Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

At this moment, Li Mingzhu, still in his closed-door training, naturally had no idea about Jiang Ziya's fate. Besides, the current predicament of Jiang Ziya was entirely orchestrated by him. Even if he found out, he would only clap his hands in delight.

After all, Jiang Ziya was a man of fortune, safeguarded by destiny, and would likely emerge unscathed. Using him to secure a high-ranking official position for Li Jing or to acquire some territory seemed perfectly appropriate.

Li Mingzhu had never considered killing Jiang Ziya. While it was a plausible course of action, it wasn't necessary—it didn't interfere with using him to reap sufficient benefits.

Though powerful, Donghuang's "Domineering" volume was no match for the robust foundation of Li Mingzhu's physical body. It took him merely a month to completely master it.

The "Domineering" volume contained not only techniques for harnessing physical strength but also included Donghuang combat skills. After mastering it, Li Mingzhu's combat power increased by at least 30%.

While the "Domineering" volume was relatively straightforward, the "Spirit Communication Three Volumes" was far more challenging. To this day, Li Mingzhu had barely managed to master the Spirit Communication Eye. As for the Spirit Communication Sword and the Spirit Communication Nine Transformations, he had yet to find a single clue.

It had been three months since his closed-door training began.

Given his inability to comprehend further, Li Mingzhu chose not to force it and decided to break through the seclusion.

Li Mingzhu walked out of the cave mansion, casually waving his hand to erase all traces of his closed-door training, though he left the cave mansion untouched.

Such a grotto heaven, better left behind for future generations.

Just as he exited the cave mansion, he saw a group of little demons rushing forward in a great hurry, bustling noisily.

Li Mingzhu reached out to stop one of the little demons and asked with a smile, "Little brother, where are you all hurrying off to?"

The little demon, whose cultivation level was still very low, bore two horns and hadn't fully completed its transformation—clearly either a bull demon or a goat demon.

The little demon originally didn't intend to respond to Li Mingzhu, but upon noticing his attire, which carried an air of authenticity, it reluctantly replied, "Daoist, you must be from out of town. Today, the Canglan Patriarch is giving a spiritual lecture—if you're late, all the good spots will already be taken. Ugh, I don't have time to explain further..."

After rattling off the explanation in a hurry, the little demon struggled free from Li Mingzhu's grasp and dashed off with a speed comparable to a golden crow's flight.

"The Canglan Patriarch?"

Li Mingzhu muttered to himself. Had he unknowingly entered the North Sea Territory?

Canglan Mountain bordered the North Sea. Although it wasn't considered a cave-heaven blessed land, it was rich in Spiritual Energy, making it a hub for demon clans.

Li Mingzhu usually ignored such trivial matters, but the little demon's mention piqued his interest. He decided to see for himself just who this so-called Canglan Patriarch was.

With his curiosity sparked, Li Mingzhu effortlessly merged into the group of little demons. Yet none of them noticed him—he walked leisurely, never once falling behind.

The final destination was beneath a high platform. Atop the platform rested a meditation cushion, but no one was present—clearly the site of the patriarch's spiritual lecture.

Surrounding the high platform were crowds of beings already seated—small demons, little ghosts, and even human cultivators.

Seeing both small demons and little ghosts was unsurprising for Li Mingzhu, but encountering human cultivators among them truly caught him off guard.

Bear in mind that in this era, humans and demons were like fire and water, utterly irreconcilable. Historically, the two sides had always stood on opposing fronts.

But here, Li Mingzhu witnessed a scene of harmony between human and demon cultivators. Such a sight would have been unimaginable in the past.

Leaving all else aside, achieving such coexistence was enough to reveal the extraordinary influence of this Canglan Patriarch.

The area around the high platform was bustling as demons and cultivators discussed fervently. Most of their conversations revolved around the mysterious patriarch.

Some speculated that the patriarch would teach profound Daoist skills today, while others believed he might delve further into the Profound Sect Scripture. The theories varied widely.

