The First Sage of Military Strategists

Logically, he should have received a reward from the imperial court for his great achievements, but it would only be money and fame. At his current level, these things are like fleeting clouds, and he doesn't care about them at all, so he's too lazy to wait for the imperial court's reward.

...

Half a day later.

Shu land.

Hengshan City.

The Prince Qi's Mansion is a spacious courtyard with winding corridors, tall pavilions, and an antique charm.

In a bamboo forest, Qi Wufeng was practicing swordsmanship with a three-foot-long sword. His figure flashed, and the sword light was like a dragon, as if a great wave was rising.

Practicing swordsmanship was his only hobby in life, and while practicing sword techniques, his heart would gradually return to peace.

At one moment, Qi Wufeng unleashed a sword strike, the sword energy surging like waves, carving a path through the bamboo forest, severing numerous bamboo stalks as thick as an arm in half.

Qi Wufeng slowly exhaled a breath of pure energy and sheathed his sword.

"Indeed, General Qi's swordsmanship is truly a sight to behold."

Suddenly, a series of crisp applause rang out from within the bamboo grove, and a young man in a purple robe stepped out with a playful smile on his face.

Qi Wufeng frowned. He didn't recognize the young man, nor did he know when he had sneaked into the Qi residence and appeared before him without anyone noticing. Moreover, more importantly, the young man acted relaxed and at ease, as if he had everything under control. This attitude displeased him greatly.

"Who are you? This is the forbidden area of ​​the Qi family. You dare to step in without permission? Do you want to die?" Qi Wufeng's gaze was as cold as a blade as he stared intently at the young man, as if trying to see through his appearance and understand his soul.

The young man smiled and said, "General Qi, there's no need to be so hostile towards me. My surname is Xu, you can call me Young Master Xu. I'm here today to take two people with me."

"Who is it?" Qi Wufeng asked calmly in a cold voice.

"Han Qing's adoptive parents." Young Master Xu smiled brightly.

"There is no one as strong as you in the imperial court. Could it be that you come from the Pan Yuan World?" Qi Wufeng pondered for a moment and made a judgment.

Young Master Xu did not deny it: "General Qi is indeed clever; he guessed my identity in just a few words."

"Han Qing's adoptive parents aren't with me. Even if they were, I wouldn't hand them over to you. But that's not important. You've already committed a capital offense by barging in, and I won't let you off the hook." As soon as Qi Wufeng finished speaking, he made the first move.

A dark shadow suddenly appeared out of thin air behind Young Master Xu, and with a whoosh, it pounced at an extremely fast speed, thrusting a long sword toward the back of Young Master Xu's head.

Young Master Xu waved his fan, and a gust of wind rose from the ground, directly engulfing the dark figure and instantly crushing it to pieces.

"General Qi, it seems you haven't yet realized the difference in strength between us."

Young Master Xu shook his head, then suddenly waved his folding fan. A gust of wind rose from the ground and instantly formed a huge hurricane that enveloped the courtyard. The green bamboo stalks were torn apart and suddenly swept into the air.

Inside the Qi residence, none of the servants knew what had happened; one moment everything was calm, and the next a fierce wind was howling.

Some people were standing in the courtyard when they were swept into the air, crushed and pulverized by the wind and waves, turning into a cloud of blood mist.

Many people screamed in terror, and for a time, the entire Qi residence was in complete chaos.

Fortunately, this chaos did not last long.

In just seven or eight breaths, the storm subsided, and broken bamboo, rubble, and tiles fell to the ground in a flurry.

Amidst the chaos, a young man's voice suddenly echoed between heaven and earth.

"Tell Han Qing that Qi Wufeng is in my hands. He must come to the Suspended Mountain in Chu within seven days to meet me, or I will make sure Qi Wufeng's soul is scattered to the winds!"

In an instant, the entire Qi mansion erupted in chaos, and countless servants wore expressions of fear.

Qi Wufeng was the backbone of the Qi family and the entire Hengshan City. His sudden arrest filled everyone with unease.

"quiet!"

"Quickly send a message to the border town; only Han Qing can save them right now," an elder from the Qi family said loudly.

...

Thousands of miles away, in a deep valley surrounded by mountains, Young Master Xu landed with Qi Wufeng, who was trapped in a vortex of air, his power completely sealed, unable to break free.

However, Qi Wufeng showed no sign of panic, only staring coldly at Young Master Xu.

Young Master Xu closed his folding fan and said with a smile, "General Qi, you only need to tell me where Han Qing's adoptive parents are, and I will let you leave immediately."

Qi Wufeng shook his head: "If you're going to make a move, then make one quickly. But I can tell you, you'll regret what you're doing now in the future."

Han Qing's adoptive parents were indeed not in the mansion. Previously, Han Qing had sent an avatar to Hengshan City to secretly take his adoptive parents away. As for where they were settled, no one knew.

However, even if he knew, he wouldn't say it; that's his principle and bottom line.

