My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

On the carriage, Du Tianfeng was shocked to hear that Li Xuancang had killed Han Tianlong, and his pupils dilated.

He knew Han Tianlong; he was a powerful figure whose strength was comparable to his own.

However, he was killed by Li Xuancang, which shows how strong Li Xuancang is now.

After the tremors subsided, Du Tianfeng carefully examined Li Xuancang, his eyes filled with satisfaction and a hint of pride.

Li Xuancang was someone he had personally promoted, and he was proud of his abilities.

"Killing Han Tianlong is a great achievement. I will report to the garrison commander, and the imperial court will certainly not be stingy with rewards."

Although they lost Anzhou, the people were not afraid of being blamed by the imperial court.

The communication channel between Anzhou and the imperial court was cut off by Yunzhou, making it impossible to receive support from the imperial court.

It is already remarkable that they were able to sustain themselves for so long.

Moreover, with powerful families like the Liu and Du clans also exerting their influence, the imperial court dared not blame them.

Li Xuancang killed more than 20,000 Yunzhou soldiers, including many Qi Refining Realm experts.

His achievements are undeniable, and given that Du Tianfeng will not suppress his contributions, Li Xuancang will surely be given an important position by the imperial court.

Li Xuancang was not worried about how the imperial court would arrange things for him.

His current strength is almost unmatched in the Qi Condensation Realm. If given a few more months to half a year, his strength will grow to be comparable to the Profound Realm.

In the Great Yan Dynasty, those at the Tongxuan Realm were absolute powerhouses, pillars of strength.

He was capable of governing a whole prefecture; he was a true regional governor.

The group traveled quickly and arrived at the Canglan River two days later.

"Has the fleet not arrived yet?"

Disappointed and anxious, everyone looked on when they didn't see the fleet.

Every extra moment they stayed in Anzhou increased the danger, and they just wanted to escape this perilous place as soon as possible.

After waiting for five days without any fleet arriving, everyone grew increasingly anxious.

"What's going on? Given the fleet's speed, they should have arrived long ago. Why haven't they come yet?"

Everyone was anxious, worried that the fleet had not arrived.

"Strong winds and waves are common on the river, so please don't worry and wait patiently."

Seeing the panicked crowd, Du Tianfeng spoke to calm them down.

Although the Canglan River is called a river, it is comparable to some small seas, and often has turbulent waves.

The fleet would encounter various extreme weather conditions and monsters in the river as it sailed along the riverbank, making each voyage dangerous.

Sometimes, to avoid these dangers, the fleet would choose to take a detour, which often resulted in delays.

Hearing Du Tianfeng's words, everyone quieted down, but they remained uneasy.

Three days later, a fleet of ships appeared on the river and slowly approached the crowd.

"The fleet is here, it's a fleet!"

At first, everyone cheered and jumped for joy, but as the ship drew closer, their expressions grew increasingly grim.

"What's going on? Why are there only three ships?"

Only three boats arrived, and two of them were badly damaged, with some parts even leaking.

Everyone had assumed that at least a dozen large ships would arrive and take them all away.

But there were only three ships in front of them, and it was uncertain whether two of them could continue sailing, so the atmosphere suddenly became subtle and oppressive.

Du Tianfeng and Liu Qingyuan exchanged a glance, their faces turning ashen.

To take everyone with us, we would need at least ten large ships, but we only have three, which means many people cannot leave together.

All parties involved have taken note of this, and their hearts are heavy.

After the ship docked, a group of sailors quickly disembarked and went straight to Liu Qingyuan to pay their respects.

"Greetings, Your Excellency the Governor."

These sailors were members of the Liu family and only obeyed Liu Qingyuan's orders.

"Why are there only three ships?"

Liu Qingyuan glanced at the three ships, noticed their damaged hulls, and had some guesses in his mind, but still asked.

"Reporting to you, sir, we came with fifteen ships, but encountered the Giant Whale Gang on the river. A fierce battle broke out with them, and the other ships were sunk. Only we managed to escape with our lives."

The sailor's eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred.

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingyuan sighed helplessly and did not blame the others.

The Giant Whale Gang roams the rivers and seas, a colossal force that even the imperial court cannot subdue.

Having encountered the Whale Gang, being able to escape on three ships is already considered very lucky.

"Get up, get ready, we're leaving right away."

Even if something unexpected happens to the fleet, everyone should still hurry up and leave.

"What do we do? Three ships aren't enough for all of us to leave. Will we be left behind?"

"What should we do now? Will we be abandoned?"

"It's over, we can't leave now."

"..."

Many people were whispering and talking amongst themselves.

Those who weren't part of the core of the family, in particular, had faces full of worry.

They knew perfectly well that if any group of people were to be spared, they would be the first to be affected.

After discussing for a while, Li Xuancang, Du Tianfeng, and Liu Qingyuan could not find a good solution and could only leave most of the people behind.

"Give each faction a certain number of slots and let them decide for themselves."

After a brief discussion, the group made a decision.

The number of people allowed on board was determined based on official rank and the size of the family's influence.

The decision of who gets on board and who stays is left to these forces to make.

Soon, cries of agony, sobbing, and pleas for help rose and fell.

Everyone knew that staying meant certain death, and they hoped to board the ship.

However, there are limited spots available, so if someone leaves, someone else has to stay.

"Father, Mother, let's get on the boat first!"

Li Xuancang, Du Tianfeng, and Liu Qingyuan do not need to leave anyone behind; all the people they bring can board the ship, and it will be the best ship available.

Privileges can never truly disappear anywhere, not even while fleeing for one's life.

The three men's families and followers made up half the people on the ship, and then people from the Pei, Huang, and Zhou families boarded the ship.

Half an hour later, the three large ships set off and slowly sailed into the river.

Those left behind stood frozen in place, forced to watch the ship depart until it disappeared from sight.

"Finally, we're gone."

Finally leaving Anzhou, everyone on the ship breathed a sigh of relief.

Some people have mixed feelings and are worried about the future.

Pei Hongwen looked worried and felt lost about the future.

"Hongwen, what are your plans after we arrive in Yangzhou?"

Old Master Pei spoke in a deep voice.

"The Pei family's foundation is all in Anzhou, but now they are severely weakened and can no longer provide assistance."

Having endured numerous calamities, the Pei family's strength was almost completely depleted.

Having left Anju, where they had been rooted for hundreds of years, they have lost their foothold.

"With the fall of Anzhou, my position as the Prefect of Anzhou is now merely nominal. I can only hope to obtain the position of Prefect of a region."

He was the Prefectural Governor of Anzhou, but with the fall of Anzhou, his position became meaningless.

Without family support, it was already Pei Hongwen's greatest wish that the imperial court would appoint him as a prefect of a region.

"Ugh!"

Old Master Pei sighed, "A scholarly family is ultimately a thing of the past; martial prowess is the foundation of a family's existence."

After experiencing so many things, the Pei family finally realized that only force could be the source of everything.

If the Pei family had sufficient strength, they wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament.