Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Houtu realizes Gungun has tainted the Eastern King’s primordial spirit by eating some of his pure yang essence. She suspects this may create future karmic consequences but decides it can count as repayment for the Witch Race’s earlier aid.
• Houtu offers Gungun half of the treasures still buried beneath Penglai’s ruins as compensation for helping revive the Eastern King.
• Gungun rejects the offer, arguing that Penglai and its remaining treasures already belong to the Witch Race—and that the Eastern King owes them even more for the dangers they faced rescuing him.
• Gungun decides the Eastern King should be punished by having his magical power dispersed. Hou Yi and Xingtian restrain and carry Gungun away, reminding it that the Eastern King is a useful ally against the Demon Race.
• Houtu reconstructs the Eastern King’s body from earth and reunites it with his primordial spirit.
• On awakening, the Eastern King declares that his essence has been tainted and the Immortal Court has fallen, so he can no longer bear his former title. He transforms his appearance and renames himself Emperor Donghua.

Character developments

• Gungun remains greedy, vindictive, and fiercely protective of its own claims. It turns a proposed reward into a demand for all of Penglai’s remaining treasures, then escalates to seeking punishment.
• Houtu acts as mediator and reviver, balancing the Witch Race’s interests with the need to preserve the Eastern King as an ally.
• Hou Yi and Xingtian demonstrate practical loyalty to the Witch Race’s larger cause by stopping Gungun from crippling a valuable political ally.
• The Eastern King accepts that his former identity is gone and deliberately adopts a new name and appearance as Emperor Donghua.

Significant themes

• Identity and transformation: The Eastern King’s altered essence and the destruction of his realm lead him to abandon his old title and become someone new.
• Karma and consequences: Gungun’s treatment of the Eastern King’s essence may have lasting repercussions, even as Houtu views it as repayment for past debts.
• Pragmatism versus vengeance: Gungun wants personal retribution, while Hou Yi, Xingtian, and Houtu prioritize the broader struggle against the Demon Race.
• Power and ownership: The ruined Penglai becomes the subject of competing claims, exposing the Witch Race’s opportunism and Gungun’s self-interest.

Character interactions

• Houtu negotiates with Gungun, but its demands quickly shift from compensation to punishment.
• Hou Yi and Xingtian physically intervene, arguing that the Eastern King’s survival serves the Witch Race.
• Houtu then revives the Eastern King, who explains his decision to abandon his former identity and announces himself as Emperor Donghua.

Key plot points and events

• Houtu reunites with Donghua, now calling himself Sovereign Donghua. He thanks her for helping restore him and for the Witch Race’s aid, offering them anything they want from Penglai. He also forgives Gungun for damaging his essence, considering his debt to Houtu settled.
• Houtu asks whether Donghua knows Bai Fengjiu, but he says he does not. She then raises the possibility of rebuilding the Immortal Court and allying with the Witch Race.
• Donghua declines. His primordial spirit and cultivation are badly damaged, leaving him only at Great Immortal level. He says he wants to live freely and avoid the conflicts among the world’s races; privately, he admits he is simply too weak to oppose the Demon Race safely.
• Houtu accepts his decision and apologizes for failing to defend the Immortal Court. Donghua comforts her, calling the outcome the will of heaven.
• Away from them, Hou Yi and Xingtian persuade Gungun to postpone its revenge on Donghua until the Demon Race’s army has withdrawn. Gungun agrees, but proposes a future punishment: the two Great Shamans should seduce the beautiful female immortals Donghua may love, in order to make him suffer heartbreak.
• Gungun assigns Hou Yi to give the women flowers and Xingtian to display his physique. The embarrassed shamans hesitate, citing their dignity; Gungun insists that beautiful fairies are a necessity. Houtu’s voice suddenly interrupts them.

Character developments and interactions

• Donghua has shifted from ambitious ruler to a cautious, weakened survivor. Though grateful to Houtu and willing to settle his grievance with Gungun, he withdraws from political and military ambitions.
• Houtu respects Donghua’s choice despite her interest in an alliance, and apologizes for the Witch Race’s inability to protect the Immortal Court.
• Gungun remains comically vindictive, but agrees to delay its anger for the larger conflict. Its elaborate revenge scheme relies on Hou Yi and Xingtian’s romantic appeal.
• Hou Yi and Xingtian show loyalty to Gungun and try to calm it, but are mortified by the proposed seduction plan. Their awkward reactions contrast with Gungun’s confidence.

Significant themes

• Power and self-preservation: Donghua’s loss of strength forces him to abandon grand plans and prioritize survival.
• Gratitude, debt, and reconciliation: Donghua acknowledges Houtu’s aid and releases Gungun from his grievance.
• Duty versus personal desire: Houtu and the shamans consider obligations to others, while Donghua seeks freedom from political entanglements.
• Comic revenge and dignity: Gungun’s absurd plan turns heartbreak into a supposed weapon and punctures the shamans’ solemn image.

