Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Qianye Wuheng's cultivation technique in the Primordial World was akin to forging a new path of his own, so defiant of the heavens that naturally, it was not tolerated by the Heavenly Dao.

Ever since he created this technique and stepped from Primordial Spirit Perfection into the realm of the Profound Immortal, every breakthrough was accompanied by a thunder tribulation, but he had grown accustomed to this.

After all, these were tribulations aimed at the peak Quasi-Saint stage. How could they challenge his three Quasi-Saint peak-stage avatars? With a mere wave of his hand, he annihilated the thunderbolts.

Qianye Wuheng, already at the peak of the Quasi-Saint stage, could now undoubtedly assume the title of Grandmaster. If he could attain sainthood without relying on Hongmeng Purple Qi, then he would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Daoist Ancestors.

Meanwhile, Bixiao stood by slack-jawed, dazed by the sight, and the pride she held onto was crushed entirely. How could she boast she would surely become a Quasi-Saint herself?

But here, the man before her had just effortlessly broken through not one but three realms consecutively!

No wonder he had dared to declare, "Retrieve your Spiritual Treasure when you become a Quasi-Saint!"

.....

Leaving aside Bixiao and Qianye Wuheng, Li Mingzhu was traveling swiftly alongside Feng Qian and Feng Xi. It took them a full ten days to journey from the North Sea to Nanli Volcano.

It was no surprise that the creatures of the Primordial World could not locate Nanli Volcano, as it lay not only at the southernmost end but also beneath the ocean itself.

Despite being under the sea, it was no different from the surface of the Primordial World. A powerful barrier of Spiritual Energy separated it from the seawater, whether due to the handiwork of the Phoenix Clan or a natural occurrence in the area.

As Feng Xi mentioned, the volatile Fire Attribute Spiritual Energy of Nanli Volcano surged. Upon Li Mingzhu's arrival, he immediately felt an intense heat that was swiftly absorbed by the Qiankun Ring.

Seeing this, Feng Xi's eyes lit up with joy, for Li Mingzhu's casual showcase of prowess was enough to prove that his reputation was well-deserved.

Li Mingzhu paid little mind to this and instead observed the scenery of Nanli Volcano. Volcanos clustered together, and atop each volcano resided members of the Phoenix Clan.

Judging by the situation alone, the Phoenix Clan's strength appeared to be the best preserved among the ancient tribes, surpassing even the Dragon Clan.

Of course, this presumes the Parasol Divine Wood could continue to thrive. Otherwise, its loss would still profoundly impact the Phoenix Clan.

Why do phoenixes settle only in parasol trees?

The reason is significant. Though the parasol wood may not rank as one of the Primordial World's top spiritual roots, it holds immense importance to the Phoenix Clan.

It is said that phoenixes possess the ability to rebirth in flames, but this fiery Nirvana requires the parasol wood to fully awaken their phoenix bloodline. Without the parasol wood, the Phoenix Clan's strength would diminish drastically.

If deprived of the parasol wood, the signature Divine Skills of the Phoenix Clan would lose their effectiveness, and if the younger generations could not fully awaken their bloodlines, the weakening of their overall power would be undeniable.

This explains why the Phoenix Clan is so desperate when it comes to the parasol wood. Otherwise, they wouldn't resort to seeking help from Li Mingzhu.

Feng Xi led Li Mingzhu through the volcanic landscape of Nanli Volcano, while Feng Qian, upon returning to Nanli Volcano, disappeared to some unknown whereabouts. Li Mingzhu had already surmised that this girl was anything but ordinary.

Moreover, with Li Mingzhu's Spirit Communication Eye, her attempts at transformation were laughably transparent. Clearly a vibrant maiden in her late teens, yet she insisted on disguising herself as a matronly figure—it was downright jarring to look at.

"Fellow Daoist Li, this way please. Up ahead lies Qianji Palace, our Phoenix Clan's location for hosting esteemed guests. I beg your pardon, as the matter concerning the Parasol Divine Wood is of great importance, the Phoenix Clan did not invite only you. If there is any unintentional neglect later, I hope Fellow Daoist will not take offense!"

