Only I am Venerable

Chapter 299: Chapter 297: I Want to Become Strong

"They’re back! They’re back! The Patriarch, Young Master Li, and the Old Ancestor are back!" A Qin Family disciple on a sturdy horse galloped like the wind through the family gates, his voice filled with excitement as he shouted the news.

Instantly, the entire Qin Family was in an uproar. A look of relief washed over everyone’s faces. Their pillars of support had finally returned, and now, they could truly rest easy.

Inside Qin Li’s room, only Shangguan Shiyu was by his side. In the Qin Family’s reception hall, Qinling Mountain was cautiously attending to Golden Eagle, Spiritual Eagle, Ink Eagle, and the woman in black, Xiaoxue. Qin Hanyue and Qin Wenxuan were also present to keep them company, as all four claimed to be friends of Qin Li.

It was only after returning that Qinling Mountain and the others learned of the Cui Family’s insane actions—their attempt to wipe out the Qin Family in one fell swoop. If not for this burly, fierce-looking man and those two delicate, beautiful women, the Qin Family would likely have been erased from Profound Island.

’But since when did that boy, Qin Li, have four friends in the Venerable Realm?’

What surprised Qinling Mountain even more was that not only did the four know each other, but there was also a faint sense of opposition among them. The burly man and the two women with him seemed extremely wary of the woman in black.

Although Qin Hanyue’s own power wasn’t formidable, her worldliness was second to none. Despite her worry for Qin Li’s safety, she maintained a smile as she entertained their guests.

Both Golden Eagle and the woman in black knew this was Qin Li’s mother, so their attitudes toward Qin Hanyue were reasonably polite.

However, these incredibly powerful Spirit Beasts were not accustomed to dealing with humans. After just a few moments, the woman in black raised a delicate, fair hand to cover a yawn and said, "Madam Qin, I’m a bit tired. Please arrange a place for me to rest."

Across from her, Golden Eagle and the two women, Spiritual Eagle and Ink Eagle, all nodded in agreement.

Qin Hanyue could tell they didn’t enjoy dealing with her and the others. She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, ’How on earth did my precious son get involved with such powerful figures?’

After all these arrangements were made, the family members were anxious to check on Qin Li. Qin Xue was standing at the door to his room. She spoke softly to the arriving Qinling Mountain, Qin Hanyue, and Qin Wenxuan, "He’s still not awake, but Shiyu just told me he’s going to be fine."

Qin Hanyue and the others breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to set their minds at ease. Qinling Mountain said, "Qin Xue, I’m leaving things here in your hands. Report to me immediately if anything happens, understand?"

Qin Xue nodded lightly. "I understand, Old Ancestor."

Qinling Mountain let out a long breath and said, "The Cui Family’s actions have sent a series of shockwaves through Profound Island. Our Qin Family has weathered this attack, and with four Supreme Powerhouses staying here, I believe we won’t be in any great danger for the time being. The most important thing now is to notify our disciples throughout Profound Island to hide their identities and not to return all at once."

Qin Hanyue nodded. She understood the Old Ancestor was right. Although the Qin Family was likely in no danger for now, it was always better to be safe than sorry. After this storm passed, the other family disciples could re-emerge without issue.

Ever since falling unconscious, Qin Li had entered a mysterious state. He felt as if he had arrived in his Sea of Consciousness. His awareness was fully intact, but the outside world seemed sealed off. He couldn’t hear or feel a thing.

At first, Qin Li was a little nervous. The sensation was unprecedented, simply miraculous. Although he felt he was in his Sea of Consciousness, he couldn’t be entirely sure.

His consciousness wandered aimlessly forward through his Sea of Consciousness. Suddenly, Qin Li discovered a massive black boulder ahead!

’What is this?’ Qin Li was astonished. ’To think there’s something else inside my Sea of Consciousness! Could it be something left behind by the previous Qin Li?’

Instinctively, Qin Li looked up, only to be completely stunned.

Before him stood a colossal giant that seemed to touch the heavens! And that black boulder—it wasn’t a boulder at all. It was clearly the giant’s foot!

Qin Li was horrified. ’How could there possibly be a giant inside my Sea of Consciousness?’

He instinctively tried to back away, but then it struck him. ’I’m just a consciousness here in my Sea of Consciousness. I don’t have a physical body. Where can I even retreat to?’

At that moment, an extremely strange thought suddenly occurred to Qin Li: the giant before him was himself!

The thought was like a brand seared into his soul. Though he couldn’t visually describe what a soul or a Sea of Consciousness was, Qin Li felt that the giant *was* him. The feeling was profound and mysterious, but the fluctuations from his Soul Origin told him that this was all real!

