The First Sage of Military Strategists

"I never imagined you had mastered so many supernatural abilities and secret techniques, enough to block my sword strike without a scratch. Truly, every generation produces its own talents. Everyone says Xiang Ying is the strongest of the younger generation and a leader in the trend of human reform, but I think that's a misconception. In my heart, young friend Han is the strongest of the younger generation," Geng Buxiu praised.

"Xiang Ying? I just fought him not long ago. If the Vermilion Bird Giant Spirit hadn't suddenly appeared and taken him away, he would have died at my hands long ago." Han Qing laughed, his gaze sweeping across the room before landing on a suit of armor on the wall in front of him.

"Now, this suit of armor is mine, right?"

"Young friend Han, feel free to try. If you can take it, this armor is yours!" Geng Buxiu said slowly, toying with the knife in his hand.

Han Qing suddenly flew forward and arrived in front of the armor. He found that it was between reality and illusion, with starlight intersecting to form patterns that were intricate and mysterious.

As he placed his hand on the armor, starlight suddenly spread along his arm, like ripples on water, giving a gentle and cool sensation.

He was gradually enveloped, star patterns intertwined and entwined, transforming into a large cocoon.

Han Qing did not resist. He could feel that the armor was sentient and cheered excitedly the moment it came into contact with him.

His spiritual energy spread out, intertwining with the vast spiritual energy remaining within the armor.

Han Qing immediately fell into an illusion, which turned out to be a realm of lust, where all kinds of stunning beauties appeared one after another, disturbing his mind and spirit.

"what?"

Seeing this, Geng Buxiu sighed softly. He hadn't expected that Han Qing would gain the approval of the Yuanjing Star Armor with just a simple gesture.

"It seems this armor and Han Qing are truly destined for each other," Geng Buxiu murmured.

If there were no predestined connection, this scene would never have occurred. For example, before Han Qing arrived, Meng Chong had also tried to touch the armor with his palm, but there was no reaction, which meant there was no chance.

Such ancient top-tier armor can only be refined with the approval of the armor's spirit; forcibly refining it is a dead end. Otherwise, the experts in his Black Sparrow Alliance would have already subdued this treasure armor.

Geng Buxiu felt a pang of regret. Although he had spoken so boldly just now, he was actually quite heartbroken that an unparalleled piece of armor had been taken away by an outsider.

But pain aside, a leader of a great holy land who doesn't keep his word and goes back on his word would be ridiculed by the world, and he couldn't do such a thing.

Geng Buxiu shook his head, and shadows appeared all over his body, suddenly enveloping him like water.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished into thin air.

...

the other side.

After several days of quiet cultivation, Li Dangfeng's injuries had finally healed. He was preparing to set off for the border when an uninvited guest suddenly arrived.

A streak of light flew in from afar and stopped above his head. The newcomer was wearing a gray battle armor covered with spikes, and a vast martial arts intent permeated the world. A violent aura enveloped the entire town, causing the townspeople to fall into a coma in an instant.

Li Dangfeng frowned: "Are you Xiang Ying?"

He was quite knowledgeable and immediately recognized the Manglong Spear in Xiang Ying's hand. It was Xiang Ying's signature weapon, and everyone knew that.

"That's right, you are Li Dangfeng, a descendant of the founding emperor of the Great Shun Dynasty?"

"Indeed, what brings you here?" Li Dangfeng asked.

"I heard that the Great Emperor Taizu of the Great Shun Dynasty is not dead. Summon him out; I have something to discuss with him," Xiang Ying said loudly.

Li Dangfeng frowned, his face showing displeasure.

"My Great Shun Emperor is of such high status that outsiders cannot simply meet him. I can introduce you, but you must offer him ample benefits!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiang Ying's figure flashed, and she charged straight at Li Dangfeng.

Its speed was unbelievable. Li Dangfeng only felt a momentary daze before a long spear, carrying a sharp and cold light, was brought before him.

