75: Chapter 71 Sun Heng Erects a Calligraphy Brush Peak Here_1 75: Chapter 71 Sun Heng Erects a Calligraphy Brush Peak Here_1 In those more than seven hundred days and nights, what kind of effort was required to transform a coward who fled without fighting into the strong warrior who now wiped out Fierce Beasts?

Others could not know.

Jiang Wang and the others merely followed his footsteps unconsciously, climbing upward, ever upward.

Finally, they stood atop the precipitous peak.

At the summit, an emptiness prevailed.

Only a solitary grave stood erect.

The grave was small and simple.

There was just a tombstone erected in front of it.

Jiang Wang approached it for a closer look, and saw inscribed upon it—

Here lies Sun Heng, who cleansed Jade Balance Peak.

The handwriting was delicate, but the characters were deeply etched into the stone, revealing great strength.

“Sun Heng was the City Lord of the Three Mountains City two years ago; his wife erected this monument,”

Li Jianqiu spoke, “The ravages of the Fierce Beasts have been an issue that Three Mountains City has had to face since its founding.

After Sun Heng took office as the City Lord, he devoted himself to governance, actively cultivating talent.

Finally, two years ago, he assembled a team and launched a campaign to purge the Fierce Beasts.

The first target he chose was Jade Balance Peak.

Despite greatly overestimating the threat, before the purging action truly began, no one could have imagined that this single mountain would harbor so many Fierce Beasts, numbering in the tens of thousands!

Where did their food come from?

These Fierce Beasts had enough to devour the entire Three Mountains City region clean.

Once they all went mad, no defense could hold them back.

I ran at that time.

But I heard that only Sun Heng stood at the frontline, unwavering.

Not only did he not retreat, but he advanced instead.”

Li Jianqiu continued, “He fought alone from the base of the mountain to its peak, right here, in the spot beneath our feet, personally slaying the leader of that wave of Fierce Beasts, the Yin and Yang Two-Headed Eagle.

When the month-long cries of the eagle abruptly ceased, everyone knew what had happened, and everyone began to counterattack fiercely.

Jade Balance Peak was cleansed, but Sun Heng also died from exhaustion.

It is said that when he died, as a warrior of the Inner Mansion Realm, all five of his mansions were depleted, and the entire Tongtian Palace collapsed.”

What a heroic figure!

Although I never saw the man, only heard his name, it was enough to stir one’s soul.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help thinking that only such a man could have fathered a daughter like Sun Xiaoman.

The group stood at the peak, looking out at the boundless surroundings.

The peace at this moment was built upon countless sacrifices.

Cultivation, cultivation, is it merely for one’s own self?

Is there not a responsibility to the nation, a duty to the weak?

The former City Lord of Three Mountains, Sun Heng, inscribed an answer with his name.

The group paid their respects to the lonely grave and then turned to descend the mountain.

On the way down, Jiang Wang thought of something and asked, “Brother Li, at the Three Cities Debate of Dao, did you spare Sun Xiaoyan because of City Lord Sun?”

Li Jianqiu countered, “Do you know of the ‘Jade Balance Drum’ Dao Technique?”

“I’ve only heard the name, from an elder.”

“The ‘Jade Balance Drum’ Dao Technique is a permanent defensive Dao Technique.

Its principle involves the Caster, while fully conscious, peeling off his own skin, etching it with Dao patterns, and then laying it upon the recipient.

Precisely because its casting conditions are so demanding, the ‘Jade Balance Drum’s’ defense is incredibly solid.”

Huang Azhan was astounded, “So that on the kid…?”

“Is indeed the skin of the late City Lord Sun,” sighed Li Jianqiu.

“Whether as a City Lord or as a father, he gave his all.”

“To defeat Sun Xiaoyan, one either has to fight in an arena, like Wang Yichui, and knock him out of bounds, or use all their strength to break the Kun skin drum.

I dare not try.”

Jiang Wang certainly knew that when Li Jianqiu said he didn’t dare, it wasn’t that he was afraid of facing defeat, but rather the fear that once the Kun skin drum was truly broken, he, who gave his all, wouldn’t be able to hold back.

What he dreaded was that outcome.

“Brother, your noble sentiments are high.”

Li Jianqiu shook his head: “Speaking of which, my life was saved by City Lord Sun.

Now that the hero has passed away, how could I bear to injure his son?”

When the group reached halfway up the mountain, Jiang Wang suddenly stopped and walked over to the huge rock.

He conjured a sword of flame, and, in bold, flowing characters behind Li Jianqiu’s inscription, he wrote a line of words.

Then Huang Azhan and Zhao Rucheng did the same.

But beneath the engraving that read “Li Jianqiu, the Scourge of His Clan,” a new line was added:

The younger generation scholar Jiang Wang visits to admire the prowess of his seniors.

The younger generation scholar Huang Azhan visits to admire the prowess of his seniors.

Zhao Rucheng, ditto.

Presumably, Wu Shan, who loved showing off in front of others the most, if he saw this scene, would surely laugh wildly, wouldn’t he?

After all, in such a desperate situation, his last thought was to carve his name and boast about himself.

A thought process different from ordinary people.

It wasn’t until they had walked down to the foot of the mountain that Li Jianqiu, as if with great effort and patience, cast a strange look at Zhao Ru Cheng: “Zhao junior brother, have you ever been beaten for being lazy?”

Jiang Wang burst into hearty laughter, draping an arm over Zhao Rucheng’s shoulder, and said to Li Jianqiu: “You should be asking Brother Yehu that question.

He surely has a lot in common with you!”

“Go away!” Zhao Rucheng pushed Jiang Wang aside.

“So what do we do next?” Huang Azhan asked, “Our mission planned before we left is complete, and Brother Li’s wish has been fulfilled.

Do we just collect the reward and head back to Fenglin City now?”

Li Jianqiu, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, said solemnly: “I do not intend to conceal it from my junior brothers, I am determined to go to Jade Balance Peak.

After all, the battle there is fierce, and you can go back first.”

Jiang Wang replied without hesitation, “I can only speak for myself.

Since I came here with brother, I will naturally go with him.”

Zhao Rucheng rolled his eyes, “If you’re going to the battlefield, how could I slip away?”

“Ah,” Huang Azhan shook his head and sighed repeatedly, “I knew I shouldn’t have joined you young people, too impulsive!

If I don’t go now, I won’t have the face to drink with Brother Yehu later.”

Zhao Rucheng gave him a few more glances than usual, feeling somewhat surprised in his heart.

Although Zhao the Younger always seemed carefree on normal days, he actually had a lot of pride, and common folk couldn’t catch his eye.

As for Huang Azhan, he had never really respected him, only using him for some light-hearted teasing and boredom relief.

At most, he allowed him some small advantages for the sake of Du Yehu.

Today, he finally understood why Du Yehu would be willing to be drinking buddies with this guy.

At this time, Jade Balance Peak was undergoing the second large-scale elimination operation.

Sun Heng’s tomb was still there, Wu Shan’s inscriptions had not been forgotten, everyone knew how dangerous Jade Balance Peak was—the possibility of a total annihilation wasn’t out of the question.

Whether Li Jianqiu was seeking redemption or trying to prove something, his choice to go to Jade Balance Peak was not surprising.

Jiang Wang, that guy, could be assumed to be acting on impulse.

But if Jiang Wang went, no matter how unwilling, Zhao couldn’t stay behind.

It was only Huang Azhan’s choice that he had not anticipated—and one that certainly did not match his usual sycophantic and slippery behavior.

“Good!” Li Jianqiu felt very satisfied.

Having traveled alone for two years, he seemed to have found the joy of rallying friends and companions once again.

Call your comrades to share a cup, travel thousands of miles to settle debts of honor.

“Let’s go to Jade Balance Peak!”

…

…

(After streaking naked for a week, I finally landed a recommendation spot, please give all your recommendations to me!)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep