Chapter 47 - 54:Martial Arts Eight Realms. Meng River Battlefield. A Half Day of Leisure in a Fleeting Life. Battle Realm Name. Merit List. Behind the Brilliance. The World-Famous.

By the time Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao returned to the foot of the mountain, the square was already lit up with bright lamps. Although it was night, it was still bustling with people, the crowd showing no sign of thinning.

The scene reminded Li Hao of the night markets from his previous life. He took a deep breath, and along with the refreshing night breeze, he could detect the aroma of charcoal-grilled delicacies wafting through the air, which instantly whetted his appetite.

"Let's go find something to eat."

On the entrance stairs, scions from various states were still hastening to the summit, vying for fame and prestige.

Yet at the summit, the figure of the young man leaped down, rushing toward the worldly splendor of the teeming throng below.

Before long, relying on his own culinary skills, Li Hao quickly identified some delicious food among the numerous stalls, and packed everything up to go.

Both he and Li Yuanzhao held their arms full of food, munching while walking toward the carriage, attracting the eyes of many passers-by.

"What's that smell?"

In the carriage, an impatient Li Yun had been waiting and was suddenly greeted by the scent of roasted meat, causing him to pause and lift the curtain.

The aroma hit him immediately and he saw Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao approaching with their mouths greasy from eating.

"Fu, sorry to keep you waiting, here."

"Ming, this is yours, is it enough?"

Sharing with everyone he met along the way, Li Hao distributed generously from the ample food he bought. Of course, he did not forget to include his personal maid Qing Zhi's share.

After that, he boarded the carriage with his big and small bags of food and went inside.

The oil lamp had been lit inside the carriage, the brothers' and sisters' cheeks illuminated by the warm yellow light. They sneakily glanced at Li Hao and his company – enticed by the alluring scent, they salivated and their expressions became somewhat unnatural.

"I thought you had gone back first."

After sitting down, Li Yuanzhao took a bite of the roasted meat and then, as if remembering something, offered the other two bags he held to Li Zhining:

"Zhi Ning, would you like some?"

Li Zhining hesitated before accepting, tempted by the delicious smell coming from the bag.

At the same time, she noticed her brother discreetly swallowing saliva, his Adam's apple bobbing. She quietly took the bags, whispering, "Thank you, Yuan Zhao."

"If you had left earlier, you wouldn't have had this good fortune," laughed Li Yuanzhao.

Li Zhining didn't say much. Instead, she glanced at the figure who had not looked back at them from the start, and there was a faint hint of sadness in the depths of her eyes.

Without dwelling on it, she opened the bag and handed one to Li Yun, "Brother."

"I don't want it."

Li Yun turned his head away with a sour expression, "Street vendor food could be dirty and unwashed; you'd be better off eating less of it."

"Even if it's unwashed, it won't kill you," retorted Li Yuanzhao, his appetite dampened by the comment.

"You!"

Li Yun was enraged and glared at him. Realizing he didn't have much of an argument, he snorted and turned his head away, sticking it out of the carriage as though the night scenery had suddenly become extremely interesting.

Li Zhining knew her brother was too proud to relent. Although she felt a bit helpless, the savory aroma from the bag was overwhelming, and she couldn't resist taking a delicate bite. Her eyes quickly brightened up a little.

This taste was even better than the fine dishes they were used to eating at home.

"Ming, aren't we leaving yet?"

Li Yun shouted through the carriage curtain to the front of the horse carriage.

Ming, with a piece of roasted meat in his mouth, immediately took the reins and urged the hippocampus to turn around and head back to the house.

Once back home, Li Yun and the other two parted ways with Li Hao.

Each returned to their own homes to find their own mothers.

In Piaoxue Courtyard, Lady Gao Qingqing was embroidering in the main hall when she heard a maid rush in with news, nearly pricking her finger with the needle. She promptly got up, tossed aside the handkerchief she was working on, and hurried to the entrance of the courtyard.

She saw a son and a daughter arriving under the accompaniment of Li Ming.

"How did it go, everything went smoothly?" she quickly asked.

Li Ming stood aside with a silent smile, while the well-behaved Li Zhining nodded, "Yes, both brother and I have entered Alpha Academy."

"You both comprehended it in just one day?"

Gao Qingqing's face lit up with surprise as she lovingly kissed her son's forehead.

Feeling shy, Li Yun pushed his mother away and walked towards the main hall with a bit of a sulk.

Unperturbed, Gao Qingqing also gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead and then pulled her back to the main hall, instructing the steward to quickly reheat the evening meal to bring over.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhining shook her head, "Just warm up my brother's portion, I've already eaten."

"What did you eat?" Gao Qingqing was surprised.

"Food sold by the street vendors there, it was very tasty," said Li Zhining, still savoring the flavor in her mouth.

"Hmph, don't end up with a stomachache," Li Yun grumbled from ahead.

Gao Qingqing laughed softly, sitting down with her daughter and talking about the day's events.

"Truly my children, to comprehend in just half a day."

"He also made it into Alpha Academy?"

Hearing her daughter's words, Gao Qingqing slightly raised her eyebrows in surprise, then nodded:

"The child is very intelligent, what a pity that he follows the path of Body Refinement, which has a very low ceiling. Otherwise, he would most likely be the True Dragon of your generation."

Li Zhining thought of that indifferent and casual face, her eyes flickering slightly; it was not the first time she had heard her mother say this.

In her heart, there was also a faint regret for him.

"Humph, what's so great about that talent? If it were my sister, she could probably grasp it in the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"

Li Yun sat opposite, snorting coldly.

When it came to his eldest sister, there was a bit of envy and jealousy in his heart, along with a slight sourness, yet at the same time, there was a sense of pride and arrogance, extremely complicated…

Gao Qingqing smiled and said, "Although your sister is intelligent, you guys are not bad either. You are all my most proud children."

Li Yun's stern face relaxed slightly. As the butler served the warmed dinner, he began eating, and gradually, a smile appeared on his face…

Inside Mountain and River Courtyard.

Li Hao returned to the courtyard accompanied by Li Fu and Qing Zhi.

Under the chilling moonlight, Butler Zhao, wearing a coat, hurried to greet them and said, "Young Master, did everything go smoothly? I'll go warm up your dinner."

There's no need for you to go to such troubles, Zhao," Li Hao said with a smile. "I've already eaten outside. I was afraid it would lose its flavor on the way, so I didn't bring any for you."

"You're thoughtful, Young Master," Zhao said with a smile, knowing that Li Hao was not lying; there were still traces of grease on the corners of his mouth.

Li Fu, who had been standing outside the carriage earlier and hadn't had the chance to talk to Li Hao, couldn't help but ask:

"How did you feel about today?"

Li Hao thought for a moment and replied, "The food was quite good."

Li Fu was speechless; that wasn't what he was asking about.

After asking a few more questions, he learned that Li Hao had been admitted to Alpha Academy. Both he and Qing Zhi showed surprised and delighted smiles on their faces.

The "Leap Immortal Gate" exam at Tan Palace Academy had ended.

Many young people who couldn't make it in time could only sigh as they gazed at the entrance steps.

Some tried to pull strings through relationships, hoping to squeeze in a few more, but the response they received was that admissions were already full.

There were a total of 825 people.

Some asked, why couldn't they admit more?

They were even willing to pay astronomical tuition fees.

But the response they got was—

It's because there were only 825 seats available.

Thus, many scions of noble families could only sigh in disappointment and turn to leave.

This gathering that brought Qingzhou to the forefront gradually subsided.

At the mountain top, as the official school term started, it became lively again.

There are four courtyards: Alpha, Beta, Bing, and Ding.

Alpha Academy has only fifty seats.

Beta Courtyard has two hundred seats.

Bing Courtyard and Ding Courtyard… let's skip that.

Aside from the freshmen in each courtyard, there were also some repeating students lingering.

At this moment, in Alpha Academy, Li Hao sat next to Li Yuanzhao in the second row, as the other new students had already arrived for enrollment.

In front, Li Hao saw Shen Qingyun, accompanied by two senior Alpha Academy students, carrying a pile of Tan Palace Academy uniforms to be distributed, intending to unify the attire in the future.

This made Li Hao feel like he had returned to his past life when he went to junior and senior high school.

Looking around at the young boys and girls, who were also young in age, he couldn't help but smile, feeling somewhat nostalgic.

After the uniform distribution ended, Shen Yunqing outlined some of the basic rules of Tan Palace Academy, such as no private fighting, not humiliating the sages, and so on.

Afterwards, as Shen Yunqing left, a woman with a slender figure and waist as flexible as a willow in the wind approached. She looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, with black hair and eyebrows like ink, eyes like paintings, giving off the feeling of a bright moon shining on snow-covered mountains.

Hearing her introduce herself as Su Yehua, she turned out to be the dean of Alpha Academy, as well as the first lecturer.

The previously departed Shen Yunqing was the movement technique lecturer.

The first lesson in the academy would be taught by Su Yehua.

Li Hao clearly noticed that after Su Yehua's arrival, the courtyard, which was initially a bit noisy, suddenly became quiet, and those young men who were previously not caring and chatting, all sat upright.

"There are Eight Realms in Martial Arts,"

Standing in front, Su Yehua, with her willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows and a natural cool demeanor, yet with a soft gentle smile on her lips, said:

"The first four realms are Strength, Circulation, Soul Succession, and Divine Traveling."

"The last four realms are Fifteen Li, Heaven-Man Connection, Three Immortalities, and Four Standings!"

__________

In the Eight Realms of Martial Arts, everyone present knows the grand titles of each realm, but when it comes to the intricate differences between them, due to varying family backgrounds, there are highs and lows in what one can touch and understand.

