The First Sage of Military Strategists

"Han Yi, if you want the Void Blood Roc, then take it by force!" Han Qing said loudly.

"You think you can escape from me?"

Han Yi suddenly reached out and grabbed at Han Qing, who was flying in the sky.

In an instant, countless chains filled the void, appearing and disappearing, weaving together into a net that suddenly sealed off the area where Han Qing was located, trapping him inside like a cage.

This was the first time Han Qing had faced Han Yi in person, and he felt immense pressure from the very first move.

The sky, blocked by chains, seemed to have transformed into a swampy mire, trapping him within and drastically reducing his speed of movement.

Han Yi suddenly accelerated and caught up from behind in an instant, then raised his hand and threw a punch at Han Qing from a distance.

Han Qing suddenly felt a strong sense of life and death crisis, and immediately controlled the Eight Directions Puppet to use its body as a shield in front of it.

Bang!
When the force of the punch landed, the Eight Directions Puppet collided with the fist's power and was completely outmatched. It was suddenly blasted away, like a meteor falling to the ground, crashing into a large mountain not far away, causing the mountain to collapse.

Han Qing was shaken. In that instant, he even lost contact with the Eight Directions Puppet, which showed just how terrifying the power of that punch was.
Immediately afterward, Han Yi raised his hand and threw another punch. Han Qing hurriedly retaliated, continuously activating the two great magic treasures, the Buddhist Sound Bone Scripture and the Sun and Moon Tide Fan.

The Buddha's Voice Bone Scripture was activated, and golden light surged out from it, condensing into a layer of Buddha's light shield around its body.

Then, the Sun and Moon Tide Fan was waved, and the radiance of the sun and moon surged out from it, like ocean waves, rushing towards Han Yi.

However, the martial intent surging from Han Yi's fist was truly terrifying. A thick white column of energy collided with the radiance of the sun and moon in mid-air.

The latter quickly collapsed and vanished, while the white column of energy continued to surge forward, rushing straight towards Han Yi at an astonishing speed, and then violently crashing into the golden shield surrounding Han Qing's body.

In an instant, the shield collapsed, turning into countless points of light that scattered between heaven and earth.

With nowhere to hide, Han Qing had no choice but to slip into the Boundless Monument.

The Boundless Monument itself has strong protective capabilities and can be used for hiding, but this also means that he will be in a completely passive defensive state, which is a helpless move when he is forced into a desperate situation.

A flash of light appeared, and Han Qing and Yan Qiuling simultaneously vanished into the Boundless Stele.

boom!
The moment the two entered the inner space, the Boundless Monument was also struck head-on by this fist intent, causing it to tremble violently. This also made the inner space extremely unstable and violently vibrate.

"Han Qing, do you think I can't do anything to you just because you've hidden inside the Boundless Monument?"

"Although the Boundless Monument is sturdy, every magical artifact has its limits!"

"Now, I'm giving you two choices: either come out voluntarily and offer up your magic treasures and the Void Blood Roc, or I'll destroy the Boundless Monument first and then force you out!" Han Yi's voice echoed between heaven and earth, and also within the space of the Boundless Monument.

Han Qing remained silent, his brows furrowed slightly. He glanced at the Void Blood Roc beside him, whose size had shrunk to a few dozen feet. His mind raced as he tried to find a solution.

He would never bow down to Han Yi and offer up the Taixu Blood Roc and treasures.

He'd rather die than submit to such humiliation.

Just as he was pondering this, Han Qing made another move outside, raising his hand and throwing another punch. His fist slammed hard into the Boundless Monument, causing it to tremble violently once again, triggering an earthquake in the inner space as well.

"Damn it!"

Han Yi punched the Boundless Monument repeatedly, causing the inner space to tremble more and more frequently.

A look of anxiety appeared in Han Qing's eyes. If Han Yi continued to smash it like this, the Boundless Monument might indeed be forcibly opened, or even completely collapsed.

He must find a way to get out of his predicament immediately.

However, despite his deep thinking, he was at a complete loss and seemed to be in a desperate situation.

Just at this moment of despair, suddenly, an old voice rang in his ears.

"Ahem! Who is disturbing this old man's eternal slumber?"

"Who?" Han Qing glanced around and suddenly saw a ball of serene light gathering above his head, forming an old man with a white beard.

A look of surprise flashed in his eyes. He had never sensed anyone else in this inner space before.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the old man was merely a phantom without any physical form. Yan Qiuling, standing nearby, had already guessed the old man's identity.

"Could you be the spirit of the Boundless Monument?" Yan Qiuling asked.

Magical artifacts possess spirits, and the more powerful the artifact, the stronger and more intelligent its spirit.

However, in this era, there are very few magical artifacts that can give birth to artifact spirits, so Han Qing had never seen one before. He didn't think of this at first glance, but he realized it now.

The old man yawned and looked Han Qing up and down: "Are you the current owner of the Boundless Monument?"

"It's me." Han Qing nodded slightly.

"Indeed, to have opened the fourth Heavenly Gate at such a young age, such talent would be extremely astonishing even in ancient times!" The old man exclaimed in amazement.

