Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian vanished simultaneously, rushing toward the summit of Army Mountain at full speed.

The Demon Clan's world contained ten great forbidden lands. The East Abyss and Beiming each had three: Absolute Heaven Storm, Qiankun Lake, Nine Sword Mountain, Eight Desolate Cliff, Five Elements Pit, and Phoenix Tree. The Southern Ridge and West Desert, on the other hand, had four: Cloud Dream Marsh, Bihan Pond, Fiery Flame Desert, and Crescent Lake!

Although all were deadly forbidden lands, there were still degrees of danger among them. The Absolute Heaven Storm that Li Mingzhu and the others were heading toward ranked in the top three. It was said that no one who entered had ever come out alive.

Those of the East Abyss spoke of it with great fear, which explained why the old Clan Leader of the Rabbit Clan and Xiao Qian were so shocked that Li Mingzhu had returned alive.

Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian pushed their speed to the limit. One was surrounded entirely by red light, radiating a domineering aura that was partially restrained but still faintly exuding power.

The other radiated silver and blue, his fighting spirit unparalleled!

Their presence was so unrestrained and their aura so overwhelming and ferocious that even though there were many Great Demons in Army Mountain, none dared to make a sound.

Especially when they saw these two seemingly courting death by heading toward Absolute Heaven Storm, they dared not provoke them. To step into Absolute Heaven Storm was equivalent to a death sentence, and only madmen would dare attempt it.

Just thinking about the group that had ventured into Absolute Heaven Storm not long ago—who had yet to emerge—made these Great Demons tremble with fear.

That group had been strong, not necessarily weaker than the two before them. And yet, what was their fate?

Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian, of course, had no idea that others had entered Absolute Heaven Storm before them. But even if they did know, given their personalities, they wouldn't care in the slightest.

Compared to the other forbidden lands, Absolute Heaven Storm had no tangible form. It was like a shapeless and drifting haze of wind, hence its name, though it never left the summit of Army Mountain.

At the same time, it always left an entrance open. When Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian arrived at the entrance, they stepped in together.

Though the storm appeared like a drifting wind from the outside, entering it felt like stepping into a cavern, an abyss of pitch-black darkness.

"Be careful!"

Li Mingzhu shouted softly. The Qiankun Ring transformed into a streak of rainbow light, blocking an incoming wind blade. Although the wind blade wasn't particularly strong, it was about equivalent to a normal strike from a Daluo Golden Immortal.

At that moment, Li Mingzhu understood how he'd sustained his previous injuries. A single wind blade might be negligible against his physical body, but how about hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands? Combined with the fact that he had lost consciousness back then, it was a miracle he'd survived at all.

After a single wind blade, an endless barrage of them swept toward them. Though powerful, neither Yang Jian nor Li Mingzhu were ordinary people.

Both revealed their Dharma Manifestations. Wielding the Fire-tipped Spear and the Three-pointed Two-edged Blade respectively, they shattered the wind blades one after another.

Fighting alongside Yang Jian was undeniably comfortable. He always seemed to be perfectly synchronized with Li Mingzhu, with impeccable cooperation.

However, once they left the Demon Clan's world, they would ultimately find themselves on opposing sides, destined to clash with blades. It was undeniably regrettable.

Leaving the cavern, Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian found themselves staring at a ground littered with skeletal remains, along with traces of fresh blood.

"Someone was here recently, and there's great danger ahead!"

Yang Jian's third eye opened slightly. After observing for a moment, he spoke thoughtfully.

Li Mingzhu didn't respond but rolled his eyes. Wasn't it obvious? Did he really need to say that?

Nonetheless, neither of them hesitated to move forward. They stepped out of the cavern, entering the wide and empty plaza ahead.

As soon as they entered, a wave of overwhelming drowsiness engulfed Li Mingzhu. At the same time, countless illusions began to coalesce.

"Dispel!"

Li Mingzhu didn't even need to resist personally. His Spirit Communication Eye, specialized in breaking through falsehoods, activated. No matter how intricate the illusions were, they dissolved into nothingness under its gaze!

Yang Jian, too, was not far behind. His third Heavenly Eye could not only pierce the Nine Heavens and delve into the Underworld but also dispel illusions with ease!

The two charged through the illusions simultaneously, progressing toward what seemed to be a transparent barrier. Both stopped upon reaching it, clearly perceiving through their Dharma Eyes what lay ahead.

Before them was a vast palace complex, with heaps of Star Essence stacked like mountains and various Spiritual Objects scattered about. Most of the objects, however, had lost their potency due to the passage of time.

In the center of the palaces, one building stood out to Li Mingzhu and Yang Jian. Although it concealed its Treasure Light deeply, the two could sense its immense power.

At the very least, it was an Upper-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—that was the consensus of both.

Without exchanging a word, the two simultaneously used the 72 Transformations technique—one transforming into a bee, the other into a moth—and silently slipped through the barrier toward the central palace.

Their seamless synchronization left Li Mingzhu at a loss for words.

To think, they hadn't communicated at all beforehand! Li Mingzhu believed that if their cultivation advanced further and they honed their teamwork more, they might even be able to take on a Quasi-Saint.

"I only want the Star Essence; the treasure is yours!"

Flying through the air, Li Mingzhu transmitted his voice to Yang Jian.

Though it pained him to give up what was very likely an Upper- or even Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, he prioritized recreating the Celestial Star Battle Formation over personal gain. He understood the stakes.

"You're planning to refine the Star Flags to recreate the Celestial Star Battle Formation?"

Yang Jian, sharp as ever, immediately pieced it together. Li Mingzhu's mention of Star Essence, combined with his expertise in arrays and possession of the River Map and Luo Book, made Li Mingzhu's intentions clear.

"Exactly!"

Li Mingzhu didn't bother to hide it. After all, it wasn't difficult to deduce, so there was no point in concealment.

Yang Jian began weighing the pros and cons. While Star Essence was excellent for artifact refining, it wasn't particularly useful to him.

Still, relinquishing the Star Essence to Li Mingzhu left him uneasy. If Li Mingzhu succeeded in refining 365 Star Flags and reconstructing the Celestial Star Battle Formation, it would significantly bolster the strength of the Jie Sect.

As a member of the Chan Sect, Yang Jian naturally had to consider the implications from his sect's perspective.

"Are you even a man? Be decisive! Nod if you agree, shake your head if you don't. I'm already giving you a Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—what more do you want?"

Frustrated by Yang Jian's hesitation, Li Mingzhu couldn't help but provoke him.

"Fine!"

In the end, practicality won out. A Spiritual Treasure was more immediately useful to Yang Jian. Furthermore, even with the Star Essence, refining 365 Star Flags was no simple task.

Having come to an agreement, the two ignored the chaos among the loose cultivators outside. Quietly and stealthily, they slipped into the most central palace.

The name of the palace: Jue Tian. Unsurprisingly, this must be the very heart of the Absolute Heaven Storm.