The First Sage of Military Strategists

“My husband, you don’t need to come with me. The situation in Guiqiu City is critical right now, and we are short of manpower. You should stay here,” Yan Qiuling said. She felt that Han Qing had already done too much for her and felt quite guilty. She didn’t want Han Qing to continue doing things for her.

"Qiu Ling, we are one body, it's too formal to say such things. Let's go, your business is my business. It won't be more than a few days anyway. Little monk from the North and South, if anyone comes to ask, just tell the truth," Han Qing instructed.

"Understood, young master." The little monk from the north and south nodded.

"go!"

The two immediately took flight. The young monks from the north and south looked up, and in the blink of an eye, their figures shrank rapidly and eventually disappeared completely into the sky.

"When will I be as powerful as you, young master?" he sighed.

...

"Husband, where are we going?" Yan Qiuling asked as she soared through the sky.

"The deep desert is a desolate and uninhabited place, an excellent place to undergo tribulation." Han Qing gazed into the distance, his eyes reaching across thousands of miles to see the vast, boundless sea of ​​sand.

“Okay, then let’s go deep into the desert!” Yan Qiuling nodded.

...

The yellow sand is endless.

The sandbar is so named because more than 80% of its area is covered by desert, and deep in the desert there is not a trace of greenery. It is an absolute wasteland and a forbidden zone for life.

Aside from rare treasures or mythical beasts, ordinary creatures would find it difficult to survive there.

...

same moment.

Deep in the same desert, the Demon Child Ma Meng is also soaring through the sky.

Compared to a few months ago, his aura was even more terrifying, and the characteristics of the demon race on his body were more obvious. His face and body were covered with deep purple demonic patterns, and his pair of eerie blood-red eyes flashed with a deep and treacherous gaze.

In a flash, he landed on a tall sand dune beneath him. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed, and a violent suction force burst forth from his palm, pulling out a huge sand lizard from the depths of the dune. Its body was engulfed in raging flames; it was a strange beast.

The sand lizard had no chance to struggle at all. Its body was enveloped in a deep purple light, and then it suddenly exploded, turning into a cloud of blood mist.

The cloud of blood mist slowly gathered, eventually forming a dark red blood bead in Ma Meng's palm.

"Not bad, another kind of exotic beast's essence blood." He licked his lips, suddenly sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to circulate a secret technique called the Blood Demon Soul Chasing Technique.

This secret technique can search for all powerful creatures within a range of tens of thousands of miles; it is a tracking method unique to the demon race.

For a moment, Ma Meng's nose was filled with various scents from different creatures in all directions, some near and some far.

He suddenly opened his eyes, looking towards the northeast, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This scent comes from Han Qing and Yan Qiuling, there's no mistake, my memory is excellent."

"I never expected to run into these two here. It must be fate. Han Qing, I suffered a great loss last time, but this time my strength has greatly increased. I will definitely refine you into my demon servant. As for Yan Qiuling, I will just devour her."

Ma Meng pondered for a moment, then suddenly took flight and sped off in the direction where Han Qing and the other person were.

Before long, he heard a rumbling thunder ahead and saw thick thunderclouds rolling above a sand dune, with bolts of lightning darting and flashing within them.

Ma Meng licked his lips and did not move any closer.

"I never expected it to be at the Heavenly Gate. Is it Yan Qiuling or Han Qing? Hmph, whoever it is, I will definitely take action to ambush and kill them."

“However, judging from this situation, the thunderclouds have only just gathered, and the Heavenly Gate has not yet appeared. This is just the beginning. Should I wait here?” Ma Meng hesitated.

He came here on important business. First, the Demon Lord's legacy mentions that there is a hidden wonderland deep in this desert, where a demonic beast, the Void Blood Roc, is kept. It is the most powerful mount in the world, with formidable combat strength, capable of fighting against those at the Golden Body Realm. It is also extremely fast, able to roam the Void, and can devour various exotic beasts and rare treasures to strengthen itself.

He had already figured out how to open this wondrous place and was thinking about making it his mount, which would greatly enhance his ability to survive.

Secondly, he wanted to refine a demonic elixir called the Heavenly Demon Blood Soul Pill, which required 1086 kinds of essence blood and could help open hidden apertures and strengthen the physical body.

The Demon Lord's legacy mentions that this precious pill was as famous as the Heavenly Profound Pill in ancient times, but the two had different focuses: the former enhanced the strength of the soul and the realm of Dharma, while the latter enhanced the strength of the physical body.

After a slight hesitation, Ma Meng decided not to rush to collect the essence blood and to wait here for a while.

Whether it's Yan Qiuling or Han Qing, whether they succeed or fail in opening the Heavenly Gate, he will immediately take action the moment the thunderclouds dissipate.

He was extremely confident in his abilities and was confident that he could win even when facing two opponents alone.

...

Time passes slowly.

It's unclear how much time has passed, but Ma Meng has been sitting cross-legged on the sand dune, using a secret technique to conceal his aura while simultaneously increasing his strength.

