Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• After being fleeced by Daochen, Jieyin and Zhunti head from the Heavenly Court toward the Netherworld Sea of Blood, apparently pursuing their goal of expanding the Western Religion.
• Daochen learns of their departure and suspects they may trouble Ancestor Minghe again. He briefly pities Minghe, then decides the matter has nothing to do with him.
• Daochen crushes the two Buddha Golden Pearls Jieyin and Zhunti made, refines them with other materials into pills, and feeds them to his Nine-Clawed Golden Dragons to help them advance.
• Daochen enters seclusion to cultivate and refine four damaged Xiantian Supreme Treasures taken from slain enemies. He hopes to restore and use them, strengthening himself ahead of his child’s birth in roughly a thousand years.
• In the Netherworld Sea of Blood, the Witch Clan searches for Minghe and his Asura followers. Kuafu says they are acting on Dijiang’s orders to invite Minghe to visit the Six Paths of Reincarnation and foster friendly relations.
• Minghe, hidden in his palace beneath layers of formations, misreads the Witch Clan’s search as a threat. Sensing danger and fearing Jieyin and Zhunti may be coming, he rushes to strengthen his defenses.

Character developments and interactions

• Daochen remains pragmatic and self-interested: he turns a costly gift into feed for his dragons, then focuses on cultivation rather than Minghe’s predicament. Nüwa’s reaction makes clear she would never allow him to use the pearls for their unborn child.
• Nüwa is exasperated by Daochen’s choice and withdraws to rest and care for her pregnancy.
• Minghe is increasingly anxious and suspicious, interpreting the Witch Clan’s well-intentioned search as a possible attempt to eliminate him.
• Kuafu and the Witch Clan seek diplomacy, but their intimidating presence and lack of clear communication make their mission look threatening to Minghe.

Significant themes

• Miscommunication and comic irony: The Witch Clan intends friendship, while Minghe assumes hostility; meanwhile, Daochen’s casual disposal of the pearls contrasts with the effort Jieyin and Zhunti put into making them.
• Self-interest and power-building: Daochen prioritizes strengthening his forces and refining powerful treasures as he prepares for future challenges.
• Suspicion and impending trouble: Minghe’s premonition and frantic preparations suggest that the Western Sages’ arrival may turn his already tense situation into further chaos.

Plot points and events

• Fearing that Jieyin and Zhunti may come to seize his Asura people, Ancestor Minghe secretly leads them into a previously hidden passage beneath the Netherworld Divine Palace.
• He seals the passage against detection, then turns his attention to strengthening the palace’s defenses.
• Minghe merges a Blood God Son clone with the palace’s existing 999 layers of formations, which were previously separate and imperfectly coordinated.
• He designs a vast Three-Dimensional Composite Array with upper, middle, and lower levels, drawing on the Netherworld Sea of Blood’s energy and underground earth veins. It includes additional restraining and killing formations, as well as poison pills supplied by King Pan.
• The central formation is linked to the palace. If Jieyin and Zhunti breach the defenses, Minghe can trigger it to teleport himself directly into the Six Paths of Reincarnation as a last resort.

Character developments

• Minghe acts with greater caution and ingenuity, shifting from creating the Asura to protecting them and himself.
• Though powerful and confident in his late Quasi-Saint cultivation, he is deeply wary of Jieyin and Zhunti—and even more careful not to offend Daochen.
• His elaborate defenses reveal both his strategic skill and his comic, spiteful determination to make any intruders suffer, even if he cannot defeat them.

Character interactions

• Minghe gives the newly created Asura people no explanation, simply ordering them to follow him and moving them to safety.
• His relationship with Jieyin and Zhunti is defined by resentment and distrust: he believes they may take his followers for the Western Land.
• King Pan is referenced as the source of the poison pills Minghe adds to the array.
• Minghe’s internal thoughts show his fear of Daochen’s power and his preference, in a true emergency, to escape rather than face the two fellow disciples.

Significant themes

• Security and survival: Minghe’s preparations are driven by the threat of losing his people and being overpowered.
• Cunning over strength: He cannot rely on force alone, so he uses concealment, layered defenses, and an escape mechanism.
• Paranoia and comic spite: His excessive traps and poison pills turn fear into dark humor—if he cannot stop his rivals, he hopes at least to disgust them.

Key plot points and events

• Ancestor Minghe abandons cultivation to build an unprecedented Three-Dimensional Composite Array beneath the Netherworld Sea of Blood. He masks the construction noise with formations, confusing the Witch Clan search party, which has been ordered to treat him courteously.
• When Minghe completes the final seal, the array erupts in brilliant divine light. The radiance calms the vengeful ghosts, while the Six Paths of Reincarnation begin accepting spirits previously rejected and granting them rebirth.
• The Witch Clan is stunned by the transformation and sends word to the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
• Minghe fears the Heavenly Dao will respond with punishing lightning, as it has during his previous attempts to gain merit. His fear seems justified when thunderclouds gather and Jieyin and Zhunti hurry toward the Netherworld Sea, expecting treasure and fortune.
• Unable to escape the Heavenly Dao’s attention, Minghe despairs and tries to detonate himself. The Heavenly Dao suppresses the attempt and restores—and even strengthens—his damaged cultivation and body. The chapter ends as a rich aura of peace descends, signaling that merit is coming.

