Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 384 Hongmen: Taking the Opportunity to Show Off, Allies and the New Nine Towns, the Powerful Great Xia, Taking Advantage of Face.
The 29th day of the fourth month in the eighth year of the Great Xia Dynasty
It was also shortly after nightfall.

Dressed in black, Xia Hong stood on the mountain wall on the north side of Hongguan Pass, his hand resting on the Dragon Sparrow Blade at his waist, looking down at the entire Hongguan Pass below with a disdainful expression.

Behind him stood seven figures: Yuan Cheng, Luo Yuan, Hong Guang, Hong Tian, ​​Zhou Yuan, Yue Feng, and Hou Tong. Although the seven remained silent, their eyes, looking down at the Hongguan Pass below, clearly held a strong sense of excitement.

Last night, more than an hour before dawn, Tu Long and the other seven armies arrived at Hongguan camp. It was precisely because of the presence of these seven armies at Hongguan that Xia Chuan was able to confidently lead the Yun Jiao Army eastward to attack Fengshan camp.

Xia Hong turned to look at the seven men and said in a deep voice, "You seven armies will be stationed here for a long time to come. Starting today, you must know the exact location and surrounding environment of all the major camps in the nine towns east of Hongguan. You will need to know them by heart. You will need them sooner or later."

Furthermore, all the major battles fought by Jiangxia and Bashang towns against Dajue Temple in the past six months should have been compiled into a book by the Ministry of War. Those are paths paved with the lives of our predecessors, and you must study them carefully.”

Upon hearing this, the seven men's expressions turned slightly solemn, and they bowed and replied in unison, "Your subordinates obey!"

Xia Hong's words revealed such obvious ambition that the seven people who understood his meaning naturally became even more excited, and the fervor in their eyes grew stronger as they watched Xia Hong's back.

Each of the seven of them led their own army, making them firmly high-ranking members of the Great Xia Dynasty. Xia Hong's ambition undoubtedly allowed them to clearly see that they and the Great Xia Dynasty had a broader prospect and future.

For them, who were eager to make a name for themselves, being able to follow such a lord was undoubtedly the greatest fortune in their lives.

"These people from the six towns have been taking turns for a full day and night and they're still not done. It seems the treasury of Ba Shang Town is really full..."

Upon hearing Xia Hong's words, all seven turned to look at Ba Shang City in the southeast, their expressions varying.

Yuan Cheng suddenly thought of something and cupped his hands, saying, "Lord, Ba Shang is located on the east bank of the Xing River, at the southern end of the Nine Garrisons. Since the treasury has been divided among the Six Garrisons, shouldn't the territory belong to our Great Xia?"

The remaining six people nodded slightly upon hearing this.

After Luo Yuan nodded, he went even further and said, "The three northern towns are too far away for them to reach. Even if they wanted to occupy them, they couldn't. As for the three central and southern towns, unless Jiangxia Town makes way for them, as long as my Great Xia stands in the middle, no one can get their hands on Ba Shang!"

Ba Shang's unique geographical location meant that as long as Jiangxia and Daxia towns didn't give way, none of the six northern towns could touch it.

It's impossible for Jiangxia to give way to Chuishan. The only thing to worry about is Yangqu and Longgu towns. After all, when Dajue Temple caused trouble before, these two towns sent troops to help Jiangxia. The relationship between the three towns is extraordinary.

Xia Hong's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled, "I estimate that the six lords divided up the Ba Shang territory yesterday, but it was all in vain. Tonight's grand banquet will be the real test of Ba Shang's ownership."

Upon hearing about the grand banquet tonight, Yuan Cheng and the others' expressions brightened slightly.

They all knew that Xia Hong was going to host a banquet for the lords of the eight towns tonight.

The first public appearance of the Great Xia on the southern slope of Mount Mo'ao was to simultaneously host a banquet for the lords of the eight towns. What a grand gesture!

Perhaps only their lord, Xia Hong, has the confidence to do so.

Looking down at the Hongguan Pass, Xia Hong suddenly smiled and said, "Hongguan doesn't sound good. I'll change the name of this place to Hongmen!"

Therefore, tonight's grand banquet can be considered a trap.

Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of Yuan Cheng and the other seven, Xia Hong chuckled and shook his head. Of course, he wouldn't reveal his wicked sense of humor to them.

"My lord, the banquet table is ready!"

Suddenly, a figure climbed up from below the mountain wall. It was Qiu Peng, the head of the logistics department, who had specially brought people from Xia City during the day to host a banquet.

"understood……"

After Xia Hong answered, he suddenly turned to look at the east side of the camp and continued with a smile, "What a coincidence, Xia Chuan is back too, and it seems he brought some distinguished guests with him. Come on, come with me to meet the people from Jiuzhen!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he flew down the mountainside, and Yuan Cheng and the others followed suit, using the mountainside as leverage to jump down and following behind him.

At the Hongguan camp, in front of the main tent, a three-zhang-high iron circular platform had appeared out of nowhere. The platform was thirty meters in diameter and had nine tables arranged in a circle without any distinction between main and secondary tables, and each table was equipped with only one chair.

Except for the chair in the center that is backed by the main tent, which has no markings, the other eight chairs are marked with the town names. Starting from the center chair and proceeding from the left, they are Jiangxia, Yangqu, Beishuo, Jinshan, Wuchuan, Chuishan, Longgu, and Muyin.

Xia Hong had even arranged seats for the Eight Towns.

Below the round platform, Xiahou Zhang, along with Jiang Xinfan and the other two, were looking at the nine tables on the platform, their expressions thoughtful.

"Lord Xiahou, it's been half a year. How have you been?"

Before Xia Hong even came over, he smiled and cupped his hands to Xiahou Zhang, speaking as if there was no sense of unfamiliarity whatsoever.

After Hongguan suffered a major defeat, Xiahou Zhang was pursued by Vajra Master and later ambushed by Flame Dragon Master in the sky above Fengshan. He was rescued by Xia Hong. This happened on the night of November 29th last year, which is now almost half a year ago.

What Xia Hong didn't know was that this was actually the third time Xiahou Zhang had seen him. Yesterday, when Xia Hong killed three great masters in Ba Shang City, Xiahou Zhang had been secretly watching the whole thing.

Looking at Xia Hong's excessively youthful face, Xiahou Zhang's expression was somewhat complicated, but he quickly understood something. He directly cupped his hands and bowed deeply to Xia Hong, saying sincerely, "Last year, the situation at Fengshan was urgent, and I had not yet had the chance to thank Lord Xia Hong for saving my life. I have not yet repaid his old kindness. Now, the Great Xia has helped me recover my homeland, adding to my new favor. I am truly ashamed!"

Seeing Xiahou Zhang's humble posture, Xia Hong was somewhat surprised, but a smile quickly appeared on his face. He stepped forward to help Xiahou Zhang up and said with a smile, "Lord Xiahou, you flatter me. I do not deny the life-saving grace from last year, but this time, our Great Xia is helping Jiangxia recover its lost territory entirely on the principle of mutual benefit. There is no need to talk about new grace."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Zhang immediately understood and respectfully bowed, saying, "Lord Xia Hong, rest assured, Xiahou Zhang understands."

Xia Hong was not surprised by Jiangxia Town's decision to side with the Great Xia, after all, he had been planning and scheming for half a year, and the Nine Towns themselves were not up to par. However, Xia Houzhang's sensible decision was still beyond Xia Hong's expectations.

"Very well, with Lord Xiahou's words, Xia Hong is relieved. Please take a seat!"

Xia Hong walked to the circular platform and extended his hand to Xiahou Zhang, inviting him to join him.

Xiahou Zhang nodded, cupped his hands in greeting, and followed him onto the round platform.

Jiang Xinfan and the other two followed behind him.

Upon reaching the round platform, a unique aroma immediately filled their nostrils, causing Xiahou Zhang and the other three to be slightly startled. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that the nine tables on the platform were already laden with a variety of exquisite dishes that they had never seen before.

The Nine Towns possess such a large resource-rich area as Mount Mo'ao, and Xiahou Zhang and his three companions are undoubtedly top figures in the Nine Towns. Naturally, they are not people who have never seen the world. The four of them can tell at a glance that the main ingredients of the dishes on the table are all high-grade beast meat.

The key point is that these high-grade animal meats were things they had never seen before.

Moreover, although Jiuzhen has a large population, the mainstream cooking methods are currently only steaming, boiling, and roasting. There are also not many seasonings and auxiliary materials available. However, the dishes displayed by Daxia are a dazzling array, with some being crispy and golden on the outside, some having tender meat chunks and thick broth, some having bright and eye-catching colors, and some having blackened skin but exuding a strong and unique aroma.

Not only were the types of animal meat unfamiliar to them, but the seasonings, ingredients, and cooking methods in Daxia were also far more abundant than in Jiuzhen.

"What's in that pot...?"

Xiahou Zhang twitched his nose and suddenly noticed three very beautiful long-necked pots on the table. The three pots were red, blue and yellow respectively. The pots were crystal clear and covered with many patterns. They looked like jade. Their beautiful appearance was really eye-catching.

Of course, Xiahou Zhang wasn't just concerned with the appearance. His perception far surpassed that of Jiang Xinfan and the other two, so he could clearly sense that a strong, exotic fragrance was emanating from these three pots.

"The food is placed next to the dishes, so it must be a drink, probably a beverage like Monkey Essence or Ape Fragrance Liquid. How could Da Xia possibly produce three kinds at once!"

Xiahou Zhang was slightly startled after guessing it. The monkey liquor from Beishuo and the ape fragrance liquid from Jinshan were both divided into three grades: lower, middle, and upper, corresponding to the three realms of logging, digging, and keeping warm. Drinking them could not only improve blood circulation and increase cultivation efficiency, but also quickly raise body temperature. In some extremely cold environments, they could even be life-saving.

Most importantly, the taste is also excellent.

Anyone who has tasted it once will almost never forget it for the rest of their life.

Such precious medicinal liquid, coupled with the deliberate control of production by the towns of Beishuo and Jinshan, naturally commands an astonishingly high price. For example, a pound of low-grade Houchunjiang from Beishuo can sell for 20 taels of silver, a pound of medium-grade Houchunjiang for 100 taels, and a pound of high-grade Houchunjiang for an astonishing 10000 taels.

At this price, it's safe to say that only high-ranking officials in the Nine Towns have the financial means to buy it. Xiahou Zhang is also an extremely heavy drinker; he only buys 50 jin of top-grade monkey liquor each year, and occasionally uses mid-grade liquor to tide him over.

If he was like this, then others were even more so. Many of the cold-resistant level people were really craving something sweet, so they had no choice but to use lower-grade ones to satisfy their cravings.

Not only the food and medicine, but also the tablecloths on the nine tables were made of an exceptionally smooth material and looked beautiful. Even the chairs carved from frost-white animal bones were exquisitely beautiful...

This banquet was clearly meticulously planned.

Xiahou Zhang looked at the items on the table, then glanced sideways at Xia Hong on his right, and immediately had some guesses in his mind.

"coming!"

Xia Hong, who had just sat down, suddenly looked up at the sky.

Xiahou Zhang noticed it too and immediately looked up. All the people from the Great Xia around the round platform also raised their heads and looked up at the sky.

Twelve figures hovered in the sky above the Hongguan camp.

The twelve men were surveying the entire Hongguan camp. Because they were only floating less than a hundred meters above the ground, the people below could clearly see the expressions on their faces.

After surveying the entire Hongguan camp, the twelve men were all visibly shocked. Finally, when they turned their gaze to the round platform below and saw Xia Hong on the main seat, their pupils constricted and their expressions turned extremely wary.

Xia Hong did not stand up at all. While the twelve men were surveying the camp, he was also looking up at them. After roughly recognizing their identities, he smiled faintly and slowly said, "Do you all intend to stay in the sky forever? Xia Hong has specially prepared a banquet here tonight. Would the lords of the six towns do me the honor of coming down and having a seat?"

Of the twelve Xianyang-level beings, half glared angrily at Xia Hong. These were the three towns of Jinshan, Wuchuan, and Chuishan, who had just received bad news in Bashang City.
The remaining half also had mostly fear in their eyes;

Only Yang Fa, the town chief of Beishuo Town, seemed to remember something the moment he saw Xia Hong. He turned to his elder brother Yang Zun and whispered something to him. Upon hearing this, Yang Zun's expression darkened slightly.

Lord Shangguan Yang of Jinshan and Lord Duan Hong of Chuishan both took a step forward. It was clear that they had originally intended to directly rebuke those below, but as if they had thought of something, they swallowed their words back.

"The Lord of Great Xia is so kind, how could I, Cao, refuse? Hahaha!"

Cao Qianyang of Yangqu was the first to speak. He seemed to have figured something out, and the fear on his face disappeared. He laughed loudly in response to Xia Hong, and in a flash, he flew down with the military leader Yan Chenzhou beside him.

"Last night in Ba Shang City, I heard that during the day a man in black fought five opponents and killed three great masters. I was very impressed at the time, and I only regretted that I was a step too late to see his true face. Now I have finally seen him. Indeed, seeing is believing. Lord Long Mingyuan of Dragon Valley greets Lord Xia Hong."

Long Mingyuan also arrived with military leader Li Yangtianxia.

"I never imagined that Lord Xia Hong had visited Beishuo City last September. I was out at the time, what a pity!"

Then came the two brothers, Yang Zun and Yang Fa, from Beishuo.

Upon hearing Yang Zun's words, Xia Hong smiled and said, "Last year, I traveled through the Nine Towns, and it just so happened that Beishuo was the last stop. Because I was unfamiliar with the rules of the Nine Towns, I had a small misunderstanding with Brother Yang Fa. I hope Lord Yang Zun will forgive me."

"Since it's a misunderstanding, there's no need for forgiveness, Brother Xia, you're too kind!"

Xia Hong smiled and nodded, then turned his gaze to the six people still above. Although he did not speak, his expression was noticeably colder.

Shangguan Yang, Qin Feng, and Duan Hong could clearly sense Xia Hong's emotional change. The three of them looked down at the three townsmen who had already taken their seats below, and a flash of anger crossed their eyes. However, after thinking for a moment, they still came down and sat down.

