21: Xue Miaoyun

[You recall the first time you met Academy Head Xiao, when he sent you flying with a casual strike—]

[The memory of that terrifying strength still makes your skin crawl.]

["Is Academy Head Xiao a Great Grandmaster?" you ask curiously.]

[Ye Wuhen holds up two fingers: "Two bottles of true qi pellets for this information."]

["Deal!"]

["The Great Grandmasters of the Yan Dynasty can be counted on one hand," Ye Wuhen lowers his voice, "but Academy Head Xiao is the strongest Great Grandmaster of them all!"]

["The Third Prince was able to take the throne only because he had his silent approval."]

["It's said... it was exchanged for a heaven-plundering pill."]

["A heaven-plundering pill?" Your eyes light up.]

["Exactly!" Ye Wuhen says mysteriously, "It is a Medicinal Pill for breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm."]

["Then why not just refine a few more?"]

["Kid, do you have any idea what is required to refine one?" Ye Wuhen looks at you meaningfully.]

[You shake your head.]

[Seeing you shake your head, he continues: "It requires spiritual vein essence, and only one drop is produced every hundred years. Furthermore, this essence..."]

[Your hands are shaking with excitement—isn't this practically prepared for you?]

[As long as you intercept Emperor Xiao Rui's heaven-plundering pill in the third year...]

["What are you thinking about?" Ye Wuhen interrupts your fantasy, "You aren't actually plotting something against the heaven-plundering pill, are you?"]

["What's the difference between a person without dreams and a salted fish?" You grin.]

["Hand them over, three bottles of true qi pellets!" Ye Wuhen reaches out his hand.]

[You grin and casually toss over three jade bottles.]

["For the sake of these three bottles of true qi pellets, I'll tell you another secret—I heard that experts of the Heavenly Human Realm don't dare to strike easily, otherwise they will..."]

[Ye Wuhen happily opens the bottle caps, but his Face instantly falls—]

["Old Qin, aren't you being a bit too dishonest? You gave me three empty bottles?"]

[He shoves the empty bottles in front of you. You take a mock look and say with a straight Face: "That's right, it's three bottles!"]

["Get out! Don't come to my place to mooch tea ever again!" Ye Wuhen is so angry his mustache is twitching.]

["Oh, you're already at such an age and still have such a temper? No wonder your Realm has been stuck for so long!" You intentionally provoke him.]

[Of course you can't give the true qi pellets to him—these things are too important to you.]

[With your terrible Aptitude, Cultivating without medicine would be slower than a snail.]

[Being able to reach Grandmaster is practically a miracle from your ancestors' graves.]

[You must kowtow to the System!]

"System, praising yourself again, are you?" Qin Chen's Face is dark.

He had long since grown accustomed to the System's behavior.

But at the thought of the heaven-plundering pill, he grew excited again:

"I must get my hands on it in three years!"

"Maybe I really can Breakthrough to the legendary Heavenly Human Realm!"

Although no one had ever seen the Heavenly Human Realm, ancient texts recorded:

One could live for five hundred years!

One could abstain from food!

One could even fly through the air!

At this thought, Qin Chen trembled with excitement.

[Year 21,]

[Another major event occurred in the Imperial Capital—the Marquis Estate teamed up with the Jin Family and wiped out the Martial Alliance overnight!]

[One of the Three Tyrants of Nanjiang took the opportunity to rise and became the new Alliance Leader. You are shocked: Isn't this Jin Lili's father?]

[From then on, the landscape of the Imperial Capital was completely reshuffled, and the new Three Great Factions emerged: the Song Family, the Jin Family, and the Wu Family.]

[The Song Family—Song Zhanpeng became the Grand Secretary.]

[The Jin Family—not only did they take over the Martial Alliance, but Jin Lili also became the Empress.]

[The Wu Family—backed by the Marquis Estate, they hold heavy military power and have the most Grandmasters under them.]

[You look at the sky and sigh: The Emperor has changed, but the heavens remain the same.]

[You originally wanted to settle scores with Chief Inspector, One of the Three Tyrants of Nanjiang, and Long Yucheng, but now you can only keep it bottled up.]

[Year 22,]

[Emperor Xiao Rui promulgated a series of new policies, and the Yan Dynasty gradually stabilized.]

[You have studied his strategies for governing the country, and it must be said that this fellow is better at it than Xiao Yu.]

[However, you can see through his flaw—he is overly fond of war and military force; sooner or later, something will go wrong.]

[Year 25,]

[You finally Breakthrough to the Middle Stage of the Grandmaster Realm.]

[During these years, besides Cultivating, you spent your time mooching tea and information from Ye Wuhen at the Vermilion Bird Tower.]

[This Ye Wuhen might also be lonely, so he tells you everything, though he only tells half each time to keep you in suspense.]

