Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• When the Saints ask Hongjun to intervene on behalf of Gungun and Hou Yi, Tongtian secretly pulls the pair from inside Dijun and presents them unharmed in the Pure World White Lotus.
• Tongtian argues that Xi He caused the conflict by luring Gungun and Hou Yi into a trap, and offers to imprison them on Golden Turtle Island if Hongjun considers them guilty. Zhunti objects, since Gungun is a leader of the Western Religion, but Hongjun silences him.
• Hongjun sends Zhunti and Jieyin back to the Pure Land, rebukes Zhunti for his greedy conduct, and orders Jieyin to keep watch over him. Laozi and Yuanshi then leave. Yuanshi invites Gungun to Kunlun, but Gungun declines so he can remain with Houtu and the Witches. Tongtian departs after reminding Gungun that he rescued him.
• Dijun appeals to Hongjun for justice, accusing the Witches of killing his warriors and Xi He. The Witches counter that the Demon Race provoked the conflict: Xi He seduced Gungun and Hou Yi, then tried to lure them to their deaths. Dijun and Taiyi attack in anger, but Hongjun stops them.
• As the two races move toward renewed battle, Hongjun forbids a decisive war to protect the still-damaged Primordial World. He rules that Xi He brought her death upon herself and orders the Witches to withdraw, warning both sides against breaking the truce.
• Gungun quietly declares, “The Dao Ancestor is unjust.” The chapter ends as someone angrily rebukes him for speaking against Hongjun.

Character developments and interactions

• Tongtian rescues Gungun and Hou Yi while pretending to be casual, and openly champions their innocence. His eagerness to claim Gungun’s attention—and his proposal to “suppress” him on Golden Turtle Island—mixes concern with self-interest and rivalry with Zhunti.
• Gungun remains wary of powerful figures and chooses to stay beside Houtu rather than accept Yuanshi’s offer. Despite trying to keep a low profile, he ultimately challenges Hongjun’s ruling.
• Zhunti tries to defend his religious authority and push for further compensation, but Hongjun shuts him down and sends him home. Jieyin is left to supervise him.
• Yuanshi shows goodwill toward Gungun by offering him a place at Kunlun, and accepts his refusal without resentment.
• Dijun is consumed by grief and anger over his sons and wife, but his appeal for justice is undermined by the Witches’ account of the Demon Race’s role.
• Hongjun asserts authority over both Saints and the two races, prioritizing peace over personal grievances. His ruling, however, appears to Gungun—and possibly others—to favor the Witches.

Significant themes

• Justice versus peace: Hongjun prevents a wider catastrophe, but his settlement leaves questions about whether fairness has been sacrificed for stability.
• Responsibility and provocation: Both sides frame themselves as victims, while the chapter traces the conflict back to the Demon Race’s actions.
• Power and favoritism: The Saints’ competing claims over Gungun reveal how even “rescue” can become a struggle for influence.
• Grief versus the greater good: Hongjun demands that Dijun set aside personal loss for the Primordial World, a demand Dijun clearly finds intolerable.

Chapter Summary: “Halting the Battle, Witches and Demons Lay Down Their Arms”

Key plot points and events

• Hongjun halts Dijun’s attack on Gungun by freezing him in place, then asks Gungun what punishment he considers fair.
• Gungun argues that the Demon Race repeatedly provoked the Witch Race and defied Hongjun’s truce decree. He also demands compensation for Taiyi’s earlier destruction of the Iron-Eating Forest’s protective formation.
• Dijun and Taiyi counter that Gungun meddled in the Demon Race’s relationship with Ao Yue and the Dragon Race. Houtu and Gungun rebut them, insisting the Dragon Race never belonged to the Demon Race.
• Hongjun orders the Demon Race to compensate the Iron-Eating Beast Clan. After Gungun protests that one treasure is inadequate, the award is raised to three innate Numinous Treasures.
• To punish the Demon Race for breaking the truce, Gungun proposes stripping it of sovereignty over the Lunar Star. Hongjun accepts, but decrees that Chang’e alone will govern the star and forbids both races from entering it.
• Dijun reluctantly hands over three low-grade treasures. The Witch Race then withdraws, and the Demon Race later withdraws its formation as well.
• Before leaving, Gungun suggests sending Jade Rabbit and witches to accompany and protect Chang’e, but Hongjun’s ruling prevents either faction from occupying the Lunar Star.
• Hongjun warns Dijun to govern the Heavenly Realm and restrain his followers. Dijun blames Xi He for the crisis and leads the Demon Race back to heaven.

Character developments

• Gungun proves to be a shrewd negotiator beneath his usually lazy exterior. He secures compensation and a significant political concession while carefully avoiding a renewed battle. His attempt to gain access to the Lunar Star is blocked, however.
• Hongjun acts as the authority preventing a full-scale war. He balances punishment against the danger of weakening the Demon Race too much, and ultimately protects the Lunar Star’s neutrality through Chang’e’s appointment.
• Dijun is forced to accept the ruling despite his rage and humiliation. His hatred of Gungun deepens, while his final words reveal that he holds Xi He responsible for the Demon Race’s losses.
• Houtu defends Gungun and challenges the Demon Race’s claim over Ao Yue and the Dragon Race.
• Taiyi regrets failing to protect Xi He, but Dijun dismisses his apology and says Xi He’s actions brought the disaster on herself.

Character interactions

• Gungun and the Demon rulers trade accusations before Hongjun, with Houtu supporting Gungun’s argument that the Demon Race had no right to control the Dragon Race.
• Gungun repeatedly presses Hongjun to enforce his own decree, while Hongjun weighs the competing demands and settles on penalties the factions can accept.
• The Ancestral Witches look to Gungun for guidance before retreating, recognizing his skill in securing concessions.
• Gungun’s taunts toward Dijun—especially his remarks about Chang’e—nearly reignite the confrontation, prompting Hongjun to impose strict neutrality on the Lunar Star.

