Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 394 The Yang family members, having risen to power by stepping on Beishuo, were shocked to hear of the upheaval in Caiqiu.
call…………

The golden palm wind generated a gust of air and a loud noise that rose from above. Yang Ning and Li Hu instantly felt as if they were facing a formidable enemy. While raising their hands to block, they quickly dodged to the sides.

The two individuals have different strengths, and therefore react differently.

Li Hu's basic strength was only fourteen manes, so he dared not be careless and had to raise both hands and use all his strength to block.

Yang Ning, whose strength was as high as twenty-one, only used his left hand to block. Seeing that Yuan Cheng was actually attacking with both hands, trying to subdue the two of them in one blow, a cold look appeared in his eyes. He took out a small silver dagger from behind his back with his right hand, and suddenly slashed out with a cold light, stabbing it into Yuan Cheng's chest.

call out…………

Seeing Yang Ning pull out a dagger, Yuan Cheng showed no surprise whatsoever.

Although Wanbaolou had a clear rule against carrying weapons, these people would at most leave their main weapons downstairs when they came in. It was inevitable that they would bring in daggers and other weapons that were easy to hide.

Therefore, the onlookers around were not surprised at all. They had already dispersed when Yuan Cheng made his move, and when they saw Yang Ning pull out a dagger to fight back, a look of surprise appeared on their faces.

bang... bang...

Yuan Cheng's palms finally landed on Yang and Li's heads, producing two loud bangs.

Click... Click...

Then came two incredibly crisp sounds of bones shattering.

Li Hu, who was weaker, had both of his palms broken off, and his body was driven straight into the floor of the third floor like a nail, with only half of his body left outside.
Yang Ning, who was stronger, only lost his left arm because he only used his left arm to block. Moreover, he was faster and avoided the attack by about half a body length, so his body fell to the left at an angle.

But his body did not completely collapse.

Because Yuan Cheng's left hand was holding his small silver dagger, suspending his entire body in mid-air, and he was looking at him with a slightly mocking and sarcastic expression.

"Is Yuan Sizheng really that strong?"

"The dagger in that man from Beishuo's hand, it's made of silver, isn't it? How come it couldn't cut through Lord Yuan's skin?"

"Speed, the key is speed. That person's strength should be above level 20. After Yuan Sizheng knocked the other person away, he was still able to catch his dagger in the blink of an eye. This proves that the two are not on the same level at all!"

“The Fan Si level figures in the Great Xia Dynasty are basically all above level 30. I thought it was just a rumor before, but it turns out it’s all true.”

………………

boom!
Yuan Cheng was not about to let go of such a good opportunity to establish his authority. He gripped Yang Ning's dagger tightly and kicked him away.

puff...

Yang Ning's body slammed into the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He struggled for a long time but couldn't get off the wall. Then he looked up and met Yuan Cheng's arrogant yet mocking gaze. He immediately clenched his fists tightly, his heart filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Only nine years, just a short nine years!

He remembered clearly that nine years ago, he and Li Hu looked at the group of people from Da Xia with the same eyes, but in just nine years, their roles had been reversed.

The key point is that this Yuan Cheng was just one of the subordinates that Xia Hong took to the Rogge camp nine years ago.

The intense shame arising from this role reversal drove Yang Ning to the brink of madness. However, realizing the vast gap between his strength and that of Yuan Cheng and the other two, his madness could only turn into powerlessness, leaving him only able to glare angrily at them.

"Don't look at me like that. Nine years have passed, and I've become stronger. I thought you should have improved at least a little, but I didn't expect you to be such a waste. It seems that your so-called Northern Shuo background, which you're so proud of, is nothing special!"

Yuan Cheng picked up the unconscious Li Hu and slowly walked to Yang Ning. Seeing that Yang Ning was staring at him, but instead of being angry, he shook his head and smiled. Yuan Cheng felt bored.

"I, Yang Ning, admit defeat today. Enough with the nonsense, let's fight!"

The moment Yang Ning realized that their identities had been exposed, he knew that today was a doomed day. Having already lost in terms of strength, he could not afford to lose face for Bei Shuo any further.

