Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 351 Scheming and Being Schemed Against: The Threat of Zhu Yang, One of the Five Sons of Dongling, Has Settled Down
"Chief Zhu, what a brilliant move!"

Lu Yang seemed to have finally come to his senses. His words were squeezed out from between his teeth, clearly indicating that he had realized he had been tricked by Zhu Tong, and filled with deep regret and anger.

"I don't understand what Chief Lu is saying. We're only missing the five of you from Dongling. Please, Chief Lu, don't take up too much of my time!"

Zhu Tong was in high spirits at this moment, and Zhu Da, Zhu Mai, and Zhu Ling's group of Cold-resistant warriors looked at the Dongling group with their smugness practically written on their faces.

Lu Yang hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Zhu Yang, who was already seated above him, cupped his hands and asked in a deep voice, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Dean Zhu, to come all the way from Beishuo just to witness this martial arts competition. Since it concerns Dean Huang's acceptance of a disciple, I dare to ask, Dean Zhu, is this your personal action, or does it represent the opinion of the Censorate?"

Zhu Yang looked to be at least ninety years old, exuding an air of age, but even so, no one dared to underestimate his strength. In particular, the silver characters for "Supervisor" embroidered on the left chest of his white robe made everyone present lower their gaze.

The two characters for "Supervision" on He Wuyang's chest were black.

Having lived in Beining Mountain for four years, Lu Yang had a general understanding of how Beishuo operated.

The Supervisory Council is an organization that governs all camps within the territory of Beishuo Town. It is divided into three levels: the head of the council, the chief of the council, and the supervisor. There are at least a hundred black-label supervisors like He Wuyang; there are only seven silver-label chiefs like Zhu Yang; and there are only three heads of the council above them, one chief and two deputies. Huang Tianxing, the head of the council who is taking on disciples this time, is one of the deputy heads of the council.

The Beishuo Overwatch Council roughly divides the entire territory into seven parts, with seven councilors in charge of each part. The area belonging to Beining Mountain is under the jurisdiction of another councilor named Gu Tianxiong, not Zhu Yang in front of him. That's why he asked whether Zhu Yang's visit was a personal matter or on behalf of the Overwatch Council.

As Lu Yang asked his question, his gaze inadvertently swept over He Wuyang, who was sitting below Zhu Yang, and a hint of questioning appeared in his eyes.

Gu Tianxiong is He Wuyang's superior and also the person Lu Yang tries his best to curry favor with. Over the past three years, he has suppressed the Zhu Ling family to the extreme. The reason he has not been punished by Bei Shuo is because of Gu Tianxiong's protection.

The question he was asking He Wuyang was why Zhu Yang was the one who came instead of Gu Tianxiong.

It sounds like a long story, but Lu Yang's thoughts actually only lasted a moment.

Upon hearing Lu Yang's question, Zhu Yang's eyes immediately showed impatience, clearly indicating that he did not intend to answer properly. Just as he was about to speak, He Wuyang behind him spoke first.

"Five days ago, Dean Gu was transferred to the Baimu jurisdiction. Now the entire Jingxi jurisdiction is under the jurisdiction of Dean Zhu."

The seven districts of Beishuo are Zhongyang, Dongchuan, Baimu, Kuling, Hegu, Linya, and Jingxi. The eight families of Beiningshan belong to the Jingxi district.

With Gu Tianxiong transferred, the entire Jingxi jurisdiction is now under Zhu Yang's control.

Upon hearing He Wuyang's words, Lu Yang did not show much surprise on his face. Instead, he suddenly smiled and continued to look at Zhu Yang, clearly still waiting for his answer.

Zhu Yang was clearly not expecting Lu Yang to be so tactless. He Wuyang had already explained it to him, yet Lu Yang still wanted to wait for his reply. Thinking of this, his impatience grew even stronger. He waved his hand and said angrily, "I am acting as the supervisor of Jingxi on behalf of Beishuo. My words and actions naturally represent the Supervisory Council. Lu Yang, don't waste time, get started."

"it is good!"

As soon as Lu Yang uttered the word "good," his expression suddenly changed.

"Zhu Yuanzheng comes from Beishuo, so he must be a man of his word and would not disgrace the reputation of Beishuo. With your words, I am relieved."

"If that's the case, then let the five talented individuals from Dongling come up!"

Zhu Tong had already noticed the change in Lu Yang's expression, but he still believed that Lu Yang was bluffing and stubbornly refusing to admit defeat. Therefore, he couldn't wait to have the five people from Dongling come up on stage to draw lots.

But Lu Yang's response next stunned him.

"No need for a draw, I, Dongling, will be the champion of the first round!"

…………

It was already night, and around the arena, there were not only the eight leaders and contestants, but also many people from the Zhuling camp who had come to watch.