Young Master Xu's smile remained bright: "You mean Han Qing's revenge? Hehe, I'd love for him to come to me. I've heard he's a martial arts prodigy. My father, Master Tianming, is in need of a fine house, and he's the perfect fit. Although he's strong, he's nothing to worry about in my eyes. Qi Wufeng, I advise you to bow down to me and submit to my Panyuan World. It will only benefit you, not harm you. As more and more top experts arrive, we will soon become the strongest force in this world, and even the imperial court won't take us seriously."

Qi Wufeng remained unmoved and said coldly, "You underestimate the people of the world."

“Hehe, Qi Wufeng, I will not kill you. Let’s put Han Qing’s matter aside for now. I came here for the Taixu Ancient Domain. All six holy lands know the entrance and exit of the Taixu Ancient Domain, but only your Black Sparrow Alliance’s Shadowless Token can break the array at the entrance. As long as you hand over this token, I can let you go.” Young Master Xu said solemnly.

Qi Wufeng frowned. What Young Master Xu said was indeed true, but this was a secret of the Holy Land, and he didn't know where Young Master Xu had learned it from.

Young Master Xu saw through Qi Wufeng's thoughts and laughed, "It doesn't matter where I know that. You just need to tell me whether you have the Shadowless Token or not."

"Only the Supreme Elders can possess the Shadowless Token. You shouldn't even dream about it. Besides, even if you obtained this token, what then? The Ancient Void Domain is extremely dangerous. If your strength is insufficient, going in will only lead to your death," Qi Wufeng said coldly.

According to the ancient records of the Holy Land, only powerful figures at the level of Holy Land leaders can enter, and even then, their lives are in danger. Therefore, the Black Sparrow Alliance has never gone in to explore for so many years, even though they know there are great opportunities inside.

"The Ancient Void Domain is the greatest treasure in your world, but unfortunately no one has been able to retrieve it. We certainly won't miss out. It doesn't matter if you don't cooperate. Once I capture and kill Han Qing and welcome my father's arrival, taking away the secret treasures in the Ancient Void Domain will be a piece of cake," Young Master Xu said with a smile.

"go!"

The next instant, a gust of wind rose up from the ground, carrying the two of them straight up and quickly disappearing into the horizon.

...

Just one day later, in Guiqiu City, Han Qing received a secret letter informing him that Qi Wufeng had run into trouble.

"Suspended Mountain? Young Master Xu? Hmph, I'll go there right now!" Han Qing's gaze turned cold, a murderous intent flashing within. "Young Master, this might be a trap!" Qi Guanzi warned.

"It's alright, I want to see what this Young Master Xu is capable of to scheme against me?" Han Qing said, then leaped into the air and headed straight for the Suspended Mountain in Chu.

The Suspended Mountain is a very unique mountain range on the edge of the Chu region. It is thick at the top and thin at the bottom, resembling an inverted triangle suspended in the air.

At this moment, in a valley at the foot of the suspended mountain, Young Master Xu sat cross-legged on a large rock, fanning himself with his eyes slightly closed. Beside him was a magic array, from which light flowed and formed a light shield that enveloped Qi Wufeng.

Qi Wufeng did not attempt to break through this layer of magic array barrier, because with Young Master Xu watching from the side, even if he successfully broke through the array, he would find it difficult to escape.

Even now, facing a desperate situation, he felt no panic whatsoever.

"This is an obvious trap, Han Qing, you must not fall into it," Qi Wufeng thought to himself.

At this moment, a figure descended from the sky and landed beside Young Master Xu. It was a rough-looking man with a rugged demeanor, carrying a heavy spiked club on his shoulder.

"Young master, Han Qing has not yet arrived. Could it be that he is too cowardly and afraid to come?" the man said in a deep voice.

Young Master Xu opened his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed after a moment's thought.

"According to rumors, Han Qing is an extremely daring person. He once ventured alone into Yingdu and the forbidden area of ​​the Great Brahma of the Holy Royal Court. He is by no means a cowardly person."

Moreover, I observe that this man is loyal and righteous. Now that Qi Wufeng has been arrested because of him, I don't believe he would stand by and watch him die.

“Young Master, you have a keen eye for people’s hearts and your judgments are always accurate. However, this person has extremely strong martial arts talent, and his skills will explode every once in a while. Young Master, you must be careful,” the burly man said in a deep voice.

"Yes, I have considered your concerns. Half a year ago, he was still at the third level of the Golden Body Realm. I don't believe he could reach the Rainbow Transformation Realm in such a short time. As long as he is not a Rainbow Transformation Realm expert, I am fully confident that I can kill him."

"With the Ghost Nether Sect behind me, and with my profound spells and magical treasures, what do I care about the geniuses of this world? Natives are still natives." Young Master Xu waved his fan, a faint, contemptuous smile on his face.

Just then, a cold voice descended from the sky, hovering above the two of them.

"So you're from the Pan Yuan World. Your Pan Yuan World has fallen into eternal night and is no longer the immortal realm it once was. Where does your sense of superiority come from? It's utterly laughable."

