Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Guang Chengzi brandished his sword and approached Duobao Daoist. The Daoist raised his sword to meet the challenge head-on.

Seeing Guang Chengzi dare retaliate, Duobao sneered. With a sweep of his great sleeve, the Duobao Golden Tower appeared, colliding fiercely with the Sky Flipping Seal.

Duobao's power was inherently superior to Guang Chengzi's, even more so within the Slaying Immortal Formation. Raising his hand, he unleashed another blast of Thunder Skill toward Guang Chengzi.

Taking the hit from the Upper Pure Divine Thunder, Guang Chengzi's aura visibly weakened. Sensing his inability to linger, he fled the formation. This time, Duobao did not obstruct him further.

Though the Slaying Immortal Formation was orchestrated by the four of them, the ultimate conflict would depend on the Saint Masters.

Randeng said, "Let us return to deliberate further."

The immortals ascended the reed canopy seats. Suddenly, celestial music resounded in the air, accompanied by a faint, wondrous fragrance descending from above. The immortals disembarked the canopies to greet their master. There, Yuanshi Tianzun was seated on the Nine Dragon Incense Chariot, surrounded by ethereal mist and the delicate scent of incense.

Incense burners sent forth curling smoke and mist; feathered fans parted, inviting white cranes to ascend.

Randeng and the others prepared the fragrant path to guide the way, welcoming them back to the reed canopy. Yuanshi sat down, and his disciples performed their bows. Yuanshi said, "Today, in the Slaying Immortal Formation, we've seen where everyone stands."

Seated upright, Yuanshi's disciples attended him on either side. At the approach of midnight, an auspicious cloud emerged above Yuanshi's head, adorned with jeweled pendants and a cascade of ten thousand golden blossoms filling the sky, illuminating the distance.

Meanwhile, Duobao Daoist, stationed within the formation, observed the rise of the auspicious cloud, recognizing it as a sign of Yuanshi's arrival. Reflecting to himself, he thought, "This formation requires my master's presence if we are to prevail; without him, how could we possibly stand firm against Yuanshi?"

The next day, true to form, Tongtian Hierarch of Biyou Palace arrived. Celestial harmonies rang out vividly in the heavens, and waves of otherworldly fragrance followed. Accompanying him were numerous immortals from the Jie Sect, great and small alike.

"From Hong Jun emerged creation; the heavens and earth aligned. Atop the Divine Platform stood the beginning of law. A golden body tempered through endless tribulations; Biyou Palace nurtures brilliant talents."

Duobao Daoist noticed the celestial music resonating in midair, and realizing it was his master's arrival, exited the formation to kneel in welcome. Escorting his master into the formation, he reached the Eight Diagram Platform and took his seat. Below the platform, disciples stood in attendance. Among the first generation were Duobao Daoist, Jin Ling Saint Mother, Wudang Saint Mother, and Gui Ling Saint Mother. Additionally, the likes of Golden Light Immortal, Black Cloud Immortal, Virūpa Immortal, Lingya Immortal, Horned-Head Immortal, Golden Hoop Immortal, and Long-Ear Ding Guangxian were present as well.

Tongtian Hierarch, as the founding master of the Jie Sect, had cultivated the Five Qi Chaoyuan and Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, reaching a body unbroken by infinite tribulations.

At midnight, the Five Qi surged into the sky. Randeng discerned that the master of the Jie Sect had arrived. When dawn broke the next day, Randeng asked, "Master, will you break the Slaying Immortal Formation today?"

Yuanshi said, "Is this a place where one could long remain?" He instructed his disciples: "Arrange yourselves into ranks."

Soon, from within the Slaying Immortal Formation, the sound of the Golden Bell pounding rang out as flags unfurled. Sitting atop the Kui Ox was none other than Tongtian Hierarch, with his later-generation disciples standing on either side of him.

Tongtian Hierarch saluted Yuanshi Tianzun with a bow and said, "Greetings, elder brother!"

