The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 101 Battle of Luo Ding (9k.)

With the idea of ​​sparring in mind, Han Qing got up and went to the small courtyard next door. As he entered through the gate, he saw a large group of people practicing martial arts.

Lin Yueqiu held the Sun-Piercing Bow, suddenly pulled it back, and shot the sun into the air. Whoosh, the arrow rose from the ground and soared straight into the sky.

A bird with blue and white stripes, about the size of an adult's head, was flying high in the sky. It flew right over this courtyard when it was shot through the body by an arrow. Blood spurted out as it circled in the sky and plummeted to the ground.

"Excellent archery skills!" Han Qing exclaimed. The bird was about three hundred paces above the ground. For a bird of that size to hit it with an arrow while it was flying at high speed was no easy feat.

"Young master, you flatter me. In terms of archery, you are far superior to me!" Lin Yueqiu said with a smile.

The four people practicing martial arts nearby nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

The image of Han Qing firing five arrows in quick succession from five hundred paces away, each one taking a life, was deeply imprinted in their minds, and they would probably never forget it for the rest of their lives.

"It's clear that Brother Lin really likes this bow!" Han Qing said with a smile.

He had been practicing martial arts in his courtyard these past few days, and every now and then he could hear the sound of Lin Yueqiu pulling the bowstring.

The bow's power was extraordinary; every time it was drawn, the thick bowstring would vibrate back and forth, emitting a buzzing sound, which he could clearly hear, thanks to his keen senses.

"This bow is indeed extraordinary. I have never seen a bow of such high quality and so easy to use in my life. I really like it. However, my archery skills are mediocre, and I am afraid that this bow will be wasted in my hands. Therefore, I have been practicing archery diligently these past few days. It is a pity that my progress is slow. I wonder which archery style you practice, young master, and why it is so profound? There are many archery masters in the rebel army, but I do not recall anyone who can reach your level." Lin Yueqiu couldn't help but ask.

Qiu Da and the others nearby were also very curious. In their eyes, Han Qing's archery skills were top-notch.

"Telling you won't hurt. What I've learned is the first-grade archery technique of the Heavenly Wolf Fortress, the Heavenly Wolf Seven Star Arrow. Five arrows fired in succession is nothing special; firing seven arrows in succession is the highest level of this archery technique," Han Qing said calmly.

"The Seven Star Arrows of Sirius? No wonder you are so skilled, young master. This archery technique is extremely famous throughout the world. You can shoot five arrows at once, so you must have already mastered it." Lin Yueqiu was extremely surprised.

"It has indeed reached its peak." Han Qing nodded.

"Young master, you are truly remarkable. I have heard that this archery technique is extremely difficult to master, and many people may not be able to achieve mastery even after more than ten years of hard work. I did not expect that you would have such skill at such a young age. No wonder General Qi values ​​you so highly," Lin Yueqiu said with admiration.

Qiu Da and the others standing nearby were also filled with awe for Han Qing. Such talent was truly terrifying. In another ten or eight years, who knew how far he would grow?
“Young master, once you reach the Grandmaster level, I’ll return this bow to you. Only your archery skills are worthy of it,” Lin Yueqiu suddenly said.

Han Qing shook his head: "Brother Lin, since I have given it to you, how can I take it back? Besides, you love this bow so much, so I can't do that. A gentleman does not take what others cherish; this is the most basic principle of being a person."

Lin Yueqiu cupped his hands and said, "Young Master, you are of upright character, worthy of being the child of the Great Sage Su."

Over the past few days, Han Qing has grown to admire him more and more; both his talent and character are of the highest caliber.

"Alright, Brother Lin, I came to you to spar with you. My fist techniques have improved these past few days, and I'd like to find someone to test them out," Han Qing said loudly.

"Since you need me to spar with you, I cannot refuse." Lin Yueqiu then tossed the precious bow onto the stone table beside him and got up to go to the open space next to him.

"Brother Lin, I've made my move!"

Han Qing strode forward, his fists flashing with black and gold light, his Kongming Fist Technique flowing freely.

The two quickly pressed together, and their fists flew up and down, colliding more than ten times in an instant.

Lin Yueqiu didn't feel anything at first, but after a dozen or so punches, his eyes showed horror.

Han Qing's boxing style was exactly the same as Pang Shanxiong's a few days ago; it was also the Empty Fist, and his proficiency was exactly the same.