Significant themes

• Law and accountability: Gungun argues that Hongjun’s decree means little if violations go unpunished.
• Negotiation over war: Both sides are made to stand down, but only after Gungun secures material and political concessions.
• Power and sovereignty: The dispute over the Dragon Race and Lunar Star centers on who has the right to claim or govern another group’s domain.
• Restraint and consequences: Hongjun’s intervention prevents immediate catastrophe, while Dijun’s resentment suggests the conflict between the races remains unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• On Mount Buzhou, Houtu confronts Gungun for secretly possessing the Twelfth-Grade Pure World White Lotus. Angry that he kept it from her—and especially that he insulted her in his thoughts—she gives him a rough, comic beating.
• Gungun explains that he hid the lotus to protect the Witch Race from a difficult choice: if Tongtian learned Gungun had the treasure he wanted to anchor Jiejiao’s fortune, the Saint might demand it, forcing the Witches either to surrender it or risk a conflict.
• His explanation persuades the Ancestral Witches that his secrecy was meant to spare them trouble. Houtu offers to take the lotus into her keeping, but Gungun says it anchors the Iron-Eating Beast Clan’s fortune and then hands it over anyway.
• Houtu ultimately refuses to keep it, since she cannot use spiritual treasures and the lotus makes Gungun a more valuable asset to the Witch Race. Dijiang declares that they must not give it up: Gungun needs it to maintain his strength, and Tongtian is unlikely to take it by force.
• The Witches debate the danger of antagonizing a Saint. Dijiang argues that after victory over the Demon Race, the Witch Race’s fortune will make them powerful enough to face even Tongtian. Gungun praises his confidence while privately doubting that this future will come to pass.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun uses theatrical tears and a carefully framed explanation to win the Witches’ sympathy and secure their protection. He also understands Houtu’s possessiveness: openly offering his treasure is safer than refusing her.
• Houtu shifts from anger to being moved by Gungun’s supposed loyalty, then shows that her concern for him outweighs her desire to possess the lotus. Her affection remains teasing and forceful.
• Dijiang takes a decisive, protective stance, treating the lotus as a strategic asset and backing Gungun against the possibility that Tongtian may seek it.
• Qiang Liang and Zhu Jiuyin raise practical concerns about provoking a Saint and Tongtian’s formidable sword formation, prompting Dijiang to defend his bold strategy.
• The exchange between Houtu and Gungun mixes scolding, affection, and manipulation; the siblings’ discussion reveals both their unity and their confidence in the Witch Race’s collective strength.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and trust: Gungun presents secrecy as an effort to protect the Witches, and they respond by strengthening their commitment to protect him.
• Power and political calculation: A treasure’s value lies not only in its combat ability but also in its role in securing a clan’s fortune and shaping relations with Saints.
• Family and possession: Houtu’s rough treatment of Gungun is portrayed as an expression of familiar affection, though Gungun has learned to manage her temperament.
• Confidence versus foreboding: Dijiang’s certainty contrasts with Gungun’s private doubts, foreshadowing a possible gap between the Witches’ ambitions and reality.

Chapter Summary: “Taking One Day Off”

• Plot and events: No story events take place. The author explains that they returned exhausted, needed to wake early the next day, and chose to go to bed early to adjust their sleep schedule.
• Character development: No fictional characters appear or develop; the chapter is an author’s note.
• Themes: Rest, fatigue, and the need to balance work with sleep.
• Interactions: The author apologizes to readers for the day off and asks them to bookmark and recommend the novel, noting that updates will continue.

Plot points and events

• Houtu overhears Gungun’s private thought that neither the Demon Race nor the Witch Race may ultimately prevail. Remembering how the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin races exhausted themselves in an earlier struggle, she fears the witches and demons may suffer the same fate.
• After the Ancestral Witches leave to continue refining the Demon-Slaying Sword, Houtu takes Gungun away from Mount Buzhou to discuss the Witch Race’s future.
• Gungun estimates that the witches have less than a 60% chance of winning a decisive war. The Demon Race’s Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation remains a formidable counter, and a prolonged battle in the starry sky would disadvantage the witches.
• Houtu realizes Gungun’s estimate does not include his own strength and becomes angry at his apparent reluctance to fight, punching him twice. When she asks whether both races could be devastated, Gungun says that is possible.
• Gungun suggests preparing a retreat for the Witch Race, citing how the defeated Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin races secured survival through merit or vows. Houtu rejects the idea as unworthy of Pangu’s descendants.
• A wave of vengeful spirits—victims of the ten suns’ rampage—appears. Houtu sends them to the Sea of Blood. Gungun privately wonders whether they can be reincarnated and hopes Houtu will remain herself. Houtu hears the thought and is alarmed by its implications.

Character developments

• Houtu shifts from confidence in the Witch Race’s cause to serious doubt about the consequences of victory and defeat. She begins considering the possibility of mutual ruin and is troubled by what might become of her people.
• Gungun shows strategic insight and caution, recognizing the Demon Race’s true advantage and advocating preparation rather than reliance on fate. He avoids revealing more than he means to, though his thoughts hint at Houtu’s possible future transformation and the spirits’ reincarnation.
• Houtu and Gungun’s relationship remains familiar and affectionate, but their exchange also exposes tension: Houtu expects him to contribute to the struggle, while Gungun prefers to avoid combat.

Significant themes

• The cost of supremacy: The earlier collapse of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin races foreshadows the danger that both current rivals may destroy themselves.
• Self-reliance versus fate: Gungun advises preparing for uncertainty rather than trying to decipher Heaven’s will.
• Survival and retreat: Houtu struggles to reconcile the Witch Race’s pride and divine ancestry with the possibility that preserving it may require a path of retreat.
• Rebirth and transformation: The vengeful spirits’ arrival, alongside Gungun’s thoughts about reincarnation and Houtu’s identity, introduces the prospect of a larger change to come.

Character interactions

• Houtu questions Gungun about the Witch Race’s purpose, its chances in war, and the possibility of shared destruction; he answers candidly but cautiously.
• She reacts physically and angrily when she suspects he is withholding his fighting strength, then turns to him for advice about the race’s survival.
• Houtu silently hears Gungun’s thoughts, creating an intimate but uneasy connection: his private concerns trigger her final alarm about reincarnation and her own future.

Key plot points and events

• Houtu gives Gungun the Earth Emperor Seal and puts him in charge of the Nether Capital and the earth’s affairs while she and the other Ancestral Witches refine the Demon-Slaying Sword and pursue greater cultivation.
• She also entrusts him with finding a way for the Witch Race to survive, even if that means enduring the kind of humiliation suffered by the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Tribes.
• Gungun initially resists the workload, but recognizes Houtu is trying to keep him out of the coming war. Though uneasy about being spared, he accepts the seal and runs after her.
• In the Heavenly Court, Bai Ze reports heavy Demon Race losses: hundreds of thousands of soldiers dead, Xi He fallen, Taiyi badly weakened, and the Lunar Star lost. Di Jun agrees to release imprisoned Demon forces to rebuild their strength.
• Kunpeng urges the Demon Race to prepare to slaughter the Human Race and forge the Witch-Slaying Sword after the Dao Ancestor’s truce ends. He argues that the Witch Race will delay attacking until it feels ready.
• Bai Ze distrusts Kunpeng’s advice and instead asks Di Jun to personally invite Ao Yue back as Taiyi’s protector. After reflecting on past mistakes and the value of Ao Yue’s strength, Di Jun agrees.

Character development and interactions

• Houtu shifts from considering direct questions about Gungun to placing profound trust in him. Her solemn farewell reveals her fear for the Witch Race’s future and her desire to protect him.
• Gungun remains reluctant to work and fight, but Houtu’s trust unsettles his plans to withdraw. His decision to follow her suggests he may not be content to abandon the Witch Race.
• Di Jun shows a rare willingness to reconsider his past actions. Grief over his sons helps him understand Taiyi’s former position and admit he may have treated Ao Yue wrongly.
• Bai Ze acts as a cautious strategist, challenging Kunpeng’s proposal and risking Di Jun’s displeasure to advocate for Ao Yue’s return.
• Kunpeng promotes a dangerous plan centered on the Witch-Slaying Sword; Bai Ze suspects he is deliberately steering the Demon Race toward harm. The exchange exposes distrust within the Heavenly Court.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and survival: Houtu accepts that preserving the Witch Race may require painful compromises.
• Trust and responsibility: Gungun is entrusted with the race’s future, despite his reluctance and desire to avoid the war.
• Political calculation versus loyalty: Bai Ze prioritizes the Demon Race’s survival, while Kunpeng’s motives appear suspect.
• Regret and reconciliation: Di Jun’s grief changes his view of the past and makes him willing to restore a former ally.
• War’s approaching cost: Both factions have suffered serious losses and are preparing for a decisive conflict, even as the Dao Ancestor’s truce temporarily restrains them.

Plot and key events

• In the Demon Court, Kunpeng privately resents Bai Ze for persuading Dijun to invite Ao Yue back. Kunpeng hopes to become the Demon Race’s leading power while it is weakened, but fears Ao Yue’s return will block his ambitions and keep him under scrutiny.
• Dijun tells Taiyi that he will travel to the East Sea to seek Ao Yue. Taiyi doubts Ao Yue will return because the demons once attacked the dragons and caused many casualties.
• Dijun admits he was wrong to force Ao Yue and the Dragon Race into submission. He explains that he endured the loss of his children rather than risk the Demon Race’s destruction, but recognizes that his past choices helped alienate Ao Yue. He intends to apologize and ease the family’s estrangement, even if Ao Yue refuses to return. Dijun promises Taiyi he will not fight Ao Yue and leaves alone.
• Meanwhile, Houtu and Gungun travel across lands devastated by the Ten Golden Crows’ Solar True Fire. At the ruins of Yellowwood Forest, they meet young Yellow Birds who have stayed because their parents and elders died there.
• Gungun responds impatiently to the birds’ grief, but Houtu comforts them and orders Gungun to relocate them to Spirit Mountain, where they can live safely. She gathers what remains of the dead birds and reflects that all beings suffer in both life and death. More resentful spirits appear, and Houtu prepares to help them.

Character developments and interactions

• Kunpeng reveals that his support for past schemes was driven by resentment and ambition. He wants both the Witch and Demon Races to suffer, but feels unable to oppose the Demon Court’s consensus.
• Dijun shows remorse and greater regard for family, acknowledging his responsibility for Ao Yue’s alienation. His candid conversation moves Taiyi, who thanks him and offers to accompany him; Dijun insists on going alone.
• Taiyi remains wounded by his separation from Ao Yue and accepts Dijun’s effort to reconcile them.
• Houtu acts compassionately toward the Yellow Birds and takes responsibility for the victims of the destruction.
• Gungun is blunt and initially dismissive of the birds’ grief, but obeys Houtu and helps rescue them.

Significant themes

• Family, regret, and reconciliation: Dijun’s journey is an attempt to repair a broken relationship before it is too late.
• Ambition and resentment: Kunpeng’s desire for power shapes his wish to exploit the conflict between the races.
• The cost of war and catastrophe: The scorched forest and dead Yellow Birds show how the Ten Golden Crows’ actions harmed ordinary beings.
• Compassion and responsibility: Houtu’s care for both the living and the dead contrasts with Gungun’s initial callousness.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun and Houtu encounter a flock of vengeful spirits. Gungun gathers them into a Two Forms diagram and sends them toward the Sea of Blood.
• Houtu questions the value of the Demon-Slaying Sword, recognizing that it cannot overcome the Demon Race’s Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation or guarantee the Witches victory.
• Concerned that vengeful spirits may become demonic, Houtu decides to visit the Sea of Blood. Gungun tries to stop her, afraid of what her choice may mean.
• Three spiritual sparks from Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian enter Houtu and awaken a vision of Pangu’s remaining true spirit. Pangu tells her the Primordial World is unfinished and that completing it may be her task—though he also urges her to return if she is not prepared.
• Houtu realizes that the world continually uses Pangu’s power to produce new primordial spirits, while the spirits of the dead persist. Without a cycle to restore them, this drain could eventually destroy the world.
• Recalling Gungun’s Spirit-Washing Cauldron and her earlier insight, Houtu understands the solution: reincarnation.
• Houtu asks Gungun to hunt a beast, then speaks of the merit needed to protect the Witch Race. She asks him to care for them and vanishes, appearing at the Sea of Blood.

Character developments

• Houtu moves from uncertainty about the war to a profound understanding of her responsibility. She accepts the likely cost of establishing reincarnation and faces her separation from Gungun with sorrow but resolve.
• Gungun reveals how deeply attached he is to Houtu. Though he would rather protect his loved ones than save the world at large, he recognizes what she intends and desperately tries to keep her from leaving.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal attachment: Houtu chooses a world-saving responsibility despite her bond with Gungun; Gungun’s pleas show the personal cost of that choice.
• Life, death, and cosmic balance: Reincarnation is presented as essential to prevent the Primordial World from exhausting its life-giving power.
• Merit, fate, and sacrifice: Houtu considers whether merit can protect the Witches during the kalpa, while accepting that her own role may demand a greater sacrifice.
• Knowledge and choice: Pangu warns Houtu but does not command her, leaving the decision—and its consequences—to her.

Character interactions

• Houtu explains her doubts about the Demon-Slaying Sword to Gungun, who cannot reveal what he knows about the future.
• Gungun physically clings to Houtu and begs her to return to Mount Buzhou; Houtu responds with affection rather than anger.
• Pangu addresses Houtu as his child, presenting both his hope that she complete his unfinished work and his wish that she choose safety.
• Houtu asks Gungun to care for the Witch Race, while he refuses to accept her departure.

Summary

• The narrator had to take a day off after the newly purchased Bichon suddenly developed vomiting and diarrhea. The pet shop refused to take responsibility and sent them to a distant clinic, where testing was still incomplete by the time they got home. The narrator hopes the puppy’s illness is only stress-related and that it will recover.
• Inspired by writing about pandas, the narrator had wanted a panda but chose a Bichon instead, hoping it would grow up healthy and bring companionship and happiness to the family.
• Caring for the puppy has made the narrator realize that raising a pet takes more effort than expected. They acknowledge having been too lazy about posting and promise to resume with three chapters the next day, followed by a larger update on the 17th and a future mass release.
• The narrator also promotes the novel and asks readers to bookmark and recommend it.

Character development and interactions

The narrator shifts from frustration with the pet shop to concern for the puppy, while recognizing the demands of pet ownership. Their interactions with the shop are antagonistic; their hoped-for relationship with the Bichon is affectionate and family-centered. The reader is addressed directly through update promises and promotional requests.

Themes

The passage centers on responsibility and care, frustration with inadequate service, the comfort of companionship, and renewed commitment to creative work.

Key plot points and events

• Houtu reaches the Sea of Blood, where River Styx welcomes her alongside the Asura race he created. She refuses to enter the sea, explaining that she has come to complete something Pangu left unfinished.
• River Styx agrees to let her act near the Sea of Blood, asking only that she not damage its foundations. Houtu reflects that, despite creating the Asuras, he has not attained sainthood.
• Gungun rushes after Houtu, but she pushes him away and proceeds with her decision. Invoking Pangu’s legacy, she vows to establish the Underworld, become reincarnation, and create the Six Paths so the dead can return through the cycle of life.
• As Houtu begins to vanish, Gungun fears that the being who emerges as Pingxin may not truly be Houtu. Overcome with dread, he transforms into his enormous ancestral-bear form and begs the Demon Tree in the Iron-Eating Forest to lend him its power.
• The Demon Tree responds to Gungun’s sincere plea, rapidly growing to immense size and releasing a pressure that seems greater than that of ordinary quasi-saints. The chapter ends as its power emerges.

Character developments

• Houtu accepts the sacrifice required to fulfill Pangu’s wish and protect the Primordial World. Though she is deeply attached to Gungun, she deliberately suppresses that attachment and acts with resolve.
• Gungun reveals how strongly he cares for Houtu: his usual wish to avoid suffering gives way to panic and desperate action. He is especially troubled by the possibility that Houtu may cease to exist as herself.
• River Styx demonstrates respect and friendship toward Houtu, granting her request despite not knowing her full purpose.
• The Demon Tree, though lacking a primordial spirit, shows signs of intelligence and responds to Gungun’s plea.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and duty: Houtu gives up her body and freedom to complete Pangu’s work and sustain the world.
• Death and renewal: Her Six Paths of Reincarnation transform death from an endpoint into part of an ongoing cycle.
• Attachment and loss: Houtu and Gungun’s bond makes her departure emotionally painful, while Gungun’s uncertainty about Pingxin raises questions about personal identity.
• The cost of power: Houtu’s act is framed as a profound sacrifice, while River Styx’s inability to attain sainthood underscores how difficult transcendence is.

Character interactions

• Houtu and River Styx speak as longtime friends: she requests permission to act, and he trusts her while setting a boundary.
• Houtu rejects Gungun’s attempt to stop her but acknowledges that he is the one being foolish, revealing that she knows his wish to join the Underworld.
• Gungun calls out to Houtu as she makes her vow, then turns to the Demon Tree and begs for help—the first time he says he has pleaded so sincerely.

Key plot points

• Houtu’s transformation establishes reincarnation and creates the Netherworld, complete with its landmarks and structures. Wandering spirits across the Primordial World are drawn into the new realm.
• Gungun pledges to guard reincarnation and save beings from suffering. Its vow earns further merit, which joins Houtu’s in sustaining the Netherworld.
• After the realm disappears beneath the earth, Houtu and Gungun are nowhere to be seen. The Demon Race hopes they have perished, while the Ancestral Witches rush to the Sea of Blood in alarm.
• Within the Netherworld, merit and Pangu’s true spirit restore Houtu. She emerges with power that even the Saints recognize as Primordial Unity.
• Houtu declares, “Reincarnation is established, Pingxin emerges, and Houtu is a Witch no more!” She separates Pingxin, her gentler incarnation, and entrusts her with the Book of Life and Death and the Reincarnation Pen.
• Reincarnation becomes a new law of the world: it protects spirits from eternal suffering and allows the Primordial World to recycle its power rather than exhaust Pangu’s legacy. Pingxin begins naming a Netherworld Emperor, but the chapter ends before she reveals the choice.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu survives her apparent sacrifice but is transformed: she is no longer a Witch and takes on a role tied to the Netherworld and reincarnation.
• Pingxin emerges as Houtu’s distinct, more gentle incarnation, accepting the tools of judgment over the dead.
• Gungun willingly binds itself to the work of reincarnation, using its vow and merit to support Houtu and the souls of the world.
• The Ancestral Witches fear Houtu’s loss, then respond with hope and joy when her survival becomes clear. Dijun and Taiyi, by contrast, recognize that her return may threaten the Demon Race’s prospects.
• Laozi and the other Saints sense Houtu’s extraordinary power and react with astonishment.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and transformation: Houtu’s act changes both her identity and the structure of the world.
• Compassion and protection: Reincarnation offers spirits release from endless suffering.
• Order and renewal: The cycle of reincarnation sustains the Primordial World by recycling its power.
• Political consequence: Houtu’s survival and new authority alter the balance between the Witches and Demons.

Plot points and events

• Pingxin and the surviving Houtu return merit to Gungun, pushing him to the brink of a breakthrough. Hongjun considers stopping him but decides against interfering, since Houtu is already a Primordial Unity cultivator and Gungun’s vow and merit make intervention difficult to justify.
• Houtu survives the creation of Reincarnation and attains Primordial Unity, though most of her body and Pangu bloodline were sacrificed.
• Gungun welcomes his breakthrough, then uses the Spirit-Washing Cauldron to sever a part of himself. That part appears as White Bear, who greets his original self before disappearing back into Gungun’s celebratory cloud.
• Gungun advances to Quasi-Saint and is officially recognized by the Heavenly Dao as Netherworld Emperor. Iron-Eating Beasts, witches, and other beings celebrate his appointment.
• In the Heavenly Court, Taiyi is furious and alarmed that Houtu survived and reached Primordial Unity before him. He fears her power, combined with the Witch Race’s remaining Ancestral Witches, will leave the Demon Race badly outmatched.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shifts from anxious protector to honored Netherworld ruler. He is relieved Houtu survived and accepts his unexpected advancement with delight.
• Houtu proves the cost of completing Reincarnation was not her complete destruction: she remains herself and reaches Primordial Unity, despite losing most of her body.
• Hongjun restrains himself rather than obstruct Gungun, judging that interference would bring political trouble without changing the larger balance of power.
• Taiyi becomes consumed by fear and resentment, measuring the Witch Race’s new strength against the Demon Race’s prospects.
• White Bear appears as a separated aspect of Gungun and respectfully acknowledges Gungun, Houtu, and Pingxin. Pingxin recognizes Gungun’s role by appointing him Netherworld Emperor.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and survival: Houtu gives most of herself to establish Reincarnation yet survives through protection and merit.
• Merit and unexpected rewards: Gungun’s generosity and vow lead to an unplanned breakthrough and a powerful new position.
• Power and political balance: Houtu’s advancement transforms the rivalry between the Witch and Demon races, unsettling Taiyi.
• Loyalty and recognition: Gungun’s commitment to Houtu and Reincarnation is publicly affirmed through his appointment and the celebrations that follow.

Key plot points

• At the East Sea Dragon Palace, Dijun laments that Houtu survived her sacrifice and became a Primordial Unity Great Immortal. Her new power has dramatically improved the Witch Race’s prospects, undoing what Dijun saw as the Demon Race’s best chance to win.
• Dijun urges Ao Yue to return to the Heavenly Court, but Ao Yue refuses. He believes he has repaid his debt to the Demon Race, fears dragging the Dragon Race back into war, and sees little reason to join a conflict the Witches may now be poised to win.
• The Ancestral Witches reunite with Houtu in the Netherworld. Houtu explains that, as Master of Reincarnation, she can no longer belong to the Witch Race or lead it in battle; doing so could provoke the Saints and Dao Ancestor and endanger the Primordial World.
• When the siblings struggle to accept her decision, Gungun points out that fallen Eastern Emperor Taiyi still has a Demon Soul. By reincarnation’s law, he should be brought before Houtu for judgment over which of the Six Paths he belongs in. The suggestion shocks Houtu.

Character developments and interactions

• Dijun is furious and despairing at the reversal in the balance of power, though his anger is not directed at Ao Yue.
• Ao Yue stands by his choice to remain apart from the Witch-Demon conflict, putting his people’s safety and his own survival first despite remembering Taiyi’s kindness.
• Houtu is grateful to her siblings but accepts that her new cosmic role requires neutrality and separation from the Witch Race.
• Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches are delighted by Houtu’s breakthrough and initially imagine using it to destroy the Demon Race. They are bewildered and disappointed when she refuses to fight.
• Gungun, newly advanced to the Quasi-Saint realm, offers a practical justification for Houtu’s neutrality and then proposes applying reincarnation’s law to Taiyi.

Significant themes

• Power versus responsibility: Houtu’s immense new strength does not give her freedom to intervene; her role imposes stricter obligations.
• Neutrality and cosmic order: Reincarnation must be governed impartially, rather than serve one faction’s ambitions.
• The cost of war and loyalty: Ao Yue weighs old debts against the danger to his people, while Dijun measures the conflict through mounting personal and political losses.
• Unexpected consequences: Houtu’s survival transforms the war’s outlook, while Gungun’s suggestion opens a surprising new possibility involving Taiyi.

Plot and key events

• Gungun, newly appointed Netherworld Emperor, urges Houtu to capture Taiyi’s surviving primordial spirit for the sake of reincarnation. Houtu agrees that she has both the authority and the strength to do so, and the Ancestral Witches begin planning the capture.
• Houtu asks Gungun to stop calling her an Ancestral Witch, since she has left the Witch Race to safeguard both it and reincarnation. Gungun calls her “Empress” instead; she accepts the title. Dijiang understands her choice and keeps the other Witches from objecting.
• In the Heavenly Court, Dijun returns and confirms that Houtu’s breakthrough has made the Witch Race overwhelmingly powerful. Taiyi proposes seeking help from the Dao Ancestor, arguing that the Ancestor may intervene to prevent the Witches from uniting the world. Dijun accepts the plan and sets out for Zixiao Palace.
• Taiyi asks whether Dijun’s estranged child, A Yue, will return. Dijun says A Yue accepted his apology but refuses to come back, leaving Taiyi deeply saddened.
• As Dijun departs, a powerful presence rises from beneath the world and heads toward the Heavenly Court. Taiyi recognizes it as Gungun, setting up a confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu balances her new identity as Empress and Master of Reincarnation with her enduring concern for the Witch Race. She supports Gungun’s proposal while maintaining her separation from the clan.
• Gungun acts with newly claimed responsibility, presenting his proposal as a duty to reincarnation. His respectful exchange with Houtu also reinforces their close, affectionate rapport.
• Dijiang quietly accepts Houtu’s decision, prioritizing the Witch Race’s safety over challenging her publicly.
• Dijun and Taiyi unite around the plan to appeal to the Dao Ancestor, but their political resolve contrasts with Taiyi’s private grief over A Yue’s refusal to return.

Significant themes

• Duty and identity: Houtu’s roles as former Witch, Empress, and guardian of reincarnation overlap rather than cancel each other out.
• Political pragmatism: Both sides seek powerful allies as the balance of power shifts.
• Family estrangement and regret: Dijun’s apology has not repaired his relationship with A Yue, and Taiyi mourns the likely permanence of that separation.
• Power and control: The Witch Race’s rise alarms the Demon Race and prompts a bid for the Dao Ancestor’s intervention.

Plot points and events

• Though still a powerful quasi-saint despite his injuries, Eastern Emperor Taiyi senses Gungun approaching the Heavenly Court. Suspecting Houtu may be backing the bear, he orders the demons to activate the Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation.
• At the South Heaven Gate, Gungun is alarmed by the display but proceeds anyway. General Wu Zhiqi tries to stop him, citing the truce between the Witch and Demon races. Gungun threatens to arrest Wu too and lists his many titles before announcing that he has come to take Taiyi to the Underworld for judgment.
• Taiyi arrives and challenges Gungun’s authority. Gungun insists that, as a deceased being, Taiyi must undergo reincarnation; Taiyi argues that Innate Deities are exempt, though no such rule exists.
• Taiyi realizes that Houtu’s plan is likely Gungun’s idea. When Gungun continues to act deferential and impartial, Taiyi loses his temper and attacks with solar true fire.
• Gungun uses Houtu’s Six Paths of Reincarnation Disk to absorb the attack and warns Taiyi not to resist the law.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun presents himself as a dutiful, impartial Netherworld official, while his teasing manner and apparent confidence suggest he is also enjoying his chance to confront Taiyi. He relies on Houtu’s authority and treasure rather than trying to match Taiyi’s strength directly.
• Taiyi remains proud and formidable, but his suspicion of Houtu and anger at Gungun’s provocation lead him to strike first. His weakened cultivation does not stop him from underestimating Gungun’s backing.
• Wu Zhiqi begins by invoking the Dao Ancestor’s truce but is intimidated by Gungun’s weapon and bewildered by his many claims and unusual mission.
• The exchange between Gungun and Taiyi is formally respectful on the surface but increasingly antagonistic: Gungun insists on proper honorifics and legal procedure, while Taiyi sees the arrest as a scheme against him.

Significant themes

• Law versus power: Gungun asserts that even a ruler such as Taiyi must answer to the new system of death and reincarnation.
• Authority and legitimacy: Houtu’s status and her treasure lend force to Gungun’s enforcement mission.
• Comedy through contrast: Gungun’s bumbling, self-important presentation contrasts with the gravity of arresting the Eastern Emperor.
• Pride and provocation: Taiyi’s indignation turns a legal confrontation into a fight, which Gungun is prepared to handle.

Key plot points and events

• Taiyi erupts in anger at Gungun’s warning that he may have to be suppressed. He summons the Chaos Bell and threatens to keep Gungun in the Heavenly Court.
• Protected by Houtu’s gifts, Gungun answers with mock humility, claiming he would accept Taiyi’s throne only with Houtu’s permission. Taiyi attacks, and Gungun calls forth the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disk to shield himself.
• At Mount Kunlun, Nine Li has just slain the Demon God Zhu Yan, avenging the Nuwa Tribe. Guang Chengzi congratulates him, then explains that Houtu has become a Saint and appointed Gungun Netherworld Emperor—and that Gungun has gone to confront the Demon Race.
• Worried for his uncle, Nine Li prepares to rush to the Heavenly Court. Guang Chengzi reassures him that Gungun has Houtu and the Western Religion’s Saints behind him, so Nine Li goes to see his master instead.
• In the Heavenly Court, Houtu’s power behind the Reincarnation Disk overcomes the Chaos Bell’s attack and knocks Taiyi down. Gungun accuses Taiyi of resisting reincarnation and, claiming to act solely for the world’s good, orders the disk to suppress him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun mixes genuine enforcement with comic, self-serving bravado. He is protected by powerful allies, but presents himself as a reluctant, impartial official.
• Taiyi responds to Gungun’s provocations with wounded pride and open violence, escalating the confrontation by using the Chaos Bell.
• Nine Li is proud of his victory over Zhu Yan but remains deeply concerned for Gungun. Guang Chengzi’s reassurance tempers his impulse to intervene.
• Guang Chengzi praises Nine Li while grounding his achievement in the help he received, then calms him by emphasizing Gungun’s protection.

