The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 112 Deep into Yinshan
"Young Master, this Creation Blood Crystal has such a powerful effect. As a martial arts grandmaster, I felt my blood and qi boil uncontrollably just from smelling its aroma. This thing is truly extraordinary," Lin Yueqiu exclaimed.

“My master said that the Creation Blood Crystal can bring about an amazing transformation in a person’s physique and soul. However, it cannot be taken casually by those below the level of a saint, as there is a risk of sudden death,” Yue Xiaobiao said from the side.

“That’s right! I once discovered a method in a book to safely consume the Creation Blood Crystal, which requires fifty kinds of medicinal herbs, including the Heavenly Flower. This pot of medicinal soup is derived from that.” Han Qing nodded slightly.

As he spoke, he stepped forward, scooped up a bowl with a spoon, and was about to drink it all in one gulp.

Lin Yueqiu, however, reached out to stop him: "Young master, if this is not prepared properly, swallowing it like this could be extremely poisonous, putting your life in danger. Let me go first!"

A strange light flashed in Han Qing's eyes. Lin Yueqiu's loyalty had truly reached the level of a death knell.

Throughout this journey, Lin Yueqiu always considered his own interests. When faced with dire situations, he repeatedly offered to stay behind to buy himself a chance to escape.

Humans aren't plants or trees, and Han Qing's heart isn't made of iron.

He had completely accepted Lin Yueqiu in his heart, not as a subordinate or follower, but as a friend, even as a half-family member.

Suddenly, Yue Xiaobiao said, "Young Master, I am willing to test the medicine for you. No one should try to take this from me. I will do it! If I die, it will be for you, Young Master. I will die a worthy death."

As he spoke, Yue Xiaobiao snatched the medicine from Han Qing's hand and gulped it down.

With a series of gurgling sounds, Yue Xiaobiao decisively drank the whole bowl of medicinal soup.

Everyone looked surprised, especially Qiu Da and the others.

They could understand Lin Yueqiu's initiative to participate in the drug trial, after all, Lin Yueqiu's loyalty to Han Qing along the way was obvious to all.

But Yue Xiaobiao's decisiveness was really strange. Could it be that he genuinely believed Han Qing was the chosen one and was determined to follow him to the death?
While everyone was pondering, Yue Xiaobiao was also making plans in his mind.

He was different from Lin Yueqiu. Although he greatly admired Han Qing, he was not willing to die for him.

“My master once explained that if a medicinal soup made primarily from Creation Blood Crystal turns reddish-brown and emits a fragrant aroma, it is ready to be consumed, just like the medicinal soup before me.”

This is Yue Xiaobiao's confidence. His master had taken a medicinal soup made from this substance, and he believed it couldn't be fake.

Since the medicinal soup was fine, he would naturally give it a try, as it would not only increase his strength but also demonstrate his loyalty.

After finishing his drink, Yue Xiaobiao sat cross-legged on a large rock in the courtyard, his eyes closed, without saying a word.

Everyone else stood beside him, quietly observing his changes.

At a certain moment, Yue Xiaobiao suddenly opened his eyes, let out a long howl, and a series of crackling sounds came from all over his body, and his aura increased dramatically.

"It works! It's incredibly useful! It truly lives up to its reputation as a powerful medicine for qi and blood, nurtured by nature. I feel a tremendous force surging within me now, as if I could punch through a mountain!"

Yue Xiaobiao was extremely excited.

In fact, the benefits don't stop there.

He closed his eyes, recalling many difficult problems he had encountered while practicing martial arts. After a little thought, he quickly came to a very clear understanding of them.

"This medicinal soup not only strengthens the body and improves one's constitution, but it can also enhance comprehension. This feeling is wonderful!" Yue Xiaobiao exclaimed again.

He jumped off the large rock and began practicing this extremely profound palm technique on a nearby open space.

