Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 410 Filial piety surpasses that of the Mu family, benevolence surpasses that of Xia Hong, the overlord of the southern slopes of Mo'ao.
"Commander Mu almost killed two of my Great Xia soldiers. Today, I'm afraid he won't be able to leave Hongmen City!"

The initial panic among Yang Zun and the others had gradually subsided due to Xia Hong's softened attitude. Even when they heard him say that the Six Towns had caused considerable losses to Great Xia today, clearly indicating that they were demanding compensation, the lords of the Six Towns were not greatly affected. They even began to calculate how much Great Xia would ask for.

But Xia Hong's sudden change of tone made their hearts leap into their throats again.

By the way, Mu Longhe just tried to kill Xia Chuan and Yuwen Tao.

How could Xia Hong not pursue this matter?

Duan Hong's face turned deathly pale. He opened his mouth slightly as if to say something, but his legs felt like they were made of lead, and he didn't dare to move an inch.

waste!

Seeing Duan Hong's pathetic state, Yang Zun's expression turned extremely gloomy. He gritted his teeth and finally stepped forward, cupping his hands and bowing deeply to Xia Hong, saying, "Mu Longhe is impulsive and his actions just now were unintentional. I hope Lord Xia Hong will be magnanimous and forgive him this time!"

After he finished speaking, he gave Duan Hong a slight nod with his eyes.

Duan Hong received a signal and immediately stepped forward, gritting his teeth and saying, "Lord Xia Hong, if you can spare Mu Longhe, Chui Shan is willing to offer one hundred million taels of silver!"

Whoosh...

One hundred million taels of silver is a considerable sum even for those at the Xianyang level, let alone for the others in Hongmen City. Therefore, upon hearing this number, everyone below immediately erupted in uproar.

The most expensive items currently sold at Wanbaolou in Daxia are the three types of spiritual pills used to enhance strength at the peak of the Cold Resistance level: Dragon Carp, Green Cod, and Black Fiend. The most expensive Black Fiend Pill costs 11 taels of silver, and 1 million taels of silver is enough to buy thousands of them.

To be honest, if Mu Longhe were a fully healthy Xianyang-level cultivator, then this price would definitely be a bargain for his life, and it wouldn't even matter if it were a bit more expensive.

The problem is that Mu Longhe's arms have already been severed.

Even his two severed arms, along with his two swords, were collected by the people of Daxia when he fell.

For a Xianyang-level cultivator without arms, Duan Hong's willingness to spend this money is truly commendable.

Therefore, even Mu Longhe was slightly moved at this moment.

"If Lord Duan truly wishes to pay to avoid trouble, I, Xia, am not unwilling to agree. However, two future Xianyang-level cultivators of my Great Xia Dynasty almost lost their lives just now. You think you can settle things with a hundred million taels? Lord Duan is thinking too simply..."

Xia Hong paused slightly at this point, thought for a moment, and then smiled and said, "How about this, I won't make things difficult for you. 10 billion taels. As long as Chui Shan can come up with 10 billion taels of silver, I will release Mu Longhe. What do you say?"

Duan Hong's face froze instantly.

Not only Duan Hong, but also Yang Zun, Yang Fa, and the other four Xianyang-level officials from the four towns all twitched their brows.

It increased tenfold in an instant!
One billion taels of silver is equivalent to 25,000 tons of silver.

Although reserves of less than 10 tons are called micro silver mines, the reserves of a typical micro silver mine are at most around 7 tons, or 2.5 tons of silver, which is basically one-third of the output of a normal micro silver mine.

What is output?

Only what is mined with a great deal of manpower and resources can be called production.

There's no doubt that Chui Shan can come up with the money.

The problem is how to use such a large sum of money to save Mu Longhe, who has lost both arms.

Is it worth it?
The slightly troubled expression on Duan Hong's face had already given the answer.

Although Mu Longhe, whose arms had been severed, had taken pills to suppress his injuries, the pain of his fractured bones at the Xianyang level was clearly not pleasant. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and when he noticed Duan Hong's expression beside him, his body jolted, and his expression immediately darkened.

