The First Sage of Military Strategists

At this moment, the world returned to normal, the blinding white light completely dissipated, and the Six Desires Demon Lord vanished like a cloud of black mist.

Lin Motong stood atop the Heavenly Craft Workshop, his gaze sweeping across the area before he said slowly, "The Six Desires Demon Lord is not dead. Tan Yuanming, you are an elite of my Mo family, but remember, my Mo family will only save you once. If there is a next time, no matter how much you beg for help, I will not heed your plea. A fool is not worth my Mo family's cultivation."

"Lord Lin is right, there won't be a next time. That devil has been reduced to ashes," Tan Yuanming hurriedly said.

In front of Lin Motong, he had to put away his genius-like arrogance, after all, it was a fact that he was trapped and almost turned into a demon servant.

"Wrong, that old demon is not dead. The far south is filled with countless abysses, leading to countless small worlds. This place is just one of that demon's lairs. What I just killed was only one of his clones. My Mo family leader once said that the Six Desires Demon Lord has seventy-two demon servants, some strong and some weak. As long as any one of his demon servants is not killed, he can quickly possess and revive them," Lin Motong corrected.

"Seventy-two demon servants? This old devil is really hard to kill." Tan Yuanming said through gritted teeth.

"Throughout ancient history, no other demon has ever possessed such a large number of demon servants. I knew it! How could this old ghost, who has survived from ancient times to the present, die so easily? It makes sense that he had a backup plan. Brother Tan, there's no need to worry. This time, he was harmed by Han Qing and accidentally fell into the demon's lair. I believe there won't be a next time. Besides, the three of us are all geniuses. In a few years, our strength will surpass that demon's, and we will definitely make him die without a burial place!" Zhao Yueqiu said calmly.

“Brother Zhao is right. I’ve remembered this debt. Whether it’s Han Qing or that old devil, they will pay for it sooner or later.” Tan Yuanming nodded slightly.

Lin Motong did not linger. The workshop carried him away, suddenly taking off and disappearing from this world.

Ma Meng glanced around, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Brother Tan, Brother Zhao, we've struck it rich! There are tons of demonic beasts, demonic spiritual plants, magical treasures, and cultivation techniques here, all accumulated by the Six Desires Demon Lord over many years. Now that the demon is dead, they've all fallen into our hands. The three of us will split them equally, and after we've thoroughly searched this place, our strength will definitely increase dramatically!"

Upon hearing this, Tan Yuanming felt a surge of excitement. This small world was neither too big nor too small, roughly the size of the Shu region, and was home to many magical beasts, some of which were very powerful, such as the human-faced spider, the beautiful snake, the upright sheep, and the thousand-eyed demon.

These magical beasts are useless to cultivators of other schools of spiritual cultivation, but they are invaluable treasures to cultivators of the demonic path, who can use them to enhance their strength or recruit them for their own use.

“Ma Meng is right. The three of us will each be responsible for one-third of the territory. What we find will depend entirely on luck. What belongs to someone else will belong to them, so as to avoid disputes,” Zhao Yueqiu said.

"Alright, let's get this over with quickly and not drag it out!" Tan Yuanming nodded in agreement.

In an instant, the three of them flew rapidly in three directions and began a thorough search.

Within half an hour, the three reunited, each having gained a great deal.

"Brother Tan looks delighted; you must have had a great haul," Ma Meng asked with a smile.

"To be honest, I actually discovered the Six Desires Demonic Codex, which is a famous ancient demonic scripture," Tan Yuanming said with a smile.

"Hahaha, congratulations, Brother Tan! But I've also gained a lot. This time, I've turned misfortune into blessing, all thanks to Han Qing. Let's go, let's leave this world quickly." Zhao Yueqiu laughed heartily.

"go!"

The three of them took flight and soon left this small world.

...

the other side.

In Guiqiu City.

“Mr. Zhou, here are 23,000 Dharma Principles. If you refine them, your strength will be greatly enhanced.” Han Qing flipped his palm, and a ball of light shot out, hovering in front of Zhou Xiaoru.

The latter hurriedly refused, saying, "Young master, this is too precious; I cannot accept it."

“Mr. Zhou, why are you being so polite between us? I’m giving it to you, so please accept it. Don’t refuse. Your increased strength will also benefit me,” Han Qing advised. “Besides, this item is useless to me. Qiu Ling and I already have 100,000 Dharma Senses, which is the limit that a Spirit Refiner can reach.”

“Well, I’ll accept it then.” Zhou Xiaoru nodded.

"I also have a magical artifact here called the Azure Ghost Ship. You can take it," Han Qing said.

"Thank you, young master." This time, Zhou Xiaoru did not refuse and accepted Han Qing's gift directly.

"Mr. Zhou, refine your magical powers and magical treasures as soon as possible to enhance your strength. A great battle is approaching, and a storm is brewing. You need to be stronger to cope with this great battle," Han Qing instructed.

"Don't worry, young master, I'll go improve my strength right away." Zhou Xiaoru nodded.

Han Qing's strength has improved too quickly, making him feel powerless. Now he can't help Han Qing at all, and he is anxious, but there's nothing he can do about it.

