Only I am Venerable-Chapter 33: Another Kind of Genius
In truth, Qin Hanyue could never have imagined it, nor could Qin Li’s so-called father, that this Qin Li was no longer the Qin Li of before. After cultivating the Innate Purple Qi Technique, he had introduced countless variables to his future. Learning the Basic Techniques did indeed mean he could learn any cultivation technique in the world, but now, it had also fused with the Innate Purple Qi Technique that Qin Li had brought with him. Thus, only heaven knew just how far Qin Li would go.
The most obvious mark of a Martial Artist’s advancement on the Celestial Essence Continent could be explained in four words: Red, Blue, Azure, and Yellow!
Yellow refers to a Martial Artist who has reached the Yellow Level. When they strike with their full power, a faint yellow halo appears around their body. The higher their rank within the level, the deeper the color will be in that instant.
Azure is Profound Level, Blue is Earth Level, and Red is Celestial Level!
This is the simplest way to distinguish a Martial Artist’s level of strength. As for determining the specific rank within each level, that requires an assessment at a specialized location. This isn’t difficult—practically any academy has a facility dedicated to testing strength.
Qin Xue smiled, finishing her explanation to a confused Qin Li. "Watch me, Young Master, and you’ll see," she said.
With that, Qin Xue focused, Concentrating and Calming the Mind. With a sharp cry, she raised her hand and chopped toward a wooden post as thick as a bowl. A faint azure light flashed over her body and vanished in an instant, but the round wooden post was sliced apart as if it were tofu. The cut was perfectly smooth, as if made by a blade!
Qin Li cried out in praise. ’The Qin Family’s combat techniques are truly extraordinary!’ he thought. ’In close quarters, a technique like that would inflict terrifying damage.’ The thought sent a wave of fear through him in retrospect. ’If Qin Feng hadn’t underestimated me that day, if my sneak attack hadn’t succeeded, I really would have been done for!’
As he thought this, Qin Li focused the power in his entire body. He did not use the Only I am Venerable Cultivation Technique, but instead subconsciously fell back on the Eight Trigrams Palm—the technique he used most often for close combat in his past life, taught to him by the old Daoist. Stepping into an eight trigrams stance, he sent a fierce palm strike chopping toward another wooden post!
Qin Hanyue and Qin Xue watched with wide eyes, but were instantly disappointed to see that the light flickering from Qin Li’s body was still a faint yellow... Yet before either of them could sigh, they saw the post effortlessly split in two beneath his palm. The cut surface was even smoother than the one Qin Xue had made!
Moreover, with Qin Xue’s level of skill, she could see very clearly that the wooden post had begun to split even before Qin Li’s palm had made contact!
In other words, Qin Li had undoubtedly used a combat technique. It wasn’t necessary to be at the Profound Level to split a post with one palm strike; a Yellow Level Martial Artist could manage it. The issue was that the power of Qin Li’s strike was clearly no weaker than her own Blade Palm Technique! This was what truly baffled Qin Xue.
"Without cultivating Primordial Power, it’s still not enough in the end!" Qin Hanyue couldn’t help but sigh with disappointment. She had thought her son had truly reached the Profound Level, but it seemed her hopes had been in vain.
"No, Madam, you are mistaken!"
Qin Xue shook her head slightly, her eyes glittering as she looked at Qin Li. "The Young Master... he’s a true genius!"
Qin Hanyue was not well-versed in Martial Arts. Hearing Qin Xue’s words, she couldn’t help but ask, "Why do you say that?"
At that moment, Qin Li also snapped out of his shock. That palm strike just now had been a purely subconscious act.
Splitting wooden posts was something he had done often while training in his past life, and his most-used technique for it was this very Eight Trigrams Palm. The years of habit were ingrained in his very bones, so he had used it just now without thinking. He never expected it would yield such a surprising result!
Qin Li was certain that before he had cultivated the Only I am Venerable Cultivation Technique, the Eight Trigrams Palm could never have produced such power. In his fights with both Qin Feng and Scarface, he had actually been using the Martial Arts from his past life, and nothing like this had ever happened.
And considering the current mutation of his Dantian, he himself was the one most aware of his increase in strength!
After absorbing that wisp of Innate Purple Qi this morning, Qin Li knew with certainty that the Primordial Power in his body had broken through to the fourth stage in a single burst, entering the Profound Level!
Thus, Qin Li confirmed something in his mind: not only was the Only I am Venerable Cultivation Technique tyrannical and powerful, but it could also influence the cultivation speed of his Primordial Power! ’I wonder if it’s just me,’ he thought. ’I’ll have to grab that kid Watermelon later and ask him properly.’
Qin Xue continued, "Madam, you should know that the Qin Family does, in fact, have a Celestial Level expert!"
Qin Hanyue nodded. As a daughter of the Qin Family, of course she knew about this. That Celestial Level expert was of her great-grandfather’s generation. He was in seclusion almost year-round, and very few people had ever seen him. Aside from those of the true, direct Qin Family bloodline, others didn’t even know of his existence.
How could a family with hundreds of years of history not have a single powerful master? The ancestral precepts of all the great families were basically the same: Those above the Earth Level must focus solely on cultivation and are forbidden from serving as Patriarch! They must not readily interfere in the family’s affairs!
Qin Xue continued, "When I was young, that Celestial Level Ancestor gave us a lesson. He said that there are all sorts of geniuses in this world, but the most unique kind is one whose Dantian undergoes a mutation through some rare opportunity. As a result, their method of growth is completely different from others. People can neither sense their aura fluctuating nor see any outward sign of their power. Unless they willingly go to a testing site, no one can ever know what realm their strength has truly reached!"
Qin Hanyue said in surprise, "Are you saying that Li is that kind of person?"
Qin Xue nodded and answered honestly, "I don’t know." Seeing Qin Hanyue on the verge of flying into a rage, Qin Xue quickly added, "Even the Qin Family’s Celestial Level Ancestor had never seen such a person, he only said they could exist. From what I can tell of the Young Master’s strength, he has clearly entered the Profound Level..."
Before Qin Hanyue could say more, Qin Li cut in with a smile. "Mother, don’t make things difficult for Qin Xue. Do you have any connections? We can just find a place to get me tested, and that will settle it, won’t it?"
Qin Hanyue realized he was right. She couldn’t suppress a thrill of excitement. What could possibly make her happier than her own son having a promising future?
"I have a friend at the Yellow Sand Celestial Pride Academy. Let’s go find her!" Qin Hanyue felt as if all her past bitterness had finally turned to sweet reward. For so many years, she had pinned all her hopes on her son. During the days when Qin Li was bedridden, coughing up blood, she had felt as if her sky was falling. If something had happened to him, she truly could not have gone on living.
The morning was still young, so Qin Xue and Qin Hanyue made some breakfast. Just as they finished eating, a small child—one of the kids who always followed Watermelon around—came stumbling toward them. "Xue!" the child cried, running and sobbing. "Quick, go save Watermelon! He’s almost done for!"
