Chapter Summaries

The Superintendent explained that Transcendent Ranks could preserve and gather Fate to replace the unfeeling Heavenly Dao, and Xu Qi'an realized Buddha was absorbing the Western Regions and its people to do so. As Buddha’s transformation spread, Huaiqing mobilized the capital’s officials, while Jialuoshu and the Bodhisattvas discussed Xu Qi'an and noticed Du'e was missing.

• The Superintendent told Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox that the Confucian Sage sealed the Transcendent Ranks to keep the Heavenly Dao from gaining consciousness and enslaving the living.
• The Superintendent directed Xu Qi'an toward an ancient battlefield where a dead God or Devil’s lingering essence could help him advance, then explained how preserved Fate could let a Transcendent Rank replace the Heavenly Dao.
• Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox realized Buddha was consuming believers and absorbing the Western Regions’ Fate; the Superintendent confirmed this was the great tribulation and warned that the Gu God and Shaman God could break free by year’s end.
• Buddha’s flesh spread through the Western Regions as believers and entire settlements disappeared, and Bodhisattvas Guangxian and Liuli discussed how Buddha could next devour the Central Plains.
• Huaiqing woke in the capital and ordered Academician Zhao and Duke Wei summoned, while Jialuoshu and the Bodhisattvas discussed luring Xu Qi'an into a trap and then asked where Du'e was.

Arhat Du'e reported that the Buddha may have transformed into a deserted city in the Western Regions, prompting Huaiqing’s court to prepare an investigation and weaken the Buddha’s influence. Meanwhile, Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox searched beneath the sea, and Huaiqing assembled the officials to announce an edict.

• Bodhisattvas Guangxian, Jialuoshu, and Liuli realized Du'e had escaped Aranda using the worthy of offerings fruition and wondered what he planned.
• Yang Gong brought Du'e to Huaiqing, where Du'e described the sudden spread of Buddhist power and the empty city whose wall opened a pair of eyes.
• Huaiqing suspected the Buddha had become the city, and Zhao Shou asked Du'e to investigate the Western Regions again with protective magical artifacts.
• Zhao Shou urged Huaiqing to appoint Du'e National Preceptor and establish Mahayana Buddhism as the state religion to weaken the Buddha’s fate.
• Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox found nothing unusual with divine sense and dived into the sea to investigate.
• Huaiqing convened the officials in the imperial audience hall as the seal-bearing eunuch stepped forward with an edict.

Great Feng appointed Arhat Du'e State Preceptor and established Mahayana Buddhism as its state religion, diverting some of Buddha’s Fate and halting his expansion across the Western Regions. Du'e and the Heaven and Earth Society reached a dangerous area in the Western Regions, where a mountain range opened enormous eyes.

• Great Feng’s decree appointed Arhat Du'e State Preceptor and made Mahayana Buddhism the state religion, and Du'e accepted it as his Fruition manifested.
• Buddha lost a portion of his Fate to Mahayana Buddhism, halting his assimilation of the Western Regions, while the land and sacred mountain roared in anger.
• The three Bodhisattvas realized Du'e had founded Mahayana Buddhism, and Guangxian proposed preserving the remaining Western Regions with a Mountains and Rivers Seal.
• Salun Agu sent Yierbu to deliver Yan’s imperial jade seal to the Buddhist Order, explaining that Du'e’s defection had taken some of Buddha’s Fate.
• Du'e left for the Western Regions with the Heaven and Earth Society while Li Lingsu, Yeji, and Lina headed toward the Southern Frontier to seek Shenshu’s help.
• Du'e and his companions advanced into the Western Regions until danger warned him to stop, and Asuro saw enormous eyes open in a distant mountain range.

Du'e and the others escaped the Buddha’s attack and concluded that He had lost Fate, limiting His spread through the Western Regions. Deep beneath the sea, Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox encountered a powerful Transcendent Rank God and Devil, and Xu Qi'an prepared to seek its main body.

