The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 105 Entering Yongzhou

Beijing.

The Han family mansion.

This residence is located in the most prosperous and bustling area of ​​the capital, covering hundreds of acres. The terrain is open and spacious, and it houses thousands of servants, hundreds of guards, and numerous experts.

At this moment, in a study in the mansion, Han Yi, dressed in red, sat upright in a chair, holding a book in his hands, as still as a statue. Many servants around him were kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed and pressed against the ground, not daring to make a sound.

Han Yi is a harsh and cold-hearted man. The Han family has strict and complicated rules. If anyone violates them, not only a servant but even the young master will be severely punished.

Just a few days ago, a young master had his arms and legs broken, and everyone in the manor was terrified of Han Yi.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door, and an old man in gray quickly entered the room, knelt down in front of Han Yi, and presented a secret letter with both hands.

"My lord, a secret letter from Luo Heng, the head of the Luo family in Shu, is extremely urgent!"

Han Yi frowned, put down the book, took the secret letter from the other person, and slowly opened it and glanced at it.

"Ok!"

Han Yi gave a cold 'hmm,' his eyes flashing with a fierce light. A surging aura burst forth from within him, like a raging storm sweeping across all directions.

Clang!

The entire study suddenly shook violently. The bookshelves swayed, and the books on them scattered everywhere. Many white porcelain bottles, ice-cracked bottles, and blue-glazed bottles shattered and turned into fragments scattered all over the floor.

The gray-robed elder looked horrified. It was the first time he had ever seen the patriarch so out of control. The many servants around him felt an immense pressure, as heavy as a mountain, pressing down on them. Unable to bear it, they collapsed to the ground.

Everyone knew that something big must have happened.

At this moment, footsteps came from outside the door, and a beautiful woman wearing a red crown stepped into the study. Her eyes swept around and she was shocked to see the mess in the room.

This person is Madam Luo Lan, the head wife of the household, and Han Yi's legal wife.

In her eyes, Han Yi had always been a cunning and shrewd man who never showed his emotions. This was the first time she had ever seen him lose his composure like this, and she immediately felt that something terrible had happened.

"Please calm down, sir. What has angered you so much?" Roland stepped forward.

The terrifying aura that had enveloped the study dissipated completely. Han Yi quickly adjusted his state, but his eyes were dark and filled with murderous intent, as if he wanted to devour someone.

"Luo Ding is dead!" Han Yi uttered, flicked his finger, and the secret letter in his palm flew into Roland's hand.

Roland was startled and read the secret letter from beginning to end. He was somewhat flustered: "Impossible! Master, could this news be fake? Luo Ding is already a Soul Gathering Realm cultivator and has also mastered the Five Punishments Soul-Binding Image. In terms of direct combat power, ordinary martial arts grandmasters are no match for him. In terms of survival ability, he has first-class lightness skill, so he can leave or stay in the midst of a large army at will. Not to mention, he also carries two magic treasures with him: the Illusory Soul-Suppressing Chain and the Soul-Protecting Jade. How could he possibly die at the hands of a martial arts grandmaster?"

Luo Ding was the pride of the Luo family. Luo Lan had been fond of him since childhood and often brought him to the mansion, giving him various benefits.

Luo Ding's arrogant and conceited personality was partly due to her spoiling him. Although he was not her biological son, she was still very close to him.

Therefore, Roland found it difficult to accept Luo Ding's death.

"Although Luo Heng is shrewd and cunning, he doesn't dare to lie to me. However, there is something fishy about this matter. I will investigate it thoroughly. Luo Ding was a genius, and it is a pity that he died like this. I will definitely bring the murderer to the capital and grind his bones to dust!" Han Yi said coldly.

Luo Ding was his only disciple and someone he valued highly.

Although he disliked some of Luo Ding's personality traits, he was generally quite satisfied with him.

Therefore, when Luo Ding was killed, he felt a surge of anger, and he could not vent this anger unless he killed the murderer.

At this moment, an elderly man dressed in black entered from outside the door, bowed and said, "Master, the Crown Prince has sent someone to invite you to the banquet."

"Tell him I have important business to attend to, and tonight's banquet is off," Han Yi said, waving his hand expressionlessly.

If it were anyone else in the court, they would not dare to disobey the Crown Prince, but Han Yi's status was extraordinary. Apart from the Emperor, everyone else was quite afraid of him. Even the Crown Prince did not dare to force him to do anything.

Upon hearing this, the old man in black bowed and left the study.

...

Imperial City.

In a grand garden, there are artificial hills and flowing water, blooming flowers, and many rare and exotic animals roaming among them, making it a veritable fairyland.

A young man with a round face and a plump figure, dressed in a purple and gold robe, sat in one of the pavilions. Behind him stood a large group of teenagers who were only sixteen or seventeen years old, each with delicate features and well-defined facial features.

