The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 96 Distinguished Guest and Decision (9k)

The two men swung their knives to parry the hidden weapons one after the other. With two clear clangs, the two hidden weapons were knocked down.

The next instant, the two people's vision blurred as Han Qing split off two streams of magical energy, invading their bodies and using a mind-controlling technique to confuse their five senses.

As soon as this thought of Dharma invaded him, Han Qing felt as if he had entered a furnace. The thought of Dharma could not stay for long, and in less than three breaths, it was completely burned away.

A martial artist's blood and energy are like raging flames, which can suppress magical thoughts to a certain extent. Therefore, the stronger a martial artist's physique and the higher their physical cultivation level, the stronger their resistance to illusions.

However, Han Qing still achieved his goal, albeit only for a moment, but it still rendered them powerless to resist.

The moment the two people regained their clear vision, the Star Shuttle had already pierced through the back of one of their heads, exited through their cheeks, transformed into a streak of light, drew an arc in the air, and immediately pierced through the second person's head.

Although these two had protective energy, the Star Shuttle was extremely sharp, easily piercing through gold and splitting stone, making their protective energy completely unable to resist.

Both men let out a muffled groan, their bodies went limp, and they died.

Two more points of light appeared around the Seven Killings Stele, and its soul energy was extracted by Han Qing, which was then infused with malevolent energy and condensed into Yin soldiers, who were imprisoned in the Spirit Temple.

In just a few breaths, only one of the Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife remained, namely the eldest, Jin Shanxiong.

Jin Shanxiong's face was filled with regret and fear. He had not expected that the young man he was to assassinate this time would be so terrifying in combat.

"At only eighteen years old, he has already reached the fourth level of the Body Dao Realm and the Soul Gathering Realm of the Military Strategist Realm. Such a person is extremely rare, even in the whole world. How could I have encountered him?"

Jin Shanxiong roared inwardly as he fled wildly into the depths of the stronghold.

"Can you escape?"

Han Qing's cold voice drifted from behind. Jin Shanxiong's body tensed up abruptly. He glanced around and saw a long shuttle moving close to the ground at great speed, like a streak of light piercing towards his leg in an instant.

Jin Shanxiong hurriedly swung his sword, trying to intercept the long nail in mid-air. However, just as he was about to strike, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, his vision blurred, and he lost his sight.

"Oh no! It's a mind-controlling spell!"

Jin Shanxiong understood, but he was powerless to resist.

For a martial artist to face a cultivator who has mastered the Divine Refinement realm, unless they have a significant advantage in the Body Refinement realm, it is almost certain death.

From Han Qing's perspective, Jin Daoxiong's body suddenly stiffened, and he stood there dumbfounded.

Brush brush!
The long shuttle transformed into a streak of light and shadow, piercing his body repeatedly, leaving more than a dozen bloody holes in his body in the blink of an eye.

Jin Shanxiong let out a scream, his golden knife fell to the ground, and he collapsed to the ground.

"No! Don't kill me!"

Jin Shanxiong was terrified, but Han Qing showed no intention of holding back. He stepped forward, raised his hand, and with a single stroke, severed a fine head from his body.

Thus, all seven heroes of the Golden Knife were killed in less than ten breaths.

Despite facing seven opponents alone, Han Qing did not feel the slightest bit of pressure.

"I don't know where my combat power is at its limit, or whether I can fight against a martial arts grandmaster."

This battle greatly boosted Han Qing's confidence.

Upon reaching the sixth realm of the Dao, a martial artist's combat power will experience another leap forward, as their strength can extend and cover their weapons, greatly increasing their lethality.

However, Han Qing's set of fixed killing moves, Bewitching God, Flying Shuttle plus Killing Blade, is extremely terrifying in its destructive power. Even if someone is at the sixth level of the Body Dao Realm, he is confident that he can easily kill them.

At this moment, Han Qing glanced around and saw that all the remaining leaders in the hall had fled, including Song Qingshe.

These people were all of average strength, just some small fry in the stronghold. They ran away, so be it; he couldn't spare the time to chase after them.

