e-booksonline Chapter 22 Nezha
Chapter 22 Nezha
Chentang Pass, General's Residence.
Inside the main hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood incense, and the lights were bright.
The table was laden with delicacies, rare fruits, and exquisite wines, a display of unparalleled luxury.
In his early years, he studied under the tutelage of the Taoist master Xikunlundu'e.
Although his talent was limited and he failed to become an immortal, he could not be mistaken for the true aura of the Xuanmen sect.
"May I ask, if I may?"
"Judging from the immortal's demeanor, his magical power is as deep as the ocean, and his pure energy soars straight to the heavens. He must be from a prestigious family."
"I wonder where the immortal's home is, and which sage he studied under? That would give me something to revere."
Lin Yuan sat upright in the main seat, and upon hearing this, gently turned the white jade cup in his hand.
He smiled calmly and said leisurely.
"General Li, since you have entered the Xuanmen (Taoist sect), you should know about the changes in this primordial world. As for my origins..."
"Red flowers, white lotus roots, and green lotus leaves—the three religions were originally one family."
"People in this world only know that there are three schools of thought: Chan, Jie, and Ren. But they don't know that the Three Pure Ones are all from the same origin under the tutelage of the Primordial Dao Ancestor. Although I often reside on Jin'ao Island, I have also sat and watched the snow on Kunlun Mountain and recognized the scenery of Xuandu."
"Tell me, which school do I belong to?"
These words made Li Jing's scalp tingle and his spine go cold!
"Red flowers, white lotus roots, green lotus leaves..."
Li Jing repeatedly chewed on this slang term, his heart churning with turbulent emotions. He punished himself by drinking three cups of wine, saying repeatedly.
"This humble official misspoke; please forgive me, Immortal!"
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the banquet should have been lively, but Li Jing's brows furrowed more and more.
Fueled by alcohol, he finally couldn't help but pour out his troubles to the immortal.
"Immortal, you may not know this, but my Chen Tang Pass may look glorious on the surface, but in reality... it is a family misfortune, a great disgrace has occurred."
Lin Yuan slightly raised his eyes. "Oh, General, what makes you say that?"
Li Jing poured out his grievances as if he were pouring out his heart.
"To tell you the truth, my wife was pregnant for a full three years and six months, and gave birth to a fleshy ball that was not ordinary."
"Such a monstrous offspring that defies the natural order is an ominous sign."
"Later, although the Taiyi Zhenren of the Chan Sect came down the mountain and took him as a disciple, giving him the name Nezha, that Zhenren only left behind a few magic treasures and went back to the mountain to cultivate in seclusion."
At this point, Li Jing trembled with anger.
"You, sir, be the judge!"
"Nezha was unruly and tyrannical by nature, causing trouble all day long within the pass. He would injure soldiers at the slightest disagreement, and set fire to civilian houses at the slightest displeasure."
"I am the General of the Yin Shang Dynasty, and I uphold the principles of propriety and social order. But this monstrous son of mine has no regard for any rules whatsoever!"
"I both hate and fear him. If it weren't for the fear of ending the family line, I would have... I would have loved to cleave this wretched creature in two with my sword!"
In the end, a murderous glint actually flashed in Li Jing's eyes.
This is the instinctive fear of mortals bound by worldly etiquette when faced with extraordinary power going astray.
Lin Yuan listened quietly, but inwardly he sneered.
Why did Taiyi Zhenren accept a disciple but not teach him, leaving behind only deadly magical weapons and then abandoning him?
It's all so that this little Nezha can be tainted with the sins of killing, so that the Chan Sect can carve out a bloody path for itself in the Investiture of the Gods!
However, this gave him an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Lin Yuan shook his head and sighed.
"General Li, you're getting too attached to appearances."
"The Great Dao is fifty, and the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine. Our founder of the Intercepting Sect once said, 'Seize the last thread of life, and teach all without discrimination.'"