Lu Yang's words instantly silenced the previously lively meeting room.

Hong Fan, Zi Jing, and the other leaders all looked at Lu Yang as if he were a fool.

Since it's a contest of attacking and defending the title, a series of matches is inevitable. The first person to step onto the stage to become the champion will inevitably suffer a great loss unless they can win many consecutive matches.

Lu Yang actually said that the three champions of the first round would all be from Dongling.

Has this person gone mad?
This question popped into everyone's mind. Then, someone even crazier than Lu Yang appeared. Three of the five people in black robes beside Lu Yang walked out and went up to the three arenas.

"Luo Cheng of Dongling, please enlighten me, everyone!"

"Xiao Yan of Dongling welcomes everyone to challenge me!"

The five people Lu Yang brought tonight were all shrouded in black robes and had not shown their faces from beginning to end, so this was the first time everyone had heard their voices when they stepped onto the stage and spoke.

Luo Cheng, wielding a long spear in the first arena, had a very cold voice, clearly indicating that he was a serious and unsmiling young man. Xiao Yan, with a long sword at his waist in the second arena, had a calm voice, but the strong confidence in his words was immediately apparent.

"Zhao Yuanshan from Dongling, please enlighten me!"

As a soft female voice rang out from the third arena, everyone's expression instantly froze.

Dongling actually sent a woman?
"Hahahaha, Dongling really has no one left, they even sent out such a young girl to compete, hahahaha..."

Zhu Da finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. He had long disliked Lu Yang's bluffing attitude, so his voice was full of sarcasm.

The surrounding onlookers were all from the Zhuling camp, and they naturally joined in the laughter; the two leaders, Nie Ying and Bai Bo, also had smiles on their faces; Yang Quan and Wan Tianhe, on the other hand, looked even more regretful.

Even Zijing and Hongfan shook their heads, speechless.

It's not that I look down on women. Hong Fan's eldest daughter, Hong Yuru, is quite talented. The problem is that the harsh and cruel environment of Ice Abyss means that the main force of most camps will inevitably be men. Female geniuses don't come out so easily.

"This gentleman is laughing so happily, there must be some talented people in his family. Why don't we call him up and let me see how capable the men of Zhuling are?"

Zhu Da, who was laughing loudly, suddenly froze, turned his head to look at Zhao Yuanshan on the third arena, and immediately showed a look of anger on his face.

The crowd immediately fell silent.

It's understandable that the young girl has self-esteem, but it's inappropriate for her to openly retort to Zhu Da, a high-ranking official in the Zhuling camp, in front of so many people.

The onlookers in Zhuling also saw Zhu Da's angry expression.

A few young men in their early twenties, their eyes darting around, immediately hissed a few times towards ring number three, and began making lewd jokes with wicked grins:

"We'll find out how capable the men of Zhuling are tonight!"

"Young lady, please take off your black veil first, so we can see how pretty you are. If you're too ugly, then we really have no chance."

"Hehehe, that's right, her voice is nice, but what about her looks..."

call……

No one expected that Zhao Hu, who was sitting behind Lu Yang, would suddenly leap up before the last person could finish their lewd joke, draw his sword, and accurately find the three people who had just spoken in the crowd.

Sizzle... Sizzle... Sizzle...

In the blink of an eye, before the others could even react, Zhao Hu had already severed one arm from each of the three men.

"what!"

Three jets of blood gushed out, and the three people screamed in agony, instantly scaring the surrounding people into scattering and running away in terror.

At this moment, Zhu Tong, Zhu Da, and the others above finally realized what was happening.

"Zhao Hu, how dare you injure someone!"

"Zhao Hu, you have some nerve!"

"How dare you be so arrogant and presumptuous in front of Dean Zhu!"

………………

Zhu Yang also stood up, looking down at Zhao Hu with an unusually unfriendly expression.

"Today, Dongling has come here to compete at your invitation. If you dare to speak so recklessly to my niece again, next time it won't just be a broken hand."

Zhao Hu seemed not to have noticed that Zhu Yang had already stood up. He simply sheathed his sword, casually finished speaking to the onlookers, and then retreated behind Lu Yang.

"Zhao Hu's niece?"

“That girl… the young lady called herself Zhao Yuanshan, and she does indeed share the same surname as Zhao Hu.”

"So it's your niece. No wonder. Making lewd jokes in front of someone's elders, aren't you asking for trouble?"

"His mouth is full of foul language, and he should be severely punished."

………………

Upon hearing this, the crowd below finally realized what was happening.

Zi Jing and Hong Fan immediately chimed in, causing Zhu Tong and Zhu Da, as well as Zhu Yang who was about to lash out, to stiffen slightly.

