Chapter 22

Burnt Bridges ( Part 1 )

— Chengtang Pass —

Ao Bing paced back and forth on the same sandy beach that he and Nezha had first met five years ago . The now 18 year old Dragon Prince glanced around him every now and then to check if he was still alone on the shoreline , sighing as he realized that Nezha was once again running late , and then deciding to take a seat on the rocks nearby to make the wait more comfortable for himself .

" BOO ! "

" AHH ! OH MY GOODNESS ! " Ao Bing yelped as he tumbled from his seat headfirst into the sand , the familiar sound of loud , mischievous laughter audible in his ear as the Dragon Prince got back up to his feet , spitting sand from his mouth and wiping dirt off his robes .

" Seriously Nezha ? " Ao Bing grumbled as he turned around to face his best friend , " Even after all this time , you still insist on sneaking up on and scaring me like that ? "

Nezha sniggered as he helped pull his friend back up on his feet , " Well you started it by startling me out of nowhere the first time we met , so I'll make sure to pay you back every chance I get ! "

The Dragon Prince rolled his eyes as he gave an exasperated chuckle , " You're seriously still sour about that Nezha ? That was FIVE whole years ago , just let it go my friend . "

Nezha flashed a cheeky smile as he stretched his arms , " Ah , what can I say Ao Bing , I've got a long memory ! "

As the two old friends began laughing and catching up with one another , the difference in the impact time had on the both of them was made evident .

Now that he was nearly reaching adulthood , Ao Bing had matured into a handsome young man and grown at least a head taller than Nezha . Being the more responsible and studious of the two , the Dragon Prince carried himself with more confidence and integrity , but still wore a friendly and relaxed expression whenever he was with his friend .

Nezha on the other hand was a different story , while time certainly had its impact on the Dragon Prince , Nezha seemed to have little to no changes in his physical appearance , he still appeared as though he were a 13 year old boy even though he and Ao Bing were around the same age . This seemingly ageless look would be later on revealed to be due to Nezha's destined role of becoming God of Youth , thus he forever seemed to appear as a child or adolescents .

Despite this , Nezha had also matured in one way or another , much to the relief of his father , though he had only become slightly more responsible for his own actions . But still kept much of his mischievous and rebellious nature that often led to Ao Bing having to help bail him out of trouble over the years of their friendship .

Even though their personalities were polar opposites , the two friends had stuck together through the years , and had become inseparable . Whenever the two of them had free time from their studies and respective responsibilities , they would always meet up on the same beach where they had first met , training and sparring with one another , complaining about how strict and overbearing their fathers were , or simply spending the time relaxing and joking with one another .

" So , " Ao Bing said cheerfully as the two settled down to talk , " How has things been going on with you , Nezha ? Still giving your father a hard time I suppose ? "

Nezha guffawed at this , " Yeah the old man is still giving me grief for every mistake I make , says that I never take things seriously , and I don't know what I'm doing with my own life . How about you buddy ? Your pops still got a stick up his ass as usual ? "

Ao Bing gave a snort of laughter at that , " You're only saying that because all the extra tutoring father has me attend means that we get to spend less time together than before . I know my father can be … Unreasonable at times Nezha , but he's doing it all for my sake to ensure that I will be fit to inherit his throne . You don't need to get so worked up on my behalf all the time . "

" Okay , okay , " Nezha said whilst rolling his eyes , " But just because I get it , doesn't mean I have to like it . Anyways , I got something for you buddy ! " He said as Ao Bing just realized that Nezha had been holding something behind his back the entire time .

" You do ? " The Dragon Prince asked , confused , " T-thanks ! But what for ? "

Now it was Nezha's turn to look confused , " Seriously Ao Bing ? You of all people forgot what day it is today ? All that tutoring your dad has you undergo must have fried your brain or something ! "

Despite this , Ao Bing still wore a confused look on his face as he racked his brains hard , trying to remember what sort of important event might possibly be occurring today .

Nezha struggled not to laugh as he gave Ao Bing a knock on the head , " You idiot ! It's your BIRTHDAY ! How does someone FORGET their OWN birthday of all things ? And people say I'm a scatterbrain . "

Ao Bing's eyes widened in realization as his face turned red from embarrassment , the Dragon Prince then proceeded to give himself a few knocks on the head for forgetting something so important .

" I KNEW something was wrong when all the palace servants were stopping to greet me more than they usually do ! I must have been too caught up in my books and scrolls to properly register what they had said ! ARRRGH ! They must have been so offended when I didn't respond to their well wishes ! "

Nezha sighed as he gave his friend a few pats on the shoulder , " Whelp , seems like you've got a lot of apologizing to do when you get back home . But didn't your dad wish you a happy birthday though ? "

Ao Bing sighed , " No … I think he might have forgotten about it as well . But , UGH ! This is SO embarrassing ! How in the world did I forget about my OWN birthday ? "

Laughing at his friend's expense , Nezha brought out the gift he had prepared for his friend from behind his back , " Well luckily for you , your BEST buddy over here DIDN'T forget about your special day ! TADA ! What do you think ? "

Ao Bing's jaws dropped slightly as he lay his eyes on Nezha's present , in the boy's hands was the most beautiful spear he had ever seen , a long silver tip with aqua blue accents , dragon motifs carved into the oak handle , but what was most amazing of all , was the fact that this spear was no ordinary human weapon .