Character developments and interactions

• Minghe shifts from industrious confidence to alarm, then to comic despair. His past misfortunes have left him convinced that divine attention means more lightning, so he interprets even restoration as another cruel denial of his wish to escape.
• The Witch Clan remains frustrated by Minghe’s evasive construction activity, but Dijiang’s order keeps them from confronting him directly. The array’s effects force them to treat the event as a matter requiring leadership.
• Jieyin and Zhunti, still smarting from an earlier deception by Daochen, eagerly seize on the spectacle as a chance for Western Land to gain treasure and fortune. Their hopeful approach contrasts with Minghe’s dread.
• The Heavenly Dao acts without speaking: it tracks Minghe, prevents his self-destruction, and repairs him, leaving him baffled by its intentions.

Significant themes

• Unintended consequences: Minghe builds the array for protection, but it produces a sacred transformation far beyond his plans.
• Fate versus agency: Even hiding—or attempting to die—cannot free Minghe from the Heavenly Dao’s influence.
• Comic reversal: What others see as a promising sign of treasure and merit, Minghe experiences as a catastrophe.
• Rebirth and purification: The array’s light cleanses the ghosts’ karmic burdens and reopens a path to reincarnation.

Plot points and events

• Ancestor Minghe’s new Three-Dimensional Composite Array is recognized by the Heavenly Dao for filling a gap in the Primordial World. Merit descends, with 70% going to Minghe and 30% to the array.
• Minghe is overwhelmed with joy, especially after earlier attempts to earn merit through founding the Asura Race, establishing the Asura Teaching, and opening the Demonic Dao ended in failure or punishment.
• He is struck by lightning despite trying not to curse, prompting the comic suggestion that the Heavenly Dao simply made a mistake.
• The merit helps Minghe break through to the late Quasi-Saint stage and stabilize his cultivation. He severs his Self Corpse, which manifests as a white-robed figure named Vishala.
• Jieyin and Zhunti notice the merit and conclude Minghe must be responsible. They decide to recruit him for the Western Land and hurry toward the Netherworld Sea of Blood, originally intending to take some Asuras with them.
• Minghe senses the pair approaching and sees their enormous bald heads.

Character developments and interactions

• Minghe moves from disbelief and frustration to ecstatic relief as he finally gains substantial merit and advances in cultivation. His repeated urge to curse—and the lightning that follows—remains a running joke.
• Vishala, Minghe’s newly formed Self Corpse, appears respectful toward his original self but privately finds Minghe’s misfortune amusing.
• Jieyin and Zhunti react to the unexpected merit by eagerly deciding that Minghe would be a valuable addition to their cause. Their eagerness contrasts with their earlier doubt that he could earn merit.

Significant themes

• Merit and recognition: Minghe’s accidental success comes from practical innovation, not his earlier attempts to imitate others’ major achievements.
• Fate and comic misfortune: Even a breakthrough and a flood of merit cannot spare Minghe from inexplicable lightning strikes.
• Ambition and recruitment: Jieyin and Zhunti quickly view Minghe’s newfound success as an opportunity to advance their own interests.

Plot and events

• Ancestor Minghe reaches the peak of the late Quasi-Saint stage, but feels no joy: Jieyin and Zhunti have returned, and he fears they will take away the Asura people he has gathered.
• With most resentful spirits now able to reincarnate through the newly established Six Paths of Reincarnation, Minghe’s remaining followers are few. He strengthens his merit-enhanced Three-Dimensional Composite Array, hoping both to protect them and earn enough merit to advance further.
• Jieyin and Zhunti travel to the Netherworld Sea of Blood, hoping to convert some of Minghe’s followers to help repopulate the Western Land. They sense someone cursing them but cannot identify who.
• Daochen, occupied with refining an object for the unborn Little Golden Crow, anticipates that the pair may provoke the Twelve Ancestral Witches, who have withdrawn to the Netherworld Sea of Blood. The witches notice the visitors but do not intervene as long as the Six Paths remain undisturbed.
• Jieyin and Zhunti announce themselves with an imposing display of Buddhist light and repeatedly request an audience. Minghe refuses to appear, watching from below with satisfaction—and glancing at a nearby Teleportation Array that seems to reassure him.

Character developments and interactions

• Minghe is newly ambitious but deeply protective of his dwindling followers. Rather than confront the two Sages directly, he relies on preparation, the strengthened array, and an unexplained escape or contingency plan.
• Jieyin and Zhunti remain determined to advance the Western Land’s interests despite the risks. Their solemn public manner contrasts with their opportunistic goal of recruiting Minghe’s people.
• Daochen observes the situation with amused caution, recognizing the danger of provoking the witches.
• The Twelve Ancestral Witches maintain a hands-off stance, setting a clear boundary: they will tolerate the visitors unless the visitors interfere with reincarnation.

Significant themes

• The chapter contrasts ambition with insecurity: Minghe dreams of Sagehood but is chiefly worried about losing what little he has.
• Religious authority and self-interest sit side by side, as Jieyin and Zhunti’s display of compassion accompanies a practical recruitment mission.
• Power depends on restraint and territory: the witches’ presence shapes everyone’s behavior, even without direct confrontation.
• The ending builds comic suspense around Minghe’s silence and the unexplained Teleportation Array.