• The Buddha’s eyes fixed on Du'e and the others, and a massive hand of dark-red flesh attacked Du'e, Asuro, and Hengyuan before collapsing and sinking back into the ground.
• Du'e said the Buddha had tried to devour him and reclaim Fate, and the group fled to Leizhou to discuss the Buddha’s condition.
• The group reasoned that establishing Mahayana Buddhism had cost the Buddha some Fate and prevented Him from expanding farther, then shared their deductions in the Earth Book chat group.
• In the chat group, Li Lingsu joked about Xu Ningyan staying overseas and teased Li Miaozhen about the beauties of the Southern Frontier.
• Under the sea, Xu Qi'an and the Nine-Tailed Fox drew out a powerful tentacle with fiery shells, and the Nine-Tailed Fox lost a clash of strength against it.
• Xu Qi'an asked the Nine-Tailed Fox to keep the tentacle occupied while he went to find the God and Devil’s main body.

Xu Qi'an entered the trench to confront an ancient god-devil, while Yierbu delivered the Yan Kingdom's imperial seal to the Buddha, who used it to continue advancing east. In the Southern Frontier, Li Lingsu learned Xu Qi'an might be expected to marry the Fox Race sisters, then received a desperate message asking Shenshu to go to Leizhou.

• Xu Qi'an discovered the ancient god-devil's body and realized he needed to defeat its lingering will rather than kill it; he told the Nine-Tailed Fox to withdraw.
• Yierbu sent a Walking Corpse puppet toward Aranda and reasoned that the Great Shaman intended to use the Buddha to weaken the Central Plains' Transcendents.
• Bodhisattva Liuli told Yierbu to bring the imperial seal west, and Yierbu sent it by a camel puppet.
• The Buddha swallowed the camel and the imperial seal, then continued assimilating and replacing the world's rules as a vast wave of earth rolled eastward.
• Li Lingsu overheard the Fox Race sisters discuss Xu Qi'an as a future husband and possible master, then received a message asking Shenshu to hurry to Leizhou and save them.

The Buddha crossed into Leizhou and began spreading his dark-red body, converting residents into believers and devouring them to gather Fate. As Great Feng’s Transcendents watched from a distance, the Buddha formed a humanoid shape and fixed his emotionless gaze on them.

• Li Lingsu learned from Chu Yuanzhen that the Buddha had arrived and asked Shenshu to go to Leizhou.
• Huaiqing learned that the Buddha was in Leizhou, while Wei Yuan, Zhao Shou, and Wang Zhenwen considered how he had gained enough Fate to advance.
• Yierbu met Salun Agu and Wuda Baota, learned that the Shaman God Cult planned to seize territory in the north, and encountered Heaven Gu Granny’s group near Leizhou.
• The Buddha’s dark-red flesh spread through a Leizhou town, assimilating its residents, while Chu Yuanzhen and the other Transcendents struggled to escape his attack.
• Daoist Jinlian concluded that the Buddha was claiming territory and gathering Fate by turning people into believers, and Sun Xuanji noted that the Buddha’s enormous form restricted his movement.
• The Buddha’s flesh rose into a rough humanoid figure and silently watched the Transcendents.

Buddha’s avatar nearly devoured Arhat Du'e and weakened the defenders, but Shenshu arrived and destroyed it. Buddha then continued spreading his flesh across Leizhou as Shenshu confronted him, while Huaiqing and the others discussed the threat to Great Feng.

• Asuro attacked Buddha’s avatar, but its Dharma Idols healed its wounds and it teleported behind Arhat Du'e to try to devour him.
• Li Miaozhen and Daoist Jinlian were overcome by Buddha’s Colorless Liuli Dharma Idol until Shenshu descended, broke the domain, and crushed the avatar.
• Salun Agu explained that Buddha intended to occupy Leizhou, refine a Mountains and Rivers Seal, and seize Great Feng’s Fate; Ba Ji connected the plan to the Gu God’s prophesied awakening.
• Buddha summoned the Great Sun Reincarnation Dharma Idol, weakening most of the defenders, but Shenshu shattered its miniature suns while the others retreated.
• Shenshu entered the advancing ocean of flesh and held it back with his Qi as Buddha formed a massive figure to face him.
• Huaiqing contacted the group, and Li Miaozhen reported that Shenshu had stabilized the situation; the group warned that the Shaman God might use the same strategy against Great Feng.

