Chapter Summaries

Lin Shen returned to Azure Sky and faced Liu Siming and Liu Lan, who tried to kill him by declaring him contaminated. The tiny offspring of Experiment No. 9 killed Liu Lan, and Liu Siming then accused Lin Shen of murder and ordered the Star God Officials to attack him.

• Lin Shen took Experiment No. 9's newborn offspring with him when he teleported back to Azure Sky.
• Liu Siming and Liu Lan confronted Lin Shen, and Liu Lan attacked him with his Zhu Yan Divine Soul.
• Lin Shen's Fingertip Sand shattered Liu Lan's Zhu Yan Divine Soul and narrowly missed killing him.
• The little black beast destroyed Liu Lan's Azure Dragon Divine Spirit and pierced Liu Lan's chest, turning him to ash.
• Liu Siming accused Lin Shen of being controlled by a Deformed Species and ordered the Star God Officials to attack him.

Shi Zhongqing arrived to protect Lin Shen from the Star God Officials who accused him of being controlled by a Deformed Species. He defeated Wu Qing’s forces and killed Liu Siming, declaring that anyone who attacked someone from Zhongtian Palace would die.

• Liu Siming ordered his divine soul pets to attack Lin Shen, but the Supreme Genesis Talisman appeared and summoned Shi Zhongqing.
• Shi Zhongqing questioned Lin Shen and, after Lin Shen denied being contaminated or controlled, condemned the officials’ attempt to kill him.
• Shi Zhongqing transformed one Star God Official into a dog and turned the others into beasts with golden talismans.
• Wu Qing arrived and challenged Shi Zhongqing’s authority, insisting that Lin Shen remained under the South Region’s jurisdiction.
• Shi Zhongqing attacked Wu Qing, seized Liu Siming despite Wu Qing’s resistance, and reduced him to ash.

Wu Qing initiated a Joint Trial to bring Shi Zhongqing down for killing Liu Siming, while Shi Zhongqing took Lin Shen to the Central Sky Star Region and appointed him Star Mansion Pavilion Master. The six Great Emperors approved the trial, and the God Execution Stage appeared at the center of the Immortal Court.

• Wu Qing declared that he would seek a Joint Trial against Shi Zhongqing for killing Liu Siming in the Chang Sheng Star God Palace.
• Shi Zhongqing took Lin Shen to the Central Sky Star Region Star God Palace and told him to take up the post of Star Mansion Pavilion Master.
• Lin Shen offered to testify for Shi Zhongqing, but Shi Zhongqing said he had no need to worry and insisted the dead officials deserved their fate.
• Wu Qing submitted video evidence to the Chang Sheng Star Mansion Pavilion, and the Sea of Stars approved his request for a Joint Trial.
• Starlight from all six Star Mansion Pavilions converged at the center of the Immortal Court and revealed the God Execution Stage.

The God Execution Stage began the Joint Trial of Shi Zhongqing, and Wu Qing presented a recording of Shi Zhongqing killing a Nine-Star God Official and turning others into livestock. Shi Zhongqing admitted the recording was valid and offered no defense, leaving Wu Qing and Lin Shen wary as judgment approached.

• The God Execution Stage appeared, and Wu Qing and Shi Zhongqing were placed on the plaintiff's and defendant's platforms.
• Wu Qing presented a recording showing Shi Zhongqing killing Liu Siming and turning several Star God Officials into livestock.
• Shi Zhongqing said the recording was the best evidence and offered no defense.
• Wu Qing confirmed he had no additional evidence, while Shi Zhongqing objected to none of the evidence.
• Wu Qing grew suspicious when Shi Zhongqing continued to accept the evidence without rebuttal.

Shi Zhongqing faced a Joint Trial after killing a Star God Official, and the six Great Emperors voted on a death sentence. Lin Shen tried to contact the Jade Emperor for help, but the Sea of Stars told him to watch as every Emperor, including the Jade Emperor, approved the sentence.

• Wu Qing accepted the evidence, and the trial began with Shi Zhongqing facing a death penalty resolution.
• The South, East, and North Region Great Emperors approved the death sentence as Lin Shen activated the Sea of Stars to contact the Jade Emperor.
• The Sea of Stars showed Lin Shen the trial instead, and Lin Shen wondered what plan Shi Zhongqing had to survive.
• The West Region Great Emperor approved the resolution, bringing the total to four votes and making the sentence decisive.
• The Hou Tu Region and Central Sky Star Region Great Emperors also approved the resolution, passing the death sentence unanimously and leaving Lin Shen stunned.