Like Xiahou Zhang, the six lords noticed the dishes and wine pots on the table as soon as they took their seats. Their pupils narrowed slightly, and many thoughts flashed through their minds.

"The last distinguished guest has arrived!"

Not long after everyone sat down, Xia Hong looked up and gazed northwards.
In the northern sky, a red figure was rushing towards the Hongguan camp.

After approaching the Hongguan camp, the man, like the lord of the Six Garrisons, first surveyed the situation inside the camp, and then immediately noticed the round platform.

He leaped onto the circular platform, glanced around at the seven town lords, nodded slightly in greeting, and finally fixed his gaze on Xia Hong in the main seat. After a moment's thought, he cupped his hands in a deep bow and said in a solemn voice, "Mu Rong Chui, lord of Mu Yin Town, pays respects to the lord of Great Xia!"

Upon hearing Murong Chui refer to himself as a lord, Shangguan Yang, the lord of Jinshan Town, instantly turned ugly.

The expressions of Wu Chuan Qin Feng and Bei Shuo Yang Zun also flickered.

"Lord Murong, please take a seat!"

Xia Hong was not surprised at all. He pointed to the nearest table on his right and gestured for Murong Chui to sit down.

Murong Chui nodded in agreement and took a seat.

"There are roughly forty-eight kinds of cold beasts distributed on the southern slope of Mount Mo'ao. Among them, the Snow Shadow Wolf, Rock Armor Bear, Frost-haired Ape, Ice Claw Lizard, Golden-spotted Tiger, Six-horned Demon Sheep, Crimson Phoenix, Vermilion Goose, and Black Fiend Eagle are the most common. Am I right, Xia?"

Once all the lords of the eight towns were seated, Xia Hong spoke directly.

Ignoring the fact that his words had caused the eight lords to change their expressions, he picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of meat from the table, chewed it a few times, and pointed to the dishes on the table, saying, "Fried Gnawing Tips with Aged Fragrant Sausage, Stir-fried Pork Ribs with Snow Bamboo Shoots, Braised White Bear's Paw with Green Saliva, Roasted Lamb Ribs with Aged Fruit, Stewed Kui Ribs with Crystal Branches, Tiger Soup with Fragrant Cold Fruit... These nine dishes on the table were specially selected by me. Both the seasonings and ingredients are quite rare in the nine towns. You are welcome to try them; you'll be pleasantly surprised!"

"I couldn't resist the aroma of these dishes. I've always loved good food. Please forgive my impatience, everyone. Let me have a taste first."

Similar to the seating order, Cao Qianyang was the first to pick up his chopsticks, followed by Long Mingyuan, then Yang Zun, and finally the people from the other three towns.

The expressions of the eight lords changed drastically after tasting the first bite of the dish.

They seemed somewhat incredulous and ordered another serving to try.

After tasting all nine dishes, all eight people were greatly surprised.

Seeing the expressions on the eight people's faces, Xia Hong showed no surprise.

Because there is no salt in Jiuzhen!

When Lu Yang relayed this information back to Xia City two years ago, Xia Hong immediately realized that there must be a gap between the productivity of the Nine Towns and that of the Great Xia.

After several years of continuous investigation, Xia Hong's guess was indeed confirmed.

It's not just salt; from martial arts techniques, alchemy, and the efficiency of utilizing various cultivation resources; to weapon forging and armor making; to clothing, food, housing, and even food seasonings and cooking methods, there is a significant gap between the Nine Towns and the Great Xia.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. The Great Xia not only has a powerful camp system to assist it, but also a lord who has transmigrated from the civilized world. Although he doesn't know exactly how to manufacture many things, he can provide Mu Dong and the others with some basic ideas without any problem.

Both the Alchemy Pavilion and the Weapon Forging Pavilion now have appraisal functions. Whenever a new type of material is sent to Xia City, Mu Dong will immediately lead the artisan department to study its uses. Under these circumstances, new things are being created in Great Xia almost all the time, and productivity is also leaping wildly along with the expansion of the explored territory and the increase in the borders.

The nine towns, situated on the southern slopes of Mount Mo'ao, have been established for over a century, yet their productivity is still inferior to that of the Great Xia, which has risen to prominence in less than ten years. This demonstrates just how terrifyingly helpful the camp system has been to the Great Xia.

Since the productivity of the Great Xia Dynasty surpasses that of the Nine Towns, there are simply too many things that the Great Xia Dynasty can do.

One of the most important aspects was, of course, trade.

The primary purpose of hosting a banquet tonight to entertain the lords of the eight towns is, of course, to make the Great Xia Dynasty fully visible to everyone on the southern slope of Mount Mo'ao, but at the same time, it is also a deliberate display by Xia Hong of the Great Xia Dynasty's productivity.

The two items he brought out today are the most iconic; any lord of the Eight Towns who isn't stupid would try every means to buy them from the Great Xia.

