Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 638 - 632: Jiang Ziya [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1

Suddenly, from nowhere, thousands upon thousands of divine generals flew into view. Each of them was immensely powerful, deities with resounding reputations in the Three Realms. Even Li Jing would have to treat them with considerable respect upon encountering them on ordinary days. These divine generals, usually as elusive as dragons and seldom seen, had unexpectedly convened in one place—a carefully laid ambush was about to unfold.

Seeing them, the Pagoda-carrying Heavenly King felt a sense of despair and said with a bitter smile, "Good child, you shouldn't have come. Since you've insisted on following your own path, then continue on it. But coming here is tantamount to throwing your life away."

Nezha's heart trembled with shock, somewhat in disbelief. There had been some grievances between him and the Pagoda-carrying Heavenly King. However, after the Divine Enthronement, their father-son relationship had eased considerably. Still, he held some resentment towards Li Jing for his indifference and strictness during his childhood. After so many years, his choice to come to the rescue was motivated solely by filial piety. He never dared to hope that Li Jing genuinely cared for and protected him from the heart, yet at this moment, hearing Li Jing's heartfelt words left him deeply shaken and moved.

Nezha said, "Please be at ease, Father. None of us will come to harm. The Heavenly Court owes us, father and son, too much. Today, after saving you, I ask that you join me in opposing the Heavenly Court."

Li Jing shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Nezha couldn't worry about that now. He took out the Qiankun Ring and directly smashed Li Jing's shackles, thus temporarily rescuing him.

However, inescapable nets seemed to close in from all directions, completely surrounding them. Divine generals filled the sky, obscuring the sun, encircling them so tightly that not even water could seep through. Escaping would not be easy.

Jiang Ziya said, "Nezha, I advise you not to delude yourself. It's best to surrender without further resistance. I'll personally plead to the Jade Emperor on behalf of you and your father. Although I can't pardon your crimes, I can spare you both from death."

Nezha replied, "Commander, if you genuinely had such ability and influence, my father would not be facing execution today."

"This matter is a dispute between us, father and son, and the Heavenly Court. I would ask you, Commander, to please not interfere. You have no divine position in the Heavenly Court; you are just an assistant summoned by the Heavenly Court. Why sacrifice your life for this?"

Indeed, Jiang Ziya once mentored Nezha and his father and held prestige within the Six Paths of the Three Realms. Yet his own strength was not so formidable as to be insurmountable. Strictly speaking, Jiang Ziya's Mana and Divine Powers barely reached the Da Luo realm. Among all the Disciples of Lord Yuan Shi, Jiang Ziya's cultivation of mystic arts was the weakest. Had it not been for the karmic consequences of the Divine Enthronement calamity, perhaps he wouldn't have even achieved the cultivation of a Daluo Golden Immortal. However, Jiang Ziya was different from other deities, not quite like an ordinary Daluo Golden Immortal. After all, due to his involvement in the Divine Enthronement, his Primordial Spirit far surpassed those of other deities of the same realm, likely having reached the level of a Quasi-Saint Realm Primordial Spirit.

But Nezha was already a high-ranking Quasi-Saint. Whether in terms of cultivation, Mana, or Primordial Spirit and physical body, he had reached the Quasi-Saint level. Jiang Ziya was indeed not his match. What set Jiang Ziya apart, however, was his skill in deploying troops and Array Arrangement, as well as deducing formations. Also, the Beat God Whip in his hand was a true nemesis for deities. A knock would injure, a touch would kill. No deity dared to disobey Jiang Ziya's orders, but the more powerful deities also did not regard him highly.

Seeing Jiang Ziya not backing down and arranging his troops with calm and meticulous precision, Nezha, well aware of his capabilities, knew that any further hesitation would allow Jiang Ziya to unite the divine generals into an unbreakable front. If they tarried, he and his father would find it truly impossible to escape, so they had to carve out a path to survival immediately.

Nezha, wielding the Flame-Tipped Spear, Universal Net, Qiankun Ring, Demon-slaying Sword, and Demon Subduing Gold Brick, and riding the Wind Fire Wheels, manifested three heads and six arms, embodying the Law of Heaven and Earth. At that moment, he was like a demon god descended. Having undergone refinement by Sha Chen, his body had already reached the level of the Primeval Chaos Saint Body, his cultivation had attained the Intermediate Stage of Semi-saint, and his Primordial Spirit, unbound by his physical form, roamed beyond the heavens. It could be said that Crown Prince Nezha, with his three heads and six arms, was nearly invincible within his realm. Even Red Boy, known for his arrogance and formidable Mana, had lost to him by a move or half when they sparred.

Now with all his martial might unleashed, Nezha faced the encirclement of countless divine generals with aplomb, forging a bloody path of escape through sheer force. But no sooner had he cleared a path than he entered another dead end. The Heavenly Court had long been prepared, mobilizing nearly all its might to deploy innumerable experts in ambush. Jiang Ziya also aided the Heavenly Court with troop deployment and Array Arrangement, setting up layers of restrictive formations, while various barrier formations emerged one after another.

Nezha, escorting Pagoda-carrying Heavenly King Li Jing, gradually found himself embroiled in a fierce battle. His Mana was boundless, and he had yet to be intercepted by an opponent of a matching realm. However, he faced numerous divine generals. Compounding this, Jiang Ziya was adept at perfectly unleashing their collective strength while also distributing the damage they received. Thus, Nezha sank deeper into the struggle the more he fought.

「Inside Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor watched the battle unfold with a congregation of immortals, all wearing grave expressions and furrowed brows.」

The Jade Emperor said, "It is indeed unexpected that Nezha's strength has become so formidable. Had he not betrayed the Heavenly Court back then, why would it have come to this?"

The immortals remained silent. Nezha, who had not even attained the realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal previously, had his potential continually drawn out by confrontations with Sha Chen, progressively boosting his cultivation above the Da Luo realm. But that was as far as it went. With Nezha's natural talent and the limitations of his lotus root-formed body, there was no way he could reach the Peak of Daluo Golden Immortal, let alone the Quasi-Saint Realm. Nezha's master, Immortal Taiyi, considering his Disciple's future prospects, had expelled him from his sect. Nezha then changed allegiances, becoming a Disciple of Sha Chen. It was only through Sha Chen's guidance and assistance that he had become the demon god Nezha of today. Had Nezha continued to serve under the Heavenly Court, he would not have achieved such accomplishments, nor would the Jade Emperor be praising him like this.

The Jade Emperor paid no mind to such details but turned to Bo Jian beside him and asked, "Bo Jian, do you think Sha Chen will come?"

Bo Jian shook his head. "Your Majesty, I do not know. However, I am certain that those who served under Sha Chen and opposed the Heavenly Court in the Demon's Cave years ago are highly likely to come."

"They have faced the Heavenly Court in the Demon's Cave for five to six years, knowing each other well and maintaining a strong sense of camaraderie. They surely wouldn't stand idly by while one of their own is in crisis; they are bound to intervene."

"So you mean to say that Sha Chen's followers might come, but Sha Chen himself will not appear?" the Jade Emperor asked.

Bo Jian nodded. "It is very possible, but I cannot be certain."

The Jade Emperor said, "No matter. If they dare to come, let them come with no return."