Suddenly, the thunder stopped, and the rolling thunderclouds dissipated.

Ma Meng suddenly opened his eyes, and with a whoosh, he soared into the air, his entire body enveloped in purple light mist, flying forward at an astonishing speed.

At the same time, Yan Qiuling, who had successfully opened the triple heavenly gate, descended from the sky, her aura fluctuating.

This time, the preparations for opening the Heavenly Gate were ultimately too hasty.

However, she was lucky enough to successfully overcome the obstacle and absorb and transform all 56,000 Dharma thoughts from Daoist Shuiyuan, refining them into her own power. As a result, her total number of Dharma thoughts has exceeded 79,000.

Throughout history, those who possess such vast Dharma power at the level of incense offerings are extremely rare.

She could feel her strength had greatly increased, but because her soul and body had been injured by the heavenly lightning, her combat power was still less than one-tenth of her peak. She only wanted to find a safe place as soon as possible to recuperate and stabilize her strength.

As she was pondering, Yan Qiuling frowned, sensing something. She looked into the distance and saw a purple rainbow flying rapidly toward her, stopping a thousand miles away and transforming into the appearance of the demon child Ma Meng.

"So it was you who opened the Heavenly Gate? Where's Han Qing? Tell him to come out and see me. I suffered a great loss last time, and this time I must get my revenge. I must capture him alive and refine him into a demon servant!" Ma Meng's voice was shrill, with an arrogant and domineering air.

"You little devil, you've become so arrogant just because you've gained a little strength. You really don't know your place. I advise you to leave quickly, otherwise, when my husband returns, your life will be in danger!" Yan Qiuling laughed.

She didn't act immediately because she needed time to get herself back to peak condition.

As for Han Qing, there was a huge echo from the due east direction just now, which seemed to indicate that powerful figures were fighting. Han Qing was attracted by this noise and went to check it out. However, she left a strand of her spiritual power on her, so that she could see everything that happened around her clearly.

At this moment, Ma Meng appeared, and Han Qing would definitely rush back, so although she was not in good condition, she was not too worried or afraid.

"Han Qing isn't here? That's perfect, I'll take care of you first! When Han Qing returns and finds you dead by my hand, he'll be very upset, hahaha!" Ma Meng laughed heartily.

"As expected of the Demon Child, utterly despicable!"

Yan Qiuling frowned and suddenly made a move. Before Han Qing returned, she wanted to test Ma Meng's strength and see if he was as confident and powerful as he appeared.

Wow!
The power of the Dharma surged, and a great river appeared out of thin air, suddenly transforming into a giant of sunflower water, which stomped down on Ma Meng from mid-air.

Mamon immediately retaliated, demonic thoughts surging forth and instantly converging above his head to form a full heart, throbbing incessantly and emitting muffled drumming sounds. When the Kui Water Giant stepped on this enormous heart, boom! The heart suddenly exploded, unleashing a torrent of demonic flames that instantly filled the heavens and earth, blasting the Kui Water Giant above to smithereens, sending countless water droplets flying.

"Mysterious Dark Water, go!"

Yan Qiuling pointed her finger, and with a whoosh, the Xuanming Heavy Water, radiating a dark glow, suddenly shot out and enveloped Ma Meng, intending to form a water prison to trap him inside.

Ma Meng reached out and grabbed, and a broad-bladed blood scythe suddenly appeared in his palm.
"Air-Slicing Blade!"

With a low shout, he swung his scythe repeatedly, slashing out streaks of bloody light in all directions.

The blade's edge was extremely sharp. The water prison formed by the Xuanming Heavy Water had just taken shape, but it was unexpectedly severed in an instant and could not heal. It was as if a strange force was preventing it from coalescing.

Ma Meng leaped into the air, escaping from the Xuanming Water Prison. He licked his blood-red lips, his eyes burning as he looked Yan Qiuling up and down.

"You must possess many magical treasures. Killing you will undoubtedly grant me a significant power boost!"

"Die!"

"World-Destroying Demon Lotus!"

Ma Meng pointed his finger, and strands of Dharma thoughts suddenly converged above his head into a lotus flower the size of a millstone, shimmering with purple light.

"go!"

With a low shout, the lotus flower transformed into a streak of light and slammed fiercely towards Yan Qiuling.

Yan Qiuling also suddenly mobilized her magical energy, condensing a crimson lotus flower. The two lotus flowers collided violently in the air, producing a loud explosion.

The impact extended for thousands of miles, affecting the entire desert and creating towering waves of sand hundreds of feet high.

Countless creatures hiding within perished as a result. Many more survived by sheer luck, but sensing the overwhelming pressure and fierce momentum, they all fled in all directions like madmen.

This move was another draw, and Yan Qiuling was about to continue when she suddenly let out a muffled groan. The injuries inside her body could no longer be suppressed and completely erupted. A strong sense of weakness and pain spread throughout her body, making her unable to resist falling to the ground.

