Chentang Pass, the Li Residence.
Nezha no longer wore his hair in two flower-bud buns as he had in his previous life. Instead, his long hair hung loose.
His face was resolute, and he was not much shorter than Yang Jian.
Yes, Nezha had grown up.
In his previous life, he had been forced to scrape away his bones to return them to his father and cut away his flesh to return it to his mother at seven or eight years old. After taking on a lotus incarnation, he had naturally remained trapped in the form of a child of that age.
But in this life, Nezha had Wuyun Xian protecting him, so all those troubles had never come knocking.
Now, Nezha still possessed immensely powerful fortune, and his cultivation was even far above Yang Jian's.
That was easy enough to understand.
After all, even with his fortune so badly damaged in his previous life, Nezha had only been a shade weaker than Yang Jian.
Now, his fortune had suffered no loss whatsoever!
Creak.
The door to Nezha's room was pushed open. He opened his eyes, and when he saw the person standing outside, his brows drew together slightly.
It was none other than Li Jing.
Although Li Jing was Nezha's birth father, their relationship was clearly terrible.
But thanks to Wuyun Xian's teachings, Nezha merely frowned. His gaze was cold, but he still spoke slowly. "What do you want with me?"
He genuinely wanted to know.
After all, more than twenty years had passed since his birth. When he was little, they might still have exchanged a few heated words.
But as Nezha grew up, they had gone many years without speaking. Their supposed father-son bond existed in name alone.
They lived beneath the same roof, yet met as strangers.
"Your brothers, Jin Zha and Mu Zha, have already joined Xiqi. They're preparing to overthrow Yin Shang's tyranny."
"Now that you've learned so many skills, when do you intend to go help your brothers?"
"Ji Fa of Xiqi is an enlightened ruler of our age. You'll certainly be given an important position if you go. I can write you a letter of recommendation."
Li Jing was deeply reluctant to have anything to do with his third son.
But the Chan Sect had given the order, and as a Chan Sect disciple, he had no choice but to obey.
Thus, however unwilling and reluctant he was, Li Jing could only say these things.
Nezha, however, sneered inwardly.
After so many years of Wuyun Xian's guidance, Nezha's mind had long since matured. He had his own thoughts and understanding. How could Li Jing fool him with a few glib words?
Especially with Li Jing's shifty gaze and awkward speech, Nezha could tell at once that he was deeply unwilling.
Why was he telling me all this?
Considering the conflict between the Chan Sect and the Interception Sect, Nezha instantly understood. The Chan Sect was undoubtedly scheming behind this.
"I am a member of the Interception Sect. Even if I do enter the Investiture Calamity, I will only join Yin Shang."
"Besides, I have no intention of entering the calamity yet."
"As for when I enter, or whether I enter at all, I must wait for my Master's decision."
Those words nearly drove Li Jing mad with rage.
He could no longer suppress the fury in his heart. His entire face twisted into a savage, terrifying mask.
Li Jing glared viciously at Nezha and spoke coldly.
"You unfilial son! You would rather listen to an outsider than your own father?"
"Do you think I, your father, would harm you?"
"If you still acknowledge me as your father, then get your ass into Xiqi's army and serve!"
Hearing this, Nezha burst into laughter.
His lips curled with mockery as he said coldly, "Father? Li Jing, you actually have the nerve to call yourself that?"
"What father tries to kill his own child the moment he's born?"
"For more than twenty years, you've despised your own child and treated him as coldly as an enemy. You call that being a father?"
"Look at that furious face of yours, so savage and twisted. Just looking at it makes me sick."
"I advise you not to keep trying to provoke me. You may have fathered me, but you've never raised me for a single day."
"So if you keep spewing nonsense at me, I will kill you!"
Nezha's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and he made no attempt to hide his thoughts.
Perhaps the Nezha of the past had been innocent and carefree. No matter how badly Li Jing treated him, even when he rebelled, he had still considered Li Jing his father.
But now, Nezha had someone to guide him, and thus possessed his own sense of right and wrong.
Moreover, the Interception Sect did not care about the hierarchy of heaven, earth, sovereign, parents, and teachers.
The Interception Sect's philosophy was to live free and unfettered, seizing that single thread of creation and chance of survival from heaven and earth.
It meant establishing the right outlook on life and attaining true freedom.
Simply put, kindness must be repaid, and grudges must be avenged!
Only if you treated him well would he treat you well.
If you treated him badly, even if you were the fucking king of heaven himself, he would knock out one of your teeth even at the cost of his life.
That was how Nezha was now.
Proud to his very bones, with kindness and grudges clearly distinguished.
When it came to Wuyun Xian and Yin Shiniang, he wished he could give everything good to those two loved ones.
But as for Li Jing-heh, sorry.
If Li Jing continued to ignore him, Nezha could not be bothered to waste words on him either. At most, he was a stranger.
But if Li Jing pressured him, or even attacked him, Nezha would show no mercy.
As for his two supposed brothers, Nezha had no real impression of them, much less any familial affection.
To put it plainly, they were strangers.
If they stood on opposing sides and truly encountered one another, Nezha might spare their lives for Yin Shiniang's sake. But he would still escort them to Golden Ao Island and leave them for Tongtian, the sect's grand patriarch, to deal with.
But letting them go was absolutely out of the question!
Li Jing trembled with rage and even drew his treasured sword.
At the same time, however, Nezha opened his right hand. The Blood Dragon Pattern Spear appeared, its entire length gleaming crimson, with a great blood-red dragon coiled around it. Nezha gripped it tightly.
In an instant.
An overwhelming aura of blood and slaughter spread through the room. Nezha stared coldly at Li Jing, looking like a god of slaughter.
If Li Jing dared to attack, Nezha would show no mercy.
Just then, Yin Shiniang rushed in. At the sight before her, she immediately began crying and pleading with them to stop.
With that, neither Li Jing nor Nezha could continue the fight.
In the end, Li Jing said nothing and left in bitter fury.
As Nezha watched Li Jing's retreating back, a trace of disdain crossed his lips.
If Yin Shiniang had not been here in Chentang Pass, Nezha would have long since followed Wuyun Xian to Golden Ao Island.
Even now, Nezha could not help urging her, "Mother, why don't you come with me to Golden Ao Island?"
"I truly don't want to spend another day in this so-called home."
Yin Shiniang looked deeply torn. In the end, she sighed, still unable to say a word.
It was obvious.
She truly loved Li Jing and could not bear to leave her husband.
"I think Nezha is right."
Wuyun Xian walked in then as well and said to Yin Shiniang, "If you and Li Jing had been husband and wife singing in harmony as before, an old Daoist like me certainly wouldn't have tried to separate you. But look at the rotten things Li Jing is doing now!"
"He has such a good wife, yet he insists on taking a concubine."
"I, Wuyun Xian, am a demon myself, so naturally I wouldn't look down on that pipa fox demon."
"But the problem is, that pipa fox demon is no kindly soul. Her heart is vicious indeed."
"If I weren't here, believe me, that pipa fox demon would have killed you long ago."
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