Yang Zun's face clearly showed a hint of interest, but his gaze lingered on Mu Longhe's arms for a moment before he finally suppressed the urge to step forward.

A cultivator at the Xianyang level has almost all of their cultivation concentrated in their bones. With both arms completely broken, it's questionable whether they can preserve their cultivation. Even if they do, they'll essentially be a cripple. Ten billion taels of silver is definitely not worth it.

"Mu Longhe offended the Great Xia and deserves his current fate. How dare I let the lord spend a fortune to save a cripple like me? I leave my life to the Great Xia to decide. I only hope that the lord will treat my Mu family members well in the future!"

Mu Longhe, being quite old, naturally understood the situation and ultimately took the initiative to offer Duan Hong a way out. After speaking, he did not hesitate and flew directly towards Xia Hong's direction.

Watching Mu Longhe's retreating figure, Duan Hong's eyes revealed a hint of guilt, and he said in a deep voice, "Longhe, don't worry, I won't mistreat your Mu family!"

"Father."

"Grandpa..."

"grandfather."

The moment Mu Longhe flew towards Xia Hong, thirteen Cold Resistance level warriors from the South City, their faces filled with panic and screams, rushed directly to the front of the Siya Building.

"Stop!"

Xia Chuan had already returned to the army formation. Seeing the thirteen men charging towards him, even though he knew their identities, he immediately shouted at them to stop.

"Stop!"

Having already suffered a loss, not only Xia Chuan, but also Yuwen Tao and the remaining 30,000 troops of Great Xia, naturally would not be careless again. They roared in unison, and 5,000 powerful bows and more than 20,000 weapons were instantly aimed at the dozen or so people.

Among the thirteen people were men, women, old and young. As soon as Xia Jun appeared, they were so frightened that they stood frozen in place, not daring to take another step forward.

Mu Longhe, who was in mid-air, stopped when he heard the sound. Seeing that all the Xia army's powerful bows and weapons were aimed at the thirteen people, he immediately pleaded with Xia Hong: "Lord Xia Hong, those thirteen people are ignorant descendants of my Mu clan. They acted in a moment of panic. I beg you, Lord, spare their lives. I guarantee that they will never seek revenge against the Great Xia in the future!"

As if afraid of being too slow, he immediately turned to the thirteen people below and roared, "Qinghe, are you confused! My fate today is entirely my own fault and has nothing to do with Great Xia. All of you kneel down and apologize to the Xia army, swearing never to cause trouble for Great Xia again! Now!"

boom…………

The Mu family members clearly respected their ancestor Mu Longhe greatly; upon hearing his words, they knelt down without hesitation.

The elderly man at the head of the group, who must be Mu Qinghe, whom Mu Longhe had mentioned, looked at Xia Hong with a sorrowful expression, cupped his hands and pleaded, "This humble man, Mu Qinghe, pays his respects to the Lord of Great Xia! Lord Xia Hong, my father has had both arms cut off and is no different from a cripple. He can no longer pose a threat to Great Xia. I am willing to pay for my father's life, and I only beg Lord Xia Hong to show mercy."

He will pay for his father's life!

The moment Mu Qinghe uttered those four words, everyone present was deeply moved.

However, what moved them was far more than that.

"Mu Qingyu is also willing to join her brother in avenging their father's death!"

"Mu Qingmian is willing to die in my father's place, I beg Lord Xia Hong to spare my father's life!"

"Mu Ziyang is willing to die in place of his grandfather, Lord Xia Hong, kill me!"

"Mu Ziheng..."

"Mu Yunhua..."

………………

As soon as Mu Qinghe spoke, the twelve Mu family members kneeling behind him, of different genders and ages, all eagerly followed suit and spoke up.

From his younger brother and sister, who were about the same age as Mu Qinghe, to the young members of the Mu family who were only in their early twenties, they all wanted to die in place of their elder, Mu Longhe.

