Amongst the myriad of uneven palm prints, his was the most distinct and conspicuous!
"Impossible! So deep. How could a piece of trash like him achieve such a feat!"
Following a gasp of surprise, Li Xuan's brother was heard yelling in disbelief. The rest of the crowd looked as though they saw a ghost. Li Xuan even reached out and touched the palm print with his own hands, apparently to confirm the authenticity for himself.
"Trash! What kind of despicable methods did you use to do all this?"
"Li Yuan! Enough! Shut your mouth!"
It seemed Li Xuan's brother was named Li Yuan. He had made quite a name for himself within the clan at such a young age. Nevertheless, that reputation was not a good one, as he was known to be arrogant and condescending.
As expected, the boy was nonchalant even after Sixth Master Li scolded him. He pointed a finger straight at Li Ye and began scolding.
"You're just a piece of trash, do you really think I don't know about all that wishful thinking in your heart right now. Isn't it all because you want to be accepted back into the family? How could you use such methods to pass this test! Sadly, you can't hide that from everyone's clear eyes!"
Li Yuan's tender face was filled with an excess of pride as if he had done a meritorious deed. He continued his words so smugly that he failed to see Sixth Master Li's increasingly unhappy expression.
Even his elder brother's eyes were frighteningly icy at that moment.
"Trash! So, you can leave a palm print on the iron-like obsidian? Well in that case, I'm capable of completely crushing the obsidian with one punch! Hahaha!"
Plenty of people began laughing, but there were others who seemed to be hinting at each other through their expressions.
"
Li Ye completely ignored the bratty little boy, but unfortunately, his words triggered Li Yuan's temper!
"Trash! What did you just say? Say that again if you've got balls!"
Who was Li Yuan? He was the youngest son of Li Huangran, the clan's Third Master! He stood out even amongst the other main family's children! When did anyone ever dare to speak to him like that?
"Your dad hasn't taught you any etiquette? Uneducated little thing!"
Li Ye did not have any favorable impression of Li Yuan at all. He was Li Huangran's son after all, but even if he was not, his repeated arrogance and referring to Li Ye as 'trash' was enough to make Li Ye dislike that little cousin of his.
"You wanna die!"
Although Li Yuan had just only reached fourteen-years-old, he had a considerable temper and suddenly became furious when he heard those words! He delivered a punch straight at Li Ye and looked quite formidable in his manner!
Upon seeing that Li Yuan made a move, coldness flashed through Li Ye's eyes. He grasped Li Yuan's fist with little effort, twisted it by turning his hand, then slapped Li Yuan back!
Slap!
The crisp slap was like a bomb that left everyone there staring with their mouth agape!
Li Yuan was stunned by the slap! Only then did he scream! Next, he roared and growled!
"Trash! I want you to die!"
Slap!
Yet another slap was delivered, but instead of being Li Ye who inflicted it, it was Li Xuan! Li Yuan's elder brother!
"Enough! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough! Go back down!"
Li Xuan's face was scarily somber. He frightened his younger brother so much that the latter was afraid to make any rash actions and tensed up in the neck. Li Yuan appeared to be rather afraid of his elder brother.
"Brother, this trash, he..."
"Shut up! Go back home! Otherwise, I'll personally make sure you're bedridden for a whole month!"
A low voice exited Li Xuan's mouth, immediately prompting the crestfallen Li Yuan to rejoin the other awe-struck main clan descendants. However, he still glanced fiercely at Li Ye with endless resentment filling his eyes.
After chastising his younger brother, Li Xuan's expression changed like an actor from a face-changing opera. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he turned to face Li Ye and apologize, "Third Brother, I hope you'll be able to forgive. My younger brother is ignorant and naïve. Allow me to apologize for any wrong that was done to you. I will definitely teach him a lesson when we go back home today! "
Third Brother!
It had been ages since someone addressed him as such!
Within Li Ye's that generation, he should properly be ranked as the third child. He was once the clan's Third Young Master! Pity that the title was never heard for many, many years.
Li Xuan's actions not only elicited dumbfounded looks from Li Yuan and those from the main clan—everyone else was in a similar state of disbelief too.
As the saying went, one never hits a smiling man. Li Ye might not have any kind feelings toward Li Xuan, but it was not right for Li Ye to simply attack Li Xuan. Li Ye saw everything with crystal clear clarity—Li Xuan's apparent anger in slapping his little brother suggested that he was teaching Li Yuan a lesson, but in actual fact, it was to save his little brother's life! Li Ye might otherwise have gone further than just a mere slap. At the very least, Li Xuan's muscles would be torn and his bones might even suffer some of the effects! The pain would definitely not be lesser than what had been inflicted on Li Ye in the past!
Cracking a smile, Li Ye seemed to treat it as though nothing happened. He smiled and said, "Fifth Brother doesn't have to be so serious. Children are just naughty. I didn't take Fourteenth Brother seriously. It's all just fun and games with him."
"Thank you, Third Brother!"
The two of them smiled insincerely at each other while the rest of the crowd looked stunned.