[In order to buy "true qi pellets" for Cultivation, you often take on low-level tasks, and you are mocked by him every time—]

["A dignified Grandmaster taking on this kind of work? How embarrassing!"]

[You reply with one word—"Steady!"]

[At the same time, you also begin to worry about the "realm breaking pill."]

[The "realm breaking pill" is an essential Medicinal Pill for a Grandmaster to Breakthrough to Great Grandmaster. These things are all controlled by the imperial power and the Great Grandmasters.]

[Year 35,]

[The past ten years have been the most peaceful time in the Imperial Capital, and you have been burying your head in Cultivation.]

[Unfortunately, your Aptitude is too poor; you haven't managed to Breakthrough to the Late Stage of the Grandmaster Realm even after ten years.]

[However, you believe that diligence can make up for a lack of talent!]

[Under Emperor Xiao Rui's governance, the Yan Dynasty is growing more and more prosperous.]

[Although you feel it could be even better, for him, it's already quite good.]

[Perhaps because the national strength has increased, Emperor Xiao Rui has begun to take action against neighboring countries.]

[On this day, Song Zhanpeng suddenly comes to your door.]

[The current Grand Secretary Song is no longer the man he once was; not only does he hold high office and great power, but his strength has also reached Grandmaster Perfection.]

[You brew tea for him in the pavilion: "What brings the Lord Grand Secretary here to see me?"]

["Still holding a grudge over what happened back then?" Grand Secretary Song laughs.]

["Forgot it long ago." You wave your hand.]

["His Majesty wants to invite you to serve in the Zhenxi Army." Song Zhanpeng gets straight to the point.]

[You sip your tea slowly, calculating in your mind—this might be a good opportunity to obtain a "realm breaking pill."]

["realm breaking pill." You don't beat around the bush either.]

["Deal!" Song Zhanpeng agrees readily.]

[You are stunned—isn't this a bit too straightforward?]

[A "realm breaking pill" is a Medicinal Pill for breaking through to Great Grandmaster. Once a Great Grandmaster appears in the Dynasty, it would pose a threat to the imperial power.]

[You feel that something is not quite right.]

[Song Zhanpeng laughs: "His Majesty already expected it. The condition is that you must remain loyal until death and help him expand his territory."]

[You think about it and realize there is no other way. As for whether Emperor Xiao Rui will go back on his word... you'll worry about that when you reach Grandmaster Perfection!]

[Year 36,]

[You return to the Zhenxi Army and are directly appointed as a General.]

[The current Zhenxi Army has six Grandmaster Generals, three of whom came from the Martial Arts Academy, though you don't know any of them.]

[It seems the Zhenxi Army has lost many experts over the years.]

[To your surprise, the current commander is actually that playboy from back then, Young Lord Wu!]

[In the central command tent, Young Lord Wu sits at the head, while you eight Generals are lined up on either side.]

[He deploys a nine-pronged offensive plan—he will lead one path himself, while you eight will each lead another, heading straight for the Imperial Capital of the Jin Dynasty.]

[Year 37,]

[You lead your army to capture three cities in succession, but you are held up at White Emperor City for three whole months.]

[This White Emperor City is the old capital of the Jin Dynasty, and the City Lord, Xue Miaoyun, is an expert at the Late Stage of the Grandmaster Realm.]

[You have exchanged blows three times, and each time it was difficult to tell who was superior.]

[Her "Thirteen Life-Taking Spears" and "Wandering Dragon Steps" are truly difficult to deal with!]

[You can't help but complain: "This woman is really fierce!"]

[Xue Miaoyun is also having a headache—she originally wanted to settle things quickly and go support other cities, but she ended up being dragged down here by you.]

[Ultimately, she decides to negotiate with you.]

[On the mountainside, you sit opposite each other.]

[The once valiant and heroic female General has changed into a set of silver-white light armor today, making her appear even more sharp and keen.]

[You are fifty-five years old, but she looks like she is only in her early forties.]

["If this were in reality, wouldn't this Xue Miaoyun be a Genius girl?" you mutter to yourself.]

[She is even more shocked than you—she, a dignified Late Stage Grandmaster, actually couldn't take down a Middle Stage Grandmaster like you!]

[However, you are very aware that you can only rely on your army to hold her back. If you were to fight to the death, the one who died in the end would definitely be you.]

["General Qin, how about you withdraw your troops?" she says straightforwardly.]

["General Xue, those words are a bit of a mood killer..." You frown.]

[She flips her palm, revealing a crimson Medicinal Pill: "A realm breaking pill, is this enough sincerity?"]

[Your heart skips a beat—this is exactly the realm breaking pill you have been dreaming of!]

[You hesitate—trust her, or trust Emperor Xiao Rui?]