Not to mention the more than 10,000 people in the South City, even the more than 30,000 soldiers of the Great Xia army, including Xia Chuan and Yuwen Tao and other high-ranking officials of the Great Xia in the front row, all showed slight emotion.

"No one is more filial than the Mu family. The Mu family's traditions should be a model for every household in our Great Xia... no, it should be a model for every household in the nine towns on the southern slope of Mo'ao!"

Xia Hong, who was the center of attention, suddenly spoke these words.

No one is more filial than Madam Mu!

Everyone in Daxia and the Eight Towns trembled slightly.

Anyone with a normal sense could hear the strong sense of praise and commendation in Xia Hong's tone.

Given Xia Hong's current status, it goes without saying that this statement will soon spread throughout the entire southern foothills of Mo'ao, and the Mu clan will surely become a model for thousands of households in the nine towns because of today's events.

In this way, Mu Longhe would definitely not have to die.

"Lord Xia Hong is a man of unparalleled benevolence and virtue, truly a blessing to our Nine Towns!"

"Many thanks to Lord Xia Hong for sparing my life, I am deeply grateful!"

Yang Zun and Duan Hong actually started putting on a show at this point.

Yang Zun offered a compliment, while Duan Hong went so far as to steal the spotlight and speak to Xia Hong on behalf of Mu Longhe to express his gratitude.

This method of picking peaches is far too clumsy!

How could Xia Hong possibly miss their little scheme?

Xia Hong looked up and stared at the two men with a half-smile before turning his gaze to Mu Longhe. He continued in a deep voice, "The fact that the Mu family has such a reputation shows that you, Mu Longhe, are not an irredeemable person. However, the majesty of Great Xia cannot be violated. Since you are guilty, you should be punished. Considering the filial piety of the Mu family members, I, the lord, will show you special mercy and spare your life. Instead, I will sentence you to serve in Great Xia for ten years. After ten years, you will regain your freedom. What do you say?"

Mu Longhe dared not voice any objections. He didn't know that Xia Hong had never intended to kill him. At this moment, he only knew that he had been spared, and his face was full of joy and excitement. He bowed deeply to Xia Hong.
"Many thanks to Lord Xia Hong for his mercy. Mu Longhe is deeply grateful."

My father's life has been saved!
Mu Qinghe and the group of Mu clan members behind him were also extremely excited. They all prostrated themselves on the ground, expressing their gratitude to Xia Hong and kowtowing repeatedly.

"Thank you for your mercy, Lord Xia Hong."

"Thank you, Lord Xia Hong."

………………

"The Great Xia Lord is benevolent; the Nine Towns will be blessed from now on!"

"Lord Xia Hong is not a bloodthirsty person at all. In my opinion, there must be something fishy about the deaths of those people from the Three Towns Merchant Guild."

"Mu Longhe almost killed Lord Xia Hong's younger brother just now, and he was forgiven for it. This shows how magnanimous Lord Xia Hong is!"

"Lord Xia Hong just said that no one is more filial than the Mu family. In my opinion, we can add another line after that: no one is more benevolent than Xia Hong!"

"Xia Hong is the epitome of benevolence and virtue. Well said!"

………………

Yang Zun and Duan Hong in the sky had extremely ugly expressions on their faces.

Duan Hong's wishful thinking of reaping the benefits was thwarted by Xia Hong's ten-year imprisonment. He had originally tried to rescue Mu Longhe and salvage his image in the eyes of Mu Longhe and the Mu family, but now his efforts have been completely in vain.

Moreover, Mu Longhe is imprisoned in Daxia. Unless he truly abandons Mu Longhe completely, Chuishan will inevitably be controlled by Xia Hong in every way for the next ten years.

Completely abandoning Mu Longhe would mean that all the core members of the Mu family, including Mu Longhe's disciples, would leave Chui Mountain.

