Chapter 185: Zhu Mu: The Eye That Pierces Illusion — Three Blessings Arrive

On the snow-covered ground, a figure in black slowly approached the four men.

As the distance narrowed, Liu Dahu, Meng Yuan, and the two attendants clearly saw the young man's attire and face; their expressions froze, and their hearts grew heavy.

Though it was night, the snow-covered ground provided decent visibility.

Though still over ten meters away, the snug black clothing the young man wore faintly shimmered with golden light—clearly not an ordinary item;

His face was as flawless as jade, his skin nothing like their own roughness; even his bare hands, exposed from his sleeves, seemed to emit a faint white glow.

The young man carried no weapon whatsoever.

Yet Liu Dahu and the other three had their hairs stand on end, their gazes sharpened to the extreme.

Especially as the young man continued advancing toward them, they reacted instantly, drawing their weapons without hesitation.

"Head Meng, he's from Great Xia—he heard everything we said. Strike first, don't let him live to report back!"

Liu Dahu pulled his longbow from his back, loosed an arrow at the black-clad man, and shouted a warning to Meng Yuan and the others beside him.

Recalling the young man's words, Meng Yuan's pupils contracted; though hesitation flickered across his face, he gritted his teeth and drew his blade.

The two men behind him also drew their swords and charged forward with him.

"To rise to leadership with such stupidity—what a strange thing!"

The black-clad man was naturally Xia Hong.

Seeing Meng Yuan actually charge after being misled by Liu Dahu, Xia Hong shook his head.

Huh…

He merely flicked his right hand, swatting away the first two iron arrows, then his gaze hardened—he seized the third arrow with his left hand like lightning.

Taking advantage of the moment, Meng Yuan and the others had already rushed to his side; as Xia Hong caught the third arrow, their three greatswords slashed through the air toward him simultaneously.

"This…"

None of them were fools—they saw how effortlessly Xia Hong had neutralized all three arrows; they instantly realized this black-clad youth was far beyond their capacity to challenge.

But the problem was—their swords were already in motion.

Even if they wanted to pull back, they couldn't.

And Xia Hong didn't dodge or retreat.

Though fear filled Meng Yuan's face, seeing this, a flash of cruelty gleamed deep in his pupils—he brought his greatsword down with full force.

Clang… clang… clang…

All three greatswords struck Xia Hong precisely—Meng Yuan aimed for his neck, the other two for his waist and chest.

But the expected decapitation, disembowelment, and gutting never occurred.

In the silent forest, only three metallic clangs echoed.

Meng Yuan and the others realized not even a single white mark had been left on Xia Hong's body; sweat poured down them, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

In an instant, they forgot to retract their swords.

"Look behind you—at Liu Dahu."

Meng Yuan turned his head and saw Liu Dahu had already fled over a hundred meters; his face flushed crimson, he wanted to curse—but dared not make a sound before the young man, so he stood frozen.

Yet what happened next made him shake even harder.

The young man merely lifted his left hand, and with a casual flick, hurled the iron arrow toward Liu Dahu in the distance.

It was truly a casual toss—no visible effort at all.

Yet the arrow shot forth like a meteor, carving a straight, razor-thin line through the night air, striking Liu Dahu squarely in the back.

"Ahh…"

Liu Dahu screamed and tumbled from the tree.

Only now did Meng Yuan fully comprehend—he dropped to his knees before the young man, pleading: "My lord, spare my life! I was deceived into attacking you! Please spare me…"

"My lord, spare my life…"

"My lord, spare my life…"

As he knelt, the two attendants followed suit.

The three kept bowing their heads, begging for mercy.

Xia Hong didn't even glance at them—he fixed his gaze on Liu Dahu nearby. Seeing the man lying motionless on the snow, a dark glint passed through his eyes. He told Meng Yuan's two attendants: "Bring him over."

"Yes, my lord!"

After witnessing that display, the two had no thought of escape—they dropped their swords, sprang up, and ran obediently to retrieve Liu Dahu.

The arrow still protruded from Liu Dahu's back; he was unresponsive. They dumped him onto the snow, where he lay face-down, motionless.

