Chapter Summaries

Primordial World: I'm an Iron-Eating Beast, and Houtu Can Hear My Thoughts
974 summaries

Ch. 427Black Bear Ancestor

Key plot points and events

  • As the Human Emperor Contest rages at Zhuolu, the Human Race’s repeated civil wars prompt powerful observers to question whether it can truly serve as Heaven and Earth’s Protagonist.
  • Soaring Serpent watches the casualties but admits he cannot intervene: the war involves both the contest for Human Emperor and the conflict between the Saints Jade Pure and Shangqing.
  • Bai Xi assumes he is worried about the Human Race. In fact, Soaring Serpent is fretting that the deaths will give Gungun more ghosts—and make the bear even more arrogant.
  • In the Netherworld, Gungun meets his Corpse of Evil, Black Bear Ancestor, who has come from Black Bear Ridge to request another advance on his food stipend. Black Bear Ancestor eats the rabbit bone Gungun offers him, then heads to Houtu asking for food.
  • Houtu pins Black Bear Ancestor to the ground, exasperated by his constant requests. His plea that he must also feed his Bear Descendants earns a sigh rather than sympathy.
  • Gungun senses Xuanyuan and Chi You fighting personally and races off to watch their duel, which interests him more than the armies’ battle.

Character developments and interactions

  • Soaring Serpent is shown to be petty and competitive rather than compassionate: his concern is chiefly that Gungun might gain more followers and swagger.
  • Bai Xi misreads Soaring Serpent’s mood and is left speechless when he explains his real motive.
  • Black Bear Ancestor mirrors Gungun’s appetite and self-indulgence, but appears even more shameless and dependent, repeatedly seeking advances from Houtu.
  • Houtu is fond of Gungun by comparison, viewing him as more useful and agreeable than Black Bear Ancestor.
  • Gungun treats death matter-of-factly as Netherworld Emperor and is drawn to the spectacle of a duel between leaders. He and Black Bear Ancestor share food and banter, though Gungun is baffled by his counterpart’s behavior.

Significant themes

  • Human flaws and division: The Human Race’s virtues coexist with selfishness, greed, vanity, and arrogance, helping fuel repeated civil wars.
  • Death and perspective: Gungun’s role in the Netherworld makes mass death seem less tragic to him than it does to ordinary observers.
  • Comic self-reflection: Black Bear Ancestor acts as an exaggerated mirror of Gungun’s appetites, while the characters’ misunderstandings and rivalries undercut the chapter’s grand setting with humor.
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Ch. 428Gungun Seized the Witch-Slaying Sword

Plot points and events

  • Xuanyuan and Chi You clash in the sky above Zhuolu, matching divine fire and water attacks. Their duel turns when Chi You breaks Xuanyuan’s sword and nearly lands a fatal blow; Yinglong intercepts him and is wounded. Xuanyuan then knocks Chi You back with a Dragon Pearl and turns to tend to Yinglong.
  • The first major battle ends with heavy losses on both sides. Chi You’s army is weakened by Jiejiao fighters, particularly Zhao Gongming and the Three Xiao Sisters’ Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation.
  • In the Nine Li camp, Chi You asks for a plan to defeat Youxiong. Nine Li returns from seeking help from Ancestral Witch Zhurong, bringing word that eighty powerful Witch Race fighters will join the next battle.
  • Nuwa also sets events in motion: Bai Ze arrives at the Youxiong camp bearing the Witch-Slaying Sword and announcing her decree. Before Xuanyuan can receive it, Gungun confronts Bai Ze and demands the sword, taking offense at its name.

Character developments and interactions

  • Xuanyuan shows resolve and quick thinking, but his concern for the injured Yinglong takes priority over pursuing Chi You.
  • Yinglong proves his loyalty by shielding Xuanyuan and suffers for it.
  • Chi You remains determined to claim the Human Emperor’s seat, but his forces’ losses and the battle’s stalemate leave him seeking an advantage.
  • Nine Li strengthens his standing by securing Witch Race reinforcements, cheering Chi You and the Nine Li generals.
  • Gungun, who has little interest in human casualties, becomes involved when he sees the Witch-Slaying Sword. His dispute with Bai Ze ends the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Significant themes

  • The struggle for the Human Emperor’s seat is shaped by competing claims of lineage and legitimacy.
  • Powerful allies and supernatural weapons can shift the balance of war, while even formidable leaders depend on loyal companions.
  • The chapter contrasts the large-scale brutality of war with personal bonds, especially Xuanyuan’s care for Yinglong.
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Ch. 429Giving Xuanyuan the Witch-Slaying Sword and Chi You the Demon-Slaying Sword

Plot points and events

  • Gungun uses Netherworld in the Palm to catch Bai Ze by surprise, imprisoning him and taking the Witch-Slaying Sword.
  • Xuanyuan and his generals emerge from their tent and recognize Gungun, greeting him as the Ancestral Bear or Heavenly Emperor. Gungun accepts their reverence and takes Xuanyuan’s place at the head of the tent.
  • Gungun gives Xuanyuan the Witch-Slaying Sword, renaming it the Xuanyuan Sword. He explains that it was forged and refined with Nuwa’s sacred blood and carries the power of the Human Path, making it a weapon fit to oppose Chi You’s Tiger Soul Saber.
  • Gungun asks Xuanyuan to keep the killing to a minimum if he wins. Xuanyuan agrees.
  • After leaving camp, Gungun explains to Guang Chengzi why he gave the sword to Xuanyuan: Nuwa would likely have reclaimed it otherwise, and giving it himself may encourage Xuanyuan to spare the Nine Li Tribe later.
  • To balance his support for Xuanyuan, Gungun plans to use his position as Witch Scribe to secure the Demon-Slaying Sword for Chi You, ensuring Chi You can match Xuanyuan’s weapon.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun displays his power and confidence, but his decision-making is also pragmatic. He tries to manage the consequences of the coming conflict rather than openly favoring one side. He interacts respectfully with neither ceremony nor restraint: he accepts the tribes’ worship, takes Xuanyuan’s seat, and speaks with calculated authority.
  • Xuanyuan shows reverence toward Gungun and gratitude for the sword. He also agrees to limit bloodshed, suggesting a willingness to heed Gungun’s counsel.
  • Guang Chengzi questions Gungun’s apparent betrayal of Chi You, then is reassured by his explanation and plan to provide Chi You with an equivalent weapon.
  • Bai Ze is captured again, leaving the Witch-Slaying Sword in Gungun’s hands.

