A Martial God's Bloodline

Silence at the Li clan's entrance!

Everyone's eyes were locked onto the two guards.

"They're not dead yet! Only passed out."

A few people stepped forward to take a look. They were relieved only when they realized that the men were not dead. Those people might have the Li clan's bloodline within them, but if two of the Li clan's servants were killed in front of their home, no one could escape the responsibility.

"What just happened! What's all the ruckus for? What else is going to happen after this?"

A cold shout preceded the appearance of a forty years old, stockily built man. His eagle eyes swept across the crowd unhappily and when he saw the unconscious guards half-stuck into the door, his expression turned oddly bizarre.

"Who did this?!"

The crowd felt a suffocating pressure assailing them and a few of those whose states were at Level Three fell bottom-first onto the ground.

"F-f-fourth Master."

The Fourth Master! The man who came was the Li clan's Fourth Master! Li Hounian!

Someone went up to him almost immediately and recounted everything that happened earlier. Li Hounian's expression remained unchanged after hearing everything. He nodded nonchalantly and told one of the servants beside him to deal with everything. He then turned around and went back in.

"Wasn't that the Fourth Master? I heard he's the strongest in the clan, second only to our clan's Chief Supreme Elder! He's already completed his Martial Spirit Levels even though he's just reached forty! He can break through to Innatism any time! Then our clan will have another Innate Sovereign Level Master! The entire Wu Prefecture City will be in fear!"

Some of those distant descendants were whispering softly to each other. Their attention had been drawn over ever since Li Ye set foot into the compound.

"Fourth Master, did you see what happened?"

Li Hounian then looked over to the place where the clan tournament was to be held. A servant was beside him, seemingly with something to say but reluctant to actually say it.

"Li Ye's actions were surprising. But then again, those actions are deserving of Second Brother's son. A period of silence will lead to a brilliant feat that amazes the whole world! But… Hmph!"

Li Hounian let out a loud huff that made the servant feel as though there was thunder. His entire body was shaking.

"Those old idiots. Second Brother was only gone for a few years, yet those servants are already treating his son so badly! How short-sighted! If Second Brother comes back and finds out about it, do they really think he'll just ignore their actions and treat it as though nothing happened?"

It was obvious that the Li clan's Fourth Master was different from the rest of the Li clan—he treated Li Ye as his own nephew. The 'second brother' that he spoke of was none other than Li Ye's father and the former Li clan patriarch—Li Kainian!

Servant Li had long been accustomed to the Fourth Master's temperament. He had followed the Fourth Master for so many years and he knew why the influential Fourth Master cared so much for the garbage Third Young Master.

It was all because the Fourth Master was born from the same mother as Li Kainian! They were different from the Third Master and the current Head Elder because the former two were blood-related brothers!

"Fourth Master, Third Young Master's actions were probably of his own accord. Master, perhaps it's best that you observe the situation in silence. It won't be too late for you to act only when things turn crucial."

Knowing his master's attitude all too well, Servant Li could not help but leave a gentle reminder.

"Servant Li, I will do exactly as you have suggested! But if anyone still dares to bully little Ye'er, it'd be useless even if they made the Supreme Elder show up himself! In our clan, they're not the only ones who have the final say!"

"You're right, Master. Third Young Master is his son and no one should bully him!"

Servant Li lowered his head and agreed, with a flash of coldness streaking across his eyes. Although he was not a genuine clansman, he had been raised in the Li clan as a servant since he was young. He later tagged along with Li Hounian, who never once treated him unfairly during all those years! Whatever resources were made available for him to cultivate, and at the present, his strength had reached Martial Spirit Level Eight! Very few people knew about it, however, as it was sure to invite controversy if it was publicized.

"Let's go! We'll have a look at how much progress has been made by those who were not in the clan for the past few years!"

In a short amount of time, two earth-shaking pieces of news spread throughout the Li clan.

"Didn't you hear? The piece of trash came back! He even injured two of the guards at the door!"

"Are you for real? You're talking about that piece of trash? Isn't he worse than a normal person? Those dunderhead guards are probably not that skilled but it shouldn't be a problem for them to face a weakling, right? Maybe they just pretended to be weak?"

The news spread like wildfire and soon reached the ears of some individuals.

Thump!

In one of the courtyards, Li Yue's injuries had almost recovered after being given the clan's elixirs. At that moment, however, his face was filled with bitter hatred and resentment.

"That trash! He still has the guts to show up!"

"Yue'er!"

An elderly yet stern voice was heard, turning Li Yue from a ravaging beast into a docile little house cat. He switched up his expression with a pure and gentle smile, greeting, "Grandfather, you're here."

The person who showed up was the Li clan's most formidable figure—Head Elder Li Daokui.

"That little brat is back. The kid was right. That little brat wants to prove himself in this year's year-end tournament."

Only Li Daokui—a man superior enough in seniority and hierarchy—could call Li Huangran a kid. He huffed and said, "He does look like a shadow of his father after manifesting his bloodsoul! But! Hmph! Times have changed, even if he awakened his bloodline and manifested his bloodsoul, he's still not nearly as terrifying as his father was!"

