The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 127 The Attack Arrives
"However, recently a master from the Great Vajra Temple, the Heavenly King of the Treasure Umbrella, has also arrived at the Ice Plains, intending to take advantage of the chaos to seize the treasures of my demon race."

He was one of the evil monks who stole the snow lotus before. He might have snow lotus seeds on him. If I kill him and take these seeds, I will send them to you immediately.” Yan Qiuling pondered again.

Han Qing's eyes lit up immediately, and he felt extremely grateful to Yan Qiuling: "Thank you, Miss Yan."

"It's alright. I see you as a promising talent, so it's no trouble to lend a hand. Besides, your mother's kindness is still there." Yan Qiuling said, taking a small knife, cutting off a piece of roasted meat, and putting it in her mouth to chew carefully.

"How strong is the Heavenly King of the Umbrella?" Han Qing pressed.

He knew that the Great Vajra Temple had four guardian deities, each with a different Dharma name and varying strength.

He had previously heard of a secret king who used the bronze pillars in his palace as weapons and possessed unparalleled fighting power.
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"He claims to be a Buddhist or Taoist saint, but it's all just empty boasting. Even among half-saints, his strength is at the bottom." Yan Qiuling sneered, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes. Clearly, she had a fierce conflict with this Treasure Umbrella Heavenly King in private, and their relationship was extremely bad.

"At the bottom? If I could become a half-saint, I might have a chance to kill this person, but without the Snow Lotus Seed, I cannot break through to the half-saint level."

He was searching for a breakthrough opportunity, but he had no clue where to begin. The crucial point was that time was of the essence; he didn't know when the ambush would strike. A multitude of thoughts flashed through Han Qing's mind.

Just then, Yan Qiuling suddenly coughed violently. Han Qing's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly noticed a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.

"Miss Yan, are you injured? No wonder I felt your aura was fluctuating, and you didn't have the same oppressive aura as when we last met."

Yan Qiuling took out a handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

She suddenly sat cross-legged on the soft couch, her eyes slightly closed, as if she were calming herself down to recuperate.

Seeing this, Han Qing didn't dare to disturb her. He got up, went out, found Lin Yueqiu, and ordered her to take the Creation Blood Crystal to brew the medicinal soup.

After a while, when Yan Qiuling finished recuperating and came out of the tent, Han Qing was already there with a bowl of bright red medicinal soup in front of her.

Yan Qiuling glanced at it and immediately understood what was in the bowl.

As she inhaled the rich aroma of the medicine, she felt the stinging pain in her chest subside considerably.

So she immediately took the bowl of medicine and drank it all in one gulp.

After drinking it, she returned to her tent to continue resting with her eyes closed and digesting the effects of the medicine.

Han Qing stood outside the tent, pondering how to keep Yan Qiuling in the group.

The North is too dangerous. We've only been traveling for three or four days and we've already encountered a top expert like Yan Qiuling.

If he were unlucky and encountered other top experts of the demon race, even if he managed to escape, his large group of trusted followers would be wiped out.

Furthermore, the Chen, Luo, and Han families, these ancient clans, could launch a treacherous attack at any moment, and it will undoubtedly be more ferocious than ever before. If Yan Qiuling were to assist, the chances of averting the crisis would greatly increase.

As he was pondering this, Yan Qiuling had finished recuperating and fully absorbed the medicinal effects, and walked out of the tent.

Han Qing glanced at him and saw that his complexion was rosy and his breathing was much more stable, indicating that his injuries had obviously improved.

Yan Qiuling also praised, "It truly lives up to its reputation as a rare and precious medicine. My internal organs were injured by that villain Tu Jingang, and I thought it would take several days to recover. But after drinking this bowl of medicinal soup, I'm afraid I'll be fully recovered within three days."

"Miss Yan, why don't you stay in the army? I'll have someone brew you medicinal soup every day. If any experts from the Great Yu Kingdom attack, I can also cover for you," Han Qing hurriedly said.

Yan Qiuling pondered for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Very well. You are traveling alone in the North. Although you have three thousand soldiers and a group of trusted followers with you, you are no match for true experts. Right now, there are many experts chasing me on the icy plains of the North. Aren't you afraid of bringing trouble upon yourself?"

"It's alright. Miss Yan has helped me many times. How could I be a coward who is afraid of death and forgets kindness? If I really encounter danger, I, Han Qing, will definitely fight bravely and never back down," Han Qing said loudly.

