Only I am Venerable

Only then did Qin Li leave Dragon Seal’s residence, a cold sneer forming in his heart. ’Han Mei, oh Han Mei, you vicious Little Demoness. You see me as an ant, someone you can kill whenever you please. You’re so high and mighty, so inviolable, just like a true Saintess! Well, I’m going to make you understand that the world doesn’t revolve around you! I’m going to show you what it means to suffer a double loss! And I can’t wait to see, on the day the truth comes out, what face you’ll have left to remain the Saintess of the Moon Shaking Immortal Palace while holding that fake map!’

’The Saintess of the Moon Shaking Immortal Palace? Yunyan is far stronger than you! Little Fox is stronger than you! Qianqian is stronger than you, too!’

As Qin Li thought this, his figure vanished into the city like a wisp of smoke.

When he returned to their lodgings, Shangguan Shiyu was still awake, waiting for him, even though it was already the wee hours of the morning.

The two of them lit a lamp. In its light, Qin Li took out the six pieces of the Ancient Map, spread them out, and pieced them together according to the patterns on the back. As expected, the complete Ancient Map had indeed been divided into eight parts. Now, Qin Li was only missing the two pieces for the top-left and bottom-left corners.

Two pieces remained. One was known to be in the hands of that plump, pale-faced youth, but the other had vanished without a trace, with almost no way to find any clues about it.

This was because not everyone would use the map to trade for benefits. If a powerful faction had it in their possession, they would certainly not let a single whisper about it get out.

However, Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu weren’t overly anxious. In fact, they had already become the biggest beneficiaries in this contest for the Divine Temple’s treasures.

With the news of the Ancient Divine Temple spreading, Yellow Sand City had already become one of the largest cities in the Cyan Dragon Kingdom!

Many far-sighted merchants were starting massive construction projects in Yellow Sand City, building large restaurants and inns. Hu was even more daring. He took out the vast fortune he had accumulated over the years and broke ground several miles outside Yellow Sand City, preparing to build an entirely new city!

Of course, this was with Qin Li’s support and instruction. Anyone could see that Yellow Sand City’s future development could even allow it to become the most prosperous city in the entire East!

As the most powerful people in this city, they naturally had to keep all of this under their control.

It was worth mentioning that after the talk about this matter died down, Dragon Seal submitted a request to Han Mei, saying he wanted to leave Yellow Sand City. He claimed that the Dragon Soaring Pavilion had already learned of the incident and would likely come looking for trouble with him.

Although Han Mei wasn’t afraid of any retaliation from the Dragon Soaring Pavilion, she agreed in order to reduce potential trouble. ’In any case,’ Han Mei thought, ’I still have my informant with Dragon Seal, and I already have the map. His life or death isn’t that important anymore.’

But she would never have imagined that her map was a fake!

By the time she thought of taking revenge, that trusted confidant of hers—body and soul—had long since become Dragon Seal’s... Many years later, the ruler of a small coastal kingdom in the East would change their surname to Long.

While the crowds were all flocking to Yellow Sand City, Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu quietly departed. They were preparing to find a Mysterious Land that absolutely no one knew about.

This was because, recently, the rumors in Yellow Sand City about the Ancient Map were a mix of truth and lies. But the most widespread and most believable version was that a disciple of the Profound Island’s Qin Family, Qin Li, held a piece of the Ancient Map in his hands!

For safety’s sake, Qin Li had already decided to move the entire Qin Family off of Profound Island!

Of course, all of this had to be done in extreme secrecy, without leaving any trace. So, on one hand, Qin Li notified Qin Suo, telling him to gather a large number of the family’s elites and be ready to leave Profound Island at a moment’s notice. On the other hand, he began handing over the Qin Family’s businesses on Profound Island to some of the family’s collateral branches.

This way, even after the Qin Family moved off Profound Island, their businesses would not be affected in the short term. As for the fate of those collateral branches, with the Thousand Mechanism Sect and the Wealthy Qian Family looking out for them, he believed no one would dare give them trouble.

After all, the possibility of moving an entire, massive family off Profound Island completely unnoticed was very small. It would be easy to leave traces behind.

And as long as Qin Li was alive and his power base remained, those factions itching for action would have to consider whether they were even enough to be a minor nuisance to him.

The Mysterious Land Qin Li had chosen was also in a clever location: a vast mountain range stretching for thousands of miles, less than a hundred miles from the entrance to Profound Island!

That mountain range was the domain of Spirit Beasts. Even a Venerable Realm Martial Artist would find it impossible to roam freely and do as they pleased there.

The place where Qin Li had encountered Little Fox fighting that enormous bear for the second time was merely a barren plain on the edge of the mountain range. The deeper one went, the more powerful Spirit Beasts one would find!

Spirit Beasts were different from humans. They had extremely long lifespans, so over thousands of years, just how many of them had cultivated to a high realm was a secret known to no one.

Qin Li chose this location precisely because he deduced that this Mysterious Land was likely unclaimed!

After all, the map was ancient. No one knew for sure how many Mysterious Lands had been discovered, but judging from the situation in Yellow Sand City, there probably weren’t many unclaimed ones left.