He simply cannot afford this price!
Yang Zun's expression was even uglier than Duan Hong's, especially when he heard the jeers from Nancheng mixed with a lot of praise for Xia Hong's benevolence, he felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

Xia Hong's reputation for benevolence was something he had just brought up himself!
"Alright, let's end this matter at Hongmen today!"

Xia Hong finally spoke, announcing the end of this treacherous situation.

From the moment the six sages descended upon Hongmen City at the crack of dawn until he announced the end of the Hongmen Incident, a full two hours had passed. By this time, the sky was slowly darkening.

"Xia Chuan, you and Qiu Peng should compile a list of all military expenses, including the cost of Sun-Shining Pills, silver crossbow bolts, etc., for this large-scale mobilization and subsequent battles. Calculate all the military expenses and convert them into silver. Then, formally submit an imperial edict to the Six Garrisons, stating that the Six Garrisons will bear all the military expenses for this major battle."

"I obey my orders!"

"I obey my orders!"

Of course, Xia Hong did not forget about the aftermath. He first gave Xia Chuan and Qiu Peng some instructions, and after they responded, he suddenly turned his head and looked at the six lords who were about to turn and leave, and asked with a smile: "Lords, you don't have any objections, do you?"

"Lord Xia Hong, rest assured."

"Once the Great Xia's edict arrives, Wu Chuan will surely offer up the silver with both hands."

Yang Qu had no objections.

"Dragon Valley awaits the imperial edict from the Great Xia."

"Yang has no objection."

"We await the imperial edict from the Great Xia in quiet contemplation."

The six lords only wanted to leave as quickly as possible, so they dared not object. After leaving a message, they all flew away in a flash.

"By the way, everyone, don't forget what I just said: send all the bodies of the victims to Hongmen within ten days. This investigation will be led by our Great Xia, and the Six Garrisons must send people to participate!"

Before the six lords had flown far, Xia Hong made sure his words had clearly reached their ears, and stopped looking at them. He immediately retrieved the twelve Frost Beast Stakes in the sky, a slight pang of heartache flashing in his eyes, before smiling and looking down at the more than 30,000 soldiers of the Great Xia Dynasty surrounding the Si Ya Building.

"What, why are you all staring at me?"

Only when Yang Zun and the other eleven people had all left did the more than 30,000 troops surrounding the Si Ya Da Xia truly relax completely.

Once everyone relaxed, without exception, they all immediately raised their heads and looked up at Xia Hong in the sky.

The more than 10,000 cold-resistant level warriors in the south city were all from various towns. Because they had different thoughts at the moment, their gazes and emotions toward Xia Hong were also very strange, ranging from shock, respect, admiration, respect, fear... almost everything.
But the situation is different for the more than 30,000 people in Xia City.

At this moment, they were extremely excited, looking at Xia Hong with reverence on their faces and fervor in their eyes that almost overflowed.

It's important to understand that these 30,000-plus people were mobilized from various garrisons across Xia City and the Great Xia territory. Before coming to Hongmen, they already knew their opponents were six towns, so they were prepared for a fierce battle. However, aside from Yun Jiao and Long Wu's soldiers briefly using their crossbows, the rest of them only made a brief appearance.

He utterly defeated Yang Zun, the strongest warrior in the Nine Towns; he used the Blood Jade Fox to sever Mu Longhe's arms; he sacrificed the Twelve Beast Kings to intimidate the Six Towns, forcing all the lords of the Six Towns to obediently bow their heads and submit...

In the past two hours, what Xia Hong did was not so much inspiring, but rather that each and every one of these things was pushing the Great Xia towards the position of the number one town in Mo'ao.

Xia Hong's strength was always a mystery to the people of Daxia.

Everyone knows he is strong, but no one can really say exactly how strong he is, not even Li Xuanling, who spends every day with him.

At this moment, these 30,000 people realized just how powerful their lord truly was!
Defeating Yang Zun is nothing compared to this!

The presence of twelve beast kings by one's side signifies something everyone understands.

From now on, the Great Xia should be able to roam freely across the entire southern foothills of Mo'ao.