The attendant who came to report lowered his head, feeling a chill in his heart. The Crown Prince had recently changed his tastes, from lust for beautiful women to a preference for male homosexuality, and these young men were his pets.

However, he dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction.

The crown prince was a cunning and ruthless man. He had followed him for many years and knew very well that if he didn't do something to please him, he might die an unexplained death one day.

"Not coming?" The crown prince raised an eyebrow.

"Lord Han said he has important matters to attend to, and the banquet will be held at a later date." The attendant bowed his head and responded.

The Crown Prince rose and paced in the pavilion, frowning as he said, "Knowing him as I do, Lord Han would never lie; something must have happened."

Just then, a slender figure dressed in black rushed into the garden and presented a secret letter with both hands.

"My lord, this is a secret message from our spies in Shu!"

The Crown Prince took the secret letter from his hand, glanced at it briefly, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed: "So Luo Ding is dead. Go, quickly send people to Shu to investigate thoroughly and bring the murderer to me."

"Yes!"

The guards quickly left.

"Your Highness, yesterday the Yin-Yang Sect's Junior Master of Fate sent word that there are another thousand young men and women available for picking." The speaker was also sitting in the pavilion, dressed in a light blue robe, holding a white jade folding fan, which he was slowly waving.

"Indeed, the Yin-Yang Sect is very efficient. After harvesting this batch, my Yin-Yang Spell Seal will be able to reach a higher level, and it won't be long before it is perfected."

"Your Highness, the Yin-Yang Sect is ultimately an evil cult and not worth trusting. Remember not to get too entangled with them, lest you bring trouble upon yourself," the middle-aged man warned.

"Mr. Lan is absolutely right. My relationship with the Yin-Yang Sect is merely one of mutual exploitation. Once I have mastered the Yin-Yang Incantation Seal, I will personally eradicate the Yin-Yang Sect."

"I suspect the Grand Master of Fate of the Yin-Yang Sect is also wary of me. We'll see who has the better methods then." The Crown Prince said with a smile, but his eyes were filled with coldness.

"Your Highness knows what's going on," the middle-aged man in blue nodded slightly and said no more.

...

Miyagi.

Taiyifang, as the name suggests, was a place where imperial physicians lived and gathered.

"Greetings, Lord Mu!"

"Greetings, Physician Mu!"

"Greetings, Physician Mu!"

...

A boy, about half a person's height, dressed in a moon-white robe, and appearing to be around twelve or thirteen years old, walked along a straight and wide road in the Imperial Physician's Quarter. People passing by treated him with utmost respect, demonstrating his high status in the Imperial Physician's Quarter.

Upon closer inspection, the boy appears only as a child, but possesses a weathered air refined by time; these two contradictory qualities are unified in this person.

After the boy had gone, a young man who had just entered the Imperial Medical Academy lowered his voice and asked, "Who is this boy? He looks so young, yet his status is so high."

An elderly, highly qualified imperial physician standing nearby glared at him: "You can't judge a book by its cover. Tell me, how many imperial physicians in the palace are surnamed Mu?"

The young man pondered for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be Mu Hongchun, one of the three great medical sages? Impossible, how could he be so young?"

“What’s impossible? The Great Sage of Medicine naturally possesses extraordinary and unpredictable methods. Preserving one’s youthful appearance and solidifying one’s physical form are just a piece of cake for him. You’ve only just entered the Imperial Medical Academy, so there’s still a lot to learn. Come with me!” the old man instructed.

"Yes." The young man bowed his head, his face full of respect.

Mu Hongchun walked along the long street of Taiyifang and soon turned into a courtyard.

This courtyard was his private property. In the palace, where land was extremely valuable, only three imperial physicians had received such treatment.

He strode into the house, took out a secret letter from his pocket, and carefully read it over.

At first, he remained calm, but after reading it, his eyes were filled with excitement.

"Since Lishan Academy specially sent someone from Shu to deliver a letter to me, then this matter must be true. I didn't expect that hard work would pay off and that after so many years, we still found the person."

"Han Qing? The name doesn't matter."

Mu Hongchun smiled gently and casually tossed the letter into the incense burner beside him. Orange flames rose up, and the paper quickly turned into ashes.

He got up and went into the inner room, where he rummaged through a wooden box and found a traditional Chinese ink painting. The painting depicted a woman dressed in a scholar's robe, with an elegant demeanor, delicate and three-dimensional features, free from any vulgarity or embellishment, possessing a refined and otherworldly beauty.

Upon closer inspection, the facial features of the person in the painting bear some resemblance to Han Qing.

"Madam, the young master has been found. Although Yuelu Academy has been destroyed, Lishan Academy still exists."

"Heaven's justice is clear. Emperor Yu is acting perversely. I foresee that within three to five years, the country will be overturned, heroes will rise up, and a great humanistic revolution will be launched."

"At that time, who knows how many more great saints of humanity will be born."