" This … This spear is a Divine Weapon ! " Ao Bing gasped as he admired the craftsmanship of the weapon , " H-how on earth did you manage to find such a treasure Nezha ? "

" It's called the Fire-tip Spear , was a gift from my master Taiyi Zhenren , " Nezha answered , beaming with pride as he saw his friend's delight , " Had to work my butt off training twice as hard as I usually do to prove I was worthy of it , but seeing you so happy makes it all worthwhile bud ! "

" It's a gift from Taiyi Zhenren ? " Ao Bing yelped when he heard Nezha's reply , the Dragon Prince then tried handing the spear back to Nezha in a panic , " T-then you shouldn't be giving it to me ! You earned this spear through your own merit Nezha ! I can't just take it from you , even as a gift ! That would be an insult to your master AND your efforts ! "

" Calm down bud ! " Nezha laughed as he refuted Ao Bing's attempts to hand him back the spear , " Didn't your tutors ever tell you that it's rude to refuse a gift ? Don't worry about it Ao Bing , seriously ! I already have enough Divine Weapons for myself , gifting one to you ain't sweat off my back ! Plus , it makes it harder for your dad to just dispose of it , unlike all those other spears I gave you . "

" R-really ? " Ao Bing stammered , still racked with disbelief , " V-very well then , so … Uh , How does it work ? "

Nezha struggle not to burst out laughing again as he watched the flustered Dragon Prince fiddle with the spear , the scene reminded him too much of the first time he had handed Ao Bing his training spear to practice with .

" Does it do anything ? " Ao Bing asked as he finally held the spear with proper form .

" Uhmmm , I don't know ….. " Nezha replied as he motioned for Ao Bing to hand the spear over , " My master didn't really tell me much about the spear , but he DID show me THIS ! "

With that , Nezha willed the spear tip to burst into orange flames , causing Ao Bing to stumble backwards as he gasped in amazement .

" Cool isn't it ? " Nezha said as he extinguished the flames and handed the spear back to Ao Bing , " And it's all yours ! So , Who's your best buddy ? "

Ao Bing chuckled softly at his friend who wore a wide grin on his face as he wiggled his eyebrows .

" Thank you , Nezha …. This ….. This is the best gift I have ever received . "

" Of course it is ! " Nezha said enthusiastically , " It's literally the coolest spear either of us has ever seen ! You're gonna be a way tougher opponent to beat in our sparring matches from now on ! "

" No , Nezha , " Said the Dragon Prince with a soft smile on his face , " I mean it is an incredible weapon for sure . But what truly makes this the best gift I have ever received , is knowing that my closest friend went through so much effort just to give the fruits of his labor to me , I … I cannot even begin to tell you how much this spear means to me . "

Nezha gave a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck , " Aw , thanks ! That was really nice of you to say , you really have a way with words Ao Bing , glad you like my present so much ! "

Ao Bing gave a broad grin in return , before going back to admiring his newfound weapon .

" Such craftsmanship ! " He remarked with sparkles in his eyes , " And the way the light bounces off the metal ! It's just so beautiful ! "

" It's also MUCH stronger than any of the other spears I lent you , if you catch my drift . " Nezha replied , barely containing his excitement as Ao Bing slowly realized what he meant .

" You don't mean ? "

" Try it out , see if it works this time . " Nezha said , hopping more foot to foot in anticipation .

Ao Bing then held the Fire-tip Spear right below the it's point , and shockingly , his wrist and the arm attached to it began fluidly twisting and turning all over the weapon's handle . the Dragon Prince's entire arm also seemed like it were some sort of serpent coiling around a tree branch , slowly constricting the spear till the entire length of his arm was coiled tightly around the spear's handle .

Dragonoids like Ao Bing you see , had the uncanny ability of having extremely flexible limbs due to their true dragonic nature , that made them capable of contorting their arms and legs in many poses that would have been otherwise deemed impossible , without breaking their bones .

As soon as the Dragon Prince showed off his strange ability to his friend , Nezha being Nezha , immediately came up with many wacky ways they could use it for their entertainment , With their favorite one being Ao Bing coiling his entire arm around a spear and essentially maneuver it as though it were one of his own limbs . Perhaps using it to jab at his opponent , or even spinning it within his coils almost like a drill of sorts .

However , their numerous attempts to do so always ended in failure sooner or later , as the normal man-made spears they used simply could not withstand the pressure applied on them , causing the spear's wooden handle to burst into numerous pieces and leaving quite a few splinters in Ao Bing's arm . Though this did little to deter the two friends from trying again on many other occasions .

But now that they had a Divine Weapon , perhaps they could finally make it work ? And so , Ao Bing held the spear within his coils and began expertly jabbing it towards the many rocks and boulders littered around the shore , breaking apart many of them with a single blow while Nezha whooped with excitement from behind his friend .

" Do the drill thing ! Do the drill thing ! " He cheered excitedly which made Ao Bing snicker at how childish Nezha was acting at the moment , still nevertheless , he obliged .

Slightly loosening his grip so that the spear had space , Ao Bing began to slowly twirl the weapon within his coils , causing it to spin in a circle similar to a drill tip . As he continued to do so , the Dragon Prince began spinning the spear faster and faster till the spear head resembled a spinning cone-like blur .

Wasting no time , Ao Bing thrusted his weapon into a boulder . Without hesitation , the spear dug itself deep into the rocky surface , popping out of the other side within just a few seconds , leaving behind a perfectly circular hole that extended from one side of the boulder to another .

Nezha clapped like a madman after seeing that the hare-brained idea the two of them had dreamed up when they were only kids , finally worked after so many years .

" That was AWESOME ! Do it again ! Do it again ! "

Ao Bing chuckled at his friend's excitement , " I wish Nezha , but unfortunately it has now come to my least favorite part of our meetings , I'm afraid that I have to leave for home already . My father will be expecting me back home to the palace for my philosophy class before we have dinner . You already know that if I'm even a minute late , he will give me a long lecture on responsibility and punctuality . "

" Uggggh , " Nezha groaned as he just realized that the sun was beginning to set , signalling that it was indeed getting late , " Just when things were getting fun . But we both know how ratty your dad gets when you're even just a second late , so you'd better get going before he's all over your case . Happy birthday once again bud , and I'm glad you liked my gift ! "

Ao Bing grinned whilst waving farewell to his friend , one foot already submerged underwater as he prepared to dive back down into the ocean depths , " Thank you for the well wishes my friend , this has been the best birthday I ever had ! Hopefully we both can find time to meet again here soon ! "

With that , the Dragon Prince disappeared beneath the waves with one final goodbye , leaving Nezha alone on the sandy shore , still smiling from ear to ear after seeing the joy on his best friend's face after receiving his birthday present . After a few more seconds of admiring the beautiful sunset and the tranquil waves moving in the sea , before he too began his trek back to his home .

…

A week or two after Ao Bing's birthday , Nezha found himself once again on the sandy beach around midday , seated atop a rock and fiddling with his ring as he gazed at the beautiful seaside view with an absence of mind .

Even though Nezha had seen this same scenery countless times as he waited for Ao Bing to arrive at their usual meeting place to hang out , Nezha found that he could never grow tired of watching the waves crash into the shore on a cloudy day like this as he took in the salty sea breeze .

However on this particular day , Nezha was not here waiting for his friend to come and play , as Ao Bing had already sent a message earlier that week , stating that he would be unable to come and meet for the next few weeks due to his increased workload back home . Thus Nezha now sat alone , bored out of his mind as he whiled away his time .

" Brother Nezha ! Come look at what we found ! " The enthusiastic voice of a young child suddenly interrupted Nezha's thoughts .

" Ah yes , " Nezha reminded himself , he wasn't just spending time here at the beach to kill time, he also had an important job to do .

Getting up from his seat , Nezha walked over to the two children that were currently playing in the sand , siblings , one a boy and the other a girl .

" Ooh ! What did you guys find Ming ? " Nezha said with forced enthusiasm as he peered over their shoulders .

" We found this really cool shell , brother Nezha ! Isn't it pretty ? " The sister , Zhen answered , holding up a rather beautiful looking seashell for Nezha to see .

" Mhm , that's nice . " Nezha smiled , " Keep up the good work you little treasure seekers ! But just make sure not to wander too far away from where I can see you , ok ? "

" We will , don't worry ! " The two siblings said earnestly before continuing their search for other pretty seashells .

Nezha sighed as he returned to his seat , ever since he became old enough for his parents to entrust him to be alone , his father had suggested Nezha go and babysit the younger children living in Chengtang Pass and learn to become more responsible . Hence , anytime Nezha wasn't having any lessons or going out to play with Ao Bing . He found himself going to his neighbors and offering to take care of Zhen and Ming , who oddly enough , seemed to be the only other youths living in the village , while their parents worked .

Even though Nezha had been forced to do this , he wasn't that bad of a caretaker , often keeping a watchful eye on the two without fail , and returning them back home safe and sound . It was just that today , Nezha was feeling slightly bummed out by the fact that he himself couldn't hang out with his own friend , on account of their respective responsibilities . Still , it was nice to see those kids have fun like the both of them used to when they were younger .

As Nezha started to daydream once more , becoming lost in his own thoughts . He didn't notice the two children slowly moving further and further away from where he sat , now out of sight , but still quite far from where their caretaker was .

The sibling's search for seashells had led Zhen and Ming closer and closer into the surf , their ankles in the saltwater as they looked around for any shells they might have missed buried under the waves . When suddenly , a large shadow was casted on top of them , blocking out the sun .

" WELL , WELL , WELL ! " A cruel booming voice bellowed above them , " Just WHAT do we have here ? "

The siblings slowly tilted their head upwards and what they saw nearly caused them to faint .

In front of them stood a massive burly man , bare chested with long mercury red hair and unkempt facial hair of the same color . He wore a black skirt with blue polka dots that was secured by a thick rope dyed yellow , and by his side he held a massive black trident .

The most frightening thing about the man though , was his skin that was a putrid dark green , glistening with slime as his lips pulled back into a creepy grin , showing off his sharp protruding canines and underbite .

