Chapter Summaries

Wukong tried to stop the gods and Buddhas from attacking Bull Demon King, but Heavenly King Li refused to withdraw and the Vajra urged him to seek help from Buddha. Wukong feigned illness to avoid leaving, and after the Vajra departed, he secretly flew to Banana Cave to investigate.

• Wukong asked Heavenly King Li to withdraw and report that Bull Demon King had no intention of rebelling, but Heavenly King Li refused, citing the Jade Emperor's orders and the demons' crimes.
• The Vajra urged Wukong to go to Spirit Mountain and suggested deceiving the demons, so Wukong pretended the Scorpion Demon’s sting had left him too ill to travel; Bajie and Sha Wujing also feigned illness.
• When the Vajra asked for another messenger, Nezha said he would first report to the Heavenly Court, while Bajie revealed that Bull Demon King’s group had eaten the Great Python Deity.
• Erlang backed up Wukong’s claim that the sting was serious, and the Vajra waited two days before leaving for Spirit Mountain.
• After the Vajra left, Heavenly King Li ordered a feigned retreat to trick the demons into releasing Bodhisattva Guanyin; Wukong left a false body in the tent and flew as a bee to Banana Cave.

Wukong warned the demons in Banana Cave that the gods and Buddhas had only pretended to withdraw, then returned to camp while both sides remained in a tense standoff. As Wukong recovered and the gods waited for reinforcements, Nezha returned with a mysterious golden bowl and persuaded the immortals to test their fire against it.

• Wukong revealed that the gods and Buddhas had faked their retreat, and the demons grew angry while Ao Tu defended Wukong and saw him off.
• Wukong returned to camp, but the gods' supposed withdrawal did not persuade the demons to release Guanyin Bodhisattva.
• The Flaming Mountain Local God gathered wandering souls and refined a new force of Yin Soldiers before returning to the gods' camp.
• Heavenly King Li sent Nezha to bring Erlang back from hunting, but Nezha went missing and Erlang returned without him.
• Nezha returned the next morning carrying a golden bowl and invited the gods to try melting it with their fire arts.
• The immortals and heavenly generals bombarded the bowl with divine fire and lightning while Heavenly King Li watched in confusion.

Vajras returned to Spirit Mountain and told Tathagata Buddha that the demons had defeated and captured the Vajras. Tathagata sent Mahamayuri Bodhisattva to subdue the demons and guide Tang Sanzang, who remained at Flaming Mountain planting bodhi trees.

• Vajras reached Spirit Mountain, reported the Vajras’ defeat and capture, and Tathagata Buddha dispatched Buddhist soldiers.
• Tathagata Buddha summoned Mahamayuri Bodhisattva and ordered him to subdue the demons, guide Golden Cicada, rescue Venerable Guanyin, and spare Bull Demon King’s life.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva left Spirit Mountain ahead of Vajras and the Buddhist soldiers, then arrived at Flaming Mountain.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva rebuked Tang Sanzang for planting bodhi trees alone and instructed him to gather believers and benefactors to do such work in the future.
• Tang Sanzang learned that his three disciples were fighting demons at Green Cloud Mountain, and Mahamayuri Bodhisattva left for the gods’ encampment.

Mahamayuri Bodhisattva joined Heavenly King Li’s campaign against Emerald Cloud Mountain, damaged Tathagata’s Alms Bowl, and confronted Ao Tu. As Mahamayuri’s greater Five Phases overwhelmed him, Ao Tu grasped how to use his Primordial Heaven laws and seized control of part of the surrounding heaven and earth, blocking the attack.

• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva secretly watched the gods test Tathagata’s Alms Bowl in their formation, then agreed to help Heavenly King Li subdue the demons.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva struck the Alms Bowl with Five-Colored Light, denting and cracking it before it vanished into the void.
• After the Buddhist Soldiers arrived, Heavenly King Li led the combined forces to attack Emerald Cloud Mountain, while Mahamayuri Bodhisattva set out to confront Ao Tu.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva’s Five-Colored Light drove Ao Tu from the battlefield and surrounded him when he returned, overwhelming his own Five-Colored Divine Light.
• Ao Tu understood how his Primordial Heaven laws connected him to heaven and earth, took control of roughly forty percent of the surrounding power, and blocked Mahamayuri Bodhisattva’s Divine Light.

