Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1425 - 456: Young Men and Face-Slapping, the Secret of the Five Luminaries Tribulation Body, Dark Merchant Invitation, Made the Rankings_3...

While Cai Shiqi's arrogance was undeniable, his talent was genuinely impressive. He appeared to be no older than twenty, yet his fundamental strength had already reached 56 zong.

Indications from the severed finger suggested it was a wound inflicted by a sword's edge—clean and swift, not the result of a desperate skirmish. Across the entire Nine Towns Territory, it was said only one woman possessed such skill.

"For generations, the males have served as lackeys in my Bai Shui County Mansion, while all the females are dispatched to the army as camp prostitutes..."

Recalling Cai Shiqi's abruptly halted words moments before, Xia Hong found his desire to be angry vanish, replaced by a slow-spreading smile.

"Cheap..."

As that smile spread across his face, Cai Shiqi realized his counterpart was far from stunned. The suppressed rage within him finally erupted. This time, he not only spoke but also drew the longsword from his waist and advanced towards Xia Hong.

Pa......

Unfortunately, mere steps into his advance, an elder, clad in a blue brocade robe, materialized and sent him flying over ten meters with a single blow.

Papa papa...

The elder's actions didn't cease. He swiftly closed the distance and delivered slaps to each of the eight young men and women who had voiced their support earlier.

The force of his blows was considerable. Following the repeated impacts, the nine individuals, including Cai Shiqi who had been sent flying, fell into immediate silence.

Faces flushed with anger, they rose and lifted their heads, only to freeze in terror at the sight of the elder in the blue brocade robe. They quickly fell to their knees.

"Greetings, Uncle Qing!"

"Greetings, Ancestor Yun Qing!"

The Cai Family lineage stretched back nearly three centuries, encompassing close to ten generations. Curiously, with the exception of the second and third generation disciples whose names were consistently adorned with the characters 'Runqiu' and 'Yun', the names of other disciples appeared to be chosen at random. This suggested that Landgrave Cai Qianshan of Cai Qiu's Land had a particular fondness for the second and third generation disciples.

However, a peculiar rule existed among the Four Great Commanderies: any disciple, regardless of generation, who earned the title of Princely Heir was granted the privilege to alter the middle character of their name to 'Shi'. Females, conversely, would change it to 'Shi'. This served as both a symbol of honor and a clear distinction.

Xia Hong had made inquiries in Qinghua City previously; Cai Shiqi's original name was Cai Ziqi. His father, Cai Yunsheng, much like Zhu Yan, was one of the three Advisers of Bai Shui County. Cai Yunsheng had a son only after exceeding one hundred years of age. Therefore, despite Cai Shiqi's youth, his generational standing was quite high, placing him in the fourth generation and naturally leading him to address Cai Yunqing as 'Uncle'.

Among the other eight youths, only one female also referred to Cai Yunqing as 'Uncle'. The remaining seven young men, however, addressed Cai Yunqing as 'Granduncle'. They were likely descendants of the Cai Family of Bai Shui County, belonging to the fifth generation or beyond.

"You have all behaved with the audacity of a bear and the gall of a leopard, daring to disrespect the esteemed guest of the Eldest Prince. First, slap yourselves ten times, then apologize to Elder Hong. Quickly!"

Elder Hong?

It was at this moment that the nine individuals, Cai Shiqi included, understood they had misjudged the situation entirely. Their eyes widened as they gazed at Xia Hong's remarkably youthful visage and his seemingly understated attire. They remained stunned for a few seconds.

Papapapa......

Nevertheless, comprehension dawned swiftly. They raised their hands and ferociously struck their own faces, pa pa pa, completing ten slaps before ceasing. Then, they stood and approached Xia Hong, bowing deeply:

"We juniors are ignorant and have offended Elder. Please forgive us!"

Naturally, Xia Hong would not waste words on those soon to be dead. With a smile gracing his features, he waved a hand, adopting the demeanor of an elder, and stated, "No need for such formality. Hong is not a petty individual. Ignorance is not a sin; you are dismissed!"

Seeing Xia Hong appeased, Cai Yunqing finally allowed a smile to grace his own face. He motioned for Cai Shiqi and the others to leave, then cupped his hands towards Xia Hong and said, "The younger generation in the mansion lacks understanding of the world's complexities and spoke recklessly to Prince Hong. We offer our sincerest apologies. How about this... Cai shall take responsibility and grant Prince Hong an additional two days to peruse all the books within the tower. What are your thoughts?"

Xia Hong waved his hand, stating, "Advisor Cai need not trouble yourself. Since the Princely Heir has just arrived, a mere five days should suffice for him to familiarize himself with the customs of the Moao River Four Vassals by visiting the Book Collection Tower. The six martial arts techniques previously promised have been left within the tower. I shall now return to the side courtyard."

Having spoken, he clasped his hands and proceeded directly towards the side courtyard.

"A pleasant journey, Prince Hong!"

Cai Yunqing offered a smile as he watched Xia Hong depart. Once Xia Hong was out of sight a considerable distance, Cai Yunqing's smile vanished. He then cast a glance toward the elderly man clad in blue, positioned at the entrance of the Book Collection Tower.

Despite the elder's eyes being shut, he was acutely aware of Cai Yunqing's gaze. Without a word, the elder shifted into a half-reclining posture and slowly shook his head.

Noticing the elder's subtle signal, Cai Yunqing's brow furrowed slightly.

"If even Old Nie cannot ascertain the truth, then the identity of this Prince Hong carries at least sixty to seventy percent credibility. It will only be at the year's end, within the Blood Miasma Plain, that the County Father can make a definitive judgment..."

"Great Qin... Great Qin... Within this Great Qin Feudal Town, even a mere Princely Heir possesses such formidable strength. Is every single corner filled with hidden masters?

The crucial question remains: at this pivotal juncture, why dispatch a Princely Heir of such caliber? Is it merely a display of power, or is there a more elaborate scheme targeting the Four Vassals?"

Cai Yunqing remained motionless, his brow deeply furrowed. Finally, he let out a soft sigh.

.........

"Just as I initially deduced, during the Early-stage of Xianyang, the Bone Appearance is merely in its nascent form. In the mid-stage, the meridians begin to manifest. The late stage witnesses the growth of flesh and blood. And at the peak, with the appearance of the skin membrane, the Bone Appearance reaches its complete manifestation, capable of fully materializing during combat, attaining what is known as the Golden Body Battle Form. However, the sheer size of this Bone Appearance is intrinsically dependent on the quality of the underlying bone structure..."

Within the solitude of the side courtyard at the Governor's Mansion, Xia Hong, having just returned, sat alone upon the plush couch. His mind was abuzz with the knowledge gleaned from the scrolls he had perused earlier at the Book Collection Tower, a profound excitement gleaming in his eyes.