Chapter 215: Bondage
With a single step, Alex disappeared from his original location and reappeared in front of the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Standing atop the clouds, which felt as solid as the ground, Alex gazed ahead, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Celestial Realm.
Amid the mist, towering pillars hundreds of meters tall loomed majestically, carved with intricate patterns of golden dragons coiled around them. These pillars supported a massive gate hundreds of meters high.
At the top of the gate, the words Southern Heavenly Gate radiated brilliant divine light, illuminating the surrounding area.
Around the Southern Heavenly Gate, numerous celestial soldiers clad in divine armor stood guard on either side. Each of these soldiers possessed at least the cultivation level of a Scattered Immortal. While such a rank would make them revered ancestors in the mortal realm, here in the Celestial Realm, they were merely foot soldiers.
Among the celestial soldiers, a middle-aged man with a commanding presence and an iron tower in hand patrolled back and forth. Alex recognized him immediately: he was none other than Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King
Li Jing's strength far surpassed that of ordinary celestial soldiers, as he had reached the Heavenly Immortal level, two realms higher than the Scattered Immortal rank.
The progression went as follows: Scattered Immortal → Earthly Immortal → Heavenly Immortal → Golden Immortal → Taiyi Golden Immortal → Da Luo Golden Immortal → Quasi-Saint → Saint → Heavenly Dao Saint.
To be honest, Li Jing's strength wasn't particularly outstanding. His high-ranking position in the Celestial Court was due to his significant contributions during the Fengshen Calamity and his possession of the Thirteen-Layered Purple-Gold Exquisite Pagoda, a postnatal treasure.
With the pagoda in hand, Li Jing could easily overpower any enemy below the Golden Immortal level.
Ignoring the celestial soldiers guarding the gate, Alex walked toward Li Jing as if he were strolling through an unguarded area. Though he stood directly in front of Li Jing, neither he nor the soldiers seemed to notice Alex—they simply ignored him.
For Alex, who could effortlessly alter cause and effect, ensuring that these beings could not perceive him was a trivial matter.
Alex curiously observed Li Jing before shifting his gaze to the Thirteen-Layered Purple-Gold Exquisite Pagoda in his hand. A mischievous smile crept across Alex's face as he reached out and took the pagoda, then ventured deeper into the Celestial Realm.
Next, Alex read the memories of several celestial maidens, locating a grand hall. He placed the pagoda inside, choosing none other than the residence of Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince.
Alex was aware of the deep-seated grudge between Li Jing and Nezha.
During the Fengshen Calamity, Li Jing had not only forced Nezha to commit suicide but also tried to prevent his resurrection through the incense fire path. Such unforgivable acts only deepened the animosity between father and son. After Nezha's resurrection, he relentlessly pursued Li Jing for revenge. If not for the intervention of the Burning Lamp Buddha, who gifted Li Jing the Exquisite Pagoda, Nezha would have likely succeeded in his vengeance.
Knowing this history, Li Jing always kept the pagoda close, even while eating and sleeping, to avoid being humiliated by his own son again.
Now that Alex had taken Li Jing's pagoda and left it in Nezha's chambers, it was inevitable that another dramatic confrontation would erupt between father and son!
Having set his pieces in motion, Alex waited patiently for events to unfold. Meanwhile, he didn't remain in one place. He made his way to the Celestial Mother's Peach Orchard to sample the famed peaches that ripened every 3,000, 6,000, and 9,000 years.
The fruits contained immense energy, but what made them truly remarkable was their gentle nature, which posed no harm to weaker cultivators. As the legends described, these peaches could grant immortality and enable ascension to the heavens.
However, for Alex, the peaches were of little use. Even if he ate them all, they would only provide him with a negligible amount of energy.
So, Alex casually picked a few peaches to keep as souvenirs and left the orchard, thinking, These peaches are better suited for Wukong.
After leaving the orchard, Alex ventured to other parts of the Celestial Realm.
Ignoring countless ancient formations capable of slaying gods and immortals and evading the watchful eyes of Clairvoyant and Clairaudient, Alex leisurely toured the Celestial Realm's landmarks.
These included the Ziwei Palace, where the Jade Emperor resided; the Jade Pool, home to the Queen Mother of the West; and the thirty-six palaces and seventy-two halls, totaling 108 scenic spots.
Among them, the Guanghan Palace of Chang'e and the Seven Immortal Pavilion of the Seven Fairy Sisters left Alex in awe.
The celestial structures featured snow-white peaks and bottomless chasms, their layered designs a masterpiece of divine artistry. Alex couldn't help but exclaim, "Now this is real craftsmanship."