"The most urgent task is to find the Black Wolf Stronghold's treasure as soon as possible."

Han Qing pondered for a moment and decided to absorb Song Heilang's soul light first.

In an instant, numerous fragmented images flashed before my eyes like a fleeting glimpse.

"You're asking for it! Chop off her hands and drag her out to feed the dogs!"

"Boss, spare me! Spare me!"

In the main hall, a maid accidentally knocked over a teacup and was dragged out and beheaded by Song Heilang's men.

...

"Song Heilang, if you can provide the full amount of silver and young girls every year, my Luo family will naturally provide you with protection! If you perform well in the future, you may very well become a retainer of my Luo family!" In the magnificent hall, a middle-aged man with a mustache and wearing brocade robes said with a smile.

"Patriarch Luo, I will do my utmost to serve you and satisfy you." Song Heilang knelt on the ground, his face full of flattery.

...

"Brother, we just robbed a caravan passing through Hengshan City. Tsk tsk, I didn't expect to find a luminous pearl among them." Song Qingshe played with a jade-green pearl, its light shimmering in the darkness.

"Not bad, Second Brother is very thoughtful." Song Heilang took the pearl and headed deeper into the village. After winding his way through the streets, he entered a secret room where he found several treasure chests filled with silver and jewels.

...

"The Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife? What are you doing here?"

"We are here on the orders of Patriarch Luo Heng. In recent days, a young man has been leading troops to plunder mountain strongholds. This young man is our target. You just need to cooperate and act as bait here. Leave the rest to us!"

...

At this point, the image shattered, the babbling ceased, and Han Qing frowned, having already figured out the whole story.

"The Luo family is truly something else, their ghosts never leave us. This is the second assassination attempt."

"The Luo family seems to control many forces and secretly buys and sells young boys and girls. I wonder what kind of conspiracy they are plotting behind the scenes?"

"Who is Luo Heng? I'll have to ask Sister Qi when I get back."

...

For a moment, many questions arose in Han Qing's mind, but since there was no way to verify them at the moment, he stopped thinking about them.

Immediately afterwards, Song Heilang's entire life's martial arts skills appeared before his eyes.

Mountain bandits have no superior martial arts skills; Han Qing glanced at them and concluded that they were at best third-rate.

He chose from these two techniques: the Iron Wolf Skill, a fourth-level training method, and the Wildfire Blade, a third-rate sword technique.

Iron Wolf Skill can be used to improve Black Jade Skill, while Refining the Original Blade can be saved for later when more powerful sword techniques are learned, and can be used as resources to improve proficiency.

Neither of these martial arts techniques were particularly advanced, so Han Qing mastered them extremely quickly.

Following his memory, he walked deeper into the hall. By the time he arrived at the entrance to the treasure chamber, Han Qing had already mastered both martial arts techniques.

"As my cultivation level increases, my speed of learning and inheriting martial arts also increases. I can comprehend and master some basic martial arts in an instant, while the higher the quality of the martial arts, the longer it takes to absorb and digest them," Han Qingxin said.

At this moment, there was a stone wall in front of him, and right next to the stone wall was a gray-white stone lion that was three zhang tall. The entrance to the secret chamber was directly below this lion.

If it weren't for the Seven Killings Stele's assistance, which allowed him to access memories, discovering the entrance to this secret chamber would have been quite a challenge.

As Han Qing spoke, he reached out and grabbed the stone lion. He exerted his strength suddenly. Although it was heavy, his physique was strong and his arm strength had long exceeded 1,000 jin. He easily lifted it up, revealing a dark passage hidden below.

He stepped inside, his body enveloped in a powerful aura, his spiritual energy spreading forward to guard against any hidden weapons.

After a few breaths, his mental energy had covered the entire secret chamber, allowing him to clearly understand its internal layout.

The secret room is divided into two parts: one part is a prison cell where dozens of boys and girls are imprisoned, and the other part is a treasure room containing seven or eight wooden boxes.