“I have heard that you are currently only a Soul Gathering Realm cultivator, which is a bit low, but your talent is extraordinary, and it is not impossible for you to become a saint in three years.”

"With the help of many experts from my Lishan Academy, young master will surely achieve great things in the future!" Mu Hongchun muttered, then carefully rolled up the painting and put it into the wooden box in front of him.

When he got up and walked out of the house, he reverted to his previous indifferent state.

Unbeknownst to the others at the Imperial Physician's Workshop, Mu Hongchun, the Sage of Medicine, was secretly a member of the Lishan Academy.

Although Yuelu Academy was destroyed, even a centipede with a hundred legs does not die easily.

Many powerful figures in the academy are simply lying low, waiting for the world to change so they can launch a major upheaval and deliver a heavy blow to Emperor Yu.

...

the other side.

After traveling for many days, Han Qing and his companions finally left Shu Prefecture and entered Yong Prefecture.

These past few days have been peaceful. Yongzhou is different from Shuzhou. Although it may not be very peaceful, the terrain is flatter and not as mountainous and densely forested as Shu. Therefore, there are far fewer bandits on the road.

After turning a corner on a mountain road, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a large lake in the far distance. The lake water was silvery-white, like a magnificent gemstone.

Beside the lake is a small town, bustling with people coming and going.

"The town ahead is called Yinyang Town, and the lake next to it is Yinyang Lake. It is the most prosperous town within hundreds of miles and the intersection of three official roads. Let's enter the town to rest for a few days before continuing our journey," Han Qing said loudly.

"Yes!"

Behind Han Qing, numerous guards responded in unison.

These people had changed into more sophisticated equipment, each carrying a Qingpo Blade, a Divine Arm Crossbow or a Rhinoceros Horn Black Gold Bow, wearing python scale armor, with bright eyes and a spirited demeanor.

Han Qing was also wearing a python scale armor. This was indeed a fine piece of armor. He felt no weight when wearing it, and it did not affect his agility at all. When he touched it, it felt as smooth as water. It was elegant and had considerable defensive capabilities.

Before long, the group entered the town and rented an entire courtyard from a brokerage firm in the north of the town.

Han Qing is not short of money. He has obtained three batches of gold and silver jewelry from Liu Yue, Iron Sword Manor and Huang Xiao, with a total value of more than 100,000 taels of silver. The cost of renting the courtyard is just a drop in the bucket.

After all that effort, the courtyard was cleaned spotless.

into the night.

Han Qing sat upright on the bed in the room. With a thought, he summoned the Seven Killings Stele, and more than fifty soul light points flickered around it.

Although he had been traveling these past few days, Han Qing practiced martial arts whenever he had a spare moment, and also absorbed more than twenty soul light points.

However, these sparks of soul light all came from ordinary martial artists, and the martial arts skills they inherited were of very average quality.

Han Qing, relying on a series of mediocre training methods, managed to push the Moyu Gong to its limit yesterday afternoon by sheer quantity, opening another acupoint. However, his other martial arts skills did not improve much.

"If you want to improve your strength quickly, you still need to kill the strong. Killing small fry will only yield less and less benefit as your cultivation level increases, unless you accumulate a certain number of them. In fact, it will also accumulate external evil energy and increase the risk of going into qi deviation," Han Qing pondered.

His gaze fell on one of the soul lights, where Wei Qiong's face was faintly visible.

"The Ink Jade Technique has already broken through its limits. Tonight, I absorbed Wei Qiong's soul light points. I will go all out to achieve the fifth transformation in one go." Han Qing's eyes were burning with fervor.

With a thought, Wei Qiong's soul light shattered and transformed into a wisp of white mist that merged into Han Qing's body.

After about ten breaths, Han Qing broke free from Wei Qiong's fragmented memories, but did not gain any valuable information.

More than a dozen martial arts techniques appeared before him.

Han Qing glanced around and quickly made a decision.

He chose the Iron Dome Technique, a fifth-level cultivation method, which he had already mastered to 100%. Next was the Myriad Beasts Horizontal Cultivation Technique, a second-grade horizontal cultivation technique that he had mastered to the great level. It originated from the Heavenly Wolf Fortress of the Western Wilderness and could greatly increase one's physical defense.

Wei Qiong also knows swordsmanship, light footwork, archery, and horsemanship, but the quality of these martial arts is average, and his proficiency cannot compare with the Ten Thousand Beasts Martial Arts, so Han Qing naturally would not choose him.

"Inherit the Iron Dome Technique!"

"Convert proficiency, target Supreme Mystic Tortoise Technique!"

hum!
Han Qing's brain jolted, and a lot of information appeared in his mind. On the panel, the proficiency of the Supreme Mystic Turtle Technique began to rise rapidly.

"The Supreme Mystic Turtle Technique can open 148 acupoints, condense the Mystic Turtle Strength, and excel in defense and endurance..."

