The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 104 A Gift (11,000 words)

Han Qing glanced around and saw white vapor emanating from many of the corpses on the ground.

With a thought, his spiritual power surged from between his eyebrows, transforming into malevolent energy outside his body. It quickly spread around, enveloping the surrounding area. White mist drifted out from the corpse, combining with the malevolent energy. In an instant, the number of Yin soldiers in the temple increased dramatically, and Han Qing's spiritual power was also rapidly depleted.

In a short while, hundreds of Yin soldiers appeared in the temple, including Wei Qiong, bringing the total number of Yin soldiers to over five hundred.

Han Qing's magical power was also greatly depleted, forcing him to stop the transformation.

At this moment, Lin Yueqiu approached and glanced at him: "Young Master, Wei Qiong is dead, but Luo Ding is nowhere to be found. We have not achieved our goal. I'm afraid that this thief saw that the situation was unfavorable and escaped from the city."

“I have already killed him,” Han Qing said.

"I see. Then I'm relieved. Luo Ding is truly a terrifying figure. If he had escaped, who knows how much trouble he would have faced in the future." Lin Yueqiu breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Qing nodded slightly: "I wonder how many talents in the world are as powerful as Luo Ding. If every ancient family or martial arts holy land has such a martial arts prodigy, then I am still far behind and need to continue to work hard to become stronger."

Han Qing also felt a strong sense of crisis. In the past two years, he had made rapid progress in strength by relying on the Seven Killings Stele.

Qi Wufeng, Qi Yan, and Liu Yue also gave him extremely high praise, saying that he was a martial arts prodigy that was rare in Sichuan.

Now that he's met Luo Ding, he's become much more clear-headed.

Lin Yueqiu said, “Young master, there is no need to belittle yourself. You have not received good training in Baiyun County for the past few years and have not had any martial arts resources. It is normal that your progress in martial arts is slower than Luo Ding’s. This person has had famous teachers to guide him one-on-one since childhood. All the martial arts he has practiced are of the highest quality. He has an endless supply of qi and blood secret medicines. If you also have these martial arts resources, young master, your strength will definitely be stronger than his.”

"I've heard that throughout the world, including numerous ancient families and martial arts holy lands, there are only a handful of young people who can compare to Luo Ding. The only one I know of is Su Bairu, the Holy Maiden of the Zongheng Dao Palace. Lord Liu once commented that this woman's strength should be the number one among the younger generation in Western Mang, and she should be on par with Luo Ding," Lin Yueqiu said.

"What is the background of the Zongheng Dao Palace?" Han Qing asked. Qi Yan had introduced him to the top forces in the world before, but the Zongheng Dao Palace was not among them, and he had not seen any records of this major force in the book.

"Zongheng Dao Palace was once a great martial arts holy land of our Great Yu, but it declined and was once relegated to a second-rate place. Later, the Emperor of Yu abolished the Hundred Paths, and Zongheng Dao Palace moved to Western Mang. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise and developed very well. Now in Western Mang, it is only overshadowed by Tianlang Fortress."

However, like the Mohist school, the Zongheng Dao Palace follows an elite route, and its members act in an extremely secretive and low-key manner, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it.

"I learned these secrets from Lord Liu. There may be omissions in them. Young Master, listen to them, but don't believe them entirely," Lin Yueqiu explained.

Han Qing nodded slightly, not taking it to heart. He understood that Lin Yueqiu was encouraging him, afraid that he would be discouraged and timid. In fact, he had no fear at all.

Even if he is not as strong as some people now, he believes that one day he will become the top master and look down on all the heroes in the world.

As they were chatting, the sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the main gate of the mansion.

Han Qing turned around and saw Huang Xiao leading a large group of soldiers into the central compound.

Huang Xiao glanced around and saw that the battle in the courtyard had ended, with Wei Qiong's body not far from Han Qing. He quickly cupped his hands and said, "I am ashamed! I did not expect that among the three groups attacking the city, my group would be the slowest."

Han Qing laughed and said, "Commander Huang, there is no need to blame yourself. Wei Qiong knows your reputation and will definitely target you. The city gate you attacked must have the strongest defenses. It is normal that you arrived slowly. If you hadn't attracted enough troops, we would not have been able to break through the gate and kill Wei Qiong in such a short time."

Huang Xiao understood that Han Qing was deliberately giving him a way out so as not to lose face in front of the soldiers, and his goodwill towards Han Qing immediately increased.

He didn't dwell on the topic any further, but instead walked over to Wei Qiong's side and saw that Wei Qiong had no less than dozens of wounds on his body, obviously indicating that a fierce battle had just taken place.

"Wei Qiong's martial arts are truly remarkable. I fought him a month ago. He had a strong protective force and had practiced external martial arts, making him invulnerable to blades and spears. I never expected that he would die at your hands, young master. I admire you!"

"This person's external martial arts are indeed formidable, but he has not yet condensed his spiritual power. With Lin Yueqiu's cooperation, killing him will not be difficult!" Han Qing said.

