The First Sage of Military Strategists

"The thunderstorm is expected next month, it'll be soon!" Han Qing whispered.

If all conditions permit, he decided to make the trip himself to see if he could snatch a powerful puppet from Xiang Ying's hands.

He and Xiang Ying had already formed a feud, and given his support for Liu Yue, he was destined to be on the opposite side of Xiang Ying in the future. Therefore, it was only reasonable for him to seize the Eight Directions Puppet and weaken its strength.

A multitude of thoughts flashed through Han Qing's mind. He opened his eyes and decisively swallowed the Seven Profound Pill.

"Qiu Ling, protect me!" Han Qing secretly transmitted his thoughts.

Han Qu remembered that after swallowing this pill, his body would undergo a violent transformation and enter an extremely weak state. If someone were to attack him at this time, his combat strength would be reduced to less than one-tenth, making him extremely dangerous. He would need someone to protect him.

"Han Qing, don't worry, with me here, you can focus on processing this elixir!" Yan Qiuling replied.

Han Qing trusted Yan Qiuling completely and didn't say anything more, focusing on feeling the changes in his body.

Once the elixir entered my stomach, it was as if a flame had been ignited, and in an instant, streams of fire flowed through my limbs and bones.

Han Qing felt his blood and qi boiling, and his whole body was filled with an extremely intense burning and pain.

Strands of colorful light emanated from the pores, as if weaving a seven-colored garment of light across the body's surface.

Immediately afterwards, blood began to seep from his body. This blood was extremely hot, and the moment it left his body, it turned into wisps of blood mist, which intertwined and merged on his body surface, faintly forming a large blood-red cocoon.

Han Qing frowned slightly, feeling a tearing pain coursing through his entire body.

His mindfulness permeated his entire body, and he could clearly feel the old blood being forced out of his body, while new blood was constantly being generated.

During this process, his body received new nourishment and underwent a remarkable transformation and rebirth.

Crackling!

The sound of bones cracking came from Han Qingzhou's body, making him gasp in shock.

He hadn't expected the Earth Profound Spirit Pill to be so potent and powerful; it not only replaced his blood, but also his bones.

The old bones are broken down and shattered by the strong medicinal effects, while new bones are growing rapidly. The pain throughout the process is so intense that it is unbearable for most people.

Fortunately, Han Qing was determined and gritted his teeth, not making a sound.

He even felt a faint sense of joy, because in the process, he could feel his strength increasing, his new bones seemed to be becoming stronger, and everything was evolving in a better direction.

"If suffering can bring great power, then it's all worth it."

Han Qing took a deep breath, trying to feel the dramatic changes in his body.

Yan Qiuling, standing to the side, stared intently at Han Qing, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She could no longer see Han Qing's figure, only a large blood-red cocoon. She could even hear the crackling sound of Han Qing's bones breaking.

She had never seen a pill that could bring about such an amazing change in a Martial Saint. It should be known that the body of a Martial Saint is extremely solid, especially for a Martial Saint like Han Qing with such a deep foundation, who is even more indestructible.

"As expected of the Earth Profound Spirit Pill, it has such a drastic effect. If a martial artist below the Martial Saint level were to consume it, he would probably explode and die in a matter of minutes, turning into a cloud of blood mist!" Yan Qiuling murmured to herself.

As time passed, the changes continued. The blood-red calluses on his body grew thicker, and the cracking sounds of his bones never ceased.

This change continued for three days and three nights. On the fourth day, a cold wind rose from the ground and ignited a flame around the blood-red cocoon, instantly burning it to ashes.

Han Qing's figure emerged from within, his entire body radiating a shimmering white light, his muscles clearly defined, as if sculpted from jade, appearing extremely muscular and powerful.

An extremely powerful aura emanated from him.

Han Qing opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and piercing. When Yan Qiuling met his eyes, she felt a momentary sense of fear, which startled her.

Han Qing has become even more terrifying now. Compared to three days ago, he exudes a greater sense of oppression, and his strength has undoubtedly increased.

With a thought, Han Qing secretly activated the Ceasefire Sutra. His spiritual energy resonated throughout his body, and he could see that the newly formed bones were crystal clear, with vigorous blood and energy, radiating a pale golden light. When he moved, it was as if a great river was flowing.

"As expected of the Earth Profound Spirit Pill, my physique is now much stronger, the Heavenly Profound Technique is complete, and I have opened the first hidden aperture, officially becoming a mid-level Martial Saint!"

Han Qing's eyes shone brightly as she murmured to herself, a stronger sense of confidence surging within her.

During the process of bone remodeling and blood and qi regeneration, he was also secretly mobilizing the Seven Killings Stele to improve his proficiency in the Heavenly Profound Technique.

