Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Since Li Mingzhu had already decided to vie for Gouchen's Position, how could he possibly not come fully prepared?

Not to mention Minghe, who had long become his staunch ally; with even a single decree from Tongtian, it would be enough to weigh down Hao Tian so heavily that he wouldn't be able to lift his head.

These two contingencies alone were sufficient to ensure that Li Mingzhu had no reason for concern. Inviting Kong Xuan was merely an additional measure of caution, and also a safeguard against Hao Tian acting recklessly in desperation!

After all, Hao Tian's cultivation was ultimately comparable to powerhouses like Zhen Yuanzi and Kunpeng, who stood just below the Saints. If he truly went all out, no one on Li Mingzhu's side would be able to stop him.

In the Lingxiao Palace, Hao Tian's face was ashen. The earlier conversation between Li Mingzhu and Kong Xuan had not been concealed in the slightest, and naturally, it had been captured by the Haotian Mirror.

Such audacity!

Although he had already known that Li Mingzhu sought to attain Gouchen's Position, he never expected Li Mingzhu to state it so blatantly and even invite Kong Xuan to coerce the Heavenly Court together with him.

If he were to succeed, where would the dignity of the Heavenly Court remain?

"If you can truly break through the Nine Layers of Blockade, what harm is there in granting you Gouchen's Position?"

Hao Tian suddenly laughed, though more out of bitterness than malice, as something crossed his mind.

To lay out nine checkpoints to intercept Li Mingzhu, ensuring his eradication before he could even leave the North Sea.

This was Hao Tian's strategy. Even if it meant antagonizing the Saints, he was willing to take the risk. He refused to believe the Saints would dare strike down the Daoist Ancestor's favored attendant.

This time, to kill Li Mingzhu, Hao Tian had deployed all his resources. Nine layers of checkpoints, each more formidable than the last. The final layer—capable of barring even a Quasi-Saint who had severed two corpses—might very well become impassable.

Though his heart ached, Hao Tian was brimming with confidence in these Nine Layers. After all, these formations had once guarded the Thirty-Three Heavens, specifically the Nine Heavens—representing the core strength of the Heavenly Court itself!

"Li Mingzhu, blame only yourself for daring to step out of the North Sea. Let me see this time who will come to save you!"

From the Lingxiao Palace, Hao Tian observed every move of Li Mingzhu through the Haotian Mirror. Li Mingzhu was inching ever closer to the first checkpoint.

The Nine-layered Heaven Pass, the first checkpoint: the Golden Armored Celestials!

Above the surface of the sea, as Li Mingzhu and Luo Xuan entered the checkpoint's domain, the weather abruptly changed—winds raged, waves surged to the heavens!

What had moments earlier been a clear sky suddenly transformed into a stormy tumult. Luo Xuan looked to Li Mingzhu, gesturing as if to ask whether he knew what was happening.

Li Mingzhu shook his head, signaling his own ignorance. He raised his hand to shield against the tempest, and both halted their steps.

As the ripples settled, twelve Golden Armored Celestials emerged amidst the seething waves.

"What is this?"

Li Mingzhu was perplexed. Each Golden Armored Celestial exuded immense power, equivalent to that of a Daluo Perfected Immortal. Yet, they showed no signs of life, clearly constructs of an array or puppet technique.

"Golden Armored Celestials!"

"They belong to the Demon Clan—the Golden Armored Celestials, now commanded by Hao Tian!"

Luo Xuan, well-versed in mythological matters, immediately identified the origins of the Golden Armored Celestials.

"Hao Tian? You again!"

Li Mingzhu sneered coldly, hurling the Fire-tipped Spear forward in a flash, targeting one Golden Armored Celestial directly.

"No!"

Luo Xuan shouted, trying to halt Li Mingzhu's impulsive attack, but it was too late.

The Fire-tipped Spear, imbued with Li Mingzhu's domineering intent and flickering starlight, obliterated the body of one Golden Armored Celestial with a single strike.