Plot and events

Jieyin and Zhunti descend into the Netherworld Sea of Blood, convinced Ancestor Minghe’s merit-lit formation is too crude to stop them. They identify its concealed structure and enter, expecting little resistance. The formation transports them into a misty, spirit-rich space, where they pass through linked Five Elements formations by finding their Gates of Life. Though they could break the formations outright with their Sage power, they choose to preserve appearances and proceed carefully. After half an hour, Jieyin leaves the task of handling the next formation to Zhunti.

Character developments and interactions

• Jieyin appears confident and analytical, quickly locating a Gate of Life with his Sage divine sense. He also defers to Zhunti’s greater expertise in formations—and conveniently steps back when it is time to break one.
• Zhunti is similarly dismissive of Minghe’s defenses, but shows growing interest as he discovers that simple formations have been linked together. He accepts Jieyin’s handoff, privately thinking that outside affairs still fall to him.
• The two brothers work together while teasingly shifting responsibility between them. Their thoughts reveal their real objective: not merely defeating Minghe, but extracting maximum benefit for the Western Land by converting him or exploiting the Netherworld Sea’s forces.

Significant themes

• Pride and underestimation: The Sages belittle Minghe and his formations, though the linked defenses prove more intricate than they first assumed.
• Power versus restraint: Jieyin and Zhunti believe they could destroy the formations by force, but avoid doing so to maintain their dignity.
• Religious ambition and exploitation: Their concern for the Western Land is intertwined with a calculating desire to turn Minghe and the Netherworld’s resources to their advantage.
• Partnership and comic rivalry: The brothers cooperate, but each is quick to pass the difficult work to the other.

Key plot points

• Zhunti leads Jieyin into Ancestor Minghe’s elaborate Three-Dimensional Composite Array, confidently identifying the Gates of Life and guiding them through its many formations.
• After passing through 342 formations, the pair find themselves back at the Western Geng Metal White Tiger Formation. Zhunti realizes the formations form a larger loop designed to guide intruders back to the start.
• Fascinated by the array’s construction, Zhunti abandons his original plan to recruit Minghe’s newly created Asuras. He and Jieyin instead consider recruiting Minghe himself as a deputy leader of the Western Religion.
• Zhunti changes his approach, attempting to break the White Tiger Formation by dismantling its killing layer before its trapping layer. After another hour, the two are still trapped and have returned to the same place.
• Though their Sage-level power could let them smash their way out, they fear the formation’s Heavenly Dao Merit could make its destruction provoke backlash and harm their cultivation. They must either keep solving the array or ask Minghe to release them—an option they suspect he will refuse.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhunti begins as a confident expert, delighted by the puzzle and impressed by Minghe’s skill. His curiosity turns into admiration and a scheme to recruit Minghe, but his confidence gives way to frustration when his alternative method also fails.
• Jieyin follows Zhunti through the formations, occasionally chafing at Zhunti’s self-assured manner. He quickly understands and supports the plan to recruit Minghe, but ultimately cannot find a way out either.
• The brothers’ long familiarity lets them recognize and share each other’s intentions almost instantly. Their initial teacher-recruiter agenda gives way to the more urgent shared problem of escaping.

Significant themes

• Ingenuity versus power: The Sages could overpower the array, but doing so carries serious consequences; brute force is not a safe solution.
• Pride and restraint: Their reluctance to appear to bully a Quasi-Saint is partly genuine dignity, while fear of merit backlash is the practical obstacle.
• Reversal and irony: The would-be recruiters become trapped visitors, and Zhunti’s confidence in finding a new route only leads him back to the beginning.
• Transformation and religious doctrine: Minghe’s association with evil makes recruiting him an appealing demonstration of the Western Religion’s belief that a demon can become a Buddha.

Plot points and events

• Jieyin and Zhunti become trapped in a complex, interlocking formation created by a Quasi-Saint and reinforced with Heavenly Dao merit. Though the component formations are basic, their perfect connections make the whole array difficult to escape.
• Jieyin suggests forcing their way through, but Zhunti refuses, insisting they must present themselves as rescuers rather than people who came to seize souls. The two briefly perform their pious roles, then confront the fact that they have no clear way out.
• Zhunti claims to have found a solution and leads Jieyin deeper into the array. Months later, they are still trapped.
• The repeated failures leave Zhunti exhausted and convinced that his understanding of formations—and perhaps his entire path of cultivation—is mistaken. His Dao heart destabilizes, so Jieyin uses the Mahā Buddha Sound to bring him back to his senses.
• Zhunti then laments that their hardships explain why the Dao Ancestor dislikes them. Jieyin begins genuinely recalling the Western Sages’ suffering and is moved to tears—until Zhunti tells him mentally to cry louder, revealing that Zhunti may be putting on an act.

Character developments

• Zhunti shifts from confident strategist to physically and spiritually exhausted prisoner. His despair appears sincere, but his final instruction to Jieyin suggests he is also calculating and theatrical.
• Jieyin remains protective of his junior brother, reviving him when his Dao heart falters. His own memories make him emotionally vulnerable, though he is immediately angered when Zhunti seems to exploit that emotion.

