Becoming a saint begins with the infinite accumulation of destiny.

early morning.

The official road leading out of the city.

The two carriages moved slowly along the road like wriggling insects.

Chen Shisheng sat inside the carriage and lifted the curtain to look outside.

Wuhe City is far from the smoke of war and is located in the heart of the country. It has not suffered much from war and chaos. There are elm trees planted in previous years on both sides, which are lush and green. But outside of these, it is a barren land where no grass or trees grow.

Because of its proximity to the river, the official road of Wuhe City had not been repaired for many years. The road surface was full of potholes, making it quite difficult for carriages to travel. Fortunately, after passing the city gate, the road became a dirt road, which was smoother and no longer shook violently.

As we drove along, we could see pedestrians from time to time, and old farmers carrying vegetable baskets on their shoulders, heading into the city to sell their produce.

There were also woodcutters pushing dilapidated carts, delivering large piles of firewood.

"We should arrive soon after this."

Across from Chen Shisheng, Liu Feng glanced outside and estimated the distance.

"Brother Feng, do you know what we'll mainly be doing when we're stationed in Pingyang Town?"

Chen Shisheng asked in a deep voice.

"Shisheng, do you know what a city like Wuhe City mainly relies on for its food supply?"

"water transport."

"That's right. As a vital waterway for grain transport, Wuhe City is surrounded by vast mountains, making it impossible to cultivate the land. The food for the hundreds of thousands of people in the city has to be transported in from outside."

"But do you know? Some time ago, Prince Fu suffered a major defeat, losing several cities in succession, and his granaries are in grave danger. Furthermore, there are frequent bandits robbing the canal. Wuhe City can hardly buy any grain anymore."

Liu Feng sighed.

The blacksmith shop was frequently visited by merchant caravans who replenished their stock of various ironware.

After all, a knife will dull if it's used too many times, and caravans would never make it to Wuhe City without some self-defense weapons.

Upon hearing this, Chen Shisheng's heart skipped a beat, and he already guessed what was going on.

"Could it be... that Pingyang Town is the Wen family's grain-producing area?"

"Naturally. Pingyang Town is located on the riverbank, with flat terrain and fertile soil. It is a rare piece of good land in Wuhe City, which is why the Wen family recruited us. To protect their grain."

Liu Feng replied.

"But in Wuhe City, is there still anyone who dares to touch the Wen family's power?"

Chen Shisheng was puzzled.

"Yes, you haven't been outside the city, so you don't know. Neither the mountain roads nor the river transport are safe. There are mountain bandits blocking the way, and river bandits diving in..."

Liu Feng's expression turned serious as he continued.

"What's even more terrifying is that you often encounter ghostly things in the wild. Once, when I went with my father to the next city to buy goods, we came across a dilapidated manor on the way. It was in the middle of nowhere, and green flames were emanating from the manor, which was extremely eerie."

"Is that so? Or is someone playing tricks?"

Chen Shisheng became interested and asked again.

"no."

Liu Feng was extremely certain, and his expression became somewhat solemn.

"Back then, I went with a few buddies to check it out. We didn't go inside the village, we just looked at it from a distance over the wall. Guess what I saw inside? A lonely ghost, hanging from a tree and swinging on a swing."

"His face was frighteningly pale, his hair was longer than a person's, and his tongue was wrapped around a tree branch. He was hanging there alive, which terrified me. I didn't even dare to rest and ran back to Wuhe City overnight."

"This world..."

This was the first time Chen Shisheng had ever heard of such a strange and unusual story, and he thought of the giant snake that Master Bao had mentioned.

Unconsciously, a strong desire for power erupted in his heart.

The world is full of hardships. Bandits, gangs, war, monsters, and evil spirits all weigh heavily on ordinary people like mountains.

Chen Shisheng seriously doubted whether ordinary people could really survive in this world.

A moment of silence fell over the carriage; the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Soon, the group arrived at Pingyang Town.

The carriage slowly came to a stop. The driver, Old Huang, jumped off the carriage, drove the horses to the side of the road, and then shouted:

"Master, we've arrived."