"Pathetically useless!"

Li Mingzhu laughed scornfully. These were the forces sent to assassinate him?

Luo Xuan, however, could only shake his head with a bitter smile. The Golden Armored Celestials were anything but simple—their legend as one of the Demon Clan's ultimate weapons still stood unchallenged.

The shards of the shattered Golden Armored Celestial scattered, but soon, as if enacting the Spell of "Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers," the fragments reassembled into new Golden Armored Celestials. Their auras were only imperceptibly weaker but multiplied exponentially in number!

Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers!

This spell could manifest armies, great or small, depending on the caster's cultivation. Remarkably, the Golden Armored Celestials possessed this spell innately, elevating it to an extraordinary realm.

Li Mingzhu gasped in relief and unease. If each of these Celestials operated like this, how could they possibly proceed?

Luo Xuan grimaced bitterly. In the hands of the Demon Clan, these Golden Armored Celestials trapped and annihilated even Quasi-Saint-level Great Witches.

In the Lingxiao Palace, Hao Tian laughed delightedly as he watched Li Mingzhu's ill-fated arrogance and the swelling ranks of Golden Armored Celestials.

If nothing unexpected transpired, just this one checkpoint of Golden Armored Celestials should suffice to claim Li Mingzhu's life.

Li Mingzhu, still strategizing for a way forward, found himself abruptly overwhelmed as the eleven remaining original Golden Armored Celestials, along with hundreds—if not thousands—of newly spawned ones, charged ferociously at him.

Though their assault was mindless, their overwhelming numbers and extraordinary cultivation rendered resistance nearly futile!

As Li Mingzhu was engulfed in the sea of Golden Armored Celestials, Hao Tian felt a rare sense of joy. Although he couldn't immediately confirm Li Mingzhu's fate, death seemed almost certain.

Faced with such an onslaught of Celestials, each rivaling Daluo Perfected Immortals, Hao Tian could scarcely imagine how Li Mingzhu might survive. In this scenario, what hope could there be for someone like Li Mingzhu, merely a Golden Immortal? Even a Quasi-Saint would face inevitable death here.

And yet, once again, Hao Tian was left disappointed. Black and white radiances burst forth, parting the Golden Armored Celestials like a tide; within the shimmering barrier, Li Mingzhu and Luo Xuan stood unharmed!

"What is that?"

Hao Tian was startled. To withstand such a ferocious assault, it would have to be an ultimate Innate defensive Spiritual Treasure, at the very least.

In truth, it was not purely a defensive Innate Spiritual Treasure—it was the River Map and Luo Book, also a supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, though not designed solely for defense.

Despite their immense power, the Golden Armored Celestials, being fundamentally constructs of array and puppet techniques, were uniquely vulnerable to the River Map and Luo Book.

At the same time, Li Mingzhu recalled precisely what these Celestials were. He had read about them in a manual gifted by Fu Xi. Back in the era of the Ancient Demon Clan, the Golden Armored Celestials had been inventions of Fu Xi himself.

Since they were Fu Xi's creations, naturally there existed a method to dismantle them—the key was embedded within the River Map and Luo Book.

Using the River Map and Luo Book to generate the shield that protected both himself and Luo Xuan, Li Mingzhu simultaneously formed hand seals and chanted an incantation.

"In the four cardinal directions of heaven and earth, above lies the vault of the cosmos, below the weave of time. Eight Diagrams and Yin-Yang—scatter!"

Li Mingzhu, like a god decreeing divine law, spoke softly. The once formidable Golden Armored Celestials disintegrated into nothingness.

Constructs of array, magic, and puppet techniques, as dreadful as they were, had no resistance against Li Mingzhu's spell.

"Damn it!"

In the Lingxiao Palace, Hao Tian's face darkened further. But recalling the challenges yet to come, he suppressed his fury for now.