Though the Dao Domain could suppress rules, even ignoring the rules of the Youdu Level Mo River, if no method was found, it would only destroy the Mo River, not complete it.
“Can I give it a try too?”
Li Hao asked.
The Ming Domain Level Mo River, though relatively easier, had different requirements for completion and suppression. It demanded a solution.
Although Li Hao wasn’t sure about completing it, trying several more times might just work out.
As long as the Mo River wasn’t destroyed, he could keep trying to conquer it.
“You?”
Hearing Li Hao’s words, Wang Yongzhi was initially startled, somewhat surprised yet expected, and he laughed,
“Haotian General, don’t you trust our Wang Family? Rest assured, we won’t just put on an act. Although the Thief Saint has a notorious reputation, we don’t dislike him; after all, he has helped us solve quite a few Mo Rivers in the past.”
“Hmm?”
Li Hao looked at his calm smile, slightly startled, and suddenly recalled the first time he entered the Mo River, checking the Merit List and seeing Feng’s merits.
Over three thousand points, ranked in the thirties.
And the Sword Saint from the Sword Cottage, who only ranked around eighty or ninety, back then completing a Mo River came with no rewards, done purely out of love.
“Do you know his Mo River name?”
Li Hao asked in surprise.
“Bu Liuxing, right? The saying goes, ‘A thief never leaves empty-handed and leaves no name behind.’ Hence, the Thief Saint leaves no trail. We’ve long known it was him,” Wang Yongzhi said with a smile, followed by a light sigh,
“Good and evil aren’t just a matter of a few words. The Thief Saint has, indeed, targeted our Wang Family too, but we could only blame our poor guardianship and even weed out some moles along the way. Hah, I don’t care about others, but based on his ranking in the top fifty on the Merit List, our Wang Family respects him as a real man.”
Li Hao looked at him thoughtfully, not expecting such openness from the Patriarch of the Wang family.
Then he thought back to that Merit List, with nearly twenty Wangs in the top thirty.
It was a task entrusted by the court and a wall of honor for the Wang Family.
“But now, it’s different. Those Saber Saints and Sword Saints, all climbing into the top fifty. With the Merit Treasure Vault appearing, Mo Rivers are not disasters anymore but treasures, haha.”
Wang Yongzhi started laughing, but his eyes showed a hint of sarcasm.
Back when there was no Merit Treasure Vault, those titles of Sword Saint and Saber Saint were generally at the bottom of rankings, some not even listed.
Cleaning Mo Rivers? Better to meditate and practice.
Even when engaging, it was more worthwhile to slay demons at the borders.
Both were tough tasks, but slaying demons could earn merit and ranks.
Mo Rivers, mysterious and complex, offered little benefit, and it was unknown what unexpected dangers might arise.
Slaying demons was simply more straightforward.
Previously, the Wang Family had personally visited these powerful figures, hoping they could help share the pressure of high-level Mo Rivers, with precious treasures as rewards. Yet, nobody cared, and those who did demanded exorbitant prices, making them grind their teeth.
But now the tables had turned.
Having been treated with disdain and indifference, they held no bias against Thief Saint Feng Boping.
Reputation might deceive, but actions do not.
Everyone has their own story.
Unless from the beginning, Feng Boping knew that the Merit Treasure Vault would open in the future and positioned himself accordingly.
But that was utterly impossible.
After all, it took one hundred thousand merits to open the Merit Treasure Vault, something even the Wang Family, who had studied Mo Rivers for hundreds of years, did not know.
“With my uncle in action, Haotian General, rest assured, if not the first time, then the second or third. Nowadays, these Mo Rivers are not destroyed anymore.”
Wang Yongzhi told Li Hao.
Destruction meant disappearance, the completion of Mo Rivers granted a hundredfold merit. Now, every Mo River, big or small, had become a scarce resource. Previously, no one responded to requests for destruction; now, secretly destroying Mo Rivers had become a crime, a sign of changing times.
“It’s fine, the more, the merrier; I can try too.”
Li Hao said, aware that Mo Rivers could erode the soul, the longer one stayed, the riskier it became. Li Hao was worried that if it took too long, even rescuing Feng’s soul might face the risk of dissipation.