Significant themes

• Power and protection: The clash turns not just on the treasures’ strength but on Houtu’s direct backing of Gungun.
• Authority versus pride: Taiyi resists the Underworld’s enforcement, turning a dispute over reincarnation into a personal conflict.
• Irony and self-interest: Gungun insists he has “not the slightest selfish motive” even as he taunts Taiyi and benefits from his allies’ power.
• Family and loyalty: Nine Li’s concern for his uncle contrasts with his growing public reputation as a warrior.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun captures Eastern Emperor Taiyi and escapes the Demon Race’s Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation by returning to the Netherworld.
• In the Earth Emperor Hall, Houtu sentences Taiyi to one million years in the Nine Hells before he may reincarnate. She does not destroy his spirit because his great merit makes that an unjust use of reincarnation’s power.
• Taiyi taunts Houtu, arguing that the Saints and Dao Ancestor would never allow the Witch Race to become Heaven and Earth’s protagonists. Houtu angrily seals his magic power and casts him into the Nine Hells.
• Houtu asks Gungun whether the Witch Race can still become the protagonists if the Saints oppose it. He answers that their chances are practically nonexistent.
• Gungun reassures her that the Underworld offers the Witch Race a powerful refuge. He further argues that the Saints would also resist Dijun’s rise to primordial unity, so neither the Witch nor Demon Race is likely to have their support.
• As Houtu considers who might become the next protagonists, Dijun’s voice suddenly calls from outside, demanding Taiyi’s return.

Character developments

• Gungun proves capable and cautious: he completes the capture, retreats rather than risk a fight with the formation, and supports Houtu with pragmatic advice.
• Houtu demonstrates restraint and responsibility by following the laws of reincarnation, despite her anger and desire to eliminate Taiyi. Her new understanding of the Saints’ political influence leaves her anxious about the Witch Race’s future.
• Taiyi remains defiant in defeat. He accepts his sentence but uses the moment to provoke Houtu and predict the Witch Race’s downfall.
• Dijun enters the conflict at the chapter’s close, setting up a confrontation over Taiyi.

Significant themes

• Justice and authority: Houtu must apply reincarnation’s rules even when a harsher outcome would benefit her people.
• Power and political reality: Military victory alone may not determine who becomes the protagonists; the Saints’ interests shape the wider world.
• Survival and refuge: The Underworld gives the Witch Race a stronghold, though Houtu fears this could resemble other tribes’ retreat after losing power.
• Pragmatism amid uncertainty: Gungun counsels Houtu to weigh the Saints’ opposition to both rival races rather than assume the Demon Race has an inevitable advantage.

Character interactions

• Gungun reports Taiyi’s capture to Houtu and later validates her sentence.
• Taiyi challenges and taunts Houtu; she responds by asserting the Witch Race’s continued strength and imprisoning him.
• Houtu confides her fears to Gungun, who offers reassurance and a political explanation for why the Saints may also oppose the Demon Race’s rise.
• Dijun’s demand for Taiyi’s return interrupts their discussion and leaves the dispute unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Dijun arrives at the Sea of Blood, furious over Taiyi’s detention, and prepares to attack the Netherworld with the Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation. Houtu warns him off and makes clear she can defeat him if he forces a fight.
• Before the confrontation escalates, Haotian arrives with Hongjun’s decree: Houtu must not leave the Netherworld without permission. The decree also establishes that all beings below Saint rank must enter reincarnation after death, including Taiyi, whom Houtu is to keep in custody.
• Houtu rejects the order to confine her, arguing that Hongjun has no authority over her and that her incarnation, Pingxin, can guard reincarnation in her absence. She sends Haotian flying away with a sweep of her sleeve.
• Houtu tells Dijun that Taiyi will remain imprisoned beneath the Nine Hells for a million years, but will neither be harmed nor have his soul scattered. Afterward, he may reincarnate and potentially regain his former position.
• Bai Ze persuades Dijun not to attack while the Demon Race’s odds are poor. Though still determined to rescue his brother, Dijun withdraws to the Heavenly Court.
• Following Gungun’s advice, Houtu invites the Saints to meet in the Underworld. After weighing the risks of seeming to oppose Hongjun, they decide to attend together.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu moves from contemplating the struggle over the world’s protagonists to openly challenging Hongjun’s authority. She remains firm about enforcing reincarnation law, but is uneasy about how Hongjun will respond.
• Dijun begins the chapter ready to fight, but retreats when he recognizes the danger and accepts that Taiyi is temporarily safe. His devotion to his brother outweighs his broader political concerns.
• Gungun provides practical counsel, first calming Houtu and then advising her to gather the Saints. Its lighthearted remarks contrast with the serious political stakes.
• Bai Ze acts as a voice of restraint, steering Dijun away from a battle that could end disastrously.
• Haotian delivers Hongjun’s decree but is left unable to defend its authority when Houtu challenges it. Houtu’s effortless dismissal of him also demonstrates the scale of her power.
• The Saints face a dilemma: they want to prevent the Witch Race from dominating, but fear offending Hongjun or Houtu. They ultimately choose to meet Houtu together.

