The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"He actually held his own against Liuu Bin with just his Spiritual Element Cultivation."

"That’s simply unbelievable. This young man is terrifying."

"Anyone in history who could achieve something like this was a monstrous prodigy. They were all destined to reach the Extraordinary Realm, and become one of the very best among them. Teacher Qin is truly a once-in-a-generation talent."

"A true chosen one, fighting across so many Tiers... I bet even Su Ming, number one on the Hidden Dragon List, is only on this level."

Everyone present, aside from Lin Yifeng, was quite familiar with Liuu Bin’s combat strength. While not considered one of the stronger experts in the Earth Element Realm, he was a bona fide cultivator of that Realm. And yet, Qin Ya had fought him to a standstill.

The sight was an undeniable, massive shock to them all.

Putting away his Ghost Cloud Pan Flood Dragon Long Spear, Qin Ya said coolly, "What did you think of our spar, Teacher Liuu? Were you satisfied?"

Liuu Bin’s face was as dark and still as a stagnant pond. His eyes swirled with disbelief, humiliation, and resentment. As he stared at the impassive young man, he was utterly speechless.

Just then, Lin Yifeng walked over. He glanced at Liuu Bin before turning to Qin Ya. "Teacher Qin, are you alright?"

Qin Ya looked perfectly fine on the surface, but the gap in Cultivation between him and Liuu Bin was so vast that Lin Yifeng couldn’t help but worry.

"Do I look like I’m hurt?" Qin Ya said with a smile.

"Teacher Qin, you never cease to amaze me," Lin Yifeng said with heartfelt admiration. "I am truly impressed."

"You flatter me," Qin Ya replied with a faint smile.

His gaze swept over the other teachers. "Since this matter is settled," Qin Ya said coolly, "I’ll be taking my leave."

With that, he departed calmly. Lin Yifeng shot a look at Liuu Bin and his group, then let out a cold snort. "Gentlemen, I won’t be staying either."

As they watched the two leave, Liuu Bin and the others could only look at each other in stunned silence. Suddenly, Teacher Yun sighed. "Truly... the younger generation is formidable."

.........

After a leisurely stroll with Lin Yifeng, Qin Ya returned to Ningxiang Pavilion, only to find two rather unexpected visitors.

"Muu Xue, Feng Ling."

Seeing Qin Ya, Muu Xue rose to greet him. "Teacher Qin, you’re back. Did Liuu Bin give you any trouble?"

"It was just an academic exchange," Qin Ya said with a faint smile. "Why have you two come looking for me?"

Muu Xue and Feng Ling eyed Qin Ya suspiciously. ’Did Liuu Bin really just invite Teacher Qin to an academic exchange?’ they wondered.

Seeing that Qin Ya was unharmed, they didn’t dwell on it. Muu Xue said, "To be honest, Teacher Qin, I have come today for a specific reason."

"Go on."

Qin Ya wasn’t one to help just anyone, but Muu Xue was not only his student but also one of the few people in the Academy with whom he was on friendly terms.

"Teacher Qin, have you ever heard the name Muui Yunlie?"

Qin Ya’s brows furrowed. He wasn’t a newcomer to the Imperial Capital; he had heard of the major powers and influential figures within it. And this Muui Yunlie was one of the most prominent of them all.

Commander of the Yunxiao Empire’s most elite legion, the Red Flame Army, a renowned Extraordinary Strong Person... Muui Yunlie.

Wait...

A sudden possibility struck Qin Ya. He stared at Muu Xue, a look of shocked suspicion on his face. "Your surname is also Muu... Don’t tell me you’re related to the Red Flame Army’s Military Commander, Muui Yunlie?"

Muu Xue nodded. "He is my father."

"Well, well. I never would have guessed."

The Red Flame Army was the Yunxiao Empire’s most elite legion. It had campaigned in every direction, earning countless honors for the Empire. Its reputation was illustrious, and it was revered by millions. Even the Four Great Noble Families were wary of them. The Military Commander of such a legion had to be one of the most powerful figures in the entire Empire.

And yet, the daughter of such a man was a student at Mingxin Academy, respectfully calling him "Teacher Qin" over and over, with none of the airs one would expect from the daughter of a military magnate. It was quite surprising.

"Heh, forget you, Teacher Qin. You could count the number of people in the entire Mingxin Academy who know Muu Xue’s identity on one hand," Feng Ling said with a laugh.

Muu Xue continued, "Teacher Qin, you must know that ten years ago, the northern border of the Yunxiao Empire was invaded by a Barbarian Race tribe, placing the entire region in peril. Of the fourteen cities along the northern border, three were breached by the Barbarians. They suffered an unprecedented disaster. Rivers of blood flowed through those three cities, and a total of three point six million people were killed.

When news reached the Imperial Capital, it sent shockwaves through the court and the entire country. His Majesty was enraged. My father volunteered for the duty, personally leading three hundred thousand soldiers of the Red Flame Army to the northern border. That battle came to be known as the Northern Blood Pacification Campaign. Its ferocity far surpassed anyone’s imagination. And though the Barbarian Race was ultimately annihilated, only thirty thousand soldiers returned to the Imperial Capital. Thirty thousand... out of three hundred thousand men from the Red Flame Army, only a tenth came back. During that battle, my father was struck by a poison from a Barbarian Race Wizard—a poison no one can cure. Aside from my father’s trusted aides who were by his side and a very small number of officials in the court, no one else knows about this..."

Qin Ya listened quietly to Muu Xue’s story. ’This Barbarian Race... I’ve never heard of them,’ he thought to himself. ’They must be a race that has emerged in the last ten thousand years. The Azure Sky Realm isn’t static; ten thousand years is long enough for the world to change completely.’

He now understood the purpose of Muu Xue’s visit. He listened as she continued, "This poison is strange. It flares up once a month, causing unbearable agony. When it does, it feels as though ten thousand ants are gnawing on his bones, like he’s being sliced by a thousand knives. His Majesty secretly dispatched envoys to seek out numerous Pill Masters throughout the Empire, but none could find a cure. For ten years, my father has endured untold suffering, and his Cultivation has stagnated...."

At this, Muu Xue’s eyes reddened slightly. But she was Muui Yunlie’s daughter, and with a single breath, she composed herself. "I want to free my father from this suffering. It’s one of the reasons I became so dedicated to the Alchemy Dao. But with my level of Talent, I don’t know how long it would take me to find a cure. And just when I was losing hope, you appeared, Teacher Qin.

I hope... that you can help my father cure this poison."

Curing the poison—that was the reason Muu Xue had sought out Qin Ya. His mastery of the Alchemy Dao had stunned her time and time again. She believed that if anyone could deal with this poison, it would be him.

Qin Ya sighed. Very few people in the entire Imperial Capital knew that the commander of the Red Flame Army was suffering from a strange poison. This was partly to prevent instability in the ranks and panic among the populace, and partly to prevent those with ulterior motives from using the situation to seize military authority.

Yet Muu Xue had entrusted this secret to him. While her goal was to ask for his help, he was still moved by her show of trust.

"The Commander of the Red Flame Army, a pillar of the Empire, your father... How could I possibly stand by and do nothing? However, I can’t guarantee I can cure this poison. I’ll have to examine it for myself before I can say for sure."

Though Qin Ya’s skill in the Alchemy Dao was profound enough to defy explanation, he had never encountered the poison of a Barbarian Race Wizard. He would have to see it for himself to know if a cure was possible.

Hearing this, a flash of joy lit up Muu Xue’s face. "Excellent. I will come for you tomorrow, and we can go see my father."