" Bathing in the waters of the Dragon King eh ? Tsk , tsk , tsk ! Don't you kiddies know that is a serious crime ? Looks like a lucky day for old Li Gen it seems ! I get to bring TWO naughty children back to the Dragon King's palace for dinner ! C'MERE YOU ! "

With a roar , the yaksha known as Li Gen swiftly lunged forth , grabbing the two screaming children by the collar and bellowing with laughter at his catch of the day . The loud commotion made by them brought Nezha's head out of the clouds and back to reality , and upon seeing what had occurred , Nezha leapt up with the Qiankun ring in hand , letting out a roar of protest as he rushed over to rescue the two children under his care .

" HEY ! FISH FACE ! Let go of those two RIGHT NOW ! "

Li Gen glanced around confused on who had just dared to order him about like that , before his eyes settled on Nezha , who was much shorter and smaller than the hulking brute he was .

" PAHAHAHAHAHA ! Well how about that ! ANOTHER dumb kid comes offering himself up ! His majesty will be very pleased with today's catch ! You've got moxie little boy ! So tell ya what , I'll give you a three second head start to start running back to mommy and daddy before I have you join your two friends over here on the Dragon King's dinner plate ! "

Nezha growled confused , " Those kids are going NOWHERE except back home to their parents , and I must commend your bravery for daring to use the Dragon King's name as an excuse to kidnap and eat children ! For that , I think I'll cripple your arms and legs ! "

This caused the Yaksha to bellow with mocking laughter , " HAHAHAHAHAHA ! IDIOT BOY ! Do you not know who I am ? Well then allow me to introduce myself , I am Li Gen ! Number one enforcer of his majesty , the Dragon King of the East Sea Ao Guang ! And today , I have been tasked by the Dragon King to round up some juicy succulent kiddos like these , " He shook Zhen and Ming around roughly to prove his point , making Nezha grit his teeth with fury .

" For him and his subjects to eat since the people of Chengtang Pass have failed to make the appropriate yearly sacrifices to his majesty ! " Li Gen finished with a condescending smirk before his expression morphed into something more sinister , " And right now , you're getting in my way , so I think I might just eat you right here , right now to make up for it . After all , what his majesty doesn't know won't hurt him ! "

Nezha's mind swarmed with questions , this didn't make any sense ! His father had always said that their village sacrificed their livestocks and fruits to the Dragon King for rain ! Not sacrificing their own young every year as though they were paying taxes ! Had he been lied to his whole life ? Was that why he rarely saw other youths in the village ? And most importantly of all , had Ao Bing known about all this ? If so , why didn't he ever tell him ?

Unfortunately now was not the time for questions , for Li Gen rushed forth without warning , one arm outstretched preparing to grab him as Zhen and Ming cried out a warning to their caretaker .

With incredible agility , Nezha dodged the attack , jumping to one side and leaving Li Gen staring confused at the muddy sand which was all he had managed to successfully grab . How had one mere child managed to evade a seasoned fighter like himself ?

" Over here ugly ! " Nezha taunted from the side , causing Li Gen to snarl as he turned to face his prey .

" Impudent BRAT ! " The yaksha snarled , " Just who do you think you're dealing with ! "

" Definitely not someone equal to my skill , I'll tell you that ! Here some advice dumbass , how about you put those kids down so you can just BARELY have a chance in beating me ? " The boy smirked as he flipped off the yaksha .

As planned by Nezha , the prideful Li Gen dropped Zhen and Ming to the ground to get rid of the dead weight that was slowing him down , so that he could fight better . Allowing the two of them to get up on their feet and quickly dash away to the safety of the village .

" Nice going genius , you literally just let your prey get away . Looks like the Dragon King will be going to bed on an empty stomach , and better YET … " Nezha's eye's blazed with righteous fury , " I can focus solely on KICKING your ass to kingdom COME ! "

Li Gen's eyes narrowed in anger realizing that he'd been fooled , " FOOLISH CHILD ! " He roared , " You want to play the hero ? Well now I'll feast on your BONES ! "

With that , the yaksha raised his trident and the two of them engaged in battle , Li Gen using his polearm to send forceful jabs and swings in Nezha's direction , with the boy gracefully parrying every attack with his ring , leaping from side to side , slowly tiring his opponent out .

" H-how the hell are you …. " Li Gen panted as Nezha parried a blow so hard that the yaksha was sent staggering backwards from the recoil , " This shouldn't be POSSIBLE ! How can one scrawny child humiliate ME ! The Dragon King's top enforcer ! "

" News flash buddy , in case you haven't already noticed , I'm no ordinary kid . " Nezha taunted as he dodged yet another attack from the yaksha , simultaneously smacking him on the butt with his ring and sending Li Gen crashing face first into the sand .

" Why you little ! " Li Gen snarled as he spat sand from his mouth whilst getting back on his feet , " You will learn RESPECT ! "

The yaksha then proceeded to hurl his trident like a javelin towards Nezha with all his might , intending to skewer him like a shish kebab . However , Nezha simply smirked and cracked his neck .

" And you will learn …. To eat SHIT ! " Nezha roared as he hurled his own weapon forth to counter his foe's .

" CRASH ! " The two projectiles met in midair , but immediately upon impact , Li Gen's trident shattered into a thousand tiny pieces . Allowing the Qiankun RIng to continue on its path , straight towards the yaksha's head !

