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

"Are you Nezha?"

The newcomer stood three zhang and five chi tall. On Earth, he would be a giant, a rare sight even in the demon-filled camps of Chengtang. However, in the heavens above, surrounded by billowing clouds, he seemed not so tall.

Nonetheless, this did not diminish the aura of authority he exuded.

He stood in Red Flame Cloud Boots, his stature hidden amidst the drifting haze, each step causing ripples in the sea of clouds.

His face was the color of ripe dates, eyebrows slanting sharply into his hairline, eyes flaring with golden light, like twin bolts of lightning erupting from the clouds. Embedded in his forehead was a rhombic divine seal, within it appeared molten fire surging, discerningly forged from the Heaven-Burning Pattern of Eight Desolates True Fire. Behind his head, three overlapping halos rotated, the outer ring shaped as Green Lotus Karmic Fire, the middle condensed into a Beidou Star Map, while the inner ring coiled with nine Thunder Patterned Dragons, their presence born and extinguished like tidal waves of pressure.

Nezha looked at him, secretly alarmed.

Never did he expect that upon entering the Heavenly Realm, the first person he met would be so formidable, easily a supreme force of Golden Immortal Perfection in the Taiyi realm.

If he had not entered Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad's Furnace of Eight Trigrams, nor taken Tongtian Sect Leader's Divine Evil Pill, encountering this moment, he'd likely be at the mercy of others.

But now, he had reached the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, and the medicine's power within him was yet to be fully unleashed, continually enhancing his cultivation without cease.

He could kill with a flip of his hand.

Nezha thought, so he bowed and said, "Indeed, I am Nezha. Do you recognize me?"

Upon hearing Nezha's reply, the figure seemed to let out a sigh of relief, saying, "I am Li Qiong, Palace Guardian God General under the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Natural Mystical Absolute True Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Golden Palace. I have come by imperial decree to escort you to an audience."

Nezha pondered, the title was quite lengthy, and inwardly chuckled, asking, "The Heavenly Emperor knows I'm coming?"

"What a joke, once you enter this realm, did you intend to keep it hidden from the Supreme?" Li Qiong laughed, "Nezha, oh Nezha, you are indeed such a young man, quite different from what I imagined."

Hearing this, Nezha wondered, "You ask like this, have you heard of me before?"

Li Qiong explained, "Originally, there was little contact between the Heavenly Realm and the Human Realm, but ever since the Divine Enthronement battle started, due to the need to bring some characters to Heaven for investiture, this matter emerged. You, you meddle in whatever business, otherwise, when Wen Zhong ascends for investiture, I would no longer serve as Palace Guard General or Thunder Department God, and be bound by rules."

It turned out before the Divine Enthronement, there were already immortals in heaven, and halting the battle had disturbed their interests.

Nezha's face turned awkward, but he also understood, the true cause of them serving as heavenly slaves was the Heavenly Emperor, not himself, so he blurted, "This matter is unavoidable, if blame is to be placed, better blame the Chan Sect."

Li Qiong helplessly waved his hand, "The Chan Sect is enormous, who dares to offend them? If blame is to be placed, it must rest on you."

Nezha grasped a bit of understanding, asking, "So, originally, everyone in the Heavenly Realm considered me easy to bully, thus they all planned to blame me."

Li Qiong nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Precisely, you are teachable. Too bad the Supreme wants to see you now, otherwise, I would have already torn you to pieces."

The law of the jungle—Heaven is no exception.

"Piece by piece."

Nezha was somewhat disappointed, but soon enough a smile graced his cheeks, no longer concealing his aura.

His lips still held a smile, eyes molten into a lava-like red-gold hue, the blue glint at his brow flaring surgingly, forcing Li Qiong's halo to flicker unpredictably, causing the sea of clouds to churn and the Heaven Palace to quake!

"Your cultivation... how is it possible!"

Li Qiong's eyes widened, his color changed rapidly, and as he was shocked, he realized his own limbs were being pressured by Nezha's aura to the point of being unable to move a finger.

He had countermeasures.

As the Guardian God General personally appointed by the Jade Emperor, Li Qiong was not a cultivator of mere realm without combat prowess.

But Li Qiong also understood clearly that his cultivation might be unchallenged within the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, yet absolutely incapable of conquering one who had already touched upon the border of 'Saint'—a Daluo Golden Immortal!

"Unexpected, isn't it."

Nezha laughed, "Indeed, once I reveal my realm, this world feels much more comfortable, thinking that hostile eyes from all directions have retreated on their own."

Li Qiong was quick to assess the situation, soon calming, saying, "Since you are already a Daluo Golden Immortal, then this matter surely has nothing to do with you. Naturally, no one in the Heavenly Realm will blame you."

"Only deemed offendable, disregarding truth or essence?"

Li Qiong quietly looked at Nezha, saying, "Though you possess profound realm, your thoughts remain naive, just a child, unaware that this world's foundation is interest exchange, truth and essence are never of concern."

Nezha shook his head, saying nothing further.

Li Qiong's way of thinking dictated his perception, while Nezha believed the world had its fundamental logic existing, not altered by human thought.

"Enough chitchat, lead the way ahead."

Nezha kicked the Thunder Department God on the backside, the other unashamed, continuing forward, observing as he walked.

Thinking that if following normal trajectory, after Wen Zhong's death, his soul entering the Investiture of the Gods, he could come to Heaven Palace to take Li Qiong's place.

