My path to immortality began with my posting to guard Dawancun.

Chapter 901 The Situation, Covetousness, Ambush (Three Chapters Combined)

While shopping, Shen Changchuan struck up a conversation with a peddler named Zhang San on the street.

From its mouth,

Shen Changchuan also learned the truth about the massacre of Yangjia Village back then.

The Battle of Wei River broke out four years ago.
King Cao Wu of Wei was severely defeated by the combined forces of Chu, Song, and Wu, resulting in heavy losses of his troops and generals. Even his eldest son, Cao Biao, was besieged and killed because he gave his prized horse to Cao Wu.

To vent their anger, boost the morale of the remaining defeated troops, and cut off the war potential of the Chu region,
Cao Wu brazenly ordered the massacre of all eight counties along the Wei River.

The army ravaged the land, almost completely wiping out the entire Wei River basin, causing the Wei River to dry up.

Yangjiazhai
It was just an insignificant little village within the territory of the eight prefectures along the Wei River.

It was just a tiny ripple in the background of millions of people being slaughtered and rivers of blood flowing, and no one paid any attention to it.

At that time,
The King of Wei's move,
It can be said that the whole world was terrified!
Throughout history, wars have seen instances of massacring prisoners of war and the annihilation of cities that fiercely resisted.

But regardless of whether it was in cities or villages, regardless of men or women or young or old, only Cao Wu directly turned the butcher's knife on millions of people and emptied eight counties!
After this incident,
The name of Cao Wu, the King of Wei, as a butcher resounded throughout the land.

Until this moment,

When the peddler Zhang San spoke of the king who occupied the five northern states, he couldn't help but show a look of fear on his face.

That's a population of over a million, and he slaughtered them like pigs and dogs!

So much so that nowadays,

In the land of Chu, the name of Cao Wu, the butcher, was still as powerful as a child's cry-stopping presence.

"Cao Wu, the King of Wei."

Shen Changchuan looked thoughtful and secretly memorized the name.

Barring unforeseen circumstances,

This person will be my long-term goal in the future.

Regardless of the circumstances, having inherited the karma from my parents, I naturally have an obligation to seek justice for them who died violent deaths, as well as for the villagers!
He secretly kept this person in his heart.
Shen Changchuan then inquired about the state of affairs in the country from the peddler Zhang San.

Zhang San also spoke candidly about this, offering his insights without reservation.

First of all,

The Yuan Dynasty had lost its entire army in years of fierce fighting against the Moth Rebels. In addition, it was rumored that Liu Jinghong, the pillar of the imperial family who was supposed to suppress the world, had exhausted his strength after his attack ten years ago.
The Yuan Dynasty is now essentially a dispensable entity.

Basically, all parties are no longer giving the capital and the emperor any face.

After all, it has witnessed several generations of incompetent and tyrannical rulers over the years.
The hearts and minds of the people have long been completely corrupted.

In the past, the country's rule was barely maintained by the powerful military force of the Liu family. Now that the military force has been lost, it is difficult to find anyone loyal to the court, from the court to the common people.

After years of competition,

As local powers, large and small, merged with each other,
The world is now divided into thirteen states.
It was divided up by the five major kingdoms of Wei, Chu, Song, Wu, and Han.

And because of a major battle on the Wei River four years ago,
Despite occupying the north and being the most powerful state, Wei suffered heavy losses after being outmaneuvered by the allied forces.

Although it can still maintain stability in the five northern states, it is no longer able to expand outwards and can only retract its claws to lick its wounds.

As for the four kingdoms of Chu, Song, Wu, and Han, they divided the remaining eight of the thirteen provinces of the land.

However, they lived in relatively barren areas on the outskirts of the area.

They either face challenges from a large number of wild men in the mountains, or they are in a barren land with little development, or they have to defend against the troops of the Northern Mongols. In short, each has its own problems.

Therefore, after defeating King Cao Wu of Wei in the Battle of Wei River, none of the parties were able to press their advantage.

The only option is to station troops to guard the passes and focus all efforts on dealing with the problems within our own territory.

Even in some conflicts and battles,

This was limited to small-scale military conflicts and the struggle for one or two cities.

Also because of this,

During these four years, the world was generally at peace.

However, despite this,

But everyone also knows that this state of the world being divided into five parts will not last forever.

As a result, the martial spirit among the people became increasingly strong.
Various factions within the martial arts world have also become active.

For the martial arts world

Shen Changchuan was naturally very interested, so he asked further questions.

But unfortunately,
Although Zhang San was a peddler who traveled from street to street, he had never actually set foot outside of the prefectures and counties, and his knowledge was not very extensive.

If it's politics, one can still engage in lively discussions based on information heard from other people.

But when it comes to the martial arts world, they have absolutely no understanding of it.

