Chapter 398: Rescuing Lives, Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing, A Twist of Fate

Although the sixteen were divided into three teams, they kept their distances within half a li, allowing them to hear the bone whistle clearly.

Xiao Heng led Luo An and the other five, quickly turned back, followed the whistle's sound into the snow-covered forest to the left-rear, and soon found Hong Ye blowing the whistle beneath a large tree.

Meanwhile, the last team led by Xiao Jing also rushed over, their expressions tense.

"What's going on? Where are Xiao Lin and the other three?"

But seeing Hong Ye's face showed no sign of panic, Xiao Heng and the others immediately relaxed, asking what had happened.

Hong Ye put down the bone whistle and replied in a low voice: "There's trouble to the west. Xiao Lin and the other three are keeping watch there. Come with me!"

He turned and walked straight westward; Xiao Heng and the eleven others followed, baffled.

Roar… roar…

Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…

But after walking about three hundred meters west, a dense chorus of beast roars and arrow shots came from nearby; Xiao Heng and the others immediately changed expression.

Clearly, someone was fighting a group of Cold Beasts—by the sounds, there were many of them.

"Climb a tree and look!"

Hong Ye quickly found a large tree and climbed up first.

Xiao Heng and the eleven others had already spotted Xiao Lin and the other three atop the tree, so they said nothing and followed Hong Ye up.

The trees in the Ice Abyss were thick and sturdy, their trunks often over ten meters in diameter, with branches two or three meters thick; even with over ten people standing on them, it wasn't crowded.

Xiao Heng climbed to the top and looked west; his gaze instantly sharpened.

Over two hundred meters west, in the snow-covered forest, more than thirty tiger-like Cold Beasts covered in golden spots were frenziedly attacking a group of people.

The group wore iron armor, fully armed, numbering around twenty-some—clearly a standard hunting team setup.

"They must be the Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town hunting team!"

"Mid-grade Golden-Spotted Tigers. Their strength mostly ranges from one to 1.3 Snow Snow Mane. Though not as strong as Rock-Armored Bears, they're more agile and deadly in combat—overall, slightly stronger than Rock-Armored Bears."

"Twenty-three people, only one Cold-Resistant level, and even that one is weak—his strength probably doesn't reach two manes."

"The other twenty-two are all at the limit of Digging Earth realm. Their strength seems even weaker than ours—they're definitely a mid-grade hunting team from Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town."

"Thirty-two Golden-Spotted Tigers. This is bad—if no reinforcements come, they'll all die."

"What terrible luck. They haven't even reached thirty kilometers deep, yet they've stumbled into a pack of Golden-Spotted Tigers."

………………

Thanks to Lu Yang's years of covert operations in Dongling, information on common Cold Beasts in the Mao'ao Mountains had long been recorded in the Great Xia Cold Beast Annals; combined with over a month of surveying, Xiao Heng and the others had encountered Golden-Spotted Tigers before and recognized them instantly.

As for encountering a Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town hunting team within the Mao'ao Mountains, that was nothing unusual.

The nine towns' agreement on dividing the Mao'ao hunting zones only restricted the outer fifteen kilometers; beyond that depth, everyone was on their own—so long as you weren't afraid of danger, you could go anywhere.

The position they now stood in was nearly twenty-three kilometers deep into the Mao'ao Mountains; encountering a Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town hunting team was perfectly normal.

But stumbling upon them being surrounded by a beast pack was indeed a coincidence.

"People are going to die—we have to help!"

Hearing Xiao Heng's words, everyone paused slightly.

But soon, Luo An was the first to nod in agreement: "We should help. Lord Lord Jiang Xia is on good terms with us now. The hunting team conflict in July already created tension between the two towns; if we save this group, it'll improve relations."

"I also support rescuing them."

"Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town currently relies on Great Xia's support. As Great Xia's own, maintaining ties between the towns is our duty."

"Lord Lord Jiang Xia might even become family to us someday—let's act!"

"I agree too, but we need a solid plan. That tiger pack is strong—sixteen of us probably aren't enough."

………………

Although Luo An, Zou Ping, Luo Cheng, and the others were young, their fathers and elder brothers held positions in Great Xia, so they naturally had more information and understood the current state of relations between the two towns.

Especially Liu Peng—he could say "Lord Lord Jiang Xia might become family to us someday"—clearly because his brother Liu Liu Liu Yuan had told him something.

But Xiao Heng wasn't thinking about that now; he felt a surge of excitement, because since forming this temporary team, he had never seen this kind of scene before.

For the first time, every member fully agreed with his command.