It should be noted that Pang Shanxiong achieved this level of skill after 35 years of arduous training. Han Qing, on the other hand, is not even 18 years old yet. He already possesses a first-grade archery technique and a first-grade fist technique that he has mastered. Ordinary martial artists might not achieve such strength even after a lifetime of hard work.

A prodigy! He couldn't think of any other word to describe him besides "prodigy." He had seen and heard of many martial arts prodigies from the capital to Sichuan, but none could compare to Han Qing.

Qiu Da and the others nearby also stopped what they were doing and stared intently at Han Qing.

They had followed Pang Shanxiong for many years. Although they had never learned the Kongming Fist, they could still recognize it from some of the moves. Seeing Han Qing using it so skillfully, seemingly no less skilled than Pang Shanxiong, they were all shocked.

"Is this the martial arts prodigy? No wonder General Qi Wufeng sent a Grandmaster to escort him." A thought flashed through Qiu Da's mind.

He had previously harbored ulterior motives, thinking that if he had the chance, he would get rid of Han Qing and escape the group. Now, that thought has faded a lot. Why run away? If there is a strong leader, he should grab onto him quickly so that he won't be unable to do so in the future.

While they were pondering, Lin Yueqiu and Han Qing exchanged a punch and separated.

"Young Master, I never expected you to have mastered the Empty Fist to perfection. It's truly astonishing." A hint of envy flashed in Lin Yueqiu's eyes.

"I've only learned one style of boxing, but compared to the true masters of the world, I'm still far from being a match," Han Qing said with a smile, shaking his head.

He knew that there were always people better than him and that there was always something beyond his understanding. No matter how much his combat strength improved, he kept it in mind and dared not be arrogant in the slightest.

Over the next two days, Han Qing and Lin Yueqiu frequently sparred, sometimes practicing swordsmanship and sometimes fist techniques.

In actual combat, Han Qing became increasingly proficient in using the Kongming Fist.

When they were exhausted from training, the two would sit at the stone table in the courtyard, drink, and talk about the world's masters and the various schools of martial arts.

Han Qing was well-read and had rich theoretical and practical experience, while Lin Yueqiu had traveled all over the country and had a lot of experience. Both of them benefited greatly from their exchange.

Lin Yueqiu admired Han Qing's eloquence and knowledge even more, and learned many secrets from him. Han Qing also verified a lot of theoretical knowledge through his conversation with Lin Yueqiu.

Every night, Han Qing would diligently study the fourth chapter of the "Stopping War Sutra" in his room.

However, without the Seven Killings Stele's assistance, [the situation was...]

Ge Jing's progress in realm is extremely slow.

"Compared to martial artists, the number of Spirit Refiners is far too small! If I could kill a Spirit Refiner in the Soul Gathering Realm and seize their Spirit Refining Method, my proficiency in the Ceasefire Sutra could improve rapidly. If I rely solely on my own hard work, I don't know when I'll be able to step into the Harmony Realm." Han Qing pondered.

Having grown accustomed to rapidly increasing his strength using the Seven Killings Stele, he was quite dissatisfied with the current rate of improvement, finding it far too slow.

"And then there's the Phantom Thousandfold Blade technique; I wonder when I'll be able to perfect it!"

Han Qing has been diligently practicing his fist techniques these past few days, but his sword technique has remained stagnant.

With a thought, the Seven Killings Stele appeared in his mind, and a large amount of information also appeared in front of him.

He could choose two of Pang Shanxiong's martial arts techniques. Having already inherited and digested the Empty Fist, he now chose the second one, Black Rock Skill, with a thought.

"Black Rock Technique, proficiency conversion, target: Black Jade Technique!" Han Qingxin said.

Han Qing's skill in Moyu Gong is nearing perfection, but his goal is to break through the limits, striving to take every step solidly and build a more solid foundation.

With the help of the Seven Killings Stele, Han Qing came to the courtyard and practiced the Ink Jade Skill again and again.

Half an hour later, the mastery of the Ink Jade Skill reached 100%, officially entering the perfect stage.

However, Han Qing's mastery of the Black Rock Technique was not yet fully developed, and a voice in his mind continued to explain the Black Jade Technique to him.

Half a day later, a muffled sound came from Han Qing's body, and he suddenly opened his eyes and let out a long howl.

"It's broken the limit!"

Han Qing slowly exhaled, and an additional acupoint opened in his body, causing his physique to transform once again and greatly enhancing his strength.

