The First Sage of Military Strategists

The words fell.

Li Dangfeng had already taken flight, transforming into a streak of light and speeding towards the depths of the Wuji Mountains.

...

same moment.

Han Qing and Yan Qiuling also arrived at the top of the Wuji Mountains.

This mountain is located deep in the desert, surrounded by endless yellow sand, and is desolate and uninhabited.

There was no greenery in the mountains, only vast stretches of thorny thickets, the only plant that could survive so tenaciously in the mountains.

Han Qing looked up and saw dark clouds rolling above the mountains, accompanied by rumbling thunder, indicating that a heavy rain was about to fall.

“Sometimes it doesn’t rain for a whole year in a place like this. We’re lucky; it’s perfect for opening the Heavenly Gate!” Yan Qiuling said with a smile.

"go!"

The two quickly landed in a flat valley inside the mountains, sat cross-legged, and silently practiced their magic, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth.

In just a few breaths, a considerable area around Han Qing was enveloped by a powerful pressure, and wisps of red clouds appeared in the rolling dark clouds above, with arcs of lightning flashing.

As time went by, the pressure became increasingly terrifying. Han Qing suddenly looked up and saw that the crimson clouds had replaced the dark clouds above his head. There were clouds and mist rolling around, and above the sea of ​​clouds, a heavenly gate stood, its gate wide open, revealing a vast and dazzling sea of ​​lightning inside.

"Walk!"

Han Qing immediately took flight, heading towards Tianmen at an extremely fast speed.

As he continued to ascend, the pressure he felt also increased.

However, with his current strength, the pressure emanating from the first Heavenly Gate will not pose any obstacle to him.

In just a few breaths, he was already standing in front of the first heavenly gate. Crimson lightning attacked from all sides, but it could not get close at all and was easily shattered by him.

not far away.

Hundreds of miles away, Yan Qiuling was also soaring upwards, attempting to open the first Heavenly Gate.

The sight of lightning bolts darting above their heads, sand and stones flying all around, and their figures appearing and disappearing revealed the intensity of the battle.

Han Qing glanced at it and then looked away.

"With Qiu Ling's accumulated knowledge and skills, she should be able to open the first Heavenly Gate, and even the second one is possible."

Han Qing pondered, his gaze passing through this Heavenly Gate and looking inside. He saw crimson lightning surging like ocean waves, an astonishing improvement in both quality and quantity compared to the first Heavenly Gate.

"I want to see what makes this second Heavenly Gate so difficult."

Han Qing took a step forward, crossed the first Heavenly Gate, and entered. Above him, at the end of the Crimson Thunder Ocean, another Heavenly Gate stood.

These streaks of crimson lightning, like sharks smelling blood, surged toward Han Qing in an instant.

"I possess 56,000 pure Dharma thoughts, which is far greater than that of an ordinary Golden Body Second Realm Spirit Refiner. The mere Second Heavenly Gate cannot stop me!"

Han Qing laughed loudly, then suddenly soared upwards, cutting through the sea of ​​silver lightning at an ever-increasing speed.

According to ancient records, if a person does not devour and refine the thoughts of others, he will gain 10,000 more thoughts of Dharma each time he opens a Heavenly Gate.

Therefore, only upon reaching the second stage of the Golden Body realm can one possess fifty thousand Dharma thoughts.

Han Qing had refined the power of several saints, and the number of his spiritual thoughts had increased again and again, reaching 56,000, far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators at the first level of the Incense Realm.

In that instant, a massive surge of magical power erupted from the temple, condensing above Han Qing's head into a black-armored divine statue. Wielding a battle blade, it fiercely slashed, cleaving through layers of thunder waves, and, braving the rapidly increasing, rolling pressure, steadily approached the second Heavenly Gate.

After another three or five breaths, Han Qing stood outside the Second Heaven Gate. The whole process was incredibly easy, and he didn't feel any pressure or risk at all.

The surging silver lightning around him seemed terrifying, but in reality, it couldn't touch his body at all; it was completely kept at bay.

"My accumulated knowledge is too profound, which makes me extremely dangerous to others, but quite easy to behold," Han Qing murmured to himself.

With a thought, the black-armored statue stretched out a hand and pressed it against the first heavenly gate. Suddenly exerting its strength, a loud boom was heard, and the first heavenly gate was easily pushed open, letting in a gentle breeze.

Han Qing felt as if he were soaking in a hot spring, his whole body warm and comfortable, indescribably pleasant and delightful.

He could clearly feel that although the quantity of his Dharma thoughts had not increased, their intensity was increasing, and a new round of transformation was taking place.

"I see. The second realm of incense requires at least 20,000 Dharma thoughts. If it is insufficient, the Heavenly Dao will make up for it. My number of Dharma thoughts has far exceeded 20,000, so there is no change in quantity, but there is a transformation in strength."

“Pure Dharma thought means that the intensity of Dharma thought has reached its limit, but it is only relative to a certain realm. For example, if you reach the limit in the first realm of Rainbow Transformation, and then push open the Heavenly Gate at this moment, the intensity will increase, which means you have reached the limit in the second realm of Rainbow Transformation,” Han Qing pondered.

