The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 117 - 116 Do You Have a Magic Skill for Quick Saint Advancement?

Chapter 117: Chapter 116 Do You Have a Magic Skill for Quick Saint Advancement?

The nine little yellow ducks quacked joyfully as they saw the Fusang tree spring back to life.

The elder duck led the other eight to fly onto the tree. After a quick comparison, it shifted Old Six’s position to the back, signaling Nezha, who had transformed into a little yellow duck, to come forward.

Nezha flapped his tiny wings and climbed the tree. With a slight trace of remaining consciousness, Old Six the golden crow checked ahead, "Why have I become Old Seven?"

He then glanced at Nezha’s little yellow duck form. "Hmm, it does seem bigger than me. Perhaps I remembered wrong?"

Boss Wu did a quick count—there were now ten brothers sitting neatly in a row.

"Perfect!"

The nine golden crows perched on the tree for a moment, spacing out, before heading back to the desolate Primordial Realm. Near the Fusang tree, they found the stele marking the border of the Dao Palace.

The Dao Palace had been abandoned for years, so Nezha found it rather simple to refine.

Afterward, he proceeded to the refining room, where he had earlier confirmed the presence of the Great Sun Golden Flame.

Nezha moved aside the original refining cauldron and placed his familiar Creation Qiankun Tripod onto the stand.

Activating the array, the terrifying heat carried by the golden flames was automatically isolated by the formation.

He took out the black spearhead and placed it into the tripod, followed by extracting the lotus whiskers, which had been mostly drained of merit.

The lotus whiskers seemed alive, swirling continuously around the spearhead before splitting into forks that wrapped themselves tightly around the God Slaying Spear.

At the connecting point between the spearhead and the lotus whiskers, black mist intertwined fiercely with golden light.

Nezha placed the newly fused spear directly into the tripod, pouring mana continuously to reforge it.

His consciousness followed suit, merging into the connection. The lotus whiskers, having accompanied Nezha for countless years, were long nurtured in his backbone and deeply attuned to his intentions.

The true challenge lay in the spearhead of the God Slaying Spear.

While the Great Sun Golden Flame outside kept tempering the spear’s body, Nezha’s will penetrated the core of the God Slaying Spear.

Breaking through layers of black mist, he finally came face-to-face with Luo Hou.

Nezha: "..."

Fortunately, Nezha had mentally prepared in advance and greeted him with a cheeky grin. "Hey, Brother Luo Hou, fancy seeing you again!"

Luo Hou: "..."

"Brother? Who’s your brother? I’m on par with your master’s patriarch! In terms of age, I was around before the dim specks of dirt your ancestors came from even existed."

Back then, during Nezha’s advancement to Heavenly Immortal, Luo Hou had appeared during his heart demon tribulation, but now they faced off inside the spearhead—a portion of Luo Hou’s accompanying Supreme Treasure.

Feeling emboldened, Luo Hou initiated with the classic antagonist question: "Young man, do you thirst for power?"

Before Nezha had a chance to respond, he continued, "I know you do. You crave it deeply. How about this? If you devote yourself to the Demon Dao, I’ll not only relinquish the God Slaying Spear but also hand over the Twelve-Grade World-Destroying Black Lotus!"

Nezha couldn’t help but scoff inwardly at Luo Hou’s seemingly outdated tactics. "Power? Is power what counts in the Primordial Realm nowadays?"

"No matter how powerful you are, can you surpass the Six Saints?"

"And who’s the real big shot of the Primordial Realm now?"

"The Six Saints? Wrong—it’s my most respected Grandpa Daoist Ancestor!"

"Even a Heavenly Immortal like me has dared to go up against a Quasi-Saint. Do you think there’s a reason for that?"

"Ordinary immortals with that ambition wouldn’t live to see the Investiture of the Gods. They’d be sent packing straight to the underworld and wouldn’t even get close to the Ghost Gate."

"But me? Not only am I still bouncing around, but opportunities and merit continue to pile up endlessly."

"Look at my cultivation—it’s skyrocketing! All thanks to someone appreciating my diligence, giving me discreet support."

"It’s like I always say: the Primordial Realm doesn’t coddle slackers. Progress requires effort."

"Nezha really, really wants to progress."

So, for Luo Hou to try and tempt him with these two items... Impossible! The spearhead of the God Slaying Spear was already in his hands, and although the Twelve-Grade Black Lotus was valuable, Nezha lacked nothing in terms of defensive treasures.

