The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 123 Destroying the Manor
Two days later.

Taiyang City.

On the ship.

The experts from the Luo and Han families were all waiting here for Yang Wanxiu to return.

With nothing to do, they would hold banquets every day, drinking and enjoying delicious food while watching the graceful dances of the ten most beautiful courtesans of Wanchun Pavilion.

"Come on! Drink!"

The banquet was hosted by a young man named Han Baoluo, a direct descendant of the Han family. He had a high talent for martial arts and was already a grandmaster at the age of thirty-six. He was also the leader of the Taiyang City Guard. In terms of strength, background, and power, he was the strongest, and thus easily became the backbone of this group.

Han Baoluo, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, sat in a chair, surrounded by women on either side, looking completely relaxed.

"Brother Han, it has been seven days since Elder Yang left, and there has still been no news of him. Could something have happened to him?"

During the conversation, an elderly man with white eyebrows couldn't help but ask a question, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Han Baoluo, however, was not worried at all and laughed, "Mr. Bai, you are overthinking it. Elder Yang is a Martial Saint. Although Han Qing is a martial arts prodigy, he is only a Spirit Refiner at the Integration Realm. Elder Yang can kill him as easily as killing a chicken. You don't need to worry."

"Seven days without returning is nothing to worry about. Elder Yang's trip to the North was just a side matter; his main mission was to hunt down Xiang Ying and prevent him from penetrating deeper into the North and joining forces with the Demon Emperor. Perhaps Elder Yang has already killed Han Qing and is now causing trouble for Xiang Ying."

“That’s right, Mr. Bai. Elder Yang is a Martial Saint. We can’t even imagine how terrifying a Martial Saint’s combat power is. Even if Han Qing really has some expert protecting him, at worst the assassination will fail and Elder Yang can easily escape unscathed,” another person said.

Upon hearing this, the elderly man named Mr. Bai nodded repeatedly: "I always like to think the worst. After hearing what you said, I realize I was overthinking things. But if Elder Yang doesn't come back, we'll just wait here."

"Wait, this is Elder Yang's order, we just need to carry it out," Han Baoluo said in a deep voice.

Everyone around him nodded in agreement. Yang Wanxiu's identity was special, and no one present dared to provoke him.

"My Han family has some powerful enemies lurking in the north. With Elder Yang here, I can use him to eliminate them all at once," Han Baoluo said, taking a sip of wine and narrowing his eyes as he pondered silently.

"Getting Elder Yang to take action won't be that simple," someone nearby said.

"It's alright. I've already sent people to find out Elder Yang's likes, dislikes, and habits. When the time comes, I'll cater to his preferences and I'm sure I can win him over," Han Baoluo said with a smile.

Many people around also looked thoughtful, calculating how to maximize their own interests in this turmoil.

Just then, Han Baoluo glanced around and saw through the window a white mist suddenly rising outside, hazy and obscuring the view.

"Huh? What's going on?"

Han Baoluo frowned, stood up first, and rushed out of the room to the deck of the ship. His heart sank as he discovered that the entire ship was surrounded by a thick fog, isolating it from the outside world.

"Who is it? Get out!"

With a loud shout, he drew his sword. Hearing his words, all the warriors on the ship were startled and rushed to the outside of their rooms with their weapons.

Suddenly, a crackling sound came from the white mist in the distance. He looked closely and saw ten figures walking on the lake.

The ten people moved with incredible speed, as if floating on water. In an instant, they arrived in front of Han Baoluo and the others, then leaped up and landed on the deck, standing in front of them.

Wow!
There were about three hundred soldiers on the ship, who quickly gathered around and surrounded the ten people.

Han Baoluo's gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the black-clad youth standing in the center. He saw that the youth was holding a moon-white pearl in his left hand, and his pupils contracted in surprise. He exclaimed, "The Yuanling Pearl! This pearl is Elder Yang's personal magic weapon, capable of sealing off a region of heaven and earth. How did it end up in your hands?"

The young man in black was Han Qing, and the nine people beside him were the Nine Elders of the Crimson Dragon.

He came here to hunt down Yang Wanxiu. The ten of them would work together to kill him if they could, and if they couldn't, they would turn Ronghu Manor upside down.

Han Qing was never one to swallow his anger. Since the Han family sent a martial saint to assassinate him, he would wipe out all the elites the Han family had left in the north. Otherwise, he would not be able to quell his anger.

