Chapter Summaries

Hongxuan left Mount Wuyi to test the Law of Destiny through practical experiments across the Primordial Wilderness. After repeated failures raised his comprehension from ninety-one to ninety-two percent, he marked a youth in a Xia Dynasty village as his next experimental subject.

• Hongxuan left Mount Wuyi without visiting the Heavenly Court or Netherworld, deciding to avoid Haotian, Yaochi, and Houtu while they pursued their own affairs.
• Hongxuan tested the Law of Destiny on numerous targets, but every experiment failed despite improving his comprehension from ninety-one to ninety-two percent over a hundred thousand years.
• Hongxuan arrived above a village in the Human Race's Xia Dynasty and sent a stream of Destiny into a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old youth.
• The youth trembled and looked around in confusion before regaining his composure, while Hongxuan concealed himself to observe what happened next.

Hongxuan used the Eyes of Destiny to study a youth whose destined life included a difficult path to immortality and an eventual death in battle. Because the youth had a Stellar Spirit Body and was fated to find Hongxuan’s inheritance, Hongxuan chose him for an experiment that could change his fate, and the youth wondered if he had returned to his youth.

• Hongxuan saw the youth’s original destiny, including his rise from a martial warrior to a Golden Immortal and his eventual death during Shang Tang's Conquest of Xia.
• Hongxuan recognized that the youth was destined to find an immortal cultivation technique he had left in a mountain range.
• Hongxuan chose the youth for an experiment, hoping to change his fate while giving him an opportunity to improve his life.
• The youth looked around and wondered whether he had returned to his youth.

Jiang Li was reborn in his youth and used his memories to enter the Dao through Martial Dao and begin cultivating immortal techniques early. After surviving a demonic cultivator’s attack on his village, he set out to pursue opportunities in the wider cultivation world while Hongxuan watched his altered fate.

• Jiang Li realized he had returned to his childhood and resolved to cultivate Martial Dao and the Stellar Spirit Body before practicing an immortal technique.
• Hongxuan explained that changing fate could bring deadly calamities and watched Jiang Li’s destiny for insights into the Law of Destiny.
• Jiang Li entered the Dao through Martial Dao in ten years, cultivated the Stellar Spirit Body, and condensed magical power.
• A demonic cultivator attacked Jiang Li’s village, and Jiang Li recognized that his memories of his previous life could no longer reliably predict events.
• Jiang Li used his practiced spells to kill the demonic cultivator and decided to leave the village to seek cultivation opportunities.
• Hongxuan watched Jiang Li survive his first backlash calamity and looked over the ruined village.

Hongxuan restored the village with his Law of Time, then continued studying Jiang Li and other experimental subjects to deepen his Law of Destiny. As his comprehension neared completion, he discovered that manipulating others’ destinies had begun to influence and enslave him, leaving him wary of the danger.

• Hongxuan reversed time across the village, reviving the dead and erasing the villagers’ memories of the evil cultivator.
• Hongxuan sensed a change in destiny after Jiang Li survived his first backlash tribulation and decided to keep observing him.
• Hongxuan studied other experimental subjects as well, but Jiang Li remained the most promising case for escaping destiny’s backlash.
• Hongxuan concluded that wielding the Law of Destiny recklessly could invite backlash, and that practitioners needed to endure trials and maintain an ordinary heart.
• After reading the Yellow Court Scripture, Hongxuan realized that his experiments had subtly allowed destiny to influence him as his comprehension reached ninety-nine percent.

Hongxuan stopped his destiny experiments after realizing the Law of Destiny had been distorting his state of mind, then spent hundreds of thousands of years restoring his Dao Heart through the Yellow Court Scripture. After leaving seclusion, he found that his experimental subjects had mostly died as in their original destinies, while Jiang Li had prospered.

• Hongxuan abandoned his destiny experiments and secluded himself to meditate on the Yellow Court Scripture and repair his state of mind.
• After hundreds of thousands of years, Hongxuan recovered his composure and resolved to pursue the Great Dao steadily rather than take shortcuts.
• Hongxuan emerged from seclusion and discovered that all his experimental subjects except Jiang Li had died amid tribulations, as in their original destinies.
• Hongxuan learned that Jiang Li had become a renowned late-stage Golden Immortal who had founded his own sect and was approaching the Grand Golden Immortal stage.

Hongxuan saw that Jiang Li had escaped Destiny’s restraints, then realized the encounter had brought his Law of Destiny to perfection. He later discovered that Haotian was living as Zhang Bairen with Yaochi’s good corpse, his sister Yaoji, and his seven daughters, and foresaw that Haotian’s return to the Heavenly Court would change how he treated them.

