[{"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-468":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},2266894,4425,"Chapter 468: Inquiry and Caution, Inside Chen Cang, Return in Glory and","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-468",468,"\u003Cp>In the 299th year of Cai Qiu, October 18th, late night\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hssss…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qinggu, dusty and covered in reed-powder, dragged his exhausted body back to his small courtyard; as soon as he arrived, he stripped off his clothes and leapt straight into a bucket of ice water already prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skin membrane was dark red and charred, radiating a scorching toxic aura—he looked like a giant burning coal; the moment he entered, the ice bucket reacted violently, filling the room with thick smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another day alive—harvesting reeds is truly not a job for humans!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, sensing the fire poison in his body had slightly subsided, Zhang Qinggu slowly opened his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those corrupt officials truly don’t treat us as human beings…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words could only be spoken within the privacy of his own small courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qinggu sighed again, then remembered something, his eyes lighting up with excitement: “Yu and Hong have begun reshaping their skin membranes. Good thing I granted them leave in August—if the district officials had found out, they’d have been dragged off to harvest reeds too. I must remind them again not to go out…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock knock knock…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if summoned by thought, hearing his granddaughter’s voice outside the door, Zhang Qinggu quickly rose, pulling on his clothes as he called out: “What is it, Hong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The official says he wants to speak with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, go ahead—I’ll be right there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing it was Hong Yu summoning him, Zhang Qinggu quickly dressed and hurried toward the main house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the main house, he saw his two granddaughters waiting outside the door, not inside Xia Hong’s chamber; his eyes immediately flickered with disappointment, then he composed himself, stepped to the chamber door, and bowed deeply: “Your humble servant greets my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the main chamber, Xia Hong sat cross-legged alone on a wooden bed, still wearing his green hemp robe; seeing Zhang Qinggu keep his head bowed, visibly tense, he smiled: “I’ve been here two months already—no need to be so nervous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, your bearing is majestic and noble; this humble servant, a crude man, feels like a firefly beside the sun and moon—dazzled, awed, and ashamed of my own insignificance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lived many years, Zhang Qinggu truly knew how to flatter; Xia Hong couldn’t help laughing several times, shaking his head: “I called you in to ask—have you heard of the Frost Ash Society?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost Ash Society…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the name, Zhang Qinggu’s body jolted; he instinctively turned to glance outside the door, then looked up at Xia Hong, his face pale with alarm as he whispered: “My lord, those three words must not be spoken lightly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong raised an eyebrow and pressed: “So you know. Tell me—what exactly is the Frost Ash Society?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Xia Hong reached into a nearby yellow mustard bag and pulled out a half-meter-long plant and a silver box, examining them closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plant was entirely brown-jade in color, with a single main stem topped by dozens of palm-sized leaves, clustered around an unopened flower bud emitting a rich, sweet fragrance; the moment it was brought out, the entire room filled with aroma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After studying the plant, Xia Hong opened the silver box—inside lay five tiny black insects, each the size of a thumb, pointed at the head, thick at the tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five insects were still alive; the instant the box opened, they instantly curled their tails and shot toward Xia Hong’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xia Hong moved too fast—he simply reached out and caught all five insects in his palm; then, opening his hand, he unleashed a torrent of blood qi pressure; the insects immediately writhed and struggled in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reed-seed… Black Firefly Larvae… My lord, you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the premium reed-seed and live Black Firefly Larvae, Zhang Qinggu froze in shock; then he instantly realized: Xia Hong had been to the reed fields, and had known every detail of the harvest turmoil in the village over the past two months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combining this with Xia Hong’s inquiry about the Frost Ash Society, Zhang Qinggu’s mind leapt to a conclusion; after a moment of grim silence, he slowly began to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It must be some careless villager who blabbed—your lordship heard it. The Frost Ash Society…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t fear—I’m not from Chen Cang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong immediately saw Zhang Qinggu’s hesitation, waved to reassure him, then continued smiling: “The Frost Ash Society is a rebel organization. Its core goal is to overthrow the Chu regime, abolish the Six-Tier Registry System—I know all this. Just tell me what you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qinggu’s