The First Sage of Military Strategists

Han Qing is growing at an astonishing speed, and everything he does is earth-shattering. He is now a world-renowned top expert, feared even by ancient families.

"Uncle Qi, I'm back. No matter how vast the world is, it's still Sichuan that makes me feel most at ease," Han Qing said with a smile.

"If you want to come back, Hengshan City will always welcome you." Qi Wufeng said, and suddenly made a move, raising his hand and striking Han Qing with a palm, a shadowy stream of light shooting out from his palm.

As a result, the light was just launched and had not yet reached Han Qing when it was neutralized by an invisible force, and a gust of wind swept through the flower hall.

Han Qing laughed and said, "Uncle Qi, you're testing me like this, but you can't really gauge my strength. You're going too easy on me."

Qi Wufeng shook his head: "I'm afraid even if I go all out, I still won't be able to figure out your strength. I can't see through your current strength at all. I can only feel a strong sense of pressure. I didn't expect that you would have grown to this level in just a few years. Such martial arts talent is rare in the world."

Han Qing smiled but didn't reply. He had heard such exaggerations countless times and felt no unease whatsoever.

He scanned the area with his mind and suddenly frowned: "Uncle Qi, are you injured?"

He sensed that Qi Wufeng's body was depleted of qi and blood, and in this situation, it was highly likely that he had been injured by an outsider.

"I did run into some trouble a while ago and suffered a minor injury, but it's nothing serious," Qi Wufeng waved his hand.

"Who dares to hurt you? Uncle Qi told me that within six months, I'll come back to you with my head," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

In this world, there are not many people Han Qing can call family. His adoptive parents are family, and Qi Wufeng and Qi Yan are half family.

Before, he was weak and his family was threatened, and he was powerless to resist. Now it's different. Anyone who dares to hurt them will be made to pay a bloody price by Han Qing.

"The enemy has been killed, so this matter is no longer troublesome." Qi Wufeng's expression was calm, but his heart was warmed. He felt that he had not misjudged Han Qing. Han Qing was a man of great loyalty and righteousness.

Upon hearing this, Han Qing did not press the matter. He suddenly appeared beside Qi Wufeng, placed a hand on his shoulder, and instantly, a torrent of blood energy flowed into his body.

A look of surprise appeared in Qi Wufeng's eyes, a blush rose on his face, and he coughed slightly.

After a short while, Han Qing stopped, and Qi Wufeng calmed down and felt his energy and blood replenished, and his physique was even enhanced.

"Han Qing, your methods are truly impressive now," Qi Wufeng remarked.

"It's just a little trick," Han Qing said with a smile.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and before anyone arrived, a loud voice echoed into the house.

"Han Qing, I heard you're back? Haha!"

Han Qing glanced around and realized that the person who came could be Qi Yan.

The latter entered the room, still with a robust build and a carefree attitude. Although she was a woman, she was unkempt, with her hair disheveled. Qi Wufeng was also someone who didn't care much about appearances, so he didn't say anything to her.

Qi Yan carefully examined Han Qing: "He's changed, completely changed. He's much more composed now."

Han Qing laughed and said, "Sister Qi is still the same as before, still with such a carefree personality."

"Haha, what's there to change? Life is short, why worry about rules and regulations? Just live freely!" Qi Yan laughed, patting Han Qing on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go for a drink!"

"What a coincidence, that's exactly what I was thinking!"

Qi Wufeng didn't say anything, and the two immediately went out and entered a bamboo house next door.

"Gudong, gudong!"

Qi Yan held a large jar of fine wine and gulped down several mouthfuls, surprisingly drinking the wine in a panic.

"Good wine! What's it called? Bring me a few more jars!"

After Qi Yan finished drinking, his eyes shone brightly. He swore that he had never tasted such sweet wine before.

Moreover, after drinking it, her body felt slightly warm, her blood and qi surged, and every pore was radiating a glow. She was undergoing a transformation in a silent way. Her skin became whiter and more tender, as if she were reborn, and her strength, speed, and other aspects all increased greatly.

Qi Yan looked astonished: "I feel like I'm about to break through? This wine is incredibly potent!"

"This wine is the finest spirit wine of our time, called Golden Blood. It comes from the royal court of the Holy Desert Empire. I know you love to drink, so I brought it here especially for you. It can transform you completely. However, only the first jar of wine has such an effect," Han Qing said with a smile.

"Golden Blood?" Qi Yan was shocked. She had heard of this wine; it was extremely precious and she had always wanted to drink it, but had never had the chance. "This is far too valuable!"

"It's just a jar of spirit wine; our friendship is priceless," Han Qing said with a smile.

"Then I'll drink as much as I want." Qi Yan didn't stand on ceremony, picked up another jar of wine next to her, and started chugging it down her throat.

As the two were drinking, a guest came to inform them that a new guest had arrived; the visitor was Liu Yue.