Xia Hong stepped forward slowly, approaching Liu Dahu, about to speak—

At that moment, the "dead" Liu Dahu suddenly jerked his head up, pulled a crimson flexible strip from his waist, and whipped it toward Xia Hong's neck.

Pah…

The crimson strip swept from right to left, wrapping tightly around Xia Hong's neck.

Though soft, the moment it tightened against his neck, it hardened instantly, locking rigidly around him.

"Die, hahaha!"

Believing he had succeeded, Liu Dahu sneered, gripping the strip with both hands and yanking backward with all his strength, trying to snap Xia Hong's neck.

Yet…

His full-force pull didn't budge Xia Hong an inch—in fact, he stumbled and fell flat on his back.

"You thought that arrow was my full strength?"

Xia Hong stared at Liu Dahu with a blank face, his voice dripping with mockery.

Had that arrow been delivered with full force, Liu Dahu's body—barely forty thousand jin of base strength—wouldn't have survived.

From the moment Liu Dahu went motionless on the ground, Xia Hong knew he was feigning death.

The man was indeed fierce—knowing escape was impossible, he chose a desperate last strike.

Too bad he'd met Xia Hong.

Pah…

As Liu Dahu's grip weakened, the crimson strip wrapped around Xia Hong's neck instantly snapped back, straightening into a two-meter-long red rod.

"This is the rod Zhu Ling mentioned—so powerful!"

Xia Hong gripped the rod, his eyes brightening with curiosity.

Just by holding it, he knew it was made of wood.

A wooden rod with such resilience—and yet so sturdy!

This wood… why does it look so familiar…

Xia Hong's expression suddenly froze.

He remembered—this wood wasn't…

"How did you see through me? Just because my strength exceeds Meng Yuan's?"

Liu Dahu was barely alive; he stared at Xia Hong, his eyes still blazing with ferocity, yet filled with deep confusion.

Xia Hong sheathed the rod, looked down at him, and a faint gleam flashed in his left eye.

Unlike others, in his vision, Liu Dahu's face was still covered by a layer of crimson substance—his true visage bore unmistakable ferocity, not the bland face he now wore.

"The Eye of Unveiling can not only perceive the flow of qi and blood within a body, but also reveal a person's true face. Whether it has other abilities—I'll have to test them later!"

Xia Hong's expression grew slightly excited. He had studied the Yang Mirror for a long time, and ultimately decided to follow He Yuanhun's example—fuse it into his eye.

After fusing the Yang Mirror into his left eye, his strength didn't change—but his eyes gained two special abilities: one, the Shattered Divine Light; two, the ability to perceive the flow of qi and blood.

No—now there were three.

He could now pierce illusions and see through disguises!

The Five Apes Mountain Exchange had piqued Xia Hong's interest—Great Xia would soon expand into this region, and the chance to meet the leaders of eleven encampments at once made him decide to come along.

Unexpectedly, what he saw brought genuine surprise.

In all other eleven encampments, the leader was strongest, with attendants weaker—but in Tongling Encampment, Meng Yuan, the leader, was weaker than his own attendants; worse still, this attendant had made an astonishing disguise.

Such a glaring anomaly made it impossible for Xia Hong to ignore.

After the exchange ended, Xia Hong followed Meng Yuan for a stretch—and what he discovered was worth the effort.

This was an unexpected boon.

Seeing Liu Dahu still waiting for an answer, Xia Hong shook his head slightly.

He had no patience for it.

Xia Hong bent down, pinched Liu Dahu's face for a moment, then peeled off a pale crimson mask.

The mask clung tightly to Liu Dahu's face; once removed, his entire appearance and aura transformed completely.

Such a miraculous mask instantly intrigued Xia Hong—he studied it for a long while, then placed the rod Liu Dahu had used beside it.

Only then did he realize: the materials were identical.

"This mask was made from this wood?"

"Pah…"

On the ground, Liu Dahu spat fiercely at Xia Hong's question: "I'm done for in your hands—I accept it. Kill me if you want—I won't tell you a damn thing!"

Xia Hong's expression darkened briefly, then relaxed into a faint smile: "You've got some grit. But dying won't be easy—and you don't even have the qualification to be killed by me. Let's see how long you can hold out..."

After speaking, he no longer looked at Liu Dahu—he turned his gaze to the three kneeling men.

