The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 92 Gathering Souls (4k)

Under Han Qing's deliberate manipulation, strands of magical thoughts gathered in front of him, suddenly converging and forming a blurry shadow.

This figure was invisible to the naked eye; it was Han Qing's unformed divine soul.

As more and more thoughts of Dharma converged, this shadow became clearer and clearer.

At one point, Han Qing uttered a single word.

"Congeal!"

In an instant, all the thoughts merged together, and the illusory figure suddenly became clear, transforming into another Han Qing. His movements, expression, and temperament were exactly the same, except that he was suspended three zhang in the air, his feet not touching the ground.

But this is only the first step. The biggest test is yet to come. Only when this divine soul can withstand the cleansing of the moonlight and remain solid and undissipated can it be considered to have truly entered the Condensing Qi Realm.

He heard that this step was very difficult.

And this is indeed the case.

In an instant, he felt as if he were in icy seawater, and all around him was a vast expanse of white, bathed in the cold moonlight.

"It's so cold!"

He tried to control his soul to move in the moonlight, but he felt a strong stinging pain all over his body, as if his flesh was being cut by a knife.

This is because the newly formed soul is too fragile. When the moonlight shines on the body, the person feels nothing, but when it shines directly on the soul, the soul cannot withstand it.

To truly enter the Soul Gathering Realm, one must endure pain and undergo baptism to continuously strengthen one's soul until one reaches the point where one can withstand the baptism of moonlight.

So Han Qing gritted his teeth and manipulated his soul to drift out of the house. As he moved, the pain intensified, as if someone was scraping the flesh off his bones bit by bit.

Such excruciating pain is beyond the endurance of ordinary people. If one's spirit collapses, one's will wavers, and one's mind gives rise to the thought of giving up, then one's soul will immediately dissipate, and one will not be able to take that step.

"Pain cannot disturb my mind, and suffering cannot shake my will!"

Han Qingxin remained steadfast, showing no intention of giving up.

He endured the intense pain, manipulating his soul to drift back and forth in the moonlight, suffering the excruciating agony of being slowly sliced ​​to pieces time and time again.

After a while, Han Qing felt the pain lessen slightly, and he was overjoyed.

This is not because the intensity of the moonlight has decreased, but because his soul has become more resilient.

Through repeated trials and tribulations, the soul becomes more resilient and powerful.

Therefore, the beginning is the most difficult time. The Dharma thought has just condensed into the divine soul, which is the most vulnerable time. If you can get through it, there will be a future.

“Keep sharpening!”

Han Qing's confidence soared. He had survived the most difficult moment, and now he had no reason to give up.

So he continued to wander in the moonlight, continued to be washed away, and felt the pain gradually weaken.

As time passed, and Han Qing suddenly realized that the pain that had enveloped his body had completely subsided.

"It's done!"

"Entry into the Soul Gathering Realm!"

Han Qing was overjoyed. On the panel, his proficiency in the fourth chapter of the Zhige Jing had increased by 1%, from novice to beginner.

Although it may seem like a small step, it is actually a big step forward.

Han Qing could clearly feel her body inside the room.

The two are closely related, yet they do not interfere with each other.

The soul can roam freely outside, while the body can move freely as well.

This is because the human body naturally contains a soul, and the soul condensed by the Dharma thought is equivalent to a second soul. It is not that the soul leaves the body and the physical body cannot move.

He tried to control his soul to fly further away. Although he was bathed in moonlight, it was as if he were in clear water. He could only feel a slight obstruction, but there was no discomfort.

However, as the distance increased, the connection between him and his body became blurred.

Han Qing stopped, then suddenly accelerated, floating in the air at top speed, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right.

"Its speed is much slower than when I run on my own, probably only equivalent to that of an ordinary horse!"

Han Qing experimented for a while, then stopped in mid-air.

He then reached out and grabbed a stone from the ground, a stone that was about half a person's height, and lifted it into the air.

