Only I am Venerable

Chapter 300: Chapter 298: Returning to Black Tortoise Peak

"Old Ancestor, I’ve come to ask you for some people!" Qin Li’s first words upon appearing before Qinling Mountain left the old man completely baffled.

"Ask for people? Li, in the Qin Family today, even though that young man Qin Suo is the Patriarch, if you want someone, don’t you just have to say the word?" Qinling Mountain eyed Qin Li suspiciously, but he couldn’t detect anything unusual in his great-grandson’s expression.

"Heh," Qin Li chuckled. "I plan to take Qin Xue, my mother Qin Hanyue, and a few girls from the family’s side branches whose talent I find to be exceptional."

After coming to an agreement with Shangguan Shiyu the previous night, Qin Li had decided to use the treasures within the Golden Palace to cultivate a new group of experts. However, now was not the time to reveal the Golden Palace to the world, so he had to be extremely cautious in his selection of candidates.

Qin Li had initially considered Leng Yao, Bu Yunyan, Zhao Qianqian, and the Little Fox. But when he approached Leng Yao, she refused to go into secluded cultivation. She wanted to witness the destruction of the Cui Family with her own eyes, to kill at least one of their number with her own hands. Only then would she truly enter seclusion.

Leng Yao was well aware of recent events. She knew she had to cultivate diligently if she wanted to keep pace with Qin Li. She had already managed to refine both Blast Pills and Essence Pills, but she didn’t dare take them rashly. After all, without a Strengthening Pill to stabilize her meridians, consuming a Blast Pill would result in her body exploding.

But her desire to see the Cui Family fall was simply too strong. This hatred was like a great Heart Demon; if she couldn’t get her revenge, it would remain a critical vulnerability even if she reached the Venerable Realm.

Therefore, Qin Li didn’t press the issue. Besides, through diligent practice and the aid of various elixirs, Leng Yao had already reached the ninth rank of the Celestial Level. Breaking through to the Celestial Shattering Realm was only a matter of time for her.

Besides, Leng Yao felt somewhat awkward about facing Shangguan Shiyu directly. While the world didn’t frown upon a man having multiple wives and concubines, Leng Yao was a proud woman. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of inferiority in Shiyu’s presence.

However, Leng Yao did recommend several young girls from the Qin Family’s neglected side branches. By testing them with elixirs, she had discovered their talent was quite good. While not astonishingly brilliant, with careful nurturing, they could at least reach the Celestial Integration Realm within a century!

The Qin Family wasn’t actually unaware of this. But with their limited financial and material resources, they could only focus on cultivating the children of the main lineage. It was impossible for them to provide for all the side branches and illegitimate children.

Even Qin Li himself would never have been so highly valued by the Qin Family if he hadn’t been a legitimate son of the main line.

Upon hearing this, an idea sparked in Qin Li’s mind, as he had long wanted to build his own faction. He was also worried Shiyu might be lonely. Having these girls accompany her in secluded cultivation seemed like an excellent idea!

As for wanting Qin Hanyue and Qin Xue to go as well, that was purely for personal reasons.

The reason was simple. As his horizons had broadened, Qin Li’s goals now extended far beyond the Cui Family of Profound Island. Although someone with Purple Eyes connected to the Cui Family had appeared, Qin Li wasn’t overly concerned. Besides those with Purple Eyes themselves, he was likely the only person on the entire Profound Island who knew this secret. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, the Purple-eyed People would not be his main focus.

Right now, Qin Li simply wanted the people he cared for to be able to live longer. After all, who among the living truly wants to die?

He didn’t include Qin Wenxuan for two reasons. For one, it was impossible to take so many people to the Golden Palace; the three Flying Spirit Beasts simply couldn’t carry them all. For another, Qin Li himself wasn’t certain that cultivating in the Golden Palace would be any faster than with the Qin Family’s resources.

Once he confirmed that the Golden Palace was secure, he could send people there anytime. But all of this had to be done in absolute secrecy.

This became even more critical after his encounter with one of the Purple-eyed People. No matter how formidable the Golden Palace’s defenses were, if that person sent word to the Land of the Far West, who could guarantee that even more powerful Martial Artists wouldn’t show up?

Qinling Mountain naturally agreed without a moment’s hesitation. He didn’t even ask Qin Li for the details. Such was the wisdom of a man who had lived for several hundred years.

’Clearly, my great-grandson holds many secrets I know nothing about,’ he thought. ’But no matter what, Qin Li’s heart is with the Qin Family, and that’s all that matters!’

’As for everything else, I’ll just let him do as he pleases!’

Once the matter was settled, Qin Li went to find Qin Hanyue and Qin Xue. To his surprise, Qin Hanyue refused to leave. She looked at her son stubbornly and said just one thing: "My feelings for your father are like Shiyu’s for you. I’m about to break through to the Celestial Shattering Realm. A person’s life isn’t measured by its length, but by its meaning! For those thirteen years, we, mother and son, had only each other to rely on. You were my entire world. But now, I have your father too! I won’t leave him!"

Resigned, Qin Li could only nod in agreement. After all, he wanted his mother to reach a higher realm for her own happiness, not to cause her sorrow.

