Wang Zhendong's eyes were grave and focused. For hundreds of years, no demon had dared to trespass into the imperial city. The last attempt was six hundred years ago when a demon king was struck down by a sword that flew out of Qiandao Palace, slaying the demon king just outside the city walls. The demon king's blood flowed like a river, striking fear into the hearts of many covetous demons.
And now, a demon dared to invade again, causing the imperial city to call for aid. But where was that Immortal?
"Recently, there was a great battle in Liangzhou, followed by Youzhou and Qingzhou..." Wang Zhenfeng's eyes flickered, his talent in traversing the River of Death not measuring up to Wang Zhendong's, but his knowledge of the various states was more extensive.
"I've long sensed that these demons are brewing something in the shadows, and that Immortal has yet to show himself. There might be some hidden reason for his absence. It seems these demons are determined to wage a decisive battle against the Great Yu Divine Dynasty!" Wang Zhenfeng's face turned cold. Instead of attacking the various states, the demons were now striking directly at the heart of the Great Yu, aiming to topple it with lightning speed.
"His Majesty has issued an edict, and we must answer his call. I shall depart at once." Wang Zhendong said in a deep voice.
He glanced at the group and continued, "Zhenfeng, you stay here to guard Yunzhou and the ancestral hall. Zhenping, come with me. Yongzhi, immediately dispatch 300,000 troops from the 'Zhao' army and rush them to the imperial city with all haste!"
The only army the Wang family had on the surface was the original 'Zhao' camp, which had not been disbanded. This was the respect shown to the Wang family by the Yu Emperor.
Wang Yongzhi nodded. "Leave this place to me. Be careful, Uncle Zhendong. This might turn into a disaster!"
Wang Zhendong nodded and turned to look at Dizang Buddha. "Send people to keep an eye on the merit board and dispatch spies to investigate the situation inside."
Once someone perished, their name would be removed from the merit board. Now that they knew Li Hao's battle name was 'Chong Er' on the River of Death, they could also monitor his life and death through the board.
Wang Yongzhi nodded in agreement.
Without further ado, Wang Zhendong turned to Wang Zhenping and said, "Old Fourth, let's go."
Wang Zhenping nodded. With the greater good in mind, he temporarily put aside the matter of his grandson and granddaughter being disciplined.
As the two of them left, Wang Yongzhi quickly took a headcount and began dispatching troops.
...
Inside the Qingzhen River of Death.
With the departure of Wang Zhendong and the others from the Wang family, the small town suddenly felt empty.
Li Hao, who was holding back the erosion of the hell-level River of Death, breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly enveloped the entire small town with his divine sense, searching rapidly.
Soon, he found hidden traces of wandering souls lurking in various parts of the town, but their numbers were few.
Apparently, the Wang family's Dao Realm expert had already done a preliminary sweep.
Suddenly, Li Hao spotted a familiar figure in the town's ancestral hall.
Master Feng!
That plain yet slightly noble dark gray robe was one of Master Feng's most commonly worn outfits.
At this moment, he stood at the threshold of the ancestral hall, gazing beyond the small town, his eyes filled with bewilderment as if he were lost in thought, reminiscing about something.
Li Hao's heart stirred, and his soul quickly flew out, rushing towards the ancestral hall with instantaneous movement.
His physical body remained in place, maintaining the Dao domain to block the erosion of the hell-level River of Death. Although there were no members of the Wang family here who needed his protection, if he left, the River of Death would erode the small town, accelerating its fusion. This could potentially change the conditions for traversing the River or lead to other unforeseen circumstances.
At this moment, with the Tai Ping Dao Realm, many things became much more convenient. If it were an ordinary Zong Shi Realm expert, just dealing with the wandering souls in the small town would have been a handful.
Swoosh!
A soul wreathed in reddish-golden divine flames descended in front of the ancestral hall.
The divine light faded, revealing Li Hao, who exclaimed excitedly, "Master Feng!"
Feng Boping's gaze shifted from the distance and landed on Li Hao, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback but quickly realized that this was just a fragment of the soul, and the memory might be incomplete as well. He hurriedly explained, "It's me, fishing, fish soup, Little Mouse!"
"You helped me steal a lot of cultivation techniques and secret manuals, and also a pair of silk stockings belonging to an empress..." Li Hao recounted the little secrets that Master Feng had shared with them during their fishing trips.
Although he didn't know what the conditions for traversing this River of Death were, helping Master Feng regain his memories of him would likely be beneficial for their goal.
