527: Chapter 527 The Flesh Ball Transforms into a Human Being - Nezha Descends to Earth

He looked up at his wife—three years of seeking a child in vain, and now there was finally movement in her womb.

Yet, it was a Saint's Disciple descending into the world; could this be an ordinary pregnancy?

If they were dragged into this monstrous catastrophe, he feared his entire family would be shattered... What to do? What to do?

Lady Li Yin just wanted to speak words of comfort when she suddenly felt a sharp, twisting pain in her abdomen.

Her face turned pale as paper, her hands gripped her skirt tightly, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

"My Lady!" Li Jing lunged forward to support her arm, his heart beating like a drum. "Is it time?"

"Yes... quickly... quickly get inside!" She gritted her teeth and squeezed out the words, her body already trembling slightly.

Supported by the midwife, she stumbled inside.

Li Jing was pushed out the door, the wooden door slamming shut with a "bang," separating two different worlds.

He paced back and forth under the veranda, not even feeling the pain as his fingernails dug into his palms.

He only felt that time had become thick and impossible to dissolve.

"Monster—!" A shrill scream tore through the silence, and several servants scrambled out of the courtyard gate, their faces devoid of color.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Li Jing's anger flared up, his voice cracking. "Where is the monster?!"

"Master, spare us! My Lady gave birth to... gave birth to a bloody meatball! We were just so scared that we started shouting!"

The midwife knelt down with a thud, shivering like chaff.

"A meatball?" Li Jing's heart sank, and he rushed inside.

He saw the meatball suspended in mid-air, swelling and shrinking, emitting a faint red light.

His pupils constricted sharply—was the Reincarnation of a Saint's Disciple truly this bizarre?

Fortunately, having practiced the Dao since childhood, he had seen several phenomena related to great beings undergoing tribulations, so he managed to suppress his panic and held his breath, waiting.

Before long, Lady Li Yin opened her eyes weakly.

Seeing the meatball hovering in front of the bed, she was stunned at first, then reached out to touch it, tears sliding down silently. "Husband... is this really... our child?"

"Perhaps it is the Saint's fetus just beginning to form, its appearance not yet set."

Li Jing feigned composure, holding her cold hand. Though his words were steady, the veins on the back of his hand were taut.

Sure enough, the meatball suddenly spun rapidly, and the red light surged like the sun breaking through clouds.

As the tide of light receded, a jade-carved, pink-cheeked infant landed steadily on the silk bedding.

The room was filled with flowing red mist, the baby's features were like a painting, and his lips were like vermilion—so cute it took one's breath away.

Lady Li Yin broke into a smile through her tears and reached out to hold him, but she saw the child open his eyes and smile, appearing as if he could already sit up—how could this be a newborn?

He was as intelligent as a two-year-old child. Her heart warmed, and tears welled up again. "Bring him here, bring him here! My child... my child truly is miraculous!"

"My Lady, you can rest easy now. The child has arrived safely, you should rest as well—the sky won't fall; I am here to hold it up."

Li Jing handed the swaddled infant to Lady Li Yin, his voice steady, though his eyes were extremely tense, as if he were carrying an iron gate of a thousand pounds on his shoulders, determined to keep his back straight.

"Yes, Husband, I believe in you. But King Zhou is so brutal now, killing old ministers in the court at will. Who can guarantee that the blade won't turn toward the military one day? I only hope that day never comes..."

Li Jing's throat tightened, and he didn't respond.

King Zhou was currently chopping off the heads of civil officials, but once blood started flowing, how could one distinguish between civil and military? If the order to mobilize troops ever fell on him, the slightest hesitation would mean the annihilation of his family.

He had already rehearsed his escape route in his mind three times, not daring to miss a single thread.

"My Lady, the origin of this child is extraordinary; you must not spoil him like an ordinary infant. His upbringing must be strict, rules must be established, and you cannot be lax in the slightest—otherwise, if he causes a monstrous disaster in the future, we won't even have the qualification to kneel and beg for mercy."

He stared at the rosy little face in Lady Li Yin's arms, his heart surging, but he only pursed his lips and stopped speaking.

"By the way, Husband, has the name been decided? Why don't you choose one?"

"Oh? Then let's call him Nezha—may he have three parts of steel in his bones and a handful of clear light in his eyes."

