They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 174 Returning to the old business
Nezha threw out the "Where the Yellow Wind Monster is" as a bargaining chip, thinking he could control Chen Guangrui. He stared intently at Chen Guangrui, waiting to see his eager or surprised reaction.

However, Chen Guangrui merely raised an eyebrow slightly, his face remaining expressionless, his tone as calm as if he were simply asking about the weather.

"Yellow Wind Monster? Oh, I had some dealings with him a few years ago. We weren't close, just nodding acquaintances."

He even casually raised his hand and brushed off non-existent dust from his shoulder.

“We only met once, um, I captured his Tiger Vanguard then, and later sent him back, we didn’t say much,”

Nezha was stunned. The message he had carefully prepared was trampled into the mud by Chen Guangrui's casual remark, like punching empty air, leaving him feeling suffocated.

He opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say. The smug provocation on his face froze, making him look somewhat comical.

Standing next to Chen Guangrui, Tang Sheng looked up at his father, who seemed indifferent, and then at the Third Prince, whose face was flushed red.

Although San didn't know the Yellow Wind Monster, he knew that whenever his father started to deceive people, his expression was always calm and collected.

This third prince is in big trouble.

Chen Guangrui ignored Tang Sheng's little actions, his gaze calmly fixed on Nezha's face with a hint of scrutiny, before suddenly asking about something else.

"You really want to kill Li Jing that badly?"

These words were like a needle, piercing through Nezha's carefully maintained facade of arrogance.
"If he had done those things to you, you'd probably want to kill him even more than I do!"

"Then why do you still stay by his side? To be his vanguard?" Chen Guangrui pressed, her tone carrying a subtle hint of guidance.

“I am his vanguard, this is the law of heaven.”

Nezha stiffened his neck and answered matter-of-factly, but the matter-of-fact tone revealed a sense of resentment at being bound, "If I'm not under his command, where am I supposed to go?"

"Oh?" Chen Guangrui's lips seemed to curl slightly, but then quickly returned to their normal position.
"Isn't his vanguard the Giant Spirit God now? You've been sidelined. A vanguard in name only, if he wins, it's his credit; if he loses, you, the vanguard, won't escape responsibility either."

These words struck Nezha squarely where it hurt. His grip on the Fire-Tipped Spear tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning white, and the flames on the Wind-Fire Wheels beneath his feet leaped higher, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

Yes, his vanguard position has been taken. What is he, Nezha the Third Prince, now? A shield?
Seeing Nezha's reaction, Chen Guangrui continued calmly, his voice low, yet each word struck Nezha's heart like a hammer blow.

"You want to kill him, yet you're still helping him accumulate merit. The greater his merit, the higher his official position, and the deeper his roots in the Heavenly Court. And you? You follow him, and all the credit goes to him. You're lucky if you get a little soup while he eats meat. If this continues, he'll become stronger and stronger, and his status will rise higher and higher. If you want to kill him, won't it be as difficult as climbing to heaven?"

Nezha's face changed completely, turning from red to white, and for the first time, a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes beyond his confusion.

Chen Guangrui's words were like a key, unlocking a path he had never carefully considered before.

Chen Guangrui then threw out bait, saying, "You'll have to go it alone."

"Go it alone?" Nezha repeated subconsciously.

“Yes. Break free from his control and make a name for yourself.” Chen Guangrui’s tone was seductive.

"Imagine if Li Jing led 100,000 heavenly soldiers, captured a minor demon from the mortal realm, and then claimed a great victory, going to the Heavenly Court to claim credit. How would you feel then?"

Nezha's pupils constricted sharply as he imagined the scene; he could almost see Li Jing's smug face and the Giant Spirit God's fawning expression. Chen Guangrui, seeing the flames burning in his eyes, knew the time was right.
"If it were you, and the two of us descended to the mortal realm, without him, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, mobilizing troops, we would subdue the great demon king, whom even he couldn't handle, all by ourselves! Returning with such a glorious victory, you would stand tall and proud in the Lingxiao Palace, while Li Jing stands below, looking utterly defeated... Do you think he would still be able to put on that Heavenly King's airs in front of you then? By then, your status would be higher than his, and you could tell him to put down that broken pagoda, would he dare disobey?"