"Hmph, stop wasting time, let's get started!"

Zhu Yang lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then snorted and sat back in his original position, signaling Zhu Tong to start the martial arts competition immediately.

Zhu Tong seemed to have figured something out as well, and with a sinister expression, he turned his head and gestured to the five young men behind Zhu Da.

After receiving the signal, the five people looked at each other, and then a burly young man holding a large knife nodded and rushed onto the third arena.

"Zhu Ling and Liu Yan are ruthless fighters; since Miss Zhao has come up on stage..."

"I'm not going to listen to your nonsense, let's get started!"

Zhao Yuanshan was in a terrible mood at the moment. She interrupted Liu Yan, drew her long sword, and charged forward.

Liu Yan, interrupted, showed a look of anger on his face and raised his long sword horizontally, clearly intending to parry first.

However, the moment Zhao Yuanshan's sword tip touched the blade, his expression changed instantly.

laugh…………

Liu Yan staggered back five or six meters, then hurriedly turned around, trying to slash out with his blade to force Zhao Yuanshan back. But as he turned, before he could retract his broadsword, Zhao Yuanshan used her longsword to deflect him, sending him flying.

boom…………

Zhao Yuanshan was already harboring a lot of resentment. After knocking the broadsword out of Liu Yan's hand, she raised her foot, gathered her strength, and delivered a powerful kick to his waist.

With that kick, Liu Yan's body was sent flying backwards for over ten meters. Not only was he kicked off the stage, but he also coughed up a mouthful of blood and couldn't get up from the ground for a long time.

He was defeated in just one move?

Teng…………

The three brothers Zhu Tong, Zhu Da, and Zhu Mai, along with Zhu Ling's group of cold-resistant fighters, immediately stood up and stared at Zhao Yuanshan on the third arena with expressions of shock and horror.

"Basic strength, 27,000 jin?"

"How is this possible? Where did this little girl come from?"

"This is comparable to many young people in Beishuo City, isn't it?"

…………

"Second Uncle, catch!"

Zhao Yuanshan no longer concealed herself. She walked to the edge of the arena, took off her black robe, and threw it to her second uncle, Zhao Hu. Then she gave Liu Yan on the ground a disdainful look, turned to look at Zhu Da above, and said crisply, "It seems that the men of Zhuling are not so great after all."

"so beautiful."

"Her skin is so white!"

Putting everything else aside, once Zhao Yuanshan took off her black robe, her beautiful face instantly drew gasps of admiration from many young people.

Although she was only wearing an ordinary blue cotton coat, her youth made her stand out, and it was obvious that she rarely went out to log or hunt. Her fair skin was a clear advantage compared to the women in Beining Mountain.

"Lord Zhao's niece?"

"Such formidable strength! A base strength of 27,000 jin, almost on par with Zhu Baixu. Lord Zhao, you actually have such an outstanding niece?"

Unlike Zhu Tong and the others, Hong Fan and Zi Jing looked at Zhao Yuanshan on the stage with joy on their faces.

"The challenge cannot be stopped once it begins. Every thirty breaths without anyone stepping up, the champion will automatically accumulate one point. Chief Zhu, don't waste any more time!"

At this moment, the situation suddenly changed, and the aggressive one instantly changed from Zhu Tong to Lu Yang. He even took the initiative to remind Zhu Tong of the rules of the martial arts competition.

Zhu Tong's face flushed red. He was the one who set the rules, so how could he not know them? Lu Yang's initiative to remind him was clearly an insult to him, and he was well aware of that.

His mind was in turmoil. He turned to look at the two people on the first and second arenas who had not yet taken off their black robes. He quickly thought for a moment and then turned to give Nie Ying and Bai Bo below a look.

The two men were also filled with horror at this moment, but after receiving a look from Zhu Tong, they quickly signaled their five people to start attacking the arena.

"Baiyuan Zhang Kongwu challenges Arena No. 1."

“Wang Fan from Longhe challenges arena number 2.”

"Bai Yuan, Bai Wuji, challenges Arena No. 3."

Soon, three young people went up on stage.

"Bai Wuji, is he the youngest son of Chief Bai?"

"The base price is also 27,000, and the plan is to let Zhao Yuanshan leave the arena first."

"The other two aren't very strong; they're just testing out Arena #12."

…………

From the murmurs of the crowd, it was clear that the highlight of this round was the third arena, where Bai Bo had sent out his youngest protégé, Bai Wuji, obviously intending to serve as Zhu Ling's right-hand man.

