Chapter Summaries

The Heavenly Emperor ordered an assault on Vermilion Bird City and planned to use the mission to eliminate White Tiger and provoke the Heavenly Court’s native demons into rebellion. As Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird prepared to move against White Tiger, Maori Rooster rushed to warn White Tiger Star Officer.

• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Three-Eyed Divine General to seize the Southern Barbarian territories and attack Vermilion Bird City, while keeping watch on Chen Qing’s Fighter Army.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered Ziwei to replace White Tiger with Vermilion Bird, then told her to kill White Tiger if she resisted.
• After the divine generals departed, the Heavenly Emperor told Ziwei he wanted to provoke the native demons into rebelling so he could eliminate them and consolidate forces he trusted.
• The Heavenly Emperor sent Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird to move against White Tiger, kill her, and send her head back by sky eagle.
• Maori Rooster sensed something from the sun, hurried to White Tiger Star Officer despite her injuries, and arrived with urgent news.

The Three-Eyed Divine General prepared to march on Vermilion Bird City while learning that White Tiger was to be replaced by Star Lord Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird. White Tiger realized the Heavenly Court was coming for her, and Shen Yuan began forming spatial runes as the chapter ended.

• The Three-Eyed Divine General ordered his army to advance directly toward Vermilion Bird City and assigned the injured Wood Wolf of Kui to keep watch.
• The Three-Eyed Divine General told Wood Wolf of Kui that Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and Star Lord Ziwei were coming to replace White Tiger.
• Star Lord Maori warned White Tiger that the three arrivals signaled the Heavenly Court's intent to move against her.
• White Tiger accused the Heavenly Court of exploiting the demons and declared that she would strike back.
• White Tiger asked Shen Yuan what he would do, and he began forming complex spatial runes while Star Lord Maori doubted his chances against Star Lord Ziwei.

Shen Yuan promised to protect White Tiger, and she accepted him as her husband. When Ziwei confronted White Tiger and offered to spare her if she returned to the Heavenly Court, White Tiger rejected her and declared that Ziwei could not protect her, prompting Ziwei's forces to attack.

• Shen Yuan recalled how he had spent his life striving to meet others' expectations and vowed to keep White Tiger safe until he fell, as long as she did not harm Jiangnan.
• White Tiger called Shen Yuan her husband, then he formed a complex spatial formation to prepare their escape.
• Ziwei arrived and ordered White Tiger to surrender, promising to prevent her death if she returned to the Heavenly Court.
• White Tiger rejected Ziwei, recalled the unfulfilled promises that had made her join the Heavenly Court, and said Ziwei could not protect her.
• Ziwei ordered her companions to attack, and an azure-clad star official summoned lightning that engulfed the area around White Tiger.

Shen Yuan trapped Ziwei and her companions in spatial turbulence long enough to escape with White Tiger and Star Lord Maori. Since they could not reach Jiangnan in time, he chose to flee through the Southern Wilderness.

• Ziwei traced White Tiger's escape route through the spatial turbulence, but Shen Yuan sealed the entrance after she and her companions entered, separating them.
• Shen Yuan returned to the spatial entrance and explained how he had used the Azure Lightning and chaotic currents to mislead Ziwei and escape.
• White Tiger praised Shen Yuan's quick thinking, while Star Lord Maori asked where they should go next.
• Shen Yuan ruled out retreating to Jiangnan and proposed escaping through the Southern Wilderness.
• White Tiger agreed to follow Shen Yuan's plan despite Star Lord Maori's objection.

The Three-Eyed Divine General prepared to attack Vermilion Bird City while Wood Wolf of Kui watched from a nearby ridge. White Tiger confronted Wood Wolf, ordered him and his troops to stay inside a spatial formation, and demanded the Three-Eyed Divine General’s route map.

• Mr. Tang warned the Three-Eyed Divine General that attacking Vermilion Bird City would be costly, but the general decided to launch the assault the next day.
• Wood Wolf of Kui chose to watch the battle from a distance, arguing that Vermilion Bird City was too dangerous to attack for uncertain spoils.
• White Tiger appeared behind Wood Wolf of Kui and reminded him that the Heavenly Court would not reward him with the White Tiger’s position if she died.
• White Tiger threatened to kill Wood Wolf and his subordinates if they resisted, then ordered them to enter Shen Yuan’s spatial formation and remain there.
• White Tiger demanded that Wood Wolf give her the Three-Eyed Divine General’s route map.

