Starting from becoming a god, I travel through the heavens.

Tatata! ! !

The wind whistled in his ears, but Zhao Sheng could still hear the sound of horses' hooves behind him, as well as loud laughter that grew louder as it approached. "There are two military merits ahead. We'll kill them and share some with the brothers."

He looked back and saw dust rising in the distance. Upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't a large force approaching, but a small team of ten. He felt a little more at ease.

As long as the team doesn't exceed a hundred people, he has the ability to take Ye Lianxin away. But now he needs to wipe out this small team of ten people, otherwise he might have to call in a large force.

Moreover, they must kill them swiftly and decisively to prevent any of them from escaping and causing trouble.

Zhao Sheng stopped and placed his foot on Ye Lianxin's shoulder. "Why isn't Sheng-ge'er running anymore?" She opened her eyes, looking puzzled. Then she followed his gaze and saw dust billowing and loud laughter.

"Ah! Those are government soldiers! Sheng-ge'er, we're saved!" Ye Lianxin's eyes lit up with joy when she saw the leader wearing the distinctive wooden armor of government soldiers.

Just as she was about to run forward, a large hand pressed down on her small head, making it impossible for her to take another step. "Look closely at their expressions," Zhao Sheng's voice rang in her ears.

Upon hearing this, Ye Lianxin looked closely at the group of soldiers and saw the excitement on their faces as they saw them. The excitement was heart-stopping. "Sheng-ge'er..." she thought in fear and quickly hid behind Zhao Sheng.

Zhao Sheng shook his head. This little girl hadn't experienced the true cruelty of a chaotic world. In a prosperous era, humanity can be as gentle as a sheep, but in a chaotic world, it becomes like a beast that devours people without spitting out the bones.

Ultimately, it was because her parents protected her too well that she retained the goodness in her humanity even in chaotic times, and her refusal to drink human flesh soup is the best proof of that.

"You should hide first." Zhao Sheng looked at the approaching soldiers and told Ye Lianxin to go first. "Then be careful, Sheng-ge'er." She knew that staying here would only hold Sheng-ge'er back, so choosing to hide was the right choice.

She knew how formidable Sheng Ge'er was; he had once easily killed four people by himself, so she believed that Sheng Ge'er could kill those soldiers just as easily.

If Sheng-ge'er dies, she won't be able to live on either!

Zhao Sheng glanced at Ye Lianxin, who had run away and hidden, out of the corner of his eye. His spine trembled slightly from the momentum, his muscles quivered, his heart pounded like a drum, and he stomped forward. "Bang!!"

He exerted all his strength, creating a howling wind and raising dust along the way.

"Kill him." The leading soldier raised an eyebrow when he saw a young man running towards him, then his expression turned mocking, a cruel smile spreading across his face. He reined in his horse and stopped, waving his hand dismissively.

The soldiers on both sides did not stop and continued to rush towards Zhao Sheng. The two sides got closer and closer until they collided and exploded with a deafening sound, raising a sandstorm.

The leading soldier looked regretful. "What an overconfident fool. It's a pity he's smashed to pieces and can't be eaten." He shook his head and was about to go look for the other man when he heard another bang!

He looked over and saw the young man punch a tall, strong horse to death with one punch. His other hand was gripping the throat of a soldier, his five fingers clenched together. The soldier's eyes gradually lost their color as he struggled, and he tried to speak before he died.

Unfortunately, Zhao Sheng disliked leaving last words for his enemies. He scanned the ground and saw that three horses were dead and two men were lying on the ground screaming. He went forward and dealt with the other two.

The two horses were killed by the force of their arms during the collision, and the two men were also thrown off balance, breaking many of their bones and nearly falling apart.

Four men on horseback charged at Zhao Sheng, but three of them died in the blink of an eye. The last man looked fearful, and his horse hesitated to move forward, restless and uneasy.

"A Body Tempering Realm expert?" The leading soldier narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze flickering with thought. He beckoned to another soldier, "Go back and report to the general that there is a promising Body Tempering Realm talent here."

The officer nodded, glanced at Zhao Sheng not far away, and thought enviously, "Another lucky guy who's about to rise to prominence." He rode away at full speed.