He tried to dodge in a panic, but he couldn't avoid it at all. The spear tip pierced his body, directly through his chest, pinning him to the ground. A vast pressure descended, suppressing his body, rendering him unable to move, and preventing his magical thoughts from leaving his body.

"Young master! You're courting death!"

Li Dangfeng's servant, Blind Qiu, was also momentarily dazed when he realized that his young master had been nailed to the ground. He was immediately enraged and drew his sword to slash at Xiang Ying's back.

Xiang Ying suddenly turned around and threw a punch. A vast martial arts intent surged out from the tip of his fist. Blind Qiu was completely unable to resist and was immediately blasted away, crashing into a house not far away.

"Xiang Ying, have mercy! We have no grudge against each other, why kill me?" Li Dangfeng felt the boiling killing intent and hurriedly begged for mercy.

Xiang Ying gave him a cold glance, pulled the spear from his chest, and flew into the sky, looking down at him from above.

"Li Dangfeng, am I qualified now?"

"Ahem, the Overlord is indeed formidable." Li Dangfeng stood up from the ground and hurriedly replied.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, feeling extremely frustrated.

No sooner had Han Qing left than Xiang Ying appeared. Both of them were quite young, yet they possessed terrifying combat power, easily defeating him and leaving him utterly helpless. For a moment, he even wondered if all his years of hard training had been for nothing.

Blind Qiu also stood up, looking extremely disheveled, staring at Xiang Ying with eyes full of hostility.

Xiang Ying glanced at him coldly and chuckled, "I didn't come here to start a bloodbath. I just want to join forces with the Great Shun Emperor to fight for the world. Call him out quickly."

"Your Majesty, I don't know where my ancestor is, but I can tell you a secret to show my sincerity."

"Speak," Xiang Ying asked.

“My great-grandfather was searching for the Nine Yang True Thought, which is the thought of a Saint of the Rainbow Transformation Realm. If someone can find it and refine it, their realm and combat power will surely be increased by an incredible amount!” Li Dangfeng said.

"Oh? Nine Yang True Thought? This level of Dharma thought is not something you can just find whenever you want. Did your great-grandfather have some wonderful method?" Xiang Ying asked.

“I have a wonderful method. The imperial court has also been trying to capture the Nine Yang True Thoughts recently. Why don’t you cooperate with me, Overlord? In the future, I can act as a go-between and introduce you to my ancestor,” Li Dangfeng said.

“Well, if your great-grandfather really has a way to find the Nine Yang True Thought, I am willing to cooperate with him.” Xiang Ying nodded slightly.

"By the way, Overlord, I heard you have some grudge against Han Qing," Li Dangfeng asked.

"It's more than just a festival; I wish I could grind him to dust!" Xiang Ying gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with cold light.

"That's great! A few days ago, I was unfortunately robbed of my Myriad Laws of my powers by Han Qing. I've been holding this grudge in my heart ever since, but I haven't been able to think of a way to get revenge. Now that you and I have joined forces, I finally see hope," Li Dangfeng said with a smile.

"Oh? You know his whereabouts?" Xiang Ying asked.

“That’s right. Han Qing has taken his Daoist partner Yan Qiuling to the depths of Mangshan, which is the ancestral land of the Black Sparrow Alliance. If Overlord wants to kill him, please come with me to the outer perimeter of Mangshan immediately, or it will be too late,” Li Dangfeng said urgently.

"Oh? I'll head to Mangshan right now, but I'm warning you, if the information is false, I won't let you off the hook!" Xiang Ying said coldly.

"Don't worry, Overlord, Han Qing must be in Mangshan right now. As long as we get there in time, we will definitely be able to catch him," Li Dangfeng shouted.

Half a day later. Mangshan.

Inside the Black Sparrow Alliance Ancestral Shrine, the starlight cocoon on Han Qing's body suddenly collapsed, turning into specks of starlight that entered his body.

