Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1349 - 437: Murder and Interrogation, the Five Great Feudal Towns, the Four Su Siblings, and the Long-Lost Thrill

"This single piece of beast meat alone bolstered my strength by more than three hundred jin. Is it not a common understanding that after reaching the pinnacle of the Earth-digging Realm, only the reshaping of the skin membrane can enhance one’s power?"

"Big brother, I experienced an augmentation of over two hundred jin."

"My increase surpassed four hundred jin."

Su Xing’er displayed the most elation. Upon hearing her three brothers’ declarations, she enthusiastically chimed in: "Over 800 jin! I directly achieved the peak of the Earth-digging Realm!"

"Who proclaimed that after attaining the peak of the Earth-digging Realm, one could only rely on reshaping the skin membrane to boost strength? Your past dietary intake was regrettably insufficient; your blood and tendons still possess considerable untapped potential. Should you break through to Cold Resistance Level in this manner, you will, at best, remain a lower war body for your entire life."

After addressing Su Jing, Xia Hong turned his attention to the other three, continuing: "The two of them are comparable to you all, but this young girl possesses qualifications far superior to you three. She should have the chance to contend for a top-grade battle body."

At this revelation, Su Jing and his brothers immediately shifted their gazes to Su Xing’er, their faces alight with extreme joy.

It was evident that they fully comprehended the significance of a top-grade battle body.

Su Jing’s expression abruptly faltered. He looked towards Xia Hong, instinctively intending to fall to his knees once more. However, recollecting Xia Hong’s earlier words, he suppressed the impulse and offered a bow, imploring: "Forgive my presumptuousness, but I beg you to accept my sister as your disciple. We three brothers pledge our unwavering loyalty, prepared to serve even unto death if you so command."

Upon hearing this, Su Xu and Su Zhi also hastened to bow before Xia Hong.

Su Xing’er opened her mouth as if to speak, but ultimately refrained, imitating her three brothers by bowing down.

"Arise!"

Xia Hong first beckoned the four individuals to stand, then regarded Su Jing with a gaze laced with amusement: "Young man, you certainly know how to seize an opportune moment. Your assistance in disposing of those corpses demonstrated your sharp wit. I remained here precisely to afford you an opportunity. Since you have grasped it, I shall not, of course, turn you away. As for accepting disciples, dispense with such notions; I have no inclination for taking on students, and your sister’s aptitude, in my estimation, is merely passable."

He rejected the idea of taking disciples but agreed to let the four remain.

Despite a flicker of disappointment on Su Jing’s and the others’ faces, the prevailing sentiment was overwhelming happiness.

"Your names and ages, let me hear them!"

"Su Jing, 21 years of age."

"Su Xu, 19 years of age."

"Su Zhi, 17 years of age."

"Su Xing’er, 15 years of age."

Su Jing and his three brothers were all at the Earth-digging Realm’s limit of cultivation and had commenced the process of skin membrane reshaping. Their progress, however, varied, with their foundational strength registering at sixty-one thousand, fifty-seven thousand, and fifty-two thousand jin, respectively.

The youngest, the most inherently talented Su Xing’er, had only just attained the Earth-digging Realm limit.

"Are you siblings? What of your parents?"

In response to Xia Hong’s inquiry, a shadow of sorrow crossed the faces of the four. Su Jing replied: "Our parents met their demise while hunting three years ago."

This sparse explanation implied that the siblings’ parents must have possessed considerable strength, likely reaching at least the Cold Resistance Level, as raising four children to the Earth-digging Realm limit would otherwise be a formidable challenge.

It was plausible to surmise that after their parents’ passing, the siblings, deprived of their village support, experienced a deceleration in their cultivation advancement. They likely fell prey to the County Guard Army’s deception, believed their tales, and conceived the notion of venturing to the County City, ultimately leading to this calamitous situation.

Xia Hong’s gaze fell upon Su Jing’s severed left arm. He retrieved some transparent silken thread and a fine needle from his satchel, subsequently handing Su Jing a Holy Vein Pill, instructing: "Suture your severed arm back into place, then ingest this pill!"

Su Jing’s expression froze upon seeing the needle and pill. Ecstasy coursed through him, and for a moment, forgetting to express his gratitude to Xia Hong, he called upon Su Xu and the others to assist him in reattaching his arm.

Given Xia Hong’s formidable abilities, any deception upon them was utterly unnecessary.

Therefore, this needle and pill were undoubtedly intended to facilitate the reattachment of the arm.

