Chapter Summaries

Lü Yuan explored the Swan Palace with Chen Sheng, marveling at its vast halls and long-abandoned spiritual treasures. When Chen Sheng asked why he sought knowledge of the immortal path, Lü Yuan said he wanted to see the world clearly, prompting Chen Sheng to change his lesson plan and begin with the immortal path and the history of immortals and mortals.

• Lü Yuan followed Chen Sheng through the Swan Palace, admiring its grandeur and noticing that it seemed deserted.
• Chen Sheng offered Lü Yuan the Purple Mansion spiritual objects scattered through the grounds, but Lü Yuan said he would rather trade for them in the future.
• Chen Sheng asked Lü Yuan to explain, in one sentence, why he craved knowledge of the immortal path.
• Lü Yuan answered that he wanted to see the world clearly.
• Chen Sheng decided to teach Lü Yuan about cultivation, the immortal path, and the history of immortals and mortals before teaching writing and the study of principles.

Chen Sheng taught Lü Yuan what immortal cultivation was, demonstrating a True Lord’s power and explaining Fruit Positions and the two cultivation paths. He revealed that his own Fruit Position was Taotie, one of the Nine Earths.

• Chen Sheng explained that he had concealed his true appearance because a True Lord’s presence could drive mortals and weaker cultivators mad.
• Chen Sheng leveled everything in sight with a gentle push, restored it, and explained that cultivators sought to reshape the world according to their ideals.
• Chen Sheng took Lü Yuan to see the star corresponding to a Fruit Position and explained that Fruit Positions were the source of cultivators’ power.
• Chen Sheng explained the Qi Ingestion and Nature-Nurturing Dao and the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao, which pursued Fruit Positions by different methods.
• Chen Sheng revealed that his Fruit Position was Taotie, one of the Nine Earths created when the Great Sage of the Guard Star divided the Earth Luminary Fruit Position.

Chen Sheng showed Lü Yuan the manifestation of his Taotie Fruit Position, giving him a direct glimpse of a Golden Core True Lord’s nature. He then explained how the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao and the Qi Ingestion and Nature-Nurturing Dao differed, and Lü Yuan guessed that both paths led to Divine Abilities.

• Chen Sheng manifested his Taotie Fruit Position so Lü Yuan could experience the power and mysteries of a Golden Core True Lord.
• Lü Yuan reflected on the familiar Fruit Position name and suspected that other transmigrators existed in this world.
• Chen Sheng confirmed that the manifestation related to his lesson on the two paths of cultivation and asked where they led to the same destination.
• Chen Sheng explained that the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao had four realms before Golden Core, while the Qi Ingestion and Nature-Nurturing Dao had only one realm corresponding to Purple Mansion.
• Lü Yuan reasoned that reaching Purple Mansion required elevating an Immortal Foundation to gain a Divine Ability, and guessed that Divine Abilities were the paths’ shared destination.

Chen Sheng taught Lü Yuan how the Qi Ingestion Dao and Purple-Gold Dao approached Divine Abilities, then explained that mastering a Fruit Position’s transformations was the principle behind attaining gold. After Lü Yuan understood the immortal path’s foundations, Chen Sheng assigned him an extensive course of study.

• Chen Sheng explained that the Qi Ingestion Dao pursued Divine Abilities directly, while the Purple-Gold Dao built cultivation step by step and allowed broader choices of Dao lineages.
• Chen Sheng told Lü Yuan that both cultivation paths ultimately sought to attain gold by gaining a Fruit Position’s recognition through mastering its transformations as Divine Abilities.
• Lü Yuan grasped that Fruit Positions were the source of cultivators’ power and Divine Abilities were their means of approaching and mastering that power.
• Chen Sheng summoned piles of books and listed the history, Dao lineages, cultivator knowledge, races, writing, philosophy, and poetry he planned to teach Lü Yuan.
• Lü Yuan accepted the demanding lessons and apologized for the trouble he would cause Chen Sheng.

During his studies and training at the Swan Palace, Lü Yuan learned that other transmigrators and heaven-favored figures had appeared in the Ancient Immortal Cultivation Realm. As Liu Bang’s return approached, Lü Yuan’s time at Great Marsh Mountain was drawing to a close.

• In fewer than ten days at the Swan Palace, Lü Yuan improved his knowledge, cultivation, and combat skills enough to defeat Chen Sheng’s copy even while distracted.
• Lü Yuan read about the Five Emperors' Seat, the Supreme One Palace, and the Heavenly Market lineage’s long history of failing to defeat rival Dao Embryos.
• Lü Yuan and Punk Lü Yuan concluded that Amitabha Buddha, founder of the Chan School, was a transmigrator who had borrowed famous sayings from other times and places.
• Lü Yuan learned that Sun Wukong had been born from an immortal stone and rapidly advanced to the Dao Embryo realm, making him another Child of Heaven and Earth like Lü Yuan.
• Lü Yuan finished another day of training as Liu Bang’s imminent return meant his time at Great Marsh Mountain was nearly over.

On his eleventh day at Great Marsh Mountain, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan reviewed his rapid progress and continued studying the world’s history, while Punk Lü Yuan compared their cultivation and discussed the dangers of transferring consciousness. Lü Yuan’s lessons and discoveries had completed his basic understanding of the world, leaving him eager to uncover its missing history.

