Chapter 225 - 224: The Fourth-Generations Tournament

Chapter 225: Chapter 224: The Fourth-Generations Tournament

That evening, the main hall of the West Courtyard was filled with the mouth watering aroma of roasted meat mingling with the scent of rare spiritual herbs. The long wooden table was laden with delicacies rich in spiritual energy: roasted spirit-meat with golden, crispy skin; steamed green-striped fish; and honey-glazed spirit fruits, the very sight of which had made Li Jingxuan’s mouth water the moment he entered.

Amidst the laughter and lively conversation, Li Xuefeng set down his chopsticks, his expression turning thoughtful. He turned to Li Jain and said, "Third Uncle, on my way here today, I heard my father mention an important matter. The City Lord’s Mansion and the Alliance Council have finalized the details for the upcoming South River City Grand Tournament.’"

The loud chatter around the table gradually died down as everyone’s attention was drawn to his words.

Li Zhang raised his eyebrows: "Another Grand Tournament? I hadn’t realized the city was so keen on such events. It’s a pity Uncle Liu isn’t here; there’s no one to fly us there."

"What exactly does the tournament entail?" Li Jain asked.

"It is a grand event held once every twenty years," Li Xuefeng continued, his eyes reflecting a mix of anticipation and gravity: "It is designed specifically for the rising generation of South River City’s nine great clans, and this particular edition is dedicated to the fourth-generation disciples, the future pillars of their respective families."

Li Yuhan’s eyes lit up at this: "The fourth generation? That means us! Finally, a chance to showcase our skills on such a grand stage!"

Li Jain stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze steady and profound as he digested the information. He knew well that not every child could represent the clan; selecting representatives from a family as vast as the Li clan was no easy feat. However, when it came to strength and capability, he had no worries about the youngsters in his own household.

...

A week later, the heavy tolling of a bell echoed three times over the Li clan estate, signaling the imminent convening of an emergency meeting of the highest order.

Inside the grand hall of the ancestral residence, wisps of incense smoke rose and curled around the towering wooden pillars. Elders and core leaders from all four major branches of the Li clan were present.

Seated in the seat of honor at the center was the clan’s Old Ancestor, exuding an air of solemn majesty and flanked by senior members of the Council of Elders; below them sat the masters of the various halls, the heads of the branches, and key figures from the second and third generations.

Across the four branches of the Li clan, there were over a hundred youths of the fourth generation, aged fifteen and younger. Yet only twenty spots available for the "South River City Grand Tournament." The intensity of the competition was palpable.

"The Grand Tournament selects only the true, top-tier geniuses!" Li Zhentian, the First Elder of the First Branch, spoke first; his voice boomed like a great bell, echoing off the stone walls of the hall. He gestured to his side and declared, "My eldest grandson, Li Xuefeng, reached the Ninth Stage of Body Refining at the age of just thirteen, and three other juniors in our branch have already stepped into the Seventh Stage! My branch ought to claim at least eight of these twenty spots to ensure the clan’s victory!"

"Preposterous!" Li Yuan, an elder of the Second Branch, slammed his palm onto the tea table, shattering the porcelain cup upon it: "The First Branch monopolizing eight spots?! Do the other three branches not exist in your eyes? My grandson, Li Hong, has been training arduously for three years and has reached the Eighth Stage of Physical Body! The Second Branch demands no fewer than six spots!"

"Hmph! Without ingenious tactics, what use is brute force alone?" Li Qing, an elder of the Third Branch, snorted disdainfully as he rapidly fanned himself: "The disciples of our Third Branch excel in formations and support techniques! In upcoming competition, survivability and teamwork matter far more than mere brute strength. We deserve at least five guaranteed slots!"

"That’s utterly ridiculous! After allocating so many slots for your branch, do you think the Fourth Branch only deserves one? What do you take us for?"

A heated argument erupted instantly within the great hall. Dozens of elders, faces flushed and refusing to yield, vigorously pushing the merits to their own grandchildren. The scene grew increasingly chaotic, punctuated by occasional, unsettling ripples of spiritual pressure.

"Silence!"

The voice of the Li family Patriarch, calm yet commanding swept through the hall like a chilling gust of wind. The vast, imposing aura of a Holy-realm powerhouse instantly quelled the clamor, forcing the elders into cowed silence as they respectfully retreated to their seats.

"Look at the state of you," the Patriarch said coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room: "Squabbling until you’re red in the face over a mere handful of trial slots, just like common market hawkers. Do you honestly believe the other eight great families of South River City will out of the goodness of their hearts simply hand victory to us?"

His gaze shifted to Li Jain, who sat quietly in the section reserved for the third-generation disciples, seemingly unaffected by the uproar. "Little Jain, you have been guiding the younger generation of the clan lately; what is your view on this?"

Li Jain rose gracefully and offered a slight, respectful bow to the Patriarch and the elders. His voice was steady and clear, carrying an air of natural authority that instantly commanded everyone’s attention: "Grandfather, esteemed elders," Li Jian said in a gentle tone, "if we were to allocate these twenty slots based solely on personal bias or branch quotas, it would only breed resentment and suppressed true talent. Moreover, over a hundred young clansmen yearn to prove themselves; to cut off their path without a fair selection process could well undermine the unity of the clan."

Great Elder Zhentian narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "What, then, do you propose, Li Jain? The slots for the trial are limited; we certainly cannot send all one hundred children in."

"We should adopt a two-stage compromise," Li Jian replied with a composed air. "First, we select forty candidates from the hundred. Among the fourth-generation disciples, five outstanding individuals including my eldest son, Yujian, have already broken through to the ’Spiritual Sea Realm.’ These five will automatically be designated as core seeded candidates. The remaining thirty-five slots will be filled by selecting disciples currently in the ’Physical Body Realm’ from the four major branches."

The elders nodded slowly, finding this preliminary division both reasonable and balanced regarding the various factions.

"And how, then, shall we select the final twenty from those forty?" Elder Li Yuan asked.

"Next month, the clan can hold an internal selection tournament," Li Jain explained, "To ensure a competitive standard, only juniors who have reached the third stage of the Body Tempering Realm or higher will be eligible to participate. Over the coming month, these forty candidates will receive equal access to trial resources and martial arts guidance. They will then compete against one another on the martial arena; the final twenty will be chosen entirely based on their strength and combat coordination, regardless of which branch they are from."

Silence fell over the great hall as the elders weighed the proposal. This approach upheld the dignity of the top-tier geniuses while offering a fair opportunity to those with latent potential, allowing them to strive for a spot through their hard work over the coming month.

The Li family patriarch gently stroked his silver beard, his eyes revealing genuine satisfaction. He tapped the stone armrest of his chair and spoke in a deep, resonant voice: "Well said! We shall proceed according to Xiaojain’s proposal. Let the four major branches submit their lists of eligible juniors today so that the candidates can be finalized. Meeting dismissed!"

The elders filed out of the great hall, their conversation betraying their excitement as they mentally plotted how to rigorously train their grandchildren over the coming month.