Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

"What is a Quasi-Saint?"

The young girl Xiaoqian wore a puzzled expression. Perhaps it was her ignorance that bred fearlessness; although she harbored no fondness for Minghe, she showed no fear toward him either.

On the contrary, the villagers, upon sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from Minghe, didn't dare to step forward and intervene. Not that it would have made any difference if they tried.

"A Quasi-Saint... a Quasi-Saint... Well, a Quasi-Saint is... Anyway, it's someone immensely powerful! The most powerful beings in your world wouldn't stand a chance against even a single finger of a Quasi-Saint!"

Minghe had no idea how to explain it, knowing that discussing cultivation realms with Xiaoqian wouldn't make sense. He simply brushed it off ambiguously.

After all, what he said was the truth. A Quasi-Saint could indeed dominate this world unchecked.

"You're not from this world? And Brother Mingzhu isn't from this world either? Then is Brother Mingzhu a Quasi-Saint?"

Though pure of heart, Xiaoqian was remarkably perceptive, quickly grasping a lot and throwing out a string of questions.

"Hmm, we're both from the outside. Li Mingzhu? Him? A Quasi-Saint? Far from it. His combat strength is decent, but he's not particularly significant!"

Minghe Laozu still hadn't grasped the situation. By demeaning Li Mingzhu like this, he only made the girl's impression of Li Mingzhu worse.

"Oh, I see. In that case, you can go; I won't take you as a master!"

The young girl Xiaoqian giggled, cutting off any possibility for Minghe with not an ounce of hesitation.

This left Minghe dumbfounded. They had been getting along just fine moments ago—why the sudden change of attitude?

"That's not for you to decide. Once you've been to the Netherworld Blood Sea and witnessed the Laozu's grand arts, you'll naturally agree!"

Minghe, decisive as ever, decided that if persuasion failed, force would have to do. Her rejection now didn't mean she wouldn't agree later.

With a wave of his wide sleeve, he prepared to capture Xiaoqian and take her away immediately, deciding not to investigate the Absolute Heaven Storm or explore further. He would return to the Primordial World.

Discovering the Demon Treasure could be handed over to his main battle avatar—bringing this girl back would suffice. Even if he didn't obtain the Demon Treasure, it would still be worthwhile.

"Stop!"

At this moment, Li Mingzhu arrived. Without hesitation, he used the Xuanyuan Sword as a Flying Sword and aimed it straight at Minghe.

"Annoying brat!"

Minghe's face showed a trace of anger. The good mood he had from meeting such a promising potential disciple as Xiaoqian was instantly ruined by Li Mingzhu.

Threads of red light coalesced in the air, forming a shield that blocked the Xuanyuan Sword. Minghe's red Daoist robe flapped without wind, a clear sign that he was getting serious.

With Li Mingzhu's physical body restored, Minghe's avatar, with only Golden Immortal Cultivation, had to tread carefully.

Before anyone could react, Minghe conjured two ferocious-looking swords out of thin air. They appeared modeled after the Yuan Tu and Avici Swords. Grabbing one in each hand, Minghe charged at Li Mingzhu.

But at that moment, a silver figure zipped in from the flank, flashing through the battle circle and whisking away Xiaoqian. Unsurprisingly, it was Yang Jian, acting decisively.

Yang Jian's acute perception of the battlefield was no less sharp than Li Mingzhu's. He clearly knew what needed to be done at that moment.

After escorting Xiaoqian to safety, Yang Jian leapt back into the fray, joining Li Mingzhu in fighting Minghe's avatar.

Seeing Xiaoqian rescued, Minghe was enraged. Abandoning Li Mingzhu, he launched a fierce assault on Yang Jian.

"Two young brats—today, this Laozu will teach you that no matter how strong a physical body is, it's still just brute force!"

Wielding dual swords, Minghe engaged Yang Jian in close combat, rendering Li Mingzhu unable to assist in any meaningful way.

Though it seemed like he could leap in to join Yang Jian in besieging Minghe, every time he tried, he found himself blocked by some strange power. How Minghe managed this was anyone's guess.

Slightly narrowing his eyes, Li Mingzhu activated his Spirit Communication Eye and discovered Minghe was burning his avatar to forcefully elevate its level to a cultivation near that of a Daluo Golden Immortal.

With merely Golden Immortal Cultivation, Minghe's capabilities in Daoist Skill and technique were limited. But at this realm, it was a different story.