This palm technique is called the Eight Trigrams Returning Dragon Palm, and it is a first-class palm technique.

In the past, given his limited comprehension, he couldn't understand many details, making it extremely difficult for him to learn. After years of arduous study, he barely managed to get started.

But at this moment, with the help of the Creation Blood Crystal, he felt that many details were quickly understood and digested, and this palm technique was extremely smooth to use, with his progress speed being several times faster than before.

Seeing Yue Xiaobiao's excited expression, Han Qing was completely relieved. The medicinal soup was fine; otherwise, Yue Xiaobiao wouldn't be so energetic.

Qiu Da and the others had incredibly burning eyes and were very curious about what was so magical about this medicinal soup.
However, they dared not ask Han Qing for it, after all, this was a great medicine that even saints would covet, and every sip was of immeasurable value. It would be normal for Han Qing to keep it all for himself.

Han Qing swept his gaze across the surrounding crowd, taking in the expressions of everyone around him.

"Gentlemen, I, Han Qing, have said that as long as you sincerely follow me, you will certainly reap the rewards!"

"Although this medicinal soup brewed from the Creation Blood Crystal is precious, I, Han Qing, will not keep it all to myself!"

"Qiu Da, go inside and get more porcelain bowls. Everyone should have a share of this soup. Let's finish this big bowl of medicinal soup as soon as possible."

Han Qing's words filled Qiu Da and the others with immense gratitude, and strengthened their resolve to follow Han Qing to the death.

"Young Master is so kind. It is a blessing we have accumulated over eight lifetimes to be able to follow you!" Lin Yueqiu said first.

“That’s right! I, Qiu Da, am willing to serve you to the death!” Qiu Da also said.

"We are willing to die for you, young master!" the others shouted in unison.

The Thirteen Guards of Baiyun were in a very awkward situation. They were the only ones present who had been sent by Qian Hou to assist Han Qing. At this moment, they saw the pot of Chinese medicine soup and longed for it, but they could not ask for it.

Han Qing also noticed this scene. He brought a bowl of medicinal soup to Bai Yunfei, who was at the head of the group, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Bai, we will have to rely on you for the training of soldiers in the future. All thirteen of you will also be involved. However, I have two requirements. First, you must keep this matter a secret. Second, you must do your best in whatever I ask you to do in the future."

Bai Yunfei said loudly, "Young Master, rest assured, we will keep our mouths shut. Leave the training of troops to me."

As he spoke, he took the bowl of medicinal soup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

Han Qing nodded slightly, knowing that only by making concessions can one unite people's hearts.

Although the Thirteen Guards of Baiyun are outsiders, giving them a share of the pie is equivalent to being tied to the same boat and sharing common interests.

Yue Xiaobiao, who was still practicing martial arts, immediately came over when he saw Han Qing distributing medicinal soup, looking eager.

Han Qing understood what he was thinking, so he served him another bowl. In this way, everyone else got a bowl, while Yue Xiaobiao was given two bowls.

Regardless of what Yue Xiaobiao was thinking, a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Yue Xiaobiao was willing to test the medicine on himself, so he deserved to drink an extra bowl compared to others.

Yue Xiaobiao took the medicine and immediately beamed with joy: "Young Master is kind-hearted. I was right to follow you. From now on, anyone who dares to lay a finger on you will be kicked down by me first."

Yue Xiaobiao spoke with righteous indignation. However, his eyes were fixed on the medicine in his hand, and his throat was bobbing.

Han Qing was already used to his temperament and didn't take his words to heart.

After everyone had finished receiving their medicinal soup, there were still several large bowls left in the cauldron. Han Qing quickly and efficiently drank the remaining soup clean.

For a moment, the courtyard fell silent.

Everyone found an open space, sat cross-legged on the ground, closed their eyes, and carefully felt the changes in their bodies.

