Chapter Two: First Meeting Nezha (Part Two)

As the Sea Yaksha fell into the water, his smile dissolved into shock. He shook his dazed head and looked up at Ao Bing, who had suddenly appeared.

"What a cute little girl!"

Ao Bing beckoned, and the little girl flew toward him. He caught her and took a look; the child, thinking it was all a game, laughed heartily. Ao Bing set her down, keeping a wary eye on the Sea Yaksha’s counterattack and Nezha’s unreasonable antics.

The little girl wobbled toward Nezha. After all, having been chased by him for so long, it was only natural for her to gravitate toward a familiar face. Nezha picked her up and promptly tossed her back at the Sea Yaksha. "If anyone is going to save someone, it’s going to be me!"

With that, Nezha charged forward. "In front of me, no one gets to look cool!"

Clearly, Ao Bing’s entrance, its execution, and his refined appearance had far surpassed Nezha, stirring the latter’s resentment. As Nezha rushed toward him, Ao Bing smiled slightly. Having prepared for this, he was not about to be schooled by Nezha as he was in the original tale.

"Little brat, did your elders never teach you how to treat people?"

Ao Bing took a half-step back, parrying and sealing Nezha’s strike. With a fluid motion, he pulled, spun, and followed up with a kick. Nezha, who had charged with such speed, was sent flying even faster, crashing into a large crater on the ice surface Ao Bing had created. Ao Bing brushed off his soles and looked down at Nezha with a smile.

"Little brat, you’re still too green to fight me!"

"Damn it!"

Nezha slowly climbed out of the ice, his head covered in shards. Under the heat of his inner fire, the ice melted into seawater, leaving him looking thoroughly disheveled. Nezha suddenly raised his head, glaring at Ao Bing. "In this whole city, I, Li Nezha, am the only one who bullies others. No one has ever been able to bully me!"

"Take this!"

Nezha’s expression turned serious. Having always mastered everything he learned instantly, he had never suffered such treatment. He kicked a spray of ice shards toward Ao Bing.

"Ha!"

Ao Bing chuckled. The ice beneath his feet shattered in response, each piece perfectly intercepting the shards Nezha had kicked. As the ice flew up, the seawater beneath, controlled by his Water Manipulation technique, surged up like a fountain. After the two sets of ice collided, Nezha was revealed hiding behind them.

A stream of water, like a nimble serpent, shot straight at Nezha. One could clearly see his triumphant expression instantly turn to one of terror. His wide mouth snapped shut, and he covered his head with both hands, curling into a ball. Under the impact of the water, he was sent flying back even faster.

"Damn it!"

Having failed twice, Nezha was even more furious. Yet, he still did not draw his Fire-Tipped Spear, nor did he use any fire-manipulation arts. Clearly, in his mind, the two were merely children squabbling; it had not escalated to a life-or-death feud. Moreover, he had noticed Ao Bing holding back—not chasing him down or freezing him into an ice ball. Even in his anger, he maintained his own principles. Besides, Ao Bing had saved the girl, and he himself had been the one acting unreasonably.

Nezha knew this, but having finally met someone his age with real ability, he was naturally excited to spar and perhaps make a friend. He just wanted to regain the face he had lost.

"Hey, where do you think you’re going!"

Distracted by the fight, the Sea Yaksha had tried to sneak away, clutching the little girl and tiptoeing toward the sea. Reminded by Ao Bing, Nezha noticed his prey trying to escape.

"Damn it, he found him first again!"

Nezha, feeling like an honors student meeting a genius, felt a surge of frustration at being outpaced by Ao Bing.

"Ah-hahaha..." The Sea Yaksha, caught, laughed awkwardly. "You two heroes continue, I’ll stand still, I’ll stand still!"

Seeing the Yaksha’s goofy, comical expression, Ao Bing couldn't bring himself to be angry. Nezha, while annoyed, didn't vent his rage on the Yaksha.

"Hey, are you interested in becoming my subordinate?"

Thinking of the deep-rooted connection between the Sea Yaksha and the Third Prince of the East Sea, Ao Bing spoke impulsively. Besides, the creature's ability to turn into water was extremely useful in the ocean.

"That would be my honor!" The Sea Yaksha agreed readily, as if Ao Bing were some great personage.

Seeing the Yaksha’s slick, sycophantic demeanor, Ao Bing knew exactly what he was thinking: agree now, and once he reached the ocean, he would be free as a bird. Ao Bing nodded with satisfaction, not caring about the creature's sincerity for now—it would come in time.

"Then come here and return the girl to this young hero."

Ao Bing beckoned the Yaksha over. As he did, he subtly drew a wisp of the Yaksha’s essence to anchor it to his Causality Seed. He patted the Yaksha’s head. "Go on, and apologize. Ask the young hero for forgiveness, or else..."

Ao Bing smiled. There was no need to voice the threat; letting others imagine the consequences was far more interesting, wasn't it?

The Sea Yaksha scratched his head, clearly wondering how to phrase his apology. After returning the girl to Nezha, he lowered his head and said cautiously, "Young hero, this is my first time on land. I’ve never done anything bad, never even killed anyone. I just came ashore looking for a dog to snack on. Please, show mercy!"

As he spoke, he eyed Nezha, who was clearly distracted. Nezha waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, fine! Don't let me catch you again, or I'll catch you and make you a snack!"

Though he spoke to the Yaksha, Nezha stared at Ao Bing, clearly still smarting from having been outdone at every turn. Yet, whether it was a direct strike or a surprise attack, everything seemed to be within his opponent’s calculations. Nezha lacked the confidence to defeat Ao Bing.

"Big brother, hit the monster! Boom boom!" The little girl wobbled, holding up a shuttlecock and reaching out to be held.

Nezha felt a stir in his heart. He lifted the girl and tossed her lightly; she giggled with delight. Setting her down, Nezha picked up the shuttlecock and looked at Ao Bing with a challenge in his eyes. "How about we play shuttlecock? You wouldn't be afraid, would you?"

In his mind, Nezha figured the other boy couldn't possibly refuse such a challenge. Ao Bing looked at Nezha—a child starved for love, never understood, longing for recognition and care, hiding his awkward needs behind a temper. Although he wasn't the cause of Nezha’s plight, the Spirit Pearl was indeed within him.

Since that was the case, why not play along? Consider it compensation for the debt he owed him.