The First Sage of Military Strategists

"With this man's strength, if he survives this battle, he will surely become famous. Who he is will naturally come to light then. Let's go and continue searching for Zhou Xiaoru. This man must be hiding somewhere in this city!" As Temu Yuanzhen spoke, he leaped up and flew rapidly toward the direction from which loud fighting sounds were coming from.

He felt that wherever there was intense fighting, it was possible that experts from other forces were besieging Zhou Xiaoru.

Just now, Han Qing and his companion were ambushed because the two made a lot of noise when they attacked the zombies, which was clearly heard by four people passing by.

the other side.

Han Qing and his companion flew forward at high speed and soon landed on the roof of a pavilion ahead.

"Han Qing, I didn't expect that even with the three of you working together, you were completely unharmed." Yan Qiuling's eyes gleamed with admiration.

Han Qing nodded slightly; this battle had made him even more confident.

"The master of the Sky Wolf Fortress is a renowned top expert, but after today's exchange, I think the others are nothing special."

"Han Qing, you're right. I'm more confident now. However, the most urgent thing is to find my father as soon as possible. But this ancient city is so big, and we can't just keep searching aimlessly." Yan Qiuling frowned.

As they were talking, suddenly, a deafening roar came from ahead.

"Such a loud noise and such intense fighting must mean that top experts are clashing," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

"Let's go take a look!"

The two took to the air and quickly approached the source of the sound. They found no trace of the Demon Emperor, but there were indeed two groups of experts fighting.

One side came from the Holy Desert Empire, and the other from the Western Barbarians.

Han Qing and his companion had no intention of interfering. This ancient city was fraught with danger, and it was best to avoid taking action if possible and preserve their strength to deal with any enemies that might appear at any time.

"Let's go!! To the next place!" Han Qing said.

Both of them had keen senses and could hear everything that was happening around them.

"There's a fight going on in the northwest!" Yan Qiuling whispered.

The two quickly changed direction and sped off towards the northwest.

This time, the two arrived a step too late. By the time they reached the source of the fighting, the battle was already over. All they could see were collapsed buildings and crisscrossing sword and knife marks on the ground.

And so, the two continued flying forward, delving ever deeper into the ancient city.

Suddenly, Yan Qiuling saw a golden dragon soaring into the sky from the depths of the ancient city.

“It’s Xiang Ying!” Yan Qiuling whispered. “Xiang Ying’s martial arts essence can be transformed into a golden dragon soaring upwards.”

"Let's go take a look!" Han Qing said in a deep voice.

A hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes. Who exactly was this young, yet renowned leader of the Chu rebels, who could so easily manipulate events?
So the two of them flew rapidly forward in the direction from which the sound came from.

As they ventured deeper, the swirling black fog around them grew increasingly dense.

Han Qing frowned. He noticed that the rate at which his blood flowed out had accelerated, and the black mist had a noticeable bewitching effect.

With a thought, he released his malevolent energy, enveloping himself and Yan Qiuling within it, while also isolating the churning black energy around them.

Yan Qiuling also made her move at the same time, her magical thoughts gathering into a fire dragon to clear a path in front of them. The rolling black mist was burned and dissipated, quickly opening a passage in front of the two of them.

As they continued forward, the sounds of fighting ahead grew louder and louder.

The two looked at each other, their expressions quite solemn.

Han Qing could clearly sense that there were no fewer than a dozen experts fighting ahead, and the fighting was more intense than anywhere else before.

"It's probably very dangerous ahead, so we need to be careful," Han Qing warned.

"Okay!" Yan Qiuling nodded slightly.

Thus, the two flew forward for a distance and finally reached the edge of the battlefield, where they saw no fewer than thirty powerful individuals fighting.

Han Qing glanced around and immediately saw a group of Great Yu cultivators fighting against a powerful demon.

These cultivators are divided into two factions. One faction carries many magical treasures and uses them as the main weapons with spells as a secondary weapon. The other faction uses talismans as the main weapon and throws out talismans, which can be lightning or fire, to attack enemies from all directions.

“These are cultivators of the Great Yu Lingbao Dao and Lingqing Dao.” Yan Qiuling whispered from the side.

Their opponents were seven or eight powerful demons, all of whom had obvious demon characteristics.

The fight between the two sides was extremely fierce.

The talismans occasionally unleashed violent explosions, but the powerful demon warriors possessed formidable physiques, enduring the attacks of these talismanic artifacts and constantly counterattacking, resulting in a stalemate for the time being.

Yan Qiuling glanced around and couldn't wait to make a move, because she saw many familiar faces. Among these powerful demons, many of them had grown up with her since childhood.

Han Qing stopped her, saying in a deep voice, "Don't rush, let's take another look. The situation is complicated right now, and once you get involved, it will be hard to get out. Before you make a move, you should assess the situation first."

Yan Qiuling hesitated for a moment, then chose to follow Han Qing's advice and observe from the pavilion, without immediately joining the battle.

The two were enveloped in a malevolent aura, so their identities would not be revealed unless someone specifically investigated them.

In fact, a large group of powerful individuals have already gathered in this area, and quite a few have chosen to wait and see.

These people all used various methods to hide themselves, keeping a distance from each other, all hoping to take advantage of the chaos.

Suddenly, a strong wind arose out of nowhere, followed by a thick white fog that enveloped a large area, forcing all the powerful figures nearby to retreat.

The next instant, the white mist suddenly dissipated, and everything within the mist's reach was frozen, its surface covered with thick layers of frost, turning into ice sculptures.

Everyone was shocked. Freezing such a large area in an instant was an incredibly terrifying feat.

Han Qing was also drawn to this scene and looked ahead. He saw a middle-aged man in a scholar's robe slowly descending from the sky to the top floor of a tall building, waving a white feather fan.

This person naturally exuded an air of refinement, clearly a top-tier Confucian spiritual cultivator.

“Zhou Xiaoru,” Yan Qiuling whispered a name from the side.

Many people nearby also focused their attention on the middle-aged man, their eyes gleaming with greed.

Rumors circulate that Zhou Xiaoru possesses a boundary marker, an ancient treasure that everyone would covet.

Zhou Xiaoru could also feel the unfriendly gazes cast by the many powerful figures around him. He said calmly, "If any of you dare to make a move, then go ahead and do it. I, Zhou, will accompany you to the end!"

His words were a direct admission of his identity, which made the eyes of many people around him even more fervent and frenzied.

"I am Zhou Xiaoru, the abbot of the Tiancong Temple of the Great Yu Dynasty. The Boundless Stele is an ancient treasure that you cannot possess. I advise you to hand it over, otherwise you will be surrounded and killed by the crowd and will surely die."

A man stood on the roof of a pavilion not far away, shouting to Zhou Xiaoru from afar. He held a long sword in his hand, wore a white robe, and exuded a surging aura.

Han Qing had never heard of this person before, but anyone who dared to step into the ancient city and gain a foothold here must be no weakling.

“If you dare, come and get it!” Zhou Xiaoru replied calmly.

He continued to wave his fan calmly and unhurriedly, without the slightest hint of panic on his face, displaying a composed and unhurried demeanor.

The abbot of Tiancong Temple also had a fiery temper, and upon hearing these words, an angry expression appeared on his face.

"I'd like to see just how capable you are."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man leaped up and charged at Zhou Xiaoru with his sword.

Just as Zhou Xiaoru was about to make a move, he suddenly frowned and turned his gaze to a nearby pavilion that was frozen in ice.

boom!
The attic exploded with a deafening roar, turning into ice shards that scattered in all directions.

"Get out of my way! You dare to lay a hand on me?"

The crowd first heard a young man's voice drifting out from the scattered ice shards, and then saw a figure rush out from within, crashing straight into the Abbot of Tiancong Temple.

Before the latter could even let out a scream, its body was blasted apart in mid-air, turning into a cloud of blood mist that scattered in all directions.

Instant kill!

In an instant, countless eyes in the entire arena converged on this figure who had suddenly appeared.

"Xiang Ying!"

So it was Xiang Ying! No wonder he has such terrifying strength!

"He killed the Abbot of Tiancong Temple in one move. Although the Abbot of Tiancong Temple was not very famous and his strength was not considered top-notch, he didn't even have a chance to struggle. This Xiang Ying's strength is really terrifying."

