Chapter Summaries

Lin Tian’s Spirit Vine seed suddenly took root and seized control of him, consuming Yunxiao and the Chaos Pearl as his memories as the original Spirit Vine True Self returned. He realized Hongjun had obstructed his return to claim the Demon Race Dao Mark, and Lin Tian’s transformation began to engulf Spirit Vine Mountain and Spirit Vine City.

• Lin Tian told Yunxiao that he had brought Cihang under his control and planned to install Guanyin as Buddhism’s ruler after killing Tathagata.
• A Dao resonance awakened the Spirit Vine seed in Lin Tian’s heart, and it began taking over his body and mind.
• Lin Tian warned Yunxiao to escape the Chaos Pearl, but she froze in shock and was absorbed by the seed.
• The seed devoured the Chaos Pearl and Lin Tian’s accumulated resources, while his memories as the original Spirit Vine True Self flooded back.
• Lin Tian realized that Daoist Hongjun had tried to steal his Demon Race Dao Mark and trap his Doppelgänger in this Primordial World.
• Lin Tian merged into the Primordial World as vines destroyed the Chaos Pearl, and spiritual energy from Spirit Vine Mountain and Spirit Vine City surged toward him.

Lin Tian devoured the Primordial World and trapped Daoist Hongjun in the Purple Heaven Palace, then consumed Hongjun and his hidden Great Dao River. Lin Tian rode his dao-mark Crossing Boat through the rivers of time, power, space, fate, and the Purple Heaven River.

• Lin Tian devoured the Primordial World, turning it into chaos and destroying the barriers Daoist Hongjun had made to imprison his doppelgänger.
• Daoist Hongjun tried to recreate the Primordial World, but Lin Tian trapped the Purple Heaven Palace in an Ancient Suppression Formation and drew the world into his body.
• Lin Tian confronted Daoist Hongjun over his schemes to block Lin Tian's Great Dao path, and Hongjun accepted being devoured without resentment or regret.
• Lin Tian crushed the Purple Heaven Palace and devoured Daoist Hongjun, causing Hongjun's hidden Great Dao River and the Purple Heaven River to emerge.
• Lin Tian boarded a Crossing Boat formed from his dao marks and passed through the rivers of time, power, space, fate, and Purple Heaven.

Lin Tian entered the Journey to the West Plane, where Sun Wukong’s awakened Chaos Demon Ape Bloodline and his threat to destroy Spirit Mountain alarmed the Heavenly Court and Buddhist Sect. As allies began moving toward Spirit Mountain, Sun Wukong buried the fallen monkeys and vowed to retrieve their souls from the Underworld.

• Lin Tian surveyed his Original Self’s prosperous Primordial World, then passed through the Gate of Ten Thousand Worlds into the Plane where his Spirit Vine Doppelgänger faced destruction and rebirth.
• Lin Tian’s actions awakened Sun Wukong’s Chaos Demon Ape Bloodline, and he declared that the Vine Dao Venerable would destroy Spirit Mountain.
• Daoist Hongjun failed to divine who had awakened Sun Wukong’s bloodline, while the Jade Emperor chose to let the Buddhist Sect handle the threat.
• Buddha Tathagata and Ancient Buddha Randeng prepared to kill Sun Wukong and the Vine Dao Venerable, while Tathagata privately recalled that Sun Wukong had swallowed Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
• Zhen Yuanzi set out from Five Villages Temple to watch events unfold, and the four Jiejiao female immortals flew toward Spirit Mountain to support the new cult leader.
• Sun Wukong buried the dead monkeys in the ruins of the Water-Curtain Cave and vowed to retrieve their souls from the Underworld so he could revive them someday.

Lin Tian sent Monkey to Spirit Mountain to provoke the Buddhist Sect while planning to fake his own death and free Monkey from their control. Monkey slaughtered the Five-Direction Guardians, tens of thousands of protectors, and the One Hundred and Eight Arhats, then faced the Eighteen Arhats.

• Lin Tian explained that his apparent death would restore the calamity's course and leave Sun Wukong under Saint Nuwa's protection, while assuring Monkey he would only fake it.
• Monkey returned from the Underworld carrying the Soul-Calming Token, which held the souls of over three thousand Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys.
• Monkey challenged Tathagata at Spirit Mountain, while Lin Tian hid as a pebble on his forehead.
• Monkey killed the Five-Direction Guardians and tore through the ranks of Buddhist protectors, killing more than thirty thousand.
• Tathagata sent the One Hundred and Eight Arhats, but Monkey used tenfold battle power to destroy their formation and kill them all.
• Tathagata ordered the Eighteen Arhats to attack Monkey, and Lin Tian told Monkey to kill them outright.

