The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 95 Rewards and Trials (8k)

"I will become a saint! The Luo family wants to kill me, the imperial court wants to touch me, then let them come at me!" Han Qing's tone was firm and unwavering.

"Good, Han Qing, I am very pleased with your determination and courage. You are worthy of being Su Jin's son and have not disgraced your mother's reputation. Qi Yan said before that you have made great progress in your strength in the month since you came to the manor. Now you have entered the fourth realm of martial arts and entered the Soul Gathering Realm of the Divine Soul Path. You are only eighteen years old and you have such strength. You are indeed a peerless genius. Now, let me see your ability. Come with me!" Qi Wufeng got up and walked out of the hall. Han Qing and Qi Yan followed immediately.

"Guards!" Qi Wufeng shouted as he arrived at the entrance of the main hall. The hundreds of guards on duty in the courtyard immediately gathered around and lined up in a neat square formation.

Qi Wufeng glanced at them and said in a deep voice, "Han Qing, these people are all fourth and fifth level martial artists. One-on-one, they are definitely no match for you. So I want you to fight several people by yourself. How many do you think you can defeat at most?"

Han Qing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's start with four."

Han Qing was very confident. Although these guards in the manor were powerful, they could never have a deeper foundation than him. After all, he had always followed the most difficult path with the highest potential, so his foundation was the most solid and his combat power was the strongest.

Moreover, he has already broken through the limits of every training method he has mastered. Even if someone follows the same path of energy fusion as him, their strength cannot compare to his.

"The four of you attack him together, don't hold back." Qi Wufeng casually pointed to the four people standing in the front row.

Wow!
The crowd suddenly dispersed, making way for the four people who had been singled out. They stepped forward, their eyes fierce, staring intently at Han Qing.

Han Qing stood opposite the four people, and with a thought, a layer of black and gold light suddenly appeared on his body.

"Go ahead!"

At Qi Wufeng's command, the four guards suddenly transformed into streaks of black shadows and pounced on him.

Han Qing also moved, his figure flashing, faster than the four of them, activating multiple martial arts at the same time, including lightness skill, external strength training, and fist techniques.

clap clap clap!
Accompanied by a series of crisp sounds, the five men's fists and feet collided multiple times in an instant.

An astonishing scene unfolded: anyone touched by Han Qing's fist had their protective energy instantly shattered, and then they were blasted away like sandbags, writhing as if electrocuted upon landing, their faces contorted in pain.

In a single exchange, Han Qing delivered four punches, and all four men fell to the ground.

"Beautiful! Dad, how about that? I told you, Han Qing's strength is like cutting melons and vegetables when dealing with martial artists of the same realm." Qi Yan clapped and cheered first.

Qi Wufeng nodded slightly: "That's right, this is no longer about fighting. Han Qing, your physique and strength have completely overwhelmed your opponents. They can't even withstand a single punch from you. Your combat power is indeed remarkable."

He made a mental comparison between himself and Han Qing when they were at the fourth level of the Body Dao Realm, and found that his strength was far inferior to Han Qing's, and it was impossible for him to defeat the four guards so easily.

It should be noted that these four guards are by no means weak among the fourth-realm martial artists; they are brave and valiant veterans he carefully selected from the army.

"Do you want to continue the competition, Dad? How about all eight of you come at me at once?" Qi Yan asked again.

"Even if all eight of them attack together, the outcome won't change." Qi Wufeng shook his head.

Han Qing nodded slightly, agreeing with Qi Wufeng's words. Indeed, there would be no difference between eight.

None of the guards could withstand the force of his punch, while their attacks on him were completely ineffective.

Moreover, he hasn't even used the Ceasefire Sutra yet, so the gap in combat power will only be greater.

He wasn't sure what his current combat power ceiling was, but he was definitely very strong.

"Han Qing, let me see your horsemanship!" Qi Wufeng said again, "Someone, bring the horse over here!"

A moment later, a guard brought a horse from the manor's horse farm.

Qi Wufeng selected one of the guards as Han Qing's opponent. Both of them quickly changed into thick leather armor and each took a long, blunt spear.

The rules are simple: charge into battle on horseback, and whoever is stabbed by the other first loses.

“Horse riding skills are different from hand-to-hand combat skills. If Han Qing’s horsemanship is not good, he is also likely to lose,” Qi Wufeng pondered.

Han Qing sat on his horse, holding a long spear, his heart as still as water.

