Rebirth of Nezha in the Investiture of the Gods

Chapter 75: The Plight of a Lonely Swan Over Ten Thousand Miles, Two Youngsters Compete to Punish a Minor Demon



So pitiful, yet so tragic!

Amid natural disasters, human lives often seem like the cheapest commodity. What Li Mingzhu has witnessed now is merely the tip of the iceberg.

"Old man, why are you all fleeing from disaster? From what I see, there aren't any signs of calamity within a hundred miles of here!"

Li Mingzhu noticed that the hot porridge had already been distributed to everyone, so she entrusted the remaining task entirely to Ao Yu and slowly walked over to an old man to ask softly.

"Young man, what did you say? You're really a good person! Without you, we old and weak would likely be buried under the yellow sands by now!"

The old man, perhaps somewhat hard of hearing, didn't catch what Li Mingzhu had asked, but still deeply expressed his gratitude to her.

"Old man, I'm asking why you're all fleeing from disaster?"

Li Mingzhu raised her voice slightly and applied a simple spell to cure the old man's hearing for the moment, a casual gesture for her.

"Ah, the flood surged across ten thousand miles, destroying our homes overnight. What else can we do but flee?"

Upon hearing Li Mingzhu's question, the old man burst into tears. His home was gone.

"Old man, do you know why there's a flood? And where exactly did you flee from?"

Li Mingzhu continued to question him. Generally, a flood is preceded by certain signs, such as months of continuous heavy rain leading up to the disaster. If such conditions were observed, then it stands to reason the villagers should have had enough time to prepare and the damage wouldn't be so severe.

After all, as the saying goes: where there's cause, there's effect. If there had been months of downpour as a warning, logically, the severity of damage should have been minimized.

"We lived along the banks of the Huai River all our lives, rooted there for generations. While the river has occasionally overflowed in certain years, it's rare, and usually accompanied by heavy rain that allows us to prepare in advance.

This year's flood, however, arrived with eerie suddenness, without a single warning sign. We had no way to prepare in advance. It happened right in the middle of the busy farming season. So many vibrant lives were lost, swallowed by the sudden surge of water!

My poor Tiger! And my poor two grandsons, all consumed by that sudden flood!"

The old man's tears streamed down his face as he spoke. Out of his family of five, only he—the old man—survived. Sometimes, when he thinks about it, he wishes he could end it all.

"Old man, please, try to find peace. Since you've survived, live well!"

Li Mingzhu consoled him solemnly. By now, she had pieced together the likely cause of events. There was no doubt that this disaster was man-made.

Otherwise, there's no way it could have occurred so abruptly without any signs—and right in the middle of the farming season.

Li Mingzhu quietly took her leave, pulling Ao Yu along with her but leaving behind food and supplies to ensure that these disaster victims could at least reach the next city safely. It wasn't much, but it should suffice.

Beyond that, Li Mingzhu couldn't offer further help. If they wished to truly survive, they would need to rely on themselves.

Although Li Mingzhu possessed the means to make their lives better, it's as she often reminded herself—helping now doesn't mean she can help them for their entire lives.

In truth, Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu hadn't completely left; they had simply cloaked their presence to observe the victims as they packed the supplies and resumed their journey. Yet Li Mingzhu did not let her guard down.

As expected, not long after Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu disappeared, the soul-collecting little ghosts from earlier reappeared.

This time, instead of collecting souls, these little ghosts now targeted the victims' food supplies. There's a concept in folklore known as the "Five Ghosts Transport."

It refers to high-level practitioners of the Evil Sect raising ghosts to steal wealth from prominent households. These little ghosts were now doing something similar.

With their limited intelligence, the ghosts couldn't devise such a plan on their own, so someone must be orchestrating things behind the scenes. Without food, these victims would lose their lifeline to survival, making it easier for their souls to be claimed.

It was clear that earlier, sensing Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu's presence, the ghosts refrained from making their move. Now, seeing that Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu had left, they began to act.

"Go!"

Li Mingzhu smiled at two small figures beside her. The little Golden Crow and Lei Zhenzi had been itching for action. With an opportunity like this, they wouldn't decline.

Both, swift as swallows, darted toward the concealed little ghosts with a competitive air.

Of course, the two concealed their presence as well. Li Mingzhu wouldn't have let them act otherwise.

"Want to compete?"

Lei Zhenzi tilted his small head, speaking in a cold tone.

Since the arrival of the Golden Crow, Lei Zhenzi felt his status being severely threatened and immediately issued a challenge to the newcomer.

"I won't compete with lesser beings!"

The Golden Crow, proud and aloof, swiftly dismissed him. Though it had long since forgotten its past, its innate arrogance remained unchanged.

Despite its obedient demeanor with Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu, the Golden Crow possessed an undeniable pride.

"Hmph!"

Lei Zhenzi snorted coldly. He was determined to prove that he was stronger than this bird. How dare a beast act so haughty?

The two, darting forward at great speed, each began to subdue the little ghosts.

With just a wave of his small hand, Lei Zhenzi unleashed thunderous bolts of lightning. Lightning is naturally one of the most effective Divine Skills against evil spirits.

The thunderbolts scattered seemingly at random, yet they effortlessly struck the little ghosts with precision.

Meanwhile, the Golden Crow was no slouch either. With a casual exhale, it unleashed blazing Taiyang Fire. Using Taiyang Fire against these little ghosts might even be considered overkill.

Though the Golden Crow disdained competing with Lei Zhenzi, its innate pride refused to let it lose to him. Thus, it employed its deadliest strikes with equal vigor.

Their speeds in defeating the little ghosts were almost identical—a troubling realization for Lei Zhenzi, who was eager to impress Li Mingzhu. The Golden Crow, after all, had already won Li Mingzhu's favor. Winning or losing mattered little for it, but Lei Zhenzi couldn't accept anything less than victory!

"Killing them isn't impressive—try catching them alive if you've got the skill!"

Lei Zhenzi issued yet another challenge. Though the Golden Crow detested such provocations, it begrudgingly agreed.

How could a Heavenly Silkworm fear a mere child? The inborn arrogance of its species made it fearless in the face of any challenge. Together, the two leapt forward again, aiming to capture the little ghosts alive.

Li Mingzhu and Ao Yu looked on, smiling at their friendly rivalry. There was no need to stop such healthy competition.

After all, both were extremely talented, and their future achievements would undoubtedly be extraordinary. Encouraging their competitive spirit now was beneficial.

Competition drives progress, and capturing the ghosts was strategic, as Li Mingzhu needed to trace the mastermind behind the scenes through them.

Typically, little ghosts are formed through two paths: either as vengeful souls that failed to enter the underworld, or as beings deliberately cultivated by humans. Clearly, these little ghosts belonged to the latter category.


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