Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ziya began the Investiture of the Gods, naming Antarctic Immortal Elder as the Antarctic Longevity Great Emperor and elevating him to the Quasi-Saint realm. The appointments then sparked an uproar when Lei Zhenzi and Ren received major imperial titles, with Ren’s Ziwei appointment beginning to awaken his star power.

• Tongtian rallied more than a thousand Interception Immortals as the Saints gathered to begin the Investiture of the Gods.
• Laozi called for the long-delayed investiture to proceed, and Yuanshi Tianzun ordered Jiang Ziya to begin.
• Jiang Ziya named Antarctic Immortal Elder the Antarctic Longevity Great Emperor, and Antarctic Immortal Elder merged with his counterpart to reach the Quasi-Saint realm.
• Jiang Ziya appointed Lei Zhenzi, an Expounding Sect Third-Generation Disciple, as the Gouchen Upper Palace Heavenly Emperor, prompting surprise among the assembled Saints.
• Jiang Ziya named Ren the Ziwei Great Emperor, and the Violet Myrtle Star sent purple qi toward him.

Ren absorbed the Starlight drawn by his position as Ziwei Great Emperor while Yuanshi Tianzun heard why Yun Zhongzi and Yuding Zhenren had assigned Great Emperor positions to their disciples. Yuanshi Tianzun approved both appointments and promised resources for Ren, as the Investiture of the Gods continued and Antarctic Immortal Elder advanced to Quasi-Saint.

• Ren absorbed the descending Starlight, strengthening the stars within his Sea of Bitterness and transforming the Three Thousand Burning Flame and Nihility Devouring Flame.
• Guangchengzi accused Yun Zhongzi and Yuding Zhenren of taking the Gouchen and Ziwei Great Emperor positions from him and giving them to Lei Zhenzi and Ren.
• Yun Zhongzi explained that Lei Zhenzi could use the Zhou Dynasty's Destiny and its eventual backlash to pursue the Grand Luo Dao Fruit, and Yuanshi Tianzun approved the plan.
• Yuding Zhenren explained that Ren's cultivation consumed enormous resources, so he had sought the Ziwei position to let Ren absorb Starlight; Yuanshi Tianzun approved the appointment and offered the Expounding Sect's resources.
• Jiang Ziya continued announcing divine positions, and Antarctic Immortal Elder advanced from Daluo Golden Immortal to Quasi-Saint as thunder cracked.

Lei Zhenzi comprehended the Wind-Thunder Dao and reached the Golden Immortal Realm while Ren absorbed starlight and prepared to advance his Nine-Turn Profound Technique. After Huanglong Zhenren drew attention to Ren’s unusual training, the Saints watched as Ren insisted on having Yuding shatter his body despite Yuanshi Tianzun offering him resources.

• Lei Zhenzi fused wind and thunder, entered the Golden Immortal Realm, and received praise from Yun Zhongzi and Heavenly Venerable.
• Ren absorbed starlight until 365 stars in his Sea of Bitterness grew solid and his energy became sufficient for a breakthrough.
• Ren emerged and asked Yuding to shatter his body so he could advance the Nine-Turn Profound Technique.
• Huanglong Zhenren explained Ren’s resource-saving training method, drawing the attention of the Expounding Sect, the Intercepting Sect, and the Saints.
• Zhunti invited Ren to join Buddhism, but Yuanshi Tianzun offered him Spirit Fruit energy instead.
• Ren thanked Heavenly Venerable but insisted that Yuding shatter his body to fulfill the Nine-Turn Profound Technique’s principle of destruction before rebirth.

Ren rebuilt his body after Tongtian shattered it with Sword Aura, then used the star energy he had received as Ziwei Great Emperor to break through to the Nine-Turn Profound Technique’s Second Turn. As Ren continued cultivating, Jiang Ziya granted Yang Jian the Judicial Celestial God position, and Yang Jian swallowed the divine light sent to him.

• Tongtian shattered Ren’s body with Sword Aura, and Ren absorbed the Spiritual Qi to reconstruct himself.
• Tongtian explained that he had intervened because Ren was a Pangu descendant and a sword-path genius, while Heavenly Venerable challenged his explanation until Laozi reminded both Saints of Hongjun’s words.
• Ren chose ordinary Nine-Turn Profound Technique cultivation over Duobao’s extreme methods and began breaking through to the Second Turn with the energy of countless stars.
• Heavenly Venerable supplied Ren with more Spiritual Qi as his body consumed enormous resources during reconstruction.
• Jiang Ziya proclaimed Yang Jian the Judicial Celestial God, and Yang Jian swallowed the divine light sent to him.

