The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 106 Willing to admit defeat
Han Qing ignored Qiu Da's words. He was not a coward. Now he was quite powerful. On the surface, he had the Qi family as his backer, and behind the scenes, he had Liu Yue and even the Lishan Academy to help him. He was no longer a minor official in Baiyun County and had no need to be too afraid of the Qian family.

Moreover, he has official documents from the imperial court and will be leaving Yongzhou soon. He will not stay here for long, so there is no need to worry about retaliation from the Qian family.

Hearing Han Qing's words, Qian Feng was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "Don't you understand the status of my Qian family in Yongzhou? What is the imperial court? With just one word from my Qian family, the imperial court has to back down. Or are you saying that you know my Qian family is powerful, yet you still refuse to give an inch?"

"I don't care about your Qian family, get out!" Han Qing suddenly flung his hand, and the wine cup in his hand flew out like a streak of light, heading straight for the young man in brocade.

He possessed several hidden weapon skills, and his techniques were skillful and experienced. At this moment, using a teacup as a hidden weapon, its power was also quite remarkable.

A martial artist at the third realm who is struck in a vital spot from the front will die instantly.

"court death!"

Beside the martial artist, an old man with white hair revealed a cold glint in his eyes. With a clang, the long sword he was holding was automatically drawn from its sheath, soaring into the sky in a flash. It transformed into a streak of light, drawing an arc in the air before shattering the teacup in mid-air. With a flick of the sword's tail, it thrust directly at Han Qing.

Just as Lin Yueqiu was about to intervene, Han Qing struck first, and a streak of light flew out from his arms—it was the Star Shuttle.

The Star Shuttle was much faster than the flying sword. The people in the room could hardly see it with their naked eyes. They saw a blurry trace flash by in the air. The flying sword was directly pierced by the Star Shuttle, broke in the middle, and fell to the ground in two pieces.

The next instant, the old man let out a scream as a bloody hole was pierced through his forehead, spurting blood as he fell backward to the ground, instantly dying.

"Oh no! It's a high-level Divine Refinement cultivator!" Qian Feng was shocked, and his hair stood on end. He didn't even see how the person died; he only felt a cold light flash before his eyes before the person was dead.

Therefore, if the other party targets him, even with many accompanying warriors, he would not be able to protect his life.

For a moment, Qian Feng felt a great sense of fear, and his gaze towards Han Qing became more wary.

With this person's death, the situation was completely thrown into chaos.

Sonorous!

The sounds of swords being drawn filled the room, and for a moment, the room was filled with the glint of cold light and the chilling aura of swords.

Han Qing sneered: "What? You still dare to make a move?"

These men merely drew their swords but did not actually attack, awaiting Qian Feng's orders.

Qian Feng hesitated. Such a young man had such attainments in the Dao of Dharma Thought. Moreover, this person knew he was a member of the Qian family and acted without any scruples. He suspected that the other party might be a martial arts prodigy cultivated by a first-class family or a martial arts holy land.

While hesitating, Han Qing made his move again.

This time, he didn't kill anyone. Instead, he manipulated the Star Shuttle to swiftly weave through the crowd, piercing through all the swords and knives in their hands and breaking them in two.

In an instant, everyone lost their weapons, and everyone was terrified.

This flying shuttle is too fast, too fast to dodge, and too sharp, capable of piercing gold and splitting stone. Ordinary weapons are as fragile as paper, and the human body is even more unable to resist it.

"Take them down! Anyone who dares to resist, kill them on sight!" Han Qing shouted sternly.

Without further hesitation, Lin Yueqiu and the others pounced on them.

"Don't move!" Qian Feng shouted, his face full of fear. A flying shuttle hovered between his eyebrows, vibrating violently and emitting a buzzing sound.

He knew that if anyone on his side dared to make a move, a large hole would be pierced through his forehead, killing him instantly.

In just a few breaths, Qian Feng and his entourage of more than twenty strong warriors were pinned to the ground, unable to move.

The conflict here also alerted the others in the restaurant. Seeing Qian Feng get the short end of the stick, everyone was both surprised and secretly applauded.

Qian Feng's attitude was too arrogant just now. Many people felt disgusted, but dared not retaliate. At this moment, Han Qing helped them vent their anger.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside, and a middle-aged man with a mustache and a plump figure rushed into the room, looking anxious.

"It's a misunderstanding. Both of you gentlemen are of distinguished appearance and have extraordinary backgrounds. Why did you have to fight? Peace is the best policy. I am the owner of this restaurant, and I will treat you to this meal. I hope you will be lenient!"

The middle-aged man turned his gaze to Han Qing. He dared not provoke either side, but if Qian Feng died here, he was afraid he would also be implicated.

