Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Gungun returns the Phoenix Race’s Vermilion Bird Banner to Lingguang, but insists it was never stolen. Lingguang attacks him with southern bright li fire; Gungun calmly disperses it with a rotating black-and-white diagram, then settles down to eat a Flat Peach.
• The five guardians—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Qilin—receive instructions from Heaven. They raise their respective treasures, swear to open the Five Worlds and protect the Primordial World, and transform into their immense true forms.
• Working together, they create a vast mystical formation whose sweep begins repairing the shattered world, halting the falling stars and the flood from the Heavenly River.
• At Qingcheng Mountain, Nuwa breaks Yuanshi’s sealing talisman and frees Soaring Serpent, who greets her with heartfelt relief. Bai Xi, a white snake who chose to share his imprisonment, emerges too.
• Nuwa learns Bai Xi has a trace of the first white dragon’s blood. Her Red Marriage Ball reacts, apparently revealing an unexpected marriage connection involving Soaring Serpent. Nuwa is startled but appoints Bai Xi as her maid and raises her cultivation to the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun and Lingguang: Lingguang confronts Gungun over the banner, but Gungun’s irreverence and effortless defense show he feels no guilt or intimidation. Once the major ritual begins, he recognizes the others’ role and opts out of the drama.
• The five guardians: They set aside individual differences and make a shared vow, presenting themselves as protectors of all living beings.
• Soaring Serpent and Nuwa: Their reunion is affectionate and emotional. Soaring Serpent’s first impulse is to tell Nuwa he missed her, but he instead explains how Bai Xi stood by him.
• Bai Xi and Nuwa: Bai Xi’s loyalty earns her a place at Nuwa’s side and a dramatic increase in power. Nuwa’s reaction to the Red Marriage Ball suggests that Bai Xi and Soaring Serpent may be linked by a fated marriage.

Significant themes

• Collective responsibility and hope: The guardians’ vow and coordinated formation offer the world a chance to recover from catastrophe.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Bai Xi’s voluntary companionship during Soaring Serpent’s imprisonment is rewarded.
• Fate and marriage: The Red Marriage Ball hints that heavenly marriage ties may extend beyond the previously known case of Dijun.
• Humor amid crisis: Gungun’s shameless banter and snack-eating provide comic contrast to the world-saving ritual.

Key events

• Nuwa leaves Qingcheng Mountain with Bai Xi and Soaring Serpent to help repair the devastated Primordial World.
• At Tiantai Mountain, she awakens the Divine Turtle and asks for his four limbs to serve as pillars holding up the heavens. Though reluctant, he agrees after Nuwa explains that others would take them if he refused; she promises to preserve his life and secure him merit.
• Nuwa severs the turtle’s limbs, heals him, and gives him a new life in the sea. Soaring Serpent and Bai Xi escort him to the East Sea, while Nuwa places his limbs at the world’s four poles.
• With the heavens stabilized, Nuwa uses the Heaven-Earth Cauldron to refine five-colored stones and mend the sky. After forty-nine days, the firmament is repaired. Meanwhile, Meng Zhang and four other powerful beings seal the Dark Abyss, and the world’s crisis subsides.

Character developments and interactions

• Nuwa acts decisively and compassionately, balancing the survival of the world against the Divine Turtle’s wishes. She offers him a choice, acknowledges the injustice, and cares for him after taking his limbs.
• The Divine Turtle accepts a painful sacrifice for the sake of the world, though he reflects bitterly that fate has caught him despite his efforts to avoid karma. His dry skepticism adds a light comic note.
• Soaring Serpent remains curious and talkative, repeatedly questioning Nuwa; he and Bai Xi dutifully carry out her order to protect the turtle.
• Bai Xi stays quiet and deferential, following Nuwa’s instructions and learning through the crisis.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Saving the world requires immense personal cost, especially from the Divine Turtle.
• Fate and karma: The turtle’s attempt to avoid entanglement cannot protect him from the larger events of the age.
• Compassion amid necessity: Nuwa makes a harsh decision but preserves the turtle’s life and offers him a future.
• Collective restoration: Nuwa’s repair of the heavens and the other powers’ sealing of the Dark Abyss together return the world to order.

Plot points and events

• After the Primordial World is restored, the Heavenly Dao rewards Meng Zhang, Jian Bing, Lingguang, Zhiming, and Huanglin for helping save it, naming them the Sacred Beasts of the Five Directions. They take up their stations: four guard the Divine Turtle’s limbs, while Huanglin watches over Mount Buzhou, supported by the Forestwood Demon God’s body.
• Their united formation exerts pressure comparable to a Saint, and living beings across the world praise them. Meng Zhang’s new role also greatly improves the Dragon Race’s fortune.
• The remaining merit is divided among Gungun, Ao Yue, Nuwa, the Divine Turtle, and the Forestwood Demon God’s body. Gungun keeps its share for protection rather than using it to advance its cultivation.
• Ao Yue, concerned that Kunpeng may threaten the Four Seas now that the Witch-Demon War is over, uses his merit to sever his self-corpse. A Great Sun Heavenly Dragon emerges, raising Ao Yue to the level of a three-corpse quasi-saint—comparable in might to his father, the Ancestral Dragon.
• Ao Yue’s newly released pressure blows Gungun’s fur backward. After Gungun protests, Ao Yue apologizes, and Gungun promptly asks what severing a corpse feels like.

Character developments and interactions

• Ao Yue chooses immediate strength to protect the Dragon Race, while wondering whether severing his self-corpse truly means he has severed part of himself. His concern for his people drives his decision.
• Gungun remains practical and comic: it saves its merit, briefly considers advising Ao Yue, then lets him choose for himself. It also reacts indignantly to his uncontrolled aura before shifting to curious questions.
• Meng Zhang’s appointment benefits the Dragon Race by strengthening its fortune, though the race still has not regained its pre-catastrophe prosperity.
• Nuwa, the Divine Turtle, and the Forestwood Demon God’s body receive merit for their contributions, but the chapter does not dwell on their reactions.

Significant themes

• Merit and responsibility: Merit can be kept as protection or spent to gain strength; each character’s choice reflects different needs.
• Guardianship and gratitude: The Sacred Beasts’ appointment formalizes their duty to protect the restored world, and its inhabitants openly thank them.
• Power and identity: Ao Yue’s advancement raises the question of whether severing a corpse is merely a technique or a genuine separation from the self.
• Relief after catastrophe: The chapter balances world-saving consequences and political concerns with lighthearted banter between Gungun and Ao Yue.

