Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1357: 440: Cai Qiu Sword Saint, Haphazard Naturalization, Miss Mengya

“19…20…21… No, the Qi Muscle movement is at least 20% stronger than mine. This person must possess at least 22 Jun of strength. A Xianyang Level cultivator at this age, accustomed to using a longsword, cannot be found among the Four Vassals. Claiming to be a Princely Heir—is it a false identity, or is he a talented scion from the Outer Domain…”

Even though they were separated by over a hundred meters, Cai Yunzhou swiftly gauged Xia Hong’s strength from the fluctuations of his Qi Muscle. Coupled with Xia Hong’s self-proclamation as a Princely Heir, several thoughts raced through his mind, naturally causing his expression to become serious.

“Is this how Cai Qiu treats guests from afar?”

From Xia Hong’s words, it was clear he was the only one who truly grasped the underlying meaning.

Recalling the aura he had sensed earlier at the City Lord’s Hall, Cai Yunzhou gazed down at Xia Hong, his own expression growing sharper.

This preliminary greeting, involving merely an aura inspection, was just that—preliminary. However, if the visitor believed he could come to Cai Qiu and act recklessly with only 22 Jun of strength, he was gravely mistaken.

“Visitors from afar can be of various natures. For welcomed guests, we, Cai Qiu, offer fine wine and delicacies. But should a hostile guest attempt to force their way in, this City Lord does not mind adding a few degrees of bloody chill to this blizzard.”

Boom……..

As Cai Yunzhou’s pronouncement concluded, Xia Hong’s eyes tightened slightly. An intense heat erupted from within him, instantly dispelling the surrounding cold flow. His body then shot upwards like a projectile, positioning himself directly opposite Cai Yunzhou in mid-air.

“In the end, it all comes down to our skills, doesn’t it!”

Xia Hong met Cai Yunzhou’s gaze across the void, a thrill coursing through his eyes. While the opponent’s expression was grave, the formidable fighting spirit blazing in his pupils did not escape Xia Hong’s notice.

“Never mind whether you are a welcome guest or a hostile one, I have long heard the esteemed name of Cai Qiu Sword Saint. Let us see just how true this renowned title holds!”

If the intention was to feign his importance, then Xia Hong would certainly commit to the act.

Xia Hong directly challenged the credibility of Cai Yunzhou’s Sword Saint title, meeting his stare with a look of disdain and arrogance—a perfect portrayal of a young noble from a powerful vassal family.

“Then let’s see just how capable you truly are!”

The barely concealed anger within Cai Yunzhou’s deep voice was quite apparent, yet he maintained his composure. Finishing his sentence, he drew a deep breath before making his move.

Whizz……..

A streak of potent light suddenly erupted from his waist, instantly painting a terrifying, hundreds-of-meters-long sword edge in the air.

There was no need to gauge the force of that sword edge; the mere sight of the vacuum trail stretching for several miles above the city gate, directly in its path, was enough to indicate its immense power.

Whoosh……..

The airflow above Qinghua City’s South Gate abruptly parted to both sides, violently slamming against the gorge walls with a deafening roar. Many individuals in the queue to enter the city were thrown off balance, and some, weakened by the force, even collapsed directly to the ground.

“It’s the City Lord’s Splendid Light Sword!”

“He’s actually drawn his sword; the City Lord is serious this time.”

“That guy in black must be incredibly strong.”

“Isn’t that obvious? Just look at his attire, anyone can tell.”

………

What appeared to unfold slowly was, in reality, a fleeting moment.

Before the exclamations from the crowd below had even subsided, the initial exchange between the two figures in mid-air had already concluded.

Facing Cai Yunzhou’s incredibly swift sword strike, Xia Hong displayed no exaggerated reaction. With a simple, fluid motion of drawing his sword, he casually unsheathed the black-handled longsword hanging at his waist.

The entire action was not particularly fast.

Clang!

A mystical longsword, adorned with luminous spots, emerged from its sheath, precisely intercepting the Splendid Light Sword.

The collision of sword points and blades in the sky unleashed an explosion of brilliant light. The already howling airflow intensified severalfold, becoming significantly more violent than the disturbance caused by Cai Yunzhou’s sword just moments before.

Although Cai Yunzhou's Base Strength was only 18 Jun, the augmentation from his Martial Arts and sword technique pushed his instantaneous explosive power past 30%, elevating his truly displayed strength to at least over 23 Jun.

Consequently, under the force of this strike, Xia Hong’s body was involuntarily pushed back, and his Shattered Star Sword was forced towards his shoulder, placing him in a disadvantageous position.

However, the subtle changes in the expressions of the two combatants in the sky, compared to what the onlookers below perceived, told a different story.

Cai Yunzhou’s pupils now held an even deeper gravity;

In contrast, Xia Hong, despite appearing to be at a disadvantage, revealed a faint smirk as he retreated.

“A swift sword indeed, Brother Cai Qiu Sword Saint. I too possess a swift sword technique, pray tell, Brother Cai, allow me to demonstrate!”

Thanks to the Law-level Martial Arts mimicry and analysis capabilities, Xia Hong was able to instantly comprehend the flow of energy, the principles of force, and the unfolding rules within the meridians of Cai Yunzhou’s sword attack.

Not only did he grasp it, but in a flash, he figured out the most perfect execution of that very sword move.

As Xia Hong finished speaking, he used the immense power of Cai Yunzhou’s downward strike to propel his body smoothly downwards. The Shattered Star Sword was swiftly withdrawn, his body twisting to build momentum. Then, the Shattered Star Sword retraced its path in an instant, aimed directly at Cai Yunzhou’s face.

Upon seeing the returning Shattered Star Sword, Cai Yunzhou’s eyes widened. A fleeting sense of recognition and confusion flickered across his face, quickly suppressed and replaced by sheer shock, causing him to transform into a streak of white light and rapidly retreat.

“It’s faster than my Heaven-pulling Sword Technique! How is this possible!”

Whizz……..

A black sword edge, several hundred meters long and sparkling with countless starlights, materialized before them. Under the night sky, Xia Hong’s sword attack appeared to paint a luminous galaxy across the heavens, with both the sword and its wielder closing in on the retreating Cai Yunzhou almost instantaneously.

With no means of escape, Cai Yunzhou had no choice but to turn and lift his sword. Realizing that a precise parry was impossible, he immediately opted for a different strategy, swinging his sword with all his might to alter the trajectory of Xia Hong’s incoming blade.