Han Qing got up and went to the courtyard, where he began to practice the 148 basic moves of this martial art, which correspond to 148 acupoints.

His movements were slow and deliberate, yet they conveyed an astonishing power and a unique aesthetic.

As time went by, the acupoints were opened one by one.

At a certain moment, Han Qing let out a soft shout, and a deep green light flashed all over his body; this was the Xuan Turtle Force.

At this moment, he had already mastered the basics of the Xuan Turtle Technique.

A series of crackling sounds came from Han Qing's body. His physical strength increased greatly, and his muscles and bones were strengthened, making him stronger and more powerful.

Han Qing didn't have time to fully appreciate the changes because his proficiency was still improving.

20%, 21%, 22%...

Every so often, the proficiency level of this martial art will jump upwards.

As Han Qing's acupoints were continuously opened, the energy surged throughout his body, making the Xuan Gui Jin (mysterious tortoise energy) even more profound and merging with the original energy to become a completely new energy, even more profound and deep.

As time passed, Han Qing became immersed in the experience, feeling extremely happy. The feeling of rapidly becoming stronger was captivating.

Suddenly, a ray of dawn appeared on the horizon, falling into Han Qing's eyes, and he was awakened.

At this moment, the skill level has been fully converted.

Iron Dome Technique disappeared from the panel, while the Supreme Mystic Turtle Technique reached 81.4% of its peak level.

"Wei Qiong is indeed worthy of being a scion of a noble family. Although the quality of his Iron Sky Technique is not as good as the Mysterious Turtle Technique, it is still quite powerful."

The conversion rate between the two martial arts is not low, indicating a difference in quality, but not a significant one.

Han Qing stretched his muscles and bones, stepped into the fifth realm, and his body underwent another transformation and rebirth, becoming stronger in all aspects, with his speed, strength, and endurance all greatly improved.

His gaze swept across the area and he saw a grayish-white stone millstone next to him.

He stepped forward, reached out and grabbed the stone millstone, feeling extremely relaxed and without any pressure whatsoever.

"My current single-arm strength is at least 3,000 jin, and may even exceed 5,000 jin, but it is still a long way from 10,000 jin." Han Qing carefully estimated.

Kong Xiu mentioned in his martial arts training notes that the arm strength of an ordinary martial arts grandmaster is only about 5,000 jin, while that of a martial saint is over 10,000 jin.

Han Qing has only undergone five transformations and is already comparable to, or even surpassed, a martial arts grandmaster, which makes him even more confident about the future.

"Try the Xuan Turtle Force again."

With a thought, Han Qing enveloped his body with his strength, and a layer of black and gold light gauze still floated around him.

After incorporating the Xuan Turtle Force, the color of this layer of energy did not change much, but it became deeper.

The internal changes are even more dramatic, with the power of the fourth realm penetrating the bones and the power of the fifth realm penetrating the internal organs.

When Han Qing practiced the Supreme Mysterious Turtle Technique, he could clearly feel a force flowing between his internal organs, giving him an astonishing strengthening effect.

"go with!"

Han Qing suddenly opened his mouth and exhaled a breath, which turned into a breath arrow that pierced through a jujube tree in front of him.

"After the fifth transformation, the martial artist's survival ability greatly increases. They can digest some foods that are difficult for ordinary people to digest. For example, they can swallow the meat of exotic beasts raw, are immune to common poisons, and can swim in rivers and lakes. Due to the great increase in cardiopulmonary function, they do not need to breathe frequently and can dive to extremely deep depths."

"In short, after five transformations, my combat power will increase significantly. Even without using the Refining Spirit Technique, I am confident that I can defeat ordinary martial arts grandmasters." Han Qing's eyes gleamed with confidence.

Although the Grandmaster of Martial Arts is very powerful, he has broken through the limits of each martial art, accumulated profound knowledge, and his physical qualities and strength are already comparable to those of the Grandmaster of Martial Arts. With multiple first-class fighting techniques at his disposal, it is normal for him to be confident of victory.

He tried to slash his own arm with the knife, but under the protection of the force, the blade could not penetrate the protective veil at all, even when he tried his best.

So, on a whim, he directly manipulated the Star Shuttle to stab his own arm.

This time, she finally broke through her defenses.

The Star Shuttle pierced his protective energy and skin, but failed to penetrate his bones.

Han Qing retrieved the Star Shuttle, feeling more confident.

"Star Steel truly lives up to its reputation as the number one immortal steel. This Star Shuttle is too sharp; even the Xuan Turtle Force cannot stop it."

"However, the Star Shuttle encountered immense resistance during its piercing attempt and ultimately failed to penetrate my arm, indicating that my body's defenses are extremely strong. When will even the Star Shuttle be unable to pierce me? I'm afraid even a Grandmaster of Martial Arts won't be able to threaten my life anymore," Han Qing thought to himself. Han Qing then casually practiced a set of fist techniques in the courtyard. His fists contained explosive power, and each punch easily created a gust of wind.