expression eased slightly, but his cautious nature made him hesitate again before speaking slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Frost Ash Society is a long-standing underground resistance group in Chen Cang, active for over twenty years. Rumor says they’ve established headquarters in all five prefectures and seven cities, then built branches in slave-villages around each headquarters, recruiting heavily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In earlier years, they coordinated several major uprisings, even drawing the attention of the Prefectural Governor—but were swiftly crushed. The five prefectures and two cities despise the Frost Ash Society; upon discovering any member, they execute immediately. Under such brutal suppression, the organization should have collapsed long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet the opposite is true. As far as I know, in recent years, the Frost Ash Society has grown larger—even…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qinggu suddenly fell silent, refusing to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong smiled and finished for him: “Even your Qingwu Village has them. They’ve already invited you to join, haven’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qinggu gave a sheepish smile, then remembered something, clenched his teeth, and walked to the wooden shelf on the left side of the room; after fumbling at the top, he pulled out a gray-white letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The letter was old, its color faded to yellow, but the characters remained legible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the top, clearly written, were the three characters: “Frost Ash Society.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below were three slogans and a passage:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【With the resilience of frost, burn through Chu’s lands】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Resist all oppressive taxes, restore our food and clothing】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Shatter the registry, no more noble or base】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If you wish to join, write your name on this letter, bury it beneath the bitter grain tree ten li east of the village; once confirmed, you will enter the probation period】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not to hide anything from my lord, five or six years ago, I did receive an invitation from the Frost Ash Society. It was daytime—someone slipped this letter into my home. I’ve always been loyal to Chen Cang, so I would never ally with such rebels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old man is absurdly cautious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Zhang Qinggu’s final assurance, Xia Hong couldn’t help but laugh and sigh; yet he also felt a new respect for the old man’s caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To survive this long in a slave-village—truly not easy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could understand: this was Chen Cang. In Zhang Qinggu’s eyes, a powerful figure like Xia Hong was almost certainly a high-ranking Chen Cang official; saying the wrong thing could bring disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He admired the man—but since Zhang Qinggu still didn’t trust him, Xia Hong saw no point in further explanation; instead, he looked down at the Frost Ash Society’s membership letter, silently reciting the three slogans, then his eyes brightened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the resilience of frost, burn through Chu’s lands. Resist all oppressive taxes, restore our food and clothing. Shatter the registry, no more noble or base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charter and slogans were the soul of the organization—just as the Xia people constantly chant “Great Xia, Eternal”; from these incendiary slogans alone, it was clear the Frost Ash Society was no petty rebellion—it was a genuine resistance against Chu rule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If you wish to join, write your name on this letter, bury it beneath the bitter grain tree ten li east of the village; once confirmed, you will enter the probation period】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such caution in recruiting members explained why, despite Chen Cang’s brutal suppression, the society still grew. A single village like Qingwu had over ten thousand official members—how many total members existed in Luhe Valley, Yanling Prefecture, across all of Chen Cang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong’s expression darkened slightly as he asked: “Do you know who the Frost Ash Society’s Little Dragon Chief is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This question clearly fell outside Zhang Qinggu’s knowledge; he shook his head, then paused, remembering something:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I recall—sixteen years ago, the Frost Ash Society sparked a major rebellion south of Fengyang Prefecture. Rumor says it even reached the attention of the Regional Governor. The leader was said to be the Frost Ash Society’s Dragon Chief—but all this is hearsay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Cang had five prefectures and two lakes, with the same number of major cities as Cai Qiu—seven, excluding garrison towns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five prefectures were arranged roughly east to west: Heyang, Yanling, Xichuan, Fengyang, and finally Donglin—the most central, and where the garrison town was located.