"Is the refining successful?"

Geng Buxiu appeared immediately, his eyes fixed on Han Qing.

Han Qing smiled slightly, and a dark blue battle armor suddenly appeared on his body, covered with star patterns, which was beautiful and exquisite.

This armor exists between reality and illusion, constantly nourishing a person's body and soul, and greatly enhancing their speed, strength, and defense.

Of course, the greatest ability of this armor is its healing power. It comes with a celestial energy that can heal a person's body and soul.

No matter how severe the injury, even if the body and soul collapse, as long as this celestial power is not exhausted, it can be fully restored instantly.

The moment Han Qing began to refine the armor, a wealth of information flooded his mind, and he understood the armor's characteristics.

"Congratulations, young friend Han. This armor is destined for you, and it is fitting that you take it with you," Geng Buxiu said again.

"Thank you, Elder Geng. The Black Sparrow Alliance truly keeps its promises," Han Qing said, bowing in return.

“This is all well-deserved for young friend Han,” Geng Buxiu said with a smile.

As they talked, the two walked out of the ancestral hall one after the other through a door on the side.

"Elder Geng, now that I have the armor, it's time for me to leave," Han Qing said.

"Young friend Han, won't you stay a few more days? My Black Sparrow Alliance has many experts who would like to spar with you," Geng Buxiu asked with a smile.

“If I have the opportunity to come again, I will definitely stay longer, but the border war is urgent recently and the situation is changing rapidly. I still need to get there as soon as possible so as not to miss this martial arts event,” Han Qing explained.

"Well, what you said makes sense, young friend Han. With the Black Sparrow Token in hand, you can enter the Black Sparrow Alliance's ancestral land at any time. I wish you both a safe journey." Geng Buxiu was quite polite.

"Thank you, Elder Geng. Farewell!"

Han Qing then led Yan Qiuling away from the Black Sparrow Alliance's ancestral city. The two flew all the way, and under Kun Wuji's guidance, they soon passed through the vast fog and arrived at the outer edge of Mangshan.

"My lord, with this supreme armor in hand, your combat power has been greatly enhanced. I think you can now rival the leaders of the Holy Land!" Yan Qiuling said with a smile, her eyes full of admiration for Han Qing.

Han Qing shook his head: "The strength of a leader of a holy land is unfathomable. I just caught a sword strike from Geng Buxiu in the ancestral hall and had to use four secret techniques in succession to catch it. I am not good enough to defeat a master of this level now. However, I will not be as helpless as before when I encountered the Heavenly Wolf King."

“Yes, the leaders of the Holy Land are indeed powerful, but with your talent, it’s only a matter of time before you surpass them. I think you’ll be able to defeat them in three years at most,” Yan Qiuling said with a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep, resonant male voice suddenly echoed from the distance.

"How arrogant!"

"Trying to rival the leaders of the Holy Land? Today I will annihilate you and eliminate any future threat!"

Whoosh!
A figure suddenly leaped up from a dense forest below, blocking Han Qing and his companion's path.

The person who came was Xiang Ying.

Then, another figure flew in from a distance; it was Li Dangfeng.

Han Qing glanced at Li Dangfeng, whose breathing had stabilized, indicating that his injuries had healed.

However, on that day, Li Dangfeng's soul was shattered, and he lost tens of thousands of magical thoughts in one fell swoop. This loss was real and could not be made up for in the short term.

Seeing the two approaching hand in hand, he already guessed what had happened. It must be that Li Dangfeng harbored a grudge and wanted to use Xiang Ying to kill him and reclaim the tens of thousands of lost Dharma Sense.

"Li Dangfeng, last time I took away tens of thousands of your Dharma thoughts. If it weren't for the Dharma thoughts of the Great Shun Emperor helping you leave, you would be dead by now. What, are you coming to die again? This time, it won't be so easy for you to leave." Han Qing said coldly and sarcastically.

