Fist Mark on the Black Obsidian

Almost everyone was waiting to see a joke! To see how a piece of trash would overestimate himself and disgrace himself before everyone.

Li Ye found himself extraordinarily calm. His gaze swept across those people, and suddenly, he felt as though he and they inhabited two different worlds. Their mockery seemed so laughable in his eyes that it could not even stir his anger.

"A group of wretched yet pitiable people."

His voice was not loud, yet it reached nearly everyone's ears, instantly chilling the expressions of quite a few people.

"What the hell! Putting on airs! Sixth Uncle, what are you waiting for? Drive this trash down already! Don't disturb the family tournament!"

A somewhat youthful yet thoroughly arrogant voice rang out from among the main branch's disciples. Li Ye looked over and saw a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy, still somewhat green-faced, yet brimming with pride like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

If he remembered correctly, this person was Li Huangran's second son—Li Xuan's younger brother!

"Like father, like son. The ancients truly did not deceive us."

Li Ye smiled and turned his gaze toward Sixth Lord Li. He wanted to see what decision this Sixth Uncle, who had always been praised within the Lineage as fair and upright, would make.

"Get down! Trash! This isn't a place you can come up to!"

Another voice rang out. Li Ye looked over. This time, it was not someone from the main branch, but one of the side branch's members—a man who had performed brilliantly just now and had reached Spirit Martial Tier Six at merely eighteen, ranking second in strength among the side branch!

If Li Ye remembered correctly, this man was called Li Zhongren. Among the side branch disciples, he was highly regarded and possessed the bearing of a leader. Although he was still slightly weaker than another side branch disciple at Spirit Martial Tier Six, that person was nearly twenty years old, while Li Zhongren had only just turned eighteen! The gap between them was obvious at a glance!

Even such talent would not be considered weak among the many disciples of the main branch. He ranked among the notable ones!

Sixth Lord Li wore a troubled expression. The calls to drive Li Ye down were growing louder, leaving him somewhat undecided.

"Sixth Uncle, your nephew recalls that the Lineage rules state that anyone over fourteen and under twenty may come onto the stage for testing, correct? Did your nephew remember wrongly? I hope Sixth Uncle can enlighten me."

Li Ye spoke with ease. Not only did he fail to panic amid the surrounding jeers, he remained perfectly composed.

That display caused a gleam to flash deep within Sixth Lord Li's eyes. Yet he soon sighed inwardly. "You remembered correctly. The Lineage does have such a rule. But Li Ye, have you truly thought this through?"

"Sixth Uncle, why waste words with him? This trash is clearly here to cause trouble. In my opinion, have someone throw him out and finish this quickly. Great-Uncle and Grandfather are still waiting for us to go over!"

The speaker was Li Xuan's younger brother. Li Ye did not know his name. After all, there were so many disciples in the Li Family that not everyone knew one another. Moreover, the former Li Ye had been far too weak and cowardly, always overlooked in the family like a homeless dog.

"Li Ye, you should go down."

Rather than lower himself to the level of those little brats, Sixth Lord Li gently tried to persuade him. This showed that although he held a certain position in the main branch, he did not possess the imperious, finger-pointing manner of many others there. He truly wanted to convince Li Ye to leave.

Everyone waited for Li Ye's answer. Li Xuan's eyes were filled with repeated flashes of mockery, and the main branch disciples were much the same, sneering endlessly. Even among the many side branch disciples, most wore expressions of eager amusement.

To them, seeing a lofty young master of the main branch humiliated like this was an exceptionally rare sight.

Li Ye took a deep breath. His cold gaze swept across those who were egging things on, and they immediately felt as though they had fallen into an ancient frozen pond. Their bodies involuntarily shuddered.

"Sixth Uncle, since the Lineage rules allow it, why not give your nephew a chance?"

Seeing that Li Ye remained insistent, Sixth Lord Li's expression darkened. Somewhat displeased, he flicked his sleeve and said no more.

"Courting humiliation!"

Seeing this, Li Xuan sneered inwardly.

As for Li Ye, he stood before the enormous Black Obsidian, his expression complex for a moment.

Though those memories in his mind were merely the result of merged souls, it still felt as if a scene from many years ago had appeared before his eyes.

A stubborn-faced youth had struck the Black Obsidian again and again with his fists. Even after his hands had been smashed into a bloody pulp, he had refused to stop.

He knew this was the former soul's memory of that time. Back then, the Lineage had given him one final chance, but being unable to cultivate made him no different from an ordinary person. How could he possibly leave a mark upon the Black Obsidian?

Even after breaking both hands, he had received no pity from any elder. They had coldly driven him from the family home!

"Now, I'm here."

He did not know whom he was speaking to, but clarity returned to Li Ye's eyes. Times had changed. He was no longer that person. What that person could not do did not mean he could not do it now!

"No! I won't merely do it! I'll blind their dog eyes!"

