[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades":3,"chapter-endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-439":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Endless Winter: My Camp Infinitely Upgrades",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2266865,4425,"Chapter 439: Cai Qiu Sword Saint, Unwittingly Naturalized, Mengya Little","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-439",439,"\u003Cp>“19…20…21… No, his qi and muscle movement is at least two-tenths stronger than mine—this man has at least 22 jun of power. A Xianyang-level cultivator this young who wields a longsword? None exist in the Four Fanzhen. Claiming to be a young master? Is this a false identity, or is he a powerful scion from beyond the borders…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though separated by over a hundred meters, Cai Yunzhou swiftly deduced Xia Hong’s strength from the subtle fluctuations of his qi and muscle motion. As thoughts flashed through his mind regarding Xia Hong’s claim of being a young master, his expression naturally grew grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have traveled a great distance—this is Caiqiu’s way of treating guests?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of everyone present, only Xia Hong understood these words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the qi probe he had felt earlier in the city lord’s hall, Cai Yunzhou looked down at Xia Hong, his gaze gradually sharpening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely sending a qi probe was not enough to serve as a prior greeting. A 22-jun cultivator thinking he could casually come to Caiqiu and cause trouble? How naive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even distant guests have their good and bad. If a good guest arrives, Caiqiu has fine wine and delicacies to offer; but if a hostile guest breaks through our gates, this city lord has no objection to adding a little more blood to the snow-laden winds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant Cai Yunzhou finished speaking, Xia Hong’s eyes narrowed slightly. A surge of intense heat erupted from his body, dispelling the surrounding cold currents, and his form shot upward like a cannonball, landing directly in midair opposite Cai Yunzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the end, it still comes down to proving strength with the sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong gazed across at Cai Yunzhou, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. Though the other’s expression was grave, the fierce battle-lust in his pupils—how could Xia Hong not see it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether good guest or bad guest, I’ve long heard of the name ‘Sword Saint of Caiqiu.’ Let me test whether this title holds any truth!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he had decided to play the role of a pretentious noble, he would play it to the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong directly challenged Cai Yunzhou’s title of Sword Saint, locking eyes with him across the air, his face brimming with contempt and arrogance—the very image of a spoiled scion from a powerful frontier clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s see just how much skill you truly possess!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou’s low voice carried unmistakable fury, yet he maintained his composure—finishing his words, he drew a deep breath before acting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiii…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brilliant flash erupted from his waist, instantly stretching into a terrifying sword blade hundreds of meters long in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need to guess its power—just from the several-li-wide vacuum zone suddenly carved into the air above the city gate along the blade’s path, one could tell its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huuuu…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air above Nanmen of Qinghuacheng violently surged outward from both sides, slamming into the valley walls with thunderous crashes. Many waiting in line at the gate were thrown off balance; some of the weakest collapsed outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the City Lord’s Huaguang Sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He drew his sword outright—the City Lord is serious now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That black-clothed man must be incredibly strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to tell us—just look at his attire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded slow, but it was truly just an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the crowd’s cries had even faded, the first clash between the two figures in midair had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Cai Yunzhou’s lightning-fast strike, Xia Hong made no exaggerated movement—only a simple, unremarkable draw, pulling the black-hilted longsword from his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire motion wasn’t even fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black longsword, densely studded with brilliant specks of light, emerged precisely and blocked Huaguang Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tips and edges clashed violently in midair, blinding light flaring instantly. The already howling air grew even more violent—several times more furious than when Cai Yunzhou had first drawn his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Cai Yunzhou’s base strength was only 18 jun, his sword technique amplified his burst power by over thirty percent, bringing his true output to at least 23 jun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Xia Hong’s body was pushed back slightly, his Suixing Sword forced down to his shoulder, placing him at a disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the expressions of the two men in midair differed sharply from what the crowd below perceived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou’s pupils darkened with deeper gravity;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>while Xia Hong, seemingly at a disadvantage, smiled faintly as he retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick sword—excellent, Sword Saint of Caiqiu! I too have a quick sword technique. Let me show you, Brother Cai!