The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

In the main hall of the Li Family...

Qin Ya took a sip of the fragrant tea the Li Family had served and spoke faintly, "The Li Family’s current difficulty lies in its lack of power to contend with a Spiritual Element Realm Martial Artist. I, however, can help you create that power."

"What method do you have, Sir?" Li Heyu asked.

Qin Ya smiled faintly, retrieved a brocade box from his robes, and placed it on the table. "I wonder if Patriarch Li has ever heard the name Bloodthirsty Pill."

Li Heyu and the elders shuddered. They stared at the brocade box on the table, their eyes filled with terror, as if a primordial Fierce Beast was about to burst out of it at any moment.

"Could it be... that inside this box is the Bloodthirsty Pill?!" one of the elders exclaimed, his throat dry as he swallowed hard.

"Precisely," Qin Ya said flatly.

Hearing the confirmation, the members of the Li Family grew even more terrified. Li Heyu took a deep breath, his tone heavy. "The Li Family is deeply grateful for your kind intentions, Sir, but please take this Bloodthirsty Pill back. Forgive me for not seeing you out."

"Oh? You’re refusing me?" Qin Ya was somewhat surprised.

"Sir, since you’ve brought out this Bloodthirsty Pill, you must be aware of its effects. Though I, Li Heyu, am a man of little talent, I cannot bring myself to sacrifice my own clansmen just so I can survive. Besides, while the Bloodthirsty Pill is potent, it’s not guaranteed to be enough to resist a Spiritual Element Realm Martial Artist," Li Heyu said, shaking his head gently.

Hearing Li Heyu’s words, some of the elders revealed looks of gratification, their hearts warmed. At that moment, they would likely have died for the family if asked.

The Bloodthirsty Pill was a Third-Grade Elixir. The user would burn all of their Qi and Blood in exchange for a surge in strength, but once the effect wore off, death was certain.

This elixir was difficult to refine and its effects were exceedingly vicious, so it rarely circulated on the market. However, whenever one appeared, its price would be astronomical.

"Patriarch, rest assured. I have already improved the effects of this Bloodthirsty Pill. A Martial Artist at Profound Origin Sixth Grade or higher who takes it will be able to resist the Spiritual Element Realm for forty-five minutes. Moreover, the user will at most have their cultivation depleted and be cut off from the path of Martial Arts for life. It will not be fatal."

Qin Ya’s tone was filled with disdain. In his eyes, improving such a substandard elixir was a ridiculously easy task. Furthermore, the Li Family Patriarch’s posturing greatly displeased him. ’All that talk about not wanting to sacrifice his clansmen is just an act. If he were truly so noble, he could take the Bloodthirsty Pill himself and save his family.’

"This..." Li Heyu hesitated. He didn’t believe Qin Ya’s words at all. If the Bloodthirsty Pill were really so easy to improve, it wouldn’t have been classified as a forbidden elixir, a rare sight on the market.

"Patriarch, accept it. We are willing to fight for the family."

"It’s only being unable to cultivate. That’s better than being killed by those bastards from the Qin Family."

"Patriarch..."

Some elders were fearless and impassioned, while others simply closed their eyes slightly, pretending to have heard nothing, feigning nonchalance.

Li Heyu looked at the impassioned elders, a flicker of joy passing through his heart. Yet, his fierce eyes reddened slightly as he said in a choked voice, "Elders... the family will remember you forever. Your names will certainly be on the Li Family’s monument."

’This is ridiculous!’

Qin Ya shook his head lightly, stood up, and said indifferently, "How you use these three Bloodthirsty Pills is for you to decide. I’ll be leaving now. I hope we meet again."

’Damn, three of them!?’

The elders sucked in a cold breath. They had assumed there was only one pill in the brocade box, but to their surprise, there were three. In the last ten years, only two Bloodthirsty Pills had appeared in all of Anxing City, yet this man had produced three at once.

Gazing at Qin Ya’s departing figure, the elders were filled with shock and suspicion. ’Just what kind of grudge does this man have against Qin Yunlong?’

Li Peiyi glanced at the elders, then left directly.

After walking out of the Li Mansion, Qin Ya noticed someone was following him. A smile curled on his lips, and he stopped. "Miss Li, what can I do for you?"

Li Peiyi stepped out from around the corner, her clear, bright eyes locked onto Qin Ya. Her gaze held a mixture of War Intent, confusion, and curiosity. She then spoke indifferently, "A traitor to the Qin Family... what is your meaning in helping the Li Family?"

"Oh? Not even the Li Family Patriarch recognized me, yet you did." Qin Ya smiled slightly and removed the silver mask from his face.

"During the hunt on Mang Mountain, you used that peculiar Body Technique to evade my Wind and Rain Sword Technique. The memory is still fresh in my mind," Li Peiyi said, her hand tightening on the longsword at her waist.

Qin Ya came to a sudden realization. "I can’t believe I forgot about that."

"Tell me. Why did you betray your clan, and why are you helping the Li Family?"

"Heh, didn’t I already say? I have a score to settle with Qin Yunlong!" Qin Ya said with a cold smile, a glint of frost in his eyes. The fact that Qin Yunlong had harmed Qin Yuxiang was reason enough for him to want the man dead.

"What kind of score?" Li Peiyi pressed.

"Miss Li, you certainly are curious." Qin Ya chuckled, then executed his Carefree Travel Body Technique, vanishing around a corner in an instant. Li Peiyi was stunned for a moment but didn’t pursue him. After a brief pause for thought, she returned to the Li Family’s estate.

After shaking off Li Peiyi, Qin Ya returned to the Martial Market Palace.

"Xiaoya, you’re back."

"Mhm!" Qin Ya smiled slightly.

Looking at Qin Ya, Qin Yuxiang had a troubled expression. "Xiaoya, the Qin Family and I still have some history, after all. With Elder Huaa’s protection, I doubt they’ll dare to trouble us again. I hope you won’t continue to make an enemy of them."

"Aunt, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing." Qin Ya was naturally considerate of Qin Yuxiang’s feelings. He had given the Li Family three Bloodthirsty Pills to help them create three Spiritual Element Realm Martial Artists. However, since their power was induced by an elixir, their combat strength would be inferior to that of a genuine Spiritual Element Realm expert, and it would only last for forty-five minutes. It might be more than enough to kill Qin Yunlong, but it wouldn’t be enough to destroy the Qin Family. At most, it would leave them severely weakened.

Qin Yuxiang nodded, her eyes filled with gratification as she looked at him. "Before, it was your aunt who protected Xiaoya. Now, Xiaoya has grown into a man that even I have to look at in a new light. You have your own responsibilities now."

...

「Three days later...」

Qin Ya sat cross-legged in the shade of a tree, circulating the True Essence within him. The various mysteries of the Nine Heavens Shocking God Record flashed through his mind as Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi surged into his body without end. It gathered in his dantian, gradually forming a pool.

With a sudden BOOM, the speed at which the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi poured into him increased tenfold!

Countless streams of Primordial Qi flooded into Qin Ya’s body. The Qi Pool in his dantian solidified at a visible rate. With a sudden POP, as if some shackle had been broken, Qin Ya’s cultivation instantly reached the Profound Origin First Grade!

His eyes slowly opened, a sharp gleam flashing within them. "The Profound Origin Realm... I’ve made it!"

From the time he was able to cultivate again to the present, it had been less than two months, yet he had gone from the Human Element First Grade to the Profound Origin Realm. If word of such a cultivation speed were to get out, it would surely scare a great many people to death.