Nezha, Your Godfather Has Arrived

"Great King, why do you grace Chentang Pass with your presence?"

Li Jing asked cautiously, afraid of angering Di Xin.

He had reported to Chaoge before and met Di Xin, who had just ascended the throne. But even within the grand halls of Chaoge, he had never felt such an oppressive presence from Di Xin, as if he were a born king, inspiring a desire for genuine submission.

The legends that Di Xin was recognized by the ancient Three Sovereigns seemed to hold water.

Di Xin glanced at Li Jing, who immediately bowed his head. Di Xin waved his hand, unfastened a dull gray cloth bag from his waist, and took out an ancient longbow and two ancient bronze arrows.

"The Xuanyuan Bow and Sky-Shaking Arrow are the treasures that guard Chentang Pass. I tested them in my hand, and their ferocity is too great, unsuitable for keeping in the palace. So, with the Beihai conflict settled, I took the opportunity to bring them back to their rightful owner."

Li Jing stood stunned, unsure whether to accept or refuse. Yuan Futong was leading seventy-two lords in rebellion in Beihai, while Chentang Pass was on the coast of the East Sea. And he was saying he just "took the opportunity"?

Fine, "took the opportunity." Who was he to argue with the Great King?

Snapping back to reality, Li Jing bowed deeply and said with trepidation:

"Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king; all who live on its shores are the king's subjects. The Xuanyuan Bow and Sky-Shaking Arrow are the treasures of Chentang Pass, and Chentang Pass belongs to the Great King. General E Lai taking the bow and arrows is returning them to their rightful owner; they do not belong with me."

"Li Jing, you seem to fear me?"

Di Xin turned around, his gaze instantly becoming chillingly cold. Has this Li Jing already contacted the Western Teachings?

"Think before you speak. After all, your entire family's heads are at stake! While I am no ferocious beast, I can still exterminate the nine generations of those who disobey!"

Li Jing's face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat streamed down his face uncontrollably. Facing Di Xin's questioning alone, he felt as if he were being interrogated by all the citizens and soldiers of Chentang Pass, their voices sharp and accusatory:

"Li Jing, your wife is carrying a demon! Are you going to endanger Chentang Pass for your own selfish reasons?"

"That is a demon! The giant waves of the East Sea have ravaged my home, my paradise, all because of that demon, all because of you!"

"A ruined home, a scattered family, miles of flooded land, bodies strewn everywhere! Look! Li Jing, these are the sins brought by your son! Are you satisfied?"

With a thud, Li Jing fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He choked out, "Great King, it is all this subject's fault!"

This Li Jing, his mental fortitude is too weak?

Di Xin's expression was strange. Was one sentence from me that powerful? Perhaps I should test my main body in court and see if I can lure out some bigger fish?

"Great King, the East Sea was originally peaceful. It is only because of this subject's mistakes that such a catastrophe, such a tragedy for the human world, was almost caused!"

Li Jing steadied his breathing, gritted his teeth, and revealed everything he had guessed:

"Great King, the cause of all this must be traced back to the demon within my wife's womb:

My wife has been pregnant for a year and a half, a full eighteen months! And after the demon in her womb did not emerge after ten months, the winds and waves on the East Sea began to rise, becoming fiercer day by day, until the scene we see today.

When strange things happen, there must be a demon. The child in my wife's womb is likely the fulfillment of this prophecy.

I originally intended to return to my sect to obtain an immortal pill. Before the demon was born, I would have cut open my wife's womb and killed the demon first, to prevent him from harming the common people after birth. Then, I would use the immortal pill to save my wife's life, achieving the best of both worlds.

However, my wife was bewitched by the demon, saying that she knows best whether it is a demon, as it is her child. She would not let me, her husband, commit the great evil of matricide, which goes against the Heavenly Dao. Coupled with my momentary softness of heart, I have delayed action.

I did not expect this to alarm the Great King. This subject is truly ashamed of the trust of Yin Shang, the cultivation bestowed by the Great King, and the love of the people of Chentang Pass!

However, if the Great King wishes to punish, please punish this subject alone. My wife, children, and family are truly innocent!

If, if my wife's child is indeed a demon! Please grant this subject half a month to seek a miraculous medicine to save my wife's life.

If, he is merely an innocent child, please grant him a way to live.

For this, this subject is willing to take his own life as atonement! To uphold the Great King's grace!"

Li Jing's impassioned speech could be said to move listeners to tears, or at least, it moved himself to tears, flowing freely down his cheeks.

Child, for the sake of your mother and brother's lives, I can only sacrifice you. However, Father will come to accompany you, so at least you didn't pick the wrong family to be born into!

At this moment, Nezha had not yet been born to stir up trouble, act arrogantly, and be ignorant. To Li Jing, he was just a child he had never met, not a harbinger of disaster who would cause immense trouble!

Therefore, at this moment, he only felt hope and guilt, not the cold indifference and utter disappointment of later generations.

Looking at Li Jing, who was moved by his own words and weeping silently, Di Xin was stunned and softly uttered two words:

"That's it?"

So you thought the East Sea's storms were caused by the unborn Nezha?

Good heavens, you secretly studied Fuxi's Bagua and calculated what your future son would do, didn't you? You can twist things and imagine things even better than I can.

"Great King, what, what do you mean by that?"

Li Jing stood frozen, unable to understand why Di Xin's reaction was so nonchalant.

If I showed a hint of fear, you threatened to exterminate my nine generations. Now, the culprit of the East Sea might be due to my impulsive actions that night, and you give me this expression?

"The East Sea's storms were caused by external forces, not your unborn child. However..."

Di Xin's tone shifted, once again raising Li Jing's hopes:

"It is rumored that when ancient sages were born, there were all sorts of unusual phenomena. Your child has not been born after eighteen months, so it seems he is also extraordinary.

To be honest, I am now somewhat curious. Would it be too presumptuous to go and see your wife now?"

"Uh, not presumptuous, not presumptuous, Great King, please."

Not presumptuous? Is there anything more presumptuous than this?

Li Jing was unwilling in his heart, but now Di Xin held the knife and the cutting board while he was the fish. Even if it was a bit abrupt, it was better than losing his life, wasn't it?

Li Jing descended the city wall and led the way. Di Xin, meanwhile, looked left and right along the way, enjoying the authentic daily life of the ancients.

Now it seemed that Li Jing was not beyond saving. It was just that his mind thought too much.

Besides that, there was the typical characteristic of the ancients: male chauvinism and extremism. Slicing open his wife's belly, he was just like a perverted murderer, wasn't he!

Fortunately, Nezha had the destiny of the "Vanguard Army for Punishing Zhou" on them, otherwise they really wouldn't have lasted until their even cheaper "godfather" came to find them.

However, this trip was indeed not in vain. Nezha, your godfather is here!