Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 486 Disturbance, Strength Intimidation, and Submission
Xia Hong didn't know how many Cold-Resistant level units there were in Yanling City.

This kind of cultivation level data involves the secrets of the regional military governors. Generally speaking, only a very small number of core high-ranking officials know about it, and normal people can only estimate it at most.

Xia Hong has only been in Yanling County for a month, and to prevent his identity from being revealed, he has stayed in the Jiang residence the whole time without going out, so it is impossible to estimate his whereabouts.

However, he couldn't estimate it, but Ji Hong, who had stayed for three years, could.

Ji Hong had already told him about the situation in Yanling County.

Yanling County has a total population of over 280 million, with 180 million in the county seat and the remaining 100 million scattered throughout the county. Including the garrison in all areas of the county, including the county seat, the total number of military and civilian personnel exceeds 25.

Of these 25+ Cold-Resistant Level individuals, three-fifths reside permanently in the county town, so the Cold-Resistant Level population in the county town is approximately 15 or more.

The county town has a population of 180 million, with 15 living in winter conditions, which is about one-twelfth of the total population—neither too many nor too few.

Once humans achieve a breakthrough in cold resistance, they can move around in the sunlight and no longer need to hide during the day. Naturally, their daily routines will change.

Generally speaking, those with a cold-weather protection level will sleep during the last four hours of the night and wake up when it is almost dawn to begin their daytime activities.

Thinking about it carefully, this kind of schedule is actually quite reasonable.

In the Ice Abyss, dawn lasts only two hours, while the night lasts for ten hours. After nightfall, humans with cultivation levels below the Cold Resistance level begin to move around, either hunting, gathering, or working. As the pillars of the Cold Resistance level, they need to accompany or even lead the group at this time, so they naturally cannot go to sleep.

Moreover, cold-blooded beasts are naturally fond of cold. Affected by the cold light during the day, the temperature is lower in the first half of the night, and cold-blooded beasts are more active. Hunting at this time will yield a much higher harvest than usual.

The watershed moment in human daily routines is the level of cold resistance.

For humans with a cultivation level below the Cold Resistance level, their daily routine is basically the same as that of those with a Cold Resistance level, for two reasons: to be safer when going out and to avoid the cold sunlight during the day. The only difference is that they have two more hours during the day and therefore sleep for a little longer.

Therefore, in the last four hours before dawn, almost everyone is immersed in dreams.

The timing of Xia Hong's sudden attack at the Jiang residence was less than two hours before dawn, precisely when everyone in the city was sleeping the most soundly.

"I will kill you today. Even if Prefect Chu comes, he won't be able to save you!"

Xia Hong's last words were not only arrogant, but he also deliberately raised his voice. Although the Jiang residence was located in the eastern outskirts of the city, there were many other wealthy and influential families' mansions nearby, and many people were instantly awakened.

boom…………

There were already quite a few fires in the city at night. Those who were awakened quickly ordered their servants to light fires, and in an instant, the entire area around the Jiang residence was lit up. More than ten people even took off quickly and looked intently toward the Jiang residence.

boom!
"It's Patriarch Jiang!"

"Committing violence in the city? Are you insane?"

"Someone wants to kill him?"

"Master Jiang is a retainer of Military Advisor Chen's household!"

"No, there are many people in the Jiang residence, look."

"It's the Crown Prince Xuanfeng!"

"The Second Prince Xuange and the Third Prince Renjie have both arrived."

"Military advisors Zhao and Chen are also here, and all the Xianyang-level officials from the prefectural government have arrived!"

"Several officials from the Six Ministries have also come!"

…………

The awakened Xianyang-level beings around him were shocked and astonished when they saw Jiang Xinfan standing in mid-air, coughing up blood, and the more than fifty Xianyang-level beings surrounding him.

call out…………

Just as they were filled with doubt and uncertainty, a galaxy of sword energy suddenly shot out from the main building of the Jiang Mansion, ignoring the group of Xianyang-level cultivators and rushing straight towards Jiang Xinfan in the center.

"You audacious madman, stop now!"

The moment Chu Xuanfeng saw the Star River Sword Qi, his expression hardened, and a look of horror flashed in his eyes. However, when he saw Xia Hong's sword, he still did not choose to back down. Instead, he roared angrily and drew his sword to block in front of Jiang Xinfan.

At the same time, the more than fifty people who had come with him tonight all drew their weapons and rushed towards Xia Hong from both sides.

It wasn't just weapons; some people suddenly stretched their arms dozens of meters long, like ropes, to bind Xia Hong; some threw empty-handed, conjuring an invisible spear that shot towards Xia Hong's brow; some pointed their longswords, unleashing a cyan sword aura that reached Xia Hong's face in an instant; and some even bulged their chests, took a deep breath, and blew it out, creating a black whirlwind that swept towards Xia Hong...