His fearless attitude in the face of death truly amazed many people.

"Yang Ning, a fourth-generation descendant of the Yang family of Beishuo, right?"

"Among the four generations of the Yang family, there is no one named Yang Ning among the Six Talented Men of the Yang family, right?"

"The six heroes are Yang Bao, Yang Gong, Yang Xuan, Yang An, Yang Shou, and Yang Ding. Yang Ning is definitely not among them."

"Not very famous, probably just from a collateral branch."

"Those are still members of the Yang clan, even if they're from a collateral branch! What are they doing here at Hongmen?"

………………

Hearing the voices around him, Yuan Cheng frowned slightly. He wasn't making a move today to save face for Yang Ning and the other man. After thinking for a moment, he reached out and pulled Yang Ning off the wall. Then, like picking up chicks, he grabbed Li Hu with his left hand and Yang Ning with his right, and threw them both out of the window.

However, the two of them fell out of the window without making a sound.

Yuan Cheng leaned closer to the window and looked down. A smile immediately appeared on his face, and he jumped out of the window.

Qiu Peng and Lin Kai followed closely behind, and the curious people inside the building also came out. The rest of the people gathered at the windows, wanting to continue watching the excitement.

"May I ask, Lord Yuan, what heinous crime have my two grandsons committed that warrants your personal intervention to injure them like this?"

The crowd first heard a question coming from below, and then when they got closer to the window, they saw that thirteen men in white were rushing to the front of the building. The reason why Yang Ning and Li Hu hadn't made a sound when Yuan Cheng threw them down was because the old man leading the group of men in white had caught them.

The old man in white must have checked Yang Ning and Li Hu's injuries. His expression was extremely ugly as he looked up and glared at Yuan Cheng and the other two who had just walked out of the building. The question he had just uttered was clearly from him.

There were already quite a few people coming and going around Wanbaolou, and the sudden fall of two injured people from the window instantly attracted the attention of many people, who stopped and looked over.

"Those thirteen, are they from Beishuo Town?"

"Nonsense, that's Yang Fan, the eldest son of Yang Fa and the head of the Beishuo Chamber of Commerce."

"The twelve people behind him are all high-ranking members of the Beishuo Chamber of Commerce. See the two youngest at the end? Those are Yang Shou and Yang Ding, two of the Six Talents!"

How did they get here?

"The Beishuo Chamber of Commerce arrived in Hongmen City a long time ago. They probably haven't reached an agreement with Daxia on the price yet, so they're staying here. I guess someone just saw what happened in the building and went to inform Yang Fan."

"Not only Yang Fan, but look over there, it seems that people from the other seven towns' chambers of commerce have also arrived, probably to watch the excitement."

"I saw them: Cao Tianhong, Long Wenyan, Murong Shang, and Jiang Yuanqing."

"Qin Yuanfu, Shangguan Ying, and Duan Zhao have also arrived."

Hongmen City is not large to begin with, and Wanbaolou is extremely popular, so even the slightest disturbance will spread the news immediately.

Today is the first day of the ninth month. Strictly speaking, the trade between the Eight Towns Chamber of Commerce and the Great Xia has only just begun. Although some important goods have been traded, that is only part of the story. There are still many other transactions to be negotiated. Therefore, most of the leaders of the Eight Towns Chamber of Commerce are staying in Hongmen City.

Bei Shuo is a party involved, so his quick response is understandable.

The people from the other seven towns were clearly there just to watch the spectacle.

"What? These two cowardly fellows are actually Old Master Yang's grandsons?"

Leaving aside the reactions of the others, when Yuan Cheng heard Yang Fan's question, he immediately feigned surprise before laughing and saying, "Old Yang, you still need to confirm carefully. When these two scoundrels entered the city, they both claimed to be from Jinyang Village, Yinhe Valley, Jinshan Town. One is named Liu Ning and the other is named Li Hu. How could they possibly be Old Yang's grandsons?"

