Genius of Wuzhou City

Before he knew it, more than ten days had flashed by.

Within Wuzhou City, it seemed as though something major was about to happen. Even the atmosphere had grown somewhat heavy.

Many residents noticed that quite a few young people of remarkable bearing had appeared on the streets. Some had returned from outside the city, while others emerged from inconspicuous commoner homes that usually attracted no attention.

Of course, the most conspicuous were the scions of aristocratic families, dressed in luxurious garments with proud expressions on their faces.

"Brother, did something happen? Why does it feel like there have been so many unfamiliar faces in the city these past few days? And they're all young men and women under twenty?"

In a tavern, many people were drinking and making merry. At that moment, a burly man clearly from outside Wuzhou City watched the young figures on the street, each wearing a solemn expression that faintly revealed excitement and anticipation. Unable to help himself, he asked the people at another table.

"Brother, is this your first time in Wuzhou City?"

Several people dressed as martial cultivators at the other table revealed disdainful smiles upon hearing this. The burly man felt somewhat displeased, but he still nodded. "I hope you can enlighten me."

"No wonder. You don't even know about Wuzhou City's annual gathering of the major Lineages. This is a feast for the entire city. Not only the three great Lineages, but even weaker Lineages will summon their descendants back over these next few days. Whether they remained with the main family or were sent away, they will all return. At the same time, it is a gathering for these Lineages to see whether their younger generation has improved over the past year, displaying the strength of the Lineage and the growth of its fresh blood."

The speaker was a refined and handsome youth who appeared to be under twenty. Yet the faint pride in his eyes immediately made it clear that he, too, must be a descendant of some Lineage—and one of the core descendants who had remained in the main family rather than being sent away.

"So that's how it is. I was ignorant and poorly informed."

The burly man was straightforward. Though he disliked the disdainful looks from the youths at the other table, he did not flare up. After all, he could tell that everyone at that table came from extraordinary backgrounds, not people a mere Rogue Cultivator like him could compare to.

Martial cultivators on the Cloud Soaring Continent lived by cruel rules: whoever was stronger was honored. Descendants of Lineages were generally the most eye-catching. After all, the ancestors of those Lineages had all once been powerful figures who stirred the winds and clouds. The Blood Souls awakened from the bloodlines they left behind were far superior to those of ordinary people. They also possessed better cultivation resources and higher-grade cultivation techniques, all of which widened the gap between them and ordinary martial cultivators.

Take the present moment. The burly man possessed the respectable strength of the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Rank and looked to be around thirty. Among Rogue Cultivators, he could be considered above average. Yet the luxuriously dressed youths at the other table were all under twenty, astonishingly young, and even the weakest among them emitted an aura at the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Rank. As for the strongest—the youth who had spoken—his cultivation could not even be seen through!

The gap! This was the gap!

Quite a few people in the tavern also noticed those several extraordinary youths.

The annual Lineage gathering was also a contest among the younger generation! It was an important event that determined their fate and standing within the Lineage for the coming year!

These few days every year were the liveliest time in all of Wuzhou City! They were also the only chance for many descendants who had been sent away by their Lineages due to poor talent to return openly to the Lineage and even fight for the chance to remain there!

"That's Yu Wen Tianhua of the Yu Family. I heard that when he had just turned sixteen three years ago, he was already at the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Rank. Who knows what realm he has reached now!"

Many people in the tavern were natives born and raised in Wuzhou City, and quite a few recognized the origins of the several extraordinary youths at that table. One of them whispered to his companion, his eyes carrying a trace of envy.

Descendants of great Lineages were fundamentally different from ordinary people. They possessed the excellent bloodlines left behind by their ancestors, awakened stronger Blood Souls, and found cultivation easier.

"There's also Wu Wenhao of the Wu Family. I heard he is a genius of the Wu Family's new generation. Though not yet eighteen, he had already reached the peak of the fifth level of the Spirit Martial Rank. That rumor came out a year ago—who knows whether he has now broken through to the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Rank?"

Others nearby began speaking in low voices as well. Clearly, every youth at that table had an extraordinary background.

"Yes, and that one too. He seems to be one of the Li Family's monsters, Li Yue. I heard that among the younger generation of the three great Lineages, he is the youngest, yet also the strongest. Half a year ago, there were rumors that he defeated some arrogant martial cultivator from outside the city. That man had the strength of the peak sixth level of the Spirit Martial Rank! Perhaps Li Yue has already entered the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Rank!"

No one knew who whispered it, but it immediately sparked a wave of shocked cries among those nearby. Clearly, not many people knew this news, and it was enough to cause a stir.

The higher martial cultivators on the Cloud Soaring Continent cultivated, the slower their advancement became. Below the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Rank, there were practically no bottlenecks. Descendants of great Lineages like these could usually break through two or three times in a year. But after the fourth level of the Spirit Martial Rank, breakthroughs were no longer so easy. One might not break through even after one or two years.