"All things possess a spirit. Regardless of whether they are creatures with fur or horns, or those born from moisture or eggs, as long as their hearts are turned towards the Great Dao, they can all cultivate immortality and attain enlightenment."
"And what about your spirit pearl, which absorbed the essence of heaven and earth for three and a half years before its descent into the world?"
"To use the formalities and rituals of ordinary people to judge a naturally born and nurtured deity is not only foolish, but downright a waste of nature!"
These words shocked Li Jing so much that his face turned pale and he broke out in a cold sweat.
At that moment, behind the red dragon pillar outside the main hall, a small figure froze.
It was a child with a topknot.
He was carrying a Qiankun Ring that emitted a golden light. He had just set fire to the woodshed in the backyard and was being chased all over the yard by the servants. He was preparing to cause trouble in the front hall.
From childhood to adulthood, the people of Chentang Pass called him Little Tyrant, and the servants and maids avoided him like the plague.
Even his biological father, Li Jing, looked at him as if he were a monster.
"A divine being born of heaven and earth..."
This was the first time in his life that he had heard someone use such lofty terms to describe him.
But being moved is one thing.
An unfamiliar old Taoist priest suddenly appeared in the mansion, and he was lecturing his father with such a high-handed attitude. How could his hot temper possibly tolerate it?
"Bang!"
The two large sandalwood doors of the main hall were violently kicked down by Nezha.
Amidst flying sawdust, Nezha burst into the palace.
"Old man, are you calling me a monster behind my back again?!"
Nezha first glared fiercely at Li Jing, then turned his Fire-Tipped Spear and pointed it directly at Lin Yuan, who was sitting in the main seat.
"And you, you fake Taoist priest who popped up out of nowhere, daring to play tricks in my house?"
"Watch me burn your beard!"
Upon seeing this, Li Jing was terrified.
"You wretched child, stop right now!"
Li Jing drew his sword from his waist with a clang.
But Nezha wouldn't listen.
He made a hand seal with one hand and took a deep breath.
"boom--"
A burst of spiritual fire erupted from Nezha's mouth, transforming into a ferocious fire dragon that engulfed Lin Yuan entirely.
The temperature inside the hall soared instantly, and the jade floor cracked from the heat.
"Immortal!"
Li Jing screamed in despair, thinking that it was all over and his whole family in Chentang Pass was going to be killed by this wicked creature.
Nezha gave a cold laugh.
"What kind of high immortal is he? He can't even dodge a single blast of fire from me. He's pitifully weak."
However, before Nezha's smile could fully bloom, it froze on his face.
There were no screams or struggles in the sea of fire.
Only a slender, fair hand gently parted the flames that filled the sky.
Lin Yuan stood in the center of the sea of fire, his eyes now transformed into two crimson-gold suns.
The Golden Crow True Fire is the essence of the sun and the ancestor of all fires!
"boom!"
The fire dragon that Nezha spewed out was like a mouse seeing a cat, or a commoner seeing a king.
Finally, they all shrank inward and "knelt" in the direction of Lin Yuan!
Lin Yuan remained indifferent, lightly tapping his index finger in the air.
"Disperse."
The raging fire that filled the hall instantly turned into starlight and vanished without a trace.
Nezha stood there blankly.
His fire control skills, which he had been proud of since childhood, were nothing more than a spark in front of this mysterious Taoist.
Children are the most direct in their thinking; they admire the strong, and only the absolutely strong.
"Who...who exactly are you?"
"You wretched child, you dare to talk back even when you're about to die."
Just then, Li Jing, having regained his composure, erupted in fury.
To protect his family and to appease the immortal's anger, Li Jing grabbed his sword and charged towards Nezha, raising the blade high.
"Today, I, Li Jing, will uphold justice and even kill your own family, acting on behalf of Heaven, and strike you down, you scourge!"
The sword, its blade gleaming with cold light, slashed down mercilessly.
Nezha stood there, looking at his father's disgusted face, biting his lip, neither flinching nor avoiding, a trace of desolation flashing in his eyes.