Seeing that some soldiers were about to leave, Zhao Sheng was about to move to chase after them, but just as he was about to make a move, a long spear flew over and struck the ground with a clang, blocking his way.

Zhao Sheng did not retreat. The spear was only three centimeters away from him, almost touching him. He looked up at the leading soldier, who just withdrew his hand. The spear was the one he had thrown.

"His physique is comparable to Dan Jin, is it a transcendent system in this world?" Zhao Sheng sized up the other party, assessing his strength and getting an answer in his mind, while the other party was also sizing him up.

"Haha, this brother is Li Yuan. I wonder if you would be interested in serving under the general?" Li Yuan suddenly laughed, his voice echoing around him, and then asked directly.

He couldn't tell how many levels of the Body Tempering Realm Zhao Sheng was, but the faint threat emanating from the other party made even him, a sixth-level Body Tempering Realm expert, feel uneasy.

If I were to recruit him to the general's command, I doubt the general would reward him handsomely. Moreover, given the general's less-than-ideal situation, it would be good for him to owe me a favor.

As for the three who died, he will compensate their families with enough money, which will also appease the hearts of his brothers who followed him.

Zhao Sheng remained silent for a moment, while Li Yuan waited for him to speak. "I also have to take care of my little sister," he said slowly.

Zhao Sheng neither refused nor agreed. He gave Li Yuan a question, the meaning of which was clear: he had no problem joining the general's command, but he had to settle Ye Lianxin first.

"Looks like you're a well-educated martial artist too!" How could Li Yuan not understand the implication in Zhao Sheng's words? He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Don't worry, brother. The general is very generous to his own people. I think your strength is at least at the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm or above. You can serve as General Qin's personal guard."

"As for your younger sister, she can be settled in Linyu County City. It is currently quite stable there, and with a Spirit Realm expert in charge, there is no need to worry about your sister's safety."

Zhao Sheng remained silent. Li Yuan's words were clear: he agreed to join General Qin's ranks, where he could serve as a personal guard and be in charge of meat rations based on his strength.

He could also settle Ye Lianxin in Linyu County, and a Spirit Realm expert should be above the Body Tempering Realm. Having an expert in charge would at least ensure the safety of the county.

"Okay." Zhao Sheng finally nodded. Li Yuan smiled and said, "Then please... um..." Zhao Sheng didn't say his name, he didn't know what to call him.

"Zhao Sheng." Zhao Sheng said his name. "Then please, Brother Zhao, bring your sister back. We'll go see the general together." Li Yuanqian chuckled and waved to the soldiers beside him to make way for a horse.

"Brother Yuan, we only have six people and six horses, how come we have extra horses?" The soldier beside him hesitated before speaking. Li Yuan patted his head, "Why don't you share a horse with the others and leave some for yourself?"

Upon hearing this, the officers and soldiers dismounted and led Zhao Sheng to his side.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng did not refuse. He mounted his horse, gripped the reins tightly, thanked Li Yuan, and headed off in a certain direction.

Ye Lianxin hid behind a large rock, occasionally peeking out to check on Sheng Ge'er. When she peeked out again, she saw a man riding a horse approaching. "Sheng Ge'er."

That person was none other than her Sheng-ge'er, but why did Sheng-ge'er suddenly have a horse? She also saw several people riding horses behind Sheng-ge'er, standing still, and she was puzzled.

"Mount up." While Ye Lianxin was still confused, Zhao Sheng had already ridden up to her side. "Brother Sheng, those soldiers..." She was pulled onto the horse and sat in front of him. She did not hide her expression and asked in a low voice with confusion on her face.

"Yes, they recruited me into the army. I will settle you in Linyu County, where it is relatively safer," he said, explaining his reasoning.

"Will I still be able to see Sheng-ge'er?" Ye Lianxin leaned against Zhao Sheng's strong chest, feeling his strong yet steady heartbeat, and asked softly.

She knew she had gone a bit too far; after all, Sheng-ge'er also had his own life to live, but now she had no family to rely on.

