Chapter 69 - Vertical Brush Jade Balance Flying In

Jiang Wang had also heard about the mercenary tasks offered by Three Mountain City.

However, for some reason, this task had not been posted on the Path Origin rankings but was instead issued unilaterally by Three Mountain City, open to everyone.

In a sense, it lacked the endorsement of Zhuang Ting.

Of course, the rewards for the task were not provided by Zhuang Ting either.

It was said that the City Lord had emptied the city treasury for this, so the rewards were much more generous than those for tasks of the same level on the Path Origin rankings.

“It’s all tangible rewards, such as magic artifacts, secret techniques, Path Origin stones,” Li Jianqiu added.

Though tangible rewards are not as convenient as Path Origin points, precisely because they are not easy to quantify, their value is often much higher than the Path Origin point rewards.

“Forgive my bluntness, Senior Brother Li,” Jiang Wang thought for a moment before speaking, “For a task that requires the cooperation of a small team, why don’t you bring your own team, especially since the rewards are very good?”

Most disciples who often undertook tasks had fixed team combinations.

Zhang Linchuan and Wang Changxiang were like this, both core members of their respective teams.

Once Ling He, Zhao Rucheng, and the others had all established their foundations, they would also gather together to complete various tasks, rather than being as scattered as they were now, tagging along behind other teams most of the time.

The only exception was Li Jianqiu, who always seemed to act alone.

Li Jianqiu pursed his lips and said, “They are all dead.

Only I am left.”

The others exchanged glances, not quite sure what to say.

Although those devoted to cultivation should treat life and death with detachment, people are not grass and trees—how could they be completely indifferent?

Huang Azhan gave an awkward chuckle, trying to defuse the atmosphere, “Well, Senior Brother, your team…

doesn’t seem very lucky…”

Ling He gave him a tug and spoke up, “Senior Brother Li, this task is not on the Path Origin rankings, so it hasn’t been graded.

But judging from the rewards, the difficulty will not be less than Grade-7.

To be honest, our strength may not be enough; we might hold you back.”

“Actually, this task of exterminating the fierce beasts overall should be around a Grade-6 difficulty,” Li Jianqiu said, his expression unchanged as he continued, “But you must know that Three Mountain City is named after the three peaks within its territory: Vertical Brush, Jade Balance, and Soaring Arrival.

These three mountains, whether rugged or steep, are all famous.

Three Mountain City is named after them, but at the same time, these three peaks are also the source of the fierce beasts’ rampage in the territory of Three Mountain City.”

“A lair of fierce beasts?” Jiang Wang asked.

Li Jianqiu nodded, “Of these, Vertical Brush Peak was cleared two years ago, and after two more years, Three Mountain City must have accumulated enough strength.

This time they are targeting Jade Balance Peak.

But we’re not going to Jade Balance Peak, we’re heading to Vertical Brush Peak.”

“Vertical Brush Peak has already been…”

“Although Vertical Brush Peak has been cleared.

But as two years have gone by, new fierce beasts have wandered in, just scattered and not gathered in force.

They are our targets.

So the difficulty of the task will be much simpler,” said Li Jianqiu.

Then he picked up his chopsticks and said, “That’s the situation.

It’s up to you whether you want to go or not.

Not going won’t affect our relationship.”

Jiang Wang knew that while he was acquainted with Li Jianqiu, it was only to the extent of familiarity; both had a good impression of each other, but as far as friendship was concerned, it wasn’t deep.

If he refused this time, it would likely lead to estrangement.

However, Jiang Wang would not agree just because he wanted to befriend Li Jianqiu.

He was genuinely interested in the task himself—for one, the task offered a rich reward; for another, he wanted to contribute to the current plight of the Three Mountain City territory; and thirdly, he was about to establish his foundation in the coming days and needed such a mission to get accustomed to the use of Dao Techniques.

With this in mind, Jiang Wang replied directly, “With Senior Brother Li’s strength, having us along is our good fortune.”

Li Jianqiu looked at Jiang Wang meaningfully, “Just with that one sword strike with which you killed Xiong Wen, you already qualify.

And among this group of people, Ling He is steady and comprehensive, Du Yehu has extremely high combat talent and is fearlessly brave, Zhao Rucheng is intelligent and gifted.”

Even Du Yehu, who was not present, received praise, and naturally, Huang Azhan was not overlooked, “Little Huang…

is also very clever.”

“Senior Brother Li has a discerning eye,” Huang Azhan immediately flattered him.

“I’ll opt out,” Ling He said, “I’ve opened my channels not long ago and am still accumulating Path Origin for my foundation.

I’ll stay at the Dao institute for now, looking after Ann.”*

Between channel opening and foundation establishment, cultivators indeed found themselves in a very awkward stage.

On one hand, they needed to accumulate Path Origin for their foundation; on the other, without relying on Path Origin, they couldn’t exert their transcendent combat abilities.

Jiang Wang, with his mastery of the transcendent Sword Manual, was an exception.

Whether it was providing support or care, Ling He did not want to go on the “expedition”; he preferred to move forward step by step, solidly and steadily.

“All right, then big brother will stay behind,” Jiang Wang agreed decisively, as there was no need for evasion in their relationships.

The final team set to go to Jade Balance City consisted of Li Jianqiu, Jiang Wang, Zhao Rucheng, and Huang Azhan, who agreed to depart from the south gate in three days.

The Wang clan grounds.

It was still that secluded little courtyard.

Wang Changxiang entered with great excitement, “Brother!”

At that time, Wang Changji was leaning on a recliner, an old, yellowed book in hand, a fat orange cat sprawled at his feet, basking in the early winter sun together.

Hearing Wang Changxiang’s voice, he didn’t move, merely asking languidly, “What is it?”

The orange cat, upon seeing Wang Changxiang, turned away in displeasure, pointedly turning its back to him.

“Look!” Wang Changxiang took a few quick steps, running up to Wang Changji, bending slightly, and circled a jade bottle in front of his brother, “What is this?”

Wang Changji certainly recognized the bottle; he even remembered the exact appearance of the pill inside, every single detail.

However, the greater his initial expectations had been, the greater his disappointment later became.

In that instant, no one knew how many different emotions had flickered through his heart, but in the end, he merely lifted his eyelids, “You’ve already used up your spot.

Fifteen hundred Dao honors are hard to come by, aren’t they?”

“Not difficult.” Wang Changxiang shook his head, smiling brightly, “Your little brother became the top scholar after three years at the Three Cities Dao Debate!”

Wang Changxiang usually gave off an image of warmth and stability, revealing his more impulsive side only within this small courtyard.

Wang Changji flipped a page of his book, “You’ve put thought into this, but it’s meaningless to me.”

“Just try it, try it again.”

Wang Changji glanced at the lazy orange cat at his feet, “Feeding me would be a waste compared to feeding little orange.

That way it could live longer and grow fonder of you.”

“That’s not possible; Dad would kill me.”

“And he wouldn’t beat you for feeding it to me?”

“Dad…

he’s also fond of you, deep down.”

“You achieving top scholar meant the clan invested resources in you, there needs to be a return.

Take the Channel-opening Pill back,” Wang Changji covered his face with the book, “My naptime has come.”

Wang Changxiang became anxious, “Brother!”

“If you leave the pill here, I’ll feed it to little orange,” Wang Changji’s voice emerged from beneath the book, still indifferent.

But Wang Changxiang had already grasped his brother’s resolve.

He could only secure the jade bottle and leave, looking back every three steps.

He saw the old book that his brother had covered his face with, a Dao scripture, titled — “The Sutra of Measuring Morality.”