The First Sage of Military Strategists

If he hadn't broken through to the Rainbow Transformation Realm, he might have felt a bit apprehensive. But now, even without the Boundless Monument, he was still one of the strongest in this world. He could see through Young Master Xu's true strength at a glance; he was merely at the Golden Body Realm 3.

Even if he possesses a treasure as precious as the Boundless Stele, at most he can only fight to a draw with me.

Therefore, Han Qing remained completely calm, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

Instead, he treated Young Master Xu as prey, wanting to capture and kill him, and use the Seven Killings Stele to plunder and absorb his soul light points, searching his memories in order to deepen his understanding of the powerful beings in the upper realm.

Young Master Xu suddenly felt a sense of disgust towards Han Qing. He preferred to see his opponents panic and be at a loss, rather than Han Qing's calm and composed demeanor.

"You'd better die!"

Suddenly, Young Master Xu made his move, abruptly waving his folding fan. In an instant, a gust of wind rose from the ground, quickly enveloping Han Qing and forming a hazy vortex of energy that trapped him inside. Countless wind blades spun rapidly, like a meat grinder, threatening to completely pulverize Han Qing's body.

Qi Wufeng stood to the side, a hint of worry in his eyes. Young Master Xu had used this very move to deal with him before. This wind pressure was not only extremely oppressive, but also like a cage, completely separating the inner and outer worlds, making it difficult for one to mobilize the power of heaven and earth.

Trapped inside, he instantly lost his ability to resist. At this moment, Young Master Xu was using the same move against Han Qing, and its destructive power had become even stronger.

Han Qing also felt that the storm was like a barrier, isolating him from the outside world.

However, that was all. His way of countering this move was still simple and brutal: he raised his hand and threw another punch.

With a single punch, a profound martial arts intent erupted from the fist, and in an instant, the wind pressure barrier completely collapsed.

Young Master Xu's eyelids twitched, and his unease grew stronger. Up until now, Han Qing hadn't used any of his trump cards; all he had to do was use his fists.

No matter what moves the enemy uses, Han Qing defeats them with a single punch, embodying a profound simplicity.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately changed his moves, suddenly waving his folding fan at Han Qing from a distance.

Wisps of ink rose from the fan, intertwining and outlining a traditional Chinese ink painting above Han Qing's head. Within the painting, an astonishing suction force emanated, threatening to pull Han Qing directly into it.

Han Qing seemed to have no resistance at all, and with a whoosh, he flew into this ink-wash world.

Young Master Xu sneered: "This ink painting contains a secret world. When a person is inside, they will gradually forget their identity. When their memories completely disappear, they will become a part of this ink painting world, unable to escape for all eternity. Han Qing, I'm giving you a choice: submit to my Pan Yuan World. It would be a pity for a genius like you to die like this."

Young Master Xu's voice echoed between heaven and earth. At this moment, Han Qing was in a black and white world. Everyone around him was made up of strands of black lines. His memories were indeed being eroded by a mysterious force, which was instilling another person's memories into him.

Han Qing raised his eyes and said calmly, "This magic weapon is quite interesting, but it still can't trap me. As for your suggestion, it's not that I can't agree to it. I've heard that your Ghost Nether Sect has a top expert, the Heavenly Nether Immortal, who is about to descend. Have him come to see me. If he offers conditions that are tempting enough for me, I can consider joining forces with your Pan Yuan World."

Young Master Xu suddenly burst into laughter: "My father, Venerable Tianming, holds a high position in the Ghost Nether Sect. You, a mere native of the lower realm, dare to speak to him face to face? You should be thinking about how to escape this ink-wash world. To tell you the truth, this ink-wash world has trapped and killed many top experts, including those at the Golden Body Realm Three, who are what people in your world call leaders of holy lands."

This magical artifact was also something he specially prepared to target Han Qing. Knowing that Han Qing had combat power comparable to the leaders of holy lands, he prepared a treasure capable of killing a powerhouse of that level.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the ink painting in the sky suddenly twisted and changed. A violent force surged, impacting the world from the inside out, trying to disrupt its stability and destroy it completely.

Young Master Xu had never encountered such a situation before; even a Golden Body Realm expert trapped inside would find it difficult to cause such a commotion.

In his daze, this terrifying force erupted in full force, instantly shattering and tearing the ink painting apart, turning it into wisps of ink that drifted between heaven and earth. Han Qing also managed to escape from it, along with dozens of others.

These people were all powerful individuals trapped in the ink-wash world. Upon being freed, they first felt a sense of disorientation and joy, and then scattered and fled, not daring to linger nearby.

