Pass the First Test!

That clear fist mark stood out glaringly amid countless marks of varying sizes and depths!

"Impossible! How could a piece of trash like him possibly make a mark this deep?!"

With a startled cry, Li Xuan's younger brother immediately shouted in disbelief. The others looked as though they had seen a ghost. Li Xuan even reached out personally to touch the fist mark, as if trying to verify whether it was real.

"Trash! What underhanded trick did you use to accomplish all this?!"

"Li Yuan! Enough! Shut your mouth!"

Li Xuan's younger brother was named Li Yuan. Though still young, he already had quite a reputation within the Lineage. Unfortunately, it was not a good one. He was known for being overbearing, arrogant, and looking down on everyone else.

Sure enough, even after Sixth Lord Li barked at him, he remained utterly heedless and pointed straight at Li Ye's nose as he cursed.

"You're nothing but trash! Don't think I don't know what little scheme you're plotting! You just want to return to the Lineage, don't you? You actually tried to use such tactics to slip through the test! Too bad you can't fool everyone's bright eyes!"

Li Yuan's still-boyish face was filled with indescribable smugness. As though he had rendered some great service, he continued triumphantly, completely failing to notice Sixth Lord Li's expression turning increasingly livid.

Even Li Xuan, his elder brother, had a gaze so cold it was frightening.

"Trash! You think you can leave a fist mark on Black Obsidian, hard as iron? Then I can smash Black Obsidian to pieces with one punch! Hahaha!"

This immediately drew laughter from quite a few people. Yet a small number of them seemed to exchange something through their expressions.

"****!"

Li Ye could not be bothered with this little brat. Unfortunately, those words directly set Li Yuan's temper ablaze!

"Trash! What did you just say? Say it again if you've got the guts!"

Who was Li Yuan? He was the youngest son of Third Lord Li Huangran! Even among the main Lineage's descendants, he held an exceptional status! When had anyone ever dared speak to him like this?

"Didn't your father teach you any manners? You uncultured thing!"

Li Ye had not the slightest favorable impression of Li Yuan. Never mind that he was Li Huangran's son—even if he were not, his overbearing, utterly arrogant behavior from beginning to end, along with calling Li Ye trash every other sentence, was more than enough to leave Li Ye with little goodwill toward this cousin of his.

"You're courting death!"

Though he had only just turned fourteen, Li Yuan's temper was anything but small. At once, he flew into a rage and threw a punch at Li Ye. The strike howled through the air with some measure of force!

Seeing Li Yuan actually make a move, a cold gleam flashed through Li Ye's eyes. He easily caught Li Yuan's fist, twisted it backward, and casually slapped him across the face!

Smack!

The crisp sound of the slap was like a bomb exploding, leaving everyone present gaping!

Li Yuan himself was stunned senseless by the blow! Only afterward did he let out a scream and begin roaring furiously!

"Trash! I'll kill you!"

Smack!

Another slap landed, but this time it was not Li Ye who struck. It was Li Xuan—Li Yuan's elder brother!

"Enough! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Get back there!"

Li Xuan's expression was frighteningly grim, instantly scaring his younger brother into not daring to act rashly. Li Yuan hunched his neck, looking exceedingly afraid of his elder brother.

"Brother, this trash—"

"Shut up! Get back there! Otherwise, I'll personally make sure you spend a month lying in bed!"

Li Xuan's low voice made Li Yuan slink back to stand among the dumbfounded main Lineage descendants. Even so, he shot Li Ye a vicious glare, his eyes brimming with endless venom.

After disciplining his younger brother, Li Xuan changed expressions as swiftly as turning a page. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he turned to Li Ye and smiled apologetically. "Third Brother, I hope you can forgive him. My foolish younger brother is young and ignorant. Please be magnanimous over any offense he has caused. Once we return today, I will certainly teach him a proper lesson!"

Third Brother!

What a long-lost form of address!

Li Ye should have ranked third in this generation. He had once been the third young master of the Lineage, a figure of exceptional standing! Yet how many years had it been since he last heard that title?

Li Xuan's action left not only Li Yuan and the main Lineage descendants dumbfounded—even the others found it hard to believe.

One did not slap a smiling face. Although Li Ye had not the slightest favorable impression of Li Xuan, it was difficult for him to erupt. Moreover, he saw things very clearly. Li Xuan's furious slap at his younger brother had seemed like discipline, but in truth, he had saved Li Yuan's life! Otherwise, Li Ye would not have let the matter end with a casual slap. At the very least, he would have left Li Yuan with torn sinews and broken bones! It would never have been any less painful than the suffering they had inflicted on him back then!

A faint smile appeared on Li Ye's face. As though nothing had happened, he said with a smile, "Fifth Brother, there's no need to take it so seriously. It was only a child's mischief. I wasn't truly holding it against Fourteenth Brother. We were just fooling around."

"Then many thanks to Third Brother!"

The two immediately exchanged false smiles, leaving everyone watching utterly dumbfounded.