Key plot points and events

• After the Witch-Demon Calamity, Gungun learns that the Forestwood Demon God has recovered most of its strength. Gungun and Ao Yue survey the devastated world and lament its losses.
• Gungun reveals its plan to claim the vacant Heavenly Court. It persuades Ao Yue to join it as Celestial Sovereign; Ao Yue agrees, framing the alliance as repayment for the Demon Race’s invasion of the East Sea.
• In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun asks the Saints to recommend a Heavenly Emperor. Laozi, Jieyin, and Zhunti back Gungun; Tongtian proposes Duobao and Yinglong; Nuwa nominates her brother Fuxi. Zhunti argues against rival candidates, provoking Tongtian and Nuwa.
• Hongjun rejects all candidates: Gungun dislikes administrative burdens, Fuxi is bound to the Demon Race, and Yinglong lacks age and recognition. Other proposed disciples are also dismissed. Yuanshi abstains.
• Hongjun appoints his attendants Haotian and Yaochi as Heavenly Emperor and Empress, giving each treasures to support their rule.
• As the appointment is announced, a crash reveals that Gungun and Ao Yue have already attacked the Heavenly Court with the Iron-Eating Beasts and Dragon Race. They break through the Heavenly Gate and begin taking control. Gungun rallies its forces, while Ao Yue leads dragon soldiers toward High Firmament Hall; many demons surrender.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun moves from joking about the throne to decisive action, joining forces with Ao Yue and leading the assault.
• Ao Yue accepts Gungun’s proposal and becomes its partner in the bid for power, motivated partly by the Demon Race’s past wrongdoing.
• Zhunti energetically promotes Gungun but undermines himself by antagonizing Tongtian and Nuwa. He is left frustrated when Hongjun rejects every candidate he supports.
• Tongtian and Nuwa defend their nominees against Zhunti’s arguments; both are angered by his challenges.
• Hongjun presents the Saints with a choice but ultimately exercises authority himself, appointing Haotian and Yaochi.
• Haotian and Yaochi accept their new offices, only for Gungun’s surprise attack to immediately threaten Haotian’s rule.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: The Saints debate whether the ruler must command the support of the Witch and Demon races, while Gungun acts before any appointment can settle the matter.
• Political maneuvering and self-interest: The Saints’ recommendations reflect factional loyalties, and arguments over candidates expose their rivalries.
• Merit versus temperament: Gungun’s merit and ability make it a plausible ruler, but Hongjun rejects it because it dislikes governance—only for Gungun to seize power anyway.
• The consequences of war: The world’s devastation underscores the cost of the calamity, even as the struggle for authority begins anew.

Plot and key events

• Ao Yue confronts the injured Demon Sage Bai Ze outside the High Firmament Hall. Though Bai Ze recognizes him as Taiyi’s former protector, Ao Yue insists he is now only the Dragon Crown Prince. The two fight; Ao Yue wins, and Bai Ze accepts that the Heavenly Court has passed out of the Demon Race’s hands.
• At the Eastern Emperor Palace, Gungun defeats the wounded Demon Sage Guiche with its law of silence and a powerful bear kick. Yingzhao arrives and helps Guiche retreat. With the Demon Sages gone, Gungun’s iron-eating beast army storms the palace and claims it for their clan.
• The Bear-Dragon Allied Forces take control of both the Eastern Emperor Palace and the High Firmament Hall. The remaining demons flee or surrender.
• In the Netherworld, Houtu finishes healing the seven surviving Ancestral Witches after forty-nine days. She explains that she withdrew the Witch army because the catastrophic battle left the Witches severely weakened and Mount Buzhou had collapsed. The Saints have since directed the fortune of the world’s new protagonists toward humanity, including the Witch-Human people.
• The Ancestral Witches, unaware that the Heavenly Court has already fallen, propose launching a new campaign to destroy the Demon Race. Houtu hesitates, mindful of the new order and of Nuwa and Fuxi’s ties to the demons. Then she senses Gungun’s unexpected victory: it is already wearing imperial robes and heading to claim the throne.
• In Zixiao Palace, the Saints watch Gungun hurry to install itself as Heavenly Emperor and Ao Yue as Heavenly Sovereign. Gungun fears powerful figures will try to appoint a powerless puppet, and urges them to seize the moment. Ao Yue is caught off guard but agrees to proceed.

Character developments and interactions

• Ao Yue demonstrates strength and restraint: he gives Bai Ze a chance to withdraw, then defeats him without killing him. Though he had planned to return to the East Sea first, Gungun’s urgency pulls him into the rapid succession plan.
• Bai Ze fights out of duty to the Demon Race despite his injuries, but accepts defeat and leaves with dignity.
• Gungun emerges as bold, opportunistic, and politically shrewd. Its victory over Guiche and swift occupation of the palace turn it from a battlefield commander into an aspiring ruler.
• Houtu remains cautious and compassionate, choosing retreat over further bloodshed and supporting humanity’s rise. The Witches’ eagerness for revenge puts her in a difficult position.
• Zhurong, Ju Mang, and Gonggong favor renewed war, convinced their recovered strength can finish the Demon Race.
• The Saints react uneasily to Gungun’s suspicion that powerful beings want a weak, decorative emperor. Xiong Meng’s appearance also embarrasses Yuanshi, while Haotian and Jade Pool are left conspicuously alarmed.

Significant themes

• Power vacuums and political legitimacy: With both ancient factions weakened, control of the Heavenly Court becomes a race to establish authority before rivals intervene.
• The cost of war: The collapse of Mount Buzhou and the immense casualties force Houtu to prioritize survival over vengeance.
• Pragmatism versus revenge: Houtu’s restraint contrasts with the Ancestral Witches’ desire to resume the conflict.
• Ambition and comic self-awareness: Gungun’s hurried coronation is played humorously, but its fear of being replaced by a puppet reflects genuine political insight.

Plot and events

• While Gungun and Ao Yue take control of the Heavenly Court, Haotian and Jade Pool appeal to Hongjun, expecting him to honor his earlier plan to appoint Haotian Heavenly Emperor.
• The Saints debate the claim. Nuwa challenges Hongjun’s preference for his attendants, while Laozi argues that Gungun and Ao Yue have the strength and the Witch and Demon Races’ respect needed to make the Court’s authority effective.
• Laozi proposes a compromise: appoint Gungun, Ao Yue, and Haotian as three equal rulers. Hongjun accepts, naming them Heavenly Emperor, Heavenly Sovereign, and Heavenly Venerable. Jade Pool is appointed Golden Mother of Jade Pool, head of the Heavenly Court’s female immortals.
• In the High Firmament Hall, Gungun and Ao Yue formally proclaim their rule and pledge treasures to anchor the new Court’s destiny. Many major races protest, but Gungun’s display of power silences them.
• The Heavenly Dao acknowledges the new Heavenly Court, sending down merit that Gungun and Ao Yue share. The chapter ends as Hongjun’s decree arrives.

