Genius Summit

Now that Li Ye had condensed a Blood Soul, Li Yating's priceless Soul-Gathering Pill was no longer necessary.

"Brother Li Ye, you should keep this. It's useless for Yating to hold onto it anyway. Perhaps if you need money someday, it might come in handy."

A Soul-Gathering Pill! Though it only increased the chance of condensing a Blood Soul, Li Ye knew that if it were put up for auction, it would fetch no less than tens of thousands of gold coins!

One had to know that not everyone on the Cloud Soaring Continent could awaken a Blood Soul. Some ordinary people had ancestors who were not powerful martial cultivators, making it incredibly difficult for their descendants to awaken a Blood Soul! Even among the children of Lineages, not everyone could succeed!

That previous "Li Ye" was a perfect example!

Thus, once such a tiny pill appeared, it would definitely drive countless people mad.

"It's too valuable!" Though tempted, Li Ye shook his head.

But Li Yating pouted her little lips and said unhappily, "Does Brother Li Ye dislike what Yating is giving him?"

At that, Li Ye gave a bitter smile and stopped insisting, putting the item away. No matter what, this was a token of Li Yating's affection. Unless driven to the end of the road, he would never truly sell it for money.

The two continued chatting for quite a while, with Li Yating constantly asking about Li Ye's experiences over the past few years. Fortunately, after his soul fusion, Li Ye had inherited the memories as well, so he managed to answer without incident.

"Those bastards! How could they treat Brother Li Ye like that!"

Upon hearing of the hardships he had endured over the years, Li Yating became angry and clenched her tiny fists, waving them about. Li Ye could not help but laugh.

"After all, she was still a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl."

Li Ye also roughly asked about Li Yating's circumstances in the Heavenly Profound Sect, but she brushed it over in just a few words. This made Li Ye slightly worried. Clearly, Li Yating had not been living happily in the Heavenly Profound Sect, and he could faintly sense as much.

Not long afterward, Xiao Qing appeared. Though this fellow looked rough and simple-minded, Li Ye knew that if one truly wanted to make friends, someone like Xiao Qing was the best choice.

Compared with people like Li Xuan, who appeared to be refined gentlemen on the surface, Xiao Qing was easier to open one's heart to.

"Junior Sister Li, there isn't much time. The sect has not given us long this time, so we should return as soon as possible."

Hearing Xiao Qing's words, Li Yating pouted, clearly reluctant. Yet she understood the stakes and could only tug at Li Ye in grievance. She did not care in the slightest that Xiao Qing, an outsider, was present, nor about the traditional notion that men and women should not touch. It was clear that she was somewhat dependent on him.

"Be good. After some time, I'll go to the Heavenly Profound Sect to see you."

"Really?! It's a promise! Whoever lies is a puppy!"

Excitedly, Li Yating held out her little finger. Li Ye shook his head and, with a bitter smile, made the promise with her.

However, he did not see Xiao Qing frown at the side, as though he did not think much of their agreement.

In two days, Li Yating and Xiao Qing would be leaving.

Early the next morning, Li Ye had just gotten up when he heard someone knocking outside his door. When he opened it, he found that it was Li Yuan Jia.

"Li Ye, the Council of Elders has summoned us."

The moment the door opened, Li Yuan Jia spoke with an excited expression.

"The Council of Elders has summoned us?" Li Ye's heart stirred. As though he had guessed something, he nodded. "Wait for me. I'll be right there."

After quickly washing up, Li Ye followed Li Yuan Jia to a great hall within the Lineage. There, he saw that several people had already arrived.

One of them stood at the very front of the crowd, his face proud and aloof, his narrowed eyes making him seem utterly out of place among the others.

Li Mo!

Of course, besides Li Mo, Li Ye saw that nearly all the most outstanding Inner Disciples had gathered here, including Li Yijian, Li Datou, and Li Yu, the three who had performed exceptionally before!

"Li Ye!"

A cold snort brimming with killing intent entered his ears. Li Ye looked toward the voice and immediately spotted Li Yue, who had been absent from the Inner Disciple battles a few days ago!

The instant Li Yue saw Li Ye, his expression twisted savagely, like that of an enraged beast.

Seeing him again, Li Ye was slightly startled. He found that he could no longer quite see through Li Yue. Clearly, the injury he had suffered after underestimating his opponent last time had instead allowed his strength to rise another level!

Ignoring him, Li Ye saw that more than ten people had gathered within the hall. They were all among the higher-ranked Inner Disciples, their strength at least at peak Spirit Martial Tier Six, close to the level of a Martial Master.

Though Li Yijian and the other two were somewhat weaker, they were not far behind.

Soon, the crowd saw several high-ranking and influential elders of the Lineage appear before them. Among them was Third Elder Li Huangran, whom Li Ye knew best. There were also several old fogies, but no one dared underestimate them. Their auras were imposing, and even a Martial Dao Master like Li Yuan Jia did not dare make a sound.

Among them, Li Ye spotted Li Hou Nian and Li Xuanji. The former gave him a meaningful look, as though conveying something.

"Why you have been summoned here today, I trust you all understand very well."

The person who spoke had a majestic tone. He sat directly in the seat of honor among the elders, radiating authority without even needing to grow angry.

