Chapter 162: The Origin of Nezha

"What does the Human Emperor mean by that?" Shiji was momentarily stunned, unable to process the statement immediately.

What did the Human Emperor mean by telling her to eliminate this calamity?

"My meaning is quite clear. If Fairy Shiji slays Master Taiyi, this calamity will naturally dissipate into nothingness," Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

He never felt that this would cause any misunderstanding on Shiji's part. If he were merely fabricating these lies simply to induce Shiji to deal with Master Taiyi, there would be no need whatsoever. Jiang Yuan could have stated such a matter quite openly, and Shiji would certainly not have refused.

Jiang Yuan made this remark without attempting to conceal it from Master Taiyi.

Consequently, Master Taiyi heard every word distinctly. He stared at Jiang Yuan, frowning as he asked, "Does the Human Emperor intend to take my life?"

Jiang Yuan looked back at Master Taiyi with absolute composure. "Since the Daoist priest has already overheard this, I see no need to elaborate further."

The previously amiable expression of Master Taiyi suddenly twisted into something grim and cold. He glared at Jiang Yuan and said, "Originally, out of respect for your position as the Human Emperor, I held you in some esteem."

"To think that the Human Emperor actually harbors the intent to kill me! Do you have any idea who I am?"

Naturally, Master Taiyi was not about to strike first; he was no fool, especially with the half-saint Bai Ze standing right beside Jiang Yuan.

Although he could not definitively verify whether Bai Ze was truly a half-saint, since his own cultivation could not pierce through Bai Ze's realm, it was safe to assume there was no mistake. If he were to make the first move, he would essentially be throwing his life away.

Furthermore, making the first move might place him in the wrong. In terms of status and standing, the Human Emperor was considered the equal of the sages. If he attacked the Human Emperor first, even if the Human Emperor killed him, his master would have nothing to say.

Those who practiced the Dao cultivated adherence to the Heavenly Dao; cosmic justice was clear and manifest. Even if he wished to move against the Human Emperor, he needed a legitimate and righteous pretext.

Of course, Master Taiyi certainly did not dare to kill the Human Emperor himself.

He was afraid to die, and the karmic burden of slaying the Human Emperor was simply too vast. Even his master, Primeval Lord of Heaven, had to resort to covert, behind-the-scenes machinations to deal with the Human Emperor.

Master Taiyi was certainly not foolish enough to commit such an act.

If even his master wished to avoid bearing that karmic backlash, Master Taiyi was even less inclined to shoulder it.

Hearing Master Taiyi's question, Jiang Yuan found it somewhat amusing.

Only after realizing that Bai Ze was a half-saint did he lose the nerve to attack? Had he lost his bravado?

Could he now only resort to using his background as leverage?

"Of course I know the Daoist priest's identity: a disciple of the Primeval Lord of Heaven, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals, and the Patriarch of Qingwei. Which of these titles would the Daoist priest prefer I acknowledge?" Jiang Yuan asked with a faint, mocking smile.

Hearing these words, Master Taiyi felt a wave of profound shock.

It was not because Jiang Yuan knew he was a disciple of the Primeval Lord of Heaven and yet still dared to threaten his life.

Rather, it was because Jiang Yuan actually knew of his secret identity as the Patriarch of Qingwei!

The Qingwei Sect was a faction he had founded in secret under his master's direct instructions. Within the Clan of Elucidation, barely a soul knew of its existence. How had this information reached the Human Emperor?

Could it be due to some divine神通 possessed by that Bai Ze? If so, wasn't Bai Ze's power altogether too unfathomable?

"Since the Human Emperor is aware of all this, why must you still move against me? I wonder how I have offended the Human Emperor?" Master Taiyi's attitude softened somewhat, conceding the point.

Ultimately, he had developed a deep wariness toward Jiang Yuan.

Regardless of the specifics, anyone capable of uncovering his identity as the Patriarch of Qingwei could not possibly be a simple figure.

Jiang Yuan merely replied offhandedly, "There is one thing I hope the Daoist priest understands: it is not that I wish to make a move against you, but rather that the Daoist priest has forced my hand."

"How so?" Master Taiyi asked, utterly perplexed.

Jiang Yuan's gaze suddenly turned chillingly sharp as he fixed his eyes on Master Taiyi and said calmly, "I will ask this question only once. I advise the Daoist priest to think carefully before answering. You have only one chance, and I hope you cherish it."

Master Taiyi remained silent, simply watching Jiang Yuan quietly while awaiting the question.

"Let me ask you this: was Nezha abducted by the Daoist priest?"

"What do you mean by 'abducted'? Nezha is my direct disciple, and all his cultivation and martial prowess were imparted by me. Is there something wrong with a master taking away his own disciple?" Master Taiyi retorted.

"There is nothing wrong with you taking your disciple. But what you should not have done—under any circumstances—was snatch someone right out of the Great Shang military camp. That places me in a very difficult position."

"If high-minded experts like the Daoist priest continue to break into the Great Shang military camp as they please, won't every single one of my soldiers feel that their lives are in constant peril?"

"What the Daoist priest did was hardly honorable," Jiang Yuan said with a faint smile.

He refrained from mentioning that Nezha was his friend or that Nezha was serving Great Shang. Under the current circumstances, the military camp justification was the most solid and unassailable argument.

"Then what does the Human Emperor propose?" Master Taiyi frowned, momentarily at a loss for how to refute him.

"Where is Nezha? I must bring him back to Great Shang. Consider it an explanation owed to the soldiers of Great Shang," Jiang Yuan replied.

Master Taiyi furrowed his brow and said, "Why should I tell the Human Emperor where Nezha is? And why should I allow the Human Emperor to take him away?"

"He is a disciple of our Clan of Elucidation. How he is dealt with is none of the Human Emperor's concern!"

"None of my concern? Go ask Nezha whom he is currently serving! Ask him whether he recognizes you—a master who merely exploited him—more, or if he identifies more with me, the Human Emperor!"

"I will put it plainly today! If I cannot take Nezha away with me today, I will take your dog's life instead, Master Taiyi!" Jiang Yuan suddenly shouted in anger.

Master Taiyi looked at Jiang Yuan with mounting displeasure. The Human Emperor's actions were undeniably excessive, and he still could not fathom why Nezha—into whom he had painstakingly instilled anti-Shang sentiments—had suddenly decided to follow the Human Emperor.

Worse still, Nezha was now actively aiding Great Shang against the Clan of Elucidation.

Driven by sheer frustration, he had gone so far as to drag Nezha out of the Great Shang military camp himself.

Ultimately, however, Master Taiyi dared not utter any further harsh threats. With the half-saint Bai Ze present, his life truly might be snuffed out in the blink of an eye.

A wise man submits to circumstances.

Sighing, Master Taiyi put on a troubled expression and said, "Even if I wished to hand that rebellious disciple Nezha over to the Human Emperor now, I could not do so. The Human Emperor has arrived a step too late; Nezha has already been taken away by my master, the Primeval Lord of Heaven."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Nezha should be safe, which meant his guess had been correct.

Nezha was truly in the presence of a sage. The Primeval Lord of Heaven...

That made matters rather tricky. He could bully a Grand Monad Golden Immortal like Master Taiyi, but against a sage-realm entity like the Primeval Lord of Heaven, he was completely powerless.

"Why would the Primeval Lord of Heaven take away someone like Nezha, who is merely at the Golden Immortal realm? A sage of his standing wouldn't pay much attention even to disciples who are Grand Monad Golden Immortals. How could he possibly care about a mere Nezha?"

"Do you take me for a fool who is easily hoodwinked?" Jiang Yuan asked in a cold, sharp tone.

By this point, Master Taiyi had already resolved to temporarily yield to the storm; staying in the Golden Light Cave was no longer safe either.

The Human Emperor had grown utterly lawless. Mount Qianyuan was supposed to be the territory of the Clan of Elucidation.

Yet the Human Emperor had marched right in without a word of greeting, completely disregarding the dignity of a sage.

Once he managed to shake off the Human Emperor this time, he would go hide at his master's dwelling.

Having settled on this course of action, Master Taiyi said with a helpless air, "The Human Emperor likely does not yet know Nezha's true background, do you?"

This remark genuinely piqued Jiang Yuan's interest. What other background could Nezha possibly have? Was he not the son of Li Jing and his wife?

That part should be true—a three-year pregnancy could not be faked. That being the case, what other origins could Nezha possibly possess?