After practicing for a while, Han Qing had begun to adapt to the changes in the body's strength.

"Now let me see just how powerful this Myriad Beasts Training Technique is."

After resting for a while, Han Qing got up to practice martial arts again, choosing to inherit the Ten Thousand Beasts Horizontal Training Technique.

Although this external training method is not of the first rank, it is considered extremely high-grade among the second rank methods.

hum!
Han Qing's mind jolted, and a flood of information rushed through his mind.

"This martial art requires a secret medicine made primarily from the essence blood of a hundred beasts. It involves forging the body through external friction until the flesh is mangled and bloody, followed by a medicinal bath to absorb the essence blood of a hundred beasts, allowing the skin and flesh to regenerate. Only then can it be considered as one session of training!"

"Ten practices to get started, a hundred practices to master, a thousand practices to achieve minor success, ten thousand practices to achieve major success! As for perfection, it depends on talent and aptitude, and also requires ten thousand practices, but the specific number of times required varies from martial artist to martial artist..."

Han Qing quickly digested this information, only to find that this external martial arts technique was incredibly difficult to learn.

If he didn't have the Seven Killings Stele, he would have had to spend countless hours and energy to learn this martial art on his own.

At this moment, with the help of the Seven Killings Stele, the proficiency of the Hundred Beasts Training Technique began to rise rapidly.

Han Qing closed his eyes slightly, calmly sensing the changes in his body; his entire body felt a burning sensation.

As time went on, the burning sensation intensified, as if one were being burned by a raging fire.

At a certain moment, on the panel, the proficiency of this horizontal training technique had reached the entry level. Han Qing opened his eyes and glanced at it. The burning sensation was still there, and the pain was also very intense. However, he could feel that the defense of his skin had been greatly improved. When he touched it, it was as rough as sandpaper. His temperament had also changed a lot, and he had gained a fierce aura.

For the rest of the day, Han Qing stayed in the courtyard and did not come out.

After reaching the fifth level of the Dao, Han Qing's control over his appetite has reached a new level. He can go three days without eating and will not feel uncomfortable. He only needs to eat one meal to sustain him for several days.

By dusk, he had finally completed the inheritance of this martial art.

On the panel, the proficiency of the "Myriad Beasts Horizontal Training" skill has reached 87.1% of the maximum level.

Han Qing's demeanor has changed somewhat, she now exudes a fierce aura, and her skin has become rougher.

"I'll test it and see if the Star Shuttle can break through my body's defenses."

With a thought, Han Qing sent the Star Shuttle flying out of his bosom and swooshing toward his right arm. It broke through the protective force first and then stabbed hard into his arm, but it did not pierce through immediately.

Han Qing's skin was pierced and caved in. The two were locked in a stalemate for a while. Finally, the tip of the Star Shuttle pierced his skin, but could not go any further, as it was blocked by his muscles.

"Not bad, although it can still break through my defenses, it poses almost no threat to me anymore."

"If I wear another close-fitting inner armor, this Star Shuttle won't be able to hurt me at all," Han Qing said with a smile, feeling very satisfied.

However, he also understood that once his Dharma Path reached the Integration Realm, the Star Shuttle's destructive power would increase dramatically, and it would be able to break through defenses.

The difficulty in piercing it now is not only due to Han Qing's tough skin and flesh, but also because his magical power is not strong enough, which naturally reduces the speed and penetrating power of the Star Shuttle he controls.

"Now that the fourth chapter of the Ceasefire Sutra has been perfected, the next step is to merge with the image. However, there are too few people who can refine their spirit. Without the help of the Seven Killings Stele, it is unknown how long it will take to even get to the entry level." Thinking of this, Han Qing naturally thought of the Refining Spirit Method.

"Alright, I'm exhausted today. I'll take a nap first, and tomorrow I'll input the fifth chapter of the Zhige Jing into the panel." Han Qing shook his head, turned over and got into bed. His breathing became steady, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Silent all night.

Early the next morning, Han Qing vaguely heard a noisy shouting sound coming from afar.

He turned over and stood up, channeling his spiritual thoughts into his ears, instantly enhancing his hearing.

"Sir, please have mercy! My child hasn't eaten in a long time, please give him something to eat!"

"Mother, wake up, please wake up!"

"This young lady is not bad. Although she is thin, she is quite pretty. Two taels of silver, come home with me."

...

Han Qing frowned. He judged that a large group of people had arrived at the town entrance, and they must be refugees.

At this moment, having nothing to do, and worried that this matter might affect him, he got up and went out to check on the town entrance.

As soon as he stepped out of his own small courtyard, he saw Lin Yueqiu also walking out of the courtyard across the street.

The entire courtyard was divided into several smaller courtyards. Han Qing occupied one of them, while the others shared the other courtyards.

