Now I'm Qualified, Right?

"Li Huangran! Didn't I tell you to secretly look after Yue'er?! Why has it come to this?!"

With an angry roar, the Li Family's Third Master, who wielded great influence outside, could only lower his head submissively, not daring to answer.

"Answer me! Speak! Who was it?! Who the hell did this?!"

The terrifying aura, solid as substance, made even the peak eighth level Spirit Martial Realm Li Family Third Master struggle to breathe.

"Was it the Yu Family?! Or the Wu Family? Who had the nerve to lay a hand on my precious grandson?! I'll skin him alive!"

Like a raging beast's roar, Li Dao Kui radiated an aura that made people tremble. Peak Spirit Martial Tier Nine! Throughout Wuzhou City, Li Dao Kui was one of the foremost experts. Some even claimed that within ten years, he was the person most likely to break through the Spirit Martial Rank, step into the Innate Realm, and become a King Tier expert!

Of course, that was merely speculation. Though peak Spirit Martial Tier Nine was only one step away from the Innate Realm, that single step had trapped countless people at this realm.

"Eldest Uncle, it wasn't the Yu Family or the Wu Family who did it."

"Not them?"

A cold gleam flashed through Li Dao Kui's aged yet clear eyes. "You're saying it wasn't either of those families? Li Huangran! Do you take me for a three-year-old child?! In all of Wuzhou City, other than those two families, who else could have beaten Yue'er into this state? Are you going to tell me it was some lowly mercenaries? And right in front of you?! Hah!"

Bang!

The armrest of the iron-hard sandalwood chair was smashed apart by a single palm from Li Dao Kui, showing just how furious he was.

"It was..."

Just as Li Huangran was about to say who it was, a weak voice filled with boundless hatred rang out.

"Li Ye!"

On the stretcher on the ground, Li Yue slowly woke up. His eyes brimmed with hatred and venom. "It was that little bastard Li Ye, Grandpa! It was him! He's the one who beat your grandson into this state! Grandpa! You must avenge me—cut that little bastard into a thousand pieces!"

"Who did you say?"

Li Dao Kui looked as if he had misheard. Or perhaps he was old now? Going deaf?

"Eldest Uncle, Yue'er was injured by that little beast Li Ye!"

At the mention of Li Ye, an obscure glint flickered through Li Huangran's eyes. His low voice came from between his lips.

"Li Ye? Which Li Ye?"

Li Dao Kui, the Lineage's Chief Elder and a figure of tremendous renown throughout Wuzhou City, did not react at once.

But soon, he said in a deep voice, "That good-for-nothing? That man's son?"

Seeing Li Huangran nod, especially the venom in his grandson's eyes, Li Dao Kui—who held immense authority in the Li Family, second only to the clan head, and had practically seized all power since the clan head's disappearance all those years ago—seemed petrified in that instant.

Three days later, only two days remained until the year-end.

Li Ye discovered that many traditions on the Blood Soul Continent were very similar to those on Earth. This year-end festival, for instance, was like the New Year, a grand annual occasion for families to gather together.

Of course, in Wuzhou City, the liveliest part of the year-end was the annual martial contest between the younger generations of the Three Great Families.

One after another, some Lineage disciples who had gone out to train returned. All of them wished to make a name for themselves in this Year-End Martial Contest and earn the Lineage's attention.

"I knew you wouldn't stay quiet, kid. But if Junior Sister blames me later, you'd better put in a good word for me!"

Li Ye's injuries had completely healed in less than two days. Even Xiao Qing was greatly shocked by that speed, since Li Ye had not taken any healing medicine at all.

Sure enough, the moment his injuries healed, he began preparing to head for the Li Family.

Over the past few days, Xiao Qing had also shamelessly stayed in Li Ye's home. He claimed it was to protect him, but from time to time, he would try to cozy up to Aunt Yun. Unfortunately, the man had feelings while the woman had none. In Aunt Yun's eyes, Xiao Qing was merely a junior.

"If you promise to stop setting your sights on my Aunt Yun, I can consider it."

Li Ye knew Xiao Qing's little schemes like the back of his hand. Hearing that, he immediately made his demand. "Otherwise, I'll tell the little girl that you were the one who talked me into going."

"You bastard, that's ruthless! Damn ruthless!"

Xiao Qing rolled his eyes, then shook his head helplessly. "Looks like you really do have something going on with that beautiful big sister. Otherwise, why do you keep getting in the way of my search for happiness? You always use Junior Sister to pressure me!"

Xiao Qing was a broad-minded man. Li Ye even doubted whether he was truly love-struck with Aunt Yun at first sight, as he claimed. At the very least, Li Ye could not see through him.

But one thing was certain: Li Yating held a very high position in the Heavenly Profound Sect, and Xiao Qing clearly feared this junior sister of his somewhat.

Suddenly, Xiao Qing threw a punch straight at Li Ye.

But Li Ye seemed to have anticipated it long ago. He spun around with lightning-fast reflexes and threw a punch of his own!

Bang!

The two retreated separately. However, Li Ye was forced back more than ten steps, leaving over a dozen footprints in the ground.

"Good heavens, what kind of freak are you, kid? It's only been three days. Not only have your injuries healed, your strength has also risen by leaps and bounds?"