Feng Xi was quick to explain upfront, as Li Mingzhu's notorious disruptive reputation was well-known to her. It was better to address everything candidly from the start.

"No problem. Since Fellow Daoist has already stated so, why would a humble Daoist find reason to blame anyone? As always, if I can help, I will give it my all. If not, I shall simply consider myself a guest of the Phoenix Clan."

Li Mingzhu chuckled, though he had already deduced the root problem with the Parasol Divine Wood upon his arrival at Nanli Volcano.

He also had a solution, yet revealing it so quickly wasn't wise. Not only might Feng Xi doubt his words, but it would also trivialize the endeavor.

After all, the Phoenix Clan was once, alongside the Dragon Clan, one of the rulers of the Primordial World. Surely, they possessed many treasures. Not taking full advantage would be a disservice to himself!

"Fellow Daoist, your great generosity deserves gratitude. Please, come in!"

Feng Xi guided Li Mingzhu into Qianji Palace, introducing him to the renowned practitioners who had arrived earlier, all experts in Fire Daoist Skills from the Primordial World.

"Fellow Daoists, this is Fellow Daoist Li Mingzhu, the top disciple of Wudang Saint Mother of the Jie Sect. He specializes in Taiyang Fire, so please take a moment to acquaint yourselves."

Feng Xi accompanied Li Mingzhu to greet these practitioners one by one, introducing their names and areas of expertise.

To Li Mingzhu's surprise, he encountered an unexpected acquaintance among them—the Flame Immortal Luo Xuan.

"Uncle Luo Xuan?"

Li Mingzhu called out to a red-robed man in the group. He hadn't thought he'd bump into him at Nanli Volcano after all this time.

"So it's Nephew Mingzhu. Were you also invited by the Phoenix Clan?"

Hearing Li Mingzhu's voice, Luo Xuan immediately reacted, abandoning his conversation with another practitioner to approach Li Mingzhu.

The favor Li Mingzhu had extended to rescue him was still vivid in Luo Xuan's memory.

"Where is the Princess now?"

Li Mingzhu asked curiously—it stood to reason that Long Ji Princess should still be by Luo Xuan's side.

"Don't bring it up. Come, let me introduce you to some Fellow Daoists."

Luo Xuan hesitated to elaborate, ultimately opting to change the subject. Li Mingzhu, understanding the cue, didn't pursue the matter further.

"Since Fellow Daoist Luo is leading the introductions, then I shall take my leave!"

Feng Xi tactfully departed, as Luo Xuan being a fellow member of the Jie Sect gave her confidence that Li Mingzhu wouldn't stir trouble.

"Excellent!"

Li Mingzhu and Luo Xuan exchanged polite acknowledgment and proceeded inside together.

The Qianji Palace had two distinct layers. The inner layer housed the Quasi-Saint masters—though few in number, they maintained their elite circle. Practitioners like Luo Xuan had no chance of mingling there.

As unfair as this treatment seemed, the Primordial World was a realm where all was determined by strength.

"This Fellow Daoist is Qing Yan of Jiulong Mountain, adept at Yimu Spirit Fire, with cultivation at the Daluo Golden Immortal level—a dear friend of mine!"

Luo Xuan naturally introduced Li Mingzhu to those within his circle, although Luo Xuan's friends viewed Li Mingzhu as young and inexperienced. Despite his reputation for wielding Taiyang Fire, they suspected he was merely riding on a false name. Yet, out of respect for his Jie Sect affiliation, they all greeted him in turn.

Li Mingzhu was indifferent to such formalities, but since Luo Xuan was making the introductions, he didn't refuse either.

In truth, if not for encountering Luo Xuan, Li Mingzhu would have preferred to remain an onlooker. In his view, although the Phoenix Clan's guests had decent abilities, very few were truly useful!