Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Moreover, truth be told, Li Mingzhu not only didn't want the Western Sect to obtain the Demon Treasure, but he also wouldn't allow anyone else to covet it either.

His cultivation and strength were, for the most part, derived from the Demon Clan: his Foundation Establishment Skill was a gift from Nuwa, the Qiankun Ring and Hun Tian Ribbon were also bestowed by Nuwa, and the Demon Clan Twelve Techniques had greatly enhanced his power.

Not to mention that the River Map and Luo Book were obtained from the Demon Clan, and even the immense power of the Fire-tipped Spear carried with it karmic ties.

Although the Demon Clan had long ceased to exist, and he himself was of the Human Clan—logically, he should bear a righteous hatred against the Demon Clan.

Furthermore, he was fully free to disregard this karmic connection—after all, the Demon Clan now merely existed in name. So what if there were karmic ties?

Yet while karma could be ignored, gratitude could not. As he often said, he acted entirely by his own principles.

If there was grace, it must be repaid!

Killing Lu Ya was because Lu Ya sought his life and aimed to steal the River Map and Luo Book to unlock the treasure. Under such circumstances, he had no choice but to slay him!

This too was in line with his principles. After all, if repaying a favor meant sacrificing his own life, Li Mingzhu wouldn't do it!

Similarly, if a member of the Demon Clan dared to treat humans as their food source in his presence, he would not hesitate to kill them either. Gratitude did not mean he would tolerate the Demon Clan's recklessness and lawlessness.

This was the same as what happened previously in the North Sea—back then, he may not have comprehended his stance as deeply, but now, Li Mingzhu understood exactly what he had to do.

If someone dared to claim the Demon Treasure, they would first have to defeat him!

"Fellow Daoist, why is this necessary? The Demon Clan has fallen; its treasures reappearing in the world are fate's arrangement, accessible for anyone with the fortune to claim them!"

Kasyapa said with a smile. Later generations would coin the Buddhist phrase "silver-tongued like lotus flowers," and it fit Kasyapa perfectly at this moment.

"There's nothing more to say. This path is closed. If you wish to claim the Demon Treasure, you'll have to defeat me first; otherwise, get lost!"

Li Mingzhu didn't mince words, making his stance clear: anyone wanting the treasure must first overpower him.

Anan and Kasyapa originally planned to wait for the other cultivators and loose cultivators from various sects to arrive before entering. But then they realized that the more people gathered, the lower their own chances of obtaining something valuable. The sooner they got in, the better their odds.

Deciding not to wait any longer, they prepared to join forces to battle Li Mingzhu. Could the two of them combined still falter against one Jie Sect junior?

The duo stepped forward in unison. "Fellow Daoist, pardon our offense!"

Out of respect for the strength Li Mingzhu displayed in slaying Lu Ya earlier, they refrained from addressing him as 'Junior Nephew.' Though Li Mingzhu's seniority was technically lower, they would only dare think of him as a junior in their hearts.

Ao Yu and Yang Chan wanted to step in and help, but Li Mingzhu stopped them—this was his fight, signaling the two to focus on rescuing Hu Hao instead.

This time, unlike his earlier battle with Lu Ya where he refrained from using the Treasure Lotus Lamp, Li Mingzhu didn't hold back. The seven-colored barrier of the Treasure Lotus Lamp descended from above his head, its strands of light imbuing him with an uninvadable presence.

When Anan and Kasyapa saw this, they couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. They had long witnessed the might of the Treasure Lotus Lamp. Without hesitation, they summoned the Vajra Pestle, one of the top ten supreme Innate Spiritual Treasures—a peerless weapon of destruction with astonishing power.

The two operated in perfect synchronization, combining their efforts to unleash the full potential of the Vajra Pestle. Each strike on the Treasure Lotus Lamp shook it to its core, teetering on the edge of collapse.

Li Mingzhu, who was accustomed to overwhelming others with the level of his Spiritual Treasures, now found himself in the opposite position. The Treasure Lotus Lamp, after all, wasn't purely a defensive treasure.

The relentless assaults of the Vajra Pestle made it increasingly difficult to hold out. Quick resolution was imperative, and Li Mingzhu's thoughts were razor-sharp.

Drawing upon techniques from Within Reach and Domineering, Li Mingzhu sprang into action like a shadow, surging forward with ferocity. Prolonged entanglements were not his style.

The Fire-tipped Spear thrust straight ahead.

Embers burst forth from the spear, and though the strike bore no discernable technique, it was flawless—imbued with a harmonious convergence of essence, energy, and spirit.

"We've been waiting for this moment!"

Kasyapa and Anan sneered. Once again, they combined their forces—a golden Bodhi Tree materialized, its Geng Metal Energy far surpassing even the dense power of the White Tiger.

Blocking the Fire-tipped Spear, the Bodhi Tree unleashed a dazzling kaleidoscope of radiance that knocked the spear right from Li Mingzhu's grasp.

The Bodhi Tree, formed from Kasyapa and Anan's collaborative technique, also incorporated the mystical properties of Zhunti's Seven-Colored Skill. Although it couldn't rival the legend of "brushing away all things," it was still immensely formidable. It was expected, given that both had received direct teachings from Zhunti himself.

"Is it really that simple?"

Li Mingzhu sneered as well. Suddenly, the Qiankun Ring, which he had yet to use, appeared in his hands, expanding in size as it flew toward Kasyapa and Anan.

The two, having just executed their joint technique, were in their recovery phase and hadn't anticipated that Li Mingzhu had another ace up his sleeve.

The Qiankun Ring of today was not what it used to be—now the Yin Yang Qiankun Circle, it had ascended to the rank of supreme Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Li Mingzhu seldom wielded it simply because it lacked the Fire-tipped Spear's convenience. In terms of power, however, it was in no way inferior.

The Qiankun Ring struck true, entrapping both opponents as the essence of water and fire erupted in full force. Though not fatal, the attack left the duo severely injured.

Li Mingzhu darted forward, seizing Kasyapa and Anan each by one hand and hurling them out of Qingqiu. The Vajra Pestle, sensing the unfavorable situation, quickly fled.

He refrained from delivering a killing blow—not out of mercy, but to avoid provoking Zhunti. The Western Sect had few capable fighters; killing these two might drive Zhunti into a frenzy.

Though Yuan Shi was known for his doting nature, Zhunti's protectiveness was no less intense. In fact, Zhunti was often quicker to act, being unconcerned with appearances unlike Yuan Shi.

Retrieving the Qiankun Ring and Fire-tipped Spear, Li Mingzhu sat cross-legged immediately to meditate, restoring his energy and mana.

The battle had concluded swiftly, but the expenditure of energy was by no means less than his previous fight against Lu Ya. Activating three supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures consecutively would push even a Daluo Golden Immortal to their limit, let alone someone like Li Mingzhu, a Taiyi Profound Immortal.

Fortunately, Li Mingzhu's foundation was exceptionally robust—otherwise, his mana reserves would have been completely depleted. Though his greatest strength lay in his physical body, he couldn't afford to be lax in the challenges ahead.

A single battle repelled his enemies!

Once Li Mingzhu had recovered, he walked out of Qingqiu, positioning himself outside its borders to wait.

He wished to see who else dared to claim the Demon Treasure of Qingqiu.

As long as no Quasi-Saint intervened, he would not back down.

Within the realm of Daluo Golden Immortals, there might be many stronger than him, but none capable of claiming his life.

With the Treasure Lotus Lamp safeguarding his Divine Soul and a body nearly at the peak of Daluo Golden Immortal refinement—who in the Primordial World could end his life?

At that moment, a figure slowly approached from the distance, coming into view before Li Mingzhu.

It was none other than Yun Zhongzi, whom Li Mingzhu had previously outmaneuvered and taken the Thunder God Son from—a Daluo Golden Immortal of Great Perfection.

This time, through his fully-mastered Spirit Communication Eye, Li Mingzhu could clearly sense Yun Zhongzi's cultivation level. Had Yun Zhongzi already advanced to Quasi-Saint rank, he wouldn't have fled upon encountering the Demoness Nuwa.

Another grueling battle loomed!