Zhang Kongwu and Wang Fan both had a base strength of only 22,000, making them the weakest among the five contestants from each group. They were clearly being used to test each other.

laugh…………

Leaving aside everyone's thoughts for the moment, Bai Wuji, who was in the third arena, had clearly learned from Liu Yan's lesson. He didn't waste any words when he went up on stage and immediately drew his sword, giving Zhao Yuanshan no chance to react.

call out…………

However, Zhao Yuanshan did not show any panic in the face of his sudden attack. Her long sword, combined with her graceful movements, not only prevented Bai Wuji from using his full strength, but also gave her many opportunities to stab him.

Bai Wuji's expression changed from solemn at first, to panic and even fear as several bloody holes appeared on his body.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Yuanshan's gaze sharpened, and the longsword in her hand, which had been moving nimbly, suddenly changed direction, unleashing three sword beams in an instant.

Crucially, the three sword beams were aimed at three completely different locations: Bai Wuji's left waist, chest, and forehead.

Clang...

In his panic, Bai Wuji could only raise his knife to protect his forehead.

Sizzle... Sizzle...

Two sword beams pierced straight through his left waist and chest. Zhao Yuanshan's longsword was placed directly against his neck. Before he could speak, she kicked him in the chest.

boom!
Just like Liu Yan from Zhuling just now, Bai Wuji was kicked off the stage.

Bai Bo rushed forward and caught his son. After applying medicine powder to his son's chest and left waist, he turned and glared at Zhao Yuanshan on the stage, not daring to say a word. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and carry his son back.

"The Spiritual Sword Technique was only added to the Martial Arts Pavilion by Madam last year. It's said that once mastered to the highest level, one can instantly unleash thirteen sword strikes from different angles. I've currently reached the beginner level and can only unleash three strikes, but when combined with the Lesser Completion level Long Fist Tai Zhan Style, each of these three strikes gains a 15% power boost. Compared to my cousins, it's nothing, but here..."

Zhao Yuanshan completely ignored Bai Bo's gaze, turned her head and swept her eyes across the group of contestants below, finally fixing her gaze on the remaining four people from Zhu Ling, without any attempt to hide the disdain and contempt on her face.

Bang... Bang...

Before the shockwaves from Zhao Yuanshan's side had subsided, Zhang Kongwu and Wang Fan, who were on the other two arenas, had already been kicked off.

"Even more impressive than that little girl?"

"Luo Cheng, the fighter in arena number one, has a basic strength of 1 jin!"

"Xiao Yan in Arena No. 2 seems to be close to the limit of 30,000 jin."

"Luo Cheng's strength seems even more terrifying. He didn't even use a spear; he knocked Zhang Qingkong off the stage with just his fists and feet."

"These three aren't bad even compared to their peers in Beishuo!"

"Where did all these geniuses come from in Dongling?"

………………

Zhu Tong's face was flushed red, turning a deep purplish-red. Not only him, but also Zhu Da, Zhu Mai, and the others beside him looked extremely embarrassed.

Compared to Lu Yang's calm and collected demeanor below, they were not only embarrassed, but their faces even showed signs of panic.

"Baiyuan Liuxin challenges arena number 3."

"Longhe Nieshen challenges ring number 2."

"Li Shaoqing from Yanggu challenges Arena No. 1."

Once the competition begins, it cannot be stopped. If no one steps onto the stage within 30 breaths, the champion will automatically accumulate 1 point. Therefore, even though Zhu Tong was already aware of many things and was in a state of panic, he could only grit his teeth and continue.

Li Shaoqing from Yanggu?
Upon hearing that Yanggu had sent men first, Lu Yang raised an eyebrow, turned to look at Yanggu's leader, Yang Quan, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "They just said they wanted to cooperate with Dongling, and now they're turning their backs on us. You two-faced scoundrel, humph!"

Hearing Zhao Hu's angry rebuke behind him, Lu Yang shook his head, chuckled, and whispered, "Zhu Yang came in person, so it's not hard to understand why he betrayed us. I reckon it's more than that..."

Zhu Tong clearly intended to send Zhu Ling's remaining four men to continue the challenge, while sending people from other camps up to wear down Luo Cheng and his two companions through a series of attacks. Yang Quan's decision to send people up at this time was obviously a gesture of goodwill towards Zhu Tong.

Yangquan had just contacted Lu Yang two days ago to express the two families' intention to cooperate with Dongling, but now it's clear that seeing Zhu Yang has changed their minds.

Of course, it's not just Yangquan, there's also Wantianhe!

As expected, the three newcomers were defeated once again.

"Longhe Wang Wu challenges Arena No. 1."

"Wanxing Chen Lin challenges Arena No. 2."

"Yanggu Li Zichuan challenges Arena No. 3."

Sure enough, Wan Tianhe couldn't help but send people up too!
While Zhu Tong was pleased by the defection of the Yanggu and Wanxing families, the subsequent developments on the arena far exceeded his expectations, making his expression increasingly grim and causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.