Yang Jian used Yao Ji’s Origin to reconstruct his body and break through toward the Fifth Turn of the Nine-Turn Profound Technique, while Heavenly Venerable supplied resources to him and Ren. Ren’s reconstructed violet-gold skeleton revealed an extraordinary Sword Dao talent, prompting Tongtian to criticize his placement in the Expounding Sect and anger Heavenly Venerable.

• Yuding Zhenren admitted that he had no resources left, so Heavenly Venerable drew resources from Kunlun Mountain to help Yang Jian and Ren.
• Yang Jian asked Heavenly Venerable to shatter his body so he could fuse completely with the Origin of his previous life, and Heavenly Venerable crushed his body with a flick of his sleeve.
• Yang Jian’s body began to reconstruct around Yao Ji’s Origin, and the Jade Emperor recognized it as the Origin Yao Ji had given her son before her death.
• The Jade Emperor and Yao Chi discussed Yao Ji’s death, Yang Jian’s resentment, and his freedom from Buddhism after refining his previous life’s body.
• Ren reconstructed his body by absorbing Spiritual Qi, revealing a violet-gold skeleton that released Sword Aura from every bone.
• Tongtian called Ren a born sword cultivator and said the Expounding Sect was a waste of his talent, angering Heavenly Venerable.

Ren completed the Second Turn of the Nine-Turn Mysterious Technique, rebuilt his body, and won Yuanshi Tianzun's strong favor and promise of resources. His breakthrough and Huanglong Zhenren's remark made him the focus of widespread attention, though Ren hoped the coming period of secluded cultivation would make the gossip fade.

• Ren finished rebuilding his body with a Sword Beast formed from his Sword Aura and thanked Yuanshi Tianzun for providing the resources.
• Yuanshi Tianzun praised Ren, offered him unrestricted access to the Expounding Sect's resources, and advised him to prioritize cultivation after becoming the Ziwei Great Emperor.
• Guangchengzi watched Yuanshi Tianzun's favoritism toward Ren with resentment and disappointment.
• Ren thanked Yuding Zhenren for his encouragement and explained to Yun Zhongzi that Huanglong Zhenren's remark had turned his breakthrough into a spectacle.
• Ren reflected that Huanglong Zhenren's comment had drawn the Saints' attention and made his attempt to keep a low profile impossible.

Ren learned that Daoist Randeng had helped Lu Ya use the Nail-Head Seven Arrows against Jiang Ziya, leaving Jiang Ziya unable to reincarnate. With Yun Zhongzi urging him to act against Randeng, Ren publicly framed the accusation as a question about whether Randeng could be so shameless.

• Jiang Ziya named Zhao Gongming the God of Wealth, prompting the Interception Sect to protest the appointment and condemn Daoist Randeng for stealing Zhao Gongming’s Spirit Treasures.
• Saint Tongtian’s gaze and Yun Zhongzi’s public warning left Daoist Randeng sweating as the gathered sect members turned wary eyes toward him.
• Yun Zhongzi privately told Ren that Randeng and Lu Ya had conspired with the Nail-Head Seven Arrows to cause Jiang Ziya’s fate.
• Ren’s killing intent briefly surfaced when he learned Randeng had harmed Jiang Ziya.
• Ren told Yun Zhongzi to be careful, then publicly questioned how Randeng could betray the Expounding Sect after receiving its support and teachings.

Ren used political maneuvering to force Daoist Randeng to remain with the Expounding Sect, and Yuanshi Tianzun sent him to Kunlun Mountain to reflect. Jiang Ziya then appointed the Three Xiao and other powerful figures as deities under Ren, leaving Ren to face the prospect of commanding subordinates stronger than himself.

• Ren exposed Daoist Randeng’s debts to the Expounding Sect and his betrayal of Zhao Gongming, turning the Interception Sect disciples against him.
• Yuanshi Tianzun ordered Randeng to return to Kunlun Mountain, barred him from leaving, and took away his Spirit Treasures.
• Jiang Ziya appointed the Three Xiao as deities under the Ziwei Great Emperor, and Ren realized they were now his subordinates.
• Yun Zhongzi warned Ren that the Three Xiao were formidable and that Yunxiao could become even more dangerous if she recovered her sealed body.
• Jiang Ziya continued filling the Divine Positions, and Ren recognized that even the weakest of his future subordinates had Taiyi cultivation.

