Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1334 - 434: Making Connections, Setting Off, Beining Sword Master, Arrival at Jinyang (Part 4)

Han Li's face lit up instantly upon hearing this, and he nodded vigorously in agreement.

Though Lu Yang's shift in expression was faint, Xia Hong spotted it right away and grasped the reason for Lu Yang's reaction. Smiling broadly, he flicked his hand and stated, "For my journey to Jinyang Village this time, I won't require your presence. Have Han Li join me instead..."

There, Xia Hong halted briefly and chuckled softly as he questioned Han Li, "For your 99th position in the youth category of the Martial Arts Competition, have you collected every reward?"

Addressed directly by Xia Hong, Han Li's face flushed with excitement. He bowed deeply and swiftly replied, "To report to the lord, the fifty thousand taels of silver, five Yangyuan Pills, Thousand Forged Weapons, refined salt, and various other goods have all been delivered to me. I've exchanged every bit of the silver for Contribution Value and traded it for cultivation resources."

"Excellent. I've learned about your grandfather—he'll surely be thrilled to hear how much you've advanced this year and gained such abundant cultivation resources!"

Setting Han Li's thrilled response aside momentarily, Lu Yang standing close by had already regained his composure and inwardly agreed with a nod.

Great Xia's backing for Han Li was far from minor. Beyond the master-disciple connection built over the past year, the prizes from this Martial Arts Competition alone could sway Han Peng's loyalty back.

Based on the wealth Han Peng displayed in Hongmen City the previous year, Cai Qiu's support for him paled in comparison to Great Xia's efforts.

Allowing Han Li to travel solo with Xia Hong was a wise choice too. Lu Yang trusted his disciple overall, yet remained cautious of Han Peng. That said, with Xia Hong going personally, any schemes from Han Peng would lead to his utter downfall.

"Keep surveilling Guyang Village in Dongchuan without fail. Chen Cang stands as the sole southern route to Nine Towns now. Should they stir, this spot will react first. Report every incident straight to Xia City at once."

Lu Yang bowed promptly and murmured, "Rest assured, lord. Back in March, I ordered Hou Bing's Jin Han Team to disperse and hide across the Dongchuan region. We've planted two spies within Guyang Village already. Any stirrings, and I'll get word immediately."

Xia Hong gave a slight nod before inquiring, "And have you placed agents in Jinyang Village too?"

Lu Yang nodded at once, "The Zhaoyuan Squad is posted there—and speaking of it, their leader Li Hu, surely the lord remembers him?"

Li Hu...

Xia Hong thought briefly, then grinned and queried, "You mean Li Hu of the Longshan Li Family?"

Lu Yang nodded while explaining, "Captain Li Hu alongside Deputy Captain Yang Zhong—both these promising youths stand out. During Da Xia's third year, upon reaching East Ridge, they were merely at Earth-digging Realm Limit, basic power under forty-five thousand, with Zhaoyuan Squad as a mere beginner unit;

Now, after six years, they've transformed remarkably. Captain Li Hu advanced to Cold Resistance Level at 120,000 pounds base strength, boasting Superior Battle Body Talent, now at Late-stage Cold Resistance with eighteen Zong power; Deputy Captain Yang Zhong lags a bit in talent with Intermediate Battle Body, yet also hits Late-stage Cold Resistance, wielding twelve Zong strength.

Their Zhaoyuan Squad rose to Advanced Team status last year, and by year's end, I sent them to Jinyang Village. Li Hu's sharp wits let him infiltrate as deputy leader there already."

Xia Hong nodded with a hearty laugh, vividly recalling Li Hu and Yang Zhong's crucial contributions during the conquest of Long Mountain.

Li Hu might deny it forever, but he was truly Li Xuantiang's son, carrying Longshan Li Family lineage, thus great-grandson to Li Tiancheng and nephew to Li Xuanling—meaning he'd address Li Xuanling as 'aunt.'

By that reckoning, Xia Hong was essentially Li Hu's uncle.