Noticing Xia Hong's gaze, Meng Yuan and the other two began begging again.

"My lord, I was blinded by greed! Please spare me! Great Xia wants our Tongling Encampment—we'll surrender everything…"

"Shut up. Take him. All of you—follow me!"

Xia Hong directly cut off Meng Yuan's words and turned to walk toward Zhongyuan Peak.

From Meng Yuan's earlier conversation with Liu Dahu, it was clear the Tongling camp was likely no better—he had no reason to show them any favor.

Meng Yuan and the other two stood up, dared not speak a word, lifted the barely breathing Liu Dahu, and nervously followed behind Xia Hong.

………………

"Father, let me tell you, the Great Xia camp has so many things—wooden beds and chairs padded with beast fur, jewelry carved from beast teeth, a dedicated forge for tools and weapons, and everyone wears clothes, with so much beast meat they can't finish it all, so much…"

"Great Xia uses a contribution point system: anyone below the Woodcutting Realm, even children under six, get a fixed monthly meat ration; once they reach the Woodcutting Realm, they must earn their own points."

"All the things Xiao Yu mentioned can be exchanged for contribution points—at very low prices, nearly everyone can get the beast meat they need for cultivation…"

………………

Not far from Zhongyuan Peak, Xia Chuan led the group forward slowly; the crowd was utterly silent, so Xiao Ning and her sister's voices carried clearly to everyone.

Hearing the sisters' endless praise of the camp, the Great Xia group wore expressions of pride, each smiling with satisfaction.

Xiao Kangcheng's expression, however, was far more complex—shock at first, then numbness, and finally outright disbelief.

Everything the two daughters said about Great Xia was astonishing to him; though he trusted his daughters, he couldn't help turning to Xiao Yuan for confirmation.

Seeing Xiao Yuan give a slight nod, Xiao Kangcheng fell silent, fully convinced by his daughters' words.

"Father, time is critical—let's join immediately!"

"Big sister is right, Father. The sooner we join, the sooner our people's lives improve—we can't delay."

Though both daughters spoke with eager urgency, Xiao Kangcheng looked up at Xia Chuan ahead and remained silent.

Xiao Ning and her sister exchanged glances, puzzled by their father's reaction.

They knew he wasn't opposed to joining Great Xia—otherwise he wouldn't have sent Uncle Yuan to scout it out.

What was he hesitating about?

Xiao Ning thought for a moment, gazing at the Great Xia group ahead, then turned to her father and whispered: "Father, do you know why Xia Chuan brought so many people tonight?"

Xiao Kangcheng froze. Why else, if not to intimidate the eleven camps?

Xiao Ning guessed his thought and shook her head: "Intimidation is secondary—and even half this many would've been enough for that…"

She paused, then continued: "The real reason Xia Chuan brought so many tonight is to relocate all of Sanhu Camp's people to Great Xia."

Hearing this, Xiao Kangcheng instantly understood why his daughter had brought it up.

"Father, there are eleven camps here in Wu Yuan Mountain. Our Xiao River isn't strong—we'll be treated differently depending on whether we join early or late. If we miss this chance, later…"

We'll be ignored!

Xiao Kangcheng was no fool—his daughter's meaning was clear.

But he clearly had reservations, and refused to give his word.

Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu didn't understand why, so they glanced at Xiao Yuan, silently pleading for him to persuade their father.

But Xiao Yuan, as if sensing something, merely shrugged and stayed silent.

"What's troubling you, Chief Xiao?"

Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu turned at the voice and realized Xia Chuan had quietly approached with a few others, standing beside their group of six.

In one glance…

They hadn't hidden their words—Xia Chuan hearing them was natural.

Xiao Kangcheng smiled wryly and bowed: "Young Master Xia misunderstands—Great Xia's conditions are so generous, what could I possibly object to? It's just that…"

He paused, then continued:

"Could you grant me one request? If you agree, I'll return tonight and have the camp pack up—we'll move to Great Xia with you all."

Xia Chuan laughed heartily: "Chief Xiao, say anything you want—I'll grant it if it's within my power!"

Based on his understanding of Xiao Kangcheng, the man wouldn't ask for anything unreasonable.