The Immortal Court expected Shi Zhongqing to face execution, but the God Execution Stage instead convicted the plaintiff, Wu Qing, for ordering a murder and making a false accusation. Wu Qing was stripped of his cultivation and killed, while Shi Zhongqing survived and privately realized Lin Shen was involved.

• Lin Shen realized that the unanimous death sentence was not meant for Shi Zhongqing, and Sea of Stars confirmed it.
• Wu Qing celebrated Shi Zhongqing’s apparent downfall, believing his death would also doom Lin Shen and advance the God-Making Race’s plans.
• The God Execution Stage sent Wu Qing, not Shi Zhongqing, before the stone stele and declared him guilty of ordering a murder and falsely accusing a Great God Official.
• Wu Qing protested, but the God Execution Stage stripped away his cultivation and executed him by beheading.
• The watching Star God Officials stared at Shi Zhongqing in shock, and Shi Zhongqing silently recognized Lin Shen.

After Wu Qing’s execution stirred suspicion in the Celestial Court, the God-Making Race Chief chose to recruit Lin Shen rather than kill him, assigning Xiao Wang to handle him. Lin Shen settled into his new role as Star Mansion Pavilion Master, but Shi Zhongqing warned that the other five Pavilion Masters would soon arrive and challenge him.

• Celestial Court officials investigated why Wu Qing had been executed instead of Shi Zhongqing, but they could not uncover the reason and became wary of Shi Zhongqing.
• Two God-Making Race subordinates urged their Chief to expose or kill Lin Shen, but the Chief rejected the idea and decided Lin Shen could be useful to their plans.
• The God-Making Race Chief assigned Xiao Wang to approach Lin Shen, judging that Lin Shen might help complete Wu Qing’s failed mission.
• Shi Zhongqing promoted Lin Shen to Six-Star God Official and made him Star Mansion Pavilion Master, giving him broad authority in the Central Sky Star Region Star God Palace.
• Shi Zhongqing told Lin Shen that the Pavilion Masters of the other five Star Mansion Pavilions would soon visit and spar with him to assess his strength.

Lin Shen researched the other Star Mansion Pavilion Masters, especially Ji Shisan of the South Region, before visiting a mysterious palace on Yin Mountain Star. He found a stele labeled “Netherworld Grand Technique” and “Yin Yang Boundary Stele” standing before the palace.

• Lin Shen learned that Jiang Xishan and the other Star Mansion Pavilion Masters were formidable, then focused his research on Ji Shisan, the Ji Family prodigy favored by Wu Qing.
• Lin Shen summoned Di E Si and Wei Wufu to investigate the palace on Yin Mountain Star after Di E Si reported hearing a voice from inside.
• Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Wei Wufu crossed the mist-filled mountains while Wei Wufu’s Power of Justice kept the Yin Ghost Beasts at bay.
• Lin Shen reached the palace and saw a stone stele inscribed with “Netherworld Grand Technique” on one side and “Yin Yang Boundary Stele” on the other.

Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Old Wei reached the Bridge of Helplessness, where an unknown soup and the bridge’s strange nature blocked their path. A paper wedding procession emerged from the mist, stopped before them, and began to open its bridal sedan.

• Lin Shen tried crossing the Bridge of Helplessness but found that he could not reach the far end, while Old Wei and Di E Si waited at the bridgehead.
• Lin Shen inspected the black cauldron and suspected its dark, beef-scented liquid might be Meng Po Soup, but none of them dared drink it.
• Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Old Wei heard wedding music and saw a red-robed procession approaching through the mist with a Bridal Sedan.
• Lin Shen recognized that the musicians and procession were made entirely of paper effigies, and the group turned toward the three after they moved aside.
• The procession stopped before Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Old Wei, and a paper matchmaker lifted the Bridal Sedan's curtain.

A wedding procession abducted Di E Si across the Bridge of Helplessness, and Lin Shen discovered that a Netherworld Paper Hat let him cross the bridge. Wearing the hat, Lin Shen brought Wei Wufu through the mist and reached a bustling ancient city with a palace at its center.

• The Paper Matchmaker revealed Di E Si inside the empty Bridal Sedan, then led the procession toward the Bridge of Helplessness as Wei Wufu and Lin Shen fought the paper figures and their summoned divine spirits.
• The procession crossed the bridge and vanished, while Lin Shen and Wei Wufu were unable to follow or damage the bridge.
• Lin Shen collected two Mutation Sources and a Divine Spirit Core, then activated one Mutation Source to create a Netherworld Paper Hat.
• Wearing the hat, Lin Shen crossed the bridge easily, but Wei Wufu's Power of Justice burned the other hat to ash.
• Lin Shen led Wei Wufu across the bridge while wearing the hat, and they emerged beside a brightly lit ancient city with a palace at its center.

