The First Sage of Military Strategists

"The Imperial Nine Dragons Palace can even refine stars?" Han Qing's heart stirred slightly. "No wonder this magic weapon is called the number one treasure in the world since the beginning of time!"

"I've heard that the Nine Yang True Thoughts have endless uses. If I could refine one of them, perhaps I could inherit the Dharma lineage of a Saint of the Rainbow Transformation Realm and embark on a broad and open path." Han Qing pondered, his heart burning with excitement.

However, this is just a thought; refining stars is not easy, unless he also has a supreme treasure like the Imperial Nine Dragons Palace.

At this moment, Emperor Taizu of Da Shun said in a deep voice, "Repairing the Imperial Nine Dragons Palace will not be easy. I don't think this plan has a high success rate."

"It's not that easy. It requires many precious treasures. So Emperor Yu also wants to use this war to defeat the Holy Desert Empire and force the Great Vajra Temple to hand over its most treasured artifact, the Great Brahma!" the Red Lotus Demoness added.

"The Great Brahma is known as the Buddha Kingdom in the palm of one's hand. It is said that it covers every corner of the Sacred Desert Empire and can provide assistance to the warriors of the Great Vajra Temple from thousands of miles away. I, the Emperor, have long coveted this magical treasure."

Under no circumstances should we allow Emperor Yu to successfully repair the Imperial Nine Dragons Palace. Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizu of Da Shun seemed to recall something and could no longer suppress his desire to leave.

His gaze swept across the room and landed on Han Qing, who stood silently in the air not far away.

"I'll let it go this time for the sake of the Red Lotus Demoness. However, Han Qing, you've been practicing martial arts for less than ten years. Compared to me, you're still far behind. If there's a next time, I will definitely crush you to pieces."

As for Li Dangfeng, he's weak and muddle-headed. I already gave him magical protection, which helped him escape a calamity, but he ended up in your hands again. This kind of fool has no value in living.”

After saying this, Emperor Taizu of Da Shun suddenly flew north and departed. The crimson sea of ​​mist that filled the sky quickly faded away, and the immense pressure that enveloped this world also dissipated.

"Thank you for your help, senior. But you have helped me time and time again. Is it only because I have extraordinary martial arts talent?" Han Qing relaxed and turned his gaze to the Red Lotus Demoness beside him.

The enchantress chuckled and said, "I have my own methods for doing things. Whether you believe me or not, I will still do what I'm supposed to do."

After saying that, she didn't bother to explain further, and in a flash, she transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the distance.

Han Qing knew that this demoness had a fickle personality and acted arbitrarily, so he didn't delve into it. In any case, judging from her behavior, the Red Lotus demoness was a friend, not an enemy. As for the future? He'd deal with that later.

Just as he was about to leave, the witch suddenly returned, but this time she did not come in her true form, but rather as a crimson fire lotus formed from her magical thoughts.

"Hehe, let me tell you something else. Be careful of the Imperial Guards lately."

Deep within the imperial palace lived a great physician named Wei Huaqiu. He used the essence of my demon race to create a group of powerful half-human, half-demon warriors, each with the combat power of half a Martial Saint. Emperor Yu bestowed upon these people the name Yu Dragon Guards.

Perhaps a single Yu Long Guard won't pose much of a threat to you, but five hundred Yu Long Guards working together would be an extremely terrifying force. Be careful, this witch won't come to your rescue every time. If you die, I will go to Shuzhou and slaughter all those close to you to vent my dissatisfaction and resentment!

"You're someone I've chosen, a future leader of humanitarian change. You absolutely cannot die. If you die, I'll be furious."

The words echoed, and the red lotus vanished swiftly into the horizon.

Upon hearing these words, Han Qing had already sensed the complex personality of the Red Lotus Demoness.

He shook his head, his mind drifting to the Imperial Guards.

"This is another trump card of the Great Yu Dynasty. Five hundred warriors who are comparable to half a Martial Saint. If a Great Saint of the Path of Horizontal and Vertical could unite the power of these people, their combat strength would be unimaginably powerful."

"The imperial court is too cunning. It has revealed one trump card after another. If the Holy Desert Empire had not started the war, I'm afraid these trump cards would have remained hidden in the dark forever."

"With so many experts gathered here, no wonder the imperial court was able to suppress those ancient families and martial arts holy lands."

Han Qing took a deep breath. The Red Lotus Demoness had brought so much news related to the imperial court today, which made him realize that his strength was already as unfathomable as a myth in the eyes of ordinary martial artists. However, if he wanted to face a behemoth like the imperial court, and to occupy a place in the upcoming trend of humanity, or even lead the transformation of humanity, then his strength was far from enough. He had to find a way to become stronger.

