The First Sage of Military Strategists

Han Qing remained unmoved. The four-armed Demon-Suppressing Ape was struggling desperately, but it was firmly locked in by the Yin-Yang True Realm, and its life force was constantly slipping away.

Under normal circumstances, he would definitely release the beast.

However, the fact that the Nian family sent assassins first made him change his mind.

He couldn't let this strange beast go; he'd kill it first, and that would be his first act of revenge against the Nian family.

Seeing that Han Qing ignored him, Nian Wanlou flew into a rage.

"Han Qing, you're courting death! If the Four-Armed Demon-Suppressing Ape dies, I will definitely not let you go!"

With a wave of his hand, a vast power of magical energy surged between heaven and earth, and one after another, vortexes of dark light suddenly appeared, from which strange beasts flew out. In the blink of an eye, their number exceeded one hundred. Moreover, it seemed that all these ancient strange beasts had their auras connected with Nian Wanlou, causing his momentum to rise again and again.

Taoist practitioners who cultivate their spirit can control beasts, but only the Nian family has carried forward and enhanced this basic ability, creating many unique secret techniques.

These secret techniques have been passed down through generations in the Nian family. For example, the method of combining the power of a hundred beasts to strengthen oneself is something that Han Qing has never heard of or seen before.

"Han Qing, my Nian family commands all beasts and is renowned throughout the ages. I'd like to see how many moves you can withstand."

With a loud shout, Nian Wanlou suddenly raised his hand and threw a punch. A milky white stream of energy surged from the bodies of all the beasts around him, merging with the power of his magic and martial arts intent surging from his fist. Finally, it transformed into a thick and solid white pillar of light, which smashed fiercely towards Han Qing.

"A combination of magic and martial arts?" Han Qing frowned, thinking to himself that Nian Wanlou was indeed worthy of being from a thousand-year-old family, as his move was such a profound and secret technique.

He remained unchanged amidst all changes, once again activating the Eight Directions Puppet, which then charged headlong into the white beam of light.

boom!
With a deafening roar, the white beam of light suddenly collapsed and disintegrated, and the Eight Directions Puppet was blasted away.

Suddenly, hundreds of strange beasts rushed towards him.

Han Qing frowned, about to make a move, when suddenly a voice rang in his ears.

"Master, let me do it. I am a ferocious beast that was famous throughout the world in ancient times, and I am enough to intimidate this group of spirit beasts!"

"it is good!"

Han Qing immediately manipulated the Boundless Monument, and a faint light appeared. With a whoosh, the Void Blood Roc flew out from it, flapped its wings, let out a loud cry, and a fierce aura spread out.

This oppressive aura was not deeply felt by humans, but it could instill a sense of awe and fear in these hundreds of spirit beasts from the depths of their blood and souls.

Suddenly, Nian Wanlou discovered that a large number of spirit beasts had gone out of control. They should have been brave and fearless, but instead they were all trembling, afraid to move forward, and cowering in fear.

Nian Wanlou cursed loudly, "Useless trash!"

His gaze fell upon the Void Blood Roc again, and he felt an overwhelming sense of jealousy.

He never expected that such a ferocious beast would recognize Han Qing as its master.

However, he had no time to think, because the situation suddenly reversed.

When he could no longer rely on the many strange beasts, Nian Wanlou's combat power would plummet by 70%. Suddenly, the Eight Directions Puppet rushed towards him, and he hurriedly retreated to dodge, while also commanding the hundred beasts to fight and stop it.

However, all the beasts were subdued by the ferocious power of the Void Blood Roc and lay prostrate on the ground, completely ignoring his calls.

Nian Wanlou was immediately filled with fear, and he had no choice but to face the Eight Directions Puppet head-on.

But then the Eight Directions Puppet's figure flashed and suddenly appeared in front of him, throwing a punch that shattered Nian Wanlou's protective spiritual light. The force of the punch then flowed into Nian Wanlou's body, causing a series of cracking sounds as countless bones broke.

Nian Wanlou fell from the sky to the ground like a kite with a broken string, creating a large crater.

Han Qing was still not satisfied; the injury wasn't serious enough. He wanted to continue attacking, but Nian Wanlou shouted, "Stop! I'm not fighting for this token anymore!"

Han Qing remained unmoved, and the Eight Directions Puppet Pen charged straight at him. Nian Wanlou was horrified and cursed, "Han Qing, this is just a friendly spar, why are you so relentless? Are you trying to kill me?"

At this moment, Meng Chong, who had been watching the battle, made his move. He suddenly activated the magic mirror, and two soft white lights appeared out of thin air, completely enveloping Han Qing and the other person.

The next moment, both of them appeared in the palace.

All eyes immediately fell on Nian Wanlou, who was in a terrible state. His hair was disheveled, blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth, his breath was ragged, and his eyes were filled with resentment as he stared intently at Han Qing, as if he wanted to devour him.

Seeing his state, many people revealed gloating in their eyes.

