Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xuezhou returned from the Thousand Islands Alliance and discussed the danger posed by its underground creatures and the possibility of ambushing the white-haired man. Li Yingbo focused on preparing equipment and advancing research into the Innate One Qi Technique, which required Ren Yisheng to participate in experiments.

• Zhang Xuezhou flew home after Nagesi’s breakthrough and the devastation in the Thousand Islands Alliance left stranded Sequence Holders anxious to return.
• Li Yingbo asked whether they could ambush the white-haired man in the Thousand Islands Alliance, but Zhang Xuezhou said the region’s disorder would make it difficult.
• Li Yingbo arranged for Song Bu’er to provide Zhang Xuezhou with flashbangs and smoke grenades for the pursuit.
• At the B13 Research Institute, Luo Tianming explained that research into the Innate One Qi Technique needed more subjects for comparison.
• Luo Tianming asked Li Yingbo to bring in Ren Yisheng, who would need to discuss the Dragon Elephant Combat Technique and demonstrate it for the researchers.

Zhang Xuezhou and his allies discussed the coming threat from the white-haired old man and the resources Zhang Xuezhou needed to enter the True Self Realm. They left the sinkhole planning to exploit the old man’s transformations and hoping to restore the Yin-Yang Secret Land, despite the danger of a Fortune War with Emperor Qin.

• Ren Anran warned Zhang Manqian that the white-haired old man could adapt to Zhang Xuezhou and that Zhang Xuezhou needed greater endurance and a breakthrough to the True Self Realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou, Ren Anran, and Zhang Manqian predicted the old man would evolve Ferocious Beasts in the Thousand Islands Alliance and attack anyone who intervened.
• Ren Anran proposed using mental suggestion to lure Ferocious Beasts and the old man into an ambush, while noting that the professor might need to approach the Ninth Sequence.
• Zhang Xuezhou said the Magic Stone from Nagesi, the Spirit Jade cave, and the old man’s transformation ability might provide resources for his breakthrough if he could scheme against him.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that he had refined World Origin by swallowing it and showed the Tongtian Jade Ruler, which contained Huang Daoxian’s accumulated Karmic Fortune.
• Zhang Xuezhou pinned his hopes on restoring the Yin-Yang Secret Land for Spiritual Qi, though obtaining its formation artifacts could bring him into a Fortune War with Emperor Qin.

Zhang Xuezhou tested the Tongtian Jade Ruler, Huang Daoxian’s Fortune vessel, and discovered that spatial distortion could break it and release its stored Karmic Fortune. He absorbed the fortune with his dragon fish, while Ren Anran found new insight into forging a path toward the True Self Realm.

• Zhang Xuezhou tried to break or transform the Tongtian Jade Ruler and struck it repeatedly with the Wind and Thunder Saber, but neither damaged it.
• Zhang Manqian suggested the ruler might redirect the force of impacts, prompting Zhang Xuezhou to test it in Sinkhole No. 2’s distorted space.
• The spatial distortion broke part of the Tongtian Jade Ruler, releasing Huang Daoxian’s stored Karmic Fortune as Xuanming’s faint voice rang out.
• Zhang Xuezhou directed the escaping fortune with the Emperor’s Scripture and summoned dragon fish to devour it, turning their scales golden.
• Ren Anran gained insight from the sight of the dragon fish and considered that Zhang Xuezhou could forge his own path to the True Self Realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou celebrated that his dragon fish had gained a little striking power.

Zhang Xuezhou strengthened his Fortune Technique and exchanged places with Mallard to return to Purple Cloud Palace. There, he learned that the Investiture of the Gods Document had been taken by Technique Pure One, whose whereabouts were unknown.

• Zhang Xuezhou noticed his dragon fish had gained golden teeth and protective scales after consuming Huang Daoxian's hidden Karmic Fortune.
• Zhang Xuezhou warned Ren Anran that the Red Empyrean Sword and other powerful counters could still threaten his Fortune Technique.
• Zhang Xuezhou told Ren Anran and Zhang Manqian to help Mallard adapt to his body, then exchanged places with Mallard.
• Zhang Xuezhou heard Mallard's thoughts about the lost Investiture of the Gods Document and the Painting Demon who could find it.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi asked Zhang Xuezhou what he remembered, and Zhang Xuezhou identified the Investiture of the Gods Document.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi explained that Technique Pure One had taken the document, but his whereabouts were unknown.

