Chapter 134: The Entire Hunting Team Breaks Through

The panic brought by the strange monster spread visibly throughout the camp.

Even knowing that the valley was guarded by fire-condensing oil, everyone in the camp couldn't help but feel fear in their hearts.

Even those who hadn't broken through to the Woodcutting Realm and only needed to stay in the camp were like this, let alone the members of the woodcutting team and gathering team who had to go out.

There was no way around it; the pain brought by the previous wooden puppet strange monster had left a shadow in everyone's hearts. Even Xia Hong, the leader, was drumming in his heart, let alone them.

Except for some ignorant children, everyone's heart seemed to be covered with a shadow, and their mood was not as relaxed as before.

Under such circumstances, the entire camp naturally lacked a lot of laughter, and the atmosphere became tense and oppressive.

Xia Hong was not surprised by such an atmosphere.

When he asked Xia Chuan to announce the news of the strange monster, he had already anticipated it in advance.

A tense and oppressive atmosphere can bring quite a few benefits in the short term.

First of all, the caution of the woodcutting team and gathering team when going out is much higher than before. There is no need for people from the Camp Supply Office to remind them; they will come to collect fire-condensing oil and torches themselves.

When going out, they also strictly follow the ten-person group stipulated by Xia Hong, and never leave the team's line of sight. Fewer problems occur than before.

Secondly, the overall vigilance of the camp is rapidly improving.

Not to mention the guards, the degree of strict checking is staggering; now a team is specifically organized to patrol the valley; whenever someone goes out and returns, the inspection procedures are one after another, strict to the extreme.

There is no way around it; the fear of strange monsters has been engraved in their bones.

Better safe than sorry. The experiences of the Does Does Da Xia, Great Stone, and Luo Yuan camps are still vivid in their minds. Once a strange monster mixes in, it's not just a matter of a few deaths.

Finally, it's about cultivation.

This tense and oppressive atmosphere made Xia Hong and the eight Earth-Digging Realm experts, the hunting team, woodcutting team, gathering team, and reserve team below, from top to bottom, all cultivate much more diligently and painstakingly than before.

This can be seen from the number of people who broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm in the following few days.

Learning that a new strange monster appeared on the seventeenth of the first month, after asking Xia Chuan to spread the news, Xia Hong called all the existing Earth-Digging Realm experts in the camp and went directly to the blacksmith shop.

I don't know if it was because the news was spread, the pressure on the hunting team was too great, but Hong Gang, who was originally expected to break through to the Earth-Digging Realm in about ten days, actually broke through on the second day.

Hong Gang's breakthrough wasn't over yet. Two days later, Li Pingkai, Ying Xuan, and Watching Yue Feng also broke through at the same time.

As soon as the news spread, the Earth-Digging Realm experts in the blacksmith shop burst into a heated discussion.

"Originally, these four were estimated to take about ten days, but I didn't expect that they would all break through in just three days."

"There are fifteen people in the hunting team, so now only Qiu Peng, Zhu Shun, and Zou Yuankai haven't broken through!"

"Twelve Earth-Digging Realm experts, once the Leader breaks through to the Frost-Resisting Realm, we won't have to be afraid of that Mirror Immortal camp."

"Quite a few people have broken through to the Woodcutting Realm during this period. I estimate that the total number should be close to three hundred now, right?"

"Not yet, 283 people. But looking at the trend, it's fast!"

Hearing Xia Chuan say 283 Woodcutting Realm experts, Yuan Cheng was excited. He turned back to Xia Hong, who was still hammering the bow embryo, and suggested: "Leader, we can enter the inner circle and see the intermediate-level cold beasts."

Hearing this, everyone turned to look over, their faces full of anticipation.

They all knew that the key to breaking through to the Frost-Resisting Realm was intermediate-level cold beast blood.

Everyone in their hearts knew clearly that whether it was that strong and arrogant Mirror Immortal camp or this newly appeared strange monster.