When his proficiency was perfected, his bones were reorganized, and his blood and qi were regenerated, Han Qing's physique had reached the perfection of the initial martial saint level. He was even likely the most physically powerful initial martial saint in history. Only a very small number of people with special bone structure could compare with him, such as Xiang Ying.

At this point, he discovered that his control over his body had reached a more subtle level.

When the Qi and blood circulate throughout the body, without needing to activate his spiritual power, he can clearly discover all the bright and dark acupoints.

If the bright orifices are like blazing suns hidden within the body, then the dark orifices are like stars that appear and disappear.

The hidden apertures are indeed more difficult to detect; only after seven complete transformations can one possess such astonishing perception.

With the help of the medicine, he successfully opened the first hidden aperture according to the method described in the Supreme Reincarnation Scripture.

The opening of a hidden aperture is silent and unnoticed compared to a visible aperture.

But Han Qing could sense that everything was different.

First, he could sense that this hidden passage seemed to be absorbing the power of heaven and earth.

The book's description is not quite accurate; it refers not only to the power of stars, but to the power of heaven and earth, including the light of the sun, moon, and stars.

Secondly, after the dark acupoints were opened, he could vaguely feel that his blood and qi were declining, but the decline was very slow.

"Seven transformations can make one a beginner Martial Saint. After opening the Dark Aperture, from the first to the hundredth, one becomes an intermediate Martial Saint!"
Each time an acupoint is opened, the rate of blood and qi loss will increase!

To counteract this, the Martial Saint must constantly consume various rare and precious herbs and open as many new hidden acupoints as possible. Each time a new acupoint is opened, the total amount of Qi and blood increases, thus offsetting the decline in Qi and blood!

A realization dawned on Han Qing's eyes. It seemed he needed to work harder to unlock more hidden apertures in the future. "Han Qing, how does it feel?" Yan Qiuling asked suddenly after observing him for a while, also very curious.

Han Qing nodded slightly: "I have become an intermediate Martial Saint, and my combat power has now reached an extremely astonishing level!"

As Han Qing spoke, he stepped forward and, in a flash, transformed into a streak of light, bursting out of the pavilion and arriving in the outside world. His feet were suspended in mid-air, not falling.

A hint of joy flashed in Yan Qiuling's eyes: "Han Qing, I've heard that intermediate Martial Saints can mobilize the power of heaven and earth. Seeing it today, it's indeed true!"

She could sense that Han Qing had not activated the Zhige Jing or channeled any magical power, whether he was flying or hovering in the air. Instead, he was purely relying on his body to mobilize the power of heaven and earth, something only a mid-level Martial Saint could do.

Han Qing nodded slightly: "The combat power of a mid-level Martial Saint is also extremely terrifying. They can mobilize the power of heaven and earth. I think even a high-level Spirit Refiner would not gain any advantage against a mid-level Martial Saint."

The true meaning of martial arts and the power of heaven and earth—these two methods give martial artists a strong ability to resist even when facing high-level cultivators.

As Han Qing pondered, wisps of starlight emanated from his body, converging behind him to form a faint starlight image with a face identical to his own.

However, the starlight image lasted only a moment before quickly dissipating.

This is a common technique used by intermediate-level martial saints. This "power of stars" is actually the power of heaven and earth summoned by the hidden aperture.

Han Qing has only opened one hidden aperture, so the power of heaven and earth that he can mobilize is extremely thin, making it difficult to maintain the Starlight Body for a long time.

Han Qing landed gracefully, and suddenly felt a strong sense of weakness in his body. This was because the medicine had expelled his old blood from his body, and only one percent of the new blood had been generated.

"The growth of new blood is extremely slow. During this period, I need to take more Qi and Blood Tonics so that the total amount of new blood can reach 70% to 80% of the total amount of Qi and Blood in my body. This feeling of weakness should then completely disappear."

So, for the next period of time, Han Qing stayed in the manor with peace of mind, taking a lot of Qi and Blood Treasure Medicine every day to increase his Qi and Blood and nourish his body.

He would occasionally visit the Qi residence to drink with Qi Yan, but he spent the rest of his time studying the Zhige Jing and the Taishang Lunhui Tian Jing to further enhance his strength.

Time flies, and twenty days have passed in the blink of an eye. Under the nourishment of various qi and blood medicines, Han Qing's qi and blood have finally recovered to more than 90%. He is full of energy and vigor, and every move he makes is filled with tremendous power.

With each punch and kick, he seemed to possess immense power, capable of piercing the heavens and causing the earth to collapse.

"Han Qing, your strength has become even more terrifying. Even in physical combat, few in the world can rival you!" Yan Qiuling sat on a chair under the pavilion, a faint smile on her face, her eyes full of love and admiration for her husband.

