Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 389

Volume 3 - Chapter 99: Are You Chong Er? - Part 2

Even with his current strength at the Supreme Dao Realm, Li Hao wasn’t confident he could overcome other Underworld-Level Rivers of Death. After all, the rules of each River of Death varied.

While a Dao Domain could suppress these rules, even if one could ignore the restrictions of an Underworld-Level River of Death, success required finding the right method. Otherwise, the river could only be destroyed, not cleared.

"Can I give it a try as well?"

Li Hao asked.

Though Underworld-Level Rivers of Death were relatively easier, clearing them was not the same as suppressing them—it required specific approaches.

Li Hao didn’t have complete confidence in success, but trying multiple times might yield results eventually.

As long as the River of Death wasn’t destroyed and disappeared, attempts could be made repeatedly.

“You?”

Hearing Li Hao’s words, Wang Yongzhi was momentarily stunned, a little surprised but not entirely unprepared. He smiled and said:

“General Haotian, are you doubting the Wang family? Rest assured, we would never just go through the motions. Although the Thief Saint is infamous, our Wang family holds no grudge against him. On the contrary, he’s helped us resolve many Rivers of Death in the past.”

“Oh?”

Li Hao glanced at Wang Yongzhi’s calm expression, momentarily dazed, and suddenly recalled the first time he entered a River of Death. Back then, he had checked the Merit Rankings and noticed Feng Lao’s merit score.

Over 3,000 points, ranked in the top 30.

In contrast, even the Sword Saint of the Sword Abode was ranked only in the 80s or 90s. At the time, resolving Rivers of Death offered no rewards—it was purely an act of altruism.

“You know his River of Death name?”

Li Hao asked in surprise.

“Bu Liuxing, isn’t it? ‘A thief never leaves empty-handed; a thief never leaves a name.’ The Thief Saint—Saint Bu Liuxing. We’ve known it was him for a long time.”

Wang Yongzhi chuckled, then sighed softly:

“Right and wrong can’t be explained in just a few words. While the Thief Saint has also visited our Wang family, if he managed to steal from us, we could only blame our poor security. Sometimes, his theft even exposed internal corruption in our ranks. Haha! Regardless, with him ranked in the top 50 on the Merit Rankings, our Wang family respects him as a man of principle.”

Li Hao studied Wang Yongzhi intently, unexpectedly finding the Wang family patriarch quite open-minded.

Then, his thoughts drifted back to the Merit Rankings from that time. Among the top 30 names, nearly 20 bore the surname Wang.

This was the responsibility entrusted to them by the imperial court and represented the Wang family’s wall of honor.

“However, things are different now. Those Blade Saints and Sword Saints have all climbed into the top 50. With the emergence of the Merit Treasury, Rivers of Death are no longer disasters but treasures, hahaha.”

Wang Yongzhi laughed, but his eyes betrayed a hint of scorn.

Before the Merit Treasury existed, those titled Blade Saints and Sword Saints were typically ranked at the bottom, if they were listed at all.

Clearing Rivers of Death? That time could be better spent on cultivation.

Even if they acted, it was usually at the borders, slaying demons and exorcising devils.

Both tasks were arduous, but slaying demons earned merit and titles, while Rivers of Death were mysterious and dangerous with no guaranteed benefits.

Slaying demons was the easier choice.

Back then, the Wang family personally sought out these powerful figures, hoping they could share the burden of higher-level Rivers of Death, offering precious rewards in return. Yet few agreed to help, and those who did made exorbitant demands, leaving the Wang family gritting their teeth.

Now, the situation had reversed.

Having endured so much disdain and rejection, the Wang family harbored no prejudice against Feng Boping.

Reputations could be deceiving, but actions never lied.

Everyone had their own story.

Unless Feng Boping had somehow foreseen the future opening of the Merit Treasury and acted in advance, which was impossible.

After all, unlocking the Merit Treasury required 100,000 points of merit—something even the Wang family, who had studied Rivers of Death for centuries, hadn’t known about.

“With my second uncle involved, you can rest assured, General Haotian. If one attempt fails, there’s always a second or third. These days, Rivers of Death are never destroyed as a solution anymore.”

Wang Yongzhi addressed Li Hao.

Destroying a River of Death caused it to vanish, but successfully clearing it earned merit a hundredfold. Now, Rivers of Death of all sizes had become rare resources. Previously, no one responded to calls for their destruction; now, secretly destroying one was a crime—a sign of the times.

“It’s fine. Strength in numbers. I can try as well,” Li Hao said.

Rivers of Death could erode the soul; the longer one stayed inside, the greater the danger. Li Hao was concerned that if too much time passed, even if Feng Lao’s soul was rescued, it might begin to dissipate.

“General Haotian, Rivers of Death are not like slaying demons. High cultivation levels don’t guarantee success. More often than not, it comes down to experience and strategy.”

Nearby, an elderly man spoke in an indifferent tone.

This was Wang Zhenping, one of the Wang family’s elders and Wang Xiangru’s father.

He clearly remembered the various accounts his daughter had relayed after returning home, as well as the complaints from his grandchildren. He had little fondness for the young man before him.

However, he also knew this youth was no longer ordinary—immensely powerful and covered in illustrious battle achievements. Thus, he wouldn’t provoke trouble needlessly.