After understanding the layout, Han Qing felt much more at ease and slowly stepped inside. He saw dozens of young girls and boys locked in cages like pigs and dogs, their eyes unfocused and their spirits numb. When they saw Han Qing arrive, they did not move at all.

Han Qing frowned. He suddenly felt that killing Song Heilang with a single blow was actually letting the beast off too easily.

"What exactly is the Luo family doing? Why do they need so many young men and women?" Han Qing couldn't help but wonder. Moreover, with such a large-scale purchase, and the imperial court not intervening, what kind of shady dealings were behind it? Did the Luo family really have connections everywhere and could do whatever they wanted?

Han Qing didn't know either, but according to the laws of the Great Yu Dynasty, such behavior would definitely be a serious crime of confiscation of property and extermination of the clan.

The buying and selling of servants in Dayu must have been voluntary, not a result of bandits kidnapping and forced sales.

He shook his head, and with a series of swift, sweeping strokes, he swung his sword, the blade flashing, and one iron lock after another was cut down to the ground.

"You're free now. Wait at the gate, I'll take you back to the city!" Han Qing shouted.

At this moment, the boys and girls finally reacted. Some hurriedly got up and walked out, while others remained sitting motionless in the cage.

He then went deeper into the secret room, where there were indeed seven wooden boxes, each with a heavy copper lock.

Han Qing secretly activated the Stop the War Scripture, and wisps of murderous aura clung to the blade, suddenly transforming it into a malevolent blade.

Brush brush!
He swung his knife repeatedly, and all the copper locks were cut down and fell to the ground.

He opened the boxes and examined them one by one. Three of the wooden boxes contained a large amount of gold and silver treasures, two contained various qi and blood tonics, and two contained calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and other miscellaneous items.

Han Qing was too lazy to count the value of these things, so he closed the box, turned around and left.

outside world.

The battle was nearing its end. The bandits were a disorganized mob and no match for the elite troops of the Qi family. In less than half an hour, the entire stronghold was under their control. Some of the bandits were killed, while others fled into the dense forest.

The soldiers did not pursue them; Han Qing's orders were always to leave no survivors and not to pursue a desperate enemy.

Even if bandits surrender, they will be killed; if they escape, he will not send anyone to pursue them, prioritizing efficiency above all else.

Before long, Han Qing led five hundred soldiers back to the foot of the mountain, and the village's treasures were looted.

"Back to the city!"

After a brief rest, Han Qing mounted his horse and led his troops straight to Hengshan City.

This attack yielded tremendous gains for him. In addition to acquiring a large amount of wealth, he also accumulated numerous soul points. If he were to digest all of them, his martial arts skills would undoubtedly be elevated to an even higher level.

"For the next period of time, even if I don't kill anyone, my martial arts will improve rapidly. I'm afraid it won't be long before I break through to the fifth level of the Body Dao Realm."

"However, these bandits don't know any divine techniques, so cultivating the Ceasefire Sutra is still a big challenge. I'll have to put in more effort in the future," Han Qing thought to himself as he rode forward.

...

night.

The Milky Way is dazzling.

Wanbo City in Shu is a city second only to Hengshan City, and in terms of prosperity, it ranks among the top five in Shu.

Within Wanbo City stands a magnificent mansion, filled with pavilions, gardens, and artificial hills, boasting breathtaking scenery.

This residence is the Luo family mansion. Passersby always hurry past its gate and dare not linger.

At this moment, in a hall of the mansion, a middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes, with a mustache, his hair tied up and adorned with a jade hairpin, was sitting cross-legged on a chair. A man in black was kneeling in front of him, reporting to him.

"Master, the latest news is that Song Heilang is dead, the stronghold has been burned to the ground and is now a ruin, and the Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife have also disappeared without a trace, presumably killed by that young man."

The middle-aged man frowned and placed the teacup on the table.

"Even if the Seven Heroes of the Golden Knife joined forces, they would still be no match for him. This young man is truly extraordinary. If there's nothing else, you may leave now."