Young Master Xu's panic intensified. When he obtained this magic weapon from his father, Venerable Tianming, Venerable Tianming had instructed him that this magic weapon could trap those at the third level of the Golden Body Realm, but not those at the first level of the Rainbow Transformation Realm. But how could Han Qing escape from it now? Could it be that Han Qing has already reached the first level of the Rainbow Transformation Realm?
As soon as the thought popped into his head, he immediately dismissed it, because it was impossible for anyone in the world to break through so quickly.

He flipped his palm, and a precious pearl suddenly appeared, which was also a powerful treasure.

He suddenly blew on it, and the pearl emitted a bright light, stirring up a breeze between heaven and earth.

But the wind wasn't fierce; instead, it was gentle and silent, washing over Han Qing's body like flowing water.

Han Qing immediately sensed the power of the breeze; the flow of time in the surrounding space seemed to slow down, and his soul was rapidly weakening under the influence of the wind.

Throughout the entire process, he did not feel the slightest danger. The wind was more like a curse, making it impossible for him to resist.

"What an amazing magic weapon!" Han Qing exclaimed.

This pearl is also a powerful pearl that can injure or even kill a Golden Body Realm expert, based on the speed at which this soul is disappearing.

If Han Qing does not break through, his divine soul will completely return to nothingness in no more than ten breaths.

Therefore, Young Master Xu did make full preparations to kill him. Unfortunately, he did not expect that he had the Seven Killings Tablet and an unprecedented speed of breakthrough, completing the leap from the Golden Body Realm 3 to the Rainbow Transformation Realm 1 in less than half a year.

Those who have reached the Rainbow Transformation Realm can disregard this magic weapon, because their divine soul is indestructible, and if a single thought remains, they can instantly return to their peak condition.

So, despite the constant wind, Han Qing remained at his peak condition.

"Are there any other methods?" he asked with a smile.

Young Master Xu was terrified. Under his divine vision, he saw purple light emanating from Han Qingzhou's body, a characteristic clearly possessed by a Rainbow Transformation Realm expert.

"escape!"

Young Master Xu turned and ran, cursing inwardly. How could such a monster as Han Qing exist in this world? In just half a year, he had become a top expert in the Rainbow Transformation Realm. It was truly unbelievable.

He had a clear understanding of his own strength. The Rainbow Transformation Realm was an absolutely insurmountable power. Even if Han Qing did not use any magic weapons, he would be no match for him.

"Oh? Why do you suddenly want to run away? Young Master Xu, weren't you just trying to kill me?" Han Qing's figure flashed, directly blocking Young Master Xu's path.

After entering the Rainbow Transformation Realm, he no longer needed any secret techniques. Even just flying normally, his speed was incredibly fast, far exceeding that of Young Master Xu, who was at the Golden Body Realm.

Young Master Xu's expression turned quite ugly. He suddenly cupped his hands and forced a smile: "Brother Han is truly a rare genius. In just half a year, he has stepped from the third level of the Golden Body Realm to the first level of the Rainbow Realm. Not to mention the lower realm, even in the Pan Yuan World, there are very few people with such strong martial arts talent as you. How about this, I will give you two magic treasures."

This folding fan and the precious pearl are both capable of slaying a Golden Body Realm expert. They are extremely rare and powerful magical treasures in this world. You can take them, and all past grievances will be wiped clean. I can even take you to see my father. A martial arts prodigy like you is indeed qualified to discuss matters face-to-face with my father.”

Han Qing smiled and said, "Young Master Xu, your plan is too complicated. I have a simpler one. Would you like to hear it?" "Speak freely!" Young Master Xu breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking that as long as there was room for negotiation, there was room for maneuver. What he feared was that there was no room for negotiation at all.

"If I kill you, the magic weapon will naturally be mine. If I spread the word, your father will naturally come looking for me. What do you think?" Han Qing said calmly.

Young Master Xu's face stiffened, and he suddenly revealed a fierce expression.

"Han Qing, don't think that just because you've entered the Rainbow Transformation Realm you can act with impunity. My father, Venerable Tianming, was already a Rainbow Transformation Realm expert a thousand years ago. Compared to him, you are far inferior. I advise you not to do anything impulsive. Right now, you still have room to maneuver with the Ghost Nether Sect. If you really kill me, you will become mortal enemies, and you will face endless troubles." Young Master Xu threatened viciously. This was the only solution he could think of.

"You think you can threaten me with the Ghost Nether Sect? Then you might as well die! I, Han Qing, hate being threatened the most!"

Han Qing sneered. In his eyes, Young Master Xu was doomed to die, with no room for maneuver or negotiation.

He delayed like this to see if anyone would come to rescue Young Master Xu, so he could take care of him at the same time. But obviously no one did. It seems that Young Master Xu never thought he would be in such a desperate situation.

Just as he finished speaking, Young Master Xu suddenly moved. His body vanished into thin air, turning into a gentle breeze and drifting away.

This escape technique is extremely mysterious. It is activated silently, and even Han Qing did not detect any fluctuations in the power of heaven and earth at the first moment.