He had mastered the kamikaze horse-taming technique a few days ago. Although he couldn't achieve the legendary unity of man and horse, he could easily perform various difficult maneuvers on horseback.

His only flaw is that he can't shoot, but that doesn't matter. As the saying goes, brute force can overcome any skill. When there is a huge difference in strength, the opponent won't have a chance to show off his skills.

"drive!"

With a loud shout, the guards on the opposite side spurred their horses forward, taking the lead.

Han Qing moved at the same time. His warhorse neighed, its hooves raised high, and it leaped into the air, shattering the bluestone slabs beneath its feet. It transformed into a ferocious beast, carrying Han Qing as it charged rapidly toward the enemy.

From the very beginning, the difference in their equestrian skills became apparent.

Han Qing had a faster start and also had the upper hand in terms of momentum.

Qi Wufeng, who was watching from the sidelines, felt it most clearly. At first glance, both of them were galloping forward on their horses, but upon closer inspection, he could clearly sense that Han Qing and his warhorse seemed to have become one, while the guard opposite him was still separate, with the man and the horse being separate.

The better the man and the horse are in harmony, the more their forces can be combined, and the stronger their fighting power will be when they charge into battle.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the distance between the two horses was rapidly reduced: forty paces, thirty paces, twenty paces, ten paces... The two horses had reached their maximum speed and suddenly passed each other.

The two men on horseback attacked simultaneously. The guard thrust his spear at Han Qing's chest, but Han Qing used the spear as a club, suddenly sweeping it horizontally and smashing it hard, knocking it out of his hand. He then lashed out at the guard, sending him flying off his horse and crashing heavily to the ground.

Han Qing then leaped off the horse and charged toward him at an even faster speed. Before he landed, she grabbed his leg in mid-air, spun him around, and caught him steadily, placing him on the open ground beside her, thus dissipating the force of his fall.

The guard's face turned ashen. He had just lost his balance and slammed his head into the ground. If Han Qing hadn't intervened, he would have been covered in blood and might even have lost his life.

"Thank you, young master." The guard took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and thanked him repeatedly.

Han Qing didn't say much; it was just a friendly spar, and he didn't want anyone to die.

"Not bad, Han Qing, have you mastered the Divine Wind Horse Taming Technique?" Qi Wufeng asked.

"Yes," Han Qing replied.

"A mastery in a month! No wonder you're a martial arts prodigy." Qi Yan exclaimed. She had been practicing for almost five years and had only just achieved a minor level of mastery in horsemanship.

"Uncle Qi, my archery skills have also reached a high level, so I can test them out," Han Qing said again.

There's no need to hide anything from a top expert like Qi Wufeng, because hiding it won't work anyway, and it would only make you seem insincere.

"No need. What Qi Yan said has already been proven true. Your horsemanship and martial arts skills are genuine, and I believe you must also have real skills in other areas."

In terms of personal combat skills, you are more than capable of roaming the world.

However, since I have said that I will wholeheartedly cultivate you, that person's martial prowess is only one aspect. Leading troops into battle, managing power, winning over and cultivating confidants, and so on, I will give you opportunities to experience these things.

"I have quite a few idle manors in Hengshan City. I'll give you one, some servants, and enough silver to keep the manor running for three months. Let's see if you have the ability to manage it long-term," Qi Wufeng suddenly said.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Qi." Han Qing nodded slightly. This was both a reward and a lesson.

"I'll show you another way. Outside Hengshan City, there are no fewer than thirty mountain strongholds in the vast mountains. These bandits are like weeds, one wave after another being wiped out. I'll give you five hundred soldiers. Go and wipe out these bandits, and all the spoils will be yours."

This is also a valuable experience, honing your ability to fight on the battlefield and lead troops into battle.

"How many mountain strongholds you can take down and how much silver you can collect depends entirely on your abilities," Qi Wufeng added.

"Okay." Han Qing nodded repeatedly, very grateful to Qi Wufeng.

Such opportunities for experience are not available to most people.

Battlefield combat and martial arts are ultimately different; the former is bloodier, more brutal, and tests one's abilities more.

After experiencing several real battles, a martial artist's mentality and combat ability will be greatly improved.

...

On the day.

Led by Qi Yan, Han Qing arrived at a manor fifty miles north of the outer city. The manor was called Songyang Manor. Accompanying him were Li Tai, Liu Xiaofeng, and Mu Dachun, plus ten maids and twenty guards.