• Hongxuan accepted that his karma with Jiang Li had ended and decided not to take him as a disciple, though he hoped Jiang Li would survive Destiny’s trials.
• Seeing Jiang Li’s new trajectory of Destiny helped Hongxuan comprehend the Law of Destiny to complete perfection, and he recognized that his earlier approach had been mistaken.
• Hongxuan sensed an unusual presence in Great Xia and traced it to Zhang Bairen, who was living happily with his wife, younger sister, and seven daughters.
• Hongxuan realized that Zhang Bairen was Haotian before recovering his memories, that his wife was Yaochi’s good corpse, and that Yaoji and the Seven Fairy Maidens would face a different Haotian after his return to the Heavenly Court.

Taibai Jinxing persuaded Zhang Bairen to become the Heavenly Emperor by promising to bring his family and livestock to Heaven. Hongxuan watched Haotian’s reincarnation tribulation end and reflected on the difference between their paths.

• Taibai Jinxing arrived at Zhang Bairen’s manor and invited him to become the Heavenly Emperor.
• Zhang Bairen hesitated to leave his wife, younger sister, and daughters, so Taibai Jinxing promised to make them immortals too.
• Zhang Bairen worried about leaving his livestock behind, and Taibai Jinxing agreed to bring them along.
• Taibai Jinxing used immortal light and a golden bridge to take Zhang Bairen, his family, and their livestock to the Heavenly Court.
• Hongxuan watched the manor empty and concluded that Haotian’s reincarnation tribulation had ended.

Hongxuan headed to the Heavenly Court to assess Haotian after his return, while Zhang Bairen recovered his memories and resumed his position as Great Heavenly Lord. He bestowed immortal status and titles on Yaoji and the Seven Fairy Maidens, leaving them uneasy about how their family had changed.

• Hongxuan flew toward the Heavenly Court to meet Haotian and decide how to deal with him.
• Yaochi called the mortal wife beside Zhang Bairen to return, and the woman revealed herself as Yaochi’s good corpse before merging back into her true self.
• Yaochi urged Zhang Bairen to return to his position, restoring his memories and transforming him into a middle-stage Quasi-Sage.
• The immortals paid respects to Zhang Bairen as Great Heavenly Lord, while Yaoji and the Seven Fairy Maidens feared that their brother and father had changed.
• Zhang Bairen named Yaoji the Eldest Princess and the Seven Fairy Maidens the Seven Great Princesses of Yaochi, then transformed them into immortals.

After returning from his tribulation, Haotian enforced the Heavenly Court’s laws and warned Yaoji against reuniting with her mortal fiancé, who had died and entered reincarnation. Hongxuan watched Haotian adopt subtler methods to strengthen the Heavenly Court while keeping his distance from its affairs.

• Yaoji read the Heavenly Court’s laws and asked Zhang Bairen to bring her fiancé to the court, but he refused and said her fiancé had died and entered reincarnation.
• Hongxuan observed Haotian’s changed attitude toward Yaoji and the Seven Fairy Maidens from Ziwei Imperial Palace.
• Marshal Tianpeng asked Hongxuan to take him to the Peach Banquet so he could see Fairy Chang'e, and Hongxuan ordered Wuzhiqi to throw him out.
• Wuzhiqi struck Tianpeng and rebuked him for coveting Chang'e and bothering Hongxuan despite already qualifying to attend the banquet.
• Haotian held the Peach Banquet and gradually recruited cultivators through subtle methods, while Hongxuan watched and approved of his efforts to strengthen the Heavenly Court.

Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning sent Immortal Elder of the South Pole to represent the Chan Sect in the Heavenly Court and observe Hongxuan, whom he recognized as an exceptional power. At Wa Imperial Palace, Nüwa questioned Bai Ze about why he had come, wary that he might be planning to lead the Demon Race remnants into trouble.

• Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning summoned the Chan Sect's senior disciples and said the sect needed someone to take a post in the Heavenly Court.
• Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning assigned Immortal Elder of the South Pole to serve there, avoid stirring up karma, and secretly study how Hongxuan gained merit without entanglement.
• Immortal Elder of the South Pole accepted the assignment and wondered whether Hongxuan knew secrets about the Heavenly Court.
• Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning reflected that Hongxuan's late Quasi-Sage cultivation and fortune surpassed even his expectations.
• Bai Ze paid his respects to Nüwa at Wa Imperial Palace, and Nüwa asked what had brought him there, suspecting he might intend to lead the Demon Race remnants into trouble.

Bai Ze asked Nüwa to help the Demon Race by influencing who became Gouchen Emperor, a Heavenly Court position bound to wage war against demons. Nüwa summoned Lei Ze and offered him the post, but his reaction was one of surprise.