Significant themes

• Piety versus self-interest: The Sages frame their mission as compassion while privately discussing how to get what they came for.
• Humiliation and pride: Being trapped by a Quasi-Saint threatens the Sages’ standing and exposes the limits of their power.
• Suffering as both real hardship and rhetoric: The Western Sages’ past misfortunes are genuine, but Zhunti’s advice to “cry louder” turns their suffering into a possible performance.
• The cost of failure: Zhunti’s prolonged frustration nearly damages his Dao heart, showing that even a Sage can be shaken by repeated defeat.

Character interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti trade solemn assurances about their noble intentions, then quietly struggle over how to escape.
• Jieyin’s frustration with Zhunti’s formation expertise gives way to concern when Zhunti appears to lose faith in himself.
• Jieyin comforts and rescues Zhunti, but Zhunti’s final private instruction undermines the sincerity of the emotional moment and leaves Jieyin furious.

Key plot points and events

• Trapped in the Netherworld Sea of Blood, Jieyin and Zhunti realize Ancestor Minghe is unlikely to let them out. Unable to break the formation and unwilling to admit defeat, the two Sages resort to using Buddhist chants.
• Their Six-Character Mantra spreads through the Sea of Blood, healing and converting rejected vengeful ghosts into serene novice monks. The influence reaches the Six Paths of Reincarnation: some wandering souls—and even weak-willed Ox-Head and Horse-Face escorts—leave their duties and head toward the Sages.
• Dijiang notices that the usual crowds on Yellow Springs Road are dwindling. He tells Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi that Fuxi’s reincarnation is arranged and promises the Twelve Ancestral Witches will prevent Laozi and Yuanshi from interfering.
• Dijun and Taiyi recognize that Jieyin and Zhunti are behind the disruption. Rather than return to the Demon Court, they find a secluded spot, bring out food and wine, and wait eagerly to watch the Twelve Ancestral Witches confront the Sages.
• Meanwhile, Primordial Heavenly Venerable sends Daoist Randeng to the Netherworld Office to ask about Fuxi’s reincarnation. Randeng dreads the assignment because he once killed Xiangliu during the War of the Liches and fears the Netherworld Witches may take revenge.

Character developments and interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti: Their shared predicament exposes their embarrassment and strained tactics. Zhunti tries to make Jieyin take the blame, but Jieyin calls him out; they ultimately cooperate in a desperate attempt to escape.
• Dijiang: He remains focused on Fuxi’s reincarnation but becomes wary as he notices souls and escorts disappearing.
• Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi: They are no longer solemnly involved in events; they gleefully take the role of spectators, anticipating a clash between the Sages and the Witches.
• Daoist Randeng: He is reluctant and anxious, seeing his assignment not as a routine inquiry but as a possible death sentence.

Significant themes

• Power and unintended consequences: The Sages’ chants transform souls and disrupt the functioning of the Netherworld.
• Pride and face-saving: Jieyin and Zhunti would rather risk further trouble than admit they cannot overcome Minghe’s formation.
• Political rivalries and revenge: Randeng’s past killing of Xiangliu makes his mission dangerous, while the Witches’ promise to oppose the Three Pure Ones heightens the stakes.
• Comic spectacle: The other characters treat the impending confrontation as entertainment, even as Randeng faces genuine danger.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Ran Deng dreads carrying out his assignment to the Netherworld Sea of Blood and proceeds with little enthusiasm, convinced the mission may be a death sentence.
• Jieyin and Zhunti remain trapped inside Ancestor Minghe’s merit-enhanced Three-Dimensional Composite Array. Their Buddhist chants have unintentionally converted many Netherworld spirits—including members of the Ox-Head and Horse-Face clans—instead of the targets they intended to sway.
• Minghe initially celebrates that the array has stopped two Sages, then realizes he may be trapped inside it too and fears he cannot escape.
• In the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the Ancestral Shamans summon the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Devils Formation and manifest the Pangu True Form. They do so within the boundary of the Six Paths to avoid alerting the Sages before they are ready.
• Daochen senses the formation and heads to the Netherworld Sea of Blood. He finds Dijun and Taiyi watching from afar with food and wine, and decides to watch too rather than intervene.
• Nüwa senses Daochen’s departure but, because she is pregnant, stays in the Heavenly Court.

Character developments and interactions

• Ran Deng grows more discouraged and reluctant, feeling unsupported and endangered by his assignment.
• Jieyin and Zhunti shift from attempted escape and conversion to anxiety about the consequences—especially how they will explain the converted Netherworld clans to the Ancestral Shamans.
• Minghe moves from smug satisfaction at his array’s power to alarm that it may have sealed him in along with his enemies.
• The Ancestral Shamans act strategically, preparing their combined Pangu form within the Six Paths before confronting the two Sages.
• Daochen, Dijun, and Taiyi watch the coming confrontation as spectators. Daochen is particularly interested in how powerful the Ancestral Shamans have become and whether they brought the Pangu Divine Hall.

Significant themes

• Unintended consequences: The array meant to contain intruders also threatens its creator, while the Buddhist conversion attempt affects the wrong spirits.
• Power and constraint: Houtu’s strength within reincarnation is immense, but her role in completing the Earthly Dao prevents her from leaving the Six Paths.
• Preparation and spectacle: The Ancestral Shamans carefully conceal their move, while others anticipate the clash as a dramatic test of their strength.

