Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1377 - 446: Arrangements, Power Growth and Departure, Splendors of Hongmen (Part 2)

Upon spotting the pill bottle, the two brothers' countenances instantly lit up with excitement.

"I genuinely never fathomed that the provisions the lord stashed away in that secluded cave would be so remarkably abundant," one remarked. "We have a full 72 sets of Jade Bone, a staggering 17,000 jin of High-level Beast Meat, and close to 8,000 jin of High-level Beast Blood. The combined worth ascends to a colossal 15 million taels of silver."

Hu Tiejiang couldn't help but emit a sigh, then he lifted the cap of the pill bottle. Inhaling the fragrant aroma of the Spirit Pills contained within, a hint of intoxication danced in his eyes. With a slight tremble of elation, he continued, "We have 25 bottles of the Jade Yang Pill, suitable for cultivation at the Cold Resistance Level, totaling 300 pills. Additionally, there are 8 bottles of the Yang Breaking Pill for cultivation at the Peak of the Cold Resistance Level, amounting to 80 pills. This collection of Dan Medicine is ample for both of us to pursue our cultivation for a span of three years."

The most crucial aspect was that, owing to the esteemed reputation of Hong Mansion, they were entirely absolved from needing to justify the provenance of this substantial cache of Dan Medicine. Furthermore, for a considerable duration, no one would dare harbor any malicious intentions towards them.

"When I visited the Treasure Pavilion, I declared these were acquired for the four young masters of the mansion," Hu Tiejiang explained. "Ordinarily, people would find it improbable that we could procure such quantities. Therefore, as long as we conceal it diligently and refrain from ostentatious displays, virtually no one will harbor any suspicions."

Hu Tiejiang clenched his fists, viewing this impressive haul of Dan Medicine as their ultimate asset to challenge fate and rewrite their destiny.

"Tiechuan, we shall remain within Hong Mansion for one more month. Once the prevailing situation settles, we will discreetly escort Jing'er and Qing'er out of the city to make our way back to Evergreen Valley. At present, we all possess civilian status, and under Lord Hong's unequivocal protection, Zhang Yiqing and his ilk would scarcely dare to move against us. However, to ensure our absolute safety, a return to Red Tiger Ridge is inadvisable. Instead, we shall seek out a modest village nestled deep within Evergreen Valley to establish our new home. There, we can calmly integrate these valuable cultivation resources, and once our strength has substantially increased, we will then proceed to fulfill the tasks the lord entrusted to us seven days prior..."

Recalling Lord Hong Yu's directives from seven days ago, a flicker of intense excitement, despite an underlying current of apprehension, coursed through Hu Tiejiang's heart.

The sentiment was mirrored in Hu Tiechuan. He nodded vigorously in agreement, then reached up to touch the scar adorning his face. His eyes gleamed with palpable excitement, betraying no hint of fear whatsoever.

As the end of March approached, on a particularly moonless and inky night, the Hu brothers jointly went to the main building of Hong Mansion to tender their farewells. Despite their inability to receive a direct response from Hong Yu, both brothers bowed deeply with utmost respect before quietly leading their family away from Hong Mansion, cloaked by the darkness of the night.

......

April 20th, Year 297 of the Caiqiu Calendar

Within the serene confines of a room in the main building of Hong Mansion, Xia Hong sat with his eyes tightly shut, a subtle expression of discomfort gracing his features.

His entire form was enveloped by a diaphanous layer of oval-shaped, blood-colored medicinal energy, resembling a chrysalis crafted from blood. This potent medicinal force continuously permeated his skin, delving deep into his blood and meridians.

The dark red, skeletal effigy suspended behind him had shown negligible vertical growth compared to two months prior. However, the coloration of the meridians adorning the periphery of this bone manifestation had gradually shifted from a translucent hue to a faint crimson. While not an exactly natural sanguine shade, it nonetheless hinted at the nascent formation of genuine human meridians.

"Hoo..."

After an indeterminate passage of time, the thin veil of medicinal power was completely absorbed by him. As his blood and meridians gradually reverted to their normal state, he exhaled a long, slow breath, and the six-zhang tall skeletal manifestation behind him slowly dissolved into nothingness.

"As anticipated," he mused inwardly, "unless I achieve a breakthrough to the late stage, neither the bones nor the bone manifestation will undergo significant transformations, and the increase in power remains minimal. Nevertheless, the boon bestowed upon me by the Washing Marrow Pill and the Twelve Blood Scripture Skills appears to be quite substantial..."

Xia Hong clenched his fist, assessing his replenished strength, and a distinct brightening immediately illuminated his eyes.

"45 Jun, an increase of 4 Jun. Even before reaching the late stage, this presents a viable avenue for augmenting my power!"

Upon traversing the Bone-Eroding Path, his baseline strength stood at 40 Jun. During the four months dedicated to recuperation and healing in Evergreen Valley, his strength had only advanced by a single Jun. Now, following three months of consecutive secluded cultivation, he had managed to elevate it by a remarkable 4 Jun in one fell swoop.

At the Xianyang Level of cultivation, even a minuscule increment of 1 Jun in strength is sufficient to forge a considerable disparity between individuals; all the more so when this represents a fundamental enhancement of raw power. With Xia Hong's diverse repertoire of techniques, he could effectively translate this 4 Jun increase into at least 8 Jun of combat capability.

"The true might of an expert in the Tribulation Body Realm remains unknown, however, based on Cai Yunzhou's position in the Xianyang Level rankings among the Four Vassals, a general estimation can be made..."

Four months had passed since his arrival in Qinghua City, and through indirect methods, Xia Hong had managed to gather a considerable amount of intelligence. A significant detail among these findings was the Heaven and Earth Rankings pertaining to experts within the Four Vassals.

The so-called Heavenly List was a compilation by enthusiasts, ranking Xianyang Level experts in the Four Vassals according to their previously demonstrated capabilities. The Earth List, conversely, was associated with the Cold Resistance Level.

While the exact number of Xianyang Level experts in the Four Vassals was privy to a select few, the list itself encompassed one hundred individuals.

"Cai Yunzhou's baseline power registers at 18 Jun, with a peak burst potential of 25 Jun, securing him the 46th position. This suggests the Heavenly List's prestige isn't exceptionally high. Even if I'm not at the very top, I should rank within the upper echelon."

"What a shame, if only there were a similar ranking for Tribulation Body Realm experts..."

Reflecting on this, Xia Hong let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.

The previous year, upon his emergence from the Bone-Eroding Path, the reaction from He Qing indicated that it was unlikely for any Venerable Level experts to be present amongst the Four Vassals.

This implied that within the territory of the Four Vassals, individuals cultivating the Tribulation Body Realm already stood at the apex of power. Who would possess the audacity to compile rankings for such formidable figures?

"Being near the top of the Xianyang Level is sufficient. As long as no Tribulation Body Realm expert targets me, I should be relatively safe. My supply of Dan Medicine is dwindling, necessitating a repurchase. Furthermore, I need to look into Chen Cang's status. It's time for me to head towards Lin Chu County... Oh, and perhaps check in on those four siblings!"

Xia Hong's thoughts shifted subtly as he extended his spiritual senses, probing the conditions of the four young ones residing in the adjacent building.

A moment later, a smile graced his features.