The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

On a small boat on Thousand Fish Lake...

"Are you really giving me this sword?"

Looking at the astonished Li Peiyi, Qin Ya smiled. "I don’t use a sword, and it can display its true power in your hands."

Li Peiyi looked at the Vermilion in her hands, her eyes filled with adoration. After a moment of contemplation, she took out her Storage Ring and said, "I have thirteen thousand four hundred Gold Coins in here, along with some Sword Techniques and medicinal herbs. I know this is nowhere near the value of Vermilion, but I’ll repay the rest in the future."

"Uh..." Qin Ya was taken aback. "Are you... serious?"

"Yes." Li Peiyi nodded with a solemn expression.

With a sigh of resignation, Qin Ya took the Storage Ring, transferred some medicinal herbs and ten thousand Gold Coins to his own ring, and said, "You still need to continue your Cultivation, so you can’t be without resources. You can pay me back the rest later!"

"Mm... okay."

Just then, the melodious sound of a zither reached Qin Ya and Li Peiyi’s ears. They focused their attention and heard a soft, enchanting voice call out, "Teacher Qin, Miss Li, Nangong Luoyu invites you both to join her. Would you do me the honor?"

In a pavilion not far away, a lone figure in red stood, her features as beautiful as a painting. Her slender, jade-like hands plucked and strummed the strings, a melodious tune flowing from her fingertips.

"It’s her?" Qin Ya said, somewhat surprised.

That stunning figure in red was none other than the goddess pursued by countless young talents in the Imperial Capital, the apple of His Majesty’s eye, the Seventh Princess, Nangong Luoyu!

Qin Ya and Li Peiyi exchanged a look, both seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes. They then called for the boatman to steer the small boat toward the pavilion where Nangong Luoyu was.

"To what do we owe the honor of the Princess’s invitation?"

After stepping onto the pavilion, Qin Ya gave her a slight nod and smiled.

Nangong Luoyu glanced deeply at the Vermilion in Li Peiyi’s hand, a faint smile playing on her lips. "It seems the relationship between Teacher Qin and Miss Li is quite extraordinary. You’d even give her the Sixth-Grade Profound Soldier, Vermilion, that you just acquired."

Li Peiyi’s dark brows furrowed slightly. She said coolly, "The Princess misunderstands. Vermilion was not a gift from Teacher Qin. I obtained it from him in a trade."

"Oh, a trade?" Upon hearing this, Nangong Luoyu’s lips curled into a slightly mocking smile. "A Sixth-Grade Profound Soldier like this is worth at least two hundred thousand Gold Coins. As far as I know, Miss Li is merely a student at the Academy. I wonder what you could have possibly used to trade for it."

These words made Qin Ya’s brow furrow, a trace of annoyance flashing in his eyes. He said coolly, "You needn’t trouble yourself over what was used for the trade, Princess. What is it that you actually wanted to discuss?"

Hearing Nangong Luoyu, Li Peiyi also felt a spark of anger, but the princess was right. Her ten thousand Gold Coins were nowhere near enough to trade for this sword; she had only obtained it because of her good relationship with Qin Ya.

"Heh. Teacher Qin, you are a dragon among men, with limitless potential. And I am the Seventh Princess of the Empire, a woman of noble status. Don’t you think we are a match made in heaven? With the support of the Royal Family, your Talent would make it a simple matter to surpass the so-called Seven Great Prodigies," Nangong Luoyu said, a bashful look on her face.

"Uh..."

Faced with Nangong Luoyu’s sudden confession, Qin Ya was momentarily at a loss.

Li Peiyi was also stunned, but she quickly shot Qin Ya a strange look and said, "Hah. You’re quite popular, aren’t you, Qin Ya."

"Princess, you mustn’t make such jokes," Qin Ya said with a wry smile.

But Nangong Luoyu shook her head and said in a serious tone, "I’m not joking."

After a pause, she continued, "In the Imperial Capital, talented young men are as numerous as crucian carp crossing the river. The ones who pursue me, coveting my status, are everywhere. But I look down on all of them."

"But you’re different. You are... the most special, the best."

Qin Ya rubbed his nose and thought to himself, ’My charm is pretty potent, isn’t it?’

"The Princess flatters me. I am but a commoner; how could I possibly be worthy of someone of your noble birth? If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave."

Just as Qin Ya was about to leave, Nangong Luoyu said coldly, "Qin Ya, stop right there. I was willing to swallow my pride and confess to you, and this is how you treat me!"

Qin Ya turned back and said helplessly, "Princess, my heart is set on pursuing Martial Arts. Romance is a luxury I cannot afford right now. Please understand."

"If we were to unite, the power of the Royal Family would be enough to make your path in Martial Arts much smoother. Why would you refuse me?" Nangong Luoyu said.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Ya said, "First, I am used to a life of leisure and don’t wish to be tied down. Second, I have no romantic feelings for you, Princess. It is impossible between us. The Princess should give up on this idea. The Imperial Capital is filled with countless talented men, many of whom are better than me. I hope the Princess finds a worthy husband soon. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."

With that, he ignored the terrifyingly dark expression on Nangong Luoyu’s face. He executed a Body Technique, stepping across the jade-green waves and landing on a small boat. Li Peiyi followed closely behind. As she watched their boat recede into the distance, Nangong Luoyu gritted her teeth, and with a chop of her Fury Palm, the priceless Guqin exploded on the spot.

"QIN YA!!"

Nangong Luoyu’s jade-like hands clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her flesh. Beyond her anger, a sense of grievance welled up in her heart. ’Since when have I ever been humiliated like this? It has always been others trying their utmost to please me. Yet today, when I took the initiative, made my feelings so clear, I was rejected?’

’Rejected? The dignified Seventh Princess of the Empire, rejected after confessing her feelings? Few people would believe it if they heard, but that was the reality.’

"Qin Ya, we’ll see about this!"

...

On the lake, aboard a small boat, Li Peiyi stood at the stern. A cool, indifferent smile touched her lips as she said, "Hah. You even had the heart to reject her confession. If word of this gets out, I’m afraid all the young talents in the Imperial Capital will be too angry to eat."

"I didn’t expect her to do something like that either."

"For someone of her status to do such a thing, she must have been very determined. For you to reject her just like that... I wonder how heartbroken she is right now."

Qin Ya smiled indifferently. "I’m afraid she’s more likely wishing she could slice me into a thousand pieces. Besides, do you really think her feelings for me... are genuine love?"

"She’s an Imperial Princess. That status alone represents a great deal. Although I’m now a National Hero, and on the surface, a man of the Empire, His Majesty and I both know full well that we are merely engaged in a mutual transaction.

"He provides me with protection, making it more convenient for me to operate in the Imperial Capital. And as a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, I can generate profit for the Empire. It’s mutually beneficial, but this kind of relationship isn’t very stable. His Majesty is a wise man; he knows this arrangement can last for a while, but it can’t last a lifetime. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"To be blunt, at my current rate of growth, it won’t be long before I no longer need his protection. At that point, our transaction will be over. But if I were to marry the Princess, I would be permanently branded as a part of the Empire..." When Qin Ya finished speaking, he noticed Li Peiyi looking at him strangely.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" Qin Ya asked.

"No, you didn’t," Li Peiyi said. "Perhaps the Princess did have some ulterior motives, but what if she genuinely likes you?"

Qin Ya was taken aback for a moment. "Hah. Then I can only say I’m sorry. Love is a matter between two people; it can’t be forced."