“That’s true, but where is Luo Ding? I haven’t seen him anywhere since I entered the city,” Huang Xiao said.

“I have already killed him,” Han Qing replied.

"I see, young master is indeed remarkable!" Huang Xiao was surprised and had even greater respect for Han Qing.

In terms of combat strength and threat level, Luo Ding was far superior to Wei Qiong. He was unsure of himself when he encountered him, yet he still died at Han Qing's hands, which shows just how strong Han Qing was.

He couldn't see through him or figure him out, but he was thinking that he must find a way to befriend Han Qing. Maybe in three to five years, Han Qing would become a famous figure.

"Now that Commander Huang has arrived, the soldiers here are in your care," Han Qing said.

"Alright, I'm going to turn this whole compound upside down!" Huang Xiao shouted.

Their efficiency was very high. In about an hour, the battle in the entire compound was completely quelled. Many soldiers, servants, and maids who belonged to Wei Qiong were brought to the center of the compound, where they knelt down and dared not raise their heads.

When Huang Xiao entered the city, he had already given orders that the soldiers were not allowed to burn, kill, loot, or harm the civilians. Therefore, apart from those who died in the melee, the other maids and servants were not harmed.

Huang Xiao glanced around and noticed that the two women kneeling at the front of the group were particularly eye-catching.

The two women looked exactly alike; they were twins. One wore a white dress, and the other a black dress. They were truly stunningly beautiful, and the eyes of many men in the courtyard were fixed on the two women.

Han Qing also sized up the twins, while Huang Xiao cursed from the side, "That old scoundrel Wei Qiong is over sixty years old and still preys on young girls of sixteen or seventeen. He's even preying on two of them. He's worse than a pig or a dog. Young master, I see that you have a refined temperament, a dignified appearance, and are an upright person. Why don't you give these two girls to him as maids?"

Han Qing shook his head: "My journey to the north is long and I don't know how many ambushes I will encounter along the way. This woman, who is powerless to even kill a chicken, will only be a burden to me. Commander Huang, you should deal with her separately."

A hint of admiration flashed in Huang Xiao's eyes: "Young master is so young, yet he remains unmoved by such a beauty. He is destined for great things in the future."

"The book says that a gentleman is lustful but not lewd, and that a martial artist should have no distracting thoughts. These are all warnings to future generations not to touch women they shouldn't touch. This kind of self-control is nothing."

"Now that the fighting here has subsided, I'll take my leave. After a night of hard fighting, I'm feeling quite tired," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

“Alright, young master, you can leave without worry. Leave this to me!” Huang Xiao nodded.

Two days later.

The fighting in the city has been completely quelled, and any occasional disturbances are limited to a very small area.

The central compound was also completely under Huang Xiao's control. After a thorough cleaning by many soldiers, the corpses, bloodstains, broken trees, and other debris in the compound had all disappeared.

Han Qing was not in a hurry to leave the city. He had gained a lot from this battle and decided to digest and absorb some of the results first. His combat strength might be greatly improved, so that he would be more confident when he encountered other enemies blocking his way in the future.

Furthermore, Huang Xiao sent people to persuade them to stay several times, saying that he would host a farewell banquet for them the next day and present them with a generous gift to express his gratitude to Han Qing and the others. Seeing his sincere attitude, Han Qing did not insist on leaving.

It was late at night.

Han Qing sat cross-legged on his bed in his room, which was a side courtyard in the central compound.

With a thought, he focused his mind on the Dharma and merged it into his eyes, causing the scene before him to change dramatically.

He saw wisps of black energy dissipating from his body.

"Sister Qi is right. Too much killing will indeed lead to being entangled in evil energy," Han Qingxin said.

These dark energies are external evil spirits. If a military practitioner kills too many people in a short period of time, these external evil spirits will entangle them.

The malevolent energy transformed from the power of Dharma thought is called internal malevolent energy.

There is a big difference between the two.

Firstly, those who cultivate their spirit in military strategy have absolute control over internal evil spirits, but not external evil spirits. They can only passively integrate into the evil spirit domain, thereby increasing the power of the evil spirit domain.

Secondly, external evil influences are easy to obtain, but they will dissipate over time, while internal evil influences can be obtained and used at any time.

Thirdly, external evil influences are harmful and increase the risk of practitioners going astray and becoming possessed by demons.

Han Qing killed about sixty or seventy people yesterday, and for the first time, external evil energy manifested within his body, although it did not appear to be very strong.

However, he was still slightly affected when he was visualizing the Sutra of Ceasefire in his mind.

External evil forces make the illusion more complex and harder to detect. If a cultivator remains trapped within it, they will suffer a qi deviation.

From this perspective, external evil influences are indeed harmful to those who cultivate their spirit.

Although this power came easily, it must not be coveted. One should control oneself and Qi Yan's previous advice was correct.

However, as the cultivator's spiritual realm improves, their resistance to external evil will also increase, thus raising the upper limit of the number of enemies they can kill in the short term.

"Relying on my own cultivation, the progress of the Zhige Jing is still too slow!"