Ao Tu and Mahamayuri Bodhisattva copied each other’s Five-Colored Divine Light and supernatural abilities until they seized one another and became locked in place. As the battle resumed around them, both captured the opposing side’s leaders and armies, leaving the demons and gods trapped in Divine Light.

• Ao Tu adapted Mahamayuri Bodhisattva’s Five-Colored Light, matching his control of the Five Phases and countering his concentrated attack.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva seized Ao Tu with a vast hand, but Ao Tu learned the secret of the technique and seized Mahamayuri in return.
• Ao Tu and Mahamayuri Bodhisattva agreed to release each other together, then tightened their grips instead and called their forces back into battle.
• The Bull Demon King charged across the battlefield and smashed Heavenly King Li’s Pagoda, while Mahamayuri Bodhisattva used four vast hands to seize the Bull Demon King, Six Ears, the Scorpion Spirit, and Red Boy.
• Ao Tu answered with countless vast hands, capturing Heavenly King Li, Nezha, Erlang, and the other immortals and gods.

After Mahamayuri Bodhisattva broke the hostage exchange agreement and kept Bull Demon King, Heavenly King Li and the gods planned to use Bull Demon King as bait while Erlang infiltrated Banana Cave. Ao Tu anticipated their strategy, secretly moved the captives into Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Jade-Cleansing Bottle, and left to rescue Bull Demon King as Erlang searched the now-empty cave.

• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva took Bull Demon King and several hostages away, leaving Ao Tu to return to the cave with the demons.
• Princess Iron Fan pleaded with Ao Tu to rescue her husband, and Ao Tu promised that he would try.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva initially refused to help recover the other captives, but stayed after Nezha reminded him that Guanyin Bodhisattva was also imprisoned.
• Heavenly King Li proposed using Bull Demon King as bait and sending Erlang to investigate the demons’ cave; Mahamayuri Bodhisattva released Bull Demon King, and Nezha led an ambush.
• Ao Tu borrowed Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Jade-Cleansing Bottle and secretly sucked the imprisoned gods and soldiers into it before leaving to rescue Bull Demon King.
• Erlang infiltrated Banana Cave in moth form but found no captives; Guanyin Bodhisattva could not reveal their location, and Erlang failed to discover they were inside her bottle.

Ao Tu freed the Bull Demon King by impersonating Erlang, then protected Banana Cave through months of battles with Mahamayuri Bodhisattva. As he neared his goal, an Asura King ambushed him with the Karmic Fire Red Lotus and the Yuan Tu and Abi swords, forcing him to fight for his life.

• Ao Tu disguised himself as Erlang, freed the Bull Demon King, and fled while the gods pursued him.
• Ao Tu took Nezha hostage, then knocked away Heavenly King Li’s Pagoda and bound the gods with Nezha’s Universe-Splitting Silk.
• Ao Tu and Mahamayuri Bodhisattva fought repeatedly as Six Ears foiled the gods’ attacks, and Ao Tu’s Five-Colored Divine Light grew stronger until the two could fight to a draw.
• With only a few months left before the three-year mark, an Asura King ambushed Ao Tu during his usual battle with Mahamayuri Bodhisattva.
• Ao Tu failed to escape the Karmic Fire Red Lotus and prepared to fight the Asura King, whose Yuan Tu and Abi swords threatened his life.

Ao Tu fought the Asura King, who wielded Patriarch Styx’s weapons and treasures, and nearly died before the Blood Sea King rescued him with the Banana Leaf Fan. After deciding that Styx would attack again, Ao Tu and the Blood Sea King chose to stay and fight rather than retreat to the Flower Realm.

• Ao Tu unleashed his dragon form, formations, and Golden Bushel of Primordial Unity against the Asura King, but the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus and twin swords overwhelmed his defenses.
• Ao Tu protected himself with the Black Origin Water-Control Banner as the Asura King’s attacks threatened to break through, while Azure Lion, the Bull Demon King, Heavenly King Li, and others fought outside Green Cloud Mountain.
• The Blood Sea King recognized Ao Tu’s peril, struck the unguarded Asura King with the Banana Leaf Fan, and drove him away, allowing Ao Tu to escape with the Blood Sea King.
• Ao Tu returned to Banana Leaf Cave and considered retreating to the Flower Realm, but he and the Blood Sea King agreed to stay and fight Patriarch Styx.