With a resounding " CLANG ! " , the ring met its target , smashing the yaksha's skull in , leaving Li Gen's forehead a bloody mess . The Dragon King's top enforcer stood stock still for a few moments , before collapsing to the floor dead .

Nezha scoffed as he prodded the corpse of his dead opponent , suddenly Li Gen's body began to shrink , revealing the yaksha's true form being a large green toad .

" Well how about that ? After all that boasting , he was just a lame little toad . "

Picking up the deceased amphibian , Nezha steadied his arm before hurling the corpse back into the waves from which it had come from . Watching it slowly bob on the surface before sinking down into the depths below .

As he did so , Nezha's mind returned to the questions he was asking beforehand , when did Ao Guang begin demanding human sacrifices from the residents from Chengtang Pass ? And more importantly , did his best friend know about this ?

As Nezha sat there racking his brain , he didn't expect his question to be answered so quickly , dark clouds gathered in the sky as lightning flashed and thunder boomed above head . The waves in the sea separated as a figure dressed in full battle armor leapt from out of the waves and landed heavily right in front of Nezha .

" Hold it right there ! " The warrior shouted in a voice Nezha knew all too well as he raised a spear that looked incredibly familiar , " By orders of his majesty , Dragon King of the East Sea Ao Guang , you are under arrest for the assault and murder of his subordinate Li Gen ! "

" A-ao Bing ? Is that you ? " Nezha questioned as the warrior did a double take upon realizing who stood before him .

" Wait , Nezha ? " The Dragon Prince gasped in shock as he removed his helmet , " W-what are you doing here on the beach today ? Oh no ….. Don't tell me that you were the one who …. "

Before Ao Bing could finish his sentence , the saltwater churned once more before splitting to reveal a small battalion of shrimp soldiers and Crab generals emerging from under the sea . And standing right in the middle of them all , much to the two friend's horror , was the Dragon King of the East Sea Ao Guang himself .

Ao Guang had bushy eyebrows and a neatly trimmed beard . He also shared his son's curling horns , with the right side having been broken off , scaly skin and striking green eyes . However , while Ao Bing's scales and hair were blue in color , the Dragon King's were a mix of emerald green and lime . He wore an ornate crown atop his head and expensive royal looking outfit befitting someone of his status , and carried a bejeweled gold shortsword by his side .

The Dragon King's right eye meanwhile , was covered up by a strange eye patch that resembled a monocle , with a golden case and jade lens . And seen running from his cheek to under his eyepatch , were faded old battle scars . Suggesting that Ao Guang's eyepatch was not for show .

" So , " The Dragon King spoke as he raised his blade to point at Nezha , " You're the one who murdered my subordinate and threw his body at my doorstep , are you ? Either Li Gen's reflexes were at their worst today , or you were just lucky . For I simply cannot imagine any way that you could have been able to kill one of my elite guards . "

" Father , " Ao Bing said quickly as he turned to address his king , " I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding ! Like you said , there's no way a young boy like him could have been capable of defeating Li Gen , perhaps the true assailant has already made haste to flee the crime scene , and this boy was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time ! "

This attempt to throw his father off Nezha's scent ended in failure however , as Ao Guang raised an eyebrow at his son's words while the cogs in his brain started to turn . Before all the dots in his head eventually connected , and he realized who this boy actually was and why Ao Bing was doing his best to defend him .

" Ah … I see , " He smirked as he stroked his beard , " This must be the human child that you have been sneaking out to go fool around with for the past few years , isn't he Ao Bing ? Nezha was it ? " He said now addressed the boy

" So nice to finally be able to put a face to the name , " Ao Guang said in a condescending tone , " My son has long been distracted from his proper duties as a prince because of you . Ah ….. You do know the proper etiquette when you're standing in the presence of royalty , I hope ? "

Nezha growled a little as he realized what Ao Guang meant , even though this was the first time he was actually meeting Ao Bing's father face to face , years of hearing how strict and imposing the Dragon King was on his friend had already caused Nezha to dislike him . And now seeing how condescending and snide he actually was , Nezha felt his resentment for Ao Guang skyrocket .

Reluctantly , the boy got on one foot , kneeling to Ao Guang as a sign of respect , " Greetings your majesty . " He said through gritted teeth , " It is an honor to be in the presence of the Dragon King of the East Sea Ao Guang himself , please excuse my lack of manners . "

" Splendid ! " The Dragon King said mockingly , " Now I will not tolerate being lied to , boy . SO ! Did you or did you not kill my top enforcer and throw his corpse into the sea ? Think carefully before you give your answer . "

" Father please , " Ao Bing begged , " You don't have to – "

" SILENCE ! " Roared the Dragon King , " Keep your mouth shut , my son , and let the human boy speak for himself ! "

Nezha growled as he raised his head defiantly to speak , ignoring Ao Bing , who wore a pleading expression on his face , " I will not lie to you , mighty Ao Guang , your subordinate Li Gen was indeed slain by my hands . However , I did not do this without good reason . "

This was met with mocking laughter by the Dragon King , " Hohoho ! Good reason you say , eh ? " He said whilst turning to his soldiers and signaling for them to start laughing as well , to which they dutifully obeyed .

