Jiang Wang had heard word of Sanshan City's bounty task as well, though for some reason the task had not been posted upon the Dao Merit Roll, but issued solely by Sanshan City, open to all.
In a sense, it carried no endorsement from the Zhuang court.
Of course, neither was its reward paid out by the court. It was said the lord of Sanshan City had emptied his treasury for it, and so the reward far exceeded that of comparable tasks upon the Dao Merit Roll.
"Every bit of it is solid, material reward — dharma artifacts, secret arts, Dao Essence Stones." Li Jianqiu added.
Material rewards might be less convenient than Dao Merit, but precisely because they were hard to reckon, they tended to be worth considerably more than most Dao Merit rewards.
"Forgive my bluntness, Senior Brother Li." Jiang Wang thought a moment, then said: "This kind of task calls for a small team working in concert. Why would you not bring your own team along? Especially as its reward is so good."
Most Dao Academy disciples who frequently went on missions had fixed team configurations. Zhang Linchuan and Wang Changxiang were both like this, each a core figure in his own team.
Once Ling He, Zhao Rucheng, and the others had all established their Foundations, they too would band together to carry out various tasks, rather than remaining scattered as they were now, trailing after other teams for the most part.
Only Li Jianqiu, it seemed, always moved alone.
Li Jianqiu pressed his lips together, and said: "They are all dead. Only I remain."
The group exchanged glances, none quite knowing what to say. Though cultivators might be expected to face parting and death with equanimity, a man is no grass or tree — who could remain unmoved?
Huang Azhan forced two dry laughs, trying to lighten the mood: "Well, then, Senior Brother, your team was not particularly lucky..."
Ling He tugged at him, and took the initiative: "Senior Brother Li, this task is not on the Dao Merit Roll, so it has no grade assessment. But judging by the reward, the difficulty can be no lower than seventh grade. Frankly, our strength lags a little behind, and I fear we would slow you down."
"In truth, the overall difficulty of this beast-culling task should be around sixth grade." Li Jianqiu's expression showed no change, and he went on: "But you should know, Sanshan City is named for the three peaks within its domain — Standing Brush, Jade Scales, and Flying-In. These three mountains, some grand and lofty, some steep and perilous, are all renowned. Sanshan City takes its name from them, but at the same time, these three peaks are also the very source of the beast calamities that ravage its domain."
"The lairs of the ferocious beasts?" Jiang Wang asked.
Li Jianqiu nodded: "Among them, Standing Brush Peak was cleansed clean two years ago. Two years on, no doubt Sanshan City has amassed enough strength. This time their culling target is Jade Scales Peak. But we are not going to Jade Scales Peak. We are going to Standing Brush Peak."
"Is Standing Brush not already..."
"Although Standing Brush Peak has already been cleansed, two years have passed, and new ferocious beasts are roaming there once more — scattered, not yet forming any scale. Those are our targets. So the difficulty of the task will be relatively much simpler." So saying, Li Jianqiu picked up his chopsticks: "That's the whole of it. Whether you come is your own choice, and refusal will not affect our friendship."
Jiang Wang knew well that, though he and Li Jianqiu were familiar with one another, that familiarity went only so far. Their regard for each other was good, but as to friendship, there was not much to it.
If he were to refuse this time, they would likely drift apart.
But neither would Jiang Wang agree rashly merely to cultivate a connection with Li Jianqiu. He was, on his own account, genuinely drawn to the task. For one, the reward was rich. For another, he did wish to lend a hand in the difficulties facing Sanshan City's domain. And for a third, his Foundation would be established within the next few days — he was just in need of such a mission to grow familiar with his Dao arts.
At that thought, Jiang Wang spoke directly: "Given Senior Brother Li's strength, deigning to take us along is good fortune on our part."
Li Jianqiu looked at Jiang Wang with a meaningful air: "The single stroke with which you killed Xiong Wen alone is qualification enough. And among your group, Ling He is steady and thorough, Du Yehu is a brilliant fighter and fearless besides, and Zhao Rucheng is clever and gifted."
He had gone so far as to praise the absent Du Yehu, so naturally he did not overlook Huang Azhan: "Little Huang... is quite sharp as well."
"Senior Brother Li has eagle eyes!" Huang Azhan promptly buttered him up.
"I won't take part." Ling He said: "I opened my meridians not long ago, and am still accumulating Dao essence in pursuit of Foundation Establishment. I'll stay at the academy, and look after An'an in passing."
Between opening the meridians and establishing the Foundation indeed lay a most awkward stage for a cultivator. On the one hand they needed to accumulate Dao essence to establish their Foundation; on the other, without drawing on Dao essence, they could not unleash their transcendent combat strength. Those like Jiang Wang, who had practiced a transcendent sword canon, were the exception.
Call it being favored or being looked after, Ling He had no wish to tag along and "trail." He would rather advance steadily, step by step.
"Fine, then Eldest Brother stays behind." The bond between them needed no ceremony, and Jiang Wang settled the matter with a decisive nod.
And so the party ultimately set for Sanshan City was fixed as Li Jianqiu, Jiang Wang, Zhao Rucheng, and Huang Azhan. They agreed to set out from the south gate three days hence.
...
...
Wang clan lands.
In the same remote little courtyard as ever, a jubilant Wang Changxiang stepped into it, calling: "Brother!"
At that moment Wang Changji was lounging in a reclining chair, a yellowed old volume in hand, a fat orange cat sprawled at his feet, both basking in the early-winter sun.
Hearing Wang Changxiang's voice, he did not stir, only asking with lazy air: "What is it?"
The orange cat, for its part, catching sight of Wang Changxiang, turned itself about in deep displeasure, presenting him with only its rear.
"Look!" Wang Changxiang hurried forward a few strides, drawing near to Wang Changji, and with a slight bend at the waist, dangled a jade bottle before his brother's eyes. "What is this?"
Of course Wang Changji recognized the bottle. He even remembered with perfect clarity the precise appearance of the pill within it, down to every detail.
Only — the greater the hope he had first placed in it, the greater the disappointment later.
In that instant, no one could know how many emotions churned within him. But in the end he only lifted his eyelids: "Your quota has already been used up. Fifteen hundred points of Dao Merit — was that not hard to scrape together?"
"It was not hard." Wang Changxiang shook his head, beaming: "Your little brother here took first place among the third-year students in the Three-City Dao Debate!"
Wang Changxiang's usual image was one of mildness and steadiness; it was only in this small courtyard that he occasionally let a touch of liveliness slip through.
Wang Changji turned a page of his book: "It is thoughtful of you, but for me, it holds no meaning."
"Try it, just try it once more."
Wang Changji cast a glance at the lazy orange cat at his feet. "Rather than feed it to me, feed it to Little Orange. So it may live the longer, and grow more attached to you."
"That won't do. Father would beat me to death."
"Give it to me, then, and he won't beat you?"
"Father... he does cherish you in his heart."
"Now that you have won first place, the clan also invested resources, and they must see a return. Take the Meridian-Opening Pill back." Wang Changji laid the book over his face: "It is time for my midday nap."
Wang Changxiang grew anxious: "Brother!"
"If you leave the pill behind, I will feed it to Little Orange." Wang Changji's voice drifted out from beneath the book, still serene.
But Wang Changxiang had already sensed the resolve in it.
He could only put away the jade bottle properly, and leave, looking back at every step.
He saw the old book his brother had laid over his face — a Dao canon by the name of — *the Scripture of Deliverance*.