His words now were merely an honest statement, leaving no room for criticism.

“Yes, General Haotian. While your strength is formidable, Rivers of Death are extremely perilous,” others chimed in, their expressions sincere.

Despite his overwhelming power, his youth and inexperience were concerning. Rivers of Death posed challenges far beyond slaying demons or military strategy.

“It’s fine. Let General Haotian try,” Wang Yongzhi said, shaking his head. He could tell Li Hao cared deeply for the Thief Saint. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone so far as to kill the Boundless Buddhist Lord in his fury.

Since persuasion would likely be futile—after all, the general hadn’t traveled all this way for idle pleasantries—it was better to let him act on his intent.

“I’ve entered one or two Rivers of Death before,” Li Hao said.

“General Haotian, you truly have a compassionate heart.”

Wang Yongzhi smiled, his opinion of Li Hao improving somewhat.

“Before entering, however, I must inform you about the Rivers of Death. You’ll need to understand their intricacies first,” Wang Yongzhi said.

“All right.”

Li Hao nodded. The Wang family’s centuries-long research on Rivers of Death certainly gave them deeper knowledge than he possessed.

...

Wang Yongzhi did not waste time, briefly explaining the more obscure rules and nuances to prevent Li Hao from encountering unforeseen dangers within. Once finished, he led Li Hao out of the main hall.

The others, seeing Li Hao’s determination, refrained from further persuasion. After all, gaining experience was no bad thing, and Rivers of Death held significant merit rewards. It was likely that such resources would soon fall under the general’s command.

Merit could be exchanged for extreme cultivation resources and various mindsets within the Merit Treasury—priceless treasures.

The thought of this made their hearts stir with envy and sigh with regret.

If he utilized the Merit Treasury’s resources, this young man would likely soar to even greater heights.

...

As Li Hao followed Wang Yongzhi and the others out of the hall, the younger generation of the Wang family gathered outside became abuzz with excitement.

From afar, some used their spiritual senses to observe from the sky, their curiosity piqued.

“Is that General Haotian? Talking so casually with the family head.”

“Yes, even Grandfather Zhenping is there. He doesn’t seem intimidated at all. When I face Grandfather Zhenping, my legs turn to jelly.”

“Coward! You think General Haotian is like us? You don’t even know that someone like Grandfather Zhenping is no match for him.”

“Shh! Grandfather Zhenping is glaring at you.”

“Miss, look! That’s General Haotian, one of the two people you’ve wanted to meet the most. You’re finally seeing him.”

At the edge of the crowd, a woman as serene as frost stood quietly, her maid holding a parasol for her.

“General Haotian is so young. I wonder what Mister Chong Er looks like. Probably an old geezer, right?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. You’ve never met him,” the woman chastised softly, frowning.

The maid giggled but showed no fear, evidently accustomed to teasing her mistress.

...

Soon, Wang Yongzhi and his entourage led Li Hao to a hidden area within the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion. Those watching from a distance were blocked from approaching. This was a highly restricted zone of the Wang family, not to be trespassed lightly.

Before them stood a mountain with its interior hollowed out, creating an expansive, vast cavern.

The mountain resembled a pointed hat pressed into the ground. A beam of light shone down from the peak, illuminating a pitch-black statue.

“This is Ksitigarbha Buddha.”

Wang Yongzhi led Li Hao to the statue and said, “This artifact was brought back by an ancestor of our Wang family from a River of Death long ago. Over time, we discovered its peculiar function. By feeding clay from the local land temples outside a River of Death into the mouth of this Ksitigarbha Buddha, the statue can establish a direct connection to that River of Death.”

“In other words, we can enter any River of Death under the jurisdiction of our Wang family from this very spot.”

Though the Ksitigarbha Buddha was both strange and unique, it wasn’t much of a secret and had long been reported to the emperor.

Li Hao was somewhat surprised. Rivers of Death had always seemed extraordinarily mysterious to him, and this artifact only deepened that impression.

“General Haotian, if you’ve entered a River of Death before, you should already have a River of Death registry, correct?”

Wang Yongzhi smiled at Li Hao and said, “You only need to enter through this location. Simply select the River of Death you wish to enter. A map of the rivers will appear, and I will guide you to the correct one.”

Li Hao nodded and followed Wang Yongzhi’s instructions, stepping up to the half-human-sized Ksitigarbha Buddha.

The statue’s face appeared benevolent, yet under the interplay of light and shadow, its expression seemed oddly eerie, as if its narrowed eyes were mocking.

A golden light emerged from Li Hao’s palm, and a page of golden paper from the River of Death floated outward.

As it hovered, the Ksitigarbha Buddha began to radiate its own golden light, and a book materialized, flipping through its pages.

The golden paper from Li Hao was drawn into the book, merging with it.

After a brief moment, as if verifying his identity, the golden paper separated from the book and returned to hover in front of Li Hao.

Wang Yongzhi, observing this from the side, noticed the information recorded on the golden paper. It detailed Li Hao’s River of Death records, including his name, merit, and related events.

When Wang Yongzhi’s gaze landed on two simple words on the golden paper, he froze in shock, his mind reeling.

“You’re Chong Er?!”

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