" Very well then ! Let it not be said that the Dragon King of the East Sea is unfair in his judgment , I shall allow you time to explain yourself before I decide whether or not to punish you . " Ao Guang said with a sneer that highly suggested that regardless of how good of a reason Nezha had for his actions , there would still be serious consequences in store for him . Nevertheless , Nezha went ahead with his defense .

" Venerable Dragon King , " Nezha said , clasping his hands together , " On this day I was entrusted with the care of two young children who live in my village , and was responsible with looking after them whilst their parents worked . However , as we were on this very beach , your subordinate Li Gen , came out of the sea and attempted to kidnap the two children to make into a meal , all whilst using YOUR name as an excuse for his evil . Hence that is why I fought back against and eventually killed him , all to protect the children under my care . "

The Dragon King wore a look of surprise on his face at Nezha's words , bringing some relief to the boy , perhaps Li Gen had indeed been acting on his own evil impulses rather than under the orders of Ao Guang like he claimed , meaning that Ao Bing hadn't been lying to him all this time ! This prompted Nezha to continue talking .

" Of course I knew that he had to be lying , for I'm sure that a wise and benevolent ruler like yourself would have NEVER ordered such a heinous act to be committed . Thus , I humbly beg for your forgiveness for what I have done , and apologize for any inconveniences I have brought upon you . "

As Nezha finished speaking he saw that Ao Guang and his soldier all wore a strange look on their faces , looking as though they were about to burst . Were they about to say something ? Perhaps an apology ? Nezha thought to himself . His heart rapidly plummeted however , when the Dragon King and his entourage began loudly howling with rambunctious laughter .

" AHAHAHAHA ! What a stupid kid ! " Mocks a Shrimp soldier as his colleagues pointed at Nezha and laughed even louder than before .

Nezha turned to Ao Bing with a mixed look of confusion and distress , but the Dragon Prince now stared silently at his own two feet in shame , not daring to look his friend in the eye .

" Oh ho ho ho ! No no no no no , little boy . " Ao Guang chuckled as he wiped a tear away from his eye , " So sorry to disappoint you like this . But I DID indeed order Li Gen to go out and catch some children to bring back to the palace to eat , I had quite the hankering for sweet tender human flesh today after all ! "

" W-what ? " Nezha whispered as his head turned from his friend to the Dragon King in shock , " W-why ? Don't we already sacrifice our best livestock to you in exchange for rain ? Why do you demand my people to sacrifice their own CHILDREN ? That's barbaric ! "

Ao Guang merely scoffed at Nezha's outburst , " Is that the lie you were told ? Well , sorry to be the one who burst your bubble , boy . But the people of your village have ALWAYS been sacrificing their youths to me and my people , after all you humans are supposed to pay proper tribute to the gods , less we punish you for your disrespect . And I was kind enough to give you peasants rain in exchange ! Honestly , you should be thanking me ! If it weren't for the fact that my son took a liking to you , as well as the fact that your father is somewhat significant military personnel , you would have been on the menu AGES ago . "

Nezha was too stunned to speak properly , his mouth hung agape as he processed this horrifying revelation , " No ….. It can't be ….. "

Ao Bing gulped seeing his friend , who was once filled with so much energy and fighting spirit , now on his knees , uttering not even a single word . Tentatively he approached his friend with one hand raised , " N-nezha , a-are you okay ? "

" Did you know about this ? "

Ao Bing frozed at the sheer coldness and spite that filled Nezha's every word , he had never seen nor imagined the usually cheerful and easy-going Nezha to have ever sounded so angry before .

" I …. Well , I mean … " The Dragon Prince stuttered

" TELL ME ! " Nezha suddenly roared with such ferocity that Ao Bing stumbled backwards from sheer fright . The Dragon Prince felt his soul slowly withering away under his friend's intense gaze which radiated pure rage , hanging his head in shame , Ao Bing slowly nodded his head , confirming all of Nezha's worst fears .

" W-why , how ….. " Nezha stuttered on every word due to the shock and anger that had overtaken his mind , " So , you're telling me ….. That all this time , whilst I have treated YOU , as my only friend , my BEST FRIEND . You along with all your people , have been taking the children of MY village behind my back , and FUCKING EATING THEM ? "

" For the record , " Ao Guang suddenly interjected , a small hint of nervousness in his voice " My son never did touch , much less EAT any flesh from your village youths . I tried to make him , but he never did have the stomach for it , so I suggest you refrain from directing your little temper tantrum to him , less you dig yourself an even deeper hole . "

" Is THAT supposed to clear you of any faults ? " Nezha said in a low voice , his eyes never once leaving the Dragon Prince , " I am supposed to forgive you just because you refused to let daddy force your dinner down your throat ? Is that supposed to make up for all the times I spent playing , laughing and enjoying ourselves with you , when you KNEW for a FACT ! That my people were getting GUZZLED DOWN BY YOURS ! IS THAT SERIOUSlY YOUR FUCKING EXCUSE ?