Lin Shen and Wei Wufu searched an eerie, empty city for Di E Si, only to be confronted by a paper man dragging a black coffin. Wei Wufu attacked the Filial Son Paper Man but struggled against the power of the White Impermanence divine soul.

• Lin Shen and Wei Wufu ran down a seemingly endless lantern-lit street toward the palace, finding it filled with paper imitations of food and gold.
• Wei Wufu used the Power of Justice to burn the paper gold ingots in a shop, and iron chains clanged from farther down the street.
• The Filial Son Paper Man approached them, dragging a Black Coffin and chanting a word Lin Shen suspected meant “return.”
• Lin Shen recalled a tale about the first ghost arising when a dead father returned to his son and later caused others in the tribe to die and return.
• Wei Wufu charged the Filial Son Paper Man, whose White Impermanence divine soul and Mourning Staff repelled his Power of Justice and blocked his attacks.

Lin Shen and Wei Wufu fought a paper man whose White Impermanence Divine Spirit grew stronger whenever it cried. They destroyed the paper man and subdued the Divine Spirit, leaving a Divine Spirit Core and Mutation Source behind.

• Lin Shen used Fingertip Sand to pierce the paper man and shatter its White Impermanence divine soul, but the creature revealed a powerful White Impermanence Divine Spirit.
• Lin Shen and Wei Wufu struggled against the Divine Spirit as it attacked with its Mourning Staff, and even the little beast was knocked away.
• Lin Shen noticed that White Impermanence grew stronger when the paper man cried, while Wei Wufu’s attacks made it weaken.
• The little beast tore off and destroyed the paper man’s head, stopping its cries and weakening White Impermanence.
• Lin Shen, Wei Wufu, and the little beast destroyed the headless paper man and defeated White Impermanence, which left behind a Divine Spirit Core and a Mutation Source.

Lin Shen obtained White Impermanence’s Mourning Staff, then followed a woman into Gui Xian City’s silent wedding gathering to find Di E Si. As the ceremony approached, the guests at his table gave him unsettling names: Dies Fast and Dies Early.

• Lin Shen transformed the Mutation Source into White Impermanence’s Mourning Staff and activated its Blessing of Ancestors trait.
• A woman introduced herself as a servant of Yan Li, mistress of Gui Xian City, and claimed that Di E Si had agreed to marry her master.
• Lin Shen and Wei Wufu followed the woman into the city’s palace courtyard, where hundreds of silent guests had gathered for the wedding.
• Lin Shen sat with several guests and heard two men call themselves Dies Fast and Dies Early, making him wonder if their names were warnings.

Lin Shen and Wei Wufu watched Di E Si marry Yan Li in Gui Xian City and tried to determine whether he was under a spell. The wedding ended without them intervening, and Wei Wufu insisted Di E Si was not bewitched, leaving Lin Shen uncertain why he had agreed to marry.

• Lin Shen saw Di E Si enter the hall dressed as a groom beside the veiled bride and wondered whether he had been bewitched.
• Wei Wufu agreed to help awaken Di E Si but waited for an opportunity as the wedding proceeded.
• Wei Wufu used his roar of justice during the second bow, briefly startling the wedding party and making Di E Si recognize him.
• Lin Shen questioned why the couple bowed to Lord Yama's statue, and the woman explained that Lord Yama was regarded as everyone’s parent in Gui Xian City.
• Dies Fast and Dies Early restrained Wei Wufu, then released him after the woman allowed it, and the wedding continued into the bridal chamber.
• After the ceremony, Wei Wufu told Lin Shen that Di E Si was not bewitched.

At Di E Si’s wedding banquet, Lin Shen realized the guests were only sniffing flavorless food and suspected Di E Si was being coerced into marrying Yan Li. Lin Shen and Wei Wufu overturned their table and joined Di E Si in resisting, only to face thousands of Upper God-Humans and their divine souls.

• Lin Shen discovered that the wedding guests only sniffed the food and that every dish and the wine tasted like wax or water.
• Di E Si toasted Lin Shen and Wei Wufu, praised Yan Li, and urged them not to drink too much or stay long.
• Lin Shen suspected Di E Si was cooperating because the wedding party had threatened his friends, and he told Wei Wufu to flip their table.
• Wei Wufu overturned the table, prompting the surrounding guests to confront them as Di E Si cast off his groom’s attire and joined Lin Shen and Wei Wufu.
• Yan Li warned Di E Si that breaking off the marriage would doom them all, while thousands of Upper God-Humans summoned divine souls around the three men.

