The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"That face... could it be? No, how could this be?"

The woman’s expression changed drastically upon seeing Qin Ya’s face. A mix of panic, delight, unease, and anticipation flashed through her beautiful eyes. Then, she parted her lips, and with a SWOOSH, a drop of purple blood essence landed on Qin Ya’s forehead.

"It really is him... It’s him..."

The connection from the purple blood essence brought a look of delight to the woman’s face, which quickly twisted into a savage snarl. "Shangguan Feiying!" she roared. "You goddamn bastard! It wasn’t enough to ruin me, you had to go after him, too! He’s... he’s..."

With Demon Blood entering his body, Qin Ya’s injuries began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. The woman whispered, "I’m sorry, child. This was the only way to save you. I hope you won’t blame me."

The woman knew how powerful the energy contained within the Demon Blood was. While it would heal Qin Ya’s injuries, it would also alter his constitution—a change that would give him the one thing the Human Race hated with a vengeance... the body of the Demon Race.

After transfusing a drop of her blood essence into Qin Ya, the woman’s face turned pale. As time passed, Qin Ya’s body suddenly swelled up like a balloon. At the same time, an eerie purple light emanated from him.

"Ngh..." The changes in his body were accompanied by immense pain. Even though Qin Ya was unconscious, he instinctively furrowed his brow.

"Child..." Seeing this, the supposedly cold and ruthless Female Demon had a flicker of pity in her beautiful eyes.

.........

「Three days later.」

Qin Ya slowly stirred awake, his eyes opening to a dark and gloomy forest.

’Where am I?’

’Weren’t members of the Demon Race hunting me?’

’Oh, that’s right. At the end, that Demon Race member actually used a Dharma Aspect.’

’A Dharma Aspect? And I’m still alive?’

Qin Ya’s mind raced, but he couldn’t make sense of it.

That was a Dharma Aspect, an ability only a Martial Artist of the Celestial Human Realm could wield. Its power was enough to shatter mountains and overturn seas. Even with his Pseudo-Spiritual Artifact, that force should have been more than enough to annihilate him. As for the Elixir he’d swallowed at the last moment...

To be honest, Qin Ya hadn’t held out much hope for it.

And yet, he had somehow survived. This... was unexpected.

"You... you’re awake."

A female voice, trembling slightly, drifted over to him.

Qin Ya turned his head toward the voice and saw an exceptionally beautiful woman in a cave gazing at him, her eyes filled with an unreadable mix of emotions.

It was a mix of anticipation, concern, and guilt...

"You’re... from the Demon Race!!"

Upon this realization, Qin Ya’s pupils constricted. He scrambled to his feet, staring at the woman with his guard up.

It was an instinctive reaction. After all, the Demon Race and the Human Race were mortal enemies. Any human would immediately take a defensive stance upon encountering a demon.

Seeing Qin Ya’s reaction, the woman’s expression dimmed for a moment before she gave a brazen laugh. "That’s right, I’m a demon. And it was I, a demon, who saved you."

For some reason, the change in the woman’s expression tugged at Qin Ya’s heart.

"Who are you, and why did you save me?"

’Judging by her situation, she must be trapped here,’ he thought. ’And within the Vast Sea Divine Palace, the only place where demons are imprisoned is Demon Trapping Island, which lies beyond the Thirty-Six Islands.’

’So, I’ve ended up here.’

’Rumor has it that this Female Demon was trapped personally by a Supreme Elder of the Vast Sea Divine Palace. A Supreme Elder of the Vast Sea Divine Palace would have to be at least in the Celestial Human Realm, perhaps even a King. By that logic, this demon’s strength must be in the same range.’

Facing such a powerful Female Demon, even one who was trapped, Qin Ya didn’t dare to let his guard down for a second.

"Why? Hah. Because I felt like it."

The Female Demon smiled coolly.

"Hmm..." Qin Ya frowned, unable to fathom the Female Demon’s intentions.

