The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 44 Pangu Hall

Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Pangu Hall

The battle outside was intense, and Nezha, within the Pangu Realm, was equally immersed in his own fierce struggles.

From starting in a small mountain village and fighting his way through, Nezha had finally arrived at the largest tribe currently tasked with guarding the Pangu Hall.

Here, he returned the corpse of the Great Witch Xingtian.

Along the way, Nezha had truly mastered martial arts, becoming proficient in all eighteen weapons. He gained deeper insights into the Power Dao, and his physical body had grown significantly stronger.

He also fully absorbed the essence of memories from the Great Witch Xingtian.

However, Nezha also discovered why Lady Houtu had sent him on this task—because the heavens of the Pangu Realm had torn open.

The hole wasn’t particularly large, but it couldn’t withstand the corrosive infiltration of Chaos. Over time, it could lead to significant problems.

As expected, earthworkers and carpenters were ever-essential professions in the Primordial Era.

Nezha didn’t decline the task—not just out of sentiment for Xingtian but also because he had enjoyed a good relationship with the villagers here during his stay. They had offered him nourishing medicinal concoctions and methods to strengthen his body without holding back.

Thinking that helping out wouldn’t be too much trouble, Nezha agreed.

The materials weren’t even provided by Nezha himself. The honest villagers gave him a tremendous surprise—they transported a massive nine-headed demon beast known as Ghost Car.

Ghost Car was one of the Ten Great Demon Commanders of the Ancient Heavenly Court. Nezha was unclear about its exact cultivation level, but it was definitely extraordinary. Using its body as material to repair a hole was more than sufficient.

The tribe’s current leader, Da Hansong, declared, "This is yours to use as material, and we have other rewards for you. Our Witch Clan would never let a friend suffer losses, let alone take advantage of a scrawny kid like you."

Da Hansong, whose hands were larger than Nezha’s head, clapped Nezha on the back with a thundering sound. His large face contorted enthusiastically as he winked and promised more goodies.

Nezha verbally refused but was secretly one of the most eager workers this time around.

Nezha took charge, dividing the witches into three teams: one to dig earth and mix mortar, another to chop wood and build ladders, and the last to assist him directly.

Nezha circled the giant bird twice, marveling at its value. The entire body was a treasure trove. He casually drew Yuanhong and slashed at the bird’s body, only to hear metallic clanging—he couldn’t even break through its defense.

Fortunately, the witches were experts in this area. Following Nezha’s instructions, they extracted some key materials from specific sections, while the remaining body would serve as the primary component for the Heavenly Repair Stone.

Nezha, holding the Qiankun Cauldron, worked with two young men who waved large fans to stoke the fire. It was a scene of intense hustle and bustle. Three months of preparation finally bore fruit.

With a giant stone strapped to his back, Nezha began climbing the towering ladder step by step, while below him gathered a dense crowd of witches watching the spectacle.

"Dad, Brother Nezha is so small, but he’s really strong!"

"Stupid boy, if you grow up like him, you’ll never find a good wife."

"Ah, poor Brother Nezha."

From such a distance, Nezha couldn’t hear the chatter below. Behind him, several other youths carrying materials cautiously followed, too afraid to glance down.

Finally reaching the top, Nezha activated his heavily suppressed and pitifully weak mana to cast Fatian Xiangdi. Transforming into a colossal form, he wedged the Ghost Car-based giant stone into the gaping hole. One hand held it in place while the other reached below for more materials from the youths.

Nezha worked tirelessly above as the children below clapped and cheered. "Yay, yay! Brother Nezha got big now; he’ll definitely find a good wife!"

A burly man beside them glanced up, shook his head, and muttered, "Still a bit too delicate-looking."

Despite his seemingly delicate appearance, Nezha exerted great effort and finally completed the celestial repair. In truth, the project wasn’t particularly massive; it only seemed so exhausting because his spiritual power was stifled by the Pangu Realm’s restrictions.

The silver vortex in the sky finally disappeared completely, and the crowd below erupted into thunderous cheers.

That evening, Nezha was treated to an enthusiastic reception, complete with a bonfire party and drinking.

This was one area where Nezha’s body was at a disadvantage—he was thoroughly bested by a group of ’peers’ in drinking games.

The next morning, when Nezha awoke, he found himself submerged in a blood pool. Beside him, a massive crimson figure, shaped like a humanoid pouch, soaked alongside him.

Scratching his head, Nezha muttered, "You guys really don’t treat me as an outsider, huh?"

Swimming a lap around the ’pool,’ Nezha discovered that, apart from the dense Pangu Dao Yun, the most valuable part was the array patterns etched along the pool’s edges.

Nezha immediately sat down, pushed his Creation Jade Scroll Fragment to full operation, and began comprehending and recording the patterns and Dao Qi. The strengthening effects of the pool on his physical body were merely secondary.

In the past, Nezha might have been confused and only knew how to use such formations. Now, however, with this reference, he was starting to grasp the underlying principles.

There was no helping it—this was the current cultivation method of the Mystic Sect. The old era, when practitioners merely needed to know how to use things without understanding the theories, was gone.

When your fist isn’t the biggest, you must play by the rules set by the strongest. And in the Primordial Era, the one with the biggest fist was undoubtedly Hong Jun.

This newfound comprehension would undoubtedly influence Nezha’s entire cultivation path.

...

Xiqi

Ji Chang, who had not completed the Century Fate Grid, appeared extremely old. He was undeniably aging rapidly. Though he had tried cultivating Nezha’s techniques, unfortunately, all his attribute points had been allocated elsewhere. Coupled with his advanced age, he abandoned cultivation attempts after trying briefly.

Instead, he poured all his energy into governance.

But now, he faced a grave problem—the question of succession.

By tradition, with Bo Yikao alive, what was there to hesitate about?

However, Ji Chang, who had already raised the banner of rebellion, clearly sensed something amiss—he could perceive the ambition in his sons’ hearts.

Suddenly, Ji Chang gained some insight into certain passages from the final volume of the Taiping Heavenly Book: "Human desire is endless. Thus, the utopian society I describe may remain unattainable within this lifetime."

The first major war had been easily resolved due to Chong Heihu’s defection. But what about afterward?

Bo Yikao, a cultured and refined gentleman, was perfectly suited for consolidating and advancing. But at this entrepreneurial stage, while Ji Chang could manage both governance and warfare, Bo Yikao lacked essential experience.

Ji Chang maintained a close alliance with Jiang Ziya, yet he knew Jiang Ziya still held feelings for Yin Shou. Therefore, he dared not entrust the army entirely to Jiang Ziya.

It wasn’t that Ji Chang was overly suspicious, but in his position, such considerations were unavoidable. Between Jiang Ziya and Nangong Shi, Ji Chang trusted the less capable Nangong Shi more.

Feeling the discomfort in his body, Ji Chang formed a vague plan: to send Bo Yikao to Li Tang and appoint his second son, Ji Fa, as the heir to West Zhou.

He knew this would be cruel to Bo Yikao, but to protect him, Ji Chang saw no other choice.

Similarly, he also understood that handing West Zhou to the ambitious Ji Fa would lead the state down a path contrary to his own ideals. But the arrow had been loosed from the bow—Ji Chang had no option but to move forward.

As Lu Xiong returned for yet another confrontation, Ji Chang felt uncertain whether he could endure this round of warfare.

The next day, the opposing sides stood off. The veteran general Lu Xiong and Jiang Ziya battled formations on the frontlines.

Lu Xiong’s strategy was rooted in stability: no matter what thousand transformations Jiang Ziya attempted, he remained unmoved. Despite Jiang Ziya deploying his full repertoire of battlefield tactics, he could not gain even a slight advantage against Lu Xiong.

Once again, West Zhou’s greatest weakness was exposed—their foundation was not as deep as that of Great Shang. Even a one-for-one exchange was unsustainable for them. After more than ten days of grueling battles and heavy losses on both sides, West Zhou found itself at a disadvantage despite its troops’ unwavering faith and morale.