Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 283

Volume 3 - Chapter 33: Bestowal of the Divine General - Part 2

A few days later, in the main hall of the Black and White Hall within the Tangong Academy.

The imperial edict from the capital spread across the entire realm, eventually reaching Qingzhou.

When the edict arrived, Song Yufeng was utterly stunned.

He had heard about the Merit Treasury—it had caused quite a stir lately. Many disciples of Tangong Academy were eager to venture into the River of Death to hone their skills and gather rewards.

But traversing the River of Death wasn’t easy, and accumulating merit points was even harder. For instance, a mere 100 points of merit could be exchanged for Sword Heart. Yet to earn those 100 points, one would need to destroy a Netherworld-level River of Death!

Even a Grandmaster Realm cultivator might not be able to destroy a Netherworld-level River of Death unless they stumbled upon a particularly weak one—an absolute stroke of luck.

For the lowest-grade Residual Thought-level Rivers of Death, destroying one hundred of them would be required!

And what does one hundred mean? You might not even find one hundred Residual Thought-level Rivers of Death!

Therefore, earning 100 merit points was no simple task.

Grandmasters or cultivators of the Three Immortal Realm capable of destroying Netherworld-level Rivers of Death would have already embraced a martial path into their hearts. Embracing a path means passion and focus—essential for reaching the Grandmaster Realm and stepping through the Heavenly Gate.

Without such passion, how could one tread the martial path and attain the Grandmaster Realm?

And what about the other rewards? There were rumors about something called Tongli Realm Extreme, a concept entirely foreign to Song Yufeng.

Still, those rewards required an exorbitant amount of merit. Even if he personally took action, it would be a monumental effort.

After all, he wasn’t confident about destroying a Netherworld-level River of Death.

For cultivators of the Fourth Pillar Realm, venturing into a Netherworld-level River of Death was an exceptionally perilous endeavor. Destroying one would yield 1,000 merit points.

And it would take ten successful attempts to exchange for Reverse Fate!

He wasn’t even certain he could survive ten ventures into a Netherworld-level River of Death.

Unless he targeted the weaker Rivers of Death or chose to clear them.

But in doing so, lower-level Rivers of Death might run out.

Moreover, searching for them would also be troublesome.

Song Yufeng could almost predict that soon, whether from the imperial capital or the Wang family, rules would be issued.

In the future, entering the Rivers of Death might require queuing or face other restrictions.

After all, once a River of Death is destroyed, it vanishes temporarily—possibly for decades or even centuries.

Thus, what was once a source of frustration—the Rivers of Death—had now transformed into a precious resource for accumulating merit!

For lower-grade Rivers of Death, clearing them was the most profitable, but clearing was exceptionally challenging. It wasn’t related to cultivation levels but seemed tied to something else entirely.

Even a Fourth Pillar Realm cultivator attempting to clear a Residual Thought-level River of Death might fail without understanding the method.

As such, those with significant power who sought to accumulate merit quickly would often opt for the least rewarding but fastest method: destruction. Destroying Rivers of Death meant they would disappear.

However, this approach offered minimal returns and was wasteful. If all Rivers of Death within the region were gone, the Merit Treasury would become an empty mountain of treasures.

From a long-term perspective, however, the problem of the Rivers of Death would undoubtedly be resolved.

What used to require the River of Death Division to offer rewards without sufficient results had now become a lucrative enterprise driven by profit.

Furthermore, the items in the treasury, though unattainable for most, still provided benefits that significantly enhanced the overall national power of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.

The Rivers of Death, once filled with soldiers’ sacrifices, had now become a source of sustenance.

No wonder His Majesty had grandly decreed the bestowal of a Divine General. For the first time in millennia, a Divine General was being named!

“That brat is going to be named a Divine General...”

Song Yufeng thought of Li Hao. While others might not know, Tangong Academy’s elders—including him and his granddaughter—knew who Chong Er truly was.

When the Fengshan River of Death was cleared, it had been by Li Hao, as confirmed by his actions. A little probing revealed that Chong Er was none other than Li Hao!

Since Li Hao had gone to Liangzhou, and Song Qiumo had also gone to assist him, Song Yufeng had paid close attention to Liangzhou. After the great battle in Liangzhou, Li Hao’s fame had spread across all provinces and returned to Qingzhou.

In recent days, every street and alley in Qingzhou buzzed with talk of the peerless youth who had fought his father a year ago.

This time, however, most discussions were filled with praise. Even when old accusations of filial disrespect resurfaced, they were quickly rebuked.

Disrespectful or not, he had saved billions in Liangzhou, demonstrating a compassionate heart.

Such an achievement was enough to be remembered throughout history. Statues of Li Hao had been erected in martial temples across the provinces. Though still a youth, he already bore the aura of an eternal war hero.

