Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Duel with the Heaven-Punishing Axe”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Hao confronts Gu Erduo, who wields the Heaven-Punishing Axe, a peerless divine weapon empowered by Heavenly Punishment.
• The Heaven-Punishing Axe’s opening attack is absorbed by Ji Hao’s Chaos Domain and Tai Shang Lingbao Celebratory Cloud. Ji Hao mocks both the weapon and Gu Erduo, provoking the latter.
• Ji Hao and Gu Erduo clash directly. Ji Hao uses the Eight-Nine Mystic Art, transforming into a gigantic Three-Heads-and-Six-Arms Dharma manifestation. His physical strength forces Gu Erduo backward despite the Heaven-Punishing Axe.
• Gu Erduo realizes that Ji Hao has become a Dharma Body and notices that Daoist Chonghe and Master Lu Da are also present. Their combined strength makes the situation dangerous.
• Ji Hao reveals two powerful Other Shore abilities: the Fruit of All Causes and Time Envelopment. Using the River of Time, he attacks Gu Erduo’s past, sending blade strikes back through every important moment of Gu Erduo’s life—even to his birth.
• This “blade that severs the past” begins erasing Gu Erduo’s existence. The Heaven-Punishing Axe instinctively awakens and travels through time to block the attacks, preventing Gu Erduo from being destroyed.
• Ji Hao’s Diamond Vajra responds by awakening further and opposing the Heaven-Punishing Axe. Although Gu Erduo survives, he suffers severe injuries and is forced to rely almost entirely on the Axe’s protection.
• The battle escalates into a massive second exchange. Ji Hao uses the Diamond Vajra, Tiger Soul Saber, the River of Time, and a Heaven-Flipping seal to hurl an ancient meteor at Gu Erduo.
• Gu Erduo counters with the destructive power of his Heavenly Punishment Grotto-Heavens, unleashing thunder, sinister wind, ghostly fire, and other annihilating forces.
• After an immense clash that devastates a million-mile region, both sides recognize that neither can quickly defeat the other. Ji Hao has a slight advantage, but killing Gu Erduo might force the Heaven-Punishing Axe into an unstable Legend-level awakening.
• The combatants withdraw. Chonghe, Lu Da, and Ji Hao return to Daode Hall to discuss the larger political and military crisis.

Character Developments

• Ji Hao: Demonstrates that he has fully entered the Dharma Body Human Immortal realm. His mastery of Time Envelopment and the Fruit of All Causes has created a unique path combining time, karma, causality, and Other Shore power. He is now strong enough to rival Gu Erduo and possess combat power comparable to several Dharma Bodies.
• Gu Erduo: Is revealed to be heavily dependent on the Heaven-Punishing Axe. His Thunder Punishment Precious Body mainly functions as a vessel for the weapon’s power. Ji Hao repeatedly insults him as merely the Axe’s “accessory,” exposing Gu Erduo’s insecurity and rage.
• The Heaven-Punishing Axe: Shows a remarkable degree of spiritual awareness, awakening independently when Gu Erduo’s past is attacked. It protects Gu Erduo and may potentially rise to the unstable Legend level if pushed too far.
• The Diamond Vajra: Awakens further during the confrontation, responding to the Heaven-Punishing Axe and demonstrating that it too possesses extraordinary Other Shore-level potential.
• Daoist Chonghe and Master Lu Da: Their presence confirms their formidable Earth Immortal strength. They do not intervene directly because the Heaven-Punishing Axe is too dangerous, but they recognize Ji Hao as a true peer and valuable ally.

Significant Themes

• Power versus dependence: Gu Erduo’s strength comes largely from the Heaven-Punishing Axe, while Ji Hao’s power is increasingly his own, derived from cultivation, time, causality, and multiple divine weapons.
• Control over time and destiny: Ji Hao’s attack on Gu Erduo’s past illustrates the terrifying authority of Other Shore powers and the idea that destroying the past can erase the future.
• Divine weapons as living forces: The Heaven-Punishing Axe and Diamond Vajra are not passive tools; their spirits can awaken, act independently, and potentially determine the outcome of battles.
• The cost of overwhelming power: Even victory may be dangerous. Destroying Gu Erduo could awaken the Axe to Legend level, making the consequences worse than allowing him to retreat.
• Political opportunism during crisis: Aristocratic clans secretly align with the grassland and the Left Path, prioritizing family survival, profit, and influence over loyalty to Northern Zhou or Great Jin.
• The approaching Great Tribulation: The looming catastrophe intensifies both the military conflict and the political maneuvering, driving weaker factions to choose sides before they understand the full consequences.

Character Interactions

• Ji Hao constantly taunts Gu Erduo, calling him an “accessory” rather than acknowledging him as the true wielder of the Heaven-Punishing Axe. These insults provoke Gu Erduo’s anger and highlight his dependence on the weapon.
• Gu Erduo appeals directly to the Axe for help when Ji Hao’s temporal attacks begin destroying his past, showing their close bond but also Gu Erduo’s reliance on it.
• The Heaven-Punishing Axe and Diamond Vajra effectively clash through their spiritual wills, each reacting to the other’s awakening.
• Chonghe and Lu Da observe the duel rather than join it, judging that direct intervention would be too costly. Their restraint reflects both the Axe’s danger and their strategic awareness.
• In Daode Hall, Lu Da recognizes Ji Hao’s unique cultivation path, while Chonghe formally welcomes him into the responsibilities of the Dharma Body experts.
• Ji Hao proposes a strategy of decisive military action: eliminate the immediate enemies with overwhelming force, deter the wavering aristocratic clans, stabilize the interior, and deal with the opportunists afterward.

Chapter Summary: Reforging Divine Weapons, Chonghe Escapes, and the Upheaval at Hidden Sword Tower

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Hao and the leaders of the righteous forces prepare for the coming war with Gu Erduo and the allied evil factions. They agree that the immediate internal threat—the Faceless Heavenly Demon concealed within Hidden Sword Tower—must be eliminated before the external battle begins.
• They discuss the uncertain positions of major powers, including the Blood Garment Sect, the Gu God, Han Guang, the Demon Race, Changshengtian, the Luo Sect, and the Void Dharma King. The Wang Clan sends a divination predicting “minor losses, smooth overall trend,” though Master Lu Da acknowledges that the battle may still claim Dharma Body experts.
• At the Grassland border, Ji Hao uses his nineteen World-Extinguishing Divine Deities and an enormous Divine Furnace to refine weapons. He incorporates:
  • The essences of two top-grade treasure swords,
  • The Huntian Ling,
  • Xuanhuang Mother Qi,
  • And a fragment of the Eastern Emperor Bell.
• Through Yunzhongzi’s artifact-refining knowledge and the power of his Other Selves, Ji Hao begins reforging these materials into Divine Weapons. The process demonstrates his growing mastery of artifact refinement, karmic power, and the Fruit of All Causes.
• The Luo Sect and Heaven-Extinguishing Sect deploy the Unborn Mother Statue and the Six Extinction Yama Statue as distractions. Meanwhile, Hasiula leads a massive coalition—including the Golden Tent Warriors, the Longevity Sect, the Joyful Temple, rogue factions, and the Life and Death Impermanence Sect—toward Hidden Sword Tower.
• Ji Hao visits Daoist Chonghe and removes his name from the List of Gods using the Diamond Jade. This severs Chonghe’s connection to the Lord of Six Paths of Samsara and frees him from the control imposed by Samsara.
• Chonghe’s liberation restores his spiritual completeness and causes his Earth Immortal cultivation to advance further. He is deeply moved, having escaped the fate he believed would eventually require him to sacrifice himself.
• Ji Hao, Master Lu Da, and Chonghe then prepare to confront Gu Erduo. Lu Da and Chonghe form a pincer formation while Ji Hao remains responsible for handling the wider crisis.
• At Hidden Sword Tower, the invading coalition launches a fierce assault on the Heaven-Deficient Earth-Flawed Sword Qi Life-Falling Array. Numerous powerful enemies and Divine Weapons participate, making the sect’s survival highly uncertain.
• Internal betrayal suddenly erupts. Grandmaster Nangong Hen attacks Tower Lord Qiu Wansheng and reveals that Yu Wujiu—not himself—is the Faceless Heavenly Demon. Nangong Hen then identifies himself as Mythology’s Gouchen God Lord and launches another deadly strike at Qiu Wansheng.

Character Developments

• Ji Hao becomes increasingly formidable and resourceful. He combines artifact refinement, karmic manipulation, Other Selves, and powerful treasures to prepare for the war. His flamboyant personality remains evident in his preference for spectacular displays, but his actions show strategic foresight and genuine concern for the larger balance of the world.
• Daoist Chonghe undergoes a major transformation. After escaping the Lord of Six Paths of Samsara, he experiences relief, emotional release, and renewed freedom. His state of mind improves, and his Earth Immortal cultivation advances. He regains the carefree and authentic Daoist temperament he had lost under prolonged control.
• Master Lu Da remains calm and resolute despite recognizing that the coming battle may cost his life. His Wholehearted Sword reflects his unwavering dedication to swordsmanship and his readiness to confront Gu Erduo.
• Su Wuming is revealed to be close to achieving the Dharma Body realm. Ji Hao hopes that, unlike in the original timeline, Su Wuming will emerge from seclusion in a complete and stronger state.
• Qiu Wansheng is shown to be cautious but increasingly isolated. Though he distrusted Meng Qi’s warnings, he had enough suspicion to guard against Nangong Hen’s initial attack.
• Nangong Hen is exposed as an agent of Mythology and an active participant in the conspiracy surrounding Hidden Sword Tower.
• Yu Wujiu is revealed as the actual Faceless Heavenly Demon, confirming the existence of a deeply embedded traitor within the sect.
• Meng Qi had attempted to warn Hidden Sword Tower, but his complicated history with Gu Xiaosang caused Qiu Wansheng to distrust him and dismiss his accusations.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus control: Chonghe’s removal from the List of Gods represents liberation from an externally imposed destiny. His escape from Samsara contrasts with the manipulation and enslavement practiced by the Lord of Six Paths.
• Preparation and sacrifice: The righteous factions understand that victory will require planning, powerful weapons, and possibly the deaths of Dharma Body experts. Master Lu Da’s attitude reflects the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the greater cause.
• Internal corruption: The chapter emphasizes that external enemies are dangerous only because internal betrayal allows them to penetrate supposedly secure institutions. Hidden Sword Tower’s crisis is worsened by the Faceless Heavenly Demon’s infiltration.
• The unpredictability of fate: Divination offers only broad possibilities, while Ji Hao’s actions actively alter the established timeline. His intervention allows Chonghe to escape and may let Su Wuming attain a more complete breakthrough.
• Reforging and renewal: Ji Hao’s weapon-refinement process parallels the broader struggle to transform old powers, broken artifacts, and damaged destinies into stronger forms.
• Dao as cyclical existence: Chonghe’s vision of the Diamond Jade reveals the complete cycle of creation, growth, decline, destruction, and rebirth as manifestations of the Dao.

Important Character Interactions

• Ji Hao consults Master Lu Da and Chonghe about the hidden enemy in Hidden Sword Tower and the threat posed by outside factions.
• Ji Hao gives Chonghe the chance to escape Samsara, prompting Chonghe’s gratitude, emotional awakening, and renewed confidence.
• Ji Hao, Lu Da, and Chonghe prepare to fight Gu Erduo together, with Lu Da and Chonghe taking the frontline position.
• Meng Qi previously tries to convince Qiu Wansheng and the Hidden Sword Tower Grandmasters that a traitor is present, but Qiu Wansheng’s distrust prevents him from acting decisively.
• Nangong Hen turns against Qiu Wansheng and clashes with Ma You and Li Sinong, openly declaring his affiliation with Mythology.
• The chapter ends with Nangong Hen launching a second attack while revealing that Yu Wujiu is the Faceless Heavenly Demon, leaving Hidden Sword Tower on the brink of collapse.

Ji Hao arrived at the Hidden Sword Pavilion with the Kaiwei Bell, destroyed the attackers’ formations, and killed the traitors Yu Wujiu and Nangong Hen while subduing the remaining forces. As battles continued elsewhere, Su Wuming emerged from seclusion at the Sword Washing Pavilion, declaring his cultivation complete.

• Ji Hao used the Kaiwei Bell to freeze and overwhelm the attackers around the Hidden Sword Pavilion, then killed Yu Wujiu and Gouchen God Lord Nangong Hen.
• Ji Hao gathered the attackers and suppressed Joy Bodhisattva and Joy Buddha, while rescuing the Cao Clan’s Ice Soul Earth Immortal corpse from a planned detonation.
• He Qi fought Damand, who was possessed by Changshengtian, at the Grassland border.
• Blood Sea Rakshasa was intercepted by Cui Qinghe, Kongwen, and Yunhe, then summoned a Demon King from his Blood-Colored Bag; Demon King Taili remained missing.
• Su Wuming emerged from seclusion at the Sword Washing Pavilion and told Jiang Zhiwei that his cultivation had reached perfection.

Su Wuming became a Dharma Body Human Immortal as the righteous and evil forces clashed, but Demon King Taili and the Gu God killed Cui Qinghe. Ji Hao revealed his Dharma Body and used his omnipresent sword powers to overwhelm his enemies, destroying Taili’s clone and turning his attention to subduing Kui Niu.

• Jiang Zhiwei recognized the Haotian Mirror Fragment as Su Wuming’s Tai Shang Sword Body emerged from tribulation as a Dharma Body Human Immortal.
• Demon King Taili joined Blood Sea Rakshasa and Kui Niu with the Demon Sage Spear, and the righteous and evil Dharma Bodies began fighting.
• The Gu God joined Taili in attacking Cui Qinghe, and their combined strike killed him.
• Ji Hao appeared with the Asura Sword and his Dharma Body, pursued Blood Sea Rakshasa across distant lands, and attacked Kui Niu and Taili through his manifestations across time.
• Ji Hao destroyed Taili’s clone and the Demon Sage Spear with the Minor Zhuxian Sword Array, then tried to force Kui Niu to submit as his shield of thunder began to crack.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Hao launches a devastating assault on Kui Niu Demon King. His ten thousand Sword Lights pierce through time, overcoming Kui Niu’s thunder defenses and leaving him severely wounded.
• Kui Niu refuses to submit, declaring that demons will never become slaves. He unleashes a massive sea of blue-purple thunder before attempting to flee.
• Ji Hao pursues him using multiple powerful manifestations:
  • A pure-land Dharma Body and the Heaven-Flipping Seal
  • The Solar Body God Monarch projection
  • The Formless Transformation path and Other Shore abilities
• Ji Hao catches Kui Niu by the tail, violently throws him through the sky, and then uses the Third Form of the Tathagata Palm, “Smiling with a Flower.”
• The Tathagata Palm overwhelms Kui Niu spiritually as well as physically, bringing him close to mental submission. Ji Hao then combines this attack with the power of the River of Time, aging Kui Niu from a powerful ox into a decaying old beast.
• Kui Niu finally submits. Ji Hao places the Diamond Vajra through his nose and uses the Huntian Ling as a lead. The threat of punishment is balanced by the promise that Kui Niu can use the divine weapon to comprehend the Dao and improve his cultivation.
• Su Wuming emerges from seclusion having attained the Dharma Body. His Sword Light, like Ji Hao’s attacks, possesses the Legend trait of omnipresence.
• Ji Hao and Su Wuming combine their abilities to overwhelm and kill Gu God. Their attacks strike from every direction and continuously alternate, preventing Gu God from defending himself.
• Ji Hao then travels to the Southern Frontier, where Blood Sea Rakshasa is already being worn down by his omnipresent saber attacks. Ji Hao finishes him with another supreme Tathagata Palm strike, completely destroying the Blood Sea and killing the Human Immortal.
• Gao Lan arrives too late to participate, finding that the battle is already over and that the Demon Sage Spear has disappeared or failed to revive as expected.
• The deaths of Gu God, Blood Sea Rakshasa, and several other Dharma Bodies dramatically alter the balance of power between the major factions.
• On another battlefield, Master Lu Da and Daoist Chonghe struggle against Gu Erduo and the Heaven-Punishing Axe. Ji Hao arrives and joins them, helping form a strengthened Zhuxian Sword Array.
• The combined sword formation gradually draws Gu Erduo into an expanding chaos of destruction, consuming his energy, matter, and axe power. New meteors appear in the sky, signaling additional Dharma Body deaths.
• At the Great Jin battlefield, the Dharma King of Crossing the World recognizes that the situation has changed after witnessing the fall of several powerful figures. When Ji Hao and Su Wuming appear together, he immediately attempts to flee but is pursued and wounded by their omnipresent attacks.

