The First Sage of Military Strategists

"Han Qing, you helped my Black Sparrow Alliance stabilize the situation in Tongzhou, saving me the trouble of making a trip there myself. Now I'm inviting you to our ancestral land to bestow upon you a great fortune."

Geng Buxiu stood up, turned around and pointed to the tall temple behind him.

"This is the ancestral hall of my Black Sparrow Alliance, which contains hundreds of supreme divine armors, including the Yuanjing Star Armor, one of the three ancient battle armors!"

The good fortune I mentioned has two parts. First, if you encounter danger in the future, my Black Sparrow Alliance will unconditionally help you, but only once. Second, you can enter the ancestral shrine to choose a suit of armor, but you will need to pass a test. The better the armor, the more difficult the test. "Geng did not cultivate the Dao.

Han Qing stood up and looked around at the tall building. He initially thought it was a temple, but it turned out to be a shrine.

The outer walls of the ancestral hall are covered with mottled marks, faintly conveying a sense of the vicissitudes of time.

"The Yuanjing Star Armor? I've heard it's one of the three supreme divine armors of ancient times, capable of drawing upon the power of celestial stars to heal oneself. It's said that wearing this armor makes one immortal! I happen to be missing a piece of this treasure armor, and I'm determined to have it!" Han Qing's eyes gleamed with confidence.

"Young friend Han, your confidence is truly befitting of a martial arts prodigy. However, I must remind you that taking the Yuanjing Star Armor will not be easy. You will need to pass three trials and gain the armor's own approval," Geng Buxiu cautioned.

"You have to try everything, and see if it works or not," Han Qing said calmly.

“Alright, please invite young friend Han into the ancestral hall,” Geng Buxiu said loudly.

Han Qingmai stepped forward and suddenly pushed open the ancestral hall door. With a rumbling sound, the door opened wide, and Han Qingmai stepped inside. The first thing he saw was a row of wooden statues, which enshrined all the top Black Sparrow Alliance experts from ancient times to the present.

Han Qing's mind stirred slightly. He had read many legendary stories about these top masters in the book. Many of them stood up for the people, assassinated kings and generals, sacrificed their lives for righteousness, were not afraid of powerful enemies, and did not avoid death. They were truly courageous and fearless people. This was the fundamental reason why the Assassination Path could become so famous and become a holy land of martial arts.

As the thought flashed through his mind, Han Qing stepped forward, respectfully offered three sticks of incense, and then turned and walked deeper into the hall, where there was another door.

He reached out and pressed his hand against the door, then suddenly pushed it open with all his might. Thick darkness surged out and swallowed him whole.

Han Qing frowned and walked into the darkness, where he could hear faint footsteps echoing all around him.

He understood that this was a unique ability of the Assassination Path. The Dark Domain of No Light was different from the Fiend Domain. The Dark Domain of No Light focused more on restricting people's perception abilities, suppressing magical thoughts, and limiting the five senses, so that Assassination Path experts could sneak into it to carry out assassinations.

The Fiend Domain focuses more on enhancing or weakening combat abilities.

At a certain moment, Han Qing paused, let out a long howl, and unleashed the spell "Myriad Wondrous Buddhist Sounds".

The sound waves surged and rolled, like waves and tides, surging and impacting in all directions. Eight figures let out muffled groans one after another, suddenly revealing their locations.

The eight men moved simultaneously, thrusting their swords at Han Qing with incredible speed, like eight phantoms. Their swordsmanship was extremely sharp, with a point of light condensing at the tip of their swords, radiating an aura of extreme sharpness.

Han Qing swung his sword, unleashing a torrent of light that instantly engulfed the eight swords.

The eight men lost control, their swords flew out of their hands, and then fell backward to the ground one after another.

Han Qing did not use his full strength, but only touched the target.

The eight people stood up, their eyes filled with shock.

All eight of them were Martial Saints. If they joined forces, they would have a chance to kill even a Saint of the third level of Incense Offering. Unexpectedly, Han Qing dealt with it so easily.

The eight people didn't say much, and retreated, disappearing into the shadows of the pavilion. The dark, lightless area suddenly dissipated.

Han Qing could see everything in the hall clearly. There was a door directly in front of him, and pieces of armor hung on the surrounding walls.

"Young friend Han, there are 52 suits of armor around here. You may choose one and leave the Black Sparrow Alliance Ancestral Shrine, or take another step forward and push open this door deep inside. If you can pass the test again, you can choose a suit of armor of higher quality."

Geng Buxiu's voice suddenly echoed throughout the hall.

Han Qing scanned the armor pieces, examining them closely. They were of higher quality, belonging to ancient armor, but not the most advanced batch.

Since he's going to choose a suit of armor, he'll choose the Yuanjing Star Armor.

"continue."

Han Qing whispered, stepped forward, and pushed open the door deeper inside.

Darkness surged in, a darkness even thicker than that of the previous hall.

