Chapter Summaries

Ye Xuan returned to Chentang Pass to take Nezha to become Empress Nuwa’s disciple, but Nezha refused to leave because he believed Li Jing had beaten Lady Yin. Ye Xuan confronted Li Jing and demanded an explanation, leaving the truth unresolved.

• Saint Zhunti sensed that a vital karmic tie had snapped, failed to calculate what had happened, and returned to cultivation.
• Ye Xuan left Flower-Fruit Mountain with Su Daji and Wushuang and went to Chentang Pass to take Nezha away.
• Ye Xuan explained that Nezha was the reincarnation of Lingzhuzi, not a demon, and said he had found Nezha a master.
• Nezha refused to leave, saying he had seen Li Jing beat Lady Yin and feared for his mother.
• Ye Xuan stopped Lady Yin from speaking and demanded that Li Jing explain himself, and Li Jing finally began to answer.

Ye Xuan took Nezha away after explaining that Li Jing had not been hurting Lady Yin, then decided to seek an alliance with Empress Pingxin against the Heavenly Dao. He sent Wushuang and Daji back to Chaoge and arrived alone at Wa Huang Palace to visit Nuwa.

• Nezha explained that he had mistaken Li Jing and Lady Yin's intimate moment for a beating and had set a fire to stop it.
• Ye Xuan reassured Nezha, took him away, and left Li Jing and Lady Yin behind.
• As he traveled, Ye Xuan considered asking Empress Pingxin to join forces with the Human Dao and the allies he already had against the Heavenly Dao.
• Near Chaoge, Ye Xuan sent Wushuang and Daji back and traveled alone toward Wa Huang Palace.
• Ye Xuan reached Wa Huang Palace and marveled at its treasure-filled splendor.

Ye Xuan brought the Intelligent Stone Monkey and Nezha to Wa Huang Palace, hoping Empress Nuwa would train them. He encountered Nuwa bathing, and after she teased him about his identity, he turned around and was overwhelmed by her beauty.

• Ye Xuan released the Intelligent Stone Monkey and Nezha outside Wa Huang Palace, intending to ask Empress Nuwa to take them as disciples.
• Several of Nuwa’s attendants welcomed Ye Xuan and escorted him to her bedchamber, gossiping about his looks and reputation as they left.
• Ye Xuan reached a garden and found Nuwa bathing in a hot spring, so he turned away awkwardly.
• Nuwa overheard Ye Xuan’s thoughts about her appearance and teased him by asking whether he would call her Empress Nuwa, Fellow Daoist, or Human Dao Saint.
• Ye Xuan turned around to look at Nuwa and silently marveled at her beauty.

Ye Xuan visited Nuwa with Nezha and explained that Lingzhuzi had been manipulated into reincarnating as Li Jing’s third son. Nuwa’s ability to hear Ye Xuan’s thoughts exposed his insults and fantasies, leaving their meeting tense as he began asking for her help.

• Ye Xuan thanked Nuwa for repeatedly saving him, while Nuwa asked what he meant by calling her a “hag” and a “stupid old hag.”
• Ye Xuan tried to pass the insults off as affectionate terms, then worried that Nuwa could hear his thoughts and discover his fantasies about her.
• Nuwa heard Ye Xuan’s fantasies and grew furious, while Ye Xuan sat awkwardly through their tense silence.
• Ye Xuan asked Nuwa for a favor and indicated that it concerned the two children with him.
• Ye Xuan identified one child as Nezha, formerly Lingzhuzi, and said that hidden schemes had caused him to reincarnate as Li Jing’s third son.

Ye Xuan warned Empress Nuwa that Yuanshi Tianzun could use Lingzhuzi to drive a wedge between her and Sect Master Tongtian, then brought her the Intelligent Stone Monkey and asked her to teach him. Nuwa had not agreed to take disciples when Ye Xuan urged the two little fellows to kowtow, and the chapter ended with him seriously pleading for her help against the coming Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods.

• Ye Xuan warned Nuwa that Taiyi Zhenren might take the reincarnated Lingzhuzi as his disciple and turn him against Interception Sect, making Tongtian suspect Nuwa of siding with Chan Sect.
• Nuwa realized Yuanshi Tianzun’s plans included making her bear the blame for the Great Tribulation, and she grew angry at his scheme involving Lingzhuzi.
• Ye Xuan told Nuwa that the Intelligent Stone Monkey came from a Five-Colored Divine Stone she had lost while mending the heavens, and asked her to teach him.
• Ye Xuan urged the Intelligent Stone Monkey and the other little fellow to kneel and take Nuwa as their master, but Nuwa rebuked him for assuming she would accept them.
• Ye Xuan stopped pretending that he was helpless and gravely begged Nuwa to help protect the living beings of the Primordial World from the coming tribulation.

