Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After emerging in another region of the Sea of Bitterness, the Golden Snake brothers regroup and discuss their recent defeat. Golden Snake First Young Lord and Second Young Lord were both seriously injured by Jiang Ming’s allies—especially Yan Ruyu, whose strength now rivals that of an Ancient Emperor’s Daughter.
• The brothers realize that the Human Race possesses several previously unknown and terrifyingly powerful women. First Young Lord warns them to avoid further reckless conflicts, particularly criticizing Fourth Young Lord for provoking enemies over trivial matters.
• Fourth Young Lord immediately starts another battle after noticing Pang Bo. The conflict divides into several matchups:
  • Ye Fan versus Golden Snake First Young Lord
  • Pang Bo versus Golden Snake Second Young Lord
  • Ye Fan’s women versus Golden Snake Third Young Lord
  • Dragon Horse and the other companions versus Golden Snake Fourth Young Lord
• While these battles occur, Jiang Ming ignores the fighting and pilots the Flying Saucer through the Sea of Bitterness, searching for the Other Shore and the opportunity hidden there.
• Jiang Ming discovers the corpse of a Heavenly Tyrant Body cultivator who had reached the Great Saint Ninth Heavenly Layer and was only half a step from becoming a Quasi-Emperor.
• Although dead, the corpse has become an enforcer of the Sea of Bitterness through a karmic connection with the ocean. It awakens and attacks Jiang Ming with the strength it possessed in life.
• Jiang Ming fights the corpse for an entire day, using the battle to test his techniques and study the Tyrant Body Lineage’s internal circulation, secret realms, and inherited arts.
• By using the Time Ancestral Wizard’s power, Jiang Ming reconstructs and steals the corpse’s techniques, mastering the Tyrant Body Lineage’s secret arts, including the powerful Overlord Fist.
• Once he has learned everything he wants, Jiang Ming summons the Divine-Demon Dao Diagram and devours the Tyrant Body corpse, recognizing that the Sea of Bitterness itself may contain his greatest opportunity.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming demonstrates overwhelming confidence and curiosity. He treats a Great Saint Ninth-Layer Tyrant Body as a training partner rather than a genuine threat and uses the encounter to expand his own cultivation and martial inheritance.
• Yan Ruyu is revealed to have reached combat strength comparable to an Ancient Emperor’s Daughter, making her one of the most dangerous figures among Jiang Ming’s allies.
• Golden Snake First Young Lord suffers both physical and Primordial Spirit damage from Yan Ruyu, forcing him to acknowledge the danger posed by Jiang Ming’s group.
• Golden Snake Fourth Young Lord remains impulsive and arrogant. Despite being warned to act cautiously, he provokes Pang Bo almost immediately.
• Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and the other companions continue confronting the Golden Snake brothers, showing the growing strength and unity of Jiang Ming’s faction.

Significant Themes

• The rapid rise of Jiang Ming’s allies: The Golden Snake brothers are shocked that the Human Race has produced multiple women capable of matching Ancient Emperor-level descendants.
• Strength through inheritance and adaptation: Jiang Ming does not merely defeat powerful opponents; he studies and incorporates their lineages and techniques into his own cultivation.
• The value of rare physiques: The chapter emphasizes the extraordinary potential of the Sacred Body, Tyrant Body, Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo, Chaos Body, and Immortal Beast bloodlines.
• Death and transformation: The Tyrant Body’s corpse continues to serve as an ocean guardian after death, suggesting that powerful cultivators can remain influential through karma, remnants, and inherited power.
• The Sea of Bitterness as a source of opportunity: Rather than being only a dangerous environment, the sea is presented as a vast treasure ground containing ancient inheritances, powerful corpses, and access to the mysterious Other Shore.

Character Interactions

• The Golden Snake brothers discuss their injuries and warn one another about Jiang Ming’s companions, with First Young Lord attempting to restrain Fourth Young Lord’s recklessness.
• Fourth Young Lord’s hostile stare toward Pang Bo triggers a new battle, reflecting the mutual arrogance and aggression between the two sides.
• Yan Ruyu’s earlier clash with First Young Lord establishes her as a terrifying opponent capable of damaging even a bloodline-purified Golden Snake heir.
• Jiang Ming interacts directly with the Tyrant Body corpse through combat, using their confrontation both as a test of strength and as a means of extracting the lineage’s hidden knowledge.
• Jiang Ming’s final absorption of the corpse marks the conclusion of the battle and converts a powerful enemy into a resource for his continued advancement.

Jiang Ming and his companions found the central Life Spring in the Mythological Heavenly Venerable’s Sea of Bitterness and began gathering its abundant vital essence. As other groups reached the remaining springs, dangerous corpses guarded them, while Jiang Ming’s companions discovered that he and several allies were nearby.

• Jiang Ming’s companions fought Young Supremes of the Beast King lineage, while battles among the younger generation continued across the Sea of Bitterness.
• After another half month, Jiang Ming and his companions found the central Life Spring, whose sacred vital essence revealed the greatest opportunity in the Sea of Bitterness.
• Jiang Ming explained that the Sea of Bitterness held nine Life Springs and urged everyone to gather the spring water and use the place to transform.
• Jiang Ming collected spring water with his Inner Heaven and Earth, and his family occupied the spring whose guardian he had defeated.
• At other Life Springs, powerful corpses threatened visitors, and the chief of the Mighty Bull Demon Tribe narrowly escaped a God Emperor Body corpse with his Vajra Bracelet.
• Jiang Ming’s companions contacted him and Gu Qingyao and learned that they, the Heavenly Jade Saintess, and the Azure Phoenix Saintess were close by.

Jiang Ming and his companions gained powerful treasures and advanced their cultivation during their stay at Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s inheritance. After defeating the Teng Snake prodigies and obtaining the Four Killing Swords, Jiang Ming remained in seclusion, becoming a feared presence on the Starry Sky Ancient Road.

• Jiang Ming completed the Wisdom Sword Turn, then spent four years cultivating the Shrouding Method until he was ready to advance to the Great Saint Fourth Heaven.
• Ye Fan and his companions left to search for Ji Haoyue, and Ye Fan told Jiang Ming that he had found the Four Killing Swords but could not claim them.
• Tingting, Xia Jiuyou, Jin Ling, and the three younger Ancient Emperor's Daughters killed the four Teng Snake prodigies and took their Formation Diagram.
• Jiang Ming used the Formation Diagram to enter the largest Life Spring, where he obtained a Six-Eared Macaque’s body and the Four Killing Swords.
• Jiang Ming endured two tribulations at once for two years and completed his transformation, reaching the Great Saint Fourth Heaven with power comparable to a Quasi-Emperor Fourth Heaven.
• Rumors spread that Jiang Ming had slain or captured numerous powerful foes, including Great Saint Ninth Heaven experts and several vanished old monsters.

Jiang Ming completed a forty-one-year retreat, greatly advancing his cultivation while his companions and women grew stronger across the ancient roads. His women reached the Human Race Ancient Road’s eightieth checkpoint with Demon-God Liquid and other opportunities prepared for him, while Jiang Ming planned to return after becoming a Quasi-Emperor.