"In the first four realms, each realm has ten levels, and depending on the cultivation technique practiced, the gap between the top geniuses and ordinary martial artists is like heaven and earth,"

Su Yehua elaborated, describing the distinctions of the four realms:

"…After the Zhou Tian Realm comes the Soul Succession Realm, which cultivates the 'Soul Condensing Skill'!"

"Different levels of Soul Condensing Skills can condense the soul a varying number of times, but the top-level Soul Condensing Skills can do so at least 50 times or more."

"However, compared with the Soul Condensing Skill, the most critical aspect of the Soul Succession Realm is the tier of the inherited soul thought."

"That determines the upper limit of the number of times the soul can be condensed!"

As Su Yehua's eyes swept across those below the stage, she said, "If you inherit the soul thought of a martial artist from the Four Stands Realm, you can condense the soul 80 times!"

"If you inherit a demon soul, it ranges from 30 to 60 times, depending on the demon's race,"

"If what you inherit is only from a lesser spirit or ghost, then you can condense at most 20 times, which a mid-level Soul Condensing Technique would fulfill."

As she reached this point, Su Yehua paused, her gaze fleetingly crossing over two young men dressed in splendid brocaded clothes with python patterns on their sleeves:

"If the inherited soul thought exceeds that of a martial artist from the Four Stands Realm, as far as I know, the highest can reach 180 times of soul condensing, which should be close to the limit of the Soul Succession Realm!"

With these words, numerous scions of influential families showed expressions of shock.

The difference between the top Soul Succession Realm and the ordinary Soul Succession Realm was almost tenfold!

As for those two young men whom Su Yehua glanced at, their expressions were contrasting; one appeared somewhat unnatural, while the other revealed a look of satisfaction, especially upon hearing the surrounding commotion, casting a glance with a hint of disdain and scorn in his eyes.

180 times is not the limit… Li Hao thought, giving the beautiful instructor a glance and silently shaking his head.

The highest limit is 360 times of soul condensing.

…Probably.

Li Hao added two more words internally, after all, just because he couldn't achieve it didn't mean others couldn't reach even higher levels…

He, with a Heaven and Earth Soul Succession, had cultivated four top-level Soul Condensing Skills, as well as five high-quality ones, to reach this limit.

Even if he continued to practice other Soul Condensing Skills, he couldn't break through the 360-time limit, and any further progress was his… limit.

Upon reaching 360 soul condensings, Li Hao also came to understand another type of soul power.

He called it… Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation.

Meanwhile, Su Yehua above continued, "Those who soul succeed in Tan Palace Academy and meet the criteria can enter Black and White Hall for training, inheriting the soul thought from the Four Stands Realm, is the first-class choice for soul succession outside the Royal Family!"

"Of course, some disciples here come from prominent families with Four Stands Realm ancestors, so they need not lack such treatment, but it's something the others might consider."

Many people in the audience immediately had gleaming eyes, unlike Li Hao and other nobility or the two young men with python patterns on their sleeves, who boasted illustrious and noble family backgrounds.

The valiant souls of the Four Stands Realm are considered top-tier in the Martial Temples, extremely rare, and difficult to favor unless one's talents are very high or they catch a certain eye.

And yet, Tan Palace Academy, the top-tier institution in the nineteen provinces, has such elite resources directly available.

"After the Soul Succession Realm comes the Divine Travel Realm."

Su Yehua softly said, "The Divine Travel Realm already counts as a military commander or a renowned hero in Jianghu, being quite powerful. In Tan Palace Academy, one could even serve as an instructor in Alpha Academy."

Many people nodded slightly in agreement.

Divine Travel… it was the level of some of their family heads even.

In many cities and territories, they could dominate a region on their own.

"A Divine Traveller can let their Divine Soul leave their body, traverse miles, and perceive everything within several miles around them."

"When facing sorcery or illusion techniques from demons, they can also use their Divine Soul to break through them."

"And what is practiced in the Divine Soul Realm is the Soul Refining Skill!"

Su Yehua stated, "Soul Refining Skills vary in quality. Ordinary Soul Refining Skills, when cultivated to the peak, only allow for three miles of travel beyond the body."

"However, a high-quality Soul Refining Skill can more than double that distance, reaching beyond seven miles."

"The most supreme Soul Refining Skills are even more remarkable, allowing for up to eighteen miles!"

Her gaze circled the room, seeing the audience's shocked yet complex expressions, she calmly said, "Eighteen miles is not the limit of the Divine Travel Realm, but the most supreme Soul Refining Skills are exceedingly rare, possessed by only a handful of elite houses and a few powerful factions."

"And inside Tan Palace Academy, we have one such skill."

Hearing this, numerous scions of noble families lit up with eagerness.

"If you diligently study and practice within the academy and always remain within Alpha Academy, you naturally will all have the opportunity to engage with it," Su Yehua said with a smile.

"Really?"

"They're willing to teach that?"

"The Soul Refining Skill practiced by our own family head is said to be just a middle-tier one."

Some had already clenched their fists in excitement, their hearts racing.

Studying hard at Tan Palace Academy, there was a chance to return one day and surpass the family head!

The very thought was exhilarating…

"Heh…"

A young man in the front row, with python patterns on his sleeves, let out a soft snicker, his eyes brimming with disdain.

The ultimate Soul Refining Skill, it's nothing but Eighteen Li at the end of the day.

Compared to the royal family's number one Soul Refining Skill of Dayu, it's still far inferior; the top-tier Soul Refining Skill could let one experience Divine Travel for twenty-five Li!

That's the equivalent of half the distance of a city!

Against an ordinary Divine Travel Realm adversary, it was almost an effortless crush.

The farther the Divine Travel, the stronger the Divine Soul, the more powerful demons and sorceries it could break through, and it could even possibly escape from the clutches of a Great Demon by luck.

Su Yehua noticed the royal young man's disdain and kept her expression neutral. She was, of course, aware of the royal family's foremost Dayu Soul Refining Skill, but didn't mention it, as it involved matters belonging to the Celestial Family.

Any discussion regarding the Celestial Family required extreme caution.

"Teacher, what is the limit of the Divine Travel Realm, is it twenty Li?"

At this moment, someone asked out of curiosity.

Su Yehua glanced at the inquiring young man and noticed many others also had curious expressions.

She shook her head slightly, "Twenty Li is not the ultimate limit; the highest limit should be twenty-five Li, or even thirty Li…"

"Thirty Li!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked; that was ten times the gap compared to ordinary Soul Refining Skills.

It seemed that the limit of each realm differed from the ordinary by nearly tenfold!

It was hard to imagine what kind of terrifying power it would be if one reached the limit in every realm.

After hearing Su Yehua's words, the royal young man's eyes immediately expressed contempt.

Thirty Li, huh? The royal family's premier Soul Refining Skill only goes up to twenty-five Li. This teacher from Tan Palace Academy is overestimating, leading students astray, without fear of making a fool of herself!

A thought crossed his mind, wanting to show off and expose the teacher's statement as ridicule, but then he remembered his mother's earnest reminder before leaving, to keep a low profile while at Tan Palace Academy…

Well, as long as I know the truth, I'll let her fool these idiots.

With this thought, he suppressed the urge to speak out and settled back in his chair, though a faint mocking smile lingered on his lips.

Thirty Li, huh… Li Hao once again shook his head in secret.

The teachings of this beautiful instructor were significantly different from his own experience.

Just by practicing the three ultimate Soul Refining Skills from Listening Rain Tower, he had already extended his Divine Travel to thirty-five Li.

Later, Feng helped him sneak into the royal family's secret vault, steal a copy of the etching of the premier Dayu Soul Refining Skill, and by practicing it, even boosted his Divine Travel distance to fifty Li!

He could cover an entire city, his Divine Soul arriving instantaneously at any location.

But this was not his limit; Li Hao felt he could still improve further. If he could find even more ultimate Soul Refining Skills to cross-reference, he could further condense and strengthen his Divine Soul.

"If you can reach the Divine Travel Realm by the age of 20, you will be considered a genius wherever you go," Su Yehua said to everyone with a smile.

"But I've heard that there are those who can achieve Divine Travel Realm by the age of 16," a young man from a noble family said.

"My father once said that the Blade Saint of Northern Yan reached perfection in the Divine Travel Realm at the age of 15!"

The other disciples also discussed it among themselves; initially they felt only astonishment, but now they realized even more the sheer terror of such an achievement.

It seemed like glimpsing the moon in a well but only upon crossing this threshold did they realize it was like a mayfly gazing at the heavens!

"That's something only top-tier prodigies with a Ninth-grade fighting body can achieve," Su Yehua explained. "But you shouldn't be discouraged. The sooner you reach the Divine Travel Realm, the better, but in the latter four realms, the effect of inborn talent will diminish."

"Up to the Fifteen Li Realm, you might still rely on talent to gain some advantage, but once you're at the Celestial Master Realm, it's more about character, insight, and opportunities, which are all acquired later. Therefore, if you can reach the threshold of Celestial, everyone has a chance to step through the Celestial Gate and enter the realm of Grandmaster!"

"Teacher, what are the latter four realms like?" someone asked out of curiosity.

__________

Li Hao, upon hearing the words, showed a few more signs of interest as he looked at the speaker.

"The latter four realms have martial artists who have transcended the mortal world."

Su Yehua spoke, "Each realm is not divided into ten stages. For instance, why is it called the 'Fifteen Li' realm? Because the cultivation in the Fifteen Li realm is based on the Object Manipulating Qi Circulation Skill, which not only allows one to roam the heavens and earth with the mind but also to control the body with the mind, soaring through the heavens and earth!"

