Enfeoffing the Human Emperor Ying Zheng as the Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Star

"Stop!"

Just as Li Jing's long sword was about to strike the fleshly ball, a clear, cold feminine shout, like thunder from the Nine Heavens, exploded above the Commander's mansion.

A mighty pressure descended from the sky, instantly enveloping the entire Chen Tang Pass.

Under this pressure, Li Jing felt as if his body was being crushed by an invisible mountain, unable to move. The long sword in his hand clattered to the ground.

He raised his head in horror and saw that a woman in a green palace dress, with a peerlessly beautiful face and a cold demeanor, had appeared in the courtyard at some unknown time.

A faint green aura surrounded the woman, lotuses bloomed beneath her feet, and she looked at him and the fleshly ball at his feet with indifferent eyes.

"You, are you Li Jing?" the woman's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Who... who are you? Are you a god or a demon?" Li Jing asked, forcing down his fear, his voice gruff and defiant. Although he was also a cultivator, having studied under True Lord Du'e of West Kunlun, his cultivation was like an ant's before this person.

The woman did not answer his question, her gaze falling instead on the fleshly ball.

She extended a slender jade finger and gently tapped the fleshly ball.

"Crack."

The incredibly tough fleshly ball split open, and from it leaped a boy, carved from jade, with a golden bracelet on his wrist and a red sash around his waist.

As soon as the boy landed, he opened his large, dark, curious eyes, looking around and babbling, showing no fear.

"Lingzhuzi..."

Seeing the boy, a complex, unreadable emotion flashed in the green-clothed woman's eyes: nostalgia, reminiscence, and a hint of... release?

"You... who exactly are you? What did you do to my son?"

At this moment, Lady Yin, weak after giving birth, emerged from the birthing room, supported by a maid. Seeing the scene, her face was filled with worry and terror.

The green-clothed woman turned her head to look at Lady Yin, her icy gaze finally softening slightly.

"You need not fear. I am not an evil spirit, nor have I come to harm you."

She paused and then spoke slowly, her voice carrying throughout the entire Commander's mansion.

"This humble Taoist is Shi Ji, from Skull Mountain White Bone Cave."

Shi Ji!

When these two words were spoken, Venerable Yuanshi and Grand Supreme Elder Laozi, far away on Kunlun Mountain, suddenly opened their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.

Shi Ji?

The Jiejiao demon immortal who was long ago annihilated by True Lord Taiyi's Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover, body and soul?

How could she still be alive?

And appear in Chen Tang Pass?

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Venerable Yuanshi cried out.

He had personally confirmed it; Shi Ji's True Spirit had turned to ashes without even the chance to be placed on the Investiture of the Gods. How could someone whose body and soul were annihilated possibly revive?

Could someone be impersonating her?

But that aura, that unique aura of a rock transforming into a spirit, was undeniable!

Grand Supreme Elder Laozi also frowned, quickly performing calculations, but the results remained chaotic.

"Senior Brother, this..." Venerable Yuanshi looked at Grand Supreme Elder Laozi, his voice trembling slightly.

One by one, deceased disciples, an enemy who should have been annihilated, had appeared alive and well. All of this had completely exceeded his understanding.

Chen Tang Pass, Commander's Mansion.

Li Jing and Lady Yin were unaware of the great stir the name "Shi Ji" had caused in the ears of the Saints.

Li Jing merely found the name somewhat familiar but couldn't recall it immediately.

He mustered his courage and asked, "Great Goddess Shi Ji? May I ask why you have graced my humble Commander's mansion?"

Shi Ji's gaze fell back on the male child who had already begun to toddle on the ground.

"I have come to take him as my disciple."

"What? Take my son as a disciple?" Li Jing and Lady Yin were stunned.

"Indeed." Shi Ji nodded. "This child is destined by heaven to face calamity. His True Spirit is a reincarnation of Lingzhuzi from Nuwa's palace. He and I have an unfinished karmic connection. Today, I have come to take him to cultivate on the mountain, to avoid a destined killing tribulation."

"This..." Li Jing hesitated.

He himself was a cultivator and naturally understood what "reincarnation of Lingzhuzi" and "destined killing tribulation" meant.

If what this Great Goddess Shi Ji said was true, then letting their son become her disciple would be a good thing.

However, he studied under True Lord Du'e and was considered a disciple of the Sect of Explanation. This Great Goddess Shi Ji, judging by her name, did not seem to be from the Sect of Explanation.