If a maid were to pass by, she would surely be startled, for she could not see Han Qing's soul with the naked eye, but only a large gray-white stone swaying up and down.

"Not bad, this boulder weighs several hundred pounds, but I can lift it easily. The power of this divine soul is greater than I imagined." Han Qing was overjoyed. "With the help of this divine soul, dealing with martial artists of the same realm will be as easy as cutting melons and vegetables in the future."

Imagine facing an enemy and suddenly feeling a mysterious force of several hundred pounds fall on your arm. Even the slightest deviation in the trajectory of a blade's slash could expose a fatal weakness.

Alternatively, in the heat of battle, a large rock might suddenly fall from behind. Not only could it cause physical harm, but it could also distract a martial artist, which could be fatal in a life-or-death duel.

Han Qing repeatedly tried to move the stones in the courtyard, gradually increasing the weight and testing the limits.

"At most 800 jin. Even if you can move it, your soul will have difficulty adapting, and your movement speed will be greatly reduced, which will actually reduce your combat power."

As I was pondering this, the sound of wild geese drifted from afar.

"Hmm? Han Qing, that's fast! I didn't expect you to successfully condense your soul so quickly!"

A figure floated out from the top floor of the pavilion; it was Qi Yan's soul.

"I tried to break through tonight, and I didn't expect to actually succeed!" Han Qing nodded.

The speed of cultivation in the Dharma of Mindfulness is unpredictable. He read in books that some people can become saints instantly, while others struggle their whole lives, unable to gather their spirit, and ultimately turn into a skeleton.

He successfully gathered his soul in just one month, a very fast pace, but it didn't make Qi Yan suspect anything amiss; she would only think he was a military genius.

"Such speed! I never expected you to be so talented in military strategy. When I was trying to condense my divine soul, I failed many times. The pain of being slowly sliced ​​apart was unbearable. I only succeeded on my ninth attempt!" Qi Yan exclaimed, her opinion of Han Qing rising even higher.

"It was indeed painful, and I was lucky to get through it!" Han Qing nodded slightly.

If he were to try again, he felt that if he relaxed his mind, he might indeed fail.

"Han Qing, when my father comes back and learns how fast you've grown, he'll definitely admire you immensely," Qi Yan said with a smile. Then, her tone shifted, filled with envy. "Your talent in the Dao of Dharma is far superior to mine. I've cultivated diligently for years, but I'm only at the Soul Gathering Realm. In the past year, my progress has been even slower. No matter how I cultivate, my soul strength is hard to improve."

Han Qing didn't know what to say. In fact, this was the norm for the vast majority of those who cultivated their spirit. They would spend years in arduous training before they could take a single step forward, and they didn't even know when they would hit a bottleneck and be unable to break through for the rest of their lives.

"Han Qing, now that you have entered the Soul Gathering Realm, you must adapt to the new changes as soon as possible and try to mobilize your soul and body to attack at the same time. This requires practice in actual combat. Tomorrow I will be your opponent," Qi Yan said again.

“Okay!” Han Qing replied.

After entering the Soul Gathering stage, the way of fighting will indeed change to some extent. It is no longer just about fighting with martial arts skills to determine the winner. You also have to consider how to use your soul to create an advantage for yourself.

Qi Yan was about to say something when suddenly, a ray of dawn appeared on the horizon.

"Oh no, the sun is about to rise! A soul at the Soul Gathering Realm can withstand the cleansing of moonlight, but not the sunlight. We must return to our bodies quickly!"

Having said that, Qi Yan's soul took flight and quickly disappeared from the pavilion.

Han Qing immediately felt immense pain, with a strong pricking sensation all over his body. Even a ray of sunlight seemed to cause his soul to collapse.

"Only when one's spiritual path reaches the Integration Realm can the soul withstand sunlight. Right now, my soul is still too weak!"