Key plot points and events

• Yuanshi and Laozi observe that Jieyin and Zhunti are converting countless vengeful ghosts in the Netherworld Sea of Blood. Laozi expects the Twelve Ancestral Witches—and likely the Heavenly Dao—to retaliate, while Yuanshi dismisses the pair as foolish for provoking trouble over meager gains.
• Jieyin and Zhunti are actually trapped in Ancestor Minghe’s Three-Dimensional Composite Array. Their conversion of the ghosts is a desperate attempt to escape, but the plan has instead disrupted the newly established Six Paths of Reincarnation.
• The Twelve Ancestral Witches arrive, unleashing immense earth-sha energy. Minghe eagerly watches, hoping to see his rivals punished and caring little if the ensuing fight damages his formation.
• The Witches manifest the Pangu true form, accompanied by the Pangu Divine Hall, and confront Jieyin and Zhunti at the array.
• Jieyin and Zhunti use their sage powers to break a hole in the formation. As they escape, the Heavenly Dao strikes them with thunder, reducing their accumulated merit by twenty percent. They then flee, with the Pangu true form behind them.

Character developments and interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti shift from trying to profit by converting ghosts to desperately escaping the consequences. They coordinate closely, but their escape costs them dearly.
• Ancestor Minghe turns from studying how to control his array to eagerly anticipating the pair’s humiliation, driven by resentment over their past bullying.
• Laozi recognizes the danger and views the confrontation as nearly inevitable; Yuanshi responds with contempt for Jieyin and Zhunti’s poor judgment.
• The arriving Twelve Ancestral Witches, through the Pangu true form, become the immediate threat to Jieyin and Zhunti, while the Heavenly Dao independently punishes them for disturbing its order.

Significant themes

• Actions bring consequences: Jieyin and Zhunti’s attempt to gain a small advantage triggers retaliation from both the Witches and the Heavenly Dao.
• Greed and miscalculation: Their pursuit of limited gains leads to a far greater loss.
• Cosmic order and justice: The disruption of reincarnation draws Heavenly Dao punishment, reinforcing the setting’s rules and balance.

Plot points

• As Jieyin and Zhunti try to leave, the Twelve Ancestral Witches’ Pangu True Form blocks them without attacking, silently forcing them to face what they have done.
• Zhunti asks why they are being stopped. Dijiang replies that the pair seem to be denying responsibility. Jieyin and Zhunti apologize, but blame their actions on Ancestor Minghe being difficult to deal with.
• Minghe, trapped beneath the Netherworld Sea of Blood in the Three-Dimensional Composite Array, suddenly works out how to control it and sends a Blood God Son Clone to the surface.
• Minghe furiously accuses Jieyin and Zhunti of framing him, insists he only wanted to cultivate in peace, and appeals to the Witches and the Demon Emperor for justice.
• The others realize Daochen is nearby. Daochen reveals himself, claiming he was merely passing through. As he tries to leave, Jieyin and Zhunti burst into tears and call him their senior brother, setting up another appeal for sympathy.

Character developments and interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti are shown as evasive and shameless: they admit fault only reluctantly and immediately shift blame to Minghe. When Daochen appears, they turn to him for support.
• Minghe moves from helpless prisoner to active, if theatrical, accuser. His sudden escape with a clone and tearful protest mirror the Western pair’s own dramatic appeals.
• Dijiang and the Twelve Ancestral Witches now retain some awareness while forming the Pangu True Form, thanks to Houtu’s transformation into reincarnation. They confront Jieyin and Zhunti rather than acting as mindless forces.
• Daochen treats the confrontation as entertainment and hopes the Witches will punish Jieyin and Zhunti, but tries to avoid being drawn into the dispute.
• Taiyi, Dijun, and the other onlookers watch the confrontation as a spectacle.

Significant themes

• Blame and accountability: Jieyin and Zhunti attempt to evade responsibility, while Minghe counters by accusing them of doing the same to him.
• Public shame and performance: The characters’ apologies, accusations, and tears are as much theatrical displays as genuine appeals.
• Power and spectacle: Even a potentially dangerous confrontation becomes entertainment for the powerful bystanders.
• Changing awareness: The Witches’ newfound ability to retain consciousness gives them greater agency and makes their confrontation with the pair more deliberate.

Chapter summary

Key plot points

• Ancestor Minghe breaks down in tears after Jieyin and Zhunti blame him for disrupting the six paths of reincarnation. The narration emphasizes how badly his fortunes have turned: despite powerful treasures and the natural protection of the Sea of Blood, he has repeatedly provoked Daochen and suffered at the hands of the Western sages.
• Jieyin and Zhunti theatrically lament their supposed good intentions. Zhunti claims they came to deliver the restless dead left by the War of the Liches, but accidentally interfered with reincarnation.
• Daochen cannot bear Zhunti’s shameless performance and returns to the Heavenly Court, leaving the Twelve Ancestral Witches—joined in the Pangu True Form—to deal with the two sages.
• Jieyin proposes sending the hundreds of millions of people newly converted to Western Religion into the six paths of reincarnation. Zhunti objects at first, but Jieyin tells him he has a plan. Zhunti then realizes there may be a hidden purpose and keeps quiet.
• The chapter ends with the Pangu True Form hesitating over Jieyin’s proposal.

