Chapter Summaries

Summary

The Dragon Clan, led by Zhulong, sends a vast force toward Mount Buzhou—not to attack the Witch Clan over nine Five-Clawed Golden Dragons, but to win the favor of the now-dominant Twelve Ancestral Witches. After witnessing the Witches defeat three Heavenly Dao Saints and destroy several major religious lineages, the dragons see submission or alliance as the safest way to survive. They hope an impressive military display will earn them a place beside the Witch Clan, perhaps even as a respected partner.
The plan immediately looks dangerous. The nine dragons’ cries provoke the Ancestral Witches, whose auras shift and whose true forms begin to emerge. Fearing a disastrous misunderstanding, an elder urges Zhulong to explain their purpose. Zhulong transforms into his true form and leaves the dragon formation—but Zhurong interprets the move as a challenge and eagerly prepares for combat.
As the two approach, each misreads the other: Zhurong expects a fight, while Zhulong assumes Zhurong has seen through the Dragon Clan’s intentions. Their growing tension draws the attention of powerful observers throughout the Primordial World.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhulong acts pragmatically, choosing to accommodate the Witch Clan rather than risk opposing it. His attempt to clarify the dragons’ intentions is undermined by the Witches’ readiness for battle.
• Zhurong is portrayed as eager and straightforward: he sees Zhulong’s approach as an invitation to fight. Other characters, however, mistake his actions for signs of extraordinary political and strategic brilliance.
• The Dragon Clan reveals its survival-minded calculations. Its show of force is meant as a gesture of goodwill, not aggression.
• Fuxi and Bai Ze watch closely, convinced Zhurong is a master schemer and hoping to learn from him. Their admiration highlights how widely his reputation has outgrown—or differs from—his apparent simplicity.
• Taishang Laozi revises his suspicions about who is guiding the Witch Clan. He shifts his attention from Houtu and Lin Tian to Zhurong.

Significant themes

• Power and political realignment: The Dragon Clan seeks safety by attaching itself to the strongest rising power.
• Miscommunication and irony: Both sides interpret a gesture of caution or approach as a sign of hostility, while observers assign elaborate meaning to Zhurong’s behavior.
• Reputation versus reality: Zhurong’s image as the world’s foremost strategist shapes how others interpret even his simplest actions.
• Survival through submission: The dragons prioritize preserving their people over pride or resistance.