"You also got me a divine pill that specifically enhances the physical body. And there was that time when you went fishing and hooked a flood dragon, but it broke free. You were so angry that you killed it on the spot and couldn't sleep for several days afterward..." Li Hao spoke rapidly.
"Wait, wait, hold on a second..." Master Feng's eyes, which had been filled with bewilderment, now cleared up considerably. He raised his hand to stop Li Hao's torrent of words, feeling a slight pain in his heart.
'Break free? How could I possibly let it break free?'
'This kid is talking nonsense!'
'Who's this kid, coming here to cause trouble? Oh right, I need to kill these intruders...'
'Wait, Little Mouse?'
A flurry of thoughts jumped into Master Feng's mind, causing him to rub his forehead in confusion. But soon, fragments of memories flashed through his mind, and he froze.
He stared intently at Li Hao, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Hao... Hao'er?!"
Li Hao was both surprised and delighted that Master Feng could recognize him. He nodded vigorously. "Yes, it's me!"
Master Feng quickly recalled something and asked anxiously, "How did you end up here?"
"I'm here to take you out of this ghost place," Li Hao said.
"You..."
Master Feng was taken aback, his expression changing as he looked up beyond the small town.
When he saw the pitch-black sky outside, he seemed to realize something, his eyes glazing over once more.
But soon, he snapped back to his senses and said to Li Hao, "Let's go! You can't traverse this place. That thing is coming!"
"That thing?"
Li Hao turned to look at the approaching hell-level River of Death and asked, "Is it that River of Death? Master Feng, do you know how to traverse it? Let me take you out of here."
"It's too late. I can't leave. I..." Master Feng looked at the hell-level River of Death. "That thing is coming for me. It has already reflected my image, and a part of my obsession is trapped there. You won't be able to traverse it."
Li Hao's heart trembled. The hell-level River of Death was attracted by none other than Feng Laoi. Although Feng was strong and a Four Establishments realm existence, he didn't think he was powerful enough to lure a hell-level River of Death.
After all, the old man who fell in Dragon City only attracted a Ghost Capital-level River of Death.
And behind that Dragon City River of Death was the true obsession of the Heard Way realm War God, Ji Yunguo.
"Master Feng, are you sure your obsession is that deep?" Li Hao blurted out.
If it were any other time, Feng Boping would have rolled his eyes, but now, his gaze fixed on the approaching hell-level River of Death, and he seemed distracted, muttering, "I don't know either, but I know I'm looking for something, something very, very important..."
Li Hao paused, his mind racing through his memories.
By the lake, during their casual conversations, Master Feng had shared almost everything with him, even confidential matters that could get one beheaded. He seemed to have no secrets.
Yet, Li Hao couldn't recall ever hearing about something extremely important that Master Feng was searching for.
After all, whatever he wanted, he had already stolen.
"Let's go! If I can't find it, I won't be able to pass through." Feng Boping suddenly snapped out of his daze and urged Li Hao, "Take advantage of the fact that this place hasn't completely fused yet. You still have a chance to leave now. It's far more terrifying than you can imagine. Once you fall in, there's no escape..."
"I want to try!" Li Hao interrupted.
Previously, the deceased soul of Ji Yunguo had dissipated after staying too long in the River of Death. If he gave up now, Master Feng's missing soul would be forever lost!
"Why are you so stubborn!" Feng Boping exclaimed in anxiety upon hearing Li Hao's words. "If you delay any further, you'll die too!"
Li Hao said solemnly, "Master Feng, try to remember what it is that you're looking for. I'll help you find it!"
Feng Boping paused, looking at Li Hao's determined gaze, his eyes clouded with confusion. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and looked towards the darkness.
At the edge of the River of Death outside the town, the dark forces parted like a tide, revealing a path that led to another small town beyond.
It was like a mirror image, with the junction between the two towns perfectly aligned.
And in that town, a figure slowly walked forward, clad in a dark gray robe, and descended at the junction.
He stared quietly at Feng Boping, and Feng Boping's gaze shifted to him.
Li Hao noticed that the figure at the junction was also Master Feng.
However, his expression was colder, his eyes icy, and he exuded a killing intent.
Li Hao's heart sank. Master Feng was right; the hell-level River of Death had reflected his obsession. The conditions for passing through had changed, implying that the ultimate fate of this Qingzhen River of Death was to be fused!
"Do you want to know what his obsession is? If you do, come and fish with me, and let's see who catches it first." The obsession of the Master Feng reflected in the distance suddenly spoke.