Or,

Those martial arts figures who fly around are not from the same world as them, and generally have little impact on low-level peddlers like them.

After all, no martial arts master would rob a peddler.

The peddler and the martial arts master belong to worlds that never intersect.

In contrast, the political situation has a much greater impact on them, almost to the point of being inextricably linked.

Also because of this,

Zhang San didn't know much about the martial arts world.

All he knew was that learning martial arts would make him incredibly strong.

Once, while carrying his goods, he passed by the entrance of a martial arts school and saw a seven-year-old child send an adult flying with a single palm strike, which was truly unbelievable.

Besides that, he could name a few nearby gangs, but he didn't know much about their strength, the famous masters in the martial arts world, how their cultivation levels were divided, or what top forces existed.

Oh, except for the three supreme grandmasters of this era.

The great battle that changed the course of the world ten years ago—the three supreme grandmasters, including Liu Jinghong, the pillar of the Liu royal family, who single-handedly defeated the Moth Bandits and the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Northern Mongols—has already become a sensation throughout the world.

Although Zhang San didn't understand how a person could achieve such an incredible feat,
But this was indeed the first time I had ever heard of the supreme grandmaster's reputation!

"Is this so"

After listening to Zhang San's story,
Shen Changchuan couldn't help but feel curious and longing for the martial arts power of this world, which he had heard about—that a child of only a few years old could send an adult flying with a single palm strike.

"With the strength increased to this extent, if I could learn the martial arts of this world, I should be able to do many things!"

Shen Changchuan's heart stirred slightly.

Even though he started training at a young age and had no shortage of meat, Shen Changchuan is only seven years old now.

His strength is at most comparable to that of a teenager.

If one could enter the martial arts of this world, with the strength that even a child could knock an adult away, there would be so much more that one could do!
We must acquire as much martial arts knowledge as possible from this world!

between breaths,

Shen Changchuan then set a goal for himself.

This is not just a matter of my current ability to protect myself, but also a matter of my future path to shattering and ascending!
Although Zhang San had never heard of anything like breaking through the void.
But Shen Changchuan knew that ascension definitely existed!
By stepping onto the path of martial arts in this world earlier, one will have more room to maneuver in the future.

However, at the same time,

He also had a vague feeling that things might not be so easy to accomplish.

According to Zhang San,

The martial arts world and their world are almost completely separate entities.

This probably means that,

Entering the martial arts world is likely to present a significant hurdle!
of course,

No matter how difficult it may be, Shen Changchuan is determined to embark on the martial arts path of this world.

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts!"

After a brief chat, they confirmed that Zhang San had no more valuable information on him.

Shen Changchuan bowed and thanked him.

At the same time, he reached into his sleeve, took out a few copper coins, and prepared to hand them to Zhang San to thank him for clearing up his doubts.

These copper coins,

It was something Shen Changchuan had dug out from the ruins of Yangjiazhai, from some corners of the walls.

In rural areas, houses are often drafty, so people usually wrap their savings in cloth and hide them in a hole they've dug in a corner of the house.

Before setting off, Shen Changchuan dug up a lot of copper coins from the site.

That's enough for him to take at least one long trip.

"Fortunately, there are these relics left by our fellow villagers."

Holding the copper coins in his hand, Shen Changchuan had this thought flash through his mind.

in fact,

He wasn't some penniless wretch.

Before transmigrating, he had made ample preparations, collecting many mortal skills.
This includes the skill of gathering medicinal herbs in the mountains.

With his superb mountain-gathering skills, Shen Changchuan collected many valuable items during his four years in the mountains.

One of the wild ginseng roots, which was over a hundred years old and nearly two hundred years old, was wrapped in a wooden box that he carried with him.

In addition, there are a few wild ginseng plants that are thirty to fifty years old.

It also contains natural bezoar and Ganoderma lucidum.

These are truly valuable items, and their worth is definitely not low!

Shen Changchuan originally planned to sell some of his stock in this town to raise some funds.

But unfortunately,
Changhe Town is too small. It's a small town with only a few hundred people. There aren't even any legitimate medicine dealers there. They only buy medicines and then sell them in larger county towns.

Shen Changchuan only glanced at it twice before leaving.
You can easily imagine how much the prices at these stalls will be squeezed.

Anyway, if I want to find the path of martial arts, I will most likely have to go to a big city, so there is no need to sell it to a middleman at a low price.

Before selling the precious medicinal herbs in his bag,
The copper coins unearthed from the Yangjiazhai site undoubtedly helped him overcome a significant difficulty.

"Hey, hey, brother, why be so polite!"

"This is just some random rambling. You can ask anyone and they'll know all about these things. I haven't even thanked you for chatting nonsense and keeping me from being so bored."

"Sigh, I never imagined that Changhe Town would decline to this state. Half a day has passed and there are hardly any more people, let alone any business."