Qin Xue, however, agreed excitedly. As for the families of the three girls from the side branches, when they suddenly heard the news, they were practically stunned by their good fortune.

Who in the entire Qin Family didn’t know of Young Master Qin Li? Who didn’t practically worship Young Master Li as a god? To now receive his personal guidance, they were too excited for words.

Amusingly, although the members of the main lineage didn’t know what Qin Li was planning, upon hearing that three girls had been chosen, they immediately sent over dozens of their own young daughters, all dolled up and extravagantly dressed. It gave Qin Li such a headache that he could only slip away quietly.

That night, the Golden Eagle carried Shangguan Shiyu and Qin Li, while the Spiritual Eagle and the Ink Eagle carried Qin Xue and the three eight- and nine-year-old girls from the side branches. They departed from the Qin Family estate in secret, soaring high into the sky and heading toward Black Tortoise Peak.

The Snake Woman, Xiaoxue, was left to stand guard over the Qin Family.

’Why not call her Xiaohai? Or even Blackie!’ Qin Li grumbled to himself about the name "Black-clothed Snake Woman." ’She’s clearly a giant black python, yet her name is Xiaoxue. I really don’t know what Hu Yanbo was thinking when he named her. It seems even a Primordial Great Power can have a lame side.’

As Qin Li mused, the Spiritual Eagle and Ink Eagle released their Protective Gang Qi to shield Qin Xue and the other three girls. Otherwise, at an altitude of ten thousand meters, they would never have been able to withstand the powerful air currents.

No one in the entire Qin Family knew where they were being taken, but many understood that those three girls had struck gold. Their parents’ status within the Qin Family would soar along with their daughters’.

To cut a long story short, the three Venerable Realm Spirit Beasts flew at incredible speed. The thousand-li journey was completed in just a single night.

And that was while carrying passengers on their backs; otherwise, their speed would have been even greater. Qin Li couldn’t help but marvel, ’Three Flying Spirit Beasts are even more useful than an airplane!’

The shock everyone felt upon seeing the Golden Palace was beyond words. At this moment, Shangguan Shiyu finally believed what Qin Li had told her. She had truly become the mistress of the Golden Palace.

Qin Li led everyone to the rear courtyard of the Golden Palace. He then retrieved some elixirs, weapons, and martial skills from the palace’s treasury, distributing them among Qin Xue and the young girls. After giving Shangguan Shiyu a few instructions, Qin Li prepared to depart with the Golden Eagle and the others.

Less than a month remained until Shen Le’s wedding. Furthermore, with the Cui Family making its move, all of Profound Island was sure to be in turmoil. There were too many matters awaiting him.

He bid a reluctant farewell to Shangguan Shiyu. In any case, after taking the Qiankun Pill, she would have to enter a three-year "death seclusion" to fully absorb its medicinal power.

This meant that for three years, Shangguan Shiyu would be in a state akin to a deep slumber. Even if Qin Li were to visit, the two of them would be unable to communicate.

Qin Xue once again assured Qin Li that she would take good care of Shangguan Shiyu and the younger girls. Only then did Qin Li leave the Golden Palace, his mind at ease. The moment he stepped outside, however, he noticed a strange look on the Golden Eagle’s face. "What’s wrong?" Qin Li asked casually.

The Golden Eagle’s gaze shifted to the distance. "The Three Monkeys are here," it said softly.

Qin Li froze for a moment, his thoughts immediately turning to the three powerful White Apes. ’It would be amazing if they would follow me,’ he thought. ’Especially the Old Ape—he’s actually reached the Celestial Shattering Realm! Now that’s a true expert!’

’Even if the Cui Family had an army of experts, I wouldn’t have to fear them anymore!’

But Qin Li also knew that the three White Apes were incredibly proud. Bai Zhonghuo was the only moderate one. Bai Zhongxue was like a haughty young girl, and Bai Zhongshan was a crafty old codger who looked down on everyone.

As he was thinking, three white shadows shot toward them like lightning. The leader, the Old Ape Bai Zhongshan, looked just as before, though his eyes now held a trace of anger. Upon seeing Qin Li, he said coldly, "Kid, what do you think you’re doing?"

Qin Li was taken aback. He could hear the accusatory tone in Bai Zhongshan’s voice and couldn’t help but frown. "What do you mean, ’what do I mean’?"

"Hmph! What right do you have to bring those humans to the Golden Palace? Is this a place for the likes of them?" Bai Zhongshan remained silent as Bai Zhongxue shot back angrily.

The Golden Eagle, Spiritual Eagle, and Ink Eagle looked awkward and took a few steps back. Their strength had always been inferior to the Three-headed White Ape. Even the Snake Woman was no match for the Old Ape, Bai Zhongshan.

This was the rule among Spirit Beasts: the weak have no say.

Qin Li didn’t get angry, as he understood the Spirit Beasts’ feelings for the Golden Palace. Still, he felt a flicker of annoyance. After all, the Golden Palace was his now!

Their current behavior was exactly like someone barging into another’s home to meddle in their affairs.

As much as Qin Li wanted the help of the three White Apes, if they were going to be this arrogant, he wasn’t about to kiss up to them and be met with a cold shoulder.