• Jiang Ming spent forty-one years in seclusion, reaching the great saint eighth heaven in the Shrouding Method and the seventh turn of his Great Freedom Dao Scripture, while Gu Qingyao and the three Ancient Emperor's Daughters also advanced.
• Pang Bo, Dragon Horse, and Ye Fan discussed the Great Saints gathering near Ji Haoyue, who broke through to the saint king seventh heavenly layer and later sparred with Ye Fan.
• Ji Ziyue reunited with Ji Haoyue, and the Devouring Heaven Beast, Gold-Eating Beast, Sang Gu, Earth Corpse, Di Tian, and Great Demon God gave up competing for the Demon-God Liquid.
• Ye Fan led his friends and loved ones in a thirty-year retreat beneath the Bodhi Tree; Ji Haoyue, Ye Fan, Ji Ziyue, and Li Xiaoman reached the saint king ninth heavenly layer, and Ye Fan formed the embryonic Heavenly Emperor Fist.
• Jiang Ming's women fought through the Mythical Ancient Road and reached the Human Race Ancient Road's eightieth checkpoint, where they reached the saint king eighth or ninth heavenly layer and obtained Demon-God Liquid for Jiang Ming.

The Holy Prince joined Ye Fan and the others as the Bright God Clan attacked the Divine Domain formed from Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s corpse. Jiang Ming’s Dao Palace Deities claimed the Five-Elements Continents while Jiang Ming prepared to absorb the Sea of Bitterness, leaving the other contenders wary and frustrated.

• The Holy Prince told Ye Fan that he had fought the Teng Snake Lineage after finding the Vajra Ape lineage massacred, and Pang Bo reassured him that Jiang Ming’s allies had killed the Teng Snake prodigies.
• Jiang Ming’s five Dao Palace Deities reached the great saint ninth heaven and entered the Five-Elements Continent to build their foundations.
• The Bright God Clan’s Great Saint attacked with the Immortal-Refining Pot, and the Heavenly Jade Saintess confronted him with the Dragon-Pattern Black Gold Spear.
• Dao Yan Emperor's Son gave up hope of securing the Divine Domain’s opportunities, while the Six-Eared Macaque decided the place was too dangerous and considered fleeing.
• Jiang Ming’s five Dao Palace Deities claimed Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s five internal organs, and Jiang Ming prepared to refine the Sea of Bitterness into his Inner Heaven and Earth.

Jiang Ming spent twenty years refining Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s treasures and rose to the peak of the quasi-emperor ninth heaven, while his women reached the Human Race’s 108th Pass. There, they discovered that Nannan had been the Ruthless Empress as a child and learned that Yin Tiande was seeking Jiang Ming, prompting Yi Qingwu to claim the fight against him.

• Ye Fan and his companions left the Mythical Ancient Road, and Ye Fan encountered a half-human, half-demon youth who had already joined Jiang Ming’s lineage after meeting Jiang Tingting.
• Jiang Ming spent twenty years refining Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s Sea of Bitterness and five-element divine treasure, while his Great Freedom Dao Scripture reached its ninth revolution.
• Jiang Ming’s women arrived at the Human Race’s 108th Pass and recognized Nannan in a mural depicting the Ruthless Empress as a child.
• The women learned that Yin Tiande had made the mural and was asking whether Jiang Ming had reached the Starry Sky Ancient Road, still resentful over Yi Qingwu.
• Yi Qingwu declared that she would defeat Yin Tiande herself, relying on her divine forbidden realm combat power and great saint fourth heaven cultivation.

After waiting four years for Jiang Ming, Ye Fan arrived at the 108th Pass and became embroiled in a dispute with alleged descendants of the Ruthless Empress and corrupt law enforcers. Jiang Tingting intervened, crippled the mob, and challenged the Liu Family prodigy, while Ye Fan prepared to fight the law enforcers.

• Yan Ruyu and the other women decided to rest at the 108th Pass, but after four years Jiang Ming had not appeared and Ye Fan arrived with his companions.
• Ye Fan became involved in disputes over Nannan’s mural and the Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron, while two law enforcers accused him of practicing the Heaven Devouring Demon Art.
• Jiang Tingting, Xia Jiuyou, and Jin Ling arrived as law enforcers, and Jiang Tingting crippled the alleged descendants of the Ruthless Empress.
• Jiang Tingting accused a law enforcer surnamed Liu of seeking revenge for his nephew and challenged the Liu Family’s young Great Saint to fight among the stars.
• Ye Fan, now a Great Saint at the first heaven, challenged the opposing law enforcers at the ninth heaven.