Upon hearing Han Baoluo's words, Han Qing frowned, already understanding that Yang Wanxiu, that old scoundrel, had not returned to Ronghu Manor.

However, this was within his expectations. The old thief was either afraid of losing face or worried that he would bring his men after him.

He leaned towards the former, after all, if a martial saint had his arm cut off by a junior, the whole world would laugh at him. This old thief might suppress the news and not tell anyone.

With a quick thought, Han Qing had already made up his mind.

"Yang Wanxiu, this traitor, broke into the Tiger Might Camp at night and attacked and killed government soldiers. I have already beheaded him, and this precious pearl has naturally fallen into my hands. You are all his accomplices. I am now giving you a chance. Kneel down immediately and come with me to the Yinshan Camp to see Commander Cao, confess your crimes and submit to the law, and I will spare your lives!"

Han Qing's words were clear and powerful, and quickly spread throughout the entire ship.

Han Baoluo and the others' expressions changed drastically, and their hearts trembled.

"Impossible! How could Elder Yang be dead?"

"A Martial Saint! That's a Martial Saint! How could he die at the hands of this kid?"

"That's right, this person must be trying to deceive us and shake my resolve. Everyone, please don't fall for it!"

...

Han Baoluo and the large group of martial artists around him were talking amongst themselves, their words filled with disbelief in Han Qing's words. However, Han Qing could clearly sense from their expressions that many of them harbored a deep sense of fear.

After all, they couldn't explain why the Yuanling Treasure Pearl was in their own hands, and they were bound to feel uneasy.

Han Qing was too lazy to explain to them. As he spoke, his magical powers had already covered the entire ship, and he knew the strength of each martial artist.

"Forty-four people, quite a few of them are strong. If I kill you all, I'm sure I can take another big step forward in both my martial arts and magic realms!"

"Elder Yan, make your move! Leave some survivors if possible!"

After Han Qing finished speaking, a thought arose, and a gust of yin wind suddenly rose up, and strands of magical thoughts converged above his head to form a black-armored divine statue.

Without hesitation, the Nine Elders of the Crimson Dragon charged towards the enemies in all directions with their spears.

Upon seeing the solidified black-armored statue and the shimmering power emanating from the Crimson Dragon Nine Old Spears, Han Baoluo and the others' expressions turned extremely grim.

"Nine martial arts grandmasters! Plus one who has reached the Integration Realm, no, a Spirit Refiner in the Possession Realm?" Han Baoluo exclaimed in fear.

Han Qing didn't give him time to waste. In the next instant, the evil domain descended, and one after another, Yin soldiers appeared out of thin air.

After entering the Harmony Realm, the strength of the Yin Soldiers also greatly increased.

If the previous ghost soldiers were puppets with zero intelligence, now they have awakened a certain fighting instinct. When fighting against humans, some ghost soldiers can even use the martial arts they had before they were born.

The combat power of a martial arts master who cultivates their spirit will increase rapidly from the time they enter the Body Reincarnation Realm. The strength of the Yin Soldiers will become stronger and stronger, providing them with greater and greater assistance.

When Han Baoluo saw the black-armored deity rushing towards him, he immediately summoned a deity dressed in red armor.

However, the moment the statue appeared, before anyone could even see its appearance, it was cleaved in two by the black-armored statue.

Han Baoluo let out a scream, her face turned deathly pale, and she appeared dazed.

The black-armored statue showed no mercy, raising its hand to strike again. Han Baoluo was completely unable to withstand it and was cleaved in two, dying instantly.

With Han Baoluo's death, the many martial artists on the ship were gripped by fear and scattered in all directions, some jumping into the lake and others fleeing into the depths of the ship.

Han Qing went on a killing spree, splitting up his man and his image to pursue and kill them.

The Nine Elders of the Crimson Dragon followed Han Qing's orders. When they encountered someone, they severely injured them but did not take their lives. They left them half-dead and handed them over to Han Qing to deal with.

The Elemental Spirit Pearl played a crucial role at this time.

The ship was separated into two worlds, with those inside unable to get out and those outside unable to get in.

There were many guards in the manor, all gathered by Ronghu Lake. The lake was covered in white, and they could hear clear shouts and screams coming from within, but they couldn't see what was happening. None of them dared to go any further and stood hesitantly on the shore.

