The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"Junior Sister Shangguan, Junior Sister Lii has been looking for you these past few days. Let’s hurry and meet up with her. She’s been very worried about you." Chu Lingfeng reined in his emotions, his expression gentle and a smile playing on his lips as he spoke.

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yue’s face lit up with joy. She said, "What? Sister Lii is here too? Then what are you standing around for? Take me to her, quickly."

Chu Lingfeng nodded and said, "Follow me!"

Shangguan Yue and Qin Ya followed behind Chu Lingfeng. As they walked, Shangguan Yue said to Qin Ya, "Brother Qin, Sister Lii is gorgeous and her cultivation is high. How about I introduce you?"

Qin Ya’s mouth twitched. "That won’t be necessary," he said.

Ahead, leading the way, the coldness in Chu Lingfeng’s eyes intensified.

The deeper one ventured into the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo, the stronger the cultivators who had left their marks. The martial concepts embedded in their techniques grew increasingly powerful. For those with insufficient cultivation, forget about comprehending them—even looking for too long could cause harm.

Therefore, those who could meditate in the depths of the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo were all among the most outstanding people to have entered the Hidden Dragon Valley this time. Take Chu Lingfeng, for example. Although he was malicious, his talent was exceptional, a cut above even Su Chang and the others. Among the many disciples of the Vast Sea Divine Palace, he was considered one of the elite.

He was now leading Qin Ya into the depths of the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo precisely to probe his strength. Because of the Scenic Landscapes on Qin Ya, Chu Lingfeng couldn’t perceive his cultivation, so this was the only way he could test him.

In the depths of the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo, Qin Ya chatted and laughed with Shangguan Yue, occasionally expressing amazement at the techniques carved into the mountain walls, yet he showed no sign of discomfort. This secretly alarmed Chu Lingfeng. ’It seems this man’s cultivation is extraordinary!’

Even so, he didn’t truly see Qin Ya as a threat. After all, he himself was a Martial Artist at the Celestial Essence Realm Perfection, and his own comprehension of the Great Trend was quite profound. He was confident that, within the Hidden Dragon Valley, aside from a select few he could think of, no one else could match him.

"Brother Qin, you’re from the Yunxiao Empire, I take it?" Chu Lingfeng asked with a smile.

"I am." Qin Ya nodded slightly.

An air of superiority appeared in Chu Lingfeng’s eyes. He said, "Of the three major powers that entered the Hidden Dragon Valley, the Yunxiao Empire is by far the weakest. I can see Brother Qin’s talent is extraordinary. Why not join our Vast Sea Divine Palace? With my recommendation, you can take your pick of any of the Thirty-Six Islands of the Vast Sea to join."

"The Thirty-Six Islands of the Vast Sea?" Qin Ya said, his expression indifferent. "Sorry, but I have no interest in joining."

"Oh?" Chu Lingfeng raised an eyebrow.

Just then, Shangguan Yue said unhappily, "Even if Brother Qin wanted to join the Vast Sea Divine Palace, I would be the one to recommend him. When did it become your turn?"

Hearing this, the corner of Chu Lingfeng’s mouth curled up slightly. "That’s true," he said. "Now that Brother Qin has latched onto a high branch like the Palace Master’s daughter, I suppose he doesn’t need my help."

"’Latched onto a high branch’? Heh." Hearing this, a cold glint appeared in Qin Ya’s eyes.

Just as the atmosphere grew tense, a woman in a blue robe slowly approached.

The woman had fair skin and eyes like clear autumn pools, with a heroic air lingering between her brows. She had a slender figure and exquisite features. Her long, pale-purple hair was tied back casually, and a blue longsword was strapped to her back. Every movement exuded a natural charm; walking through a crowd, she seemed to be the most dazzling light.

When Lii Yunge saw Shangguan Yue, her beautiful face immediately hardened. She walked over and, without another word, began to scold her, "Shangguan Yue, where on earth did you run off to? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?!"

"He was already furious about you coming to the Hidden Dragon Valley, and now you dare to leave the group on your own? When we get back, I’m definitely telling the Palace Master about this and letting him deal with you! We’ll see if you dare to act on your own again!"

Although Lii Yunge’s tone was harsh, it was filled with deep concern. Shangguan Yue simply smiled and let Lii Yunge scold her. Seeing this from the side, Qin Ya smiled faintly. He could tell the two women were very close.

’Otherwise, with Shangguan Yue’s temperament, how could she just stand there and obediently let someone scold her, let alone keep smiling through it all?’

At this moment, Chu Lingfeng came forward to mediate. "Junior Sister Lii, Junior Sister Shangguan was just being a little playful. You can calm down now; there’s no need to keep scolding her."

But Shangguan Yue just puffed out her cheeks and said angrily to Chu Lingfeng, "Chu Lingfeng, what does Sister Lii scolding me have to do with you? I like her scolding me, okay?!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Er... Chu Lingfeng was extremely frustrated. He finally understood that no matter what he did, Shangguan Yue would find fault with it.

"Sister Lii, I know I was wrong."

Shangguan Yue went up and took Lii Yunge’s delicate hands, swaying them back and forth. Her eyes shimmered, and she put on a tearful expression that made Lii Yunge’s heart soften.

Although she knew most of her anger had vanished the moment she saw Shangguan Yue, she still said sternly, "So you know you were wrong? Hmph. You want me to forgive you? Fine. For the next few days, you must stay by my side and not take a single step away. You can’t go anywhere. Do you hear me?"

Shangguan Yue nodded vigorously, looking like a perfectly well-behaved child.

Suddenly, Lii Yunge’s gaze shifted to Qin Ya, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She realized she couldn’t perceive Qin Ya’s cultivation.

’Could it be... his cultivation is higher than mine?’

She immediately shook her head. ’That’s impossible. I’m already at the Celestial Essence Perfect Realm. The next step is the Extraordinary Realm, and Extraordinary experts are not allowed into the Hidden Dragon Valley. He must be using some special concealment technique.’

"And this gentleman is...?"

"Sister Lii, this is Qin Ya—my Brother Qin! A friend I made on the road."

Shangguan Yue walked over, grabbed Qin Ya’s arm, and spoke. This gesture made Lii Yunge’s brow twitch slightly, and her expression turned cold.

"Yue’er, come here," Lii Yunge said coldly.

Although Shangguan Yue was confused why her Sister Lii had suddenly become so cold, she still obediently walked over.

Seeing this, Qin Ya just smiled faintly. He naturally knew the reason for Lii Yunge’s change in attitude. ’She’s just afraid I’m some man with ill intentions, that’s all.’

"My thanks to you, Brother Qin, for looking after Yue’er this entire time."

After speaking, Lii Yunge took out a Storage Ring and handed it to Qin Ya, saying, "There are a hundred catties of Primordial Stones inside. Please take this as a token of our gratitude, Brother Qin."

A hundred catties of Primordial Stones was an extremely valuable sum for a Martial Artist, enough to trade for several bottles of Sixth-Grade Elixirs. Yet Qin Ya just shook his head indifferently. "There’s no need. Yue’er is my friend. Besides, I didn’t do anything."

’Playing hard to get?!’

The thought flashed through Lii Yunge’s mind. She then said lightly, "It seems I was being presumptuous. If Brother Qin runs into any trouble in the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo, you can come find me. My Vast Sea Divine Palace will certainly do its best to resolve it for you."

"Then I thank you," Qin Ya said indifferently before turning and walking away. When Shangguan Yue tried to chase after him, she was stopped by Lii Yunge.