Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Treasure Division Rock transformed into a streak of light, returning to Li Mingzhu's side. It didn't exchange any words with Li Mingzhu, directly returning to its original form.

Li Mingzhu naturally wouldn't question it either. She fully activated "Worlds Apart" and set her sights on Beiming Sea.

Above Beiming, there were only ice glaciers. Below the ice layers lay an icy ocean so deep one couldn't see the bottom, a place of bone-chilling cold where survival was nearly impossible.

Not to mention humans, even usual members of the Demon Clan, unless they were naturally cold-loving creatures, would find it hard to survive here.

Stretching endlessly across a white icy surface, a tiny black dot suddenly raced toward them—a person in shredded clothing stained with blood. Once bearing an air of nobility, now he was reduced to a pitiable state, like a dog that has lost its home.

"Ancestor, save me!"

"Ancestor, save me!"

...

This person was Yuan Futong, who had fled with Li Mingzhu's assistance. Without her aid, he wouldn't have had the chance to escape to Beiming.

His fragmented, pitiful cries for help echoed across the glaciers until finally, as if the Kunpeng heard his plea, the previously tranquil ice surface began to crack inch by inch.

Accompanied by the sound of breaking ice, a massive icy mountain—resembling an ancient ferocious beast—slowly rose from the ocean depths, emanating an overwhelming aura.

If members of the Ancient Heavenly Court's Demon Clan were present, they would surely recognize what this icy mountain truly was.

"Demon Master Palace!"

The Demon Master Palace was undoubtedly one of Kunpeng's most powerful treasures—its material had reached the peak Innate Spiritual Treasure tier. While the palace itself did not fully achieve the status of peak-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, as a palatial artifact, its value was no less than those ultimate treasures.

The palace gates opened, and a slender figure cloaked in deep green stepped out gracefully, accompanied by several attendants.

"Young Master! Young Master! Young Master, save me!"

Upon seeing this slender figure, Yuan Futong acted as if he had found his savior and frantically rushed toward him.

"Who are you? Why are you calling me Young Master?"

The tall young man, though clearly annoyed by this sudden appearance of a cultivator, maintained his composed demeanor due to his upbringing and spoke with civility.

"Yuan Futong greets the Young Master. The Young Master still carries the same grace. In my current state, it's understandable you wouldn't recognize me."

Yuan Futong shakily straightened his posture and saluted the young man.

"Yuan Futong? Didn't you go to the Mortal World to seek fortune? With your abilities, how could you end up in such dire straits?" The young man exclaimed in surprise after hearing his words.

"Ah, it's a long story. Young Master, better not ask for now. Could you first allow me to meet with the Ancestor?"

Yuan Futong spoke sorrowfully, all while enduring the relentless torment of one hundred and twenty-four strands of Shadow Carrying Sword Qi embedded in his body.

Before the young man could respond, a beam of dark green, dominating light shot out of the Demon Master Palace, heading straight for Yuan Futong.

"Ancestor, spare me!"

Upon seeing the beam, Yuan Futong was filled with utter terror and immediately pleaded loudly for mercy. Yet, despite his cries, the light accurately landed on him—not to kill him, but to trap him!

"Father, why is this?"

The young man respectfully asked in the direction of the Demon Master Palace.

"Ask no questions; say no more. Watch, and you will understand." A voice of both ethereal nature and boundless authority resounded from within the Demon Master Palace.

The young man, hearing Kunpeng's command, dared not inquire further and shrugged apologetically toward Yuan Futong, conveying his inability to assist.

Within the thirty-thousand-mile sea region of Beiming, Kunpeng was the sole ruler. Even Fu Yao, as Kunpeng's only son and the Young Master of Beiming, dared not defy him.

Three days later, Li Mingzhu traversed the ice and arrived.

"Fu Yao, go greet your Senior Brother Ling Zhuzi," Kunpeng sent a sound transmission to Fu Yao as he opened his eyes within the palace.

Receiving the order, Fu Yao dared not disobey. His figure flickered and disappeared, appearing in front of Li Mingzhu shortly thereafter.