Shen Yuan and White Tiger planned to exploit the Heavenly Court’s attack on Vermilion Bird City by targeting the Three-Eyed Divine General and his army. As Star Lord Maori warned that the general had never been defeated, Chen Qing appeared and introduced himself to White Tiger.

• White Tiger explained that Vermilion Bird City’s fall would leave them trapped between advancing Heavenly Court forces.
• Shen Yuan revealed that he hoped to seize the opportunity to defeat the Three-Eyed Divine General’s army before it recovered its full strength.
• Shen Yuan proposed killing the Three-Eyed Divine General to leave his troops leaderless, but White Tiger and Star Lord Maori questioned whether that was possible.
• Star Lord Maori described the Three-Eyed Divine General as a peerless warrior who had even beaten back the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
• Chen Qing appeared behind White Tiger and greeted her as Lord White Tiger Star Officer.

Chen Qing arrived to rescue Shen Yuan from the White Tiger Star Officer and explained why he believed Data City’s people and the natives should cooperate. White Tiger reconsidered her loyalty to Elder Long as Chen Qing resolved to protect the people around him from the forces beyond the heavens.

• Chen Qing located the White Tiger Star Officer and rescued Shen Yuan, who realized Chen Qing had come for him despite his weakened condition.
• The White Tiger Star Officer weighed killing Chen Qing to regain the Heavenly Court’s favor, while Shen Yuan feared the two would attack each other.
• Chen Qing told White Tiger that Elder Long favored relatives and former subordinates and would always distrust outsiders like her.
• White Tiger asked why Chen Qing accepted natives as allies, and Chen Qing said he believed both natives and Data City residents were data life-forms with equal claims to survive.
• Chen Qing explained that he had once failed to protect humanity and vowed not to let the old fossils destroy the people he cared about again.

Chen Qing revealed that the Heavenly Court’s Heavenly Mirror could not watch every region, allowing him to bring reinforcements from the East Sea to Vermilion Bird City. Ziyue arrived with the King of Qin and three thousand elite soldiers, and Chen Qing prepared to confront the vastly larger heavenly army.

• Chen Qing recalled how he had helped suppress the Four Spirits, only for Elder Liu to betray him and Elder Long’s faction to seize the Four Spirits’ essence blood.
• White Tiger questioned whether Chen Qing had enough troops to defeat the Heavenly Court’s forces, and he said reinforcements would arrive soon.
• Chen Qing explained that the Heavenly Mirror could observe at most two places at once, leaving other regions beyond its view.
• White Tiger realized Chen Qing meant to draw troops from the East Sea, and Ziyue arrived through the spatial formation with the King of Qin and the Four Saints Guard.
• White Tiger noted that the three thousand elite soldiers were outnumbered ten to one, but Chen Qing said they were enough and looked toward Vermilion Bird City.

Chen Qing and the White Tiger Star Officer confronted the Three-Eyed Divine General during the battle for Vermilion Bird City, where Chen Qing revealed his views on identity and data copies. As the Divine General questioned how Chen Qing’s small force could threaten him, Chen Qing and the Four Saints Guard suddenly vanished.

• The Three-Eyed Divine General learned that an enemy force was approaching from the rear and recognized Chen Qing and the White Tiger Star Officer.
• The Divine General accused White Tiger of betrayal, and she explained that the higher-ups had planned to have Ziwei kill her.
• Chen Qing said he had anticipated the battle because he knew Vermilion Bird City’s history and expected its demon population to have grown.
• Chen Qing told the Divine General that the present Chen Qing was new data, not the same person as the original, prompting the Divine General to reflect on his own family’s existence in the data world.
• The Divine General challenged Chen Qing to explain how his small force could stop him, then watched as Chen Qing and the Four Saints Guard vanished without warning.

The Three-Eyed Divine General realized Chen Qing might be using forgotten defenses in Vermilion Bird City and urged the Heavenly Court to take the threat seriously. The Heavenly Emperor ordered the assault to continue while sending reinforcements, but the Four Heavenly Kings hesitated when asked to lead them.

• Chen Qing made several thousand members of the Four Saints Guard vanish, leaving the Three-Eyed Divine General unable to identify how he had done it.
• The Three-Eyed Divine General suspected Chen Qing had used a mechanism he remembered from the campaigns to conceal the soldiers, then sent a warning to the Heavenly Emperor.
• At the Heavenly Court council, the Four Heavenly Kings opposed withdrawing from Vermilion Bird City, while Elder Long weighed the danger of attacking against the approaching Outer Heaven Demon Statue.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird to support the forces at Vermilion Bird City and told Three-Eyes to continue the attack.
• The Heavenly Emperor asked one of the Four Heavenly Kings to lead the Heavenly King Army as reinforcements, but they looked at one another hesitantly.

