Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

"Father, Mother, your child plans to take a trip to the East Sea."

Li Mingzhu descended from the clouds and respectfully bowed to Li Jing and Madam Yin.

"My son, go if you must. That Aoguang dared to humiliate our Li Family—we will not let him get away with it!"

Li Jing wanted to say more but was interrupted by Madam Yin's fierce glare and commanding demeanor.

"Stay safe."

Li Jing sighed helplessly, offering only this advice in the end.

"Brother Mingzhu, let's go!"

"I'm coming too!"

Yang Chan and little Zhu Xiong chimed in excitedly, eager to finally reclaim their dignity.

"No, it's not 'we'—it's just me. You'll stay here to protect Mother and Father!" Li Mingzhu said. "As for you, little troublemaker, just stay home and drink your wine! Haha." He laughed, teasing Zhu Xiong while still refusing to bring him along.

"Alright then! Be careful out there." Yang Chan reluctantly agreed, knowing Li Mingzhu's reasoning made sense. If the Dragon Kings decided to launch another ambush, Li Jing and Madam Yin would have no way to fend them off.

"Bring me back some Immortal Wine!" Zhu Xiong added eagerly, his obsession with wine showing once more.

"Very well, I'm off then."

Li Mingzhu leapt away, his heart heavy with unspoken thoughts but his resolve brimming with killing intent.

He summoned his full strength and utilized the "World Within Reach" technique to rush toward the Dragon Palace of the East Sea. Just as the palace came into view, a jade scroll descended from the heavens, landing directly in his hand.

Li Mingzhu took the jade scroll, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and though somewhat disheartened, it seemed as if a burden had been lifted from his mind.

Facing the direction of Chaos, he reverently said, "I obey the decree of my Forefather Tongtian."

As it turned out, the jade scroll was none other than Tongtian's decree. After receiving it, Li Mingzhu stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye, he stood before the gate of the Crystal Palace.

Clutching the Qiankun Ring tightly, he wasted no words. He swung the Qiankun Ring, transforming it into a streaking meteor that smashed into the palace gate.

A deafening roar echoed, and the palace gate collapsed in response.

Li Mingzhu, like a Demon God, charged onward despite the relentless opposition of armored soldiers. But every foe was shredded by the explosive power of his Hun Tian Ling.

If pure Daoist cultivation were all he relied upon, Li Mingzhu would not have achieved such dominance. However, with his flesh having broken through to the fifth refinement of Profound Skill, his body naturally wielded a Divine Domain that repelled all who dared approach.

He rampaged unhindered, reaching the depths of the Crystal Palace within moments. Beneath its magnificent splendor, countless aquatic armored soldiers quivered in fear.

"Halt!"

As Li Mingzhu closed in on the palace's core, a flash of pale yellow appeared—a young girl armed with a sharp blade suddenly emerged before him.

"You came after all!" Li Mingzhu sighed softly, his tone filled with reluctant regret.

"Indeed, I've arrived. Ao Yu at your service, disciple of the Yuqing Realm's Yu Ding. Greetings, Senior Brother Mingzhu." The girl, her countenance resolute, gave a ceremonial bow to Li Mingzhu.

"Li Mingzhu of the Jie Sect greets Junior Sister Ao Yu," Li Mingzhu returned the gesture with some surprise.

Though he had long suspected her identity, he hadn't anticipated her to be a Chan Sect disciple, let alone Yu Ding's student.

Considering things now, Aoguang's audacity might have stemmed from this connection.

"Fellow Daoist, there is no need for words. You have your convictions, and I have my duty!" Ao Yu declared coldly, drawing the Immortal Slaying Sword.

"Very well!"

Li Mingzhu agreed. By convention, this should have led to a straightforward duel. However, Li Mingzhu unexpectedly unleashed a flash of seven-colored radiance from the Treasure Lotus Lamp!

Sealing Light!

The Treasure Lotus Lamp, an extraordinary Innate Spiritual Treasure with powers of defense, sealing, and attack, overwhelmed Ao Yu despite her possession of the Immortal Slaying Sword and her cultivation at the Taiyi Profound Immortal level. Caught off guard, she was instantly ensnared.

Li Mingzhu reached out with one hand, and the sealed Ao Yu was drawn into the Treasure Lotus Lamp. Though she remained aware of the outside world, she was powerless to escape.

Li Mingzhu felt conflicted but saw no alternative. What could he do?

Killing Ao Yu? He couldn't bring himself to do it. Yet abandoning his revenge against the Dragon Clan because of her was equally unthinkable. This was the only option.

Both the person and the sword were now his. The Immortal Slaying Sword was a treasured rarity among top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasures, a supreme weapon for sword-based slaughter.

As for Ao Yu herself, Li Mingzhu had no intention of releasing her. If he did, it would only complicate things further.