Undoubtedly, this hall was also covered by a dark, lightless domain, suppressing people's spiritual power and making it difficult for it to extend in all directions.

"Young Master Han, be careful!" Geng Buxiu's voice suddenly echoed in the hall.

As soon as he finished speaking, four points of cold light flashed, piercing Han Qing from four different angles.

The attack was still simple and brutal, but its lethality, speed, and momentum were a level above the previous hall.

Before the sword even arrived, Han Qing already had the illusion that his soul and spirit were being pierced.

However, Han Qing was prepared. A layer of evil armor suddenly covered his body, and the Yin-Yang curse seal flew out from between his eyebrows, turning into a beam of colorful light to bless him.

In an instant, Han Qing unleashed a slash, the blade light flashing like a shadow and a tide, sweeping outwards in all directions like a giant whirlpool.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

Four swords pierced into the vortex, triggering a series of violent collisions.

The forces of fear collided and annihilated, spreading outwards in silent ripples.

The ripples are extremely destructive; even a Saint of the First Realm who is not a Saint would be reduced to ashes if he accidentally touched them.

In the end, Han Qing's blade failed to stop the four sword lights, and his body was pierced almost simultaneously, leaving him with four wounds.

However, as the swords clashed fiercely, the power of the four sword lights was constantly being consumed and decreased, eventually leaving less than 10% of their original strength.

Although this one-tenth of his power pierced Han Qing's body, the damage was instantly transferred to the Yin soldiers under the enhancement of the Asura ability. In addition, his own physique was extremely strong and he possessed a very strong self-healing ability.

Therefore, when the four sword lights entered his body, he only swayed slightly and did not show any abnormality.

"If I had a protective armor, I should be able to withstand this attack without a scratch," Han Qingxin thought.

With his mind racing, Han Qing had already locked onto the four figures hiding in the darkness and was preparing to launch his fiercest counterattack.

As a result, the four people dodged and retreated, actually withdrawing from the Dark Domain of No Light on their own initiative.

The thick darkness receded like the tide, revealing Han Qing's figure in the hall, along with four other figures wearing face shields, some tall and some short.

"Has this passed the test?" Han Qing asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Young master, you have survived all four of our swords, so you have passed this test. There are thirteen ancient battle armors in this hall. You may choose one, or you may walk forward, push open the door ahead, and face an even more severe test.” A man standing in the southeast corner said with his hands clasped.

His voice was hoarse, carrying a sense of vicissitudes brought about by the passage of time.

Han Qing glanced at it and saw a bushy beard under the mask. He thought to himself, "This must be an old man."

Upon hearing the old man's words, his gaze then fell upon the thirteen ancient battle armors hanging on the wall beside him, each with a different design.

Although he didn't understand armor-making techniques, he could tell that the armor here was of higher quality than the armor in the previous hall.

"May I ask who you four are? Judging from that sword strike just now, it was enough to injure or even kill a Saint below the third level of the Incense Realm!" Han Qing suddenly asked, curious about the identities of the four. "Young Master's judgment is very accurate. We four are elders of the Black Sparrow Alliance. We are responsible for protecting the ancestral land on a daily basis. We do not show ourselves to the outside world unless it is a matter of life and death. It is normal that you have not seen or heard of us before," the bearded old man added.

Han Qing nodded slightly: "As expected of a holy land of martial arts, there are so many top experts here."

He suddenly realized that his strength was still insufficient.

The Black Sparrow Alliance is almost at the bottom among the major martial arts holy lands, yet it still possesses such formidable power. The other holy lands must be even more powerful.

Based on this, it can be inferred that the imperial court, which has suppressed the major holy lands without any temper, must be even more terrifying in terms of power.

"I want to become stronger! When I can defeat the Mo family's leader, the universally acknowledged number one person in the world, with honor and dignity, then I will no longer have to fear either the imperial court or the holy land of martial arts." Han Qing's heart was filled with soaring fighting spirit.

He stepped forward and walked towards the door again, saying the same thing: since he was here, he would take away the most powerful piece of armor.

Although the thirteen suits of armor in this hall were good, they were not the best and did not meet his standards.

creak!

Han Qing reached out and pushed open the door in front of him. A quick glance revealed that the four elders were covered by a layer of shadow like ripples on water and suddenly disappeared from their spot.

"What amazing escape techniques! No wonder they are masters of assassination!" Han Qingfa swept his mind across the area, but he couldn't find any trace of the four people.

Assassins are masters of stealth and assassination, and he has witnessed that firsthand today.

When he pushed open the door, the hall was not covered by the dark abyss.

His gaze sharpened, immediately drawn to the armor placed on the high platform in front of him.

The armor was deep blue and enveloped in starlight.

The stars flickered, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, as if they were breathing.

"This is the Yuanjing Star Armor!" A fiery light appeared in Han Qing's eyes.

He felt that this suit of armor seemed to have a life of its own, and it was indeed very different from the suits of armor he had seen before.