Six-Eared Macaque and Red Boy brought the Great Sun Demon King to Green Cloud Mountain to help the assembled demons prepare for the Asura King’s attack. At Heavenly King Li’s camp, the Asura King urged Mahamayuri Bodhisattva to join the fight against the Dragon Demon, and Mahamayuri promised his full support.

• Six-Eared Macaque and Red Boy searched the Sihali Kingdom for the Great Sun Demon King, whom Red Boy found cultivating inside the setting sun.
• Red Boy chased off Dragon Palace water folk who were collecting gold produced by the Great Sun Demon King’s Solar True Fire, then learned that the king had allowed them to take it to conceal his cultivation from the Heavenly Court.
• Six-Eared Macaque explained the crisis at Green Cloud Mountain, and the Great Sun Demon King agreed to help before returning there with him and Red Boy.
• The Bull Demon King, Ao Tu, and Blood Sea welcomed the Great Sun Demon King and gathered with their companions at Green Cloud Mountain.
• The Asura King arrived at Heavenly King Li’s camp, where Manjushri Bodhisattva returned with the Green Lion Spirit and said he could not help because he was gravely wounded.
• The Asura King asked Mahamayuri Bodhisattva to destroy the Dragon Demon on behalf of the Patriarch, and Mahamayuri promised to do all he could.

Asura King and Mahamayuri Bodhisattva joined forces against Ao Tu, but Blood Sea King and the Great Sun Demon King helped turn the battle against Asura King. When Mahamayuri intervened, Patriarch Styx took control of Asura King's battered body and prepared to pursue Ao Tu, as Blood Sea King mocked him.

• Asura King attacked Ao Tu with the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus, but Ao Tu resisted with the Golden Bushel of Primordial Unity and fought back with his treasures and dragon powers.
• Ao Tu transformed into a golden dragon and grappled Asura King while Blood Sea King struck with the Banana Leaf Fan.
• The Great Sun Demon King hit Asura King with the Ancient Buddha Jewel, and Blood Sea King damaged his soul with the Soul-Scattering Gourd, leaving him near defeat.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva attacked Ao Tu with Five-Colored Divine Light and swept away his weapons.
• Asura King's eye flashed red as Yuantu and Abi unleashed their killing intent, and Patriarch Styx took control of his body and summoned the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus beneath his feet.
• Blood Sea King mocked Styx as he prepared to chase Ao Tu.

A wisp of Patriarch Styx’s consciousness descended into the Asura King, who attacked Ao Tu while the Blood Sea King and Great Sun Demon King tried to stop him. By the end, the Asura King had been consumed by his race’s savage instincts and sought only to slaughter his enemies.

• Patriarch Styx descended into the Asura King, who ignored the Blood Sea King’s taunts and prepared to kill Ao Tu.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva intercepted Ao Tu, while the Blood Sea King repeatedly attacked the Asura King’s Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus.
• The Asura King lost control of his anger, severed the Blood Sea King’s tail and arms, and then cut off both his legs.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva forced Ao Tu away from the battlefield, but Ao Tu stopped retreating and fought his way back toward the conflict.
• The Great Sun Demon King attacked the Asura King, but the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus deflected his blows, and the Asura King wounded him with a sword.
• The Asura King pinned the Blood Sea King with Abi and succumbed fully to his savage instincts, abandoning his original objective in favor of slaughter.

Patriarch Styx revealed himself as the Asura King and attacked Ao Tu and the Blood Sea King, while Buddha Randeng intervened to seize the Ancient Buddha Jewel. Ao Tu shattered the Jewel’s inner worlds with a devastating divine light, but was left gravely weakened as Randeng escaped and the Asura King turned his fury on the helpless Blood Sea King.