2. Character Developments

• Ji Hao demonstrates a major increase in strength and mastery. He now commands:
  • Omnipresent attacks through his Legend trait
  • The Other Shore and Time Envelopment abilities
  • The Solar Body God Monarch projection
  • The Third Form of the Tathagata Palm
  • The power to suppress, transform, and dominate powerful Dharma Bodies
• Ji Hao’s personality becomes more openly domineering and pragmatic. He treats defeated enemies harshly, but also knows how to secure their loyalty through benefits, as shown by his handling of Kui Niu.
• Kui Niu Demon King changes from a proud and defiant demon king into Ji Hao’s obedient subordinate. His submission is motivated both by survival and by the chance to use the Diamond Vajra to break through his cultivation bottleneck.
• Su Wuming emerges from secluded cultivation as a newly attained Dharma Body. His breakthrough gives Ji Hao an equal partner in omnipresent combat and greatly shifts the balance of the battlefield.
• Gu God and Blood Sea Rakshasa are shown to be completely outmatched once Ji Hao and Su Wuming coordinate their abilities. Their deaths mark the collapse of major enemy forces.
• Gao Lan is left frustrated and confused after arriving too late, realizing that his carefully anticipated confrontation did not occur.
• The Cao Clan Patriarch views the battle strategically. Although the Cao Clan suffered losses, he believes the larger political situation has improved and that Xianzhi’s death was not meaningless.
• Master Lu Da and Daoist Chonghe continue to fight cooperatively and defensively, relying on endurance and technique until Ji Hao’s arrival changes the battle.

3. Significant Themes

• Domination versus submission: Ji Hao repeatedly forces powerful enemies to submit, combining overwhelming violence with calculated incentives. Kui Niu’s conversion illustrates how survival and material benefit can overcome ideological resistance.
• The transformation of power: Ji Hao’s techniques constantly change form—saber, sword, Buddhist palm, solar body, pure land, and time river—showing his ability to integrate multiple Dao paths into a single supreme combat system.
• Buddhist enlightenment and coercion: The Tathagata Palm presents ideas of emptiness, purity, illusion, and liberation, but these spiritual teachings are simultaneously used as weapons to crush an opponent’s will.
• Omnipresence and control of time: Ji Hao and Su Wuming can attack from every direction and manipulate the relationship between past, present, and future. This makes ordinary defense nearly impossible and symbolizes their transcendence beyond conventional spatial and temporal limits.
• The shifting balance of the world: The deaths of several Dharma Bodies transform the political and military situation. Individual battles now affect the survival and status of entire factions.
• Pragmatism in war: Characters assess victory not only by personal survival but also by broader strategic gains, as seen in the Cao Clan Patriarch’s reaction to his losses.
• Power beyond weapons: Gu Erduo’s dependence on the Heaven-Punishing Axe gradually becomes a liability, while Ji Hao, Su Wuming, Lu Da, and Chonghe use cultivation, formations, and Dao comprehension to overcome superior weapons.

4. Character Interactions

• Ji Hao and Kui Niu: Their confrontation evolves from violent resistance to forced master-and-servant loyalty. Ji Hao humiliates and defeats Kui Niu, then rewards his submission by allowing him to use the Diamond Vajra for cultivation.
• Ji Hao and Su Wuming: Their brief exchange of glances establishes immediate cooperation. Their shared omnipresence allows them to alternate attacks seamlessly and destroy Gu God and Blood Sea Rakshasa.
• Ji Hao and Kongwen: Kongwen observes and praises Ji Hao’s derivation of the Third Form of the Tathagata Palm, recognizing his extraordinary comprehension without jealousy or rivalry.
• Ji Hao and Gao Lan: They do not directly fight, but Gao Lan’s late arrival highlights how rapidly Ji Hao’s victories have overturned previous plans.
• Ji Hao, Master Lu Da, and Daoist Chonghe: Ji Hao joins their struggle against Gu Erduo, strengthening the Zhuxian Sword Array and turning a stalemate into a decisive suppression.
• Ji Hao and the Dharma King of Crossing the World: The Dharma King recognizes Ji Hao and Su Wuming as overwhelming threats and immediately attempts escape, only to be attacked from every direction.
• Cao Clan Patriarch and the wider political forces: The Patriarch interprets the battle’s casualties and victories in terms of factional strength, cultivation resources, and future influence rather than personal grief alone.

Chapter Summary: The Battle Ends, First on the Heaven Ranking

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dharma King of Crossing the World escapes the battlefield by activating the Unborn Mother’s True Emptiness Homeland. Realizing that the Luo Sect cannot currently compete with the righteous forces, he orders the sect to seal its secret realm and lie low.
• Gu Erduo, already heavily pressured by Ji Hao’s Zhuxian Sword Array, is attacked by Su Wuming, whose Tai Shang Sword Intent becomes the decisive factor. Gu Erduo summons the revived Heaven-Punishing Axe, which reaches Celestial Immortal power, breaks through the formation, and carries him away.
• Master Lu Da, Daoist Chonghe, and Su Wuming pursue Gu Erduo. The chase extends across the Grassland, but Su Wuming eventually stops at the border because he cannot withstand the Heaven-Punishing Axe at his current Human Immortal level. Ji Hao also chooses not to pursue further, believing Gu Erduo still has an important role to play.
• Ji Hao and Su Wuming meet and exchange mutual admiration, agreeing to discuss the Sword Dao in the future.
• At Shaolin, the Demon Race executes its hidden plan. Zhu Wu, the Bai Ze Demon King, and many ancient demon descendants escape their long imprisonment after Xuanxin hands over the Demon-Summoning Banner.
• The demons attempt to attack Shaolin in revenge, but Kong Jian’s Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Form instantly kills the Nine Origins Demon Venerable and suppresses the demon rampage. The remaining demons flee through a weakness in Shaolin’s barrier.
• Outside Shaolin, Ji Hao ambushes the escaping demons. He severely wounds the Bai Ze Demon King and overwhelms Taili, despite Taili reviving the Demon Sage Spear to Celestial Immortal level. Taili ultimately retreats with the demon horde.
• Ji Hao uses the power of his Fruit of All Causes to disperse the demons’ sacrificial blood, but the Demon Sage Spear independently restores it and breaks through his words-become-law. Ji Hao then combines the Tai Shang and Yuanshi celebratory clouds with his divine sword, producing a world-shaking radiance that appears to create a new Epoch.
• Gu Xiaosang withdraws the Luo Sect forces from Northern Zhou after Gu Erduo’s defeat. Taili and the Bai Ze Demon King retreat to the Demon Emperor Hall, intending to travel to the Investiture of the Gods World.
• In Great Jin, the Six Fan Gates begins revising the Heaven Ranking after the deaths of several Dharma Bodies. The battle has dramatically altered the balance of power.