Li Hao's expression changed, feeling both strange and familiar.
"Fishing for what?"
"You'll know when you get here."
The obsession of Feng Boping coldly smiled.
Li Hao stared into his eyes without saying a word.
Beside him, Feng Boping came back to his senses and immediately said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Don't go over there."
Li Hao slowly withdrew his gaze and shook his head slightly. "Wait for me."
With just two simple words, he stepped forward.
Feng Boping's expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "You'll die!"
"Even if I die, I'll take you out of here!" Li Hao didn't turn back and headed straight for the Master Feng obsession outside the town. "You protected me once, and I'll protect you for life!"
Feng Boping stood still, watching as the young man's soul rushed out.
Outside the town, the Master Feng obsession in the hell-level River of Death of the small town narrowed his smile and stared intently at Li Hao.
Li Hao arrived at the junction of the two towns and asked, "Fishing for what?"
"Fishing for a life!"
"A life?"
Li Hao's face turned cold. "You don't mean my life, do you?"
"Yes and no."
The obsession of Feng Boping coldly replied, "Once you catch it, you can continue living. If you don't, you won't even be able to leave now!"
Li Hao narrowed his eyes, his physical body still maintaining the Dao domain to block the invasion of the hell-level River of Death in the distance.
Although he hadn't tried using the token, he knew that the River of Death must have undergone another change, and the exit might have shifted as well.
After all, the exit had already been difficult to open, and now, apart from the area blocked by his physical body, the hell-level River of Death had crept closer and was fusing with the small town.
"Then let's begin."
Having come this far, there was no turning back. Li Hao didn't waste any more words.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. Aren't you afraid I'll cheat you?" the obsession asked.
"I am, but I have no choice," Li Hao said.
The obsession said, "But you could've chosen to save yourself. You still had a chance earlier."
"You said it yourself, it was earlier. Now that the chance is gone, let's get on with it!" Li Hao didn't want to drag it out any longer.
"Since you're determined to die, come on over then." Master Feng's obsession didn't prolong the matter any further and spoke coldly.
Li Hao took a step forward, ready to burst into action and transform his soul into a heavenly law image at any moment.
However, the surrounding dark forces didn't invade.
The eyes of the Master Feng obsession narrowed slightly, apparently not expecting Li Hao to be so resolute in the face of death.
"So, how do we fish?" Li Hao asked, his eyes alert for any signs of attack.
The obsession fell silent for a moment before replying, "Use your true heart as bait and fish for a life. You've already fished for your own life. You've won."
"What?"
Li Hao was taken aback.
Feng Boping's obsession stared intently at Li Hao, and slowly said, "This is his obsession. He is searching for a true heart, the most precious thing in this world, and something he could never steal."
Li Hao was taken aback, surprised and doubtful. "So, I've essentially passed this trial?"
With his prior experiences of passing through the River of Death twice, Li Hao had gained some insight. The requirements for passing through the River of Death were indeed varied and unpredictable.
The first time, at Fengshan's River of Death, he had drawn a painting that moved the mediocre painter to tears, and thus passed the trial. The key seemed to lie in soothing the painter's longing for his beloved.
At Dragon City's River of Death, it was the idea of having a home everywhere that broke through Ji Yunguo's obsession and pulled him out from the influence of the River of Death.
Now, in the River of Death that imprisoned Master Feng, what was reflected was surprisingly a true heart.
These requirements seemed to have little to do with martial power or cultivation realm, which explained why the Wang family, despite their years of studying the River of Death, had managed to pass through only a handful of times.
After all, if it weren't for coincidental encounters, someone else coming to Master Feng's River of Death would likely be left clueless.
Similarly, if Li Hao hadn't known Master Feng, he wouldn't have been able to pass through either.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, dark forces began to surge and swirl around Master Feng's obsession, as if a mist was enveloping him.
His expression changed, and a burst of silver light shone from his eyes, exuding a majestic and vast aura.
That aura caused Li Hao's pupils to constrict, and he felt as if he sensed a hint of the sacred power he had experienced with the Ji family's Sacred Bone!
"Do you want to abandon me? It's too late!" Master Feng's obsession's eyes shone with a cold light, and the silver light restrained the dark forces that seemed to be withdrawing from his body.
At the same time, the town reflected behind him suddenly crumbled and became distorted.
The surroundings no longer resembled Qingzhen's River of Death but instead alternated between a desolate cave filled with rubble and a plain strewn with the corpses of armored soldiers and demons.
