After leaving Lingxiao Palace, Taibai Jinxing thought about visiting Barefoot Immortal’s residence to hear the details of how Heavenly King Li had teased him.
Suddenly, a slight tug from behind pulled him out of his gossip-filled thoughts.
Turning to look, he saw a small, fair hand gently clutching his Taoist robe.
A girl whose height barely reached his chest looked up at him with clear, sincere eyes and thanked him earnestly.
Taibai Jinxing felt as if his heart had been struck.
How could such a jade-like, adorable, clever, sensible, and filial granddaughter not be his?!
What right did that Shen Yuanling have? What right?!
Hiss, although there were many immortals and gods in the Heavenly Court, with his connections, finding someone wasn’t too difficult.
If he helped Shen Fuxing find her grandfather, wouldn’t she be eager to switch sides? Then, this child would belong to his palace.
Taibai Jinxing swore he was just momentarily overjoyed and couldn’t control himself, revealing a tiny hint of his desire to poach her.
Nezha, that sharp-witted fellow—though known as a martial god—was as observant as Celestial Master Zhang.
His eyes were like radar, catching even the slightest anomaly.
As Shen Fuxing thanked him, Taibai Jinxing hadn’t even finished laying the groundwork for her future move to his palace when the vibrant, soft Sky-Mixing Silk flew over, wrapping itself around Shen Fuxing’s waist in layers. With a domineering tug, she was pulled to Nezha’s side.
“This girl is mischievous. I must take her back for some discipline. Farewell.”
It’s often said that generals act swiftly and decisively. Before Taibai Jinxing could respond, Nezha summoned his Wind and Fire Wheels, and with the Sky-Mixing Silk still wrapped around Shen Fuxing, they vanished in an instant.
“…”
Left behind was Taibai Jinxing, forcing a dry laugh while gritting his teeth slightly.
He was the one who personally brought this child to the Heavenly Court—she rightfully belonged to him!
Not only did Nezha snatch her away in a moment of carelessness, but he didn’t even let him speak. Did he have no idea what respecting elders and caring for the young meant?!
Ah, it was also his fault. When he first brought Shen Fuxing up, he thought she was just a pitiful young girl who missed her grandfather too much and had attempted suicide in despair.
Who could have guessed that beneath her lovely appearance lay such a clever and resourceful soul?
The day before yesterday, that dim-witted oaf Giant Spirit God took the initiative to visit, bringing a full seventy thousand Merit.
He thanked him for bringing Shen Fuxing into Lingxiao Palace on the day of the Giant Spirit Anti-Wolf Spray incident, admitting his own foolishness and asking for his guidance in case he made any mistakes in the future.
At that moment, Taibai Jinxing knew someone shrewd must have advised Giant Spirit God.
Now, even with his toes, he could figure out that this mastermind was undoubtedly Shen Fuxing.
How Taibai Jinxing regretted it!
What did seventy thousand Merit mean?
When recruiting newcomers from Yama before, even with a crowd of a hundred thousand, the final payment was only fifty thousand Merit.
Though he was an old-timer, he was still in charge of warfare.
If he had known Shen Fuxing was like this, Taibai Jinxing would have stopped at nothing, even if it meant fighting the Great God of the Third Altar, to obtain this SSR-limited-edition golden cabbage!
Now, it was too late to say anything—she had already been taken by a pig…
But as long as Shen Fuxing’s grandfather remained unfound, he still had a chance!
Enough talk—he was off to find her grandfather!
The gray-robed Taoist leaped into the air, mounting a celestial crane, and headed straight for the Heavenly Court’s Personnel Department—the Department of Fate, which managed the registers of Celestial Attendants and Heavenly Soldiers.
Today’s events at Lingxiao Palace were completely unexpected for Nezha.
Two days ago, Shen Fuxing returned from her unauthorized absence and proposed a cunning plan to take advantage of Li Jing’s illness—using the pretext of caring for him to torment him, hoping to atone for her mistakes through this act.
Nezha had never intended to punish her severely in the first place, so he casually agreed.
After all, Li Jing wasn’t an easy person to serve. It would be good for her to temper her character through this experience, perhaps helping her become more steady in the future.
In Nezha’s mind, Shen Fuxing’s talk of avenging him was just an excuse; her real goal was to avoid punishment.
As for tormenting the leader of the Heavenly Kings—she wouldn’t dare.
In the eyes of the world, Nezha feared Li Jing—a rebellious son tamed by his father, obedient in all matters, no longer daring to defy or show any wildness.
After all, his father held his nemesis—the Seven Treasure Exquisite Pagoda.
Since entering the Third Prince’s palace, Shen Fuxing had been trying every trick to please him, all in the hopes of using him as a shield to do outrageous things under his protection.
But to others, this shield was useless against the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Nezha himself feared Li Jing, so how could he protect anyone from Li Jing’s wrath?
Only she, even when facing Heavenly King Li—the insurmountable mountain that the Great God of the Third Altar was said to never dare cross—still took action.
Without considering the consequences, convinced he could protect her.
Later, when Shen Fuxing was bound by the Sky-Mixing Silk and had just narrowly escaped death by the sword, she appeared completely at ease, calm and relaxed.
Nezha’s expression remained impassive, but he couldn’t help speaking up: “If I hadn’t stepped into this mess today, your head would already be rolling on the ground.”
“You would definitely step in. You’re my boss, you wouldn’t abandon me.” Shen Fuxing, having gained the advantage, pushed her luck further.
Nezha stopped and looked directly at her: “Don’t you know that the Seven Treasure Exquisite Pagoda in Li Jing’s hands is my nemesis?”
Shen Fuxing wore an indifferent, unconcerned expression: “So what? The pagoda can subdue you, so the pagoda deserves to be called your father. Li Jing is nothing more than a pedestal for the pagoda.”
The corner of Nezha’s mouth lifted slightly.
This was the first time Shen Fuxing saw the true Great God of the Third Altar—with sharp brows and bright eyes, spirited and untamed, the very embodiment of defiance.
The unruly demon king of Chentang Pass should be exactly like this.
Shen Fuxing wasn’t mistaken. Even after years of suppressing his edge in the Heavenly Court and serving under Li Jing, Nezha was still the same Nezha who stirred up the East Sea and extracted dragon tendons.
Never smoothed down by the Heavenly Laws or the commands of imperial authority and paternal will.
Nor had he ever let go of the hatred in his heart.
Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Nezha’s sturdy arm. The Sky-Mixing Silk around her waist seemed to sense something, loosening and dissipating on its own.
Nezha naturally didn’t miss the fleeting admiration and excitement in Shen Fuxing’s eyes. Thinking she was about to flatter him, he was ready to cut her off, but her words took him by surprise.
“Boss, teach me how to extract dragon tendons!”
“Think about it—I’m your only little sidekick. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if I didn’t know how to extract dragon tendons? If word got out, the dragon clan would laugh at us!”
Nezha: “…”
Was this something a young girl should be interested in?
He’d rather she just flattered him.
But looking at Shen Fuxing’s sparkling eyes and her excited, eager expression—as if she couldn’t wait to stir up the East Sea herself—it didn’t seem like a joke.
She genuinely wanted to experience extracting dragon tendons.
Nezha suddenly felt a headache coming on.
How was she even more mischievous than he was as a child?
But upon careful thought, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
Shen Fuxing’s nature was similar to his. For people like them, the greatest joy was to act freely—whether subduing demons and monsters or stirring up storms—following their own will, unrestrainedly being themselves and doing what they wanted to do.
Bound by Li Jing and the Heavenly Court, he likely wouldn’t have another chance in the future.
Shen Fuxing was still young—why force her into hardship?
Among the four seas, the dragons of the West Sea were too ugly, those of the South Sea had scales too thick, and the dragons of the North Sea were too fierce-tempered, unsuitable for a novice.
The East Sea’s dragons felt the best to the touch, their sinews firm and resilient.
In his regular descents to the mortal realm to vanquish demons, across the vast East Sea, was he afraid he couldn’t find a few evil dragons stirring up trouble?