Everyone was amazed.

Han Qing was also sizing up this renowned leader of the Chu rebels.

He held a large halberd in his hand, wore light gold armor, stood nine feet tall, and exuded an air of arrogance.

Under the light of the Dharma, white mist swirled around his body, occasionally coalescing into a soaring golden dragon.

Xiang Ying's gaze turned icy as he swept his eyes over the group of powerful figures around him, and he said in a deep voice, "Anyone who dares to interfere will suffer the consequences!"

As he spoke, he stretched his limbs, and a series of crackling sounds emanated from his body. Even from a distance, Han Qing could clearly hear the sound of his blood and qi flowing.

Many people around him looked solemn, their eyes filled with deep apprehension.

Just by looking at his past experiences, one can know how strong Xiang Ying is. He was able to thrive amidst the encirclement and attack of various masters in Dayu, and led the Chu rebel army to move around and grow stronger. This would be absolutely impossible without super strong combat power.

Moreover, everyone knows that this hero is born with supreme bones, meaning that his physical constitution is the best in history.

This means that, at the same level of martial arts skill, no one else can match him.

No one knows exactly how terrifying the boost to combat power the Supreme Martial Bone can bring, but we can get a glimpse of it from the fact that he shattered the Heavenly Abbot with a single punch.

For a moment, no one responded to Xiang Ying's words; they were all uncertain and adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

Xiang Ying ignored everyone else around her and turned her gaze to Zhou Xiaoru in front of her.

"Mr. Zhou's move, Cold River Ode, was indeed powerful! However, I possess the Supreme Martial Bone and the Vajra Body, which are indestructible. This move alone is not enough to kill me. If you do not have a more powerful means, I advise you to submit to me. I, Xiang Yingcai, am the leader of the next era."

As Xiang Ying spoke, a smile played on her lips, and an air of arrogant arrogance emanated from her.

Zhou Xiaoru chose to respond with action. He suddenly waved his folding fan, and round, full characters that radiated golden light flew out from his body, intertwining to form an article above his head.

The article immediately stirred the power of heaven and earth, and in an instant, thousands of golden flying swords shot towards Xiang Ying.

Confucianism uses literature to convey the Way, and through the interaction between Heaven and humanity, it mobilizes the power of Heaven and Earth. Among all schools of thought, its magic is the most versatile.

"Well done!"

Xiang Ying burst into laughter, leaped into the air, and charged towards Zhou Xiaoru, meeting the flying sword head-on. In an instant, explosions echoed between the two of them once again.

Just then, another battle nearby attracted the attention of countless people.

The two figures collided violently in mid-air, and one of them crashed to the ground, creating a large crater and sending up a cloud of dust.

"Peng Tian Diao, you dare to challenge me to a duel with such meager abilities? You overestimate yourself! You betrayed me back then, and I only managed to let you escape the Ice Plains by chance. Today, I'll settle both old and new scores!"

Han Qing was the first to see a middle-aged man with a resolute face wearing a dark gold crown looking down at the earth from the sky.

Without Yan Qiuling's introduction, Han Qing already understood that this person was the Demon Emperor.

He possessed a burgeoning kingly aura, his eyes were bright and piercing, and he exuded an invincible spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers.

Directly below this person, in a large pit, lay a man with dark purple markings on his face, emanating an extremely powerful aura, though far inferior to that of the demon emperor above.

"Peng Tian Diao? Could he be the Tian Diao King among the top ten masters?" Han Qing murmured.

“It is him. Several years ago, this man plotted to seize the throne of the Demon Emperor. He was discovered by my father and was lucky enough to save his life. He fled the Ice Plains and lived in hiding in the Great Yu. I never expected that he would dare to come back.” Yan Qiuling said through gritted teeth.

Peng Tianmiao was clearly seriously injured, with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

He gently wiped away the bloodstain, stood up, raised his head, looked up at the Demon Emperor, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

"Demon Emperor, so what if you are stronger than me? Today, there are countless experts here, all of whom have come for you. You are doomed!"