Ye Xuan warned Nuwa that Dao Ancestor Hongjun was using the Investiture of the Gods to weaken the Primordial World and seize the Human Dao Repository and Earthly Dao Repository. Nuwa agreed to consider joining forces with Ye Xuan, who planned to recruit Tongtian and Empress Pingxin next.

• Nuwa told Ye Xuan that she could barely protect herself against the forces behind the tribulation.
• Ye Xuan argued that staying out of the struggle would cost Nuwa her Saint's Dao fruit and explained that Hongjun was plotting to weaken the Primordial World and plunder its Human and Earthly Dao repositories.
• Nuwa realized the Investiture of the Gods was meant to trap powerful figures, empower the Heavenly Dao, and leave the Primordial World under Hongjun's control.
• Nuwa asked Ye Xuan whether they could defeat their enemies and outscheme Hongjun.
• Ye Xuan proposed that he and Nuwa join forces with Tongtian and seek Empress Pingxin's support in the Nine Nether Underworld.

Ye Xuan persuaded Nuwa to join his plan to oppose the Heavenly Dao, provided he could bring Pingxin into the alliance. Nuwa revealed her preparations and warned him to keep his secret dealings hidden, while Ye Xuan turned to asking her for magical treasures.

• Ye Xuan explained that the Human Dao Repository and Earthly Dao Repository could unite against the Heavenly Dao, and Nuwa agreed to join him if he could invite Pingxin out.
• Ye Xuan urged Nuwa to prepare forces, and she revealed that the Holy Mother of the West, King Yinshi, hidden experts, and demons answering to her Demon-Summoning Banner could support her.
• Nuwa warned Ye Xuan that his secret dealings could expose their plans, and he realized she had learned about his connections through the Queen Mother of the West.
• After their serious discussion, Ye Xuan teased Nuwa and asked her to give him a few magical treasures.

Ye Xuan asked Empress Nuwa for her golden gourd, and she lent it to him on the condition that he fulfill a favor later. After Nuwa kicked him out for secretly admiring her legs, Ye Xuan set off to find another of the four monkeys.

• Ye Xuan asked Nuwa for her Seven-Colored Gold Gourd, and she lent it to him in exchange for a promise to fulfill a request when the time came.
• Ye Xuan admired Nuwa’s legs in his thoughts, which she heard, and she kicked him out of Wa Huang Palace.
• Nuwa reflected on Ye Xuan’s plans involving the Human Dao and Pingxin of the Earthly Dao.
• Ye Xuan recovered in midair, pleased with the gourd and his glimpse of Nuwa, then headed off to find another of the four monkeys.

Ye Xuan traveled to Mount Mei to meet Yuan Hong, the Long-Armed Ape, hoping to bring him into his forces before the war progressed. After arriving, Ye Xuan introduced himself as Di Xin, the Human Emperor, leaving Yuan Hong astonished and honored.

• Ye Xuan decided to seek Yuan Hong on Mount Mei so he could recruit him early and strengthen his position alongside Nuwa and Sect Master Tongtian.
• After three days of travel, Ye Xuan reached Mount Mei and admired its extraordinary scenery.
• Yuan Hong sensed Ye Xuan’s arrival and invited him to his cave abode, where Ye Xuan observed how different he looked from the other divine monkeys.
• Yuan Hong welcomed Ye Xuan with fruit wine and asked where he came from and why he had visited Mount Mei.
• Ye Xuan praised Yuan Hong’s peaceful life, drank his spirit wine, and revealed that he was Di Xin, the current Human Emperor.
• Yuan Hong was shocked by Ye Xuan’s identity and felt honored by the Human Emperor’s visit.

Ye Xuan visited Mount Mei to recruit Yuan Hong, the Long-Armed Ape, and revealed his knowledge of the Four Divine Monkeys and their powers. Yuan Hong was deeply shocked by Ye Xuan’s revelations, while Ye Xuan’s invitation remained unresolved.

• Ye Xuan urged Yuan Hong to leave seclusion and join him in Chaoge, praising the value of his aid.
• Ye Xuan told Yuan Hong that he knew his origins and explained that the Four Divine Monkeys were extraordinary beings outside the ordinary cycles of life and reincarnation.
• Ye Xuan described the Six-Eared Macaque and said he had already found the Intelligent Stone Monkey and sent him to Nuwa.
• Ye Xuan identified Wuzhiqi as the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey and said he had rescued him and sent him on a mission in the North Sea.
• Ye Xuan described the Long-Armed Ape’s divine powers, leaving Yuan Hong astonished that the Human Emperor knew his true form and the secrets of the other monkeys.