Xiao Qing had likewise retreated three steps. Do not underestimate those three steps! He was an eighth-level Spirit Martial Realm expert. Though he was somewhat weaker than a veteran eighth-level Spirit Martial Realm expert like Li Huangran, anyone below the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm would suffer internal injuries from a single punch of his.

Yet Li Ye had merely retreated a dozen or so steps, enough to astonish anyone.

"How much strength did you use just now?"

"Less than sixty percent!" Xiao Qing grinned.

"I used fifty percent!"

Leaving behind those words, Li Ye stepped straight out of the house. The Lineage's year-end martial contest was waiting for him.

"Damn! Freak! As expected of siblings—they're both freaks!"

Smacking his lips, Xiao Qing chuckled and followed after him without another word.

Spirit Martial Tier Four!

That was Xiao Bailian's greatest gain after three days!

Not only had his injuries from fighting Li Yue healed, he had also broken through in one stroke, advancing from Spirit Martial Tier Three to Spirit Martial Tier Four. Moreover, his realm had been fully consolidated at its peak.

"If I faced Li Yue again now, I definitely wouldn't need to rely on illusion arts to defeat him like I did three days ago!"

Peak Spirit Martial Tier Four was enough to let him easily defeat anyone below the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm! Even against an opponent at the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm, he was confident he could remain undefeated!

That exchange of punches with Xiao Qing had been one way for him to prove it!

Soon, the gates of the Li Family were right before them. As the largest Lineage in all of Wuzhou City, the Li Family's entrance was tremendously imposing, wide enough for three carriages to enter side by side.

At that moment, quite a few young people could be seen filing inside one after another.

The youngest among them were around fourteen or fifteen, while the oldest were no more than twenty.

"These are all members the Li Family has developed over the years."

No one knew exactly how many people there were in the Li Family, but Li Ye knew that fewer than a thousand truly had the qualifications to remain in the Lineage and receive its training! Among the younger generation, only the top hundred in the annual martial contest were qualified to remain in the Lineage, receive the finest training, and cultivate the best Combat Techniques!

Everyone else could only make a living outside and wait for another chance to challenge again the following year!

It had to be said that this system was cruel, devoid of any family affection. Yet in a sense, it was precisely this ruthless elimination that had allowed such a vast Lineage to endure until now, growing stronger with every generation!

"Stop!"

Just as Li Ye was about to enter with the crowd, someone blocked his way.

"Why are you stopping me?"

They were the two guards at the gate. They were not members of the Li Family, but hired servants of a sort. One of them looked over with mocking eyes and said teasingly, "Yo, am I seeing things? Isn't this our noble Third Young Master? What wind blew you here?"

The other man also began to chuckle, immediately drawing the attention of quite a few people.

"Look, isn't that useless good-for-nothing from three years ago? Why is he here?"

"Yeah, it really is him! Does he want to participate in this year's Lineage year-end assessment martial contest too?"

"Don't make me laugh. Him? If he hadn't had a good father, he would've been thrown out more than ten years ago! And now he still has the nerve to come back openly!"

Even some of the branch Lineage disciples knew of the Li Family good-for-nothing's infamous reputation. Li Ye's status was rather special, making it difficult for him to avoid attention.

Li Ye paid no heed to the pointing and whispering around him. He calmly looked at the two guards blocking his way and said, "Move."

"Yo! Did everyone hear that? Third Young Master told us to move! How imposing! This little one is so scared my heart's thumping away!"

"Ha ha ha!"

A burst of laughter immediately arose. Not only the two guards, but even some branch Lineage disciples who had returned to challenge stopped to watch the show.

After laughing for a while, the guard suddenly put on a disdainful expression and spat. "What the hell are you? You really think you're some noble Third Young Master? You're nothing but a good-for-nothing, and you dare shout at us brothers? You've got some nerve! Get lost while you know what's good for you! Otherwise, we'll break both your legs!"

Li Ye took a deep breath. The two before him were merely servants hired by the Li Family, yet they dared treat him like this. Why? Clearly because of his former reputation as a good-for-nothing and his expulsion from the family!

It was also because Li Kainian had been missing for many years! His son had become someone no one cared about!

Who could he blame? Li Kainian, that irresponsible father? His body, which once could not cultivate at all? Or the Lineage's indifference?

"Why aren't you getting lost!?"

Mocking laughter and countless contemptuous stares filled his ears, yet Li Ye's eyes remained calm. Looking at the two guards in front of him, he saw that, as watchdogs of Wuzhou City's foremost Lineage, they possessed Spirit Martial Tier Two cultivation. That was more than enough to deal with ordinary people.

"Others can enter. Why are you stopping me?"

"Why? Ha ha ha!"

The two laughed loudly. Li Ye was referring to those branch Lineage disciples. Anyone could enter as long as they proved their identity. Yet only he had been stopped!

"Looks like our Third Young Master isn't just a good-for-nothing, but an idiot too!"

The other man sneered, his face full of contempt. "You're just a worthless piece of trash who can't cultivate, weaker than even an ordinary person! What qualifications do you have to enter?"

Bang! Bang!

Before his words had even faded, everyone's vision blurred. Then an astonishing sight unfolded before them! The two guards had their upper bodies embedded in the gate, their eyes rolled back as they lay between life and death!

"Now, I can go in, right?" A voice rang out. Li Ye then walked past everyone and stepped into the Li Family!