Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Nuwa and Houtu accept Xu Tong’s second plan: rebuild the Heavenly Court before Hongjun can appoint his own attendant as Jade Emperor, thereby disrupting Hongjun’s Dao Integration without confronting him directly.
• Xu Tong intends to remain in seclusion and let Nuwa carry out the plan.
• Nuwa summons Lu Ya, the surviving Three-Legged Golden Crow and a newly established Quasi-Sage, and names him the prospective ruler of the restored Heavenly Court.
• To make the new court legitimate and viable, Lu Ya agrees to reserve three of the Four Emperors’ positions for the Human Race’s Three Sovereigns. Humans will also fill other vacancies and provide the court’s soldiers and generals.
• Lu Ya promises to complete the restoration within ten years.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows caution and long-term strategic thinking: though he believes he can trouble Hongjun, he avoids a direct clash while Hongjun’s power remains overwhelming.
• Nuwa takes charge of putting the scheme into action. She balances support for Lu Ya with protection of Human interests, and makes the appointments a condition of the plan.
• Lu Ya moves from stunned disbelief to intense enthusiasm. His ambition to restore the Demon Tribe’s former glory makes him eager to accept Nuwa’s terms, despite having few followers of his own.
• Houtu agrees to the proposal but leaves the practical work to Nuwa.
• The exchanges between Nuwa and Lu Ya are both political and personal: Nuwa offers him a chance to rule, while Lu Ya expresses gratitude and demonstrates his willingness to compromise.

Significant themes

• Strategy over confrontation: Xu Tong seeks to weaken Hongjun’s plans indirectly rather than challenge him outright.
• Legitimacy and control: Establishing the Heavenly Court first could limit Hongjun’s ability to shape its leadership.
• Coalition-building: The restored court joins Lu Ya’s Demon Tribe legacy with Human leadership and manpower.
• Ambition and compromise: Lu Ya’s dream of restoration depends on sharing power with another race.

Plot points

• Lu Ya and Nuwa have settled on the Four Emperors’ arrangement: Nuwa’s side will fill three seats with the Human Race’s Three Sovereigns, while the last is left open for Lu Ya to choose. They lack enough suitable candidates to claim it themselves.
• Lu Ya travels to Wuzhuang Temple to recruit Zhen Yuanzi, whom he respects and considers strong enough for the role.
• Zhen Yuanzi is initially skeptical that the Demon Tribe can restore its Heavenly Court to its former stature, but takes the proposal seriously once he learns Nuwa supports it.
• After asking who will hold the other seats, Zhen Yuanzi hears that the Three Sovereigns will join. Seeing the court’s potential and trusting that Nuwa would not endorse a dangerous scheme involving Fuxi, he accepts a position among the Four Emperors.

Character developments

• Lu Ya shows humility and tact, openly explaining the plan and giving Zhen Yuanzi time to decide. He is also confident that Nuwa’s backing and his allies will allow him to retain control of the new Heavenly Court.
• Zhen Yuanzi moves from cautious doubt to willing commitment, attracted by the prestige and promise of the position while relying on his own strength and judgment.

Character interactions

• Lu Ya approaches Zhen Yuanzi respectfully rather than pressuring him. Zhen Yuanzi probes the political arrangements before agreeing, and Lu Ya answers candidly.
• Their exchange establishes mutual respect and turns a recruitment visit into an alliance.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Nuwa’s support and the participation of the Three Sovereigns give the new Heavenly Court credibility.
• Pragmatic cooperation: Former divisions between the Demon Tribe and Human Race are set aside in favor of shared interests.
• Ambition balanced by caution: Zhen Yuanzi is tempted by high office but accepts only after weighing the risks and assurances.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Ya spends three years arranging appointments for the reestablished Demon Tribe’s Heavenly Court, relying heavily on the Human Race to fill its ranks.
• Zhen Yuanzi agrees to attend the founding and serve as one of the Four Emperors, giving Lu Ya an important ally.
• Nuwa approves the completed preparations, provides Lu Ya with three Spiritual Treasures, and sends him to announce the court’s restoration.
• Lu Ya proclaims the Heavenly Court reestablished and declares himself Jade Emperor. The Three Sovereigns of the Human Race and Zhen Yuanzi appear as the Four Emperors, while Human Race members answer the call to serve as generals and celestial soldiers.
• Xu Tong receives a system prompt offering three choices: take the Jade Emperor’s position, remain in seclusion, or secretly ensure Lu Ya’s success. He rejects the first two and chooses to support Lu Ya.
• Xu Tong receives and refines the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal. It absorbs a large amount of his fortune, then links itself to that fortune, with the Chaos Bead helping anchor it. Xu Tong discovers that the seal has an unexpected function and begins considering how to use it in future schemes.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya shows determination and political skill, completing the appointments earlier than planned. He seeks Zhen Yuanzi’s support, then reports to Nuwa before publicly taking the Jade Emperor’s title.
• Zhen Yuanzi commits to the founding, strengthening Lu Ya’s position.
• Nuwa backs the project, rewarding Lu Ya with treasures and urging him to proceed promptly.
• Xu Tong stays cautious about confronting Hongjun, but actively intervenes behind the scenes because the Heavenly Court’s success could disrupt Hongjun’s Dao Integration. His discovery about the jade seal leaves him newly optimistic.