He stood quietly at the Heavenly Gate for a long time, until the transformation of his Dharma thoughts was complete.

"At the second stage of the Rainbow Transformation Realm, one's Dharma Thoughts will possess the ability to bestow fortune and Dharma. Those who cultivate the spirit can use this to refine magical treasures or deduce their fortunes, seeking good luck and avoiding misfortune." A sudden realization rose in Han Qing's heart.

At the first level of the Incense Realm, one can also use Dharma thoughts to nurture and refine magical treasures. Upon entering the second level, this ability is greatly enhanced, enabling one to refine magical treasures that carry special spells and specific functions.

"I'll try it when I have the chance," Han Qing murmured, his gaze passing through the second heavenly gate and looking towards the churning sea of ​​thunder inside.

"I broke through the second Heavenly Gate so easily, so pushing open the third Heavenly Gate shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Without hesitation, Han Qing took another step, crossed the second gate, broke through the rolling thunder waves, and flew rapidly towards the third gate.

But this time, the situation has changed dramatically.

The countless bolts of lightning did not strike directly, but instead surrounded Han Qing, quickly intertwining and forming a large net of lightning that completely enveloped him. Then, they suddenly contracted, forming a lightning pearl.

In an instant, Han Qing felt as if he had fallen into another world. All he could see was lightning, and danger lurked everywhere around him, shrinking and threatening to crush his soul and body into dust.

"At the third Heavenly Gate, countless bolts of lightning will condense into a small world, releasing the power of heaven and earth to oppress a person's soul and body, causing the body and soul to be completely annihilated. The danger here is indeed many times greater than that of the second Heavenly Gate."

"But it still couldn't stop me."

A surge of even more powerful spiritual energy erupted from between Han Qing's brows, instantly forming a massive force of heaven and earth that launched a fierce attack in all directions.

The two forces clashed and annihilated each other. At a certain moment, with a loud bang, the thunder barrier suddenly collapsed and shattered, turning into countless points of light that scattered and flew away.

The instant the sphere of lightning collapsed, Han Qing could feel the overwhelming pressure that had been permeating the surroundings dissipate.

This is the test of the third Heavenly Gate. It is not difficult. If you can break through it, you can pass. If you can't break through it, you will die. There is no way to escape.

Therefore, many ancient books have mentioned that the transition from the second to the third level is a major hurdle, and one must be extremely cautious when undergoing this tribulation.

While Han Qing was pondering, he had already flown to the front of the third heavenly gate, and suddenly exerted his strength to push it open.

Another mysterious force surged out from outside the door, permeating Han Qing's entire body and causing his magical consciousness to undergo another transformation. "Opening the Three Heavenly Gates grants magical consciousness the ability to divide heaven and earth."

When the transformation of the Dharma thought ended, each strand became brighter and more dazzling. Han Qing could clearly feel that his perception of the outside world was different.

Before, the world was just the world; what he saw was not much different from what others saw.

But now, he can clearly feel the layers of space, like ripples on a water curtain.

He can divide, manipulate, and create space to a certain extent.

With this thought in mind, Han Qing stretched out his right hand, flipped his palm, and in an instant, countless Daoist thoughts converged to form a clear and transparent ball of light, about the size of a palm, with its own space inside.

"Not bad." A hint of joy flashed in Han Qing's eyes.

From that moment on, his control over heaven and earth reached a new level.

He can craft spatial magical artifacts and learn various sealing spells, such as the True Realm of the Sun and the True Realm of the Moon.

The Buddhist scriptures record the True Realm of the Sun, and only by opening the Three Heavenly Gates can one deeply grasp and comprehend this sealing technique.

Of course, there are many other ways to apply the Dharma thought of the three realms of incense offerings, which Han Qing should spend a lot of time studying.

His emotions quickly calmed down, and he turned his gaze forward. The third Heavenly Gate opened naturally the moment he broke the Crimson Lightning Seal.

Beyond the door lay a vast sky, but there was no thunder, only emptiness.

"It didn't take me too long to open the third Heavenly Gate, so I can infer that I also have a chance to open the fourth Heavenly Gate." Han Qing pondered and decided to give it a try.

If he were seriously injured while trying to open the third Heavenly Gate, he would naturally not attempt it, but since he was not injured, there was no reason for him to back down.

"According to ancient records, opening the fourth heavenly gate is both difficult and easy; it requires overcoming oneself."

"This matter is not difficult for me!"

With a thought, Han Qing took flight and instantly disappeared into the fourth heavenly gate ahead.

Whoohoo!
Inside the door was a vast and desolate world. Suddenly, a mighty wind swept across the land.

Under the power of the Dharma Eye, Han Qing could see strands of Dharma thoughts appearing out of thin air and then converging to form another Han Qing.

The two are almost identical, both in appearance and in the aura and presence they exude, as if the heavens had created a new Han Qing out of thin air.

Han Qing had studied the trials of this Heavenly Gate long ago, so he showed no surprise at seeing this scene.