Every slash of Minghe's swords seemed imbued with the truths of heaven and earth. While his physical body couldn't rival Yang Jian's, he suppressed Yang Jian to the point of being unable to catch a break.

Every movement carried an air of Daoist resonance. Such was the technique of a Quasi-Saint. Even though Minghe was still far from Quasi-Saint Cultivation, his mastery of the forces of heaven and earth surpassed anything Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian could do.

After all, physical strength had its limits, whereas the power of heaven and earth had none. With sufficient cultivation and mastery, it could be infinitely amplified.

Why were Saints so powerful?

Because they could leverage the Power of Heaven, harnessing the entire Primordial World's energies for their own use. Every strike was akin to splitting heaven and earth.

Using his Spiritual Eye to carefully observe, Li Mingzhu finally seized an opening to join the fray. With him in the fight, Minghe no longer maintained the upper hand.

Though Minghe had been suppressing Yang Jian earlier, Yang Jian's Five Revolutions Profound Skill made him extraordinarily durable, so Minghe had struggled to inflict significant harm. Now, with Li Mingzhu's participation, Minghe found himself at a disadvantage.

Despite his formidable Quasi-Saint techniques, the low cultivation level of his avatar inevitably became a hindrance.

Li Mingzhu exchanged a glance with Yang Jian, who instantly caught on. Forcing Minghe back with a powerful slash, Yang Jian roared, "Fierce Dragon Emerges from the Sea!"

Human and sword became one, forming a dragon-like silhouette that surged toward Minghe to devour him. Witnessing this, Li Mingzhu silently sighed in admiration. So Yang Jian had been holding back in their previous sparring match.

Just this move of Human and Sword Integration would require Li Mingzhu's mastery of all four styles of the Overbearing Spear to counter. Determining whose technique was superior would be hard to say.

"Mountain Opening, Sea Breaking, Sky Splitting, Mountain River Shattering!"

Li Mingzhu also unleashed his full power, combining all Four Styles of Dominance Spear. Every ounce of his fearsome might concentrated on the Fire-tipped Spear as a cascade of sparks erupted in full force!

Both their attacks erupted with unparalleled ferocity, each the culmination of their most powerful techniques. No matter how incredible Minghe's avatar was, blocking this onslaught was impossible.

As expected, under the combined assault of Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian, Minghe's avatar disintegrated into a pool of blood and dispersed.

"Li Mingzhu, if there's a chance, take that girl out of this world. I'll tell you the truth: her pure heart is most suited for my Daoist Skill. If she accepts me as her master, her future achievements would at least reach the stage of slaying two corpses to become a Quasi-Saint. If that happens, all our grudges would be settled, and I would even ally with your Jie Sect!"

After these words, a phantom form coalesced in mid-air before dissipating.

Li Mingzhu gazed thoughtfully at Minghe Laozu's vanishing shadow. A pure heart?

Could it be that Minghe Laozu hadn't intended to kill Xiaoqian but wanted to take her out of this Demon Clan world? Li Mingzhu recollected everything and realized it made sense.

Minghe Laozu had likely been planning to forcibly bring Xiaoqian out of this Demon Clan world.

"Brother Mingzhu, you're amazing! You won!"

The girl's face brightened with joy. She had always believed Li Mingzhu would triumph. She then scrutinized the silver-haired, three-eyed Yang Jian beside her but concluded he wasn't as handsome as Brother Mingzhu.

"Mm."

Li Mingzhu responded softly, exchanged a glance with Yang Jian, and turned to Xiaoqian. "Xiaoqian, stay here in Rabbit Village. This big brother and I have some matters to attend to."

Li Mingzhu had no intention of staying in Rabbit Village. Although they had eliminated Minghe's avatar, they had come to this mountain to investigate the Absolute Heaven Storm.

After exploring it, they would determine whether the Demon Treasure existed or not.

"Alright. But Brother Mingzhu, I want to leave too. When you leave this world, please take me with you!"

The girl spoke, nervously rubbing the corners of her clothes, afraid that Li Mingzhu might reject her.

"Alright!"

Li Mingzhu agreed, finding no reason to refuse.

For Xiaoqian, Li Mingzhu felt genuine affection, as if she were his own sister. It was similar to Yang Jian's love for Yang Chan—he couldn't bear to deny her.

Little did Li Mingzhu know that this simple agreement would give rise to the future Asura Celestial Maiden, a figure who would shake the Primordial World!