Character developments and interactions

• Haotian moves from wounded indignation to relief and ambition when Laozi’s plan gives him a place among the rulers. Jade Pool likewise worries about being left out, then is reassured by her appointment.
• Gungun is delighted by his new throne and its unexpected merit, while remaining shrewd enough to secure the position before others can intervene. Ao Yue presents himself as a capable, benevolent ruler and works in partnership with Gungun.
• Laozi mediates between Hongjun’s original choice and the reality of Gungun and Ao Yue’s takeover, using political balance to justify three rulers.
• Nuwa openly questions Hongjun’s judgment and refuses to join the Saints’ formal obedience. Tongtian and Zhunti support the arrangement for their own interests: Tongtian hopes for benefits to his disciple Yinglong, while Zhunti sees an opportunity for Western Religion.
• Hongjun resists pressure before ultimately accepting the compromise. Houtu and the Ancestral Witches arrive too late to stop the enthronement and resent Gungun’s grand claims; the wider races also challenge the new rulers but back down before their show of force.

Themes

• Power and legitimacy: ruling requires not only a decree but also military strength, political recognition, and Heavenly Dao approval.
• Compromise and balance: three equal rulers are presented as a way to prevent any one faction from dominating the Heavenly Court.
• Self-interest in politics: Saints’ arguments about the world’s welfare are intertwined with hopes of advantage for their own factions.
• Ambition and irony: Gungun’s opportunistic seizure of an empty throne brings him genuine authority and unexpected merit.

Plot

• After Gungun and Ao Yue establish the Heavenly Court, Haotian arrives carrying Hongjun’s decree. It appoints Gungun as Heavenly Emperor, Ao Yue as Heavenly Sovereign, and Haotian as Heavenly Venerable, with all three meant to govern together.
• Haotian eagerly claims authority, but Gungun subtly takes control of proceedings. He directs the court ceremony and has Xiong Meng invest 365 gods—every one a dragon or iron-eating bear, loyal to Gungun and Ao Yue.
• Haotian realizes that, despite his new title, he has no ministers or real power. Gungun then assigns him and the Golden Mother of Jade Pool the Jade Pool Immortal Realm as their residence.
• Once Haotian leaves, Gungun tells Ao Yue that the famed realm is actually a ruin from the War of the Liches, conveniently shifting the burden of its restoration to Haotian.
• Gungun and Ao Yue discuss broadening the Heavenly Court’s ranks by recruiting members of other races, including demons, witches, and possibly Bai Ze.
• Meanwhile, Zhurong and the other Ancestral Witches enter the Heavenly Court after its protective barrier is withdrawn, apparently intending to confront Gungun.
• Haotian and the Golden Mother discover the ruined state of Jade Pool. Haotian erupts in anger and curses Gungun.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun proves politically shrewd beneath his relaxed, friendly manner. He lets Haotian enjoy the prestige of his title while ensuring that the court’s personnel and practical authority remain with Gungun and Ao Yue. His “hospitality” toward Haotian is also a calculated joke.
• Haotian begins triumphant, convinced he will rule the Heavenly Court, but quickly becomes frustrated as he discovers that his title brings little influence. His fury at the ruined residence marks the collapse of his initial confidence.
• Ao Yue resents Haotian’s appointment but follows Gungun’s lead. He grows more confident once he understands Gungun’s strategy and agrees that the court must recruit beyond the two founding clans.
• Xiong Meng serves as master of ceremonies and reads the investiture list, while also securing his own appointment as a god.
• The Golden Mother of Jade Pool accompanies Haotian, and both accept Gungun’s offer of a shared residence before realizing its true condition.
• Gungun’s interactions with Haotian are outwardly warm but strategically manipulative; his private conversation with Ao Yue reveals their shared understanding of the power struggle ahead.

Themes

• Titles versus real power: Haotian receives a prestigious position, but Gungun’s loyal ministers and control of the court leave him politically weak.
• Political maneuvering and appearances: Gungun uses courtesy, ceremony, and apparent generosity to manage a rival without open confrontation.
• Building a durable government: Gungun and Ao Yue recognize that a court staffed only by dragons and bears will lack legitimacy and must include other races.
• Humor and irony: Haotian’s grand ambitions contrast with his lack of followers and his “gift” of a ruined palace, setting up the chapter’s comic ending.

Key plot points and events

• Haotian, newly appointed Great Heavenly Venerable, fumes over Gungun and Ao Yue’s control of the Heavenly Court. He realizes he has no officials of his own and, with Golden Mother of Jade Pool, plans to recruit followers through a public proclamation and trials.
• Houtu and the Ancestral Witches arrive to speak privately with Gungun. Ao Yue politely withdraws.
• Gungun theatrically clings to Houtu and claims it seized the Heavenly Court and took the throne to protect the Witch Race’s rightful spoils from Haotian. It describes how it learned of Haotian’s ambitions, allied with Ao Yue, and rushed to secure the Court.
• The Ancestral Witches believe Gungun’s story. Furious, Zhurong, Gonggong, and Ju Mang move to attack Haotian, but Houtu stops them: killing the Dao Ancestor’s attendant could provoke Hongjun, and the Witch Race is too weakened to risk that.
• Houtu notes that Haotian has no supporters yet, then questions whether Gungun’s account is sincere. Gungun insists it would even abdicate the throne for her—while privately admitting its tears are artificial and its motives questionable.

Character developments and interactions

• Haotian shifts from triumphant confidence to resentment and insecurity, then looks for a way to build his own power base. Golden Mother acts as his pragmatic adviser and emotional support.
• Gungun displays its usual scheming, self-serving nature beneath a performance of devotion and sacrifice. It manipulates the Ancestral Witches by presenting its political actions as loyalty to them.
• Houtu remains cautious and politically minded: she is moved by Gungun’s apparent loyalty but distrusts its motives and restrains her siblings.
• Zhurong, Gonggong, and Ju Mang respond with anger and a readiness to fight Haotian; Xuanming comforts Gungun, while Gonggong is especially quick to accept its explanation.
• Ao Yue shows deference to Houtu and leaves without protest when asked.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Haotian has a formal mandate but lacks followers; Gungun and Ao Yue hold practical control through force and alliances.
• Political manipulation: Gungun’s emotional performance reshapes the Ancestral Witches’ understanding of events.
• Restraint versus vengeance: Houtu prioritizes the Witch Race’s survival over immediate retaliation.
• Appearance versus motive: Gungun’s tears and declarations of loyalty contrast with its private awareness that the performance is contrived.

