Becoming a saint begins with the infinite accumulation of destiny.

The river surface rippled, reflecting the light.

The summer sun shines on it, creating layers of fine, golden patterns, like golden armor plates.

A carp about three fingers wide swam in the ripples, constantly leaping out of the water and swaying its tail, as if showing off its shimmering, dazzling scales.

boom!

A thumb-sized stone shot out and hit the carp squarely on the head.

A few streaks of blood flowed down the fish's head. The carp thrashed about in the river and immediately fainted, clearly on the verge of death.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a large hand shot out from the side of the ship, like a black dragon reaching out its claws.

In just a moment, the carp was scooped into his hand.

Then Chen Shisheng leaped up, his toes touching the edge of the side of the boat. With a little leverage, he flipped over the railing and landed lightly on the deck.

"Master Chen, your light-footed skill is amazing!"

The small hill at the bow of the boat next to him immediately echoed loudly, flattering him.

Chen Shisheng remained silent and walked to the front of the boat, where there was a tin stove with a bright red charcoal fire burning inside.

Several iron skewers were placed on top, filled with fresh river delicacies, sizzling and dripping with oil, their aroma filling the air.

After tossing the fish to someone nearby to handle it, Chen Shisheng took the old towel Xiaoshan handed him to wipe his hands and casually asked:

"How much longer until we reach Northland City?"

Northland City was their destination.

Located in the lower reaches of the Wuhe River, near one of its tributaries and close to the riverbank, it is rich in a special medicinal herb called Red Fish Fruit.

It is said to have some effect on nourishing qi and blood, but it is most famous for its side effects.

The location where the red fish fruit nourishes qi and blood is very special; it is near the perineum acupoint.

Therefore, each time she takes tonics, her qi and blood will dissipate, which will make her more attractive to men.

Today, it has become one of the best-selling medicinal herbs in Wuhe City.

"We should arrive this afternoon. Our ship only needs to approach the dock, and the client has already made all the arrangements. Someone will load the cargo immediately, and we can return in less than an hour."

Xiao Shan stepped forward and hurriedly said.

"Um."

Chen Shisheng nodded, gazing at the river.

Since the boat set sail, the water has been completely calm.

The banks of the Wuhe River are covered with lush vegetation, and only at night can one occasionally hear the low cries of monkeys on the shore.

There was no movement underwater, and none of the great demons that I had anticipated appeared.

However, Chen Shisheng speculated that this might also be because the ship was constantly on the move.

The boatmen were divided into two groups and traveled day and night.

Everything was arranged perfectly.

Just as Xiaoshan said.

Soon, they arrived at the city of the North.

The boat slowly approached the shore and moored inside the dock.

Someone immediately came up to inquire. Xiaoshan was obviously familiar with the person, and after saying a few words, he set up the ladder and began loading the goods.

Chen Shisheng did not disembark, but stood on the boat, gazing at an ancient city not far away.

Through a thin layer of mist on the water's surface, one could vaguely see the outline of the city wall and pedestrians as numerous as ants.

This was Chen Shisheng's first time visiting a city outside of Wuhe City.

Many of the people here seem to be fishermen; Chen Shisheng saw a lot of small sampans and various tools on their covered boats.

In front of the dock was a rather bustling town, with a main road running through the entire town, lined with houses on one side, including various teahouses and restaurants catering to fishermen.

On the other side, near the riverbank, there is a spectacular expanse of fiery red crops planted all over the riverbank. Some of them are even close to the water, having been washed away by the turbulent river and fallen into the water, attracting schools of fish to fight for them.

Near the archway on the side close to the dock, a group of people were surrounding a boy, making a great commotion and discussing the matter.

"Brother Chen, someone has caught a treasure fish."

Seeing that Chen Shisheng was staring in that direction, Xiaoshan explained with a smile.

"The fish here are a bit different from the ones we have back home. Because they eat red fish all year round, it has a great effect on nourishing the blood and qi of martial artists, especially those who practice finger and leg techniques."

"Brother Chen, if you're interested, you can actually buy some to try. It's just that the price is a bit..."