Han Qing felt the same way at first. He didn't feel anything special, but soon the medicinal power surged through his limbs and bones, giving him the illusion of falling into lava and being burned by flames. Along with it, a tremendous force surged within his body.

At this moment, Han Qing finally understood why Yue Xiaobiao had let out a long, joyful cry.

This power surged rapidly, and the feeling that one arm possessed the power to move mountains and suppress seas was incredibly captivating.

Han Qing closed his eyes slightly, and his mind became clearer than ever before. Many doubts were resolved one by one, and his comprehension improved many times over.

With a thought, the Seven Killings Stele appeared before his eyes, with Chu Shijian's soul light points floating up and down, his face appearing and disappearing within it.

Han Qing glanced at it, and with a thought, directly absorbed the soul light point.

A jumble of memories flashed before my eyes, and Chu Shijian's lifelong martial arts skills appeared before me.

Han Qing first chose a second-grade sword technique called Heavy Prison Sword, with a proficiency level of 91.2%.

Han Qing immediately transferred this sword technique proficiency to the Phantom Thousandfold Blade.

Then, he drew his sword and began practicing this sword technique in the open space of the courtyard.

With the combined assistance of the Seven Killings Stele and the Creation Blood Crystal, Han Qing's swordsmanship is improving at an astonishing speed.

He was completely absorbed in it, feeling his swordsmanship rapidly improve, and he was overjoyed.

Lin Yueqiu and the others were also using the medicine to intensify their martial arts training.

Everyone's strength is increasing at a rate ten or even a hundred times faster than before.

For a moment, the courtyard was filled with howling and humming sounds.

As night deepened, Han Qing suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening. He let out a low shout, took a step forward, and swung his long sword forward in a slash.

Under the moonlight, the blade moved so fast that the light formed a continuous silver snake, rubbing against the air at high speed and producing a piercing sonic boom, carving a trench in the ground.

This strike was faster and sharper than any of Han Qing's previous strikes.

"It's a great success!"

Han Qing sheathed his sword and glanced at the panel. The proficiency of the Heavy Prison Blade had dropped to zero, while the Phantom Thousandfold Blade had reached the Great Perfection.

It only took four hours to go from mastery to mastery; such a speed of progress can only be described as miraculous.

The combination of the Seven Killings Stele and the Creation Blood Crystal provides an extraordinary boost to martial artists; without either one, such progress would be difficult to achieve.

At this moment, the effects of the medicine had not yet dissipated, and Han Qing could still feel a surge of heat within his body.

He dared not waste a single moment, and immediately returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to meditate on the fifth visualization of the Zhige Sutra.

In an instant, illusions arose all around Han Qing. In the past, it would have taken him countless efforts to break through these layers of illusions.

But this time, he felt clearer than ever before. He was able to see through all sorts of illusions quickly, which greatly increased his speed of meditation and concentration.

Han Qing was overjoyed. The Creation Blood Crystal had many effects, truly all-encompassing and all-encompassing. It could greatly increase the speed of condensing magical energy and also allow magical energy to recover quickly during battle.

Han Qing spent the entire night in arduous cultivation, and his spiritual power grew rapidly.

Around dawn, Han Qing stopped what he was doing, got into bed, and rested for half an hour.

With his current physique, half an hour would be enough for him to fully recover his energy and strength.

"The harvest of this night is comparable to dozens or even hundreds of days of hard training. The effects of the Creation Blood Crystal are truly amazing."

As Han Qing left, Lin Yueqiu and the others were still practicing martial arts in the courtyard. Some of them had not slept all night and were still full of energy and high spirits.

Han Qing's gaze swept across the crowd, and he could clearly feel that everyone's spirits and energy had greatly improved.

"Young Master, the Creation Blood Crystal is truly wondrous. After a night of arduous cultivation, I have actually opened eight acupoints in succession." Lin Yueqiu stopped what he was doing and went to greet Han Qing as he saw him come out of the room.

