Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

After receiving the voice transmission from Nüba, Li Mingzhu no longer hurried back to Chentang Pass but instead changed his course toward the Luoshui Riverbank.

South of Zhuolu, along the Luoshui Riverbank, lay the heart of the Primordial Land, making it relatively easy to locate.

It is said that the ancestral land of the Human Clan, Wangqiu, is situated by the Luoshui River. Furthermore, the Human Emperor Fu Xi comprehended the Innate Eight Diagrams here, and the decisive battle that marked the rise of the Human Clan also took place nearby.

One could say that the Luoshui Riverbank could rightfully be called the origin of humanity. It is, therefore, no surprise that the Human Clan's Holy Sword, the Cheng Ying Sword, is rumored to reside here.

Li Mingzhu did not doubt Nüba's words. Yet, as he pondered over it, he realized just how legendary the Luoshui Riverbank truly was.

In later generations, the famously gifted Cao Zhi even penned the timeless masterpiece "Ode to Luo Shen" here. Li Mingzhu wondered if he might catch a glimpse of the legendary Luo Shen during his journey.

Or perhaps the so-called Luo Shen was merely a figment of Cao Zhi's imagination. Regardless, Li Mingzhu was filled with great anticipation for his Luoshui trip.

Fully activating the divine travel technique "Within Reach, Beyond Distance," Li Mingzhu arrived at Zhuolu in just half a day. The vast plains stretched endlessly, entirely devoid of human settlement.

In the stillness of his focused heart, faint echoes of ancient battlefield smoke and fire seemed to waft through time.

Li Mingzhu was not here to mourn the ancient battlegrounds. He merely performed three solemn bows towards the void before continuing on toward the Luoshui River.

He bowed to honor the sages of the Human Clan. After all, whether it was in his past life or this current one, he was part of the Human Clan.

Thirty millennia have passed, yet the Luoshui River remained unchanged.

Gazing at the ceaselessly flowing Luoshui, Li Mingzhu found himself at a loss. Nüba had only mentioned that the Cheng Ying Sword was beneath the Luoshui. But with such a vast and mighty river, where was he supposed to start searching?

As Li Mingzhu hesitated, lost in thought, a sharp neigh shattered his reverie—no, not just one, but a chorus of neighs.

Good heavens!

Following the sound, Li Mingzhu looked in that direction and could not suppress a gasp of astonishment—a group of dragon horses!

What are dragon horses, you ask? Swift as the wind, with scales covering their bodies—the very image of a dragon horse.

Legend has it that dragon horses were mounts of the Holy Emperors. Who would have thought he'd see a whole group of them by the Luoshui River today?

Li Mingzhu had no intention of taming these dragon horses. Firstly, they possessed unparalleled speed, which made capturing them nearly impossible. Secondly, as auspicious beasts, forcing them into submission would be inappropriate.

Li Mingzhu merely observed, allowing the dragon horses to drink from the Luoshui.

Dragon horses were extraordinary creatures. As the herd drank, their vigor was such that the sound of their drinking resembled roaring torrents, nearly causing the Luoshui River to run dry.

In that instant, at the spot where the dragon horses drank, a sword light reflected off the water under the sunlight. Though faint, it undeniably existed.

At the sight of this sword light, Li Mingzhu could not help but rejoice. It seemed the Cheng Ying Sword was no longer a mere legend.

When Li Mingzhu looked again at the river where the sword light had reflected, there was no trace of it anymore—just the usual, unremarkable flow of water.

Li Mingzhu recalled the legend of the Cheng Ying Sword. It was said to be a Holy Dao Slaughter Sword, embodying slaughter while the Xuanyuan Sword symbolized governance.

After the era of the Xuanyuan Holy Emperor, the Cheng Ying Sword had been passed down through five generations, disappearing thereafter without a trace.

Invisibility and formlessness were the hallmarks of the Cheng Ying Sword, and its grade remained unknown.

Without hesitation, Li Mingzhu leapt into the Luoshui River, diving in to search for the Cheng Ying Sword.

The Holy Sword possessed spirituality. If it wished for Li Mingzhu to find it, then it would manifest for him.

Using his Divine Sense, Li Mingzhu continuously scanned the area beneath the river. He focused his search around the vicinity of the reflected sword light, convinced that what he had seen was indeed the Cheng Ying Sword.

Yet, after an entire day's search underwater, he found nothing.

That night, with the stars sparse and the moon bright, Li Mingzhu lay beneath a large tree on the Luoshui Riverbank.

