The Second Round

"Good lad!"

Xiao Qing seemed to have known all along what had happened in the Li Lineage. After Li Ye returned, he lightly punched him and gave him a thumbs-up. "I was a little worried at first, but it looks like I won't need to make a move this time!"

Xiao Qing's visit to Wuzhou City had clearly been for Li Ye. And behind him stood Li Yating, who had once been very close to Li Ye.

However, Li Yating, who had joined 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 final day of the Lineage's year-end gathering.

And that day happened to be the final day of the Lineage's year-end martial competition—the last and fiercest round of eliminations!

Li Ye had also done his homework on this annual martial competition used to assess the Li Lineage's younger generation. Only after looking into it over the past few days did he learn that there would be three rounds in total!

"I passed the first round without a hitch! Next comes tomorrow's second round!"

The first round had directly eliminated more than ninety percent of the participants. In other words, only those at the third level of the Spirit Martial Realm or above could possibly enter the second round. This round was the simplest, because there was no need to fight at all. All one had to do was leave a palm print or fist print on Black Obsidian. Yet it was also the hardest, as it eliminated more than ninety percent of the Lineage's youths every year!

"Tomorrow is the second round!"

Now that Li Ye had successfully passed the first round, starting tomorrow, he would engage in fierce contention with the several hundred Lineage disciples 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 strength had undergone another change.

Bang!

He lightly threw a punch. In the darkness, it was like a faint, barely visible shadow, unbelievably fast.

"With this speed, I'm even much faster than martial cultivators at the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Realm!"

A vampire's body was naturally different from that of ordinary people. Its advantages were not limited to physical recovery; in every aspect, it surpassed ordinary people by a great margin. What delighted Li Ye most was the vampire's heaven-bestowed advantage in speed! Like that punch just now, he had not even used thirty percent of his usual strength, yet the unparalleled speed of the punch made its final power comparable to a punch thrown with all his might!

"Under heaven, no martial art can withstand speed!"

Thinking of those scattered lines from the wuxia novels on Earth, perhaps there really was some truth to them!

Early the next morning, Li Ye left home without waking anyone.

From afar, the enormous gates of the Li residence were already within reach.

This time, no one dared stop him from entering. The commotion from yesterday's first round seemed to have spread throughout the entire Li residence. Everyone knew that the useless Third Young Master from back then had returned—and had even passed the first test with the best result!

"Look, isn't that trash? I heard that yesterday, over at Sixth Master's place, he used some unknown trick and actually passed the first test!"

"Exactly. Look at that scrawny, cowardly 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 back then."

There was no shortage of pointing fingers and whispered comments along the way. Li Ye ignored all of it!

He believed those mockeries and doubts would soon vanish without a trace!

Unlike yesterday, the second round of the Lineage martial competition was held in a relatively smaller but more pleasant training ground. There were viewing stands around it, where some of the Lineage's higher-ups would sit. They would come today to observe the performance of the Lineage disciples who had entered this round.

Li Ye was not the first to arrive. By the time he came, quite a few people were already there. Many of them were people he had seen during yesterday's first-round test.

Li Ye's appearance caused a trace of resentment and chilliness to flash through those people's eyes. Clearly, many still bore a grudge over yesterday's events. After all, Li Ye had stolen everyone's attention and become the undisputed first place.

"Hmph! I didn't expect this trash to really show up. Does he think that little trick from yesterday will still work today?"

A particularly rude voice filled with sharp mockery entered Li Ye's ears. Looking toward its source, he saw the highest-cultivated member among the collateral branch disciples who had passed yesterday.

This person was at the peak of the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Realm. Even within the main branch, he would be considered quite outstanding! His only shortcoming was that he was rather old and about to exceed the age limit of eighteen. Even so, people had long wagered that in this Lineage martial competition, he could at least break into the top fifty among the many younger disciples—perhaps even higher!

A little trick? Li Ye was slightly taken aback before quickly understanding. He sneered inwardly.

"These people must think I tampered with things yesterday and smeared Fossil Powder on my hands."

Fossil Powder was a substance capable of rapidly dissolving and softening hard stone. Even Black Obsidian would be affected to some extent. 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 himself to others.

Seeing that Li Ye had turned a deaf ear, that person was clearly somewhat disappointed. In the end, he could not help sneering. "I thought he'd changed. Looks like I was overthinking it. He's still a coward!"