"This war is an opportunity. If I can kill more of the powerful members of the Great Vajra Temple and seize their magic and martial arts, my strength will surely reach a new level."

"I might even have a chance to obtain a supreme treasure like the Great Brahma." Han Qing's heart was filled with anticipation.

Since the Great Brahma can become the most treasured secret of a martial arts holy land, it must be extremely powerful.

"It's time to head to the border!"

Han Qing calmed down, then suddenly took flight and sped eastward at high speed.

Several days later, he and Yan Qiuling arrived in Shazhou.

The climate here is hot and the land is barren, with vast deserts. A magnificent pass was built on the eastern edge of the desert, where Meng Chong and his men garrisoned the area.

There are also formidable passes in the west. Meng Chong's Divine Might Army is one of the most powerful armies in the Great Yu Dynasty. Therefore, they travel back and forth between the two formidable passes, keeping the flames of war and powerful enemies outside the passes.

Previously, Meng Chong was stationed on the western border, while the eastern border was guarded by the veteran general Cheng Guang.

The reason is that the Western Barbarians often faced military raids, making their defense more difficult.

Compared to Cheng Guang, Meng Chong was stronger and more capable, so Emperor Yu felt more at ease having Meng Chong guard the west.

But now, the pressure in the east is much greater than in the west, so Mengchong has taken the opportunity to switch his defense to the east.

This day.

A lone plume of smoke rises from the vast desert, yellow sand stretches endlessly, and a scorching wind blows between heaven and earth.

"Qiu Ling, there's a small town ahead. Let's rest for half a day before riding to the border. We've now entered Shazhou, and who knows how many experts are lurking there. We should keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary trouble," Han Qing suggested.

Han Qing had a vivid memory of his previous encounter with the Sirius King, during which he was almost sealed away and taken back to Western Mang. As a result, he is now acting more cautiously.

Although he felt that even if his whereabouts were exposed, few people would dare to make a move, given his strength.

“Okay, I also want to experience the local customs and culture of Shazhou,” Yan Qiuling said with a smile.

The two immediately took flight and landed near the town. They then changed their appearances and rode into the town.

In the desert, the most scarce resource is water. As long as there is a pool of water, it can attract a large number of residents and eventually form a small town or even a city.

The same is true of Samsung Town, which has a clear pond in the center of the town.

Han Qing entered the town and scanned it with his magic, instantly gaining a clear understanding of the entire town's situation.

Due to the war, everyone in the town who was able to escape had already fled, leaving behind only the elderly, the weak, and the disabled.

After all, the closer a town is to the border, the more vulnerable it is to the effects of war.

If you accidentally get caught up in a battle between two top experts, most of the town will be wiped out in an instant, with no chance to escape.

"Old man, two bowls of sandworm porridge, please!"

"Alright, please wait a moment, gentlemen!"

Within the town.

Han Qing and his companion sat down in a small shop at the end of an alley.

The shopkeeper was a very old man, hunched over, with a face full of wrinkles and gray hair, looking like a candle flickering in the wind, as if it might go out at any moment.

Accompanying the old man was a ten-year-old boy with dark skin, who helped out in the shop and served customers.

Such a couple naturally lacked the ability and financial resources to escape the town, and could easily die on the road to exile.

Before long, the child brought out two bowls of delicious sandworm porridge, a specialty of Shazhou.

Han Qing had heard of it before but had never tasted it. Now that he was on the sandbar, he wanted to try it out.

Judging from its appearance, it was just a bowl of mixed grain porridge with many pieces of meat, and it didn't seem any different from ordinary meat porridge. Han Qing picked up the bowl and took a sip. It had a fresh and sweet taste, which was a wonderful experience.

He drank several mouthfuls of porridge, and with a glance, he saw a child sitting on the threshold, sighing and groaning.

"Little one, why are you sighing?" Yan Qiuling suddenly asked.

"I heard there's going to be war on the border. I'm so scared. I might die any day now." The child was lively and cheerful, and spoke without fear.

“Life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate, so why worry about that? Besides, if you’re really afraid, why don’t you two escape this town and go to a safer place?” Yan Qiuling added.

Although she was a demoness with a cold personality, she was quite friendly to human children.

"My grandpa is sick. He can't walk properly anymore," the child sighed again.

An elderly man stepped forward and pulled the child to his side, saying, "You little brat, be quiet and don't talk nonsense."

As the old man spoke, he glanced at Yan Qiuling and the other person beside him, feeling a sense of fear in his heart.

He knew that anyone who dared to come to Shazhou from outside at this time was no ordinary person; at least, they, father and son, couldn't afford to offend them.

Han Qing glanced at him and saw through the old man's thoughts.

“Old man, children speak without thinking. This child can say whatever he wants. Even if he is wrong, I will not be angry.”