Significant themes

  • Power and strategy: A great weapon can shift the balance of a war, while Gungun uses foresight and political calculation to shape its effects.
  • Loyalty amid divided obligations: Gungun helps Xuanyuan while remaining committed to Chi You and the Nine Li Tribe.
  • Mercy and the costs of war: Gungun’s plea to limit killing offers a counterweight to the conflict’s escalating weaponry.
  • Destiny and inevitability: Gungun believes the sword would reach Xuanyuan regardless, so he chooses to control how that outcome unfolds.
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Ch. 430Gungun Helps Chi You?

Key plot points and events

  • Gungun questions Guang Chengzi about supporting Chi You despite the personal merit Guang Chengzi could gain by backing Xuanyuan. Guang Chengzi explains that he is prioritizing his senior brother’s interests and the Expounding Teaching’s future.
  • Gungun acknowledges Guang Chengzi’s sacrifice, offering the principle, “Judge deeds, not hearts; judge hearts, and no immortal is flawless.” Guang Chengzi is moved, though privately doubtful when Gungun claims to be the sage behind the saying.
  • Bai Ze escapes Gungun’s Netherworld in the Palm, injured, and flees toward the Wa Emperor Palace.
  • Gungun visits the Nine Li camp and rebukes Chi You for the severe losses suffered by the Witch-Humans. He postpones Chi You’s punishment until after the Human Emperor contest, so it will not weaken his chances.
  • Nine Li reveals that he has recruited eighty powerful Witch warriors. Gungun warns that Xuanyuan now possesses the Witch-Slaying Sword, making those warriors especially vulnerable.
  • Gungun proposes countering it with the Witch Race’s Demon-Slaying Sword. He asks the Ancestral Witches to lend it to Chi You, and a sword promptly flies from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains toward the camp.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun shows both political awareness and a teasing, self-confident manner. He recognizes Guang Chengzi’s loyalty, disciplines Chi You as his teacher, and responds to the new threat with a strategic countermeasure.
  • Guang Chengzi reveals that loyalty to his senior brother and sect outweighs his own ambitions. Gungun’s reassurance visibly affects him, though he remains unconvinced by Gungun’s claim of authorship.
  • Chi You accepts responsibility for the battle’s losses and submits to Gungun’s authority as teacher.
  • Nine Li is eager and resourceful, but his plan to bring in Witch warriors proves dangerous once the Witch-Slaying Sword is revealed.
  • Bai Ze’s escape leaves Gungun’s earlier attempt to stop the sword’s delivery unsuccessful.

Significant themes

  • Deeds versus inner motives: Gungun argues that imperfect thoughts do not erase genuine sacrifice.
  • Duty and self-interest: Guang Chengzi chooses his senior brother and sect over personal advancement.
  • The cost of war: The Witch-Humans’ heavy casualties threaten a population that took ages to grow.
  • Balance and retaliation: The Witch-Slaying Sword prompts the Nine Li side to answer with a weapon designed to counter Xuanyuan and Yinglong.
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Ch. 431Wind Earl Begged Forgiveness, Ao Yue Blocked the Way

Key plot points and events

  • The Witch Race sends the Demon-Slaying Sword to Chi You’s camp. Forged to attack primordial spirits, it can threaten not only demons but also humans and dragons.
  • Chi You accepts the sword and vows to defeat Xuanyuan and win the Human Emperor’s throne. Gungun promises to celebrate his victory in the Heavenly Court.
  • After leaving camp, Gungun reflects that he has supported both Xuanyuan and Chi You, leaving the outcome to their own abilities.
  • Wind Earl catches up with Gungun and confesses that Jiu Feng ordered him not to help Chi You. He had only pretended to fight Guang Chengzi, and now fears punishment.
  • Gungun absolves Wind Earl, arguing that he was right to obey Jiu Feng. He takes Wind Earl with him to the Heavenly Court rather than sending him back to Chi You’s army.
  • Meanwhile, Bai Ze reports to Nuwa. She heals him and orders him to ignore Gungun’s interference and continue helping Xuanyuan. As Bai Ze heads back to the Youxiong camp, Ao Yue blocks his way.

Character developments and interactions

  • Chi You accepts the burden of the Witch Race’s hopes and becomes more resolute in his campaign.
  • Gungun presents himself as impartial, having aided both sides, and shows mercy toward Wind Earl. His conduct also suggests he is managing loyalties carefully.
  • Wind Earl reveals that his apparent failure to support Chi You was caused by Jiu Feng’s order. Gungun reassures him, and Wind Earl responds with deep gratitude.
  • Jiu Feng is shown to wield considerable authority among the Great Shamans, despite sharing their rank.
  • Nuwa remains committed to Xuanyuan’s cause and directs Bai Ze to resume his mission. Ao Yue’s interception leaves Bai Ze’s next move unresolved.

Significant themes

  • Loyalty and divided allegiance: Characters navigate obligations to leaders, allies, and family.
  • Power and authority: Jiu Feng’s influence illustrates that status and practical authority do not always match formal rank.
  • Fairness and political maneuvering: Gungun claims to judge Wind Earl objectively while positioning him away from the battlefield.
  • The cost of war: The Demon-Slaying Sword’s power extends beyond its intended enemy, making the struggle dangerous for multiple races.
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Ch. 432Ao Yue Invited Bai Ze to Join the Heavenly Court

Key plot points and events

  • Ao Yue intercepts Bai Ze, who intends to help Xuanyuan in the struggle to become Human Emperor.
  • Ao Yue warns that Bai Ze’s openly helping as a demon could cost Xuanyuan the Human Race’s trust. Disguising himself as a Loose Immortal would also invite suspicion.
  • Ao Yue instead asks Bai Ze to leave the Demon Race, join the Heavenly Court, and assist Xuanyuan as the divine beast Bai Ze. He offers him a position befitting his former rank among the Demon Sages.
  • Bai Ze refuses. Though the Demon Race has lost much of its power, he helped build it and sees it as the conviction that has sustained him. He will not abandon it.
  • Ao Yue accepts the refusal but insists that Bai Ze must not help Xuanyuan openly: defeating Chi You is not enough if Xuanyuan loses the people’s confidence. Bai Ze counters that Chi You is nearly as powerful as an Ancestral Witch and has the Witch Race’s support.
  • From the Heavenly Court, Gungun uses the Haotian Sword to observe the exchange. He recognizes Bai Ze’s help could benefit Xuanyuan, but worries that Bai Ze would be loyal to Ao Yue rather than to him, shifting power within the court. He decides not to use an old edict to recruit an Ancestral Witch, reaffirming his commitment to sharing the Heavenly Court with Ao Yue.

