Becoming a saint begins with the infinite accumulation of destiny.

The midday sun swept away the thin mist that had enveloped the area.

Under a bright, clear sky, Chen Shisheng and Zhang Qing each carried a cloth bag and hurried home.

As they passed the clothing store, the two exchanged a glance, went inside, and resigned from their jobs with the store owner, settling their wages in full.

Amidst the envious gazes of the apprentices, the two took their wages and hurried away.

At the crossroads of the slums, nearing the time of parting, Zhang Qing paused, unable to hold back any longer, and asked:

"Shisheng, when did you learn to read?"

Times have changed. In Wuhe City, literacy is something only the gentlemen of the inner city have the leisure and money to afford.

In ordinary families, let alone being literate, very few people can even write their own names; most are practically illiterate.

"Before."

Chen Shisheng replied casually, without elaborating.

Sensing the coldness and distance in Chen Shisheng's words, Zhang Qing felt her face burning and said somewhat embarrassedly:

"Just now... just now I was planning to..."

"fine."

Chen Shisheng shook his head, said goodbye, and left.

He didn't care about Zhang Qing's attitude just now; it was only human nature.

Moreover, the two were not close, so there was no question of betrayal.

What he cared about was what the Wen family's identity brought him. As he pondered this, Chen Shisheng passed an intersection and saw the Blackwater Gang members guarding this area in the distance.

Several young and strong gang members, dressed in black and carrying broadswords, guarded the entrance and exit, exuding a strong sense of oppression.

Chen Shisheng strode forward, unlike the other passersby who dodged him, and walked straight past them.

But just then, a large hand suddenly blocked their way.

"Wait a moment."

A Blackwater gang member with a scar on his face spoke up.

He looked at the cloth bag Chen Shisheng was carrying; it had a character on it and a totem-like pattern below it.

The design features two monsters with human faces and bird bodies, flying side by side, so lifelike that they seem about to take flight at any moment.

That was the exclusive mark of the Wen family, the unique emblem of the three royal families of the inner city, which no one dared to imitate.

"Brother, have you joined the Wen family?"

The scarred man approached with a smile, his attitude friendly.

Today, the matter of Young Master Wen of Wenyangfang recruiting retainers has caused quite a stir, and he naturally knows about it.

The Wen family's mark, especially the three royal families, is something the gang has repeatedly warned against provoking; one must take the initiative to avoid them.

They were gangsters who swaggered around and exploited the common people.

But they weren't blind; they knew which people they dared not provoke.

"So what if it is?"

Chen Shisheng spoke in his usual tone, indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Scarface not only wasn't angry, but his attitude became even more respectful.

"Brother, please come with us."

......

After a while.

Chen Shisheng walked out of the Blackwater Gang's headquarters, and the gang members on both sides respectfully saw him off at the door.

He also had a small gray bag in his hand, which Chen Shisheng weighed in his hand; it was worth about five taels of silver.

"Brother Chen, the accounts for the taxes we collected before are clear, and we have refunded you every penny."

Scarface, with a fawning expression, pulled out a tael or two of silver from his waist and reluctantly stuffed it into Chen Shisheng's hand.

"Also, this is a personal supplement for you. I didn't think things through before, so please forgive me."

"Then I'll accept it."

Chen Shisheng accepted it without hesitation.

The Blackwater Gang was just a small gang in charge of this area outside the city. They dared to bully the local people because of their connections with the government.

Even someone like Chen Shisheng, who was merely using the Wen family's name, had to treat them with utmost respect and dared not be negligent when faced with such a behemoth as the Wen family.

"Don't worry, we've already informed the gang. We won't be visiting your home anymore, so please don't hold it against us. I'll be stationed in that area from now on, so feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything."

Scarface lowered his posture and spoke in a humble tone.

The Blackwater Gang's long-term survival is not solely due to its connections with the government.

More importantly, they cultivate good relationships with various factions, ensuring that even minor figures are not easily offended.