• Patriarch Styx revealed his true nature as the Asura King and wounded the Great Sun Demon King after sealing off his escape with the Way of Slaughter.
• Buddha Randeng appeared, blocked the Asura King's attack, claimed the Ancient Buddha Jewel, and drew the Great Sun Demon King inside it.
• The Flaming Mountain Local God led the Great-Power Vajras and their forces underground toward Banana Cave to capture the Bull Demon King's family.
• Ao Tu burned himself into a great sun and unleashed a divine light that destroyed the Jewel's Heavenly Deities World and pierced Buddha Randeng's palm.
• Buddha Randeng concealed his injury and vanished, while Ao Tu coughed blood after losing a third of his source power and continued fighting Mahamayuri Bodhisattva.
• The Asura King blamed Randeng for the Great Sun Demon King's escape and vented his anger on the Blood Sea King, who lay pinned beneath the Abi Sword with his limbs and tail severed.

The Asura King killed the Blood Sea King, then charged Ao Tu, who reclaimed Ancestral Dragon Authority and defeated him. Heaven’s tribulation struck Ao Tu and forced the authority back, while the Blood Sea King’s scattered remains began reassembling behind the Asura King.

• The Asura King severed the Blood Sea King’s limbs and features before beheading him.
• The Asura King turned on the weakened Ao Tu, who reclaimed Ancestral Dragon Authority from heaven and earth.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva hesitated to take the Phoenix authority, and it dispersed along with the qilin authority.
• Ao Tu used his reclaimed authority to pin down the Asura King and knock Yuantu and Avici from his hands.
• Two bolts of Tribulation Lightning struck Ao Tu and drove the Ancestral Dragon Authority from his body.
• The Blood Sea King’s mangled remains absorbed his severed parts and formed an oval sphere behind the Asura King.

Ao Tu waited inside Mahamayuri Bodhisattva while his three bloodlines neared their limits, as a giant emerged from a growing egg and defeated the Asura King before becoming a mountain. The giant’s birth and death drained most of Ao Tu’s origin, but the strain finally broke the balance among his bloodlines.

• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva swallowed Ao Tu, the Asura King’s sword light, and the attackers from Banana Cave, but only Ao Tu survived digestion and recovered the Eight Spiritual Treasures.
• Ao Tu waited inside Mahamayuri Bodhisattva as a giant egg grew, and its heartbeat shook living beings throughout the Three Realms.
• The Asura King split the egg with his sword, and the giant emerged, defeated him, destroyed the Yuantu Sword’s radiance, subdued the Abi Sword, and smashed the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus.
• The giant grew to a hundred thousand feet, became a mountain, and restored life to the devastated land before the red lotus departed with the two swords.
• Ao Tu lost more than sixty percent of his origin to the giant’s birth and death, but the balance among his three bloodlines finally broke.

Ao Tu attempted to break through to Great Luo by choosing his own blurry figure and observing the past, but his weakened state made the attempt fail. Before his power vanished, he used the lingering ultimate truths of heaven and earth to escape the Great Peacock Wisdom King Bodhisattva’s belly.

• Ao Tu guided his three bloodline powers to fuse and chose his own figure for another attempt at breakthrough.
• Ao Tu watched time recede and glimpsed an ancient battle between the Three Pure Sages, Lady Nuwa, Great Immortal Zhenyuan, and a nameless old Daoist.
• Ao Tu saw fragments of the past move back toward Pangu’s creation of heaven and earth, but his weakening power could not sustain the vision.
• Ao Tu’s figure dissipated, ending his breakthrough attempt in failure.
• Ao Tu seized the remaining ultimate truths to break through the Great Peacock Wisdom King Bodhisattva’s five-colored divine light and escape from his belly.

Ao Tu escaped Mahamayuri Bodhisattva but was nearly captured again while fleeing, until White Crane Boy rescued him and brought him to the Jade Void Palace. Ao Tu awoke there and asked to meet the Celestial Venerable.

• Ao Tu fled Mahamayuri Bodhisattva while the gods and demons held back from fighting, wary of the giant’s remains and the dragon’s hidden strength.
• Mahamayuri Bodhisattva pursued Ao Tu across the seas and skies, then revealed that the Buddha intended to make him a guardian dragon and traveling mount.
• White Crane Boy struck Mahamayuri Bodhisattva with the Three Jewels Jade Ruyi and carried the exhausted Ao Tu toward Kunlun Mountain.
• An old Daoist pulled Mahamayuri Bodhisattva from the ground, healed his head, and vanished after disputing his accusations.
• Ao Tu awoke in the Jade Void Palace, thanked White Crane Boy, and asked to meet the Celestial Venerable.