Character developments and interactions

• Minghe is portrayed as a long-suffering figure whose crying is understandable after repeated defeats and accusations.
• Zhunti doubles down on an exaggerated, shameless display of grief, even embarrassing Jieyin and Daochen.
• Daochen recognizes the performance, but leaves rather than risk losing his temper and attacking Zhunti.
• Jieyin shifts from pretending to grieve to making a calculated offer. His private exchange with Zhunti suggests the proposal serves a concealed strategy.
• Xuanming bluntly threatens the two sages, reflecting the Witches’ distrust. Jieyin and Zhunti restrain themselves, mindful of the Witches’ power and the consequences of a confrontation.

Significant themes

• Hypocrisy and performance: The sages’ professed compassion contrasts with their scheming and theatrical complaints.
• Power and self-interest: Jieyin’s offer may appear cooperative, but the chapter hints that it is strategically motivated.
• Misfortune and blame: Minghe’s repeated setbacks make him an easy target for accusations.
• Changing power dynamics: The Witches’ control of reincarnation and the Western Religion’s growing following shape how both sides negotiate.

• Jieyin’s proposal: Jieyin suggests sending the hundreds of millions of novice monks he and Zhunti converted into the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Their souls could replenish the shortage of souls awaiting rebirth and help keep the cycle functioning, while also compensating for the two Sages’ interference. Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches hesitate, sensing a possible scheme. Daochen also notices something amiss but chooses not to intervene.
• Daochen rewards his brothers: As he leaves for the Heavenly Court, Daochen teases Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi about gifts for their unborn nephews. He then gives each brother a Jade-Clean Bottle containing a Primordial Unity Dao Pill, made from the Dao principles of a slain outsider. Once they reach the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm, the pills may help them become Sages—though their ultimate success depends on them. Dijun and Taiyi are stunned and deeply moved by the extraordinary gift.
• A return to the Sun Star: Rather than return to the Heavenly Court, Dijun and Taiyi head to the Sun Star to gather innate fire essence for their future nephews. They intend their gift to repay Daochen’s generosity and to strengthen the children’s Dao foundations. Their Golden Crow forms let them endure the lethal heat at the star’s core, where other powerful cultivators could not safely venture.
• Pingxin intervenes: Above the Netherworld Sea of Blood, the Pangu true form remains hesitant about Jieyin’s plan. Pingxin—Houtu’s transformed identity—appears from within the Six Paths and tells Dijiang to accept the proposal, saying she can resolve the situation. Jieyin and Zhunti immediately greet her respectfully, though their tense reaction suggests they recognize the stakes.
  Character developments and interactions: Daochen shows both strategic restraint and generosity: he leaves the Netherworld matter to the Witches but invests in his brothers’ future. Dijun and Taiyi respond with gratitude through their preparations for the unborn children. The Ancestral Witches remain wary of the Sages’ intentions, while Pingxin steps forward as the one who can settle the dispute.
  Themes: The chapter highlights reciprocity and family loyalty, the immense gulf between Quasi-Saints and Sages, and the tension between apparent mutual benefit and hidden schemes.

Plot points and events

• Pingxin’s appearance in the Netherworld Sea of Blood makes Ancestor Minghe, Jieyin, and Zhunti cautious: as a Sage who governs reincarnation, she has formidable power there.
• Jieyin argues that the Buddhist pair have helped the Six Paths of Reincarnation by bringing in countless vengeful ghosts. Though the souls became Buddhist novices, he claims they can still be reborn and will bring benefit to the newly formed Earthly Dao.
• Goumang and Zhurong accept Jieyin’s reasoning, while Xuanming and Dijiang recognize the danger: the reborn souls may spread Buddhism, drawing the other Sages’ hostility toward the Witches.
• Pingxin agrees that the souls will help the Earthly Dao develop and thanks Jieyin and Zhunti. She then asks them to appoint a disciple to remain permanently in the Six Paths of Reincarnation and help deliver souls.
• Believing they have gained an opportunity to advance Buddhism, Jieyin and Zhunti agree. Pingxin moves the hundreds of millions of novices into the Netherworld Office.

Character developments and interactions

• Pingxin presents herself as courteous and composed, but her proposal puts Buddhist involvement in reincarnation under her oversight. Her motives remain unclear to the others.
• Jieyin and Zhunti use charitable language to defend their actions and eagerly accept Pingxin’s invitation, seeing it as a chance to advance the Western Land’s Buddhism.
• Dijiang and Xuanming remain wary of the consequences and understand that the Buddhists’ converts could become a threat to the Witches’ position.
• Goumang and Zhurong are easily persuaded by Jieyin’s argument, prompting frustration and disbelief from Xuanming and Dijiang.
• Ancestor Minghe is unsettled by Pingxin’s unexpected response but has little influence over the exchange.

