Chapter 75

As the plot of *Iron Blood Heavenly Pride* unfolds, the scene at the Dragon-Hiding Temple is a critical turning point. If not for Li Wuching's intervention, the Han side would have suffered heavy losses.

Li Wuching's timely action not only saved the situation but also reaped significant benefits. He not only completed a task but also gained other rewards.

Apart from the fifty years of internal strength and three thousand main god points, the treasure chest he obtained from killing Xiao Leng contained three martial arts techniques: the Ghostly Shape-Shifting Technique, the Asura World-Destroying Saber, and the如意Fantasy Demon Hand.

Additionally, the Hai Ruo Saber that fell to the ground was also considered a dropped item, requiring no main god points for appraisal and could be directly taken back to the main god space.

This drop rate was indeed high, likely due to Xiao Leng being the target of the mission. However, Li Wuching still felt a bit regretful that the powerful Light Thunder Finger did not drop.

As for the treasure chest obtained from killing Duanmu Changge, the rewards were meager, consisting only of some blood-replenishing medicines, roughly worth a thousand main god points.

...

Cannons and arrows crisscrossed in the air, the sharp sounds of bowstrings echoing in everyone's ears. The Mongol army below the city walls was like wheat in autumn, cut down in one patch but still standing in another; like locusts in the sky, burned in one group but still swarming in another; and like the waves of the sea, endlessly battering the sturdy walls of Hezhou.

Liang Wenjing, dressed in chainmail armor and a purple python cloak, stood on the city wall, his cloak fluttering in the strong wind. Behind him stood Bai Pu, Liang Tiande, Yan Gang, Liu Jingcao, and others.

Suddenly, the Mongol army let out a loud shout. Dozens of Mongol soldiers took advantage of an unsealed breach, climbed onto the city wall, and swept with their weapons, showing exceptional bravery and overwhelming all in their path.

Liang Wenjing, like a large bird, gracefully arrived, raised his hand, and grabbed one by the back, throwing him down. Another Mongol soldier swung his spear, but Liang Wenjing sidestepped, grabbed the spear handle, and used the opponent's force to swing him through the air, knocking down six enemies. Then, with a reverse movement of his right hand, a cold, blood-soaked sword flashed through the air, and a hundred-man commander's head flew off the city wall.

Baiyan watched this and spurred his horse forward, firing arrows in rapid succession. Ten arrows shot towards Liang Wenjing.

Liang Wenjing's mind was clear as a mirror. Without looking, he moved like lightning, dodging six arrows and deflecting the other four with his long sword, pinning them in a row on the city wall's beams.

Wiping the thick blood from his sword, he parted the soldiers, raised his sword against the wind, and spoke with the power of his dan tian: "Today's battle, the city stands as long as we stand, and we will die with the city."

Both inside and outside the city walls, everyone heard him clearly. The Song soldiers, impressed by his might, responded in unison: "We stand as long as the city stands, and we will die with the city."

The hurricane-like roar spread far and wide, echoing through the mountains and rivers of Bashan and Shu, lingering for a long time.

On the river, Mongol warships broke through the Song fleet's blockade, approaching Hezhou's water gate, and set up their cannons and crossbows to bombard the water gate.

A shrill whistling sound rose, and the city wall's mountain-breaking crossbows suddenly fired, sending a barrage of arrows and stones. Six consecutive shots threw the Mongol warships into chaos.

Lu De led the remaining elite forces through the chaos, coordinating with the city wall's cannons and crossbows. Three hundred warships maneuvered through the Mongol formation, as if entering a no-man's land.

Mengu was furious and decided to concentrate his land forces to launch a fierce attack on the north gate.

Seeing this, Liang Wenjing decisively ordered two thousand cavalry to break out of the south gate, flanking the Mongol army and catching them off guard with their powerful bows and crossbows.

Mengu, enraged, changed his formation, deploying two ten-thousand-man units to defend the flanks and personally leading eight ten-thousand-man units to take turns attacking the north gate.

After a long and bloody battle, the supply of logs and stones was running low. Liang Wenjing devised a plan, deploying eight hundred elite soldiers, four hundred archers, and four hundred axe and saber wielders on the city wall in a pocket formation, leaving a gap for the Mongols to enter.

Liang Wenjing's command flag waved, and a large opening appeared on the city wall.

The Mongol army's most elite "Blade" unit climbed onto the city wall but was met with a rain of arrows and a blizzard of sword light. Corpses and heads fell like rain.

In less than half an hour, the Mongols broke through another two-hundred-foot gap. Soldiers rushed towards the breach.

Suddenly, the soldiers climbing the wall fell like rain, either shot full of arrows or decapitated, and the gap was sealed again.

This happened six times, causing heavy losses to the Mongol army.

The Mongol morale was severely damaged, and many soldiers, reaching the city walls, dared not climb. Liang Wenjing took the opportunity to order the rolling logs and stones to be pushed down. The Mongol army began to retreat, the eight ten-thousand-man units pushing and surging, falling into chaos.

Mengu, enraged to the extreme, spurred his horse, galloping to the city wall, and whipped the soldiers. Wherever he passed, the retreating soldiers turned around, facing the arrows and stones, and charged forward at the risk of their lives.

The mountain-breaking crossbows' mechanisms made a shrill, muffled sound. Liang Wenjing's command flag waved, and a barrage of arrows and stones, carried by a fierce wind, shot towards Mengu.

Mengu's heart trembled. He tried to dodge, but the mountain-breaking crossbows fired twenty at a time, dense and swift. A hundred-pound flying stone struck him head-on.

With no way to avoid it, he pulled the reins, and his horse, "Chasing the Sun," reared up and was struck in the chest by the massive stone, dying on the spot.

Mengu was thrown five zhang by the immense force, somersaulted, and fell, rolling another five feet before stopping.

Baiyan arrived just in time, his heart nearly breaking. He hooked the stirrup, bent down, and carried Mengu, galloping back to the main formation.

Liang Wenjing saw this and ordered the mountain-breaking crossbows to fire a second shot.

A massive stone aimed straight for Baiyan. Baiyan deflected it with his saber, sparks flying, and the saber flew out of his hand.

Baiyan's tiger's mouth split, and he fell off his horse, rolled on the ground, and carried Mengu, running faster than a horse.

"Great opportunity!"

Seeing this chance, Li Wuching's eyes lit up.

The optional task of charging in and out of the Mongol army three times was extremely difficult. In the midst of thousands of soldiers and a rain of arrows, no matter how skilled one's martial arts, it was impossible to last long, let alone charge in and out three times.

Now, with Mengu injured and the Mongol army retreating like a tide, it was undoubtedly a great opportunity that must not be missed.

Moreover, besides the task, Li Wuching had other ideas. He wanted to see what rewards he would get if he killed Mengu.

"Ha ha ha, the Mongol army has retreated. Let me go and cut off Mengu's head."

With a loud laugh, Li Wuching, like a large bird, flew down from the city wall.

A hundred-foot-high city wall, which would have been difficult for Li Wuching to leap down gracefully before, was now easier due to his stronger internal strength, naturally improving his ability to perform the Lingbo Microstep.

"Cold Brother, no, don't chase the retreating enemy!"

Seeing Li Wuching's actions, Bai Pu was greatly alarmed and hurriedly called out.

Not just Bai Pu, but Liang Tiande, Yan Gang, Liu Jingcao, and Liang Wenjing were all shocked, not understanding why Li Wuching would take such a risk, facing thousands of soldiers alone.

"Benefactor, you can't go."

"Benefactor, it's dangerous below the city walls. Come back quickly."

"Benefactor, don't act rashly!"

...

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