51. Name of the War Realm

Chapter 51: Name of the War Realm

Li Hao walked along the damp, stony path for several miles until he arrived at another waterfall and deep pool.

"Strange, I thought I heard the sound of a flute."

Li Hao looked around, puzzled. Could it have been a figment of his imagination?

Ahead, the waterfall cascaded like a curtain. However, through the gaps in the water, he could vaguely see a small temple.

Surprised, Li Hao's figure blurred. He executed the pinnacle level of the White Phoenix Movement Technique, gliding through the water curtain like a bird through a forest, without getting a single drop on him.

He had reserved three skill points earlier and used two on movement techniques, allowing him to easily master this superior technique.

As Li Hao passed through the water curtain, far off on another moss-covered stone platform, two slender figures stood.

"Huh, Yueyao, did someone just pass over there?" Lin Feifei exclaimed in surprise, pointing towards the waterfall.

"It seems so."

Song Yueyao also noticed but that figure disappeared in a flash, and they seemed to be wearing the Outer Palace uniform.

"So it wasn't just my eyes playing tricks. What would an Outer Palace disciple be doing here? It's not time for the new students' annual assessment yet, is it?"

Lin Feifei wondered, "He seems to have entered the Lord's Temple. Could he be aiming to enter the Mie River?"

Song Yueyao withdrew her gaze, slightly shaking her head, uninterested in such matters. She picked up her flute and softly played again.

...

Behind the waterfall, Li Hao looked at the temple in front of him.

It was small, about half a person high.

But its design was exquisite, housing two statues inside, one male and one female. The passage of time had blurred their features, but a closer look revealed that they were originally quite kind and benevolent.

However, due to the mottled and eroded earth, their faces appeared decayed, and the half-smile seemed eerie and sinister.

On either side of the temple, there was a vertical couplet: The earth can give birth to all things, The soil can bury all beings.

Above it was a horizontal plaque: Lord of the Land.

As Li Hao examined the temple, suddenly, a small booklet flew out, opening in front of him.

Then, a piece of paper shot out from it like divine light, swiftly piercing into Li Hao's forehead.

Li Hao was shocked, wanting to dodge, but even with his Fifteen Miles cultivation, he couldn't react in time, and the divine light merged into him.

In an instant, the surrounding world seemed to be submerged in waterlight. As the light receded, it revealed a world that seemed both real and illusory.

The dark cave became blurry, like a waterlight barrier enveloped him within three feet.

At the same time, ethereal golden words appeared before Li Hao:

[You have entered the Mie River]

[Your registered residence: Great Yu Dynasty, Qingzhou]

[Please leave your name in the Mie River]

Li Hao was stunned. He had entered the Mie River?

He looked around, seeing a flowing water membrane-like barrier. Outside the barrier, the light was dim, with faintly visible remnants of mountains, extremely vast, unlike the narrow cave from earlier.

So, this is the legendary mysterious and perilous place? Incredible!

Even though he had some understanding of the Mie River, experiencing it firsthand was still astonishing. This was beyond ordinary martial arts.

But which level of the Mie River was he in?

Li Hao recalled Second Uncle's words about the five levels of the Mie River. The Youdu level was so dangerous that even Second Uncle and Elder Feng dared not enter, as it contained great terrors.

At this moment, the golden light that had entered Li Hao's forehead converged into his hand, forming a golden paper.

The paper was blank.

Simultaneously, information flowed into his mind. Understanding, Li Hao bit his finger and left his Mie River name on the golden paper:

Chong'er.

As he finished writing, the golden light on the paper covered and absorbed the blood name, then turned into golden light and merged into Li Hao's body.

Meanwhile, the water membrane barrier around him gradually receded, revealing the desolate mountains and barren land outside.

In his mind, a message automatically appeared: Region: Fengshan Mie River.

Completion: 0%.

Li Hao looked up at the blood-red sky, the setting sun half submerged on the other side of the land.