The events unfolding in the Primordial World attracted widespread attention from various observers. Not least among them was Yu Ding, one of Chan Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals. Watching Li Mingzhu seal Ao Yu and flaunt the Immortal Slaying Sword was infuriating.

Would Li Mingzhu return the Immortal Slaying Sword? Naturally not. Others might fear karmic retribution, but he did not. If Yu Ding wanted it back, he would have to come and seize it himself.

Within the Shangqing Realm, Tongtian laughed heartily—this was exactly how things should be! Meanwhile, in the Yuqing Realm, Primordial Saint Yuan Shi wore a grim expression, while other divine powers of the Primordial World had mixed reactions.

"Li Mingzhu, you've gone too far!"

Aoguang and the other two Dragon Kings roared in rage, transforming into their true dragon forms to forcibly expel Li Mingzhu from the Crystal Palace. They could not allow him to continue wreaking havoc.

Having been sent flying by the dragons, Li Mingzhu was unfazed. He smirked and calmly said, "Too far? Didn't I say the same thing back at Chentang Pass? And what did you do then?"

"Do you think we're afraid of you?" Aoguang bellowed, charging forward, with two elder dragons—one black, one red—close behind.

"Overestimating yourselves!"

Li Mingzhu sneered. The jade scroll he had kept hidden suddenly flew out from his sleeve, releasing an endless surge of brilliant blue light, sharp as blades!

Though the Saint's decree held moderate power, its majestic aura alone was enough to shake the hearts of mortals and immortals alike.

Even if Aoguang and the others could physically resist it, they dared not challenge its authority.

After repelling the three dragons, Li Mingzhu tossed the sealed Ao Shun into the air; despite being mid-flight, the dragons didn't dare attempt rescue.

The residual divine majesty of the decree had indeed cowed them. They had hoped to unleash their clan's ancient ancestors against Li Mingzhu, but now they hesitated, forced to reconsider their options.

The three elder dragons were deeply conflicted. Never had their clan been so humiliated, their home stormed so brazenly with no recourse for retaliation.

"Li Mingzhu, what is your aim?"

Aoguang, now in his middle-aged Dragon King form, glared at Li Mingzhu.

"To seal the flesh of the Four Seas Dragon Kings for ten thousand years and reduce their cultivation to the True Immortal level. Will you defy the Saint's decree? Rest assured, it'll be your turn next!"

"You dare!" Aoguang shouted, attempting to intervene. But Li Mingzhu had already struck.

The Saint's majestic aura from the jade scroll combined with the seven-colored radiance of the Treasure Lotus Lamp, descending instantly. In mere moments, Ao Shun's cultivation as a Daluo Golden Immortal was obliterated, reducing him to a mere True Immortal, with his flesh sealed away.

Tongtian's decree merely urged Li Mingzhu to take measured action—at most to pillage the Dragon Clan's treasures. Li Mingzhu instead acted ruthlessly, skirting the boundaries without overstepping them, forcing Tongtian to comply.

After all, with Li Mingzhu's cultivation and Daoist prowess, even with the Treasure Lotus Lamp, sealing a Daluo Golden Immortal Dragon King would have been impossible without external aid.

Having sealed Ao Shun, Li Mingzhu advanced, sword in hand. Aoguang and his companions tried to flee but were firmly suppressed by the decree's majestic aura.

One by one, they were sealed. Mere moments ago, the Four Seas Dragon Kings had been mighty Daluo Golden Immortals; now, they were reduced to mere True Immortals—a swift and ironic turn of fate.

Inside the Treasure Lotus Lamp, Ao Yu watched as Li Mingzhu sealed her father and uncles one by one. Strangely, she felt little sorrow. Perhaps in her heart, she believed they deserved such punishment.

Though confined within the Treasure Lotus Lamp, Ao Yu harbored little resentment toward Li Mingzhu. Her anger was more directed at the fact that he had ambushed her—did he truly think she was no match for him?

The one unresolved anguish lay in the death of Ao Bing. Though she knew Ao Bing deserved his fate, Ao Yu still struggled with how to confront this sorrow. Perhaps only time could soothe this wound.

Li Mingzhu, of course, had no idea of Ao Yu's inner thoughts. What he knew was that he could not face her either, but letting her go was out of the question.

Perhaps it was the lingering sentiment from a previous life; perhaps genuine emotion had blossomed. Regardless, there was no way he would release her.

Li Mingzhu's decisive actions earned him brief notoriety in the Primordial World. Yet as his achievements relied on external aid, his fame soon dwindled into obscurity.

Out of consideration for Ao Yu—or perhaps wary of the Dragon Clan's hidden masters—Li Mingzhu refrained from excessive plundering.

After sealing Aoguang and the rest, Li Mingzhu departed from the East Sea, though he did not hurry back to Chentang Pass.