"I was seriously injured in the third Heavenly Gate. If I were in my peak condition, I would definitely have been able to capture and kill this person." Yan Qiuling was unwilling.

Ma Meng also keenly sensed the drastic change in Yan Qiuling's aura and let out a wild laugh.

"Haha, you're still struggling with these injuries? Let's see how long you can last."

Ma Meng laughed loudly, brandished his sickle, and slashed down fiercely at Yan Qiuling from a distance.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky and suddenly blocked Yan Qiuling's path; it was none other than the Eight Directions Puppet.

The Eight Directions Puppet unleashed a punch, shattering the crimson blade of light in mid-air.

"Last time I let you go, you didn't appreciate it. Now that you dare to show your face in front of me again, I can't let you stay!"

Han Qing himself descended from the sky, his voice echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

He never expected that he would be ambushed and killed the moment he left Yan Qiuling's side.

Ma Meng's gaze sharpened as he stared intently at Han Qing. His expression turned grave. For some reason, the aura emanating from Han Qing gave him a chilling feeling. His instincts told him that Han Qing was extremely dangerous, and if he didn't escape immediately, he might be killed with a single punch.

"Han Qing, I have some business to attend to this time, so I can't keep you company for now. I originally intended to devour your Daoist partner, but unfortunately you're back, haha! However, don't worry, one day I will refine you into my demonic servant."

Although Ma Meng said this, he had already made up his mind to run.

Although he possesses the arrogance and cunning of the demon race, he is also extremely cautious, and once he senses something is amiss, he will not hesitate for a moment.

"Want to leave? Do you think you can?"

The Eight Directions Puppet suddenly lunged straight at him in a straight line.

Ma Meng was startled, and a third eye suddenly opened between his brows, shooting out a dazzling beam of light that slammed into the Eight Directions Puppet.

The moment he made his move, he didn't even look back; he turned and fled into the distance.

The Eight Directions Puppet was struck by this beam of light and was blasted back a distance.

However, Han Qing was prepared and had already cast his next spell.

"The True Realm of the Sun, seal it!"

With the surge of magical power, a magnificent golden fire lotus suddenly appeared, directly sealing Ma Meng within it.

"Han Qing, I didn't expect you to know the True Realm of the Sun, but you can't trap me. I have a secret demonic technique that can break the True Realm of the Sun!"

Ma Meng laughed heartily, and his whole body was suddenly enveloped in purple light. A purple-scaled fish appeared on his body, as if it had completely merged with the space. In a flash, it darted into the True Realm of the Sun, completely ignoring its sealing barrier.

Then, without looking back, Ma Meng maintained the secret technique and fled at an astonishing speed into the distance, his heart filled with horror.

"I didn't expect Han Qing to grow so fast. It seems he has also made great progress during this period."

With just one or two probing moves, Ma Meng realized that he was no match for Han Qing.

His confidence stemmed from the fact that he had acquired a Demon Lord's inheritance during this period, which increased his combat power by more than three to five times. He felt that Han Qing could not possibly have such a fast growth rate as him, and that if they fought, he might not be unable to win. Now he realized that he was very wrong.

Han Qing let out a soft exclamation; it was the first time he had ever seen someone escape from the Sun Realm in such a unique way.

The True Realm of the Sun was not destroyed; Ma Meng seemed to become a phantom and passed directly through it.

“That’s the Demonic Wandering Mystic Art, the signature secret technique of the ancient demon race’s top expert, the Purple Extreme Demon Lord. I think Ma Meng must have recently found the Purple Extreme Demon Lord’s inheritance and greatly increased his strength, which is why he dared to take the initiative to ambush and kill me,” Yan Qiuling explained.

"The Purple Demon Lord's legacy? It seems that Ma Meng is also a person with great fortune, then we can't let him live!" Han Qing said, and immediately chased after him.

He empowered himself with the Yin-Yang Mantra, transforming into a rainbow of light, instantly increasing his speed to its maximum, on par with Ma Meng.

Both of them were quite surprised to see this, as they had not expected that the other party also had such a fast flight speed.

Thus, Han Qing and Ma Meng, one chasing and the other fleeing, covered tens of thousands of miles in the blink of an eye.

Ma Meng was quite anxious, as maintaining the Demonic Wandering Technique required consuming a large amount of demonic energy.

If Han Qing continues to pursue him, he will be unable to hold on for at most half a day, and then he will surely meet with a grim fate.

"There is only one way: open the Wonderland and lure out the Blood Roc of the Void. The Blood Roc was once the mount of the Purple Extreme Demon Lord, and I carry the Purple Extreme Demon Lord's inheritance. It will surely recognize me as its master. When I ride it, I will be able to easily shake off Han Qing."

Mamon acted immediately, changing direction and flying towards the area where the wonder was located.

Before long, he flew into a unique area deep in the desert, where the earth was covered with white sand and gravel as far as the eye could see.

"This is it, the spectacular place situated atop a sea of ​​white sand!" (End of Chapter)