“Young Master, my mind was incredibly sharp that night, and my comprehension seemed to have increased tenfold or even a hundredfold. I finally mastered a first-grade palm technique. This thing is truly amazing!” Yue Xiaobiao also said.

Bai Yunfei and the others beside him nodded slightly, all feeling that they had made great progress that night, and their martial arts advancement speed had been increased to an unbelievable level.

"General Cao has ordered that next month, the entire Yinshan camp will be mobilized to enter Yinshan to suppress bandits and clear the way! This month, I will use Creation Blood Crystals to brew medicinal soup every day. You all must study and practice diligently and not waste this treasure!"
"I will achieve a great victory in a month!" Han Qing declared loudly.

Upon hearing these words, Yue Xiaobiao and the others were overjoyed.

For a month, they had medicinal soup every day. After a month, no one knew what earth-shattering changes would occur. "Don't worry, young master, after a month, the three thousand soldiers of the Tiger Might Camp will definitely impress General Cao!" Bai Yunfei said in a deep voice.

After a night of arduous training, his strength had greatly increased, and he was determined to do his utmost to train Han Qing's troops.

"We will certainly not disappoint you, young master!" Qiu Da and the others said in unison.

Han Qing nodded slightly; he could sense the determination in everyone's hearts.

The close-knit group of confidants he has cultivated is becoming increasingly cohesive.

On the day.

The Tiger Might Battalion erupted in earth-shaking shouts once again. Under the training of the Thirteen Guards of White Cloud, the military skills of the three thousand soldiers were rapidly improving.

Early next morning.

Han Qing used the Creation Blood Crystal as the main ingredient to brew a pot of medicinal soup, and each person still had a large bowl.

With the aid of the medicine, Lin Yueqiu and the others' martial arts skills were increasing at an astonishing rate.

Han Qing spent his days meditating and concentrating his thoughts. With the help of the medicine, even without the Seven Killings Stele, his proficiency in the Ceasefire Sutra was increasing rapidly.

For the next period of time, Han Qing and the others' lives became dull and monotonous.

Besides patrolling the camp every day, Han Qing spent the rest of his time meditating and practicing martial arts, as did Lin Yueqiu and the others.

Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

This crystal, originally the size of an infant's head, has shrunk to half its original size after repeated boiling, becoming only the size of an infant's fist. However, its color is now brighter and more dazzling, and the medicinal effects of the decoction it produces have not diminished.

This day.

early morning.

Tiger Might Camp Training Ground.

Wisps of cold mist drifted in the sky. More than thirty leaders, large and small, led three thousand soldiers, all clad in armor and carrying swords, and had already assembled.

A series of firm and powerful footsteps drifted from not far away. Han Qing, along with a large group of trusted men including the Thirteen Guards of Baiyun, strode to the front of the soldiers. Thousands of eyes turned to him, many of them filled with awe and gratitude.

Han Qing glanced around and saw that the three thousand soldiers were all physically strong, with bright eyes and a strong fighting spirit.

He was very satisfied with the current state of the Tiger Might Battalion. These three thousand men standing here naturally exuded an aura that soared to the sky.

"Let's go! In this battle, I'll show Commander Cao the might of our Tiger Might Battalion! I'll make the Tiger Might Battalion the number one battalion in Yinshan!"

Han Qing gave a loud shout, and the three thousand soldiers sprang into action, heading into the depths of Yinshan Mountain along the pre-planned route.

yesterday.

Cao Zhen sent a trusted confidant to inform Han Qing that the entire camp would be mobilized today to launch an attack on the seven forces in Yinshan.

If the imperial court wants to take action in the north, it must first open up a passage through the Yin Mountains, and the four battalions in the north are tasked with this mission.

"Our destination in this battle is the Valley of Poisonous Insects!"

"According to the intelligence provided by Commander Cao, there is a force in this Poisonous Insect Valley. It is said that it was established by the Mu Man Kingdom in the South and later absorbed many martial artists from Yue Lu Academy. There may be several martial arts grandmasters in it, which should not be underestimated."

