Chapter 2: The Return of the Taiyin Treasure, Innate Taoist Body's Transformations
"Him?" Li Jing looked at Taiyi with some suspicion, then glanced at Li Mingzhu.
"Exactly, this child is destined to be a disciple of Qianyuan Mountain's Golden Light Cave." Taiyi Immortal stroked his snow-white beard, smiling as he spoke.
"The Immortal wants to take my son as a disciple?" Li Jing exclaimed in shock, incredulous yet harboring a sliver of hope.
"You want to make me your disciple?" Li Mingzhu stared unflinchingly at Taiyi Immortal, asking without revealing any emotion.
"Naturally, in your previous life, you were a boy under Nuwa, now reincarnated as a human, you're fated to be my disciple," Taiyi Immortal said leisurely, with an air of mysticism.
"What if I refuse?" Li Mingzhu suddenly showed a defiant look, speaking haughtily.
"You're joking, young friend, our master-disciple connection is decided by fate," although Taiyi Immortal was annoyed by the child's rudeness, he didn't show it.
"I have a name, Li Mingzhu, and even a mere Daluo Golden Immortal like you dares speak of fate?" Li Mingzhu sneered, his pride evident as he merged with the memories of his past life as Spiritual Pearl, something Taiyi could never comprehend.
"Insolence!"
"Silence, you wretch!"
Taiyi and Li Jing both shouted angrily, Taiyi's beard and robe fluttered without wind, clearly infuriated.
"What, Daoist, are you thinking of killing me? If you truly wish to do so, then try it," Li Mingzhu stepped forward, unmoved, showing no fear of Taiyi's unleashed aura.
He simply couldn't believe Taiyi would dare kill him; after all, taking him as a disciple was a transaction to gain favor with Nuwa. If Taiyi truly tried to kill him, he couldn't bear the wrath of the Saint.
If Taiyi really wished to make him a disciple, it wouldn't matter, but the memories in Li Mingzhu indicated that Taiyi had schemed against Nezha multiple times.
With such a person as a teacher, how could Li Mingzhu dare to become his disciple, risking being harmed by Taiyi anytime, especially with Nuwa's personal promise.
Li Mingzhu even believed that without Taiyi's hidden schemes, perhaps the previous trajectory's Nezha wouldn't have been unable to accept Nuwa's inheritance and the memory of the Spiritual Pearl.
Otherwise, why did Taiyi arrive neither early nor late, but precisely when Nezha was absorbing the inheritance and got interrupted by Li Jing?
If he had arrived a bit earlier, Nezha could have fully accepted the memory inheritance, showing Taiyi's malicious intent.
Precisely because Nezha didn't accept the memory and inheritance, it was easier to control him.
"Do you really think I don't dare?" Taiyi squinted at Li Mingzhu, and his horsetail whisk expanded in the wind, ready to move.
"You don't dare. I am the Saint's child, and even possess the divine inheritance of the revered Nuwa. If I don't wish to accept a master, even the Yuqing Saint cannot force me, let alone you!"
Li Mingzhu stood with hands behind his back, pointing towards the world, speaking arrogantly yet truthfully.
Clearly, with negligible cultivation, facing the Daluo Golden Immortal Taiyi Immortal, he did not retreat at all, and behind him, endless illusory scenes appeared, depicting Nuwa's teachings.
Li Mingzhu was telling Taiyi not to underestimate him; he possessed understanding and memories from a past life—trying to pressure him with power was unworthy.
Li Jing, witnessing this, was also dumbfounded, realizing that his young son held a complicated origin, as he was the reincarnation of a Saint's child.
"Well! Well! Well! It seems I've miscalculated! Such a Saint's child, truly mighty! Hmph!" Taiyi laughed in rage, and not allowing Li Mingzhu to speak further, he swept his horsetail whisk downwards.
Of course, he didn't hit hard, merely wanting to teach Li Mingzhu a lesson. He couldn't accept him as a disciple, but needed to save face.
What did it matter if he was a Saint's child? Since he dared disrespect and contradict him, he must pay the price.
"Whoo!"