This was clearly due to his recent change in surveying methods—Luo An and the others had begun to accept him as their leader. Indeed, changing strategy and respecting team members' opinions gradually unified their hearts—his father's teachings had been right all along.

For the first time gaining full team approval, Xiao Heng's confidence rose. He nodded and said firmly: "Lu Dong is right—the tiger pack is too large. We need a solid plan…"

He turned west, saw someone from Lord Lord Jiang Xia already dead in a tiger's jaws, thought quickly, and ordered Xiao Jing: "If I remember right, Liu Liu Yuan Bai's survey team is nearby. Brother, go find Liu Liu Yuan Bai—get his team to hurry over. The rest of you follow me—we'll hold off the tigers for now."

The survey competition's range was limited to the northern ten kilometers, and every team had been assigned a specific survey zone; Xiao Heng knew exactly that Liu Liu Yuan Bai's team was right next to his own.

"Got it—I'm going now!"

Xiao Jing was Xiao Heng's cousin, second among the Xiao clan's generation. Hearing Xiao Heng's order, he nodded immediately and dashed eastward.

"Plug your ears with cloth balls, prepare your bows—let's go!"

Xiao Heng wasted no time. Once decided, he signaled everyone to plug their ears with cloth balls, ready their longbows, then led the charge straight toward the Golden-Spotted Tiger pack. The others followed close behind.

In the Golden-Spotted Tiger zone, Lord Lord Jiang Xia Town's twenty-three had already lost five to the tigers; the remaining eighteen were mostly wounded. Had it not been for two stronger members desperately holding off the beasts, they would have been wiped out long ago.

As for the Golden-Spotted Tigers, they had started with thirty-two, and still numbered thirty-two—though eight were heavily wounded and had retreated to the rear, they did not flee. Instead, they tightly sealed the gaps in the pack, preventing Lord Lord Jiang Xia's team from breaking out.

Shhh…

"Hou Hou Qingqing, run first—don't worry about us anymore!"

"There are too many tigers. If we stay like this, we'll all die here."

"Go! Captain, take Hou Hou Qingqing and break out!"

Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing slashed the forehead of a Golden-Spotted Tiger with her longsword. Hearing the cries behind her, she gripped her blade tightly, turned, and shouted sharply to her brother Xia Hou Yong: "We live together, we die together—I won't leave you behind!"

"Enough talk! Everyone, form a circle! Hou Hou Qingqing, follow me—we charge straight at those eight wounded Golden-Spotted Tigers. If we break through them, we can escape!"

Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping's voice was now tense, but as captain with years of hunting experience, he spotted the only weakness in the tiger pack and immediately ordered Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing to break out with him.

Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing's thousand-forged iron armor had been torn open by tiger claws in over a dozen places; the white inner lining beneath was soaked in blood—her injuries were clearly severe. Though female and only in her early twenties, she was decisive. Sensing the lining was hindering her, she tore it off, crumpled two small cloth balls together, shoved them into her ears, clenched her teeth, and swiftly followed Captain Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping toward the wounded tigers.

Roar…

The tiger pack clearly saw their plan—they all lifted their heads and roared in unison. Instantly, the snow forest trembled; the thick ice coating on every surrounding tree cracked and fell away.

Cold Beasts all had unique killing techniques—and Golden-Spotted Tigers were no exception.

Their unique technique was their roar.

The Golden-Spotted Tiger's roar resonated with human eardrums and meridians, capable of killing even Digging Earth cultivators if close enough. Only those at the Digging Earth limit who had begun reshaping their skin membranes could withstand it slightly.

If it were one-on-one, Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing's base strength of 110,000 jin—even if she couldn't win—could still escape.

But now she faced a pack—over thirty Golden-Spotted Tigers roaring in unison. Even she was momentarily stunned; how much worse for the other sixteen in her team, whose strength was even lower?

When the tiger pack unleashed their synchronized roar, Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing and Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping, both Cold-Resistant level, were barely affected and managed to reach the wounded tigers—but the remaining sixteen team members behind them were not so lucky.

"Chen Yiqing, watch out!"

Puch…

"Ahh!"

Xia Hou Yong saw his friend Lord Lord Jiang Chen Yiqing caught by a tiger's claw and immediately shouted a warning, then without hesitation drew his blade and slashed at the tiger's right paw, trying to save his friend.

But the Golden-Spotted Tiger was too swift—it spotted Xia Hou Yong's movement the moment he raised his blade, dropped Lord Lord Jiang Chen Yiqing instantly, raised its right paw, and delivered a brutal claw strike to Xia Hou Yong's face.