“Haotian General, crossing the Mo River is not like exorcising demons. High realm alone won’t guarantee a passage; it often depends more on experience and intellect.”
Nearby, Wang Zhenping commented indifferently.
“Yes, Haotian General, though your strength is formidable, the Mo River is perilous.” Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire
Others were also advising him, but their expressions were earnest.
They knew Li Hao was strong, but he was far too young after all. The Mo River was a different matter from slaying demons and more challenging than military campaigns.
“It’s okay, let Haotian General give it a try. Has General Haotian entered the Mo River before?”
Wang Yongzhi discerned Li Hao’s deep affection for Thief Saint; otherwise, he wouldn’t have slain the Buddha Lord in a fit of rage. He knew persuasion would be futile since the man had come all this way, possibly not just for pleasantries.
“I’ve been once or twice,” Li Hao said.
“Haotian General does have a kind heart.”
Wang Yongzhi gave a slight smile, “Before entering the Mo River, I want to brief you about it, General Haotian. Get acquainted first.”
Li Hao nodded. The Wang family, having researched the Mo River for hundreds of years, knew far more about it than he did.
Soon, Wang Yongzhi briefly described the Mo River to Li Hao and then led him away from the great hall.
Seeing Li Hao’s decision, others no longer attempted to dissuade him. For Li Hao, the Netherworld Level Mo River wasn’t dangerous; it wasn’t a bad thing to gain some experience.
Many young members of the Wang family, hearing of Li Hao’s arrival, gathered from various places, watching from a distance.
“Is that Haotian General?”
“Made a noble at sixteen, a role model for our generation, tsk.”
“Haotian General is quite handsome…”
“Miss, look, that’s Haotian General, one of the two people you wanted to meet the most. You’ve finally seen him.”
Outside the crowd, a stunningly beautiful woman stood silently, an attendant holding an umbrella above her.
“Haotian General is so young; I wonder what Mr. Chong Er looks like? Probably an old geezer?”
“Don’t be absurd, you’ve never met him.” The woman frowned and chided softly.
The attendant giggled, clearly not afraid, obviously used to playfully teasing her mistress.
Before long, Wang Yongzhi and others brought Li Hao to a secret area in the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion. The many young spectators from the Wang family were kept at a distance, not daring to approach closer. This was a critical location of the Wang family, not to be entered lightly.
Before them was a mountain, hollowed out inside and immensely vast.
The mountain lay like a cap on the ground. A shaft of light shone down from the summit onto a pitch-dark statue.
“This is the Ksitigarbha Buddha Statue.”
Wang Yongzhi brought Li Hao here and explained, “This unusual artifact was brought from the Mo River by one of our Wang family’s ancient ancestors. We later deciphered its clever use—by feeding clay from the Landlord Temple outside the Mo River to this statue’s mouth, it can directly connect to that Mo River.”
“That means from here, we can enter any Mo River under my Wang family’s control.”
Though the Ksitigarbha Buddha was a peculiar and bizarre artifact, it was hardly a great secret and had already been reported to His Majesty.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He had always found the origins of the Mo River extremely mysterious, but he hadn’t expected such a strange artifact to exist.
“Haotian General, if you’ve entered the Mo River before, you must already have the Mie River Register, right?”
Wang Yongzhi smiled at Li Hao, “You can simply enter from here, choose the Mo River you wish to enter. The map will be shown on it. I will inform you which one it is.”
Li Hao nodded and then moved as Wang Yongzhi instructed, standing before the half-human-high Ksitigarbha Buddha.
The Buddha’s expression appeared benevolent, but in the play of light and shadow, it took on a sinister aspect, its narrowed eyes seeming to sneer.
A golden light emerged in Li Hao’s palm, and the Mo River Gold Paper floated out.
Then, golden light also radiated from the Ksitigarbha Buddha, a book flew out, continuously turning its pages.
Li Hao’s Gold Paper was drawn in and submerged into the book. After a while, as if confirming his identity, the Gold Paper flew out from the book and returned in front of Li Hao.
Wang Yongzhi watched clearly, the floating Gold Paper in front of Li Hao recorded his Mo River information—
Name, as well as Mo River merit, incidents, and others.
When he saw the two simple characters on the Gold Paper, Wang Yongzhi was suddenly startled, his body shaking:
“You, you are Chong Er?!”