As for those above the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Rank, even in this little patch of Wuzhou City, they could be considered top-tier experts!

"So they are the outstanding descendants of the three great Lineages. My respects, my respects!"

The burly outsider was also full of shock. Having traveled the martial world, he naturally understood that the advantages and talent of descendants from great Lineages were simply beyond comparison with ordinary people like himself.

"You're too polite, too polite!"

With a snap, Yu Wen Tianhua opened a paper fan and gently waved it with a deliberately graceful air. He truly had a hint of the refined charm of a romantic scholar. Combined with his fairly handsome face, he immediately drew frequent attention from many young women and married ladies in the tavern.

At that moment, everyone's attention was fixed on the outstanding descendants of the three great Lineages. No one noticed that in a corner of the tavern sat an ordinary-looking but handsome youth, coldly watching it all.

Most of his attention was focused on the youngest of the three youths at that table.

It was Li Yue, one of the Li Family's most highly favored genius descendants. He was also the grandson of the Li Family's First Elder, so his status within the Li Family was far from ordinary.

Among the three, he also wore the coldest and most arrogant expression. Compared to Yu Wen Tianhua, who constantly waved his paper fan as though in a cold wind, and Wu Wenhao, whose cold face resembled a block of ice, Li Yue gave off an air of arrogant aloofness that warned strangers to stay away. Whenever his gaze swept across those around him, it carried thick disdain and a trace of self-admiration.

The youth seated in the corner was none other than Li Ye. Less than two days remained until the Li Family's year-end grand gathering, and naturally he would not miss such an important day.

Whether by sentiment or reason, he had to return once. Besides, he wanted to put on a performance and earn the chance to return to the Li Family!

"Every year at the Lineage's year-end gathering, there will be contests among the younger generation. Only those who earn recognition can remain in the Lineage for the next year. Since your dream was to one day return to that place in glory, then I will fulfill this wish for you."

No one could hear his muttering. Having fused with those memories and that soul, Li Ye naturally knew what the former him had desired most.

The Lineage's recognition!

To be honest, encountering this matter in the tavern was merely a coincidence. Although Li Yue belonged to the same Lineage as him, he might not necessarily recognize him. After all, one was a descendant abandoned by the Lineage, while the other was a closely watched genius of the younger generation. The gap between them was simply too great.

Just as Li Ye was beginning to feel bored and was preparing to stop watching such a nauseating performance, some conversation suddenly came from that side, immediately halting his steps.

"Brother Li, in your Li Family's contest this time, Brother Li will surely claim first place without the slightest suspense, right?"

Gently waving his paper fan, Yu Wen Tianhua's every movement brimmed with elegance. Yet the occasional flash of cold light in his eyes made it clear that he was absolutely not as harmless as he appeared, but rather a ruthless person.

"Indeed. With Brother Li's strength, even in Wuzhou City, there are probably few among his peers who can compare with him, much less defeat him."

Wu Wenhao of the Wu Family gave a cold smile. He sounded as though he were flattering Li Yue, yet there was somehow a trace of mockery in his words.

Even Yu Wen Tianhua's question seemed to contain some hidden meaning.

"Hmph! This tiny Wuzhou City is not worthy of my notice! One day, this little place will not be able to contain me at all!"

Arrogant!

Incomparably arrogant!

Li Yue's words directly conveyed several meanings. First, he fully accepted Yu Wen Tianhua and Wu Wenhao's flattery, arrogantly believing that as long as the older generation did not emerge, no one in Wuzhou City could contend with him. Second, his ambitions were not small. Even now, his gaze had already leaped beyond Wuzhou City, toward the broader skies outside!

"Hehe, Brother Li's talent is indeed difficult for anyone to match!" Yu Wen Tianhua chuckled, though his eyes carried a faintly sinister look. Then, his tone suddenly shifted. "However, I heard that person from your Li Family will also be returning this time. I wonder whether Brother Li can suppress that person? Brother Wenhao and I have heard that person's talent is no weaker than yours, Brother Li. That person has spent these past years training outside, and no one knows how far that person's strength has progressed!"

Wu Wenhao gave a sinister chuckle at the side. The relationship among the three clearly was not as friendly as it appeared. Yet the three great Lineages had always engaged in open and covert struggles, something everyone in Wuzhou City knew. Naturally, their younger generations were also locked in schemes and deception, each hiding sinister thoughts in his belly.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Li Yue's expression changed at once, and his tone became hostile. "Yu Wen Tianhua, what do you mean by that? You think I am inferior to that woman Li Yating?!"

A powerful aura erupted directly from Li Yue's body.

Seventh level of the Spirit Martial Rank! Sharp light flashed repeatedly through Li Ye's eyes. Although Li Yue had only just entered this realm and his cultivation was not yet stable, it was already as different from the sixth level of the Spirit Martial Rank as heaven and earth!