The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 187 - 186 Zhao Gongming: I’ve wasted my studies, I’ve completely wasted them!

Chapter 187: Chapter 186 Zhao Gongming: I’ve wasted my studies, I’ve completely wasted them!

Nezha said, "Alright, alright, I already know you’re a hopeless little-sister fanboy."

At the same time, he felt a bit guilty. If Old Zhao found out about his closer relationship with Yunxiao, would this brother-in-law lose his temper?

"Brother Zhao, now that we have both the Ocean Stabilizing Pearl and the Qiankun Ruler, is there any other issue?"

When Old Zhao heard Nezha bring this up, he didn’t hold back anything. He thought, I’ll tell you, but whether you understand is another matter.

The main problem was that, even with the Ocean Stabilizing Pearl and the Qiankun Ruler, Old Zhao didn’t know what to do next.

Were these two items connected somehow?

Zhao Gongming was utterly puzzled.

Nezha, following the path Randeng once explored in the original timeline, had some thoughts. But cultivation is such a personal matter—what worked for Randeng wouldn’t necessarily work for Zhao Gongming.

Still, he could nudge him in that direction and see what happened.

After organizing his thoughts a bit, Nezha asked, "Brother Zhao, the Qiankun Ruler was originally used to measure during the Heavenly Creation. Could it be related to that?"

Zhao Gongming rubbed his beard and muttered, "Heavenly Creation? With my cultivation, opening up a small wind-attributed world isn’t too difficult, but what does that have to do with cutting off a corpse?"

Creating a world was a monumental task—the larger it was, the harder it became. The "small world" Zhao Gongming referred to could at most support a few Heavenly Immortals.

Meanwhile, the Mountain and River Map in Nezha’s hands, Nuwa’s Spiritual Treasure for proving her Dao, theoretically could sustain a Daluo Golden Immortal. But that was just in theory.

Even in the Primordial World, a Daluo Golden Immortal was a significant powerhouse—that showed the disparity.

As for a Quasi-Saint? Touching even a sliver of "Saint" in their title meant they could only emerge from the Primordial World’s unique circumstances.

Nezha’s face remained impassive, offering no additional hints. Inside, he was pondering whether to spend some quality time cultivating with Sister Yun while this third wheel wasn’t around.

Nonetheless, Old Zhao’s profoundly lucky nature soon bore fruit. Within days, he came running excitedly to Nezha.

"Bro! Bro! I’ve got it! If I use the process of creating a Great World with the Ocean Stabilizing Pearls to gain insights and accumulate power, I should be able to cut off a corpse!"

Nezha chuckled and said, "Well then, congratulations, Old Bro!"

Old Zhao laughed heartily but quickly posed a second question. "So, uh, how do I go about this ’Heavenly Creation’ thing?"

Nezha: "..."

Do I tell you that you’re digging yourself into a huge karmic hole here, and you’ll have to pay it off with your sister someday?

Heavenly Creation... Nezha himself had never actually tried it. Theoretically, though, apart from the Saints, who could possibly claim to know more about it than him?

"How would I, a mere Profound Immortal, know anything about Heavenly Creation?"

"C’mon, buddy, we’re just chatting here! Give me something to work with!"

Nezha thought, if you insist, then I won’t hold back.

"Alright, here’s what I think: you should do this and that, then that and this...

Finally, give it all you’ve got, and leave the rest to miracles!"

Zhao Gongming stared at Nezha with an expression of astonishment, completely stunned by what he heard. Heavenly Creation was that simple? Why hadn’t he thought of this before?

He then used his Quasi-Saint Dao Fruit to repeatedly calculate the process. After several reevaluations, he realized that, though Nezha’s suggestion was somewhat imaginative, it was entirely feasible!

After blabbering nonsense, Nezha slipped away without a second thought.

Zhao Gongming secluded himself in his cave, running simulation after simulation of Nezha’s method. With every iteration, his eyes shone brighter, gradually feeling as though the method resonated with the very Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

One must realize that cultivators’ intuition is incredibly precise—they wouldn’t experience such feelings without reason. With this insight, Zhao Gongming hesitated no longer. Yearning to reunite with his sisters soon, he went for it!