Only Li Yuan glared resentfully. If looks could kill, Li Ye would likely have been killed countless times already!

Only then did Sixth Lord Li seem to come back to his senses. He gave Li Ye a deep look, his gaze incomparably complicated.

Yet he took a deep breath and announced loudly, "Li Ye passes the first round!"

Whoosh!

This result brought the matter to a close, but no one knew what kind of repercussions today's events would bring.

News that the former trash Third Young Master had cast off the label of trash, returned to the Lineage, and passed the first test spread instantly like a locust swarm sweeping across the land.

Those were matters for later. After announcing the result, Sixth Lord Li dismissed the rest, signifying that they had lost their chance for this year. Of course, this group would not leave immediately. The year-end was only two days away—a time for everyone to gather together—and the Year-End Martial Contest had only truly begun now!

The first round was merely a warm-up. The true highlight would be tomorrow's grand event, where all Lineage descendants who passed the first round would compete against the elite Lineage descendants who had not needed to take the test in the first place, fighting for rank!

Li Ye left as well. His goal for today had already been achieved. He believed that the old immortals in the clan would soon learn what had happened today!

"The matter with Li Yue must have been concealed. But I want to see whether certain people can still cover the sky with one hand after today!"

He knew very clearly who had truly wanted to drive him out of the family back then! He was not in a hurry. Today was merely the beginning; tomorrow would be when the real show began!

Watching Li Ye's departing back, Li Xuan's formerly smiling face instantly darkened.

"Brother!"

"Shut up! We'll talk when we get back!"

After the two brothers left, Sixth Lord Li remained alone, standing blankly before the enormous Black Obsidian. Looking at the incomparably clear palm print in its center—the mark that had remained unsurpassed for so many years—scenes from the past flashed through his mind one after another like slides.

"In the blink of an eye, nearly thirty years have passed."

Thinking of something, he revealed a warm smile no one had ever seen before. As though lost in reminiscence, he muttered to himself, "Back then, I was only a child, while you, Second Brother, had already risen like a shooting star, leaving those old fellows in the clan dumbstruck by the speed of your ascent. Yet they treated you like that..."

Shaking his head, he looked at the fist mark beside the palm print, which was nearly as deep. He reached out and touched it, murmuring softly, "As expected, he is your son, Second Brother! It seems everyone, myself included, was wrong! Terribly wrong! But I hope that this time, those old fellows will not make the same mistake they did back then!"

At this point, Sixth Lord Li's eyes suddenly turned cold. But in the next moment, his entire body trembled. As though he had sensed something, a smile curled across his lips.

"Fourth Brother, since you're here, there's no need to skulk about."

The next moment, a burst of hearty laughter rang out.

"Hahaha! Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother! Everyone said that among our generation, Second Brother had the most monstrous talent, Eldest Brother was the most steady, Third Brother was the slickest and most sinister, I was the most wild and unruly, Fifth Brother cared nothing for worldly affairs and devoted himself to seclusion, while you had accomplished nothing. Among us six brothers, your talent stone was the worst. But now it seems that aside from Second Brother, Sixth Brother, you are the Lineage's greatest surprise!"

A towering figure appeared directly on the martial stage. Who else could it be but the Li Family's Fourth Lord, Li Hou Nian, who had just returned to the Lineage?

Hearing this, Li Xuanji merely smiled without speaking. Where was his usual stern and unsmiling demeanor? At the sight of Li Hou Nian, he immediately stepped forward and embraced him tightly!

"Fourth Brother! You're finally back!"

At this moment, there was no need for words to speak of their brotherly bond. Everything was understood without being said.

"If I didn't come back, this household would truly become a smoky, foul mess!"

With a cold snort, Li Hou Nian had clearly learned quite a bit during the half day since his return, especially about the events that had occurred in the years while he was away. One matter in particular caused a blaze of anger to rise in his chest.

Li Xuanji gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and did not respond. Instead, he asked, "Fourth Brother, how long do you plan to stay this time?"

"There are some matters that I think it is time to resolve!"

It was not an answer to the question, but Li Xuanji could only smile bitterly again and sigh.

At this moment, Li Hou Nian also noticed the marks on the Black Obsidian, and a trace of reminiscence appeared on his face, just as it had on Li Xuanji's earlier. When he saw the clear fist mark, as though it had only just been stamped there, he asked, "That kid left it?"

Li Xuanji nodded without saying more.

"Hahaha!" Li Hou Nian laughed heartily, sharp glints flashing repeatedly through his eyes. "Good! It seems tomorrow will be quite exciting!"

But in the next instant, his gaze darkened. "Sixth Brother, it is inconvenient for me to act. Be careful! Watch out for certain people's little tricks!"

Li Xuanji hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded. "I understand! Unless it is the Supreme Grand Elder himself, I will ensure that he appears safely at the arena tomorrow!"

"With those words from you, I'm relieved!"

With that, Li Hou Nian strode away, while Li Xuanji had the Black Obsidian taken away and returned to make his preparations.