Plot points and events

• Houtu reveals that she revived the Eastern King, but he refuses to rebuild the Immortal Court or oppose the Demon Race. He has instead taken the title Imperial Lord Donghua.
• Gungun mocks Donghua’s new title and continues privately plotting against him, even fantasizing about a future incarnation, Lu Dongbin. Their mutual hostility remains intense despite Houtu’s mediation.
• Houtu tells Gungun and the two Great Shamans, Hou Yi and Xingtian, that they may take whatever treasures they like from Penglai. Gungun asks whether it can take Donghua himself; Houtu rejects the idea.
• Before Gungun can search for treasure, Houtu asks what to do about the Demon Race forces still hovering above Penglai. Gungun suggests that Donghua appeal to the Dao Ancestor, claiming the Demon Race has killed him and is now trying to seize his home. Houtu recognizes this as a promising plan.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains irreverent, scheming, and comically self-interested. It pretends to care about matchmaking for Hou Yi and Xingtian, while actually considering ways to hurt Donghua. It is also quick to offer practical advice when Houtu asks about Penglai.
• Houtu balances patience with exasperation. She sees through Gungun’s motives, worries about its fixation on Donghua, and ultimately treats its suggestion about appealing to the Dao Ancestor seriously.
• Donghua is weakened after his revival and knows he is no longer powerful enough to challenge Gungun. He tries to dismiss the bear’s insults, while Gungun reacts angrily to being looked down on.
• Hou Yi and Xingtian are astonished by Donghua’s new title and by Gungun’s unexpected explanation for its matchmaking scheme.

Significant themes

• Grudges and consequences: Houtu’s reconciliation has not ended the deep resentment between Gungun and Donghua, foreshadowing future conflict.
• Power and reputation: Donghua’s grand title contrasts with his diminished strength, while Gungun’s insults puncture his prestige.
• Cunning over force: With the Demon Race poised to occupy Penglai, Gungun proposes using a complaint to the Dao Ancestor rather than confronting the army directly.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun leaves Houtu and returns to the ruined Penglai, where it starts using its Treasure-Fishing Rod to loot the island’s remaining treasures.
• Houtu and Donghua appeal to Hongjun, asking him to punish the Demon Race for destroying Penglai. Hongjun restores Penglai to Donghua and decrees that demons will rule the heavens and witches the earth, with no great war for one million years.
• Across the Primordial World, major figures react to the decree: Dijun and Dijiang welcome the time to strengthen their sides; the Three Pure Ones recognize that the truce may only postpone a devastating war; and Zhunti and Jieyin plan to use the peace to attract new disciples to the West.
• Nuwa resolves to use the peaceful era to master the Dao of Creation, hoping that becoming a sage will let her prevent future calamities.
• Gungun initially celebrates the reprieve from battle, but then grows troubled by Houtu’s eventual transformation into Pingxin and wonders whether she will still be herself.
• Houtu and Donghua return to Penglai to find that Gungun has stripped the island of everything valuable, leaving bare earth.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shifts from gleeful treasure-hunting to quiet, uncertain concern about Houtu’s future. Its attachment to her surfaces in its question about whether she will remain herself.
• Houtu acts as Donghua’s advocate before Hongjun and helps secure Penglai’s protection. Her future transformation weighs on Gungun, even though she is absent when it reflects on it.
• Donghua seeks justice for Penglai and receives the right to reclaim it, only to discover that Gungun has emptied it.
• Dijun and Dijiang both treat the million-year truce as preparation time and remain confident their respective races can win the eventual war.
• Nuwa, encouraged by Fuxi, turns toward spiritual cultivation as the best path to lasting peace.
• Jieyin and Zhunti use the truce strategically, planning to recruit promising eastern cultivators for the Western Lands.

Significant themes

• Peace as a pause, not a solution: The decree stops major conflict temporarily, but several characters foresee an even greater war afterward.
• Ambition and preparation: The Demon and Witch races view the truce as an opportunity to consolidate power.
• Responsibility and the pursuit of peace: Nuwa hopes spiritual attainment will let her protect living beings where force cannot.
• Attachment and change: Gungun’s unease about Houtu becoming Pingxin suggests that transformation may alter not just a person’s role, but their identity.
• Comic contrast: The grand political settlement ends with the absurd reveal that Gungun has looted all of Penglai.

Plot and key events

• Houtu and Donghua discover Witch soldiers stripping Penglai Immortal Island of its Spirit Plants—and digging three hundred feet down to take the island’s spirit-rich soil for an orchard on Mount Buzhou. Gungun ordered the excavation, with Hou Yi and Xingtian’s approval.
• Donghua accepts the loss without protest, acknowledging that Houtu’s help had saved his life and allowed him to keep Penglai. Houtu feels sympathy for him but ultimately permits the digging, noting that the Witch Race lost warriors fighting Bai Ze.
• At Penglai’s waterfall, Gungun sleeps contentedly in the water while Hou Yi and Xingtian eat and drink. They discuss Gungun’s unusual love of sleep, which Hou Yi connects to its mastery of the Law of Silence.
• Houtu joins them and checks on Gungun’s health. Hou Yi assures her it has recovered and is unlikely to pursue its grudge against Donghua.
• Houtu warns the shamans that the Dao Ancestor’s million-year ban on a major Witch–Demon war is a preparation period, not lasting peace. She orders them to train their armies for the decisive conflict expected afterward.