Character developments and interactions

  • Bai Ze reveals that his loyalty to the Demon Race is rooted in personal history and identity, not merely its current strength. He remains determined to help Xuanyuan, despite Ao Yue’s warning.
  • Ao Yue acts as both strategist and recruiter: he offers Bai Ze a place in the Heavenly Court but also cautions that political legitimacy matters more than simply defeating Chi You.
  • Gungun shows both political caution and self-awareness. He is uneasy about Ao Yue’s growing influence and admits to himself that his decision not to recruit another powerful figure is partly selfish.
  • The exchange between Ao Yue and Bai Ze is respectful but tense: each understands the other’s position, yet neither can offer an easy solution to the conflict between Xuanyuan’s military needs and his need for popular support.

Significant themes

  • Identity and loyalty: Bai Ze’s refusal underscores how deeply a cause can shape someone’s sense of self.
  • Legitimacy versus victory: Xuanyuan must win the people’s trust, not just the battlefield.
  • Political power and balance: Gungun’s concerns expose rival interests within the Heavenly Court and the difficulty of sharing authority.
  • The cost of intervention: Help from a powerful outsider may secure victory while undermining the very claim it is meant to support.
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Ch. 433The Eastern Emperor's Decree: Who Would Rule the Demon Race?

Plot points and events

  • Gungun decides the time is right to use a decree Eastern Emperor Taiyi wrote years earlier, hoping to unite the fractured Demon Race under Heavenly Court’s influence.
  • After parting from Ao Yue, Bai Ze prepares to secretly help Xuanyuan become Human Emperor, as Nuwa ordered. Ao Yue warns him not to reveal his Demon Race identity.
  • Gungun challenges Bai Ze to consider whether helping Xuanyuan will do anything to protect the Demon Race. He argues that, without its former leaders and the Demon-Summoning Banner, the race is bound to splinter further.
  • Gungun asks Bai Ze to join Heavenly Court. Bai Ze refuses—until Gungun reveals Taiyi’s decree appointing Ao Yue to oversee the Demon Race, assisted by the Ten Great Demon Sages. The decree commands all demons to obey Ao Yue and threatens death to those who defy it.
  • Taiyi’s voice resounds across the Primordial World, revealing that he is still alive and astonishing its inhabitants.
  • Lu Ya celebrates his uncle’s survival but is troubled that the decree places Ao Yue—not him—in charge. Nuwa considers the appointment appropriate and says Lu Ya’s absent father would likely have made the same choice.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun shifts from persuasion to decisive action, using Taiyi’s decree to make Ao Yue’s authority over the Demon Race official.
  • Bai Ze remains loyal to Nuwa’s mission and initially rejects both Ao Yue’s and Gungun’s requests. The decree, however, confronts him with a new reality for the Demon Race.
  • Ao Yue insists Bai Ze conceal his Demon identity, reflecting his concern for the race and his determination to protect its standing.
  • Lu Ya moves from joy at Taiyi’s survival to frustration and uncertainty over being bypassed as Crown Prince.
  • Nuwa supports Ao Yue’s appointment and counsels Lu Ya not to resent Taiyi’s decision.

Significant themes

  • Legitimacy and authority: Taiyi’s decree settles who is entitled to rule the Demon Race.
  • Unity versus fragmentation: The Demon Race lacks bonds strong enough to hold it together, and its former leadership structures have collapsed.
  • Duty and loyalty: Bai Ze must balance service to Nuwa with concern for his people, while Lu Ya grapples with his expected role and the authority of his elders.
  • Power and political maneuvering: Gungun uses a long-held document—and Taiyi’s enduring reputation—to reshape the Demon Race’s leadership.
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Ch. 434Bai Ze Meets Xuanyuan

Key plot points and events

  • Ao Yue learns that Eastern Emperor Taiyi has appointed him to lead the Demon Race. Though he wants to win its submission through his own strength, he recognizes the decree’s authenticity and continues to the Heavenly Court.
  • Gungun persuades Bai Ze to accept Taiyi’s decree and serve the Heavenly Court without giving up his Demon Race identity. Bai Ze agrees, reasoning that dual allegiance will let him protect the demons and assist Ao Yue.
  • The next day, Bai Ze is invested as Emperor Gouchen, responsible for leading the Demon Race and overseeing warfare in the mortal world. His appointment strengthens the Heavenly Court and alarms factions resisting its rule.
  • Despite joining the court, Bai Ze descends to the lower realm to fulfill Nuwa’s assignment. During a truce in the war between Xuanyuan and Chi You, he seeks an audience with Xuanyuan, who is practicing with the Witch-Slaying Sword. Yinglong initially blocks Bai Ze, but allows him to approach after Bai Ze identifies himself as a Heavenly Court deity.

Character developments and interactions

  • Ao Yue is conflicted: he welcomes the prospect of leading the demons but wants to earn their loyalty independently of Taiyi’s decree.
  • Bai Ze accepts a new, dual role—Demon Sage and Heavenly Court official—out of loyalty to Taiyi and concern for the Demon Race. His appointment also marks his transition toward the identity of “Divine Beast Bai Ze.”
  • Gungun uses its own many titles as an example to convince Bai Ze that he can retain multiple identities.
  • Xuanyuan shows growing skill and begins to grasp the Sword Dao, advancing his development as the Human Sovereign.
  • Yinglong acts protectively toward Xuanyuan, but his caution eases when Bai Ze invokes his official status.