"You have guts. Then I'll stay at the camp. You're right, those Great Yu warriors will never expect me to be in your team. Plus, with the Creation Blood Crystal, I can focus on healing and I'll be back to my peak soon." Yan Qiuling was finally persuaded.

"Miss Yan, you can take this Creation Blood Crystal if you need it," Han Qing said.

In this situation, he knew in his heart that he had to cling to Yan Qiuling's coattails.

With Yan Qiuling accompanying them, although they might be attacked by powerful figures from other forces, they were also spared from being attacked by the demon race.

This is demon territory, so the chances of the former happening here are much lower than the latter. Therefore, taking Yan Qiuling along is definitely a profitable deal.

What does it matter to pay with a Creation Blood Crystal? You have to be willing to give up something to gain something.

"Once I break through to the Half-Saint realm, what will the Creation Blood Crystal matter? I'll have another chance to obtain it in the future," Han Qingxin thought to himself.

Yan Qiuling shook her head: "I, Yan Qiuling, keep my word. Since I've given it to you, there's no reason for me to take it back. You should keep it."

Han Qing didn't hesitate. He had repeatedly boiled this Creation Blood Crystal, and it had grown to the size of an infant's fist. He was afraid that Yan Qiuling might not want it for long, but he still treasured it as his most valuable medicine.

"Miss Yan, you just mentioned Tu Jingang, who is this person?" Han Qing asked again.

“Tu Jingang is the Golden Ape King, one of the top ten masters in the world. This villain was originally from the Great Vajra Temple, but later defected to the Western Barbarian Lands and became a military commander. He was born with an unusual appearance, his body was covered with golden hair, and he looked like an ape, hence the name Golden Ape King. Many people think he is a demon, but he is not.” Yan Qiuling said softly.

"So it's the Golden Ape King." Han Qing suddenly realized that this was also a very famous expert. He had heard of him many times and only knew that this person had a golden staff called Vajra, which was incredibly powerful and was a magical weapon. However, he did not know the person's real name or background.

"Although this thief has a great reputation, in my eyes, his strength is only average. If he hadn't joined forces with several experts from the Western Barbarian Kingdom to ambush me, would I have been injured? But it doesn't matter. Once I recover, I will definitely settle accounts with this thief again." Yan Qiuling said coldly, her teeth clenched.

Han Qing remained silent. After spending a short time with Yan Qiuling, he had already discerned several of her personality traits: first, she held grudges; second, she was confident and unwilling to admit defeat; and third, she was straightforward, disliked beating around the bush, and was completely clueless about subtlety.

"To be honest, Miss Yan, I am also being hunted down. If you are worried about being implicated, you should leave as soon as your injuries heal in a few days," Han Qing suddenly said.

Yan Qiuling raised an eyebrow: "I've traveled the world for so many years, have I ever been afraid of anyone? Do you think I'm afraid? Tell me, who's chasing you? I'll take care of the trouble for you, it's no big deal."

Han Qing thought to himself, "Although Yan Qiuling is powerful, she is still somewhat naive, or perhaps she is extremely competitive and cannot stand being looked down upon."

"The person chasing me is Yang Wanxiu, the captain of the guards of the Han family in the capital. He is a Martial Saint, and he may also have a Spirit Refiner by his side," Han Qing said.

"Martial Saint? We'll have to see how many acupoints he's opened. As long as he hasn't reached a hundred acupoints, killing him won't be difficult for me!" Yan Qiuling chuckled, her words brimming with confidence.

"A hundred apertures?" Han Qing asked, puzzled.

His understanding of the Martial Saint was limited to a portion of the notes by Kong Xiu.

The notes mention that the path of martial arts is endless, and becoming a martial saint is not the end; one can continue to grow stronger. However, they do not elaborate on how many levels there are.

"Indeed, a hundred acupoints! The hundred acupoints are a hurdle for martial saints! Even after becoming a martial saint, one must still find ways to open more acupoints."

The difference in combat power between those before and after the Hundred Apertures technique is like heaven and earth.

"I was fortunate enough to witness the former Palace Master of Yuelu Academy make a move. He was the Hundred Aperture Martial Saint, whose martial arts essence had almost materialized. He could resonate with the Heavenly Dao and generate incredible explosive power, which could be described as a thunderclap that could shatter mountains and break peaks. He was extremely terrifying," Yan Qiuling recalled.