Zhang Xuezhou learned that the Investiture of the Gods Document could not be found and persuaded Celestial Venerable Yuanshi to help search for it. The chapter ended with Yuanshi taking Zhang Xuezhou toward the Immortal Court and promising him cultivation items.

• Zhang Xuezhou learned from Celestial Venerable Yuanshi that the Investiture of the Gods Document was missing and argued that they needed to find it to prevent disaster.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi worried that the Immortal Court might be the source of the turmoil and asked Zhang Xuezhou what else Hongjun had said.
• Zhang Xuezhou learned that contacting Hongjun through incense offerings required repeated worship over ten years or longer.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi agreed to search for the Investiture of the Gods Document and said his former student Supreme One might recognize the painting treasure.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi took Zhang Xuezhou out of the Purple Cloud Palace and promised to give him cultivation items for the True Self Realm.

Celestial Venerable Yuanshi ordered Primordial Lord Golden Rosy Clouds to search West Ox Hezhou for the missing Investiture of the Gods Document. After Zhang Xuezhou returned to the Immortal Court, he asked Yuanshi for help breaking through to the True Self Realm, and Yuanshi began to understand why his Yin-Yang School Realm Technique made advancement difficult.

• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi sent Primordial Lord Golden Rosy Clouds to West Ox Hezhou to find the Investiture of the Gods Document and warned him to watch the Western Sect.
• Primordial Lord Golden Rosy Clouds recruited Yao Yuanguang and others for the search, promising merit and possible elixir rewards.
• Zhang Xuezhou returned to the Immortal Court after nearly a month and found the craftsmen had forged the eighteen chains for Jade Void Palace.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked Celestial Venerable Yuanshi for guidance on reaching the True Self Realm and explained his Yin-Yang School Realm Technique.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi recognized that Zhang Xuezhou's powerful but increasingly demanding cultivation method was a key reason he struggled to break through.

Zhang Xuezhou discussed his unorthodox cultivation with Celestial Venerable Yuanshi, who gave him Three Lights Divine Water and advice for refining his methods. After Yuanshi warned him about his conduct, the Jade Emperor confronted Zhang Xuezhou and invited him to the Fragrant Robe Hall, where Rong Tianding and Ren Anran were waiting.

• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi recognized that Zhang Xuezhou's unusual cultivation path was dangerous and urged him to increase his margin for error.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi gave Zhang Xuezhou Three Lights Divine Water and explained how studying the Yin-Yang Two-Qi Bottle could help him avoid mistakes in cultivation.
• Zhang Xuezhou joked about wanting the Eight Treasures Glazed Bottle, and Celestial Venerable Yuanshi promised to hand it over if Zhang defeated him after reaching the true self realm.
• Celestial Venerable Yuanshi warned Zhang Xuezhou not to disrupt human relationships and bodily functions or encourage others to do so.
• The Jade Emperor accused Zhang Xuezhou of fooling Celestial Venerable Yuanshi, then invited him to drink with Rong Tianding and Ren Anran at the Fragrant Robe Hall.

Zhang Xuezhou met the retired Jade Emperor in the Fragrant Robe Hall and told him the secret behind Haotian’s hostility. The Jade Emperor dismissed the claim that Haotian’s body had been seized until Zhang Xuezhou named Donghua, a name he recognized.

• Zhang Xuezhou went to the Fragrant Robe Hall under Celestial Venerable Yuanshi’s protection and asked what he needed to pay to get Rong Tianding and the others back.
• The Jade Emperor questioned Zhang Xuezhou about becoming wanted by Haotian, and Zhang said he had learned one of Haotian’s secrets.
• The Jade Emperor asked Zhang Xuezhou to share the secret, but Zhang warned that no one would believe him.
• Zhang Xuezhou revealed that Haotian’s body had been seized, and the Jade Emperor rejected the claim as absurd.
• Zhang Xuezhou named Donghua, and the Jade Emperor grew solemn because he had heard the name before.