Significant themes

• Political legitimacy and coalition-building: Lu Ya’s authority depends on assembling powerful allies and staffing the court, especially with Human Race support.
• Caution versus intervention: Xu Tong avoids direct exposure but still acts indirectly to protect the broader plan.
• Power, fortune, and hidden purpose: The jade seal’s connection to Xu Tong’s fortune hints that political authority and cosmic fortune may be intertwined.

Plot points

• Lu Ya begins rebuilding the Heavenly Court, but Hongjun sees this as a threat to his plans for the future Investiture Calamity.
• Hongjun intends to fill the calamity’s roster by steering people who should have become Xu Tong’s disciples into the Western Teachings.
• Before he can act, Hongjun secretly turns the Heavenly Court’s fortune against Lu Ya, expecting the pressure to kill him.
• Xu Tong recognizes that the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal can anchor the Heavenly Court’s fortune. He sends it to Lu Ya, who uses it immediately and escapes the danger.
• Hongjun’s divination—and a check with the Creation Jade Disc—confirms that the seal appeared to support the Heavenly Court and belongs to Lu Ya, leaving him baffled.

Character developments and interactions

• Hongjun shifts from planning the Investiture Calamity to acting aggressively against Lu Ya. He suspects Nuwa may be involved, but cannot explain the seal’s appearance.
• Xu Tong demonstrates foresight and control over the seal: though it is fueled by his fortune, he can conceal and reclaim it, and chooses to help Lu Ya.
• Lu Ya is nearly overwhelmed by the Heavenly Court’s fortune, then seizes the unexpected seal and uses it to survive.
• Hongjun and Lu Ya are in indirect conflict: Hongjun attacks through the Heavenly Court’s fortune, while Xu Tong’s intervention frustrates him. Hongjun’s suspicions of Nuwa remain speculation.

Significant themes

• Fortune as power: Heavenly fortune can both threaten and sustain; the seal’s ability to anchor it proves decisive.
• Hidden influence and destiny: Hongjun believes he understands the larger cosmic plan, yet the seal appears to fulfill heaven’s mandate in a way he cannot account for.
• Control versus uncertainty: Hongjun’s schemes are disrupted by forces—and knowledge—outside his grasp.

Key events

• Lu Ya succeeds in establishing the Heavenly Court, with the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal anchoring its fortune. He assumes the seal was a gift from Nuwa and begins refining it.
• Lu Ya thanks Nuwa, crediting her help with his success. Nuwa acknowledges his gratitude but sends him back to manage the newly established court.
• Lu Ya returns as Jade Emperor, reflecting on how he has attained the authority and bearing he once associated with his father.
• Nuwa visits Xu Tong. They recognize that Hongjun noticed the Heavenly Court’s founding and will likely try to dismantle it or remove most of its officials before the Investiture Calamity.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya becomes more confident and majestic as Jade Emperor, while remaining sincerely grateful to Nuwa. He does not realize that the seal—and the court’s fortune—are secretly tied to Xu Tong.
• Nuwa is pleased that Lu Ya remembers her help and satisfied that she has outmaneuvered Hongjun. She knows Xu Tong secretly tampered with the seal, though Lu Ya and even Hongjun cannot detect it.
• Xu Tong views the victory as temporary and anticipates Hongjun’s response. He explains the political difficulty: most Heavenly Court positions are held by powerful humans, so removing them would seriously harm the Human Race.
• Nuwa and Xu Tong share in the success of their scheme and turn to planning what comes next.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and manipulation: Lu Ya believes the seal is his protection, but its deeper control rests with Xu Tong.
• Gratitude and obligation: Lu Ya’s relationship with Nuwa is shaped by his sincere debt to her.
• Power and political constraint: Hongjun may want to reshape the Heavenly Court, but its human leadership makes doing so costly.
• Temporary victory and looming conflict: The court’s founding is a success, yet the Investiture Calamity and Hongjun’s ambitions threaten its future.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong reveals that his group’s long-term plan is to use the Heavenly Court to distract Hongjun and delay his Dao Integration, while Xu Tong grows strong enough to oppose him.
• The Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, which anchors the Heavenly Court’s fortune, is secretly diverting that fortune to Xu Tong, whose Chaos Bead traps it. This makes Lu Ya’s new Heavenly Court a source of wealth for Xu Tong regardless of whether Hongjun later abolishes it.
• Xu Tong expects Hongjun to wait until just before the Investiture Calamity before acting against Lu Ya and the Court.
• Nuwa reluctantly accepts that she may have to help Lu Ya handle difficulties, though Xu Tong reassures her that there is no immediate threat.
• Lu Ya organizes the newly founded Heavenly Court, appointing officials and drawing heavily on the Human Race. Its fortune surpasses even that of the old Demon Tribe’s Heavenly Court at its peak.
• When Lu Ya tries to use that fortune to strengthen himself, he finds it difficult. Xu Tong uses the Jade Seal to tell him that his virtue is “unworthy of his position.”