Xiao Kangcheng's face lit up; he pointed at his eldest daughter, Xiao Ning, and bowed:

"My daughter has been distracted ever since Young Master Xia visited our camp once before. After coming to Great Xia this time, she's become a different person. I humbly ask, as her father, for your hand in marriage for her. That's my only request—you said you'd grant anything within your power. Don't go back on your word!"

The moment Xiao Kangcheng finished, Xia Chuan froze.

Not just Xia Chuan—the entire Great Xia group froze.

Then, a burst of laughter erupted.

"Chief, he's asking for your hand in marriage! Hahaha!"

"Hahaha, Chief Xiao, you've got guts!"

"Hehehe, Chief, a wife's been delivered right to your door."

…………

Yuwen Tao, Qiu Peng, and the rest of Great Xia, now recovered, all laughed uproariously, teasing without mercy.

"Father, what are you saying? I won't speak to you again!"

As the subject of the proposal, Xiao Ning's face was already flushed crimson.

She hadn't expected her father to say such a thing—furious, she stamped her feet in place, scolding him for his nonsense.

Yet even as she scolded, her eyes flickered toward Xia Chuan, a quiet hope hidden deep within.

Beside her, her younger sister Xiao Yu watched her sister's flustered state and couldn't help giggling, though her pupils held a complex glint—something unspoken.

"This…"

Xia Chuan stood frozen, unable to speak. He ruled Great Xia with absolute authority, but this kind of situation? He had no experience. He didn't blush, but he didn't know what to say.

Refusing would seem heartless—and he genuinely liked Xiao Ning.

But accepting outright…

He suddenly remembered something, his eyes brightening as he smiled:

"Chief Xiao, I'm afraid I can't grant this request myself. My parents are gone, but my older brother…"

"I agree."

Before Xia Chuan could finish his perfect excuse, a crisp voice rang out from behind the crowd.

The entire Great Xia group instantly tensed.

*Keng…*

The earlier joking atmosphere vanished, replaced by solemn silence.

Everyone turned, bowed deeply to the newcomer, voices perfectly synchronized:

"We pay homage to the Leader!"

The sudden shift stunned Xiao Kangcheng and his five companions; hearing the unified cry, their expressions hardened.

Though curious beyond measure, the atmosphere compelled them to bow as well, lowering their heads respectfully.

"Big brother…"

As Xia Chuan spoke, slightly uneasy, everyone raised their heads.

Xiao Kangcheng and the others, rising with the crowd, finally saw the newcomer's face.

At the sight, all six stiffened, faces filled with astonishment.

Whether they'd been to Great Xia—Xiao Yuan, Xiao Ning, Xiao Yu—or not—Xiao Kangcheng, Lu Shun, Xiao Ping—they'd all imagined what Xia Hong might be like.

Someone who had built Great Xia into such power, who commanded the respect of Xia Chuan, Yuwen Tao, and these hundred+ Earth-Digging Realm masters, who was worshipped by thousands in the camp…

His presence should be awe-inspiring.

What they never imagined: Xia Hong was so young.

He looked like he was barely twenty.

Especially since he and Xia Chuan resembled each other—but Xia Hong's skin was unnaturally smooth, glowing faintly, making him appear far younger.

Wasn't he Xia Chuan's older brother?

But he looked even younger than Xia Chuan?

Only one explanation: Xia Hong's cultivation realm was too high.

So high, they couldn't guess his age.

"Big brother, I…"

Xia Chuan spoke again, uneasy; everyone recovered, remembering Xia Hong had just agreed—and began murmuring with quiet amusement.

Xiao Ning's face burned even redder; she nervously twisted her sleeves.

Xiao Kangcheng, however, beamed with excitement—Xia Hong's word meant the marriage was all but sealed.

"What, you're not willing?"

At Xia Hong's question, Xia Chuan instinctively glanced at Xiao Ning, stammering helplessly.

Seeing his reaction, Xia Hong smiled—he'd noticed Xiao Ning's effect on his brother since her first visit to camp. That's why he'd spoken up without hesitation.

Xia Hong's gaze shifted to Xiao Yu beside Xiao Ning, his expression shifting slightly as he turned to Xiao Kangcheng: "One isn't enough. How about Xiao Yu joins too? Chief Xiao, what do you say?"

