Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1405 - 452: Gathering from All Sides, Chui Mountain Affair Settled, Lord of the Nine Towns, Alliance Agreement Finalized (Part 3)...

An electric current of excitement instantly surged through the entire assembly.

Cai Shiqi, Chu Yan’er, and the others grew visibly pale. When the collective fury of many ignites, even those at the Xianyang Level like Yang Zhun and Yang Fa ascended into the air, let alone the rest of them, whose cultivation was merely at the Cold Resistance Level. Regardless of their innate talent, noble lineage, or powerful backing, none of it offered protection against the surging tide of steel and blood. If the emotions of these nearly twenty thousand soldiers at the Cold Resistance Level truly ran rampant, they would be torn to shreds in mere moments.

What had begun as a dispute over the rightful ownership of Chui Mountain Town, under Li Xuanling’s impassioned address, was rapidly transforming into a widespread condemnation of the transgressions by the two Feudal Towns. Every critical gaze and pointed finger was now directed squarely at Chen Cang and Cai Qiu.

Chu Yan’er, Cai Shiqi, and the retinue from the Feudal Towns, who had anticipated a simple excursion to a remote locale to flaunt their status, found themselves utterly dumbfounded.

"Everyone, please exercise restraint for the moment!"

Li Xuanling had masterfully commandeered the situation. With a subtle elevation of her hand, she gestured downwards. The tens of thousands gathered below instantly silenced their clamor, falling into a profound quiet.

"It is undeniable that the Feudal Towns wield considerable power. Presently, coveting the domain of the Nine Towns, we face both Chen Cang and Cai Qiu. Why then would these two houses dispatch a contingent of utterly useless young scions, only to instigate constant discord among the Nine Towns, pushing them to the brink of warfare? In its fundamental essence, is this not precisely because they dread the prospect of our unified front? This clearly demonstrates that as long as our Nine Towns of the South Slope stand united and act in concert, we possess the potential to fend off the encroachment of the two vassal towns!"

Having finally unveiled the meticulously prepared stratagem, Li Xuanling’s gaze became resolute. Seizing the critical juncture before the crowd below could process her words, she continued with a voice that resonated powerfully:

"Our Great Xia proudly bears the mantle of South Ridge Dominator; therefore, it is incumbent upon us to bear the responsibility of repelling external aggressors. Others may shy away from the very notion of a Nine Towns alliance for mutual defense, paralyzed by the fear of incurring the wrath of the two vassal towns. You may harbor such fears—but Great Xia does not! As my husband, Xia Hong, remains in seclusion, I, in my capacity as his wife, shall step beyond the bounds of propriety today. On his behalf, I extend a sincere invitation to the remaining Eight Towns to forge an alliance with Great Xia, to jointly safeguard the Nine Towns and resist the foreign invaders!"

Safeguard the Nine Towns, resist foreign foes together!

Since the conclusion of the Battle of Hongmen, when Xia Hong first proposed adopting the Longyou model to address the volatile situation within the Nine Towns of the South Slope, nearly two full years had elapsed. Great Xia had diligently and systematically laid its foundations throughout this period. Capitalizing on this very Chui Mountain upheaval, Li Xuanling finally revealed the hidden trump card, openly declaring their intention to form an alliance. It could be unequivocally stated that from this precise moment, the Longyou model would truly commence its operational phase!

The Nine Towns alliance!

Upon the ground below, Yang Zhun abruptly clenched his fists, his head rising to fix his gaze upon Li Xuanling. His countenance was a mask of envy, and a flicker of deep-seated resentment ignited within the depths of his pupils.

Beside him, Yang Fa’s face flushed crimson, his reaction even more pronounced than Yang Zhun’s. Within the strategic plans devised by the two brothers, the proposal for such an alliance was intended to originate from their own Beishuo fiefdom.

