Second Round
"Good kid!"
Xiao Qing seemed to have known everything that had happened in the Li Family long ago. After Li Ye returned, he immediately gave him a light punch and raised a thumb. "I was a little worried at first, but it looks like I won't need to step in this time!"
Xiao Qing had clearly come to Wuzhou City because of Li Ye. And behind him stood Li Yating, who had once been very close to Li Ye.
However, Li Yating, who had entered the Heavenly Profound Sect, had yet to return to Wuzhou City. According to what Li Ye had learned from Little Green Peak, she should arrive on the last day of the Lineage's year-end festivities.
And that day happened to be the final day of the Lineage's Year-End Martial Contest—the last and fiercest round of eliminations!
Li Ye had also done his homework on the Li Family's annual martial contest, which assessed the Lineage's younger generation. Only after looking deeply into it over the past few days did he learn that there would be three rounds in total!
"I made it through the first round without a hitch! Next comes tomorrow's second round!"
The first round had eliminated more than ninety percent of the participants. In other words, only those at Spirit Martial Tier Three or above had a chance of entering the second round. This round was both the easiest and the hardest. It was easy because no fighting was required; one only needed to leave a palm print or fist print on Black Obsidian. Yet it was also the hardest, because every year it eliminated over ninety percent of the Lineage's young people!
"Tomorrow is the second round!"
Now that Li Ye had successfully passed the first round, tomorrow he would engage in fierce contention with the hundreds of Lineage youths who had also made it through.
Thinking of the crucial moment awaiting him tomorrow, Li Ye could not sleep at all that night. At the same time, he discovered that after the punch he had thrown during the day, his control over his strength had undergone a new change.
Bang!
He threw a light punch. In the darkness, it was like a faint, nearly invisible shadow, incomparably swift.
"This speed is even much faster than that of martial cultivators at Spirit Martial Tier Six!"
A Vampire's body was naturally different from that of ordinary people. Not only was its physical recovery ability astonishing, it surpassed humans by a wide margin in every aspect. What delighted Li Ye most was that Vampires possessed an innate advantage in speed! Take that punch just now—he had not even used thirty percent of his normal strength, yet the unparalleled speed of his punch made its final power comparable to a punch thrown with all his strength!
"Under heaven, no martial art can withstand speed alone!"
As fragments from those martial arts novels on Earth surfaced in his mind, perhaps there really was some truth to them!
Early the next morning, Li Ye left home without waking anyone.
In the distance, the enormous gates of the Li Family residence were already close at hand.
This time, no one dared stop him from entering. The uproar from yesterday's first round seemed to have spread throughout the entire Li Family residence. Everyone knew that the useless Third Young Master from years ago had returned, and that he had passed the first test with the best result!
"Look, isn't that useless trash? I heard that over at Sixth Master's place yesterday, he used who-knows-what trick and actually passed the first test!"
"Exactly. Look at that scrawny, pathetic appearance of his—how could he possibly be a powerful martial cultivator? Maybe Sixth Master went easy on him for the sake of his father from back then."
There was no shortage of pointing fingers and whispered remarks along the way. Li Ye ignored all of it!
He believed that those sneers and doubts would soon vanish without a trace!
Unlike yesterday, the second round of the Lineage martial contest was being held in a relatively smaller but better-equipped training ground. Stands could be seen around it, where some of the Lineage's higher-ups would sit today to observe the performance of the youths who had entered this round.
Li Ye was not the first to arrive. By the time he got there, quite a few people had already gathered, including many he had seen during yesterday's first-round test.
Li Ye's appearance caused a faint flash of dissatisfaction and coldness to pass through their eyes. Clearly, many still bore a grudge over what had happened yesterday. After all, Li Ye had seized everyone's attention and become the undisputed first place.
"Hmph! I didn't expect this useless trash to really show up. Does he think that little trick from yesterday will still work today?"
A rather rude voice dripping with sharp mockery reached Li Ye's ears. Looking toward its source, he saw that it was the person with the highest cultivation among the collateral Lineage youths who had passed yesterday.
This person was at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Six. Even within the main branch, he could be considered quite outstanding! His only flaw was that he was relatively old and was about to exceed the upper age limit of eighteen. Even so, people had long wagered that in this Lineage martial contest, he would at least break into the top fifty among the many Li Family youths! Perhaps even higher!
A little trick? Li Ye was briefly stunned, then immediately understood, inwardly sneering.
"These people must think I tampered with things yesterday and smeared Fossil Powder on my hand."
Fossil Powder was a substance that could rapidly dissolve and soften hard stone. Even Black Obsidian could be affected to some degree. However, it was expensive—a small packet easily cost several hundred gold coins, far beyond what ordinary people could afford.
Li Ye had no intention of explaining such speculation to anyone.