This mountain range was simply too large and vast. Traveling by flight wasn’t practical. It was feasible for a few dozen miles, but over longer distances, the stamina consumption would be enormous!

Moreover, it was still unknown what kind of powerful Spirit Beasts were hidden in these mountains, so the two of them proceeded with caution. As a result, their travel speed was not fast.

The climate in the mountains was very humid and stuffy. Towering trees blotted out the sky, and the air in the forest was filled with a mixed scent of freshness and decay.

More than ten days later, the two of them finally arrived at the Mysterious Land marked on the Ancient Map.

A great mountain stood before them, easily seven or eight thousand meters high. Looking up from its base, the area around four or five thousand meters was already snow-capped and wreathed in white clouds.

Higher up, the terrain became treacherous and extremely steep. The entrance to this Mysterious Land was at the very peak of this great mountain!

Along the way, they hadn’t encountered any particularly strong Spirit Beasts; most had been scared off by their auras and had fled from a distance. So, upon arriving here, both of them breathed a sigh of relief and let their guard down slightly.

"Let’s rest a bit before we go up!" Qin Li took out a waterskin and took several large gulps. His eyes fixed on the mountain’s peak as he said, "It looks like this Mysterious Land should be uninhabited!"

Shangguan Shiyu nodded. The continuous travel hadn’t been too physically draining, but she felt a bit mentally weary. She said softly, "I know. I hope we didn’t come all this way for nothing. And I hope it’s a beautiful place... preferably, with spring-like weather all year round! And no powerful Spirit Beasts inside!"

At the mention of powerful Spirit Beasts, Qin Li froze for a moment as a thought struck him. For the past few days, he’d had a nagging feeling he’d overlooked something but couldn’t put his finger on it. Hearing Shiyu’s words, he finally realized what he had forgotten... Spirit Beasts!

Seeing Qin Li’s expression stiffen, Shiyu was also taken aback. She then asked, "Don’t tell me... there really is some powerful Spirit Beast, is there?"

Qin Li gave a wry smile. "Let’s hope not!"

As they spoke, they exchanged a glance and saw a flash of surprise in each other’s eyes. In almost the same instant, their bodies vanished from the air, each of them blasting backward a full hundred meters!

A wave of bone-chilling Cold Ice Qi slammed viciously into the spot where they had just been standing.

BOOM!

A deafening crash instantly erupted!

Immediately after, the space twisted violently, and a gray-clothed figure flickered a few times before appearing in front of Shangguan Shiyu. With a wave of its hand, a surge of bone-chilling Cold Ice Qi, accompanied by a torrent of power, blasted toward her.

The moment Shiyu had shot backward, the Blood Jade Sword had already appeared in her hand. With a cold snort, she swept the sword out, sending a streak of blood-red Sword Qi slashing toward the gray-clothed figure.

The gray-clothed figure let out a disdainful sneer and was about to attack Shangguan Shiyu again when it suddenly saw the blood-red Sword Qi take an unpredictable path through the air, instantly arriving before it.

Only then did the gray-clothed figure react with alarm. It flashed away, reappearing in a different spot. Its triangular eyes shot out a sinister, cold light as it stared fixedly at Shangguan Shiyu without a word.

"Who are you?" Qin Li asked, holding his Blood-Drinking Sword, his eyes glinting as he watched the gray-clothed figure. He was shocked. ’This person has clearly reached the Shattered Void Realm! And his moves are mixed with powerful magic attacks. If that Cold Ice Qi hits you, it would instantly freeze your meridians. No matter how strong a Martial Artist is, once their meridians are frozen, they’re as good as half-dead.’

A fierce light flashed in the gray-clothed figure’s eyes. It didn’t answer. After a glance at Qin Li, it suddenly let out a great roar and lunged at him.

A series of violent fluctuations and distortions rippled through the air!

Qin Li gave a cold smile, instantly locking onto the gray-clothed figure with his "Only I am Venerable" Sword Intent.

The gray-clothed figure was startled, not expecting this person who looked weaker to be even stronger than the woman. Its figure flickered repeatedly through the air, but it couldn’t escape the lock of the Sword Intent.

Growing panicked, the vicious glint in its eyes intensified. Its hands formed a strange seal, and suddenly, a massive block of ice more than ten meters square appeared in the sky!

Like a meteor falling from the heavens, it smashed down viciously toward Qin Li!

From the side, Shangguan Shiyu pointed her Blood Jade Sword, and the block of ice shattered with a BOOM. It came CLATTERING down to the ground like a terrifying hailstorm.

A look of terror finally appeared in the gray-clothed figure’s eyes. It shot a venomous, resentful glance at Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu, then its body flickered and it finally retreated.

Shangguan Shiyu and Qin Li looked at each other, and both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Was that a person or a Spirit Beast? Why did it attack us right away without saying a word?" Shangguan Shiyu asked with a frown.

"A Spirit Beast!" Qin Li answered softly, lifting his head to look at the snow-covered peak. ’Could Shiyu have actually been right?’ he thought. ’Has this Mysterious Land been occupied by a powerful Spirit Beast?’