For the first time, Alex was truly captivated by the unparalleled beauty of the Celestial Realm.
Finally, Alex stopped in Guanghan Palace, behind the Six Realms' most beautiful woman, Chang'e. Reaching out, he pressed his hand lightly on the back of her head.
In an instant, Alex seized control of her. However, to keep things interesting, he didn't completely subdue her—Chang'e was still able to speak and see.
Using a style reminiscent of traditional Japanese ropework, Alex bound Chang'e. Then, he casually seated himself on her crystal-glass chair, gazing out over the clouds from the palace balcony.
The show was about to begin!
It was then that Chang'e regained her senses. Everything had gone black for a moment, and now before her stood an extraordinarily handsome man with silver hair and blue eyes. To her shock, she found herself bound in an extremely humiliating position on the ground.
No—what restrained her wasn't real ropes!
After carefully checking her body, she found no physical harm, nor any violation. Relieved, she let out a small sigh.
However, she soon realized she was immobilized by an unknown spell or divine technique. Apart from speaking, she couldn't move a muscle. The "ropes" binding her appeared to be nothing more than the peculiar humor of the man before her.
Remaining calm, Chang'e addressed Alex in a steady, measured tone:
"May I ask who you are, honored immortal? I've never seen anyone with your appearance. I assume this must be a disguise conjured by your techniques.
Surely, you know the gravity of what you're doing. Kidnapping a celestial maiden is a severe crime! Aren't you afraid of the Jade Emperor's wrath?
If you retreat now, I'm willing to let this matter go. I can even swear a heart demon oath to ensure that today's events will remain a secret. What do you say?"
Chang'e laid out her reasoning and the stakes, hoping Alex would reconsider. To her surprise, he didn't seem moved at all. Instead, he studied her with an amused expression, as if enjoying her efforts.
Then he spoke, his tone tinged with teasing: "As expected of Chang'e, the celestial beauty. Even in a situation like this, you remain composed.
But don't waste your breath trying to convince me—I'm not leaving. And don't worry, I won't harm you. Once the show is over, I'll be on my way.
Oh, and don't try to scare me with the Jade Emperor's name. He's nothing to me. Even the Six Saints of the Primordial Era mean little. Now, if you mentioned Hongjun, that might give me a reason to pause."
Hearing Alex's brazen words, showing such complete disregard for the Jade Emperor and even the Six Saints, Chang'e was utterly stunned.
What shocked her even more was that his composure wasn't feigned. He genuinely didn't seem concerned.
This made her begin to speculate about Alex's true identity.
Someone unafraid of the Jade Emperor or even the Six Saints… Could he be one of the Saints himself?
No, that's impossible. A Saint wouldn't stoop to playing such petty tricks!
His casual and reckless demeanor felt more in line with someone from the demonic path.
Could it be that he is…?
Chang'e suddenly thought of an identity, one that matched Alex's current behavior perfectly.
Someone unafraid of the Jade Emperor, unbothered by the Six Saints, and even dismissive of the Heaven's Dao Saint, Hongjun...
Could it be that this man is the legendary Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, who once battled Hongjun at the dawn of the Primordial Era?
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her expression kept shifting between fear, shock, disbelief, and bewilderment.
Alex glanced at Chang'e and, reading her thoughts, couldn't help but find it amusing.
He hadn't expected Chang'e's imagination to run so wild, even mistaking him for Demon Ancestor Luo Hou.
But Alex didn't bother to explain. Let her misunderstand—it didn't matter.
Who would have guessed that he was, in fact, a Chaos God born from the primordial chaos, just like Hongjun?
---
As Alex playfully teased Chang'e with idle remarks, the chess piece he had just set in motion finally began to take effect.
At this moment, Li Jing had realized that his Linglong Treasure Tower was missing!
When Alex took the treasure, he had cast mental suggestions on the surrounding celestial soldiers and even on Li Jing himself, making them believe that the tower was still in his possession.
But after his duties were over and he was heading back to his residence, Li Jing ran into his colleague, Taibai Jinxing (Venus of the Morning Star).
Taibai Jinxing, unaffected by the suggestion, immediately noticed that Li Jing wasn't carrying the Linglong Treasure Tower. This struck him as odd.
After all, ever since the time of the Investiture of the Gods, Li Jing had never been without the tower. For him to be walking around without it now was highly unusual.
Even stranger, Taibai Jinxing noticed that, although Li Jing wasn't holding the tower, he still maintained the habitual pose of carrying it.
Why was this?