"One breath can take you one li, with the fastest speed reaching fifteen li—hence the name."

"One breath for fifteen li?"

Many people were shocked. Such speed could be described as swift as lightning—traveling out of the city in a blink, and even crossing over mountains and into other states!

"In the Fifteen Li realm, one can control flying swords to kill enemies fifteen li away. They die before even seeing the sword's blood—decapitated without notice!"

"Therefore, those who reach the Fifteen Li realm are truly fearsome beings to be dreaded, who kill without a trace," Su Yehua said calmly.

"And what about the Heavenly Human Realm?"

"To be called a Grandmaster in the Heavenly Human Realm, one needs to comprehend the Grandmaster's heart to enter," said Su Yehua. "This realm is also where measuring bone potential is ineffective—it mainly depends on one's mind and enlightenment. Many prodigies with ninth-rank battle physiques in history have fallen at this realm. The Fifteen Li realm becomes the end of a person's life, thus it is also referred to as 'life's spring breeze for fifteen li'."

After the spring breeze comes the withering of autumn.

And then entering the silent winter of all things.

She looked around and spoke indifferently, "Moving forward, the Three Immortals allow the inheritance of one's bloodline force. The Three Immortals consist of three realms, each with its own heaven. It is extraordinary for one to surpass a realm in sixty years, and this is something you all need not concern yourselves with at this time."

The crowd listened with longing and also felt the distant gap.

The Three Immortals were already among the top Divine Generals in Dayu, while those in the Four Stands Realm were considered saints—figures even their parents had to worship with the utmost respect.

Li Hao saw that the speaker briefly glossed over these topics and felt slightly disappointed, still wanting to hear something novel.

However, he was already aware of the nuanced differences between these realms when he was ten years old and had researched them in Listening Rain Tower.

Additionally, during his frequent fishing sessions with Feng, he had heard quite a bit about them and was somewhat familiar.

Life's spring breeze for fifteen li was not the limit.

For example, the peerless Object Manipulating Qi Circulation Skill in the possession of the Li Family could reach twenty li.

Feng used to say that the royal family's "Nine Heavens Ascension Skill" could achieve twenty-five li of object manipulation—one could traverse a small city in one breath, and cross rivers in two breaths, incredibly formidable.

And that royal family's treasured Object Manipulating Qi Circulation Skill, Feng had naturally helped him steal a copy, though it was a replica—daring not to touch the original.

After all, the royal family was too close to Gan Tao Palace, and within that palace was the person hailed as Dayu's number one true master.

Li Hao, blending two supreme cultivation techniques and under the enlightenment of the Sixth Stage of the Control Path, was currently able to travel forty li in one breath. He sensed that this was still not the limit; with more peerless techniques of object manipulation combined, he could further increase this.

As for his current realm, it was at the peak of the Fifteen Li Realm.

Only one step away from the Grandmaster Realm.

Under the enlightenment of the Sixth Stage of the Physical Body Path, he could step into the Grandmaster Realm at any moment, but he had not done so yet because he lacked the heart of a Grandmaster.

However, Li Hao felt he could touch upon that opportunity at any time.

How to condense the heart of a Grandmaster?

First, one must touch the heavenly gate; second, find one's own path.

The enlightenment given by the Physical Body Path had already led him to touch the ethereal heavenly gate, allowing him to step half a foot into the Grandmaster Realm.

But because he had been sequestered in his residence, immersing himself daily in various arts to increase his skill points, his mind had not stayed on the Martial Arts, and naturally, he had not found his own heart of a Grandmaster.

Now that he had come out to clear his mind, Li Hao felt that the opportunity to step into the Grandmaster Realm could come at any moment.

On the platform, having finished discussing the Eight Realms of Martial Arts, Su Yehua then told the audience, "Being able to enter Alpha Academy indicates that you all have excellent potential, but do not be arrogant. The true peerless techniques of Tan Palace Academy reside within the Black and White Hall. Only those who enter the Black and White Hall are the true chosen ones!"

Li Hao's gaze shifted slightly as he looked at her.

"There are two ways to enter Black and White Hall," she said.

"First, our Alpha Academy has a Martial Arts ranking. Those who stay in the top five for six consecutive months without dropping out can enter Black and White Hall."

"The second is through the trials of the Mo River Battlefield."

When she mentioned "Mo River," there was a slight stir among the audience.

Li Hao's eyes narrowed.

He had come across many pieces of information related to the Mo River Battlefield in Listening Rain Tower, a place of extreme mystery and danger but not under the jurisdiction of the Li Family.

Su Yehua scanned the crowd, observing that some disciples from prominent families were tense while others from various families appeared to be oblivious.

She continued, "We all know that among the five Divine Generals, four are stationed at the Frontier Passes to suppress the border-transgressing demons for us, each sitting in the east, south, west, and north directions!"

"As for the first Divine General Mansion, Tianzhao Divine General Mansion, they preside over the Mo River Authority and oppress the Mo River across the world!"

As she spoke, her gaze swept over several individuals in the crowd, including Li Hao.

"Divine Generals guard the frontier passes, and the Mo River Authority oppresses the Mo River, both crucial to the survival of all the people under heaven,"

"We can sit comfortably here, attend classes, teach, study Martial Arts, and even pursue so-called Demon-slaying honors, all because of the existence of the five great Divine General Mansions bearing the weight and pushing forward!"

"Right,"

Li Yuanzhao whispered beside Li Hao, clenching his fists under the table, his plump face full of excitement.

"Issues of the border battlefields are beyond our reach, but the Meng River Battlefield, like the veins of the earth, has permeated every part of Dayu's nineteen provinces. Solving the situation with the Mo River is our responsibility as Martial Artists!"

Su Yehua spoke with a resolute expression and an undeniable tone.

Then, she looked at the disciples, pointing at one of them: "You are from the Wang Family of the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion, aren't you? Tell everyone what the Mo River is."

The person she pointed at was a teenager in black, fourteen or fifteen years old, with eyes sharp and cold, seemingly more mature than his peers.

He didn't panic when called upon, simply rising to his feet calmly:

"Teacher, my name is Wang Han."

Tianzhao Divine General Mansion, the Wang Family.

As the first Divine General Mansion, its status was slightly higher than that of the Li Family.

The boy in front of them, obviously, was not among the most outstanding of the Wang Family's third generation, and his status within the clan was about the same as those of Li Yun and Li Yuanzhao, whose talents were just a notch below that of the true Dragon and true Phoenix offspring.

Coming to Tan Palace Academy to study was more about gilding his credentials and taking advantage of the connections and the Peerless Technique of the Black and White Hall gathered at the Academy.

"Wang Han, please tell us," Su Yehua said approvingly.

The others turned their attention to Wang Han, recognizing him as someone from the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion, their eyes showing a mixture of awe and respect.

His dress was simple, and with Tianzhao Divine General Mansion tens of thousands of miles away, if not for Su Yehua pointing him out, they wouldn't have guessed his background.

"The origin of the Meng River Battlefield is long and indiscernible, with no way to trace back, and it has been growing year by year. Now, it has started appearing in the remote towns within our borders,"

Wang Han explained calmly: "The Meng River Battlefield is like a separate world, like a mirage or a dreamland, but if you die there, you truly die."

"The Mo River is hard to eradicate completely. Even if it's destroyed, it will reach out again."

"That's why the Mo River Authority recruits people every year but is still short-staffed."

"Historically, very few Mo Rivers have been thoroughly resolved. It requires completely clearing the Mo River, and the specific difficulty… you will all know once you enter the Mo River later."

Someone couldn't help but ask, "What's inside the Mo River?"

Wang Han glanced at the person who had spoken, his voice chilling: "According to rumors, that is the river that leads to hell, and naturally… it's filled with spirits of the deceased."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop a dozen degrees all at once, many shivered slightly.

"Please, take a seat."

Su Yehua signaled Wang Han to sit down and then addressed everyone: "In short, over this year, you must all strive to study diligently. Everything you need can be found in Tan Palace Academy, it's up to you to have the capability to fight for it. Your future belongs to you, so press on!"

The motivational words at the end brought many back from the chilling details Wang Han had shared, their eyes shining.

"Moreover, while you're at the Academy, no matter what your status is outside, here, everyone is treated equally. Mistakes will be punished equally, and merits will be rewarded!" Su Yehua announced.

Hearing this, many glanced frequently towards Li Hao and Wang Han, as well as the two other young men of noble identity.

Could equal treatment really be achieved?

Li Hao smiled nonchalantly, unconcerned.

After Su Yehua left, the courtyard also livened up.

Soon, people approached Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao eager to strike up conversations.

At such a young age, under the care of their parents, they had already learned to network, accumulating capital for the future.

Li Hao wasn't dismissive, but he conversed only with those of similar interests.

"Young master Li, hello, I come from Zhao Family of Cangzhou…"

"Do you play chess?"

"Uh, no."

"What about painting?"

"Not that either…"

Li Hao lost interest.

Time flew swiftly, and half a month passed.

__________

In Alpha Academy, after half a month of interaction, the fifty students have become familiar with each other.

At least they can call out each other's names.

"Yuan Zhao, the people from your Divine General Mansion are truly incredible. They are clearly newcomers, yet they came close to monopolizing the top ten rankings."

Seated on the grass, the slender Du Qiuyue expressed her admiration to Li Yuanzhao.

She is a returning student, eighteen this year, in the prime of her youth, but within Alpha Academy, she already counts as an "elder."

Before the semester started, she was in the top ten on the Martial Arts Ranking, but now she has fallen to the fifteenth place and beyond.