But what they want is far more than just these two things for Great Xia.

Having mastered advanced productive forces and used trade to seize the resources of the nine towns, this was Xia Hong's true purpose in hosting the banquet tonight.

Xia Hong's mind was filled with a thousand thoughts. Looking at the astonished expression on the face of the Eight Towns Lord, his mood gradually became excited.

But at this moment, the most excited person in the room was not Xia Hong, but Qiu Peng, the director of the operations and supplies department standing behind Xia Hong.

Xia Hong was the first to see through the intention behind hosting the banquet for the eight lords. If they encountered an opponent they couldn't overwhelm with strength and couldn't seize their territory in a short time, they could use their advanced productive forces to engage in unequal trade, indirectly allowing other camps to acquire resources for Great Xia!

At this moment, Qiu Peng suddenly recalled a discussion he had with Xia Chuan seven years ago when the Great Xia expanded into the territory of the Five Apes Mountain. It was a perfect description of the current situation between the Great Xia and the Eight Towns.

As the head of the logistics department, he would inevitably be in charge of all future transactions with the Eight Towns. In his view, the expression on the Eight Towns lord's face after tasting the food meant that the Eight Towns would have a steady stream of silver and various precious materials sent to Xia City. As the person in charge of the camp's finances, how could he not be excited at this moment?

Of course, no matter how excited Qiu Peng was, he dared not show it in this situation. He simply looked calmly at Xia Hong and continued to introduce the fine wine to the lord of the Eight Towns.

"Gentlemen, please try these three jugs of summer wine. The red bottle is Fengyang Zui; the blue bottle is Bilongxian; and the yellow bottle has the most interesting name, Meng Hu Dao..."

After Xia Hong finished speaking, he paused and saw that everyone had opened their wine jugs and were all showing signs of intoxication. He smiled and continued, "I have long heard of the Monkey Pure Wine of Beishuo and the Ape Fragrance Liquid of Jinshan, but unfortunately I have not had the good fortune to taste them. So please, everyone, try these three wines of my Great Xia and see if they can compare with the Monkey Pure Wine and the Ape Fragrance Liquid."

As soon as he finished speaking, all eight lords raised their wine glasses and began to taste the three kinds of summer wine.

For the lords of the eight towns, who spend their years fighting against cold beasts and monsters, braving wind and rain, fine wine is far more potent than gourmet food.

The moment the lords of the eight towns opened the wine jug, the people standing behind them immediately sniffed and their eyes lit up as they looked at the wine jug.

“啧… … … … ”

Xiahou Zhang, who had the least psychological burden, suddenly brightened up after drinking, his face full of enjoyment and intoxication. After swallowing the wine, he even kept smacking his lips as if he wanted more.

He poured a cup of each of the three types of wine in front of him, and after tasting all three, he closed his eyes and savored the flavors for a long time before opening them and bowing to Xia Hong, saying with emotion, "I never imagined that there were such fine wines in the world. Xiahou Zhang has truly wasted nearly a hundred years of his life. I am deeply grateful for Lord Xia Hong's hospitality!"

"The effects of this wine are similar to those of Monkey Essence and Monkey Fragrance Liquid, but its taste is far superior to both. It's so delicious."

"The Great Xia Dynasty can actually produce such fine wine!"

"I'm afraid there are more than that. Didn't you hear what Lord Xia Hong just said? These are only the three types he took out. I guess there are many other types as well."

"Good wine."

"It's really good."

"This wine is better than Monkey Pure Wine and Monkey Fragrance Liquid!"

………………

The reactions of the eight lords already speak volumes.

Xiahou Zhang and Murong Chui went on and on, praising it wildly; Cao Qianyang and Long Mingyuan were also generous with their compliments; Yang Zun and Shangguan Yang's expressions weren't very good, but they still gave it good wine and positive reviews; Qin Feng simply said it was better than Houchunjiang and Yuanxiangye.

Even Duan Hong, whose face looked the worst, remained silent after finishing his drink.

"Haha, it seems that all eight towns appreciate fine wine. To be honest, I, Xia, am also a great lover of wine. I would like to offer you all a toast as a formal gesture of friendship between my Great Xia and the eight towns since we set out from the north bank of the Xinghe River. I wonder if you lords would do me the honor of accepting this small favor?"

Xia Hong had already picked up his wine glass, but as soon as he finished speaking, the lords of the six towns immediately and imperceptibly put down their glasses.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Xia Hong. I, Murong Chui, will drink first!"

Although Murong Chui was the first to raise his wine cup and speak, he was not the first to drink. Xiahou Zhang on the right did not say a word, but simply picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

The other six town lords looked rather grim upon seeing the two men's performance.