Chen Shisheng helped his sister-in-law out of the car and turned to look ahead.

This is a town made up of low-rise bungalows. The town is somewhat dilapidated, overgrown with weeds, and most of the houses are empty. There are not many people around, so it seems cold and desolate.

At the intersection ahead, two children dressed as servants were waiting at the entrance to the town.

Upon seeing the carriage, the two children exchanged a glance, exchanged a few words, and then hurriedly ran up, respectfully saying:

"Is it an official from the Wen family?"

"Yes."

Liu Feng glanced at it and nodded.

"We are from the Liu family, and we are here to welcome you, sir. Lord Zhang Kuang has already arrived and is at the garrison's residence. Please follow me, sir."

The child spoke in a proper manner.

"Uncle Huang, go and get the goods first. Please tell my father for me."

Liu Feng shouted something to Lao Huang, then looked at Chen Shisheng beside him and asked...

"Should we go first, or...?"

"You go first, I'll settle my sister-in-law in first, then I'll meet up with you."

Chen Shisheng pondered for a moment.

Liu Feng nodded and followed the child into the town.

Chen Shisheng looked around, walked to the child who hadn't left, took out some loose silver from his pocket, and asked:

"I'll ask you a question. Answer it well, and this silver is yours."

"Please speak, sir?"

The child's eyes lit up when he saw the silver, and he quickly replied.

"Where in this town is it safe to stay, and what are the prices?"

Chen Shisheng asked.

The Wen family arranged accommodations for everyone, but he had to arrange accommodations for his sister-in-law.

His sister-in-law can't possibly live with him. It's fine for a short time, but in the long run, it will cause gossip.

"It's relatively safe near the town."

The child replied, his face turning slightly pale as he said this.

He asked a few more questions about other things, but the child just wouldn't say anything, and wouldn't even give him more money.

Helpless, Chen Shisheng had no choice but to give up.

"Then lead the way."

Chen Shisheng looked thoughtfully at the entire town.

Before long, the child was brought to the place, and Chen Shisheng found a place nearby, discussed it with the owner, and successfully rented a house.

The house wasn't big, just a small hut with a yard. He and his sister-in-law, Liu Yun, tidied it up simply, and it was ready.

After making the arrangements, he greeted his sister-in-law and told her to come find him if she needed anything.

"Sir, this way."

At the entrance, the child led the way again, this time to guard the house.

"Let's go."

Chen Shisheng nodded.

Soon, the two passed through the alley and arrived at a huge mansion.

The mansion occupies a very large area, with black bricks and blue tiles. The vermilion gate is ajar, and the two stone lions at the entrance are quite old, covered with moss from the rain, making it seem rather quiet.

The child led Chen Shisheng inside, and they quickly passed through the front hall and arrived at the back reception room.

Liu Feng was already there, sitting in a chair, idly drinking tea.

Seated in the main seat at the front was an old man with a white beard, wearing a dark red, wide robe, and with a slightly gloomy expression.

Next to him was Zhang Kuang, the master who had previously taught Chen Shisheng and the others Hunyuan Zhuang.

This surprised Chen Shisheng somewhat.

The other seats were also occupied by some people, who seemed to be from the same group.

"Shisheng, over here."

Liu Feng waved to him from afar.

Chen Shisheng walked over, found a seat, and casually asked:

"Is everything alright?"

"No. We're just waiting for someone to get up. I guess we'll just familiarize ourselves with the process today."

Liu Feng replied.

After waiting for a while, the children at the door brought in a few more people, and the reception room was almost full.

At this moment, the arrogant man and the old man in the main seat also ended their conversation.

The old man helped himself to his seat, took a few steps forward, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said:

"Gentlemen, I am the garrison commander of Pingyang Town in charge of the main family's affairs. My name is Liu Shouyuan. From now on, we will work together to protect the grain fields. We will have to rely on everyone."

After making some polite remarks, Liu Shouyuan got straight to the point.

"Pingyang Town's main defense is against the water monsters in the river."