Character Developments

• Ji Hao/Lingbao Heavenly Venerable is established as the dominant rising powerhouse. He defeats or heavily injures multiple Demon Kings and Dharma Bodies, resists Celestial Immortal-level divine weapons, and demonstrates the terrifying combination of his two Other Shore Traits: Time Envelopment and the Fruit of All Causes.
• Gu Erduo suffers a major defeat but survives through the Heaven-Punishing Axe. His status as an Earth Immortal remains secure, though he requires years to recover.
• Su Wuming demonstrates exceptional strength and sword mastery by intervening against Gu Erduo and later ambushing the demons. His meeting with Ji Hao suggests a future exchange between two great Sword Dao experts.
• Master Lu Da is revealed to have secretly advanced to the Earth Immortal realm and acquired additional Legend traits, despite rumors that he had become despondent and weakened.
• Daoist Chonghe confirms his overwhelming battle power through One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones and the Zhuxian Sword Array, allowing him to contend with Gu Erduo.
• Taili recognizes that he cannot defeat Ji Hao and chooses retreat over a futile battle. His reliance on the Demon Sage Spear highlights both his desperation and the importance of the weapon.
• Zhu Wu regains freedom after ages of imprisonment but immediately finds himself facing a transformed and dangerous world.
• Sima Shi takes responsibility for reassessing the world’s strongest figures and recognizes Ji Hao’s extraordinary future potential.

Significant Themes

• The changing balance of power: The battle marks a major shift from the old order. Several Dharma Bodies fall, while new figures—especially Ji Hao—rise rapidly.
• Hidden strength and sudden revelation: Lu Da’s concealed advancement, the demons’ escape plan, and Ji Hao’s unexpected abilities all reinforce the theme that appearances and public reputations are unreliable.
• The importance of divine weapons: The revived Heaven-Punishing Axe and Demon Sage Spear can elevate their wielders to an entirely higher level, showing how decisive peerless weapons are in battles between great experts.
• Retreat and survival versus honor: Gu Erduo and Taili both abandon the battlefield when victory becomes impossible. Their decisions contrast with the righteous experts’ willingness to pursue and fight, while emphasizing the strategic importance of preserving future strength.
• The approach of a new era: Ji Hao’s final sword strike and the repeated references to the Great Tribulation, the Human World, and the Epoch suggest that the entire world is entering a transformative age.
• Youth and potential: Ji Hao’s current achievements already justify first place on the Heaven Ranking, but Sima Shi emphasizes that his true advantage is his age. His future breakthrough may make his supremacy unquestionable.

Important Character Interactions

• Ji Hao and Gu Erduo: They clash indirectly through the Zhuxian Sword Array and the Heaven-Punishing Axe. Ji Hao helps drive Gu Erduo to retreat but deliberately avoids killing him.
• Ji Hao and Su Wuming: They recognize each other as extraordinary Sword Dao figures and express interest in exchanging insights.
• Lu Da, Chonghe, and Gu Erduo: The two Earth Immortals jointly pursue Gu Erduo after his escape, demonstrating that only experts of their level can confront the revived Heaven-Punishing Axe.
• Ji Hao and Taili: Ji Hao overwhelms Taili even after the Demon Sage Spear reaches Celestial Immortal level. Taili refuses to answer Ji Hao’s question about Han Guang and instead orders the demons to sacrifice their blood to the spear before fleeing.
• Kong Jian and the demons: Kong Jian’s Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Form destroys the Nine Origins Demon Venerable and forces the liberated demons to abandon their revenge against Shaolin.
• Sima Shi and the Gold Seal Constable: They discuss the new Heaven Ranking and the political consequences of the battle. Ji Hao is placed first, followed by Gu Erduo, Chonghe, and Lu Da.
• Sima Shi’s assessment of Ji Hao: He ranks Ji Hao first not only because of his battle record but because Ji Hao already rivals Earth Immortals and may surpass that realm within a few years.

After Gu Xiaosang died, Meng Qi grieved while Ji Hao broke through to the Earth Immortal realm and spent ten years cultivating. Ji Hao later gave Ruan Yushu his Dharma Body token as she prepared to leave for a mission.

• Sima Shi ranked thirteen human and demon masters on the Heaven Ranking, placing Heavenly Venerable Lingbao first and listing the others through the Gu God in thirteenth place.
• Gu Xiaosang died in Meng Qi’s arms, and the Lord of Six Paths of Samsara announced that Meng Qi’s next mission would come in ten years.
• Ji Hao watched Meng Qi’s grief from Biyou Palace and broke through to the Earth Immortal realm by opening the Thirty-Three Heavens within his body.
• Ten years later, Ji Hao met Ruan Yushu and gave her his Dharma Body token so she could summon him if trouble arose.
• Ji Hao recalled leaving the Six Paths of Samsara Realm with Chonghe without completing his mission, and the realm’s punishment of erasure had failed to affect him.

Ji Hao joined Meng Qi and Wang Siyuan to enter the Ananda Pure Land, where he received the Tathagata Palm and Counter-Buddha Palm from Ananda’s Tears. As the three climbed the ruined mountain, they encountered Ananda’s manifestations, struck at Demonic Master Han Guang across time, and confronted a powerful evil demon.

• Ji Hao answered Meng Qi’s call and agreed to explore the secret realm behind Shaolin Temple with Meng Qi and Wang Siyuan.
• Ji Hao opened the Ananda Pure Land’s sealed doors, and the three crossed its corrupted landscape toward the seven-tier mountain.
• Ananda’s reincarnations appeared on the mountain’s first tier, and Ananda’s Tears merged with Ji Hao, revealing the Tathagata Palm and Counter-Buddha Palm to him.
• Ji Hao and his companions passed a manifestation of Ananda and the Third Form of the Tathagata Palm, then climbed to the second tier and discovered Demonic Master Han Guang cultivating in the past.
• Ji Hao used the Five Directions Emperor Blade to wound Han Guang across time, but Han Guang recovered with help from the Other Shore.
• On the third tier, the three faced a powerful evil demon whose palm disrupted the laws around them; Ji Hao suppressed its demonic aura, and Wang Siyuan sealed it with the Luo River Diagram.

Ji Hao helped Meng Qi reach Spirit Mountain, where Ananda’s past revealed the Demon Buddha’s rise and Wang Siyuan escaped Ananda’s influence. Meng Qi confronted the Demon Buddha with the Overlord’s Peerless Saber and Ji Hao’s Diamond Vajra, then manifested his Undying Yuanshi Body as Wang Siyuan broke free of a hidden shackle.

