The First Sage of Military Strategists

Liu Tianhe frowned as he flipped through the secret letters on the table.

This secret letter contained battle reports from major cities in Liangzhou.

Liu Tianhe read letter after letter, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. He slammed his hand on the table, stood up from his chair, and sneered, "The situation in Liangzhou is in dire straits, and rebel armies are rising up everywhere. This is all inextricably linked to the Yin Yang Sect!"

A strange light flashed in Bai Fengzhen's eyes. He knew that Liu Tianhe was extremely shrewd and never showed his emotions. This behavior could only mean one thing: the situation was really bad.

"My lord, if all else fails, then wipe out these demons. Although that Shao Siming is in Liangzhou, you have many experts by your side, so you are not afraid of her."

"This matter is not so simple. Do you think I want to allow the Yin-Yang Sect to grow and expand in Liangzhou? It's all because of the Crown Prince and that big shot in the Han family. Hmph, they want to cultivate and condense the Yin-Yang Curse Seal, so they need a lot of Yin-Yang Qi. And I only sit in this position because of the Crown Prince. I have no choice but to obey his orders. As long as the Crown Prince doesn't give in, I can't take action against the Yin-Yang Sect." Liu Jinchen's words were filled with resentment.

A look of surprise flashed in Bai Fengzhen's eyes. This was the first time Liu Tianhe had mentioned such inside information to him, and he couldn't help but feel shocked.

The Crown Prince was actually colluding with the Yin-Yang Sect, and even had Han Yi behind him?

"No wonder the Yin-Yang Sect has become increasingly prosperous in the Great Yu in recent years; it turns out they have someone in the court supporting them," Bai Fengzhen murmured.

"Hmph? Not only that, Liangzhou is suffering from a severe drought, and the disaster relief grain is delayed. It was the Crown Prince and Han Yi who did the dirty work behind the scenes. It's chaotic enough that refugees are everywhere, which makes it easier for them to buy young men and women to condense the Yin-Yang Curse Seal. All the infamy for this has fallen on my head." Liu Jinchen's eyes flashed with cold light.

Upon hearing this, Bai Fengzhen frowned, feeling that Han Yi and his group were truly despicable, treating the common people as ants. How could the world not descend into chaos with such behavior?

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"My lord, this is a secret letter from Fengyang City!"

"Bring it in!" Liu Tianhe sat back down in his chair, his tone slightly impatient.

The visitor entered, respectfully presented the secret letter with both hands, and without lingering, slowly withdrew from the room.

Liu Tianhe opened the secret letter, quickly glanced at it, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

“Interesting, really interesting!”

"My lord, is there some good news?" Bai Fengzhen asked with a smile after taking a big gulp of wine.

Liu Tianhe handed over the letter and said with a smile, "It's not exactly good news, but that old devil Huangfu Qi has been killed. I don't know which big shot came to Fengyang City, but he actually wiped out all the Yin-Yang Sect members in the city and even hung that old devil's head on the city gate."

"This is a good thing. We can use this person to wipe out the Yin-Yang Sect in one fell swoop. At the very least, it will weaken the strength of both sides," Bai Fengzhen said with a smile.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Isn't that Shao Siming arrogant and doesn't take the strong people of the world seriously? I'll write two letters right now, one to the Crown Prince and one to her. I don't care what happens after that. It would be best if, as you said, these two sides fight each other and perish together!" Liu Tianhe laughed heartily.

In his mind, although the traitors were a headache, the ones who deserved to die the most were the demons of the Yin-Yang Sect.

As long as the Yin-Yang Sect is not eradicated, Liangzhou will never be at peace. Rebels are killed one after another, just like weeds, which can never be eradicated.

A quarter of an hour later, the two golden-feathered eagles shot straight into the sky like arrows and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

"At the speed of the Golden Feathered Eagle, the Crown Prince will receive the news in two days at most. So, no matter what happens, it has nothing to do with me!" Liu Tianhe said with a smile.

...

Beijing.

Chunxianglou is a grand restaurant located in the east of the city, and it is one of the top ten restaurants in the city.

At this moment, the Crown Prince was sitting in a private room on the seventh floor of the restaurant, drinking fine wine, while a row of beautiful women danced beside him.

Suddenly, a burly man's voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, there is an urgent letter from Liangzhou."

"Come in!"

The prince responded, and the person pushed open the door and left. It was a gentle-looking woman named Dan Qiuhong.

She had a female voice but the crown prince was already used to it, because those who cultivated the Yin-Yang Dao at a high level could change their gender and voice at will, and there was no difference between men and women.

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

The prince did not open the letter. He gave a wink to the guard beside him, who understood immediately and kicked the group of dancers out of the room.

Shan Qiuhong carried a golden square cauldron the size of an adult's head and placed it on a table to the side.

"Your Highness, this is this month's quota!"

The prince had already opened his divine eye and glanced at the cauldron. Within the cauldron, he could vaguely see the yin and yang energies converging into two swimming fish, circling each other and constantly rotating.