He waved his hand again, and the man in black bowed and left the hall.

"Father, why are you staring at this young man?" A young man emerged from behind the screen, bearing a resemblance to the middle-aged man.

"The Qi family of the North and our Luo family have always been at odds, that's one reason!"

"Secondly, Qi Wufeng's search for his personal guards is actually to find Su Jin's child from Yuelu Academy. Absorbing fresh blood is just an excuse. I'm not targeting this young man, but rather I want to find a way to assassinate all the top-ranking personal guards that Qi Wufeng has recruited," the middle-aged man said unhurriedly.

“Father, the number of guards who have died at our hands in the past few years has exceeded double digits. Qi Wufeng must be holding a grudge against us. Not long ago, his daughter wiped out a branch of the Luo family in Baiyun County with lightning speed. Heavy armor was found in the treasury. This is a crime that will lead to the confiscation of property and the extermination of the clan. We can only suffer in silence.”

"It's not a big deal that one branch in one county was wiped out, but I'm worried that Qi Wufeng will take even more ruthless measures against us," the boy said.

“I lead the Luo family in Shu, and I understand the situation in Shu better than you do, but this is an order from the main family in the capital, and your father must obey it.”

However, there's no need to be too afraid of Qi Wufeng. Ultimately, the key lies in the outcome of the above-mentioned contest.

Recent intelligence indicates that Qi Wufeng has a close relationship with the leader of the rebel army in Shu, and they are secretly colluding. I don't know what they are plotting. I have sent people to collect evidence. If Qi Wufeng breaks ties with us, we may be able to counter him." The middle-aged man's eyes were deep and mysterious.

“Father, you are a wise man, I will listen to you.” The young man nodded.

"As long as I am in charge of the Luo family in Shu, the assassination of the top-ranking guards will be carried out to the end. You may leave now; I need some peace and quiet." The middle-aged man waved his hand.

"it is good."

...

Hengshan City.

Songyang Village. Han Qing has been back in the village for three days, and the five hundred soldiers have all returned to the Qi residence.

At this moment, Zhuangzi is in a spacious room.

Qi Yan gazed at the dozen or so large wooden boxes in front of her, filled with treasures, paintings, pearls, medicinal herbs, gold and silver weapons, her eyes full of admiration.

"Not bad, not bad, Han Qing, your performance has far exceeded my expectations. I have roughly counted all this treasure. The jewelry and gold alone are worth 12,000 taels of silver, while the estate's annual income is only a little over 4,000 taels. This does not even include the value of armor, weapons, calligraphy and paintings, and qi-blood-nourishing medicines."

"The Qi family's soldiers are very powerful; this is all thanks to them," Han Qing said.

"Han Qing, the Qi family's soldiers are indeed elite, but you are the key. Capturing ten strongholds in less than half a month is something few can do. I heard from the soldiers that you act decisively, make wise choices, and plan your marching routes with great method. In the past, my father also sent men to suppress bandits, also with five hundred family soldiers, but none were as outstanding as you. I imagine my father is now full of praise for you." Qi Yan smiled and patted Han Qing on the shoulder.

She acts carefree and is still very strong, but Han Qing's strength has increased further, and now she is standing very steadily even when hit.

Li Tai interjected, "Young master, with this silver, the estate won't have to worry about making a living for the next three years. It's enough for us to find a long-term and stable source of income."

"Yes, Li Tai, count out five thousand taels of silver and send it to the Qi residence. Uncle Qi values ​​me so much, I can't let him down. Previously, the estate brought in four thousand taels of silver every year, so from now on I will hand over five thousand taels to the Qi residence every year. I will prove that Uncle Qi's judgment was correct," Han Qing said in a deep voice.

He was a man of ambition. Although Qi Wufeng kept saying that the manor was given to him, he didn't want to take something from someone else for nothing. He wanted to prove his own abilities.

"Han Qing, you're truly a man destined for great things. My father was right about you," Qi Yan said with a smile.

"By the way, Sister Qi, I'd like to ask you about someone, Luo Heng!" Han Qing suddenly asked.