The strength of these three from Dongling is simply too great!
Zhao Yuanshan, who was in the third arena, persisted until the sixth round of challenges before showing signs of exhaustion. Finally, in the ninth round, at Lu Yang's suggestion, she conceded defeat to a contestant from Hongyuan Camp and left the arena.
Xiao Yan, in the second arena, defeated thirteen people in a row, but in the end, at Lu Yang's instigation, he deliberately lost to someone from the Ziqiang camp.

Luo Cheng, the contestant in the No. 1 arena, was indeed the most terrifyingly strong. He didn't even use a spear until the fifth round, and after defeating eighteen people in a row, he only showed slight signs of exhaustion and continued to stand on the arena.

Lu Yang was clearly manipulating the score and ranking the Eighth Battalion. This was a tactic that Zhu Tong himself used to employ. How could he not see it?
The problem is, he simply has no way to crack it.

As soon as the people from Hongyuan and Ziqiang came on stage, he sent his own contestants up to defeat them. But before long, the three from Dongling came up and defeated them.

After dozens of rounds, the final score rankings were appalling.

东岭41、洪元6、紫羌5、朱岭4、万星4、隆河3、阳谷2、白原2。

According to the rules set by Zhu Tong, each person only has two opportunities to actively challenge the ring. In other words, under normal circumstances, if all the contestants use up all their challenge opportunities, the total score should be exactly eighty.

As of now, the total points are 67.

At this point in the competition, the champion was practically decided.

At this moment, the situation was completely reversed. Lu Yang and Dong Ling's group were full of pride, while Zhu Tong and Zhu Ling's group seemed to have lost their souls, and their bodies appeared somewhat limp.

"That's about it. Right now, there are only eight people who still have a chance to challenge the champion. Zhu Baixu and Lin Qiang from Zhuling have two chances each, Wan Qingyu from Wanxing has two chances, Wang Wu from Longhe has one chance, Hong Yang from Hongyuan has one chance, Zi Qiang and Zi Ning have one chance, and then there are the two from Dongling who haven't challenged the champion yet. Let's hurry up!"

At this moment, two of the three arenas have seen several changes in their participants, but Luo Cheng in arena number 1 has remained unchanged. Although he seems to be in a bad situation, none of the remaining participants dare to challenge him.

Upon hearing Lu Yang's words, everyone suddenly remembered that there were still two people in Dongling who hadn't made a move yet, and they all turned to look behind Lu Yang.

Both of them were still covered in black robes, so their strength was not clear. The problem was that with Luo Cheng and his two companions in front of them, who would dare to underestimate these two?

"Chief Hong, let Hong Yang go up to arena number one!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Fan's face lit up with joy, and he quickly sent his youngest son up from behind.

"Luo Cheng, you're all set. You can come down and rest now!"

Although Luo Cheng had many wounds, his expression was extremely calm. Even a second before Lu Yang signaled him to come down, he was still trying to adjust his breathing, clearly preparing for the next battle.

This mindset alone is enough to make Lu Yang think highly of him.

"Luo Ming's son! Even setting aside his exceptional spear skills, his temperament and perseverance alone surpass those of many others. No wonder even the lord praises him!"

As soon as Luo Cheng stood at the back, a porcelain bottle was thrown at him.

He quickly reached out to catch it, only to realize that it was thrown by Zhao Hu in front of him.

"It's just a competition, is it necessary to push yourself so hard? Hurry up and heal your injuries!"

Luo Cheng opened the porcelain bottle and saw the Blood Sore Pill inside. A warm feeling washed over him, and he cupped his hands to Zhao Hu, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Hu."

The three Zhao brothers were all Luo Ming's old subordinates. During the time at the Rogge camp, Luo Cheng was young, but he had already begun to remember things, so he was quite familiar with these three uncles. However, now that the gap in their status was widening, he was too embarrassed to take the initiative to find them.

When he arrived at Dongling and saw Zhao Hu, he was very excited, but he was also worried that the other party was still blaming his father for abandoning the camp back then, so he did not dare to take the initiative to greet him.

He was naturally moved when Zhao Hu offered him healing pills.

Let's leave aside Luo Cheng's thoughts for now.

After Hong Yang replaced him as the champion, Zhu Ling finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Zhu Baixu challenges arena number 1."

"Lin Qiang, challenge ring number 2."

"Wan Qingyu, challenge arena number 3."

The competition is nearing its end. Dongling is undoubtedly the champion, but the points difference between the remaining teams is not large, so Zhuling has a chance to climb to third or even second place.

The only ones to worry about are those two!

Zhu Tong looked at the two men in black robes behind Lu Yang, his expression quite unpleasant.