Led by Qi Yan, Han Qing walked around the manor three or five times, and had already formed a general impression of the entire estate.

He was very satisfied with the estate. There was a lake in the estate called Songyang Lake. It was winter and the lake was frozen, but according to Qi Yan, after the ice and snow melted, the lake water would be emerald green and full of fish, making it a very beautiful place.

Outside the lake, there are more than fifty houses, all built of thick blue bricks, and each is five people tall.

The outermost wall of the manor was seven or eight zhang high, and there were arrow towers on all four sides, which could overlook the entire manor, making it extremely strong in defense.

Around the manor, there are also large mulberry fields and vegetable gardens, which are the main source of income for the manor on a daily basis.

However, Han Qing is currently short-handed, so these fields can only be put aside for the time being.

"Han Qing, my father has asked you to lead five hundred soldiers to suppress the bandits. You are to set off within three days. During this time, I will stay in the manor to teach you martial arts and protect your belongings."

However, my father said that managing the estate is also a form of training, and that's something you have to rely on yourself for.

After walking around and returning to the center of the manor, Qi Yan said casually.

"I will do my best in this regard!" Han Qing nodded.

"Someone come here, I'm hungry! Quickly prepare a table full of good food and wine, I want to eat!" Qi Yan turned and walked towards a house in the distance.

Han Qing's gaze swept across the manor, pondering its future.

The moment he took over the manor, Qi Wufeng withdrew all the original staff, meaning he was left to manage it independently, bearing all the profits and losses himself. This was indeed a test for him.

Li Tai suddenly said from the side, "Young master, there is no need to worry about managing the manor. I can be the steward. When I was in Baiyun County, I worked as an accountant for the Wan family for a period of time, so I am quite familiar with managing a house."

Although the Wan family's estate isn't as large as this one, I believe there won't be any major oversights.

"Alright, Li Tai, you will be the steward of this manor from now on. Da Chun, you will be in charge of managing twenty guards. That's settled for now. Tomorrow I will set off to suppress bandits and try to wipe out as many mountain strongholds as possible so that the manor's treasury can be replenished as soon as possible," Han Qing said thoughtfully.

"it is good."

"I understand."

As for Liu Xiaofeng, that kid isn't very bright, so he's too lazy to assign him any tasks.

...

The next day.

The sky is bright.

At the entrance of Songyang Manor, Han Qing sat on horseback, with five hundred soldiers from the Qi family behind him. Each soldier was clad in leather armor, wielding a steel sword, and exuding courage and imposing presence.

Han Qing took out a document from his pocket, which contained detailed information on thirty-six mountain strongholds, including the number of bandits, the strength of their leaders, and the crimes they had committed.

Among them, there is only one mountain stronghold with more than a thousand people, located on Panshe Ridge, called Black Wolf Stronghold. The stronghold leader, Song Black Wolf, is very powerful and has reached the fifth level of martial arts.

Among mountain bandits, this level of strength is already the ceiling; most other bandit leaders are below the fifth realm.

Moreover, despite the large number of bandits, in terms of combat strength, they were far inferior to the five hundred soldiers behind him.

Therefore, Qi Wufeng called it a test, but in reality, as long as he wasn't timid and didn't make any major mistakes, it was virtually impossible for him to die at the hands of the bandits.

Now, the only thing he needs to consider is how to maximize his own interests.

"To conquer more mountain strongholds, we must act quickly and take reasonable routes, avoiding detours as much as possible. We must be willing to sacrifice some strongholds. Otherwise, once one stronghold is destroyed, the news will spread, and before long, the bandits in other strongholds will become wary, break up into smaller groups, and hide in the deep mountains and forests." Han Qing first read through the document, memorizing a lot of information. Then, combined with the map of the area near Hengshan City, after a little thought, a clear route of action emerged in his mind.

"Let's go! First mountain village, Lotus Temple!"

With a loud shout, Han Qing led five hundred men on horseback out of the manor before dawn, heading straight for Lotus Valley.

Three hours later, Lotus Valley was filled with shouts of battle.

The mountain strongholds that Han Qing chose were all in relatively flat areas, allowing him to ride his horse all the way to the vicinity of the stronghold and then walk up the mountain, thus giving the bandits no time to react.

Lotus Valley was just like that; from the moment the bandits discovered the anomaly to when he led his men into the stronghold, it was only a quarter of an hour.

