Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

"Fellow Daoist, save me!"

Li Mingzhu was soaring through the sky alongside the Nine-Tailed Fox when suddenly, a man and woman were seen fleeing toward them at great speed.

The man wore a Fish Tail Crown, his crimson beard and fiery red hair dancing in the wind. Dressed in a vibrant red Eight Diagrams robe, he exuded an extraordinary handsomeness. However, his current bedraggled state from being pursued somewhat undermined his appearance.

The woman, though clad in a martial outfit, exuded a noble bearing that involuntarily drew Li Mingzhu's admiration.

"Who are you, Fellow Daoist?" Li Mingzhu raised his hand to block the incoming volley of arrows being fired at them from behind. With the Five Revolutions Profound Skill fortifying his body, he was impervious to these arrows, which had been specially crafted by renowned artifact masters.

"I am Luo Xuan, the Flame Immortal of Fire Dragon Island. Many thanks for your assistance, Fellow Daoist!" Luo Xuan clasped his hands in gratitude toward Li Mingzhu. Then, pointing to the woman at his side, he added, "This is my Dao companion, Long Ji!"

Hearing this, Li Mingzhu returned the salute courteously, his expression serene, though inwardly he was deeply shaken.

Luo Xuan and Long Ji?! These two were famous figures on the Investiture of the Gods. But wait—how had Long Ji become Luo Xuan's Dao companion?

Wasn't Long Ji supposed to be with Hong Jin?

"Disciple Li Mingzhu of the Wudang Saint Mother greets Uncle Luo," Li Mingzhu said. Although Luo Xuan was merely a registered disciple of Tongtian, proper respect for seniority could not be ignored.

"Ah, so you're the esteemed disciple of Sister Wudang. No wonder your skills are so exceptional. As your senior uncle, I can only admit that I'm far inferior!" Luo Xuan sighed in earnest admiration, harboring no envy, even though the junior's prowess surpassed his own.

"Nephew, be cautious—the one pursuing us is the Barefoot Immortal from the Heavenly Palace!" Luo Xuan suddenly cried in alarm. It was precisely because of this Daluo Golden Immortal that Luo Xuan found himself in such dire straits.

"The Barefoot Immortal?" Li Mingzhu murmured to himself. Someone from the Heavenly Court?

Glancing toward Long Ji, Li Mingzhu roughly pieced things together. It seemed that this union was not to the liking of Hao Tian, the Celestial Emperor.

Adorned in flowing white robes, his snow-white hair shimmering, the Barefoot Immortal flew toward them barefoot, leading nearly ten thousand celestial soldiers. From a distance, they resembled a massive mushroom cloud and reached Li Mingzhu in mere moments.

Seeing this, both Luo Xuan and Long Ji couldn't help but curse Li Mingzhu for his overconfidence. If only they had fled earlier, there might have been a chance to escape. Now, it was too late; not only were they doomed, but they'd also implicated their junior.

"Who dares block my path? Do you not know that the Heavenly Court is in pursuit of a wanted criminal?" The Barefoot Immortal's thunderous voice boomed like a war drum.

"Since when does the Heavenly Court have authority over disciples of the Jie Sect?" Li Mingzhu replied nonchalantly, his tone light and carefree, as though the Immortal's imposing voice was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

"Luo Xuan dared to abduct the princess and even took her as his consort. Such audacity falls under the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction!"

The Barefoot Immortal's voice was cold. How troublesome these disciples of Saints were! But what choice did he have? The Heavenly Court was weak, and capturing someone like Luo Xuan required even an elder such as himself to act personally.

"Utter nonsense. Regardless of Uncle Luo's actions, any charges must first be reported to the Daoist Ancestor, and a Saint's Decree must be secured before anyone can apprehend him. Besides, Uncle Luo has committed no crime. Love between a man and woman, mutual and consensual—wherein lies the fault?"

Li Mingzhu stood his ground, speaking with righteous defiance. It wasn't yet the post-Investiture era. Did the Heavenly Court truly think they could reign supreme even afterward?

"So, you're determined to stand in my way?" The Barefoot Immortal glared at Li Mingzhu.

Li Mingzhu offered no verbal response, merely shrugging lightly, a gesture indicating that any action taken was up to them. Today, he was resolved to handle this matter personally.

"Advance! Form the Minor Heavenly Net Array!"

Cold determination flashed across the Barefoot Immortal's face as he commanded the celestial soldiers behind him.

The so-called celestial soldiers—celestial beings—were born into the Heavenly Path within the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Typically, they were born into the Primordial Spirit Realm and trained in various combat techniques, thus forming the celestial army.

For this reason, celestial soldiers were all minimally at the Primordial Spirit Realm, with most at the True Immortal Realm. None rose higher, as that was the ceiling of their potential.

In the past, Li Mingzhu might have employed an array to counter such forces. But with his completion of the Five Revolutions Profound Skill and the Qiankun Ring reaching mastery, he decided to take a more direct approach.

"Dharma Manifestation Heaven and Earth!"

In an instant, a hundred-zhang-tall giant materialized—it was Li Mingzhu's Dharma Form. The Qiankun Ring also grew enormous, sweeping across the battlefield with indiscriminate might. Although the celestial soldiers had already formed their array, they were felled like stalks of wheat beneath Li Mingzhu's overwhelming force.

With the power of the Five Revolutions Profound Skill combined with the Qiankun Ring, the celestial soldiers were eradicated in less than five breaths' time. Whether they were dead or merely incapacitated, Li Mingzhu had no interest in determining.

"Retreat!"

Witnessing Li Mingzhu's overwhelming strength, the Barefoot Immortal didn't hesitate to flee.

Celestial mandates, imperial decrees—all of it paled in comparison to the value of his own life.

Watching the despondent retreat of the Barefoot Immortal, Li Mingzhu was momentarily stunned. What had just happened? He had been hoping for a thrilling battle!

If not in terms of physical strength, they could have at least competed using spiritual treasures!

On the other side, Luo Xuan and Long Ji were equally dumbfounded. The Barefoot Immortal, a Daluo Golden Immortal, had fled?

And he had been frightened off by a mere junior from the Jie Sect?

Luo Xuan now saw clearly that this nephew of his was no ordinary figure. Though he'd been in secluded cultivation and oblivious to recent events, his insight remained sharp.

Of course, had he been aware of the significant events that had recently transpired in the Primordial World, Luo Xuan would not have been so surprised.

After the Barefoot Immortal's retreat, Luo Xuan and Long Ji began recounting the events leading up to this situation. What they revealed left Li Mingzhu astonished—he was somehow connected to the entire affair.

The Primordial World was divided into the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Realms. The Heavenly Realm represented the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven Palace, which, during Ancient Times, had been occupied by the Demon Clan, who established their own Heavenly Court.

Following the war between the Sorcerer and Demon Clans during the Ancient Times, Donghuang Taiyi and Emperor Jun—the two great Demon Emperors—perished. Daoist Ancestor Hong Jun then personally ordained his servant boy Hao Tian as the ruler of the Heavenly Court, crowning him as the Celestial Emperor, also known as the Great Heavenly Venerate. This had lasted for 130,000 years to date.

It was said that this Celestial Emperor had a daughter named Long Ji. Long Ji had been raised in the Heavenly Court among the various celestial gods and Immortals to study the Dao. While her mastery of Daoist Skills was mediocre, she had cultivated an exceedingly prideful and arrogant disposition.

One day, growing restless in the Heavenly Palace, Princess Long Ji descended into the Mortal Realm to visit the East Sea.

This was because Long Ji and Ao Yu were close friends. Long Ji's descent was to visit Ao Yu, intending to bond and relax. Unfortunately for her, Ao Yu had already been captured by Li Mingzhu and was now accompanying Princess Nümei, the Human Emperor's daughter.

Upon hearing that her dear friend had been taken, Long Ji was livid and erupted in fury.

Ao Guang, his mortal body sealed and his Daoist cultivation suppressed, dared not defy the Heavenly Court's instructions as he once had. Trembling, he recounted the entire incident to Long Ji in detail.

Ao Guang's intentions, of course, were laced with ulterior motives. His words carried veiled malice, hoping to incite trouble for Li Mingzhu, redirecting disaster to another's door and exploiting others as tools of vengeance. Still, he greeted and entertained Long Ji with utmost hospitality.

After hearing the story, Long Ji, though aware of Li Mingzhu's and the Jie Sect's prowess, dared not act recklessly. After all, she didn't dare venture to Golden Turtle Island, nor was she confident in facing Li Mingzhu in combat.

Yet she couldn't stomach the offense either. Turning to Ao Guang, she asked, "Uncle Ao Guang, is there a Jie Sect cultivator's cave mansion near your Dragon Palace—someone of modest cultivation and little significance?"

Since confronting the primary target was unfeasible, Long Ji decided to target some lesser disciples to vent her frustrations.

"Your Highness, not far from this humble one's Dragon Palace lies Fire Dragon Island, home to a registered disciple of the Jie Sect known as the Flame Immortal Luo Xuan," Ao Guang said without hesitation, offering Luo Xuan's name on a silver platter. Long Ji, upon hearing this, promptly set off alone to confront Luo Xuan. What followed was a catastrophe entirely uninvited for Luo Xuan.

That said, Luo Xuan was by no means an ordinary figure. Though merely a registered disciple of the Jie Sect, his cultivation neared the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm. He was the incarnation of the first primordial flame created by Suiren, one of humanity's Three Ancestors, and he possessed three formidable spiritual treasures: the Flame Sword, the Five Dragon Wheel, and the Heaven-Illuminating Seal.

Long Ji's impetuous challenge bore predictable results—utter failure. Within three exchanges, Luo Xuan captured her.

What ensued needs no elaboration. Somehow, the two struck up a rapport and inexplicably grew close.

That was when Hao Tian discovered their union, leading to the scene where Li Mingzhu intervened to save them.