The First Sage of Military Strategists

Han Qing immediately decided to head to Chu. With his current strength, he could go anywhere in the world. Whether there was a boundary marker or not, he would not be afraid even if he faced Han Yi directly.

Although there were powerful experts in Chu, he was not afraid. However, he was not unprepared. He first went to Meng Chong to learn detailed information about Chu, focusing on how many strong people there were in Chu.

Meng Chong was always very good at gathering intelligence from all sides, and immediately provided him with a detailed report on the current situation in Chu.

"Han Qing, are you really going to venture into the Chu region? I advise you not to take the risk."

“Currently, the Chu region is shrouded in a thick fog. The intelligence reports only list the experts on the surface. No one knows how many are hidden in the shadows. However, new powerful figures appear every now and then. The imperial court suspects that they have a way to contact the upper realm and, backed by a powerful force, can continuously bring over powerful figures from the upper realm,” Meng Chong advised.

Han Qing shook his head: "These people from Chu want to harm my family. This has crossed my bottom line, and I will never let them get away with it."

"So despicable?" Meng Chong frowned. "Alright, you must be careful. The war here is not over yet. You are one of the main forces. You must not get into trouble in Chu."

"I have my own sense of proportion."

Han Qing responded, turned around and left the city lord's mansion, heading straight for Chu.

The distance from Shazhou to Chu was not actually that far. One was in the northeast and the other in the southeast. Han Qing controlled the Boundless Stele, which allowed him to perform long-distance teleportation jumps. In less than half a day, he crossed the sky and appeared near Chu.

"Chu Tianyang, Xiang Wenlong!"

Han Qing's eyes concealed murderous intent as he softly uttered the names of two people.

These two men are the heads of the Chu and Xiang families, respectively. They are the two largest aristocratic families in Chu and, on the surface, the controllers of the Chu rebel forces.

Previously, both of them were only of ordinary strength, at the Incense Burning Realm.

However, recently, both of them have seen a surge in combat power, and are now able to go toe-to-toe with Golden Body Saints. Therefore, based on intelligence, it is speculated that they either obtained a treasure from the Upper Realm or had their identities stolen. It is very likely that these two are powerful figures from the Upper Realm, and are not the original Chu Tianyang and Xiang Wenlong.

Han Qing was too lazy to distinguish between truth and falsehood. He believed that as long as he could capture these two people, the truth would surely come to light.

These two are currently hiding in Yingdu, one of the ten most famous cities in the world and the largest city in Chu. A large number of Chu rebels are hiding there.

In the past, Han Qing would not have dared to venture into this dangerous place alone, but now it's different; he has a boundary marker.

The transformed Boundless Monument possessed an even more terrifying ability to conceal its presence, so much so that even the Nine Dragons Palace of the Imperial Heaven and the Heavenly Craft Workshop could not detect it. He felt that the people of Chu should also be unable to do so.

Even if he were discovered, he wouldn't be afraid; he was confident he could escape.

Half a day later, he had already penetrated deep into the Chu territory and stood on the main street of Yingdu. He saw that the street was bustling with people and was quite lively.

Yingdu has a strong artistic atmosphere. As Han Qing walks through it, he can see many painted boats, painted lanterns, and even the pavilions are extremely exquisite, no less than those in the capital of Dayu.

This was still affected by the war. At its peak, Yingdu was even more prosperous and was considered by many to be a paradise on earth.

Han Qing walked among them, his appearance changed. Now he had dark skin and gray hair, looking like a gloomy old urn.

He had no interest in appreciating the city's beauty; instead, he lingered outside several magnificent mansions, quietly searching for opportunities and goals.

According to the intelligence provided by Meng Chong, these mansions are inhabited by important figures in the Chu rebel army. Since he was unsure where Xiang Wenlong and his companion were hiding, he decided to start by eliminating these leaders, killing a few, and then using the Seven Killings Stele to steal their memories and gather intelligence. Only in this way could he quickly pinpoint the location of Xiang Wenlong and his companion.

As a result, in just half a day, thirteen prominent figures in Yingdu disappeared, and all of them died at Han Qing's hands.

With Han Qing's current strength, killing some low-level Martial Saints is as easy as cutting melons and vegetables. He can kill them without them being able to put up any resistance, and crush them at will.

After absorbing the soul fragments of these thirteen people, stealing and collecting information through their memories, and repeatedly comparing them, Han Qing finally determined the location of Xiang Wenlong and his companion: the Spring and Autumn Garden in the north of the city.

So, at noon the next day, Han Qing stood at the main gate of Chunqiu Garden and chose to force his way in.

However, this forced entry was not a fight. Instead, he concealed his presence with the Boundary Marker and, enveloped in a soft, watery light, swaggered into the main gate. The guards on both sides and the martial artists patrolling the garden ignored him.

This is the advantage of the boundary marker; with this marker, he dares to trespass even in the most important areas of the imperial palace.

This Spring and Autumn Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the Chu region and even in the world. Everywhere there are lanterns and sculptures, and all kinds of rare birds and animals roam among them, making people feel intoxicated.