Nezha's breathing became heavy. Chen Guangrui's depiction of the scene was extremely impactful; it was a feeling of triumph that he had longed for countless times deep in his heart!
With his position reversed and power in his hands, he made that old man he hated to the core grovel at his feet...

The immense temptation made his heart race. However, Nezha was still Nezha, and that youthful wariness had not completely disappeared.

He shook his head abruptly, looked at Chen Guangrui again with scrutiny and suspicion in his eyes, and sneered.
"Ha, that sounds nice! Chen Guangrui, don't try to fool me. You're from the Tushita Palace, and you have no one to serve you. Do you think you can use me, Nezha, as a pawn to fight against Buddhism? Do you think I'm a three-year-old? If I really help you and cause trouble, and the Great Heavenly Venerable blames me, your Tushita Palace will have someone to take the fall. Who will I, Nezha, turn to?"

This guy is indeed a bit stronger than that clumsy little dragon from the West Sea.

Chen Guangrui ignored his doubts completely, and instead laughed, a laugh that held a certain meaning.

"Dushuai Palace? Buddhism? Nezha, tell me, did the Buddha personally give you a decree saying what you can't do or what people you can't touch?"

Nezha was stunned, and subconsciously said, "No, that's not true."

"That settles it." Chen Guangrui spread his hands, his tone relaxed and somewhat matter-of-fact.

"Buddha didn't say you can't do it, so doesn't that mean you can do anything? As long as you think it's right, as long as you think you should do it, what's wrong with that? Heavenly laws and regulations don't stipulate that a son can't be more capable than his father, do they?"

He pointed in the direction of Li Jing's camp in the distance, his voice lowered and inflammatory.

"What a great opportunity this is! With the Giant Spirit God leading the vanguard, King Li won't even give you a second glance, thinking you're in his way. You're finally free; you don't have to obey his orders or charge into battle for him. Isn't this the perfect chance for you to break free from his grasp and make your own mark?"

Chen Guangrui's words were like a demonic whisper, repeatedly assaulting Nezha's mental defenses.

For so many years, he had been seeking revenge, but all he could do was wait for Li Jing to be careless and let him go so he could stab him with his spear.

However, over the years, the pagoda seems to have grown on Li Jing's hands. Whenever he sees him, he pulls the pagoda up, which is infuriating!
Nezha's expression was uncertain, and he was clearly going through a fierce internal struggle.

He stared intently at Chen Guangrui, seemingly trying to find any trace of conspiracy on his face. In the end, he simply let out a heavy snort, as if giving himself a way out.
"Hmph! I won't listen to your flowery words. I'll say it again: if you, Chen Guangrui, can make that old bastard suffer a setback and let me vent my anger, then I'll feel satisfied..."

He paused, then pointed at Chen Guangrui:
"I will tell you the whereabouts of the Yellow Wind Monster, and I mean it."

Having said that, Nezha seemed afraid that if he stayed any longer he would be completely persuaded. His Wind Fire Wheels suddenly spewed out flames, carrying a scorching wave of air and his restless mood. With a "whoosh," he transformed into a streak of fire and dashed away without looking back, disappearing into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Only after Nezha had completely disappeared did Tang Sheng, who had been quietly standing by, tug at Chen Guangrui's sleeve, tilting her little face up, her big, dark eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible cunning.

"Dad, you've said so much, you're practically hoarse from talking, do you think he's listened? Will he help us?"

Chen Guangrui withdrew his gaze from the direction where Nezha had disappeared, the seductive expression on his face fading, replaced by his usual calm. He looked down at Tang Sheng, reached out and ruffled his bald head, his tone carrying a knowing detachment.

"Whether they'll help us or not, we don't know yet. But..."

He paused, then turned his gaze back to the still carefree Tianma on Wanma Ping, a confident smile playing on his lips.

“He must have taken it to heart. Some words are like seeds; once they're sown, you have to wait and let them take root and sprout before you know what kind of fruit they'll bear.”

(End of this chapter)