Yang Fan's expression froze upon hearing this. Seeing Yang Ning lower his head and avoid eye contact, he immediately understood that it was his own family member who was in the wrong first.

Seeing the two men's miserable state, he still couldn't swallow his anger. Especially noticing the many people from the Seven Towns surrounding them, he turned and glared at Yuan Cheng, saying in a low voice, "Even if they entered under false identities, Lord Yuan, did you have to use such force? Yang Ning is my grandson, undoubtedly a member of the Yang family. Li Hu is also a member of my Beishuo clan. You injured them like this for no reason. Today, you must give me an explanation!"

After hearing Yang Fan's words, Yuan Cheng's smile remained, but his eyes were noticeably lowered. Pointing at Yang Ning and Li Hu on the ground, he continued, "If these two fools had simply impersonated others to sneak in, I would have simply expelled them from the city, just like before. But they dared to falsely accuse my Great Xia of being related to monsters in front of so many people from Wanbaolou. I have already shown them leniency by injuring them today, considering their youth and ignorance..."

Young and ignorant, upon hearing those four words, the expressions of the people around them instantly became extremely strange. Li Hu and Yang Ning, who were lying on the ground, looked to be about the same age as Yuan Cheng, or even older. The four words "Yuan Cheng" were clearly meant to humiliate them.

Yuan Cheng spoke calmly throughout, but after finishing, he paused and his expression suddenly turned gloomy. He stared directly at Yang Fan and changed the subject, saying, "Leaving all that aside for now, Chairman Yang, let alone your two grandsons, even you yourself, and all these people from your Beishuo Chamber of Commerce, if they dare to sneak in with false identities and I catch them, I'll kill them without hesitation. Do you really think that the rules my Great Xia has established at the city gates are just for show?"
"Regardless, I need to give you an explanation. Chairman Yang, why don't you tell Mr. Yuan now what kind of explanation you want today?"

After Yuan Cheng finished speaking, the entire room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Yang Fan and the other fifteen people from Beishuo.

The Great Xia is clearly using the Northern Shuo to establish its authority.

Almost everyone in the Seven Towns Chamber of Commerce, including all the guests at Wanbaolou today, whoever was even slightly intelligent, realized this.

Everyone else could see it, and Yang Fan, nearly a hundred years old, certainly couldn't. He instantly sensed Yuan Cheng's sinister intentions, knowing that if he retreated now, he would only ruin Bei Shuo's reputation and make it a laughingstock among the eight towns. He immediately chuckled coldly in a low voice:
"The Great Xia has only been in the territory of Mo'ao for a little over four months. Taking advantage of the destruction of Ba Shang, they dare to be so arrogant."

I, Beishuo, have come all this way to trade with you out of respect, but I never expected that your Great Xia would treat guests like this.

"Yuan Cheng, don't be so arrogant. Trying to intimidate me? Isn't Hongmen City the territory of the Great Xia? If you have the guts, kill all fifteen of us from Beishuo right now, and see if I even blink."

After all, old ginger is still spicy!
Yang Fan's words immediately put Yuan Cheng in a difficult position, causing his expression to freeze instantly.

Would Yuan Cheng dare to kill someone at Hongmen City?

He really wouldn't dare, at least not in this situation.

Hongmen City not only brings huge economic benefits to the Great Xia Dynasty, but also serves as a central window for the Great Xia Dynasty to showcase itself to the outside world. Ensuring the safety of everyone is the top priority. Without sufficient reason, killing people indiscriminately is absolutely unacceptable, and it would be even more unacceptable if it became known to everyone.

This is a passage that Xia Hong personally told Xia Chuan and the others when he left Hongmen some time ago. Yuan Cheng was also present at the time.

With the lord's orders, Yuan Cheng naturally wouldn't kill anyone, but Yang Fan's temper still flared up, and he couldn't help but shout in a low voice:
"You old bastard, you really think I wouldn't dare kill you!"

"Then..."

"President Yang just said that Beishuo came all the way here to trade with us out of respect for our Great Xia?"

Seeing that Yuan Cheng's temper had truly been provoked, Qiu Peng worried that he might act rashly in the heat of the moment, so he finally couldn't help but speak up.

