The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 119 The Martial Saint Arrives
Luo Hanqiu didn't respond, his face showing a hint of disdain: "Han Qing, you do have some ability, but my Luo family is powerful. What if you defeat me? You'll be in big trouble soon. If I die, you'll die soon too, hahaha!"

Han Qing frowned: "What? Has your Luo family sent a Martial Saint to kill me?"

Luo Hanqiu did not respond: "If you want to kill me, then do it, don't dawdle! But I advise you not to act rashly. My Luo family is not one you can afford to offend. Release me now and come back to Taiyang City with me. In the future, I will take you to the capital to meet Madam Luo and put in a good word for you. Madam Luo values ​​your talent and will definitely not kill you. She will even focus on cultivating you. This is your only way out!"

"Nonsense! I've heard that Roland is a vicious and ruthless woman. If I go to the capital with you, I'll surely die!"
Besides, am I, Han Qing, a coward? I dare to kill Luo Ding, so why don't you dare to kill him?

As for the Martial Saint? Hmph, I've long heard that the Martial Saint is elusive and extremely powerful. I'd like to see for myself. I'll set up a net of heaven and earth at the Tiger Might Camp and make sure he never returns!" Han Qing's words were resolute, without the slightest fear or cowardice, causing everyone around him to show strange expressions.

Most people would feel fear upon hearing the name of a Martial Saint, but Han Qing exuded a strong sense of self-confidence from the inside out, a mindset that was definitely not found in ordinary people.

Nan Jinbei and Long Xiuming exchanged glances, both agreeing that Han Qing was no ordinary person.

Upon hearing this, Luo Hanqiu frowned slightly. He had thought that bringing up the Martial Saint would intimidate Han Qing, but he did not expect that Han Qing would not only be unafraid, but would also have murderous intent. He was truly audacious.

"Han Qing, I have traveled the world for decades and have seen many talented martial artists. They have shown extraordinary martial arts talent from a young age, and their martial arts path has been smooth sailing. They also have amazing self-confidence like you. However, too much self-confidence is arrogance!"

There are always people more powerful than you, and there is always something beyond your comprehension. The strength of the Martial Saint is beyond your imagination.

"If you want to kill me, then go ahead and do it. I will never bow down to you. However, I advise you to think twice before you act!"

"You really think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Han Qing's eyes flashed with a cold light, and without hesitation, he swung his sword to strike.

"Wait!" Luo Hanqiu's expression changed drastically.

Although he appeared calm and spoke with great bravado, he was actually terrified of death and wanted to bluff his way out of Han Qing's predicament. He hadn't expected Han Qing to actually make a move, and to be so decisive in doing so.

He wanted to beg for mercy, but it was too late. With a flash of the blade, a head rolled to the ground.

Luohanqiu is dead!
A sonorous sound!
Han Qing sheathed his sword and coldly glanced at Luo Hanqiu's head on the ground, his face frozen with a look of fear.

Recalling the scene just now, he sneered coldly, "I thought Luohanqiu was a man of iron will, but I didn't expect him to be just bluffing. Hmph, trying to intimidate me with the Martial Saint? I, Han Qing, may lack many things, but I certainly don't lack courage!"

"Young Master is mighty!" Yue Xiaobiao flattered from the side.

With a thought, Han Qing sent out the Illusory Soul-Suppressing Chain from the corpse and wrapped it around his right arm.

Before the Seven Killings Stele, a new soul light appeared, and in the spirit temple, a new Yin soldier appeared.

Han Qing glanced around and then landed on Long Xiuming and Nan Jinbei, who were both silent and seemingly deep in thought.

Han Qing said loudly, "Who are you two? Answer me!"

Nan Jinbei said first: "I was originally a member of the Western Wilderness Wolf Guard. Several years ago, I was captured by the Great Yu Iron Mountain Army and sold into slavery in the capital. Later, I was bought by Luo Hanqiu and brought to the north to become his personal guard."

Long Xiuming continued, “I am a Taoist priest from the Huolong Temple in the capital. A few years ago, Emperor Yu purged all the Taoist sects, and Huolong Temple was affected and razed to the ground. I was also implicated and imprisoned. Luo Hanqiu saw that I had some strength and rescued me from prison. In order to repay his kindness, I agreed to serve him for ten years.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the corpse of Luohanqiu beside him and sighed softly.

"I did my best just now, but the young master's fighting strength is too great, and I really couldn't protect him. I have a clear conscience!"

Han Qing nodded slightly: "I, Han Qing, am not a bloodthirsty person, but you two have seen too many of my secrets, and I cannot let you leave. Now I give you two choices: either die, or follow me!"

Upon hearing this, Nan Jinbei and Long Xiuming fell silent for a moment.

Yue Xiaobiao cursed and said, "What do you two idiots have to think about? A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on. My young master is young but has superb combat power and a bright future. It is your blessing to be able to follow my young master."

Without further hesitation, Nan Jinbei knelt down first: "I am willing to serve you to the death, my lord!"

He had no affection for Luohanqiu, and besides, he was a Western Mang person who did not value benevolence and morality, but only believed in absolute power, and had no loyalty whatsoever.