The Jade Emperor questioned Zhang Xuezhou about Donghua and tried to extract information with the Mirage Pearl, but Zhang resisted and exposed the Jade Emperor’s Fleshly Body Entering Sainthood. The Jade Emperor backed down after Zhang invoked Celestial Venerable Yuanshi’s protection, leaving their confrontation unresolved.

• The Jade Emperor recalled Donghua’s failed Dimensional Ascension and warned that returning to the Three Realms could bring him into conflict with Houtu and Hongjun.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked the Jade Emperor to release his people and provide potent medicines so he could reach the True Self Realm; the Jade Emperor offered pills in exchange for information about Donghua.
• The Jade Emperor used the Mirage Pearl to bewitch Zhang, but Zhang resisted its influence and stuffed the pearl into his mouth.
• The Jade Emperor and Zhang clashed physically and discovered that they had both achieved Fleshly Body Entering Sainthood.
• Zhang explained that he had modified Yang Jian’s Eight-Nine Mystical Art using the Reverse Five Elements, and the Jade Emperor’s attacks failed to affect him.
• Zhang threatened to ask Celestial Venerable Yuanshi for help, so the Jade Emperor called their clash a harmless test and eased off.

Zhang Xuezhou negotiated with the Jade Emperor, who agreed to let him take medicines and supplies after failing to defeat him. They discussed Donghua’s threat and the Immortal Court’s hopes of ascending, then considered how Zhang might help stop Donghua. The Jade Emperor saw Zhang as a potential ally, while Zhang sought help finding the Investiture of the Gods Document and strengthening his chances of survival.

• The Jade Emperor ended his clash with Zhang Xuezhou and offered him access to most of the Immortal Court’s medicines and supplies.
• The Jade Emperor explained that he believed Zhang’s warnings about Donghua and revealed that he had seen Donghua in the void more than fifty years earlier.
• Zhang Xuezhou warned the Jade Emperor that ascension might lead to a hostile world, while the Jade Emperor described his wish to take the Immortal Court’s elites to a higher realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that Donghua’s Divine Emperor’s Fleshly Body and the Empress’s abilities made him difficult for the Immortal Court to counter.
• The Jade Emperor considered using Zhang’s conflict with Donghua to learn more about Donghua’s abilities and asked how Zhang planned to face him.
• Zhang Xuezhou told the Jade Emperor that Hongjun had hinted that the Investiture of the Gods Document could help deal with Donghua, and he considered using the Jade Emperor’s formation to improve his chances of survival.

Zhang Xuezhou collected pills from the Jade Emperor to support his cultivation and freed Rong Tianding and Ren Anran from the Jade Emperor’s formation. He then examined the Jade Emperor’s Twelve-Zhang Golden Body Instruction, learning that mastering it required enduring 1,750 Lightning Tribulations.

• Zhang Xuezhou took three Burst Seed Pills, 120 Life-Creating Fortune Pills, and nine Great Strength Qi and Blood Pills from the Jade Emperor before being driven out of the underground storage space.
• The Jade Emperor brought Rong Tianding and Ren Anran out of the formation, and Zhang Xuezhou reunited with them.
• The Jade Emperor opened the Fragrant Robe Hall and let Zhang Xuezhou, Rong Tianding, and Ren Anran inspect the Immortal Court’s inheritance.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked to study the Jade Emperor’s Twelve-Zhang Golden Body Instruction, which combined the Heavenly Form Technique and the Eight-Nine Mystical Art.
• The Jade Emperor explained that he had endured 1,750 Lightning Tribulations to cultivate the instruction and that mastering it required repeating those trials.

The Jade Emperor worried that the Immortal Court was falling behind and ordered a search for the Investiture of the Gods. Zhang Xuezhou left the Immortal Court to resume his preparations for the True Self Realm, confident he could obtain more Karmic Fortune, while remaining wary of Donghua’s Immortality Elixir.

• The Jade Emperor reflected on the Immortal Court’s stagnation and told Li Changgeng to ask Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear to find the Investiture of the Gods.
• Zhang Xuezhou and his companions left the Fragrant Robe Hall after three days of studying its difficult texts, and Zhang Xuezhou explained that treasures had disrupted his technique and changed his appearance.
• Zhang Xuezhou assigned Rong Tianding to invite Liu Xuan and Confucian scholars while he and Ren Anran worked on advancing his True Self Realm cultivation.
• Zhang Xuezhou said he would seek Karmic Fortune from Emperor Qin and, if necessary, the King of Huainan, believing he had enough time to reach his goal.
• At the Southern Heavenly Gate, Zhang Xuezhou declined to attend the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly and said the Immortality Elixir seemed less reliable than other life-extending options.