All because this year's new students are too fierce, with seven coming from the Divine General Mansion alone, plus two royal princes; she simply couldn't compete.

Additionally, there are children of a Grandmaster, a county princess from a certain city, all with backgrounds that are intimidating. In total, there are thirteen of them.

The returning students have practiced hard for many years to reach Cycle Heaven Realm Perfection, yet these newcomers arrived already at or near Cycle Heaven Realm Perfection, entering the school with a deeply established family foundation.

Even though their realms are the same, there are gaps in the levels of the Qi Circulation Skills and Meridian Opening Skills they practice, leading to a nearly twofold difference in strength. They are truly no match, having been thoroughly intimidated by the descendants under the supreme authority of Dayu.

"It's alright, I guess, I'm only sixth, still a bit away," Li Yuanzhao scratched his head as he said.

Du Qiuyue was left speechless.

Beside them, another newcomer from the prominent families of Liangzhou, Zheng Bai, gave a bitter smile.

As a new student, he only ranked 38th.

Only those with sky-high connections can bully the returning students like this. As for the children from prominent families like them, they still need to follow the rules and accept guidance from the senior students.

In the field, some are sparring and exchanging techniques.

Du Qiuyue gazes at the Martial Arts Ranking with complex emotions.

Currently, in the top five, there's only one returning student clinging on, as if representing the last ounce of dignity for them seniors.

The two princes occupy the first and second spots, with the royal family's Meridian Opening Skill and Qi Circulation Skill considered unrivaled in the world, naturally practiced by the princes as well.

Ranking third is Wang Han from the Divine General Mansion. At the sight of this name, Du Qiuyue's eyes shift slightly. Aside from the princes, the most daunting figure in Alpha Academy at present is this Wang Han.

Although only fifteen, he is ruthless and decisive in his attacks, fierce in his tactics, completely unlike the others, as if he had been through the baptism of blood and fire.

It had been discovered that this Wang Han seemed to have served in the Mo River Authority for a year.

Ranked fourth is the daughter of that Grandmaster. It is said she has already comprehended the heart of swordsmanship, her sword skills are ethereal and terrifyingly powerful.

Ranked fifth is that returning student, the former number one on the Martial Arts Ranking, whose spear skills have reached the high-grade perfection level. Just yesterday, he fought against Li Yuanzhao and narrowly won by half a move.

Li Yuanzhao who sits nearby is ranked sixth, followed by his two fellow disciples, Li Yun and Li Zhining.

"Strange, where is your brother Hao? How come he's not here?"

Du Qiuyue's curiosity was piqued as she scanned the courtyard. Given the way Li Yuanzhao always refers to 'Hao' reverently, it's clear to anyone with eyes that he greatly respects this young man of similar age.

This naturally aroused a sense of wonder and astonishment.

However, every time a lesson ends, that person bolts away as if he's rushing to the latrine.

In these spontaneous sparring sessions and challenges for the Martial Arts Ranking, they have never seen his figure, as if he exists outside of Alpha Academy's everyday life.

Even during lessons, each time she glanced over, he was either lying down asleep or holding something resembling a book, continuously taking notes.

Working so hard? At first, she felt somewhat impressed, but later, upon a casual glance, she realized there wasn't a single word in the book, only full of sketches.

The drawings were all fierce demon creatures and seemed to be from the Aquatic Clan…

Besides that, there were also many of Teacher Su Yehua's drawings, some with cat ears and tails added on, portraying Teacher Su Yehua like an incompletely transformed demon.

This was nothing short of doodling.

Yet despite this, Du Qiuyue could still tell that the artistic skill was exquisite, brought to life with precision, something that could not be achieved without considerable practice.

But then again, they are all Martial Artists. Who has the leisure to spend time on other things?

"Brother Hao must have gone to play," Li Yuanzhao said nonchalantly.

He had become accustomed to Li Hao's behavior. Practicing with them? Joking aside, even with Great Aunt pleading desperately, the shadow of Hao was never seen in the arena.

Since childhood, Hao had never mingled with others his age, unless they went to him.

"Play…" Hearing Li Yuanzhao speak so casually, both Du Qiuyue and Zheng Bai were stunned.

The whip marks on their small bottoms and the cane scars on their backs had long ingrained the word "strive" into their beings.

Play?

They wanted to, but didn't dare.

In their fathers' words:

"What you're playing with now is time, and what you'll be playing with in the future will be your life!"

"How can you become an extraordinary person if you don't endure the bitterest of hardships?"

"The prosperity of the family depends on you. How can you live up to your ancestors if you're so lax?"

"Play" is such a frivolous word, yet for them, it's incredibly distant, like a taboo, unspeakable.

"Isn't he participating in the Martial Arts Ranking? If so, he'll be challenged by students from the Beta Academy, and then he'll be demoted there," Du Qiuyue hesitated to say.

Li Yuanzhao's eyes opened wide in a slight rage, "Who dares! If anyone challenges Brother Hao, I'll get demoted to Beta Academy and beat them back up!"

Du Qiuyue:

Zheng Bai:

Wow, now that's being domineering.

"You have the Divine General Mansion backing you, so there probably won't be many challengers, but you'll have to rely on yourself for the Mo River Battlefield test in a year."

Du Qiuyue said resentfully, "On extermination missions outside, we can still rely on the hidden protection of the experts our families send, but in the Mo River Battlefield, we're on our own and can't join forces. The Mo River Battlefield we are tested in only allows one person to enter at a time."

"That's true."

Li Yuanzhao slightly frowned and thought for a moment, "I'll talk to Hao about this matter later."

Du Qiuyue was at a loss for words. Did the young master of the Divine General Mansion not take this matter seriously at all?

Behind Alpha Academy, atop a waterfall.

Two figures sat at the edge of the cliff atop the waterfall, drinking and playing chess, chatting and laughing leisurely.

Suddenly, a figure leapt from the bottom of the waterfall, jumping over the several dozen feet high cascade without a drop of water touching him, and landed in front of the two, holding two skewered roasted rabbits.

"You little…" Seeing the newcomer, both of the chess-playing elders laughed, then immediately sniffed, "Smells good!"

Li Hao handed the roasted rabbits over to the two elders, smiling, "Try these."

The chess-playing elders were none other than Zhao Zongyuan and Shen Yunqing, both instructors at Alpha Academy, and had been completely conquered by Li Hao's cooking over the past half month.

"Tsk, your cooking skills are really something else." Shen Yunqing took a bite and couldn't help but praise.

He and Zhao Zongyuan appeared carefree and amiable at this moment, but when teaching in the academy, they maintained a stern authority as instructors. Even the two princes had to behave properly in front of them, strictly following the rules.

Being a prince was certainly prestigious, but princes studying at Tan Palace Academy weren't necessarily favored, and their lives might not even be as long as the instructors'. The two didn't need to be overly subservient or flatter the royal token at their waist.

"You've already lost two games to me today, shouldn't you go back to your martial arts practice?"

While eating the rabbit, Zhao Zongyuan noticed Li Hao eager to try his hand and couldn't help but mention.

He loved playing chess… but not losing all the time.

Playing chess with Shen was more relaxing, not too draining, and he could actually win.

"Martial arts practice is so boring, especially when it's not from the Black and White Hall." Li Hao said.

"You just arrived and already thinking of peerless techniques, wishful thinking," both said, shaking their heads at Li Hao's unrealistic expectations. Previously, when Li Hao came to them for chess, they had gauged his ability. He was not the frivolous dandy they had imagined, and was even more powerful than most at Alpha Academy.

But the issue was the young man was disinterested in practicing martial arts. When they played chess and occasionally tried to offer him some pointers, it backfired:

"You're about to lose, and you still have time to talk about other things?"

"Can you focus, pick up the chess piece, pick up the chess piece!"

"How about, I give you a five-stone handicap?"

The elders were somewhat taken aback, feeling a mix of annoyance and affection for Li Hao.

"Elder Shen, the wine."

Li Hao motioned with his lips toward the wine flask at Shen Yunqing's waist, "You've lost two sips to me today and haven't paid up yet."

Shen Yunqing's mouth twitched slightly. He was originally only sharing with Zhao Zongyuan, and now there was one more little mouth to feed, causing his Drunken Wind Brew to run low even for himself.

As a man of his word, he snorted lightly and tossed the wine gourd to Li Hao, "Easy there, you're still young."

Li Hao chuckled, uncorked the bottle and took two hearty swigs, then wiping his mouth contentedly, "Really does taste good."

Cooking in six ways, his scope was broad, he could brew fine wines himself but it took too much time, and he was too lazy to bother.

Seeing Li Hao's carefree demeanor, the elders just smiled helplessly and continued munching on their roasted rabbits.

Li Hao returned the wine gourd to Shen Yunqing, patted his rear and said, "I'll come again tomorrow."

With that, he leaped gracefully, his figure swift as the wind, and landed on the white stones beyond the waterfall.

Then, strolling along, humming a tune, he leisurely left the place.

He had climbed up to the waterfall just for a couple of sips of wine and to give the two elders the rabbits as a token of appreciation.

"This kid…" As they watched his departing figure, both laughed wryly, having never met such an unusual youth.

"By the way, that movement technique he just used, wasn't it the superior 'White Phoenix Skill' you teach?" Zhao Zongyuan asked.

Chewing on his rabbit, Shen Yunqing spoke vaguely, "That's right, and that kid seems to have already mastered it to perfection. I'm starting to doubt whether that Wind-Slashing Fist he learned was truly mastered on the same day…"

"To reach perfection in half a month…"

Thoughtfully, Zhao Zongyuan murmured, "Did the Li Family release false information in the past? Marshal Li spends all his time on the borders, and his wife is not by his side…"

Without finishing his thought, there was no need for further words.