No, what southern foothills? In the entire Mo'ao Mountain region, can we find someone stronger than Xia Hong? Or a camp stronger than the Great Xia?
These two questions popped into everyone's mind.

They subconsciously came to the answer in their hearts, and then their eyes became more and more fervent as they looked at Xia Hong, their faces slowly turning red.

"Long live the Lord! Long live the Great Xia Dynasty!"

Fanaticism is an emotion that can easily make people lose their minds, and what Xia Hong is showing today is too deceptive.

Finally, someone could no longer suppress their fervent emotions and raised their weapon, shouting loudly at Xia Hong in the sky.

This shout ignited the flame in everyone's hearts.

"Long live the Lord! Long live the Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Long live the Lord! Long live the Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Long live the Lord! Long live the Great Xia Dynasty!"

…………

One loud shout after another echoed through Hongmen City. Even the slowly descending night could not suppress the fervent emotions that had completely exploded among the crowd. From Xia Chuan and Yuwen Tao to some newcomers who had only been in the camp for a year or two and were at the limit of the Earth-Digging Realm, they all looked up at Xia Hong in the sky as if they were looking at a god.

Their shouts not only expressed their respect and fervor for Xia Hong, but also carried a strong sense of pride in being a member of the Great Xia.

This sentiment quickly spread to the more than 10,000 Cold-Resistant Realm cultivators in the South City, as well as those Earth-Digging Realm cultivators who gradually emerged from their houses as night fell.

They heard wave after wave of cheers, and at first their faces showed a hint of envy, but then they seemed to have figured something out and gradually became more determined.

"To join the Great Xia, we must do everything in our power to join the Great Xia!"

This sentence popped into the minds of most people at the same time.

………………

"First, let your subordinates step forward to diminish the prestige of the Six Towns, and at the same time force out Yang Zun's methods. Seeing that Yang Ning and the other two swore oaths, they knew that the deaths in the Three Towns were a messy and unclear matter. So they simply stepped forward to take the blame first, avoiding mutual buck-passing and making Great Xia look bad."
Xia Hong had anticipated this long ago. After Yang Zun's defeat, the Six Towns, having lost face twice in a row, would not let it go easily. Therefore, he had prepared those twelve beast king puppets in advance.

By severing Mu Longhe's arms, subduing the Six Towns, and forcing them to reveal the hidden circumstances surrounding the deaths of those from the Three Towns Chamber of Commerce, the Great Xia could then demand an investigation into the truth and force the Six Towns to send representatives. In this way, the Great Xia could establish its authority, clear its name in front of everyone, and gain their trust.

The entire process was meticulously planned and executed, each step building upon the last. Not only did he successfully replace Yang Zun as the number one figure in the Nine Towns, but he also ensured that Great Xia completely surpassed the other eight towns, becoming the undisputed number one town in Mo'ao. Thus, he firmly established his dominance over the Nine Towns, and Xia Hong became the true overlord of the southern slopes of Mo'ao. What a remarkable Xia Hong, and what a magnificent Great Xia Town!

At the Zhao Family Restaurant in the South City, Chu Yan'er's expression was extremely solemn.

After hearing her words, Chen Yiqing and the other four middle-aged men fell into deep thought.

"The overlord of the southern slopes of Mo'ao, surely not? Twelve beast king puppets, Yang Zun and the others were unprepared today. The Six Zhen Zhen joined forces, are they not afraid of the Great Xia?"

Hearing Chen Yu's question, Chu Yan'er shook her head and did not respond.

Chen Yiqing frowned slightly and looked at his eldest son with dissatisfaction, saying, "Yang Zun and the others were not well prepared, and Xia Hong did not use any special methods. The more than 30,000 troops seemed to be present, but apart from the first 20 Divine Crossbows, they basically just watched the whole time. The two sides that clashed today were Xia Hong and twelve Xianyang-level soldiers."

Chen Yu immediately realized what was going on, and his expression changed slightly.