Moreover, when Han Qing mobilized his magical senses to sweep across the sky, he couldn't find any trace of Young Master Xu. He had never seen such a method of escape before.

However, he did not believe that anyone could escape right under his nose without anyone noticing.

Immediately, he unleashed the Yin-Yang True Realm, and a black-gold lotus flower appeared, instantly enveloping this area and sealing off a large surrounding region.

In that instant, Young Master Xu appeared.

Han Qing's guess was correct. He did not run away, but stayed in place. This was not a teleportation technique, but more accurately, a stealth technique. His body turned into a breeze, undetectable and almost invisible, making him difficult to harm by ordinary spells. The drawback was that it consumed a lot of magical power at all times, and his movement speed would be greatly reduced. Therefore, Young Master Xu did not run away after using this move, because if he moved quickly, it would be easy to expose his flaws and be detected by Han Qing.

But he didn't expect that the Yin-Yang True Realm could counter his escape technique.

As a large amount of void power seeped into his body, Young Master Xu's face suddenly turned extremely ugly. He quickly lost the ability to maintain this special invisibility technique and suddenly appeared in the real world.

Han Qing extended his right hand, and the Yin-Yang True Realm that enveloped the four directions slowly contracted, transforming into a black lotus flower in his palm.

Han Qing activated his magic technique, causing the lotus to spin rapidly, unleashing an even greater surge of ethereal power that frantically eroded and destroyed Young Master Xu's soul and body.

Young Master Xu was powerless to resist this surging, ethereal power, and his aura was rapidly waning.

"No!"

"Han Qing, you'll die a horrible death..."

He started cursing wildly, but Han Qing remained unmoved, simply watching coldly as his life force continued to weaken.

Just then, a new change occurred. As Young Master Xu's body turned into nothingness and his soul was about to collapse, a cloud of black energy suddenly surged from the depths of his soul, violently impacting the barrier of the Yin-Yang True Realm. In just a moment, it broke through this solid barrier, causing the Yin-Yang True Realm to completely collapse.

"Ok?"

Han Qing looked up and saw the black mist rise into the sky, instantly transforming into a tall figure.

The figure was dressed in a black robe and was a middle-aged man with a high nose bridge, sharp eyes, and a fierce appearance. Long, jet-black hair spread out on his head, each strand writhing like a snake.

Looking at the black robe he was wearing, it was quite mysterious, with countless faces appearing and disappearing within it—old people, children, men and women, all of them crying and wailing, as if they were going through painful struggles.

He held Xu Gongzi's soul in his hand, which had become extremely weak and seemed to be on the verge of shattering at any moment.

At this moment, when Young Master Xu saw the middle-aged man, he was overjoyed: "Father, kill him quickly! This scoundrel's talent is truly terrifying."

Han Qing immediately understood the identity of the man in black; it was none other than the Heavenly Netherworld Master.

This person's true strength must be incredibly powerful. A thousand years ago, he was already at the first level of the Rainbow Transformation Realm. In the central world of Pan Yuan, the Heavenly Dao is not incomplete, so those who refine the spirit can break through to the second and third levels of the Rainbow Transformation Realm. Based on this, it can be inferred that this Heavenly Netherworld Venerable's realm may have reached the second level of the Rainbow Transformation Realm, or even higher.

However, what he saw before him was merely a fragment of divine soul formed from a portion of his spiritual power, just an avatar, so he had no need to fear it.

While he was pondering, Master Tianming was also sizing up Han Qing.

"You've advanced from the Golden Body Realm III to the Rainbow Realm I in just half a year. You must be hiding a great secret. I can't keep you here any longer. Come with me." Tianming Shangren said calmly.

"You people from the upper realms are all so arrogant and conceited. I'd like to see just how capable you really are."

Han Qing made the first move, unleashing the Myriad Wonders of Buddhist Sounds; this move was merely a test.

He let out a long howl, the sound waves like a tidal wave, rolling forward and instantly engulfing and engulfing Tianming Shangren.

The latter did not dodge or evade, allowing the sound wave to pierce through its body.

When the noise subsided, Master Tianming seemed to be unharmed.

Han Qing's gaze sharpened, and he discerned some of the clues.

The jet-black robe worn by the Celestial Immortal appears to be a powerful protective spell.

As the sound waves formed by the wondrous sounds of Buddha impacted his outer garment, many faces on the garment collapsed and vanished.

He guessed that it was this robe that helped Master Tianming completely block out the wondrous Buddhist sounds.

At the same time, Master Tianming also made his move, suddenly extending his right hand, bending his fingers into a claw, and grabbing from a distance.

As the claw descended, a vast amount of magical power converged, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, to form a withered, bluish-black ghostly claw that suddenly descended from the sky, viciously grabbing at Han Qing. (End of Chapter)