The sky was covered by dark clouds stretching for a thousand miles, crackling with thunder. One hundred thousand heavenly soldiers stood on the clouds, their immense pressure pressing down on the capital, making the very air feel oppressive.
Li Jing, holding the Linglong Pagoda, gazed with a solemn expression at Yun Dandan amidst the ruins below. He murmured, "How has the lower realm become so chaotic? The frequency of world-ending monsters appearing is far too rapid..."
Nezha, wielding his Fire-Tipped Spear, approached Li Jing and asked, "Father, that demon below likely possesses Saint-level cultivation. Our current forces are insufficient to subdue her. Shall we request reinforcements from the Heavenly Emperor?"
Li Jing shook his head. "No. The Heavenly Emperor has deployed the majority of our forces to the border of Takamagahara. Furthermore, the Western nations are covetous, and Saint-level powerhouses are needed to guard various frontiers. There are no surplus forces to commit to the mortal realm."
Hearing Li Jing's words, Nezha frowned, his expression grave. "Without reinforcements, it is likely that eight or nine out of ten of these hundred thousand heavenly soldiers will perish. This would be a significant blow to the Heavenly Court, wouldn't it?"
Li Jing sighed. "There is no other way. Huaguo is a subordinate territory of the Heavenly Court in the lower realm. If we allow this demon to wreak havoc upon the Shenzhou Continent and sever the flow of incense, the blow to the Heavenly Court would be devastating. Therefore, we must intervene."
Nezha remained silent for a moment, then suddenly recalled something. "That's right, Father. Emperor Ye Ling should be active in the mortal realm. With this demon's emergence, could we ask him to intervene?"
Li Jing replied, "I wish we could. However, Ye Ling does not belong to the Heavenly Court. Setting aside whether we can persuade him, simply finding his whereabouts is a significant problem."
With Ye Ling's cultivation, not to mention the Heavenly Court, even the entire Immortal Realm could not pinpoint Ye Ling's location. Even if Ye Ling were currently near Yun Dandan, as long as he did not reveal his aura, the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers would not detect his presence.
Nezha clearly understood this issue. He immediately said, "Father, I recently heard that Ye Ling has been quite active in the Underworld and is close with Hei and Bai Wuchang. I have some acquaintance with them. Perhaps I can ask them for help, and they might be able to invite Ye Ling."
Upon hearing Nezha's words, Li Jing's eyes brightened slightly. "If you can truly invite the Emperor to help resolve this calamity, that would be for the best. Hurry and invite Hei and Bai Wuchang!"
Regardless of anything else, Li Jing was the commander of the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals. He did not wish for his subordinates to all perish here.
Ye Ling's strength was already acknowledged as immense throughout the Three Realms. With Ye Ling's assistance in dealing with Yun Dandan, the losses of the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers would be minimized!
"Your son will go now!" Seeing Li Jing agree, Nezha was overjoyed. After bowing to Li Jing, he leaped from the clouds and descended towards the Underworld.
However, as soon as Nezha leaped from the clouds, the berserk Yun Dandan perceived him as an enemy, locking onto his aura!
Sensing Yun Dandan's killing intent, Nezha's hair stood on end. He looked at Yun Dandan in shock and exclaimed, "Not good!"
"Kill!!!"
Yun Dandan's scream pierced the sky. She bent her legs and then sprang up, charging towards Nezha like a cannonball!
The blood-red giant hand behind her transformed into a colossal sword, which she thrust fiercely at Nezha!
"Qiankun Circle!" Nezha, feeling Yun Dandan's attack, had no time for anything else and quickly hurled the Qiankun Circle.
Golden light sliced through the sky, colliding with the blood-red giant sword!
Clang!!!
The moment the Qiankun Circle met the blood-red giant sword, it erupted with sparks in mid-air. Nezha's spiritual power was instantly depleted by more than half!
Ye You, witnessing the aerial collision, asked Ye Ling, "Brother, Nezha is no match for Yun Dandan. Should we help?"
Ye Ling said calmly, "No need. Nezha, after all, is at the peak of Zhenwu cultivation and possesses divine artifacts. The berserk Yun Dandan cannot threaten his life in a short period. We can use this opportunity to observe Yun Dandan's capabilities."
To Ye Ling, Yun Dandan was still too weak.
Ye Ling wished to personally test Yun Dandan's methods, but he could only constantly suppress his own power. Any slightly heavier blow would cause Yun Dandan to be annihilated.