When Lin Yueqiu saw Han Qing, a strange light flashed in his eyes. He felt that Han Qing's temperament had changed, and he even felt a slight sense of pressure.

"Young master, has your martial arts level improved again?"

“That’s right. I have now undergone five transformations and am much stronger.” Han Qing nodded slightly.

"Congratulations, young master. You are not even twenty years old, yet you have undergone five transformations in your cultivation. Even Luo Ding, the number one genius of the Luo family, only has this level of strength. I think your talent is the best in the world, even more powerful than the geniuses nurtured by those ancient families and martial arts holy lands." Lin Yueqiu exclaimed.

"Now, if I were to fight Luo Ding again, I would have no need for your help. I am confident that I can kill him," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

As for talent, he possesses the Seven Killings Stele, and no one else's talent can compare to his.

"Young Master should have this confidence. I believe it won't be long before the world knows your name," Lin Yueqiu said with a smile.

Han Qing looked up at the town entrance and said, "A group of people have arrived outside the town. I'll go take a look."

"Alright, I'll go with you, young master!"

The two then went out and arrived at the town entrance a moment later, where they saw a large group of refugees blocked outside the town, begging for food from the townspeople.

Han Qing glanced around and saw many people who were so hungry that they were pale and emaciated, crawling on the ground, unable to even stand up.

“Young master, these should be refugees from Shu,” Lin Yueqiu said.

Han Qing sighed. He saw that many very young children were also skin and bones from hunger, and he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

"There are tens of thousands of Ande Guangsha, sheltering the world's poor people with joy."

The sentence came to his mind naturally and he blurted it out.

Although he is nothing now, he believes he will definitely have the ability to change everything in the future.

In times of chaos, it is the common people who suffer the most, and the signs of chaos are already beginning to emerge.

If he had the ability, he would definitely end the chaos, not for any other reason than to save a few lives, which would be an unparalleled achievement.

"Young Master has the world in his heart, just like Madam in temperament," Lin Yueqiu remarked upon hearing this.

"Let's go!"

Han Qing confirmed that there was no danger and did not linger.

As for saving people, he can't even take care of himself right now, so how can he talk about saving others?

There were so many refugees that he couldn't save them all.

Moreover, the root cause lies with the imperial court, which imposes heavy taxes and imposes harsh punishments and tyrannical rule. How can the people survive under such circumstances?

After a short while, the two returned to the courtyard.

In the courtyard, Qiu Da and his three companions, the seven great swordsmen, and numerous guards were all practicing martial arts.

After a moment's thought, Han Qing walked straight to the carriage parked to the side and took out more than thirty bottles of medicine from one of the wooden boxes. They were all body-strengthening pills and blood-nourishing medicines.

"gather!"

Han Qing gave a low shout, and everyone stopped what they were doing and quickly gathered in front of him.

"Everyone, as long as you sincerely follow me, I will certainly not treat you unfairly. These Qi and Blood Treasures can accelerate your martial arts realm improvement. One bottle for each person, everyone will get a share."

"Young master is kind-hearted and considerate of his servants. Why don't you thank him?" Lin Yueqiu shouted sternly.

Qiu Da and the others were quite surprised to hear Han Qing's words. These secret medicines were very valuable, and they did not expect Han Qing to be so generous as to be willing to reward them, the guards. For a moment, everyone was deeply moved and made up their minds to wholeheartedly follow Han Qing.

Hearing Lin Yueqiu's loud shout, everyone snapped out of their daze, knelt down in unison, and said loudly, "Thank you, young master!"

"Get up! You need to broaden your horizons and open your minds. In the future, you will follow me. What are these qi and blood secret medicines? As long as you serve me sincerely, the benefits I will give you in the future will be a hundred times or a thousand times greater than today!" Han Qing shouted.

He wasn't just spouting nonsense; he genuinely believed in himself that one day he could become a great strategist, or even the greatest person in the world.

“Young master has lofty ambitions. It is a blessing for me, Qiu Da, to be able to serve you!” Qiu Da said first.

These words were not flattery; every word came from the bottom of his heart.

"We are willing to die for our lord!" the others shouted in unison.

Having followed Han Qing here, they were now completely convinced of his abilities and potential, and he was extremely generous to his servants.

If Qiu Da and the others were forced to do things for Han Qing before, they can't be driven away now.

Han Qing nodded slightly upon seeing this. He practiced martial arts with the aid of the Seven Killings Stele, so he didn't need these qi and blood secret medicines.

Instead of keeping these things, it would be better to reward some of them to the servants, which would not only help them improve their strength but also greatly increase their loyalty.

He could sense before that Qiu Da and the others had ulterior motives, but now he was completely convinced.

In a short while, everyone had a bottle of Qi and Blood Treasure Medicine in their hands.