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two lakes were Pingyang Lake and Yanzehu. Pingyang Lake lay at the border of Fengyang and Xichuan; for administrative ease, Chen Cang built Pingyang City there. Yanzehu had only a small western stretch under Chen Cang’s control; due to blood miasma, Chen Cang dared not build a city there. Chen Cang’s seventh city was built north of Fengyang, at the border with Hezang Fanzhen, named Longxing City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong closed his eyes, picturing Chen Cang’s entire territory in his mind, then fixed his focus on the southern edge of Fengyang Prefecture; his expression tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>South of Fengyang was Donglin Prefecture—nearly touching the garrison town. That meant it was almost Chen Cang’s core heartland. No wonder it drew the Regional Governor’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like a rebellion in Great Xia nearly reaching Xia Cheng—could Xia Hong ignore it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixteen years ago, the Frost Ash Society had already caused such chaos in Chen Cang’s heartland!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. You may go. By the way—I’m entering seclusion. Don’t let anyone disturb me for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your humble servant obeys!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong paused, then waved Zhang Qinggu away; turning to Zhang Yuzhu and Zhang Hong, he added: “Continue your cultivation in the outer chamber. I’ll call you if I need you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servants obey!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two girls quickly retreated to the outer chamber, closing the door behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though they’ve been infused with Beast Emperor blood, their base strength barely exceeds 100,000 jin—still far too low. Their talent is pitiful; if not for me, they’d barely qualify as low-grade Battle Bodies!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them leave, Xia Hong shook his head. Two months had passed, and Zhang Yuzhu and Zhang Hong still hadn’t broken through to Cold-Resistant Level—clear proof of their limitations, even after he generously shared some Beast Emperor blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the skin-membrane reshaping stage, base strength barely over 100,000 jin meant only a mediocre upper-grade Battle Body. This talent disappointed him slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, he couldn’t expect everyone he met to be a genius. In Changqing Valley, finding Su Xinger—a top-tier Battle Body—was already an incredible stroke of luck; to demand more would be greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong pushed aside his thoughts, recalling the details of Chen Cang he’d gleaned from Zhang Qinggu over the past two months, and a wry smile formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unlike the other three Fanzhen, each ruled by a single Fangbo lineage, Chen Cang has two: the Chu and Chen clans. This is because Chen Cang’s current territory was formed over a hundred years ago by the merger of two separate powers—the Chen and Chu clans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similar to Jiangxia Zhen in the Nanlu region, where Jiang and Xiahou clans coexisted—but here, both clans were far stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, the merger was forced by a joint pressure from Cai Qiu and Hezang Fanzhen; at the time, Chen Cang’s fragmented state meant it would have been swallowed whole without unification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They compromised: the Chu clan took the Fangbo title; the Chen clan retained the name ‘Chen Cang’ and the city of Longxing—a state within a state!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong took a rough sheet of paper and sketched the territorial outlines of Chen Cang and Cai Qiu with charcoal, then marked the locations of Linchu Prefecture, Yanling Prefecture, and Longxing City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Longxing City was the Chen clan’s original stronghold!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact they’d preserved the name ‘Longxing’ for over a century clearly showed that while the Chen clan may outwardly align with Chu, internally, there were ambitious elements—and perhaps the Frost Ash Society…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong’s wry smile faded as he stared at Yanling Prefecture on the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder the westernmost prefecture of Cai Qiu, bordering Yanling, is called Linchu—because Yanling Prefecture was the original Chu stronghold. Yanling City was once Chuqiu; Chu Longteng renamed it fifty years ago. Renaming it was a deliberate move to dilute Chu clan influence and accelerate integration with the Chen clan—what a statesmanlike gesture!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong expressed admiration, yet beneath it, a touch of schadenfreude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Longteng changed Chuqiu’s name—but the Chen clan refused to follow suit, still clinging to the name Longxing City. Clearly, the two clans still harbored mutual distrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over a hundred years, and the two clans still haven’t fully merged. That’s the deep-rooted cohesion of ancient noble houses—but precisely because of it, their subjective pride is strong; neither wishes to remain a mere subordinate. Thank heaven Great Xia began in the small lands of Mo’ao Nanlu—if it had started in Mo’ao Chuan, it wouldn’t have reached its current scale—perhaps it wouldn’t even have survived to keep the name ‘Great Xia’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the seven people who invaded Xia Cheng four years ago—Chu Yan’er’s party—Xia Hong shook his head: “The clan conflict likely exists only at the top. Those who experienced the merger—the Qi-shen and Xianyang-levels—are the ones with vested interests. The lower and middle ranks, and the younger generation, never lived through it, so their loyalty to Chen Cang remains strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chu Longteng probably intends to wait patiently—for these loyal young ones to mature and eventually take power, dissolving the rift. Only then can Chen Cang unify completely, like the other three Fanzhen. But unfortunately…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve arrived!