Chen Yiqing ignored his son and looked at Chu Yan'er, saying, "The Sun Illumination Pill that Xia Hong just mentioned should be obtained by deciphering Master Yanlong's Fire Melting Pill formula. I sent the Fire Melting Pill back at the end of last year, and we still haven't been able to develop it. The fact that Great Xia was able to make it so quickly must be because Xia Hong obtained Master Yanlong's organs."

Many people may not have noticed that more than 80% of the 30,000-strong army of the Great Xia Dynasty only had the cultivation level of the Earth-Digging Realm. It should be noted that the past two hours were during the daytime, and people with the cultivation level of the Earth-Digging Realm should not be exposed to the sunlight during the day.

When Xia Hong uttered the words "Sunlight Pill," Chen Yiqing already thought of the Fire Melting Pill incident at Dajue Temple earlier this year.

Chu Yan'er nodded and whispered, "Not only Yanlong, but also the two great masters Wusheng and Jingang were killed by Xia Hong. In other words, the Great Xia may have mastered more than just the Fire Melting Pill. They may have also developed substitutes for Zen Gold Powder and Yuan Soul Pill."

I know about Zen Gold Powder; when used with the Six Paths Vajra Mantra, it can enhance the skin's defenses, making one invulnerable to weapons. But as for the Soul Essence Pill, I remember Master Wusheng used it to kill someone in the end, didn't he?

Seeing that Chu Yan'er, who had just come from Chencang, knew so much about the five great masters, Chen Yiqing was not surprised at all.

Last year, he was one of the reinforcements from the Seven Towns. He was either a participant or an observer in the entire process of the Great Awakening Temple's destruction from the start of the war. He was not only clear about the methods of the Five Great Masters, but also, as early as May of this year, he had sent the news back to Chencang through Chen, Huang and Li.

Chu Yan'er had obviously read the intelligence he sent back before she came.

“I remember that the methods of the five great masters all require the recitation of accompanying scriptures to take effect. The Great Xia’s Sun Illumination Pill does not require the recitation of scriptures, so it seems to be a bit more advanced.”

Chen Yiqing did not answer the question Chu Yan'er had just raised, but instead suddenly spoke of the scriptures with a somber expression.

Chu Yan'er was taken aback by what she heard, but she quickly realized what was going on. After thinking for a moment, her expression became even more serious.

"In other words, Zen Gold Powder and Yuan Soul Pill have most likely been improved to be even more powerful. Xia Jun has suddenly gained three more methods. The key is that we still don't know the specific effects of Master Wusheng's Yuan Soul Pill!"

Information asymmetry can sometimes be fatal.

Sun-Illuminating Pills are not rare; similar pills that can enhance the body's defenses, like Zen Gold Powder, are not uncommon in Chencang; the key is the final Yuan Soul Pill, what exactly is its function, and this must be confirmed!
As soon as Chen Yiqing got closer, he confirmed that the twelve beast kings were not real cold beasts, but rather puppets with beast king-level strength.

The Beast King Puppet was not so unfamiliar to Chu Yan'er.

However, twelve statues were enough to attract Chen Cang's attention.

"This Xia Hong will inevitably become a major threat to my Chencang!"

Chu Yan'er's sudden remark startled Chen Yiqing and the other six people present, who then turned to look at her with disbelief.

"Young Princess, aren't you exaggerating?"

"Xia Hong is indeed very strong among those at the Xianyang level. As things stand, the Great Xia Dynasty is certainly capable of employing some impressive methods. To call him a major threat? That's giving him far too much credit."

“If it weren’t for the Blood Miasma Plain blocking the way, Xia Hong and Jiuzhen would have made the southern foothills of Mount Mo’ao my territory long ago.”

…………

Everyone voiced their objections. Although Chen Yiqing didn't speak, he clearly didn't agree with Chu Yan'er's words. However, he didn't refute them. After the others finished speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something, turned to look at Chu Yan'er, and asked, "Before Uncle Chen Yuanbai and his two brothers returned to Chencang in early May, they told me that Lord Fangbo intended to join forces with Cai Qiu to eliminate the monsters in the Blood Miasma Plain. May I ask if the young princess is aware of this matter?"

