to a covert contest of disruption and defense.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin Fen’s actual intentions—exploration, food, and relaxation—contrast sharply with the grand conspiracy everyone else imagines.
• Control and bureaucratic power: Jade Emperor uses official appointments and administrative duties to limit Weaver Girl’s freedom, demonstrating how Heavenly Court’s bureaucracy can function as a weapon.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Queen Mother speak in deliberately—or accidentally—ambiguous language, causing both embarrassment and widespread speculation.
• Jade Emperor, Ziwei, Taibai, Lord Lao, Tongtian, and Primordial Lord analyze Qin Fen’s remarks as though they are clues in a military campaign.
• Heavenly Court coordinates a plan to separate Weaver Girl from Qin Fen by manipulating Cowherd’s posting and assigning Weaver Girl new responsibilities.
• The chapter closes with both Qin Fen’s group and Heavenly Court preparing for moves against each other, even though they are largely acting on incorrect assumptions.

Chapter Summary: Qin Fen Opens Classes in the Heavenly Court

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen avoids immediately meeting Weaver Girl, despite Queen Mother’s suggestion, because he considers the timing unsuitable.
• He asks for a restroom, confusing the immortals with modern terminology. After clarifying that he needs a toilet, he is directed to a filthy public facility.
• Disgusted by the poor sanitation, Qin Fen criticizes the City God and demands that more public toilets be built.
• He then questions the Earth God about the city’s population. The Earth God can provide the number of permanent households but has no accurate population or migrant records.
• Qin Fen turns the conversation into a lesson on urban development, emphasizing that population data, migration patterns, market activity, and local conditions are essential for prosperity.
• He orders all Earth Gods and Mountain Gods to conduct detailed censuses of their jurisdictions, including permanent residents, temporary visitors, surrounding villages, and population movement.
• Qin Fen expands the plan beyond economic development. He argues that population tracking will improve public security, help monitor the Demon Tribe, and allow authorities to prevent crime.
• He proposes dividing the entire Earthly Immortal Realm into administrative “grids,” connecting information between regions, and using shared data to coordinate resources, respond to disasters, and balance supply and demand.
• The immortals become enthusiastic, recording Qin Fen’s words and loudly repeating his motivational slogan: “Have confidence! Work hard! Strive forward!”
• The Heavenly Book records the second stage of reform: the establishment of grid-based communities and “Grid Service Offices.” The existing divine officials retain their identities but receive new responsibilities and positions.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen presents himself as a practical reformer. His initial concern about sanitation develops into a broad administrative program involving census-taking, economic planning, public security, disaster management, and resource distribution.
• The City God begins anxious and confused, fearing he has displeased Qin Fen, but gradually becomes committed to the reforms after realizing their potential benefits and merit.
• The Earth God proves highly responsive, taking notes and drawing practical conclusions from Qin Fen’s ideas. He recognizes that the plan will require continuous updates and extensive organization.
• Queen Mother remains emotionally unsettled around Qin Fen and blushes because of their growing connection, while also finding his behavior bewildering.
• The Jade Emperor and Ziwei remain suspicious of Qin Fen. They assume his apparently scattered questions conceal a deeper plan, with the Jade Emperor particularly distrustful because of their ongoing rivalry.
• Guan Yu and the other divine officials become increasingly inspired, understanding that their local duties can contribute to a realm-wide system of governance.
• The Heavenly Dao recognizes the importance of Qin Fen’s reforms and formally records them as part of the transformation of the Investiture of the Gods.

Significant Themes

• Reform through practical foundations: Qin Fen insists that large-scale progress must begin with basic matters such as sanitation, accurate records, and local administration.
• Data and information as power: Population statistics, migration records, and communication networks are presented as necessary for economic planning, crime prevention, disaster response, and resource allocation.
• Adaptation to local conditions: Qin Fen rejects blindly copying other regions and stresses that each jurisdiction must identify its own characteristics and needs.
• Unity and coordination: The grid system is designed to link the entire Earthly Immortal Realm, allowing officials to share information and resources rather than operating in isolation.
• Transformation through destruction and reconstruction: The Heavenly Book frames the reforms as part of the Heavenly Dao’s cycle—old systems must be altered so a stronger structure can emerge.
• Modern concepts applied to a mythological world: Ideas resembling urban planning, big data, public administration, community services, and motivational campaigns are humorously introduced into the ancient divine realm.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen’s blunt complaints unsettle the City God, who tries to determine whether he has committed an administrative failure.
• His questions draw the Earth God into an increasingly active role as recorder, analyst, and future coordinator of the census project.
• Queen Mother watches Qin Fen with complicated romantic feelings, while he remains largely unaware of the implications of their relationship.
• The Heavenly Court observes Qin Fen through the Haotian Mirror, with the Jade Emperor and Ziwei interpreting his actions through suspicion and rivalry.
• Qin Fen addresses the assembled immortals directly, turning them from confused local officials into enthusiastic participants in a realm-wide reform.
• The immortals respond collectively by taking notes, accepting new responsibilities, and echoing Qin Fen’s slogans, marking their psychological conversion to his reformist vision.

Qin Fen’s efforts to change the earth gods’ duties spread across the Earthly Immortal Realm, alarming Hongjun and the Heavenly Court. The Primordial Lord and Tongtian moved to summon the earth gods away, but the Queen Mother resisted until Tongtian wounded her, prompting Qin Fen to openly break with the two venerable lords.

• Qin Fen’s influence spread through the Earthly Immortal Realm, and Hongjun recognized that Qin Fen was unconsciously wielding the power to invest gods.
• Taiyi and Yun Zhongzi arrived at the Soaring Firmament Palace with support from the Primordial Lord and Tongtian, then Taiyi ordered the earth gods and mountain gods to go to the Jade Void Palace.
• Taiyi’s Tai Chi Talisman began pulling the earth gods and mountain gods toward the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, despite their request for time to finish their work.
• The Queen Mother used the Plain-Colored Cloud Realm Banner to hold the earth gods in place, but Tongtian’s Three-Treasure Jade Ruyi struck the banner and injured her.
• Qin Fen hurled away his earphones and cursed the venerable lords, openly breaking with the Primordial Lord and Tongtian.

Chapter Summary: Above Heaven and Below Earth, Who Had More Treasures Than Qin Fen?