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong’s lips curled into a smile. Whether or not the Frost Ash Society had ties to the Chen clan, Great Xia would exploit it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it has no ties, we’ll make it have them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling Chen Yiqing’s vile deeds in Jiuzhen, Xia Hong’s eyes flashed with coldness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to justify his own actions—truthfully, even without Chen Yiqing’s crimes, he held an adversarial stance toward all four Mo’ao Chuan Fanzhen, including Chen Cang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fundamental law of the Ice Abyss world is survival of the fittest. If Great Xia doesn’t grow stronger, it will either become a mere pawn—or be devoured by cold beasts and mysterious entities, utterly erased from this frozen world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong could not accept any of them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, opposing the four vassal domains of Mo Ao River was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He risked his life crossing the Bone-Eroding Pass to come here precisely to gather intelligence on the vassal domains, preparing for the inevitable confrontation with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he had obtained such crucial information, he naturally had to find a way to use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Chen and Chu clans have failed to fully merge over a hundred years—this serves as a warning to me. Though the Eight Domains’ lineages are not as ancient as theirs, each has endured over a century. When true unification finally comes, if mishandled, it will become a massive Yinhuan , and inevitably be exploited by others…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Xia Hong shook his head with a faint sigh and murmured softly: “It’s already the twelfth year of Great Xia. Jiangxia and Muyin Domains should have merged by now—the timing for an alliance is long ripe. I must hurry and find a way back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having made up his mind, Xia Hong waved his hand and summoned the Enlightenment Lotus Platform, then sat upon it, took out a Bone-Condensing Pill, swallowed it, and closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a skeletal form seven zhang and eight chi tall rose behind him. As soon as it appeared, a crimson medicinal force instantly swirled forth, enveloping his body and rapidly solidifying into a blood-red cocoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More than two months have passed; my injuries are nearly healed. I can now attempt formal cultivation—let’s see if my bone structure’s growth rate has been affected after taking the Bone-Burning Pill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The progress of Yangyang-level cultivation manifests in the growth of the skeletal form. Each tiny increment of growth is exceedingly rare and difficult to perceive. Xia Hong must fully absorb the pill’s medicinal force before he can determine whether his cultivation speed remains normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Day one, day two, day three…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Hong settled his mind and began his seclusion for cultivation. Outside, the Zhang Yuzhu sisters did the same—but their progress was entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fourth day of his seclusion, October 22nd, Zhang Yuzhu broke through to the Cold-Resisting Level with a base strength of 107,000 jin. On the sixth day, October 24th, her younger sister Zhang Yuhong also broke through, with a base strength of 105,000 jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his two granddaughters broke through in succession, Zhang Qinggu was overcome with excitement twice over, rushing to kowtow and thank Xia Hong—but Xia Hong remained in seclusion and ignored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good fortune seemed to come one after another for the Zhang family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very next day after Zhang Yuhong broke through to the Cold-Resisting Level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was October 25th, during daytime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eldest grandson, Zhang Yuchuan, had returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandfather, Chuan’er has come to see you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Zhang courtyard, Zhang Qinggu rushed out with his two granddaughters. Seeing his eldest grandson after nearly two years, his face brimmed with surprise—but also confusion, shock, even panic, a tangle of chaotic emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhang Yuchuan before him wore white silk robes, a long saber at his waist, his handsome face framed by jet-black hair tied back with a silver hairpin. His bold brows and eyes radiated vigor and confidence—how could this be the same unkempt, timid youth he had personally sent off last January?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only Zhang Qinggu, but Zhang Yuzhu and Zhang Yuhong too, no longer rushed to embrace their cousin as they once did. Instead, they hid behind their grandfather, gazing at Zhang Yuchuan with fear, their eyes filled with unfamiliarity and bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yuchuan, why are you wearing brocade and adorned with silver? That’s a grave violation of protocol—if the jurisdictional authorities see you, they’ll arrest you! Quickly, come inside!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes cannot lie. Though Zhang Qinggu had been stunned for a long while, when he met the young man’s gaze, he instantly confirmed his grandson’s identity and hurriedly pulled him into the side chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>",3087,"2026-06-19T20:30:17.581Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5127b2afd3117c83aaf6f54a57ea05c543a6870ae120e30df4da66205bb8a906","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-469","endless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-chapter-467",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fendless-winter-my-camp-infinitely-upgrades-cover.jpg"]