The 18th year of the Da Yong reign: The beginning of the story involves rescuing revolutionaries.

"Commander, are we just going to let them go like this?" A regimental trainee asked in surprise, watching the departing figures of Wang Zhi and his companion, as well as the cargo ship slowly sailing out of the dock.

"Let him go? What do you mean by letting him go? Is Wang Luoyun a rebel or a traitor? He has legs, he can leave whenever he wants." The head of the militia was a bearded man who tapped one of his men on the head with his riding whip.

"No, this, that." The soldier wanted to say something more, but he felt something was off. Finally, he remembered and said, "Isn't the Daxing Gang searching the whole city for rebels? Now their leader has run away?"

"Are you asking me?" The gang leader looked at the soldier with unfriendly eyes. He wanted to ask more questions, but the leader of the Daxing Gang was a commoner-level expert, and he was also said to be a jinx. Why would he bother making trouble for himself?

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," the soldier said, quickly lowering his head in fright.

"If you dare not, then hurry up and report this matter to the magistrate." The battalion commander said, kicking the soldier in the butt. The soldier quickly ran away, not forgetting to adjust his crooked helmet halfway.

In the shadows of the corner, two suspicious-looking people exchanged a few words in hushed tones before quickly disappearing from sight.

The Yazi River is an important inland river, so the docks along its banks are quite prosperous. The cargo ship that Wang Zhi was on was heading from a neighboring county to Zhaoyang City, and there were also goods belonging to several families in Liuzhou County on board.

At this moment, Wang Zhi and Wang Lingguan were sitting in the warehouse.

I didn't go up to the deck to watch the excitement.

He's making the most of his time to cultivate; his technique allows him to gain one experience point per day.

Before he left, he made an agreement with Wang Lingguan, with only one condition: he would listen to Wang Lingguan completely.

The two hours passed quickly during the practice.

The little girl was well-behaved during this time, but she kept muttering to herself that she had always been closest to her third brother since childhood, but it was a pity that he had lost her. She didn't know what kind of punishment she would receive when she went back. She kept muttering to herself for a long time, and Wang Zhi only listened to part of it.

When Wang Zhi opened his eyes, he summoned the control panel.

Character: Wang Zhi.

Identity: Leader of the Daxing Gang in Liuzhou County, and head of the Wang family, a prominent local clan.

Cultivation level: Commoner Realm, internal energy flows freely, body covered in copper skin, impervious to swords and blades, muscles and bones resonate, energy flows smoothly.

Cultivation Technique: Golden Essence Technique (Slightly Accomplished), a white-quality cultivation technique. Internal energy is solidified, and circulating Qi can slightly enhance defense. Experience value: 45/100.

Martial Arts: Inch Heart Fist (Great Success), a white-quality martial art. It is a common fist technique, but it has more rules than street fighting. After mastering it, you will learn the Inch Power, which makes your fist more explosive. Experience value: 101/500.

Mourning Blade (Slightly Accomplished), a white-quality martial art, a common sword technique, consisting of five moves, focusing on a fierce offensive approach, with 85/100 experience points.

Swift as a Feather (Beginner Level), a white-quality martial art, a lightness skill that increases running speed, with 2/10 experience points.

Wang Zhi had already experienced the power of the Great Perfection Inch Heart Fist on that water bandit. Even Bai Wu, after achieving the Great Perfection, gained some extraordinary abilities.

"Are you hungry? Cultivation takes a lot of energy, have some steamed buns." When Wang Lingguan saw that Wang Zhi had woken up from his cultivation, he immediately took out a white steamed bun from his bag and handed it to Wang Zhi.

It was a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger). Wang Zhi had prepared quite a few before leaving. It contained shredded roast chicken and was drizzled with sesame oil. He was really hungry, so he took the roujiamo and started to devour it.

Everyone else in the warehouse was drooling with envy.

These days, being able to eat white flour buns is a top-notch luxury, let alone buns stuffed with fragrant shredded roast chicken, it's simply irresistible.

Someone watching the two people, one big and one small, eating steamed buns started scratching their neck, their throat itchy.

A man dressed in shorts, who had been sitting idly next to the two, curiously approached and asked, "Brothers, you two don't look like you're down on your luck. Are you also going to Zhaoyang with your daughter to join in the fun?"

Wang Zhi usually didn't like to talk to strangers, but upon hearing this, he stuffed the last bite of his steamed bun along with the chicken that had fallen into his palm into his mouth, chewed it, and said, "What kind of excitement is there to see in Zhaoyang?"

"You don't know?" the man retorted, and seeing the man shake his head, he continued, "Have you ever heard of the Shen family of Zhaoyang?"

"That's natural. The Shen family has produced several Grand Councilors and the emperor's favorite concubines. In Zhaoyang City, they are a top-tier wealthy and influential family with many talented members and a thriving business presence throughout Zhaoyang and its surrounding areas," Wang Zhi said casually. The Shen family also has influence in Liuzhou County.

"Yes, it's the Shen family. Ever since the refugees fled and rebels rose up everywhere, and the imperial court allowed local gentry to recruit local militia to form self-defense forces, those powerful families have started to have designs on them."

"The Shen family has announced that they are recruiting talented individuals, including martial artists, and even..." The man lowered his voice, glanced around the warehouse, and said, "They even need people who know about firearms, bows, crossbows, and ironware manufacturing."

"Oh?" Wang Zhi raised an eyebrow. The Shen family held a certain position in the latter half of the game, and could be considered a local powerful warlord, but he was unaware of such blatant actions.

The provincial government's supervisory office in Zhaoyang City is probably just a formality, and the supervisor has likely been bought off by the Shen family long ago. In addition, he knows that the Zhaoyang Times is also controlled by the Shen family. The Shen family is truly a local tyrant.

The Great Yong Dynasty is rotten to the core.

Wang Zhi pondered several major events that would occur in the future, while the man in front of him continued talking without stopping: "Besides that, the Shen family is going to hold a seven-day tournament in Zhaoyang. The winner can directly serve as a captain in the Shen family, in charge of the newly formed guard team, and the monthly salary will be a full one hundred silver dollars, tsk tsk."

"This lively scene has attracted quite a few people. Look over there, the one sitting with his eyes closed, resting, has seventeen or eighteen iron rings on his wrists. He is Zhang Henhu, the Iron Fist, who is quite famous in the martial arts world and is a half-step expert in the commoner realm."

"Impressive." Wang Zhi nodded casually.

"And then there's Zhang Mo, the first-rank martial arts master, with bare calves, wearing straw sandals, and known for his iron legs that seem to float on water."

"Impressive." Wang Zhi continued to nod. He knew that this so-called first-grade martial artist was not even as good as the half-step commoner realm. Only after one's martial arts cultivation reached the commoner realm could one be called a true martial artist. Before that, martial artists in the martial arts world were divided into three grades, with first being the highest.

Then the man recounted the backgrounds of several people in the warehouse as if they were his own family. Without exception, they were all martial arts masters of a certain rank, the strongest of whom was the half-step commoner at the beginning.

Wang Zhi quickly realized that even the most insignificant people were on this cargo ship.

Indeed, the realm of commoners is a chasm that countless martial arts practitioners can hardly cross in their entire lives. If it weren't for the bandit Bald Hawk encountering Wang Zhi, he would truly be someone who could walk sideways in Liuzhou County.

These days, even getting enough to eat is difficult, let alone training one's body. To become a martial artist, one must cultivate a copper-like body and have one's muscles and bones resonate eighteen times before breaking through to the next level. This is not something that ordinary people or people from ordinary families can achieve.

With that kind of strength, at the very least they would be outer disciples of major sects. Very few of them would end up in the common world. It's conceivable that the Shen family will have a hard time finding any outstanding experts this time.

Wang Zhi looked at the talkative man and said, "Brother, your insight and knowledge are truly remarkable. You know so many people. May I ask, what kind of strength do you rely on to get involved in this mess with the Shen family?"

"Haha, you flatter me, brother." The man cupped his hands in greeting, then leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "Do you still have any of those white steamed buns? Share half with me, no, just one bite, and I'll tell you what I do."

The young girl, Wang Lingguan, hurriedly hugged her bundle tightly to her chest.