He did not meditate or cultivate. His thoughts, still fixated on the Cheng Ying Sword, kept circling in doubt. Could it be that he lacked the fated chance?

After wasting an entire day, he could not help but question himself. But ultimately, his strong Dao Heart dismissed such meaningless doubts.

"Fortunate if found, destined if lost—why fret?"

The next day, Li Mingzhu once again entered the Luoshui River, resuming his search for the Cheng Ying Sword while the dragon horses reappeared to drink.

Once more, Li Mingzhu saw the sword light—though this time, it reflected on the opposite side of the Luoshui River. This renewed his dilemma: where exactly was the Cheng Ying Sword?

For six consecutive days, the same scene played out. Every day, the dragon horses came to drink, and the Cheng Ying Sword's light briefly flickered at different locations along the river.

Including the first day, Li Mingzhu had spent seven days by the Luoshui Riverbank but remained empty-handed.

The only progress he had made was befriending the dragon horses, particularly the lead stallion. The lead horse even allowed Li Mingzhu to ride it, though it was evidently bribed by the Spiritual Wine in Li Mingzhu's possession.

Well, great! Zhu Xiong wasn't around, yet thousands of miles away, he had run into another Alcohol Immortal.

Li Mingzhu even wondered if, after finding the Cheng Ying Sword, the lead horse might be willing to journey with him. He was already considering introducing the lead horse to Zhu Xiong as a fellow drinking companion.

Under the night sky, Li Mingzhu once more entered the Luoshui River to search for the Cheng Ying Sword.

Carefully examining the seven locations where the sword light had appeared, he suddenly looked up and noticed that these positions corresponded precisely to the Beidou Seven Stars.

With this discovery, Li Mingzhu realized he was close to uncovering the Cheng Ying Sword. All that remained was to unravel the secret of the Beidou.

In ancient times, the Beidou Seven Stars were used to decipher seasonal celestial phenomena and to discern omens of fortune or disaster. But what purpose did they serve here?

Li Mingzhu mulled it over for half a day, but no clear answer came to him.

The Seven Stars formed a ladle shape. It was said that the Xuanyuan Holy Emperor used this formation to create the si nan, the ancient compass.

South?

A spark of insight flashed in Li Mingzhu's mind. He followed the southern direction and soon discovered a hidden gateway beneath the Luoshui River.

At last, the clouds parted to reveal the light of the moon. Who would have thought the solution was so simple?

By casting a spell to unlock the gateway, he revealed an inner realm where the waters were held at bay by a barrier.

Contrary to his expectations, he did not immediately see the Cheng Ying Sword. The cavern was empty save for a single water droplet suspended midair, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon while radiating Spiritual Light and Treasure Light.

"An Innate Water Spirit!"

Upon seeing the droplet, Li Mingzhu exclaimed in shock but quickly came to understand. This was indeed a water spirit, but it could not be a true Innate Water Spirit. After all, there could not be two Innate Water Spirits.

The genuine Innate Water Spirit resided within his Qiankun Ring. This water spirit had likely achieved its near-Innate level of creation due to the unique properties of the Luoshui River.

After all, several Holy Emperors had achieved enlightenment here, imbuing the location with immense destiny and blessings.

Li Mingzhu had no intention of seizing another's fortune. Perhaps this water spirit was destined to become the god of the Luoshui in the future. Yet, offering it some enlightenment to set it on its path wouldn't hurt, and it might even become his First Disciple.

Of course, the water spirit would need at least a hundred years to achieve transformation. By then, Li Mingzhu would have sufficient proficiency in the Dao to guide a disciple.

As for now, truthfully, Li Mingzhu admitted he was not yet ready to take on a student, as he had only just reached the level of Taiyi Profound Immortal and was still at its initial stage.

With a single gesture, a faint brilliance flowed forth. It was none other than the "Chaos Creation Skill," the Primordial World's supreme Foundation Establishment Immortal Technique that Li Mingzhu cultivated.

The water spirit, having been enlightened by Li Mingzhu, grew even more lively, darting and swirling around him affectionately.

At the moment the water spirit left its previous spot, a piercing sword hum sliced through the air—formless and invisible, yet the Sword Qi surged like a rainbow, hurtling toward Li Mingzhu.

"What a sword!"

Overjoyed, Li Mingzhu hurled the Qiankun Ring forward. Though the sword was invisible, it was firmly restrained by the Qiankun Ring.

At long last, the Cheng Ying Sword was in his grasp!