• Ji Hao and Wang Siyuan defeated Evil Bodhidharma’s phantom and found a corrupted Bodhi Seed before advancing toward the summit.
• Ananda’s reversed Tathagata Palm and revelation that the Demon Buddha walked the world exposed his connection to Meng Qi’s original self, so Ji Hao sent Meng Qi to the Six Paths of Samsara Realm.
• At Spirit Mountain, Meng Qi heard the resentment against Ananda and, in the Investiture of the Gods World, summoned the Overlord’s Peerless Saber to sever his past and resist the Demon Buddha’s attacks from the future.
• Ji Hao sent the Diamond Vajra through time to strike the Demon Buddha, allowing Meng Qi to cut off the River of Time’s branches and counter the Demon Buddha’s future lives.
• Meng Qi manifested his Undying Yuanshi Body and prepared another attack as Wang Siyuan used the Luo River Diagram to break free of the Demon Buddha’s hidden influence over the Wang Family.

After severing his ties to the Demon Buddha, Meng Qi returned to his companions as the Cause of All Fruits and learned of a newly discovered entrance to Yaochi, where the Haotian Mirror and Eastern Emperor Bell fragments might be found. As the righteous and demonic factions prepared for a coming struggle, Meng Qi planned a communication artifact called the Myriad Worlds Knowledge Ball.

• Wang Siyuan broke free of the Demon Buddha’s control and resumed cultivating toward the Dharma Body, while Meng Qi recited the Dao De Jing to Kong Zhao and departed for Yuxu Palace.
• Meng Qi reunited with Yang Jian at Yuxu Palace, recognized him as Zhenhui, and insisted that Yang Jian call him Martial Uncle.
• Gu Erduo, Han Guang, and their allies planned to conceal the Great Khan’s return and ambush Su Wuming, while Ye Yuqi brought Master Lu Da an illustrated record revealing a hidden entrance to Yaochi.
• Meng Qi returned to Ji Hao after severing his connection to the Demon Buddha, and Daoist Yunhe recognized his inheritance of the Cause of All Fruits.
• Ji Hao and the others told Meng Qi that the Yaochi entrance had been found and discussed the Haotian Mirror and Eastern Emperor Bell fragments hidden there.
• Meng Qi returned Ji Hao’s personal possession through their new connection and proposed refining a Myriad Worlds Knowledge Ball for instant communication; Ji Hao agreed to invest.

Chapter Summary: “The Bull-Headed NTR Right Before His Eyes, the Heaven Opening Seal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Meng Qi and Ji Hao develop the Myriad Worlds Knowledge Ball, using the Cause of All Fruits, the Fruit of All Causes, and Ji Hao’s illusory river of time. The device connects the myriad worlds, spreads Ji Hao’s teachings, gathers fortune and faith, and functions as both a communication tool and a cultivation aid.
• The fusion of the two Other Shore Traits creates a mysterious mark and elevates the Knowledge Ball into an unconventional innate wondrous treasure.
• In the Grassland, the Gu God’s followers perform a resurrection ritual using Gu Insects, prayers, and the Divine Marrow Bead. The Gu God’s remaining power is absorbed by Changshengtian, allowing Changshengtian to resurrect.
• Changshengtian reveals that the Gu God is effectively dead and that he has inherited the Gu God’s accumulated power. He also reflects on Gu Erduo’s failed attempt to advance through the Heaven-Punishing Axe.
• In the Nine Netherworlds, an enigmatic Buddha-demon figure appears and declares that “Buddha and demon are one,” instructing another party to act.
• The Unborn Mother issues a decree through her statue in the True Emptiness Homeland. The Dharma King of Crossing the World accepts the command.
• Ten days later, Meng Qi, Ji Hao, Master Lu Da, and Su Wuming enter the Ice and Snow Immortal Palace in the Far North. They seek to investigate a passage connected to Yaochi and determine its relationship with the Yaochi Golden Mother.
• Inside the palace, they encounter a Bronze Ancient Coffin with a trace of legendary power. Ji Hao identifies the palace’s master as the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable, one of the figures whose mausoleums suppress monsters beneath Great Snowy Mountain.
• Ji Hao uses a devastating saber strike that attacks the wall’s origin in the past, destroying a black ice barrier composed of countless self-repairing “insects.” His technique resembles one of Meng Qi’s own moves, but is executed even more skillfully, amusing and embarrassing Meng Qi.
• After breaking through, the group discovers evidence that the Demon Monarch helped construct the Immortal Palace from the beginning. The Demon Monarch’s relationship with the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable was therefore extremely close.
• Murals reveal the Demon Monarch’s method of splitting his body into multiple incarnations to avoid being controlled by the Demon Emperor Claw. His heart became the Seven-Aperture Ice Soul Heart, which eventually cultivated into the Great Freedom Heavenly Son True Form and appeared publicly as the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable.

Character Developments

• Meng Qi has grown powerful enough to consider implementing large-scale plans across the Celestial world. He also demonstrates increasing insight into ancient history, alternate identities, and the relationship between the Demon Monarch and the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable.
• Ji Hao displays extraordinary mastery over time, causality, and saber techniques. His ability to erase the origin of an object in the past shows that he has reached an exceptionally high level of cultivation. His refinement of the Tiger Soul Saber and Asura Sword into Celestial Immortal weapons further emphasizes his advancement.
• Master Lu Da remains cautious and perceptive, recognizing the sinister nature of the palace’s defenses and appreciating Ji Hao’s strength.
• Su Wuming reacts with curiosity to the connection between the Ice and Snow Immortal Palace, the Ninth Heaven passage, and Yaochi. He also shows strong battle intent after witnessing Ji Hao’s sword-like saber technique.
• Changshengtian successfully resurrects by absorbing the Gu God’s remaining power and Divine Marrow Bead. His personality is marked by pride and opportunism, viewing the Gu God and Gu Erduo’s losses as benefits that strengthened him.
• The Demon Monarch is revealed as a highly cautious and ingenious figure who divided himself into multiple bodies and identities to avoid becoming a puppet of the Demon Emperor Claw.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through inheritance and absorption: Changshengtian’s resurrection demonstrates how divine power, willpower, and remnants of dead beings can be appropriated by others.
• Cause, effect, and the manipulation of time: The Knowledge Ball and Ji Hao’s attack both rely on controlling causality and altering the past. The chapter emphasizes that destroying an origin can be more powerful than merely attacking the present form.
• Faith as a source of divine authority: Incense offerings and worship create Divine Marrow Beads, allowing gods to resurrect as long as their faith remains.
• Alternate identities and divided selves: The Demon Monarch’s body-splitting cultivation reflects a broader tradition from the Mythological and medieval eras, in which powerful beings use multiple identities to pursue different paths.
• The uncertainty beneath appearances: The pure, white Ice and Snow Immortal Palace conceals sinister insect-like defenses and demonic secrets, suggesting that apparent holiness or purity may hide darker origins.
• Cooperation among powerful figures: Meng Qi, Ji Hao, Lu Da, and Su Wuming cooperate despite their independent strengths and personalities, combining knowledge, exploration, and overwhelming force.

Important Character Interactions

• Meng Qi and Ji Hao collaborate on the Myriad Worlds Knowledge Ball, combining their respective control over causality, destiny, and time.
• Changshengtian effectively replaces the Gu God, while acknowledging that the Gu God’s death and Gu Erduo’s defeat have become resources for his own advancement.
• Meng Qi, Ji Hao, Lu Da, and Su Wuming discuss the identity of the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable and gradually infer his connection to the Demon Monarch.
• Ji Hao’s saber technique impresses Lu Da and Su Wuming, while Meng Qi privately recognizes it as an improved version of his own move.
• The group concludes that the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable was not an unrelated successor but an incarnation created from the Demon Monarch’s divided heart, making the ancient relationship between the two far more intimate and complicated than expected.

Ji Hao and the others crossed the Ten Directions Absolute Freezing Ice Soul Immortal Array and uncovered the Demon Monarch’s seven-aperture demonic heart inside a Bronze Ancient Coffin. After Ji Hao shattered the array and drove the coffin away, the group followed murals describing the Demon Monarch to the entrance of Yaochi.