Qian Feng softened his tone: "We are acting on the orders of Prefect Han to track down the serious criminal Yue Xiaobiao. This man used trickery to steal the secret techniques from our Qian family's treasury. He had no intention of offending you, young master. Let's leave it at that. If we really fight, it won't do you any good!"

"Young master, Qian Feng must not be killed!" Qiu Da said in a low voice, trying to persuade him again.

Killing a servant is nothing, but killing the young master of the Qian family will make the Qian family lose face and they will surely retaliate.

Han Qing was naturally aware of this, and he said in a deep voice, "You may be spared the death penalty, but you have disturbed my interest. How can I let this matter end so easily? I see that you have a lot of treasure on you, so take it all!"

"Men, take all their valuables off them!"

"Yes!"

Qiu Da and his men got up and stepped forward, quickly robbing the group of people.

The main one was Qian Feng, who had a large amount of gold and silver jewelry on him.

Han Qing wasn't interested in gold or silver. He was stroking a token in his hand. It was palm-sized, dark black, and hexagonal, with Qian Feng's name engraved on it.

"Let's not eat anymore, let's go!"

He casually tossed the token onto the empty floor of the side room, and, too lazy to continue eating, simply led his men away.

The commotion subsided, and Qian Feng stood up from the ground, a look of pain on his face.

"All my gold and silver jewelry is gone!"

Seeing this, none of his guards dared to utter a sound.

Qian Feng had one major characteristic: he loved money more than anything, yet he was extremely stingy. Taking money out of his pocket was less worthwhile than cutting off a piece of his flesh.

“Young master, please calm down. These people must be merchants traveling from afar. Let’s go back and immediately mobilize our men to retrieve all your jewelry,” someone said from the side.

"I'm so angry! I'm going to get my revenge! Let's go!" Qian Feng led the way out, and the others quickly followed.

...

A moment.

The group returned to the courtyard.

Qiu Da was very worried about this matter: "Young master, this is Qian family territory after all. Judging from their usual behavior, I'm afraid there will be trouble later."

“Young master, Qiu Da’s concerns are not without merit. I suggest we set off immediately, leave Yinyang Town, head north from Jiannan Road, and quickly travel to the Northern Lands.”

"As long as we take action, it won't be so easy for the Qian family to catch us," Lin Yueqiu said.

“That’s right, but if what that servant said is true, and Jiannan Road has been sealed off by the Qian family, it’s a question whether we can get there,” Qiu Da added.

"It's alright. I'm going to the North to take command with General Qi's warrant. He'll have no choice but to let me pass! We'll deal with any trouble that comes up later." Han Qing said coldly, "There's no time to lose, let's set off now!"

Even without the restaurant incident, Han Qing had already decided to set off.

After a few days of rest, he has recovered to his best condition.

Moreover, he did not intend to take a detour, as it would take more than ten days, and who knows what trouble might arise along the way.

That afternoon.

Han Qing and his group had already set foot on Jiannan Road, where a strong wind was howling and yellow sand was brushing against their faces.

This place used to be an ancient battlefield. Han Qing's gaze swept across the area, and he could still see tombs and broken weapons scattered on the ground.

This official road runs through the entire ancient battlefield, ending at Jiannan Pass.

Han Qing originally thought that he would encounter obstacles at the end of the road, but to his surprise, things went smoothly and he did not encounter the Qian family blocking the road.

As dusk fell, the group arrived at Jiannan Pass.

This is an ancient pass with a history of thousands of years, but it has been abandoned due to the changing times. Although there are still soldiers stationed here, their numbers are small.

At this time, the sun was setting and the light was dim, with only a few lights shining inside the pass.

"Who goes there? Get out of here immediately! Jiannan Pass is currently closed and passage is not permitted."

Hearing the commotion on the official road, someone on the high wall of the pass shouted a question.

"We are here on the orders of General Qi Wufeng of Shu to join the army at the Northern Camp. Open the gate immediately!" Lin Yueqiu announced loudly.

A commotion broke out on the city wall, and suddenly, with a loud bang, the city gate below was flung open.

A soldier rode slowly towards Han Qing and the others.

"Give me the documents."

Lin Yueqiu took out a document from a box and handed it to the soldier. The soldier glanced at it, quickly looked it over, and then returned the document with a slight nod.

"Go through the pass! However, I advise you all to wait until dawn tomorrow. Tonight, the wind and sand are strong, and there are often rumors of ghosts and monsters in Jiannan Road. Moreover, the Qian family is searching everywhere for serious criminals. If you travel at night, you may cause unnecessary trouble." After the soldier finished speaking, he turned around and went through the pass without waiting for Han Qing and the others to listen or not, and quickly left.

"Young master, should we stay or leave?" Lin Yueqiu asked.

"Let's rest here for the night and set off again early tomorrow morning!" Han Qing said.