The Demon Emperor did not answer, but suddenly descended. Behind him was a pair of wings covered with black scales, resembling both a dragon and a snake.

With a violent flap of its wings, the Demon Emperor transformed into a swift arrow, pouncing fiercely towards the Pengtian Sable below.

However, a large group of experts suddenly rushed out from behind Peng Tian Diao to help him. Each of them held a long sword and attacked the Demon Emperor at the same time.

The Demon Emperor chose to evade, refusing to continue his attack against the sharp and powerful sword energy.

However, as he retreated, many powerful demons came to his aid.

In an instant, this area became a chaotic battleground for various factions.

On one side was the Sword Palace, and on the other was the Demon Clan. The two sides fought fiercely, with swords flashing like needles and blood falling like rain.

However, the Demon Emperor was still superior, and once again knocked Peng Tian Diao to the ground in the melee.

Just as he was about to deliver the final blow and completely annihilate the Heavenly Sable King, someone unexpectedly intervened to stop him.

In the far distance, a beam of colorful light suddenly streaked across the sky and struck.

The Demon Emperor frowned, leaped into the air, and dodged. The colorful light then struck a Sword Palace expert behind him, blasting his body apart in mid-air, causing blood to fall like rain.

The onlookers were all startled and looked toward the source of the colorful light, wondering which expert was behind it and how the power of the magic was so terrifying.
“Lingbao Daozun Cao Buhui!” Yan Qiuling whispered.

She remained calm and did not rush to make a move. Firstly, she knew her father's strength and that he was capable of handling the current situation. Secondly, there were still many powerful figures lurking nearby, and waiting for the situation to change might be a better option.

Han Qing nodded slightly, his gaze also taking in this world-renowned top expert.

This person is obese, with a kind smile on his face, and holds a colorful and exquisite pagoda that is half the height of a person in one hand.

"Demon Emperor, come with me!" Cao Buhui said with a smile.

"Then let's see what you're capable of!"

The Demon Emperor ignored the Heavenly Sable King. With such a powerful expert as Cao Buhui obstructing him, it was impossible to kill this traitor. He had to eliminate Cao Buhui, the biggest threat, first.

The next instant, an astonishing aura suddenly erupted from the Demon Emperor.

"die!"

He struck Cao Buhui with a palm strike from a distance, and wisps of black energy appeared all over his body, converging into black snakes above his head.

The serpent was so lifelike and terrifying that it was impossible to tell whether it was real or fake with the naked eye. When Han Qing looked at the serpent, he felt an indescribable chill and dread.

"This is sorcery!"

He murmured to himself, recalling Yan Qiuling's description of demonic magic.

Demonic magic requires sacrificing one's vital energy to unleash, and after the Demon Emperor used this move, his physique clearly became somewhat weaker.

Those who are not physically strong enough or whose blood and energy are not sufficient cannot unleash powerful demonic arts, which is why it is difficult for humans to learn and practice them.

The demon race has a strong physique and naturally has more vital energy than the human race, so they don't have much trouble using it.

Han Qingxin said that this trip to the ancient city, regardless of how much she gained, broadened her horizons considerably.

He saw many spells and magical artifacts that he had only read about in books before, such as demonic magic and the Seven-Colored Exquisite Pagoda.

The latter is a treasured artifact of the Lingbao Taoist Temple in the capital, possessing immense power.

With the arrival of renowned masters like Cao Buhui, the Demon Emperor, and Xiang Ying, he gained a clearer understanding of their relative strengths.

As I was pondering this, another loud roar sounded from ahead.

A dozen thick, powerful serpents and the colorful light shooting from the Seven-Colored Exquisite Pagoda collided in mid-air, triggering a series of explosions.

Seeing this, the sword palace experts and demon clan powerhouses who were still fighting nearby dared not approach and all moved away.

That wasn't all; two more towering statues appeared simultaneously above the Demon Emperor's head and above Cao Buhui's head.

The image of the Demon Emperor is extremely unique. Its upper body is human, its lower body is a snake tail, and at the top are three proud and upright snake heads. It also has four long arms, each holding a snake spear.

The divine statue that Cao Buhui conjured was Lingbao Daozun, with precious light flowing all over its body.