He can only gamble now, betting that the last two people from Dongling are not as strong as the first three. If Zhuling continues to win, they will definitely be able to maintain their top-three position.

"Bai Xu has a base strength of 28,000 and Lin Qiang has 27,000. They can easily get 2 points in this round. Zhu Ling will have a total of 6 points, which will put him ahead of Zi Qiang and make him third. As long as these two are of average strength, no, even if these two are similar to the three ahead of us, we still have a chance to move up to second place. Even if we lose, at most we will only lose face."

This competition is a gamble on the tribute supplies for the next five years!

Those who make it into the top three are the beneficiaries.

Zhu Ling doesn't need to win the championship, as long as she can get into the top three...

"Zhu Baixu wins the No. 1 arena."

"Lin Qiang wins the second arena."

"Ziyang wins the third arena."

"Hahaha, well done, nephew!"

Upon hearing the result of the No. 3 arena, Zi Jing was overjoyed and immediately stood up to loudly praise his nephew.

Hong Yang just got 1 point from Luo Cheng, and Hong Yuan is in second place with 7 points;

After Zhu Baixu and Lin Qiang successfully challenged the champion, Zhu Ling had 6 points, overtaking Zi Qiang to become third;
Ziqiang scored 5 points and ranked fourth, but now Ziyang has successfully defended its title and scored 1 point, giving it 6 points and tying with Zhuling for third place.

The key point is that Lin Qiang and Zhu Baixu have already stepped into the arena, leaving only four people with the opportunity to challenge: his son Zi Ning, the two from Dongling, and Wang Wu from Longhe. Since people from the same camp are not allowed to challenge each other, the two from Dongling will naturally not challenge, nor will his son Zi Ning. That leaves only Wang Wu from Longhe. Zi Jing knows his nephew Zi Yang's strength very well, and defending against Wang Wu will definitely not be a problem.

"So, now it all depends on the strength of those two from Dongling!"

If Dongling loses to Zhu Baixu and Lin Qiang, Zhu Ling will have 8 points. Even if Ziyang successfully defends his title again, it will be useless. His own son, Zining, is no match for the two of them.

Zi Jing turned to look at the two young men behind Lu Yang who hadn't moved at all, and couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

After all, Dongling has already produced three such outstanding young people. It won't be so easy to produce two more.

What if these two are just tools Lu Yang used to mislead his opponents...?

"Boss, something's wrong! Wang Wu is heading towards Arena Number 1!"

Hearing the reminder from behind, Zi Jing turned to look at Wang Wu from the Longhe camp. Sure enough, he was walking towards the No. 1 arena. Her expression changed instantly.

These two companies are planning to collude and give up the points!
He was about to get up and yell at them when someone was faster than him.

They were the two young men in black robes behind Lu Yang.

The two were incredibly fast. Before anyone could react, one of them had already rushed onto stage number 2, while the other clearly wanted to get onto stage number 1 before Wang Wu.

Wang Wu also noticed this and sped up to try and get onto the stage. However, the two started at roughly the same speed, and his speed was clearly inferior to his opponent's. He had barely lifted his foot when the other man forced him down with a sweeping kick.

"Brother, I've been watching from the sidelines for ages, and I'm itching to get a piece of the action. You're just throwing your chance. There's no need for that. Go to arena number 3; you might have a better chance there!"

A confident and cheerful young laugh came from the stage. The last two contestants from Dongling also took off their black robes and bowed to their opponents.

"Luo An of Dongling, please enlighten me!"

“Dongling Zouping, please enlighten me.”

………………

"Lost!"

The moment Zhu Tong saw the bodies and faces of the two young men on the stage, his back immediately hunched over, as did the people around him.

"Thirty thousand jin is the limit? How is that possible!"

“It’s not just the 30,000 jin limit; take a close look at Luo An’s skin.”

"They've already started using beast blood? This..."

"In Beishuo, this would be considered genius, right?"

"Dongling, how could Dongling possibly have such a genius?"

………………

At this moment, even Zhu Yang on the stage couldn't help but glance at him slightly.

He stared at Luo An and Zou Ping below, his eyes flickering as if he were thinking about something. Finally, he glanced at Zhu Tong and the others and shook his head repeatedly.

…………

"As expected of Luo Sizheng's son! Luo An is only fourteen years and ten months old this year, right? He's already started using beast blood. Even without considering his battle physique aptitude, he'll probably be younger than Si Cheng and Yuwen Sizheng when he breaks through to the Cold Resistance level."

Zhao Hu couldn't help but sigh softly, though his voice was very low, so that only Lu Yang, Lin Fan, and Wang Tao next to him could hear it.

Lu Yang smiled upon hearing this, but after thinking for a moment, he shook his head and said, "You can't compare them like that. Things are different now than before. The cultivation resources these children enjoy in Xia City are something we couldn't even imagine in the past."

I remember nine years ago on the earthen slope, when the leader first brought back beast meat, there were 22 people competing for it, and only the top five could get 30 jin (15 catties). I was one of those five. I was already 21 years old that year. These kids now, putting everything else aside, just the fact that they can eat beast meat to their heart's content as soon as they turn six is ​​far superior to us. If their cultivation speed is not as fast as ours, they might as well find a block of ice and just smash their heads against it and die.”

Zhao Hu and the other two chuckled when they found his words amusing.

Lu Yang thought of something and laughed, "Besides, I remember that Lord Zhao's son and daughter are not bad either! They were seventh and eighth in the logging group in the second year of the Great Xia Dynasty. They should be seventeen or eighteen years old now. Could it be that they haven't started using beast blood yet?"

When Lu Yang mentioned his children who lived far away in Xiacheng, Zhao Hu, who was usually short-tempered, showed a rare gentleness on his face.

Of course, there is also pride.

Yuan Wu and Yuan Kong started using beast blood to reshape their skin membranes as early as last year. Even if their aptitude is different from Luo An's, it is definitely not much different.

…………

boom!boom!
While Lu Yang and his three companions were chatting, the results of the No. 12 arena match were already announced.

Lin Qiang was probably a genius from humble beginnings. After losing to Zou Ping, he only looked a little downcast and didn't react much. He just silently walked off the stage.

Zhu Baixu, the pride of Zhuling, reacted much more strongly.

He was clearly starting to doubt himself; his face was pale and flushed as he stood below the ring, and he seemed somewhat dazed.

Soon, the results for Arena 3 were also announced.

Ziyang wins!

The total score of Ziqiang Camp has increased by 1 point, and it is now 7 points, ranking third.

The results are in!
Zhu Baixu and Lin Qiang could still send one of them to defeat Ziyang in arena number 3, but the problem is that even if they win, they can only add 1 point, and Zhu Ling can only add 7 points at most, temporarily tying with Zi Qiang for third place.

Don't forget, Zi Jing's son, Zi Ning, still has one more chance to challenge the champion.

Would Dongling refuse to give it to him?
Lost!

We actually lost...

Over the next five years, all the supplies that Dongling, Hongyuan, and Ziqiang families will send to Beishuo Town will be jointly borne by Zhuling, Wanxing, Longhe, Yanggu, and Baiyuan families.

At this moment, not only Zhu Tong and the group of Zhu Ling's cold-resistant level warriors, but also the people from the other six families were all dumbfounded.

Despite their excitement, the two victorious leaders, Hong Fan and Zi Jing, quickly calmed themselves down after a moment's thought. They then looked up at the white-robed elder, Zhu Yang, also known as Zhu Yuanzheng, at the very top of the stands.

Zhu Tong lowered his head, his expression shifting rapidly for a long time, repeatedly muttering "the next five years, the next five years." Finally, he clenched his fist, turned abruptly, bowed to Zhu Yang above him, and said sternly:
"Professor Zhu, these five people from Dongling have unknown origins. I suspect they are spies sent by the other eight towns. They must be arrested and brought back to Beishuo for a thorough investigation."

…………

Zhu Da, Zhu Mai, and the other leaders of the Cold Resistance level, including Nie Ying, Bai Bo, Wan Tianhe, and Yang Quan, finally reacted and all bowed to Zhu Yang above, speaking in unison:
"That's right, Dongling has only been in Beining Mountain for less than three years. How could he possibly produce five such outstanding young people? There must be something fishy going on!"

"These five individuals possess talents that only the Eight Towns could cultivate. Dean Zhu, these five are definitely spies from the Eight Towns. They must be thoroughly investigated!"

"Upon closer examination, Dongling himself has some unclear origins, and it is still uncertain whether he is loyal to Beishuo. These five people must be thoroughly investigated."

………………

"Shameless! Shameless! Shameless!"

Before Lu Yang could speak, He Wuyang, who was standing behind Zhu Yang, couldn't help but reprimand everyone.

"If you had won, would you have said this about Dongling? You lost the duel and now you're denying it? Shameless! What kind of person do you take Lord Zhu for?"
Just before the competition began, Lord Zhu made it very clear that every word and action he takes today represents the Censorate. If you think he will cooperate with you in framing Dongling Village, you are sorely mistaken!

He Wuyang's words put Zhu Yang in a difficult position.

Lu Yang remained silent throughout, showing no anger even in the face of the shameless accusations made by the five leaders. Only after hearing He Wuyang's words did he raise his head with a smile and look at Zhu Yang above, clearly waiting for him to express his opinion.