Lin Tian poisoned the Eighteen Arhats while Sun Wukong began his ninth-ninth heavenly tribulation on Spirit Mountain, turning the ordeal into a battle that killed all eighteen. Wukong survived and charged into Spirit Mountain, while Ancient Buddha Randeng concluded that Wukong’s awakened chaos bloodline made him too dangerous to leave alive.

• Lin Tian warned Sun Wukong to undergo his tribulation and secretly poisoned the Eighteen Arhats as Wukong released his suppressed strength.
• The Eighteen Arhats discovered they were poisoned, and Wukong fought them while the heavenly tribulation struck Spirit Mountain.
• Wukong’s staff killed one Arhat, and successive bolts of tribulation lightning annihilated the others, including the six who had fled.
• Wukong endured the doubled and then tripled tribulation lightning, killed Taming Dragon Arhat and Taming Tiger Arhat, and survived the ordeal badly wounded.
• Wukong charged into Spirit Mountain as lightning destroyed temples and Buddhist disciples, while the Heavenly Court’s immortals watched in alarm.
• Buddha Tathagata confirmed that Wukong’s chaos bloodline had awakened, and Ancient Buddha Randeng resolved that Wukong could not be allowed to live.

As Sun Wukong awakened his chaos bloodline and destroyed Spirit Mountain while enduring his tribulation, Buddhist leaders plotted to kill him. After he became a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal, three Bodhisattvas attacked, but Lin Tian appeared to face them.

• Buddha Tathagata urged Ancient Buddha Randeng to kill Sun Wukong, but Randeng said they had to wait for the Vine Dao Venerable to appear.
• Saint Nuwa tried to seek help from the Dao Ancestor, but Cult Leader Tongtian stopped her and assured her that Sun Wukong and the Vine Dao Venerable would be fine.
• Manjushri Bodhisattva, Lingji Bodhisattva, and Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta waited for Sun Wukong's tribulation to weaken him before striking.
• Sun Wukong survived the final heavenly lightning and became a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal, then refused Mahāsthāmaprāpta's plea to lay down his arms.
• The three Bodhisattvas used Buddhist powers to suppress and trap Sun Wukong, but Lin Tian appeared above him and challenged them.

Lin Tian rescued Sun Wukong from the Buddhist Sect’s assault on Spirit Mountain and exposed Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s slaughter of the monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain. The confrontation with Buddha Tathagata and Ancient Buddha Randeng continued as the Heavenly Court and Buddhist disciples witnessed the evidence.

• Manjushri Bodhisattva and Lingji Bodhisattva attacked Lin Tian, but his World-Opening Strike killed them and severely wounded Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta.
• Buddha Tathagata and Ancient Buddha Randeng appeared and tried to pin Lin Tian and Sun Wukong down, but Lin Tian used the Divine Void Dao-Annihilation Art to free them and escape with his Void Dao Body.
• Lin Tian confronted the two Buddhas, withstanding a strike from Ancient Buddha Randeng and warning that the Buddhist Sect would be disgraced if it killed Sun Wukong.
• Lin Tian displayed an image of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva roasting a monkey corpse, and Sun Wukong revealed further evidence of Samantabhadra slaughtering his way through Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• The Heavenly Court’s immortals and emperors saw the evidence, while Buddha Tathagata dismissed the first image as fabricated.

Lin Tian exposed the Buddhist Sect’s plot to seal Sun Wukong’s chaos bloodline and slaughter his clan, turning the Three Realms against them. Zhen Yuanzi shielded Sun Wukong as Lin Tian prepared to challenge Tathagata.

• The Jade Emperor condemned the Buddhist Sect, while Lin Tian rejected Tathagata’s excuses and accused the sect of making Sun Wukong its puppet.
• Sun Wukong revealed scenes showing Patriarch Bodhi sealing his chaos bloodline with the Six-Sense-Purifying Bamboo, shocking the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain.
• Buddhist disciples lost faith and some exploded, while Tathagata sensed the Buddhist Sect’s fortune beginning to crumble.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng used a Buddhist Gatha and divine light to restore the disciples’ devotion, but Zhen Yuanzi arrived and blocked the light with earth-law power.
• Zhen Yuanzi vowed to protect Sun Wukong and called him Martial Uncle, while Lin Tian asked him to guard the Monkey and went to challenge Tathagata.

Lin Tian confronted Buddha Tathagata as Kong Xuan and Jiejiao’s four fairies joined the battle against the Buddhist Sect. After Tathagata killed Lin Tian’s doppelgänger twice, Lin Tian accepted a milestone that promised a Supreme Dao Mark upon completion.