Han Qing glanced at the panel. The fourth chapter of the Zhige Jing was still at the beginner level. He practiced diligently for two hours every day, but the progress was almost zero. This was the norm for all cultivators of the spirit realm.

Once you reach the Soul Gathering Realm, your cultivation speed should be this slow. You need to accumulate knowledge day by day and work hard bit by bit to take even a small step forward.

"Fortunately, I have the Seven Killings Stele. Luo Ding, I hope you won't let me down!"

Han Qing murmured, his eyes slightly closed. In an instant, the Seven Killings Stele appeared in his mind. More than seventy soul light points floated around the stele. Among them, the two most valuable ones were from Luo Ding and Wei Qiong. The others were from miscellaneous sources, and their total value might not even be comparable to these two.

With a thought, he chose to absorb Luo Ding's soul light first, and many scenes flashed before his eyes.

"Madam, spare me! Madam!"

In the deep and spacious hall, a maid knelt on the ground and cried loudly.

A woman sat before her, wearing a golden crown and a snow-white coat, her phoenix eyes flashing with a ruthless and cold light.

"My Jade Spring Vase is priceless. You, a mere servant of this manor, are no different from a stray dog ​​barking on the street in my eyes. You think you can live after breaking a porcelain vase? Ten of your worthless lives combined are not worth as much as the Jade Spring Vase. Guards, give him eighty strokes and hang his body outside the hall!"

"Yes!"

"Madam Luo, spare me! Spare me!"

The maid looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. Amidst a series of terrified cries, she was dragged out of the main hall by two servants.

Luo Ding stood to the side, a playful smile on his face.

...

The scene changes.

"Luo Ding, I ask you, have you mastered the Five Punishments Soul-Binding Image?"

A middle-aged man with a square face, wearing a red crown and a purple robe, sat upright in a chair. His posture was as straight as a spear, and his eyes were as deep as the ocean, exuding an extremely powerful sense of oppression.

Luo Ding knelt on the ground, facing the middle-aged man, his face no longer showing any playfulness, only respect and fear.

"Master, your disciple has studied and practiced diligently, and finally succeeded in condensing it three days ago!"

"Three days? Too slow! With your talent, you should have succeeded in condensing it three months ago. I saw you outside the Spring Flower Pavilion a few days ago. How can a martial artist who is so dissolute achieve great things? If there is a next time, I will definitely break your limbs and make you suffer the pain of your flesh. Do you understand?" The man's voice suddenly rose, his voice was not fast or slow, but it was like the thunder of heaven, making people naturally feel fear.

"Yes! This disciple will never dare to go to Chunhua Pavilion again!" Luo Ding's forehead was pressed to the ground, and his body was trembling.

...

The screen changes again.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

In the courtyard, many martial artists lay sprawled on the ground, their arms twisted, blood seeping from their mouths and noses, their bodies covered in blood.

"Send me a few more martial artists. If they're still this weak, then you can all die!" Luo Ding said with a fierce expression.

Next, many scenes appeared and disappeared before Han Qing.

About ten breaths later, all the scenes disappeared. Han Qing rubbed his temples, recalling the fragments of memories he had seen.

"Luo Ding is truly extremely cruel. He fights with people every day and is extremely ruthless towards his servants, often injuring their internal organs and breaking their bones and tendons," Han Qing murmured. In the memories he had, the vast majority of the time, it was Luo Ding fighting with people, and he didn't know how many servants were seriously injured or even killed by him.

"That woman in the snow-white robe must be Madam Han, Luo Lan, who is quite close to Luo Ding! This woman is a vicious and cruel person; she didn't even blink when she executed the maid."

"That middle-aged man in purple robes is Han Yi. As expected of the number one Legalist, his aura is extremely powerful and extremely stern! Luo Ding was trembling with fear in front of him, which means he had obviously suffered cruel punishments in his daily life."

"This person is so cold-hearted, it's no wonder he betrayed my mother."

Han Qing shook his head, feeling sorry for his mother.

"I wonder what martial arts skills Luo Ding possesses?" Han Qing wondered to himself. Then, a large amount of information appeared before him.

Please inherit two martial arts skills.

1. The Heavenly Punishment Technique, Chapter 4 (100% Complete)

Han Yi, the Left Chancellor of the Great Yu Dynasty, created the Legalist visualization method, which was known as the method of executing punishments on behalf of Heaven, capturing gods and destroying Buddhas. It was called the first method of refining the spirit by the Legalists. When practiced to perfection, one could become a great sage of the military. This is the fourth chapter. Practicing it can lead one to the Soul Gathering Realm.

2. Graceful as a startled swan (Small success rate 63.4%)

Its movements are as swift as a wild goose, light and agile, as graceful as the wind, combining speed and beauty. It is as elegant as a dance and as fast as the wind. It is one of the four top light skills of the Great Yu Dynasty. Within a hundred steps, its speed is unparalleled in the world.

3. Crimson Dragon Technique (100% Perfect)

The top-tier fourth-realm cultivation method passed down in the Luo family can condense the Crimson Dragon Force, transforming blood into qi, and turning the Crimson Dragon into force, making it extremely powerful in direct combat.