Nezha's strength was only one realm weaker than Yun Dandan's, and he had divine artifacts and combat experience to compensate for the disparity in raw power. Using Nezha to test Yun Dandan's abilities was most fitting.
Seeing that Ye Ling intended to use Nezha as a test subject, Ye You simply said, "Oh," and no longer spoke of helping. He stood quietly by the side to observe.
In the sky, Nezha manipulated the Qiankun Circle to contend with Yun Dandan's strength, while simultaneously retrieving pills from his Qiankun Bag to replenish his spiritual power.
There was a qualitative difference in spiritual power between him and Yun Dandan. At this moment, he could only rely on divine weapons and consuming pills to barely resist Yun Dandan.
After a few exchanges, Nezha found himself unable to disengage. He could only call out to Li Jing for help, "Father, assist me!"
Li Jing did not hesitate. He immediately ordered an attack, coldly stating, "Four Heavenly Kings, Giant Spirit God, quickly go and support my son!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The hundred thousand heavenly soldiers blew their horns and beat their war drums. The Four Heavenly Kings and the Giant Spirit God flew out from the army and charged towards Yun Dandan.
Seeing other immortals attacking, Yun Dandan's blood-red giant sword, which was clashing with the Qiankun Circle, split into numerous bone spurs and shot towards the Four Heavenly Kings and the Giant Spirit God.
The scarlet bone spurs poured down like a torrential rain, engulfing the sky.
Although these individuals were great generals under Li Jing, their strength was only at the early stage of Zhenwu. They were unable to withstand Yun Dandan's assault and were repelled midway, suffering severe injuries!
A large number of bone spurs pierced through the clouds, shattering the defensive barrier of the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers instantly!
Seizing this opportunity, Nezha immediately threw out his Hun Tian Ling and shouted, "Hun Tian Ling, help me restrain her!"
A red glow flashed across the sky, quickly entangling Yun Dandan and causing her to lose balance, falling from the sky.
"Good opportunity!" With Yun Dandan restrained by the Hun Tian Ling, Nezha's eyes lit up. He continued his pursuit, throwing the Qiankun Circle again, ensnaring Yun Dandan once more!
"收!" (Shou! - meaning "收!" or "收!")
Nezha rapidly formed hand seals. The Hun Tian Ling and the Qiankun Circle tightened simultaneously, firmly binding Yun Dandan!
"Ahhhhhh!"
Yun Dandan cried out in pain, emitting a piercing scream. A vast amount of blood energy erupted from her body, and a powerful aura impacted Nezha, blasting him away!
Li Jing, standing on the clouds, saw Yun Dandan restrained by Nezha and realized it was a critical moment. Without hesitation, he threw the Linglong Pagoda in his hand, suppressing Yun Dandan.
"Seven apertures Linglong, lock demons and suppress evil!"
Boom!
The Linglong Pagoda immediately expanded a thousandfold, and divine radiance of seven colors erupted, engulfing Yun Dandan within!
Seeing Yun Dandan captured, Li Jing breathed a sigh of relief and stroked his beard, smiling. "It seems this demon has little intelligence and was easily subdued. There's no need to invite the Emperor."
After catching his breath, Li Jing's face broke into a smile. He called out to Nezha, who was still adjusting his breathing, "Zha'er, come back quickly! This demon has been subdued, and there is no need to invite the Emperor anymore!"
"Yes, Father!" Nezha, having regained his composure, also believed the battle was over. He respectfully bowed to Li Jing and flew towards the clouds.
Ye You looked at the Linglong Treasure Pagoda floating in the air and remarked, "I didn't expect Yun Dandan to appear so powerful, yet be defeated so easily. That Linglong Pagoda is Heavenly King Li's signature magical artifact. Once captured within, even a Saint cannot escape. I think this battle is over."
Ye Ling, however, calmly gazed at the Linglong Pagoda, which was constantly flashing with seven-colored light, and said, "It's not that simple. Li Jing and Nezha's divine artifacts are about to be destroyed."
Ye You was stunned and asked in surprise, "Ah? How can that be?"
Bang!!!
As Ye You's words fell, the Linglong Pagoda in the sky suddenly exploded. A massive shockwave spread outwards.
The buildings in the capital were instantly flattened, the dense clouds in the sky were directly dispersed, and nearly half of the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers were sent flying, their formations in disarray.
Nezha, who had not yet reached the clouds, was hit by the impact and, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted towards the ground!
"You all, must die!!!"
A mournful scream echoed through heaven and earth. Endless blood energy surged from the place where the Linglong Pagoda had exploded, covering the sky over the capital.
The vast city turned a bloody red!