• Bai Ze warned Nüwa that Haotian and other factions were rallying to attack the Demon Race, and asked her to help protect them.
• Bai Ze suggested that Nüwa find a candidate sympathetic to the Demon Race for the vacant Gouchen Emperor position.
• Nüwa considered the position’s unavoidable conflict with the Demon Race, then decided to address the immediate danger and sent a jade talisman to Lei Ze.
• Several years later, Lei Ze arrived at the Wa Imperial Palace, and Nüwa asked him to become Gouchen Emperor.
• Lei Ze was surprised by the offer and considered the heavy karma and risks tied to the position.

Lei Ze refused Nüwa’s offer to become Gouchen Emperor, but she warned that tribulation awaited him and helped him reincarnate safely so he could eventually take the position. Hongxuan learned that Lei Ze’s fate had changed, leaving the future Gouchen Emperor indebted to Nüwa and potentially sympathetic to the Demon Race.

• Lei Ze recognized that becoming Gouchen Emperor would entangle him in Nüwa’s karma and constrain his actions against the Demon Race, so he refused her offer.
• Nüwa told Lei Ze that tribulation was fated to befall him and explained that his death and reincarnation would allow him to return to the position with her protection.
• Lei Ze accepted his fate and reincarnated with Nüwa’s assistance, preserving his origin and owing her a great karmic debt.
• Hongxuan used the ninth level of the Grand Deduction Art to discover that Haotian’s return had strengthened the Heavenly Court and changed the course of fate.
• Hongxuan realized Lei Ze might return as a Quasi-Sage Gouchen Emperor, whose ties to Nüwa could temporarily make him more sympathetic to the Demon Race.

Hongxuan adjusted the Chaos Regression Formation to send more spiritual qi into the Primordial Wilderness, while observing the Star Ancient Tree’s first signs of evolving toward a Chaos Spiritual Root. In the Heavenly Court, Haotian and Yaochi discussed the strength of Emperor Ziwei’s forces and the loyalty of his Quasi-Sage subordinate Wuzhiqi.

• Hongxuan considered how the Primordial Wilderness’s flourishing lineages might make the future Investiture of the Gods Tribulation far bloodier.
• Hongxuan raised the share of spiritual qi flowing from the Chaos Regression Formation into the Primordial Wilderness from forty percent to seventy percent.
• Hongxuan discovered that the Star Ancient Tree showed faint signs of evolving toward a Chaos Spiritual Root.
• Haotian asked Yaochi about Emperor Changsheng and Emperor Ziwei’s recent activities in the Heavenly Court.
• Yaochi explained that Emperor Ziwei’s four marshals were powerful, praised Marshal Zhenwu and Bian Zhuang, and reported that Wuzhiqi had advanced to the early Quasi-Sage stage and served Emperor Ziwei loyally.

Hongxuan fell asleep beneath the Star Ancient Tree, and his cultivation advanced toward Quasi-Sage consummation while he rested. In the Heavenly Court, Haotian and Yaochi sensed his growing strength and discussed the threat they believed the incoming Gouchen Emperor might pose.

• Hongxuan chose to sleep beneath the Star Ancient Tree and left trivial affairs to his Divine Dao avatar.
• A cocoon of spiritual energy formed around the sleeping Hongxuan as the stars moved in rhythm and his cultivation advanced toward Quasi-Sage consummation.
• Haotian and Yaochi sensed that Emperor Ziwei had grown stronger and admitted they might no longer be his match.
• Haotian and Yaochi discussed their concern that the incoming Gouchen Emperor would obstruct the Heavenly Court and considered informing Emperor Ziwei and Emperor Changsheng.

Hongxuan awoke after five million years of sleep, having erased his hidden mental pressure and brought the Star Law to perfection. He planned to advance to Quasi-Sage perfection, deepen his foundation, and uncover the secret of the sub-Sage realm.

• Hongxuan woke naturally on Ziwei Star after sleeping for five million years and felt that his mental pressure had completely dissipated.
• Hongxuan realized the Star Law had reached perfection during his sleep and calculated that the Human Race had entered the Xia Jie Era.
• Hongxuan planned to deduce the tenth level of the Hongxuan Body Refinement Art and pursue a transformation toward Chaos Godfiend Origin.
• Hongxuan decided to break through to Quasi-Sage perfection before pursuing the sub-Sage realm, whose hidden secret he believed Golden Fortune Daoist knew.
• Hongxuan read the Yellow Court Scripture, triggering Heaven-defying Comprehension and transforming his foundation, destiny, and Dao Heart.

