The First Sage of Military Strategists

More than 800 miles away, two figures were running at high speed, one after the other.

"Jian Jiu, are you sure someone ahead is undergoing tribulation?" The person behind was thin and with a black mole on the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with suspicion.

The person charging ahead was quite sturdy, with a red-feathered eagle perched on his shoulder.

“Thirteen, this flying eagle is a spiritual beast that can share my five senses. Just now I did see a Heavenly Gate appearing in the clouds. Since the two of us are responsible for monitoring this area, we must investigate it to avoid ruining your plans, sir!” Jian Jiu said in a deep voice.

Jian Shisan nodded slightly, his gaze fixed ahead, a hint of worry in his eyes, his heart filled with unease.

“Jian Jiu, the person who dares to open the Heavenly Gate must be an extremely powerful being among the Half-Saints. If we are discovered, will our lives be in danger?” he asked again.

Jian Jiu sneered, "What's there to be afraid of? This is Chu, our territory. Besides, opening the Heavenly Gate isn't so easy. I bet this person will fail, either vanishing into thin air or suffering serious injuries. We might just be able to reap a huge profit when we get there!"

Jian Shisan knew Jian Jiu's nature; he liked to take advantage of people's misfortunes, and he had done this more than once.

He was a cautious person, but after getting a few benefits from following Jian Jiu, he gradually became much bolder.

As I was pondering this, suddenly, a gust of wind and waves swept across the world.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of the two, and Jian Jiu's expression changed drastically.

At first glance, he thought it was a real person, but upon closer inspection, he was terrified and completely lost his composure.

"Sage! You, you successfully opened the Heavenly Gate?" Jian Jiu exclaimed in surprise.

He understood that the figure that suddenly appeared before him was a divine image formed from his spiritual energy, but it was so real and even radiated warmth, a power only a saint could possess.

Such an image can roam freely between heaven and earth, and can withstand all kinds of extremely destructive forces of heaven and earth such as wind, rain, thunder and lightning, unlike the image of a half-saint, which can also roam between heaven and earth, but cannot do so for long.

Jian Shisan, who was standing to the side, was terrified when he heard these words.

Throughout history, sages have been few and far between. They are all elusive figures, either hiding in some wondrous place to study the Great Dao and improve their strength, or sitting in charge of a top-tier power and only intervening in matters of life and death.

He never expected to suddenly encounter a living saint today, and it seemed that the saint had just become a saint.

"Senior, I was just passing by and had no intention of disturbing you. I hope you will calm down. We will leave now!" Jian Jiu regretted his words as soon as he finished speaking.

The person who came was Han Qing, who had heard the entire conversation between the two of them.

Two audacious individuals, upon seeing someone open the Heavenly Gate, were actually thinking of taking advantage of the chaos to rob the place.

If he hadn't had a solid foundation and successfully passed through the Heavenly Gate, he would probably have been defeated by these two. After all, being struck by heavenly lightning time and time again would have greatly depleted his blood and soul, leaving him in an extremely weak state and causing his strength to plummet.

Furthermore, since these two were Xiang Ying's subordinates, he couldn't let them go, and he hoped to glean information from them.

Seeing that Han Qing remained silent, Jian Jiu and Jian Shisan exchanged a glance, then turned and ran.

Han Qing frowned: "Did I tell you to leave?"

A warm breeze rose from the ground, and the convergence of magical thoughts formed a giant hand. With a single slap, it blasted Jian Jiu, who was flying at the forefront, into oblivion. Jian Shisan, who was a step behind, was about to beg for mercy when Han Qing gave them no chance. With a flip of his hand, he killed Jian Jiu in one more slap.

In an instant, a large amount of magical energy emanated from the two individuals.

With a thought, Han Qing grabbed at the air, and all these magical thoughts were absorbed into his soul.

After entering the realm of sainthood, he can sense, capture, and absorb the Dharma thoughts of others, thus accelerating his own growth.

Because for a sage to break through, the amount of Dharma power needed to accumulate for each realm is extremely large. If one wants to improve their strength through hard work alone, it would take forever.

Han Qingjing calmed himself down and realized that the intensity of these plundered thoughts was far different from his original pure Dharma thought. However, he could refine them repeatedly to increase their intensity until they reached the same level as his original pure Dharma thought.

Han Qing waved his hand again, gathering up the items scattered on the ground and bringing them to Han Qing's presence in an instant.

Yan Qiuling waited patiently by the side. Seeing the many items flying in from afar, she knew that Han Qing had dealt with the enemy, so she asked with a smile, "How was it? Husband, how did you feel?"

Han Qing nodded slightly: "The sage is indeed incredibly powerful; he has everything under control within a thousand miles!"
As my strength and realm increase, this range will become even larger!

Moreover, the divine soul I condense using my spiritual power can freely fly between heaven and earth. Unless my true self dies or is scattered, it will basically not dissipate automatically.