Plot points and events

• Houtu wakes Gungun by knocking it unconscious, then orders Ju Mang to summon Hou Yi, Xingtian, Wind Earl, and Rain Master to Heaven.
• She sends Zhurong to tell Chi You to help reunite the scattered human tribes and compete for the Human Emperor position. She proposes making Nine Li, Chi You’s brother and Yuanshi’s disciple, chief of the Nine Li Tribe so Yuanshi will support the Witch-Human bid. Chi You may eventually succeed Houtu as an Ancestral Witch.
• At court, Houtu presents the four Great Shamans as candidates for divine office. They accept: Hou Yi becomes Arrow God and receives command of 100,000 soldiers; Xingtian becomes War God with 50,000 soldiers; Wind Earl and Rain Master become Wind God and Rain God.
• Haotian objects that Houtu is interfering in Heavenly Court affairs. She insists she is conveying Gungun’s decree, then wakes Gungun to support her claim.
• Gungun learns of the appointments and, rather than undoing them, asks Houtu to station Gonggong, Xuanming, and Zhurong in Heaven as Water, Ice, and Fire Gods.
• The Dao Ancestor intervenes, ordering Houtu back to the Netherworld and the other Ancestral Witches back to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Haotian is relieved, but Gungun reminds him that it remains in Heaven. The Witch and Dragon forces then turn their weapons toward Haotian and Jade Pool.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu acts decisively and strategically, using her authority to strengthen the Witch presence in Heaven and advance the Witch-Human claim to the Human Emperor. Her playful handling of Gungun contrasts with her stern command of the court.
• Gungun is exposed for pretending to cry, but quickly adapts to Houtu’s plan. Its request to appoint more Ancestral Witches suggests it is willing to consolidate Witch power rather than preserve Haotian’s independence.
• Haotian and Jade Pool grow increasingly anxious as Witch leaders take key offices and command troops. Haotian’s protests are brushed aside, and his relief at the Dao Ancestor’s intervention proves short-lived.
• The Great Shamans accept their appointments readily, trusting that the court is effectively under Witch influence. The Ancestral Witches publicly claim the Witch Race will obey the Heavenly Court, despite their history of war.
• Houtu’s siblings support her decisions, though Xuanming is puzzled by her treatment of Gungun and Zhurong questions the plan for Nine Li until Houtu explains its political logic.

Significant themes

• Power and political maneuvering: Appointments, military command, and alliances are tools in the struggle for control of Heaven and the Human Emperor title.
• Authority versus legitimacy: Haotian holds a title backed by the Dao Ancestor, but Houtu and Gungun wield practical power through their allies and troops.
• Strategic cooperation: Houtu uses Nine Li’s connection to Yuanshi to secure Saintly support for the Witch-Human cause.
• Comic contrast and tension: Gungun’s antics and Houtu’s teasing sit alongside a serious contest for control, ending in a direct military standoff.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Gungun publicly confronts Haotian in the High Firmament Hall, accusing him of neglecting his duties and failing to contribute to the Heavenly Court’s security and fortune. He contrasts Haotian’s inaction with the sacrifices he and Ao Yue made to anchor the court’s fortune with powerful treasures.
• Jade Pool protects Haotian’s reputation by claiming he has already chosen a treasure to obtain for that purpose. Gungun turns the claim into a public wager: Haotian has one month to secure it, or Gungun will report him for dereliction of duty. If Haotian succeeds, Gungun will apologize before the assembled gods. Haotian agrees, and the gods ceremonially see him off.
• After Haotian leaves, Gungun explains that conflict was inevitable: Haotian wants power, and Gungun cannot let him become the Heavenly Court’s true ruler. Gungun admits he would rather avoid the work of governing, but accepts the burden so he will not become a powerless figurehead.
• Hou Yi offers to share the administration. Gungun immediately assigns him responsibility for forming the heavenly army and repairing the damage to the court. He also assigns Xingtian to arrange a carriage and gifts for visits to the Saints, and Wind Earl and Rain Master to prepare gifts for River Styx and Zhen Yuanzi.
• Gungun realizes Wind Earl and Rain Master left Kong Xuan without a guard. Kunpeng takes the opportunity to break the prison formation and rescue Kong Xuan. Gungun chooses not to pursue them, saying he had planned to release Kong Xuan soon anyway.
• Gungun suspects Haotian’s promised fortune-anchoring treasure may be the Hetu Luoshu. He privately thinks Haotian and Jade Pool are unlikely to outcompete a Saint for it.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shows political cunning beneath his lazy, comic persona. He uses public pressure to constrain Haotian, while also trying to delegate as much Heavenly Court work as possible. Though he dislikes the labor of rule, he is determined to retain real authority.
• Haotian is angered and humiliated by Gungun’s accusations but accepts the one-month challenge, encouraged by Jade Pool. He leaves vowing inwardly to gain enough strength to stand against Gungun and Ao Yue.
• Jade Pool acts as Haotian’s defender and strategist, improvising the promise that he will obtain a treasure to protect his reputation.
• Hou Yi supports Gungun and volunteers to share the governing burden, but is caught off guard when Gungun hands him major assignments. Xingtian and the other gods likewise become part of Gungun’s administrative plans.
• Kunpeng’s rescue of Kong Xuan reveals his loyalty to his younger brother despite his reputation for ruthlessness. Gungun recognizes this and treats the escape as acceptable rather than escalating the conflict.