As the Investiture of the Gods ended, Jiang Ziya received none of the Merit meant for him and was left despairing after Yuanshi Tianzun accepted his service and reclaimed the God-Striking Whip. Yuanshi Tianzun prepared to enter seclusion in Chaos, ordering Guangchengzi to cultivate and entrusting Yuding Zhenren with protecting the Expounding Sect.

• Jiang Ziya completed the Investiture of the Gods, and Merit descended upon the surviving participants while Yang Jian rebuilt his body with Yuding's Merit.
• The Merit meant for Jiang Ziya vanished because his curse remained, and he knelt before Yuanshi Tianzun to report that he had completed his task.
• Yuanshi Tianzun thanked Jiang Ziya and took back the God-Striking Whip, leaving him the Apricot Yellow Banner as Jiang Ziya sank into despair.
• Yuanshi Tianzun told the Expounding Sect that he would enter seclusion in Chaos and ordered Guangchengzi to cultivate until he became a Quasi-Saint.
• Yuanshi Tianzun entrusted Yuding Zhenren with the God-Striking Whip and charged him with protecting the Expounding Sect.

Heavenly Venerable gave the Expounding Sect instructions and singled out Ren for future rewards, marking him as his new favored disciple before vanishing. The Saints began departing, leaving Guangchengzi resentful, the Intercepting Sect in tears, and Nezha mourning Nuwa’s farewell.

• Heavenly Venerable ordered the Expounding Sect disciples to cultivate in seclusion, warned those who had taken the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir that they could not advance for a thousand years, and urged the Third-Generation Disciples to train diligently.
• Heavenly Venerable promised Ren a Spirit Treasure reward later, and the Expounding Sect disciples recognized Ren as his new favored disciple.
• Guangchengzi left in resentment before the other Saints departed, while Yun Zhongzi called him an idiot and Ren criticized his behavior inwardly.
• The Intercepting Sect disciples wept and begged Tongtian not to leave, and Yang Jian told Ren that the departing Xuandu was Laozi’s only disciple.
• Laozi and Nuwa departed, and Nezha broke free from Taiyi Zhenren to bid farewell to Nuwa, who urged him to cultivate well.

Saint Tongtian scattered fragments of the Interception Sect’s teachings across the Primordial World, setting the stage for a violent struggle to reclaim the sect. After the Loose Cultivators rushed off to hunt for the sword aura, the Jade Emperor and Yao Chi invited the remaining immortals to join the Heavenly Court.

• Saint Tongtian urged the Interception Immortals to stand proud and keep the sect alive in their hearts.
• Tongtian scattered sword aura containing fragments of the Interception Sect’s teachings throughout the Primordial World and declared that ten fragments formed a complete inheritance.
• Ren recognized Tongtian’s plan to rebuild the sect by making inheritance seekers fight to survive and grow stronger.
• Tongtian invited Ren and others to seek his teachings before his apparition vanished.
• Loose Cultivators raced after the scattered sword aura, while the Jade Emperor and Yao Chi invited the remaining immortals to serve in the Heavenly Court.

As the Investiture of the Gods ended, Ren stayed behind to see Jiang Ziya through his final journey while the other Expounding Sect members departed. Yun Zhongzi explained why he had worked against Daoist Randeng and began teaching Ren about the Grand Luo Dao Fruit, a key step toward becoming a Quasi-Saint.

• Xuandu and most of the Expounding Sect members left, while Yang Jian departed for the Heavenly Court to serve as Judicial Celestial God.
• Ren refused to go to Kunlun and chose to remain in the mortal world with Jiang Ziya; Yuding Zhenren accepted his decision and left for Kunlun.
• Ren questioned Yun Zhongzi about his efforts against Daoist Randeng, and Yun Zhongzi revealed that Randeng had betrayed the Expounding Sect and secretly stirred up discord among its members.
• Yun Zhongzi explained that Randeng's rapid cultivation progress was connected to Buddhism and introduced the Grand Luo Dao Fruit as a factor that determines a Quasi-Saint's strength.
• Yun Zhongzi described the origins of the Grand Luo Dao Fruit and began explaining its Heaven, Earth, and Human categories, starting with the weakest, the Human-Tier Dao Fruit.