"Take it, take it!"

Zhang San repeatedly declined and did not accept the copper coins.

However, he changed the subject.
However, he said:

"If I'm not mistaken, young man, you're going to a bigger city next to find a martial arts school or something similar to learn martial arts, right?"

"Oh, I do have such a plan. May I ask what advice you may have?"

"I wouldn't presume to offer advice. It's just that we run small businesses like this, so we basically wander around and get a general understanding of the surrounding area."

"Young brother, if you want to find a martial arts school to learn martial arts, you should go to Nanyang County on the north bank of the Wei River."

"The main reason is the massacre four years ago; the eight prefectures along the Wei River are far from recovered. But Nanyang Prefecture is different. Located on the north bank of the Wei River, it is an excellent port, serving as a transportation hub connecting the upstream and downstream areas. With people coming and going, it has recovered its former prosperity in just a few years." "Now, Nanyang Prefecture has at least two or three hundred thousand people, if not more. Many martial arts practitioners have opened their gates and are recruiting disciples in some streets and alleys. This should be the most suitable place for you, young brother, to learn martial arts."

"Of course, if you really are going to Nanyang County, I would appreciate it if you could pass on a message to my wife: I'm going to Suzhou with a friend to buy some more valuable trinkets, so we might have to postpone our return for two or three months. Please don't worry."

Upon hearing Zhang San's words,

Shen Changchuan nodded as well.

"In that case, we should naturally head to Nanyang County."

"Don't worry, brother, I will definitely pass on this message. But I don't know where your sister-in-law lives?"

"Oh, it's on West Street in Nanyang County, in Huai Shu Lane, Xiajinpu, Xiguan. Just ask Zhang San's house when you get there. Thank you, young man!"

Seeing that Shen Changchuan had agreed, Zhang San quickly chimed in.

He kept thanking him.

"Brother, you're too kind."

After a few casual words,
Shen Changchuan said goodbye and left.

He was standing on a sparsely populated dirt street.
He glanced at the dilapidated inn in the center of the street, then looked up at the sky above, his lips slightly pursed.

"This inn is far too dilapidated; it feels like it was rebuilt from a house that hadn't even burned down."

"Nanyang County is about two hundred miles away from here. Well, let's just set off directly."

Shen Changchuan thought to himself.

Although traveling alone, one may have to endure wind and rain along the way.

However, for a hunter with maxed-out hunting skills who has lived in the wild for four years, these are not major problems.

"However, the dangers on this journey will not only be wild monsters, but we will also have to be wary of our own kind."

In the blink of an eye,

A glint flashed in Shen Changchuan's eyes.

Four years of experience working in the mountains and fields made him keenly aware that the two beggars sitting cross-legged on the ground in the corner of the street had been looking him up and down several times.

Moreover, Shen Changchuan could sense a certain greed and ill intent in the other party's eyes.

"Is it because I look too young, like a ten-year-old teenager who's easy to bully, or did they notice something good in my package?"

Shen Changchuan pondered inwardly, but his face remained expressionless.

"Forget it, let's just deal with whatever comes our way!"

I didn't sense any particularly deadly threat from those two people.

Shen Changchuan didn't really care.

However, this reminded him of something: he should buy some self-defense equipment.

After all, when traveling in the wild, the threats are never just wild animals.

So Shen Changchuan turned his head.
They walked toward a blacksmith's shop.

"Er Gouzi, are you really sure that kid has something good on him?"

In the corner,

A middle-aged beggar with disheveled hair, wearing tattered rags and holes, and a sour, foul-smelling face, turned to the side, lowered his eyes, and asked his companion, who was also sitting cross-legged on the ground, in a low voice. A broken bowl was placed in front of him.

"Brother Wang, the reason we're called Er Gouzi (Second Dog) is because our nose is even sharper than a dog's!"

"The wild ginseng in that kid's backpack smells so strong it's almost overflowing! I'm sure it's at least fifty years old!"

"This is a great thing for martial arts training!"

"If we get our hands on it, we can easily make tens or even hundreds of taels of silver! We could even live a carefree life for several days at the largest brothel in Nanyang County!"

His thin companion beside him lowered his voice, his face also showing great excitement.

"Brother Wang, that kid looks no more than ten years old, with skinny arms and legs. He's probably stolen something good from home. If we don't do this job, we'll be struck by lightning!"

Wang Ergou's voice was somewhat excited.

Even decades-old ginseng, if sold, could bring them an income that they might not be able to achieve even after several years of trying!

"Of course we have to take action. If we have to blame someone, we can only blame that brat for being unlucky."

A cold glint flashed in Brother Wang's eyes.

Moreover, he thought far more than Wang Ergou, who was standing next to him.

