Chapter 148: A Mysterious Visitor and the Secret Behind Coldproof-Class Gear |
After Yuwen Hu left, the entire dense forest instantly fell into silence.
"Leader, didn't you say you hadn't broken through to the Warmth Realm yet?"
Luo Yuan's slightly accusatory question made everyone turn to stare at Xia Hong simultaneously.
Xia Chuan, Yue Feng, and Luo Yuan had similar expressions, also carrying some reproach.
Clearly, all three believed that Xia Hong had deceived them earlier.
The other fourteen people, however, showed expressions of joy and excitement on their faces.
Being able to confront Yuwen Hu head-on, even nearly succeeding in killing him.
Even if Xia Hong claimed he hadn't broken through to the Warmth Realm, probably no one would believe him.
Watching as everyone's eyes gradually shifted from joyful excitement to reverence and fervor, Xia Hong shook his head slightly, thought for a moment, and ultimately decided to give up explaining.
Everyone immediately snapped back to reality, turned to look at the corpses of He Meng and the others on the ground, and immediately showed relaxed, satisfied smiles.
"From now on, Mirror Immortal Camp won't dare look down on us anymore!"
"Not just that, they probably won't even dare enter Redwood Ridge anymore."
"That might not be certain. Their entire hunting team of twenty-five people was wiped out. Their reaction might be even stronger. We still need to be careful later."
"Right, the leader is strong, but that doesn't mean we are. Mirror Immortal Camp is a massive camp with a large population. If they really bring everyone to fight us, we'll be in trouble."
"What's there to fear? With the leader here, plus the five Wooden Dummies and torches, even if they really bring people to fight, we're not afraid at all!"
"Their camp's two strongest Warmth Realm experts couldn't do anything to our leader. What else can they do? If they want to compare numbers, worst case we can lure Frost Beasts over. Anyway, they can forget about bullying Great Xia Camp!"
"Hahaha, you're quite cunning, kid."
...
Hearing everyone's relaxed discussion, although Xia Hong's gaze tightened slightly, he felt almost no worry in his heart, completely relaxed.
If Yuwen Hu had some authority in Mirror Immortal Camp, that proved his strength wasn't far from their leader He Yuanhun.
With 31 progress, his base strength was already close to seventy thousand jin. Once the skin membrane reshaping stage was complete, his base strength would be at least one hundred fifty thousand jin.
Normal Warmth Realm practitioners had a base strength of at most just over one hundred thousand jin. Once his progress reached over 60, he would basically reach that level.
Since that was the case, what did he have to fear!
"Let's end today's matter here. As long as Mirror Immortal Camp doesn't continue causing trouble, I won't provoke them either. But if they dare come again..."
Xia Hong looked north, his eyes slightly cold.
The fastest way to expand Great Xia's population was clearly to merge with other camps.
If this Mirror Immortal Camp dared to continue causing trouble later, he wouldn't mind directly swallowing a massive camp with over five thousand people.
Xia Chuan led everyone to quickly collect all the weapons from He Meng's group on the ground, as well as the prey they had hunted earlier.
"Two Snow Manes, one Magic Goat, twenty-five large blades, twenty-five sets of bows and arrows, and five Thunder Kui shields! Hahaha, we've struck it rich!"
Hearing about such abundant gains, Xia Hong couldn't help but smile.
Not to mention the effort and risk of injury required to hunt those three prey themselves; just those large blades and bows and arrows would have taken them several days to produce, including mining and forging.
But now, they obtained all of it in just one night!
"Killing and arson bring golden belts" was indeed an eternal truth.
"The large blades and bows and arrows are similar to our forging techniques and iron usage. But this bowstring material doesn't seem to be Cloud Python sinew?"
Hearing Zhao Long's words, Xia Hong's mind stirred slightly. He took a bow from him and carefully examined the bowstring.
Unlike the half-centimeter thick Cloud Python sinew, this bow's string was made by twisting together hundreds of thread-like white filaments.
Moreover, these fine threads emitted a faint, subtle fragrance.
Xia Hong pulled on the bowstring with slight force, testing its elasticity. Finding it similar to Cloud Python sinew, his interest immediately diminished.
"Let's research it after bringing it back!"