Significant themes

  • Loyalty and divided identity: Bai Ze serves both the Demon Race and the Heavenly Court, treating the roles as compatible rather than mutually exclusive.
  • Legitimacy and authority: The Heavenly Court’s growing influence is reinforced by Bai Ze’s appointment, while holdout factions fear its expanding power.
  • Self-earned leadership: Ao Yue’s reaction highlights the tension between receiving authority by decree and winning allegiance through personal merit.
  • Duty across competing obligations: Bai Ze’s service to the Heavenly Court does not release him from Nuwa’s command.
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Ch. 435Bai Ze's Bestiary of Spirits and Monsters, the Decisive Battle for the Human Emperor's Throne (Two Chapters Combined into One)

Key plot points and events

  • Bai Ze, sent by Lady Nuwa to aid Xuanyuan against Chi You, is startled when Xuanyuan declares that he intends to eliminate the demon race after winning the war. Despite his misgivings, Bai Ze agrees to describe demons and explain their weaknesses.
  • Over half a month, Yinglong records and illustrates Bai Ze’s account of 11,520 kinds of demons. Xuanyuan publishes the work as The Divine and Ghost Bestiary, also called Bai Ze’s Bestiary of Spirits and Monsters, and shares its contents with the Human Race.
  • The bestiary wins Xuanyuan support, especially because it gives ordinary people ways to recognize and resist dangerous demons. His share of the Human Race’s fortune grows until it surpasses Chi You’s.
  • Xuanyuan also asks how to ease the suffering of people killed in the civil war. Bai Ze advises the Human Race to build temples and make sincere offerings to the Netherworld Emperor, whose World-Cleansing White Lotus can purify resentful and harmful energies.
  • Xuanyuan’s final request—to help him defeat Chi You—is readily accepted by Bai Ze, whose original mission was to assist him.
  • Chi You and Nine Li review the bestiary. Chi You dismisses its demons as mostly insignificant, while Nine Li recognizes that these rogue demons pose a serious danger to ordinary humans.
  • Yun Zhongzi urges the Nine Li leadership to strike before Xuanyuan gains further support. After learning Chi You can wield 70–80 percent of the Demon-Slaying Sword’s power, Nine Li ends the truce. Chi You’s army marches to face Xuanyuan, with Ran Deng newly among their company.

Character developments and interactions

  • Xuanyuan emerges as both ambitious and strategically astute: he openly vows to eradicate demons, but also shows compassion by seeking release for the war dead. By publishing practical knowledge for the public, he turns Bai Ze’s help into political support.
  • Bai Ze is repeatedly exasperated by Xuanyuan’s bold demands, yet continues helping him. Xuanyuan’s combination of ruthlessness toward demons and concern for his own people recalls Eastern Emperor Taiyi, prompting Bai Ze to consider him a worthy Human Emperor.
  • Yinglong loyally records and illustrates Bai Ze’s information, helping make it useful to the whole Human Race.
  • Chi You is frustrated by Xuanyuan’s political gains and eager to test his sword, but remains confident in his own strength.
  • Nine Li is more measured: he sees the bestiary’s practical value and weighs the danger of delay before choosing battle.
  • Yun Zhongzi presses for decisive action, arguing that Xuanyuan’s growing alliance makes waiting increasingly risky.

Significant themes

  • Knowledge as power: Sharing information equips ordinary people to defend themselves and helps Xuanyuan gain political legitimacy.
  • Mercy alongside ambition: Xuanyuan seeks victory and the destruction of demons, yet also cares about the fate of those killed in war.
  • Leadership and public welfare: Xuanyuan’s concern for common people contrasts with Chi You’s focus on military strength, though both leaders pursue the throne.
  • The cost of delay: Xuanyuan’s rising support pushes Chi You’s side to abandon the truce and risk a decisive battle.
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Ch. 436Backstabs from Bai Ze and Nine Li

Key plot points and events

  • After a two-month truce, the armies of Nine Li and Youxiong meet at Zhuolu for what both sides believe will decide the Human Sovereign.
  • Chi You and Xuanyuan begin a fierce aerial duel, trading blows with their Demon-Slaying and Witch-Slaying Swords.
  • On the ground, the Three Xiao Sisters deploy the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation. Chi You counters it with the Apricot Yellow Banner and his Great Shaman True Form, weakening them.
  • Zhao Gongming attacks Chi You with his twenty-four Dinghai Pearls, but they barely stagger him. Ran Deng then challenges Zhao, and their battle begins.
  • Other Interception Teaching disciples fight Expounding Teaching disciples and Witch-Human generals. Bai Ze engages the eighty Witch Race experts, but deliberately holds back, wary of Hou Yi and Xingtian.
  • After more than three hundred exchanges between Xuanyuan and Chi You, Bai Ze sees an opening. He breaks away from the Witch Race fighters and strikes Chi You from behind, leaving him exposed.
  • As Xuanyuan and Bai Ze appear poised to secure victory, someone ambushes Xuanyuan with a golden mace, knocking him from Yinglong. The attacker is revealed as Nine Li, standing beside the unconscious Three Xiao Sisters. The mace is the Primordial Heavenly Venerable’s Dragon-Subduing Mace.

Character developments and interactions

  • Chi You and Xuanyuan remain evenly matched, each gaining and losing the advantage in their prolonged duel.
  • Bai Ze is shown as calculating and cautious: he avoids committing fully against the Witch Race so he can preserve his chance to aid Xuanyuan. He eventually attacks Chi You from behind, but the sudden counter-ambush disrupts the plan.
  • Zhao Gongming is shocked by the gap between his strength and Chi You’s. His verbal exchange with Ran Deng turns into a personal challenge, and Ran Deng’s taunt about his past defeat provokes him.
  • Hou Yi and Xingtian watch Bai Ze closely, prepared to intervene if the Witch Race suffers too heavily.
  • Nine Li’s intervention transforms an apparent Youxiong advantage into a sudden reversal, while the fate of the unconscious Three Xiao Sisters remains unclear.

