Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Li Mingzhu drifted slowly through the sea of clouds, surrounded by fairy warriors who saluted him along the way. Li Mingzhu could clearly ascertain that this was an illusion realm.

Yet he couldn't understand the purpose of such an illusion. If there was an illusion realm, surely it had to serve some kind of purpose.

Typically, illusion realms either cause one to sink into decadence, lose their way, or disrupt their mental state. While the effects vary, one thing is certain: illusion realms are fundamentally negative in their impact.

For now, its purpose remained elusive.

The Thirty-Three Layered Heaven Palace towered layer upon layer, each higher than the last.

Starting from the South Heavenly Gate, Li Mingzhu continued his ascent.

All races performed homage; representatives from various clans presented tributes ceaselessly, and streams of people moved in and out like a tide.

"The Dragon Clan offers treasures from the Four Seas in reverence!"

A herald at the South Heavenly Gate announced with a voice that resonated across the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven.

"The Qilin Clan offers the Five Elements Seal in reverence!"

"The Phoenix Clan offers the Innate Spirit Root, the Parasol Wood, in reverence!"

The announcements echoed across the heavens, the final syllable of "reverence" stretched deliberately long—an unmistakable show of dominance by the Heavenly Court. Yet, the envoys of these three clans dared not express their indignation.

The majesty of the Heavenly Court was absolute; the ancient Three Clans dared not defy.

Even if they were once rulers of the Primordial World, their era had passed. Now was the age of the Demon Clan and the Witch Clan. The barbaric Witch Clan had no regard for reason—be one a dragon or anything else, all were nothing more than prey.

Thus, the Three Clans had no choice but to seek refuge under the Demon Clan. And to do so, they had to accept their diminished status.

At the end of the sky, the Ten Suns hovered high, and celestial steeds pulled chariots!

The ten crown princes of the Demon Clan traversed the void, their magnificence unmatched, radiating peerless brilliance.

In the starry expanse, ten figures resembling demon gods rode through the cosmos, chasing stars and moons. Their armor, forged entirely from the essence of sun, moon, and stars, while crafted through rudimentary artifact refining methods, was made of materials so lavish that it was still overwhelmingly formidable in defense.

The Ten Demon Saints dominated the starry skies, their presence commanding reverence from all races.

"The Three Pure Ones present three Nine Revolutions Golden Cores, celebrating the three-thousand-year anniversary of the Heavenly Court!"

"Nuwa gifts the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Five-Colored Flag, celebrating the three-thousand-year anniversary of the Heavenly Court!"

"The Western Saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, present five Bodhi Seeds, celebrating the three-thousand-year anniversary of the Heavenly Court!"

The Saints offered gifts, all wary of the Heavenly Court's might.

At that moment, a golden avenue stretched from the starry expanse all the way to the South Heavenly Gate, with celestial steeds pulling a chariot toward it.

On the chariot were the Great Sun Five Essence Wheel and the Taiyin Nine Palace Lock, flanked by a green phoenix leading the way and a white dragon guarding its path!

The Heavenly Empress returned to court, heralded by an auspicious display of dragon and phoenix!

"Boom!"

...

Thirteen successive bell chimes reverberated, and all divine phenomena dissipated, leaving only two figures in the vast realm.

Both wore golden robes—one carrying a bell in his hand, the other holding two books.

Although Li Mingzhu was clearly still within the illusion realm, he felt detached, as if he had already transcended it, yet still remained enveloped within it.

The appearance of the two Demon Emperors was unaccompanied by spectacles of power, yet everything in their sight surrendered in worship.

Even Li Mingzhu, an outsider in this illusion, couldn't help but feel compelled to kneel. The sheer aura of Donghuang and Emperor Jun was overwhelming beyond compare.

Though he himself possessed a cultivation at the level of Quasi-Sect Leader, Li Mingzhu was certain that none of the other Quasi-Sect Leaders he had encountered could rival these two figures.

Donghuang Taiyi and Emperor Jun—either one of them stood at the very pinnacle of Quasi-Sect Leader status, overlooking all beings, just a step away from becoming Saints!

If they had managed to unify the Primordial World long ago and consolidate its collective destiny, perhaps they truly could have become Saints.

Unfortunately, the Saints would never allow them such an opportunity.

Time and visuals froze upon the image of the myriad beings kneeling before the Demon Emperors. In an instant, the scene shattered like fragments of a mirror, and Li Mingzhu emerged from the illusion realm.

In one day, he had witnessed the bygone glory of the Demon Clan!

Before Li Mingzhu could fully ponder the depth of what he'd seen and heard, bright light unexpectedly descended from above, piercing through the once pitch-black surroundings.

Amidst the darkness, the single ray of light stood out starkly.

Simultaneously, a massive platform rose beneath Li Mingzhu's feet—at least three hundred zhang in length and width.

Suddenly, another light illuminated the area ahead, revealing a person within its glow.

Though his face still carried traces of youthful innocence, Li Mingzhu recognized him instantly.

"Donghuang!"

Li Mingzhu exclaimed in surprise. The man's appearance was identical to the Donghuang he had seen in the illusion realm.

However, this abruptly appearing figure gave no response. Dressed in a tightly-fitted golden robe, he charged directly at Li Mingzhu with a fist, aiming for his chest.

Li Mingzhu hastily raised his hand to block the strike, attempting to catch the incoming punch. Yet, the moment their fists collided, he found himself utterly unable to resist its force.

Though their strengths felt nearly identical, if not perfectly matched, there was something extraordinary in the power of the attacker's fist. It seemed to contain a unique flow of energy that concentrated every ounce of force into a singular point, erupting upon impact with explosive intensity.

"Boom!"

From the first exchange, Li Mingzhu was sent flying backward. Though he knew the figure before him was not truly Donghuang, Li Mingzhu dared not relax for even a moment.

"Did you assume this emperor is certainly not the Demon Emperor? Human, though I do not know how you've wandered into this Sun and Moon Palace, the fact that you've arrived means it is your destined opportunity. However, to claim it, you must first defeat this emperor's Dao Body Puppet!"

Just as Li Mingzhu was convinced that the man before him was not Donghuang, the figure suddenly opened his eyes and spoke, his tone dripping with unyielding arrogance.

A Dao Body Puppet!

It was indeed not Donghuang. Though the puppet had spoken, its words seemed pre-programmed, akin to an automated response triggered whenever an intruder entered its domain.

Since Li Mingzhu was from the Human Clan, the puppet addressed him with this particular phrasing. Were he from the Demon Clan, the dialogue would likely differ.

Having once heard of Dao Body Puppets from Nuwa herself, Li Mingzhu understood their nature.

Otherwise, even following Donghuang's cryptic words, he wouldn't have grasped their true meaning.

The Dao Body Puppet was much like an ordinary puppet, except that it housed the Dao body of a powerful entity, granting it intellect and adaptability. Moreover, it could employ all of its progenitor's divine skills and magic, and freely adjust the intensity of its power!

In ancient times, Dao Body Puppets were exceptionally popular. However, with the decline of the Demon Clan, the methods for crafting such puppets had been lost to history.

In reality, so many years had passed—even Donghuang himself had perished long ago—that this Dao Body Puppet was no different from any ordinary puppet.

Yet, it retained all the combat skills and divine techniques of Donghuang Taiyi, meaning Li Mingzhu was effectively facing a version of the Demon Emperor with equal strength and mana!

Though it was only a puppet, it was tantamount to battling the Demon Emperor himself!

The might of the Demon Emperor was unquestionable, as were his combat skills and divine techniques.

Though this was a trial, it would be the most formidable battle Li Mingzhu had faced since his emergence. Defeat meant certain death!