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong remains hidden and confident, exploiting the Jade Seal to drain the Court’s fortune while ensuring he cannot be suspected.
• Nuwa is frustrated by the prospect of managing Lu Ya’s problems, but is reassured by Xu Tong’s account of Hongjun’s likely timetable.
• Lu Ya takes up the role of Jade Emperor and begins rebuilding the Court from scratch. Though experienced, he is puzzled when he cannot access its apparent wealth and receives a misleading explanation through the Jade Seal.
• Nuwa’s support has helped bring much of the Human Race into Lu Ya’s Court, prompting his gratitude toward her.

Significant themes

• Hidden manipulation: Xu Tong turns the Heavenly Court’s institutions and fortune into tools for his own plan.
• Power versus legitimacy: Lu Ya holds the title of Jade Emperor but cannot readily command the fortune that should empower him.
• Deception and strategic patience: Xu Tong and Hongjun both operate through timing and indirect action, while Lu Ya remains unaware of the forces shaping his position.
• Fortune and political authority: The Court’s immense fortune strengthens its importance, but control of that fortune is not necessarily held by its ruler.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Ya is puzzled that, despite becoming a Quasi-Sage and ruler of the Heavenly Court, he cannot command its Fortune.
• Suspecting interference, he inspects the Court and then examines the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, which is merging with its Fortune. The seal shows no sign of tampering.
• Lu Ya hesitates to question Nuwa, believing the seal may have belonged to her and fearing that challenging her would jeopardize his fragile hold on power.
• He consults Zhen Yuanzi, who explains that the present Heavenly Court is far greater in status and Fortune than the former Demon Tribe court. Lu Ya’s cultivation is simply too weak to bear its ruler’s authority.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya reveals his suspicion and political caution: he seeks answers, but avoids confronting Nuwa until he has strengthened his position.
• Zhen Yuanzi is grateful to Lu Ya for appointing him as one of the Four Emperors. The role has brought him Fortune and merit, and, unexpectedly, helped loosen his long-stalled cultivation bottleneck.
• Zhen Yuanzi treats Lu Ya as the Jade Emperor, while Lu Ya asks them to speak as equals. Their conversation shifts from friendly gratitude to Zhen Yuanzi’s candid explanation of Lu Ya’s limitations.
• Nuwa remains an influential but absent presence; Lu Ya’s dependence on her support underscores his political vulnerability.

Significant themes

• Power must match responsibility: Holding the Heavenly Court’s throne does not mean Lu Ya has the cultivation needed to wield its full authority.
• Political dependence and caution: Lu Ya must balance his suspicions against his reliance on Nuwa.
• Institutional power benefits its members: Zhen Yuanzi’s appointment brings personal advancement, while the Court’s immense status demands exceptional strength.

Key events

• Lu Ya asks Zhen Yuanzi whether the current Heavenly Court differs from the Demon Tribe’s former court.
• Zhen Yuanzi says the present Heavenly Court is far more powerful, though he cannot explain why. Its authority offers greater support, but also seems to demand greater cultivation from its ruler.
• Lu Ya doubts him, then senses the court’s power himself—but finds nothing unusual. Zhen Yuanzi insists his perception is accurate, leaving both concerned.
• They consult the Three Sovereigns of the Human Race. Fuxi, whose memories are returning, confirms that the current Heavenly Court surpasses the old one by at least tenfold in merit, fortune, and favor from heaven and earth.
• The Four Emperors can all perceive this power. Lu Ya alone cannot. Zhen Yuanzi concludes that although Lu Ya holds the title of Jade Emperor, he is not truly the Jade Emperor.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya begins proud and bewildered by Zhen Yuanzi’s claim, but becomes increasingly uneasy as the others confirm it. His new title has not given him the authority or connection he expected.
• Zhen Yuanzi speaks with confidence about the court’s power and becomes suspicious when Lu Ya cannot sense it. He ultimately identifies the mismatch between Lu Ya’s position and his actual status.
• Fuxi provides historical confirmation through his recovering memories and quickly understands Zhen Yuanzi’s explanation.
• Zhen Yuanzi and Lu Ya’s exchange shifts from a disagreement over the Heavenly Court’s strength to a troubling revelation about who truly embodies its authority.

