Martial Arts Across the Heavens: Becoming a Martial God Starting from the Big Boss in Tangshan

The fire was still burning, and black smoke was rising up along the broken walls and ruins.

Everywhere you look, there are charred wood, collapsed earthen walls, and even more Qing soldiers' corpses lying haphazardly, their tattered uniforms soaked in blood and mud.

This place used to have a name: Mancheng.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

This place has become ruins, and no one or livestock remains in the city.

Not far from the ruins, groups of Blood Flag soldiers stood or sat, all covered in blood and looking exhausted.

But they were all in high spirits, their expressions incredibly excited, competing with each other to see who had killed the most people.

Upon receiving the order, the Blood Flag Army immediately reorganized and rushed towards Mancheng.

The previous retreat was because the Blood Flag Army had too few personnel; the loss of even one person would be a huge blow.

But now, with the addition of pirates and the bombardment of more sophisticated cannons, the situation has changed.

The battle was completely one-sided.

Even more astonishingly, those pirates, despite having just submitted, fought with incredible bravery.

These guys didn't really understand the Blood Flag Army's ideology, nor did they have any awareness.

They simply assumed that the Blood Flag Army was so powerful and tried to gain merit by following the emperor.

Unfortunately, this was never going to be possible from the very beginning.

Chen Wenzheng stood on a high ground.

He surveyed the ruins below and the soldiers.

Yan Zhendong, Liang Kuan, Lin Shirong, Xie Si, and Feitian Yuan stood a few steps behind him, their bodies also bearing the marks of the battle.

The gazes directed at his retreating figure were filled with awe and excitement.

"Captain! We won!" Liang Kuan wiped the blood from his face, his expression excited.

Chen Wen turned around, his face showing no joy, only his usual calm.

"Don't be too happy yet, this is just the first nail. There are many more across the land... especially the biggest one!"

Everyone nodded, knowing what he meant.

Flying Ape rubbed his hands together, his face brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

He didn't really understand the grand principles of opposing the Qing Dynasty and destroying foreigners; he was convinced that following this leader would lead to great things, and that he might even get an official position and bring glory to his ancestors.

But looking around, I felt a little apprehensive:

"Boss, we have more manpower now, but it's probably not enough to deal with the biggest one."

Lin Shirong scoffed:

"What are you afraid of! When we started, we only had about a hundred people. Look at us now!"

"We already have a full three thousand brothers!"

"We've wiped out foreigners, slaughtered the Eight Banners soldiers, and even beheaded a first-rank governor! And it hasn't been that long!"

Leung Kwan also grinned:

"Exactly! We started from a low point, but our record is amazing! We'll definitely be even better in the future!"

Yan Zhendong didn't speak, but just looked at Chen Wen and then at the Blood Flag Army soldiers around him.

He nodded subconsciously.

At one point, he had given up hope and was in despair, drifting through life aimlessly.

But since he followed Chen Wen, he has seen hope again!

And the chances of success are even higher!

Xie Si was filled with mixed emotions.

He knew better than anyone that the team was able to be built up, win battles, and get to where it is today, all thanks to the captain in front of him!

It is the backbone of everything.

Well... this captain seems to really like their mentality.

They always find ways to force them to study, as if they want them to do something very important.

He just couldn't understand it for the time being.

Regardless of their individual thoughts, everyone is filled with unprecedented anticipation for the future.

All eyes were fixed intently on Chen Wen.

"Captain, where do we attack next?"

"Why don't we just take over this city and raise our banner?"

"No! The captain said, capturing a city is easy, but defending it is difficult!"

"The bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow. The imperial army can crush us immediately. We haven't even established a firm foothold yet. It would be better to continue sweeping across the sea and surrounding areas, swallowing up other pirate gangs. This way, we'll have money, supplies, and manpower, as well as room to maneuver."

Listening to the cacophony of voices, Chen Wen nodded:

"What you're saying makes sense. We'll do these things one by one."

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:

"But before that, there's one more thing I hope everyone will do as soon as possible."

Everyone immediately shut their mouths, pricked up their ears, and awaited his command.

Chen Wen's voice remained steady:

"As you all know, I was kidnapped and sold overseas as a pig. Luckily, I managed to escape and come back."

Yan Zhendong, Lin Shirong, and Liang Kuan all looked extremely disappointed upon hearing this.

They had already heard Chen Wen tell this story before.

Xie Si, Flying Ape, and the others were hearing about this for the first time, and they were all stunned, their faces full of disbelief.

They had always assumed that this incredibly capable captain must have been trained by some reclusive clan or mysterious force.

Who would have thought that I was once a piglet?

Lin Shirong whispered a few words of explanation to Xie Si and the others.

Flying Ape's eyes widened as he looked at Chen Wen, then at the captured foreign guns and cannons around him, and he stammered:

"Captain, are you... seeking revenge on those who captured and sold you back then?!"

Everyone nodded in agreement, sharing similar guesses.

With such deep-seated hatred, one would naturally want to find every possible way to take revenge.

Chen Wen shook his head.

"No, there's no need to rush revenge."

But some things are more important.

"I'm back, but how many people haven't made it back?"

Everyone was taken aback, but then they understood.

The number of compatriots who were captured and forced to work as piglets or piglets is well over ten million.

The captain returned, but he was just one of the lucky ones.

Are those compatriots who were sold overseas to mine, build roads, or cultivate farms still alive today?

What kind of life are they living?

The joy of victory vanished instantly when everyone thought about these things.

Chen Wen continued:

"So, there's something I'd like to ask everyone to do."

"I know that, logically, we should wait until our foundation is more solid and our strength is greater before doing this. Now that things are just starting to look promising, we shouldn't be distracted or take any risks."

"But time waits for no one, and our compatriots can't afford to wait any longer!"

His gaze moved slowly, as if piercing through the ruins before him and glimpsing a more distant past:

"Especially those Taiping rebels from over thirty years ago... who also rose up in resistance, but ultimately failed and were sold overseas by mites!"

"The Taiping Army?!" A gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd.

The expressions on everyone's faces suddenly became incredibly complex, a mixture of pain, fear, and indignation.

More than 30 years ago, the army that tried to save China was eventually suppressed, and the remaining soldiers were sold overseas in batches as slaves.

This is a tragic event that many people have heard of, but which has gradually been forgotten.

"More than thirty years have passed..." Xie Si murmured, "Are there still any survivors?"

Everyone nodded instinctively.

That's right, it has been more than 30 years since the Taiping Army was brutally persecuted.

Of those men who were tortured and abused for thirty years, how many are still alive?

"Bring one back for every one you find!"

Chen Wen's voice was firm and unwavering.

"Even if only ashes remain, we must bring them back! Let them... return to their roots!"