Chapter Summary: Imperial Pass Crystal Stele, Son of the Celestial Emperor

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan begins a decisive slaughter at the Human Race’s 108th Pass. Protected by Ruthless’s Heaven-Swallowing Demon Canopy, he relies on his newly advanced Great Saint physical body rather than the dangerous Bronze Cauldron. His Human Saint Body is now nearly invincible within the Great Saint Realm.
• Three Great Saints are killed:
  • Ye Fan personally destroys several enemies.
  • Jue Youqing, the female Buddha, defeats and kills Jiang Ming’s Great Saint Ninth Heaven enforcer despite being only at the Great Saint Fourth Heaven. She pierces his Great Luo Silver Essence armor, though the armor remains repairable.
  • The other battles end just as swiftly, marking the deaths of three Great Saints at the pass.
• Great Saints Qi Tian and Canglan witness the massacre in fear. Previously sealed into three-year-old bodies by Jiang Ming’s Eternal Emptiness technique, they had refused to participate in the ambush against Ye Fan. Their restraint saves them from becoming victims.
• Afterward, Ye Fan, Pang Bo, Ji Zi, and others meet with Jiang Ming’s women. Yan Ruyu and Jiang Tingting plan to return to the Starry Sky Ancient Road and eliminate the forces responsible for the corruption across its 108 passes.
• Ye Fan and his companions consider traveling toward the Ultimate Ancient Road, also called the Emperor’s Road, though he may instead return to the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star after more cultivation.
• The Azure Phoenix Saintess and Heavenly Jade Saintess reveal that they are present as overseer and guardian. They explain that the Ultimate Ancient Road has not yet opened but that its qualification stele has begun recording the names of recognized prodigies.
• The Imperial Pass Crystal Stele lists only fifty-four qualified individuals. Jiang Ming’s name appears first, while the mysterious Taichu ranks second and the Son of the Celestial Emperor ranks third. Many familiar elders—including Jiang Taixu, the Human Demon, and Meng Tiannan—also qualify.
• The stele records Jiang Ming despite his never having visited it, because certain exceptional individuals are sensed by the world itself.
• A mysterious ancient figure named Zhang Bairen appears and is added to the stele. His identity evokes the legendary Jade Emperor from Earth’s mythology. He reveals that he has slept through vast ages and may be connected to Baby Hao as a former student or disciple.
• The groups separate:
  • Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming’s other women prepare to purge enemies from the Ghost Domain toward the first Human Race Ancient City.
  • Ye Fan and his companions plan to cultivate and possibly return to the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star, partly to investigate the missing Son of the Celestial Emperor.
• Zhang Bairen warns them about Dihuang, ranked fiftieth. He claims that during the Primordial Era, Dihuang single-handedly killed fifty-four Great Saint prodigies on the Starry Sky Ancient Road.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan demonstrates overwhelming strength after reaching the First Heaven of Great Saint. His physical body alone is now powerful enough to kill Great Saints, confirming his growth into a nearly unstoppable combatant.
• Jue Youqing is revealed to possess terrifying battle power. Her victory over a Great Saint Ninth Heaven expert while at the Fourth Heaven establishes her as one of the chapter’s most formidable fighters.
• Qi Tian and Canglan are shown to be cautious rather than blindly ambitious. Their refusal to ambush Ye Fan allows them to survive, and they now recognize the danger posed by Jiang Ming and Ye Fan.
• Yan Ruyu and Jiang Tingting take on more active leadership roles. They intend to avenge Jiang Ming and cleanse the Ancient Road of those who betrayed or opposed him.
• Ye Fan appears increasingly weary after more than a century of traveling the Starry Sky Ancient Road. Though interested in the Emperor’s Road, he also considers returning home.
• The Son of the Celestial Emperor is recontextualized as a fugitive. Jiang Ming’s overwhelming reputation frightened him into hiding, though his third-place ranking proves that he remains a dangerous and qualified rival.
• Zhang Bairen emerges as an ancient, mysterious powerhouse linked to mythological figures and Baby Hao. His knowledge of Dihuang and the Emperor’s Road suggests that he will be an important source of historical secrets.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and deterrence: Jiang Ming’s influence continues even in his absence, while Ye Fan’s physical strength allows him to slaughter Great Saints without relying on supreme weapons.
• Retribution and cleansing: The planned campaign against the “vermin” of the Ancient Road reflects a broader effort to punish betrayal and restore order.
• The Emperor’s Road as a trial of isolation: The Ultimate Ancient Road is portrayed as a realm with no true allies—only rivals competing for ultimate recognition.
• Legacy across eras: The qualification stele connects present-day characters with ancient prodigies, sleeping figures, and legendary predecessors, suggesting that every era’s strongest figures may converge.
• Fate and recognition: The stele does not merely record those who physically arrive; it recognizes individuals whose existence and potential are acknowledged by the universe itself.
• Fear versus pride: The Son of the Celestial Emperor’s flight contrasts with the arrogance traditionally associated with him, while the rankings imply that hidden and ancient figures may be more dangerous than currently visible enemies.

Important Character Interactions

• Ye Fan and Jiang Ming’s women discuss their future paths, revealing differing priorities: revenge and cleanup for Yan Ruyu’s group, versus exploration or homecoming for Ye Fan.
• Jiang Tingting directly asks Ye Fan whether he intends to enter the Ultimate Ancient Road, highlighting her concern and curiosity about his plans.
• Pang Bo questions how Jiang Ming’s name appeared on the stele and later reacts with shock to Zhang Bairen’s revelations.
• Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and others recognize the significance of the ancient names on the stele, especially Zhang Bairen’s connection to Earth’s myths.
• Zhang Bairen warns the group about Dihuang, shifting their attention from the visible rivals on the list to a potentially far more dangerous ancient killer.

Summary of “Old Golden Crow’s Trail”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over twenty years, Jiang Ming’s confidantes systematically purge the Starry Sky Ancient Road of corrupt forces connected to Jiang Ming’s enemies. Beginning at the Human Race’s 108th Pass, they investigate old crimes and eliminate powerful offenders, including five Human Race guardians at the Great Saint Ninth Heaven.
• Despite these losses, the Human Race grows stronger because its younger generation matures. Several of Jiang Ming’s allies reach the Great Saint Fifth Heaven with Eight Prohibitions, while others enter the Divine Forbidden Realm.
• Jiang Ming remains in seclusion at the Great Saint Ninth Heaven, preparing to break into the Quasi-Emperor Realm. He plans to refine Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s corpse, Sea of Bitterness, and five Dao Palace continents, using the resulting accumulation and the Eighth-Stage Evolution Liquid.
• His final reserve is a nearly completed Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquid refined by Gai Jiuyou. Jiang Ming may use it to force a breakthrough if necessary, while also hoping it might allow Gai Jiuyou to become a Great Emperor.
• The approaching Immortal Ascension Road and Dark Cataclysm create an urgent deadline. Jiang Ming believes he must reach the Quasi-Emperor Realm to protect his loved ones and the living beings of the world. With that breakthrough, his body might achieve Fleshly Body Emperorhood, allowing him to fight Supremes with the aid of his Extreme Dao Emperor Armament Mecha.
• Old Golden Crow is also pursuing a major opportunity. He has entered Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s Immortal Platform Realm and may have obtained the Supreme Flame cultivated there, potentially giving him a powerful alternate cultivation path.
• After completing their purge, Jiang Ming’s companions split up to investigate the Eternal Star Region, Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star, and Ziwei Imperial Star. Some remain behind to guard the Starry Sky Ancient Road, while Tingting, Xia Youyu, and Jin Ling continue training on other Mythical Ancient Roads.
• Ye Fan returns to the Big Dipper and reaches the Great Saint Second Heaven, becoming nearly invincible below the Quasi-Emperor Realm. He begins eliminating his enemies, aided indirectly by the fact that Jiang Ming’s Vermilion Bird Totem Deity previously destroyed Golden Crow forces attempting to occupy the Fire Domain.
• Jiang Ming’s other Dao Palace Deities continue cultivating in important locations: the Vermilion Bird in the Fire Domain and the Black Tortoise in Ziwei’s Northern Darkness Sea, where Jiang Ming benefited from the Kun Peng Nest Ruins.
• The three Ancient Emperor’s Daughters return to the Big Dipper at the Great Saint Sixth Heaven. Their immense strength gives them complete authority within their respective Imperial Clans.
• Huoliner learns that her brother, Fire Qilin Son, has gone to the Cosmic Frontier with the Qilin Staff to train after suffering a defeat against Dao Yan Emperor’s Son. Jiang Ming’s intervention saved him from the fate he would likely have suffered in the original timeline.
• Huoliner, the Dragon Emperor’s Daughter, and the Golden Heavenly Maiden all begin openly presenting their relationships with Jiang Ming’s incarnations as Dao companions, though the deeper truth will remain hidden until Jiang Ming becomes a Quasi-Emperor.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: Becomes increasingly focused and burdened by the coming catastrophe. His goal shifts from merely increasing strength to urgently achieving the Quasi-Emperor Realm so he can protect everyone important to him.
• Jiang Ming’s confidantes: Mature into powerful Great Saints and take responsibility for maintaining order across the Human Race’s territories. Their successful purge demonstrates both their strength and their loyalty.
• Gai Jiuyou: Takes on the crucial task of refining the Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquid, with the possibility of using it to become a Great Emperor and safeguard all living beings.
• Ye Fan: Advances to the Great Saint Second Heaven and begins actively reshaping the Big Dipper’s balance of power by destroying his enemies.
• The three Ancient Emperor’s Daughters: Reach the Great Saint Sixth Heaven and gain unquestioned authority in their clans. Their association with Jiang Ming becomes more public.
• Fire Qilin Son: After realizing how far he is behind Dao Yan Emperor’s Son, he chooses independent training rather than relying solely on his clan or Jiang Ming. His survival is itself evidence of Jiang Ming’s influence on fate.
• Huoliner: Returns as a powerful Great Saint and becomes able to protect Fire Qilin Cave. She also publicly acknowledges her bond with Jiang Ming’s Qilin Totem Deity.

