The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

On the mountain peak, Linx Xiaoyun watched Qin Ya in the distance, a hint of admiration on his face. To him, the Martial Arts True Intent in that stream of Sword Qi was insignificant, yet not just anyone could shatter it. Even an ordinary King would have been helpless.

He never expected that a Celestial Human could have actually shattered it.

’It must be because of his Mystery. The power of that Mystery is something I’ve never seen before. For it to be able to cross such a boundary and break a True Intent... it’s simply inconceivable.’

’Judging from its aura, it seemed to be a destructive Mystery of the utmost purity. Among all those I have witnessed, the only one that comes close is the Mystery of Slaughter.’

’But while this boy’s killing intent is immense, this Mystery is not Slaughter. It even gives me the sense that it’s stronger than Slaughter. It’s like... Destruction!’

Linx Xiaoyun was truly one of the world’s top Swordsmen. His perception was far beyond that of an ordinary person; upon his first time witnessing the Mysteries of Destruction, he had already pieced together the truth.

Having shattered the Sword Qi, Qin Ya set foot on the soil of the Thirty-Six Peaks. Linx Xiaoyun gave a faint, detached smile and instantly appeared before him.

"In ten years, you are the first person to shatter my Sword Qi."

"Tell me, what do you want?"

Hearing this, Qin Ya offered a cupped-fist salute and said admiringly, "Law Enforcement Envoy Linx is truly worthy of being an Era-Defining King. A single wisp of your True Intent was incredibly difficult for me to handle."

Then, he added, "I wish to join the Thirty-Six Peaks."

Linx Xiaoyun sounded somewhat surprised. "With your aptitude, you could join any of the peaks and earn the favor of its Law Enforcement Envoy. Your Cultivation Resources would be limitless."

"But here on my Thirty-Six Peaks, there is no one but me, and the Cultivation Resources are pitifully scarce. Are you sure you want to join?"

Hearing this, Qin Ya gave a soft laugh. "I am here to keep a promise. My mind is made up."

"To keep a promise."

When Linx Xiaoyun heard this, a peculiar light flashed in his eyes as he came to a sudden realization.

"Heh. It was those old geezers who sent you, wasn’t it?"

"Indeed."

"Hah, then do as you please. From now on, you are the second person on these Thirty-Six Peaks." Linx Xiaoyun chuckled, then turned and departed.

Not long after, word that Qin Ya had passed the trial of the Thirty-Six Peaks spread throughout Kunyun Palace. It sparked a flurry of discussion, and everyone’s estimation of him grew even higher.

"The Sword Qi that no one could break for a decade was actually shattered."

"Incredible! That kid Qin Ya actually did it."

"A Celestial Human Martial Artist shattering Law Enforcement Envoy Linx’s Sword Qi... It’s shocking! You have to realize, even a King might not have been able to do that."

「Several days later」 Xu Zhenhong sought out Qin Ya.

"I didn’t expect you to actually pass the trial."

Xu Zhenhong looked at the young man before him, his voice filled with admiration. With a flash of dark light, a spear appeared in his hand. It was jet-black and emanated waves of a murderous aura. "As promised," he said, "it’s yours."

He gave the spear a light toss. The throw seemed effortless, but the moment Qin Ya caught it, his hands sank under its weight, as if it were as heavy as a mountain.

It felt cool to the touch. The shaft was as black as ink, without a single impurity. When Qin Ya circulated his True Essence, it flowed even more smoothly. More importantly, the spear had a high affinity for Mysteries and could even amplify their power to a certain degree!

"What a fine spear."

Qin Ya caressed the spear, a flicker of delight in his eyes.

He circulated his True Essence, and his Mysteries of Destruction erupted. Tendrils of black qi enveloped the spear. Its shaft began to tremble violently, emitting a high-pitched metallic hum, as if in excitement, as if cheering. Qin Ya was even more surprised to feel a murderous will radiating from the spear. ’This spear... it’s already developed a Spiritual Sense?’ he thought, slightly stunned.

"It seems the spear has taken a great liking to you."

A hint of surprise showed in Xu Zhenhong’s eyes. "This spear is called Breaking Army. It is a Spiritual Artifact that has already birthed its own will. While it may not compare to the purple longsword at your waist, it is still considered a rare treasure in Kunyun Palace."

Qin Ya wasn’t at all surprised that Xu Zhenhong could detect the presence of Ting Xiao. ’If he lacked even that much ability, he wouldn’t be considered an Era-Defining King.’

"Breaking Army. A good name!"

Qin Ya exclaimed in admiration, then withdrew his Mystery. The spear’s shaft trembled lightly, the sound it made now carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. This caused Xu Zhenhong to marvel to himself. ’This Breaking Army Spear won’t even give me, an Era-Defining King, the time of day, yet it’s so compatible with Qin Ya. It seems fate truly works in mysterious ways.’

"By the way, has he said anything to you lately?"

Qin Ya knew, of course, that Xu Zhenhong was referring to Linx Xiaoyun. He felt quite exasperated about it himself; ever since joining the Thirty-Six Peaks, Linx Xiaoyun had barely spoken to him. He spent most of his time in his thatched hut, acting as if Qin Ya didn’t even exist, and hadn’t offered a single pointer on his Cultivation.

After hearing Qin Ya’s account, Xu Zhenhong wasn’t disappointed. On the contrary, he seemed to have expected it. He nodded and said, "Just getting you to join the Thirty-Six Peaks counts as a success. With your aptitude, reaching the level of a Law Enforcement Envoy within three years will be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible."

After his conversation with Xu Zhenhong, Qin Ya went to a cliff on the Thirty-Six Peaks. A pavilion stood there, and in the clearing beside it, Jing’er was practicing a set of Swordsmanship. She held a longsword that was nearly as large as she was, and though she was drenched in sweat, her sword hand was as steady as ever.

A look of gratification appeared on Qin Ya’s face as he watched.

Two days prior, after much consideration, he had decided to bring Jing’er to live on the Thirty-Six Peaks and properly nurture this promising young talent.

After all, in the Azure Sky Realm, strength was the only thing one could truly rely on.

"Raise your hand higher. Take a step forward with your right foot."

Qin Ya walked over, his voice laced with sternness.

"Not good enough. You’re not fast enough. Although the Gale Sword Technique is a Profound Grade Martial Skill, it demands extreme speed. You’re still far too slow."

Hearing Qin Ya’s rebuke, Jing’er felt a little hurt, but she pushed herself to move faster. Her sword flashed like the wind, and her Body Technique shifted with incredible swiftness!

With this Swordsmanship, Jing’er could be considered quite formidable among those in the Profound Origin Realm.

Seeing this, Qin Ya nodded to himself, deeply satisfied with Jing’er’s aptitude. His expression, however, remained as stern as a drill sergeant’s.

"The speed is there, but your variations are too simple."

He extended his hand, and a branch from a hundred feet away flew into his grasp. He suddenly thrust it toward Jing’er. The movement wasn’t fast; with her strength, she had more than enough time to react. But just as she raised her sword to parry, the branch traced a mysterious arc, bypassing her blade and tapping her squarely on the forehead.

"If this were a life-or-death battle, you’d be dead now."

Jing’er’s feeling of hurt intensified, and her eyes welled up with tears. The sight made Qin Ya’s heart ache. But just as he was about to relent, Jing’er suddenly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and shouted, "Brother, I’ll work harder! I won’t let you down!"

Hearing this, the corners of Qin Ya’s mouth curved into a barely perceptible smile.

"Good. I believe in you."