Her parents and brother had all died at the hands of the White Lotus Sect, leaving her all alone and confused.

"I'll visit you when I have time." Hearing Sheng Ge'er's reply, her fear subsided somewhat. In this world, Sheng Ge'er was the only man besides her father who gave her a sense of security.

Even her brother had never given her this sense of security.

"Let's go, Brother Li." Zhao Sheng called out as he entered the group. Li Yuan glanced at Ye Lianxin and nodded, then began to ride away.

When Ye Lianxin met Li Yuan's gaze, she felt a sudden tremor in her heart. His eyes held an indifference that disregarded human life, and he only showed respect to a powerful figure like Zhao Sheng.

Linquan City, 100 kilometers away.

The streets were deserted, with most people staying at home. A few people walked the streets, their faces sallow and their eyes lifeless. Long-term lack of nutrition had left them like walking corpses.

Just then, a soldier galloped across the road on horseback, causing the ground to tremble. Only then did the eyes of the people on both sides show emotion, but what they revealed was fear and dread.

The officers and soldiers rode up to an ordinary house. On either side of the house stood armored soldiers, holding long spears and long swords at their waists, their eyes solemn. The spears were crossed on either side. "What is it?" one of the soldiers asked.

The officers and soldiers dismounted, clasped their hands in greeting, and bowed, saying, "The platoon leader of the 35th Battalion has discovered a Body Tempering Realm expert and has come to report this to the general. We hope that you two gentlemen will go and inform him."

"Wait, I'll go and inform them." A soldier put down his spear, turned, and went into the house.

Inside the house, a middle-aged man lay on a kang (a heated brick bed), with a dignified face, wearing armor, and a three-foot-long sheathed sword beside him.

The soldier approached the kang (a heated brick bed) five steps away, clasped his hands in greeting, and bowed his head, saying, "General, the platoon leader of the 35th Battalion has discovered a Body Tempering Realm expert and sent someone to report to you."

"Hmm." The middle-aged general opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing before disappearing. He sat up, the clanging of his armor echoing through the room. His armor weighed over a hundred pounds. "Let him in," he said in a deep, authoritative voice.

"Yes, sir." The soldier went out. "The general wants you to come in."

The officers thanked them and went into the house. Three taels of silver had fallen from where they had been standing, rolling right to the feet of the two men. They exchanged a glance, secretly picked them up, and put them in their pockets.

"This kid is really something, but the reward for discovering a talent in the Body Tempering Realm should be quite substantial," the soldier on the left praised.

The soldier on the right nodded.

The officer entered the house and came to within five steps of the kang (a heated brick bed). He lowered his head and dared not look up at the general's face. He had heard that General Qin was a powerful expert in the Spirit Realm. "Third, Thirty-Fifth Battalion, Battalion Commander Xue Fan, sees the general." His tongue trembled slightly.

When he first met such a lofty figure, he was naturally nervous and even fearful, to the point that his tongue trembled involuntarily.

Of course, this was also related to the imposing aura emanating from General Qin, whose powerful presence instilled fear in people even just by sitting there.

"Hmm, I heard you discovered a Body Tempering Realm martial artist?" The middle-aged general didn't mind Xue Fan's stuttering. He concealed his aura and asked, "Yes, yes, General." Xue Fan nodded.

"Tell me the situation," the middle-aged general nodded, signaling Xue Fan to continue. "It was the platoon leader who discovered that man's strength and sent me here to report."

"Before I left, that man killed three people with his bare hands in just a few moves, and even dared to collide with a large horse. The key point is that the man was not injured, and he even killed three horses in the blink of an eye."

"His strength is terrifying. Before he left, the squad leader said that he was no match for that person. He was very likely a martial artist at the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm or above."

Xue Fan had already thought about his words on the way here, so he spoke clearly and concisely without stuttering.

The middle-aged general pondered the key words in Xue Fan's words: to be able to collide with a large horse and kill three horses in the blink of an eye. He estimated that the Body Tempering Realm martial artist had the strength of the eighth level.

Only martial artists at the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm can do this. Once a martial artist reaches the eighth level, they can temper their internal organs, making them as tough as cowhide, able to withstand the impact of a galloping horse.

