Claiming the Throne of Gods, Starting from the Rebirth of Nezha

Nezha said, "Aren't you afraid that I might lie, Your Ladyship?"

Yun Xiao replied, "Just speak your part, and I will judge the rest myself."

At this point, the monk and the Little Dragon Girl withdrew voluntarily. They were worried about Nezha, but they knew that staying longer could only be beneficial.

Thus, Nezha recounted all that was written in the "Investiture of the Gods" to Yun Xiao.

He only remembered roughly, but Yun Xiao was almost unable to contain her shock upon hearing it.

She never thought that their sworn brother, Zhao Gongming, with his immense mana, would be harmed by the unknown Lu Ya.

Nor did she expect that in seeking revenge for Zhao Gongming, she and her two sisters would provoke a Saint and ultimately have their names entered into the Investiture of the Gods.

If her master, the Tongtian Sect Leader, had not vouched for it beforehand, she wouldn't have believed Nezha no matter what he said.

Yun Xiao glanced at Nezha and smiled, "The Outer Heaven Demon? How amusing. Come with me to the Biyou Palace; our Sect Hierarch wants to see you."

Nezha's heart skipped a beat, and he replied earnestly, "Nezha is overwhelmed by the Sect Hierarch's summons. It is a great fortune of three lifetimes. However, may I ask Your Ladyship for a few days' reprieve?"

"Wait for you?"

Nezha smiled bitterly, "If I go now, I don't know when I'll return. My wife is about to give birth in a few days—"

"Enough." Yun Xiao interrupted coldly, "I thought your reasons were significant, but they are merely mortal concerns. I give you a choice: come with me now, and I shall spare them. If you don't, I'll kill all 87,506 people in Outer World Town in the time it takes me to breathe."

Nezha's face turned ashen, and he lowered his head immediately.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, but he couldn't utter a harsh word. Only the eyes staring at his shoe tips seemed to shoot out flames.

When he looked up, he could only smile and say, "I obey the Sect Leader's command."

Yun Xiao smiled, "It's best that you understand. I don't care if you hate or blame me; I just want you to obey."

...

In the Xiqi military camp.

The immortals of the Chan Sect had gathered. On the main seat, Ran Deng sighed, "Alas, a thousand years of cultivation gone with the flow, all because of the Nail Head Seven Arrows Book. Such a pity that Zhao Gongming overestimated himself and dared to stand in our sect's way."

Previously, Lu Ya and Ran Deng, the two quasi-saints, had fought together. Though their cultivation was higher, they were still defeated by Zhao Gongming, who had the Sea Calming Pearl. They had to rely on Lu Ya's Immortal Slaying Flying Saber to force a retreat.

Lu Ya had anticipated this, so he came to meet the various Daoist friends. Upon Ran Deng's inquiry, he summoned Jiang Ziya.

Though Ziya's cultivation was low, only at the God Absorption Realm, and considered a mere mortal by others, he was after all a direct disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, with a respected position.

Even the most powerful present addressed him as Junior Brother with respect.

Lu Ya gave Jiang Ziya a letter and instructed him, "On it are talismanic seal formulas. Follow them exactly. Go to Qi Mountain, set up a camp, build a platform, and place a straw effigy with 'Zhao Gongming' written on it, with lights above and below. Perform rituals on it for twenty-one days, and I will come at noon to assist. Zhao Gongming will die then and there."

Jiang Ziya followed the instructions. After a few days of rituals, Zhao Gongming felt his heart ablaze and his thoughts were in disarray. With no way out, he paced restlessly.

On the Chengtang side, Grandmaster Wen was troubled by this and lost interest in military matters.

At this time, Hundred Heavenly Monarchs, the master of the Fiery Flame Formation, came into the camp, volunteering to fight. His formation was profound. On the Xiqi side, the others were reluctant to engage without knowing its intricacies.

Only Lu Ya smiled and volunteered to break the Fiery Flame Formation after seeking permission from Ran Deng.

As the essence of fire and earth, Lu Ya was unaffected by the Fiery Flame Formation. He beheaded Hundred Heavenly Monarchs with the Immortal Slaying Flying Saber, sending his soul to the Enfeoffment Platform.

Grandmaster Wen was even more distressed. Seeing Zhao Gongming sleeping constantly, he questioned him upon waking, but Zhao Gongming said he hadn't slept at all.

Disturbed, Grandmaster Wen set up an incense table and sought answers from the Eight Diagrams.

Lu Ya's actions fell within the Heavenly Dao, allowing Grandmaster Wen to discover his plot to shoot Zhao Gongming with the Nail Head Seven Arrows Book at Xiqi Mountain. Enraged, he sent Chen Jiugong and Yao Shaosi to seize the book using the Earth Style.

Anticipating this, Xiqi had Yang Jian lying in wait.

Despite their cunning, Chen Jiugong and Yao Shaosi were intercepted by Yang Jian, who disguised himself as Grandmaster Wen and snatched the book back, killing them.

Just as Yang Jian was about to return to Jiang Ziya with the book, a sword light cut through the clouds, almost sealing Yang Jian's fate.

At that moment, a black light appeared, deflecting the sword light.

"Senior Lu Ya!"

Lu Ya shielded Yang Jian and looked up at the sky, feeling a tingling on his scalp.

Anticipating possible changes, he had stayed here, but he didn't expect to face Yun Xiao of the Jie Sect.

Ignoring her treasures, few could match her sword.

Yun Xiao sneered, "Able to block my sword, you must be a Daluo Golden Immortal. If I'm not mistaken, you're Lu Ya?"

Lu Ya smiled wryly, "I never thought I'd meet you under such circumstances."

Yun Xiao laughed, "Spare the chatter. I acknowledge your cultivation. Hand over the Nail Head Seven Arrows Book, or you'll lose everything in an instant."

Lu Ya protested, "Your Ladyship, there's no need for either of us to sacrifice ourselves for Zhao Gongming, who's neither friend nor family to you."

Yun Xiao laughed loudly, her voice shattering the clouds and shaking the mountains. The thousands of armored soldiers below trembled in fear.

"Lu Ya, you claim to be a free spirit but support the Chan Sect and Xiqi. If I listen to you and let you kill my brother, wouldn't that be fulfilling your wish?"

Seeing no resolution through words, Lu Ya sighed and secretly summoned the Immortal Slaying Flying Saber.

"Turn around, my treasure!"

He spoke softly, causing Yun Xiao's face to turn pale.

If not for the flash of golden light that blocked the white light, her head would have been severed.

Frightened, she said, "Well done, Lu Ya. You have an Innate Spiritual Treasure; I also have Holy Artifacts. Behold my Golden Jiao Scissors!"

Yun Xiao summoned the Golden Jiao Scissors, forged from two ancient jiao dragons by the Tongtian Sect Leader. It collected the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and absorbed the essence of the sun and moon. Rising into the air, it resembled two dragons that could cut any celestial being into two.

Seeing this, Lu Ya had no choice but to flee with Yang Jian using the Earth Style.

The scissors missed Lu Ya but cut the Three Mountains and Five Mountains in two, causing massive devastation.

Unconcerned with human lives, Yun Xiao pursued Lu Ya, determined to seize the Nail Head Seven Arrows Book.

...

Meanwhile, Nezha was forcibly taken to Biyou Palace by Yun Xiao, the abode of the Jie Sect's Tongtian Sect Leader. It was a place of extraordinary splendor.

Mist and gentle light interwove, and the sun and moon shone brightly.

Wildflowers flourished like the morning glow, as lush as peach blossoms and apricot flowers.

The chirping of cicadas and birds combined into a melody like the sounds of the Dao, clearing one's mind.

Nezha paced in front of the hall for a long time, summoned by the Tongtian Sect Leader himself. He waited at the gate for three days before a boy came out to relay the message.

Would it be life or death? Even just a definitive answer would be welcome.