Significant themes

• Title versus legitimacy: Holding the Jade Emperor’s title does not necessarily mean one truly possesses the office’s authority.
• Inherited greatness and comparison with the past: Lu Ya struggles to believe the new court could exceed the one founded by his father’s generation.
• Hidden power and self-knowledge: The Heavenly Court’s strength is evident to others but invisible to its ruler, exposing a deeper problem with Lu Ya’s position.
• Buried grievances: Zhen Yuanzi’s recollection of Hong Yun reveals his enduring hatred of Hongjun and his belief that Hong Yun’s death was used to settle karmic debts.

Key plot points and events

• Zhen Yuanzi explains that although Lu Ya holds the title and authority of Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Court has not truly recognized him. His status is temporary and could be taken away.
• Lu Ya lacks the cultivation, merit, and fortune needed to secure the position. His Nine-Dragon Jade Seal is the only thing sustaining his claim, but it is merging with the Heavenly Court’s fortune and may soon cease to support him.
• The Human Race’s Three Sovereigns and Zhen Yuanzi qualify as Four Emperors through their strength, merit, or the Human Race’s accumulated fortune. Lu Ya, by contrast, has no comparable basis.
• Alarmed, Lu Ya rushes to Nuwa for help. She confirms that he is unqualified and says she cannot resolve the problem immediately, sending him away while she considers what to do.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya shifts from confusion to panic and appeals to Nuwa, genuinely feeling wronged despite exaggerating his distress. His dependence on her reinforces doubts about his suitability as ruler.
• Zhen Yuanzi explains Lu Ya’s precarious position and reflects on the karmic debt he owes Lu Ya for helping him obtain a Four Emperors post.
• Fuxi sees Lu Ya as incapable and privately considers the possibility that he could become Jade Emperor. He believes the Human Race’s dominance within the Heavenly Court gives its leaders real power, regardless of Lu Ya’s title.
• Nuwa recognizes that Lu Ya’s former status as Demon Court crown prince does not qualify him to lead the present Heavenly Court. She remains involved largely because of her trust in Xu Tong, not because she values Lu Ya.

Significant themes

• Legitimacy versus title: Holding an office does not guarantee recognition or authority.
• Merit and fitness to rule: Lu Ya’s past rank cannot replace the strength, virtue, or fortune required for the Jade Emperor’s position.
• Political power and collective influence: The Human Race’s control of most Heavenly Court positions may matter more than the nominal ruler.
• Karmic obligation and shifting power: Zhen Yuanzi’s debt to Lu Ya and Fuxi’s ambitions complicate the question of who will ultimately rule.

Key plot points and events

• Nuwa dismisses Lu Ya without a solution to his inability to govern as Jade Emperor and asks Xu Tong what to do.
• Xu Tong proposes replacing Lu Ya with Fuxi. He argues that the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, which he controls, gives him influence over the Heavenly Court’s fortune and that Fuxi’s human fortune and merit make the transfer feasible.
• Xu Tong sees Fuxi’s rule as a way to create a stable, enduring Heavenly Court—and a continuing source of fortune for himself. Nuwa agrees, partly because Fuxi is her brother.
• Meanwhile, Hongjun plots to ruin Lu Ya’s reputation and remove him, laying traps in the hope of destabilizing the current Heavenly Court. He does not realize that Lu Ya is about to be replaced, so his plans may end up helping Fuxi instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya proves incapable of handling the Jade Emperor’s responsibilities and leaves the decision to Nuwa.
• Nuwa loses patience with Lu Ya but remains aligned with Xu Tong; her concern for her brother also makes her eager to support Fuxi.
• Xu Tong shifts from trying to make Lu Ya work to backing Fuxi, presenting the change as practical while also recognizing its benefits for his own access to fortune.
• Hongjun continues maneuvering against the Heavenly Court, but his focus on Lu Ya leaves him unaware of the leadership change.