Significant Themes

• Urgency before catastrophe: The approaching Immortal Ascension Road and Dark Cataclysm force Jiang Ming to abandon leisurely cultivation and pursue a dangerous breakthrough.
• Changing fate: Jiang Ming’s actions alter the original course of events, most notably by saving Fire Qilin Son and destroying the Golden Crow forces before they can establish themselves.
• Strength and responsibility: Power is portrayed not only as personal advancement but as the means to protect clans, companions, and all living beings.
• Legacy and succession: The older generation’s losses create space for younger cultivators such as Ye Fan and Jiang Ming’s companions to rise.
• Hidden identities and public legitimacy: Jiang Ming’s multiple incarnations allow his relationships and influence to spread across different clans, while the full truth remains concealed until he reaches a sufficient level of power.
• Rivalry over supreme opportunities: Jiang Ming and Old Golden Crow are both racing to seize Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerate’s legacy and reach a realm capable of confronting the coming darkness.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ming’s confidantes work together in the purge, with the Heavenly Jade Saintess and Azure Phoenix Saintess acting as powerful anchors and commanders.
• Jiang Ming remains connected to his companions despite seclusion, planning their movements and relying on them to protect different regions.
• Ye Fan recognizes Jiang Ming’s influence over the Fire Domain and understands why the Golden Crow Race failed there.
• Jiang Ming’s intervention saves Fire Qilin Son from Dao Yan Emperor’s Son, prompting Fire Qilin Son to seek greater strength through solitary training.
• Huoliner and the other Ancient Emperor’s Daughters balance their public duties within their Imperial Clans with their concealed or semi-public relationships with Jiang Ming’s incarnations.
• The Fire Qilin Cave elders view Huoliner’s return and advancement as a major blessing, while remaining curious about the continued absence of Jiang Ming’s Qilin Totem Deity.

Chapter Summary: “Western Desert Farce”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens by noting that the three Ancient Emperor’s Daughters—associated with the Myriad Dragon Nest, Fire Qilin Cave, and Gold Cave—now share Jiang Ming as their husband. Though shocking to outsiders, the arrangement is accepted among them, especially because Jiang Ming’s strength, predictions, and support have benefited them greatly.
• The Dragon Emperor’s Daughter orders the Myriad Dragon Nest not to interfere in the dispute between Ye Fan and the Western Desert. She trusts Jiang Ming’s warning that a major future dark calamity is approaching more than the Western Desert’s claims about the Immortal Ascension Road.
• Ye Fan attacks Mount Sumeru to rescue his disciple Huahua, who had been taken into the Western Desert and supposedly converted into a monk.
• Mount Sumeru is controlled by the powerful offworlder Peacock Wisdom King, a Great Saint Ninth Heaven expert. Ye Fan defeats him and forces his way through the Western Desert’s resistance.
• Several powerful factions support Ye Fan or pressure Mount Sumeru, including the three Ancient Emperor’s Daughters, the Jiang Family, the Ji Family, Divine Silkworm Ridge, and the Divine Silkworm Princess.
• The Western Desert summons a faith-based incarnation of Amitabha Buddha. Ye Fan counters by bringing the Divine Spirit Coffin of the Divine Silkworm Ancient Emperor, though he refrains from using it because of Jiang Ming’s warning about the Ancient Emperor’s future corruption.
• Gai Jiuyou arrives at the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Ninth Heaven, wearing Black Tortoise Armor and wielding the Dragon-Pattern Black Gold Spear and another Extreme Dao Emperor Armament. His appearance alone shocks the world and deters the Western Desert from escalating the conflict.
• The Amitabha faith body ultimately avoids a direct battle with Gai Jiuyou and allows Ye Fan to take Huahua away.
• The rescue becomes a farce: Huahua had apparently been planning to build a harem in the Western Desert rather than remain a devoted monk, while Kaide—forced into monastic life for over a century—begs Ye Fan to free him from chanting and vegetarianism.
• Ye Fan severely beats several Western Desert Great Saints, including Peacock Wisdom King and Mo’e Great Saint, while the Fighting Victory King remains absent in the starry skies.
• Afterward, Gai Jiuyou concludes that the Western Desert is far more dangerous than it appears. He leaves to seek an opportunity to break into the Great Emperor realm, likely in the Cosmic Frontier, where he can avoid attacks from Forbidden Land Supremes.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ming: His influence continues to expand. His divination, predictions, and support have convinced the Ancient Emperor’s Daughters to trust him over traditional prophecies about Immortality. He has also extended their lifespans and helped Gai Jiuyou recover from Dao injuries and regain vitality.
• Dragon Emperor’s Daughter: She demonstrates strong loyalty to Jiang Ming and adopts a cautious political stance, refusing to involve the Myriad Dragon Nest in Ye Fan’s conflict. She now places greater faith in Jiang Ming’s judgment than in the Immortal Ascension Road.
• Ye Fan: He remains bold, confrontational, and fiercely protective of his disciple. He directly attacks Mount Sumeru despite the Western Desert’s hidden strength, defeating multiple Great Saints and exposing the conflict as a humiliating disaster for the Western Desert.
• Gai Jiuyou: He reveals that his apparent frailty is largely deceptive. Now possessing immense vitality, a long renewed lifespan, and two Emperor Armaments, he is close to attempting the Great Emperor realm. His restraint and strategic understanding prevent the conflict from becoming a full-scale war.
• Huahua: His supposed conversion is undermined by his own ambitions and comedic lack of commitment to monastic discipline. He is relieved by Ye Fan, although the rescue also ruins his plans in the Western Desert.
• Kaide: After more than a century as a monk, he openly rejects the religious life and enthusiastically begs Ye Fan to take him away.
• Peacock Wisdom King and Mo’e Great Saint: Both suffer humiliating defeats at Ye Fan’s hands, demonstrating the gap between their confidence and actual ability.