Significant themes

• Power versus responsibility: Gungun wants the authority and privileges of the Heavenly Emperor without the exhausting work, while Haotian seeks greater control.
• Political maneuvering and reputation: Gungun uses a public challenge to make Haotian’s claims of public-mindedness binding, while Jade Pool tries to preserve Haotian’s standing.
• Loyalty and family: Kunpeng risks entering hostile territory to rescue Kong Xuan.
• Comic contrast: Gungun presents grand, righteous speeches but quickly delegates practical duties, blending political calculation with laziness.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun ends the dispute over earlier events, orders gifts sent to River Styx and Zhen Yuanzi, and promises to return the borrowed Yuantu and Abi Swords. He then abruptly turns into a bear, curls up on the Heavenly Emperor’s seat, and falls asleep.
• Ao Yue questions whether Gungun is concerned that Haotian and Yaochi might seize the Hetu Luoshu from the weakened Kunpeng. Gungun gives no answer, leaving Ao Yue to conclude that he must be confident.
• Haotian resents being pressured into finding a treasure to anchor the Heavenly Court’s fortune. Yaochi argues they must act to protect his reputation and identifies Kunpeng’s Hetu Luoshu as their target. Convinced that their bestowed treasures give them a chance against Kunpeng, Haotian agrees to pursue him. His mirror reveals Kunpeng and Kong Xuan heading toward Wutong Forest.
• Tongtian warns his Jiejiao disciples to avoid unnecessary conflict with the newly established Heavenly Court. He also advises Yinglong to seek the God of the Four Seasons position, explaining that serving the Human Race can earn merit and speed Yinglong’s cultivation.
• Tongtian orders Jiejiao to dismantle the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, revealing that he intends to obtain the Hetu Luoshu from Kunpeng as a stronger anchor for the sect’s fortune. He leaves to confront Kunpeng.
• On the way to Wutong Forest, Kunpeng coughs blood and collapses. Kong Xuan helps him down, and Tongtian appears before them. Kunpeng recognizes the Shangqing Saint.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains outwardly carefree and inscrutable: despite holding the highest office, he delegates responsibilities and naps through Ao Yue’s probing questions.
• Ao Yue is more cautious and analytical, openly assessing the risks of Haotian’s mission while choosing to observe Gungun’s apparent confidence.
• Haotian and Yaochi act as a team. Yaochi is politically perceptive and directs their strategy; Haotian shifts from indignation and anxiety to ambition, seeing the Hetu Luoshu as both a way to challenge Gungun and enhance his own reputation.
• Tongtian combines strategic authority with favoritism toward Yinglong. He offers Yinglong a path to gain merit, while making a major institutional decision for Jiejiao without yielding to his disciples’ initial objections.
• Yinglong accepts Tongtian’s guidance and explains the plan to his fellow disciples. They envy his fortunate status as both a favored disciple and Ao Yue’s younger brother.
• Kunpeng and Kong Xuan are shown as close; Kong Xuan immediately comes to Kunpeng’s aid. Kunpeng’s unexplained illness leaves him vulnerable just as Tongtian arrives.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Haotian’s pursuit is motivated not only by the Heavenly Court’s needs but also by his status and desire to prove himself.
• Fortune and legitimacy: Treasures that anchor a faction’s fortune are crucial to the authority and stability of both the Heavenly Court and Jiejiao.
• Political maneuvering and competing claims: Haotian and Tongtian independently target the same treasure, setting up a likely confrontation.
• Merit and service: Tongtian presents benevolent rule over the Human Race as a source of heavenly merit and spiritual advancement.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Tongtian confronts the injured Kunpeng, accusing him of deliberately releasing the Ten Golden Crows and helping provoke the Witch–Demon War, causing countless deaths. Kunpeng admits he acted out of resentment, though he blames Zhunti for encouraging him.
• Kong Xuan tries to defend Kunpeng and offers to take on his karmic burden, but Kunpeng angrily rejects the sacrifice and knocks him aside.
• Lingguang intervenes on Kunpeng’s behalf, citing the Phoenix Race’s merit and promising Kunpeng will reform. Tongtian agrees to spare him on two conditions: Kunpeng must surrender the Hetu Luoshu and submit to confinement in the Northern Sea for one kalpa.
• Kunpeng hands over the treasure. Tongtian insists his pursuit was genuinely about justice for the victims, not merely obtaining the treasure, then departs.
• Lingguang heals Kunpeng by removing the lingering solar power left by Dijun. Kunpeng accepts the sentence of seclusion and reflects on how his pursuit of revenge has nearly destroyed him.
• Haotian and Yaochi travel to recruit Kunpeng for the Heavenly Court. Kunpeng refuses. Haotian then asks him to surrender the Hetu Luoshu, hoping to use it to anchor the Court’s fortune.
• Kunpeng says the treasure is no longer in his possession and orders them away. When Haotian presses him and invokes the Dao Ancestor’s authority, Kunpeng erupts in anger and unleashes a powerful aura against the pair.

Character developments

• Kunpeng is revealed as deeply embittered by years of coercion and humiliation, but his reflections after Tongtian’s visit suggest he may be growing weary of revenge. Despite his injuries, he remains proud and volatile.
• Kong Xuan shows loyalty and compassion toward his brother, even offering his own life to atone for Kunpeng’s deeds. Kunpeng’s harsh response reflects both his protectiveness and his refusal to let Kong Xuan bear his guilt.
• Tongtian balances justice with mercy: he holds Kunpeng accountable but accepts Lingguang’s appeal and imposes a period of confinement rather than killing him.
• Lingguang acts as a powerful mediator, protecting Kunpeng and healing him while insisting that he reform.
• Haotian begins diplomatically but shifts toward pressure when Kunpeng refuses. His reliance on his title and the Dao Ancestor’s authority worsens the confrontation; Yaochi offers a more pragmatic view of the limits of their magic.

Significant themes

• Justice, responsibility, and mercy: Kunpeng’s motives and Zhunti’s influence complicate blame, but Tongtian still insists that Kunpeng answer for the deaths.
• The corrosive nature of revenge: Kunpeng’s long cycle of retaliation has left him injured, isolated, and nearly defeated.
• Power and legitimacy: Haotian’s title does not automatically command respect, especially from someone who views him as an unworthy former attendant.
• Loyalty and protection: Kong Xuan and Lingguang both risk themselves to help Kunpeng, though in different ways.
• Coercion versus choice: Kunpeng’s past forced allegiance to the Demon Race shapes his immediate rejection of another invitation to serve a ruling power.

Character interactions

• Tongtian confronts Kunpeng and debates his culpability; Kong Xuan pleads for his brother, while Kunpeng rebukes him.
• Lingguang appeals to Tongtian’s sense of mercy, then heals Kunpeng and directs him to reform.
• Haotian approaches Kunpeng first with an invitation and then with a demand for the Hetu Luoshu. Kunpeng’s contempt and Haotian’s insistence turn the meeting into an impending clash.

Key plot points and events

• Kunpeng attacks Haotian and Jade Pool, dismissing Haotian’s attempt to explain. He overwhelms both Heavenly Court rulers in a fierce fight, though his own old injuries from Dijun remain painful.
• While Gungun sleeps on the Heavenly Emperor’s throne, the Devil Ancestor contacts it. He says Haotian is fighting Kunpeng and asks Gungun to steal Haotian’s future Corpse of Evil and send it to the Dark Abyss.
• The Devil Ancestor also gives Gungun a Black Giant Pearl Necklace and urges it to help Chi You become Human Emperor, so the Demon Teaching can regain strength. Gungun pretends to comply but privately intends to pursue its own interests—and considers backing the Nine Li instead.
• Gungun buys the system’s Heaven-Falling Bell, then spends almost all its savings on a Heavenly Stele. The stele lets the Heavenly Court’s ruler establish up to three rules recognized by the Heavenly Dao, without involving the Saints.
• Eager to test it, Gungun writes: “Gods must not wantonly harm mortal beings!” The Heavenly Dao immediately announces the rule, imposing an invisible constraint on all beings. Gungun realizes the rule applies to itself too and regrets acting without thinking.
• Hongjun is alarmed that the Heavenly Dao issued a rule without his knowledge. Though he tries to reassure himself, he considers taking precautions involving the Three Pure Ones.
• Kunpeng leaves the battered Haotian and Jade Pool behind and heads for the Wutong Forest with Kong Xuan.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains lazy and self-serving, but its new authority as Heavenly Emperor gives it power that even Hongjun cannot fully control. It resists the Devil Ancestor’s attempts to use it and acts impulsively with the stele, then immediately worries about the consequences.
• The Devil Ancestor treats Gungun as a tool in plans to recover his strength and expand the Demon Teaching. Gungun listens politely while concealing its own agenda.
• Hongjun is shaken by evidence that the Heavenly Dao can act independently of him, revealing a crack in the control he believed he held.
• Kunpeng reasserts his pride by defeating Haotian and Jade Pool, though his lingering injuries show that his earlier wounds still limit him.