"The Luo family is a great clan with a history of over a thousand years. It has many branches throughout the world. Apart from the main family in the capital, the branch in Shu is the most powerful and influential."

Luo Heng is the ruler of the Luo family in Shu. He is a man of deep thoughts, meticulous in his work, and highly skilled in martial arts, making him an extremely difficult character to deal with.

"The Luo family in Baiyun County is just a small branch under his control. Why are you asking this?" Qi Yan frowned.

"So that's how it is. When I was suppressing bandits, I encountered the Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber who tried to kill me. However, they didn't expect that I was already a martial artist at the Soul Gathering Realm. I killed them all. Before he died, Jin Shanxiong, the leader of the Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber, said that Luo Heng had ordered him to attack me," Han Qing said.

"Hmph, the Qi family of the North and the Luo family of the capital have always been at odds. It's not surprising that Luo Heng did something like this. However, the waters behind this are very deep, and I can't even see through them. You should be more careful in the future and try not to expose your whereabouts," Qi Yan said.

"Okay." Han Qing nodded slightly.

He could tell that Qi Yan also loathed Luo Heng, but Luo Heng had lived a stable life in Shu for so many years, so he must have some extraordinary abilities, and it was very likely that even Qi Wufeng was helpless against him.

Although he is already quite strong, he is still far inferior to the Luo family. He can only lie low and wait for the opportunity to take revenge in the future.

He was not one to swallow his anger. As the saying goes, a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. He would remember every little thing the Luo family had done to him and would repay them tenfold in the future.

...

That night.

Han Qing sent people to transport five thousand taels of silver from Songyang Village to Qi Mansion.

Inside the main hall of the Qi residence.

Qi Wufeng sat upright in a chair, with a middle-aged man dressed in hemp clothing beside him.

"In less than ten days, he has captured ten strongholds. This boy is remarkable," the middle-aged man laughed.

Qi Wufeng nodded slightly: "This child's temperament, talent, and ability are all top-notch. As long as there are no unexpected changes along the way, he will definitely become a top expert in the future, and it is not impossible for him to become a great sage of military strategy."

“You’ve always had very high standards. For him to receive such praise from you, he must be extraordinary. You gifted him the estate, and he immediately sent five thousand taels of silver. This shows that he is a grateful and ambitious person. Old Qi, you must introduce him to me,” the middle-aged man in hemp clothing said with a smile.

"I called you here so you could meet him first. This child is worth my full support. If you can persuade him, he will definitely become a great help to you in the future," Qi Wufeng said in a deep voice.

"Alright, I'm very curious, just how extraordinary are Su Jin and Han Yi, the children of two of the world's top experts?" The middle-aged man's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Another day.

Songyang Village.

Han Qing only slept for two hours last night, spending the rest of the time meditating to improve his proficiency in the Zhige Jing.

This morning, the first thing he did after getting up was to practice martial arts, not daring to slack off in the slightest or waste a single moment.

Before the Seven Killings Stele, there were more than forty soul points of light surrounding them. However, apart from the Seven Heroes of the Golden Saber, the others were all bandit leaders with very ordinary martial arts skills, far inferior to the Ink Jade Skill. So, although there seemed to be a lot of them, they could actually be digested very quickly.

He absorbed three soul points early in the morning, all from the bandit leader. He selected three cultivation methods at the third level, one of which he perfected and two of which he mastered. He then converted all of them into proficiency in the Black Jade Skill, ultimately increasing it by 2%, bringing him one step closer to perfection.

In addition, he selected two advanced sword techniques and one minor sword technique, all of which were of substandard quality, and I will not go into details here.

At noon, Han Qing finished his arduous training and enjoyed a sumptuous lunch with Qi Yan before resuming his training in the afternoon.

Suddenly, a servant from the Qi family arrived outside Songyang Manor.

"Miss, Young Master Han, the master sent me to deliver a message, asking you to return to the manor immediately, as an important guest is visiting." The old man, with his gray hair, bowed and spoke in a low voice.

