Only I am Venerable

Qin Li smiled and said, "Mother, you’re overthinking things. The Qin Family has treated me well, so why would I just leave? I only want to establish a power that belongs to me. You know as well as I do that on Profound Island, if you don’t have a force that’s completely your own, your hands will be tied in many matters."

Qin Hanyue thought about it and realized he was right. She came from a great family herself, so she was no stranger to legitimate sons establishing their own personal factions. A family’s strength was inextricably linked to such things. But in a mother’s heart, her son would always seem like a child. Qin Hanyue was no different as she looked at Shangguan Shiyu, who sat quietly beside her son.

Qin Hanyue felt a little dazed. ’In the blink of an eye, my son is about to start his own family. Time really does flow like water!’

"Mother?" Qin Li called out when he noticed her dazed expression.

"Oh, right, right. I have no objections. My precious son is so promising; I’m happy for you!" Qin Hanyue said, the rims of her eyes reddening as she offered a faint smile to hide her feelings.

Seeing Qin Hanyue’s expression, Qin Wenxuan was overcome with guilt. ’If I hadn’t been so young and reckless back then, they wouldn’t have suffered so much. By the time I found them and wanted to make amends, Qin Li had already become like a blazing sun, radiating a boundless light as he ascended into the sky with unstoppable force!’

Qin Li gave a small smile, then looked at Shangguan Shiyu and said, "Do you remember that sect I told you I destroyed?"

"Paradise Celestial Palace?" Shangguan Shiyu’s voice was cool and clear, as melodious as pearls dropping onto a jade plate. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Qin Li.

"That’s right. I’m planning to take you all there after the Venerable Tournament is over! The Spiritual Qi there is a bit weaker than on Profound Island, but we have elixirs to make up for it. Right, Leng Yao?"

As he spoke, Qin Li turned to Leng Yao.

Leng Yao nodded without a word.

"Any objections?" Qin Li’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces.

Of course, none of them had any objections, and they all shook their heads.

"Alright then, it’s settled. This doesn’t mean I’m leaving the family. The Qin Family’s affairs will still be my affairs." Qin Li said this specifically for Qin Wenxuan’s benefit. ’Even though I don’t want to acknowledge him, this man is, after all, my biological father—the man my mother, Qin Hanyue, loves most.’

Qin Wenxuan nodded. "Whatever you want to do, I... the family will support you!" He had wanted to say "I will support you," but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. If Qin Li were to ask, "Where were you when my mother and I were suffering humiliation?" Qin Wenxuan knew he would be rendered speechless. So, he changed "I" to "the family."

Qin Li understood his intention and smiled faintly. "Let’s not tell the old master and the others about this for now. In any case, we won’t be acting on it until after the Venerable Tournament."

"By the way, Qin Li," Bu Yunyan began, her eyes fixed on him, "Qin Suo wants me to take charge of one of the Qin Family’s secular nations. I’m afraid..." She trailed off, hesitating.

"Afraid of what? That you won’t be able to manage it well? Heh, I don’t even know which five nations our Qin Family got from the Wang Family yet," Qin Li said with a laugh.

Qin Hanyue shook her head with a wry smile. ’My son can be so dense,’ she thought. ’Anyone else would have asked about something this important right away. But him? So much time has passed, and if Bu Yunyan hadn’t mentioned it, he never would have asked.’

"Those five nations are all to the east of the Great Chu Kingdom: the Yan Kingdom, the White Dragon Kingdom, the Zhao Kingdom, the Tanzang Kingdom, and the Nilo Kingdom," Qin Xue said softly from the side. "Their territories are all roughly the size of the Cyan Dragon Kingdom. The Yan Kingdom borders the Great Chu Kingdom, but the other four are scattered."

Qin Li nodded and looked at Bu Yunyan. "Which nation are they asking you to manage?"

"The Nilo Kingdom," Bu Yunyan said softly. "The country pays tribute to us once every ten years, so the duties aren’t heavy. The issue is that a position like this..."

Qin Li understood. This was likely a favor from Qin Suo, and everyone knew it was a cushy job. ’That Qin Suo fellow is quite bold,’ he thought. He smiled and nodded. "Then you should accept it. If you refuse, Qin Suo won’t be able to rest easy. But don’t let it interfere with your cultivation. Innate talent is one thing, but you must still work hard."

"I understand." Bu Yunyan lowered her head slightly, not wanting anyone to see the blush on her cheeks. ’Truthfully, I want to stay by Qin Li’s side forever. But Shangguan Shiyu’s tranquil air and gentle demeanor... I just can’t bring myself to interfere with their relationship.’

’That’s right. I’m not willing to give up, and I’m sure Leng Yao and Zhao Qianqian aren’t either. But I have to admit it: Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu are a match made in heaven. They’re so perfect together it’s enviable!’

