The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"Heh heh, Teacher Qin. Don’t you know how many people in here want your head? And you still dare to show up so brazenly." Inside the tavern, a large man stood up, a vicious grin spreading across his face.

Qin Ya let out a wild, arrogant laugh. "You pieces of trash want to take my life? Take a look! This is the fate that awaits you." With that, Qin Ya tossed a cloth bag from his hand.

Three bloody heads rolled out of the bag. They belonged to the very three who had gone to assassinate Qin Ya: Brother Fei, Bao Xiong, and Poison Young Master. At the sight, everyone’s pupils shrank, their gazes locking on Qin Ya, now filled with dread.

"That’s Bao Xiong and the others."

"My god, those three were Earth Element Martial Artists, each with their own unique methods. To think Qin Ya actually killed them."

"It seems the rumors were wrong. Weren’t people saying he was only a Martial Artist at the Spiritual Element Realm? How could he possibly kill three Earth Element Martial Artists?"

"Even among all the Black Market Killers, those three were considered experts. I never thought they’d be killed just like that, and their heads brought to the tavern as a warning."

Everyone in the tavern was furious at Qin Ya’s blatant provocation. However, most of them were weaker than any of the three dead men. Facing someone who could kill all three of them at once, they naturally didn’t dare to act rashly.

"Qin Ya, what’s the meaning of this? Are you making a statement?" the large man roared, a ferocious aura erupting from his body, making him seem like an enraged beast.

This large man’s Cultivation was on par with Bao Xiong and his men, also at the Earth Element Realm. Though terrified of Qin Ya’s methods, he was in the Crimson Wine Tavern, a gathering place for assassins. He believed Qin Ya wouldn’t dare make a move lightly; otherwise, no matter how strong he was, he wouldn’t make it out alive.

Qin Ya suddenly smiled, and with a wave of a sleeve, transformed in an instant into a breathtakingly beautiful woman. The large man and the others turned pale with shock. "It’s you... Thousand Faces... Hua Wuchang."

Hua Wuchang smiled bewitchingly. "Precisely!"

The crowd in the tavern was dumbfounded. Someone stood up and demanded, "Hua Wuchang, you’re a Black Market Killer, same as us. Why did you kill Bao Xiong and his men? Just because you turned down the contract, does that mean we aren’t allowed to take it?"

His tone was harsh, and his accusation immediately resonated with the others.

"Yeah, that’s right! What’s your game, Hua Wuchang?"

"What reason could you have for doing this?"

"Do you think the Black Market is empty? The rules of the Blood List are not for you to break! Atone for this with your life!"

"Hmph, foolish woman. Do you really think you’re the number one killer in the Black Market, Hua Wuchang? Now that you’ve incurred the wrath of the masses, you won’t be able to escape."

Facing the crowd’s angry accusations, Hua Wuchang casually smoothed her hair, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. Her figure then flickered like a wisp of smoke, and in the blink of an eye, she drifted next to the man who had spoken first.

"Careful what you say, little man. It can lead to disaster, you know?"

The young man’s eyes bulged with terror, but he still tried to bluster, "Hua Wuchang, this is the Crimson Wine Tavern! Don’t you dare try anything funny, or else..."

He didn’t get to finish. A dagger suddenly appeared in Hua Wuchang’s hand. There was a flash of cold steel and a spray of blood. The young man clutched at his neck, making gurgling sounds as blood poured ceaselessly from between his fingers. A moment later, he collapsed to the floor, dead.

The bloody scene stunned everyone present into silence.

Hua Wuchang produced a piece of cloth from somewhere, wiped her blood-stained dagger clean, and offered a faint smile. "When did I ever say I killed those three? Use those limited intellects of yours and think for a moment. What reason would I have to kill them?"

"If you didn’t kill them, who did?" the large man asked.

Hua Wuchang laughed. "Qin Ya..."

Then, Hua Wuchang launched into an embellished tale of what happened at the Restaurant. With a mournful expression, she said, "It’s such a pity. They were fellow Black Market Killers, but I was powerless to save them."

"What’s more, Qin Ya openly challenged all of us. I wanted to fight him to the death then and there, but I decided it was more important to preserve my life so I could come back and warn all of you. To tell you about that bastard Qin Ya’s actions so you could all be on your guard." Hua Wuchang’s eyes were red-rimmed, her sorrow mixed with a hint of resentment. It was a performance convincing enough to fool any ordinary person.

But these were all assassins who lived in the shadows. They knew Hua Wuchang was putting on an act. Still, they couldn’t help but marvel at her exquisite performance. Paired with her masterful Disguise Skill, she was practically impossible to guard against. Imagine it: the person you trust most, chatting and laughing with you one moment, suddenly stabs you the next. Who could possibly defend against that?

"Is what you said true?" the large man asked in a low voice.

"Naturally," Hua Wuchang replied. "It happened in a Restaurant. Plenty of people saw Qin Ya fighting them. You can confirm it with a simple investigation."

Finally, Hua Wuchang added, "Alas, that Qin Ya is truly a ruthless man. He slaughters people as if they were dogs. When you all go to assassinate him, you must be extremely careful. Don’t fall prey to his vicious attacks. Remember that, you must remember."

Uhh...

The people in the tavern thought her words sounded a bit strange.

’We’re assassins going to kill someone, and we’re supposed to complain that our target is ruthless and be careful not to get killed by him? Aren’t the roles reversed here?!’

’Besides, who’s more ruthless than you? Can’t you see the blood still draining from the corpse on the floor?’

What are you staring at with those wide-open eyes?

Someone kicked the corpse’s head in disgust.

"Qin Ya... Interesting."

"He must have some real skill to kill Bao Xiong and his men. But if he thinks this means there’s no one left in the Black Market Killer World, he’s dead wrong."

"That’s right. I’m going to show him what happens when you piss off the Black Market Killers. I can’t wait to see the pathetic look on his face when he’s begging for his life."

In the Crimson Wine Tavern, all the assassins with any real skill were raring to go. But they weren’t fools. They knew that killing Qin Ya would require extreme caution. Otherwise, instead of getting their target, they’d be the ones to end up dead.

...........

「Meanwhile, in the Muu Mansion.」

Muui Yunlie held a Wolf Hair Brush, his hand moving swiftly. The four words "Loyal to the Crown" leapt onto the paper. Seeing this, Muu Yao, who was standing to the side, remarked, "You are loyal to the crown, Father, but those people at court spend their days plotting how to bring you down. It’s despicable."

"Father is the Commander-in-Chief of the 300,000-strong Red Flame Army. As long as Your Majesty does not consent, who could possibly bring you down?" Muu Xue said with a faint smile. "Besides, you and Your Majesty share a life-and-death bond. He would never allow it. No matter how much those people run their mouths, it will be useless."

Muui Yunlie gazed at the four words on the paper. "Before, they had no pretext, so they couldn’t touch me. But I fear this time is different. I’ve been struck by a strange poison; I could die at any time.

The Empire cannot entrust the 300,000-strong Red Flame Army to a man whose life hangs in the balance. If Your Majesty insists on keeping me in this post, it will give my enemies an opening. If those with ulterior motives were to exploit this...

...they would claim he is endangering the people of the Empire for his own selfish reasons, that he lacks virtue. How could Your Majesty endure that? How could he face the people of the Empire? As his subject, how could I put Your Majesty in such an unrighteous position?"

Upon hearing this, both Muu Yao and Muu Xue fell silent.