Zhang Xuezhou and Ren Anran discussed Huo Qubing’s unusual cultivation and the Painting Demon’s possible role in his formation of an Infant. They also discussed Dong Zhongshu’s growing influence in Chang’an, leaving Zhang Xuezhou concerned that the King of Huainan might resort to reckless action as the New Emperor’s authority strengthened.

• Ren Anran explained that Zhang Xuezhou’s Ecliptic Three Palaces Technique separated powers in a way that could later help her fuse them.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Ren Anran considered whether the Painting Demon was guiding Huo Qubing’s cultivation and helping him form an Infant.
• Ren Anran proposed that forming an Infant required cultivating both body and mind, prompting Zhang Xuezhou to connect the idea to ancient teachings.
• Zhang Xuezhou offered to arrange a meeting between Ren Anran and Dong Zhongshu to discuss Huo Qubing’s cultivation.
• Ren Anran told Zhang Xuezhou that Dong Zhongshu had established a place in Chang’an to debate the classics and was spreading doctrines that strengthened the Great Han Dynasty.
• Zhang Xuezhou worried that the King of Huainan might take reckless risks and fight the New Emperor as Dong Zhongshu’s ideas gained acceptance.

Zhang Xuezhou reached the ruins of Xianyang with Rong Tianding and asked Liu Xuan to guide him to Emperor Qin. Liu Xuan agreed despite trusting his father more than Zhang Xuezhou, warning the group that they might die.

• Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding found Liu Xuan among the ruins of Xianyang and asked him to lead them to Emperor Qin.
• Rong Tianding revealed that he had recognized Liu Xuan’s disguise, and Zhang Xuezhou reminded Liu Xuan of their past encounter.
• Liu Xuan suspected Zhang Xuezhou was the mysterious Demon King and asked what Emperor Qin wanted from him.
• Zhang Xuezhou said Emperor Qin likely wanted to return two heads and might try to eliminate him, then persuaded Liu Xuan to leave the decision to his father.
• Liu Xuan agreed to guide them to Emperor Qin, warning them not to blame him if they died.

Zhang Xuezhou entered Mount Li’s underground palace with Liu Xuan to meet Emperor Qin, while Holy Mother Wudang struggled with the conflict between her ties to the Qin court and her master’s sect. Liu Xuan opened the imperial mausoleum beneath the Yuzhou Cauldron, and Emperor Qin sent out a terracotta figure to test Rong Tianding’s Southern Brightness Fire.

• Holy Mother Wudang recognized Zhang Xuezhou, and he told her Celestial Venerable Lingbao had rewarded Emperor Qin with Slay Zhunti for reaching the True Self Realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou cleansed his unbalanced Karmic Fortune beneath the Yuzhou Cauldron as Liu Xuan prepared to open the imperial mausoleum.
• Liu Xuan used Law Power to reveal the underground palace, and Zhang Xuezhou followed him inside while Holy Mother Wudang kept Rong Tianding outside.
• Holy Mother Wudang left to deal with Pilan, who was calling for her outside the underground palace.
• Two sword-bearing terracotta figures emerged, and one asked Rong Tianding to use Southern Brightness Fire on it as a test.

Zhang Xuezhou entered Emperor Qin’s underground mausoleum, took Qin Er Shi Hu Hai’s skull and orbs, and faced Qin Er Shi in a Fortune War. Emperor Qin intervened to help his son, but Zhang Xuezhou’s dragon-fish Fortune Form multiplied into a galaxy around him.

• Zhang Xuezhou used the Six Talismans of the Tai Steps to open a bronze box and draw Qin Er Shi Hu Hai’s skull and two orbs into his hand.
• Qin Er Shi’s sealed Black Dragon Fortune Form emerged from the talisman and tried to attack Zhang Xuezhou, while Emperor Qin rebuked his son and ordered him to fight.
• Qin Er Shi raised his head-shaped Fortune Form and charged Zhang Xuezhou, who answered with Luo Zhong’s Black Dragon Fortune Form.
• When Qin Er Shi begged for help, Emperor Qin opened a rift and sent a giant claw toward the black dragon fighting him.
• Zhang Xuezhou’s black dragon dissolved into smoke, revealing his golden dragon-fish Fortune Form, which multiplied until it surrounded Emperor Qin.