4 Soul-Severing Blades (Mastery 94.5%)

This second-rate sword technique, passed down in the Yuelu Academy, a sacred site of martial arts, is characterized by its fiery swordplay and swift, wind-like movements. Practicing this technique can greatly enhance one's skills.

...

In an instant, about fifteen martial arts techniques appeared before Han Qing, the lowest quality of which was still at least second-grade.

"As expected of the number one young talent in the Luo family, he possesses a multitude of superb martial arts skills. No wonder his combat strength is so formidable!"

"Now I'm in a good position, but which lineage should I inherit?"

There are no fewer than seven or eight martial arts techniques here, and he wants them all, but unfortunately he can only choose two.

"The Seven Killings Stele is now at 83% of the second rank. I believe it won't be long before it reaches the third rank, at which point I might be able to choose three martial arts techniques," Han Qing thought to himself.

"Then let's choose the Heavenly Punishment Technique and Graceful Beauty," Han Qing said.

The Law of Heavenly Punishment needs no introduction; it is the foremost spiritual cultivation method of the Legalist school today, and in terms of quality alone, it may not be inferior to his "Stopping War Scripture".

The fourth chapter, the Heavenly Punishment Technique, with its perfect proficiency, could significantly boost the level of the Ceasefire Sutra, so he certainly couldn't miss it.

As for "Light as a Flying Swan," one of the four great lightness skills in the world, Luo Ding has demonstrated the power of this skill many times. It is incredibly fast, as if flying close to the ground.

He was naturally very interested and couldn't miss out on this skill of lightness.

"Let's inherit the Heavenly Punishment Technique first!"

With a thought, Han Qing immediately added this Spirit Refining Technique to the panel, and its proficiency was rapidly increasing.

Many images immediately flashed through Han Qing's mind, and someone was whispering in his ear.

"Heavenly punishments bring misfortune, and the year is filled with unease; even with clear justice, cases are difficult to adjudicate..."

He saw a middle-aged man dressed in red and wearing a purple-gold crown appear in his mind. His face was stern, his temperament was cold, and his demeanor was dignified. It was Han Yi.

Its figure was towering and majestic, with heavy chains stretching through the void behind it, as if to seal off the heavens and the earth.

Han Qing was too lazy to waste time and energy to understand the content of this Spirit Refining Method, and instead immediately transferred it to the Ceasefire Scripture.

In an instant, the proficiency of the Ceasefire Sutra increased dramatically, and within the temple, the power of the Dharma grew at an astonishing speed, more than a hundred or a thousand times faster than before.

In just one hour, he mastered the fourth chapter of the Zhige Jing and broke through to the minor level.

And this is far from over; proficiency is still skyrocketing.

Time passed slowly as Han Qing immersed himself in the process. His spiritual power grew stronger and stronger, and his realm continued to break through, progressing from mastery to great success. Finally, he was just 2% away from achieving perfection.

At this moment, Han Qing's proficiency with the Heavenly Punishment Technique was exhausted. He opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of fresh air.

"It's almost perfect. It seems that in terms of quality alone, the Heavenly Punishment Technique is still a bit inferior to the Ceasefire Scripture!" Han Qingxin thought to himself.

The Heavenly Punishment Technique, with 100% proficiency, only achieved a proficiency of around 80% when transferred to the Ceasefire Sutra, indicating that the Ceasefire Sutra is of higher quality.

With a thought, Han Qing's spiritual energy surged from between his eyebrows, gathering into a divine soul before him. This divine soul then darted into the Star Shuttle.

"go!"

The Star Shuttle soared into the air with a whoosh, rapidly circling Han Qing. Its speed was so great that it left afterimages in the air, and the entire room was filled with the hum of the long shuttle.

"The speed is more than twice as fast as before, making this long shuttle even more difficult to defend against." Han Qing was overjoyed.

As Han Qing progressed from the beginning to the end of the fourth chapter of the Zhige Jing (Suppressing Warfare Sutra), he could feel his Dharma thoughts growing significantly stronger, and his soul also became more powerful.

Now, observing with his divine eye, he discovered that his soul had become more solidified, and at first glance, it was no different from his physical body. This was a sign that he was about to enter the stage of union with the Buddha.

When the intensity of one's spiritual thought increases further, the soul will undergo a transformation, manifesting in the real world and taking on a physical form.

After this, the spirit no longer needed to rely on physical objects to interfere with the real world, thus refining...
The combat power of gods will also increase dramatically.

"Almost there!" Han Qing murmured.

With a whoosh, the Star Shuttle flew into his arms, and his soul also flew out from it, transforming into magical thoughts that fell into the spirit temple.

Han Qing then chose to inherit the second martial art, moving with the grace of a startled swan. On the panel, this lightness skill was immediately recorded, and its proficiency began to rise rapidly.

Many insights also emerged in Han Qing's mind, and his understanding of this lightness skill was rapidly deepening.

So he got up and went to the courtyard, practicing the basic movements while leaping and landing, all the while trying to digest and absorb the core essence of this light-body skill.