• A blood-robed figure followed Ji Hao’s party into the immortal palace, while a silver-lit man took a different route under the guidance of a mysterious will.
• Ji Hao led Meng Qi, Daoist Chonghe, and the others through the freezing array, where Master Lu Da detected sinister malice beneath its icy power.
• The group found an illusory jade book concealing demonic intent, and Daoist Chonghe suspected that the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable had been an avatar of the Demon Monarch.
• Meng Qi sensed an unseen attack, and Ji Hao used his temporal powers to reveal a Bronze Ancient Coffin containing a seven-aperture demonic heart.
• The demonic heart gave their imagined enemies physical form, but Ji Hao’s strike shattered the array and wounded the heart, forcing the coffin to flee.
• The group followed murals recounting the Demon Monarch’s life to the top of the spire, where they found an ice pool leading to Yaochi.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Hao warns the group—Meng Qi, Master Lu Da, and Daoist Chonghe—that entering the Ninth Heaven will suppress their Legend characteristics, making them vulnerable.
• In the Ice Soul Formation, a blood-robed figure absorbs the remaining Primeval Demonic Intent of the sleeping Demon Monarch. His aura grows colder and more powerful, suggesting the emergence of a dangerous new threat.
• The group enters Yaochi through an ice pool and witnesses the Heavenly River, an enormous cosmic river containing countless layered universes and Divine Nations.
• They reach the ancient Magpie Bridge, the sole apparent route across the Heavenly River. The bridge is made from the corpses of dead magpies, implying that the Cowherd and Weaver Girl vanished during the ancient destruction of the Heavenly Court.
• A broken Celestial Immortal-level sword fragment attacks the group. Ji Hao repels it, revealing that Yaochi is filled with countless ruined Divine Weapons and artifact fragments whose accumulated resentment has become ferocious and autonomous.
• Daoist Chonghe, Master Lu Da, Ji Hao, and Meng Qi discuss Yaochi’s history. It was once maintained by the Golden Emperor, who purified the artifacts’ murderous intent. After she became the Unborn Mother and abandoned Yaochi, the fragments were left unchecked for ages.
• The group crosses the Magpie Bridge, hoping to collect artifact fragments as valuable materials for refining their own weapons.
• Dharma King of Crossing the World suddenly appears and attacks, using the Heaven-Punishing Axe and the Exiled Immortal Pool to scatter the group throughout Yaochi. His ambush was clearly prepared with the Unborn Mother’s assistance.
• Elsewhere, Su Wuming faces Gu Erduo and “Demonic Master” Han Guang. After enduring numerous battles, Su Wuming is nearly exhausted but continues advancing toward Yaochi.
• Gu Erduo and Han Guang coordinate an attempt to kill Su Wuming. Gu Erduo uses the Heaven-Punishing Axe to suppress his realm, while Han Guang combines the River of Time with destructive palm power.
• Su Wuming avoids the killing blow by decisively cutting himself with his own sword and reviving through his Other Selves. Though weakened further, he escapes the encirclement.
• Dharma King of Crossing the World uses the true Heaven-Punishing Axe to destroy the Magpie Bridge, severing the group’s escape route from Yaochi. He then deliberately falls into the Heavenly River, apparently carrying out another part of the Unborn Mother’s plan.
• Meng Qi reunites with Su Wuming and realizes that the Unborn Mother intends to trap the intruders within Yaochi. Despite this, Meng Qi remains determined to obtain the Haotian Mirror core fragment and the Eastern Emperor Bell fragment.
• The Demon Monarch’s Bronze Coffin is intercepted by Sarenqowa, the former master of Wolf King Tie Sheng, who has been controlled by the Seven Killings lineage.
• Sarenqowa attempts to seize the Demon Monarch’s incarnation. The Demon Monarch resists, but Seven Killings Sword Intent is sent into the body of the Ice and Snow Immortal Venerable.
• A powerful incarnation emerges: not the Demon Monarch, but Seven Killings Daoist himself, declaring his return and entering the depths of Yaochi despite its Immortal Realm aura repelling him.

2. Character Developments

• Ji Hao remains cautious and strategic, recognizing both the suppression of their powers in the Ninth Heaven and the immense value of Yaochi’s artifact fragments. His desire to complete and improve his six Divine Weapons reveals his practical, treasure-seeking side.
• Meng Qi demonstrates foresight and determination. He quickly connects Dharma King of Crossing the World’s appearance with the Unborn Mother and understands that severing the bridge is only the beginning of a larger trap. His ambition to obtain the Haotian Mirror fragment reflects his pursuit of greater Legend and Other Shore power.
• Master Lu Da shows his identity as a sword cultivator, reacting with awe and eagerness to the many ancient weapons buried in Yaochi.
• Daoist Chonghe serves as the group’s historian, explaining Yaochi’s origins, the Golden Emperor’s former role, and the dangers of the artifact fragments.
• Su Wuming displays extraordinary ruthlessness and endurance. By killing himself to escape Gu Erduo’s attack and reviving through his Other Selves, he proves why he is considered the ideal pathfinder, even though each revival further weakens him.
• Gu Erduo reveals careful preparation and overwhelming destructive power. His respect for Su Wuming’s decision to self-sacrifice contrasts with his determination to eliminate him.
• Han Guang acts as a calculating and capable conspirator, coordinating precisely with Gu Erduo to trap Su Wuming.
• Dharma King of Crossing the World is revealed to be a covert agent of the Unborn Mother. His preparations, surprise attack, destruction of the Magpie Bridge, and plunge into the Heavenly River show that he is executing a broader strategic plan.
• The Demon Monarch attempts to prevent the bridge from being destroyed and opposes the Seven Killings faction, but his position is weakened by the loss of the Demon Emperor Claw.
• Seven Killings Daoist returns through the Demon Monarch’s demonic body, marking the emergence of a major new antagonist or rival power.

3. Significant Themes

• Ruins and lingering resentment: The broken Divine Weapons of Yaochi retain the hatred and unwillingness of their deaths, showing how unresolved emotions can become independent destructive forces.
• The decline of ancient glory: The dead Magpie Bridge, vanished Cowherd and Weaver Girl, ruined Heavenly Court, and abandoned Yaochi all reflect the collapse of a former cosmic order.
• Danger and opportunity: Yaochi is both a deadly trap and an incomparable treasure vault. The characters must weigh the possibility of obtaining peerless artifacts against the danger of being killed or trapped.
• Strategic deception and preparation: The Unborn Mother’s influence is felt through Dharma King of Crossing the World’s ambush and the destruction of the group’s escape route. The chapter emphasizes that major battles are shaped long before they begin.
• Sacrifice and survival: Su Wuming’s self-inflicted death demonstrates the extreme measures required to survive against stronger opponents. His Other Selves provide a path to endurance, but each return comes at a cost.
• The return of ancient powers: The sleeping Demon Monarch, the resurfacing Seven Killings Daoist, and the relics of the ancient Heavenly Court suggest that old forces are reawakening and competing for control of the Ninth Heaven.
• Power limitations in the Ninth Heaven: Even powerful cultivators must adapt because their usual Legend-level abilities are suppressed. This makes knowledge, preparation, artifacts, and tactical cooperation especially important.