Li Ye's expression tightened. Though this was his first time seeing the man, the scenes in his memories filled him with intense hostility toward him. Still, he deliberately concealed it.

"The First Elder summoned us because the annual Genius Summit in Wuzhou City will be held in ten days, correct?"

One of the Inner Disciples immediately spoke, unable to hide the excitement on his face.

"That's right. It is precisely the annual Genius Summit!"

Genius Summit! The moment Li Ye heard it, he understood. As someone from Wuzhou City, no one could be unaware of it. Li Yuan Jia beside him also said quietly, "At every year's Genius Summit, the Three Great Families and some smaller Lineages send talented disciples to compete. Last year, Li Mo took third place there and was hailed as one of Wuzhou City's Four Great Geniuses."

Li Ye nodded. In truth, he had known even without Li Yuan Jia's explanation.

The so-called Genius Summit was an event where the great Lineages of Wuzhou City gathered their outstanding younger generation together to spar and test themselves against one another.

Of course, whatever its original purpose had been, it had now evolved into a means for the various great Lineages to compete against one another in secret.

The more outstanding a Lineage's younger generation was, the more directly it affected the general balance of Wuzhou City over the coming decades.

"Generally speaking, every year's Wuzhou City Genius Summit is dominated by the Three Great Families. Only on rare occasions can a small Lineage break into the final top ten."

There were dozens of Lineages, large and small, in Wuzhou City, yet only the Three Great Families stood head and shoulders above the rest.

After all, there were tremendous differences in bloodlines, cultivation resources, and countless other factors.

Take the Li Family, for example. Those born in collateral branches and subsidiary branches differed greatly from those born in the main branch. It was exceedingly rare for a heaven-defying genius to emerge from a branch family.

"This year is the same as previous years. Each of the Three Great Families may send twenty people to compete. I hope you will learn from last year's lesson. In this year's Genius Summit, our Li Family must claim at least four spots in the top ten!"

The First Elder gave a sharp shout that made everyone's hearts tremble slightly.

Li Ye also felt as though a sound arrow had pierced his ears. His gaze immediately turned cold. Even now, this First Elder had not forgotten to give him a show of force!

Old bastard! he cursed inwardly. This First Elder was Li Yue's grandfather, as well as the father of the current acting patriarch. Li Mo was also Li Yue's blood brother. Therefore, Li Ye truly had to tread carefully at every step within the Li Family, with danger lurking everywhere.

There would be twenty competitors in total, practically the twenty strongest among the Inner Disciples. Naturally, Li Ye was among them!

"What a pity Li Yating is returning to the Heavenly Profound Sect. Otherwise, she would have been more than capable of contending against the previous Four Great Geniuses!"

Someone did not know who said this, but Li Mo's expression instantly turned cold. With a faint snort, he said, "Hmph! Li Yating is nothing but my defeated opponent! Even if she entered the Heavenly Profound Sect, it was only because of her luck and looks!"

No one dared speak, but many were unconvinced in their hearts.

"Li Mo has grown accustomed to being arrogant within the Lineage. He really thinks he's invincible under heaven."

Li Yuan Jia sneered faintly, while Li Ye secretly shook his head. Li Mo may be formidable, but with such arrogance and conceit, sooner or later someone will surpass him.

By instinct, he did not believe Li Yating was inferior to Li Mo. He even felt she might exceed him. Unfortunately, Li Yating was returning to the Heavenly Profound Sect and could not participate in this Wuzhou City Genius Summit.

After giving a few instructions, the First Elder and the others departed one after another. At once, some of the Inner Disciples also left in groups.

Li Ye happened to leave together with Li Yuan Jia. Watching the two depart, Li Yue's eyes revealed intense killing intent.

"Brother! Leave this Li Ye to me! At the Genius Summit, I'll let him know what it means to beg for life yet be unable to live, to beg for death yet be unable to die!"

A venomous voice escaped his mouth. Beside him, Li Mo gave a cold smile, looking utterly unconcerned.

"If you can't even deal with this kind of trash, then you don't deserve to be my younger brother!"

Even before his own younger brother, Li Mo remained just as sharp-tongued and cutting. A flash of anger swiftly passed through Li Yue's eyes.

Elsewhere, Li Yuan Jia and Li Ye walked together, conversing as they went.

"How did we perform last year?"

As one of Wuzhou City's Three Great Families, their strengths had always remained balanced against one another. Apart from Li Kainian's sudden emergence more than twenty years ago, which had shattered that balance in one stroke, it had remained this way for centuries.

At the annual Genius Summits, the top ten spots had always been the most fiercely contested prizes among the Three Great Families.

"Not well. Last year, aside from Li Mo taking third place, only one other member of our Li Family entered the top ten, taking ninth."

Li Ye found it hard to believe. Yet seeing Li Yuan Jia's bitter smile, he had no choice but to accept it, though he still asked, "Was the result really that bad?"

"It was more than bad. It was simply the greatest humiliation in many years."

It turned out that at last year's Genius Summit, Li Mo had been defeated by Yuwen Wushuang in fewer than ten moves. He had then been forced into third place because of his injuries. As for the other person who entered the top ten, it was Li Ji, who had previously ranked second among the Inner Disciples.

As for the other Inner Disciples, not a single one had broken into the top ten!