Martial artists like Nian Wanlou, who come from a thousand-year-old family, are born with a silver spoon in their mouths and enjoy resources that others cannot compare to.

Achieving the same success is far easier for someone from a humble background than for someone from a poor family. However, Nian Wanlou looks down on others, and his arrogance is evident in almost every word and action. Naturally, many people dislike him and want to see him suffer.

At this moment, seeing Nian Wanlou being brutally beaten in front of everyone, many people naturally felt a sense of satisfaction and pleasure.

"Han Qing, I admit you have some skill, but the outcome is already decided. Quickly release the Four-Armed Demon-Suppressing Ape!" Nian Wanlou shouted.

The Four-Armed Demon-Suppressing Ape was the only one left in his family, and he absolutely could not lose it.

"It has already turned into nothingness in the Yin-Yang True Realm, how can I return it to you?" Han Qing said calmly.

"Impossible! The Four-Armed Demon-Suppressing Ape is powerful, how could it die so quickly? You clearly wanted to seize it by force. I advise you to stop. You will regret provoking the Nian family in the future!" Nian Wanlou shouted.

"Oh? Nian Wanlou, are you threatening me? I hate being threatened the most. Seeing your resentment, it seems you want to kill me. I'll give you a chance. Now come with me out of the city to the depths of the desert. We'll settle our differences in one battle. I'll give you a chance to vent your anger." Han Qing raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on Nian Wanlou.

Nian Wanlou's face darkened. He was caught in a dilemma. To fight? That would be suicide. He naturally dared not agree, but he couldn't openly admit his fear either, as that would not only be a loss of face for himself but also an insult to the Nian family's reputation.

At this moment, Meng Chong, who was in the lead, suddenly spoke up.

"Both of you are experts from my Great Yu Dynasty. You have a common enemy, the Great Vajra Temple. What kind of talk is this, with your infighting? Let this matter end here and not be mentioned again. If anyone wants to challenge Han Qing, feel free to step forward."

Meng Chong didn't mention the Four-Armed Demon-Suppressing Ape, but Nian Wanlou knew in his heart that the ape was not going back. His heart was bleeding, and his resentment towards Han Qing intensified.

Han Qing ignored him, secretly plotting how to get rid of Nian Wanlou in the future, as keeping him around was always a potential threat.

The others looked at Han Qing with apprehension in their eyes, and no one else stepped forward.

The scene of the battle just now kept flashing through their minds. They could feel that Nian Wanlou was no match for Han Qing at all. This was not to say that Nian Wanlou was weak, but that Han Qing was too strong.

Unless one possesses the strength of the Golden Body Realm III, it would be impossible to defeat Han Qing and seize the token. However, the Golden Body Realm III is a level-one powerhouse of a Holy Land leader, and there are only a handful of them in the entire world. How could they possibly appear in this tent?

"Since no one is willing to take action, it means that you are all convinced of Han Qing's strength. In the future, I will send fifteen of you to guard a border city. Let me make this clear: this battle is of great importance to our Great Yu. You must prioritize the overall situation and not seek personal revenge or frame each other. Otherwise, I will punish you severely." Meng Chong's tone was solemn.

Everyone understood that he was referring to Han Qing and Nian Wanlou, and was also reminding the others that many of the powerful figures present came from various forces across the land, and it was inevitable that they would have grudges against each other. If they retaliated against each other, it could have unimaginable consequences. Next, Meng Chong announced the captain and members of the second team.

The rules remain the same. If you disagree, then let your strength and fists decide.

So, after a series of sparring matches, the team captain list was quickly finalized.

Meng Chong's judgment was very accurate. Except for one person who was unfortunately defeated by his teammates and lost his command token, almost everyone else managed to keep their tokens.

"Gentlemen, the Holy Desert Empire's army of 300,000 will soon launch an attack on our important border towns. Now, each of you will be responsible for guarding a place. Han Qing, you will lead your men to guard Linchuan City; Tan Qiu, you will lead your men to guard Yintai City..."

Half an hour later.

Han Qing led fourteen experts straight to Linchuan, while the other teams of strong individuals also set off, heading to different locations.

Two days later.

The group arrived in Linchuan City.

This is one of the many border cities controlled by the Dayu side. It is built entirely of gray-white stones. It is smaller and less prosperous than Guiqiu. It is a desolate city and a military fortress.

Han Qing first met with Wei Tong, the city lord of the city, who was in charge of the military and political affairs of Linchuan and was a mature and steady middle-aged man.

"Lord Wei, according to General Meng, a large number of enemy troops will attack Yintai soon. I am here to assist you in the defense. I will not interfere with the military and political management of the city. You should do what you need to do. I will only be responsible for dealing with the experts among the enemy troops!"

Inside the city lord's mansion, Han Qing sat upright on a large rosewood chair, holding a cup of warm flower tea in his hand. The tea was whitish and was also a specialty of Shazhou.

Besides him, Nian Wanlou and fourteen others were also sitting on chairs on the left and right sides. The room was full of top experts, and the pressure and aura they exuded made Wei Tong almost unable to breathe.

