The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 241 - 240: The Pension Problem in Nantang

Chapter 241: Chapter 240: The Pension Problem in Nantang

Deng Chanyu’s actions proved that Nezha’s charm surpassed that of the past.

"You’re so busy, why did you come back this time?"

"How is Bo Yikao doing now?"

Daji was still a very competent queen. Hearing Bo Yikao’s name, she detailed his current situation to Nezha.

Bo Yikao was five or six years older than Daji and was now approaching fifty. In these times, that was not considered young.

Such a capable worker would obviously not be allowed to die so easily. From time to time, Daji would bestow him with spiritual objects. Thus, his body was still robust, and these years had been rather good for him. He had essentially reached the peak of political power that a minister could achieve.

After listening to Daji, Nezha was somewhat dazed. Thirty-some years felt like the blink of an eye to an immortal, but for these mortals without cultivation, they had already grown old and weak.

Daji and Deng Chanyu rolled their eyes in unison and mentioned many ministers from the Li Family, Su Family, and Deng Family. Many, because of their advanced age, had already been laid to rest.

Nezha nodded. He had always been running around everywhere and had never really thought about the retirement issues of these people of Nantang.

After all, these were the elders who had worked hard and built a realm for him. Nezha didn’t mind lending a helping hand.

Currently, Daji and Deng Chanyu’s cultivation was stuck at the peak of Refining Void. They could ascend as immortals once they overcame the Heavenly Tribulation. However, with the current situation, the Nantang regime couldn’t yet be entrusted to others.

Lifespan wasn’t much of an issue, but their dreams of finally "feasting on Nezha" had to be continually postponed. For now, they could only enjoy him "halfway."

After bidding farewell to the two, Nezha arrived at the Prime Minister’s Mansion of Nantang, which was Bo Yikao’s residence.

Bo Yikao was apparently still busy. The once-handsome young man had now become a handsome old man, looking much like his late father, Ji Chang.

Nezha appeared with a wine jug in hand. Bo Yikao, however, wasn’t startled. He set aside his official documents and teased, "The two queens were actually willing to let their prince consort visit this old man?"

"Handling those two? A piece of cake!"

Bo Yikao chuckled. Nezha was still the same as ever, while he himself had aged into an old man halfway to the grave.

Ji Chang, now serving as Yama in the underworld, was known for his strict and upright nature. But no one would complain when he occasionally visited his son in dreams for a chat. Hence, Bo Yikao still knew a thing or two about the matters of the Old Li family.

Not everything, but bits and pieces.

The two didn’t talk about much else and instead reminisced about the past.

Bo Yikao brought up an old story: how, years ago, Nezha had patted Ji Chang on the shoulder and said his father had gained some enlightenment during his journey. To this day, Bo Yikao still couldn’t figure out what insight his father had gained.

Hearing this, Nezha was equally puzzled. Had he given some kind of hint?

Nope, not at all!

They didn’t need profound topics to bond—men didn’t need such things. With drinks flowing through the night, Bo Yikao became tipsy but felt, oddly, as though his body had become lighter, as if he were a few years younger.

"Great Sage Master, what is your real reason for visiting me this time?"

Nezha stopped beating around the bush and brought up the matter of the Ziwei Divine Position.

Bo Yikao, with a notably calm expression, asked, "Is that divine position presently mine?"

"It could be yours in the future, but it isn’t now."

"Then why does the Great Sage Master bother to ask me?"

Nezha: "???"

Why are all of you so indifferent to this?

It wasn’t just for show. Bo Yikao genuinely didn’t care. In Nantang, he had achieved virtually all of his political ambitions.

His father had passed away and was doing well as Yama in the underworld. If he died, he could serve his father as a Judge and remain by his side. To Bo Yikao, this was the best fortune he could wish for.

Why bother being Emperor Ziwei?

Was he even qualified?

And besides, wasn’t life tough enough already, working nonstop while alive? Dying only to continue the grind seemed utterly unnecessary.

Nezha, understanding Bo Yikao’s perspective, found it reasonable.

Still, he was a person who repaid kindness manyfold. If Bo Yikao intended to honor Ji Chang in the underworld, arranging something for him would be easy enough.

The two chatted about the current state of the world, drinking late into the morning.

Before leaving, Nezha left a token with Bo Yikao. Bo Yikao himself might not need it, but when his descendants encountered hardships, it could be of use.

Leaving the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Nezha visited several retired elders of Nantang to discuss their plans for the future.

In truth, Nezha could only offer them two paths:

Either ascend to the heavens and become an immortal, or take the one-stop service to the underworld and enjoy blessings in their next lives.

As expected, they all chose to ascend to the heavens with Nezha. Who would rely on enjoying blessings in the next life? Who even knew if there’d be one?

Nezha’s arrangements were quite different from the path of the Investiture of the Gods.

If one were enshrined through the Investiture, their body would be reconstructed by incense and wish power, and their Taoist body would be better suited for cultivating the Incense Fire Divine Dao.

The Incense Fire Divine Dao had obvious strengths—fast cultivation speed and low resource consumption—but its drawbacks were just as glaring. Early on, it was fine, but over time, the erosion of sentient beings’ wish power would gradually take over their consciousness.

By then, were they still themselves? No one could say for sure.

Nezha’s method avoided such issues. It was akin to Body to Saint in its original form. The downside was that one had to acquire their own cultivation resources, but at least they would still receive a salary.

After resolving these worries, Nezha returned to the Sun Star to refine the origin of the Ziwei Star. Normally, a god couldn’t hold two divine positions.

What he was doing now could be considered claiming the position first and seeking permission later.

Once I’ve already become the Ziwei Star Lord, you think you can create an Emperor Ziwei out of nowhere? Dream on. Keeping a divine position void in the Heavenly Court only weakens your Qi Fortune.

Old Hao Tian might use the Heavenly Rules as an excuse to remove someone from a divine position, but he didn’t have the power to strip Nezha of a star origin he had already refined.

If he dared to attempt forceful measures, Nezha’s teacher’s Red Embroidered Ball would smash straight into his forehead!

The process of refining the Ziwei Star’s origin went smoothly. This origin had been sealed here for countless eons, long since subdued. Moreover, Nezha’s aura naturally countered it.

After refining the Ziwei Star’s origin, he felt an inexplicable connection with the Ziwei Star in the outer celestial river. For now, Nezha wasn’t officially the Ziwei Star Lord; he still needed to visit the Ziwei Star for formal acknowledgment.

This matter couldn’t wait, primarily to avoid detection by Hao Tian.

Concealing his presence and cloaked in the Mountain and River Map, Nezha set off for the Primordial Star Sea.

The Ziwei Star was easy to locate in the Endless Star Sea. Aside from the Taiyin Star and the Sun Star, it was the brightest one.

Nezha employed the Rainbow Transformation Technique, swiftly weaving through the stars. Enhanced by Xi He’s augmentations, Nezha had become much more adept at this technique, and even in his human form, his speed had increased over fivefold.

Currently, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang, Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, and Twenty-Eight Star Constellations all lacked masters, leaving most stars unclaimed. In the past, the Demon Court had governed a vast portion of the cosmos, but it had long since declined.