Lady Li Yin's brows immediately relaxed, and she lightly tapped the infant's forehead with her fingertip, calling out over and over: "Nezha, Nezha..." Her voice was as soft as spring water and as bright as the morning star.

"Master, there is an Immortal Master outside the gate who claims to be an old acquaintance of yours."

"Hmm, quickly invite him to wait in the main hall; I will be there soon."

"Husband, go quickly. Right now is critical, I will watch over things here, you can rest assured."

"Alright, you lie down for a while, I'll be back soon." Li Jing patted his wife's hand, turned, and strode out the door, the hem of his robe carving a clean arc.

"Congratulations! Congratulations! My Disciple has descended into the world today, and this humble Daoist has come specifically to offer congratulations, haha!"

Upon hearing that laughter, Li Jing's pace quickened by three points. When he lifted the curtain and entered the hall, his face was already full of smiles.

"Perfected Lord Taiyi is truly a master of calculation! The warmth hasn't even dissipated from my wife's birthing room, and you have already stepped through the door. This sentiment is truly moving—could it be that you intend to take him away immediately?"

"No rush, no rush." Perfected Lord Taiyi stroked his beard and laughed. "This time, I have come to deliver a gift as a token of our first meeting. When he is six years old, this humble Daoist will come to pick him up and bring him up the mountain to cultivate. You may rest assured and raise him."

"So that's it! Wonderful, wonderful!" The heavy stone in Li Jing's heart quietly fell—there were still six years, enough time for him to lay secret stakes, clarify the connections, and prepare backups. "Fellow Daoist, please sit for a moment; I will have someone bring Nezha so you can take a look."

Before the words were finished, the wet nurse had already hurried in with the child. Perfected Lord Taiyi's gaze fell upon him, and a flash of brilliance flickered in his eyes.

"What a spiritual fetus! A Saint's Reincarnation; his Qi and charm are naturally different from the mundane. It is just that his fate is like a blade, and tribulations are dense... Sigh, I wonder if this temper can be changed after Reincarnation."

He shook his head and sighed, then took out a golden ring and placed it on the infant's wrist, tying it with a red silk ribbon, winding it neither too loosely nor too tightly, just like a connected Bloodline.

"I will not bestow weapons for now; wait until he goes up the mountain to equip him. In six years, this humble Daoist will return."

"Many thanks for the generous gift, Immortal Master!" Li Jing looked at the golden ring and red silk, his heart burning—these two items were treasures that even border generals could not beg for.

"With this, this humble Daoist can consider a matter settled." Perfected Lord Taiyi stood up to take his leave.

Li Jing personally escorted him to the second gate, then suddenly heard the other lower his voice: "Li Jing, King Zhou has long lost his virtue; you should think about an escape route."

"Immortal Master, you see clearly. It is not that I do not think about it, but that the meager foundation of Jiangtang Pass cannot withstand a single charge from the imperial cavalry... Right now, it is like a blind man touching an elephant; I do not know where to start."

"There are likely still recluses and experts in the city. If you are willing to search carefully, there may be a turning point—but remember: forcing things will lead to backlash, and pulling too hard will cause it to collapse. Be cautious, be cautious."

Perfected Lord Taiyi's sleeve trembled slightly, and he swallowed half a sentence—his Senior Martial Uncle's eyes were like torches; saying one more word would mean fire that burns him to ashes. He only left a spark, hoping he could understand.

"Understood! This Junior will keep it in mind!" Although Li Jing had not fully comprehended it, he already felt a crack open before his eyes, letting light shine through.

After seeing the Immortal Master off, he paced alone under the veranda for a long time, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Finally, he returned to the backyard and told Lady Li Yin exactly what had been said.

"Husband," she twisted her sash with her fingertips, her gaze clear. "Perfected Lord Taiyi has always been straightforward; his hesitation today... could it be that there is truly a person in the city that even he has to avoid? If you have free time, why not move around quietly—perhaps a casual conversation can lead to the truth."

"Ah!" Li Jing clapped his hands together. "My Lady is right! I was actually scared and forgot this aspect! Quick, quickly prepare my horse; I want to knock on every door—I want to see exactly which living immortal is buried in the ground of Jiangtang Pass!"

"My Lady, you rest first; I will go and investigate."

"Husband, why be so anxious? If that person is truly in the city, they will certainly not leave quietly; if they are determined to leave, even if you stop them, it will be hard to keep their heart. Just rest peacefully today and investigate carefully tomorrow, how about that?"

Li Jing pondered for a moment and felt it made sense—if the other party was really lingering in Zhaoge, they would eventually reveal traces, so why rush? He turned to look at his wife and the infant in the swaddle, his expression warm, and even though dark clouds were pressing down on the border, a flame of inextinguishable light burned in his eyes.

The next morning, Li Jing called the butler and asked straightforwardly: "Has the residence heard of any expert in the city with extraordinary methods and an unusual background?"

"This... Master, allow this one to think." The butler was startled, a trace of panic flitting across his face, then he lowered his head to concentrate, his fingers unconsciously twisting his sleeve. Li Jing stood still without urging—finding him would be best; if not, he would just have to knock on every door himself.

"Oh!" The butler suddenly slapped his thigh. "I remember! A few years ago, an old fortune teller came and lived at the West Market entrance! That was truly amazing—everyone in the city, regardless of rank, had him cast a divination. Unfortunately, the rules were very strict: one person was only allowed one divination; if they asked for more, he wouldn't even lift his eyelids. Even stranger is that he knew exactly who came, what they asked, and whether it came true—he would say it right away, without a single error! Tsk tsk, it was a miraculous skill!"

Li Jing's heart jolted, as if an electric current had shot through his back, and he immediately understood eight or nine-tenths of it—so it was him! He had been hiding in the city for several years, yet he had been completely unaware; he was truly ashamed. But then he consoled himself: better late than never. He immediately asked: "Is that gentleman still at the West Market entrance?"

"He has never moved! If Master is willing to go, this one will lead the way immediately."

"Good! Let's set off immediately, no more delays!" Li Jing stood up abruptly, his sleeves bringing a gust of wind, his tone firm and decisive.

The master and servant immediately went out and hurried toward the West Market.

The streets and alleys were bustling like boiling water, with children chasing, peddlers hawking, and women laughing brightly. The entire city of Zhaoge was as lively as a spring pool. Compared to the fearful state of previous years where everyone held their breath, now the common people had relaxed brows and light steps. Li Jing saw it in his eyes and felt warmth in his heart—this was the stability he had built brick by brick with his own hands; it was carved into his bones and could not be forgotten.

"Master, it's just ahead! Look at that pair of couplets on red paper with black ink—that's it!" The butler stood on tiptoe and pointed.

Li Jing looked up and saw a couplet with flowing ink posted on the wooden pillar in front of the stall: "Calculating heaven, calculating earth, calculating fate; nine out of ten, not calculated right."

His breathing hitched slightly: it was either arrogant ignorance or unfathomable depth. Ordinary people might sneer, but he felt a strange tightening in his heart, as if he had been gently glanced at by eyes hidden behind the horizontal scroll.

As the thought arose, Li Jing laughed at himself—why think about it? It was better to walk up and hear a word of truth from him.

As he stepped forward, the surrounding pedestrians bowed and cupped their hands, making way with respect. The name of the General of Jiangtang Pass was known to everyone in Zhaoge: no extra taxes, no conscription, no bullying the people, no seizing of profits, opening granaries for disaster relief, building bridges and paving roads, seeking justice for the widowed and orphaned... Every single deed was carved into the hearts of the people.

Li Jing did not dare to be arrogant. Even if the person sitting behind the stall was just an ordinary old man, he would still bow in return—after all, he was a practitioner of the Dao and knew deeply that Karma was not empty: it was not in the scriptures, but in the smiling faces of the people, in the solid "Thank you, General" heard over and over. Other officials were arrogant, and people walked around them; when he bowed, the people instead gathered closer, handing him freshly picked pears and hot steamed buns.

Karma is silent, yet it is the sharpest—it shaves away impatience, breaks through obstacles, and turns difficult situations around. The so-called turning bad luck into good fortune and encountering disasters turning into auspiciousness is not empty metaphysical theory, but the foundation accumulated through daily practice. Li Jing believed in it, respected it, and cherished it even more.

"Greetings, Daoist." He straightened his clothes and looked solemn, bowing deeply. "I dare to ask for a bit of guidance."