Significant themes

• Fitness to rule: Lu Ya’s failure suggests that holding a title is not enough; the Jade Emperor must be capable and virtuous.
• Power and fortune: Control of the Jade Emperor’s seal and the Heavenly Court’s fortune is central to political influence.
• Schemes and unintended consequences: Hongjun’s traps may strengthen the very leadership he seeks to undermine.
• Family and allegiance: Nuwa’s support for Fuxi reflects both political strategy and family loyalty.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Ya returns to the Heavenly Court anxious that Nuwa may abandon him and appoint someone else as Jade Emperor.
• He recognizes that the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal is the main thing preserving his claim. Once it merges with the Court’s fortune, he may lose his last connection to the throne—but removing it now could unleash that fortune against him.
• Convinced he must grow stronger quickly, Lu Ya seeks Nuwa’s help again.
• Nuwa says she has no straightforward solution and refuses to spend her own merit and fortune to empower him. She ultimately advises him to seek Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor, who could potentially transform his cultivation.
• Nuwa’s advice is part of a plan: she and her allies no longer intend to give Lu Ya another opportunity to become Jade Emperor, and sending him to Hongjun may put him at the Dao Ancestor’s mercy.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya grows increasingly desperate and possessive of the throne. He believes he deserves it because he helped build the Heavenly Court, yet has no means to secure it himself. His shift from calling Nuwa “Empress Nuwa” to “Saint Nuwa” reveals how his deference changes with his prospects.
• Nuwa remains outwardly courteous but is calculating. She sees Lu Ya’s character clearly and will not risk her own fortune—or Fuxi’s safety—to strengthen him. She redirects Lu Ya toward Hongjun while concealing the full implications.
• Hongjun is an unseen but powerful threat. Nuwa fears his scrutiny, especially toward Fuxi, while Lu Ya’s visit to him may expose Lu Ya to manipulation or replacement.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Lu Ya’s title depends on the Jade Seal and Heavenly Court’s fortune, not merely on his past efforts.
• Political manipulation: Nuwa’s advice is only partly sincere; apparent assistance serves a larger scheme.
• Self-interest and loyalty: Lu Ya expects support, but Nuwa will not make costly sacrifices for him.
• Precarious authority: The Heavenly Court remains unstable, and even its ruler’s position can vanish as alliances and fortune shift.

Plot points

• Lu Ya thanks Nuwa and leaves, believing his new status as Jade Emperor entitles him to speak with her as an equal. Nuwa views his confidence coldly and intends to let him pursue his ambitions.
• Nuwa sends Lingzhuzi to the mortal realm to undergo a destined tribulation. She reassures him that, though he will face mortal danger and be frightened, he will survive and grow stronger; she allows him to take magical treasures.
• Lu Ya goes to Hongjun for help, admitting he is not qualified to become the Heavenly Court’s true ruler. Hongjun agrees to help improve his cultivation and brings him into the Purple Cloud Palace.
• Privately, Hongjun plans to favor his trusted Daoist Attendant instead. He expects the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal to finish merging with the Heavenly Court’s fortune, at which point Lu Ya will lose his claim and others can compete for the rulership.
• Nuwa tells Xu Tong that Lu Ya has gone to Hongjun. Xu Tong says this outcome was anticipated and confirms that the seal’s completed merger will mark the contest for control of the Heavenly Court.

Character developments and interactions

• Nuwa is decisive and protective: she uses Lu Ya’s ambition for her own purposes while carefully preparing Lingzhuzi for his tribulation.
• Lingzhuzi is timid and anxious about being sent away, but leaves reassured and eager after Nuwa promises his safety.
• Lu Ya is ambitious but insecure about his legitimacy, placing his hopes in Hongjun.
• Hongjun appears welcoming but is calculating; he exploits Lu Ya’s need for help while planning to install his own attendant instead.
• Xu Tong remains composed and strategic, having already accounted for this turn of events in his plans.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Lu Ya’s title does not guarantee authority; his right to rule depends on cultivation and the Heavenly Court’s fortune.
• Political maneuvering: Both Nuwa and Hongjun steer events toward their own objectives, while Xu Tong anticipates competing plans.
• Tribulation and growth: Lingzhuzi’s frightening mortal ordeal is presented as a necessary step toward greater strength.

Plot points

• Lu Ya enters the Purple Cloud Palace hoping its powerful laws will help him quickly break through.
• Hongjun offers two paths: slow cultivation in the palace with spiritual pills, or faster but dangerous training on the edge of life and death.
• Lu Ya chooses the safer first method. Hongjun gives him pills, then seals him inside an isolated pocket realm where he cannot access the wider world’s laws—and therefore cannot actually break through.
• Hongjun plans to keep Lu Ya contained until his Daoist Attendant can become the true ruler of the Heavenly Court. He intends to release Lu Ya later and allow his cultivation to improve, so he considers himself technically faithful to his promise.
• Hongjun asks his Daoist Attendant whether he wants to become the Jade Emperor. The attendant declines, preferring to remain at Hongjun’s side.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ya is eager to advance but cautious about risking his life. His choice reflects both ambition and a preference for security.
• Hongjun presents himself as helpful but manipulates Lu Ya’s decision, using the safer option to delay his progress. He regards Lu Ya as insignificant and sees the Heavenly Court’s leadership as something to control.
• The Daoist Attendant shows loyalty and modesty by refusing the Jade Emperor’s position, despite its prestige. He believes his current status beside Hongjun is preferable.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and deceptive promises: Hongjun exploits the wording of his promise while secretly preventing the outcome Lu Ya wants.
• Risk versus security: Lu Ya chooses a safer, slower path over a potentially fatal shortcut.
• Power and status: Hongjun’s contempt for weaker beings contrasts with the attendant’s lack of interest in worldly rank.