"Great Goddess, please forgive my presumption. My son... isn't his destiny already tied to a master? My teacher, True Lord Du'e, once said that my son's master would be True Lord Taiyi of Qianyuan Mountain Golden Light Cave..."

Li Jing asked cautiously.

Upon hearing the words "True Lord Taiyi," a bone-chilling cold glint flashed in Shi Ji's eyes.

The temperature in the entire Commander's mansion seemed to drop several degrees.

"True Lord Taiyi?"

She let out a cold laugh, her voice filled with endless mockery and glee.

"He can barely protect himself, already in the East Sea, facing his own killing tribulation, having ascended the Investiture of the Gods. Whether he's alive or dead is unknown, so with what authority would he take a disciple?"

"What?!"

Li Jing was struck as if by lightning, completely stunned.

True Lord Taiyi... was dead?

That was one of the Sect of Explanation's Twelve Golden Immortals, a Grand Unity Golden Immortal! How could he just die like that?

Was this Lady Shi Ji speaking the truth or lying?

Shi Ji seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "Believe it or not, that's up to you. However, I can tell you this: Taiyi and I have an irreconcilable enmity. Now that he has met his retribution, I will protect the disciple he couldn't protect. I will teach the apprentice he couldn't teach."

"I want to train this child into a true powerhouse. In the future, I will have him personally trample underfoot all those who once bullied him and schemed against him, one by one!"

Her voice was filled with powerful confidence and an unquestionable dominance.

These words plunged Li Jing and Lady Yin into silence.

The amount of information was overwhelming.

True Lord Taiyi was dead, this mysterious Lady Shi Ji was True Lord Taiyi's enemy, and now she wanted to snatch his disciple.

What was all this?

Lady Yin looked at the child who had already run to Shi Ji's feet, hugging her leg and giggling. Her heart softened.

She could feel that although Lady Shi Ji appeared cold, she didn't seem to harbor any ill will towards her child. Instead, there was an inexplicable sense of care.

She tugged at Li Jing's sleeve and whispered, "Husband, I don't think this Lady seems like a bad person. Moreover, our child seems quite close to her. Perhaps... this is fate."

Li Jing's heart was in turmoil.

On one side was his ethereal sect, and on the other was this unfathomable Lady Shi Ji, who had brought shocking news.

He gritted his teeth and finally made his decision.

He bowed deeply to Shi Ji.

"Since that is the case, then I entrust my son to you, Madam. Please bestow a name upon my son."

Shi Ji looked at him, her expression softening considerably.

"Since he appeared upon hearing the cry of 'Nezha,' let him be named 'Nezha'."

She bent down and picked up Nezha.

Little Nezha didn't cry in her arms at all. Instead, he reached out his small hand to touch her face.

A faint, but genuine smile finally appeared on Shi Ji's eternally cold face.

"Nezha, from today onwards, you are my disciple, Shi Ji."

"Come with me. Master will take you to a place where no one can harm you."

With that, she held Nezha and transformed into a streak of green light, soaring into the sky and instantly vanishing into the horizon.

Only Li Jing and his wife, along with a group of stunned servants and maids, were left in the courtyard, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Inside the Investiture of the Gods Space.

Shen Zhaochi watched this scene and nodded with satisfaction.

"Perfect."

Shi Ji's resurrection was naturally his doing.

As the owner of the Investiture of the Gods, anyone whose name was on the list could have their immortal body reshaped and reappear in the world if he was willing to pay enough Divine Power.

Of course, this reshaping was not true resurrection.

The current Shi Ji was more like a "divine envoy" walking in the Primordial Era for him, a "high-level puppet" under his absolute control.

But that was enough.

"Let the person killed by Taiyi take Taiyi's disciple. Old Man Yuanshi, do you like this grand gift?"

Shen Zhaochi's lips curved into a playful smile.

He wasn't just undermining the Sect of Explanation; he was striking at their very hearts.

He could already imagine how furious Venerable Yuanshi would be when he heard this news.

A dead person could jump out and slap his face.

This would be more unbearable for him than directly killing a few disciples of the Sect of Explanation.

"Next, it's time for my cheap senior brother, Zhao Gongming."

Shen Zhaochi's gaze shifted away from Chen Tang Pass and landed on Zhao Gongming, who was on Golden Ao Island, basking in the admiration of thousands and full of high spirits.

"Your moment of glory is about to end."

"The two from the Western Teachings should be arriving soon, right?"