Han Qing immediately got up to see Liu Yue, the leader of the rebel army in Shu. He was quite low-key and rarely participated in outside disputes. He was focused on managing Shu and consolidating his foundation.

In the flower hall.

Han Qing met Liu Yue again, but this time, he was no longer in a weak position; on the contrary, he firmly held the upper hand in terms of momentum.

Liu Yue was still dressed in coarse cloth short clothes, and at first glance he looked like a farmer, but his eyes were deep and his aura was imposing, so no one dared to underestimate him.

Han Qing couldn't see through Liu Yue's true strength before, but now he understands: Liu Yue is at the second level of the Golden Body Realm, just a little short of becoming the leader of the Holy Land.

"Han Qing, your strength is truly unfathomable; even I can't see through you." Liu Yue also sized up Han Qing, finding that he couldn't understand him at all.

"My strength has indeed improved greatly in the past few years. When I was weak, you helped me grow. Now that I am strong, I have always kept this in mind. As long as you are a benevolent and capable ruler, I will definitely help you ascend the throne and destroy the Great Yu in the future!" Han Qing said in a deep voice.

"Truly a young man, full of vigor and ambition," Liu Yue praised. "With your help, I am even more confident. However, this matter cannot be rushed; we must wait for the situation in the world to change."

Han Qing nodded slightly; he meant the same thing and they would have to wait.

The three then discussed world affairs in the flower hall for two full hours before Liu Yue finally left.

After meeting Liu Yue, Han Qing inquired about her adoptive parents. The two elders were still living peacefully in the mansion, and Qi Wufeng was protecting them very well.

Han Qing then followed a servant to the courtyard where the two lived.

He hadn't even gone inside yet; with a mere sweep of his mind, he could see everything in the courtyard.

Han Cheng was fishing by a pond, while Zhang Cuilian was picking vegetables under the eaves.

"Why are there no servants?" Han Qing asked.

"The two elders said they were destined to be busy all their lives and absolutely refused to be served by servants," explained the servant who was leading the way.

Han Qing nodded slightly. The two elders were indeed like that—stubborn, hardworking, and it was normal that they didn't like using servants.

He pushed open the door and entered.

"Father, Mother, I'm back!"

The two elders were taken aback upon hearing this, and stood up at the same time, their faces showing surprise and delight.

"It's good that you're back. I've been thinking of you day and night. I'll make you some fish right now. You used to love my fish the most." Zhang Cuilian's face was full of smiles.

"Alright, Mom, I'll help you!" Han Qing said with a smile.

“No need, Mother is fine on her own, you can just sit here,” Zhang Cuilian refused repeatedly.

Han Cheng was a man of few words, not good with words, and at this moment he didn't know what to say, only a smile on his face. "Dad, I'll go fishing with you!"

"Okay, good!" Han Cheng's smile widened.

...

into the night.

The family of three sat at a wooden table. Han Qing held a bowl of steaming fish soup. The soup was golden in color and topped with some bright green scallions. After taking a sip, the aroma lingered on his tongue, and a warm current rushed into his stomach and spread throughout his body. He felt warm all over and was indescribably comfortable.

Han Qing picked up a large piece of snow-white fish meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and swallowed it. He found it extremely delicious.

For some reason, no matter how far he had traveled and how many fish soups he had eaten, none of them were as sweet and delicious as the one in his hand.

The two elders were unaware of Han Qing's current abilities. Since they were in the mansion, Qi Wufeng, to prevent them from worrying, would only tell them that Han Qing was an official in the capital whenever they asked. So when they asked now, Han Qing gave the same answer, occasionally telling them some interesting and novel stories from the capital, which made the two elders laugh heartily.

At this moment, Han Qing's mind was completely at peace. No matter how strong he was, this place was a pure land in his heart. No matter how big the storms outside were, he would be completely at peace when he returned here.

After staying for five or six days, Han Qing set off to leave.

In the past few days, malice has resurfaced, but it is faint and lingering in the distance, its location and direction difficult to discern.

Han Qing was now convinced that someone was secretly following him.

He had only guessed before, but now he was completely certain.

However, this person was very strong, or perhaps he had cultivated some secret technique, so he was extremely good at concealing his aura, and even he could not detect him.

Han Qing felt he couldn't delay any longer. He couldn't just sit idly by while this person kept following him. A month was about to pass, and the Panlong Immortal Realm was about to open. He couldn't afford to be late.

Before leaving, Han Qing left each of the two elders a jade pendant. This jade pendant could purify the mind and calm the soul, and it also contained a trace of his magical power. This was their token.

If the two elders encounter danger in the future, he can use this token as a reference point to send the message across thousands of miles.

Although Liu Yue and Qi Wufeng were protecting the two elders in Shu, and they should be fine, Han Qing, being a cautious man, still added an extra layer of insurance.

After arranging everything, Han Qing bid farewell to everyone from the Qi family and flew towards the valley.