Character developments and interactions

• Donghua shows resignation and gratitude rather than anger, accepting the Witch Race’s taking of Penglai’s resources because Houtu once saved him.
• Houtu balances compassion for Donghua with loyalty to her people, allowing the excavation while directing her attention to the looming war.
• Gungun remains comically lazy and asleep, yet its earlier order has prompted the extensive stripping of Penglai. Its grudge against Donghua is treated as temporary.
• Hou Yi and Xingtian support the Witch Race’s claim to Penglai’s resources and respond soberly to Houtu’s military orders.
• Houtu’s conversation with Donghua highlights their debt and mutual restraint; her later exchange with the shamans underscores her leadership and concern for the Witch Race’s future.

Significant themes

• Gratitude and obligation: Donghua accepts a material loss because Houtu once saved him.
• Greed and comic excess: Gungun’s appetite is reflected in the Witch Race’s near-total removal of Penglai’s treasures and soil.
• Pragmatism over resentment: Donghua lets the loss go, while Houtu permits it in light of the Witch Race’s casualties.
• A fragile truce before conflict: The million-year prohibition on war offers time to prepare for an eventual struggle for supremacy.

Summary

Three days after the Witch Race’s victory, Gungun wakes from a long nap in the waterfall pool. Hou Yi explains that Ancestral Witch Dijiang has summoned Houtu, while Xingtian has already departed with part of the army. As Hou Yi prepares to return to Mount Buzhou, Gungun produces a treasure map and asks him to retrieve a golden Dragon Pearl near Penglai.
Hou Yi warns that the map leads to two exceptionally powerful Golden Flood Dragons. Born from the same source and always fighting together, they can reportedly challenge a Quasi-Saint. Gungun realizes they may be connected to the legendary Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, but Hou Yi admits he is unsure he can face them alone.
Ao Yue, a Demon Race protector, suddenly appears. Hou Yi immediately aims his Sun-Shooting Bow at him, but Ao Yue says he has come peacefully and has no interest in Emperor Donghua. He instead offers Gungun a basket of nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches, fulfilling a promise made during their previous meeting. Gungun eagerly accepts the fruit despite Hou Yi’s warning that Ao Yue might be setting a trap. He reasons that Ao Yue would not risk violating the Dao Ancestor’s decree against a great war between the Witch and Demon Races—and then bolts away with the peaches, announcing that they are safe to eat.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains comically sleepy, impulsive, and food-motivated. He is curious about the treasure but initially underestimates the Golden Flood Dragons; when offered rare peaches, his caution quickly gives way to greed.
• Hou Yi acts as Gungun’s practical protector. He takes the Dragon Pearl threat seriously, admits the limits of his own strength, and distrusts Ao Yue even while honoring the political constraints between their races.
• Ao Yue shows a more considerate side by keeping his promise and bringing Gungun the peaches. His peaceful approach contrasts with Hou Yi’s suspicion and Gungun’s fear that the Demon Race might try to claim him.
• Their exchange highlights the group’s comic tension: Hou Yi tries to keep Gungun safe, while Gungun accepts the gift and runs off before the warning can stop him.

Significant themes

• Power and risk: The Golden Flood Dragons’ strength complicates what first seems like a straightforward treasure hunt.
• Political restraint: The Dao Ancestor’s decree deters open conflict and shapes how both sides behave.
• Trust and suspicion: Ao Yue offers a sincere-seeming gift, but Hou Yi’s distrust reflects the hostility between their factions.
• Comic appetite and self-interest: Gungun’s love of food repeatedly overrides caution and turns a tense encounter into comedy.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun celebrates receiving a basket of nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches, a prized spiritual fruit, and eats nine before feeling full. It wonders how the Monkey King could have eaten so many at once.
• Hou Yi and Ao Yue suddenly arrive nearby, still in the midst of their confrontation. Gungun brakes just in time to avoid crashing into them and offers Hou Yi a peach.
• Hou Yi is tempted but refuses, not wanting to accept a gift from Ao Yue, an ally of the Demon Race.
• Ao Yue confirms that the peaches settle the karmic debt he owed Gungun for a Dragon Pearl it once gave him. Gungun happily agrees, privately deciding it got an excellent bargain.
• Ao Yue proposes teaming up with Hou Yi and Gungun to subdue two Golden Flood Dragons. Gungun would receive their Dragon Pearls, while Ao Yue would take the dragons.
• Hou Yi rejects an alliance with the Demon Race. Ao Yue argues that shared interests should matter more than allegiance, but Hou Yi says he would consider cooperation if Ao Yue were not tied to the Demon Race.
• Before Gungun can suggest a compromise, two loud dragon roars interrupt them, apparently announcing the Golden Flood Dragons’ arrival.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains cheerful, greedy for famous spiritual fruit, and pragmatically focused on getting the Dragon Pearls. It acts as a mediator between the more serious Hou Yi and Ao Yue.
• Hou Yi shows restraint by refusing the peach, despite wanting to taste it, because of its association with the Demon Race. His opposition to joining forces with them is firm.
• Ao Yue settles his debt honorably but also pursues his own plan: capturing the Golden Flood Dragons. His conversation with Gungun hints at a reason he has sent Meng Zhang away, though he does not explain it.
• Hou Yi and Ao Yue clash over whether common goals justify cooperation, revealing deep political distrust between the Witch and Demon Races.