Upon closer inspection, the statue was wearing a garment made of hundreds of different magical treasures interwoven together, making it a veritable "garment of a hundred treasures."

The two statues sparked another earth-shattering battle. Each collision affected the surrounding buildings, making the already dilapidated ancient city even more ruined, and this large area was almost reduced to ruins.

However, the contest between experts won't last too long.

After about a dozen breaths, the winner was decided.

The Lingbao Daozun statue was ultimately a step behind in combat power. It was pierced through the body by the serpent spear in the hand of the demon emperor's statue, and suddenly exploded in mid-air, turning into a gust of yin wind that drifted between heaven and earth.

Cao Buhui let out a muffled groan, activated the Seven-Colored Exquisite Pagoda, and flew away into the distance in a flash.

Han Qing looked in the direction the creature was fleeing and suddenly saw several figures in a pavilion. He recognized one of them even if he turned to ashes; it was Yang Wanxiu.

Just as the Demon Emperor was about to give chase, he suddenly glanced around and saw that the battle between Zhou Xiaoru and Xiang Ying had come to a conclusion.

Zhou Xiaoru was no match for Xiang Ying. He was hit in the body by a punch and flew sideways, crashing into a building behind him.

This punch was extremely powerful, and Zhou Xiaoru also spat out a mouthful of blood, his momentum plummeted, and he was clearly seriously injured.

Xiang Ying soared through the air and declared loudly, "Mr. Zhou, how is my combat strength?"

Zhou Xiaoru coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of bloody foam.

"Your combat strength is formidable. As expected of someone born with double pupils and supreme martial bones, I, Zhou, am completely humbled!"

Xiang Ying laughed loudly: "Mr. Zhou, you are now in dire straits. You have the Boundary Marker in your hand. As long as you hand it over to me, I will lead you out of the encirclement. How about it?"

Zhou Xiaoru shook his head: "I will never hand over the Boundless Stele. Madam Su gave me this stele so that I could give it to her child. I would rather die than give it to you. If you want it, kill me first!"

When Zhou Xiaoru spoke, his tone remained very calm, yet he seemed to have a fearless attitude towards death.

"Stubborn fool! Yuelu Academy is already a ruin. What's the point of you clinging to your past vows?" Xiang Ying's tone turned cold, and a murderous intent surged in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Han Qing's heart stirred, and a strong thought suddenly arose in his mind: he had to find a way to save Zhou Xiaoru.

Even if Zhou Xiaoru did not have a boundary marker, he did not want to see such a loyal and righteous person die.

Just as I was pondering this, another unexpected event occurred.

Under the sky.

Suddenly, a small stone tablet appeared in the Demon Emperor's palm. The tablet was covered with dense, granular inscriptions that floated up and down.

"Xiang Ying, the Boundary Marker is in my hands. If you want it, come and take it!"

After saying this, the Demon Emperor flapped his wings and suddenly took flight, creating a gust of wind as he sped deeper into the ancient city.

As soon as the Demon Emperor made his move, many powerful figures around him sprang into action, chasing after him at breakneck speed in the direction he had fled.

Han Qing also saw the Boundless Stele. He could clearly tell that the Boundless Stele was real. The runes intertwined to form intricate patterns. Even without being activated, just looking at it would make one's consciousness irresistibly drawn into it.

By doing this, the Demon Emperor essentially transferred all the pressure that Zhou Xiaoru was under onto himself.

Those who had previously wanted to attack Zhou Xiaoru instantly lost interest in him and turned to hunting down the Demon Emperor.

The Demon Emperor's situation thus became even more dangerous.

In just a few breaths, more than half of the top experts in the vicinity disappeared, all of them going to pursue the Demon Emperor.

Unable to contain her worry, Yan Qiuling leaped up and chased after them.

Han Qing hesitated for a moment, then transmitted his voice from afar, saying, "Qiu Ling, I will save Mr. Zhou first. Such a loyal and righteous person should not die here."

Yan Qiuling immediately replied, "Okay, but you have to be careful. There are still quite a few people here who want to make a move against Zhou Xiaoru, especially Xiang Ying, who is extremely powerful."

