Only I am Venerable-Chapter 54: Feast

"Li, if you don’t want to go, then don’t. Mom knows you’re a man, but a true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm..."

Qin Hanyue patiently straightened Qin Li’s clothes as she spoke gently, "Now that Shiyu is gone, I’ve heard a bit about the Shangguan Family’s attitude toward you. The prize the Qin Family had already secured was snatched right back by them. Everyone in the Qin Family is seething with resentment. They don’t dare do anything to me, but to you... sigh. It’s all my fault."

A warmth spread through Qin Li’s heart. He chuckled and said, "Mom, you’re overthinking it. I know what I’m doing, so don’t worry. If I can avoid a conflict with them, I absolutely won’t go looking for trouble." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"That’s good!"

After Qin Hanyue finished arranging her son’s new clothes, she couldn’t help but feel that he was the most handsome man in the world. A happy smile blossomed on her face. "My precious son is all grown up. Mom is so happy!"

Basking in the warmth of his mother’s love, Qin Li left home. Qin Hanyue had originally wanted Qin Xue to accompany him, but Qin Li had already anticipated the scene he would have to face today. Bringing Qin Xue along would only mean one more person suffering humiliation, so he had refused.

The Shangguan Family was quite adept at keeping up appearances. They had dispatched a luxurious carriage specifically to pick up Qin Li. By the time he arrived at the Shangguan estate, the place was already bustling with activity!

The great figures who were rarely seen on a normal day had almost all appeared. They mingled, exchanging pleasantries with acquaintances, their faces adorned with seemingly sincere smiles. Every single one of them was impeccably dressed.

The carriage, marked with the Shangguan Family’s crest, drew some attention. After all, there weren’t many people in Yellow Sand City whom the Shangguan Family would personally send a carriage for. Besides the patriarchs of the other two great families, there was only the Lord City Lord. However, those important figures always traveled with a large retinue of attendants and guards, so many people eyed the two-horse carriage with curiosity.

As Qin Li stepped down from the carriage, he immediately felt numerous gazes land on him. A faint smile touched his lips, and he appeared utterly composed, walking inside with the Shangguan Family’s men without a change in his expression.

"Hey, who was that handsome young fellow just now? How did he get to come in a Shangguan Family carriage? Seems like he’s from a pretty impressive background!"

"Yeah, judging by his aura, he looks like the young master of some important family!"

"He certainly is handsome. Very charming!" a middle-aged woman, heavily made-up and dripping with jewels, said as she stared intently at Qin Li’s back.

"Impressive background? That’s the Qin Family’s illegitimate son. The Shangguan Family’s... son-in-law!" someone who recognized Qin Li immediately said with a sneer.

"Huh?"

The few people who had just been discussing him were all stunned. The heavily made-up middle-aged woman gave an exaggerated pout. "Oh, so he’s *that* Qin Family scandal!"

A few people looked at the middle-aged noblewoman with a cold smile, thinking to themselves, ’With a face like yours, you wouldn’t be worthy of him even if he is an illegitimate son!’

Facing the strange and curious gazes of others, Qin Li remained perfectly composed. The one guiding him inside was, unexpectedly, Shangguan Tie’s personal guard—the Black Armored Knight!

"Young Master Qin, some of the people in our household may not have the best attitude today. For the Patriarch’s sake, please don’t hold it against them. Regardless, the Patriarch holds you in very high regard, Young Master Qin! This hasn’t changed, even with the young miss gone."

Qin Li glanced at the normally reticent and taciturn Black Armored Knight with some surprise. He realized this man actually possessed an Exquisite Heart. ’Then again,’ he thought, ’how could someone who became Shangguan Tie’s trusted confidant be a mediocre person?’

Nodding, Qin Li smiled and said, "Rest assured, I understand."

The Black Armored Knight glanced left and right before saying in a low voice, "The Qin Family is here, so they won’t dare do anything to you! Young Master Qin, my name is Shangguan Hongfei. I am a Profound Level Seventh-Order Martial Artist. If you run into any trouble, please feel free to find me. If I can help, I will not stand idly by!"

Qin Li saw the sincerity on Shangguan Hongfei’s face; it didn’t seem feigned. He smiled and said, "Then I thank you!"

Shangguan Hongfei nodded, led Qin Li into the banquet hall, and then withdrew.