Ao Bing cowered in fear seeing how angry Nezha was as the boy advanced towards him , " Nezha please ! I …. I didn't mean to lie to you ! I was just trying to protect you from the truth ! "

" LIAR ! You didn't hide the truth from me to protect me ! You did it to protect your own selfish ass ! You were afraid that the MOMENT I learnt that you just stood aside and allowed your people to indulge in their crimes , I would have cut off all ties with you ! Well guess what ? I would , and I am ! I can't believe that I ever thought that YOU WERE MY FRIEND ! "

Without warning , Nezha let out a deafening battlecry and dashed forward at Ao Bing with his Qiankun RIng raised above his head , the Dragon Prince barely had time to react before he felt a heavy blow dealt to his forehead , sending him crashing to the floor , blood pouring from his wound and groaned loudly in pain .

" BASTARD ! " Ao Guang roared in fury , " How dare you strike my child ? That is yet another offense to your long list of crimes ! And I shall see to it that you pay with your LIFE ! MEN ! CUT THAT BOY DOWN LIKE THE FILTH HE IS ! "

Before the Dragon King's forces could even leave the surf however , Nezha turned to face them with a piercing gaze , his golden eyes now a sinister blood red color . And to Ao Guang's absolute horror and rage , all of his soldiers had decided that they would prefer to disobey their own king rather than face off against a royally pissed off Nezha . The Dragon King could only sputter and choke on his own anger , as Nezha turned to face his former friend who was desperately struggling to get back up on his feet .

Suddenly Nezha's eyes focused on the Fire-tip Spear , which had fallen from Ao Bing's hands after being knocked to the floor , seeing the heartfelt gift that he had given to the Dragon Prince as a show of their now broken friendship only added more fuel to the burning hatred he now felt for Ao Bing .

" You remember this ? " He snarled as he picked up the spear , shoving it right in front of Ao Bing's face , " The present I worked my ass off to get for your lying ass on your special day . I still remembered the look of pure joy on your face after receiving it , and I still remember the moment you told me that it was the best present you had ever received ….. Let me tell you , I never felt happier when you said that . Now though ….. I know the truth , all of what you said ? It was all BULLSHIT . And even though I can take the spear back from you , all the lies and good memories you've given me can't be as easily returned … However , I think THIS more than even things ! "

Raising his spear , Neha prepared to stab Ao Bing right in the heart , but right as he was about to do so . The wounded Dragon Prince weakly raised his arm , coughing up blood as he struggled to speak .

" N-nezha …. I …. I know you will never forgive me for what I did to you , and I know … I know I can't make things right , I know … I hurt you . B-but , I still have to say this or I will never be able to die in peace …. I'm sorry … I'm sorry for lying to you … I'm sorry for being so selfish , I'm sorry for hiding the dark truth from you just because I was too afraid that I might lose your friendship . I know , words will never be enough to justify what I did … But … But I hope that one day , you can find it in your heart to forgive me … "

Nezha stood still , the Fire-tip spear still raised high above his head , his face turning from one of fury to conflict , as he silently contemplated his former friend's words . Two sides of him battling it out in his mind as he began to re-think his actions .

However , after what felt like eternity to all others present at the scene , it became clear that Nezha's anger and hate won out in the end . For the expression on his face turned to one as cold as the cliffside of a mountain , raising his spear even higher into the air and letting it hover above Ao Bing's chest for a moment , as he tilted his head down to address the Dragon Prince one last time .

" Apology ….. Not accepted . "

In a flash , Nezha plunged the tip of the spear deep into Ao Bing's chest , causing the Dragon Prince to scream in pain as Nezha willed fire to ignite on top of the spearhead , which increased the damage being inflicted upon Ao Bing to increase tenfold .

Ao Bing continued screaming in agony as his father and soldiers could do nothing but watch on in horror at the sheer brutality of Nezha's actions . Slowly but surely , the struggling Dragon Prince's body began to lose energy , his screams dying down and his legs ceased kicking . And with one last shuddering breath before his entire body went stiff , Ao Bing lay dead at the feet of the person who had once called him his closest friend .

Ao Guang let out a strangled gasp at what he and his subordinates had just seen , it wasn't possible , how did one human boy manage to slay his heir ? He must be some sort of demon !

Nezha slowly turned to face his terrified foes , revealing his blood splattered shirt and arms , the sinister , almost demonic expression plastered on his face , and his blood red eyes that were devoid of any emotions .

With shrieks of horror , all of Ao Guang's entourage ran helter skelter , pushing past one another as they dived right back into the sea . Not caring which of their comrades they trampled over , just so long as they put as much distance as they could between them and Nezha . However , in the ensuing chaos , one of the running soldiers accidentally pushed past Ao Guang as they fled . Knocking the Dragon King into the surf on his back , while the rest of his men didn't even so much as look back as they left him at the mercy of Nezha .

" You …. You massacred my boy ! " Ao Guang roared at the approaching Nezha , mustering up what little courage he had left in the hopes that he'd looked intimidating to the boy that had just single handedly murdered his son in front of him , and then scaring off all his best soldiers with just a single glance .

" Oh , so NOW you actually give a damn about your son ? Isn't that just heartwarming . " Nezha said spitefully as he leaned over to look down at the fallen Dragon King whose entire body was now shivering with fear .