Significant themes

• Karmic debts and reciprocity: Ao Yue repays Gungun for its earlier help, formally ending their obligation.
• Political allegiance versus practical gain: The proposed alliance tests whether shared benefits can overcome factional hostility.
• Self-interest and appetite: Gungun’s delight in the peaches and desire for Dragon Pearls add comic levity to the tense negotiations.
• Suspense: The dragons’ sudden roars cut off the debate and signal an imminent confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Two Golden Flood Dragons pursue four immortals across the sea. A middle-aged man turns back to hold them off, but his three sisters refuse to abandon him and join the fight.
• On Penglai, Gungun identifies the dragons as Quasi-Saints. It urges Hou Yi to take advantage of the distraction and obtain their Dragon Pearl.
• Hou Yi hesitates, unwilling to face the dragons—or resort to theft. But when Ao Yue suddenly departs, Gungun suggests he may be going to help the Demon Race capture the dragons and add powerful fighters to its ranks.
• Convinced this threat must be stopped, Hou Yi takes Gungun with him to pursue Ao Yue. He asks Gungun to help capture the dragons, first proposing the Spirit-Washing Cauldron and then recalling other treasures Gungun might possess.
• Gungun protests that its known treasures cannot capture Quasi-Saints and resists being dragged into the battle. Hou Yi appeals to its duty to the Witch Race, and Gungun finally reveals a treasured Heaven and Earth Bag.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun is opportunistic and reluctant to take risks: it wants the Dragon Pearl but initially hopes Hou Yi will do the dangerous work. Its reluctance gives way when Hou Yi presses it to help protect the Witch Race.
• Hou Yi shifts from caution to decisive action after Gungun raises the possibility that the Demon Race could gain two Quasi-Saint allies. He relies on Gungun’s knowledge and collection of treasures, even as Gungun objects to being carried along.
• Ao Yue leaves without explaining his intentions. Gungun suspects he plans to help the Demon Race, but this remains unconfirmed.
• The fleeing siblings show strong mutual devotion: the sisters reject their brother’s attempt to sacrifice himself alone and return to fight beside him.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and sacrifice: The siblings choose to face danger together rather than leave one of their own behind.
• Duty versus self-interest: Gungun’s desire for treasure and avoidance of danger conflict with Hou Yi’s concern for the Witch Race.
• Power politics and suspicion: The prospect of the Demon Race recruiting the dragons turns a potential treasure hunt into a race to prevent a strategic threat.
• Comic contrast: Hou Yi’s earnest, increasingly forceful appeals play against Gungun’s grumbling, evasiveness, and reluctance to part with its treasures.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun reveals the Heaven and Earth Bag, a Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure that can bind and imprison almost anything, though it cannot damage captives or erase their powers. It also owns a Treasure-Sealing Box, which can seal treasures of equal or lower grade.
• Hou Yi asks Gungun to capture the two Golden Flood Dragons before Ao Yue can recruit them for the Demon Race. He promises to help Gungun find the Golden Dragon Pearl afterward.
• The two flood dragons defeat four Taiyi-level wandering immortals, breaking their swords and knocking them into the sea. Ao Yue intervenes with his Dragon God Heaven-Slaying Halberd, striking one dragon and sending both tumbling away.
• Hou Yi and Gungun emerge from the void. Hou Yi distracts Ao Yue while Gungun approaches the dragons—but, as Gungun prepares to use its treasure, a mysterious mist and force pull it backward.
• A commanding voice announces that Shangqing has arrived to bind monsters, leaving Ao Yue and Hou Yi startled.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun is capable and well-equipped, but reluctant and frightened at the prospect of confronting a quasi-saint’s potential allies. Despite its anxiety, it eventually agrees to act. Its fear becomes comic when Hou Yi hurls it toward the dragons.
• Hou Yi is confident in Gungun’s ability and frames the mission as vital to the future conflict between the Shaman and Demon Races. He physically launches Gungun into action and blocks Ao Yue from intervening.
• Ao Yue seeks to stop Gungun, arguing that the two dragons are powerful enough to challenge a quasi-saint. He distinguishes true dragons from flood dragons and objects to Hou Yi’s interference.
• The exchange between Hou Yi and Ao Yue becomes a contest of obstruction: Hou Yi holds Ao Yue back while Gungun attempts to reach the dragons.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal risk: Gungun resents risking a fight over the Dragon Pearl, but Hou Yi emphasizes the broader stakes of the future war.
• Trust and capability: Hou Yi trusts Gungun precisely because, despite its unreliability in minor matters, it will not fail at something important.
• Power and intervention: The sudden arrival of Shangqing disrupts the confrontation, suggesting that greater forces can abruptly alter the plans of both sides.

Key events

• Tongtian Daoist arrives just as Gungun is sent flying. Hou Yi catches him, but Gungun quickly recovers and loudly challenges whoever attacked him—then hides behind Hou Yi when he realizes the newcomer is Tongtian.
• Tongtian recognizes Gungun’s unusual talent: despite being only a Great Immortal, he has mastered the law of silence. Gungun remains wary, privately thinking Tongtian’s future misfortunes make him dangerous to get involved with.
• Two Golden Flood Dragons attack four escaping immortals. Tongtian drives the dragons back with the Dinghai Pearls, captures them, and says they were fated to become his.
• The rescued immortals introduce themselves as Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao. Tongtian declares that they are destined to be his disciples, and they eagerly accept.
• Tongtian then asks Gungun if he, too, will become his disciple. Gungun’s reaction is an emphatic refusal in thought.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shifts from blustering bravado to comic fear once he recognizes Tongtian. His caution reflects both his survival instincts and his knowledge of future events. He relies on Hou Yi for protection, though Hou Yi is amused—and somewhat exasperated—by his practicality.
• Hou Yi acts as Gungun’s protector and politely smooths over his awkward behavior with Tongtian.
• Tongtian is confident and powerful, showing both force in subduing the dragons and interest in potential disciples. He notices Gungun’s talent and appears amused by his evasiveness.
• Ao Yue and Hou Yi show Tongtian respect. The four rescued immortals respond with gratitude and enthusiasm, beginning their relationship with him as disciples.