In the mountains and forests.

Han Qing led the team forward, with Bai Yunfei and Lin Yueqiu beside him, as the two discussed the plan for this battle.

Han Qing nodded slightly. The Mu Man Kingdom was said to be a major power in the south. After it was wiped out by the Great Yu Emperor, a remnant force of the Mu Man Kingdom settled in the Yinshan Poisonous Insect Valley. Over the years, it has developed into an extremely powerful force.

"It doesn't matter!"

"I have made full preparations for this battle, and I am absolutely confident that I can wipe out the Poisonous Insect Valley!"

At the very front of the procession, five war golems, including Nine Hell Fang, were clearing a path.

Han Qing gazed ahead, where twilight was heavy, fog was thick, and the terrain was quite complex.

However, he had already memorized the Yinshan map that Qian Hou had given him, so no matter how complicated the roads were, he could easily find his way.

“Young Master, I heard that besides us, there are four other camps also responsible for attacking Poisonous Insect Valley, including another new camp, the Thousand Ox Camp!” Bai Yunfei added.

“That’s right. According to Commander Cao, each force should rely on its own abilities. At the very least, we cannot lose to the Thousand Bulls Camp,” Lin Yueqiu added.

Han Qing nodded slightly, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

He had previously sent Yue Xiaobiao to Qianniu Camp to gather information multiple times, and it was now confirmed that Chen An was indeed secretly connected with the Luo family and intended to take action against him in secret.

The saying goes, "The first to strike wins." If given the chance in this battle, he would strike first and kill Chen An, eliminating any future threat.

...

same moment.

Within Yinshan, four other armies were also heading towards the Poisonous Insect Valley, one of which was the Thousand Oxen Camp led by Chen An.

Chen An rode his horse through the forest, surrounded by a group of burly masters.

These experts all come from the Chen family, and each of them possesses considerable strength.

At this moment, an old man in blue robes used his lightness skill to suddenly fly out from the depths of the dense forest and landed beside Chen An in an instant.

"Young Master, Commander Han Qing's Tiger Might Battalion is also advancing towards Poisonous Insect Valley at an extremely fast pace, still ahead of us. I have discovered that they have five war puppets leading the way, which are Nine Hell Fangs produced by the Mo Family's Heavenly Craft Workshop!" The old man bowed beside Chen An and said.

Chen An raised an eyebrow: "How could Han Qing have a war puppet? My Chen family's treasury doesn't even have such a rare item."

"I heard that Han Qing is a man of Qi Wufeng, the great general of Shu. Perhaps this war puppet also comes from Qi Wufeng," the Blue-Clad Warrior speculated.

Chen An narrowed his eyes slightly: "Qi Wufeng values ​​this person highly, which is good. When we attack Poisonous Insect Valley later, the situation will definitely be very chaotic. You take your men to kill Han Qing and find a way to seize these five war puppets."

“Young master, is this a bad idea? I’ve heard that Commander Cao is also a member of the Qi family. If we make a move against Han Qing and it gets to Commander Cao’s ears, I’m afraid there will be big trouble later,” the old man in blue sash whispered.

"This is deep in the Yin Mountains, not the Yin Mountain Camp. Anything can happen here. As long as Han Qing dies in the mountains, the die is cast. If we do it cleanly and don't leave any evidence, Cao Zhen can't do anything to me."

"In short, I cannot miss the position of head of the Chen family. If the Luo family helps me, then it will be a sure thing," Chen An said coldly.

"I will follow your orders, young master." The old man said no more.

The Yinshan camp was a complex place with many factions, far from being a monolithic entity, and mutual killings between them were extremely common.

With Cao Zhen overseeing things in the camp, everyone restrained themselves and dared not act recklessly. However, once they entered the depths of Yinshan, Cao Zhen was powerless to stop them.