As Buddha overwhelmed Shenshu with his nine Dharma Idols, Yang Gong and the others helped the Half-Step Martial God recover his awareness and resist the attack. Overseas, the Nine-Tailed Fox found Xu Qi'an alive but weakened after the battle and urged him to absorb the monster’s essence and advance to Half-Step Martial God.

• Huaiqing ordered Yang Gong to reinforce Leizhou while Zhao Shou and State Preceptor Luo stayed in the capital to guard against the Buddhist Bodhisattvas.
• Buddha weakened and disoriented Shenshu with his Dharma Idols as Li Miaozhen and Daoist Jinlian tried to aid him and Chu Yuanzhen attempted to awaken him with Karmic Fire.
• Sun Xuanji rang a bronze bell, and Yang Gong amplified its effect, helping Shenshu break free of Buddha’s control and regain his consciousness.
• Shenshu transformed into a three-hundred-foot Dharma Idol and raised his arms to hold back Buddha’s Great Sun Reincarnation Dharma Idol.
• The Nine-Tailed Fox found Xu Qi'an alive on the enormous sea monster’s eye and urged him to absorb its essence and advance to Half-Step Martial God.

Shenshu struggled to hold back the Buddha as the three Bodhisattvas attacked Great Feng’s defenders, while Xu Qi'an absorbed an ancient God and Devil’s Spiritual Essence overseas. After nearly losing his identity during a dangerous breakthrough, Xu Qi'an regained himself and became a Half-Step Martial God.

• Huaiqing ordered Leizhou’s people evacuated and sent Li Miaozhen overseas to find Xu Qi'an.
• The three Bodhisattvas attacked the defenders; Liuli beheaded Daoist Jinlian, Jialuoshu seized Arhat Du'e, and Guangxian watched as Shenshu and Asuro tried to protect their allies.
• Daoist Jinlian used the Non-Arising Fruition to regrow his head, while Arhat Du'e escaped Jialuoshu and reappeared beside Asuro.
• An earthly immortal arrived and tore through Liuli’s domain as Xu Qi'an used the bronze plates to absorb the ancient God and Devil’s Spiritual Essence, advancing to late First Rank.
• Xu Qi'an risked Qi deviation by forcing his Primordial Spirit to merge with his surging essence and Qi, but the cries of “Silver Gong Xu” and “Supreme Buddha of the Three Thousand Worlds” helped him recover his sense of self.
• Xu Qi'an endured the tribulation lightning and became a Half-Step Martial God.

Xu Qi'an completed his breakthrough to Half-Step Martial God and learned that Buddha had attacked the Nine Provinces. He returned to Leizhou as Arhat Du'e was about to be devoured, appearing beside him and bringing the battle a sudden new turn.

• Queen Pearl and the people on Merfolk Island felt terror from Xu Qi'an's emerging power, while Nulang sensed it from the A'ersu Archipelago.
• Xu Qi'an examined his Half-Step Martial God abilities, including his indestructible cells and control over some ancient Gods and Devils' Spiritual Essence.
• Li Miaozhen contacted Xu Qi'an through the Earth Book Fragment and told him Buddha was swallowing Leizhou; Xu Qi'an confirmed his breakthrough and set off to return.
• In Leizhou, Buddha's Great Sun Reincarnation Dharma Idol suppressed the defenders, and Bodhisattva Liuli sealed Arhat Du'e and carried him away.
• Bodhisattva Liuli dropped Du'e into Buddha's flesh, but the flesh erupted and Du'e reappeared unharmed beside Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an returned as a Half-Step Martial God and helped Shenshu repel Buddha from Leizhou. He and Shenshu pursued Buddha toward the Western Regions while their allies followed, and Li Miaozhen continued waiting for Xu Qi'an.