He asked a question first, and then, without waiting for Yang Fan's reply, he smiled and continued, "I was wondering before that the trade in the other six towns was going very smoothly, but why was it not going well in Beishuo and Jinshan? I thought it was because the two towns had limited financial resources, and I wondered if we should lower the prices. Now I know that this is what Chairman Yang has always been thinking."

As soon as Qiu Peng opened his mouth, Yang Fan's expression already showed some regret.

But there's no turning back now; it's too late for him to say anything.

"Given Chairman Yang's position, his words must represent the town of Beishuo. Since Beishuo believes that our Great Xia is begging you to trade, then it seems that our Great Xia's goods are not worthy of Beishuo's attention. From today onwards, the two towns need not trade. The Beishuo Chamber of Commerce, along with everyone in the town, need not come to Hongmen City anymore!"

Whoosh...

No one expected that Qiu Peng would announce in front of so many people that Great Xia and Bei Shuo would sever all trade relations from now on, and that not only the Bei Shuo Chamber of Commerce, but also anyone from Bei Shuo Town would no longer need to come to Hongmen City!
The surrounding area erupted in an uproar, and the members of the Seven Towns Chamber of Commerce were all dumbfounded.

Yang Fan's body trembled as he recalled the pills and supplies he had seen in Wanbaolou over the past few days. He clenched his fists under his sleeves, his heart trembling.

He never expected Qiu Peng's reaction to be so extreme;
I never expected that Qiu Peng would wield so much power.

As far as he knew, Qiu Peng was merely the Director of the Logistics Department among the Eight Tribes of the Great Xia Dynasty. Although he was in charge of supplies and provisions, the fact that he could make such a big decision on trade with the Eight Towns was truly beyond his expectations.

Meanwhile, Qiu Peng wasn't finished yet. He looked towards the Seven Towns Chamber of Commerce members in the distance, found Shangguan Ying, and asked with a smile, "Jinshan and Beishuo seem to have similar ideas. Chairman Shangguan, why don't you..."

"Chief Qiu, I assure you, Jinshan Town has never harbored any such intention as Beishuo. We at Jinshan do indeed desire the supplies from Daxia. The price can be discussed later. I guarantee I will give you a satisfactory answer by dawn. What do you say?"

Having learned from past mistakes, Shangguan Ying immediately became obedient, severed ties with Bei Shuo, and gave a firm and reassuring answer.

"Then I, Qiu, will await Chairman Shangguan's arrival!"

Seeing that Shangguan Yang was so sensible, Qiu Peng nodded with a smile on his face. He looked at the other six town leaders who were all bowing to him politely, and he nodded back to each of them, a hint of pride rising in his eyes.

This is the unequal trade relationship caused by productivity!

Only the Eight Towns have the right to beg the Great Xia; the Great Xia will not beg the Eight Towns.

Does the Great Xia need anything from the Eight Towns?

Of course they need it. The basic resources unique to the Eight Towns, such as medicinal herbs, spiritual plants, ores, and materials from cold beasts, etc., whatever it is, as long as it's a new type of species that can't be found within their own territory, Great Xia needs it all. The problem is that Great Xia isn't in a hurry for these needs.

Given the current strength of the Great Xia Dynasty, acquiring these things is not too difficult. Obtaining them through trade is simply a way to save effort and see if they can get some valuable items.

The real needs of the Great Xia were coal, iron, and silver from the eight towns.

The demand from the Eight Towns for the Great Xia is enormous!
From cloth, grain, oil, porcelain, clothing, machinery, and tools; to refined salt, fine wine, weapons, and armor; to various precious elixirs and other cultivation resources, these are almost all necessities. Refined salt, fine wine, and elixirs, which are related to cultivation, are of paramount importance.

If you want to continue developing, you have to buy.

After Bazhen bought these things, he would definitely make the ones that could be copied. As for the ones that couldn't be copied, or those that couldn't be copied in a short time, he would just have to obediently continue to buy them from Daxia.