"Look at me—I’m carrying the Mountain and River Map, freely using Long Ji’s Plain Cloud Realm Banner whenever I like."

"And worst-case scenario, I could borrow Old Li’s Pagoda, plop it firmly above my head, and shout at the Three Sects Immortals: Who dares kill me?"

"Old Luo, you’re quite behind the times. Do you have anything new and exciting?"

Luo Hou: "..."

Having been absent from the Primordial Realm’s history for so long, Luo Hou indeed seemed out of touch with its latest trends. Back in his era, nothing attracted immortals more than magical treasures.

For young beings unfamiliar with Dao workings, imitating the innate laws within spiritual treasures was one of the best pathways to cultivation.

After some thought, Luo Hou offered, "I have the Blood Refining Method—it can help you quickly achieve the level of Daluo Golden Immortal!"

"Do you think a petty Daluo Golden Immortal would satisfy me?"

"Got anything for a quick path to Saint-level cultivation?"

Luo Hou: "..."

"If I had such a method, do you think you’d dare to speak to me this way?"

"Yes."

"I don’t believe you."

Luo Hou: "..."

[You damn brat—YOU’RE the real demon here!]

In order to fully refine the God Slaying Spear, Nezha had to overcome an immense obstacle—Luo Hou’s will bound to the spearhead.

Luckily, having previously experienced a heart demon tribulation, Nezha had gained some insights into demons and devised a rather peculiar strategy: arguing.

Mock him mentally, belittle him verbally, and maintain his self-confidence—all of which formed Nezha’s chosen method of confronting heart demons.

While he wasn’t sure this was entirely effective, as time passed and Luo Hou’s demeanor became increasingly agitated, Nezha knew it was working.

As Nezha battled to refine the God Slaying Spear and contend with Luo Hou’s will, chaos brewed once more on the Western Zhou front.

Due to severe troop losses on the battlefield, Ji Fa was forced to conscript civilians. His efforts to pacify the populace had only just started to soothe unrest, but now it stirred again violently.

Stalemated at the front lines, Ji Fa turned his sights on Nanbo Hou’s territory in Qinyang.

Ji Fa’s judgment wasn’t flawed—Nanbo Hou had perished, his forces split between Nantang and the depleted battleground, leaving the region defenseless.

Capturing and plundering Qinyang would not only calm public outcry but also encircle the Shang Army strategically.

Communicating with Jiang Ziya, the latter supported the plan.

Ji Fa then dispatched Yang Jian and Huang Tianhua to aid him, leading conscripted troops personally toward Qinyang.

The Shang Army, battered to the brink by Asura’s rampage, had neither strength nor will to retaliate. High-ranking officials cared little for Qinyang’s fate anyway.

[Go ahead and fight it out. The only one I, Shen Gongbao, care to fight is Jiang Ziya.]

Ji Fa, brimming with eagerness, had actually set out for Qinyang even before Jiang Ziya responded to his letter. By the time Yang Jian and Huang Tianhua returned, Ji Fa was already near the city gates.

Thrilled at Yang Jian’s arrival, Ji Fa immediately tasked him with capturing Nanbo Hou’s trusted man—E Laoer.

Meanwhile, Nanbo Hou’s trusted protectors, Jinzha and Muzha, remained stationed in Qinyang despite their cultivation and divine skills being inferior to Yang Jian’s.

Fortunately, they had a helpful younger brother.

When Yang Jian approached the Marquis Mansion, he walked straight into the Yellow River Formation.

Yang Jian: "..."

The familiar yellow sands quickly clued him in. While this formation was far weaker than the one Nezha had crafted earlier, forcefully breaking out was still within possibility.

"I am Yang Jian, third-generation disciple of the Chan Sect under True Master Yu Ding. May I ask which relative or friend of Uncle-Master Nezha resides here? Please show yourself!"

Jinzha and Muzha exchanged a knowing glance. When Nezha previously visited, he’d already mentioned Yang Jian’s matters—in fact, he did so purely with the intent to gossip.

The pair had felt genuine sympathy for this brilliant yet overburdened senior brother.

"And how do you intend to prove you’re Senior Brother Yang Jian?"

The tangled web of relationships didn’t faze Yang Jian. Calmly, he retrieved a blue Thunder Talisman from his sleeve, a gift from his younger sister.

Jinzha produced an identical Thunder Talisman from his possession, and the two talismans immediately resonated with identical vibrations.

Confirming his identity, Jinzha dispelled the formation and cordially invited Yang Jian inside.