Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

"Uncle Ying Long?"

Ao Yu wiped away her tears and cried out in delight as she looked toward the stone statue.

Li Mingzhu also turned her gaze to the stone statue. Stone fragments began to fall from it as though a rainstorm.

"Does it matter whether it's worth it or not? Didn't predecessors make the same choice back then?"

On the other side, the female demon saw the stone pieces starting to fall. She finally ceased her attacks on Li Mingzhu, her eyes filled with confusion, while Li Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief and replied to Ying Long.

"Indeed, wasn't I the same?"

Ying Long sighed in response, and the pace at which the stone crumbled quickened. Eventually, all the stones vanished completely.

"Roar!"

A dragon's roar burst forth like thunder in the burial chamber, sweeping away millennia of pent-up grievances.

Once the stone had completely fallen away, Ying Long ascended into the air. His wings flapped incessantly, yet not a single breeze was stirred. The burial chamber's door, however, immediately slammed shut upon Ying Long's awakening.

"Who are you?" His lantern-like eyes locked onto Ao Yu, his tone probing, as he felt the dense connection of bloodlines yet struggled to place this descendant from memory.

"Uncle Ying Long, my father is Aoguang!" Ao Yu quickly responded, her voice brimming with joy and enthusiasm.

"So, you're the daughter of Brother Aoguang. Truly graceful and magnificent. And you, boy?"

Turning his gaze to Li Mingzhu, Ying Long's expression darkened, resembling a father inspecting an unwelcome son-in-law.

"Disciple of Jie Sect, Li Mingzhu greets the elder."

While Li Mingzhu deeply wished to complain about Ying Long's meddlesome and judgmental demeanor, he answered respectfully, knowing that he must swallow his pride out of both deference to Ying Long's cultivation and Ao Yu's familial ties.

"A disciple of Jie Sect—not bad. You'd better explain how you two ended up here. This is no place for you to be."

Ying Long transformed into a middle-aged man wearing a dark robe, lacking dragon horns yet exuding a weathered aura. As Ao Yu had described, he was indeed astonishingly handsome.

The marks of age did not diminish his charm. Instead, they added an air of maturity. In later generations, surely he would be deemed a "heartthrob."

Li Mingzhu concisely recounted the convoluted sequence of events and their reasoning. After he finished speaking, Ying Long's face fell into melancholy silence.

"Elder, what about her?"

Li Mingzhu gestured toward the female demon. Although Ying Long's awakening had temporarily calmed her down, she soon resumed her chaotic assaults. Luckily, Ying Long's extraordinary dominance prevented an immediate battle, as he managed to confine her.

"There's no solution. Once Bair awakens, even I cannot cast her back into slumber. For now, it's manageable; but when she fully unleashes the unity of water and fire, even I won't be able to resist. That's why I said you shouldn't have come!"

"With the Dragon-breaking Stone sealed, unless one of us—either me or Bair—dies, the gate won't open. I've dragged you into this mess."

Damn it! Why didn't you warn us earlier? And why did you shut the gate upon waking? Li Mingzhu fumed inwardly but could think of no words to retort.

Ying Long gazed at Bair with a mixture of softness, sorrow, and lamentation in his eyes.

"Is there truly no way out?"

Li Mingzhu couldn't contain his frustration. Were they doomed to die here?

Once Ying Long reached his limits with Bair, death would be inevitable.

"No solution—unless the Saints themselves intervene. But Saints, so lofty and dignified, how could they possibly lend a hand to me? Perhaps they'll intervene only when Bair starts wreaking havoc upon the mortal realm. By then, would there still be any salvation for her?"

Ying Long's undertone of discontent was unmistakable to Li Mingzhu, yet he too was helpless.

Although Nuwa and Tongtian Saints had once saved him, how could he possibly compel Saints to step in now?

It was impossible—a truth as unyielding as Ying Long's own words about their aloofness.

"No matter what, I'll fight. Killing her, that's possible, isn't it?"

Truthfully, Li Mingzhu resolved that regardless of the cost, he would strike her down. Whatever Ying Long thought was his concern; Li Mingzhu refused to die here.