Yun Zhongzi explained how Randeng, Lu Ya, and Buddhism had helped cause Jiang Ziya’s ruin and the war between the Expounding Sect and Intercepting Sect. Ren promised Jiang Ziya he could keep him alive, then brought him to a secluded courtyard in Chaoge City.

• Yun Zhongzi explained how Dao Fruits were formed and revealed that Randeng had colluded with Buddhism during the Investiture of the Gods.
• Yun Zhongzi recounted how Randeng and Lu Ya used the Nail-Head Seven Arrows to destroy Zhao Gongming’s future, sparking the conflict between the sects.
• Ren resolved to avenge Jiang Ziya and learned Yun Zhongzi had planned to kill Randeng, but Randeng was now imprisoned and stripped of his Spirit Treasures.
• Yun Zhongzi told Ren to gather Fossils across the Mortal World Nine Provinces while attention was focused on Tongtian’s Sword Aura Inheritance.
• Jiang Ziya despairingly asked Ren whether immortals were heartless, and Ren told him the world and its rules were heartless.
• Ren promised Jiang Ziya he had a way to keep him alive and brought him to a secluded courtyard in Chaoge City.

Ren preserved Jiang Ziya’s life inside Divine Source Liquid, concealed him in a sealed boulder, and stored him in the Trash Station Space. As Ren left, two underworld officials arrived to collect Jiang Ziya’s soul, unaware that he was gone.

• Jiang Ziya told Ren that he wanted to live and eventually create a cultivation path of his own.
• Ren encased Jiang Ziya in Divine Source Liquid, sealing in his vitality and Death Qi and preserving him from time.
• Ren covered the crystal with Stone Skin, inscribed a concealment seal, and stored Jiang Ziya in the Trash Station Space.
• Ren left Jiang Ziya’s old residence and sensed a chilling aura approaching.
• Two figures, Old White and his black-robed companion, emerged from the ground and discussed collecting Jiang Ziya’s soul and the danger awaiting it in Hell.

Ren blocked Black and White Impermanence from collecting Jiang Ziya’s soul and learned that the Underworld’s Black Impermanence was a Wu Clan member seeking information about Lu Ya. Black Impermanence revealed that the Wu Clan intended to kill Dijun’s son and destroy the Golden Crow Lineage.

• Ren’s Purple-Gold Double Pupils and Sword Aura revealed to Black and White Impermanence that he was a cultivator, and he demanded to know why they had come for Jiang Ziya’s soul so soon.
• Black and White Impermanence explained that they were Underworld avatars acting on instructions from their true selves, though they knew little about the orders they carried out.
• Black Impermanence’s true self took control of the avatar, recognized Ren, and learned that Ren understood the Underworld’s connection to the Wu Clan.
• Ren deduced that Black Impermanence wanted information about Lu Ya, and Black Impermanence confirmed that the Wu Clan sought to kill Dijun’s son and end the Golden Crow Lineage.

Ren persuaded Black Impermanence to leave Jiang Ziya alone by warning that Lu Ya had joined Buddhism and revealing his connection to the Wu Clan. Yun Zhongzi explained the Wu Clan's strength in the Underworld and Northern Jambudvipa, then recounted how Chi You survived and how Xingtian rose to become an Ancestral Shaman; the chapter left Ren stunned by Xingtian's power.

• Ren told Black Impermanence that Lu Ya had joined Buddhism and warned that provoking it could destroy the Wu Clan's remaining hope of survival.
• Ren revealed that Pangu's blood flowed through him, and Black Impermanence said he would report this claim to the Wu Clan while refusing to take Jiang Ziya's soul.
• Yun Zhongzi arrived and explained that the Wu Clan had established tribes in Northern Jambudvipa and controlled much of the Underworld, with Black Impermanence and White Impermanence being the Great Shamans Rain Master and Wind Earl.
• Yun Zhongzi told Ren that Chi You had survived by reincarnating, used the Blood Dao to become a Great Shaman again, and had been sealed in five pieces rather than killed.
• Yun Zhongzi recounted how Xingtian stormed the Heavenly Court, broke through to the Ancestral Shaman realm after losing his head, and defeated the Jade Emperor; Ren was astonished.