Han Qing walked through the garden, and soon he spotted the largest pavilion in the center. He saw groups of servants and maids moving about inside, and many skilled guards protecting the pavilion.

He felt that there were important figures in the attic, most likely Xiang Wenlong and others.

So he listened attentively and gleaned crucial information from some of the maids: today, distinguished guests from the imperial court were coming to visit, and Xiang Wenlong and his companion were to host a banquet here.

Han Qing immediately felt confident, and then used the Boundless Marker to conceal his presence, secretly sneaking into the pavilion.

...

Top floor.

In a side room, behind a screen, Chu Tianyang and Xiang Wenlong sat facing each other.

Chu Tianyang was born with rosy lips and white teeth. Although he was old, you couldn't tell from his appearance alone. At first glance, he looked like a handsome young man in his twenties.

Beside him, Xiang Wenlong had a face as black as charcoal, eyes like copper bells, and a thick beard, exuding a wild air.

"King Daohe, I never imagined this world would be so prosperous. In terms of overall strength, I don't think it's much weaker than our Panyuan World," Xiang Wenlong said in a deep voice.

"Remember, I am now Chu Tianyang, not Daohe King of the Ghost Nether Sect, and you are not Black Eagle King, but Xiang Wenlong," Chu Tianyang corrected.

Xiang Wenlong didn't take it seriously, took a big gulp of wine, and laughed: "It's no big deal. Our identities have been exposed, and some people in the court already suspect that you and I are imposters."

Chu Tianyang did not continue the conversation on this topic, but said in a deep voice: "My Panyuan World is the head of all worlds. In its heyday, there were countless powerful people, which was many times stronger than this small world. But since the Nine Suns fell to the ground and the eternal night descended, strange things have arisen and it has declined."

"Yes, if our Ghost Nether Sect can conquer this small world, our strength will definitely increase dramatically."

While the two were talking, Han Qing stood at the door and heard everything clearly.

The two men clearly hadn't expected anyone to be able to sneak up right under their noses and eavesdrop without them noticing, so they spoke without any restraint.

Han Qing frowned: "Black Eagle King, Blade River King, Ghost Nether Sect, Eternal Night World..."

He heard a lot of new words in a short time and didn't know what they were saying for a moment, but he was certain that the two were indeed powerful beings from the upper realm who had descended to this place.

"The powerful figures in this small world should not be underestimated. The imperial court has sent an envoy to negotiate peace and offer a princess in marriage. I think we can agree to that. Let's delay it and wait for the arrival of the Heavenly Netherworld Master. After that, we won't need to take anyone seriously," Chu Tianyang added.

“You’re right, but Master Tianming needs a good body, and Han Qing is the most suitable. It’s just that the men I sent to Shu failed. Otherwise, if we had captured his adoptive parents and used them as leverage, we might have had a chance to trick him into going to Chu,” Xiang Wenlong said in a low voice.

Hearing this from outside the door, Han Qing was certain that these two were the targets he needed to kill.

With a thought, the Yin-Yang True Realm descended in an instant, directly sealing off the tall pavilion. The numerous servants and maids inside could not withstand the immense pressure and immediately fainted.

However, Han Qing did not kill them. Most of these people were ordinary people, and he did not want to kill innocent people indiscriminately.

Inside the side room, both Xiang Wenlong and Chu Tianyang's expressions changed drastically, and they both flew out of the pavilion.

Xiang Wenlong shouted, "Who is it? Come out here!"

"Outsiders dare to come here and cause trouble? Do you really think no one can deal with you?"

The cold voice echoed, and Xiang Wenlong immediately locked his gaze on Han Qing, who was standing on the roof of the pavilion.

"Are you Han Qing?" He quickly guessed Han Qing's identity.

Chu Tianyang raised an eyebrow and said, "You local brat, you really don't know your place. You barged into this place all by yourself. Do you want to die?"

"There are indeed many experts in this city, but before they arrive, you will already be corpses," Han Qing said loudly.

"Arrogant boy!"

"You deserve to die!"

Just as the two were about to make their move, suddenly, a majestic and magnificent phantom of an ancient city descended from the sky, instantly enveloping them both.

With the power of the Boundary Marker and the Yin-Yang True Realm forming a double seal, the two figures were instantly imprisoned in mid-air.

They struggled desperately, but it was as if they were bound by heavy shackles, completely unable to break free.

For a moment, both of them showed expressions of shock.

"How can you possess such terrifying strength?"

Chu Tianyang exclaimed in surprise. He felt something was very wrong; this did not match the intelligence he had gathered before.

According to intelligence, Han Qing's strength does not exceed that of the Holy Land leader, which is the Golden Body Realm 3.

Now, Han Qing's displayed strength has far exceeded this range, leaving them completely powerless to resist and giving them the illusion of facing powerful figures like Tianming Shangren.

Han Qing did not respond. He understood that from the moment he made his move, he had to strive for a swift victory; otherwise, the nearby enemies would soon be on guard and there would be no room for delay.