Shen Yunqing swallowed down the rabbit meat, took a gulp of wine, and almost lost his eyebrows in the comfort of it, he sighed, "As unpredictable as the depth of a marquis's manor; who could really know? At any rate, this boy is definitely a rare genius, I suppose he will make a grand entrance in a year's time at the Mo River."

Zheng Bai slightly nodded, not denying the possibility, wondering whether Li Hao would be willing to show his talent when the time came.

Suddenly, he noticed Li Hao's figure disappearing around the corner, and couldn't help raising an eyebrow, "Did that kid take a wrong turn?"

"Hm? Didn't you tell him? That way leads to Mo River."

__________

Li Hao followed the slippery, broken stone path for several miles, arriving at the edge of another deep pool formed by a waterfall.

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

Li Hao looked around, wondering if it was just an illusion.

The waterfall in front of him was like a curtain, but through the gaps in the flowing water, there appeared to be a small temple inside.

Li Hao was slightly taken aback. His figure flickered as he used the top-level Bai Fengxing movement technique, darting through the water curtain like a bird through the trees, emerging on the other side without a single drop of water on him.

The previously reserved 3 Skill Points, he spent two on his movement technique, which allowed him to easily comprehend this high-grade Cultivation Technique.

As Li Hao entered through the water curtain, in the distance at another moss-covered stone platform, stood two delicate figures.

"Eh, Yue Yao, was there someone just over there?" Lin Feifei asked in surprise, pointing to the waterfall in the distance.

"It seemed like it."

Song Yueyao also noticed, but the figure flickered and disappeared, appearing to wear the garb of an external academy disciple.

"It seems I'm not seeing things. What is an external disciple doing here? It's not yet time for the new students' annual exam, is it?"

Lin Feifei wondered with confusion, "He seemed to have entered the Regional Lord's Temple. Could he be going into the Meng River?"

Song Yueyao withdrew her gaze, shook her head slightly, and continued to play her flute softly, uninterested in such extraneous matters.

Behind the waterfall, Li Hao looked at the temple before his eyes.

It was very small, about half a person tall.

However, it was exquisitely crafted, with two effigies inside, one male and one female. They appeared ancient, and time had blurred their features. On closer inspection, one could see that they were once gentle and kind.

But with mottled chunks of clay falling off and the faces decayed, the half-smiles on their lips now seemed somewhat eerie and ferocious.

On either side of the temple, there was a vertical couplet:

The earth can produce all things,

The soil can bury all lives.

Above it, there was a horizontal scroll: A Regional Lord.

As Li Hao was examining the temple, suddenly a small booklet flew out from inside, opening in front of his eyes.

Subsequently, a sheet of paper flew out from the booklet, shooting towards Li Hao's head with divine swiftness.

Li Hao was shocked and tried to dodge, but even with his Fifteen Li Realm Cultivation Level, he could not react in time, and the divine light penetrated his head.

In an instant, the world around him seemed to be submerged in water light, and then as the water light faded, another layer of the world, both real and illusionary, revealed itself.

The dim cave became blurred, as if there was a barrier-like water glow enclosing him within three feet.

At the same time, illusory golden characters appeared before Li Hao's eyes:

[You have entered the Meng River.]

[Your place of residence has been confirmed: Great Yu Dynasty, Qingzhou]

[Please leave your name for use within the Meng River.]

Li Hao paused, he had entered the Meng River?

He looked around. A flowing, film-like barrier enveloped him, and beyond the barrier's dim light, he could vaguely see some broken mountains in a vast expanse, far from the narrow cave just now.

Was this the legendary place of mysterious perils?

Incredible!

Despite knowing some stories about the Meng River, experiencing it firsthand still left him astonished. This was beyond the scope of ordinary martial arts.

Still, it was unclear which level this Meng River belonged to?

Li Hao, who usually passed the time fishing, had heard from Second Master that there were five levels of the Meng River, and even Second Master and Elder Feng would not dare to enter a Meng River of the Youdu level lightly, as it contained great terrors.

At this moment, the previous divine light that had entered Li Hao's forehead converged in his hand, forming a piece of gold paper.

The paper was blank.

As information flowed into his mind, Li Hao understood. He thought for a moment, bit his finger, and left his name for the Meng River on the gold paper:

Chong Er.

As he finished writing, the paper gleamed with golden light, engulfing and submerging the blood-written name, then transforming back into divine light that disappeared into Li Hao's body.

Simultaneously, the water film-like barrier around him gradually faded, revealing the outside world of broken mountains and desolate lands.

In his mind, a message automatically appeared:

Realm: Fengshan Menghe River.

Meng River Completion Rate: 0%.

Li Hao looked up, seeing the red sky with the setting sun like blood, half-sunken into the earth on the other side.

In front of him lay a desolate mountain, within which a village and wisps of smoke from cooking fires could be seen.

Li Hao's gaze shifted slightly as he released his divine soul to scout ahead.

A soul shadow that looked exactly like his real body flew out from the top of his head and, in the blink of an eye, soared thousands of miles into the sky above the village, overlooking the entire mountain below.

At the same time, the perspective of the divine soul rapidly ascended, looking towards farther lands to get a clearer view of the whole Meng River Battlefield.

But as his gaze spanned the horizon, Li Hao saw that at the end of the Mo River, darkness enveloped the area. When the vision of his divine soul penetrated that darkness, he felt an eerie chill, as if something in the darkness should not be disturbed!

Li Hao quickly retracted the perception of his divine soul, limiting its range to just the village and its surroundings.

Inside the village, old and young walked about, men farmed, and women weaved, appearing very harmonious.

… provided one could ignore their faces.

Everyone's face was withered and dry, the elderly looked as if they were corpses, children's eyes were like black holes, tongues hanging down to their chests, women weaving by the windows had nails sharp as knives, teeth fierce, bearing sinister smiles.

Truly a paradise beyond this world… Li Hao sighed.

Having seen the fierce appearance of various fish demons, he did not find these dead souls of the Mo River to be that terrifying.

"Do I need to resolve all of them to complete the task?" Li Hao pondered with a thoughtful look in his eyes. He had thought about retreating, but he needed to enter the corresponding temple in the Mo River first.

Through the patrol of his divine soul, he had already found the temple's location, right in the middle of the village, on a stage-like spot.

This positioning is really cunning…

"That person, he seems to be the boss around here, right? In the Soul Succession Realm, can the dead still have their own soul shadows?"

Li Hao's gaze settled on the hill behind the village, where a black-robed scholar was seated, with the soul shadow of a woman billowing with black smoke prostrated on his back, giving off a rather eerie vibe.

After surveying the situation, Li Hao didn't linger and, once his divine soul returned to his body, he strode towards the village.

The villagers loitering at the entrance soon noticed Li Hao.

"Hello, hello…" Li Hao greeted with a smile and a raised hand.

The elder originally leading a child barked violently and rushed towards Li Hao with a ferocious expression.

The child, who had originally appeared "naively silly," suddenly looked vicious, revealing sharp teeth as he charged at Li Hao.

"Such enthusiasm." Li Hao couldn't help but feel helpless.

He casually broke off a dead branch and flicked it lightly.

Snowflakes fluttered down, the old man and child who rushed towards him had not yet reached within two yards of Li Hao when they suddenly stiffened, their heads breaking off, the wounds strangely sharp and clean.

After that, Li Hao casually carried the dead branch and walked into the village along the ancient path.

The villagers transplanting rice seedlings in the fields became violent after noticing Li Hao, roaring as they pounced on him.

Some farmers wearing straw hats and carrying grain also rushed over with their shoulder poles.

"Do you also dream of conquering the great sea?" Li Hao asked as he walked, his footsteps uninterrupted, swinging the dead branch casually as if snow was falling. Each snowflake that landed on these villagers seemed to act like a seal, causing their bodies to freeze suddenly.

As Li Hao went deeper into the village, more and more villagers surged towards him, including women carrying pots and those long-tongued women who were weaving.

"They're all in the Zhou Tian Realm, tsk, and there are even a few at the Perfect Zhou Tian," Li Hao mused as he swung the dead branch, walking along the broad road, leaving behind a trail of severed corpses.

These dead seemed to be ghosts, supposedly without physical form, but in this Mo River, they possessed bodies, blood, and flesh, spraying black blood when severed.

"Could this be the same Mo River that we'll be tested at in a year?" Li Hao mumbled to himself.

The difficulty of this Mo River didn't seem high to him.

The only real danger he had seen so far was the black-robed scholar behind the village in the Soul Succession Realm.

Using the Soul Succession Realm to test the disciples of Alpha Academy was indeed appropriate.

As villagers fell one by one, Li Hao glanced at the gold paper in his palm, which displayed a message:

Meng River Completion: 89%.

It seemed that with each villager he slain, the completion would advance by about 1%.

"Given the nature of the Mo River, even if I resolve all of them, it seems impossible to reach 100% completion, to completely disintegrate it," Li Hao murmured.

The difficulty in suppressing the Mo River lied here; only with a hundred percent resolution could it be made to disappear.

It was said that someone tried exterminating all the dead in the Mo River, destroying everything, but still failed.

The Mo River couldn't be destroyed or worn away; unless it was resolved, it would regenerate, come back again, and extend to any part of the world.

Li Hao passed by the temple next to the stage, glanced at it but chose not to exit right away.

Since he was here, he decided to try and see to what extent he could achieve this, as it was his first encounter.

__________

Li Hao invoked his divine soul, and the resplendent soul silhouette flew out from the top of his head, roaming the sky.