Significant themes

• Fate and destined bonds: Tongtian claims the dragons and the four immortals are connected to him by destiny.
• Power and restraint: Tongtian’s strength is unmistakable, while Gungun’s wariness reflects the risks of becoming entangled with powerful figures.
• Comic contrast: Gungun’s grandiose boasts repeatedly collapse into anxious hiding, contrasting with Tongtian’s calm authority.

Plot points and events

• Tongtian asks Gungun to become his disciple. Gungun is wary of being pulled into dangerous future conflicts and hides behind Hou Yi, who politely refuses on his behalf, citing Houtu’s attachment to Gungun.
• Tongtian accepts the refusal, though he calls Gungun foolish. As compensation for stopping Gungun from subduing the Golden Flood Dragons, he gives him a nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peach.
• Tongtian leaves for Mount Kunlun with Zhao Gongming and three other newly accepted disciples. Gungun admits he feared Tongtian more than Zhunti, whose offer Houtu had also rejected.
• Ao Yue departs, accepting that challenging Tongtian for the dragons would be unwise. Hou Yi offers to help Gungun retrieve the Dragon Pearl, but Gungun asks Hou Yi to fetch it while he rests.
• After offering Hou Yi the peach, Gungun falls asleep. Hou Yi gives up trying to make him more active, takes the peach, and lets him rest during the million-year truce between the Witch and Demon Races.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains cautious, comfort-loving, and shamelessly lazy. He avoids becoming Tongtian’s disciple, accepts the peach as fair compensation, and persuades Hou Yi to do the remaining work.
• Hou Yi acts as Gungun’s protector and spokesman, though he wishes Gungun would speak for himself and be less idle. His affection and resignation ultimately outweigh his frustration.
• Tongtian shows interest in Gungun but respects his refusal, compensates him for the lost opportunity, and leaves with his new disciples.
• Ao Yue chooses prudence over competing with Tongtian, then takes his leave.

Significant themes

• Self-preservation over ambition: Gungun turns down a powerful master because he fears the dangers that may come with discipleship.
• Contentment and ease: Gungun values comfort and rest over exertion or status.
• Loyalty and care: Hou Yi repeatedly looks after Gungun, while Houtu’s concern for him shapes his decision not to take another master.

Key plot points and events

• Hou Yi quickly retrieves the Golden Dragon Pearl and wakes the sleeping Gungun, who takes it without ceremony.
• At Pangu Hall, Zhu Jiuyin reports that East Sea Dragon King Ao Kai was killed by Dragon Queen Zitong. She claimed Taiyi ordered the murder to help Ao Yue unite the Dragon Race and become Dragon Emperor.
• Zhu Jiuyin also glimpsed Meng Zhang meeting someone beneath the East Sea and addressing them as “Grand Elder.” The witches suspect this person is Torch Dragon, the Ancestral Dragon’s younger brother, and that his possible survival explains why the Demon Race has historically held back from attacking the dragons.
• Dijiang decides the witches must prevent the Demon Race from absorbing the Dragon Race. He proposes a joint attack with the Phoenix Race, supported by Donghua, and says the campaign should end only if the East Sea dragons submit to the witches or sever their ties to Ao Yue and the Demon Race.
• Before the witches can choose an envoy to contact Kunpeng, the Chaos Bell rings from the north.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains comically unconcerned, waking only when Hou Yi nudges him and extending a paw for the pearl.
• Zhu Jiuyin’s visions give the witches crucial intelligence, though he cannot confirm whether Torch Dragon is alive.
• Zhurong and Gonggong react angrily to the prospect of the Demon Race gaining the dragons; Gonggong repeatedly backs Dijiang’s decisions.
• Houtu considers the strategic risks and asks how far Dijiang intends to take the campaign. Qiang Liang questions working with the Phoenix Race, but Dijiang defends temporary cooperation as a way to limit casualties.
• Dijiang emerges as a decisive strategist, willing to set aside the Witches’ tradition of fighting alone to counter the Demon Race.

Significant themes

• Power and alliance-building: The struggle to control the Dragon Race threatens to shift the balance between the Witches and the Demon Race.
• Uncertainty and hidden strength: Torch Dragon’s possible survival makes the dragons’ true power unclear.
• Pragmatism versus tradition: Dijiang favors temporary alliances over the Witches’ usual independence.
• Political coercion: The proposed campaign aims to force the dragons—or Ao Yue personally—to make binding oaths.