So he threw a punch first, directly blasting Xiang Wenlong apart. A black shadow flew out of Xiang Wenlong's body, screaming and trying to escape outside the barrier.

Han Qing did not recognize the black shadow, guessing that it was similar to a divine soul. So he activated the Yin-Yang True Realm, and the black lotus rotated. A void power directly enveloped the black shadow, which instantly collapsed and returned to nothingness.

In the instant it dissipated, a point of soul light appeared outside the Seven Killings Stele.

A dark shadow also flew out of Chu Tianyang's body, screaming as it flew away.

For some reason, this dark figure was able to move freely within the Yin-Yang True Realm.

However, although it could move, it was very fast and ultimately failed to escape, being scattered by Han Qing's palm strike.

At this point, both powerful beings from the upper realms perished, and two points of soul light appeared before the Seven Killings Stele.

Han Qing immediately withdrew the ancient city projection and the Yin-Yang True Realm, concealed his aura with the Boundless Stele, and separated a cloud of blood mist from his body to form an avatar.

In an instant, the main body transformed into Xiang Wenlong, while the clone transformed into Chu Tianyang.

Three breaths later, several figures suddenly descended from the sky; they were all powerful figures from the nearby rebel forces.

"What happened?" someone asked.

Han Qing did not go out, but transmitted his voice from afar: "It's nothing. We were just exchanging magical techniques when a little accident happened. Carry out all the unconscious servants and maids in the pavilion and replace them with a new batch."

The powerful figures from the outside world were all puzzled, but they didn't ask any further questions and quickly left.

With the storm subsided, Han Qing had a thought and absorbed the soul light points of Chu Tianyang and Xiang Wenlong one after another. A massive amount of fragmented memory pieces converged into a torrent that swept past his eyes.

Before long, Han Qing had obtained a great deal of information from it and had taken the opportunity to glimpse a mysterious corner of the upper realm.

The Upper Realm, also known as the Immortal Realm in ancient times, once had nine suns soaring in the sky. But something happened later, and the nine suns fell to the ground, plunging the Immortal Realm into eternal darkness. Strange things began to happen, and the Immortal Realm declined as a result.

The Ghost Nether Sect is one of the many forces in the Upper Realm.

They cultivate a secret technique called the Mysterious Heavenly Ghostly Netherworld Great Law, which allows them to cross the barrier between the two realms and possess another's body through sacrifice.

The person who possessed Chu Tianyang's body was called Daohe King, while the person who possessed Xiang Wenlong's body was called Black Eagle King.

These two are elders in the Ghost Nether Sect, while Tianming Shangren is a Supreme Elder. Their strength should be on par with that of the Mo Family's leader, Han Yi.

The two men targeted him in order to find a suitable body for the Heavenly Netherworld Master to possess and descend upon. Because of his exceptional talent, he became their first choice.

He also learned some other things, such as the collapse of the Heavenly Pillar and the closure of the Heavenly Gate, which caused the Heavenly Dao to be incomplete, and thus those who had transformed into rainbow spirits in this world could not ascend to the upper realm through the Heavenly Gate.

Normally, one can enter the Upper Realm by pushing open the Seven Heavenly Gates. Only in the Upper Realm can one pass through the Eighth and Ninth Heavenly Gates. Thus, he determined that the Mo Family Leader and Han Yi were both at the Rainbow Transformation Realm.

For example, although these two were nominally leaders of the Chu rebels, they actually had other experts behind them, so Han Qing didn't dare to be too presumptuous. He couldn't be sure what level or strength these so-called experts were.

Having learned the truth, he was about to leave when someone outside the pavilion announced that officials from the imperial court had arrived.

The banquet was only halfway prepared when he stunned many of the servants and maids, so a new group of people has been brought in, and all the preparations for the banquet are now complete.

He had no intention of attending the banquet, nor of meeting with any officials from the court. However, when he scanned the crowd with his magical senses, he discovered that one of the people there was an acquaintance—Madam Luo.

He was immediately filled with murderous intent, thinking: "This is a good opportunity to settle this score as well."

So, without making a sound, he focused on controlling both bodies and followed the attendant who came to report to him to the main hall on the first floor, where officials from the court were already waiting.

His gaze swept across the room, and the first thing he saw was Roland, whose eyes were calm, whose appearance was captivating, and whose demeanor exuded an air of elegance and nobility.

Han Qing knew that this was a femme fatale who would kill without blinking an eye, and he could not be deceived by her beautiful appearance.

Roland was accompanied by several eunuchs, the leader of whom was a middle-aged man in a silver robe with a mustache, exuding an air of authority and grandeur that seemed otherworldly.

"King of Secrets".

Han Qing already knew the man's identity; he was an extremely powerful figure in the royal family, named Liu Yu Daozun.

Although he was a prince, he disliked power and usually hid in the palace to cultivate himself.

"Chu Tianyang, I have brought the women. These are all noble ladies from the capital. Marrying them to you would not be beneath your status. Now, you may come with me to the capital to meet the Emperor," the Prince of Mi announced loudly. (End of Chapter)