In fact, even without Zhu Yang expressing his opinion, Lu Yang already knew the answer in his heart.

Zhu Yang lacked the confidence to turn against them, and his relationship with Zhu Tong was not worth the risk of offending Gu Tianxiong and Huang Yuanshou in order to forcibly frame Dongling.

He has even been to Beishuo City in recent years, so he knows quite a lot.

When Lu Yang heard from He Wuyang that Zhu Yang had been transferred to take charge of the Jingxi area, he did not show any surprise because he had a premonition.

Zhu Yang is over ninety years old this year. Among the seven chief officials of the Northern Shuo Supervisory Council, he is the oldest. At his age, it is basically hopeless for him to break through to the Xianyang realm, so it is inevitable that he will be gradually marginalized.

Of the seven districts under Beishuo's jurisdiction, Jingxi is the most remote and does not border the other eight towns. It has no room for expansion to the west or east. Originally, it could barely expand to the north, but Beishuo's current focus for northward expansion is on Zhongyang, Dongchuan, and Linya. Jingxi is weak and located near Shuanglong Cliff. Not only is it too far from Beishuo, but the environment is also not good. So even this route is blocked.

Therefore, it is perfectly normal that the Jingxi area is not valued.

Since Jingxi is not valued, the one among the seven academy leaders who is in charge of overseeing Jingxi is naturally the least valued as well.

“Gu Tianxiong is only in his sixties, still in his prime. When he broke through to the peak of the Cold Resistance Realm last year, I guessed he would be transferred. Sending Zhu Yang here means that the Zhu family in Beishuo has completely declined. So, risking offending Gu Tianxiong and Dean Huang to forcibly suppress Dongling is definitely a thankless task, and moreover…”

Lu Yang looked at the three Zhu brothers behind Zhu Yang, his smile widening.

Zhu Yang and Zhu Tong's grandfather, Zhu Ting, were indeed cousins, but that was four or five generations removed. If Zhu Yang really valued the Zhuling camp, he wouldn't have waited until now to show his support for Zhu Tong and the other two.

Therefore, no matter how you look at it, Zhu Yang has no chance today...

"Chief Lu, Dongling is powerful today, but we can't guarantee it will always be so. We should be lenient when we can. How about we do you give me face and reduce the tribute from five years to one year, giving the five families of Zhuling a way out?

He's really planning to make a name for himself...

Lu Yang was taken aback by Zhu Yang's words, and then he saw that He Wuyang behind Zhu Yang was also nodding at him, clearly implying that he should accept Zhu Yang's suggestion. He immediately raised an eyebrow.

He didn't even consider anything, and just said in a deep, cold voice, "If my Dongling loses today, I wonder if Dean Zhu will ask Zhu Tong and the others to give you face and reduce the five years to one year?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhu Yang was taken aback for a moment, then realized that Lu Yang was not going to give him face, and a flash of anger appeared on his face.

Lu Yang did not continue to press the issue, but simply said, "Since Dean Zhu intends to use his power to intimidate us, my Dongling family business is not large, so naturally I can only obediently obey. But I will never swallow this insult. I refuse to believe that there is no one in Beishuo City who can uphold justice!"

After saying that, he angrily flung his sleeves and turned to the Dongling group beside him, saying directly, "Let's go, we'll go to the Beishuo Supervisory Council tomorrow!"

"Very well, Chief Lu is indeed bold. Since my face is of no use to Dongling, then you eight families will have to deal with this matter yourselves today!"

Zhu Yang, feeling slighted, became noticeably angry. He turned and walked out of the camp, glancing sideways at Luo Cheng and the other five young men as he passed the Dongling group. His eyes were filled with coldness as he whispered:

"Chief Lu, youthful vigor should have its limits. I may be old and insignificant in Beishuo City, but your Dongling camp is even less valuable. I will be in charge of Jingxi from now on, and I'll have plenty of time to play with your Dongling camp. Humph!"

Zhu Yang left with a cold snort, then swept across the snow and left the area.

Eight leaders were left behind, and everyone looked up at Lu Yang, seemingly expecting him to show a nervous or fearful expression.

"Old people are just old people, they talk too much nonsense. I thought he would dare to make a move!"

Zhao Hu's words dashed everyone's hopes.

"Alright, since Dean Zhu isn't going to interfere, there's nothing more to say. For the next five years, all the supplies that my Dongling, Hongyuan, and Ziqiang families will send to Beishuo Town will be provided by the five Zhuling families. Any objections?"

Upon hearing Lu Yang's slightly amused question, the expressions of the five leaders—Zhu Tong, Nie Ying, Bai Bo, Wan Tianhe, and Yang Quan—froze instantly.

(End of this chapter)