"Child, quickly get out of here," Master Feng's obsession said to Li Hao.
Li Hao looked at him and quickly backed away.
He seemed to sense what was happening.
If Master Feng's obsession was a true heart, then by resolving this obsession, he wouldn't just be passing through Qingzhen's River of Death.
The hell-level River of Death reflected by it would also be affected by this resolution!
Would they both be passed through? Li Hao couldn't help but wonder, though he felt it was a bit unbelievable, he still held some hope.
However, Li Hao soon realized he was thinking too much. After he retreated, the town reflected outside quickly collapsed and transformed into an ancient path.
The ancient path was shrouded in black mist, and it stretched far into the distance, its end invisible.
But the sight of this path sent a shiver down Li Hao's spine, and he found it more terrifying than the town reflected earlier.
The path was littered with bones, seemingly left there for endless years, and it exuded a desolate air.
"Stop!"
Master Feng's obsession's voice rang out from within the black mist, and it was exceptionally cold, sounding very different from what Li Hao usually heard.
The chaotic, surging mist suddenly slowed, as if restrained by some power.
"Child, farewell..." Master Feng's obsession's voice came from within the mist, and soon dissipated.
At the same time, the mist also vanished.
Li Hao saw a prompt appear before his eyes:
[Permanently reduce the 'Jido River of Death' by 10%, eliminate the 'Reflection' rule, and reward 10,000 merit!]
Li Hao was slightly stunned. 10,000 merit points? According to the Wang family's speculation, destroying a hell-level River of Death would grant one 10,000 merit points, but now, he hadn't exactly destroyed it.
However, the permanent reduction? Li Hao looked at the quiet ancient path, and suddenly realized that the reflection rule was gone, and the River of Death's power seemed to have diminished.
He had just taken advantage of the reflection rule to pass through Master Feng's obsession, which had somehow led to the passage of this hell-level River of Death.
Did this River of Death have its own consciousness?
Li Hao looked deeply and saw that the forces surrounding Qingzhen's River of Death were rapidly dissipating.
These forces were mainly led by the reflection rule, and now that the rule was ineffective, these forces also disappeared.
Li Hao turned and saw Master Feng's figure floating towards him.
"You foolish child, always so impulsive."
Master Feng looked at Li Hao, his eyes filled with affection.
Li Hao smiled and saw another prompt appear before his eyes. The Qingzhen River of Death in front of him had been passed through!
Moreover, for passing through this Qingzhen River of Death, the reward was not 10,000 but 20,000 merit points!
The prompt read:
Congratulations, Chong Er, you have passed through the Qingzhen River of Death (Pollution).
Reward: 20,000 merit points.
Adding to the previous 10,000 merit points, Li Hao had earned a total of 30,000 merit points on this trip!
It was worth mentioning that Wang Zhendong had been passing through the River of Death for many years, and it was only recently that he had accumulated 10,000 merit points!
If one were to simply destroy this Ghost Capital-level River of Death, they would only receive 100 merit points.
Li Hao scanned the area and then looked at Master Feng, grinning:
"Master Feng, we can finally go home now."
Master Feng's expression was complex as he looked deeply at Li Hao. "Yes, we can go home..."
...
At the same time, in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, within the imperial city of Shengdu.
Wails and cries of agony filled the air, and blood and corpses were everywhere.
The majestic imperial city, which had stood for thousands of years, was now drenched in blood. Outside the city, the clear waters of the moat had turned blood-red, and the bodies of well-armed soldiers and demons floated within.
The city walls had been breached, and huge gaps were torn open.
In the sky above, figures fled, only to be chased and brutally torn apart by the Demon Kings.
Numerous buildings within the city had been destroyed and burned, and the bodies of civilians littered the streets. The casualties were severe, and wails of grief echoed throughout the city. This was once the most impregnable city in the world, boasting the strongest formation, the Xuan Tian Shen Huang Array!
But at this moment, that formation had long been broken.
The mighty formation that protected the imperial city was not breached by the Demon Kings outside, but by the Chen family generals stationed within. With inside knowledge and bought loyalties, they disabled the formation, leaving the city exposed. Furthermore, with connections in the Si Tian Jian, the Chen family, one of the Five Great Divine Generals, who had always kept a low profile, betrayed the dynasty!
Without the protection of the formation, the entire city was laid bare to the demon horde. Despite the million-strong army garrisoned in the city, without the formation, their defense was futile. The demons' attacks were merciless, and the battle quickly spread throughout the city, causing widespread casualties.