"I am also willing to serve you, young master!" Long Xiuming did not dare to hesitate. Han Qing had acted too decisively just now, and he was afraid that if he hesitated, Han Qing would act impulsively and cut him down with a single blow.

Han Qing nodded slightly: "You two are quite wise! I ask you, is what Luo Hanqiu said just now true or false?"

Long Xiuming pondered and said, "It's highly likely to be true! Luo Hanqiu is going to Taiyang County on this trip, and I heard that he is going to see a master from the Han family. This person is very likely to be a Martial Saint, and he is indeed here for you, young master. You should prepare early!"

“Indeed! I’ve heard that the Martial Saint’s strength is extremely terrifying. If things really don’t work out, young master, you should flee the North and avoid his sharp edge. With your talent, it won’t be long before you become one of the world’s top experts,” Nan Jinbei also said.

Their words immediately made the atmosphere in the room somewhat heavy.

The Martial Saint is the saint of martial arts; how many people can be without fear or apprehension?

Han Qing also frowned slightly, pondering how to deal with this crisis.

Yue Xiaobiao spoke first: "Young master, why don't you go to the Yinshan headquarters and hide for a while? There are tens of thousands of elite soldiers there. Even a martial saint wouldn't dare to venture in. Otherwise, if he gets trapped and surrounded by tens of thousands of elite soldiers, he could very well lose his life. To put it another way, if he really slaughters a bloodbath at the Yinshan headquarters, the court will definitely be shaken. I think he wouldn't dare to do that."

Han Qing's brows relaxed: "Why hide? He came alone, and it's hard to say who will live or die. We still have some time to prepare, but I want to treat him well and see if the Martial Saint is truly invincible."

Both Nan Jinbei and the other man were secretly alarmed. In their eyes, Han Qing was even more unfathomable, and they could not see through his true nature at all.

Yan Chilong said in a deep voice, "Young master, don't worry. With the nine of us joining forces, even a Martial Saint is confident of victory."

General Qi sent us here with the worst-case scenario in mind, to prevent you from being assassinated by the Martial Saint.

Han Qing then turned his gaze to the two men from Nan Jin and Bei: "How long until this person arrives?"

"I don't know." Both of them shook their heads.

Han Qing didn't press further. The Seven Killings Stele contained Luo Hanqiu's soul light, which might yield some valuable information.

"Let's go back to camp!" He mounted his horse.

"Young master, what should we do with these hundreds of soldiers? In my opinion, it would be safest to kill them all!" Yan Chilong said in a low voice.

Upon hearing his words, the soldiers were terrified and begged Han Qing for mercy.

"Young master, spare my life!"

"Sir, spare your life!"

"Please, young master, spare us!"

...

"Although these people are guards of Luohan Hill, they are only doing their duty. Killing them all would be too cruel and inhumane."

"If we bring it back, it will be too conspicuous and inconvenient. Do you all have any suggestions?" Han Qing asked.

Nan Jinbei said first, "My lord, these people are also slaves that Luo Hanqiu bought from the capital, and they are almost all Western Mang people."

The Luo family has strict rules. Their mission was to protect Luohanqiu, and now that Luohanqiu is dead, their mission has failed. Even if they return, they will surely face certain death! In my opinion, we should let them disband on the spot and fend for themselves!

Han Qing carefully examined them and found that these people did indeed look like typical Western Mang people.

"Then let them go!"

"Thank you, young master!" "Young master is kind!"

Wow!
The hundreds of soldiers immediately scattered and quickly disappeared into the dense forest.

"Back to camp!" Han Qing shouted, spurring his horse forward and galloping towards Yinshan against the wind and rain.

Although he exuded a calm and confident air in his words just now, he was actually quite wary and dared not underestimate the attack of the Martial Saint.

He now only wants to return to Tiger Might Camp as soon as possible, to both increase his strength and seek help from all sides, setting up a trap to catch this person in the act.

a few days later.

The group had already returned to Tiger Might Camp. Han Qing immediately went back to his room, summoned the Seven Killings Stele, and absorbed the soul light points of Luohan Hill.

In an instant, he heard many murmurs in his ears, and some fragmented images flashed before his eyes.

After about fifteen minutes, the image disappeared. Han Qing straightened up slightly, his brows furrowed, having obtained the information he wanted.

"Han Yi!"

"I never expected that your first move would be to send a Martial Saint to kill me! You truly are a ruthless and heartless person!"

Han Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a cold glint in his eyes.

He was an outsider who had taken over the body of this boy by a twist of fate, and he had no feelings for Han Yi, his adoptive father.

But now that Han Yi has sent someone to kill him, the two of them are now completely on opposite sides.

He had no more reservations, and even the last remaining trace of fatherly affection vanished.

"Let's set aside Han Yi for now and deal with the impending crisis first."

"The man sent to kill me this time is named Yang Wanxiu. He is the commander of the Han family's guards and has been practicing martial arts for seventy years. I cannot underestimate him!"

"Based on Luo Hanqiu's memories, this person will arrive in about half a month at the earliest, so I will use this timeline to make preparations."

"Half a month is too late to ask Qi Wufeng or Liu Yue in Shu. We can only ask Cao Zhen for help."

"In addition, I obtained three extremely valuable soul points on this trip. After absorbing them, I may be able to enter the Body Possession Realm, which will greatly increase my combat power. Facing a Martial Saint, I may not be without the ability to fight."

With this in mind, Han Qing immediately wrote a secret letter and had Yue Xiaobiao send it to the Yinshan General Camp.

He then seized the time to improve his strength.

With a thought, the martial arts skills that Luo Hanqiu had learned in his life appeared before him, and he first chose a method of refining the spirit.

This spirit-refining technique is called the Blood Drinking Spirit Refining Technique, belonging to the Assassination School, and its proficiency level is 58.5%.

The moment Han Qing chose to inherit this method, a wealth of information about this Spirit Refining Technique flooded his mind.

His proficiency was then transferred to the sixth chapter of the Zhige Jing (a classic text on stopping warfare).

"I will reach the Body-Possession Realm within three days!" Han Qingxin declared.

He closed his eyes slightly, completely calmed down, and the illusions in his mind rose and fell, while strands of magical thoughts condensed, and his proficiency increased rapidly.

...

the other side.

Yinshan General Camp.

When Yue Xiaobiao presented Han Qing's secret letter with both hands, Cao Zhen opened it and, upon seeing the words "Martial Saint," couldn't help but stand up from his chair.

Inside the barracks, all the centurions looked astonished at what they saw.

In their memory, Cao Zhen rarely lost his composure like this; each time it happened, it was because something extraordinary had occurred.

Cao Zhen offered no explanation, but instead placed the secret letter into an incense burner. In a short while, the letter was burned to ashes.

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, seemingly deep in thought.

After a while, he sat down in the chair again.

"Yue Xiaobiao, if what is said in the letter is true, then this matter is of great importance. You must return to Tiger Might Camp immediately and summon Han Qing to me. I need to discuss countermeasures with him personally."

"By the way, I've heard that Han Qing has a large group of trusted followers with considerable strength. Have him bring them along as well," Cao Zhen said in a deep voice.

The Martial Saint was extremely powerful. Even though he controlled the Yinshan General Camp and had nearly 100,000 soldiers under his command, he dared not be careless.

"Yes, sir!" Yue Xiaobiao replied and slowly left the barracks.

After he had completely disappeared from sight, in the tent, sitting to Cao Zhen's left, a middle-aged man in a brown robe with a sharp demeanor asked, "Sir, has something important happened?"

Cao Zhen glanced around and waved his hand, saying, "You can all leave now."

"Yes!"

All the centurions and captains were driven out of the barracks.

Cao Zhen's eyes flickered, and he said in a deep voice, "The secret letter just now mentioned that recently, a Martial Saint from the Han family is going to make a move against Han Qing."

"Martial Saint?" The middle-aged man's face twitched. His name was Long Chuan, and he was Cao Zhen's closest confidant, often responsible for giving him advice and strategies.

“Indeed! This matter is of utmost importance. Protecting Han Qing from a Martial Saint is by no means an easy task.” Cao Zhen frowned.

“My lord, in my opinion, Han Qing is a jinx. Even if we pay a certain price to protect him this time, there will definitely be another wave, and each one will be harder to resist than the last. We might as well find an excuse to send him to his death! If General Qi finds out, he will at most scold you a bit, but he won’t make things too difficult for you. After all, it’s normal that we can’t protect him when a Martial Saint makes an assassination attempt.” Long Chuan said in a low voice.

Cao Zhen raised an eyebrow but did not respond. He simply said in a deep voice, "Han Qing said in his letter that as long as I am willing to help him, he is very confident that he can kill the invading Martial Saint. In a few days, I will meet him in person to see if what he said is true or false. If he really has this ability, he will definitely be an extraordinary person in the future, and I will do my best to help him."

If he speaks arrogantly, is short-sighted, and doesn't know his place, then we'll do as you say. Although I'm indebted to the Qi family and ordered by Qi Wufeng to protect Han Qing, everything has its limits. If this continues, not only will I not be able to protect him, but I'll also be dragged into it and my life will be in danger.”

"Your Excellency's approach is the most prudent." Long Chuan nodded slightly.

"By the way, a master of the Possession Realm is coming to my Yinshan camp from Shu tomorrow. We must treat him well. Take some people to the mountains to collect some morning dew. I want to brew a pot of Seven-Colored Spirit Mist Tea," Cao Zhen instructed.

"Okay, I'll take some people to do it right away." Long Chuan got up and walked out.

Seven-Colored Spirit Mist Tea is one of the finest teas in Dayu. It has extremely high requirements for water quality, requiring morning dew from the mountains, and the water must not be left for more than three days. It is usually picked and brewed immediately, otherwise the tea's mysteries cannot be brought out.

I'll be updating less today. I encountered many problems while writing, and I need to think carefully about the answers and clarify my thoughts.



(End of this chapter)