As a veteran member of the Beggars' Sect who has been with the sect for ten years, he has relied on the sect's prestige to freeload for many years, but has not made any progress.

Just right,

I was recently chosen by a big shot in the gang to settle in this land by the Wei River.

That important person is a martial artist.

If we can send this wild ginseng up here, we will surely receive many benefits!
Perhaps I can even learn martial arts and escape the status of a lowly beggar!

Brother Wang's eyes darted around.
He whispered to Wang Ergou beside him:

"But we can't do it here, lest that brat's family comes after us later."

"Judging from the conversation between that brat and that peddler, he's most likely going to Nanyang County."

"Once you leave this town, there's only one road leading to Nanyang County."

"Let's ambush him on the road outside the town leading to Nanyang County. After killing that brat, we'll throw his body into the deep mountains for wild animals to dispose of. Once we get what we need, we'll head straight back to Nanyang County!"

"Brother Wang, what if that brat suddenly decides not to go to Nanyang County and turns back? This is a big deal worth tens or even hundreds of taels of silver!"

"That's true, we can't be so reckless."

The middle-aged beggar seemed to be deep in thought.

"Alright then, let's leave the town first, hide nearby and keep a close eye on the town's entrances and exits, then slowly follow that brat when he comes out, and kill him as soon as he gets to a more remote spot!"

"They still dump the bodies in the wild and let wild animals deal with them!"

"Brother, you're brilliant!"

"go!"

So the two beggars stood up one after the other, picked up the ten thousand coins, and left the town with their dog-beating sticks.

Not long after,
Shen Changchuan walked out of the blacksmith shop.

He distributed all the copper coins that had been searched from Yangjia Village.
Instead,

It was a short gun in his hand, about 1.45 meters long.

This short gun, with a section sawed off, is a bit short, but it's just right for teenagers around ten years old to use.

I waved it around a few times, and I'm fairly satisfied with how it looks when worn normally.

Spear skills

Of course he can.

Moreover, his basic marksmanship was already perfected.

For him, who is currently lacking in strength, a long spear is the most suitable weapon for close combat, as its length makes it more powerful.

"Are you gone?"

Shen Changchuan glanced at it.
They discovered that the two beggars had vanished.

But Shen Changchuan will not relax in the slightest because of this.

Having spent years hunting in the mountains and forests, I understand the thoughts and feelings of a hunter all too well.

His expression remained unchanged.
As if unaware.

Carrying a bundle on his back and holding a long gun, he walked out of Changhe Town.

"Martial arts, martial arts. Once we arrive in Nanyang County, we should first find a martial arts school to learn martial arts."

"It doesn't matter how profound the method is. As long as I embark on the path of extraordinary martial arts and my strength increases significantly, I will be qualified to devise more profound methods."

"Moreover, once I understand the relationship between the world's spiritual energy and martial arts, perhaps I can use my experience in the cultivation world to create even more powerful martial arts?"

As Shen Changchuan walked, he pondered to himself.

Regarding future plans,
A general plan has been developed.

The plan is not complicated.

Having entered the basics and gained some understanding of the martial arts and extraordinary systems of this world,

Then consider whether to steal or rob, or to become an apprentice of a more powerful martial arts sect and learn more advanced techniques.

In short, it constantly involves profound martial arts and explores the secrets of soaring through the air in this world.

some of,
Shen Changchuan's first goal now is to first enter the world of martial arts!

"Now is a time of chaos, but there is much to be done!"

"However, I doubt I'll actually follow the proper path of joining a martial arts sect and becoming an apprentice."

Shen Changchuan's gaze was leisurely.

Learning a skill from a master is not so easy.

Especially those who want to join a martial arts sect.

Any martial arts sect that wants to develop in the long term will definitely conduct background checks.

And myself,
All of his parents and relatives died, and a massacre by Cao Wu, the King of Wei, severed almost all of his ties.

Therefore, in the eyes of other martial arts sects and forces, he is basically a person of unknown origin.

How could they possibly join those well-established sects and obtain their profound martial arts skills?

after all,

Who can be sure that this person of unknown origin is not an outsider who has stolen the sect's heritage?
Also because of this,

If he chooses the right path, he'll likely find it difficult to achieve anything significant.

The only solution is to sustain the war through war!

"As long as I become stronger, and combine that with the soul manipulation techniques of the Yuanmo Devouring God Record, I might be able to achieve the effect of soul searching in this world!"

"If I can really reach that point, then I will be able to learn the signature techniques of any opponent who is defeated by me in the future!"

Shen Changchuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile.

And just as he was pondering this...

He had already left the dilapidated and desolate Changhe Town and was walking along the road outside the town towards the Nanyang County City.

About an hour later,

The surrounding roads became remote, and the area was surrounded by vegetation.

at the same time,

A murderous intent suddenly descended from behind my head!

(End of this chapter)