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the aid of Law-level martial arts emulation and deconstruction, Xia Hong instantly perceived every detail of Cai Yunzhou’s strike: the flow of blood and qi, the mechanics of force, the evolution of meridians—all the patterns of the sword technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he perceive them—he even deduced, in the span of a breath, the most perfect version of that strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xia Hong spoke, he used Cai Yunzhou’s downward pressure to shift his body downward, retracting Suixing Sword, flipping his body to gather power, then sending the sword hurtling back along the same path—straight toward Cai Yunzhou’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Suixing Sword return along the same trajectory, Cai Yunzhou’s pupils contracted sharply. First came recognition and confusion, then immediate denial, replaced by shock—he transformed into a streak of white light and shot backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Faster than my Che Tian Sword Art! How is this possible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiii…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another black sword blade, hundreds of meters long, now densely speckled with countless starlight points. In the night, Xia Hong’s strike resembled a brilliant river of stars suddenly carved across the heavens—sword and man alike, nearly in the blink of an eye, crushed toward the retreating Cai Yunzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no way to evade, Cai Yunzhou twisted and raised his sword. Realizing he couldn’t precisely block it, he made his second choice: forcefully swinging downward to disrupt the direction of Xia Hong’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He succeeded—and failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He succeeded, because he did alter the direction of Xia Hong’s blade;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he failed, because the change was minimal—it merely shifted from his head to his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong’s sword technique was too similar to his Che Tian Sword Art—both relied on speed. For an instant, Cai Yunzhou even thought Xia Hong was using Che Tian Sword Art. But remembering it was Caiqiu’s secret, known only to the Cai clan, he dismissed it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when he felt Xia Hong’s speed exceed his own by more than thirty percent did he finally confirm it was an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other’s sword technique was clearly superior, far more advanced than Che Tian Sword Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the power displayed in Xia Hong’s strike—there was no need to mention it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Increased by four-tenths—nearly 30 jun of power…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huaguang Sword was violently knocked aside. Cai Yunzhou saw Xia Hong’s blade already pressed against his neck. His expression, once merely grave, instantly turned to shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet just as his shock deepened—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the next instant, Xia Hong deliberately lifted Suixing Sword an inch to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiii…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade moved away, but the faint aura surrounding it still sliced through Cai Yunzhou’s skin and flesh, leaving a two-inch-long cut on his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiang…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got some skill. To call yourself Sword Saint in the Four Fanzhen isn’t entirely unjustified—but here in the Great Qin Fanzhen, you’re not nearly enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong sheathed Suixing Sword, looked up at Cai Yunzhou, slightly tempering his disdain—but his face still radiated arrogance, his tone now even more haughty than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou, having retreated dozens of meters toward the city, also sheathed Huaguang Sword. He calmly adjusted his collar, then looked up at Xia Hong, slowly smiling as he bowed and clasped his fists. “So you are a distinguished guest from beyond the borders. I am Cai Yunzhou, third-generation scion of the Cai clan, City Lord of Qinghuacheng. May I ask your esteemed name, Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, they could speak properly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong glanced toward Qinghuacheng, sensing the five qi signatures that had just risen now quickly vanished again. He smiled, bowed, and replied loudly: “Hong Yu, at your service, Brother Cai.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Qin, Hong Yu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou seized these two pieces of information and continued, still apologetic: “My earlier conduct was rash—I apologize, Brother Hong. Please forgive me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Cai, you’re too kind! I’m merely traveling through and intruded without warning—I admit I was in the wrong. Let us consider this our first meeting under the sword, shall we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha! Brother Hong, you speak plainly and directly—very much to my taste! But forgive me, I rarely venture beyond the Mao’ao River, so I’m rather uninformed. May I ask—where exactly is your Fanzhen located?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou paused, then quickly added: “Of course, if this is inconvenient, consider me overstepping.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong’s eyes flickered with a shadow, then he waved and smiled: “No inconvenience at all. My Great Qin lies east of Lulong—quite distant from here. Even few know of Lulong; it’s natural you’ve never heard of us. But now you have, haven’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fabricated origin story would never hold up, especially before a Fanzhen-level stronghold like Caiqiu—it could easily be exposed. Xia Hong knew this well. The name of the Fanzhen could be invented freely, but its location required careful crafting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Invent a place too far and too fantastical, and not only would it be hard to believe, but even if they believed it, they might grow hostile. Invent one too close and too specific, and they could easily verify it—also unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“East of Lulong” was no random fabrication. It was meticulously constructed over the past four months in Changqing Valley, after thorough investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the territories of Caiqiu, Chencang, Hezang, and Weibo were all encircled by Mao’ao Mountain, the term “Mao’ao River” arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, Lulong Fanzhen also lay within this region—but blocked by Hanbo Lake, it had no actual border with the three neighboring Fanzhen, resulting in almost no exchange between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this, Lulong became Xia Hong’s perfect loophole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he didn’t act outrageously, the Four Fanzhen would never bother sending someone to verify Lulong. And “east of Lulong” offered them limitless room for speculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was enough!