Significant themes

• Power and control: Gungun’s Heavenly Stele creates rules beyond Hongjun’s direct control, unsettling the established order.
• Self-interest and manipulation: The Devil Ancestor seeks to recruit Gungun, while Gungun plans to exploit events for its own future Panda Great Teaching.
• Unintended consequences: Gungun’s hasty rule protects mortals but also binds its own conduct.
• Laziness versus responsibility: Gungun gains the authority to shape the world yet resists the thought and care such responsibility demands.

Key plot points and events

• Ao Yue formally restores Ao Guang’s authority as East Sea Dragon King and boosts him to the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. Ao Guang leaves delighted, believing he can finally govern the East Sea independently.
• Bi’an reports that Bai Ze has rebuilt the Demon Emperor Palace in the north and brought Crown Prince Lu Ya back from the Western Lands. Ao Yue sends 100,000 dragon troops to reinforce the Northern Sea.
• Ao Yue appoints Bi’an Judicial Heavenly God and tasks him with drafting laws for the Heavenly Court, hoping to prevent the infighting and weak governance that contributed to the Demon Court’s collapse.
• In the north, the Demon Sages learn that Kunpeng is heading toward the Northern Dark Sea. They decide to kill him and reclaim the Hetu Luoshu, both to avenge his betrayal and to reunite the Demon Race.
• Lu Ya publicly commits to killing Kunpeng, and the Demon Sages rally behind him, presenting the campaign as proof that the defeated Demon Race remains powerful.
• Meanwhile, Haotian and Jade Pool recover from their failed attempt to take the Hetu Luoshu. Haotian fears the Saints will use the failure to undermine his position as Heavenly Emperor.
• A treasure emerges nearby: the Liquid of Extreme Evil, which can help Quasi-Saints gather their evil thoughts and potentially sever an evil corpse. Haotian recognizes its value and leaves with Jade Pool.
• Saint Zhunti arrives after they depart. Before he can decide whether to use the discovery against Haotian, a mysterious force warns him not to interfere. Zhunti recognizes the presence as that of the Devil Ancestor.

Character developments and interactions

• Ao Guang is newly empowered and buoyant, interpreting Ao Yue’s appointment as a chance to become a genuine ruler rather than a nominal Dragon King.
• Ao Yue balances administration and security: he strengthens the Northern Sea’s defenses while beginning to establish a formal legal system for Heaven.
• Bi’an accepts an unexpected role as Judicial Heavenly God, reflecting Ao Yue’s trust in his loyalty and worldly experience.
• Lu Ya appears more mature and resolute after repeated family losses. Bai Ze sees him as a potential leader, and the Demon Sages unite behind his call for revenge.
• Bai Ze and the Demon Sages turn their anger at Kunpeng into a political strategy: killing him could punish betrayal and restore cohesion without the Demon-Summoning Banner.
• Haotian and Jade Pool remain injured and anxious after their defeat. Haotian’s fear of losing his office worsens his distress, but the newly discovered treasure may offer him a path to greater power.
• Zhunti considers exploiting Haotian’s encounter with demonic energy, but the Devil Ancestor’s intervention abruptly checks him.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Ao Guang’s formal authority, Bi’an’s legal appointment, and Haotian’s precarious position all show that titles alone do not guarantee control.
• Unity through justice—or vengeance: Ao Yue seeks order through law, while the Demon Race seeks cohesion through the punishment of a traitor.
• Political rivalry: The Saints’ competing ambitions threaten Haotian’s rule, and even a spiritual discovery becomes an opportunity for political maneuvering.
• Betrayal and consequence: The demons regard Kunpeng’s defection as both a personal grievance and a danger to their race’s unity.
• Hidden forces: The Devil Ancestor’s sudden warning suggests that larger, unseen powers are shaping events.

Key events

• Zhunti is confronted by the Devil Ancestor through a dark passage and warned not to interfere or his religious lineage will be destroyed. He chooses not to report the encounter to Hongjun, reasoning that doing so could reignite the Dao-Demon conflict.
• Haotian and Yaochi retreat to refine the Liquid of Extreme Evil so Haotian can sever his evil corpse and become a two-corpse Quasi-Saint. Despite promising Gungun to find a treasure that would anchor the Heavenly Court’s fortune, Haotian puts his own advancement first.
• On Golden Turtle Island, Tongtian uses the Hetu Luoshu to anchor Jiejiao’s fortune. His disciples celebrate, and he expects the strengthened sect to surpass Yuanshi’s Expounding Teaching.
• Gungun realizes that, with the Hetu Luoshu unavailable, Haotian may turn to the Queen Mother of the West’s Peach Tree. He anticipates that any attempt to seize it by force could damage the Heavenly Court’s reputation.
• In the Netherworld, Houtu has Gungun leave his Spirit-Washing Cauldron behind to make soup for the dead, promising that it will earn merit. She then discusses Haotian’s predicament with him: the Peach Tree could anchor the Heavenly Court’s fortune, but the Queen Mother of the West is too powerful for Haotian and Yaochi to defeat.
• Houtu explains her opposition to Haotian’s rise. She suspects Hongjun helped Dijun obtain the power of other Star Deities during the War of the Liches, and sees Haotian as Hongjun’s candidate for control of the Heavenly Court. She warns Gungun to keep his position secure.
• The chapter ends with survivors of the Witch-Demon Calamity in the Suiming Tribe praying to Houtu for help. Houtu senses their prayers.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhunti is shaken by the Devil Ancestor’s threat but suppresses his pride and stays silent to avoid a renewed cosmic conflict.
• Haotian shows growing ambition: he prioritizes strengthening himself over fulfilling his promise to Gungun.
• Tongtian celebrates Jiejiao’s newly secured fortune and remains driven by rivalry with Yuanshi.
• Gungun continues to think strategically about the Heavenly Court while maintaining his lazy, self-serving humor. He listens to Houtu’s warning and agrees to prevent Haotian from gaining power.
• Houtu reveals deep resentment toward Hongjun for his past actions against her and the Witch Race. In conversation with Gungun, she shares her suspicions about the War of the Liches and urges him to defend the Heavenly Court’s authority.
• Houtu and Gungun retain a familiar, affectionate relationship: she teases and advises him, while he tries unsuccessfully to reclaim his cauldron from its new use.