"With Young Master Han and so many experts assisting us, even if a thousand troops attack Linchuan, I will have no fear. By the way, I have instructed my servants to arrange a banquet to welcome you all." Wei Tong said with a respectful bow.

"Lord Wei, there's no need for a banquet. In these extraordinary times, there's no need for so many tedious formalities. I'd rather use that time to stroll around the city," Han Qing said slowly.

"Then we'll do as you say, young master. Let's cancel the banquet for now," Wei Tong replied, which was in line with his own idea.

...

Han Qing and the others settled down in the city that day.

However, the war came sooner than Han Qing had imagined.

Three days later, at night, the long and heavy sound of horns resounded throughout the entire city of Linchuan.

Tens of thousands of soldiers throughout Linchuan City mobilized immediately.

Han Qing and his men did not need the warning of horns; they had already discovered the enemy army when a large number of enemies entered the area within five thousand li of Linchuan City.

Before long, all fifteen people arrived at the western city wall of Linchuan City, their eyes fixed on the massive army that was constantly approaching in the distance. Under the moonlight, the crowd was bustling with people and shadows. Above the army, there was a phantom of a Buddhist kingdom, with monks walking among them, just like a mirage.

Han Qing understood that this shadow of the Buddhist Kingdom was part of Brahma. It was rumored that soldiers and Buddhist and Taoist warriors anywhere in the Holy Desert Empire could receive the blessing of the supreme treasure, Brahma.

"If we can seize the Great Brahma, it will shake the foundation of the Great Vajra Temple, and even the entire Holy Desert Empire," Han Qing thought to himself.

However, this matter is extremely difficult.

He had no clue how to obtain Brahma or how to seize Brahma's throne.

As he pondered, a figure leaped out from the enemy ranks. It was a bald, burly man carrying a broad-bladed dagger. He suddenly shouted loudly, "I am Shagongluo, a general under Marshal Vasala! Wei Tong! Come out here and let me cut off your head and use it as a football!"

Duel between generals is a step that has been a part of warfare since ancient times.

The high-end combat forces of both sides will first engage in combat. If one side overwhelms the other, then there is no point in the soldiers of both sides continuing to fight, and the side that is overwhelmed will inevitably be defeated.

At this moment, despite Sha Gongluo's provocative words, Wei Tong remained completely unfazed, knowing that someone would intervene.

Sure enough, a figure flew out first from beside Han Qing.

"Lord Han, I'll have a go at him!"

"it is good!"

Han Qing glanced at him and saw that the person who made the move was named Wang Qiang, a member of the Wang family. Although he had a somewhat feminine name, he was a handsome young man in white who followed the Confucian and Taoist schools of thought.

Two figures engaged in a life-or-death battle in the air. Wang Qiang suddenly unleashed a move called "Ode to the Cold River," in which countless characters soared out, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth. Suddenly, snow fell from the sky, and a cold wave surged and spread throughout the world, impacting all directions.

In an instant, the sky and the endless yellow sand were completely frozen, and Shagongluo was not spared either, turning into an ice sculpture.

However, with a crisp sound, the latter unleashed its full power and quickly broke free from the frost's restraints.

However, its momentum plummeted, clearly indicating that it had suffered extremely serious injuries.

Sha Gongluo turned and ran. From Han Qing's perspective, Wang Qiang should have stopped while she was ahead, because although Sha Gongluo was injured, the difference in their combat strength was not so great that she could kill him.

However, Wang Qiang acted impulsively and chased after him, which instantly put him in danger.

Twelve dazzling pillars of light appeared from the enemy ranks, and twelve martial monks soared into the sky, charging straight at Wang Qiang with overwhelming force.

Only then did Wang Qiang realize that he had gone too far. By then, it was too late for him to turn back. The twelve monks had already spread out in all directions, cutting off his retreat.

In an instant, a fierce battle broke out among the thirteen people. The twelve martial monks, with their perfect coordination in offense and defense, quickly suppressed Wang Qiang.

Shagongluo laughed loudly: "You lad do have some ability, but you have a bad temper and lack experience. You charge around so recklessly, do you really think there's no one else in my army? Now, you're doomed!"

Upon hearing this, Han Qing deeply agreed with these words. The scions of aristocratic families, who cultivate diligently at home, lack experience and are ultimately deficient in character.

At this moment, while everyone else was watching, he hesitated for a moment before making his move.

Firstly, as the team leader, he should have stepped in to help.

Secondly, if Wang Qiang were to be killed like this, the loss of a top-tier player at the very beginning would be very detrimental to the battle.

At this moment, Wang Qiang was in dire straits. Suddenly, the twelve monks threw punches at the same time, and each of them burst out with dazzling golden light, creating a sense of unity.

Twelve golden rays suddenly converged, transforming into a gigantic fist that slammed into Wang Qiang. Her dark red protective armor instantly shattered, turning into countless fragments that scattered across the heavens and earth. (End of Chapter)