Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 282

Volume 3 - Chapter 33: Bestowing the Title of Divine General - Part 1

"But these exchanges are too costly! A chance to reverse fate requires ten thousand merits. Even with the Wang Family's accumulated efforts, they have barely reached that amount!"

"To destroy a Netherworld-Level River of Death ten times is the only way to accumulate ten thousand achievements."

"If it's a Yinsha-Level River of Death, it would take a hundred instances!"

Yu Huang's eyes gleamed. Though the exchanges were indeed expensive, the appearance of this Merit Treasury would undoubtedly lead to the rise of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty within a few centuries.

The likes of "Sword Heart" or "Blade Heart" required only a hundred merits to elevate an ordinary person into the realm of geniuses.

While a mere Sword Heart could not compare to the disciples of the top sects, having more individuals like this would foster internal competition, and from such a pool, a few exceptional talents might emerge.

If there were enough of these top-tier geniuses, perhaps one might rival that child.

Thinking of Li Hao, Yu Huang's gaze flickered. He wondered how the boy fared now. With that Blood Jade to reverse his fate, at least he could escape death once.

"When Zhendong reaches ten thousand merits, we might catch a glimpse of treasures worth a hundred thousand merits."

"That Chong Er must already have access to such treasures."

Yu Huang himself had accumulated over a thousand merits, allowing him to view items worth up to ten thousand. Most individuals on the Merit Ranking currently had only a few thousand merits, meaning treasures under ten thousand merits would soon be cataloged by Tianji Tower.

However, items worth a hundred thousand merits would only become known once Wang Zhendong surpassed ten thousand achievements.

Yu Huang felt a hint of anticipation. What kind of treasures would they be? Would there be something to truly captivate him?

Beyond that...

Previously, when the Rivers of Death attacked, no one managed them directly. The Wang Family had to summon martial artists from across the realm to assist, relying on small rewards and the goodwill of warriors.

But now, with such tremendous benefits to lure people in, Yu Huang could easily foresee martial artists from across the land rushing toward these Rivers of Death.

What was once ignored had now become a coveted prize.

This shift could even free the Wang Family from dealing with the Rivers of Death, allowing them to return to their original position within the Divine General Mansion.

Only the original personnel of the River of Death Division would remain in charge, and new recruits could be brought in.

After all, with countless martial artists handling the Rivers of Death and reducing the demonic threats, the Wang Family’s withdrawal would alleviate pressures on various provinces.

However, this would also require redistributing military power, inevitably stirring up further unrest.

Yu Huang's thoughts churned. The Merit Treasury had the potential to rewrite the current decline of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.

Overall, this was a monumental blessing. He could almost envision a future where all Rivers of Death within the borders were eradicated, and the number of geniuses multiplied. Middle-tier talents would increase significantly, and the number of top-tier talents would also see a boost!

...

As Yu Huang pondered, the civil and military officials in the court discussed the matter animatedly, all shaken by the appearance of the Merit Treasury.

At the same time, they began considering the myriad issues this would bring.

In times of chaos, there were always opportunities.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The national fortunes of our Great Yu Divine Dynasty shall flourish once more!"

A quick-witted civil minister was the first to offer congratulations.

The others soon recovered and echoed their felicitations loudly.

Yu Huang withdrew from his musings and smiled faintly. "My loyal subjects, do you know who this Chong Er might be?"

The court exchanged blank stares, all equally bewildered.

A civil official from the Wang Family stepped forward. As a descendant of a collateral branch of the Wang Family from centuries ago, he bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, this individual's name is peculiar and may merely be an alias. Based on their ten thousand one hundred merits, it is highly probable they completed a Netherworld-Level River of Death in one go."

Another chimed in, "Indeed, a Netherworld-Level River of Death has never been conquered in the past few centuries of our Great Yu Divine Dynasty."

"The last time was when an ancestor of the Wang Family cleared an Underworld-Level River of Death and earned ten thousand merits."

"Clearing an Underworld-Level River of Death was already an arduous task. Who can fathom the difficulty of conquering a Netherworld-Level one?"

"This person likely isn’t from the Wang Family. Otherwise, they would have signed their name."

"Nor are they likely to be from the Divine General Mansion. They must be a wandering powerhouse."

Speculation abounded among the officials.

Members of the Divine General Mansion usually took great pride in their surnames, as it was a supreme honor and a gesture of respect toward their ancestors.

Yu Huang's thoughts lingered on a certain figure, though with no news from that direction, he could not confirm his suspicions.

"Announce my decree. Summon this Chong Er to the capital. If they have no dark history, I shall bestow upon them the title of Divine General, ranking as a First-Class Duke!"