“Young master, you have a good temper. My child has lived in the town since birth and has never been to school. He always gets into trouble with his words, so it’s better if he says less,” the old man hurriedly said.

Han Qing didn't insist on changing the other party's mind. He took several more big gulps and finished the porridge in the bowl before asking, "Old man, it seems that the people in this town don't lack food."

"We don't lack anything, thanks to General Meng Chong's effective management, but it's hard to say what will happen if war breaks out in the future," the old man said.

Han Qing threw two taels of silver on the table, got up, and walked out with Yan Qiuling.

During the war, prices in Shazhou were unusually high, with a bowl of Shazhou costing one tael of silver.

After the two left, the old man pulled the child to his side and instructed him, "From now on, don't talk nonsense when you see guests, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."

"I understand, Grandpa," the child replied, feeling wronged as well.

"Well, that young master is kind-hearted. It's alright if you say something wrong, but if you encounter someone with a fiery temper, it's quite normal for the two of us to be dead," the old man muttered to himself.

As he was speaking, he suddenly felt a warm breeze enveloping his entire body.

"what?"

Suddenly, he felt light, and his entire body underwent a tremendous change, as if he had been reborn. Not only did his legs become nimble again after many years, but even his gray hair turned much blacker.

The old man was taken aback at first, then suddenly strode out the door and kowtowed repeatedly towards the distance.

"Thank you so much for your help, young master! Thank you so much, young master!"

...

Han Qing withdrew his magical thoughts, the image of the old man kowtowing echoing in his mind.

He didn't consider himself a saint, but he was certainly not a bad person either. Seeing the grandfather and grandson living in poverty, he thought that if he had a single thought, he could change their lives. Why not do it?

The old man's face was dark and menacing; if he didn't make a move, he would surely die within three months.

But now, nourished by his spiritual power, the old man's physique has undergone tremendous changes, his chronic illnesses have disappeared, and living another ten years is no problem.

Not long after.

The two left the town and rode eastward at breakneck speed. The sandbar was desolate, and they rode for thousands of miles without seeing a single person or encountering another town.

"Hmm? Enemies!"

Halfway there, Han Qing frowned. With his extraordinary senses, he could hear the sound of wind coming from the northwest, and he could faintly hear a woman's wailing in the wind.

"Help!"

"Don't kill me!"

"Run!"

...

Yan Qiuling also frowned. She smelled the blood and licked her lips.

"Go over and take a look."

"Walk!"

The two immediately changed direction, spurred their horses, and galloped swiftly toward the direction from which the smell of blood was coming.

Before Han Qingren even arrived at the scene, he had already taken in everything with a single thought.

In the middle of a desert, a caravan from the Great Yu Kingdom had inadvertently encountered a small team from the Holy Desert Empire and was being hunted down.

These soldiers all had high noses, deep-set eyes, and curly hair—features unique to the people of the Holy Desert Empire.

Moreover, he saw a noble young man dressed in brocade riding a tall and powerful war elephant at great speed.

Elephant troops are a unique unit type of the Holy Desert Empire.

However, he didn't know why such war elephants were usually seen on the front lines, and why they were being seen in the rear.

However, this indicates that there are loopholes in the border defenses, which is why the Holy Desert Empire's squad was able to infiltrate.

"Kill! Kill them all, leave no one alive! No, if there are any pretty women, we can spare them, but kill the rest!"

The young man in brocade robes roared excitedly from the back of the war elephant. His language was unique to the Holy Desert Empire, so most people couldn't understand it. However, Han Qing and Yan Qiuling were saints, and they could understand one language without being taught.

Upon hearing his command, the hundreds of cavalrymen fought even more fiercely, and merchants from Dayu were frequently hacked to pieces, their blood flowing freely.

In just a short while, there were no fewer than a dozen corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, and several women were accidentally grabbed and tied up on horseback.

"Prince Kumar, someone's coming over there!"

On the war elephant, besides the young man in brocade robes, there were more than a dozen monks. One of them noticed Han Qing and his companion riding towards them on horseback and suddenly pointed at them.

Kumar glanced at Yan Qiuling and was immediately captivated by her beauty and charm.

"What a beautiful woman! Quickly, kill the man and bring the woman here. I, this young master, will enjoy her tonight!"

“Prince Kumar, these two are probably quite powerful. Look at their expressions; they don’t panic at all when they encounter us. They are likely strong individuals from the Great Yu Dynasty.”

Although this place is far from the eastern border of the Great Yu, I've heard that many renowned masters of the Great Yu have recently traveled to the sandbar in groups. I advise you, young master, to be careful and not to provoke them." The speaker was the same monk from before, with a sallow face and a thin build, but his eyes were bright and his demeanor extraordinary. (End of Chapter)