Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1330: 433: End of the Martial Arts Competition, Cat Demon and Bearing, The Defeat of the East Ridge Disciples (Part 4)
Previously on Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely...
Fu Tiandu caught Xia Hong's question, his frame going rigid right away. Memories surged of his initial slip-up in the hall, a sour look gradually spreading across his features.
He parted his lips like he meant to speak, yet gulped the words down, his countenance brimming with doubt and inner strife.
“Enough, if you don’t want to say it, drop it. Lin Kai, escort him to Hongmen, track down the cat plague victims, and re-examine them with the Yellow Candle. No disruptions allowed inside the city.”
“At your command!”
Lin Kai bowed without delay, hoisted Fu Tiandu, and started toward the exit.
Right at the hall's doorway, something clicked in his mind. He spun back to Xia Hong and queried, “Lord, if Fu Tiandu’s tainted too, do we strip his ninth spot in the youth group Martial Arts ranking?”
Overhearing this while slung over Lin Kai's shoulder, Fu Tiandu's face twisted in faint bitterness. Still, the prospect of banishing that Cat Demon at last brought a whisper of solace to his chest.
To gain is fortunate, to lose is…
“No need. His talent and power truly shine; ninth place came from his own prowess—no call to revoke it…”
Fu Tiandu's look turned to ice on the spot. Convinced he'd caught it wrong, he snapped his gaze upward to Xia Hong.
“Didn’t he owe 1 million taels of silver? Deduct the prize from his debt—it counts as partial payback, and he can handle the balance over time.”
Xia Hong truly spared his ranking and even offered to apply the reward as silver toward clearing his debt…
Fu Tiandu stared at Xia Hong, his face surging with feeling.
“I understand!”
More words burned on his tongue, but Lin Kai cut him off. With a bow to Xia Hong, Lin Kai hauled him straight from the hall.
“Alright, you all dismiss now!”
Xia Hong reclaimed his head seat and flicked his hand, sending Lu Dong, Luo An, and the rest packing.
Once the youths cleared out, he turned to Xia Chuan. “Zero shock on entering the hall, lingered ages near the Deceitful Monster without harm—Fu Tiandu's roots run deep. Watch him sharp; wait for his full truth.”
“Understood!”
Xia Chuan nodded at once in agreement; Fu Tiandu's weirdness hadn't escaped him either, and he'd probe it regardless of the order.
“Alright, Martial Arts Competition wrapped up. I’ve got to head out—you all…”
Hearing Xia Hong lay out orders before leaving, Xia Chuan and the others betrayed no shock, plainly braced for it.
……
Inner City, Lu Mansion side hall
Seven youths clustered close, their expressions packed with irritation and defiance.
“Five of us entered, but zero cracked the top hundred?”
“No shock there—the power gap's real. I eyed the youth top hundred matches. Those past 90th, even sans Cold Resistance Level, packed at least 1 zhaong base strength, signaling Superior Battle Body talent minimum. Our top dog, Senior Brother Zhu, barely hits 98,000 jin now. Top hundred? Dream on.”
“Juveniles crushed it! Same age bracket, worlds apart—not just top ten, even past fiftieth mostly hit Cold Resistance Level, strengths from 2-3 zhaong at least…”
“Chasm's massive. Luo An, Luo Cheng, Zou Ping, Xiao Yan—we tangled with those four once. Now? Our five together might drop to any solo.”
“Back then, Master's group had Zhao Yuanshan too. Checked the rankings—38th for him.”
“Great Xia youths slammed us dimensionally. Beishuo Town scrape up this many freaks?”
“Impossible, no way.”
After Zhu Baixu, Bai Wuji, Wan Qingyu, Nie Shen, and Yang He vented, all eyes shifted to the pair at the head.
Finally, Bai Wuji broke in. “First Senior Brother rocks mid Cold Resistance Level, 5 zhaong power, yet snags just 78th in youth group. Outrageous.”
“Second Senior Brother matches him close—East Ridge tests proved it, hair's breadth apart. Here? 99th, teetering off the edge.”
“Shows the cutthroat heat. Youth list scan: beyond top ten beasts, strengths cluster 5-8 zhaong. Martial skill and fight savvy swing it—one clash seals fate.”
When the five junior brothers below spoke those words, Lu Yun and Han Li shared a quick glance. Memories flooded back of their bold assurance before departing East Ridge, along with the oaths sworn to their master Lu Yang to claim a top-three position. Inevitably, they shook their heads, their expressions brimming with bitterness and shame.
“No wonder the Master always said we were far behind.”
“His younger brother, Lu Dong, is only eighteen this year.”
“The youth group champion—he’s the Master’s younger brother?”
“You didn’t know yet?”
“No surprise, now it all makes sense.”
Discovering that youth group champion Lu Dong was Master Lu Yang’s younger brother, Zhu Baixu and the five first widened their eyes in shock, then revealed traces of comprehension, over and over affirming it was no wonder.