Despite this inner certainty, until he felt his arm restored, Su Jing found it difficult to truly believe. It wasn't until after nearly half an hour of diligent effort, with the aid of Su Xu and the others, that the arm was finally sewn. Following the consumption of the Holy Vein Pill, within less than a hundred breaths, a subtle sensation stirred within his mind.

"It’s moving, big brother! It’s moving! Your little finger twitched."

"Reattached! The severed arm has been reattached!"

"Big brother, it’s magnificent! Truly splendid! Your arm is restored!"

A surge of elation washed over Su Xu and his siblings upon witnessing their elder brother, Su Jing, move his left thumb. The youngest, Su Xing’er, was overcome with such profound joy that she sobbed uncontrollably and embraced Su Jing tightly.

"Quickly express your gratitude to the Lord!"

While Su Xu and the others were thrilled, Su Jing himself felt an even greater wave of excitement. Realizing his left arm had indeed reattached, he managed to suppress his overwhelming joy, gently pushed his sister aside, and immediately knelt before Xia Hong.

"This life-saving grace is something I shall never forget. Henceforth, whether you command me to ascend mountains of blades or descend into seas of flames, I, Su Jing, will obey without hesitation."

"Su Xu will also obey without a second thought."

"Su Zhi, as well."

"I am the same as my three elder brothers."

Seeing the four of them kneel once more, Xia Hong playfully shook his head. "You can barely see the light of day now; how can you ascend mountains of blades or descend seas of flames for me?"

After his lighthearted remark, he gestured towards the tiger blood pooling on the ground. "Use that to enhance your strength first! I also need to recuperate here for a while, so make haste and break through to Cold Resistance Level. Do not waste my time."

Su Jing and the others, their gazes fixed on the basin of tiger blood, felt their pupils dilate with ecstasy and excitement. They couldn't help but kowtow to Xia Hong once more.

Utilizing the advanced tiger blood to reshape their skin membranes was an extraordinary privilege, one that not more than ten individuals in Qingtan Village had ever received.

In fact, across all of Evergreen Valley, perhaps only a handful could boast such an opportunity.

And now, this enormous basin, holding over a hundred jin of advanced tiger blood, had unexpectedly been bestowed entirely upon them.

Before their inner delight could fully settle, Xia Hong spoke again.

"The tiger skin, tiger bones, and any leftover tiger meat – I have no use for them; gather them all! Once we reach Lin Chu County City, sell them to earn money!"

Upon hearing this, Su Jing and the others froze. When they truly grasped that Xia Hong intended to gift them all these valuable resources, their expressions remained stiff for a moment, and tears began to well in their eyes.

"My Lord, this is your dagger..."

Su Jing, preparing to tidy up, realized he was still clutching Xia Hong’s pale gold dagger in his right hand. He promptly returned it with a gesture of deep respect.

"Very well. With your current strength, you likely wouldn't be able to pierce any game I hunt without this small dagger. I shall bestow it upon you."

"Thank you, my Lord, for the dagger!"

As Su Jing grasped the small knife, his eyes welled with emotion. Lowering his gaze, he noticed a small character, 'Xia', intricately engraved beneath the dagger's hilt.

"Go tidy what needs tidying, cultivate what needs cultivating. Keep yourselves busy, and do not disturb me unless absolutely necessary."

Xia Hong advised them, then promptly closed his eyes, resuming his recuperation and healing.

Reflecting on the preceding pursuit, Xia Hong’s heart gave a slight tremor.

Had it not been for the Shattering Divine Light, he might very well have perished on the Bone-Eroding Path.

The Black Wind General's power had far surpassed his expectations, inflicting grievous damage upon his body. He estimated at least three months would be needed for a full recovery.

"Without the Yangxu Tripod, apart from my own strength, the Shattering Divine Light is my most potent reliance. Cai Qiu boasts individuals far stronger than me, and the other feudal towns possess even more. Thus, I must exhaust every avenue to continue strengthening myself. Otherwise, my safety remains precarious, and returning may prove problematic..."

A multitude of thoughts coursed through Xia Hong’s mind, inevitably stirring a long-dormant sense of urgency.

Alongside this urgency came a subtle, yet distinct, hint of excitement.

It had been a considerable time since he had last felt such exhilaration, dating back to the seventh year of Great Xia, after he had broken through the Xianyang Level and emerged from seclusion.

"The Black Wind General also spoke of the Yin Yang Mirror, the Blood Miasma Plain, Yanze Lake, and the Five Great Feudal Towns. Let us see what further surprises this realm holds!"

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