With a thought, he secretly activated the Black Jade Technique, and his body shone with a black and gold radiance that was thicker and stronger than before.

"After ten days of rest, the wounded in the team have fully recovered, and my strength has greatly improved. I'm in peak condition now, it's time to set off!"

"This is already the edge of Shu. If we go further north, we can leave Shu in just a few days."

"Now I actually hope that the Luo family can send a few experts to ambush and kill me. As long as their strength doesn't exceed a certain limit, then they won't be harming me, but rather helping me."

"If I kill a few more top masters, I might break through to the Grandmaster level of martial arts on my way to the Northern Camp!"

Han Qing was filled with hope and high aspirations.

Although there was still a long way to go to the North, and he could not predict what enemies he might encounter, he was fearless.

The strong should have a fearless heart, and will not shun the trials of blood and fire, but will instead grow their abilities, innovate themselves, and ultimately be reborn from the ashes.

...

Early next morning.

As dawn broke, Han Qing and his group set off from Bailangjiang Town and continued their journey northward.

The two injured guards have now fully recovered and are back to their energetic selves.

They were all martial artists at the third level of the Body Dao realm, with self-healing abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people. In addition, Han Qing carried healing medicine with him when he left the Qi residence, which further accelerated the recovery of his wounds. It was normal for his injuries to heal completely in ten days.

The group followed the mountain path, which twisted and turned several times, until noon when they turned onto an official road. The road then became wide and flat, wide enough for several horses to run side by side.

Han Qing had already made a plan in mind; this official road was the last stretch of road they would take to leave Sichuan.

However, halfway through their journey, they encountered a large number of refugees traveling in the opposite direction from the group on the official road.

"With so many refugees, could there be war in the area ahead?" Qiu Da wondered.

“That’s right. There are rebels attacking a county town called Taining ahead. These refugees must be people fleeing the war,” Han Qing said.

Before he set off, Qi Wufeng had already planned his route in advance. The places he would pass through, the people he would meet, and what he needed to be careful of were all clearly written in the intelligence documents, and Tai Ning was also included in them.

Lin Yueqiu nodded slightly: "The leader of the militia in Taining County is named Huang Xiao. I once fought alongside him in the mountains of Shu, and we have a very close relationship!"
If you need help, we can take a detour to the Yijun Camp in Taining County.

However, we must be wary of Wei Qiong, the garrison commander of Taining County. He is ruthless and has intricate connections with the Luo family.

"It's alright. We're just passing through. As long as we don't enter the city, no matter how ruthless this person is, he can't threaten us," Han Qing said calmly.

Lin Yueqiu's words were also mentioned in the document given by Qi Wufeng, which also clearly told him that if he encountered danger, he could seek help from Huang Xiao, who was one of Liu Yue's capable assistants.

Taining County and its twelve surrounding counties are in poor mountainous and watery conditions. The imperial court levies heavy taxes, and corrupt officials exploit the area at every level, which sparked a popular uprising a few months ago. The uprising quickly grew to tens of thousands of people.

Governor Zhang immediately mobilized troops to suppress the rebellion, with Wei Qiong as the commander. Wei Qiong was ruthless and used cruel methods to suppress the rebellious people, causing the rebel army to suffer repeated defeats. It was not until Huang Xiao arrived and took over a rebel army that the situation gradually reversed, which shows that Huang Xiao was an extremely capable person.

"Keep moving forward. Let's speed up and try to leave the vicinity of Taining County before dark to avoid getting caught up in the chaos," Han Qing instructed.

"drive!"

Upon hearing this, everyone cracked their whips, accelerated suddenly, and sped north along the official road.

After traveling at a rapid pace for two hours, as the sun began to set and dusk fell, the group reined in their horses in front of a mountain pass.

"who?"

Lin Yueqiu shouted first, and everyone's sharp eyes fell on the figure in front of them.

A red-browed youth lay lazily on a large rock atop a mountain peak, one hand supporting his head, the other idly playing with a throwing knife.

Below it, on the official road, more than a dozen thick trees were placed haphazardly, completely blocking the road.

Han Qing squinted at the man, sensing that he was someone of considerable importance.

First of all, he did not sense any murderous intent before he arrived at the mountain pass.

Secondly, when he got closer, the boy was right in front of him, but he couldn't sense any aura from him. This situation made him even more vigilant.