"Hmm, what kind of guest?" Qi Yan tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"I don't know."

"Han Qing, then come back to the manor with me. This guest must be quite extraordinary," Qi Yan said.

“Okay!” Han Qing replied.

...

in the afternoon.

Han Qing and Qi Yan rode their horses straight to the Qi residence.

Led by an attendant, the two went straight to the main hall.

As soon as Han Qing entered, he saw another figure in the hall besides Qi Wufeng. It was a middle-aged man dressed in hemp clothing. At first glance, he seemed to be an ordinary citizen, but upon closer inspection, he realized that this man was quite extraordinary.

His appearance was unique, with ears that reached his shoulders and a broad, full forehead, resembling that of a Buddha. His arms also reached past his knees, giving him a profound and deep demeanor. His eyes were so deep and unfathomable that one could not discern his true intentions, joys, or angers, but one could sense his extremely powerful aura.

In terms of imposing presence, Qi Wufeng was no match for him.

"This person must be a guest, and I'm afraid he's someone of great importance. However, I cannot be timid and shrink back, lest I be looked down upon."

Han Qing's mind raced, and he stepped forward, saying loudly, "Greetings, General Qi!"

Qi Wufeng had previously said that when no outsiders were present, he could be addressed as Uncle Qi, but when outsiders were present, he should be addressed as General Qi.

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up. Han Qing's appearance made him feel that he was extraordinary. His voice was clear and pleasant, his demeanor was calm and composed, his head was held high and he was neither humble nor arrogant. His eyes shone with a firm and confident light, as if he was certain that he would make great achievements in the future.

"As expected of Su Jin's child, he is indeed a handsome young man, exceptionally brave and valiant. There are very few who can compare to you at such a age. The last one who gave me this feeling was Xiang Ying, the leader of the Chu rebels."

"Father, who is this gentleman...?" Qi Yan asked, and Han Qing's gaze also turned to the middle-aged man.

"Liu Yue, the leader of the righteous army in Shu, is a hero of our time." Qi Wufeng's tone was calm, but it sent a shiver down Han Qing's spine.

Having lived in Shu for so many years, he had immense respect for this leader of the rebel army. The eight hundred heroes rose up and faced heavy encirclement and suppression by the Yu army. They fought all over the place and were not only not wiped out, but their power grew bigger and bigger. How could such a person be an ordinary person?
However, Qi Wufeng and Liu Yue are supposed to be enemies, yet they are sitting together, their relationship seemingly unusual. The reason behind this is unknown.

Interests are involved.

With a quick thought, Han Qing maintained his composure and said loudly, "Greetings, Lord Liu!"

He was young, so it wasn't inappropriate for him to call him "adult," and besides, he greatly admired this person's experiences.

"Brother Han, there's no need for such formalities. At such a young age, you've already reached the Soul Gathering Realm in military strategy. Such talent is extremely rare even in the world. I recently heard that you captured ten strongholds in less than half a month. I guessed that you acted decisively and made wise choices, and that you were no ordinary person. Meeting you today confirms that. I've long wanted to get to know a young talent like you," Liu Yue said with a smile.

Han Qing was surprised. He hadn't expected that such a heroic figure would be so approachable. His words were like a gentle breeze, and he treated Han Qing as an equal. This was very different from Qi Wufeng, whose sharpness was almost overflowing.

Moreover, the fact that this person, despite being a leader, dressed so frugally also earned his favor.

"Lord Liu's name is renowned throughout the land. I, Han Qing, have long admired your esteemed reputation. Meeting you today, I am truly honored to see that you are a dragon among men," Han Qing replied, bowing respectfully.

"I, Liu Yue, am a sincere and straightforward person. I don't like beating around the bush. I've come here today specifically to ask Brother Han for his help!" Liu Yue suddenly said.