Xiaoshan said awkwardly.

Actually, if it weren't for the exorbitant price, one tael of fish would cost one tael of silver.

Having long harbored the desire to befriend martial artists, he would probably have already offered it up with open arms.

Unfortunately, the price of fish was too high, and buying just one would cost more than a month's worth of food for his family, which he simply couldn't bear to part with.

"Alright. Is the cargo loaded? If it's loaded, let's go."

Chen Shisheng withdrew his gaze and turned to ask.

He didn't want to cause any more trouble, and returning to Wuhe City as soon as possible was the safest option.

"Alright, alright. We can set off as soon as the men return."

Xiaoshan quickly said,

He immediately sent someone to urge the boatmen to hurry up, quickly checked the cargo, and set sail without stopping for Wuhe City.

Soon, the group was working in two shifts, day and night.

Finally, on the third day, they returned to the vicinity of the Five Rivers City basin.

As the cargo ship approached the outskirts of the city and neared Pingyang Town, Chen Shisheng could even see the house he and his sister-in-law had previously rented.

Unfortunately, the entire riverbank was blackened and burned to a crisp.

The town was deserted, some houses had collapsed, and the former Liu Mansion was no longer as magnificent as it once was; everything was in ruins.

Chen Shisheng had heard Xu Song mention the attack on Pingyang Town by river bandits before.

Thinking back to the bandits who blocked his way on his way back to Wuhe City, he realized that he hadn't realized something was wrong before.

Or rather, no one expected that the water bandits would go to such lengths for food.

The river wind howled, stirring the torches on the boat and making the figures sway.

Chen Shisheng stood at the bow of the boat, watching the surroundings warily.

Behind him was a group of boatmen changing shifts, who came aboard to rest and chat.

There was a small hill beside them, and they were having a barbecue with a few people around a fire.

This method was Chen Shisheng's idea, and the people on the boat were immediately amazed that there was such a way to eat it, and quickly learned it.

"Brother Chen, want to grab something to eat? They've grilled river clams; they're really tender."

Xiao Shan eagerly approached, extending an invitation.

With his sons reaching a certain age, he very much hoped to meet a martial arts master to introduce his children to martial arts.

"Um....?!"

Chen Shisheng nodded and was just about to get up when

Suddenly, a barrage of iron hooks was thrown out from underwater, precisely hooking onto the railing on the deck and locking it securely.

Ah!

Someone was accidentally hooked by an iron hook, which dug deep into their flesh, causing them to scream in agony.

But it was no use; the iron hook quickly exerted its force and hooked the person.

He was dragged to the fence by immense force and stuck there!

"Water bandits!"

Chen Shisheng's eyes sharpened, and he immediately realized what was going on.

Without hesitation, he drew his broadsword and, with a few swift strokes, cut several ropes near his side.

The others were also immediately jolted awake and began frantically cutting the rope.

If pirates boarded their ship, their entire trip would be over.

Swish!

Suddenly, a cold light flashed across the night sky.

A boatman who was cutting a rope by the side of the ship had his head blown high into the air, blood splattered all over the ground, his body spun around once, and then fell heavily onto the deck.

The deck fell silent for a moment.

Only the torches on both sides continued to flicker, like dancing sprites.

The boatmen looked at each other, their eyes glazed over, their legs trembling, their hands gripping their knives, yet they dared not move.

"Who's in charge?"

Soon, a group of more than a dozen pirates quickly climbed onto the boat and took control of everyone.

He was shirtless, holding a scimitar, and coldly surveyed everyone on the deck.

Finally, his gaze settled on the bow of the ship.

As a martial artist, he possesses the most basic ability to sense qi and blood.

"The Lin family really has no fear of death... I warned you last time. If you can't pay up, this ship, cargo, and people will be ours to take."

The man made a sarcastic remark and stepped forward.

"So you're the Lin family's newly recruited martial artist?"

"You're someone who can walk on water? What did you mean by that just now?"

Chen Shisheng narrowed his eyes, his face darkening as he retorted.

He was instantly enraged. Judging from what this man had just said, was he being used as a testing ground by the Lin family?!