• The Chaos Bell rings in the north, alerting the Primordial World that Taiyi has attacked Kunpeng in the Northern Dark Sea. Dijiang immediately takes Ju Mang, Zhurong, Gonggong, and Qiang Liang to help, while the other Ancestral Witches remain at Mount Buzhou.
• Houtu suspects Taiyi’s real aim is to recruit Kunpeng into the Demon Race, not simply defeat him. She reasons that the Demon-Summoning Banner could bind Kunpeng through his true spirit, adding a powerful Quasi-Saint to the Demon Race during the Dao Ancestor’s million-year ban on major war between the Witches and Demons. Zhu Jiuyin agrees and goes to assist Dijiang; Houtu sends Xingtian to summon Hou Yi and Gungun back from Penglai.
• On Penglai, Hou Yi worries that the Demon Race may destroy the Phoenix Race, as it previously crushed the Immortal Court. Gungun stays comically relaxed, arguing that the Phoenix Race can protect itself and that Hou Yi could not meaningfully challenge Taiyi anyway. He also privately considers the Golden Dragon Pearl as material for a treasure, then stores it away. His flippant reassurance—“Don’t sigh. This is a good thing!”—only irritates Hou Yi.
• In the Northern Dark Sea, Taiyi’s attack overwhelms Kunpeng. Despite resisting with all his magical power, Kunpeng is struck by the Chaos Bell, spits blood, and falls toward the sea. His brothers, a peacock and a great roc, rush to catch him.
  Character developments and interactions: Houtu shows strategic foresight by connecting the attack to the Demon Race’s larger ambitions, prompting the Witches to respond. Zhu Jiuyin backs her judgment, while Hou Yi’s concern contrasts with Gungun’s carefree, teasing attitude. The chapter ends on Kunpeng’s apparent defeat, leaving his fate—and whether Taiyi can force him into the Demon Race—uncertain.
  Themes: The struggle to maintain the balance of power; strategic thinking during a temporary truce; loyalty and intervention; and the contrast between anxious responsibility and comic nonchalance.

Key plot points

• Eastern Emperor Taiyi attacks Peacock and Great Roc with solar true fire as they rush to help Kunpeng. Already badly wounded, Kunpeng shields them with his own body and is injured further.
• Taiyi and Kunpeng trade accusations: Taiyi recalls Kunpeng’s past plots against Meng Zhang and Ao Yue, while Kunpeng condemns the Demon Race for destroying the Phoenix ancestral land and invading his territory.
• Taiyi offers to spare Kunpeng and the Flying Bird Army if Kunpeng leads the Phoenix Race into the Heavenly Court. Kunpeng refuses and charges Taiyi, prepared to die fighting.
• Bai Ze suddenly intervenes, taking Peacock and Great Roc hostage. He says the Demon Emperor wants Kunpeng to join the Heavenly Court, promising protection for the Phoenix Race, a share in the Demon Race’s fortune, and a prestigious position as its Dharma Protector.
• When Kunpeng still refuses, Bai Ze threatens the brothers’ lives. Unable to risk their deaths, Kunpeng gives in and submits.

Character developments and interactions

• Kunpeng is shown as a fierce, proud leader, but also a devoted elder brother: despite his injuries, he protects Peacock and Great Roc. His defiance collapses when their lives are threatened, leaving him defeated and grieving.
• Taiyi remains composed and politically forceful, combining military pressure with an offer of submission framed as an alliance.
• Bai Ze acts as a courteous negotiator but uses the brothers as leverage, revealing the coercion behind the Demon Court’s invitation.
• Peacock and Great Roc try to aid Kunpeng and urge him to fight on, but their capture makes them the reason he must surrender. They blame themselves afterward.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and sacrifice: Kunpeng accepts subjugation to save his younger brothers.
• Power and coercion: The Heavenly Court’s promises of honor and protection are backed by overwhelming force and hostage-taking.
• Pride versus survival: Kunpeng would rather die than submit, yet love forces him to abandon that resolve.
• Old grievances and political ambition: Past conflicts between the races shape the present struggle for control and security.

Key plot points

• Eastern Emperor Taiyi forces Kunpeng to submit a strand of his true spirit to the Demon-Summoning Banner, giving the Demon Race control over him. Kunpeng is ordered to settle the Phoenix Race’s affairs for six months, then report to the Heavenly Court.
• Taiyi withdraws with his army. Bai Ze apologizes to Kunpeng, releases Kong Xuan and Golden Roc, and follows Taiyi.
• Kunpeng entrusts the Phoenix Race to his two younger brothers. He gives Kong Xuan Five-Colored Divine Dew and a Five-Element Divine Ability to help overcome his inborn weakness. He gives Golden Roc a halberd and a magical vase, and warns him to rely on Kong Xuan rather than act rashly.
• As Kunpeng rises despite his injuries, five figures suddenly appear. He recognizes their leader as Dijiang.
• Elsewhere, Hou Yi questions Gungun about why Taiyi’s attack might harm the Demon Race more than Kunpeng. Gungun argues that Kunpeng’s great providence means he may survive and later seek revenge, though Hou Yi doubts this reasoning. Their conversation ends when Xingtian approaches.

Character developments and interactions

• Kunpeng submits under coercion but privately vows to make Taiyi regret it if an opportunity arises. His farewell to his brothers reveals both his concern for them and his effort to maintain a proud, stoic front.
• Kong Xuan and Golden Roc grieve over Kunpeng’s forced departure. Kong Xuan accepts responsibility and a path toward growth; Golden Roc is reminded of his impulsiveness and told to defer to his wiser brother.
• Taiyi secures Kunpeng’s obedience through the true-spirit pledge, while Bai Ze handles the release of Kunpeng’s brothers and offers an apology.
• Gungun confidently explains his strategic view but becomes exasperated when Hou Yi challenges it. Hou Yi regards him as powerful and charming yet naïve about the larger conflict.