Significant themes

  • Betrayal and ambush: Bai Ze’s attack on Chi You is answered by Nine Li’s surprise strike on Xuanyuan.
  • Strategy versus strength: Fighters weigh risks and exploit openings, while Chi You’s immense physical power lets him withstand attacks that would overwhelm others.
  • Uncertainty of victory: Even when one side seems close to winning, the battlefield shifts abruptly, underscoring how precarious the contest for the Human Sovereign has become.
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Ch. 437Xiong Zhan vs. Bai Ze, Gungun intervenes

Plot points and events

  • Nine Li copies Bai Ze’s ambush tactic, striking Xuanyuan with the Dragon-Subduing Mace and knocking him from Yinglong. Bai Ze stops attacking Chi You and moves to finish him, but Nine Li intervenes and is engulfed by Bai Ze’s white flames.
  • On Mount Kunlun, Yuanshi considers intervening. Tongtian blocks him, arguing that the contest is already going Xuanyuan’s way and threatening to counter Yuanshi if he acts. Yuanshi ultimately allows Bai Ze to participate, provided Nine Li remains unharmed.
  • Sensing danger, Bai Ze breaks off his attack on Nine Li and enters the main battlefield. He overwhelms Ran Deng, who flees and is blasted aside, then begins defeating the allied fighters with ease.
  • Xuanyuan is caught by Yinglong and is hurt but still able to fight. Chi You asks Xiong Zhan to hold Bai Ze off while he goes after Xuanyuan. Though doubtful he can last, Xiong Zhan agrees and charges Bai Ze using his Three Heads and Six Arms transformation.
  • Watching through the Haotian Mirror, Gungun recognizes the enormous mismatch in strength and uses the Yin-Yang Law to assist Xiong Zhan. Bai Ze’s attack hits Xiong Zhan, but Bai Ze is the one who cries out in pain.

Character developments and interactions

  • Nine Li is bold and fiercely loyal to Chi You, but his confidence leads him to challenge an opponent vastly stronger than himself.
  • Yuanshi and Tongtian resume their rivalry over the Human Emperor contest. Tongtian’s pragmatic defense of the current balance prevents Yuanshi from stepping in.
  • Chi You and Xiong Zhan share a moment of trust: Chi You asks for help, and Xiong Zhan accepts despite knowing the danger. Xiong Meng carries Chi You toward Xuanyuan.
  • Xiong Zhan displays courage and commitment by facing Bai Ze rather than retreating, even though the odds are dire.
  • Gungun moves from amused observation to serious action, intervening to protect Xiong Zhan.
  • Bai Ze proves overwhelmingly powerful, but Gungun’s intervention unexpectedly turns the effect of his strike against him.

Significant themes

  • The contest is shaped not only by battlefield strength but also by powerful figures’ political maneuvering and attempts to control who may intervene.
  • Courage and loyalty can motivate characters to face impossible odds, while alliances and timely assistance may change the outcome.
  • The chapter builds suspense through an unexplained reversal: Gungun’s Yin-Yang Law causes Bai Ze to suffer the pain of an attack that struck Xiong Zhan.
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Ch. 438Nuwa dispatched the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden

Plot points and events

  • Gungun secretly uses the Yin-Yang Law to redirect the damage Xiong Zhan’s attack should have dealt to Bai Ze. Seeing Bai Ze injured, Xiong Zhan and Nine Li press their advantage.
  • Bai Ze summons beasts from the Ten Thousand Beasts Scroll, but Nine Li and Xiong Zhan fight them off. Bai Ze then invokes the Fortune-and-Misfortune Law: he heals his wounds and pushes Xiong Zhan back, while his flames force Nine Li to retreat.
  • As Bai Ze moves to help Xuanyuan against Chi You, Gungun attacks him with a powerful Heaven-Flipping Seal. Gungun’s real aim is to appear to support Chi You without openly taking sides; he plans to justify the attack by revealing Bai Ze is a Demon Sage and casting suspicion on his motives.
  • In the Wa Emperor Palace, Nuwa decides the human civil war must end. She summons the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden and gives her the Earthly Fiend Formation, ordering her to help Xuanyuan set it up and defeat the Nine Li army.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun carefully balances his obligations to Chi You and Xuanyuan, using indirect attacks and a plausible explanation to avoid alienating either side.
  • Bai Ze proves formidable, countering multiple opponents with his law and magical artifacts, but Gungun’s persistent seal keeps him from reaching Xuanyuan.
  • Xiong Zhan and Nine Li cooperate against Bai Ze, though Bai Ze’s counterattack briefly halts their assault.
  • Nuwa takes decisive action to give Xuanyuan an advantage. The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden hesitates but accepts her command.

Significant themes

  • Deception and political maneuvering: Gungun’s actions are calculated to satisfy competing loyalties while concealing his true intentions.
  • The limits of power: Bai Ze can overcome direct attacks, but multiple opponents and Gungun’s interference restrict his options.
  • Divine intervention in human conflict: Nuwa’s decision to provide Xuanyuan with a powerful formation shifts the struggle toward a more decisive outcome.
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Ch. 439Chi You's Defeat, the Humiliation of the Maple Leaves!

Key plot points and events

  • Nuwa, determined to prevent Chi You—a Witch-Human—from gaining the Human Emperor’s position, sends the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden to help Xuanyuan. Despite an earlier agreement that Saints would not interfere in the succession contest, she has her teach Xuanyuan’s army the Earthly Fiend Formation.
  • The Mysterious Maiden defeats Nine Li and binds him, while Xuanyuan holds Chi You off. Gungun notices Nuwa’s intervention but continues fighting Bai Ze rather than stopping it.
  • Yuanshi confronts Nuwa for breaking the Saints’ agreement. Their argument quickly turns into a duel in Chaos. Tongtian, amused by the clash, secretly helps the Mysterious Maiden master the formation and speeds its construction.
  • The completed formation overwhelms Chi You’s forces. His mount, Xiong Meng, panics and flees, leaving him exposed. Xuanyuan, Yinglong, and the Mysterious Maiden capture Chi You, and the Nine Li army retreats to the Southern Wastes.
  • The Witch-Humans later name the defeat the Humiliation of the Maple Leaves, after the leaves scattered across the battlefield during the fighting.

