Free Web NovelChapter 228: Chapter 226: Epiphany at Dusk
Without a trace of doubt on his face, Qin Suo nodded firmly. "I believe that day won’t be too far off!"
At that moment, Qin Li asked, "By the way, about this Spiritual Great Replenishing Pill we’re auctioning..."
Every time he mentioned the name, Qin Li had to fight the urge to do a spit-take. In his eyes, this kind of Elixir was utter trash, but to the families and Sects—including the Seven Great Powers—it was practically a sacred treasure. When they said the four words "Spiritual Great Replenishing Pill," they looked as if they were on a holy pilgrimage. How could Qin Li not find that hilarious?
"Its formula... what will the families and Sects bidding on it offer in exchange? Gold and silver?"
Qin Suo pursed his lips in disdain. "I say, brother, even if our family’s Spiritual Great Replenishing Pill doesn’t meet your high standards, could you at least try to be a little more serious about it? Gold and silver? Is that filthy lucre even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as our Holy Pill?"
"Alright, alright!" Qin Li couldn’t stand the term "Holy Pill." ’If this is a Holy Pill, then what does that make the Essence Pill, which is a hundred times more potent? An Immortal Pill? A Divine Pill?’
"Just tell me what they’re going to trade for it."
Qin Suo gave a mysterious smile. "My dear brother, I’m not going to tell you just yet. You’ll find out tomorrow night!"
Qin Li rolled his eyes. Ignoring his brother’s attempt at being mysterious, he turned and walked away. ’I’d rather spend my time building my relationship with Shangguan than waste my breath on you.’
In her room, Shangguan Shiyu had just finished circulating a full Great Cycle and was meditating to regulate her breath. When she heard Qin Li push the door open, she opened her eyes. A flash of joy instantly lit up her cool, beautiful gaze as she said softly, "You’re back!"
Qin Li walked over and gently ruffled her cascading hair. "Next time, you should say, ’My husband is back,’ understand?"
Shangguan Shiyu’s face turned crimson, but she didn’t object, merely giving a soft "Mm."
His ego greatly satisfied, Qin Li smiled and sat down beside her. He gazed at his fiancée, his affection for her growing with every passing moment.
Although they had been inseparable lately, their bond growing deeper with every intimate moment, Shangguan Shiyu still became unbearably shy whenever she was alone with Qin Li.
It was precisely these many faces of Shangguan Shiyu that made Qin Li’s love for her grow ever deeper. In front of others, she could be a dignified noblewoman or a cunning vixen, but in front of him, she was just a sweet, gentle girl next door.
In fact, when he was with her, he almost never thought of any other women.
Shangguan Shiyu blushed under Qin Li’s intense gaze and asked softly, "Am I prettier, or are they?"
"Of course, you’re prettier!" Qin Li answered instinctively. He then realized his mistake. When he collected himself, he saw Shangguan Shiyu watching him with a teasing smile. He couldn’t help but blush, stammering awkwardly, "Shiyu, well... you know, um, I’ve never been with anyone else!"
Seeing her teasing succeed, Shangguan Shiyu couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant. Her luminous eyes darted about playfully as she huffed. "That’s easy for you to say. I heard that when you came to Profound Island, you brought a devastatingly beautiful woman with you. I’ve been hearing plenty of rumors these past two days, right here in the Qin Family home!"
’Those damn traitors!’ In his head, Qin Li cursed the Qin Family disciples who had been tattling to Shangguan Shiyu to curry favor. Outwardly, however, he just chuckled. "Hehe, her... that was just a chance encounter."
"Really?"
Shangguan Shiyu gazed into Qin Li’s eyes, a playful smile on her face.
"Of course, it’s true! Want me to swear an oath?" Qin Li grinned back.
"Forget it. I was just thinking... if you like her, you shouldn’t just abandon her after the fling is over. Husband, that’s not what I would want," Shangguan Shiyu said softly, her gaze lowered.
’Huh? Abandon her? What nonsense is this? I’ve never had a fling in the first place!’ Qin Li protested internally. Out loud, he said, "There’s nothing like that going on. Don’t let your imagination run wild. You can rest assured that in my heart, there will only ever be one wife, and that’s you!"
Shangguan Shiyu hummed softly and leaned into Qin Li’s embrace. "I feel so conflicted," she murmured, as if talking in her sleep. "I don’t want you to fail the women who like you, or the ones you like. But I also don’t want any other women by your side. Besides my grandfather, no one ever cherished me when I was growing up. Only you do. So I’m terrified... terrified that one day, you’ll say you don’t want me anymore..."
Qin Li’s heart suddenly ached, and his eyes stung. He forced a loud laugh, then gently patted Shangguan Shiyu’s back. "You are the person I cherish most in this life. I can’t even dote on you enough, how could I ever leave you? Let’s agree, this is the last time. From now on, no more wild thoughts, do you hear me?"
"Mm, I won’t let my imagination run wild anymore," Shangguan Shiyu said softly. Then she suddenly added, "Husband, when are you going to bring that Linghu Feiyue for me to meet?"
"..."
...
