Chapter Summaries

Zi Shou turned an ancestral sacrifice on Phoenix Mountain into a Fengshan Sacrifice, declaring himself the First Emperor despite his ministers’ alarm. Dark clouds gathered overhead as the ceremony continued, and Zi Shou pressed on regardless.

• Zi Shou led the ministers in an ancestral sacrifice, then had them dig and bury a jade tablet as part of the rite.
• Zi Shou redefined the ceremony as worship of ancestors and common people, proclaimed the Fengshan Sacrifice complete, and claimed imperial authority as the First Emperor.
• Chong Houhu interpreted Zi Shou’s declaration as a challenge to the regional vassals and believed it fit the ruler’s plans to expand royal power.
• Dark clouds gathered, and You Hun, Mei Bo, Wen Zhong, and Jizi feared that Heaven or the ancestors opposed Zi Shou’s claim.
• Zi Shou continued with the ceremony despite the gathering clouds, determined to become the First Emperor.

Zi Shou defied the ministers and Heaven by continuing the Fengshan Sacrifice, declaring himself the First Emperor and swearing to protect the Human Race and establish an enduring empire. As he proclaimed his oath in the torrential rain, the dark clouds unexpectedly began to disperse.

• Zi Shou carried a massive rock to the Sacrificial Altar and declared that the ministers must address him as Your Imperial Majesty.
• Shang Rong and the other ministers urged Zi Shou to leave the mountain or abandon the Fengshan Sacrifice, warning that it would provoke resentment and harm the realm.
• Zi Shou challenged the ministers’ fear of Heaven, while You Hun supported him by claiming that even thunder and rain came from the emperor’s hand.
• Zi Shou named the rock his Wordless Stele, declared it a Senior Grandee, and swore to defend the Human Race and found an empire for ten thousand generations.
• Wen Zhong noticed that the dark clouds were dispersing as Zi Shou stood in the rain.

Long Ji revealed that she had caused the rain to test Zi Shou, then married him after he suggested she serve the people as an official. The phoenix became Hu Ximei, whom Zi Shou recognized as the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit.

• A phoenix and two golden dragons carried Zi Shou away from the Sacrificial Altar to Phoenix Mountain.
• Long Ji introduced herself and explained that she had summoned the rain during the Fengshan Sacrifice to test Zi Shou’s defiance of Heaven’s mandate.
• Long Ji admitted she had also sent Azure Luan to bring rain to Guanjiangkou with the Four Seas Bottle.
• Zi Shou suggested Long Ji govern a region and benefit the people instead of entering the Imperial Harem, and she agreed to marry him without entering the palace.
• Zi Shou and Long Ji married with the phoenix and golden dragons as witnesses.
• The golden dragons transformed into a Precious Sword, and the phoenix became Hu Ximei, whom Zi Shou recognized as the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit.

After Zi Shou declared himself the First Emperor, the Three Sovereigns recognized the Heavenly Dao’s acknowledgment and sent their teachings to aid humanity through the coming tribulation. Nuwa ordered the spirits to assist him, and as Zi Shou traveled toward Chentang Pass, word of his Fengshan Sacrifice stirred public criticism.

• Zi Shou returned from the mountain with Long Ji and sent Chong Yingbiao and ten Royal Guards ahead to spread news of his Fengshan Sacrifice and imperial title.
• Shennong, Fuxi, and Xuanyuan learned that Zi Shou’s vow had been acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao and discussed how humanity might face the great tribulation.
• Fuxi, Shennong, and Xuanyuan sent the Arithmetic Classic, Hundred Herbs Classic, and Inner Canon to the human world, then held ancestral rites at Fire Cloud Palace.
• Nuwa ordered the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit to summon the Pipa Spirit and Nine-Tailed Fox so they could assist the First Emperor and earn merit.
• As Zi Shou’s carriage traveled toward Chentang Pass, Shang Rong reported that news of the Fengshan Sacrifice had arrived ahead of them and stirred criticism among the people.