Yuanshi replied, "Dear younger brother, why have you devised such a vile formation? What reasoning lies behind this? Once, in your Biyou Palace, we jointly discussed the 'Investiture of the Gods,' agreeing at the time to establish three ranks: those with deep foundations would achieve the Immortal Path; those slightly shallower would attain the Divine Path; and those with thin foundations would be consigned to the Human Path, subject to the cycles of reincarnation. Such is the natural order decreed by heaven and earth. The decline of Cheng Tang and the rise of the Zhou dynasty are dictated by fate. Why do you oppose Jiang Shang and resist the will of heaven? Furthermore, when we devised the 'Investiture of the Gods,' we established 365 posts corresponding to stars in eight celestial divisions, as well as to those from the Three Mountains and Five Mountains within the allotted order. Why have you rebelled and broken trust, inviting this calamity upon yourself? Consider the formation's name; its very name proclaims malicious intent. Is 'Slaying Immortal' in line with our Taoist principles? Moreover, the swords of this formation bear the names 'Slay,' 'Stab,' 'Trap,' and 'Annihilate.' Such things are not tools befitting our Taoist ways. What justification do you have for causing such havoc?"

Tongtian Hierarch replied, "Brother, spare yourself the questions. Ask Guang Chengzi instead, and you will know what I truly think."

Yuanshi asked Guang Chengzi, "How should this matter be explained?" Guang Chengzi recounted the events of his three trips to Biyou Palace.

Tongtian Hierarch exclaimed, "Guang Chengzi, you once accused my disciples of having no regard for righteousness, of failing to discern right from wrong, of indiscriminately accepting feathered beings and beasts into my teachings, and of treating them as equals. Did not our master divide his teachings among three friends? If I stand alongside these feathered beings and beasts, does that not also place you and me as equals under the same tradition?"

Yuanshi said, "Dear younger brother, do not blame Guang Chengzi. Indeed, there is chaos among your disciples; they lack understanding and direction, indulging in brute force with no sense of order. You take in beings regardless of their nature, leading to disputes and suffering among all living things. Can your heart truly bear this?"

Tongtian Hierarch retorted, "From what you say, it seems only your disciples are in the right, and even their insults against me are justified? Do you not value the bond of shared lineage? Fine, I have set up this formation, so break it if you can, and let the outcome speak for itself."

Yuanshi replied, "If you ask me to break this formation, it shall not be difficult. I will personally confront it."

Tongtian Hierarch turned his Kui Ox around and re-entered the Slaughter Immortal Gate, his disciples following close behind. Let us wait and see how Yuanshi breaches this formation...

Yuanshi, seated on the Nine Dragon Incense Chariot, steadied himself atop the Flying Chair, advancing slowly toward the Eastern Zhen Gate, the entrance to the Slaying Immortal Gate. Hung above the gate was a treasure sword called the Slaying Immortal Sword.

Yuanshi tapped the chariot, commanding four divine attendants to lift it. At each corner of the chariot bloomed a golden lotus flower, radiating light. From the light emerged more flowers, filling the sky with tens of thousands of golden lotuses as Yuanshi sat amidst them, advancing directly into the gate of the Slaying Immortal Formation. Tongtian Hierarch released a clap of Palm Thunder, shaking the treasure sword with a mighty tremor. Such was its ferocity that, even upon Yuanshi, a single lotus petal drifted down from the dazzling lotuses above his head.

Inside the Slaying Immortal Gate was another level, called the Slaying Immortal Watchtower. Yuanshi progressed from the southern entrance to explore it thoroughly, passing through the western and northern Kan Lands before surveying its entirety.

Eventually, Yuanshi exited through the Eastern Gate. His disciples greeted him and escorted him back to the reed canopy. Randeng asked, "Master! What did you witness inside the formation?"

Yuanshi replied, "It is beyond comprehension."

Nanji Xianweng said, "Since you have entered the formation today, Master, why not break it now and allow Brother Jiang to head eastward more smoothly?"