Whether it's a copy or not, the Great Xia will ultimately reap the benefits!
A glint of malice flashed in Qiu Peng's eyes. He cast aside his thoughts and looked at Yang Fan and the other fifteen people from Beishuo. He said in a cold voice, "Since I have just announced that there is no longer any trade relationship between my Great Xia and Beishuo, then it is inconvenient for Hongmen City to keep you all here any longer. Chairman Yang, please leave with your men immediately!"

"you……"

Yang Fan's face was full of anger. He subconsciously wanted to retort, but when he saw that a lot of golden-armored soldiers had arrived around him, he immediately shut his mouth. He stood there for a while, his face turning pale and then red. In the end, he didn't dare to say anything and turned to walk towards the city gate.

"Let's go back to Beishuo!"

Seeing Yang Fan obediently leave with his men, Qiu Peng's coldness gradually faded. He then turned around and looked at everyone around him, saying with a warm expression, "Don't worry, everyone. As long as you follow the rules, Great Xia will not target anyone. Anyone who has bought something in Wanbaolou will be guaranteed 100% safety by Great Xia, as long as they do not leave Hongmen City."

Even Beishuo, which was vaguely considered the number one town of Mo'ao, was used by the Great Xia to establish its prestige. The memory of Yang Fan and his group of fifteen people retreating in disgrace was still fresh in everyone's mind. At this moment, no one would dare to question the truthfulness of Qiu Peng's words.

"Is Great Xia going to replace Northern Shuo and become the number one town in Mo'ao?"

"What do you mean 'replace'? It's clearly already been replaced!"

"It was already done at the Feast at Hongmen four months ago. If Yang Zun really dared to clash with Great Xia, why would he wait until now?"

"You see! Yang Fan was clearly unwilling when he left. I reckon this matter isn't over yet, and there will definitely be more to come."

"It should be. Da Xia rose to power by stepping on Bei Shuo. Yang Zun has quite a temper, and he will definitely get his revenge later."

………………

The First Town of Mo'ao!
Upon hearing someone mention those five words in the crowd, a glint of light flashed in the eyes of Qiu Peng, Yuan Cheng, and Lin Kai. In their hearts, from the moment Great Xia officially set foot in the territory of the Nine Towns, this title must, and could only, be bestowed upon Great Xia.

With the farce below over, Han Peng and his group on the third floor of Wanbaolou were already soaked with sweat.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with tension and panic.

After all, Yang Ning and Li Hu had infiltrated the caravan with them. Although their problems had been resolved, it was still uncertain whether the Great Xia would continue to pursue their responsibilities.
The most nervous person at this moment was Han Peng!

Because when Yang and Li registered to enter the city, they used their identities from Jinyang Village, Yinhe Valley.

If the Great Xia Dynasty were to investigate, he would certainly not be able to escape responsibility.

"Miss Xiaorou, you have to put in a good word for us! We don't know those two people at all..."

When Yue Long saw Zeng Rou approaching from afar, he immediately went up to her with a bitter expression and begged her to speak on his behalf, fearing that Qiu Peng and the other two would pursue the matter. The others also gathered around and spoke up to distance themselves from Yang and Li.

However, before they could finish speaking, Zeng Rou interrupted them with a smile.

"Please don't worry, everyone. When we went upstairs just now, Qiu Sizheng already told us that he wouldn't hold you accountable for your mistakes. You can continue to stroll around Wanbaolou without any worries."

Upon hearing this, Yue Long and the others were immediately thrilled. If Qiu Peng hadn't been absent, they probably would have knelt down to express their gratitude.

Han Peng was also extremely excited. Among the group, he had the most problems, so he was naturally the happiest when he learned that Qiu Peng would not pursue the matter further.

However, his joy did not last long.

Yue Long and the others asked Zeng Rou to convey their gratitude to Qiu Peng, and then they gradually dispersed to continue their stroll elsewhere.

Han Peng followed the crowd and retreated, but as soon as he moved, Zeng Rou came up behind him and whispered for him to stop.

"Please wait, Elder Han. Our Minister has some questions for you. He has set up a private room on the top floor and asked me to take you there now!"

