Now I'm Qualified, Right?

"Li Huangran! Didn't I tell you to secretly look after Yue'er? How did things end up like this?!"

With an angry roar, the Li Family's Third Master, who could summon wind and rain outside, stood with his head lowered, meek and submissive, not daring to answer.

"Answer this old man! Speak! Who was it? Who exactly dared lay a hand on her?!"

The terrifying aura, almost tangible, made the Third Master of the Li Family, a peak eighth-level Spirit Martial Rank expert, unable to breathe.

"Was it the Yu Family?! Or the Wu Family? Who had the nerve to touch this old man's precious grandson?! I'll skin him alive!"

Like a roaring beast, 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 rumored that within ten years, he was the most likely person to break through the Spirit Martial Rank, step into the Innate Realm, and become a King Tier expert!

Of course, that was only speculation. Although peak ninth-level Spirit Martial Rank was only one step away from the Innate Realm, that single step had trapped countless people at this stage.

"Elder Uncle, it wasn't anyone from the Yu Family or the Wu Family."

"Not them?"

A cold glint suddenly flashed through Li Dao Kui's aged yet clear eyes. "You say it wasn't those two families? Li Huangran! Do you take this old man for a three-year-old child?! In all of Wuzhou City, other than people from those two families, who else could have beaten Yue'er into this state? Are you going to tell this old man that 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 sounded out.

"Li Ye!"

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

"Who did you say?"

Li Dao Kui looked as if he had misheard—or perhaps he had grown old and gone deaf?

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

At the mention of Li Ye, an imperceptible and indescribable gleam flashed through Li Huangran's eyes as his low voice emerged.

"Li Ye? Which Li Ye?"

Li Dao Kui, the Li Family's Grand Elder and a resounding figure throughout Wuzhou City, clearly did not react at once.

But soon, he said in a deep voice, "That trash? That man's son?"

Seeing Li Huangran nod, especially the venom in his grandson's eyes, Li Dao Kui—who wielded immense power in the Li Family, second only to the patriarch, and who had practically seized all authority during the patriarch's many years of disappearance—seemed to turn to stone in an instant.

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

Li Ye discovered that many traditions on Blood Soul Continent were very similar to those on Earth. Take the year-end festival, for instance. Like the New Year, it was a grand annual celebration when relatives gathered together.

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

One after another, some family descendants who had been training away from home returned. All of them wanted to distinguish themselves in this Year-End Martial Contest and earn the family's attention.

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

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

And so, the moment his injuries healed, he began preparing to head to the Li Family.

Over the past few days, Xiao Qing had shamelessly stayed at Li Ye's home. He claimed it was to protect him, but every so often he would try to cozy up to Aunt Yun. Unfortunately, he had feelings while she 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 perfectly well. Hearing that, he immediately made his demand. "Otherwise, I'll tell the little girl that you were the one who egged me on."

"You're too ruthless, brat! Ruthless enough!"

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

Xiao Qing was an open-minded man. Li Ye even doubted whether he truly had fallen in love 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 high position in the Heavenly Profound Sect, and Xiao Qing was clearly somewhat afraid of his Junior Sister.

Suddenly, Xiao Qing threw a punch at Li Ye.

Li Ye seemed to have anticipated the move long ago. He spun around with lightning speed and threw a punch as well!

Bang!

The two each retreated. However, Li Ye staggered back more than ten steps, leaving over a dozen footprints in the ground beneath his feet.

"Good heavens, what kind of freak are you, kid? It's only been three days. Not only have your injuries healed, your strength has improved tremendously too?"

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

Yet Li Ye had only retreated a little over ten steps. That was enough to shock anyone.

"How much strength did you use just now?"

"Less than sixty percent!" Xiao Qing grinned.

"I used fifty percent!"

Leaving those words behind, Li Ye stepped out of his house. The Year-End Martial Contest awaited him.

"Damn! Freak! As expected of siblings, both of you are freaks!"

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

Fourth-level Spirit Martial Rank!

That was Xiao Bailian's greatest gain over the past three days!

Not only had the injuries he suffered in his fight with Li Yue healed, he had also broken through in one stroke, advancing from the third level of the Spirit Martial Rank to the fourth. His cultivation had even been fully stabilized at its peak.

"If I faced Li Yue again now, I definitely wouldn't be like I was three days ago, forced to rely on illusion techniques to defeat him!"

Peak fourth-level Spirit Martial Rank was enough for him to easily defeat anyone below the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Rank! Even if he encountered a seventh-level Spirit Martial Rank opponent, he was confident he could remain undefeated!

That punch exchanged with Xiao Qing was precisely one way for him to prove it!

Very soon, the gates of the Li Family were right before them. As the largest family in all of Wuzhou City, the Li Family's gates were incomparably imposing, wide enough for three carriages to enter side by side.

At this moment, quite a few young people could be seen entering one after another.

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

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

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

All the rest could only make their own living outside and wait for another chance to challenge the next year!

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

"Stop!"

Just as Li Ye was about to enter together 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 sorts. 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 snicker, immediately drawing the attention of many people.

"Look, isn't that the trash from three years ago? Why is he here?"

"Yeah, it really is him! Does he want to take part in the Li Family's year-end examination martial contest too?"

"Don't make me laugh. Him? If he didn't have a good father, he would have been kicked out over a decade ago! And now he still has the nerve to come back openly!"

Even some collateral descendants knew of the Li Family trash's infamous name. Li Ye's identity was somewhat special, so it was difficult for him not to attract attention.

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

"Yo! Did everyone hear that? Third Young Master says we should move! So imposing! This little one's heart is pounding in fright!"

"Ha ha ha!"

A burst of laughter immediately rose. Not only the two guards, but even several collateral descendants who had come back to challenge the family stopped in their tracks, ready to watch the show.

After laughing for a while, the guard's face abruptly filled with contempt. He spat and said, "What the hell are you? Do you really think you're some noble Third Young Master? You're nothing but trash, yet you dare yell 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. These were merely hired servants of the Li Family, yet they dared treat him like this. Why? Clearly, it was because he had once been known as trash and driven from his home!

It was also because Li Kainian had been missing for many years! As his son, Li Ye had been left uncared for!

Who could he resent? Li Kainian, that irresponsible father? His own body, which had once been utterly incapable of cultivation? Or the family's indifference?

"Why aren't you getting lost?!"

Cold sneers and mocking gazes filled his ears, but Li Ye's eyes remained calm. Looking at the two guards before him, he noted that as watchdogs for Wuzhou City's foremost family, they possessed second-level Spirit Martial Rank 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 pointing at the collateral descendants. Everyone could enter as long as they proved their identity. Yet only he was being blocked!

"It seems our Third Young Master isn't just trash—he's an idiot too!"

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

Bang! Bang!

The moment his words fell, everyone's vision blurred. Then a shocking sight unfolded before them! The two guards had half their bodies embedded in the gate, their eyes rolled back as they lay unconscious, their fate unknown!

"Now, I'm qualified to enter, right?" A voice rang out. Then Li Ye strode past the crowd and stepped into the Li Family!