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen angrily curses at Dongwang Gong, causing the City God to collapse in fear and plunging Soaring Firmament Palace into silence. The immortals are shocked that a Half-Step Saint would openly insult one of the Three Pure Ones.
• The Three Pure Ones decide to punish Qin Fen. Their allies move to prevent anyone from helping him:
  • Jade Cauldron restrains Ksitigarbha.
  • Three Golden Immortals block Guanyin.
  • Primordial Lord uses the Taiji Diagram to suppress Zhen Yuanzi.
  • Sun Wukong is immobilized by the Central Wutu Apricot Yellow Banner.
• The message is clear: interfering will mean declaring war on Primordial Lord and Heavenly Lord Tongtian. Even Tathagata and the other great powers choose to watch rather than intervene.
• Qin Fen refuses to retreat when the Three Pure Ones attack. His earphones transform into the Eastern Emperor Bell, which clashes with Tongtian’s Three-Treasure Ruyi.
• Qin Fen is injured and forced backward, revealing that although his treasures are extraordinarily powerful, his personal combat strength is still insufficient.
• The Queen Mother steps in to defend him, attacking Tongtian with her Golden Hairpin and cursing him when he strikes Qin Fen. This causes widespread shock, especially in the Heavenly Court.
• Qin Fen refuses to flee and begins summoning treasure after treasure from his phone and other belongings. The battle rapidly escalates into a massive clash of divine artifacts.
• Among the treasures he unleashes are the Haotian Tower, Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, Heaven-Measuring Ruler, Plain-Colored Cloud Realm Banner, Sin Mirror Platform, Kunlun Mirror, Demon Refining Pot, Kongtong Seal, and Moonlight Box.
• His screen protector is revealed to be the River Diagram, while his stylus becomes the Luo Writing Divine Brush.
• The immortals realize Qin Fen possesses more than ten Primordial Supreme Treasures. Even Hongjun fears the situation, since Qin Fen has not yet used the complete Pangu Axe.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates reckless courage and fierce loyalty. Though inexperienced and physically weaker than the Three Pure Ones, he refuses to abandon the Queen Mother or submit to intimidation.
• The Queen Mother reveals a strong emotional attachment to Qin Fen. Her furious defense of him—including openly cursing Tongtian—shows that she is willing to risk conflict with the Three Pure Ones for his sake.
• The Three Pure Ones display overwhelming authority and preparation, mobilizing their strongest treasures and allies to isolate Qin Fen. However, their confidence begins to falter once Qin Fen reveals his enormous collection of artifacts.
• Hongjun becomes increasingly distressed and embarrassed by the escalating conflict and by the Queen Mother’s and Qin Fen’s unruly behavior. He also realizes that his own former treasures may not be enough to stop Qin Fen.
• The surrounding immortals shift from confidence that Qin Fen will be crushed to astonishment and envy at the sheer number of treasures he possesses. Dipamkara, despite being known as “Duobao,” admits Qin Fen surpasses him by far.

Significant Themes

• Power versus foundation: Qin Fen owns overwhelmingly powerful treasures, but his lack of combat experience and insufficient personal strength leave him vulnerable when directly confronting the Three Pure Ones.
• Loyalty and emotional bonds: Qin Fen fights because the Queen Mother has been hurt, while she risks heavenly political consequences to protect him.
• Authority and defiance: The chapter contrasts the rigid hierarchy of the Daoist School with Qin Fen’s refusal to obey or fear those above him.
• Material wealth and unfair advantage: The repeated revelation of Qin Fen’s artifacts creates a humorous but meaningful contrast between personal cultivation and possession of supreme treasures.
• Escalation and chaos: What begins as an insult quickly becomes a confrontation involving nearly every major faction and artifact in the Earthly Immortal Realm.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Queen Mother grow closer through mutual protection: she tries to make him retreat, while he insists on fighting because Tongtian attacked her.
• Qin Fen directly clashes with Heavenly Lord Tongtian, using the Eastern Emperor Bell against the Three-Treasure Ruyi.
• The Three Pure Ones coordinate with their disciples and treasures to isolate Qin Fen and prevent outside assistance.
• Zhen Yuanzi, Sun Wukong, Ksitigarbha, and Guanyin are each prevented from helping, showing the extent of the Three Pure Ones’ influence.
• The immortals, Jade Emperor, Tathagata, and others observe the confrontation with a mixture of fear, schadenfreude, envy, and disbelief.
• By the end, even Primordial Lord and Tongtian are overwhelmed as Qin Fen’s seemingly endless arsenal threatens to overturn the balance of power.