"What’s your name?" the Female Demon suddenly asked.

"Qin Ya!"

Though Qin Ya despised the Demon Race, this demon had saved his life, and he wasn’t an unreasonable person. Still, his tone was stiff.

"Qin Ya... Qin Ya," the Female Demon murmured softly to herself.

"How did you end up here?"

"I was being hunted."

"By whom?" For a moment, Qin Ya thought he was imagining things, but he could have sworn he saw a flash of brutal killing intent in the Female Demon’s eyes.

’Who on earth is this Female Demon?’

Qin Ya couldn’t figure it out. From what he knew, this demon had once been human but was implanted with a Demon Seed, which transformed her. ’Did she know me before?’

’No, that can’t be. The Female Demon has been trapped here for sixteen years.’

Sixteen years ago, Qin Ya was just a baby in swaddling clothes.

"I was being hunted by the Demon Race," Qin Ya said coolly.

The Female Demon paused, then chuckled. "Hah. So demons have managed to infiltrate the Vast Sea Divine Palace. That Shangguan Feiying is a complete failure as a Palace Master."

They continued to exchange a few words here and there, and Qin Ya noticed that the Female Demon’s mood seemed to be getting better and better. This only deepened his confusion.

......

「Meanwhile, in the outside world.」

Above Demon Trapping Island, Ying San held four iron needles, each as thick as a chopstick. A faint smile touched his lips, and a fanatical gleam flashed in his eyes. "Lord Emperor," he whispered, "I have waited sixteen years for this day."

"Soon, very soon, you will be free."

"Then, you will lead the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons and unite the Azure Sky Realm!"

"And I, Ying San, will be the Emperor’s greatest benefactor! I’ll be second to only one demon, but above all the rest! HAHA! I, Ying San, have finally lived to see this day!"

Thinking of the glorious future awaiting him, Ying San couldn’t help but laugh aloud. He slowly spread his arms, his face a mask of pure ecstasy, as if his wish had already been granted.

Then, Ying San caressed the four iron needles in his hand and whispered, "The Reversing Needles. A treasure of the Vast Sea Divine Palace, and the key to destroying Zong Ji’s Demon Trapping Array."

He had hidden within the Vast Sea Divine Palace for a long time just to obtain these four Reversing Needles.

By helping Lan Qijin become an Island Master and killing Qin Ya, he had finally obtained them.

As the words left his lips, he gave his arm a sudden flick. The four Reversing Needles shot toward four different points around Demon Trapping Island and plunged into the sea. Once in the water, the needles rapidly expanded, becoming four enormous iron pillars in the blink of an eye and emitting a peculiar pulse.

Under this pulse, the seawater began to flow in reverse, and the Sea Beasts scattered.

HUMMM, HUMMM, HUMMM...

Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang out from the Vast Sea Divine Palace.

Ying San’s expression changed at the sound.

"Damn, they found out quickly."

Inside the Sea King Hall, Zong Ji shot to his feet. He gazed into the distance, an intensely cold glint in his eyes. "Someone is trying to free the Female Demon?" he said icily.

Just then, Shangguan Feiying rushed in, an anxious look on his face. "Supreme Elder," he said to Zong Ji, "there’s a problem with the Grand Array sealing Yar’er!"

"I know."

His words still echoed in the hall, but Zong Ji’s figure was already gone.

On Demon Trapping Island, Qin Ya and the Female Demon were still talking.

Suddenly, the Female Demon’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

"Oh, how interesting. After all these years, someone has actually come to rescue me." A breathtaking smile blossomed on the Female Demon’s gorgeous face.

Then, her Demonic Qi surged!

"Qin Ya, stand back," the Female Demon said lightly.

Qin Ya sighed. As a human, he should have been doing everything in his power to prevent the Female Demon from escaping. And yet, for some reason, he hesitated.

’Forget it,’ he thought. ’She saved my life. I’ll just consider this repaying the debt.’