Xia Hou Yong's base strength was only seventy thousand jin—he was no match for the tiger. And with his blade raised hastily in defense, the outcome was inevitable.

The tiger's claw tore across his face, flinging him dozens of meters away, and ripped out his left eyeball.

With his eyeball torn out by the tiger's claw, Xia Hou Yong screamed in unbearable pain.

"Ayong!"

Lord Lord Jiang Chen Yiqing, seeing his friend's horrific state, his pupils instantly filled with blood. He rushed over, picked up Xia Hou Yong, and quickly retreated into the center of the group.

"It's over—we can't break out!"

Meanwhile, Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping and Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing, both Cold-Resistant level, had also retreated from the perimeter. Seeing the tiger pack still firmly holding their position, their breakout plan had clearly failed.

"These beasts have a leader—the eight wounded Golden-Spotted Tigers keep shifting positions, blocking us. Hou Hou Qingqing, you must…"

"Brother!"

Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping realized the situation was hopeless and tried to urge Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing to flee—but before he could finish, her cry of anguish cut him off.

Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing now held her brother Xia Hou Yong, covering his bloody, empty left eye socket—her expression was utterly panicked.

"Brother, I'm sorry! If I'd known, I never would've come here. It's my fault you're hurt—it's my fault we're all in this… waaaahhh…"

Perhaps for the first time seeing her brother in such a state, Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing broke down, weeping uncontrollably, her voice filled with guilt.

Xia Hou Yong was naturally optimistic. Even knowing he would die today, he didn't want his sister to blame herself. He gritted his teeth, forced out words of comfort: "It's fine, Hou Hou Qingqing. I just lost one eye. Listen to me—go with the captain. When you grow stronger, kill a few more tiger dens for us—that's revenge enough."

Hearing her brother say this, Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing felt even more heartbroken.

She wasn't even a member of Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping's hunting team. She'd only recently advanced in cultivation, heard that the Bai Song camp's hunting teams were being bullied by Great Xia, and volunteered to come.

Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping's team was only a mid-grade squad. In their familiar territory, if they controlled distances and chose targets carefully, there should have been no danger.

This disaster was entirely her doing.

Just earlier, she had repeatedly suggested that since Great Xia's hunting teams had entered Lord Lord Jiang Xia territory, they should retaliate by going into Great Xia's side.

Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping had refused—but couldn't withstand Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing's pleading. Seeing Lord Lord Jiang Xia's recent decline, he finally agreed.

Who knew that after traveling less than two kilometers east, they'd stumbled into this tiger pack—and now this.

"Hou Hou Qingqing, go with the captain—don't waste time here. You're worth more than all of us!"

Seeing his sister still crying, Xia Hou Yong, despite the agony in his left eye, roared angrily, then turned to Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping: "Captain, take Hou Hou Qingqing and go. I'll hold the tigers with the others…"

He didn't wait for Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping's reply—he turned and shouted to the rest: "Brothers, fate decides life and death. We went out hunting—we knew this day might come. If we must die, let's die like men. Preserve the spark of Lord Lord Jiang Xia—let the captain take Hou Hou Qingqing home!"

The fifteen team members trembled slightly at his words.

Lord Lord Jiang Chen Yiqing, just saved by Xia Hou Yong's sacrifice, nodded loudly in agreement: "Vice-Captain's right. The captain is Cold-Resistant level, and Hou Hou Qingqing's talent surpasses all of us. We must sacrifice ourselves to ensure they escape."

"Good!"

"Either way, we're dead. Save one if you can."

"We follow the deputy captain."

………………

"Brothers, follow me! Clear a path for the captain and Hou Hou Qingqing!"

Hearing the squad members roar one after another, Captain Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping's eyes instantly reddened. He clenched his fist, ready to rebuke them—but before he could speak, Xia Hou Yong stepped forward, raised his great knife, and led the group into charge.

The fifteen squad members, whether wounded or not, charged after Xia Hou Yong like madmen, rushing straight toward the golden-spotted tiger pack.

"Brother, no!"

Xia Hou Hou Hou Qingqing, seeing her brother's move, cried out in alarm and instinctively dashed forward—but as soon as she took a step, Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping grabbed her arm.

"Hou Hou Qingqing, stay calm! Don't let them die in vain!"

Lord Lord Jiang Lord Lord Jiang Lord Jiang Jiang Shouping was a fourth-generation member of the Lord Lord Jiang clan, over forty years old, with more than a decade of hunting experience and seven or eight years leading squads. He had faced such scenes before. Though his heart felt torn apart, he still made the right choice upon seeing Xia Hou Yong and the squad members' actions.