Chapter Summary: “Qin Fen, the Humanoid Mobile Artillery Platform”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen launches an overwhelming assault on Heavenly Lord Tongtian, controlling numerous Primordial Supreme Treasures simultaneously. The Green Duckweed Sword is surrounded by the Eastern Emperor Bell, Sin Mirror Platform, Haotian Tower, and Sea-Calming Divine Pearl.
• Although Qin Fen’s personal strength is only at the Half-Step Saint level, his enormous arsenal allows him to suppress Tongtian in direct combat. He uses a crude but highly effective strategy: repeatedly smashing treasures into his opponent while keeping others in reserve for sneak attacks.
• Primordial Lord Yuanshi is unable to assist Tongtian because his attention is divided among several battlefields. His Tai Chi Talisman is itself being battered by Qin Fen, Queen Mother, and other treasure-users.
• The Jade Emperor attempts to intervene with the Haotian Mirror but is blocked and injured by Queen Mother’s Eastern Azure Lotus Treasure-Colored Banner.
• Taiyi seeks reinforcements from Yellow Emperor, but Yan Emperor intercepts him, forcing the two Human Emperors into opposition.
• Taiyi then asks Fuxi for help. Fuxi throws the Fuxi Zither into battle, but Qin Fen’s reserve treasures—the Kunlun Mirror and Kongtong Seal—intercept it before it can arrive.
• Zhao Gongming offers his Treasure-Dropping Money as additional support. However, because Qin Fen’s Magic Brush was created using a Treasure-Dropping Money of the same origin, the new treasure defects to Qin Fen instead.
• Qin Fen’s arsenal grows to eleven Primordial Supreme Treasures, leaving Tongtian and Primordial Lord increasingly helpless and forcing the spectators to marvel at the absurd imbalance.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen is portrayed as an extraordinarily wealthy and aggressive combatant. He lacks refined technique but compensates with overwhelming firepower, treating priceless treasures as expendable weapons. His confidence and excitement grow as the battle progresses.
• Tongtian becomes increasingly furious and desperate. Although normally invincible beneath the Saints, he is humiliated by Qin Fen’s treasure-based tactics and cannot overcome the numerical disadvantage.
• Primordial Lord is overwhelmed by having to fight on several fronts and admits that he cannot spare any assistance.
• The Jade Emperor is frustrated and envious of Qin Fen’s and Queen Mother’s superior collections of treasures. His attempt to help ends with him being injured again.
• Queen Mother demonstrates her strength and loyalty by fighting alongside Qin Fen, using her own powerful treasures to block the Jade Emperor and suppress the enemy forces.
• Taiyi shifts from confidence to panic as he realizes the Heavenly Venerables cannot win without outside help. His successive attempts to find reinforcements fail.
• Fuxi remains reluctant to enter the dangerous battle and uses Qin Fen’s interception of his treasure as evidence that he cannot help.
• Zhao Gongming unintentionally loses his Treasure-Dropping Money when it defects to Qin Fen, leaving him embarrassed and distressed.
• Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor reveal their conflicting loyalties through their confrontation, while other figures such as Gouchen and Tathagata observe the battle with amusement or disbelief.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming resources versus superior cultivation: Qin Fen proves that an abundance of powerful treasures can compensate for weaker personal strength.
• The absurdity of wealth and power: The chapter humorously treats Primordial Supreme Treasures like ammunition, emphasizing Qin Fen’s extravagant and wasteful fighting style.
• Helplessness before overwhelming force: Even Saints and major celestial figures are unable to respond effectively when faced with Qin Fen’s sheer numerical advantage.
• Political and personal loyalties: The reluctance or inability of various figures to intervene reflects the complicated alliances among the Heavenly Court, Human Emperors, and other factions.
• Humor amid high-stakes conflict: The battle is presented comically through exaggerated reactions, treasure envy, failed reinforcements, and the bizarre defection of Zhao Gongming’s treasure.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen directs his treasures like military units, barking orders to Tongtian’s opponents and openly taunting him with instructions to attack his “weak spot.”
• Tongtian and Primordial Lord repeatedly call for assistance, but their allies are either blocked, unwilling, or unable to contribute.
• The Jade Emperor tries to support Tongtian but is stopped by Queen Mother, highlighting the couple’s united opposition to the Heavenly Venerables.
• Taiyi appeals first to Yellow Emperor and then to Fuxi, only to encounter Yan Emperor’s challenge and Qin Fen’s interception.
• Zhao Gongming attempts to help his teacher Tongtian, but his Treasure-Dropping Money joins Qin Fen instead, worsening Tongtian’s predicament.
• The spectators—including Tathagata, Gouchen, and the immortals of the Heavenly Court—react with shock, envy, and amusement as Qin Fen’s brutally simple strategy continues to overpower the Saints.

Chapter Summary: “Tathagata Was No Fool, Saints Played Dirty”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen continues bombarding Primordial Lord’s Tai Chi Talisman with a rotating arsenal of innate magical treasures. Because his treasures can restore themselves and he has so many of them, the Tai Chi Talisman begins to crack under the pressure.
• Primordial Lord urges Tongtian to use the Primordial Golden Dipper, an extremely powerful treasure once associated with Yunxiao and the Three Xiao Goddesses.
• Tongtian hesitates out of guilt toward Yunxiao, who had suffered during the Investiture of the Gods. Yunxiao ultimately sends the treasure herself, believing filial loyalty to one’s teacher comes first.
• The Primordial Golden Dipper attacks Qin Fen, but Qin Fen counters with the mysterious Moonlight Box. The box uses time-space laws to exile the Golden Dipper to an unknown point in space-time.
• The Moonlight Box frightens the Saints because it could potentially remove their magical treasures from the battlefield. However, Qin Fen’s stamina is running low, and repeatedly activating it consumes enormous energy.
• Unable to endure Qin Fen’s assault, Primordial Lord abandons his pride and summons the defensive Apricot-Yellow Banner. He then asks the Buddhist School for assistance.
• Tathagata agrees to help, but carefully avoids taking real risks. He sends out his Golden Lotus only to occupy the Moonlight Box rather than directly attack Qin Fen.
• Dipamkara refuses to participate, inventing an excuse about porridge cooking. He fears Qin Fen may possess another Treasure-Dropping Money and does not want to risk losing the Buddhist School’s Twelve Heavens.
• Even with Tathagata’s involvement, Qin Fen and Queen Mother continue forcing the two Daoist Saints onto the defensive.
• Tongtian and Primordial Lord change tactics, relying on their immense Saint-level mana to wage a battle of attrition. They absorb the power of heaven and earth and strengthen their defenses, intending to exhaust Qin Fen and Queen Mother.
• Observers realize that two Saints are effectively fighting defensively against two Quasi-Saints. Lord Lao and Mount Li Old Mother criticize the Saints for “playing dirty,” but acknowledge that Qin Fen may eventually be overwhelmed without another Saint joining the battle.
• Hongjun privately worries that Tongtian and Primordial Lord are underestimating Qin Fen and may be walking into a trap.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Qin Fen is portrayed as resourceful, aggressive, and extremely well-equipped. He fights recklessly with his treasures because he can rotate them and rely on their self-repair, putting the enemy’s limited defenses under constant pressure.
• Primordial Lord becomes increasingly desperate and abandons his pride, first urging Tongtian to use the Golden Dipper and later seeking Buddhist assistance. His frustration shows how badly Qin Fen has disrupted the expected power balance.
• Tongtian reveals deep remorse over Yunxiao’s fate and initially refuses to use the Primordial Golden Dipper because of his guilt. He eventually commits fully to the battle and shifts toward an endurance strategy.
• Yunxiao demonstrates loyalty and filial devotion by sending the Golden Dipper to aid Tongtian, despite her reluctance to interfere.
• Tathagata proves cautious and pragmatic. Although he helps Primordial Lord, he does so minimally, protecting himself and the Buddhist School from unnecessary losses.
• Dipamkara acts comically cowardly but reasonably from his perspective. His fear that Qin Fen may possess a second Treasure-Dropping Money prevents him from risking the Twelve Heavens.
• Hongjun recognizes that Qin Fen is far more dangerous than a normal Quasi-Saint and doubts the wisdom of relying solely on attrition.
• The surrounding immortals, including Lord Lao, Mount Li Old Mother, Fan Lihua, and the Jade Emperor, react with shock as Qin Fen withstands the combined pressure of multiple powerful figures.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness versus conventional power: Qin Fen’s overwhelming collection of treasures allows him to challenge Saints despite lacking their realm of cultivation.
• The danger of underestimating an opponent: The Saints assume their superior cultivation will guarantee victory, but Qin Fen repeatedly surprises them with unknown and unconventional treasures.
• Loyalty and guilt: Tongtian’s hesitation and Yunxiao’s intervention emphasize the lasting emotional consequences of the Investiture of the Gods.
• Political and strategic self-interest: Tathagata’s limited assistance and Dipamkara’s refusal show that alliances between the Daoist and Buddhist Schools are driven by calculation rather than complete trust.
• Saints abandoning honor for victory: Primordial Lord and Tongtian use their superior status and mana reserves to engage in an attritional battle against weaker opponents, prompting accusations that they are fighting unfairly.
• The limits of brute force: Even the Saints’ powerful treasures can be neutralized by Qin Fen’s Moonlight Box, though his stamina may become the decisive weakness.