The fluctuations in his soul, caused by his shock at seeing the giant, gradually calmed. He then controlled his thoughts, trying to fly up and see what the giant looked like.

However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t ascend. A flash of insight suddenly crossed his mind. ’Could it be that this giant, which seems to touch the heavens, was created because I cultivate the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable technique? And because my current realm is too low and my Spiritual Power is too weak, I’m not even as tall as the giant’s foot?’

The thought seemed a bit absurd even to Qin Li himself. But it was true that within the Sea of Consciousness, the amount of one’s Spiritual Power directly determined one’s control over it.

Qin Li tried for a long time but was still unable to see the giant’s face. It made no movement and exerted no pressure, merely standing silently in his Sea of Consciousness like a deity!

’It seems I’ll have to wait until I have more time to properly study what this giant in my Sea of Consciousness actually is.’

With that thought, Qin Li began to silently circulate the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable technique. He had never expected that under the old beggar’s pressure, he would once again break through the technique’s bottleneck and reach the realm of Unity of Body and Sword.

Sword Intent!

’What a wonderful thing!’

As he thought this, the scene of him facing the old beggar replayed in his mind. He ran the simulation several times, then ten times, but he could only successfully deduce the formation of Sword Intent once.

Qin Li sighed inwardly. ’It seems my realm is still insufficient. This Sword Intent is just like when Duan Yu first learned the Six Meridian Divine Sword; it doesn’t work every time. I’m afraid I can only successfully unleash it in a life-or-death situation.’

And Sword Intent was the true mark of a Martial Artist stepping through the gates of the Martial Dao!

Before forming one’s own Sword Intent, skill and power were what all Martial Artists pursued.

For the first time, Qin Li was dissatisfied with his own progress. For the first time, he felt an urgent need to increase his strength.

That old beggar was just too powerful! Although Qin Li didn’t know his specific realm, he felt the man had to be at least above the Earth Venerable level!

He had no fear when facing a Human Venerable, but against an Earth Venerable or a Celestial Venerable, his strength was clearly lacking.

’There are so many powerful experts in this world. What makes a true expert?’ Qin Li recalled the look on Bing Mengyun’s face all those years ago and couldn’t help but sigh. ’I still have a long way to go. I absolutely cannot be like a frog in a well, arrogant and ignorant!’

’If it weren’t for that snake today, I would have suffered a tremendous loss. I might have even lost my life. Luck is something no one can guarantee will follow them forever like a shadow.’

’Only by grasping enough power myself can I truly roam the Martial World freely.’

As Qin Li was thinking, he suddenly felt a warmth spread through his body. His perception of the outside world, which had been cut off for who knows how long, returned once more.

Qin Li slowly opened his eyes to see Shangguan Shiyu’s lovely face, a face beautiful whether angry or happy. He smiled faintly. "Shiyu, I made you worry."

"As long as you’re all right, that’s all that matters!" Shangguan Shiyu said, leaning down to give Qin Li a light kiss on the forehead. But he reached out, wrapped an arm around her slender neck, and captured her rosy, cherry-like lips with his own...

After a long moment, Shangguan Shiyu, her face flushed red, struggled out of Qin Li’s embrace. Her alluring eyes were like silk threads, her gaze like flowing water. She raised a hand to tidy her slightly messy hair and chided, "You’re terrible!"

Qin Li chuckled, then his expression suddenly turned serious. "Shiyu, do you want to enter seclusion first and raise your strength, or should we talk about it after we get married?"

Shangguan Shiyu gazed at Qin Li, her eyes hazy with emotion. "I want so badly to marry you," she murmured, "to live a peaceful life from now on, just the two of us. Wherever you go, I’ll go..."

Just as Qin Li was about to speak, Shangguan Shiyu gave a radiant smile and said softly, "But I also know the situation on Profound Island is not optimistic, and the Qin Family is at the very center of the storm. So, my love, I’ve made up my mind. I want to possess formidable strength! I don’t want a repeat of today’s scene, where I could only watch as you faced danger, completely helpless. I don’t want to be a woman who holds you back. My love, I want to become strong! But... I can’t bear to be apart from you. I... what should I do?"

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but lean down and rest against Qin Li’s increasingly broad shoulders, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, her own heart completely captivated.

Qin Li sighed softly and said, "Of course I don’t want to be apart from you either. Shiyu, to be honest, I do have some fond feelings for Leng Yao and the others, but fondness isn’t the same as love..."

"My love, don’t say any more. I understand," Shangguan Shiyu murmured. "It’s best to let some things take their natural course. My love, are you going to have me go into seclusion at the Golden Palace? Thirty years is so long. Will you come visit me often?" (To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please log in to www.qidian.com for more Chapters, and to support the author and legitimate reading!)