He wasn't afraid of ghosts or monsters, but the wind and sand were strong and the weather was terrible, making it unsuitable for traveling.

"it is good!"

As the group entered the pass, they found rows of empty courtyards where other merchants were also lingering.

These people were only allowed to enter the pass with official documents, but were blocked by sandstorms and were preparing to set off the next day.

There were quite a few people; more than half of the courtyards were lit up, and there were at least several hundred people.

Han Qing and his group then took over one of the courtyards.

The courtyard had been abandoned for a long time, and many weeds grew in it. The group rested for an hour before settling in.

After a quick dinner, Han Qing returned to his room and summoned the Seven Killings Stele.

Today I killed a Spirit Refiner, who can use the sword to improve the Ceasefire Sutra.

He has now completed the fourth chapter of the Zhige Jing (Suppressing Warfare Sutra), and the next step is to complete the fifth chapter, which is the He Xiang Jing (Unity of Images).

With a thought, he absorbed the old man's soul light, and many memories immediately surfaced in his mind.

A moment later, the image disappeared, and Han Qing opened his eyes, gleaning a great deal of information from it.

"This old man is now a retainer of the Qian family. He was also a member of the Yuelu Academy in his early years. During the catastrophe a few years ago, he was unfortunately caught up in it and imprisoned. He was rescued by the Qian family, but the price was that he became a retainer of the Qian family and was not free for thirty years."

"Qian Feng's status in the Qian family is not high. There are many children in the Qian family. Qian Feng's martial arts skills are mediocre. He is also extremely spoiled. He has a fatal flaw: he is greedy and stingy. Therefore, he is not valued. He has to do the hard work of searching for criminals himself."

"Given his character, he certainly won't let this go easily after I've taken so much of his gold and silver jewelry today."

"However, given his position in the Qian family, he can't mobilize too many people, so I don't need to worry too much."

Qian Feng does not represent the Qian family. If you provoke Qian Feng, the real experts of the Qian family may not show up unless things escalate.

"However, Qian Feng has an older brother named Qian Hou, who is an outstanding member of the younger generation of the Qian family and is also quite capable."

"The two brothers have a deep bond, and the older brother often stands up for the younger brother, which is a bit of a problem."

Han Qing shook his head and decided to stop thinking about it. Although it was troublesome, he was not afraid even if Qian Hou really came to him. He would just fight and see who was stronger.

Numerous martial arts techniques immediately appeared before him.

"This old man has undergone four transformations and is a Spirit Refiner at the Soul Gathering Realm of the Money Dao."

"The Path of Money is also a minor path, created by the ancestors of the Qian family. The highest level one can cultivate is half a saint, and no one has yet paved the way to become a saint, so it is difficult to call it the Great Path."

"This person's martial arts skills are also mediocre, and there is not a single fighting technique that I find acceptable."

Han Qing now has high standards and looks down on ordinary third-rate martial arts.

"Let's choose a method for refining the spirit first."

"This method of refining the spirit is called the Mysterious Coin Refining Consciousness Secret Manual. It specializes in the way of money and gathers the soul with greed, which is quite unique."

Han Qing chose the fourth chapter of the Mysterious Coin Refining Secret Manual, and his proficiency had reached 96.7%, just one step away from perfection.

The old man was killed in a single exchange, firstly because the Zhige Jing was of extremely high quality, and secondly because the Xingchen Shuttle was too sharp.

The old man's death was partly due to his own lack of foresight, as he was preemptively struck down and killed.

"Inherit the Secret Manual of Mysterious Coin Refinement!"

"Proficiency Conversion: The Fifth Chapter of the Target-Based Treatise on Ceasefire!"

After undergoing five transformations in his cultivation, Han Qing dripped his blood onto the jade pendant, summoning the fifth chapter of the Zhige Jing (Scripture of Ceasefire).

This one also features a black-armored warrior, but his weapon has been transformed into a heavy hammer, which is even more vivid and realistic, making it impossible for viewers to resist immersing themselves in the illusion at first glance.

With the help of the Seven Killings Stele, the proficiency level of the fifth chapter on the panel began to rise rapidly.

With each 1% increase in proficiency, Han Qing could feel the intensity of the magical energy within the spirit temple increase significantly.

Three hours later, the proficiency of the Mysterious Coin Refining Secret Manual returned to zero, while the proficiency of the fifth chapter of the Ceasefire Scripture climbed to 19%.

This result also surprised Han Qing, as the conversion rate was higher than he had imagined.

"It seems that this Xuanqian Refining Knowledge Manual is of extremely high quality. Even if it is inferior to the Zhige Jing, it is not much worse," Han Qing pondered.

"Just 1% away. Tonight, I might be able to make it to the Integration Realm in one go." Han Qing looked at the panel, his heart burning with excitement.