4. Character Interactions

• Ji Hao, Meng Qi, Master Lu Da, and Daoist Chonghe cooperate while also privately competing over the opportunity to obtain Yaochi’s weapon fragments.
• Ji Hao and Meng Qi exchange knowing glances, recognizing that both are eager to collect artifacts despite their status as powerful Dharma Bodies.
• Master Lu Da and Daoist Chonghe discuss the Magpie Bridge and Yaochi’s history, combining the former’s swordsmanship with the latter’s knowledge of ancient secrets.
• Dharma King of Crossing the World directly confronts the group and uses the Heaven-Punishing Axe and Exiled Immortal Pool to split them apart.
• Gu Erduo and Han Guang work together to surround and kill Su Wuming, combining realm suppression, time manipulation, and destructive force.
• Su Wuming’s escape impresses Gu Erduo, who praises his willingness to kill himself rather than allow the Exiled Immortal Pool to reach him.
• Meng Qi reunites with Su Wuming and correctly interprets the Unborn Mother’s larger strategy.
• Sarenqowa, under the control of the Seven Killings faction, confronts the Demon Monarch and attempts to use his incarnation.
• The Demon Monarch and Seven Killings Daoist oppose one another, with Seven Killings Daoist ultimately emerging through the Demon Monarch’s body and announcing his return.

Ji Hao and his companions entered Yaochi, where the Haotian Mirror Fragment separated them and turned its power against them. As Ji Hao fought the fragment’s blood-red defender, Seven Killings Daoist returned with blended demonic and sword intents, and the two prepared to clash.

• Ji Hao subdued the Xuanming Immortal Sword fragment and collected divine weapon materials before reuniting with Meng Qi, Master Lu Da, Daoist Chonghe, and the others.
• The group pressed deeper into Yaochi, where Ji Hao used the Tiger Soul Saber to break the restraints of the circling weapon fragments and lead the way.
• Ji Hao drew out the Haotian Mirror Fragment, whose light immobilized the group and divided them into separate worlds; its power then flattened Ji Hao and the surrounding world, but he shattered the effect with his Celebratory Cloud.
• Master Lu Da encountered the Dharma King of Crossing the World and accepted his challenge, while Meng Qi fought off the Vermilion Bird of Li Fire sword fragment.
• Ji Hao battled a blood-colored force over the Haotian Mirror Fragment, then recognized Seven Killings Daoist, who attacked him with the Seven Killings technique.
• Ji Hao summoned Yaochi’s sword fragments and combined their power into a vast strike, while Seven Killings Daoist faced him without fear.

Ji Hao fought Seven Killings Daoist in Yaochi, overcoming his countless other selves and the demonic power of the Abi Saber. He reached the Celestial Immortal Dao Fruit, leaving Seven Killings facing an opponent who had risen to the same realm.

• Ji Hao suppressed Seven Killings Daoist with his saber and sword, while the Haotian Mirror fragment briefly helped destroy Seven Killings' avatar.
• Seven Killings returned in a new body, revealed the Demon Buddha's control over him, and warned Ji Hao that his Legend abilities made him nearly impossible to kill.
• Seven Killings' will was overtaken by demonic intent, but Ji Hao used the Diamond Vajra and his time-based Dao to split apart his countless figures and drive him back.
• Seven Killings unleashed his Main Body's power and the Abi Saber, while Ji Hao countered with the Tathagata Palm, Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and attacks that nearly erased him.
• Seven Killings absorbed the Abi Saber projection and rose to Celestial Immortal, but Ji Hao transformed his Thirty-Three Heavens and attained the Celestial Immortal Dao Fruit.

Ji Hao attained the Celestial Immortal realm and defeated Seven Killings’ Other Self in Yaochi, where the Unborn Mother’s scheme trapped everyone before Meng Qi used the Dao Tree to drain the pool and force her retreat. After the survivors escaped and parted ways, Wang Siyuan sent a letter to the Red Star Academy, Qi Zhengyan discussed the Southern Wilderness’s future, and Master Lu Da received an invitation to a Golden Turtle Island banquet.

• Ji Hao reached the Celestial Immortal realm, manifested Yuanshi Grand Luo Heaven, and used it to suppress Seven Killings’ Other Self.
• Ji Hao summoned three divine figures and joined his past and future selves to unleash a saber strike that destroyed the blood-colored sun and defeated Seven Killings’ Other Self.
• The Demon Monarch escaped with the Bronze Ancient Coffin and a heart, while the Unborn Mother lifted Yaochi and trapped everyone inside her palm.
• Meng Qi dipped the Dao Tree into the Taiyi Golden Water Pool, draining its water and breaking Yaochi’s restraints until the Unborn Mother withdrew and Yaochi collapsed.
• Wang Siyuan ordered a letter sent to Qi Zhengyan at the Red Star Academy, where Qi Zhengyan told the black-armored Demon Sage that resources would soon be available.
• Master Lu Da received an invitation to a winter-solstice banquet on Golden Turtle Island and saw a world contained within its leaf.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Golden Turtle Island sends invitations to powerful Dharma Body experts across the world, openly revealing its location and announcing a winter-solstice banquet.
• A Golden Turtle Island envoy visits Ji Hao’s temporary dojo to deliver his invitation. Unable to see through the layered Void surrounding it, she enters by force.
• Inside, she encounters Ji Hao beneath a statue of the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable. His presence and aura make her feel as though she is facing the true Heavenly Venerable.
• The envoy realizes that Ji Hao has reached the Celestial Immortal realm. When she attempts to deliver the invitation through force, Ji Hao activates the Final End Bell, a terrifying Divine Weapon that suppresses her body, thoughts, and inner world before sending her back to the Eastern Sea.
• The envoy returns in winter with an imposing immortal vessel to collect the invited experts, including Master Lu Da, Daoist Chonghe, Su Wuming, Gao Lan, Meng Qi, Yun He, and others.
• She again invites Ji Hao, hoping to test him before the assembled Dharma Bodies. Ji Hao bluntly refuses, mocking the idea that he should attend merely because he was summoned.
• A Golden Turtle Island Celestial Immortal great demon attacks Ji Hao with a full-force strike in the form of a blazing sun, powerful enough to melt his dojo and devastate the surrounding land.
• Ji Hao catches and supports the blazing sun with one hand, then absorbs it using the Five-Colored Divine Light and his profound palm technique. He briefly captures the demon as well, demonstrating an overwhelming gap in strength.
• Ji Hao follows with a combined punch involving his Main Body and three temporal Other Selves. The attack manifests the power of the Zhuxian Sword Array and destroys the demon’s stellar defense, leaving the envoy and the other Dharma Bodies shocked.

Character Developments

• Ji Hao: Revealed as a genuine and extraordinarily powerful Celestial Immortal. He combines immense physical strength, Other Shore Traits involving time and multiple selves, the Final End Bell, Five-Colored Divine Light, and a self-deployed Zhuxian Sword Array. His arrogance and irreverence become more pronounced as he openly refuses Golden Turtle Island and effortlessly defeats its champion.
• Golden Turtle Island Envoy: Initially confident and intent on testing Ji Hao, she becomes cautious and shaken after being defeated by the Final End Bell. Despite her humiliation, she remains disciplined and respectful toward the other powerful cultivators and returns with greater support.
• Master Lu Da: Leaves his secluded life and his wife’s grave to attend the banquet, showing his willingness to face the approaching Great Tribulation.
• Daoist Chonghe: Is recognized as an especially formidable figure because of his One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones ability and mastery of the Zhuxian Sword Array.
• The assembled Dharma Bodies: Their awe toward Golden Turtle Island’s Celestial Immortals quickly turns into astonishment at Ji Hao’s superior power. Meng Qi and the righteous cultivators are prepared to intervene when Ji Hao is attacked.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The chapter establishes that the true gap between Celestial Immortals can be immense; Ji Hao’s strength far exceeds that of an ordinary Celestial Immortal.
• Invitation versus coercion: Golden Turtle Island presents its banquet as an invitation, but its attempts to force Ji Hao reveal the tension between diplomacy and domination.
• Humanity and divinity: Ji Hao’s dojo contains the Heavenly Venerable’s statue, symbolizing the union of human identity and divine authority. He appears both like a mortal cultivator and an incarnation of a primordial god.
• The end of an age: Images of collapsing universes, extinction, time, and Chaos reinforce the approaching Great Tribulation and the theme of cosmic destruction.
• Pride and defiance: Ji Hao refuses to submit to Golden Turtle Island’s authority, turning the invitation into a confrontation and asserting his independence.