• Buddha Tathagata summoned Kong Xuan, whose Five-Colored Divine Light revealed his power and Buddhist allegiance.
• Holy Mother Wudang, Fairy Yunxiao, Fairy Qiongxiao, and Fairy Bixiao arrived to oppose Duobao, and Holy Mother Wudang offered Lin Tian Jiejiao’s treasures.
• Lin Tian ordered the fairies to help Zhen Yuanzi fight Ancient Buddha Randeng and Kong Xuan while he faced Tathagata.
• The Demon Ape and the four fairies attacked Ancient Buddha Randeng, while Zhen Yuanzi separated Kong Xuan and fought him alone.
• Tathagata killed Lin Tian’s doppelgänger, and Lin Tian accepted the milestone and devoured the Purple Gold Dao Mark, receiving treasures and fifty thousand years of cultivation.

Lin Tian used the Violet Lightning Needle to seal Buddha Tathagata’s magic power and beat him through the air, but Tathagata recovered and killed Lin Tian. After resurrecting, Lin Tian returned to Spirit Mountain and prepared another sneak attack.

• Lin Tian retrieved the Violet Lightning Needle, then approached the battle on Spirit Mountain and struck Tathagata with the Hongmeng Measuring-Heaven Ruler.
• The needle sealed Tathagata’s magic power and Primordial Spirit, allowing Lin Tian to kick him around while the Buddhist disciples watched in disbelief.
• Joyful Buddha entered the battlefield and pulled the needle from Tathagata’s head, restoring Tathagata’s power.
• Tathagata killed Lin Tian with beams of great sun law, and Lin Tian’s milestone progress reached 3/10.
• Lin Tian resurrected, returned to Spirit Mountain, and lined up another strike against Tathagata’s back.

Lin Tian repeatedly provoked Buddha Tathagata and used his doppelgängers’ deaths to complete a milestone. He earned a Supreme Dao Mark, the God-Slaying Spear, the Time God-Devil bloodline, and two hundred thousand years of cultivation, while Tathagata continued his rampage.

• Lin Tian kicked Buddha Tathagata around and taunted him until Tathagata killed his doppelgänger, advancing the milestone to 4/10.
• Tathagata gathered the Buddhist disciples’ faith to invoke a powerful vow law, but Lin Tian moved Spirit Mountain away using the earth law and then destroyed it, killing countless disciples.
• Tathagata unleashed his ultimate attack, repeatedly killing Lin Tian’s doppelgängers as Lin Tian revived and charged back until the milestone reached 10/10.
• Lin Tian opened the Supreme Dao Mark and received the Innate Supreme Treasure God-Slaying Spear, the Time God-Devil bloodline, and two hundred thousand years of cultivation.
• Lin Tian briefly witnessed the God-Slaying Spear’s terrifying power, while Tathagata continued destroying the Primordial Land and demanded that Lin Tian come out.

Lin Tian used the God-Slaying Spear to destroy Ancient Buddha Randeng's Good Corpse Golden Body, then prepared to die completely as part of his plan. He sent his allies away and attacked Randeng's true body, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Lin Tian fused with the Time God-Devil's bloodline, glimpsed the River of Time, and grasped the Time Law enough to devise a plan.
• Lin Tian ambushed Ancient Buddha Randeng with the God-Slaying Spear, destroying his Good Corpse Golden Body while Randeng's primordial spirit escaped.
• Lin Tian recovered from the backlash, confirmed the spear's identity to his allies, and learned that Zhen Yuanzi had subdued Kong Xuan.
• Lin Tian told the others to leave, ended his brotherhood with Sun Wukong in public, and let Zhen Yuanzi evacuate the group.
• Lin Tian dodged Randeng's attack with his Void Dao Body, appeared behind Randeng's true body, and struck his forehead with the Heaven-Measuring Ruler.

Lin Tian tricked Ancient Buddha Randeng into believing a mysterious master had killed him, then an old Daoist appeared and took Lin Tian’s treasures. The Daoist advised Randeng to convert the monkey and seek the Vine Dao Venerable’s legacy, which he said was likely with Golden Cicada.