"It's alright. If things don't work out, I'm confident I can escape!" Han Qing replied.

The two had a very brief conversation, and then Yan Qiuling disappeared into the distance with that group of powerful individuals.

Han Qing wasn't worried about not being able to find them. When the Demon Emperor made his move, it was extremely loud. If he listened carefully, he could easily pinpoint his location.

At this time, some powerful individuals remained in the vicinity, among whom Xiang Ying was the strongest.

For some reason, Xiang Ying did not chase after them, but a large group of Sword Palace experts, led by Peng Tiandiao, did follow.

“Mr. Zhou, since you don’t have the Boundless Monument, then you have nothing to worry about. Submit to me, and I will lead you out!” Xiang Ying suddenly said.

Zhou Xiaoru shook his head: "You are cruel and I am not willing to work for you. If you want to take action, then go ahead and do it."

"Mr. Zhou, it seems you're not afraid of death, then I'll grant your wish!"

This time, Xiang Ying was completely enraged. He suddenly moved, transforming into a streak of light and rushing towards Zhou Xiaoru.

Han Qing, who had been watching from the shadows, dared not hesitate any longer. He rushed out from the side and stood in front of Zhou Xiaoru, his fist meeting Xiang Ying's fist.

A loud bang was heard, and a violent roar resounded throughout the world.

Their fists collided violently, and they were forced to retreat to the sides.

Han Qing retreated even further, feeling a tingling numbness throughout his right arm.

"What a powerful Supreme Martial Bone! This is the first time I've encountered a situation where my power is suppressed. If we were to fight in close combat without going all out, I'm afraid I wouldn't be a match for this person." Han Qing quickly analyzed and compared the strength of the two combatants in his mind.

Judging solely from physical strength, he could clearly sense that he was inferior to Xiang Ying.

Xiang Ying also frowned, looking Han Qing up and down with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Firstly, because Han Qing looked quite young, and his face was unfamiliar; he had never seen him before.

However, he was only slightly surprised by this, but he didn't take it to heart, because there are many martial arts, magical treasures, and spells in this world that can change one's appearance. Perhaps it was some old monster who had been famous for a long time but was unwilling to show his face, so he changed his appearance to make a move.

Secondly, in the exchange of blows, he surprisingly felt that he did not have much of an advantage.

When Zhou Xiaoru saw Han Qing's back, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He couldn't understand why someone would save him at this time, especially since he didn't even know this person.

The next moment, Han Qing transmitted his voice to Zhou Xiaoru from a distance, revealing his identity.

“Mr. Zhou, I am the person you’ve been waiting for. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me now. I’ll take you away from here, and you’ll see for yourself later!”

Han Qing understood that he had to gain Zhou Xiaoru's trust before he could take him away from here.

"you wanna die!"

Although Xiang Ying was confused, she did not want to find the solution. Instead, she soared into the air and charged straight at Han Qing.

He had only one thought: to smash Han Qing's body with one punch and intimidate everyone else around him.

Han Qing dared not be careless. Judging from his aura alone, Xiang Ying was at least on par with the Demon Emperor, making him the strongest and most unapproachable figure in this desolate city.

He immediately stopped circulating the Ceasefire Sutra, and the evil energy entered his body, dissipating and condensing into a domain, forming an evil armor and gathering military power.

After a series of preparatory activities, Xiang Ying's fist approached, and Han Qing also threw a punch.

This punch carried boundless military might and profound true intent. With the dual enhancement of baleful energy and baleful armor, its power was more than ten times that of the previous punch.

Not only that, Han Qing also used the first-class fist technique, the Empty Fist. It can be said that he had given it his all with this punch.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, their fists collided violently again, this time with an even louder sound, but the result was completely different.

Xiang Ying was blasted back and flew backward.

This scene shocked many onlookers nearby.

"Xiang Ying, with his supreme martial prowess, was actually blasted away by a single punch?"

"Who is this person?"

"What terrifying punching power!"

...

However, Han Qing showed no joy at this moment.

Although he won, he could sense that Xiang Ying hadn't used his full strength.

The latter is an extremely conceited and arrogant person.

He must have had many trump cards up his sleeve, but he felt he didn't need to use them to deal with me, so he suffered a great loss when he finally made his move.