In front of him was a desolate mountain, with villages and cooking smoke within.

Li Hao's eyes narrowed as he released his spirit to scout ahead.

A figure identical to his true form flew out from his head, soaring like a thousand miles in a flash, hovering over the village, overlooking the entire mountain.

Simultaneously, his spirit's vision rapidly expanded, looking further to see the whole Mie River war realm.

However, at the far end of the Mie River, there was a mass of darkness. As his spirit's vision penetrated, he felt a chilling sense of foreboding, as if there was something in the darkness that must not be disturbed!

Li Hao quickly withdrew his spiritual perception, limiting it to the mountain village and its surroundings.

In the village, the elderly and children walked, men farmed and women wove, appearing harmonious.

...if one could ignore their faces.

Every face was withered and shriveled, the elderly like mummies, children's eyes like black holes, tongues hanging to their chests, women at windows weaving with nails like knives and sharp teeth, wearing creepy smiles.

What a macabre paradise... Li Hao sighed.

Having seen various terrifying fish demons, these Mie River undead weren't that frightening to him.

"Do I need to eliminate all of them to complete this?" Li Hao pondered. He thought of leaving but would need to find the corresponding temple in the Mie River first.

Through his spirit's patrol, he had found the temple's location, in the village center, placed on a platform like a stage.

What a despicable location...

"That person seems to be the leader here, Spirit Continuation Realm. Can undead have their own spirits?"

Li Hao's gaze fell on the back mountain of the village, where a black-robed scholar sat, with a female spirit like black smoke clinging to his back, giving an eerie feel.

After scouting the situation, Li Hao didn't linger. His spirit returned to his body, and he strode towards the village.

Soon, villagers wandering at the village entrance saw Li Hao.

"Hello, hello..." Li Hao smiled, raising his hand in greeting.

The elderly man, who had been leading a child, suddenly roared ferociously, charging at Li Hao.

The previously "innocent and naive" child also became vicious, revealing sharp teeth as he charged at Li Hao.

"So enthusiastic." Li Hao sighed.

He casually broke a dead branch and lightly flicked it.

Snowflakes drifted down, and the charging old man and child froze mid-charge, their heads severed, with wounds sharp and smooth.

Li Hao continued walking into the village, holding the dead branch.

Villagers transplanting rice noticed him and turned violent, roaring as they charged.

Some farmers wearing straw hats and carrying loads also grabbed their shoulder poles and rushed forward.

"Do you too dream of conquering the sea?"

Li Hao didn't stop walking, casually flicking the dead branch. Snowflakes fell, freezing villagers mid-charge.

As Li Hao delved deeper into the village, more villagers surged forward, including women with pots and pans, and long-tongued women weaving.

"All in the Zhoutian Realm, and a few Zhoutian Perfected."

Li Hao flicked the dead branch, walking down the broad road, leaving severed bodies in his wake.

These undead seemed like ghosts, yet had physical bodies in the Mie River, with blood and flesh. Severed limbs sprayed black blood.

"Is this the Mie River for next year's exam?"

Li Hao muttered.

It didn't seem too tough.

The only apparent danger was the black-robed scholar, Spirit Continuation Realm.

Testing Outer Palace disciples with a Spirit Continuation Realm entity was fair enough.

As one villager after another fell, Li Hao glanced at the golden paper in his palm. Information surfaced:

Completion: 89%.

Each villager slain seemed to add about 1% progress.

"Given the nature of the Mie River, even eliminating all of them might not reach 100% completion, thoroughly dismantling it."

Li Hao muttered.

The challenge of subduing the Mie River was in achieving 100% resolution, making it vanish.

Some had tried to kill all undead and destroy everything but still failed.

The Mie River couldn't be destroyed or eradicated. Without complete resolution, it would regenerate, reappearing somewhere in the world.

Li Hao passed the temple by the stage, glanced at it but didn't choose to exit.

Since he was here, he intended to see how far he could go, as this was his first encounter.