• Punk Lü Yuan praised Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan for mastering sword qi, studying cultivation arts and worldly knowledge, and making time for combat practice in just ten days.
• The two Lü Yuans read the Chan School Joke Collection and discussed Amitabha Buddha, a Golden Immortal whose possible legacy Punk Lü Yuan wished he could discover himself.
• Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan explained that reaching Qi Refinement might let Punk Lü Yuan open a blind box, but Punk recalled how a one-sided consciousness transfer had nearly benevolently corrupted him.
• Punk Lü Yuan described his Embryonic Breathing Fourth Layer progress before leaving to return Back Then, Listening to Scriptures in Changrong Heaven to Lin Qi.
• On his eleventh day at Great Marsh Mountain, Lü Yuan studied incomplete mortal history and linked the Wu and Wei dynasties’ war to conflicts among immortal cultivators after the Victorious Fighting Buddha ascended.
• Lü Yuan reflected that Chen Sheng’s teaching and his encounter with another transmigrator had completed his basic understanding of the world.

Chen Sheng considered whether to take Lü Yuan as his true disciple and pass on the Swan Palace’s ideals, despite fearing the burden his choice might place on the child. He finally asked Lü Yuan directly whether he was willing to take Chen Sheng as his master, leaving Lü Yuan stunned.

• Chen Sheng revisited the Rotten Axe Handle Dream Pavilion and remembered his grandmaster Amitabha Buddha and First Northern Dipper, whose ideals had been lost with their departure.
• Chen Sheng reflected that Lü Yuan’s exceptional talent, compassion, and innocence made him a rare candidate to inherit the lineage of the Dao.
• Chen Sheng weighed taking Lü Yuan as a disciple against the possibility of burdening him, but decided he would ask and accept the consequences of Lü Yuan’s choice.
• Chen Sheng summoned Lü Yuan to the Swan Palace’s main hall, where Lü Yuan wondered whether he would receive another lesson or return to Liu Bang.
• Chen Sheng asked Lü Yuan whether he was willing to take him as his master.

Chen Sheng asked Lü Yuan to become his true disciple and inherit his Dao lineage, explaining that Lü Yuan’s nature and talent could preserve it. Just as Lü Yuan nearly accepted, a voice accused Chen Sheng of exploiting the child and trying to make him carry on the Second Demonic Lineage.

• Lü Yuan asked why Chen Sheng wanted to take him as a true disciple, and Chen Sheng offered to pass on his teachings, possessions, and Swan Palace.
• Chen Sheng explained that Lü Yuan’s talent and nature suited his Dao lineage and could solve the problem of finding someone able to carry it on.
• Chen Sheng revealed that Golden Core cultivators had shattered the other eight provinces, a destruction he had witnessed himself.
• Chen Sheng asked Lü Yuan for his decision, and Lü Yuan nearly reached out to accept.
• A voice interrupted, accusing Chen Sheng of taking advantage of Lü Yuan’s absent parents and trying to make him inherit the Second Demonic Lineage.

Lü Yuan witnessed Liu Bang confront Chen Sheng over taking him as a disciple, while their clash revealed that Chen Sheng belonged to the Second Demonic Lineage. The fight ended when an azure figure intervened, leaving Lü Yuan to realize his teacher was connected to the demonic tradition he had read about.

• Liu Bang appeared in a rage and confronted Chen Sheng, while Lü Yuan watched their Golden Core powers shake the Swan Palace and the surrounding Dharma Realm.
• Taotie and the Red Emperor stars clashed above them, and Liu Bang's presence forced Chen Sheng to step back.
• Wills from across the Nine Provinces sensed the conflict and waited for a higher power to intervene, but a gentle breeze stopped the two True Lords before they resumed fighting.
• Liu Bang blamed Chen Sheng for trying to take Lü Yuan as his disciple, while Chen Sheng defended his choice and said he had asked Lü Yuan what he wanted.
• An azure figure reassured Lü Yuan that Chen Sheng bore him no ill will, and Liu Bang accused Chen Sheng of trying to lure his son onto the demonic path.
• Lü Yuan realized that Chen Sheng's Second Demonic Lineage was the one associated with the Second Devil Ancestor and its ideal of equality between immortals and mortals.

Lü Yuan declined Chen Sheng's Dao lineage and chose to leave with Liu Bang, while honoring Chen Sheng as a master for what he had taught him. After their farewell, Chen Sheng sent Lü Yuan gifts despite his refusal to become a disciple.

• Chen Sheng argued that staying at Swan Palace would protect Lü Yuan from the mortal world's corruption, but Liu Bang prepared to take him away.
• Lü Yuan told Chen Sheng that he could not accept his inheritance because he doubted he could fulfill the Second Demonic Lineage's ideals.
• Chen Sheng urged Lü Yuan to stay once more, but Lü Yuan refused while kneeling and calling him master in recognition of his teaching.
• Lü Yuan countered Chen Sheng's warning about corruption by declaring that the world was easily stained, then left with Liu Bang.
• Chen Sheng sent after Lü Yuan both something First Northern Dipper had left behind and something of his own, citing Lü Yuan's acknowledgment of him as master.