Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1338 - 435: Yinhe Valley, Bone-Eroding Path, Han Peng’s Choice, Finally Arrived

Moreover, Great Xia boasts such a vast population that hardly anyone has laid eyes on Xia Hong himself. Luckily, not a single one of Li Hu's ten team members had ever seen Xia Hong before, so they failed to spot his real identity even without any facial disguise.

Li Hu stands as the mightiest figure in all of Jinyang Village. Thus, nobody there could pierce through Xia Hong's concealed power. By showing a strength of 15 manes, he got swiftly enlisted into Yang Zhong's Hunting Team and started joining their outings beyond the village.

While Li Hu and Yang Zhong's duties included lying in wait, they still needed to sustain themselves and make some coin, which required venturing out for hunts and foraging. Idling around proved useless, so Xia Hong chose to lend a hand by contributing a bit to their hunting efforts.

Over twelve days, from the eighth to the twentieth, Xia Hong aided in slaying 35 Advanced Cold Beasts. He had already toned it down considerably, yet this feat still stunned Jinyang Village and rapidly sparked a huge uproar.

In just half a month, word spread across Jinyang Village that Li Hu's far-off kin was not only incredibly strong but possessed astonishing hunting talents. Soon, villagers swarmed around him, with nosy folks probing whether he was wed, eager to set up a match for him.

Xia Hong found the situation both funny and exasperating. Noticing his hunting feats were stirring the buzz, he ceased making moves thereafter. Each night, he trailed the Hunting Team northward, keeping watch on happenings near the Bone-Eroding Path while assisting Yang Zhong's squad in dire moments.

Up until the ninth year of Great Xia, on August 25

Yet another nightfall, two kilometers south of Bone-Eroding Path, Yang Zhong directed his group in surrounding an Advanced Black Demon Antelope.

From a nearby vantage on a towering tree, Xia Hong watched them intently when he abruptly detected an anomaly. He whipped his gaze northward, his eyes glinting faintly.

"Finally, it has come!"

On March 25th it arrived, and now August too. Clearly, Cai Qiu shows up on these two set dates annually.

"I’ll head to Bone-Eroding Path first; be careful, you all!"

Yang Zhong, striking at the Black Demon Antelope from afar, caught the voice in his ear, his face growing grave. He glanced north before diving back into the assault.

.........

Whoosh whoosh......

Far inside Yinhe Valley lay a three-kilometer-wide passage where black winds raged without cease. Visually, the whole channel brimmed with wildly churning black mist, yet whenever it neared the exit, an invisible barrier forced it back.

All of a sudden, a burst of brilliant light pierced the black fog.

Moments later, an enormous, blazing fireball over a hundred meters across gradually pushed out from the mist. Astonishingly, more than fifty figures stood within that fireball.

Hovering above the fifty-strong group was a white-robed elder. The fierce flames pouring from his form revealed that he had conjured the protective fireball enveloping them all.

From the fire's first gleam to guiding everyone beyond the black fog zone, barely a hundred breaths had passed. As soon as the over-fifty individuals emerged, the elder doused his surrounding flames and descended gently to the earth.

"Finally arrived, thank you, Adviser Zhu!"

Among the fifty, most were middle-aged, with roughly ten youths. Notably, a cyan-clad youth, appearing no older than seventeen or eighteen, spoke up first.

Arrogance etched across the young man's features. Fresh out of Bone-Eroding Path, he promptly faced the white-robed Adviser Zhu and offered a grateful bow.

"Thank you for your hard work, Adviser Zhu."

The others swiftly followed suit, mirroring the youth's gesture with hurried bows of thanks to the elder.

"This is just part of Zhu Yan’s duty, Young Prince, no need for formalities..."

The young man's rank was clearly lofty. At his bow, the elder reciprocated promptly, then halted to advise the group, "The Nine Towns Territory still harbors some Xianyang Level powerhouses. With the Princely Heir and you young masters plunging in abruptly, stay vigilant. Start by seeking out Jinshan Lord Shangguan Yang and Wuchuan Lord Qin Feng using an introduction card. These two share longstanding bonds with Lord Governor and should shield you from harm in the Nine Towns Territory. Besides..."

At that moment, Zhu Yan halted briefly before speaking again in an icy voice, "Chen Cang has begun smearing Cai Qiu’s reputation across the Nine Towns. The Blood Miasma Plain remains far from fully cleared. Even though both sides maintain their alliance for now, with Chen Cang so keen to start scheming, Cai Qiu cannot afford to lag. Princely Heir and everyone else, you all need to step up. First, to safeguard Cai Qiu’s reputation, and second..."

The youth known as the Princely Heir cut Zhu Yan off loudly before he finished, "As a gracious host, Chen Yiqing’s talent for twisting memories and slinging mud is nothing impressive. Now that I’m here, how can I allow his dirty tricks to go on? Have no fear, Adviser Zhu, I’ll not only restore Cai Qiu’s good name but also completely ruin Chen Cang’s reputation throughout the Nine Towns Territory!"

A smile crept onto Zhu Yan’s face upon hearing the youth’s bold words, revealing his strong faith in him as he nodded, "We eagerly await your great achievements, Princely Heir. I’ll stay here to rest awhile, while you, Princely Heir, lead them ahead. Jinyang Village lies just over 20 kilometers south; travel that way briefly and you’ll reach it."

"Then I, Shiqi, bid you farewell!"

"Adviser Zhu, we’re heading out now."

"Goodbye, Adviser Zhu."

......

Cai Shiqi ushered the group away from Zhu Yan, charging swiftly southward.

After seeing them off, Zhu Yan shifted his gaze to the dark fog shrouding Bone-Eroding Path, a trace of unease in his eyes as he murmured softly, "Unless the Black Wind General is subdued, it could turn far more dangerous than the Blood Miasma Plain down the line. If only Lord Landgrave could lend some aid..."

This reflection jogged a memory in Zhu Yan, making him shake his head with a faint sigh.

"The Black Wind General’s power isn’t the only problem—even Lord Landgrave might struggle to handle it, alas..."

He cast one final glance at the black wind inside Bone-Eroding Path before shutting his eyes once more to meditate.