• Lin Tian repeatedly let Ancient Buddha Randeng kill his doppelgängers while attacking him with the Hongmeng Measuring-Heaven Ruler.
• Lin Tian feigned being destroyed by a mysterious time law, leaving the Hongmeng Measuring-Heaven Ruler and God-Slaying Spear behind.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng mistook the staged death for the work of an unseen master and feared the master’s power over time.
• An old Daoist appeared, collected both treasures, and told Ancient Buddha Randeng that the Vine Dao Venerable was dead and the awakened monkey was under Saint Nuwa’s protection.
• The old Daoist urged Ancient Buddha Randeng to convert the monkey and pursue the Vine Dao Venerable’s legacy, which he said was likely with Golden Cicada, promising to exchange a complete law for it.

Ancient Buddha Randeng and Buddha Tathagata learned that a mysterious old Daoist had used the time law to kill the Vine Dao Venerable and take the God-Slaying Spear and Hongmeng Measuring-Heaven Ruler. The Saints reacted to the upheaval, while Randeng revealed that the Vine Dao Venerable had left his legacy with Golden Cicada, setting the Buddhist Sect’s attention on the Journey to the West Road.

• Ancient Buddha Randeng found Buddha Tathagata scorching the Primordial Land and told him the Vine Dao Venerable had been killed by a mysterious old Daoist wielding the time law.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng showed Buddha Tathagata how Lin Tian destroyed his golden body and how the old Daoist took the God-Slaying Spear and Hongmeng Measuring-Heaven Ruler.
• Ancient Buddha Randeng told Buddha Tathagata that the Vine Dao Venerable had left his legacy with Golden Cicada rather than Sun Wukong.
• Saint Nuwa welcomed Sun Wukong's safety and resolved to ask Dao Ancestor Hongjun to resurrect the Vine Dao Venerable after the Journey to the West Calamity.
• The Two Western Saints discussed the legacy, hoping the Buddhist Sect could draw out Golden Cicada's inheritance and bring Sun Wukong into their ranks.
• Cult Leader Tongtian watched the events unfold but could divine nothing about the Vine Dao Venerable or the mysterious old Daoist.

Lin Tian used his supposed death as the Vine Dao Venerable and a false Time God-Devil identity to redirect the Buddhist Sect’s attention toward Tang Sanzang and his inheritance. Monkey reunited with his companions in the Treasure Elephant Kingdom, where Sha Wujing learned that Lin Tian was nearby in disguise.

• Hongjun and Yang Mei discussed the mysterious Time God-Devil and the unforeseen changes in the Journey to the West Calamity, while the Jade Emperor sent Li Jing and an army to Spirit Mountain.
• Lin Tian revealed that he had disguised himself as the old Daoist and planned to impersonate the Time God-Devil, making Tang Sanzang’s possession of the Vine Dao Venerable’s inheritance a distraction for the Buddhist Sect.
• Lin Tian reached Mount Longevity and secretly sent Monkey toward the Treasure Elephant Kingdom; the Four Fairies of the Jiejiao departed for Golden Turtle Island after declining to explain the Vine Dao Venerable’s identity to Zhen Yuanzi.
• On the way, Lin Tian told Monkey that the Buddhist Sect would seek to recruit him for the inheritance, and Monkey agreed to protect Tang Sanzang from any disguised attackers.
• At the Treasure Elephant Kingdom, Monkey returned and asked Zhu Bajie whether he had visited Flower-Fruit Mountain; Zhu Bajie reported that the Water-Curtain Cave had collapsed and the monkeys were gone.
• Sha Wujing nearly flew into a rage over Flower-Fruit Mountain, but Monkey told him that Lin Tian was hiding nearby; Tang Sanzang apologized to Monkey, who cheerfully forgave him.

Buddha Tathagata told Monkey that the Vine Dao Venerable had died and tried to win him back with apologies and promises of compensation. Monkey pressed him to resurrect the Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys, while Lin Tian watched nearby and recognized Monkey's act; the chapter ended with Monkey demanding ten top-grade innate spiritual treasures.

• Buddha Tathagata summoned Monkey to an eastern mountain and showed him an image of the Vine Dao Venerable crumbling into dust.
• Buddha Tathagata claimed the Vine Dao Venerable was a dangerous Demonic Dao practitioner and apologized for the Buddhist Sect's deception, but Monkey rejected his explanation.
• Buddha Tathagata promised to revive the Flower-Fruit Mountain monkeys, and Monkey revealed that their souls were inside a black bell.
• Buddha Tathagata conjured a merit pool and invited Monkey to release the souls so golden lotuses could rebuild their bodies.
• Lin Tian watched from hiding and laughed at Monkey's performance as Monkey demanded ten top-grade innate spiritual treasures.
• Buddha Tathagata counteroffered five top-grade innate spiritual treasures and ten High-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Sun Wukong forced Tathagata to compensate him for the monkeys’ deaths, then returned to Tang Sanzang while Tathagata secretly investigated him. Lin Tian told Wukong to continue the journey and wait for the Buddhist Sect to send stronger opponents seeking Tang Sanzang’s hidden inheritance.