In chaotic times, no one can guarantee that one day someone else will rise up and come back to seek revenge, slaughtering the entire gang.

Such examples have been written countless times in vernacular novels, and everyone has long since learned their lesson.

"Um."

Chen Shisheng was taken aback, not expecting the Blackwater Gang to be so thoughtful.

However, despite his thoughtfulness, he had not forgotten the Blackwater Gang's past misdeeds and did not want to get involved with them.

After refusing Scarface's offer to see him out, Chen Shisheng took his things and walked home alone.

Pushing open the wooden door, I saw my sister-in-law, Liu Yun, sitting in the corner of the room, her eyes red-rimmed, holding a red silk scarf in her hand.

That was a token of her betrothal to her elder brother, Chen Shiyun, but now she can only look at it and think of him.

Hearing bad news from the front lines was especially devastating.

"Sister-in-law, I'm back."

Chen Shisheng's expression darkened slightly, and he shouted loudly.

The Blackwater Gang not only returned the tax, but also told him in detail about the military households.

His identity as Gou Ding was still intact, and this was something the Blackwater Gang couldn't handle.

They were merely outsourced to the government, simply executors.

He has now joined the Wen family and doesn't need to go to the front lines for the time being, but people have indeed died on the front lines.

I don't know if it was my father or my eldest brother.

He'll have to figure this out later.

"The food isn't ready yet, you should rest for a bit."

When Liu Yun saw her brother-in-law return, she quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

She quickly composed herself and began to recount what had happened that day.

"This morning, Aunt Liu from next door came over for a visit. She said the laundry shop is hiring, and the pay is five qian of silver a month..."

"I don't know why, but they're hiring every month now. It's just to wash clothes by the river, why do they need so many people..."

She kept rambling on and on, unaware that Chen Shisheng had not yet escaped his status as a slave.

"sister in law,..."

Chen Shisheng recounted what had happened that day, then took out the five taels of silver and told Liu Yun to prepare better meals for her in the future.

After all, if one is to practice martial arts, one will need to supplement one's diet; if one's body cannot keep up, it will harm one's health.

"Really?! You...you went to the Wen family?!"

Liu Yun stared in disbelief, her eyes wide.

But then she worriedly asked, "Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

The job of a bodyguard sounds rather unsafe.

It will definitely require frequent physical contact with others.

"Not at the moment, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Chen Shisheng walked into the house, put down his bundle, and found a stool to sit down.

The two discussed for a while longer before Liu Yun's excitement gradually subsided.

After dinner, she went out again, saying that he would be different from now on and would be a person of status.

They insisted on borrowing a few feet of cloth from outside, intending to make Chen Shisheng a new outfit, so he wouldn't always wear hemp clothes and be looked down upon.

The lights in the Chen family's house flickered and went out late at night.

Chen Shisheng lay on the bed, his eyes slightly narrowed, looking up at the roof beams.

Now that things have settled down at home, he can focus on practicing martial arts.

The Blackwater Gang only treated him with utmost respect because of the Wen family.

But without this filter, the Blackwater Gang is still a monstrous force that will seize any opportunity to devour him, leaving not even a bone fragment.

"Only by being strong myself can I be truly strong. From now on, I must work hard to train and improve my strength."

As Chen Shisheng slowly closed his eyes, he was about to drift off to sleep.

boom!!

Suddenly, a series of fine, crisp sounds were heard outside, like rolling thunder, but not quite.

Startled awake, Chen Shisheng, now wide awake, got up, walked to the window, and slightly opened the crack to look outside.

In the distance, streaks of red light, like lightning snakes, flashed across the sky, accompanied by a series of loud bangs, culminating in a deafening howl before finally fading into silence.

Under the light, a huge black phantom appeared, its shape resembling an ancient beast, extremely ferocious.

At the same time, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down, as if it were the end of the world.

"What is that?"

Chen Shisheng was horrified.