Ao Tu visited Yuanshi Tianzun, Great Immortal Zhenyuan, and Old Mother Lishan to learn about the dangers facing his pursuit of the Dao. He left with warnings about powerful opponents, advice to cultivate the Five Elements Method, and a reason to eventually enter the Netherworld to find his father's soul.

• Yuanshi Tianzun gave Ao Tu nine blue lotuses to present to the Queen Mother of the West and explained that the belief that only Primordial Divine Saints could become sages was mistaken.
• Yuanshi Tianzun warned Ao Tu not to descend to the lower world for three days because petty villains were plotting against him.
• Great Immortal Zhenyuan named several figures who opposed others seeking the Dao and urged Ao Tu to diligently cultivate the Five Elements Method.
• Old Mother Lishan told Ao Tu that a great opportunity awaited him in the Netherworld and that his wronged father’s soul was still wandering there.
• Ao Tu decided he would visit the Netherworld when he was strong enough to protect himself from Patriarch Nether River.

Ao Tu visited the Queen Mother of the West and Doumu Yuanjun in Heaven, learned that the Bull Demon King was still resisting Heavenly King Li, and proposed that the Bull Demon King accept amnesty and join the Dipper Department. Doumu Yuanjun agreed, leaving the plan awaiting further discussion with the Jade Emperor.

• Heavenly King Li grew wary when Mahamayuri Bodhisattva failed to return, sent Erlang to scout, then surrounded Green Cloud Mountain again and requested reinforcements from Heaven.
• Ao Tu met the Queen Mother of the West and presented her with the Green Lotus, then found the Jade Emperor discussing Heavenly King Li's latest request for troops in Lingxiao Hall.
• Ao Tu learned from Kui Mulang that the Bull Demon King had not been subdued and that the star officials were busy reshaping the ancient stars.
• Little Alligator Dragon gave Ao Tu a box of star cores, including six wood-element cores intended as a gift for their uncle.
• Ao Tu visited Doumu Yuanjun and proposed that the Bull Demon King accept amnesty and join the Dipper Department, and Doumu Yuanjun agreed.

Ao Tu sought Taishang Laojun’s guidance, then learned the Jade Emperor would let the battle at Emerald Cloud Mountain reach a stalemate before he requested amnesty and recruitment for the Bull Demon King. As both armies called on Wukong to choose a side, Wukong remained torn between his promise to the Bull Demon King and helping the Heavenly Court.

• Ao Tu visited Taishang Laojun, who advised him to follow nature and do what he would do without concern.
• Ao Tu returned to Lingxiao Hall and learned that the Jade Emperor had ordered Wuqu Star Lord to reinforce Heavenly King Li.
• Taibai Jinxing privately told Ao Tu to seek amnesty and recruitment for the Bull Demon King once the fighting reached a stalemate, and said Ao Tu should accept three days’ confinement to avoid a calamity.
• Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear inspected the battle at Emerald Cloud Mountain and found the heavenly troops and demons locked in a stalemate.
• Heavenly King Li and the Bull Demon King each urged Wukong to help them, while Mucha and Red Boy appealed to his loyalties.
• Bajie and Sha Monk argued over whether Wukong should avoid the fighting or help the gods, and Wukong snapped at them to stop.

Wukong left the stalemated battlefield with Tang Sanzang and his companions, choosing to continue the pilgrimage west. In Heaven, the Jade Emperor approved Ao Tu’s plan to offer the Bull Demon King amnesty, and Ao Tu arrived to free the captured demons.

• Tang Sanzang rode into the battlefield calling for Wukong, and Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing left with him after bidding farewell to the gods and demons.
• Tang Sanzang explained that he had gone to plant trees and that the Lord of the Land had been asked to tell the disciples where he was.
• The group visited the temple, found leftover grain, and Tang Sanzang told Wukong to distribute it among the poor.
• Qianliyan and Wind-Following Ear reported to the Jade Emperor that Wukong had departed and the battle remained unresolved; Ao Tu and Taibai Jinxing persuaded the Jade Emperor to offer the Bull Demon King amnesty.
• Ao Tu brought the Jade Emperor’s edict to Heavenly King Li’s camp and ordered him to release the captured demons, including White Bone Spirit.