With Does Does Da Xia's current strength, it definitely couldn't deal with them.

Everyone's crazy cultivation and improvement during this period was out of this idea.

But cultivation is cultivation, and they also knew that no matter how many Earth-Digging Realm and Woodcutting Realm experts there were, it was not as good as having one more Frost-Resisting Realm expert.

It can be said that not only these people, but everyone in the entire camp was looking forward to Xia Hong breaking through to the Frost-Resisting Realm as soon as possible.

*Clang*…… *Clang*…… *Clang*…………

Hearing Yuan Cheng's words, Xia Hong's grinding hammer didn't stop, but he opened his mouth and said in a deep voice: "Don't rush into Red Wood Ridge. Wait a few more days. Let's forge the bows first. Intermediate-level cold beasts are no joke."

Hearing this, everyone remembered the Rat King they had seen before and nodded.

Judging from the strength shown by the Rat King after being poisoned that night, the difficulty of hunting intermediate-level cold beasts is probably outrageously high. If they are not prepared in advance, let alone hunting, it is hard to say whether they will lose their lives.

Xia Hong suppressed everyone's urge to go out and continued to stay in the camp, spending his days in the blacksmith shop or the mine cave.

Twelve Earth-Digging Realm experts, whether mining or blacksmithing, were much more efficient than before. The reserve of iron ore in the system increased by more than 400 units almost every day, and this was when he didn't participate in mining.

Four days later, that is, the twenty-fourth of the first month of the first year of Does Does Da Xia.

An even more surprising thing happened.

"Leader, there is good news!"

"Come in."

Xia Hong, who was cultivating on the third floor, stopped immediately upon hearing Xia Chuan's voice outside the door, and then sat in the main seat.

The door was pushed open, and Xia Chuan walked in with a smile on his face, bringing three people with him.

Seeing those three, before Xia Chuan could speak, Xia Hong already had a guess in his heart and stood up directly from the chair.

"Broken through?"

"Leader, we have fulfilled our mission!" The three bowed and said at the same time, their tone full of excitement.

The three brought by Xia Chuan were exactly Zou Yuankai, Qiu Peng, and Zhu Shun, the last three of the hunting team who hadn't broken through.

Xia Hong had guessed before that the fifteen members of the hunting team, except for the first batch of six, the starting line of the others was actually about the same, and the time of breaking through one after another would definitely not be too far apart.

Sure enough, the three broke through to the Earth-Digging Realm, only four days apart from the previous batch.

"Good, Xia Chuan, notify all members of the hunting team, let them go to the Camp Supply Office to collect bows, and go to Red Wood Ridge with me tonight to see intermediate-level cold beasts together."

"Yes, Leader!"

Xia Chuan nodded excitedly. He had also been waiting for a long time.

Being able to follow Xia Hong to the inner side as soon as they broke through, and also being able to see intermediate-level cold beasts, Zou Yuankai and the three were even more excited.

Luo Yuan, Yuan Cheng, the three Zhao brothers, Huang Yong………… The entire hunting team quickly gathered in the Camp Supply Office warehouse on the second floor under Xia Chuan's notification.

"Collect bows? Isn't it just coating fire-condensing oil and bringing a few torches? We have five-stone bows, what else are we collecting?"

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The hot-tempered Hong Gang shouted, and Watching Yue Feng and the others, who had broken through at the same time as him, also showed the same confusion on their faces.

Ever since the ten-thousand-catty iron-fetal bows were forged last time, in order to distinguish different levels, the Camp Supply Office stipulated that one thousand catties is one stone. The five-thousand-catty iron-fetal bows are collectively referred to as five-stone bows, and ten-thousand-catty is ten-stone. Hong Gang and the others had used them in just a few days.

It was Luo Yuan, Yuan Cheng, and Zhao Long who chuckled a few times. Having stayed in the blacksmith shop with Xia Hong for several days, they clearly knew more than Hong Gang.