At this moment, Han Yi slammed his fist into the Boundless Monument, causing the monument to tremble and the inner world to shake violently as well.

The old man was also affected, his body suddenly twisted and deformed, but returned to normal in an instant.

"Who's the fool who's causing trouble?"

The old man raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through time and space, locking onto Han Yi through the Boundless Monument.

"Hmm, the Imperial Dragon-Controlling Armor? This old man is indeed quite capable?"

"May I ask if you have a solution, sir?" Han Qing asked loudly.

"You are quite polite. My surname is Ming, you can call me Elder Ming. If this continues, the inner space will collapse and I will also dissipate. We must stop it. It's a pity that I woke up too early. If I could continue to sleep and recuperate for another hundred years, I will recover all my power and be able to control the Boundless Monument to escape at any time!" Ming said indignantly.

"I wonder if Mr. Ming has any ideas?" Han Qing saw a glimmer of hope.

“I have my own way. There is a power deep within the Boundless Monument that only I can control. Now, I will inject another power into your body. You can use this to cast spells, making the power of the spells increase by more than ten times compared to normal. Remember, you only have ten breaths. You must use your strongest combat power and preferably make a decisive blow!” Ming’s tone was serious.

"Alright, let's go then!" Han Qing said loudly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a pillar of dark light suddenly appeared above his head, pouring down from above and filling and surging throughout his body.

A surge of newfound power coursed through Han Qing's body, and he let out a long roar.

"Take action quickly!"

Han Qing flashed to the side of the Boundless Monument, suddenly formed a hand seal, and let out a low shout.

"seal up!"

After much deliberation, he chose the Yin-Yang Spell Seal.

Before Han Yi could even make a move, he was sealed by the suddenly appearing black and gold lotus.

In an instant, the vast sky became calm and peaceful.

But the next instant, a dragon's roar echoed between heaven and earth, and the black-gold lotus suddenly exploded, a golden celestial dragon carrying Han Qing soaring out from within. "Hmm? Even this can't seal it?" Han Qing frowned. With the support of this mysterious power, the Yin-Yang Curse Seal he cast was more than ten times stronger than normal, yet it still couldn't seal it.

This made his heart sink. He only had ten breaths left. If he couldn't win, then he would die.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes; he was already prepared to fight Han Yi to the bitter end.

A look of surprise flashed in Han Yi's eyes. He could feel that Han Qing's aura and strength had suddenly exploded, becoming more than ten times stronger than before.

Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly frowned and heard a deep, magnetic voice from a middle-aged man in his ear.

"Something has happened in the capital, return immediately!"

His eyes flickered as he quickly made a decision; compared to the Void Blood Roc, the affairs of the capital were clearly more important.

His gaze sharpened as he quickly swept over Han Qing and the others around him, and he said in a deep voice, "A bunch of rats, you're lucky this time!"

"go!"

With a whoosh, Han Yi soared into the air, surrounded by golden phantoms, and vanished without a trace in an instant.

No one dared to stop him. Han Qing glanced around and felt the immense power still surging within his body.

The battle just now, though seemingly complicated, actually only lasted three breaths. According to Elder Ming, this immense force could last for ten breaths.

"Seven breaths left, we can't waste any more!"

"go!"

Han Qing's figure flashed, and he suddenly rushed straight towards Tuoba Qiu.

"You old scoundrel, you attacked me with the Slaughtering Sea Curved Blade just now, how can I swallow this insult?"

A fierce glint flashed in Tuoba Qiu's eyes: "Han Qing, you're asking for death!"

Buzz!
The scimitar trembled and flew out of his hand in a flash, transforming into a streak of light that slashed down fiercely at Han Qing.

With a thought, Han Qing sent out a ray of colorful light from between his brows. With the support of immense force, the power of the ten-layered Yin-Yang Curse Seal was greatly enhanced, and it suddenly transformed into a giant hand of colorful light, which slammed down fiercely towards Tu Hai's curved blade.

The two collided, and the Tu Hai Curved Blade was immediately knocked away.

"Huh? How can it have such power?" Tuoba Qiu was shocked. He felt an inability to resist, as if he was facing Han Yi, not Han Qing.

The colorful light flashed again and suddenly appeared above Tuoba Qiu's head, striking him violently.

With a loud shout, Tuoba Qiu's body surged with malevolent mist, condensing into a layer of malevolent shadow shield on his body.

The Yin-Yang Curse Seal slammed down, striking the shield and causing it to collapse instantly. Tuoba Qiu, who was hiding inside, was also not spared and was suddenly slapped away by the palm, flying tens of thousands of miles away.

Tuoba Qiu was filled with horror and turned to run away.

Han Qing wanted to kill him and was about to give chase when You Songchuan made another move. He opened his mouth and spat out a flying sword with five-colored light flashing on its body. With a whoosh, it stabbed fiercely towards him with five-colored rainbow light.

The next instant, the Eight Directions Puppet soared into the sky from the sand, transforming into a streak of light, and arrived in front of Han Qing in an instant. With a raised hand and a punch, it sent the five-colored flying sword flying away.