Significant themes

• Persuasion and self-interest: Jieyin frames a strategic religious expansion as a charitable service, and the less perceptive Witches accept his version.
• Power and restraint: Pingxin’s authority makes even the Sages cautious, while her calm manner conceals how firmly she can control events.
• Unintended consequences: The souls may strengthen the Earthly Dao, but their Buddhist loyalties could also extend Buddhism’s influence and provoke conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Jieyin and Zhunti accept Pingxin’s offer to let billions of Western Land novice monks enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation. They consider the sacrifice worthwhile and hurry back to Sumeru Pure Land.
• Ancestor Minghe retreats to his Netherworld Divine Palace before the opening in the protective array closes. Dijiang and Xuanming remain baffled by Pingxin’s decision, while Goumang and Zhurong celebrate the expected benefits to the new reincarnation cycle.
• Frustrated by their brothers’ gloating, the other Ancestral Witches transform and beat Goumang and Zhurong, then stomp them back into the depths of the Sea of Blood as they leave for the Netherworld Office.
• There, Pingxin greets her siblings as Houtu. Xuanming challenges her for accepting what appears to be Jieyin and Zhunti’s scheme. Pingxin says she has a plan and summons Meng Po, instructing her to carry it out. The other witches begin to understand and smile.
• Back at Sumeru Pure Land, Jieyin and Zhunti return in unusually good spirits. They ask for Ksitigarbha, who steps forward.

Character developments and interactions

• Pingxin/Houtu remains composed despite her siblings’ doubts, signaling that she has anticipated the consequences and has a counterplan.
• Xuanming voices the group’s suspicion directly; Dijiang shares her uncertainty but holds back.
• Goumang and Zhurong are delighted by the influx of souls, but their celebration irritates the others and ends in a comic beating.
• Jieyin and Zhunti are eager and pleased with the arrangement, apparently confident that it benefits them.
• Meng Po appears as Pingxin’s agent, while Ksitigarbha is positioned for the next step in the Western Land’s plans.
• Minghe chooses caution over involvement, frightened by the witches’ violence.

Significant themes

• Hidden strategy and misdirection: Pingxin’s motives remain concealed, and her calm response suggests the apparent concession may serve a larger plan.
• Power, sacrifice, and spiritual gain: The Western patriarchs willingly expend novice monks in pursuit of future benefit, while the witches focus on the reincarnation cycle’s immediate gains.
• Family rivalry and rough camaraderie: The Ancestral Witches resolve frustration through physical punishment, treating a brutal beating as a way to restore fellowship.

Plot points and events

• Ksitigarbha, a favored disciple of the Western Sages Jieyin and Zhunti, is startled when they return from the east smiling—unlike their usual disappointed visits—and summon him.
• They offer him a path toward the Great Buddha Fruit Position, equivalent to quasi-Sainthood. Jieyin explains that Ksitigarbha’s affinity for the Netherworld makes him suited to guide the vengeful ghosts gathered in the Netherworld Sea of Blood.
• The Sages have secured an agreement with Lady Pingxin and send Ksitigarbha to undertake this mission, which could earn substantial merit for him and the Western Religion.
• Ksitigarbha accepts and vows: “Until hell is empty, I vow not to become a Buddha!” The Sages give him several magic treasures and dispatch him toward the six paths of reincarnation.
• In the Netherworld, ghost officers lead deceased souls—depicted as novice monks—to Meng Po, who makes them drink her soup. Their Buddhist nature is erased, restoring them to their original soul forms; they then enter reincarnation according to the Book of Life and Death. The resulting merit strengthens the six paths, whose power is steadily growing.

Character developments

• Ksitigarbha moves from anxious uncertainty to eager resolve. He sees the mission as a rare opportunity to advance spiritually and embraces it with a solemn vow.
• Jieyin and Zhunti appear unusually pleased, viewing Ksitigarbha’s assignment as both a genuine opportunity for him and a means of strengthening the Western Land.
• The other Mount Sumeru disciples envy Ksitigarbha, recognizing the mission’s potential rewards despite the unpleasant work of dealing with vengeful ghosts.

Significant themes

• Ambition and sacrifice: Ksitigarbha’s vow frames his pursuit of Buddhahood as something he will defer until the suffering in hell is relieved.
• Merit and spiritual advancement: Releasing ghosts and enabling reincarnation generates merit, offering Ksitigarbha a route toward quasi-Sainthood.
• Religious influence and its limits: Buddhist teachings are washed from the souls before they reincarnate, preventing Buddhism from claiming them.
• The transformation of cosmic order: The six paths of reincarnation grow stronger through the steady flow of souls and merit, hinting at their future power.

Character interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti present Ksitigarbha’s mission as a personal opportunity and entrust him with the work.
• Ksitigarbha responds with gratitude, reverence, and his great vow, while the gathered disciples watch enviously.
• In the Netherworld, Ox-Head, Horse-Face, and Meng Po carry out the reincarnation process under the authority of the six paths.

Key plot points and events

• Ksitigarbha heads from the Western Land to the Netherworld Sea of Blood, convinced that converting its vengeful ghosts will earn merit and help the Buddhist Sect rise above the other major powers.
• At the Sea of Blood, the shaman Kuafu intercepts him and carries him toward the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Ksitigarbha is frightened by Kuafu’s rough treatment but repeatedly tells himself to endure it for the Western Land’s greater cause.
• Kuafu’s killing intent shields them from the Sea’s karmic retribution, though his apparent carelessness nearly lets it snag Ksitigarbha.
• They reach a primeval temple, where ox-headed and horse-faced guards have gathered the vengeful ghosts. Ksitigarbha assumes the Witch Clan is cooperating with his mission.
• As Kuafu carries him into the temple, Kuafu releases his ankle, and Ksitigarbha lands face-first on the stone floor, losing the dignity he had been trying to preserve.

