Chapter Summaries

Gunnian stopped short of crushing Xiao Hua when a young monk appeared and revealed himself as Er Lengzi, Gunnian’s beloved younger brother. Convinced that Er Lengzi had survived to meet him again, Gunnian rejected the Heavenly King’s warning that the monk was only an illusion created by the immortal artifact, even as the demonic golden body refused to withdraw.

• A black shadow severed Xiao Hua’s left arm, grievously wounded his Primordial Spirits, and left him trapped in Gunnian’s Buddha-Demon Hand.
• A voice halted Gunnian, and he declared that seeing its owner mattered more to him than attaining Buddhahood.
• Xin Xin saw a young monk appear, and Gunnian recognized him as Er Lengzi, who said he had waited for their reunion and had never blamed his brother.
• Er Lengzi warned Gunnian that the demonic dragon had corrupted him, while the Heavenly King claimed the monk was an illusion conjured by the Profound Origin Water Control Banner.
• Gunnian refused to let the Heavenly King destroy Er Lengzi and ordered the demonic dragon to withdraw, but the Heavenly King laughed and refused.

Gunnian sacrificed himself to destroy the Heavenly King, but the demonic dragon then possessed Xiao Hua by merging its demonic blade with his body. As Xiao Hua became a towering demon, Xin Xin tried to flee toward the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, only to be confronted by him.

• Gunnian collapsed his golden body and sacrificed himself, destroying the Heavenly King and freeing Xiao Hua from the Buddha-Demon Hand.
• Xin Xin realized Gunnian had chosen to abandon his attachments and mourned his death alongside the little monk.
• The demonic dragon emerged from the Yingluo, swallowed Xiao Hua's severed left arm, and transformed into a demonic blade that merged with him.
• Xiao Hua awakened with blood-red eyes and grew into a hundred-zhang demonic body as demonic qi consumed the surrounding Yingluo.
• Xin Xin rushed toward the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, but Xiao Hua mocked the banner and moved to stop her.

Xin Xin fought to keep Demon God Xiao Hua from reclaiming the Profound Origin Water Control Banner and realized she had to attack the source of his demonic power. After the banner immobilized him, she transferred half of her golden Dan Heart into Xiao Hua, whose demonic armor began to shatter.

• Demon God Xiao Hua split the Profound Origin Water Control Banner’s protective radiance with his demonic blade, but Xin Xin realized both artifacts needed someone to control them.
• Xin Xin tried to bind the banner with her blood and true qi, but the effort drained her and left her unable to withstand repeated attacks.
• Xin Xin drove her golden hairpin into Demon God Xiao Hua, temporarily freezing him, and the Profound Origin Water Control Banner immobilized him again with its yingluo.
• Xin Xin kissed Xiao Hua and passed half of her golden Dan Heart into his middle dantian, where it collided with his scarlet Dan Heart and shattered his demonic armor.

Benefactor Xin gave Xiao Hua her Heaven’s Heart to resist the demonic dragon, but Xiao Hua instead refined the dragon’s demonic spirits and emerged in control of himself. Benefactor Xin gained the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, while Xiao Hua hinted at how he had escaped possession.

• Benefactor Xin used her remaining true qi to give Xiao Hua her Heaven’s Heart, weakening the demonic armor and trying to awaken his mind.
• The demonic dragon broke through Xiao Hua’s defenses, but Xiao Hua closed his eyes and began refining the demonic spirits within the dragon.
• Benefactor Xin retreated beside the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, which responded to her and flew into her hand.
• After the demonic qi subsided, Xiao Hua returned to normal and assured Benefactor Xin that he was still himself, while joking that he was teaching the dragon to read.
• Xiao Hua explained that he had yielded his body and withdrawn his thoughts toward his spatial realm when the dragon took control, and that the dragon had long been suppressed by the Ancient Buddha Sarira.

Xiao Hua trapped and devoured the demonic dragon, then revealed his true appearance to Xin Xin as she revealed hers. They exchanged the Heavenly Book, flying swords, and secret knowledge, leaving Xiao Hua with clues for refining his Five Elements As-You-Wish Heaven-Piercing Staff.