After Zhou Xiaoru left, Meng Chong suddenly came to visit again, bringing with him some startling news.

"The Chu army has been defeated once again, and even more experts have appeared. Han Yi personally went there, venturing deep into Chu, and captured a powerful figure. After rigorous interrogation, it was confirmed that these experts are indeed from the Pan Yuan World, as is Xiang Ying. He set up an altar to lure experts from the Pan Yuan World to descend here through possession. This is a grand plan that has been quietly underway for some time. If Xiang Ying hadn't suddenly died and Chu hadn't fallen into chaos, the world wouldn't have known that such a powerful force was lurking in Chu." Meng Chong's expression was solemn.

Han Qing nodded slightly, not too surprised, as he had long suspected that Xiang Ying had a secret.

This person appeared out of nowhere, possessing many precious treasures. It is said that this was a gift from the Heavenly Dao, but after searching through ancient books, there is no one else who has been treated so favorably by the Heavenly Dao, so there must be something wrong behind this.

"Han Qing, you need to be careful. By killing Xiang Ying, you have essentially ruined their plans. I'm worried that these powerful figures from the Upper Realm will seek revenge on you," Meng Chong said in a deep voice.

"Then let them come at me. General Meng, rest assured, as long as I don't want to die, no one in this world can kill me," Han Qing said calmly.

Meng Chong said no more. He felt that Han Qing had become stronger, radiating a deeper pressure that he couldn't fathom.

Three days later.

Han Qing finally received the secret letter from the Palace Master of the Zongheng Dao Palace. The letter was brief, stating that they would meet at the top of Fangcun Mountain three days later.

"We've finally arrived, Panlong Immortal Realm. I'm going to see if this world is really as rumored, full of treasures."

Three days have passed in the blink of an eye.

On the summit of Fangcun Mountain, several figures stood tall, each exuding a powerful aura.

Besides Yan Qiuling, Han Qing's side also had Qi Gongzi, who was an assistant he had found. The Palace Master of Dao Palace had previously said that the more assistants the better, because there were many treasures in Panlong Immortal Realm. He was not afraid of having too many people, but he was afraid of being too weak and unable to defeat the strong people of other forces.

Qi Gongzi was the strongest and most trustworthy person he could think of.

The Palace Master of Zongheng Palace then invited You Songchuan and the Red Lotus Demoness. Han Qing and You Songchuan had clashed several times before, but both were sensible people and, out of respect for the Palace Master, tacitly avoided mentioning their past grievances. "Gentlemen," the Palace Master of Zongheng Palace said, "the Panlong Immortal Realm is filled with countless treasures, including dragon corpses and phoenix remains, each containing astonishing value. I have invited you here to compete for them, and I hope you will set aside past grievances and refrain from infighting." The Palace Master of Zongheng Palace, usually cheerful, was now quite serious.

He was referring not only to Han Qing and You Songchuan, but also to the restless Red Lotus Demoness.

"Hehe, old man, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and set off!" the Red Lotus Demoness shouted.

Knowing her personality, the Palace Master of Zongheng didn't hold it against her. Instead, he flipped his palm and a token appeared.

"The Panlong Immortal Realm is located deep within the Sevenfold Gale. Without the guidance of a token, it is absolutely impossible to find its entrance."

As he spoke, he directly activated the token, which was about the size of a palm and had dragon patterns on it. When he infused it with his spiritual power, it immediately emitted a surge of white light and flew upwards with a whoosh.

"go!"

Han Qing and the others landed on the back of the Void Blood Roc at the same time, and then the token flew upwards at high speed, and soon disappeared into the gale layer in the high sky.

This was also part of the pre-announced action plan, because the Sevenfold Gale could threaten the lives of those who had reached the Golden Body Third Realm of Divine Refinement. Only those at the Rainbow Transformation Realm could fly freely within it. Therefore, everyone needed to rely on the Void Blood Roc to move around within it.

The Void Blood Roc soared upwards, emitting a hazy red light that kept the turbulent winds at bay.

"There is a magic array at the entrance of Panlong Immortal Realm, called the Azure Turtle Array. A few days ago, this magic array collapsed further, and those who have reached the third level of the Golden Body Refinement Realm can enter it."

"However, the greatest danger does not come from the magic array, but from powerful figures from other forces. Under such a huge temptation, everyone is an enemy, so you must all be careful." The Palace Master of Zongheng shared the latest information he had obtained.

Before long, the Taixu Blood Roc had already entered the seventh layer of turbulent winds. Guided by the token, the group quickly arrived at a strange place, which turned out to be a huge vortex formed by ten thousand bolts of lightning. It was pitch black, deep, and its destination was unknown.

"This is one of the entrances to the Panlong Immortal Realm. The Thunderstorm Abyss you see is the Azure Turtle Formation. This formation is constructed from thirteen sub-formations, corresponding to thirteen entrances. Each entrance leads to the core of a sub-formation. Only by breaking the formation can one enter the Panlong Immortal Realm," explained the Palace Master of Zongheng Palace.

Upon hearing this, everyone released a burst of magical energy to probe into the Thunderstorm Abyss, wanting to see how deep it was.