Character developments and interactions

  • Nuwa openly prioritizes keeping the Human Emperor’s fortune from passing to the Witch Race, accepting a deeper rift with Yuanshi.
  • Yuanshi responds to Nuwa’s interference with anger and challenges her directly; their fight continues even after he learns Chi You has been defeated.
  • Tongtian takes advantage of the conflict for his own amusement, but also intervenes covertly to ensure the formation succeeds.
  • Xuanyuan proves able to withstand Chi You and takes decisive advantage of the formation’s arrival to win.
  • Chi You fights desperately but is ultimately abandoned by his mount and captured.
  • Gungun chooses not to obstruct Nuwa’s plan, while Xiong Meng’s fear leads her to flee the battlefield.

Significant themes

  • Power politics among the Saints: Their agreements are fragile when personal interests and control of the Human Emperor’s fortune are at stake.
  • Alliance and legitimacy: Xuanyuan frames victory as the reward of having the Way and allies, while Chi You is left isolated.
  • Intervention and consequences: Divine aid decisively changes a human conflict, widening the feud among the Saints as it determines the outcome.
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Ch. 440Chi You's Fate, Lord of Human Warfare

Key plot points and events

  • Captured after his defeat, Chi You refuses Xuanyuan’s offer to submit and is sentenced to execution.
  • Ordinary weapons cannot pierce Chi You because his body carries powerful Pangu and Ancestral Witch blood. Bai Ze explains that Xuanyuan can kill him with the Witch-Slaying Xuanyuan Sword, empowered by the Heavenly Sovereign’s Dragon Pearl.
  • Xuanyuan beheads Chi You, but before he can destroy Chi You’s primordial spirit, Gungun intervenes from the clouds and carries it away.
  • Gungun warns that the war’s heavy casualties have produced intense resentment and tribulation, portending further disaster.
  • In the Netherworld, Chi You apologizes to Houtu and Gungun for losing the war and bringing grave losses and humiliation to the Witch-Human people.
  • Gungun gives Chi You a reconstructed body and appoints him Mountain God of the Miao Lands and Lord of Human Warfare, ordering him to protect the people he had harmed.

Character developments and interactions

  • Xuanyuan moves from offering clemency to ordering Chi You’s death when Chi You openly rejects submission. He personally executes him but is prevented from finishing the task.
  • Chi You remains defiant in defeat, then faces the consequences of his failed leadership with remorse. His new role offers a path to atone.
  • Gungun acts swiftly to save Chi You’s spirit, then sternly confronts him over the war’s cost before showing mercy through a new body and a protective appointment.
  • Houtu is initially stern and silent, then leaves Chi You’s judgment to Gungun, making Chi You fear she has abandoned him.
  • Bai Ze explains why Chi You is difficult to kill and identifies the weapon and power Xuanyuan needs.
  • The episode highlights the contrast between Xuanyuan’s battlefield authority and Gungun’s ability to intervene, while Chi You’s relationship with his teacher and people shifts from pride to accountability.

Significant themes

  • Victory and its costs: Xuanyuan’s triumph comes at the price of immense loss, with resentment and tribulation threatening further trouble.
  • Accountability and atonement: Chi You must answer for the suffering caused by his leadership, but is given a chance to serve those he wronged.
  • Mercy and duty: Gungun’s rescue is not an absolution; he preserves Chi You so that Chi You can fulfill a responsibility to the Miao people.
  • Defiance and humility: Chi You’s refusal to yield contrasts with his eventual acceptance of blame and his teacher’s judgment.
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Ch. 441Xuanyuan Became the Human Emperor, but Still Needed Gungun's Inner Canon

Key plot points and events

  • After Xuanyuan’s victory over the Nine Li, the Youxiong Tribe takes Chen Capital and becomes the leading human tribe. Xuandu arrives with Laozi’s decree, formally naming Xuanyuan the Human Emperor and directing him to enter Fire Cloud Cave once his fortune is complete.
  • Xuanyuan asks what happened to Chi You. Xuandu explains that Gungun has made Chi You the Mountain God of the Miao Lands and Lord of War, so he will no longer threaten Xuanyuan.
  • The Human Race celebrates Xuanyuan’s new title, but Yinglong suspects something is missing: Xuanyuan has been appointed Human Emperor, yet lacks the fortune and Heavenly Dao recognition to become one in substance.
  • Tongtian explains that the Saints’ agreement protects Xuanyuan’s claim but cannot supply the fortune he still needs. His invasions and killings have left him burdened by the resentment of the dead. Tongtian privately gives Yinglong a proposed remedy.
  • Yinglong goes to the Netherworld to ask Gungun for help. Gungun refuses to resurrect the dead, insisting that doing so would violate the Underworld’s rules and undermine respect for life and death.
  • Yinglong clarifies that he is not asking for resurrection. He begins explaining Tongtian’s suggestion: Xuanyuan’s killing-related karma must be countered by life force, supposedly generated through yin-yang union and a cultivation text called the Inner Canon—a proposal that leaves Gungun stunned.

Character developments and interactions

  • Xuanyuan gains the title of Human Emperor but remains spiritually and politically incomplete; his past conquests carry a cost he must somehow overcome.
  • Yinglong shifts from celebration to concern, investigates the problem through Tongtian, and approaches Gungun as a trusted adviser and old family connection.
  • Tongtian offers a remedy but leaves Yinglong to persuade Gungun to provide the means.
  • Gungun supports Xuanyuan’s rise in principle but firmly upholds the Netherworld’s laws. His shock at Yinglong’s request supplies the scene’s comic cliffhanger.
  • Chi You is assigned a new divine role, preserving his protection of the Witch-Humans while ending his rivalry with Xuanyuan.