Zi Shou visited Chentang Pass to hear what commoners thought of the Fengshan Sacrifice and found that Chong Yingbiao was recounting the ceremony in a tavern. Chong Yingbiao praised Zi Shou’s dramatic challenge to Heaven, then embellished the story until Zi Shou’s delight turned to anger.

• Shang Rong accepted that he had to manage the political fallout from the Fengshan Sacrifice to protect his position and avoid provoking King Zhou.
• Li Jing reported that he had arrested people in Chentang Pass for criticizing the Fengshan Sacrifice, and Zi Shou invited him to hear the public’s opinions in plain clothes.
• Zi Shou, Li Jing, and Yin Pobai entered a crowded tavern, where Chong Yingbiao described the rain that had interrupted the Fengshan Sacrifice.
• Commoners speculated that the rain was Heaven’s punishment, while Zi Shou welcomed their criticism and drank wine as Li Jing mistook his composure for displeasure.
• Chong Yingbiao dramatically recounted Zi Shou’s defiant speech and added that a Golden Dragon, a Phoenix, and the Phoenix Mountain Goddess had appeared; Zi Shou grew furious at the embellishment.

Zi Shou learned how Royal Guards had turned rumors about his Fengshan Sacrifice into praise, while he planned to let a coming flood reverse public opinion again. After discovering Li Jing’s household had invented steamed buns and expanded wheat cultivation, he went to praise Li Jing, who instead declared himself guilty.

• Chong Yingbiao and the Royal Guards spread the rumors about King Zhou’s imperial ambitions, then explained the supposed auspicious signs to sway the commoners.
• Zi Shou expected a flood at Chentang Pass to make the commoners condemn him as an unworthy ruler.
• Zi Shou discovered that Li Jing’s wife had invented steamed buns after Li Jing’s household ground locally grown wheat into flour.
• Li Jing explained that Nezha had stolen and enjoyed a steamed bun, prompting the household to make more and Li Jing to promote wheat cultivation.
• Zi Shou visited Chentang Pass’s wheat fields and praised Li Jing, who knelt and declared, “Your subject is guilty!”

Li Jing credited Zi Shou with Chentang Pass’s new rice and wheat cultivation, but Zi Shou insisted the achievement belonged to Li Jing and Wan Nian. Li Jing’s thoughts turned to resisting the destiny imposed on his son Nezha, while Zi Shou remained unaware and continued touring the pass.

• Li Jing explained how he had organized irrigation, reinforced river embankments, and encouraged Chentang Pass’s fishermen to grow rice and wheat.
• Zi Shou rejected Li Jing’s attempt to credit him and praised Li Jing’s practical efforts to help the people.
• Li Jing named Wan Nian as the friend who had inspired him through Zi Shou’s Mandate of Heaven Theory.
• Li Jing recalled that Nezha’s life had been laid out by Heaven and resolved to fight so his son could choose his own path.
• Zi Shou recognized Wan Nian’s role in the farming plans, told Li Jing to keep the credit, and proposed continuing their tour of Chentang Pass.

Li Jing intervened when he found a thug beating the paralyzed Ao Bing in the squalid settlement downstream on the Nine-Bend River. Ao Bing recognized Li Jing and then saw Zi Shou, whose presence rekindled a glimmer of hope in him.

• Ji Yang ordered his thug to prepare Ao Bing for his bedchamber, then said he would leave Chentang Pass for Xiqi after confirming the Nine Yi would send troops.
• Ao Bing recalled how Nezha killed the Sea Yaksha and ripped out Ao Bing’s Dragon Tendon, leaving him paralyzed and unable to restore the Dragon Tribe.
• The thug broke Ao Bing’s leg while venting his anger, but Ao Bing felt no pain and saw no hope for his future.
• Li Jing entered the hut, knocked the thug unconscious, and promised Ao Bing he would receive justice.
• Ao Bing tried to clench his fists at the name Li Jing, then saw Zi Shou in the doorway and felt a glimmer of hope.