「The following evening.」
Lying on a lounge chair in the courtyard, Qin Li felt the warmth of the setting sun. He watched it sink lower, stretching the shadows of the courtyard walls, the trees, and the house ever longer. A sense of melancholy filled his heart.
"The setting sun is beautiful beyond compare, yet dusk is ever near."
The Purple Crystal Core in Qin Li’s Dantian flickered faintly, appearing a little brighter than before, though Qin Li himself was completely unaware of the change.
The accumulation of a realm and one’s comprehension of the Martial Dao didn’t always come from martial pursuits. More often, enlightenment came from other things, revealing itself when least expected. It was a perfect example of a serendipitous breakthrough.
"I never knew you were so poetic, husband!" Shangguan Shiyu, who had come out to find Qin Li, looked at him in shock. The two lines he had just recited so casually had sparked a strange sense of enlightenment within her own heart. She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
"I can’t take credit for that. It’s a poem by a wise Ancient Great Power!"
Qin Li turned his head, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. No matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn’t bring himself to take credit for it. He grinned. "My darling Shiyu, you look especially beautiful today! Getting ready to marry me, are you?"
Shangguan Shiyu was used to Qin Li’s teasing and paid it no mind. She just furrowed her lovely brows and muttered, "An ancient sage? How come I’ve never heard of him?"
"Heh, my dear Shiyu, there are plenty of things you haven’t heard of! Your husband is an inexhaustible Spirit Stone Ore!" Qin Li boasted shamelessly. "Oh, speaking of Spirit Stones, that reminds me. That technique I taught you, the one that lets you use a Spirit Stone’s Spiritual Power to release a wave of pressure to intimidate people... have you learned it yet?"
"That’s... it’s a little too difficult. I’ve only just managed to memorize the incantation..." Shangguan Shiyu’s face flushed pink as she looked at Qin Li, her beautiful eyes blinking innocently.
"Well, I guess it really does take a special talent!" Qin Li puffed out his chest proudly as he walked past Shangguan Shiyu and into the room to change for the auction.
Behind his back, Shangguan Shiyu made a face and raised a delicate, powdered fist, muttering to herself, ’Actually, I learned it almost immediately. I just didn’t have the heart to crush your ego!’
As if their minds were linked, Qin Li suddenly turned back, catching her making the face. "Don’t you dare say it and crush my spirit!" he laughed, then turned around again, strutting off as proudly as a victorious rooster.
In truth, Qin Li himself had only recently learned this technique. Prince Wu had left behind too many treasures, and Qin Li hadn’t had time to study them in detail before. It was only during his time with Xiaohai in the forbidden lands of Profound Island that Qin Li finally had the time and inclination, outside of his own cultivation, to delve into the life’s work of Prince Wu.
The collection was truly vast and varied, leaving Qin Li feeling almost overwhelmed. He couldn’t help but admire the power of this Ancient Great Power, his master from a bygone era. The word ’genius’ was thrown around too easily these days, but Prince Wu was someone who truly deserved the title.
It was among Prince Wu’s ultimate skills that Qin Li had found this particular move: a Secret Technique to stimulate the vast Spiritual Power within a Spirit Stone, instantly creating a pressure wave equivalent to the Venerable Realm! frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
A single Mid-grade Spirit Stone could only sustain it for less than ten seconds.
After that, all the Spiritual Power within the stone would be completely drained, leaving behind an ordinary Crystal Stone.
It had taken Qin Li a long time to learn this technique. As for its effectiveness, there was no question—it was simply too powerful. The very first time he used it, he had managed to suppress four powerful experts at once: one at the Celestial Embracing Realm and three at the Celestial Integration Realm.
If not for his own limited cultivation realm and his inexperience using it for the first time, even that powerful Cui Family Martial Artist at the Celestial Embracing Realm wouldn’t have been able to move an inch. frёewebnoѵēl.com
How could a mere Celestial Embracing Realm expert possibly resist the pressure of the Venerable Realm?
Shangguan Shiyu, on the other hand, had grasped the essence of the technique in less than five days. Not only that, but Qin Li had spent the last few days teaching her all of his Light Body Techniques, and she had once again demonstrated her exceptional talent. While she wasn’t as proficient as Qin Li yet, she had already memorized them all and was able to use them.
Even Qin Li couldn’t help but be envious of her comprehension skills. They were simply incredible.
But for Qin Li, this brought only joy, not a hint of displeasure. It was a good thing, after all, for his woman’s power to increase.
It was just like how he hoped for the overall strength of the Qin Family to increase as well.
One could be selfish in this world, but when it came to one’s own family, one had to show them extra care.
A moment later, Qin Li emerged from the room dressed in the clothes Qin Hanyue had prepared for him. The suit of sapphire-blue martial arts attire made him look even more heroic and dashing. Waiting outside, Shangguan Shiyu’s eyes lit up, a trace of infatuation in her gaze.
"Xiaohai, let’s go!" Qin Li called out to the sleeping Xiaohai in the corner of the yard. He then took Shangguan Shiyu’s hand, and together they boarded the luxurious, waiting carriage, heading toward the auction house.