Character Interactions

• Primordial Lord pressures Tongtian to deploy the Primordial Golden Dipper.
• Yunxiao silently responds to Tongtian’s dilemma by sending the treasure herself.
• Primordial Lord appeals to Tathagata for aid, while Tathagata redirects the request toward Dipamkara.
• Dipamkara refuses, leaving Tathagata to provide only limited support with the Golden Lotus.
• Qin Fen’s attacks force both Primordial Lord and Tongtian to defend themselves and cooperate closely.
• The watching immortals debate whether Qin Fen can survive the Saints’ attrition strategy, while Hongjun warns that Qin Fen is not an ordinary Quasi-Saint.

Qin Fen fought Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian as they tried to wear him down, but the Auspicious Three Treasures gave him a tremendous surge of power. Tongtian escalated the battle by summoning the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords, leaving Qin Fen facing a weapon feared by gods and immortals.

• Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian fought defensively, hoping to exhaust Qin Fen and the Queen Mother through attrition.
• The Queen Mother urged Qin Fen to retreat, but he refused and vowed to fight to the end.
• Qin Fen summoned Xi, Sui, and Nian, drawing on their power to strengthen himself.
• The Heavenly Court realized Qin Fen possessed the Auspicious Three Treasures and expected the battle to last for weeks.
• Tongtian summoned the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords, and the Queen Mother pleaded with him to show mercy.

Tongtian overwhelmed Qin Fen and demanded that he submit, but Qin Fen refused and challenged him even as the Immortal-Slaying Sword attacked. The Wordless Heavenly Book shielded Qin Fen from the swords, and Hongjun revealed that it was an assurance from the Great Dao that even Tongtian could not overcome.

• Tongtian unleashed the Immortal-Slaying Sword, blasting away Qin Fen and the Queen Mother's treasures and leaving them badly injured.
• Lord Lao, Mount Li Old Mother, and others pleaded with Tongtian to stop, and Tongtian offered to spare Qin Fen if he apologized and obeyed the Three Pure Ones.
• The Queen Mother urged Qin Fen to compromise, but Qin Fen refused and cursed at Tongtian.
• Tongtian sent the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords toward Qin Fen, who threw out the Wordless Heavenly Book as he searched for something to defend himself.
• The Wordless Heavenly Book surrounded Qin Fen with a membrane of light that stopped the swords, and Hongjun declared that Tongtian could not harm him while he had the book.

Qin Fen’s Heavenly Book shielded him from the Immortal-Slaying Swords, but Tongtian and Primordial Lord joined forces to break through it. After Nüwa recognized Qin Fen and his Dao Ancestor network spread beyond the heavens, Qin Fen’s power surged, leaving him supreme throughout heaven and earth.

• Qin Fen’s battered notebook formed a barrier that blocked Tongtian’s Immortal-Slaying Swords, astonishing the immortals watching.
• Tongtian attacked Qin Fen with all his might, and Primordial Lord joined him as the swords began drilling into the barrier.
• The Queen Mother shielded the nearby gods from the deadly clashes, while Lord Lao and Mount Li Old Mother condemned the two Saints for ganging up on Qin Fen.
• Nüwa appeared to help the Queen Mother and recognized Qin Fen, prompting his Dao Ancestor network to spread beyond the heavens.
• Qin Fen’s Heavenly Book absorbed vast energy as the Immortal-Slaying Swords’ killing intent vanished, and the Dao Ancestor title shone across the heavens.

Qin Fen’s inexplicable stamina let him repel the Immortal-Slaying Sword, but Tongtian escalated the fight by unleashing the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation. As the formation descended, Qin Fen’s phone awakened the power of the Pangu Axe and its Heaven-Opening Strike.

• Qin Fen casually drank Mizone as he sent the Immortal-Slaying Sword flying, leaving the Queen Mother and the watching immortals bewildered by his renewed strength.
• Nüwa urged Tongtian and Primordial Lord to stop, but Tongtian grew furious and summoned the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation despite warnings about the destruction it could cause.
• The Queen Mother shielded the town with the three great treasures and flew in front of Qin Fen as the formation closed in on him.
• Unable to summon the Pangu Axe, Qin Fen threw his phone into the sky, where the Heavenly Book’s Dao Ancestor inscription activated its hidden power.
• Purple Firmament Divine Thunder struck the phone, and a phantom of the Pangu Axe emerged and flew toward the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation.

Qin Fen’s phone revealed itself as the Pangu Axe, overwhelming Tongtian’s Immortal-Slaying Formation and leaving the Heavenly Court stunned. The axe then broke into the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, destroying the Primordial Lord’s treasures and provoking a furious shout from beyond the heavens.

• Purple Firmament lightning struck Qin Fen’s phone, making the phantom axe grow more solid as Hongjun secretly weakened its Heaven-Opening Strike.
• Tathagata identified the weapon as the Pangu Axe, shocking the Heavenly Court, Spirit Mountain, and the other spectators.
• The Pangu Axe swept toward the Immortal-Slaying Formation, severing Tongtian’s connection to the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords and making the formation collapse without a fight.
• The Queen Mother and others accused Qin Fen of deliberately hiding the Pangu Axe, while Qin Fen insisted he had not known how to use it.
• The axe charged into the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, destroying the Three-Treasure Ruyi and Tai Chi Talisman as the Primordial Lord lamented his losses.