Ao Bing disguised himself as Li Bing and secured a place at Zi Shou’s side, hoping to help the Dragon Tribe by serving Great Shang. Meanwhile, Ao Guang mistakenly believed Ao Bing had been killed and set out to confront Li Jing at Chentang Pass.

• Ao Bing decided to serve Zi Shou after seeing him defy Heaven’s mandate, then concealed his identity by calling himself Li Bing.
• Zi Shou gave Ao Bing a steamed bun, and Ao Bing pledged to follow him for life.
• Li Jing recommended keeping Li Bing nearby, and Zi Shou appointed him to attend at his side without investigating his background.
• Zi Shou ordered Yin Pobai to carry Ao Bing and returned to his residence, asking Li Jing to send more buns.
• Ao Guang learned that the Sea Patrol Yaksha had died and assumed Ao Bing was dead too.
• After Little Dragon Girl identified a ring-shaped magic treasure as the likely weapon, Ao Guang blamed Li Jing and flew toward Chentang Pass.

Ao Guang confronted Li Jing after Nezha admitted killing the Sea Patrol Yaksha and tearing out Ao Bing’s dragon sinew. Nezha beat and coerced Ao Guang into returning to Chentang Pass, but Ao Guang left to summon the Four Seas Dragon Kings and complain at Lingxiao Hall, while Nezha assured his parents that Taiyi Zhenren would take responsibility.

• Ao Guang arrived at the Li residence and accused Nezha of killing the Sea Patrol Yaksha and harming Ao Bing.
• Nezha admitted what he had done and returned Ao Bing’s dragon sinew, prompting Ao Guang to threaten to report him to the Heavenly Emperor.
• At the South Heaven Gate, Nezha knocked Ao Guang down, beat him, and forced him to promise not to complain before bringing him back to Chentang Pass.
• Nezha revealed Ao Guang in human form to Li Jing and Lady Yin, and Ao Guang described his beating and the loss of his scales.
• Ao Guang vowed to summon the Four Seas Dragon Kings and present his grievance at Lingxiao Hall, while Nezha told his parents that Taiyi Zhenren would handle any serious consequences.

As the Four Seas Dragon Kings threatened to flood Chentang Pass unless Li Jing handed over Nezha, Zi Shou tried to keep the blame from falling on himself and turned to Long Ji for help. The chapter ended with Chentang Pass facing imminent destruction and Zi Shou about to reveal his plan.

• Commoners blamed King Zhou for Chentang Pass’s abnormal weather, while Li Jing and Lady Yin knew Nezha had caused it.
• Li Jing vowed to sacrifice his own life if necessary to appease the Dragon King and preserve peace.
• Lady Yin brought Nezha food while he remained bound, but he insisted that his master and destiny would protect him.
• Zi Shou stopped Long Ji from using her Four Seas Bottle to collect the rain, then reasoned that Nezha’s misdeeds ultimately reflected on the ruler.
• The Four Seas Dragon Kings appeared and threatened to flood Chentang Pass unless Li Jing surrendered Nezha, and Zi Shou told Long Ji there was only one way to respond.

Zi Shou abandoned his plan to take the blame for Nezha and arranged for Li Jing to offer his life instead. As Nezha prepared to kill himself, Zi Shou attacked him with the Universe Ring, leaving his fate unresolved.

• Zi Shou asked Long Ji to use her Twin Dragon Swords as loudspeakers and rode with her to confront the Four Seas Dragon Kings.
• Ao Bing found Little Dragon Girl and asked her to help him stop Ao Guang from flooding Chentang Pass.
• Zi Shou invoked Great Shang’s traditions of rulers bearing blame, but Ao Guang ignored him and demanded that Li Jing hand over Nezha.
• Li Jing prepared to die in Nezha’s place after confirming that Lady Yin had led the common people to safety.
• Nezha rushed out and declared that he would take responsibility by killing himself, but Zi Shou threw the Universe Ring at him.