Han Qing launched a fierce counterattack, suddenly wielding the Sun and Moon Tide Fan.

Wow!
The surging light of the sun and moon burst forth from the front of the fan, rushing forward like waves.

If the radiance of the sun and moon that Han Qing unleashed before was a great river, then now it is a vast ocean, its intensity and power far exceeding the previous tenfold.

You Songchuan frowned, and the five elemental spirits beside him suddenly shone brightly, weaving together to form a five-colored light shield around his body.

The golden and silver radiance violently impacted the five-colored light shield, and in just one breath, the shield shattered.

You Songchuan was immediately swallowed by the radiance of the sun and moon. He let out a muffled groan and used all his magical power to escape from the sea of ​​sun and moon.

However, its momentum plummeted, clearly indicating that it had suffered a serious injury.

A hint of apprehension flashed in You Songchuan's eyes. He didn't know what had happened to Han Qing, but there was no doubt that Han Qing's combat power in this state was terrifying, not much weaker than any leader of a holy land in the world.

"The younger generation is truly formidable. I admit defeat today, but the outcome will certainly be different next time we meet."

As he spoke, a pair of phoenix wings suddenly extended from You Songchuan's back. With a flap of his wings, he soared into the sky and disappeared into the world at an extremely fast speed.

Han Qing did not pursue. You Songchuan's strength was only three points lower than that of a Holy Land leader. He could defeat him, but it would be difficult to kill him.

"Three breaths left!"

Han Qing's gaze sharpened, locking onto Mu Haixiu. Although this man hadn't attacked him, his close relationship with Tuoba Qiu made it difficult for him not to harbor any ill intentions.

He didn't want to gamble. Before the immense force subsided, he wanted to drive Mu Haixiu away as well, so that the crisis would completely dissipate.

Just as he was about to make a move, Mu Haixiu took flight first and fled at top speed.

"Young Master Han is indeed remarkable. This is what it means for heroes to emerge from among the young. Please come to my Heavenly Wolf Fortress when you have time. I, Mu, will certainly treat you well!" Mu Haixiu's voice echoed between heaven and earth.

Han Qing was too lazy to make a move. Mu Haixiu was not weak either, and even if he made a move, he could not kill him. At most, he could only injure him, so he might as well save his energy.

As he pondered, the immense force dissipated, and the grand aura surrounding Han Qing also faded away.

His gaze swept across the room and landed on the Palace Master of the Zongheng Dao Palace.

"This old man meant no harm. If Young Master Han wants to send me away, there's no need to lift a finger. This old man will leave on his own!" he said with a smile. He was wearing a straw raincoat and did not have the arrogance often associated with strong people. Instead, he had a unique sense of friendliness.

"How could I forget the kindness of the old gentleman who helped me just now?" Han Qing shook his head and cupped his hands in thanks.

"I just didn't want the Taixu Blood Roc to fall into Han Yi's hands. Saving you was just a coincidence," the old man said with a smile.

"Old sir, you are a truly honest man. However, whatever your motives, the fact remains that you saved me, and I will remember this kindness," Han Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting.

“Interesting, Young Master Han. It seems you are a very good person. In that case, I would like to ask you to do me a favor?” the old man said with a smile.

"Please speak freely, sir. I will do my best to assist you!" Han Qing said, bowing.

"I will soon attempt to break through to the sixth level of the Heavenly Gate. At that time, I fear many people will come to obstruct me. I would like to ask Young Master Han for your help in stopping these people. Rest assured, besides you, there are others who will assist you. If you are unable to defeat them, you may leave. In addition, I will also offer you a treasure of my Zongheng Dao Palace." The old man said loudly again.

"Don't worry, sir. Just send someone to let me know when you want to open the Heavenly Gate, and I will come to help you immediately. As for the magic treasures? You don't need to be so polite, sir. It's what I should do," Han Qing said gently.

"Haha, young friend Han is indeed a man of principle. However, I also have my own set of principles for doing things." He chuckled, flipped his palm, and a formation diagram flew out and landed in Han Qing's hand.

"This is a magic weapon passed down for many years by the Zongheng Dao Palace. It is called the Thousand Beasts Mist Concealment Diagram and has the effect of trapping enemies. Young friend Han, although Han Yi and the others have left, this battle has caused too much of a stir. It is inevitable that some people are spying on us in the dark. I suggest that you find a secluded place as soon as possible to help Taixu Blood Roc recover from its injuries. In this way, the crisis will be resolved!" the old man said with a smile.

“The old man is right. In that case, I will accept the map. But aren’t you afraid that I will go back on my word after accepting it?” Han Qing asked again.

"It's alright, I trust Young Master Han's character." The old man shook his head.

"The old sir has not misjudged me. I will certainly keep my promise and take my leave first!" Han Qing did not linger any longer, for he could sense countless magical energies sweeping around him. Clearly, the Palace Master of the Zongheng Dao Palace was right; there were others spying nearby. (End of Chapter)