As a result, the thought of Dharma entered was instantly swallowed up and destroyed, vanishing into nothingness.

“This Thunder Abyss is indeed dangerous.” You Songchuan frowned.

"What, scared?" the Crimson Lotus Demoness chuckled.

“Afraid? I’ve never been afraid.” You Songchuan raised an eyebrow.

At this moment, an old voice suddenly rang in Han Qing's mind.

"The Azure Tortoise Formation is an ancient dragon clan formation composed of thirteen supreme treasures. If one can devour them and make them one's own, the power of the Boundless Stele will be enhanced to a higher level."

The one speaking was Elder Ming, and coincidentally, the Palace Master of Zongheng Palace expressed a similar view.

"Everyone, this magic array itself is also a supreme treasure. I have heard that the core of this array consists of thirteen supreme treasures. If we can take them all for ourselves, we can further take control of the entire magic array and trap and kill experts at the third level of the Golden Body Realm. However, it is too difficult to do this."

"Hehe, then I'll have to give it a try," the Crimson Lotus Demoness laughed.

"Don't rush, let me see if it's auspicious or inauspicious first!" Qi Gongzi suddenly said.

With a thought, a large amount of magical energy surged from his body, suddenly transforming into golden runes that intertwined above his head to form a scripture. This scripture then transformed into two beams of golden light, like water, which fell into his eyes, turning his pupils into a brilliant gold.

Han Qing understood that this secret technique was called Xuan Tian Zhen Tong, an extremely powerful secret technique of ancient Confucianism and Taoism. It could glimpse good or bad fortune and see a silhouette of the future. In this era, only Qi Gongzi knew this secret technique.

After a while, the golden light in Qi Guanzi's eyes dissipated. He frowned and said in a deep voice, "Young Master, this trip was quite dangerous. I saw a scarlet aura with my spiritual eyes, which is a very ominous sign."

Han Qing gazed at the Thunderstorm Abyss and said slowly, "Now that we're here, there's no reason to back down. Besides, we are all renowned experts in the world. We must take our destiny into our own hands. We must venture into the Panlong Immortal Realm. I want to see what dangers it holds."

"Han Qing, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You should have this kind of magnanimity. If you don't even have this much courage, how will you lead the transformation of humanity in the future?" the Red Lotus Demoness shrieked.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Qi Guanzi's eyes: "What you say is absolutely right, young master. What is called a calamity is also a blessing in disguise. Although it is an ominous sign, it does not mean that there is no way out. If you can successfully get through it, you will surely gain a lot."

"Then let's give it a try!" said the Palace Master of Zongheng Palace.

With a flap of its wings, Taixu Xuepeng immediately flew into the thunderous abyss.

As soon as it entered, strands of dark and deep lightning surged forth like a torrent, attempting to engulf, refine, and burn the body of the Void Blood Roc.

Everyone took action to block the streaks of lightning.

The Void Blood Roc can withstand the gale, but it cannot withstand the lightning generated by this magic array, so it needs the help of others.

So the group quickly flew deeper into the area, where the surrounding lightning grew increasingly intense and fierce.

...

Not long after the group ventured deeper into the Thunder Abyss, a three-story ancient ship suddenly appeared amidst the gale-force winds. It emitted a silvery glow, isolating the waves of gale-force winds and turbulent currents from the outside world.

On the deck of this ship, eight figures stood, the leader of whom was another powerful member of the Luo family, named Luo Yue.

This man had a face full of scars and a tall, burly build. His eyes were fixed on the Thunderstorm Abyss ahead. Suddenly, he said in a deep voice, "Everyone, the entrance to the Panlong Immortal Realm is just ahead. This Thunderstorm Abyss is one of the sub-arrays of the Azure Tortoise Grand Array. We need to go deep into it, find the array eye, subdue the magic treasure at the array eye, turn it into our own, and then control this sub-array to open the entrance to the Panlong Immortal Realm."

"I've heard that the Azure Tortoise Formation is an ancient dragon clan formation, and even powerful figures at the level of leaders of holy lands risk perishing if trapped inside," a middle-aged man in a golden robe said slowly, toying with a copper coin in his hand.

"Qian Rong, are you perhaps afraid?" a man next to him laughed. This man was wearing a blue robe and was a master from the Tan family named Tan Xiu.

The middle-aged man in the golden robe was named Qian Rong, the patriarch of the Qian family and the founder of the Qian Dao sect. He had been cultivating in seclusion in a small world, but recently returned and immediately took control of the entire Qian family.

"Afraid? I'm not afraid of danger, I'm only afraid that the benefits aren't big enough," Qian Rong said with a smile.

"This time, my Luo family is leading the charge, and the eight great families are joining forces to compete for the treasure. We have nothing to fear, no matter how great the danger. Anyone who dares to block our way will be crushed to dust!" Luo Yue suddenly said.

"Indeed, the world reveres the sacred lands of martial arts. But they are unaware that our aristocratic families have endured for millennia, possessing profound foundations, and even disregard the imperial court. Now, with the tide of humanity approaching, it is time to reveal our sharp fangs to the world," Tan Xiu laughed loudly. (End of Chapter)