Significant themes

• Authority and autonomy: Houtu contests Hongjun’s attempt to restrict her, asserting her independence as Pangu’s descendant and a contributor to the Primordial World.
• Law versus power: Houtu presents Taiyi’s detention as impartial enforcement of reincarnation law, while Dijun sees it as a strategic move against the Demon Race.
• Family loyalty and political conflict: Dijun’s determination to save Taiyi persists even when attacking Houtu would be unwise.
• Balance of power: The Saints’ hesitation and collective decision reflect their fear that either the Witches or Demons could become too dominant—and their reluctance to confront Houtu directly.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Houtu meets with the Three Pure Ones and the Western sages beside the River of Forgetfulness. They warn her that defying Hongjun’s decree may bring consequences. Houtu argues that the decree reflected Hongjun’s personal wishes, not the Heavenly Dao’s will, and insists she will not surrender her freedom.
• Houtu presents a roster of positions to govern the newly established Underworld, with Gungun named Netherworld Emperor. The Saints recommend disciples for other roles: Dizang as Deity of Salvation, Changqin as Eastern Ghost Emperor, Taiyi for the Ten Halls of Yama, and Zhenwu as Northern Ghost Emperor. Houtu accepts their nominations.
• The appointments reveal the Saints’ interest in the merit and influence the Underworld may bring. Zhunti is especially pleased that Gungun and Dizang—both connected to the Western Religion—will hold major roles.
• Houtu then surprises the Saints by declaring that the Witch Race is unsuited to become the Protagonists of Heaven and Earth: their warlike nature would bring turmoil. She offers to persuade the witches to withdraw from the contest, provided the Saints treat them leniently.
• Houtu’s proposed terms are that the Witch Race retain Mount Buzhou and the Southern Wastes, while the eventual Protagonists of Heaven and Earth be the Witch-Human Race.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu appears more politically pragmatic after attaining primordial unity. Rather than pursue the Witch Race’s supremacy outright, she seeks a compromise that protects her people while advancing a new mixed race.
• The Saints initially fear Houtu’s defiance of Hongjun, but become cooperative when offered roles for their disciples. Their willingness to participate also reflects their desire for Underworld merit.
• Zhunti eagerly secures Dizang’s appointment and privately sees it as a major opportunity for the Western Religion. He assures Houtu that Dizang will serve under Gungun.
• Tongtian recommends Changqin, the Witch Race’s crown prince. Houtu frames the choice as an expression of their shared Pangu heritage, prompting a sincere moment of agreement between them.
• Yuanshi recommends Taiyi but hesitates over involving his foremost disciple, Nine Li. Laozi supports Zhenwu’s appointment, emphasizing his respect for Gungun.
• Gungun remains detached from the negotiations, quietly drinking beast milk beneath a tree, though it is assigned the Underworld’s highest governing position.

Significant themes

• Power, merit, and self-interest: The Saints’ support is influenced by the benefits their disciples may gain from governing the Underworld.
• Pragmatism and compromise: Houtu abandons the goal of Witch supremacy in favor of protecting Witch territory and proposing Witch-Human leadership.
• Freedom and authority: Houtu challenges the assumption that Hongjun can restrict a Saint when the Heavenly Dao itself has issued no such command.
• Unity through shared origins: Houtu and Tongtian invoke their common Pangu lineage, suggesting cooperation across different paths and peoples.

Chapter summary

• Houtu proposes that the Witch Race withdraw from the struggle for supremacy in exchange for keeping Mount Buzhou and a substantial homeland. She also wants the Witch-Humans—descendants of both Witches and humans—to become the Primordial World’s protagonists. Their Pangu heritage, strength, and close ties to the Witches would let the Witch Race retain influence and fortune without fighting for supremacy.
• The Saints weigh the proposal. Laozi favors the Human Race because his Renjiao is dedicated to teaching them. Yuanshi is open to the Witch-Humans, partly because his first disciple, Nine Li, is one. Tongtian is largely indifferent, while Jieyin and Zhunti are willing to consider either group.
• Zhunti raises the possibility of choosing the Human Race instead, noting that Nuwa created them and that Laozi would benefit. He privately agrees with Jieyin that humans may also be easier to influence than the more powerful Witch-Humans. Houtu resists: the Witch Race would gain far less through its human relatives than through its own descendants.
• Laozi promises that the Witches could retain the Southern Wastes, while warning that their current dominion may not survive the coming War of the Liches. Zhunti offers the Western Lands as an additional homeland for Witch tribes, framing it as compensation. Laozi recognizes that this offer also benefits Western Religion but lets the proposal stand.
• Unable to decide whether the compromise is enough, Houtu asks Gungun, the Witch Race’s trusted strategist, for advice. Laozi questions the bear about supporting the Human Race. Gungun proposes a possible solution: if all descendants of Nuwa’s human ancestors count as human, perhaps Witch-Humans can be included in the Human Race. The Saints—and Houtu—are startled by the idea.

Character developments and interactions

Houtu shifts from confidently negotiating for the Witch-Humans to uncertainty as the Saints favor ordinary humans. Her priority remains securing the Witch Race’s future, and she turns to Gungun when the political compromise threatens to leave her people with too little fortune.
Gungun’s sleepy, comic demeanor hides quick strategic thinking. Rather than openly oppose the Saints, it searches for a definition that could reconcile their competing interests. The chapter ends before the Saints decide whether Witch-Humans can be classified as human.
The Saints’ discussion reveals their differing religious and political priorities: Laozi seeks Renjiao’s flourishing, Yuanshi is sympathetic to the Witch-Humans, and Zhunti balances accommodation with Western Religion’s advantage. Their negotiation with Houtu—and their private calculations among themselves—shows that the choice of protagonists is as much about power and fortune as principle.

Significant themes

• Political compromise and survival: The Witches may have to surrender supremacy to preserve their homeland and future.
• Identity and belonging: The unresolved question of whether Witch-Humans can count as humans challenges the boundaries between ancestry, culture, and political membership.
• Self-interest beneath cooperation: The Saints present their positions as reasonable, but each considers the consequences for their own teachings or territory.
• Strength versus influence: The powerful Witch-Humans might secure the Witches a greater share of fortune, while the weaker Human Race could be easier for the Saints to guide.