Clearly, these people knew Xia Hong's true strength before they arrived, so when they saw him about to suddenly kill someone, they immediately used their best techniques.

"You worthless chicken and dog, you think you can stop me!"

Facing more than fifty people, Xia Hong showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, an arrogant look rose on his face. He completely ignored the bizarre methods of the dozens of people and, accompanied by the soaring Star River Sword Qi, he reached Chu Xuanfeng in an instant.

call out…………

The sword's edge arrives before anyone else!

As the sword blade pierced through, the skeletal energy within Xia Hong's body exploded. The sword blade, originally only three or four meters wide, suddenly expanded to more than ten meters. In an instant, all the extraordinary techniques of the dozens of Manifestation Yang level cultivators in Yanling City were shattered. Everyone was cut apart by the spreading sword energy, their faces turning crimson. Some of the weaker ones even spat out blood, their pupils filled with horror and terror.

Not to mention Chu Xuanfeng, who was the first to be affected.

He was the one who just unleashed the cyan sword energy from the void. His cyan sword energy, when faced with Xia Hong's Star River Sword, couldn't even slow down Xia Hong's speed, let alone block it. It was instantly broken through.

Puff... Crack...

The sword pierced through his body, not to mention skin and flesh, even bones were pierced in an instant. Chu Xuanfeng's pupils trembled violently, a deathly aura rushed into his nostrils, and a crimson blush rose on his face. He immediately retreated and fled.

But to be fair, although Chu Xuanfeng was not strong, he was very clear-headed. Instead of running away on his own, he pulled Jiang Xinfan along with him.

"Block him!"

At his command, the dozens of Xianyang-level warriors who had just been scattered immediately moved and surrounded him again in an instant.

At the same time, the Xianyang-level people who had been watching the commotion around Jiang Mansion immediately rushed over. Not only them, but more than a hundred powerful auras rose up from the entire eastern part of the city, including the location of the inner city government offices, and flew rapidly toward the location of Jiang Mansion in the eastern part of the city.

"With your meager abilities, you think you can protect him!"

Xia Hong wore a vermilion mask, so he had an ordinary middle-aged face. When he saw that all the Xianyang level cultivators in the city had gathered, he was not flustered at all. On the contrary, his temper seemed to be even more intense. After shouting angrily, his body suddenly sprang up and appeared behind Chu Xuanfeng in the next second.

boom!
This time, Xia Hong did not draw his sword, but instead kicked Chu Xuanfeng in the back.

"76 jun of basic strength, plus 50% of the Saint Rune, is 114 jun; with the ultimate bone enhancement from the Burning Bone Pill, it can reach 171 jun; even without using the perfect-level Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique, just using the Transcendent Long Fist, with a 30% power enhancement, my strength can reach over 220 jun, how can you escape!"

Surrounded by dozens of Yang-level beings and with so many strange techniques, Xia Hong was still struggling even without using the Shattering Divine Light. So, for his first move, he directly used the Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique, unleashing his strongest power.

Like other martial arts, the Perfect-grade Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique also amplified his strength by 50%. Therefore, the power he unleashed with his first strike reached a staggering 256 jun (a unit of weight), which was the source of his confidence in ignoring those unusual techniques and forcing back over fifty Xianyang-level warriors with a single strike. Even now, without using any martial arts techniques and relying solely on his long fist routine, Xia Hong's strength would still exceed 220 jun, comparable to a second-stage Tribulation Body cultivator.

With a mere 52 jun of strength, Chu Xuanfeng, let alone carrying a burden, would have no chance of escaping from his grasp, even if he were alone.

boom…………

Xia Hong's kick was without any doubt, directly slamming Chu Xuanfeng's body into the ground, creating a huge crater in the Jiang family courtyard.

"die!"

At the same time, he reached out his left hand to grab Jiang Xinfan, a cold glint in his eyes, and raised his right hand to slash directly at Jiang Xinfan's neck.

"Leave people under the knife!"

call……

Just as the Shattered Star Sword was about to strike, a powerful, middle-aged voice suddenly came from the city gate. Xia Hong paused, his brows furrowed slightly, and then, without hesitation, he raised his sword again, his meaning clear.

"Young Master Hong, if you dare to draw your sword and kill someone today, I, the Prefect, guarantee that you will not leave Yanling City alive!"

laugh…………

Xia Hong's power was so great that even when he just swung his sword in mid-air, the sword energy he generated was extremely terrifying. Although the blade was still two or three inches short, the skin and flesh of Jiang Xinfan's neck were still cut open, and the silver bones inside were clearly visible.

With his trachea severed, Jiang Xinfan's breathing became rapid. His face was filled with terror and helplessness, but his eyes were filled with an intense will to survive. He turned his head to look at the city gate and shouted urgently, "Prefect, save me!"

This old man is such a good actor, how come I never noticed before...