Significant themes

• Power and coercion: Kunpeng’s submission is enforced by a magical bond rather than trust.
• Family duty and succession: Kunpeng prepares his brothers to protect and lead the Phoenix Race in his absence.
• Providence and consequences: Gungun suggests that Kunpeng’s survival could turn Taiyi’s short-term victory into a future liability.
• Pride and vulnerability: Kunpeng is deeply distressed but refuses to show tears, while his brothers openly mourn him.

Plot points

• Xingtian catches up with Hou Yi and Gungun and says Houtu has ordered them back to Mount Buzhou. He warns that trouble in the Northern Nether Sea may lead to war.
• Gungun divines that Kunpeng is alive and the Demon Race has withdrawn—but that Kunpeng’s true spirit has been bound to the Demon-Summoning Banner, likely making him an enemy of the Witches.
• During the same divination, Gungun discovers that the Yin-Yang Two-Qi Vase shares an origin with his Yin-Yang Grinding Bamboo. Combining them may let him evolve into a “yin-yang giant panda.”
• In the Northern Nether Sea, the Ancestral Witches arrive too late. Kunpeng tells them he has joined the Demon Race and invokes Hongjun’s decree forbidding war between the Witches and Demons for a million years.
• Dijiang and his brothers threaten Kunpeng, but Hongjun intervenes and orders the Witches to leave. Kunpeng thanks him, then privately vows revenge on both races.
• As the Witches travel home, Kunpeng detects Gungun watching from afar and strikes him with a powerful shout. Gungun recovers and concludes the Golden-Winged Great Peng may not yet be strong enough to defeat him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains irreverent and treasure-minded, brushing off Xingtian’s warnings and focusing on his newfound destiny. His brief spying on Kunpeng reveals both curiosity and confidence in his own strength.
• Hou Yi acts cautiously, recognizing the danger of Kunpeng’s forced allegiance and urging the group to consult the Ancestral Witches rather than attack impulsively.
• Xingtian is eager for action, while Gungun’s dismissive attitude frustrates him.
• Kunpeng presents himself as resigned to serving the Demon Race, but his thoughts show deep resentment and plans for eventual retaliation. His exchange with Hongjun also suggests he sees the Sage as both protector and authority.
• Dijiang, Zhurong, and Gonggong respond to Kunpeng’s appeal to Hongjun with anger and threats, but ultimately obey the Sage’s command.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: The Witches’ anger is checked by Hongjun’s authority and the truce.
• Humiliation and ambition: Kunpeng endures subordination for now while secretly anticipating revenge.
• Fate and self-interest: Gungun’s divination turns a military crisis into an opportunity to pursue personal transformation.

Plot points and events

• Gungun tells Hou Yi and Xingtian that it will pursue the treasure connected to its fate alone. It fears that involving the Great Shamans could provoke the Witch–Demon War prematurely, and believes its Law of Silence will help it remain unnoticed.
• After the army returns to Mount Buzhou, Gungun asks the witches to plant its Penglai Spirit Plants and create an orchard. It offers them a Nine-Thousand-Year Ren Water Flat Peach, but the eager crowd swarms it, takes the peach, and leaves it rumpled.
• The Ancestral Witch summons Hou Yi and Gungun. Before Hou Yi can take it away, Gungun tries to divine which witch had rubbed its belly and pinched its cheeks—but its divination fails.
• Gungun realizes Hou Yi may have been the culprit. Hou Yi repeatedly dismisses the touching as accidental, leaving Gungun convinced that he is covering up his own mischief.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shows unexpected resolve by choosing to pursue the treasure independently, though it remains comically preoccupied with food, comfort, and finding the witch who touched it.
• Hou Yi supports Gungun’s decision, then gently rushes it to the Ancestral Witch’s summons and dodges its accusations with calm excuses.
• Xingtian laughs at the witches’ enthusiastic rush for the peach.
• The witches’ affection for Gungun is expressed through their playful, chaotic crowding; their enthusiasm also reveals how tempting its treasures are.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal desire: Gungun’s solitary plan is motivated by concern for the larger balance between the Witch and Demon Races.
• Humor and affection: Gungun’s serious plans contrast with its ridiculous indignation over being petted and pinched.
• Fate and uncertainty: Gungun senses a destined connection to the treasure, but its path—and the identity of its alleged assailant—remains unclear.