Qin Li had seen this banquet hall once before when he lived with the Shangguan Family, but he had never stepped inside. Coming here again now, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. ’This is what a truly great family looks like!’

The banquet hall before him was over fifty meters wide and a full three hundred meters long! The high ceiling was resplendent in gold and green, the epitome of luxury. Standing within it felt like being in a dream.

No wonder some of the mid-tier nobles who received an invitation from the Shangguan Family each year would be too excited to sleep for days. That was no exaggeration! Simply being able to come here was, in itself, a symbol of status!

The hall was adorned with all sorts of beautiful potted plants, and the tables and chairs were all handcrafted from precious wood. Qin Li had never seen an imperial palace in this world, but in his previous life, he had been to the Forbidden City. The scene before him was in no way inferior to the Forbidden City he remembered!

In such a massive banquet hall, Qin Li was like a drop in the great sea. Outside, a few people might have paid him some attention, but in here, nobody cared who he was.

Everywhere, young men and women gathered in twos and threes, dressed in magnificent attire. The men were gallant and the women demure as they chatted and laughed. The older members of the upper class discussed various business matters in low voices. Countless deals were struck here every year.

Qin Li found a random corner and sat down. He couldn’t say he liked this kind of occasion, but he didn’t particularly dislike it either. ’In any case, these people have nothing to do with me,’ he thought. ’When the banquet is over, I’ll just leave.’

Qin Li picked up a few pastries and placed them in front of him for show. He sat there, slightly closing his eyes to regulate his breathing. The Innate Purple Qi within his body was constantly circulating, though his cultivation was much slower than usual.

Just then, a hearty voice rang out, "You must be Qin Li, right?"

Qin Li opened his eyes and saw a tall, magnificently dressed young man standing before him. He looked familiar, and Qin Li suddenly remembered: this was the young man from that day at the Fangzheng Martial Arts Hall. He later learned that the martial arts hall was run by the Fang Family, which meant this young man must also be from the Fang Family.

"Let’s get acquainted. My name is Fang Haonan. I’m sorry about what happened that day. My grandfather grounded me for several months afterward, and I wanted to find you to explain, but I never got the chance. I hope you won’t hold it against me, Qin!" Fang Haonan apologized to Qin Li with a sincere expression.

Qin Li was slightly taken aback, but then he extended a hand and said with a smile, "That incident? I’d already forgotten about it. Besides, you did nothing wrong, Fang. In fact, you saved me at a critical moment. If anything, I should be the one thanking you. Why would I hold it against you?"

Fang Haonan’s face was full of gentle smiles. "I’ve long known that you are destined for great things, Qin. Seeing you today, I see it’s true. I would like to befriend you. What do you think, Qin?"

Qin Li gave a wry smile and said, "You flatter me, Fang. If we were to become friends, it would be I who is reaching above my station. I can barely protect myself right now. Aren’t you afraid of incurring the wrath of the Qin Family, Fang?"

Fang Haonan just smiled, unconcerned. "The three great families of Yellow Sand City have been vying for power, both openly and in secret, for many years, for many generations. Hasn’t it always been this way? They can have their fights, and we can have our friendships. As for incurring someone’s wrath... heh, I don’t care!"

Qin Li raised an eyebrow. He found this Fang Haonan to be quite an interesting person. Just as he was about to speak, a cold female voice suddenly cut in.

"Qin Li? You actually have the nerve to show your face here? Utterly shameless! Did you think you’d become a nobleman just by latching onto a powerful family?"

Hearing this voice, Fang Haonan first frowned, then a helpless expression appeared on his face. He shot Qin Li a look, signaling him not to stoop to her level.

Qin Li just smiled faintly, picked up his teacup, and took a gentle sip. The way he held the cup and drank the tea made a peculiar glint flash in Fang Haonan’s eyes. ’One couldn’t manage that posture without specialized training in noble etiquette,’ he thought. ’But didn’t Qin Li grow up without any formal schooling? Interesting, very interesting!’

"Fang, the Shangguan Family truly lives up to its name as the number one family in Yellow Sand City! Look, not only are the tea leaves excellent, but the water is even better!"

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Editor’s Note: The author recommends a modern-day superpower novel, "Immortals are all in the pocket" [Book ID: 1656433]. Synopsis: Wang Ke’s attempt to watch a ’special’ video fails. Instead, he sees someone in the video appoint him as the traversal administrator for the fourth universal quadrant, a position said to specialize in selling deific thrones...