The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Four Heavenly Kings to stand ready while the Three-Eyed Divine General attacked Vermilion Bird City without their direct support. Chen Qing and White Tiger watched the assault begin, leaving White Tiger questioning how his small force could threaten the Divine General.

• The Heavenly Emperor challenged the Four Heavenly Kings, but they persuaded him that the Three-Eyed Divine General could take Vermilion Bird City without their help.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Four Heavenly Kings to watch from the star platform and provide support only if needed.
• The Three-Eyed Divine General recognized that Elder Long intended to let his forces suffer losses and ordered a full assault in half an hour.
• Chen Qing told White Tiger that the Three-Eyed Divine General had also been pushed aside by the Heavenly Court’s favored faction.
• White Tiger watched the Divine General’s army attack and asked Chen Qing how his small force could cause the general trouble.

Chen Qing removed the fire-element energy from Vermilion Bird City, leaving the great demons vulnerable to the Heavenly Court's battle array. When the Four Heavenly Kings arrived to claim part of the victory, Chen Qing prepared to trap them as well.

• The Heavenly Court's battle generals unleashed their power, and Chen Qing led the King of Qin and the others toward Vermilion Bird City's hidden core.
• Chen Qing activated a rune that caused the city's fire-element energy to vanish, weakening the fire-attribute great demons.
• The Three-Eyed Divine General ordered an attack, and the Heavenly Court's soldiers overwhelmed the demons without their fire-based abilities.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Four Heavenly Kings to reinforce the battle, angering Three-Eyes and his soldiers, who believed the reinforcements meant to steal their credit.
• The Four Heavenly Kings descended into the city, and Chen Qing said they could all stay as the seal in his hand glowed dark red.

The Heavenly Emperor sent the Four Heavenly Kings' armies to Vermilion Bird City, but a vast horde of demons beyond and a sudden pillar of fire alarmed the Heavenly Court. Chen Qing appeared before the armies and answered their battle formation with one of his own.

• The Four Heavenly Kings' armies arrived at Vermilion Bird City and drove the flame-deprived great demons back.
• A blaze erupted from the city, revealing a vast horde of demons beyond the continent and leaving the Heavenly Emperor worried about the palace's defenses.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Four Heavenly Kings' armies to return after the city fell and told the Divine General to remain behind.
• Chen Qing appeared in Vermilion Bird City, and the Four Heavenly Kings challenged him while the Three-Eyed Divine General grew uneasy.
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra ordered the Four Heavenly Kings' armies to form ranks, and Chen Qing responded by ordering his forces to form ranks as well.

Chen Qing used Vermilion Bird City's fire element to empower eight thousand Four Saints Guards to King Level, turning them against the Heavenly Court's army and forcing its leaders to flee. Knowing this trump card worked only within the city and could be used only once, Chen Qing moved to strike Three-Eyes as the battle's outcome hung on whether the Heavenly King Army could escape.

• The Three-Eyed Divine General realized Chen Qing had absorbed Vermilion Bird City's fire element into the Four Saints Guards and ordered a retreat.
• Chen Qing's eight thousand Four Saints Guards formed a battle array, each soldier reaching King Level, and overwhelmed the Heavenly King Army.
• The Four Saints Guards slaughtered the Heavenly Court's soldiers, while the Four Heavenly Kings fled and Three-Eyes tried to organize a retreat.
• Chen Qing recognized that his Vermilion Bird City power could not be used elsewhere and that revealing it would warn his other enemies.
• Chen Qing drew his short sword and sent its sword hum toward Three-Eyes.

Chen Qing’s Four Saints Army overwhelmed the forces at Vermilion Bird City while he fought the Three-Eyed Divine General, who rejected Chen Qing’s claim that he had lost his former edge. As demons attacked the Heavenly Court’s outer defenses, Elder Long ordered Ziwei to activate a dangerous reverse teleportation formation, leaving the chapter with the question of whether she would obey.

• Chen Qing and the Three-Eyed Divine General clashed as Chen Qing challenged him about how he had changed, and the general insisted he had become stronger.
• The Heavenly Emperor learned that Ziwei was rushing toward Vermilion Bird City and ordered her to bring the Heavenly King Army back safely.
• A wounded divine general reported that demons were attacking all four Tianmen and the stars under Heavenly Court control.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Tianmen Grand Formation activated and sent the divine generals to reinforce the four Tianmen, angering them over the danger to their own holdings.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered Ziwei to activate the reverse teleportation formation at any cost, despite the risk that she would be stranded in Vermilion Bird City.