"Advancing at 120,000 pounds with Superior Battle Body, reaching eighteen Zong strength—Li Hu has clearly worked hard..."

As they conversed, Xia Hong subtly quickened his stride.

Still, he paced himself for the trio trailing behind.

He chose to proceed on foot this trip mainly to discuss Beishuo's affairs in depth with Lu Yang en route. For true speed, flying straight to Beishuo would have sufficed.

"Lu Yun, Han Li, come here!"

Noticing the bundle slung over Xia Hong’s shoulder, Lu Yang halted his words abruptly, summoning Lu Yun and Han Li with a quick call, and proposed to Xia Hong, "Lord, why not let these two youngsters assist you with that package?"

Xia Hong’s face took on a strange look at Lu Yang’s words.

Lu Yun and Han Li reacted even faster, keen to prove themselves. Catching Lu Yang’s signal with his eyes, they rushed ahead to take the load off his shoulder.

"No, no, no..."

Xia Hong quickly declined, yet he reacted a moment too slow. The package had already begun slipping down.

Instinctively, Lu Yun and Han Li stretched out to grab it, only for,

Crack...

A sharp snap echoed as their arms popped out of joint. Had Xia Hong not swiftly caught it with his own arm, the damage would have been far worse than mere dislocations.

"This..."

"How is it this heavy?"

Lu Yun and Han Li stared at the package in stunned silence, their faces blank with shock. Watching Xia Hong casually hoist it back onto his shoulder with ease sent tremors through their pupils, filled with awe and incredulity.

"If they can’t handle it, allow me! Lord."

Observing his disciples fail to even budge the package, Lu Yang’s brow furrowed deeply, prompting him to stride forward at once, intent on aiding Xia Hong himself.

"No, this bundle of mine tips the scales at more than twenty million pounds—you won’t manage it..."

With those words out, noting the utter skepticism on Lu Yang’s face, Xia Hong sighed and lowered the package, then hooked it up with a single hand, gesturing for him to test its heft.

Overflowing with doubt, Lu Yang advanced, gripping the underside with both hands and straining to raise it.

"Urgh..."

His face turned beet red with effort, but the package refused to budge even slightly. Without witnessing Xia Hong dangle it effortlessly on one finger, he might have thought Xia Hong was anchoring it down on purpose.

"Over twenty million pounds—this package..."

In the end, Lu Yang yielded, gazing at the bundle with pure wonder in his eyes.

Ten thousand pounds make one Zong; over twenty million pounds thus surpass two hundred Zong. In terms of Xianyang Level strength, that’s 2 Jun—meaning no one below Xianyang Level could hope to lift, much less bear, this load.

But Xia Hong didn’t just bear it; he lifted it one-handed without strain.

Most astonishingly, after trekking from Xia City here—some fifty or sixty kilometers—he showed no sign of fatigue.

"The lord’s power... to what realm has it ascended? This..."

Snapping out of his daze, Lu Yang’s mind swirled with marvel, his gaze burning with passion and reverence fixed on Xia Hong’s figure.

In contrast, Lu Yun and Han Li lacked any grasp of Xianyang Level. Hearing of its twenty-million-plus pounds weight left their faces slack with denial and confusion.

"Two thousand million pounds in one package—how could that be?"

"It has to be a trick, right? Yet even Master couldn’t budge it!"

Xia City to Hanqiong spans just over a hundred kilometers, followed by the forty-kilometer Cold Jade Secret Tunnel ascent to East Ridge headquarters.

The group of four swiftly covered the ground, reaching East Ridge.

Xia Hong spent little time there; after conferring with Zhao Hu, Wang Tao, Zhu Shun, and the heads of East Ridge’s Eight Departments, he set off toward Jinshan Town.

This time, he skipped the leisurely pace, scooping up Han Li and soaring straight for Jinshan Town’s Yinhe Valley.

Reaching Yinhe Valley, he trailed Han Li’s guidance, hurtling toward Jinyang Village’s spot.

Before long, Jinyang Village lay before him.