"It's not that Lord Fangbo wants to join forces with Cai Qiu, it's that Cai Qiu sent someone to see Lord Fangbo, wanting to join forces with Chencang!"

After being refuted by everyone, Chu Yan'er frowned slightly but did not argue. It wasn't until she heard Chen Yiqing's question that she immediately corrected his mistake.

After speaking, she paused and sighed slightly, then continued, "This is why I just said that Xia Hong might become a major threat to Chencang. Caiqiu has always been obsessed with Mo'ao Mountain, and its main direction of territorial expansion has always been the northeast. For decades, it has not paid any attention to the Blood Miasma Plain in the south. Suddenly, it came to Chencang to cooperate and proposed to join forces to eliminate the Blood Miasma Plain. What do you think is the reason?"

The expressions of Chen Yiqing and the other six people changed instantly.

As fellow regional military governors, their understanding of Caiqiu far surpassed that of the other nine regions.

Given the perilous nature of the Blood Miasma Plains, it would have been normal for Cai Qiu to have ignored it for decades and instead expand in other directions.

Suddenly turning his head to stare at the Blood Miasma Plain, and even proposing to join forces with Chen Cang, it was clear that he was starting to think about expanding southward after being blocked in other directions.

"Regarding the alliance with Cai Qiu, Fang Bo has not yet made a decision, and I am not clear about it either. But what I am sure of is that it is not only Chen Cang that has its eyes on the Nine Towns. At the very least, Cai Qiu is one of them. I don't know if there are others..."

Chu Yan'er paused here, her voice slightly lowered, and continued: "You all know what the Blood Miasma Plain is. Even if the two vassal states join forces, it will not be a matter of a day or two to open it up. The key is that the Great Xia is developing too fast."

Before the Great Xia Dynasty moved out of the north bank of the Xinghe River, it took advantage of the Dajue Temple incident to annex Ba Shang City, subdue Xiang Fuhai, and win over Jiangxia and Muyin towns. By the time the Hongmen Banquet began, three of the nine towns had already been lost.

The opening of Hongmen Port in July was clearly a move by Great Xia to undermine the Eight Towns. Just over two months after the port was opened, when Xia Hong confronted the lords of the Six Towns, you should have all seen that almost everyone in the village-level camps of the Eight Towns was hoping for a victory for Great Xia.
Today's standoff was basically the last chance for the six towns to join forces against the Great Xia. Unfortunately, it all fell short. Yang Zun has some skill, but he only controls Chuishan Town. The other four towns all have their own agendas, and it is impossible to form a union like today again.

In other words, the Great Xia was already the undisputed overlord of the southern slopes of Mo'ao.

And they've only been on the north bank of the Hengjiang River for less than five months!

Chen Yiqing nodded, his expression extremely solemn, and said in a deep voice, "I have been in Hongmen City for a long time. Based on what I have learned, the news that came from Yang Ning at the beginning of the month can be basically confirmed. It is true that the Great Xia has only developed from a small camp to its current state in about ten years, or at most about ten years. Although the date and month of the Great Xia calendar have been synchronized with the Mo'ao calendar, both being September 18th, the year is still the eighth year of the Great Xia."

From a small campsite to what it is today, it's only been ten years...

What kind of development speed is this?

As soon as Chen Yiqing finished speaking, not only the four middle-aged men, Chen Yimou, but also the two young men, Chen Yu and Chen Huang, had their pupils suddenly shrink and their faces were full of surprise.

"It will take time to open up the Blood Miasma Plain. We must not sit idly by and watch the Great Xia continue to develop peacefully. We must find ways to disrupt the pace of Great Xia's peaceful development. It is almost impossible to bring about a second alliance of the Six Towns. In that case, let the relationship between the Six Towns and Great Xia continue to deteriorate. At least we must ensure this before opening up the Blood Miasma Plain."