Yan Qiuling also flew out of the Boundless Monument. She didn't like interacting with outsiders, and as a member of the demon race with a special identity, she had been improving her strength inside the Boundless Monument for the past few days. Now that she was far away from Hengshan City, she flew out of it.

"My lord, is the stalker still around?"

"They're nearby. No rush. They'll slip up sooner or later!" Han Qing telepathically replied.

Yan Qiuling said no more.

A moment later, the two descended into the valley again.

Han Qing arrived at the broken stele, pondered for a moment, and suddenly shouted, "Get out here!"

The sound suddenly echoed throughout the heavens and earth, spreading far and wide, reaching thousands of miles away.

Han Qing had no idea where the stalker was; his actions were merely an attempt to lure the person out.

If it succeeds, then this hidden danger will be eliminated; if it fails, he will suffer no loss.

Surprisingly, this attempt actually yielded results.

Northeast corner.

He suddenly sensed a strong wave of malice. Although it vanished in an instant, Han Qing still managed to detect it. He immediately took action and used the Yin-Yang True Realm to seal off that large area.

The Yin-Yang True Realm took shape in an instant, completely enveloping the mountain and its surrounding area.

Within the True Realm, a figure suddenly appeared, which turned out to be a writhing black mist, resembling a martial arts master who had refined their spirit, and also somewhat like a master who had refined their spirit through assassination.

"Playing tricks! I'd like to see what you really are!"

Han Qing snorted coldly, and a ray of colorful light suddenly shot out from between his eyebrows, transforming into a large handprint that slammed fiercely towards the cloud of black mist.

Bang!
With a deafening roar, the mountain was leveled to the ground.

The black mist actually soared up, passing directly through the Yin-Yang True Realm and arriving in the sky. Then it suddenly expanded and transformed into a huge ship.

The ship was eerily quiet, radiating a ghostly green light, with dark shadows appearing and disappearing within it, and a figure standing at the bow.

"The Azure Ghost Ship! This is a treasure of ghost cultivators. So you must be the Duke of Mi?" Han Qing guessed the man's identity in an instant.

In the Middle Ages, the celestial pillar collapsed, and humanity explored a way out, refining their spirits to become saints. Various schools of thought flourished, vying for glory between heaven and earth.

The Ghost Path was once a major school of thought, and it produced saints. Those who cultivated to the saint level were like the Duke of Mi, who was half-human and half-ghost.

However, the Ghost Path lacked successors and failed to grow stronger step by step, and has been eliminated today.

However, Han Qing knew that there was a sage in the imperial court who was granted the title of Duke of Mi and was specifically tasked with gathering intelligence for Emperor Yu.

The most famous magical artifact of the Ghost Path in ancient times was the Azure Ghost Ship.

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Mi suddenly let out a dry laugh.

He has no physical body, or his body is a cloud of black mist with numerous shadows moving within it; this is the form that only a saintly ghost cultivator can take.

Han Qing also understood why he couldn't find the Duke of Mi: Ghost cultivators were the most skilled at concealing their aura among all cultivators, even surpassing those who could assassinate cultivators.

"Han Qing, you have a great secret. I was ordered to investigate, but I didn't expect you to find it. However, it doesn't matter. You will come back to the capital with me to meet Emperor Yu and explain everything. There's no need for me to follow you anymore," the Duke of Mi said with a smile.

Han Qing understood that his cultivation level had improved so rapidly that it was unbelievable, so it was normal for him to attract attention and investigation. In the past, there had been people secretly spying on him from time to time, but they would be discovered and killed immediately by him.

What's special about this time is that the Duke of Mi's ability to conceal his presence is so strong that he couldn't detect his whereabouts in a short period of time.

Han Qing immediately had murderous intent. If he were to let such a person constantly track and observe his every move, what would become of him?

"This person cannot be allowed to live!"

Han Qing's mind raced, and he immediately made his move. The Yin-Yang Incantation Seal shot out once again, directly striking the man.

The Duke of Mi's eyes narrowed, and a fierce glint appeared on his face.

"Hmph, as expected of a traitorous rebel, he deserves to die!"

In that instant, streaks of black light shot out from the Azure Ghost Ship, suddenly converging to form a gigantic, withered ghost claw that slammed towards the Yin-Yang Curse Seal.

The ghost claw and the colorful handprint collided in mid-air. With a loud bang, the ghost claw collapsed and turned into wisps of green mist that drifted away.

Then, the giant handprint struck the Azure Ghost Ship, but was blocked by the protective aura that automatically activated on the ship.

"Hmph! I've heard you possess combat strength at the level of a Holy Land leader, but I don't believe it. Today, I'll test your mettle!"

The Duke of Mi was also a proud and arrogant man. From birth to the present, he had a smooth life and was one of the few geniuses among the royal family members. He naturally had a lot of pride.

Judging from the intelligence, Han Qing was extremely strong, but his training time was too short, and he was somewhat skeptical. His pride also wouldn't allow him to be intimidated by Han Qing in a single move. (End of Chapter)