• Xu Qi'an arrived at the battlefield and confirmed that he had advanced to Half-Step Martial God, astonishing the Transcendents and bringing Great Feng renewed hope.
• Buddha attacked Xu Qi'an, but the Nine-Tailed Fox arrived and helped him break free of the Dharma Idols' influence; Xu Qi'an used the Blood Sacrifice Art and the Power of All Living Beings to strike Buddha's Great Sun Reincarnation Dharma Idol.
• Xu Qi'an's punch destroyed layers of Buddha's flesh, and the other combatants retreated from the blast; Bodhisattva Guangxian recognized that Xu Qi'an's power had surpassed Shenshu's.
• Xu Qi'an and Shenshu used their domains to resist Buddha's attempt to consume Leizhou, forcing Buddha to abandon his effort to refine the Mountains and Rivers Seal and withdraw.
• Xu Qi'an and Shenshu pursued Buddha toward the Western Regions, while Asuro and the Nine-Tailed Fox pursued the Buddhist Order and Great Feng's Transcendents set out to follow at a distance.
• Li Miaozhen waited between sea and sky, growing anxious that Xu Qi'an had not returned.

Xu Qi'an and Shenshu discovered that Buddha had turned the Western Regions into a separate world and discussed the path to becoming a Martial God before Xu Qi'an returned to the capital with the Transcendents. Huaiqing and the court learned that Buddha had retreated, then waited anxiously for Xu Qi'an to answer whether he had advanced to Half-Step Martial God.

• Xu Qi'an and Shenshu tested the Western Regions and realized Buddha had changed its rules and severed it from the Nine Provinces.
• Shenshu explained that a Half-Step Martial God's indestructible formation was incomplete and advised Xu Qi'an to protect his Fate while seeking advancement.
• Shenshu stayed to guard the border, while Xu Qi'an left teleportation talismans and Confucian Words Become Law before returning to the capital with the Transcendents.
• Huaiqing, Wang Zhenwen, Wei Yuan, and Zhao Shou debated how to respond if Buddha swallowed Leizhou while they awaited news.
• Xu Qi'an appeared in the imperial study with Luo Yuheng, Asuro, the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the other Transcendents; Huaiqing asked whether Buddha had retreated and whether Xu Qi'an had become a Half-Step Martial God.

Xu Qi'an returned to the imperial study as a Half-Step Martial God, drove back the Buddha with Shenshu, and revealed that the great tribulations were attempts to replace the Heavenly Dao. The group planned their next moves against the other Transcendent Ranks, while Xu Qi'an used the Merfolk Pearl to test Huaiqing’s feelings for him.

• Xu Qi'an reported that Leizhou was safe, the Buddha had retreated, and he had advanced to Half-Step Martial God; Arhat Du'e said more than two thousand people had died in one destroyed town.
• Huaiqing and Daoist Jinlian explained the Buddha’s transformation and its connection to the loss of Buddhist Fate, and Xu Qi'an revealed that the great tribulations aimed to replace the Heavenly Dao.
• Xu Qi'an explained that the ancient Gods and Devils had tried to become the Heavenly Dao, while the current Transcendent Ranks sought recognition by devouring Fate; he also revealed that the Gatekeeper had to come from the Martial Warrior System.
• Xu Qi'an warned that Desolation had fallen asleep and could return to its peak, and Wei Yuan proposed attacking the Shaman God Cult, relocating the Gu Race, and sending Xu Qi'an overseas to seek the Superintendent.
• Daoist Jinlian messaged Li Miaozhen, who was still overseas, and told her that Xu Qi'an had forgotten about her; the Heaven and Earth Society members then blamed Xu Qi'an for the misunderstanding.
• The Nine-Tailed Fox prompted Xu Qi'an to give Huaiqing the Merfolk Pearl, and Huaiqing eagerly reached to take it.

Huaiqing discovered that the Merfolk Pearl revealed the holder’s love, while Xu Qi'an returned home and discussed the looming threat of the Transcendent Ranks with Xu Xinnian. The Nine-Tailed Fox stirred up jealousy among the women of the Xu Residence, and Xu Qi'an ended the chapter by feigning the weariness of a man aged by decades.