Han Qing knew nothing else, but he was certain that Xiang Ying's arm was broken.

He heard a crisp cracking sound and saw his right arm twisted and deformed.

"go!"

Without hesitation, Han Qing turned around, grabbed Zhou Xiaoru's arm, activated the Zhige Jing, and soared into the sky with a gust of yin wind.

Xiang Ying steadied himself and felt a burning pain in his right arm. His eyes first flashed with disbelief, then with boundless rage.

He has an extremely volatile temper and is a vindictive person; if he suffers a loss, he will definitely retaliate!
However, just as he was about to give chase, he suddenly frowned and dodged to the left.

A streak of seven-colored light flew past where he had just stood, landing on an open space not far away and causing an explosion.

Xiang Ying turned around and stared at Cao Buhui, who was holding the colorful pagoda and smiling broadly, on the pavilion not far away.

"Cao Buhui, then we'll start with you!" Xiang Ying said in a deep voice.

Cao Buhui laughed and said, "You dodged very quickly, but you are injured. Now is the perfect time to kill you. I am just about to give it a try."

In that brief delay, Xiang Ying glanced around and found that Han Qing had already vanished without a trace.

His face grew even darker, and his eyes flashed with anger.

"You deserve to die! What's wrong with giving you a hand? I think it's time to change the abbot of Lingbao Taoist Temple!" Xiang Ying said in a deep voice.

...

the other side.

Han Qing carried Zhou Xiaoru at breakneck speed, and only when they could no longer hear the sounds of fighting behind them did the two land on the roof of a nearby pavilion.

“Mr. Zhou, please heal your wounds here. There are some people following you, who are probably up to no good. With me here, there’s no need to worry about them,” Han Qing said gently.

He glanced around and saw seven or eight figures following him, but none of them dared to make a move. They simply stood nearby, observing and waiting for an opportunity.

The punch Han Qing delivered that injured Xiang Ying earlier has made these people extremely wary.

Although they had some strength, they were no match for Xiang Ying and dared not provoke him. However, they were somewhat unwilling because Zhou Xiaoru was seriously injured. If they could kill him, they might gain a great reward.

Zhou Xiaoru did not rush to respond to Han Qing. He immediately sat cross-legged on the ground and began to heal his injuries.

He took out a crystal "bead" from his pocket, about the size of a thumb.

Han Qing smelled a sweet fragrance from the pearl, but also felt a chill wash over him, as if he were being frozen solid.

"Is this the Snow Lotus Seed?" Han Qing murmured.

He had heard Yan Qiuling describe this object before, and it was exactly the same as the ice crystal bead in front of him.

Zhou Xiaoru nodded slightly: "It is indeed the Ice Mountain Snow Lotus Seed. This thing is the coldest seed in the world. If someone below the level of a half-saint swallows it, their soul and body will be frozen, and they will enter a near-death state. As the ice and snow melt, they will slowly recover. This process is like going from death to life. There is a certain chance that they can overcome the fear between life and death, break through the mental barrier, and become a half-saint!"
"But if I consume it after achieving the rank of a semi-saint, I can draw upon the extreme cold energy within the Iceberg Snow Lotus Seed to seal away internal injuries. The situation is critical now; I must first ensure I possess sufficient combat strength."

"I see." Han Qing nodded slightly.

He had previously considered using the Iceberg Snow Lotus Seed to break through to the Half-Saint realm, but now he no longer needs to.

Zhou Xiaoru immediately swallowed the iceberg snow lotus seed, and waves of cold air rose from his abdomen, quickly spreading throughout his body.

Guided by it, the cold air quickly gathered at the wound.

Han Qing could see clearly that Zhou Xiaoru had several lacerations on his chest, with blood flowing from the wounds.

Due to the severity of the injury, even though Zhou Xiaoru was a martial saint with a body healing ability far exceeding that of ordinary people, the wound was difficult to heal quickly.

However, as the cold air rushed in, the wound was immediately frozen, and the blood stopped flowing.

A short while later, Zhou Xiaoru opened his eyes. Although his face was still very pale, his breathing had stabilized considerably. (End of Chapter)