"That powerful? But I've heard that a Martial Saint needs the support of a Heavenly Pillar Stone to continuously improve, otherwise their body will collapse under the constant surge of power," Han Qing pressed.

“That’s right. However, there are no Heavenly Pillar Stones in the world now. So once you cross the threshold of the Hundred Apertures, the Martial Saint’s blood and qi will rapidly decline. To survive, you have to work even harder to open more apertures, keep your body strong, and generate more blood and qi to fight against this decline. Therefore, there are very few Martial Saints with Hundred Apertures in the world. As far as I know, the only Martial Saint with Hundred Apertures who is currently known is Han Yi.” Yan Qiuling nodded and patiently explained.

Han Qing was shocked: "Han Yi's strength is truly terrifying. He is the leader of the Legalist school and a great sage of the Legalist school. He has also gone so far on the path of martial arts. His combat power is truly unfathomable. No wonder people call him the number one person in the world."

"Pfft!" Yan Qiuling suddenly laughed out loud, "The number one person in the world? He is far from it. The true number one person in the world today is the leader of the Mo family. The Four Divine Statues have been passed down from generation to generation, and their strength has been rising step by step. Any one of them has the combat power of a Great Sage. The leader of the Mo family himself has also reached an unfathomable level of Dharma Sense. If Han Yi encounters him, he will definitely die!"

Han Qing was startled again and murmured, "Even someone as strong as Han Yi is being suppressed? There are countless top experts in the world."

"Han Qing, with your martial arts talent, you will surely have a place in the world in the future, so there is no need to be afraid," Yan Qiuling encouraged him again.

"I am not afraid. If I have the chance, I will definitely fight against all the top experts in the world." Han Qing's eyes were bright and full of fighting spirit.

"That's good. I'm relieved that you think that way." Yan Qiuling nodded slightly.

After chatting for a while, the group set off again.

Han Qing emerged from the tent, recalling Yan Qiuling's words. He felt he had gained a great deal. This top expert had greatly broadened his horizons and increased his knowledge, giving him a deeper understanding of the world and martial arts.

"Our mission this time is to find out the route to Yunfeng City."

Before long, Han Qing rode his horse through the procession and turned to Yan Qiuling, who was also riding a chestnut horse beside him, and said something.

Yan Qiuling's giant elephant was too conspicuous, and she drove it away to an unknown location. As for the snow wolves and snow bears, they were scattered in the open fields around the army. With just a thought from her, these strange beasts would immediately gather together and unleash astonishing combat power.

Han Qing's senses were sharp, and he could hear the roars of wild beasts drifting in with the cold wind, which calmed him down considerably.

For a powerful Taoist cultivator like Yan Qiuling, every wild beast around her is her spy.

If any enemy attacks, Yan Qiuling will immediately know if any of the strange beasts sees it.

“Then let’s go to Yunfeng City. You’ve been traveling in the icy plains for many days, and you’re exhausted. You’ve also used up most of your food. I’ll take you into the city to replenish your food and water,” Yan Qiuling said softly.

"Thank you, Miss Yan." Han Qing nodded slightly.

With Yan Qiuling accompanying him, Han Qing's pressure was reduced significantly in an instant.

He didn't need to worry about being attacked by the demon race, nor did he need to worry too much about attacks from powerful families like the Luo and Chen clans.

These people never dreamed that one of the world's top cultivators would suddenly appear by their side, and that this would cause them to suffer a great setback, with the possibility of total annihilation.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Han Qing and his group walked and stopped on the ice plains, but they were not in a hurry to go to Yunfeng City.

Whenever they stopped to rest, Han Qing would send someone to brew medicinal soup for Yan Qiuling. With the help of the Creation Blood Crystal, the latter's injuries were rapidly healing.

By the third night, Yan Qiuling had fully recovered to her peak condition. Han Qing could clearly feel that her aura was no longer fluctuating, and the oppressive feeling emanating from her body was even stronger than before.

At this time, a strong wind rose at night, and the wind stirred up snow dust. For a moment, everything in front of them was covered in white. Han Qing had no choice but to lead his team to set up camp and rest at the foot of a nearby hill.

...

at the same time.

About 300 miles away from Han Qing and his group, another group was also resting.