"Several adults, bows, fire-condensing oil, and torches are all ready."

Shi Ping led several people from the Camp Supply Office and walked out. Fifteen pitch-black iron-fetal bows, plus a quiver of arrows, were quickly distributed to everyone's hands.

The moment he got the iron-fetal bow, Hong Gang was stunned.

"Hahahaha, we have all broken through to the Earth-Digging Realm, how can the five-stone bows be enough? The ones the Leader asked us to collect are ten-stone bows, and these arrows are also seven-catty special ones."

The few Earth-Digging Realm experts who broke through later, including Hong Gang, suddenly realized. Touching the iron-fetal bows in their hands, their expressions were full of excitement.

"Don't be too happy too early. These ten-stone iron-fetal bows are only temporarily provided to you for hunting. If you want them, you still have to exchange them with contribution points like others. 2000 points, not a single one less!"

With Xia Chuan's words, everyone calmed down instantly, and they all turned to look at Luo Yuan involuntarily, with a look of envy on their faces.

"Hehe!"

Luo Yuan laughed cheaply and deliberately showed his bow to everyone.

"Don't be proud. As long as we can hunt a few low-level cold beasts tonight, my contribution points will also be enough to exchange for a ten-stone iron-fetal bow."

"I'm about the same."

If you want to say who is most covetous of the ten-stone iron-fetal bow, it must be the three Zhao brothers. Seeing Luo Yuan showing off, the three couldn't help but speak up.

"Alright, bring everything you need. The monthly rental price for a ten-stone iron-fetal bow is 50 contribution points. Keep it well when you are outside, don't lose it."

Hearing this rental price, everyone didn't take it to heart at all.

The rental price of a five-stone bow is 10 points per month. The rental price of a ten-stone bow seems to be five times that, but the effect it exerts is much greater than that.

Judging from the experience of fighting the gnawing rat pack last time, if the ten-stone bow is used well, even if there are only two people, they can cooperate to hunt low-level cold beasts.

One low-level cold beast is at least two or three hundred contribution points.

Calculated this way, the monthly rent of 50 contribution points is simply not too cost-effective.

"Leader!"

Xia Chuan suddenly looked at the door, his expression solemn.

The others heard the sound and turned their heads. Seeing Xia Hong walking in from outside, they immediately stopped talking and bowed respectfully to him.

Xia Hong had the ceremonial blade hanging at his waist. He first nodded to everyone, then walked up and took the bow and arrow and hung it on his back. After coating the fire-condensing oil, he turned to ask everyone:

"Is everything ready?"

"Ready, Leader."

"Entering Red Wood Ridge tonight, we may go deep into the range of more than a thousand meters. Be spirited. I don't want any problems with anyone. Intermediate-level cold beasts, you have only seen that long-tailed gnawing rat king. The others are not necessarily weaker than it. After entering, be cautious and act according to my orders. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Fifteen Earth-Digging Realm experts shouted at the same time. The sound was naturally loud, shaking the wooden boards around the room.

These fifteen members of the hunting team have been going out hunting with him for more than half a year, so Xia Hong naturally trusts them.

Logically speaking, to go deep into the range of more than a thousand meters in Red Wood Ridge to find intermediate-level cold beasts, the number of people should be streamlined. If he didn't trust them, Xia Hong wouldn't have brought so many people at once.

Furthermore, Xia Hong's goal is not just to find intermediate-level cold beasts.

If possible, if he can hunt, naturally he will hunt.

Otherwise, why did he forge thirteen ten-thousand-catty iron-fetal bows in one breath?

"Alright, let's go!"

Xia Hong gave an order and went downstairs first.

The fifteen people who were ready to go hurriedly followed behind him.

Under the envious and respectful eyes of everyone in the camp, the sixteen people walked out of the valley together, mixed into the night, and quickly approached Red Wood Ridge.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 135 =====