Chapter Summary: “Dao Ancestor Reveals His Divine Presence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen’s Pangu Axe, empowered through his phone, overwhelms the Immortal-Slaying Formation and shatters both the primordial Tai Chi Talisman and the Saint-level Three-Treasure Ruyi.
• The terrifying attack continues toward Primordial Lord and Heavenly Lord Tongtian, leaving the Heavenly Court stunned and convincing many immortals that Qin Fen must be receiving extraordinary assistance.
• Hongjun becomes frustrated because everyone assumes he is secretly backing Qin Fen, even though he claims he did nothing. Primordial Lord and Tongtian nevertheless blame him for the situation.
• Just before Qin Fen’s attack can destroy everything, the Heavenly Dao manifests and interrupts the strike. The phone returns to Qin Fen’s hand.
• The Heavenly Dao announces punishments: Primordial Lord and Tongtian must reflect in the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, while Qin Fen is also supposedly punished for fighting recklessly.
• Qin Fen, Queen Mother, and the Auspicious Three Treasures are transported back to the exhibition venue. Qin Fen worries that his reforms involving mountain gods and land gods will be undone in his absence.
• The Heavenly Dao orders the mountain gods and land gods to study under Primordial Lord, apparently strengthening Primordial Lord’s position and undermining Qin Fen’s reforms.
• Just as they are being taken away, a heavenly proclamation appears granting them two strange census-related treasures: the Household Registration Book and Temporary Residence Permit.
• The proclamation is signed by the Dao Ancestor, revealing that a power separate from the Heavenly Dao exists above the immortals.
• Everyone realizes that Qin Fen is not supported by Hongjun or the Heavenly Dao, but by—or is himself—the mysterious Dao Ancestor.
• Hongjun recognizes that Qin Fen has deliberately revealed his identity and becomes extremely alarmed. Meanwhile, Primordial Lord vows revenge, unaware that Qin Fen’s casual curse triggers an ominous reaction connected to the Heartbreak ability.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates overwhelming and seemingly limitless power through the Pangu Axe. He becomes increasingly concerned with protecting his reforms rather than merely winning battles. His Dao Ancestor identity is revealed indirectly through the heavenly proclamation, greatly increasing his influence and threat level.
• Hongjun: Feels unfairly blamed for Qin Fen’s strength and intervention. He initially believes Qin Fen’s disappearance will help him control events, but the Dao Ancestor’s proclamation exposes his lack of control and puts him on high alert.
• Primordial Lord: Suffers the destruction of two powerful treasures and becomes humiliated and resentful. Although he initially believes Hongjun is helping Qin Fen, he later regains confidence after the Heavenly Dao appears and vows not to forgive Qin Fen.
• Heavenly Lord Tongtian: Shares Primordial Lord’s frustration but remains more composed. He encourages Primordial Lord to endure the setback and later realizes that another power—the Dao Ancestor—has been assisting Qin Fen.
• Queen Mother: Comforts Qin Fen after his return but remains confused by his cryptic remarks and by the true nature of the “punishment.”
• Mount Li Old Mother: Understands the truth: Qin Fen himself is the Dao Ancestor. She fears that the confrontation between the Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor will plunge the world into chaos.
• Jade Emperor: Sees Qin Fen’s removal as a political opportunity and hopes to regain influence through the mountain gods and land gods. His confidence collapses when the Dao Ancestor’s proclamation appears.
• Lord Lao and Tathagata: Correctly sense that the situation is inconsistent and suspect hidden manipulation behind Qin Fen’s extraordinary power.

Significant Themes

• Power beyond established authority: The chapter introduces the Dao Ancestor as a force potentially rivaling or surpassing the Heavenly Dao, challenging the existing cosmic hierarchy.
• Hidden identity and deception: Qin Fen conceals his true status while manipulating events, allowing others to misunderstand his relationship with Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao.
• Political and ideological struggle: The conflict is not only about magical strength but also about control over reforms, celestial administration, and the loyalty of lower-ranking gods.
• Justice versus manipulation: The Heavenly Dao’s punishment appears impartial at first, but its subsequent actions raise doubts about whether cosmic justice is genuine or politically influenced.
• Humor amid cosmic conflict: Qin Fen’s modern references, the absurd census treasures, and the characters’ confused reactions contrast with the destruction of Saint-level treasures and the fate of the world.
• Escalating cosmic tension: The revelation of the Dao Ancestor suggests that the struggle between Qin Fen and Hongjun is becoming a clash between two supreme powers.

Important Character Interactions

• Primordial Lord and Tongtian: They commiserate over their losses and argue about Hongjun’s apparent favoritism, later uniting in opposition to Qin Fen.
• Hongjun and his disciples: Hongjun feels betrayed by the situation as Primordial Lord and Tongtian interpret the Heavenly Dao’s actions differently. Their relationship becomes strained by the belief that Hongjun is secretly supporting Qin Fen.
• Qin Fen and Queen Mother: After returning to the exhibition venue, Queen Mother tries to reassure Qin Fen, while he responds with suggestive and cryptic humor that leaves her bewildered.
• Jade Emperor and the celestial officials: The Jade Emperor sees the punishments as a chance to regain political control, while the mountain gods and land gods react unhappily to being sent away.
• Qin Fen and Primordial Lord: Primordial Lord openly vows revenge, while Qin Fen unknowingly—or casually—responds through a curse that seems to summon the Heartbreak power against him.
• Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor: Their conflicting interventions reveal an emerging power struggle at the highest level of the cosmos, with Qin Fen’s appearance as the Dao Ancestor directly undermining Hongjun’s authority.

After the Dao Ancestor’s appearance unsettled the immortals, the Heavenly Demon realized Qin Fen had sent him to test Primordial Lord’s Dao Heart. The Jade Emperor tried to summon everyone to the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, but the destroyed transport treasures left him unable to carry out his order.

• The immortals wondered what the Dao Ancestor’s appearance meant, while Hongjun grew increasingly uneasy about Qin Fen stepping out from behind the scenes.
• Tongtian left to repair the Immortal-Slaying Sword, and Primordial Lord mourned the loss of his Tai Chi Talisman and blamed Qin Fen.
• The Heavenly Demon recognized Primordial Lord as his assigned target and dreaded having to test the Saint’s Dao Heart.
• The Jade Emperor ordered the earth gods and mountain gods to the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, but they pointed out that they could not get there on their own.
• The Jade Emperor realized that the Tai Chi Talisman and Three-Treasure Ruyi were unavailable, leaving him unable to transport the crowd or fulfill his command.