Ye Xuan tried to recruit Yuan Hong, the Long-Armed Ape, by describing the other divine monkeys and provoking his competitive spirit. After considering Yuan Hong’s legendary Eight-Nine Arcane Art, Ye Xuan offered him a treasure, leaving its identity unrevealed.

• Ye Xuan told Yuan Hong that two of the Four Divine Monkeys had joined him and invited him to become the third.
• Ye Xuan described the Intelligent Stone Monkey and the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey, claiming their talents and power could rival or surpass Yuan Hong’s.
• Yuan Hong grew displeased and eager to test himself against the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey.
• Ye Xuan reflected on Yuan Hong’s mastery of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art and clarified that Yuan Hong and the Intelligent Stone Monkey were different beings.
• Ye Xuan told Yuan Hong that he had brought him a fine treasure and invited him to look at it.

Ye Xuan gave the Long-Armed Ape, Yuan Hong, the Sea-Spanning Purple Gold Beam, and Yuan Hong pledged his allegiance after testing its power. Ye Xuan left him hidden on Mount Mei while Yuan Hong prepared to send his brothers to Chaoge.

• Ye Xuan offered Yuan Hong a choice between the As-You-Will Iron Rod and the Sea-Spanning Purple Gold Beam, and Yuan Hong chose the purple treasure.
• Ye Xuan explained the Sea-Spanning Purple Gold Beam’s power and gave it to Yuan Hong, who transformed it into a staff and tested its destructive might.
• Yuan Hong pledged his life to Ye Xuan, who noted that only the Six-Eared Macaque remained unaccounted for among the Four Divine Monkeys.
• Yuan Hong asked to gather his powerful brothers and take them to Chaoge, and Ye Xuan agreed while keeping Yuan Hong on Mount Mei as a hidden asset.
• Ye Xuan spent several days discussing the Dao with Yuan Hong, then departed; Yuan Hong returned to his cave to contact his brothers and send them to Chaoge.

Yuan Hong summoned the six demon kings of Mount Mei and told them that their shared karma tied them to the Investiture of the Gods tribulation. After revealing that the Human Emperor had personally invited them and that he had accepted, Yuan Hong ordered his brothers to go to Chaoge while he remained on the mountain until the time was right.

• Yuan Hong gathered Jin Dasheng, Dai Li, Zhu Zizhen, Chang Hao, Yang Xian, and Wu Long, the other six Monsters of Mount Mei.
• Yuan Hong proposed that the brothers descend the mountain to help the Human Emperor and earn merit.
• Jin Dasheng warned that aiding the Human Emperor would make them enemies of the Heavenly Dao Sages.
• Yuan Hong explained that they all carried karma and would be better off facing the tribulation by choice, then revealed that the Human Emperor had personally invited him and he had agreed.
• The six demon kings decided to follow Yuan Hong's lead, and he ordered them to settle their subordinates, go to Chaoge, and seek positions as generals while he stayed behind.

Ye Xuan received Xuan Nü, a visitor from the Human Clan’s Fire Cloud Cave, while learning that the sages there had safeguarded the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and the clan’s fortune. The chapter ended as Xuan Nü removed her veil before him.

• Jin Dasheng led his five brothers toward Chaoge, scolding Zhu Zizhen for slowing them down before agreeing to travel at a more leisurely pace.
• Ye Xuan returned to Chaoge, while Su Changkong went to the small Heavenly Pool to adapt to his new strength as a Human Dao Saint.
• A palace report announced that a woman from Fire Cloud Cave had come to meet Ye Xuan, who ordered that she be brought in.
• Xuan Nü introduced herself as a descendant of the Human Clan’s Fire Cloud Tribe and bowed to Ye Xuan.
• Ye Xuan apologized for never visiting the Human Clan’s sages, and Xuan Nü reassured him that they understood before removing her veil.

Nine Heavens Profound Lady visited Ye Xuan on behalf of the ancestors in Fire Cloud Cave and presented him with the Human Clan’s holy sword, Xuanyuan. Ye Xuan recognized its immense power and learned how its history was bound to the Human Clan’s suffering and hopes.

• Xuan Nü explained that Nine Heavens Profound Lady was a title passed down among the purest women of the Fire Cloud Clan.
• Xuan Nü told Ye Xuan that the ancestors praised his actions and believed he could lead the Human Clan to great flourishing.
• Xuan Nü presented Ye Xuan with the Xuanyuan Sword on behalf of the ancestors in Fire Cloud Cave.
• Ye Xuan opened the bundle and examined the sword’s carvings of the heavens, the land, and all living things.
• Ye Xuan recalled how the Witch-Slaying Sword and Demon-Slaying Sword had been forged from Human Clan victims and later combined by ancient Human Clan sages into Xuanyuan.