Zi Shou killed Nezha before he could sever his karmic ties and become a Lotus True Body, then declared that wrongdoers—not their ruler—must bear responsibility. Li Jing recognized that Great Shang’s lenient laws and rulers’ habit of taking blame had undermined justice, while he grieved over Nezha’s death.

• Zi Shou struck Nezha with the Universe Ring, killing him before he could cut away his flesh and bones.
• Taiyi Zhenren watched Nezha die and withdrew, unable to make him into a shield against the Investiture Calamity.
• Zi Shou told the Dragon King that innocent rulers and their people were not guilty, and that wrongdoers must bear their own guilt.
• Li Jing reflected on Great Shang’s weak punishments and Nezha’s unpunished crimes, concluding that offenders had to face the consequences of their actions.
• Li Jing gathered Nezha’s body as Little Dragon Girl arrived, pushing Ao Bing.

Ao Guang accepted Zi Shou’s gamble against fate and pledged the Dragon Tribe’s support to Great Shang, while the dragons offered their scales to create an Imperial Robe for him. Zi Shou left Chentang Pass with Long Ji, expecting his reforms and Daji’s projects in Chaoge to bring rewards.

• Little Dragon Girl used a Magic Conch to tell Ao Guang that Ao Bing had survived and joined Great Shang, and Ao Guang decided the Dragon Tribe would stand with Zi Shou.
• Ao Guang summoned the other three Dragon Kings and swore that the Four Seas Dragon Tribe would bring favorable weather and peace to Great Shang while Zi Shou reigned.
• A garment made by Ziyi Shi appeared, and the Dragon Kings and countless dragons offered their scales to cover it and make Zi Shou an Imperial Robe.
• Ao Guang led the weakened Dragon Tribe away after binding its fortunes to the Human Emperor’s robes and their dragon patterns.
• Zi Shou and Long Ji departed Chentang Pass on the Golden Dragon, and Zi Shou anticipated returning to Chaoge as Daji’s projects neared completion.

Ji Xian persuaded Wuti Marquis and the Tu Fang leaders to march on Chaoge and seize King Zhou, while Wuti Marquis killed the dissenters. Tu Fang forces then began raiding the Great Wall frontier, killing three Shang soldiers at an earthen fort.

• Ji Xian urged Wuti Marquis and the Tu Fang leaders to capture King Zhou during his inspection tour and use him to secure benefits.
• Wuti Marquis ordered the dissenters killed, then sent the Tu Fang tribes to prepare for a march south.
• The Tu Fang tribe consecrated its campaign with the eight severed heads as offerings.
• At a northern frontier fort, Xiao Yi went outside to investigate a horse and was stabbed by a Tu Fang attacker.
• Wu Li entered the fort, ordered the remaining two Shang soldiers killed, and had all three soldiers stripped of their clothes.

Tu Fang cavalry crossed the unfinished Great Wall defenses and raced south while Su Quanzhong refused to abandon his orders. In Chaoge, Queen Jiang urged Yin Jiao and Yin Hong to organize the city’s defense using commanders held in Yuan Prison, while Zi Shou remained unaware of the invasion and looked for a chance to enjoy his royal tour.

• Zhao Bing spotted a huge Tu Fang cavalry force passing the camp and urged Su Quanzhong to pursue it.
• Su Quanzhong ordered the Beacon Fire lit and the Great Wall construction continued, refusing to act beyond his orders.
• Yin Jiao and Yin Hong reported the warning beacon to Queen Jiang and worried that Chaoge lacked military commanders.
• Queen Jiang encouraged the princes to lead the defense and pointed out that Lady Huang and the rebel commanders in Yuan Prison could help.
• Yin Hong proposed recruiting Lei Kai, the Caozhou commanders, and the four Yellow Flower Mountain bandit chiefs.
• Zi Shou, still unaware that Tu Fang had advanced south, eagerly searched for a way to enjoy his tour.