Although a demigod's soul can fly, it cannot truly merge with heaven and earth; instead, it must fight against the power of heaven and earth.

The soul of a sage is different; it can truly merge with heaven and earth, and its spirit will not be damaged even when it is baptized by the essence of the sun and moon.

"My lord, I've heard that sages can also quickly refine magical artifacts!" Yan Qiuling asked again.

"Of course," Han Qing nodded.

If a sage's thoughts remain in an object, over a long period of time, that object will become a magical treasure, provided that nothing changes along the way, such as the object being damaged or the remaining thoughts dissipating.

As he pondered, a thought flashed through his mind, and the Seven Killings Stele appeared in his mind, with countless points of soul light floating in front of the stele, appearing and disappearing.

With a thought, Han Qing absorbed the two soul light spots one after the other. A multitude of chaotic memories surfaced in his mind, flowing rapidly like a great river.

"The Eight Directions Puppet is about to take shape!"

Han Qing frowned, his gaze fixed ahead. In the far distance, clouds and mist rolled on Tianci Peak, with flashes of lightning within them. A thunderstorm was brewing, and it was indeed about to strike at any moment.

"The Eight Directions Puppet?" A hint of confusion flashed in Yan Qiuling's eyes. "The supreme treasure you mentioned earlier, could it be the Eight Directions Puppet?"

“That’s right, the Eight Directions Puppet is located at the foot of the Heavenly Magnetic Peak ahead. This item was originally a magic weapon of the Mo family. After it was broken, it fell into the hands of Xiang Ying. This person is currently working on repairing this treasure. It is said that after it is fully repaired, its combat power is comparable to that of a Hundred Aperture Martial Saint. However, I cannot let him have his way!” Han Qing said in a deep voice.

"A Martial Saint with a Hundred Apertures? If Xiang Yingzhen can truly repair this item, his combat power will undoubtedly rise to an unimaginable and terrifying level!" Yan Qiuling exclaimed in astonishment.

"I'll go snatch the Eight Directions Puppet right now!" Han Qing suddenly took flight, carrying Yan Qiuling straight towards the distant Tianci Peak.

At this moment, at the foot of Tianci Peak in the distance, Qin Nu and Tian Diao Wang, along with many experts from Chu, were patiently waiting for the thunderstorm to arrive.

"The Eight Directions Puppet has absorbed enough of the essence blood of all beasts. A thunderstorm could strike at any moment. Everyone must be careful, monitor all directions, and do not let anyone in." Qin Nu shouted in a hoarse voice.

"Yes!"

Boom!

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating half of the plain.

"A thunderstorm is coming!"

"Retreat quickly!"

Qin Nu shouted loudly, "Although the thunderstorms here are not as destructive as the vast heavenly thunder that we face when we open the Heavenly Gate, they are still very terrifying. Anyone below the level of a half-saint will be reduced to ashes in an instant. Half-saints can withstand it for a while, but not for long. Only saints can move freely through it."

Therefore, Qin Nu and the other dozen or so Martial Saints and Half-Saints all retreated and dispersed around, their eyes fixed on the Eight Directions Puppet in the center in front, while their magical thoughts swept back and forth around.

...

"That is the Eight Directions Puppet? It is indeed wondrous!" At this moment, high in the sky, Han Qing, with Yan Qiuling in tow, looked down at the bronze puppet below. Its body was covered with blood-red patterns that intertwined like a net, and seemed to be writhing with life.

Lightning flashed around the two, but Han Qing blocked it with his powerful magical energy, so there was no danger.

Because of the cover provided by the thunderstorm, even though Han Qing and his companion were right above Tianci Peak, Qin Nu and the others were completely unaware of them. Any wisp of magical thought that ventured into the clouds would be immediately wiped out by the thunderstorm and vanish into thin air.

"Han Qing, there are many powerful men under Xiang Ying around here, be careful!" Yan Qiuling's eyes flashed with worry.

Han Qing shook his head, his expression full of confidence.

"It doesn't matter. As long as there is no saint, I will not be afraid of any number of people coming!"

"However, you're right. We still need to be cautious. Once the Eight Directions Puppet is fully formed, I will immediately seize it and leave quickly without lingering, so as not to cause any trouble!" Han Qing said in a deep voice.

He was extremely confident in his strength, but this was someone else's territory after all, and even a saint is not invincible.

Since Xiang Ying has allied himself with the Mohists, he may very well have a sage by his side.

"At the first level of the Incense Realm, I still can't be too reckless!" Han Qingxin thought to himself. "Besides, I've just broken through, and my body is still very weak. My combat strength hasn't recovered to its peak yet, and I need time to adjust!"
This battle cannot be rushed; it must be resolved quickly!

As Han Qing pondered, suddenly, a large amount of lightning was drawn in from the surrounding area, transforming into a pillar of lightning that struck the plain below, with the target being the Eight Directions Puppet.