Han Qing also got up and went to Yan Qiuling's side, sitting down in the chair next to her. He reached out and stroked her soft, long hair, pondering carefully, "You're right. However, Han Yi's clones can transform in countless ways, growing wings and scales. This shows that his control over flesh and blood has reached an incredible level. My strength is enough to deal with ordinary people, but it's far from enough to deal with him."

There are countless experts within the behemoth that is the imperial court. Even though he has made great progress in his strength, he dares not relax for a moment. He feels that his strength is not enough and he needs to become even stronger.

"By the way, Han Qing, your accumulation in the Dao of Dharma Thought is already quite profound. I think you can try to open the first Heavenly Gate and break through to the Incense Realm!" Yan Qiuling added.

During this time, she would occasionally spar with Han Qing. When their magical powers clashed, she was no match for him.

Han Qing's magical power was extremely strong; she had never seen anyone else who could compare to it.

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Han Qing's eyes gleamed with confidence.

The Heavenly Gate is an extremely dangerous pass.

Countless semi-saints have perished under the tribulation of lightning, so many semi-saints do not have the courage to challenge the realm of saints. They wait until their lifespan is almost over before making a desperate attempt. If they succeed, they can open the Heavenly Gate and become a saint. If they fail, they will die anyway, so it is not a big deal.

Therefore, many semi-saints are waiting for a change in humanity. As long as they can accurately predict the general trend of the world and follow the right people, they can become saints without taking such great risks!
But Han Qing would not choose to do so. Firstly, he could not wait that long, and secondly, he had accumulated profound knowledge and was extremely confident that he could open the Heavenly Gate.

If even he struggles to succeed, then no one in the world can become a saint.

He had this confidence because he practiced the Sutra of Ceasefire, which condensed a pure and unwavering Dharma thought, as hard as steel.

"Han Qing, the opening of the Heavenly Gate will cause a great disturbance. It's best to choose a secluded place to avoid being discovered and causing trouble!" Yan Qiuling added.

The last time she tried to open the Heavenly Gate was in the Endless Ice Plains of the North, a desolate and safe place.

Han Qing had already made up his mind: "Qiu Ling, I already have a plan. Let's go to the Tianyue Plain at the southernmost tip of Chu. It's a wild and desolate place, truly uninhabited, even more barren than the northern ice plains. It's the perfect place to open the Heavenly Gate!"

“Tianyue Plain? Chu is now Xiang Ying’s territory. If our whereabouts are exposed, Xiang Ying may very well attack us!” Yan Qiuling’s arched eyebrows rose slightly, and her forehead furrowed slightly.

"Xiang Ying is a cruel man, and I have considered that point you mentioned. However, he is in a strange place on the Tianyue Plain called Tianci Peak. We just need to avoid that place," Han Qing said with a smile.

A look of surprise flashed in Yan Qiuling's eyes: "Husband, I didn't expect that you, who are far away from Shu, would also know so much about the affairs of Chu!"

Han Qing smiled and said, "Your husband is naturally very confident in his actions. Let's go. If we're lucky this time, I will not only be able to open the Heavenly Gate and become a saint, but I will also have the chance to obtain a supreme treasure!"

"Oh? What kind of treasure can I get?" A hint of curiosity flashed in Yan Qiuling's eyes.

"You'll find out when the time comes!" Han Qing smiled, then suddenly waved his hand, unleashing a surge of magical power that transformed into a whirlwind, carrying Yan Qiuling eastward.

The land of Chu is located directly east of the land of Shu.

His current strength has surpassed Yan Qiuling's, and his flight speed is also faster than Yan Qiuling's. Therefore, he is the one carrying Yan Qiuling, instead of Yan Qiuling carrying him as before.

...

In the southern part of Chu, on the vast, wild plains, as far as the eye can see, there is endless yellow sand, dust flying everywhere, and the roars of beasts echoing from time to time.

On this plain stands a tall and majestic mountain, which looks like a spear reaching for the sky, sharp as an arrow, piercing straight into the heavens.

Below the mountain peak lies a plain covered with jet-black soil. Upon closer inspection, one can see irregular jet-black gems scattered across the land, each possessing magnetic properties, attracting the others, and clustering together into spheres.

This is Tianci Peak. What makes this place special is that it can attract heavenly lightning every once in a while.

At this moment, at the foot of Tianci Peak, Xiang Ying and a large group of his men were patiently waiting for the thunderstorm to arrive.

Before him lay a large cauldron filled with blood, from which the Eight Directions Puppet was soaked. The puppet's body was covered with blood-red patterns, like blood-red earthworms wriggling, making it extremely eerie to look at.

Sarina, with her incredibly hot figure, stood next to Xiang Ying, her arms wrapped around one of Xiang Ying's arms, her exaggeratedly full breasts pressed into a clear cleavage.

Behind Xiang Ying, many people's gazes swept back and forth over Sarina, their mouths dry and their eyes gleaming with greed. (End of Chapter)