Why is Luo Ding so powerful? The Five Punishments Soul-Binding Image is a major factor.

"Upon reaching the Unity Realm, my combat power will double again."

"Not to mention that military strategists who cultivate their spirit can awaken special abilities like military force at the Unity Image Realm, the divine image itself can provide super strong combat power."

Han Qing was instantly wide awake and began to meditate on the "Stopping War Sutra" in his mind.

He quickly became immersed in the illusion, surrounded by numerous ever-changing phantoms.

The illusions evoked by the fifth visualization are more realistic than those of the fourth, and are more difficult to detect.

If one cannot dispel the illusion, one cannot condense and strengthen one's Dharma thoughts, and the progress of the Dharma thoughts path will thus hit a bottleneck.

If you remain immersed in it for too long, you may even go astray.

The difficulty of the Dharma lies precisely in this: no one knows when they will hit a bottleneck and their path forward will be cut off.

However, with a murderous intent in his heart, Han Qing was still able to easily break through the illusion and condense a pure and focused Dharma thought.

Regarding the source of this killing intent, Han Qing specifically asked Qi Wufeng, who also didn't know why, but gave many guesses, such as that Han Qing had a rare treasure hidden in his body, or that he had the remnant soul of a high-level military strategist who had refined his spirit.

time flies.

At one moment, Han Qing suddenly opened his eyes, and a gust of cold wind suddenly swept by his side.

"Getting started!"

On the panel, proficiency increased by 1%, and the skill level changed from beginner to entry-level.

In an instant, Han Qing could feel his mental power increase dramatically.

"Idol, freeze!"

Strands of Dharma thoughts suddenly gathered and transformed into a divine soul, which became incredibly solid. In the darkness, it resonated with heaven and earth, drawing upon a force of heaven and earth to merge with itself.

In an instant, his soul solidified and his appearance changed.

Its size changed to ten feet tall, its body covered in jet-black armor, exuding a murderous aura, just as if the black-armored warrior in the Zhige Jing visualization diagram had really jumped out of it, only its face had been replaced with Han Qing's appearance.

"It's done!"

"This is my idol, also called my true self!"

The image of the true self does not need to be learned. When a cultivator enters the realm of image integration, the divine image that can be naturally condensed is the image of the true self.

To assemble other divine statues, one needs to spend time and effort learning.

In addition to this visualization, the fifth chapter of the Sutra of Ceasefire also includes many images of deities, each with different abilities.

The same applies to other schools of thought; for example, the Five Punishments Soul-Binding Image of Nara Ding is an extremely powerful magical image.

"This statue of the true self has no special abilities; it can only enhance the evil domain and Yin soldiers of military strategists who refine their spirit, making the evil domain more powerful and the Yin soldiers more combat-ready."

"I'll test how powerful this statue is first."

With a thought, Han Qing caused the statue to soar into the air, its weapon a heavy hammer. He suddenly swung the hammer and smashed it down onto the ground below.

Bang!
With a muffled thud, a large crater was smashed into the ground.

Han Qing then manipulated the Dharma image to turn around and attack himself, so as to personally experience the combat power of this Dharma image.

A heavy blow struck Han Qing's arms, causing him to lose control and stagger back several steps. His arms went numb, as if he were about to lose all feeling.

"This hammer is incredibly powerful. A casual swing feels like it has the force of ten thousand catties, even stronger than Luo Ding's Five Punishments Soul-Binding Statue. However, the latter can automatically absorb the soul energy of martial artists within a certain range, which makes it even more troublesome."

"Now, if I encounter Luo Ding again, I am absolutely confident that I can defeat him without anyone's help."

“I have no fear even when I encounter a martial arts grandmaster.”

Han Qing was full of confidence. He was about to test the special abilities of a military strategist who had reached the Unity Realm of Divine Refinement: military tactics.

Suddenly, a series of noisy footsteps came from outside.

"Brother, no problem, this is the place. That brat stole a lot of my gold and silver jewelry. I can't swallow this. You have to stand up for me!"

"Hmph, don't worry, little brother. He's in trouble today, and I happen to be at Jiannan Pass too. I'll make him pay a terrible price!" said the other man.

Upon hearing this, Han Qing understood that the Qian family had arrived, and Qian Feng's brother had indeed come.

"Perfect, let me see how this martial arts genius from the Qian family compares to Luo Ding. I hope he won't disappoint me."

With a wave of his hand, Han Qing caused the statue beside him to vanish abruptly, transforming into wisps of magical energy that flew back into the temple.

"Who goes there? Stop right there!" At this moment, Lin Yueqiu shouted from the courtyard gate.

"I am Qian Feng, call your young master out!" A clear and loud shout broke the silence of Jiannan Pass.