Plot points and events

• Gungun complains that Hou Yi has been petting him. Houtu sides with Gungun and orders Hou Yi to supply his spirit fruit for a thousand years. Gungun tries to add Hou Yi’s Soft-Bone Rabbit to the menu, but Houtu forbids it.
• Houtu calls Gungun and Hou Yi to discuss the Demon Race’s growing power. She reports that Kunpeng has surrendered his true spirit to the Demon-Summoning Banner and become the Demon Race’s Dharma Protector, while the Phoenix Race has also backed the demons.
• Hou Yi proposes rebuilding the Witch Race’s next generation with the blood essence of fallen warriors and subduing the Qilin Race before the Demon Race can do so.
• Gungun recommends a peaceful alternative: rest, govern the land well, and benefit its inhabitants. Houtu dismisses this as laziness and asks how the Witch Race can gain an advantage for the decisive battle a million years later.
• Gungun thinks the Witch and Demon formations are evenly matched, leaving no obvious strategic advantage. Houtu hears his thoughts and, after puzzling over his confidence that the demons will ultimately lose, releases him and offers him Ginseng Fruits.
• Houtu then assigns Gungun and Hou Yi to subdue the Qilin Race.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains food-loving, lazy, and resistant to being drawn into strategy, but his inner thoughts reveal knowledge of future events and the limits of both races’ power. Houtu uses both discipline and treats to engage him.
• Houtu balances affection for Gungun with stern leadership. She can hear his thoughts, quietly takes note of his knowledge, and turns his reluctance into a concrete assignment.
• Hou Yi respectfully accepts his punishment and offers practical, ambitious proposals for strengthening the Witch Race. He is frustrated that the demons’ recent victories have eclipsed the witches.
• The chapter’s comic exchanges—Gungun’s complaint, attempted escape, and appetite—contrast with the serious political discussion.

Significant themes

• Power and preparation: Both races seek allies and resources ahead of an eventual decisive conflict.
• Peace versus ambition: Gungun favors good governance and restraint, while Hou Yi and Houtu focus on securing the Qilin Race and strengthening the Witch Race.
• Knowledge and uncertainty: Gungun’s private understanding of the future hints at an outcome he cannot—or will not—explain, leaving Houtu to question how the Demon Race can lose despite the apparent balance of power.

Summary

Houtu offers Gungun three Ginseng Fruits to persuade him to help Hou Yi bring the Qilin Race under Witch control. Gungun is tempted, but calculates that the task could be difficult: the Qilin elders are powerful, and their young leader, Four-Unlike, is protected by his connection to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable. He initially refuses, arguing that Hou Yi can handle the mission and that the Witch Race’s great formation remains a strong defense against the Demon Race.
Hou Yi explains that Gungun had volunteered to retrieve the Yin-Yang Two-Qi Vase, a treasure associated with Kunpeng’s younger brother. Gungun clarifies that he chose to go himself to avoid provoking a wider conflict during the Dao Ancestor’s million-year ban on major Witch–Demon war. Houtu recognizes his caution and reveals that she had requested the Ginseng Fruits for him, not as a payment for the Qilin mission.
Moved by her thoughtfulness, Gungun changes his mind. He accepts the fruits and offers to accompany Hou Yi, proposing that he return the Qilin Seal to Four-Unlike if doing so secures the Qilin Race’s submission. Hou Yi is startled: the seal is a Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, not a trivial possession.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains food-loving and self-deprecating, but shows strategic judgment and consideration for the Witch Race’s political constraints. Houtu’s personal kindness prompts him to volunteer for the dangerous mission.
• Houtu balances persuasion with affection. She teases Gungun about being hardworking only “sometimes,” while making clear that she had obtained the fruits for his sake.
• Hou Yi is assigned to lead the Qilin mission and is surprised when Gungun joins him and offers to give up the valuable seal.

Significant themes

• Affection and reciprocity: Houtu’s gift is an expression of care, and Gungun’s decision reflects his response to that care.
• Strategic restraint: Gungun considers the risk of escalating tensions during the truce and favors measured action.
• The cost of alliance-building: Bringing the Qilin Race into the Witch fold may require negotiation—and possibly surrendering a powerful treasure.

Key events

• Houtu rebukes Gungun for suggesting he trade the precious Qilin Seal for the qilin clan’s allegiance. She takes the seal into safekeeping until he and Hou Yi return, warning them not to risk their lives. Gungun confirms there is no urgency to seek the Yin-Yang Two-Qi Vase, which he knows he must avoid while Kunpeng remains in the Northern Dark Sea.
• On their way down the mountain, Gungun teases Hou Yi by eating Ginseng Fruits in front of him. Though Hou Yi tries to hide his interest, Gungun offers him the final fruit, explaining that they are both helping with the mission. Hou Yi accepts, and their friendly bond is reinforced.
• Gungun argues that Four-Unlike—not the qilin elders—is the key to bringing the clan under control, since he is the Primordial Qilin’s legitimate son and holds much of the clan’s fortune. He redirects their journey toward Mount Kunlun.
• At the Jade Clarity Palace, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable calculates events and orders his White Crane Attendant to summon Four-Unlike.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun is playful and generous, but also strategically minded: he recognizes Four-Unlike’s importance and avoids pursuing the vase while Kunpeng remains a threat.
• Houtu shows protective concern for Gungun, taking the Qilin Seal to prevent a rash bargain and putting his safety above success.
• Hou Yi is disciplined and initially reluctant to show his desire for the fruit, but Gungun’s generosity warms him. He accepts the share and responds affectionately, rubbing Gungun’s head.
• The chapter shifts from the pair’s lighthearted, companionable exchange to the Heavenly Venerable’s intervention, foreshadowing Four-Unlike’s role in the coming mission.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and prudent leadership: Houtu values Gungun’s help but cautions him against sacrificing a priceless treasure for uncertain allegiance.
• Friendship and generosity: Gungun’s offer of the fruit turns a teasing moment into a sincere gesture of partnership.
• Strategy and patience: Gungun prioritizes the clan’s central figure and waits for a safer opportunity to pursue the vase.