"My lord, we have already discovered that Han Qing and his men are camped at the foot of Jianfeng Mountain, about 300 miles ahead."

Inside a tent, two people sat facing each other. The one on the left was an old man with slightly graying temples, his body as upright as a pine tree. He had only one right arm, and the other arm had only an empty sleeve.

This man is Chen Lianfeng, Chen Muxiu's most capable subordinate and also the steward of the Chen family. He has been following Chen Muxiu for fifteen years and is deeply trusted by him.

Sitting opposite Chen Muxiu was Yue Bairu.

The two players, one playing black and the other white, placed their pieces from time to time, each piece making a crisp sound as it landed on the board.

A strong wind was blowing outside, but an invisible force permeated the area around the tent, blocking out the wind and making it feel like another space.

Yue Bairu placed another white piece, and Chen Lianfeng, sitting opposite her, shook his head repeatedly and resigned.

"Miss Yue's chess skills are truly remarkable; I've lost again!"

Yue Bairu is extremely fond of playing chess. Since venturing deep into the icy plains, the two have played game after game, and Chen Lianfeng is no match for him at all, having suffered a 28-game losing streak so far.

Chen Lianfeng was a little embarrassed to continue, but Yue Bairu seemed to enjoy the feeling, so he could only grit his teeth and continue playing, and continue losing.

At that moment, a gray-clad attendant burst into the tent, knelt on one knee, and reported the latest intelligence to Chen Lianfeng.

Chen Lianfeng got up, lifted the tent flap, and glanced outside. It was still a vast expanse of white.

"When the wind stops, it is time for us to make our move! There are many experts on the ice plains now. We must fight quickly and kill Han Qing and leave immediately. We should not linger and lest we attract some terrible people."

Yue Bairu also stood up from the chair, a faint smile on her face.

“Mr. Chen, there’s no need to worry too much. I just received a message from my grandfather. All the experts on the Northern Ice Plains are joining forces to deal with the leader of the Mo family. This person’s strength is too terrifying. If we don’t force him out of the Ice Plains first, even if we wipe out the demon race, all the benefits will fall into his hands. So you can rest assured to make your move. There won’t be any top experts around here.”

"Is that so?" Chen Lianfeng was somewhat surprised.

He had also heard that the leader of the Mohist school was the number one person in the world, but he never expected him to be this strong, to the point that other forces were forced to join forces to resist him. This was too strong.

“In that case, we’ll have to rely on Miss Yue to help us kill Han Qing later,” Chen Lianfeng added.

"It's alright, I will do my best. People call me and Luo Ding the Twin Prodigies, but I've never really agreed with that. His strength is worlds apart from mine. Now that Luo Ding is dead at Han Qing's hands, I'm just curious to see what's so special about this Han Qing," Yue Bairu said with a smile.

"To achieve such success at the age of twenty is truly unbelievable." Chen Lianfeng nodded, feeling very curious about Han Qing.

"Back then, Su Jin's child disappeared in Shu. I suspect it was this Han Qing. His parents were both top experts in the world, so it's not surprising that he has unparalleled talent."

"If I'm not mistaken, he must also have the support of the Lishan Academy. If I capture him alive and interrogate him thoroughly, I can find out how many experts the Lishan Academy has now and how far its influence has grown," Yue Bairu said with a smile.

As they were talking, the howling wind outside suddenly subsided considerably.

Chen Lianfeng glanced around and saw that the white "fog" outside was rapidly dissipating.

"The wind has stopped, it's time to get started!"

He strode to the outside of the tent, his sharp gaze sweeping across the area, and shouted loudly, "Assemble!"

Wow!
A series of hurried footsteps sounded all around, and in an instant, many powerful martial artists formed four square formations.

These were the four personal guard battalions established by Chen Muxiu, each with three hundred men, divided into the Blade Battalion, Rainbow Battalion, Cloud Battalion, and Rainbow Guard Battalion. Like Qi Wufeng, Chen Muxiu, having spent so many years in Youzhou, annually conducted assessments and selections of exceptionally talented martial artists from various parts of Youzhou to become members of his personal guard battalions.

Over the years, the combined strength of these four Imperial Guard battalions has become extremely formidable.

Yue Bairu also stepped out of the tent, and with a glance, she saw that the four camps each had their own distinct characteristics.