The shouts of battle lasted for a full hour and a half. Suddenly, Ronghu Manor fell silent. The soldiers dared not utter a sound, looking at each other with trepidation and unease in their eyes.

Suddenly, the white mist that enveloped Ronghu Lake vanished.

A gust of wind blew by, and the soldiers all smelled the stench of blood.

"problem occurs!"

"Quickly rescue the master!"

Zhou Bo, the captain of the villa's guard team, drew his sword and led the way straight for the ship.

Before long, the group boarded the ship, only to find that all the martial artists on board were dead.

On the contrary, the soldiers, servants, and maids did not die, but they all fell into a coma.

"Lord Zhou, what should we do?" a soldier beside him asked in a trembling voice.

Zhou Bo swallowed hard: "Martial law is declared throughout the entire village! Immediately send someone to inform Lord Han!"

"Yes!" The accompanying soldiers quickly departed.

Zhou Bo glanced at the corpses and felt as if the sky had fallen.

These people were all elite members of the Han and Luo families left in the northern region. They were either powerful in combat or held high positions. Now they have all been wiped out, which will be a huge blow to the Han and Luo families.

Putting aside everything else, at least in the northern region, the power of these two families will be paralyzed, and may even collapse.

The only good news is that Han Yi's youngest son, Han Zhuang, is still alive and may be able to take charge.

"No matter who did it, I'm afraid a major earthquake is about to strike the North!" Zhou Bo had a vague feeling that a huge storm vortex was slowly forming, and many people would be swept into it. There might be a great battle, and many people would lose their lives.

...

Yinshan Camp.

"Six Great Axe Warriors are dead?"

Inside the tent, the twelve giant axe warriors who had survived the battle stood in a row before Cao Zhen. Cao Zhen's heart bled as he listened to his servants' report.

These eighteen giant axe warriors took him countless hours and resources to train, and he was heartbroken to see even one of them die, let alone six at once.

However, he quickly calmed down. He had expected all of this. After all, he was facing a Martial Saint directly. How could people not die? As long as they didn't all die, he could accept it.

"Come here and tell me exactly what happened, the more details the better!"

Cao Zhen pointed to the giant axe warrior standing on the far left.

This morning, Han Qing sent them back to the Yinshan camp and also delivered a letter.

The letter was divided into two parts: the first expressed gratitude to Cao Zhen, and the second briefly mentioned that Yang Wanxiu had been defeated.

The letter contained only a few words and did not explain in detail how Yang Wanxiu was defeated, as if it were just a very ordinary little thing. This only made Bao Zhen more curious about the truth of the matter. So, the giant axe warrior on the far left slowly explained the whole battle process.

When Cao Zhen heard that Han Qing had severed Yang Wanxiu's arm with a single strike, his heart was filled with shock. Long Chuan, standing beside him, also had his pupils shrink in astonishment.

"Is this true?" Long Chuan stood up, staring intently at the giant axe warrior, and couldn't help but ask again.

“How dare a lowly person lie?” The latter knelt down with a thud.

Cao Zhen took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and waved his hand: "Get up. There's no need to lie about this. Han Qing's strength is truly unfathomable. He always brings me tremendous surprises. These six giant axe warriors died a worthwhile death!"

Long Chuan sat back down in his chair: "My lord, Han Qing is so young yet possesses such terrifying strength; he is truly a peerless genius."

However, this situation has both advantages and disadvantages. The Han and Luo families will likely intensify their assassination attempts on him. If he can weather this crisis, he will surely rise to prominence and become a renowned powerhouse.

“You’re right. I helped him this time, but I’m powerless to help him in the next crisis. It’s up to Lord Qi to decide what to do next.” Cao Zhen nodded slightly.

"Put Han Qing aside for now. The passage to the North has been opened, and the imperial court has mobilized experts from all directions to the North. They will soon penetrate deep into the ice plains and launch an attack on the demon race. We are likely to be the vanguard and must scout ahead. This is the most important matter!" Cao Zhen said in a deep voice.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir." Long Chuan nodded, pondering the recent events in his mind.

...

Tiger Might Camp.

Han Qing and his ten men rode their horses all the way back to their camp from Ronghu Mountain Villa in three days.

At the entrance of the central compound, Han Qing dismounted, and a soldier stepped forward to take the horse from him.

The nine elders of the Crimson Dragon also dismounted one after another, and Yan Chilong followed closely behind Han Qing, walking into the courtyard.

“Young Master, with this group of people dying at your hands, the Luo and Han families and many other forces in the North are likely to be thrown into chaos,” Yan Chilong said.

"This is exactly the result I wanted. I will not offend others unless they offend me. After this battle, the Han and Luo families in the northern region have suffered heavy losses, and I can finally have some peace and quiet for a while," Han Qing said calmly. He then changed the subject, "It's just a pity that we didn't catch that old thief Yang Wanxiu. If we could have killed him, that would have truly hurt Han Yi."

He heard that Yang Wanxiu was Han Yi's confidant.

Moreover, top-tier combat power like Martial Saints is extremely rare in any major power. Even for a thousand-year-old family, losing one would be incredibly painful.

“What you say is very true, young master. However, if Yang Wanxiu sends the news to the capital, you will face even greater trouble. In my opinion, you should not stay in the Tiger Might Camp. You should return to Shu.” Yan Chilong said in a low voice.

Han Qing nodded slightly; he had been thinking about this question all the way here.

Yang Wanxiu relayed the news back to the capital. It was foreseeable that Han Yi and Roland would launch an even more frantic assassination attempt against him, and it was even possible that they would personally take action.

A twenty-year-old expert in the Possession Realm would be feared by any major power.

"Turbulence is coming, and there will indeed be a great storm ahead, but I am fearless. If they want to kill me, then bring it on! Only geniuses can be tempered by blood and fire to become top experts!" Han Qing said calmly.

A hint of admiration flashed in Yan Chilong's eyes. What he admired most about Han Qing was this quality: confidence!

No matter how powerful the enemy or how difficult the situation, Han Qing always exudes an inner confidence that is not something ordinary people possess, and it can dispel the fear in the hearts of his many confidants and followers.

“However, I am indeed considering leaving Tiger Might Camp and staying here. I am not afraid of the waves of ambushes from the Luo and Han families, but I am afraid that this large group of trusted followers I have gathered will not survive. This is not the result I want,” Han Qing added.

When Yang Wanxiu arrived this time, all seven swordsmen of the Horizontal and Vertical Swordsmen were killed.

What about next time? If assassination attempts like this happen a few more times, who knows how many more people around him will die.

"However, there is no rush. I have already written to Lord Qi to explain my situation, and I believe I will receive his reply in a few days. Let's see how Lord Qi resolves this matter."

As Han Qing spoke, he arrived at the depths of the courtyard, where Lin Yueqiu and the others were practicing martial arts.

"Hello, sir!"

"The master is back!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stepped forward to greet them respectfully.

Han Qing glanced around and could clearly sense that Chen Ming and the others had a deep-seated fear of him.

There are benefits to life-or-death battles. This hastily assembled team has become more cohesive after this baptism of fire.

"Lin Yueqiu, bring out the remaining three boxes of secret medicine from the treasury and distribute them to everyone!" Han Qing suddenly said.

"Yes!!"

Lin Yueqiu turned and headed straight for the nearest treasury, much to the delight of Chen Ming and the others.

"Thank you, sir!!"

"Although I have cut off one of Yang Wanxiu's arms, his combat strength is indeed extraordinary. Without your help, I am afraid it will be extremely difficult for me to defeat him!"

I, Han Qing, am a grateful person. You have helped me, so I will certainly not treat you unfairly.

"These three large boxes of secret medicines are just the beginning. As long as you sincerely follow me, I will give you even more amazing benefits in the future!" Han Qing said loudly again.

"I am willing to die for you, young master!!" Yue Xiaobiao shouted at the top of his lungs.

The others also shouted in unison, determined to follow Han Qing wholeheartedly.

Seeing this scene, Cheng Xuanji admired Han Qing even more.

After spending the past few days with Han Qing, he felt that Han Qing was a person with great personal charm.

Han Qing is now facing an even more dangerous situation. He believes that as long as he can get through it, he will definitely become a world-renowned top expert in the future, and may not even be worse than his mother, Su Jin.

Before long, Lin Yueqiu moved the remaining three boxes of secret medicines from the treasury and placed them in the open space of the courtyard.

Under Han Qing's supervision, these secret medicines were quickly distributed.

Then he returned to the house, and with a thought, the Seven Killings Stele appeared, with about forty soul points of light faintly visible in front of the stele.

"These forty experts are all from the Luo and Han families in the North, including many martial arts grandmasters and spirit refiners. They will surely help me to reach a higher level of strength," Han Qingxin said.

He decided to prioritize improving his cultivation level, which would bring a much greater boost to his combat power.

Therefore, he first absorbed the first soul light spot, which came from Han Baoluo, and selected one spirit refining method and two martial arts from it to inherit, which he immediately transferred to the Zhige Jing.

After entering the realm of possession, the difficulty of improving the Zhige Jing increases, and every bit of proficiency improvement requires a lot of time and energy.

Han Qing had completely given up on cultivating on his own. Now that he had the Seven Killings Stele, he would make the most of this treasure.

Before long, the proficiency of one Spirit Refining Technique and two martial arts was all reset to zero, while the proficiency of the sixth chapter of the Ceasefire Sutra increased by 2%.

Han Qing was already used to this. The current Zhige Jing was a bottomless pit. Only by absorbing and transforming a large number of martial arts techniques could he have a slight chance of improving his proficiency.

Han Qing remained calm and immediately absorbed the second soul light point to further improve his transformation proficiency.

As time went by, one soul point after another was absorbed, and the proficiency in the Zhige Sutra slowly increased.

However, compared to other cultivators of the Divine Realm, this slowness was already incredibly fast.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. More than half of the forty soul points had been absorbed, leaving less than five. The sixth chapter of the Zhige Jing had also been pushed from the beginner level to 78.4% of the minor success level, just one step away from the major success level.

Although Han Qing felt physically exhausted after repeated arduous training, he was quite happy inside.

He was never afraid of hardship, only of being too weak to control his own destiny.

"continue!"

"I will strive to break through to the Great Perfection before dawn tomorrow!" Han Qing thought to himself, absorbing another soul light point and continuing his arduous cultivation.

Two hours later, on the panel, the proficiency of Zhige Jing successfully broke through 80%, and the realm also changed from minor success to major success.

In an instant, Han Qing's brain jolted. He could clearly feel that the intensity of the magical power in the temple had increased dramatically. The golden statue on the altar had also become clearer. There were five and a half sticks of incense burning in front of the statue, and the sixth stick suddenly grew taller.

Han Qing opened his eyes, got up and went to the courtyard. With a thought, a cold wind howled, and a black-armored statue suddenly appeared beside him, with a malevolent domain enveloping the surrounding area.

The statue became even more solid, and the aura it exuded became even more terrifying.

The Fiend Domain has also become stronger. Han Qing was in it, and as wisps of fiendish energy invaded his body, he could clearly feel a significant improvement in his physical abilities.

"Perfected in the Body-Possession Realm!"

"I should now be the number one person below the Half-Saint level!!" Han Qing's eyes shone brightly, and he was very confident.

"However, I cannot be arrogant. If I had to find some weaknesses, it would be that I have too few spells and magic weapons."

"I have the Illusory Soul-Suppressing Chain, the Cloud-Retaining Blade, and the Heart-Cleansing Jade, but I only have the Divine Mirror Technique. The number is far too small. I need to find a way to learn more spells and master more magic weapons." Han Qing pondered, glancing at the Seven Killings Stele. There were still three soul light points left, but he no longer planned to continue absorbing and cultivating them.

Martial arts training requires a balance of relaxation and rest. After repeated arduous training, he did feel tired and needed to rest for a while.

He rolled onto the bed and quickly drifted into a semi-conscious state.

In this state, he can get a certain amount of rest and also wake up immediately in case of emergencies and respond in a timely manner.

same moment.

Outside the camp.

After several days of travel, Chen Linghui finally arrived at Huwei Camp.

He thought it was a small camp and that he could easily sneak in.

But upon arriving at this place, he discovered that this new army was no ordinary force.

With his divine vision, he could see that the camp was shrouded in a thick, dark aura, like a black sphere, rolling and spreading throughout the world.

"Such a strong killing intent; it seems this new army is quite powerful."

He closed his eyes slightly, and a surge of magical energy flowed from between his brows, rapidly spreading into the camp. He wanted to scout out the way ahead and seize the opportunity to sneak in.

However, as soon as this thought entered the area shrouded by the evil energy, it was like a ship that had lost its support, being tossed about by the wind and waves.

Fortunately, he was a Spirit Refiner in the Body Residual Realm and quickly stabilized the situation.

His magical power was not dispersed by the evil energy, but it was suppressed to a certain extent, and the range of his detection was greatly reduced.

(End of this chapter)