" You …. You can't do this ! " Ao Guang pleaded desperately as he fruitlessly attempted to find a way to escape , " I am the Dragon King of the East Sea ! Killing me had grave consequences ! My brothers will come for your head when they find out about what you've done ! You'll live to regret it if you follow through with what you're planning right now ! "

Nezha's arm shot forward , grabbed the Dragon King by the neck , causing Ao Guang to yell in pain as Nezha pulled him closer till they were face to face .

" Oh believe me , I know , " Nezha said in a sinister tone , " But killing you isn't going to bring back all the children you've eaten , so guess what ? I'm going to let you go free , completely unscathed ! "

" W-what ? " Ao Guang breathed , not daring to believe his luck just yet .

" Oh yes , your decrepit old ears aren't deceiving you , I'm letting your sorry ass get away without even so much as a scratch ! And you wanna know why ? "

The Dragon King whimpered in fear as Nezha's face broke out into a evil grin

" Because the worst thing I can do to a guy with a stick up his ass like yourself, is to strip away their pride . And that is exactly what I have just done , I've humiliated you in front of all your troops , I have you by the throat begging for mercy , and I've killed the heir to your throne … So let this be a lesson , ' Dragon King ' you're nothing but a big fish in a small pond who just got its first taste of reality . Now why don't you run away with your tail between your legs and have someone come and lick your wounds ? "

With that , Nezha let go of Ao Guang and roughly kicked the Dragon King away from him , the mighty Dragon King of the East Sea landed on his back for a second time that day . Quickly getting back up on his feet , scrambling away from Nezha as he prepared to dive into the sea and back to the safety of his palace .

" Mark my words Nezha ! " The Dragon King yelled , his cocky nature returning now that he was no longer pinned down with a hand on his throat , " I'll be back soon with my brothers and their armies , and when I do , I'll make sure you will regret everything you have done today ! "

And with that , the Dragon King's head disappeared beneath the waves , leaving Nezha standing alone on the beach .

" Coward , " Nezha scoffed as he turned to walk away , only to see his father and a few of his soldiers standing not too far away . Zhen and Ming had probably told the villagers what was happening and got Li Jing and his troops to come help him .

However instead of praising Nezha for freeing them from the tyrannical subjugation of the Dragon King , Li Jing and his soldiers all wore horrified looks on their faces , for they knew that Nezha had just incurred the Ocean's wrath , and there would be hell to pay .

" Nezha ….. " Li Jing whispered fearfully , " What have you done ? "

Nezha gazed at the body of Ao Bing , now crumbling into cosmic green dust and floating away into the air . His heart felt a small twinge of regret , seeing his only friend dead and knowing that he was the one who had murdered him in cold blood . But just as quickly he banished those thoughts to the back of his mind , none of this was his fault , Ao Bing had brought all of this upon himself .

Without even looking his father in the eye , Nezha pushed past him as he walked back to the village .

" What you were too cowardly to do , father . " He answered spitefully as Ao Bing's body fully disintegrated , and so too did the bond between the two that both had once been thought to be unbreakable .

…

Unfortunately for all parties involved , Li Jing's fears would indeed come true , as Ao Guang would indeed make good on his threats . Calling upon his three other brothers as well as all their armies to storm the gates of Nezha's home to confront him .

Upon doing so , the Dragon Kings demanded Nezha take his own life as repayment for the death of Ao Bing , less they flooded Chengtang pass , killing everyone else who inhabited it . And so taking up a sword , Nezha slit his own throat , killing himself so as to ensure the safety of his family and people .

However , this was not the end of Nezha's story , for hs master , Taiyi Zhenren would use Lotus Roots to construct a new body to house Nezha's soul when it reached the heaven , granting Nezha godhood when he reincarnated , as well as another Divine Weapon , the Fire Wind Wheels .

With his new form , Nezha stormed the Palace of Ao Guang , catching the four Dragon King's off guard in the midst of them celebrating their victory of Nezha . Forcing them into submission and making them swear never to threaten Chengtang pass ever again .

Afterwards , Nezha returned home to his parents , expecting to be met with gratitude and praise . Instead , the moment he laid eyes on Nezha , Li Jing flew into a rage .

" You vermin ! When you were my son , you brought untold calamites ! Why choose to reincarnate and disturb the peace again ? "

Angered by this , Nezha attacked his father , causing a battle to unfold between the two . But Li Jing soon realized that his mortal form was no match against his son , thus he fled , with Nezha not far behind .

Before Nezha could strike his father down , the heavens , who felt that Nezha's rage had to be contained soon , less it became a bigger problem , interfered . Saving Li Jing and forcing Nezha to submit to his father , he would later be taught the Golden Tower art so as to trap Nezha within a burning tower if he ever acted out again , Nezha's entire family would later be granted godhood as well . And Li Jing , because of his newfound abilities , would receive the title of Pagoda Bearing Heavenly King .

Though this somewhat helped control Nezha's temper , the animosity between father and son still remained , and the now Third Lotus Prince never forgot the sting of betrayal which he had experienced three times . His father berating him even though he sacrificed himself for his home , the Heavens siding against him during his clash against Li Jing . And worst of all , the many happy years he had spent together with Ao Bing , which in the end he told himself , had been nothing more than lies .

Took me a while to finish this chapter , which will probably be the case in the future as well , since school has started for me . But hopefully I won't take too long to finish the next chapter and the rest that comes after .