• Xiao Hua's other Primordial Spirits trapped and devoured the demonic dragon after it entered his mind's space.
• Xin Xin pressed Xiao Hua to reveal his identity, and they each showed their true appearance without exchanging names.
• Xin Xin gave Xiao Hua the Heavenly Book and explained how its connection to the Heavenly Heart could help him cultivate Five Qi Ascending to the Origin.
• Xiao Hua gave Xin Xin seven flying swords and two Sword Transformation swords, which she accepted.
• Xin Xin described the materials needed to refine the Five Elements As-You-Wish Heaven-Piercing Staff and secretly transmitted the final material to Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua and Xin Xin found a way to leave the Profound Water Palace, and Xiao Hua prepared to revive Gunnian and learn about Wang Zhengfei. After learning Gunnian’s brother Gu Zhen could not be revived, Xiao Hua helped both brothers enter reincarnation together.

• Xiao Hua and Xin Xin realized they had taken the treasures without learning how to leave the Profound Water Palace, but Xin Xin assured him she knew the way out.
• Xiao Hua summoned Gunnian and explained that he could return Gunnian’s soul to his preserved body; Gunnian said Wang Zhengfei had entered the illusion through dreams.
• Gunnian asked Xiao Hua to help Gu Zhen, and Buddha Xiao Hua summoned Gu Zhen’s soul and offered to bear his karmic obstacles so he could enter the Human Path of reincarnation.
• Gunnian chose to give up returning to life and accompany Gu Zhen into reincarnation, and Gu Zhen welcomed him as his brother.
• Buddha Xiao Hua sent the brothers’ souls away together, and Xiao Hua burned Gunnian’s body and the other corpses.

After parting from Xin Xin, Xiao Hua discovered that a place from the Profound Water Palace illusion existed in the real world and found the same mysterious triangle Gunnian had given him. He then flew to Wang Zhengfei’s village, where the darkness inside Wang Zhengfei’s home left him uncertain whether the events of the dream had been real.

• Xin Xin told Xiao Hua that Cihui had asked her to direct him to Jietai Temple, and she flew away after revealing her name.
• Xiao Hua startled Xin Xin with a Buddhist Lion’s Roar and flew south from the Sage River.
• Xiao Hua found the landscape from the Profound Water Palace illusion unchanged and confirmed that the black triangle Gunnian had given him was real.
• Xiao Hua compared the triangle with one he had obtained from Qin Jian, found both concealed a vague chess piece, and kept them.
• Xiao Hua reached Wang Zhengfei’s village and found Wang Zhengfei’s home dark, leaving him unsure whether the dream’s events had happened.

Xiao Hua learned that Wang Zhengfei and his mother had been taken toward Pingxi City and rushed to rescue them from the steward, who was trying to kill them. He stopped the steward’s attack and reunited with Wang Zhengfei, though the steward’s fate remained unresolved.

• Xiao Hua visited a neighbor, who told him that Wang Zhengfei and his mother had gone to Pingxi City for a month.
• Xiao Hua sensed trouble and flew toward Pingxi City, while the neighbor mistook his sudden departure for a ghostly disappearance.
• In a forest, the steward threatened Wang Zhengfei and his mother over the gold and planned to assault the mother before killing them both.
• Wang Zhengfei’s mother shielded him and urged him to run, but he clung to her until he heard Xiao Hua’s voice.
• The steward tried to stab Wang Zhengfei’s mother, but Xiao Hua froze the dagger and pulled her out of its path.
• Xiao Hua arrived, and Wang Zhengfei joyfully recognized his master and asked him to save them.

Xiao Hua rescued Wang Zhengfei and his mother, then taught his young disciple to consider the consequences of killing the steward who had attacked them. He punished the steward with a slow, agonizing death and prepared to take Wang Zhengfei and his mother away from the village.

• Wang Zhengfei's mother tried to kneel to Xiao Hua, and Wang Zhengfei formally kowtowed nine times to acknowledge him as his master.
• Xiao Hua healed Wang Zhengfei's mother and questioned Wang Zhengfei about the steward's attack, the Wang family, and what he planned to do.
• Xiao Hua warned Wang Zhengfei that the gold and the steward's disappearance could bring trouble from the Wang family and the villagers, so Wang Zhengfei decided they should not return to the village.
• Wang Zhengfei wished for the steward to die from spreading poisonous sores, and Xiao Hua used demonic qi to make that punishment begin.
• Xiao Hua told Wang Zhengfei to watch the steward suffer, then ended the lesson and had Wang Zhengfei bring the carriage over.
• Xiao Hua offered to drive while Wang Zhengfei and his mother rested in the carriage.