At that moment, two family servants stepped aside. Seemingly respectful yet wearing mocking smiles, they said to Li Ye, "Third Young Master, as long as you leave a mark on it, you'll pass this round."

This was precisely what it meant for a dog to rely on its master's power; even the servants before a prime minister's gate stood higher than fourth-rank officials. Though they were merely servants, not to mention a piece of trash, even some side branch disciples fawned over them and sought their favor.

"Begin!"

Sixth Lord Li's voice urged him from behind. Everyone else had fallen silent, wanting to see how the rumored trash would disgrace himself.

"What do you think this trash is trying to do this time?"

At this moment, quite a few people in the crowd were quietly discussing it among themselves.

"Who knows? Maybe he couldn't take the stimulation these past few years and went mad."

On the martial arts stage, whether it was the more than three hundred side branch disciples who had passed this round or the more than thirty young masters and young ladies of the main branch, all wore cold smiles, as if they were watching a clown.

"Hurry up, trash! Don't waste time! Our time is precious. We don't have the leisure to waste it here with you!"

Some of the main branch's young masters and young ladies grew impatient and repeatedly urged him on.

Ignoring them, Li Ye walked before the Black Obsidian and reached out to touch this stone that held such great significance every year.

Its surface was densely covered with palm prints and fist marks of varying depths, filling more than half its area. These were the memories left behind by generation after generation of the Lineage.

One spot was especially striking: a palm print fully three inches deep.

"That was left by your father. He was not even twelve that year! He truly was the most outstanding person our Li Family had seen in a thousand years. Unfortunately..."

A sigh sounded from behind him. Li Ye did not reply, only reaching out to touch that deepest palm print.

Not even twelve years old—this had been the first earthshaking shock that man had given the Lineage. Afterward, miracle after miracle had occurred around him. He had burst into the world like a dazzling comet, only for the curtain to fall as swiftly as it had risen.

"What realm was my father at back then?"

Li Ye knew very little about that man, because even the memories in his mind contained few impressions of him.

"The seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm!"

Li Ye nodded, not reacting too strongly. After all, it was that man. It would have been strange if he had not possessed such strength.

"As long as I leave a mark, that's enough? Regardless of depth?"

"Regardless of depth!"

One asked, one answered, yet no one believed he could succeed.

"Why so much nonsense! Do you really think a piece of trash like you can do it? Stop dreaming! Hahaha!"

Mocking laughter immediately followed. The one laughing most extravagantly was Li Xuan's younger brother. Though still so young, his tongue was sharp and venomous. Clearly, like his elder brother, he was no good thing.

"Shut up!"

A cold shout rang out from Sixth Lord Li. Seeing his anger, the crowd did not dare act recklessly, though they continued to look on with contempt and ridicule.

Should I keep a lower profile?

The thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. But when Li Ye saw that most striking palm print, it was as if some nerve in his mind had been plucked.

Suddenly, he threw a punch straight at the Black Obsidian. The spot he struck was not far from the palm print Li Kainian had left years ago!

At this moment, even those who had been mocking him wanted to see the result.

Li Xuan and the others were no exception. Especially Li Xuan—sharp glints flickered through his eyes as though he were considering something.

"All right, Sixth Uncle. Does this count?"

Li Ye withdrew his hand, his tone relaxed, as if he had merely done some trivial thing.

"This trash is finally done. Hurry up and throw him out!"

Before Sixth Lord Li could speak, someone immediately shouted. At the same time, several fierce-looking servants approached Li Ye with sinister smiles. "Third Young Master, please. We servants don't want to hurt you."

The words of these servants, each possessing Spirit Martial Tier Two strength, immediately stirred a burst of laughter.

"Get lost, trash! This isn't a place you can come!"

Li Ye smiled without speaking, but his gaze remained on Sixth Lord Li.

Only then did the crowd begin to realize that Sixth Lord Li's appearance and expression were somewhat intriguing.

"What are you waiting for!"

Someone barked, and the two servants immediately prepared to act.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, a great shout rang out. The two servants felt as though thunder had exploded beside their ears. Stars burst before their eyes, and they nearly fainted.

"Sixth Uncle?"

Several main branch young masters looked astonished. The person who had shouted was actually Sixth Lord Li!

Only Li Ye seemed completely unsurprised. Seeing Sixth Lord Li look toward him, he directly asked, "Sixth Uncle, has your nephew passed this round?"

Sixth Lord Li took a deep breath. By now, even the stupidest person could see that something was wrong!

Li Xuan abruptly leaped onto the martial arts stage, shoved aside the two servants, and then the sight before him made his expression change drastically!

"That's impossible!" Li Xuan cried out in alarm!

In the next instant, everyone noticed that beside the originally most striking palm print on the Black Obsidian, there was now a fist mark of nearly the same depth!

In that instant, the several thousand people present fell into absolute silence!