3. Significant Themes

• Trust in personal bonds over ancient prophecies: The Ancient Emperor’s Daughters increasingly rely on Jiang Ming’s predictions rather than the traditional belief that the Immortal Ascension Road will open in the current age.
• Hidden strength and deceptive appearances: Gai Jiuyou’s weak, trembling appearance conceals immense power and longevity. Similarly, the Western Desert’s apparent surrender hides deeper dangers.
• The cost of pursuing transcendence: Gai Jiuyou’s potential breakthrough into the Great Emperor realm would provoke the Forbidden Land Supremes, showing that extraordinary advancement brings immense danger.
• Political restraint versus personal action: While major factions carefully avoid committing themselves, Ye Fan acts directly to save Huahua, illustrating his impulsive but decisive nature.
• Serious conflicts treated as farce: The chapter undercuts the grandeur of the religious and political confrontation with Huahua’s harem ambitions and Kaide’s desperate rejection of monastic life.
• Foreshadowing of future calamity: Jiang Ming’s warnings, Gai Jiuyou’s observations, and the danger surrounding the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star all reinforce that larger disasters are approaching.

4. Important Character Interactions

• The Dragon Emperor’s Daughter consults with the Myriad Dragon Nest’s Ancestor King and instructs him to remain uninvolved.
• The Ancient Emperor’s Daughters, the Jiang Family, Ji Family, Divine Silkworm Ridge, and Divine Silkworm Princess collectively pressure Mount Sumeru in support of Ye Fan.
• Ye Fan confronts and defeats Peacock Wisdom King, then rescues Huahua from the Western Desert.
• Gai Jiuyou confronts the Amitabha faith body, whose reluctance to fight him forces the Western Desert to yield.
• Jiang Ming’s prior warnings influence both the Dragon Emperor’s Daughter’s political decision and Ye Fan’s refusal to use the Divine Spirit Coffin.
• Gai Jiuyou advises Ye Fan to keep a low profile, recognizing that Ye Fan’s constant troublemaking could provoke even greater disasters.

As the Immortal Ascension Road drew nearer, prodigies returned as Great Saints and the Myriad Races Assembly sought unity against outside threats. Ye Fan grew alarmed by the stirring Life Forbidden Zones and doubted that even Jiang Ming could grow strong enough in time for the coming calamity.

• Gai Jiuyou refined Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquid while Jiang Ming remained in seclusion, and three years later Yaochi Sacred Maiden, Purple Palace Sacred Maiden, Yan Ruyu, and others returned as Great Saints.
• Yi Qingwu returned to the Ziwei Imperial Star as a Great Saint, while Qi Zitong, Qi Meng, and Fan Xian returned to the Eternal Star Region, uplifting their factions.
• Two years later, the Myriad Races Assembly convened at Yaochi and urged the races to stop fighting among themselves and prepare to resist invaders from beyond.
• Prodigies and representatives gathered from many stars and factions as the Life Forbidden Zones showed signs of unrest ahead of the Immortal Ascension Road.
• Ye Fan realized that the Ancient Mine of Absolute Beginning had granted fate stones to several descendants because Jiang Ming wanted them, and he suspected that Ancient Emperor-level beings slept within the Forbidden Zones.
• Ye Fan feared an approaching calamity and worried that there was not enough time for him to reach full accomplishment or for Jiang Ming to become a Quasi-Emperor.

The Yaochi Sacred Land hosted a Myriad Races Assembly to celebrate Tao Yaoyao’s formal rise as Yaochi Holy Mother, drawing powerful figures from across the stars. The gathering ended with troublemakers from beyond this world killed, forcing the assembled guests to obey the rules.

• Tongtong and his older sister announced the arrival of powerful guests, including the Peacock Wisdom King, a Great Saint of Great Xia carrying the Primordial Emperor Sword, Ji Ziyue, and Princess Yueling.
• Progenitors and prodigies from many races and ancient stars arrived at the assembly, including the Three-Legged Golden Crow Great Saint, the Divine Silkworm Princess, and Huang Xudao.
• A Saint King of the Extraterrestrial Dwarf Race complained about having to bring a gift, but a Golden Giant intimidated him into backing down.
• A descendant of Nine Infants swallowed a human cultivator who insulted weaker races, and a bird-headed monster killed the serpent before a Great Saint of the Primordial Royal Clans attacked him.
• Yan Ruyu appeared and killed the hostile Great Saint and his followers with an azure flash, while Azure Bird and Purple Sparrow collected the bodies.
• The Great Saint of Great Xia used the Primordial Emperor Sword to kill two more Great Saints from beyond this world who had stirred up hostility toward the Human Race.

Summary of “Kunlun Remnant Clan”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Primordial Emperor’s death is revealed: in his later years, he attempted to enter the Immortal Ascension Road but was ambushed and killed by the Immortal Emperor, who also seized his corpse’s essence. This creates a deep blood feud between the Primordial Emperor’s lineage and the Immortal Emperor.
• The Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star is shown to be extremely dangerous, containing numerous Extreme Dao and Ancient Emperor Armaments. Several hostile Great Saints from beyond the domain are quickly killed.
• Golden Heavenly Maiden casually kills another invading Great Saint with the Gold Cudgel. She and others are secretly supporting the Yaochi Sacred Maiden during the Myriad Races Assembly, helping the Yaochi Sacred Land maintain order.
• Great Saint Hun Tuo repeatedly tries to mediate, urging everyone to preserve harmony. However, his reputation as a harbinger of misfortune causes many people to flee, believing that those he advises almost always die.
• The Kunlun Remnant Clan arrives carrying the cracked Nuwa Spirit Pearl, an ancient Extreme Dao Emperor Armament. They demand that the Jiang Family answer for Emperor Hengyu’s killing of two Kunlun Quasi-Emperors.
• Ye Fan recognizes the Kunlun Remnant Clan as descendants from Earth. They had previously possessed the Supreme Yin Human Emperor’s Human Emperor Seal, which mysteriously flew away, and later discovered the Nuwa Pearl by following an ancient map.
• Despite the Kunlun Clan’s impressive heritage, Ye Fan realizes that challenging the Jiang Family on the Big Dipper Star is extremely reckless. The Jiang Family is heavily protected by multiple Extreme Dao Armaments and powerful Great Saints connected to Jiang Ming.
• The Kunlun Clan’s leader eventually retreats after Hun Tuo’s warning but threatens to visit the Jiang Family after the Myriad Races Assembly.
• Jiang Tingting appears on behalf of the Jiang Family and declares that her family fears no one. Her youth and Great Saint cultivation shock the assembled cultivators.
• Ji Ziyue and the Ji Family also take a firm stance, representing the family with the Void Mirror. She dismisses the Kunlun Clan’s grievance as unreasonable, arguing that Emperor Hengyu merely defeated competitors on the Emperor’s Road.
• The Great Xia Dynasty awakens an ancient powerhouse, who immediately kills two troublesome Great Saints from beyond the domain.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan gains a deeper understanding of the Kunlun Remnant Clan’s origins and their connection to Earth, while recognizing the enormous danger of provoking the Jiang Family.
• Jiang Ming’s influence becomes increasingly evident even in his absence. His confidantes and family members possess several Extreme Dao Armaments, ensuring the Jiang Family remains a dominant force.
• Jiang Tingting demonstrates maturity, confidence, and formidable talent. At only 195 years old, she has already reached the Great Saint realm and carries an Extreme Dao weapon.
• Ji Ziyue shows courage and sharp judgment by publicly defending the Jiang Family and criticizing the Kunlun Clan’s interpretation of history.
• Great Saint Hun Tuo continues his role as a seemingly well-intentioned mediator, though his ominous reputation makes his presence itself frightening.
• Golden Heavenly Maiden is portrayed as overwhelmingly powerful and dominant, effortlessly eliminating a Great Saint while supporting her allies.

