Chapter Summaries

Dao Xuan shared his law insights with Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, then warned Hong Yun that yielding his seat to Zhunti had created dangerous karma. Hong Yun realized that Jieyin and Zhunti might kill him if they proved the Dao while he did not, and anxiously asked Dao Xuan for guidance.

• Dao Xuan passed his insights into the Earth Law to Zhen Yuanzi and his insights into the laws of wind, water, and fire to Hong Yun.
• Dao Xuan explained that he helped them because he hoped they would become fellow Daoists, though proving the Dao still depended on their own comprehension.
• Zhen Yuanzi gave Hong Yun the gourd Dao Xuan had previously gifted him, while Dao Xuan discussed Hong Yun's Three-Corpse cultivation and the challenges of completing it.
• Dao Xuan warned Hong Yun that his Primordial Purple Qi and the seat he had yielded to Zhunti had created profound karma with Jieyin and Zhunti.
• Hong Yun realized that Jieyin and Zhunti might kill him to erase their karmic debt if they proved the Dao before he did, and he urgently asked Dao Xuan what he should do.

Dao Xuan showed Hong Yun a way to escape his fated death and pursue sainthood through merit instead of continuing to prove the Dao by slaying corpses. The chapter ended with Hong Yun eager to follow Dao Xuan’s plan involving the Earth Immortal Church and the Two from the West.

• Dao Xuan told Hong Yun that he would have to abandon Three-Corpse-Slaying Dao-Proving and pursue Merit-Proving Dao to avoid his fated death.
• Dao Xuan proposed that Zhen Yuanzi establish the Earth Immortal Church, with Hong Yun serving as deputy leader and earning enough merit to reach quasi-saint perfection.
• Zhen Yuanzi hesitated because he valued a tranquil life, but Dao Xuan persuaded him that founding the church would strengthen him and help him pursue tranquility.
• Dao Xuan secretly told Hong Yun to use his karmic debt over the Saint seat to gain a share of the merit when the Two from the West founded their church.
• Hong Yun thanked Dao Xuan and vowed not to forget his guidance if he became a Saint.

After leaving Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun to establish their own doctrine, Dao Xuan returned to Chaos Island. Linghu watched over the Human Tribe as it recovered and grew, but the emergence of weaker second-generation humans and the Human Immortal realm threatened its survival.

• Dao Xuan told Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun to develop doctrines the Heavenly Dao would recognize, then left the Five Villages Temple with Xuanming.
• Nuwa entrusted the Human Tribe to Linghu, forbidding her from using spells or divine abilities to help them survive.
• The Human Tribe endured heavy casualties while fighting beasts, as Linghu could only offer guidance and watch over them.
• The Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, Zhunti, and other mighty beings observed the Human Tribe, while Nuwa's decree protected it from deliberate harm for one hundred thousand years.
• After securing a place to live, the Human Tribe recovered its population and began to thrive.
• The weaker second-generation humans gave rise to the Human Immortal realm and created a new challenge for the tribe's survival.

Suiren Shi invented Drilling Wood to Make Fire after Linghu guided him to help the Human Tribe survive without relying on magical power. Heaven rewarded his invention with immense merit, raising him to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, and Linghu told him that her master had asked her to accept him as a nominal disciple.

• A Wise Man of the Human Tribe sought Linghu’s guidance after realizing that each generation of humans was growing weaker.
• After lightning set a tree ablaze, Linghu suggested that the Human Tribe learn to obtain fire through their own hands and wisdom.
• Suiren Shi discovered how to drill wood to make fire, giving the Human Tribe a way to drive away beasts, find warmth, and see in the dark.
• Heaven rewarded Suiren Shi’s invention with merit, turning his wooden drill into the high-grade acquired merit spiritual treasure Suiren Fire Drill and raising him to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm.
• Linghu told Suiren Shi that her master had asked her to accept him as a nominal disciple, making him her junior brother.