Xiao Hua took Wang Zhengfei and his mother away after dealing with the steward, then learned more about Wang Zhengfei’s extraordinary dreams and talent. After settling them on a mountain, Xiao Hua began examining Wang Zhengfei with the Soul Bridge to discover why he could not sense Spiritual Qi.

• Xiao Hua rode away with Wang Zhengfei and his mother, and told Wang Zhengfei that the steward’s body would dissolve before anyone found it.
• Wang Zhengfei’s mother asked Xiao Hua about his powers, and Wang Zhengfei recounted how he had met Gunnian in his dreams.
• Xiao Hua considered Wang Zhengfei’s unusual ability to remember techniques and wondered whether to take him back to Cangxian Continent.
• At dawn, Wang Zhengfei apologized for doubting Xiao Hua, and Xiao Hua exchanged the carriage and horse for silver before flying with the two of them to a mountain.
• Xiao Hua taught Wang Zhengfei cultivation techniques, but Wang Zhengfei still could not sense Spiritual Qi, so Xiao Hua used the Soul Bridge to examine him.
• The Soul Bridge entered Wang Zhengfei’s mind and reached the faint, mysterious dark clouds there.

Xiao Hua opened the Soul Bridge into Wang Zhengfei’s mysterious dark cloud and discovered a powerful star-powered seal blocking the boy’s Spiritual Qi Heaven. He told Wang Zhengfei about the restriction and asked his consent to remove it, then began explaining cultivation and asked him to guess Xiao Hua’s age.

• Xiao Hua pushed all eighteen layers of the Soul Bridge into the mysterious dark cloud, creating a passage through it.
• Xiao Hua found a strange star-powered seal at the entrance to Wang Zhengfei’s Spiritual Qi Heaven and realized the boy might have a powerful background.
• Xiao Hua told Wang Zhengfei that a restriction in his body might endanger his life and block his ability to sense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and asked for his consent to break it.
• Wang Zhengfei hesitated and tried to defer the decision to his mother, but Xiao Hua urged him to decide for himself.
• Xiao Hua began teaching Wang Zhengfei about cultivators and asked how old Wang Zhengfei thought he was.

Xiao Hua encouraged Wang Zhengfei to pursue cultivation without rejecting his mother's affection, then began breaking the restriction inside the boy's mysterious dark clouds. As Xiao Hua's Heaven Cleansing Earth Purifying Art battered the restriction, a pillar of stellar power descended on Wang Zhengfei, and the restriction began to give way amid a surge of starlight.

• Xiao Hua told Wang Zhengfei not to sever his ties with his mother and explained that Master Guzhen and little monk Gunnian had chosen to be reborn together.
• Wang Zhengfei spoke with his mother, accepted the dates she had saved for him, and told Xiao Hua that watching the sky had helped him remember his father.
• Xiao Hua connected the Soul Bridge to Wang Zhengfei's mysterious dark clouds and sent the green seal characters Cleanse and Purify into them.
• Xiao Hua's attempt to break the restriction stirred violent weather and drew a pillar of stellar power down onto Wang Zhengfei.
• Xiao Hua reinforced his attack with more green seal characters, and the restriction's stars began to shatter until a tremendous surge of starlight erupted at the crucial moment.

Xiao Hua broke the seal on Wang Zhengfei’s Spiritual Qi Heaven, triggering strange celestial signs and awakening his ability to sense spiritual energy. After Wang Zhengfei recovered, Xiao Hua confirmed that he could cultivate and explained to his mother that he was a Daoist cultivator, not a monk.