Significant Themes

• Ancient grudges and inherited conflict: The dispute between the Kunlun Remnant Clan and the Jiang Family originates from an ancient struggle for the Great Emperor position, showing how old rivalries continue to shape the present.
• The danger of challenging established powers: The Kunlun Clan possesses a powerful imperial weapon and prestigious ancestry, but status alone cannot protect them from the Jiang Family’s overwhelming strength.
• Power and deterrence: Extreme Dao Emperor Armaments are central to the political balance. Their presence prevents open conflict and determines which factions can act with confidence.
• Legacy and destiny: The Kunlun Clan believes the discovery of the Nuwa Pearl proves that heaven favors them, while the Jiang Family’s continued prosperity reflects its own powerful legacy.
• Order amid chaos: The Myriad Races Assembly is meant to promote cooperation, but old blood feuds, racial tensions, and ambitious outsiders repeatedly threaten to turn it into a battlefield.
• The burden of the past: The deaths of ancient emperors, the Immortal Ascension Road, and long-forgotten contests continue to influence current generations.

Character Interactions

• Hun Tuo and the Kunlun Great Saint: Hun Tuo attempts to calm the Kunlun leader and prevent further bloodshed, but the Kunlun representative remains defiant and issues a future challenge.
• The Kunlun Clan and the Jiang Family: The Kunlun Clan openly demands justice for the two Quasi-Emperors slain by Emperor Hengyu, while the Jiang Family refuses to be intimidated.
• Jiang Tingting and the assembled factions: Jiang Tingting’s appearance and declaration of confidence serve as a direct warning that the Jiang Family is prepared for confrontation.
• Ji Ziyue and the Kunlun Clan: Ji Ziyue rejects the claim that Emperor Hengyu acted unjustly, arguing that defeat on the Emperor’s Road is not grounds for a hereditary vendetta.
• Jiang Ming’s confidantes and the Yaochi Sacred Maiden: Several powerful women connected to Jiang Ming return to protect the Jiang Family and support the Yaochi Sacred Land during the assembly.
• Outsider Great Saints and the Big Dipper forces: Repeated clashes demonstrate that the local factions, backed by imperial weapons and ancient powerhouses, have little tolerance for provocation.

Chapter Summary: “Three Immortal Artifacts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins with a discussion of the three Immortal Artifacts associated with Kunlun Mountain:
  • Green Copper Cauldron, supposedly in Ye Fan’s possession.
  • Desolate Pagoda, previously taken by the Azure Emperor and originally belonging to the Great Xia Dynasty.
  • Immortal Bell, whose whereabouts remain unknown. Jiang Ming speculates that it may have been taken by the Wushi Emperor and may be a severely damaged Immortal King Weapon from Baby Hao’s era.
• Numerous Great Saints debate the rumored opening of the Immortal Ascension Road and how its entry slots should be distributed.
• Most cultivators view the road as a chance to enter the Immortal Domain and escape the limitations of lifespan. Jiang Ming, however, believes its opening will trigger the Dark Cataclysm, bringing death and destruction rather than salvation.
• The Blood Phoenix Mountain lord argues that the slots should be decided through combat, while other Great Saints dispute whether possessing Ancient Emperor Armaments is enough to establish authority.
• The discussion reveals that Tianwu Star possesses a hidden Quasi-Emperor, though that ancestor refuses to participate in the current disputes. Tianwu Star’s people are visiting the Jiang Family and consider the Immortal Ascension Road a calamity rather than an opportunity.
• It is further revealed that one of Jiang Ming’s women became a Quasi-Emperor a century earlier. Combined with Gai Jiuyou and Tianwu Star’s ancestor, this means the Human Race has three aligned Quasi-Emperors.
• The gathering then turns against Ye Fan, accusing him of provoking chaos, attacking nonhuman races, and threatening the future of the Golden Crow lineage. The Golden Crow faction proposes killing him before he can become a greater obstacle.
• Ye Fan arrives with Ji Ziyue and openly insults the Golden Crow Great Saints. Jiang Ming’s women, the Dragon Horse, and Ye Fan’s allies gather in support, ready to fight.
• Yan Ruyu declares that if the Great Saints want conflict, they should fight in the starry sky. Peacock Wisdom King refuses to intervene directly, suggesting that the younger generation settle the dispute.
• The Golden Crow Great Saint agrees, signaling that the confrontation will likely be between Ye Fan and the Golden Crow’s younger generation, particularly its crown prince.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ming is portrayed as unusually perceptive and deeply wary. Unlike the optimistic Great Saints, he recognizes the Immortal Ascension Road as a possible disaster and fears the coming Dark Cataclysm.
• Ye Fan has become powerful and confident. He refuses to tolerate threats and openly challenges the Golden Crow faction.
• Ji Ziyue has matured significantly. Once innocent, she is now a battle-hardened Great Saint who openly displays murderous intent toward Ye Fan’s enemies.
• Yan Ruyu demonstrates loyalty to Ye Fan and the authority of Jiang Ming’s group, making it clear that their women will protect him.
• Peacock Wisdom King remains hostile toward Ye Fan but acts cautiously, recognizing his strength and the danger of provoking a conflict involving Emperor Armaments.
• Tianwu Star’s representatives are shown to be allies of Jiang Ming’s side. Their hidden Quasi-Emperor and their ancestor’s debt to Jiang Ming strengthen the Human Race’s political position.
• Gai Jiuyou remains the only publicly active Quasi-Emperor, despite constantly appearing close to death. His longevity frustrates and worries many rival forces.

Significant Themes

• Hope versus impending catastrophe: The Immortal Ascension Road is viewed by most as salvation, but Jiang Ming sees it as the beginning of disaster, emphasizing the difference between superficial opportunity and hidden danger.
• Power and legitimacy: The Great Saints argue over whether authority comes from cultivation, Quasi-Emperors, or inherited Emperor Armaments.
• Racial and political conflict: The Golden Crow and other nonhuman forces seek to eliminate Ye Fan because they fear his potential and his hostility toward rival races.
• Loyalty and alliance: Jiang Ming’s companions and Ye Fan’s allies unite across factions, showing the strength of personal bonds against broader political hostility.
• Generational struggle: Older powerhouses attempt to manipulate events, but the conflict is ultimately redirected toward the younger generation.