Linghu guided the Human Tribe’s three founders, Suiren Shi, Youchao Shi, and Ziyi Shi, whose inventions earned heavenly merit and places as Dao Xuan’s named disciples. Dao Xuan considered founding the Humanity Teachings but rejected the idea to avoid becoming bound to the Primordial World and hindered in pursuing the Dao of Wuji.

• Linghu told Suiren Shi that Dao Xuan had aided Nuwa in creating humanity, and Suiren Shi returned with Linghu to Chaos Island to become Dao Xuan’s named disciple.
• Youchao Shi led the Human Tribe in building nests for shelter, earned heavenly merit and a spiritual treasure, and became Dao Xuan’s second named disciple.
• Ziyi Shi taught the Human Tribe to make warm fur garments, earned heavenly merit and a spiritual treasure, and became Dao Xuan’s third named disciple.
• Nuwa had arranged for Linghu to guide the Human Tribe, while Dao Xuan gained a share of its providence by accepting the Three Ancestors as disciples.
• Dao Xuan abandoned his plan to establish the Humanity Teachings after divining that it would entangle him in the Primordial World and obstruct his pursuit of the Dao of Wuji.

Minghe created the Asura Race from departed souls and Blood Sea waters, earning Heavenly Dao recognition but not enough merit to prove his Dao. With the Human Tribe and Asura Race established, Dao Xuan began considering how reincarnation merit could help Minghe prove his Dao.

• Minghe reshaped departed souls and used Blood Sea waters to create the Asura Race, then announced his achievement to the Heavenly Dao.
• The Heavenly Dao recognized the Asura Race and granted Minghe merit, but he only advanced to the peak of quasi-Saint and failed to prove his Dao.
• Mighty figures across the Primordial World reacted to Minghe’s breakthrough and then felt relieved when he did not become a Saint.
• Dao Xuan explained that flaws in the Asura Race’s souls and bodies made them brutal and unable to reproduce, so Minghe had to use a Great Formation to replenish their numbers.
• Dao Xuan realized the Asura Race’s emergence allowed him to begin a plan involving Houtu’s six paths of reincarnation and considered whether reincarnation merit could help Minghe prove his Dao.

Zhen Yuanzi founded the Earth Immortal Church with Hong Yun as his deputy and received Heavenly Dao merit, while Minghe and the five prospective Saints studied whether founding a church could help them attain the Dao. Zhen Yuanzi left the work of managing the church to Hong Yun.

• Zhen Yuanzi revealed the Ginseng Fruit Tree, established the Earth Immortal Church with the Earth Book as its fortune-anchoring treasure, and appointed Hong Yun Vice Sect Leader.
• The Heavenly Dao bestowed merit, raising Zhen Yuanzi to Grand Primordial Golden Immortal perfection and Hong Yun to Quasi-Saint perfection, though neither attained the Dao.
• Other mighty figures tried to establish churches but failed or suffered backlash, while Minghe began investigating why Zhen Yuanzi had succeeded.
• The Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, and Zhunti suspected that founding a church was connected to their chances of becoming Saints and began studying the matter.
• Zhen Yuanzi accepted responsibility for enlightening others but left the Earth Immortal Church for Hong Yun to manage.

Hong Yun used his Earth Immortal Church position to gain merit and sent his evil corpse to secure a share of the future teachings established by Jieyin and Zhunti. After eight thousand years, Laozi discovered that teaching cultivation to the Human Tribe could earn him merit, established the Humanity Teachings, and attempted to prove the Dao by merging his three corpses.

• Hong Yun carefully selected disciples for the Earth Immortal Church, whose fortune was anchored by Zhen Yuanzi’s Earth Book.
• Hong Yun sent his evil corpse to Sumeru Mountain, and Jieyin and Zhunti reluctantly agreed to his demands while postponing the establishment of their teachings.
• After another eight thousand years, Laozi left Kunlun Mountain and realized that the Human Tribe needed a cultivation method.
• Laozi created the Golden Core Great Dao and taught it to the Human Tribe.
• Laozi established the Humanity Teachings, received Heavenly Dao merit, and used it to slay his corpse of obsession.
• Laozi summoned his three corpses and tried to merge them, but something went wrong.

