Chapter 708: Chronicle of Three Mountains and 17 Captains

However, all this had little to do with Su Mu, and he didn’t think too much about it.

The Wanlin Tower was quaint and elegant, with bonsai of pine, bamboo, and plum trees visible everywhere. The incense burning in the pavilion created a sense of peace upon entering.

At the moment, there were also many guests inside perusing the tomes, and Su Mu’s arrival went unnoticed as he casually walked toward a shelf displaying books on local customs and travelogues.

“Chronicle of Sanshan Winds and Clouds?”

In the most prominent position of the travelogue section lay such a book, which Su Mu casually picked up, then sat down near a palm-leaf fan to read.

“Chronicle of Sanshan Winds and Clouds, compiled and printed by Tingfeng Pavilion. It records the noble families, major forces, and young talents of Sanshan County over the past century, as well as the ups and downs during that time…”

After turning the title page, Su Mu’s eyes brightened. There was no faster way to understand a place than by perusing a book like this in hand.

“In the autumn of the first year of Cheng Jun of the Great Yan, the northern barbarians camped with an army of six hundred thousand and claimed a force of a million soldiers advanced to the outside of Yuguo Pass, eyeing Qingzhou covetously. The late Emperor Cheng Jun ordered the requisition of soldiers from several counties in Qingzhou. Sanshan County sent a total of one hundred fifty thousand garrison troops to support Yuguo Pass. This battle was fierce, and after three years, less than one in ten returned. It’s known in history as the Bloody Battle of Yuguo…”

“After this battle, the late Emperor Cheng Jun purged Qingzhou, appointed a Grand Governor to lead the military of Qingzhou, rebuilt Yuguo Pass, constructed thirteen heavily fortified stronghold towns, and reformed the Linfeng Iron Cavalry.”

The Chronicle first records the origins of Sanshan County and some of the significant events and figures that have had a profound impact over the past century.

“In the winter of the fifth year of Cheng Jun of the Great Yan, during a bitter cold freeze over thousands of miles, the Wise King Temujin Lie of the Southern Court with tens of thousands of elite barbarian soldiers crossed the frozen river to assault, with Qingzhou sending two hundred fifty thousand troops to fight. After five months of grueling combat and final battles on both banks of the frozen river, the Wise King Temujin Lie of the Southern Court retreated. The casualties on both sides were no less than one hundred fifty thousand, historically called the Bloody Battle of the Frozen River…”

The opening words exuded a sense of killing and the horrors of war. Just the Bloody Battle of the Frozen River alone claimed the lives of no less than one hundred fifty thousand soldiers. If logistics were to be considered, the number would be even greater.

As for the Bloody Battle of Yuguo, it was briefly mentioned without listing specific casualties, but from the comparison, it’s evident that the battle must have been equally fierce and bloody.

“The barbarians, the Golden Tent of the Southern Court, repeatedly sent forces southward… This Emperor Cheng Jun’s reign is truly fraught with disaster and hardship.”

After flipping through several pages, Su Mu gained much insight and also a rough understanding of the Great Yan Dynasty’s situation.

To the north of the Great Yan, there existed barbarians, and among them seemed to be multiple Golden Tent Courts and numerous major tribes, akin to the historic enemies of the Han, the Xiongnu from the previous life.

Continuing to read further, the text is filled with sacrifices, with the words Cheng Jun and casualty numbers repeatedly appearing.

Until…

“Yang Dingbian, of the Yang Family in Sanshan County, was born on the awakening of insects in the fifty-second year of Cheng Jun, with celestial phenomena occurring on his birth; began practicing martial arts at age three, and could lift a thousand-pound cauldron by age five, and joined the Linfeng Iron Cavalry under Iron Wall Battalion at age thirteen…”

“In the early winter of Tianwu, Yang Dingbian fought bravely against the Fierce Wolf Barbarians of the Western Court outside of Yuguo Pass, executing two thousand enemies in one battle, including a Fierce Wolf Champion knighted by the Wise King of the Golden Tent’s Western Court. For his service in battle, he was promoted to Junior Sixth Grade Captain of the Iron Wall Battalion at the age of seventeen…”

“By the third year of Tianwu, due to merit, he was promoted to Sixth Grade Commander of the Second Iron Wall Battalion, now serves as Junior Fifth Grade Deputy Commander of the Iron Wall’s Long Blade Division.”

Su Mu soon encountered the first renowned talent mentioned in the chronicle. After quickly going through it, Su Mu was secretly astonished, as the world indeed had no shortage of exceptional individuals.

Born under celestial omens, practicing martial arts at age three, capable of lifting a cauldron by age five, executing two thousand in a battle at age seventeen, and being promoted to Junior Sixth Grade Captain because of his accomplishments.

Su Mu hadn’t forgotten the Profound Robe woman he previously met on Profound Turtle Island. The woman seemed young, yet the true age of cultivators couldn’t be discerned from looks alone.

He estimated that Jiang Yao was slightly older than his second sister and likely was a Half-Step Grandmaster around twenty-five years old. Jiang Yao’s rank was only Junior Sixth Grade Canon Seeking Envoy in the Demon Slayer Bureau.

Even though Yang Dingbian was promoted to Junior Sixth Grade Captain because of his achievements, it was clear that he was extraordinary. At age seventeen, his cultivation must have at least reached the Fourth Grade Realm.

“Heroes in the world are indeed as countless as carp crossing the river!”

Su Mu’s eyes shone brightly without any sense of defeat, instead feeling a strong desire to fight. Yang Dingbian, born into a noble family, began martial arts at age three and reached the Fourth Grade in fourteen years of cultivation.

Being transmigrated to this world, Su Mu had gone from starving to his current state in less than eight years. The six-year gap in cultivation made Su Mu confident that he wouldn’t be inferior to Yang Dingbian in the future.

The stronger the figure, the more it stimulated Su Mu’s fighting spirit and his thirst for the Martial Dao!

Yet with a deep breath to calm his mood, Su Mu couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

“Born in the fifty-second year of Cheng Jun, seventeen during the early years of Cheng Jun…”

Su Mu muttered to himself. Doesn’t this imply that the former Emperor Cheng Jun of the Great Yan Dynasty lived for less than seventy years?

“Was it an accident?”

In a feudal dynasty without the power of cultivation, living for nearly seventy years in an era where the average lifespan was merely thirty or forty years could already be considered long life.

But this world was not ancient in the previous life, rather, it was a world endowed with the power of cultivation!

It’s well known that even a widely regarded short-lived Martial Artist from the Lower Three Grades, if kept away from combat, could easily live past a hundred years.

And yet, the ruler of the Great Yan, holding supreme power, lived for less than seventy years?

============

Su Mu soon encountered the first renowned talent mentioned in the chronicle. After quickly going through it, Su Mu was secretly astonished, as the world indeed had no shortage of exceptional individuals.

Born under celestial omens, practicing martial arts at age three, capable of lifting a cauldron by age five, executing two thousand in a battle at age seventeen, and being promoted to Junior Sixth Grade Captain because of his accomplishments.

Su Mu hadn’t forgotten the Profound Robe woman he previously met on Profound Turtle Island. The woman seemed young, yet the true age of cultivators couldn’t be discerned from looks alone.