Young Master Xu raised an eyebrow and looked up abruptly, seeing a figure in black descending from the sky—it was Han Qing.

"Han Qing, I didn't expect you to dare come alone. But you are quite knowledgeable. The Pan Yuan World has indeed fallen into eternal night and its prosperity is gone. But so what? The Immortal Realm is still the Immortal Realm. Its power is beyond the imagination of someone like you from the lower realm." Young Master Xu said with a smile.

Seeing Han Qing arrive, Qi Wufeng hurriedly said, "Han Qing, you're being foolish! He forcibly kidnapped me and forced you here. He must have some kind of conspiracy to deal with you. Why did you come to save me?"

Han Qing shook his head: "Uncle Qi, you are my great benefactor. How could I stand by and watch you die? Besides, what if there are schemes and tricks? As the saying goes, one force can overcome all laws. In the face of absolute strength, everything is just empty talk."

"Young Master Xu, I never imagined that the people of the Immortal Realm would act so despicably, trying to capture my parents and force me to submit. Do you even deserve to live in this world? Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven and rid the world of this scourge!"

"You're asking for death!" The burly man next to Young Master Xu roared in anger, grabbing his spiked club and charging forward.

He leaped above Han Qing's head, suddenly swung his spiked club, and smashed it down hard on Han Qing's head, unleashing a burst of martial arts essence.

Han Qing felt as if a monstrous beast was rushing towards him, about to open its blood-red maw and tear him to shreds.

Young Master Xu did not make a move, because this big man was one of his capable subordinates with considerable combat strength, and he was a good candidate to test Han Qing. He wanted to see what Han Qing's strength was now.

Although he repeatedly expressed his disdain for the martial artists of this world, he never lost the necessary caution and reverence.

However, the result was a huge disappointment to him. Han Qing raised his hand and threw a punch. It seemed simple and unadorned, but the body of the black-faced big man was blown apart by the punch and exploded in mid-air into a cloud of blood mist.

Instant kill!

The great man didn't even leave behind his soul; he vanished directly into the world.

"Is that all you've got? It seems your Ghost Nether Sect's experts are nothing special." Han Qing chuckled.

Young Master Xu frowned deeply. He had not achieved his goal at all. He was killed in one move. How could he possibly test Han Qing's strength? He could only sense that Han Qing was very powerful, unfathomably powerful.

"Do it!"

Brush brush!
Suddenly, several more figures appeared beside him and attacked Han Qing almost simultaneously.

Han Qing suddenly opened his mouth and let out a long howl, which was the sound of all kinds of wonderful Buddhist chants.

In an instant, a roaring sound surged, resounding throughout the heavens and earth, enveloping the entire valley.

These figures soaring through the sky seemed to have been struck by a heavy blow. Their bodies trembled, and they fell silently to the ground, all dying instantly.

After entering the Rainbow Transformation Realm, Han Qing's casual moves became incredibly powerful. This move, the Myriad Wonders of Buddha Sound, could annihilate the soul from a distance. It could instantly kill even a Golden Body Second Realm expert, while a Golden Body Third Realm expert could barely withstand it.

Young Master Xu was also affected by the sound waves. He suddenly waved his folding fan, and a layer of hazy white light enveloped his body, isolating him from the heavy sound waves. Ripples spread across this white shield.

“Something’s not right!” Young Master Xu frowned. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong. He had seen many Golden Body Realm experts before, but Han Qing’s strength was much greater than he had imagined for a Golden Body Realm expert. At least in the last two attacks, he couldn’t figure out Han Qing’s strength at all.

However, he was not a coward. After Han Qing had killed so many of his men, he could not simply leave. He had to fight back.

"Open the No-Rules Airspace!"

With a low shout, an even larger formation was activated in an instant, and the azure light enveloped this area, covering the entire suspended mountain.

Han Qing raised an eyebrow. He did not feel any discomfort within the magic array, but the connection between him and many magical treasures was severed, including the Boundless Stele. In other words, he could not use the power of the Boundless Stele within the magic array.

"An interesting magic array!" Han Qing murmured.

He had never heard of or seen such a magic array that could disable other people's magic treasures in ancient books or in the ears of others. Today was the first time he had ever seen it. Obviously, this was a method that only cultivators of the upper realm could possess.

Young Master Xu laughed and said, "Han Qing, your strength is largely due to the Boundless Stele, a supreme treasure. Now I'm curious, without this unparalleled treasure, how will you kill me?"

He dared to attack Han Qing because he had made targeted preparations based on Han Qing's previous performance and methods, and the No-Rule Void Formation was one of the most important methods among them.

Within this magic array, he can use all sorts of magical treasures, but Han Qing cannot. Over time, he will gain an astonishing advantage.

If Han Qing wants to escape this magic array, he must kill him.

This is his greatest source of confidence and strength.

Han Qing immediately understood what Young Master Xu was up to, but remained calm and composed, without the slightest hint of panic. (End of Chapter)