Han Qing was surprised. He was young and his strength was only at the fourth level of the Body Dao and the Soul Gathering stage of the Law Dao. Liu Yue, on the other hand, was the leader of the righteous army and had countless experts under his command. Why would he treat him with such courtesy?
"My lord, I am but a young man, how could I possibly help you now? I don't know why you say that. If I were a few years later, I would be confident that I could lend you a hand!" Han Qing said thoughtfully.

"Brother Han, you are too modest. What I value is not your current strength, but two other points."

First, you have extraordinary talent in martial arts. At only eighteen years old, you already possess such abilities. In another three to five years, who knows how far you will grow? If I were to ask you for help then, it would be even more difficult.

Secondly, your identity is quite extraordinary. You are Su Jin's child. The reason I was able to move around and grow stronger despite the heavy blockade by the Dayu army is due to factors such as favorable timing and location. The most important reason is that I have the support of Lishan Academy. Lishan Academy was founded by many martial artists from Yuelu Academy who did not die at the hands of the imperial court. If you can help me, many experts from Lishan Academy will rely on me even more, and in the future, it may even attract more reclusive and powerful individuals.

"I've heard that the Luo family has been searching for and hunting you down, and that's all they've been up to," Liu Yue said unhurriedly.

Han Qing nodded slightly. What Liu Yue said was right, but this matter was of great importance. This was no joke; it was tantamount to rebellion, and it had to be considered carefully.

His heart was churning with many thoughts, but his face remained calm and composed, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Liu Yue nodded slightly, his composure making him think even more highly of Han. He then said, "It's normal for Brother Han to hesitate. Let me analyze the current situation for you."

This generation of Emperor Yu was a man of great talent and ambition. Internally, he reformed all evil ways and roamed the martial world, wanting to bring all the strong people under his control. Those who did not submit were all killed. Externally, he wanted to conquer the Western Barbarians, the Holy Desert Empire, and the Northern Lands, and truly achieve the unification of the world.

However, having too much ambition but lacking the ability may not be a good thing.

Brother Han and I both come from poor backgrounds, so we should understand how difficult life is for people in various places.

Your Baiyun County is surrounded by mountains and rivers, yet the people still struggle to make ends meet. In some impoverished and desolate places, it is common for people to starve to death. Therefore, in recent years, wars have broken out all over the country, and there are more than 30 rebellions that can be named. Among them, the strongest is Xiang Ying from Chu, followed by the rebel army from my Shu.

As the saying goes, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it." Emperor Yu, disregarding the lives of the people and single-mindedly pursuing his grand schemes, inevitably led to chaos and his abandonment by the masses—this was the will of Heaven.

"A year ago, a Great Saint of Assassination from the Black Sparrow Alliance, the holy land of martial arts in the North, entered the palace and pierced the heart with a sword, taking half of Emperor Yu's life. If it weren't for the Half-Saint of Medicine in the palace who extended his life, Emperor Yu would already be a corpse."

Even so, Emperor Yu's health is not as good as before. Recently, he has been in a hurry to launch a war against the demon race in the north, in order to obtain the demon emperor's relics to prolong his life.

The chances of this happening are slim. In my opinion, Emperor Yu will surely die within three years.

The crown prince is obsessed with beautiful women; he is an incompetent man and nothing to fear.

Currently, the Yu Emperor and Han Yi are the pillars supporting the Great Yu Dynasty. If either of them dies, the world will descend into chaos. This is a matter of human factors.

Looking outwards, the Western Barbarian Empire and the Holy Desert Empire are also extremely powerful, and Emperor Yu's grand strategy is destined to be in vain.

Therefore, Brother Han, there is no need to be afraid. I assure you, within a few years, the world will be turned upside down, the people will lose their power, and everyone will vie for it. You should make your decision soon. Liu Yue's gaze was deep, and his words painted a picture of a chaotic world in Han Qing's mind, filling Han Qing with admiration.

Qi Wufeng, standing to the side, did not refute, suggesting that the two had already reached a consensus and were secretly plotting something.

"Brother Han, if you are worried that rebelling will bring you death, there is really no need to worry. From the moment you were born, you were destined to stand on the opposite side of the imperial court."