The Lotus Village Chief was a woman with a pockmarked face and a fierce appearance. Although she was only at the third level of the Body Dao Realm, she was no match for Han Qing. She was killed in a single exchange, and hundreds of bandits were slaughtered in an instant.

The Lotus Village Chief's soul light was absorbed by the Seven Killings Stele, and his soul energy condensed with Han Qing's evil energy, transforming into a Yin soldier.

Han Qing absorbed the soul light points and, through the fragments of its memories, easily found the village's treasure in a secluded pool in the mountains.

Then Han Qing burned down the mountain stronghold and rushed to the next one without stopping. Some bandits escaped, but he didn't bother to pursue them, prioritizing a quick victory.

Two hours later, Han Qing led his troops to the second mountain stronghold and dismounted to attack it.

Han Qing charged ahead, his body enveloped in a powerful aura that made him impervious to blades and spears. The so-called heavy gate was easily destroyed as if it were made of paper in front of him.

In just half an hour, the mountain stronghold was engulfed in flames. Of the three leaders in the stronghold, two were killed by Han Qing, and the whereabouts of the third remained unknown.

When they left the stronghold, Han Qing's Seven Killings Stele had more than a dozen more soul points, and two more Yin soldiers.

Condensing Yin Soldiers requires consuming Sha Qi, which is transformed from the power of Dharma Thought. Therefore, Han Qing cannot transform it recklessly. He often chooses martial artists who were powerful in life. The Yin Soldiers formed after the death of such people will be more powerful. This is because the soul and spirit of a martial artist are one. When the body is strong, the soul will also be strong.

"Yanluo Village is destroyed, the next one is Xiankong Village!"

Han Qing sat on horseback, his body covered in blood, his gaze cold and stern.

After resting for a while, he led his men straight to the next mountain stronghold.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and Hengshan City was shaken. In a short period of time, nine mountain strongholds were destroyed, and the bandits in the other strongholds were terrified.

Everyone knows that a young man is leading an elite force to suppress bandits throughout Hengshan City. His fighting power is formidable, and he is unstoppable.

In a short time, many bandits fled the village and hid in the mountains to avoid disaster.

At this moment, at the foot of a mountain called Dieyun Peak, Han Qing and his five hundred soldiers are resting.

The bandits were ultimately a rabble, while these five hundred soldiers were all elite troops; even after continuous fighting, only about twenty of them died.

Normally, there's no need to send the elite troops from the manor to suppress bandits. However, this time the situation was special. Qi Wufeng specially dispatched this elite force to enhance Han Qing's courage and combat ability, which caused trouble for the mountain bandits within Hengshan City.

After such a massacre, Han Qing could feel that he had indeed gained a lot.

First, he confiscated all the treasures from these nine mountain strongholds.

Secondly, nearly thirty more soul light spots appeared in the Seven Killings Stele.

Although the quality is not high, the quantity is large, which can provide him with a considerable amount of skill points.

As for why more people weren't killed, it was because Qi Yan had warned that soldiers should avoid slaughtering too many people in a short period of time, otherwise it would increase the risk of going mad and that they should know how to exercise restraint.

Therefore, Han Qing either doesn't make a move, or he only kills elites; at least martial artists at the fourth level of the Body Dao realm are the ones who can interest him.

Those ordinary fodder, even if killed, would not impart any profound martial arts skills, yielding minimal results.

Thirdly, it's about mindset.

Even without using the Blood Fiend Technique to enhance his courage, he can now remain calm in the chaos of battle, something he couldn't do before.

At this moment, he gazed at the mountain village on the distant Dieyun Peak.

When he arrived, the bandits in the village had already vanished without a trace. In the past few days, he claimed to have wiped out nine mountain strongholds, but in reality, he had only managed to defeat fifteen. Two of the strongholds were abandoned by Han Qing after his attempts due to their treacherous terrain, while the other four, like Dieyun Village, were completely deserted by the time he arrived.

"We'll be there in a quarter of an hour. Let's go! The last mountain stronghold, Black Wolf Stronghold!" Han Qing shouted, then mounted his horse.

Upon hearing this, the five hundred soldiers immediately stood up and, within a few breaths, rode their horses to Han Qing's side, forming a neat line.

After these few days of fighting, the five hundred soldiers looked at Han Qing with more awe.

At first, they looked down on Han Qing because of his youth.

But after fighting side by side, they truly realized just how terrifying Han Qing's strength was.
Those initial slights of disdain vanished without a trace.

"drive!"

Han Qing spurred his horse and galloped towards Black Wolf Village.

This was the largest mountain stronghold near Hengshan City. He felt there was no need to go to the other strongholds, as the news had already spread and the people there should have all fled. Only the Black Wolf Stronghold was powerful enough that it might not be afraid of him.

"The Black Wolf Stronghold leader is quite powerful, and he also has several formidable leaders. If we can kill them all, the Seven Kill Stele will not lack resources for converting proficiency for a while." Han Qing thought to himself as he rode his horse.

...

into the night.

Da da da.

At the foot of Panshe Ridge, in front of Heiyun Village, Han Qing and five hundred others rode forward on horseback. The sound of their hooves was so loud that it shook the earth and dust rose everywhere.

"As expected, they didn't escape." Han Qing's gaze sharpened as he saw lights shining on the mountain stronghold on the distant Panshe Ridge.

"Dismount and follow me up the mountain at full speed!" Han Qing shouted.

"Yes!"

The soldiers responded in unison, dismounted, and followed Han Qing up the mountain at breakneck speed.

At this moment, the sky was dark and the mountain road was treacherous. Even the most elite soldiers would feel a sense of fear.

Han Qing was prepared for this. He silently activated the Ceasefire Sutra, and wisps of malevolent energy merged into the bodies of the many soldiers behind him.

Those who cultivate their spirit in military strategy are born commanders; the Blood Boiling Technique can be used on themselves as well as on others.

Although the amount of malevolent energy absorbed into each soldier is very small and will not significantly improve their physical fitness, it greatly increases their courage and makes them more valiant in battle.

And so, without a sound, the soldiers were no longer afraid.

Brush brush!
They charged to within a hundred paces of the mountain stronghold, where arrows rained down from above.

Han Qing and the five hundred people behind him were all shrouded in a veil of light.

Every soldier in the Qi family's household guards must be at the third level of martial arts, and they are all carefully selected from veteran soldiers in the army; otherwise, they cannot be considered elite.

With the combined protection of their strength and the close-fitting leather armor, the arrows were all deflected, posing no threat to Han Qing and his companions.

Han Qing unleashed his full speed, using the Wild Goose Technique to charge straight towards the gate of Black Wolf Stronghold at an astonishing pace.

The gate was extremely thick and heavy, made of ironwood. Although it was made of wood, it was extremely sturdy and had a bronze luster all over it. Under normal circumstances, it would be very difficult to break through.

However, the gate was no match for Han Qing.

He secretly activated the Ceasefire Sutra, and wisps of murderous energy merged into his weapon. Suddenly, he charged forward and swung his sword repeatedly at the gate of the stronghold.

Brush brush!
The gate collapsed with a deafening roar; the blade was incredibly sharp, cutting through ironwood as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

Once the gate was breached, the bandits inside were thrown into chaos.

"Run away!"

"The government troops have stormed in!"

"There are experts!"

Han Qing took the lead and charged into the depths of the stronghold, followed by five hundred soldiers who filed in and engaged in a fierce battle with the bandits in the stronghold.

In an instant, the entire mountain stronghold was thrown into chaos. Cries, screams, and howls mingled together, echoing and reverberating in the air.
This scene is far more massive than the extermination of the Yin-Yang Scholars. An ordinary person would be filled with dread if they were in it.

After years of training, Han Qing's face was now as calm as a still lake and his heart as still as water.

He focused his mind on the Dharma, merging it into his ears and eyes. In an instant, his hearing was greatly enhanced. He could not only hear further, but also distinguish the sounds he wanted to hear in such a noisy environment.

His vision was also greatly improved, and he could see clearly at night, and he could see everything in the mountain village clearly.

...

The main hall of the mountain village.

A bald old man wearing a wolfskin robe sat upright in a chair, his eyes cold and fixed on the outside of the village gate, his right hand resting on a nine-ringed broadsword.

This person is Song Heilang.

“Brother, why don’t we leave? That young man has led his men in, five hundred soldiers, each of them capable of channeling their inner strength. What a terrifying force that is! I think it’s the Qi family’s troops coming.” A pale-faced young man standing nearby looked annoyed. He was Song Qingshe, the second-in-command and Song Heilang’s younger brother.

"Shut up! I'm not leaving because I have something to rely on. This young man is wanted by a nobleman. As long as you kill him, I'll take you to the prefectural city to eat and drink well. We don't need this stronghold!" Song Heilang cursed angrily.

Song Qingshe was stunned, then paused and asked, "Brother, is the benefactor you mentioned the Luo family?"

"Nonsense! Besides getting on the Luo family's side, which other major power would even give our elder brother a second glance?" Song Heilang said coldly.

"Then I'm relieved. So it was my brother who had other plans. You're right. If we can join the Luo family, we might as well quit being bandits. They might be wiped out any day anyway." Song Qingshe breathed a sigh of relief.

Three days ago, when news of the destruction of Jiuzhai came, he advised Song Heilang to lead the bandits to break up into smaller groups and hide in the mountains and forests, and not to come out.

In the past, this was how they always did it when they encountered strong enemies: avoid their sharp edge, wait a while until the storm had passed, and then come out again. At most, they would lose some of their bandits, but they would not be seriously injured.

As a result, Song Heilang refused and insisted on defending the mountain stronghold.

Only now did Song Qingshe realize that her elder brother had other plans.

He felt much more at ease. His elder brother was always cautious in his actions, so his decision must have a backup plan. He just didn't know what that plan was.

Just as they were pondering this, suddenly, the gate of the mountain stronghold was hit by an external force and exploded, turning into fragments that scattered in all directions.

"Well done!" Song Heilang stood up, his voice hoarse, his eyes deep, and his right hand already holding up the heavy ring-shaped sword.

There were more than a dozen people in the hall, all of them leaders of the Black Bright Village, and they all stared at Han Qing with fierce eyes.

Han Qing glanced around and, without the slightest hesitation, pounced directly on Song Heilang in the very center.

To catch thieves, first catch their leader. Mountain bandits are mostly a motley crew; once the leader dies, the rest will immediately collapse.

"Stop him!!" Song Heilang didn't rush to make a move, letting his men test the waters first, which was typical of his personality.

"kill him!"

"Do it!"

The dozen or so men's eyes flashed with menacing light, but when they saw that Han Qing was a teenager, their courage swelled a bit.

Han Qing suddenly moved, completely ignoring everyone else, and charged straight at Song Heilang.

Two men blocked his path, attacking simultaneously from the left and right. Two steel blades flashed with cold light and slashed at Han Qing's body.

Han Qing swayed, raised his blade horizontally, and slashed forward with astonishing speed, cutting through the two men's swords in an arc, then sweeping past their bodies.

In an instant, both men were cut in two by a single blade and died simultaneously.

Brush brush!
Han Qing didn't stop moving, his figure rushing forward at lightning speed, his blade flashing like a shadow. In just a few breaths, seven or eight bandit leaders blocking his way were killed.

Han Qing's swordsmanship surpassed everyone else's, and with the added power of the Demon Blade, he could cut through iron like mud. Killing these people was as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.

The remaining people all looked horrified and retreated, not daring to step forward to stop them.

Han Qing then charged forward without any hindrance until he reached Song Heilang.

The latter also looked terrified; Han Qing's displayed strength greatly shocked him.

"not good!"

"Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber, what are you waiting for? Make your move!"

Song Heilang suddenly shouted into the depths of the village.

At the same moment, Han Qing had already rushed in front of him and swung his knife.

The knife was as swift as the wind. Song Heilang raised his knife to block, but unexpectedly, with a clang, the knife in his hand was split in two, and his right arm was also severed.

"what!"

Song Heilang let out a miserable cry, suddenly leaped up, and used his lightness skill to climb rapidly up the pillar, trying to get away from Han Qing.

Han Qing casually flicked his wrist, and three cold lights flew from his fingertips—three throwing knives that shot towards Song Heilang from behind, but were blocked by his protective energy.
It was propelled away.

“Martial artists at the fifth level are indeed skilled at self-preservation, but their hidden weapon skills are not very useful,” Han Qingxin thought.

Hidden weapons are only effective against martial artists below the third realm, making them extremely useless.

This situation will not change until the body undergoes its sixth transformation, at which point the power will be able to cover the hidden weapons, greatly increasing their lethality.

However, Han Qing had a backup plan. At the same time as throwing the flying knife, he activated his magical power and flew out of the spirit temple, stabbing fiercely at Song Heilang's head.