This cauldron is called the One Qi Cauldron, which can store Yin and Yang energies and prevent them from dissipating into the air.

The prince opened his palm, and a complex incantation appeared on his palm, formed by interwoven black and white lines.

With a whoosh, the yin and yang energies from the cauldron soared out and entered the spell seal in his palm, making the seal even more solid. Its light flickered, revealing eleven colors.

Dan Qiuhong examined the Yin-Yang Curse Seal in the Crown Prince's hand and cupped her hands, saying, "Congratulations, Crown Prince, you have already mastered the Yin-Yang Curse Seal to the eleventh level. You should know that even the Grand Master of Fate of my Yin-Yang Sect is only at the twelfth level."

“Eleventh to twelfth may seem like just one level apart, but there’s actually a huge difference. This time the allocation is too small.” The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow.

"Your Highness, something has happened in Liangzhou. This secret letter is from Lord Liu, saying that Huangfu Qi has been killed."

"Hmm? Huangfu Qi was in charge of the entire Yin-Yang Sect in Liangzhou and collected a massive amount of Yin and Yang energy for me. It's a real pity that he died like this." The Crown Prince frowned, but there was no significant emotional fluctuation.

Shan Qiuhong, standing to the side, was already used to it. This crown prince was cunning and deep, and he wouldn't show the slightest emotional fluctuation even if the sky were to fall.

"Quickly send a message to Xingmou, the Junior Master of Fate in Liangzhou, and tell her to go there and find out who did it," the Crown Prince ordered.

"Yes!"

Dan Qiuhong didn't linger any longer, turned around and left, taking the Qi Cauldron with her.

...

As dusk fell and the sun dipped below the horizon, the world was bathed in a reddish-orange glow.

Dan Qiuhong was carrying the Qi Cauldron and walking briskly through a street in the capital when suddenly she stopped, her body tensed, and she turned around abruptly. She saw a young man wearing a black jade mask standing on the roof of a building next to her, looking him up and down.

"Shan Qiuhong, you work for the Crown Prince and are a core member of the Yin Yang Sect. Am I right?" the young man said calmly.

"Who are you?" Shan Qiuhong was startled, sensing that the visitor was hostile. One of her hands was already on the hilt of her sword.

He didn't rush to make a move because the young man exuded a powerful sense of pressure.

He is a practitioner of Yin-Yang Dao, possessing the ability to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, and has an extremely keen perception of life-or-death crises.

Deep down, he felt that if he made a move, he would likely be easily killed by this young man.

"My name is Lin Motong!" the young man said slowly.

"It's you, the next leader of the Mohist school!" Shan Qiuhong exclaimed. The Mohist school follows an elite path; everyone selected is exceptionally talented and powerful.

Lin Motong's ability to stand out among numerous powerful individuals and become the next leader of the Mo family must demonstrate his exceptional martial arts talent and strength.

He scrutinized Lin Motong again to make sure she wasn't lying.

He saw that the young man's eyes were pure black, with no whites, like a pitch-black abyss that could suck a person's consciousness and soul into it in an instant.

Then he noticed that his left hand was unusual; it was not flesh and blood, but a crystal like black jade. He didn't know what material it was. This was a common characteristic of Mo family cultivators. They liked to replace a part of their body with various materials to make it easier to control and refine mechanical puppets.

"Since you know my name, then cooperate obediently. I won't make things difficult for you. I'll just ask a few questions and then leave. But I advise you to tell the truth, otherwise, I don't mind taking your head!" Lin Motong said in a deep voice.

"Hmph, you are merely the next generation of the Mohist Master. The Four Symbols Giant Spirit is not yet in your hands, yet you speak so arrogantly? Do you know that this is the capital city, where countless powerful figures reside? If you were to attack me and disturb these people, you would not be able to escape. There are countless people in the court who would like to kill you for meritorious service!" Shan Qiuhong said in a deep voice.

"You can give it a try!" Lin Motong said with a smile.

Dan Qiuhong frowned. She really didn't dare to try it; she had more faith in her own ability to avoid misfortune and attract good fortune.

Lin Motong is in danger.

"Ask whatever you wish to ask as soon as possible. Who knows what might happen if someone sees you here," Shan Qiuhong said in a low voice after a slight hesitation.

"My first question is, is the Crown Prince condoning the severe drought in Liangzhou and secretly colluding with the Yin-Yang Sect, perhaps he is practicing the Yin-Yang Incantation Seal, and what level has he reached now?" Lin Motong asked.

“The Crown Prince has already reached the eleventh level,” Shan Qiuhong said.

"Eleventh level?" Lin Motong frowned beneath the mask. "How many young men and women must he have slaughtered to cultivate the Yin-Yang Curse Seal to this level? This person's crimes are heinous and he deserves to die!"

After a pause, Lin Motong asked again, "Was Huangfu Qi of Liangzhou killed?"

“That’s right, the Crown Prince has already sent a message to Shao Siming, instructing her to go to Fengyang City and execute the criminals!” Shan Qiuhong said.