Secondly, the young man was dressed very extravagantly, adorned with countless gold, silver, and jade artifacts that glittered in the sunlight. He glanced at them casually and noticed that every piece of jade was of superior quality, indicating that the young man came from an extraordinary background.

Qiu Da and his guards also sensed that the newcomers were up to no good. A gust of wind had just blown by, and they had smelled a strong stench of blood coming from the front.

Han Qing quickly discovered the source of the bloody smell: in a nearby dense forest, there were corpses hanging, including men and women, old and young.

The bodies were all in extremely gruesome states of death, with the vast majority being twisted in agony.

A surge of anger rose within Han Qing for no apparent reason. Judging from their clothing, the deceased must have been refugees, and there were even children among them.

This young man was clearly a master; to slaughter refugees in such a way, bullying the weak and relying on the strong, was certainly not a benevolent act.

He came from a poor background and subconsciously empathized with the common people. At this moment, he inexplicably thought of his many friends in Baiyun County. If he were to accidentally encounter this person, would he also be cruelly tortured to death?

As his thoughts drifted, the young man stood up, behaving casually. He first yawned, then, with a playful smile, his gaze swept over everyone before finally settling on Han Qing.

"You've come too slowly. I've been waiting for you for five days. I'm getting impatient. I hope your screams will give me some amusement later."

"If you came for me, what was the purpose of massacring the refugees?" Han Qing's gaze was calm, without the slightest fear.

"I can do whatever I want. Hmph, you must be Han Qing? I've heard you're a martial arts prodigy discovered by Qi Wufeng. I'd like to see what you're capable of." The young man still wore a playful smile, his arrogance overflowing, as if he didn't take anyone seriously at all.

"What an arrogant person!" A fierce glint flashed in Lin Yueqiu's eyes. He suddenly drew his bow and shot an arrow at the boy.

With a whoosh, the arrow transformed into a streak of light and shot straight towards the boy.

The boy's figure flashed, like a phantom, elusive and unpredictable, as he leaped directly down from the mountaintop.

"Kneel down, everyone!"

A loud shout rang out, and a gust of cold wind swept across the crowd.

Han Qing felt a biting cold wind, followed by a dizzying spin, then the entire world turned pitch black as he suddenly fell into an illusion. "Be careful, this young man is a Spirit Refiner!"

The biting wind was actually the boy's spiritual thoughts invading the person's body, causing distracting thoughts to arise and making it difficult to control, leading to a state of illusion.

In an instant, Han Qing found himself in complete darkness, standing on a vast plain. Ahead, the wind and clouds swirled, and suddenly a tall figure stood on the clouds, his body as tall as a mountain, as if an immortal were looking down upon the earth.

When you stand in front of them, you feel a sense of fear that you are like an ant, about to be crushed in an instant.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

...

The enormous figure looked exactly like the red-browed youth. Suddenly, it let out a loud shout, thunder rumbled, and a powerful aura filled the air.

Seeing this, most people would feel immense fear, or even experience a breakdown of will.

"The Legalist refiner of the spirit! This is the Legalist art of questioning the mind!"

A thought flashed through Han Qing's mind: the Art of Questioning the Mind is also a kind of illusion that can greatly shock people's minds. It is often used to interrogate prisoners and can also produce miraculous effects when fighting enemies.

However, the higher one's level of understanding of magic, the stronger one's resistance to illusions.

Han Qing immediately activated the Ceasefire Sutra, and a surge of magical energy surged out from the spirit temple, sweeping across his limbs and bones, colliding with the magical energy that had penetrated into his body.

This collision was silent, yet equally intense. If this surge of magical energy could not be cleared and dispersed in time, Han Qing would remain trapped in the illusion, unable to break free.

Fortunately, the magical thought that pierced Han Qing's body was not as powerful as expected. It was dispersed in an instant upon impact and then burned away by the flames of blood and qi within Han Qing's body.

This is the advantage of fighting on home ground; when the enemy's magical powers invade the body, the body is constantly being burned by the flames of qi and blood.

Therefore, even if a martial artist has not condensed their magical intent, if they endure it for a period of time, the magical intent that has invaded their body will gradually be exhausted, and they will eventually be able to break free from the illusion.

In an instant, the vast plains, the dark sky, the towering giants and many other illusions vanished. Han Qing's vision returned instantly. He glanced around and saw the boy standing a hundred paces in front of him. The guards beside him were all stiff, their faces showing struggle and fear. Clearly, they had all fallen victim to the boy's mind-testing technique.

"This young man is extraordinary. He can split his magical thoughts and attack so many people at the same time, and he can also make me fall into an illusion in an instant. He is probably a realm higher than me, and should be at the Integration Realm." A thought flashed through Han Qing's mind.

"Hmm? You really are a Spirit Refiner!" Upon seeing Han Qing awaken first, the young man suddenly bent down and charged forward, attacking Han Qing at an astonishing speed.

His speed was so fast that ordinary people could not see it with the naked eye; it was as if he were flying close to the ground.

Han Qing knew at a glance that this young man possessed an extremely powerful lightness skill, far surpassing his own Limit-Breaking Wild Goose Technique.

In that fleeting moment, the boy had already charged in front of Han Qing and suddenly threw a punch straight at Han Qing's face.

His body was radiating a crimson glow, and his eyes were full of arrogance and confidence, as if Han Qing would be blown to pieces if he threw this punch.

Han Qing immediately launched a fierce counterattack, his right fist flashing with a black-gold light as he met Han Qing's fist head-on, secretly using the most powerful frontal strike from the Kongming Fist Technique.

Bang!
The fists collided violently, and the red-browed youth's expression changed drastically. He suddenly retreated, feeling a sharp pain in his arm, where the bone inside had broken.

"You're also at the fifth level of the Body Dao realm? No, you're at the sixth level! How could I possibly lose in a battle between people at the same level?" the red-browed youth exclaimed in surprise.

Han Qing remained silent, only feeling that his right arm had become numb.

The boy was also very strong physically, but he had the upper hand in that punch just now.

Firstly, his strength far surpasses that of ordinary fourth-realm martial artists. He followed the most difficult and intense fusion path, and he cultivated each realm to the point of breaking limits. He is almost the strongest fourth-realm martial artist in history, with strength even greater than that of ordinary fifth-realm martial artists.

Secondly, with the addition of the Perfect Emptiness Fist and the blessing of Dharma thought, the power of his punch was naturally pushed to an unbelievable level.

The arrogant young man underestimated Han Qing, but he suffered a great loss as his right arm was broken and now hangs limply.

Just as he dodged and retreated, Lin Yueqiu, who was beside him, was the first to wake up from the illusion.

The magical thoughts that the boy had sent out probed into his body, and after so long, they were finally burned away by the flames of qi and blood.

"Death!"

Lin Yueqiu let out a beast-like roar and lunged at the boy.

Luo Ding's gaze was cold. He knew that Lin Yueqiu was a grandmaster of martial arts, and with his right arm injured, he dared not confront him head-on. So he used his lightness skill to retreat at lightning speed.

His figure became elusive again, his movement speed increased dramatically, as if he were flying close to the ground, and Lin Yueqiu couldn't catch up with him.

"What amazing lightness skill!" Lin Yueqiu exclaimed inwardly.

Han Qing frowned, suddenly recalling a world-renowned first-class lightness skill, as graceful as a startled swan.

The most distinctive feature of this light-body skill is its speed, or rather, its extremely fast short-distance movement speed. Kong Xiu's notes describe it as having the fastest movement speed in the world within a hundred steps.

Han Qing's eyes lit up with excitement. He had a vague idea of ​​the young man's identity, and he was very likely a genius martial artist of the younger generation of the Luo family.

"If I could kill him, wouldn't I gain a first-grade lightness skill?"

As I pondered, the boy's voice drifted from ahead, sometimes near, sometimes far, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, making it difficult to discern its direction and distance.

"Interesting! Hahaha, finally I've encountered a few opponents who can pique my interest!"

"I didn't expect Luo Heng to still be so treacherous, sending someone to take my life again. But he only sent you to kill me. Should I say you're confident, or just arrogant?" Han Qing said coldly.

"Haha, I alone am enough to kill all of you." The red-browed youth laughed, his arrogance overflowing.

Han Qing saw that although Lin Yueqiu was chasing him desperately, he couldn't touch him at all.

Although Lin Yueqiu was a grandmaster, his lightness skill and footwork were far inferior to those of this young man.

So he closed his eyes slightly, let his mental energy leave his body and extend outward, and all the surrounding scenes appeared in his mind, including the boy.

The boy's movement trajectory clearly appeared in his mind, so he made a fierce move, mobilizing his magical power, and stabbed hard at the boy's head.

He wanted to create an opportunity for Lin Yueqiu. As long as he could make the boy fall into an illusion and slow down his movement, even for a moment, it would be enough for Lin Yueqiu to strike and severely injure him.

The clash just now proved that this young man has only undergone five transformations. If Lin Yueqiu gets close, he has a good chance of killing him in one move.

However, just as Han Qing's magical power was about to pierce the boy's body, a black light suddenly appeared around the boy's body.

This black light is invisible to the naked eye; it can only be perceived through spiritual thought.

When Han Qing's spiritual power probed into it, it was as if he had fallen into a quagmire, and was imprisoned and sealed, unable to advance or retreat.

Han Qing frowned. He understood that this was also a unique ability of the Legalist school: the art of locking the mind.

But that wasn't the end of it. When he tried to break free of the trapped magical thought, it was enveloped by a ball of black flames, melting away rapidly like snow meeting the scorching sun.

Han Qing groaned, a sharp pain shooting through his head. This magical thought had completely dissipated, with no return. He also suffered a backlash from it. Fortunately, there were still many magical thoughts remaining in the temple, so the damage caused by the dissipation of this magical thought was not too great.

"The Legalist school's technique of using the fire of sin is indeed powerful!" Han Qing murmured.

Now he has broad knowledge and a deep understanding of Legalism, and he is well aware of the special abilities of each realm.

Those who cultivate the spirit in the Legalist school can, to some extent, discern the truth or falsehood of others' words in the Spirit Temple Realm; in the Hundred Meridians Realm, they can seal others' magical thoughts; in the Condensing Qi Realm, they can use the Art of Questioning the Heart to intimidate the mind; in the Gathering Soul Realm, they can capture the soul; and in the Harmonizing Image Realm, they can condense sinful fire.

That black, illusory flame was the Sinful Flame, capable of burning souls and destroying thoughts; its destructive power was considerable, and it was specifically designed to target those who refined their spirit.

However, this black flame of sin also has its drawbacks. It moves too slowly, and if you attack an enemy directly, it is easy for them to dodge. Moreover, it consumes a great deal of magical power.

Therefore, Luo Ding did not use the black flames to directly attack Han Qing and Lin Yueqiu, but only used them for defense and counterattack.

With a thought, Han Qing dissipated the magical energy within the temple, which was transformed into a torrent of malevolent energy that emanated from his body and, under his deliberate control, enveloped the area where the boy was located.

Although the boy moved very fast, the baleful aura could cover a large area in an instant. He had no time to escape and suddenly fell into the baleful domain. Strands of baleful aura invaded his body, causing his movement speed to drop significantly.

Then, dark figures emerged from the evil domain. These were the Yin soldiers that Han Qing had previously gathered by binding souls and infusing evil energy into. They took shape in the evil domain and instantly surrounded the boy.

The young man's advantage in skill was immediately limited, and he was trapped in a small area.

At the same moment, all of Han Qing's guards also awoke from the illusion.

Nearly half of these people could not withstand the mind-testing technique, and were so shocked that their minds collapsed and they fainted on the spot.

The remaining half were also deathly pale, filled with fear.

Han Qing glanced around, and with a thought, wisps of murderous aura emerged, merging into the bodies of these people from all directions. In an instant, a great courage arose within these dozen or so guards, and their fear of the red-browed youth vanished, completely freeing them from the interference of the Heart-Questioning Technique.

"Everyone, take up your crossbows and kill the enemy!" Han Qing shouted.

"Yes!"

The dozen or so people moved quickly, swiftly taking the crossbows from the carriage beside them, one for each person, and aiming them at the red-browed youth not far away.

While they were making their move, the boy did not sit idly by and wait to die. He swung his sword and killed more than ten ghost soldiers who rushed to his vicinity. He then used his lightness skill to dodge Lin Yueqiu's blade one after another.

"Interesting! This is the first time I've felt such pressure since I came to Shu. But that's all the strength you guys have reached. You've had your fun, it's time to end the battle!" The red-browed youth sneered.

Suddenly, a cold wind swept around them again, and a black vortex of light appeared above the boy's head, spinning rapidly counterclockwise. The speed increased and the range expanded, and a strong suction force burst forth from within it.

In an instant, the dozen or so guards who had just raised their crossbows to fire felt dizzy and disoriented, and couldn't help but want to collapse to the ground and fall asleep.