If it were a seventh-level martial artist, even if they survived the collision with the horse, they would suffer internal injuries from the impact, and might even be seriously injured and on the verge of death.

Xue Fan waited a while, and seeing that the general did not respond, a little sweat appeared on his forehead, and he felt slightly uneasy.

The middle-aged general sensed his unease and slowly said, "Well, you should go and rest for a while." After he finished speaking, Xue Fan breathed a sigh of relief, bid farewell to the middle-aged general, and left the house.

The general's imposing presence was overwhelming. Even someone who hadn't reached the Body Tempering Realm could exert such a powerful aura, completely disrupting others' energy flow and affecting their minds.

The middle-aged general pondered that the Thirty-Fifth Battalion was a bandit-suppression team he had just sent out to gather refugees. It had only been a short time since they left when they encountered a martial artist at the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm.

unless……

His eyes flickered. Unless the 35th Battalion had just set out and discovered a large group of refugees fleeing famine, that group would definitely run away upon seeing the government troops.

The 35th Battalion split up to pursue them; otherwise, it would have been impossible for a mere squad leader to discover them. "The 35th Battalion is becoming increasingly unruly, killing innocent people and claiming credit for their crimes." Thinking of this, his face turned icy.

Although he was nominally a general, he could only mobilize the various military camps at most and had little say in their military affairs. However, he could win over some lower-ranking officers from other military camps.

He would have them recruit talent for him, and in return, he would give them the rewards they desired.

After all, the battalion commanders of each military camp are all experts at the Spirit Realm. If they are coerced too much, it could easily lead to a mutiny. They can only deal with it slowly.

In chaotic times, only military power can bring peace of mind!

"A cycle of three hundred years!" The middle-aged general sighed deeply, feeling powerless in the face of the current situation and lamenting that the emperor, despite his great talent and ambition, was powerless to implement his strategies.

He stood up, picked up the longsword that was placed beside the bed, tucked it into his waistband, and strode out of the house.

"Brother Zhao, that is Linquan City, the city where our army is stationed." Li Yuan pointed to a city not far away. Zhao Sheng looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a city standing there.

Black banners fluttered in the wind, and soldiers clad in black armor stood on the city wall, resembling a giant beast crouching there, exuding a chilling aura from afar.

Liquid trickled from Ye Lianxin's lips, and the journey, like a cradle, gradually lulled her to sleep.

"Brother Zhao, you go in. I won't go in with you." Zhao Sheng looked at Li Yuan beside him in surprise. Li Yuan knew his concerns. "Brother Zhao, I am from the 35th Battalion. I can't openly take you to see the general."

He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Different political parties." Zhao Sheng understood the last sentence. There are political parties everywhere, even in the military.

There might be various factions in the court behind the army, so Li Yuan naturally couldn't personally take him in.

Li Yuan took out a token and tossed it to Zhao Sheng. "Brother Zhao, this is my recommendation token. I don't think the soldiers at the gate will stop you. Someone will come and lead you to see the general."

After saying this, he reined in his horse and led his officers and soldiers away.

Zhao Sheng glanced at the black token with his deep eyes, then hesitated for a moment as he looked towards Linquan City, before finally spurring his horse forward.

If he wants to understand this world, he must join some factions. Only by understanding the extraordinary system and general situation of this world can he better survive and develop.

Along the way, Zhao Sheng learned some distinctions between realms from Li Yuan. The Body Tempering Realm was the initial stage, and the Spirit Connection Realm was above it. However, the other party did not know about the realms beyond that.

However, he knew that before Shen Jin absorbed spiritual energy, it was equivalent to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm in this world. This was his calculation, and he did not know what Shen Jin's strength was in this world.

Divine Strength is the limit of the human body, and the Body Tempering Realm in this world is also the limit of the human body. The only thing I don't quite understand is how the Nine Heavens are in this world.

The eighth level is for tempering the toughness of the internal organs, and the ninth level should be for tempering the divine sense. Li Yuan didn't explain it clearly to him, only telling him about the areas to be tempered in the first few levels of the Body Tempering Realm.