Zhang Xuezhou trapped Emperor Qin in a Fortune Technique battle with an endless school of dragon fish and demanded to borrow his Karmic Fortune. Emperor Qin asked how much Zhang wanted and heard that the more, the better.

• Qin Er Shi struggled to kill the dragon fish while Emperor Qin fought the school attacking his Fortune Form.
• Emperor Qin realized Zhang Xuezhou had drawn him into the contest through Qin Er Shi and that his ministers could not help him.
• Emperor Qin asked Zhang what he wanted, and Zhang said he wanted to borrow Fortune because Hongjun and Houtu threatened him.
• Emperor Qin asked how much Fortune Zhang wanted, and Zhang answered that he wanted as much as possible.
• Emperor Qin considered the cost of resisting as he sensed Great Qin's future slipping beyond his control.

Zhang Xuezhou left Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum after borrowing Great Qin’s Fortune and negotiated to take Liu Xuan with him. He left with Emperor Qin’s request to bring Fusu along, while the future consequences of the Fortune War remained uncertain.

• Rong Tianding asked Zhang Xuezhou whether the underground palace’s inhabitants feared Southern Brightness Fire, and Zhang Xuezhou confirmed that they did.
• Zhang Xuezhou urged Rong Tianding to spread Southern Brightness Fire, especially among Confucian cultivators, reinforcing his claims about the Great Han Dynasty’s strength.
• Liu Xuan read Emperor Qin’s request that Zhang Xuezhou take Fusu with him to witness the struggle between Houtu and Hongjun.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to take Liu Xuan along, and Liu Xuan offered to attach himself to Zhang Xuezhou’s Law Treasure without slowing him down.
• Liu Xuan sealed Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum, and Holy Mother Wudang arrived and asked whether their negotiations were finished.
• Zhang Xuezhou said he hoped to return, while Holy Mother Wudang suspected they might not come back.

After leaving the underground palace, Zhang Xuezhou planned to study Huo Qubing’s cultivation in hopes of improving his own, then headed to Chang’an with Liu Xuan and the others. There he caught Jin Chang with Zou Bugui and quickly overpowered his martial uncle, who had returned to the King of Huainan’s side.

• Zhang Xuezhou used the Aging Technique to restore his familiar appearance and told Liu Xuan he had no current chance of reaching the True Self Realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked Liu Xuan to help push Huo Qubing toward the Sole Self Realm so he could study the boy’s cultivation and use it as a reference for his own breakthrough.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that Dong Zhongshu could clarify how Confucian cultivation had been combined with Infant transformation, while Ren Anran could help adapt the method for the Yin-Yang School.
• On the way to Old Tree Alley, Zhang Xuezhou spotted Zou Bugui leaving with Jin Chang and recognized that his martial uncle had made another poor choice.
• Zhang Xuezhou attacked Jin Chang, restrained his Puppet Thread, and struck him with a kick, leaving the True Self Realm cultivator unable to fight back.

Zhang Xuezhou captured Jin Chang and learned that recovering the Yin-Yang School founder’s skull made him the school head. He sent Jin Chang to steal Yin-Yang Secret Pills from the King of Huainan and ordered him to report back within five days.

• Zhang Xuezhou and Zou Bugui confronted Jin Chang, who agreed to cooperate rather than be killed or crippled.
• Zhang Xuezhou showed Jin Chang and Zou Bugui the recovered skull of Zou Ji, confirming the founder’s remains had been found.
• Jin Chang gave Zhang Xuezhou his half of the Yin-Yang School’s inheritance jade, and Zou Bugui supplied the other half.
• Zou Bugui explained that whoever recovered the founding master’s head was meant to become head of the Yin-Yang School, and Jin Chang accepted Zhang Xuezhou’s authority.
• Zhang Xuezhou ordered Jin Chang to steal as many Yin-Yang Secret Pills as he could and return to Chang’an within five days, and Jin Chang departed.