Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1410 - 53: Three Towns’ Youth—Who Is the Genius? Young Alliance Leader, the Two Competing Breakthroughs (2)

Martial Arts Pavilion, Alchemy Pavilion, Artifact Refining Pavilion... The sheer number of wonders in Xia City was enough to make anyone who witnessed them yearn to reside there.

Despite having been in Xia City for merely five days, Mu Yunhua felt these experiences were sufficient to fully grasp why, following the May rebellion, the Mu Family seized control of Chui Mountain, yet not a single elder, including Great-grandfather Mu Longhe himself, entertained the notion of secession.

Indeed, in the perspective of Mu Yunhua and numerous young scions of the Mu Family, the ascendance of their clan over the Duan Family and the subsequent acquisition of Chui Mountain should have paved the way for a gradual dismantling of Great Xia's influence, culminating in outright independence and the revitalization of Chui Mountain.

However, the June Chui Mountain alliance saw Great Xia dispatch only ten regiments, while five thousand Xia Army soldiers remained garrisoned in Chui Mountain Town. Ostensibly for protection, Mu Yunhua and everyone else understood the true underlying motive.

Throughout June and July, instigated by various individuals, Mu Yunhua persistently presented the idea of Chui Mountain's independence to his father, Mu Zihuo, and his grandfather, Mu Qinghe. Both sternly rebuked him, leaving him with no recourse but to approach Great-grandfather Mu Longhe.

Reflecting now, he realized his Great-grandfather had dispatched him to Xia City, ostensibly for cultivation at the Martial Arts Pavilion and participation in the Martial Arts Competition. Yet, its true purpose was for him to personally assess Chui Mountain's viability for independence from Great Xia!

A sliver of coldness flickered in Mu Yunhua's eyes as he recalled those who had previously fanned the flames of his ambition. Quickly suppressing it, he lifted his head and addressed Jiang Yiye before him with a hint of impatience: "It appears Brother Jiang has resided in Xia City for a considerable duration. We two only arrived five days ago, so we are not truly acquainted with the specifics of the Martial Arts Competition. We must humbly request Brother Jiang's guidance!"

He had not forgotten Jiang Yiye's earlier taunts.

Since the individual clearly possessed knowledge of the Martial Arts Competition's intricacies, seeking his counsel was only natural.

News of last year's inaugural Martial Arts Competition in the Three Towns had already reverberated loudly throughout the Nine Towns. Although Mu Yunhua and his sibling had not participated, they were well-informed about the event's details, including rankings, prizes, and the approximate strength of the top contenders in both divisions.

As fate would have it, the brothers were merely two to three months shy of twenty, perfectly aligning with the age eligibility for the youth division.

The previous year's youth division champion, Lu Dong, possessed less than 8 Manes of strength. Mu Yunhua currently boasted nearly 9 Manes, surpassing him. Thus, harboring ambitions for the championship seemed justifiable. Jiang Yiye's mocking words, therefore, must stem from a specific reason.

"You still refuse to believe it, I see?"

Observing Mu Yunhua's slightly vexed expression, Jiang Yiye immediately discerned his lingering irritation from the earlier mockery. With a smile, he shook his head: "You genuinely believe you stand a chance at the championship with less than 9 Manes? In that case, with my 11 Manes, wouldn't I be the undisputed youth group champion?"

Mu Yunhua and his brother were utterly astonished by this proclamation.

Even from their initial encounter, they had sensed Jiang Yiye's superior strength, but an astonishing 11 Manes far exceeded their wildest estimations.

Before the brothers could even process this revelation, a chorus of derisive voices erupted from their vicinity, all directed at Jiang Yiye.

"Tch... 11 Manes for the championship? You must be delusional."

"Pfft, Jiang Yiye, are you still lost in your dreams?"

"Haha, 11 Manes is barely enough to secure a spot in the top fifty, let alone win."

"These two newcomers from Chui Mountain just arrived in the city, ignorant of the local dynamics, yet they spew such nonsense. And you, stirring the pot even further!"

......

It turned out Jiang Yiye had spoken his boast without lowering his voice, making his words audible to many individuals training nearby.

Upon hearing the surrounding comments, Mu Yunhua suddenly realized their entire conversation had been overheard. However, it was not the general mockery that occupied his thoughts; his gaze was intently fixed on a young woman adorned in a yellow dress amidst the crowd, his expression a mask of bewilderment.

The source of his confusion was the statement, "Even making the top fifty is questionable with 11 Manes," which had emanated from the young woman in the yellow dress.

Mu Yunhua was desperately seeking an explanation for the meaning behind that assertion.

"Murong Jiao, your strength is comparable to mine. If I cannot break into the top fifty, neither can you, humph!"

As if on cue, Jiang Yiye's retort inadvertently disclosed the identity of the young woman clad in yellow.

Could a member of the Muyin Murong Family possess 10 Manes at such a tender age?

Mu Yunhua found himself completely unable to gauge Murong Jiao’s strength, his pupils slightly trembling, but this was just the beginning. Upon glancing around at the dozen or so young people gathered, he discovered only two whose strength matched his own, leaving him utterly bewildered.

"Brother Mu might not yet be familiar with these individuals! Come, allow me to introduce them..."

Noticing Mu Yunhua’s perplexed expression, Jiang Yiye flashed a playful grin and commenced introductions, starting with Murong Jiao:

Muyin’s Murong Jiao, nineteen years of age, possessing 11 Manes strength;

Muyin’s He Qiufeng, nineteen years of age, possessing 13 Manes strength;

Muyin’s Murong Qian, eighteen years of age, possessing 12 Manes strength;

Muyin’s Liu Yu, nineteen years of age, possessing 13 Manes strength;

Jiangxia’s Jiang Yifan, nineteen years of age, possessing 12 Manes strength;

Jiangxia’s Xiahou Ning, nineteen years of age, possessing 15 Manes strength;

Jiangxia’s Qin Wuxin, seventeen years of age, possessing 13 Manes strength;

Jiangxia’s…

As Jiang Yiye sequentially listed the names, ages, and corresponding strengths of the seventeen youths present, the astonishment on Mu Yunhua and his brother’s faces grew deeper, their hearts quaking without cease.

Among the seventeen individuals before them, the one with the lowest foundational strength happened to be Murong Jiao; in fact, she and Jiang Yiye were tied for the lowest.