The Blade Battalion is equipped with dual swords, the Rainbow Battalion with spears, and the Ash Battalion with bows and arrows.

From the moment they were recruited into the Intimate Guard Battalion, these people ate and lived together, practiced the same training methods and combat techniques, and continuously improved their tacit understanding with each other.

This is because the commanders and deputy commanders of these four personal guard battalions are all cultivators of the Zongheng Dao, and they all come from the Zongheng Dao Palace.

While the Zongheng Dao secret technique can combine the power of martial artists, it has a certain chance of failure.

This failure rate is linked to the level of teamwork among martial artists.

The more similar the martial artists who are united by secret techniques are to each other, the greater the success rate of the secret techniques.

These four personal guard battalions were nominally subordinate to Youzhou and Chen Muxiu, but in reality they belonged to the Zongheng Dao Palace.

At this moment, upon seeing Yue Bairu emerge from the tent, the many martial artists shouted in unison.

"See the Saint!"

The eight commanders and deputy commanders knelt down first, followed by thousands of guards who knelt on one knee and shouted in unison.

Chen Lianfeng remained calm. As a confidant of Chen Muxiu, he naturally understood the relationship between Zongheng Daogong and Chen Muxiu, and was not surprised at all by this scene.

Yue Bairu nodded slightly and said softly, "Get up, all of you. Now, follow me to kill!"

"Yes!"

1,200 men mounted their horses, all of them pure white.

Led by Chen Lianfeng, 1,200 riders sped across the icy plain, like a white torrent, exuding a fierce and soaring aura.

...

When the wind stopped, another team set off from another direction, 700 miles away from Jianfeng Mountain.

Although this team is small in number, its momentum is in no way inferior to Yue Bairu's.

The leader was Luo Yueshuang, with Luo Liang, the genius of the Luo family, standing beside her. Behind them were three top-tier elders, each with a powerful physique and exuding a fierce aura.

Behind these three were three hundred White Tiger Guards, each dressed in white robes and armor, with long swords made of refined steel at their waists, exuding a murderous aura.

"The wind has stopped!" Luo Yueshuang gazed into the distance with a deep look in her eyes. "According to intelligence, Han Qing and his group are currently at the foot of Jianfeng Mountain. Let's set off now, behead them tonight, and this matter will be over!"

"Why didn't Elder Yang come?" Luo Liang asked in confusion.

"Yang Wanxiu lost an arm and is currently recuperating at Hanzhuang Mansion. In addition, he has other missions to attend to, so he will not be traveling with us."

"However, it doesn't matter if he's not there. With my strength, capturing and killing Han Qing will be a piece of cake," Luo Yueshuang sneered.

He was a half-saint of the Legalist school, and his strength was even greater than Yang Wanxiu's. Dealing with a Spirit Refining cultivator in the Body Reincarnation Realm was a piece of cake for him.

Luo Liang nodded; he was also extremely confident in Luo Yueshuang's abilities.

"Old Luo, I'm going to have a one-on-one match with Han Qing later."

"Oh? This boy's combat strength is quite extraordinary. This is not a safe bet." Luo Yueshuang frowned.

A sinister glint flashed in Luo Liang's eyes: "I have the Seven Star Soul-Chasing Sword, killing him won't be difficult!"

He was extremely jealous of Han Qing's talent, and this jealousy evolved into a boiling murderous intent.

He pondered that he must defeat Han Qing alone, no, he must torture and kill Han Qing, only then would he feel satisfied.

Luo Yueshuang glanced at it and saw that Luo Liang was indeed carrying a large, long sword on his back, almost as tall as him, wrapped in black cloth. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't expect it to be the Seven Star Soul-Chasing Sword.

"This is one of the supreme treasures of the Yin-Yang Sect. The mother sword controls seven child swords and can set up the Starry Sky Bewitching Array to kill people silently. I didn't expect the patriarch to bestow this treasure upon you. It seems that although he keeps saying that you will experience trials of blood and fire, he is actually quite worried about your safety."

"Very well, with this magical treasure protecting you, killing Han Qing won't be difficult." Luo Yueshuang nodded slightly and no longer tried to stop her.

...

At the foot of Jianfeng Mountain.

The Tiger Might Battalion of 3,000 men rested here.

In the very center of the camp, Han Qing and Yan Qiuling sat facing each other, with a pot of fine wine, named Green Ant, warming in front of them.