Even if you don't rebel, if your identity is exposed, how could the Luo family and the imperial court let you off?
"If you come out of seclusion to help me, I will conceal your identity and help you progress faster on the path to becoming a powerful person. It will definitely be more beneficial than harmful to you." Liu Yue continued to persuade him, each word hitting the nail on the head.

Han Qing had to admit that Liu Yue was indeed remarkable. These words dispelled his concerns and made him consider rebelling.

Qi Wufeng continued, "Han Qing, if you want to become a saint, you must have incense offerings. And if you want to gain the worship of all people, you must lead the trend of humanity. Liu Yue is right. There will definitely be a revolution in humanity within three to five years. Only by participating in it and taking the right path can you ride the wave and become a great saint of humanity!"

Han Qing was deeply moved. How does one become a saint? What abilities do saints possess? How do saints become stronger? He knew nothing about these things, and they weren't written in the books in the treasury. Today was the first time he had glimpsed a secret: becoming a saint requires offerings and leading a transformation of humanity.

He suddenly understood why Han Yi wanted to destroy Yuelu Academy and eliminate all doctrines. This was also a way to lead a change in the way of humanity, and it was an opportunity for him to become a saint.

"Han Qing, do you dare to place your bet? Bet on this treasure that will bring about a change in humanity and a succession to the throne!" Liu Yue suddenly changed his gentle demeanor, speaking slowly and deliberately, his eyes sharp, finally revealing a hint of his heroic nature.

"Han Qing, if you can't make a decision right now, you may leave first. Mr. Liu will stay at the mansion for a few days, giving you ample time to consider," Qi Wufeng said.

"No need!" Han Qing's eyes gleamed. "I, Han Qing, am not a hesitant person. Since Lord Liu thinks so highly of me, I will risk my life to accompany him and take a gamble. If I succeed, I will become a great sage of military strategy in the future, which will be a place in history and my life will not have been in vain. If I fail, I will simply die. Who in the world can escape death?"

Liu Yue and Qi Wufeng have already made their point clear enough; he doesn't need to overthink the pros and cons. It's just a matter of whether he has the guts.

"Good, at only eighteen years old, you have such courage and decisiveness. I was right about you. Qi Yan, bring the wine!" Qi Wufeng shouted.

"Good!" Qi Yan went into the inner room, quickly came out, and brought a jar of fine wine to the three of them.

"This is a jar of wine that rivals even the immortals, worth a hundred gold pieces. Even a martial saint would feel slightly intoxicated after drinking it," Qi Wufeng said, opening the jar and quickly pouring out three large bowls.

Han Qing and the other two immediately drank it all in one gulp. At that moment, he understood that by drinking this bowl of wine, he had completely stood on the opposite side of the imperial court.

However, Liu Yue is right. Even if he didn't make this decision, the imperial court wouldn't let him go. Look at the Luo family; in just one month, they had already orchestrated two assassination attempts against him.

"You forced me into this, so I'll fight back! The Luo family, one day I will make you pay a thousandfold!"

After downing a large bowl of wine, Han Qing felt an even greater surge of courage.

This courage stems from recognizing the enemy's strength, confronting a cruel fate, and being determined to seize control of destiny and reverse everything.

From that moment on, his fate was intertwined with Liu Yue's, and even Qi Wufeng's.

As long as Liu Yue lives and Qi Wufeng remains in power, he will have a solid backer and the means to confront the Luo family and the imperial court.

However, if Liu Yue were to die and the righteous army in Shu were to be destroyed, he would also be implicated and might even lose his life as a result.

While pondering, Liu Yue said again, "Han Qing, this matter is settled. Your strength is not yet sufficient, so there is no need for you to join the army with me. Concealing your identity, lying low, and improving your strength is the right path."

I've heard you're currently residing in Songyang Manor with only a handful of men under your command. In a few days, I will send a group of powerful warriors to assist you, and also bestow upon you a sum of treasure.

"Thank you, sir," Han Qing said, bowing.

(End of this chapter)