Han Peng's expression stiffened slightly behind his mask. He could only nod gently before following Zeng Rou up to the top floor.

"Are you still going to hold me accountable for my mistake?"

"No, if we're going to investigate, they shouldn't have invited me to the top floor. They even said they set up a private room, so it must be for something else."

"What else could I possibly be doing that would attract the attention of the Great Xia?"

Although Han Peng only has the strength of 13, he is already 81 years old this year, and his experience is far beyond that of ordinary people. In the short time it took him to follow Zeng Rou upstairs, he instantly sorted out the problem in his mind.

What could possibly have happened to him that would attract the attention of the Great Xia?
As the question popped into his mind, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his expression immediately became tense.

Soon, Zeng Rou arrived at a quiet room on the top floor. After knocking on the door, she whispered to the person inside, "Sir, I have brought Elder Han."

"come in!"

Zeng Rou helped push open the door and smiled, gesturing for Han Peng to go in.

thump…………

Han Peng had already removed his mask and black robe. After slowly walking into the quiet room, before Qiu Peng on the chair could speak, he took out a silver ingot from his pocket and then knelt down with a thud.

"Lord Qiu, I was blinded by greed and was bribed by Yang Ning with a silver ingot. That's why I didn't expose him at the city gate. I am guilty and beg for your forgiveness. I don't want the silver ingot anymore. I only beg you to spare my life, considering that I am eighty-one years old and my children and grandchildren are still young!"

Bang bang bang…………

Han Peng actually knelt down and kowtowed.

And he was crying while he was hitting himself, as if he was really scared.

Qiu Peng was completely bewildered by his move, and remained stunned for more than ten breaths before he quickly got up and helped him up.

He looked at Han Peng with a strange expression, and when he saw that Han Peng was really crying, he was stunned for a few moments. Then he led him to a chair and sat him down before slowly saying, "Old Han, you misunderstand. I invited you here not to investigate your mistake of entering the city."

Han Peng immediately stopped crying, looked up blankly, his face full of confusion and bewilderment, as if asking Qiu Peng why he had been called here if not for this.

Qiu Peng frowned and stared at him for more than ten seconds before continuing in a low voice, "Old Han is quite old, so I won't waste my time. As far as I know, you are from Jinyang Village. You broke through to the Cold Resistance level in your forties and did not have the aptitude for battle. You broke through to the peak of Cold Resistance at the age of seventy-two. You were originally at the level of 8 manes until five years ago when your strength began to increase. Now you are at the level of 13 manes."

Hearing Qiu Peng explain his cultivation level so clearly, Han Peng's face was filled with astonishment, but what shocked him was far from over.

“I know Jinyang Village. Among the nine village-level camps in Yinhe Valley, it is not considered rich. Over the years, there have only been two iron mines. Your village has a total of eight cold-resistant level people. Of the remaining seven, four are your sons, two are your nephews, and one is your grandson Han Li. He seems to be only 23 years old this year. With this talent, he would not be bad even in Jinshan Town.”

In reality, breaking through to the Cold Resistance level at 23 was definitely not considered qualified by Qiu Peng's standards, but when Han Li was mentioned, he still gave him a slight compliment. Then, looking at Han Peng, he smiled and said, "Actually, your own growth in strength is already quite unusual, not to mention that the entire Jin Yang Village only has one Cold Resistance level expert from your family, which is even more unusual..."

"May I ask, Lord Qiu, I believe I have concealed myself quite well over the years. Moreover, Jinyang Village is located in the most remote Yinhe Valley area on the west side, and even Jinshan City has not noticed me. How did the Great Xia notice me?"

Having said all that, Han Peng naturally stopped pretending. His expression remained respectful as he cupped his hands and expressed his confusion to Qiu Peng.

"You don't need to worry about that. Just tell me what your supplier's name is, where their camp is located, and how far it is from Jinshan Town."

One piece of information about Han Peng was that he was extremely keen on finding out news about various towns, and was even willing to spend money to buy it. Based on this alone, Qiu Peng could basically deduce that he had connections with forces outside the region. So, without further ado, he directly asked about his superior.

