Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Although these loose cultivators were already bound in the starry sky, Li Mingzhu had no immediate plans to deal with them, as Ming He had yet to be truly eliminated.

"Wait here. I'm going to meet Ming He!"

Now that he had complete mastery over the Celestial Star Battle Formation, Li Mingzhu was invincible in this realm. Whether he was near or not didn't matter much to the situation.

Encased in starlight, Li Mingzhu's figure flickered and vanished, reappearing atop the peaks flanking a secluded valley.

In the valley below, Ming He's primary battle avatar sat at the center, surrounded by his eighteen Blood God avatars, each endowed with the cultivation of a Golden Immortal.

If these avatars were unified, Ming He's battle avatar could break through to the peak of the Daluo Golden Immortal stage. Unfortunately, such an opportunity was destined never to come.

Sensing Li Mingzhu's arrival, Ming He opened his eyes, ceasing his efforts to merge the avatars.

After all, when faced with Li Mingzhu, who fully commanded this world, even ascending to the peak of the Daluo realm wouldn't make him an equal. Ming He was well aware of this truth.

"I didn't expect you to find me, let alone truly master the Celestial Star Battle Formation. That's an oversight on my part as the ancestor!"

Ming He rose into the air, meeting Li Mingzhu's gaze directly.

"How could the affairs of the world be mere coincidences? That I could take control of this realm was something fated from the start. Otherwise, why would the venerable Ming He Ancestor go to such trouble to send avatars to ambush me?"

Li Mingzhu chuckled lightly. If Ming He had anticipated Li Mingzhu's potential to wield the River Map and Luo Book and seize control of this realm, his tactic of leaving avatars outside to launch a surprise attack was understandable.

Previously, it was presumed that Ming He had targeted Li Mingzhu because he seemed the weakest, but such reasoning now appeared somewhat tenuous.

"Indeed so. However, this ancestor believes we can still negotiate. That Rabbit Clan girl has decent potential, though not enough to warrant my taking her as a disciple. However, her pure-hearted nature aligns perfectly with the cultivation techniques of my lineage. The choice now rests with you.

As I said before, my words stand. If you agree, this ancestor's Shura Sect in the Netherworld will become the Jie Sect's most unshakable ally. There will be no need for you to act. My coming here was never about trivial Innate Spiritual Treasures but rather the Hongmeng Purple Qi that Redcloud once obtained!"

Ming He laughed heartily and vanished, along with his eighteen Blood God avatars.

"Hongmeng Purple Qi, is it?"

Li Mingzhu murmured softly. If that was truly the reason, it clarified why Ming He would stoop to vying for fortunes with juniors like them.

Legends tell how, during the Daoist Ancestor's sermon at the Purple Cloud Palace, seven streams of Hongmeng Purple Qi were bestowed, establishing six Sagehoods.

The current six Saints were those entrusted with Hongmeng Purple Qi by the Daoist Ancestor, each achieving Sagehood through luck and opportunity. Redcloud, though possessing the Purple Qi, lacked a Saint Position and was naturally plotted against.

At the time, Emperor Jun, Donghuang, and Kunpeng from the Demon Clan jointly struck down Redcloud. Whether Zhen Yuanzi arrived in time to save a sliver of his friend's True Spirit remains unknown.

Ming He, too, sought to intervene but was driven back by the Demon Clan's elites. In the end, the Hongmeng Purple Qi vanished without a trace.

Nonetheless, Ming He firmly believed that the Purple Qi had fallen into Demon Clan hands. Thus, anything connected to the Demon Clan drew his avid attention, including phenomena like the emergence of the Demon Clan's world.

Yet, over the years, Ming He had found no trace of the Hongmeng Purple Qi, and his hope had dwindled.

But the regret lingered. Like Zhen Yuanzi, Ming He was just one step away from Sagehood.

This single step had trapped him for tens of thousands of years, driving him to relentless extremes in his search for the Purple Qi.

Since Ming He had chosen to disperse on his own, it saved Li Mingzhu the trouble of acting. Li Mingzhu was unbothered, though Ming He's parting words weighed on him once more.

Given Ming He's status, lies were beneath him. This indicated that Xiao Qian was indeed highly suited to inherit Ming He's legacy. More importantly, Ming He's offered terms were extremely enticing.

Yet, to trade Xiao Qian in exchange for an alliance with the Shura Sect was something Li Mingzhu couldn't bring himself to do. In the end, he resolved to let Xiao Qian decide for herself.

If she was willing to become Ming He's disciple, Li Mingzhu would not stand in her way. But if she refused, even at the cost of offending Ming He, Li Mingzhu would not be cowed.

Returning to the expanse of the starry sky, Li Mingzhu dragged all the loose cultivators before him. Enshrouded in flowing starlight, he resembled a monarch walking among the stars, his domineering aura striking fear into their hearts.

These cultivators understood that the dominion over this realm had already been seized. Their fates now rested solely on the whims of this imperial figure, who could grant life or death with a single thought.

Who could have imagined such a situation?

Though their status in the Primordial World was unimpressive, as long as no Saints intervened, they were territorial overlords. Yet now, their very lives were held in the hands of another.

"Step forward, those guilty of slaughtering cities!"

Li Mingzhu's cold snort reverberated, his aura infused with the weight of the world's power, making all present tremble.

None dared to disobey his command. Those who had previously committed mass killings in this world stepped forward, one after another.

When seen collectively, the number was astonishing—more than thirty loose cultivators had engaged in such atrocities.

In this realm, they had been virtually invincible, unburdened by concerns of karma or heavenly tribulations, and thus killed without restraint.

"Kill!"

Without wasting words, Li Mingzhu acted. He loathed such acts of city slaughter and, as the new master of this world, had zero tolerance for these individuals.

At his command, endless starlight descended, instantly obliterating the thirty loose cultivators. Though most were Daluo Golden Immortals, they melted away in mere moments.

The Celestial Star Battle Formation, known primarily for its defensive capabilities, was equally deadly when wielded offensively.

"Mercy, esteemed one!"

"Spare us, great lord! We did not slaughter any cities!"

......

Those who remained, witnessing Li Mingzhu's earlier ruthless methods, fell to their knees, begging for their lives. At that moment, pride, dignity, and morals became meaningless.

"Submit or die!"

Li Mingzhu's aura surged, domineering and unparalleled across the Three Realms. Supremacy belongs to me!

Some tried to resist, but all such defiance was swept away with the flick of Li Mingzhu's sleeve. What he required was a force of laborers, utterly obedient and loyal, to refine the Star Flags for him.

Only by first crushing their spirits could the Treasure Division Rock later indoctrinate them with ease.