One of them was the weakest and collapsed first, his breath gone.

Han Qing saw it clearly; wisps of white energy flew out of his body and into the vortex of black light.

The Legalist method of binding the soul is even more domineering. Han Qing needs to kill the opponent first, then control the evil energy and combine it with the soul energy. It is called binding the soul, but in reality it is gathering the scattered soul energy. This is the true binding of the soul by the Legalist school, which can forcibly extract the soul energy from the martial artist's body.

Of course, this move, though powerful, is not without its countermeasures.

For example, although Han Qing also felt a strong suction force, he only felt a little dizzy and his soul was not drawn away.

Lin Yueqiu, Liu Xiaofeng, and several physically strong guards also experienced varying degrees of discomfort, but did not die immediately.

The stronger a martial artist's physique and spirit, the stronger their resistance to this move.

Han Qing immediately responded, his spiritual energy leaving his body and transforming into wisps of malevolent energy, forming a malevolent domain around him and his guards.

The malevolent energy can suppress the magical thoughts of others and weaken the effects of their spells to some extent.

The evil domain did indeed have an effect. Liu Xiaofeng and the others were able to stand firm. Although they still felt dizzy, their soul energy no longer dissipated.

Just like the power of magic, a person's soul energy can dissipate in small amounts, causing discomfort. However, with calm and proper care, it can recover over time.

At this moment, apart from Liu Xiaofeng, the others had lost too much of their soul energy. Although they hadn't died, they were dizzy and lightheaded, and had lost their fighting ability.

Suddenly, another surge of magical energy erupted from Han Qing's body, condensing into a divine soul above his head. Carrying a torrent of malevolent energy, it rushed straight towards the black vortex above the boy's head. Behind him, a group of Yin soldiers also appeared and charged forward together.

Thus, the divine soul, along with the hundred Yin soldiers, rushed into the black light vortex in an instant, completely exceeding the vortex's capacity. The vortex suddenly twisted and collapsed, dissipating into nothingness.

Han Qing breathed a sigh of relief. He had read notes in a book about how to break the Legalist Soul-Binding Technique, which provided many methods. One of them, suitable for those who cultivate the spirit of the military, was to order the Yin Soldiers to charge directly. As long as a large number of Yin Soldiers rushed into it at once, it could burst it apart. At this moment, he risked trying it, and it really worked.

"Hmm? Since you know how to break my soul-binding technique, you're quite capable." The red-browed youth still spoke with a playful tone, as if everything was under his control.

In this battle, both sides went back and forth, but Han Qing's side actually suffered a loss. Almost all of the twenty guards lost their fighting ability, while the red-browed youth only had a portion of his magical power depleted.

Lin Yueqiu was closest to the black light vortex and was most affected. He managed to calm himself down, though his face was pale. However, he quickly recovered.

He was, after all, a grandmaster of martial arts. Although he had not condensed his magical intent, the stronger his physique and the more vigorous his soul energy, the stronger his binding force. In addition, Han Qing broke the spell in time, so he did not suffer too much damage.

At that moment, he returned to normal and immediately lunged at the boy.

The young man used his lightness skill to dodge left and right, not wanting to confront Lin Yueqiu head-on. However, the Yin soldiers around him blocked his way, so he had no choice but to kill them first. This delay allowed Lin Yueqiu to charge into his face for the first time.

The boy had nowhere to run and had no choice but to turn around and fight back.

The two steel knives collided violently in mid-air, producing a loud clang.

In terms of physique, the boy was clearly no match for Lin Yueqiu, and his long sword was thrown away.

Taking advantage of the situation, Lin Yueqiu pursued relentlessly, her blade flashing wildly as she pressed forward, forcing the boy to retreat continuously, creating a perilous situation for a time.

Finally, Lin Yueqiu's blade struck the boy's chest, breaking through his protective force.

He had thought that this strike would cut the boy in two, but the boy was wearing a light gold inner armor with extremely strong defense. When the blade struck, it sparked a series of sparks but failed to break through the defense. Instead, the boy was sent flying by the immense force of the blade and crashed to the ground not far away.

"What sturdy inner armor!" Lin Yueqiu exclaimed inwardly, becoming even more convinced that this young man was no ordinary person. He was probably a genius being groomed by a thousand-year-old family or even a powerful force.

One chapter is owed for the monthly pass.

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(End of this chapter)