By this time, it was already bright daylight, and morning had arrived. However, Han Qing showed no signs of fatigue and continued his arduous cultivation.

As dusk fell, Han Qing finally completed inheriting this lightness skill. On the panel, the "Graceful as a Swan" realm had reached 63% of the minor success level.

"With the graceful and stunning beauty of a wild goose, the 'Wild Goose Technique' becomes superfluous."

Han Qing pondered for a moment, then transferred his proficiency to Pianruojinghong as well.

Several more hours passed, and when the moonlight once again bathed the courtyard, the skill level conversion was finally complete.

"Unfortunately, he still didn't achieve great success," Han Qing sighed.

On the panel, the proficiency of "Pianruo Jinghong" stopped at 69.2%, which means that the breakthrough level of "Hongyan Jue" only converted less than 10% of the proficiency into "Pianruo Jinghong". This shows how big the difference in quality between the two light skills is.

"I want to try out this lightness skill and see just how powerful it really is."

As Han Qing spoke, he suddenly started running in the courtyard. Sure enough, his movement speed increased dramatically, more than two or three times faster than when he used the Wild Goose Technique before.

At this moment, his state was exactly the same as Luo Ding's a few days ago. In the eyes of others, he also seemed to be flying close to the ground, silently.

Han Qing ran continuously for fifteen minutes until sweat dripped from his forehead before he stopped.

"Within a hundred paces, my speed is unparalleled! With this lightness skill, my ability to survive will be greatly enhanced, and even martial arts grandmasters will be unable to catch me," Han Qing thought to himself, his confidence growing even stronger.

"It's time to rest."

Although there were still many soul points around the Seven Killings Stele that could be absorbed, Han Qing felt extremely tired after continuously digesting and absorbing two superior martial arts techniques.

So he turned over and got into bed, and slept until dawn the next day.

Noon the next day.

Huang Xiao sent someone to invite him to a banquet in the main hall.

As agreed, he was to depart today to continue his journey to the North, and Huang Xiao promised to give him a thank-you gift.

Han Qing then followed Huang Xiao's servants to the main hall, accompanied by Lin Yueqiu.

As the two entered, they saw a table set up in the room with more than a dozen dishes and two jars of wine. It was nothing like the lunch at the Qi residence, but Han Qing was not a picky person.

"Young Master Han, Old Lin, sit down! Come, have a drink!" Huang Xiao poured drinks for the two of them.

The three ate and chatted, but didn't talk about anything serious. Lin Yueqiu and Huang Xiao did most of the talking, while Han Qing quietly drank and ate.

Before long, the table of food and drinks was completely devoured, and Huang Xiao finally got to the point.

"Somebody come!"

He clapped his hands, and eight soldiers entered from outside, two of them carrying a large wooden box.

"I was able to successfully breach the city this time thanks to the two of you. These items were all confiscated from the residences of Wei Qiong and many officials in the county. Not counting armor, bows and swords, the various paintings, jewelry, gold, silver and jade artifacts alone amount to no less than a million taels of silver."

It's inappropriate for me to keep all these gains; a portion should be shared with you, young master."

Upon hearing this, Han Qing remained calm. He had guessed that Huang Xiao would do this before he came, and he had indeed put in a lot of effort, so it was only right that he receive some compensation for his hard work.

Lin Yueqiu, standing to the side, looked indignant: "A million taels? No wonder there have been uprisings in so many counties around here. How many people could there be in such a small place as Taining County? These corrupt officials have managed to squeeze so much money out of us. They are truly ruthless and greedy. This is a case of officials forcing the people to rebel, and the people have no choice but to rebel."

Han Qing nodded slightly: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. With the court acting so recklessly and exploiting the people, I think it is not far from its demise."

Huang Xiao gritted his teeth and said, "What you say is absolutely right, young master. I, Huang Xiao, hate these corrupt officials the most!"

Han Qing glanced at Huang Xiao and saw that his expression was completely genuine, which made him feel more respect for him.

Although he appeared calm, he was actually just as eager as Huang Xiao to take up his sword and kill all the corrupt officials in the world, restoring a bright and clear world for the people.

As he spoke, Huang Xiao stood up, his gaze sweeping across the four wooden boxes.

"Young master, the contents of these four boxes are all gifts I'm giving you!"

"Someone, open the box!"

Click!

The first wooden box was opened first, and it contained a large amount of gold and silver jewelry, along with some banknotes.

"This box of gold and silver jewelry is worth about 50,000 taels of silver. When you go to the north to become a commander, you will need to spend money everywhere."

Next was the second box, which contained white porcelain bottles of varying sizes, sealed with beeswax, and labeled with red paper and black lettering, indicating the names of the pills inside.

Han Qing glanced around and found that the pills were of a wide variety, but all of extremely high quality.

For example, this bottle is called Nine-Turn Dragon Marrow Pill, which has the effect of assisting in combat. After taking it, the strength of the whole body will increase dramatically, but after that, the person will fall into a weak state for seven days, and their whole body will be burning hot, as if they are being burned by raging fire.