People came out from many of the surrounding courtyards, gazing at this particular courtyard.

"Qian Feng, it seems the lesson learned during the day wasn't enough, you actually dare to come looking for me tonight." Han Qing stepped out, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone.

The first thing he saw was a tall mechanical puppet, shaped like a wolf, with a crimson body, and as big as a house.

"A mechanical beast produced by the Mo Family's Heavenly Craft Workshop, Nine-Refined Blade Fang!" Han Qing uttered.

This kind of mechanical puppet is extremely rare. Any cultivator can control it. It can hold hundreds of martial artists and is especially suitable for fighting in the mountains. It can move at high speed in various complex geographical environments.

Upon hearing Han Qing's words, a large group of people jumped out of the mechanical beast. The leader was a handsome man with a dignified appearance. His facial features and face shape were somewhat similar to Qian Feng's, but he was more imposing and physically stronger.

"Brother, it's this man! He killed Elder Bai by controlling the flying shuttle! He also took all my valuables!" Qian Feng pointed and said through gritted teeth.

Han Qing glanced around and saw soldiers passing by. He should have stepped forward to maintain order, but when he saw that it was the young master of the Qian family, he turned away and dared not participate.

This was exactly what he expected. The Qian family was too powerful in Yongzhou, so these soldiers naturally dared not provoke them.

"Yes, it's me." Han Qing composed himself and looked ahead intently.

"I wonder who you are? How dare you obstruct the Qian family from doing their bidding?" Qian Hou said coldly.

"Your Qian family acts domineeringly, so it's only right that I take action. If Qian Feng had been more lenient, I might have cooperated. However, he tried to force me to submit by using force, but I refused. You've come here today to stand up for him, so I'd like to see what you've got up to," Han Qing sneered.

"It seems you are very confident in your strength. How about this? I, Qian Hou, disdain to overwhelm you with numbers. Let's have a duel. If I win, you must return tenfold the gold and silver treasures you took from my brother. If you win, you can do whatever you want with me!" Qian Hou shouted loudly.

"You're quite confident," Han Qing said with a smile.

The terms of this duel were completely unequal, yet Qian Feng took the initiative to bring it up. This indicates two things: first, he is arrogant; otherwise, someone else would have led their men to charge at him at the first command. Second, he is extremely confident in his own strength and believes he will not lose, so he is not afraid of the consequences.

When Qian Hou spoke, his voice carried far and wide, and many onlookers heard him and began to discuss it.

"These are the Qian brothers, Qian Hou and Qian Feng. I wonder who offended them. I'm afraid they're going to suffer."

"Qian Hou is a martial arts prodigy of the younger generation of the Qian family. If it were me, I would definitely not dare to accept the challenge."

"Qian Hou has heard that he has never lost a battle since birth, so he is naturally very confident."

...

Although the whispers of these people were very quiet, they still reached Han Qing's ears.

Lin Yueqiu leaned over and warned, "Young master, be careful. This person's strength should not be as good as Luo Ding's, otherwise I would have never heard of him before. But in Yongzhou, many people know him, which means he is not someone to be trifled with."

If someone is truly powerful, even stronger than Luo Ding, and comes from a prestigious family, their fame would surely have spread throughout the world long ago, unless they are extremely low-key.

Judging from the scene before him, this person was clearly high-profile, so Lin Yueqiu deduced that this person's strength was slightly inferior to Luo Ding's.

Han Qing nodded slightly. He had just entered the Integration Realm and was looking for an opponent to spar with in order to test how much his combat power had improved.
Moreover, Qian Hou is confident, but isn't he also confident?
Now, he's not even afraid of Luo Ding, so why would he be afraid of Qian Hou?
"Since that's the case, I'll accept. Let me see what you've got," Han Qing said loudly.

For a moment, the many onlookers around him showed strange expressions, all looking at Han Qing and guessing his identity.

"Brother, be careful of this thief, especially his flying shuttle," Qian Feng said in a low voice.

Although he was extremely confident in his elder brother's strength, Han Qing's flying shuttle also left a very deep impression on him, even making him feel somewhat fearful.

Qian Hou nodded slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Han Qing, and shouted loudly, "Disperse!"

Wow!
The crowd dispersed, clearing out a large open space at the entrance of the courtyard to serve as the battlefield for the two combatants.

"I've heard you're skilled in flying shuttles, so your cultivation level must be quite high. Let me test your abilities!"

As Qian Hou spoke, a gust of cold wind swept across the open space in front of him, and strands of magical thoughts converged and suddenly condensed into a divine soul.

This divine soul is invisible to the naked eye; only those who cultivate their spirit can see it.

Seeing this, Han Qing understood that Qian Hou wanted to compete with him in a battle of spirits, but he was not afraid.

The "Stop War Scripture" is the foremost method for cultivating the spirit in military strategy. When both sides are of equal strength, why would he be afraid?
Then, another gust of cold wind blew up at the courtyard gate, even stronger than the one Qian Hou had just experienced, causing the robes of the many martial artists nearby to flutter and their bodies to tremble.

As strands of spiritual thought converged, Han Qing's soul appeared instantly.

The next instant, both divine souls soared into the air and crashed into each other.

Bang!
With a muffled thud, no one around knew what had happened. Suddenly, an even stronger gust of cold wind swept across the open space in front, blowing some of the weaker people to the ground.

Qian Hou let out a muffled groan, his face turning extremely ugly, and his eyes flashing with disbelief.

"Impossible! How could my soul be so weak?"

Just now, the two souls collided violently, and his soul was completely outmatched, being knocked back more than ten feet, and his soul shadow also faded considerably.

Han Qing's soul pressed its advantage, ramming forward violently and shattering his soul.

Strands of Dharma thoughts drifted away, transforming into a gust of yin wind that blew in all directions.

Han Qing remained calm. The Zhige Jing (止戈经) should have this level of intensity; otherwise, it would disgrace the reputation of the number one spiritual cultivation method of military strategists.

"Come again!"

In a direct clash of their souls, Qian Hou suffered a crushing defeat, but geniuses always possess pride, and he decided to fight again, unwilling to admit defeat easily.

This time, it's a battle of flying swords.

With a clang, a jade-green flying sword was drawn from behind Qian Hou's back; it turned out to be a wooden sword.

With a whoosh, the flying sword transformed into a streak of emerald green, tracing an arc in the air before piercing straight toward Han Qing's head.

"Well done!"

With a thought, Han Qing sent out the Star Shuttle in his arms, which shot towards the flying sword at an even faster speed.

While Qian Hou's flying sword was fast, Lin Yueqiu and the others could still track its movement. However, Han Qing's Star Shuttle was completely invisible, and all that could be heard was the hum of the shuttle as it moved at high speed.

This scene chilled the hearts of those around them; if they couldn't even see it, how could they possibly block it?
In addition, the Star Shuttle is exceptionally sharp, capable of piercing gold and splitting stone, and cutting through iron like mud. The protective force of most martial artists present could not withstand it, and it could be said that whoever it pierced would die.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

A series of crisp sounds rang out in the open space as the Star Shuttle and the wooden sword collided at high speed.

Han Qing hadn't expected the wooden sword to be made of such an extraordinary material, even more durable than fine steel.

However, even sturdiness is useless. When flying swords clash, if the swords themselves are evenly matched, the contest ultimately comes down to the strength of the two people's souls.

Under such intense collision, Qian Hou's wooden sword was the first to give way.

At one moment, the long shuttle thrust fiercely, and the flying sword fell to the ground from mid-air.

"We lost again!"

"Who is this young man?"

"Qian Hou has finally met his match today."

...

People were talking about it, which only fueled Qian Hou's competitive spirit.

He had never lost a single time since he was a child, and he couldn't accept that he had suddenly lost to a boy who looked younger than him.

"Again! My soul may defeat me, but my Dharma image may not! Mysterious Coin Dharma Image, condense!" Qian Hou shouted in a low voice.

In an instant, the thoughts of Dharma converged and transformed into divine soul.

This divine soul quickly solidified, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, transforming into a divine image that manifested in reality. It was a full five zhang tall, its entire body shimmering with golden light, resembling the God of Wealth worshipped by every household in Han Qing's previous life, except that its face was that of a wealthy man, not an old man.

"This is bad. This young man's soul has manifested, and he has already entered the Integration Realm. I'm afraid you are no match for him, young master." Lin Yueqiu was shocked.

But the next instant, he suddenly saw a statue appear above Han Qing's head, ten feet tall, wearing black armor, holding a heavy hammer, majestic and murderous.

"Hmm?" Lin Yueqiu's pupils contracted. "Young Master has also entered the Integration Realm!"

At this moment, the two statues faced each other across the distance. In terms of height, Qian Zhou's statue was four zhang taller than Han Qing's statue, but in terms of imposing presence, Qian Zhou's statue was actually overshadowed by Han Qing's.

Many onlookers around them showed excitement.

A cultivator at the Integration Realm is already extremely rare in the world, and a duel between two cultivators at the Integration Realm is even more rare, at least among lower-level martial artists.

The next instant, the two statues simultaneously took flight and charged straight toward each other.

Qian Zhou's id is depicted holding a long sword, which is actually a money sword made of strung copper coins.

The two attacked simultaneously the instant they drew near each other.

The hammer and sword collided in mid-air, producing a loud bang and sending shockwaves flying in all directions.

