Ch. 201[Trust in the Wisdom of Later Generations]
Chapter Summary
Key plot points and events
- The chapter recounts the collapse of the Ruthless Great Emperor’s first lineage, the Heaven-Swallowing Holy Land. While Ruthless underwent a dangerous transformation in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, rival forbidden zones attacked her unprotected followers and destroyed their stronghold.
- Ruthless’s surviving lineages later reunited: her village kin, who held her imperial decree, joined the Southern Ridge Heavenly Emperor’s tomb keepers. Together they forged the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.
- Lin Xian’s claim to be Ruthless’s orthodox successor is confirmed when Xiao Nannan calls to the cauldron and it returns to her. The two remaining saints of the second lineage are executed after Yaoguang’s saint urges that the threat be eliminated.
- The battle’s spoils give the Heavenly Jade Sacred Land valuable resources. Elder Wei Yi proposes forging a new saint weapon, explaining that the growing Immortal Alliance will require Heavenly Jade to take on greater responsibilities.
- Wei Yi reveals that he has become a Great Saint, taking advantage of the fading Azure Emperor Dao Marks. He then detects a hidden observer: the long-lived, once-peerless Gai Jiuyou.
- Lin Xian urges Gai Jiuyou to pursue a second life using an immortal elixir from Myriad Dragon Nest and seize the chance to attain the Dao. Gai initially refuses, unwilling to become another obstacle to later generations, as the Azure Emperor once was to him.
- Lin reframes the coming era as one in which multiple great figures may rise, asking Gai to trust later generations. Ye Fan and Lin Xian discuss their own prospects, and Lin describes his ambitious plan to advance through multiple lifetimes.
- Learning that the Azure Emperor is still alive, Gai is visibly rejuvenated and his fighting spirit returns.
Character developments and interactions
- Lin Xian acts as strategist, mediator, and persuasive speaker. He restores the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron to Xiao Nannan, then tries several approaches to rekindle Gai Jiuyou’s ambition.
- Xiao Nannan quietly demonstrates her connection to Ruthless: her gentle call is enough to make the cauldron recognize its rightful master.
- Ye Fan remains composed when questioned about challenging for the Dao. He notes that the Sacred Body’s path is traditionally severed, so Gai’s success would not threaten his own prospects.
- Elder Wei Yi reveals his new Great Saint realm and shows a more practical concern for Heavenly Jade’s growing political and military responsibilities.
- Gai Jiuyou is introduced as the legendary near-emperor whose opportunity was lost under the Azure Emperor’s suppression. His reluctance to pursue the throne stems not simply from lack of ambition, but from concern about denying future talents their chance. The prospect of seeing the Azure Emperor again awakens his long-dormant competitive spirit.
- Yaoguang’s saint demonstrates fierce loyalty, while the other saints are shaken by Wei Yi’s power and Gai Jiuyou’s presence.
Significant themes
- Legacy and orthodoxy: Ruthless’s lineages, Xiao Nannan, and the returning cauldron embody the persistence of a legacy even after institutions fall.
- The burden of a dominant age: The Azure Emperor’s presence suppressed Gai Jiuyou’s rise, illustrating how even great figures can be constrained by the era in which they live.
- Trust in future generations: Lin argues that the coming age may allow multiple extraordinary figures to coexist, challenging Gai’s fear of blocking others.
- Ambition, purpose, and rivalry: Gai’s struggle is less about immortality than recovering the desire to contend for the highest position.
- Power and responsibility: Wei Yi’s decision to forge a weapon reflects Heavenly Jade’s transition from a small sect into a central force in the Immortal Alliance.