The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 126 Reencounter with Yan Qiuling

Whoohoo!
The cold wind howled.

Han Qing rode his horse slowly across the ice field. As far as the eye could see, the world was vast and desolate, with rolling mountains in the distance.

But this mountain is not a green mountain, but an iceberg, and the soil underfoot is not normal soil, but frozen soil, with almost no greenery to be seen.

This is the northern ice sheet, with a harsh and cold climate and a severe environment.

Ordinary people would find it difficult to survive in this environment; only physically strong demons and powerful warriors could survive.

"The mission of the Twelfth Vanguard Army is not to kill the enemy, but to scout ahead and draw maps."

"Our goal is White Phoenix City. Once we have clearly mapped out the route to White Phoenix City, this mission will be considered complete," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

"Young master, we are not in a hurry. We will stay here on the icy plain for a while to avoid trouble," Cheng Xuanji said.

Han Qing nodded slightly, pondering his next steps.

The only way to escape this predicament is to kill more powerful beings in the chaos of the Northern Ice Plains, find an opportunity to overcome the great terror between life and death, and break through to the Half-Saint realm in one fell swoop.

Once he becomes a half-saint, his combat power will increase dramatically. Even if he faces Yang Wanxiu one-on-one, he will be absolutely confident of victory.

But how to find this opportunity, how to break through to the half-saint level? Han Qing had no plan in mind.

"If I can achieve the rank of half-saint, I might be able to venture deep into the Ice Plains and visit the Demon Clan's palace. This grand event is just like the siege of Yuelu Academy by various parties a few years ago. Many martial artists will surely benefit from it. If I have the opportunity, I cannot miss it and I must compete for it."

"Everything hinges on how to break through to the Half-Saint level?" Han Qing pondered again.

Suddenly, a loud howl of a wild beast came from not far away.

Then, everyone felt the ground tremble slightly.

"Ok?"

"Enemy attack!"

"Array up!"

Bai Yunfei was very alert; the tremor made it seem as if a cavalry force was rapidly approaching from ahead.

Under his command, the soldiers of the Tiger Might Battalion responded promptly, immediately forming ranks, drawing their swords, nocking their arrows, and standing solemnly ready for battle.

After a short while, everyone finally saw clearly that the "enemy" that had attacked them was actually a group of wild beasts, or more accurately, strange beasts.

A pack of robust, tall, and pure white snow wolves came running toward the group.

These snow wolves were even larger than the warhorse Han Qing was riding, and they exuded a fierce aura that would probably frighten even lions and tigers.

What's most eye-catching is a tall snow bear running swiftly among the snow wolves. Its body is as big as a house, covered with thick, snow-white fur, and has jagged fangs on its face, making it extremely fierce.

"The beasts of the northern ice plains are incredibly ferocious!" Lin Yueqiu couldn't help but exclaim upon seeing this scene.

"These strange beasts are likely being controlled and manipulated by someone. Young Master, you must be careful," Cheng Xuanji whispered.

Han Qing nodded slightly; he too had noticed something amiss.

First, how could two different kinds of exotic beasts, snow bears and snow wolves, travel together and get along well?
Secondly, these strange beasts all have a gleam of intelligence in their eyes, which clearly indicates that they are being controlled by someone.

He immediately thought of Taoist practitioners who cultivated their spirit, who possessed the ability to control all beasts.

However, even ordinary Taoist practitioners who cultivate their spirit would find it difficult to control so many strange beasts at once, even those who have reached the Body Reincarnation Realm cannot do so.

"Could it be that we've encountered a demigod?" Han Qing narrowed his eyes, his mind racing as he considered how to deal with the situation.

The answer is no. The demigods are too powerful. Even if everyone joined forces, they would definitely not be a match for them.

If he were to encounter a short-tempered demigod who were to massacre his group, he would have no choice but to flee.

However, Han Qing didn't want to scare himself unnecessarily. Regardless of who was behind them, he focused on defeating the group of strange beasts first.

Whoosh whoosh!
At Bai Yunfei's command, the soldiers drew their bows and shot arrows, the sound of the bowstrings vibrating in unison.

Arrows streaked across the sky, each one a flash of cold light, aimed at the snow wolf at the very front.

These snow wolves have thick hides and tough flesh, so arrows have limited killing power.

Two volleys of arrows fell, but only a dozen or so fell.

Upon seeing this, Lin Yueqiu frowned, drew his sword, dismounted, and prepared to lead the charge to kill the group of strange beasts.

However, Han Qing had already taken the initiative. A gust of cold wind swirled up and suddenly condensed into a black-armored giant above the group of beasts, before pouncing on the most powerful snow bear.

With a flash of light, the seemingly ferocious snow bear was no match for Han Qing. Its body was cleaved in two by the black-armored statue, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

At this moment, Yue Xiaobiao also made his move, and a terrifying pressure suddenly erupted, pressing down on the strange beasts rushing forward.

In an instant, a strong sense of fear arose in the hearts of this large group of strange beasts, and they let out a series of whimpers. Their momentum collapsed, and they all hesitated in place, their eyes showing struggle and hesitation.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Han Qing unleashed a torrent of malevolent energy from the black-armored statue, instantly condensing it into a malevolent domain that covered a considerable area, spanning hundreds, thousands, two thousand, and three thousand paces in radius…

In just a few breaths, all the snow wolf beasts were enveloped by the evil domain.

Not far away, Lin Yueqiu and the others were utterly shocked by what they saw.

Ahead, the ominous fog churned and rolled, like a sea or a lake, inspiring fear in all who beheld it.

"I never imagined that Young Master's strength has reached such a level? Truly impressive!" Chen Ming murmured.

He had made up his mind to follow Han Qing wholeheartedly.

Every move Han Qing made shocked him to the core.

This growth rate is simply too fast; it's truly progressing by leaps and bounds, improving every day and never stopping.

“Young Master’s strength has now surpassed mine in every way!” Cheng Xuanji said in a low voice.

Many soldiers also stared intently ahead, their eyes filled with even greater fear of Han Qing.

Within the malevolent domain, the snow wolves were being continuously eroded by the malevolent energy. Their bodies became stiff, their movement speed plummeted, and they all fell to the ground, unable to move.

The killing aura can make one's own warriors stronger, or it can cause the enemy's physical condition to plummet.

A powerful military strategist can easily turn the tide of a war simply by relying on their Fiend Domain.

As snow wolves fell one by one, thousands of ghost soldiers appeared, wielding various weapons, and pounced on them, killing the snow wolves one by one.

A one-man army, beginning to take shape.

Before long, all of these hundreds of snow wolf beasts had been slaughtered.

"Lin Yueqiu, Bai Yunfei, we've been marching for the past few days, eating dry rations every day without any meat. I think these snow wolves and snow bears are just in time. You quickly take your men to find an open space to set up camp, and I'll treat you all to some roasted meat!" Han Qing said loudly.

"Alright!" Bai Yunfei responded, then shouted loudly, "Aren't you going to thank the sir?"

"Thank you, sir!"

The soldiers shouted in unison.

The ice field was vast and empty, with howling winds and extreme noise. Even if everyone shouted at the same time, the sound would not carry far, and there was no need to worry about revealing their whereabouts.

Half an hour later, the group arrived at the foot of a nearby iceberg. The terrain here was flat, with ruins and broken walls, suggesting that there was once a city here, but it had fallen into ruin and was mostly buried in snow. However, the remaining part of the city wall could still protect the group from the wind and snow.

Zizizi!
Han Qing, Lin Yueqiu, and a group of his confidants sat under a dilapidated high wall. In front of them was a bonfire with wooden sticks on it, on which pieces of bear meat were skewered and roasted over the fire, sizzling and releasing their aroma in all directions.

Centered around Han Qing and his group, there were no fewer than a hundred bonfires, with people roasting meat on them. For a time, the entire ruined city was filled with the aroma of roasting meat, which even the howling cold wind could not dispel.

Before long, the first batch of meat was roasted until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

"Young master, it's time to make a move!" Yue Xiaobiao reminded him.

Han Qing took a short knife, cut off a small piece from the large chunk of bear meat in front of him, and stuffed it into his mouth. Instantly, his mouth was filled with the aroma of oil.

"Not bad!" He nodded slightly.

Although this roasted meat only has a little salt, it is an extremely high-quality delicacy in the harsh environment of the icy plains.

Seeing Han Qing enjoying his meal, the others followed suit, cutting off large chunks of roasted meat and stuffing them into their mouths. For a moment, Han Qing was surrounded by the sounds of chewing.

He ate several more large pieces, and was already feeling a bit greasy. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket, slowly wiped the oil from the corners of his mouth, and gazed intently into the distance.

"What are you thinking about, young master?" Cheng Xuanji seemed to dislike the roasted meat, taking only a couple of bites before stopping.

"Mr. Cheng, you are very knowledgeable. I read in a book that there is a strange thing in the ice plains called Frost Lotus Seed. Taking it can make people enter a state of ethereal tranquility where their hearts are frozen, or even overcome the great terror between life and death, and possess a fearless mindset and belief, thus becoming a half-saint in one fell swoop. Do you think this rumor is true or false?" Han Qing said unhurriedly.

"This rumor is true. In the early years, the Yuelu Academy's treasury contained Frost Lotus Seeds, which could indeed help those who cultivate the spirit break through to become half-saints."

"However, this item comes from the Frost Lotus, which is said to grow on the summit of the Ten Thousand Blade Snow Mountain. It is an extremely rare and precious medicinal herb, no less than the Creation Blood Crystal in your possession. I estimate that the Demon Clan royal family has it. Do you intend to seize this item to break through to the Half-Saint realm?" Cheng Xuanji asked.

"That's right! My current strategy of leading you deep into the ice plains is merely a delaying tactic. During this martial arts tournament, I must find a way to break through to the Half-Saint level so that I can truly control my own destiny. When that happens, if that old dog Yang Wanxiu dares to appear before me again, I will make sure he dies without a burial place!" Han Qing said coldly.

Since stepping into the icy plains, he has been thinking about this matter constantly: how can he break through to the Half-Saint level?
He saw in the Demon Emperor's Notes that the Frost Lotus Seed seemed to be one of the paths, so he couldn't help but ask, wanting to verify it with Cheng Xuanji.

Cheng Xuanji, having come from the Yuelu Academy, was knowledgeable and experienced. With these two pieces of evidence corroborating each other, Han Qing's thoughts became much stronger.

This at least shows that there are indeed such rare things as Frost Lotus Seeds in the North. As for how to obtain them, that's another matter. As the saying goes, there's always a way out, and Han Qing has never been afraid of difficulties.

Upon hearing Han Qing's words, Cheng Xuanji was secretly astonished. At the age of twenty, he was already thinking about how to break through to the level of a half-saint? Apart from those legendary figures who achieved enlightenment overnight and became saints on the spot, no one in this era could compare to Han Qing. He felt that even Yue Bairu was no match for him.

“Young master, obtaining the Frost Lotus Seeds will be extremely difficult.” “No problem, I have my own way!” Han Qingxin said.

Suddenly, a person popped into his mind: Yan Qiuling, the daughter of the Northern Demon King. Perhaps he could obtain the Frost Lotus Seed from her.

While pondering.

Boom boom boom!
Han Qing's senses were sharp. Suddenly, he heard a heavy, drum-like sound drifting in the cold wind, and felt the earth trembling slightly, as if a giant beast was trampling it.

"Young Master, something's happened," Cheng Xuanji said in a low voice, shaking his jade fan.

Han Qing did not answer, because the sound was getting louder and louder, and soon everyone felt the abnormality. The earth was shaking violently, even more so than before.

"They're coming on strong," Cheng Xuanji murmured.

Lin Yueqiu and the other soldiers around them also forgot about eating the roasted meat. They all stood up, took up their swords and put on their armor, and formed a battle formation in an instant, ready for battle.

"coming!"

"What the hell is that?"

"What a gigantic beast!"

Many soldiers exclaimed in surprise, for ahead on the vast ice plains, a colossal elephant, as large as a small mountain and entirely white, was striding across the land.

Surrounding the giant elephant were numerous snow bears, snow leopards, and snow wolves, forming a complete army of ferocious beasts.

The few hundred snow wolves from before were no match for this large army.

"It is the Ice Giant Elephant, the largest and most terrifying beast on the far north ice plains, capable of contending with a Martial Saint."

However, it is said that only members of the demon royal family can wield such a behemoth. It seems we have encountered a powerful demon." Cheng Xuanji's expression was solemn.

Han Qing glanced around and saw that many soldiers nearby had expressions of fear on their faces, and many of them were retreating uncontrollably.

This is quite normal. Although these people have undergone long-term training, their opponents are all human. They have never seen so many terrifying beasts, especially this giant elephant that is as big as a small mountain, which is even more terrifying.

"Don't panic, it's just a strange beast, I will kill it!" Han Qing shouted loudly.

He understood that it was crucial to stabilize morale at this time.

Then, wisps of malevolent energy surged out from Han Qing's body, instantly condensing into a malevolent domain nearby.

Then, the evil domain expanded rapidly, instantly covering all the surrounding soldiers.

Strands of malevolent energy flowed into the soldier's body, causing his physical abilities to surge and his heart to become fearless.

"What arrogant words! You ate my spirit beast, you'll pay with your lives!"

Suddenly, a woman's clear voice came from afar, like pearls falling on a jade plate, crisp and melodious.

Then, everyone saw a woman in a red dress fly up from the giant elephant and hang under the sky.

A sudden gust of cold wind arose, and fiery snakes appeared around the woman, rushing directly towards the evil domain.

"So it's Yan Qiuling! No wonder her fire control technique is so skillful," Han Qingxin thought.

He was already extremely familiar with the Taoist school of spiritual refinement practitioners, from the Spirit Temple Realm to the Half-Saint Realm. Their abilities were: to understand the language of beasts and communicate with all kinds of beings; to consume the rosy light and draw on the energy of nature to strengthen their bodies; to form a pill by condensing the rosy light and storing it for later use; to transform the rosy light into flames and then use the flames to kill enemies; to create illusions that could trap all martial artists within a certain range; to control beasts; and to transform the rosy light into thunder with astonishing power.

However, it is generally impossible for a Taoist cultivator to condense nine fire snakes several meters long in an instant, like Yan Qiuling.

However, Han Qing is no longer as weak as he was when they first met; he now possesses a certain ability to fight back.

Nine fire serpents descended from the sky, and a black-armored god statue flew out from the evil domain. Suddenly, it swung its sword repeatedly, shattering the fire serpents one after another.

In an instant, a rain of fire fell from the sky, dazzlingly beautiful.

"interesting!"

"But I'd like to see how many moves you can withstand!"

Yan Qiuling wore a relaxed smile. A sudden gust of cold wind rose and transformed into a red cloud above her head. In an instant, the temperature in the vicinity rose rapidly, the cold wind was no longer biting, and even the snow on the ground began to melt quickly.

Han Qing frowned, already able to feel the overwhelming pressure from the crimson clouds. Instead of trying to withstand it head-on, he chose to reveal himself.

The black mist churned, and a section of it suddenly vanished, revealing Han Qing's figure.

"Miss Yan, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

Yan Qiuling glanced at it and exclaimed "Please!" with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"It's you? Interesting. The northern ice plains are now a gathering place for heroes, fraught with danger. What brings you here?"

As Yan Qiuling spoke, she waved her hand, and the thick, swirling crimson clouds above her head instantly dissipated, along with the overwhelming pressure that permeated the heavens and earth.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Yan Qiuling's move was truly terrifying, as if the end of the world had arrived.

Seeing their attack, Cheng Xuanji and the others knew they had encountered a top-tier Taoist cultivator, and many of them already had the idea of ​​fleeing.

This expert is even stronger than Yang Wanxiu. Even if everyone attacked together, they would be no match for him and would surely die. It would be better to scatter and run away, and maybe a few more people could survive.

However, what happened next was completely unexpected. It turned out that Han Qing knew him and resolved the crisis with just a few words.

Yan Qiuling descended from the sky and landed right in front of Han Qing. Her figure was graceful, and her eyes were as clear as autumn water, captivating and mesmerizing. An ordinary man would probably fall in love with her in an instant.

Lin Yueqiu and the others dared not look too long, for fear of losing their composure and causing unnecessary trouble.

Many powerful demons are capricious and unpredictable. If you do something wrong and provoke them, you can only blame yourself for being killed.

“Miss Yan, I am now Han Qing, the commander of the Tiger Might Camp in the northern Yinshan Mountains. There are indeed many experts gathered on the ice plains now, and the situation is becoming chaotic. I came here to see if there is any opportunity that might help me step into the realm of a half-saint.” Han Qing said with a smile.

Yan Qiuling looked Han Qing up and down, a strange look flashing in her eyes.

When she first met Han Qing, she simply thought the young man was unusually handsome and had a unique and attractive aura. Coupled with his background, she took a liking to him and voluntarily gave up the sacred herb, the Creation Blood Crystal.

When she saw him again, she noticed that Han Qing's unique temperament was even more pronounced, exuding a confidence that emanated from within.

This confidence wasn't ostentatious, but it permeated every move. A single glance or gesture could be infectious, and it made her quite fond of him.

"It seems we are quite destined to meet. The ice plains are vast, and you were able to meet me. Moreover, it has only been a short time, and you are already breaking through to the half-saint realm. As expected of Madam Su's child, such talent is even better than mine when I was young."

"Miss Yan, come with me." Han Qing led the way to the center of the camp, where soldiers had set up a simple tent.

Yan Qiuling followed, and the two walked side by side, chatting as they made their way to the tent.

Seeing the two chatting and laughing, Lin Yueqiu and the others felt completely at ease.

“I guessed right about this woman. Could she be Yan Qiuling, the daughter of the Northern Demon King?” Cheng Xuanji’s eyes flashed with surprise. After thinking for a while, he repeated it with certainty, “That’s right, it must be her. It is said that she likes to wear red clothes and can control thunder and fire and command all beasts.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was deeply shaken.

Yan Qiuling is one of the top ten masters in the world, a true legendary figure. I never expected to see her in person today. What's even more unbelievable is that this peerless master is chatting and laughing with Han Qing, just like a good friend.

For a time, Chen Ming and the others were even more afraid of Han Qing.

The more they learned about Han Qing, the more unfathomable he seemed, and the more fearful they became.

At this moment, the two arrived at the tent. Han Qing took the lead and sat down, smiling as he said, "When we last met, Miss Yan told me that all people below the level of a saint are ants. I have always kept this in mind. In order to break free from this status of an ant, I have tried every means to become stronger. Unfortunately, I am now stuck at the level of a half-saint and have been unable to break through."

Yan Qiuling nodded slightly: "You are Madam Su's child. I am saying this to spur you on. It doesn't matter if you are lazy and waste your talent, but you cannot bring shame to Madam Su. However, you have made great progress, and I am very satisfied. I will not take action against you for now."

Han Qing smiled. The last time they met, Yan Qiuling declared that she would test his strength the next time they met, and if he was still weak, she would teach him a lesson.

Han Qing didn't seem to care much about these words. He had heard that Yan Qiuling had always been like this, straightforward, with a sharp tongue and no politeness in her speech.

However, at this moment, he had already gained the complete recognition of this top expert.

Yan Qiuling glanced around and then her gaze fell on the roasted meat in front of her. Han Qing noticed her gaze and explained with a smile, "I didn't expect those snow wolves and snow bears to be Miss Yan's protective spirit beasts. If I had known this, I wouldn't have slaughtered them all."

Yan Qiuling waved her hand: "It's alright. A few strange beasts, killing them is fine. We can just capture another batch."

"But you want to strive for the demigod level?"

"That's right, Miss Yan, do you have a solution?" Han Qing's eyes lit up. With such a great expert by his side for consultation, he felt that he could surely clarify his thoughts and come up with a feasible plan.

"To become a semi-saint, one must experience life-and-death battles, undergo trials of blood and fire, see through the cycle of reincarnation at the moment of life and death, acquire a fearless heart, and break through the barriers before one can become a semi-saint."

This is a difficult hurdle, and no one can help you.

However, there are some rare treasures in this world that can help you reduce the difficulty, such as the snow lotus that grows on the summit of the Thousand Blade Snow Mountain, and the thousand-year-old wine brewed by the royal family of the Holy Desert Empire, Golden Blood, etc. "Yan Qiuling pondered.

Han Qing observed that his face was truly exquisite, with beautiful features and unparalleled elegance. Without extraordinary self-control, it would be difficult to maintain composure during such a face-to-face conversation.

However, he knew the principle that a gentleman is attracted to beauty but not to lust, so he only appreciated it and did not have any evil thoughts.

Even someone as perceptive as Yan Qiuling could sense Han Qing's thoughts. She saw only clarity and confidence in Han Qing's eyes, without a trace of lust or desire, which elevated her opinion of him even further.

She had seen too many men who, upon seeing her face, would behave grotesquely and become flustered. This was a sign of a weak mind, indicating that she would have little future success.

"Miss Yan, I wonder if your demon royal family still has any Snow Lotus Seeds? I am willing to do everything in my power to exchange for them," Han Qing hurriedly asked.

Yan Qiuling shook her head: "This kind of snow lotus is a rare and precious thing. Even our demon race doesn't have any. The latest snow lotus was born a year ago, but it was unfortunately snatched away by those evil monks from the Great Vajra Temple."

Han Qing felt a pang of regret. If this path was cut off, the only way to break through would be to fight to the death with someone. Perhaps only when one was on the verge of despair and had no hope of survival, and faced death with a will to live, would there be a chance for rebirth.

(End of this chapter)