"Grandfather, since that little brat is so brave to strut in here, how about…"

Li Yue made a cutthroat gesture, the meaning of which was undoubtedly obvious.

Unfortunately, Li Daokui shook his head. "You are too immature, Yue'er. Killing is not always the best way to deal with someone. There are certain situations where leaving someone alive would cause them more despair! Even if we were to kill that little brat, now is not the time! Your grandfather does not have the final say in the clan. It took me a lot of effort to chase him out of our clan last time. Even today, some of the older folks still grumble about my actions."

"Hmph! Those old guys are just worried that he would come back and settle scores with them! I don't understand them at all! He's missing for ten years now. What is there to be worried about? He probably died in some foreign land already! Besides, after a few years, Grandfather and Father will both break through to Innatism. There won't be any use even if the person returned! We will have the final say in the Li clan!"

A smile appeared on Li Daokui's old face as he heard what Li Yue said.

Everyone knew that there were only three people in the entire Li clan who showed the most promise of breaking into Innatism and becoming Sovereign Level Masters. One of them was Li Yue's grandfather, the old man standing in front of Li Yue. Another was the old man's son—the de facto patriarch for the clan and Li Yue's own father!

Within Wu Prefecture City, those who achieve Innate Sovereign Level could rightly be placed above all secular powers!

"Uncle!"

All of a sudden, Li Huangran burst in with a dismal expression.

"Kid? What is it that's gotten you so anxious?"

"Fourth Brother is back."

One simple sentence washed away Li Daokui's smile immediately.

"Fourth Uncle? Why is he back?"

Li Yue—the mighty prodigy of the Li clan—cowered as though he were a mouse that heard a cat's meow.

"Hmph! What of it then, if he returns! He's only one person. There's nothing to worry about! Our clan is no longer under the rule of those two brothers!"

"Uncle is right."

Li Yue's harrumphed, but he noticed that there was an added austerity in the faces of his grandfather and third uncle. Li Hounian's return was not as simple as they made it out to be.

"Yue'er! Do you know what you need to do in this year's tournament?"

"Don't worry, Grandfather! Your grandson understands! When the moment comes, I'll seize the number one spot in the clan and get the attention of the Chief Supreme Elder! I'll take the title of this year's champion for the joint tournament between all three of the great clans!"

He patted his own chest and beamed with confidence, sweeping away the gloominess that he had since a few days ago.

At that point, about a thousand people converged in the Li clan's huge battle stage. All of them were the descendants and offspring of the Li clan throughout the years, although more nine-CD was born of generations that had left the clan in the past.

None of them were stopped from coming back to the clan on that occasion. One reason was to pay their respects to their ancestors, while the other reason—the more important one—was to join the tournament! Whoever that put on their best performance and entered the top hundred would be able to stay within the main clan and receive the best nurturing they would ever get!

The clan had always given their best cultivation resources to those who had exceptional talent!

Li Ye stood in astonishment within the crowd, and by then, many had their eyes on him.

There were thousands of people there after all, and many of them have never heard of trash like him. A few had heard rumors about him but never really met him before.

"Silence!"

A thunderous voice rang in the ears of everyone present there.

Soon, everyone saw a deity-like, middle-aged man drift across and land in the center of the battle stage.

"I will be the one taking charge of this year's tournament."

The man's voice was not too loud but it was sufficiently clear enough for the crowd to hear. His strong cultivation was apparent, for it was no small feat to convey a message tactfully to everyone's ears.

"It's the Sixth Master! I didn't think he'd be organizing this year's tournament! This is great news!"

Li Ye heard echoes of secret delight from everyone beside him. As it turned out, the middle-aged man on stage was the sixth eldest among the Li clan's second generation. Everyone addressed him as the Sixth Master. People were rejoicing because it was said that the Sixth Master had a good temper and that he would never burden his juniors even if they were distant descendants.

"Idiot. With your strength, you'd still have no hope whether or not it's the Sixth Master that's organizing the fact-off. Whether you'd be able to pass the first round is still a big question mark too!"

Someone then remarked disdainfully. Li Ye looked over and saw that it was a young man roughly the same age as him. The young man was rather cold and arrogant, considering himself unexcelled by others.

"You!" The expression of the person who spoke earlier changed dramatically, but after knowing who it was that spoke after him, he kept quiet.

Many others also began to notice the aloof young man and began whispering amongst themselves.

"Isn't that the main family's Young Master Li Xuan? I hear he's only sixteen this year but he's already had a breakthrough to Level Six. He's one of the top prodigies in the main family!"

"Why yes, of course. Just look at him, he's completely matchless. We struggle like it's life and death but until now, we've only reached Level Three. This is how big the gap is."

Li Xuan felt even prouder when he heard those whisperings. He looked to the sky, as if abhorring his association with those peasants.

A streak of radiance flashed across Li Ye's eyes. Li Xuan! Li Xuan was Li Huangran's son and was among the few that used to bully Li Ye countless times in the past!

[1] Unsure what this means. The raw text gives it as CD, and despite our inclination that this is a typo, deciphering what the author really wanted to convey is but a futile exercise on this occasion.