Significant themes

  • Title versus legitimacy: A decree can name a ruler, but true authority requires fortune and recognition.
  • The cost of unification: Xuanyuan’s victories brought merit, but also karma and resentment.
  • Law and compassion: Gungun will not bend the Underworld’s rules, even to help a new Human Emperor.
  • Yin and yang, death and life: The proposed solution frames life force as a counterbalance to death-born karma, though its practical implications are left hanging.
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Ch. 442Sacrificing Himself for the Greater Good, Boundless Merit

Plot points

  • Yinglong asks Gungun for the Inner Canon, a medical text whose Bedchamber Art promises to build power through sexual cultivation and remove karmic burdens.
  • Embarrassed to admit he owns it, Gungun denies having the canon, then promises to find it. Yinglong recognizes the excuse but plays along.
  • Gungun copies the relevant material from the Forestwood Demon God’s legacy onto bamboo slips. Half a month later, he gives them to Yinglong while maintaining that he obtained them through a search.
  • Yinglong takes the canon to Xuanyuan, explaining that he needs to gather enough Protagonist’s Fortune to wash away his Karma and become a true Human Emperor.
  • Xuanyuan refuses to perform the Bedchamber Art with three thousand women. Yinglong binds him with Tongtian’s Primordial Dust Whisk, uses an aphrodisiac that Xuanyuan cannot resist, and secretly transfers the canon’s instructions to him.
  • Yinglong releases the three thousand women he had concealed in the Azure Dragon World and sends them into the palace with Xuanyuan.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun protects his reputation through an increasingly transparent lie, but ultimately helps Yinglong and Xuanyuan. He considers the method a temporary, undesirable fix and takes a fatalistic view of the coming turmoil.
  • Yinglong is grateful and deferential toward Gungun, but becomes ruthless when Xuanyuan refuses. He prioritizes the plan over Xuanyuan’s consent, framing the coercion as necessary after so much effort has been invested.
  • Xuanyuan shows moral indignation and resists the plan, but is overpowered and left unable to choose.
  • The chapter’s key exchanges are played for comedy: Yinglong understands Gungun’s pretense, while Gungun insists on the fiction that he found the book only later.

Significant themes

  • Sacrifice for political destiny: Xuanyuan’s ordeal is presented as serving the greater goal of becoming Human Emperor.
  • Power, karma, and expediency: The Bedchamber Art offers a way to gain fortune and clear Karma, but Gungun doubts it will solve the underlying problem permanently.
  • Deception and complicity: Gungun’s denial and Yinglong’s secrecy help move the plan forward.
  • Comic contrast: The grand language of merit and the serious stakes clash with the bawdy, coercive method being used.
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Ch. 443Gungun Plotted for the Five Emperors, Shaochen Was Reincarnated

Plot points and events

  • Yinglong frees Xuanyuan after keeping him restrained overnight. Xuanyuan angrily threatens revenge, but later forgives him because they are brothers as well as comrades.
  • After restoring his vitality, Xuanyuan completes his accumulation of fortune. Merit from the Heavenly Dao is divided among him, Yinglong, Houtu, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, Jiu Feng, Bai Ze, and Guang Chengzi.
  • Xuanyuan’s power rises dramatically. Recognized by the Heavenly Dao and holding the Human-Creating Whip, he becomes the Human Race’s third Human Emperor; the Three Sovereigns are now established.
  • Gungun sees this as the moment to begin creating the Bear-Human Race. He orders bears across the land to take human form and marry humans; their unions begin producing bear-human children.
  • Gungun plans to back bear-humans for the coming Five Emperors, hoping to gain influence over Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.
  • Centuries later, Dizang brings Gungun’s proposal to the Western Saints: Shaohao, a bear-human, should become one of the Five Emperors. Jieyin and Zhunti approve, provided Gungun avoids major trouble.
  • The Saints identify Shaohao as the reincarnation of Shaochen, once chief of the Youxiong Tribe and later the Heavenly Court’s Fate Star Lord. Jieyin plans to seek Yuanshi’s support, while Zhunti watches Wa Emperor Palace to prevent Nuwa from interfering.
  • Nuwa and Yuanshi have paused their centuries-long battle, though their conflict remains unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

  • Xuanyuan and Yinglong: Their bond survives Yinglong’s betrayal-like prank; Xuanyuan’s anger gives way to forgiveness.
  • Guang Chengzi: He receives merit but remains anxious because Chi You’s defeat and the failed scheme have left him unsure how to explain himself to his fellow disciples.
  • Gungun: He shifts from celebrating the Three Sovereigns to pursuing a long-term plan to advance his own people through the Five Emperors.
  • Jieyin and Zhunti: They cautiously support Gungun’s candidate, while coordinating to limit Nuwa’s influence and secure Yuanshi’s cooperation.
  • Shaohao: Though not yet active in the story, his mixed heritage and past life make him a politically useful candidate.

Significant themes

  • Merit, destiny, and political legitimacy: Heavenly recognition and accumulated fortune determine who can rule.
  • Mixed ancestry and adaptability: The Human Race’s ability to intermarry with other groups enables the rise of a new bear-human lineage.
  • Power struggles behind succession: The Five Emperors’ selection is shaped by bargains and rivalries among Gungun, the Saints, Nuwa, and Yuanshi.
  • Forgiveness and loyalty: Xuanyuan’s reconciliation with Yinglong shows their deep bond despite conflict.
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Ch. 444The First of the Five Emperors, Shaohao!

Plot points and events

  • At Mount Kunlun, Jieyin and Yuanshi agree that the Western Religion will choose the first three of the Five Emperors, while Yuanshi will select the remaining two. Yuanshi accepts because he has no candidates in mind and sees no advantage in choosing first.
  • Zhunti visits Nuwa under the pretense of playing a board game, but his real aim is to keep her from interfering in the Western Religion’s plans. Nuwa recognizes his motive but agrees to avoid creating another conflict with the Saints.
  • After receiving confirmation that Yuanshi is content and Nuwa is being watched, Gungun sends Dizang to find Shaohao—Shaochen reincarnated—and guide him toward becoming a Human Emperor.
  • Gungun praises Dizang’s merit, effort, and ability, encouraging him to see himself as the Western Religion’s foremost disciple. Dizang accepts the assignment, deeply moved.
  • More than a century later, Shaohao completes his work as co-ruler. Heavenly merit raises his cultivation to the peak of Great Immortal, and Laozi formally invests him as the first of the Five Emperors. The Human-Creating Whip is placed in his hands.
  • Shaohao vows to protect humanity, and the people acclaim him as their emperor.