This elixir is extremely precious, containing several rare main ingredients, such as the pistil of the snow lotus from the Cold Mountain and the marrow of a thousand-year-old stalactite, all of which are rare materials that money cannot buy.

For example, this bottle of Xuanhuang Guiyuan Powder can help open acupoints and accelerate a martial artist's advancement in physical cultivation.

There is also a bottle called Eight Desolations Bone Forging Paste, which can transform one's bones after consumption. It is made from many rare materials such as elephant skin, black iron filings, lightning-struck wood, and red flame ants. It cannot be bought in ordinary pharmacies and can only be found in the treasuries of some court officials or aristocratic families.

Besides these, there are many other miscellaneous medicines, such as the Azure Dew of the Yellow Springs for healing and detoxification, the Blood Cicada's Rebirth Pill, the Floating Life Nightmare Fragrance that can cause hallucinations, and the Heavenly Secret Locking Powder that can weaken the muscles and bones.

Huang Xiao casually took out a small white porcelain medicine bottle from the box, weighed it in his hand, and said, "I took this from Wei Qiong's residence. I learned from Wei Qiong's guards that he brought these secret medicines from the capital, and many of them are priceless."

Wei Qiong is from the Wei family in the capital. The Wei family is not as powerful as the Luo family and belongs to the second-rate aristocratic family, but it is normal for them to have so many secret medicines as they specialize in the pharmaceutical industry.

Huang Xiao then opened two more wooden boxes. One box contained python scale armor, which was grayish-black all over and had a smooth, glossy sheen.

Liu Yue had given him several pieces of python scale armor before, but Han Qing vaguely felt that the python scale armor in this box was of better quality.

Huang Xiao took one out and placed it on the table beside him, and said with a smile, "Brother Han, there are twelve brand-new python scale armors here. They are forged from the scales of the black python from the mountains and can be said to be impervious to swords and spears."

As he spoke, he drew his sword and slashed at the python scale armor on the table. The blade swept across the armor quickly, sparks flew, but it did not cut through it, not even leaving a white mark.

"Young Master, with the Python Scale Armor on your body, your ability to protect yourself will be greatly enhanced. Even if you are ambushed by a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, you will not die immediately, and you can completely ignore attacks from martial artists below the third realm," Huang Xiao said.

"Thank you, Brother Huang." Han Qing cupped his hands in thanks, his gaze falling on the last wooden box, which contained a series of bluish-gray longswords.

"This is a precious sword that I took from Wei Qiong's personal guards. I don't know its material. Those guards called it Qingpo. It was produced in a famous sword-making manor near the capital. I tested it myself. This sword is sturdy and durable, and exceptionally sharp. Ordinary chainmail can't stop it at all." Huang Xiao said, taking out a Qingpo sword from among them.

"Come on, swing your sword and cut me!" Huang Xiao pointed to a guard behind him.

"Yes!"

The guard suddenly drew his sword and slashed forward, while Huang Xiao also swung his sword at the same time, and the two swords collided in mid-air.

A sonorous sound!
The guard's knife was severed in the middle, while Huang Xiao's Qingpo Blade remained unharmed.

"How is it, young master? This Azure Soul Blade is extremely sharp; ordinary swords and leather armor cannot stop it at all," Huang Xiao said with a smile.

Han Qing took the Green Soul Blade from his hand, flicked his finger, and the blade trembled and hummed. He then casually twirled the blade a few times and nodded slightly: "A fine blade!"

"I'm glad you're satisfied, young master. With these twenty Azure Soul Blades, your guards' close-combat abilities will be greatly enhanced," Huang Xiao added.

"Commander Huang, you're very kind. I'm very satisfied with these gifts," Han Qing replied.

When he went to the north to become a commander, these armors and knives were in extremely short supply.

Commanding troops requires a combination of kindness and severity. In the army, if you encounter some brave soldiers, rewarding them with a precious sword will immediately greatly increase their loyalty.

At this moment, Huang Xiao clapped his hands and said loudly, "Someone, bring them in!"

"Yes!"

Someone outside responded to the call, and a group of soldiers escorted seven young men into the main hall. They were the same seven swordsmen who were suspected to be cultivators of the Dao of the Horizontal and Vertical Sects.

The seven were in terrible condition, covered in blood, their breaths were erratic, and they were bound by thick iron chains, making them unsteady on their feet.

Huang Xiao's gaze swept over the seven men one by one, and he said in a deep voice, "Young Master, these seven men are Wei Qiong's capable henchmen. They were originally cultivators of the Western Mang Zongheng Dao Palace. After joining the army, they were captured by my Great Yu army and sold to the Wei family as slaves in the capital. Wei Qiong forced the seven men to swallow charcoal until they lost their voices, and also forced them to take poison on a regular basis, using their lives to force them to work for him."

I initially intended to behead them, but then I considered that cultivators of the Divine Refinement realm are few in number. These seven might be a reliable asset if kept alive, so I brought them here to meet you, young master. You are a cultivator of the Divine Refinement realm, possessing formidable combat power, enough to intimidate them and win their complete submission.