Cao Qianyang and Long Mingyuan exchanged glances, their eyes clearly softening. Just as they reached out to grab their wine glasses, Duan Hong, the lord of Chuishan Town who had been holding back for a long time, finally spoke.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Xinghe River that Lord Xia Hong mentioned should be the Hengjiang River that we in the Nine Towns are talking about. As an external force, the Great Xia has wantonly encroached on the territory of our Nine Towns. Lord Xia Hong is far too naive to think that he can cover up all this with a banquet!"

As soon as Duan Hong spoke, Shangguan Yang immediately followed up, saying, "When did it become the Great Xia's place to interfere in the war between Jinshan and Muyin? They killed more than two thousand of my Zhenyu soldiers and captured Shangguan Ning, the deputy commander of Jinshan. The Great Xia is a newcomer and is meddling far too much!"

Qin Feng couldn't hold back any longer. He first glanced at Murong Chui with an unfriendly expression, and then spoke to Xia Hong: "My Wuchuan Town has no enmity with the Great Xia. Lord Xia Hong sent troops to attack Fushan without cause and detained two thousand of my town's garrison soldiers. Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

As soon as Qin Feng finished speaking, he saw Murong Chui move. He immediately turned his head and stared at Murong Chui, saying in an extremely low voice, "I admit that the Great Xia is indeed quite strong, but the mountains are high and the roads are long, and it is not always possible to help Muyin Town. I advise Lord Murong to be careful with his words and actions!"

Murong Chui paused slightly, a flash of anger crossing his face.

He was about to speak when Xiahou Zhang interrupted him.

"I forgot to tell you all that before the war with Dajue Temple, Jiangxia had already formed an alliance with Daxia. Therefore, Daxia is naturally no longer considered an external force. In addition, Jiangxia has handed over all the territories around Jinbi Village, Longhe Village, and Hongguan Camp to Daxia Town. So, Lord Duan's claim of wantonly encroaching on the territory of the Nine Towns is completely unfounded."

Upon hearing these words, Duan Hong's face flushed crimson, and he turned to stare at Xiahou Zhang, his eyes filled with rage.

"Many thanks to Lord Qin Feng for his advice. My Muyin Town is also allied with the Great Xia. We are grateful that the Great Xia has not abandoned us. Although our two towns are far apart, when they learned that Wuchuan and Jinshan Towns wanted to destroy Muyin, Lord Xia Hong still sent troops to help. Murong Chui is extremely grateful..."

Murong Chui also spoke up. He bowed slightly to Xia Hong, his face full of gratitude, before turning to Shangguan Yang and Qin Feng. He continued in a deep voice, "Since you two have no regard for the friendship between the Nine Towns, what right do you have to blame me for seeking outside help? Judging from Lord Qin Feng's words, Wu Chuan will still spare no effort to destroy my Mu Yin. In that case, Qin Yuanyi's two thousand-plus men can forget about going back. When I return to Mu Yin, I will order their execution."

call out……

"You old scoundrel Murong, how dare you?"

Qin Feng stood up abruptly with a snap, drawing his long sword from his waist. Han Zhaohai, the leader of the Wuchuan Army beside him, also immediately stood up and drew a large knife from his waist.

"Then let's see if I dare!"

Having come this far, Murong Chui was not about to back down. He suddenly stood up, drew his long sword from his waist, and sneered incessantly.

The three Manifestation Yang level beings suddenly erupted, unleashing their full power, causing the surrounding temperature to rise rapidly and the entire circular platform to shake violently.

Qin Feng's expression was cold, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he looked at Murong Chui, and he said in an extremely low voice, "Do you think you can still return to Muyin City?"

"Of course I can return. I have long admired the Twelve Blood Scripture Technique of the Murong Clan. It just so happens that the grand banquet has just ended and Xia Hong is about to go to Muyin City to make some noise. I wonder if Lord Murong would welcome me?"

Xia Hong, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

He didn't release any aura at all; he just spoke so calmly. Qin Feng and Han Zhaohai realized something, and their momentum immediately weakened.

"I have lost my composure and made Lord Xia Hong laugh at me!"

Murong Chui immediately composed himself, first apologizing to his master Xia Hong for his outburst, and then continued with a smile, "Of course I won't disturb you. I am grateful to Lord Xia Hong for his righteous military assistance. Once we reach Muyin City, Murong Chui will present you with the Twelve Blood Scripture Merits with both hands!"

Upon hearing the two of them singing in unison, Qin Feng's expression instantly turned extremely ugly.

He suddenly turned to look at Shangguan Yang and Yang Zun beside him, and seeing that the two of them deliberately avoided his gaze, his expression darkened even more.

"Lord Xia Hong's hospitality is too kind. You've only just been destroyed by the Great Jue Temple, and now the Great Xia has joined us. Doesn't this perfectly complete the name of the Nine Towns of the Southern Foothills of Mo'ao? Yangqu Town is willing to make peace with the Great Xia. I, Cao, will drink first as a sign of respect. Lord Xia Hong, please!"