"I have heard that the other self created by the Fourth Heavenly Gate can imitate all the methods of the original body, has combat power completely equivalent to mine, and has endless magical power, no pain, and no fatigue."

Only by making a breakthrough in battle can we defeat our opponent and open the Heavenly Gate.

"I'd like to see how much of my skill he can imitate."

With a thought, Han Qing took the lead and soared into the air, leaving a trail of afterimages as he rushed straight towards the fake Han Qing in front of him.

Suddenly, a ray of colorful light shot out from between the latter's eyebrows, forming a large, multicolored handprint in front of him. It was the Yin-Yang Curse Seal, and it was also tenfold.

As soon as these ten curse seals appeared, Han Qing fell into the colorful light field they emitted, as if he were trapped in a swamp, and his movement speed decreased sharply.

"Is this what it feels like for others to face the tenfold Yin-Yang curse seal? It is indeed extremely uncomfortable." A thought flashed through Han Qing's mind. He suddenly dodged and retreated, and a Yin-Yang curse seal flew out from between his eyebrows.

He knew the power of the Tenfold Curse Seal, so he was unwilling to confront it head-on with his physical body.

The two giant handprints of colorful light collided violently in the air, creating ripples, and were simultaneously pushed back, truly showing they were evenly matched.

The fake Han Qing launched a series of attacks. He first pointed his finger, and behind him, billowing evil mist appeared. Yin soldiers flew out from the mist and converged to form a Yin spirit warrior. Then, magical thoughts gathered into a poisonous fire dragon, which suddenly soared out and fiercely attacked Han Qing. This was not the end. He opened his mouth and let out a long howl, with sound waves rolling from his mouth, overwhelming Han Qing. It was the sound of all kinds of wonderful Buddhist chants.

In that instant, three attacks came one after another, putting Han Qing under immense pressure.

Han Qing responded with the same triple spell: Yin Spirit Warrior, Poison Fire Flying Dragon, and Myriad Wondrous Buddhist Sounds. The three collided continuously in the air, causing bursts of roars before being annihilated at the same time.

"Just as I thought, their proficiency in every spell is comparable to mine, so their strengths are roughly equal, and they annihilated each other in the clash."

"If this fight continues, there's a high probability I'll ultimately lose," Han Qing thought to himself.

The fake Han Qing is a perpetual motion machine, able to continuously release spells for twelve hours without stopping. How could such an opponent possibly win?
There's only one way to win: break through in the face of battle.

The false strength of Han Qing will not change as the true self improves; this is the way to break the deadlock.

"I wonder if something like the Seven Killings Stele can be copied by the Heavenly Dao," Han Qingxin thought. His confidence stemmed from this; he believed the Seven Killings Stele could not be copied.

So, as he dodged and fought back, a thought struck him, and he summoned the Seven Killings Stele, which was surrounded by numerous floating points of soul light.

In an instant, he absorbed all these soul points, gaining a large number of skills, and immediately transferred the proficiency of these skills to the Wind Escape Technique.

"The Seven Killings Stele can transform one of my spells in a very short time, increasing its strength by one level."

"But I have a limited number of soul points, which can probably only upgrade two secret techniques."

"After much thought, the Wind-Riding Escape Technique seems like a good choice. If I can conceal my aura and make it difficult for the fake Han Qing to detect me, I can approach silently and decide the outcome in one move," Han Qing pondered.

The way to defeat the fake Han Qing is simple: as long as you can touch him, he will vanish like light and shadow in an instant.

The situation was critical, and Han Qing didn't have time to think much; he could only take it one step at a time.

In an instant, his proficiency with the Windwalking Escape Technique surged, quickly reaching perfection.

That wasn't the end of it; his realm continued to improve, and at one point he broke through a barrier, moving from perfection to breaking limits.

When another poisonous fire dragon attacked, Han Qing took the lead in using his flying escape technique, combining Cloud Dragon Leap with Seven Luminaries Escape, and swiftly moved to the left to dodge. While flying, he also used the limit-breaking Wind Escape technique.

Light and shadow distorted around Han Qingzhou, and in an instant, his figure disappeared into the air.

The fake Han Qing suddenly stopped. He had no emotions and no ability to adapt. After seeing Han Qing disappear, he simply released his magical thoughts and swept around the surroundings again and again, but found nothing. So he stood there dumbfounded.

Suddenly, Han Qing appeared behind him and slashed out with a single blow. The dazzling blade light surged like a wave, engulfing the fake Han Qing in an instant, shattering his body into pieces and turning him into a dreamlike illusion.

"Won!"

"My thinking was indeed correct." Han Qing was overjoyed.

Then a rumbling sound was heard, and the fourth heavenly gate suddenly opened. A warm breeze came from outside the gate, like a warm current, and enveloped Han Qing.

As his mind underwent another transformation, Han Qing closed his eyes slightly and could vaguely sense that this transformation was more intense than before.

The journey from the third realm of incense offerings to the first realm of golden body is a major hurdle, not easy to overcome, but the rewards are immense. (End of Chapter)