Ren and Yun Zhongzi planned to exploit fossil hunting in the Mortal World while discussing the Wu Clan’s conflict with Buddhism and protecting Jiang Ziya. After arranging a resource trade through the Zhou Dynasty, they uncovered an Innate Spiritual Treasure fragment in the first fossil shipment and prepared to return to Kunlun.

• Yun Zhongzi explained that the Wu Clan’s small numbers balanced the Demon Race’s vast ranks, and Ren suggested using their rivalry against Buddhism.
• Yun Zhongzi recruited Ren to build ties with the Wu Clan, while Ren proposed having the mortal dynasty search the Nine Provinces for fossils under the cover of gathering resources.
• Yun Zhongzi warned that Jiang Ziya faced threats from multiple factions, and Ren promised to make him impossible to find.
• Yun Zhongzi negotiated a trade with Ji Fa, prompting the vassal states to send refining materials, rare treasures, and strange stones to Chaoge City.
• Ren found an Innate Spiritual Treasure fragment inside a fossil, and Yun Zhongzi prepared to leave his Good and Evil Corpses to manage the operation before returning to Kunlun with Ren.

Yun Zhongzi arranged for his Good and Evil Corpses to process the resources gathered in the Mortal World, then set out for Kunlun with Ren. When they encountered a battle over Saint Tongtian’s Sword Aura Inheritance, the inheritance flew to Ren and offered him a choice of teachings.

• Yun Zhongzi left his Good and Evil Corpses to refine artifacts and make pills from the collected materials, then took Ren toward Kunlun to report to Senior Brother Yuding and settle the matter of Randeng.
• Beyond the Mortal World Nine Provinces, Yun Zhongzi and Ren came upon cultivators fighting over Saint Tongtian’s Sword Aura Inheritance.
• The fighters’ clash sent the Sword Aura flying away, and it shot toward Ren as he watched from beside Yun Zhongzi.
• Yun Zhongzi told Ren to accept the inheritance, and the Sword Aura entered the space between Ren’s brows.
• Saint Tongtian appeared in a vision within Ren’s Primordial Spirit and offered him a choice of inheritances, and Ren chose the Sword Dao Inheritance.

Ren received three Astral Sword Dao moves from Saint Tongtian and learned that the scattered Sword Aura Inheritances were drawing cultivators into widespread battles. As Ren and Yun Zhongzi traveled toward Kunlun, they saw slaughter spreading across the Primordial World, and Ren considered collecting the bodies of the fallen Demon Race.

• Saint Tongtian taught Ren the Seven Killings Sword, Greedy Wolf Sword, and Army Breaker Sword, explaining that Ren would need more Sword Aura Inheritances to acquire the complete Astral Sword Dao.
• Yun Zhongzi explained that Tongtian’s ownerless Sword Aura Inheritances would provoke others to fight without bringing Tongtian Karmic Power, while strengthening the Interception Sect with powerful cultivators.
• Yun Zhongzi gave Spirit Treasures to the Loose Cultivators who had pursued the inheritance, then left with Ren toward Kunlun.
• Ren and Yun Zhongzi saw battles and corpses throughout the Primordial World as cultivators fought over the Sword Aura Inheritances.
• Ren remained unmoved by the deaths and considered collecting the bodies of the fallen Demon Race to feed Magical Beasts in another world.

Ren returned to Kunlun Mountain, reunited with Yuding Zhenren, Yun Zhongzi, Lei Zhenzi, and Nezha, and resolved to study divine abilities and flight techniques. While drinking with his friends, he discussed the difficulty of taking up his Ziwei Great Emperor post in the Heavenly Court because the Three Xiao controlled the Star Division, and he planned to visit after studying Kunlun’s library.

• Ren returned to Kunlun Mountain, where Yuding Zhenren welcomed him and encouraged him to rest and continue cultivating.
• Ren told Yuding Zhenren that he would stabilize his cultivation, train in combat methods, and read the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion; Yun Zhongzi then took Yuding Zhenren aside to discuss important matters.
• Ren flew with Lei Zhenzi and Nezha to Unlike’s courtyard, where Unlike advised him to learn flight techniques and offered to help him.
• As they drank, Lei Zhenzi explained that Wen Zhong and the Intercepting Sect disciples controlled the Thunder Bureau, so he was delaying his duties as Gouchen Great Emperor.
• Ren said he would also wait before taking up his Ziwei Great Emperor post because the Three Xiao controlled the Star Division, but planned to visit the Heavenly Court after organizing the library.