Like a gust sweeping leaves, wherever Taiyi's horsetail whisk passed, only dust remained. However, when it reached Li Mingzhu, it seemed to be raised high and put down gently.
Although it knocked Li Mingzhu back dozens of yards, it didn't truly hurt him.
"Oh?"
Taiyi looked at Li Mingzhu in surprise. Though he had held back, it hadn't even injured Li Mingzhu.
"Innate Taoist Body!"
Taiyi understood something suddenly, exclaiming in shock. Without such a heaven-defying physique, how could he withstand his attack?
The Innate Taoist Body was shaped like a human, but not all human forms were Innate Taoist Bodies. Perhaps only the first humans created by Nuwa possessed such bodies. Later generations producing another Innate Taoist Body was extremely rare.
Yet here, in front of him, stood an Innate Taoist Body. In that moment, Taiyi felt regret—if only he hadn't been so confrontational, such a wonderful talent was wasted.
"Hmm?"
Li Mingzhu also noticed the anomaly, recalling records of the Innate Taoist Body, suspecting it was due to the Creation Qi.
The Innate Taoist Body not only smoothened cultivation, incredible in physique, but its transformations were limitless, mysteries not easily shared with others.
Comfortable in this knowledge, once his cultivation heightened, he could regain his former appearance—being in a child's form was too awkward, thought Li Mingzhu.
Though transformations were limitless, they required cultivation to support them. Calming his joy, Li Mingzhu continued his standoff with Taiyi Immortal.
"I'll ask you once more, will you accept me as your master?" Taiyi returned to his light and breezy demeanor, continuing to ask.
Unwilling to give up, Taiyi wanted to try again, knowing Spiritual Pearl regained memory but reluctant to let go of such talent.
"Unwilling!" Li Mingzhu answered succinctly—take someone as a master? What a joke!
"Mingzhu!" Li Jing snorted and then said to Taiyi, "My son is unruly and ignorant, I beg the Daoist to forgive him."
"No matter, if your son is unwilling, then let it be, there's no forcing it," Taiyi said to Li Jing with a smile, hiding his displeasure.
The demeanor of a high individual must be maintained.
"Farewell, Daoist!" Li Mingzhu said courteously, clearly intending to send him off.
"Hmph!"
Taiyi snorted coldly, turning to ride his crane and leave.
"Wait!" Suddenly, Li Mingzhu called after Taiyi's back.
"What, have you decided to join my Yuqing Sect? Unfortunately, I no longer wish to take disciples," Taiyi said with a smile, appearing like a lofty figure, yet Li Mingzhu sensed slight disdain.
"May I ask if the Daoist sees it as dark now?" Li Mingzhu asked with a grin, and Taiyi, puzzled, didn't understand the reasoning behind this question.
"The sky is clear and bright, how could it be dark?" Taiyi sneered, unsure of Li Mingzhu's game, but eager to suppress the youngster verbally.
"Since it's day, why speak of dreams?" Li Mingzhu concluded with laughter, even entertaining the others around, Li Jing suppressing his amusement vigorously.
"Brat, cease this nonsense," Taiyi scolded, but didn't act again.
For a Daluo Golden Immortal to engage physically with a child was not prestigious, and worst still, he hadn't hurt him; a repeat incident would bring disgrace in the Primordial World.
"Then, I ask the Daoist to return the treasure of the Nuwa Palace. Surely, with your cultivation as a Daluo Golden Immortal, you wouldn't covet these worthless pieces of scrap." Li Mingzhu spoke courteously, leveraging his harmless appearance.
"Take them!"
Taiyi snorted, fetching two treasures from his sleeve and tossing them to Li Mingzhu, the Qiankun Ring and the Hun Tianling.
Yet inside, his heart bled!
If he truly had taken Li Mingzhu as a disciple, even though these two Innate Spiritual Treasures were only two, as his disciple, it would remain within the family. But things were different now!
Two Innate Spiritual Treasures!
Though originally not his to begin with, it hurt to hand them over!
But what could he do? The young one had already spoken decisively, leaving him no choice but to concede.
Taiyi's face turned solemn as the winter's cold, while Li Mingzhu beamed with satisfaction, a spring breeze on his face.