Different camps used different materials for making items depending on their environment. Just because Redwood Ridge used Cloud Python sinew for bowstrings didn't mean other places did the same.
Everyone nodded, quickly packed up all the supplies on the ground, then assigned several people to carry the three prey as they began their return journey.
"So that's how the Thunder Kui skull is used. It takes five to make one shield. That means you need to kill five Thunder Kui to make one shield. That difficulty is way too high."
Xia Chuan played with the shields previously used by He Meng's group, studying them for a while before recognizing they were made from Thunder Kui skulls.
Last time when Xia Hong encountered He Meng in the north and brought back a Thunder Kui, Xia Chuan was nearby when the Camp Supplies Office processed it, so he could recognize it.
The Thunder Kui's head had a half-meter long, ten-centimeter wide skull extending from its body. That bone was extremely hard, impossible to mark with any iron tool.
Xia Chuan had wondered back then—while it was hard, what use could such a small piece serve? Now he knew that five pieces combined formed a shield.
It made sense. Carrying such a large shield during normal outings wasn't practical. Distributing them among five people not only protected vital body parts but also allowed combination into a shield when needed, which was definitely more suitable.
"The production difficulty is indeed high, but it's effective! This shield can even block arrows shot by Warmth Realm experts. No wonder they hunt Frost Beasts so easily!"
As soon as Luo Yuan spoke, everyone immediately remembered that the arrows Xia Hong shot earlier had been blocked by these shields.
Everyone's eyes became intensely hot as they looked at the golden shields.
"Let me see too."
Remembering how his arrows were blocked by the shields earlier, Xia Hong curiously took the Thunder Kui skull. He squeezed it firmly a few times, then scratched it with his Ceremonial Saber. Finding no marks left on it, his eyes showed surprise.
His three arrows earlier had deformed the bow. Those arrows weren't his maximum strength—he estimated they had about forty-five thousand jin of impact force.
But now was different. His static base strength was a solid nearly seventy thousand jin. Yet even so, the Thunder Kui skull remained completely undamaged.
"Pity it can't be disassembled further. It would be better if it could be made into armor. But as a shield it's still good. Even if it can't completely block Warmth Realm attacks, it probably isn't far off!"
After giving his assessment, Xia Hong tossed the skull back to Xia Chuan.
Xia Chuan caught the skull, thought of something, and said to Xia Hong:
"Mu Dong already examined it earlier. Although the Thunder Kui's skin can't compare to this skull, its defensive capability is still strong, able to withstand about twenty to thirty thousand jin of impact force. It can be used as material for armor. The skin from that last Thunder Kui was over ten meters long after being peeled, probably enough for five sets. He seems to have been working on this recently."
Hearing this, Xia Hong's expression brightened slightly. This was good news.
The Thunder Kui's skin was indeed very tough. While twenty to thirty thousand jin impact force might not matter to Warmth Realm experts, it could defend against most Digging Realm attacks.
Imagine two Digging Realm practitioners facing off. If one wore protective gear made from Thunder Kui skin, even if their strength was inferior, their chances of winning would be significant.
Everyone chatted while traveling, soon reaching the edge of Redwood Ridge. Through several large trees, they could see the garrison valley in the distance.
Suddenly, a person jumped down from a large tree ahead and quickly ran toward them from the snow.
"Leader, you're finally back!"
"Shi Ping, why are you here?"
Xia Chuan was the first to recognize the newcomer as Shi Ping.
Seeing Shi Ping's anxious expression, Xia Hong also looked curious.
"Leader, a stranger has come to the camp!"
Hearing this, Xia Hong first looked stunned, then his expression changed dramatically. As he quickly walked toward the garrison, he frowned and asked Shi Ping in a low voice:
"What kind of person? Has he already entered the valley?"
The hunting team members' expressions also changed rapidly as they quickly followed behind him.
Shi Ping quickly followed, answering solemnly: "Don't know him. His clothing is very refined, unlike people from nearby. He came down directly from the mountain. Although he didn't use the passage, he's already been exposed to Concentrated Fire Oil, entered our wooden hut, and showed no abnormalities."
Hearing Shi Ping's words, Xia Hong and the other hunting team members immediately slowed their pace, their expressions becoming much calmer.