The blood-red lines all over its body intertwined to form a unique array that could draw in lightning.

Click!

The lightning surged into its body, and the Eight Directions Puppet suddenly shone with crimson light. The cracks on its body were being repaired at a visible speed, and a powerful and fierce aura emanated from it. Even its eyes, made of black crystal, began to shimmer with a human-like, lively light.

As time went by, more and more lightning bolts fell and merged with the Eight Directions Puppet. At a certain moment, the last crack on the Eight Directions Puppet was repaired.

"It's done!"

The Heavenly Sable King's eyes lit up, and at that very moment, a gust of wind rose from the ground, and numerous magical thoughts converged above the Eight Directions Puppet to form a large palm, which suddenly grabbed it.

"court death!"

"You dare!"

"die!"

...

Qin Nu and the others were taken aback at first, then suddenly let out a series of clear shouts and attacked the puppet in front of them at the same time.

In an instant, sword energy, flames, frost, and other forces surged forth, overwhelming everything.

However, Han Qing was a step faster, and his hand, formed from his spiritual energy, had already grabbed the Eight Directions Puppet.

The puppet struggled repeatedly in the center of the palm, but could not break free.

Then, a faint light appeared and instantly swallowed it up.

The Eight Directions Puppet just disappeared abruptly.

Just then, the group's attacks landed, instantly shattering the giant hand, and a gentle breeze swept around them.

Qin Nu and Tian Diao Wang were wondering how this giant hand had appeared when they felt the warmth contained in the wind, and their expressions changed drastically.

"A sage! How could there be a sage nearby?" King Tian Diao exclaimed in surprise.

Qin Nu raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping back and forth across the sky above.

"If he is a sage, then nothing is surprising. This person hides in the clouds and is not afraid of thunderstorms!"

King Tian Diao also raised his eyes and suddenly shouted: "Who is this expert? Please show yourself. This Eight Directions Puppet belongs to Xiang Ying, the overlord of Chu. If you take this treasure, once your identity is exposed, you will inevitably attract endless pursuit. No matter how strong you are, can you be stronger than the number one martial arts holy land in the world, Tian Gong Fang?"

However, though the sound echoed throughout the world, no one responded.

Both of them turned quite gloomy, and they were unwilling from the bottom of their hearts to fight the sage.

Just then, a figure suddenly flew over from afar at lightning speed, exuding a surging aura like a mountain and a tide, with an extremely angry expression on his face.

"Die!"

"I don't care who you are! You dare to steal my Eight Directions Puppet? I'll make sure you're reduced to ashes!"

Xiang Ying suddenly soared into the air, shooting straight into the sky at an astonishing speed.

As he soared into the sky, his gaze sharp and fixed on the due west direction, he could clearly sense that the Eight Directions Puppet was rapidly moving westward.

The main ingredient of the Ten Thousand Beasts Essence Blood was his own original essence blood, so he had a peculiar connection with the Eight Directions Puppet, and this connection would not break even when they were separated by a great distance.

"Such a fast speed, I can't catch up!"

"But you're not leaving either!"

Xiang Ying suddenly spat a mouthful of blood essence onto the bone-white halberd in his hand, and in an instant, the halberd glowed with a crimson light.

He suddenly swung his halberd, and a crimson light burst forth from it, carrying a devastating and overwhelming pressure as it sped westward, accompanied by bursts of dragon roars.

Qin Nu and the others watched this scene with solemn expressions and were deeply shaken.

They all knew that the halberd in Xiang Ying's hand was extremely powerful, containing a terrifying force that could only be activated by Xiang Ying's blood essence. It was his protective spiritual weapon, but they had never seen it before. Today, seeing it for the first time, they all felt a tremor and fear from the depths of their souls.

The crimson light vanished in an instant, leaving a long rainbow in the sky.

...

Han Qing was currently leading Yan Qiuling westward at top speed.

The Eight Directions Puppet is currently inside the Boundless Monument. Unexpectedly, this thing cannot be completely suppressed and is still struggling.

"The magical power contained within this puppet is immense; I'll need to put in a lot of effort when I get back!" Han Qing pondered.

Just then, he sensed something, turned around and focused his gaze, and saw a streak of crimson light rushing toward him at lightning speed, like a crimson dragon soaring in the sky.

"Not good!" Yan Qiuling's expression changed slightly. She could clearly feel that this crimson light contained a breathtaking power, which made her feel a strong sense of life and death crisis in an instant.

Han Qing was also the first to notice the crisis, and he clearly sensed that the crimson light was coming straight for him, completely locking onto him across time and space.

Han Qing immediately attacked, a yin-yang seal flew out from between his eyebrows, suddenly transforming into a large gray hand that reached out to grab the crimson light.

The Yin-Yang Curse Seal instantly froze a large area of ​​the surrounding sky. However, the crimson light was too powerful; although its speed decreased drastically, it still charged towards Han Qing at an extremely fast pace. (End of Chapter)