"Dragon Valley Town shares this sentiment, Lord Xia Hong, please!"

Seeing that the questions raised by the three towns of Jinshan, Wuchuan, and Chuishan were resolved by Xiahou Zhang and Murong Chui without Xia Hong even needing to respond, Cao Qianyang and Long Mingyuan finally saw the situation clearly and raised their wine cups to Xia Hong, drinking them down in one gulp.

"With another town added to the Mo'ao Mountain area, I, Yang, am extremely pleased!"

Following the two, Yang Zun also relented.

Five of the eight towns have already given in, leaving only the lords of Jinshan, Wuchuan, and Chuishan. No matter how grim their expressions, they know they can't stop the Great Xia.

"Since Great Xia has the desire to integrate into the Nine Towns, I will naturally not stop it. However, there is still a long way to go, and I hope that Great Xia will not become the next Great Awakening Temple."

"Qin Feng also welcomes Great Xia on behalf of Wu Chuan, but hopes that Great Xia will not use the pretext of aiding other towns to secretly carry out annexation. Lord Shangguan is right, there is still a long way to go, Wu Chuan will wait and see how Great Xia behaves!"

Shangguan Yang and Qin Feng's words were both sarcastic and clearly meant to nitpick. Towards the end, they both deliberately looked at Xiahou Zhang and Murong Chui.

Seeing the two women acting like resentful women, Xia Hong shook his head and chuckled without saying anything. He raised his wine glass to them from a distance, drank the wine, and finally turned his gaze to Duan Hong, the lord of Chuishan Town, who was the only one in the room who had not yet expressed his opinion.

Duan Hong's expression was one of extreme struggle. He knew very well that the situation was such that he could not change it no matter what. The problem was that not only had the Great Xia seized Hong Pass, but it had also helped Jiangxia reclaim Fengshan, slaughtered more than 2,000 garrison troops in Chuishan, killed his nephew Duan Chang, and his grandson Duan Xu was still unknown whether he was alive or dead.

Most importantly, his mountain is located just north of Hongguan.

It doesn't matter if it's in other towns, but it doesn't matter in Chuishan.

If the Great Xia can truly establish itself here, then the border mountains will be secure in the future...

"Tonight, in addition to formally establishing relations with the Eight Garrisons, I have another matter to discuss with you regarding the ownership of the Ba Shang territory!"

While Duan Hong was still struggling with his inner conflict, Xia Hong gently put down his wine glass, looked up at the other seven town lords, and continued speaking with a smile.

Duan Hong's face flushed slightly as he looked at Xia Hong in the main seat, his fist clenched tightly in his sleeve.

Upon hearing that he wanted to renegotiate the ownership of the Ba Shang territory, Duan Hong became even more enraged and retorted, "The Ba Shang territory was already divided up by our six towns last night. What does it have to do with your Great Xia?"

As soon as Duan Hong finished speaking, he noticed that Shangguan Yang and the others were all looking at him with strange eyes. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then his expression instantly froze.

Of the five great masters of Dajue Temple, three were killed by Xia Hong alone.

Moreover, Xia Hong killed them all while fighting five opponents alone. At the time, all twelve of them were trapped in Chilong Lake.

In other words, if Xia Hong hadn't intervened, the more than one million people in Ba Shang City would have been wiped out long ago. Perhaps Da Jue Temple would have even successfully resurrected that five-headed, masked Maitreya. If that had happened, whether Jiu Zhen would still exist now is another matter entirely.

His statement, "What does this have to do with the Great Xia?", was clearly completely wrong.

"I know that the Ba Shang treasury was probably divided up by you all yesterday, so I, Xia, will be magnanimous and not ask for it back. However, the territory of Ba Shang, my Great Xia cannot give up any more..."

Xia Hong paused for a moment, smiled, and continued, "To be honest, I witnessed the entire battle between Dajue Temple and Jiuzhen. According to the rules, whoever contributed more naturally gets more territory."

Xia's proposed division is as follows: Ba Shang City and Jiu Qu Camp will belong to our Great Xia; Zou Yang and Bai Song Camps will belong to Jiangxia; Qing Gu will belong to Yang Qu; and as compensation, Jiangxia will cede Feng Shan and Long Zhou Camps to Long Gu. What do you all think?

boom……

Upon hearing Xia Hong's proposed division plan, Duan Hong could no longer contain himself. Chuishan Town had already lost Hongguan and Fengshan, and now even Bashang City and Baisong Camp, which had been divided among the six towns the previous night, could not be saved.

"What right does a newly arrived camp from beyond the borders have to interfere in the affairs of my Nine Towns? I only came to your banquet because I honored you, and you've already divided up the Ba Shang territory with just a few words. Xia Hong, what are you?"

Having just been ignored by Xia Hong, Duan Hong was seething with anger. Now that he was ready to break off all pretense, he naturally wouldn't hold back his words any longer, and in the end, he directly spoke rudely to Xia Hong.