Soon, Li Hao found two wandering children at the corner of the village's edge.

Without moving his body, his divine soul swooped down. With a casual sweep, the sand and dust on the ground stirred, and pebbles shot out, piercing the two remaining fish that had slipped through the net.

Completion of Mo River: 90%.

His divine soul returning, Li Hao stepped forward, spanning fifteen miles, and in the next moment, his figure appeared directly on the hill behind the village, next to the black-robed scholar.

Feeling the sudden appearance of Li Hao, the black-robed scholar was slightly startled.

Li Hao had already noticed that this black-robed scholar was different from the villagers outside, his expression not numb but possessing independent thought.

The woman's soul silhouette lying on the black-robed scholar's back suddenly looked up, her gaze coldly fixed on Li Hao.

"A person of your realm should not appear here," the black-robed scholar said softly.

Li Hao replied, "I didn't want to either, but I accidentally wandered in."

The black-robed scholar fell silent for a moment, then said, "Before we fight, could you let me finish my work?"

Li Hao saw that he was holding a palette in one hand and a brush in the other, the brush tainted with blood, while in front of him on the easel was a portrait of a woman.

The woman in the painting bore a striking resemblance to the one on his back.

"You also have an appreciation for the Art of Painting?" Li Hao was quite surprised, not expecting a deceased soul to still indulge in such a pastime.

The black-robed scholar did not reply but started to add strokes to the paper with his brush.

Seeing this, Li Hao leaned in with interest to observe.

The painting skill of the black-robed scholar was not bad, considered top-notch among those Li Hao had come across before.

"You seem different from the villagers outside," Li Hao remarked.

The black-robed scholar frowned; he did not like to be disturbed while painting, but Li Hao's strength left him no choice but to tolerate the interruption.

"They are merely my slaves," the black-robed scholar said indifferently.

"So, you are the obsession that has bred this Menghe River," Li Hao said, "If I settle things with you, this Menghe River should be considered destroyed, I presume."

"You cannot kill me."

The black-robed scholar spoke indifferently, "Even if you destroy this place, I will come back again."

"Having already died, why do you refuse to move on?" Li Hao sighed.

The hand of the black-robed scholar that held the brush paused slightly, and the corner of his mouth curled up in a mocking cold smile. He seemed on the verge of saying something but suddenly stopped, as if recalling something he feared, the words never leaving his lips.

He laughed coldly a few times, ignoring Li Hao and concentrated on his painting.

Li Hao paced about next to him, examining the surroundings. Seeing that the black-robed scholar no longer paid him any attention, his gaze also moved to the artwork.

The brush was dipped not in ink but in blood, thus the painting appeared rather fierce and formidable.

However, Li Hao was looking at the inner painting skill.

"Your brushwork here is too soft,"

Noticing an area that lacked detail, he couldn't help but point it out:

"There is too little blood here; you need more, let it saturate with one stroke, allowing it to diffuse naturally—that would be more lifelike."

The hand of the black-robed scholar clutching the brush froze somewhat, and he turned to look at Li Hao with a deep gaze: "You understand painting?"

"A little bit," Li Hao modestly replied.

The black-robed scholar sized up Li Hao, who, although only possessed the strength of the Soul Succession Realm, existed thanks to the special power of the Menghe River and had been trapped in this place called Tan Palace Academy for hundreds of years.

Over the hundreds of years, many martial artists had entered this place, some strong, some weak. The stronger ones were more formidable than this youth, capable of destroying the entire Menghe River Village with a mere gesture.

The weak ones were just like the villagers outside—many have lost their lives over the centuries, accumulating in the village. Some more outstanding managed to reach him, only to be directly killed without mercy.

He had seen all kinds of people, but someone like this youth was very rare.

Despite his young age, his mastery of the martial arts was terrifying, and he even understood some peripheral paths.

"The Art of Painting is profound and unfathomable. No matter how clever you are, it's not something you can master with just a little effort," the black-robed scholar said, then went back to his painting without paying Li Hao any more attention.

I'm just being modest, and you really take me for it? Li Hao squinted slightly, wondering if this boy really thought his painting skills were impressive.

To say you're impressive in Martial Arts, I would have let it go, but in painting?

"Indeed, the Art of Painting is profound, but unfortunately, you are just an outsider," Li Hao no longer held back and spoke frankly.

"What?"

The black-robed scholar raised an eyebrow and turned his cold gaze toward Li Hao.

"This painting of yours has at least sixteen flaws. It's so rigid, it truly lacks spirit!" Li Hao said unequivocally, no longer sparing the feelings of this fellow practitioner.

"What are you blabbering about!" The black-robed scholar lost his composure, his pallid face turning a shade of angry red, as he glared at Li Hao.

"Here, here, here…"

Li Hao pointed to various parts of the paper, "All defects. You can't see them because your skills are too low!"

"You!"

The black-robed scholar trembled, the woman behind him brimming with black mist, ready to clash with Li Hao in a ferocious battle.

Li Hao naturally wasn't afraid; even an angry Soul Succession Realm was still just that—a Soul Succession Realm. Did you think you could turn into a golden-haired spirit?

"Give me the brush."

Without saying a second word, Li Hao snatched the brush from his hand, then tore off the piece of drawing paper, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it aside.

Seeing his painstaking artwork treated so disdainfully, the black-robed scholar could no longer hold back his fury and let out a piercing shriek.

His originally serene and handsome face suddenly became twisted and fierce, as terrifying blood seeped from his seven apertures, bubbling forth.

His entire black robe also flew up, revealing the blood-stained garment beneath.

This was actually a robe that had been soaked in blood for who knows how many years, and only because the bloodstains had dried and settled did it appear black.

Li Hao didn't even glance at him, his divine soul flew out, easily pressed down on the scholar's and his soul's head, pinning both firmly to the ground, rendering them immobile.

With such a wretched drawing, still having the face to get angry, Li Hao couldn't understand.

The one who should truly be angry was himself!

His gaze became focused, for towards the Art of Painting, his heart was sincere.

With brush in hand, Li Hao's movements were swift, the blood on the brush tip flinging about, the lines naturally forming, with layers overlapping in light and heavy strokes, giving a clear sense of depth.

Soon, as the blood at the tip of the brush was about to run out, Li Hao picked up the scholar, dabbed the brush onto his face to get more blood, and then resumed his painting.

In just a short while, a lifelike beauty, as if standing sideways within the painting, looking down demurely, emerged on the paper.

It was still the portrait of that woman from before, but this time, it was truly alive.

The best way to punish the stubborn is to beat them with their proudest technique.

Li Hao let go of the black-robed scholar and said indifferently, "Take a look for yourself, and if you still can't see the difference, then you better not touch a brush again. Go cultivate some crops in the village instead."

The black-robed scholar almost spat blood with anger. Have him cultivate crops?

Just as he was about to furiously rush forward, he stiffened all of a sudden, his peripheral vision caught the piece of drawing paper, and then he couldn't look away.

Yue…

The black-robed scholar was as if struck by a sudden realization, standing there dumbfounded.

His eyes fixed on the woman in the painting, his body that was poised to pounce began to tremble slightly.

Suddenly, two lines of bloody tears streamed from his eyes.

Yue, is that you…?

Is it really you…?

The black-robed scholar approached the painting hurriedly and eagerly, stumbling as he went. He reached out, wanting to touch the woman on the paper, but as his fingers were about to make contact, he panicked and withdrew, fearing he would tarnish the woman's face.

His shoulders began to shake lightly, and the blood tears flowed unstoppably.

The female soul on his back was also staring dumbly at the painting, her black and fierce eyes slowly revealing a hint of thought.

"How is it compared to yours?"

A mismatched voice from the side broke through the black-robed scholar's immersion.

He paused, coming back to his senses and turned to look at Li Hao.

Seeing the young man's slightly proud demeanor, this time he didn't get angry, but suddenly, with a thud, he knelt down on both knees in front of Li Hao.

"Thank you…"

The black-robed scholar bowed his head, his eyes filled with gratitude, "Thank you for allowing me to see Yue again."

So the woman in the painting is called Yue? Li Hao raised an eyebrow, but didn't care much. Seeing the other party had conceded, he immediately helped him up, "This Art of Painting, it's profound and unpredictable. Not only must you take it to heart, but you must also have spirit…"

As Li Hao was explaining, the black-robed scholar turned his head, gazing besottedly at the woman on the drawing paper.

The noise at his ear was automatically blocked out by him.

A long time passed, a long time.

Li Hao, parched from talking, became indignant when he saw the person in front of him daydreaming, "Are you listening to me?"

The black-robed scholar came back to himself, smiled at Li Hao, and his black robe began to change in color, gradually fading from black to blood-red, then to light red, and finally transformed into a white scholar's robe.

Looking at that outfit, he seemed to have been a scholar in life.

"My wish has been fulfilled, thank you, benefactor…" The scholar, no longer in black, wore a smile of relief and release on his face.

Behind him, the female soul that had been on his back also dispelled the black mist to reveal a form similar to that of the woman in the painting. In the void, she bowed gracefully to Li Hao, her eyes showing gratitude.

Then, the figures of both began to fade gradually.

"Yue…" The scholar's figure grew fainter, murmuring to himself with a smile on his lips.

Li Hao was stunned. What's going on?

Just then, his palm grew warm, and the Gold Paper emerged.

Lettering on the Gold Paper seemed to chisel through the surface:

[Progress 100%, Fengshan Menghe River pass completed, reward, 100 merit points.]

[You have entered the Merit List.]

[Menghe River will soon vanish, please leave quickly.]

__________

The surrounding earth began to tremble gently.