Upon hearing the mention of tens of thousands of Dharma thoughts, Li Dangfeng felt a sharp pain in his heart, followed by a surge of intense anger and resentment.

"Han Qing, I think you're out of touch with reality. With Ba Wang around, you're the one who'll die!"

Han Qing's gaze then fell on Xiang Ying, who was standing to the side. He laughed and said, "Xiang Ying, the Battle of Tongzhou just ended not long ago. Who gave you the courage to come here and ambush me?"

"Han Qing, times have changed. I lost the Battle of Tongzhou to you, that's a fact. But today, you will die without a burial place, that's also a fact!" Xiang Ying clearly didn't want to waste his breath.

He only responded with one sentence, and the next moment, he had already leaped and pounced on Han Qing.

He flashed and arrived in front of Han Qing in an instant, raising his hand to thrust out with his spear.

"He has indeed become much stronger."

With just this one move, Han Qing could already sense that Xiang Ying's combat strength had greatly improved.

First, his speed is several times faster than before. If he hadn't reached the Golden Body Realm, he probably wouldn't have been able to catch Xiang Ying's figure at all, and he wouldn't have been able to dodge him.

Secondly, regarding the spear technique, at the instant the spear tip was about to strike, Han Qing had a strange feeling that a wild, giant dragon seemed to appear out of nowhere, charging towards him along with the spear tip.

Suddenly, Yuanjing Star Armor appeared on Han Qing's body. He then used multiple escape techniques, such as Cloud Dragon Leap, to retreat in a flash. At the same time, he activated the Boundless Stele to directly bring Yan Qiuling into his inner space.

In a battle of this caliber, keeping Yan Qiuling around wouldn't be of much help; in fact, she might get caught in the crossfire and injured.

"Ok?"

Xiang Ying let out a soft exclamation, not expecting that the shot would miss.

His gaze sharpened, and he noticed the armor on Yan Qiu's body. The star patterns were intricate and interwoven into a flower, dazzling and beautiful.

"This is the Yuanjing Star Armor!" Xiang Ying frowned. He then realized why Han Qing was able to dodge his shot—it was because of the Yuanjing Star Armor.

"You're quite knowledgeable. The Dragon Devouring Armor you're wearing has undergone a great transformation. I suppose that's your source of confidence. But you probably didn't expect that I also have a supreme armor," Han Qing said calmly.

"I didn't expect you to be able to take this armor from the Black Sparrow Alliance's ancestral land, but so what? The Dragon Devouring Armor was ranked higher than the Yuan Crystal Star Armor in ancient times. I'll show you its power!" Xiang Ying said, and pounced on Han Qing again. This time, he poured an even greater amount of magical power into the Dragon Devouring Armor, which further unleashed the power of the armor, causing its movement speed to soar once more.

His figure flashed, and he was almost upon the target in an instant, thrusting out with his spear once more.

Han Qing was prepared this time and immediately responded. A ray of colorful light flew out from between his eyebrows, transforming into a Yin-Yang seal, which suddenly slammed forward and struck out fiercely.

The Manglong Spear and the Yin-Yang Curse Seal collided suddenly, and a sharp spear light burst forth from the spearhead, abruptly knocking the Yin-Yang Curse Seal back.

Han Qing frowned and immediately changed his move. His evil domain surged, and one after another, Yin soldiers flew out from it, suddenly converging to form a Yin spirit warrior. Holding a battle sword, he took the initiative to fly and charge towards Xiang Ying.

The two clashed in mid-air, unleashing a series of earth-shattering battles.

Han Qing quickly noticed the anomaly. Sometimes, Xiang Ying would simply allow the blades of the Undying Yin Spirit to slash at him, but the Manglong Devouring Heaven Armor would then shimmer with a ghostly light, absorbing the blade's energy. Afterward, Xiang Ying's aura would surge dramatically. (End of Chapter)