...

An hour later.

Led by five war puppets, Han Qing and his group carved a path through the mountains and forests and soon arrived at the Valley of Poisonous Insects.

Poisonous Insect Valley is one of the largest valleys in Yinshan Mountain. It is flat and covers a large area, with multiple paths leading to the outside world.

The area Han Qing arrived at was one of the pathways through the Poisonous Insect Valley.

"Young master, the area ahead is shrouded in miasma and filled with gloom. We must be extremely careful," Bai Yunfei said in a low voice.

Han Qing nodded slightly and looked ahead. He saw five-colored mist floating up and down in the mountains and forests ahead, and the outlines of buildings could be vaguely seen behind the poisonous mist.

When he activated his spiritual awareness, he heard faint footsteps in the forest, as well as eerie sounds of numerous poisonous insects crawling and moving through the woods.

The danger of the Poisonous Insect Valley lies in two things: the poisonous fog and the poisonous insects.

Without a countermeasure, even a massive army rushing in would only lead to certain death.

The people of the Mu Man Kingdom lived in extremely harsh environments in the barbarian lands. From a young age, they wore animal skin clothing, ran barefoot through the mountains, and were accompanied by wild beasts and poisonous insects. Therefore, they were able to easily adapt to the dangerous environment of the Poisonous Insect Valley.

"No rush. Poisonous Insect Valley has multiple entrances and exits, and there are many enemies. We should wait until the others are in position before launching an attack. Otherwise, if we make our move, we will attract all the enemies, which will only benefit the others," Han Qing pondered.

He could sense a strong killing intent emanating from ahead; there must be an ambush in the forest, waiting for them to break in.

He wanted to wait until the other four armies were in position before launching a joint attack.

Therefore, Han Qing ordered the entire camp to be on high alert, rest in place, and await further orders.

Half an hour later, suddenly, the sound of war drums resounded in the distance, the sound deep and powerful, and it carried for dozens of miles.

"Do it!"

At Han Qing's command, all the soldiers took off their water bags and gulped down several mouthfuls of turbid yellow medicine.

Before setting off, Han Qing, considering the intense poisonous fog in the Poisonous Insect Valley, personally went into the mountains to search for medicinal herbs and provided each soldier with two bags of antidote soup.

This medicinal soup not only greatly enhances soldiers' resistance to various poisonous gases, but also improves their eyesight, allowing them to see further in toxic fog.

At that moment, every soldier felt refreshed after drinking the medicinal soup.

Led by Han Qing, the three thousand men maintained their formation and charged into the dense forest filled with floating poisonous fog along a wide road, rapidly advancing towards the inner area of ​​the Poisonous Insect Valley behind it.

As soon as Han Qing stepped into this poisonous forest, he smelled a pungent odor, a sensation caused by the poisonous fog invading his nasal cavity.

He had heard that ordinary martial artists of the third realm would perish if they ventured into this dense forest.

The medicine he had prepared in advance began to take effect at this moment. Most of the soldiers only felt that the smell was unpleasant and did not experience more serious symptoms, such as falling into a coma.

...

the other side.

Chen An's Thousand Bulls Battalion was also charging into a poisonous forest.

Hundreds of halberdiers clad in silver armor led the way, felling trees one after another.

These silver-armored warriors were the most elite martial artists trained within the Chen family, possessing exceptional strength.

Behind the silver-armored warrior followed a group of soldiers, who walked forward while scattering yellowish-brown medicinal powder in the wind.

When these powders come into contact with the poisonous fog in the forest, they immediately emit a series of hissing sounds, causing the fog to shrink and dissipate, forming an empty area in front, where the plants, insects and other creatures are fully exposed.

In the other three directions, three battalions of troops were also advancing into the Valley of Poisonous Insects, facing the same poisonous insects blocking their way, with each side relying on its own abilities.

(End of this chapter)