Important Character Interactions

• The Great Saints clash verbally over the distribution of Immortal Ascension Road slots and the value of Emperor Armaments.
• The Tianwu Star Great Saint reveals his race’s hidden Quasi-Emperor and indirectly confirms its alliance with Jiang Ming’s side.
• The Golden Crow faction attempts to rally support for assassinating Ye Fan.
• Ye Fan directly confronts and insults the Golden Crow Great Saints.
• Ji Ziyue stands beside Ye Fan, while Yan Ruyu and Jiang Ming’s other women show that they will defend him.
• Peacock Wisdom King declines to intervene personally, and the Golden Crow Great Saint agrees to let the younger generation fight, setting up a likely confrontation between Ye Fan and the Golden Crow crown prince.

At Yaochi Sacred Land, Ye Fan challenged Crown Prince Huaizun over the Golden Crow Race’s past and exposed that its Quasi-Emperor had been wounded by Hou Yi. A visitor from the Undying Mountain arrived and threatened Ye Fan, who crushed three attackers and stood ready to fight.

• Jiang Yifei asked Crown Prince Huaizun whether the Golden Crow Race’s rumored Quasi-Emperor was still alive, and Huaizun confirmed that an ancestor remained alive.
• Ye Fan recounted how Hou Yi had killed nine Golden Crows and wounded their Quasi-Emperor, then insulted Huaizun’s grandfather and defied the Golden Crow Race.
• A pale young man arrived in a carriage pulled by a Saint Spirit and declared that he had an ancestral blood feud with Ye Fan.
• Ji Ziyue noticed that the Void Mirror reacted to the visitor, and the Yaochi Sacred Maiden and Dragon Emperor's Daughter identified him as someone from the Undying Mountain.
• Three Saint Kings attacked Ye Fan on the visitor’s behalf, and Ye Fan crushed them with Jiang Ming’s Heaven-Shrouding Black Hand.

Ye Fan killed Granny Feng and Shi Zhongxuan after they challenged or threatened him, while the Western Emperor Pagoda also destroyed the Saint Spirit Great Saint who attacked. Princess Yueling withdrew from the extraterrestrial Saint Spirits and approached Jiang Chanyu, leaving the gathering as a warning to hostile factions.

• Ye Fan used the Heaven-Swallowing Devil Jar to kill Granny Feng, silencing the crowd.
• Ye Fan defeated and killed Shi Zhongxuan in an unarmed fight, then the Western Emperor Pagoda destroyed the Saint Spirit Great Saint who attacked him.
• Jiang Chanyu invited Princess Yueling to join her, and Princess Yueling left the extraterrestrial Saint Spirits to speak with the peerless women.
• The gathering ended after Ye Fan's killings warned extraterrestrial factions and pushed wavering powers, including the Nine Li Dynasty, to reconsider their alliances.
• The chapter noted that the Yaochi Saint Spirit was carrying Jiang Ming's child before she had even emerged into the world.

After the Myriad Races Assembly, Jiang Ming’s women stayed at Yaochi Sacred Land to watch over the rapidly developing Saint Spirit in the Nine-Aperture Stone Embryo. Ye Fan arrived with a dangerous Divine Child he had cut from a stone, then mistook the women’s warning about Jiang Ming’s interest in the embryo as proof that the unborn Saint Spirit was his sister-in-law.

• Jiang Ming’s women remained at Yaochi Sacred Land and discussed the Nine-Aperture Stone Embryo, whose Saint Spirit and unborn child were advancing rapidly.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden wondered whether the Saint Spirit had a connection to Jiang Ming, while the Dragon Emperor's Daughter explained the nature and history of Saint Spirits.
• Ye Fan cut a Divine Child from a stone at the Ji Family’s stone-gambling house, and Great Saint Hun Tuo warned him that such a being had once brought an Ancient Imperial Clan to ruin.
• Ye Fan brought the Divine Child to Yaochi Sacred Land and asked the Yaochi Sacred Maiden to let him see the Nine-Aperture Stone Embryo, but she said Jiang Ming had forbidden it.
• The Golden Heavenly Maiden suggested that the Saint Spirit might be Ye Fan’s sister-in-law, and Ye Fan awkwardly decided not to see the embryo.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Fan returns to the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star and learns that the Black Emperor has been missing for a hundred years.
• At Yaochi Sacred Land, Ye Fan asks about the connection between the Wushi Emperor and Yaochi. The Yaochi Sacred Maiden reveals that the Wushi Emperor was the biological son of the Western Empress.
• This revelation shocks the three Ancient Emperor’s Daughters, who had believed that surpassing their fathers’ imperial Dao laws might be impossible. Learning that Wushi achieved this inspires renewed ambition.
• Liu Yiyi asks about the infant sealed inside divine source. The child, called the Divine Child, quickly learns the modern language and claims that another child is inside the Nine-Aperture Stone Embryo.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden explains that the stone contains the Female Saint Spirit, a being connected to the Western Empress and once used by Wushi in an attempt to revive his mother.
• The Divine Child insists that the Female Saint Spirit is pregnant. Ye Fan and the others realize that Jiang Ming has fathered a child with her.
• The revelation causes widespread shock and embarrassment, particularly for the Yaochi Sacred Maiden, since Jiang Ming has now become involved with both of Yaochi’s most important women.
• Ye Fan attempts to defuse the situation by suggesting that everyone visit the Yaochi Ruins. The group leaves incarnations behind to protect the sacred land and secretly conceal the Female Saint Spirit’s condition.
• At the ruins, they find countless white-robed female corpses preserved around the Old Yaochi Immortal Lake. Huoliner asks the Yaochi Sacred Maiden what happened there.

Character Developments

• Ye Fan seeks confirmation about Wushi’s origins and becomes even more convinced that Wushi may still be alive, possibly pursuing a goal similar to the Ruthless Empress.
• The Ancient Emperor’s Daughters experience both shock and renewed determination after learning that Wushi overcame the natural suppression affecting imperial descendants.
• The Divine Child demonstrates extraordinary perception, quickly mastering the era’s language and seeing the unborn child within the Female Saint Spirit. His bluntness inadvertently exposes Jiang Ming’s secret.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden is initially composed while explaining Wushi’s history but becomes deeply embarrassed and angry when Jiang Ming’s relationship with the Female Saint Spirit is revealed.
• Jiang Ming, though absent, dominates the chapter through his past actions and scandalous relationship with the Female Saint Spirit. His influence over Yaochi’s future becomes increasingly significant.
• Ye Fan shows his usual resourcefulness and mischievous pragmatism by suppressing the Divine Child in the Heaven-Swallowing Devil Jar, intending to use her as a possible offering if Jiang Ming becomes angry.

Significant Themes

• Breaking inherited limitations: Wushi’s achievement demonstrates that even descendants of Great Emperors can surpass their ancestors’ imperial Dao laws.
• Secrets and revelations: Hidden histories involving Wushi, the Western Empress, the Female Saint Spirit, and Jiang Ming are gradually exposed.
• Legacy and resurrection: Wushi’s attempt to revive the Western Empress highlights the chapter’s concern with preserving or restoring ancient power and bloodlines.
• Absurdity amid grandeur: Monumental matters involving emperors and sacred inheritances are juxtaposed with the humorous scandal of Jiang Ming fathering a child with the Female Saint Spirit.
• Protection of forbidden knowledge: After learning the truth, the group takes precautions to guard Yaochi and conceal the Female Saint Spirit’s secret.