The two forces collided, and Qian Zhou's id was no match for them, being blasted back a step.

Han Qing pressed his advantage, his warhammer swirling wildly, each strike more powerful than the last, creating waves of wind and fiercely bombarding Qian Zhou's ego, forcing the latter to retreat continuously and completely suppress him.

With each hammer blow, Qian Zhou's true self faded a little.

With the eleventh hammer blow, Qian Zhou had completely lost all ability to resist.

The heavy hammer slammed into his chest, the immense force causing his very being to explode in mid-air, transforming into a shower of light that scattered across the earth.

Qian Zhou let out another muffled groan, a sharp pain shot through his brain, and his expression even became dazed.

The amount of spiritual power required to condense one's true self is quite enormous.

Now that he's been blown apart in mid-air, Qian Hou has suffered quite serious injuries.

"Lost? Lost again!" Qian Hou murmured.

Qian Feng, standing behind him, was also taken aback, and a look of anxiety appeared in his eyes.

He never expected that his older brother would lose, and that he would be constantly suppressed.

"Who exactly is this person? How can he possess such formidable combat power?"

Qian Feng felt immense regret. If he hadn't caused trouble, how could his elder brother have been in such a dangerous situation?

At the same time, he was also afraid of Han Qing's identity.

He had seen people of such a young age who could surpass his elder brother before. Two years ago, a young man named Luo Ding had done it, and he was the number one among the younger generation of the Luo family. So who was this guy?
He felt that this person must be someone important, and his resolve began to waver.

His status in the Qian family is not very high. If he offends a martial arts prodigy that other forces are cultivating, he will not only fail to gain the support of the family, but may also be disliked by the family.

As Han Qing pondered, his true self began to press down on Qian Zhou.

Not only that, a surge of magical energy emerged from Han Qingling Temple, transforming into streams of malevolent energy that enveloped the surrounding area, forming a malevolent domain.

In an instant, the area was filled with malevolent energy and shrouded in black mist.

Qian Hou's face turned extremely ugly. After the statue was smashed, he was completely at a disadvantage.

He could never defeat a martial arts grandmaster who soars through the sky, feels no pain, and is unafraid of weapons.

However, Qian Hou's pride prevented him from admitting defeat.

He suddenly pulled out an abacus from his pocket, a piece that had been worn and aged over the years.

This is a magical treasure that the Qian family's ancestor nurtured over many years with Buddhist practice, and it was also a protective object bestowed upon him.

Qian Hou couldn't care less at this moment. He probed into the abacus with his spiritual power, and the 18 beads on the abacus suddenly vibrated. They detached from the abacus and transformed into 18 streams of light that shot towards Han Qing.

Upon seeing the eighteen abacus beads, Han Qing felt a sudden surge of intense sense of crisis.

"Yes, this is a magic weapon!"

He could feel that each abacus bead exuded a heavy weight, as if it were a meteorite flying from outer space.

Han Qing dared not be careless. He directly manipulated the statue to block in front of him, and at the same time stretched out his arm. His magic sense probed into the illusory soul-suppressing chain, which soared up and transformed into a green snake that rushed straight at Qian Hou.

Bang bang bang!
The eighteen abacus beads clattered and slammed down on Han Qing's ego, who swung his hammer to block them, managing to deflect eleven and hit seven of them.

Each abacus bead possessed astonishing destructive power, blasting Han Qing's true self backward.

If all seven beads hit, the abacus would retreat seven times.

With each step backward, the statue would fade a little, until it was on the verge of collapse.

Han Qing hurriedly retrieved it, but the latter transformed back into wisps of magical energy and flew into his spirit temple.

Qian Zhou's magic power was almost completely depleted after his statue was destroyed and he activated his magic weapon. At this moment, the Illusory Soul Suppressing Chain emerged from the black mist and shot towards him.

He tried to dodge, but it was too late.

The illusory and real soul-suppressing chains suddenly wrapped around his body, tightened rapidly, and bound him tightly.

"Qian Zhou lost?"

"This young man is amazing!"

"Is this what battles between high-level Spirit Refiners are like? It's truly dazzling!"

...

Many onlookers were discussing it, as many had never seen cultivators fight before and were naturally amazed.

Moreover, Qian Hou was quite famous in Yongzhou, so it was quite surprising that he was subdued.

Many people looked at Han Qing with a sense of awe in their eyes.

As soon as Qian Houyi fell to the ground and saw the chains binding him, he immediately shouted, "You also have a magic weapon? Who exactly are you?"

Han Qing didn't answer. In a flash, he transformed into a blur and pounced directly at him.

"Thirteen White Cloud Guards, stop him!" Qian Feng shouted, and thirteen figures in white leather armor rushed out from behind him, heading straight for Qian Hou to save him.