Lin Shen, Wei Wufu, and Di E Si faced the Yan Family’s overwhelming forces after Wei Wufu overturned a table, but Yan Li offered them a wager instead of ordering an attack. They agreed to a contract allowing them three attempts at any contest Lin Shen chose, leaving Di E Si’s freedom to depend on the outcome.

• The bride arrived and confronted Di E Si, who refused to accept their marriage despite the threat to his friends.
• Yan Li warned that she could not let the three leave without losing face as city lord, and proposed that Di E Si stay with her for three years if they lost a wager.
• Lin Shen asked what the wager would involve, and Yan Li let him choose any contest but limited them to three tries.
• Di E Si agreed to the wager, and Yan Li had a contract drawn up stating that the three could leave if they won, while Di E Si would stay behind for three years if they lost.

Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Wei Wufu chose a contest in which Yan Li had to make Di E Si repeat a nonsensical passage exactly. Yan Li’s god-soul appeared, and Di E Si immediately repeated every word and movement perfectly, leaving the outcome clear.

• Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Wei Wufu discussed how to compete against Yan Li and settled on testing whether she could make Di E Si repeat Lin Shen’s commands and actions.
• Yan Li accepted the contest without hesitation, and Di E Si recited a long string of random words that he himself could not remember.
• Yan Li manifested a powerful god-soul resembling the deity worshipped in the hall, with six colored rays revolving behind it.
• Yan Li’s radiance fell on Di E Si, who repeated his earlier words and movements without a single mistake.

Lin Shen, Di E Si, and Wei Wufu tried to find a way to win their second contest against Yan Li, whose apparent time-reversal ability made her almost impossible to beat. Lin Shen chose to compete over their Star Mansion Pavilion Master titles, but Yan Li produced a matching Star Mansion Token and revealed her clan’s Central Sky Star Region connection.

• Di E Si repeated his earlier words, and Lin Shen realized Yan Li had used an ability resembling temporal rewind.
• Lin Shen proposed competing in weakness, but Di E Si refused; he then suggested an irreplaceable possession as their next option.
• Lin Shen decided his Star Mansion Pavilion Master identity could not be replicated and challenged Yan Li to compete over the office.
• Yan Li produced a Star Mansion Token and said her Yan Clan had supplied Great God Officials to the Central Sky Star Region Star God Palace for generations.

Yan Li claimed that the Jade Emperor erased her family’s history because they discovered the truth about the Immortal Court. She revealed that the Star God Palace was once called the Netherworld and created Deformed Species, then began explaining that the Emperor was not human.

• Lin Shen examined Yan Li’s Star Mansion Token and questioned whether her claim to be a former Pavilion Master was genuine.
• Yan Li said the Jade Emperor had erased the Yan Family from the Star God Palace’s history because they had discovered the truth about the Immortal Court and the Jade Emperor.
• Yan Li revealed that the Star God Palace had once been called the Netherworld and had manufactured Deformed Species.
• Yan Li claimed that ancient humans entered an Immortal Court with no Deformed Species or inhabitable planets, which she described as only a corner of the universe.
• Yan Li said the Immortal Court used humans as experimental subjects to create Deformed Species that could replace them, because the Emperor was not human.

Yan Li claimed the Celestial Court Emperors were artificial intelligences who experimented on humans, and said the Yan Family and God-Making Race had uncovered their secret. Lin Shen agreed to inspect the Sea of Stars to verify her claims, and the chapter ended as its stars began to move in response to Yan Li’s Star Mansion Token.

• Yan Li told Lin Shen, Di E Si, and the third companion that the Emperors were machine intelligences who created Deformed Species to evolve into humanlike life.
• Yan Li said the Yan Family had seen the Emperors’ true bodies and had used Six Paths of Reincarnation technology to create the Upper God-Humans in the courtyard.
• Yan Li explained that the God-Making Race had opposed the Celestial Court after discovering its experiments, leaving Lin Shen to reconsider his view of them before deciding anyone who threatened his family remained his enemy.
• Yan Li offered to show Lin Shen the Six Paths of Reincarnation Institute, now called the Sea of Stars, and led him and the others to its entrance.
• Yan Li opened the Sea of Stars with her Star Mansion Token, and countless points of light began to whirl inside.