He himself was not a cultivator of spirits, so he dared not keep these seven people by his side and ask them to imitate Wei Qiong, using poison to control their lives and force out its effects. He also refused, as he disdained such despicable methods.

However, he felt it was a pity to kill all seven of them, so he decided to leave the decision to Han Qing.

Han Qing stood up, looked the seven people over with his eyes, and asked in a deep voice, "You seven have suffered greatly in Wei Qiong's hands. You are all tragic and miserable people. I value your talents, so it is not unreasonable for me to spare your lives."

However, listen carefully: from now on, follow me. Do whatever I tell you to do. If you have any disloyalty, I can take your lives with a flick of my wrist!

"Do you want to live or die?" Lin Yueqiu shouted.

All seven knelt down facing Han Qing. Although they could not speak, Han Qing could see the longing for life in their eyes.

Indeed, these people are all quite young, looking to be in their early twenties. If they can live, who would want to die?
Moreover, Wei Qiong was extremely strict with them, so they had no loyalty whatsoever. Now, they had no psychological burden whatsoever in joining Han Qing.

With a thought, Han Qing sent the Star Shuttle flying out of his arms, transforming into a streak of cold light that shot toward the seven people. In an instant, the chains binding the seven people were pierced and shattered, falling to the ground in pieces.

All seven were startled. The shuttle was so fast that they couldn't even catch a trace with their naked eyes. This showed that Han Qing's mastery of the Dao of Dharma Thought was quite profound, far surpassing that of the seven of them.

Huang Xiao, standing nearby, also showed a strange expression. He had never seen Han Qing make a move before, and now that he was so close, seeing Han Qing controlling the flying shuttle, a chill ran down his spine.

The reason was simple: the shuttle was too fast and too sharp. He felt that if he were ambushed by it on the battlefield, he would most likely lose his life.

At that moment, I finally understood why Wei Qiong died at Han Qing's hands.

In fact, he didn't know that a day ago, Han Qing's Star Shuttle couldn't have flown this fast. Although it could threaten a martial arts grandmaster, it wouldn't have been able to kill him easily.

"I observe that the seven of you have dark yellow skin and bluish complexion, which means you must have been poisoned by the Nine Nether Soul-Severing Powder. After taking this poison, the poison will begin to take effect within three days, causing weakness and soreness in the body and bones. The pain will reach its peak on the seventh day, which is unbearable for ordinary people. If the antidote is not obtained, the internal organs will turn into a pool of blood. It is extremely vicious."

"I scoff at Wei Qiong's methods of controlling you." Han Qing said, taking out a small white porcelain bottle from the wooden box. There was a red paper label on it, which clearly stated that the bottle contained the antidote for the Nine Nether Soul-Severing Powder.

Upon seeing the antidote, all seven of them had their eyes light up and their faces showed longing.

They knew all too well how terrifying the Nine Nether Soul-Severing Spread was when it was unleashed; even the most resolute person would find it unbearable.

"You used to follow Wei Qiong, and you must have done a lot of things that preyed on the people and were immoral. I am different from Wei Qiong. From today onwards, you will follow me, and you will not be allowed to do such things again."

As for the antidote, I will give it to you. Wei Qiong is afraid he can't control the seven of you, but I am not.

I'll say it again: if any of you dare to rebel, I can take your lives with a flick of my wrist!

As Han Qing spoke, he tossed the antidote into the air, and the leader of the seven people hurriedly jumped up and caught the small white porcelain bottle with both hands.

He hurriedly poured out a pill, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed it quickly. He then passed it to the six people next to him, and each of them swallowed an antidote.

After they finished eating, the way these seven people looked at Han Qing changed; they became both fearful and grateful.

"Aren't you going to thank me, young master?" Lin Yueqiu shouted.

Upon hearing this, all seven knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to Han Qing.

This time, Han Qing could clearly feel their sincerity. They kowtowed with great force, making a series of loud thuds, and some even bled from their foreheads.

Huang Xiao nodded slightly, feeling quite appreciative of Han Qing.

First, he used a flying shuttle to break their chains, demonstrating his remarkable strength and intimidating them. Then, he bestowed the antidote and showed them kindness. By combining kindness and force, he directly won over the seven people.

While someone like Wei Qiong could force seven people to serve him, they wouldn't truly submit. Instead, they would harbor resentment and might lose control one day. Han Qing's approach was the best choice.

Han Qing was quite satisfied with this scene. With seven Refining Gods joining, the team's combat power would increase significantly. Moreover, he could also learn about the Zongheng Dao Palace and even the Western Wilderness Grassland from them.

Although these seven people cannot speak, those who cultivate their spirit can communicate using magical thoughts.

“Young master, I see that you only have about twenty men in your group, and even including these seven swordsmen, there are no more than thirty. How about this, you can select a group of brave and valiant veterans from my army, and I will have them escort you to the north. As a commander of an army, I have this much authority,” Huang Xiao said.