Without further hesitation, Han Qing's soul suddenly drifted backward, quickly returning to his body, and then dispersing into wisps of magical energy that returned to the spirit temple. Han Qing closed his eyes slightly, and his magical energy extended outward, his perception range reaching a thousand steps; beyond a thousand steps, it would become increasingly blurry.

"My combat power is many times stronger than before. I'm afraid that martial artists of the same realm would not even be able to fight back against me." Han Qing felt more confident and more hopeful for the future.

"The abilities of the Soul Gathering Realm are far more than this, but it's already broad daylight, so we'll have to wait until night to conduct the experiment."

Han Qing quickly calmed down, and a feeling of exhaustion washed over him.

These past few days, I've been training hard to break through to the Soul Gathering Realm, with very little rest time. Now that I've achieved my goal, the energy has dissipated, my mind has relaxed, and I can no longer suppress my fatigue.

"Rest first, recharge your energy before getting up to continue your arduous training!" Han Qing turned and got into bed, closed his eyes slightly, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Three hours later, Han Qing got up and went to the courtyard to continue practicing martial arts.

Having learned just how terrifying the Mo family leader's strength was, he lost all his arrogance.

He understood that even with the Seven Killings Stele, he could not relax in the slightest. He needed to study diligently and practice hard every day in order to control his own destiny.

in the courtyard.

Li Tai, Mu Dachun, and Liu Xiaofeng were also practicing martial arts in separate open spaces.

All three of them worked extremely hard, spending all their time except for eating, drinking, and relieving themselves in order to improve their strength.

Han Qing did not go forward to disturb them. He came to an open space nearby, and with a thought, summoned the Seven Killings Stele.

"Transform Cloud Sea Technique proficiency, target Black Jade Skill!"

The Cloud Sea Technique is the second martial art I inherited after killing that assassin.

Han Qing had been diligently studying the Zhige Jing (Scripture of Ceasefire) and hadn't had time to fully digest it yet, but now he finally had the time.

"I've mastered this training method to perfection, and it should allow me to advance my Ink Jade Skill to another level." Han Qing pondered, a wealth of information already flooding his mind.

With the blessing of the Seven Killings Stele, he began to practice the corresponding movements of the Ink Cloud Skill in the courtyard again and again, and his proficiency increased rapidly.

He became so engrossed in it that he practiced for hours on end. By dusk, his proficiency had increased by 5% to 70%, while his proficiency in the Cloud Sea Technique had decreased by 20%.

"At this rate, the Ink Jade Technique will be mastered within three to five days," Han Qingxin said.

This progress is already incredibly fast, and he is very satisfied. Without the Seven Killings Stele, even after several days of hard training, he might not have been able to increase by 1%.

Most martial artists need a year or even longer to go from entering the fourth realm to reaching the peak of the fourth realm, while Han Qing only needs three months at most.

"Young master, it's time for dinner!"

At this moment, Xiao Qing came closer, and her gentle voice drifted over.

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

The three of them, including Li Tai, stopped what they were doing, and looked quite tired.

Upon hearing that it was time for dinner, everyone's faces relaxed; it was a rare moment of relaxation during the day.

...

Dinner was still very lavish, with a total of 36 dishes.

Han Qing and the other three devoured their food, finishing it all in just a quarter of an hour.

Afterwards, the four continued practicing martial arts.

Han Qing came to a corner of the training ground alone. With a thought, his spiritual energy surged out of the spirit temple, flew away from his body, and gathered beside him to form his divine soul.

"When a cultivator who has mastered the Spirit Refining Realm enters the Soul Gathering Realm, their soul gains the ability to control objects! Now I will test this ability."

Han Qing drew his sword and tried to penetrate it with his soul, but the sword contained a great repulsive force, so his soul could not penetrate it at all.

"Indeed, what the book says is true. The soul cannot control ordinary weapons. Only magical artifacts or weapons made of specific materials can do so, such as star steel." Han Qing had a sudden realization. He had known this for a long time and was just confirming it now.