Zi Shou tried to slip away from court to experience riding freely, and succeeded the next night with Long Ji’s help. Meanwhile, Tu Fang’s Wu Li pursued the king’s procession with eight thousand cavalry and camped without posting sentries, unaware of the danger around them.

• Zi Shou planned a nighttime ride, but Wen Zhong caught him mustering troops and ordered him back to his residence.
• The next night, Long Ji disguised Zi Shou with an illusion, and they rode out with a hundred Imperial Guards and three hundred Royal Guards.
• The officials discovered that Zi Shou and his guards had vanished, leaving Wen Zhong and Chong Houhu unable to explain his disappearance.
• Wu Li pursued King Zhou with eight thousand Tu Fang cavalry, confident he could capture him and plunder settlements on the way back.
• Wu Li ordered his men to rest at the foot of a mountain without posting sentries, then removed his bronze armor and went to sleep.

Zi Shou and his mounted guards stumbled upon a Tu Fang force and launched a night raid, scattering the unarmored barbarians. Wu Li escaped with a group of riders after being wounded, while the fight continued amid spreading fires.

• Zi Shou spotted firelight and led Chao Lei, Chao Tian, and a hundred mounted guards toward what they thought was a village, only to find the Tu Fang sleeping in the open.
• Chao Lei and Chao Tian led repeated cavalry charges, while Chao Lei scattered burning wood and set the surrounding grass alight.
• Wu Li woke, gathered a hundred men, and tried to organize resistance as the remaining Imperial Guards and Chong Yingbiao's Royal Guards joined the attack.
• Long Ji charged Wu Li with Zi Shou, and Zi Shou's Tai'a Sword severed Wu Li's arm.
• Wu Li ordered his men to stab their horses and flee toward their chief, and the wounded commander escaped with a group of riders.

Zi Shou’s night outing turned into a victory over a Tu Fang force sent to capture him, and he gave Chao Lei the credit by appointing him Navy Admiral. After reuniting with Wen Zhong and the officials, Zi Shou learned that Chaoge was surrounded by Tu Fang’s mounted main force.

• Zi Shou’s riders and Long Ji routed the Tu Fang soldiers, while the Royal Guards’ bulk and armor helped them overwhelm their attackers.
• Zi Shou praised Chao Lei for supposedly anticipating the ambush, then appointed him Navy Admiral at Chentang Pass and ordered the battlefield cleared for horses and prisoners.
• Wen Zhong arrived with the officials, and Zi Shou apologized for his dangerous outing while claiming Chao Lei had devised the successful night raid.
• The officials gently admonished Zi Shou, while Chong Houhu concluded that the Great Wall and Zi Shou’s timing had forced Tu Fang to act.
• Zi Shou learned from the prisoners that Chaoge was surrounded by Tu Fang’s mounted main force and headed toward a nearby town with the officials.

With Chaoge surrounded by the Tu Fang, Zi Shou weighed the demands for a humiliating treaty against the danger of summoning the vassals. Shang Rong volunteered to negotiate, but Zi Shou decided to go himself.

• Yin Jiao and Yin Hong recruited rebel officers from Yuan Prison, and Lei Kai returned to Chaoge with news after fighting the Tu Fang advance.
• Wuti Marquis besieged Chaoge, and Queen Jiang persuaded Yin Jiao not to light the beacons and summon the vassals.
• Zi Shou sent an envoy to negotiate, but the envoy returned mortally wounded after Wuti Marquis demanded Queen Jiang and Daji in marriage or, alternatively, land and supplies.
• Shang Rong offered to travel to the Tu Fang and accept the humiliating treaty to protect Great Shang and buy Zi Shou time.
• Zi Shou nodded at Shang Rong’s proposal, then announced that he would go himself.