• Xiao Hua cut through the descending starlight with demonic qi and used the Heaven Cleansing Earth Purifying Art to remove the seal from Wang Zhengfei.
• Ten-colored radiance, thunder, crimson clouds, and snow appeared, while sacred light flowed into the Buddha Sarira in Xiao Hua’s Niwan Palace.
• Xiao Hua found Wang Zhengfei unconscious and bald, cleaned him, and carried him to the cave; Wang Zhengfei slept for three days and nights.
• Wang Zhengfei woke feeling mentally clear, and Xiao Hua guided him to meditate until he sensed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
• Xiao Hua realized that spiritual roots could help cultivation flourish and promised to take Wang Zhengfei to Xiaoyu Continent after he succeeded in cultivating.
• Xiao Hua greeted Wang Zhengfei’s mother as Madam Wang and told her that he and his disciple followed Daoist cultivation rather than monastic practice.

Xiao Hua brought Wang Zhengfei and Madam Wang from their remote village toward the Cangxian Continent, then traveled to Golden Mountain Temple while asking how the Pure Land would learn of a Bodhisattva’s attainment. The Buddha Bells rang sixty-four times, and Buddhist light spread across the Pure Land, announcing that a Bodhisattva had achieved fruition.

• Xiao Hua decided to take Wang Zhengfei and Madam Wang to the Cangxian Continent, and sent them into his space after warning them to keep their origins secret.
• Wang Zhengfei began cultivating the first layer of Qi Cultivation in his sleep, while the dormant Jiang Liuer remained in Xiao Hua’s space.
• Xiao Hua reached Jietai Temple, used his Buddhist sense to meet Abbot Xin Chan, and left after asking him a question.
• Xiao Hua traveled with Liao Ming to Golden Mountain Temple and asked how the Pure Land would know if someone achieved Bodhisattva Buddhahood.
• Liao Ming explained that sixty-four Buddha Bell tolls and widespread Buddhist light would announce a Bodhisattva’s attainment.
• The bells rang across the Pure Land, and Buddhist light spread in every direction as Liao Ming stared in disbelief.

After learning that Compassionate had attained the Buddha fruit, Xiao Hua wondered about Buddhist cultivation and why the newly made Bodhisattva had not ascended. He went to Golden Mountain Temple to discuss Jiang Liuer with Ji Mie, but found the temple strangely quiet and its monks behaving suspiciously.

• Liao Ming hurried back to Jietai Temple after Xiao Hua told him that Compassionate had attained the Buddha fruit of Manjushri Bodhisattva.
• Xiao Hua considered the mysteries of Buddhist cultivation and questioned why Compassionate had not ascended after attaining Buddhahood.
• Xiao Hua climbed to Golden Mountain Temple, whose gates were shut despite the news that temples should be holding celebrations.
• Ming Shen opened the gate while sneaking out with wine and meat, then recognized Xiao Hua and called him Martial Uncle after Xiao Hua stopped his punch.
• Yongzhong welcomed Xiao Hua into the temple, where Xiao Hua saw Ming Shen sneak away and found monks chanting listlessly before a Buddha statue.

Xiao Hua visited Golden Mountain Temple to ask Great Chan Master Ji Mie about emerging from the Nirvana Realm, but learned that Ji Mie had shut himself away after a Bodhisattva attained fruition. Miaochen questioned Xiao Hua’s purpose, while Yongzhong suggested Ci Hui might be able to draw Ji Mie into discussing Nirvana.

• Yongzhong brought Xiao Hua, who used the Dharma name Tipu, through Golden Mountain Temple, where Miaochen warned that seeing the abbot would be difficult.
• Miaochen returned to Yongzhong’s meditation chamber and asked which eminent monk had attained fruition after the temples’ Buddha Bells rang sixty-four times.
• Yongzhong explained that Ji Mie had received a Buddha decree from Thunder Sound Temple and remained behind closed doors without reading it.
• Xiao Hua revealed that he had come to ask Ji Mie how he emerged from the Nirvana Realm, startling Miaochen, who accidentally sprayed tea over him.
• Xiao Hua identified himself as Tipu and said Ci Hui of Qinglian Temple had recommended the visit; Yongzhong suggested bringing Ci Hui to debate with Ji Mie.
• Xiao Hua said Ci Hui had likely already reached Thunder Sound Temple, leaving Miaochen puzzled about why he had gone there.