The Nine Heavens Profound Lady delivered the Xuanyuan Sword and the Three Human Emperors’ cultivation insights to Ye Xuan, strengthening his authority and offering him ways to improve his power. She also gave him Xuan Nü’s Pure Heart Sutra and explained that her duty was to serve a worthy Human Emperor, leaving Ye Xuan embarrassed by her direct attention.

• The Nine Heavens Profound Lady presented Ye Xuan with the Xuanyuan Sword and urged him to use the Human Clan’s treasured weapon well.
• Ye Xuan accepted the cultivation insights of Fuxi, Shennong, and Xuanyuan and studied their teachings on divination, bodily cultivation, and killing.
• Ye Xuan asked the Nine Heavens Profound Lady for the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, and she explained that it was a revised version of Xuan Nü’s Pure Heart Sutra.
• The Nine Heavens Profound Lady gave Ye Xuan the jade slip and warned him not to indulge in the technique at the expense of important matters.
• The Nine Heavens Profound Lady declared that she was qualified to serve Ye Xuan as Human Emperor, and he looked away after meeting her unflinching, shy gaze.

Ye Xuan welcomed the Nine Heavens Profound Lady’s offer of support, then secluded himself to cultivate while awaiting six great demons bound for Chaoge. When they arrived, he recognized them as the Seven Monsters of Mount Mei and began considering a team of Twelve Zodiac Animals.

• The Nine Heavens Profound Lady told Ye Xuan that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had authorized him to draw on the providence in the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, then left Chaoge and offered to serve him whenever needed.
• Ye Xuan entered seclusion with Wushuang and Su Daji while leaving the government to Wen Zhong, Huang Feihu, Shang Rong, Bi Gan, and the others.
• Su Daji reported that six great demons were approaching Chaoge, and Ye Xuan guessed they were the Seven Monsters of Mount Mei after hearing that some resembled a bull, pig, dog, and goat.
• Ye Xuan imagined assembling a team of Twelve Zodiac Animals and decided to discuss the idea with the demons when they arrived.
• Ye Xuan personally welcomed the six Demon Saints outside the imperial palace, where they bowed to him as the Human Emperor.

Ye Xuan welcomed six demons from Mount Mei and proposed forming the Twelve Zodiac Animals, assigning five of them and the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit as candidates. After Wu Long worried that he had been excluded, Ye Xuan summoned the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit to the hall.

• The six demons introduced themselves as Jin Dasheng, Dai Li, Zhu Zizhen, Chang Hao, Yang Xian, and Wu Long, and said they had come from Mount Mei to serve Ye Xuan.
• Ye Xuan proposed creating the Twelve Zodiac Animals, whose members would form the Twelve Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Grand Formation.
• Ye Xuan named five of the six Mount Mei demons as candidates and said the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit would make six, while Yuan Hong had other arrangements.
• Wu Long grew unhappy when he thought Ye Xuan had excluded him, but Ye Xuan summoned the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit to the hall.
• The Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit arrived after Daji sent word, while the chapter recounted the Green Mound Shadow Guards' service to Chaoge.

Ye Xuan assigned the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit and Zhang Kui new duties, then reviewed the candidates gathered for the Twelve Zodiac Animals. The chapter ended with Su Daji asking how Ye Xuan had shown such overwhelming power at the North Sea.

• Ye Xuan brought Sanqi into the group of great demons and told her to hand the Green Mound Shadow Guards over to Sanjiu.
• Ye Xuan ordered Zhang Kui and Wu Long to form a 300-to-500-member Earth Escape special operations unit for Yin Shang.
• Ye Xuan counted six assembled Zodiac candidates and considered Wushuang, Dragon King Ao Guang, Chang'e's jade rabbit, and possible demons from the Northern Darkness for the remaining places.
• Ye Xuan ordered Su Daji to search the Primordial World for powerful rat, tiger, monkey, and horse spirits.
• Su Daji and Wushuang massaged Ye Xuan in his bedchamber, where Su Daji asked how he had displayed such divine might at the North Sea.

Su Daji grew intimate with Ye Xuan, then played him a qin piece and asked for his judgment. Ye Xuan teased her by criticizing it and bewildered her with obscure rules of qin performance, then prepared to demonstrate his own skill.

• Su Daji drew close to Ye Xuan and nearly gave in to her desire, but he stopped her with a soft cough.
• Su Daji offered to play the qin for Ye Xuan, and he agreed to listen.
• Su Daji played an ancient tune that Ye Xuan found skillful and charming.
• Ye Xuan called her performance unfit for a refined audience, then listed qin taboos and techniques she had never heard of.
• Su Daji stared at Ye Xuan in confusion, and he decided to show her what he could do.