The captivating realistic cover of "The Water Spirit of the River Li" features a close-up of a haunted scholar in a desolate temple, clutching a worn book. Flickering candlelight illuminates his thin face, etched with determination. He has black hair tied back with a simple cloth strip and determined eyes. He is wearing a slightly worn, dark blue, traditional Chinese scholar’s robe with wide sleeves and a cloth belt. Behind him, mist swirls ominously. The title, "The Water Spirit of the River Li," is displayed in an elegant, chilling blue font, with water droplets subtly adorning the letters, hinting at the story's supernatural elements.