Qian Hou shouted, "Wait! Don't come any closer! I, Qian Hou, can take it or leave it. I'm willing to accept the consequences of my bet!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Han Qing charged in front of him, his astonishing speed taking him by surprise.

He suddenly realized that even if he hadn't shouted, the Thirteen Guards of Baiyun wouldn't have been able to save him, because Han Qing's speed far exceeded that of his thirteen guards.

He recalled the scene from just now in his mind. It was as if Han Qing was flying close to the ground, and the posture and movements were exactly the same as when he encountered Luo Ding two years ago.

Upon hearing his words, Han Qing held Qian Hou in higher regard.

Although Qian Hou was a bit arrogant, he was principled and willing to accept defeat, making him far superior to his brother Qian Feng.

He respected people of outstanding character and originally intended to trample Qian Hou underfoot, but upon hearing these words, he reached out and lifted him up.

Although this action is still somewhat insulting, it is a great deal of respect compared to being trampled underfoot.

Qian Hou had lost after all, and he couldn't possibly treat the other party like a friend or guest.

The Thirteen Guards of Baiyun had only rushed halfway when they saw Qian Hou fall into Han Qing's hands. They were extremely surprised, and upon hearing Qian Hou's words, they immediately stopped in their tracks, not daring to go any further.

Qian Feng shouted, "Release my elder brother immediately! This is Yongzhou, the territory of the Qian family. If anything happens to my elder brother, you won't be able to leave Jiannan Pass alive!"

"Shut up! You idiot!" Qian Hou yelled.

He was arrogant and accepted defeat, but Qian Feng's words made him seem like a sore loser. Wouldn't that make him look down on by others?

Qian Feng immediately shut his mouth; he dared not provoke his elder brother when he was enraged.

"Your Excellency is young yet possesses extraordinary combat prowess. I, Qian Hou, am utterly convinced of my defeat. As I said, you are free to do as you please, whether you wish to kill or torture me, it is entirely up to you!" Qian Hou took a deep breath and spoke with a stiff neck.

Han Qing actually felt a bit of admiration for Qian Hou; his demeanor was quite like that of a real man.

"Although you are a member of the Qian family, your style of doing things is very different from your brother's. You are an upright person. Killing you is useless. Send over five Nine Hells Tooth Refining Mechanical Puppets, and I will let you go! This matter ends here!" Han Qing said coldly.

“Impossible! The Nine Hell Fang is a mechanical beast produced by the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Since the Mo family withdrew from the court and the Heavenly Craft Workshop in the capital closed, this item can no longer be bought outside,” Qian Hou retorted.

"The Qian family is a prominent clan, after all. As the young master of the Qian family, what are you going to do? Are you going to go back on your word?" Han Qing retorted.

Qian Hou shook his head: "I, Qian Hou, always keep my word. However, I cannot fulfill your request. My Qian family does not have many Nine Hell Refined Teeth in our treasury. Furthermore, there are clear regulations in our family that prohibit the sale of this item to outsiders. This is a true weapon of war. You should change your request. I really cannot do this."

Han Qing stared at Qian Hou, pondering carefully, and felt that Qian Hou didn't seem to be lying.

Indeed, these Nine Hell Fangs are extremely precious war puppets, each one worth a fortune. They cannot be bought even for hundreds of thousands or millions of taels of silver. They are products of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and the craftsmanship involved is beyond imagination.

This thing can traverse and conquer complex terrain. Han Qing's destination, the Yinshan Camp in the North, is mainly a complex mountainous environment. If there are several puppets called Nine Prisons Fang, the difficulty of attacking cities and capturing strongholds in the mountains will be greatly reduced.

"Alright then, Young Master Qian, I see you're a man of honor who accepts defeat. Let's compromise. I want five Nine Hell Fang Refining Puppets, just for one year. I'll return them after that," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

Qi Wufeng had previously mentioned that this training trip to the Northern Camp would not last too long, only one to two years.

A year later, he believed he had grown to an incredible level.

Returning these five puppets wouldn't be a problem, as he was confident he could acquire even more powerful war puppets.

"Your Excellency is heading north and so eager for war puppets, you must be going to the Yinshan camp in the north. If it's just for a year, that's fine, but how can I trust you? What if you refuse to return them after a year?" Qian Houdao said.

Han Qing's gaze was intense: "You don't need to worry about that. My name is Han Qing, and I am indeed going to the Northern Camp."

I act with integrity and keep my word. If I say I'll rent it for a year, I will rent it for a year and return it when the time comes.

One more thing, Mr. Qian, you just lost. Now all the initiative is in my hands. You have no right to bargain.

It's a bit late today, but everything that's supposed to be here is here. It was particularly difficult to write. I had insomnia last night, and I was in a terrible state today. I only finished writing now.

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(End of this chapter)