As the saying goes, "If you're going to do a good deed to the end, you'll send the Buddha to the Western Paradise." In just a few days, during his time with Han Qing, he felt that this person was extraordinary and would surely become a dragon among men in the future, perhaps even famous throughout the world. Naturally, he wanted to give him more benefits.

As long as Han Qing appreciates it, then the gifts given away are valuable and worthwhile.

"No need," Han Qing said. "I will remember Commander Huang's kindness. However, the more people we have going to the north, the more targets we will attract, which will only make us more vulnerable to danger. Thirty people is just right, not too many and not too few. There is no time to lose, so I will set off now. Commander Huang, you must also be careful. It is secondary that Wei Qiong died in the city. Luo Ding is the number one genius of the Luo family and also Han Qing's disciple. If the news gets out, it will definitely cause a huge uproar. The Luo family, the Han family, and even the imperial court may launch a crazy retaliation. You must be careful."

Although both of them died at his hands, his identity was kept secret. Huang Xiao also mentioned that he would announce to the public that he had killed Luo Ding and Wei Qiong.

This would both enhance his prestige and protect Han Qing.

As for the court's retaliation? He was fearless.

"I have already written to Lord Liu to inform him of what happened here. The court is retaliating? Hmph, I have followed Lord Liu since we started with eight hundred men, fighting in all directions. What kind of danger haven't I encountered? This little thing is nothing to me." Huang Xiao snorted coldly, his face calm and without the slightest panic.

Han Qing was relieved to see this, thinking that Huang Xiao must have his own way of dealing with it.

Besides, this is Shu, and he has Qi Wufeng and Liu Yue as his powerful backers, so he doesn't need to worry about things unnecessarily.

"In that case, Commander Huang, take care! Farewell!"

"Take care, Lao Huang. I'll treat you to drinks next time we meet!" Lin Yueqiu said, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Take care!" Huang Xiao nodded solemnly.

...

On the day.

Han Qing and his group set off again, with four more large wooden boxes on the two carriages.

The entourage now includes seven more swordsmen from the Zongheng Dao Palace.

After a few days of rest, the rest of the team members have also recovered to their best condition and are no longer as listless as before.

If one's spiritual energy is drained in a few moments, as long as it's not too much drained at once, it can gradually recover with quiet contemplation and rest.

"After passing through Taining County, there is an ancient road ahead. Once you walk out of the ancient road, you will leave Shuzhou and enter Yongzhou, which means you will be far away from this troublesome place." Han Qing rode his horse on the official road, gazing into the distance, and said slowly.

“What you say is absolutely right, young master. However, the world is not peaceful these days. There is no Luo family branch in Yongzhou, but we cannot let our guard down. Other forces are also fighting each other in secret. If we are not careful, we will get involved and lose our lives, which would be a great injustice,” Lin Yueqiu reminded him.

"That's right, we should try to keep a low profile, but if someone really provokes us, we don't have to swallow our anger," Han Qing said loudly.

"What you say is absolutely right, young master." Lin Yueqiu nodded slightly.

...

On the day Han Qing left Taining County, Huang Xiao also announced to the whole city that he had killed Wei Qiong and Luo Ding.

The news quickly spread from Taining County to all directions, stirring up a storm in various places.

Many people don't know Wei Qiong, but Luo Ding is famous throughout the world.

The first to receive the news was naturally Luo Heng. When the servant handed him the letter, he glanced at it, stood up from his chair, and his face turned extremely pale.

"Father, what happened?" Luo Lie felt a sense of foreboding; he had never seen his father so out of control before.

"How could this happen?" Luo Heng clutched the letter, pacing back and forth in the lobby.

Curious, Luo Lie stepped forward and took the letter from his hand. After glancing at it, he was also shocked.

"Luo Ding is dead? He died in Taining County, Father. This is a really big deal. I heard that Luo Ding was close to Madam Han, the eldest daughter of the Han family, and was also Han Yi's apprentice. He died in Shu, and we are afraid we will be implicated!" Luo Lie's face also darkened. He finally understood why his father was so upset.

"Although Luo Ding is arrogant and conceited, he is still a cultivator at the He Xiang Realm and has several magic treasures. How could he die at Huang Xiao's hands? Unless this fool single-handedly went into the formation to assassinate Huang Xiao and was trapped and killed by the soldiers, I can't think of any other way to die." Luo Heng slowly sat down on a chair next to him.

“Father, now is not the time to pursue this matter. This matter will surely cause a huge uproar. We should report it to the main family as soon as possible. There’s no way to hide it now,” Luo Lie said.

"That's all we can do. I hope the family won't punish us too much," Luo Heng sighed.

"Father, what should we do about Han Qing? Could it be that this kid did it?" Luo Lie suddenly asked again.

“Han Qing? Even if he is a cultivator of the Divine Realm, his strength is far inferior to Luo Ding's. He should have nothing to do with us. We don’t need to worry about him for now. He will leave Shu once he crosses Taining County. Our reach cannot extend that far,” Luo Heng said.

"Alright, I'll send someone to deliver a message to the main family right away." Luo Lie turned and left.

(End of this chapter)