Li Hao was stunned, looking around, he noticed that the distant, damaged mountains and the crimson sky seemed to be gradually fading.

Had he cleared it? Was the Mo River Battlefield about to disappear?!

Li Hao stood agape, everything happened too fast for him to react.

As he watched the ground sink and his little thatched hut about to collapse shaking, Li Hao quickly stepped out. Then, with a flicker, he appeared at the stage in the center of the village.

Pulling out the Gold Paper, Li Hao swiftly placed it within the eerie temple.

The temple suddenly burst forth with splendid golden light, unleashing a water-like Barrier that enveloped him.

Standing inside the Barrier, Li Hao watched as the outside village shook violently, like the world ending in destruction, everything tearing and blurring until it all vanished.

He found himself back in that narrow cave.

The old, humble temple had also quieted its golden light, becoming utterly ordinary, with two corroded statues with half-smiles on their faces.

The Gold Paper flew back like a thread, entering the palm of Li Hao's hand, giving a warm sensation.

Li Hao felt as if there was an extra wisp of Divine Soul-like breath in his body.

As his mind willed it, the golden thread emerged in his palm, transforming back into the Gold Paper.

There were three lines of small characters on the Gold Paper:

Name: Chong Er

Merit Points: 100 (Ranked 99 in the Great Yu Dynasty)

Meritorious Deeds: Cleared Fengshan Mo River.

"So these are Merit Points? Doesn't seem like anything special."

Li Hao carefully examined the Gold Paper. He had heard from second master and Feng that the Mo River Battlefield had five levels with huge differences. The one he had just experienced should be of the lowest level, the Remorse Level Mo River Battlefield.

Destroying the Mo River Battlefield would yield Merit Points, and if one were to clear it, causing the Mo River to disappear permanently, then the Merit Points obtained would be hundreds of times more!

That is to say, if he had just killed the black-robed scholar and destroyed the village, he would have only gotten one Merit Point.

Beyond the Remorse Level.

There was also the Shadowy Ghoul Level Mo River.

The Ming Domain Level Mo River.

And the Ghost City Level Mo River that even second master and the rest didn't dare to enter lightly.

As for the most terrifying Mo River, second master and the others didn't mention it; it's a place where being involved means doom even for their level of Saints.

Just the mention of the Ghost City Level Mo River had already put it on the list of forbidden places.

And only Grandmasters of the Tianren Sect dared to enter the Ming Domain Level Mo River.

This Mo River had existed for a long time; although it was not the responsibility of the Li Family to suppress it, they had some related materials. If one destroyed the Shadowy Ghoul Level Mo River, about ten Merit Points could be obtained.

Destroying the Ming Domain Level Mo River would yield about a hundred Merit Points.

But if one cleared the Ming Domain Level Mo River, then one could get ten thousand points!

As for what Merit Points are used for, no one knows at the moment. It is said that even the Divine General Mansion, which has suppressed the Mo River for generations, hasn't been able to figure out the use of Merit Points.

And there are many rumors about Merit Points. Some say they can be exchanged with the gods after death for a reincarnated body, some say they can accumulate blessings for the afterlife, offsetting the karma of killing, and so forth.

But rumors end with the bigshots.

If both old masters say that no one has found the use of Merit Points, then it must be so.

For now, the only use seems to be similar to a "score" that provides a rough estimate of how many strong beings exist in the Dayu Realm, based on the amount of Merit Points.

Yes, existing ones.

If the person holding Merit Points dies, the Merit Points will disappear as well, and their name will be removed from the list.

Therefore, for many top forces, it's a way to check if someone is alive or dead.

The two elders must be on the list too. I wonder what their ranking is… With a thought from Li Hao, the Gold Paper seemed to sense his intentions, and the characters changed, expanding into a list.

Merit Ranking.

The first name that caught his eye was: Wang Zhendong.

Merit Points: 9372.

The second person, Wang Tianchong.

Merit Points: 7328.

The third person was also surnamed Wang!

The fourth, the fifth… Li Hao glanced through and noticed, to his astonishment, that six of the top ten bore the Wang surname.

Continuing down, within the top thirty, there were fifteen of the Wang surname!

Li Hao's expression changed subtly, his surprise laced with a tinge of heaviness in his heart.

Though suppressing the Mo River was the duty of the Wang Family, he couldn't imagine how many lives of the Wang family members had been sacrificed for this responsibility.

Behind each name on the list, the Merit Points, which looked like mere cold, glittering numbers, represented countless life-and-death struggles and perilous encounters.

There is no difference between this and slaying demons on the border.

You should know that the Li Family defended the country by slaying demons on the border, with six out of nine sons from the last generation dying in battle, a truly extreme tragedy.

Now it seems that the other Divine General Mansions probably did not have it much easier.

After all, he could see so many from the Wang Family on the merit list; who knows how many more there are who had once been on the list but then disappeared?

This aging dynasty still enjoys a prosperous era, with peace within its borders, the common folk are healthy and content, young girls play on flower boats, young lads ride horses in the suburbs for leisure, peddlers carry their wares everywhere to sell, free from worries. Yet how many unnamed brave souls hold high this everyday scene of a thousand households' lights in the darkness, cradling it silently?!

"This era of prosperity… it did not come easy," murmured Li Hao to himself.

Deep in his heart, he felt a solemn reverence for the names listed above.

His gaze continued downward, yet he did not see the name of Second Elder; perhaps he used a pseudonym.

But Li Hao did see a nickname mentioned by Elder Feng: Bu Liuxing.

Ranked at number 35, with a conspicuous merit value of 3,201.

Li Hao couldn't help but pause, almost certain that anyone who has earned such a high merit value and is called by this name has to be the Thief Saint!

"Elder Feng lives a hermit life and still has such a high value of merit…" Li Hao's eyes became solemn.

Apart from Second Elder, Elder Feng had few friends.

Which means, his merit value was mostly earned through his own battles.

Alone in suppressing the Mo River.

However, Elder Feng has a poor reputation; he is the Thief Saint despised by the powers of the world.

The target of thousands of pointing fingers.

Why then would he bother taking risks to do such deeds?

Perhaps there is an answer, perhaps no answer is needed.

Li Hao fell silent, suddenly feeling that the fishing elder who joked and laughed with him was only familiar in interaction, but not truly understood.

A moment later.

He continued to look further down the list.

Soon, he saw another familiar name, Jian Wudao!

Incredibly, like the Wang Family, he used his real name.

You should know that apart from the Wang Family, most of the names above are pseudonyms.

For example, Thief Saint's Bu Liuxing, who has the surname Bu?

Sword Saint… Li Hao's eyes narrowed a bit when he saw his ranking, number 76.

With a merit value of 738.

This means he has at least destroyed seven Ming Domain Level Mo Rivers or cleared seven Regret Level Mo Rivers.

Li Hao had already realized that the merit list does not represent the full extent of one's strength. For instance, the Thief Saint and the Sword Saint are both of the Four Stands Realm, but their merit values differ by four to five times.

There are also many other masters who most likely did not participate in the suppression of the Mo River.

After all, other than the rewards from the dynasty, dealing with the Mo River brings no other benefits. No one knows what use these ethereal merit values have.

The world thrives on interest.

One does not rise early without a benefit.

This also leads to a severe shortage of manpower at the Mo River Authority, creating a tense situation.

At the same time, it is also why he could rank within the top hundred of the Great Yu Dynasty by merely clearing a single Regret Level Mo River.

Li Hao sighed quietly, putting away the gold paper.

Suddenly, he felt a slight disturbance in his perception, noticing someone approaching.

Li Hao quickly realized what was happening.

Looking again at the divine temple in front of him, it was slowly sinking into the ground as if it was about to disappear.

This temple was connected to the Fengshan Mo River.

Now that the Mo River had disappeared, it was natural that the temple would also vanish.

Wait a minute.

Li Hao was suddenly alarmed, wondering if this Mo River was so simple to deal with, could it be the one that was meant for the test of the new disciples a year from now?

If it disappears now…

What will they test a year from now?

Oh, boy.

Isn't this equivalent to ripping up the exam papers of these candidates in advance?!

Li Hao was speechless. He only wanted to teach that scholar how to paint, but he never intended to clear the barrier!

Time to slip away.

Li Hao quickly moved, vanishing from the spot in an instant.

As Li Hao fled in a hurry, in various parts of the world, many people were disturbed.

__________

South, Nine Peaks Mountain Range, Sword Hut.

This mountain range is famous throughout the world, and the lifelong dream of many swordsmen is to ascend to the peak and look out over the pinnacle of Ten Thousand Zun Mountain. However, that fantastical sacred place actually has a very simple appearance.

On the grassy mountaintop, in the straw hut as plain and unadorned as a cattle shed, Jian Wudao sat quietly inside. The furnishings in the straw hut were also very simplistic, a desk and a few stacks of books.

The desk was extremely rough, as if it had been hewn with a few chops from a tree stump.

Its only advantage was its evenness, extremely even.

At the moment, incense smoke curled up from a burner on the desk as Jian Wudao, with the appearance of an octogenarian with white hair and beard, yet with a complexion as rosy and youthful as a child's, sat with his eyes closed in tranquility.

In his hand, he held a scroll of sword techniques, and the side of it bore the name, "Detailed Explanation of Swordsmanship Basics."

His other hand tapped lightly on his knee, as if he was mulling over something in silent recitation, deep in thought.

"Master."

Suddenly, a call came from outside the straw hut.

Jian Wudao opened his eyes and saw a young man in a white robe hopping into the Sword Hut, a glint of gold in his palm turning into a floating piece of gold paper.

"Master, there's a new Grandmaster on the Virtue List!"