• Sun Wukong demanded spiritual energy, the Jade Purification Bottle, plantings for Flower-Fruit Mountain, two Buddhist heavens, and the mounts of Puxian, Wenshu, and Guanyin, and Tathagata agreed.
• Tathagata restored the monkeys’ souls in his merit pool, and Sun Wukong asked him to return them to Flower-Fruit Mountain and rebuild it.
• Sun Wukong returned to the Treasure Elephant Kingdom and staged a clumsy spill on Tang Sanzang while Tathagata watched from hiding.
• Tathagata and Sun Wukong separately examined Tang Sanzang but found no inheritance, while Tathagata detected only a strand of primordial unity energy left by Saint Zhunti.
• Lin Tian told Sun Wukong that the Buddhist Sect would protect him while sending stronger experts to seize Tang Sanzang, and Wukong eagerly accepted the plan.

Lin Tian traveled to Golden Turtle Island to learn why Jiejiao had named him its new sect leader, while discovering powerful treasures from Ancient Buddha Randeng’s Dao Marks. He reached Biyou Palace as its disciples argued over his apparent fate, and Fairy Qiongxiao attacked him before he could explain himself.

• Lin Tian visited Flat Peak Mountain, confirmed that Great Kings Golden Horn and Silver Horn were there, and then wrote faint characters on Tang Sanzang’s back in the Treasure Elephant Kingdom.
• Lin Tian opened Ancient Buddha Randeng’s Dao Marks and gained spiritual energy, cultivation, the Xuanhuang Tai Sui, and the Violet Lightning Needle.
• Lin Tian traveled to Golden Turtle Island, found Biyou Palace, and secretly entered past its restriction.
• Lin Tian overheard Holy Mother Wudang and the Three Sky Maidens arguing about the Vine Dao Venerable, whom they believed was Jiejiao’s new sect leader.
• Fairy Qiongxiao attacked Lin Tian with a sword of magic power, and he asked why she considered him their new sect leader.

Lin Tian met the four surviving Jiejiao fairies, learned that Saint Tongtian had appointed him their new Cult Leader, and accepted the Green Duckweed Sword and Six-Soul Banner. The fairies pledged to follow him as he prepared to lead Jiejiao, while the true sect-guarding treasure remained with the Chan Sect's Golden Immortals.

• Lin Tian revealed himself to Holy Mother Wudang and the three fairies, who recognized him as Jiejiao's new Cult Leader.
• Holy Mother Wudang explained that Saint Tongtian had sent them to find Lin Tian, whom he had identified as a variable opposing Buddhism during the Journey to the West Calamity.
• Lin Tian agreed to lead Jiejiao despite warning that his plans might destroy the sect, and the fairies accepted his resolve to restore its renown and avenge its grievances.
• Holy Mother Wudang presented Lin Tian with the Green Duckweed Sword, and the four fairies knelt to acknowledge him as Cult Leader.
• Holy Mother Wudang gave Lin Tian the damaged Six-Soul Banner and explained that repairing it would be difficult; she added that Jiejiao's true sect-guarding treasure remained with the Chan Sect's Golden Immortals.

Lin Tian led Holy Mother Wudang and the Three Sky Maidens to the Heavenly Court to begin reclaiming Jiejiao’s followers and their names on the Investiture of the Gods List. After forcing his way into Lingxiao Hall and identifying himself as the Vine Dao Venerable, he was challenged by Nezha, who accused him of stealing that name.

• Lin Tian promised the four fairies that he would retrieve the Four Zhuxian Swords, gather Jiejiao’s former members, remove their names from the Investiture of the Gods List, and restore their bodies.
• Fairy Yunxiao warned that removing Jiejiao’s names could destabilize the Heavenly Court, but Lin Tian set out with the fairies and threatened to tear down Lingxiao Hall if Haotian refused.
• Thousand-Mile Eye alerted the Jade Emperor to their approach, and the Jade Emperor sent Venus Star to question them.
• Lin Tian swept Venus Star aside, struck down the Southern Heavenly Gate’s guardian, and displayed the Green Duckweed Sword when Li Jing confronted him.
• The Jade Emperor permitted Lin Tian to enter Lingxiao Hall, where Lin Tian declared himself the Vine Dao Venerable and astonished the assembled immortals.
• Nezha pointed out the fairies’ surprise and accused Lin Tian of stealing the Vine Dao Venerable’s name.