Great Xia had only ventured forth through the East Exit for a little over two years—a mere span of two years! These past two years had been nothing short of a harrowing ordeal for Beishuo…

In the fourth month of the year preceding the last, Great Xia emerged from the East Exit and assimilated Bashang in a single swift movement. Initially, they had forcibly prolonged Muyin’s existence, and subsequently, they had championed Jiangxia. Although the Three Towns had not yet formally solidified their alliance, the pact, in practical terms, already existed. In the ninth month of the year preceding the last, during the momentous Battle of Hongmen, Xia Hong first vanquished Yang Zhun, thereby securing the prestigious title of "Number One Man of the Nine Towns." Subsequently, by leveraging the opportune moment of opening the port to broaden his influence, Great Xia adamantly cemented its position as the Number One Town of the South Slope. With the confluence of these two pivotal developments, Xia Hong’s claim as the South Ridge Dominator had long been universally acknowledged. Now, Great Xia had lent its crucial support to Mu Longhe in reclaiming Chui Mountain Town. This effectively meant that within the entirety of the Nine Towns of the South Slope, Great Xia was now exerting control over four towns—a figure approaching half the total. And now, under the guise of the foreign incursions by the fiefs of Cai Qiu and Chen Cang, and rallying under the banner of defending the Nine Towns and resisting external threats, they were smoothly proposing the Nine Towns alliance! Should this alliance indeed materialize, then from this point forward, the entire Nine Towns Territory of the South Slope would…

"Lady Wen has spoken with utmost righteousness, and Xiahou Zhang’s words have deeply resonated. Great Xia, as the South Ridge Dominator, and Lord Xia Hong, holding the esteemed title of Number One Man of the Nine Towns—it is most fitting that Great Xia spearhead the formation of an alliance to oppose external fiefs. There should be no delay in concluding this pact and sealing the alliance. Our Jiangxia Town wholeheartedly agrees!"

"The preservation of Muyin Town's fortune is entirely attributed to Great Xia’s formidable backing. Currently, two powerful Feudal Towns cast covetous eyes upon us, yet Great Xia shows a benevolent heart to protect the Nine Towns. How could this elder not lend his support? When the Nine Towns forge a pact and establish an alliance, Muyin Town will undoubtedly be a part of it!"

"This internal strife, which has resulted in innumerable dead and wounded, is solely due to Chu and Cai. The Feudal Towns' unprovoked stirring of turmoil within the Nine Towns clearly demonstrates their insatiable ambition. Should the Nine Towns fail to unite, the day of our ruin will surely not be distant. Chui Mountain is willing to recognize Great Xia as the Alliance Hierarch and, in concert with Great Xia, encircle the Nine Towns to repel external adversaries!"

Xiahou Zhang, Murong Chui, and Mu Longhe, who had just assumed the leadership of Chui Mountain, voiced their agreement one after another, echoing Li Xuanling’s proposal.

The pronouncements from these three individuals were entirely as the Yang brothers had anticipated.

As for Chui Mountain, there was hardly any need for discussion. A mere glance at their fifteen-thousand-strong army was sufficient to understand that henceforth, Chui Mountain's decisions would not solely rest on Mu Longhe's word—or rather, the elevation of Mu Longhe to this figurehead position was merely a calculated maneuver by Great Xia, a strategic pawn to prevent alarming the other towns.

Therefore, upon hearing the words of these three, the brothers responded with nothing more than two frigid laughs. They remained rooted to their spots, exhibiting no outward reaction, even as Xiahou Zhang and the others’ gazes bore down upon them.

However, the subsequent two voices that successively broke the silence made it exceedingly difficult for them to maintain their composure. Their expressions shifted dramatically as they lifted their heads to fix their gaze upon the front.

"Chen Cang and Cai Qiu—these two Feudal Towns have crossed the line with their incessant bullying. We truly cannot stand by idly any longer. To defend the Nine Towns and resist foreign aggression—Great Xia displays such valor and truly lives up to its name as the South Ridge Dominator. Our Dragon Valley Town also pledges to join the South Ridge Alliance and jointly confront the invasion of these external fiefs!"

"Yangqu is prepared to acknowledge Great Xia as the Alliance Hierarch, standing together to defend the Nine Towns and resist foreign invaders!"

Both Cao Qianyang and Long Mingyuan had made their arrival.

While the appearance of these two might have altered the expressions of the Yang brothers, the arrival of the next two individuals utterly shattered their resolve.