Character developments and interactions

  • Yuanshi pragmatically honors the agreement, while Jieyin leaves satisfied that the Western Religion can choose first.
  • Nuwa understands that Zhunti’s visit is surveillance, not fellowship. Though irritated, she restrains herself to preserve what remains of her relationships with the other powers.
  • Gungun acts as strategist and mentor: he secures the political situation, assigns Dizang the task, and boosts Dizang’s confidence with lavish praise.
  • Dizang moves from surprise to gratitude and ambition, accepting the role of Shaohao’s teacher.
  • Shaohao reaches his destined position and publicly commits himself to humanity; the people respond with admiration and hope.

Significant themes

  • Political maneuvering among Saints: alliances and careful agreements shape who may influence the Human Emperors.
  • Merit, destiny, and leadership: Shaohao’s prior identity, potential, and completed service lead to imperial recognition.
  • Mentorship and recognition: Gungun’s praise motivates Dizang and gives him a significant role.
  • Human independence and protection: Unlike the Three Sovereigns, the Five Emperors need not remain in Fire Cloud Cave, giving humanity a powerful protector who can remain free.
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Ch. 445Shaohao Became the White Emperor, and Yuanshi Planned Again for Nine Li

Plot and events

  • Shaohao’s ascension as a Human Emperor increases the fortune of Gungun’s Iron-Eating Beast Clan, since Shaohao has bear ancestry. Gungun privately celebrates, hoping to place three bear-blooded figures among the Five Emperors.
  • Dizang returns to Crouching Bear Hall with Shaohao. Gungun praises Dizang for his work and rewards him with the Seventy-Two Earthly Baleful Transformations.
  • Gungun names Shaohao the White Emperor, charging him with protecting the Human Race. He gives Shaohao the Phoenix Ceremonial Zither, a treasure said to calm resentment and murderous intent.
  • On Mount Kunlun, Guang Chengzi finally returns hundreds of years after the Battle of Zhuolu. Yuanshi reproaches him for reporting so late, but tells him to rise before Guang Chengzi can fully explain himself.
  • Nine Li and Juliusun apologize for having suspected Guang Chengzi of betraying their side. They explain that Jiu Feng had threatened Wind Earl, causing him to hold back in battle. Guang Chengzi finally understands why he had been able to fight Wind Earl to a draw.
  • Yuanshi orders the disciples to put the suspicion behind them and trust one another. Since their faction lost the contest for the Human Emperor, he asks Nine Li whether he will send a divided soul into the Human Race to become one of the Five Emperors.

Character developments and interactions

  • Gungun continues advancing his clan’s fortunes through his influence over the emperors, while rewarding loyal followers.
  • Shaohao accepts his new role as White Emperor and receives a weapon suited to promoting peace.
  • Dizang is rewarded for successfully carrying out Gungun’s instructions.
  • Guang Chengzi moves from years of anxiety to relief when the reason for the battle’s strange outcome is revealed. His fellow disciples acknowledge their mistake and apologize.
  • Nine Li is presented with a new chance to secure influence among the Five Emperors after his faction’s earlier defeat.

Significant themes

  • Fortune, lineage, and political influence: Shaohao’s ancestry links his imperial success to Gungun’s clan.
  • Peace and protection: Shaohao’s charge and the Phoenix Ceremonial Zither emphasize safeguarding people and quieting conflict.
  • Trust and reconciliation: The disciples’ false suspicions are resolved, and Yuanshi insists that unity must replace distrust.
  • Adapting after defeat: Yuanshi’s proposal to Nine Li shows the faction seeking another route to influence after losing the imperial contest.
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Ch. 446Zhuanxu and Diku Take Their Places, Yuanshi Summons Gungun

Key plot points and events

  • Yuanshi, unable to secure Nine Li the Human Emperor’s throne, plans for him to reincarnate a divided soul and become one of the Five Emperors. He also appoints Yun Zhongzi to mentor that incarnation, making Yun Zhongzi a Teacher of the Five Emperors.
  • After Shaohao, Zhuanxu becomes Human Race Co-ruler. Guided by Medicine Buddha, he expands the Human Race’s territory, moves its capital to the Zhuolu Plains, reconciles with the Witch-Human tribes, and divides the realm into Nine Provinces. His accomplishments earn him a place among the Five Emperors and the Heavenly Court title of Black Emperor.
  • Diku succeeds Zhuanxu, guided by Maitreya. He moves the capital to Hao and establishes the twenty-four solar terms. His benevolent, frugal, and fair rule brings peace and prosperity, earning him a place among the Five Emperors without military exploits.
  • Pleased by the growing fortune of his Iron-Eating Beast Clan, Gungun rewards Maitreya with a Nine-Thousand-Year Ren Water Flat Peach. Though two Five Emperor positions remain, Gungun chooses not to pursue them.
  • Yuanshi summons Gungun to Kunlun and reveals his plan for Nine Li’s divided soul. Gungun immediately agrees to follow Yuanshi’s judgment.

Character developments and interactions

  • Nine Li is deeply moved by Yuanshi’s long-standing care and accepts his master’s arrangements with gratitude. Yun Zhongzi is likewise delighted that Yuanshi has considered his future.
  • Zhuanxu and Diku each strengthen the Human Race through different means: Zhuanxu through expansion and unity, Diku through benevolent administration.
  • Gungun’s fortune-minded satisfaction is tempered by restraint: despite the chance to pursue the remaining emperor positions, he decides not to overreach. He remains deferential toward Yuanshi, who jokes that Gungun is too obedient.

Significant themes

  • Mentorship and loyalty: Yuanshi’s devotion to his disciples shapes his plans for their futures, and they respond with gratitude and trust.
  • Legitimacy through service: Zhuanxu earns his place through unity and expansion, while Diku proves that benevolent governance alone can merit imperial status.
  • Ambition and restraint: Gungun’s decision to leave the remaining positions untouched contrasts with the pursuit of fortune and influence.
  • Fortune and merit: Human and clan fortunes rise through political achievement, governance, and the assistance of spiritual mentors.
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