He pointed to the last name on the gold paper, "Chong Er, such a strange name. I wonder which sect's Grandmaster he is, to actually destroy a Ming Domain Level Mo River. This pseudonym doesn't seem like someone from the Mo River Authority."

Jian Wudao's expression remained unchanged, he coldly asked, "What does that have to do with you?"

"Just curious."

The young man knew his master's temperament and said cheerfully, "Those old Grandmasters either sit at the helm of their sects, not daring to venture into danger lightly, or they cultivate in low profile, striving for the three Immortals to extend their lives. They wouldn't do such thankless tasks. It must be some newly promoted Grandmaster. I want to go and exchange some pointers with him."

"You want to go down the mountain again?"

Jian Wudao's face was expressionless as he got straight to the point:

"To practice swordsmanship, you must endure loneliness! There are hundreds of millions of swordsmen in the world. How can you expect to stand proud among them with a three-foot sword in your hand without putting in a thousand times more effort than they do? If you could focus more on your sword, you would have already stepped into the Immortals."

You dare to say it, and I don't even dare to listen… The young man muttered to himself, as the idea of striving for the Immortals seemed daunting.

He looked down and muttered, "Master, if the disciple could exchange pointers more with other Grandmasters, surely I could make further progress…"

"Hmph, when I stepped into the Grandmaster Realm, I secluded myself to contemplate the sword for three years. When I emerged, I had become one of the three Immortals without the need to exchange pointers with anyone else."

Jian Wudao snorted coldly, knowing that this third disciple of his had mixed desires. He couldn't help but think of another disciple, and his gaze softened slightly:

"How is your little apprentice sister faring under your guidance?"

"My little apprentice sister is already half a step into the Divine Travel Realm, her spirit congealed 180 times. Tsk tsk, that's much stronger than me back then. Master, you really do play favorites!" Although the young man accused his master of bias, he was actually grinning.

Jian Wudao rolled his eyes, "If you could understand the essence of the sword within a year of starting, I'd be willing to go to Gan Tao Palace myself to get you a real person's Soul Succession."

"I don't want Master to have to ask favors for me."

"Besides, my little apprentice sister has a passion for the sword, she will eventually comprehend the sword spirit. I can't compare with that."

The young man said cheerfully, "Speaking of which, my little apprentice sister really should thank Master a lot. Thanks to you taking her out of the Divine General Mansion, otherwise, she would have only succeeded the Li Family's heroic spirit. Congealing the spirit eighty times is not bad, but that's just the standard of us. To reach the current level that is comparable to the imperial family's top-tier level would be difficult."

"Plus, I heard that the Divine General Mansion's Soul Succession has many restrictions…"

"Shut up!" Jian Wudao scolded.

The young man was slightly startled and promptly shut his mouth.

"The Li Family, after all, holds the Frontier Pass, slaying countless demons, how can you allow yourself to speak ill of them behind their backs?" Jian Wudao rebuked in a cold voice.

The young man knew he had spoken out of turn and scratched his head, "I was wrong, I do respect the Li Family greatly."

"Humph, if you can't perfect that 'Moon Sleepless' within three months, be ready to stay at the Sword Cliff instead."

Jian Wudao spoke coldly, "As for that Mo River Household Register, you should look at it less. The matters of the Mo River are none of your concern. That's the business of the Divine General Mansion. When you reach the three Immortals, I will naturally let you leave the mountain. Otherwise, with your current standard, if you were to start your own sect and someone challenged you, you would be the one losing my face!"

The young man left in a disheartened manner, not daring to linger.

"There's a newcomer on the Virtue List?"

In a certain sect, as someone happened to be looking through the Virtue List, they immediately noticed the new name added to it.

"A full hundred contributions, is this by directly destroying a Ming Domain Level Mo River? Which Grandmaster has come out of seclusion?"

"Chong Er, a strange name. Go and check which sect's Grandmaster it is quickly, see if we can bring him over."

In a tall building within a certain city, someone ordered.

Yongzhou, in a courtyard of the Divine General Mansion.

"Miss, there's suddenly a new name on the Virtue List, called Chong Er. Such a strange name."

"Don't talk nonsense, anyone willing to take action to solve the Mo River disaster is a righteous and brave person."

"Xiaotao understands, but the name really does sound a bit unpleasant…"

The lady wearing gossamer silk gave a disparaging look at the little maid who had followed her from childhood, "What do you know? Go and listen outside my father's room to see if you can find out who it is. If we can invite him here, we'll give him the position of a junior supervising officer."

"Yes, Xiaotao will go right away."

As the little maid ran off, the lady looked out to the courtyard, a slow smile spreading across her lips as she casually broke a twig and lightly sketched two words on the ground:

Wind and Moon.

"Interesting…"

Inside the main hall of Black and White Hall at Tan Palace Academy.

Song Yufeng stealthily took out a small packet of tea from his sleeve, just about to pour it into the cup to brew, when he suddenly noticed several elders hurrying over, his heart skipped a beat:

"Old Huang? Can't be, they found me so quickly? And brought others along?"

He hurriedly covered the cup, maintaining a calm and composed expression.

"Palace Master!"

The leading elder, Huang Licao, approached with an excited expression.

Song Yufeng's face twitched slightly as he coughed lightly, "Old Huang, no offense, but do you need to be so agitated? It's just some…"

"Palace Master, Fengshan Menghe River has disappeared!"

Huang Licao exclaimed, "Elder Ni just detected some activity and went to check, the Regional Lord's Temple has vanished. It only disappears immediately after being permanently cleared, otherwise, the temple would have shattered where it stood into mud."

"What?"

Song Yufeng was stunned, immediately relieved that they weren't there to hold him accountable… Wait, Fengshan Menghe River had been cleared? By whom?

"What's the situation? Explain clearly, who did it?" Song Yufeng pressed on.

"Don't know, didn't find the person."

Huang Licao shook his head, "But your granddaughter seems to have seen it."

"Yue Yao?"

Song Yufeng was surprised and immediately said, "Then quickly have her come over."

"She's already waiting outside." Huang Licao immediately turned and gestured, and soon, under the accompaniment of an elder, two young girls entered. It was indeed Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei from the moss-covered ground.

The two women had heard the commotion earlier and had rushed to the Regional Lord's Temple, only to witness the shocking scene of its disappearance.

"Who cleared it?" Song Yufeng asked immediately.

Lin Feifei glanced at her friend, and Song Yueyao, with a calm demeanor, replied, "Reporting to the Palace Master, it seems to have been an external disciple. Feifei and I were training nearby, and only saw the side of that person's face. It's not someone I recognize."

"How many do you know, spending all your time training…" Song Yufeng muttered to himself, then turned to Lin Feifei beside him, "What about you? Did you see clearly?"

"Reporting to the Palace Master, I too only saw a side profile."

Lin Feifei hastened to add: "But if I see that person again, I will definitely be able to recognize them."

Song Yufeng nodded slightly, "Alright, then you two go ahead and try to recognize who it was. This is good news, deserving of a great reward!"

"Should we notify the Mo River Authority?" Huang Licao asked.

"The Mo River Authority is destitute enough; we don't need that bit of royal treasure. Eradicating Mo Rivers is everyone's responsibility, and also our duty. That Feng Mountain was originally a rural farmland; such a pity that it was ravaged by the Mo River, the entire village perished miserably, enslaved by the river…"

As he spoke, Song Yufeng sighed and shook his head.

Huang Licao nodded and said, "Then I will take them now to recognize the individual, and also put out the word so the person who cleared it can come forward to receive their reward."

"Mhm." Song Yufeng nodded.

Huang Licao immediately left with the two girls. Just as he was about to go, he suddenly remembered something and turned to say, "By the way, Palace Master, what were you about to say earlier?"

"Hm?" Song Yufeng replied with confusion, "What was I about to say?"

Seeing his expression, Huang Licao thought he had misheard and promptly made a slight bow before retiring and leaving.

News spread throughout the academy, not just amongst the four external houses, but also disciples within Black and White Hall were stirred.

Especially those from Black and White Hall, all of whom had experienced the brutal challenges of Fengshan Menghe River, were now shocked to hear that someone had cleared the river?

"Who was it? Was it one of the elders?"

"Which elder would be so idle? Besides, even for elders, it's not easy to clear it. I've heard each Mo River's requirement to clear is incredible, very tough to find."

"A reward of the Red Sky Precious Sword? That's forged from meteorite iron, reputed to crush anything it strikes, even able to harm the divine soul!"

The disciples of Black and White Hall bantered amongst themselves.

The four external houses were likewise abuzz, especially Alpha Academy, where everyone vying for the Martial Arts rankings was dumbfounded upon receiving the news.

The Mo River is gone?

Wasn't that the place they were to be tested for entry into Black and White Hall after one year?

How could it just disappear?

How would they enter Black and White Hall when the time came?

In contrast to Alpha Academy, the other houses were simply bewildered.

The Mo River? What's that?

Clearly, their primary task given by the house was to first make it into Alpha Academy.

Whatever the Mo River was, it had nothing to do with them. Without a place in Alpha Academy, they wouldn't even qualify to enter.

"Yue Yao, do you think that person is really an external disciple? Judging by the number of flower patterns on that clothing, I remember it might be, but…"

Among the woods, Lin Feifei and Song Yueyao walked side by side, heading towards the outer houses.

Lin Feifei looked hesitant; she had also challenged Fengshan Menghe River before, and it was tough. Once one entered the village, all the villagers would be alerted, and that was hundreds of Zhou Tian Realm fighters!

Furthermore, if it turned into a prolonged battle, that black-robed scholar would also intervene, making it treacherous even for someone with early Soul Succession Realm power.