Although Xia Hong was joking in his heart, his face was very gloomy. He turned his head to look at the army that was constantly gathering in the city and Chu Tianxu flying from the direction of the city gate. His hand holding the knife trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he looked at Chu Tianxu and sneered: "A mere Xianyang level cultivator with less than 4 jun of strength dares to speak disrespectfully to this young master. Is there a problem with me killing him? Prefect Chu is being far too lenient."

Xia Hong witnessed firsthand the limitations of the Body Tribulation Realm.

Chu Tianxu flew over from the city gate, so he definitely didn't stay in the city the whole time. The key point is that when he flew over, his body did not release any aura.

At this critical juncture, he was clearly trying to intimidate me, so he should have unleashed his full power to show me what he was capable of.

Based on what he had seen in the Linchu County Library, there was only one reason why Chu Tianxu was holding back at this moment: he dared not release his aura of calamity casually in the county city.

Is a body subject to calamity really that terrifying?

"Let alone the Manifestation Yang level, even a Digging Realm cultivator, a Logging Realm cultivator, or an ordinary person in my Yanling City is precious. No matter who it is, anyone who wants to commit murder in front of this prefect is delusional!"

The moment Chu Tianxu saw Xia Hong stop, he felt reassured.

He had dealt with Xia Hong once in the Blood Miasma Plains, and from that experience, he could see that Xia Hong was not the kind of crazy person who would act recklessly. On the contrary, he was extremely rational at crucial moments.

As long as there is something to be wary of, everything is negotiable.

After he finished speaking, the fifty-odd Xianyang-level warriors who had just been swept away were immediately invigorated and surrounded him again, looking at Xia Hong with unfriendly expressions. It seemed that if Chu Tianxu gave the order, they would immediately launch a group attack.

If even these Xianyang-level soldiers are like this, let alone the tens of thousands of town and county guards who are rapidly gathering below.

"Young Master Hong has infiltrated my Chencang territory without cause and even sneaked into Yanling City. Considering the matter of the Blood Mist Plain, I was wrong to begin with, so I will not pursue the matter today. But if the young master still wants to continue his violent killings, he should first ask whether the Green Jar Sword in my hand is sharp or not!"

Chu Tianxu's last question was laced with a strong threat. After speaking, seeing that Xia Hong did not respond for a long time, he looked down at Jiang Xinfan in Xia Hong's hand and continued in a deep voice, "Release him, Your Highness."

"Release them immediately!"

"Let go!"

Chu Xuanfeng, who had just been injured, and the more than one hundred Xianyang-level soldiers saw through Xia Hong's bluster and immediately joined in the shouting, continuing to put pressure on him; the town guards and county guards who had been slowly surrounding him below also joined in the shouting.

Xia Hong clenched his fists, a slight blush rising to his face, seemingly on the verge of exploding. But looking at Chu Tianxu's large group and the tens of thousands of troops below, he ultimately held back.

"Prefect Chu, don't try to act all high and mighty with me. Today, your Chencang forces are numerous and powerful, so I, the young master, will swallow this loss. If I happen to run into this man in the future, hmph..."

boom!
He sneered, threw Jiang Xinfan in his hand to the ground with a loud thud, and then leaped away towards the east gate without looking back.

Brother Jiang!

"Is Brother Jiang alright?"

"Brother Jiang..."

Chen Tianhong was the first among the group from Yanling to fly down and check on Jiang Xinfan's condition, followed by the other retainers of the Chen family and the heads of prominent families around the Jiang family who were at the Xianyang level.

As for Chu Xuanfeng and the other officials from the prefectural governor's office and the Yanling government, seeing Xia Hong flee in disarray, their eyes lit up with excitement, and they quickly gathered around Prefect Chu Tianxu.

"This Hong Yu seems to be all bark and no bite."

"Hmph! So what if I'm number one on the Heavenly Ranking!"

"With the prefect in front of us, how can we allow him to act so violently?"

…………

Seeing Xia Hong escape, Chu Tianxu, who was already frowning, frowned even more when he heard the voices of the people around him.

"Don't withdraw the army yet. Check on the situation of the Jiang family's followers. The city will be on alert for the next ten days. Keep a close eye on things and make sure nothing else goes wrong."

"I obey my orders!"

Hearing Chu Tianxu's somewhat somber tone, everyone quickly bowed their heads in agreement. When they looked up again, they found that Chu Tianxu had already disappeared.

"The prefect went to the east of the city?"

"Could it be that she went after that Prince Hong?"

"Definitely. After causing such a huge mess, how can we let him escape?"

"But that Prince Hong is truly formidable!"

"Should we follow them and see?"

"The Prefect just told us to keep a close eye on the city. Don't you know what kind of temper he has?"

"Don't worry about it at all! Don't you trust the Prefect's abilities?"

………………

(End of this chapter)