Character Interactions

• The envoy initially approaches Ji Hao as an equal but is overwhelmed by his aura and later expelled through the Final End Bell.
• She treats Master Lu Da and Daoist Chonghe with respect, recognizing their near-Celestial Immortal strength.
• Ji Hao exchanges mocking words with the envoy, refusing to board the ship and challenging Golden Turtle Island to do something about it.
• The Golden Turtle Island great demon attacks Ji Hao to enforce the invitation, but Ji Hao humiliates him by catching his blazing-sun attack and breaking through his defenses.
• Meng Qi and the righteous Dharma Bodies prepare to support Ji Hao, though his overwhelming counterattack makes their intervention unnecessary.

Ji Hao arrived in Luo City through the Eastern Emperor Bell’s connection and confronted the Overlord after the Overlord’s saber strike split the sky. The Overlord challenged Ji Hao, and their first clash began as both unleashed attacks with characteristics of Legend.

• Ji Hao refined the Final End Bell into a Celestial Immortal divine weapon, and its chime disrupted time across the realms.
• The bell’s power revealed Yuan Hong meeting the Dharma King of Crossing the World in Biyou Palace, where Yuan Hong said he had found the object the Old Mother wanted.
• The Overlord appeared in Luo City, struck at the Saint of Qi, and saved Wu Daoming so he could duel him after he reached the heights of the Celestial Immortal realm.
• Ji Hao arrived in Luo City and faced the Overlord, who challenged him with the slash “Storm Spirit Mountain, send all Buddhas into Nirvana.”
• Ji Hao drew his saber and released a star-filled silver river of saber light; the two attacks began colliding as the Dharma Body experts diverted their force into the sea of stars.

Ji Hao and the Overlord tested each other’s strength, then agreed to continue their duel in a sealed Sumeru Mustard Seed space. Their battle escalated through legendary saber and sword techniques until they burst into the starry sky, where the Overlord faced Ji Hao as a mortal enemy.

• Ji Hao and the Overlord exchanged saber strikes and powerful palm attacks while the Medieval All Saints raised a formation around them.
• The Overlord departed, encountered a man in an Emperor's Robe who called them both pitiful, then accepted Ji Hao’s challenge to fight another day.
• Meng Qi introduced Ji Hao to Ren Qiushui, who learned that he was a direct disciple of Heavenly Venerable Lingbao and bowed to him as her great-granduncle-master.
• Ji Hao and the Overlord entered a Sumeru Mustard Seed space and traded saber strikes, the Heaven-Flipping Seal, the Tathagata Palm, and the Jiemie Sword.
• The Overlord used a supreme saber strike to cut through Ji Hao’s techniques and destroy the sealed space, sending them into the starry sky.
• Ji Hao and the Overlord faced each other amid Thunder and Chaos, with the Overlord treating Ji Hao as a mortal enemy.

Chapter Summary: “Heavenly Venerable’s Lecture, the Door to Legend”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Hao and the Overlord engage in an extraordinary battle beyond the heavens. Their clash destroys stars, distorts space-time, and causes disasters throughout the Real Realm, including the apparent “Heavenly Dog eating the sun.”
• The Overlord uses the Jue Saber and increasingly powerful techniques, including his signature declaration, “Though Heaven and Earth perish, I alone shall remain!” He summons power from numerous Other Selves, historical versions, and illusory universes, temporarily transcending the ordinary Celestial Immortal realm.
• Ji Hao counters with the Tiger Soul Saber, River of Time, Green Lotus, Other Shore abilities, and the technique known as Final Wuji, which creates a point of ultimate nothingness capable of annihilating all things.
• The fight becomes a contest between the Overlord’s connection to the past and Ji Hao’s access to both past and future selves. Ji Hao ultimately gains the decisive advantage because his countless future selves provide greater support.
• After an apocalyptic final clash, both combatants survive severely wounded. The Overlord admits that Ji Hao has defeated him by “one move” and acknowledges him as a worthy opponent. They part with mutual respect, agreeing to fight again after entering the realm of Legend.
• Ji Hao realizes that the Overlord’s weakness was his inability to connect with the future. This flaw foreshadows the Overlord’s eventual death at Ananda’s hands.
• Returning to the Real Realm, Ji Hao follows a mysterious summons to Golden Turtle Island and enters Biyou Palace, where he attends a lecture by Lingbao Heavenly Venerable.
• The lecture explains profound truths concerning End of Days Wuji, the Dharma Body, Legend, Fortune, the Other Shore, space-time, creation, and the return of all things to the Dao.
• Immersed in the lecture, Ji Hao’s Dharma Body evolves dramatically. His Thirty-Three Heavens repeatedly form and collapse, while his cultivation rises from the early Celestial Immortal stage to the limit of the realm.
• With the support of his 999 Other Selves in the future, Ji Hao begins to approach the Door to Legend.

Character Developments

• Ji Hao: Demonstrates extraordinary combat ability, strategic adaptability, and control over time, space, karma, and the Other Shore. His battle with the Overlord gives him major insights, and the lecture accelerates his cultivation toward the Celestial Immortal limit and possible advancement into Legend.
• The Overlord: Reveals the full extent of his strength by merging with past selves, historical imprints, and multiple manifestations of himself. He remains proud and relentless but recognizes Ji Hao’s superiority in the final exchange. His reliance on the past is exposed as a fundamental limitation.
• Lingbao Heavenly Venerable: Appears mysterious and possibly connected to the Golden Emperor. Her lecture displays immense knowledge of the Great Dao and provides Ji Hao with the understanding necessary to advance.
• Zhao Gongming and the gathered immortals: Serve as fellow listeners at Biyou Palace, highlighting the rarity and importance of an Other Shore-level being publicly expounding the Dao.

Significant Themes

• Past versus future: The battle symbolizes the conflict between the Overlord’s power rooted in history and Ji Hao’s broader command of both past and future.
• The limits of strength: Even overwhelming power cannot guarantee victory when one’s understanding is incomplete. The Overlord’s inability to perceive the future determines his defeat.
• Mutual respect among great opponents: Despite their deadly struggle, Ji Hao and the Overlord recognize each other’s greatness and part as honored rivals.
• Creation and destruction: The techniques of Wuji, Chaos, and End of Days show destruction and creation as interconnected stages of the same cosmic cycle.
• The nature of Dao and cultivation: Lingbao’s lecture presents advancement as an increasingly profound understanding of existence, nonexistence, time, space, causality, and the return of all things to unity.
• The path toward Legend: Ji Hao’s breakthrough is portrayed not merely as an increase in power, but as the formation of a deeper, cyclical Dharma Body that unites beginning and end.

Important Character Interactions

• Ji Hao and the Overlord exchange devastating attacks while verbally acknowledging each other’s strength. Their final conversation establishes a relationship of respect between former enemies.
• Ji Hao interacts briefly with Zhao Gongming after arriving at Biyou Palace.
• Ji Hao observes and listens to Lingbao Heavenly Venerable’s lecture, though the nature of her identity remains uncertain. Her teachings profoundly affect him and trigger his advancement.
• The many versions of Ji Hao from the past and future function as extensions of his will, supporting him in battle and later helping him approach the threshold of Legend.