Ziwei arrived in Vermilion Bird City and summoned teleportation arrays to evacuate the routed Heavenly Court forces, while Chen Qing fought the Three-Eyed Divine General. White Tiger then confronted Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird, openly confirming his break with them.

• Ziwei saw the Four Saints Guards being slaughtered and decided to use her Dao Fruit to open the Heavenly Court's teleportation arrays.
• Ziwei manifested the Space Jade, causing arrays to descend into Vermilion Bird City, and the heavenly soldiers rushed toward them.
• Chen Qing wounded the Three-Eyed Divine General while the soldiers fought over access to the arrays.
• White Tiger appeared before Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird, who accused him of betraying them.
• White Tiger recalled his service to the Heavenly Court and challenged their demand that he repent, while Ziwei wondered whether he could defeat Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird together.

White Tiger confronted Ziwei, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird over years of betrayal and challenged them without outside help. She defeated Vermilion Bird with a sudden, expertly timed attack, killing him as Azure Dragon’s lightning halted above her.

• White Tiger accused the other Star Lords of exploiting her in battle and denying her credit, while Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon questioned whether she had hidden support.
• Ziwei ordered Vermilion Bird to fight White Tiger while Azure Dragon guarded the Heavenly Court’s grand formation.
• Vermilion Bird summoned flames and challenged White Tiger, but she closed the distance and exposed his lack of combat experience.
• White Tiger used compressed wind to seize control of their clash and overpower Vermilion Bird’s flaming spear.
• Azure Dragon struck with heavenly lightning to stop her, but White Tiger beheaded Vermilion Bird before the attack halted above her.

The White Tiger killed the Vermilion Bird and fought the Azure Dragon while the King of Qin trapped Ziwei and revealed his plan to seize the entire Heavenly Court. As the Heavenly Emperor prepared for the worst, Ziyue arrived secretly through a teleportation point Ziwei had established.

• The White Tiger crushed the Vermilion Bird's head after mocking the Azure Dragon for holding back, and the Azure Dragon attacked her with his full power.
• The Azure Dragon used the Azure Wood Art, but the White Tiger's flames burned the trees before he fought back with lightning and gained the advantage.
• The King of Qin trapped Ziwei in an ink-painting domain while she was distracted and revealed that his side intended to take the entire Heavenly Court.
• The Heavenly Emperor realized the danger to Ziwei and secretly ordered a divine guard to inventory the Heavenly Court's resources.
• Ziwei kept the grand spatial formation running and secretly opened a rear teleportation point through which Ziyue arrived at the Heavenly Court.

Ziyue used the King of Qin’s shared divine authority to gain Ziwei’s power and infiltrate the Heavenly Court’s spatial array, aiming to find its backdoors and dismantle it for Chen Qing’s attack. She emerged beyond the Court among the demons as the Four Great Outer Heavens returned to the Heavenly Emperor with news of their losses, leaving the Emperor uncertain how to respond.

• Ziyue realized Chen Qing’s willingness to take bold risks might explain why he could threaten the weakened Heavenly Court.
• Ziyue joined the panicked Heavenly King Army and slipped into the great spatial array while the King of Qin remained behind to control it.
• The King of Qin used Bai Hua’s power to share Ziwei’s authority with Ziyue, allowing her to access the array using Ziwei’s memories.
• Ziyue found the array’s backdoors and emerged beyond the Heavenly Court, where she sensed countless terrifying demons.
• The Four Great Outer Heavens blamed Chen Qing for the Heavenly King Army’s heavy losses, and the Heavenly Emperor lamented their disorder and wondered what to do next.

The Heavenly Emperor realized the Heavenly King Army was a poorly disciplined force after seeing its soldiers abandon their formation and attack one another to reach an escape formation. He ordered the Four Great Outer Heavens to reorganize the army and face the demons surrounding the Heavenly Court, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his deputy were stunned by the immense horde at the east gate.

• The Heavenly Emperor recalled Elder Liu’s warning and compared the disordered Heavenly King Army with Three-Eyes’s troops, who had held formation despite being outnumbered.
• The Heavenly Emperor ordered the Four Great Outer Heavens to regroup their soldiers and intimidate the demons outside the Heavenly Court.
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra told his deputy that the army needed to prove its usefulness and planned to frighten the demons before attacking any that fled.
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra led more than ten thousand Outer Heaven troops toward the east gate before the remaining soldiers had been counted.
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his deputy saw that demons covered the east gate’s barrier in numbers far exceeding hundreds of millions.