"The killer is Han Qing, a prodigy from Shu. His talent is unparalleled in the world, but he is still young and may not be a match for Shao Siming. I am ordered by the sect leader to bring him back to the sect, but I cannot let him die at the hands of Shao Siming. No, I must go to Liangzhou myself!"

With this in mind, Lin Motong took flight and disappeared in an instant.

As Shan Qiuhong felt the heavy pressure on her shoulders dissipate, she relaxed completely and slowly exhaled.

"I must report to the Crown Prince immediately!"

Just as she was about to set off, a whooshing sound came from behind her.

Dan Qiuhong suddenly turned around and saw a fist rapidly enlarging in front of him. He tried to struggle, but he couldn't move at all. A surge of martial arts essence rushed in, filling his entire body and rendering him immobile.

Peng!
Shan Qiuhong's body was immediately blasted apart, turning into a cloud of blood mist that drifted between heaven and earth.

Lin Motong withdrew his fist, took out a pure white handkerchief from his pocket, gently wiped the sticky blood from his hands, and suddenly flew up and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

...

"Come on, don't rush, line up!"

"Be bold!"

"Anyone who dares to loot again, don't blame the sword for being merciless!"

At the city gate.

Liu Jinchen sent people to set up many soup kitchens here to distribute relief food to people inside and outside the city. Each person could get a bowl of white porridge by stepping forward.

In an instant, a long line of people formed outside the city gate, with many soldiers patrolling back and forth to maintain order.

Not far away, on a tall city wall, Han Qing stood atop the wall, looking down at the long queue at the city gate.

Zhou Xiaoru walked over from the side and said with a smile, "Young master is truly a benevolent and righteous person. Madam Su was just like you back then. Whenever there was a major disaster or drought, she would set up soup kitchens and distribute food. Therefore, she had an excellent reputation among the people of the capital!"

"As the saying goes, 'When you are successful, you should help others; when you are unsuccessful, you should cultivate your own virtue.' I have surplus grain in my hands, so I cannot just stand by and watch these people starve to death!"

Liu Jinchen was extremely short of food supplies, but he had a large amount of grain in his Boundless Stele. He could take out a batch at random and it would be enough to feed these refugees for a long time.

As for what to do if there is a food shortage again, he couldn't think that far ahead, nor could he care about that much.

At this moment, Yan Qiuling also flew over from not far away and landed beside Han Qing.

"Han Qing, I've circled the city several times but haven't found anyone suspicious. That Shao Siming Xingmou is probably too scared to come over!"

"I actually hope she makes a move. I can capture her alive and expose the crimes of the Han and Luo families in the future, so that the world can see just how many evils these two powerful families have hidden," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

Suddenly, a woman's loud voice came from the horizon.

"What arrogance! Han Qing, you achieved the status of a half-saint in the Northern Ice Plains, your talent is indeed unparalleled. But you are only twenty years old, your foundation is shallow, and you lack experience in killing. How dare you look down on me like this? Hmph, today I will show you what it means to be outmatched and to be in a world beyond your reach!"

As soon as the woman finished speaking, Han Qing fell into an illusion, which was a very common Yin-Yang Dao illusion technique.

If a person falls into it and looks up to see a vortex of stars slowly rotating, they will be unconsciously immersed in it, their five senses will be confused, and their blood and energy will be rapidly depleted.

If you can't break free immediately, the longer it goes on, the harder it will be to escape.

However, this was not difficult for Han Qing. He quickly activated the Ceasefire Sutra, and his pure Dharma thought transformed into a storm that swept over his entire body, directly clearing away all the distracting thoughts around him, and also breaking free from this star illusion.

He looked up and his gaze locked onto a beautiful woman in a star-blue robe above him.

Her features were delicate, her skin was fair and rosy, and most notably, her eyes seemed to contain a starry sky, with countless stars, vast and deep.

"If your Yin Yang Sect's Grand Master of Fate were to come in person, I would be somewhat afraid. As for you, hmph, you are nothing more than a half-saint. No matter how powerful you are, you are still just a half-saint!" Han Qing said unhurriedly.

He had no fear as long as someone was a demigod.

Even if he is outmatched, he is confident that he will not lose to anyone.

"Then let me see just how capable you are!"

Before Xingmou finished speaking, the sky around her suddenly transformed into a dazzling starry sky.

This is also a unique ability of those who cultivate the Yin-Yang Dao; they can unleash even greater combat power under the starry sky.

But since it's daytime and there are no stars, let's create one.

However, this starry sky exists between reality and illusion, and no one can touch it. Only those who cultivate the Yin-Yang Dao can mobilize the power of the stars contained within it.

At that moment, as the starry sky appeared, specks of starlight fell from the heavens, coalescing into a giant star hand that slammed down on Han Qing.

Yan Qiuling, standing to the side, had already made her move first. With a wave of her hand, flames appeared out of thin air and condensed into a large hand, which she then slapped upwards. (End of this chapter)