A figure emerged from behind the platform; it was Geng Buxiu, carrying a short, black sword.

"Indeed, this is the Yuanjing Star Armor. This armor possesses a spirit. If you can withstand one of my sword strikes, I will allow you to attempt to subdue it. If you succeed, you may take the armor with you. If you fail, you may return to the previous hall and choose any two pieces. This is my Black Sparrow Alliance's way of rewarding our distinguished guest."

"Such divine armor, if I really took it with me, wouldn't you feel bad?" Han Qing asked with a smile.

Geng Buxiu shook his head: "You underestimate our Black Sparrow Alliance. This armor is indeed very strong and precious, but our Black Sparrow Alliance is a thousand-year-old martial arts holy land. We have seen countless rare treasures, and we are not lacking in this one."

"In that case, Elder Geng, I'm taking this armor today!"

"Hehe, don't get your hopes up too high. Many people have come here to try to subdue it, but they have all failed in the end, including Meng Chong who was standing outside just now," Geng Buxiu reminded him.

"Oh? So Meng Chong also came for this armor," Han Qing asked.

"He wanted my help to assassinate a master of the Holy Desert Empire, but I refused. Although we have some acquaintance, it's not to the point where I would help him. But I digress. Han Qing, I'll only use one sword strike. Let's see if you can withstand it." Geng Buxiu briefly mentioned this before immediately changing the subject, clearly not wanting to discuss it further.

"Alright, make your move!" Han Qing's eyes burned with fervor. He had no interest in what Meng Chong was doing here; he only wanted to take away this supreme armor as soon as possible.

As soon as he finished speaking, Geng Buxiu suddenly disappeared into the darkness. The dark domain of darkness erupted and expanded in all directions at an astonishing speed, threatening to devour Han Qing.

Han Qing also summoned the Fiend Domain with a thought. A massive amount of fiend energy surged out from his body, condensing into the Fiend Domain, which also surged forward, engaging in a silent confrontation with the Dark Domain.

In the end, Han Qing's evil domain was suppressed and restricted to a range of thirty feet around him.

This result left Han Qing quite dissatisfied, as it meant that he still lagged behind Geng Buxiu in terms of the quantity and intensity of his magical thoughts.

He had thought that after reaching the third level of the Golden Body Realm, he would be able to go toe-to-toe with a powerhouse like the leader of a Holy Land, but now it seems that he is still some distance away.

“Huh? Golden Body Realm One, Four Heavenly Gates Open, but rumors outside say you’re just a Saint of Incense Realm One. If you’re so sure, you’ll suffer a great loss!” Geng Buxiu’s soft sigh suddenly came from the darkness.

"Elder Geng, make your move. I'm very curious about how much of a gap there is between me and a leader of the Holy Land. This is the perfect opportunity to test that." Han Qing casually twirled his sword, his gaze burning as he stared intently at the surging darkness before him.

"Young friend Han, you are truly ambitious! I am also curious, what is your current strength? Take this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold light flashed out from the darkness.

Compared to the previous four elders, this cold light was faster and more lethal. It seemed to appear before him in an instant, as if it had crossed the distance of time and space. It was as if this cold light had replaced the entire world, causing Han Qing's eyes to focus on it uncontrollably, ignoring everything around him.

"What terrifying sword light!"

A thought flashed through Han Qing's mind, and a vast surge of Dharma thoughts surged forth from within his body.

"Poisonous Dragon Flying Dragon!"

"The wondrous sound of Buddha!"

"Solar and moon tides!"

"Yin Yang Seal!"

"The True World of the Sun!"

...

In that instant, Han Qing unleashed five moves in quick succession. Having achieved the second level of the Incense Realm, he had a clearer perception of good and bad fortune and could, to some extent, glimpse future trends and changes.

He clearly sensed that this cold light was incredibly deadly; if it pierced his body, he would be severely injured even if he didn't die.

In other words, this simple and unadorned sword strike can instantly kill a Saint at the Golden Body Realm. What a terrifying move that is!

If I don't fight with all my might, I might not be able to block this sword.

As a result, the Poison Dragon immediately collided with this cold light, and was pierced through in an instant, collapsing and annihilating silently.

Then came the wondrous Buddhist sounds, and the sun, moon, and tides almost overlapped, transforming into a wave that surged forward, only to be cleaved open by this sword light.

However, after a series of collisions, the power of this cold light also decreased rapidly.

By the time it reached Han Qing, its power had decreased by 80%, and its remaining force had completely dissipated.

In the next instant, a vast surge of magical power erupted from Han Qing's body, suddenly transforming into a golden lotus that enveloped and sealed the cold light.

Han Qing reached out, and the golden lotus fell into his palm. He suddenly reached out and squeezed it.

Bang!
The golden lotus shattered and disintegrated, turning into specks of light that vanished into the world.

As the darkness faded, Geng Buxiu's figure appeared. His gaze swept over Han Qing, a mixture of surprise and admiration in his eyes. (End of Chapter)