Significant themes

• Ambition and power: Haotian seeks greater cultivation, while Tongtian and Gungun pursue influence for their respective factions.
• Political legitimacy and fortune: Anchoring a sect’s or court’s fortune is crucial to securing long-term authority.
• Grudges and hidden history: Houtu’s suspicions about Hongjun’s role in past events shape her present opposition to Haotian.
• Duty and sacrifice: Gungun’s treasured cauldron is put to work serving the dead, while Zhunti sacrifices personal pride to avoid a larger conflict.

Chapter summary

• The Suiming Tribe is suffering an unnatural, prolonged cold because the Solar Star has stopped warming the world since the War of the Liches. With people freezing to death, the tribe gathers before Houtu’s statue and begs her for help.
• Houtu notices their prayers and tells Gungun, the Heavenly Emperor, that vulnerable human tribes need assistance. Gungun initially assumes Nuwa, Laozi, or Chi You should be handling the problem, but Houtu shows it the tribe’s plight. Since humanity is now the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth, helping it can earn merit.
• Rather than go itself, Gungun sends its good corpse, A Bei. Houtu questions whether A Bei can manage the crisis, which appears linked to the Demon Race. Gungun says the task calls for wisdom more than strength. Houtu offers A Bei the northern Extreme Ice Immortal Realm as a cultivation home if it succeeds—and threatens to keep it as her battle pet if it fails.
• A Bei investigates and finds that the Heavenly Court has already removed barriers blocking starlight. The Solar Star’s withdrawal is therefore likely deliberate, and A Bei suspects Lu Ya, the surviving Golden Crow prince. It judges that fighting Lu Ya and the Ten Great Demon Sages would be too dangerous and politically costly, so it looks for a peaceful solution instead.
• In the Suiming Tribe, A Bei sees elders struggling to produce even tiny flames with their weak magic. Many human tribes lost their teachings and powerful protectors amid the disasters of the Lich War, leaving them unable to cope with the cold. A Bei creates a large fire to help immediately, then begins demonstrating how to make fire with wood—a practical solution the humans can use themselves.

Character developments and interactions

• Houtu acts as a compassionate advocate for suffering humans and nudges Gungun toward its responsibility. She is also amused by A Bei’s kindness, calling it cuter than Gungun.
• Gungun recognizes that its unsplit evil corpse limits its motivation to help. It trusts A Bei—its embodiment of benevolent thoughts—to act with greater compassion and ingenuity.
• A Bei proves thoughtful and restrained: it identifies the likely cause of the cold but avoids a reckless war, choosing immediate aid and a durable, teachable solution.
• The Suiming Tribe is shown as faithful but helpless: its people pray to Houtu, while its elders’ weak magic cannot reliably provide warmth.

Significant themes

• Compassion and responsibility: Powerful beings should help vulnerable people, especially when humanity’s new status brings both opportunity and need.
• Wisdom over force: A Bei avoids a costly confrontation and addresses the crisis through practical ingenuity.
• Resilience through knowledge: Teaching people to make fire offers more lasting independence than merely supplying heat.
• Political caution: Protecting humanity also means avoiding actions that could provoke other races and leave it isolated.

Key plot points and events

• A Bei creates fire for the Suiming Tribe by scorching wood, hoping the people will learn to make fire themselves rather than depend on spells or divine gifts. The tribe finds the flames, assumes Houtu sent them, and carries them home to survive the cold.
• A young man notices the scorch marks and realizes fire caused them. He studies the wood, attracting A Bei’s attention; A Bei suspects he may be Suirenshi, the legendary inventor of fire-making by drilling wood.
• Three days later, Lu Ya leads the Ten Great Demon Sages and Demon Gods in an attack on Kunpeng, seeking revenge for his betrayal of the Demon Race. Kunpeng fights fiercely but is badly wounded by the Demon Sages and struck by Dijun’s Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade. His physical body is destroyed, but his primordial spirit escapes.
• The Demon Race’s leaders are frustrated that Kunpeng survives, though Bai Ze argues that his injuries should leave him weakened.
• In the Western Lands, Haotian severs his Corpse of Evil after refining the Liquid of Extreme Evil. The chapter ends with his horrified reaction to the corpse’s strange, faceless, skinless appearance.

Character developments and interactions

• A Bei acts as a clever but indirect teacher, arranging for the tribe to discover fire and watching to see whether the young man can infer how it was made.
• The Suiming chief and tribe interpret the fire as Houtu’s blessing and express gratitude to her. Houtu accepts the praise, reasoning that she set the chain of events in motion.
• The young man’s filial care for his mother is emphasized: he seeks food for her while privately committing the scorch marks to memory.
• Lu Ya shows determination to restore the Demon Race’s standing and punish Kunpeng, but his frustration grows when Kunpeng escapes.
• Bai Ze acts as a composed leader, rallying the demons and advising Lu Ya after the failed attack.
• Kunpeng proves difficult to defeat despite his injuries; after losing his body, he remains defiant and vows to repay the demons.
• Haotian’s successful cultivation milestone is undercut by his shock at the appearance of his severed evil corpse.

Significant themes

• Teaching self-reliance: A Bei prefers showing humans how to create fire over giving them a magical solution.
• Faith and credit: The tribe attributes its rescue to Houtu, whose involvement is indirect but genuine.
• Revenge and survival: The Demon Race’s attack reflects its desire to restore its former authority, while Kunpeng’s escape keeps the conflict unresolved.
• The limits of power: Even a large force cannot fully eliminate Kunpeng, and Haotian’s spiritual progress brings an unexpected consequence.

Key plot points and events

• Haotian completes the severing of his Corpse of Evil and becomes a Two-Corpse Quasi-Saint, but the newly created corpse is unexpectedly rebellious and deranged. It insults Haotian, declares independence, and vows to overthrow him and rule the Heavenly Court.
• Haotian traps the corpse inside the Haotian Pagoda and hides the incident from Jade Pool, telling her the breakthrough went smoothly.
• Jade Pool proposes taking the Queen Mother of the West’s Primordial Spiritual Root—the Peach Tree—as a substitute for the Hetu Luoshu, which Kunpeng no longer possesses. The treasure could anchor the Heavenly Court’s fortune.
• Though Haotian doubts the morality and likely consequences, Jade Pool argues that they have little choice and that their victory would strengthen her standing. Haotian agrees, and the pair set out for Western Kunlun.
• In the Netherworld, Gungun watches events through a magical mirror. It senses Haotian and Jade Pool’s destination and sees them confronting the Queen Mother of the West.