’So, rather than this long-term awkwardness, it’s better to be apart. That might actually create an opportunity!’

Bu Yunyan’s intellect was second to none. She knew that forcing certain matters wouldn’t necessarily yield a good result.

"Alright. I was actually hoping to see the sights in the Nilo Kingdom. I’ve heard it’s a beautiful and prosperous country. I won’t wait for the Venerable Tournament; I’d like to leave now." As Bu Yunyan spoke, she felt a slight pang in her heart, but once the words were out, her heart felt much lighter.

’It turned out that the problem wasn’t being unable to let go, but holding on too tightly. That was the source of all my worries!’

"I’ll go too. I can help Bu," said Zhao Qianqian, the former Little Princess, now a stunning beauty. She blinked her lively eyes and spoke softly, a faint smile on her face.

"What about your cultivation?" Qin Li asked, hesitating.

"Don’t worry! We have plenty of elixirs on us!" Zhao Qianqian said to Qin Li with a grin. "We definitely won’t neglect our cultivation!"

"You don’t need to worry about our safety, either."

Bu Yunyan, ever the more mature one, understood Qin Li’s concerns and addressed them directly. "Qin Suo will send over twenty Martial Artists from Celestial Level families and five or six at the Celestial Shattering Realm to protect us. The Nilo Kingdom has already been informed. Besides, we’re not the only team going out. There are five teams like this in total, all heading to the nations that now belong to the Qin Family to check on things, offer some assistance, and establish our presence. So, you don’t need to worry about our safety."

Just then, the Little Fox, Linghu Feiyue, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up. "I’ll go with you!"

"Hmm?" Qin Li was taken aback for a moment. He suddenly remembered that only humans could participate in the Venerable Tournament; Spirit Beasts couldn’t even get in. Years ago, some powerful Spirit Beasts had tried to join, but they couldn’t even enter the preliminary grounds projected by the Golden Palace.

Linghu Feiyue had evidently already learned this. She must have felt there was no point in staying here and thought that traveling the secular world would be a nice alternative.

"Wow, if Feiyue is coming with us, that’s fantastic!" Although no one besides Qin Li knew the Little Fox’s true strength, they all knew that Linghu Feiyue was an unfathomably powerful expert.

With this, Qin Li felt much more confident about Bu Yunyan and the others going to the secular world. He looked at Linghu Feiyue and smiled. "Then I’ll have to count on you to look after them!"

Suddenly, a voice transmission from Linghu Feiyue entered Qin Li’s ears: "Don’t forget, it was Bu who first said she wanted to save me back then!"

Qin Li broke into a sweat. ’This little thing really holds a grudge,’ he thought. It was true that Bu Yunyan had been the first to suggest saving her. At that thought, Qin Li shot the Little Fox a mischievous look. ’And I’m the one who touched you all over back then.’

Linghu Feiyue shot Qin Li a reproachful glare, a blush involuntarily rising to her cheeks. Fortunately, everyone was busy discussing Bu Yunyan’s trip to the secular world and no one noticed. Still, she secretly glared at him a few more times to vent her indignation.

Leng Yao, of course, had to stay behind to refine elixirs. Besides, an even greater weight burdened her heart. She had been taciturn and withdrawn these past few days, not even feeling the desire to speak. There was only one reason: shortly after arriving on Profound Island, she had found information about her family’s enemies.

The news she uncovered left her utterly despondent. The Cui Family was a superpower. Forget one Qin Family; even ten Qin Families combined would be unable to challenge a behemoth like them.

While there was some friction between the Qin and Cui Families, it would never escalate into a war to the death. Even with all their allies, the Qin Family would be unable to withstand the crushing weight of the Cui Family, which was like a colossal mountain.

That was why Leng Yao had been in such low spirits ever since arriving on Profound Island. Sometimes, she thought about simply letting go of her hatred, forgetting it all, and starting a new life. But every time that thought crossed her mind, the bloodcurdling screams from that day would ring in her ears, and the faces of her beloved family would flash before her eyes.

How could she ever accept it?

After some more discussion, the group dispersed. Shangguan Shiyu leaned in and whispered to Qin Li, "My love, I feel like something is weighing on Leng Yao’s mind. Has she found news of her enemies?"

Qin Li nodded slightly and whispered back, "Leng Yao’s enemies are, in all likelihood, the Cui Family. She must have investigated their background, learned just how terrifying they are, and now feels hopeless."

"Then... you should go console her. From what I can gather, you’re not finished with the Cui Family either. That being the case, you can just help her get revenge when the opportunity arises in the future." Shangguan Shiyu’s voice was calm and even, showing no trace of jealousy.

Qin Li couldn’t resist reaching out to gently caress Shangguan Shiyu’s smooth, jade-like face. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and she whispered, "Someone will see!"