The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"Master Huaa, why did you attack!"

Lu Zhengyi suppressed the churning Qi and Blood in his body and spoke coldly.

At the same time, he was shaken by Huaa Que’s power. ’We’re both Extraordinary Martial Artists, yet a single palm strike from him was enough to severely injure me.’

"Hmph. You scared my granddaughter."

"Granddaughter?"

Lu Zhengyi’s expression shifted slightly. He looked at the two women behind Qin Ya. He recognized Muu Xue, the daughter of the Red Flame Army’s Commander-in-Chief, Muui Yunlie. That meant Huaa Que’s granddaughter could only be the silver-haired woman. ’I’ve long heard that Huaa Que has a mysterious granddaughter, but this woman’s surname is clearly Leng. How could she be Huaa Que’s granddaughter?’

"Master Huaa, is she really your granddaughter?" Lu Zhengyi asked.

"Of course!"

"But isn’t her surname Leng?"

Huaa Que raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "What my granddaughter’s surname is is none of your damned business. Lu Zhengyi, get out of the Academy right now."

"I’ll give Master Huaa face today." Lu Zhengyi’s face cycled through shades of green and red. He then shot a cold glare at Qin Ya and said, "Since Teacher Qin is unappreciative of our gesture, there’s no need for the Lu Family to continue showing goodwill. From now on, we will stay out of each other’s way."

"As long as you don’t come looking for trouble with me, I couldn’t be bothered with you."

Lu Zhengyi gave Qin Ya a deep look, then left.

"Granddaughter, are you alright?" Huaa Que rushed to Leng Ningshuang’s side, transferring a stream of True Qi to her. His face was full of heartache as he said, "Damned Lu Zhengyi. If I didn’t have to worry about the Lu Family’s old ancestor, I would’ve torn him limb from limb."

The Muu Yao siblings standing to the side didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’Your granddaughter was just a little startled, and look at you—you severely injured the man with a single palm strike and are still threatening to dismantle him. You’re the Mansion Master of Mingxin Academy. Are you always this violent?’

"Grandfather, I’m fine." Leng Ningshuang smiled and shook her head.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Yuxiang came out and led Leng Ningshuang inside. After finishing their meal at Ningxiang Pavilion, Muu Xue and her brother also returned to the Muu Mansion.

「The next day.」

A young man in white arrived at Ningxiang Pavilion.

The man was demonically handsome, with eyes like stars—a true, bona fide pretty boy.

Looking at the handsome man before him, Qin Ya said indifferently, "Thousand Faces Hua Wuchang. I didn’t expect you to dare walk into the Academy so openly."

"I came looking for you," Hua Wuchang said with a faint smile.

"Your face-changing technique hasn’t improved much."

It seemed Hua Wuchang had made some preparations before seeking him out, applying a layer of high-quality rouge to mask his natural body scent. But Qin Ya’s nose wasn’t so easily fooled; he could still discern it.

"I’m not harboring any ideas. I came today simply to inform you of something," Hua Wuchang said, looking at Qin Ya. "Because of the news of you becoming a Seventh-Grade Alchemist and a Young National Hero spreading throughout the Imperial Capital, almost no one among the Black Market Killers dares to touch you now. However, there is an exception."

"Oh? What exception?"

"The number one assassin of the Crimson Wine Tavern, Black Saber!"

"That’s a rather domineering name," Qin Ya said with an indifferent smile.

"You can still smile?" Hua Wuchang said, exasperated. "This person is an out-and-out madman. He’ll stop at nothing to reach his target, and his strength is far greater than mine. You must be extremely careful."

Qin Ya gave Hua Wuchang a strange look and said, "As I recall, aren’t you also a Black Market Killer? Why the sudden visit to tip me off today?"

"What, are you afraid I’m in league with him?" said Hua Wuchang.

Qin Ya shook his head and said, "Not at all. You’re doing this because you’re afraid I’ll come looking for trouble with you in the future, right? After all, you have tried to assassinate me before."

Hua Wuchang froze for a moment, then his gaze drifted away.

"Heh, so I was right."

"So... so what if you were? You’re a great figure now, a Young National Hero and a Seventh-Grade Alchemist. You wouldn’t hold a grudge against a lowly Black Market Killer like me, would you?" Hua Wuchang, dressed as a demonically handsome man, said with a charming smile.

"As long as you don’t cause trouble for me, I won’t go looking for trouble with you."

"Then it’s a deal," Hua Wuchang said with a chuckle.

"Tell me about this Black Saber," Qin Ya asked.

Hua Wuchang took a deep breath and said, "This Black Saber joined the Crimson Wine Tavern three years ago. In these three years, he has completed at least a hundred missions, targeting everyone from ordinary Spiritual Element Realm Martial Artists to Earth Element Realm Martial Artists. It’s said he even successfully hunted a Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist once. His strength is second to none in the Black Market."

"Oh. He sounds quite formidable."

"Formidable doesn’t even begin to cover it. Have you heard of the Seven Great Prodigies of the Imperial Capital?"

"I’m listening."

Qin Ya was suddenly interested. He’d been at the Academy for so long, what kind of genius hadn’t he seen? He didn’t even give a second thought to Lu Chen, who ranked in the top five of the Hidden Dragon List. ’So what kind of people are these Seven Great Prodigies of the Imperial Capital?’

Hua Wuchang seemed to see through Qin Ya’s thoughts and said faintly, "Don’t underestimate the Seven Great Prodigies. Not a single one of them can be compared to the likes of Lu Chen. Although the Academy gathers talent from across the Empire, that’s only a fraction of it. There are many other geniuses who aren’t at the Academy."

"I know that. True powerhouses can’t be forged by just staying in an academy," Qin Ya said with an indifferent smile. ’Take the so-called Hidden Dragon List at the Academy, for example. They might all be geniuses, but how many of them can truly become Extraordinary Strong Persons in the Martial Arts in the future?’

"Exactly. Of the Seven Great Prodigies, only two are at the Academy. The other five are hidden away by the Four Great Martial Arts Families and the Royal Family, rarely appearing in public. In the Imperial Capital, their names are known, but very few have actually seen them. It’s said their strength is comparable to the Celestial Essence Realm!"

"Interesting. Go on."

Hua Wuchang continued, "Of the two prodigies at the Academy, one is Su Ming, who ranks first on the Hidden Dragon List. He is said to be an illegitimate son of the Su Family, one of the Four Great Noble Families. In his early years, he was ostracized by his family for his lack of aptitude. But after joining the Academy, his cultivation speed soared, and he rose rapidly. The family wanted him to return, but he refused."

"So now he can only be considered half a member of the Su Family. As for the other person, although he isn’t on the Hidden Dragon List, it’s not because he lacks the strength, but because he doesn’t want to be. His name is Mo Fengyu. He rarely fights, and the last time he made a move was three years ago. It’s rumored he has spent these past three years cultivating in a Secret Realm within the Academy. Very few people know how strong he is now."

"As for the other five, I know nothing about them besides their names. They have been hidden away by their respective factions for a long time. Information about them is extremely confidential and not easy to obtain," Hua Wuchang said helplessly.

"Mm, you’ve said so much, but what does this have to do with Black Saber?"

Hua Wuchang said faintly, "Black Saber once tried to assassinate Su Ming. Although the mission failed, he survived. This is enough to prove that while Black Saber’s strength might not be equal to the Seven Great Prodigies, it’s not far off."