Key plot points and events

• Hongjun orders his Daoist Attendant to compete for the Jade Emperor’s position. He says Lu Ya is unworthy and will lose the title once the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal finishes merging with the Heavenly Court’s fortune.
• Hongjun reflects that Lu Ya’s accidental role in restoring the Heavenly Court is fortunate for him: a more formidable claimant, such as Fuxi, would be much harder to oppose.
• Xu Tong continues guiding the Jade Seal’s merger and asks Nuwa whether she intends to make Fuxi ruler of the Heavenly Court.
• Fearing Hongjun’s retaliation and the possibility of losing her brother again, Nuwa hesitates. Xu Tong urges her to let Fuxi decide.
• Nuwa asks Fuxi directly. He is astonished to learn that becoming Jade Emperor is genuinely an option, then says that if it is possible, he wants the position.

Character developments and interactions

• Hongjun acts strategically, moving to replace Lu Ya while acknowledging that Fuxi would be a far more difficult rival.
• Hongjun’s Daoist Attendant reluctantly accepts the order to pursue the throne, despite preferring his easier role at Hongjun’s side.
• Nuwa reveals that fear for Fuxi’s safety outweighs the enormous benefits she recognizes in the Jade Emperor’s position. She ultimately respects his right to choose.
• Xu Tong manages the Jade Seal’s merger and encourages Nuwa to consult Fuxi rather than decide out of fear.
• Fuxi shifts from disbelief to firm interest in the throne once he understands he can claim it.

Significant themes

• Power and danger: The Jade Emperor’s office offers immense benefits but risks provoking Hongjun.
• Choice versus protection: Nuwa must balance safeguarding Fuxi with allowing him to pursue power on his own terms.
• Legitimacy and capability: Hongjun dismisses Lu Ya as unfit to rule, while recognizing Fuxi as a potentially formidable contender.

Key plot points and events

• Fuxi tells Nuwa he wants to become the Jade Emperor—not for authority’s sake, but to secure the Human Race’s future by bringing the Heavenly Court under its control.
• Nuwa approves and takes him to Xu Tong, who agrees to help. Xu Tong offers Fuxi access to the hidden mechanisms within the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, the artifact anchoring the Heavenly Court’s fortune.
• Once Fuxi controls the seal, he can govern the Heavenly Court. His fortune and merit should let him formally take the Jade Emperor’s position, though his cultivation is not yet strong enough to command the Court’s full power.
• Xu Tong explains that he has already absorbed much of the Heavenly Court’s fortune. The remainder must be preserved to keep the Court stable, so he is willing to give up his control of the seal.
• With Fuxi set to become Jade Emperor, one of the Four Emperors’ positions will become vacant. Xu Tong and Nuwa consider offering it to the Western Teachings in exchange for benefits, or assigning it to a capable member of Xu Tong’s faction.

Character developments and interactions

• Fuxi shifts from avoiding power to pursuing a high position for the sake of the Human Race. He sincerely thanks Xu Tong for enabling this and promises the Human Race will remember his help.
• Nuwa supports Fuxi’s plan with confidence, trusting that she and Xu Tong’s allies can secure the position. She also disparages the Western Sages, Zhunti and Jieyin, for their constant scheming.
• Xu Tong demonstrates trust in Fuxi by surrendering access to the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, despite the control it gives over Heavenly Court fortune. He then turns to Nuwa for news of wider events and discusses the vacant Four Emperors’ seat.

Significant themes

• Power as responsibility: Fuxi seeks authority to protect and advance the Human Race, rather than for personal ambition.
• Trust and cooperation: Xu Tong’s willingness to relinquish control enables Fuxi’s rise and reflects their alliance.
• Political maneuvering and stability: The characters weigh appointments and exchanges carefully, while recognizing that the Heavenly Court’s depleted fortune leaves it vulnerable to further upheaval.

Key plot points and events

• A seat among the Heavenly Court’s Four Emperors is vacant. Nuwa rejects Xu Tong’s suggestion that it go to someone from the Western Teachings, fearing Zhunti and Jieyin would use the position to expand their influence.
• Nuwa, Houtu, and Xu Tong cannot readily provide a suitable candidate, so Fuxi suggests his former teacher, Black Tortoise. Nuwa and Xu Tong agree that Black Tortoise’s cultivation qualifies him.
• Xu Tong leaves the persuasion to Fuxi, since he wants to avoid becoming more entangled with others.
• Fuxi visits Black Tortoise and invites him to take the position. Black Tortoise immediately refuses, unwilling to leave his secluded cultivation at Xu Tong’s Dao Field.