Suddenly, the latter felt a blur before his eyes, a sharp pain in his head, and lost his footing, falling from the pillar to the ground.

Han Qing drew his sword and slashed forward.

"stop!"

A loud shout came from deep within the village, but Han Qing's hands did not stop moving, and he still slashed down with great determination and decisiveness.

Swish!
With a flash of cold light, Song Heilang was cut in two, his blood splattering on the ground.

The latter fell to the ground but did not die immediately. Han Qing then delivered another blow, severing his head.

The next instant, a single point of soul light appeared around the Seven Killings Stele.

A wisp of white mist, imperceptible to the naked eye, also drifted out from Song Heilang's corpse, falling into Han Qing's body and merging with the evil energy, eventually transforming into a ghostly soldier.

These ghostly soldiers all reside in the spirit temple. Han Qing only needs to think of them to summon them and make them appear in the evil domain.

In that instant, the remaining bandits were terrified.

Song Heilang was a fifth-level martial artist, yet he was defeated within three moves. Han Qing's combat strength shocked everyone.

When Song Qingshe saw his elder brother being killed, he felt no grief, only fear. He dared not step forward and silently took a few steps back.

Han Qing ignored the few petty leaders and focused his gaze. He saw several figures emerge from behind a screen, each wielding a weapon of various colors, with dark patterns on their faces and fierce appearances.

"The Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife! Is this my elder brother's backup plan?" Song Qingshe said.

Han Qing had just heard Song Heilang call out the name of the Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife, clearly hoping that these people would lend a hand.

He had never heard of the Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber before, but judging from their aura, these seven people were quite strong, with four at the fifth level and three at the fourth level.

"The Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife, why didn't you save my elder brother just now?" Song Qingshe shouted.

"A piece of trash, unable to withstand three blows, what's the point of saving him?" The leader sneered. He was bald and wielded a large sword with a shimmering gold sheen. He was the most physically imposing of the seven.

Song Qingshe blushed with shame. He felt extremely uncomfortable being looked down upon and humiliated like this, but he dared not refute her.

The Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber were seven renowned martial artists from the Hengshan region, and were considered formidable bandits.

They suddenly disappeared a few years ago, but unexpectedly they have reappeared today.

"Kid, someone's bought your life! I advise you not to resist! You were able to kill Song Heilang with three strikes, which shows you have some skill, but if the seven of us brothers join forces, no matter how strong you are, you're doomed!" The bald man's gaze swept over Han Qing and landed on him.

"Noisy!"

Han Qing made a move. He would find out who the Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber were once he killed them.

In that instant, he held nothing back; black and gold light flashed, and the Ceasefire Sutra was fully activated.

"court death!"

These seven men, their eyes gleaming with ferocity, all lunged at Han Qing.

Suddenly, wisps of black energy emanated from Han Qing's body, instantly forming a cloud of black mist that spread outwards, enveloping the seven people in an instant.

"not good!"

"What kind of evil method is this?"

"He is a master of military strategy and spiritual refinement!"

Among the Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife, several panicked. The eldest, with his extensive experience, immediately recognized that this was the unique ability of a martial arts master who had refined their spirit—the Fiend Domain.

Strands of malevolent energy invaded his body, causing him to feel a stinging sensation on his skin, stiffen his body, and even begin to hallucinate.

"Ah! Ah!"

Screams erupted one after another. Jinshan Xiong, the bald, burly man, broke out in a cold sweat and retreated swiftly.

The malevolent energy disturbed his mind and confused his five senses, as did the other six people.

Han Qing's combat power surged in the Fiend Domain, and he launched a series of attacks, defeating them one by one.

With flashes of light, four people were killed in the blink of an eye, while the remaining three fled the area covered by the evil domain in terror.

"A Soul Gathering Realm cultivator who refines the Divine Art of War, damn it, what kind of monster is this young man?"

"Run away!"

Jin Shanxiong was about to flee, but Han Qing had no intention of letting him go. He suddenly charged towards Jin Shanxiong's back, and at the same time, he raised his hand and flicked out two beams of cold light from his palm, which shot towards the other two people respectively.

But this is just the surface; the real killer move is the Star Shuttle.

Another surge of spiritual energy emerged from Han Qingling Temple, condensing into a divine soul that entered the Star Shuttle.

Whoosh!
The Star Shuttle flew out of his arms and hurtled towards one of them at lightning speed, skimming the ground.

(End of this chapter)