Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Kill Him
The handful of Snow Bears were a trivial matter for Qin Ya; he dispatched them in a flash. It wasn’t even a warm-up. Looking at the stunned group, Qin Ya smiled. "We haven’t seen each other in a while, Miss Li, and your cultivation has improved. What brings you to Mingxin Academy?"
The corner of Li Peiyi’s mouth twitched. ’No matter how much my cultivation has improved, it’s not as freakish as yours! How long has it even been? You’ve gone from not even reaching the Profound Origin Realm to becoming a Martial Artist who can casually slaughter Snow Bears. Compared to that, my meager progress is nothing.’
"Likewise." Li Peiyi took a deep breath before speaking again. "I just tested into Mingxin Academy not long ago. What, are you also here for advanced studies, Qin Ya?"
Hearing this, Qin Ya was slightly taken aback. His fame had already spread far and wide within the Academy, so he was surprised that Li Peiyi knew nothing about him. He chuckled. "I imagine you must have focused solely on your cultivation since getting into Mingxin Academy, rarely venturing out."
Li Peiyi’s fine brows furrowed. "How did you know? I only arrived at Mingxin Academy half a month ago. I’ve either been in secluded cultivation or exploring some secret lands. I haven’t even attended a single class."
"I see."
"I’d like to ask something." At that moment, a young man from Li Peiyi’s team raised his hand and spoke to Qin Ya. "Are you Qin Ya?"
"The one and only!"
"Cheng Fei, you know him too?" Li Peiyi asked.
Cheng Fei took a deep breath, nodded, and asked again with a hint of anticipation in his eyes, "Are you Qin Ya... Teacher Qin?"
Nodding, Qin Ya smiled. "Indeed!"
Upon receiving confirmation, Cheng Fei gasped. The others in the team also stared at Qin Ya, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"Sister Li, he’s the one I told you about not long ago—the youngest High-Level Teacher in the Academy’s history, Qin Ya."
Hearing this, Li Peiyi’s pretty face was a mask of astonishment. She turned her head to stare at Qin Ya and asked blankly, "You’re... really a High-Level Teacher?"
’This time, she was truly and utterly floored. She and Qin Ya were both from Anxing City. They had even crossed swords before, and back then, Qin Ya had been forced to flee from her blade. But now, the boy from just a few months ago had transformed into a High-Level Teacher at the Academy.’
’With this status, if he returned to Anxing City, the so-called Three Great Families would be nothing more than trash. With a single word from him, countless experts would be willing to eradicate them on his behalf.’
Seeing this normally strong-willed woman reveal such an adorably dazed expression, Qin Ya felt a bit smug. "Don’t you believe me, Miss Li? I have no reason to lie to you all."
"No, it’s not that." Li Peiyi came to her senses, shaking her head. "I just find it a little unbelievable. If the Qin Family knew they had driven a High-Level Teacher from their clan, I wonder what expressions they would wear."
"The Qin Family? That’s all in the past." When the family he once belonged to was mentioned, Qin Ya’s expression was calm, without the slightest ripple, as if it had nothing to do with him.
"By the way, how did you become a High-Level Teacher?"
"I was just invited by some old man," Qin Ya said.
Li Peiyi didn’t press the matter. Qin Ya said, "Let’s get out of here first. We can find somewhere else to talk properly."
"Wait a moment." Li Peiyi smiled, walked over to one of the dead Snow Bears, and with a flash of Sword Light, carved out a bloody heart and put it in her storage bag. "Alright, let’s go."
Having run into an old acquaintance, on top of having just comprehended the Frost Great Trend, Qin Ya was in a lighthearted mood. He invited Li Peiyi and her group to the Mountain Delicacies Tower. Since the fourth floor was reserved for teachers, Qin Ya led them to the third floor.
Li Peiyi was composed, but the others were a bit on edge. It was their first time in the Mountain Delicacies Tower, let alone its third floor.
"Huh, those look like new students, and commoner Martial Artists at that. How did they get up to the third floor?"
"That girl’s not bad looking. Interesting."
"Shut your mouth! Can’t you see who that is?"
"GASP... It’s Teacher Qin."
The crowd had been pointing and whispering about Li Peiyi’s group, but the moment they saw Qin Ya, they immediately quieted down. The status of a High-Level Teacher in the Academy was considerable, and offending one would bring nothing but trouble.
"Heh, being a High-Level Teacher certainly is convenient." Li Peiyi gave a faint smile. "You’re paying for this, right?"
"Of course."
"Then I won’t hold back."
Li Peiyi quickly ordered a table full of food. "Come, Qin Ya, let me introduce you to the members of my team."
"The one with the cheeky smile is Cheng Fei, next to him is Panlin, the one carrying the greatsaber is Zhang Fengg, and she is Gongsun Jing. Including me, our team has five people in total."
Qin Ya admired how they had stuck by their companions in a perilous situation. He nodded in acknowledgment as Li Peiyi introduced each person. "I don’t think I need much of an introduction; you all already know who I am."
The group smiled. Cheng Fei asked with a grin, "I’ve long heard of your great reputation, Teacher Qin. I was wondering, what subject do you teach?"
"I primarily teach the Alchemy Dao."
Li Peiyi was somewhat surprised. "You know Alchemy?"
"Of course. Why else would the Academy have sought me out?"
The group chatted as they ate. Li Peiyi’s teammates had been secretly observing Qin Ya, and finding him easy-going, they began to open up. But whenever they remembered he was a High-Level Teacher, they couldn’t help but feel a little awkward. It couldn’t be helped; the whole situation was just too outrageous.
’In their minds, High-Level Teachers were supposed to be transcendent, aloof figures, not a young man who was roughly their own age.’
As the conversation flowed, it eventually turned to the hottest topic currently circulating in the Academy: the deathmatch between Wang Yan and Qin Ya.
"I heard that Wang Yan is already a Spiritual Element Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Qin Ya, are you confident you can defeat him?" Li Peiyi couldn’t help but worry. In Anxing City, the Spiritual Element Realm was already the apex of power, to say nothing of the Ninth-Grade Spiritual Element Realm. That was an expert far, far beyond her current level.
The moment this topic was raised, the atmosphere grew so still you could hear a pin drop. All the students on this floor pricked up their ears. This was a major event that had captured the attention of everyone in the Imperial Capital, and they were no exception, burning with curiosity.
"Defeat him?!"
Qin Ya shook his head slightly. Li Peiyi and the other students were taken aback. ’No confidence?! But he’s the one who proposed the deathmatch! How can he not have any confidence in defeating Wang Yan?!’
"Not defeat him," Qin Ya said calmly. "Kill him."
GASP...
Everyone sucked in a breath. They instantly forgot their previous thoughts. ’No confidence? This was confidence to the point of sheer arrogance! A Profound Origin Realm Martial Artist was casually talking about killing a Spiritual Element Ninth Grade master!’
His expression and tone were as casual as if he were talking about crushing an ant. "Whoa, Teacher Qin is unbelievably badass."
"Yeah, I thought he’d be at least a little intimidated. Now I see I was just overthinking things. With that kind of presence, he’s truly worthy of the title High-Level Teacher."
"Tsk, tsk. Now I’m really looking forward to this deathmatch."