"No issue—if you can kill her, then by all means, do so. Killing her might even be for the best!" Ying Long wasn't angered by this; rather, he seemed relieved, as though yearning for an end.

Yes, if death came, it would free him. Perhaps following her into the void wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Alright!"

Li Mingzhu answered resolutely and charged forward, once again employing the Dharma Manifestation to its fullest extent, despite the slim chances of causing significant harm to Bair.

Unfortunately, even with every ounce of effort, even wielding the mighty Treasure Lotus Lamp at its highest level of offensive capability, killing Bair remained an elusive goal.

The damage inflicted by his Immortal Slaying Sword was negligible. Though the Treasure Lotus Lamp was able to cause significant harm, Bair's regenerative power proved far more terrifying than the restorative force of his Nine Revolution Profound Skill.

Each time her body was ripped apart, the next instant it seamlessly regenerated. It wasn't that Bair lacked recovery powers; rather, Li Mingzhu's earlier attacks hadn't even warranted her using them.

"This is bad!"

Li Mingzhu was still launching his attacks when Ying Long suddenly shouted. Something had gone wrong.

The previously subdued water-fire energies around Bair began rampaging once more, coalescing into a unified force. Not only did it shatter Ying Long's suppression, but it also struck Li Mingzhu with devastating power, leaving him coughing up blood.

The sheer terror of it defied reason—Li Mingzhu, possessing a Daluo Golden Immortal-grade physique and wielding the Dharma Manifestation, was nearly obliterated.

Ying Long stepped forward, using his hand as a sword to shield Li Mingzhu from Bair's second attack. Without him, Li Mingzhu would have perished outright.

As Li Mingzhu looked up, he noticed Ying Long's arm—after intercepting the strike—had become coiled with dual radiances of water and fire, which were relentlessly corroding his flesh. The thought of surviving such a strike himself was harrowing.

To think that Ying Long had achieved Daluo Golden Immortal perfection prior to thousands of years ago, possibly even attaining the Quasi-Sect Leader level by now—Li Mingzhu couldn't fathom his strength. Yet even Ying Long, with all his power, suffered from just a single attack.

Little wonder Ying Long claimed there was no solution—truly, there was none.

By now, Ying Long and Bair had engaged in fierce combat, resorting to physical blows. Without any viable weapon, Ying Long met her violence bare-handed, his body quickly becoming riddled with wounds.

"Catch!"

Li Mingzhu threw the Immortal Slaying Sword toward Ying Long, enabling him to barely stabilize the situation.

But good fortune was brief; Bair's water-fire energies surged again, flinging Ying Long backward with overwhelming force.

Ying Long roared, his aura swelling further. Li Mingzhu could now confirm—this was absolutely the Quasi-Sect Leader realm. Though less weighty than the presence brought by Duobao, it was nonetheless awe-inspiring!

After boosting himself to the Quasi-Sect Leader level, Ying Long finally fought Bair to a standstill. Yet gaining the upper hand proved elusive.

In fact, Ying Long was slightly disadvantaged, as Bair's water-fire power kept growing stronger, driven by external triggers that were accelerating the harmony between the Water Spirit Pearl and Fire Essence.

Additionally, Ying Long had to divert focus to protect Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu, which left him stretched thin. Otherwise, matters might have improved, albeit not greatly.

Li Mingzhu dearly wished to assist but knew full well entering the fray would be suicidal.

I'll just provide support—is that okay?

Li Mingzhu timidly asked himself, regardless of whether Ying Long could hear. He then summoned the Qiankun Ring and hurled it at Bair!

The Qiankun Ring struck like lightning, landing atop Bair's head, but all it achieved was a momentary stutter in her motion. It caused no substantial harm, and the Qiankun Ring was quickly deflected into Ying Long's hands.

Unexpectedly, upon receiving the Qiankun Ring, Ying Long didn't rebuke Li Mingzhu but instead laughed wildly: "The Qiankun Ring? Haha, Bair, you're saved!"

His laughter was unrestrained, maniacal, bordering on madness!