Chapter Summary: “The Terrifying Chain Reaction—No One Will Escape”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Court becomes paralyzed over whether the Earth Gods and Mountain Gods should be allowed to ascend and listen to Qin Fen’s teachings.
• Taiyi Perfected Person refuses to take responsibility, arguing that he lacks both a suitable treasure and his master’s direct support. He shifts the matter back onto the Jade Emperor by calling it an issue concerning the entire Heavenly Court.
• The Jade Emperor attempts to force Taiyi into action by reminding him that the order came from Primordial Lord Yuanshi Tianzun and had recently been supported by Dongwang Gong. Taiyi counters by implying that the Jade Emperor’s concern over the Heavenly Court’s restructuring should motivate him to handle the crisis himself.
• Their exchange turns into an embarrassing public confrontation. Both men refuse to retreat because doing so would damage their authority and the dignity of the factions they represent.
• Meanwhile, in the Outer Thirty-Three Heavens, Yuanshi Tianzun is preparing to act against Qin Fen’s influence. However, the Primordial Heavenly Demon suddenly appears and attaches himself to Yuanshi, claiming that he must follow him everywhere as part of his mission.
• The Heavenly Demon’s presence prevents Yuanshi from taking action. Yuanshi fears that any distraction will give the Demon an opportunity to exploit him, while the Demon insists that he is merely carrying out his duties.
• Yuanshi seeks guidance from Hongjun, but Hongjun remains powerless and silent. The Heavenly Demon is no longer under Hongjun’s direct control, and the Heavenly Dao’s conflicting orders prevent Hongjun from decisively intervening.
• Unable to resolve the matter, Taiyi continues arguing with the Jade Emperor, while Yuanshi remains trapped by the Heavenly Demon. Everyone who intended to use the Earth Gods against Qin Fen ends up humiliated and unable to act.
• Desperate to preserve his authority, the Jade Emperor declares that the matter was ordered by the Heavenly Dao. This forces everyone to look toward Heaven, expecting the Heavenly Dao to settle the dispute.
• No response comes. Hongjun realizes that the Heavenly Dao cannot execute two contradictory commands: the earlier proclamation supporting Qin Fen’s teachings and the later arrangements connected to the Investiture of the Gods. The conflict leaves him unable to favor either side.
• The chapter ends with Hongjun humiliated and frustrated, having unintentionally become the final target of the entire chain reaction.

Character Developments

• Jade Emperor: His desperation and declining political influence become apparent. Though he tries to preserve his dignity, he repeatedly loses control of the situation and is forced to shift responsibility onto others and eventually onto the Heavenly Dao.
• Taiyi Perfected Person: He demonstrates political evasiveness and loyalty to Yuanshi Tianzun. Rather than risk personal failure, he uses careful wording and public pressure to avoid acting, though this worsens his conflict with the Jade Emperor.
• Yuanshi Tianzun: His confidence is undermined by the unexpected arrival of the Primordial Heavenly Demon. He becomes defensive and frustrated, unable to carry out his plans or fulfill his chance to earn merit.
• Primordial Heavenly Demon: He appears as an irritating but powerful obstruction. Although he claims to be following orders and seeking redemption through merit, his clingy behavior deliberately prevents Yuanshi from acting.
• Hongjun: He is revealed to be increasingly unable to control the forces and subordinates around him. The contradictory Heavenly Dao commands leave him powerless, causing him to suffer the same embarrassment he had tried to inflict or avoid for others.
• Qin Fen: He does not directly intervene, yet his existence and teachings trigger the entire crisis. His opponents begin collapsing into internal conflict before he even needs to act.

Significant Themes

• Political responsibility and blame-shifting: The major figures continually try to push responsibility onto one another rather than risk personal failure.
• Institutional paralysis: Conflicting orders, factional rivalries, and fear of consequences prevent anyone from taking decisive action.
• Humiliation and loss of authority: The Jade Emperor, Taiyi, Yuanshi, and Hongjun all suffer public or private embarrassment as their authority proves insufficient.
• Unintended consequences: Attempts to suppress or undermine Qin Fen create a chain reaction that destabilizes the Heavenly Court and traps the conspirators in their own schemes.
• Conflict between divine authority and personal agendas: The Heavenly Dao, the Dao Ancestor, the Saints, and the Heavenly Court issue overlapping commands, revealing that even the highest powers cannot act freely when their orders conflict.

Character Interactions

• Jade Emperor and Taiyi: Their tense exchange becomes an open power struggle. Each tries to force the other to accept responsibility, while the watching immortals recognize their infighting.
• Yuanshi and the Primordial Heavenly Demon: The Demon deliberately shadows Yuanshi, preventing him from acting while pretending to be cooperative. Yuanshi finds him impossible to remove or trust.
• Yuanshi and Hongjun: Yuanshi silently appeals to Hongjun for help, but receives no useful response because Hongjun lacks authority over the Heavenly Demon and cannot resolve the contradictory commands.
• The Heavenly Court and the Earth Gods: The Earth Gods and Mountain Gods wait helplessly for a decision, reflecting how ordinary beings suffer while powerful immortals argue.
• Hongjun and the wider celestial powers: Hongjun’s attempt to manage events backfires, leaving him caught between the Heavenly Dao’s proclamation and the Dao Ancestor’s later orders.

Chapter Summary: “Investiture Fusion Gift System”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The newly issued temporary residence permits and household registers reveal that a new Investiture of the Gods has begun, with Qin Fen at its center.
• By controlling the appointment of divine offices and the distribution of Merit, Qin Fen has effectively seized both the personnel and financial powers of the Heavenly Dao system. The Heavenly Book serves as proof that authority has begun shifting toward him.
• Hongjun realizes that Qin Fen, now confirmed as the true Dao Ancestor, has surpassed his influence and left him nearly powerless. He bitterly feels that Qin Fen used him and then discarded him.
• The Jade Emperor expects Heavenly Dao to force Primordial Lord to make amends, but Heavenly Dao remains silent and takes no action. This leaves everyone confused and makes Heavenly Dao appear unable to fulfill its own decree.
• Primordial Lord hesitates to act because the Primordial Heavenly Demon is closely watching him. He fears that using his power against the people below will expose him to demonization or give the Heavenly Demon an opportunity.
• The Heavenly Demon refuses to leave and insists on accompanying Primordial Lord back to Jade Void Palace. He has realized Qin Fen’s true identity and decides to remain near Primordial Lord, intending to wear him down and eventually exploit his weakness.
• Heavenly Dao’s inaction confirms to the powerful figures observing the situation that it has encountered an obstacle. The emergence of the Dao Ancestor and the completion of a vast heavenly network signal that a major upheaval is approaching.
• After returning to the hall, Qin Fen discovers that the powerful Heavenly Book has disappeared from his storage ring. A system notification then reveals that the book has likely been absorbed into or transformed through his WeChat-like system.
• The system upgrades to version 7.0, granting Qin Fen:
  • An exclusive title with adjustable duration
  • The new Gift System, allowing him to spend Merit on gifts for friends
  • Official Account messaging
  • Administrator privileges
• Qin Fen tests the gift store and is amused but annoyed by its excessive prices, such as dog food costing one thousand Merit.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: His position grows dramatically as he becomes recognized as the Dao Ancestor and gains control over divine appointments and Merit. He remains carefree and practical, focusing more on experimenting with his upgraded system than worrying about Heavenly Dao’s threats.
• Hongjun: Falls into despair after realizing that Qin Fen has taken over the core mechanisms of the Heavenly Dao system. He feels betrayed and helpless, recognizing that his own authority is no longer decisive.
• Primordial Lord: Becomes increasingly anxious and defensive. He must both obey Heavenly Dao and guard against the Primordial Heavenly Demon, while also facing the consequences of his previous actions.
• Primordial Heavenly Demon: Shows patience and cunning rather than acting rashly. He deliberately stays beside Primordial Lord, hoping to exploit his instability and eventually demonize or defeat him.
• Jade Emperor: Loses confidence when Heavenly Dao fails to support his command, making his attempt to control the situation look ineffective.
• Tathagata, Lord Lao, Nüwa, the Three Sovereigns, and others: Begin reassessing the balance of power. They recognize that Qin Fen’s existence represents a major turning point and that the coming conflict will force everyone to choose a side.