As long as it wasn't an Abomination, anything was manageable!
Shi Ping clearly knew what Xia Hong was worried about. After finishing, he continued: "He said his name is Gao Yu, that he got lost on the mountain and accidentally stumbled into the valley. We originally planned to drive him away directly, but..."
As they approached the valley entrance, Xia Hong saw Shi Ping's strange, hesitant expression and immediately asked: "But what?"
"That person... is just too polite..."
As Shi Ping explained, Xia Hong's expression gradually became peculiar.
When the man came down the mountain, his hands weren't empty—he brought four Frost Beasts, all apparently mid-tier based on size. According to Shi Ping, he hadn't seen any of these four mid-tier Frost Beasts before.
Moreover, as soon as he came down, he said he wanted to give the four Frost Beasts to Great Xia, only asking to stay here temporarily for a while.
Even though the four prey were tempting, Shi Ping and the others didn't dare to agree to such a request without authorization, saying they couldn't make the decision.
The man understood and didn't pressure Shi Ping, saying he would make the request personally when the leader returned. If refused, he would leave immediately.
Shi Ping had no choice but to have others watch the camp while he came to the outskirts of Redwood Ridge to wait for Xia Hong's return.
"Let's go in first!"
At the valley entrance, Xia Hong didn't say much after listening. He looked up at the high mountain behind the valley, pondered for a moment, then led everyone directly into the passage.
Coming down from the mountain alone, bringing four mid-tier Frost Beasts they'd never seen before—just this suggested the visitor's strength probably far exceeded their imagination.
For such a person, even if he weren't so polite, Shi Ping and the others would be helpless anyway.
No, rather, it was fortunate he was a polite person.
If he were someone with a strange temper who killed indiscriminately, the people left in the camp would likely have suffered a disaster for no reason.
...
"Wait, no. Your fist technique is indeed good, but practicing only fists isn't enough. The Lumberjack Realm is a critical time for building foundation. Training of fists, legs, head, body, and back—all five parts—is indispensable.
Only by expanding the load-bearing limits of each body part will your progress be faster when cultivating toward the Digging Realm, and even in the future..."
Entering the passage but not yet in the valley, Xia Hong heard an unfamiliar voice. The voice was gentle and calm, carrying a unique quality that made people feel at ease. Even before meeting him, Xia Hong couldn't help but feel some goodwill.
From the voice, he sounded... about thirty years old.
"Greetings, Leader!"
Entering the valley, Xia Hong first waved to the gatekeepers nearby, then looked toward outside the wooden hut, his expression slightly intensifying.
Outside the wooden hut, several dozen children over six years old were practicing fist techniques.
Among these children stood a middle-aged man in white clothes. He had his back to Xia Hong and the others, his appearance unclear, but they could see a pitch-black sword slanted at his waist. His hands were in front of him, having just set up a log.
The middle-aged man seemed unaware of Xia Hong's arrival. He was sequentially using the five body parts he just mentioned—fists, legs, head, body, and back—to continuously strike the log, clearly teaching these children methods to temper their bodies.
"Leader!"
"The leader is back."
"The hunting team has returned!"
...
Children at this age couldn't hide things. Seeing Xia Hong and the hunting team enter, they immediately started making noise.
"Alright, alright, it will be dawn soon. Everyone go inside to practice!"
Hearing Xia Hong's words, the children thought daybreak was actually approaching and immediately laughed as they turned back to the wooden hut.
Only then did the middle-aged man turn around to face Xia Hong and the others.
The moment Xia Hong saw the middle-aged man's appearance, he was momentarily stunned, eight words directly popping into his mind: "Face like jade, eyes like bright stars."
It was strange—in a world like the Ice Abyss, he could actually encounter such a person!
Years of being active at night and hiding during daytime, plus the harsh extreme cold environment, made it difficult for people to remain good-looking. Even with good natural features, it was hard to escape environmental effects.
Plus, daily life-and-death struggles with Frost Beasts and Abominations meant that whether Xia Hong himself or anyone he'd met, their temperaments were mostly rough, savage, even fierce and cruel.
But this middle-aged man in white clothes gave off a temperament that was gentle and composed, noble, even... refined?