"Silence!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the high platform, preceding the arrival of its owner.

Moments later, a figure abruptly appeared on the meditation cushion atop the high platform. Even Li Mingzhu failed to discern how this individual materialized.

This was rather remarkable. After all, Li Mingzhu's current cultivation had reached the level of a Taiyi Profound Immortal. His eyesight left nothing to be desired, and he had encountered numerous formidable masters.

Yet this mysterious patriarch could appear so suddenly. Either his cultivation far surpassed Li Mingzhu's, or he possessed some unique technique.

Li Mingzhu speculated it was likely the latter, though he wasn't entirely certain and decided to observe further.

His curiosity had now been thoroughly piqued—he wanted to see just who this so-called patriarch really was.

"Greetings to the Patriarch!"

"Greetings to the Patriarch!"

....

The patriarch on the high platform had yet to utter a word, but the surrounding demons and cultivators had already fallen to their knees, fervent in their devotion.

They were as fanatical as future ascetics encountering their ultimate faith. Such zeal was shocking. Although these demons were mostly in the nascent stages of transformation, it was nonetheless impressive.

Li Mingzhu, of course, had no intention of kneeling alongside them. With a casual spell, he rendered himself unnoticed and blended into the crowd unnoticed.

Simultaneously, Li Mingzhu grew increasingly certain—if none of them could see through such a simple spell, then this so-called patriarch was undoubtedly a charlatan playing tricks.

Yet to rise to such prominence as a charlatan, the Canglan Patriarch could indeed be considered a talent!

"Since attaining enlightenment, this patriarch has lived through 36,000 Yuanhui. I once split the heavens with Pangu, debated the Dao with Hong Jun, and shared tea with The Three Pure Ones..."

Atop the high platform, the patriarch donned a plain black Daoist robe that, to Li Mingzhu's discerning eyes, was of mediocre quality. His half-white hair was casually tied up.

He appeared utterly unremarkable, but the words he spoke were astoundingly audacious—even Li Mingzhu had to admire his nerve.

Forget Pangu, who had already perished creating the heavens and had become one with all things—he wouldn't even hear the slander. But Hong Jun and The Three Pure Ones? Those were figures synonymous with supremacy in the entire Primordial World. Who would dare dispute them?

And yet this man dared utter such claims. Was he not afraid of inciting the wrath of the Saints? Or had he calculated that the Saints wouldn't bother with a small-time fraud?

"May I ask, Patriarch, what exactly is a Yuanhui?"

Just then, a human cultivator, clad in extravagant attire, stood up and respectfully, almost fanatically, posed the question with great caution.

"One Hui is 10,800 years. One Yuan is 12 Hui. Therefore, one Yuanhui amounts to 129,600 years. Do you understand now?"

The patriarch replied with a smile, eliciting exclamations of admiration for his wisdom from the surrounding demons.

"Hey, what's with you? The patriarch is giving a lecture, and you're still standing?"

A little demon, for some inexplicable reason, noticed Li Mingzhu standing and couldn't help but ask.

"If it's all nonsense and empty boasts, then it's not worth listening to!"

Li Mingzhu took a step forward, exuding unmatched confidence, his gaze disdainful as it swept across the crowd.

Since he had been discovered, there was no need to continue concealing himself, nor was there any reason to investigate further. It was now clear that this patriarch was nothing more than a deceptive fraud.

"Who are you to slander the Patriarch like this?!"

"Exactly! Are you tired of living, kid?"

"Don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you look presentable! How dare you insult the Patriarch!"

Li Mingzhu's single sentence was like a stone cast into a turbulent sea, stirring up waves of fury. Before the patriarch could respond, the enraged demons and cultivators were already rising up, awaiting the patriarch's signal to tear Li Mingzhu to shreds.

Li Mingzhu, however, remained composed, a faint smile on his face, calmly observing the Canglan Patriarch.