But since there's already a Thunder Department God in the Heavenly Realm, why still need Wen Zhong?

All matters in the world interconnect one with another; there must be a link between cause and effect, though some things are hard to conceive, others are easy to speculate.

Having disrupted the Divine Enthronement battle, perhaps some from Chan Sect and Jie Sect might remember his favors, yet surely many in the Heavenly Realm desire his demise.

"Just one Thunder Department God is this formidable."

Nezha clicked his tongue, for his current realm is that of a Daluo Golden Immortal, naturally unafraid of a Taiyi Golden Immortal, yet he does not possess the arrogance to think he can contend with those Semi-Saints renowned for thousands or tens of thousands of years.

Having reached this stage in cultivation, talent is no longer of great importance—more crucial are serendipity and the accumulation of Daoist principles over time.

Yet at this moment, his mind felt rather peculiar.

Knowing that Li Er can easily elevate a cultivator to the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, he began to feel that in this world, figures like Demon Lord Bai Mushuang, Hermit Lu Ya, Daoist Ran Deng, the Three Xiao Goddesses... those individuals whose slightest movement can shake the entire Cultivation World, seem to become insignificant.

For the Saints, only they themselves hold true significance.

Then what about me, Nezha?

Perhaps only the Saints know the answer.

Passing through layers of palaces, occasionally glimpsing a group of Immortal Maidens flying by, in the end:

"It's too desolate, this Heaven Palace."

"The Heavenly Realm has forty-nine million living beings, yet as vast as the four corners are compared to the Human Realm, it is several times larger. If not for the presence of the Supreme Immortal Palace, even if you flew for three days and nights, you might not encounter a single person."

Nezha shook his head: "Not lively at all."

Hearing this, Li Qiong sighed: "Ah, so unfair, cultivators often wish for quiet cultivation, shunning the bustle, hence they retreat to deep mountains and isolated islands at sea. Yet you, this mischievous child, with such a restless disposition, managed to cultivate into a Daluo Golden Immortal in such a short span!"

"Luck."

"Hence, unfair."

Nezha rolled his eyes at him, retorting: "So-called hermits, true recluse amidst the bustling, is it that seeing the world's splendor with your eyes prevents cultivation? I suggest you relinquish cultivation for now and focus on cultivating your heart instead."

Seeing that such a junior among juniors dared to advise him on cultivation, Li Qiong, who hadn't been angered even when kicked in the backside, now truly got angry, his eyes wide open, he said: "What do you know, seeing with the eyes naturally births desires in the heart—restraining is not difficult, but when desires become Heart Demons, transformed into Heavenly Tribulation halting the path ahead, you will know regret."

Turns out, he is also a coward.

Li Qiong continued chattering: "Only by being cautious and meticulous can one have a long journey, while holding a position in the Heavenly Realm, though freedom is restrained, equating one's lifespan with the balance of heaven is not altogether a bad thing. When you meet the Supreme later, curb your impudence. In front of me, you might show off your cultivation, but in the face of the Supreme, you count for nothing."

"Thank you for your concern."

"Do you really think I care for you? I am afraid you will confront the Supreme!"

When they truly met the Supreme, Li Qiong naturally retreated.

Unlike Yuanshi Tianzun, Tongtian Sect Leader, or Li Er, the Supreme before him, this "Jade Emperor," though resembling a human in appearance, Nezha, upon gazing, found it impossible to regard him as a fellow being.

He was immensely towering, clearly seated, yet appeared like a skyscraper.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the flowing moonlight suddenly crystallized into frost flakes.

Nezha's pupils contracted—perched atop the nine jade steps, the entity seemed clad in an emperor's robe embroidered with the Twenty-Eight Constellations, yet a closer look revealed stars adhered themselves to the robe's hem, driven by his breaths, as if the human appearance was merely a thin fog destined to dissipate at any moment.

"Li Nezha."

This time, within the resonating waves across the Three Realms, entwining with the echoes of the Turquoise Pool's collapse, Nezha coughed up half a mouthful of golden blood, startled to see his blood upon impact spawning struggling human-faced corals.

The Supreme leaned forward slightly, squinting at him, only then laughing: "Tongtian sect's Divine Evil Pill is indeed extraordinary; solely in alchemy, I am not as proficient as their brotherhood. Nezha, since Taoism has paved a future for you, why seek an audience with me?"

Nezha smiled: "Being able to meet you, venerable, indicates this meeting too was prearranged long ago."

"You aren't foolish."

The Supreme spoke: "Two million years ago, the academicians, Tongtian, and Li Er tried to involve me, and I had already given them an answer back then—only I didn't expect that to this day, they persist."

Nezha was shaken upon hearing this.

The Saints are nearly omnipotent, yet what could make them all 'persistent' on a singular matter?

Nezha posed the question, but the Supreme instead queried him: "Nezha, how do you perceive my Thirty-Three Heavens?"

"Vast as the sea, boundless."

"Indeed expansive, larger than the Human Realm we were born in by a few times fold, but ultimately, it still has boundaries."

After finishing, he sighed: "Alas, I built this realm hoping to transcend, yet essentially, this world still resides within the original Human Realm. The larger this realm, the larger the Human Realm already becomes."

Nezha remarked: "I do not comprehend, isn't a larger Human Realm a good thing?"

"It benefits no one, I'm afraid, for he is already dead."

"Who?"

"Pangu."