Significant Themes

• Transfer of authority: The chapter emphasizes that Qin Fen is taking control of the most important functions of the Heavenly Dao system, threatening the established hierarchy.
• Powerlessness of lower-ranking figures: Earth gods and mountain gods admire Qin Fen but cannot openly support him because they remain bound by the commands of higher powers.
• Institutional control as real power: Divine appointments and Merit distribution are presented as the equivalent of personnel and financial authority, showing that administrative control can be more important than raw strength.
• Collapse of established order: Heavenly Dao’s failure to act undermines faith in the old system and demonstrates that even the highest authority can be obstructed.
• Strategic patience and opportunism: The Heavenly Demon’s refusal to act immediately reflects the importance of waiting for an opponent to become vulnerable.
• Technology merging with divine power: Qin Fen’s modern messaging system absorbs or incorporates the Heavenly Book, transforming ancient authority into new technological functions.
• Humor amid cosmic conflict: Despite the immense stakes, Qin Fen remains preoccupied with system features and overpriced digital gifts, creating a comedic contrast with the panic of the gods.

Character Interactions

• Hongjun and Qin Fen: Hongjun views Qin Fen with resentment and despair, believing Qin Fen has exploited him and seized the authority he once represented.
• Primordial Lord and the Primordial Heavenly Demon: Their confrontation is defined by mutual distrust. Primordial Lord wants the Demon gone, while the Demon refuses to leave and deliberately provokes and shadows him.
• Jade Emperor and Heavenly Dao: The Jade Emperor relies on Heavenly Dao to enforce his command, but Heavenly Dao’s silence leaves him embarrassed and powerless.
• Hongjun and Primordial Lord: Hongjun angrily blames Primordial Lord for failing to act quickly, since the delay has made the entire situation more humiliating.
• The watching immortals: Figures such as Tathagata, Lord Lao, Nüwa, and the Eight Immortals observe the failure of Heavenly Dao and infer that Qin Fen’s rise has fundamentally altered the cosmic balance.
• Qin Fen and the Queen Mother: The Queen Mother notices Qin Fen’s troubled reaction when he cannot find the Heavenly Book, while Qin Fen privately investigates the system’s unexpected transformation.

Chapter Summary: “Dao Ancestor Shows Divine Power Again, Feeding You Dog Food”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen experiments with the WeChat gifting function, discovering that even cheap virtual gifts can produce unexpected effects in the divine world.
• While Qin Fen, Queen Mother, and his sister-in-law remain outside the Heavenly Court’s political proceedings, the Jade Emperor ends the disrupted Dao discussion after the Heavenly Dao remains silent and the Primordial Lord is unable to act.
• The Heavenly Court resumes its meeting about how to respond to the changing Investiture of the Gods. The immortals are unsettled by Qin Fen’s growing influence and his ability to alter the Heavenly Dao’s direction.
• The Jade Emperor realizes that Qin Fen’s reforms seem connected to taking action and seeking blessings for all living beings. He proposes that the Heavenly Court imitate Qin Fen by collectively performing impactful good deeds.
• The officials enthusiastically support the Jade Emperor, hoping to gain merit and divine rewards. They flatter him while criticizing Qin Fen for supposedly being distracted by romance and Queen Mother.
• The Jade Emperor delivers a grand speech declaring that Heaven, the Heavenly Court, and all living beings must come before personal relationships. He presents himself as selfless and determined to remain devoted to public duty.
• At that moment, Qin Fen sends the Jade Emperor a cheap “single-dog” gift as a joke.
• A huge golden light appears above the Heavenly Court. The immortals mistake it for merit bestowed by the Heavenly Dao in response to the Jade Emperor’s speech.
• The message reveals that the reward actually comes from the Dao Ancestor, supposedly praising the Jade Emperor’s diligence and encouraging him to continue.
• The Jade Emperor is overwhelmed with joy, believing the Dao Ancestor has finally recognized and supported him. He vows to serve the Dao Ancestor and assist the Heavenly Court wholeheartedly.
• Qin Fen then receives the Jade Emperor’s grateful response and realizes that the Jade Emperor thinks the mocking gift was a sincere act of divine favor. Qin Fen is stunned by the Jade Emperor’s extreme submissiveness and lack of awareness.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Continues casually manipulating events through WeChat gifts. His prank unintentionally creates another major miracle and strengthens the Jade Emperor’s confidence. He remains irreverent, amused, and increasingly alarmed by how seriously others interpret his actions.
• Jade Emperor: Shifts from frustration and insecurity to confidence and triumph. He believes he has deciphered Qin Fen’s method and can reproduce it through benevolent governance. His eagerness for recognition reveals his deep resentment of being overshadowed by Qin Fen and his desperation for approval from the Dao Ancestor.
• Queen Mother: Watches Qin Fen’s strange software with growing curiosity, sensing that it is extraordinary but unable to understand its nature.
• Qin Fen’s sister-in-law: Remains embarrassed and troubled by Qin Fen’s increasingly bold and inappropriate remarks.
• The Heavenly Court officials: Quickly shift from confusion to enthusiasm once the Jade Emperor offers them the possibility of gaining merit. Their greed and opportunism become obvious as they compete to praise and support him.
• The Primordial Lord and Heavenly Demon: Their conflict degenerates into mutual insults while both hesitate to act because of the Heavenly Dao’s silence.

3. Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s joke is interpreted as a profound heavenly blessing, showing how easily divine beings misread his casual actions.
• Power through influence rather than intention: Qin Fen does not consciously plan a political maneuver, yet his actions reshape the Heavenly Court and alter the Jade Emperor’s confidence.
• Political opportunism: The immortals support “benevolence” not purely out of compassion but because they hope to obtain merit, treasures, and status.
• Public virtue versus private motives: The Jade Emperor’s rhetoric about serving all beings masks his desire for recognition and revenge against Qin Fen’s superiority.
• The absurdity of authority and faith: A cheap virtual dog-food gift is elevated into a Dao Ancestor-approved divine reward, satirizing bureaucratic worship, blind loyalty, and the tendency to assign grand meaning to unexplained events.
• Romantic relationships versus duty: The Heavenly Court uses Qin Fen’s relationship with Queen Mother to criticize him, while the Jade Emperor publicly claims to place duty above romance.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Queen Mother: Queen Mother observes Qin Fen’s gift-sending behavior with suspicion and curiosity, while Qin Fen remains focused on experimenting with the software.
• Qin Fen and the Jade Emperor: Qin Fen sends the Jade Emperor a mocking gift meant to tease him for being a “single dog.” The Jade Emperor instead interprets it as a profound favor and sends Qin Fen a sincere message of thanks.
• The Jade Emperor and his ministers: The Jade Emperor regains control of the meeting, presents a plan to imitate Qin Fen’s benevolent influence, and receives immediate praise and pledges of loyalty.
• The Jade Emperor and Qin Fen’s supporters/critics: Officials use Qin Fen’s romantic life and association with Queen Mother to denigrate him and elevate the Jade Emperor.
• The Heavenly Court and the Dao Ancestor: The entire court mistakenly believes the golden manifestation is direct recognition of the Jade Emperor’s speech, causing the officials to become even more devoted and excited.

Chapter Summary: “The Dao Ancestor’s Gift: Dog Food and a Dog Bowl”

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen sends the Jade Emperor a virtual gift through the Heavenly Dao System: a bag of dog food and, afterward, a dog bowl.
• Because the gift is sent in the Dao Ancestor’s name, the Jade Emperor mistakenly believes the Dao Ancestor personally favors and rewards him.
• The Queen Mother understands that Qin Fen only sent a joke gift, but the Jade Emperor interprets it as a sign of divine approval and impending success.
• The Heavenly Court reacts with shock and excitement. The golden clouds and heavenly omens make it appear that the Jade Emperor has received an extraordinary blessing.
• Officials and powerful figures begin speculating that Qin Fen has lost the Dao Ancestor’s favor while the Jade Emperor is about to rise.
• The Jade Emperor publicly declares that Qin Fen has abandoned his responsibilities because of romance and personal feelings, while he himself represents devotion to the greater good.
• Many officials, including Li Jing, accept or encourage this interpretation and begin considering the political advantages of siding with the Jade Emperor.
• Everyone expects a powerful magical treasure to emerge from the heavenly manifestation, only to see a bag decorated with a Shiba Inu fall from the sky, followed by a matching bowl.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Remains amused and bewildered by the Jade Emperor’s reaction. His harmless prank unintentionally strengthens the Jade Emperor’s political position.
• Jade Emperor: Becomes wildly overconfident, convinced that the Dao Ancestor has recognized his worth and is preparing to restore him to power. He uses the supposed reward to attack Qin Fen’s reputation.
• Queen Mother: Correctly recognizes the absurdity of the situation and becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the Jade Emperor’s exaggerated interpretation.
• Tathagata and the Buddhist figures: Are confused by the apparent reversal in the Dao Ancestor’s support, since Qin Fen and the Jade Emperor have long been enemies.
• Mount Li Old Mother and Lord Lao: React with disbelief, understanding that Qin Fen would not normally reward the Jade Emperor.
• Heavenly Court officials: Eagerly flatter the Jade Emperor, hoping to benefit from his expected rise.
• Li Jing: Treats the event as proof that the Jade Emperor is favored over Qin Fen and begins viewing Qin Fen as a losing faction.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and irony: A trivial virtual gift is mistaken for a profound heavenly reward, creating enormous political consequences.
• The danger of interpreting divine will: Characters project their own ambitions and biases onto an ambiguous event.
• Political opportunism: Officials quickly change their attitudes based on who they believe has the Dao Ancestor’s favor.
• Reputation and propaganda: The Jade Emperor turns the gift into evidence that he is righteous and that Qin Fen is morally compromised.
• Expectations versus reality: The immortals anticipate priceless magical treasures, but receive ordinary dog-related items instead.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Queen Mother discuss the gift and the Jade Emperor’s strange reaction, with the Queen Mother realizing the joke’s implications.
• The Jade Emperor praises the Dao Ancestor and presents himself as a loyal, selfless ruler, implicitly condemning Qin Fen.
• Taibai, the Duty Star Officer, and other officials compete to flatter the Jade Emperor and reinforce his interpretation of events.
• Buddhist and Heavenly Court powers privately debate what the supposed reward means for the balance of power.
• The chapter ends on a comic cliffhanger as the Jade Emperor mistakes dog food and a dog bowl for a matching set of supreme magical treasures.

Qin Fen’s gift left the Jade Emperor convinced that the Dao Ancestor had bestowed rare treasures on him, and he promised to share them with the Heavenly Court. The chapter ended when he opened the bag and revealed that the supposed treasures were bone-shaped dog food.

• Qin Fen presented the Jade Emperor with a two-piece gift that dazzled the immortals, and the Jade Emperor believed it marked the end of his hardships.
• The Jade Emperor accepted congratulations from his ministers and told Lord Lao that the Dao Ancestor’s guidance had given him insight.
• The Jade Emperor promised to share the gift with his ministers, who eagerly praised his generosity.
• Lord Lao noticed that the gift bag seemed to contain food, but the Jade Emperor insisted it held immortal treasures.
• The Jade Emperor opened the bag and showed everyone the small brown pieces, while the Howling Celestial Hound barked and drooled at their smell.
• The immortals recognized the pieces as bones, and the Jade Emperor froze in confusion.