Could it be that, after so many years of carrying the tower, Li Jing had developed a habit, and now even without it, he unconsciously mimicked the gesture?
After exchanging greetings and seeing that Li Jing was about to leave, Taibai Jinxing couldn't suppress his curiosity any longer.
"Lord Li," he asked, "why do you maintain the posture of carrying the tower when it is not in your hands?"
Taibai Jinxing's words confused Li Jing. As far as he knew, the tower was still in his hands.
Instinctively, he raised the "tower," but Taibai Jinxing's question seemed to have disrupted Alex's suggestion. Clarity returned to Li Jing's mind, and he instantly sensed that something was wrong.
For someone like Li Jing, who had carried the Linglong Treasure Tower for most of his life, the treasure was practically an extension of himself. He was more familiar with it than with his own body.
Now, with the tower gone, he immediately felt the difference.
Li Jing panicked. He looked down at his hand, only to see it empty. The tower, which had accompanied him for countless years, was gone without a trace!
Frantic, he began searching himself, rummaging through his storage artifacts and belongings, but there was no sign of the tower.
Watching this unfold, Taibai Jinxing quickly deduced what had happened. From Li Jing's reaction and his earlier behavior, it became evident that the tower had been stolen!
But who could be so audacious as to steal a postnatal treasure from a high-ranking official of the Heavenly Court?
After confirming that his treasured Linglong Tower was missing, Li Jing quickly bowed to Taibai Jinxing and said: "Please, Taibai, help me find the tower."
Taibai Jinxing gladly agreed, and the two began searching the area, from their immediate surroundings all the way to the Southern Heavenly Gate. However, no trace of the Linglong Tower could be found.
As their search continued, word spread among the other immortals that Li Jing had lost the Linglong Tower. Everyone knew Li Jing wasn't careless enough to misplace such a crucial treasure—someone must have stolen it!
Eventually, the news reached the Jade Emperor, Haotian. Furious beyond measure, the Jade Emperor declared that the thief must be found at all costs!
Yet, unlike the others who were focused on locating the Linglong Tower, Li Jing's primary concern lay elsewhere.
The moment the tower went missing, he was struck by the overwhelming fear of being at the mercy of his "good son."
There was no doubt in his mind—if the tower was truly gone, then Nezha would undoubtedly give him another beating.
Although many years had passed and Nezha's resentment toward him had significantly lessened, his son would still relish the opportunity to knock him around. True, Nezha wouldn't kill him, but a good thrashing upon their next meeting was almost certain.
But what truly terrified Li Jing was the thought of their proximity. Both he and Nezha lived in Yunlou Palace, meaning they would see each other every day. Wouldn't that mean he'd be beaten daily?
How could he endure such humiliation? He was the Great General of Demon Subjugation—how could he maintain any dignity if he were regularly beaten by his own son?
The more Li Jing thought about it, the more frightened he became. He even considered fleeing the Heavenly Court temporarily to avoid meeting Nezha altogether.
What Li Jing didn't know, however, was that Nezha had already discovered the disappearance of the Linglong Tower. Anticipating his father's actions, Nezha had been lying in wait outside the Heavenly Court, ready for him to flee into his trap.
As Li Jing stealthily left the Southern Heavenly Gate, flying toward the mortal world where one of his old homes was located, he suddenly noticed a figure dashing toward him from the side.
It was a youthful, delicate-looking man with three heads and six arms, riding on flaming wind-and-fire wheels and wielding a fire-tipped spear along with other treasures. It was none other than Nezha!
Nezha shouted furiously:
"Li Jing! You once stopped me from being reborn through incense offerings and then used that treasure to suppress me. Now, prepare to die!"
Seeing Nezha charging toward him with such ferocity, Li Jing turned pale with fright. Without hesitation, he spun around and fled back toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.
He couldn't believe that this unfilial son had ambushed him yet again! From Nezha's demeanor, it was clear he wasn't joking—if caught, Li Jing feared he would face dire consequences.
After all, Nezha had long since reached the level of a Great Golden Immortal, vastly surpassing Li Jing's mere Celestial Immortal strength.
And now, without the Linglong Tower, Li Jing had no chance of fighting back. If Nezha caught him, it would be over.
His only hope was to return to the Heavenly Court and plead for the Jade Emperor's intervention.
Meanwhile, Nezha maintained the appearance of an enraged pursuer, closing in on Li Jing but always keeping just the right distance—close enough to seem threatening, yet never quite catching him.
Though Nezha's act was obvious, Li Jing was too panicked to notice the ruse. He simply kept fleeing as fast as he could!