That such a word popped into his mind made Xia Hong's expression show a trace of bewilderment, the suspicion in his eyes growing stronger.
Logically, Beishuo Town was the most prosperous and developed place he knew of so far. But even Yang Ning and Li Hu who came from such a place couldn't give Xia Hong this kind of feeling.
Without even mentioning strength, just the temperament emanating from the white-clothed middle-aged man was enough to completely overshadow those two.
Of course, the moment he approached and found himself completely unable to perceive the other's muscle energy changes, Xia Hong immediately realized this middle-aged man's strength was probably far above his own.
"I originally thought that someone who could establish such a paradise in this barren land, the leader of Great Xia Camp, must be a very old, wise elder. I never expected Brother Xia Hong to be so young. It seems my knowledge is still lacking!"
...
"That person... is just too polite..."
Xia Hong's expression was peculiar; only now did he understand what Shi Ping meant earlier.
Starting with compliments upon meeting, plus that handsome appearance.
It was really hard to dislike such a person.
"Gao..."
"I should be a few years older than Leader Xia Hong. If you don't mind, we can address each other as brothers, how about that?"
Before he could even finish speaking, the other was already offering a respectful way out. Wasn't this too perceptive?
Xia Hong's expression grew even stranger. Thinking of the other's strength, he couldn't help feeling nervous. After some thought, he walked to the wooden hut entrance and proactively invited:
"Brother Gao, how about we go inside and talk slowly?"
Probably sensing Xia Hong had many questions, Gao Yu smiled lightly and nodded, following Xia Hong and the others into the wooden hut.
Only after bringing Gao Yu to the first-floor main hall near the Smelting Furnace, and confirming as Shi Ping said that he showed no unusual reaction, did Xia Hong truly relax most of his vigilance.
As long as it wasn't an Abomination...
"Brother Xia Hong, this furnace is quite remarkable!"
Hearing this, Xia Hong looked up suspiciously, trying to find any clues on Gao Yu's face. But finding that the other only glanced briefly at the Smelting Furnace without showing anything unusual, his mind stirred slightly as he casually asked:
"Oh? Brother Gao, tell me, what's remarkable about my furnace?"
Gao Yu walked to the furnace, examined it carefully, even reached out to touch it and feel the high temperature from the coal stones, then turned back and praised: "I don't know the specific structure of this furnace, but its heating effect is incredibly strong, and coal consumption isn't high. If this could be popularized, it could save countless lives."
Hearing this, Xia Hong's heart, which had just been tense, immediately settled.
The Smelting Furnace's heating effect indeed far exceeded ordinary iron furnaces. Considering its radiation range covering a hundred-meter radius, consuming four hundred jin of coal stones daily was indeed low.
Of course, the most crucial thing was the man's final statement.
"If this could be popularized, it could save countless lives."
Xia Hong could feel the sincerity in Gao Yu's tone when he said this, which was the real reason he felt reassured.
"It's a pity. This object was also something I obtained by chance. Popularizing it probably has little hope..."
After responding, Xia Hong got straight to the point: "May I ask where Brother Gao comes from, what purpose brings you to our Redwood Ridge, and could you enlighten us?"
Not just Xia Hong was sitting here—the rest of the hunting team was also present.
Everyone focused their gaze on Gao Yu, waiting for his answer.
"Gao Yu, from Shenwu Village!"
Gao Yu was clearly well-prepared for Xia Hong's question, his expression remaining calm and composed throughout, as if being stared at by everyone didn't bother him.
After introducing himself, he showed a trace of helplessness, clasped his hands toward Xia Hong, and shook his head: "Brother Xia might not believe this, but I truly got lost during hunting, accidentally passed through Twin Dragon Mountain, and stumbled into your camp. It was truly unintentional offense. I hope Brother Xia will forgive me!"
Village—apparently a large-scale human settlement between camps and towns.
Shenwu Village—quite an extraordinary name.
Twin Dragon Mountain probably referred to the two high mountains on the east and west sides of the valley.
Passed through Twin Dragon Mountain?
Xia Hong looked at Gao Yu, his heart slightly shaken.
It was almost laughable—although Great Xia's garrison was in the valley, Xia Hong had never once climbed the two high mountains on either side.