Laozi failed to reunite his Three Corpses and followed Hongjun’s advice to prove his Dao through merit, becoming a Saint. Yuanshi and Tongtian then founded their churches and became Saints, while Hong Yun appeared with Jieyin and Zhunti above Mount Sumeru, surprising the mighty beings.

• Laozi repeatedly failed to reunite his Three Corpses, and Hongjun revealed that the different origins of their Innate Spiritual Treasures made the final step impossible.
• Hongjun advised Laozi to use merit to prove his Dao, and Laozi became a Saint by combining his remaining church-establishing merit with Pangu’s creation merit.
• Hongjun told the others to establish their churches, and Yuanshi and Tongtian founded the Expounding Sect and Interception Sect.
• Yuanshi and Tongtian received Heavenly Dao merit and became Saints at nearly the same moment.
• Hong Yun appeared above Mount Sumeru with Jieyin and Zhunti, leaving the mighty beings wondering why he had left Zhen Yuanzi.

After Minghe failed to prove his Dao despite obtaining merit twice, Dao Xuan explained the three methods of proving the Dao and clarified why Minghe and Laozi had failed. The mighty beings of the Primordial World reconsidered their paths, while Minghe resolved to gather more merit and try again.

• Minghe's failure sparked debate over whether primordial purple qi was necessary for Merit-Proving Dao and why Dao Xuan had succeeded without it.
• Dao Xuan revealed Chaos Island and invited mighty beings to hear him explain the three methods of proving the Dao.
• Dao Xuan said Minghe's merit was insufficient because his creations and religion had flaws, and named Minghe's peak quasi-Saint level the Sub-Saint realm.
• Dao Xuan explained that Laozi's treasures clashed during Three Corpses Reunification, while success with that method also depended on luck and suitable spiritual treasures.
• The mighty beings reconsidered their chosen paths, and Dao Xuan suppressed a proposal to honor him as the Ancestor of Law.
• Minghe resolved to gather merit a third time and attempt to prove his Dao again.

Dao Xuan continued preparing to perfect the four symbols laws and prove the Dao a second time. As the time for Houtu’s transformation into Reincarnation approached, the chapter revealed that she had secretly developed a primordial spirit and then left her tribe after sensing an inexplicable pull.

• Some cultivators persisted with Three-Corpse-Slaying Dao-Proving, while others reconsidered their choices after Dao Xuan explained the three methods.
• Dao Xuan devoted himself to comprehending the four symbols laws, intending to prove the Dao a second time and reach the Hunyuan Taiji Realm.
• Tens of thousands of years later, Dao Xuan sensed that the time had come and vanished from where he was.
• Houtu had secretly developed a primordial spirit, which she had cultivated to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm.
• Houtu felt an inexplicable attraction while cultivating, checked that her tribe was safe, gave instructions to a Great Witch, and left to travel through the Primordial World.

Houtu tried to divine the outcome of the Witch Clan and Demon Tribe’s future battle, but a mysterious Daoist drew her into the Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation and offered her three choices. He explained that each World Tree treasure offered a different path through her destined tribulation, but his explanation of the fruit ended on an ominous note.

• Houtu worried that powerful beings might change the balance when the Witch Clan and Demon Tribe resumed their war, so she tried to divine the battle’s outcome.
• The divination nearly shattered Houtu’s Primordial Spirit, until a mysterious old Daoist stopped her and revealed she was inside his Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation.
• The old Daoist introduced himself through his actions as the one who had brought Houtu there and offered her a World Tree Leaf, World Flower, or World Fruit.
• The old Daoist said the leaf would only delay Houtu’s fate, while the flower would give her a faint chance to survive and raise her Primordial Spirit cultivation to Quasi-Saint level.
• The old Daoist explained that the fruit could hide Houtu’s Primordial Spirit and help her escape the tribulation, then paused after saying it might let her attain the supreme Great Dao.

