Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1268 - 419: Xiang Liang’s Prospects, Hongmen’s Dire Situation, and High-Stakes Schemes

Dawn broke on January 16th, in the ninth year of the Great Xia era.

Inside the Xiang Mansion, situated within the Inner City.

"Liang’er, Hongmen is quite different from our Xia City. Your father mentioned it’s a melting pot of people from every corner of the world. You must prioritize your safety and avoid reckless behavior!"

As Xiang Liang secured his travel bag, he was met with these heartfelt warnings from his mother, Zhou Ying. He offered a comforting smile and replied, "Mother, have I ever given you reason to fret? Do not worry. This position at Hongmen could be the Old Xiang Family’s golden opportunity to fundamentally alter our destiny. Once I establish myself there, I intend to provide a much better life for you and Father!"

Zhou Ying’s gaze drifted momentarily as she listened to her son.

Her eldest son had always been both determined and naturally gifted. Eight years prior, during the chaotic Northern Mountain uprising, it was solely his persistence—clutching the Cold Marrow Iron and navigating the treacherous journey to Great Xia—that ensured their family’s survival. Without his actions, they never would have secured their exemption from corvée labor, let alone become the first among the five thousand Northern Mountain families to gain official citizenship in Great Xia.

Even the Xiang Family’s ability to establish an ancestral shrine and gain recognition as a small Sect in Xia City was a direct result of the two years Xiang Liang spent risking everything while infiltrating Dajue Temple.

It was no exaggeration to say that the family’s current prosperity was built on Xiang Liang’s shoulders, a contribution that far outweighed that of his own father, Xiang Ping.

Zhou Ying gazed at her son, filled with immense pride, yet the thought of the perils he faced to achieve such status made her heart ache. She tenderly smoothed his robes and murmured, "I am already content with the life we lead. I have no hunger for grand accomplishments; all I ask is that you return home in one piece..."

Still overwhelmed by anxiety, she turned toward her eldest daughter-in-law, Wang Yuxiu, and drew her closer. "Times have changed, and now that Yuxiu carries your child, you must promise me you won’t take such needless risks. Regardless of the wealth or honor, one must be alive to enjoy it, or it counts for nothing."

A swell of warmth filled Xiang Liang’s chest upon hearing her plea. Just as he intended to reassure her, he caught sight of the silver threads scattered among her temples, causing him to swallow his words. Instead, he kept his voice low and firm, "Mother, rest easy. I never engage in a venture without being certain of my success!"

That daring infiltration of Dajue Temple two years ago had been driven as much by his desire to honor his mother as it was by his ambition for the family’s future.

At forty-seven, Mother Zhou Ying was only at the Earth-digging Realm of Cultivation, possessing a base strength of merely two thousand seven hundred jin.

Had they not integrated into Great Xia eight years ago and remained instead in the Northern Mountain’s Hefeng Camp, she likely would have never reached this age, given the forty-year average lifespan of the Ice Abyss people.

Data gathered by the Civil Affairs Department of Great Xia confirmed that regular, long-term residents of Xia City tend to live until their sixties, provided they maintain a stable diet and consistent salt intake, even if they fail to break through to the Cold Resistance Level.

Xiang Liang was profoundly grateful to Great Xia, yet human ambition is insatiable. Once a certain level of comfort is achieved, the desire for more only grows.

His most immediate and ardent goal was to extend his mother’s lifespan.

She had already been thirty-nine when they arrived in Great Xia. At that age, her potential for physical enhancement was limited; although she benefited from the city’s resources, reaching age sixty still remained a distant, difficult dream.

The only solution was to help her achieve a breakthrough to the Cold Resistance Level.

Success, however, required immense wealth.

Both he and his father had been working tirelessly, consistently directing their resources to obtain Mid and High Level Beast Meat, as well as Beast Essence Pills and Beast Spirit Pills. They pushed their own cultivation resource limits to ensure his mother had enough to finish her Earth-digging Realm Cultivation, begin the process of Reshaping Skin, and eventually aim for the Cold Resistance Level.

The challenge was twofold: cultivation resources from the Camp Supply Department became exponentially more expensive as one climbed higher, and the city’s massive population placed strict personal limits on essential items like Dan Medicine, salt, and Spiritual Wine. Exceeding these quotas meant sacrificing precious Contribution Value.

While he and Xiang Ping could easily handle the costs for her current state, the expenses required for the final stages of the Earth-digging Realm were becoming burdensome.

With both men already being Cold Resistance Level cultivators, their own consumption was significant, and there were also the needs of his younger siblings. While Xiang Yan was now able to hunt and support himself, his sister Xiang Rong remained dependent on them. Including his wife Wang Yuxiu and their unborn child, the seven-member household made it increasingly difficult to finance his mother’s advancement without sacrificing their collective quality of life.

Ultimately, they needed more Contribution Value.

Having been appointed as the Vice Chief of Punishment at Hongmen, he had spent over two months in the Martial Arts Pavilion preparing, intentionally delaying his formal start. This position was a pivotal turning point; if he played his cards right, his future would be limitless.

"Xiang Liang, the time for departure has arrived."

"Understood, I am coming!"

Xiang Liang acknowledged the voice from outside before turning to his wife and mother. "Mother, Yuxiu, no more tears. I must go. If I can manage it, I will certainly return before the baby is born in May."