Upon hearing these three questions, Han Peng's expression finally changed. He looked up at Qiu Peng, a hint of sternness in his eyes, and said, "I advise Lord Qiu not to ask. Knowing the answers will probably not do the Great Xia any good."

Qiu Peng raised an eyebrow and said, "What if I insist on asking?"

Han Peng looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said, "My lord, please don't waste your time. I will never tell you, no matter what!"

Not only was his gaze resolute, but his expression also became one of resignation to death, displaying a rather spirited demeanor.

call out…………

Qiu Peng didn't speak, but simply drew the horizontal sword from beside the chair. In a flash, the blade grazed his temple, and a lock of white hair flew down.

Along with that strand of white hair that fell to the ground, Han Peng's integrity also crumbled.

"To be honest, sir, I am actually a secret agent from Caiqiu, specializing in gathering intelligence on the nine towns under the Caiqiu garrison in the north. I have been doing this for six years now..."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Peng immediately perked up.

Han Peng was very cooperative, answering almost every question asked, and even proactively providing answers to some questions that Qiu Peng hadn't asked.

As he continued to speak, words he had never heard before, such as Caiqiu, Fanzhen, and Fangbo, kept flooding into his ears, and Qiu Peng's expression gradually became solemn.

………………

Qiu Peng was naturally thrilled to learn of the news about the foreign forces.

However, Yang Fan and his group, who had just come out of Hongmen City, were not in the same good mood as him.

A group of fifteen people were traveling through the snowy forest. Everyone had a tense expression and was only focused on heading north. No one spoke.

The seriously injured Yang Ning and Li Hu were being carried by others. Both of them were quite badly injured, and Li Hu was unconscious. Fortunately, he escaped this awkward situation.

Yang Ning wasn't so relaxed. He was pretending to be unconscious, occasionally opening his eyes to look at his third grandfather, Yang Fan, who was standing at the front, his face full of guilt and remorse.

He naturally realized at this moment how big of a mess he had made, and also understood that his previous plan with Li Hu to gain merit was an extremely foolish act.

Just as Yuan Cheng said, given their status, if they said that Great Xia was related to monsters, no one would believe them at all; it would only make Great Xia's reputation even greater.

call…………

As Yang Ning closed his eyes in deep thought, a sudden, violent gust of wind came from ahead.

boom!
"who!"

"There's an ambush."

A fierce sword light suddenly rushed from the flank of the snow forest, heading straight for Yang Fan, who was in the lead.

Yang Fan hastily raised his spear to retaliate. Although he blocked the sword light, there was a clear gap between his strength and that of his opponent. His spear was knocked away, and then the sword light pierced through his brow in an instant, killing him instantly.

"Run...run in different directions..."

Yang Fan's pupils widened, his eyes filled with horror. He instantly realized what was happening and, with his last bit of strength, turned to the others and spoke with difficulty.

The owner of that sword light was dressed in black, with a middle-aged face and a very honest expression. After killing the man, he still had a smile on his face. After killing Yang Fan, he did not hesitate for a moment and turned around to rush towards the four strongest people among the remaining fourteen.

Yang Fan, with his strength of thirty-one, was killed in one blow. The rest of them had no will to resist. Their faces were full of panic, and they turned around and fled in different directions.

Pfft pfft...

Unfortunately, that honest-looking middle-aged man was far too powerful.

The four strongest men hadn't run far before he caught up with them and killed them one by one. As for the remaining ten, they were even worse off. In less than a hundred breaths, apart from Yang Ning and Li Hu who were thrown to the ground, the other eight were all dead, including Yang Shou and Yang Ding, two of the Six Steeds of the Yang Clan.

This sudden change left Yang Ning completely stunned.

He had just been thrown to the ground, and now, severely injured, he couldn't run far. He could only watch helplessly as his people were slaughtered, his body trembling violently, his pupils filled with terror.

"Kid, weren't you pretty brave in the city just now? What are you afraid of now?"

(End of this chapter)