"Be bold!"

"How dare you disrespect the lord!"

Before Xia Hong, the person involved, could even speak, Xia Chuan, Yuan Cheng, and the other Great Xia Cold-Controlling level figures behind him couldn't help but roar out in anger.

Duan Hong's voice was quite loud; not only the many Xia soldiers around the round platform, but almost all of the eight thousand troops in the entire Hongguan camp heard it.

Xia Hong's importance in the hearts of everyone in the camp increased steadily along with the growing strength of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Nowadays, even if someone secretly criticizes Xia Hong, if the people of Great Xia hear it, they will treat it as an extremely serious problem.

It goes without saying that someone would openly hurl insults at you, especially someone from another camp.

Whoosh... Clang... Clang...

The reactions of the soldiers of the eight armies—Yunjiao, Tulong, Hubao, Xuanwu, Shenwu, Longyuan, Shanhe, and Beizhao—are predictable.

In less than ten minutes, they emerged from their various barracks and quickly assembled. The Yunjiao Army, clad in thousand-times-forged Thunder Kui Golden Armor, stood at the front, while the remaining seven thousand soldiers, clad in hundred-times-forged Thunder Kui Golden Armor, surrounded the entire circular platform.

Without a word upon their arrival, they immediately drew their bows and aimed at Duan Hong and Mu Longhe on the high platform at almost the same time.

call…………

After the sound of the army's bowstrings tightening disappeared, the entire arena fell silent.

Apart from the occasional cold wind blowing from the sky, almost no other sound could be heard, and the scene remained frozen.

Not to mention the five town lords—Shangguan Yang, Qin Feng, Yang Zun, Cao Qianyang, and Long Mingyuan—even Murong Chui and Xiahou Zhang, who had already decided to side with the Great Xia, couldn't help but tremble at the sight.

Duan Hong and Mu Longhe, the parties involved, froze completely. If you looked closely, you would see that both of them had beads of cold sweat on their foreheads and a look of surprise flashed in their pupils.

They are indeed at the Manifested Yang level, but even those at the Manifested Yang level are not omnipotent.

They didn't even need eight thousand troops. Even against the thousand Cloud Dragon soldiers in the front row, the two of them had no choice but to take to the air and escape.

To put it more bluntly, if eight thousand troops really swarmed in, even if there were twenty more of them, let alone just two of them, they would still have to flee.

The question is, will Xia Hong, who is in the main position, let them escape so easily?
Xia Hong looked at Duan Hong, first showing a hint of confusion, then turned to look at Yang Zun and the other two, and immediately realized what was going on.

These three people didn't even tell anyone else about saving Xiang Fuhai.

Xia Hong smiled and shook his head, then turned his gaze back to Duan Hong, revealing an expression as if he were looking at an idiot. He sneered, "If I remember correctly, after Dajue Temple broke through Hongguan, your Chuishan Town didn't send a single soldier. After the war, you wanted to take advantage of Bashang. You ask me what I am? I'd like to ask you, what are you, Chuishan?"
Do you really think my division plan is something I'm offering for you to discuss? This is a notification. If you don't comply, then feel free to send your Chuishan army to seize it. Let me make this clear: from tonight onwards, if the Chuishan army makes a single move, our two towns will be locked in a life-or-death struggle.

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences. Since you have so many objections, then you can forget about keeping what you received from the Ba Shang treasury. I'm giving you one month to obediently deliver everything to the Hongmen Camp. You don't need to pay any attention to me; just see what happens. Get out of here!!!"

After Xia Hong finished speaking, he suddenly drew the Dragon Sparrow Blade that was leaning against the table and threw it directly at Duan Hong and the other man.

The seat in Chuishan Town was right to Xia Hong's right, separated only by the towns of Muyin and Longgu, so Xia Hong could easily see the two of them with a simple gesture.

call out…………

Xia Hong used all his strength in this attack, and the Dragon Sparrow Blade transformed into a streak of silver light, instantly arriving in front of Duan Hong and Mu Longhe.

Neither of them expected Xia Hong to suddenly attack at this moment. In a hurry, they raised their weapons in front of them, trying to deflect the Dragon Sparrow Blade flying towards them.

however……

The moment the blades struck their own weapons, Duan Hong and Mu Longhe's expressions changed instantly.

boom!
The two were blasted off the platform by the immense force of the Dragon Sparrow Blade, their bodies flying backward for over a hundred meters before crashing through five barracks before finally coming to a stop.

After getting up, the two looked at Xia Hong with horror in their eyes. They dared not say another word and took off to escape to the north.

The town lords who remained at the table were horrified to see that the dishes and wine pot on Duan Hong's seat were exactly as they were before Xia Hong made his move. Their expressions all became extremely solemn.

(End of this chapter)