"Fu Yao of Beiming greets Senior Brother Ling Zhuzi."

Fu Yao spoke with a smile. Though he didn't know who this so-called Senior Brother Ling Zhuzi was, since it was his father's command, it had to be right.

"Fu Yao? The Demon Master's son?" Li Mingzhu thought with surprise.

As she heard the cultivated young man's greeting, Li Mingzhu quickly understood and replied with a smile.

"Li Mingzhu of Jie Sect greets Brother Fu Yao."

Li Mingzhu looked curiously at this young man named Fu Yao before her. She hadn't expected that Kunpeng, such a cunning and formidable old devil, could have such a cultured and simple-minded son. It was truly surprising, and Li Mingzhu sighed internally.

However, if Li Mingzhu knew who had educated Fu Yao, she wouldn't have been so amazed—Fu Yao was none other than a disciple of Fu Xi, the Holy Emperor.

Otherwise, given Kunpeng's nature, how else would he have lent the River Map and Luo Book to Fu Xi for his Dao validation?

"Father instructed me to escort Senior Brother into the palace. But Father clearly said it was Senior Brother Ling Zhuzi, and Senior Brother acknowledged so. Why then does Senior Brother claim to be Li Mingzhu?"

Fu Yao asked innocently, clearly inexperienced in worldly affairs to pose such a question.

In the Primordial World, lineage was of utmost importance, and such inquiries were generally only made among close connections or by senior members of one's sect.

"Brother Fu Yao, no need for excessive courtesy. Ling Zhuzi is but one name of mine. Li Mingzhu is also mine. In a previous life, I served as a child attendant under Nuwa. This life, having undergone tribulation and karmic reincarnation, I joined Jie Sect."

Li Mingzhu explained with a smile, confident that anyone meeting Fu Yao would have an instant liking for him.

"I see now; Fu Yao greets Senior Brother Mingzhu!"

Fu Yao nodded in realization and again saluted. Li Mingzhu rolled her eyes, unsure how to respond.

"Haha, Senior Brother, this way, please."

Seeing Li Mingzhu's expression, Fu Yao laughed and cheerfully guided the way.

Though Fu Yao was cultured and naive, he wasn't truly simple. On the contrary, he was remarkably astute, or Fu Xi would never have accepted him as a disciple. His interactions with Li Mingzhu were also a subtle method to build rapport.

Did he genuinely not know there was no difference between Ling Zhuzi and Li Mingzhu?

The key was that such cleverness, coming from someone seemingly straightforward, would never be doubted.

"Very well."

Li Mingzhu followed closely. But upon seeing Yuan Futong, her murderous aura surged, and her killing intent freely spilled out, leaving Fu Yao startled. This Senior Brother was truly a harbinger of death!

"Senior Brother, what has this person done to provoke such overwhelming killing intent in you?"

Fu Yao, as before, spoke with genuine curiosity, unguarded and forthright.

"Ah, you will understand when you see for yourself."

Li Mingzhu, hearing Fu Yao's question, slightly tempered her bloodthirst, her crimson eyes returning to clarity as she sighed and transmitted the karmic reasons to Fu Yao via Divine Thought.

Once Li Mingzhu had done this, Yuan Futong, who was already utterly despondent, faltered further, abandoning all hope.

"Senior Brother, may I take charge of Yuan Futong? I wish to suppress his Divine Soul at the North Sea Eye, inflicting endless torment from tens of thousands of years of icy currents, never granting him relief!"

Upon understanding the situation, Fu Yao's reaction was no less intense than Li Mingzhu's. Without hesitation, he requested to handle Yuan Futong himself.

"Junior Brother, such a punishment is apt, but I wish to deal with him personally. Let us first go meet the Demon Master!"

Li Mingzhu rejected Fu Yao's proposal and spoke softly. Yuan Futong's fate was already sealed. Li Mingzhu was in no rush and intended to first meet Kunpeng—the Demon Master clearly had a reason to offer such an opportunity to her.