“That brat was trapped in the Dragon City River of Death. He must have cleared it,” Song Yufeng mused, feeling a weight lifted off his heart.

“This kid cleared two Rivers of Death in a row. Could he have some special clearing technique?”

Song Yufeng pondered, his thoughts drifting back to their last meeting at the Divine General Mansion.

That day, amidst heavy snowfall, the youth had walked alone out of the majestic and resplendent Divine General Mansion.

Who would have thought that less than two years later, the same person would be named a Divine General?

If the people in the Divine General Mansion discovered that Chong Er was Li Hao, how would they react?

Song Yufeng’s eyes gleamed as he summoned the elders of the Black and White Hall, including his granddaughter, Song Yueyao.

When he saw their faces filled with shock and excitement, he immediately knew they had pieced things together.

They were witnessing the rise of a Divine General!

“Since you all know about this, there’s no need for me to say more. Just keep your mouths shut and don’t spread it around,” Song Yufeng instructed.

Hearing this, Song Yueyao, though still thrilled, asked hesitantly, “Why not?”

“There’s no reason to. Let that kid collect his reward himself. It’s not our place to announce it,” Song Yufeng said calmly. “Don’t do anything unnecessary. He’s still in Liangzhou, and the situation there is dangerous. If those monsters and demons find out he’s Chong Er, they’ll most likely go mad and attack him with everything they’ve got, expending every resource to kill him!”

“Keeping this a secret for him is helping him,” he added.

Upon hearing Song Yufeng’s reasoning, the gathered elders came to their senses, realizing the precarious situation Li Hao was in.

Carrying the glory of the ages and a brilliance unmatched, Li Hao had also become a target for the monsters and demons—a thorn in their side and a nail in their flesh.

“Don’t worry. The reward is secure; it won’t run away. Once that kid breaks free, he’ll hear of the imperial edict and naturally come to claim it.”

Song Yufeng chuckled lightly. “Perhaps it won’t be long before we’re invited to attend his Divine General Bestowal Ceremony. You’ve probably never seen such a ceremony, have you? The occasion will be unforgettable...”

“Palace Master, have you seen one before?” Shen Yunqing asked curiously.

“No, I haven’t,” Song Yufeng replied with a smile. “But I’ve heard of it.”

“...”

The group fell silent.

...

Outside Liangzhou, in a hidden location.

Several birds flitted through the air, delivering messages to their destination.

“An imperial edict? A Divine General Bestowal?”

In the dimly lit hidden ground, a group of figures radiating overwhelming demonic energy gathered. Though they restrained their auras, the lingering presence of their demonic power was still oppressive and terrifying.

“Damn it! Who is this Chong Er? If I find out, I’ll tear him apart!”

“It may not be entirely bad news. This gathering is under the orders of the Black Mountain Desolate God.”

A burly man with a thick mane of chest hair spoke, his expression cold and menacing. “The activation of the Merit Treasury is a boon for us as well. We stand to gain from it—if we can conquer the Great Yu Divine Dynasty first.”

“In the coming decades, the overall strength of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty will gradually increase thanks to this Merit Treasury. The longer we wait, the stronger they’ll become. Once the Rivers of Death no longer constrain them, the Wang family will also have their hands freed.”

“The Black Mountain Desolate God has decreed that there’s no need to wait any longer!”

At his words, the others’ gazes sharpened.

After centuries of preparation, was this the moment to strike?

“Damn it! The defeat in Liangzhou has disrupted our plans. Without Liangzhou as a base to entangle the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, and with our failure to annihilate the Li family in Qingzhou, our losses will only grow from here!”

“At this point, we have no choice but to fight head-on.”

“Fortunately, over the centuries, we have focused our attacks on the province guarded by the Li family. We’ve depleted them considerably. It’s time to wipe the Li family off the face of the earth!”

“Bestowing a new Divine General? Hmph, let’s ensure the old Divine General rests in his grave first!”

Several other powerful figures, their auras fierce and domineering, voiced their agreement. This was a moment they had long awaited.

Centuries of relentless assaults concentrated on the region defended by the Li family—while scattering attacks elsewhere to mask their intent—had resulted in tremendous losses for their enemies. The mutual hatred built up over centuries of bitter conflict had only grown stronger.

“Flatten the Li family in Qingzhou first. Since we’ve failed in Liangzhou, we’ll make Qingzhou our new target!”

“Should we wait for the return of the Candlefire God?”

“The Dragon City River of Death is surrounded. I’ve heard even the Yu Emperor has gone mad, releasing his ninth brother, the Sword Madman. That man has arrived as well. If he’s truly here to aid the Candlefire God, it’ll undoubtedly turn into a brutal battle.”

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