Li Yuan was the only one sporting a resentful gaze. If gaze alone could kill, Li Ye had probably died countless times over!
At that moment, Sixth Master Li came back to his senses abruptly. He had a profound expression as he looked at Li Ye and his gaze seemed to be rather convoluted.
He then took a deep breath and declared, "Li Ye passed the first round!"
Wow!
The result put things to a close, but no one had any idea of the kind of impact brought about by that decision.
News of the once-trash Third Young Master—who brushed away the title of 'trash' and passed the first test after returning to the clan—would spread in an instant, like a transiting plague of locusts.
All that happened much later. Once the result was announced at the time, Sixth Master Li allowed the rest to go, signifying to them that they lost their chance that year. Needless to say, that group of people were not going to leave immediately. The end of the year was only two days away. It was a day to gather together, and that was when the annual tournament officially began!
The first round was just a warm-up and the real focus came the next day. It was an event where clan descendants who passed the first round would be competing with the clan's elite descendants—those who did not need to take the first test to begin with—and contest their rankings!
Li Ye left as well, having already achieved his purpose that day. He believed that those old farts within the clan would soon get word about what happened!
"Whatever happened to Li Yue would definitely be kept under covers. But I'd like to see if anyone can still wield their influence like that after today!"
He was well aware of who it was that genuinely wanted to drive him out that year! Li Ye was in no hurry. The first round was only just the beginning. The real fun only came on the next day!
Looking at Li Ye's departing silhouette, the originally-smiling Li Xuan pulled a long face instantly.
"Brother!"
"Shut up! We'll talk when we get back!"
After the two brothers left, Sixth Master Li stood alone in front of the huge obsidian. As he looked at the conspicuous palm print that remained unsurpassed for countless years, scenes of yesteryear flashed in his mind like film slides.
"In a blink of an eye, it's already thirty years."
He thought of something and curled his lips into a warm smile, one that no one had ever seen before. Reminiscing, he said to himself, "I was still a child then, but you, Second Brother…you rose so fast, like a meteor stunning all those old bags. Unfortunately, they did that to you..."
Shaking his head, he looked at the palm print of similar depth just beside. He reached out, touched it, and whispered to himself, "Sure enough, he's the same kind as you, Second Brother! It seems that everyone, including me, made a mistake! A great mistake! I hope those old farts won't make the same mistake that they did in the past!"
Upon finishing his words, Sixth Master Li's eyes turned cold abruptly. The next moment, he felt a tremble and proceeded to smile, as though he realized something.
"Since you're here, Fourth Brother, there's no need for you to sneak around."
A hearty laugh was subsequently heard.
"Hahaha! Sixth Brother, oh Sixth Brother! Everyone says the same thing about our generation—that Second Brother is the most demonic, Eldest Brother is the most earnest, and Third Brother is the craftiest and the sliest. I'm the most arrogant and stubborn, while Fifth Brother devotes himself to seclusion and shies away from the secular world. As for you, they say you're unaccomplished and your talents were the worst out of all six brothers. Now, it seems that apart from Second Brother, you're the biggest surprise in the family!"
An imposing figure appeared directly on the stage. It was none other than Li Hounian, the Fourth Master of the Li clan who had just returned!
After hearing all that, Li Xuanji smiled silently. The unsmiling look that so often characterized his expression was gone. As soon as he saw Li Hounian, he stepped forward immediately and gave Li Hounian a hug!
"Fourth Brother! You're back!"
Nothing more needed to be said during that moment of brotherliness. Silence conveyed everything.
"If you don't come back, the atmosphere at home will become really suffocating!"
Li Hounian huffed coldly., In half a day, Li Hounian learned a lot about what happened when he was away in recent years. One thing in particular, filled his chest with rising anger.
Li Xuanji smiled bitterly and shook his head, but did not continue from where he left off. Instead, he asked, "Fourth Brother, how long are you going to stay here this time?"
"I think it's time some things are solved!"
That was not the answer to the question, but Li Xuanji cracked a bitter smile and sighed.
Li Hounian had already observed the situation on the obsidian at that point. His expressions could not help but reveal a slight hint of reminiscing, just as Li Xuanji did moments ago. When he gazed upon the conspicuous palm print that was imprinted earlier, he asked, "The boy left that?"
Li Xuanji nodded without saying anything further.
"Hahaha!" Li Hounian laughed. His eyes lit up and he said, "Perfect! Looks like it'll be an exciting day tomorrow!"
However, his eyes sank the next moment. "It's inconvenient for me to do so, but you must keep a close watch, Sixth Brother! Keep an eye for any covert moves made by anyone!"
Li Xuanji hesitated for a bit but nodded anyway. "I understand! Unless the Chief Supreme Elder comes into the picture, I guarantee the boy will show up safely tomorrow!"
"With your words, I can rest assured!"
After finishing his words, Li Hounian strode away. Li Xuanji, on the other hand, ordered someone to put away the obsidian. He then took his leave in order to make preparations.