The twenty-four Ocean Stabilizing Divine Pearls began to radiate dazzling blue light, each one surrounding Zhao Gongming like crashing ocean waves.

Gripping the Qiankun Ruler, Zhao Gongming spent a long time comparing it against one of the Divine Pearls before finally using it like an axe to strike the pearl fiercely.

BOOM!

The tremendous force shook all of Mei Mountain violently.

The immense backlash of mana caused Zhao Gongming to spit a mouthful of blood, yet his enthusiasm did not wane. Already, he had captured countless flashes of insight and a vague sense of the path ahead, affirming that this method was indeed correct!

Stabilizing his inner breath, he began pouring endless Shangqing Magic Power into the Qiankun Ruler. At its other end, the ruler penetrated deeper into the Ocean Stabilizing Divine Pearl.

Vaguely visible, the water-energy within the pearl started splitting apart as a new world began to take shape.

Outside, Nezha perched atop Emei’s highest peak, watching as spiritual energy swept across the land, carried by gentle breezes, transforming into white cloud-dragons racing into Luo Fu Cave. He thought to himself: This Old Zhao really did figure it out.

He then sat cross-legged and began acting as a protector for Zhao Gongming.

Inside the cave, Zhao Gongming successfully created two Great Worlds within the Ocean Stabilizing Divine Pearls using his mana. However, by the time he started on the third, he felt his mana reserves couldn’t keep up.

Desperate, he tried drawing on external mana, but no amount of outside spiritual energy could match the purity of the refined Shangqing Immortal Magic within him.

He found himself stuck—unable to advance or retreat. Continuing would exhaust his power and foundations entirely. Retreating, however, meant facing an all-encompassing pressure, so overwhelming it felt as though stopping the flow of mana would crush him to pieces.

As a Jie Sect Immortal, Zhao Gongming wasn’t one to give up easily. A Chan Sect Immortal might accept failure and choose survival at the cost of their Dao path. But the unrelenting spirit of the Jie Sect, embodied in even the youthful appearance of Tongtian Sect Master, would not surrender!

Zhao Gongming pushed his body to its absolute limits, squeezing out every last drop of power. With a final eruption of his foundation, the heavens and earth roared, marking the completion of the third Great World!

Yet, Zhao Gongming suddenly felt his body lighten, followed by a mysterious pull. His Taoist Body showed signs of dispersing, integrating into the newborn Great World.

That terrified Zhao Gongming. If his entire existence merged into the world, Zhao Gongming as an individual would cease to be.

Struggling desperately, the utterly drained Zhao Gongming was powerless to resist.

His final thought was, "What a pity... I didn’t even get to say goodbye to my sisters. I hope they won’t be too sad."

...

At East Sea’s Golden Turtle Island,

inside Biyou Palace, the meditating Tongtian Sect Master suddenly sensed something. Looking toward Mei Mountain, his expression shifted. After a second look, he was dumbfounded.

"Zhao Gongming, what do you think you’re doing? Do you seriously think you’re in Father God’s league, trying to forcefully create a world? And now you’re attempting this nonsense about Body Transformation into All Things?!"

"Unbelievable! Absolutely ridiculous!"

Extending his hand across immeasurable space, he reached into the Heavenly Sea Realm, grabbing Zhao Gongming. Streams of azure light flowed back into Zhao Gongming’s body as Tongtian pulled him back.

Once his palm retracted, Zhao Gongming—along with twelve Ocean Stabilizing Divine Pearls—was transported directly to Biyou Palace on Golden Turtle Island.

By then, Zhao Gongming’s face was as pale as a sheet. Though his Taoist Body remained intact, his soul and Divine Soul had scattered and partially fused with the Heavenly Sea Realm, beyond recovery.

"Disciple thanks Master for saving my life!"

True to his straightforward nature, Zhao Gongming immediately bowed in gratitude.

The Tongtian Sect Master, who had always been fond of Zhao Gongming’s forthrightness—so much like his own—sighed internally, thinking, "What an incorrigible fool."