Xiao Kangcheng froze, turning to his second daughter. Seeing Xiao Yu's flushed face, silent and unprotesting, his heart sank.

Good heavens—his second daughter had been bewitched by Xia Chuan too.

"This… Leader, you have sharp eyes!"

Hearing Xiao Kangcheng's new title for him, Xia Hong smiled faintly.

The Great Xia group, watching Xia Chuan grow even more flustered, burst into laughter, egging him on.

"Chief, you're marrying two wives at once!"

"Only a man with real ability could do this!"

"Hahaha, Chief, you're magnificent!"

…………

"Go away, all of you, shut up."

Xia Chuan couldn't help but laugh and scolded softly, then turned to Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu and gave them a slight nod, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

"Who is it!"

"Leader, someone's coming."

…………

"Don't be nervous!"

At that moment, Meng Yuan and the other two carried Liu Dahu over as well.

He waved to signal everyone to calm down; when Meng Yuan and the other two drew near and the crowd recognized them, their expressions froze.

The Exchange Fair had just ended, and many still remembered Meng Yuan.

"Leader Meng, how is it you? Weren't you…"

Especially Xiao Kangcheng—he blurted out a cry, but seeing Meng Yuan's face filled with fear and panic, he realized something and fell silent at once.

"Liu Dahu?"

But Yuwen Tao glanced at the man they were carrying and immediately narrowed his pupils—he recognized him.

"It's definitely Liu Dahu."

"Captured by the leader."

"Severely injured, but still breathing."

…………

Hong Tian, Zhu Ling, Zhu Yuan, and over thirty others who had joined Yuwen Tao in attacking the Three Tigers' camp also recognized Liu Dahu.

Xia Hong offered no further explanation; he looked at Xia Chuan and said, "This Tongling Camp is connected to Liu Dahu and his two brothers. These three aren't good people—they've likely done plenty of dirty deeds. Send a group tonight to investigate Tongling Camp. If anyone's guilty, don't spare them. Others, if they're clean, bring them back if you can."

"Yes, Leader!"

Xia Chuan's expression brightened. Originally, tonight's plan was to relocate the people from the Three Tigers' Camp; just now, Xiao Kangcheng had agreed to bring the Xiao He Camp people immediately. Now, with Tongling Camp added, it was triple fortune.

But it wasn't over yet.

Xia Hong tossed the wooden stick and mask to Xia Chuan, pointing at Liu Dahu: "These two items should be useful to you. They were taken from him. Take them back and interrogate him—find out where they came from."

Xia Chuan took the items, examined and touched them for a moment, then his expression sharply hardened.

"Understood, Leader!"

"Alright, you all get busy. I have other matters to attend to—I'm going elsewhere."

"We respectfully see off the Leader!"

Everyone bowed deeply; when they looked up again, Xia Hong had vanished.

Only the three trembling men—Meng Yuan and the others—still stood there, carrying Liu Dahu.

"Yuwen Si Zheng, take half the men and relocate the Three Tigers' people first. I'll take the other half and head straight for Tongling Camp—we'll finish there tonight and bring everyone back together, saving a second trip."

Yuwen Tao nodded and quickly split half the force, heading toward the location of the Three Tigers' Camp.

"Xiao Leader, return immediately and order your people to pack. Yuwen Si Zheng will pass by Yi Yuan Peak during the relocation—your people can join his column directly and return with him to the Great Xia encampment."

Xiao Kangcheng nodded and left with Xiao Yuan and the other four.

Only Xia Chuan remained with the remaining half of the force.

"You three—lead the way!"

Xia Chuan had no patience for Meng Yuan.

Just now, his brother Xia Hong had made it clear: Tongling Camp was linked to Liu Dahu and his two brothers. These three had been captured alongside Liu Dahu, and their entire demeanor had been guilty and anxious—clearly, they were deeply suspect.

Moreover, Xia Hong had outright called them bad people.

"Tongling Camp must be full of corruption inside. We need a way to investigate thoroughly—no tainted individuals can enter Great Xia!"

As he marched, Xia Chuan lowered his head, pondering how best to investigate Tongling Camp and screen everyone thoroughly.

(End of Chapter)