Hongxuan reached perfected Quasi-Sage and turned his attention to deducing the tenth turn of his Primordial Body Refinement Art. Houtu sensed his breakthrough and sent him a warning about secrets surrounding the Sub-Sage realm and Hongjun’s schemes.

• Hongxuan advanced to perfected Quasi-Sage inside the Chaos Regression Formation, keeping the breakthrough hidden from most of the Primordial Wilderness.
• Hongxuan resolved to stabilize his realm and eventually gain complete control of the Law of Destiny.
• Hongxuan prioritized deducing the tenth turn of the Primordial Body Refinement Art before his physical body reached its next breakthrough.
• Houtu sensed Hongxuan’s rapid advancement and wondered how he had reached perfected Quasi-Sage in only ten or twenty million years.
• Houtu sent Hongxuan a message, intending to tell him secrets about the Sub-Sage realm and warn him about Heavenly Dao Hongjun’s schemes.

Houtu grew wary of Heavenly Dao Hongjun and considered revealing the hidden secrets to Hongxuan. In Heaven, Haotian ordered Yaoji and her mortal family punished for her marriage, leaving them surrounded by Heavenly soldiers and Yaoji resolved not to return to the Heavenly Court.

• Houtu realized Heavenly Dao Hongjun had kept the Sages ignorant of important secrets and decided Hongxuan should learn them.
• Haotian angrily blamed Yaoji for breaking Heavenly Law, while Yaochi suggested someone might have manipulated her to undermine the Heavenly Court.
• Yaochi suspected the Sages, especially those on Kunlun Mountain and in the West, but warned that their motives were impossible to know for certain.
• Haotian ordered that Yaoji be spared death but punished, and declared that Yang Tianyou and their three children must be killed.
• Heavenly soldiers and generals confronted Yaoji, Yang Tianyou, and their children, while Yaoji accepted her own fate and rejected the Heavenly Court as her home.

Yaoji refused to abandon her mortal family when the Heavenly Court’s divine general ordered their deaths, and she hid her three children before facing the soldiers with her husband. Meanwhile, Hongxuan emerged from seclusion at Quasi-Sage great completion, collected Star Spirit Fruits, and prepared to visit Houtu in the Netherworld Underworld.

• Yaoji challenged the divine general’s order to kill her husband and children, but he declared her guilty of defying the Heavenly Law and ordered the soldiers to attack.
• Yaoji sent her three children away with a mysterious power, and the divine general ordered the soldiers to search for them and kill them.
• Yaoji and her husband faced the soldiers, hoping the token bestowed by Emperor Lord would protect their children.
• Hongxuan emerged from seclusion after reaching Quasi-Sage great completion and creating the tenth transformation of the Hongxuan Qi Refinement Art.
• Hongxuan read Houtu’s message inviting him to the Netherworld Underworld, collected the Star Spirit Fruits from the Star Ancient Tree, and set out to visit her.

Hongxuan learned that Yaoji had passed her unused Eternal Token to her children and decided to explain its significance to Haotian. As Haotian prepared to receive Emperor Ziwei, Yaochi questioned whether he would kill Yaoji’s children and Yaoji herself.

• Hongxuan put away the Star Spirit Fruit, left Ziwei Star, and rearranged the Chaos Regression Formation before setting out for the Netherworld Underworld.
• Hongxuan used the Grand Deduction Art and learned that Yaoji had given the Eternal Token to her son, leaving her own chance to survive behind.
• Hongxuan resolved to visit Haotian and explain the token, hoping to prevent Haotian from causing further trouble over it.
• Haotian received word that Emperor Ziwei would visit the following day, and Yaochi guessed the visit concerned Yaoji’s gift.
• Haotian ordered a banquet for Emperor Ziwei and remained determined to punish Yaoji’s children, while Yaochi asked whether he would kill them and Yaoji.

Hongxuan met with Haotian and Yaochi to clarify that he would protect whoever carried his token, which was now held by Yang Jiao. After Haotian agreed to spare Yang Jiao but ordered Yang Jian and Yang Chan killed, the three children continued fleeing the Heavenly Court’s pursuit.

• Hongxuan gave Yaochi Star Spirit Fruits in return for Haotian’s hospitality and then asked about Yaoji’s situation.
• Hongxuan explained that he would save whoever held his token, and Haotian discovered that Yaoji had given it to Yang Jiao.
• Haotian agreed to spare Yang Jiao for Hongxuan’s sake but ordered the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to kill Yang Jian and Yang Chan without mercy.
• Yang Jiao, Yang Jian, and Yang Chan used jade talismans to evade their pursuers, and Yang Jiao told the other two to hide while he acted.