Xiao Hua told Miao Chen and Old Monk Yongzhong that Ci Hui had attained the fruit of Manjushri Bodhisattva, then waited several days at Golden Mountain Temple for Great Chan Master Ji Mie. When Ji Mie finally appeared, he rejected Xiao Hua’s request to discuss Nirvana, and the two began arguing over Buddhist practice.

• Xiao Hua told Miao Chen that Ci Hui had attained the Bodhisattva Fruit of Manjushri, and Old Monk Yongzhong explained that Ci Hui’s achievement troubled the abbot.
• Xiao Hua worried about returning to Black Wind Ridge and Xiaoyu Continent but decided to wait for Ji Mie because he needed Ji Mie’s help awakening Jiang Liuer.
• For several days, Xiao Hua saw Ji Mie’s meditation room remain shut as the monks and temple visitors grew anxious.
• On the fifth day, Xiao Hua watched Ji Mie punish monks carrying water and introduced himself as Tipu, seeking instruction on Nirvana.
• Ji Mie ordered Xiao Hua to leave and dismissed his request, so Xiao Hua criticized Ji Mie’s harsh methods and approach to cultivation.
• Ji Mie grew angry and accused Xiao Hua of trying to gain fame by debating Buddhist teachings.

Xiao Hua provoked Great Chan Master Ji Mie into a battle at Golden Mountain Temple, where their Buddhist techniques clashed over the Chen River. Ji Mie unleashed Red Lotus Karmic Fire and Mountain Power, sending Xiao Hua and his Nine Dragon Scepter Staff plunging to the riverbed.

• Xiao Hua taunted Great Chan Master Ji Mie about his jealousy of Compassionate Young Monk, and Ji Mie attacked him with a golden Buddha palm.
• Xiao Hua fled toward the Chen River as Ji Mie pursued him, and their Zen staff and Nine Dragon Scepter Staff battled above the water.
• Ji Mie used Buddhist seals to summon celestial maidens and yakshas, while Xiao Hua countered with Mountain Power and shattered them with Buddhist-lit stones.
• Ji Mie revealed his two-headed, four-armed Dharma body and spread Red Lotus Karmic Fire across the sky.
• Xiao Hua’s mountain restraints dissolved against the karmic fire, and he escaped through a gap only to be struck by Ji Mie’s Mountain Power and driven into the Chen River with his staff.

After failing to persuade Great Chan Master Ji Mie to help him, Xiao Hua met Ming Shen in a cave and learned more about the abbot’s habits. Ming Shen’s stories left Xiao Hua increasingly concerned about how he could approach Ji Mie again.

• Great Chan Master Ji Mie ended his fight with Xiao Hua, warned him not to return, and flew back into Golden Mountain Temple.
• Xiao Hua walked upstream in the rain and found Ming Shen roasting a rabbit in a cave after sneaking away from the temple.
• Ming Shen praised Xiao Hua for standing up to the abbot, while Xiao Hua complained that Ji Mie had ruined his business.
• Xiao Hua gave Ming Shen spirit wine, and Ming Shen gladly shared what he knew about Great Chan Master Ji Mie.
• Ming Shen described Ji Mie as an old, harsh, and stingy abbot who beat and cursed the temple’s monks and refused to help visitors, leaving Xiao Hua deep in thought.

Xiao Hua learned of Great Chan Master Ji Mie's yearly vigil by the Chen River and realized the monk might be unable to notice a body drifting past him. Hoping to save Jiang Liuer, Xiao Hua placed him in the river, where Great Chan Master Ji Mie discovered him entering Nirvana.

• Ming Shen told Xiao Hua that Great Chan Master Ji Mie sat on a riverside rock through the night every thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month.
• Xiao Hua warned Ming Shen not to spy on Great Chan Master Ji Mie again, then wandered beside the Chen River and quietly cultivated for several days.
• On the thirtieth day, Xiao Hua found Great Chan Master Ji Mie meditating on the rock and noticed a dead body drifting in the river, which gave him an idea.
• Xiao Hua placed Jiang Liuer in a seven-colored lotus, then switched him into a broken wooden basin and concealed himself as dawn approached.
• Great Chan Master Ji Mie opened his eyes, saw Jiang Liuer sitting in the basin and entering Nirvana, and froze in shock.