Character developments

• Ksitigarbha is ambitious and self-congratulatory about the merit he expects to gain, but his confidence falters when Kuafu handles him roughly. He responds by stubbornly reframing his fear and humiliation as sacrifices for his sect.
• Kuafu is physically imposing and brusque, treating Ksitigarbha like an object to be transported rather than a distinguished guest.
• Truth Listener becomes conspicuously timid, following quietly behind Kuafu.

Significant themes

• Religious ambition and self-interest: Ksitigarbha presents his mission as serving the Buddhist Sect, while eagerly anticipating personal merit and status.
• Endurance through rationalization: He repeatedly convinces himself that indignity is acceptable for the greater good.
• Comedic contrast: Ksitigarbha’s lofty spiritual bearing clashes with the rough handling and slapstick indignities he suffers.
• Power and protocol: The Witch Clan’s blunt physical authority contrasts with Ksitigarbha’s expectations of respectful treatment.

Character interactions

• Ksitigarbha cautiously introduces himself to Kuafu, who immediately seizes him and carries him away.
• Ksitigarbha silently tries to maintain his composure while Kuafu transports him, and Truth Listener follows meekly.
• The gathered guards witness Ksitigarbha’s humiliating fall, their restrained reactions underscoring the scene’s comedy.

Key plot points and events

• Ksitigarbha interprets Kuafu’s hostility as a deliberate test arranged by the Western Sages and the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Rather than retreat, he vows to remain in hell until it is empty.
• His oath receives recognition from the Heavenly Dao, inspiring him to work harder. He imagines that delivering the wronged souls will earn him merit, a Buddha’s position, and perhaps eventually leadership of the Buddhist sect.
• Kuafu, who was sent by Xuanming to discourage Ksitigarbha, is surprised that his tactic has made Ksitigarbha more determined. He knows, however, that Meng Po Soup will erase the souls’ karmic ties to Buddhism when they reincarnate.
• In the Western Pure Land, Jieyin and Zhunti believe Ksitigarbha’s efforts will help Buddhism spread. They wait for the souls they previously sent into the Netherworld to be reborn and carry their teachings into the world.
• After a hundred years, then another thousand, the expected Buddhist expansion never comes. The sect’s fortune remains unchanged, apart from the small gains Ksitigarbha earns through his labor in the Netherworld Office.

Character developments and interactions

• Ksitigarbha grows more resolute, but his resolve is fueled partly by a mistaken belief that his hardship is a coordinated test and a path to advancement.
• Kuafu shifts from deliberate obstruction to bemused surprise, while remaining confident that the plan cannot benefit Buddhism because of Meng Po Soup.
• Jieyin and Zhunti begin confidently, then grow puzzled and mildly anxious when their expected gains fail to materialize. Jieyin calms Zhunti by suggesting the souls may simply not have reincarnated yet.

Significant themes

• Irony and dramatic misunderstanding: Ksitigarbha and the Western Sages read events as signs of a promising plan, while the reader sees that their efforts are unlikely to work.
• Faith, perseverance, and ambition: Ksitigarbha’s vow is sincere and steadfast, but it is also tied to hopes of status and leadership.
• The limits of scheming: The Sages’ careful plans produce no meaningful increase in Buddhist fortune.
• Time and patience: The Sages regard centuries as brief, but waiting does not make their expectations come true.

Key plot points and events

• Jieyin and Zhunti realize their plan involving Western novice monks has not increased the Buddhist Sect’s fortune as expected. They head to the Six Paths of Reincarnation to discover why.
• Ancestor Minghe notices them but, reassured by the merit-infused Three-Dimensional Composite Array, decides he has no reason to flee or confront them. The pair ignore him and proceed.
• Pingxin appears to meet Jieyin and Zhunti. They ask about the novice monks, disguising their real concern as a question about whether the monks have been properly reincarnated.
• Pingxin says the monks have already been reborn among the world’s many clans, but blocks the pair from seeing into the Six Paths.
• Unable to press Pingxin directly because of her power and the Ancestral Shamans’ support, Jieyin and Zhunti ask to visit Kshitigarbha. Pingxin invites them inside, apparently allowing them to investigate.

Character developments and interactions

• Jieyin and Zhunti show their usual strategic caution: they conceal their true motive, then use their connection to Kshitigarbha to gain entry. Their frustration grows as Pingxin’s answer fails to explain their scheme’s lack of results.
• Pingxin remains composed and firmly protective of the Six Paths. Though she makes clear the Western visitors are unwelcome, she uses politeness and controlled disclosure rather than open confrontation. She also intends to use their visit to discourage other Sages from exploiting reincarnation to spread their teachings and increase their fortune.
• Ancestor Minghe briefly panics at the pair’s arrival, then recognizes the protection his array provides and stays out of their way.
• The exchange between Pingxin and the pair is courteous on the surface but marked by mistrust: she limits what they can learn, while they search for a way past her defenses.

Significant themes

• Hidden motives and strategic diplomacy: Both sides mask their aims behind polite, indirect language.
• Power and deterrence: Pingxin’s authority in the Six Paths, backed by the Ancestral Shamans, prevents Jieyin and Zhunti from forcing the issue.
• Control over reincarnation: The Six Paths are both a sacred domain and a contested means of influencing the wider world and accumulating religious fortune.