"Put the medicine away. We don't need to practice today. I'll take you to the restaurant in town. I've heard that the Yinyang fish porridge in Yinyang Town is a specialty of Yongzhou. Since we're here, we can't miss it. Follow me!" Han Qing said loudly.

Humans are not machines. Even if they work hard every day and keep their nerves on edge at all times, they will eventually get tired and weary. Han Qing is no exception, so he decided to relax today.

Once we leave this small town and set off again, everyone's nerves will be on edge once more.

"Thank you, young master!" Qiu Da and the others all looked delighted and responded in unison.

So Han Qing led a large group of people out of the courtyard, turned east, and walked along the long street toward the restaurant in the town center.

Before long, the group arrived at the restaurant's entrance, where waiters came forward to greet them.

These waiters, who frequently served guests in the restaurant, were excellent at reading people. Seeing that Han Qing and his men were all burly and imposing, carrying knives and swords, they knew they were not to be trifled with, so they were extremely enthusiastic.

"Gentlemen, please come in!"

Han Qing led his men into the first floor and glanced around. He found it packed with people, with very few tables available.

"Young master, the restaurant has five floors. The first three floors are already full, but the top two floors have private rooms, which are quite empty."

"Then let's go to the side room!" Han Qing replied.

"Please follow me, everyone!"

Led by the servant, the group headed straight for a private room on the fourth floor.

After everyone was seated, Han Qing said loudly, "I've heard that your restaurant's specialty is silver oyster fish porridge. Give me a serving for each of you, and also a table full of fine wine and dishes."

As he spoke, he slipped two taels of silver into the servant's hand, who beamed with delight and became even more respectful.

"Young master, everything else is fine, but I'm afraid the silver fish porridge won't do. There are many people today, and you all arrived a little late. Although there are still some left in the shop, we just can't make one for each person," the waiter explained, bowing.

"It's not even noon yet, and the silverfish porridge is already sold out?" Han Qing raised an eyebrow.

"This restaurant is indeed doing brisk business; there isn't a single empty seat on the first to third floors," Lin Yueqiu remarked.

"Young master, you may not know this, but the situation is special today." The servant said, lowering his voice, "North of Yinyang Town is Jiannan Road, and at the end of the road is Jiannan Pass. It should be a smooth journey."

Unexpectedly, the Qian family suddenly sent people to block Jiannan Road yesterday, prohibiting pedestrians from traveling along the road. Guests who originally wanted to leave the town through this road were forced to turn back. The number of outsiders in the town surged, and the restaurant business was even more prosperous than usual.

"Once Jiannan Road is unsealed, young master, come again. You can eat as much silver-dollar fish porridge as you like."

"I've heard that the Qian family is the most powerful and influential clan in Yongzhou. However, Jiannan Road is an official road with countless travelers and merchants passing through every day. How can the Qian family just close it off whenever they want? What do they care about the rules of the imperial court?" Han Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Young master, be careful what you say, for walls may hear you." The servant looked terrified and dared not reply.

Seeing his expression, Han Qing knew that the Qian family was usually extremely domineering in Yongzhou, otherwise this person would not be so afraid.

Lin Yueqiu said from the side, "Young master, the Qian family is so powerful in Yongzhou that they can control everything. When a government official takes office, the first thing he does is to pay a visit to the Qian family mansion."

The servant looked around and, seeing no one outside, grew bolder: "Jiannan Road belongs to Tiannan County. I've heard that the Tiannan County Prefect Han Zhuang has a close relationship with the Qian family, so the granting of Jiannan Road must have been approved by him."

Upon hearing the name Han Zhuang, a murderous glint appeared in Lin Yueqiu's eyes. Han Qing also noticed this scene and suddenly remembered that Lin Yueqiu had mentioned before that his wife had been harassed by Han Zhuang, and he himself had almost been imprisoned and executed. It was normal for him to harbor resentment towards Han Zhuang.

He heard Lin Yueqiu say that Han Zhuang was a notorious scoundrel in the capital. With the Luo and Han families as his backers, he acted recklessly and no one dared to provoke him. He never expected that such a person could become a prefect. It would be strange if the people did not suffer.

“Young master, we also need to take the Jiannan Road to get to Qianzhou. If we take a detour, it may take more than ten days,” Qiu Da interjected from the side.

After spending some time together, Qiu Da became familiar with Han Qing and gradually dared to participate in discussions and decision-making.

Han Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the table, wondering if the Qian family's blockade was aimed at him.

Originally, the two things had nothing to do with each other, but when he heard that the prefect of this place was Han Zhuang, he felt that it was not impossible, and it was always better to be cautious.

With this in mind, Han Qing pressed further, "Has the Qian family mentioned to outsiders why they sealed off the road?"

The servant pondered, "Someone in town posted a notice saying that a martial artist surnamed Yue cheated the Qian family out of a valuable treasure and fled into Jiannan Road through Yinyang Town. The Qian family blocked the road to hunt him down."