• Huaiqing held the Merfolk Pearl, which glowed, and the Nine-Tailed Fox teased her about loving Xu Qi'an.
• Xu Qi'an held the pearl and let it glow, easing Huaiqing’s disappointment before teleporting away; the Nine-Tailed Fox followed him to the Xu Residence.
• At Snake Mountain, Nalan Tianlu and Xiahou Yushu summoned the Shaman God, who devoured Zhu Jiu and the blood Qi from the corpses before ordering Nalan Tianlu back to Jingshan City.
• Xu Qi'an told Xu Xinnian that the Gu God wanted Xu Lingyin to become Gu, and Xu Xinnian outlined plans for dealing with the Gu God, Desolation, and the Shaman God Cult.
• The Nine-Tailed Fox provoked the women at the Xu Residence by discussing her voyage with Xu Qi'an and his connection to the Merfolk Queen.
• Xu Xinnian noticed Xu Qi'an’s suddenly aged appearance and realized he was using a self-injury ploy.

Xu Qi'an returned home and used a tale of serious injury, letters, and affection to calm the women while arranging for the Nine-Tailed Fox to gather overseas descendants of Gods and Devils against Desolation. The chapter ended with shamans assembling in Jingshan City as they feared an approaching calamity connected to a powerful man.

• Xu Qi'an pretended his fight with the Buddha had left him gravely weakened, then asked the Nine-Tailed Fox to subdue or kill overseas descendants of Gods and Devils and relocate those who cooperated.
• The Nine-Tailed Fox warned Yeji that she and her sisters could die in the coming calamity, then denied having feelings for Xu Qi'an while admitting she could not easily resist him.
• Xu Qi'an explained his suffering ploy to Xu Xinnian and wrote affectionate letters to Lin'an, Mu Nanzhi, and the other women to ease their suspicions.
• Second Uncle Xu guessed that Xu Qi'an's Half-Step Martial God nature might prevent him from having children, alarming Auntie.
• Xu Qi'an used the letters to win over Lin'an, while Mu Nanzhi read her letter through the night and sent Baiji away to sleep elsewhere.
• Thousands of shamans gathered in Jingshan City after Salun Agu summoned them, and the Dongfang Sisters heard that an unnamed man had become powerful enough to threaten even the Shaman God.

Xu Qi'an confronted the Shaman God Cult in Jingshan City, grievously wounded Salun Agu and easily destroyed nine summoned First Rank spirits. He forced the Shaman God to withdraw its disciples and claimed Yan, Kang, and Jing for Great Feng, then prepared to notify Huaiqing.

• Shamans in Jingshan City speculated about the enemy making Salun Agu and the Shaman God wary before Xu Qi'an appeared in the sky.
• Xu Qi'an confronted Salun Agu over the cult’s past hostility, then endured the Great Shaman’s lightning and injured him with a single punch.
• The Shaman God summoned nine First Rank martial spirits, and Xu Qi'an destroyed them before returning its Curse Killing Technique with Jade Shatters.
• Salun Agu urged Xu Qi'an to join forces with the Shaman God against the other Transcendent Ranks, but Xu Qi'an demanded Yan, Kang, and Jing as the cult’s price.
• The Shaman God withdrew Salun Agu and the other shamans into its statue, leaving the three kingdoms exposed for Great Feng to take.
• Xu Qi'an recognized Dongfang Wanqing, planned to take her to the capital for Li Lingsu, and messaged the Earth Book group that he was in Jingshan City.

Xu Qi'an destroyed the Shaman God Cult by forcing the Shaman God to absorb its shamans, and Huaiqing prepared to take over the three northeastern kingdoms. With the Confucian Sage’s seal set to vanish in three months, Xu Qi'an began planning for the coming calamity and his advance to Martial God.