Character Interactions

• Ye Fan questions the Yaochi Sacred Maiden about Wushi, prompting the revelation of his relationship to the Western Empress.
• The Divine Child teases and argues with Ye Fan before revealing the existence of the unborn child.
• The Yaochi Sacred Maiden challenges the Divine Child’s claim, only to be forced to confront its implications.
• Huoliner and the other women react with astonishment and admiration toward Jiang Ming, while Li Xiaoman openly marvels at his actions.
• Ye Fan tries to mediate the group’s embarrassment by redirecting everyone toward the Yaochi Ruins.
• At the ruins, Huoliner turns to the Yaochi Sacred Maiden for an explanation of the mysterious preserved corpses.

Ye Fan and his companions discovered the Western Emperor and the great accomplished Sacred Body lying dead with their fingers interlocked, then found that the Immortal Ascension Road was opening in the Desolate Forbidden Land. As forbidden-zone beings began to awaken, Ye Fan promised Nannan he would take her with him if he became an immortal.

• Ye Fan and his companions saw the Western Emperor and the great accomplished Sacred Body's corpses beneath Yaochi, and Ye Fan warned that approaching them would be deadly.
• Jiang Ming used the Eighth-Stage Evolution Liquid to attempt a breakthrough and advanced to the threshold of the Quasi-Emperor realm.
• Ye Fan found Nannan and returned to the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star, where he learned that the Immortal Ascension Road was opening in the Desolate Forbidden Land.
• Li Xiaoman seized a streak of immortal light from the fissure, while cultivators who tried to enter it were reduced to ashes.
• Ye Fan learned that pillars of light had risen from the Life Restricted Zones, signaling that their inhabitants were awakening.
• Nannan asked Ye Fan what would happen to her if he became an immortal, and he promised to take her with him.

Chapter Summary: Early Stages of the Immortal Ascension Road

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nannan begs Jiang Ming not to leave her behind, promising that she eats very little. Yan Ruyu comforts her and assures her that she will be taken along.
• The group hears chains from the Desolate Abyss and sees the Ruthless Empress bound by several chains made from Extreme Dao Immortal Materials, including Dragon-Pattern Black Gold, Dao-Tribulation Gold, Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold, Immortal Tear Green Gold, and God Mark Purple Gold.
• The group learns that the Ruthless Empress obtained much of this material by defeating powerful Saint Spirits. Jiang Ming’s unborn son is also revealed to possess an innate Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold cauldron, demonstrating his extraordinary potential.
• Ye Fan urges everyone to leave the Desolate Forbidden Land, warning that Quasi-Emperors may soon appear. Jiang Ming’s confidantes depart to stabilize their respective forces.
• Over the next half-year, numerous Saints and stronger cultivators die around the newly appeared Immortal Ascension Road. Some weaker cultivators are captured for experimentation.
• A Quasi-Emperor approaches the Big Dipper Burial Emperor Star, but a single command from Immortal Ridge forces him to disappear. This demonstrates the terrifying restrictions and hidden power surrounding the star.
• Eight years pass. The Immortal Ascension Road’s fissure expands, releasing increasingly strong immortal light. The surrounding mountains become saturated with Saint blood and corpses, while some surviving creatures grow stronger amid the carnage.
• The immortal light proves capable of helping cultivators break through bottlenecks and extend their lifespans slightly. This draws countless desperate cultivators, including aging Great Abilities and Dao-Severing Kings, despite the enormous death toll.
• Gai Jiuyou secretly uses the immortal energy to refine the Sixth- and later Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquids. He finds that the energy revitalizes him and hopes the Ninth-Stage liquid will improve his chances of becoming a Great Emperor.
• Jiang Ming’s confidantes occasionally seize streams of immortal light with their Emperor Armaments, gaining benefits without entering the dangerous fissure.
• Ye Fan marries Ji Ziyue and his other confidantes, with the Ji Family organizing the wedding. Jiang Ming cannot attend, and Gai Jiuyou remains occupied with refining the Evolution Liquid.
• Jiang Ming’s failed Quasi-Emperor breakthrough eight years earlier is revisited. Because his foundation remains undamaged and exceptionally stable, the Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquid should greatly increase his chances of successfully advancing.

Character Developments

• Nannan is portrayed as innocent, dependent, and emotionally attached to Jiang Ming, while her unusual perception allows her to notice the Ruthless Empress through the mist.
• The Ruthless Empress is further established as extraordinarily powerful and resource-rich. Her chains symbolize both her imprisonment and the immense strength required to contain her.
• Jiang Ming has grown more cautious and prepared after his earlier failed breakthrough. Rather than being weakened, he used the experience to reinforce his foundation and is now poised to reach the Quasi-Emperor realm.
• Ye Fan accepts the uncertainty of the future and chooses marriage as a way to honor his commitments to Ji Ziyue and his other partners.
• Gai Jiuyou remains focused on cultivation and alchemy, risking himself to exploit the Immortal Ascension Road’s energy and improve his chances of reaching the Great Emperor realm.
• Jiang Ming’s unborn son is shown to possess immense innate potential through his Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold cauldron.

Significant Themes

• The lure and danger of transcendence: The Immortal Ascension Road offers immortality-like benefits, breakthroughs, and extended life, but attracts cultivators into a deadly battlefield.
• Preparation against an uncertain future: Characters gather resources, strengthen their foundations, form alliances, and make personal commitments because the future and the road’s true nature remain unknown.
• The cost of power: Saint blood, corpses, and ruined landscapes emphasize that advancement in the cultivation world is built upon enormous sacrifice.
• Hope amid desperation: Even slight extensions of life or improved cultivation chances are enough to make dying cultivators risk everything.
• Fate versus personal effort: External aids such as immortal light and Evolution Liquids improve one’s chances, but success still depends on the cultivator’s foundation and innate ability.
• Family and responsibility: Ye Fan’s wedding and Nannan’s plea highlight emotional bonds that persist despite the overwhelming pressure of cultivation and impending upheaval.

Important Character Interactions

• Nannan pleads with Jiang Ming to take her along, and Yan Ruyu responds affectionately, offering reassurance and protection.
• The group collectively observes the imprisoned Ruthless Empress, with Nannan admiring her beauty while the adults are stunned by the value of her chains.
• Ye Fan warns Jiang Ming’s allies to leave the forbidden land before the situation worsens.
• Gai Jiuyou supports Jiang Ming’s future breakthrough by refining the Ninth-Stage Evolution Liquid, effectively preparing a crucial aid for him.
• Ye Fan’s marriage brings together his confidantes and Jiang Ming’s women, strengthening their personal bonds even though Jiang Ming himself is absent.