Only I am Venerable

Qin Suo’s words made everyone burst into good-natured laughter.

Qin Li shook his head and said, "First of all, the primary issue isn’t how to recover the Qin Family’s losses. The damage is already done; rushing to recoup our losses is pointless. Therefore, I believe the first order of business is to vent our frustrations! A family can lack power, but it cannot lack spirit! You all saw the servant’s emotional outburst today. I’m sure you all felt it was a good way to let off some steam, right?"

Qin Li looked at the nodding crowd and said with a faint smile, "The Qin Family has suffered not only significant losses recently, but also far too much humiliation and injustice. Therefore, figuring out how to release all the pent-up anger in everyone’s hearts is the first thing we must do."

A Qin Family Elder spoke up. "Young Master Li, I understand you want to help the family vent its frustration, but there are too many families and Sects targeting us right now. If they all decide to swarm us at once, it would be difficult to fend them off, even with a peerless expert like Miss Xiaoxue!"

Many people nodded in agreement. Qin Suo also frowned and said, "I understand what Qin Li is getting at. If we had enough power, this wouldn’t just be about venting frustration; it would also be a deterrent! It would make many of the weaker families and Sects realize the danger and back off. That would save us a lot of trouble. But the question is, do we... truly have that kind of power? The Xiao Family, the Wang Family, and the Lin Family—those three alone are enough to give us a massive headache. If we can’t make them abandon their designs on us, even if we manage to restore our businesses temporarily, sooner or later, we’ll be devoured by them. Their combined strength and foundations are simply too formidable!"

At that moment, someone else chimed in, "That’s right. Brute force can certainly deter some people in the short term, but those people don’t just fight openly; their underhanded tactics are impossible to guard against! They only dared to act so brazenly before because they misjudged our power. Once they get a true measure of the Qin Family’s real strength, they’ll inevitably resort to backstabbing and dirty tricks."

Everyone voiced their own opinions, and they all made valid points. It had to be said, a family’s long-term survival is inseparable from such steady, experienced individuals.

However, for a family to be pioneering, to break out of stability and forge a new destiny, it absolutely required someone like Qin Li!

Often, if you don’t take risks, you’ll never get the rewards you want!

That was an absolute certainty!

After everyone had spoken for a while, they noticed that Qin Li had remained silent, not offering his opinion. They gradually fell quiet. If they had to choose, they would much rather follow Qin Li’s lead at this point!

The current situation had pushed the Qin Family to the edge of a cliff. One step forward could lead to paradise, or it could lead to a bottomless abyss. And at a time like this, only someone like Qin Li could lead them forward without fear.

Seeing that all eyes were on him, Qin Li smiled and said, "You’ve all made some good points. However, I still insist that we must vent this frustration first. And when I say ’vent frustration,’ I’m not talking about acting on a whim or out of youthful impulse. Rather, this is the only way for everyone in the Qin Family to improve dramatically in a short amount of time!"

As he spoke, he looked at the confused faces in the crowd and continued slowly, in a low voice, "Combat. That is the best way for a family to grow. And only combat is the true touchstone of an individual’s strength. It is the whetstone that sharpens us."

After Qin Li finished, the hall was utterly silent. Everyone stared at him. Only now did they truly begin to understand this incredibly handsome young man. Not only was his strength extraordinary, but his methods... were also utterly ruthless!

This path would inevitably lead to casualties among the Qin Family members. After all, war isn’t child’s play; people would certainly die! But by the same token, if the Qin Family truly transformed from a peaceful, business-oriented family into a warrior family, one could predict that in just a few years, the spirit and morale of every single member would be massively uplifted!

This was the very essence of a Martial Artist’s soul!

Why were there some families, neither large nor numerous, that few people dared to provoke? It was because they were warlike. Take the Thousand Kills Sect, which Qin Li had annihilated years ago. If they hadn’t run into someone even more vicious than a madman like Qin Li, the Thousand Kills Sect would certainly have continued its brazen existence.

Qin Suo lowered his head. Qin Li’s words made his heart pound, but he couldn’t be the first to jump up and agree. He was the Patriarch of the entire Qin Family! He had to consider the well-being of every single member. Qin Li could be fearless and unrestrained, but he could not!

Just then, an Elder raised his hand and declared in a deep voice, "I agree with Young Master Li’s approach!"

The moment the Elder spoke, the dozen or so people in the room all turned to look at him. This Elder held a very high position of seniority in the Qin Family; he was one of the most highly respected, and it was rare to hear him voice an opinion on anything.

Indeed. Seeing all eyes upon him, the ancient-looking Elder stood up and spoke slowly, "If this had happened ten years ago, I would have absolutely opposed it. Such an action could have plunged the Qin Family into an abyss of no return. But now... I believe that with Young Master Li here, with his loyal followers at his side, the Qin Family will only grow stronger! Furthermore, I suggest we first target the weaker powers on that list. Double compensation? That’s far too little. We demand ten times, at the very least. If they refuse, we annihilate them."

With that, the ancient Elder slowly sat back down, his eyelids drooping as if he were about to fall asleep. But who would dare treat him as some ignorant, dying old fool now? Not only was his mind perfectly clear, but his methods were even more ruthless than Qin Li’s!

Qin Li gave the usually taciturn Elder an appreciative glance, then smiled and nodded. "That was an oversight on my part. Good, ten times it is. Twenty times would be fine too. Have Golden Eagle, Spiritual Eagle, and Ink Eagle each lead a team. They can head out now. You all can handle the specific arrangements."

After this meeting, the Ten Thousand Years Qin Family finally transformed from a low-key, stable family focused on preservation into an aggressive clan, sharp-edged and ready to show its fangs!

One wonders what those families and Sects, whose fates were about to be turned upside down, would think if they knew they had brought this upon themselves.

Qin Suo then asked, "Those members of the Feng Family... what should we do with them?"

This question also weighed heavily on the minds of the Qin Family’s upper echelon. The Qin Family had killed, wounded, and now captured members of the Feng Family—a family whose foundations far surpassed their own. Although they all had their own suspicions about what Qin Li was thinking, none of them could be entirely sure.

Qin Li smiled. "We do nothing."

"Do nothing?" Qin Suo frowned, clearly not understanding what Qin Li meant.

Looking at the equally bewildered faces of the others, Qin Li chuckled. "Right now, I imagine everyone is waiting to see how we’ll handle these Feng Family members. Several of them seem to hold quite a high status."

Everyone nodded in unison.

Qin Li continued, "But why should we do anything with them? Let’s just keep them locked up. We killed the Feng Family’s Grand Elder, who was likely the most powerful figure in their family. I’m sure that once the Feng Family learns of this, they’ll be absolutely furious. Many of them will probably want to rush to Fengsha City immediately to get their revenge."

As he spoke, a cold sneer touched his lips. "The question is, would they dare?"

Qin Suo slowly nodded, his eyes lighting up. "I think I understand. Since the Feng Family won’t dare come for revenge directly, they’ll have to find another way, especially with so many of their important members in our hands. We don’t have to do a thing. We just wait for the Feng Family to come knocking on our door. That way, we’ll have the upper hand! When that time comes, we’ll make them repay our losses... a hundred, even a thousand times over!"

Qin Li shook his head and smiled. "No, I don’t need them to repay anything!" Looking at the baffled crowd, he said, "What I want... is to annihilate the entire Feng Family!"

Everyone was stunned by his declaration. Even the ancient Qin Family Elder who had just spoken couldn’t help but let his mouth fall slightly agape, staring at Qin Li in astonishment.

"Your reason?" Qin Suo asked.

"A loyal, hardworking servant of our Qin Family died because of them. I will have vengeance for him. I will send a message to all the servants of the Qin Family," Qin Li said coolly. "I want them to know that even a mere servant of the Qin Family is not someone... they can afford to offend!"

HISS!

A series of sharp intakes of breath echoed through the meeting hall. One Elder who had been drinking water choked, coughing uncontrollably as his face turned beet red.

"Is... is this wise?" Qin Suo looked at Qin Li, at a complete loss.

Qin Li chuckled darkly. "Wise? Why wouldn’t it be? How many members of the Qin Family were wounded or killed because of this affair? The list has all their names, doesn’t it? Every single family involved—we will leave none of them standing!"

Qin Li’s voice was filled with an iron-blooded resolve, and his grim face radiated killing intent. Only now was Qin Li truly unleashing the fury he had kept hidden in his heart.

’This all began because of me, Qin Li. Then let it end because of me, too!’

While the people from the families and Sects gathered in Fengsha City were desperately deliberating their next move, none of them could have imagined that a bloody storm, one that would soon engulf the entire Profound Island, was already... brewing.

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