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, upon hearing “east of Lulong,” Cai Yunzhou’s face immediately lit up with an “I knew it” expression—proving his fabricated origin for the Great Qin Fanzhen had succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly, exactly! To produce a genius like Brother Hong, Great Qin Fanzhen must indeed be blessed with talent and fertile land…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yunzhou paused, then showed a look of self-reproach: “I’ve been foolish. Brother Hong, you’ve come from afar—how could I let a guest stand here in the cold? I’ll prepare a banquet in the city. Please, follow me—we can talk properly over wine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d be delighted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha, good! Brother Hong, after you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I have several servants…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s gone? The Lord followed him into the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong and Cai Yunzhou spoke at normal volume, so no one below the southern gate—including Su Jing and his three siblings—could hear them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Jing felt a flicker of unease. Though he had witnessed the midair clash, his strength was too low to tell who was winning or losing, who held the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, everyone else around Nanmen felt the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their view, the two had clashed three or four times, then stopped. They exchanged words in midair, after which Cai Yunzhou extended a hand as if inviting Xia Hong—and together, they flew into the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will the Lord be alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows? We couldn’t even tell who was winning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Su Jing’s words, Su Xu and Su Zhi grew tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the Qinghuacheng City Lord—the direct grandson of Fang Bo! Even if he lost, it’s understandable—the Lord looks much younger than him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xinger picked up the unspoken implication in her brothers’ words. Though she also doubted Xia Hong could win, she still quietly defended him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Get back in line to enter the city. Don’t loiter by the gate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, the man who had knelt and begged for mercy before Xia Hong—Fang Tianhua—seemed to receive orders, and announced to everyone at the gate: “Resume your queue to enter the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he turned to look at Su Jing and the other three, jogging over with a fawning smile and bowing his hands: “Young masters, the Chengzhu has already arranged lodging for you—quickly, follow me into the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not an exaggeration at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Tianhua, who had just been swaggering, now wore a fawning smile—he even bowed slightly, his expression uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Jing and the other three were stunned. They were natives of Changqing Valley and knew well the ways of the Jun Command. Back when they lived in Qingtan Village, even a common Jun soldier would receive full hospitality—food, drink, service, and obedience—without a hint of defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Tianhua was no ordinary soldier. Just look at the ten-thousand-fold silver armor he wore; just from how he commanded the hundreds of troops at the South Gate, his status was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet this man was smiling fawningly at them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, it’s because of the power you displayed that they treat you this way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Jing and his three siblings weren’t fools—they immediately understood the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as they followed Fang Tianhua into the city, they slowly realized how naive they’d been—the treatment they received because of Xia Hong’s display at the South Gate was far from over…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband, did we offend someone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Su Jing and his siblings followed Fang Tianhua into the city, Hu Tiejiang and his brother, waiting in line at the gate, wore looks of dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his wife Fang Jing’s anxious words, Hu Tiejiang quickly whispered reassurance: “Don’t worry—the lord probably doesn’t even know. Even if he does, he won’t blame us…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to glance at his younger brother Hu Tiechuan beside him; both saw a trace of bitterness and regret in each other’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong was clearly powerful—they’d sensed it last night at the Ai Kou Village inn—but to be powerful enough to challenge the Chengzhu of Qinghuacheng? That far exceeded their expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they known, they would have done anything—anything—to speak a few words to Xia Hong, to forge even a sliver of connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a man of such stature, even becoming his servant would be a reversal of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d traveled with Xia Hong all night—and yet, stupidly, they’d done nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, regret was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop thinking nonsense. Get into the city—first, get your names off the registry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Tiejiang suppressed his chaotic thoughts, reached into his robe to feel the registry scroll, and led his family forward, focused on the queue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the anxious Hu family, Su Jing and his three siblings had been dazed since the moment they followed Fang Tianhua into the city.\u003C\u002Fp>",2457,"2026-06-19T20:30:17.581Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","215f0aa9b2c116cf0ce975702ff5bbc44c8da3894cbd7c82ce2c314bf98413c1","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-440","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-438",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fendless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-cover.jpg"]