Houtu received a mysterious fruit from Dao Xuan and later discovered that Minghe was turning the dead into Asura. She confronted him at the Blood Sea and condemned his treatment of the ghosts.

• Houtu realized the fruit had fused with her sea of consciousness, then suspected Dao Xuan had come to warn her of a great tribulation.
• Houtu followed an underground river to the Blood Sea and discovered that Minghe's formation was remaking ghosts into members of the Asura Race.
• Houtu angrily called for Minghe, who appeared on the Twelve-Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus, ready to fight.
• Houtu challenged Minghe for brutalizing the ghosts and said his crooked method was why he had failed to attain the Dao.

Minghe attacked Houtu after she criticized his failed attempts to attain the Dao, and their battle escalated as both revealed the strength of their abilities. Houtu’s Wutu barrier was overwhelmed by Minghe’s exploding Blood God Clones, leaving her defenses shattered.

• Minghe drew the Yuantu Sword and Abi Sword and attacked Houtu, who manifested her Ancestral Witch True Body and endured their strikes.
• Houtu used the earth law to unleash Wutu Qi, weakening Minghe’s swords and making them heavy as they neared her.
• Minghe summoned countless Blood God Clones, while the Asura Race fled to avoid being caught in the fight.
• Houtu raised Wutu Protection to guard her Primordial Spirit and stop the Blood God Clones from reaching her.
• Minghe ordered his Blood God Clones to explode, and their chain detonations blasted apart Houtu’s Wutu barrier.

Houtu’s hidden fruit unleashed a terrifying force that destroyed Minghe’s Blood God Clones and threatened his true spirit until Dao Xuan arrived at the Blood Sea. Hongjun and the Seven Saints then gathered there after realizing that Reincarnation was about to emerge.

• Houtu’s fruit released a power that erased Minghe’s Blood God Clones and locked onto his true spirit.
• Dao Xuan arrived, and the strange power threatening Minghe disappeared.
• Hongjun appeared above the Blood Sea, and Houtu and Minghe bowed to him.
• The Seven Saints sensed Hongjun’s arrival, divined that Reincarnation was about to emerge, and hurried to the Blood Sea.
• Dao Xuan, Hongjun, Minghe, Houtu, and the Seven Saints gathered above the Blood Sea.

Dao Xuan proposed that Minghe could become the Six Paths of Reincarnation in Houtu’s place, offering an alternative to her sacrifice. The Heavenly Dao blocked the Eleven Ancestral Witches from reaching the Blood Sea as Houtu faced her destined choice.

• The Saints arrived at the Blood Sea and greeted Hongjun and Dao Xuan, while Minghe grew anxious at being ignored.
• Dao Xuan told Hongjun he would seize a slender thread of hope for Houtu, then guided her to understand her mission and asked whether she could let go of the Witch Clan.
• Houtu declared that she was willing to sacrifice herself and become the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but hesitated when Dao Xuan pointed out the approaching Eleven Ancestral Witches.
• Dao Xuan suggested Houtu did not necessarily have to become reincarnation and considered having Minghe take her place.
• The Heavenly Dao blocked the Eleven Ancestral Witches from entering the Blood Sea and silenced their calls to Houtu.

Houtu chose to sacrifice herself to become the Six Paths of Reincarnation, despite Dao Xuan warning that the Twelve Ancestral Witches would remain incomplete. Her transformation created the Netherworld and drew immense merit, while Minghe cooperated as the Blood Sea was consumed.

• Houtu asked Dao Xuan to stop troubling Minghe and declared that she would become Reincarnation.
• Dao Xuan warned Houtu that her choice would leave the Twelve Ancestral Witches incomplete, but Houtu said she had no other choice.
• Houtu vowed to sacrifice her body to create the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and her Ancestral Witch True Body transformed into a disk.
• The Six Paths Reincarnation Disk absorbed more than half of the Blood Sea and opened the Netherworld, drawing ghosts into its six vortices to be reborn.
• Heaven sent down immense merit for Houtu's transformation, and Minghe burst into tears.