Character developments and interactions

• Nuwa shows her lasting distrust of the Western Teachings and welcomes Black Tortoise as a suitable alternative.
• Xu Tong remains detached from court affairs and values solitude, believing involvement with others would disrupt his cultivation.
• Fuxi continues to honor Black Tortoise as his teacher, even though Black Tortoise repeatedly asks him to treat them as fellow Daoists. Fuxi invokes the Human Race’s saying that “a teacher for a day is a father for life.”
• Black Tortoise reveals his loyalty to Xu Tong and his preference for quiet cultivation. Though he denies being Fuxi’s full teacher, he has accepted a teacher-student bond in practice; he also models his secluded life on Xu Tong’s example.

Significant themes

• Political influence and distrust: The vacant seat is important not only for its status but for the influence it could give the Western Teachings.
• Solitude versus responsibility: Black Tortoise’s refusal and Xu Tong’s distance from affairs of state emphasize the appeal of cultivation away from worldly obligations.
• Loyalty and respect: Fuxi’s persistent address and Black Tortoise’s attachment to Xu Tong show how personal bonds can endure despite attempts to define them more narrowly.

Plot points

• Fuxi invites Black Tortoise to take an open seat among the Heavenly Court’s Four Emperors, explaining that it is an advantageous position.
• Black Tortoise firmly refuses. He wants only to remain in Xu Tong’s Dao Field and cultivate in seclusion; even ruling the Heavenly Court would not tempt him.
• Nuwa worries that, if Black Tortoise declines, Zhunti and Jieyin of the Western Teachings may claim the vacant seat.
• Xu Tong initially takes a neutral stance, saying Black Tortoise should follow his own path and that he has already considered what to do if the seat stays vacant.
• Nuwa argues that the Western Teachings could use the position to gain influence over the Heavenly Court and undermine Fuxi’s authority.
• Xu Tong recognizes that this risk is real and agrees that Black Tortoise would be the best candidate.

Character developments and interactions

• Black Tortoise shows how little he values rank, power, or political influence. His loyalty is to his quiet life in Xu Tong’s Dao Field.
• Fuxi is bewildered by Black Tortoise’s refusal and tries to persuade him by emphasizing the position’s benefits, but eventually realizes Black Tortoise’s mind is made up.
• Nuwa moves from concern to strategic persuasion. She appeals to Xu Tong’s interest in protecting the Heavenly Court from Western Teachings’ influence.
• Xu Tong remains calm and respects Black Tortoise’s choice, but reconsiders his position when Nuwa lays out the political consequences.
• The exchange highlights the contrast between Black Tortoise’s personal desire for seclusion and the others’ concern with the Heavenly Court’s balance of power.

Significant themes

• Personal choice versus political duty: Black Tortoise rejects status and obligation in favor of the life he wants.
• Power and influence: A single vacant appointment could reshape who controls the Heavenly Court.
• Pragmatism and trust: Xu Tong sees the Western Teachings as calculating but potentially dependable when interests align; Nuwa instead emphasizes the danger they pose to the Human Race’s influence.

Key events

• Xu Tong reluctantly advises Black Tortoise to accept a position among the Heavenly Court’s Four Emperors, explaining its future benefits.
• Black Tortoise agrees, trusting Xu Tong’s judgment. He asks whether Fuxi gave up his own position to make room for him.
• Fuxi clarifies that he surrendered the Four Emperor seat because he expects to become ruler of the Heavenly Court.
• Black Tortoise leaves Xu Tong’s Dao Field with Fuxi. At the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, Xu Tong guides Fuxi in taking control of it, then relinquishes his own providential hold.
• Once Fuxi claims the seal, Lu Ya realizes he has lost his temporary rule over the Heavenly Court. He accepts the setback, noting that his cultivation gains and Hongjun’s gifts are some consolation.

Character developments and interactions

• Black Tortoise moves from reluctance to acceptance, motivated by loyalty to Xu Tong rather than personal ambition. His trust in Xu Tong is reinforced by the advice.
• Xu Tong puts aside his personal reluctance and actively supports Black Tortoise’s appointment, while secretly enabling Fuxi’s rise by transferring control of the seal.
• Fuxi shows that his decision to give up a Four Emperor seat serves a larger political plan. He and Black Tortoise leave together, and Fuxi follows Xu Tong’s instructions to secure the seal.
• Lu Ya loses the position he hoped to retain and accepts that it was not meant for him, choosing to value the benefits he gained instead.