Seeing that Li Ye simply turned a deaf ear, the man was visibly disappointed. In the end, he could not help sneering. "I thought you had changed. Looks like I was overthinking it. You're still nothing but a coward!"
Glancing at the people who had appeared, Li Ye could not help drawing a deep breath. He silently marveled that the Li Family truly deserved to be one of Wuzhou City's Three Great Families—indeed, perhaps the strongest of them all.
People continued arriving one after another. Without exception, all were under eighteen years old, and even the weakest had reached Spirit Martial Tier Three. Most were at Spirit Martial Tier Four or above!
Those at Spirit Martial Tier Four accounted for sixty percent, making up the majority! There were far fewer at Spirit Martial Tier Five, less than twenty percent. Roughly the same number were stragglers at Spirit Martial Tier Three, basically here to make up the numbers.
Yet quite a few experts at Spirit Martial Tier Six could also be seen! In some of Wuzhou City's smaller families, even their strongest members were only at this level! This showed just how flourishing the Li Family was!
Li Ye, who outwardly appeared to be merely at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Four, looked utterly unremarkable among this crowd and could not draw anyone's attention.
Other than the few who had witnessed him yesterday, no one paid him any mind. After all, they all believed that Li Ye had tampered with things yesterday and cheated his way through!
These hundreds of people were the cream of the Li Family's younger generation, and they had all come here for one purpose!
"I heard that anyone who makes it into the top hundred this time can become an Outer Disciple of the Lineage and remain here to cultivate! Those who enter the top thirty will directly become Inner Disciples and enjoy cultivation resources equal to those of the young masters and young ladies of the main branch!"
Some nearby conversations drifted into Li Ye's ears. He had known this long ago. This kind of incentive system was not unique to the Li Family; many families used it, all in order to bring in more fresh blood and then select even more outstanding talents through competition. It was of vital importance to a family's development.
"Your information is outdated. This time, it's not just that. Rumor has it that whoever enters the top ten will directly receive the treatment of a Lineage steward. If they make the top three, they will be directly granted the position of Lineage elder! As for first place, they will even receive three days of personal guidance from the Grand Supreme Elder!"
A commotion broke out as many people turned their heads. This news was far too explosive, and even Li Ye was somewhat surprised.
So-called Outer Disciples were simply people chosen by the Lineage to remain within it and cultivate. It was nothing particularly remarkable. To descendants of the main branch, Outer Disciples held a status like servants, summoned at will and ordered about. Even so, countless collateral Lineage youths still fought tooth and nail to enter.
However, once one became an Inner Disciple, the treatment was entirely different. First and foremost, they would hold status equal to main branch descendants. If they displayed exceptional talent, they could even receive treatment surpassing that of those young masters and young ladies. Unfortunately, throughout history, every Inner Disciple had come from the main branch. It had been a long time since any collateral Lineage youth had broken into those ranks.
That was the gap! Not merely in bloodline, but even more so in cultivation resources.
Yet an Inner Disciple was still only an Inner Disciple, and their status had limits. A Lineage steward was different! Below the elders, stewards held the greatest authority! Any steward was at least at the peak of Spirit Martial Tier Five, and many were even at Spirit Martial Tier Six! Their strength might not be particularly great, but they held power in their hands! Even some people from the main branch had to be polite upon seeing them.
"I never expected the Lineage to offer such generous terms this time! It must all be because Miss Yating is returning!"
Suddenly, someone's words caught Li Ye's attention.
It turned out that Li Yating, who had entered the Heavenly Profound Sect several years ago, would be returning this time. The Li Family attached tremendous importance to it and had even raised the rewards for this martial contest. Clearly, they had put considerable thought into it.
"Silence!"
A sudden loud shout brought the entire field quiet.
Several Li Family stewards appeared on the martial platform with solemn expressions. The aura emanating from them made most people present tremble in fear.
"Peak Spirit Martial Tier Five." With a single glance, Li Ye saw through their cultivation. It was not very high, but it was more than enough to intimidate these young people, most of whom were below Spirit Martial Tier Five.
At the same time, Li Ye saw figures gradually appearing in the high stands on either side. Among them, he unexpectedly spotted Li Huangran and Li Xuanji, two of the Lineage's higher-ups! There were also several elders, the youngest already in their fifties or sixties, yet the aura around them made one shudder. They were at least at the eighth level of the Spirit Martial Realm!
A piercing gaze swept toward Li Ye. He did not need to look to know who it was. Sure enough, Li Huangran sat in the stands, his eyes narrowing slightly as flashes of cold light repeatedly flickered within them. He had clearly spotted Li Ye.
A trace of cold mockery surfaced on his face, only to vanish in an instant.
At the same time, the second round of the Lineage martial contest officially began. The hundreds of participants were directly divided into ten groups and assigned to separate small martial platforms.