The Star Shuttle, which had been unused for so long, finally had a chance to be put to good use.

He always carried this short shuttle with him. He took it out of his bosom, and his soul darted inside. Although there was some obstruction, it was much smaller than his sword.

"go!"

With a whoosh, Han Qing's mind stirred, and the Star Shuttle soared into the air, flying around him at high speed like a swimming fish, piercing through everything in its path, including rocks and vegetation.

He then maneuvered the short shuttle toward a wooden dummy, and with a whoosh, the dummy and the iron chains binding it were easily pierced.

Han Qing's eyes lit up, and his confidence increased greatly. He thought to himself, "With this powerful weapon, combined with my divine soul, I have another trump card."

This Star Shuttle is extremely sharp. When used to control an enemy with one's divine soul, it can strike their vital points and kill them in one blow.

Whoosh whoosh!
Han Qing manipulated it for a while, and his divine soul flew out, the Star Shuttle falling into his palm.

"Let's try the special ability of the Military Strategist's Soul Gathering Realm again: the Fiend Domain!"

In an instant, his soul returned to his body, and numerous magical thoughts transformed into malevolent energy, surging out from Han Qing's body and rapidly spreading within a hundred paces around him.

To outsiders, all they could see was billowing black fog and shadowy figures moving around in this area, but they couldn't see anything specific.

These dark figures are ghost soldiers. The souls and evil energy of those killed by Han Qing combine to form ghost soldiers.

At this moment, numerous Yin soldiers manifested their forms through the evil domain.

Anyone who enters will be immediately surrounded and attacked, and their five senses will be suppressed.

Han Qing, however, activated the Blood Boiling Technique, allowing wisps of malevolent energy to merge into his body, which greatly enhanced his combat power.

In short, the Fiend Domain is the home ground for military strategists and those who cultivate their divine abilities.

"Since reaching the Soul Gathering Realm, my combat methods have become much more diverse and varied. My combat power is now several times greater than it was a few days ago," Han Qingxin exclaimed with delight.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind him, and Qi Yan stepped forward with a smile on her face.

"Han Qing, a military strategist who cultivates his spirit, only truly revealed his power after he entered the Fiend Domain."

From the moment you entered the Soul Gathering Realm, you have already earned the right to travel the world alone. There is only one person like the Mo Clan Leader in the entire world. Unless you are exceptionally unlucky and encounter some terrifyingly powerful figure who commands respect throughout the land, you will be in no danger.

Han Qing nodded slightly. Qi Yan was knowledgeable and experienced, and her judgment was more accurate than his own. Since she dared to say that, it meant that his strength was indeed not weak and that he could handle most crises.

"Han Qing, let's have a battle of wits today. Let me see just how powerful the 'Stopping War Scripture,' hailed as the number one military strategy, really is!" Qi Yan changed the subject, casually tossing the heavy spiked club in his hand onto the ground, smashing the bluestone slab to pieces.

“Okay, I was just looking for someone to hone my combat skills,” Han Qing said.

In the next instant, magical energy surged from both of them, and divine souls condensed around them.

"It seems that Sister Qi is also a master of military strategy and spiritual cultivation." Han Qing noticed a wisp of murderous aura appearing beside Qi Yan.

"Not bad, watch out, take this!" Qi Yan shouted, and with a whoosh, his divine soul soared up and crashed straight into Han Qing.

Han Qing also controlled his divine soul to take the initiative to attack. The two divine souls collided suddenly with a loud bang, and then quickly separated.

Han Qing's soul was completely unharmed, while Qi Yan was knocked back, and her soul became somewhat blurred.

"How is this possible? I actually lost?" Qi Yan was extremely surprised.

She had been in the Soul Gathering Realm for a year, while Han Qing had just broken through. She felt that she should have a great advantage, so how could she be at a disadvantage?
(End of this chapter)