After he finished speaking, another guest arrived outside, and the waiter dared not linger, so he turned around and left the private room.

"Surname Yue? Could it be that he is the Great Sage Yue Jinbiao who deceived the Dao?" Qiu Da muttered to himself.

"Deception is a minor path; when did saints first appear in it?" Han Qing asked.

"Yue Jinbiao is quite infamous throughout the world. He is known for his swindling and deception, and is called the Great Sage of Deception. In reality, he should not be a sage, but his strength is extraordinary. He may be a half-sage. It is normal for the Qian family to be swindled out of their precious treasures by him," Lin Yueqiu said.

"He's quite the character, pioneering a new path of deception," Han Qing mused.

The Great Way also develops from the Lesser Way; with sages, it is the Great Way; without sages, it is the Lesser Way.

After chatting for a while, the restaurant acted quickly, and soon a table of fine wine and dishes was set in the private room.

Everyone was enjoying their meal when a loud shout suddenly came from outside.

"Listen up, everyone! I am Qian Feng. Someone just said that this place is hiding the serious criminal Yue Xiaobiao. Now I'm going to search the place thoroughly. Anyone who doesn't cooperate will be treated as an accomplice!"

"Do it!"

Accompanied by a clear shout from a young man, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside.

From the first floor to the second floor, then the third floor, and soon these people arrived at the fourth floor.

"Young Master, these people are almost here," Lin Yueqiu said in a deep voice.

Han Qing picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, saying slowly, "If the person who comes is polite, it's fine to cooperate. However, judging from this situation, the other party's style is very domineering."

The moment these people barged in, he activated his spiritual power, enhancing his hearing with his ears, and he could hear everyone's conversations clearly.

The door to a side room next door was kicked open.

"I am a member of the Cao family of Qingzhou. I have no serious criminals here. Get out!"

"The Cao family? This is Yongzhou. My Qian family is the only one who matters. What is the Cao family? Don't touch anything, search them!" a young man shouted.

"What are you doing?" a woman screamed.
sound.

Wow!
A large group of martial artists rushed in, ignoring the middle-aged man surnamed Cao's attempts to stop them, and ransacked the room from top to bottom, searching everyone inside.

Immediately afterwards, the door to the room where Han Qing and the others were located was also kicked open.

"When the Qian family is doing something, everyone come out! Don't resist! We'll leave once we've finished searching!" A dark-skinned, muscular man stood at the front and shouted first.

Wow!
A dozen or so men emerged from behind him and swarmed into the room, each carrying a knife and sword, looking fierce and menacing.

Han Qing frowned, and his magical senses spread out, quickly covering the entire room. He had already clearly ascertained the strength of the martial artists who had broken in.

"Get out!" Lin Yueqiu stood up first, and Qiu Da and the others also stood up when they saw this.

For a moment, the two sides faced off, swords drawn, and the atmosphere in the room was very serious.

Suddenly, a young man in brocade robes walked in, instantly attracting everyone's attention. The reason was simple: the young man's attire was far too extravagant.

At first glance, he was covered in glittering gold, and it was impossible to tell how many pieces of gold, silver and jade he was wearing.

Han Qing's gaze immediately fell on the young man. He had previously thought that Luo Ding's attire was already quite glamorous, but compared to this young man, it was nothing.

However, after observing him more closely, he discovered that the young man's attire only looked fancy but was actually incredibly vulgar, consisting entirely of gold and silver jewelry. The value of Luo Ding's single piece of the Heart-Protecting Jade alone exceeded the value of his entire outfit.

"I am Qian Feng. Today, I have been ordered to this restaurant to track down a serious criminal. Are you going to resist? Hmph, with your meager martial arts skills, I advise you to lay down your swords and obediently submit. Otherwise, I will let you enter standing up and leave lying down!"

The young man had a slightly chubby face, but his tone was arrogant and domineering. When he looked at people, his nostrils were pointing forward, his eyebrows were raised high, and he acted as if he were superior to others.

Han Qing's expression turned slightly cold. After all, this was Yongzhou, the territory of the Qian family. He did not want to cause trouble. If the other party was friendly, he would cooperate. But with such an arrogant attitude, if he bowed his head, all the prestige he had built up in front of his subordinates would vanish.

"Searching for serious criminals is a power reserved for government officials. Who do you think you are? I'll give you three breaths to get out of my sight immediately, or if we really start fighting, you won't know your own strength."

With a thought flashing through his mind, Han Qing remained calm, spoke slowly and deliberately, and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

Qiu Da lowered his voice and said, "Young master, the Qian family is a prominent clan in Yongzhou. They have been engaged in business for generations, and their caravans travel all over the world. In terms of power and status, they may not be as powerful as other aristocratic families, but their wealth is the greatest in the world. Their Wanbaolou business is located in major cities all over the world."

As the saying goes, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Perhaps we should hold back to avoid getting into trouble.

(End of this chapter)