Yu Huang’s voice carried authority and gravitas.

The court was stunned. Bestow the title of Divine General?

Since the founding of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, no new Divine Generals had been granted titles, save for those by the founding emperor.

Even during the recent crisis in Liang Province, where the Li Family and the young general Li Hao single-handedly saved the region, the court had debated whether to grant a Third-Class or Second-Class Duke title.

And now, an unknown figure like Chong Er was directly being named Divine General and elevated to the rank of First-Class Duke!

Such a position was the pinnacle of power for a courtier!

Second only to the sovereign, above millions!

Their status would rival the ancestors of the Five Great Divine General Mansions!

Over a decade ago, Li Junye, who had singlehandedly saved Cangzhou, was only conferred the title of General and granted the position of First-Class Marquis.

This was because his original rank was merely that of a Captain. According to the merit-based reward system of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, leaping directly to a Marquis was the highest promotion possible—already a meteoric rise.

Had he originally been a Major General, he would have been made a Duke outright.

Li Tiangang, who had defended Yanbei for over a decade, had only recently advanced from a Second-Class Marquis to a Third-Class Duke.

Even Li Hao, who had faced numerous demon kings in Liang Province and saved millions of people, slaying seven demon kings in the process, had seen his promotion to Second-Class Duke fiercely debated, despite his rank as a Major General.

This made Yu Huang’s decision all the more staggering. The conferment of this title to Chong Er was the most prestigious and generous in the dynasty's long history.

The officials marveled at Yu Huang’s decisiveness and magnanimity. They also recognized the unique nature of this event—not just the salvation of a province, but a true turning point in the dynasty’s fate.

It was undeniably deserved.

Thus, as Yu Huang’s decree resounded, the hall, aside from a momentary silence, erupted into enthusiastic congratulations. No one dared to object.

"Find Chong Er immediately and deliver their reward!"

Yu Huang gave his orders with a commanding tone.

...

...

The appearance of the Merit Treasury, combined with the imperial edict from the capital, sent shockwaves throughout the realm.

For a time, everyone was asking: who was Chong Er?

Taverns, teahouses, street vendors, and even brothels buzzed with discussions about the mysterious name.

In some households, even martial couples, after their nightly activities, didn’t reminisce about their intimacy but instead speculated whether Chong Er was a Four Pillar Realm powerhouse.

Every renowned master outside the great sects, from sword saints to blade saints, became a subject of rampant guessing.

For centuries, the Great Yu Divine Dynasty had never appointed a new Divine General. The Five Great Divine General Mansions were like towering mountains, dominating the nineteen provinces of the dynasty. They shone like radiant suns in the sky, well-known to all.

Although the Wang Family had dimmed over time, the other Divine General Mansions remained illustrious, their names like blazing stars high above.

Now, countless people speculated that a sixth Divine General Mansion might soon rise.

...

At the Wang Family...

As soon as the Merit Treasury was activated, golden light shone across the Wang Family's estate.

The entire household was in an uproar.

"Chong Er?"

In one of the Wang Family’s courtyards, a woman dressed in fine silks was practicing swordsmanship. Suddenly, her palm was illuminated by the golden light of a merit token. When she saw the message it conveyed, she froze in surprise.

Moments later, after probing the Merit Treasury, her face was filled with shock.

As a daughter of the Wang Family, she naturally understood the significance of this event.

The Great Yu Divine Dynasty was on the cusp of a monumental shift, and the Wang Family might be facing a seismic change.

She quickly checked the Merit Ranking and, upon seeing the unusual name, recalled that a year ago, Chong Er had been a master who destroyed an Underworld-Level River of Death.

Now, this person had cleared a Netherworld-Level River of Death?

Earning ten thousand merits in a single instance could only mean one thing: the individual had accomplished such a feat.

Clearly, this was not the work of a mere master but of someone in the Four Pillar Realm—or even the Supreme Dao Realm!

"Could it be that Boundless Buddhist Lord? No, impossible. That hypocrite from the Buddhist Sect wouldn’t do this... It must be someone else."

Her bright eyes flickered with curiosity. She couldn’t help but wonder who this Chong Er truly was.

"Now that the Merit Treasury has opened, my Wang Family will no longer need to sacrifice ourselves. Moreover, with the intelligence we control about the Rivers of Death, along with their locations, we’ll undoubtedly become a focal point for countless visitors..."

The woman’s thoughts were sharp and swift. She quickly grasped the far-reaching implications of these changes. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

"That Chong Er might just be the savior of the Wang Family..."

...

...

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