"This is a fine wine that only members of my demon royal family can enjoy. The green ants are a peculiar beast from the depths of the ice plains called the Heavenly Horned Ant. It is born with immense strength, and the wine brewed from it has extraordinary medicinal properties."

As Yan Qiuling explained, she poured Han Qing a cup of warm wine.

After spending the last few days together, Yan Qiuling had completely let down her guard against Han Qing, and there was no longer a sense of distance between them as before.

Yan Qiuling also became much more casual, sometimes giving Han Qing the illusion that the person sitting in front of him was not a top expert who dominated the world, but just an ordinary girl next door.

Numerous thoughts arose and vanished in an instant, but Han Qing had already returned to a state of perfect tranquility. He picked up his wine glass and drank the greenish-blue wine in one gulp.

In an instant, Han Qing felt a tremendous force surging through his limbs and bones, and his blood and qi were boiling and churning.

"Good wine!"

Han Qing couldn't help but praise.

"Drinking Green Ant Wine regularly can increase strength and strengthen bones; it is one of the ten most famous wines in the world." Yan Qiuling smiled faintly.

"Then I'll have to drink a few more cups." Han Qing smiled, took the wine pot again, and drank several large cups in a row. His body became incredibly warm, as if he were in a heater.

Yan Qiuling suddenly joked, "You're drinking so happily, aren't you afraid I'll poison your wine? There are many strange poisons in the world that can control a person's mind without anyone noticing. With your outstanding talent, if I wanted to harm you and take you as my slave, you would have already fallen for it."

Han Qing also laughed and said, "After spending these past few days together, I've observed that Miss Yan is a person of integrity who would disdain such despicable means."

Besides, Miss Yan has helped me many times, and she is already a close friend in my heart. I have always been sincere to my close friends. If I were to die at her hands, I would accept it. As the old saying goes, "To die under a peony is to die a romantic death." To die at the hands of such a peerless beauty as you would be a blessing in disguise.

Upon hearing this, Yan Qiuling feigned anger and said, "Hmph, I thought you were a virtuous and upright gentleman, but I didn't expect you to be such a glib-tongued person."

Although she said that, Yan Qiuling was quite happy inside.

These past few days, the two have been traveling together, discussing everything from ancient times to the present. Han Qing's knowledge and eloquence have greatly surprised her. There are many secrets that even she doesn't know, but Han Qing knows them perfectly well.

She has been exceptionally talented and privileged since childhood, a true darling of heaven. Her standards are also extremely high, and very few men can gain her approval. Now, there is one more: Han Qing.

His talent, temperament, eloquence, and knowledge are all top-notch.

Putting everything else aside, in terms of talent alone, she is outmatched.

A man who can gain her approval must be superior to her in one or more aspects.

"It seems Miss Yan also appreciates sincere people. To be honest, I am familiar with all kinds of poisons in the world. Even if Miss Yan were to use poison, I would be able to identify it immediately," Han Qing said with a smile, putting down his wine cup.

"You are quite confident, but I wonder where this confidence comes from?" Yan Qiuling said, pouring herself a glass of green ant wine and sipping it slowly.

"The Yellow Springs Poison Codex is the number one poison codex in the world. It contains information on all the poisons in the world, and I am very familiar with this poison codex," Han Qing explained.

"Oh? There are such extraordinary books in the world? How interesting!" Yan Qiuling exclaimed in surprise.

"If Miss Yan is curious, I will give it to you." As Han Qing spoke, he sent a thought into Yan Qiuling's body, transmitting all the contents of the Yellow Spring Poison Scripture to her.

Yan Qiuling closed her eyes slightly and pondered silently for a while, having already memorized all the contents of the Yellow Springs Poison Scripture.

She suddenly opened her eyes, a look of surprise flashing across them.

"This Hundred Poisons Techniques is indeed very comprehensive, covering almost all poisons and toxic substances I know. You are not lying to me."

Moreover, it contains a Poison Dao Refining Spirit Technique and a spell called Azure Heaven and Yellow Springs, truly invaluable. And you just gave me this secret technique like that?

“Miss Yan, you are my friend. A magic spell is nothing, but if it benefits you, I am very happy,” Han Qing said in a deep voice.

Yan Qiuling nodded slightly: "You are sincere to people, and you are indeed trustworthy."