As soon as the city came under attack, the Eight Banners, the fastest means of communication, were deployed to summon reinforcements from all directions.
However, the imperial city fell even faster than the banners could fly.
Many elders who had been living in seclusion within the city emerged to join the fight, their number reaching over thirty, a shocking sight.
But they were no match for the black-robed youth and the purple-robed, graceful woman, both at the Realm of Hearing the Dao. The elders were swiftly defeated, and only a handful managed to escape and hide.
The black-robed youth casually slaughtered their way through the city, ordering the gathered elders from the various demon clans to hunt down and kill every human in the city, leaving none alive.
With no peak power to restrain them, the youth and the woman rampaged through the city as if they were playing a game.
At this moment, the entire imperial city lay in ruins. Even the majestic imperial palace had suffered extensive damage, with many of its buildings in a state of disrepair.
The palace was also protected by the Xuan Tian Shen Huang Array, but this time, it was forcibly breached.
The divine emperor avatar manifested by the formation was quickly torn apart, and the formation shattered.
Boom! Boom!
Two elders who had been hiding and fleeing were suddenly blasted into the air.
The black-robed youth flew over, glanced at them, and effortlessly captured them, storing them in his spatial world to be savored later as a snack.
Then, his gaze turned to the palace above, his eyes filled with wariness and apprehension.
There, in the air above the palace, a fierce battle raged, with all sorts of phenomena occurring. Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning howled as the combatants, at the Dao Utterance Realm, fought with their full might. This was a level that those at the Realm of Hearing the Dao could not easily attain.
And among the combatants were not the elderly Magram Demon, but five or six young figures.
Their attacks were casual yet incredibly fierce, creating a terrifying scene.
Boom!
One figure was blasted out of the sky, crashing into the square below, their body torn and tattered, their Daoist robe stained with blood.
As they struggled to their feet, a youth calmly uttered the word "Suppress", causing the elder to fall back to the ground, the ground beneath them cracking like spider webs in all directions.
Facing six opponents alone, the elder's body was on the brink of collapse.
"Realman..."
On the side of the square, dozens of figures stood, their bodies unscathed but too terrified to move.
Earlier, someone had tried to fight back, only to have their body explode with the utterance of a single word from one of the youths.
Not even their soul had been able to escape, and they had perished instantly.
Others had tried to resist as well, but with each word spoken, all who dared to oppose were blown to pieces without exception.
Among them was even a top hidden expert at the Realm of Great Unity!
The immense gap between their power levels made everyone keenly aware of the terrifying difference between the Realm of Four Establishments and the Realm of Hearing the Dao.
Despair engulfed everyone, and they could only pin their hopes on the Realman.
Earlier, these terrifying youths had said that for every move their opponent could withstand, they would spare one person's life.
These incredibly powerful individuals, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, treated this massacre as a game and a source of entertainment!
However, at this moment, the Realman was fighting, but despite the intense battle, he was clearly at a disadvantage. Not only had he been unable to kill any of them, but he also seemed to have been thoroughly defeated.
Despair, fear, sorrow, and reluctance filled the faces of everyone present.
This divine dynasty, which had stood tall for thousands of years, was now being trampled upon by these youths, its sanctity destroyed.
Yet, in the face of absolute power, they had no ability to resist.
It was as if an ant colony, built with painstaking effort, suddenly had its nest crushed under a careless foot, all their hard work and dedication trampled to dust!
Ants!
Everyone felt like insignificant ants.
"Is my Great Yu Divine Dynasty... about to perish?"
The people standing in the square were those who had rushed to reinforce the city from all directions.
Among them were Xia Linglong, Xia Yuanyu, and LiMuxiu, who had arrived expecting a standoffish battle relying on the protective formation, only to find the city in ruins.
In the face of these six terrifying young men and women, the million-strong army and the imperial guards were easily slaughtered, and the formation was directly torn apart. In less than half a day, the imperial palace had been captured.
All their accumulated strength and heritage over the years seemed meaningless in the face of these six powerful youths.
On the sidelines, the Magram Demon with his walking stick also felt wary.
The Saint's Son had gone to kill that young man, and although he had returned, he hadn't shared the outcome with them, only asking them to wait.
And now, on this day, he had brought with him six terrifying killers.
However, the Magram Demon understood that the Saint's Son must have paid a great price. Although the situation was now under control, the Saint's Son's expression did not seem joyful.