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

After parting ways with Zhao Changlin, the group traveled for more than half a month before finally arriving in Anzhou Prefecture.

The magnificent city of Anzhou comes into view, resembling a giant beast crouching on the ground.

The towering city walls are made of solid, heavy, and straight blocks of gray-blue stone, stretching into the sky.

Banners fluttered atop the walls, and the garrison soldiers stood in gleaming armor, guns at their ready, exuding an aura of authority and showcasing the imposing grandeur of this important border town.

The top of the city wall is built with watchtowers and defensive fortifications, and the mottled stone surface is etched with the marks of time and war.

As they approached the city gate, a cacophony of noise instantly enveloped them, a stark contrast to the desolate and bleak official road along the way.

"It's so lively!"

Li's parents and others lifted the carriage curtain, their eyes filled with shock; the prosperity here dazzled them.

The wide official road leading into the city was bustling with traffic and people.

People dressed in various costumes shuttled back and forth, including merchants carrying goods, traveling merchants leading mules and horses, scholars traveling in groups, and caravan workers escorting goods. All sorts of people crowded together, walking hurriedly.

Horse-drawn carriages and oxcarts came and went in an endless stream, their wheels making a rumbling sound as they rolled over the bluestone road.

There were many temporary stalls set up on both sides of the city gate.

The shouts, calls for sale, bargaining, and the neighing of carriages and horses mingled together, creating a bustling marketplace.

People lined up to enter the city, including villagers from the surrounding areas who came to sell their products, caravans traveling to and from the border, and officials going to take up their posts.

There were also refugees who fled here in search of a way to survive.

The place was orderly yet bustling with activity, brimming with vibrant energy.

Despite the dense flow of people, the city guards at the city gate still conducted strict checks.

Entering the city required paying an entry tax, and for many ordinary people, entering the city was something they would never do lightly unless absolutely necessary.

Li Xuancang dismounted, took out the token and documents representing his identity, and led his family's carriage, slowly moving forward with the flow of people.

Looking at the magnificent and prosperous city before him, he couldn't help but be moved.

With continuous warfare on the border and Xuanyang City suffering repeated calamities, Anzhou Prefecture was able to accommodate a million people. Such prosperity and stability were truly rare.

"My parents and my older and younger sisters live in the city, so they are much safer there."

Anzhou City is the safest place in Anzhou. With his family settling down here, Li Xuancang can feel more at ease.

Thirty-one soldiers marched in formation behind him, their posture upright and their momentum undiminished despite the long journey, attracting frequent glances from passersby.

"Get out of the way, these are all soldiers."

"What an astonishing aura of killing intent! These are definitely veterans who have been on the battlefield and killed the enemy."

"If you're in the military, don't block the way."

"..."

When the people saw Li Xuancang and his entourage, they all took the initiative to give way, their eyes filled with a mixture of respect and fear.

Even in Anzhou City, soldiers were people that ordinary people dared not provoke.

"Hmph, lackeys of the imperial court, truly hateful."

Some people looked down on Li Xuancang and his group, and were even hostile towards them.

Most of these people were from gangs, and they refused to budge an inch, showing no fear of Li Xuancang and his men's status as soldiers.

Li Xuancang didn't care about the other people's attitudes. He was new to the place and hadn't yet established himself, so he wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible.

As the group approached the city gate checkpoint, the sergeant guarding the city led several soldiers forward.

His expression was rigid, and he was about to question her according to procedure, his tone cold and perfunctory.

"Halt! Show your identification and documents, and state the reason for your entry into the city."

Li Xuancang stepped forward, said nothing, and directly took out the black gold military tally of a centurion from his bosom, and handed over the official document of appointment issued by the court.

The military tally bears the prominent inscription "Li Xuancang of Anzhou Army" on one side and "Chief of a Thousand" on the other, exuding an air of authority.

The sergeant instinctively took it, looked down and stared at it, and when he saw the style of the military tally and the official title and signature on the document, his expression changed drastically.

The man before him was actually a centurion, which he found unbelievable.

Li Xuancang is too young. It is already remarkable that he can become a soldier at his age, but he is a centurion, which is unbelievable.

He was a mid-level military officer who commanded thousands of elite troops, several ranks higher than these soldiers guarding the city, and a powerful general who had fought bloody battles on the border for many years.

The previously stiff and indifferent expression vanished instantly. The sergeant stiffened and hurriedly handed the military tally and documents back to Li Xuancang with both hands.

He immediately straightened his body, solemnly gave a standard military salute, his movements were meticulous, his face was full of respect, and his tone was extremely respectful, without the slightest negligence.

"Greetings, Commander Li. I was blind to your greatness and have been disrespectful to you. Please forgive me."

The soldiers guarding the city behind him instantly abandoned their laxity, bowed in unison, their expressions tense and their eyes filled with awe.

The military has a strict hierarchy, and they dared not act recklessly in the slightest.

Li Xuancang raised his hand in a gesture of support and said calmly, "It's alright. I am here on orders to take up my post in the city. I have brought my family and personal guards with me. Please let me pass quickly."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The squad leader readily agreed and waved for his soldiers to push aside the roadblocks and clear the surrounding area of ​​people.

He quickly walked to Li Xuancang's side, bent down and extended his hand, respectfully gesturing to lead the way, his tone extremely humble.

"General, you must be tired from your journey. I will personally lead the way for you, your family, and your guards into the city and take you directly to the official post station for your accommodation. This way, please."

The squad leader's attitude was almost obsequious; he walked to the side and carefully led the group.

He bowed and nodded throughout, displaying utmost respect.

As soon as the group entered the city gate, the surrounding area erupted in chaos.

"What? That young man was actually a centurion?"

"How is this possible?"

"A centurion! That's quite a figure in the prefectural city."

"..."

People whispered among themselves and looked on in surprise, never expecting to be so close to a centurion.

Upon entering the city gate, an even stronger sense of prosperity washes over you.

The spacious main street inside the city is lined with restaurants, inns, cloth shops, grain shops, weapon shops, and medicine shops, with signs everywhere, and is bustling with customers, making it much more lively than the area outside the city.

The bustling crowd and fragrant aromas of the city unfolded before the group's eyes, revealing its vibrant prosperity.

"Wow, so much stuff!"

"Look, it's so beautiful!"

"What is that? I've never seen anything like it before."

"..."

Li Ling'er, Zhang Cui'er, Zhang Chunhua, and the others looked at the many exquisite objects in the city that they had never seen before, their eyes filled with excitement, and they chattered excitedly.