Just then, a murderous glint flashed in Yan Qiuling's beautiful eyes.

"Someone's coming to kill us!"

Han Qing frowned and stood up from the chair.

Which faction?

Yan Qiuling closed her eyes slightly, already sensing the strange beasts scattered around the camp.

She could share the five senses with these strange beasts. After a short while, she opened her eyes and said coldly, "It's the Luo family. I recognize the person leading the group. It's Luo Yueshuang, the eldest elder of the Luo family, a half-saint of the Legalist school!"

Han Qing raised an eyebrow and sneered, "It seems the Luo family is determined to get rid of me this time, even sending out Luo Yueshuang, a half-saint of the Legalist school."

He suddenly felt a surge of relief; thankfully, he had encountered Yan Qiuling, otherwise this battle would have been extremely dangerous.

Since she is a half-saint, she must also be a martial saint, so Luo Yueshuang's combat power must be stronger than Yang Wanxiu's.

Although he was confident, he also understood that even if his large group of people joined forces and fought desperately, they would not be a match for Luo Yueshuang.

“Besides Luo Yueshuang, there are three other martial arts grandmasters. The Luo family is indeed well-prepared,” Yan Qiuling added. “But you don’t need to worry. With me here, no one can touch you. I will definitely wipe them out!”

Putting aside Han Qing, the Luo family is also her enemy, and she would not hesitate to kill them all.

With such a great expert as Yan Qiuling around, Han Qing felt quite at ease.

So what if she's a half-saint? Since Yan Qiuling was rated as one of the top ten masters in the world by the Yin Yang Sect's Grand Master of Fate, her combat power must be above Luo Yueshuang's. As for the three martial arts grandmasters, they are not worth fearing. The only thing to be careful about is whether Yang Wanxiu is also nearby.

Even if it were a Martial Saint plus a Half-Saint, he wasn't sure if Yan Qiuling alone could handle it.

However, there's no use thinking about that now. No matter how many powerful enemies there are, he can't beg for mercy. He can only fight to the death.

With this thought in mind, Han Qing got up and went outside the tent, shouting loudly, "Bai Yunfei, enemy attack! Quickly assemble the troops!"

Bai Yunfei was practicing his boxing skills in an open space not far away when he heard Han Qing's words and immediately started moving.

Accompanied by a long and loud bugle call, all three thousand soldiers in the camp sprang into action.

In a short while, everyone had assembled, clad in armor, wielding swords, their expressions solemn, ready for battle.

Han Qing nodded slightly, quite satisfied with the swiftness of the assembly.

Yan Qiuling secretly praised Han Qing, who was only twenty years old and had managed to train three thousand soldiers to be obedient. She was quite satisfied with his ability.

"Sir, the entire camp has assembled!" Bai Yunfei reported loudly as he approached Han Qing.

Han Qing remained silent, while Yan Qiuling said, "Han Qing, the enemy is rushing in from the northeast at high speed. I will go to meet them first, and you can bring your men and follow later."

As Yan Qiuling was about to leave, Han Qing said, "Wait, Miss Yan, I'll take the Nine Elders of the Crimson Dragon with me. The enemy has a large number of people and is powerful. Although you are strong, you should still be careful."

Yan Qiuling thought for a moment and said, "Alright!"

"Bai Yunfei, you take your men and follow behind." Han Qing said, then leaped onto his horse and galloped rapidly northeast with the Nine Elders of the Crimson Dragon. Yan Qiuling was even more unrestrained, taking flight and quickly disappearing into the horizon.

Han Qing was filled with envy upon seeing this scene. At the Half-Saint realm, the power of one's Dharma thoughts had become incredibly strong. With a single thought, one could stir up wind and dust, lifting one's body into the sky.

"It'll be soon. This trip to the Ice Plains will surely allow me, Han Qing, to break through to the Half-Saint realm!"

Han Qing ran while pondering to himself.

...

same moment.

The Luo family members were also on the wasteland, riding horses at top speed towards Jianfeng Mountain.

Halfway there, Luo Liang began to sense that something was amiss.

He saw snow wolves and even snow bears appearing around him from time to time, their eyes gleaming with a human-like light.

He was knowledgeable and knew that Taoist practitioners of spiritual cultivation had the ability to control all beasts and share the five senses, so he was extremely vigilant.

(End of this chapter)