"Thank you for the reminder, Princess. I understand!"

Chen Yiqing understood immediately and bowed deeply.

"Xia Hong wants to unite the six towns to find out the truth behind the deaths of the Chamber of Commerce members in the three towns. Uncle Chen, are you sure they can't find out?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yiqing was stunned for a moment, then said confidently, "Don't worry, Princess. Although my strength is indeed inferior to that Lord Xia Hong, there is absolutely no way he can find out about me based on a few corpses!"

Chu Yan'er's expression hardened slightly, but when she thought of Chen Yiqing's abilities, her brows finally relaxed, and she smiled and said, "That's right. I've heard about Uncle Chen's abilities. No matter how strong Xia Hong is, it's useless."

"Then I wish Uncle Chen all the best for the future!"

"Young Princess, are you leaving?"

"Having finally managed to leave Chencang, I can't waste any time to see the outside world. I'm very interested in this Great Xia, so I'll pay a visit as an outsider. There shouldn't be any problems!"

To visit the Great Xia directly as an outsider?
Chen Yiqing lowered his head and pondered for a moment. Looking at his younger brother Chen Yimou and the other three, he immediately nodded and then instructed, "Then I wish the little princess a safe journey. I have some things to take care of and must continue to stay in Hongmen. Yimou, the four of you must protect the little princess well. If there is any emergency, you can contact me."

"I know, brother!"

Chen Yimou immediately cupped his hands and nodded in agreement. He, He Yang, Chu Dongning, and Zhu Dong had come here specifically to protect Chu Yan'er.

"Yu'er, Huang'er, you must also protect the little princess."

"Yes, Father. We will never let anyone harm the little princess."

"Even if it costs us our lives, we will protect the little princess."

Seeing his two sons trying so hard to impress Chu Yan'er, Chen Yiqing couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.

Having been through it all, he could easily see the two people's affection for Chu Yan'er.

Given Chu Yan'er's family background, he would naturally be happy to see it happen if it were truly possible.

The problem is, as someone with experience, he can tell at a glance that Chu Yan'er has absolutely no interest in her two sons.

"Give it some time, and maybe things will work out. If either of you can actually bring a princess home as your wife, you'll be blessed for the rest of your life!"

………………

"Father, you're amazing! You're amazing! You chased Yang Zun from Bei Shuo away in a flash!"

As Xia Hongcai entered the side hall on the top floor of the Hongmen Siya building, he was bumped into by his youngest son, Xia Yusheng, who was beaming with excitement.

Xia Yusheng was not only excited, but also extremely agitated. Even when he was being held in his arms, he kept waving his arms and legs, repeating the actions he had just taken when he defeated Yang Zun in the sky.

"Father, your back is bleeding, does it hurt? Does it hurt?"

The usually carefree Xia Yuyao was much calmer at this moment. She walked directly behind Xia Hong, first reaching out to touch the wound on his back. Seeing that the wound was very deep, tears immediately streamed down her face.

"Ah Yao will blow on it and it won't hurt anymore, waaaaah..."

The eldest daughter's move immediately revealed the difference in skill.

"You brat, all you ever do is watch how good your old man is at fighting!"

Xia Hong slapped her son's bottom in annoyance and quickly turned around to pick up her eldest daughter, who was crying her eyes out.

"Don't cry, Yao. It doesn't hurt! Let your mother bandage your wound first. It'll be fine soon. Don't cry, okay? If you cry, your father will be in a bad mood, and if he's in a bad mood, the wound will bleed more and heal more slowly."

Upon hearing this, the eldest daughter, Xia Yuyao, immediately covered her mouth with her hand, her large, watery eyes staring nervously at Xia Hong, as if she was genuinely worried that he would be upset.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Looking at his eldest daughter's adorable antics, Xia Hong couldn't help but burst into laughter.

　It's on the bestseller list today, and it's getting featured directly without any prior promotion. I should have done more. Sorry, I'll add more tomorrow!
　　

(End of this chapter)