Nezha Conquers the Sea
This book is adapted from Xu Zhonglin’s “Fengshen Yanyi” (封神演义), specifically the chapters concerning Nezha. Nezha is the third son of General Li Jing and Lady Yin. At the age of seven, while playing by the sea, Nezha got into a conflict with the Dragon King’s third son and killed him, leading to great trouble. Due to this, Nezha’s father, Li Jing, blamed him and wanted to kill him. Nezha, in response, dismembered his own body to return it to his parents as a sign of filial piety, thus severing their father-son relationship. After being resurrected, Nezha harbored no resentment towards his father, and later, with the help of a deity, they reconciled.
In the Shang Dynasty, the general Li Jing had two sons. His elder son could wield both literature and martial arts, and his younger son was still young. On this day, Li Jing was tending to his duties when something alarming happened…
Suddenly, bad news arrived, saying that the lady (Li Jing’s wife) had given birth to something strange. Startled, Li Jing hurried to the inner chamber.
Li Jing quickly entered the inner chamber, only to see red light shining brightly and smoke filling the room. A strange, spherical object appeared, rolling around the chamber.
The object suddenly split open with a crack, and a small child emerged. Li Jing, in his astonishment, slashed at it with his sword, but the child survived unharmed.
Li Jing, doubting his own eyes, looked closely and saw a chubby, white child wearing a red bellyband. The child was lively and full of energy, and quite adorable.
Li Jing, while holding the child, showed him to his wife. After examining the child closely, she was relieved and happy, and so were the couple.
One day, a soldier rushed in and reported that a Taoist was at the door, asking for an audience with Li Jing. It turned out that this Taoist was none other than the immortal master who had come to meet them.
