Chapter 359 334: Hanged on the City Wall, Aweing the Four Quarters

"I will heed your teachings, Grand-Uncle," Wei Zhenheng said sincerely.

Seeing Wei Zhenheng's look of genuine conviction, Wei Zhixing chuckled. "Yes, Zhenheng. Contentment brings happiness. Even though we are under the jurisdiction of the Garrison Commandant's Office, our Wei Family is still the top family in Five Peaks Mountain City!"

"I understand."

As the two were speaking, a trusted Steward came to report.

Wei Zhixing, lying back in his rocking chair, glanced at Wei Zhenheng. Wei Zhenheng took the hint.

"Come in!"

The moment Wei Zhenheng spoke, a Steward walked in. His expression held a barely suppressed tremor. He bowed his head respectfully to the two men. "Old Ancestor, Patriarch!"

"What is it?" Wei Zhenheng asked, his voice full of authority.

"Patriarch, we've identified the owner of the head. After cross-referencing our information, we believe it's an expert from the Celestial Net Sect, Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang!"

"Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang!?"

Wei Zhenheng looked confused. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"What!" Upon hearing the Steward's words, Wei Zhixing's grip tightened, and the armrests of his rocking chair snapped right off.

Wei Zhenheng turned to look and saw his grand-uncle, a man who was usually calm and collected, now pale with shock.

"Grand-Uncle?"

"Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang! A disciple of the Celestial Net Sect's Grandmaster, the Seven Extremes Elder! His combat strength is nearly peerless!"

Wei Zhixing muttered to himself, his eyes filled with utter shock.

When he first heard that Chen Ping'an had returned to the city carrying a head, he had never even considered the victim to be at the Profound Light Realm, let alone the Profound Light Middle Realm. Who would have thought the results of the investigation would so far exceed his expectations?

A Grandmaster Disciple! At Profound Light Middle Realm Perfection! Possessing nearly peerless combat strength!

Any one of those titles alone was enough to make people's faces pale at its mention! And yet, such a formidable figure had been beheaded, his head carried back to Five Peaks Mountain City by Chen Ping'an!

Hearing his grand-uncle's words, Wei Zhenheng suddenly remembered. Some time ago, the Garrison Commandant's Office had issued a joint wanted notice. The target was none other than Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang!

The reason for the warrant, as he recalled, was that the man had killed several high-ranking officials in the Earth Fire Town Suppression Bureau! The incident had supposedly caused a massive uproar at the time, but ultimately, nothing came of it, and the matter was simply dropped.

But now, after all this time, Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang was dead!?

As the men were reeling from the shock, more news arrived.

A head had been hung up at the main gate of Five Peaks Mountain City!

Constables from the Garrison Commandant's Office had made a public declaration: The deceased was a Grandmaster Disciple who, arrogant in his Realm, committed wicked deeds and intended to disrupt the peace of the trade routes. He has now been brought to justice. Let this be a stern warning to all who harbor ill intentions and seek to sow chaos: any who dare to break the law and cause disorder shall meet the same fate—cut down without mercy!

Let this be known to the entire city!

After hearing the news, the two men looked at each other and saw the profound horror reflected in each other's eyes.

This act would surely intimidate the scoundrels in the region and ensure peace in the surrounding territories of Five Peaks Mountain City.

But... this was a Grandmaster Disciple!

'Commander Chen... what incredible audacity!'

...

At the same moment the Wei Family received the news, Eagle Claw Meng Yude also heard that a head had been hung at the city gate.

'They hung up the head? What's he trying to pull now?' Meng Yude wondered.

He was preparing to depart the next day and had nothing better to do. After a moment's thought, he decided to go to the city gate himself.

Amidst the clamoring crowd, Meng Yude saw the head hanging high on the city wall. The moment he got a clear look at its face, he froze on the spot, completely dumbstruck.

'Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang!'

The Wu Family, for whom he served as a Tributor, was a Noble Family from Earth Fire County. Unlike the Wei Family, Meng Yude actually knew Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang.

Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang had built a fearsome reputation for himself throughout the Earth Fire County region. Although Meng Yude's own reputation was formidable, it was nothing compared to Li Pingjiang's—he was completely outclassed.

In terms of status, Li Pingjiang was a Grandmaster Disciple of the Celestial Net Sect, while he was merely a Tributor for the Wu Family—a far inferior position.

In terms of Realm, Li Pingjiang had long since entered the Profound Light Middle Realm, a height Meng Yude could only dream of reaching.

In terms of accomplishments, Li Pingjiang had once slain a Profound Light Middle Realm expert in a direct confrontation. He had even killed a Commander-in-Chief from the Earth Fire Town Suppression Bureau. Meng Yude, on the other hand, had never even managed to defeat a Profound Light Initial Realm expert in a straight fight.

'He was crushed in every single aspect! How could I, Eagle Claw Meng Yude, possibly compare to Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang?'

And yet, a man like that was now dead, his head severed from his body and hung upon the city wall as an example!

Remembering his own doubt and disdain when he first heard that Chen Ping'an had entered the city carrying a head, Meng Yude felt a chill crawl down his spine, and the hairs on his arms stood on end.

After the chill passed, Meng Yude was overcome with a profound sense of relief. 'Thank goodness, on that day...'

'...I bowed my head and submitted! Otherwise, there might very well be another head hanging on that wall—mine!'