The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"Kill her!"

What?! Qin Ya’s words made the faces of the Wang Family members turn ashen, especially Wang Zilu’s. Wang Yuanhong was his biological mother, yet Qin Ya was brazenly declaring his intent to kill her in front of everyone?

"Qin Ya, say that again!"

"I have come... to kill Wang Yuanhong!"

Wang Zilu felt that if he didn’t do something, he would lose all standing in the family. With a furious roar, the full power of his Spiritual Element Realm cultivation erupted as he thrust a pair of flame-wreathed palms toward Qin Ya.

"Oh? You’ve broken through to the Spiritual Element Realm?"

Qin Ya was a little surprised. He remembered that the last time they’d met at the Lake Tower, Wang Zilu had only been at the Profound Origin Realm. He hadn’t expected him to have already stepped into the Spiritual Element Realm. However, seeing the instability of the True Essence in his body, he must have only just recently broken through.

He wasn’t concerned. With his current combat strength, he could even hold his own for a few moves against a Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist, let alone someone in the mere Spiritual Element Realm.

He casually swatted out a palm, as if shooing away an annoying fly.

"AHH!!"

With a miserable shriek, Wang Zilu was once again sent flying.

This time, the blow knocked him out cold.

"Young Master!" the green-robed elder cried out in alarm. He then fixed Qin Ya with a cold stare and said, "Qin Ya, did you come to our Wang Family just to provoke us and cause trouble? Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re a Seventh-Grade Alchemist!"

"So what if I am!"

Qin Ya replied indifferently.

"Teacher Qin, what an impressive display of power."

Just then, several more figures arrived. Patriarch Wang of the Wang Family, Wang Mingxiu, had emerged with a few clan Elders. Qin Ya briefly scanned them and sensed that most of them were far stronger than the green-robed elder. Besides Wang Mingxiu, who was an Extraordinary Strong Person, there were several other Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artists among them.

Wang Mingxiu approached coldly, a frigid glint in his eyes. He looked at the man who had murdered his son, then glanced at Wang Zilu lying on the ground. His face was as dark as a storm cloud as he said, "Qin Ya, wasn’t killing Yann’er enough for you? What are you doing here?"

"Patriarch Wang. It’s been a while."

Qin Ya smiled indifferently, showing not the slightest trace of panic as he faced the group of Wang Family Elders, whose cultivation levels were far superior to his own.

"Hmph. Why waste words on him? Let’s just kill him and avenge the Young Master," a burly man behind Wang Mingxiu said, his eyes shooting out a cold glare.

Wang Mingxiu raised a hand to stop the burly man and said, "Qin Ya, you walked into the Wang Family’s home in broad daylight. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?"

A mocking smile touched the corners of Qin Ya’s lips. "Heh. Countless people outside saw me walk through the gates of this Royal Mansion. If something were to happen to me, I imagine Marshal Muu wouldn’t just sit back and watch. When his army arrives at your doorstep... that’s a scene I’m sure Patriarch Wang wouldn’t want to see, right?"

Hearing this, the expressions of the Wang Family members changed slightly. They knew Qin Ya was using his status to pressure them, banking on the fact that they wouldn’t dare sacrifice their entire family for the sake of a single Wang Yan.

From the very beginning of this confrontation, they had been at a disadvantage!

"Fine. Even if we don’t kill you, do you really think you can do as you please in the Wang Family’s home?" Wang Mingxiu said, his voice and expression stern. Inside, however, a fire was raging. ’The murderer of my son is standing right in front of me, yet for the sake of my family, I can’t act.’ The feeling was suffocating him with frustration.

Qin Ya snorted coldly. "You know full well what you’ve done. Wang Yuanhong hired a killer from the Black Market. Are you telling me you knew nothing about it?!"

A flicker of surprise flashed in Wang Mingxiu’s eyes. ’How does he know about that?’

’Could the Black Market Killer have revealed it? No, that’s impossible. Yuanhong concealed her identity; even the killer didn’t know who the client was. It couldn’t have been them. So who was it?’

Suddenly, a flash of fear appeared in Wang Mingxiu’s eyes.

’Is it... Your Majesty?’

Your Majesty’s power in the Imperial Capital was absolute, his reach all-encompassing. If anyone could have investigated this matter, it would have been Nangong Wen.

Thinking again of Qin Ya’s status as a Young National Hero, he became even more certain of his guess. However, he was confident that even if Nangong Wen had discovered who issued the assassination order, there would be no direct evidence proving the Wang Family was behind it.

"Hmph. Qin Ya, what nonsense are you spouting? Hiring a killer? The Wang Family is a prestigious house in the Imperial Capital. Why would we ever do something so vile and despicable?" Wang Mingxiu had already made up his mind. He would grit his teeth and deny everything.

"Oh? So you won’t admit it."

Qin Ya’s eyes narrowed slightly. The True Essence in his body erupted, and an incredibly tyrannical aura shot toward the Nine Heavens. Seeing this, the Wang Family Elders exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the others’ eyes. ’This Qin Ya... his combat power is completely disproportionate to his cultivation! He’s clearly a Spiritual Element Realm Martial Artist, yet his aura is this powerful!’

"Hmph. If you don’t believe me, I can have Yuanhong come out and face you herself!"

...

「Wang Family, in a rear courtyard.」

A woman with sharp, narrow features and a charmingly beautiful face sat before a vanity. As she gazed at her own stunning reflection, a cold glint flashed in her eyes. Behind her, a pretty and demure maidservant was combing and styling her hair.

The maidservant was extremely careful, combing the hair meticulously, terrified of making the slightest mistake. She knew that the Patriarch’s wife had been in a terrible mood lately. She’d heard from her sisters that several other servants who had come to attend to the lady had died horribly for the most trivial of errors.

One had failed to wipe a table clean enough...

Another had spoken too loudly, or perhaps too softly...

Another had accidentally dropped a comb on the floor while styling her hair...

The thought of combing hair made the maidservant shudder in terror. She lowered her head and became even more cautious. Suddenly, Wang Yuanhong spoke. "What’s your name?"

"I... My name is Xiu’er." The maidservant’s heart gave a violent lurch. She then did her best to reply in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.

"Xiu’er, have you heard of a person named Qin Ya?"

Xiu’er thought for a moment and replied, "I have."

"Tell me, what is your opinion of him?"

Xiu’er said, "I’ve heard he’s a genius of heaven-sent talent. At such a young age, he’s already a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, was bestowed the title of Young National Hero, and is even a High-Level Teacher at the Academy. They say he’s only in his teens."

"Oh, is that so?" Wang Yuanhong gave a strange smile. "He is indeed impressive. But do you know what he did before all that?"

"Before all that..." Xiu’er thought for a moment, and her face suddenly drained of all color. The comb fell from her hand. She immediately dropped to her knees. "I have sinned! I have sinned! Please, my lady, spare my life!"

"Do you know? He’s the one who killed my Yann’er!"

"I have sinned, I have sinned," the maidservant said, kowtowing repeatedly.

"You may go," Wang Yuanhong said indifferently.

Hearing this, Xiu’er glanced at Wang Yuanhong, her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. She quickly said, "Thank you, my lady." Then she scrambled to her feet and hurried away.

Wang Yuanhong picked up the comb from the floor. A venomous look flashed across her beautiful face as she said, "This comb... is dirty now."

Just as she reached the doorway, Xiu’er’s eyes widened, and she collapsed to the ground. Embedded in the back of her head was... a comb.

At that moment, a servant arrived. Without so much as a glance at the body on the floor, he announced, "My lady, the Patriarch and the Elders request your presence in the main hall."

"Understood."