Character developments

• Haotian gains considerable strength but is unsettled by his Corpse of Evil’s independent personality and hostility. He conceals the problem from Jade Pool and ultimately lets her guide their next move.
• The Corpse of Evil emerges as an ambitious, self-directed figure who despises Haotian’s weakness and wants freedom, power, and control of the Heavenly Court.
• Jade Pool takes the lead in planning the Heavenly Court’s next move. Her ambition to establish her authority among the Primordial World’s female immortals shapes her willingness to seize the Peach Tree.
• Gungun remains relaxed and indulgent, but its supernatural awareness lets it follow the unfolding conflict.

Significant themes

• The divided self: Haotian’s severed evil aspect behaves as a separate person, raising questions about identity, control, and the risks of spiritual transformation.
• Power and legitimacy: Haotian and Jade Pool justify taking another immortal’s treasure as necessary to secure the Heavenly Court’s authority.
• Ambition and status: Jade Pool’s plan is partly driven by her desire to prove her rank and prestige.
• Concealment and mistrust: Haotian hides the truth about his corpse, while the planned seizure of the Peach Tree risks further conflict.

Character interactions

• The Corpse of Evil openly humiliates and rejects Haotian; Haotian responds by imprisoning it.
• Haotian reassures Jade Pool that the noisy exchange was harmless, and she accepts his explanation.
• Jade Pool persuades the hesitant Haotian to join her plan, and he shows trust by agreeing and taking her hands.
• Gungun and Houtu share the Netherworld scene, but Houtu remains focused on cultivation while Gungun watches events unfold.

Plot points and events

• Gungun watches Haotian and Jade Pool confront the Queen Mother of the West over her Peach Tree. Confident they will win, he expects to enjoy its Flat Peaches once it is planted in the Heavenly Court.
• The Queen Mother refuses to surrender the tree without a decree from the Dao Ancestor. Jade Pool argues that its former affinity with the Queen Mother has ended now that she and Haotian rule the Heavenly Court; the Queen Mother rejects this and points out that the Court already has treasures to anchor its fortune.
• Haotian and Jade Pool attack. After more than twenty days of fighting, Haotian injures and immobilizes the Queen Mother with the Haotian Pagoda and Mirror. Jade Pool breaks through Western Kunlun’s wards and takes the Peach Tree with its soil.
• As they depart, Haotian blames Gungun for the seizure, claiming the bear told them to do it. The furious Queen Mother vows to make Haotian and Jade Pool repay their debt, while recognizing that they are trying to turn her against Gungun.
• Gungun hears Haotian’s accusation and sets off for the Heavenly Court, intent on making Haotian regret it.
• On Penglai, Emperor Donghua considers whether Haotian—now having severed two corpses—has become strong enough to rival Gungun and Ao Yue.

Character developments and interactions

• Haotian and Jade Pool act together to secure the Peach Tree, presenting the seizure as a duty to the Heavenly Court despite the Queen Mother’s objections. Haotian shows some reluctance, but ultimately attacks and shifts the blame onto Gungun.
• The Queen Mother of the West stands firm over what she considers her rightful possession, fights fiercely, and leaves vowing revenge. She is perceptive enough to see through Haotian’s attempt to make Gungun the target of her anger.
• Gungun, initially amused and hungry for peaches, becomes enraged when falsely blamed and heads to confront Haotian.
• Houtu silently observes Gungun and the confrontation, offering no comment.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Haotian and Jade Pool invoke their authority over the Heavenly Court, while the Queen Mother challenges whether they truly have the right to rule or claim her treasure.
• Self-interest disguised as duty: The pair frame taking the Peach Tree as serving the world, though the Queen Mother disputes the need for it.
• Blame and political maneuvering: Haotian tries to redirect the consequences of his actions by blaming Gungun, but the Queen Mother sees through the tactic.
• Strength and shifting influence: Haotian’s growing power raises questions about the balance among the major figures.

Plot points and events

• Emperor Donghua, long resentful of the Ancestral Bear and Ao Yue, decides to return to the struggle for power in the Heavenly Court. He hopes to ally with Haotian, overthrow the two rulers, and claim a top position for himself.
• Haotian and Jade Pool return to the ruined Heavenly Court pleased with their victory over Gungun. They plan to use the Peach Tree they seized from the Queen Mother of the West to establish a Peach Garden, attract allies with its fruit, and build their own force.
• As they begin dividing the tree into 3,600 trees and dedicating them to anchor the Court’s fortune, Gungun interrupts with an attack. He arrives in imperial robes, accompanied by eight Witches and a vast Witch army.
• Gungun accuses Haotian and Jade Pool of stealing a Dao Ancestor–bestowed treasure and damaging the Heavenly Court’s reputation. He denies responsibility for their theft, points out that he never ordered or encouraged it, and declares he will take them to Zixiao Palace for judgment.
• Gungun orders his soldiers to seize them. Haotian draws the Haotian Sword and protests that he is Dao Ancestor-appointed; Gungun counters that he is the Heavenly Emperor recognized by the Heavenly Dao and stands by his attack. The confrontation is poised to become a battle.

Character developments

• Donghua moves from anxious resentment to ambitious resolve, deciding that the current political upheaval offers a chance to reclaim influence.
• Haotian and Jade Pool show growing political ambition: they want the Peach Garden to help them attract followers and build an independent power base.
• Gungun acts as a shrewd and confident ruler. He turns Haotian’s seizure of the Peach Tree into a public case against him while distancing himself from the act.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Haotian and Gungun both claim authority, invoking the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao respectively.
• Political opportunism: Donghua and Haotian seek to exploit the weakened state of the world to expand their influence.
• Reputation and public judgment: Gungun frames the Peach Tree’s theft as a stain on the Heavenly Court and invokes the Dao Ancestor as judge.
• Manipulation and accountability: Gungun’s technically truthful denial highlights the gap between direct orders and calculated complicity.

Character interactions

• Donghua privately weighs the risks of opposing Gungun and Ao Yue, then commits to pursuing power.
• Haotian and Jade Pool collaborate on a plan to use the Peach Trees to win support.
• Gungun confronts Haotian and Jade Pool, rejects Haotian’s attempt to shift blame, and orders his forces to arrest them.
• Haotian responds with defiance, setting up a direct clash between the rival claims to rule the Heavenly Court.