• Xu Qi'an told the Heaven and Earth Society that he had conquered the three northeastern kingdoms and explained how the Shaman God had absorbed the shamans to save them.
• The Heaven and Earth Society learned that the Confucian Sage’s seal would dissipate within three months, and Xu Qi'an confirmed that Dongfang Wanqing had merged into the Shaman God’s body.
• Xu Qi'an brought Dongfang Wanqing to Li Lingsu’s residence, where he left her with Li Lingsu’s other companions.
• Huaiqing told Wei Yuan, Wang Zhenwen, and Zhao Shou that the Shaman God Cult no longer existed and discussed taking over Yan, Kang, and Jing.
• Xu Qi'an assessed the threats facing the Nine Provinces, considered ways to advance to Martial God, and then teleported to Mu Nanzhi’s bedchamber.

Xu Qi'an spent the early morning visiting Mu Nanzhi, Yeji, and Luo Yuheng before attending to urgent affairs. At court, Huaiqing announced that Xu Qi'an had driven back the Buddha and forced the Shaman God to shelter the shamans of three nations, while the first Mahayana Buddhists reached their assigned destination in Leizhou.

• Xu Qi'an reunited with Mu Nanzhi, who said she missed their home, and left before dawn for Yeji's room.
• At court, Huaiqing explained that she ordered residents of twenty-four border commanderies and counties east because Xu Qi'an had fought off the Buddha in Leizhou as a Half-Step Martial God.
• Huaiqing announced that Xu Qi'an had forced the Shaman God to take all the shamans of three nations into his body, leaving Great Feng to take over Yan, Jing, and Kang.
• Xu Qi'an visited Yeji, who suggested he marry Huaiqing and take her seven younger sisters as a dowry, but he refused.
• Xu Lingyue noticed that the women in the Xu Residence wore high-collared blouses and suspected they were hiding evidence of Xu Qi'an's visits.
• Xu Qi'an visited Luo Yuheng at Numinous Treasure Temple, promised to help her reach Mid-Level First Rank, and the first group of Mahayana Buddhists arrived in Panshan County under Jingsi's leadership.

Jingsi led more than twenty thousand Mahayana believers to their new home at Mount Pan, while Hengyuan returned to Azure Dragon Temple and became its abbot after Panshu passed into nirvana. The chapter ended with Chun Yan bringing Xu Qi'an a warning that two Transcendent Realm Gu beasts had emerged in the Extreme Abyss.

• Jingsi reassured the Mahayana believers that Xu Qi'an would protect them, then accepted a provincial officer's escort to Panshan County.
• The officer brought the believers to Mount Pan, where the court had assigned them farmland and tents and begun building a temple; Jingsi agreed that they would help with the construction.
• Xu Qi'an and others discussed policies for settling and regulating Mahayana believers, including special household registers.
• Hengyuan met Abbot Panshu, who explained why he had struggled to teach him and offered him the abbacy; Panshu then passed into nirvana, and Hengyuan accepted the position.
• Chun Yan arrived at the Directorate of Astronomy and reported that the Gu God's power was surging in the Extreme Abyss and that two Transcendent Realm Gu beasts had been born.

Xu Qi'an killed two Transcendent Gu Beasts in the Extreme Abyss and arranged for the Gu Race to move to the Central Plains. Seeking a way to advance to Martial God, he received a cryptic answer from the Gu God, and Bodhisattva Liuli arrived afterward to ask the same question.

• Bodhisattva Guangxian sent Bodhisattva Liuli to the Southern Frontier after discussing the Buddhist Order’s losses and the path to Martial God.
• Chun Yan told Xu Qi'an that a Heaven Gu Beast and a Strength Gu Beast were hiding in the Extreme Abyss, and Xu Qi'an agreed to deal with them and help the Gu Race move to the Central Plains.
• Xu Qi'an reached the Extreme Abyss, released his Half-Step Martial God pressure, and forced the two Gu Beasts to emerge before crushing them.
• Xu Qi'an asked the Gu God how to advance to Martial God, and the Gu God told him to cut off his head and offer it to Buddha.
• Xu Qi'an ordered the Gu Race tribes to gather at the border market, while Bodhisattva Liuli later appeared before the Confucian Sage’s statue and asked the Gu God how to advance to Martial God.