Significant themes

• Trust and loyalty: Black Tortoise accepts Xu Tong’s counsel because he believes Xu Tong will not harm him.
• Duty over status: Fuxi treats positions as tools for serving broader interests, not as personal prizes.
• Hidden power and political maneuvering: Xu Tong’s quiet control of the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal determines who can rule the Heavenly Court, while Hongjun misjudges Fuxi’s ability to affect the succession.
• Acceptance of loss: Lu Ya responds to defeat by focusing on what he has gained.

Key plot points and events

• Fuxi becomes Jade Emperor by using the Human Race’s fortune and merit, securing the throne before the Nine-Dragon Jade Seal fuses with the Heavenly Court’s fortune.
• Hongjun confronts Lu Ya, expecting an explanation. Lu Ya reveals he only superficially refined the seal and suggests Fuxi may have refined it himself. Hongjun realizes his plans for the Investiture Calamity are largely ruined: Fuxi is protected by his ties to Nuwa and the Human Race, making him difficult to oppose.
• Fuxi discovers that the Heavenly Court’s authority has greatly boosted his strength, bringing him to the level of one who has severed two corpses. Xu Tong warns that this is only a fraction of the Court’s former power and makes clear he can still influence the Jade Seal.
• As his first major appointment, Fuxi makes Black Tortoise one of the Four Emperors. Black Tortoise is astonished by the fortune and merit he gains, reflecting on how far his fortunes have risen since following Xu Tong.

Character developments and interactions

• Hongjun shifts from confidence to frustration and helplessness. His exchange with Lu Ya exposes a major oversight: Lu Ya never fully refined the seal that was central to his claim.
• Lu Ya accepts that he has lost any chance at the throne and offers little resistance, though his earlier negligence contributed to the outcome.
• Fuxi embraces his new authority and its power, while showing satisfaction rather than ambition for still greater strength. He treats Black Tortoise as a fellow Daoist rather than a master, reflecting their changed status.
• Xu Tong supports Fuxi but remains cautious, using the Jade Seal to remind him that its power is not entirely beyond Xu Tong’s reach.
• Black Tortoise accepts his elevated role with confidence and gratitude, recognizing his unexpected rise.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Fuxi’s authority rests on Human Race fortune and merit, not merely the Jade Seal or cultivation.
• The limits of control: Hongjun cannot easily interfere with a ruler backed by Nuwa and the Human Race, while even Fuxi’s immense new power remains constrained by his cultivation and the Court’s diminished fortune.
• Fortune and transformation: Black Tortoise’s rise illustrates how alliances and accumulated fortune can change a character’s prospects.
• Changing relationships: Fuxi’s ascension alters how he addresses and relates to those who once stood above or below him.

Key plot points and events

• Hongjun considers destroying the current Heavenly Court, which does not match his plans, but the Heavenly Dao directly blocks him. Because Xu Tong has absorbed half the Court’s fortune, abolishing it might prevent a Heavenly Court from ever existing again.
• The Heavenly Dao warns that defying it could force Hongjun out of Dao Integration permanently. To learn how the Investiture Calamity can still proceed under Fuxi’s rule, Hongjun temporarily merges with the Heavenly Dao.
• The merger lets him perceive the calamity’s true purpose: the Primordial World must remove powerful beings who lack sufficient merit and fortune, preserving their true spirits on the Investiture List and preventing them from cultivating again.
• The Heavenly Court is only one possible destination for those affected. If it has enough personnel, they can be assigned to the Underworld or another organization.
• Realizing the Underworld is severely understaffed, Hongjun sees a way to proceed: he can use its staffing needs—potentially claiming reincarnation is in danger—as a pretext to send people there.

Character developments

• Hongjun puts Dao Integration above revenge or uncovering how events went wrong. Though the Heavenly Dao’s influence leaves him unusually emotionless, he now has a practical route for advancing the calamity without destroying the Heavenly Court.
• Fuxi remains lord of the Heavenly Court, but Hongjun accepts that this change does not prevent the Investiture Calamity.
• Xu Tong is revealed to have absorbed half the Heavenly Court’s fortune, making the Court’s continued existence crucial.

Significant themes

• Order versus personal ambition: The Heavenly Dao prioritizes the Primordial World’s stability over Hongjun’s plans.
• The cost of power: Merging with the impartial Heavenly Dao risks eroding Hongjun’s own identity.
• Institutional purpose over form: The Investiture Calamity is about removing excess powerful beings, not necessarily filling the Heavenly Court.
• Fate and manipulation: Hongjun intends to exploit the Underworld’s needs to steer events toward his preferred outcome.

Character interactions

• Hongjun’s attempted dissolution of the Heavenly Court brings him into direct conflict with the Heavenly Dao, which refuses to let him disrupt the world’s order.
• In his temporary union with the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun gains insight into how the calamity can proceed despite Fuxi’s leadership and the Heavenly Court’s adequate staffing.