As Li Ye swept his eyes over the people who had appeared, he could not help taking a deep breath. The Li Lineage truly deserved to be one of Wuzhou City's three great families—indeed, perhaps the strongest of them all.

More and more people arrived. Without exception, they were all under eighteen years old, and even the weakest possessed cultivation at the third level of the Spirit Martial Realm. Most were at the fourth level or above!

Those at the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Realm accounted for sixty percent, forming the majority! There were far fewer at the fifth level, less than twenty percent. The rest were mostly bottom-rankers at the third level, merely here to make up the numbers.

Yet there were also quite a few experts at the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Realm! One had to know that in some of Wuzhou City's smaller families, even their strongest members were only at this level! This showed just how flourishing the Li Lineage was!

Li Ye, who outwardly appeared to be only at the peak of the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Realm, looked utterly ordinary among this crowd and could not draw anyone's attention.

Aside from the few who had witnessed him yesterday, no one took him seriously. After all, they all believed Li Ye had tampered with things yesterday and cheated his way through!

Several hundred people—these were all the outstanding figures of the Li Lineage's younger generation. At this moment, they had all come for a single 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 from the main branch!"

Some nearby conversations entered Li Ye's ears. He had long known this. This kind of incentive system was not unique to the Li Lineage; many families used it. Its purpose was to draw in more fresh blood, then select even more outstanding talents through competition. This was of vital importance to a family's development.

"Your news is outdated. This time, it's not just that. According to rumors, 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 can even receive three days of personal instruction from the Supreme Grand Elder!"

A commotion erupted as many people turned their heads. This news was far too explosive; even Li Ye was somewhat surprised.

So-called outer disciples were, in truth, simply people selected by the Lineage to remain within it and cultivate. It was nothing particularly remarkable. To disciples of the main branch, outer disciples held the same status as servants, summoned and dismissed at will. Even so, countless collateral branch disciples fought tooth and nail to get in.

But once one became an inner disciple, the treatment was entirely different. First of all, one would hold equal status with disciples of the main branch. If one displayed extraordinary talent, one could even receive treatment surpassing that of those young masters and young ladies. Unfortunately, throughout the years, every inner disciple had come from the main branch. It had been a long time since any collateral branch disciple had broken into those ranks.

That was the gap! Not merely in bloodline, but also in cultivation resources.

Yet inner disciples were still only inner disciples, and their status had its limits. Lineage stewards were different! Below the elders, stewards held the greatest authority! Every steward possessed at least peak fifth-level Spirit Martial Realm cultivation, and many were even at the sixth level! Their strength might not be especially formidable, but they held power in their hands! Even some members of the main branch had to be polite upon seeing them.

"I didn't expect the Lineage to offer such good terms this time! It seems it's all because Miss Yating is returning!"

Suddenly, someone's words caught Li Ye's attention.

It turned out that Li Yating, who had joined the Heavenly Profound Sect several years ago, would be returning this time. The Li Lineage attached great importance to this, even going so far as to raise the rewards for this martial competition. Clearly, they had put considerable thought into it.

"Silence!"

A sudden shout quieted the entire venue.

Several Li Lineage stewards appeared on the martial stage with solemn expressions. The aura emanating from them made most of those present shudder in fear.

"Peak fifth level of the Spirit Martial Realm." With one glance, Li Ye saw through their cultivation. It was not particularly high, but it was more than enough to intimidate these young people, most of whom were below the fifth level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

At the same time, Li Ye saw figures gradually appearing in the elevated stands on both sides. Among them, he spotted two of the Lineage's higher-ups: Li Huangran and Li Xuanji! There were also several elders. Even the youngest were in their fifties or sixties, yet the aura surrounding them made one's heart tremble with cold. They were all at least at the eighth level of the Spirit Martial Realm!

A piercing gaze swept toward Li Ye. There was no need to look to know who it was. Sure enough, in the viewing stands, Li Huangran narrowed his eyes slightly, cold glints repeatedly flashing within them. He had clearly spotted Li Ye.

A trace of a sneer appeared on his face, only to vanish in an instant.

At the same time, the second round of the Lineage martial competition officially began. The several hundred participants were randomly divided into ten groups and assigned to separate small martial stages.