Besides knowing they were over two thousand meters high, he knew nothing else about the mountains—tree species, Frost Beast types and distribution, terrain, including whether there was human activity—he was completely ignorant.
The reason wasn't complicated—with Redwood Ridge nearby, there was no need to venture into unknown areas. Plus, nothing unusual ever happened on the mountain peaks, so there was no need to concern himself.
But after the Wang He incident, while applying Concentrated Fire Oil to the upper cliff walls, Xia Hong had climbed up once and looked toward the east, behind the valley.
The Twin Dragon Mountain range surpassed Redwood Ridge. Xia Hong estimated its east-west span was at least over two hundred kilometers.
This Gao Yu said he passed through Twin Dragon Mountain?
That meant his Shenwu Village was beyond Twin Dragon Mountain.
Hunting alone, crossing a two hundred kilometer range...
Hunting alone aside.
What did crossing two hundred kilometers alone mean?
Xia Hong had been here for a year. Even including the two-three kilometers on Redwood Ridge's outskirts, Great Xia Camp's activity range didn't exceed ten kilometers.
However you thought about it, this was completely impossible!
"May I ask Brother Gao, what..."
Xia Hong instinctively spoke, but realizing it was inappropriate mid-sentence, he stopped.
"Brother Xia doesn't believe I crossed Twin Dragon Mountain alone and wants to ask about my cultivation level, right?"
This Gao Yu wasn't just polite—he was incredibly perceptive!
Before he could even finish speaking, the other knew what he wanted to say!
Xia Hong inwardly praised, then looked up to meet his gaze and nodded sincerely.
At the valley entrance, Xia Hong didn't say much after listening. He looked up at the high mountain behind the valley, pondered for a moment, then led everyone directly into the passage.
But since the other saw through it, there was no need to hide it.
Instead of answering Xia Hong's question, Gao Yu stared at him for a moment, then said clearly: "If I'm not mistaken, Brother Xia should currently be reshaping his skin membrane to break through to the Warmth Realm, correct?"
Without waiting for Xia Hong's response, Gao Yu continued: "I was luckier than Brother Xia, having broken through to the Warmth Realm a few years earlier!"
So it was the Warmth Realm!
Although he had guessed earlier, hearing the confirmation directly from the other's mouth made Xia Hong feel greatly relieved.
From returning to camp until now, even though Gao Yu had shown polite behavior, Xia Hong hadn't been completely at ease.
After all, the other's strength surpassed his. Whether things went well or badly ultimately depended on the other's whim. This feeling of lacking control made it impossible to completely drop his guard, especially since the other's true purpose was unknown, making him feel like sitting on pins and needles.
He could roughly perceive Gao Yu's strength from slight muscle energy changes—stronger than Yuwen Hu, but probably within the Warmth Realm scope.
Of course, that was speculation. Now that Gao Yu admitted it personally, he felt more assured.
Xia Hong's mind stirred slightly. The five Wooden Dummies preparing to descend from the second floor directly stopped moving.
After pausing momentarily, he showed a trace of surprise, quickly stood up, and clasped his hands saying: "Then I should address you as Senior!"
Gao Yu immediately waved his hands, shaking his head: "No need, no need! Just luck. I observe that Brother Xia's skin membrane progress isn't high yet, but your breath is long, muscles strong and full, with the bearing of a battle physique. Once your skin membrane is reshaped to the flawless state and you break through to Warmth Realm, your strength will surely soar to heaven.
I absolutely dare not accept being called Senior!"
Battle physique bearing, flawless state...
Hearing two unfamiliar terms in succession, Xia Hong immediately became interested.
Entering the passage but not yet in the valley, Xia Hong heard an unfamiliar voice. The voice was gentle and calm, carrying a unique quality that made people feel at ease. Even before meeting him, Xia Hong couldn't help but feel some goodwill.
Gao Yu's perceptiveness needed no elaboration. Without Xia Hong even speaking, seeing everyone's expressions, he immediately smiled and began explaining.
"Normal Warmth Realm breakthroughs..."
As Gao Yu explained in detail, recounting the various details of breaking through from Digging Realm to Warmth Realm, everyone showed expressions of sudden understanding.
But Xia Hong's expression shifted from bewilderment, to fear after realization, to finally becoming extremely excited.